touching the Lordes supper if it bee inquired of vs why wee come together to receiue a bit of bread and a draught wine it is in way of acknowledgement that our soules haue neede of foode no lesse than our bodies and that as there is such frailetie in this present lyfe as it cannot continue without the helpes of meate and drinke so must our soules also bee mainteined after lyke sorte by reason of the infirmitie that is in them Neuerthelesse our soules are not nourished with the corruptible meates of this world Iohn 6.53.54.55.56 but it is the sonne of God that is our foode Matt. 26.26.28 Wee then haue Iesus Christ who is our lyfe it is hee of whome wee haue sustenance and nourishment â— Cor. 11.24 forasmuch as hee was offered in sacrifice for vs and the bloud that he did shed for our saluation is our drinke Thus ye see how we nowadayes may learne whereunto y e ordinaÌ„ces to teÌ„d which God hath stablished in his Church and to what end they be to be referred In lyke case was it vnder the lawe For God ordeyned not the ceremonies without further consideration of some reason in them It is true that hee meant to separate his people from all the heathen and vnbeleeuers of the earth Deut. 4.8 but yet in the meane while Heb. 9.10 10.3 11.12 the washinges which they vsed were done to shewe that they were full of naughtinesse as well as wee and that it stood them in hand to seeke the meanes to bee made cleane The sacrifices were a witnesse that they were worthy to bee condemned to euerlasting death and that there was none other shift for them but to flee to the sacrifice wherby they should bee reconciled to God The Sanctuary betokened that no man but onely Iesus Christ might enter into Gods kingdome Heb. 9.7 â—0 18 nor come nye it and that by his meanes all nations haue accesse thither and that all such as are vnworthie in respect of their owne persons are brought in thither by that mediator To be shorte Heb. 7.19 all the ceremonies of the Lawe had some certaine vse and serued to trayne the people to put their trust in the redeemer that was promised them Heb. 8.5 And that was the cause why Moses was commaunded to make all things according to the spirituall patterne which hee had seene on the mount For Moses builded not the Tabernacle otherwise than GOD had giuen him the patterne of it And all was to shewe that there was a conformable resemblance betweene the outward thinges and the trueth which was to bee manifested in our Lord Iesus Christ. But in the text Moses speaketh but of the first and that is the cause why I sayd that it be behoued vs to haue an eye to his meaning For it was enough for him to say go too my friendes you which haue seene the redemption that GOD hath wrought you say I ought to consider how much you bee bound vnto him Therefore make account to the doctrine of the Lawe and frame your whole lyfe therafter that it may be as an acknowledgement of the deliuerance which you haue receiued at his hand And when ye shall haue walked thereafter all the time of your lyfe looke well to it that you teach your children also so as Gods seruice may continue among you and neuer decay nor bee abolished That is the playne meaning of Moses Furthermore let vs vnderstand that wee must consider that the Lawe was not inuented at the pleasure of men neither was it founded by them but God was the giuer thereof who holdeth vs vnder his gouernement and it is his trueth which we followe so as wee holde not any whit of thinges inuented by men That is the thing whereon wee must rest that we may not bee alwayes wauering and doubtfull And hereby wee knowe how wretched the state of the papistes is for they bee stubborne and wilfull in their own imaginations If a man aske theÌ„ of whoÌ„ they hold their superstitioÌ„s they alledge their fathers they alledge long antiquitie they alledge y e common fashion of y e whole world but in y e meane while they haue no certeintie y t their doinges please God or y t he alloweth theÌ„ whereas in very deed the thing y t God leadeth vs vnto is y t we should be sure that haue not ne holde not any thing y t is brought vs at al aduenture but y t the doctrine of our faith is y e pure truth Seeing then that God commaundeth vs so to doe let vs assure our selues y t to liue as becommeth vs wee must haue this certeintie y t wee be gouerned by Gods word that y e same is y e rule of our fayth that y e religion which wee sticke vnto is y e true religioÌ„ Now therefore we may profite our selues by this text sith we se y t y e meaning of Moses was y t the people should know y t the Law was not deuised by men but that God was the author of it And euen at this day the Lawe must beare this sway with vs y t wee must know to what purpose it was giueÌ„ Besides this although there be nothing set down here coÌ„cerning y e end wherunto Gods ordinances doe tend yet must we looke thereat For all things are not spoken in one place wee must take things in such order as God hath set them downe In other places hee will teach vs what marke it behoued the people to shoote at in keeping the lawe Rom. 3.20.21 4.15.16 Gal. 3.19.22 but here the case concerneth the continuall seruing of God with reuerence so as the people may knowe themselues to bee wholly at his deuotion and that therwithall he reserueth to himselfe the authoritie of gouerning his people and of holding them in subiection Those are the thinges which we haue to beare in minde Now let vs come to that which hee addeth in the conclusion that is to wit That God hauing deliuered his people and brought them into the land that hee had giuen them appointed them all his commaundements Hereby wee see that when God sheweth vs this grace to gather vs into his Church hee calleth vs not to bee idle but at the least to the ende wee shoulde glorify him as the thing whereof the whole Scripture speaketh And these sayings Esa. 12.5.6 Psal. 107.14.15 80.16 Behold I haue purchased a people that shall sing my praise Behold I haue planted a vine and I wil be glorified therby and such other are so often beaten into the peoples heads by the Prophets as it ought to be a doctrine wellinough knowne among them Nowe therefore Gods speaking after that maner is to shewe that his intent in chosing that people was to be honoured at their hands And this belongeth much more to vs forasmuch as God hath vttered a farre greater power in deliuering vs from the dungeons of
to whom the glorie of that benefite ought to bee yeelded And when wee haue bread to eate it is not the bread that sustaineth vs but it is God who powreth out his goodnesse continually vpon vs. Although he apply those meanes to our vse yet is it he himselfe that worketh it is he that is the author of them And in that respect is it that hee saith hee will breake the staffe of breade 〈◊〉 4.16 â—â— 16 〈◊〉 28.23 〈◊〉 2.21.22 True it is that hee threatneth to shut vp the heauen as if it were iron and to make the earth to bee of brasse so that when the earth crieth out to the heauen the heauen shall not heare it God then when he intendeth to send barrennesse vppon a land vseth such meanes as he thinketh good by reason whereof wee haue not wherewith to sustaine our selues in so much that when the grounde hath borne a haruest good and great ynough yet wil God wel ynough diminish it and make it to moulder away yea and when the corne is caried to the mill it shall consume in the grinding and when it is brought from the mill to the ouen if it bee measured or weied againe Leui. 26.26 it shall not hold full weight and measure Howbeit we must come to this point that the strength which bread hath is not of y e bread it selfe but of Gods breathing of this woord into it whereof Moses speaketh here that is to wit that when God will haue vs to bee nourished and susteined by the bread he vttereth his goodnesse towards vs by making vs to feele his blessing which sheadeth it selfe into it after a secret fashion Albeit that we behold it not with our eyesight yet must wee be throughly perswaded of it by faith Then let vs marke well that when wee haue whereof to feede we must not be so doultish as to think that the power is inclosed in the breade or in any other vittles or drinkes but that therein God vttereth his goodnesse towardes vs and sheadeth it into vs as we see the raine come from heauen which moisteneth y e earth and giueth it strength On the other side if wee haue want let vs vnderstand that God can sustaine vs by turning bread into Manna that is to say if all ordinarie meanes fayle vs God will prouide for vs after another fashion as wee see hee remedied the necessitie of his people when they were in the wildernes Matt. 4.4 And for y e same cause did our Lord Iesus Christ answere Satan it is written that man liueth not by bread only but by euery word that commeth out of the mouth of God For Sathan tempted him to distrust vnder colour that in the wildernesse God sent him not the thinges that were expedient to liue withall He had not any foode there and yet in the meane while he was pinched with hunger as a mortall man for he vouchsafed to become subiect to our passions or sufferinges Now heere vpon Sathan taketh occasion to enter vppon him saying Seeing thou art the sonne of God shouldest thou want any thing Is it not reason that all creatures should serue thee yes for thou art the heire of the world Thou hast no bread and therefore thou must be faine to try the power of God that these stones may bee turned into bread or else thou seest how thy God forsaketh thee for if he had a care of thee thou shouldest perceiue his blessing and fauour so as thou shouldest haue heere wherwith to susteine thee Now theÌ„ seeing thou wantest such helpes it is a signe that God hath no regard of thee But Iesus Christ aunswereth hereunto I shal be susteined well enough though bread faile mee And why For the life of man dependeth not vpon these meanes And surely God were of very small and weake force if hee could not helpe a man but by breade he should be no better than an earthly man A riche man can doe welinough if hee haue wherewith but if he fall into pouerty he must be faine to begge a good heart to call vpon God and commit our selues vnto him assuring our selues that he will neuer faile vs. That is the care which God willeth vs to haue Neuerthelesse wee must also put the thing in practise that is spoken here that is to wit that God will giue vs sufficient to serue our turne so as if we want cote or shooes he will either prouide vs of them or else make one paire of soles to doe vs more seruice than a doosen when it pleaseth him And we may see this with our eyes For they that are warmest clad fayle not for all that to bee as it were halfe dead thorowe colde and on the other side whereas it seemeth that poore folke should starue and bee frosen with yee a hundred times ere the yeere goe about God warmeth them yea and they bee so preserued as though he kept them in a stooue or as though some PhisitioÌ„ were alwaies at hand with them ministring good remedies to them to saue them from the colde After that maner doeth God worke And that is the cause why that in the time of the Law God commanded that all newe things should be blessed Leui. 23.10.14.19 23. Num. 15.20 to the ende that men should thinke vpon him consider thus with themselues Go to I haue a newe garment and I must looke that I thanke him for it which gaue it mee For seeing it pleaseth my God to clothe mee thus and to giue me this apparell to vse it as mine owne it becommeth me to acknowledge that it is of his goodnesse and mercie that I am so prouided for Yee see then that the intent why he caused all things to bee dedicated vnto him which men should occupie was that they should acknowledge the giuor of them and that if he blessed not the helps which he had giuen them all was nothing and noughtwoorth And as for now adayes although wee haue not the like Ceremonie yet must we hold still the truth thereof Nowe for a conclusion Moses addeth Knowe thou in thy Heart that as a father nurtureth his owne childe so hath thy God nurtured thee In deede the hebrew woord that Moses vseth in this place signifieth sometimes to Chastise and therefore it might be taken as if he sayd thus Know thou that the intent of thy God in all the afflictions which thou hast indured hath beene to correct thy faultes that like as a man intending to reforme his child when he hath doone a misse taketh the rod by and by in his hande so likewise thy God hath chastised thee not suffering thee to become an vnruly and froward child but holding thee alwaies vnder awe And this doctrine were very good but the same woord doth by a similitude betoken likewise all instruction and good gouernment No doubt but the intent of Moses in this place was to make a generall conclusion of the matters that hee had treated
here is one person Lo here are two persons but it is taken for riches pouertie birth nobilitie or honour All things therefore y t carie an outward showe before men to moue vs to fauor them or to hate them to honour them or despyse them all those things I say are comprehended vnder the word Person for they belâ—ue as vizors And after that maner is it sayd that God accepteth no mans person To what purpose now doeth Moses speake thereof It is bicause that the great ones perceiuing themselues to bee borne out by the world thinke they may doe as much before God thereupon become proude If a man haue once won credit so as meÌ„ dare not open their mouthes against his misbehauiour but he dasheth theÌ„ out of countenance as many as stand against him he beares himselfe in hand y t he may beare as great sway with God thereupon playes y e prince among them That is the cause why a nuÌ„ber ouershoote themselues cast away all feare of God For when they see men feare them stand in awe of them or wheÌ„ they see men commend them and fauour them Then they thinke they haue won the gole then they fal to triumphing they beare themselues in hand y t they should no more bee called to account Now bicause men ouershoote themselues after y t fashion Col. 3.25 Moses summoneth them to gods iudgement which is done according to trueth after which maner S. Paul speaketh of it where he expoundeth this same saying y t God hath no respect of persons He iudgeth truly saith he according to the deede according to righteousnesse so as men must not thinke they shall fare euer the better for their alleaging this or that Furthermore he signifieth therewithall y t God is not contented with eyseruice but hath respect to the truenesse of the heart not to y e outward seeming of things as is said in the first booke of Samuel 1 Sam. 16.7 And so we haue to marke y t although a man be great to the worldward yet he must not lift vp his head or his necke against God For they shal gaine nothing by it bicause all y e greatnes of the world is but as smoke before him And on the otherside they y t are vnderlings must not thinke that God will beare with them the more for y t as they now and then moue mortall men to compassion thereby Therefore away with all these things that muster afore our eyes wherby we be moued to loue or hatred for all this is neither heere nor there before God When we come before him the first thing y t he will loke vpon is our harts and although they be now wrapped vp and to our owne seeming we haue lurking holes to hide vs in yet shall all be laid open Therefore let vs not beguile our selues in y t behalfe Again let vs consider that God will iudge according to y e truth of the deede We may well face out matters for a while as we do bicause we be naturaly giuen to hipocrisie but al y e paintings and all y e gay colours y t we pretend as now shal be wiped quite cleane away when we come once before God Therefore let vs walke vprightly with a pure hart in especially let vs rule all our workes by his law knowing y t he hath no respect of persons let y t bridle vs all Let such as are in authority of power to grieue y e inferior weaker sorte forbeare to do so And on the otherside let the weaker beare in minde that God will not faile to iudge them for all that bicause he is not an accepter of persons therefore let vs bring nothing with vs but righteousnesse soundnesse of conscience before him for nothing will passe for payment but onely that It is not without cause that Moses addeth yet further that God taketh no rewards If a man aske vs whether God be like mortal iudges that wil be corrupted with bribes money truely there is none of vs all but wil say no yea and it is such a blasphemie to say otherwise y t euen the wickedst persons y t are would abhorre it For they woulde say what hath God to do with gold and siluer Is God corruptible But yet for all that wee ceasse not to deeme that thing of him which we know to be false And how so Bicause y t as we see that worldly iudges are corrupted insomuch that if a maÌ„ grease them in y e hand they wil suffer themselues to be caried away and whereas they had done him wrong afore they will nowe doe him right they be to be bound chaunged euery way we beare our selues in hand y t God will bee dealt with after y e same maner We will not speak it with open mouth but surely men would neuer be so bold to doe euill if they did not transfigure God beare themselues in hand y t he is plyable such a one as wil be won by rewards But let vs come to the ordinarie custome of al ages What is the meanes wherewith men thinke to pacifie God in y e Popedome but by setting vp of tapers by burning of perfumes by doing such other pretie trifles It seemeth to them y t he shold hold himselfe contented with such payments as if a man brought a bribe to an earthly Iudge to corrupt him to win him w tall But this had not his first beginning in Poperie The Iewes were deceiued therwith Also y e heathen men had y e same superstitioÌ„ notwithstanding y t some of them misliked it I meane some of theÌ„ whose bookes wee haue insomuch y t they haue cried out against it saying what intend ye to do ye wretched folke When ye haue giuen your selues to deceit Persiuâ— Satyra 2â— theft open wrong crueltie extortion all maner of wickednesse ye come by by to reconcile your selues vnto God And howe By bringing him some part of y e bootie But forasmuch as y e guise of y e Popedome is best knowne vnto vs let vs see what is done there WheÌ„ a maÌ„ hath pilled polled his fill if he giue some Cope to y e Church if he build some chappel if he found some Masses if he cause some puppets to be made or if he doe some other such gewgawe that 's a fellow alone God is well recompenced at his hand he needes not to doubt of y e forgiuenes of all his sinnes before God If he doe but offer him a peece of the bootie he is wel ynough contented his mouth is so stopt y t he caÌ„ demand no more In deede men wil not say thus but yet is it so neuerthelesse For whereof comes it y t the wicked surmise all their wicked deeds to be couered but of y t they imagin themselues to haue compouÌ„ded w t God so as he knowes not what to say
estimation by setting a faire face and countenaunce vppon the matter And therefore let vs marke in feawe wordes that Gods word ought to serue vs to dubble purpose First to teach vs his will that wee may submit our selues simply vnto it so that when wee haue the grace giuen vs to haue the doctrine purely taught vs then euery of vs should agree thereunto and hearken to the voyce of our sheepheard and followe whatsoeuer is tolde vs without gainesaying The thing which wee must doe when wee haue order in the Church so as there be no sectes nor troubles in it but Gods trueth is purely preached is that there must bee true concorde and brotherly loue among vs to answere our God all with one hart and one mouth that his trueth may be aduaunced among vs. The second vse thereof is that when it falleth out that Satan indeuoreth to turne vs away and there spring vp heresies false doctrines and errors among vs wee must withstand all such things and shew that Gods trueth is strong enough to hold vs still vnto him according to my former saying that our faith must get the vpper hand of all the world so as wee bee starke deafe in hearkening to any of all the wiles that are put to vs to intice vs from GOD and his pure trueth Thus yee see in effect what is told vs in this text And let vs marke well Moseses maner of speache If a prophet steppe vp among you sayth he Hereby hee sheweth that wee must not onely withstand the open enemies that fight against Gods word and pretend not at all to bee of his flocke or to haue any partnership or neighborhoode with vs but also resist our homebred battels insomuch that if there rise vp any deceiuer among our selues that is to say if any such as maketh pretence to be of the fellowship of the faithfull and to be as it were of the very household of faith step vp we must not bee troubled at it out of measure And that is well worthie to be noted for if the christian faith be impugned by the wicked which pretend not to come vnto God as by the Turkes Paynims and Iewes so as they blaspheme with open mouth forasmuch as they be vtterly cut off from the Church lyke rotten members their resisting of the Gospell and their striuing to abolishe the Christian religion is no great woonder to vs. For why Wee be as it were hardened with such examples Therfore when the opē enemies set themselues against God his word it is a tēptation that will easily bee ouercome But when those that are knitte vnto vs and are as it were of our owne bodie doe fall to tearing of the vnitie of our faith in peeces to peruert Gods trueth and to marre it in such wise as it shoulde bee disfigured that is such a perplexitie and griefe to vs as wee wote not where to become And that is the thing that troubleth so many simple folkes nowadayes What shall wee doe say they For wee see so much disputing in the Church and so greate diuersitie of opinions that it were better to aske no question of any thing insomuch that a great number become carelesse for feare to bee intangled in wicked matters and to bee beguyled and therefore they let all alone and will not in any wise come neere vnto God Wee see a greate sorte of men of that stampe Othersome let loose the raynes of the brydle and take libertie to maintaine one while one mans saying and another while another mans and are neuer fully persuaded of any thing but are in one mynde to day and in another minde to morrowe and chaunge at euery minute of an houre Wee see a number of wild heades nowadayes which haue no stay at all but thinke that all thinges are lawfull And why For I see there are diuerse opinions say they But such men do shewe that they neuer tasted what Gods trueth is The first sort doe well bewray a cursed vnbeleefe For our Lorde promiseth that such as seeke him with a lowly heart shall not be disappointed but hee will shewe him selfe to them Esa. 45.19 Matt. 7.7 Luke 11.19 Let vs knocke and the doore shal be opened If wee desire reuerently to be guided by God surely he will not faile vs. Let vs distrust our owne infirmitie and rudenesse and our Lorde will give vs the spirite of discretion so as wee shall not bee beguyled To be short this saying of Saint Paul which I haue alleaged alreadie heretofore shall euer be perfourmed ◠Cor. 11.19 namely that heresies shall turne to the true tryall of our faith and not bee able to ouerthrowe it For as touching those that are so fleeting without cause they shewe that there was nothing in them but a false pretence and that they did but play the hypocrites in making a countenance to sticke to Gods trueth for had they beene well rooted in it as I sayde they woulde haue continued stedfast in it still To conclude let such examples prouoke vs to put this lesson the better in vre And when wee see the troubles that are nowadays in the world let vs not be ouercome by them neither let our faith be defaced But the more the diuel laboureth and inforceth himselfe to vndo it the more let it aduaunce it selfe and get the vpper hande of such assaultes And when wee see false prophets step vp among vs let vs not ceasse to yeeld this honour still to God that wee hold our selues to his word and start not from it by any means And very necessitie constraines vs to it in these dayes because wee see that such as call themselues Christians and take that title most vppon them are the worst enemies of God that a man can finde For the Turkes Iewes are not more fierie and venemous at this day against God to deface the whole doctrine of saluation than are the Papistes And therefore let vs arme our selues with the warning that is giuen vs heere which is that when wee see false prophets step vp in the sheepefold and in the middes of Gods house yet notwithstanding wee must not faile to hold on stil nor make a stumbling blocke of it to step aside or start away but ouergo it through the power of faith Yea and to come yet neerer the matter when wee see these varlets that had pretended to be at oddes with the Papistes and had mingled themselues among vs do thereupō fall to inuenting of false opinions let vs not bee ouermuch amazed for all that True it is that wee be not senselesse that we haue neede to be waked but yet must wee alwayes conclude thus with our selues How nowe Our Lord hath beene so gratious to vs as to open his owne holy mouth to giue vs the certeintie of faith by his Gospel and shall wee nowe turne away at euery push After that manner say I must wee withstande all the temptations that may befall vs when deceiuers
their owne fancie there will be nothing but corruption Wee must alwayes beare this saying in minde that obedience is better than all the sacrifices in the worlde 1. Sa. 15.22 And therefore they were forbidden to offer sacrifice in any other place than onely one which was appointed for that purpose to the intent they should not euery man muse vppon foolish superstitions but hold themselues to the order that was set down without attempting any thing rashly and fondly vppon their owne heades as I sayd And this is spoken expresly vnto vs. For although wee haue not the selfesame order of religion which was among the auncient fathers vnder the Law yet doth this ground stand still that God will not be worshipped after our opinion but according to his owne will Therefore let vs bee well ware that we inuent not superstitions as the Papistes haue done vppon surmise that they will be accepted of God for they will doe nothing else but prouoke his wrath insomuch that when men turne away from Gods trueth the more they inforce themselues foreward the further off doe they still stray from it Will wee then keepe the right way Gods word must ouermaister vs. And this thing is yet the better confirmed to vs by Gods reseruing of the place to himselfe wherein he woulde be serued For he could well haue sayd by Moses Choose what place you your selues lyke best and when yee haue so done God will giue you leaue to come euery man thither and there to doe him seruice Al this might wel haue bin sayd But God sayth it belongeth to mee to choose I will not giue the choyce to men Herein wee see how hee reserueth the right of souereintie to himself to the end that the faithfull shoulde the better knowe that it is not for them to enterprise aught at aladuenture but that it behoueth them to haue warrant from aboue so as they may say God accepteth all that euer wee doe for we doe nothing but what he commaundeth vs none of vs dealeth vppon his owne head in this behalfe Wherefore let vs marke well that God hath here done vs to vnderstand that he wil not haue his seruice mingled with our inuentions but that wee should simply followe the thinges that are conteined in his worde And so yee see that as concerning the thinges which I haue sayd already God was to bee worshipped solemnly no where else than in the Temple of Ierusalem after it was declared and that vntill that time it behoued the Iewes to resorte to the Arke and to the Sanctuarie But now let vs come backe againe to that which is set downe here in writing If the place sayth Moses bee too farre from thee thou shalt sell the thinges which thou wart minded to offer or the thinges which thou oughtest to offer For it behoued them to offer the first borne of all their cattell Nowe they that dwell in the vttermost coastes of Iewry should haue had much ado to driue thither their Lambs Sheepe Goates and Calues Therefore they were to be borne withall and God being no oppresser of his people giueth them here a remedie to the intent they should not be greeued too much As for those that dwell neere to Ierusalem sayth hee let them bring thither as wel the first borne of their cattell as also all their freewill offerings and whatsoeuer other thinges they haue dedicated vnto God For otherwise the Citie of Ierusalem might bee famished If all that had come thither should haue bought their sacrifices there what a thing had that bin Therefore it was Gods will that men should bring thē thither from al the countries vnlesse the places were ouerfarre off And in that case hee saith it should bee Lawful for them to sell the thinges that they had dedicated namely such as were due by commaundement of the Lawe as the first borne thinges in remembraunce that God had smitten the firstborne of Egypt Exod. 〈…〉 13.1 and spared the firstborne of Israell whereof he would haue the memoriall to continue for euer Thou shalt sell it sayth he put vp the mony or folde it vp for so doth the word signify which he vseth Folde vp the mony in thy hand sayth he that is to say consider with your selues that that mony is none of your owne but that it must bee put vp alone by it selfe as a holy thing And when thou commest to Ierusalem thou shalt buy thine offeringes after thine owne lyking and after that the same hath bin offered in the Temple the Priestes shall take their dues therof then shall you eat and drink therof before the Lord as soone as you haue made your oblation therof and you shall be merry in eating of your sacrifices as farre as euery mans portion will extend That is the thing in effect which wee haue to remember in this text And here wee see as I haue sayd afore that although God held his people vnder very strait bondage yet notwithstanding hee layde no more vppon them than they were able to beare but so mitigated the rigor of the Lawe as no man could say it was vnpossible to doe the thinges that hee had inioyned Sith wee see it is so Let vs assure our selues that if our good GOD doe in these dayes lay any burthen vppon our shoulders that may bee too heauie for vs hee doth also giue vs abilitie to beare it so as wee bee not borne downe by it at leastwise if wee commit our selues to him so as we haue no cause to complayn of him as though he did vtterly ouerwhelme vs. True it is that the righteousnesse which God requireth of vs in his Lawe dooth farre surmount all our abilitie yea and we come so farre shorte of the performing of all that hee hath commaunded vs so as wee bee not able to stirre one finger towardes it nay wee cannot so much as thinke one good thought towardes it GOD must be faine to giue vs euery whit But when he assisteth vs with his holy spirit then wee finde his yoke sweete and easie specially when hee layes it vppon our neckes by the hand of our Lord Iesus Christ. And that is the cause why Iesus Christ protesteth that his burthen is not too heauie nor his yoke too hard But how commeth that to passe It is because God giueth vs both the will to serue him and also the abilitie to put the same in execution And therewithall hee addeth a second grace which is that hee beareth with vs when wee haue done amisse For wee of our selues are ouerfraile wee cannot throughly performe the thinges that hee commaundeth vs therefore he pardoneth our infirmities forgetteth them But howsoeuer the case stand yet haue wee good cause to serue him freely with a francke hart forasmuchas we see that hee on his side desireth no more but to guide vs as the father dooth his children Psal. 11. ◠as hee auoweth by his Prophet Hosheah But
haue lifted vp his fist Surely euen to stirre a mans tongue against his neighbour is a sin worthy of greeuous punishement If wee doe but grunt in way of skorne or disdayne it is forbidden Howe much more then shall wee bee blamed if wee goe aboute to outrage them any maner of way Let vs marke therefore that here vnder one particular God doeth generally comprehende all outrage violence and misdemeanors which wee can vse towardes our neighbours And hee sayeth expressely in secrete or priuilie to the intent wee shoulde bee still put in minde of that which I haue toulde you heeretofore namely that in this behalfe the case standeth not vppon the yeelding of account vnto men Put the case that wee haue offended in breaking all the commaundementes and yet notwithstanding that no man chalendgeth vs for it but rather that authoritie it selfe allowe of our dooinges and that when wee bee accused for it wee bee acquit of it or that no man dare complayne of the misorders which wee haue committed let vs put the case it bee so yet doeth GOD speake otherwise saying that if wee haue doone our neighbour any harme priuilie his bloud shall crye out against vs for vengeance euen when wee thinke our selues escaped And we see what is sayde of Abell although no man gaue information against Cain 〈…〉 10. nor any processe went out against him yet did the bloud of him that was murdered speake God saith not I haue hard say but the bloud of thy brother crieth vnto me against thee Heere then we see that God threateneth vs not with any punishement to bee suffered at mans hande but rather telleth vs that wee must walke before him and in his presence And although wee feare not any earthly Iustice yet wee ought not to forbeare to brydle our selues short for as much as hee doeth his office and the vengeaunce which hee hath spoken of heere must needes bee executed vppon all such as haue escaped by fauour or cloaked their crymes yea or offended so cunningly as no man coulde come to the knoweledge of it Seeing it is so let vs looke that wee enter into our owne consciences and that wee haue Gods Lawe written there so as wee haue not an eye to men as who woulde say I haue not beene blamed or reprooued but rather consider that our GOD watcheth ouer vs and vnderstande the office of his word to bee such as is written in the epistle to the Hebrewes that is to wit that when it is preached vnto vs then all thinges must come to tryall and it must enter in euen to the secretest thoughtes of our hearte Nowe if Gods woord haue such power let vs assure our selues that much more it hath the office which is attrybuted vnto it Wherefore let vs bee restrayned by this meanes and when wee haue serued God with our heartes let our life bee so aunswerable therunto that when we shall come before our Lord Iesus Christ we may shew that wee were truly minded to serue him and not to please mortall men Nowe let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to vouchsafe to giue vs true repentaunce of them and moreouer to beare with vs vntill hee haue ridde vs quite and cleane of all our sinnes and of all our spots and to make vs so to profite by the things which wee heare as we may learne more and more to renounce ourselues and to represse our wicked lustes vntill he haue clothed vs agayne with the puritie of that righteousnesse whereunto he calleth vs. And so let vs all say Almighty GOD heauenly father c. On Munday the ix of March 1556. The CLII. Sermon which is the fourth vpon the seuen and twentith Chapter 24 Cursed bee hee which smiteth his neighbour priuily And all the people shall say Amen 25 Cursed be he which taketh gifts to smite the soule of guiltles bloud And al the people shall say Amen 26 Cursed bee hee which confirmeth not all the words of this law by dooing them And all the people shall say Amen WE vnderstande by this text that the thing which hath beene sayde afore is very true namely that God meant to teache the people of olde tyme that it was not ynough for them to discharge thēselues before men or to scape blame and punishment here but y t they must looke vp higher and consider that there is a Iudgement seate in heauen before the which wee must one day aunswere and make our account That is the place whereon we must thinke if we will discharge our selues of our duetie For wee may wel beguile men in making a faire countenance and againe we may so order our liues as no man may finde any fault in vs as touching our outward deedes and yet in the meane while if our heartes bee full of wicked lustes if it greeue vs to be helde in awe if we grate our teeth against GOD what obedience is that Therefore let vs note that whereas in this text it is sayde Cursed shall he be which smiteth his neighbour priuily God condemneth not only the faults that come to knowledge before men but also the crymes that lye hidden And therefore if a man haue liued in such wise as he cannot be rebuked of the worlde but rather is praysed and commended he must not thereupon fall asleepe but he must examine his heart and consider well whether there be any lurking hole or backe nooke there within For if the thoughtes bee euill although men perceiue them not yet will God alwayes doe the office of a Iudge 1. Ioh. 3.20 And if our own hearts reproue vs as saith saint Iohn God seeth much more clearely So then this text serueth wel to humble vs. And in deede we ought to remember this other sentence of Sainct Iohn where it is sayde that whosoeuer hateth his neighbour priuilie 1. Iohn 3.15 although hee cloake his hatred so as it be not perceiued or rather make a shew of loue that man fayleth not to be condemned before God And so ye see in effect what we haue to beare in mind Let vs not busie our heades about mens reports Although a man bee well reported of heere in this world yet let him not flatter himselfe therefore but let him summon himselfe before God and consider whether he bee faultie in his heart Let not men bring hither their owne opinions and fancies for all such things shall bee refused they will serue to no purpose And therfore let vs walke with vnsayned heart before God For we know hee regardeth not the outward apparance according as it is sade in the first booke of Samuel but he requireth the heart truth as is sayde in the fifth chapter of Ieremy 1. Sam. 16.7 Ier. 5 3. And looke what is said heere concerning murders and fightinges the same must wee extende to all other crimes For if God cal thē to accoūt which haue done any outrage
reprooue and condemne vs before God because wee doe not appeare in his presence with such humilitie as is requisite but haue wickedly broken couenant with him And Moses speaketh expresly of straungers to the intent we should vnderstande that when God hath giuen libertie to a Countrey and stablished the certaine order of his seruice there no abhomination must bee committed in that place by the inhabitours thereof For if they say my seruaunt holdeth not this religion I graunt it lieth not in vs to conuert him to God at the first day yet notwithstanding that it shoulde bee lawefull for him to skorne GOD and his worde and to vse superstitious wickednesse and to bee disobedient to the common rule that is too great and vntollerable a disorder And therefore it is shewed vs heere in this Text that if we couet to be serued of them that haue not yet the knowledge of GOD we must keepe them in awe and not suffer the name of God to be blasphemed amongest vs what soeuer excuse be pretended Thus much in effect haue we to beare in minde concerning these wordes of Moses Nowe he speaketh also of a Couenaunt and an othe and sheweth that the same were mutually giuen and taken betwixt GOD and the Iewes In deede this matter hath beene partly handled heeretofore But yet wee must remember that when God maketh vs to passe any solemne bande with him that first of all he bindeth himselfe vnto vs. And it is a thing that ought to mollifie our heartes though they were as harde as stones What are wee that our Lorde shoulde stoope so lowe as to enter into Couenaunt with vs promising to bee our father and Sauiour and to bee as it were a man that made a bargaine of a gift God in deede requireth euerie of vs to consecrate himselfe vnto him and to forsake all manner of libertie and to become his subiectes and to continue quiet vnder his gouernance but ere he require this he maketh a gift of himselfe vnto vs. That is a matter which ought to rauish vs in such wise as wee should make no difficultie fully to dedicate ourselues to our GOD seeing that hee himselfe allureth vs thereunto by his owne example and doeth guyde vs thither And wee perceiue the same yet further as often as the worde of GOD is preached vnto vs for that is the message of Reconciliation as Sainte Paule sayeth and God is come neere vnto vs 2. Cor. 5 1◠to be our leader Iesus Christ sayeth that hee was sent vnto vs to haue care of our saluation and to holde vs in his keeping and protection and also to dwell in vs that wee might liue in him Seeing it is so is it not a brutish blockishnesse if we come not with pure and right meaning affection to giue ouer our selues vnto our GOD who hath giuen vs the blessing and priuiledge to become our heritage shewing thereby that he would bee possessed of vs So then lette vs vnderstande that there is no excuse for vs if when wee come to heere the doctrine of the gospell we runne euerie of vs astray after his owne lustes and affections and behaue ourselues disorderly in our conuersation whereas in verie deede we shoulde consider that when we come from a sermon we bring such a marke as can not be blotted out that is to wit that before GOD and in the presence of his onely sonne we haue professed to bee a holy people vnto him and to be separated from all manner of defilementes of this worlde and that although it be not so tolde vs in expresse wordes yet the order that GOD hath set in his church doeth of it selfe importe the same Albeit therefore that those wordes bee not vttered by mouth yet doeth GOD holde vs fast tyed to that bonde namely that wee should be his heritage and that he should enioy vs quietly as them whom hee hath taken to himselfe to be of his houshoulde If it be demaunded howe it is possible that men shoulde discharge themselues of such promise it is easily aunswered namely that we promise not any thing to our GOD as presuming vppon our owne power but receiue the grace which he offereth vnto vs and thereuppon haue boldenesse and libertie to promise that we will be his people And why so For when GOD calleth vs vnto him it is not to the ende that we should bring vnto him that which we haue of nature for that is altogether euill but because he receiueth vs with this condition that hee will gouerne vs by his holy Spirite and holde vs so in awe as the rebelliousnes of our flesh shall be alayd by his grace and wee so strengthened as we may be able to withstand all manner of temptations and encounters and that he will so imprint his lawes in our heartes according to his owne saying as hee will cause vs to walke in his feare by giuing vs the Spirite of holynesse 〈…〉 33. righteousnesse and trueth Loe after what manner GOD calleth vs vnto him Moreouer hee presently addeth a promise that he will still beare with vs in our weakenesse and in our sinnes so wee trauell still towardes him Insomuch that although there be manie thinges amisse in vs and wee come not to him with such a perfection as is requisite yet will he handle vs with fatherly gentlenesse in such wise as our sinnes shall not bee imputed vnto vs. When we haue these two pointes we may freely promise vnto GOD that we will be his people And why Because wee staye not vppon our owne freewill neither presume we to haue such perfection as we enter into account with him to say we be not beholding vnto him but we presuppose that he is euer mercifull vnto vs to forgiue vs our sinnes and that he will succour our infirmities and imperfections holding vs fast by his holy Spirite Thus did the people of olde time make their othe And so wee see it is no point of rashnesse for vs to vowe vnto GOD in promising to serue him so we haue an eye to that which hee setteth downe vnto vs on his part Moreouer we must remember that GOD speaketh first and wee doe followe If a man shoulde beginne and putte foorth himselfe to say I promise my GOD to serue him in all purenesse of life it were too greate an aduauncing of himselfe And why For as I haue already sayde there is nothing in vs but vtter corruption And although GOD haue reformed vs yet are we continually hindered from discharging vs of our duetie so as wee doe not the tenth parte thereof I meane euen them that haue profited best which are most holy and as it were litle Angelles Moreouer when GOD hath once begunne and hath sayde vnto vs No I knowe you can doe nothing and that you be creatures destitute of all goodnesse and that there is nothing in you but naughtinesse and rebellion howebeit forasmuch as I accept you to be of my flocke I promise to
bee nowe out of daunger for hee entred thither to the ende that wee should be free from it We adde thereunto that hee is also ascended into heauen And why To the ende that wee might knowe that the gate thereof standeth open for vs. We heare also how hee tolde his disciples In my fathers house are many mansions Iohn 14.2 signifying therby that heauen was not onely for himselfe but that it is a common heritage for all the faithfull and that hee hath taken possession thereof as it were in our behalfe Nowe then we protest in the article of our beliefe that the heauens at this time stand open for vs and that wee ought to assure our selues to come thither because our Lorde Iesus Christ our heade is gone vp thither and will not bee separated from the members of his bodie Notwithstanding that wee haue confessed this yet wee stand scanning still and are full of wauering fancies Ah say wee I know not for all that what shall become of mee I cannot tell whether God doth recken me to be one of his children who is he that hath bin in heauen who is he that hath come thence againe to bring vs newes See these diuelish blasphemies This is not onely to stande in doubt of the trueth of the Gospel but also to teare Christ Iesus in peeces asmuch as we can O horrible outrage against the sonne of God for hee that doubteth of his saluation sheweth himselfe to beleeue no whit of that which wee confesse namely that Iesus Christ hath soueraigne dominion both in heauen in earth that God gouerneth the world by him y t he maketh al creatures to kneel down to do him homage Phil. 2.10 to be short wee acknowledge not that the Lorde Iesus Christ is risen againe from the deade but to the vttermost of our power we go about to deface and to abolish the power of the holy Ghost which shewed it selfe in his resurrection See nowe in what case wee be if we receiue not the Testimonie of the Gospell to assure vs that wee bee as it were rapted vp into heauen euen to enter directly into the possession of all those goods which ly hidden from vs and are not visible as the Prophet Esay saieth Esa. 64.4 2. Cor. 2.9 such as the heart of man is not able to conceiue If wee see not an open gappe euen vnto hell to spyte Sathan to defie death and to triumph ouer all thinges that may impeach our saluation well let vs on the one side consider howe sainct Paul saieth that when wee haue receiued the Gospell through faith wee bee foorthwith set downe in the heauenly places Eph. 2.6 we bee as yee would say enthronished with the Angels of Paradise as alreadie raised vp thither by God It is true that heere beneath wee be as wretched wormes creeping vppon the grounde but when wee haue once the doctrine of faith ◠Pet. 1.3.4.5 we haue the earnest penny of our saluation according as saint Peter saieth that through faith wee may put our selues into the handes of God in such manner that lifting vp our eyes minds into heauē we be brought in thither because that Iesus Christ our heade is there before in our behalfe and hath there prepared the heritage which he will hold in cōmon with vs. Thus ye see how we must practise this point following the exhortation of S. Paul Moreouer wee must likewise marke howe hee saith that wee must beleeue with the heart to iustification and confesse with the mouth to saluation I haue heretofore shewed you briefly the substance of our faith howe it must rest wholly vppon the death and resurrection of our Lorde Iesus Christ I say vppon his death because that hee by his obedience hath put away all our iniquities and transgressions hee hath suffered the punishment that was due vnto vs to discharge vs of the same he hath also dispatched away the curse which lay vppon vs. So much concerning the first point Nowe concerning the seconde wee must vnderstande that by his rising againe he hath purchased righteousnesse vnto vs and therby shewed himselfe a conquerour ouer sinne and death and his resurrection doeth also import that hee is ascended into heauen of purpose to take the possession of that inheritance which hee will make common vnto vs and of the which hee will make vs partakers with himselfe This is the substance of our faith Nowe it behooueth to haue this faith both in our heart and in our mouth Truely it were to small purpose if wee did but talke of the graces and blessings which our Lorde Iesus Christ hath brought vnto vs as wee see a great number of bablers doe they talke much thereof but what are they the better for it sauing that it increaseth their condemnation It is no great matter then to haue the confession of faith on the tippe of the tongue before men for it must be rooted in the heart we must say I haue y e vertue of the death and resurrection of our Lorde Iesus Christ imprinted within vs and sainct Paul saieth that that serueth vs for righteousnesse And why Because wee knowe that wee bee reconciled to GOD insomuch that Christ hath taken our burden vppon him so as wee being thereof discharged are become acceptable vnto God so y t he will no more impute our sinnes vnto vs. And why For Christ should haue suffered in vain for vs if we should nowe be called to reckening for our sins Thus then wee stand acquited through the satisfaction made for vs by Christ Iesus and that is the righteousnesse whereof Sainct Paul speaketh For when wee receiue Iesus Christ it is certaine that hee reneweth vs by his holy Spirit And wee bee not onely adopted to bee the children of God by his meanes but also wee receiue therewith the warrant of our Election which is that wee bee reserued for the inheritage of God So then let vs vnderstande that there is none other meane whereby wee may attaine to righteousnesse but by beleeuing with the heart Nowe this worde Beleeuing importeth that wee shoulde seeke in Iesus Christ for that which wee want in our selues For if wee rest vppon the Lawe for as much as it commaundeth vs to doe that which wee ought to doe it is nothing woorth But if wee repaire vnto God knowing that hee is readie to releeue our wants that is the thing which is meant by the worde Beleeue according to the meaning of Sainct Paul And of a trueth when wee doe so beleeue and are so iustified the same sufficeth for our saluation For iustification doeth of it selfe import life euerlasting Neuerthelesse Sainct Paul doeth put ouer saluation to the confession doing vs to vnderstande that the children of GOD ought not to bee tongue tyed but to magnifie the goodnesse whereof they haue had triall and euerie man to edifie his neighbour as much as in him lyeth Nowe then like as wee haue our heartes set vppon God to
condemnation and at the last day they shall full well be brought in minde of it againe Nowe if we haue the word of GOD which ought to bee a much more familiar instruction to vs and that God constraineth vs to haue our eares beaten therewith and to bee able to talke thereof if wee make none account thereof but walke altogether contrarie to it so as it may seeme that wee haue conspired to prouoke the wrath of GOD against vs Alas how dreadfull condemnation is readie for vs Therefore let vs looke well to our selues and let vs consider that our Lorde doeth often times leaue his worde in the mouth of men not to the intent they should be instructed thereby to their profite for they be neither worthie nor capable thereof bycause of their malice and rebellion but to the intent they should haue the lesse excuse at such time as they must condemne themselues and when this sentence is to bee executed vppon them namely Thou wicked seruaunt I condemne thee Luke 19.22 yea euen by thine owne mouth Let vs therefore take heede of that and let vs make such confession of Gods trueth as the same may proceede from the roote of our heart and be a good Sacrifice and so consequently turne to our saluation as Saint Paule sayeth in the tenth Chapter to the Romanes Rom. 10.10 which was alleaged by mee not long sithens Thus must the woorde of GOD bee alwaies in our mouth not to condemne vs in such wise as wee may sit rucking still continually in our filthinesse but to condemne vs in such wise as wee may bee touched with repentaunce and vtterly mislike of our sinnes and flee vnto God to obtaine fauour at his hand yea euen in such wise as he may rule and gouerne vs by his holy spirit and from hencefoorth bee glorified in all our life Nowe let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes beseeching him to vouchsafe more and more to giue vs a true vnderstanding and feeling of that which wee haue deserued so as wee may bee altogether cast downe in our selues and lay away all glorying of our selues and that our whole resorting for refuge may bee alonely to his goodnesse and that in the meane whyle we may sigh vnder the burthen of our flesh for so much as wee bee so ouerloaden that wee are not able to come to him with so pure affection as we ought and that he will augment the graces of his holy spirit vntill he haue rid vs quite and cleane of all maner of vices and imperfections and renewed vs after his owne image so as we may forsake all thinges to giue our selues vnto him and that renouncing this present world we may labour to attayne to the inheritaunce of the heauenly life That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely vnto vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. On Wednesday the vj. of May 1556. The CLXXVII Sermon which is the fifth vpon the one and thirtith Chapter 22 And so Moses wrate this Song the same day and taught it the children of Israell 23 Then hee commaunded Iosuah the sonne of Nun and sayde bee strong and of good courage for thou shalt bring the Children of Israell into the lande concerning the which I haue sworne to them and I will bee with thee 24 And it came to passe that Moses finished his wryting of the woordes of this Lawe in the booke so that hee made an ende 25 Then Moses commaunded the Leuites that bare the Arke of the Couenaunt of the Lord saying 26 Take the booke of this Lawe and lay it in the side of the Arke of the Couenaunt of the Lorde your God that it may bee a witnesse agaynst thee 27 For I knowe thy stubbornnesse and thy stiffe necke beholde whyle I am yet a liue with you this day you bee Rebelles agaynst the Lorde how much more then will you be so after my death 28 Cause all the Elders of your Trybes and your Rulers to come before me that I may vtter these words in their hearing and that I may call both heauen and earth to witnesse against them 29 For I knowe that after my death you will bee corrupted and fall away from the way that I haue commaunded you And finally euill will come vppon you bycause you shall haue doone euill in the sight of the Lorde by prouoking him to anger through the workes of your handes 30 So Moses spake the words of this song in the eares of all the congregation of Israell vntill he ended them WEe haue heere before already seene howe Moses exhorted Iosuah whome GOD gaue him to bee his successor And therein wee haue seene also that he was contented to haue serued God during his owne lyfe time and that hee was not grieued y t another was reserued for the charge which was more excellent than that which had beene committed vnto him For the chiefe matter was to put the children of Israel in possession of the heritage that God had promised them Moses is remoued from that honor and GOD tolde him that it was to shame him withall bicause he had not glorifyed him when the people stroue at such time as they asked water to drinke God sayd that Moses behaued not himselfe constant ynough at that time 〈…〉 10 and therefore hee punished him and would not that hee shoulde put the people in possession of the land of Chanaan Nowe see with what patience Moses did beare this chastisement which God layd vppon him In so much that although Iosuah was appointed in his place yet hee was not a whit mooued thereat with enuie or euill will but did rather exhort him desiring nothing but that such a man might be set vp as should maintayne and preserue the state of the Church Hereby we are taught that although God doe pardon our faultes yet neuerthelesse if it please him to send vs corporall punishments to the intent wee shoulde the rather humble our selues and not spurne against his power but stoope to it and yeelde our selues altogether obedient surely it is conuenient for vs as he knoweth verie well And therefore let vs suffer our selues to bee gouerned by his hand as it is the generall rule that we must obserue in al the punishments that God doeth send vs. And by the way wee are also to marke that the zeale of the honour of God and of y e welfare of his Church ought to beare rule in vs so as none of vs doe couet to bee in high degree and to mount aboue his neighbours but bee contented that God doe conduct vs by the meanes of men and that hee choose such instrumentes as it pleaseth himselfe For so hee may alwayes haue the soueraintie and the Church prosper let vs reioyce therein and let no man haue regarde of himselfe Moreouer wee are to call to rememberaunce that when Moses meant to encourage Iosuah hee assured
THE SERMONS OF M. IOHN CALVIN VPON THE FIFTH BOOKE OF Moses called Deuteronomie Faithfully gathered word for word as he preached them in open Pulpet Together with a preface of the Ministers of the Church of Geneua and an admonishment made by the Deacons there Also there are annexed two profitable Tables the one containing the chiefe matters the other the places of Scripture herein alledged Translated out of French by ARTHVR GOLDING ET INVENTA EST PERIIT AT LONDON Printed by Henry Middleton for GEORGE BISHOP Anno Domini 1583. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE Syr Thomas Bromley Knight Lord Chauncelour of England one of her Maiesties most honourable priuie Counsell his singular good Lord health prosperitie and increase of Honour BEing desirous to testifie my duetifull minde towardes your good Lordship I thought there could be no better meane in all respects than the dedication of this present worke which containeth a large exposition of the whole Lawe of God and of the practise thereof in the Commonweale of Israel wherof the onely reading with due consideration may iustly commend it many wayes euen to such as are of greatest learning wisedome authoritie and vertue For if we haue an eye to the author of the groundworks thereof it is God and not man If to the Lawemaker it is the Lawe of the Iudge of the whole world the lampe of light the welspring of wisdome the touchstone of truth the rule of right the ground of goodnesse the bond of blessednesse the loadstarre to life the opener of our vnderstanding and the gouernour of our wits the faithfull following whereof is the way to welfare the procurer of peace the path of true pleasure the entrie of immortalitie and the harbourer of happinesse Or if we haue an eye to the maner of the deliuering thereof it is most woonderful accompanied with many great myracles signes and tokens and honoured with the glorie and maiestie of Gods owne presence If to the intent of the Lawegiuer it is the repayring and reforming of man according to the Image of his maker in true holinesse and righteousnesse If to the end of the Lawe it is to driue vs vnto Christ that by him wee might be saued If to the obedience which it requireth it is altogether spirituall holie euerlasting All which things are not onelie great but the greatest that can be and fuller of maiestie and glorie than can be expressed or conceiued by man Againe if we haue an eye to the partie by whose seruice and ministery this law was published hee was a man peculiarlie chosen of God indued with most excellent giftes ful of the holy Ghost such a prophet as neuer had his like Christ onlie excepted a figure of Christ familiar with God a perfect paterne of a good gouernour and a verie father of his Commonweale Or if we haue an eye to the parties to whom it was deliuered they were a people whom God had purposely chosen redeemed and deliuered from most miserable thraldome to the intent to be their King and to dwell among them and that they should be vnto him a holie people and a royall Priesthoode for euer which things are surelie most excellent and singular prerogatiues And as for the Preacher of these Sermons by whom the sayde things are laide foorth and expounded to the better vnderstanding of the Reader it is well knowen that for the manifold talents and excellent gifts which God had bestowed vpon him and for his diligent and most painfull imploying of the same to the beating downe of Idolatrie and superstition to the winning of folke vnto God and to the edifying of Christs flock he was in his lifetime and yet still is a man of great reputation and renowme As for mine owne trauell in translating this worke I humbly submit the iudgement and censure thereof to your Lordships fauourable acceptation the obtainement whereof shall greatlie increase my gladnesse in that I haue done any thing whereby the Church of GOD is or may bee any whit edified Written the xxj of December 1582. Your good Lordships most humble alvvaies at Commaundement ARTHVR GOLDING To the Christian Reader Grace and Peace from GOD c. IT is no small fauour that wee daily receiue from the hands of our God partly by the publike ministerie of his word and partlie by the priuate reading of such good workes as by the meanes of manie his faithfull seruants he hath published and spread abroad in this last age of the world But as the beholding of this doth make manie Godly mindes to reioyce in that they see Gods great goodnes striuing continuallie to ouercome the malice and frowardnesse of mans minde So on the otherside it pincheth them at the heart when they perceiue not only what slender entertainment Gods graces haue amongst vs but euen what manifest contempt is offered vnto them while men notwithstanding the woonderful sunshine of Gods holie trueth remaine in as great darkenesse almost in respect of iudgement and be as dissolute and carelesse in their conuersation as euer they were in the time of the most grosse and palpable blindnes Would to God that the miserable experience of our dayes were not too plaine a proofe of this point And yet this is not spoken either as in dislike of our state with some discontented people or to the discrediting and defacing of Gods religion which we professe with the practising Papists who with one blow at the Gospel would if they could crafâ—â—lie cut the throate both of Religion and policie but in all holie loue and affection to make this carelesse generation more studious to labour to abound both in sound knowledge of the trueth and in all holie obedience to the same In which respect not onelie are these few lines written at this present but this notable worke of Master Caluins Sermons vpon Deuteronomie published that in our owne natiue Language wherein what paine and cost hath beene bestowed that they might come foorth as beneficiall to the Christian Reader as might be though I my selfe may speake much in trueth as an argument of some weight to induce the godly brethren to the buying and reading thereof yet letting that point passe as a matter not much to be stoode vpon I minde onely to presse those things and that also in very fewe words which shal be most material And that is that as al states and conditions of men may out of the same fetch many profitable points for their instruction both in faith and obedience towards God and man so particularly if a man would ouerthrow Atheists or confute Papists and other Heretikes or wound the wicked or encourage the faint hearted or comfort the afflicted conscience cast downe with the sight of sinne or performe any other seruice towards God himselfe or other men he shall haue matter and that in great store plentifully ministred vnto him for the performance of these and all other dueties whatsoeuer Wherefore I would aduise thee good Reader to get it speedilie
rest vpon it Had this bin well obserued in the world there should not be so great troubles variances at this day as there are Whence come the variances that are betwixt vs the papists but of y t men haue not reserued vnto god y e thing that belongeth vnto him but haue framed articles of faith lawes and ordinances at their owne pleasure in the ende are come to this horrible confusion of mingling the inuentions of mens braines with the purenes of the holy scripture so as they haue marred all things And wherof else commeth it that euen at this day the papistes fight still for the maintenance of that tyrannie that a man might not knowe God from his Apostles as they themselues say by which common prouerbe of theirs they condemne themselues and cut their owne throtes Wherefore let vs marke well this lesson wherein it is saide that the iudgement is Gods that is to say that the superioritie which men haue in what degree so euer it bee is not to diminish Gods preheminence but rather to maintaine it What then are the states of honour and all the dignities of the worlde They are all meanes to bring to passe that God may reigne ouer vs and to make all men to stoope to him and to knowe him and obey him in all cases So then what ought kings Emperours and Magistrates to doe They ought to see that God be exalted and magnified as he is worthie and that all their subiectes doe him homage and they themselues must shewe them the way Againe what ought schoolemasters and fathers to doe and all such as haue anie householde or seruauntes Euerie of them ought to consider on his owne behalfe howe greatly God hath inhonored him He that hath children ought to consider thou holdest Gods place in this roome of a father but yet hath not GOD stripped himselfe to clothe thee with his honour What then He is the father still both of mee and of my children therefore must I indeuer that he may be obeyed The master must thinke thus Is the mastershippe mine No but it is Gods who hath graunted mee that prerogatiue vndeserued on my parte It hath pleased him to put this householde vnder my gouernement but yet for all that it is he that must rule me yea both me and all that are vnder my subiection After this manner ought wee to put this doctrine in vre And when wee haue passed through all the states of the worlde wee must also come to the spirituall gouernement of the Church Therefore let such as are ordeined to preach Gods worde vnderstande that God hath not appointed them to set foorth their owne dotages and to speake what they list but to thinke vppon Gods superiorite specially seeing that our Lord Iesus Christ is nowe declared to bee the heade of his Church Ephe. 1.22 according to the euerlasting mastership which God gaue him ouer vs in saying Heare ye him Mat. 17.5 Luke 9.35 Seeing it is so let such as haue the charge of teaching in the Church and are shepherdes and ministers vnderstande that they must not seeke to aduance themselues nor to be heard nor to bring the people in a mase with their owne inuentions but they must indeuer that God may alwayes haue the ouerhand and be obeyed and his worde bee receiued purely and simplie without any mingling or adding to it And like as they that are in that vocation and office ought to haue mildnesse and lowlinesse that they vsurpe not the authoritie which God hath reserued to himselfe yea and giuen to his onely sonne so all Christians ought to thinke thus with themselues Wherefore come wee to Sermons Wherefore is there order in the Church It is to the ende that GOD shoulde gouerne vs and that wee shoulde haue our Lorde Iesus Christ to bee as our soueraine teacher and that wee shoulde be his flocke to bee led by him Nowe this cannot bee done vnlesse we hearken to his voyce and discerne it from the voyces of straungers so as wee be not caried too and fro like wauering Reedes with euerie winde but stande fast setled vppon the purenesse of the holy Scripture and that our faith be so grounded therevppon as the diuell may neuer shake it downe Loe say I howe we ought to applie this doctrine to our vse namely that the iudgement and authoritie is Gods For if wee doe so wee may well see many contrarieties in this world men may assayle vs with many troubles they may well set themselues against vs and they may well speake against vs but yet shal we stil keepe on our pace And why for GOD is not variable Although the diuell keepe neuer so great a stirre here beneath yet is Gods purpose alwayes vnchaungeable And so is ment by this that is saide of the truth Psal. 117. â— that it dureth for euer It is not such a trueth as is hidden our shutte vp in heauen but it is saide expresly that it is the same truth which God vttereth to vs by his worde as he witnesseth dayly Sith it is so let vs looke vp to GOD and yeelde him the gouernement that is due vnto him that hee may reigne ouer vs and then shal our faith bee vnuariable though the diuell trouble and turmoyle all thinges vpsidedowne and stirre vp neuer so much strife and contention Thus you see howe we must put the doctrine in vre that is conteined heere Nowe furthermore Moses saith expreslie that if there were any harde case it should be brought vnto him And afterwarde hee addeth for a conclusion that hee had commaunded them all the things which they ought to doe As touching the harde cases Moseses reseruing of them to himselfe was neither for desire of praise nor for pride but because they belonged to his vocation hee knewe that God had ordeined him to the same purpose And therefore let vs not bee afraide to keepe still that which God hath giuen vs if wee execute the charge that hee hath committed vnto vs. For why like as a man must not esteeme of himselfe so must hee not surmise oh this is hatefull it may be ill taken it is subiect to slaunder but wee must followe that which God commaundeth vs. And therefore let vs not take any thing vppon vs of our owne heade that is to say let vs not bee rashe to say this belongeth to mee for ambition tickleth vs continually and euerie of vs would haue I wote not what a priuiledge wherefore let vs beware of such folly Yet notwithstanding like as there shoulde no such boldnesse reigne in vs as to vsurpe or take any thing vppon vs so on the contrarie part when GOD will haue any office or charge laide vppon vs it becommeth vs to take it True it is that men may chaunce to speake euill of vs for it but wee must ouerpasse that and keepe on our pace still That is the thing which Moses hath shewed vs heere by his owne
yet shall we not cease to goe on still And why Because the hope which wee shall haue gathered of Gods former making of vs to feele his goodnesse will serue to carie vs ouer all tempestes in the middes of the sea it will be as a boate or as a shippe or as a bridge to conuey vs safely ouer To bee short wee shall haue wherewith to strengthen vs continually so wee shutte not our eyes at the assistance which God sheweth vs dayly Thus you see generally what wee haue to gather vppon this saying of Moses A non the matters shall bee layde out more particularly by similitudes Let vs proceede to the things that he addeth namely that being come to the hill of the Amorrhytes he saide Let vs possesse the Lande which the Lord our God and the God of our fathers promised vs. For it is here before vs that is to saye at our commaundement as hee had said afore for this is but a repetition of that which were haue seene already And heere Moses setteth forth the promise that God had made vnto the people to the end to assure them of the Land in such wise as they shoulde bee out of all doubt that it was their owne And why Because it had bene promised them of God Beholde saith he thy God ment not to lye to thee nor to beguile thee and therefore thou maist assure thy selfe that the thing which hee hath spoken shal be performed Marke that for one point Neuerthelesse to the ende that the people may the better vnderstande that they were not to possesse the lande for their owne deserts sake hee telleth them expresly It is the God of your fathers that doth it For the Lande was promised as well to Abraham as to Isaac and Iacob before the Iewes which then liued were borne Therby then are they put in minde that they had not deserued such a benefite at Gods hande but that it proceeded wholly of his free goodnesse And so much the more were they to blame in that they had felt such experience of Gods goodnesse and their sinne also was so much the heinouser in that they acknowledged not the mercie that he had vsed towards them That then is the effect of Moseses meaning heere But we haue to note herewithal that although the promise was then growen olde yet had it not lost his force neither ceased it to liue still though Abraham Isaac and Iacob were deade True it is that the promise which had beene made was not spoken to them that were presently aliue at this time they to whome it was spoken that is to wit Abraham and the Patriarks were all deceased But Gods promise his truth die not with men they haue not the course of a transitoritie and flightfull life as wee haue Therefore let vs marke well that whereas God had promised the lande to Abraham for him his heires and successors that shoulde descende of his race although Abraham was rotten in the earth and they that followed him together with all the Patriarks were consumed to powder and dust yet the worde that GOD spake continued still and forewent no whit at al of his force This I tell you is a point which wee ought to marke well For it is nowe long ago since the Lawe was giuen so that if we haue an eye to the oldenesse thereof it will seeme to vs to bee an outworne and deade thing About a two thousand yeares after that the Gospel was published to the worlde and wee see that manie yeares yea many hundred yeares are passed since Then if wee shoulde measure Gods trueth by time wee might thinke it to bee a thing as good as buried and quite and cleane forgotten Moreouer they that first caryed the Gospell abrode are deade long agoe but yet must we beare in minde that Gods trueth is euerlasting and that although men be corruptible and passe and vanish away yet the doctrine of saluation abydeth alwayes vnappayred so as the force thereof abateth not at all That is it say I which we haue to beare in minde For although it was in olde time that GOD spake to Moses and the Prophetes and although it bee nowe long agoe since the Gospel was delyuered to the Apostles yet must we receiue the doctrine therof nowadayes as being in full force still And that so much the rather in respect of this saying of the Apostle Heb. 10.20 that our Lorde Iesus Christe hath made the way fresh by his bloude They that liued vnder the Lawe and the Prophetes ought not to haue despised the trueth that had beene manifested to their fathers though it was done long time before and yet did not God discouer it so openly to them as hee doth to vs. It is not for nought then that the Apostle saieth that the way which Iesus Christ made is freshe And why sayes hee so His meaning is that the bloude of our Lorde Iesus Christ cannot drye nor putrifie but is alwayes freshe in rememberance before God to the ende that wee shoulde bee assured of his trueth which hee hath sealed with his death and passion Seeing then that we haue such a pledge we ought to be so much the forwarder to receiue Gods truth forasmuch as wee perceiue that the force and vertue thereof dureth for euer Nowe must wee marke further howe Moses saieth heere Thy God hath promised thee the lande It is before thee possesse it By these wordes he betokeneth that wee must rest wholely vppon that which God saith and not stande scanning after our owne fancies For if men content not themselues with the thinges that God speaketh to them where shall they seeke for greater certeintie Or when they haue sought it where shall they finde it But it is an offering of too greate wrong to our GOD when wee bee not satisfied with his vttering of his will and with his warranting of the same vnto vs. For if therevppon wee bee still wauering and doubtfull what else is such vnbeliefe but a replying against Gods trueth as though hee were not faithful or as though he went about to abuse vs by alluring vs with vaine hope So then let vs marke well that all our life long wee must content our selues with Gods worde and when we haue it wee must followe it without seeking any further For looke howe many doubtes and mistrustes wee conceiue so many ouerthwart nippes and priuie vpbraydings doe wee giue vnto GOD as who shoulde say there were no certaintie in his saying But wee knowe that nothing is more peculiar to him than his trueth And so as much as in vs lyeth wee make it a thing of nothing Therefore it is a verie profitable warning when hee saieth The Lorde thy God hath promised thee the Lande For hee speaketh still in generall meaning that we must all our life long hold this rule of sticking simply to the word of God A non the things shal be laide foorth particularly as I saide afore But let vs marke
yet Furthermore let vs marke well that Gods refusing to heare the cry of the childrē of Israel was not to shake them off vtterly And there is not a text better worthie to be noted than this For it importeth great instruction for all our whole lyfe I say then that God harkened not to the peoples weeping and yet notwithstanding that he did not vtterly shake them off nor was altogether deafe to their request And how may that be For sometimes God heareth vs not to outward appearance and yet howsoeuer the case stande our prayers are not vnauaileable but doe vs good As for example When a man hath played the vnthrift GOD plucketh him backe there are examples enowe to be seene thereof commonly and when another hath bin giuen to gluttonie and excesse another hath bin a whormonger or a drunkard and another hath bin a blasphemer very wel God seeing men become such beastes subdueth them by force hee sendeth them afflictions which laste not for a day or a moneth only but linger vpon them a long time whereupon the one sorte take the bridle in their teeth and chawe vppon it with fretting and chasing against God continue still sturdy and stubborne in their sinnes the other sorte graunt that they haue offended and are sorie for it before God beseching him to vouchsafe to moderate his rigor to asswage y e paines which they indure And yet in the meane while their miserie abateth not but they continew at the same stay that they were at before It should seeme then y t their prayers are lost that God gaue deafe eare vnto them Now although such folke pray hartily yet let vs marke that Gods hearing of them is not to outward appearance And why Because he knoweth that it is good for them to be so vnder his rod still Euen so was it with this people it was to their benefite for them to be put in minde of their lewde dealings euery minute of an houre But yet for all that he fayleth not to haue compassion of them for he giueth them patience and afterwarde maketh their afflictions to doe them good insomuch that although they were irksome to them yet did they stand them in stead of medicines Ye see then that God doth sometimes heare vs and yet notwithstanding it appeareth not so to any mans thinking yea and euen wee our selues may suppose that wee haue lost our time True it is that God will surely reiect the yellings of the wicked when they cry out vnto him and that he will laugh at their weepings and it is not to bee marueiled at And yet in so doing he fayleth not to accomplishe his promise which is that he will heare all them that cry vnto him 〈◊〉 22.27 Chr. 7.14 And why For this promise belongeth to none but such as cry vnto God rightly and come not to him with windlasses and feining according to this expresse saying of the psalme 〈◊〉 145.18 that God is neere to all such as call vpon him yea as call vpon him in trueth Then if wee will be heard at Gods hand wee must first and formost haue our affections clensed And therefore his reiecting of the hipocrites when they cry vnto him is no counterworking against his promise For they bee vncleane In deede they houle and they will not stick to say alas my God they will make lamentation enough but forasmuch as they seeke not God of a desire to come vnto him but in stead of comming to him would recoyle backe from him if it were possible their crying out my God is as though they were vppon the racke Now then this howling of theirs is brutish and hath no affinitie with faith to doe them good withall But the thing that I tolde you of euen now hath another maner of thing in it that is to wit that diuers times God will not heare vs to deliuer vs from the bodily punishmentes that he sendeth vs and yet in the meane while he ceaseth not to be mercifull and well minded towardes vs. And therefore let vs beare in minde that when our Lord sendeth vs anie diseases so as one is striken with pouertie another is smitten after another fashion and euery man hath his griefe if we pray vnto him and the miserie is as though it were tyed to our shoulders and he maketh no countenaunce to heare vs it is not to be sayd therefore that God letteth vs alone therin to driue vs to despaire But if wee beare the aduersitie patiently which hee sendeth let vs looke to be deliuered of it in the ende and in the meane while let it suffice vs to be comforted by his holy spirit and let vs hope that he will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that which we be able to beare 〈◊〉 10.13 Thus ye see how God heard not the peoples cry and yet that they which haue sought him with a true and rightmeaning heart haue not lost their labor God shewed not by outward deed that he heard them and yet in the meane while he made their bodily punishment to serue to the welfare of their soules insomuch that albeit they lingered there by the space of fortie yeeres yet were they not disinherited of y e kingdom of heauen Wheras they were disappointed of the land that was promised them therein they felt Gods wrath but yet did they ouercome that temptation through fayth I meane them that came againe into the right way and grew not hard hearted as the most part did which did nothing else but chafe vpon the bit as we haue seene afore And herein wee see that if we haue true repentance of our sinnes we shall finde that God is not vnmindefull of our requestes though he heare vs not so soone as wee would and that yet notwithstanding our repentance must keepe vs still vnder so as although that to our seeming the gate vnto Gods goodnesse is shut against vs and he will not admit vs in yet neuerthelesse our prayers shall not be in vaine For God will shewe in the end that he was not deaf to our requests but that he heard them to giue vs such asswagement of our afflictions as he knew to be meete and expedient for our welfare And finally let vs marke wel that if God haue punished vs yea that the affliction hath indured a long time y e remēbraunce thereof must bee well printed in our mindes that we become not lyke those which forget Gods chastisementes w tin a day or twaine And y t is y e cause why Moses sayth to y e people According to the dayes which you haue taryed there As if he should say yee ought to beare it well in remembraunce For it seemed to you that ye should neuer haue come soone enough into the lande of blessing but God made you to retyre from it it ought to haue bin yet longer time ere ye had come there Thinke vppon it consider how it was Gods hand y t
maiestie and deale in such wise as the doctrine may be receiued with all reuerence and no man step vp to incounter it To bee shorte there are two thinges requisite in all good shepheardes The one is that for their part they must not burthen men with any tyrannie nor inuent lawes to tye their consciences thereby to bring them in bondage nor forge any doctrine vppon their owne head but faithfully deale foorth the thinges that are committed vnto them Haue they that Then let them aduaunce the thing which they know to proceede of GOD so as they suffer not the heauenly doctrine to bee skorned but shewe men that they ought to reuerence GOD and to submit themselues to his word and let them withstand all loftinesse that vaunteth it selfe against him After which maner we see how God strengtheneth his Prophets Eze. 6.1.2 telling them that they must not passe for any mans greatnesse noblenesse or aught else but rebuke the Mountaines and set themselues against the Hilles that is to say let them not shrinke for men but let them shewe y t the word which they bring and which is committed to them is as it were Gods roayll mace at the which all creatures ought to stoope and to bow their knees Ye see then that all ministers of Gods word ought to seeke those two things But yet for all that wee see the cleane contrarie For such as raigne with roughnes and churlishnesse as Ezechiel termeth it passe not to keepe this rule of Moses Ezech. 34.4 which is to serue God purely For wee see that the Pope and all the filthie rable of his Clergie as they terme themselues are euer thundering and would not haue men in any wise to open their lippes against any point of their doctrine but that they shoulde without any gainesaying obserue whatsoeuer they lift to ordaine Yea marie but in the meane while whence haue they their stuffe whence do they preach it It is ynough for them that they may lorde it ◠Pet. 5.3 they beare themselues on hand that they may hold the poore soules vnder their tyrannie which were redeemed with the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ. But neither Moses nor any of y e Prophets did euer giue themselues such libertie for they spake in Gods name without setting foorth any thing of their owne Let vs then learne to hearken to such as come in the name of God and discharge their dueties vnfeinedly Againe we see that such as should maintaine Gods trueth doe let all slippe and though they see neuer so much disorder it greeues thē neuer a whit neither doe they passe though all goe to hauocke And why Bicause they haue no zeale at all to aduaunce the Maiestie of Gods word Also on the other side wee see a nomber that vaunt themselues to bee Christians which can as much skill of the reuerence that Moses speakes of here as if they had bene brought vp in a swines stie or on a dunghill Are there not a nomber to be seene which will say continually rush you haue nothing to doe to command mee Yes and you my friend are a verie brute beast in so saying for if I haue not to doe to command you you haue no more Christianitie in you than is in a dogge For when wee preach Gods word to what end is it That God should bee the seruaunt or the maister Let that be well considered Speake wee in our owne names Or set wee foorth any thing that is not giuen vs in commission by God Now he will haue vs to represent his person and yet we must neither command nor beare any sway at all for these rascalles and vnthriftes which aduaunce themselues with exceeding vnshamefastnesse to fight against God But what Ye see what the Christianitie of Geneua is where the Gospell hath bene preached this twentie yeeres insomuch that y ◠verie walles ought to ring of it and the verie pauing of the streetes ought to beare some marke of Gods trueth and yet these wood beastes continue still in their grosse and barbarous rebelliousnesse so as they be worse than bulles with their hornes or I wote not what other beastes Yet notwithstanding it cannot be wyped out of Gods Register but that whensoeuer Gods worde is preached both great and small must receiue it at leastwise if we acknowledge it to be Gods truth Yea and we must receiue it with such reuerence Mal. 1.6 as to thinke thus with our selues beholde it is our God that speaketh and if he be our maister doe not we owe him all reuerence If he bee our father doe not we owe him all honour What is to bee done then but onely to shewe by our deedes that our whole seeking is to bee ruled quietly by him Thus yee see what we haue to remember here in that Moses speaketh not as in the person of a mortall man but taketh vpon him the authoritie to commaund howbeit not as chalendging any thing to himselfe but as being desirous to be heard because he was a faithfull setter forth of Gods lawe shewing also that he had vengeance readie prepared for all such as would checke against him or reiect the doctrine that he did set forth He saith yet further that men must neither adde any thing to that which he commaundeth nor take any thing from it to the ende they may keepe Gods commaundementes Whereas he saith that nothing must be added nor diminished it is to shewe the thing that I touched euen nowe that is to wit that God mindeth to try our obedience by restreining vs from fetching our windlasses and from scoterloping ouer the fieldes to raught at euerie thing that we like off and to hold vs fast tied and bound vnto his word Then is it not ynough for vs to receiue that which God sendeth vs and to allowe it as good but wee must acknowledge it to be our whole wisedome as shal be added hereafter in this Chapter so as wee be not skilful to mingle any thing with Gods word but conclude thus with our selues Seeing God hath spokē it it is not lawful for mortal mē to interlace any thing w t it but they must be contēted with y t which they haue heard of such a maister This is in effect the meaning of Moses Deut. 5.32 12.32 And this is not said in this place onely wee shall see it repeated againe hereafter in the twelfth Chapter and in other places and the scripture is full of it And yet we see there is not any thing worse kept than this present exhortation And what is the cause thereof That men doe take it for a principle that they haue alwayes some reason with them and that they bee of sufficient abilitie to gouerne themselues as they ought to doe Thus then doth pride take the first place when men will needes discerne betweene good and euill after their owne fansie Contrariwise Gods will is to be wise for vs that we as
sillie sheepe should hearken to our shepeheardes voyce and quite forget the sufficiencie which the vnbeleeuers imagine themselues to haue Let vs thinke there is nothing in vs but errour and follie there is nothing but vanitie and leasing vntil our God haue taught vs. That is the point that God wold bring vs to But it is exceeding hard for men to restaine them selues continually from being puffed vp with this fond ouerweening of selfe-wisedome And therewithall is mingled curiositie Our eares itch to heare this and that wee make discourses we haue our imaginations and a nomber of things do runne in our heads Why should not this be good say we Why should not that bee lawfull Bicause then that curiositie hath taken so deepe roote in our mindes therefore cannot God hold vs to the pure simplicitie of his worde Rom. 8.7 Besides this wee haue a sorte of naughtie affections which turne vs away from God and are al of them enemies to make warre against God so as wee cannot so much as thinke a good thought but we bee full of vice and corruption That is the cause why wee cannot hold our selues in obedience vnto God And yet notwithstanding when wee haue offended him a thousand wayes doe wee fall to amending of any whit of it Yea marie but after what fashion After our owne guise Wee lay on plaisters that make the sore worse as wee see hath befallen in all ages For the Prophets fought against these same vices without ceassing Although the people of Israel had the lawe with such strait restraints as ye see here yet were their fingers alwaies itching to intermingle some inuentions of their own therewithall The Prophets cried out how now Shall your God neuer ouerrule you as his flocke He hath purchased you by deliuering you from the bondage of Pharao he hath giuen you his lawe hee hath helped you a nomber of wayes besides and yet ye cannot finde in your hearts to liue as he will haue ye And wherefore was this people so vnruly First bicause of pride which as I told you hath reigned in men in all ages for that the Iewes would needes be able to rule themselues For they were of opinion that whatsoeuer seemed good to themselues y e same ought to haue bene allowed of God The verie ground frō whence they tooke their boldnes to make al the chāges of Religion y t happened among thē was their gasing about them their thinking w t themselues wee see that our neighbours do thus Hereby superstition gat ful scope so as they ran gadding after the idoles of y e heathen And when they sawe that they had troden Gods lawe vnder foote Oh said they this must be amended And howe By dubling y e mischiefe from time to time Wee see the like in the Popedome and would God wee had the wit to profite our selues by such examples and lookingglasses For what is the chief point that troubleth Christendome at this day Wee demaund that men should heare God speake and that therevppon there should no doctrine be receiued that is deuised at the pleasure of men but that the world shoulde submit it selfe to God that the holye scripture should be taken as the doctrine of perfection and that wee should acknowledge it to bee Gods trueth whereunto it behoueth our whole life to be framed w tout adding or diminishing That is our demand On the cōtrarie part it is certaine that all Poperie must needes fall to the ground except mens inuentions may haue their full course so as Gods word may bee mingled turmoiled stuffed yea and euen falsified w t mens deuises And yet notwithstanding the Papists are so shamelesse still as to vpbraide vs that we will needes be too wise in our owne conceits Yea marie but wherein When it comes to the triall wee desire no more but that Gods worde may not in any wise be diminished and that the thinges which wee thinke good of our selues should not be admitted but that wee should forsake whatsoeuer is of man and thrust it vtterly vnder foote and abolish it so as onely God may bee exalted Is it our intent to be ouerwise when we confesse first of all that there is nothing but foolishnesse in men and that such as will needes be skilfull and wittie of themselues are starke mad inasmuch as they can not put themselues wholly into Gods hand to bee gouerned by him as he listeth And yet notwithstāding that is the thing wherein wee differ And that is it that ingendreth most strife in these dayes bicause the Papistes cannot yeelde to this reason that God should bee obeyed according to his worde and that men should be contented to bee taught by him in his schole In deede they will not bee so bolde as to denie that Gods lawe is holy and rightful but yet to their seeming God hath spoken but by halues men had neede of a higher and profounder doctrine and of straiter lawes But it is not said here that men should but onely heare what God saith afterward do what they list themselues No God giueth them no such choise For what a thing were that He shoulde not onely admit vs to bee his fellowes but also giue vs superioritie ouer him And y t were euen a turmoiling of heauen earth togither a hellish cōfounding of al things Yet notwithstāding such hath it bin such is it still among the Papists at this day For notwithstanding that they graunt Gods Law to be holy and righteous yet they ceasse not to turmoile it with whatsoeuer seemes good to themselues O say they this is the commandemēt of our mother holy Church this is a doctrine of hirs y t must be obserued this is a good deuotion this is a law of hirs this is an ordināce To be short there is no ho. And is this an obeying of y t which Moses saith here So then let vs learne to giue attentiue eare to this exhortation seeing it is not for nought y t it is so often repeated vnto vs. And if y e Prophets in old time had so hard hold w t the people for this vice let vs assure our selues y t we also shall euer be vnruly wildheaded vntill our Lorde haue tamed vs by long handling made vs to sticke to this groūd That it is no more lawfull for vs in any wise to adde any thing to his law than it is lawfull for vs to take any thing from it Now in deede the Papists alledge y t this was spoken to the Iewes but y t as for vs we be now vnder the law of libertie But they speake like beasts For when the Gospell is named the Law of libertie it is not ment y t God layeth the bridle in our neckes and that we may henceforth followe our owne swindge but as I said afore it is bicause it beareth with vs continueth not the extreme rigor of cursing vs whē wee haue not performed Gods commandemēts in
must marke that when this poore heathen man spake after that fashion he meant not that wee resemble God either in eyes or in nose or in eares but in soule forasmuch as wee haue reason to discerne between good and euill vnderstanding to conceiue and comprehend thinges Psal. 8.4.7 and are so excellent aboue all brute beastes that there is no creature in the world so noble as man That is the thing wherein we resemble God But now with what paynting can mans soule be expressed Seeke all the cunning that can be what portraiture can be made thereof And yet for all that what are our soules They be but as little sparkes in comparison of the infinite brightnesse that is in God Our soules are created and God is without beginning He is the ground and welspring of all thinges Our soules are weake subiect to ignorance subiect to sin and subiect to many wicked lustes But God with his infinite being and maiestie is the perfection of all vertues To be short as oft as we thinke of him wee ought to be rauished into wondering and astonishment So then is it not apparant that men are worse than mad when they wil needs take vpon them to shape out Gods being seeing that no shape can be made of their owne soules which are nothing in comparison of him For seeing that S. Paul speaketh so to y e heathen I pray you do not the Papistes shewe that their meaning is to reproue him of ignorance and of the misapplying of Gods lawe Or else must they not needes be confounded in their blasphemies Yes and therefore let vs marke well that this doctrine y t God will not haue any maner of image made of him serueth not for two or three dayes but for all euer And there is euen one reason which ought to suffice vs which I alledged euē now out of the prophet Esay Esa 40.15 How now sayth God consider who I am If I listed to gripe y e whole world I need not to stretch out my hād for the matter For though I kept my hand shut yet could I hold all the world close in it as a little grayne of dust It is true that God hath no handes for he hath no bodie but his speaking so is by a similitude As if hee should say doe yee thinke me to be like any creature No for all the world is nothing in comparison of me It is but as a grayne of dust in a mans hand you your selues are here beneth as a sort of frogges and grashoppers Now then if yee will needes make some puppet to represent me is it not as good as a defacing of my glory a spyting of me to y e vttermost of your power Wee see that God is a spirit as the scripture declareth shall wee then goe about to make him a bodie Iohn 4.24 It is he that giueth lyfe to all thinges shall we go take a dead thing to represent him thereby and say There is God When we haue shaped out a stone or a peece of wood and made it a nose eares and all the rest of mans limbes yet hath it no feeling at all and shall wee neuerthelesse say Behold there is God What a dealing were that For the same cause is it sayd in the psalme Psal. 115.5 Are idols remembraunces of God In deed men make them mouths and they haue feete handes noses eares but yet haue they no power to goe nor any other abilitie they be but corruptible dead things And is there any remembrance of God in thē Serue they not rather to leade men into error beastlynesse so as they should make no more account of God The very heathen men thēselues could skill to say it not that they did practise it in deede but God wrested such woordes out of their mouthes to y e intent they might all be conuicted And albeit y t neither Moses nor y e prophets spake vnto them yet was it Gods will to condemne thē by themselues Ye see then how it is a sufficient peremptorie reason that inasmuch as there is no lykenesse betweene God and any of all the shapes that can be made to represent him withall hee hath wrong done vnto him and it is an abacing of his maiestie and glorie when men doe make images of him after that sorte And therewithall let vs also beholde mens madnesse Is it in mans power as sayth the prophet Esay to take a logge of wood Esa. 44.15 and with part thereof to goe heate his ouen or to seethe fleshe in a potte or to bake his bread or to warme himselfe and to take another parte of it and to fashion a nose and eares vppon it and to say vnto it Thou art my God and thereupon to worship it Now when men make Gods that is to say remembraunces or representations of God at their owne pleasure because the list to put a difference between two or three peeces of wood to preferre one before another and say behold this is GOD is it not too great a beastlynesse yes and the very heathen men themselues haue affirmed it as I haue declared Behold a Paynim a blinde wretch that was before the comming of Iesus Christ sayth Since the time that images came into the world Varro there hath bin nothing but errour Aug. lib. 4. de ciu◠Dei 9. and 31. and it hath bin the meane to make men brute beastes and to turne them away from the truth Seeing that euen blinde men knewe this or rather that God did cast foorth those words by their mouth is it not a horrible condemnation to suche as terme themselues Christians if they take not heede to it Another heathen man bringeth in an idoll speaking thus Horace The Carpenter or Caruer sayth hee was in doubt what to make of mee 1. Ser. Sat. 8 in the ende hee thought best to make me a God and so am I now worshipped See how this blinde wretch skoffeth at the beastlynesse that was among men and yet hee himselfe ceased not to worship idols still But what God wrested this acknowledgement from him by force to the ende that all mankinde shoulde bee condemned and that there shoulde bee no more excuse But as for vs wee will vaunt our selues to be taught by Gods word and yet we will not knowe so much as the sillie infidels haue spoken And truely are not wee warned by them If wee heare not the Prophets and Apostles at leastwise yet ought those heathen men to teach vs to our shame Therefore it muste needes be that wee bee woorse than bewitched by Satan if wee consider not all these reasons specially seeing they be of Gods owne alledging who will haue men to receiue them euen with all reuerence as at his maiesties hand and that for a further confirmation hee addeth the sayings of the infidels which I haue alledged And therefore let vs forbeare to take that vppon vs
aske vengeaunce vppon vs. And how shall we bee able to finde any excuse when our Lorde shall raise such a crie to confounde vs and put vs to shame Therefore let vs nowe looke well to our selues and let vs walke in the way that he hath shewed vs. Now here is expresse mention made of Images and other likenesses but vnder one kinde Moses comprehendeth all For it is a maner of speache rife ynough in the holy scripture to marke out some one kinde of superstition thereby to warne vs that wee must keepe our selues from all superstitions in generall And Moses himself doth euer obserue the same maner of speaking as wee shal see in the next Chapter Deut. 5.18 where he vseth to speake of the heinousest things to the intent we shoulde the more abhorre them and mislike of them to keepe our selues from them And yet for all that the holy Ghost meant in this place by the mouth of Moses shortly to shew that whē God hath once made his couenant with vs wee must hold vs in the simplicitie of his word without mingling any superstition with it Now that wee vnderstand the naturall sense of this text let vs looke that we make our commoditie therof For although we haue no images either carued or molten although wee haue no puppets either ingrauen or painted yet faile wee not to be idolaters if we sticke not to our God to keepe his worde throughout For the matter that the Couenant it self importeth is not that we should confesse in wordes that the God which gaue his Lawe by Moses is a lonely to bee worshipped but that wee should vnderstand his will after what manner he will bee serued that wee should haue his promises printed in our heartes that wee should knowe howe and by what meanes wee ought to worship him and that we should keepe on our way to the inheritaunce whereunto hee calleth vs. That is the thing that Gods couenāt importeth And without that in what case were wee If wee should say verie well there is but one God which hath created heauen and earth he hath reuealed himselfe vnto vs and he hath giuen vs his Lawe and yet notwithstanding we knewe not his will but euerie of vs shoulde behaue himselfe as he lifted to what purpose were this It were better for vs neuer to haue knowen Gods word than after the knowing of it to despise it and to take leaue to doe what wee list Therefore let vs beare well in minde that Moses meant here to shewe the people generally that seeing they had bene taught in the trueth it behoued them to keepe themselues from all errours and leasings And this is that which I haue said alreadie that Gods word ought to suffice to gard vs in such sort as the diuell may not seduce vs doe the worst he can Nowe then will wee be exempted from the threate and condemnation that is contained here Let vs giue ouer our selues wholly in all respectes to our God let vs hearken to his worde and let vs obey his voyce without any exception or gainesaying so as his seruice remaine in such sort among vs as hee hath commaunded by his word But let vs compare the crime that Moses reproueth here with other crimes that are lesse to bee excused For although there was vnthankfulnesse and rebellion at y t time in all such as suffered themselues to be misled after they had bene taught by Gods word yet cōmitted they not so cursed sacriledge against God as y e caitifs do in these dayes which to the vttermost of their power do blot out al religion and are so full of wickednesse that they could finde in their hearts to confound heauen and earth togither in working spite to the whole Maiestie of God Take mee a man that hath bin taught in the Gospell and afterwarde through lightnesse ouershooteth himselfe and turneth away from well dooing howbeit with a minde to doe well againe truely such as one is not to bee held guiltlesse as I haue saide alreadie but yet is he not worthie of so much blame neither is his fault so heinous before GOD as another that outrageth so farre as to scoffe and scorne at God and all his doctrine and to play the mad bedlem of purpose to thrust all Religion vnder foot so as he could finde in his heart that men should liue like beastes and for the bringing thereof to passe speweth out blasphemies not onely against the maner of the superstitions in Poperie but also euen against the word of God For is not such a one farre more horrible than the ignoraunt wretch that is still snarled in some imagination and thinkes he serueth God though the same be but vanitie as I said afore But nowe let vs looke to our owne time God telleth the Iewes here that he would not beare with them if they happened to ouershoote themselues in any superstitions but would bereaue them of the inheritance that he had promised them Wee at this day haue a more excellent benefite than that people had and therefore shall wee be the more to blame if wee yeeld not homage to our God which hath esteemed and honored vs so much as to call vs into his Church But nowe how doe most men behaue themselues after they haue bene taught by the Gospell In deede wee meddle not with the superstitions of Papistrie wee passe not for shrift nor for Masses nor for such other like trash but what for that Wee coulde finde in our heartes plainely and shortly to defie God and that he shoulde haue no further audience among vs than we lift our selues After this maner doe a great sort deale euen to this day who neuerthelesse will needes bee taken not to be of the common sort of the faithfull but as the pillars and vpholders of the Church And yet haue they gone about to stoppe Gods mouth when any thing hath misliked them or fallen out otherwise than they woulde haue it O this must bee taken away And wy Beholde GOD not onely speaketh here of the things that haue beene inuented by men but also holdeth vs in awe so as it is not lawfull for vs to incounter him He passeth not for them And againe let vs see what their life is We see that they mocke GOD to the ful and that their desire is to haue their owne swindge in all thinges And yet notwithstanding when the diuell raiseth vp such plagie folke to infect the whole flocke with their poison wee see a great nomber whose whole desire is to mingle themselues with them For as soone as some leawd fellowe or two or three maintainers of wickednesse which shewe them selues to bee readie to vpholde all disorder and offences doe but steppe vp it is as good as the displaying of a banner and by by al vnthriftes runne after it And would God that the experience of it were not so great as it is seene to bee But what When wee bee tolde of it we must
repent yea and we must mourne before God praying him to keepe vs from such deadly plagues as are seene intermingled among vs. And so let vs marke well howe it is said here that it can not bee that such as doe so peruert themselues did euer know what Gods couenant is or of how excellent value For if his trueth ought so to restraine vs that we be not led away by any of the wyles and slightes of Satan how were it possible that men should so cast themselues into destruction if they had knowen God in good earnest bene strengthened in his word Although then that such folke professe the Gospel yea and haue taken some smack of it Hebr. 6.4.5 as saieth the Apostle yet may we perceiue that it neuer entered into their hearts in good earnest They be but hypocrites which make countenance to serue GOD for a time and afterward doe fleete away as wee see these roisters doe which band themselues togither As soone as they see any aide or support to vphold their wickednesse they fall to practising and confederating and they contriue all the drifts that they can possibly to ouerthrow Gods Church Therefore let vs vnderstand that although the Gospell be preached among vs yet are there many deafe folk which heare not what God saith to them not that that shall seeme to lessen their fault for they shall not faile to be taken for guiltie as wel as others Now here a man might demaund a question wherfore Moses saith that they shal not liue in y e land that is giuen them Deut. 31. but shall be shortly rooted out of it for wee see that God is patient and in deede it appeareth sufficiently And therfore it seemeth at the first sight that the thing which Moses saieth here shoulde not come to passe God spared his people a long time Although they gaue themselues to idolatrie and superstition yet did God vse long patience towards theÌ„ insomuch that the Prophets laboured to bring them backe againe wheÌ„ they were reuolted Although they were wilfull and hard hearted yet did God assay to win them to him Notwithstanding all this it is said here that they shall soone be rooted out Yea but this soone or shortly must agree with that which is written in many other places Num. 14â— that is to wit that although Gods wrath light suddainly vpon offenders ouerwhelme them as a storme that commeth vnlooked for yet doth he not faile to be patient and to delay his vengance till mens wickednes bee growen ripe yea and euen till it be starke rotten Therfore it is to be vnderstoode that God punisheth not offenders out of hand for he saieth that he is slowe to wrath and he must needs keepe his owne nature Neuerthelesse in vsing patience and in bearing with them that haue doone amisse he ouerthroweth them sooner then they would Ye see then that this soone shortly by and by or out of hand must be referred to mens carelesnesse who make their account that all shall go well with them and beare themselues in hande that they haue made a couenant with death as saith the Prophet Esay Esa. 2â— 1â— and they be as drunken folkes in that behalfe so as if God winke at them for a time they thinke they bee scaped from his hand See how the hypocrites abuse Gods goodnesse bearing themselues in hand y t they shall neuer come to account for it For this cause doth Moses say here soone or shortly Not y â— God forgetteth his owne nature as I said or tarieth not a long time for the amendment of offenders but that when all is done his vengeaunce is alwaies in a readinesse Psal. 2. â—â— there needeth no more but to kindle it and by and by without any further tariance yea before one finger caÌ„ be stirred there needeth no more but to shewe forth his wrath and we shall bee euerie one of vs ouerwhelmed as it is saide in another song of Moses or in the XC Psalme Psal. â—â—â— Sith it is so let vs not thinke it strauÌ„ge that Moses threatneth the people here that they shall soone be rooted out And to the same purpose that is to say for a further declaration thereof serueth this also which he addeth namely When ye shall haue begotten children yea euen a two or three descentes if superstition doe then raigne among you thy God can roote thee out Hereby Moses sheweth that long possession will stand vs in no stead For though we beare our selues on hand that it is betweene God and vs as it is betweene man and man yet it wil not preuaile If a man haue bin a long time in authoritie estimation so as he be wel friended or of great kinred and aliance he beares himselfe on hand that hee shall neuer bee put from it But we see how the world passeth away and small occasions will serue to ouerthrow euen them that are mounted highest And therefore the Prophetes vpbraide them with their pride Esa. 28. â— which glorie in their owne credit and authoritie saying vnto them ye beare your selues in hand that ye bee so fast setled as ye can neuer be shaken downe and yet if God doe but blowe vppon you by and by you bee gone in the turning of a hand Now according hereunto it is saide here that if we thinke to claime any title against God by prescription as they terme it that is to wit time bicause wee haue possessed his benefites a long time imagining that we can neuer bee disseased or dispossessed of them but that they must continue still in the same state not onely to vs but also to our children euen to the third fourth generation both they and wee shall for all that bee bereft of them and God will withdrawe his hand which he had erst stretched out to doe vs good So then let vs mark that whensoeuer God shall haue bin patient towardes vs it is not to be saide that he hath forgotten our transgressions but his bearing with them is for that it is not yet conuenient time to punish them Therefore let vs not trust to that but let vs alwayes beare in minde howe it is said here that if wee serue not God we shal soone be cut off Although it please him to wink at things and to tarie a time for vs yet shall his wrath come suddeinly vppon vs though it seeme not so to vs. And when we shall say 1. Thes. 5.3 all is whist and still imagining our selues to be safe and sure then must we be ouerwhelmed by his hand Let vs consider this that wee may walke warely and keepe good watch and not tarie till the fire be kindled And for y e same cause is this saying set downe Thy God is a consuming fire and a ielous God When Moses speaketh after that maner specially when he calleth him a ielous God he sheweth that God cannot abide that men should mocke him and despise him
to his owne vse and benefite so as when any man is in perplexitie that he woteth not what to say hee must alwayes come backe to this poynt how now Psal. 145.19 hath not thy GOD promised that hee will pitie such as call vpon him Yes in deed but I knowe not whether I be of that sort or no. Why haue I not bin baptized in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ Haue I not his holy Supper as a second pledge whereby hee sheweth mee that hee receiueth mee into the number of his children Be thou out of doubte therefore seeing thou hast so many records that thy God will be fauorable to thee and feare thou not but hee will shewe thee mercie Thus yee see the cause why Moses speaketh here expresly of the couenaunt of the fathers as it was made with their father Abraham and to all his seede after him For otherwise it woulde not haue booted at all in the time of Moses But forasmuch as GOD had sayd I will bee thy GOD to a thowsand generations Gen. 17.7 his ofspring is comprehended in it after his decease And therefore the Iewes ought to haue assured theÌ„selues by the vertue of the same couenaunt that they shoulde bee receiued so as if they repented theÌ„ of their sinnes they shoulde alwayes finde the mercie that they had neede of And now let vs vnderstand that seeing God vouchsafed to extend his goodnesse to the children of those with whome he had made his couenaunt and that although they were slidden backe and vtterly turned away from him and had quite forsaken him yet notwithstanding he ceased not to shew them mercie Now seeing he speaketh nowadays vnto vs and the voyce of our Lorde Iesus Christ soundeth lowde in calling vs to reconcile vs to our God and that the forgiuenesse of sinnes is preached vnto vs in his name 2. Cor. 5.18.19.20 Eph. 2.17 and tidings is brought vnto vs that God desireth to be friendes with vs and that all warre should be layd aside betweene him and vs let vs assure our selues I say that it is not for vs to bee wilfull and stubborne but that it behooueth vs to submit our selues to our God and therewithall to assure our selues throughly that this promise of his is not deceitefull Why for the couenant is ours so as our God intendeth not that his promises shall vanish into the aire but that they shall bee stedfast towards vs so as euery of vs may fare the better by them Thus much coÌ„cerning this saying of the couenant of the fathers But yet herewithall Moses faileth not to shew that it was not men that did first make the couenant with God but that God did preuent them and that it is hee that of his owne free goodnesse hath bound himselfe vnto them And for that cause is it sayd that God sware to that couenant and both of them are right necessarie For as I haue told you if wee take not Gods promises as peculiar to our selues it is vnpossible for vs to be so grounded vppon them as to call vppon him with a stedfast heart but wee shal bee euer wauering Therefore wee must be fully perswaded that God maketh vs partakers of all the benefites that hee promised to our auncesters And when wee be once at that poynt we must also consider on the otherside that it is not for vs to be on the forehand with God neither doth our Lorde tarie till wee come to seeke him but it is he y t hath preuented vs w t his mercie To be short it is he y t hath vouchsafed to take vs for his children and although we were straungers vnto him had not in any wise deserued to haue any acquaintance with him yet notwithstaÌ„ding he hath vouchsafed of his owne accord to lincke himselfe with vs. It behoueth vs to thinke so For if wee knowe not that Gods promises are of free gift wee will fal to seeking of some deserte and worthinesse in our selues and wee will say that was the meane whereby to come vnto God he bestowed such a benefite or gratious gift vppon vs because wee deserued it wee haue gotten such a thing by the meanes of our own vertues Let vs beware of such fantasticall imaginations and let vs not thinke to doe our selues any good y â— way So then let vs beare in mind that wheras God hath declared his couenant vnto vs calleth it ours yet notwithstaÌ„ding he wil haue vs to know y t his vouchsafing to vtter himself vnto vs to giue himself vnto vs is of his owne accord without being bound thereto insomuch that wee did rather deserue to be vtterly reiected at his hand And Moses thinketh it not enough to say â—ingly that God made the sayd couenant but hee addeth also that hee sware it and not without cause doth he set that further here For as I haue declared already heretofore when GOD speaketh wee inquire whether the thing be so or no. Truely such manner of inquiring is very wicked But what for that Our vnbeliefe beareth such sway with vs as we cannot simply trust vnto GOD. Therefore doth he supply our want and sweareth to warrant his worde the better which hee hath giuen vs. If wee beleeue not a man vppon his bare worde wee doe him wrong And therefore are mortall men put to their othe because they bee inclined ouermuch to vanitie But when God sweareth at our request what a thing is that For seing he is the vnchangeable truthe why should not men trust him as soone as the worde is spoken with his mouth But hereby we see how frowarde wee bee and on the otherside we see also how God beareth with vs in humbling himself so farre as to sweare for our sakes because hee seeth that wee would else be alwayes vnquiet and that we shoulde still bee tempted to doubt Therefore vouchsafeth hee to confirme vs by swearing to the intent wee might bee the better assured of the hope of our saluation and not doubt any more of his promises Thus much concerning Gods swearing Now againe Moses sheweth after what maner men ought to seeke GOD and hee sheweth it by deede Hee had sayd afore that such as seeke God with all their heart and with all their soule shal find him And now he sheweth by what meanes men shall yeelde good proofe thereof that is to wit of their true and vnfeined repentance that is to wit by obeying the voyce of God For men will make bragges enowe that they beare a good heart to Godward and we see dayly this shamelesnesse that such as haue not one veine that tendeth to Godward cease not for all that to protest with full mouth that they loue God and they beare the worlde in hand that they bee wonderful zealous But there Moses bringeth vs backe to the tryall Wee must shewe whereby sayth hee so as it may appeare by our fruites that our sinnes mislyke vs in deede and that we bee desirous in
they terme it but that is for the time comming I meane not that diffinitiue sentence shoulde bee giuen according to that which hath bene knowen by a man aforetimes but howe shoulde men deale to come to the trueth of things done Let them consider what manner a one the man hath bin I see that one is a despiser of GOD I see a lewde vnthrifte that hath neither faith nor honestie in him I see a drunkarde that is full of furie and passeth no more to murder a man than to cutte the throate of a Capon or a Henne I see this also I see he is a quareller and is euer working of some mischiefe or other yea I see and can point one with my finger that seeketh to bring all goodnesse to decay and to put al things out of order I see al this now I pray you is not this a good inducement to leade mee to the trueth of the matter by comparing the faulte that hee shall haue committed with his former life As for example a man is founde at some murder or apprehended for some other misdeede that he is charged with and bicause there is not sufficient witnesse he will denie that hee knowes any thing of it notwithstanding by the markes that God sheweth mee of him I see his whole lyfe is as an euidence against him If I were to take information of the whole matter and had a doosen witnesses that coulde say vnto mee this is the murtherer I coulde not more clearly perceiue the murther than by beholding that the partie is a rank naughtipacke a despiser of God such a one as hath neither faith nor honestie a cutthrote and robber of a spitefull stomacke and ful of poison so as he is vtterly out of all square I pray you is it meete I should be blinded still when I see such proofes Now then let vs marke well that whereas Moses speakes here of the time past it is to shew vs that God wil helpe vs to the knowledge of matters and of the truth of them so wee on our side shut not the gate nor quenche not the light when it is offered vs. Loe what wee haue to beare in minde And on the other part let vs marke also that if wee haue knowen a man to be of a good conscience and seene none other signes in him but of the feare of GOD of honestie and of vpright dealing wee must not lightly take vppon vs to charge him with any cryme For to what purpose shoulde it serue such as haue lyued as becommeth them to haue giuen good example all their lyfe long if euerie ill reporâ— shoulde bee admitted against them at the first dashe so as they should be condemned without further inquirie So then let vs marke that God meant here to restraine vs from iudging vnaduisedly and from thinking amisse on such as haue liued aright Nowe for the suÌ„me and conclusion of all here is the promise that Moses maketh that is to wit That the people shall prosper in the lande that is giuen them to inherite and that God will blesse them for euer and them also that come of their children And this doctrine is verie ryfe namely that if wee serue GOD he will blesse vs as though our seruice were recompensed But yet wee must not imagine hereupon as the Papistes doe that wee deserue any thing at all at Gods hand that he yeeldeth vs like for like as though he were bouÌ„d thereunto or as though there were some hire or wages due to vs we must not enter into such dotages but we must coÌ„sider y t the cause why God promiseth reward to such as serue him is to harten theÌ„ by doing theÌ„ to vnderstand y t it is not lost labor to serue God By y t means then God intendeth to incourage vs to serue him and to do wel and not to make vs proude or to put vs in beliefe that wee deserue aught Then let vs marke that wheras God promiseth vs reward it is for that hee had earst giuen vs the grace to serue him Whereof commeth it that wee liue as becommeth vs Commeth it of our owne freewill Commeth it of our owne selfmoouing No but of Gods gouerning of vs by his holy spirit Now then although it were a recompence yet ought not the same to bee attributed vnto vs 1. Cor. 15.10 but rather to y e grace that God hath put into vs which grace he crowneth But there is yet one point more which is that although God blesse vs and make vs to prosper yet haue not wee serued him as we ought to do for all that but he should alwayes rather finde somewhat wherefore to punish vs if he listed to vse rigour towardes vs. Therefore let vs not thinke that euer we haue so discharged our duetie as that God should in any thing be bound towards vs. But forasmuch as he beareth with vs and imputeth not our sinnes and offences to vs but winketh at them taketh all in good worth as at his childrens handes therefore doeth he vouchsafe to reward our workes And so wee see that all such as attribute any deserte to themselues are surely besotâ—ed with fond selfweening must be fain to mislike of themselues not to make any account of their owne wretchednesse And soothly if we wist what our workes are wee should alwayes haue cause to sigh and to craue pardon at Gods hand and that will make our workes to be accepted at his hand notwithstanding they bee vnperfect And why Bicause he beareth with vs as with his children And so he yeeldeth vs not that which he oweth vs nor that which we haue deserued but that which it pleaseth him to giue vs of his meere liberalitie Neuerthelesse he giueth such recompence to our workes to the intent wee should be the willinger to serue him and vnderstand that our seruing of him shall not bee in vaine but that we must imploy our selues for him as for our maister and prince and giue our selues wholly to his seruice though it bee not with such perfection as were requisite Nowe let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good GOD with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs feele them more and more that being humbled we may bee drawen to true repentance and therewithall knowe to what ende wee are chosen to bee his people namely to the ende wee should worship him as our King and obey his lawes not onely in outward deedes but also with true and heartie affection and liue in such wise vnder him as we may moreouer bee linked to our neighbours with brotherly loue and by that meanes bee assured more and more that his adopting of vs to bee his children is not in vaine 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 Fryday the vij of Iune 1555. The xxx Sermon which is the twelfth vpon the fourth Chapter and the
bicause wee bee so corrupt and frowarde that all our thoughtes and affections goe the contrarie way it may please him to reforme vs by his holy spirit and to draw vs in such wise vnto him as we renouncing the world and despising these mortall and transitorie things may mount vp to the heauenly kingdome where we shall haue all contentation and rest And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. On Thursday the iiij of Iuly 1555. The xl Sermon which is the eleuenth vpon the fifth Chapter 20 Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour WEe haue seene heretofore that it is not lawfull for vs in anye wise to vexe our neighbours in their persons or to do them any domage in their goods Notwithstanding for as much as harme may bee doone by the tongue God hath vouchsafed to make mention of y t also in his Law as we see in this text Now then like as heretofore he forbad the doing of any outrage to our neighbors which thing he comprehended vnder y e word Murther likewise all grieuing of them and all anoying of them by any meanes in their goods so he sheweth here y t we must not speake euill of them nor vse any such words as may cast any blemish or staine vppon them It is true that he speaketh expressely of False witnesse howbeit that is according to the rule that I haue set downe namely y t he setteth forth the thinges formost which we ought most to mislyke to the intent wee shoulde mislyke the sinnes that come neere them Then if wee speake euill of our neighbors so as wee slaunder them although it bee not taken for a grieuous sinne before men yet doeth God take it for a false witnessing But here a mā might demaund a question why GOD speaketh here of false witnessing and periurie seeing he had alreadie said Thou shalt not take y e name of y e Lord thy God in vayne For it seemeth to bee a needlesse repetition For in so short a sum of y e law where there be not aboue ten sentēces it seemeth vnconuenient to repeate one thing twise But we must marke that the things which haue beene set downe heretofore concerning the not taking of Gods name in vayne were in the first table where GOD respected onely the Maiestie of his name to the intent it shoulde bee had in reuerence Therefore whensoeuer wee speake of God wee must thinke vppon the infinite glorie that is in him that wee may neuer open our mouth but with reuerence and humilitie And whether wee intend to sweare or to speake of him in any other wise wee must euer thinke that his name is to bee reuerenced and that wee must not fling it foorth at aduenture Thus much concerning the thinges that wee haue seene alreadie vppon this matter Now God speaketh of another thing namely of the not hurting or harming of our neighbours in any wise by our wicked tongue So then in as much as there is a dubble intent wee see nowe that these two sentences differ also that there is no superfluitie at all Wherefore let vs marke well that for as much as it is shewed here howe men ought to liue togither charitably and vprightly although Gods name be dishonoured by lewd witnessing yet the lawe is not superfluous which saieth That we must not beare false witnesse against our neighbours I tolde you before that Gods meaning here is to condemne generally all slaunders all false reportes all diffamations and all other such like things Leuit. 19.16 17. And for proofe therof it is expressely saide in another place Thou shalt not bring vp any euill reporte nor speake euill on thy neighbour to cast any blot vppon him If the Law of God containe all perfection of good life it insueth that this also is comprehended therein And where shall wee put it but vnder this sentence Therefore wee must conclude that although GOD haue peculiarly set down here the name of False witnesse yet notwithstanding hee meant to extend the doctrine thereof to all slaunders misreportes and crooked speeches that tend to the diffaming or defacing of our neighbours or to the hurting of their good name Wee see then that Gods meaning here is to keepe vs in good friendship one towards another and that so farre as he suffereth not any man to bee impeached any more in his name than in his person or his goods Therefore whosoeuer diffameth his neighbour or in any wise backebyteth him doeth to the vttermost of his power breake the bond of charitie among men and proclaime open warre And if we consider all thinges well it is certaine that sometimes misreportes slaunders and backebytings doe much more harme than robberies Wherefore let vs vnderstand that if wee minde to obey our God wee must maintaine the honestie and honour of our neighbours to the vttermost of our power For seeing he hath forbidden vs to hurt any mans good name it is his will on the contrarie part that wee should indeuour to preserue all mens honesties For it is not ynough to abstaine from dooing of euill Psal. 34.15 vnlesse a man doe good therewithall Now must we proceede by the degrees which God meant to set out vnto vs in this place speaking of False witnesse The first then is to beware that wee vtter not any false report Lye or periurie in place of Iustice whereby to hurt them whose honestie honour and welfare we be boūd to procure For hee that beareth false witnesse against his neighbour doeth kill him and robbe him as much as in him lyeth and doeth all the euill that may growe of his periurie In deede most commonly men thinke it not to bee so but yet is it so in trueth And for the same cause did God expressely command in his Lawe that the witnesse should be the first in executing the partie that was to bee punished for any misdeede Deut. 〈…〉 to the intent a man might knowe that their words and their tongues put him to death and that the witnesses themselues might stande the more in awe consider y t they should yeeld account vnto God of their witnesse bearing against any man Therfore when any euidence is to bee giuen it standeth euery man in hand to looke neerely to himselfe that he inlarge not his conscience but speake the thing simply plainly which he knoweth to be true before God But the case concerneth not onely the giuing of false euidence in matters of life death but also in all matters that touch mens honour honestie good name or goods Therefore let vs haue a care to preserue the honour and welfare of our neighbour in all respectes when we be to beare witnesse Yet notwithstanding wee must not vnder this colour cloake the offence of him that hath doone amisse or lye against God to maintaine his good state For if the honour of men bee precious vnto vs howe much more precious ought Gods
Yes And therefore let vs beware that we beare not false witnesse against God 1 Cor. 15.15 according to Sainct Paules saying who auoweth that such as corrupt the purenesse of the Gospel are falsewitnesses against God and not against men What is to be done then Wee must maintaine Gods trueth and deale so roundly in it that forasmuch as wee see the doctrine is good wee beare it abroade and maintaine it knowing that God hath ordeyned vs to bee as his deputies Then if I see the trueth oppressed I must not suffer it to my power Why so God hath appointed mee to see that lying and vntrueth bee suppressed in his name And this is to bee obserued most specially when the doctrine of saluation commeth in question As for example when wee see the doctrine in daunger to bee falsified and that men woulde mingle Leuen with it to imbrewe men with falshood and leasings in that case we must be zealous indeede not suffer false witnesses to haue their full swindge against God vnlesse we mind to consent to them and to bee partakers with them as I haue declared alreadie Finally let vs learne that when wee haue liued in such plainenesse among men as it cannot bee laide to our charge that wee haue gone about to deface any man by slaundering rayling or backbyting wee must also haue such zeale to Godwarde as his trueth may continue sounde and be maintained to reigne among vs. Thus ye see in effect what wee haue to consider vppon this commaundement Nowe let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs perceiue them better than we haue done and to leade vs more and more to such repentance as we may learne to bethinke vs of our sinnes to be sorie for them and to mislike of them that hauing obtained forgiuenes of them we may learne to direct our life according to his holy commaundementes so as he may be honored of vs with true obedience not onely with confession of the mouth That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people nations of y e earth c. On Friday the fift of Iuly 1555. The xli Sermon which is the twelfth vpon the fifth Chapter 21 Thou shalt not lust after thy neighbours wife neither shalt thou couet thy neighbours house nor his fielde nor his manseruant nor his womanseruaunt nor his Oxe nor his Asse nor any thing that is thy neighbours IT might seeme at the first sight that this commandement were more than needeth because that in condemning of thefte whoredome God ment therby to represse all wicked affections For I told you that we must expounde these commandements according to gods nature and we knowe that it is Gods peculiar office to serch mens hearts Chr. 2â— 9 Chr. 6.30 â—al 7.11 â— 2 〈◊〉 11.20 â— 10 so as he knoweth euen the deepest secretest and hiddenest thoughtes It followeth then that in forbidding men to be theeues and whoremasters hee ment also to bridle their affections and lustes And indeede if it were not so God had no more power in making of lawes thaÌ„ mortal men For if an earthly man condemneth whoredome he will also condemne the intent of it If there appeare a wicked intent it shal be punished If Gods Lawe were no more but so it were a matter of no great importance for it were but a ciuil order to gouerne vs honestly to the worldward But there is much more in it for we see howe S. Paul saith 1 Tim. 1.15 that the lawe cannot be kept without a pure conscience and an vnfeined faith It it bee requisite for vs to haue such a soundnesse in vs for the well keeping of Gods Lawe it followeth that all wicked lusts were forbidden vnder the name of whoredome As much is to be said of the word Theft Also we might alledge the authoritie of our Lorde Iesus Christ who is a faithfull expounder of the Lawe Matt. 5.28 1. Pet. 3.19 For it is by his spirite that Moses and all the Prophets spake Why then is it added heere that we must not couet If all wicked lustes were spoken of before why shoulde they bee repeted againe Wee must marke that in this place God meaneth not to represse the affections that are fully intended and determined vpon but the other affections or motions that stirre vs vp and prouoke vs although we neither sticke to them nor consent to them This requireth a longer and plainer exposition Sometimes Couetousnesse or Lust betokeneth the will in man As for example when I see my neighbours goods and am tempted to couet them and to lust after them Now if I feede this temptation in my self and giue my selfe the bridle then doth the sinne so ouermaster me that my wil is fully resolued vpon it and I would faine that those goods were mine This is a kinde of couetousnes or lust that carieth the will with it for the partie consenteth to the sinne and hee would put his wicked intent in execution if hee were able Nowe such kinde of wicked couetings and lustings were forbidden heretofore where it is saide Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt not commit aduoutrie For there God hath forbidden vs not onely the actuall deeds of theft and whordome but also the verie lusting and longing after another mans wife goods or possessions But there is another kinde of couetousnesse or lust wherevnto we doe not altogether cleaue as to consent thereto and yet notwithstanding it tickleth and moueth vs in such sort as wee feele some euill prouocation in our selues which is against God striueth against the righteousnes that is conteined in the Law Those are the lusts that are forbidden in this place And so we see that God hauing alreadie condemned all wicked intents and purposes doeth iustly adde that that is not yet such a perfection as he requireth at our handes but that we must vnderstande that all manner of affections which stirre vs vp to euill are sinfull insomuch that although wee determine not vppon any thing in our selues ne purpose it at all but onely that some lusting or liking doe glaunce through our heart A sinne is forthwith committed and wee bee guiltie before God Wee see then what manner of soundnesse is required in this text namely howe that our Lorde hauing alreadie forbidden wicked intents addeth that all our senses wits must be so imprisoned vnder the feare of him and so inflamed with loue and desire to liue in all holinesse as wee may not bee moued or stirred one way nor other by any wicked passion to luste after another mans gooddes or wife Seeing wee haue Gods meaning nowe let vs see whereto he bindeth vs for the Lawe shoulde be as a lookingglasse vnto vs to behold our own wretchednesse in And when we once knowe our dutie let vs assure our selues we be worthy to be condemned if we draw not
That God spake with a loude voyce Hereby Moses sheweth that the Lawe is no hidden doctrine and that men can not alledge that they bee not of sufficient learning for not with out cause did God so lift vp his voyce when he intended to giue a rule for men to liue by It is added expressely That it was doone to the whole multitude As if he should say It is true that God hath chosen men from among you to gouerne you and that he hath giuen them his spirit but yet for all that he will haue his lawe knowen euen of the rudest and most ignorant Psal. 19.8 so as it may be a wisedome common to all men That is one of the pointes which we haue to marke here The seconde is That God added not any thing more after those ten sentences Wherein Moses doeth the people to vnderstand that this briefenesse which God vseth ought to incourage vs to receiue the thinges that he speaketh For if he should lay great volumes before vs we might replie that all our life would not suffice to studie them God therefore was not ouerlong in giuing vs his woord There are but onely ten verses of them Let vs count them vpon our fingers and wee shall haue instruction ynough in all things that are requisite for our life Yea herewithall Moses meant to doe vs to wit also that seeing God hath giuen vs such a sure rule as he intended not to adde any whit at all to y t which he had spoken alreadie it behoueth vs to holde vs to it and it is not lawfull for any creature to adde aught vnto it Thus much concerning the second point For the third point he rehearseth that againe which he had sayde heretofore that is to wit That God in setting forth his lawe Deut. 4.11 spake from out of the cloud and that the mountaine smoked and that there were flames of fire and flashes of lightening flew to and fro Whereto tendeth all this That the doctrine might carrie the greater Maiestie and that men might be moued to humble themselues reuerently before GOD and to submit themselues wholly to his word and to obey the same These are the three notable points which Moses rehearseth here before he proceede to the rest Now as touching y e first let vs remember what hath bene said afore that is to say That God spake loud and shirle and not to a fewe folke but generally to all the people which thing was doone to make vs vnderstand that Gods woord shall bee cleare and certaine to vs so wee playe not the deafe folkes wilfully True it is that our wits are so weake as we shall neuer vnderstand one word of the things that God speaketh to vs except he inlighten vs by his holy spirit 1. Cor. 2.13 for the sensuall man vnderstandeth not the heauenly thinges Those then are too high for vs. But whereof cōmeth that fault and vice but of our owne blindnesse Yet notwithstanding Gods trueth as in respect of it selfe and in it owne nature is easie open ynough and therefore let vs not charge it with darksomnesse Againe what is to be done if we would haue God to make vs profite in his word Let vs be lowely and of small reputation for it is not in vaine that he hath promised to teache the lowely Psal. 25.9 Then let vs not trust to our own wit let vs not come with ouerweening and loftinesse as though wee thought our selues of sufficient capacitie to iudge of the thinges that shall bee said vnto vs but let vs rather beseeche God to open our eyes and to reach vs his hand and let vs confesse that we haue not the aptnesse to profite in his schoole further foorth than he giueth it vs. If wee bee at that point let vs not doubt but that Gods word will be easie to vs and wee shall vnderstand what he intendeth to say Hereby we see what wretchednes hath bin in y e world whereby the cōmon people and welneere all other men haue bene plucked backe from reading the holy scriptures For it hath bene an opinion that it belonged to none but Monkes Priestes yea in the end there was such beastlinesse as it seemed that diuinitie ought to bee locked vp in chestes or caskets But yet for all that this record hath indured and must indure to the worldes ende namely that God hath spoken with a loude voyce not hidden or shrunke himselfe aside into some litle odde nooke Therfore it was too shamefull a thanklesnesse that men haue so left Gods woord as it were in a wildernesse And wee ought to marke this text so much the more where it is saide that God spake not to some Doctor onely but to all the people in common yea euen to the verie simplest sort of them In respect whereof we haue cause to magnifie the goodnesse of our God in restoring the benefite vnto vs whereof wee see the most part of the world bereft for their churlishnesse and retchlesnesse sake so that now adays Gods word soundeth among vs and we may reade it and be partakers of it both openly and secretly and the treasures thereof are set foorth to vs so as wee may inioy them and that is an inestimable benefite which wee ought to magnifie Againe let vs be diligent in giuing eare to our God and let no man alledge excuses to shift himselfe from him For seeing that God speaketh to all y e companie of the faithfull euen to as many as are baptized in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ let euery man on his owne behalfe and in his degree indeuour to profite thereby and let all of vs in common take God for our schoolemaister and bee readie to hearken to him whensoeuer it pleaseth him to speake vnto vs which thing he doth daily Thus much concerning the first point where it is said that God spake to the whole multitude Now let vs come to the second point that is to wit That he added not any thing and that is to the end that we should be the willinger to heare what is contained in the Lawe It is true that all that euer is set downe in writing by Moses belongeth to the Lawe Likewise the thinges that the Prophets haue left vnto vs and finally that which is added in the Gospell containe all one substance And though the Byble be very great yet notwithstanding GOD hath made it all to ame at one certaine marke to the intent wee should not goe wandering at rouers nor bee driuen to make too much seeking whither wee should goe For why All is referred to ten verses as I haue said alreadie Let vs recken vppon our fingers and wee shall haue Gods commaundements we shall haue a summe of the thinges which we ought to beare in minde that we may be good schollers to Godward Seeing there is such briefenesse must in not needes be that men are too froward if they refuse such teaching and
vttered his trueth to men by his Lawe and by the Prophetes and Apostles his will is that the same ministerie should indure continualy namely that there should bee men ordeined and appointed to the office of expounding his worde and of building vp his Church Then let vs vnderstand that after that maner the Church is the meane of vpholding Gods trueth sounde and vnappayred For when God rayseth vppe men indued with his spirite to confirme vs in the faith and to inlighten vs and to shewe vs the right way by that meane Gods trueth continueth in the worlde so as it is not quenched nor vtterly done away Let vs mark then that Moseses meaning here is not to make him selfe the onely possessor or owner of Gods lawe and to shake off the people and to shutte them out of the gate but to vtter his minde plainely to this effect my friendes in deede the Lawe is common to vs all all of vs are Gods children I chalendge no more to my selfe in that behalfe than to you but yet will I dischardge my selfe of the commission that God hath giuen mee which is that I should serue you for a faithfull expounder of the Lawe and bee as a keeper thereof that yee might not thrust it vnder foote nor forget it for euer but alwayes bee put in minde of it by mee Sith it is so let all ministers of Gods worde looke that they bee readie prepared to serue the ignoraunt and let all men consider howe it is not for vs onely to reade the holy scripture but wee must also be diligent to profit therein and humbly come to y e hearing of those whom he hath appointed to be his ministers to giue vs the exposition vnderstanding therof Thus ye see whereto this text is to be referred Now let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them better and to drawe vs dayly to such repentance as our whole desire may be to serue him and to please him without seeking any whit of our own will And that forasmuch as we be so greatly giuen to worldly thinges it may please him to drawe vs from them and therewithall to graunt that wee may submit our lyfe to his will and frame it to his righteousnesse and that for the bringing thereof to passe his worde may so ouerrule vs as wee may bee gouerned by it and all our whole lyfe be framed thereafter vntill that being quite rid of all our fleshly affections wee be clothed againe with his heauenly glory at such time as wee shall haue no more neede neither of writing nor of preaching That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. On Wednesday the xvij of Iuly 1555. The xliij Sermon which is the fourteenth vpon the fifth Chapter 23 And when yee heard the voice from the middest of darkenesse because the Hill burned yee came to mee all the heades of your tribes and your Elders 24 Then saide you Behold the Lord our God hath shewed vs his glorie and his greatnesse and wee haue hearde his voice from the middest of the fire This day haue wee seene that GOD hath spoken with man and man is still aliue 25 Now then why die wee for if wee heare the voice of our Lord God againe this great fire will deuour vs and we shall die 26 For what man is hee that may heare the voice of the liuing God speaking from the middest of the fire as we doe and yet liue 27 Goe thou and heare whatsoeuer the Lord our God shall say and then tell thou vs what the Lord our GOD saieth to thee and wee will heare it and doe it WEe bee of opinion that where as God causeth his worde to be preached vnto vs by y e meanes of men if he spake to vs in his owne maiestie or sent some Angell to appeare vnto vs wee would bee the better touched and all the world would bee conuerted by and by and euery man obey without gaine saying or rebelling but wee knowe not what is for our owne benefite and behoofe For if wee looke vppon our owne frailtie it is not possible that God should make vs feele his power but it shoulde be to our vtter vndooing and destruction Now therefore when men are desirous that God should come downe from heauen or manifest himselfe by some visible token they know not what they bee nor how frayle their state is For did they wel consider it they would bee agast at Gods infinite glorie knowing well that they were not able to abide it Besides this let vs assure our selues that God tendereth our welfare and saluation in shewing vs his will by the mouth of men when hee ordeyneth and appoynteth them to be ministers of his worde to bring vs such message as hee knoweth to bee for our benefite Neuerthelesse it was his pleasure to auowe it by open proofe to mens faces that it is not good for them to heare his voyce thunder from heauen And that is the cause why hee thought good to giue forth his lawe not simply by Moses but by comming downe in his owne person as I haue declared already and as I tolde you yesterday that the lightninges and whirlewindes and the flaming of the fire and all that is written in the ninteenth and twentith chapters of Exodus Exod. 19.18.19 20.18 was done euery whit of it to the end that the people of Israell should learne to yeede reuerence to Gods word And this lesson belongeth to vs also For Gods inteÌ„t was that the remembrance of those thinges shoulde indure for euer and that they should be put in vre continually So then we see here that God hath vttered his glorious maiestie once for all to teach vs to receiue his worde with all reuerence and lowlynesse But yet furthermore hee intended lykewise y t the people should bee driuen of themselues to say It is not good that God should speake to vs againe Onely let vs haue a man to bring vs the doctrine which it shall please him to send vs. And this rule serueth to condemne vs if wee followe not this people which stepped forth to say so And if any man alledge that the thinges which were spoken at that time cannot binde vs The answere is easie namely that if God should doe the lyke at this day that is to wit if hee should speake y e thinges with his owne mouth which we heare at the mouthes of men it were impossible for vs to abide his glory wee should bee vtterly vndone And therefore let vs learne that this is rehearsed vnto vs to the ende that in the person of the people of Israell wee might vnderstand that God applyeth himselfe to our â—lendernesse and infirmitie and that in voutsafing to send vs his worde to bee preached vnto vs by men lyke our selues whome hee maketh his
the thinges that hee commaundeth vs to the intent it might go well with vs. Wherby wee see that if wee receiue the doctrine with humilitie and desire to obey it the ende thereof cannot bee but happie so as wee shall bee sure of our saluation Howbeit wee must alwayes come backe to this point that wee pray to God to giue vs heartes for it belongeth to him to doe that and yet if wee doe amisse wee must learn to condemne our selues that he may acquite vs. On the otherside let vs reioyce inasmuch as we see howe hee procureth our saluation and intendeth the furtherance thereof as oft as his worde is preached vnto vs. And let vs remember howe it is saide in Salomons prouerbs Prou. 8.31 That it is the delight and pleasure of Gods wisedome to dwell among men See heere howe God auoweth that his sending of his worde vnto vs is to teach vs the full perfection of wisedome as if hee shoulde sende his owne wisedome from heauen Yea and to what ende Wisedome is brought in their saying thus All my delight is to dwell among men And that is as much as if God shoulde open his heart and say Beholde my teaching of men by my worde is of purpose to binde my selfe to them with a holy band And if they on their side bee not stubborne they shall perceiue that I wil alwayes be among them with out departing from them at any time This ought to inflame vs greatly with a reuerence to Gods worde so as we may seeke to profite in it and neuer suffer our selues to bee turned from it forasmuch as it bringeth inestimable benefite vnto vs namely that our Lorde vniteth himselfe vnto vs thereby Nowe it followeth in Moseses texte that God commaundeth the people to goe euerie man to his tent and Moses to tarie there still and then he addeth I will shewe vnto thee all the commaundements statutes and ordinances which thou must teach to all the people Heere God sheweth againe that hee ceaseth not to continue his teaching of the people though he vse the foredeclared meanes that is to wit though hee make Moses as it were the vtterer of his will and the bearer of his message This is to bee marked well for it serueth to make vs knowe that God intendeth to holde vs alwayes to himselfe and will not haue our faith grounded vpon men nor to depend vpon them And that is a very requisite thing Truely as for them that followe their owne good intentes or say they holde the thinges that haue beene determined by the Church or by the auncient fathers they may many times be grossely deceiued And if a man tell them they doe but as it were hang in the aire and haue no certaintie in beeing so wedded vnto men they bee wilfull in their owne opinions as we see the Papistes are whome the diuell hath so bewitched that they content themselues with the resolutions made by men and boldely despise the worde of God Insomuch that if a man bring record from thēce to reproue their superstitions they bee at a full point for they bee so doted that they regarde not to haue God against them Men then may well for a time haue this ouerlustinesse of running boldly whither soeuer their foolish imagination carieth them they may harden themselues against God but when it commeth to the verie push they be so dismaied as they wote not where to become And therefore let vs note that wee shall neuer haue any sure and longlasting stay vnlesse our faith be grounded vppon Gods worde and that wee bee able to say that looke whatsoeuer wee haue wee holde it of him and that it is the verie trueth so as wee wander not in our owne imagination nor take the doctrine of men for our stay And wheras we heare God say in this text I will tell thee the things which thou must teach Let vs marke that wee likewise must rest wholly vppon him and vpon his infallible truth y t our faith may not be wauering and doubtfull And the thing which wee haue to seeke when we come to sermons is to haue this point well warranted and sealed in our consciences namely that we haue Gods word wherein lyeth our life And herewithall let vs marke also that God ment to holde the preachers of his word in such awe as they shoulde not presume to put forth any thing of their owne 1. Cor. 4.2 but be contented to bee faithfull setters forth of the things that he commaundeth so as they may alwayes protest that they haue serued god in executing his commaundement and in deliuering it foorth from hand to hand This is a thing which wee haue to marke we I say whom God hath appointed his ministers to preach his worde and to whom hee hath committed the office of teaching namely that we adde not aught of our owne deuising but deliuer the thing simply which we knowe to bee proceeded from God And to the end that folke should knowe y t God ment not to teach them by halues he reherseth the thing again which we haue seene heretofore namely his statutes ordinances commandements and Ceremonies As if he should say there wanteth not any thing in his doctrine neither ought the people to couet any thing more This hath bene declared more at large alreadie Notwithstanding whensoeuer God vseth such diuersitie of wordes to vs wheras he might say in one word the Lawe let vs marke that it serueth to restraine men the better from fond curiositie of adding any thing to his law as the thing which wee see we bee too much giuen vnto by nature forasmuch as our flesh prouoketh vs continually to inuent I know not what new thing And y t is the cause why in popery euery mā hath aduētured to cast to his collup to make so many lawes one vpon another For why They thought it not ynough to liue plainly according to gods word but y t it would be good to ad still some minglemangle But contrariwise God telleth vs that if we haue his law we haue statuts commandements ordinances and rites ynow as if he should say y t mortal mē ought not to stand so much in their own conceits as to goe about to be wiser than hee For when they haue made neuer so large discourses yet can they not amende any part of his doings nor ad any thing to them but whatsoeuer they put too further of their owne it shall bee not onely superfluous and vnprofitable but also a marring to all the rest as if a man shoulde mingle vineger with good wine And now God hauing spoken after that manner addeth that they shoulde take good heede that they kept the things which he commaunded them without bowing to the right hand or to the left Here our Lorde sheweth vs againe that the honoring of his Lawe which he requireth at our hands must not be an onely allowing of it with our mouthes after which manner wee woulde
hee commeth neuer the neerer his wayes ende but rather is still further and further from it Therefore in this place walke in the way is as much to say as wander not ye wretches wilfully goe not astray Sith your God is your guide you cannot goe amisse in following him But if you followe your owne heade in the ende God must bee faine to shewe you that yee shal be no better than stray beastes and that yee haue not helde the right way Know ye therefore that Gods doctrine is your way If this saying were well printed in our mindes we shoulde be holde so in awe as our itching appetites shoulde not be able to make vs runne astray as wee doe but our life should bee restrained by it For God sheweth vs dayly which is the way yet notwithstanding men dispute make much questioning with What is to be done what is to be done Verily as who should say it were not told vs that God neuer openeth his mouth but it is to shewe vs the right way And seing he sheweth it vs do not we offer him wrong and iniurie if we followe it not Do we not blame him as though hee had lost his time trauel about vs Now we see what this worde way importeth that is to wit that out of Gods doctrine there is nothing but error and deceit and that men beguile themselues when they thinke they do wel furtherforth than when they suffer themselues to be ruled by gods word which sheweth vs the good and right way And he saith purposely Al the wayes For he intendeth not to make such a parting of stakes in this behalfe as men woulde that he should so as they would faine reserue somewhat alwayes to themselues Here God saith contrariwise either you must obey me throughout in all pointes or else I renounce you So then are wee desirous to make our life alowable to God Wee must not be obedient vnto him in part but we must loke that all our whole life be framed according to his cōmandements so as we may say wee haue kept all ways But here it might be demāded whether it be possible for vs to walk throughout in the way of the Lord. For on the contrarie part seing that men do not the good which they faine would it is much for vs if we shal haue indeuored to come to y e good way to go towards the ende though we be not come at it S. Paul himself complaineth that he was not able to do as he would in the discharge of his duety towards god Rom 7.15 Here is no speking of such perfection as is required by y e Lawe but we must only vnderstand that God will haue men to yeeld giue ouer themselues vnto him inforce themselues to run thitherward though they attain not to the mark Although then that we do as it were drag our legs after vs in our going all our life long and neuer come fully vnto God yet must we keepe on to himward and that not in part but in all the things that are conteined in the lawe Truth it is that we cannot so discharge our selues as there may bee a full answerablenes betwixt Gods word and our liues but if wee bee desirous to submit our selues vnto God and to frame our selues thereafter not in some one point but in all without exception indeuouring the same to the vttermost of our power it is as a keeping of all the wayes of God For he beareth with vs and taketh such willingnes in good worth when he seeth vs go to it roundly that we be not dubble minded nor desirous to reserue any peece of our owne willes or to take leaue to do them but labour and striue to the contrarie as much as in vs lyeth according to the grace that is giuen vs. Nowe herevnto he addeth also That they may prosper and that is may goe well with them and with their children Whereof hee sheweth as I haue touched alredie that all the miseries and griefes which we indure in this world are chastisements for our sinnes And we cannot wite our vnhappinesse vpon any thing else than our owne faultes True it is that euery man couets to liue at ease and in prosperitie we neede no teaching to desire that for our owne nature leadeth vs thervnto But in the meane while it shold seeme that we haue conspired our owne mischiefe For y e meane of prosperitie is to obey our God And then will he blesse vs in such sort as we shal feele the fruits of his grace and fauour in all respects But what We be loth to yeeld him his due obedience and therefore must we also bee bereft of his blessing and reiected as vnworthy to be of the number of his creatures And so let vs marke that here our Lorde ment to rebuke men and to shewe them that they themselues are to be blamed for al the aduersities and miseries which they indure in this worlde and that they must wyte the same vppon their sinnes But yet moreouer hee ment therewith to drawe his owne to him by setting the reward before them As if he shoulde say Go to I deserue well to be serued at your hand without looking for any thing at my hande for it for seeing you bee my creatures is it not reason that you should be subiect to me Ought not all your life to bee giuen vnto me Yes but yet intende not I that you shall serue mee for nought I will forbeare mine owne right which is that you shoulde bee bounde to doe whatsoeuer I commaunde you without looking for any thing and I tell you that I am readie to blesse you and to make you to prosper if you serue me Our Lorde then in saying so sheweth that his meaning is to winne his seruants to him by gentlenesse as it were to breake their harts that they may be the willinger to serue him seeing hee goeth not to worke with such rigour as he might but forbeareth his right and rather playeth the father telling vs that if wee behaue our selues like children towards him he wil be gratious and liberall towards vs and although hee owe vs not any thing yet will he not faile to rewarde vs for the seruice that we yeelde vnto him Hereby we bee warned that Gods intent is to drawe vs vnto him but yet must wee not inferre therevpon that men can deserue any thing in seruing of God as the Papistes doe who when they heare such texts doe by and by fall to their merits and beare themselues on hand that God is beholden to them therefore But contrariwise Gods meaning is to shewe vs that he is readie to apply himselfe to vs after the manner of men so as he seeketh nothing else but to induce vs to obey him And that is not for any benefite to him selfe for what profite can hee receiue by vs though wee shoulde performe his whole Lawe Should that aduantage him
and in the meane while God is let alone and his lawe is forgotten And therefore it is not to bee wondered at that hee hardeneth vs in such brutishnes and that there is so grosse ignorance in the world as fewe folke haue the true taste and sauor of the doctrine of saluation but rather wee see that all men despise it and are so farre off from hauing any affection and zeale to the knowing of it that they doe rather thrust it from them when it is offered them and when GOD seeketh them they runne from him Sith wee see such vnthankefulnesse euerywhere it is any maruell that our Lorde reuealeth not his trueth as hee would doe if men were well minded towardes it It is true that God taryeth not till wee come vnto him but rather performeth that which hee sayth by his prophet Esay Esa. 65.1 namely that hee appeareth to them that aske not after him and that hee is found of them that seeke him not insomuch that hee sayth to them that are farre off from him Lo here I am Yet notwithstanding men must not vnder this color that God reacheth them his hand and draweth them out of the dungeons of ignorance before they euer thought vppon him men I say must not flatter and fode themselues in their carelesnesse but rather wee must learne according to this text that whereas wee bee ignorant of the trueth wee must at leastwise doe our indeuer to get knowledge of it and resorte to such as wee thinke that God hath reuealed more vnto than to our selues If wee doe so and with all humilitie seeke to knowe the thinges that are auaileable to our saluation God will shewe himselfe to vs and giue vs such meanes and helpes as he knoweth to be expedient for vs. And although mortall men faile vs yet will hee so supply our want by the power of his holy spirite as wee shall not continue still in darkenesse if wee seeke y e light for he wil not shut y e dore against vs if we knock Matt. 7.7 Luâ— 11.9.10 do our indeuer to enter Thus ye see in effect what we haue to remember vppon y e text Furthermore it behoueth vs to marke that here God sheweth not the end of his commandements what is ment by them and to what vse he hath appoynted theÌ„ He doth not onely shew that the people were iustly bound to keepe the lawe that was giuen them seeing that God had bought them so dearly Here are two things The one is that inasmuch as God hath giuen vs his worde hee doth well deserue that wee should yeelde him obedience Why so Because we be his creatures and hee hath voutsafed to gather vs together vnto him to bee his people and to fight vnder his standard and hath made vs to bee of his flocke and of his Church Marke that for one poynt The other is that wee should know to what end hee hath giuen vs his Sacraments so as we haue the preceptes of his whole Lawe which pertaine to the exercising of vs in his feare and in the hope of our saluation and to what end he hath set such order among vs as wee now haue Wee must knowe what is meant by all this Neuerthelesse this briefenesse will bee darkesome if it be not declared better When wee consider how God hath created shaped vs and moreouer made vs after his owne image and giuen vs witte and reson and therewithall the hope of a better life and finally hath voutsafed to take vs as his houshold folke it sheweth vs that wee bee bound to submit our selues vnto him For seeing hee is our maker doe wee not owe him all obedience Nay there is yet more namely that in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ his sonne hee hath redeemed vs and made vs partakers of his Gospell to the ende that wee should bee guided by his hand Now then the first poynt is that when we haue knowledge it must stirre vs vp to serue God to stick to the pure religion that is comprehended in his word Howbeit this is not enough but wheÌ„ we be asked yet neerer Wherfore y e promises of y e forgiuenes of sins are giuen vs wee must answere Alas it is because we be wretched sinners we should be continually in anguish and sorrowe of minde if we knewe not that God is coÌ„tented to be mercifull vnto vs of his owne meere grace For hee cannot loue vs except we be righteous and wee shall neuer finde any holynesse in our lyfe Psal. â—â— or perfection in our vertues but it is through Gods mercie which it pleaseth him to extend towards vs. And so now yee see whereunto the promises tend Againe if it be demaunded of vs why hee hath appoynted the order of prayer as wel publique as priuate it is for that euery of vs ought to inure himselfe to seeke all his succor at his hand For wee haue not any good thing wee be destitute both of wisedome strength and righteousnesse wee bee woorse than emptie vntill our good God doe succor our needes and the meane thereof is to flee to him for refuge To that end hath hee ordeined priuate prayer And publique or common prayer is ordeined to the intent to assure vs the better that hee will here the common accorde that is among vs when wee bee come together as it were into one bodie and therewithall wee make confession of our faith exercise our charitie By this meanes then we learne why and to what end our Lorde hath set order in his Churche that is to lay what he meant to betoken thereby and to what purpose it is to be referred If a man aske vs what is meant by Baptisme and wherefore it was ordeined it is to the intent wee should know that euen from our mothers wombe wee bring nothing but all maner of vncleanesse with vs and that wee be ful of infection and filth before the Lord so as wee must be faine to bee washed or else hee will not vouchsafe to auowe vs for his Eph. 5.26.27 And wherewithall must wee be washed With the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ. 1 Iohn 1.7 That then is the way to make vs cleane For as long as wee liue in Adam and in our owne nature wee can doe nothing but euill We bee so marred as there is nothing in vs but vtter rebelliousnesse against GOD. Therefore wee must enter as it were into death and into the graue Rom. 6.4 to bee renewed and our Lord must bee faine to giue vs a new vnderstanding and a new heart and he must so shape vs new againe as we may no more be the same we were before but bee as yee would say cast in a newe mould Eph. 4.23.24 and bee made new creatures as the scripture vseth to speake of it Thus ye see how wee may learne what Baptisme is what it betokeneth and to what end it was ordeyned As
doe euill but gaue himselfe wholly to well doing and to walke according to Gods wil. So then to offer willing sacrifices vnto God let vs remember what is said in this text and what hath bin treated of alreadie heretofore namely that before there is any speech of the keeping of Gods commandements Loue is set downe in the first place bicause wee haue neede to giue our selues first vnto GOD and to haue our hearts as ye woulde say fast tyed and knit vnto him ere we can indeuour to behaue our selues according to his lawe and righteousnesse But nowe let vs returne to the matter that was touched before Moses sayeth That GOD will keepe Couenant yea euen with a thousand generations of them that loue him As if hee shoulde say When God hath once planted his worde hee continueth that grace not onely till the decease of those to whome he speaketh but also to their children and their ofspring Nowe then let vs looke about vs and whereas wee perceiue Gods grace in that he hath vouchsafed to reserue vnto vs his word which was in maner abolished and will haue the same now preached vnto vs if wee I say perceiue his goodnesse in that behalfe let vs also hope that hee will continue the same towardes our children which hee hath begunne towardes vs if wee serue him by dooing the thinges that hee commaundeth vs. Ye see then that the goodnesse which God sheweth vs in his word must not make vs slouthfull and carelesse but rather bee as a spurre to pricke vs foreward vnto him that his holy couenant bee not broken on our part and through our default Furthermore whereas he sayeth Knowe thou that thy God is God yea and a strong God thereby he meant to separate the liuing God from all the idols which the world hath forged in al ages And it is a text well woorth the noting For wee shall neuer serue God with all our heart neither shall wee be able to trust in him and to rest vpon him vnlesse we be sure that he is almightie and that he onely is God No doubt but the vnbeleeuers may well beare themselues in hand for a time that their religion is good and the worlde seeth how wilfull they be in that behalfe but yet all is but stubbornnesse whatsoeuer they make of it And therefore it behoueth vs to be fully resolued and perswaded of this that wee must not haue a flying faith so as our hoping to be saued is but at al aduenture For we must alwayes beare in minde how S. Paule saieth that we must know whom wee beleeue 2. Tim. 1.12 and that God is a faithfull keeper of that which wee haue committed vnto him Then if we know not that our God is one and that he is alone and that he is the verie true God we shal be alwayes wauering and our faith shall haue no stedinesse That is the cause why Moses saieth expresly Know thou that thy God is the God As if he should say Consider in what state the wretched heathen meÌ„ and such as giue ouer themselues to superstition are It is true that they wil talk ynough of God howbeit y t is but rouingly they knowe not who he is But it is not so with you For seeing that your God hath taught you and discouered himself to you he hath certified you of his wil and shewed you that ye need not doubt but your religion is such as you ought to sticke to Now then swarue neither one way nor other neither halt ye but go on right forth seeing you bee sure of your religion Marke that for one point Howbeit for as much as we see men giuen to follow their own fansies which notwithstanding doe but tend to their owne destruction we must remember by this text of Moses that vntill such time as we be sure that the God whoÌ„ we worship is the true God wee shall euer bee intangled in some one thing or other And albeit that we doe our indeuor to serue him at leastwise to our seeming yet is it nothing it is but faining and that hope or trust is but a besotting of our selues Wel may we haue some opinion but as for to haue a setled faith so as we may glorie that our saluation is laide vp in God and that he will keepe it safely bicause he hath taken vs to himself it is vnpossible that we should haue any such certaintie vnlesse wee can say with Saint Paule I knowe whom I haue beleeued and he will be a faithfull keeper of that which I haue committed vnto him So then let vs put such difference betweene the liuing God and all the idols which men haue forged of their owne braine as he may be knoweÌ„ alone aboue all others And that we may so doe let vs learne to deuise nothing of our own head For as soone as wee father any thing vpon God which is not in his owne word it is all one as if wee did set vp an idoll for by that meane we disguise him Therefore wee must so sticke to the liuing God to the ende we may bee his people and hearken quietly to so much of his will as he sheweth vs by his worde as it may suffice vs to haue so much knowledge of him as he hath reuealed by his word without seeking any further For as for those that are so bolde as to take leaue to say I weene this is good and why should not God take this or that in good worth and in the mean while haue no warrant of the holy scripture I say they forsake the liuing GOD and turne away after idoles For what else are the imaginations of men but verie idoles to deface the true Maiestie of the onely God Thus much concerning this place Moreouer Moses termeth God Faithfull to shewe that like as afore he attributed strength vnto him for the Hebrewe worde that he vseth commeth therof so must we also haue his truth before our eyes and in our rememberaunce to the end to leane vnto him to referre our selues wholly vnto him knowing that Gods strength serueth not to abash vs but that whensoeuer it is spoken of it is matched immediatly with mercy to the intent we should be drawen vnto him and come to him with a cheerefuller courage Then is it not without cause that Moses hath set down Gods trueth heere of purpose to hold the people in obedience to him And heereby wee bee taught not to preace into Gods priuities and to dispute of thinges that are too high for vs yea and vtterly vncomprehensible but rather that wee must rest vppon his word and trueth which he hath reuealed vnto vs. True it is that we must bee fully perswaded of this point that GOD chose vs in his euerlasting purpose Eph â—â—â— not bicause wee were woorthie of it but bicause it pleased him so to doe and that there is none other cause thereof but onely his good pleasure as the holy Scripture sheweth vs.
to put it in execution We crie out dayly to haue iustice executed but how do men discharge themselues therof Let their eares be neuer so much beaten it is to no purpose they passe not much for it but they be the more forgetfull from day to day Therefore doeth Moses put them in minde of the things that he had told them before to the intent that the people should in any wise refraine from seruing the idols of the heathen And he addeth a threate It would turne to thy decay In deede the Hebrew word which he vseth is commonly taken for cordes or lines but here by a similitude it is taken for snares or neâ—â— and for ruine decay downfal or stumbling Then if thou fall into idolatrie it will be a deadly fall to thee saith he Keepe thee from that Thus we see that when God punisheth y e wicked we must alwayes learne at their cost to liue in his feare For our condemning of other folkes wil not iustifie our selues if we follow them or become like them but rather they shal be witnesses against vs to bereaue vs of al excuse Therfore let vs thinke vpon that which is added here that when God had commanded his people to destroy the idolaters he addeth beware ye meddle not w t their superstitions for then shall ye bee ouerthrowen out of hand Yea we see also that God did not beare with the people of Israel any long time after they had offended For the heathen might yet haue some excuse bicause they had not had any teaching but the Israelites sinned wilfully their dooing was a manifest rebellion bicause they had bin sufficiently warned thereof before specially for as much as God had done them so great honor as to put the sword into their hand as if he should say Thou shalt punish the misdoings of others Seeing then y t God had so honored that people was it not an increasing of their euill much more wheÌ„ they happened to become like those whom they punished Yes for y e punishment which they had executed vpon others serued to bereaue theÌ„ of al colour of ignorance and to dubble their owne fault For after as God honoreth men they ought to take y e more heede to liue in all purenes before him That is the cause theÌ„ why those two things are matched togither And hereupon wee may gather that all such as haue the executing of Iustice must lay away their owne fleshly passions and looke that they be quite and cleare from all desire of reuenge hatred and rancor And this must be regarded of vs not onely in punishing of euill doers but also in the admonishments and warninges that wee giue For if we be too sharpe it is an ouershooting of our selues which proceedeth of our sinfulnesse by reason whereof although the correction which we minister be out of Gods word yet is it already steined and God alloweth it not Sometimes wee think our selues to bee excused if wee tell a man the truth Yea but wee would not tell it him if our oueruehement affection draue vs not to it For nowadaies vices are fostred among men and euery man is content to beare with his neighbour in his euill doeing but if there happen any variance or quarell then out flieth that which was coÌ„cealed before Therefore in rebuking men it is not enough for vs that wee can alleage that we haue told them the truth vnlesse we can also therewithall protest that we were not led with desire of reuenge or otherwise Let vs marke then that if it be but in warninges by word of mouth we must not be passionate nor desirous of reuenge but simply do it of zeale to Godward Now then it is much more reason that when a iudge holdeth the sword in his hand and is to proceede further to the executing of Iustice with rigour hee should then lay aside all euill affections That is the cause why God hath expresly shewed his people the end of the law which he had giuen them to the intent they shoulde bee the better taught to walke in the pure religion and not follow the superstitions which they should punish in the Heathen That is the thing which we haue to note in effect Now Moses addeth immediatly If thou say in thine heart Alas these Nations are moe in nuÌ„ber than I how is it possible that I should discomfite them Remember what thy God did in the land of Egypt how he handled Pharao at his people what proofe of his power he gaue thee there For euen so will hee doe to all the Nations whom thou art afraid of Heere Moses intendeth to harten the people to the intent they should not bee daunted with fearefulnesse For the thing that doeth commonly hinder men in doing their duetie is a certaine fearfulnesse which they conceiue O say they this is hard to be done and againe if I doe it I shall stirre vp many mens displeasure against mee and such a harme may come to me by it Thus in stead of walking as God commaundeth vs we bowe with euery blast and in the end turn quite away Wee be but ouer bould and hardie in following our owne passions and wee be so blinded with them that although there bee daunger in them yet wee think not vppon it and although it come to our mind yet doe our affections so ouermaister vs that we ceasse not to goe on still We see that if a man be in a rage although death be before his eyes yet hee goeth through with it like a mad man or like a beast that is caried away with furiousnesse After that maner doe we deale And that is the cause why I sayd that we be but too bold in executing our owne wicked and excessiue moode But if God commaund vs any thing we make such nysenesse at it as is pitifull to see And then come all these doubtes in our head How is it possible that I should holde out if I should followe my vocation faithfully For beholde there is such a blocke in my way I shall haue such a man mine enemie such a thing may befall mee such a man will bee against me All these forecastes say I will come to our mind And therefore let vs marke that God doth not without cause say thus to his people heere doe these thinges not respecting thine owne power and abilitie but respecting and knowing my strength for that is inuincible If thou haue mee on thy side feare not but I will make thee ouercome all thine incomberaunces and all the euill incounters that thou canst meete with Thus ye see in effect what wee haue to mark vpon this text Howbeit forasmuch as the vice that is spoken of heere is common among vs and all of vs are as yee would say attainted with it wee haue so much the more neede to bee earnest in putting this lesson in vre We see that if men be against vs by and by we ouershoote our selues
the furtherance of their benefite and welfare as I saide afore when Moses was taken vp as it were into the companie of Angels by reason whereof they shoulde rather haue thought thus Goe too in the person of that one man wee bee after a sorte separated from the rest of mankinde and God sanctifieth vs to himselfe and therewithall bringeth vs into his kingdome to the intent wee should not haue any earthlinesse in our religion What a lewde dealing was that For this cause Moses saith that God commanded him to get him downe in hast because the people were marred out of hande so as they were falne to making of a newe God euen while the lawe was a writing and whyle God was confirming of his couenaunt with them And it is plainely saide that they were marred Beholde saith God they haue marred For the worde which hee vseth betokeneth no more but they haue marred without other addition And indeed it was a right marring of them that is to say of the Iewes who became lewde backesliders and periured kaytifes vtterly turning away from the trueth and rule of God and finally from all order both heauenly and earthly For wherein consisteth our purenesse but in obeying GOD According to this similitude of Saint Paules 2. Cor. 11.2 that like as a woman is a lawfull and faithfull wife as long as shee keepeth herselfe chast to her husbande so all the chastitie which God requireth of vs is that wee shoulde sticke alonely to his worde Then if wee fall to making of idols it is a vilanous marring of our selues wee become like common harlotes that giue ouer their bodies to all commers leauing their owne husbandes and yeelding themselues to euerie whoremaister and ruffian Euen so is it with vs. And after the same maner was this people marred out of hande Yea and wee marre the maiestie of God also as much as in vs lieth when wee followe our owne foolishe inuentions True it is that wee cannot touch his maiestie to doe it any harme but yet are wee guiltie thereof as sayth Saint Paul because we turne the trueth into a lie Rom. 〈…〉 and make all thinges false and moreouer turne the order of nature vpside downe by forsaking Gods pure doctrine so as wee bereaue him of his soueraigne right that hee can not reigne ouer vs when wee fall to setting vp of idols and deade thinges in his roome and doe the thinges which we our selues haue inuented So then it is not for nought that our Lord saith not in plaine wordes This people haue made them an Idoll but hee saith This people haue marred that is to say they haue turned all vpside downe Wherefore let vs marke well that whensoeuer we steppe aside from the purenesse of Gods worde wee make a shamefull marring we practise our owne destruction wee leaue nothing whole and sounde and to bee short we bee guiltie of mingling heauen and earth together and of the vtter defacing of Gods maiestie So much the more therefore doeth it stande vs on hande to submitte our selues to Gods pure worde and to see that wee inuent nothing of our owne heads nor bring vp anie new religion but hold our selues to the thinges which our Lorde hath tolde vs 1. Sa◠◠22. forasmuch as hee alloweth not anie thing but that Afterwards hee addeth the residue which I cannot expound as nowe but it shall suffice as I haue saide alreadie that wee haue this bonde of our God that wee stray not so farre as to reiect his trueth but that wee abide in obedience to his worde as hee hath giuen it vs in writing and as it is his will to haue it dayly preached vnto vs. Nowe let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them better than we haue doone that we may be drawen to such repentance as our whole desire may be to be quite rid of our fleshly affections and lusts to giue our selues vnto him and to holde vs so vnder his awe as wee may bring nothing of our owne deuising but that when our owne conscience findeth fault with vs wee may so much the more yeelde ourselues guiltie and not turne away from his obedience and that forasmuch as wee can not fullie satisfie and performe his Lawe in this worlde it may please him of his infinite goodnesse to beare with vs vntill hee haue throughly corrected the euill which hee knoweth to bee yet still remayning in vs. That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people nations of the earth c. On Friday the xxx of August 1555. The Lxv. Sermon which is the fourth vpon the ninth Chapter 13 Wherefore the Lord spake vnto mee saying I haue seene this people and beholde it is a stiffenecked people 14 Let mee alone I will destroy them and put out the name of them from vnder heauen and I will make thee to growe into a mightier and greater Nation than they bee I Began to shewe you yesterday howe foule and cursed the faulte was which Moses vpbraideth the people withal in this place and that the cause why hee did set it before thē was to the end they should be y e better humbled therby And here he addeth a recorde of the greatnesse of that fault in that it prouoked Gods wrath so sore that hee would haue destroyed and rooted out that people and put out the remembrance of them for euer Nowe if God doe measure his anger and can skill to punishe mens offences according to the greatnesse of them it must needes bee concluded that this offence was verie horrible seeing that God hauing deliuered his people and hauing wrought so many miracles for them woulde neuerthelesse so wipe them out as they shoulde neuer bee spoken of more That then was the meaning of Moses verily as if hee shoulde saye yee wretched foolke consider what yee bee and what yee haue beene For whereas yee were redeemed by the hande of GOD you by reuolting from him after yee hadde receiued such fauour deserued to haue beene so rooted out as no remembraunce of you might haue remayned in the worlde and sentence thereof was giuen also Hadde not I intreated for you GOD hadde determined to haue destroyed you Nowe goe make your bragges imagine I wote not what of your selues impute your obteyning of this lande to your owne righteousnesse to your owne power or to some other thing else Nay contrariwise yee see what yee haue done yee haue to the vttermost of your power vndoone the deliueraunce of your selues whiche GOD hadde wrought yee haue forsaken the saluation that was promised you and the inheritaunce that was prepared for you and to be short it was meet that God should haue powred out his horrible vengeaunce vppon you Therefore learne to magnifie his mercie considering that yee haue prouoked him so sore Thus yee see in effect whereto this saying of
doone and Moses doeth God the honour to keepe him to that which hee had sayde Nowe that hee is assaulted with greeuous temptation euen as though it were cannon shot hee persisteth neuerthelesse in the same faith and it is not a faith that flickereth as a shaddowe but a faith conceyued of the worde and couenaunt of God a faith that shoulde stande fast setled and vnmouable We see howe that Moses neuer obeyed GOD better than when hee withstoode the threatening which God made But yet doeth not this resolue the whole question For a man might replie Howe so Beholde God speaketh continually why then doeth Moses beleeue one of his sayinges more than other Againe there is an other doubte Seeing that God is vnuariable and hath but one single will why speaketh he otherwise than hee had determined in himselfe For in so doing hee shoulde deale double which thing wee knowe can in no wise agree with his nature As touching the first question let vs marke that forasmuch as Moses was gouerned by the holy Ghost and was fullie perswaded that it behooued him to sticke to the promise which was made to Abraham and therefore gaue credite to the same hee considered also therewithall that Gods threatening was iust and that he might iustly execute it for else his praying had beene but a mockerie Hee sawe the daunger that hung ouer the people and was readie to fall vppon them But forasmuch as he thought there was a remedy though GOD had saide Let me alone hee falleth to intreataunce againe And that serueth to shew the heynousnesse of the offence and of the fault that had beene committed For such an enormitie as that was deserued well y e vtter destruction of the people Moses then is so gouerned by the holy Ghoste that although his will seeme contrarie to Gods will yet neuerthelesse hee knoweth what wee ought to followe But it seemeth that Abraham did the cleane contrarie Gen. 22.2 For God had promised him to blesse Isaac and to raise vp a people of his seed whom he woulde take to himselfe And yet notwithstanding he commaundeth Abraham to slea Isaac with his owne handes Nowe it seemeth that after the example which is set vs downe here he shoulde rather haue saide Lorde thou hast promised mee that my sonne Isaac shall beget a seede whereby saluation shall be sent vnto the worlde therefore he must needes liue But Abraham is gouerned by the holy Ghoste and knoweth that hee ought to obey GOD simplie without gaynesaying for hee coulde well haue stirred vp seede from out of the ashes of Isaac when he had beene deade So then let vs marke that when such temptations as these doe incounter the faithfull so as God seemeth to bee contrarie to himselfe he fay leth not to gouerne them by his holy spirite and to giue them such wisedome and discretion as they holde themselues alwayes to the thing that is good and belonging to their duetie and neuer doubt at al of Gods worde And therefore let vs beseech God to teach vs his will and let vs doe our indeuour in seeking his worde and surely hee will neuer suffer vs to goe astray nor to doe amisse but forasmuchas he knoweth vs to be vnskilfull and easie to be led away to and fro he will hold vs backe by his holie spirit and giue vs discretion to discerne what hee commaundeth For like as he fayled neither Moses nor Abraham no more also will he faile vs. As touching the seconde question where it was demaunded howe it may be that GOD shoulde say one thing and meane an other for that is contrarie to his nature in somuch as hee nameth himselfe the trueth and therefore must needes shewe himselfe to bee so indeede we must marke that in saying so hee speaketh not peremptorilie but with condition though the condition be not expressed Therefore we must haue an eye to the ende whereunto these wordes are referred and then shall wee finde that there is no contrarietie in them God had saide to Abraham thy seede shall bee helde in bondage but about afoure hundred yeres hence I will performe the promise that I haue made thee Needes nowe muste this free promise of God be performed for it dependeth not vppon men it is not saide conditionally that thine ofspring behaue themselues well but Gods intent is to bee vnchaungeable in his determination And therefore whereas he saith here to Moses Let me alone I will make cleane riddaunce of this people it is as if he shoulde say This people hath deserued to be vtterly destroyed for seeing they be past amendement what shall I doe more I haue tried them a number of wayes I haue experience of them I haue borne gentlie with them I haue chastised them and yet will they not bee reclaimed neither by faire meanes nor by foule Seeing then that they be past recouerie they must needs be vtterly rooted out and perish Yea but yet is there this Let mee alone His vsing of that speech includeth a condition as if he shoulde say Here am I readie to doe the office of a iudge what remaineth nowe to doe but to thunder downe vppon this people and to make cleane dispatche of them Onely make thou no intercession for them Nowe wee see yet better the thing which I touched afore that is to wit that God was so farre off from cutting off of Moses or from shutting him out that he shoulde not pray that hee did rather sharpen him thereunto As if hee shoulde say But for thee this people shoulde be destroyed For if I shoulde handle them according to their desertes I shoulde confounde them And forasmuch as they be so wilfull that they be past amendement It is time nowe or neuer to execute my sentence It is too much I will make no moe wordes But I will graunt thus much at thy request that if thou make intercession to me I will be restrayned by it Now then wee see these two questions well resoluedâ— and the profite that redoundeth of this texte Namely firste that the force of our prayers is shewed vs here when we pray vnto God faithfullie And secondly we see that daungers ought to prouoke vs the more The more that Gods wrath is vttered vnto vs the more ought we to be moued to pray vnto God because it is as if he draue vs thereto by force And wee must not pray alonly for our selues nor haue a care of our saluation onely nor onely feare the daungers that hang ouer our heades but wee must also take care â—or our neighbors and when we heare Gods threateninges they must waken vs and make vs to come before him saying Alas Lord heere is a sorte of wretched creatures which must needes perish if thou be so disposed Therfore let vs bee prouoked to feare the more for Gods shewing of his wrath vnto vs and for the hearing of his threates For hee vttereth his iudgementes vnto vs to the ende that we should preuent them For
that Moses was so chafed at the peoples transgression that hee brake the two Tables immediately and afterwarde drewe out the swoorde to punishe such as had so violated Gods seruice and incouraged his tribe to doe the like Let vs not thinke but that Moses was wounded to the quicke with greefe and compassion when hee was faine to doe execution with his owne hands For wee knowe he was a meeke and kinde hearted man and inclined to good and holie pitie aboue all others But yet doth it behooue him to discharge his duetie or else hee had beene vnfaithfull towards God Moreouer whereas he saith I looked beheld you had offended your God by making your selues a calfe of mettall and yee were turned out of the way which he had appointed you this looking of his was because God had certified him thereof but yet behoued it him to beare witnesse of their deede with his owne eyes And whereas Iosua sayde it seemed to bee some battell Moses aunswered that it was not so â—xod 32.17 for as much as some of them made not signes of mirth and othersome signes of feare and sorrowe but all the whole multitude was merrie and ioyfull and therefore quoth hee there must needes bee some other matter in it At his comming downe hee sawe them dauncing as it were vppon fond deuotion according to the maner of Idolaters who think themselues to serue their Gods very well by such foolish and wanton toyes And so y e Israelites tooke this dancing of theirs to be a peece of Gods seruice wherfore Moses executed the punishment afore mentioned But as touching this text the onely thing that we haue to marke is the thing which we spake of euen now and which we haue spoken of afore namely that hee vpbraydeth the Iewes with their suddeine starting aside from the way which GOD had shewed them For the welspring of the mischeefe was that they held not themselues to the rule that is conteyned in the Lawe Wee see then that the cause of all ruine and destruction is our ficklenesse in turning away from Gods woorde For as soone as wee passe those boundes swarue neuer so little aside by and by wee runne astray into vtter destruction And therefore it standeth vs so much the more on hande to holde our selues warily in obedience to our GOD specially when hee hath beene so gracious vnto vs as to set vs in the righte way For hee vouchsafeth not so to guide all men Trueth it is that all men yea euen those which neuer hearde one woorde of teaching haue inough to make them vnexcusable 〈◊〉 2.20 But as for vs wee ought to make singular account of this priuiledge that GOD calleth vs to him that hee taketh vs into his gouernment and that hee sheweth vs the way of saluation Sith wee haue that wee cannot goe astray so wee hearken to the doctrine that is set foorth to vs in Gods name But if wee despise such a benefite then are we worthy of too too much blame And therefore let vs learne to submit our selues simply to Gods word or else wee shall open the gate to all wickednesse accordingly as it is sayd that men marre all and turne all vpside downe when they start aside from the said way 〈◊〉 9.12 Then is there but one way to walke well and rightly in which is to obey our GOD and not to giue any credite to our owne wit and imagination nor to giue heade to our own inuentions but to abide as it were fast linked to the thinges that GOD commaundeth and appoynteth vs. Those are the thinges which wee must sticke by and if wee doe not wee bee vnhappie and forlorne creatures For we shall go on from euill to euil and there will bee no ende nor measure of our disorderednes as we see it be fell to this people who hauing once let go Gods woorde fell into so grosse and beastly superstition as to woorship a Calfe of their owne making 〈◊〉 32.2 and they became so madde that they spared not any thing so fouly to defile themselues in offending God after that fashion For when Aaron willed them to bring him al their ornaments and Iewels it was to the ende to haue made them loth to haue had an Idoll of that price But there was neither man nor woman which brought not their ornamentes and all the costly Iewelles which they had Those gracelesse wretches were so caryed away and the diuell possessed them with such furie that they passed not to spoile themselues of all their substance nor cared what cost they were at so they might haue an ydoll And by this example are wee warned to raine our selues short and not to let our selues loose least we happen to start neuer so little aside from Gods pure doctrine from the Religion which he sheweth vs in his woord There is yet another thing to bee noted in y e breaking of these Tables which is that GOD intended to shewe by way of a figure that his once writing of his Lawe was not ynough for vs but that it behoued vs to haue it double ingrosed Trueth it is that Moseses rehearsing of it in this text is to another end but yet is there no inconuenience in this also Likewyse when Moses tooke a veyle or scarfe to put before his face bycause the people coulde not abyde the glorie and great brightnesse that shone therein Exod. 34.30.33 it was to magnifye the Lawe according as Saint Paule declareth and the verie storie it selfe sheweth sufficiently 2. Cor. 3.7 that it behoued Moses to be knowen thereby to bee as an Angell and not to bee taken any more to be within the common state of a mortall man in somuch that his countenaunce shone as bright as the sunne which the people could not abide that was to put them in minde of their owne weakenesse and frayltie That was the cheefe cause why Moses wore a veile to hide his face withall But yet herewithall Saint Paule sticketh not to say that God shewed euen then aforehand by way of figure that there should befall such a dimnesse and blindnesse vppon the Iewes that whensoeuer they red the Lawe or heard it preached they should haue as it were a veile before their eyes so as they should not see a whitte And Saint Paule sayth that this thing was accomplished euen in his time among the Iewes 2. Cor. 3.13.14.15 For they red Moses continually in their Synagogues and yet they continued as starke beastes as the heathen so as they became brutish through their owne foolish fancies and could not perceiue Gods trueth at all For Saint Paule telleth them that all the Lawe is nothing without Iesus Christ it is but as a dead thing bycause Iesus Christ is as the soule and perfection thereof So then as touching the breaking of the Tables Col. 2.17 it was the foresayd cause that moued Moses to doe it that is to wit to shewe the people
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
Christ Hebr. 5.2 should beare abroad his word that they shold prease vnto him to bee as mediators betweene him men Ye see then how it was Gods will to teache his people humilitie by visible signes and outward ceremonies to the ende that his worde should be embraced with all reuerence continue euermore in good state But as for vs wee haue not nowadayes the ceremonie any more but we haue the trueth which ought to continue to the worlds end Therefore whensoeuer Gods word is preached vnto vs Col. 2.17 let vs learne to stoope to it to know y t it is a heauenly doctrine wherunto it becommeth vs to encline that it is not for vs to bring our own fond imaginations in y t case for then wo be vnto vs. Neuerthelesse God granteth vs a special fauor in that he inableth vs to beare abroad his word maketh it to dwel in vs Esa. 66 2â— whereby he sheweth that he hath performed the thing which he promised by his Prophets y t is to wit that he hath chosen vs for his Leuytes as shal be declared more at length to morrowe Now let vs fall downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs feele them better yea euen in such wise as it may lead vs to such repentance that we may be sorie for them all our life long be ashamed that we haue bin so wretched sinners And that therwithall wee may be quickened vp to glorifie him the more for the great goodnes which he hath shewed vpon vs proceede continually more more in obeying him to the intent that his law may be the better ingraued in vs by his writing of it in our hartes we become the readier to follow the things y t he shal haue shewed vs so as we may be forward to obey him all our life long our life be wholy dedicated vnto him That it may please him to graunt this grace c. On Wednesday the xi of September 1555. The Lxx. Sermon which is the seconde vpon the tenth Chapter 8 The same time the Lord c. 9 Therefore Leuie had no portion nor inheritaunce with his brethren but the Lord is his inheritaunce as the Lord thy God sayd vnto him 10 And I taried on the mountaine as I had doone afore fortie dayes and fortie nightes And the Lord heard mee that time also so as the Lord would not destroy thee 11 But the Lord sayde vnto mee vp get thee hence and goe before the people that they may goe and possesse the Land which I sware to their fathers to giue them WE sawe yesterday how Moses in this text did magnifie Gods mercie as well towardes the Leuites as towardes the whole people For in sheweing that Aaron was punished for his fault it appeareth plainly that all his whole linage deserued to haue ben disgraded Yet notwithstanding God of his goodnes vouchsafed y t there should bee a certaine number of men appointed to his seruice and them he chose not for any worthines that was in them but only for his owne mercies sake For if wee be not worthie of so much as that God should crowde vs into a litle corner of his house how should he aduaunce vs to farre higher degree That then is the meaning of Moses Neuerthelesse wee must marke herewithall the three charges which he setteth downe here which he reporteth to haue been assigned to the Leuites The first is To beare the Arke of Gods couenant the vessels of the sanctuary The seconde is To be at hand to serue God the third is To blesse in the name of God These are the three things that were incident to the priesthod of old time For as concerning the Sanctuarie with al the appurtenances therof it was but a figure which we must referre to the spiritual temple that is to wit to Gods church Hebr. 8.5 Rom. 12 1. to the sacrifices which are offered vnto him by the faithful when they dedicate themselues to him both in bodie soule by yelding vp their ownselues y t he may be glorified in them Marke that for one point The second is the seruice wherof he speaketh which consisteth likewise in figure but the trueth therof is performed toward vs when such as nowadayes are called to the gouerning of Gods church do their dutie in offering vp mens soules in sacrifice vnto God Rom. 15.6 by preaching y e gospell in maintaining the order state of the church in such wise as God be glorified and the church be cleansed from all stumbling blockes The third is to blesse in Gods name that is to yeeld a testimonie of Gods goodnes and grace to his people Now must we applie these things to y e trueth of them y t we may be edified by them Let vs say I haue a regarde to apply these three things to their trueth substance Col. 2 1â— which our Lorde Iesus Christ hath brought vs by his comming It is said here that the Leuiâ—es must beare the vessels of God And this belongeth not only to the ministers of the worde or to such as beare publike office in the church but also to all the faithful in general And that is the cause why it is said by y e prophet Malachie Mal. 3.3 y t the Leuits were made priests which thing I say was accomplished at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ at which time the church was aduanced to greater perfection than it was vnder y e law Likewise Esay telleth vs that all men shal be Leuites vnto y e Lord. Esa. 6 〈…〉 Al the children of Israel saith he shal execute the office of priesthod vnto God And in the same respect doth S. Peter say 1. Pe◠〈…〉 y t we be a royal priesthod S. Peter speaks not there of any peculiar sort of people after y e maner of y e Pope who hath villanously corrupted y e said sentence of his in attributing it to his owne clergie as he termeth them y t is to wit to y e stinking rable of his powlshorn greaslings but he attributeth y t honorable title to all the faithfull to as many as are of the church of God Moses could wel say euen in his time Exod. 〈…〉 Yee be a priestly kingdome y t is to say a nation holy aboue all others But S. Peter turning the same words saith y t now we be become a royal priesthod inasmuch as our Lord Iesus Christ hauing shewed himself to the world is ordeined priest after the order of Melchizedech Heb◠〈…〉 to communicate the same grace to y e whole church Therfore let vs marke wel y t this gift of becoÌ„ming Priestes Leuites is not a priuilege or prerogatiue graÌ„ted to three or four but inasmuch as al y e things which our Lorde Iesus Christ hath receiued of God his father ar coÌ„mon to vs all
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
that eueÌ„ when we seeme to bee vtterly ouerwhelmed he needeth no more but to reach vs his hand and by by wee shal be aflote againe Moreouer let vs assure our selues that seeing God hath promised vs such victory against Satan and our Ghostly enemies Rom. 16.20 Eph. 6.12.13 men also shall not bee able to preuaile when they set theÌ„selues against vs but although the whole world be bent against vs and at deadly foode with vs yet ought it to suffice vs that God is fauorable to vs. For inasmuch as he hath promised that al their practises which they attempt shal be to no purpose and that he wil turne them vpside downe we may wel be quiet and tary his leasure still with patience and although we be abashed for a time and perceiue not that God intendeth to worke according to his sayings yet let vs stand stedfast in his doctrine vntil he haue shewed vs the effect of his truth That is the way for vs to despise and defie all the wicked y t seeke nothing else but to destroy vs. They be like a sort of madde dogges and when they cannot bite they wil barke They haue their throtes alwayes open and their teeth always sharpened their pawes are alwayes in a readines so as whensoeuer God letteth them loose they be crueller thaÌ„ Lyons or any other beasts Let vs sticke alwayes to this that our Lord hath taken vs into his protection and that when the wicked haue done what they can in y e end they shal be ouerthrowen and all their attempts shall come to no purpose or effect That is the thing which wee haue to remember here Notwithstanding forasmuch as it cannot but bee a trouble and vexation of minde vnto vs at altimes to see what power our enemies are of and to see howe spitefull they shew themselues against vs let vs haue recourse to that which is said here namely that God hath mens hearts in his hande And therefore be the pride of men neuer so great and their stoutnesse such as were able to make the aire and the world to tremble yet let vs assure our selues that our Lord will turne it into feare and cowardlynes so as the parties that would needes be so feared of others shall in the ende haue lesse courage than women and children For why it is God that giueth men corage and constancie and it is he that bereaueth them of it again wheÌ„ he lifteth Now then if we be fully perswaded and resolued y t our Lord bridleth mens hearts we wil not doubt but that he will alwayes giue vs victorie against our enemies and it is the point which the scripture standeth expresly vppon And to the intent wee may know that men haue not one spark of prowesse or manhood in them furtherfoorth than god giueth it them Prou. 21.1 Salomon saith expresly that the hearts of kings are in the hand of God It shoulde seeme that though all the rest of mankind be in subiection and bridled yet kinges bee exempted from the common aray for no man dares once open his lippes against them when they haue once spoken y e word by and by it must be put in execution It shold seeme therfore that they haue a prerogatiue aboue al y e world beside Yea but like as God maketh y e riuers to run here and there and turneth their streams which way he lifteth so also doth he hold y e hearts of kinges in his hand saith Salomon And what shall then become of y e little Goslings when they perke vp haue no power nor strength at al Shall we be dismayed at their threatnings The thing then wherin we must trust is our yeelding of y e honor to God which he requireth at our hands to wit y t it belongeth to him to giue men corage when they be fearefull to daunt the corages of such as areas lustie as if they had the thunder lightening at their commandement for God will so cut their combes as they shal not know where to become but be vtterly dismayed so that in steed of y e stoutnesse which they had shewed before there shal be nothing in them but weaknesse and fearefulnes After that manner must y e faithfull assure themselues For otherwise what will become of vs In what taking are we As I said afore we be hemmed in on al sides by Satan his vnderlings 1. Pet. 5.8 There is not y t minute of an houre wherin we haue not somewhat to be afraid of a thousand dangers beset vs round about therefore what will become of vs if wee be not so fully perswaded of this doctrine as to make it to serue vs for dyches rampyres to hold out al y e assalts that our enemies make vppon vs And so forasmuch as our life is full of vnquietnesse we bee threatened with many sortes of death so as wee cannot step foorth one foote but wee shall meete with some mischance or other specially considering the meanes which the diuell hath to annoy vs withal the indeuer which he putteth therunto also considering y e multitude of y e wicked whom hee driueth forward carieth headlong let vs put this lessoÌ„ in vre y t the god of hosts who hath y e victorie in his own hand is on our side wil defeÌ„d vs so as we shal not be ouercome but be preserued defended by his power Haue we this once well printed in our hearts we may go on boldly and though we see men neuer so full of pride that they spew it out agâ—in and so spitefull that they coulde finde in their hearts to eate vs vp at one bit let vs not passe for that for God will strike them in such a feare that they shal be daunted and discouraged and although wee haue neither sworde nor staffe yet shall they be vanquished by themselues not perceiue why nor how but only by Gods secret working Let vs looke vpon it experience will shew vs that God ment not to beguile vs when he behighted it vs with his own mouth But our own vnbeliefe leawdnesse suffer vs not to perceiue the thing by experience which is spokeÌ„ here We caÌ„ wel ynough make our complaints and say howe happeneth it that God giueth such prowesse to our enemies how happeneth it y t we be so cowardly and forlorne We can aske such questions wel ynough But we consider not the cause of them yet it is in our selues our enemies haue none other power than we our selues giue them and I say the same of Satan as well as of all his vnderlings For wheÌ„ we forsake our god it is good reason y t we should be disfurnished of his help and y t he should let vs alone like poore forlorne caitifs looking on either side of vs not espying any remedy to resist our enemies withal because we be bereft of y e garde and inuincible fortresse
with their turning away from his word when it is preached vnto them is that their so doing is through a diuelish stubbornes y t euen by y e witnes of their own conscieÌ„ces it is a worshipping of gods which they haue not knowwen For our faith must not be vncerteine it must not be an opinion or weening but it must bring a sure knowledge with it And what maner of knowledge Truely as in respect of our own wit reason if we intend to come vnto god we must worship him w t all humilitie remeÌ„ber that his secrets surmount our vnderstaÌ„ding But yet here withall it behoueth vs to stande vppon so sure a ground euen by knowledge as our owne consciences may beare record of it wee bee able to say with S Iohn 1. Iohn 3.2 we wote well y t we be y e children of God Lo here what the true Religion is It is not an vnaduised zeale or a liking that men cast to this thing or that but a sure knowen doctrine grounded vpon Gods trueth wherethrough we be able to say y t it is he which hath spoken to vs y t he is a faithfull witnesse of y e things y t are for our welfare saluation And againe whatsoeuer we alleage wee shall alwayes abide conuicted of our malice So that when wee haue once beene taught y e word of God if wee afterwarde worship gods whom we haue not knowen if we swarue aside to any superstition or if we continue not in y e pure simplicitie of y e holy scripture surely we shal iustly be accused to haue had strange Gods to haue bin forgers of them as folke y t loue the vntrueth better than y e trueth According wherunto S. Paul speaking of all such as obeyed not the Gospel 〈◊〉 1.25.28 saith it is good reason they shold be striken with horrible blindnes that forasmuch as they honored not the creator it was meete that they should become vnderlings to the creatures y t is to say to the things which they had dreamed in their own fond braine foolish fancies Now theÌ„ seeing y t our God hath taught vs let vs learn to hold our selues at a stay to his word to vnderstand in what maner he hath shewed himself vnto vs let vs benefite our selues by al the records which he giueth vs beware y t we wander not one way or other ne followe not our owne leasings For there wil be no excuse for such as would not be certified of God when he was readie to do it Now in the end Moses addeth that when the people were come into the land of promise they shoulde diuide their companie in two partes the one halfe vpoÌ„ mount Garizim the other halfe vpon mount Eâ—all that they which should bee vppon mount Garizim should pronounce the blessings that those which should be vpon mount Ebal should pronounce the curses which thing wee see was done accordingly For this commandement shal bee rehearsed yet againe in the 27. Chapter of this booke Deâ—t 27. â—â— Ios. 3. â—â— And Iosua in his eyghth Chapter declareth y t he had obeyed the coÌ„mandement of Moses The effect of y e storie is that when y e people were entred into y e land they should meete with two mountaines y e one called Hebal y e other Garizim Now god had commanded y t one part of y e people namely certaine tribes shold be on y e one side on mount Garizim y t the rest of the tribes should be vpoÌ„ mount Hebal y t the Leuites shold stand in the middes of y e host bearing the Ark of God to shew y t God was chiefe souerein there that the Leuites were as witnesses or sureties to vndertake matters in y e behalf of the people like as if there were two parties to make som solemne match or couenant a notarie or register is present to take an othe betwixt them euen so God had ordeyned y t the people shoulde be there to heare receiue y e doctrine of saluation y t they should answere on their part as in y e passing of som solemn contract to y e end they might knowe vpon what condition God had chosen theÌ„ preferred theÌ„ before al other nations of y e earth as shal be shewed hereafter in the foresaid 27. Chapter And what were y e blessings They were a rehersal of y e same thing that God had spoken afore namely al such as keepe my law shal be blessed Al such as worship me with a pure conscience shal be blessed all such as hallow my name shal be blessed al such as obey their fathers mothers shal bee blessed all y t liue chastly shal be blessed all y t abstaine from deceit extortion al maner of euil shal be blessed God then on his parte promised blessing after y t maner Hereunto the people answered Amen Amen y t is to say So be it whereby they ratified y t which had been spoken by the mouth of God Again on y e contrarie part y e curses were vttered on mount Hebal in this wise Cursed be he y t turneth aside after strange gods Cursed be he y t dishonoreth his father or his motheâ— Cursed be hee that offendeth in theft or in whoredom Cursed be he y t performeth not all y e coÌ„mandements conteined in this booke Amen Amen said y e people When the curses were vttered after y t fashion it behoueth euery man to answer AmeÌ„ And so ye see what is said in this text Now let vs mark y t by that meanes god ment to touch y e people neerer to y e quicke by their agreing to such a couenant And the same belongeth vnto vs. For although wee haue not y e same cerermonie y t was obserued at y t time yet haue we y e trueth howsoeuer the world go whensoeuer Gods word is preached vnto vs although we receiue it not yet shal it not fal to y e grounde but it shal light vpoÌ„ our heads spite of our teeth it shal be an intolerable burthen to sink vs down to y e bottom of hel Therfore when we receiue gods word into our harts let beware y t we like wel of it y t we ratifie the promise of our saluatioÌ„ which he maketh vs. Nowe hee adopteth vs to be his children and if we be his children we be also his heires Therfore when we imbrace the preached word by faith obedience although our mouth speake not a worde yet doe wee confirme Gods truth to our saluation according to this saying of S. Iohns that as many as beleeue in the only sonne of God Iohn 3.33 haue set to their seales that God is true Thus ye see howe the full measure of our saluation and of the promise is accomplished hath his full effect power when we on our side do aunswere rightly Amen And
or take so highly vppon them it is all one as if they bereaued God of the title of Sauiour and Iudge For if hee be not the onely Lawemaker Saint Iames concludeth that he is not the onely Iudge nor the partie that hath power alone to condemne vs or to saue vs. And what a presumption is it that the creature should proceede so farre as to father our saluation vppon wretched carkesses and earthwoormes which is to be fathered alonely vppon God So then let vs marke well that whereas Moses hath tolde vs heere that it is not Lawefull for vs to adde any whit to the thinges that God commaundeth in his Lawe thereby hee condemneth all the deuotions that euer were inuented by the world It will seeme strange why God hath so streitly forbidden men to adde any thing to his Lawe but ought not the reasons to suffice which I will aleadge Verily the world condemneth it selfe by his owne mouth Hath this prouerb bin inuented in our time Hath it not bin euer a common saying among the Papists to say Thou art the deuils seruant for thou doest more than thou art bidden This manner of speech hath bin vsed a hundred yere before we were borne It hath bin a common by word And what haue the Papists done They haue let the commaundementes of God alone to runne gadding after their owne inuentions and gewgawes And yet neuerthelesse they say dayly still Thou art the deuils seruaunt If a Master bee angrie with his seruaunt for leauing the thing vndoone which he had commaunded him to do the thing which he had conceiued in his owne imagination and he thinketh to content his Maister in saying I haue done better than you were aware of thou art the diuels seruant wil his Master say for thou hast done more than was commaunded thee And I pray thee what art thou Thou doest the lyke to God For thou wilt needes serue him after thine owne fashion without regard what he hath commaunded thee And therefore let vs beare in minde that forasmuch as GOD is robbed of his honor and the creatures set themselues in his iudgement seate when they take vppon them to make Lawes for the stablishing of a spiritual gouernment God declareth that he wil take horrible vengeance of it Esa. 29.14 deale terribly with them And why so Euen because they haue serued him after the commaundementes of men and not held themselues to his single worde and therefore hee will blind the wisest of them so as they shall be destitute of all reason and become so brutish that they shal not be able to discerne any thing at all Is not this enough to make the hayre stand vp vppon our head What is to bee done then Let vs followe this saying 1. Sa. 15. â—â— That obedience is better than sacrifice Loe here a sentence that needeth no glose The Papistes shew themselues to be farre past shame in these dayes in that they will needes maintaine the tyrannie of that idoll and still continue in their wilfulnesse of folowing their owne fond deuotions which haue not any foundation in Gods word Behold our Lord requireth but obedience that is to say that men shoulde submit themselues to his trueth and be contented with that which he commaundeth And the declaration hereof is deliuered vs here by Moses in two wordes that is to wit that they shoulde neither ad nor diminish aught at all in Gods worde but that when God speaketh they should receiue his sayinges with quiet obedience saying Yea Lord all this is iust and rightfull there is not any thing to bee gainsayed in any one poynt Againe thou Lord hast set vs boundes within the which it behoueth vs to holde our selues and not presume to say this is good or I will doe this more than is commaunded me No but wee must assure our selues that our true wisedome and perfect soundnesse is to submit our selues meekely to thy word If wee haue that let vs not doubt but that God alloweth our whole lyfe And if wee swarâ—e neuer so little from it wee shall not onely bee vtterly mislyked of him but also prouoke his vengeance against vs. But now let vs kneele down in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs to perceiue theÌ„ better so as it may bring vs to a true and liuely repentance And because wee bee so much inclined to followe our owne inuentions it may please him not to suffer such hardnesse of heart in vs as may make vs to turne away from his commandemeÌ„ts but rather that euery one may submit our selues to his word and frame our selues wholy thereafter that being voyde of all ouerweening of our owne wit and discretion we may suffer our selues to bee guided gouerned by his hand and specially that when he sendeth vs preachers to shew vs his wil hee vouchsafe vs such grace as wee may submit our selues thereunto so as wee may not onely receiue his word when it is preached by the voyce of men but also haue it written in our heartes by his holy Ghoste 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 Fryday the xj of October 1555. The Lxxxvi Sermon which is the first vpon the thirteenth Chapter IF there rise vp among you a Prophet that is a dreamer of dreames which giueth the signe or a myracle 2 And the signe or myracle which hee hath tolde thee commeth to passe and he say vnto thee let vs walke after other Gods which you haue not knowen and let vs serue them 3 Thou shalt not hearken to the words of that Prophet or dreamer of dreames For the Lord your God trieth you to weete if you loue the Lorde your God with all your heart and with all your soule HEERE god sheweth what steadfastnesse of faith ought to bee in those y t haue bin taught by his word namely eueÌ„ such as may bee able to withstaÌ„d all the lyes and sleightes of Satan so as they bee not hindered by any false doctrines or errors but may continue alwayes in the trueth For if wee receiued his worde when it is preached vnto vs and yet it had no hold in vs but that wee should turne aside from that which we had learned as soone as we perceiued any thing to the contrary what a thing were it It is sayd that faith must be the victorie whereby to ouercome the whole worlde â— Iohn 5.4 for so doth Saint Iohn speake thereof in his first Epistle And if wee yeelde to euery winde so as euery blaste of vntrueth is enough to withdrawe vs from GOD our faith will soone bee ouercome and where is then our victorie Therefore let vs marke that when GOD graunteth vs the grace to bee taught by his worde it is not onely to the end wee shoulde learne the thinges that are spoken and beare them in minde for a while
bâ—t also to the ende wee shoulde staye vppon them and bee so grounded vppon them that if all the troubles of the worlde shoulde rise vp against vs wee shoulde still holde our owne and continue stedfast and inuincible If this were sayd to the people of olde time which had not so large instruction by a great deale as wee haue much more dooth it belong to vs nowadayes God gaue the Iewes sufficient instruction so farre foorth as was requisite for their welfare That is true but yet did he teach them vnder shadowes and figures which maner of teaching was darkesome in comparison of that which we haue nowadayes For in the Gospell we haue the sunne of righteousnesse shining as it were at nooneday Mal. 4.2 So then Gods worde must serue vs not onely to shewe vs the right way but also to inable vs to withstand all the temptations of Satan and his vpholders We must say I be so armed as we may fight and put backe all errors and falsehood so as after we haue once knowen God we may stick to him stedfastly to the vttermost And that is the cause why Saint Paul treating of the vse of the Gospell Eph. 4.14 sayth that we must not be lyke little babes which are drawen too and fro so as we should no sooner see any trifling toye to beguile vs but we should by and by be gadding after it and what a thing were that But we must sayth he be so setled in the fayth that if there come any cousiners that goe about to leade vs by craft and to deceiue vs wee may bee fenced against them and not bee shaken by them ouersoone True it is that we must needes haue a begetting in our Lord Iesus Christ and that at the first our faith may be so weake that we shall be lyke little babes But we must growe still and dayly gather new strength vntil we come to mans estate that we be perfect to meete with our Lord Iesus Christ. Thus yee see what force the doctrine of trueth ought to haue when it is taught vs. That is to wit we must not onely count it good in consenting to it but also be so well assured of it that the diuell doe what he can may not be able to remoue vs by reason of the certeintie which wee haue whereby wee bee inabled to beate backe whatsoeuer shall be set against vs. And doubtlesse wee see by the example of our Lorde Iesus Christ that such as haue bin faithfully taught may well repulse all the wiles of Satan Matt 4.7 For when Iesus Christ was tempted wherewith armed he himselfe but with the holy Scripture Wee see that if there rise vp neuer so many false Prophets among vs yet if wee be throughly well grounded in faith setled in it as we ought to be we shal coÌ„tinue stedfast the diuell shall win nothing at our handes True it is that now then we shal find some impedimeÌ„ts for Gods seruauntes shall bee sure of trouble that serueth to humble theÌ„ but yet whatsoeuer it be their faith is alwayes the better prooued by errors heresies such other lyke thinges whereby our Lord sheweth that we haue profited well in his schoole that wee can neuer be led away vnto wickednesse whatsoeuer betideth Also we heare what Saint Paul sayth when hee armeth vs against all spirituall battels that may befall vs Eph. 6.12 16.17 hee giueth vs the sword of Gods word hee deliuereth vs the Shield of faith and hee giueth vs the helmette of hope And thereupon hee inferreth that wee shall not onely be inabled to withstand all the assaultes that Satan can make vppon vs but also bee defended from his fiery dartes when there is no lykelyhoode for vs to escape from his subtleties Now therefore whensoeuer the Gospell is preached vnto vs or that wee reade the holy scripture let vs learne not onely to receiue the thinges as true which are told vs out of the mouth of God but also to bee so fully resolued of them in our selues as we may not be trayned vnto wickednesse nor turned aside from the right way when the diuell stirreth vp any heresies And so ye see what is told vs in this text For our Lord thinkes it not enough that the faithfull should serue him and hold them to his trueth when they bee in quiet without temptation but also hee will haue them to yeeld such trust vnto his worde that if the diuell fall to sowing of his darnell to marre al and wicked men rise vp to deface the truth by al the meanes they can and to turne it into lyes such as haue learned what the true religion meaneth should not change nor be fickle and vnconstant but shewe that the thinges which they know are of God and an abiding trueth so as it is not for men to swarue or start from them in any wise Now theÌ„ let vs beare this warning wel in mind and euery of vs examine himselfe and when we haue once vnderstoode y e things y t haue bin told vs and are necessary to our saluation let vs not imagine our selues to haue a perfect and right faith as is requisite vnlesse wee bee so constant and fully resolued in the thinges that our Lorde hath shewed vs that we abide by it and followe our course still whatsoeuer come of it For whosoeuer fleeteth or starteth aside at euery matter sheweth that hee neuer knewe Iesus Christ as hee ought to doe And therefore Saint Paul in another place vseth two similitudes to shewe of what force Gods word ought to bee with vs to hold vs fast vnto him in his obedience Hee saith that wee must be throughly grounded and rooted For many haue a kinde of faith but that is but in outward shewe and appearaunce as for inwardly it hath no liuely nor deepe roote For if a man haue but a faire braunch couered with flowers to what purpose is that One blast of wind will deface it But if a tree bee well planted the roote of it will hold it fast in the middest of all stormes Euen so must wee bee rooted in our Lorde Iesus Christ and we must be throughly well grounded vppon him so as men may perceiue not onely that wee haue knowledge but also that our heartes doe yeeld record of our playne dealing And marke here the cause why so many men are so greatly hindered and indeuour no further but to purchase themselues credit among men When they come to a Sermon where the Gospell is preached for the most part they thinke they haue well profited when they can skill to talke of it and there are very feawe that haue a care to be so grounded in it as to lay it vp in their hartes that GOD may be witnesse of it there are very fewe that indeuour to atteine to that steddinesse And therefore doth God abhorre that foolish vaine gloriousnesse wherethrough men seeke but onely to win themselues
and false fellowes step vp amoÌ„g vs of purpose to deface by their suttletie the pure doctrine that hath beene preached to vs wherein we haue beene trayned vp Now first of all it is said Thou shalt not hearken to the Prophet when he sayth vnto thee Let vs go and serue other gods which thou hast not knowen It behoueth vs to wey well all these woordes of Moses For here he speaketh to al beleeuers He speakes not only to the great doctors that haue beene at the Vniuersitie all their life long but also to the vnlearned Although then that we be no clerks yet let vs learne that we must haue this constancie of faith of not following the wyles of Satan to bee withdrawen from our God when he hath beene so gracious vnto vs as to communicate himselfe to vs. Wee must not say Alas I haue no learning nor finenesse of witte to be so cunning euery man hath not like measure I graunt that euery man is not of abilitie to enter into disputation against sophisters and against such as are full fraught with malice to deceiue y e simple but yet all men from the moste to the least ought to haue this inuincible stedfastnes of sticking vnto God and his trueth when they once knowe it There is no excuse in that case For it is not in vaine that God hath set downe this generall law for all his Church And it is certaine also that he will giue vs power so wee resort to him and seeke to him for succour For what is y e cause why so many folke are seduced but onely their own fond presumption or their negligence or else their contempt of Gods worde For yee shall see some stand so much in their owne conceits as to their own seeming no man is able to ouermatch them and yet for all that they are but sillie beastes Our Lorde therefore doth blow away their pride as men may perceiue and experience sheweth that God punisheth many folkes pride which had too great an ouerweening of themselues Now theÌ„ what is to be done Let vs humble our selues pray God to gouern vs so by his holy spirit to giue vs such wise doÌ„e as wee may not bee taken tardie when the diuel goes about to make a breach into vs to enter at If we goe y t way to worke let vs assure our selues that God will guide vs and that wee shall neuer be caught in Satans snares But there are many that keepe on their race without care as though they were priuiledged from all dangers But let vs for our part keepe good watch and haue such a care to warde our selues as the deceiuers wheÌ„ they come may not finde vs asleepe And that will so bee if wee beare such reuerence to Gods worde as wee acknowledge it to bee the preciousest treasure that we haue For if a man make so little reckening of a thing that he leaue it at al aduenture the first that commeth may robbe him of it but as for him y t locketh vp his goods specialy those that are the chiefe and which he counteth to bee most worth he cannot bee so bereft of them And therefore let vs put our faith in good custodie and be so warie in the keping of it as it may appeare that we haue it in such estimation as it deserueth for it is an inestimable treasure Thus yee see what wee haue to note here where Moses speaketh to all such as had tasted what Gods lawe is exempting no man from standing stâ—â—tly in battaile and defence against the lyes and sleyghts of Satan Nowe hee addeth If he say vnto thee Let vs followe strange gods which thou hast not knowen This serueth to shewe vs who bee false prophets For God telleth vs that wee cannot withstande the wyles of Satan without the knowledge of the trueth that is the onely meane And no maruel though the wretched worlde nowadayes be allured to destruction for Gods worde is as it were buryed and when men are destitute of that light it is certaine that they bee in horrible darknesse so as they cannot but stumble stray here and there because they haue no certaine aime at any thing But here our Lorde declareth that wee must bee instructed in his worde and thereunto also is this saying after a sort referred For hee presupposeth that wee bee in a good trade alreadie and that wee knowe the way of saluation accordingly as Moses wil protest hereafter Deut. 30.15 19. saying I haue shewed you the way of life and the way of death Nowe therefore whensoeuer wee will resist false Prophets and their lyes let vs take to vs the doctrine of trueth And that is the cause why it is saide The gods which thou hast not knowen For in this case wee must match the liuing God whome wee haue knowen against all the ydolles which the worlde hath forged to it selfe For God speaketh not to such as neuer heard nor vnderstood any thing of him before but to such as he had giuen his lawe vnto whome hee had set in the right way and to whome hee had giuen an infallible rule When hee hath so fenced men aforehande then sayeth hee vnto them Beware that yee followe not the gods whome yee haue not beene acquainted with To be short then it is shewed vs that this doctrine concerneth such as haue beene duely instructed in the faith Will wee beate backe all Satans deuices Let vs haue the skill to say It is God that hath certified vs hee is a faithfull witnesse to vs wee neede not to be in dout or vncertaintie any more or to cast doutes or to say What Which way shall we goe We may well assure our selues that this is the way that is the thing which wee must stay vppon That in effect is the order which wee haue to keepe according as it is shewed vs in this text But let vs marke also that wee must haue our eares so stopped as we may vtterly mislike whatsoeuer may cause vs to swarue to the contrarie of those things which we haue learned by Gods worde For as soone as wee giue eare to them by and by wee be halfe corrupted according to this similitude which Saint Paul alleageth in the seconde to the Corinthians that when a woman giueth eare to a bawde or a Ruffian 2. Cor. 〈…〉 3. although shee consent not to him out of hande yet is shee alreadie peruerted and it is already an euill token For if a woman bee chaste and shamefast shee will in any wise shunne all such messages as may be brought to her to intyce her to follie and to make her to breake wedlocke Shee must eschewe such manner of thinges Nowe Saint Paul sayeth that as long as wee abyde in the simplicitie of the Gospell wee bee as a chaste wife that keepeth her faith troth to her husbande and that our Lorde Iesus Christ who hath made such couenant with vs to choose vs to bee of his
so long despised God that in the ende their shame was of necessitie to bee discouered They protested sufficiently that their desire was to haue the Gospell but that was the gospell of Mahomet to turne all thinges vpside downe and to bring all things to confusion For the worlde hath seene howe farre they ouershot themselues insomuch that they tooke parte against God and his word Nowe sith wee haue such examples let vs learne to liue in feare and warinesse and alwayes come backe to that which is tolde vs here that is to wit that it is not without cause that our Lorde sayeth that hee tryeth and examineth such as were disguized afore and that when hee suffereth false prophets to bee stirred vp by Satan to sowe their darnell among vs it is to trye vs whether wee loue him with all our heart or no. And therefore let vs proceede more and more in the feare of our God accordingly as it is said here that wee must serue him and obey his holy commaundementes not douting but that hee will make vs to get the vpper hande in al assaults and conflictes wherewith wee be assayled so as wee shal be sure of the victorie because hee will fight for vs. Nowe let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good GOD with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs so to feele them as wee may not proceede to prouoke his wrath through our vnthankfulnesse but that seeing he hath giuen vs the infinite treasure of his holy worde whereby wee haue full assurance of our saluation wee may imbrace it with all reuerence and liue in such purenesse of heart before him as hee may bestowe his riches more and more vppon vs make vs partakers of them and that wee may walke the whole race of our life after such sort in his obedience as wee may moreouer resist all our enemies and by the power of the spirituall sworde of his worde and of the shield of faith beate backe all the assaultes that shal be made vppon vs. That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. On Saturday the xij of October 1555. The Lxxxvij Sermon which is the second vpon the thirteenth Chapter 2.3 And the signe or miracle c. 4 Yee shall walke after the Lorde your God and feare him and keepe his commaundements and obey his voyce and serue him and sticke to him 5 But that Prophet or dreamer of dreames shal bee put to death for hee hath spoken to turne you from the Lorde your God which hath brought you out of the lande of Egypt and deliuered you from the house of bondage and to thrust thee out of the way which the Lorde thy God hath commaunded thee to walke in And so shall you ridde away the euill from among you WEe sawe yesterday wherefore God giueth the brydle to Satan in such wise that hee soweth many errours and corruptions not onely in the worlde but also in the Church For it is good reason that our faith should be tryed to weete whether we liue in vprightnesse soundnes and loue before our God or whether there bee any faynednesse in vs. And there is not a truer tryall thereof than when wee come to the incounter to know whether Gods trueth ought to bee inuincible against all erroures and leasings And therefore let it not offende vs when wee see him sowe darnell but let vs bethinke vs of that which is sayde here namely that our Lorde wil search vs to the harde bottome whether wee beare reuerence to his worde in good earnest and vnfeynedly or no. Not that hee knoweth not welynough what wee bee for it is not for himselfe that hee doeth it but to the ende that our faith should shewe it selfe and that there shoulde be true record thereof Nowe moreouer it is tolde vs that wee must followe Gods worde and hearken to him that wee may serue him and sticke to him And this is still to shewe vs that which I haue declared afore namely that wee can neuer bee at any stay vnlesse wee knowe well what God it is whome wee worship For if wee bee in dout there needeth nothing to shake vs downe as wee see by experience Therefore let vs learne to profite so in our Gods schoole as wee may not bee remoued by false doctrines but may haue wherwith to withstande the sleightes of Satan as was declared more at large yesterday But let vs goe backe againe to this saying that although the false Prophet haue giuen some signe or foretolde some wonder and the same thing is come to passe yet notwithstanding wee must hold our owne still Here it might be demaunded whether the diuell can prophesie or no. I stande not much vppon that it is not materiall but I haue aunswered before that GOD is aboue him and that it is his will that his Church shoulde liue in warrefare to the ende that the faith of all his might be exercised Then if a deceiuer foretell a thing and the same fal out in deede it is not to bee saide but that GOD hath giuen him the brydle Therefore it is not for vs to trouble entraunce into vs but also as Saint Paul sayth to bee diligent in purging of Gods Churche from them Gal. 5.9.12 Tit. 3.10 that such a plague be not nourished among vs. And truely if wee knewe our owne frailtie and considered well on the other side what Sathan is able to doe against vs it is certaine that wee woulde stande more vppon our garde than we be wont to doe Trewe it is as I haue sayde alreadie that wee woulde fayne repose and staye our selues vppon GOD so as we might not minister any occasion to Satan to beguyle vs and surely if wee through our owne fonde desire of seeking lyes did not cast ourselues into Sathans snares wee shoulde be sure that GOD woulde alwayes preserue vs. But forasmuch as we bee too too weake and Sathan needes no more but to holde vppe his finger to vs to carrie vs out of hande from the right way of saluation in respect thereof wee ought so much the more to seeke the remedies whereby to preuent the mischiefe Againe let vs consider what Satan is able to doe Iohn 12.31 He is the prince of this worlde and therefore wee shall soone be ouertaken by him the rather if wee be slothfull carelesse or negligent Then is it not without cause that our Lorde warneth vs to take so good order as such a plague may not lurke among vs that is to wit that wee may not haue deceiuers to beguile the simple and to marre them by turning them from the pure trueth For it is a likelihoode that wee woulde faine bee turned away from GOD when wee giue the mischiefe such scope If there were a breach in our towne wall and our enemies were at hand or that wee were alreadie beseeged so as wee looked for the
assault euerie minute of an houre would we not prouide for it Now the case standeth so with vs that our enemie is not onely at hande but also is entered in already When wee heare his lyes and withstand them not ne make account of theÌ„ we may seeme to be wilfully disposed to perish as wee bee worthie And as touching vs that are shepheardes it standeth vs in hande to haue a double voyce For wee must gather together the sheepe as much as is possible and when they bee in the flocke wee must keepe them there quietly But if there be wolues also and theeues that woulde inuade the flocke against those we must crye out aloude And yet besides this such as haue the sworde in their hande must prouide for it also and euerie man to his power must streine himselfe to keepe Gods Church from infecting with suche poyson that the deuill may not haue his full scope to falsifie the pure trueth to aduaunce himselfe against GOD to ouerthrowe the right religion and at a worde to turne all thinges vpside downe but we must let these thinges as much as we can Wherefore let vs marke that it was Gods will that falseprophetes shoulde be rooted out from among his people Nowe at the first sight this Lawe seemeth to bee ouerstreite for is it meete that a man shoulde bee punished so sore for speaking his minde Verily it is a wonder that we can abide that one shoulde be punished for speaking against a mortall man and that when a man shall haue blasphemed the liuing GOD we coulde finde in our heartes that he shoulde scape vnpunished It appeareth what zeale is in them which woulde haue such rigour abolished If a Prince be misused men will thinke that death is too small a thing for the offender and that the fact can not be sufficiently reuendged insomuch that whosoeuer speaketh against the princes authoritie shall bee punished and no man will speake against it If a man be founde so wicked as to procure a rebellion or to rayse an insurrection among the people verie well he must loose his heade for it and no man will say that such a Lawe is vniust or wicked And why Because it serues for the mainteynaunce of the state and common weale of the Countrey And yet for all this whereas GOD hath the soueraigne dominion of all a woorme of the earth shall sette himselfe against him and goe about to robbe him of his honour and to deface his maiestie and authoritie and yet all this shall be as nothing it shall be let slippe and because it is but woordes there is no reason why such punishement should ensewe of it But they that say so doe well shewe that they haue no loue at all towardes GOD but which worse is that they coulde finde in their heartes that all thinges were confounded together in a hotchpotche so as men might scoffe at GOD and at his maiestie and turne all religion into a mockerie and scorne To be shorte whosoeuer he is that speaketh so he is not to be taken for an ignoraunt person seeing hee woulde that false doctrines shoulde be vnpunished but rather hee is to bee counted a despiser of GOD and an vphoulder of the deuill which seeketh nothing else but the â—urning of all thinges vpside downe in the worlde For our parte lette vs learne to haue Gods honour in such estimation that wheras we reuenge the wronges doone to men wee thinke it much more reason that the partie shoulde bee punished which violateth the maiestie of him that hath created and fashioned vs. And the matter concerneth not onely the honour of God but also the saluation of our owne soules for they be thinges inseparable And that ought well to whette vs on the more not to beare with the erroures and deceites of false prophetes See howe GOD witnesseth the infinite Loue that hee beareth vs in that hee matcheth our saluation with his owne glorie so as men canne not touche the one without hurting of the other insomuch that if a man deface the honour of GOD the saluation of man is assayled therewithall In respect whereof GOD sayeth vnto vs suffer mee not to bee misused among you nor your selues to bee inticed to shrinke from my obedience But if there be any wicked man among you that goeth about to egge you away beware yee nourishe not such a plague Doeth not our Lorde in so saying shewe that wee can not serue to his honour nor mayntaine him in his estate but that in so dooing wee procure our owne welfare And therefore these dalyers and mockers that woulde haue vs to beare with all manner of false doctrine and that it shoulde bee Lawefull for euerie man to spewe out whatsoeuer hee lysteth besides that they shewe themselues traitours to GOD and vtter defacers of his maiestie if it lay in them to doe it doe also bewraye themselues to bee enemies of mankinde and desirous to bring their soules to ruine and destruction so as they bee worse than murtherers Let vs marke then that if Gods honour bee precious in our sight and that the saluation of our owne soules bee deere vnto vs we must not nourishe heresies nor abuses nor any other of Sathans trumperies but euerie of vs in his owne state and calling must procure the purging of Gods Churche from all euill that wee may worshippe him with one common consent that his doctrine may bee receiued and that there may bee no diuision among vs. But this was sayde to the people of olde time Yea and Gods honour must not be diminished by vs at this day the reasons that I haue alleadged alreadie doe serue as well for vs as for them Then lette vs not thinke that this Lawe is a speciall Lawe for the Iewes but let vs vnderstande that GOD intended to deliuer vs a generall rule to which wee must tye our selues In deede it is alleadged that when our Lorde Iesus Christ came into the worlde he aduaunced not his doctrine by the sworde but rather both he and his were persecuted and therefore that the right way to mayntaine the true religion is not to punishe such as set vppe themselues against it but rather to holde our selues contented with the spirituall swoorde and to vse that in our fighting against Satan so as our vnholding of the trueth bee alwayes by sufferaunce and patience if the worlde doe persecute it But lette vs see whether our Lorde haue excluded and banished Princes and Magistrates and Officers of Iustice out of his flocke so as they may not be Christians No surely For when he speaketh of the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christe hee sayeth expresly Yee kinges stande you in awe and yee Iudges of the earth Psal. 2.10 humble you your selues and all of you kisse the sonne Moreouer before hee speake to priuate persons hee willeth expresly that Kinges Iudges and Officers of Iustice shoulde doe homage to our Lorde Iesus Christ then they bee called to the
that order obserued among those that are his Marke that for one point And herewithall it behoueth vs to consider of whome hee speaketh Hee sayeth not onely if a man goe about to abolish all religion as wee see some worldlings doe which coulde finde in their heartes like a sort of dogges and swyne that men shoulde make a mockerie of all the seruice of God hee speaketh not of such kinde of men But his saying is if a man go about by superstitious meanes to turne thee from mee to the seruing of ydolles although it bee of the gods that are moste renowmed in the worlde in the seruing and worshipping of whome the people that are about thee doe thinke themselues to do well If any man labour to turne thee from my worde to make thee followe after those gods let him bee rooted out Nowe then wee see that God punisheth not onely those that woulde abolish all religion but also those that woulde corrupt his trueth And therefore for the better vnderstanding of this lawe that is giuen vs heere let vs marke at a worde that it is not for vs to saye There is no God it is but folly for men to trouble themselues about any deuotion for wee shall gaine nothing by it but wee must consider that if a man bee neuer so deuout and thinke to doo neuer so well yet if hee turne himselfe to the superstitions of the Heathen like a renegate and knowe not the true God hee is condemned And it is a distinction which wee ought to beare well in minde For our Lorde sheweth vs that hee will haue vs to bee contented with his worde and to rest wholly vppon it that wee may bee brydled by it and not attempt to alter any thing seeing hee hath once declared with his owne mouth what hee alloweth And hee sayeth expressely the gods which neither thou nor thy fathers haue knowen By this saying hee doeth vs to vnderstande that it behooueth vs to bee well assured of our religion For to put a man to death without hauing knowen which is the true God were but a frantike zeale as wee see the Papistes doe at this day and the Heathen haue beene wont to doe at all times yea and euen the Iewes also who haue put this lawe in execution howbeit a misse against the prophets And vnder the same pretence were our Lorde Iesus and his Apostles driuen to suffer persecution As for the Heathen when they made lawes for the obseruing of the manner of religion that was stablished among them they had a good grounde and foundation for the thing they did For it is not ynough for Magistrates to make lawes to represse robberies murther and violence but they knewe also howe it was meete that God should haue the forehande Nowe if nature taught them so much what excuse will there bee for vs that professe Christianitie if we say it is ynough for men to represse robberies aduowtries murthers and other such violent and outragious dooings that tende to the hurt of priuate persons and in the meane while make none account of God What a dealing were that The Heathen then had a good grounde in that they knewe that in a well ordered Common weale religion ought to bee obserued and that if any man attempted ought to the contrarie he was to be punished in so much that it was a matter of life and death among them and it was obserued throughout all the worlde in all ages The Iewes did not amisse in beeing zelous in punishing false prophets after that God had giuen them this lawe Likewise in these dayes whereas the Papistes say that Heretikes are to bee punished that is true wee confesse that they bee worthie of it But therewithal they ought to come to the poynt that is set downe heere namely that it behooueth vs to knowe which is the GOD whome wee serue and that wee bee sure that our religion is not a thing set foorth at all aduenture but that wee holde the infallible trueth of Gods owne sending and that it is preached vnto vs in his name by his authoritie so as it is hee on whome our faith is grounded It woulde become vs say I to come to that poynt But the Papistes play the beasts in that behalfe bearing themselues in hand that so they shut their eyes they may execute their rage and furie vppon innocents And after the same manner haue the Heathen ouershot themselues For because religion was to bee maintained they not discerning what they did nor perceiuing whether it was good or euill did set themselues against the seruauntes of God Likewise dealt the Iewes with the Prophets Yee see then here is a point which it standeth vs in hande to wey well all our life long and that is that wee must haue knowen the true God so as wee may iustly and without grudge of conscience condemne the errours which men woulde drawe vs to Which thing will come to passe if wee haue the light of Gods worde to shewe vs the way for thence it is that all good discretion commeth Nowe then to the intent wee may benefite our selues by this text let vs marke first of all what loue wee ought to beare to our Lord God when hee hath vttered himselfe vnto vs. Namely that wee must beware that in any wise hee may bee serued without gainsaying and that the rule which hee hath giuen vs bee vnbroken and that nothing bee chaunged in his worde but that we make much more account of the doctrine which wee haue receiued of him than of our liues And therefore let vs not bee plucked backe from the saide zeale for any worldly respect as wee see the worlde is which fauoureth more his owne fleshly affections than God But howsoeuer the case stande yet must wee fight against all impedimentes and distresses vntill the saide zeale doe get the vpper hande in vs so as wee will rather cause them to dye which seeke the defacing of the true Religion than suffer such a plague to preuaile in the Church to the infecting and marring of our selues or of any others And hereof wee may gather a good exhortation which is that when wee see Gods honour impaired any manner of way it must greeue vs at the heart according to the generally saying of the Psalme Psal. 69.10 concerning all reproches I say wee must not beare with any thing whatsoeuer it be whereby Gods honour may be impeached or defaced But what Little in deede is this doctrine imbraced nowadaies For blasphemie hath his ful scope euery where and if a body be to be reproued for so doing though a dosen persons bee at the hearing of the blasphemie yet shall not a man finde so much as one witnesse In this case God ordeyneth all both small and greate to bee his aduocates and hee will haue euery man to doe him seruice in it For it needes not to bee sayd to a man Haue a care to bewray blasphemie when ye heare it No
Esa. 45.19 nor meant to beguile men in bidding them to seeke him Then haue wee an open declaration of Gods trueth so wee obey his worde by faith and receiue it without gainsaying When wee bee at that poynt wee may well with good conscience and safetie punish such as seeke to turne vs away from the trueth But if wee be doubtfull and wauering and go to it but by weening what will come of it but that wee shall punish innocent persons as wee see the Papistes doe by persecuting our Lorde Iesus in his members It were better for them nowadayes that they killed one another without colour of iustice than to persecute the children of God after that fashion For the matter standeth not vppon the punishing of men by taking away their liues or by sheading of giltlesse bloud through wicked crueltie but vppon the making of warre against the liuing God and vpon the suffering againe of our lord Iesus Christ in his members And let vs marke that whensoeuer wee falsly pretende the name of God for a colour our fault is doubled in so abusing it and we become so much the more blame woorthie As for example when the Papistes nowadayes doe persecute the faithfull and vse such excessiue crueltie as they doe they can welynough say it is the zeale of God that driueth vs to doe it If a man haue slayne one or robbed one very well hee shal bee layde vppon the wheele And what shal bee done when Gods maiestie is defaced Shoulde the partie scape vnpunished So will they alleage Yea but first they shoulde inquire of the case For like as sometimes men punish giltlesse persons accused of false crymes so may it well bee and wee see it by experience that Martyres are persecuted in steede of heretikes Therefore were it meete to looke well to the matter But nowadayes if a man say that wee ought to call vppon none but onely God in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ and that wee shoulde not fetche any further compasses after the imaginations of men by praying to the virgine Marie or other Saintes deceassed to bee our patrones and aduocates but that wee ought to holde our selues contented with Iesus Christ to whome that office is giuen by God his Father By and by they crye out to the fire with him And howe so It is the pure doctrine of the holy Scripture Yea but the church of Rome admitteth it not If a man say wee must worship God after a spirituall manner without making any puppets to him and that the breaking of the rule which our Lorde Iesus Christ hath giuen vs is vtter abomination out vppon it that 's a foule heresie at leastwise by the iudgement of the popedome But yet for all that the Scripture beareth it If a man say wee haue no freewill to doe good but that wee bee vtterly corrupted and that if there bee any goodnesse in vs it proceedeth of Gods meere grace and mercie so that our going forwarde towardes the marke is because wee bee renewed by his holy Ghoste and yet neuerthelesse that wee bee weake and had neede to flee continually for refuge to the forgiuenesse which GOD promiseth vs and whereby wee bee reconciled vnto him whereunto wee attaine not by our owne desertes and satisfactions but must bee faine to bee purged by the bloudshed of our Lorde Iesus Christ and by that meanes wee obtaine saluation if these thinges say I bee alleaged by and by hee must bee haled to the stake And why Because all this is condemned by their Synagogues Yea but it were meete for them that they shoulde giue eare vnto God For did hee forgo his authoritie when hee sayde that we should neither ad too nor diminish from the thinges that hee hath spoken Deut. 12.32 as wee haue seene alreadie heretofore For thereby doeth he shewe at what ende it behooueth vs to beginne Then is it a hellish kinde of dealing when men stay not vppon the thinges that GOD commaundeth and that are conteyned in his worde and yet notwithstanding doe take vppon them to burthen other men with what lawes they list If a man say that wee must serue God according to his commaundementes and not depend vpon those that take vpon theÌ„ to enioyne lawes to mens soules and that all such inuentions are foolish What Shall the traditions of our mother holy Church bee so reiected That were a deadly and intolerable cryme If a man speake of the Sacraments say that baptisme ought to be ministred in a knowen tounge that men may vnderstande to what ende our Lorde Iesus ordeyned it what fruite it yeeldeth and how to vse it a right and moreouer that men may perceiue that baptisme sendeth vs to our Lorde Iesus Christ and hath no power of it selfe further than God worketh by his holy spirite which appeareth when wee haue an eye to him that is the verie substance of baptisme and that all the trifling toyes ought to bee put away wherewith men haue mocked God to the full namely the ceremonies of their owne inuenting which are but vtter corruptions of baptisme as their spittle their salt all their other may games which they play withall If a man talke so of their stuffe he must be put to death for it out of hand And why Fye vppon him hee is a ranke heretike he is not to bee borne with Yea but they shoulde see first whether it bee an heresie or no. For by that meanes they make God him selfe an heretike for want of due examination and what a dealing is that If a man say that our Lordes supper ought to bee receiued according to the rule which hee him selfe did giue vs that is to wit that wee shoulde communicate togither so as the bread might bee a warrant to vs that wee bee truely become partakers of his bodie and the wine a warrant that wee bee partakers of his bloud and consequently that the Masse is an abhomination of the diuels owne deuising for that therein the Christian are so farre off from communicating together that one man separates himselfe from all the rest of the company beholde then must excommunication serue as a sauce for all meates Againe if a man come at Easter to receiue the Lordes supper hee must haue but a morsel and hee must holde him contented with the one halfe of it and moreouer contrarie to Christ his institution which sayes take and eate they woulde beare God in hand that he shall receiue we giue it thee say they Besides this if a man intende to bee reconciled to GOD the Masse must serue as a new sacrifice and although they say it is the same that Iesus Christ himselfe offered yet doe they oftentimes reiterate it If a man open his mâ—uth against such abhominations O that is an vntolerable cryme The aire must ring of the great outcryes that shal be made against it How now say they What ado haue wee here Hee hath spoken against the decrees of the holy
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
you and haue seduced the inhabitants of their cities saying let vs go and serue other gods whome yee haue not knowen 14 Then shalt thou search and inquire and examine the matter throughly if it be true certaine that such abhomination hath beene doone among you 15 Thou shalt roote out the inhabitants of that citie with y e edge of the sword and vtterly destroy the citie and all that is in it and the verie cattell thereof with the edge of the sworde 16 And thou shalt gather al the spoyle thereof together into the middes of the citie and burne vp the citie and all the spoyle thereof with fire to the Lorde thy God and it shal be a heape for euer and neuer be builded againe 17 And none of the cursed thinges shall sticke to thy handes that the Lorde your God may turne away the fiercenesse of his wrath from thee and giue thee mercie and haue pitie vpon thee and multiply thee as he sware to thy fathers 18 Because thou shalt haue obeyed the voyce of the Lorde thy God in keeping all his commaundementes which I commaund thee this day to the ende thou mayest doe the thinges that are right in the eyes of the Lorde thy God WE haue seene heretofore what manner of zeale wee ought to haue to y e mainteining of Gods true seruice the pure religiō that is to wit that we must forget al y e friendship of the world and shewe that we make more account of the honor of our God than of all those that are as deere to vs as our owne soules But now Moses proceedeth further and sayth that wee must vse such rigour not only against particular persons but also against whole cities Now if a whole Citie ought to be rased for breaking y e seruice of God what shal be done to any one man Should he be borne with Here then we see how Gods honour ought to be preferred before the whole worlde And because he had set downe a right and pure order to y e people of Israel how to do it his mind was that it should be kept to the vttermost and that if any man transgressed it he should be cut off insomuch that if it were a whole people that had done it they should be delt withall after the same maner Now then we see yet better howe carefull wee ought to be for the preseruation of religion in his purenes True it is that we ought to be alwayes mindefull of y t which we haue sayd already namely that it serueth not to excuse ydolaters whē they be so inraged with zeale without discretion For we must be sure a forehande that the religion which we holde is holy that God alloweth of it so as it is not a doctrine forged at the pleasure of men but Gods owne will vttered vnto vs of his owne free fauour whereof we haue good and infallible record that if any set himselfe against it he must be cutte off yea though it were a whole Citie So litle ought any priuate person to be forborne that euen a whole citie ought to be destroyed for it But to the intent this doctrine may be y e better vnderstoode let vs marke the order which God commandeth here to be kept If it be sayde that is to say if the report go that some wicked persons are gone from among you and haue led away the inhabitantes of a Citie make good inquisition of the matter search it out diligently and vnfainedly to the vttermost and if it be found to be so let that Citie bee vtterly destroyed with the edge of the sworde and so forth Now first our Lordes will is that when any brute goeth of an euill deede we should first inquire how y e case standeth And hereby he sheweth that such as haue authoritie of the sword sit in the seate of Iustice must not be retchlesse in suffering thinges to passe before their eyes without making any countenance to see them Is there then any brute of a thing Inquisition must be made of it For if it be let passe we shew that our intent is to nourishe the euill and the parties that haue so concealed it must in y e ende abide their payment which is that it must light wholly vpon their owne heads as we see it commeth to passe And it is a iust punishmēt of God that when such as are in office to remedie redresse euill doe beare with it they themselues should abide the paine of it And when they suffer it it happeneth not by haphazard but God yeeldeth them the iust wages which they haue deserued Therefore we must marke this text that God will haue vs to be doing aforehand as soone as the brute is reported or giuen forth not to tary till the thing be apparaunt without setting hand to it or without making inquisition of it but he will haue the Iustice to inquire of it betimes specialy when there goeth any brute of it And by the way to the intent there be not a slight inquirie made of it as it were but for fashions sake he vseth here three wordes and afterwarde he addeth that it must be done throughly so as there be an exquisite care vsed in the matter For diuers times informations are taken when some cōplaint is made and that the euill is knowen yea and y t in suchwise as they be ashamed to cloke it altogether and so witnesses bee called But they will not seeke to vnderstand the pith of the matter they doe but vse a kinde of forme for fashions sake as who should say y e matter is not buried because there hath bin some seeking to knowe the truth of it But what This is no proofe that is to say we wil not search how the case stands in deede For the witnesses are dispatched ere they haue tolde halfe their tales and that which they haue spoken is let slip so as wee see not the thing that is as apparant as the nooneday Now to the end that men should not daly after that sort with God it is sayd expresly that inquisition should be made that the matter should be examined and information dewly taken And therfore let Iustices vnderstand that they shall not goe quit but that God will hold them giltie for neglecting their duetie if they do not what they can to bring matters to light when they heare any complaint or any brute of them Neuerthelesse our Lords meaning is not that mē should iudge at al aduenture but that the crime should be duly proued whether it be so of a truth in deede He vseth two wordes to shew that a Iudge ought not to be led by bare suspition to conclude what hee listeth For wee must be faine to beare with the euill when it is not knowen because God hath not yet brought it to light As for example there be some sinnes sayth S. Paul which make hast to come to their condemnation 1. Tim. 5.24 and
good stil. And yet we go to seek these doubts a far off which we be afraid of insomuch y t it grieueth vs euen to heare thē spoken of If a man shoulde say to vs such a thing may befal the if thy house should be burned all thy goods be cōsumed in it thou be driuen to sell thy landes possessions in what case wart thou thē None of these songes would please vs but we would chafe and storme at him y t should speake so And why For a rich man would faine sleepe in his riches hee hopeth y t he shal stand alwayes at one stay he foadeth himselfe in his delights But in y e meane while if he be to doe any good he by by forecasteth O such a thing might befall me famine warre I wote not what else must be feared We heape together all y e mischaunces y t can bee deuised And to what ende Euen to shut vp our harts our hands y t we might do no mā good Now our Lord minding to correct such distrust bringeth vs backe to his blessing sayth Know ye y t it belōgeth to me to multiply you And therfore ye may wel hope y t when ye seeme to be impaired to y e worldward yee shall haue a greater treasure thā if ye had kept all y t euer could haue come to your handes and had neuer done any good to your neighbors to succor thē withal For I am rich enough to fill you againe euen when you be vtterly destitute of al things Seeing y t our Lord speaketh after y t maner must we not needs be woorse than infidels if wee bee not mooued thereat to doe good Yea and though we go not to woorke with so earnest mindes as we should doe yet if wee be not mooued at leastwise to doe somewhat may it not bee sayd that wee stop our eares against God and giue him no audience at all yea and that we giue no credit nor trust at all to any of his promises Therefore let vs learne to wey better y e valew of this lesson cōcerning Gods blessing let no man rest vpon y e thinges y t he hath in his own possession ne put such trust in thē as to say This is my stay this is trust in them as to say This is my stay this is the staffe that I must leane vpon Let vs beware of such trust for it is diuelish Nay rather let vs think thus Seeing y t God hath giuen me wheron to liue I am contented with y t which I haue and I hope y t he wil also prouide for me stil hereafter and in y e mean time I wil so vse y t which he giueth me as I may succour those that haue neede And therwithal I wil put from me al things that may draw me from y e obeying of my God and from y e trust which I ought to repose in his goodnesse Thus ye see how we ought to benefite ourselues by y e promises of Gods blessing so as they may quicken vs vp not onely to haue recourse vnto him but also to vse liberalitie towards those that haue neede of vs to the end y t our Lord may bee praysed both of great small poore rich and al of vs haue our cōtentmēt in him alone according to y e grace y t he shal haue bestowed vpon vs. Nowe let vs kneele downe in his presence w t acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs perceiue them better to touch vs to the quicke to the ende that knowing his infallible truth what his wil is towards vs wee may be moued thereby to followe y e same to fashiō our selues to his exāple by imparting ourselues in such wise to our neighbors by disposing the good in such sorte which hee hath put into your hands as we may one day yeeld him a good and faithful account of them y t we haue not bin too much addicted to our selues but y t when we shall haue indeuoured to doe good according to his meaning our whole seeking may be to liue die in his obedience drawing others with vs to the selfesame fayth so as we may all call vppon him as our father truely and vnfeinedly because wee mainteine a right brotherhoode with all such as are knitte vnto vs. That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. On Wednesday the xxx of October 1555. The XCv. Sermon which is the thirde vpon the fifteenth Chapter 11 For there shall euer be some needie folke in the Lande And therefore I commaund thee saying that thou open thy hand to thy brother to thy needie and to thy poore in the Lande 12 When thy brother an Hebrewe or thy sister an Hebrewesse shall haue solde himselfe vnto thee and serued thee sixe yeres in the seuenth yeere thou shalt let him goe free from thee 13 And when thou lettest him goe free from thee thou shalt not let him goe emptie 14 But thou shalt lode him vpon his necke with somewhat of thy flocke of thy vyneyarde and of thy winepresse Thou shalt giue him of the things wherewith the Lorde hath blessed thee 15 Remember how thou thy selfe wast a bondseruant in the Land of Egypt that the Lord thy God deliuered thee and therfore doe I command thee this thing this day IT is sayd in the common prouerb that Lawes are not made for thinges that are not woont to come to passe but for thinges that are in vre and which it behoueth vs to practise dayly And that is the cause why our Lord in this text sayth that his speaking of y e succoring of the poore is not without cause for that as long as this mortal lyfe indureth we shall euer finde whereon to execute our duetie by releeuing the necessities of our neighbours because there shall alwayes be poore folke among vs in the world Thus we see in effect y t Gods intent was to make the Iewes to take the better heede to his Lawe forasmuch as it was a very requisite yea and necessarie thing that they should be put in minde of their duetie in y e behalfe And thereupon we haue to gather that the more auaileable a doctrine is to the well ordering of our lyfe y e better ought we to set our mindes vppon it We see a number of folk which are fond and curious in forecasting for thinges that happen not once in a hundred yeeres they imagine things y t are vtterly vnpossible if this should come to passe say they what should wee doe then They beat their braines about things that haue no profit in them and in the meane while they see not the thinges y t are before their feete And for proofe hereof how many are to be seene nowadayes which grosly ouershoote themselues in things that ought to be throughly knowen shutting their eyes at
y t are executed by the authority of God I say if we continue without amendment our sinne increaseth so much the more God warneth vs by a great many of instructions yea of chastisements also which he executeth and wee make none account of them nowe is it any wonder if in the ende wee see our Lorde sende so great and excessiue disorders that wee wote not where to become Then let vs learne to profite in this schoole as oft of GOD lifteth vp his hande to punish the wicked and let vs vnderstande that he teacheth vs by their example wherfore let vs stoope let euery of vs yeelde to obey him with true meekenesse Now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them more and more so as we may all of vs seeke to frame our life according to the rightnesse which hee sheweth vs and not looke to be drawen thereto by compulsion of the earthly sworde but rather that the sworde of Gods worde may haue such power in our heartes as it may make vs to sacrifice ourselues vnto GOD killing all our fleshly lustes and renewing vs to such a kinde of life as our whole desire may bee to haue God reigne ouer vs and that we may be wholly reformed according to his holy will and that therewithall we may followe the orderly policie and spirituall gouernement of his Church and that all the things which he hath ordeined for our benefite may be so mainteined obserued as both great and small may submit theÌ„selues therunto That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to al people nations of the earth Reducing all poore ignoraunt people out of the bondage of errours and darkenesse wherein they are holden That so he he may bring theÌ„ to the knoweledge of his trueth And that for this purpose it would please him to raise vp true faithfull ministers of his worde c. On Wednesday the xx of Nouember 1555. The Cv. Sermon which is the fourth vpon the seuenteenth Chapter 14 When thou art come into the Lande which the Lord thy God giueth thee and enioyest it and dwellest therein and sayest I will set a king ouer mee like as all the nations that are rounde about mee 15 Then shalt thou make him king ouer thee whome the Lorde shall choose from among thy brethren him shalt thou set ouer thee to be king and thou maiest not set a straunger ouer thee which is not thy brother 16 But he shall not multiply horses to himselfe nor sende the people againe into Egypt to increase the number of horses forasmuch as the Lorde hath sayd vnto you yee shall neuer hence foorth goe any more againe that way 17 Neither shall he take him many wiues least his heart turne away Neither shall he gather him much golde and siluer 18 And when he is set vpon the Throne of his kingdom he shall copy out this Lawe for himselfe in a booke before the Priestes the Leuites Deut. 16.18 HEretofore Moses hath spoken of the Iudges that were ordeined in euery citie to gouern the people and specially of the cheefe Iudge to whom all thinges were referred Nowe he addeth that if y e people be disposed to choose a king he sheweth what manner a one he ought to be And first he ordeineth that he must be taken of the linage of Abraham and secondly he declareth his duetie to him to the intent he should not go beyond it nor play the Tyraunt in steede of playing the king That is the meaning of Moses generally But here we must consider what is the cause why God setteth not vp a king by his owne authoritie but rather leaueth it to the likeing of the people For if he allowed the state of a king or if it were a thing that he liked wel of ought he not to haue shewed the way that the people might haue obeyed whatsoeuer he had coÌ„maunded them But he sayeth When thou art come into the Lande which thy God giueth thee and inioyest it if thou wilt choose a king as other NatioÌ„s haue Hereby it should seeme that God was not willing there shoulde bee any kingdome in Iewrie but that if the people were so desirous of a king that they could not be helde from it then he granted it them by way of sufferance Notwithstanding this wee heare howe it is sayde in Genesis Gen. 〈…〉 that the scepter should not be taken from the tribe of Iuda nor the gouernour from betweene his legges vntill the person that was to be sent were come had appeared This prophesie was not a cuâ—se that should come vpon the people nor a vengeance of God but rather a singular and special fauour aboue all other For in saying so Iacob declareth that God would set vp an euerlasting king by whom saluation should be sent throughout all the world And vntill the time of the manifesting of our Lorde Iesus Christ it behooued the people so be mainteined still in hope of him and God gaue vnto him the kingdome of Iuda and that whole tribe We see then in fewe wordes that this kingdome was a figure of our Lorde Iesus Christ and as a warrant which God gaue to that people that he himselfe reigned ouer them and the kinges of Iuda serued alwaies to holde the people vnder Gods protection as it were in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ. For albeit that all the Princes of the worlde be called Gods children and his lieftenauntes Psal. â—â— â— yet notwithstanding the kingdome of Iuda had that title after a more speciall and holy manner And therefore wee see it was Gods will there shoulde be a king among his people euen because it was the full perfection of all felicity that Iesus Christ should be the head of them True it is y t if disputatioÌ„ shold arise coÌ„cerning y e gouernmeÌ„t of meÌ„ it might be said y t a free state is much better thaÌ„ to be vnder a Prince but here is no coÌ„trouersie of any such mater And in deed such disputatioÌ„s are not very profitable For they y t are vnder y e gouernment of a Prince must not be fickleminded to make any alteration And those to whoÌ„ God hath giuen liberty freedom ought to vse it w t thanksgiuing as a singular benefit treasure y t cannot be prised sufficiently And as for y e kingdom of Iuda there was a speciall respect in y t as I haue said afore namely y t it was the image of the truth which was in our Lorde Iesus Christ in gathering vs to himselfe to make vs Gods Church his owne flocke For y t is better than al y e gouernment in the whole world If a maÌ„ shoulde coÌ„pare a principality or a free state of a Senate or whatsoeuer els can be imagined for a coÌ„monweale with y â— grace which God giueth vs in shewing
not themselues to bee as mortall creatures but rather as halfe Gods by reason of their high aduauncement and wee see they looke as high as though nothing were vnpossible to them so as they will not bee subiect any more to right or reason And if men doe not flatter them and honour them as Gods they thinke they haue the greatest wrong that can bee And whereof commeth that Euen of this that when a man is great hee can haue neither mieldnesse nor lowlinesse in him except Gods spirite reigne in him For this cause are kinges warned heere to beware that they forget not themselues yea and that is yet better expressed in that Moses addeth that they must not exalt themselues aboue their brethren Whereof commeth it that kinges Princes will needes set their feete vpon al mens throtes after that fashion Euen of this pride which poysoneth their heartes that they consider not themselues to be men ne knowe any more what their state is And when they be so blinde to Godward it is no maruell though the fulnesse of their pride presumption make them to tread men vnder foote and to looke that all men should stande in feare of them and stoope to their yoke That is the cause why Moses matcheth those two thinges together Nowe then if we intend to refreine from doing wrong or outrage to any man lette vs looke that we knowe ourselues For as is sayde in the common prouerb he that knowes himselfe best settes least by himselfe And it is the way also for vs to behaue ourselues lowlily and meekely towardes our neighbours But if a man forget himselfe he must needes by and by mount vp into al pride and outrage without making spare of any thing And seeing this was forbidden to kinges what is done to such as are farre their inferiours Therfore let euery man in his degree apply this matter to his owne instruction Let such as are in authoritie be well ware that they exalt not thē selues through pride if they wil not be cast down to their shame For the higher that the seate is whereon a man sitteth the sorer is his fall euen to the breaking of his necke perchaunce Therefore let those whō God hath exalted haue a care to holde themselues continually in rest and not starte aside but serue God and his people continually And it is sayde heere expresly Against thy brethren or aboue thy brethren For Kinges and Princes thinke themselues to be as it were cut off frō the company of men and that they ought not any more to be counted of the cōmon aray of thē But our Lorde skorning such disdainfulnesse sayeth Yet are they your brethren In deede this is spoken of the children of Abraham which were descended all of one race But choose mee out a king where yee will is he not a man And are not they his brethren ouer whom hee reigneth And if the case stande so with the greatest kinges of the earth what is to be thought of those that are farre their inferiours Now therefore when a man is in authoritie or hath wherwith to maintaine himselfe in credit if he be tempted to forget himselfe let him consider thus yet am I not separated from the rest of the body I am a member thereof still and they that are my inferiours cease not to be my brethren What a thing were it then if I should vaunt my selfe Were it not a despysing of God Let such as are aduaunced to any state of great preheminence remember this warning as oft as they be tempted to despise other men and to shake them off Lette them thinke thus what shoulde wee be as Lyons towardes Lambes where there is brotherhoode There is no brotherhoode betweene a Lyon and a Lambe If I haue a Lyons heart full of pride Lordlinesse and ouerweening what a thing is it Can I liue with them that are committed vnto me Esa. 33.6 Yea for we see what is sayde of king Ezechias when y e Prophet Esay telleth him of the restoring of the people to their former state And no doubt but he had an eye to this text to shewe howe it was the duetie of Ezechias and of all kinges to be a shadowe for the refreshing and easing of their people a fosterfather to the poore and fatherlesse Esa. 49.23 and a comforte of them that are in distresse and sorrowe And for a conclusion he sayeth that the feare of God shall bee a treasure in his time according to that which I haue shewed already So that if kinges will behaue themselues as they ought they must sette their mindes vpon this lesson as it is shewed them by the Lawe of God It was applyed to the person of Ezechias but yet must all other men looke to themselues And if our Lorde tell this lesson to y ◠great ones without sparing them what temptations soeuer they haue what will come of it when the meaner sort wil needes play the loose coltes and not be bridled but kicke and spurne against God Doe they not shewe themselues to be very much blinded with pride And therfore let vs learne to profite so by the thinges that our Lorde teacheth vs as all men both great small may submit themselues euery one according to his degree state calling that God may be honored of al men and y t there may be one general obedience from the formost to the hindermost Nowe let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them better than we haue done y t by meanes thereof wee may be drawen to true repentance to mislike of all our vices transgressions to rid ourselues of thē till God haue so wrought in vs that we be throughly clothed with his righteousnes that in the meane while hee so beare with vs in our weakenesse as wee may not faile to obtained fauour at his hande although wee liue not in such perfection as were to be wished That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and Nations of the earth bringing backe all poore ignorant people out of the captiuitie of errours and darkenesse wherein they are helde that so he may leade them to the knowledge of his trueth And that for this purpose it would please him to raise vp true faithfull ministers of his worde c. Leuie then are as a body torne in peeces And yet doeth God turne their punishment into an honour And therein appeareth his goodnesse forasmuch as he maketh the thinges to redound to our benefite and saluation which should haue beene to our condemnation Loe howe God worketh towardes those that are his Insomuch that although hee punish them for their sinnes yet doth he make them feele his goodnesse therwith by turning the thinges to a contrary ende which should haue beene to their shame After the same manner befell it to all the posteritie
into decay destruction seeing they cannot be helde back in the meane while hold you your selues to y e simplicitie of the doctrine And for this cause it is said to y e Prophet Esay Seale vp y e Testimonie of God let it be vnto you as a letter that is closed vp seeing there is nothing but vnbeliefe eueriwhere And yet for all y t ceasse not to holde you still to it quietly and obediently Now if this fel out in old time among y e Iewes needs must we find y e like nowadais as is shewed by y e Apostle in y e Epistle to the Hebrewes Hebr. 2.13 who applieth this text to y e raigne of our Lorde Iesus Christ to y e state of y e Christian Church Then if they which were desirous to haue serued God purely were abhorred that not of y e heathen but of such as named themselues the Church of God it becōmeth vs nowadayes to beare it patiently if y e world not only looke awry vpon vs but also hold vs for accursed Yet notw tstanding we may wel defie y e Papists w t all their pride and diuelish ouerweening sith we see them to be backsliders to haue forsaken God as much as in thē lieth to haue renoūced their baptisme Let vs learn to hold our selues to y e law And although Gods trueth be not receiued yet let vs keepe it stil as a letter closed vp as a treasure laid vp in store And when we see all other men wander away some after superstitiōs some after errors let vs assure our selues y t the way is infallible so we hearken to our God and indeuour to behaue our selues according to his wil we cānot misse the way it is so certain as Moses saith hereafter This is y e way Deut 30.19 Esa. 30.24 walk therin But for the better vnderstanding hereof let vs marke the words y t are set down here The people saith he whose land you must possesse are imbrued w t many lyes abuses but you shall not do so especially if wee wil be taken for Gods flock accounted for his houshold folke we must be separated from al the rest of y e world Let vs learn then y t our faith must not wauer nor wāder after our eyes but we must settle our sight al our senses vpon that which God telleth vs. Though we saw a thousād stumblingblocks to dazle our eies w tall yea to put vs to trouble yet must we yeeld such authoritie to Gods word y t it may hold vs still in awe They then y t run gadding at y e sight of this example or that example do well shew that they were neuer throughly grounded vpon y e word of God And therefore this saying is of great importance whē God setteth the things which he vttereth w t his mouth as a counterpeise against all things y t are to be seene in y e world As if he should say Must I be laid in y e balance against men y t when I haue cōmanded them to demeane thēselues thus or thus my authoritie should bee diminished and doubted of it might come in question whether my word ought to take place or no Were it not a turning of all vpside downe Can there be any greater or ouglier confusion than to compare the creature w t me What are men There is nothing in them but blindnes beastlines Yea when they thinke thēselues wisest then are they y e most fooles their aduancing of thēselues against me is starke madnes yet must my word be defaced for their pleasure Then let vs marke well y t it is not for vs to followe mens customes nor to esteeme y e more of things for y t they haue had their free scope when God turneth vs from them saith Yee shal not doe so For why It is good reason y t we should separate our selues frō those whom God hath not inlightened It is no maruel though men trip stumble go astray ouer all the fields like silie beastes For it is said y t in this world we be as in the darke Eph. 4.18 1. Cor. 2.14 therwithal it is said also y t there is nothing but starke ignorance in vs and that wee comprehend not the things y t concerne God Therfore when we want Gods word we be as in an irksome dungeō And so forasmuch as God graunteth not y e grace and priuiledge to al mē to haue y e lampe of his word truth lighted vp vnto them to guide thē withal we ought not to wonder though we see them goe astray but rather to make our benefite of y e good y t God offreth vnto vs and to hold vs altogether to his word when it is giuen vnto vs. And now he telleth them the cause why they should not do so For your God saieth Moses will raise you vp a Prophet and him you shall obey If wee were but simply forbidden to giue our selues to superstition sorcerie and al other abuses y t were not ynough For we should be stil in vnquietnes and euery man might iustly demaund yea but what will God haue vs then to doe For he forbiddeth vs to haue any superstition among vs and yet in the meane while he leaueth vs in vncertaintie so as the state of the heathen vnbeleeuers is better than ours After y t maner might a man haue replied But our Lord hath prouided well for it For he saith whereas I call you backe from al abuses errors it is not to leaue you in perplexitie trouble so as ye should not knowe on which side to turne you but I giue you my worde that is the thing which you must take heede vnto And if Gods trueth content vs not what an vnthankfulnes is it We see then now y t the thing whereby God will put a difference betweene vs and the Infidels is that we must haue his word for our guide to rule our selues therby therew tall we must let the world run at rouers forasmuch as they haue no other doctrine to ground vpō but their owne opinion or y e folly of other men And so when one blind mā leads another he himself stumbleth first al the rest follow him As for vs seeing we haue God for our Maister and teacher let vs hold our selues contented therewith Matt. 15.14 And let vs marke hereby y t it is vnpossible for men to be withdrawen from errors vnlesse they haue Gods word In deede a great sort can well ynough mocke at the great nomber of follyes which they see as for example ye shall see many worldlings nowadayes which will condemne the abuses fond toyes y t are in the Popedome lustily reiect them but yet for all y t they stand vpon neuer y e better ground themselues neither haue they any setlednes or roote And if they be not stained w t
the errors which they condemne they haue others as bad or worse For many of them bee starke A theistes that is to say without Religion and without feare of God whose shame must needes bee discouered at length and God must needes giue them vp to a leaud minde that euen yong children may laugh at their beastlines And whence commeth y t Euen of this as I said afore y t we shall neuer haue any certain rule vntil God haue taught vs. And y t is a point wel worthy to be noted For first we neede not to be troubled at y e impediments which hinder many men to come to the Gospell in these dayes when they see the whole worlde in a maner wilfully bent to superstition for seeing that Gods word beareth no sway among them what shal a man say but y t blind folke may wel ynough wander in darkenes Againe we see the singular yea inestimable benefite which God vouchsafeth vpon vs when he giueth vs his word and applieth it to vs for our soule health For it is the only meane to draw vs out of y e bottomlesse pit So long as we bee in this world we bee hemmed in with so many temptations of the diuel as can not be nōbred the world it selfe may well bee likened to a maze so as we cannot step one pace w tout daūger of falling down headlong to breake our neckes from the which there is none other meane to preserue vs but Gods word Seeing thē y t he vouchsafeth to looke mercifully vpon vs to open his holy mouth to shewe vs y e way of saluation howe may wee excuse our selues if wee vouchsafe not to come vnto him So then let vs learne to imbrace this treasure which is offered vs to yeeld due reuerence to Gods doctrine after wee haue once knowen what it bringeth vs and howe much it is for our behoofe And finally let vs beare in minde that by this texte where our Lord telleth vs that he will raise vs vp a Prophet he doeth vs to wit that we shal be deliuered from all errors if we receiue his worde to frame our selues thereafter And hereby we be done to vnderstand that all such as in these daies do make none account of the Gospel are wel worthy to erre of which sort a man shall see many nowadayes which shutte their eyes and stop their eares when God is so gratious as to draw them to him They haue the meanes wherby to yeelde themselues into y e way of saluation they play the deafe blind folks wilfully wittingly therfore is it meete that such folk should perish For inasmuch as they reiect Gods grace whereby they might haue been saued which could not bee sufficiently esteemed of must he not needs be reuenged of their spitefulnes in y t they bee so froward as to trample the word so vnder their feete which serued to haue deliuered them from the gulfes of hell Marke that for one point And therwithall let vs marke on our side that seeing God teacheth vs it ought to be a sufficient arming of vs against all errours and all vaine fansies in so much that although the diuell lay his snares for vs yet shall he not be able to catch vs as long as we hearken to our God and yeeld him the duetifull obedience which he deserueth at our hands which we owe vnto him And for y e same cause doeth S. Paul say expresly that if we haue y e doctrine of y e Gospel throughly printed in our hearts Eph. 4.14 we shall no more be led to daunce after other mens pipes nor play the yong chrildrē which are easily deceiued Ye see then that Gods trueth is inuincible And when wee receiue it by true faith then are we armed with the spirituall sword Eph. 6.17 For it is not for nought that y t title is giuē to Gods word We cannot be exempted frō being assailed by the diuel Matt. 4. ◠for euen our Lord Iesus Christ himselfe passed through y t battel But yet howsoeuer the world go we shal haue wherewith to resist Satan al his wiles so we receiue Gods word and sticke to it And by the way let vs marke that whereas Moses saith that God will raise vp a Prophet he speaketh of y e continual order which God intended to stablish in his Church which shall indure to the worldes ende For had there beene no more but the once publishing of the Law truely it had beene ynough to make folke vnexcusable whensoeuer they had turned from it but yet had it not beene a sufficient meane to hold them to it specially considering the frailtie of men how they slip away like water and vanish away out of hand chiefely when the case concerneth the accepting of any goodnesse Therfore if God had done no more but published his Law truly men ought to haue submitted themselues to it and to hold themselues as in captiuitie thereunto but yet wee see such was mens feeblenesse and vnconstancie that they would haue turned away from it by and by God therefore vouchsafed to adde a second helpe as if he should put to a double bond saying y t he will raise vp Prophets from tyme to time among the people As if he should say True it is y t I haue declared my will vnto you fully in my law but yet wil I send you expoūders of the doctrine and mainteiners thereof which shall be as keepers thereof that it perish not ne be buried nor bee corrupted with false interpretations So shal there alwayes be Prophets This doth vs to vnderstand that God hath not onely once vttered his will vnto vs but also y t he hath sent vs teachers from time to time to keepe his Church in obedience and by their meanes to make his word to be vnderstood And so we haue to gather y t the Church cannot stand without teaching and y t it is not ynough for mē to reade the holy Scripture for if God had knowen it to haue bin sufficient for vs he would haue gone no further But it is his will that there should be teachers to speak dayly in his name as instruments of his spirit and to be short as his owne mouth If this be not superfluous we may conclude therupon y t where no doctrine is preached in Gods name there is no Church And therby we see the desolation that is in the Popedome True it is y t their hypocrites preach now and then but for as much as they disguise themselues yea and euen falsifie corrupt all good doctrine all that they doe is but abhomination Againe we know that those which beare the name of Bishops Prelates in the Popedome are but Idols and dumb pictures For to what ende hath God set this order and policie among his people but that his woorde should bee heard and that it should bee sounded out with a loude and cleare voyce so as both
great and small may bee taught by it and by that meanes submit themselues thereto according to this saying that his word is his Kingly Scepter or Mace wherwith he intendeth to gouern vs 〈◊〉 110.2 〈◊〉 2. ◠So then let vs know that if we will be knowen and reckened to be of Gods church and haue him to dwell among vs his word must be preached to vs and wee must not thinke it ynough to haue the holy Scripture vnles we haue teachers also to bring vs back to the things y t are written to giue vs the vnderstanding of thē to apply them to our vse That is y e thing which is shewed vs in this text Now I tould you that this serued not for the people of olde time onely but that it belongeth to vs also and we see it in as much as the same text is applyed by the Apostles to our Lord Iesus Christ. Act. 3.18 The Apostles intending to shewe that Iesus Christ was sent of God his father with full commission to gouerne vs and that it is he to whom wee must giue eare say it is written that God wil raise vp a Prophet Howbeit I haue told you already that this place speaketh not of one Prophet alone but of many and of their continuall succession Howe will that agree Very wel For in as much as God had promised his people not to leaue them destitute nor vnprouided it is to be considered now whether the same hath bin performed or no. True it is that there were Prophets sometime moe and sometime fewer It is sayde of the time of Samuell that is to wit of his childhood 1. Sam. 3.1 that Gods word was very precious that is to say very rare And why It was a punishment of God according as he threatneth by his Prophet Amos Amos. 8.11 that hee would send a dearth not of bread and other vittels but of hearing the truth and of the doctrine of saluation The Israelits then were sometimes as good as bereft of the thing that had bin promised them but yet not so vtterly that God had no Prophetes at all And after that maner did he incounter the malice and stubbornnesse of that people in so much that although the Prophets were reiected yea cruelly murdered Yet notwithstanding hee ceassed not to maintaine his promise still euen to y e comming of Iesus Christ. In deede there was a certaine intermission to y e end that the people should bee moued with the greater desire to receiue this great and cheefe Prophet y t was promised them For we see there were no moe Prophets in Israell after the time of Zacharie and Aggeus And had God for all that disappointed them What was become of this Prophesie of Moseses It is sayd expresly by Malachy Mal. 4.4 Call to mind the Law that was giuen you on Horeb. As if he should say Sirs looke to your selues for ye haue the perfect wisedome which is conteined in Gods Lawe and therew tal ye haue had prophets also which haue expounded the same vnto you faithfully Hitherto God hath euer performed his promise towardes you now hencefoorth he sendeth you back againe to his law To what end He addeth the reason Behold saith he I will send mine Angell before my face that is to wit Iohn Baptist and when he hath made ready the way then will I come therfore loke that ye obey me For else I must be faine to smite mē all y t w tstand me must needs be beaten downe This text sheweth how God promised Prophets yet notw tstanding had an eye to our Lord Iesus Christ at whom the finall conclusion the perfect working of all the prophesies amed Yea this was so cōmon a thing among y e Iewes that euen the wretched harlot of Samaria could say that whē Messias came he should teach vs al things Iohn 4.25 Not onely y e Iewes but also y e Samaritans who had but a kind of shadow of the law were but as Apes knew it was y e office of y e Redeemer to giue full knowledge of the things y t were requisite for y e saluation of y e world Not w tout cause therfore is this text applyed to y e person of Gods son forsomuch as y e Prophetes tooke their ende in him Matt. 11.13 Luke 16.16 he hath made a perfect conclusion of all And our Lord Iesus Christ spake not three yeeres a halfe to y e intent to hold his peace after but he will haue his Gospel to be preached with a loud cleare voyce and y t those whom he hath ordeined Ministers in his Church should be as trūpets According whereto we heare how it is said y t his Gospell must bee preached ouer all the world Matt. 28.19 And he limites no short time to it but wil haue it done to y e worldes end Sith it is so wee see as I haue touched before y t Gods setting of this continuall order in his Church was not for y e Iewes onely but also for vs so y t although we heare his worde haue it preached vnto vs dayly yet we be not disposed to learn as at his mouth he shaketh vs off banisheth vs out of his kingdome we be not worthy to be reckoned in the nomber of his seruants Thus ye see what we haue to marke But now forasmuch as this text is referred to our Lord Iesus Christ the Prophets that were raised vp afore were inferiors to him but his members we must know also y t those that beare y e office of shepheards in his Church nowadayes are in the same degree y t the Prophets were to wit compared to Iesus Christ inferior vnto him True it is y t they be preferred far before y e Prophets Mat. 11.11 as in respect that the Gospell is a higher and excellenter matter than any was vnder the shadowes of the law But yet forasmuch as Iesus Christ is y e head of all he alone is to be acknowledged for Maister of the houshould as the Apostle speaketh of him when he compareth him with Moses Hebr. 3.5.6 Seeing it is so then let vs marke that euery doctrine is as it were excommunicated if it respect not Iesus Christ. In deede there are many Prophets and teachers but yet must Iesus Christ ouerrule al al y t is expounded must come from him he must haue all preheminence that the thing which the heauenly father hath spokē may be performed namely This is my welbeloued sonne Matt. 17.5 heare ye him This is not spoken of any man but only of the onely Son of God himselfe And therefore let vs learne that wheresoeuer there are Pastors or shepheardes the brydle is not laid loose in their necks to set foorth what they thinke good but they bee tyed to this condition that our Lord Iesus must alwaies be their Maister and alonly be
chone Hauing laide all those thinges downe and hauing subdued them let vs come to the thing that is tolde vs here which is that we must obey the Prophets Also let vs not prouoke our god to anger by vsing such shameles hypocrisie as to say O I wil obey God as wee see a number of the Papistes doe which say tushe I am a good Catholike And euen among vs without going anie further how manie are there to bee founde which boast themselues like shamelesse harlottes As for mee I woulde haue the gospell and yet for al that they can finde in their heartes to spit at it But wee must not thinke that God accepteth such Protestations vnlesse we desire vnfainedly to be gouerned by his hand For the doing whereof let vs vnderstand that there is but only one meane which is to obey Gods word For he separateth not his maiestie from y t declaration of his righteousnesse and iustice which he hath set forth vnto vs. 2. Cor. 3.13 4.4 The thinges that are conteyned in the law the Prophetes and the Gospell are his liuely Image Will wee then obey our God and be subiect to him Let vs go to that which he declareth there shew the obedience which we owe him And sith he sheweth himselfe so gratious and freeharted towardes vs as to call vs to our saluation let vs also on our side answere him againe Now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs so to feele them as we may with true repentance seeke to be reformed by his holy spirit that we may follow his holy commaundements and also that it may please him to beare with vs to bury all our offences vntil hee haue clothed vs with his owne righteousnes and rid vs of all the imperfections wherewith we be now inuironed And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. On Munday the ij of December 1555. The Cix Sermon which is the third vpon the eighteenth Chapter 10.11.12.13.14.15 There shall not anie bee found among you c. WE haue seene howe our Lorde to make his worde preuaile among the Iewes hath willed them to put away all superstitions from among them For in verie deede the trueth of God cannot be cuppled with satans lies corruptiōs we must be either altogether the ones or altogether the others Also I haue declared vnto you that this order of Preaching Gods word must be obserued to the worldes ende In doing whereof I haue reserued hitherto the declaring of the seuerall sorts of the superstitions that are set down here First of all it is saide That the Iewes must not make their children to passe through y e fire And y t may be taken two waies For we know they were caried away w t such rage y t they burnt their childrē in sacrifice y t was a terrible thing But ye may see how foolish y e deuotiō of men is when they estrange thēselues frō God Needs must they be bereft of all humane sense and needs must the deuil possesse them driue thē into such furie as is horrible to al men Yet notwithstanding this mischeefe befell among the Iewes that they sacrificed their children to Moloch But there was yet an other fashion of making their children to goe through the fire whereof Moses doeth rather speake in this place according to the obseruing thereof among the heathen They tearmed it a manner of purging or cleansing when they vsed such Ceremonies As for example there haue remained some remnant thereof in the Popedome in their Bonfires on Midsommer night They had such a kinde of witcherie as they did beare themselues in hande that it was a kinde of purging to go take the aire of that holy fire as they esteemed it in going about it But our Lord putteth such superstitions among the number of inchauntmentes Likewise the Papistes haue their holy water and what else is that than a kinde of cleansing inuented by them selues to set against the bloode of our Lorde Iesus Christ and against Baptisme which is the true signe thereof Then let vs marke well that here our Lorde condemneth all manner of purgings or clensings which mē deuise of their own braine when they will bee clensed by any other meane than he hath ordeyned which is by the onely sacrifice of our Lorde Iesus Christ and by receyuing the records and assurāces of the same by the Sacramentes True it is that the Sacraments of themselues haue not this power in thē to make men cleane it is not the water of baptisme y t washeth away our sins before God but it is a figure that putteth vs in minde of the trueth and substance which sealeth in vs the thing that was brought to passe by the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ. Thus much concerning this one point that here our Lordes meaning is that men should not inuent meanes or fashions of purging themselues but bee contented with that which he hath ordeyned in his lawe Also he speaketh of such as haue regard of the flying of birdes and obserue times Although it bee lawfull for vs to marke the courses of the times according to the starres yet is it a cursed superstition well worthie to be condemned when we goe beyond the order of nature The measuring of the yeare by the course of the Sunne is according to Gods rule So likewise is the measuring of the monethes by the course of the moone and the obseruing of the other thinges which God hath set in all the planets and starres For it is not saide for nought that God hath ordeyned the Sunne and the Moone to do vs seruice but yet therewithal they haue a kind of gouernment ouer the day and the night and thereof springeth the difference of times as is said therof Then if men holde themselues within those bounds no euil wil come of it but if they range without them and fall to inuenting of other thinges beyonde the ordinarie course of nature then it is diuelish superstitiō like as that is which men call iudiciall Astrologie For there are a great sort of fantasticall persons nowadayes which will take vpon them to tel mens fortunes by the disposition of the Starres Such a one say they shall come to such an ende or else if hee take his iourney on such a day such a thing shall betide him because such a planet reigneth and hath his aspect to the taile of such a one Againe if a man be borne vnder such an aspect then must he die after such a sort When men inuent thinges after this fashion beyond Gods limitation they be but diuelish deuises to corrupt the order of nature Therefore let vs marke wel that here Moses forbiddeth all such diuinations as are made vppon the time not meaning but that we shoulde haue respect of winter and sommer that we shoulde sowe and reape that wee shoulde dresse our vines
the wicked Angels For he speaketh not there of the heauenly Angels but of the diuels by name which execute Gods vengeance vpon men And therefore let vs marke that as experience also sheweth y e diuels may worke many such illusions by inchauntmentes And truely such thinges are not done but in the dark For so long as we be inlightened by GOD we neede not feare that a man shall seeme a wolfe to vs or that such trishtrash shall get the vpper hand of vs. But if we be faithles it is a iust reward for our quenching of y e light y t should haue shone into vs of our turning of our backes vnto God And when we wil not bee ruled by him then discern we no more between white and black but men seeme vnto vs to bee wolues and al things are out of order that iustly Therefore whereas here is mention made of such as mishape things by their inchantments Let vs note y t the law is not superfluous For sith y e case standeth so it is to be cōcluded y t such things may befall as whereof we haue examples But yet for al that it is abhominable before God and so likewise are Soothsayers It is a questiō whether it be possible for mā to foretel of things for it is Gods office to foreknow things to come and how then may it belong to the diuell Sure it is as saith y e prophet Esay that idols can foresee nothing Esa. 41.23 And as for Satan hee must alwayes needs be the father of lies deceiue al such as aske counsel of him Yet notwithstanding God doth nowe then suffer satan to tel of things to come and y t is for the more hardening of such as wil not obey the truth 2. Thess. 2.11 12. Deut. 13.3 as we haue seene by example in the thirteenth chapter it hath been treated of partly already Yet notwithstanding it is true also that soothsayers do ly most cōmonly and by that meanes our Lorde deludeth them y t seeke counsel of satan after y e fashion And beside let vs not thinke it strange though inchaunters soothsayers such other like do now then tel of things to come for it is gods iust sufferance to y e intent they should be y e deeplier plunged in error For asmuch as they wold needs be willingly deceiued he letteth thē be so y t they may perish Thus ye see why the law was made concerning such as diuine of thinges to come Also hee speaketh of Sorcerers And this sort conteyneth manie thinges For what a sinne is it that men shoulde forsake God and giue themselues ouer to Satan Must they not needes fall into horrible confusion Yes For after Satan hath once possessed vs and stopped our eyes and that God hath withdrawen his light from vs so as we bee destitute of his holy spirite and voyde of all reason then follow infinite abuses without ende or measure And thereof come sorceries Manie incredible thinges are reported of Sorcerers And truely when wee heare them spoken of we ought not onely to mislike of them but also bee sorrowfull in our heartes yea the very haires of our heades ought to stand vp thereat But yet therewithall we must consider that they bee reuengementes of God cast vppon such as haue forsaken him And that the same may be a cause to holde vs in awe and feare let vs learne not to tempt our God nor to play with him sith we see men become so brutishe after they be once turned away from the right path Truely if there were no moe but two or three examples hereof yet might it well seeme straunge vnto vs. But we know that in al ages and in al Nations Sorcerie or witchcraft hath borne sway yea and y e more sway for y e reiecting of Gods truth Insomuch y t where men haue once fallen to withstanding y e truth haue disdained to be taught by the pure worde of God there haue followed the moe illusions of Sathan yea and the more excessiue which haue also beene the more manifest and greeuous And whereof commeth this but of the cause which Saint Paul sheweth vs in his epistle to the Thessalonians 2. Thess. 2.11 12. namely that such as will not obey the trueth are vtterly peruerted by leasinges and that thence forth the diuell must needes worke with the greater force bycause God giueth him the bridle to carie men so away as they become ougly monsters To be short wee must beare in minde that whereas God speaketh to vs of inchauntmentes and sorceries it is to holde vs shorte vnder the obedience of his worde least wee shoulde fall into such a maze as the wretched Infidels are in yea and proceede so farre as to wander quite away when we haue once forsaken his worde Therefore let vs abide in this simplicity of obeying him and of submitting our selues to his mouth Also here is mention made of workers with Familiars As touching the which needes must Satans illusions be horrible But what There haue beene of them in all ages and wee see a notable example thereof in king Saule when he went to the Witch 1. Sam. 28.7 He as king had erst forbidden all inchauntmentes and all kinde of damnable craftes and hee had behaued himselfe vertuously in executing Gods lawe And yet in the ende he became so wretched that hee fell to running after a Witch And what was y e cause thereof but that he dispised God Whereuppon in the end he fell into despaire and gaue himselfe ouer altogether to Satan which thing hee shewed full well For if ye looke aduisedly into the matter ye shall finde that Satans illusions doe then get the vpper hand of men when their wittes bee amased by reason of sorrowfulnesse that gnaweth them inwardly for that in steede of receiuing some comfort of Gods word they bee ouerwhelmed with such anguishe that they fall into vtter despayre When doeth Sathan meete a man in some bodily shape and tangle him in his snares When a man is in some greefe of minde or in some hatred against his neighbour or when a woman spiteth her husbande Well then although such affections beare sway yet doeth not God by and by giue Sathan the bridle to raigne ouer men vntill they be come to such extremitie that they fall to chawing vppon the bit and become so wilfull in their sorowe that they fall into despaire and will no more admit anie comforte but refuse all remēbraunce of GOD and woulde that his name were buried for there is the gate open to Satan and he entereth to worke his illusions which a man is not able to withstande Hereof we haue a faire warning is Saul For hee had offended God and therefore was to be bereft of his kingdome because it was Gods pleasure it shoulde be so and there was none other shifte for him but to humble himselfe But he would not doe that And when hee sawe
it is said y t the heathen which were neuer trayned vp in the law were roted out because of such things For if God pardoned not y ◠infidels which neuer had any knowledge of his truth what shal become of vs y t are so wel warned to whome God crieth aloude that hee will not suffer it and that such abhominations stinke before him and that we must be cleansed from them or else he vtterly disclaimeth vs I pray you shall we hope to bee spared when wee lie still asleepe hauing such warning from heauen God must first giue ouer his office Againe whereas it is set downe here first that God cannot away with such abhominations secondly hath shewed in effect what punishment shall insue vpō it by rooting out those that rebelled not wilfully against him but had euer bin hardened in their superstitions and neuer knew ne tasted of the good doctrine seeing that such are rooted out for hauing to doe with satan it standeth vs in hande to take the better heede and to learne to withholde our selues in such wise from all illusions and wiles that if there be either sorrerer witch or wisarde among vs they be liuely repressed If there be a poysoner or a theefe euery man runnes vppon him For it is knowen that they be the common enemies of mankinde which do so peruert al lawe and indeuour to abolish all policie and order of nature But these are much worse For God hath commaunded that his worde shoulde raigne among vs and ought not euery one of vs to be diligent in preuenting the mischeefe when the diuell goeth about to ouerthrowe all and to bring all thinges to horrible confusion Esa. 2.3.4 Verily it is not to be douted but that because manie superstitions are suffered God also doeth giue Satan head to ouerwhelme vs altogether Wo worth them that haue plaide the blinde bussardes and woulde see nothing but haue suffered the mischeefe to settle among vs. For it must needes increase more and more vntill it come to the top and that wee be so far and so deepely plunged in it as it is vnpossible for vs to get out againe That is y e thing which wee haue to remember vpon this Text. And further let vs marke well that whereas Moses saith here that the Iewes must not doe so but that they must giue eare to Gods Prophet it is according to that which I haue expounded alreadie namely that forasmuch as God hath giuen vs so good a remedie by being taught at his mouth it is good reason that wee should hearken vnto him If we had no witnes of Gods will it were halfe an excuse for vs to alledge yea but should wee knowe nothing The Infidels haue meanes to finde out thinges by their illusions True it is that they serue idols but yet are they in better case than we bee After this maner might we speake But our Lorde telleth vs that wee shall haue teaching enough if we list to hearken to his worde He addeth that he will raise vp Prophets from among vs. As if hee shoulde say vnto vs Wretched men seeing that I am so gratious to you as to condescende to your rudenesse and infirmitie and to speake to you by the mouthes of men are ye not too too vnthankefull and malicious in turning away for my doctrine to satans trashe so as ye can not finde in your heartes to acquaint your selues with the manner of teaching which I haue chosen as fittest and conuenientest for you Then is it not superfluous that God saith here that hee will raise vp a Prophet from among vs which shal be one of our brethrē Indeede we coulde well finde in our heartes that the Angels shoulde come downe from heauen to speake vnto vs but our desiring thereof springeth of a foolish lust For as shal be shewed more fully hereafter y e people of Israel hauing founde by experiēce what it was to heare Gods voice in his heauenly maiestie were so afraide that they besought God to speake to them by the mouth of Moses Now then if the choice were put vnto vs it is certaine that wee should euer finde it best for vs that God should speak vnto vs by the mouthes of mē And it was knowē to be so as we haue seene heretofore and as God himselfe auoweth there againe saying I like wel of the peoples request that there shoulde bee a meane betwixt them and me and that there should be a man to bring them worde from me in my name And so here our Lord vpbraideth men with their vnthankfulnes in that they wil not receiue his worde when it is brought them by the Prophets and teachers whom he hath appointed placed in his Church If he had said I wil send mine Angels it had bin much But we see how men abuse euen the heauenly reuelations also God therefore applieth himselfe so much y e more vnto vs commeth downe one step lower vnto vs in y t hee saith I wil raise you vp a Prophet frō amōg your brethrē Sith we see that God cōmeth so familiarly vnto vs speaketh with vs as it were mouth to mouth were wee not worse than mad if wee should say I would that God would send mee his Angels I would he would worke some miracles I would hee would send mee some reuelations or raise me vp the dead tel me some newes of the things that are done in the other world Needs must it be y t we be driuen by the diuell when we haue so inordinate desires For behold our God intendeth to teach vs familiarly After what maner I will raise vp men Now seeing we bee wont to be fellow like one w t an other what a prerogatiue doth he giue vs in applying himselfe so vnto vs We be lyers by nature we be full of vanitie yet doth God appoint vs to be preachers of his word and messagers of his vnfallible trueth he appointeth men as his instruments to speake in his name And so let vs beare in minde that when God graunteth vs the grace to haue his word faithfully expounded vnto vs and to haue shepeheards to teach vs it is such a priuiledge as ought well to holde vs in such singlenesse of faith that all curiositie be laide away among vs and none of vs be led with fond desires as they be which are euer seeking and neuer attaine to the knowledge of the trueth ◠Tim. 3.7 Let vs beware I say y t we be not such questioners and disputers of this and that and let it suffice vs to heare our God speake assuring our selues that he hath so ratified that order as we neede not to doubt but that it is the verie way to be taught by him For as shall bee declared more fully hereafter let vs marke that whereas our God hath ratified his lawe yet to y e ende it shoulde be helde for the more certaine he hath also left vs the Prophetes and that the
If the thing that belongeth to God bee plucked away from him to be bestowed vpon creatures it is a practise of Satans to turne vs out of the right way Againe if one doe puffe vp men with pride and ouerweening and make them beleeue that they be able folke so rock them asleepe in their sinnes or if he teach them to serue God with pelting toyes and to forget his Lawe and in the meane while to giue mens inuentions their ful scope or if the Sacraments be vsed but as light or fond pastimes a man may easily see that such doctrine is leawd and cursed and that it was forged in Satans shop Furthermore whereas nowadayes men are inquiring whereon to stay in y e middest of these troubles and diuersities of opinions that are in the world it is no very hard thing to doe so they be attentiue and discreete in discerning after the maner that our Lord hath shewed vs. For all the whole doctrine of poperie tēdeth to none other end but to aduaunce men and to puffe them vp in such wise with their owne deserts as they may be halfe at defiance with God as though they could accuse him Againe it sendeth men too and fro In stead of putting their trust in the onely freegoodnesse of God and in stead of imbracing our Lorde Iesus Christ men are taught other infinite meanes to saue themselues Moreouer in steed of hauing the only Lawe of God for their onely rule in all thinges and for their onely holynesse and perfection men haue set out their owne trifling traditions Thus may ye easily iudge of these thinges And what is to be sayd of their Sacraments It is euident that they be meere witcheries in the Popedome so as Iesus Christ is driuen a great way off by them and men make idols of the visible signes liuelesse creatures and Satan hath so imbrued the wretched world with his illusions that men are become starke beastes Now then if a man intend to make trial of a good doctrine he shal find the thinges which I spake of afore to be sure infallible markes thereof But in this text our Lord meant onely to tel vs that he will discouer the false prophet at leastwise one way or other whereof hee setteth downe one kinde here I haue told you alreadie that there are diuers other meanes to discerne the true doctrine from the false but none of those come in question here Our Lorde hath tolde vs No no yee shall not be beguiled so long as ye indeuour to follow the trueth that proceedeth from me If a deceiuer haue any countenance among you I will make his leawdnes to be layd open I will giue you some such token thereof as ye may always keepe your selues vndefiled so ye haue the mind and zeale to sticke to my pure worde Thus much concerning this text which importeth a kinde of promise as if our Lord should tell his people that he would discouer the hypocrisie of deceiuers and not suffer them to reigne euer but that in the end they shall in some respect or other come to confusion Now we see the principall drift of Moseses wordes But here a question might be moued For heretofore in the thirteenth Chapter Deut. 13.2 it was said that if a Prophet tolde a thing to come and the same came to passe in deede yet was he not to be beleeued because God would suffer such thinges to try his people withall And here it is sayd that a false Prophet shall be knowen and iudged by the not falling out of the things which he prophesieth Now here seemeth to be some contrarietie But the solution is easie in marking that though a false prophet be knowen by his lying yet it followeth not that he should be takē and deemed a true Prophet because it falleth out that he speaketh some trueth Truely if he spake the trueth at all times and in all cases then were he a true Prophet But hee may well say the trueth in some respect which may be done for some iust punishment from God as is declared in this same text and yet he shall be but a deceiuer neuerthelesse As how Put the case that folke seeke to bee soothed in their vices and are loth to be waked and quickened vp as they should be and had rather to be borne with for such hath the fashion of y e world euer bin Well God seeing such leawdnesse suffereth deceiuers to plaster them and to beare the folke in hand which are so desirous to sleepe in their wilfulnesse that their faultes are nothing Here ye see how those men are beguiled because of the desire which they had before And God addeth the same thing moreouer namely that those false Prophetes and deceiuers shall haue wherewith to confirme their doctrine that they which were imbrued w t lyes before may become more wilful For they will thinke then y t there is no more daunger in beleeuing them And what is the cause hereof Euen Gods iust vengeance Forasmuch as men shut their eyes at the light wil needs dwel in darknesse God giueth Satan the bridle By meanes whereof it commeth to passe y t false prophets doe sometimes speake y e trueth as is to be seene euen at this day For what a number are there to be found which seek after witchcraft to abolish y e authoritie of Gods word Ye shall see on y e one side a sorte of curious heads on y e other side another sorte y t haue no feare of God yet y e mark which they all shoote at is to put away Gods word y t they might not be ruled by it And in y e meane while they wil needs haue some Wizard to tel them of their good for tunes our Lord suffereth thē to be drawen by such meanes into al y e deceites of Satan notwithstanding y t some trueth bee mingled therew tall Now thē though a false Prophet speake y e truth yet is not that a warrāt that his doctrine is true our Lord will not haue men to credit him a whit y e more for y t for we see for what cause he putteth the trueth oftētimes into the mouthes of deceiuers And so notwithstanding the thinges that are set downe here yet doth it abide true still y t when our Lord is minded to haue pitie vppon his people and not to suffer them to bee abused by false doctrine he giueth them some token whereby to find the deceiuer and whereas earst he was in estimation and might haue amazed the wretched world God bewrayeth his leawdnesse so he is found to be a lyer Thus wee see now the whole meaning of Moses concerning the thinges that are conteyned in this text These thinges were performed among the people of olde time and the examples thereof which we see ought to shewe vs the vse of them and what fruit we should gather of this warning which Moses giueth When the Prophets meant to proue
God And let vs not tary till God to our cost doe bewray y e leawdnesse of the false Prophets so we be caught in some calamitie But let vs preuent Gods wrath as soon as we see our sins let vs be touched with them And if there be any y t flatter vs let vs not giue eare to them to bee seduced to our confusion Now our Lord setteth downe here two sortes of false Prophets The one is of thē that speake falsely in his name and the other is of them that speake in the name of straunge Gods Then is it not enough for a Prophet to shroud himselfe vnder y e name of the liuing God but he must also execute his office faithfully Neither is it enough for him to be put in commission by God except he execute it with a pure and vpright consciēce For we see y t the deceiuers haue sometimes obiected thus against Gods seruāts what Am not I a Prophet as well as thou Yes verily thou art in office but see how thou dischargest thy selfe of it Let vs marke then y t all the matter lyeth not in speaking in Gods name and y t doth experience well shewe vs. For the Pope at this day will speake in Gods name and yet we shall finde nothing but starke abhominations in his doctrine there is nothing there but a gulfe of hell to swallowe vp mens soules into destruction And therefore let vs marke well that when a Prophet speakes in Gods name we must examin whether it be truly or no. For if Gods name bee abused y e expressing thereof is dubble wickednesse And y t is y e cause why Moses declareth here first that if a Prophet bring vs word in y e name of y e liuing god we must consider whether the word be committed vnto him or no. That is one point which wee haue to marke here And because the wretched worlde hath bin beguiled vnder false pretence of Gods name let vs learne to make narrower search and not suffer our selues to be seduced at alauēture and so to be led by the noses lykebrute beasts True it is that Gods name ought to haue such reuerence among vs y t we should all hūble our selues to hearkē to y e things y t are set foorth or spokē of him But yet must we hold y e meane as was declared yesterday which is y t wee must not receiue all things indifferently y t are spoken but y t our faith must be the tryer of them For our Lorde hath not left vs his holy Scripture for naught It is y e true touchstone whereby we must try all doctrines y t we may iudge of them aright The second sort of false Prophets which Moses hath set downe heere is of those which speake in the name of Idols which abuse crept in at length euen among the Iewes For after that thinges were once growen out of kinde All tooke vpon them to be Soothsayers and Prophets but that was altogether in the name of idols according to the cities wherein they dwelt Wheresoeuer there was a Temple there was a Iewe that said we haue the foreknowledge of thinges to come euen by byrth and yet in the meane while they solde their Prophesies as these deciuers doe which trot vp and down the world and say they can tell folkes their fortunes And it was a common practise of all the Iewes as appeareth euen by the prophane histories when they were once become idolaters Surely it is a great vnshamefastnesse of them to make such boast of the gift of Prophesie And why so They haue that gift because they be the linage of Abraham because they be circumcised because they bee Gods owne people and heritage and because they haue the Lawe and looke for their promised redeemer and yet for all this they giue ouer themselues to such abhominatiōs that they will needes borrowe the meanes of idolaters And we see in maner the lyke altogether nowadayes in the Popedome For the Priestes and Monkes boast themselues to haue the office of praying for y e whole Church and yet in y e mean while they will sing a Masse of our Lady and a Masse of such a Saint such a Saint and so idols are intermingled with the maiestie of the liuing God For although y e Saints as in respect of thēselues be no idols yet doe they make them so which doe so abuse their names And therefore let vs learne to keepe our selues from both these sorts of falshoodes by hearing no man speake but in the name of God For wee know there is nothing but vanitie in mans minde and that we shall be deceiued if we giue our selues to any mortall creature and therefore onely God is to be heard Againe when Gods name is pretended let vs try whether it be in trueth or no we haue his word we cannot lye and hee will giue vs the vnderstanding thereof if we be lowly and meeke And if we submit our selues wholy vnto him it is certeine that he will neuer suffer vs to be deceiued Well may we be tēpted as we haue seene in the thirteenth Chapter y t God wil try vs whether we loue him or no. But if there be such an vpright minde to be found in vs y t we wil seeke to serue him purely to obey him surely hee will deliuer vs frō all deceit Thus ye see in effect what we haue to remember vpon this text Now in the end it is sayd that when a false prophet is found out by tryall then it shall appeare that he spake vppon presumption and therefore be not afraid of him Here are two sayings which import two good and profitable warninges The one is y t he which aduanceth himselfe beyond measure speaketh proudly For is there a more diuelishe pride than for a mortal man to thrust forth him self as if he were an instrument of Gods spirit as though he were an Angel frō heauen whē in very deed he is but a lyer and hath nothing but winde in him If I take vpon me another man◠name say such a one hath giuen me commission is it not too leawd a falshood The partie to whom I haue done y e wrong may come and say Ah thou lyar how durst thou abuse my name Such dealing I say would bee counted great iniurie Then if a mortal man auaunce himselfe in the name of God as for example if I step vp into y e pulpit require audiēce in y e name of God yet notw tstanding doe fal to seducing of y e people y t is a pride which passeth al others as I said afore For it is not simple lying it is not single deceit it is not a simple falsifying of this or y t but a turning of Gods trueth into vntruth a wrapping of God in our falshoods an vnhallowing of his holy sacred name Therfore let vs mark wel how it is not for naught y t Moses sayth y t the
reigne of Dauid Saying That a starre should come out of Iacob the brightnesse where of shoulde reche vnto Israel and Moab shoulde bee subiect vnto them and humble himselfe vnder their feete And vndoutedly in the reigne of Dauid there was a figure of the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christ. Yee see then how Balaam was constrayned to speake in this sort mauger his beard and againe when Balac reproued him saying What meanest thou Thou art come hither at my charges and commest thou to deceiue mee for thou doest cleane contrary to that which thou didst promise mee And what can I do saith Balaam Is God like vnto men that hee shoulde change his purpose If he haue once decreed a thing it must needs be done it abideth for euer For hee altereth not ne changeth according to the lust of men Beholde how the false prophet speaketh in as excellent a style and manner of speech as can be of Gods vnchangeable truth Now because the Israelites should not think that Gods doing hereof was either because thy had deserued something or because they were better than the Moabites Moses sayeth afterwards That this was because God loued the Iewes To the intent therefore that he might be magnified for his freebestowed goodnes and that y e Iewes might humble them selues knowing that they had obtayned fauour at his hand by reason hee had chosen elected them of his owne good will he saith Thy God hath now declared how he loued thee Here we haue to note first of all that Balaam was such a false prophet as notwithstanding had some particular gift of prophecying from God and these be no contrary things that a man should haue the gift of prophecying and yet for all that abuse the gift of the holy ghost and turne it to a wicked purpose Wee see that also which S. Paul sayth in his Epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 14. namely that they which had the gift of tongues of interpreting and such like things which were excellent in the Church had notwithstanding no regarde of edifyng of the Church and that many of them were not renewed in such sort by the spirit of God y t they sought to serue him Phil. 1.18 It may wel be therfore that men shal haue receiued excellent gifts to bee esteemed that they shall beare the markes of the spirit of God yet not haue the chiefe and principal thing of all y t is to wit the spirit of regeneration nor be so confirmed that they shall giue themselues ouer wholy vnto the seruice of God endeuour to make that auailable vnto them which they haue receiued by applying it vnto a good lawful vse wayting for the saluation which God setteth before them This may wel be And if this fall out in the Church that is to say to them which are of the housholde of faith what shal we think of Balaam the like so we see there is no inconuenience y t Balaam had the gift of prophecie yet for all that had many corruptions therewithal insomuch that he was an idolater vsed sorceries But what is the cause that God gaue him the knowledge of foretelling things to come for it might seeme y t by this meanes he setteth forth his name vnto open reproche It is true in deede that Balaam such like when they thus abuse the gifts of God do vnhallow y t which is holy that which they haue receiued of God Yet notw tstanding there was this respect y t God ment to leaue some witnesse of himself euen among the Infidels to the intent they might haue so much y e lesse excuse be so much the more conuicted if they would make ignorance their buckler As for example the Moabites forasmuch as they had not y e law therefore they had neuer knowen any thing of God except their fathers had left thē some smal remnant therof For Lot was not ignorant of it but beeing brought vp in his vncle Abrahams house he knew what religion meant As for the Moabites they were altogether estranged from it Howbeit there remained some small print therof y t they might be conuicted at the latter day y t if they had sought after God they might haue attained vnto him but because they were snarled in the multitude of superstitions which they themselues had deuised were growen cleane out of kinde they can seeke after no starting holes for they shal always be condemned for hauing a malicious wickednes in them and for turning aside from God so as they deserued to be blinded in y t fashion by y e deceits of Satan And thus yee se what is to be noted in the first place touching Balaam Now in y t Balac beleeued y t if Balaam once cursed y e people al should passe on his side wee see therby how men can neuer hold the mean but euen do swarue aside to some extremitie or other Gen. 2.7 It is true in deede y t when wee are blessed of y e prophets of God the same is a warrant vnto vs of his blessing But yet we must always haue an eye vnto God For if we teare him in pieces what shal we win therby But when men think to coniure God it is al one as if they would dismember him For they intend to seuer his iustice vprightnes from his truth his gratious goodnes from his mightie power God saieth y t when we be blessed of his prophets we ought to assure our selues that he ratifieth y e same in heauen When Abraham blessed Isaac when Isaac blessed Iacob when Iacob blessed his children it was no vaine blessing because it had his certaine force effect And why Because God had giuen vnto them this office And what is y e reason y t we are blessed at his hand when mē blesse vs with their mouth His wil is that men should beare this reuerence vnto his word by y e which he declareth him self here below vnto vs he cōmeth not downe alwayes from heauen in visible maner he sendeth not his angels at our plesure but those whome he hath ordeined his messengers are to declare his wil vnto vs. He wil be serued by them as by instruments to the intent he may make his blessings which he sendeth vnto men to profit them And therefore if we say that being blessed by the Prophets or by the priests we are assured y t God ratifieth the same in heauen we shal speake truly Yea verily if so be wee haue an eye vnto God be conformable vnto his wil. But if we dally with God wil haue him transforme himselfe at our beck let vs note y t he wil curse vs yea y t he will curse vs double when we vse him in that order For when God ordeined that the priestes should blesse the people it was to good effect purpose For it is expressely said in the sixth Chapter of Numbers Ye shall blesse my people in
the one side these hyreling villaines these hypocrites flatterers I meane which write nowadays as their knowledge serueth them as men grease them in y e hand like common strumpets of the stewes It is nothing with them to speake euil of God and to aduaunce themselues against his word We may see many such Balaams nowadayes which are at the Popes pay are of his stinking clergie be of the number of these horned beasts But yet we see also how God bridleth them locketh them vp in such close ward y t they speake sometimes cleane contrarie to that they purposed so as they profit vs more by that meanes than if they had set themselues purposely to serue god insomuch y t the throte of Popedom is cut by his own vnderlings by all these Balaams which endeuour to bring al to vtter destruction the things which are done by them doe serue vs to as good purpose as if the seruaunts of God had spoken written Therefore when we see this let vs acknowledge the goodnes of God and be confirmed more more therin And moreouer if he sometimes giue such great libertie vnto y e wicked y t they disguise al things falsifie the trueth by turning of it into a lie Let vs pray him to strengthen vs against such temptations and not suffer the weaklings to quayle altogither by that meanes Now it is to be noted also y t God heard not Balaam but held him backe notwithstanding that he declared his wil vnto him in the end did suffer him to goe Hereby wee are taught not to come with hypocrisie as Balaam did when we desire leaue for any thing at Gods hand For wee see what leaue he had The like was said vnto king Achab. Yea thou shalt haue y e victorie But God mocked him because he wold needes haue leaue of him whether he would or no. Wel God gaue him leaue but it was to doe him to vnderstand y t he was prouoked thereby to farther displeasure so hapned it vnto Balaam But how euer it be let vs thus conclude that for asmuch as Balaā was so stubbornly bent therefore his couetusnes so blinded him as he sought onely after gaine For as a swyne when he hath once winded his meat runnes on to swash himself in it though he see men readie to stick him because his lust carieth him on headlōg though it be to his death so doe the wicked which despise God And why For their desires blind thē cary them away headlong yet will they needes haue Gods leaue with them But wee see what befell of it namely y t God commādeth him to blesse his people to curse the Moabites Forasmuch as wee see this let vs know y t sith God did put the warrant of his truth in the mouth of a false prophet we must assure our selues that when he sheweth vs so great fauour as to speak vnto vs by those whom he hath appointed sheepheards in his church by whō he wil be serued it is an infallible warrant of his gracious goodnes towards vs. And seeing that a false prophet was constrayned to say y t God is not like vnto mortal men what ought we to do Seeing y t a false prophet speaketh thus Num. 23.19 we ought to be ashamed to call the trueth of God in question specially when he declareth it vnto vs by such as represent his person And therfore let euery man answere Amen in his heart Sith wee heare euery day y t God allureth vs vnto himself that he reneweth the remembrance of y e adoption which he hath made vs y t he layeth before vs the benefite of the death passion of our Lord Iesus Christ declaring vnto vs that we are cleansed by that meanes y t we are reconciled vnto him let these thinges cause vs to aunswere Amen let vs rightly seale vp the same to shew y t when God speaketh we are content with that which he saith nothing douting but that he will fulfil the same in his time Now let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs feele them more more yea y t knowing how there is nothing in vs but al maner of miserie wretchednes y t vntil he accept of vs through his mercie wee must needes be his enemies it may please him to grant vs the grace to seeke him not with fainednes hypocrisie but in plain truth ridding vs of all our wicked affections of whatsoeuer we haue besides which may hinder vs from cōming vnto him purely in such simplicitie as he requireth Let vs therfore go vnto him with repentance faith submitting our selues wholy vnto his word embracing his promises which he maketh vs to feele with their power effect And that albeit we heare them not but of mortal men which speake vnto vs yet wee may not fayle to sticke wholly vnto y e doctrine which is of God to y e order which he hath appointed knowing y t our Lord Iesus Christ wil shew howe it was not for nought y t he ordeined y t his church should be so ordered That it may please him to grant this grace not only vnto vs but also c. On Wednesday the xxij of Ianuarie 1556. The Cxxxij Sermon which is the third vpon the three and twentith Chapter 7 Thou shalt not abhorre an Edomite because he is thy brother Thou shalt not abhorre an Egyptian because thou wast a stranger in his land 8 The children which are borne to them in the third generation shal enter into the congregation of the Lord. 9 VVhen thou goest out with an host against thine enemies then keepe thy selfe from euery wicked thing 10 If any among you be vncleane by that which cōmeth vnto him by night he shall go out of the host not come into the host againe 11 But at euening he shall wash himselfe with water and when the Sunne is downe he shal come into the host againe WE haue already declared whereunto this which Moses treateth of here doth tend Namely to this that for asmuch as God had seuered the people of Israel from al other nations of the world that priuilege might be obserued and that was to the intent y t those whom he of his free fauour had so chosen might the better vnderstand how deepely they were bound vnto his frebestowed goodnes For as we haue before seene he preferred them not in this maner before all the world either for any worthines or nobilitie which was in their persons Ye see then how the children of Abraham were then adopted when God gathered them vnto himself to be taken for his children And therefore they are exhorted not to mingle thēselues with the defilements of y e Infidels but to continue in al holines because God hath so dedicated them vnto himselfe knowing y t they ought not to
bee as thornes in your sides to pricke and to punch you or rather to put out your eyes you shall surelye finde it so bycause yee haue not doone as GOD commanded you This serueth then to shewe vs that euerye man must followe that which is appointed him and when hee once knoweth what his office and calling requireth hee must simply obey God And moreouer let vs alwaies haue recourse to this point that seeing God sheweth himselfe a friend to our friends and an enemie to our enemies we must put our whole trust confidence in him Exod. 23 2â— hiding our selues vnder his wings wee must not doubt but that he will shew in the ende what care hee hath had of our welfare For hee sayth Exod. 13.7 I am moued with iealousie I am inflamed with choler bicause of y e iniuries which my people hath suffered In deede God is not subiect to any passions he is not moued after the maner of men neuerthelesse to shewe howe dearelye hee accounteth of our welfare and bycause wee conceiue it not excepte hee doe as yee woulde say transfigure himselfe and vtter himselfe vnto vs in such wyse as wee maye conceyue some passions in him that is the verie cause why hee sayeth that hee is mooued with choler and inflamed with a iealousie to defende his people Let vs therefore settle our trust thereuppon and although he doe not by and by lift vp his hand and thunder vppon our enemyes let vs not thinke therefore that hee hath forgotten vs but let vs bee patient and sorowfull and let vs desire him to accomplish his promises And if wee so doe hee will rayse vp such men as we thought to haue beene against vs and they shall spend themselues in our defence and wee shall bee armed in such wise agaynst all our enemyes that wee shall beare away the victorie and as it is heere declared that hee was the defender of his people in olde time so he will nowadayes doe much more for vs bicause he is come nearer vnto vs in the person of his onely sonne Nowe let vs kneele downe before the Maiestie of our good GOD with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them more and more and to receyue vs vnto mercie although wee bee altogether vnworthie of it and that in the meane tyme hee will so gouerne vs by his holy spirite that wee may apply both our handes and our eyes and our feete to his seruice and not attempt any thing without his worde but that whatsoeuer wee doe wee may doe it with such a zeale as hee may bee glorifyed and our lyfe may bee in all poyntes referred vnto his will without turning of our selues aside eyther to the right hand or to the left and that wee may learne to rest our selues wholly vpon him and not bee tempted to iniurie any man but that whatsoeuer wickednesse wee see in the worlde wee may alwayes walke vprightly and soundly to the intent that when wee bee vniustly and wrongfully tormented he may shewe himselfe our defender That it may please him to grant this grace not onely to vs but also to al people Nations of the earth bringing backe all poore ignoraunt people from the superstitions and idolatries wherein they are helde that so hee may leade them to the knowledge of his trueth And that for this purpose it woulde please him to raise vp true Ministers of his word c. On Wednesday the xix of Februarie 1556. The CXLV Sermon which is the first vpon the sixe and twentith Chapter WHen thou commest into the lande which the Lorde thy GOD giueth thee for an inheritaunce and possessest it and dwellest therein 2 Then shalt thou take of the first of all the fruite of the earth which the Lorde thy GOD giueth thee and put these fruites which thou bringest out of thy land in a basket and goe vnto the place which the Lorde thy God shall choose to place his name there 3 And thou shalt come vnto the Priest which shall bee in those dayes and shalt say vnto him I acknowledge this day vnto the Lorde thy God that I am come into the land which the Lord sware vnto our fathers for to giue vs. 4 Then the Priest shall take the Basket out of thy hand and shall set it downe before the Aultar of the Lord thy God 5 And thou shalt speake and say before the Lorde thy GOD My father was a Syrian a poore man and hee went downe into Egypt and soiourned there with a small companie and grewe there vnto a Nation great mighty and full of people 6 And the Egyptians vexed vs and troubled vs and loaded vs with harde bondage WEe haue in this place the Lawe of y e first fruits which was made for this ende y t the Iewes shold thereby acknowledge vnto GOD that they helde the lande of Chanaan of his mere and onely gifte as when a Lorde graunteth any Lande in Fee hee reserueth some Rent and some kind of seruice to himselfe to testifye that the Lande is helde of him So likewise GOD meant to haue a certayne memoriall among the Iewes whereby they shoulde bee put in minde to serue him for so much as hee nourished them and that whatsoeuer they had in possession they helde it of his freebestowed goodnesse In deede GOD did it not after the manner of mortall men for those which are Lordes of any land bee they neuer so riche haue neede of Rentes and reuenewes for the mayntenaunce of their estate But GOD who standeth in neede of nothing ordayned this Lawe onely for the profite and welfare of his people For the first fruites were not brought vnto the Temple as though GOD were to receiue some commoditie of them to himselfe but the bringing of them was to this intent that the people shoulde bee the better stirred vp by that meanes to discharge themselues of their duetie towardes GOD. For the first fruites went not for full payment but they serued onelye for a solemne protestation thereby to shewe that the people was much more bound vnto GOD. And let vs note that GOD by appoynting this Lawe meant to giue vs to vnderstande what great vnthankefulnesse there is in men when there must bee such meanes deuised to quicken them vp to acknowledge and confesse his goodnesse For if there were but one droppe of reason and vnderstanding in vs needed we any exhortation to magnifie and extoll onr GOD for enioying so great benefites as hee hath bestowed vpon vs Hee sheweth himselfe so liberall towardes vs that his blessinges doe euen as yee woulde saye stoppe our eyes And is there not great reason then that this bountifulnesse of his shoulde waken vs to declare that wee haue not beene forgetfull of those benefites which hee hath bestowed vppon vs Yes verily But what Wee must bee spurred forewarde in this behalfe like Asses whereby wee see what vnthankefulnesse and vnfaythfulnesse is in vs for that is the cause
we haue receyued of God we must not thinke that he will suffer them to be buried he will surely put vs throughly in minde of them euen to our vtter confusion according as we see how he speaketh here of the Iewes And nowe on the contrarie part he blameth them for that That they bee turned away after straunge gods which they haue not knowen and which had done them no good This is generally incident to all Idolaters For notwithstanding that there be a kinde of wilfull opinion in them yet are they at no certaintie Like as the Papistes which can not say that they bee assured of their religion all is grounded vpon a supposition True it is that they play the madde men for when they bee tolde of their foolishnesse they rage and storme and thinke that men do them the greatest wrong in the worlde when they make any gainesaying to that which they imagine to bee good and yet howsoeuer they fare they haue but a supposall For all their saying is Our fathers taught vs so it is the order of our holie mother the Church this hath nowe beene receyued of olde Verie well shall God bee outfaced with that Shall his trueth which wee ought to admitte to bee vnfallible bee made voyde vnlesse wee bee grounded vppon custome and authorities of men Nay without that there is nothing in men but vanities and lies Hereby then wee must learne not to thinke that straunge which the Scripture speaketh namelie that wee must fashion our selues after our fathers howbeit those fathers which haue followed the trueth of God and none other To bee short wee shall finde that there is no certeyntie in them that followe not the lawe that none but the children of God can talke of it vppon knowledge 1. Iob. 5 2â— according as Saint Iohn sayth in his Canonicall Epistle Soothly it is not for vs to bee taught by coniectures of men when the worde of God is laide before vs for it is good reason that God shoulde haue so greate authoritie ouer vs as that when hee saith the worde we shoulde wholy sticke to it and seeke no farther but yet is there alwayes a true knowledge in faith and not a wauering opinion Contrariwise all they that serue GOD after their owne deuotion doe but imagine and serue gods whome they know not The Papistes say that the Virgin Marie is their aduocate euerie one hath his patron such as hee hath deuised of his owne heade doe they vnderstande that GOD hath giuen them these offices Haue they any Testimonies thereof None but they thinke so When I goe on Pilgrimage or cause a masse to bee sung or founde such a yeares minde O that is goodly seruing of God What Haue you authoritie for all these thinges that they be pleasing to God and that hee alloweth them O no sir but our intent is good Yea but that is not enough to binde God for hee must bee serued according to his owne will and hee will none of all those things To bee short examine all that the Idolaters doe and yee shall finde that they be rauished and puffed vp with a wauering opinion Thereupon they sooth themselues exceedingly but yet are they neuer assured of their case Therefore it is not without cause that Moses reprooueth the Iewes for following the gods which they knew not And indeede howe shall a man knowe that which is not for there is no knowledge but the truth and there is nothing but lies in all that men doe deuise without the worde of God Againe hee saith yet further that the Idoles whome they serued had doone them no good Trulie the wretched misbeleeuers doe beare them selues in hande that the Idoles whome they serue haue doone them much good as we see the Papistes doe saying Lo wee finde it good to goe to sâ—ich a Saint for there is such a miracle as sheweth that this deuotion is not vnprofitable after which manner wee see the Idolaters to haue doone at all times When we serued the Queene of heaueÌ„ say they in Ieremie we had our fill of meate and drinke 〈…〉 .18 there was plentie of all manner of good thinges Lo howe Satan blindeth these wretches and God doeth suffer them to bee fedde with vaine flatteries and to please themselues with their owne superstitions to their condemnation Neuerthelesse that which is spoken by the Prophet Isay shall bee alwayes true namely that Idoles haue no power to doe either good nor euill 〈◊〉 â—49 for they bee nothing Therefore let vs learne first of all to sticke vnto the word whereby God teacheth vs and let vs followe our fathers that is to say those whome hee hath allowed and chosen and set foorth for our example to the intent that wee shoulde imitate them The verie point whereat wee must beginne for the hauing of a pure religion both certaine and infallible is the said doctrine and secondly that we be confirmed by the gratious giftes and benefits which God bestowed vpon the olde fathers yea and euen by those also whereof wee our selues haue had proofe in our own persons Let these things induce vs so much the more to giue our selues ouer vnto him and therewithall let vs stande in awe of his threateninges and likewise of his punishments which we see executed vpon all y e wicked that haue forsaken him That in effect is that which we haue to remember vppon this place Nowe for conclusion Moses addeth The secretes belong to the Lorde our God and the things reueiled befor vs and our children for euer to the end we shoulde doe the thinges that are written in this booke This text is taken diuerse wayes Some doe expounde it that the secretes of our God bee reueiled vnto vs and to our children and that is a verie profitable doctrine for it is saide that the lawe conteineth wonders that be incomprehensible to men vntill time that hee hath opened their eyes Therefore Dauid prayeth thus Lord lighten me that I may beholde the wonderfull wisedome 〈◊〉 119.18 which is in thy lawe And indeede we doe neuer by our naturall wit vnderstande that which is shewed by the worde of God it exceedeth all that is in man And that is the cause why this grace is so highlie magnified in holie Scripture that God dealt not with any nation as hee hath doone with the Iewes for that hee had not reueiled vnto them the secretes of his woorde Deut. 4.8 but left them to walke in brutishnesse and ignorance It is to a good purpose therefore to say That the secretes of our God be reueiled vnto vs at this day that folke might be the more mooued to be attentiue to the law knowing that God hath vsed a speciall goodnesse towarde them to whome he hath shewed himselfe so familiarlie as wee haue alreadie seene in the fourth Chapter But albeit y t the same doctrine be verie good profitable yet is it somewhat strained because of y e words for the text
good earnest and that hee will bee founde and that when hee speaketh it is his will that wee shoulde vnderstande his doctrine Nowe if this were spoken in the time of the lawe much more reason is it that it shoulde bee verified at this daie For wee know that Iesus Christ hath declared himselfe vnto vs more familiarlie by his Gospell Therefore let vs not be afraide that things be too obseure for vs. For beholde our God allureth vs to profit in his schoole and saith that it belongeth to vs and to our children and that the things which hee hath reuealed vnto vs are directed vnto vs to the intent we should aduise ourselues to walke according to his will This is a thing that ought to encourage vs to seeke God so farre foorth as is lawfull for vs according to the measure that he appointeth And heerein wee see what the malice of the Pope and of al his is in shutting out al the world from the word of God like as at this daie they do yet still exercise the same tyrannie maintaining that the holie Scripture was made for none but Monkes Friers and Clergie men so seemeth it to them And yet haue they no care thereof For they haue a diuinitie by themselues which is as it were but a brawling of beggers As for holie Scripture they leaue it at their heeles Albeit thaâ— they despise it yet they take out some worde as it were by peeces and gobbets and in the meane while suffer not the people to enter into the kingdome of GOD. They hold the keye to keepe the gate fast shutte and like as they list not to enter themselues Matt. 6.23 so woulde they haue all others to bee shutte out They say it is a daungerous matter to deale with holie Scripture that it is a nose of waxe that men may turne it which way they list and that there bee so high secretes therein as men may thereby enter into a bottomelesse pitte In deede they haue made a playne mockerie of Gods worde for they haue falsifyed it in such wise as men can scarcelie know the meaning thereof If wee shoulde hearken vnto them it is but a hodge podge yet neuerthelesse wee see that it is the certayne and infallible trueth of GOD. And moreouer albeit that the doctrine thereof bee high and that wee are not able to attayne thereunto by our owne vnderstanding yet will GOD neuer fayle them that yeelde themselues lowelie and apte to learne Hereby therefore wee see howe the diuell reigned altogether in the Popedome seeing they vnderstoode not what Moses meaneth in this place namely that the doctrine of GOD which is deliuered vnto men is not a hidden nor an obscure matter but open and manifest and that it is the lampe which must giue vs light and the true myrrour wherein wee may beholde the face of our GOD Psa. 109.105 and whereby wee may bee transformed to the likenesse of his glorie yea in verie deede so wee resorte vnto it with such vnfayned zeale and affection as I haue tolde you of But there are but fewe that vnderstande the thing which is heere declared and in deede the greater part of the worlde is not worthie thereof for wee see manie that doe continuallie holde on and bee deafe eared in somuch that although GOD speaketh loude and shirle yet they doe wilfully despise him Nowe then let him that is ignoraunt bee ignoraunt still See how Saint Paul skorneth all such as will needes bee wildeheaded 1. Cor. 14.38 and not submit themselues quietlie to the obedience of Gods worde Goe too sayth hee will you bee ignoraunt Then bee ignoraunt And wee see howe in an other place hee sayth that they which woulde not beleeue the trueth nor regarde the light of lyfe and saluation 2. Thess. 2. â—â— must needes be cast into horrible darkenesse as we see many bee which make a ieste of GOD. When they come to heare his woorde what reuerence yeelde they vnto it It is rather a vayne curiositie GOD must bee fayne to punishe such foolke and to depriue them of the fruite which all the faithfull receyue that is to say that they submitte themselues vnto him seeking nothing but the profite by hearing Gods worde and beholding the force which it hath in woorking Now therfore when we see y t the word of God is after a sorte vnprofitable vnto many people and also a sauor of death vnto the misbeleeuing which disdaine to be partakers of the grace that was offered them 〈◊〉 2.16 let vs not starte aside for all that but let vs heare our God and in like wise be afrayde to bee punished for our despising of such a treasure Let vs benefite our selues by the doctrine of saluation As how Euen by yeelding our selues quietlie vnto GOD as I said afore to be instructed by him who sheweth him selfe to bee a teacher of the little ones and lowlie ones and seeking nothing but to bee edified through faith in the feare of his name and in all godlinesse that wee may bee mooued to call vppon him and labour to serue him When wee be so minded let vs not doubt but that hee will vtter vnto vs that power of his which is shewed vnto vs in this text And nowe Moses addeth a comfort to them that are afflicted when they haue offended God and that hee vseth rigour towarde them and that is verie necessarie For the lande of Chanaan was as a speciall earnest pennie and pawne to the Iewes that GOD had chosen and adopted them for his people they were separated there from the rest of the worlde it was a lande that GOD had dedicated and reserued to himselfe as if hee had saide Here shal my name bee called vppon The lande of Chanaan was as it were a mirrour of the kingdome of heauen and of the euerlasting inheritaunce When the Iewes were banished from that land it was as if God shoulde haue rooted them out of his house and saide I doe refuse you and I renounce you and that was enough to bring them in dispaire On the otherside God promised to keepe them euermore with a fatherlie care and to cause them to prosper continually Therefore when they sawe themselues ouerwhelmed with many miseries yea almost infinite it was a kinde of driuing of them into dispaire yea euen into vnmeasurable dispaire as if God had forgotten them Finally GOD saide that hee woulde bee their heade and their king and that they shoulde be as a bodie gathered together vnto him Nowe when they bee dispersed vnder the Painyms and the infidels vnder the wicked and the despisers of the lawe among people vnholie and vncleane the raygning of such kinde of people ouer the Iewes made it seeme vnto them that God had forsaken them and that his whole adopting of them was lost so as they should all haue perished in their afflictions vnlesse they were comforted And that was the thing which Moses amed at Hee sheweth them
sorte as wee may bee all wholy his and hee possesse vs and euermore vpholde vs as we haue neede vntill he hath throughly reformed vs and vtterly ridde vs not onely from the imperfection of our fleshe but also from this mortall body it selfe to bring vs into the glory of his kingdome That it may please him to bestowe this fauour not onely vppon vs but in lykewise vppon all the people and nations of the earth c. On Tewsday the xxj of April 1556. The CLXXI. Sermon which is the third vpon the thirtith Chapter 11 For the commaundement which I commaund thee this day is not hidden from thee nor farre off from thee 12 It is not in heauen that thou mightest say which of vs shal go vp into heauen and fetch it vs to make vs heare it that we may doe it 13 Neither is it beyond the Sea that thou mightest say which of vs shall goe ouer the sea and bring it vs that we may heare it and doe it 14 For this worde is very nigh thee euen in thy mouth and in thine heart to doe it HEretofore in the last Chapter Moses had put a difference betwixt Gods secrets and the law saying that if wee bee learned in Gods worde we shal alwayes find such doctrine as is behouefull for our selues and for our children And in the same place hee protested that God speaketh not in such darke manner as men cannot vnderstand what hee meaneth but that he expresseth his wil faithfully to the end they should haue good and conuenient instruction to their saluation Nowe continuing his purpose he â—aith farther that the Lawe which he had declared is not a secret doctrine nor farre distant from the people so as they might reply saying Who is hee that shall passe ouer the sea or who is hee that shall mount vp aboue the clowdes No saith hee the worde is set downe before thine eyes thou hast it in thy mouth and in thy heart and so is there no place at all of excuse through ignorance wherefore turne that grace to your profite otherwise there is nought else to be looked for but dreadfull condemnation before God vpon all them that continue in their blindnesse for here is that true light which shoulde guide vs in all the course of our lyfe Wee see what Moses meant in this Text euen to exhort them to whom hee had deliuered the Lawe to be attentiue to the same Now for that purpose he promiseth them that in so doing they shoulde not spend their time in vaine but that if they would apply their studie to bee edified in the worde of God they shoulde finde sufficient for that purpose On the contrarie side he pronounceth a terrible threatning against all them that goe about to shielde theÌ„selues with ignorance For there remaineth no more excuse after that GOD hath spoken If this were said in the time of the Lawe howe much more conueniently may it bee sayd to vs of these dayes For wee are not ignorant that God hath shewed himselfe vnto vs more familiarly than to them to whom Moses spake they had onely that which remaineth vnto vs to this day But since that time God sent his Prophets which haue more largely expounded y e thinges that were briefely and darkly mentioned in the lawe After all this the Lorde Christ our sauiour is come into the worlde and hath accomplished that which was spoken by the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrues Hebr. 1. â— that God had spoken after diuers manners vnto our fathers but nowe lastly he hath shewed himselfe by the mouth of his onely Sonne giuing vs a final conclusion of all Prophesies and euery maner of doctrine We heare also how our Lorde Iesus sayth that many kinges and Prophets had longed to see and to heare that which his disciples sawe and heard Luke 10.24 and that they found not that fauour This also is spoken vnto vs. So then let vs marke well that the reproofe which Moses layd to the Iewes whom hee taught shall turne to our dreadfull condemnation if we profit not in the schoole of God whiles he taketh the care and trauaile to teach vs. Nowe for one point wee haue to note what is sayd here namely That the word is not hidden nor farre from vs so as wee might say who is hee that shall passe ouer the Sea who is hee that shall mount vp aboue the Clowdes By these wordes God sheweth that when his word is published it is not in vaine as it is also sayd by his Prophet Esay Esa. 45.19 Wee conclude then that the doctrine of God is not of it selfe so incomprehensible that woe haue not abilitie to conceiue it but that it is a perfect light whereby wee may beholde the way of saluation as hereafter shall be shewed It is such an orderly kinde of teaching as no body but our selues is to bee blamed if we be not edifyed as we ought to bee and so farre forth as is necessarie for vs. See here then I pray you the Testimonie which God giueth vnto his worde namely how it is not a iarring that cannot bee vnderstoode but a playne speech to the end that men might be brought vnto him by knowing what is meete and expedient for them by discerning betwixt the good and the euill Nowe seeing that God speaketh thus of his worde wee must not doubt to finde that which hee saith For otherwise we shoulde make him a lyer but hee shall be found faithfull and our selues condemned of Blasphemie Let vs marke farther that the promise which God maketh vs is infallible to the end that wee should stand fast and not wauer with any doubt or scruple if wee suffer our selues to be taught by him Then let vs but yeelde our selues teachable and sure it is that God for his parte will not suffer vs to dwell in suspence nor our mindes to wander and to goe on groping like blinde folke There is full certainetie of knowledge if wee become good scholers to God and resist him not as robbers And here a man may see the froward vnthankfulnesse of the Papistes which would make men beleeue that they should not venture to reade the holy scripture nor once be so hardy as to looke into it because it is so high and so deep a thing y t men shal be forthwith caryed away into many errors and many fancies It is very true that men doe abuse the trueth of God and we our selues doe see howe they turne the trueth into lyes But yet to impute the same vnto Gods word it were a diuelish blasphemie And therefore let vs learn that we must settle our selues wholy vppon that which is shewed vnto vs here For God himselfe dooth assure vs that in his worde we shall finde the right vnderstanding of all thinges that are expedient for our saluation Thinke we that our good God will deceiue vs Let vs therefoee abhorre the excuse which the Papistes doe holde of purpose to
dwel to nestle yea and altogether to rotte in their ignorance But contrariwise let vs trust and wholy rest vpon this promise knowing that God doth vs an inestimable good turn whensoeuer it pleaseth him to set his worde before our eyes and to deliuer it to bee preached in our eares Now then whensoeuer God giueth vs his knowledge let vs vnderstand that he will not haue such a treasure to be lost or to perish but that we should receiue it and turne it to our coÌ„moditie But herewithal we haue to mark also that vntill God haue spoken and taught vs in his schoole we haue neither learning not wit but are as stray cattell and at a worde vtterly forlorne It is not therefore without cause that Moses saith The commaundement which I giue thee is not hidden from thee nor farre off so as thou mightest say Who shall goe vp to heauen Who shall passe ouer the Sea or who shall goe downe into the deepe Hereby he giueth vs to vnderstand that if God doe pluck back his word so as we know not what hee requireth of vs nor haue any testimony of his will then may wee well seeke about lyke people in perplexitie crying alas what shall we doe Who is hee that shal goe vp aboue the clowdes who is hee that shall goe downe into the deepe Who is hee that shall passe the Sea To what end There is no other instruction at all whereby God giueth vs any certaine and infallibe direction When we bee thus destitute wee bee as lost people hauing neither way nor path to leade vs we can discerne nothing Howe much soeuer men doe attribute to their owne wisedome supposing themselues discreete enough to rule themselues all their lyfe long yet are they but wretched beastes vntill God haue shewed them his will Thus much for one poynt Nowe it is farther to bee vnderstood that if GOD come not first to vs wee haue no meane to come at him Who is he that can giue vs winges to mount vp to heauen Or howe shall wee be able to passe ouer the deepe Although we had the knowledge of all secrets of nature well might we trauell all the worlde from place to place and well might we mount aloft vnto the very skyes and yet in the meane while wee shoulde want the cheefest thing of all which is to vnderstand the trueth of God for that surmounteth al the wit of man Let vs learne therefore that God in his infinite goodnesse perceauing that we haue no meane to approch vnto him giueth vs an easie accesse thither Yea and hee commeth downe vnto vs to fashion himselfe to our rudenesse and infirmitie We see how he dooth as ye would say stammer with vs for hee speaketh not in such loftinesse as might well seeme agreeable to his infinite glory maiestie but the phrase of holy scripture is grosse and rude by the which God speaketh to vs in such plaine manner as there remaineth no excuse for vs if we vnderstand him not plainely Seeing it is so let vs vse this maruailous goodnesse which God hath bestowed on vs and let vs holde vs to the same and therewithall let vs also acknowledge our owne ignorance that wee may humble our selues for the very cause why so fewe folke doe profite in the holy scripture is their owne ouerweening in that they be forepossessed with an imagination of their owne wisedome and sharpnesse of wit and so being drunken with their owne conceite they alwayes despise the worde of GOD. Let vs therefore humble ourselues for wee knowe that God nameth himselfe the teacher of the lowly and of litle ones Psal. 19. â—â— Psal. 11â— â—â— to the ende wee shoulde not come to the hearing of his worde as people puffed vp with our owne greatnesse fondly surmising our selues to bee men of great abilitie to discerne but that our whole wisedome should consist in obeying him in considering that seeing hee hath stooped so lowe vnto vs it is not for any of vs to aduaunce himselfe And seeing wee haue no winges to mount vp aloft let vs take heede that wee attempt it not for so may wee fall and breake our neckes mount wee neuer so little But let vs marke moreouer that his promise dooth importe also a condemnation to them that haue their eares continually beaten with the worde of GOD and yet remaine hardhearted still and receiue no profite thereof at all In deede the Gospell wherein the Law of righteousnesse is conteyned is preached continually and if wee be of that sorte which S. Paul speaketh of 〈…〉 7. which are alwayes learning and neuer come to the knowledge of the trueth thinke we that wee bee excusable before God Surely no. It will come to passe that whatsoeuer we haue at any time heard of the worde of God the same must come to reckoning and we shall be reproued of vnthankfulnesse because great treasure shall haue perished without any benefite vnto vs. Wee shall not haue heard that Sermon in all our lyfe which God will not lay to our charge at the latter day as how How haue you profited by it Wee haue not heard one lecture that shall not bee recited vnto vs. Let vs therefore bee well aduised and whilest the Lorde is willing to teach vs giuing vs faithfull expounders of his worde and dealing so familiarly with vs let vs for our parte bee diligent to receiue it and embracing the doctrine that is deliuered vnto vs let vs shewe our selues more and more conformable to the same not alledging the obscuritie and depth of it therefore as the Papistes doe which goe about to shield them with their ignorance saying that the holy Scripture is too high and ouer deepe to bee conceiued It is true that the holy scripture is too high and too deepe but that is in respect that wee be wrapped in mistie darkenesse But it is the office of GOD to inlighten vs as wee shall see hereafter Howsoeuer the matter standeth let vs assure ourselues of this that if wee yeelde our selâ—es pliable to Gods direction he will instruct vs faithfully in his worde so as wee shall feele it to bee neere vnto vs. But yet is this neuer accomplished in vs vntill our Lorde instruct vs by his holy spirit together with the preaching of his worde by the mouthes of men And that is the cause why Saint Paul in the x. Chapter to the Romans sayth that this sentence is to bee applyed to the Gospel At the first sight it woulde seeme that S. Paul tooke it contrary to the meaning of Moses And for proofe thereof doth not Moses in this place speake of the Law Hee saith The commaundement which I ordayne for thee this day In saying this day hee speaketh of his office Nowe his office was to bring the Lawe and to publish it It is sayd in the first of Iohn that the Lawe was giuen by Moses but grace and trueth were giuen by Iesus Christ It seemeth not then
go downe into the deepe For wee haue sure witnesse and such a one as cannot faile vs. Seeing that God hath spoken let vs followe it He addeth here moreouer See I haue this day set before you life and blessing death and euill Whereby hee sheweth vs that the worde of God when it is taught vs doeth carry with it such vertue and such power that we ought to holde the things which are there tolde vs to bee as certaine as if they were alreadie done in deede The worde which Moses doeth vse in saying See as if he shoulde point with his finger to make the matter visible vnto vs doeth import that wee must yeelde such reuerence to the worde of God that wee must esteeme the thinges therein conteined to 〈◊〉 as present vnto vs. And the same is to bee applied as well to the threatenings as to the promises If God doe promise vs any thing it is not for vs to cast doubts thereof and to say Yea but how may it come to passe seeing there is no likelyhood thereof Let vs sticke to that which hee telleth vs. Likewise if God doe threaten vs wee must tremble and not doe as they doe which tarie for the strokes for they be so ouertaken vnawares as they haue not the power to crie alas they be ouer raught with feare and God giueth them not the grace to returne vnto him because they coulde not finde in their hearts to doe him the honour to submit themselues vnto him at such time as he warned them a farre off that hee is their Iudge Thus are we to practise this sentence which Moses vseth in saying That when wee heare the worde of God hee will haue vs to rest altogether thereon and to settle our wittes wholly vnto it And this ought to serue vs to double purpose that when as it shall seeme vnto vs that it is but lost time in this worlde to serue God yet notwithstanding we may not surcease to obey him waiting for the blessing which hee hath promised vs and assuring our selues that wee shall not be deceiued because he is faithfull And likewise on the contrarie part when wee be tempted to doe euill in hope that we shall remaâ—â—e vnpunished let vs bee holden backe with this bridle namely that wee cannot escape the â—rath of God because hee hath declared that hee is the Iudge to doe vengeance for such thinges The faithfull therefore in ordering their life must alwayes bee fully resolued of this that in seruing of God they bee sure that hee will guide them and that their ende shal be good and happie But in the meane while the worlde shall scorne them and they shall haue many temptations to turne them away they shall see the wicked prosper they shall see them make their triumphes and on the otherside they shall all that while see themselues goe to wracke Nowe when wee bee thus tossed wee must take our stay in the worde of GOD. Seeing that God hath promised to blesse vs when wee walke according to his will we are sure that he will not abuse vs for his worde is the infallible trueth and therefore let vs sticke vnto it Againe it seemeth vnto vs that we shoulde make mountains and work wonders when we let loose the bridle to our owne lustes Let vs feare God for he telleth vs that when men haue once misbehaued themselues Gen. 4.7 their sinne abideth stil at their doore and keepeth continuall watch so as when they haue wandered hither and thither and passed their boundes neuer so farre yet they must come to reckening Seeing it is so let vs learne to bridle our selues and not to tarrie till God execute his iudgementes vppon vs but let vs rather preuent them through feare Nowe wee see to what end Moses hath declared that he set before the eies of the people both life and good death and euill verily euen to assure the Iewes thereof that they might no longer stande in doubt And wherefore For there needeth nothing to carrie vs away as wee see too much by experience For it is a verie rare thing for men to rest them vppon the promises of God steadfastly without wauering they bee blinded with the thinges of the worlde and vnlesse God doe out of hande accomplish the thing which hee hath spoken they thinke they shal be deceiued And although they dare not accuse God of vnfaithfulnes yet can they not find in their hearts to doe him the honour to thinke him to be true Againe although God threaten vs yet are we so dulheaded y â— euery of vs perswadeth himselfe y t he shal go vnpunished and scape scotfree Seeing then y t there is such lightnes in vs that we bee so wauering we ought so much the more to put the lesson in practise which is set downe heere Now as touching life and good it is asmuch as if he should say all manner of happinesse and likewise by death and euill is ment all maner of wretchednes Indeede this present life is not the full measure or perfection of the blessings which God hath promised vs. It is no more but a certaine tast of them Death also is but a little token of Gods wrath The state of the life to come is the perfection both of weale and woe But Moses speaking vnto the people that were yet holden vnder the figures and shadowes of the lawe did name life and thereunto added this worde blessing to signifie that the people by seruing of God shoulde bee blessed euen in all manner of felicitie and contrarywise that they must of necessitie looke for all manner of wretchednesse if they did fall away froÌ„ the seruice of God For the better confirmation hereof hee saieth This day I commaunde thee to loue the Lorde thy God and to keepe his commaundements and to cleaue vnto him that thou maiest come to possesse the Lande which hee hath promised to thy fathers Heere is a confirmation to holde the people conuicted that they might haue no occasion to reply any more but be compelled to confesse that the Lawe of God serued to call them to saluation if so bee they had obeyed him And contrariwise that it shoulde bee vnto them a good Testimonie of their condemnation so as they coulde not pretende any excuse seeing they were so well instructed and yet continued hardhearted and stubborne still Moses sheweth this by the stubstance that is contained in this doctrine What is it saieth hee that I haue inioyned thee It is that thou shouldest loue the Lorde thy God Hath not nature left this marke imprinted in our heartes namely that wee bee created euen to this ende to loue our God Wherfore are we in this world Wherfore doth God keepe vs heere Is it not reason that he should haue some homage of vs and that forsomuch as wee be his creatures wee shoulde haue an eye vnto him he bee the scope of our life If it be not so what order will there be Wee
certaine that euerie of vs woulde followe this Principle and the seede which is in vs namely That forasmuch as there is but one God therefore we ought to worshippe and serue him Let men bee as wicked as they list and let them striue as much as they can to extinguish al manner of light that they may haue no more reason in them as we see many doe whose whole delight and indeuour is to make themselues verie beastes yet doeth this remaine still engrauen in them That there is a God which ought to be serued What shall become of vs then if we seeke him not as we ought to doe Againe see we not the worlde howe it is so farre out of course that there is nothing but confusion throughout all and that thereuppon euery man goeth astray Whereof commeth it say I that we bee so witlesse as to follow the wicked trade of other men and yet bee compelled to condemne the same Euen of this that wee turne away our heartes backe that is to say that euerie of vs wrappeth himselfe in wilfull blindnesse and euery of vs setteth himselfe backe notwithstanding that we haue beene taught the contrarie For albeit that it is true without exception that all they which turne away from the truth doe it of a certaine wickednesse ye◠notwithstanding we bee double folde the lesse excusable when wee haue bin taught by the word so as God hath shewed himselfe vnto vs familiarly Therefore when we heare this saying of Moses wee must apply it to our vse For we see how our Lorde hath shewed vs the way of saluation by his Gospel wee see how he continueth it still from day to day what will become of vs then if wee stray away Wee shall not bee as the Turkes or as the verie Papistes but it shal be vpbraided vs that wee haue turned our heartes backe and that where as God had set vs in the good way and reached vs his hande to guide vs wee haue beene frowarde and woulde not hearken to the thinges which hee tolde vs and that all this wee haue done of wilfull malice Yea and Moses addeth yet an other worde saying If thou bee driuen to serue straunge Gods He sheweth that men be driuen with a certaine furie or frentikenesse when they cannot finde in their heartes to submit themselues to God to bee wunne vnto him by his worde Needes then must there bee a dreadfull rage in this case and that Sathan worketh after a horrible manner when men bee so farre out of order Wee haue seene in the fourth Chapter Deut. 4.19 howe hee saide Looke well to thy selfe that in beholding the sunne and the stars thou be not compelled to worshippe them and to make them ydols There Moses sheweth that men woulde neuer runne out to ydolatrie vnlesse they had some outrageous prouocation within them to driue them thereunto as if they were out of their wittes For were men well aduised setled in their wits as they ought to bee they woulde certainly come to their God And therefore wee bee double guiltie when hauing turned away from our GOD and drawen backe our heartes through wilfull malice and stubbornenesse ouer and besides that wee haue beene caried with such a raging moode as wee cannot bee tamed neither can any repentance take place in vs neither will wee bee ruled by reason but we behaue ourselues like folk that are straught or rather starke madde And hereby wee ought to take warning to mistrust all our affections and to bridle and imprison all our wittes seeing wee bee so lightly withdrawen from God and turned away to become backeslyders If men giue themselues libertie what followeth but that their heart will quickely bee turned backewarde When wee shoulde walke vprightly wee make it difficult to goe one step but if it come to backeslyding wee flitte away like water there is nothing in vs but slippernesse Therefore must wee holde our selues as captiues knowing well that if wee haue neuer so little libertie wee bee straight way gone quite from our God Moreouer when men doe so beleeue their passions they must needes become like madde beastes neither reason nor equitie may beare sway there is no more vnderstanding in them and to bee short they are become brutish of their owne accorde Seeing wee bee warned of these thinges let vs learne so to fight against all manner of excessiue lustes and against all the appetites that boyle within vs as GOD may gouerne vs quietly and wee bee readie to follow which way soeuer he calleth vs. Now after that Moses hath spoken so he addeth that albeit that the people haue passed Iordan and become to the possession of the land yet they shal not enioy it for euer Here our Lorde declareth vnto vs y t if he beare with vs for a time wee may not thereupon fall asleepe nor perswade our selues that wee bee at peace with him as the hypocrites do who vnlesse they be pinched with miserie and that God doe pursue them roughly doe alwayes make their market after their owne deuise Well say they God must needes loue mee for I am at myne case and thereupon they flatter themselues And whereas they do but mocke God they thinke that hee seeth it not a whit To bee short the blessinges that God bestoweth on them they turne as it were to a shrowding sheete of purpose to keepe God from espying any whit of their life And thus they bleare their owne eyes make them selues pastime good cheare as though they shold neuer come to reckoning And that is too common a fault Now Moses sayth vnto them here Albeit your God doe at this present time bring you into the lande which hee promised you and that you passe ouer Iordan where God will shewe his power euen in drying vp y e Iordan as hee did in drying vp the read sea where your enimies were vanquished put to y e foyle insomuch that when you were like to haue bin stopped from entring into your inheritance yet notwithstanding al those lettes were ouercome For as much therfore as you see such fauour of God beware that you sleepe not in the meane whyle but walke in his feare for he can as well driue you out of that land as he doeth at this present bring you into it To be short whensoeuer we haue receiued any fauour at Gods hand we be exhorted to vse it in such wise as y e same may be an occasion vnto vs to serue him so as wee conceiue courage to yeeld ouer our selues to his obedience for least we be bereft therof againe either early or late for playing the wylde beastes for dealing stubbornly after that God hath made vs fatte 〈◊〉 32.15 according as wee shall see in the song of Moses Moses hauing spoken so vseth a greater vehemencie saying This day I call heauen and earth to witnesse that I haue set before thee life and death blessing and cursing The same in effect was spoken afore
off but the matter resteth onely in receiuing it when it is set before our eyes But as touching the cause and how God gouerneth vs by his holy Spirite that was treated of yesterday shewâ—ng that the same is done by his word notwithstanding that it is vttered vnto vs by the mouthes of men Nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes beseeching him to make vs feele them more and more yea and to mislike them and that wee may bee to reformed to his obedience as we may couet nothing but to dedicate our selues wholy to his seruice vntill that being quite dispatched from our olde Adam wee bee fully reformed by his righteousnesse And so let vs all say Almightie GOD heauenly father c. On Thursday the xxiij of Aprill 1556 The CLXXIII Sermon which is the first vpon the one thirtith Chapter THen Moses went and spake these wordes vnto all Israel 2 Saying vnto them This day am I sixe score yeres olde and I can no longer goe in and out And the Lorde also hath sayde vnto mee Thou shalt not passe ouer this Iordan 3 The Lorde thy God will passe ouer before thee It is hee that shall destroy this people before thy face and thou shalt possesse them Iosuah is hee that shall goe ouer before thy face euen as the Lorde hath spoken 4 And the Lorde will doe vnto them as hee did to Sehon and to Og the kinges of the Amorrhytes and to their countries the which hee hath destroyed 5 And the Lorde will deliuer them before thee to the intent you may doe vnto them according to all the commaundement which I haue commaunded you 6 Be of good comfort and take courage feare not neither be dismayed before their face for the Lorde thy God goeth with thee hee will not leaue thee nor forsake thee 7 And Moses called Iosuah and sayde vnto him in the presence of all Israel bee of good comfort and take a good heart to thee for thou shalt goe in with the people into the Lande which the Lorde hath sworne to their fathers to giue them and thou shalt diuide it vnto them for their inheritaunce 8 And it is the Lorde that goeth before thee it is hee that is with thee hee will not forsake thee nor leaue thee therefore haue no feare nor dread HERE it is shewed vs howe Moses was not coÌ„tented to serue God the people vnto y e which hee was apointed all the days of his life but also did his endeuour that the remembrance of the name of God might continue among the people and also that all things might be gouerned accordingly euen after his death Also hee gaue them to vnderstande that Gods calling of him was not to the ende that the people should bee so entreated for a certaine time but that as the lawe was giuen for a witnesse that God had chosen the children of Abraham so hee would guyde them euen to the comming of the Redeemer according whereunto hee went through with his calling That is the very thing which we haue here chiefely to obserue when Moses by the commaundement of God ordayned Iosuah to bee his successour to gouerne the people And therewithall hee sheweth that hee had faithfully trauayled all his life and that it was not for any want of good will that hee gaue ouer the charge that was committed vnto him but because hee was altogether forworne with weakenesse For if Moses shoulde haue withdrawen him to bee at rest the people might haue beene in dout and also much discouraged thereby but whereas hee declareth that hee neuer ceassed vntill hee had finished his course therein hee sheweth the way and example vnto all men that none ought to turne heade but that so long as God doeth prolong their liues they ought to goe on foorth whither soeuer hee calleth them and to bee firme and constant without swaruing aside or changing Moreouer hee sheweth vs that wee must not shrinke away for any mans death because God continueth euermore in his state And although y t they by whom he meant to be serued doe perish yet must not his right be thereby diminished and that is a poynt worthie to be remembred For wee see what happened in that people notwithstanding that they had beene forewarned thereof yet fell they away after the death of Iosuah and God was driuen to afflict them by the handes of their enemies to bring them backe againe But felt they once agayne the fauour of God By and by they fell to their olde byasse againe and remembred not a whit that they were deliuered but returned to their idolatrie againe 1. Samuel 〈…〉 The booke of the Iudges is full of these thinges When God had raised vp Samuel who was the excellentest of all others yet could not they abyde him but desired a king and the State was fayne to bee changed after their appetite Wee see therefore that this people were so wretched that they continued not any longer in the seruice of God nor in the obedience of his lawe than a man of courage and stoutnesse had the gouerning of them Therefore it is sayde here that although Moses was olde and short lyued yet was it not for them to looke eyther this way or that way but to consider that the liuing God had chosen and elected them for his people and promised them to haue care of their welfare and that seeing hee had taken them into his sauegarde hee woulde neuer forsake them so they did sticke vnto him and were faithfull vnto him and turned not away And thus wee may gather a good admonition out of this place that is to saye that hauing both our eyes and our wittes fastened vppon the worde of God wee must haue a right continuance in y e faith albeit that things do change as touching the worlde In deede if wee haue good folke to leade vs wee bee so much the lesse excusable if wee profite not thereby For if God stretch out his hande vnto vs and giue vs gouernours which bee as his messengers edifying and gouerning vs faithfully it is good reason that wee shoulde strayne our selues somuch the more for wee haue one generall rule to cause the meanes that God giueth vs to bee auaylable euen by turning them to our profite It is a singular thing when hee giueth vs such men as haue the vertue of his holy spirite which also bee so endued with whatsoeuer is for our benefite as wee may vnderstande that hee offereth him selfe vnto vs in their persons It behooueth vs I say to bee so much the more moued at such times to serue God But howsoeuer it bee let vs content our selues with the doctrine and albeit that men do dye and fayle vs let vs neuerthelesse vnderstande that God is alwayes the same 〈…〉 12. 〈…〉 and that his trueth cannot change For it is sayde of men that they bee but a shadowe but the worde of GOD continueth
giue ouer himselfe to all manner of loosenesse as some are seene to do or rather as the common manner is that as soone as GOD giueth men that which they doe long for and desire they become drunken and doe lose both wit and reason if a man say I doe then ouershoote himselfe after that fashion when GOD dealeth with him so gratiously is not his sinne so much the more haynous Yes certainely That is the thing which Moses meant to declare in this place where he sayeth They shal come into the Lande which I haue promised them there will I sustaine them there shall they bee filled and made fatte and then will they turne away after straunge goddes By these woordes we are made to vnderstande that the more our Lorde maketh vs to feele his fauour and fatherly goodnesse the more ought we to be allured to rest wholly vppon him that hee may possesse vs and the more ought all our wittes and affections to bee stayed vppon his loue so as the diuell may not finde any breach nor gap open to deceyue vs for so much as GOD hath so wonne vs vnto himselfe That is the instruction which we must learne by this text otherwise the complaynt that GOD maketh against the Iewes by his Prophet Ieremie shall lyght vppon vs. 〈…〉 25. My people sayeth he what haue I doone to thee Heere GOD entereth into disputation with the people bycause they were so defiled with Idolatry and had peruerted all together Goe to saith hee let vs nowe pleade together my people what haue I doone to thee that thou shouldest complaine I haue brought thee out of the lande of Egypt I haue stretched out my mightie hand to deliuer thee from thence I haue ledde thee and directed thee I fedde thee in the wildernesse I caused Manna to come from heauen I gaue thee the foode of Angels and when thou wast come into the lande which I had promised thee I fought against thine Enemies and I gaue thee victorie against them all But these bee not the cheefe matters I haue moreouer giuen thee my Lawe which is the couenant of lyfe and saluation I haue giuen thee my Sacrifices to the intent thou shouldest haue a Testimonie that it is not without cause that I would haue you to my selfe Also I haue made thee to finde so great riches of my bountie that it is impossible to value the benefites which I haue bestowed on thee and doest thou nowe fall to despising me and to breaking thy fayth and to turning away after straunge Gods Is this the recompence that I looke for If a man doe plant him a vine and tend it he meaneth to eate and drinke the fruit thereof And if the vine do yeeld a strange and a bitter fruite to choke the maister withall what wil come of it Deserueth not such a vine to be quite plucked vp Let vs therefore bethink our selues and not tarie till our Lorde accuse vs to haue greeued his holy Spirite but let vs turne this text to our profite And for as much as we knowe by experience that he is a liberall father vnto vs let it mooue vs to soften our hearts how heard soeuer they bee that wee may learne to giue ouer our selues wholly to him Thus ye see whereto this Text ought to serue vs where it is sayde I will set them in the Lande which I haue promysed to their fathers they shall bee nourished there and made fatte and they shall turne away vnto straunge gods And therefore seeing that GOD maintaineth vs let vs suffer him also to guide and gouerne vs vntil he hath brought vs to y t eternal inheritaunce which he hath promised vs and which we looke for Yet moreouer hee saith that this song shall aunswere them as a witnesse because it shall neuer depart from their mouth Hereby we do see how it is our Lordes will y t his word should serue not to some one vse onely but also for a continuall instruction euen vnto the end that the fathers should conuey it ouer to their childrē And the chiefe succession which we ought to leaue to them that come after vs is that when God hath once vttered his will vnto vs wee must beware that it be not buried so as none of vs bee so fond as to hold himselfe contented with his owne only knowing thereof as though the light of saluation ought to die with vs but rather that they which come after vs may inioy it also And therfore when we our selues haue knowen God and haue had his trueth preached among vs wee must to the vttermost of our power indeuor that it may continue after our death and that our children may come to receive y e doctrine which we haue followed And if the word of God slip away and men think not thereon as it is come to passe in the Popedome as it was afore time it commeth of their owne leawdnesse and they must needes yeelde a reckoning for their disanulling of so great a benefite Wee see that the law was lost for a time amongst the people of Israel and this song was out of the mouthes of both great and small but yet God at the last did not suffer the people to continue in such ignoraunce but it was his will that the Lawe was founde and that the people came with great solemnitie to receiue it and hee tolde them that they were woorthy of blame for defacing the doctryne of Saluation and therefore hee willed them to repent Nowe seeing it is so as I haue already touched when GOD hath once taught vs his will let vs learne as I sayde afore not onely to profite therein for the present tyme or for the tyme of our owne life but also to procure as much as in vs lyeth that our Children after our death may still enioy the same Religion and that the name of GOD may euer bee had in remembraunce And although there be many that cannot profit themselues thereby yet shall it turne to their condemnation and God shall not fayle to bee glorified For surely Moses speaketh in this place not onely of Gods elect and of such as were the true seede of Abraham but also of such as were willing to take profite by the lawe and were not altogether reprobates For seeing it was Gods will that this song should bee in their mouthes thereby wee ought to be so much the better aduertised that our Lord doeth oftentimes leaue his worde to the worlde to bee a message and a testimonie of his loue and goodnes howbeit not for the saluation of all men but for the condemnation of the greater part Wee see that euen among the Heathen there remained alwayes a remnant of the trueth wee see such sentences vttered by the heathen as it is impossible for a naturall man to thinke the least of them which they haue alleaged By what meanes then did they it It was Gods dooing who brought them so farre foorth to their greater
Gods worde and haue but an opinion of it as who woulde say the thinges that are conteined in it haue some reason but yet wee doe but coniecture so what a thing were it What certaintie shoulde wee haue of God or of any of all his vertues for the which hee is to bee glorified Wee shall bee alwayes in a mammering And so wee see of what importance this saying is where Moses termeth God True For hee woulde haue vs to learne to yeelde such authoritie to his worde as it may benefite vs and that as soone as wee heare God speake wee shoulde bee fully resolued and perswaded that wee shall not bee disappointed in following all that hee saieth to vs and in beleeuing the same By this meane then wee may consider all Gods workes so as wee shall haue a lampe to guide vs and to giue vs light that wee may not runne reeling in continuall doubtfulnesse But forasmuch as Gods worde is the infallible trueth to vs wee shall haue a stayed iudgement concerning the thinges that are saide vnto vs and wee shall trust in God not as the heathenish sort doe who bee shaken from it out of hande because there is no steadinesse of faith in them but wee shall haue a good staffe to stande by so as Gods trueth shall fence vs against all distrust against all grudging and against all thinges that may turne vs from the glorifying of him And therewithall wee shall also haue a good foundation of our saluation when wee once knowe that God is True For if wee imbrace not the thinges that God doeth what will become of vs There is nothing but damnation in men and the more they trust in themselues the more must they needes bee confounded Then can wee not conceiue any hope of saluation vnlesse wee bee well assured that God foadeth vs not with wordes without effect but that wee knowe him to bee faithfull and trustie so as if wee haue but a worde of his mouth it is as good as if our saluation were already shewed And thereuppon hee saieth further that there is no wickednesse in him but that hee is iust and faithfull It shold seeme y t Moses speaketh too coldly of God in this place in saying There is no wickednesse in him For who doubts of that Nay it is to cut off all the wicked imaginations that men deuise when they be not helde in awe so as they may yeeld to conclude that God is faitfull good and iust yea and voide of vnfaithfulnesse Aâ—d who accuseth him thereof But yet wee see howe that euen the holy Prophets were driuen to resist those temptations Lorde I knowe that thou art iust 〈◊〉 â— 1 〈◊〉 1.13 saieth Ieremie As much doeth Abacucke and they crie out so of purpose to shewe that they bee troubled with many incumberances when they see things so out of order in the worlde There then wee see howe they had easily beene caried away to blaspheme God and to deeme some vnrighteousnesse to bee in him if they had not beene restrained And so wee see that it is not without cause that Moses saieth heere that God is true without wickednesse There is nothing in him saieth hee but the same is praise worthie insomuch that when wee speake of his trueth and righteousnesse we must exclude all wisedome power of man And to be short he must be praised without exception and not after the common manner of men And that is the cause that when Gods word is spoken of in the Psalme it is saide to be like siluer tried seuentimes in the fire after it hath beene molten and all the drosse of it taken quite and cleane from it At the first sight this similitude may seeme to vs to bee but colde But let vs looke a little vppon our selues and we shall finde that our wits doe tickle vs incessantly insomuch that when wee haue confessed God yea euen without dissimulation to be true yet when wee come to his promises euermore we will haue some reply and we will neuer be contented in our minds nor well at rest For we haue a leawdnes which holdeth vs back and hindereth vs that wee cannot glorifie God as becommeth vs. So then let vs marke that Moses doth not heere without cause exclude all iniquitie to the ende that when we speake of God and of any of all his vertues wee shoulde doe it with such reuerence and admiration as wee may not onely not accuse him of any vnfaithfulnesse and confesse that wee perceiue not any vice in him but also be throughly perswaded and resolued that there is such perfection in him as that there remaineth no more for vs to doe but onely to worship him yea euen though we conceiue not the highnesse that is hidden from vs. Nowe let vs cast our selues downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to take from vs al hardnesse and stubbornnes and to frame vs to the obeying of him that the preaching of his worde vnto vs may not bee in vaine but that it may profite vs so as wee may become good ground and serue in such wise to the glorie of our God as that the labour and paine which he shall haue bestowed vpon vs may not be in vaine but that all may redounde to the full establishing of his kingdom And moreouer that seeing it pleaseth him that our saluation should be matched with his glorie he will also so further the same as wee may bee incouraged by that meanes to giue our selues more and more vnto him That it may please him to grant this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. On Friday the viij of May 1556. The CLXXIX Sermon which is the second vpon the two thirtith Chapter 5 They haue corrupted themselues before him by their sinne euen they that are not his children but a froward and wicked generation 6 Doest thou reward the Lorde so O thou foolish and vnwise generation Is not he thy father and thine owner is it not hee that hath made thee and fashioned thee 7 Remember the time past consider the yeares of so many generations Aske thy father and hee will shewe thee inquire of thine elders and they will tell thee YEsterday wee sawe why Moses speaketh here expresly of Gods truth For men had neede to be assured of Gods promises that they may holde themselues to them and rest vpon them and also to know that his worde is the rule of all perfection that they may receiue it with all reuerence And it is saide expresly that there is no vnrighteousnesse in him to the ende that men should learne not to measure him by their owne scantling as they be wont to doe For in asmuch as we comprehend not Gods iustice wee drawe it downe to ours by meanes whereof wee abace his maiesty too much Therfore if we will yeelde God his due honor we must separate him froÌ„
their common prouerbe After that manner haue we erred and we haue alienated our selues to our power so farre from our God that we haue wel deserued to be shaken off at his hand But forasmuch as he hath shewed vs that it is onely hee to whom wee must sticke and forasmuch as he offereth himselfe so familiarly vnto vs to the intent we shoulde submit our selues to him we ought now to be so much the more stedfast and seeing wee haue such assurance let vs not be drawen too and fro by our vnconstancie and lightnes but let vs conclude that God cannot away to haue any straunge gods with him and that it behoueth vs to doe him the honour of resting in such wise vpon his power and goodnesse as it may suffice vs to call vpon him and to flee to him for all our refuge And Moses addeth immediatly that God caried vp his people or made them to ride vp vppon the high places of the earth and gaue them the fruites thereof to feede them namely the butter of Kyne the milke of sheepe the fat of Muttons of Lambes and of Goates the fat of Corne and the bloud of Grapes for so he termeth them and that he made them to eate Oyle out of the harde stones and honny out of the Rocks Hereby Moses ment to vtter howe liberall yea euen beyonde all opinion of man God shewed himselfe towards his people His speaking of the high places of the earth is in respect of the situation of the lande of Chanaan for it is high in comparison of Egypt and of the countries thereabouts To say as some haue imagined that it is the middest and as ye would say the Nauill of the earth is to no purpose Because mention is made of the mids of the earth among the Prophetes Psal. 74.12 some haue surmised that God meant to bound it out as if he had beene some Geometrician that should haue butteled and bounded the whole world But whereas it is saide in the mids of the earth it is meant in the mids of the lande that is to say of Iewry Yet notwithstanding as I saide afore the Lande of Chanaan is high if a man haue an eye to any of all the Countries round about it Againe it hath many mountains and high Rockes in it insomuch that at the first fight a man woulde take it to be barren And therefore Moses declareth that the people shold eate honnie out of the Rockes and Oyle out of the harde stones that is to say that where men would think there were nothing but wildernes there would God make Olifetrees to growe and where men would thinke to be nothing but barrennesse there they shoulde gather honnie and to be short that eueriwhere there shoulde bee nothing but sweetenesse and abundance Afterwarde hee speaketh of fat Sheepe Goates and Lambes Trueth it is that in this place is vsed the worde Basan which had that name of fatnesse for the hill of Basan was a goodly countrie of pasture And this is the cause why hee expresly speaketh thereof And let vs marke that Moses neuer came within the land of Chanaan hee had neuer so vewed it that hee coulde describe it as he doth heere Needs therefore must hee speake not as a man but as one whose tongue is gouerned by the spirite of God And heere he treateth of the thinges which the people were to finde after the decease and yet hee speaketh of them as if he had seene them and as though the thinges had beene done alreadie So then we haue a plain proofe that Moses wrate not any thing on his owne heade but was an instrument of the holy Ghost For he left this song to the children of Israel and made it common among them before his death as wee haue seene afore Whereby it was apparant that hee was taught at Gods hand all the thinges which were vnknowen vnto him as in respect of the flesh surely not euen the children of Israel themselues coulde vnderstande the contentes of that song vntill they had had the experience of it But the effect shewed that his so speaking was not in vaine The thing then which Moses or rather the holy Ghost by his mouth intended is to put the Iewes in minde howe liberall God had shewed himselfe to them namely by bringing them into the Lande of promise and by giuing them fruitfulnesse that it might suffice to maintaine them And no doubt but he meant here to magnifie Gods goodnes by declaring that he passed the common order of nature when he had such a care to sustaine his people so welthily in that lande which a man woulde neuer haue thought able to do it So much the more therefore ought we to abhorre these diuelish heades which haue gone about to deface Gods grace in this behalfe seeing that the holy scripture standeth thereuppon namely that men must not deeme according to the common order of nature concerning Gods mainteining of his people after that manner He meaneth Seruettus As for example that cursed heretike which was executed heere among vs was not ashamed to write in one of his books that the land of Chanaan is indeede spoken of howebeit ouer fauourablie and that they which haue so spoken thereof haue made vs to beleeue many things vnaduisedly And what caused him so to do but that he was a worldly man and a despiser of God seeking by all meanes to skorne God and to abolish his grace and that men might no more knowe how to worship him So then yee see howe Gods grace was had in contempt But contrariwise we must always be resolued that God hauing once made his promise to his seruant Abraham did therupon intend to vtter his wonderfull power as one that had a care of his people Yea and we must call to mind what was saide yesterday namely that GOD had made his partition to the former inhabiters of that countrie to wit of the lande of promise according to the number of the children of Israel for he knewe wellynough what a multitude of people he was to maintaine there That is a cause why Moses declareth here again that the Rocks yeelded hony and y e stones brought forth Olifes that there was pasture ground to yeelde fat mattons lambs goats to yeeld butter all manner of white meate so as nothing might be wanting also y t the land yeelded y e fat of corne for he vseth that terme as who shold say there were lumps in the meale and nothing but pure and fine flower of wheate so as our Lorde gaue his people abundance of all things y t he knewe to be meete for them and that hee gaue them the bloud of y e grape that is to say the grapes were so full that a man might haue pressed as it were bloude out of them To be short he declareth that God failed not his people in any thing but prouided them store of all things necessarie yea and shewed
and you haue abused that grace of mine I haue required to be serued and honored of you and you haue done mee all the shame ye coulde deuise you haue borne yourselues in hande that I was tyed vnto you and that I was of necessitie to continue a father towardes you without ceassing notwithstanding that you played the rebellious children against mee But nowe will I giue you ouer for such as you be doe the worst yee can and at length yee shall finde what it is to haue forsaken mee I will hide myselfe from you that is to say I will giue you ouer In steede of maintaining and defending you as I haue done heeretofore I vtterly renounce all acquaintaunce with you See nowe what your state shall be and I also will see what your ende will bee that is to say it shall bee perceiued in what plyght men are when I haue no longer care of them GOD then speaketh heere not so much of his owne knowledge as of that which shall be seene and perceiued in the ende by experience For as I sayde afore GOD is not to bee taught by the chaunge of thinges for all thinges were present with him before the making of the worlde but heere he declareth that when folke are so forsaken it will appeare by them that all the happinesse of man consisteth in beeing preserued by GOD and that on the contrary part they bee most wretched and vnhappie when God hath giuen them ouer And hee addeth the reason It is a fickle and frowarde generation Children in whome there is no trueth The first worde that Moses vseth heere commeth of a verbe which signifieth to turne and returne And so it is as much as if he shoulde say It is a generation of wickednesses for he vseth the plurall number and it importeth as much as if he should say It is a frowarde and cursed generation or else a mutable and chaunging generation and whereof there is no holde nowe heere nowe there whereby is vttered not onely the vnconstancie but also the disloyaltie of that people He addeth that there was no stedfastnesse in them The worde betokeneth vprightnesse whereby is meant both loyaltie and faithfulnesse To be short GOD declareth heere that he hadde tryed his people too much and that in the ende it appeared that there was no vprightnesse in them but all manner of treason and trecherie Forasmuch therefore as hee founde such leaudenesse in them hee sayeth hee will hyde himselfe from them But we must call to minde againe what I haue sayde afore to witte that for a time GOD may fauour vs and beare with vs and spare vs though we deserue to haue rigour towardes vs but when hee is so patient it is to make vs diligent in examining our owne faultes and to call our selues dayly to account and to looke neerely to the thinges which are to bee found fault with in vs. Also let vs marke well the saying that hath beene alleadged out of Saint Paul howe that God allureth vs to amendment by gentlenesse Rom. 2.4 when hee punisheth vs not at the first according to our deseruinges Sith the case standeth so whensoeuer God sheweth himselfe fauourable and gratious towardes vs let euery of vs consider howe hee hath liued and if we haue abused the benefites which he hath bestowed vppon vs let vs condemne ourselues for it and be sorry for our sinnes and returne to him with such sorrowe as may appeare to bee vnfained That is the thing which we haue to remēber in the first place But if we will needes discharge ourselues by flatterie to take leaue to doe euill then must hee needes execute his vnreuocable sentence of hyding away his face from vs after he hath borne long ynough with vs and of seeing what will become of vs and he must needes let vs rotte in our wretchednesse forasmuch as we could not abide that hee should reach out his hande to helpe vs. And in any wise let vs marke that GOD can not away with hypocrisie in men for among other thinges he requireth soundenesse and trueth in vs that our conuersation shoulde bee vtterly voide of all dubble meaning and that we should not be dissemblers before him True it is that our nature is full of fainednesse as we see howe Ieremy reporteth of mans heart Ier. 16.16 that it is frowarde and besnarled with all naughtinesse and that it is euen as a bottomlesse pit And therefore we must chaunge if wee will haue God to admit and allowe vs for his children and wheras we be inclined to euill so as there is nothing but bitternesse and hardnesse of heart in vs we must pray vnto God to indewe vs with his holy spirite who is the spirite of constancie and to ridde vs in such sort from all our naughtinesse and vnfaithfulnesse as we may walke on before him in pure and vndefiled soundnesse Thus yee see what we haue to remember vppon this place Nowe it is saide further That forasmuch as the Children of Israell had prouoked GOD to iealozie by the thing that was not god and prouoked him by their leazinges through the superstitions which they hadde deuised he also would prouoke them by a people which was no people and moue them to iealozie by a Nation that was no Nation Heere GOD speaketh againe after the manne◠of men like as if a man seeing his wife so wicked and leaudely giuen that he could not restraine her should say Well I must needes diuorce her and to doe her the more disgrace I will take some chamber-mayde in her steede to occupie her place Now then if a wife haue liued in honorable state with her husbande and afterwarde behaue her selfe so naughlily and stubbornely that hee casteth her off and thereuppon taketh some poore wench that was of no estimation and vseth her as his maried wife his former wife will take the more spyte and griefe at it as who woulde say What Shall such a one nowe occupie my place Must I be thrust out for her Must I be pointed at with euerie mannes finger and bee shamed and ill spoken of euerie where After that manner is this text to bee vnderstoode For thus doeth GOD vtter his minde What They haue prouoked mee to Iealozie by the thing that is no god I am the liuing GOD and besides that they ought in reason to take mee for their father because I haue shewed my selfe so towardes them declaring howe deerely I loued them in that I haue preferred them before all other Nations of the worlde and yet hereuppon haue they forged Idolles But there is but one GOD and therefore when men turne away from him they must needes forge ydolles after their owne imaginations Thus haue they prouoked me to ielozie by the thing which was not god And afterwarde he addeth their vanities As if he shoulde say If a man marke what their superstitions are and whereon they bee grounded he shall finde them to be nothing else but
declared heretofore and he confirmeth it with an othe For this speech to lift vp the hand to heauen is as much to say as to Sweare not that God can lift vp his hande after the manner of men for besides that hee hath no hande there is nothing higher than his maiestie but it is a figure taken of the custome among men and wee knowe it is verie common in the holie scripture Because we comprehende not God as he is in deede but finde him to be a thing farre passing our reach therefore is hee fayne to applie himself to our rudenesse Euen so in this text he saith that he will lift vp his hande that is to say that hee will sweare Now there is no need that God shoulde sweare For the cause why we haue othes among vs is our owne naughtines There is so much craft and suttletie among men as is pitifull to beholde They bee fleeting they bee full of lightnes and vnconstancie and it is harde to bring them to vpright dealing In these respectes and for that wee be so giuen to deceitfulnes othes are faine to bee ministred to vs But Gods swearing is for our infirmities sake And truely wee bee greatly to blame in this behalfe in that we compell God to sweare For nothing is more peculiar to him than trueth and if hee had not that hee were not God Seeing then that hee is the infallible trueth it selfe if when hee hath once spoken wee stand doubting still and examine whether it bee so or no can there bee a more horrible blasphemie than to call Gods trueth in question after that fashion Is it not all one as if wee woulde bereaue him of his verie beeing And yet for all that wee see howe men stande as in a mammering when God speaketh to them For if hee threaten vs wee make no account of it If we were throughlie perswaded that all that euer proceedeth out Gods mouth is of such certaintie as there ought to bee no replying against it truely wee woulde tremble and quake out of hande for feare as soone as hee threateneth vs but wee know how hardhearted wee be in that behalfe On the other side if our Lorde promise to bee mercifull to vs when wee haue done amisse and intreate vs as his children and call vs to the hope of euerlasting saluation wee bee so tangled in this worlde that euerie thing of nothing holdes vs backe and we despise the inestimable benefites which God offereth vs. Wee see then that men do not the honour to God to count him faithful For then woulde they holde themselues wholie to his worde they woulde bee touched to the quicke yea they woulde quake at his threates and they woulde set all their ioy and delight in his promises That is the cause why GOD warranteth and confirmeth his worde with an othe Nowe in this case as I saide afore wee our selues are much too blame seeing that God is faine to yeelde to such condition as to abace himselfe as though hee were a mortall creature to the entent hee may winne vs and that wee may no more wander away but bee fully perswaded in our selues that this speaking to vs is in good earnest Seeing then that our Lorde is faine to frame himselfe vnto vs after that fashion thereby wee see our owne malice and frowardnesse and yet doth God beare with vs in y t case But when he sweareth it is as much as if we sawe heauen and earth shaken nature changed the Sunne darkened and all the starres bereft of their light And therefore if wee bee not touched with y e othes which God maketh after y t maner it is certaine y t the diuel hath as it were bewitched vs and that wee bee become starke blockes or rather that wee be horrible and vglie monsters Therefore let vs benefite ourselues by the othes which wee reade in the holy scripture And when God sweareth that he will bee auenged at his enemies let it abashe vs as though we sawe his vengeance and wrath take effect out of hande and as though we sawe him readie and in a forwardnes to execute the thing which hee hath vttered with his mouth And when he sweareth that hee will be friendly to vs and take vs for his children confirming with an othe the heauenlie heritage which hee hath promised vs ought not the doing of those things to assure vs to withstande all temptations Although Satan and the flesh tempt vs to distrust yet notwithstanding let vs set this for a shielde against them and say No seeing that God hath sworne shall we doe him such wrong and dishonour as to cal the truth of his word in question Let that bee far from vs. That is the thing which wee haue to note in this text where God saith that he will lift vp his hande to heauen and say I liue And he sweareth by himselfe accordingly as the Apostle toucheth it in the sixt to y e Hebrewes When we sweare we call God to witnes as our Iudge if we lie Hebr. 6.13 But it is not so with God he cannot finde a greater than himselfe to sweare by He saith therefore I am aliue as if he should say Nay whosoeuer he be that holdeth not himselfe to the sentence which I doe nowe pronounce he derogateth my glorie as much as if he meant to abolish me quite and cleane and to declare that I am no more God But if I be God it must needs be perceiued in the execution of the thinges which I doe nowe speake I am contented that men shall hencefoorth take mee but for an idol or a deade thing if they finde not my sayinges true in deede When God speakes after that fashion ought it not to make the haire to stande vp vppon oâ—r heades if wee esteeme not his worde to be verie certaine Yes And so we see my former saying yet better confirmed namelie that it is not for vs to replie any more when God hath once spoken but wee must take the matter to bee out of all crie as though wee sawe the thing alreadie done before our eyes But let vs see nowe whereat God amed for it is certaine that hee sweareth not but for our welfare It is not for his owne sake hee taketh neither good nor harme by it but hee hath regarde of vs. And in token thereof hee saith That hee will whet the edge of his sworde that it shall bee as a flaming sworde and that hee will take Iudgement in his hand that is to say that he will hold his assises to shewe himselfe to bee the Iudge of the worlde and that as then all his enemies must bee confounded and all aduersaries bee brought to nought And whereas God speaketh here of the edge of the sworde we must not imagine that hee vseth any material sword for that cannot agree to him but wee knowe hee hath all sortes of punishmentes to chastice men withall as seemeth good to himselfe For in verie deede all
doctrine is not vnprofitable to vs. And ought not this to prouoke vs to fight against all such imaginations as trouble our mindes and make vs to wander away Yes and so wee see how greatly this exhortation ought to preuaile with vs considering that we be so fickle minded and lightheaded as experience proueth Nowe after this Moses sayeth that the people must commaund their children Heerein it is shewed vs that it is not ynough for vs to profite euery man himselfe in Gods schoole but that when we our selues haue learned we must also indeuer to bring others into the right way of saluation specially wee to whom God hath committed the charge of such as want learning and instruction As for example fathers and mothers shall yeeld an account for their Children bicause God giueth them with this condition that they shall be brought vp in his feare Lykewise Maysters and Mistresses haue to aunswere for their menseruauntes and womenseruauntes and if they â—ay the brydle in their neckes they must not thinke that our Lorde will let their negligence scape vnpunished Therefore let vs take warning by this text that such as haue children must haue a care to teache them and to make it knowen that God is the father of all their whole ofspring if they themselues wil be taken to bee the children of God Lykewise they that haue menseruauntes and maideseruauntes must vnderstand that their house must bee so dedicated to the seruing of God as he may haue all souerainty in the same After that maner ought we to take paines in the behalfe of those which are committed to our charge For the more we see that the world fayleth in that behalfe the more carefull ought wee to bee to doe our duetie therein For it wil bee no excuse for vs to alleage y t it was a common vice but it will rather turne to our sorer condemnation bycause one corrupteth and marreth another Nowe then let vs learne to haue the zeale that is commaunded vs here namely that where God hath graunted vs the grace to be drawen to y e knowledge of his truth then to consider that we must also indeuour to make all other men partakers thereof that after our death Gods word may haue his course still and not be buried with vs. For wee bee mortall creatures and as touching this world we doe but passe away and that very swiftly But we knowe that Gods truth indureth for euer Esa. 40.8 and therefore wee must so deale as that Gods woorde may continue and bee knowen and bee receiued of men from hand to hand euen after that wee be departed out of this worlde And those which haue any charge ought to bende themselues cheefely heereunto according to this saying of Saint Peter concerning the same matter I will cause you sayeth he to haue a remembraunce of my doctrine after that God shall haue taken mee out of this worlde 2. Pet 1.15 Although I liue not to speake to you any more with my mouth yet to discharge my duetie I must so deale y t when my mouth shal be shut and I shal be no more conuersant with you heere belowe to teach you yet the same doctrine which I haue brought vnto you may haue his course still so as you may keepe it to your benefite and edification For although fathers and mothers bee bounde to teache their children and maisters and mistresses to teache those that are vnder them and likewise the ministers of Gods woorde according as the Lorde hath called them to speake in his name are bounde to shewe the right way and to giue good example to other men yet notwithstanding we ought all generally to indeuour that all folkes may hearken to God and receiue his word and that not for two or three dayes onely but for euer Thus yee see to what purpose Moses hath saide heere that Fathers must trayne vp their Children in all the woordes of the Lawe Nowe hee saieth consequently To doe them and keepe them Heere Moses repeateth that which hee had spoken afore namely that our Lordes speaking vnto vs is not to the end wee shoulde alowe of his sayinges and confesse the same to bee true rightfull and iust but to trye our obedience Gods word then must reforme our lyfe for to that end and purpose is it spoken vnto vs. Neuerthelesse wee see howe many a one doe thinke themselues well discharged when they haue but ducked downe with their heades in token that they gainesaie it not And they thinke GOD to bee beeholden to them if they blaspheme not his doctrine and shewe not themselues to bee enemies to it but confesse the same to bee good and holy for they wilnot haue GOD to vrge them any further But that were too easie a market For if GODS woorde were preached but onely to the ende it shoulde bee receiued and confessed with the mouth to what purpose shoulde it serue when in the meane while euerie man might take the brydle in his necke and liue as though wee neuer had any rule of GOD Were it not an vnhallowing and defiling of the holy thinges and a disfeating of the power of GODS woorde Let vs beare well in minde therefore that if wee come hither to Sermons and yet continue still lyke our selues so as our lyfe bee not aunswerable to that which hath beene taught vs heere wee shal be dubble to blame bycause it is but a mocking and skorning of the doctrine of saluation when wee let it slip away and haue but our eares beaten with it without any touching of our heartes or any reforming of our liues thereafter What is to bee doone then Wee must vnderstande that GODS woorde is not named a Garde without cause for as much as men are lyke wretched beastes without discretion vntill God haue shewed them howe they ought to walke Yee see then that it is our Gard or defence And therefore if wee keepe Gods word we also shal be kept and garded thereby and we shal haue our bonds certaine so as we shal neuer erre while we liue and moreouer we shall haue wisedome to iudge betweene good aud euill And that is the cause why Moses saith Let your children keepe the woorde and againe let them obserue it True it is that wee can neither keepe Gods woord nor doe it vntill hee haue written it in our heartes But Moses presupposeth that God will shedde out his holy spirite vppon the people so they shut not the doore against him but bee readie to receiue the grace which our Lorde had promised them as wee haue seene heretofore 〈◊〉 30.14 where he sayth Behold the worde is nygh thee in thy mouth and in thy heart And not without cause doth Saint Paul say that this worde is the same which is preached in the Gospell 〈◊〉 10 16. bycause Gods speaking there is not to make a noyse in our eares onely but also to ingraue the doctrine in our heartes by his holy spirit which
they were not so greatly dismayed but that they had still an affection to serue God And soothly we shal diuers times see Gods seruauntes sore shaken and y t forasmuch as they be men they be moueâ— when there commeth any great tempest but yet for all that they do not vtterly quaile Euen so stoode the case with Moses and Aaron And for that cause is it saide in this place Thou trieddest him in Massa thou madest him to striue or contend at the waters of Meriba And in that respect did I say that this might be taken as though Aaron were taunted for not being obedient ynough vnto God at Meriba and for that hee sanctified him not by indeuouring himselfe as he ought to haue done Neuerthelesse it may also be noted as truth is that Aaron was tryed as in respect of men and that being so tried or tempted by men he was found faith full in that hee stoode so in contention with them For wee see not that he for his part murmured against God neither scaped there any worde of grudging from him Was hee caried with so diuelish rage as to say Shall we die heere for thirst No he would rather haue died a hundred thousand times than once haue opened his mouth to cast forth one word of murmuring against God What befel him then By reasoÌ„ of the spitefulnes of the people there was a fault committed For Aaron himselfe held alwayes on Gods side and therefore although he did amisse yet the same proceeded not of himselfe And it is the very same thing wherewith we haue seene Moses vpbraid the people saying that he himselfe was punished for their rebellions sake Deut. 1.17 You be the cause saith he that God hath disappointed me of going into the land of Chanaan Hee saieth not I am shut out of it for mine offence but hee casteth the people in the teeth with it saying you were the cause of it And so it is declared yet once againe in this place that Moses and Aaron ought not to be the lesse esteemed of the people nor the priesthood the lesse honoured for that there was some infirmitie in them which was faultie before God For therewithall they had also a wonderfull stoutnesse of minde which is ynough to stoppe the mouthes of all the worlde whereby Moses and Aaron shewed themselues faithfull at the same time so as a man might well see that what feeblenesse so euer was in them it could not cause them to be corrupted and caried away by the leawdnesse of the people or make them to forsake their charge but they continued in weldoing and stoutly withstoode all temptations and incounters shewing that their desire was nothing else but that God should haue his due deserued authoritie among the people and bee obeyed of all men Nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to vouchsafe to make vs perceiue them more and more and that hauing rid vs of all our wicked lusts he drawe vs fully to himselfe and that we may dayly profite and increase in his grace vntil y t being departed out of this world we be come to his heauenly glorie y t forasmuch as we be now a priestly kingdome 1. Pet. 2.9 it may please him to cloth vs with y e righteousnesse vncorruptnes of our Lorde Iesus Christ not in figure as the priestes of the Lawe were but by renewing vs in such wise by his holy spirite that although wee bee not perfect at the first day yet we may at leastwise attaine to that perfection which he calleth vs vnto That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and Nations of the earth c. On Wednesday the first of Iuly 1556. The CXCIIII sermon which is the fourth vpon the xxxiij Chapter 9 Which hath saide of his father and of his mother I haue not seene them nor hath knowen his owne brethren nor also hath knowen his owne children For they shall keepe thy sayings and obserue thy couenants 10 They shal teach thy iudgements vnto Iacob and thy Law vnto Israel They shal send vp perfumes to thy nosethrils and lay whole burnt offerings vpon thine Altar 11 O Lorde blesse his substance and make the worke of his hands pleasant vnto thee Breake the backebones of such as hate him that they may not rise vp against him WE be to proceed with the blessing of the tribe of Leuy which I began to declare yesterday I tolde you in fewe wordes that there Moses intended to stablish those whom God had chosen to bee his priestes because it was verie needefull to keepe them from contempt of the people least men might haue made none account of the doctrine which they were to deliuer vnto them and therefore it behoued them to be in good estimation as Gods seruaunts and representers of his person And that is the cause why Moses declareth that although Aaron was tried in Massa and suffered some trouble yet notwithstanding God ceased not to retaine him still in his seruice yea euen him and all his ofspring And nowe Moses sheweth whereunto God had called the house of Leuie and what was the office of the highpriest He saith first of al That they knew neither father nor mother that they had forsaken their owne Children and that they tolde their brothers they wiâ—t not who they were And that is to shewe that forasmuch as God had chosen them it behooued them to forget all thinges that they might giue themselues wholly vnto him Nowe wee knowe that when the Priestes were presented as all other oblations were Nomb. â— 10.11 men laide either their one hande or both their hands vppon them to betoken that they were no more at their owne libertie but that they were saÌ„ctified to such a vse as it behooued euery one of them to imploy themselues wholly to their office and to be altogether at the appointment of God True it is that the same condition is required of all the faithfull for we ought to bee dedicated vnto God in sacrifice Rom. 12. â— But yet must the preachers of the worde leade the daunce and consider themselues to bee double bounde yea and more straitly The thing then which Moses meant to betoken in this text is that seeing God had so highly honoured the tribe of Leuie as to haue them all to be his Priests it behoued them to forget both father and mother to be vnaddicted to their fleshly affections yea and to giue ouer eueÌ„ their owne children Not that God intended to alter the order of nature but to shewe that when the case standeth vppon the performance of their charge they must not bee turned from it by any worldly respect neither must any thing withholde them from executing throughly faithfully whatsoeuer God commaundeth them Now then he that will serue God must not forget his father mother by forbearing to do
what neede wee haue to hearken to his doctrin and to rest theron But there are a great many of fantastical persons which thinke it ynough for them to haue taken some tast of y e Gospel And thereuppon it commeth that the world is nowadayes so full of vngodlynes as is seene euery where insomuch that the most part of such as haue heard y e Gospel become dullards worldlings and naughtipackes euen like dogs skorning all religion or else lotting it slippe like water as they say so as they passe not to continue still brutish yea and vtterly fenslesse The world at this day is full of such vermin and doung And what is the cause thereof The foresaid Rechlesnes finally also pride where through a great number do beare themselues in hand y t they haue knowledge ynough to rule themselues wel that it is needlesse now to learne any more and y t euery man may gouerne himselfe as he lifteth By reason wherof doctrin is despised god is vnregarded and therfore he must needs withdraw his spirit from such folke So then let vs learne to submit our selues with all lowlynes and carefulnesse to y â— general rule which god hath set in his church euen for euer which is that there shoulde bee men which should haue the charge to teach vs and that we should hearken vnto them and by that meane continue fast knit together in the obedience of our faith with indissoluble bond become one body in verie deede agreeing al in Gods truth and in the pure Religion Marke it therefore for a speciall point that we haue then the true token that we be of Gods flocke and of his Church when his word is purely preached among vs and euery of vs doth quietly receiue the doctrine at the mouth of such as haue the charge to preach it And therewithall as I haue saide afore it behooueth those which are called vnto that state to looke well to themselues that they surmise not to theÌ„selues a fantasticall dignitie in this world to make theÌ„selues ydols For wherefore be we shepherds but to giue men the foode of life In respect whereof it behooueth vs to bring folke vnto God and to holde them still vnder his gouernment And that is vtterly vnpossible to be done vnlesse gods word doe sounde and ring loude and shirle in our mouthes so as folk may haue their eares beaten therewith and be dayly prouoked to come vnto God and to sticke vnto him with such firmnesse and constancy as wee may neuer start away againe For in all ages men haue misused y e things which were ordâ—ined for their welfare specially vnto the people of God We see howe the Priests themselues stepped away vnder the law That is y e cause why y e Prophets crie out against them Esay 56.10 that they be dumbe dogs y t they be blinde watchmen y t God had set theÌ„ as on a high stage or watchtowre to the intent they should keepe good watch for the preseruation of the people of the true Religion But they were blinde Again he wold haue their mouthes open to teach that whensoeuer they saw any misbehauiour they should crie out against it with open throat as it is said in y e Prophet Esay Esay 58.1 But they haue bin as dumbe dogs they haue done nothing but fill their bellies and as for the people they past not though they weÌ„t al to destruction decay We see then how y t vnder the Lawe the Priestes did wickedly abuse their vocatioÌ„ insomuch y t whereas they were vtterly corrupted yet neuerthelesse they would needes take vpon them to bee men of great valor be named Prelates of the Church Howbeit in y e end when God had well rebuked them he giueth definitiue sentence of condemnation vpon them by his Prophet Malachie who was y e last of them Malach. 2.6.7.8 No no saieth he pretend no more y e name of your father Leuie say not any more y t God hath chosen you to the dignitie of Priesthood for Leuie walked in the feare of God kept his law and the verie condition whereupon God called you is that the lawe should be in your mouth so as men might seeke for learning at your hands and you be as Gods messeÌ„gers and Angels But you haue corrupted and falsified all thinges And therefore I also doe renounce you and disclaime you After that maner did God speake to the priests of old time Likewise let not vs thinke it strange nowadayes that these horned beastes of the Popedome doe still vsurpe the title of Prelates and Bishoppes and will needes bee worshipped vnder colour of vaunting themselues to haue the gouernement of the Church which indeede is a starkâ— lye for it behooueth vs to consider whether they bee set vp by God or no or whether they haue thrust in themselues or no. They haue no sure grounde For as it is saide in the fifth Chapter to the Hebrewes Heb. 5.4 No man ought to take authoritie vppon him in the Church for it is not for any man to intrude himselfe but it behooueth vs to be called Certaine it is that our Lorde Iesus Christ declaring the will of God his father and his owne will also ordeined not dumbe folke thereunto which shoulde but vaunt themselues with a two-horned Myter and such other gewgawes Hee meant not to play a pageant that men shoulde disguise themselues and in the meane while no man know to what purpose those things serued Hee intended not that men shoulde play murlimewes as one that coulde wel skill to mocke at God and all his doctrine by making of Crosses and blessing of Altars Our Lorde Iesus Christ did not put forth any such defilementes in his Church but Satan corrupted all things And therefore they which at this day doe terme themselues Prelates in the Popedome cannot alledge that they be sent of God nor that they ought to haue any authoritie or credite in the name of Iesus Christ. For hee disclaimeth them because they haue not any likenesse to his institution Sith it is so we may boldly conclude that in Popery there is no Church at al but a hellish Synagogue and that whosoeuer medleth there or thrusteth himselfe in among them forsaketh Iesus Christ and cutteth himselfe off as a rotten member from his Church Loe at what point the Papistes are It may bee that they will call vs heretikes and Schismatikes as they doe indeede Yea but they bee not our Iudges and wee may boldly laugh at the sentence which they giue vppon vs as vaine For wee haue our warrant in heauen who alloweth vs and holdeth them as accursed For we know that the true marke of sheepeherds is to preach Gods worde that men may inquire at their mouth howe to behaue themselues according to Gods will knowing that it is hee which sendeth them vnto vs. And therefore whensoeuer wee haue the Gospell purely preached vnto vs and that wee
agree in vnitie of faith God doeth vs to vnderstande that hee dwelleth among vs and our Lorde Iesus Christ doeth then shewe himselfe to bee the heade of that whole bodie That is the thing which wee haue to gather vppon this text where it is saide that the children of Leuie shall keepe Gods couenant And why For else it might perish in the worlde according whereunto Saint Paul saieth 1. Tim. 3.15 that the Church is the Arch the Piller and the vpholder of Gods trueth And howe is that Because that men as I haue saide afore are so inclined to vanitie and leasings that they shoulde bee alienated out of hande from the pure Religion if they were held still by that meane The Church then is as a Gardian to Gods trueth to the intent it shoulde not bee dâ—rie away but that we should alwayes haue that light among vs and that wee might vnderstand that where preaching is there Gods voice ringeth in our eares so as if wee were neuer so sore shaken too and fro yet doeth God giue vs a sure stay wherewith to resist all temptations Yee see then how the keeping of Gods couenant is committed to the Leuits and generally to all such as haue the office of sheepherds among Gods people Moreouer for the better maintaining of the pure Religion it behooueth them to haue a zeale of Gods honour they must all their life long indeuour to maintaine the doctrine and therewithall they must haue their mouthes open to preach the worde that is committed vnto them to the ende that that treasure bee not lost nor buried but that all men may bee made partakers thereof They shall preach thy lawe then vnto Iacob and thy doctrine vnto Israel so as Gods worde must needes be published if we will shew our selues to bee a people dedicated vnto him Againe let vs marke also that heere is speciall mention made of Gods worde and of his lawe to doe vs to wit that God will not haue mens inuentions to reigne among his people but will haue men to hold themselues wholly vnto him and as yee would say to hang altogether vpon his mouth Nowe then the children of Leuie haue not here a libertie giuen them to forge lawes after their owne liking and to set foorth whatsoeuer they list as the Pope and al his haue done And it is to be seene yet still at this day howe the same tyrannie reigneth in such sort that whatsoeuer is termed by the name of Gods seruice in Poperie is but a confused heape of all manner of dotages whereunto euery man hath put to his peece and yet they cannot alledge one syllable of holy scripture to shew that God alloweth their doings But men haue stepped foorth through their owne diuelish rashnes haue made Lawes and Statutes to binde mens consciences vnder paine of deadly sinne and moreouer haue coyned articles of faith at their owne pleasure From whence then hath all the doctrine of poperie beene taken Not from the fountaine of y e truth but from the hellish stinking puddle of Satan where there is nothing but confusion Where haue they founde their praying vnto Sainctes but in their owne braine or rather that Satan hauing forged it in his shoppe hath besotted them therewith Againe where finde they any of the thinges which they speak concerning works of supererogation Merits the Apes toyes of their Masse and all their Ceremonies in generall It is certaine that al these things were set forth by men But contrariwise our Lorde hath tolde vs here that he meaneth not to haue those to put forth any thing of their owne whom hee hath appointed to beare abroade his worde For the commission which hee gaue to the Leuites was to set those thinges abroade which they had receiued of him and to deale them forth plainly and rightly to the people taking good heede that they did not alter or falsifie any thing And therefore let vs marke that wee shall then bee allowed for Gods people when our faith flittereth not after the lure of mortall men without knowing why wee beleeue but that wee rest wholly vppon God and that when wee knowe that wee haue his worde to rule vs by then will hee vpholde and auowe vs to bee his Church But yet must wee alwayes come backe to this that it is not ynough for vs to haue the lawe written and to haue Gods worde in our handes and to make a priuate reading thereof at home in our houses but the same worde must also bee preached and expounded vnto vs. And why so Because Gods will is that it shoulde be so and therefore wee must not dispute vppon it For why The order which God hath set among vs is not to bee broken Neither hath hee doone it without cause and iust reason as I haue saide alreadie considering the frailtie that is in vs and how easily wee be led to swarue aside Moses addeth heereunto That they shall put vp the perfume vnto the nosethrilles of the Lorde and lay the whole burnt offerings vppon his Altar This concerneth the Ceremonies For vnder the Lawe they had thinges which we haue not nowadayes namely the figures of the things which were fulfilled in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ. For the Priesthoode did vs to vnderstande that the people coulde not haue any accesse vnto GOD without some meane And when the people came to worshippe God and to offer sacrifices they helde themselues in y e outmost court There was the first part wherein they all held themselues and it was not lawfull for them to preace any further There was also y e sanctuarie for the priests and lodgings for the tribe of Leuie Also there was the great Sanctuarie whereinto the high-priest entered all alone with great solemnitie And all this serued to shewe yet more liuely the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ. But nowe all those things are come to an end For there is no more shadowing the veile as it is said is broken asunder and we haue the heaueÌ„ly sanctuarie wherunto we be called right forth and Iesus Christ hath set it open for vs. And so there needeth nowe no more burnt offering there needeth no more sacrifising for sinnes for our Lorde Iesus Christ hath by his one only sacrifice wiped away the sins of the world made an euerlasting attonement the vertue whereof can neuer be diminished As often then as we will preace vnto God it is not for vs to bring thither either calfe or sheep but we must resort to the bloudshed of our Lorde Iesus Christ because that thereby the euerlasting redemption is purchased vnto vs. Nowe we see wherein the Priestes of the olde lawe differed from vs. Yet notwithstanding those which are ordeined at this day to preach Gods worde ought to knowe that God will haue them to shewe the way in praying to him And to that ende serued the perfumes that were made in the Temple Let vs not thinke that God taketh
by the laying on of my handes be not hindered Saint Paul challengeth not to himselfe y e thing that is peculiar to the holy Ghost neither meaneth he that he had the holy Ghost in his sleeue to giue him to whom hee listed by the reaching out of his arme but hee sheweth vs that the signe which God had appointed vnto it was not vaine or vneffectuall Moreouer the same is to be considered more in all the Sacramentes whereof the Scripture speaketh than in all other signes that are to be had in the world I haue alreadie alleadged a similitude of y e deliuering of a fether or of a wand to him y t purchaseth an inheritance but there is yet much more in the Sacraments we must go yet one step higher Forthere our Lord worketh that by his power which men cannot doe True it is that when such a ceremonie is once done performed the lawe will maintaine a man in possession of the thing that he hath purchased howbeit that is not all For as I saide afore God performeth by the secret power of his spirite whatsoeuer hee sheweth and witnesseth to the eye So then wee must euer come to this point that the sacraments are effectuall that they be no trifling signes which vanish away in the aire but that the trueth is alwayes matched with them because that God who is faithfull sheweth that he hath not ordained any thing in vain And y t is the cause why y t in baptisme we receiue truly the forgiuenes of our sins we be washed and clensed w t the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ we be renewed by y e operation of his holy spirit And how so Hath a little water such power when it is cast vpon y e head of a child No But because it is y e will of our Lord Iesus Christ y t the water should be a visible signe of his bloud of y e holy Ghost therfore baptisme hath y t vertue whatsoeuer is there set forth to the eye is forth with accomplished in verie deede If wee come to the Lordes supper it is certaine that a little cantle of bread and a drop of wine cannot quicken our soules for they be corruptible thinges but therby we haue a record y t we be fed with y e body blud of our Lord Iesus Christ by y t record we know y t our Lord Iesus Christ sheweth y t will not deceiue vs in his promises nor holde vs downe with our nebbes in the water as they say but that he performeth all that euer is tolde vs there insomuch that when we come to that holy table we must assure ourselues that our soules are nourished with the spirituall foode which we see not and that our faith must mount vp vnto heauen there to be ioyned with our Lord Iesus Christ. Heere then wee haue to note that when the scripture speaketh vnto vs of the signes which we haue in vse according to Gods ordinaunce the very trueth of them is present with them And why For as I haue sayde our Lorde alloweth of our sayth in that behalfe shewing vnto vs that the thinges which proceede from him are not deceiueable And as we ought to be fully resolued heereof in the Sacramentes so let vs marke on the contrary part that when men inuent things of their owne heades without the ordinance of God they be but toyes and may-games and no better As for example in the Popedome they haue many signes which they would haue men to accept as hygh mysteries What a sort fonde thinges are in the Masse And yet if a man will beleeue them there is nothing which is not well worthy to bee commended They would haue it y t there they be as it were rauished vp among the Angelles when they play their pretie pageantes And yet all is but vtter vanitie and a blearing or daseling of mens eyes And why For if a man demaunde from whence those thinges come he shall finde that men forged them and that there is no warrant for them from God yea and euen we ourselues doe see that they haue defiled baptisme True it is that they could not vtterly dispatch it out of the way but that euen in spyte of their teeth and in spyte of Satan who stirreth them thereunto and reigneth ouer them yet still at this day our Lorde Iesus Christ hath brought to passe that his baptisme continueth still in his Church But yet we see howe it is infected with many spottes among the Papistes so as the baptisme it selfe is nothing in cōparison of the rest For they esteeme not a childe to bee baptised with the water as it is of it selfe but the water must bee charmed aforehande and it must haue coniurations made ouer it and then must other inuentions be mingled with it as Spittle Sault and Tapers a number of other gawdes which would make a man amased And what importeth all this Euery whit of it is but doung taken from Satan and held still and yet the Papistes set all their holinesse therein Againe they haue inuented Sacramentes of their owne brayne as their Sacrament of conformation as they terme it and their Sacrament of Anealing and al their other pelting toyes And to be short what else are all the Ceremonies which we see among them but vtter illusions of Satan Therfore let vs learne to discerne the thinges which God ordeyneth and alloweth by his worde from the thinges that men haue putfoorth at aduenture and after their owne fancies And let vs vnderstande that as Gods trueth is alwayes certaine and infallible so y e things that are brought vp by men can not proceede but of vntrueth and falshoode For they be gouerned by Satan who is the father thereof That is the thing in effect which we haue to beare in minde And let vs marke further that when men are chosen to gouerne Gods Church so it be by orderly proceeding according to his word they shal be guyded and gouerned by him and hee will furnish them with his gratious gifts as farre as shal be needefull for them and whereas wee perceiue not nowadayes the thinges by experience which are contayned heere it is by reason of our vnbeleefe and leaudnesse For had wee such order of election as ought to be in choosing ministers to preach Gods worde and that wee went about it with such reuerence as is requisite with calling vpon the name of God with obseruing the order in such sort as hee hath set it downe by his worde and againe if the like were done in the choosing of magistrates and officers of Iustice It is certaine that GOD also would shedfoorth the gratious giftes of his holy spirite and we should see that his blessing should not be vayne in those elections But what Because we be oftentimes puffed vp with presumption and euery man deales after his owne fancie and a great sort of vs neuer passe for the obseruing of the thinges
chastised by the hand of God 1160. b all A Comfort for vs if we see gods Church scatered c. 168. b 50 A Comfort to them that are afflicted for their sinnes 1047. a 20. c. 1048. a 30.40.50.60 b 10.20 The Comfort of the faithfull in their distressed state 1007. a 50.60 b 20.1008 al. The true Comfort of wretched sinners when God scourgeth them 155. a 20 What is the Comfort that wee haue in afflictions 155. b 50 Why we haue to Comfort our selues in all the temporall punishmentes which God sendeth vs. 1237. a 10.20 How God doeth Comfort his seruants when they complaine of their calamitie and the prosperitie of the wicked 1168. b 30.40.50.60 Who they be vnto whome the Lorde promiseth Comfort 1170. a 30.40.50 Commaund Howe we ought to bethinke ourselues when God doth Commaund vs any thing 871. b 10.20 The reason of these words of God spoken with authoritie I Commaund thee to do so 871. a 40.50 What wee haue to do when God doth CoÌ„mand vs any thing that seemeth hard and vnpossible vnto vs. 889. a 50.60 b 10 If God doeth enioyne and Commaund a thing to be done it must be done without gainsaying 327. a 40 What we must doe when the thing that God doth Commaunde vs seemeth strange 327. a 60. b 10 Commandement What was the first Commandement y t God gaue y e Iewes when they shold be come into the promised land 490. b 10.20 How the Papistes prooue that these words of Christ Do good to your enemies is no Commaundement but a counsell 771. a 50.60 b 10.20 The Commaundement Thou shalt not kill expounded 777. a 10.20.30 Howe that part of the third Commandement where mention is made of men seruantes and women seruants is to be vnderstood 209. b 40.50 The tickelishnâ—s of our nature in doing Gods Commandement 54. a 10 How God will haue his Commaundement receiued of vs when hee sendeth the same by men 56. a 10 It shall not boote vs to doe anie thing without Gods Commaundement 54. b 10.20 Of Gods Comnaundement forbidding the Iewes the vse of Gold Siluer Read that 344. a 40.50.60 b 10 Vntill when we shall not be able to doe Gods Commandement 479. b. 60 What is the first Commandement in y e law that hath anie promise 217. a 40 Whether it were manslaughter in Iehu to haue executed the CoÌ„mandemeÌ„t of God Read that place 329. b 20 To what end a promise was added to the first Commandement of the second table 217. b 10 The fourth Commaundement confirmed by the seuenth yeres solemnitie among the Iewes 573. a 50 How men haue conspired to doe contrarie to gods CoÌ„mandemeÌ„t 62. b 20 Notable doctrine vppon these wordes According as the Lorde had giuen Commandement 84. b 10.20 Commandements The 156 157.158.159 Sermons conteine certaine specified plagues denouÌ„ced against the breakers of gods Commandements By what meanes God prouoketh vs to the keeping of his CommaÌ„dements 464. b 50.60 What God intended to doe vnder the ten Commandements 202. a 10 What should sharpen our desire to follow Gods CoÌ„mandements 207. a 10 Whereof we ought to assure our selues so oft as Gods Commandementes seeme harde vnto vs. 207. a 20.30 Read the doctrine vpon these words If they child aske here after what these CoÌ„mandements meane c. 297. a al The meaning of these words The keeping of gods Commandements shal be imputed to men for righteousnes before God 300. a 60. b all If a man looke no further than Gods Commaundements there is nothing but cursing 131. a 40.50 We must not onelie put Gods Commandements in executioÌ„ but keepe them to do them 488. a 40.50 Wee must submit our selues to Gods Commandements in al cases in al respectes without gainsaying 523. b 30.40 Moses sheweth vs how we should keep Gods Commandements 317. b 10.20 How the Papistes storme when we say that God must be serued simplie according to the trueth of his Commandements 543. b 60.544 a 10 Why before there is anie speech of the keeping of Gods Commandements loue is set downe in the first place 137. b 30.40.50 God auoweth all such as breake his CoÌ„mandements to be his enemies and why 320. b 10.20 To loue God and keepe his Commandements are thinges vnseparable 192. b 60 Gods doing of good to such as keep his Commandements is not of bound duetie of what then 193. b 10 What we must doe to go through with Gods Commandements 108. a 30 What wee haue to learne when God matcheth promises with CommaÌ„dements 111. b 50 How we shall be hardie enough to obey Gods Commandements 74. b 40 The manifold and great impediments that hinder vs from obeying Gods Commandementes 75. a 20.30 The promise of Gods blessing is tyed to the performing of his Commandements 483. b 20 What we haue to learne in that God added not anie thing to the sentences of the ten Commandementes 249. b 10.20.30.40.50.60 The suÌ„me of the ten Commandements 251. b 10.20.30 Notable doctrine vpon these wordes Lay vp my Commaundementes in thy heart and in thy soule 473. b 40.50.60 Why God pretendeth to wishe in men the keeping of his Commandements and Lawes 260. a 10.30 Why God hath reduced his lawe into ten Commandements 472. b 40 Why God addeth promises to his Commandements 340. b 40.50.60 347. a 10 Of the papistes pretended humilitie in obseruing the Commandements of their church 389. b 10.20.30.40 Whether it be in mans power to fulfill the Commandements of God 1052. a b 50.60.1053 a al. Notable doctine vppon these wordes Keepe al the Commandements 693. b 50.60 That none can fulfill the Commandements in all points what we must doe towards the fulfilling of y e same 694. a 10 Whereto the Commaundementes of God doe tend and howe wee maie keepe them 694. a 20 40. c. Ciuill gouernment is not to preiudice y e ten Commandements or to change anie thing in them 834. b 40.50.60.835 a 10 Iesus Christ hath kept the Commaundemeâ—ts for vs. 947. a 30 Diuerse amiable promises wherby God allureth vs to the obseruing of his Commaundements Reade the 153 and 154 Sermon The Commandements of God which serue but for a time are not to be obserued for euer as for examples 919. a 40.50 Of our knowing of Gods commaundements what it must be not be 911. a 40 What it is y t maketh vs so many wayes to transgresse Gods Commaundements 905. a 50.60 Of walking according to Gods CoÌ„mandements and whether it be in mans power to performe such a work 905. all 906. all How God will haue vs keepe his Commandements is shewed by a similitude 999. a 20.30 The ten Commaundements laid vp in the sanctuarie 1099. a 20. Looke Law and Word Comming What we haue to gather of gods Comming foorth for the people 1187. a 50.60 Gods grace shed foorth throughout all the world by the Comming of Christ 4. b 10 Of Comming vnto God and presenting our selues before him 914. all 915.
they haue beene taught the Gospell purelie 522. b 30 The state of such as when they haue hearde the Gospell will not beleeue it 462. a 30 What we deserue if wee fall from the Gospell 431. a 20. and what we must doe in that frailâ—e of ours ibidem 40.50 The reason why the pretious seede of the Gospell perisheth nowe adayes 474. a 10.20 Howe the Gospell is vnhallowed nowe a dayes 119. a 10.20.30 c. The behauiours of most men after they haue beene taught by the Gospell 149. b 50.60 In what case we be so long as we abide in the simplicitie of the Gospel 530. b 20.30 What we haue to learne by the preaching of the Gospell vnto vs in the name of Iesus Christ. 487. a 30. In what respectes we that haue receyued the doctrine of the Gospell shal be lesse excusable than the Papistes 485. a 30 The lawe and the Gospell compared 131. a 30.40.50 Of the power of the Gospell which it hath to transforme vs. 474. a 10. b 10.20 In what respect the Gospell is called the message of peace 726. b 30.40 Howe they that haue profited in the Gospel may assure theÌ„selues 121. b 10 What inurie wee doo to our selues by forsaking the Gospell 312. b 60. Looke Scriptures Trueth Word Gouerne Men cannot Gouerne themselues except they haue superiours to guide them 622. a 10 The duetie of such to whom God hath giuen charge to Gouerne his people 406. b 60. 407. a 10. c. 1179. a 10. Gouernment The right of GouernmeÌ„t god reserueth to himselfe Looke how 118. a 40.50 They that peruert the order of Gouernment being called to doe their duetie shall be double blamed 21. b 10 The tyrannicall Gouernment of the Pope and his cleargie noted 113. a 10.20 Necessarie doctrine touching the dinrection of Moses his speech to Iosue this concerneth Gouernment 96. a 50.60 b 10 What we haue to vnderstande so often as there is anie talke of earthlie Gouernment 620. a 30.40.50.60 The meanes to establishe a good order of Gouernment 639. a 10 What things are required in him that hath the Gouernment of a people 650. a 40.50 Gouernment Ciuill Of the rule of ciuill Gouernment and whereto it leadeth men 835. all They are accursed that stande not in awe of ciuill Gouernment 929. b 50.60.930 a 10 What great account God maketh of ciuill Gouernment 643. a 10 Why God established no perfectnesse of ciuil Gouernment among y e Iewes 12. a b 60.841 b 40 To what end ciuill Gouernment is ordeined vpon earth 872. a 30.40.50 60 Howe it came to passe that God would haue the Priesthoode intermedle with ciuill Gouernment 640. a 20.30.40.50 Why we ought to loue the state of ciuil Gouernment and reuerence it 639. a 40.50 Generall admonitions to al such as are vnder ciuill Gouernment 646. b 50 60 Ciuill Gouernment is not to preiudice the ten commaundementes or to change anie thing in them 834. b 40.50.60 835. a 10 Reasons of perswasion mouing vs to be contented with ciuill Gouernment 642. a 50. b 50.60 The order of ciuill Gouernment is a thing that God alloweth 638. a 50 Gouernment Ecclesiasticall Of spirituall Gouernment ordeyned in the Church by God 21. b 20.30.1243 b all The notable Gouernment of y e church established at this day howe it serueth vs. 41. a 40.50 A note to bee obserued in the spirituall Gouernment of the Church 94. b 60 95. a 10 Of the Gouernment of the Church of such as impugne the same Reade most notable doctrine 460. b al. 461. a all 1245. b 10.20.30.1246 a 40. c. b 10.20 Of a point of high treason against God touching ecclesiasticall Gouernment 945. a 50.60 Gouernours What we must marke in them whom we choose to be Gouernours officers c. The necessitie of good Gouernours ouer people 96. a 50.60 b 10.1074 a 20.30 Manie Gouernours come short of the perfection that was in Iosua 107. b 50.60 Gouernours are greatlie bounde vnto men but much more strâ—itelie to God 18. b 20 God hath taken Iudges and Gouernors neere to himselfe and howe 19. b 30 Grace We haue more cause to magnifie Gods Grace than had the Fathers in the time of the law 423. a 40 Christ vttereth his Grace nowe adaies by the Preaching of his Gospell how 405. a 10.431 b 40.50.60 Howe we shall aunswere to the Grace that God sheweth vs. 347. a 40 Of a seconde Grace which God giueth vs for the fulfilling of his will 566. b 50 The ende whereunto God continueth his Grace towardes vs. 171. b 50 The most excellent Grace which God vouchsafeth vs. 132. b 40.50.60 133 a 10 What will betide vs if wee abuse Gods Grace 143. a 50.154 a 10.122 a 60. b 10 It would not be good for vs to haue our fill of Gods Grace as wee faine would and why 106. b 10 Of a third Grace which God vseth vnto vs. 112. b 10 God after he hath allured vs by gentlenesse addeth a seconde Grace 112. b 10 Circumstances inferred for the magnifying of Gods Grace 89. a 60. b 10. c. 90. a 10. Howe the keeping of the lawe sent the Iewes backe to the Grace of Christ Reade that place 302. a 10.20 To what ende the offering of Gods Grace vnto vs doeth tend 11. a 20 Gods Grace reacheth to all men and is common to all ages 9. b 30 The Iewes vpbraided with the Grace that God had giuen them 289. a 30.40.50 Looke Fauour and Loue. Graces Two distinct Graces noted which God bestoweth vpon vs the one in preuenting the other in inlightning vs. 422. a 50.60 and b 10.20 c. 423. a all God giueth not his graces indifferently to all men 166. a 40. Looke Benefits and Blessings and Gifts Grapegathering Lawes ordeined for Grapegathering and the meaning of them 832. a 60.833 a 10. c. Looke Vintage Graue What these words that Moseses Graue is vnknownen vnto this day do teach vs. 1240. a 20.30.40.1237 b 10.20.30.1138 a 60 Of Michael the archangel who fought with the diuell about the Graue of Moses 1237. b 10.20.30.1239 a 10.20.30 The childe is in the mothers wombe as in a Graue 39. b 10 Of going to the Graue and who cannot away therewith 35. b 60. 36. a 10 What is meant by going to the Graue dying with Christ. 36. a 10. Looke Buriall Graues Of the Graues of lust what doctrine we are to gather thereof 411. a 50 Great What is Moseses meaning in terming God Great 446. a 40 Greeue What it is to Greeue the spirite of God 1057. a 10.20.1149 a 50.60 b 10.20.1154 b 30.40.50.60.1155 a 10.20 H. Hallowing Of Hallowing our houses and how that ceremonie was vsed among the Iewes 719. a 10.20 c. b 10. Looke Sanctifie and Houses Hand Gods meaning in forbidding vs to bow to the right Hand or to the left 262. b 20.30 c. Why Saint Peter termeth the Hand of God a
Moses forget his duetis 50. a 10.20 Murmuring against God punished with death 42. b 60.71 b 50 Notable doctrine vpon the Murmuring of the Israelites against God 33. b 10.20.30.40.50.60 and so forward 34. b 20.30 We also as well as the Iewes fell a Murmuring and grudging against God 34. b 30 Murther The horriblenesse of Murther set forth by the striking off of a heckfers head 741. a 30.40 Of the worde Murther and of what large signification the same is 737. a 40.50 516. a 60. b 10. 686. a 60 Of wilfull Murther done of conceiued hatred and rancour 696. a 60. b 10 An obiection answered for the excusing of the heathen who honoured their ydols with the Murther of their children 523. b 10.20 It is not for nought that God forbiddeth Murther Reade why 219. a 60 b 10. 172. a 20.30.40.50 In what respectes we are guiltie of Murther before God 516. b 20 Howe men should deale to come to the truth of thinges in a case of Murther 175. b 40.50.60 b 10 Why God setteth downe the worde Murther expresly in the commandement 219. a 40.50 The right readie way to condemne Murther in another 173. b 20 The law Thou shalt do no Murther expounded 777. a 10.20.30 The intent and purpose of Murther howe it is to be punished 221. a 60. b 10 What thinges are condemned for Murther before God 221. b 30.40 What God sheweth vs on the contrary part in forbidding vs to Murther 221. b 60 Why God forbad Murther before hee came to commaund charitie 223. a 30.40 Murther cannot be committed but the land must therewith be defiled 220. a 20. 740. b all He that helpeth not his neighbour at his neede doth what he can to Murther him 222. b 20.30 Looke manslaughter Murthers God curseth whole countries for suffering of Murthers 172. b 10.20 Notable doctrine when Murthers are freely committed for want of good execution of iustice 692. b 10 What Murthers are wilfull in Caluines iudgement 172. b 30.40 173. a 10 20 Why it is sayde that the bloud shall be vpon a whole nation when men haue not beene held short that they might not commit Murthers 691. a 50.60 b 50.60 692. a 10. Looke Manslaughters Murtherer Why GOD speaketh in such plaine wordes Thou shalt not bee a Murtherer 219 a 10.20.30 Why Saint Iohn calleth him a Murtherer that hateth his neighbour in his heart 221. a 30.40 173. a 50 Notable euidences to conuince a Murtherer his offence beeing neuer so much cloked 145. b 40.50.60 b 10 The solemne protestation that a Iudge must make if a Murtherer bee not founde 172. b 20 It is a heynous crime to let a Murtherer escape vnpunished when hee is knowen 173. a 10. Looke Manslear Murtherers That we must not be Murtherers reade page 218. b 50.60 and so the whole sermon The Rabbins say that the soules of Murtherers do aske vengeance continually at Gods hande till they haue had iustice doone thē 692. a 10 God will haue Murtherers that haue violated his image executed by iustice and why 173. a 30 What account we must make of Murtherers and bloudshedders 173. a 40.50 Note whom God accounteth Murtherers 219. a 50.60 689. a 50. Looke Manslears Musters These words of the Psalmist In the day of the Musters which the king shall make whom God hath set ouer vs expounded 721. b 10. c. Of the day of Christes Musters howe long the same lasteth and how often he doeth exercise his Musters in vs. 722. a 10 Mysteries Howe we must behaue ourselues when Gods holy Mysteries come in question 199. b 20. Looke Secrets N Naked Of stripping our selues Naked which is done by committing of sinne 1151 b 30.40 Name of God Gods holy Name abused with swearing Reade howe 287. a 10.20 Gods Name must not be tossed among vs like a tennise ball 195. b 10 What we do acknowledge by swearing by Gods Name 194. b 20.285 b 40 Of taking Gods holy Name in vaine Reade page 194. and so forwarde the whole sermon through 284. b al 285. a all 287. a 10.20 Caluine sheweth howe Gods Name trotteth about like a post horse 195. a 30 What is the lawefull meane whereby wee may rightly vse the Name of God 194. a 40. 198. a 20.30 What we haue to doe whensoeuer wee speake or bee spoken to in Gods Name 119. b 50.60 286. b 30 How we prophane or vnhalow the holy Name of God 194. b 10 The Name of the Lord as much to say as the maiestie of the Lorde 661. a 10 The cause why Iacob a litle before his death said Let my Name be called vpon ouer Ephraim and Manasses 417. b 10.20.30 Of sanctifying Gods Name what is meant therby and how Moses offended in the neglect thereof 1182. b 30 40.50.60 198. b 10.20.30 In what cases wee may defie all them that cloke themselues vnder the gay mantle of Gods Name 684. b all Whensoeuer wee falsly pretende the Name of God for a colour our fault is double 543. a 60. b 10 Why God saieth he will choose a speciall place to put his Name in 509. b 20.30.40 894. all The Name of God is an inuincible foretresse 335. b 40 The wretched worlde hath beene beguiled vnder pretence of Gods Name and how 682. b 10.20.30 How GOD will vse vs for abusing his Name 195. a 50.60 197. a 50.60 b 10.20 We be not worthie to take Gods Name in our mouth after any maner at all and why 194. a 20 30 God taketh it as a kinde of his seruice when men sweare by his Name 194. b 10 In what cases God vouchsafeth vs the vse of his Name 194. a 50.60 195. b 10 Name or fame and Good name What regarde we haue of the Name of a man whom we haue in estimation 195. a 20 What we haue to note vpō these words The Name of such a man shal be rased out from vnder heauen 1038. a 10.20.30 What we must doe if we haue a care of our Good name 786. b 60. 787. a 10 That the Good name of a man woman is to bee maintained and the slanderers thereof to be punished 785. b all Nation The meaning of these wordes I will prouoke you by a Nation that is no nation 1136. a 50.60 b all 1137. al 1138. b all Looke Heathen Nations Notable doctrine vppon this speeche Thou shalt not followe after the Gods of the Nations 288. b all Gods foure hundred yeeres forbearance of destroying diuerse Nations for their abhominations 303. b 40.50.60 Gods commanding that these Nations should not be suffered nor reserued aliue was not for naught and why 307. a 30 Fewe Nations enioy the like benefit as God hath bestowed on vs. 153. a 10 How maliciously the Iewes considered these wordes Ye shall reigne ouer many Nations 580. a 30. Looke Heathen Nature of God and of man God of his
10. Looke Couenants Promise of man What sinne is committed when a Promise bounde with an oth is broken 94. a 50.60 Of the Promise made in Marriage and of how great importance it is 789. b 10 Howe farre foorth men keepe touch in the thing that they Promise 94. a 10 Looke Couenant Promises of Men. When and by what default there wil alwaies bee some fainednesse in our Promises 94. a 10 The deceitfulnesse of men notwithstanding their Promises neuer so autentically made 94. a 40 Prophesie both true and false Howe â—he Iewes make their boast of the gift of Prophesie and why the same was giuen them 682. b 50.60 Two places touching the Prophesie of false Prophets comming to passe and not comming to passe reconciled 534. a 30.40.50.60 and b all Of Ieremies Prophesie touching the Iewes captiuitie in Babylon howe Homaniah went about to discredite and scorne the same 534. a 60. and b all Whether the Diuell can Prophesie or no. 533. b 50.60 534. a 10 Prophesies The blessinges that Iacob and Moses gaue the twelue tribes were Prophesies 1212. b 10. and a 20.30.40 What we must doe that wee maie not bee deceiued as in respect of particular Prophesies 533. b 10 All Prophesies performed in Christ to which intent he came 674. b 50.60 Prophet Vnto what Prophet we must not hearken and vnto whome these wordes appertaine 529. b 30.40.50.60 c. That a Prophet maie saie something that shall come to passe afterwarde and yet neuerthelesse not haue the more warran to be taken for a seruant of God 535. a 20.30 Howe euill Ieremie the Prophete was intreated for telling the trueth 538. a 60. b 10.20.30 Not the title onelie but the effect also of a Prophet must bee had and what that is 678. a 60. and b 10.677 a 20 Of a true Prophet and a false the differences of both and infallible tokens to knowe them 680. b 50.60 534. a all and 535. a 10 The meaning of Moses by these words God will raise vs vp a Prophet 664. a 20.30.40.50.60 â— 10. c. 665. a 10. 674. b 20.30 Howe Moseses wordes Yee shall obey the Prophet are meant 666. a 50.60 Notable doctrine vpon these wordes The man that will not heare y e Prophet shall die without release 675. a 30. c. Christ the great and cheefe Prophete promised to the Iewes 665. b 30. 642. a 40 False Prophet Howe a False Prophete preuailed against a true Prophet and withstood him to his facâ— 538. b 10.20.30 Howe we bee affected when the thing that a false Prophet saith to vs doth come to passe 531. a 10. and what we must do in such a case ibidem 20 Though a False Prophet speake the truth yet is not that a warrant that his doctrine is true 681. a. 30. Notable doctrine vpon these wordes Thou shalt not be afraide of such a False Prophet 684. a 20.30 Of a False Prophete that spake in as excellent a stile and manner of speech as could be of Gods vnchangeable truth 804. b 60. and 805. a 10.30.40 Prophetes Against such as holde that there is no more neede of the law and the Prophetes 463. a 30.40.50 God will haue vs to sift the Prophetes whether they teach aright or no. 677. b 50.60 and 678. a 10 To what ende God raiseth vp Prophetes and their charge 677. a 50.60 Why wee haue no Prophetes nowe adaies to tell vs of things to come by speciall reuelation 681. b 60. 682. a 10 Howe the true Prophetes did set them selues against the False Prophetes 681. b 10.20 What the Prophetes would saie when they meant to proue that they were sent of God 681. a 50. Example of Ieremie ibid. 60. b 10 Of the office of Prophets and in what pointes the same consisted 679. b 40 50.60 Ministers of the Church are in the same degree that the Prophets were and how 666. a 20.30 All the Prophetes tooke their end in Christ and he made a perfect conclusion of all 666. a 10 No more Prophetes in Israell after the time of Zacharie and Aggeus 665. b 40 That there shall be Prophetes alwaies in Gods Church 665. a 30 That God will raise vp Prophetes from time to time among the people and to what intent 665. a 10.20.30 and 67â— all What Christ meant by this saying That Iohn Baptist excelled all the Prophetes 675. b 50.60 676. a 10 Moses and his fellowe Prophetes were but seruantes and how 674. b 40 The Iewes were destitute of Prophets from Malachies time till the comming of Christ. 1247. a 40. b 10 Moses excelled all the Prophetes that were to be founde in Israell why 1246.30.40.50.60.1247 al. False Prophetes What ought to bee our refuge when there rise vp neuer so manie False Prophets among vs. 527. b 50.60.529 a 50.60 b 10 Of False Prophetes who they bee and howe wee must withstande them 528. b. 40.50.60 and 530. a 30. and 531. a 30 The order that False Prophets true Prophets vse in their admonitions doe differ and how 534. b 40.50 The offence of False Prophetes aggrauated by comparison 536. a 60. and b 10.20.30 and 537. b 10.20 Remedies for the rooting of False Prophetes and heretikes out of the Church 536. a 20.30.40.50.60 Why God setteth downe a lawe for False Prophetes 679. a 30 Howe it commeth to passe that False Prophets doe sometimes speake the truth 680.50 b. 60. 681. a 10.20 Tokens whereby to discerne False Prophetes aright 679. b 40.50.60 Two sorts of False Prophets set downe by the Lord himselfe 682. a 60. and b 10 Howe God will turne the sayings of the False Prophetes into the contrarie 682. a 40.50 The pride and presumption of False Prophetes noted and condemned 683. a 30.40.50.60 The cause why Moses saith that he wil discouer False Prophets 682. a 10.20 False Prophetes or teachers that goe about to seduce Gods people from the right waie compared to bitter rootes 1032. a 50. b all 1033. a b all To what ende God suffereth False Prophets to bee stirred vp by Satan to sowe their daâ—nell among vs. 533. a 10 Prosper Howe a man should bethinke himselfe if he would Prosper in his owne person 952. b 50.60 953. a 10.20 948 b 50.60 How it is not alwaies perceiuable that God doeth prosper them that serue him and why 324. b 60. 325. a 10 The way how to Prosper all our life loÌ„g 482. a 50.519 a 20. 551. a 30.40 345. b 10.20 How we seeke and intend to Prosper as it were in despite of God and of the ende of our drifts therein 518. b 10.20 What a kinde of contentation we must haue if God list to Prosper vs. 355. b 40 What wee haue to learne when God promiseth to Prosper vs if wee serue him 347. a 10. Looke Blessed Prosperitie Prosperitie a good trial to bewray what is in mens hearts see howe 349. a 10 From whence all manner of Prosperitie
among all the Tribes 496. b 50 What the Iewes might haue alledged for their owne aduancement against the Tribe of Iuda 496. b 10.20.30.40 The punishment of the Tribe of Leui turned into an honour 658. a 10 Tribes Why the townes of the Leuits were appointed of God to bee dispersed among the Tribes 508. a 10.20.30.40 50.60.513 a 60 The twelue Tribes had euerie one his portion to inherite in the lande of Chanaan 496. The Tribes of Ephraim and Manasses refused 496. b 40 Two Tribes put in steede of one to make vp twelue for the diuiding of the lande of Chanaan into twelue portions 568. b 10 The Tribes of Leui and Iuda priuileged the one more notably than the other and both aboue all the other Tribes 658. a 10.20 The rest of the Tribes hauing their portions ceased not to grudge against the Priestes and Leuites 656. b 50.60 657. a 40 The blessings of Moses vpō the twelue Tribes with their expositions Read sermons 192.193.194.195.196.197 What wee haue to note vppon these wordes God shall cut such a man off from among the Tribes of Israel 1038. a 40.50.60 b all What wee haue to learne by this that God woulde choose a place for his sanctuarie in one of y e twelue Tribes 509. b 10 How the twelue Tribes were diuided and the Leuites standing in y e midst whiles curssing and blessing were vttered of either side 922. b 60.923 a 10 Tributes Tributes allowed to be laide vpon vanquished or subdued cities 725. b 10 20. and what instructions wee are to gather thereby ibidem 30.40.50 60. c. Triumph The Triumph of Christ set forth vpon his crosse 764. b 40.50.60.765 a all Looke Victorie Trouble Against such as Trouble molest the church and that God will take vengeance of them in due time 798. b 40 50.60.799 all How a poore sillie man that is in anguish and Trouble of minde shoulde be comforted how he should bethinke himselfe 717. b 50.60 What wee haue to doe when wee feele such Trouble of minde in our selues that we cannot be comforted again out of hand 714. a 60. b 10.20.30 Looke Affliction Troubles The cause why wee see the worlde infected with so many Troubles errours 538. a 30.40.50 Why God doth exercise vs with Troubles in this life 368. a 60. and b 10.20 340. b 30.40 Through whose fault it is that God doeth not deliuer vs from all Troubles out of hand 340. a 40.50 Looke Chastisements True What we haue to learne in that God is said to be True 1108. a 60. b 10.20.30 Looke Faithfull Vpright Trust in God What trust God will haue vs yeld vnto his word 528. a 20.30.374 a all Reasons of proofe that wee haue no Trust in Gods alsufficiencie 595. a 10 How the Israelites might haue emboldened themselues with Trust that God would not faile thē 86. a 40.50 Words of great comfort for the confirming of our Trust in Gods helpe 87. b 30.40 The worlde vseth the words Faith and Trust vprightly how 87. a 60 An in separable bonde betweene Gods promises and the Trust that we haue in him 87. a 50 Vpon what Trust wee may be bolde to come vnto God in prayer 101. a 10 An exhortation to put our Trust in god in respect of his promises c. 335. b 30.40 The mightifull force of perfect Trust in God 335. a 10.20 Vntil what time wee cannot put any Trust in God 337. a 60 Into what extremities wee fall because wee put not our Trust in God 1077. a 10 Wee cannot exceede measure of Trust in God 147. a 40.50 Trust in men creatures Why no man should beguile himselfe vpon Trust of men 37. b 20 That it is not for vs to put our Trust in any worldly munition or defence but in God only 996. all Of a diuelish Trust that men haue in the things that they possesse 583. b 60.584 a 10 Trueth of God God is the author of Truth and wil bee the warranter thereof 5. a 10. b 30 We reply against Gods Truth as thogh he were not faithfull 26. a 40.50 What kind of truth gods Truth is which endureth for euer 22. b 20 How much honour wee should yeeld to Gods Truth 28. a 10 Gods Truth is not to bee measured by time 25. b 50.60 How farre foorth wee must be inquisitiue of Gods Truth 33. a 50.60 God suffereth not his Truth to fall to the grounde or to die without effect 44. a 10 The carelesnes of such as should maintaine Gods Truth 113. a 30 Gods Truth doeth not die with men 25. b 40 If God haue once taught vs his Truth it ought to suffice vs why 370. b 10.30 How the church is said to be the piller of Gods Truth 253. a 20.30.40 God giueth them ouer which turne away frō the Truth 404. b 10.147 a 20 That euen among the heathen there remained alwayes a remnant of the Truth 1095. b 60.1096 a 10 Of Gods Truth and what wee haue to gather by that title ascribed vnto him 1108. b all 1109. a all 177. b 30.40.26 a 50 Houshoulde enimies of the Truth noted farre worsse than the Papistes 129. b 40.50 It is a falsification of Gods Truth whēsoeuer men make any counterfeit of God 135. a 30 What the Iewes ought to haue done in so much as they were taught the Truth 149. b 10 The rewarde of such as would not obey the Truth 153. b 30 How and in what sort God will haue vs to learne his Truth 177. b 30.40 Wee cannot deuise to doe a greater outrage to God than to abolish or deface his Truth 194. b 50 Gods Truth being vnuariable is contained in the law 181. a 20 How wee must endeuour to get knowledge of the Truth 298. a 10.20.40.50 To what end God hath called vs to the knowledge of the Truth 300. a 40 How wee confirme Gods Truth to our saluation 487. a 10 That it is not enough for a mā to haue some taste of Gods Truth but a further matter is required Looke what 493. b 60.494 a 10 Howe wee must arme our selues against the open and secret enimies of gods Truth 528. b 50.60 529. a b all Looke Gospell Scripture and Word of God Trumpets Of the feast of Trumpets 612. a 10.613 b 10 Of what things the Iewes were warned when they heard the Trumpets 613. b 30.40 What kinde of Trumpets we should be that are Christians 613. b 50.60 Looke Feasts Turkes The Turkes cut off from Gods church through their owne fault 124. a 50 The Turkes haue some reuerence of their religion 124. a 50 Turne Without what it is vnpossible for vs to haue any desire to Turne vnto God 1050. b 50 To Turne to the right hande and to the left Read what is thereby meant 262. b 30.40.50.60 263. a 10 God doth Turne mens hearts maketh them to be inflamed with hatred 80. b 20 God doth Turne the hearts of men to gentlenes when
he listeth and how 81. b 50.60 Against such as Turne the children of God out of the right way and the diuerse meanes which they vse in that behalfe 888. b 50.60 Turning Of a rebellious Turning away vnto wickednes 471. b 10 Of Turning away our hearts from God and his Truth a 30.40.50.60 b all Of conuersion or Turning to GOD by meanes of afflictions 1040. b all 1050. a all What the worde Conuersion or Turning importeth 1058. a 10. Looke Conuersion Tyrannie What Ezechiell meaneth by the Tyrannie of Babylon 153. a 50.60 Whereof wee haue to assure our selues when fathers vse Tyrannie to their children 218. a 10 A description of the Tyrannie that was exercised on the Iewes during their thraldome in Aegypt 34 a 40 The Tyrannie of the pope his clergie noted 113. a 10.20 For the maintenance of what Tyrannie the Papistes fight at this day 21. b 60 Tyrannies The true and verie cause why so manie Tyrannies are crept into the worlde 16. a 50 Tyrant An example of Dionyse the Tyrant whose whole life was a continuall torment 101. a 10 Tyrants The deliuering of the Iewes into the handes of Tyrants was rightful 153. a 40 Wee ought to yeelde our selues obedient euen to the rule of Tyrants 1246. a 40 Of Tyrants that make all the worlde to shake vnder them how themselues shal bee punished 1010. b 50.60 Tythes The Paâ—â—â—tes say that Tythes belong to them by Gods lawe and what is their reason 429. b 10.568 b all 569. a 10 Why Tythes were allotted to the Leuites 564. a 60. and b 10.429 a 60. b 10 The Iewes gelded y e Tythes that they were to pay 571. b 10 Of a solemne protestation made by meÌ„ in the Tythes 564. b 50 60.56â— a 10 Of the true vse of Tythes to whome they haue belonged in former times to whom they doe nowe pertaine 569. all 514. all 429. b 40 That poore people shoulde bee mainteined by a part of the Tithes it is Gods ordinance 569. a 50.60 The two cheefe reasons why Tithes were paide to the Leuites 568. b 10.20 A double reason of the Tithes that were paide to the Leuites 902. a 30 40 The Iewes are vpbraided with â—obbing of God in paying him his Tithes 902. b 30.40 Tithing of Tithes Tithing is not an euerlasting order set downe for all nations to obserue 568. b 30 Of Tithing of tithes and of a third tithing proceeding of the Leuites couetousnesse 570. b 10 Of the Tithing of Tithes which was made from three yeare to three yeare alwayes excepting the seueÌ„th yeare 902. a 10.20 Howe farre foorth wee bee tied to the Tything that the Iewes were 564. a 60. b 10 The vse of the Tithing of Tithes and what is giuen vs to vnderstande thereby 902. a 60. and b 10.20.30 c. V. Vagabondes The Iewes threatened to bee Vagabondes 1007. a 20. Looke Iewes Vaine What we haue to note vpon this spech The worde shall not be in Vaine towardes you 1176. a 30.40.50.60 b all Vaineglorie The vsage and behauiour of a man aduancing himselfe for Vaineglorie 37. b 40 Notable doctrine for the beating down of all pride and Vaineglorie in man 896. all Of Vaineglorie in giuing our almes that we must refraine from the same 900. a 30.40 Against such as for Vaineglorie sake finde fault and rebuke others 238. a 60. and b 10. Looke Pride Valiant It is not in any mans power to be Valiant vnlesse God strengthen him 75. a 10 Vanities The Vanities of men and women in their attire and other toyes taunted of God 277. a 20 Variance Lawes ordeined concerning Variance betweene man and man and what dealing is required therein Reade all the 142. Sermon beginning at page 872. a 30. Looke Strife Varietie Of Varietie of meates and drinkes apparell and such like thinges 781. b all 782. al. Veile The cheefe cause why Moses wore a Veile to hide his face with all where note the doctrine well 403. b 20.30 40.50.1200 Looke Moses Vengeance Gods rigorous VengeaÌ„ce on the Iewes for their disobedience 45. a 60. b 10 Vnthankefulnes prouoketh Gods VeÌ„geance against vs to the vttermost 72. a 10 In what cases the verie creatures shall aske Vengeance against vs. 148. a 20.30.40 What wee haue to learne in that God compareth his wrath and Vengeance with his mercie 192. b 50.60 Ouer whose heades the horrible Vengeance of God doth hang. 281. a 10 191. a al 65. b. 40 Vnto whom Vengeance belongeth that we ought not to medle therein 800. b 40.50 c. Howe the Vengeance of God will persecute men and that without ceasing Read that place well 978. b 40.50 That wee must doe nothing but thinke vpon Gods Vengeance when wee haue an Item giuen vs thereof 979. b 10 A lesson for such whom God hath assigned to execute his Vengeance 801. a 10 Of the Vengeance of God vppon the kings that succeeded Dauid 981. b 60.982 a 10 Of Gods endles Vengeance vpon such as despise his Iustice. 976. a 10.20.30 Touching the treasures of Gods Vengeance read Page 1155. b all 1156. a all What wee haue to learne by Gods sharpe Vengeance executed vppon young infantes 1143. all 1144. a 10.20 The Vengeance of God and howe dreadfull the same is Marke the doctrine 1139. b all 1140. a 10.20 60. b 60 What horrible Vengeance God will take on such as serue him after the commaundement of men 526. a 60 b 10. c. Two thinges to bee gathered of Saint Paules wordes Vengeance is mine c. 1157. a 20.30.1156 a 50.60 b al Of the sorest point of Gods Vengeance and what the same is 968. b 10.20 What Vengeance of God hath beene accomplished vpoÌ„ the greater part of the worlde 153. a 60. b 10 Howe long God doeth delaie his Vengeance 150. b 10.728 all 729. a all Signes of Gods wrath and Vengeance 81. a 10. Looke Threatenings and Punishments Vermine That euen Vermine are the messâ—ngers of God and of his armie 985. a 40.50.60 Herod consumed and eaten vp of Vermine and why 985. b 10 Vertue Of the Vertue of all Vertues Reade page 358. a 60. b 10. It is no Vertue to be afraid of nothing nor to be without feeling of greefe 335. b 20 Vertues Our great vanitie in vaunting of our owne Vertues 89. b 10 Men maie doe good and commendable thinges which notwithstanding shal not be reputed for Vertues before God 730. a 30.40 Vertues are not of estimation in themselues Read that place 358. a 50.60 Vessels God maketh vs Vessels of honour so as we shine like perls in his Church 433. b 10 There are not nowe adaies anie more materiall Vessels of the Temple what is the sequele thereof 427. a 50 How we are y e verie Vessels of the teÌ„ple themselues and what wee haue to doe in that case 427. a 10.20.30 c. Vexations What we haue to learne by Gods sending of Vexations vnto vs and our lingering therein
383. the whole page and 384. a 10.20.395 a 10. A delay thereof for foure hundred yeares together 327. b 60. and 328. a 10. Of prouoking the same by abusing Gods patience too long 346. a 10 5â— a 40.50 Signes thereof and howe forceable it is 81. a 10. 55. b 20. In what respects the law was a message of Wrath and of peace 77. b 50. Of foreseeing the tokens of the same 729. a 30.40 The cause why god sware in his Wrath y t the carcasses of y e people should rot in the wildernesse 71. b 60. 72. a 10. That when all things be at quiet we must haue an eye vnto it 1158. b 30.40.50.60 Howe we must thinke of it long before it fall is tolde vs by comparison 551. a 50.60 That it is wont to come vpon the disobedient 706. b 40.50 God maketh euen Infidels the instruments thereof 1153. a 30.40.50 How and in what sort we are counselled to giue place to Wrath. 1156. b 60.1157 a 10. b 10. Looke Anger Wrest What it is to Wrest or hinder right and who be commonly y e way wronged 931. b 40.50.60.932 a 20. Looke Right and Wrong Wretched In what respects wee shewe our selues verie Wretched 519. a 30. Looke Miserable Wretchednesse A mirror of mans Wretchednesse tending to the beating downe of his pride 896. a all b 10.20.948 b 50. Looke Miseries Calamities Troubles Writing Of this word Writing as it is meant of the law and what it importeth 1098. a 60. b 10.421 b 30.404 b â—0 405 a 10 391. all Looke Law of God Wrong How they that being in authority haue done Wrong to the poore shal be indued before God 230. a 50.60 Reasons of common sense to mooue vs to liue without doing Wrong to any maÌ„ 219. b 40.50.60.449 al. 220. b 40.50 What God intendeth to shew vs when he telleth vs that in doing Wrong to any man we assalt his maiestie 220. a 10.20 In what respect we do Wrong vnto god through feare 74 b 20 Why the Israelâ—â—s were commanded to passe by the countrie of Edom without doing any Wrong c. 67. a 10 What we ought to marke in cases of iniurie and Wrong done vs. 709. b 60.888 a 50.60 b 10.20 Who they be vnto whom we dare offer no Wrong and why 932. a 30.40 No Wrong to bee offered vnto three kinds of poore people gods law chargeth it looke who they be 862. a 50.60 b all 863. a 10.932 a 40.50.60 b 10.20 872.873.876 What we must doe if we intende to refraine from dooing Wrong to any man 655. a 20 All kind of Wrong and violence forbidden vnder the name of murther 516. a 60. b 10. Looke Violence Wrongs How God will haue vs to vse our selues in taking Wrongs 140. b 10. Looke Oppression and Vsurie Y. Yeare Of the Yeare of Iubile and of the freedome thereof 573. b 40.50.60 Of the high solemnitie of euery seueÌ„th Yeare among the Iewes reade the place 573. b 10.20.30 c. How we behaue our selues to godward when we haue a prosperous fruitefull Yeare 468. a 10.20.30 Of the course of the Yeare suceession of times and seasons and the true cause of the same 966. a all 467. a 60. b all Looke Seuenth Yeares The compasse of fiftie Yeares was called a world 591. b 40 Eighteene hundred Yeares forbearaÌ„ce of the Iewes for their amendement 1137. b 60 Yesterday Yesterday betokeneth all the time that is past among the Hebrues 689. b 40 Yoke of God and of men How the law shall become a sweete and light Yoke vnto vs. 207. a 50 That the Lords Yoke is amiable and louely so warranted by the words of Christ. 53. b 50.67 a 30.999 b 20. 30.492 a 30.40 In what respect we refuse Gods Yoke 217. a 20 In what sort God layeth his Yoke vpon vs how we ought to receiue it 443. a 30.1218 a 40.50.60 c. 380. b 50.60 Of Gods threatening of an iron Yoke vnto them y t disobey him and what y e same importeth 999. a 60. b 10. c. Of the woodden Yoke which Ieremie ware when he threatened captiuity to the Iewes 999. a 60. b 10.20 c. We must not drawe the Yoke with the vnbeleeuers reade that place 307. b 50 VVhy Christ protesteth that his burtheÌ„ is not heauie nor his Yoke hard 566. b 40.50 What Yoke it is that God layeth vpon the necke of a married man woman 840. b 60. 841. a 10. c. What will betide vs if we cannot finde in our hearts to beare Gods Yoke 153 a 30.141 a 10. Looke Afflictions and Chastisements Yokes The Yokes that couple vs together what they be 308. a 30.40 Youth Notable lessons of instructioÌ„ for Youth to consider and obserue in the Sermon 123. and in page 758. b all Z. Zabulon Traffike and marchandise in the tribe of Zabulon 1217. a 40.50 b 10.1218 b 20. He was planted by the sea side and what that giueth vs to marke 1217. a 40. He is blessed of Moses and how 1217. a 10. c. A commendation of him and Isachar 1218. b 60.1219 a 10. â—0 They were neere to Galile 1219. b 40.50 Looke Tribes Zeale both good and bad Little Zeale in parents to bring vp their children in Gods feare 215. b 50 A holy Zeale and not fleshly lust moued Moses to desire to goe into the promised land 103. a 10 What kinde of Zeale is required of vs in following and seruing of God 47. b 10.188 b 40.541 b 50.60.547 a 10. 540. b all 542. all Of an vnaduised Zeale in Gods matters and what harme the same doth 632. b 20.633 a 10 A kinde of Zeale mentioned out of the 69. Psalme verse 10. page 540. a 10 The cause why Moses doth purposelie attribute the title of Zeale of prouoking folk to the seruing of God 1219. b 10 20.30.12â—1 a 10 In what respects our Zeale to preferre Gods truth shal be but as the rage of mad folkes 543. a 10 The frantike Zeale of the Papists heathens Iewes noted 541. a 40.543 b all 544. a all What wee must doe to haue the more Zeale vnto Gods word 1191. b 50.60 119â— a 10 The Zeale of Moses shewed in dooing the execution that is read of in Exodus 401. a 20 30.40â— and in other things 144. b 40.400 a 30.1089 a 40. 50.60.1203 a all What a kind of Zeale God will giue his seruants in praying 399. a 20 Of the Zeale of Paul wherewith he was lead to the Iewes his countriemen 402. a 10.20 God meant to trie the Zeale of y e Iewes by commaunding them to make cleane riddance of idols 310. a 20 What Zeale there ought to be in them which be taught by Gods word 1083. b 50 How the Zeale of Gods honor and the welfare of his church ought to beare rule in vs. 1097. a 50.60 c. Of a kind of Zeale which is commaunded vs to imbrace 174. a 40. FINIS To the Reader TOuching
to the end we should learne to serue him as he commaundeth vs and not lyke well of any thing but that which he alloweth for good Thus ye see whereto this saying is referred that God wrate the lawe in two tables And his wil was to write it in two tables of stone purposely to the intent it should continue For it was not giuen for any little time neither is it transitorie True it is that the ceremonies had an end 2. Cor. 3.11 Gal. 3.19 He 7.18.19 and 9.8.10 Ephe. 2.15 Col. 2.14.17 And in that respect the lawe is called temporall namely because the order that had bin stablished among the people of olde time to continue till the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ was then abolished and thinges were made perfect so as wee be no more vnder the shadowes figures which serued for that time Neuerthelesse the substance and trueth of the lawe serued not for that one age onely Matt. 5.18 but is a thing that shall indure for euer and neuer faile Wherfore let vs learne that Gods setting forth of his wil at the going of his people out of Egypt and his speaking to them vppon mount Sinay was after such a sorte as he prouided and tooke order therewithal that his doctrine should stand in force for euermore And for that cause did he set downe his lawe in two tables of stone and not write it in barckes of trees as the maner of wryting was in those dayes or as we might say nowadayes in paper or parchment but his will was to ingraue it in stone as an euerlasting monument to confirme vs the better in the thinges that he had sayd For he was not satisfied with the speaking of it for that onely day but by ingrauing it in stone his intent was that wee all our life long should giue attentiue eare to heare what he tolde vs. Yet notwithstanding surely Gods ingrauing of his lawe in stone after that sorte would serue to small purpose vnlesse it were also ingrauen in our hearts 2. Cor. 3.3 What is to be done then Let vs assure our selues that the doctrine which God setteth downe vnto vs is behoofefull and necessarie for vs and yet it should stand vs in no stead vnlesse hee added a second grace which is y t the thing which he hath vttred be forthwith printed in our heartes and bowels Then lyke as God wrate his lawe at that time in two tables of stone with his finger that is to say with his power so now he must be fain to write it with his holy spirit in our heartes which are stony and hard as the prophet sheweth where he prayeth God to giue vs heartes of fleshe that may be soft lythe and plyable to receiue whatsoeuer he shall say Nowe then seeing that God hath shewed vs visibly y t it belongeth to him to write his Lawe that it may be well knowen let vs beseech him to vouchsafe to write it in vs now adayes by the power of his holy spirit to the end wee may holde it fast as the diuell may neuer wype it out of our rememberances doe what he can And herewithall Moses concludeth that the Lawe was deliuered vnto him to bee the preseruer and keeper therof and to bee the minister and dealer forth of it to the people so as euerie man might acknowledge him for a Prophet For otherwise he could not haue executed his office nor haue builded Gods Church except meÌ„ had knowen that that charge had bin committed vnto him Likewise now adayes if we were not perswaded that it is Gods will y t his Gospell should be preached by the mouthes of men and that there should be Shepheardes in his Church to beare abrode his worde who would vouchsafe to come togither Neither I nor any other creature is of abilitie to traine men to come to receiue the thinges that are to be vttered by my mouth When I speake here in the name of God and men giue eare to the doctrine to submit themselues to it and to doe him homage it is more than all the lawes and proclamations of kings and Emperors can doe Is the mortal man the doer thereof No. But when we once knowe it to be Gods will that this order shoulde bee in his Church and that it should bee kept vnuiolably namely that there should bee sheepheards to beare abroad his worde and to expounde the same which should be as messengers to bring tidings of the forgiuenesse of sinnes in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ and to rebuke reproue comfort and exhort when we I say doe vnderstand it to be Gods wil that there should be such gouernment in his Church then are wee ashamed to withstand him y t hath created and fashioned vs. So then ye see now why Moses sayd in this text that God deliuered him his lawe for himselfe Trueth it is that God gaue it for all the people in generall as I sayd afore Why then is Moses now the possessor of it It should seeme that God meant to bereaue all his people thereof and that none should bee priuiledged but Moses so as the lawe should be restrained vnto him and the residewe be as it were shut out from it But it is not so For although the Lawe was giuen for all the people yet was Moses made the protector of it And looke what God hath spoken of him we must extend it yet further accordingly as we heare that the prophets were put in the same commission Deut. 31. â—er 1.5.7 â— 2 to bee as it were disposers or dealers foorth of the treasure of saluation and of Gods couenant so as their office was to shewe Gods will from time to time and to bring vs worde of it in his name And the generall rule which Saint Paul giueth vs â— Cor. 4.1 is that men must esteem vs as Gods ministers as dealers forth of the secretes which he sendeth to the world Now whereas Saint Paul sayth wee bee dealers forth of Gods secretes he sheweth vs thereby that it is not enough for vs to haue the holy scripture and to reade it euery man at home in his house but it is required that it should bee preached vnto vs that wee should haue this order of being taught by the mouthes of men and that there should bee shepheardes to serue Gods turne to the ende y t by giuing care vnto them wee might profite more and more in the doctrine of saluation And for the same cause doth Saint Paule say in another place 2. Tim. 3.15 that the Church is the piller of trueth and as it were the ground and standard of the trueth The Papistes alledge this textfull doltishly to clayme priuiledge to themselues to deuise newe articles of fayth and to lode men with lawes at their owne pleasure But Saint Paul meant the cleane contrarie For hee saith that the Church is the piller or ground of Gods truth because that seeing God hath
it is done for our infirmities sake because God seeth that wee haue nede to bee quickened vp And therefore all the promises of the lawe are as strokes with y e spurre Besides this we must also come backe to the doctrine of S. Paul which is that whatsoeuer promise with condition God doe make vs in his lawe Gal. 3. â—â—â—â— 12. it standes vs in no stead For wee on our side in steade of performing the thinges y t God commaundeth vs doe goe cleane backe from them and by that meanes are farre off froÌ„ all y e benefit y t is behighted vs there Rom. 7 â— And whereas the Lawe sayth hee that doth these thinges shall liue in them that booteth vs nothing at all vntill God of his owne free goodnesse be at one with vs againe For then writeth he his lawe in our heartes Rom. 7.22 23. and we learne to obey him which thing we cannot doe by nature And yet for all that Phil. 3 1â— we doe it not then perfectly but there is still some blemish in our doings so as God might iustly reiect our workes because they be altogether sinfull Neuerthelesse hee taketh them in good woorth and yeeldeth vs reward not as of duetie but of his owne good will Therefore to come againe to the first matter let vs note y t God prouoketh vs to the keping of his commaundements by such meanes as he knoweth to be most conuenient for vs. Geâ— 15â—â— Exod. â—â— â— Psal. â—â— â— 144.15 Rom. â— â—â— And that is the cause why he sayth that if wee be wholy his he also is ours and y t if wee draw neere vnto him he will drawe ny vnto vs will blesse vs he wil not only prosper vs in this transitorie lyfe but we may wel hope for a far greater reward in y e kingdome of heauen All these thinges are told vs and to what end Not to puffe vs vp with any vaine presumption as though wee were able to deserue aught at Gods hand but to incorage vs the more to doe well seeing that our God which might well exact the performance of all that is conteined in his Lawe without allowing vs any rewarde all doth neuerthelesse voutsafe to binde himselfe freely of his owne accord Marke that for the first point For we see here y t Gods promising of all these thinges to that people was not for any obedience that they had yelded vnto him for the land had bin promised to their fathers yea euen by othe long before they were borne And if a man speake of the time that was to come we see that God had no respect of that he looketh not that the people should behaue themselues so well as to receiue reward of him for it but he sayth I haue already promised you the land yea I haue promised it you for your inheritance to the intent ye should not thinke ye haue gotten it by your owne purchase And for proofe thereof I assured it vnto you by free gift before you were begotten but yet if yee intend to inioy it take heede that yee giue your selues to me Here yee see how God preuenteth all deseruing he regardeth not what wee haue deserued but whereas he seeth vs to be wretched and destitute of all goodnesse so as he findeth nothing but sinne in vs whereby we deserue to be reiected yet neuerthelesse he of his owne infinite mercie bindeth himselfe vnto vs telleth vs he will doe vs good as though we had serued him according to his law Marke y t for one point And thereupon he ceaseth not to say Do the thinges that I haue commaunded you that ye may inioy the benefites that I haue promised you The reason is that he will not haue his goodnesse dalyed withall If he be liberall he will not haue men to abuse it as they commonly doe When it is told vs that all that euer we haue at Gods hand is of his onely free gift wee beare our selues in hand that we haue leaue to doe euill and to liâ—e euery man after his owne lyking and that it is no matter what we doe But God will not haue his gratious goodnes so disgrace For his shewing of himselfe fauorable vnto vs is to another end and purpose namely to prouoke vs to loue him againe and that because wee finde him so good a father we should be lykeminded againe towardes him behaue our selues as his children That is the thing which Moses telleth vs here when hee sayth Looke that yee obey your God if ye minde to possesse the land which he promised to your fathers For on the one side hee sheweth that the land of Chanaan was an heritage of free gift and yet hee forbeareth not to tell them that they must not dallie w t God in abusing y t liberalitie of his but so much the rather both loue him feare him And when they see that God hath powred out the great riches of his mercie so vpon them the same ought to inflame them to say let vs giue ouer our selues wholy to our God Seeing that hee hath sought vs out of such time as wee were gone from him preuented vs w t his goodnesse not respecting our vnworthinesse but taking occasioÌ„ of himself to doe vs good let it kindle y e greater desire in vs to submit out selues to his power and will And whereas Moses speaketh here but onely of the land of Chanaan of the fruites that the people should gather there for their finding and sustenance it is not for that God meant not to leade the faithfull any further than so at y t time for it is certeine that they had the promise of life after the same maner as it is conteined at this day in the Gospell And therefore it is horrible blasphemie against God to say y t God held the people of olde time lyke swine in a stye and that they had no more but a certeine figure of y e spirituall good thinges which are giuen vs presently in these dayes as that wretched caytife sayd which was punished here who turned all thinges vpside downe was so bold as to belke out this heresie y t the olde testameÌ„t was nothing else but a figure insomuch y t euen Abraham the father of all the faithfull had but a fantasticall faith and knew not God aright And for proofe therof quoth he he worshipped Angels in stead of God had no knowledge of the euerlasting lyfe Loe what cursed stuffe here was for we know saith S. Paul y t the fathers of old time were the childreÌ„ of God Gal. 4.1 heires of y e kingdome of heaueÌ„ as well as we There is but this difference y t they were lyke young children but yet for all y t they failed not to possesse y e benefite howbeit y t they were stil vnder tutors and gouernours according to y e similitude that S. Paul alledgeth there The auncient fathers had
the law the ceremonies such other lyke thinges but yet they wanted not the substance trueth also Now then Gods setting forth of the land of Chanaā to the Iewes was not to the intent they should stand poring vpon y t lyke swine that stand musling with their groyns in their swiltrough but vnder the earthly inheritance which he had promised to their fathers he gaue them a taste of the heauenly heritage accordingly as we see y t in their sacrificing although they offered brute beastes yet were they made partakers of the redēption that is purchased for vs by our Lord Iesus Christ and their offering of y e brute beastes in sacrifice directed thē to y e redemption y t was wrought by the sonne of God Hebr. 9.23.28 11.13.14 when he sheaded his holy bloud to washe away our spottes and sinnes And after the same maner was it w t the land of Chanaan For such was their slender capacitie y t it behoued thē to be guided that way The land of Chanaan then was to thē not onely a pledge but also an earnest penny of the heauenly lyfe endlesse welfare which the fathers hoped for as well as we inasmuch as they had the sme faith that we haue So then let vs marke well that whereas here is mentiō made of the land of Chanaan and of Gods mainteining of his people there in wealth it serueth not to the end that the Iewes should looke for nothing els but earthly things but to the end that by tasting of Gods goodnes in this trāsitorie life they should vnderstād that he had prepared thē another heritage in heauē which was more worth than al the world But our Lord vseth no such maner of dealing with vs nowadayes 1. Tim. 4.8 True it is that as faith Saint Paul vnto Timothie if we walke as becommeth vs we haue promises both of this present life of y e life to come God telleth vs y t he wil not only receiue vs into y e euerlasting life but also y t he wil neuer forsake vs so lōg as we be in this world and in this earthly pilgrimage but will stil haue a care of vs to doe vs good and to succor vs and prouide for vs in all our needes howbeit the heauenly lyfe is the chiefe thing and that is the place whereunto our Lord draweth vs notwithstanding that he ad this present lyfe to it as an accessorie And that is done because wee haue a greater light nowadayes than our forefathers had vnder the Lawe Iohn 1.51 For Iesus Christ is come downe from heauen and hath opened the euerlasting kingdome vnto vs he is gone vp thither as in our person for he is risen againe in y e nature of man which he took of vs. Ye see then y t heauen is now opened and therefore it is not to be wondered at though God speake in a larger language now thā he did in the time of the law For it behoued the people of those dayes to bee led as we see little children are as saith Saint Paule we be come to mans estate Gal. 4.4 in comparisō of them Yet notwithstanding we may gather hereupon that God intending to incourage his people to serue him with the better will telleth them y t he will shewe himselfe a father towardes them euen in respect of this world howbeit not in all pointes but onely so farre forth as may giue them some taste and feeling of his fatherly loue that they may lift vp the eyes of their faith yet higher and vnderstand that God hath reserued the true blessednesse and perfection of glorie for them till they be taken out of this worlde and out of this corruptible lyfe Thus ye see in effect what we haue to gather vppon that text Yea and it behoueth vs to marke wel this saying That thou maist be strengthened Hereby Moses declareth that God for his parte is faithfull and that when hee hath once spoken the worde we may well assure our selues of it But forasmuch as we drag our legges after vs and although he allure vs to him so gently and draw towards vs of his owne accord yet are we lazie slow in comming vnto him we haue need to be strengthened That is the very end y t al y e promises of the lawe do tend vnto It is not meant that God should binde himselfe vnto vs as our detter it is not for that he looketh whether wee haue deserued any thing at all or no neither is it of purpose to bargaine or indent with vs as though he should take vp hackeneies among vs to serue his turne withall by constraint but forasmuch as he sees wee be feeble and haue not so resolute a minde as were requisite but are intangled in this world and held backe with a number of vanities and wicked affections and to be short are not so liuely as to yeelde our selues vnto his obedience his purpose is to strengthen vs and to help vs. He seeth our default and he remedieth it Be strōg therefore And how Euen by considering thus with your selues Go to Our Lord might commaund vs peremptorily at one word for he hath full souereintie ouer vs and we be his by nature And when we haue all of vs streined our selues to the vttermost of our power yet can wee not doe as we ought to doe Yet notwithstāding he will not be serued at our handes w tout recompence but he saith y t if we doe but a peece of that which is due to him he bindeth himselfe to vs for it Sith we see this are we not too leawd if wee bee not touched to the quick amend not all slothfulnesse to go forth vnto God lustily without stopping for any worldly impedimēt or hinderance That is y e strength which Moses speakes of here And he addeth hereunto that it is not enough to be entred into the land but wee must also abide and dwell there for if wee haue once receiued the promise of saluation and God hath blessed vs made vs to prosper to y e worldward we must not thereupon fall a sleepe but wee must still folowe our cause We know that this life is a way and therefore wee must still goe on foreward 2. Cor. 5.6 And whither is it that God calleth vs Saith he to vs when ye haue gone on a little way tary still intangled in the world No but we must trauel stil vpward to the heauenly lyfe And that can not be done without forsaking the world continually more and more Then let vs marke well how it is told vs here y t when God hath once put vs in hope of saluation so as he hath taken vs into his Church and into his flocke and begunne to doe vs good we must not fal asleepe vpon it but proceede on stil assuring our selues y t al is to no purpose vnlesse wee hold out to our liues end without ceasing or
to it againe for y e better confirming thereof For as I haue told you alreadie Men are alwaies desirous to passe their boundes cannot submit themselues to God to attēpt nothing beyond his word Wherfore let vs marke well that God thinkes it not ynough to tell men once for all that they should behaue themselues according to his word ordinance but he repeateth y e same lesson oftentimes to the intent that men should take y e better heede of it and marke it the better And bicause y e people had not as yet the law written as touching the Ceremonies it is said expressely You shall not doe as ye doe now For it behoued the people to bridle themselues thereafter as they were taught Howbeit for the better vnderstanding of this text it might bee demaunded first whether the Israelites did for a time offer sacrifice at their own pleasure without rule or without being certaine what God required or allowed The answere hereunto is that they had alwayes some marke to shoote at and that they had not the bridle so loose in their neckes but that they knew how they ought to sacrifice And in deede wee heare how the Apostle saieth to the Hebrewes 〈◊〉 11.4 that frō Abel forth on there was no sacrifice accepted but by faith And fayth importeth alwayes an obedience so as if men deale at alauenture there is no faith at all in them But the Apostle saieth expressely that Abels sacrifices pleased God bicause of his faith Whereupon it followeth that God hath euer shewed his will to y e faithfull so as they haue not gone to woorke vnaduisedly but haue had such certaintie as was requisit for them And wheras Moses reporteth in Genesis that Noy sacrificed of cleane beastes vnto God 〈◊〉 ◠10 it doth vs to vnderstand that Noy must needes haue had some knowledge of the difference of them aforehand for it passed his vnderstanding to finde out which beastes were cleane Needes therefore must it bee that God had imprinted it in him and that order hath continued for euer And so is it certaine that the Israelites neuer had any such lawlesse libertie but that they knew which was the trewe way of worshipping GOD. Also it is expressed by Moses that Abraham would instruct his posteritie in the iudgements Gen. 18.19 Lawes and Ordinaunces of GOD. Whereby he doth vs to vnderstand y t although there was not as then any law writtē yet notwithstanding Abraham failed not to haue knowledge of the things y t God required of whatsoeuer else was requisite For Moses coulde haue sayde at one woorde Abraham will teach his children to liue well and holily and according to the wil of God but he sayeth that he wil teache them his lawes statutes ordinances To what purpose I haue told you before that it was to magnifie God the better for his well prouiding of all things requisite to the seruing of him so as the faithful could not stand in any doubt but were sure of their dutie what they ought to doe According hereunto therefore let vs marke that when the people of Israel came out of Egypt their sacrificing was not after the maner of the Heathen according to the inuention of man but after a heauenly order that is to say according to the order which God had appointed Yet notwithstanding◠it is true that there was not as yet any such particular declaration made of the Sanctuarie and of all the appurtenances and things belonging thereunto as wee see is set downe in Exodus and Leuiticus These things say I were not so particularly set forth it was not yet sayd vnto them You shal haue but one altar which shal be of such a measure of such a heigth and of such a breadth you shall haue a Tabernacle of such manner of stuffe of thus many peeces thus long and thus broade You shall haue fire burning continually in the Sanctuarie Your sacrifices shall neuer bee offered without Salte there shall alwayes bee lyght and perfume in the Temple The cakes that shall bee offered in the Temple shall bee of such a fashion There shall be bread continually before the Lord and it shall be renewed day by day Againe there shall bee a hygh Priest which shall enter once a yeere into the narrowe Sanctuarie and there shal be an Aultar of burnt sacrifices for him to offer vpon from day to day These things were not yet thus set out that is the thing which Moses meaneth in this text whē he saith Ye shall not doe after the same manner as we doe this day For there was greater libertie before such time as God had set foorth his commandements to brydle the people withal and to hold them in such awe as they should not attēpt any thing vpon their owne head nor step aside to the right hande or to the left but followe the thinges roundly which were conteyned in his Lawe And heereof wee haue to gather that after as God vttereth his will vnto vs so are wee the more bound to follow the same For if we knew not what to doe and that God had let vs alone in suspence we might haue some excuse for our doeing of thinges as seemed good to our selues For why Our Lord hath not bin so gratious to vs as to say vnto vs expresly Thus shal ye doe And therfore we may do according to our owne skill seeing we haue no expresse word to y e contrarie After that maner might a man reply But now that God hath witnessed his will vnto vs we must stoope to it and it is not lawefull for vs to adde any thing thereto For that were as much to say as we would fall to scanning whether God or wee were the wiser And what a presumption were it if wee would needes haue better thinges than those which he inioyneth vs Yet notwithstanding if men cannot find in their heartes to yeelde to the thinges that GOD commaundeth they enter into this diuelish presumptuousnesse of purposing to be wiser than God hath giuen them leaue to be Wherfore let vs learne that when we haue once assurance what God alloweth we must rest wholly vpon it And herewithall we must marke that God did not without cause giue the people of olde time so many rules to shewe them how to doe sacrifice When we read the thinges that are conteined in Leuiticus to our seeming there bee many needelesse thinges For God might well haue sayd in feawe woordes I will haue a Temple and there will I haue you to sacrifice vnto me But there are such a sort of commaundements as may make a man amazed and out of his wits And what is y e cause thereof True it is that all thinges were made and doone according to the patterne that Moses had seene in the Mount Exod. 25.40 as God himselfe declareth And thereby we be doone to vnderstand that the figures although that at this day we know not perfectly in
all pointes to what vse they serued had a spirituall truth which may bee referred to the thinges which we haue nowadaies by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ Heb. 9.8.10 for hee is the very body and substaunce of all the shadowes that were vnder the Lawe Col. 2.17 When wee reade that the highpriest might not enter into the Sanctuarie but with such attyre as is there described Leuit. 16.4 wee would thinke it straunge to see a man so disguised with so many thinges about him And why was that We must marke that it was to doe the people to vnderstand that the partie which was to bee the mediator betweene God and men was not of the common state and sorte of men but that it behooued him to haue a speciall kind of holinesse to preace vnto GOD with all And that was the cause why hee caryed this tytle in his frontlet vppon his head Exod. 2â— 36 Hallowed vnto God or the holinesse of God Againe hee had other attyres about him so as hee coulde not goe or stirre but there went a noyse or sound from him Exod. 2â— 3â— 35. For hee ware belles vppon the skirtes of his garments and that was to shewe that all men ought to giue eare when it is told them that the sonne of God was offered for vs in sacrifice so as the same may ring into our heartes to the intent wee may seeke the meanes to be reconciled to GOD. There were other things whereof a man may perceiue the reason Exod. 2â— â—â— As the twelue precious stones which the highpreest ware on his brest aloft vppon the Ephod and the names of the twelue tribes grauen in other stones vpon his shoulders Exo. 28.9 â— Whereby was ment that Iesus Christ did nothing for himselfe but all for vs and in our behalfe and that his going vnto God after that fashion was to bring vs into his presence according to this saying of his Ioh. 17.19 I sanctifie my selfe to make you all partakers of the same holynesse Nowe then wee see the reason of many thinges that were commaunded in the law and we know it was not without cause that the Apostle sayde that all things were made according to the patterne that Moses had seene vpon the Mount Hebr. â— 5 after the which maner Saint Steeuen alleageth the same text in the seuenth of the Actes Act. 7.44 Neuerthelesse wee must note that Gods meaning was to hold his people in awe that they might be the surer what to doe and not bee occasioned to transgresse the true seruice of God by mingling of any inuentions with it I say it was Gods intent to inure his people to obedience For if we shew our selues to serue God otherwise all that euer we doe will bee nothing woorth nay it will be sinne If I weene I doe well and in the meane while stand in doubt and perplexitie al must needes goe to wrecke For if wee bee not inlightned by certeintie of faith God alloweth not any of our doinges And therefore I say his intent was to keepe the people of old time in obedience And that was the cause why hee willed that there should bee light continually in the Temple It was not to giue light vnto God or to doe him any seruice but to do the rude people to vnderstand that we must not doe thinges disorderly and be as blind folkes when wee approch vnto God but that we must haue light to guide vs by which light is not to be found in our owne braines but must come from aboue And for that cause the holy candlesticke had Lampes vpon it wherein was oyle continually Whereby was ment y t if men be not guided gouerned by y e holy Ghost they do nothing but wander vp downe in y e end they shall fall into destruction Again God willed that no strange fire should be brought vnto his Altar Wherby is ment y t men must not bring aught of their own to the seruing of God but we must haue the holy fire y t is to say we must pray to God in y e Church not go beyond his word or beyond y e doctrine y t he giueth vs. Moreouer it is said y t no sacrifice shold be offered w tout salt And why so For when wee offer things to God w tout warrant y t he alloweth them requireth theÌ„ they haue no sauor at al before him Thus you see in effect how it was Gods intent to coÌ„fort his seruants to incourage theÌ„ y â— they might serue him as became them And again it was his wil to cut off al occasioÌ„ of adding any thing which they had learned to y e heathen We know y t although meÌ„ haue no incouÌ„ters before their eies yet they ceasse not to forge many fond things weening to please god by y t meanes But when we see examples on either side of vs it is a further prouocation to vs. Besides y e ticklishnes which we haue already of nature it pricketh vs foreward to say why should not such a thing be good For y e Iewes had seen y e fashioÌ„s of Egypt of other heatheÌ„ folke therfore they might haue bin prouoked to fashion theÌ„selues like vnto them that had bin a corruption to ouerthrow y e whole seruice of god To preuent this mischief God gaue them a remedy which held them occupied in such sort as they had ynough to do in y e things y t were inioyned them had no leasure to withdraw themselues or to adde any deuise of their own And so wee see it was not for naught y t God gaue his people so many lawes rules ceremonies at their going into y e land of Canaan For first of al it was meete y t the figures and shadowes shold supply y e roome of y e truth y t was yet vnreuealed vntil Iesus Christ was shewed opeÌ„ly to y â— world Secondly it was Gods will to try y e obedientnes of his people by y t means And thirdly it tooke away al occasion of intermedling theÌ„selues w t y e superstitioÌ„s of y e heatheÌ„ vnbeleuers And for y t cause doth Moses say You shal go ouer Iordan God wil giue you rest in the land that he hath promised you there shall you dwell in safetie though you haue enemies round about you And then wil he choose him a place in one of your tribes and thither shal you bring your sacrifices burnt offerings oblations And the very true sacrifice saith he is to do nothing vpon your own heads but to obey your God throughly in all poyntes WheÌ„ he saith y t they shall come into y e land it is to shew y t Gods deferring to giue his law til that time was to declare more particularly what things he liked of For it was his will to performe his promise made vnto AbrahaÌ„ before he would
receiue his worde which is offered vnto vs so must wee haue our mouth open to glorifie him by acknowledging howe much wee are beholding vnto him They therefore which haue through faith embrased the benefites of the death and resurrection of our Lorde Iesus Christ ought to indeuour to set the same foorth saying Our GOD hath so powred out the inestimable treasures of his goodnesse towardes vs as it is good reason that all our whole life shoulde bee spent in glorifying him and yeelding him praise and thanksgiuing according also as Sainct Peter in his first Epistle saieth â— Pet. â— 1â— that the same is the verie ende why we were brought out of the horrible darkenesse of death to bee conueied into the kingdome of Gods light and into the kingdome of life S. Paul then doeth expresly match the confession of the mouth with saluation not that faith being right and true is not sufficient of it selfe nor that wee doe purchase Saluation by speaking but to shewe that faith cannot bee without confession Whereby wee see that they which nowadayes doe renounce God by holding their peace or keepe the knowledge of the Gospell as it were buried within them doe defraude GOD of the honour that is due vnto him and neuer knewe what faith meant O say they I keepe my faith to my selfe Yea Then doest thou make the holy Ghost a lyer As for those that bee of the Popedome communicating with ydolaters in al their abhominations and being readie to turne with euerie winde if a man tell them that it is a kinde of renouncing God and a forsaking of him that redeemed them from death O say they I holde my faith in my heart It is vnpossible that there shoulde bee faith in the heart but that confession with the mouth shoulde presently followe or else were the holie Ghost a lyer as witnesseth Sainct Paul And that is the thing which hee meant in saying that when we haue beleeued with the heart to iustification wee must then also confesse with our mouth that wee haue a redeemer which hath deliuered vs from death and opened vnto vs the kingdome of heauen to the intent it shoulde nowe bee our inheritance To bee short we see howe sainct Paul agreeth very well with Moses For albeit that Moses intended heere to reprooue such as had hearde the lawe and to conuict them of vnthankfulnesse yet hath hee shewed afore that it is not ynough for vs to haue our eares beaten with the literall worde vnlesse that God doe also giue vs vnderstanding thereof and that doeth hee giue vs by our Lorde Iesus Christ. It followeth then that vnlesse the lawe bee matched with the Gospel it is not neere vnto vs For although that wee for our part bee dayly taught it and that the worde doe dwell amongst vs yet shall we wander farre from it and receiue no taste of that which is vttered vnto vs. That then is the meaning of Moses And Sainct Paul doeth verie well agree therewith in that he telleth vs that we must resort to Iesus Christ and acknowledge what profite wee receiue by him and to what ende hee was sent vnto vs from God his father And moreouer let vs acknowledge it in such sort as wee may rest wholly vppon his Gospell and stande contented when God hath spoken vnto vs and not go about to fetch downe Iesus Christ from aboue as folke that woulde crucifie him newe againe Let it suffice vs that hee hath fully redeemed vs by that one sacrifice wherewith hee hath made perfect satisfaction for all Let it suffice vs that hee is ascended into heauen to the ende to drawe vs vnto him And sith we haue receiued y â— knowledge heereof by the Gospell let vs make our profite of it and beseech God that this doctrine may first of all be printed in our hearts to the ende that being iustified by his free goodnesse wee may stande fully assured vppon the redemption and satisfaction which our Lord Iesus Christ hath purchased for vs because wee haue no righteousnesse in vs. And thereupon let euery of vs endeuour to glorifie God knowing that hee hath adopted vs to the ende that he might be magnified in all our whole life according as it is saide in the Prophet Esay Esa. 43.7 21. The people which I haue created shall shewe forth my praises Nowe let vs fall downe the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our sins beseeching him to make vs to feele them better than heretofore wee haue done and that wee may attaine to the remedie that is to say the forgiuenesse of them in our Lorde Iesus Christ. And that forasmuch as our God ceaseth not daily to instruct and to edifie vs in his word it may please him not to suffer vs to bee deafe hearers of him but rather to pearce our eares to the ende wee may become throughly obedient vnto him and holde vs therein and to shew forth the vertue of his holy spirite to the ende that the thing which is saide heere may bee accomplished in vs And that when we haue belieued with our heart we may also confesse his holy name with our mouth and our whole life may bee agreeable to the same confession That it may please him to deale so graciously not with vs onely but also with all Nations and people vpon earth c. On Wednesday the xxij of Aprill 1556. The CLXXII Sermon which is the fourth vpon the thirtith Chapter 15 See I haue this day set before thee lyfe and good death and euill 16 For I commaund thee this day to loue the Lorde thy GOD and to walke in his wayes and to keepe his commaundementes and his ordinaunces and his iudgementes that thou maiest liue and increase and that the Lorde thy GOD may blesse thee in the Lande which thou goest to possesse 17 If thy heart turne away and thou obey not but beest led aside and bowest thy selfe to other gods and seruest them 18 I doe tell you this day that you shall surely perishe and not prolong your dayes in the lande into the which nowe passing ouer Iordan thou goest to possesse it 19 I take heauen and earth this day to witnesse against you that I haue set before you life and death blessing and curse Therefore choose life that thou maist liue thou and thy seede 20 By louing the Lorde thy GOD by obeying his voyce and by cleauing vnto him for hee is thy life and the prolonger of thy dayes that thou maist continue in the Land which the Lord hath sworne to thy fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob to giue vnto them WE sawe yesterday howe Moses did magnifie the authoritie of the worde of God which was committed vnto him saying Seeing that God is come nere vnto vs and hath opened his holy mouth to declare vnto vs his will we must holde vs wholly thereunto and without seeking any further wee must not aske any more who shall goe vp into heauen or who shall