against nature for him to say yea vnles it were to some better ende for his desire is to haue being still Indede the vnbeleeuers do besot themselues in their desiring to be for this beeing of theirs is but to cram themselues to eat drinke to fil their bellies like swine to sleepe like beasts and to looke vppon pleasaunt thinges as folkes that are caried altogither with sensualitie Those are the things wherein the vnbeleeuers repose themselues And in the meane while they be so dull that they consider not that that beeing of theirs is no being at all and that the state of this preseÌ„t life is but a shadow which is euer fleeting neuer at any stay But contrarywise when the godly say it is good to liue thereupon they conclude that it is not for them to couer death vnlesse it be to exchaunge for the better Neuerthelesse when they take holde by saith vppon the heritage which God hath promised them then are they desirous and not without iust cause to depart out of this mortal body y t it may be renewed againe We see then as nowe howe we may dwell with ioy in tentes that is to say by being assured that after wee be passed out of this worlde we shal be taken vp into the resting place which God hath prepared for vs which was purchased for vs so dearely Therfore let vs go on with a free courage let vs not cease to keepe on our pace vntill we be come to our end And let vs always conclude with ourselues y t it is enough for vs to hope continually that the heauenly rest shall not faile vs after that God hath exercised vs in this world and tossed vs to and fro Thus ye see in effect how we ought to keepe this feast with gladnesse Now for a conclusion Moses addeth that they must resort thrise a yeare to Ierusalem and there shew themselues before God as many as were males none to come emptie but euery man to make some offering to God according to the blessing that God had giuen him This maner of speaking that the Iewes shoulde come before the face of God serued for the better expressing that the sanctuary was not a vaine and vnprofitable figure but that God vttered his power there to shew in very deed y t he dwelled among his people If Moses had saide singly yee shall resort to the Sanctuarie euery of you shall make his offering before the Arke of couenant the Iewes had not bin so wel certified that their comming to call vpon God in the sanctuary was not in vaine For they might haue said very wel indeed wee haue the figures ceremonies but yet are we not sure y t God wil heare vs. But when it was said ye shal come shew your selues to god it was a greater edifying of them because they were wel assured that the ceremonies of y e lawe were not deceiuable Yet notwithstanding it was not to make theÌ„ to set their minds vpon the visible signes so to hold themselues still downe but they were to consider y t although God stoop to apply himselfe to our infirmitie yet is it not his meaning therfore to hold vs downe to these earthly thinges but contrarywise his comming downe to vs is to make vs to stie vp to seeke him aboue so y t when we haue visible signes we should consider y t his glorie surmounteth y e heauens is infinite therefore that we must worship him with our minds lifted vp aboue y e world and aboue al things that are corruptible And so yee see that this maner of speech where it is said ye shal be in the presence of your God when yee be come into his sanctuarie was profitable and imported a very good lesson to the Iewes For why God shewed in very deed that he had not instituted those signes without cause but that thereby he made his grace and power to be felt of the faithfull when they came thither to call vpon him But yet for all that it behooued the faithfull therewithal to worship God spiritually For we see howe the Iewes are reproued for this Esa. 66.1.2 in y t they corrupted his seruice by reason y t they supposed to shut him vp within their Temple Shall I dwell in a house made with mans hande saith the Lord If the Iewes had replyed said Why not for it is said when ye come to the sanctuarie ye shall bee there before the face of your God Yea but that is no excuse For Gods ordeining of his sanctuarie to dwell there was not in such wise that hee woulde forsake his heauenly glorie but to come seeke men here beneath and to lift them vp aboue We nowadayes must remember the like For when God sendeth vs his word and addeth y e sacraments for a confirmatioÌ„ of the same it is asmuch as if he shewed vs his face at leastwise so farre as we are able to abide it For wee be rude and earthly and cannot beholde God as he is 1. Cor. â—3 1â— and therefore he is faine to applie himselfe vnto vs. Yet notwithstanding wee must so seeke him after the maner that he vttereth and declareth himselfe vnto vs as we be not tyed to the visible signes nor intangled with them as we see the wretched Idolaters are which alwayes take occasion to turne away from GOD by meanes of the helpes which hee giueth them to bring them to him Therefore let men beware of such abuse Indeede when we speake of the Lords supper wee can well enough say that Iesus Christ is there present and that wee possesse him When we come to the receyuing of the bread and y e wine we can say they be no emptie signes but that we haue there the very substance insomuch that Iesus Christ imparteth himselfe to vs so as wee bee feede and nourished with his body and bloode So then Iesus Christ offereth himselfe to vs in his supper But is it to bee saide therefore that he commeth downe from heauen and that he is to bee sought after a superstitious manner as the Papistes and such other like doe in these dayes No but it serueth to lift vs vp to heauen and to make vs vnderstand that although Christ dwelleth there yet wee ought not to doubt but that his power reacheth vnto vs and that we be made partakers thereof and that when we receiue the breade the wine they be true warrantes of that which I haue saide Yee see then that we be in the presence of our God by beeing partakers of Christs last supper As much is to be saide of Baptisme namely that in the water of baptisme we behold the bloude of our Lord Iesus Christ and the redemption which he hath purchased for vs So as it is to vs as a liuely picture not only that but also wee haue the trueth so ioyned with the image and portrayture as the effect must needs bee felt
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
too excessiue but let vs assure our selues hee hath iust reason so to doe although hee make not vâ— priuie to it Therefore when wee shall haue marked the examples that are in the holy scripture wee will make this conclusion That it is not to be wondered at though GOD vse the greater rigor towardes those whome hee hath spared so long time together For his goodnesse is too precious a iewell to bee made a iestingstocke so of the wicked Furthermore let vs marke generally that God will not be subiect to our surmisings but he will haue vs to receiue his sayinges and doinges without scanning of them and to take al thinges for good and rightfull which come of him yea euen though our reason gainesay it For we bee too fickle headded to iudge and therewithall we be so foolish and rash that to our owne seeming it is lawfull for vs to alledge our opinion not onely to iudge of mens doinges but also to giue sentence vpon the determinations of our God vpon such execution of theÌ„ as he doth ordinarily But contrariwise it is shewed vs both in this place in all others y t it is not for vs to aduance our selues so high as to say whatsoeuer coÌ„meth at our tongues end but we must receiue whatsoeuer coÌ„meth from God w tout any replying Doth God them seeme cruell Yet neuerthelesse let vs confesse that he is righteous and that he doeth not any thing but in perfect righteousnesse and equitie Besides this let vs learne also to obey him in all pointes by doing the thinges that he commaundeth vs euen though they goe against our stomackes Sometimes men may to their seeming haue honest excuse not to do the thing that is commaunded them But what for that It will not discharge them before God for GOD will bee wise for vs and good reason it is that he should bee so For what a thing were it if men might alledge Yea Lord but what will become of such a thing Such an inconuenience myght followe of it If wee fall to scanning after that fashion is it not as much as if wee should say that God was misaduised and foresawe not all that wee haue a deeper and better settled forecast than his is And were not that too too diuelish a blasphemie Yes And therefore let vs marke that to rule our life aright we must not enter into so many countersayings and disputations but wee must vnderstand that our wisedome is to obey God simply â— Sam. 15.21 â—â— When Saul spared the king whoÌ„ he had ouercome and the Cattel that was fallen into his handes it seemed to him that he had colour good ynough to doe it For his intent was to haue led the king in triumph and that had bin as a spectacle to shewe Gods goodnesse towards his people In deede so was it to Saules weening And as for the Cattell he reserued them to haue made sacrifice withall and that was a goodly thing to make men vnderstande that God had giuen so noble and wonderfull a victorie to his people All this went well then Yea if a man might haue beleeued Saul in his owne imagination But yet in the meane while he is reproued at Gods hand and both he and his mercie bee condemned togither and the king is faine to be slaine by another before his face For he himself was not worthie to be Gods minister he was bereft of that office and Samuell was put in his roome And afterward it was tolde him that the kingdome which he possessed should not desceÌ„d to his children and posteritie but should be conueyed vnto a straunger Wee would thinke this geere very straunge but that it is shewed vs that Saul was ouer arrogant in taking vppon him to bee wiser than he had leaue to bee and in that as soone as a foolish toy tooke him in the head he followed that rather than the commaundement of God And was not that a taking vppon him to bee wiser than God And was not that a cursed pride Yes and therefore the condemnation which Samuel pronounced vppon him was iust For it is meete that God should be glorified and that wee should confesse that there is nothing to bee amended in him but that all mouthes ought to bee opened and to say Lord wisedome Iustice equitie and vertue are not to be sought for elsewhere than in thee And therfore let vs practise this doctrin in such wise as we be not more mercifull than God will haue vs to bee or than the rule which he hath giuen vs will beare For there are that would faine vse mercy in mingling white and blacke together and in making a hotchpotch of all things vnder pretence that wicked persons should goe quite and skotfree And what remaineth more but that the righteous and good men should be condemned if the wicked shoulde bee so maintained Prou. 17.15 And that is the cause why Salomon sayth that he which quitteth the offender when hee sees him giltie is as much to blame before God as he that oppresseth the innocent For our Lord hath ordeined not onely that good cases should bee maintained but also that euill dealinges should be corrected when they be found Rom. 13.4 1. Pet. 2.14 And for the same purpose hath he put his sword into the handes of princes Magistrates and all other officers of Iustice to the intent that leaudnesse should not bee mayntained in the worlde Then is there no replying against this And yet notwithstanding yee shall haue some that will complayne of men as bludsuckers and as soone as any mention is made of the execution of Iustice it is no better with them but crueltie Let such folke get them to God and goe pleade against him to see if they can get the vpper hand And it is not only the gallowesclappers that say so I meane those whose faultes and crymes are manifest but these Tauernhaunters or Alehousknightes which counterfeit the preachers O they haue great skill to alledge gentlenesse and mercie and it seemeth to them that I doe no more spare bloud than they do the wyne which they gussel and quaffe vp without measure or reason But such blasphemies or raylinges doe touche God and not men For I heare what is spoken Let those mastife dogs barke and gnarre as much as they list yet is this doctrine which proceded out of Gods mouth sufficient to make them ashamed And herewithall let vs marke that the mercy which God commandeth is to haue pitie of such as are going to destruction Let that serue for one point So as if it lay in vs wee should bee mindefull how to drawe them out of the ditch And when wee see them vtterly wilfull so as there is no hope nor meane to bring them backe againe wee must be sory for them for as much as we see they bee wretched damned creatures Marke that for another poynt Againe let vs beare with such as fall to repentaunce But when wee
to himselfe sheweth that hee should bee susteined by trusting in God although hee wanted bread In deede I can not dispatch this matter at this present but yet must wee beare somewhat of it away to the end that the rest may be y e better set forth to morrowe See then how our Lorde Iesus Christ expounded the wordes of Moses He was tēpted by Satan to turne stones into bread And with what intent Verily as though he could not haue liued without bread But hee sheweth that although he wanted bread yet hee should not faile to bee susteined by the power of GOD his father For why It is not by bread saith hee that man doth liue that is to say God is not bound by any necessitie to vse bread whē he will susteine vs. If an earthly father will susteine his children hee must needes haue bread and if hee haue none he will weepe and say alas my children I can not but bee in great griefe of minde to see you in this necessitie if I coulde feede you with mine owne bloud I would doe it So then a father shall not alwayes haue wherewith to mainteine his children but it is not so with God for he is not bound to any necessitie Now then doth bread faile through the whole world Is there such drought as the earth can yeelde no substance Yet doth not God faile to bee almightie still and to haue wherewith to maintaine those that are his Thus yee see how Iesus Christ did beate backe the diuels temptation by telling him that wee must not imagine Gods power to be shut vp within his creatures but that we must learne to trust in him not douting but that he can finde meanes well enough to maintaine vs yea euen though all things faile vs. If he giue vs bread let vs eate of it for wee must not tempt him But if all meane helps faile let vs betake our selues to him that is almightie and to his onely power which shall alwayes haue his course though there be no meane help at all Yee see then howe Moseses meaning is that euen in respect of this transitorie lyfe wee must not be so beastly as to hang our groynes vppon the bread and meate as though our life lay hidden there But when we haue wherewith to feede our selues let vs lift our eyes vpward to acknowledge that it is God which hath set that order in nature And againe if wee haue little let vs bee contented with it and pray God to make it effectuall as though it were Manna frō heauen so as one morsel may feede vs and make vs as lustie as if we had all the abundance of the world And if we bee driuen to pouertie let vs proceede yet further and pray God to supply out want and let vs put this sentence in practise that man liueth not onely by bread that is to say he is not susteined alonely by these ordinary meanes but although he were at vtter necessitie and wanted all thinges yet would not God faile to succor him And therefore let vs resorte vnto him and to the secrete power whereby we bee susteined that wee may bee so mainteined by the same as we may liue in him and by him and al through his onely meere goodnesse Now let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to vouchsafe to pitie vs that seeing wee be so wretched creatures that although he haue a care to bring vs back againe to him yet notwithstanding wee would faine striue against him it may please him so to purge vs from all stubbornesse as our whole seeking may bee to submit our selues to his wil and that hee suffer vs not to bee giuen still to our owne wicked affections and to the lustes of our flesh but rather that hee correct them yea and that in such sorte as we may seeke to mount vpward and to passe in such wise through this world as wee may alwayes remember that it is but a wayfaring to the intent wee may keepe on still to the marke whereunto our Lord calleth 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 Fryday the xvj of August 1555. The Lix Sermon which is the second vpon the eight Chapter 3.4 He afflicted thee c. 5 Knowe thou therfore in thyne hart that the Lord thy God nurtured thee as a man nurtureth hys owne child 6 Therefore keepe thou the commaundementes of the Lord thy God by walking in his wayes and by fearing him 7 For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land a land wherein are riuers of water fountaines and springes which come out of the valleys and hilles 8 A land of wheate and barely of Vines figtrees and Poungarnets a lande wherein are Oiuetrees Oyle and honnie 9 A lande wherein thou shalt eate bread without scarcetie so as thou shalt not want any thing in it a Lande whose stones are iron and out of whose hils thou shalt digge brasse YEsterday wee sawe first of all how the myracle that GOD wrought in feeding his people with Manna by the space of fortie yeeres togither in the wildernesse ought to serue for euer And therewithall was shewed the ende thereof that is to wit that the Iewes ought to haue considered that it is not the bread y t maintaineth a man neither is the power of our lyfe shut vp within it but rather it is God y t breatheth liuelinesse into vs and which giueth the breade that nature wherby it is able to sustaine vs. And so we see y t the matter here concerneth not the life of our soules but that God sheweth vs howe this flightfull and transitorie life is maintayned by his onely power so that whether wee haue meate and drinke or whether we suffer hunger wee must alwayes haue recourse to Gods goodnesse assuring our selues that he is our foster father and that our life is in his hand and that it is his office to preserue it in good plight That is the summe of the things which wee haue to remember here And ye haue seene also howe ou◠Lord Iesus vsed the same text Matt. 4.4 as was declared in fewe wordes but yet must we lay forth the residue of the things a little more at length Now then wee haue to marke that if GOD giue vs abundance our minds must not be wedded to it for can the bread quicken vs seeing it is a dead thing Although God vse it as an instrument it is not to deface his owne commendation no more than when he giueth vs light by the Sunne For we knowe that in the creation of the world light was made before the Sunne was created And why To the intent we should not conuey the honour of God vnto creatures Therefore let vs so vse the light of the Sunne as wee acknowledge therewithall that there is but onely one God
speaketh here God had promised to choose a place for his Sanctuary to rest in for euer Now y t thing was to haue bin done as soone as y e Israelites were entred into the land of Canaan yet it was delayed a long time insomuch as there passed a hūdred yeeres or twaine yea three or four hūdred before the promise tooke effect And that was bicause the people were not worthy to be so satisfied as God had declared therefore were faine to abide the punishment of their sin For they draue not out their enemies as he had commaunded them but became negligent and besides y t they themselues turned away fell into all maner of vices corruptions That therfore was the cause why God withdrew his hand 2. Sam. 7.10 and performed not his promise till the time of Dauid Neuertheles although y e people were malicious although they were vnthankfull towards God although they prouoked his wrath so many waies to y e vttermost yet could they not vtterly disappoint y t promise altogether The reason was for y t it depended not vpon y t deserts of men Therfore although men be vnworthy of it yet doth God in y e end performe whatsoeuer he saith Yet notwithstanding there is a delay made for a time to the intent that folke should learne to know their own naughtines and mislike of it and be sory for it Wherfore let vs learne hereby that if God at any time do shew himselfe vnwilling to put vs in possession of his benefites out of hand it is bicause that we haue procured the delay of them by our own naughtines But yet shal we not be vtterly bereft of them so we acknowledge our sinnes and be sory for them but in the end he will reach out his hand again to put vs in possession of the benefites wherof we had deserued to be vtterly dispossessed Truly this wil not boot the hypocrites at al but as for gods church although it liue in suspence for a time Yet will our Lord shew in the end that his goodnesse surmounteth all the sinnes of men and that he will not faile to be faithfull though all of vs be lyers Sothly as I said afore we must not vnder this colour flatter our selues For if we be stubborne in euil our Lord wil welynough find the meanes to discharge himselfe of the promise wherof we shal haue beene disappointed But let vs learne to acknowledge our sinnes when we haue acknowledged them let vs learne also to rest vppon the goodnes of our god not doubting but that it is so great and infinite that notw tstanding all the lets which we on our side shal cast in the way of it yet it will so get the vpper hande that in the ende we shall find the welfare from the which we had shut our selues out of doores That is the thing which we haue to remēber vpon this text of Moses where he saith that god wold appoint a place euen such a one as he had chosen out from amōg all the tribes of Israel where he would haue his name to be called vpon The residue which cānot bee declared as now shal be pursued heereafter Now let vs fall downe in the presence of our good god with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs perceaue them better than we haue done heretofore so as wee may mislike them more more therby be brought back vnto him and that sith wee for our partes bring nothing to him but vtter corruption it may please him to graunt vs the grace so to reforme vs by his word as y e sacrifices which we shall offer vnto him may be made holy by faith and he accept them for our Lord Iesus Christs sake And for as much as we knowe that he requireth spirituall sacrifices let vs call vpon him w t such bouldnes as we may be hard at his hand yeeld him praise for all his benefites bestowed vpon vs and moreouer indeuer to discharge our selues of our dueties euery man towards his neighbor bicause those be the sacrifices which he receiueth aloweth That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. On Tewsday the viij of October 1555. The lxxxiij Sermon which is the fourth vpon the twelfth Chapter 12.13.14 And ye shall be merry c. 15 Neuerthelesse looke whatsoeuer thou hast a mind vnto that maist thou kill and eate within any of thy gates according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which hee hath giuen thee as of the fallowe deere or of the Red deere both hee that is cleane and he that is vncleane may eate therof 16 Onely of the bloud shal you not eate but you shal powre it vpon the ground as water 17 Thou maist not eate the tithes of thy Corne of thy wine or of thine oyle within any of thy gates nor yet the first ingendred of thy kine or of thy sheepe nor any of the vowes which thou shalt haue vowed nor the free will offringes or the liftinges vp of thy handes 18 But thou shalt eate those thinges in the presence of the Lorde thy God in the place which the Lorde thy God wil choose to himselfe There shalt thou eate them both thy selfe thy sonne thy daughter thy manseruant thy woman seruant and the Leuite that is within thy gates And thou shalt bee merrie before the Lord thy God in all things wherunto thou puttest thy hande MOses going forewarde still with his matter commaundeth the Iewes here to bee merrie in the presence of the Lorde Now although this lesson haue bin laide foorth alreadie yet is it requisite for vs to bee put in minde of it againe For the treating of it heere newe againe is not for nought neither hath the holy Ghost set down any thing more than needeth as I haue sayde heretofore Men cannot keepe measure in their mirth without some disorder alwayes And the cause therof it y t they haue not an eye vnto God in their making merrie Nay rather which worse is they thinke it is no mirth at all vnlesse they turne their backs vpon him Whereas we should seeke all our welfare in GOD to haue our rest there wee beare our selues in hand that wee be best at ease when we bee furthest from him For this cause God ordeined the sayde Ceremonie of solemne feasting when the folke offered sacrifice vnto him as it were of purpose to put them in remembrance that God was there present and shewed himselfe vnto them Not that the doing thereof once a yeere was a sufficient discharge to them but that euery man ought to make a lesson a generall rule of it that whensoeuer they did eate or drinke they shoulde referre it wholly vnto God 1. Cor. 10.31 accordingly as Saint Paule warneth vs to doe And thereby wee see that y e truth thereof abideth vnto vs though the Ceremonie thereof bee
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
For wheras we be nowe corruptible and tende to corruption by death we shall then be clothed again with such a newe nature that y e thing which is now corruptible and transitorie in vs shall become newe and vncorruptible when we be renewed after y e likenesse of our Lord Iesus Christ. Thus ye see what we haue to remember yet further in that God sheweth him selfe to haue such care of them that are deade As touching the things that are spoken here concerning the priests we neede not as nowe to stande verie long vppon them but it will suffice to speake a word or twaine thereof Moses saith that they were ordeined to blesse in Gods name that is to say to make publike prayers True it is that wee at this day haue the same office of making praiers in the name of y e whole church and that the people must say Amen as S. Paul saith in the xiiii of the first Epistle to the Corinthians but there was a speciall consideration of this matter in the tribe of Leuie in the priests of the Lawe namely that they bare the figure of our Lorde Iesus Christ who is our aduocate and our mouth as it were Forasmuch then as it belōgeth to our Lord Iesus Christ to offer vp our requests to God our father bicause they can neuer bee acceptable to God but for his sake neither are we worthie to preace vnto God except hee leade vs and make way and meanes for vs Therefore in the time of the Lawe the Priestes blessed the people that is to say they made the publike prayers for them Againe there is another thing namely that their blessing of y e people was a witnessing of Gods fauour and loue towardes them And that also belongeth to our Lord Iesus Christ howbeit that the same pertaineth not to himself alone but also to al the preachers of the Gospel Whē we preach Gods mercie the blessing of God is vpon al them that harken to vs. For it is all one as if God himselfe came to declare his fauour towards vs and y t for asmuch as wee be reconciled vnto him hee intendeth to take vs into his keeping Seeing then that the doctrine of the Gospell importeth such thinges wee see that all the Shepheardes of the Christian Church doe blesse the people But this is not because they are figures of our Lorde Iesus Christ but because of the charge that is committed vnto them They doe indeede represent his person as his officers but in the time of the Lawe this was of force that the Priest during the continuance of those shadowes did after a sorte supply the roome of our Lorde Iesus Christ vntill hee was come That then was meant by blessing the people in the name of God as we see our Lorde Iesus Christ himselfe hath declared For hee blessed his disciples by laying his handes vppon them Luk. 24.50 Act. 1 4◠Therefore let vs resorte to him as oft as wee thinke vppon our owne cursednesse that is to say forasmuch as wee knowe our selues worthie to bee reiected of God and to bee as it were accursed because there is nothing but vtter wickednes in vs Let vs flee to our Lord Iesus Christ. For if God gaue that remedie to his people vnder the Lawe of being blessed by the priestes who were but mortall men shall wee mistrust that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath not sufficient power to doe away all our accursednesse so as God shall looke fauorable vppon vs and receiue vs as his children Then let vs hardily giue eare hereunto and rest vppon it with full trust And when wee bee about to pray let vs assure our selues that wee haue an aduocate who will make vs to finde fauor And let vs not alledge as the Papistes doe I am not worthie to pray to God but let vs bee sure that our Lorde Iesus Christ calleth vs to him Trueth it is that wee ought to perceiue our owne vnworthinesse howbeit not to make vs to raunge away when wee pray vnto God or to cause vs to seeke long windlasses as who shoulde say Such a Saint shall bee mine aduocate or such a Sheesaint shall bee my patronesse but to direct vs to him which is giuen vs of God his father namely to our Lorde Iesus Christ. Thus much concerning the blessing Now the seruing of God imported the sacrifices and all the rest of the ceremonies And at this day they that are appointed ministers of Gods woorde haue the administration of Sacramentes because it is an appurtenance to Gods worde and doctrine which they bring but our Lorde Iesus is hee that hath made the onely and euerlasting sacrifice whereupon wee must rest And herein wee see the foolishnesse that is in the Popedome for the Priestes will needes counterfeit his sacrifice saying thus O beholde the tribe of Leuie was appointed to serue God Yea but we must consider what maner of Sacrifice God requireth and alloweth at this day Will hee haue vs to slea Bullockes Sheepe Lambes and such other thinges No verily But Saint Paul sayth that the sacrifices which the Shepheardes of the Church must offer to God Phil. ◠17. Rom. 15.16 are mens soules whome they winne by the preaching of his worde Those doe they dedicate vnto God and that is the seruice which hee lyketh of This is a part of that seruice of God which is spirituall And therefore let vs marke that wee must let Iesus Christ alone with that which the holy scripture reserueth vnto him Namely the offering vp of himselfe once for all Act. 13 3◠to purchase vs euerlasting forgiuenesse of all our sinnes and the making of vs cleane and pure yet still before God Now then there remaineth nothing but this onely that wee be confirmed in the power that is brought vnto vs by his death and passion And howe may that bee By the vse of the sacramentes When we receiue the Supper wee make not a newe sacrifice as the Papistes were woont to doe in that diuelish abhomination of their Masse but we protest that God is at one with vs when we be grounded in the death and passion of his onely sonne and that we be partakers thereof and our present receiuing of the bread and wine that are giuen vs is all one as if we were fed with his body and bloud as with meate and drinke Thus ye see how we ought to apply the thinges to our instruction which are spoken here concerning the sacrifices that were to bee offered to GOD by the priestes of the Lawe Now let vs proceede with that which Moses addeth here He saith that the Priestes shall resort thither with the gouerners and Iudges of the Citie and take a young Heckfar or Bullocke as they terme it here and cut off the necke of it yea and that in a valley saith he as in a secret place and namely in a valley that is barreine and vntilled as in a desert place This circumstance is set
as are already feeble to the worldward ought to bee easily reclaymed vnto God and teachable enough But herein it appeareth howe much naughtinesse there is in our nature For the miserablest of vs cease not to striue against God and euen they which haue not whereof to bee prowd but ought rather to hang downe their heads and to bee ashamed of themselues euen they I say will not faile to swell with pride lyke Toades When we see men fight after that fashion against nature needs must we say y t there is a terrible vntowardnesse in mans nature Now if these cannot bee made to stoope at the first but God must be faine to winne them by maine blowes insomuch as hee may sooner break them than make thē obedient subiect to his gouernment auctoritie how much more needful is it for y e rich for such as thinke thēselues to be well fenced for such as haue worldly meanes to stay vpon Howe much more neede haue they to bee tamed For they doe euen burst for pride accordinglie as wee see howe the riche folke and the great personages of this worlde and all such as seeke to stande by themselues are so besotted yea and bewitched with diuelishe selfeweening that they thinke they may defie God and that his hande cannot touch them that they haue made a league with death so that although al the earth were afflicted yet they themselues should scape Wee see that men are blinded after that fashion vnder pretence that all thinges shall fal-out as they woulde wishe Now therefore let vs learne that all of vs as well small as great haue neede to bee subdued by Gods hand yea and to be so subdued as that wee may bee brought in maner to nothing For vntill God haue brought vs to that point wee will neuer cease to put out our hornes at him like snayles Albeit that we be nothing yet wil we pretend some signe of pride Seeing it is so our Lorde must be faine to trample vs so vnder his feete as wee may not be able to indure any more Furthermore wee see how pride is a disease so rooted in men that the remedying thereof must needes bee violent Nay which more is God must bee fayne to vse as it were a poyson to cure that disease withall Wee see what befell to Saint Paul To the ende saith he that I should not boast of my selfe God buffeted mee As howe After what manner Hee saith that hee sent him a messenger of Satan 1 Cor. 12.7 See heere howe the diuell is become a Physition And howe is that Wee knowe that he bringeth nothing with him but deadly poyson That is true But yet God serueth his owne turne by this poyson as by a medicine And if Saint Paul were fayne to haue this doone vnto him what haue wee neede of in comparison of him So then let vs not thinke it straunge seeing we bee so vnrulie and so vnweeldie that when we haue once done amisse a man cannot tel at what end to beginne to reclayme vs. For asmuch then as we be so harde to bee tamed we must not thinke it straunge that our Lorde shoulde beate vppon vs with mayne strokes continue still in chastising of vs vntill wee be vtterly dismayed and ashamed of our selues yea and be brought as it were to nothing in ourselues And nowe Moses declareth whereat God amed in all his scourginges of his people to wit to make them able to abide the hearing of the reproch that was to bee doone vnto them and to touch them to the quicke that they might accuse and condemne themselues and make no mo replies and vaine excuses nor be any more possessed of their own fonde fancies so as they coulde not feele their owne harme and offence For this cause hee addeth that it shoulde be saide vnto them Where are your gods Or where is the mightie one in whome you trusted Yee haue eaten the bloude of the sacrifices you haue drunke the wine of their drinkofferinges nowe therefore let them steppe vp to helpe you and to succour you and let them be your refuge Ye see ye haue beene deceiued by your foolish imaginations Know ye now therfore that I am the Lord I am hee euen I am hee without any other By these words which I haue declared Moses doeth vs to vnderstande first that God respecteth nothing else but the winning of vs to himselfe to the end wee shoulde be meeke and of a mielde disposition to receiue correction That is the thing wherewith he is contented insomuch that if we returne to him by repentance it is enough Thē let vs conclude that when he sheweth himselfe rough and sharpe towardes vs it is altogether for our welfare and that although he put vs in feare by pretending the countenance of a iudge yet he ceaseth not to be a father and a Physition vnto vs. True it is that all men cannot taste of this For we may see a great sort of these braue laddes of the worlde which will needes abide in their wilfulnesse whatsoeuer come thereof As for such all Gods chastisementes must serue for summoninges to warne them of their finall condemnation howe it is as an entering into hell for them But if wee bee not vtterly vnreformable let vs marke as I haue saide alreadie that Gods intent is not to sink vs when he seemeth to thunder against vs but to put vs in feare y t we may bee led to repentance become plyable to suffer him to gouerne vs that hauing acknowledged our sinnes wee may come to him with true humilitie crauing pardon at his hand that by that meane wee may be reconciled vnto him That is a verie needeful thing for vs. Nowe by the way wee see the fruite which the afflictions sent of God doe yeelde vs. Not that they bee profitable to all men as I shall shewe hereafter but vnto the faithfull whom God maketh his corrections to serue For by thē he holdeth vs in awe to the end we may not be moued with impatiencie when we happen to be chastised by his hande For naturally wee bee inclined to impatiencie insomuch that if wee feele anie smarte by and by wee leape out of our boundes And we heare what complaintes and grudginges are made continually in the worlde when men see warres when folke are pinched with famine or when they bee stricken with plagues what a number of blasphemies doe they spewe out against God And although men dare not bee so bolde as to defie GOD in wordes yet doe they gnashe their teeth at him shewing thereby that they be no whyt mooued to receiue his chastisements with such mieldnes meekenes as they ought to do And whereof proceedeth that Euen of that we tast not the thing which Moses telleth vs here namely that by Gods ouermastring of vs wee beginne to bee quiet towardes him and to become teachable and to receiue the warninges contayned in his worde so as they
that it seemed to yeelde some benefite vnto them insomuch that when they were once touched to the quicke then they vttered their poison to abolish the name and maiestie of God ouer-reaching themselues so far as to say that there is no God at all After that manner doe all Idolaters and all vnbeleeuers deale vnlesse our Lorde take vppon him to worke and restraine them by his holy spirite And that is the knowledge which Moses speakes of Let vs marke wel therefore howe it is not saide here barely that God would vpbraide the Iewes with their yeelding of themselues to their Idols in vaine and that their Gods in whom they trusted had stood them in no steede but that hee addeth Beholde howe it is I my selfe and there is no other God with mee To bee shorte it booteth vs not to knowe all the abuses and foolishe fancies wherewith men beguile themselues but wee must also returne vnto God And indeede what a sorte of skoffers are there noweadaies in the worlde which make a skorning of all the dotages of the Papistes and yet in the meane while are worse themselues than dogges so as it were much better for them that they were Papistes A man shall see I say the despisers of all Religion which will say according as they thinke that all the Religion which is in the Popedome is flat mockerie and a verie childishe toye But what They haue no feare of God nor reuerence of his worde it beareth no sway at all with them Nowe as I haue saide afore it were much better for such that they were Papistes And so let vs marke well howe it is to no purpose to knowe Idolatrie and to perceiue and beleeue that all that euer is doone without the warrant of Gods worde or contriued by man is but abuse filth and corruption vnlesse which is the principall poynt wee returne vnto God to doe homage to his maiestie and come ashamed before him acknowledging our faultes crauing pardon at his hande so as euerie of vs accuse himselfe and humble himselfe in such sorte as there bee no more replying in vs but that wee yeelde ourselues to him with true repentance That is the cause thē why Moses hauing spoken of sacrifycing to Idols and vpbraded the Iewes with their defiling of themselues with their abhominations in eating the bloude and drinking the wine of their offeringes and in intermedling themselues with the filthinesse of the heathen after hee hath said all these things and shewed that in all those things there is nothing but illusion and deceitefulnesse he addeth Beholde I am hee Nowe God presupposeth that they which are so subdued with maine blowes haue their eyes well opened Hee had cast them in the teeth afore Deut 〈…〉 that they were vtter blindfoolded as it had beene with a towell but nowe that they shall see themselues starke naked now they shall see themselues vnarmed their eyes shall be opened there will be nothing to hinder their knowledge any more What is to bee doone then They must consider that there is but one onely God and that it is he to whom we must turne againe euen to craue forgiuenes of our sinnes at his hande and consequently to put our whole trust in him contenting ourselues with his protection without troubling of ourselues to trot vp and downe as the wretched vnbeleeuers doe who neuer haue any rest but are tossed and turmoyled with continuall vexations Therefore let not vs bee caried away with such vnquietnesse but let vs conceiue a right assurance so as wee may rest all wholie vpon our God The rest that followeth cannot be dispatched as now and therefore it shall bee reserued til to morow Now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to vouchsafe to make vs so to feele them as hauing perceiued howe farre we haue ouershot ourselues wee may seeke earnestly to be reformed by his hand and that if it please him to chastice vs wee may patiently abide all the corrections which hee shall send vs or rather it may please him to make his worde to profite so much in vs as wee may not tarrie till hee lift vp his hande to punish vs but receiue the warninges that are giuen vs in his name to reclayme vs wholy to his will and that in the meane while he beare with vs in our infirmities till hee haue rid vs quite and cleane of them and in such wise reformed vs to the obedience of his righteousnes as our whole seeking may bee to glorifie his name euen till wee come to the immortal glorie which is prepared for vs in heauen was purchased for vs by our Lord Iesus Christ. 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 Wednesday the xvij of Iune 1556. The CLXXXVIII Sermon which is the eleuenth vpon the two and thirtith Chapter 39 See nowe howe it is I euen I that am God and there is no God with mee It is I that kill and make aliue againe I wounde and heale and there is none that can deliuer out of my hand 40 For I lift vp my hande to heauen and as for mee I liue for euer 41 If I whet the edge of my sworde and my hande lay holde of Iudgement I will execute vengeaunce vpon mine aduersaries and pay them their hyre which hate mee 42 I will make mine arrowes drunken with bloude and my sworde shall deuoure the bloudie flesh of the slaine and of the prisoners at the beginning of the vengeance of the enemies 43 Yee nations prayse you his people for hee will auenge the bloude of his seruauntes and yeeld vengeance to his aduersaries but he will be fauorable to his owne lande and to his owne people WE sawe yesterday howe it is not enough to knowe that there is nothing but vanitie and leasing in Idols and in al y e superstitions y t men haue deuised of their owne heades but that the cheefe point is to knowe God to do him homage to walke in his feare and to consider howe dreadfull his maiestie is Nowe heerewithall wee must marke also that when we once knowe God to be too great a Lorde to bee dalied withall if he chastice vs for offending him we must taste of his mercie to returne freely vnto him beeing throughlie perswaded and resolued that wee shall finde mercie at his hande though wee be vnworthie of it And that is the cause why he saith That it is hee which killeth and quickeneth and that it is hee that woundeth and healeth againe Nowe wee haue alwayes these two thinges to marke The one is that wee shall bee helde in awe by considering as I saide afore howe dreadfull Gods maiestie is according to the Apostles treating thereof in the fore alleadged tenth chapter to the Hebrewes Hebr. 10.31 That is the thing which maketh vs to liue in awe