chastise the greatest part of y e world insomuch that some one man hath risen with a smal number of people to chastice an infinite multitude y t did set themselues against him and that not for one time onely but twise or thrise one after another with taking of Townes Fortresses which seemed to be so wel appointed yea and strong by naturall situation that they could not be approched vnto yet haue they bin sacked as if God had meant to renue a great part of the worlde It hath bin in likewise seene that a people without renounce or estimation haue risen and made the most mighty to tremble In this dooing God giueth examples of that which is written heere to wit that he can surely bring our enemies vpon the soudayne and that they shal make such dispatch as if they came swifter against vs than by post and that when we suppose to haue some respit by truce for one moneth for one yeere or for al our lifetime we shal be soudenly surprised in a morning before we thinke thereon Let vs therfore vnderstand that as soone as God speaketh wee must haue an eye vnto the infinite power that is in him yea and which is incredible to mans vnderstanding to tremble at his very word and to yeeld vnto him knowing well that if we delay from day to day wee may be preuented then will it be too late Let vs therfore be aduised to humble our selues in due time and to craue pardon when we haue offended him Moses sayeth expressely That they which are disobedient vnto God shal be besieged shut vp within their walles vntill all their fortresses in which they trusted be beaten downe Here we see how God reproueth the false and cursed presumption wherby men deceiue themselues in thinking themselues to be well fenced against him It is a sacriledge whereby God is robbed of his honor whē we attribute vnto the creatures y e meane to vphold vs. It is certaine y t God serueth himselfe by meanes we must also apply thē vnto our vse but in the meane while to settle our trust vppon them were a robbing of God of his maiestie For he wil haue vs to hold al things of him and to do him homage for them So then it is an intollerable presumption for vs to put our trust in creatures to ground our selues on them and yet there is no fault more common in y e world We can say wel ynough y t it is not lawfull that we ought not to doe it but in the meane while euerie one doth it Now let vs remēber our selues for there is nothing y t God holdeth more deare or whereof he maketh greater account than his honour Neither is it sufficient for vs to leaue him the title name of God but he must also be knowne as he is y t is to say that al power lieth in him that he is the fountaine of all manner of grace goodnes that it is his proper office to maintaine and preserue vs that our life is in his hand all things that belong therto When we haue well thought vpon this let vs take order to gather our wits so about vs as we be not grounded vpon creatures Surely the mischiefe is double when we shield our selues with y e creatures against God therby to become stubborne whē he threateneth vs to hold on still when he vttereth forth tokens of his displeasure let vs consider that the offence is then much more grieuous But yet is this ouer common For whilest we perceiue not any daunger towardes as in respect of the world doe not wee continue in our sinnes And doe we not abide in stubbornnesse◠God speaketh but we regard him not So y t men doe fauour vs so we haue wherewith to fortifie our selues we thinke that y e hand of God can not come at vs. And therefore it is not without cause y t our Lord reproueth the frowardnes of al such as are disobedient towardes him that is to say that they put their trust in their fortresses in their high walles in their munitions and in such like things Now forasmuch as we bee subiect to these things it were better for vs y t we had neyther hedge nor aught else than to be wel fenced with walles and bulworkes For they serue but to blinde our eyes that haue no more respect to our God but be bewitched by Sathan to put our trust in things which shal be our confusion Howsoeuer the case standeth let vs aduisedly holde this rule in generall that is y t God be euermore our fortresse as we see he promiseth by his Prophet Esay Esa. 1◠◠aswel in the 12. Chapter as also from y e 55. vnto the end for it tendeth al to this point And it is so commō a doctrine in the holy scripture that we can scarse turne a leafe but we shal see some text wherein God telleth vs y t he wil be our rampyres our wals our ditches yea double ditches our towers and whatsoeuer else is needefull for our defence And why For as I haue heretofore said our mindes do forthwith slide into vanitie so as God is not able to hold vs backe to himselfe and to make account that we will put our whole trust in him What must wee then doe First of all if we bee destitute of mans aide let vs vnderstand that God alone is sufficient if wee returne vnto him say Ah Lord it is certaine y t we are set for a pray we haue not wherew t to saue our selues for all the world doth faile vs but yet it is ynough y t thou art our succour After y t maner should wee learne to resort vnto him And so shoulde wee take occasion to yeelde our selues wholly vnto him when the things of this worlde doe fayle vs. And by the way although wee haue walles and artillerie money and munition and all that wee can wish for yea and people also and all thinges else yet let vs vnderstande that wee must in the meane while so vse them as our Lorde may bee alway our trust and we giue him euermore this honor that it is his office to defend vs and that thereupon wee wade no farther It is certayne that wee may serue our turne with the things which hee putteth into our handes but yet in the meane while our hearts and mindes must bee raysed vp aboue all the worlde and hee alone must bee our shooteanker Thirdely wee must not vaunt our selues of the force of the helpes that he giueth vs for a speare of a bramble as they say is enough to make vs beleeue that wee bee inuincible What say wee Is it possible that they should preuaile against vs All this is nothing no not worth the pill of an Onyon as they say yet will wee needes streine our wittes to giue it price and the glory Nay contrariwise let vs acknowledge our debilitie and
maketh them at their wittes ende Therefore if wee intende to inioy the greatest and most desirable benefite in the worlde that is to say to liue in peace and rest let vs learne that wee must not prouoke our God to make him our enemie For as long as wee prouoke his wrath all thinges must needes goe against vs. That is the thing which wee haue to gather vppon this place And we must not thinke that wee haue profited anie whit when wee haue put God out of our minde or when wee haue turned our backes vppon him for a time as these skorners doe which in such times doe take their pleasure in sporting with GOD at the full Therefore let not vs deale so hardheartedlie for there is not a worse thing than to haue rocked our consciences asleepe after such a fashion that wee haue no more remorse nor heartbiting in vs. But let vs set our mindes to haue peace with God that is to say to resort vnto him in such wise as we may feele him to bee our father and seeke to stay our selues vppon his goodnes that our so doing may keepe vs in rest Thus yee see in effect howe wee haue to applie this worde Feare or Terrour wherewith Moses threateneth here the transgressors of Gods law and such as stand against him to the vttermost He saith further that God will destroy euen the sucking babes and the olde men which are alreadie gray headed so as hee will not spare neither sex nor age nor anie thing else for hee speaketh of young folke and of maydes that are to bee maried Nowe as I sayde afore wee must not thinke it straunge that God shoulde vse such seueritie but wee must call to minde the vnreformable stubbornesse which was in the people afore For wee knowe that Moses wrate this song to shewe the people their malicious and frowarde nature yea and vtterlie vnamendable in so much that when God had by all meanes vttered his goodnesse and mercie towardes them they drewe all to the worst and shewed themselues too too vnthankefull shrinking continually away from him and marring themselues with superstition and Idolatrie so as the Prophetes streyning themselues to the vttermost coulde not bring them backe againe into the right way Is it then anie woonder that GOD after so long wayting shoulde vse so great extremitie as wee see No. For after that GOD had winked at them their iniquitie came to the full growth according to the fore alledged text of Genesis which saith Gen. 15.16 that the wickednesse of the Amorrhites was not yet full growen but within fourehundred yeares afterwarde they shoulde bee vtterly rooted out And why was that For it was too much that those people were hardened alreadie in the time of Abraham But when as at the ende of fourehundred yeares more they were become yet worse and ceased not to increase still the great heape of Gods vengeaunce was it not meete that hee should then make them to pay the whole arrearages as they say And seeing that the children of Israel comming into the same place and hauing so fayre a lookingglasse before their eyes in those Nations whome OOD had vtterlie destroyed did neuerthelesse giue ouer themselues to the same superstitions and thereby defiled the lande which God had appointed to his owne seruice was it not meete that they also should be made an example to others Nowe this ought to serue vs. For wee be in possession of the inheritance which God promised to the children of Abraham I meane not the land which they dwelt in but the inheritāce which was betokened by that land as by a gage and figure Gods will therefore is that we nowe shoulde bee his householde and that we should bee gathered together into his Church and flocke vntil he take vs into his kingdome Nowe if in steede of honouring him and of yeelding him his due seruice we become vnrulie folke giuen ouer to all leawdnesse and moreouer doe match the same with wilfull stubbornesse so as there is no meane to bring vs backe into the way of saluation thinke wee that our Lorde will not bee reuenged of such vnthankefulnesse Furthermore let vs not thinke it straunge that the young babes are here spoken of For as touching maides that are to bee maryed young men and olde folkes if a nation bee corrupted and the mischeefe haue once ouerflowed his bankes as they say they also must needes bee infected as well as the rest and the worlde sees it is so For when olde men are once saped in naughtinesse and inured by custome to offend God they wil rather haue their skinnes plucked off from their backs a thousand times if they had so many skinnes than once to be reclaimed For they become so blockish or els so inraged that their is no way to deale with thē As for young folke we see they be as it were set on fire to make war against God Againe wheresoeuer wickednesse reigneth and all thinges are peruerted there the young women become as wilde as Roes so as there remayneth not anie honestie and much lesse anie feare of God in them This is apparant to all men And therefore it is not to bee woondred at though God doe threaten both young and old But as touching little babes that may seeme the more crueltie because they haue not offended like the others For will God punish the guiltlesse Doth hee not say by his Prophet Ezechiel that the parties which haue sinned shal beare their owne punishment 〈◊〉 1◠20 and that the Childe shall not bee punished for his father Yes but we must marke that God hath a reason of his iudgementes though it bee vnknowen to vs. Wee then may thinke some chastisements of Gods to be ouer-rigorous but yet doeth he knowe why he doth so and it becommeth vs to reuerence the things with all humilitie which are incomprehensible to vs. For what a thing were it if wee should measure all Gods workes by our wit Can wee attaine to them Howe farre extendeth our vnderstanding Let vs consider howe weake and small it is and what rudenesse is in vs. But on the other side what are the iudgementes of God Euen a deepe gulfe vnpossible to be gaged 〈◊〉 11.33 〈…〉 33. 〈◊〉 11.34 they be vncomprehensible as saith the scripture Agayne whom did he euer cal to counsel Therefore let vs content our selues with the thinges which God hath opened vnto vs and be mindfull of the thing which wee haue seene not long since Deut. 29.29 namely that the secrete thinges belong to our God and that the thinges which are in his Law belong to vs and to our children that is to say y t we must hold vs to the measure which God giueth vs and not be inquisitiue without ende more than is lawfull for vs to know but receiue the doctrine which hee giueth vs assuring our selues that the same is sufficient for our saluation Also let vs bethinke vs howe it is
aduaunced mee I must nowe giue vp this preheminence and thou must take my roome and I must indeuer as much as I can that the benefite which Gods will is to bestow vpon thee may auayle in thee So then if it please God to take any man to serue him let vs streyne our selues to helpe him and let vs not bee ashamed to put our shoulders vnder him to heaue him vp Let vs not haue any of these wicked respects to say O ho truely as for mee if God were so gratious to mee as to aduance me as wel as such a one I woulde bestirre mee But forasmuch as hee holdeth mee downe to the grounde I will not meddle with other men Let vs beware of such churlishnesse Nay rather when we see that God hath chosen a man let vs reason thus with our selues I see that God hath chosen such a man indeede hee is not the ablest that coulde bee deuised but yet is it Gods will to bee serued by him and wee see hee hath a good will therefore let vs helpe him let euerie of vs reach him his hande and let euerie of vs consider wherin hee may succour him to his furtherance Yee see then that the thing which wee haue to marke heere is that although our working beare no great outwarde shewe and that the thinges which we doe haue no great glosse to commend them to the worlde yet wee must not therefore cease to serue God according to our power and to linke in with those by whom it is Gods will to bee serued and not to imagine any thing that may foreslowe vs or make vs say At whose whose hande shall I bee recompensed That which I haue done is as good as lost men make none account of it It shall well ynough come in account before God And therefore let it suffise vs to be allowed at his hand These are y â— things that we haue to note vpon this that Moses was commaunded to strengthen Iosua Nowe finally it is saide that the people perceiuing their sinne answered Wee haue offended the Lorde and therefore wee bee nowe readie to goe vp And they not onely vsed those wordes but also euerie man prepared and armed himselfe and so they went vp to encounter with their enemies Heere wee see the nature of men When GOD biddeth them be stil they be too too forward they be as hot as fire to doe the thing that is forbidden them But when they were bidden goe then their legges were broken And yet notwithstanding it is saide that the people acknowledged their sinne when they had beene so disobedient against GOD. Whereby it appeareth that there is such a corruptnesse in our nature that euen in minding to doe good we doe euill and offende God ouershoote our selues without reason or measure Heere is then a faire lookingglasse for vs to discerne our owne vices by yea verily so wee consider in the person of y e Iewes that not only they themselues are condemned but also that God purposeth to giue a generall lesson whereby all men may fare the better Nowe I tolde you first of all that when God soundeth his trumpet and commaundeth vs to march we stir not a whit and that although wee haue some good liking of the matter yet we bee so colde and slowe as is pitie to see And on the contrarie part that if hee say Tary still wee bee lustie and moreouer so hot and hastie that wee desire nothing but to occupie both our armes our legs too When it was saide to the people Go for your God is among you bee not afraide so long as yee haue such a power to defende you The people replyed againe on the other side nay marie howe shall wee goe vp They bee Gyants they wil deuour vs with their lookes wee shal be vndone at the first chop it were better yet to returne into Egypt When the people had replyed so and it was tolde them againe What meane you thus to distrust your God He hath giuen vs this lande wee haue his promise of it and besides that you haue had proofe of his helpe alreadie many wayes and he offereth it you still howe thinke you of it you faithlesse and rebellious people When the people were thus laide at did they yet returne to their right wits Yea for yee see they repented What for that It is but a false repentance Goe to say they sith it is so we will goe and march against our enemies seeing it is Gods pleasure Nay yee see heere that God ment to trie their faith and obedience another way that is to wit by their forbearing to doe any thing at all Because hee sawe they had not obeyed him at the first nowe he will haue them ashamed of it and to tarie his leisure till hee haue pitie of them And forasmuch as hee had sworne that they shoulde not come there his will was that they shoulde after the example of Moses haue suffered themselues to bee bereft of that honour as they were worthie Wee see then that men haue but too greate frowardnesse when GOD commaundeth them to sit at rest and contrariwise that they bee but too colde when he would haue them to goe forwarde nay they will rather creepe into cranies than goe forth when God biddeth them Howbeit for the better vnderstanding of this matter let vs marke that this people offended in preacing forwarde without promise For as I haue saide afore we must not be hardie any further than God biddeth vs. Therefore when wee haue but a worde of his mouth we must take corage and put all letteâ— vnder foote that may turne vs away For the thing wherein GOD will bee glorified is that hee commaunde vs nothing in vaine And speciallie when hee promiseth vs good successe to our matters and to prosper our doings then must we rest thervpon assuring our selues that hee will giue vs good dispatch Neuerthelesse when God had sworne that the people should not come there then woulde they needes goe vp against their enemies not considering that in so doing they resisted GOD and aduaunced themselues against him True it is that if a man had asked them whether they minded to resist God or no and to doe cleane contrarie to his will or whether they minded to haue him to bee their aduersarie they woulde haue aunswered No Wee beleeue that God will helpe vs. For why Hee hath deliuered vs out of Egypt he hath promised our father Abraham to giue this lande in possession to his linage and the time is nowe come Yea but there is no promise to you and therefore it is but fonde presumption or rather starke madnesse when men take a toye in their heades and aduenture to doe this or that when in the meane while God hath not promised any such thing So then let vs marke well that wee must not be bolde vppon our owne heade but hearken till God speake and when wee haue his promise wee must rule
let vs inquire whether it concerne God or no. If wee perceiue that it concerne God then must wee submit our selues thereto saying Lord thou art righteous let thine onely will suffice vs without looking to haue any other reason let it not be lawfull for vs to goe beyond that rule forasmuch as it is the rule of all right Now then if we haue the discretion and skill to discerne betweene God and men then shall we not fayle to honor and glorify God and to yeeld him the prayse of Iustice and vprightnesse and so shall wee lykewise if wee indeuour to trye mens doings by Gods word as we be taught it For good reason it is that the same should ouerrule vs yea and that all our deedes and thoughtes shoulde be so measured compassed and directed thereby as wee may consider thus with our selues Hath God forbidden it then is it a wicked thing and therefore I must forbeare it but doth God allow it or permit it then let vs confesse that it is well done without inquiring any further Thus yee see what wee haue to remember for the conclusion of this text Now let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him to make vs feele them better and to teach vs to condemne ourselues vtterly as in very deede there is nothing in vs but cursednesse and none but onely God deserueth to haue al praise of righteousness vprightnes yeelded vnto him and y t euery of vs may not only confesse it with our mouths but also sigh for our sinnes through true repentance so as wee may returne againe vnto him praying him to chaunge our wicked hartes in such wise that whereas now they be plunged in al naughtines and stonehard hee will vouchsafe to bring them to his obedience and to write and ingrose his lawes and commaundementes in them so as we may seeke nothing but to please him and to frame our selues wholy to his good will That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people c. On Tewsday the vij of May. 1555. The fifteenth Sermon which is the first vpon the third Chapter THen turned wee and went vp by the way of Basan And Og the king of Basan came out against vs he and all his people to fight in Edray 2 And the Lord sayd vnto me feare him not for I haue deliuered him into thy hand with all his people and land and thou shalt doe to him as thou diddest to Sehon king of the Amorrhites that dwelt in Hesebon 3 So the Lord our God deliuered Og King of Basan with all his people into our handes and we smote him so as nothing remained of him 4 The same season we tooke all his Cities and there was not anie Citie which we tooke not that is to wit threescore Cities all the Countrie of Argob which is of the kingdome of Og in Basan 5 All his Cities were fenced with high walles Gates and Barres besides the vnwalled townes which were manie in number 6 And wee destroyed them as wee had done to Sehon Bing of Hesebon in rooting out all his Cities men women and children 7 But all the cattle and the spoile of the Cities wee made a pray for our selues 8 So at that time we tooke the land out of the hand of the two kinges of the Amorrhytes which were beyond Iordan from the riuer Arnon vnto Mount Hermon 9 Which Hermon the Sidonians call Sarion and the Amorrhytes name it Sanir 10 Euen al the cities of the plaine and all Galaad and all Basan vnto Selcha and Edray which are cities of the kingdome of Og in the countrie of Basan 11 For onely Og king of Basan remained of the remnant of the Giants behold his bed which is a bed of yron is it not at Rabbath among the children of Ammon The length thereof is nine cubites and the bredth foure cubites after the cubites of a man IF we should take y e thinges that I haue read but as a simple reporte of a storie there would be no profite at all in the reading But if we be able to apply it to such vse as God meant by his holy spirit it is a very profitable lesson for vs. It is declared here that the people of Israell smote Og king of Basan as they had done Sehon king of the Amorrhytes That as ye see is the story But wee must consider to what purpose GOD meant to haue it registred in his lawe and published by Moses and brought againe to the peoples remembraunce It was to the ende that the people should knowe that they had bin guyded by the hand of God and that when they were deliuered out of the land of Egypt they wist not where to haue become vnlesse GOD had continued his fauour towardes them to put them in possessiō of the land which he had promised them for their inheritance But now wee must marke also that the people were not yet entered into the land of Chanaan there was yet great hardnesse in the matter And if they had not trusted in God they might haue bin so scared as would haue caused them to turne head and to murmur against God and to forsake the land that had bin promised them Therfore it was for them to be confirmed And Moses hath respect thereunto in that he setteth before their eyes the power where through they withstoode their enemies which was Gods assisting of them and his ouer throwing of their enemies And now that I haue noted that it was Gods wil to haue this story published and confirmed to the end aforesayd it behoueth vs lykewise to come to our selues and to apply it also to our owne vse For all was written for our learning 1. Cor. 10.11 Then let vs marke that whereas Moses hath sayd here that Og king of Basan was ouerthrowen the people should haue thought thus Behold God hath deliuered vs from a second and a third death For it had bin to no purpose to haue scaped out of Egypt to haue bin set free from the bondage of Pharao and to haue passed through the red Sea all this had bin nothing if our God had not strengthened vs seeing wee haue bin assayled by so mightie and strong enemies whome we had not bin able to resist And in good sooth wee ought to call to minde what hath bin declared before that is to wit that the people ran away as soone as their enemies came against them And why was that For it was not for them to looke for any succour at Gods hand because they ran foorth at aduēture with such foolish rashnesse God had sayd vnto them yee shall not goe to battell and yet would they needes hazarde the incounter Therefore it was meete that they should bee made to knowe their follie to their cost Yet notwithstanding the people of Israel knewe wel enough by experience that they were not of sufficient power to
acknowledge so great a benefit And herein we see how God had a respect to the rudenesse of his people as in deede all the Ceremonies which wee haue serue but for our infirmitie What doth Baptism or the Lordes Supper bring vs Doe they make the death passion of our Lord Iesus Christ of more value than it is of it selfe What helpe find we in the bread or in the wine or in the water to that purpose Gods meaning then was not to ad any thing to y t which we haue receiued in our Lord Iesus Christ but to beare with our rudenes because he sees vs to be vnable to comprehende the thinges that are gotten for vs by our Lorde Iesus Christ. For inasmuch as they bee too high for vs God helpeth vs vp to theÌ„ by the outwarde visible signes which we haue in y e Sacraments But it behoued the Iewes to haue mo such helps than we For they had not so plaine a doctrine as is now conteined in y e Gospel Again Iesus Christ was not yet come in whom we see all y t euer can be wished for our saluation The heauens were then opened vnto vs Col. 1.22 when his side was opened to washe vs cleane and his body offered vp for a sufficient sacrifice to reconcile vs vnto God his father and to doe away all our offences and transgressions When these thinges were done then had we a full warrant of our saluatioÌ„ Therfore wee in these dayes neede not to be helped with so houge a heape of Ceremonies as the ancient fathers vnder the Lawe were It is ynough that we be ledde to our Lord Iesus Christ wherunto fewe signes suffiâ—e that is to wit Baptisme and the Lorde his Supper For seeing that the sonne of God is contented with those two we also ought to rest there Neuerthelesse wee see heere howe God vouchsafed to stoope to the infirmitie of his people by giuing them a liuely representation of their departing out of the Land of Egypt and by setting them downe as it were in a lookingglasse or painted table for them to beholde howe he had deliuered them that is to wit like a sort of poore people that were taking their iourney to flee away priuily and were so distressed as it was not for them to turne heade against so mightie enemies who were able to haue swallowed theÌ„ vp at the first chop without any resistance Seeing then that the Iewes had such instruction they shoulde haue considered thus with themselues How commeth it to passe that we be aliue at this day but because our God hath preserued vs And how shold our state stand but onely by his meere mercy For we had perished if he had not reached out his arme to bring vs out of the Land of Egypt Thus much concerning this point Nowe it was commaunded further that the pascall Lamb should be eaten with bitter herbes Exod. 12.8 And our Lorde himselfe speaketh here expresly of the bread of sorrow as if he had said although ye eateth pascall Lambe in rest and when yee be come to the inioying of the inheritance which I haue promised you yet must you haue a memoriall of the anguish wherein your forefathers were and you must thinke y t without my fauour you should haue had nâ—ither pascall Lambe nor bit of bread to eat at this day for ye should haue beene vtterly rooted out of the worlde Consider it therefore and that yee may be the better moued thereunto take bitter herbes that is to say absteine from all deintinesse in your eating of the pascall Lambe For the Iewes were not restreined from taking their repast after their eating of the pascall Lambe as wee see that our Lorde Iesus Christ in eating of the Pascall Lamb with his disciples insomuch as they did not only sit downe at a table but also lye downe after the manner of olde time which was to eate their meales lying halfe a tone side Certaine it is that he kept the Lawe to the vttermost Gal. 4.4.5 for hee submitted himselfe to it to set vs free from it Then must we note that our Lord ate the pascall Lamb after the same maner that was ordeined by Moses that is to wit standing vpon his feete with his staffe in his hande and his shoes on his feete and hauing his loynes girded vp like a wayfarer And after this was done hee tooke his accustomed repast for this was a solemne sacrifice and therefore wee must not wonder that it was separated from the common meates for it behoued all the folke of one house to eate thereof so as if there were thirtie or fortie persons in a house euery man hadde his portion of it And if the housholde were not great ynough two or three housholdes were called together and they mette in one place that the sacrifice might be eaten vp hastily A Lambe was roasted in hast and eaten vp with a morsell of a sweete cake yea and they were forbidden to seeth it to shewe that they could haue no leasure to tarrie till it were halfe boyled but they were faine to deuour it hastily life folke that were to go their waies out of hand But howsoeuer the case stoode it behoued them to eat it with bitter herbs Whereby we be done to vnderstande that deinties doe keepe vs from the dewe consideration of Gods benefites to be rauished by them For although it bee sayde Thou shalt be merrie before thy God Deâ— yet are we continually helde backe in this worlde when we haue some allurement to withdrawe vs froÌ„ God For if our fleshe haue her likinges then are wee ouertaken in such sorte that we stye not vp aloft to beholde well the spiritual grace of God Thus yee see that the cause why the bitter herbes were put to the sacrifice was to make men to consider the better after what manner the people hadde beene deliuered beeing erst in so extreeme anguish as they were not able to endure any more Besides this Exod. 44. â—â— they were also forebidden to admit any heathen man to it vnlesse hee were circumcised True it is that God commanded that the bondmen being straungers borne should eate thereof Yea but that was not before they were first incorporated into his Church by receiuing the signe of circumcision Hereby it is done vs to vnderstande that it was a peculiar token giuen of God to his owne people For Sacraments are peculiar to the Church They be no things for men to put to vnholy vses nor to leaue at aladuenture For our Lorde will haue vs to bee gathered together vnder his name When we vse the Sacramentes let vs thinke thus with our selues Beholde here is a treasure that God hath kept and layde vp for vs as for his children And in dâ—eede if a man should noweadayes admitte as many to the Lordes Supper as woulde offer to come to it were it not a defiling of the Sacrament And yet there are a number to be seene
2. Cor. 5. â—0 For there was enmitie betweene him and vs before by nature as I haue said alreadie we be all stranngers to our God and we cannot but set our selues against him Yet for all this hee seeketh attonement with vs. Vppon what condition Not that we shoulde pay him tribute as though hee were minded to inrich himselfe with our goods True it is that hee liketh wel to haue vs to serue him but y t is for our benefite and welfare and not for anie aduauntage to himselfe For hee hath no want of anie thing neither needeth he to be inriched but by possessing vs he would that wee likewise should inherite him And that is as amiable a condition as can be Nowe what is to bee doone but to receiue his peace Yea verily and therefore let vs not tarie til God inforce vs but let vs preuent him by imbracing the inestimable prerogatiue which he offereth vs in vouchsafing to forgiue vs all our sinnes But if wee be so wretched as to refuse so great a benefite let vs mark that wee bee not onely cast vp as it were to the spoile and that GOD shaketh vs quite cleane off but also that his wrath must needes bee vttered vppon vs because of such vnthankfulnes and churlishnesse in despising our GOD so wilfully and stubbornely that wee had leuer to haue him our deadly enemy than our protector Seeing then that his intent is not to haue vs as subiects that are conquered by tight of warre nor to raise tributes vpon vs to increase himselfe withall but to reigne ouer vs for our welfare and yet wee will not abide it but shake him off vtterly and pursue him still with a venemous heart to prouoke him to anger is not our deseruing such as hee may iustlie bee so rigorous vnto vs as to commaunde his seruauntes to withdrawe themselues from vs and to shake off the dust of their feete As who shoulde say wee bee not worthie to treade vppon the earth because wee defile it The verie thing therefore which wee haue to marke is that wee cannot prouoke Gods wrath any way more than by refusing the peace that is offered vs by the Gospell so as wee vouchsafe not to hearken to it For then because God findeth vs past grace God also is faine to arme himselfe with terrible and dreadfull vengeaunce against vs and not onely to punish vs in our bodies but also to extende his vengeaunce vnto our soules and so to roote vs out quite and cleane in which behalfe women are no more to bee spared than men For when as God calleth vs all in Christ Iesus there is no difference of male and female as saith Saint Paul Gal. 3.28 but faith reconcileth vs all vnto God Likewise vnbeleefe and stubbornnesse make vs enemies to God both men and women the punishment whereof extendeth both to great and small For seeing wee are become traitours and rebels to our God it is good reason that all our whole ofspring should perish with vs because Gods curse lies vppon the wicked euen vnto the third and fourth generation Deut. 5.9 as the law auoweth we haue seene heretofore Thus ye see in effect what wee haue to remember vpon this text And let vs marke herewithall that seeing God doeth so preuent vs aforehand to seeke attonement and to sende vs tydings of peace we also ought to seeke meanes to bee friends with such as haue offended vs and to followe the example of our heauenly father as if wee shoulde say What shal become of mee who am but a worme and rottennesse if I continue wilfull and holde skorne to come to attonement with mine enemie when he hath once offended mee so as I chawe vppon my bridle still and will not by anie meanes bee pacified when in the meane time my God seeketh mee Beholde my GOD is wel contented to stoope vnto mee which am but rottenesse and shall I not withstanding refuse to be reconciled to him that is my fellowe and brother Although he haue offended mee yet can I not renounce mine one nature yet can I not bring to passe but that he is still a humane creature shaped after the image of God as well as my selfe So then let vs learne to meeken our stomackes though they bee neuer so stout and let this example of God induce vs to greater geÌ„tlenesse and compassion than wee bee woont to haue Hereuppon Moses addeth That this lawe serueth but onely for the Nations that were farre off For as for those nations saith he whom God giueth you now presently as the Chananites the Hethites the Amorrhites the Pheresues the Heuites and the Iebusites all those you must vtterlie roote out and inherite their lande howbeit hauing first purged it cleane from all abuses Here wee see howe the lawe which I haue expounded alreadie serued for the time then to come when the Israelites should haue any newe warre against such as had not beene their enemies before But as for the people of the Lande of Chanaan which God had promised for an inheritaunce to the Iewes it was his wil that they shoulde bee vtterly rooted out which thing at the first sight might seeme ouerharde as I haue saide thereof heere before but it was not so indeede For to the intent that men shoulde not accuse God of crueltie it was shewed why hee vsed so great rigour But forasmuch as all of you perchaunce vnderstood it not it is requisite to declare againe wherefore our Lorde commaunded all those Nations to bee rooted out and to bee put to sworde and hauocke without any mercie at all For they were no such enemies as had doone any speciall wrong to the children of Israell but they were enemies to God Gen. 15.16 yea and enemies alreadie condemned euen by the space of fourehundred yeares afore True it it that the children of Israell had iust cause of warre against them because Abraham came into that couÌ„trie by Gods appointment to dwell there And although GOD did not yet put him in possession of the souereigntie thereof which he had giuen vnto him yet was it his will that hee shoulde bee an inhabiter of that lande But they draue him from place to place so did they also to his sonne Isaac Gen. 12.19 26.16.19.20 and likewise to Iacob insomuch as they euen denied them water Not that they went about to borrow water at their neighbours pits but that their neighbours stopped vp the pittes which they had digged and draue them from them without al humanitie Howbeit there was yet a much higher respect which was that God knowing the excessiue wickednesse of all those nations to be vtterly vnreclaimable determined to take them quite and cleane out of the world and yet woulde not that their lande shoulde lie wast without inhabitauntes and therefore hee appointed it for an inheritaunce to his owne people Here therefore wee must behold Gods speciall iudgement to the ende wee accuse him not as I
set our mindes vpon the end which God hath promised vs. And therwithall let vs also haue an eye to his threatenings and let them hold vs in awe And although the wicked prouoke God and are not rebuked for it at the first bycause God seeth that they be not worthy to be chastised by his hand yet notwithstanding let not vs bee astonished therat but let vs vnderstand that Gods threatening of the transgressors of his Law after that fashion is not in vaine And therefore let vs frame our owne inditement that we may preuent the condemnation which otherwise taryeth for vs. That I say is the thing which wee haue to remember vpon the word End wherof Moses hath spoken heere And therwithall we see the goodnesse of God heere expressed after a wonderful maner in that he entereth into a complaning and sorrowing as if he were a man that could suffer O that this people saith he had bin weladuised True it is that our Lord is not subiect to our passions but he vseth such form of speech to shew that the loue which he beareth vs surmounteth the loue of all earthly fathers And therefore it serueth in effect to doe vs to vnderstand that when we goe wilfully into destruction and reiect the grace which was offered vs to our saluation then doe we grieue the spirite of God as is said in the Prophet Esay and it is al one as if we strake God with a dagger as he complayneth also by his Prophet Zachary That is one thing in effect which we haue to remember vpon this place And were all this well grauen in our heartes I pray you woulde it not make vs to abhorre all our sinnes When a man is tempted by Sathan to offend his God if hee would bethinke himselfe of this point and say How now Thou grieuest thy God thou giuest him cause to enter into complaint and sorrowe like a father that conceiueth griefe and anguish of mind when hee sees his children vnruly and vnreformable It is a wounding of him at the heart and so likewise God telleth vs y t we grieue his spirite If a man I say would bethinke himselfe throughly of these things although he had a heart of stone yet would they breake it and soften it And this is the cause why that throughout all the holy Scripture hee complaineth of this that we greatly grieue him whē we are so wicked vnruly Therefore let vs aduise ourselues wel for as much as hee is desirous to be our father let vs bee to him as children For it must needes be that Sathan hath more than bewitched vs that hee rageth most terribly in vs if we be not moued at such kind of dealing And it behoueth vs so much the more to marke well this text bycause our Lord condemneth men for that they are too senselesse and brutish and telleth them that they be too too blockish in that they haue not eye to their ende but specially for that hee proceedeth so farre as to cloth himselfe with our humane passions and lamenteth to see vs perish wilfully and that we cannot abyde that hee should deale like a father with vs. That is one thing more which we haue to marke vpon this text Now if any man alleage that God seeing men so destitute could wel giue them vnderstanding as we haue seene heeretofore where it is sayde God hath not yet giuen thee a minde and heart to vnderstand Deut. 29.4 We must mark that God hath his secret purpose which he reserueth to himselfe For he sheweth fauour to whom he listeth Exo. 33.19 Ro. 9.15 and he hath pitie on whome he hath pitie and it is not for vs to enter thereinto but rather to doe him the honour to confesse that he is the fountaine of al goodnes of al power of al wisedome and of all Iustice and vprightnesse Yet notwithstanding we must make hast when hee calleth incorageth vs by his word For if we come not ne hearken to the things that are set forth to vs in his name to receiue them obediētly by faith we shal be condemned as persons that haue grieued his holy spirite by rebelling against him and shewed our selues to be vnreformable children that haue disdayned our father and made our selues straungers to him and to his house That is the thing which is set forth vnto vs in this text Therefore whereas God vpbraideth vs with our grieuing of him let vs beware that wee enter not into these needeles curiosities but rather let it suffice vs to behold him in his word where he sheweth himself and where he sheweth himselfe in such wise as we shall finde that all they which frame themselues thereafter shall haue a happy end that is to wit that for as much as they bee adopted of God afore they cannot perish and on the coutrary parte that they which turne their backe to God when he sheweth them his face and which kick and spurne against him shall for their sturdinesse reape nothing but confusion That is the thing in effect which we haue to gather vpon this place Now Moses addeth consequētly Were it possible for one man to chase a thousand or that two should put ten thousand to flight vnlesse the Lord had inclosed thē and that their mightie one did hold thē captiue Here he sheweth by effect y t God had sufficiently warned his people if they had but one spark of reason in them And thereupō it is to be concluded y t there was no more excuse of ignoraunce for y t people but y t they were conuicted ouermuch to haue hardened their hearts euen of wilfull malice so to haue withstoode God to haue letted him y t he should not bring thē backe into the right way That was y e meaning of Moses Now let vs mark y t when God vouchsafed to shew his fauour towardes the people of Israel then was his promise performed y t is to wit y t as soone as the people did but as ye would say remoue thēselues by by their enemyes were ouercome We knowe what ouerthrowes they gaue and by what meanes y e same came to passe For we heare how it is said by y e Prophet Esay Esa. 9.4 y t whensoeuer God listeth to succour his people to vtter his power in their defence it shall fall out w t them as it did in the voyage against Madian Iudges 7. for at y t time Gedeon gate not the victorie by mans policie neither by vailancie or strength of hand but it was the sword of God of Gedeon that did the deede And yet it was so done as it might seeme to be a play of young children But our Lord saith y t he will maintaine his people after y t fashion Againe in other texts he declareth that his sauing of his people shall be neither by sword nor by speare Osee. 1.7 but by his owne only hand Ye see then how God
a 50.60 b 10 How Ambition tickleth vs continually 22. b 50 Men are made to spite God through their Ambition and couetousnesse 63. b 10 The Ambition of Princes noted and whereupon it groweth 15. a 10 All men giuen to Ambition and endeuour to growe greate and why 13. b Of a foolish Ambition whereto men are ouer much giuen 879. a 20.30.40 b. 30.40 Looke Loftinesse and Pride Amen The faithfull must aunswere Amen as well to the curssings as the blessings of God 487. a 50.60 Read what particular cursses they bee concerning the second table whereto the Iewes aunswered Amen with one accord Sermon 151 beginning at page 929 We must answere Amen willingly wheÌ„ the Lord behighteth vs his blessing 487. a 40.60 Of this worde Amen aunswered by the Iewes and vs. 486. b 40.50.60 and 487. a 10.20.30 Of answering Amen to the blessings and threatenings of God 925. all 927. b 50 Amendement Foure hundred yeares respite of repentance and Amendement giuen by God and to whome 728. a 60. and b 10 The maner of our Amendement when wee haue offended God described 114. a. 20 The Amendement of the Iewes noted when they sawe they had troden Gods lawe vnder foote 114. a 40 Eighteene hundred yeres forbearance of the Iewes for their Amendement 1137. b 60 Ammon The meaning of the worde Ammon 68. a 60 Moab and Ammon harlots birdes borne in a brothell house 68. b. 10 Ammonites Why the Ammonites Moabites were forbidden by Gods lawe to enter into his sanctuarie and why the Iewes were forbidden in no wise to seeke the peace and prosperitie of them 798. a 40.50.60 b all 799 all 800 all The Ammonites notwithstanding their kinred with the Israelites became Scorpions to sting them c. 69. b 10 Amorrhites The Amorrhites being enimies to the Iewes likened vnto bees and how 57. b 10.20 Why God woulde haue none of the Amorrhites left aliue 303. a 60. and b 10.20 God bare with the abhominations of the Amorrhites foure hundred yeres 303. b 40.50.60 The Amorrhites spared of the Israelites and what followed thereuponâ— since God bad the contrarie 307. a 30.40.50 The Amorrhites were forborne eight hundred yeres before God destroyed them 1142. b 40.50 The cause why God commaunded the Amorrhites to be rooted out of the world 84. b 10.20 Anabaptistes Anabaptistes receiued in Geneua and gret cheere made them in the town house 532. b 40.50 Looke Heretikes Angels How Angels are sometimes called the sonnes of God 647. b 60 Of wicked Angels which execute Gods vengeance vppon men 669. b 20 Whether the Angels are fed with Manna as the Psalme seemeth to say 355. a 40.50 Angels righteousnes scarcely answerable to Gods law 245. b 50 The verie Angels do hide their eyes because of the greatnesse of Gods glorie 254. b 10.20 A stryfe betweene the Angels and the diuels for our behoofe 1239. a 10 20 Of the helpe or seruice of Angels and whereto God vseth the same 1123 a 40.50.60 In what respect Angels are called the children of God 1113. a 40 Angels are nothing as in respect of themselues 1123. a 40.50.60 The Angels were witnesses vnto the lawe 1187. b 50 By Saints are ment Angels Looke the place and marke the doctrine 1187 b 20 30.40.50.60.1188 a 10.20 Of the infinit number of Angels which were witnesses vnto God at such time as hee shewed himselfe to bee the author of the lawe 1187. b all 1188. a 10.20 Of Gods Angels why they were created and their office 1187. b 30.40.50 60 What wee haue to note in that it is Gods will that the Angels shall fight to drawe vs out of all y e temptations of Satan 1239. a 20.30.40 Anger The Anger of God against the Amalekites and the cause thereof 888. b 40.50.60 In what cases wee ought to shewe that wee feare not the hatred and Anger of men 74. a 10 Towardes whome the Anger of God is soone pacified and not soone pacified 975. b 50.60 Loo Wrath. Anguish Of the Anguish of the heart and why speciall mention is made hereof 907. a all and b 10 The meaning of the wordes I haue not eaten of the first fruites in the Anguish of my heart 906. b 50.60 907. all Annealing Of Annealing the sicke and whence the Papistes haue that sacrament of theirs 919. b 10.20 Looke Sacraments Antiquitie That Antiquitie is not enough for vs but other degrees are also required 489. a 20.30 What wee must first do touching religion before wee goe to Antiquitie 488. b 60. 489 a 10 An allegoricall exposition of that men should hold them selues in all things and in all respectes to Antiquitie 698. b 10 Vnto what Antiquitie wee must haue an eye touching the doctrine of saluation 698. b 50 The Antiquitie of the true authenticall religion 1041. b all 1042. a 10 20.30 Of the true Antiquitie embraced of Christians and of the auncient faith 1130. a 10.20 The Antiquitie of diuerse trumperies vsed in the Popedome 1129. b 50.60 1130. a 10. c. The Antiquitie of Gods Church 489. a 10 The Antiquitie that the Papistes alleage for them selues 489. a 20 Touching the Antiquitie of superstition Read page 1129. all Apostasie Of the Apostasie of men from God after they haue once knowen his trueth 370. b 60. and 371. a 10 The Apostasie of the Iewes from God was without cause 1041. b 10.20 Generall Apostasie from God naturally in men from their birth 10â—7 b 60 Of Apostasie from God and his trueth and how the same is committed a. 30.40.50.60 b all The Iewes Apostasie from God after the death of Iosua and what wee haue to marke thereby 1072. a b all The manifold Apostasie of the Iewes from God and their reprobation 1138. a all 1137. all Howe God will deale with vs for our Apostasie from him 1091. a 40.50.60 Howe Moses was greeued when hee heard of the Apostasie of the Iewes from God after his death 1089. a 40.50.60 Apostles The Apostles the true fathers of the Christian Church 489. b 10 That the Apostles must be our fathers and that we must follow their example 897. a 20 The twelue Apostles were chosen according to the twelue tribes of Israell 45. a 50 The Papistes common prouerbe that God is not knowen for the Apostles 490. b 50 Apparell Howe the lawe forbidding women to weare mens Apparell expoundeth the commaundement Thou shalt not commit adulterie 774. a 50.60 What we haue to note vppon Aarons Priestlie Apparell 1199. b 30.40.50.60 What wee are to learne by the Lawe forbidding the Iewes to weare Apparell of diuers sorts 782. a 10. c. Against excesse of Apparell and the vaine brauerie of the same 782. b 10.20 A lawe made which forbad the Iewes to weare Apparell wouen of linnen and wollen and what doctrines wee haue to gather of the same 780. b all Of what things we be put in mind wheÌ„ we put on our Apparell 774. a 30.40 Of honestie in Apparell and that God liketh well