all to rid our selues of all pride And although Satan beguile most men making them to beleeue that they can deserue at Gods hand yet let vs assure our selues that we bee beholden to Gods free goodnesse for all thinges Marke that for one point To the intent that all mouthes may bee stopped before GOD as saieth Saint Paul let vs so humble our selues Rom. 3.19 as that wee make not any mo allegations as who would say we haue done this or that but let vs preach the mercie of our God and let vs declare that he is the beginning the ende and the increase of our welfare so as wee drawe out of that fountaine wherewith to satisfy vs without seeking of any peece of our saluation either in our selues or in any creature Otherwise wee make our selues to beleeue wonders and they shall serue to feed vs withall but in deed it will be but deadly poyson to make vs to burst And now let vs marke well that Moses hauing sayd that God found his people in a wildernesse addeth that he led them vp and downe there that hee nurâ—ured them there and that he kept them there as the apple of his eye By this terme of leading vp down Moses dooth the people to vnderstand that it was not for a day or twaine nor for some short time that God made them to taste his goodnes but that he had continued it by the space of forty yeeres together Lykewise his heaping vp of these words together A desert land a desolate couÌ„trie a place full of roringes a barraine ground is not for nought but serueth to touch the people the better to the quick that they might call to mind what plight they had bin in before their coÌ„ming into the land of promise where Gods blessing was powred out vpon them most aboundantly And therfore the word Lead betokened as much at y t time as if Moses shoulde haue said Ye wretched people had God vttered his loue goodnesse towardes you but for one moneth y e same ought to haue bin remembred of you for euer so as you should neuer haue forgotten it But now it is not one moneth no nor one yere but whole fortie yeres together that God hath held on continued his goodnesse towardes you of all which time your fathers hauing not a crum of bread to eate were miraculously fed with Manna from heauen nor hauing any wine or other liquor to drink had water giuen them out of the rocke And as they shifted from place to place GOD gaue a continuall course to the water Num. 20.11 Psal. 105.41 wherewith to refresh themselues and their cattell Seeing then that God hath so imprinted his grace y t it may be wel knowen of you in the great number of good turnes which he hath done for you you be the lesse to be helde excused if yee make not account of the glorifying of your God who hath shewed himself so liberal towards you But we must alwayes marke that the speaking of these thinges by Moses to y e Iewes is after such a sort that his doctrine is behoueful to vs at this day And therefore we must vnderstand y t God leadeth vs vp and downe in this world to y e end we may haue the more leisure to feele his fauor if we perceiue it not sufficiently in one day True it is y t if we should haue experieÌ„ce of Gods goodnes but once in all our life y e same ought to suffice vs at leastwise if we had not our eyes blindfolded or that we were not shortwitted to forget Gods doinges out of hand If he had once giuen vs any recorde of his fatherly loue we ought to acknowledge the same and to minde well y t lesson and to exercise our selues therein dayly both euen and morne But what Because al is marred by our vanitie and all the good y t God dooth for vs is by and by forgotten therfore doth he traine vs in this flightful lyfe and leade vs vp downe after such a fashion that wee be put in minde of our wretchednes many wayes The happening of so many necessities Gods deliuering of vs from them is to the intent y t we shoulde beare it the better in minde how he not onely succoreth vs once or twice at our need but also holdeth on with his fauor throughout yeelding vs record by infinite wayes y t he is our father taketh vs for his children After this manner ought we to wey this word Lead when God tosseth turmoyleth vs to fro in this world making vs to feel many things so as we haue not one continual state of quietnes but are fain to walk one while one way and another while another anon to go clean backe again enduring now cold and now heate another time hunger being vexed sometimes with noyse of warres sometime with sicknesses somtime with other things Now when we be so led vp downe let vs assure our selues that our Lordes meaning is to make vs to come to the knowledge of his goodnesse And hereunto Moses addeth farther that the people were nurtured Truely y e chiefe learning and instruction which they receiued was by the law Yet notwithstanding all the warnings that God gaue them in the wildernesse serued to nurture them Moses therefore speaketh not here alonely of the Lawe which was vttered to the people to giue them knowledge of Gods wil but also generally of all the instructions warnings which God gaue them by the space of forty yeeres as when he punished the idolaters Num. 32.28 Numb 25.9 Num. 11.33 Num. 14.21 when he punished y e whoremongers and such as were giuen to their lustes and when hee punished the rebels For at those times it behooued them to receiue newe instruction Yea and all of vs must vnderstand that generally al y e benefites al y e threates all the punishmentes which God at any time vsed towardes the childreÌ„ of Israell were as many instructions to them But we must marke here that it is Gods will that we should learn by them so long as we liue in this world For like as he executeth y e office of a schoolemaister towards vs so wil he haue vs to play the good scholers vnder him to profit in the doctrine which he deliuereth vs. And it is a very notable point that God will not haue vs to liue here lyke brute beastes without reason vnderstanding Whereto then ought our lyfe to serue here whereto ought it to be applyed Wherein ought men to busie theÌ„selues during y e time that they be here beneath To profit in Gods schoole That is y e end whereunto we be susteyned and mainteined here But we abuse the life wickedly which hee giueth vs applying it cleane contrary to his will if we become not euery day better than other Therefore let vs not lose our time but let vs imploy it according to y e
he would vtterly roote out that people so as there should not one of them bee left aliue meant not that he was determined so to doe but sheweth that the people was worthy to haue bene quite and cleane destroyed And in deede there was iust cause why to the intent that euery of them should be smitten downe and subdued on his owne behalfe and that Moses should pray after that maner And yet for all that God found the meanes to make good his promise notwithstanding the wilfull frowardnes that was in the people And this is a point well worthie to be marked among others that when God hath chosen any people although his grace bee despised so as all they whom he had called become vnworthie of such a benefite and banish themselues out of his house by reiecting y e promise that was offered them yet will God finde the meanes to chastise them in such wise as his Church shall not vtterly perish yea and he will euen ouercome mens frowardnesse with his goodnesse I say it is well worthie to bee marked For wee see that on the one side the hypocrites vnder colour that God hath manifested himselfe vnto them and promised to bee their Sauiour doe surmise that they haue him bound and thereupon take leaue to doe euill and if a man shewe them their sinnes they hardē themselues against it there is nothing but pride in them they arme themselues with Gods name to fight against his Prophets And this haue they done in all ages When the Iewes were rebuked for their wicked life for their turning away from God they were inflamed with such rage against the Prophets as to say How nowe Ierem. 7.4 To whom speake ye Are not wee the Church Are not wee Gods inheritance Hath he not set his couenant among vs Haue not wee the signe of Circumcision Haue not wee the temple where he is worshipped Wee see then that the Iewes did falsely abuse Gods name to aduaunce themselues against him and his word And this is reported of the Iewes but yet wee may see the like in our selues For all they to whom God hath done so much honour as to giue them his word and to manifest himselfe vnto them doe imagin that they haue him as it were in their sleeue yet for all that in stead of profiting themselues by Gods so gentle alluring of them vnto him they set themselues against all good doctrine they cannot finde in their heartes to beare any yoke they will needes bee as wilde beastes and yet in the meane while they will needes haue God to auow them to be of his flocke But here wee see that although God had as then set vp his seat among the Iewes and made a couenant with them to bee their Sauiour vnto the ende yet when he sawe they were not meete to haue him but that they drew cleane backe and ceassed not to spite him he found the meanes to punishe them yea and that in such sort as all those things went to nought and yet he himself abode soothfast notwithstanding their destruction And therfore let vs not deceiue our selues When God hath once taken vs to him to be of his houshold and adopted vs to be his children let vs not sooth our selues in our vices but consider how it stādeth vs on hand to walke so much the more awefully when God hath shewed himselfe so bountifull towardes vs and that forasmuch as he hath vttred his goodnes in such wise it is good reason that wee on our part being so much beholden vnto him should looke well about vs and indeuour to giue our selues wholly to his seruice and be so loth to offend him as we may also be afraide to be bereft of the grace that he hath once bestowed vpon vs. Marke that for one point And therewithall let vs marke also that God in punishing the hypocrites and all such as abuse the goodnesse that he hath done towards them ceasseth not for all that to continue faithfull stil. For if he should destroy the whole world and leaue no afterspring to call vpon him it might bee said in deede God hath iust cause to punish men after that maner but in the meane time where is his promise Psal. 72.17 He hath saide that his Church shall continue for euer that his name shall bee called vpon here beneath as long as there is eyther Sunne or Moone in the skie but nowe is all dispatched quite and cleane the remembrance of saluation is vtterly buried among men Although then that God should doe iustly in punishing such as had done amisse yet should his promise bee vaine and voide if he perfourmed not the thing that he promised and so would men blame him of vnfaithfulnesse But as I saide he findeth meanes to punish them that deserue it and yet notwithstanding reserueth and keepeth still a people to himselfe and suffereth not his trueth to fall to the ground or to die without effect And hereof we haue a notable example in this place For wee see that God had made a couenant with Abraham and had promised him to giue the land of Chanaan for an heritage to his ofspring As soone as the time came the promise was performed Yea verily but all the posteritie of Abraham refused and reiected the promise whereby they disanulled it as much as lay in them Thus you see they bee depriued of it through their owne vnthankfulnesse But yet to the intent that God be not accused of leauing his promise vnperformed it behoued him in punishing the fathers to preserue their race They that come vp afterward are also the ofspring of Abraham and they possesse the land that was promised by meanes whereof the couenaunt that God had made abode sure and fast settled to the end And for the same cause it is said that God reserued the yong children to himselfe Now then as many as had murmured and were aboue the age of twentie yeeres are cast off and banished from the good turne that was readie for them but they that were vnder that age are preserued still and God is glorified in them And albeit that the accomplishment of his promise was delayed by the space of fortie yeeres yet notwithstanding he shewed himselfe faithfull in the end This is the matter which we haue to beare away So now likewise when wee see the world so farre out of order that al is mard and it seemeth that all men will needes spite GOD and shut themselues out of all hope of saluation by driuing away the light of the Gospell that is giuen them let vs looke for some vengeaunce at hand For though God bee patient yet must he bee faine in the ende to stretch out his arme to bee reuenged of such malice and contempt On the one side they to whom the Gospell is preached doe growe altogether heathenish and it is seene that a nomber waxe worse and worse and wickednesse becomes more excessiue than it was in
failing in the middes of our way This is it y t Moses meant in saying y t when the people were once entered into y e lande it behoued them to haue an eye to y e euerlasting inioying possessing thereof which had bin promised them with the same Hauing said so he addeth that the land of Chanaā is not as the land of Egipt And why For your being in Egipt saith he was as it had bin in a garden For men doe water their gardens so as when they haue sowed or set their herbes they wil haue water at hand to moysten thē w tal After y e same maner was it with you in y e land of Egypt which is watered partly by cunning partly by nature For we must vnderstād y t that land hath one propertie which all other landes haue not We reade not y t any other coūtrie of the world is vnmoystened with raine and showers frō aboue saue only Egypt For once a yeere y e riuer Nilus ouerfloweth his banckes according to y e growing therof so doth it behight thē abundance of fruites Insomuch y t if it ouerflowe not aboue fiue or sixe foote deep it is a token of dearth as who should say y t God threateneth famine to y e whole countrie If it rise to twētie foote or somewhat vpward well there will be some abundance But if it increace to thirtie or fortie foote then will there be much more so as in Egypt they haue none other signe of a good yeere a fruiteful haruest than the ouerflowing of Nilus Whereas all other riuers doe marre the landes where they ouerflowe and although they be muddie yet doe they much harme This riuer by his ouerflowing causeth y t land to yeeld great abūdance That is y e cause why it is said y t at y t time y e Israelites had as it were euery man his garden were faine to haue water to moistē thē w tall after y e maner of y t coūtrie which is cut into many ditches trēches to water the land w tall all this is according to y e ordinance which God hath set there But here Moses telleth the Israelites that it shall not be so with thē in the land of Chanaan For why There is small store of riuers in many of the countries yea and in the most part of them True it is that Iordan passeth through it and there are certaine lakes also but that is all and yet one of them serues but to infect the land For the lake where Sodom stood did rather marre the countrie than yeeld any commoditie And therewithall wee see how the fathers had much adoe to digge pittes and were in daunger to be vndone with drought insomuch that they were driuen frō place to place for lacke of water Ye see then that the land of Chanaan was not watered after the maner of Egypt neither had it water at hand and at commandement as Egypt had And therefore is it sayd vnto them See how God visiteth the land of Egypt but once a yere and if the riuer flowe lustily ouer all the countrie it is as good as if he had rayned neuer so much vpon it so as the Egyptians are sure of a good haruest when the riuer hath increased after that fashion But your God must be faine to send you raine and conuenient moysture from aboue from the one end of the yeere to the other When yee haue sowen your seede ye must waite for raine from aboue and thinke thus with your selues Alas Lord wilt not thou make the seede to increase which wee haue layd into the ground Now must thou shew that thou regardest vs and that it is thy wil that our labour shal prosper And when thou hast so giuē vs raine we must be faine to returne againe and looke vp still to heauen that thou our God maist haue thine eyes cōtinually vpon the land to make it yeelde fruite For it is not enough for you y t your God send you rayne once but he must be faine to hold on still for other way there is none to water y e land except your God power out his blessing vppon you from heauen Otherwise land must needes lye dry and vntilled Thus doe we see how Moseses meaning is to stirre vp the people to liue in awe and feare and to prouoke them to call vppon God continually and therewithall to submit themselues to his gouernment and to consider how great need they haue of his help so as they may say Alas Lord what will become of vs if thou blesse vs not Moreouer hee putteth them in minde also to consider what a fatherly care God had of y e land of Chanaan sith it was his pleasure to raine so vpon it not for once a yeere onely but yerely from the beginning of the yere to the ende of it That is the effect of the thinges that Moses intended to say here And thereby wee be done to vnderstand that Gods bringing of vs into distresse and necessitie is to prouoke vs to repaire vnto him and to looke vp to his goodnesse so as wee should not onely haue cause to giue him thankes for his benefites but also bee driuen to call vpon him by being held at the staues end and thereupon dayly resorte vnto him After the same maner wee see nowadayes how wee haue neede of faire weather and that not for fower or fiue dayes in a yeere but as oftē as seed is to be layde into the ground or the lande is to be tilled or else we see men coulde not put the plough into the ground nor sowe their corne if they should it would rotte immediately and neuer take roote in the earth Againe the grapes would rotte vppon the vines and neuer ripen Neuerthelesse when corne is layde into the ground it requireth rayne and it is mard if there followe an vnmeasurable drought Afterward in sōmertime when haruest commeth the time must be fit for it and likewise for dressing of vines and for mowing of grasse To be short all the yeere long God calleth vs to him by making vs to haue neede of him And although wee were not prouoked at all yet the very wit and vnderstanding that he giueth vs by nature may cause vs to see that hee calleth vs dayly to come vnto him and to put our whole trust in his goodnesse This is the thing in effect which we haue to remember vppon this text But the chiefe point is to put this lesson well in practise And therefore whensoeuer we see that our God hath looked vppon vs throughout all the yeere let vs vnderstand that his intent was to shewe the more familiarly what a fatherly care he hath ouer vs. For if wee had any riuer lyke to Nilus which watered the land in stead of rayne wee would thinke thus with our selues well now hath God done pitying of vs for this yeere it would not touch vs so wel as when we
sheweth yet better how God hath vttered his goodnesse towards the people of Israel He found him saith he in a desert land in a desolate place in a dredful wildernes where was nothing but roring of wild beasts There he led him vp down there he nurtured him there he kept him as the apple of his eye If the people of Israel had not serued as slaues in Egypt and trauelled through the wildernesse Gods goodnesse had not bin so well knowen and so glorious as it is at this day For why Whereas God tooke Abraham out of his countrie and brought him into a strange Land and afterward gaue him a sonne when hee was vppon the point of a hundred yeres old that of that one child there issued such an infinit multitude it might well haue bin sayd that God had shewed fauor to that linage but yet so blind are men in considering Gods goodnesse towardes thē that it would neuer haue bin perceiued how God vttered his bountifulnesse towards y t stock vnlesse Iacob had gone downe into Egypt and that the people of Israell had bin kept in cruell bondage Exod. 1. as Moses reporteth in Exodus But when they had bin held in such slauery that the king of Egypt had commaunded all their men-children to be slayne then were they come to y e vttermost pinch And then did God fetch them away and make thē to passe the red sea hauing wrought a great number of miracles before By meanes whereof they were after a sort wakened that they might the better bethinke them howe dearely God loued them how much he set by them seeing he vouchsafed to yeeld so great so stately recordes of the goodnesse and fauour which he bare towardes them Moses therefore following the same reason saith here Looke backe to your first originall from whence you be issued Did God find you in a fat and fertile coūtrie as though he should say I wil maintaine you in the state wherein yee be for it is not enough for men to haue a conuenient and easie dwelling place vnlesse I preserue them and hold thē vnder my protectiō You therefore shal be mine and I will bee your safegarde Did God finde his people in such state No. And therefore Moses sayeth to the children of Israel Consider from whence ye came from whence your God hath fetched you Were ye not in a wildernesse sayeth hee Yes that then is the place from whence hee hath fetched you and so much the more ought you to consider the fauour which he hath shewed you that yee may perceiue howe much you be bounde vnto him Now then ye were in a wildernesse and after what sorte There was not one graine of Corne to feede you withall there was not one drop of water for you to drinke he was faine to make water to issue out of a dry rocke miraculously for you hee made Manna to fall from heauen Ye were in a place where yee coulde not build you one house ye were there among the wild beasts so as ye must needes haue perished and therfore a man needes not to vse long discourses to shew how God was bountiful vnto you For ye were as good as in a graue by the space of forty yeeres and yet God kept you aliue after a straunge fashion vnknowen to men Ye were destitute of foode and drinke God furnished your turne Your shooes your hose your garments did not rotte all that while Now then seeing that God maintained you after that manner against the commō order of nature did he not shew thereby what care he had of you and what loue he bare vnto you So then looke that ye neuer forget so great benefites specially being so many and so huge in number as he hath done for you Nowe we see the meaning of Moses in that hee sayeth that God founde his people in a wildernesse a dry and barraine ground a desolate place And the selfesame thing meaneth Ezechiell in his sixteenth chapter where he vpbraideth the people of Israell with the vnthankfullnesse which they had shewed 〈◊〉 16.3 What are yee sayeth hee For I tooke you comming out of the land of Egypt as a Child borne out of time The Child y t so commeth out of his mothers wombe is al to berayed and he should perish in his own filth if he were not rid of his spottes and blemishes and washed from the vncleannes which he bringeth with him To be short he rehearseth all the thinges that are wont to bee doone to a child that is newely borne Againe he vseth another similitude which is as if a man should finde a wretched harlot that were starke rotten and readie to fall in peeces by reason of her infections And I haue washed you made you cleane 〈◊〉 15.8 yea and I haue taken you in mariage and doe ye not knowe that to bee a benefite Thus we see that Ezechiell hath followed the same order which Moses did in abasing the Children of Israell by bringing them backe to their first state to the intent they shoulde learne that Gods aduancing of them after that fashion beyond al expectation of man was to the end his grace might be the better knowen in them And now to apply this doctrine to our owne instruction let vs consider what wee be before God chooseth vs. It is sayd that hee found his people in a wildernesse True it is that he had adopted them before that time insomuch that the promises were made vnto them before they went downe into Egypt But it is enough that the people were there in so miserable state to the end they shoulde perceiue that God had at that time giuen them as it were a second byrth and so dooth the scripture customably terme it But not let vs come to our selues In what case dooth God finde vs In what state dooth hee take vs We bee the children of Adam that is to say cursed and heires of euerlasting death There is nothing in vs but sin there is nothing in vs but corruption God must needes reiect vs and hate vs he must needes become our deadly enemy and vtter his vengeance vppon vs. To bee short wee be in the dungeons of hell vntill God haue reached vs his hand and had pitie vppon vs. It is not for any man to exempt him selfe from this confusion for from the greatest to the least of vs we be all plunged in it Now let vs boast of the thinges which we haue of nature For God findeth vs voyd of all goodnesse we haue not one droppe of vertue wisedome or righteousnesse but contrariwise wee be full of corruption wee bee ready to burst for filth and vncleanesse wee bee bondslaues to Satan vnder the tyranny and bondage of death and at a worde we bee plunged in hell At that poynt are wee when God chooseth vs that is the poynt whereat hee beginneth our saluation Now sith it is so let vs learne first of
giue vs such power to resist him as wee may haue victorie euen vnto the ende Thus yee see what wee haue to remember vppon this text of Moseses Furthermore where as hee saith that God led his people about by the space of eight and thirtie yeeres vntill such time as all those that were able to beare armour at the time that the people murmured were consumed it serueth still to bring to rememberance the thing that hath beene spoken namely that God executed the vengeance which he had threatened to his people And as wee see it is a verie profitable lesson to teach vs to tremble at Gods threatenings as well as to bee mooued at his promises Such is our nature that when GOD promiseth vs any thing wee fall to scanning and disputing of it so as wee cannot rest vppon it to say it shall bee so wee cannot conclude that it is Gods will True it is that we will confesse it with our mouth but as for to bee fully resolued of it wee will none of that vnlesse his trueth bee well sealed and warranted in our heartes by his holie spirite And yet euen then too we be so inclyned to distrust that we draw still backe from the thing that God promiseth vs so brutish and dulheaded are we And this appeareth yet more when he threatneth vs So much the more then ought wee to thinke vppon his iudgementes and to consider that if hee bee prouoked the threatenings that hee hath vttered with his mouth shall not fall to the grounde but haue their effect and performance Thus ye see to what purpose Moses rehearseth again that all they which were aboue twentie yeere olde at the time that the people murmured were consumed and that not by casualtie but according to the Lordes owne saying And this was to assure the people yet more to the ende they might perceiue that Gods threatening of them was in good earnest And herewith all let vs also call to rememberance that God cannot abide that men shoulde despise and refuse the benefite that hee offereth and let occasion slippe for if hee open the gate and men will not enter hee cannot beare with that negligence of theirs matched with disobedience For what was the cause that God was so prouoked to anger that hee sware that all the carkeises of the people shoulde rotte in the wildernesse Num. 14.31 and that hee vsed so sharpe wordes vnto them It was for that they had refused to enter into the lande that hee had promised them Wee see then that vnthankefulnesse prouoketh Gods vengeance against vs to the vttermost specially when wee refuse the benefite that hee offereth vs and that such refusall proceedeth of wilfulnesse and malice which happeneth in manner continually For what maketh vs so loath to receiue the good turnes that GOD woulde doe vs but our owne vnbeleefe forasmuch as wee thinke not that he will keepe touch with vs but rather fall to reasoning what will become of it And therefore let vs marke well that men shall neuer bereaue themselues of Gods benefits but through their owne distrust Wherefore it standeth vs so much the more on hande to indeuour to beleeue al the promises of our God and to receiue his sayings purely and simply and to yeeld vnto them without any gainesaying Lo wherupon it behoueth vs to rest Nowe as concerning the time true it is that God coulde haue destroyed them all at the first day which prouoked him so to anger he coulde haue sent an Angell to haue made cleane riddaunce of them and yet haue preserued the young folke by myracle so as they shoulde haue come into the lande the first day but hee ledde them vp and downe by the space of fortie yeares And why did hee so To the ende that others shoulde take example by them For God seeth that wee profite better by his corrections and iudgements in processe of time than if hee shoulde punish vs out of hande and away Indeede in our owne imagination wee had leuer that God shoulde thunder downe at the first dash and wee thinke wee shoulde perceiue his power much better if hee wiped them quite out of the world which haue offended him and that wee might see the wicked consumed at once And what woulde become of it if hee shoulde out of hande destroy and take away all those out of the worlde which are not worthie to liue in it If it were so wee woulde within a day or twaine forget the thinges that he had shewed vs before our eyes Wee may well weene the contrarie but God knoweth that it is so For hee leaueth the wicked heere in this worlde where they haue their delightes sportes and triumphes at their pleasure and that is to trie our patience Neuerthelesse sometimes God setteth them languish as well as other folkes so as a man may see them dragge their legges after them and they bee as it were vppon the racke and God setteth them before vs as looking glasses so as we may well perceiue that it is more for our profite to see his iustice so prolonged by making the wicked to languish after that manner than if hee shoulde sende them their punishmentes out of hande This saye I stickes faster in our rememberance Yee see then howe wee be better taught by the delay of Gods iustice than if it were executed at once and out of hande And that was the cause why it behoued God to bee fortie yeeres space in consuming the people to shewe them that they were not worthie to enter into the promised lande For thereby the younger sort were occasioned to thinke why did not God giue vs the fruition of the lande at the first day It is because our fathers murmured against him And so are wee depriued of the inheriting thereof from our childhoode and that not for a day or two but it was Gods will that we shoulde wander in this wildernesse a long time to the end that the sinne of our fathers might be the better printed in our minds to beware that wee followed them not in that behalfe Yee see then that by this meanes the yonger folke were taught to liue in the feare of God and to be better aduised than their fathers were And therefore whensoeuer God executeth not his iustice vppon the wicked to make cleane riddance out of hande but consumeth them by little and little let vs learne to hold our wittes alwayes tied vp and as it were in suspense And in the meane time let vs take the instruction that God giueth vs thereby learne to beare them wel in mind and neuer to forget them for his intent is to put vs in minde of them vntil we haue throughly digested them After this manner must wee practise this doctrine concerning the time that is set downe heere by Moses wherein God led his people vp and downe by the space of eight and thirtie yeares wherevnto two yeares moe were added afterwarde to make vp the full number of fortie
them earnestly to this care warenesse which Moses speaketh of here And he saieth purposely Take good heede that â—hou forget not the things which thine eyes haue seene and beware that they neuer depart from thy heart When as he saith The things which thine eyes haue seene thereby he meaneth that the people are vtterly without excuse if they regarde not the thinges that God had shewed them according to his former vsing of the same maner of speach And whereas he saieth that our eyes haue seene Deut. 3.21 it serueth to expresse the things which our Lord hath shewed vs tootoo euidently so as wee cannot alledge ignoraunce nor say this or that was too high or too darke for mee Thine eyes haue seene it saieth Moses As if he should say No no ye neede not to bee great Clerkes nor Doctors in this behalfe ye neede not to bee verie suttleheaded our Lordes manifesting of himselfe vnto you hath bene in such sorte and so euidently that euen the veriest idiotes and rudest sorte of you haue perceiued the things that he told you And in good sooth although Gods worde conteine wonderfull secretes yet notwithstanding they bee so manifest vnto vs as wee may bee able to conceiue them at leastwise if we our selues bee not in the fault For wee see howe God lowlieth himselfe and stoopeth to our rudenesse bicause he knoweth what wee bee able to beare Nowe then seeing it is so let vs but open our eyes and when God hath once shewed himselfe to vs let vs take good heede that wee forget him not for if wee doe wee shall bee vnexcusable and our vnthankefulnesse will bee manifest and sufficiently prooued Againe he sheweth that it is not ynough for vs to haue some light rememberaunce of it swimming in our braine but it must bee well rooted in our heartes And after that manner ought Gods worde to bee sowen in vs. It is not ynough for vs to haue skill to talke of it and to bee able to say I knowe this that but wee must holde fast the thinges inwardly which wee haue heard outwardly Nowe then if Gods woorde bee setled in our heartes and raigne there then haue wee good rememberaunce of it But if wee bee not touched with it nor haue any willingnesse to keepe it it is all one as if wee had neuer heard of it Thus ye see what we haue to marke concerning this speach of Moseses where it is saide that the thinges which wee haue once knowen must neuer out of our mindes But forasmuch as God had vttered himselfe diuers wayes to the people it behoued Moses to shewe his meaning more particularly in this text And therefore he addeth The day wherein thou wart before the Lorde thy God thou diddest appeare before God in the valley of Horeb at which time hee commaunded mee to summon you and to call you all together Albeit then that God had shewed himselfe to the people of Israel by diuerse myracles by sundrie kindes of sightes and also by diuerse reuelations as in respect of his worde yet doeth Moses bring backe the people here chiefly to the lawe and to the solemne day wherein the lawe was published And that is according to the matter that wee haue seene In so much that if wee haue not that grounde wee shall but builde in the aire and all that euer can bee saide vnto vs will slippe from vs. The grounde that I meane is the submitting of our selues vnto God to bee guided by his worde and to bridle our selues thereby so as he alone may haue the whole authoritie and maistership ouer vs and wee become his true Disciples in sticking to his pure doctrine That then is the cause why Moses doeth make speciall mention here of the solemne day wherein the lawe was giuen to the people of Israel For he sawe well that it woulde not haue booted at all to haue vppened neuer so many thinges by parcellmeale if he had not set downe the chiefe groundwoorke which is that men must suffer themselues to bee gouerned by Gods lawe Likewise at this day when wee shall haue disputed at large of a nomber of pointes if wee doe not first and formost winne that men should obey God and make them to knowe that his woorde is the right trueth whereunto they must holde themselues to what purpose is it They will bee still wauering and vnconstant accordingly as wee see howe a great nomber will bee taâ—ting of this and that and can finde nothing whereon to rest And why For they know not the first point of Christianitie which is that the holy Scripture is our whole wisedome and that wee must hearken to God speaking there and not adde any thing thereunto Nowe then vntill such time as wee bee come to that point Col. 1.28 wee shall bee euer chaunging and doe nothing but totter and wauer like Reedes And for the same cause doeth the Prophet Malachie saye Mal. 4.4 Be mindeful of the Law that was giuen you by Moses in Horeb. For it was Gods will that thencefoorth there shoulde bee an intermission so as a certaine time shoulde passe wherein the Prophetes shoulde speake no more till the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ. Nowe in the meane while the Prophet Malachie saith Bee mindefull of the Lawe that was giuen As if hee shoulde say yee can not doe amisse if ye hearken to your GOD and suffer your selues to bee taught by him but you shall haue perfect learning for it is vttered there Now therefore wee see what the meaning of Moses is and howe wee ought to apply the same to our owne vse that is to wit that aboue all thinges wee must assure our selues that our Lorde hath vtterd himselfe vnto vs in such wise as he will be a good and faithfull teacher vnto vs if wee bee good schollers vnto him And therefore let vs settle all our wittes to the obedience of faith so as wee presume not to adde any thing to that which GOD telleth vs. When wee bee once come to that point then shall wee bee guided foorth from point to point and from degree to degree to our perfection but yet must we haue the foresaid groundworke before wee can build well Nowe let vs come to this saying of his Call â—o minde the daye wherein yee were before the Lorde This saying importeth much For although that GOD did then testifie his presence in the valley of Horeb as wee shall see hereafter yet notwithstanding whensoeuer hee speaketh vnto vs wee appeare before his iudgement seat though wee haue no visible myracles And it is all one as if a Prince being set to hold a Court of estate should cause his statutes and ordinances to bee proclaimed by the sounde of a trumpet to the intent that all men might haue knowledge of them After the same manner doeth GOD deale in this case For when he vouchsafeth to haue his worde preached vnto vs it is as much as if he summoned vs to
speake so vehemently as he doth And therefore whensoeuer the case concerneth the worshipping of God let vs marke well that it is one of y e principall poyntes of our saluation that men must not presume in this behalfe to take leaue to doe what they themselues thinke good but rather this warning that is set downe here must induce vs to walke in feare and carefulnesse For what a shame is it that our Lord shall tell vs wee must stand vpon our garde and we in the meane while shall runne at rouers as though wee needed not to passe greatly for the matter And that God should so procure our welfare and we make none account of it And so ye see what we haue to marke vppon those termes But now let vs come to the chiefe matter of this sentence You sawe not saith he any image or portraiture in the day that the Lord spake to you in Horeb Take heede therefore that yee marre not your selues by making you any carued image or the lykenesse of any thing whether it be of man or woman bird or beast woorme or fish Beware of al such thinges For your God hath shewed himselfe to you in such wise as was expedieÌ„t and not in any shape So then let vs beare this lesson in minde namely to worship him in spirit because hee hath not a body nor any thing in him that can be represented by the things that are seen with our eyes Now this doctrine is cleare enough of it selfe if men would followe it and that the world would not wilfully resist so certeine a thing Exod. 31.2 Rom. 1.32 But this pride hath bin in all ages and reigneth yet stil at this day that men will needes haue a presence of God after their owne fashion and deuice But surely their wittes are fleshly by reason whereof they conceiue and imagine of God after their owne nature and theruppon make images vnto him Neuerthelesse it is not for vs to counterfeit God or to attribute any thing vnto him but it belongeth to him to vtter himselfe and therefore we must but onely receiue that which hee sheweth vs and hold vs wholly thereunto Now let vs marke the grounde that Moses taketh here that is to wit At such time as God spake vnto you in mount Horeb hee shewed not himselfe in anie visible shape In speaking after that maner Moses sheweth that we must not be hastie aforehand to conceiue what wee our selues thinke good but must tary till God shewe himselfe Take that for one poynt For if men will needes giue way to their owne fleshlie reason in that behalfe they shall ouerthrowe themselues and breake their neckes with their ouer much haste But on the other side Moses sheweth that GOD did manifest himselfe in such wife to his people as there is no cause why men should any more say how shall wee knowe God How shall wee be sure that hee is neere vs How shall wee worship him How can wee call vppon him God therefore hath cut off all occasions of fond curiosities by shewing himselfe to his people And the same agreeth now fitly vnto vs. For when God published his lawe in mount Horeb although he had then chosen the ofspring of Abraham yet was it his intent to giue foorth a doctrine that should continue to the worlds end Then let vs vnderstand that God in manifesting himselfe by voyce meant to barre all images not onely in respect of the Iewes but also in respect of vs too And therefore wee see that their beastlynesse is so much the greater which nowadayes mainteine this corruption concerning images in the Popedome for they alledge that this was spoken for the Iewes not for vs Verily as who should say that Gods manifesting of himselfe by voyce and not in shape of man or of any other liuing creature serued not for all ages but onely for the people of olde time Againe what is to bee sayd of the reasons that are alledged through the whole holy scripture serued they but onely for a time or rather ought they not to stand fast for euer Esa. â—â— 25. â—â— Beholde Esay vpbraideth the Iewes that they had disfigured the maiestie of God And why To whome haue yee likened me sayth he The complaint y t God maketh is this dooth wood or stone resemble me As for them they be but dead corruptible thinges Doth it not wel appeare then that dishonor and wrong is offered to my being when men goe about after that sorte to represent mee vnder suche shapes Now is God chaunged since that tyme Is hee not the same that he was Then if hee had no lykenesse to wood and stone in olde tyme neither is hee lyke them now And therefore it followeth that this neither ought to be nor can bee restreined to any one time but must continue for euer Furthermore whereas the Papistes alledge that Gods restreyning of idolatrie so straitly was because the Iewes were so much inclyned to superstition I would with all my hart that it were in their power to amend men and to drawe them from their error But what The world sees it is all one still For if euer the Iewes were fleshed in their foolishe vanities the world is neuer a whit amended now but rather become woorse As soone as men doe thinke vppon God by and by they wil needes haue somewhat that resembleth their owne kinde and thereupon they fall to making of images And when they once haue any thing to gase at they cling to that and their deuotion is tyed to it so as they neuer goe about to lift vp their heartes to heauen to worship God and to call vppon him Wee see this with our eyes What a beastlynesse then is it to say that onely the Iewes were forbidden to worshippe images that it is lawfull for vs nowadayes to doe it Yea but we see how the new testament also doth speake of it For the reasons as well of Moses as of the prophetes which wee haue touched already Iohn 5.21 are alledged by Saint Paul Act. 17.24 who saith that men went astray or rather vanished away in their owne imaginations Rom. 1.21 and turned al things vpside down and falsifyed Gods trueth wheÌ„soeuer they made any counterfeit of him whether it were in the lykenesse of man or of beast Doth Saint Paul speake there but onely of the Iewes Yes and euen in the Sermon which hee maketh in the seuenteenth of the Actes hee speaketh not to any one people alone Act. 17.28 â—9 but to all the heathen vniuersally And to the same purpose he alledgeth them a saying of their owne heathen wryters For it is written by a heathen Poet that wee bee Gods generation Aratus Saint Paul reasoneth hereuppon if wee be the generation of God is it either comely or reasonable that wee shoulde make him any image either of woode or stone golde or siluer None of these thinges can resemble him But wee
when GOD giueth sentence vppon our sinnes it is alwayes with this condition that hee doeth it not with out giuing of vs some respit to remedie the mischeefe so wee seeke the remedie by such meanes as he commaundeth in his worde And so yee see what we haue to remember vppon the example of Moses To bee shorte wee see that it is not lawfull for men to put forth themselues to make prayer and supplication except they haue the promise and be sure that it is Gods good will that they shoulde doe so But GOD will giue them such a zeale as the temptations which shall crosse them shall not stay them from going on forwarde though it seeme to themselues that GOD is not minded to heare them but rather to put them backe and to shake them quite off Therefore let vs not cease to resorte vnto him as it were importunately For the importunatenesse whereof our Lorde Iesus Christe speaketh Luke 18.2 in reporting the similitude concerning a widow y t had to do with a wicked iudge made y e iudge ashamed though he were a naughtie and frowarde man But surely when wee come to GOD we neede not to bee importunate for Iesus Christ telleth vs that if wee finde mercie in men that are lewde and ill minded towardes vs we shall much more obtayne fauour at Gods hande who â—arieth not till we come vnto him but calleth and allureth vs to him Seeing then that he is so friendlie let vs not be afraide that we shall not obteyne our requestes But yet for all that let vs not giue ouer with once praying vnto him as it were for fashions sake but let vs holde out to the ende yea and euen be importunate vppon him Although he seeme vnwilling to heare vs and let vs alone in our distresses yea and that to our seeming our miserie doeth still increase yet notwithstanding let not vs fayle to holde on still resting vppon his promise which he hath giuen vs which is certayne and vnfallible that is to wit that hee will neuer faile those which come vnto him and call vpon him in trueth Nowe let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good GOD with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them better than wee haue done heretofore and that forasmuch as wee knowe what neede wee haue to pray insomuch that euerie minute of an houre wee runne in daunger of endlesse death and are like to perishe both bodie and soule it may please him to inflame vs so by his holie spirite as we may call vppon him vnfaynedlie and be more carefull to doe it and to exercise our selues in it at all times as prouoked thereto by the great neede which wee haue thereof considering the miseries wherethrough wee shoulde perishe if wee were not succoured by him and by his grace and that in the meane whyle it may please him to beare with vs in our infirmities and not suffer vs to be rent off from y e bodie of his Church but make vs to perceiue by experience that the prayers which are made through the whole worlde are auailable to his chosen and y t their prayers also do auaile vs so as the same may stablishe vs continuallie more more in the holie vnion which he hath made with vs in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ. That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and Nations of the earth reducing all poore ignoraunt people into the right way of saluation out of the bondage of errour and darkenesse and that for this purpose it woulde please him to rayse vp true and faithfull ministers of his worde which may not seeke their owne profite and ambition but the glorifying of his holy name and the saluation of his poore flocke On the other side c. On Saturday the xxxi of August 1555. The Lxvj Sermon which is the fifth vppon the ninth Chapter 15 Then turned I mee and went downe the Hill and the hill burned with fire and I had the two tables of the Couenant in my two hands 16 Then looked I and behold yee had sinned against the Lord your God and had made a molten Calfe and were turned out of hand from the way which the Lord your God had commaunded you 17 Then tooke I the two tables and cast them out of my two handes and brake them before your eies 18 And I fell downe flat before the Lorde fortie dayes and fortie nightes as afore without eating breade or drinking water for all your sinnes which you had committed in dooing euill in the sight of the Lord by prouoking him to wrath 19 For I was afrayde of the anger and wrath wherewith the Lord was displeased against you to destroy you And the Lorde hearde mee that time also 20 Likewise the Lord was sore angrie with Aaron to destroy him but I prayed also for Aaron the same time 21 Then tooke I your sinne which you had made that is to wit the Calfe and burnt it with fire and stomped it and grounde it throughlie euen vntill it was small as dust and cast the dust thereof in the brooke that came downe from the hill HEre Moses declareth the great good zeale that hee had at suche time as he sawe God so sore offended with the Iewes for making the golden calfe and for their forsaking of their Redeemer to giue theÌ„selues ouer to a deade thing rather than to him of whose power they had had experience so manie wayes Nowe he saith that hee had the two tables in his hande and that when hee sawe the people so falne away to Idolatrie hee brake them in peeces Heere it might bee asked whether Moses were not caried with ouerhastie moode For we haue seene that those two tables were written with Gods owne hande so as there was not anie workemanshippe of man in them but that the ingrauing of the tenne commaundementes in them was of Gods owne doing Nowe then that Moses threwe downe Gods handie worke after that fashion notwithstanding that the people had sinned it seemeth not to proceede of any modestie but rather of too vnaduised zeale and oueruiolent headinesse We must not presume to iudge of such odde things for wee see that God gouerneth his seruauntes by his holie spirit and we knowe that sometimes hee stirreth vp his faithfull ones to doe his pleasure by extraordinarie meanes And although wee may not make a certain rule of it yet is not the deed it selfe to bee blamed Numb 25.6 Wee see what happened vnto Phinees For although he was not ordeined to be a iudge but onely to bee a priest yet did he execute Iustice vpon the adulterer the adultresse which had defiled the Sanctuarie God allowed his doing and there is recorde of it in the holie scripture Psal. 106.30.31 and yet notwithstanding it was a peculiar deede which wee may not follow without a special mouing of the holy Ghost As much is
that may turne vs from the right way from the simplicitie which God commaundeth vs. And men cannot stand too much vpon their gard in that case True it is that a number of meÌ„ do weene themselues to be so strong y t although they be neuer somuch conuersant among y e superstitions of the vnbeleeuers yet they shal not be atteinted with them But God is wiser thaÌ„ we And therfore let vs remember the lesson that he telleth vs namely that we must shunne all the uperstitions of the heathen and the misbeleeuers or else his seruice will bee marred among vs by and by But forasmuch as I haue declared that part alreadie I wil stand no longer vpon it Let vs proceed to that which Moses addeth namely that meÌ„ must not deale so with God by which saying he meaneth that the Iewes must not go about to honour the liuing GOD by building vp the altars Chappels or any other of all the filthie things again which they had beateÌ„ down As if he shoulde say GOD will not bee serued after the manner of Idols and therefore regarde not what the heathen haue done followe them not neither fashion your selues to their example but holde you to this one rule of doing that which your God commaundeth you And this is well worth the noting for when we haue condemned Idolatrie we cease not for al that to imagine that God liketh well that we shoulde do y e same things in honor of him which were done by the vnbeleeuers and y t appeareth by the dealinges in the Popedome After that the Gospell had beene preached to the worlde men fell to mingling of al maner of superstitioÌ„s of y e heatheÌ„ with the true seruice of God And what was the cause thereof The heathen had their Pilgrimages and men knewe well it was a diuelishe abuse neuerthelesse they did not put them quite and cleane away they did but onely chaunge them In steede of going on pilgrimage to such an Idol they goe now to our Ladie of Laurette to It is a Relike in Rome wherin they say y e picture of Christes face is after it was wiped therewith the holy handekercher to Saint Michael to Saint Iames and to visite the holy Sepulchre Men should haue vtterly rooted out all y e things that had beene so brought in by Satan and in steed thereof they did but change them Wheras men saw that the heathen made great feasts and kept a great number of solemne holy dayes in honour of their Idols O quoth they wee must no more doe soe for that were a seruing of the diuell but let euery parishe make a Church-holyday to play to daunce and to feede in till they burst againe and all in the honour of God Besides this let euery one haue their patron and let them worshippe him And so in steade of the solemne feastes that were among the heathen let others be brought in among vs. O sirs say they these thinges are not doone any more in honour of the Idols but in honour of Saint Martine And then let them daunce and playe the drunkerdes for all is well enough so it be done in the honour of God Againe the heathen were wont to keepe a holy day which they called the feast of all Spirits and we must chaunge y e word and haue the feast of all Soules Moreouer the heathen had a Temple which was called the Temple of all goddes and wee doe nowe call it the Church of all Saintes or all Hallowes See what an act worthie of remembraunce and an Angelicall act the Pope thought hee did as the Papistes can well skill to make their bragges For â—o say they there is a temple called the Temple of all the gods but what Wee haue but one God and therefore it must not continue after that fashion Wel we will chaunge the worde and whereas the heathen had a Temple which they called the Temple of All their gods we wil haue it the Church of all Hallowes and we will haue a Churchholyday added to it Again when they sawe that the heathen had their sacrifices Needes must they also haue their Masses set vp in the roome of them Moreouer perceiuing that the heathen had their washings they also would needes haue their holywater To be short whatsoeuer filth and infection was among the Infidels the Papists tooke it to themselues to keepe And what was the cause thereof Euen for want of taking heede to this text wherein it is saide that whereas the Infidels haue many deuotions deuised of their owne braine we must not couet to doe the like to our God nor looke that way but we must harken what he saith and commandeth Were this saying of Moseses vnderstoode all the diuelish deuises that haue reigned doe reigne still at this day in the Popedome shoulde get them away to the bottome of hell For we see here a generall condemnation whereby GOD sheweth that he hateth al such things And why Because he will not haue men to deale with him as the ignorant doe with their Idols A thing may seeme faire to the worldwarde men may clap their hands at it but behold God saith here I wil not be serued after such fashioÌ„ or such maner let not men presume into my preseÌ„ce to deuise what they think good theÌ„selues And if it be alleadged yea but shall such a thing bee euil taken when I doe it in the honour of God Shal it be said that I serue Idols when I do such a thing of a good intent and all to serue God Is it so great an euil that men should cry out at it No no men must hearken what God commandeth and ground themselues altogether therepon so as they presume not to adde any thing thereunto We see then that the meaning of this text is that wee must forget al the follies that haue beguiled vs and not alledge custome or continuance of time but receiue the doctrine of the holy scripture like litle children A yong childe will not say thus and thus haue I beene taught for he knoweth yet nothing at all But he receiueth that which is put to him and is the readier to learne because he is not inured aforehande with anie maner of misteaching But if a childe haue been mistaught and nusled in his fondnes then if a man go about to amend him O sayes he I was taught so and a man shal not be able to make him pronounce one syllable aright nor to speake one worde to any purpose And why so Bicause he hath bin trained by an Asse who hath framed him to his owne fashion and hee hath learned y e right trick of him After the same maner it is with a great number of folke that haue been brought vp in cursed poperie alwayes they hold stil some relikes of it saying Yea sir but can such a thing be euil There is euer some replying against God But as for vs let vs practise y t which is
harde to bee ruled Yet notwithstanding hee ceased not by all manner of meanes to allure them to gentlenesse to the ende that no man shoulde greeue his neighbour beyonde measure nor vse too extreme rigour nor deale cruelly one with another That is the marke which the Lawe shooteth at which I haue read heere presently so as yee must vnderstande that it was not Lawfull for them to presse any man with his debts in the seuenth yeare And it hath beene thought that in this place Moses commaunded the cleere forgiuing of all debtes the seuenth yeare But in that supposall is no reason at all For if debtes had beene quite and cleane released much more reason had it beene that such persons as had yeelded themselues into bondage for the discharge of their debtes shoulde haue beene released for we knowe that the freedome of mens persons is much more acceptable than the releasing of a debte of money Must a poore man bee helde as a slaue and make it good with his bodie because hee hath not wherewith to paye that hee oweth and shall hee bee released which keepeth the money still in his purse or else vseth some odde by shift so as hee abydeth freely at home in his owne house That were no vpright dealing But the case stoode so among the Iewes Leâ—â—â— 25. â—â— 39. that such as yeelded themselues into bondage for the discharge of their debtes were not set at libertie againe till the yeare of Iubilie which was the fiftith yeare Therefore it followeth that here is not meant the cleare release of all debtes For that had beene the way to haue procured more disorder rather than to haue set downe a rule of courtisie and gentlenesse For no man woulde euer haue lent any mony the sixth yeare Againe men woulde haue beene the more hastie in calling for their dettes so as their detters shoulde haue beene much lesse priuiledged than if there had beene no release at all Also there are other reasons which are verie sufficient insomuch that euery man shoulde haue beene driuen to sell his owne house and lande To bee short it is not to be doubted but that Gods intent here was to commaunde no more but that the seuenth yeare shoulde be priuiledged And hereby it appeareth that such as haue interpreted the seuenth yeares compasse to be the seuenth yeares ende haue beene too grosly ouerseene For the making of this law was in respect that the seuenth yeare shoulde be a yeare of solemne rest Like as God had reserued one day in euerie weeke to bee holy to himselfe so also was it his will that euery seuenth yeare shoulde be a high solemnitie so as the grounde shoulde not bee tilled that yeare The Lande of Iurie was batling ynough to haue borne all yeares that is to say men might haue tilled and sowed the grounde euerie yeare sauing the seuenth yeare And that yeare was spared not for feare least men shoulde haue worne away the heart of the soyle too neere but to the ende that the people shoulde inure themselues continually to the day of rest because it conteyned the chiefe point of the Law that is to wit that men ought to gather their wittes to them to giue themselues wholly to the minding of Gods benefites whereby it is shewed them that they shoulde renounce themselues and referre themselues wholly to his holy spirite to bee so gouerned by him as that their affections and thoughts may no more ouermaster them And indeede because the Iewes did breake the day of rest and the Prophetes coulde not winne them to yeelde to that which was commaunded them our Lorde saith that hee woulde punish them in such sorte that sith they woulde not the Lande should take rest for them Leâ—iâ— 26.34 31. Ier. 17.27 Ezec. 20.13 Forasmuch as you saieth he will not keepe the Saboth dayes accordingly as I haue ordeyned in my Lawe I will shortly finde out one that shall obserue my Lawe and that shall be the Lande it selfe For ye shal be driuen out of it and none shall be left in it to manure it all the Sabothes that haue beene broken must be put into a reckening that they may bee recompensed againe Threescore and tenne yeares were the people banished out of it And looke howe many commaundementes there are so many tokens were there continually of the solemne restingtimes What restingtimes Not euerie seuenth day or euery seuenth yeare onely but for the space of seuentie yeares together was the Lande to take rest Yee see then that this seuenth yeare was a confirmation of the fourth commaundement of the lawe that is to wit of keeping holy the seuenth day For in that yeare as I said men tilled not the ground And why To the ende that folke shoulde haue the better leasure to giue themselues to the seruing of God and be not so much letted by their busines as indeed they had the more libertie to minde this lesson and to bee well instructed in the doctrine of God And for the same cause also was it commaunded that the booke of the Lawe shoulde bee read openly euerie seuenth yeare at the feast of Tabernacles as wee shall see hereafter in the one and thirtith Chapter Nowe that we haue Gods meaning which is that his ordeining of the seuenth yeare was to the end that the people should haue some easement let vs assure our selues that the saboth day was not inioyned without cause Not onely to giue men to vnderstand that our Lorde had forbidden that any man should be sued for his dets that yeare for that was likewise done euerie weeke but also to auow the thing which we see obiected in the eight and fiftith of Esay Esa. 58.3 against such as through hypocrisie obserued the feaste but yet ceased not any whit the more to sue for their dettes Verily I am much beholden to you saith the Lorde for yee say yee haue fasted and obserued my Ceremonies But yet is all that euer yee haue done nothing worth for the verie substance of it wanteth whereas yee should be pitifull to your neighbours yee do nothing else but fleece them and persecute them to the vttermost And surely that is a goodly obseruing of the Saboth Therfore doe I renounce you and I disauow all your doings saieth the Lord. So then we haue here the end of the Law that is set downe here and also the thing which the same commaundeth For like as God ment not that men shoulde pleade the seuenth day to the end they might be the better drawen to obserue that feast which was to gather men to God and to cause them to rest in him so ment he also coÌ„cerning the seuenth yeare namely that the Iewes shoulde giue themselues to vpright dealing insomuch that if it were not lawfull to gather the fruites of the earth and that the fruites which grewe without tilth were common Leuit. 25. â— so as the poore which had no possessions were partakers of them it
was much more reason that if a man were ouerpinched he shold not be pursued with rigour of Lawe But in the yeare of Iubyle which was euery fiftith yeare there was a greater freedome and such a one as extended much further Leui. 25.38 For if a man were in bondage hee was then made free vnlesse it were that hee liked so well of his master that he bound himselfe to bee his slaue for euer as long as he liued Afterward all possessions returned home againe Leuit. 25.29.30 True it is that the houses in Cities could not reuert again vnlesse y e sellers of them redeemed them within a yeare But as for Farmes and other possessions in the countrie the purchacer was to conuey them backe againe at the fiftith yeare so as they returned home againe to their former owners And according to the neerenes or farnesse of the yeare of Iubyle men sold their possessions the dearer or the cheaper insomuch that the lands so purchased were released againe within thirtie twentie or ten years after the purchasing of theÌ„ And of this dealing there was one special reason which was y t God hauing diuided y e Land of Canaan by lot inteÌ„ded to haue it continue in that order for euer to the ende that mens possessions should not be intermingled together And hee saieth expresly Other Nations possesse their landes in feesimple but I holde you as my farmours Leuit. 25.23 I will not haue you to be as owners so as yee might say this is mine neither shall yee bee as purchasers of the Lande at my hande yee shal haue as it were but a soiourning place in it for a time and yee shall bee but as a Farmer vnder a master Loe heere the cause why our Lordes will was that the possessions shoulde returne to the fiâ—st owners againe But as for that which is spoken heere concerneth but the seuenth yeare at which time euerie man ought to bee released and no man ought to sew his detters yet euerie man ought to reteyne his owne right neuerthelesse still For Gods meaning was not that hee which had lent money should lose it so as hee shoulde haue no meanes to recouer his dette againe for so shoulde one man haue robbed another of his substance and the vntrustie merchant that had wasted his goods in riot and excesse at his ease without care shoulde haue laughed his creditor to scorne as soone as the seuenth yeare were come which had beene a greate disorder and woulde haue caused vnthrifts to haue become the worse but Gods intent was onely that there shoulde a kinde of respit bee giuen that the poorer sort might not be pinched out of measure But nowe let vs returne to that which is set downe in the texte In the seuenth yeare there shall bee a Forgiuing that is to say a forbearing or a giuing of further respite Hee meaneth not that there shoulde bee a cleare acquitall or releasing for euer but onely that hee which had lent money shoulde not chalendge his dette out of hande nor bee so greedie and hastie as to seeke it by sute of Lawe that yeare And hee speaketh expresly of the ende of the yeare to shewe that this forbearing or respitting shoulde not onely bee at the beginning of the yeare but euen throughout to the seuenth yeares ende And here God meant to bounde his Lawe according to the circumstance that is to saye because the seuenth yeare was a kinde of resting time as well as the seuenth day was therefore our Lordes will was that the same shoulde bee obserued Therefore saieth hee at the terme howebeit not to signifie the ende of the yeare but to betoken the continuance of the time appointed by the Lawe You shall giue a respit saieth hee and the manner thereof shall bee thus If any man owe thee aught thou shalt not constraine him at leastwise for the dette of thy hande As if hee had saide thou shalt not take the thing by force but shalt rather forbeare the dette And why so For this forbearing commeth specially of God that is to saye God reserueth that yeare specially to himselfe and hee will haue it openly proclaimed as it was indeede and he will haue the order thereof to be kept Hee addeth In any wise let there bee no poore bodie among you This speech is somewhat darke because the first worde that Moses vseth signifieth Nothing or it is not at all and sometimes when it is ioyned with another worde as it is in this place it betokeneth except that or sauing that And for that cause some men vnderstande that our Lorde setteth downe an exception heere namely so there were no poore folkes For if the detters were riche they might alwayes bee well contented to pay But the poorer sort were to bee borne with and to haue some easement the vexing of whoÌ„ after y t sort was a kind of sucking of their bloud and a drawing of the marrowe out of their bones Againe the seuenth yeares respit was as a meane for them to gather somewhat towardes their discharge Moreouer there was the more cause why the poore should bee borne withal the seuenth yere the ground was not tilled that yeare and therefore Corne might become the dearer by reason that there was no gathering of any thing that yere For it was not with them in those dayes as it is with vs in these dayes that when one peece of grounde lay fallowe as they say another peece was with corne so as they might haue a croppe euerie yeare one after another wherewith to finde themselues In the Lande of Iewrie they gathered not so much as one kernell of wheate Otes or other kinde of graine in the seuenth yeare neither was it lawfull for them to till the grounde that yeare by reason whereof the poorer sort had much adoe to get their liuing by their â—abour and trauell That was the cause why some haue taken it to bee as an exception when our Lorde saide if peraduenture you haue no poore among you Well may yee demaunde your dets of such as are welthie and well able to pay but beware that ye pinch not your neighbours that are behinde hande Othersome take it thus So as there bee no poore among you that is to say deale in such wise as no man bee brought vnder foote by you but that the poore and meaner sort may liue with the rich and let no man bee so greedily minded as to put thinges out of order by his excesse like the great fishes that eat vp the smaller fishes Take heede that yee vse no such cruelnesse towardes your neighbours Also a man might take the said word as betokening Nothing as though our Lorde had spoken after our common manner and saide No no there must bee no poore among you But as for the meaning of the Lawe it is certaine ynough to vs which thing ought to suffice vs and it is all that wee shoulde looke for Therefore let vs vnderstand
we see whatsoeuer belongeth to our saluation Now they fall to making of impedimeÌ„ts by such ceremonies y t the world might not looke full vpoÌ„ Iesus Christ. And they bee not contented w t the intermingling of the thinges y t God had ordeined for a time amoÌ„g y e Iewes but they haue also borrowed of y e obseruances of the heathen True it is y t euen in this case also they pretended some color as who should say that the world could not be drawen froÌ„ those foolish ceremonies therefore it was better to vse them stil vnder the title of God his saincts than vnder y e title of idols as they haue done before bâ—â— by that meanes the seruice of God was falsifyed Let vs mark then y t all that euer is termed by the name of Gods seruice at this day in y e Popedome is but a confused hotchpotch of all maner of superstitions for they cannot shewe that the holy scripture hath appointed men to do so And whence haue they fetched their ground bâ—t froÌ„ a desire to counterfeit the things y t were vsed among the Iewes Infidels Sith it is so what a thing is it if we shall now fashion our selues lyke vnto them and suffer a â—ort of pelting bables or ceremonies to bee layd vppon vs and binde our selues to y e keeping of theÌ„ to y e intent wee would not be too far vnlyke those y t name themselues Christians It is y e same corruptioÌ„ which God coÌ„demneth in this sentence For it is not Gods will y t we should haue any resemblaÌ„ce to those which haue w tdrawen theÌ„selues froÌ„ the pure obeying of his word Therefore let vs be conteÌ„ted to haue Gods seruice reformed stablished according to his coÌ„maundement That is the thing which we haue to obserue in the first place As touching the second poynt it is sayd that God would haue but onely one Altar whereon to offer their sacrifices At this day this is no more in vse we haue no more any materiall altar For whereas the Papistes vse altars in so dooing they deface the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ as much as they can Neuerthelesse Gods intent at that time was to keepe his people in the vnion of faith by allowing them but one Altar And now it is sayd that they should not seâ— vp any memoriall of long continuance in any certeine place For by that meanes they might haue accustomed themselues to worship God there or they might haue made some chappell for deuotion and so had all bin mard And therefore not without cause were they forbidden to plant any trees in the places where they sacrificed for Gods Sanctuarie was to be plaÌ„ted at length vpoÌ„ mount Sion And as many as intended to serue God purely it behooued them to resort thither to shewe on common accord and one true vnitie of beliefe Lykewise nowadayes our Lorde Iesus Christ hath left vs his holy supper for a warrant that he dwelleth among vs and is alwayes present with vs by his power insomuch that although he be exalted aboue the glory of heauen 〈…〉 3.16 〈◊〉 5.30 〈◊〉 â— 56.57 yet doe not we faile to be knit vnto him to bee members of his body to haue one common lyfe with him and at one word to be fed and nourished by his substance And because it is a secret that passeth all vnderstanding of man he hath warranted it vnto vs by y e visible signe of his supper Come we then to the table of our Lorde Iesus Christ The bit of bread and the draught of wine which we receiue there doe represent vnto vs y t Iesus Christ is truely our food that we be so incorporated into him y t we be partakers of his owne proper life By meanes whereof Iesus Christ is so present with vs y t we must all needes be gathered together vnto him But we see at this day what hath bin done in the Popedome Was there a table for the receiuing of the Communion No it was turned into an Altar And that was one corruptioÌ„ aforehand For as I haue sayd already it is not for any man to sacrifice Iesus Christ any more That office belonged peculiarly to himselfe 〈◊〉 9. â—â— 25 and he discharged it throughly now must we receiue y e sacrifice that was offered vp vnto God let y e worde altar alone Neuerthelesse it is not enough with theÌ„ that there be but one table they will needes haue three or foure euery man buildes me his chappel there sets me vp an altar Although it were a good thing of it selfe to haue one altar among y e ChristiaÌ„s yet doe they breake y e vnitie of faith wheÌ„ they build seuerall chappels after y t fashion For why It is y e will of Iesus Christ that there should be one common supper y t all his Church should meet together that the receiuing thereof should be as a true band to hold the faithfull in one with him But they go to say their deuotions in such a place to sing Masse in an other place And y t is an open defying of God a setting vp of idols in his stead It is a turning of Gods teÌ„ple not onely into a Swines stye but also into a stinking dungeon of all abhomination idolatrie And therfore let vs marke how it is not without cause y t God teacheth vs in this text y t although we haue not y e auncient ceremonie of Sacrifycing Oxen Sheepe yet notwithstaÌ„ding we ought to be vnited in faith Deut. 12.32 and not ad any thing at al to y t which is coÌ„maÌ„ded vs but simply keep this rule inuiolable y t we vnderstand how after what fashioÌ„ God wil be worshiped agree thereto w tout presuming to put any thing to it Now also Moses sayth That they must not offer vnto God any beast that hath any maim or blemish in it He hath told vs hitherto that men must not meddle w t idolaters nor haue any resemblance to their superstitions For the true religion must be held in his pure singlenesse But that is not all For they that offer vnto God turne not away after the fond deuotions of men must moreouer serue God soundly that is to say their discharging of themselues towardes him must not bee lightly as men doe commonly nowadayes For we see howe men defraude God of his right In deede when we be indetted vnto men we discharge our selues one way or other but whereas we be indetted vnto God all our seeking is how to scape from him True it is y t we wil indeuer to defraud men also but yet wil we be ashamed to vse libertie towardes them as wee doe towardes God euen in dalying with him If we owe a man either custome or rent we will not stick to conceale it if wee can if wee be of euill conscience But yet for all that wee will not be plucked too
shalt offer it peace 11 And if they aunswere thee peaceably and open vnto thee al the people that is in it shall bee tributarie vnto thee and serue thee 12 But if they will not make peace with thee but make warre with thee then shalt thou lay seege to it 13 And the Lord thy God will giue it into thy handes Thou shalt slea all the males in it with the edge of the sword 14 But the women the children and the cattel and al that is in the Citie besides and all the spoile thereof thou shalt take to thy selfe and thou shalt eat the spoyle of thine enimies which the Lord thy God giueth thee 15 After that manner shalt thou doe to all the Cities that are farre off from thee which are not of the Cities of this nation 16 But of the Cities of the nations which the Lord thy God giueth thee to inherite thou shalt not leaue any soule aliue 17 But thou shalt vtterly destroy theÌ„ namely the Hethites the Amorrhites the Chananites the Pheresites the Hiuites and the Iebusites as the Lord thy God hath commaunded thee 18 Least they teach you to doe according to all the abhominations which they haue done to their gods and so you sinne against the Lord your God IT might well seeme at the first blushe that wee haue no great need to haue y e doctrine expounded to vs which is conteyned heere bycause it declareth howe men ought to beehaue themselues in warfare But when all is well looked vppon wee shall finde that wee may gather good and profitable fruite to our instruction of the thinges that GOD hath commaunded his people heere For first wee see what a care hee had to teach those of whome hee had taken charge that they myght knowe howe to behaue themselueâ— in all thinges Nowe seeing thâ—t GOD hath such a care let vs learne â—o walke in his obedience not doubting but wee shall finde sufficient instruction in his worde whereby to rule our whole lyfe well I say that all they which yeeld themselues teachable vnto GOD and are ready to fashion themselues after his will shall finde sufficient in his worde wherewith to guide themselues aright without any want at all insomuch that whereas men are disordered in their dealinges and knowe not what to doe the cause thereof is that they submit not themselues wholly to GOD but take counsell by themselues and runne gadding heere and there whereas all they that seeke to be taught by Gods worde as well in matters of state as in priuate matters and as well in time of warre as in tyme of peace shall finde a perfect doctrine and such as is fitte for them The thing then which wee haue to marke vppon this text is that GOD woulde not faile them in any one point whom he had taken into his tuition But there is yet more For it may well seeme that where open warre is there all thinges should bee put to hauocke But our Lorde ment to shewe that all his seruauntes must alwayes brydle themselues yea euen where they seeme to haue most excessiue lybertie to breake the bondes of all humanitie and vprightnesse GOD sheweth that such as belong to him must euen in those cases keepe and mayntayne themselues vndefiled so as howesoeuer the worlde goe they must stande in continuall awe that no extremitie may driue them beyond their bondes but that they holde them still to this ground Wee must obey GOD. True it is that euen the heathen coulde skill to say that euen in tyme of warre it was not Lawefull to assault or beseege a Towne vntill they had offered it conditions of peace But yet wee see there was nothing but furie and crueltie for as soone as they were entered into armes they bare themselues in hand that it was Lawfull for them to beare all thinges downe before them without sparing GOD then ment to shewe heere that his people ought to bee so courteous as to spare their enemies euen in tyme of warre That is the thing which is conteyned heere A man shall finde in the bookes of the heathen that they also commended this vprightnesse that although there was iust cause of warre yet the shedding mans bloode was to bee forborne but this rule was not well kept And howesoeuer the case stande our Lorde hath heere separated his people from all the rest of the worlde shewing that they which are led by his worde must looke more straitely and narrowly to themselues than they that followe their naturall inclination and are not taught as they should be And nowe let vs come to the doctrine that is conteyned heere It is sayde When thou commest to a Citie to beseege it thou shalt offer them peace and if they yeeld or bee willing to fall to composition thou shalt receiue them to mercie so as no bloud shall bee shedde The inhabitants shall but onely bee subiect to thee and pay thee Tribune In so saying GOD sheweth that although there bee iust cause of warre yet must not men bee so whot and firie at the first dashe as to put all to the swoord and slaughter For howesoeuer the worlde goe Gen. 9.6 men are created after the Image of GOD and there must we beholde our nature Wherefore it must needes bee that wee are caryed away from all reason if the same witholde vs not and that wee haue no pitie of those which are our owne fleshe and bones Esa. 58.7 and which beare the marke of our GOD euen of the same GOD which hath fashioned vs after his own lykenesse If this say I bee not able to asswage our passions which myght carie vs away to crueltie it must needes be sayde that wee bee bereft of all reason and woorse than the brute beasts which knowe their owne kinde and doe not so deadly pursue one another That is the thing which wee haue to marke in the first place And hereof we may gather a good lesson expedient for vs all For heere God speaketh of those against whom he armeth his people But we cannot say the like of our enemies If a man haue done me all the wrong that is possible yea and haue euen sought my death yet doeth not that arme me to be auenged of him God doeth not giue mee leaue to requite like for like but I am commanded to render good for euill Howbeit the case standeth otherwise with Princes and Magistrates which haue the sword Rom. 12. â—â— for God hath set them in his owne stead to execute vengeance Ye see then that heere is a people armed with Gods authoritie as if God had sayde draw your swords for I dispence with you at this tyme so as ye may slea your enimies and it shall not be layde to your charge for a cryme When a warre is rightfull and God giueth men leaues it is a permission or priuilege which he granteth them And yet for all that he will not haue men to goe to it at alauenture
in any manner of thing They desired them to graunt them passage for their mony Num. â—1 â—â— that they might come vnto y e lande wherunto God called theÌ„ But these cursed creatures wold needs hinder y e calling of god bring to passe that y e people shoulde not enter into the land of promise to take possession thereof And hereupon they hyred Balaam the son of Beoâ— y â— false Prophet Numb â—2 â— And why Because they distrusted their owne power and thought by the meanes of a false Prophet to coniure God that by vsing such a kind of bewitching they might curse that people of his Now because they were so froward and vouchsafed not to vse y t benefite which God offered vnto them it was good reason that they should be punished therfore For albeit the vengeance of God was not by and by executed yet God registred it in his booke we see here how their punishmeÌ„t for this wickednes was reserued Now hereupon we haue to note that if we intend to be accepted of God in the number and companie of the faithfull wee must procure the welfare of the whole Church as much as lieth in vs. For those which make any touble in y e church of God or be any way offensiue are heere banished the Church vnder the person of y e Moabites and Ammonites as if God declared that they are not worthy to come neare vnto him orâ—â— company with any of them which are dedicated vnto him And nowadayes how many are to bee seene of this sort So y t we ought not to meruaile if y e curse of god lie vpon so many men And why Because y t for one which is found to aduance the weale of y e church to edifie y e people of God a man may find a dousen which indeuour nothing els but to bring vtter confusion destructioÌ„ vpon it How many turmoiles see we nowadays in y e world to hinder y e course of the gospel to bring to passe y t the Church might fal vnto y e ground or be confused disordered Now from wheÌ„ce proceedeth this but from y e wickednes of men TheÌ„ like as God sparred y e doore against y e Ammonits and Moabites at y t time because they refused to giue way vnto his people wheÌ„ they should enter into the lande of promise so let vs note y t all such as lay stumblingblocks nowadays to turne those aside and to driue them into wickednesse which were in a good way al such as breede troubles in y e Church of God are euerychone reiected of God And verily we see that there are nowadays many Ammonites and Moabites in the worlde For who are they which seeke to peruert all things and which giue so many offences make such great confusions throughout Gods church They are such as name themselues y e faithfull such as are of our company haue one commoÌ„ baptisme w t vs so that they ought to aide vs they ought to bring vs forth bread water y t is to say they ought to lend vs their hand that we might follow our calling to come vnto that place to the which God calleth vs those I say which ought to receiue vs and open the way vnto vs euen those are they which barre vs of entraunce those are they which pull the bridle backward which make these hurliburleyes among vs. Hereby we are warned that seeing the people of God was so vexed by their owne kindred we ought nowadayes to beare it patiently if the lyke befall vs. And withall let vs be warned as I haue told you to behaue our selues in such sort as none of vs may be coÌ„demned of hauing shut vp the way against them which endeuored to come vnto God But let vs ayde them as farre as we shall be able euen vnto the vtmost of our power If we doe otherwise the vengeance of God is at hand and shall light vppon vs. For God who once condemned the Moabites will not faile to be our Iudge at this day Although the ceremonie be not obserued yet as I tolde you all they which indeuor not to set foreward the course of the Gospell must needes be banished his kingdome And in very deede wee heare the threates which are made by the Prophets against all those which are enemies of the Church and which trouble it and that was not for the time of the lawe onely but they foretold vs of the kingdom of our Lord Iesus Christ. Whosoeuer they be that seeke not to ayde and succour Ierusalem sayth the Prophet Esay the Lord will arme himselfe against them 〈◊〉 1â— 11 and they shall feele his strong hand and be destroyed All they which deuise any mischiefe against thee or relieue thy enemies to strengtheÌ„ them shal feele the hand of God contrarie enemie vnto theÌ„ As much to y e same purpose is said in Zacharie 〈◊〉 2.2 And these prophecies and threatnings as I haue touched alreadie serued not for the time of the lawe but for the state of Christianitie Let vs therefore comfort our selues when wee vnderstand that God hath such a care of our saluatioÌ„ that he protesteth he will be an aduersarie vnto all them which seeke to hinder vs froÌ„ comming vnto his kingdome and into that inheritance which hee hath promised vs and telleth them that his hand shall bee against them and that his curse shall fall vppon their heades Hereby wee see how deare our saluation is vnto him and what care he hath of it Moreouer let vs be afraid as I tolde you to giue occasions of trouble and offence Let vs not be of the number of those naughtipackes which when they see y e Church florish seeke nothing more busilie thaÌ„ to disorder al things therein The diuel hath drencht them with such a poyson that they cannot abide the weale of the Church therefore they seeke al the meanes they possiblie can to breede confusion and disorder therin let vs take heede I say y t we intangle not ourselues among them knowing that if we doe we shall neuer escape the curse which is here threatned vnto the Moabites and the Ammonites But we haue yet one point more to note And y t is y t although God at y e first punish not theÌ„ which molest his people yet hee faileth not to keepe alwayes some punishment for them in store notwithstanding that he delayeth it And therefore let vs not bee so hardie as to beare our selues in hand that if God beare with vs and wâ—nâ— at our 〈◊〉 for a â—ime we shall still remaine vnpunished for wee see how it fell out in this case with this people No doubt but they bare themselues in â—word that it was a matter of nothing when they molested the people of God And why Bycause God listed not to execute his vengeance vpon them out of hand Now in deede they were ouerthrowen But what for that They
colour thereof in y t they might say These men yeelded themselues vnto vs. But as for the Assyrians they came vexed them of their own accord sayth he Now then we see y t al though the children of Israel might iustly complaine of their euil intreatance in Egypt of y e manifold iniuries which they had in dured there yet neuertheles God coÌ„mandeth them to think y t they were bound vnto the Egyptians for something For ye were harboured in their countrie saith he Hereby we are warned to be mindeful of y e good which we shal haue receiued at any bodies hand in so much that if we be afterward harmed or ouermuch oppressed by him in any thing yet we must beare it patiently alwayes beare in minde to say wel yet for all this we be stil bound vnto such a man In deede I graunt we shall haue occasion to be grieued against such but yet seeing y t God hath ayded releeued vs by their meane y t must always preuaile with vs we must remaine their friends as farre as lieth vs. And that is a good lesson for vs to beare in mind vpon this place But yet further let vs thinke also of y t which I told you namely that when God gaue an entrance vnto y e Egyptians to be receiued into the congregation in the third generation it was not to the intent y t the people of Israel should defile themselues with the abominations of Egypt or meddle any whit at al with them but rather that the Egyptians should not remaine in so desperate a case as they were in but be brought to worship y e liuing God to dedicate theÌ„selues wholly vnto him For if our Lord had not opened the gate both vnto the people of Egypt of Edom they would haue bin so much the farther off froÌ„ comming vnto true religion But if when y e gate is opened vnto them they accept not the benefit as God offereth they are to be the more griuously condemned And so wee see the intent meaning of this law It was not Gods meaning y t his people should gratifie the Egyptians by making a mingled corrupted religion that euery man might put to his patch his peece but y t if the Egyptians would forsake all their owne corruptioÌ„s they might be graffed as an imp is on a tree they might I say be vnited vnto y e church of God And we see how in y e 45. Psalme mention is made of the wife of Salomon albeit she was a kinges daughter it is saide vnto her Hearken O daughter thou must forget thy fathers house al thy people cleaue wholly vnto thy husband then he wil loue thee Now we knowe y t the holy ghost in that place hath giuen vs as it were a generall rule that all they which before time haue bin strangers to the word of God haue not knowen what the doctrine of saluation meaneth must vpon their calling first of al forget their kinred their birth al their former trade of liuing then submit themselues wholy vnto him which is made their head in whose name person God marryeth vs. For we knowe that our Lorde Iesus Christ maketh a spirituall marriage with vs to the intent we should be meÌ„bers of his bodie Let vs therfore note y t Gods opening of the gate into his Church both to y e Edomits the EgyptiaÌ„s was noâ— to haue them bring in their infections to peruert his seruice or to make any medly but rather y t y e Edomites Egyptians should come agree in al points vnto his law yeeld their consent vnto y e purenes of doctrine which is therein contained And therfore nowadayes seeing y t God hath shewed himself so gracious vnto vs as to make vs his church let vs learne so to keepe vs vnder his wings as we may not be drawen aside one way nor other let vs take heede I say y t we stray not at mens pleasures but let vs hold our selues vnto y e pure doctrine which we haue receiued Let vs be readie to receiue them which wil be reclaimed therunto yea let vs haue our armes stretched out not only to them which are the children of God but also to such as are our kinsfolke afarre off endeuoring for al y t to winne to gain them howbeit alwayes with this condition that they remoue not vs from God but that they rather be knit againe vnto him with vs. Now this fauour which God had graunted both to y e Edomites the Egyptians this benefit which he had bestowed on them was afterward againe taken from them by reason of their own wilful malice And that is y e cause why it is said in the Psalm Psal. 1 37. Lord remember the children of Edom. For they said in the day of Ierusalem Sacke it sacke it rase it downe to the grounde Ye see how the holy Ghost pronounceth a newe curse vpon the Edomites And yet notwithstanding they were brethren together with the children of Iacob yea they came of the stocke of Abraham who as we know was the father of the Church Yea and we haue seene likewise y t God had such a regarde of the Moabites y t he woulde not haue the Israelites to make warre against theÌ„ but rather to call to minde the auncient brotherhood or kinred which was betweene theÌ„ Neuerthelater when the Moabites had altogether reiected the grace of God were so sore poysoned as to hire a false prophet to indeuor with al their might to annihilate the promise of God and y t they conspired against y e people of God w t such deuilish rebellion then was it behouefull y t they shold be dubly punished for their churlishnes As much is to be sayd of the Edomites For we see how God had a regard vnto this promise which he had made vnto Abraham I wil be thy God euen to a thousande generations which was continued towardes Isaac 〈◊〉 â—5 7 â— But when y e Edomites abused this goodnes of his and not onely made no account of it but would also faine haue the people of God rooted out see ye not how it was a kinde of bidding battaile vnto God a defying of him opeÌ„ly For they ought to haue called to minde y t Esau was put backe y t he had lost his birthright and y t this came not to passe but by the decree appointment of God as was declared vnto Rebecca when she was great with child 〈◊〉 â—5 The Edomits shold haue coÌ„sidered these things But seing they were so enuenomed against God wheras he notwithstanding with long pacience forbare them it was needefull y t he should curse them againe as we haue before alleadged Asmuch is to be sayde of the Egyptians For there are great threatninges vttered against theÌ„ in the holy scripture they are holden for y e cursedst people of
God as to thinke to raunsome himselfe by paying I knowe not what part thereof or by way of almes or as men doe in Popery by offering to a block or by causing of masses to be sung or by appointing som yearly dirige or by building of some chappell if I say men thinke to content God so with mony or monies worth they double their fault and do but prouoke God vnto farther anger For that is such a trechery as we know not how to do God a greater iniury than so to entermeddle him with our filthines as if he were a confederate with vs in the same wickednesse Ye see then in effect how we ought to abstaine from al maner of defilements if we will present our selues before God with any offering at all on our behalfe And nowe Moses hauing thus spoken addeth That the Iewes shall not byte their brethren by vsurie neither of siluer nor of corne nor of Wine nor of â—â—y other things and yet notwithstanding whereas among themselues he will haue them to abstaine from vsurie he permitteth them to vse it towardes the Paynims Nowe we haue to note in this place that albeit this bee a ciuill lawe yet it hath a respect in part vnto conscience as wee haue aboue touched that we must examine all y e lawes which are contained in Moses by the lawe of the ten commandements For that is the perfection of all and that is y e rule of our life Therfore when we meete with any law we must consider vnto what commandement it ought to be referred and thereupon conclude that if it be a ciuill lawe wel touching the order of policie it was properly belonging vnto the Iewes but y e substance and ground thereof remaineth vnto vs that is to say y e equitie and the vprightnes of it Now this equitie of it say I lasteth for euer not for a time onely And wherehence proceedeth all vprightnes but from the righteousnes of God as from his fountaine But that righteousnes is euerlasting changeth not therefore it followeth that all equitie and vprightnes is inuiolable And although men abuse it yet in very deede they are sufficiently conuicted y t whatsoeuer God hath shewed vnto them is rightfull must remaine in force for euer But let vs nowe come wey the text Moses forbiddeth y e Iewes to exercise vsurie amongest theÌ„selues And why Bicause they were the people of God He giueth them leaue to exercise vsurie vpon the Paynims with whom they had not acquaintaunce But yet neuerthelesse they were meÌ„ therfore they had no leaue granted vnto theÌ„ to spoile them of their goods Some to aunswere this question alleage this excuse that God had giuen them the goods of al the people of the land of Chanaan as of the Amorrhites y e Pheresites the Hethites and such like that God I say had giuen their goods vnto the Iewes for pillage so that they had leaue to spoile them of all yea and were commaunded to put al of them to death and for that they did not so they committed a great fault for which God reproued them and they were likewise punished for it But in this place there is no mention made neither of Hethites nor of Amorrhites nor of Iebusites nor of Chananites nor of any other people of that lande but in generall of all nations in the world Egypt is heere comprised and Syria all the Iles of the sea and all they who had entercourse of merchandise with the Iewes Therfore this aunswere is not so proper to this place But let vs note that God permitted the Iewes many thinges for policies sake which were not therefore good as we haue already seene and howe did he permit them Forsooth he appointed no punishment for them And so in thiâ— place when it is sayd Thou maist gnaw such as are strangers with vsury God maketh not the thing lawfull but he leaueth it vnpunished And yet for al that that law abideth alwaies in his full force Thou shalt not steale Vnder this word we are forbidden to exercise any wicked practise whereby our neighbours may be grieued we are forbidden to make our gaine by the losse of an other To speake in feaw wordes I graunt that before men this shall not bee condemned for theft but yet we must be accountable for it before God For as for ciuill Lawes they haue respect vnto earthly Iudges which punish not all offences nor cannot if they woulde In deede they ought to enforce themselues thereto but when they haue done all yet must they let passe much wickednes which shal be iudged in that great day And therefore let vs note y t when God suffered the Iewes to exercise vsurie and to handle the Paynims in such sort as it is saide in this place he ment not therefore to preiudice y â— commaundement wherein he had forbidden men to steale I grant y t this the euerie which was committed in vsurie was not punished by men but yet for all y t we must alwais return vnto this point y t the righteousnes which is contained in y e ten commaÌ„dements is euerlasting and y t men cannot change it Seeing it is so we must therfore conclude that whatsoeuer bringeth with it any harme was forbidden y e Iewes aswell as vs. And yet nowadaies when they beare theÌ„selues in hand y t they haue free leaue for the practising of this wickednesse so y t among theÌ„selues there be no extortion nor other such euil done they shall perceiue y t they are so farre from being excused hereby that rather they are in double wise condemned For they should be ioyned with vs bicause God hath opened vnto vs the doore into his Church But they haue lost their roome they are shut out and banished from the kingdome of God and we in the meane while are accounted for the children of Abraham Gal. 3.7 although touching the flesh wee come not from that stocke Therefore albeit in olde time the Iewes had that priuiledge that they might lend vpon vsurie vnto the Paynims yet is it not therefore to be said that they should nowadayes grieue and molest the children of God especially when themselues are cutte off from his Church and are taken for bastardes bicause of their rebellion and disobedience But the chiefe and principall point is that we apply this place vnto our profite It was sayde vnto the Iewes Yee shall not practise vsurie vppon your brethren And I pray you who are our brethren nowadayes Wee knowe that our Lorde Iesus came to be our peace Eph. 2.13 to the intent to reconcile vnto God both such as were nigh and such as were afarre off There hath beene a common brotherhood among all since the time that our Lorde Iesus declared that wee are all adopted and there is no longer nowe either Iewe or Gentile Gal. 3.28 as the scripture speaketh Therefore whereas it is said that we are brethren and that without any
right in this case is equall and mutuall as I haue shewed afore And so yee see what we haue at this day to obserue namely that euery man ought to consider that the vocation which hee hath of God is such a yoke as he may not seeke to shake off For it is the cheefe and principall seruice which wee can render vnto God all our whole lifetime to haue an eye vnto that which he requireth of vs and when hee hath set vs in some estate and calling to doe that which belongeth vnto our dewtie and that euery one yeelde himselfe obedient in all humblenesse to say hath God called me vnto this ende I must frame my selfe thereunto without any reply or gainsaying Therefore when we bee of a milde and gentle disposition submitting our selues vnto y e will of our God therein say I consisteth the principall seruice which he liketh and desireth And without this al our vertues are nought else in his sight but doung and filthynesse Nowe seeing it is so let vs consider as touching mariage what the calling of God is and what maner of Law or what yoke he layeth on the neck of man to wit that he liue quietly with his wife bearing with those infirmities which are in her be a companion to liue and to die with hir and that the wife lykewise submit herselfe with all humblenes vnto her husband so as they nourish and maintaine peace one with the other Thus ye see how God may bee honoured and howe his grace also and his blessing may dwell and abide in a familie And if a woman bee so wicked as to prostitute hir selfe the husband according vnto the will of God may not onely put hir away but is in perfect and full libertie to leaue hir and to marrie himselfe vnto another As for the woman there is in deede another respect touching hir than for the man For the wife shall not bee so dishonored by the adulterie of hir husband nor bee put to so great shame as the husband shall bee by the wyues But yet if the husbande bee an whooremonger and wasteth his goods and substaunce vppon harlottes so as his wife is shutte out of doores or bee kept in with all manner of crueltie like a wretched slaue if this mischiefe holde on still then to leaue a wretched woman in such bondage were against all reason and right especially considering that which was yesterday alleaged out of the Prophet Malachie 〈…〉 16. That it were better that a man shoulde put away his wife than to haue more than one And what shall bee sayde then in this case when a man shall keepe an ordinarie stewes and that no man is able to correct this vice of his is not the wife then set at greater libertie This is the thing which wee haue to beare in minde vpon this place Nowe sith our Lordes will is that marriage shoulde bee so indissoluble and inuiolable yea and that through the vertue of this sentence which our Lorde hath pronounced with his owne mouth That there shall bee two in one flesh let vs note that it is much greater reason that the spirituall vnion which wee haue with our Lorde Iesu Christ ought to bee diligently kept and mayntained For his will is to contract marriage with vs and dayly he doeth so or at leastwise ratifyeth it by the preaching of the Gospell And on what condition is it It is as Saint Paule sayeth to the ende wee shoulde bee as chast women not turning our mindes aside vnto false doctrines For he compareth all errours and all corruptions of the pure simplicitie of fayth to fornications As if a wife hearken vnto a bawde beholde shee is alreadye wonne and begynneth foorthwith to breake the fayth of Marriage Euen so is it with vs if wee abide not in the obedience of our Lorde Iesus Christ holding our selues wholly vnto his doctrine wee are like vnto aduowtrous women And therefore sith that GOD hath ioyned vs vnto his only sonne and that our whole felicitie and glory consisteth therein let vs learne not to decline from it in any manner of wise Nowe it is sayde That the man which shall haue so put away his Wife shall not if she marrie otherwise euer take hir agayne bycause shee is alreadie defiled Heereby GOD meant for to shewe that albeit hee did not punish such diuorcements as were made without any good ground yet he leaueth not to condemne them for there was heerein a remedie that a man being grieued with his wife myght in continuaunce of time beyng better aduised take hir againe and if the wife were married againe because hee had set her foorth vnto fornication and because that asmuch as in him lay hee had broken all order of nature he might not take her againe Now in that God ordayned such punishement although hee permitted diuorcementes I meane as in respect of humaine policie it shewed sufficiently that hee allowed not of them And so the Iewes excused themselues but in vaine as if they had put away their wiues by the authoritie of the Lawe For this text sufficiently declareth that this manner of putting of them away was wicked and that it coulde bring nothing else but all manner of euill and mischiefe yea and farther that it was not possible for the man to amend the fault which hee had committed after that the wife had taken a new husband When the Lawe declareth thus much is it not a condemning of the Iewes How can this serue them for a shrowding sheere to say The law permitted vs this thing our Lorde woulde not punishe such a sinne by any earthly iudgement Yea but for all this hath hee declared that he alloweth of it Hath hee sayd that such a fact is lawfull Nay but all the contrarie For the thinges which of themselues are good haue alway a good end and issue but when there followeth any wretched mishap in any thing especially such a one as can be by no meanes recouered it is a signe that the thing displeaseth God So then let vs diligently note that God meant in this place to discouer the reason of his counsaile why hee punished not diuorcementes In effect hee meant to giue the Iewes to vnderstand that it was for the hardnesse of their heart as our Lorde Iesus Christ thereof speaketh Matt. 19.8 and that they must needes be conuicted to acknowlege that the cause why God established no perfectnesse of ciuil gouernment among thē was for that they were not capable of it But they considered little of this Nay they bare thēselues in hand rather that all thinges were lawfull for them seeing they were not punished by earthly iudgement and they thought that by this meanes they were also preuiledged from the iudgement of God Hereby wee bee warned of that which was more fullie handled yesterday to wit not to runne at rouers but to make a perfect tryall of those thinges which wee take in hand by hauing our
is brought vnto vs. So then let vs marke well that whereas Moses treateth heere of the keeping of Gods worde God also doeth bynde himselfe to his people with condition that hee will gouerne them by his holy spirite and write his worde in their heartes and moreouer when hee hath so touched them hee will also be fauourable to them in bearing with their infirmities and in forgiuing their sinnes And after that manner doe wee perfourme GODS woorde not that wee can accomplish it and do it throughly for wee bee so farre vnable to perfourme the lawe that wee cannot so much as thinke one good thought â— Cor. 3.5 Nay rather wee drag backe from that which God commaundeth vs wee bee enemyes to all righteousnesse and vpright dealing God therefore must bee fayne to bow vs and to giue vs such teachablenesse as we may bee readie to heare his worde And moreouer when hee hath graunted vs the grace to haue such zeale and affection hee must also beare with vs in that we haue not done our indeuour to do the things which he hath appointed vs whereas we be disobedient and therefore hee might iustly punishe vs yet notwithstanding hee must bee faine to receiue vs to mercie and to giue vs our pardon for our Lord Iesus Christes sake And although the fathers of olde tyme had not so great and so euident teaching as we haue nowadayes by the Gospell yet did they knowe that our Lorde had promised them both the grace of his holy spirite and also his mercie to the forgiuing of theiâ— sinnes For the sacrifices which were offered in those dayes were not ordayned without cause It was not a trifling matter that the people came to the temple to offer sacrifices but it was a sure president that God receyued them to mercie in so much that when the bloud of any beast was there shed it was a figure which ought to leade them vp to a higher thing For there was alwayes a heauenly patterne which Moses had seene vppon the Mount Exod. 25.40 Hebr. 8.5 So then let vs not thinke as the Papistes doe that Moses vpholdeth heere the Freewill of men of purpose therewithall to set foorth their deseruinges as though men coulde by their owne power and pollicie obtayne Paradise and were able to serue GOD and to doe the commaundements of the Law Moses went not that way to worke but hee knewe what promyse had beene made to the people and that all thinges tended to the Couenaunt which GOD had made with them notwithstanding that the time of the full opening thereof was not yet come as it was promysed afterwarde by Ieremie Esa. 61.1.23 Ier. 31.33 Ezec. 11.19 36.26 Esay and all the rest of the Prophetes where it is sayd that GOD woulde make a newe Couenaunt with his people which was that hee woulde write his Lawe in their heartes and chaunge their stony heartes into heartes of flesh True it is that this belongeth to the Gospell neuerthelesse it was figured also vnder the Lawe and the fathers that liued in those dayes had some taste thereof so farre as was expedient for them Nowe seeing that our Lorde hath nowadayes multiplyed his grace towardes vs and made our state more excellent than the state of them that liued vnder the Lawe surely wee be lesse to bee excused than they for it is certayne that it maketh our offences and disobedience the more heynous Therefore let vs bethinke our selues and let vs market well that seeing God doeth offer vs the liuing waters whereof Ezechiel speaketh Ezec. 36.25 that is to say seeing he sheadeth foorth the giftes of his holy spirit to make vs to walke according to his will wee must assure our selues that if wee shut the gate against him we shal be much more worthy of blame than those which yet neuerthelesse were condemned vnder the lawe And therefore let this waken vs and make vs more willing to heare Gods word to the end to keepe it seeing he not onely speaketh to vs by the mouthes of men but also prepareth vs to draw vs to him by the inward power of his holy spyrite and on the other side spareth vs and falleth not to examining of our liues with rigour but accepteth our dooinges as a father doeth his childrens notwithstanding that there bee much infirmitie and many vices in vs. And to the ende this word may haue the more force Moses sayeth that he not onely spake or vttered it but also that he witnessed or protested it to the people as wee haue seene afore And not without cause doeth hee repeate it heere againe For we be so lasie and shouthfull in receiuing Gods worde as is pitie to see Therefore it is requisite that there shoulde alwayes bee some protestation to make vs thinke the better thereon Deâ—c 30. â—9 Hee sayde heeretofore I call heauen and earth to witnesse against you this day that if the doctrine which I bring vnto you doe fall to the grounde and that yee make no account thereof the very Sunne and Moone and all other creatures shall cry out against you for vengeaunce of such contempt and negligence So then he addeth now God hath made mee a teacher and I for my part will discharge my duetie and that not with a colde and dead vtteraunce of the thinges which I haue receiued but by protesting to you on Gods behalfe as though I were a publike notarie had a proxie from him assuring you that sith your God hath graunted you the grace to heare his word if you bee negligent in receiuing it yee must make a dreadfull account for it Hereby we bee warned to receiue Gods worde with such reuerence as the Angels of heauen may bee witnesses of our fayth zeale and constancie Let vs goe with open heartes and mindes lifted vp to God that wee may bee taught by him And if wee doe so wee shall bee turned away from all the impedimentes of the world in so much that God shall no sooner haue spoken the word but wee shall bee agreed to yeeld to his teaching and we shall not bee zealous for a small time onely but when we haue once begun wee shall holde out to the ende For woe to vs if wee turne head in the middes of our way and start aside when we haue begun well so as the diuell may finde y e meanes to leade vs astray Alas what shall it boote vs to haue beene come into a good trade So then let vs marke well this worde Witnesse which is set downe here by Moses to doe vs to vnderstand that our Lorde speaketh not to vs to leaue our vnthankfulnesse vnpunished when wee haue despised the thinges â—hat are tolde vs in his name but that there shall be alwayes this solemne witnessing or protestation vnlesse we benefite our selues by his teaching of vs. Now Moses addeth consequently That the worde is not vaine towardes them This peece of text is misunderstoode if it bee taken for
fonde as that euen litle babes might haue mocked them for it Yet notwithstanding euē the wisest folke haue beene doted with them the spirit of giddinesse hath reigned ouer them And it hath beene Gods will to make men so brutish For when they would not hold themselues simply vnto him but were carryed away with their fickle lustes it was meete that they should come to that poynt For as much then as it is so let vs vnderstand that our Lorde giueth vs so many warnings the mo to the intent to hold vs in such awe as we may be well ware that wee be not by any meanes seduced Thus yee see what wee haue to note as in respect of the things which S. Iude teacheth vs concerning the body of Moses Now there is yet this saying further set down in the text No man hath knowen his graue vnto this day Wee knowe not which of the Prophets wrote this last Chapter The Iewes say it was Iosua but their coniecture hath no ground It is much more likely that the same Prophet which gathered the booke of Iosua did therewithall write the death of Moses also Neuerthelesse it is not without cause sayd that no man vnto this day For it doeth vs to vnderstand that it was not for one day onely that God woulde haue the bodie of Moses so hidden for then it might haue beene sayd true it is that the body of Moses was vnknowen to men but that was but at the beginning For the first boylings are somewhat too headie and God sawe that the people might haue beene moued with too great affection and by that meane they might haue corrupted themselues It is not then to be wondered at if Moses sepulchre had beene vnknowen for two or three dayes or for a moneth or for a yeare for these people were too farre in loue with him but when he was once buryed then it came to knowledge But our Lord sheweth that hee knewe well that men are subiect to ydolatrie and that not for a day onely but euen vnto the ende and that the same sinne is so rooted in vs that as soone as wee haue neuer so little an obiect by and by wee start out of our boundes Let vs marke well then that it behooueth vs to stande vppon our garde for ydolatrie is not for a time but for euer And wee take this cursed inclination from our mothers wombe so as wee bee easily allured away from the seruice of God That is the thing which wee haue to remember vppon this part of the text And therefore let vs indeuour al the time of our life to walke according to Gods ordinance and let vs also beware that wee bee not caried away after the illusions of Satan And when we our selues shall haue continued in the seruice of God let vs teach our children to doe the like that it may for euer be reteyned in the worlde so as God may be serued of al men with one common accord For if wee be recheles in that behalfe it wil abash vs to see howe the diuel will incontinently get the forehand of vs in the turning of a hand there wil followe a horrible change which will corrupt and marre all Sith wee see this let vs be steddie and constant and let vs bee so zealous to bring to passe that God may bee purely worshipped as it may continue not for one day onely but euen vnto the ende so as we may from age to age protest that Gods name is called vppon ouer vs and that he hath the whole preheminence and that the creatures howe excellent so euer they bee doe abyde in their degree and place and that they haue not occupyed the roome of God nor his soueraigne dominion Now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God which acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs perceiue them more and more that wee may be so cast downe in our selues as our whole seeking may bee to receiue mercie at his hand and hauing receiued it to bee so guyded by his holy spirite as we may giue our selues wholly vnto him to dedicate our selues fully to his obedience and to serue him with all purenesse both in body and soule and that hee impute not our imperfections vnto vs which are yet still in vs but that he rid them from vs day by day and reclaime vs of them more and more vntil he haue brought vs to the perfection whereunto he inuiteth vs. That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. On Wednesday the xv of Iuly 1556. The CC. Sermon which is the second vpon the xxxiiij Chapter of Deuteronomie and the last vpon that booke 7 Moses was a hundred and twentie yeres olde when he dyed his sight was not dimmed nor his liuelinesse abated 8 And the children of Israel mourned for Moses thirtie dayes in the playne of Moab And after that the dayes of mourning and sorrowing for Moses were ended 9 Then Iosua the sonne of Nun was filled with the spirite of wisedome for Moses had laid his hand vpon him And the children of Israel obeyed him and did as the Lord had commaunded Moses 10 And there arose not vp a Prophet in Israel thenceforth like vnto Moses which knew the Lord face to face 11 In all signes and woonders for which the Lorde sent him to do them in the Land of Egypt before Pharao and all his seruants and all his Land 12 Nor in all the strong hand and al the great vision which Moses did before the eyes of all Israel IT was needefull that after the death of Moses the Iewes should know the good that God had done them by the meanes of such a man For we know that Gods gratious dealings are by and by forgotten and it is the point wherein men doe chiefly shewe their leawdnesse For although it be prooued to them that God hath helped them yea euen with signes and myracles yet woulde they passe it ouer slightly In this respect it is saide expresly heere that Moses had his liuelinesse and all his strength vnto the age of a hundred and twentie yeares Nowe wee knowe what is written in his song in the fowerscore and tenth Psalme That after a man commeth to threescore yeares 〈◊〉 90.10 there remaineth nothing but sorrowe paine and griefe and he doeth but linger and pine away Loe what our life is Although we haue beene strong yet doe wee decay in the twinkling of an eye when wee once passe threescore yeares and it is a great matter for a man to attaine thereto I meane in such strength But nowe whereas it is reported that Moses attained to double those yeares thereby it appeareth that God strengthened him aboue the common rate of men And that was not for his owne sake onely but to the intent he might be able to susteine the charge that was committed vnto him Had not
b 50.60 752. a all The indirect dealing of men noted in offering their First borne things to God 595. b 30.40 In what case the First borne may be dispossessed of his birthright as for example 752. b 40.50.60 First frutes Of a solemne protestation made by meÌ„ in their First frutes 564. b 50.60.565 a 10. 895. b 10. c. The verie meaning that was intended in all the First frutes of old time 517. a 20.30.40.50 The meaning of these words I haue not eaten of the First frutes in the anguish of my heart 906. b 50.60 In what respects wee do offer vnto God our First frutes 899. b 50.60 Why God commandeth men to offer vp their First frutes vnto him 564. b 50 What be the First frutes that God requireth of vs. 571. b 20.30 The Iewes gelded the First frutes that they were to pay 571. b 10 The Iewes were commaunded to offer their First frutes vnto the priestes why 892. b â—0 The lawe of the First frutes and the end why it was made 892. a 10. c. why they were brought into the temple ibidem a 30. 893. b 20.30.40 Why the Iewes were commaunded to offer their First frutes in the Sanctuarie 894 a 60 The First frutes serued to make all the frutes of the yeare pure and cleane 892. b 20 First frutes were commanded to be offered euery yeare what we learne thereby 892. b 40 50.60.893 a 10 Of what thing we are put in minde by the lawe of the First frutes 892. a 40 50.60 Looke Tythes Flesh. Leaue giuen by God to his people to eate flesh throughout the lande of Chanaan and what Flesh is excepted 510. a 10. b 50. 514. b 50 Of the Popes forbidding to eate flesh on such and such dayes 510. b 20 30.40 How the Israelites lusted after Flesh in the wildernes and sawce withall 410 b 10.20 c. Why when we lust after any thing our Flesh should not ouer master vs. 411 a 10 All vnrulinesse of the Flesh is sinne a remedie against the frailtie thereof 227. b 50.60 and how the same shall not bee imputed vnto vs for sinne 228. a 10 They that are in the Flesh cannot please God applyed vnto marryed folke euen by a Pope 228 b 50.60 A notable point vppon these wordes What is all Flesh 257. b 10.20.30 Touching lustes and specially that of y e Flesh and how it must be bridled 747. b 50.60 and 748. a 10. 616. b 50 Of forbearing to eate Flesh on fridâ—ies other daies 560. a 10.20 Floud Noah by faith saw the Floud sixe score yeres before it came 1034. b 10.20 Followe What fathers we ought to followe and what fathers to forsake 1041. b 50.60 1042. a 10. b 30 What wee shall do one day if wee follow Gods worde 288 b 50.60 Following It is best Following those to whom God hath giuen the grace to shew vs the right way 31. b 50 What is a flat Following of the gods of the Painims 287. b 50 What we must do to the ende wee may not be helde backe from Following God 27. a 10. and 30. a and b 10. and 47. b 10.20 In Following of men we must needes runne astray and why 47. b 10.20 Of Following God with companie 47. b 20.30.40 The cause why men are rechlesse and slouthfull in Following God 27. b 40 Of Following the theefe that had preeminence to go before vs into heauen 29. a 40.50.60 Food The Foode of Angels not comparable to the Food that we haue at this day by Christes meanes 1020. b 30. Looke Meat Fooles The prouerbe that Fooles are neuer wise till they bee wel beaten applied to the Iewes how 60. a 60. b 40 We cannot be wise before God till we be become Fooles in our selues and when that is 120. b 30 The Iewes were taught after the maner of Fooles how 57. a 40 Foolishnes How Gods Foolishnes is wiser than all the wisedome of the worlde 1107. b 30.40 Foot The meaning of Moses by these words Their Foote shall slip 1157. b 50.60 1158 a all Looke Feet Forbearance Gods Forbearance set foorth in the number and terme of yeres 1137. b 50.60 1074 b 50.60 Gods Forbearance to afflict vs may not be an occasion to vs to fal asleep and to thinke wee be at peace with him 1070. a 10 What we ought to iudge of Gods Forbearance in not punishing the wicked 975. b 50.60.976 a 10.20 That Gods Forbearance of vs is no quittance of vs Read most notable points 728. b all 729. a all Looke Longsuffering For euer The word For euer taken in scripture for a time definite limited 591. b 40 Forget Notable doctrine vpon these wordes Take good heed that thou Forget not the Lord God when thou art ful 279. b 30.40.50.60 282. b 10 Reasons most effectuall teaching vs that wee ought not to Forget God 281. a 30.40.50 A remedie that wee may not Forget God in his giftes 282. b 50.60 283. a 10 To Forget after we haue once knowen him is the welspring of all mischiefe 284. a 30. 361. a 30.40.50.60 b 10 20. 125. a 60 To feare God and not to Forget him are two inseparable groundes 284. a 50 How euen such men as were halfe Angels in this world did Forget God in the time of their ease 362. a 10.20.30.40 That wee ought not to Forget our sins but to remember them 381. b all 382. a all b 10.20 The meaning of these words My daughter Forget thine owne people thy fathers house and thy husband will take pleasure in thee 495. b 30.40 In what wretched taking wee bee when God doth Forget vs. 1134. b 50. and why he forgetteth vs. 122. b 40 The Iewes did Forget the law the manifold meanes that God gaue for the memorie thereof notwithstanding 1247. a 20.30 Forgetfulnes Touching the Forgetfulnes of Gods benefites Read memorable doctrine in the 181. sermon in page 1126. b all Looke vnthankfulnes Forgiue How we must be affected if God Forgiue vs any fall or offence 414. a 40 50.60 God will Forgiue vs all our sinnes if he finde vs repentant for the same 405. b 20 What kind of men they be whom God sweareth he will not Forgiue 1036. all 1037. a 10.20.30.40 The manner how God did Forgiue the Iewes their offences is shewed by way of comparison 432. a b 60 Forgiuenesse Where we must begin if we will obteine forgiuenesse of our sinnes at Gods hands 157. b 10. 1037. a 30 Wherefore the promises of the Forgiuenesse of sinnes are giuen vs. 298. b 30.40 What we haue to vnderstand when the scripture speaketh of Gods mercie of the Forgiuenes of our sinnes 431. b 10.20 What we must doe when wee resort to God to craue Forgiuenes of our sins 415. a 40.50 In asking Forgiuenes for our sinnes of God if wee would haue him mooued to shew vs mercie what we must
285. b 10.20.30 In what respects all Othes will be forgotten 198. a 10 Whereof needelesse Othes doe spring 196. a 30 Men will needes spite God in vsing of Othes reade howe 286. b 60. 287. a 10 In what respectes our Othes shall be holie accepted of God as a portion of his seruice 287. a 40.50 Of Othes matched with blasphemie 287. a 10.20 What we shewe when Othes be made lawfully and according to Gods law 285. b 10 To what diuelish outrages Othes are applied 287. a 10 How we must vse Othes when they are to be vsed 287. a 40. Looke Sweare Ouercome Howe to Ouercome our enimies and in no case to feare them 953. b 50.60 954. a all Looke victorie Owner What meanes the Papistes vsed for things founde to bee restored to the right Owner 768. b 10 Restoring of straying cattell and other lost things commaunded to be made to the right Owner 767. b 50.60 and 768. all Oxe The meaning of these wordes Thou shalt not muzzell the Oxe which treadeth out the corne 877. a 10.20 c. 770. a 10.20 The Iewes forbidden to plowe their ground with an Oxe an asse and why 780. all Looke beasts and Cattell P. Papists The dealing of the Papists when they alledge any of the ancient doctors 489. b 20. They are miserable and wretched creatures 494. a 10.20 They are traitors to God and his Church looke in what respects 493 b. 40.50 all filth and infection of infidels among them 495. a all Of their vnitie and wherein they agree 1193 a 10.20.30 wherein they followed certaine things commanded by Moses to the Iewes 504. a 60. and b all Their replication when they haue warning giuen them of their superstitions 521. b 30.40 The Papistes wote not what God they worship 543. a 20. Howe they haue shaken off the cloake of our Lord Iesus Christ. 564. a 10. Howe they in their masse vsurp the office of Christ 505. b 10.20 c. they are much more brutish than the very Iewes that had no faith at all and wherein 504. a 60. b 10. Howe they haue shewed that they can in no case away with submitting themselues to God 504. a 50.60 b all How they haue corrupted the sacrament of baptisme 598. a 60. b 10.505 a 50. 1245. a 30.40.50.60 Their doctrine of ioyntworking with God adnihilated 1231. a 50.60 b 10. They haue no worse enimies than the saincts whom they thinke to honour how and why 1239. a 50.60 b 10.20 From whence all their doubts doe proceede 515. a 10. Whie they laugh our plaine dealing in Gods seruice to scorne 518. a 10. They make an ydoll of the virgin Marie and yet they say they do not 1238. a 60. b 20. We must not followe their seruing of God places worth looking on 523. b 40. c. 77. a 60. 525. b 30. 631. a al 275. b 10. 267. a 10. 164. a 30.32 b 60. They shew themselues to be far past shame and wherin 526. b 10.20 They blaspheme God two wayes how 525. b 10.20 c. 40. They are become Iewes howbeit bastard Iewes 1243. a 20.30.40 The Papists beastlie furie in punishing those whom they count heretikes 541. b 10.20 544. all Whom they take to be ydols whom not 1238. a 50.60 b 10. Howe they boast themselues to be the Church of Christ yet defie him in their life 1004. a 20.30.40 Their presūption noted when they heare any condition added to Gods promises 322. a 10. and b 30. Howe apishly they imitated the Iewes in diuerse ceremonies 628. b 10. c. They are a misbegotten generation and who they take to bee their fathers 489. b 10.20 Their religion is all grounded vpon supposition 1042. b all They thinke not that they doe ill when they bring their owne pelting trash vnto God 1035. a 40.50 Howe vildely the Papistes esteeme of holie scripture and deale with it 1046. a 50.60 b 10. and 20. b 50.60 What plaisters they giue poore sinners to put away their sinnes 1051. a 10. That they in all their doctrine of freewill deale treacherouslie with God and howe 1053. all 1054. all How fondlie they conclude so soone as they heare that God commaundeth men to do a thing 1052. a and b 50.60 1053. a al. They haue deuised a worke of merite wrought on mans part and how 1056. a 30.40 1113. b 50.60 1114. a 10. How they prate of the Catholike Church and what disorder or confusion there is among them 1099. a 50.60 Why they would not haue men venture to reade the holie scripture 1060. a 20. Howe they go to worke in obseruing Gods lawe 115. b 10. The Papistes cannot abide to yeeld to this reason that God should be obeyed according to his worde 114. b 20.30.40 They are taught by a familiar example to pray 102. a 20.30.40 Their doctrine of merit or desert 111. b 50.60 112. b 10. They vpbraide vs that we are too wise in our owne conceits Looke the place 114. b 10. Against the Papists and their exacting of duties of the Church 429. b 60. 430. a 10.20 Their opinion others twited for that they say a man may fulfill the law 435. b all 245. a 10. A speech of theirs and of the Pelagians 443. a 60. That they are wel worthie of the reprobate minde wherein they bee and why 462. a 30. They make no difference betweene God and a saint that they haue forged of their owne head 419. a 20.30 Whereof it commeth that the Papists at this day are so wilfull 388. a 40.50.60 1164. b all How they magnifie the doctrine of freewill 368. a 20.30 38. b 10. a 50. 58. a 60. b 10. They abuse the scripture to maintaine the intercession of saints 417. a 50.60 b all Their manifold superstitions and grossenes 270. a 10.20.30.40.50.60 c. We ought not to intermingle our selues againe with them why 312. b 10.20 For the maintenance of what tyranny they fight at this day 21. b 60 The Papists vpholde that they become righteous by keeping the lawe 302. a 30. A manifest proofe that they haue no care to obserue Gods commaundements 34. a 10. Vpon what contēptible thing they ground themselues and their obedience 115. b 10.20 They are ydolaters and accursed al their fonde deuotions notwithstanding 927. b 30.40 Some footestep of the calling of God remaineth amōg them 809. b 50. Their vowes how vainely they prooue them 829. all They bee as it were Edomites and how 809. b 50.60 Reade what that is which the Papistes do cast in our teeth nowadayes 162. b 30.40 The causes why there is such diuision betweene them and vs. 287. b 10.20.30 21. b 50. Their lenton fast an apish imitation of the Iewish fast 612. b 10.20.40.50 How homely they handle their ydols when they haue beguiled them as they thinke 1164. b 50.60 Why God giueth not
must do when we find things contrarie to our naturall Reason 76. b 50 Gods inestimable goodnes noted in shewing vs a Reason why he doeth things Read the place 338. b 50.60 339. a 10. Looke Discretion Rebellion The Rebellion of the Amalekites against God in hindering the Iewes from coÌ„ming into the land of Chanaan 888. a 10.20.30 What is the ground of Rebellion diuerse times 216. a 20 Of the Rebellion of Chore Dathan Abiron against Aaron and of the number of them 458. b 20.30 c. Read the same set forth at large 459 a 10. c. 460. a 60. b all Rebellion against God and his worde raised in Geneua by certaine heretikes and their fauourers 460. b all 461. a all 384. a 30.40.50.60 b 10 The RebellioÌ„ of the Iewes when they should haue entred into the promised land 407. b 60. and 408. a 10. Looke stubbornesse Rebellious Meanes which God vseth to traine vs to obedience and how Rebellious we be is shewed by comparison of a heiffer a horsse 895. a 20.30.40 The punishments of God vppon them that be Rebellious against him shal be as signes and wonders to them their posteritie and how 9â—9 a 40 50.60 What it is to be Rebellious against god Looke page 412. a 50.60 b 10. Look Stubborne Rebuke What is required in vs wheÌ„ we Rebuke others 331. a 10.20.237 b 10.239 b 10.20 How euerie one of vs should Rebuke him selfe when wee liue not as wee ought 455. a 10 Against certaine nycelings that take griefe at the preacher when he doth Rebuke their vices 238. b 50.60 Looke Faultes Rebukes To what ende all the Rebukes which God giueth vs do serue 1172. b 50 60.1173 a 10 Recompense How we ought to take the texts of holy scriptures where God behighteth vs Recompense 295. a 60. and b 10 20.60 God will not bee serued at our handes without Recompense 466. a 60. b 10 To what purpose God promiseth vs Recompense if wee serue him 267. b 50. Looke Rewards Reconcile Of the meanes vsed in poperie to pacifie Reconcile God when he is offended 447. b 20.30.40 c. Reconciled The true meanes ways that we must vse to be Reconciled vnto God wheÌ„ we haue offended 447. b 60. 448. a 10.50.60 Reconciliation Of Reconciliation with our enimies inferred vppon a text treating of warre 724. b 50.60.725 a 10.20.30 Of the papists Reconciliation of them selues to God and that it is without certaintie 1051. a 10 Of the message of Reconciliation and what it is 1028. b 20 The meanes of Reconciliation that God vseth betweene himselfe vs 973. b 40. None other meane of Reconciliation but the bloud of Christ. 264. b 10. Looke Attonement Fauour Redemption The Redemption of vs Christians and the Redemption of the Iewes compared 870. a 50.60.169 a 30.1114 b 20.30 Gods loue the welspring of our RedeÌ„ption 167. a 10 Of the Redemption of mankinde and whether God needed any helpe to bring the same to passe 1123. b all Why Esaie treating of our RedemptioÌ„ that was to be performed in y e person of Christ saâ—eth expressely Behold this is he beholde this is our God as though he had been present wheÌ„ as yet he was not incarnate 269. b 40.50.60 Looke Ransome Reformation A forceable Reformation necessarie to the Iewes and also to vs Read the place it is most excellent 154. a 50.60 b 10.20.30.40 What kinde of Reformation is required in euerie man for the vtter abolishment of superstition and idolatrie 492. b all The Reformation of our hearts belongeth vnto God 1024. b 30 Regenerate Imperfectious euen in the Regenerate though the papists say no. 938. b 50 999. â—30 40 Regeneration Of our Regeneration and that it is not of man but of God 441. b all Reigne How malitiously the Iewes construed these wordes Yee shall Reigne ouer many nations 580. a 30 Reioysing Of Reioysing in the presence of the Lord and in what case mens reioysings are accurssed 901. a 30.40.50 With whome our Reioysing should be and with what companie 901. b 20.30 Of Gods Reioysing and that it is not after the manner of men 1056. b 30 40.50.60 Looke Mirth Reliefe Lawes of Reliefe prouided for y e poore with the crop of the ground 865. a 40.50.60 so forwarde the whole sermon 141.517 a 20. c. b 10. Looke Helpe and succour Religion both true false Why Moses confirmeth the Iewes in y e Religion that had beene giuen theÌ„ 162. b 10.20.30.40.50.60 A reason why the Religion of the Iewes should haue been sound and sincere c. 160. a 30 The Religion of poperie discouered 187. a 20.1042 b all 1130. a 40.50.1041 b 30.40 The foundation of all perfect sound Religion 272. a 10.20.444 b all 509. a 20.446 a 50.496 a 40.388 a 20 The ground from whence the Iewes tooke their boldnes to make their so manie changes of Religion 114. a 40 Howe wee ought to behaue our selues touching the true and sincere Religion 288. all 537. a all What followeth of mingling true Religion with the deuises of vnbeleeuers 287. a 60. b â—â— What we must do to haue the true and right Religion 288. a 10.20 We must prouide that the seede of Religion may remaine after our decease how 474. a 40 An exhortatioÌ„ to the imbracing of true Religion 470. b 40.50.60 With what vaine speculations we must not medle whensoeuer wee haue to deale with Gods seruice Religion 463. b 10.20 A brieâ—e summe or description of y â— true pure Religion 117. b 60 How wee must be affected if any man should goe about to alter Religion 542. a 50.60 b 10. This place is worth the marking 636. a all Of certaine worldlings that go about to abolish all Religion 541. a 10.545 a 50.60 b all That for the maintenance of true Religion wee should not spare the life of our neerest kin 540. a 40.50.60 b all What ground the heathen had when they made Iewes for the obseruing of that manner of Religion that was established among them 541. a 50.60 That it behoueth vs to be well assured of our Religion why 541. a 40.163 b 60.164 a 10 That the pure Religion of God is the chiefest blessing that wee haue in this life and what wee are taught to do in that behalfe 982. a 50.60 and b all 983. a 10.494 b 10 How deere true Religion ought to bee vnto vs is shewed by circumstances 540. a 40.50.60 b all 547. a 30.40 We must shew openly before meÌ„ what Religion we holde of 287. a 30 The meanes that God vsed to retaine the Iewes in the puritie of Religion 1014. a 10.20.30 The seducers of Gods people from the right Religion compared to bitter rootes and how 1032. a 50. b all 1033 a b all Of what Religion God alloweth disalloweth 1128. a b 30.40.50.60 c. In what taking they be which followe their owne fansies in cases
them 660. a 40.50.501 a 40. 164. a 60. b 10.201 a 10.302 a 10.207 b 50.299 a 50.60.947 a 10.20.764 b all 765. a all Our Sacrifices are stained with some spot or other what soundnesse they must haue and howe God accepteth them 630. al. 596. a 10.819 a 40.50.60 Sacrifices of y e heathen in whose roome are now popish masses 495. a 40 Why it is said that our Sacrifices are offered to God the father in Christs name 596. a 30.40 How wee shoulde offer vp our selues as true not as temporall Sacrifices vnto god 593. a 10. of the onely propitiatory sacrifice 764. b 40. c. 765. a all What is one of the chiefest Sacrifices that God requireth of vs. 554. a 30.40 360. b 10 Sacrifices were blessed and yet was there a kind of curssednesse in them 550. a 40.50 What be the Sacrifices that the shepeherdes of Gods Church must offer 739. a 60 What Sacrifices Christians ought to bring vnto God 820. a 10 What is the true sworde wherewith our reasonable Sacrifices are offered vnto God 820. b 50.60 That the grounde of all Sacrifices is obedience what we haue to learne thereby 908. b all When the people came to offer Sacrifices in the time of the law they helde themselues in the outmost court 1207. a 20.30 Of the Sacrifices of righteousnesse and what doctrine wee haue to obserue therein 1220. a 60. b all The Sacrifices of the lawe were verie significant 1175. a 50. Looke Offerings Sacrificing The maner of the people of Israels Sacrificing when they came out of Aegypt 501. b 40 Sacrilege Of a kinde of Sacrilege committed against God whereby he is robbed of his honour 996. a 40.50 What kinde of Sacrilege is committed in these dayes 149. b 20.30 Safetie The Safetie of men consisteth not in any outward or visible thing 1232. b 50 60.1233 a 10.92 a 20.30 A continuing lesson to all Gods people touching their Safetie 1232. b 10.20 30. Looke Saluation and Welfare Saint How rewfully forsooth the Papists hādle the idoll of S. George when they be displeased with it 1164. b 60 The Papistes make no difference betweene God and a Saint that they haue deuised of their owne heade 419. a 20.30 b 10 A Saint of y e Papists deuising S. Barbe which neuer was 523. b 60 Saints Gods Saints neuer vaunted themselues to haue performed al Gods statutes 906. a 40.50.60 b 10 A text alledged by the Papistes for the mainteining of their doctrine of hauing Saints to bee their intercessors 417. a 50.60 b 10.418 b 20 The Papists shift for y e excusing of their praying to Saints 271. a 40 The Papistes haue no worse enimies than the Saints whom they think to honour and why 1239. a 60. b 10.20 By Saints are ment Angels Looke the place and reade in what sense 1187. b 20.30.40.50.60.1188 a 10.20 Moseses meaning by these words Gods Saints are in his hand 1188. b 30.40 50.60 c. Howe these words that God appeared with ten thousand Saints are meant 1187. b 20.30.40.50.60 How the Saints being of themselues no idols are notwithstāding made such and by whom 683. ◠10 How spitefully y e papists vse the images of their Saints whē they are displeased with them 1164. b 50.60 Looke Faithfull Salt Of Gods threatning to sowe Salt vpon the lande of Chanaan and what the same meant 921. a 10 Why it is said that no Sacrifice shoulde be offered without Salt 502. b 60 Saluation Howe wee confirme Gods truth to our Saluation 487. a 10 Howe the full measure of our Saluation and of the promise is accomplished 487. a 10. 486. b 50.60 What wee must doe if wee woulde be assured of our Saluation 318. b 60 God setteth more store by his owne honour than by the Saluation of our soules 484. a 20.30 The honour of God and our Saluation matched together 536. b 50 Who is the keeper of our Saluation and by what meanes it is kept in heauen 532. a 40.50 The remedie to preserue vs from all occasions to thrust vs out of the way of Saluation 524. b 10 God tendereth our Saluation in shewing vs his wil by the mouthes of men 254. a 20 What we ought to doe when God hath once put vs in hope of Saluation 466. b 10.20 A lesson for vs to learne so oft as there is any speaking of our Saluation 438. b 10.20 In what cases our Saluation will go to wrecke euerie minute 503. b 40 Men cannot abide that the whole praise of their Saluation should rest in God alone 167. b 10 When and at what time wee had a full warrant of our Saluation 10. b 30.599 b 50.60 600. a 10 We must not seeke the cause of our Saluation in our selues 166. a 40 Why God thinketh it not ynough to haue tolde vs once what is needeful for our Saluation 176. b 60 God ceaseth not to haue a care of the Saluation of his children 154. a 40 Saluation is common in generall to all men but is a peculiar gift of God 1235. a 30.40 Our Saluation figured by the bodily deliuerance of the Iewes out of Aegypt 169. a all No worthinesse in men of Saluation or heauenly inheritance 268. b 10.20 Our Saluation is named a gage and who hath it in keeping 1180. a 50.60 b 10 What saint Paul doth vs to vnderstand by putting ouer Saluation to confession 1064. b al. It is vnpossible for God to bring vs vnto Saluation vnlesse we be first condemned 1100. a 10. Of mans Saluation the cause and grounde of the same 10. a 10.1118 a all 315. a 10 Howe farre off wee be from hauing any affection or zeale to the knowing of the doctrine of Saluation 298. a 30.40.50 To what intent it pleased God to impart vnto vs the doctrine of Saluation 292. a 60 b 10 The cause why we goe not right foorth the way to Saluation 122. b 50.60 How is it that we be assured of our Saluation 815. b 10 The fathers had their Saluation grounded in Christ Iesus as we haue but how reade page 913. b 10 The damnable doctrine of the Papists that wee must stande in doubt of our Saluation 914. a 20.30.1063 all Whereupon the assurance of our Saluation is to be builded and not to be builded 858. b 20.30.134 a 10 What things are saide to be of the substance of our Saluation 104. b 50.60 Whie it is saide of Paul that God giueth vs being vnto Saluation 420. b 20 Gods worde more precious a great deale than mens Saluation 420. b 50 What Gods pleasure is when he draweth men to Saluation 82. a 60. and b 10 The meane to haue Gods worde redound to our Saluation 78. a 10 Saint Pauls meaning by these wordes to worke out our Saluation with feare trembling 75. a 40.50.1024 b all The meanes how men shut themselues out of all hope of Saluation 44. a 40 The meanes whereby God procureth and furthereth our Saluation 39. b