we had all the lettes in the world against vs ought it not to ridde them all quite away Otherwise what an vnthankefulnesse were it Therefore let vs learne that whensoeuer God matcheth promises with his commaundementes it is to win vs by gentlenesse because hee seeth vs so slowe as is pitifull and therefore he allureth vs as a father that flattereth his children as ye would say That is the y e thing which wee haue to gather here Now if wee consider this lesson well wee shal not say as the Papists doe That seeing God promiseth reward to such as shall haue serued him it appeareth thereby y t we deserue and that God is as wel bound vnto vs as we to him But cleane contrariwise Gods promising vs to doe vs good is not for that our seruice can deserue aught at his hand nor for that hee is or can be beholden to vs for any thing but his shewing of himselfe so freeharted towardes vs as to forbeare his owne right proceedeth of his owne free bestowed goodnesse as I haue declared afore Surely the Papistes doe well shew themselues to be puffed vp with diuelish pride when they presume after that sorte to abuse Gods fatherly goodnesse He could doe no more except he should make vs cockneyes as I haue sayd already and yet notwithstanding mortall men which are but carion and dung fall to aduauncing of themselues and say it is a token that God is bound vnto them Now then ler vs beare in minde that the promises which GOD setteth afore vs to prouoke and incourage vs to doe him seruice serue not to shewe that he oweth vs any thing or that we can deserue aught at his hand but they be a record vnto vs of his free bestowed goodnesse inasmuch as hee byndeth himselfe to vs of his owne good will notwithstaÌ„ding y t hee can not be any way indetted vnto vs. Moreouer it behoueth vs to marke that in speaking Moses setteth y e lawe in the first place to the ende to leade the people yet further For by the lawe wee knowe our duetie and how wee ought to liue Matt. 22.37 that is to wit that wee ought to loue God with all our heart with all our minde with all our affections and with all our powers and that wee ought to loue our neighbors as our selues Now when we once know this we must see whether wee bee able to doe it or no. But so vnable is any man liuing to discharge himselfe thereof that wee cannot so much as stirre one finger to begin it Therefore are wee all guiltie before God And what is there to be done We must flee for refuge to his grace and therewithall beseech him to be mercifull to vs in forgiuing vs our sinnes and moreouer to vouchsafe to reforme vs forasmuch as hee seeth that wee be not onely weake but also vtterly vnable to doe any good because there is nothing but corruption in vs And finally that when he hath made this lawe to bee preached vnto vs hee vouchsafe also to ingraue it in our hartes and to giue vs such a minde as wee may seeke to serue him This is the maner of proceeding which wee haue to beare in minde in that it is sayd that the lawe is preached vnto vs to the ende wee should serue our God as in deede the ende whereto it tendeth is to shewe men what they ought to doe Nowe herewithall let vs examine all our owne abilities and wee shall finde our selues ouerwhelmed and that wee bee all of vs cursed and damnable if God added not a remedy to drawe vs out of the curse which the lawe bringeth vppon vs. 1. Cor. 15.56 Ro. 3.19 4.15 6.14 And therefore Saint Paul sheweth that if men will needes holde themselues to the lawe they shall bee damned without any further hope of saluation And why for it is written hee that doth these thinges shall liue in them Leuit. 18 5. Ro. 10.5 Now then sayth Saint Paul let euery man looke into himselfe and examine his whole lyfe is there any man that is able to vaunt that he hath fulfilled Gods lawe No wee be all disobedient Seeing the case standeth so there is no more life in the Lawe Rom. 3.9 Rom. 6.2.3 10.4 but wee must rather flee to the free forgiuenesse of sinnes and specially beseech God to giue vs power to doe that which we can not And so whereas the Papistes doe make themselues drunken with their diuelish imaginations of meritorious works and such other lyke thinges let vs vnderstand that after our Lord hath allured vs by gentlenesse he addeth a second grace which is that albeit we be not able to performe his commaundementes throughly in all respectes yet he beareth with vs as a father beareth with his children and imputeth not our sinnes vnto vs but receiueth our halfe seruices as though they were whole and perfect not for any worthinesse that he findeth in them but because he purposeth to play the father with vs. Marke that for another poynt Besides these there is a thirde grace which hee vseth which is that hee ingraueth his lawe in our heartes insomuch that whereas he seeeth our heartes to bee as harde as stone or stithies 2 Cor. 3. â— hee maketh them as soft as fleshe and meekeneth them y t they may be obedient And hee not onely prepareth vs after that maner to serue him Phil. â— â—â— but also giueth vs discretion power and performance Sith wee see this let vs put all meriting or deseruing out of minde and let vs not be so presumptuous as to aduaunce our selues any way but as wee haue iust cause to abase our selues so let vs w t all humblenes giue the glory vnto god Thus ye see what we haue to do y t we may take profit of y e doctrine coÌ„teined here And immediately hereunto Moses addeth That men must purely and simply followe the doctrine that hee commaundeth without putting any thing to it or taking any thing from it To the intent sayth hee that yee may keepe the commaundements of your God which I inioyne you Before wee proceede any further wee must marke the authoritie that Moses taketh to himselfe in this text Hee had sayd heretofore I teach you and now hee sayth I inioyne or commaund you And why is that To shewe that hee speaketh not in his owne name but as sent froÌ„ a greater master in respect wherof it is meete that euery man shoulde wholy submit himselfe to him without gainesaying And here wee see how all true shepheardes ought to behaue themselues and all such as haue charge to preach Gods worde or haue the gouernment of the Church that is to wit they must be sure that God hath sent them so as they attempt not any thing of their owne head but speake as in the name of God and vtter all their sayinges as on his behalfe Being once at that stay then must they also maintaine Gods
Yes And therefore let vs beware that we beare not false witnesse against God 1 Cor. 15.15 according to Sainct Paules saying who auoweth that such as corrupt the purenesse of the Gospel are falsewitnesses against God and not against men What is to be done then Wee must maintaine Gods trueth and deale so roundly in it that forasmuch as wee see the doctrine is good wee beare it abroade and maintaine it knowing that God hath ordeyned vs to bee as his deputies Then if I see the trueth oppressed I must not suffer it to my power Why so God hath appointed mee to see that lying and vntrueth bee suppressed in his name And this is to bee obserued most specially when the doctrine of saluation commeth in question As for example when wee see the doctrine in daunger to bee falsified and that men woulde mingle Leuen with it to imbrewe men with falshood and leasings in that case we must be zealous indeede not suffer false witnesses to haue their full swindge against God vnlesse we mind to consent to them and to bee partakers with them as I haue declared alreadie Finally let vs learne that when wee haue liued in such plainenesse among men as it cannot bee laide to our charge that wee haue gone about to deface any man by slaundering rayling or backbyting wee must also haue such zeale to Godwarde as his trueth may continue sounde and be maintained to reigne among vs. Thus ye see in effect what wee haue to consider vppon this commaundement Nowe let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs perceiue them better than we haue done and to leade vs more and more to such repentance as we may learne to bethinke vs of our sinnes to be sorie for them and to mislike of them that hauing obtained forgiuenes of them we may learne to direct our life according to his holy commaundementes so as he may be honored of vs with true obedience not onely with confession of the mouth That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people nations of y e earth c. On Friday the fift of Iuly 1555. The xli Sermon which is the twelfth vpon the fifth Chapter 21 Thou shalt not lust after thy neighbours wife neither shalt thou couet thy neighbours house nor his fielde nor his manseruant nor his womanseruaunt nor his Oxe nor his Asse nor any thing that is thy neighbours IT might seeme at the first sight that this commandement were more than needeth because that in condemning of thefte whoredome God ment therby to represse all wicked affections For I told you that we must expounde these commandements according to gods nature and we knowe that it is Gods peculiar office to serch mens hearts Chr. 2â— 9 Chr. 6.30 â—al 7.11 â— 2 〈◊〉 11.20 â— 10 so as he knoweth euen the deepest secretest and hiddenest thoughtes It followeth then that in forbidding men to be theeues and whoremasters hee ment also to bridle their affections and lustes And indeede if it were not so God had no more power in making of lawes thaÌ„ mortal men For if an earthly man condemneth whoredome he will also condemne the intent of it If there appeare a wicked intent it shal be punished If Gods Lawe were no more but so it were a matter of no great importance for it were but a ciuil order to gouerne vs honestly to the worldward But there is much more in it for we see howe S. Paul saith 1 Tim. 1.15 that the lawe cannot be kept without a pure conscience and an vnfeined faith It it bee requisite for vs to haue such a soundnesse in vs for the well keeping of Gods Lawe it followeth that all wicked lusts were forbidden vnder the name of whoredome As much is to be said of the word Theft Also we might alledge the authoritie of our Lorde Iesus Christ who is a faithfull expounder of the Lawe Matt. 5.28 1. Pet. 3.19 For it is by his spirite that Moses and all the Prophets spake Why then is it added heere that we must not couet If all wicked lustes were spoken of before why shoulde they bee repeted againe Wee must marke that in this place God meaneth not to represse the affections that are fully intended and determined vpon but the other affections or motions that stirre vs vp and prouoke vs although we neither sticke to them nor consent to them This requireth a longer and plainer exposition Sometimes Couetousnesse or Lust betokeneth the will in man As for example when I see my neighbours goods and am tempted to couet them and to lust after them Now if I feede this temptation in my self and giue my selfe the bridle then doth the sinne so ouermaster me that my wil is fully resolued vpon it and I would faine that those goods were mine This is a kinde of couetousnes or lust that carieth the will with it for the partie consenteth to the sinne and hee would put his wicked intent in execution if hee were able Nowe such kinde of wicked couetings and lustings were forbidden heretofore where it is saide Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt not commit aduoutrie For there God hath forbidden vs not onely the actuall deeds of theft and whordome but also the verie lusting and longing after another mans wife goods or possessions But there is another kinde of couetousnesse or lust wherevnto we doe not altogether cleaue as to consent thereto and yet notwithstanding it tickleth and moueth vs in such sort as wee feele some euill prouocation in our selues which is against God striueth against the righteousnes that is conteined in the Law Those are the lusts that are forbidden in this place And so we see that God hauing alreadie condemned all wicked intents and purposes doeth iustly adde that that is not yet such a perfection as he requireth at our handes but that we must vnderstande that all manner of affections which stirre vs vp to euill are sinfull insomuch that although wee determine not vppon any thing in our selues ne purpose it at all but onely that some lusting or liking doe glaunce through our heart A sinne is forthwith committed and wee bee guiltie before God Wee see then what manner of soundnesse is required in this text namely howe that our Lorde hauing alreadie forbidden wicked intents addeth that all our senses wits must be so imprisoned vnder the feare of him and so inflamed with loue and desire to liue in all holinesse as wee may not bee moued or stirred one way nor other by any wicked passion to luste after another mans gooddes or wife Seeing wee haue Gods meaning nowe let vs see whereto he bindeth vs for the Lawe shoulde be as a lookingglasse vnto vs to behold our own wretchednesse in And when we once knowe our dutie let vs assure our selues we be worthy to be condemned if we draw not
although the word Heart doe sometime signifie the vnderstāding yet doth the holy scripture take it also for the will Nowe then a man might alledge this shift it is saide that wee must loue God with all our heart therfore so we haue not our will bent contrarie to goodnesse it is ynough we be quite discharged before GOD. For men woulde take the wil for the wicked affection and so it woulde seeme that the wicked lustes which stirre vs vp and prouoke vs are not comprised vnder the name of sinne so long as they holde vs not captiue But when as hee addeth with all thy heart with all thy thoughts and with all thy powers let vs see whether a peece of my soule or minde be not alreadie corrupted when I conceiue any thing against God or when I conceiue any wicked lust of whoredome or robberie although I sticke not to it Is it to bee saide that I loue God with all my heart when a peece of my minde is bent against him The case concerneth not the very heart or will as I haue declared afore but the conceit that is in the soule of man Now then I shew that there is vanitie in mee and that the feare and reuerence of God restraine mee not as they shoulde doe and therefore it followeth that I am condemned as blameable because I haue not discharged my self in louing my God as I am commaunded Again is there no power of my soule which is not applyed to the thinking of some one thing or other that is contrarie to God and his righteousnes Yes We see then that naughtie and wicked thoughts are to bee condemned and wee must no more qualifie them that they shoulde not bee punished at Gods hand and also that the men which neuer consented to euill so farre as to purpose and fully intende it should not faile to be cursed before God if hee listed to vse rigor against them Nowe therefore we haue the true and plaine meaning of this text whereby we see that it behoueth vs to looke neerer to it that we be not beguiled nor misledde And S. Pauls example ought to pricke vs the more forwarde seeing he confesseth himselfe to haue bin ignorant of Gods lawe vntill our Lorde Iesus Christ had inlightened him by his holy spirit to the intent he should know what was ment by the word Lust or Concupiscence Nowe must we apply the foretouched things to our benefite and vse First therefore let vs learne that to serue God well we must not onely be desirous to doe well and go forwarde therein to effect but also ridde our hearts from all euill affections and corrupt thoughts so as al our senses may tende to the giuing of our selues all wholly vnto God Let vs not shewe our selues to haue beene drawen aside to reele one way or other but let vs bee throughly stayed to runne forwarde without stopping or stunting yea euen to runne forwarde in the way that GOD sheweth vs so as there may be nothing but perfect purenesse in vs. And when we once knowe that well then must wee take warning to stande vppon our garde For we see howe men runne astraye and dispence with themselues And what is the cause thereof It is for that they make their reckening without their hoste as wee say For they conster Gods lawe after their owne fancie bearing themselues in hand that it is ynough for them so they had none euill intent with them nor rested vppon the thing with determinate purpose Tush say they God imputeth none of all this And thereupon they walke for warde in leawde lusts with a towell of their owne tying before their eyes that they may not discerne their owne secret deceiuing of thēselues But yet when men haue spoken so they cannot scape the hande of the heauenly iudge And therefore let vs looke to the restreyning of our lustes For God hath condemned not onely the wicked intents and purposes but also all the lustes that prouoke vs thrust vs forward vnto euill Wherefore let vs liue in the greater awe and let euerie man holde himselfe short euen because there is no part in vs which is not infected with sin Let vs make a trial of al the powers of our soule and wee shall finde that sinne is shed throughout like as when a poyson is soked into a mans bodie it infecteth him throughout and so is there as it were an vniuersall leprosie which hath ouergrowen the whole man both bones and marrowe and thoughts and affections and all that euer is of him Seeing then that our nature is so corrupted ought we not to be the more vigilant to holde our selues in awe considering that God by his lawe condemneth all wicked thoughts that tende to the prouoking of vs vnto euill inasmuch as there is a certaine inward mouing that tickleth vs and wee feele our will pricked forwarde although it be not ledde quite and cleane away as a prisoner Sith we see this haue wee not good cause to gather our wittes to vs and to walke the more warely and carefully vnder the hande of God So then whereas wee bee drowsie and slothfull and woulde faine discharge our selues to Godward with ease yet see howe this commaundement ought to waken vs. But wee must vnderstande that it is not for vs to scape by such shiftes And why After that God hath condemned wicked intentes hee proceedeth still to the condemning of euill lustes too And that ought to stande vs to a dubble vse The one is that we must pray to God the earnestlyer to gouerne vs with his holye spirite and to clense vs from all vices and corruptions that hauing prayed vnto him euery of vs shoulde inforce himselfe and as it were doe violence to our nature and to all our senses and powers of minde forasmuch as there is nothing in vs but rebelliousnesse against the Lawe of God euen as Saint Paul speaketh not onely of mens willes Rom. 8.7 when he saith that men in their owne frowarde nature are enemies to God but also of their affections and thoughts Hee vseth a worde there which extēdeth euen to the thoughts y t we conceiue Al of thē saith he are enemies vnto God Seeing it is so let vs assure our selues that when we haue takē neuer so much paine to hold our selues imprisoned vnder the awe of God yet there will scape manie euill lustes from vs the which it behoueth vs to bewaile before God And so the first point is that we must be earnest in calling vppon God to gouerne vs by his holy spirit and doe our indeuer and diligence to bridle our selues in such wise as satan may not haue any hoole to enter at nor bee able to make any breach vpō vs to win the possession of our harts but that we driue them a great way of so as if we perceiue any thought tending vnto euill wee straitwayes preuent it and set a barre in the way saying No not so Thy God
and then doe wee knowe him And this certaintie of being fully resolued that we worship not a new forged god or a god that is brought in by men but the same God to whom all praise is due is the verie foundation of all Religion Herewithall let vs beare in minde that he will bee worshipped all alone not onely by reseruing to himselfe the name of God but also by hauing all that is his that is to wit all that belongeth to his Maiestie and as ye woulde say to his office I speake after this maner to expresse the better that God hath not respect alonely to his being His will is not that men should onely call him the euerlasting or confesse him to be the maker of the world but that they should also knowe him to bee almightie and that it is he to whom the gouernment of vs belongeth it is he in whom is all vertue wisedome goodnesse and righteousnesse it is he to whom wee must runne for succour it is hee in whom we must put all our trust it is he to whom wee owe all glorie Yee see then how Moses in shewing that there is but onely one God meaneth that men should commit themselues vnto him knowing that they be in his hand that they bee maintained by his onely power that it is he at whose hand they must looke for saluation and all welfare and finally that it is he in whom they haue their lyfe moouing and being and therefore that it is he whom wee must honour Act. 17.28 Psal. 50.14.15 as well with prayer and supplications as also by praise and thansgiuing And nowe to shewe his meaning the better Moses addeth Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy strength In these wordes wee see the thing that hath bin touched alreadie that is to wit that Gods intent is to hold vs wholly to himselfe and to possesse vs in such sort as wee serue him not by halues ne wander in the meane while to and fro Then like as God of his gratious goodnesse giueth himselfe to vs so doeth it behooue vs to bee altogether his possession and inheritaunce That is the summe of the thinges contained in these wordes of Moses where he speaketh of the louing of GOD with all our heart with all our soule and with all our strength As if he shoulde say There is no meane way in this case deceiue not your selues by imagining to serue God by parcelmeale and by making any restraint from him for he will keepe his owne right throughout in all points What is to be done then You must giue your hearts wholly vnto him so as ye reserue not any peece of it to idoles For that were a corrupting and a bastarding of his seruice eyther he must haue all whole or else he will haue none at all accordingly as we see how he renounceth the people in Ezechiel for mingling of superstitions with his Lawe Goe your wayes saieth he and serue your owne idoles I will no more of you He giueth them leaue and casteth them vp to Satan telling them that hee liketh not any of all the things which they doeâ— for he will not bee matched with idoles What an outrage and blasphemie is that Thus then we see now the meaning of Moses Now as concerning these words Soule Minde and Strength the Iewes did misunderstaÌ„d them Their saying is that Thou shalt loue God with all thy soule is as much to say as thou shalt not spare thy life for the loue of thy God but thou shalt set so much store by his glorie that in comparison thereof thou shalt not esteeme thine owne lyfe so as if neede require that thou shouldest die to shewe the loue which thou bearest vnto God thou shouldest doe it Againe Thou shalt loue thy God with all thy minde or Heart betokeneth with them but as it were a comparison so as a man shoulde preferre GOD aboue all other things And finally Thou shalt loue God with all thy strength importeth among them that thou must loue him with all thy substance and with all thy goods so as if the case required that thou shouldest bee impouerished thou shouldest rather giue ouer thy worldely goods than forsake thy God But this exposition is too straite laced and attaineth not to the verie meaning of Moses For proofe whereof there needeth nowe no long discourse For what better expounder of the Lawe is there to bee found than our Lorde Iesus Christ by whose spirit it was giuen For it was at his hand and by his authoritie that Moses receiued the Lawe which wee holde of him So then we must fetch the exposition thereof at his mouth and we must receiue it without gainsaying And for the same cause doe the three Euangelists S. Matthew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 30. â—â— 10. â—â— in the 22. S. Mark in y e 12. and S. Luke in the 10. set downe this louing of God to be the whole summe of the well keeping of the lawe True it is that he addeth Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Howbeit in answering he saieth thou shalt loue thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule with all thy minde and with all thy strength Our Lord Iesus Christ addeth there one woorde more not to make a new sense but to assure vs the better of the same thing that Moses meant by the wordes Soule and Heart So then he setteth downe Soule Heart and Minde as if he should say The man that intendeth to keepe Gods Lawe well must yeeld himselfe wholly and throughly to the obeying and louing of God Nowe wee see that in our soules first there is the power of thinking when wee conceiue thinges to iudge and discerne of them That is the first power of the soule namely that vpon the insight of things we enter into deliberation and iudgement and conclude one way or other Gods will then is to restraine all these thoughtes to himselfe Againe there is the soule which is not onely the life but also the meane betwixt the thoughtes and the heart For the Heart betokeneth the affections desires will It is one thing to think a thing another thing to desire it and to set a hartie affection vpon it Ye see then that the heart is matched with the thoughtes to shewe that we must loue our God with all our mind And there is the Soule which is as it were betweene both as if it were sayd that whether wee debate and take counsell of our owne affaires we must alwayes begin at the loue of God and referre all thinges thereunto or whether wee couet one thing or other in seeking our own profite Gods loue must alwais gouerne vs so as al our desires be as it were restreined and bridled vnder it Yee see then that the whole soule with all the powers thereof ought to bee throughly possessed with the loue towardes God And the word strength serueth to
vs to the intent y t wee shoulde loue him againe His meaning is y t we should followe him the same way that he hath led vs afore But now it is certaine y t although God require nothing of vs but to haue the reuerence y t hee deserueth yet can we not serue him honour him vntil he haue reformed our harts And therby it appeareth what frowardnesse there is in all men by originall sinne Behold God commandeth vs but to loue him to yeeld him honor that is all y t is conteined in his lawe And yet we come all of vs so farre short of the perfect performāce of the thing y t is commanded that we cannot so much as thinke a good thought but we indeuer by all meanes possible to withstande whatsoeuer God commandeth Therefore let vs learne to be abashed ashamed of the crabbednes of our nature seeing we be so wayward as to striue against our God his righteousnes yea euen though y e things that he requireth be more than rightfull And so ye see what we haue to marke when wee feele such a law in our selues Rom. 7.23 contrary to y e lawe y t God hath giuen vs. And hereby wee be warned that it is in vaine for men to make protestation as a number doe which go about to excuse themselues y t they can not giue themselues to God because of y e weaknes sinfulnes of their nature Verily as who would say that the euil which is in vs shold serue vs for our defence Were not that a mocking of God Shal a man be acquit at his iudges hand by confessing himself to be giltie But here it is shewed vs that al y e hardnes that we haue in vs to obey God yea euen though it be impossible for vs to moue forward to the performance of the least commandement of the lawe will not serue to iustifie vs. Why so Let a man looke well to it he shal find that the fault is not in the lawe for it requireth no more but that wee shoulde serue our God therewithal loue him by yelding him his dew reuerence and what is it to do that let vs knowe therfore that the whole fault is in our selues y t we obey not our God that although we haue no power at all to performe our duetie yet doth not that discharge vs seeing that God demādeth nothing but y t which is right reasō By the way we must call to minde what hath beene declared heretofore Deut. 6. ◠namely that as concerning this text where Moses sheweth y e meane how to fulfill the law aright it is not meant that we must but onely haue our eyes hands feete well ruled but that wee must begin at the reformation of our harts Thou shalt loue thy God sayeth he serue him And howe With all thy soule with all thy heart Then let vs learne y t if we do the things by compulsion which are cōmanded vs it is nothing woorth we may not thinke that it shall passe in account And in deed there are diuers that beare countenance faire ynough afore men so as they cannot be accused of theft murther or whoredome but in y e meane while they be full of wicked lustes so as they bee readie to burst with them it is a corsie to them to obey God neither finde they any taste in his commandements And therfore al is but hypocrisie all is but a faire pretence shewe to the worldward to be short all is but vanitie and leazing till the heart be wonne vnto God vntill we be fully minded bent to do as God cōmandeth vs. That say I is the ende that wee must beginne at if we will accomplish the lawe throughly Wherefore let vs not beguile our selues any more as the hypocrites do with desire that men only should be contented Let vs vnderstand y t we haue to do w t the heauēly Iudge who admitteth no eyeseruice Ier. 5. ◠but looketh to the trueth of y e heart Therfore let vs giue our selues to God with hartie affection not content our selues so with y e outward workes y t the intent of doing wel shold not also be groūded in our harts Besides this Moses telleth vs y t God will not only be serued honored but also loued And here are three words the one is Loue the other is Reuerence the third is Seruice Now as touching Reuerence or Feare for he vseth the same term of feare it is not a slauish fearefulnes but it is y e seruiceablenes honor which we yeld vnto god in submitting our selues vnto him because we be throughly persuaded that forasmuch as he hath all soueraintie ouer vs it is good reason that we should be subiect vnto him First formost therfore let vs consider that although God had not spoken to vs to persuade vs to this reuerence surely euen nature sheweth it vs sufficiently and it is welynough proued vnto vs in our selues For although it were neuer told vs that the lewdnes of men is such as they seeke nothing else but to turne away from God to become beastlike by al meanes they can deuise yea euen wittingly wilfully yet our heads harts are stuffed so full of that lesson as we cānot be ignorant of it And therfore it standeth vs greatly in hand to beare in mind what this word reuerēce or feare importeth that is to wit that God ought to be honored of all his creatures that seeing we be his wee ought to offer our selues to be subiect to him Also it importeth that when we thinke vpon God wee should hallowe his name that is to say not imagine any thing of him to the derogation of his glorie but yeeld honor to his righteousnes wisdome power This is the first point which Moses setteth downe here cōcerning obedience and the right obseruing of the Lawe Now this reuerence requireth also loue For God wil bee honored with harty affection If we reuerence his maiestie yet stand in feare of it so as it is a terror to vs then would wee wish that there were no God at all and wee coulde fynd in our heartes to plucke him out of his seate if it were possible As many as woorship God vppon no further grounde but for that they are sure they cannot scape his hād because they know him to be their maker those say I being not touched with any free loue wil shunne God and when they heare any speaking of him it grieueth them insomuch that if it were in their choyce power they woulde plucke him out of his seat if they could as I said afore So then it is not possible for vs to feare God I meane to yeelde him right reuerence so as we beare a hartie god will to him haue a feeling of his goodnes towards vs y t he is the place where we must seeke
are strangled and are dead in their bloud that they shoulde giue them to straungers or else sell them It seemeth heere at the first sight that God should as well condemne those beastes for the straungers as for the Iewes For if it be not lawfull for me my selfe to doe a thing why should I bee an occasion to my neighbour to doe it Am I not giltie of sinne in so doing Here we haue to consider the reason that Moses addeth Thou art a People holy vnto thy God Heere he sheweth that God had shooled out y e Iewes from all other nations of the earth and therefore hee would not haue them to defile themselues with any kind of meate Now if it be demaunded and why then had they leaue to selor giue the things to strangers which were abhominable as in respect of themselues The reason is this That god hauing named the beasts which he would haue his people to eate of did leaue all beastes without difference for all other men to feede on which were not instructed in his Law True it is that he had forbidden al mankind to eate the bloud of any thing and consequently to eate of any beast that was strangled or died alone But the most part of the world was already gone astraye so as they knew not the law any more we see how y t euen in the life of Noe his posteritie intangled themselues in a nomber of superstitious Idolatries Gen. 11. â—â— 12.1 and had forgotten god who had preserued them so wonderfully so as there was no more but the linage of Sem which was but a very small portion that held themselues to any purenesse in the seruing of God By reason wherof y e whole world grew into such a licentious liberty that all was mard God therefore reserueth a people to himselfe bringeth them backe to the first law saying Seeing I tel you that I haue chosen you to be my houshould I set you downe a speciall order y t you may haue my badge wherby to be knowne from al y e vnbeleeuers of the earth After y t maner doth god deale But men runne gadding on their own head follow alwaies their own affections caÌ„not find in their harts to submit themselues simply to Gods law as he requireth Truely the thing of it selfe were not euill if there had bin no law against it And this law was giuen to y e Iewes for the two reasons which I haue alleaged afore The first was for the tryall of their obedience y t they should shew themselues to be subiect vnto God And the second was y t thereby they might be quickned vp to keepe themselues from al corruption But as for the heathen they might haue eaten of all meates so they had acknowledged the giuer of them and the creator that had made all thinges to their vse worshipping him purely and abstaining from al cruelty outrage but they liued in y e world like beastes They had in deede a kinde of Imagination that there was one God they forged a great nomber of gods and yet for all that while euery man had an Idoll by himselfe the liuing God was forsaken of all men For as much then as the heathen had not the Law appointed vnto them the Iewes might well leaue those kind of meates vnto them And verily therby they were done to vnderstand y t the thing of it selfe was not euill Seeing y t God gaue them leaue to sel or giue vnto y e heathen the flesh of such things as were not ordinarily slaine thereby they might perceiue how it behoued them to looke yet further And why so As touching murther bicause it is forbidden of it self if it be not lawfull for me to kill a man neither is it lawfull for mee to lend a sworde to kill him withall nor to vse any maner of treacherie Now then in things y t God condemneth of theÌ„selues which are euil of theÌ„selues it is certaine y t all men ought not onely to abstaine froÌ„ them but also to beware y t he giue not any occasion to any other body to do theÌ„ And so it is to be concluded y t sith the Iewes might without offending God giue or sel the flesh of strangled beasts God shewed thereby that y e thing of it self was not euil that his forbidding of it was but to hold theÌ„ vnder awe thereby to leade them yet further intending to make theÌ„ vnderstand y t they ought to liue in al maner of purenes bicause they were a holy people This is y t which we haue to remeÌ„ber vpon this place Nowe whereas he speaketh here of straungers he meaneth all the heathen which were not of y e line of Abraham as if we in these dayes should speake of y e Turks Sarazins wee might say they haue no fellowship w t vs bicause they weare not y e badge of Baptisme and despise y e God whom we worship For Gods lawe speaketh to all men alike at leastwise the morall lawe as they terme it that is to say the lawe y t ruleth our life but the lawe y t belongeth to y e Gospel speaketh to none but to y e Church of God As for example y e Turkes and the Sarazins haue not to do with the supper of our Lorde Iesus Christ neither can they any skill of Baptisme True it is that they haue washinges and they wash themselues oft ynough but al y t euer they haue is no better than y e holywater of the Papistes As for y e thinges y t are peculiar to vs which God hath giuen to vs as to his children and houshold folk those belong not to such as are altogether estraunged from y e Church the holy scripture And therefore let vs marke well y t whereas God doth here giue the heathen leaue to eate al maner of meats it is bicause he was not so gratious to them as to giue them the instruction that was peculiar to y e children of Abraham to the holy linage which he had chosen from y e whole world Nowe notwithstanding all this if the Iewes had complained y t God held them in more subiection than he did the heathen and y t their owne estate was worse than theirs might we not say y t it were too great an vnthankfulnes If a Iewe should say How nowe Seeing y t God hath chosen vs for his children why doth he not giue vs as great libertie at the least as he hath giuen to those that belong not vnto him Is it meete y t we should be inferiour to them If a Iew should speake after that maner we would be his iudges and euery of vs would say fie on him wretch he sheweth himself too too vnhonest churlish For seing y t god hath chosen them for his people instructed them in his pure doctrine should they finde fault with him for his holding of theÌ„ vnder y e obedience of his
And the very same thing doth our Lorde Iesus Christ meane in saying that at the beginning it was not so For God created but one man namely male and female created he them Nowe the Prophet Malachie in alleaging this sayeth further that God had sufficient aboundance of spirite in himselfe And therefore what shoulde haue letted him to haue created two wiues for Adam if he had thought it good But God thought one to bee ynough Therefore it is to bee concluded that he which coueteth to haue two wyues marreth all and regardeth not the keeping of wedlocke in such sorte as God hath ordeyned it Then is it whordome and not wedlocke for a man to desire a seconde wife after that fashion Yet notwithstanding this vyce hath beene of olde tyme thereby a man may see iudge what certeintie there is in grounding our selues vpon custome Tush say wee it hath beene so in all ages it hath euer beene wont to bee so Yea but that will not serue to discharge vs before God For this Polygamie as they terme it that is to say this hauing of many wyues at once shoulde haue a very goodly couer for it if it might rest vppon custome and antiquitie But what Gods institution or ordinance went afore custome and ought to continue vnto the last ende Wee see then that it was too disordered and vnruly dealing when men tooke such scope and libertie to haue many wiues at once And yet the thing fell out euen in the Patriarkes themselues Whereby it appeareth that men doe but deceiue themselues when they ground themselues vppon men though they bee the holyest that euer were Yee see that Abraham who is the father of the faithfull had mo wiues than one Yea but hee fayled not to bee condemned for it In all the residue of his life hee was a mirrour of Angelicall perfection but in this case he ouershot himselfe Therefore let vs holde our selues to Gods pure worde and not pretende that any thing is lawfull for vs except it be ruled after the same Thus much concerning the hauing of many wyues at once which is spoken of heere In so much that if any man haue two wyues hee doeth contrary to the order which God hath set By reason whereof the men that doe so passe their boundes are neuerthemore acquit though they bee not punished for it by the lawes of men but they must alwayes come backe to this poynt that God hauing an eye what might bee obtayned of mennes infirmities ordeyned it as a lawe of policie And this is no impedimēt at al to the perfection that is conteyned in Gods worde whereto it behoueth vs to aspire And if wee swarue neuer so litle from it wee bee guiltie before him by and by And well may wee alleage this or that As for example men require nothing at our hands yet must wee come to account for it before the heauenly Iudge It is sayde heere expressely If a man hate the one and loue the other Whereby it is shewed vnto vs that the hauing of many wyues at once proceedeth of a corrupt affection in that a man beareth not such loue to his wife as he ought to do For if a man loued his wife chastely as hee is commaunded his heart will neuer bee withdrawen from her to desire a newe marriage Then must a man needes bee corrupted and infected in his heart and conceiue a mislyking of his wife so as hee is loth to yeeld his duetie vnto her before hee can long for a seconde mariage It is sayde Ep. 5.28.29 Yee husbands loue your wiues for no man hath euer hated his owne flesh The same matter is alleaged concerning all men by the Prophet Esay Esa. 58.7 because wee haue one resemblance of nature common to vs all It is sayde there thou shalt not despise thine owne flesh and it is meant euen of the furthest straungers in the worlde But betweene man and wife there is another respect for to speake properly they bee both but one man And so doeth the Scripture terme them saying They shal bee two in one flesh that is to saye in one person Nowe if any man hate his owne body must i◠not needes bee that he is worse than mad Hereupon Saint Paul concludeth that if a man loue not his owne wife hee is as a monster True it is that wyues will oftentimes giue their husbandes cause to hate them and that there bee some of them such feendes as were able to vexe euen the Angels of heauen and to put them out of patience That is true But yet must a man fight against such temptations and ouercome them howsoeuer hee fare by the power of Gods spirite When he is once matched with a wife hee must not thinke it to bee by haphazarde but that it was by Gods will And therefore hee must brydle himselfe in so much that although it bee right harde and grieuous to do yet must hee take paynes to reforme the vyces of his wife that is so euill disposed and yet in the meane while beare with her and vse her as gently as is possible for him To that poynt must a man come Hereunto Saint Paul addeth the example of our Lorde Iesus Christ besides the inward vnderstanding which we haue of nature Eph. 5.25 Marke sayeth hee howe Iesus Christ loueth his Church For hee hath giuen him selfe to death to make vs cleane from all spottes euen vs that are fowle and full of vncleannesse If our Lorde Iesus haue not spared his owne bloud for the washing of vs what ought a mortall man to doe for his wife But wee knowe that wedlocke is as a liuely picture of the sacred vnion which our Lorde Iesus vouchsafeth to haue with vs. Therefore when so euer the husbande is displeased or greeued at his wife though hee bee neuer so angry with her let him haue an eye to this example Beholde the sonne of God offereth me his owne bloud to wash me withal shewing mee thereby that I must brydle my selfe in this behalfe and performe my duetie throughly towardes my wife howesoeuer the worlde goe So then let vs marke that a man will neuer couet a seconde wife except hee haue first falsified his faith and troth towardes her whome he putteth away For if he loued her truely soundely and rightly hee woulde leuer dy than let his minde runne vpon any seconde mariage Let vs marke well I say that heere our Lorde ment to bring vs backe to the wels head of the mischiefe to the intent that euery of vs should examine his owne vices and specially the vices that are hid from men vnder this wicked roote that is within vs. He that forsaketh his wife to marrie another shall perhaps bee condemned by the common iudgement of men but to iudge thereof as is meete we must goe to the welspring thereof and then shall wee finde that the greatest euill is euer inwarde Now then if the hauing of many wiues at
shutte the way of saluation against vs from the which euen our owne sinnes doe turne vs away yet shall the goodnesse of GOD get the vpper hand so wee bereaue not our selues of it altogether through our owne vnthankefulnesse Seeing then that we doe heare such exhortations let vs enter into examination of our sinnes and let euerie of vs confesse howe many wayes hee hath offended his God and let all of vs in generall doe the lyke with one common accord And when wee haue mourned and sighed for them let vs then pray vnto our good GOD to touche vs so to the quicke that wee may not onely come and confesse our sinnes with our mouthes and with certayne ceremonyes but also returne to our GOD with heart and minde so as he may asswage our plagues griefes and afflictions through his infinite goodnesse which hee hath manifested vnto vs by his Gospell and wee turne vnto him with sure and infallible confidence to obtaine fauour at his hand Nowe let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good GOD with acknowledgement of our faultes beseeching him to cause his admonitions to profite in vs more and more and that seeing he hath once called vs vnto him he suffer not his labour to bee lost in afflicting vs so many wayes but that wee may finally returne vnto him and that in so returning wee may yeelde foorth true righteousnesse and soundnesse so as wee double not ne play the hypocrites And that to accomplish this thing hee make vs to feele and to acknowledge his fatherly goodnesse that wee may bee altogether giuen ouer thereunto and haue our eyes and all our senses so fixed on our Lorde Iesus Christ as wee may vnderstand that it is by his meanes that wee must obtaine mercie of GOD of the which wee bee vnworthie as touching our selues That it will please him to bestowe this grace not onely vpon vs but also vpon all people and nations of the earth c. On Munday the xx of Aprill 1556. The CLXX Sermon which is the second vpon the thirtith Chapter 6 And the Lorde thy God will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seede that thou mayest loue the Lorde thy GOD with all thine heart and with all thy soule to the ende that thou maist liue 7 And the Lord thy God will lay all these curses vpon thine enemies and vpon them that hate thee and which haue persecuted thee 8 Thou then shalt returne and obey the voyce of the Lorde and doe all these Commaundements which I commaund thee this day 9 The Lorde thy GOD will make thee plentifull in all the woorkes of thy hande in the fruite of thy wombe in the fruite of thy Cattell and in the fruite of thy Lande to thy welfare For the Lorde will reioyce agayne ouer thee to doe thee good lyke as hee did reioyce ouer thy fathers 10 If thou obey the voice of the Lord thy God in keeping his Commandementes and his ordinaunces written in the booke of this Lawe and returne vnto the Lorde thy GOD with all thyne hearte and with all thy Soule HItherto Moses in promysing y t God would vouchsafe such fauour on his people as to blesse them hath spoken but of the thinges which concerne this present lyfe as of bodily health of foode of peace and of preseruation from their enemyes But nowe hee speaketh of a higher and a more excellent matter to wit that GOD will chaunge the heartes of them which before were euil and froward And that is a farre greater thing than to giue vs onely meate and drinke and whatsoeuer else is to bee desired for the flesh in this transitorie lyfe Wee haue moreouer to gather out of this text that whereas the holy Scripture requireth vs to doe that which God demaundeth it is not bycause wee haue the power to doe it for GOD doeth not measure his commaundements after our power albeit that wee be weake yet neuerthelesse wee bee bound vnto him but when he hath shewed vs our duetie it belongeth to him to giue vs the grace to accomplish it And this text doth shew it vs very well for we haue seene it heretofore and Moses doeth yet againe confirme the same Deut. 30. ◠y t men ought to turne to God that they ought to feare him with all their heart and with al their soule that they ought to obserue his law Now when we heare this we may iudge that if men will imploy themselues take a good way it is in their libertie and they haue free choise to gouerne themselues well if they list and the Papistes in deede doe abuse themselues with such Textes For as soone as they heare that God commandeth they do forthwith conclude that wee are able to put all in execution But we see howe Moses speaketh thereof He saith Thou shalt keepe the commandements of the Lord thy GOD to loue him with all thine heart and with all thy soule and then he addeth It is the Lord that will giue thee such a minde such an affection Also he saith in another place Circumcise your hearts this day vnto the Lord and now he saith 〈◊〉 10.16 It is the Lord that will circumcise thine heart It is his very office We see then that when God giueth vs his lawe it is not bycause we are able to attaine to the accomplishment of that which is contayned in it but it is ynough for vs to vnderstand wherein we bee bound vnto him and that knowing once our infirmitie we resort to the remedie euen to pray him that he will supply our default But they may heere reply that Moses meaneth not that onely GOD shold altogether change men and reforme their hearts for this place seemeth to shew that God will ayde men when they haue some good motion and be disposed to serue him and that it is so he saith Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart But yet hee addeth And the Lord wil make thee to loue him It seemeth therfore that Moses placeth some good disposition in men and that they doe begin on their part and that thereuppon God helpeth them and addeth that which they want Thus do the Papistes turmoyle themselues when men alleage vnto them whatsoeuer is spoken in holy Scripture concerning the grace of God as y t it is he which inlightneth our conscience it is hee that giueth vs the knowledge to discerne good from euill it is he that giueth vs wisedome to walke as becommeth vs it is he that giueth vs power to resist temptations it is he that wealdeth guideth our hearts in his obedience it is he that giueth vs the power and vertue to continue when men tell them any of these thinges O say they it is true that men doe not all for seeing that they be weake God must ayde them but yet doeth it lye in them to guide themselues and to haue some good preparation and moreouer it lyeth in them also to
see in this worlde very many Testimonies of Gods wonderful wisedome iustice righteousnes and power and he hath placed vs here beneath to beholde al these thinges and also he hath fashioned vs after his owne image and likenesse Now if our eyes bee blindfolded if wee bee dulheads if we wil not vnderstand the things which haue bin shewed vnto vs is it not a kinde of turning of all thinges vpsidowne which God hath established both beneath and aboue Yes surely Ye see then howe it is an vtter confounding and ouerthrowing of all order whē men worship not their God ne submit themselues vnto him It is not therefore without cause that Moses alledgeth this reason when he ment to shew vnto the Iewes that it was not for thē to argue any more as touching that doctrine seeing that the ende whereto it tended was that God should be honored and haue his right But this word loue importeth yet more For it ought to touch men more liuely than if he had spoken simply of feare subiection Indeede Moses addeth by and by y t wee must obey our God and that we must keepe his statutes his decrees God then doth iustly require of vs a seruice we ought not to denie it him but yet hee beginneth at loue to the intent to draw vs vnto him after a louing manner and not by force as if we woulde say well it is ynough for vs to serue our God but yet let vs goe to it with grinding our teeth because no man can exempt himselfe from that necessitie But Moses sheweth that the doctrine of y e lawe ought not only to holde vs in awe and to bring all our senses and affections in captiuitie vnder the obedience of God but also that it ought to win possesse our harts so as we shold come of good will to offer our selues vnto God to bee altogether his Let vs therfore consider that God doth vs a singular good turne when hee beginneth at this point namely y t he will haue vs to loue him But we be also exhorted to serue him not by cōpulsion as y e most part of the world doth in whō as wee see there is nothing but slauish feare Therefore let vs learne so to gouerne all our affections as it may be our chiefe pleasure to serue God Now on the contrary part whereas Moses ioyneth the obedience of the law with loue therby hee sheweth that there may bee hypocrites which shall make a countenance to loue God will boast themselues therof with full mouth but yet the very true proofe thereof is that wee honour his maiestie and submit our selues to the same For God hath not bounde vs to him by halues what manner of superiority hath he ouer vs Now then like as a child loueth his father as a good subiect loueth his prince euen so must we loue our God that is to say wee must beare such reuerēce towards him as to couet nothing but to frame our selues to his good pleasure in al things so as he may weald vs at his wil and bee glorified in all our life And forasmuch as he wil haue a triall of vs when hee hath giuen vs his lawe and set vs downe the rule whereby our life should be guided if we behaue our selues thereafter then doe we shew indeed that we loue our God aright And therfore let vs conclude cōcerning all such as pretend deuotion holines of which sort we see many nowadays in y e popedom yea euen where the gospel is preached there be many that make pretence to be rauished and caried away with a zeale that all that euer they do is but smoke vnlesse our life bee answerable thereto so as we follow the wil of our God indeuour to obey him by keeping his commandemēts ordinances That I say is y e true mirror where we may behold whether we loue our God or not and whether there be any faith purenes in vs. And herewithall Moses telleth the people againe that they shall not loue God but to their owne profite welfare as if hee shoulde say although God doe by iust title require that wee shoulde loue him yet doth he not that in respect of his owne profite or aduantage for he can receiue nothing of vs. Howe then He seeketh and procureth our welfare For hee seeth verie well that we be miserable when wee are fallen away from him and therfore he is desirous to win vs not for any gaine that can therby redound to himselfe but to the intent that all the benefite thereof shoulde redound vnto vs. Nowe then what a churlishnes is it that men cannot finde in their heartes to submit themselues vnto God specially seeing that he neuertheles hath such a care of their welfare that he seeketh them and taketh paines to reduce them to him howbeit as I said afore not for that he can be any thing bettered therby for his part but because he wold not haue them to perish Seeing then y t we know this must we not needs be too too dulheded yea starke mad if our harts be not meekened yea not onely meekened to stoope vnder the obedience of God but also therewithal set on fire with a zeale to come vnto him to bende all our indeuour that way Nowe wee perceiue in effect whereat Moses amed in all this sentence And moreouer on the contrarie side hee doeth also set downe the threatenings for as I haue said hee expoundeth more at length this doctrine which he had erst touched in fewe wordes See I set before thee this day good and euill life and death Hauing saide so hee taketh the first part thereof For saieth hee I craue nothing of thee but that thou shouldest loue the Lorde thy God that by obeying him thou mightest liue and possesse the land which hee hath promised vnto thy fathers which is as it were a pawne of his loue and the true felicitie vnto the which thou art called for to attaine to it that is to say the kingdome of heauen Thus much concerning the first part Nowe he commeth to the seconde and saith If thou turne away and rebell and beest caried to serue straunge Gods I tell thee that thou shalt perish saith hee and thou shalt not escape the hande of the Lorde thy God Looke not to prolong thy dayes when you shall haue so despised him which hath all goodnesse in his owne power and will in the end reuenge himselfe of the dispisers of his worde Nowe wee see the meaning of Moses in generall It remaineth for vs to marke the manner of speech which hee vseth He saith If thy heart looke backe not to obey and that thou beest moued to obey straunge Gods and to serue them When hee saith If thy heart turne backe his intent is to expresse heere the malice of men which couet nothing but to flee from God For if we were not caried away by our wicked affections it is
vs without any cause why Thus ye see at what end we must begin Againe men must be exhorted warned not to despise such a benefite but to receiue it therewithall to inforce and indeuer themselues to answere God when he calleth them This is the order which wee must obserue in this text of Moses Drawe hence sayth he and march foreward As if he should say Go to your God hath called you longer time than you be aware of For in deede the promise of saluation was giuen vs before we were created yea euen before the creation of the world did God choose vs Ephe. ◠1. Pet. 2. as S. Paul auoucheth and againe he hath fetched vs backe to him when wee were as cattell gone astray Loe how Gods meere free goodnesse sheweth it selfe We cannot alledge here any strength or any worthynesse of our owne We cannot say oh God hath payed vs our wages for our comming vnto him There is no such thing at all But at such time as we were forlorne and damned our God opened vs the gate of saluation when we were in Satans bondes he did set vs free when we were become his vtter enemies were banished out of his kingdom he made vs heirs therof Therfore lyke as he hath freely preuented vs and sheweth vs stil that it is of his owne meere grace that we can attayne to saluation so we on our side must not be negligent and slothfull but seeing he hath spoken vnto vs we must also answere vnto him seeing that he sayth Go march on let vs be going our way out of hand When there is any talke of doing good or of seruing God the Papists imagine by and by that men earne the kingdome of heauen by their owne desertes or merites but the holy scripture holdeth the cleane contrary order as wee see here For why It is not sayde that men bynde God to them by their meritorious deedes but after that the inheritance is set before them and that of free gift and after it is shewed them that nothing beareth sway in that behalfe but onely Gods goodnesse then is it sayd vnto them March foreward And so wee learne to doe good and to giue our selues to the seruing of God to become holy through his righteousnesse not of purpose to make him beholden vnto vs but to followe his holy calling least wee should reiect his grace howbeit that we cannot stirre one finger without Gods working in vs by his holie spirit For wheras it is sayd Get ye hence and march foreward it is not for that the people was able so to doe but when God hath once in couraged vs he printeth his doctrine in our heartes and to the intent the same should not be vnauaileable he quickeneth vs vp and to be short he worketh so mightily in vs that after he hath once giuen vs willingnesse hee giueth vs also performance therewithall according as S. Paul auoucheth in the second to the Philippians Phil. 2.13 Yet for all this wee must beare well in minde the thing that I haue touched alreadye which is that Gods offering of his grace vnto vs is not to the end we should as it were fall asleepe and make none account of it but to the ende wee shoulde be quickened vp to doe good 〈◊〉 2.11 according to this saying that his goodnesse and loue which hee beareth towards men is vttered to the intent to purchase him a holy people fit for good workes and to the end that we should walke in all purenes wayting for the discouerie of the lyfe which he hath promised vs. And if this had place vnder the shadowes of the lawe much more must we doe it now in these dayes So then let vs marke well that Gods setting of the infinite riches of his goodnesse and mercie afore vs and his opening of the gate of heauen vnto vs is to the ende we should mount vp vnto him and rid our selues of all earthly affections seeking nothing but to lift vp our heartes on high and to passe out of this worlde and to be discharged of all bondes and fetters that hinder vs and hold vs back indeuouring with all our might to come vnto him as they that know how this present lyfe is but as a race and that men must not loyter and linger here but rather go still foreward according to gods calling of vs who sayth Come Come drawe neerer to me And if wee goe to him we shall no more be in daunger of wandering here and there but we shall keepe on our way to the mark that God hath set before vs and we wil neuer rest till wee be come thither Now herewithall to the intent to incourage the people Moses telleth them that they shal not trauel in vaine Go sayth he and possesse the land and that is one poynt more well worth the noting For if we should bestowe our labor not knowe that we shal fare euer the better by seruing God we would become lazie and our hartes would fayle vs euey minute of an houre But when we be sure that we runne not in vaine and that God will reach vs his hand so as wee neede not to feare but our matters shall come to passe though Satan streyne himselfe to hinder vs when we stand vpon such a sure ground that our Lord will put vs in possession of the thinges that he offereth vs it giueth vs an inuincible courage and constancie to outstand all temptations And therefore let vs wey wel these wordes where he sayeth Get yee hence and possesse the land God sayeth not singly to his faithfull ones goe your wayes see what ye can doe trye your strength and in the meane while leaueth them at all aduentures no but he sayeth to them Go to possesse As if he should say doe but onely apply your selues to serue me and let me alone with the doing of it for I will worke after such a sort as he that endeuoreth to followe me shall not lose his labor he shal not take paine in vain I will make all his doings to prosper That then is the thing that wee haue to marke vppon this streyne And therefore what excuse is there for vs if we followe not our Lord whither soeuer he call vs considering that this voyce Goe and possesse ought to sound in our eares And if it were spoken for y e land of Chanaan much more shall it be auowed and verified still at this day Wherefore whensoeuer we be slowe to obey God loath to part from this world or astonished with distresses let vs enter into such thoughts as these Alas is it possible for to me to come vnto God how may I ouercome so manie and so great distresses It farre surmounteth all my power and strength When we be so incombred and brought in perplexitie and doubt let vs bethinke our selues thus well seeing it hath pleased God to shewe himselfe to me it is good reason that I should be contented with
for that it hath pleased him to adopt vs to bee his children through freebestowed adoption in our Lord Iesus Christ. Now let vs kneele down in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him so to open our eyes as wee may no more adueÌ„ture to deuise any thing after our own fleshly vnderstaÌ„ding but resort altogither to his holy word whereby he hath reuealed himselfe to vs also receiue his Sacraments wherby we be yet better confirmed in his knowledge so as our whole seeking may be to follow the purenes that is set forth in his doctrine y t no error may lead vs away froÌ„ him nor from the pure religion y t hath bin taught vs And in y e meane season y t as we do him homage in spirit so likewise wee may serue him w t all our heart assuring our selues y t wee can not serue nor worship him by any Ceremonies or outward things w tout yeelding him the honor praise y t he requireth And finally that it may please him to correct all y e idolatrie superstitioÌ„ in the world to rid it in such wise froÌ„ the earth which he hath appointed to y e vse of men as his name may be purely called vpon there For the performaÌ„ce wherof it may please him to raise vp true and faithful ministers of his word c. On Fryday the xxiiij of May. 1555. The xxiiij Sermon which is the sixth vpon the fourth Chapter 19.20 Also that when thou liftest vp c. 21 And the Lorde was angrie with mee for your woordes and sware that I should not passe ouer Iordan nor goe into the good land which the Lord thy God giueth thee to inherit 22 For I shall die in this land without passing ouer Iordan but you shall passe it and possesse that good Land 23 Beware that ye forget not the Couenant of the Lorde your God which he hath made with you and that ye make ye not any grauen image nor the likenesse of any thing which the Lord your God hath forbidden you 24 For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire and a ielous God YEsterday I began to shewe mens vnthankefulnesse in that they cannot finde in their heartes to profit themselues by the benefits that God putteth into their handes as this present example sheweth sufficiently Beholde God hath ordained the starres of the skie to doe vs seruice There ought wee to espie his infinite goodnesse towardes vs howe greatly he loueth and esteemeth vs in that he hath made so noble creatures our seruaunts But in stead of magnifying our God and of worshipping him as wee ought to doe we cleane contrariwise fall to deuising of some errour and idolatrie in our heades After which manner the Gentiles tooke occasion to worship the Sunne and the Moone bicause they sawe the great benefites that were receiued by them Yea but therewithall they shoulde haue mounted vp higher and haue considered y t God is the author of them and that the Sunne and Moone and the Starres are but instrumentes of Gods fatherly loue towardes vs and haue not any power which proceedeth not from him Furthermore let vs marke that men sinne not in this behalfe through simple ignorance but through wilfulnesse bicause they can not finde in their heartes to yeeld themselues to God with a single minde For if we intend to serue the liuing God we must not goe to it by windlasses but we must go right foreward But when men see them selues so pinched they seeke startingholes and deuise new fashions of seruing God on their own head so as they neuer come neere him And that is the cause why the worlde hath euer gone astray and loued better to followe lawes of their owne inuenting than to cleaue to Gods pure doctrine and to rest vpon the same as wee see is done still at this day in Poperie What is y e cause that the supertitions which reigne there doe seduce men so much and make them to bee so farre ouerseene Euen for that it is easier for meÌ„ to ouerrunne a fewe gay Ceremonies than to serue GOD rightly and with a single meaning heart Behold God will not bee outfaced with a sort of pelting trifles but commaundeth vs to walke foundly before him so as wee forsake our owne imaginations and desires and seeke to bee gouerned by him to haue his holy spirit reigne in vs. Surely it is a verie hard thing to forsake our owne reason so as we should not bee wise in our owne conceites to behaue our selues after our owne liking but yeeld that there is nothing but vanitie and vntrueth in vs and learne to humble our selues That say I is a thing contrarie to our nature for we haue a fond beliefe that we bee wise of our selues But God on the contrarie part will haue vs to be bereft of our selfe-wit and selfreason and to giue ouer our selues to be gouerned by his spirit Also our affections do carrie vs away in so much that meÌ„ would faine haue the bridle laid loose in their necke to do all maner of euill and that God should giue them leaue to doe what they list Nowe our affections are sinnefull and God will haue vs both to condemne them and to restraine them Rom. 8.6 6.18 and 1. 〈◊〉 2 1â— â—â— so as wee may bee as prisoners in that behalfe and with maine force withstand whatsoeuer carieth vs away to euill But ye see that men list not to serue God with that condition Againe wee bee commaunded to loue our neighbour as our selfe Matt. 19. â—â— Whereas we bee giuen to seeke euerie man his owne profite God pulleth vs from it and contrariwise will haue vs to procure the welfare of our neighbours And whereas wee bee giuen to suttletie 1. Pet. â—â— 3.9 Matt. 5. â— to shifting and to all maner of naughtinesse he will haue vs to deale plainely and to lay aside all desire of reuenge If any man doe vs harme or wrong the world sees how hotte wee bee to acquite like for like But Gods will is that in such cases we should yeeld him such seruice as to forgiue the wrongs quietly that are done vnto vs. Againe whereas we bee desirous to runne at rouers in taking our delightes and pleasures Gods will is that we should but waifare through this world still hauing our eye vpon the euerlasting life that we should mortifie whatsoeuer is earthly in vs and that although he giue vs some commodities and ease yet our vsing of them shoulde bee but as it were running by them Moreouer he will haue vs patient in all our aduersities If it please him to keepe vs occupied with neuer so many crosses he will haue vs to beare them meekely These thinges are good holy but maÌ„s nature striueth altogither against them And what doe men in stead hereof It is a much easier matter to haue a sort of gawdies gewgawes Churches are fraught full of idols
to his owne vse and benefite so as when any man is in perplexitie that he woteth not what to say hee must alwayes come backe to this poynt how now Psal. 145.19 hath not thy GOD promised that hee will pitie such as call vpon him Yes in deed but I knowe not whether I be of that sort or no. Why haue I not bin baptized in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ Haue I not his holy Supper as a second pledge whereby hee sheweth mee that hee receiueth mee into the number of his children Be thou out of doubte therefore seeing thou hast so many records that thy God will be fauorable to thee and feare thou not but hee will shewe thee mercie Thus yee see the cause why Moses speaketh here expresly of the couenaunt of the fathers as it was made with their father Abraham and to all his seede after him For otherwise it woulde not haue booted at all in the time of Moses But forasmuch as GOD had sayd I will bee thy GOD to a thowsand generations Gen. 17.7 his ofspring is comprehended in it after his decease And therefore the Iewes ought to haue assured theÌ„selues by the vertue of the same couenaunt that they shoulde bee receiued so as if they repented theÌ„ of their sinnes they shoulde alwayes finde the mercie that they had neede of And now let vs vnderstand that seeing God vouchsafed to extend his goodnesse to the children of those with whome he had made his couenaunt and that although they were slidden backe and vtterly turned away from him and had quite forsaken him yet notwithstanding he ceased not to shew them mercie Now seeing he speaketh nowadays vnto vs and the voyce of our Lorde Iesus Christ soundeth lowde in calling vs to reconcile vs to our God and that the forgiuenesse of sinnes is preached vnto vs in his name 2. Cor. 5.18.19.20 Eph. 2.17 and tidings is brought vnto vs that God desireth to be friendes with vs and that all warre should be layd aside betweene him and vs let vs assure our selues I say that it is not for vs to bee wilfull and stubborne but that it behooueth vs to submit our selues to our God and therewithall to assure our selues throughly that this promise of his is not deceitefull Why for the couenant is ours so as our God intendeth not that his promises shall vanish into the aire but that they shall bee stedfast towards vs so as euery of vs may fare the better by them Thus much coÌ„cerning this saying of the couenant of the fathers But yet herewithall Moses faileth not to shew that it was not men that did first make the couenant with God but that God did preuent them and that it is hee that of his owne free goodnesse hath bound himselfe vnto them And for that cause is it sayd that God sware to that couenant and both of them are right necessarie For as I haue told you if wee take not Gods promises as peculiar to our selues it is vnpossible for vs to be so grounded vppon them as to call vppon him with a stedfast heart but wee shal bee euer wauering Therefore wee must be fully perswaded that God maketh vs partakers of all the benefites that hee promised to our auncesters And when wee be once at that poynt we must also consider on the otherside that it is not for vs to be on the forehand with God neither doth our Lorde tarie till wee come to seeke him but it is he y t hath preuented vs w t his mercie To be short it is he y t hath vouchsafed to take vs for his children and although we were straungers vnto him had not in any wise deserued to haue any acquaintance with him yet notwithstaÌ„ding he hath vouchsafed of his owne accord to lincke himselfe with vs. It behoueth vs to thinke so For if wee knowe not that Gods promises are of free gift wee will fal to seeking of some deserte and worthinesse in our selues and wee will say that was the meane whereby to come vnto God he bestowed such a benefite or gratious gift vppon vs because wee deserued it wee haue gotten such a thing by the meanes of our own vertues Let vs beware of such fantasticall imaginations and let vs not thinke to doe our selues any good y â— way So then let vs beare in mind that wheras God hath declared his couenant vnto vs calleth it ours yet notwithstaÌ„ding he wil haue vs to know y t his vouchsafing to vtter himself vnto vs to giue himself vnto vs is of his owne accord without being bound thereto insomuch that wee did rather deserue to be vtterly reiected at his hand And Moses thinketh it not enough to say â—ingly that God made the sayd couenant but hee addeth also that hee sware it and not without cause doth he set that further here For as I haue declared already heretofore when GOD speaketh wee inquire whether the thing be so or no. Truely such manner of inquiring is very wicked But what for that Our vnbeliefe beareth such sway with vs as we cannot simply trust vnto GOD. Therefore doth he supply our want and sweareth to warrant his worde the better which hee hath giuen vs. If wee beleeue not a man vppon his bare worde wee doe him wrong And therefore are mortall men put to their othe because they bee inclined ouermuch to vanitie But when God sweareth at our request what a thing is that For seing he is the vnchangeable truthe why should not men trust him as soone as the worde is spoken with his mouth But hereby we see how frowarde wee bee and on the otherside we see also how God beareth with vs in humbling himself so farre as to sweare for our sakes because hee seeth that wee would else be alwayes vnquiet and that we shoulde still bee tempted to doubt Therefore vouchsafeth hee to confirme vs by swearing to the intent wee might bee the better assured of the hope of our saluation and not doubt any more of his promises Thus much concerning Gods swearing Now againe Moses sheweth after what maner men ought to seeke GOD and hee sheweth it by deede Hee had sayd afore that such as seeke God with all their heart and with all their soule shal find him And now he sheweth by what meanes men shall yeelde good proofe thereof that is to wit of their true and vnfeined repentance that is to wit by obeying the voyce of God For men will make bragges enowe that they beare a good heart to Godward and we see dayly this shamelesnesse that such as haue not one veine that tendeth to Godward cease not for all that to protest with full mouth that they loue God and they beare the worlde in hand that they bee wonderful zealous But there Moses bringeth vs backe to the tryall Wee must shewe whereby sayth hee so as it may appeare by our fruites that our sinnes mislyke vs in deede and that we bee desirous in
pleasure in honouring him and that cannot be done without we loue him Wherefore let vs marke that the beginning and as it were the welspring foundation and roote of obedience is the saide loue of God so as wee be not forced to come vnto him but haue a singular pleasure in doing it assuring our selues that our true blessednesse is to desire to bee gouerned altogether according to his will and to frame our selues wholly therevnto Moreouer let vs marke also that this loue cannot be in vs vntil we haue tasted of the goodnesse of our God For so long as wee imagine God to be against vs wee must needes shunne him Will wee then loue him will wee frame our selues to the obeying of him to take all our delight in seruing of him Wee must first knowe that hee is our father and sauiour and that hee seeketh nothing but to bee fauourable vnto vs. When we haue so tasted his loue towards vs theÌ„ shal wee bee prouoked to loue him as our father Ioh. 14.15 Insomuch that if that loue be in vs no doubt but we will obey him and his lawe shall reigne in our mindes in our affections and in all our members For what is the cause why we be so disobedient vnto God but for that wee hate him as I saide afore So on the contrarie part the loue of God will drawe vs to serue him and to submit our selues to his righteousnesse so as men shall see a certaine conformitie and agreeablenesse betwixt Gods lawe and all our desires and affections But yet for the better vnderstanding hereof let vs consider what God is For hee will not be knowen according to our nature And when we heare him spoken of it is not ynough for vs to giue him the title of God but he will be knowen as hee is in deede that is to wit to bee righteous and good as the perfection and fountaine of all wisedome of all power of all right and of all equitie Nowe then let vs conceiue God as he is that is to wit with his iustice rightuousnesse and equitie and then shall wee not desire any thing else than to fashion our selues like to him Contrariwise if we loue naughtinesse and be wrapped in it we must needes hate God For why Heere is no talke of a naked being wee must not imagine God to bee as an ydoll wee must conceiue him with his righteousnesse and equitie Therefore when wee hate the thinges that are in God that is to say his iustice and righteousnesse wee must needes hate his owne selfe for hee cannot forsake himselfe hee cannot disguise himselfe 2. Tim. 1. â—â— hee cannot transforme himselfe after our fashion hee continueth euermore like himselfe So then as I saide afore all such as loue God neede not bee afraide that they shall not obey his Lawe and keepe his commaundementes for they bee thinges vnited and vnseparable That is the thing whiche wee haue to marke vppon this place And heereby wee bee warned to shunne all stubbornenesse and all offending more than we haue done for it is no small matter for vs to bee declared to bee Gods enemies and as makers of warre against him And yet the case standeth so as we cannot aduance our selues aboue him nor turne away from him nor shake off his yoke but wee be conuicted to haue beene his enemies and to haue made open warre against him And is not that a cursed thing So then let vs learne to abhorre our owne sinnes and vices because they attaint vs as traitors to God and hee must needes shewe himselfe to bee our aduersarie partie Also herewithall we be warned to resort vnto God with a pure and right meaning minde For it is not ynough for vs to haue with helde our feete hands and eyes from euill doing but the heart must goe before and wee must serue God with a true affection and this affection must not bee inforced but it must proceede of verie loue to Godwarde Therefore if wee minde to keepe the Lawe well wee must first knowe that God is a good and kinde-harted father towardes vs to the ende we may be fully perswaded of his loue towardes vs. And therewithall let it neuer sinke in our heartes to dally in protesting that wee loue God except the same may appeare by our whole life For when as Moses speaketh heere of the louing of GOD hee addeth That those which loue him doe also keepe his commaundementes Therefore our life must bee answerable in that behalfe and bee as a certificate whether we loue him or hate him Furthermore it is not without cause that God comparing here his wrath and vengeance with his mercie saieth that hee will punish those that hate him euen in three or foure descentes and shewe mercie in a thousande descentes to them that loue him For thereby hee sheweth the thing which is yet better expressed in other sentences of the scripture which is that hee is slowe to wrath and forwarde to mercie Psal. â—â—9 17 and therewithall long suffering so that where as his anger lasteth but a verie short time his mercie is euerlasting all the life long Yee see then that the verie nature of God is such as hee seeketh nothing but to drawe men to him by all manner of gentlenesse and to vse his goodnesse towardes them When hee punisheth them it is as yee woulde say against his nature Not that it is not meete for God to punish as well as to shewe mercie but his meaning is to shewe vs that his goodnesse is farre the greater and to be short that he is not rigorous but that his onely desire is to vtter his good will to vs if wee woulde suffer him for in very deede hee woulde faine bee knowen to bee good and pitifull and it is the thing wherein his glorie doeth chiefly shine foorth Therefore let vs marke well how it is not for nought that Moses hath assigned heere a thousande generations to Gods mercie and restrained his wrath and vengeance to a three or foure generations As if hee shoulde saye It is true that our Lorde will not suffer superstition vnpunished When yee shall haue corrupted his seruice and defaced his honour by gadding after your owne dotages yee shall feele the punishment thereof yea and euen your children after you must bee faine to feele it to insomuch that when the fire of his wrath is once kindled vppon you it shall not bee quenched againe so soone as yee weene for but yet for all that hee will not faile to bee pitifull still and his mercie shall alwayes bee greater than his wrath And in deede like as by the threate which wee haue hearde GOD intended to holde the worlde in the true religion to the ende they shoulde not make ydoIs and puppets to themselues so was it his will also that the promise which is conteined heere shoulde allure vs to him if wee beare him the loue and reuerence which wee ought to doe and hee had
tenne commaundementes God intended to giue a rule that should indure for euer Therefore let vs not thinke that the thinges which Moses speaketh of the Saboth day Psal. 19.8.9.10 Matt. 5.18 are needelesse for vs not for that the figure remaineth still in force but because we haue the trueth thereof And for the same cause the Apostle in the fourth to the Hebrewes applyeth the thinges that were spoken of the Saboth day Heb. 4.3.10 to the instruction of the Christians and of the new Church For hee sheweth vs that we must fashion our selues lyke to our GOD and that this is our full felicitie and perfection because the whole souereigne welfare of man consisteth in being created after the image of God What is to be done now seeing that the said image is defaced by sin but that it may bee repaired againe Ye see then that the way for vs to atteine to perfection is to fashion our selues lyke to our God and to yeelde to his will and to inquire of his workes that wee may doe the lyke Wherefore let vs vnderstand that to serue God well we at this day be commaunded to streine our selues to the vttermost of our power to subdew our owne thoughtes affections and desires that God may reigne in vs and rule vs by his holy spirit And therefore it is in vaine for all hipocrites to glose to set a faire countenance vpon their doinges For so lōg as wicked couetousnesse lyeth lurking in their heartes so long as they bee ful of enuie rancor ambition crueltie or guile it is certeine that they do nothing else but breake the Saboth day And therefore we may conclude that they ouerthrow the whole seruice of God according to that which I alledged afore out of Ezechiel As much is sayd thereof in Ieremy Iere. 17.24 And in deed that is y e cause why the ceremonie was so straitly looked to vnder y e lawe Thinke we that God did euer take pleasure in mens idlenesse no surely But he punished the partie as sore y t wrought vppon the Saboth day as him that had murdered a man And why so It seemeth to be a crueltie that a man should bee put to death for cleauing of a litle wood vppon y e Saboth day Num. 15.32.35 as if he had cōmitted a murther But yet doth God condemne him to death y t cleaued wood vpon y e Saboth day And why Because y e vnder that figure was cōprehended y e whole seruice of God And for y e same cause is it sayd in Ieremie Ier. 17.21.22.28 y t they bare burthens and went to cart vpon the Saboth day And why It should seeme that God stādeth too much vpon a trifling and childish matter but he had an eye to the thing that was betokened by the Saboth day and when that was so despised by the Iewes it was a trayterousnesse whereby they shewed that they made no reckoning of the lawe at all So then to come againe to our selues seeing that wee haue not this figure so straitly nowadayes but God hath giuen vs a greater libertie Col. 〈…〉 which was purchased for vs by the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ let vs learne to giue our selues earnestly vnto him and to vnderstand as I sayd afore that we may all trauel in all the residewe and yet it shal be to no purpose vnlesse our affections be brideled so as wee striue to renounce all our owne thoughtes and desires in such sort as God may haue the whole gouerning of vs and we protest that we desire nothing else than to rest in him And for the same cause also doth God set foorth himselfe to vs for an example For hee thinkes it not enough to commaund men to rest but also sheweth them the way Gen. 〈…〉 For after he had created the worlde and all that is therein hee himselfe rested Not that he was weary or had any neede of rest but to allure vs to behold his workes that we might rest in them and therewithall fashion our selues lyke vnto him Wil we then keepe the spiritual rest lyke as it is said that God rested frō his workes so must we rest also ceasing to doe what seemeth good to our selues and whatsoeuer our owne nature coueteth If this example of God prouoke vs not wee shewe well thereby that we neither seeke nor in any wise couet our owne welfare but that we will needes continew wilfully in our wretched and cursed state The souereigne welfare of men as I sayd afore is to sticke vnto God to be knit vnto him Beholde our Lord calleth vs to him telleth vs that wee can haue no true holynesse nor vnion with him but by resting from our owne workes Now if we be so vnruly that we will alwayes be occupying of our armes legges be still doing what wee thinke good surely it is as a breaking of y e band that is betweene God and vs a separating and estranging of our selues from him as much as in vs lyeth And doth it not appeare thereby y t we seeke to be left vp as a pray to Satan to be caryed haryed away by him for want of being any more vnder the protection of our God Yes but what for that There are very fewe y t thinke of y t. The world sees what libertie al men take to thēselues If one come tel a man that he must not walke after his owne fancie Tush saith hee I knowe how to behaue my selfe But a man could not deuise to spite God more manifestly than by such rebelliousnesse It is all one as if we woulde needes shewe that wee will not y t he should haue any superioritie ouer vs. In deede men will not be acknowē y t it is so but yet it is so in very deede For as I haue sayd already it is no seruing of God vnlesse we begin at the absteyning frō our owne thoughtes affections Therefore when men will needes be selfwise trust to their owne wit so as they take leaue to doe what they list to follow their own affections fancies labor not to represse thē but are offended whē others goe about to reclaime them it is a signe y t they neuer wist what it is to serue God nor y t it is the chiefest poynt of the lawe And therefore let vs marke wel y t whereas God alledgeth his owne example it is to allure vs gently to y e keeping of y t spiritual Saboth or rest y t we might thinke our selues vnhappy to be separated frō him as I touched afore And behold y e band of this cōiunctiō is y t we withdraw not our selues from his religion trueth but suffer our selues to be ruled by him But now it may be demaunded why y e Iewes were commaunded to rest but onely the seuenth day for our renowncing of our owne thoughtes affectiōs must not be for one day in a weeke
as men are fleshly when gods lawe is first vttered vnto them they thinke they haue well discharged themselues if they cannot be blamed before the world and so on y e otherside they doe easily grant take leaue to do cuill And for the same cause euen y e Iewes themselues who ought to haue bin grounded in y e lawe of God from their childhood tooke this saying too grosly Thou shalt not kill For they vnderstood it y t they offēded not god so they made no open assault vpon their neighbour to wound him And therfore if the fault were not apparant to the eye they bare themselues in hand y t they ought not to bee charged with it before God Which thing our Lorde Iesus Christ rebuketh Mat. 5. ◠shewing that the law was too fōdly expounded Because it is said Thou shalt not kil you beare your selues in hand saith he that yee shal be quit before God if men cannot bring yee to the bar for it But whosoeuer calleth his neighbor foole y t is to say whosoeuer doth but shew som tokē of displeasure against him is forthwith worthy of hel-fire Whosoeuer doth another man wrong is in danger of iudgement from heauen y t God and al his Angels shal set themselues again him And whosoeuer doth but murmure against his neighbour so as he doth but mūble somwhat betwixt the teeth though he vtter nothing at all he is already in danger of iudgement Wee see whereto our Lord Iesus sendeth vs namely that when we may protest that we haue not done any outrage nor giuen any blow and y t we haue so litle ment to wounde our neighbour that wee haue not so much as once drawen our sworde at him yet is not al this ynough but wee must consider that God wilouer rule both our tōgues our thoughts and all our affections as good reason is hee shoulde Sith it is so whosoeuer misuseth his neighbour in speeche sheweth himselfe alreadie to bee a murtherer for the tongue cutteth as a sworde Although then that yee haue not your sworde in your fist to strike yet if your tongue bee armed to speake euill of your neighbour so as yee haue railed vppon him it is a kinde of murther as in respect of God And although yee haue not so misused him as all the worlde may bee priuie to it yet thinke not that ye shall therefore goe cleare For if ye doe but mumble betwixt the teeth it is ynough to make yee guiltie in the sight of GOD and ye shall be condemned before the heauēly throne though ye bee quit before men and though worldly Iustice take no holde of you When wee heare this we may well perceiue that he which speaketh it is the same person whom God the father hath giuen to bee the iudge of the world 1. Pet. 4.5 Therfore wee must not giue our selues too large scope in this behalfe For wee shall win nothing by our caueling and shifting But let vs learne to looke at God if wee will haue the right and naturall exposition of the Lawe Who is he that speaketh Euen hee that raigneth ouer our heartes and thoughtes 1. Sa. 16.17 Psal. 7.10 euen hee that can not abide to bee serued with eyeseruice nor that wee should abstaine from euill onely to the worldward but which will be serued in spirit and trueth He will haue our consciences to be pure cleane Iohn 4.24 1. Tim. 1.5 so as wee bee clensed from all naughtinesse Seeing it is so if wee consider the nature of GOD wee must no more restraine his Lawe to the outward deedes but wee must conclude that when God speaketh of murther he speaketh likewise of all enmitie displeasure anger and rancor that we haue against our neighbours And in deede that is the verie cause why S. Iohn sayeth 1. Ioh. 3.15 that he which hateth his neighbour in his heart is a murtherer As if hee should say yee maye well set a fayre countenaunce vppon the matter but bee the hatred neuer so secretly hidden in your hearte and although yee dissemble neuer so much so as ye vtter no signe of any malice yet thinke not that Gods eyes are shut for all that Men may well bee ignoraunt of the thing that yee haue not bewrayed but haue yee once hated your neighbours in your hearts that is to say so secretly as no man may perceiue it by and by ye bee murtherers before God And truely the reason hereof is too too apparant In deed when Princes and Magistrates make lawes it is not after the maner of God It is but onely to the end that men shoulde behaue themselues well as touching outward ciuill order so as no man bee misused but euerie man haue his right peace and concord bee maintained among men That is the intent of Magistrates in making of their lawes And why For they bee mortall men and cannot reforme the inward hidden affections That belongeth to God Againe they cannot search mens hearts Psal. 7.10 for y t is Gods peculiar office and so doeth the holy scripture attribute it vnto him Neuerthelesse when a ciuill lawe is once made although there be not one drop of bloud shed yet is the offender worthie to bee caried to the gallowes if he be knowen to haue done what he could to haue murthered one If one draw his sword vpon a man who notwithstanding doth so ward his blowes as they neuer touche any bare of him the Lawes euen of the heathen doe neuerthelesse condemne such a one to the gibbet as he is worthie For why The Lawe respecteth not the successe but the purpose and intent Nowe seeing it is so that earthly Princes and Magistrates doe punish such as haue indeuoured themselues to doe amisse though they haue bene disappointed of their purpose and not brought their attempt to passe what shall God doe Shall he haue lesse authoritie than a mortall creature To that point say I must wee come to knowe that GOD doeth iustly condemne all such for murtherers as hate their neighbours Why so As I said afore let vs consider what his nature is Will wee then keepe his commaundement Wee must in effect begin at murthering And why For God meant to strike a feare into vs aforehande to the intent that whensoeuer wee went about to hurt our neyghbours or to doe any extorsion or wrong wee might vnderstand that it is a detestable and horrible thing vnto them and such a one as hee cannot abide Why so Bicause it is a kinde of murthering Ye see then howe God meant to daunt vs at the first blowe and that is the end that we must begin at Moreouer if we thinke it straunge that God should condemne a blowe to be murther yea or a wrong offered but in wordes yea and euen a frowne though the tongue haue bewrayed nothing at all yea and euen the secret and vnespied hartburning that is deeply ouercouered with in I say if we thinke it
straunge that these things should bee condemned for murther before God let vs consider what his nature is and howe he is worthie that wee should allow more to him than to mortall men For if earthly Iudges haue power to punish a wicked intent when it bewrayeth it selfe what shall GOD haue from whom nothing is hidden Againe wee must consider howe the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes sayeth Heb. 4.12.13 that the word of God resembleth him that is the author therof so as it must needs be as a two edged sword pearcing in such wise to the verie marie of the bones that there is not a thought within vs which it espieth not out And why is that Bicause nothing is hid in the presence of GOD. Nowe seeing that nothing is hidden before God his woorde must needes searche and sifte mennes heartes to the harde bottome So then the things that are vnknowen to men must needes come all to account before God whereby wee must take warning to liue in such sort as wee beare no enmitie nor ill will to our neighbours But yet notwithstanding we must go yet further For it is not ynough for men to abstaine frō euill dooing but forasmuch as they bee created to helpe one another they must seeke one anothers maintenance God thē in forbidding vs to murther sheweth vs on the contrarie part y t wee must set store by our neighbors liues indeuour to maintaine preserue them to y e vttermost of our power But it was his will to begin at that end to shewe vs what he commanded And why For we see howe sinfull we bee Looke how many thoughts wee haue and so many briers and thornes wee haue Looke howe many affections wee haue and so many bushes brambles and such other things wee haue Not without cause therefore intended God to weede out y e naughtinesse and vice out of our heartes yea and to amend all the partes in vs that are sinfull and corrupted For without that it were vnpossible to set so much as one finger to the dooing of any good that wee should but so much as thinke one good thought That is the cause why y e Prophet saith that men breake vp their layes sowe not among bushes Ier. 4.4 As if he should say I see how the world goeth w t you if a man tell ye y t ye haue offended God ye wil make some faire coūtenāce pretend as though ye were reformed yet in the meane while continue still the same ye were before But it is not ynough to sowe corne in a field but ye must also stub vp the bushes clense the ground So long as ye doe but indeuour to make some faire showe thornes briers thistles and other euill weedes growe still within Therfore there can bee no good sowing much lesse can ye bring forth good fruite before God And for the same cause doth our Lord say here Thou shalt not kill in stead of saying Looke that thou preserue thy neighbors life Now we see by experience howe men would faine discharge themselues to Godward w t faire countenances and yet retaine still their vices and corruptions according to y t which I haue alledged out of the Prophet For if a man speake to vs of doing good to our neighbours in deede we dare not altogither gainesay him So then wee would discharge our selues after a sort But in the meane season our sores doe rancle within we doe but plaster them aboue like vnto those that are loth to open their purses whē their houses decay but what do they They parget them ouer stop the holes and rifts but yet in the meane while their house is still in decay Euen so is it with vs wee doe but parget or plaster our selues ouer of purpose to discharge our selues as lightly as might bee But yet doeth nature teach vs the cleane contrarie For if a mā be minded to sowe a field will he cast his corne among the briers and thornes No but when he sees his field faire and cleane then breakes he it vp tils it and so must we do Let vs learne then that it is not without cause that God doeth first of all condemne the vices For hee sees they bee rooted so deepely in our nature that it is hard to weede them out yea and that he can neuer hold vs at such a stay as to cause vs to liue in his righteousnesse vnlesse he plucke vp the cursed rootes of this naughtinesse which he knoweth to be in vs. That is the cause why he saieth thou shalt not kill As if he shoulde say will ye liue in good loue one with another Euerie man must enter into himself and examine wel whether he haue there any hatred enmity or ill wil towards his neighbours Ye must looke whether ye haue not some hartrisings eagernesse in you which prouoketh you to threaten your neighbors or to attempt somewhat against them Ye must consider all these things For when ye be cleare from all anger hatred and enmitie then must yee come to this point that it is not ynough for you to abstaine frō anoyance wrongfulnesse violence so as yee haue not practised any thing against y e persons of your neighbors nor norished any rancor or malice against thē in your hearts nor bin infected with euill will but you must also liue in charitie and ye must bee as brethren one to another worshipping God as your father Lo to what point we must come So then let vs marke that if we intend to profit well in Gods Law we must haue an eye to the vices and imperfections that are in vs and bee sorie for them and moreouer straine our selues to weed them out Haue we done so that is not all that wee haue to doe For God will not haue vs idle in this worlde His creating of vs is not onely to abstaine from euill for stones and trees and other senselesse things doe as much as that comes to but wee must giue and applye our selues to the doing of good Psal. 〈…〉 Then let vs vnderstand that whereas our Lord will haue the life of our neighbours to bee deare and precions to vs he sheweth therewithall y t he which helpeth not his neighbor at his neede doeth what he can to murther him in so much y t we become murtherers not onely whē we beare any ill will or keepe any hatred priuily towards our neighbours but also euen whē wee succour them not in their necessitie If we vouchsafe not to bestow our trauel for them when they haue neede of our helpe we shall be blamed before God Sith it is so it is not for vs to flatter our selues any more in this case for wee see howe straite the Law is and yet not straiter than it ought to bee For can wee refuse to bee knit togither in charitie at Gods commandement seeing he hath created vs after his owne image Or to yeelde
husband but also to the liuing God For it is he to whom she bindeth her selfe like as he hath ordeined wedlock and is the author thereof so will hee haue a care for the maintaining therof Therfore wheÌ„ we heare the word Aduowtrie we ought to lothe it as an expresse defying of God by wilfull breaking of the holy bond which he hath set in mariage like mad beastes And hereby we see in what estimation he hath honestie Why so When hee will haue vs sober chaste and modest he sayth If ye be not honest and well stayed yee bee no better than Aduowterers That is to say whatsoeuer excuse ye pretend before men and make ye your faults neuer so small and light I hate ye for yee stinke your whole life is infected in my sight We see theÌ„ as I sayde afore that here is a strait commaundement to keepe our selues honest chaste And hereby it appeareth how fond their excuse is which say they do no man wrong wheÌ„ they be full of disorder and vnrulinesse For our Lord knoweth well enough to what end he vsed such speach It was not for y t he was toungtied wist not how to vtter things in order but because he intended to shew that if men made but a smal matter of wantonnesse and vnchastitie there is another balance for theÌ„ to be tryed by namely that he condemneth accurseth all those for aduouterers which behaue theÌ„selues vnhonestly or vnchastely Therefore we haue so much the more neede to wey well y e words y t are set downe here where he sayth Thou shalt not be an Aduowterer But yet herewithall we must follow the degrees y t are conteined vnder this coÌ„mandement First as I sayd afore let vs vnderstand y t God will haue wedlocke to be kept holy For as our persons liues are deere vnto him so will hee haue y t faith and troth that is plighted betweene man wife to be mainteined in their price and estimation that so holy a thing as mariage be not giuen vp to shame reproch This ought to bring to passe that no man should looke vpon his neighbors wise with vnchaste eye And why For God hath matched her to a husband already he wil haue her husband to shadow her â—en 20.16 And wheÌ„ we thinke any euill or feele any vnhonest lust he will haue vs to shun it for feare of that which is tolde vs namely that God himselfe taketh vengeance of them that breake the holy fellowship which was knit in his name â—rou 2.17 In lyke case is it with women in respect of their husbandes so as a wife may not yeelde to wicked lustes when she beholdeth a maryed man Why so For God hath assigned her her make If we wil not make warre against our maker we must liue euery one in his own house w t such match as he hath y t order must be mainteined w tout breach because god is y t author of it That is one principal point But besides this we must alwayes come back to the nature of God remember that he is not an earthly lawemaker which forbiddeth but only the outward deede and in the meane while letteth the lewd affections alone 1. Sam. 16.7 for God will admit no eyeseruice neither is he lyke to vs. Men are contented if they perceiue no fault but God who searcheth mens heartes Ier. 5.3 respecteth the trueth as it is sayd in Ieremie Therefore hee in his lawe meant not to restreine our bodyes only but also had a speciall regarde to our soules So then let vs marke that God not onely forbiddeth the act so as wedlocke be not broken by any actuall deede but also hee forbiddeth all wicked lustes and lykinges And therefore doth our Lord Iesus Chist say Matt. 5.28 that he which looketh vpon another mans wife with a wicked eye is an Aduowter already before God Though he cannot be blamed by the lawes of men nor punished as an aduowterer yet is hee condemned already before God as hauing transgressed this commaundement Therefore when we heare this word Aduowtrie which is so greatly condeÌ„ned let vs learne not onely to absteine from all whoredome as touching the actuall deede but also to keepe our thoughts and conceits chaste so as we be vndefiled both of eye and heart For after that maner doth S. Paul define true chastitie 1. Cor. 7.34 when he saith that such as are vnmaried ought to haue a care how to please GOD by keeping themselues pure and cleane both in bodie and minde He saith not that those continue chast which haue not defiled their bodies with whoredome but which haue indeuored to keepe themselues vndefiled both in body and minde And when we haue thus considered how God curseth and abhorreth all aduowtries wee must proceede further and reache out and apply the same to all maner of whoredome True it is that he which breaketh the faith of wedlocke committeth a dubble offence and it is much more haynous as I haue sayd already But yet must we alwayes come backe to this poynt that Gods meaning is that men shal not only not commit any thing against mariage but also that they shall not leade a beastely lyfe so as whoredome may haue full scope and vnmaryed folke runne loose to giue ouer themselues to lewdenesse with euery one whom they meete with lyke bruâ—e beastes but that we shoulde be pure and cleane both in body and minde For it is sayd that not onely our soules 1. Cor. 6.19 but also our bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost as was declared euen now Note that he speaketh this because y t day at the SermoÌ„ a mariage was solemnised And they be Saint Paules owne wordes where he telleth the Corinthians that it was too too much to their reproche and shame to suffer fornication and whoredome among them as they did Knowe ye not sayth he that your bodyes are the temples of the holy Ghoste Beholde God hath done vs the honor to choose these wretched bodies of ours which not onely are fraile vessels but also rotten carcases and earth GOD I say notwithstanding this hath so inhonored them as to vouchsafe to make them the temples of his holy spirit that he may dwell there shall we goe welter them in all filthinesse and make hoggescotes or swines styes of them What a treacherie is that Again that is not all 1. Cor. 6.13 Let vs haue an eye whereunto S. Paule leadeth vs. Our bodies are members of Iesus Christ therefore if a man giue ouer his body to whoredom it is all one as if he tore Christs body asunder For it is certeine that wee cannot mingle Gods sonne the fountaine of all cleanesse with our filth and lothsomnesse Now then if a man cast himselfe into whoredome it is as much as a rending of the body of our Lorde Iesus Christ in peeces as much as in vs lyeth Not that
to the perfection which God calleth vs vnto Thus yee see wherevppon wee must stand that wee may make our profite by this last commandement of the Law And to the end we may take the better heede to it and consider that it is such a doctrine as deserueth well to haue our whole mindes applyed vnto it Rom. 7.9 Act. 22.3 Gal. 1.13 Phil. 3.5.6 let vs beare in minde howe saint Paul saieth that whereas hee â—ad beene counted a great doctor and a wise man and had beene trained vp in Gods lawe from his childhood yet notwithstanding he had beene so blinde that he wist not what Gods Lawe ment vntill hee had beene conuerted and that our Lord Iesus Christ had inlightened him by his Gospel and so made him to knowe wherevnto the Lawe ought to leade vs. Yee see then howe S. Paul had beene brought vp in such sort that he was of great reputation among men howbeit not among the heathen as who should say hee had beene some Philosopher but as one that had beene trayned vp in the Lawe of God And as in respect of his life he protesteth y t he had bin vnblameable before men Yee see then that S. Paul was a holie and a wise man in common account and yet for all that hee is but a sillie beast as in respect of Gods Lawe Why so He saith that he thought himselfe to bee aliue and to haue beene righteous before God not knowing that hee needed the mercy which God offereth to all sinners For hee absteined from whoredome and robberie and such other things and againe he had no euill intentes that any man coulde perceiue or knowe by reason whereof hee thought himselfe to be a righteous man But at the length when God had pitied him hee opened his eyes and made him to vnderstande by this last word Thou shalt not lust Rom. 〈…〉 Loe howe S. Paul began to learne the lawe newe againe whereof he had beene a teacher before S. Paul making profession of the Lawe wherein he had beene brought vp from his tender age saith that vntill such time as he had throughly bethought him of the meaning of this text hee posted ouer it as it had beene vppon burning coales as they say so as he tasted not the strength and power of the lawe ne knewe what sinne was that hee might condemne himselfe and flee to Gods mercie for refuge wherein the hope of our saluation lyeth and ought to bee grounded Seing that S. Paul could not conceiue the meaning of the lawe nor attaine to the right vnderstanding thereof but by this clause let vs determine with our selues to trauell y e earnestlyer in it And sith hee was so blinde all the time of his life vntill his conuersion that he vnderstoode not that saying wee ought to take the better heede of it as I tolde you before For wee be not of better abilitie than hee but God must bee faine to shewe vs by his holy spirite what is ment by this coueting or lusting which is condemned in this place But nowe besides this we haue here another warning which is right necessarie for vs. For the diuel hath labored to couer this commandemeÌ„t after such a sort as Gods intent and meaning might not be knowen but that men might lightly passe ouer all wicked lustes which were seene to be sinne and whereof euery man might haue proofe in himselfe Insomuch that men restreined this worde lust to none other affections than such as import a resolute purpose or full intent but that is contrarie to the plaine meaning of Moses And let vs consider what is come to passe in the Popedome For although the Papistes cannot denie but that to be prouoked and stirred vp to euill desires is a damnable fault and springeth of originall sinne and of the corruption which wee receiue from our father Adam yet notwithstanding they imagine that after baptisme it is no longer sinne though there come a thought into a mans minde to doubt of Gods promises and to grudge and repine against him If a man bee afflicted and his heart riseth against it so as he blameth God of vnrighteousnesse and crueltie that is no sinne say the Papistes And they be not the small fooles that say so but it is a generall resolution in all their diuellish Synagogues or Schooles There is not any synagogue in the Popedome wherein this point is not receiued as an article of the faith namely y t though a man bee moued and prouoked by any wicked lust yet it is no sinne insomuch that if hee bee tempted to murther to poyson to committe whoredome and to doe all the crimes and outrages of the world yet if he do not consent thereto nor assent for those are the two termes that they vse that is to say so they determine not fully vpon the matter to say I will goe through with my wicked intent nor stande vpon it to delight in that wicked affection it is no sinne at all it is but an exercising of our selues in battell whereby wee shewe our selues to bee valiant champions and that sinne ouermastreth vs not Indeed it is true that the faithfull doe well shewe that Gods spirite reigneth in them by their beating backe of such temptations And when they hold themselues in awe and as it were imprison them selues and resist those things because they know they bee contrarie to Gods will and that hee condemneth them it is certaine that thing sheweth that God hath giuen them the vpper hande of sinne and that his power is resident in them and that they be stout champions to fight against Satan but yet doeth it not followe that they bee cleare from all fault and that they can pluck vp sin and fully deliuer themselues from it as though there were not any spot or blemish more in them Alas we come farre short of that For surely on the one side wee haue cause to praise God for giuing vs the grace by his holie spirite to ouercome all wicked affections But yet must wee sigh with all humilitie acknowledging our selues to be weake on our part and that if he pitied vs not we haue such a wicked minde alredy in vs as prouoketh his vengeance against vs so as we shoulde well deserue to be vtterly destroied at his hande Moreouer it was requisite that God should discouer the shame of the popedome and shewe that the greatest clarks there are duller witted than the sillie Infidels that neuer hard one word of holy scripture Why so For we must take that which is written in the Law It is saide that the whole summe of the lawe is that wee shoulde loue God with all our heart with al our soule 〈◊〉 6.5 〈…〉 22.37 with all our minde and with all our powers If it had beene saide Thou shalt loue GOD with all thy heart very well a man might haue concluded that it is no sinne vnlesse thewil doe fully resolue vpon it and purpose it For
shewe yet better that God admitteth not any exception neither may wee reply in this behalfe and say is my doing of this or that an impeaching of any part of my loue towards God No no if thou doe neuer so little a thing that al thy thoughts tend not to the louing of God so as the loue of God doe guide thee all is mard and there is nothing but sinne in thee in all thy whole soule For hast thou any strēgth or power there which is not giuen thee from aboue No. Therefore must thou reknowledge it vnto God of whome thou holdest it Now then seeing that our Lord Iesus Christ hath expounded vs this text wee neede not to make long discourse of it as I sayde afore but onely to holde vs to the authoritie of him which is the very Lawegiuer Now remaineth the practising of this doctrine that is to say to knowe how wee should put it in effect and execution And let vs marke first of all how this onely one text sheweth vs sufficiently that Gods law passeth al our abilities so as it is not possible for vs to fulfill it to discharge ourselues of it or of the hundreth part of it as long as wee liue here beneath For why doe we knowe God throughly as we ought to doe No no wee come farre short of it Then is it impossible for vs to loue him with all our strength and with all our affections for knowledge goeth before loue If our knowing of God bee but in part so as wee be wrapped as yet in much darknesse our louing of God must also be weake lykewise Moreouer wee see what the fondnesse of our minde is for in stead of seeking heauenly thinges wee looke alwayes downeward And if wee be desirous but so much as to lift vp our head wee must be faine to striue and to goe to it by maine force and yet wee returne still to our owne nature How fickle are our desires and how fight they one against another So as men are tossed and turmoyled without ende or measure and haue no rest at all but are tormented with vnquietnesse of ambition on the one side and of couetousnesse on the other Againe they would faine liue at ease and in pleasure and they would faine be had in honor and estimation Finally they be combered with fleshly lustes and such other lyke thinges Hereby then it appeareth enough and too much that wee come farre short of louing God with all our heart and of giuing our selues wholy ouer vnto him as wee be commaunded here And so let vs marke that the righteousnesse of the Lawe respecteth not what men can doe but what they ought to doe We be bound to loue our GOD with all our heart with all our minde and with all our soule Although we haue no such perfection in vs as to come any thing neere it yet notwithstanding wee bee bound vnto it If any man say How so why should God require more of vs than we be able to performe we must consider from whēce the mischief springeth namely euen from our owne fault The originall sin that is in vs is the cause thereof so as we take it by byrth And is it meet y t because we be naughtie and frowarde therefore God should bee bereft of his seruice and lose his right No. If a man haue played the vnthrift and wasted away both his owne goods and other mens shall his creditor bee bound to bring him his obligation and to say take thee here thy bond thou owest me nothing The creditor will at leastwise keepe still his obligation and although the vnthrift haue not wherewith to pay yet ought he to doe homage to his creditor and to stand bound vnto him still and not to deny him his dette Now God deserueth well to bee much more priuiledged than mortall men Wherefore let vs consider that we owe him a hundred thowsand fold more than al the debts of gold and siluer in the world So then Gods righteousnesse is an inuiolable thing so that the order of nature ought rather to bee abolished Now then if men bee lewde and froward doth it follow therefore that they should pluck the sonne out of the skie or make the earth to bee confounded True it is that there happen many confusions by reason of our sinnes insomuch that our Lorde sendeth both raine and thunder hayles and tempestes and such other like thinges but yet for all that the order of nature continueth vnappayred after such turmoyling Therefore wee must vnderstande that although wee bee lewde and there is nothing but vnrighteousnesse and naughtinesse in vs Yet must Gods iustice and righte continue perfecte and vnappayred as in respecte of the commaundementes and we must needes stoope to them and suffer our selues to bee condemned for not dischardging our dueties Do we then heare this summe of the Law Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with al thy hearte with all thy soule with all thy minde and with all thy strength Let it make vs conclude that we be all damned and accursed before God and that there is none other shifte for vs but to flee to his mercie aad that we bee not condemned for any one sinne or for two or three but y t God findeth vs guiltie in al pointes al respects And for proofe therof let vs examine wel y e best works that we can haue done in all our life and there wil be stil some fancie or other to turn vs away so as we shal not goe on so freely towardes God but y t there wil be some temptatiō mingled therwith or som toy to pluck vs back the diuel shal haue endeuered to coole vs. And when it fareth so w t vs it is a plaine corruption to infect y e thing y t shold be good and commendable in our works Ye see then that wee take not any deliberation any counsel or any desire in our whole life but the curse of God is with vs and vpon our heads Were this well printed in our heartes all glorying to the worldeward should bee beaten downe in vs and there would be no more so much meriting wherewith the Papists are so bewitched that to their owne seeming they may enter into account before GOD. Alas they shoulde then see that they be far off from their account Howebeit forasmuch as the Diuell hath blinded them with such pride let vs on our side make our commoditie of this text And sith wee heare that God requireth that we should loue him perfectly with all our heart with all our minde and with al our soule let vs be of opinion that hee condemneth vs vtterly vntil hee haue acquit vs of his owne infinite goodnesse But yet for all this we must plucke vp our hearts and quicken vp our spirites sith wee see that our Lorde prouoketh vs after that fashion For what maketh vs so cold and negligent It is our bearing of our selues in hande that wee
bee discharged The cause therefore why men doe flatter themselues is for y t they take themselues to be perfect when they haue brought some petie trifles vnto God When we bee at that point let vs bethinke vs how it is said here Thou shalt loue God with all thy heart If it happen that we be not very disordered in our life but that wee haue praied vnto God at our vprising in y e morning wee haue done no man wrong all the day long we haue not played the whoremasters nor the drunkardes wee haue not hurt any of our neighbors we haue not conspyred any euil we haue not blasphemed God but wee haue occupied our selues about some good matters insomuch as wee haue indeuoured to doe good to such as were in necessitie and laboured to apply our selues to the things that God commandeth and haue done them some seruice which had neede thereof when night commeth we thinke our selues to be litle Angels and that God hath no more to demaund of vs. That is the cause that cooleth vs and why we serue not GOD so earnestly as were requisite For wee beare our selues in hand that wee bee perfect and we bee contented with our selues and we need nothing else to content vs withall for we be too much inclined to like well of our selues But behold here is wherwith to waken vs frō such follie namely Thou shalt loue y e Lord thy God And after what manner after our owne measure No no but w t al our heart w t al our soule with al our strēgth And therefore let vs looke that wee searche well our thoughtes and in examining of our liues let vs consider what a number of vaine and fonde fancies haue passed vs. And if it be alleaged yea but I yelded not to them very well diddest thou not conceiue any such thought Will not thy God possesse thy whole soule Shal y e diuel beare rule ouer thy thoughts God in y e meane while haue nothing to doe w t thē And seeing he hath giuen thee those thoughtes if thou fall to mingling of thē w t any corruptiō whence procedeth y ◠but frō y e affection of our mindes Therefore if wee were well fraughted aforehand with the loue of God should not all the powers of our soules be brought vnder his obedience Yes So then our forging of so many fond imaginations our letting of our desires and delightes loose to followe this and that and our forgetting of God in the meane while or rather our excluding of him from bearing any sway at all in vs doth prooue sufficiently that the true loue of God is not receiued into our soules Alas doth it not appeare that we be yet farre of from discharging the hundreth part of our duetie Besides this foresayd condēning of ourselues wee must also quicken vp our selues and say what doest thou wretched creature doest thou giue thy selfe to doe well sith god exhorteth thee so earnestly In the meanwhile thou seest y t thou hast much adoe euen to begin Thus ye see how wee ought to beare this text in minde that it may inflame vs with the loue of God seeing we be yet so farre off from the perfection which hee requireth and commaundeth Againe let vs marke well that our Lordes vppening of all the abilities of our soule here is to make vs looke better to the good turnes that he hath done vs to yeelde him homage for the same and to apply them to his honor For what a thing is it that wee haue the gift of consulting the choyce of discerning betweene good and euill and the abilitie to cōceiue things so as we can say we wil doe this or that Lo here an excellent gift wherwith wee be indued Now then seeing wee haue will to choose so as wee can say go to I finde this to bee good and againe seeing wee haue a soule which beareth Gods image printed in it and seeing we haue so many goodly vertues wherethrough wee excell all other creatures ought not the consideration thereof to prouoke vs the more to serue God and to honour him with those so precious giftes which hee hath put in vs Yes and therefore let vs learne that whē our thoughtes are set vppon vaine and wicked thinges and when our desires runne at rouers and rebell against God we vnhallowe so holy a treasure as wee deserue well to bee vtterly cast vp at Gods hand because of our vnthākfulnesse Now then whereas Moses speaketh here of the thoughts and the will and our Lord Iesus Christ addeth one word more that is to wit minde Soule and will let vs vnderstand that hereby we be warned that if we submit not our selues wholy vnto God it happeneth for want of considering the good thinges that hee hath bestowed vppon vs. For if wee feele him liberall as hee sheweth himselfe towardes vs surely it wil drawe vs wholy vnto him So then let vs consider that Gods making of vs so excellent as to haue his image printed in vs was not to any other end thā y t we should do him homage for them by that meane be y e more moued to loue him to keepe our selues well from defiling so precious gifts as reason will discretion all y e rest of the powers of our soules which he hath giuē vs. Thus ye se in effect what we haue to remēber vpon this place But yet herewithall wee must marke also the thing that I haue tolde you heretofore that is to wit that God wil not be serued by constraint but of free loue He could say Thou shalt honour thy God Deut. 13. thou shalt obey thy God thou shalt feare thy GOD and so hee doeth in other textes and it is good reason that it should be so but he speaketh expressely of loue And why To shewe that if our seruing of him bee by constreint so as wee goe to it against our wils though wee honor him neuer so much and doe all that is possible to glorify his name yet if the same proceede not of loue so as our heart yeeld vnto him freely and without gainesaying hee vtterly disaloweth it and such seruice is not acceptable vnto him for he loueth him that giueth with a free will and pure affection as sayth Saint Paul treating of Almesdeedes 2. Cor. 9.7 Seeing then that God loueth him which giueth with a chearefull courage thereby hee sheweth that if a man should spend all his goods yet should it not boote him at al as to Godward vnlesse hee haue a delight in well doing And why Because God hath commaunded it and wee ought aboue all thinges to desire that hee be glorifyed that his righteousnesse bee obeyed that he bee exalted at our handes that hee reigne ouer vs and that we be his people in very deede Ye see then that the chiefe ioy which wee should haue to incline vs to doe well is a hartie and free affection And that is the cause why the
ambition the thing that is sayd here as wee see how our Lord Iesus Christ in the Gospell vpbraideth the Scribes and Pharisies with their large gardes Matt. 32.5 insomuch that if the common people had any narrowe garde of wryting wherein the commaundements were set downe these great Rabbies to the intent to become holyer than other men had gardes of an handbredth vppon their garments wherein Gods lawe was written in great letters that it might be seene a great way off O those were holy persons for they had Gods lawe written in great letters whereas the common people had it in small They knew the lawe much better and therefore was God much magnifyed in them Nay contrariwise such vaine bragging was a flatte mocking of God but yet it was the fashion of all men as I haue declared already And by this which befell the Iewes let vs take vnderstanding and instruction that the same must serue vs to behold that we bee so froward that whereas God laboreth to drawe vs familiarly vnto him we despise it and in stead of profiting our selues by the doctrine that is set before vs wee turne it vnto laughter wee vnhalowe it lyke Churchrobbers and we turne quite and cleane contrarie to his meaning so as it had bin better for vs neuer to haue heard one worde of his mouth Thus yee see what wee haue to marke But now herewithall we must come to the meaning of Moses which I haue touched shortly already Remember these wordes sayth hee And howe By talking and conferring of them in thy house and as thou goest abroad Here wee see well how our Lordes meaning was not to be honored with gardes of garmentes and such other thinges but to haue his lawe printed in his peoples heartes and to haue it kept alwayes fresh in remembrance Therefore let vs consider that whereas wee haue so much needelesse talke our Lord will haue his people exercised in talking and conferring vppon his lawe whether it bee in resting or in iourneying or when they be at home in their howses If wee minded this warning well surely it would be a bridle to reine vs backe and to withdrawe vs from the vnprofitable talke whereunto wee bee so much giuen For wee can spend I say not some forenoone but the whole day continually in light talke but if wee speake but two or three wordes of God by and by wee bee wearie and it greeueth vs. Yet notwithstanding this talking of him is not the chiefe poynt For wee must come to this saying of the psalme Psal. 〈…〉 I beleeue and therfore will I speake For oftentimes and most commonly they that haue Gods lawe in their mouth and at their tongues end haue it not at all in their heart and affection Therefore wee must speake of Gods lawe much more with our heartes than with our mouthes But yet must we talke of it also to edify our neighbors that the father may teach his children and the maister his seruantes to serue God That is the cause why our Lord commaundeth men to talk of his Lawe not to discharge themselues lightly of it as though the whole matter lay in speaking of it but to quicken vp and correct our vnlustinesse so as euery man help foreward his neighbor and drawe him with him and the fathers and maisters in the meane while be careful to teach their children and seruants as I sayd afore That is Moseses simple meaning when he speaketh here of talking either at home or abroad namely that mens talke must alwayes be of Gods Lawe Afterward here insueth thou shalt muse vpon it in thy heart Herein wee see how our Lord rebuketh vs and sheweth vs how fickle headed we bee insomuch that if wee be not helde fast by diuers meanes wee forget God his lawe out of hand For what is the cause that he setteth as it were frontlets here before our eyes Wherefore is it that hee will haue vs to weare as it were Tablets Ringes and Bracelets but for that wheras we bee woont to gase chiefly at such thinges and to make a shewing of them he will haue his own law to be set in them Now the excellentest part of man is his face and his eyes and our Lorde wil haue his lawe to be there Againe he will haue it vppon our handes and we cannot doe any thing but our handes must needs goe foremost still in it Now our Lordes will is that wee should not be able to stirre one finger but we should be put in minde of his law by it Hereby he sheweth vs as I sayde afore that if wee haue not good store of bridles we shall play the loose coltes and if the lawe be not brought to our minde and the remembrance thereof refreshed by many meanes we wil soone haue forgotten it Wee neede no more but to close our eye and the thinges that wee had learned and which had bin tolde vs and retold vs afore are streightways out of our thought Let vs vnderstand therefore that our Lord blameth and condemneth vs in this text for being so customably carried too and fro and that hee must bee fayne to quicken vs vp and to giue vs so many helps if hee will enioy vs and haue vs to obeye hym That is one thing which wee haue to marke vpon this text Besides this let vs marke also that our Lord could not better haue taūted the vanities wherunto men and women are giuen in all their pretie toyes and trifles in attyring and decking themselues with gardes imbroyderies and borders and such other lyke thinges God I say could not haue skorned such vanities better thā by telling vs that in the meane while wee forget the chiefest poynt of all which is the minding of his lawe which wee forget easily to occupy ourselues about vaine and vnprofitable thinges And this is spoken chiefly to women because they giue thēselues ouer curiously to these nice attires and deckings For if they considered that they shoulde apply themselues to the minding of Gods lawe they would not be so much occupied in decking or rather in disguising of themselues but they would rather consider which is the true decking of faithfull women that is to wit to feare God to liue honestly mildely chastely and soberly to gouerne well their housholdes and to occupy themselues in bringing vp of their children This is a beautifull attyre 1. Pet. 3.3.4 and such a one as is precious in Gods sight as Saint Peter termeth it So then let vs marke that whereas the worldlinges doe decke and disguise themselues and make so many deuises to please and allure one another we must beware that wee take the true decking which wil make vs acceptable before God that is to wit that wee beare his Lawe in minde and can glory that wee haue a God which guideth and gouerneth vs accordingly as it hath pleased him to receiue vs for his people and to giue vs his word to rule our liues by Now let
must beware y t we walke the more circumspectly vnder his obedience assuring our selues y t he wil not haue such a benefite despised as is his vouchsafing to take vs into his house and to communicate himselfe so familiarly vnto vs as he doth But yet to expresse this grace y e better Moses addeth that this people was chosen As if he should say indeede it is an inestimable dignitie and noblenesse for you to bee chosen to be the people of God so as no Nation of the earth can boast themselues to haue beene exalted to such degree of honor but yet beware that you be not proud of it For your sanctifying at Gods hand came not of your owne purchase but of Gods choosing of you it came of him Therefore let the praise thereof be yeelded vnto him assure your selues ye be the more beholden to him in that he hath shewed such mercy towards you Wee see then y t the word Choose which Moses setteth down here serueth to magnifie Gods grace y t was spoken of before to y e intent y t the people should be the more prouoked as it were rauished to serue God And for the same purpose he setteth down a long discourse Wherfore is it saith he that your God hath loued you knit himselfe to you For this maner of speeche namely y t God knitteth himself to men importeth very much And why doeth he so saieth he What hath moued him therto Was it for your owne sakes Or did you put your selues foreward vnto it Was it bicause ye were a greater nation than any other Was it in respect of y t that God was moued to choose you rather thā any of the others Had you deserued it on your part No no but it was saieth he bicause hee loued you Nowe this worde Loue importeth here first that God respected not any thing in men why hee should choose them but that his owne free loue sufficed him in that behalfe He loued you that is to say seeke not any cause or worthinesse in yourselues bee contented that our Lorde hath chosen you of his owne free goodnesse before al others though ye were no better thā they Now we see all Moseses meaning And although this matter cannot be discoursed throughout yet must we note y t Moses spake here of Gods election to the intent y t the people should be y e more humbled and y t the same humbling of them should ingender an affection and zeale to serue God according as he was knowen to thē Therefore when there is any talke of the grace y t God hath shewed vs in inlightening vs it is told vs that he hath adopted vs to bee his children of his Church wee must needes match this with it y t our hauing of al these things is not by our owne purchase nor for putting of our selues foorth by any vertue or good minde y t was in vs but through Gods seeking of vs at such time as we turned our backs vpon him Now by this meanes we be hūbled we haue need of it For as soon as men haue any incling of any goodnesse y t is in themselues they like wel of it stand gasing at their owne fethers like Peacockes but in the meane while they consider not that they rob and bereaue God of the praise that is due to him Therfore whensoeuer there is any speaking of Gods grace it is requisite for vs to bee put in mind of this matter to y e end we may not imagin our selues to haue deserued aught on our owne side or that God respected any good disposition that was in vs but assure our selues that nothing but his free loue moued him to doe it When we be so humbled then must we needs be spoyled of our owne reason or else become starke beasts if wee take not corage to serue God and to dedicate our selues wholly vnto him to say How happeneth it that wheras we were cursed and damned creatures our God hath sought vs out yea euen from the dungeons of death hath opened vs the gate of the kingdom of heauē calling and drawing vs dayly thither yet in the mean while we be slothful in seruing him And specialy sith we see y t whereas the most part of the world goeth to destruction and the wretched Infidels are so blinded that they be let alone in the darknesse of their ignorance God in the meane while watcheth early and late ouer vs what ought we to do Ier. 31.28 when hee vseth such speciall loue towards vs Ye see then that this humility must leade vs to a care and warenes to serue God and to gather our selues wholly vnder his wings acknowledging y t the more we be bounde vnto him the more we must shewe by our deeds that we impute all to his mere goodnes and are willing to yeeld him the praise thereof as he deserueth Thus yee see wherunto the things are to be referred which Moses speaketh heere And herewithall let vs marke that whereas it is said that the people of Israel were not the greatest of other Nations vnder one kinde he comprehended al the rest As if he should say there was neither dignitie nor worthinesse in you why God shoulde choose you rather than any other Nation For it must be vtterly rooted out of our hearts to imagine that God findeth any thing in vs which may moue him to loue vs. For vntill such time as men bee quite rid of selfeweening they shall neuer be able to glorifie God as they ought to do And although wee blase it not with open mouth that there is some desert or excellencie in vs yet notwithstanding we fall asleepe in such selfesoothing as we imagine that there is still some value in our selues And therfore it behoueth vs to enter purposely into our consciences and to clense them in such wise as wee leaue not any one drop of pride presumption there to y e intent that whē we haue throughly serched and sifted all that is in vs of our nature wee may know there is not any thing that may purchace vs grace and fauor at Gods hand nor that can be acceptable vnto him but that wee be naked and vnpurucyed of all goodnes and glorie and finally that we haue nothing in vs but vtter filth and vncleannesse When examination is made after y ◠maner then shall men bee disposed to receiue Gods grace and to glorifie him for it when they shall haue receiued it Then let vs learne to vnderstand wel that the searching of all that euer is in vs to the hard bottome so as we foster not any imagination of selfworthinesse but perceiue that God findeth vs vtterly vnhappy and accursed so as we might be vtterly forlorne and damned and wee haue not any thing of our own but such as prouoketh Gods wrath and vengeance against vs commeth of the grace that god hath graunted vnto vs. When we be come to y
to himselfe whom he thinketh good to the end that men shold not trust to the outward signes without faith obedience knowing that although we haue bin chosen to be of the bodie of the Church yet if we make not our profite of that election God can welynough cut vs off againe reserue a smal number to himselfe And although there bee some great multitude of vs which confes al w t one mouth y t God hath choseâ— vs yet can we not therefore say y t he auoweth vs for his childreÌ„ except we liue in purenes of faith haue ratified y e couenaÌ„t which god hath made with vs. And so let vs vnderstand y t Gods liberality sheweth it self after al sorts to vs and y t therfore wee haue the iuster cause to loue him more and more Rom. â—â— to yeeld him all praise For haue we his word It is a free gift aforehand whereby he hath bound vs vnto him Col. â—â— Haue we his sacrameÌ„ts They be the badges of his fatherly election we haue not deserued any of all these thinges But aboue all Eph. â—â— â—â— when it pleaseth him to imprint the certainetie of his promises in our heartes by his holy spirite then is it a speciall adoption then doeth hee shewe vs that wee bee of the little nomber whome hee hath reserued to himselfe And so as I sayde afore wee see that in all respectes wee must keepe our mouthes shut from bragging of any thing and on the other side haue it open to magnifie Gods goodnesse which he vttereth towardes vs. Nowe herevpon Moses addeth That God will keepe couenaunt to a thousande generations of them that loue him yea through his mercie saieth he For as much as he treateth of the generall election therefore he exhorteth the people to bethinke themselues aduisedly Note ye saith he that for as much as God hath promised your father Abraham to be the God of his seede after him he wil not faile you But yet for all that looke y t ye walk warely for the couenant is made with condition that ye must be sound and haue a right meaning heart Therefore thinke not but that your God can driue you out of his house and out of his Church if he finde you vnworthie of the benefit which he hath offred vnto you With y t meaning doeth Moses speake when he putteth here a difference betweene them that loue him and keepe his commaundements and them that hate him Now by these wordes we be taught y t when God offereth vs his word it is alreadie an allying of himself to vs a giuing of vs a record of our saluation but yet doth it not follow y t we may therfore be carelesse Nay rather we must be quickened vp to imbrace y e promises which he sendeth vs so as we may rest wholly vpon them and bee stedfastly setled in them all our life long That is a thing wherevpon it behoueth vs to think True it is that God layeth open his heart vnto vs wheÌ„ his word is preached vnto vs there we be put in minde of his loue and also haue full assurance of our saluation But yet must y t word enter in vnto our heart preuaile with vs which thing is not done but through faith And so let vs understaÌ„d y t Gods electioÌ„ is as it were defeated by vs vnlesse we be coÌ„stant continue stedfastly in it to y e end Rom. 10.7 But yet Moses noteth here againe that this Couenant which God maketh with them y t beleeue him and obey him is of his owne Mercie least we should imagine that God respecteth our deseruings as we see that men are commonly giuen to think in so much y t if they meete but with a syllable which seemeth to tell them y t they may deserue I wote not what they be puffed vp with pride and beleeue wonders of themselues That is the cause why Moses saieth expresly y t God wil performe his couenaÌ„t mercy And he sheweth wherein this couenant consisteth It is not y t wee on our side do bring him any thing why he shold loue vs but y t he is mercifull vnto vs as we see is said in the hundred third Psalme Psal. 103.13 â—4 True it is y t euen there God requireth that wee should feare him indeuour to keepe his commandements But yet howsoeuer the world go he sheweth vs alwayes that the thing which wee must vnderstand of him is that he vseth pitie in handling vs gently through his grace and not according to our deseruing Therefore let vs beare this saying well in minde and weigh it throughly where Moses telleth vs that the couenant which God maketh with vs lieth wholly in his goodnes and no where else and that it is not for vs to puffe vp our selues with foolish presumption as though we were worthie of such a benefite or as though God did but recompence vs but that wee must alwayes looke vp to his goodnesse so as when wee come vnto him wee doe nothing else but say Alas Lord we be sure that thou receiuest vs to mercy as wretched creatures and therefore vouchsafe to haue regard of our miseries by shedding out thy mercy vpon vs. That is the thing whereof we be put in minde in this text Nowe furthermore Moses sheweth howe wee may keepe Gods commandements Deut. 5.10 6.5 y t is to wit by hauing y e things which haue bin treated of heretofore And they be maner of speeches which import so profitable doctrine y t it is good to renue y e remembrance of them wheÌ„ the text offereth occasion therof Moses therefore ment to do vs to vnderstand that to abstaine froÌ„ doing of euill to keepe the things contained in the law to outward show is not all y t we haue to doe As for example if a maÌ„ haue not blasphemed the name of God if he haue not led a disordered lyfe if he haue not bin an adulterer a theefe a quareller or a periured person but haue liued honestly all this will not suffice him For why Such seruice may be by constraint so as the partie shall not obey of his owne free will nor delight in submitting himselfe to Gods righteousnesse to frame his life thereafter That is the cause why Moses beginneth here with loue As if he should say that y e beginning of good obedience to Godward and of liuing according to his Law is to determine w t our selues to delight in nothing more thaÌ„ to yeld our selues to him with al obedientnes to make that our whole pleasure accordingly as wee see how Dauid protesteth that Gods Law was more sweete and pleasant vnto him honnie Psal. 19.11 and not only that he did set more store by it than by gold siluer but also that he imbraced it w t such loue as he gaue not himselfe to the pleasures of the world nor was caried away with wicked affections to
doe euill but gaue himselfe wholly to well doing and to walke according to Gods wil. So then to offer willing sacrifices vnto God let vs remember what is said in this text and what hath bin treated of alreadie heretofore namely that before there is any speech of the keeping of Gods commandements Loue is set downe in the first place bicause wee haue neede to giue our selues first vnto GOD and to haue our hearts as ye woulde say fast tyed and knit vnto him ere we can indeuour to behaue our selues according to his lawe and righteousnesse But nowe let vs returne to the matter that was touched before Moses sayeth That GOD will keepe Couenant yea euen with a thousand generations of them that loue him As if hee shoulde say When God hath once planted his worde hee continueth that grace not onely till the decease of those to whome he speaketh but also to their children and their ofspring Nowe then let vs looke about vs and whereas wee perceiue Gods grace in that he hath vouchsafed to reserue vnto vs his word which was in maner abolished and will haue the same now preached vnto vs if wee I say perceiue his goodnesse in that behalfe let vs also hope that hee will continue the same towardes our children which hee hath begunne towardes vs if wee serue him by dooing the thinges that hee commaundeth vs. Ye see then that the goodnesse which God sheweth vs in his word must not make vs slouthfull and carelesse but rather bee as a spurre to pricke vs foreward vnto him that his holy couenant bee not broken on our part and through our default Furthermore whereas he sayeth Knowe thou that thy God is God yea and a strong God thereby he meant to separate the liuing God from all the idols which the world hath forged in al ages And it is a text well woorth the noting For wee shall neuer serue God with all our heart neither shall wee be able to trust in him and to rest vpon him vnlesse we be sure that he is almightie and that he onely is God No doubt but the vnbeleeuers may well beare themselues in hand for a time that their religion is good and the worlde seeth how wilfull they be in that behalfe but yet all is but stubbornnesse whatsoeuer they make of it And therefore it behoueth vs to be fully resolued and perswaded of this that wee must not haue a flying faith so as our hoping to be saued is but at al aduenture For we must alwayes beare in minde how S. Paule saieth that we must know whom wee beleeue 2. Tim. 1.12 and that God is a faithfull keeper of that which wee haue committed vnto him Then if we know not that our God is one and that he is alone and that he is the verie true God we shal be alwayes wauering and our faith shall haue no stedinesse That is the cause why Moses saieth expresly Know thou that thy God is the God As if he should say Consider in what state the wretched heathen meÌ„ and such as giue ouer themselues to superstition are It is true that they wil talk ynough of God howbeit y t is but rouingly they knowe not who he is But it is not so with you For seeing that your God hath taught you and discouered himself to you he hath certified you of his wil and shewed you that ye need not doubt but your religion is such as you ought to sticke to Now then swarue neither one way nor other neither halt ye but go on right forth seeing you bee sure of your religion Marke that for one point Howbeit for as much as we see men giuen to follow their own fansies which notwithstanding doe but tend to their owne destruction we must remember by this text of Moses that vntill such time as we be sure that the God whoÌ„ we worship is the true God wee shall euer bee intangled in some one thing or other And albeit that we doe our indeuor to serue him at leastwise to our seeming yet is it nothing it is but faining and that hope or trust is but a besotting of our selues Wel may we haue some opinion but as for to haue a setled faith so as we may glorie that our saluation is laide vp in God and that he will keepe it safely bicause he hath taken vs to himself it is vnpossible that we should haue any such certaintie vnlesse wee can say with Saint Paule I knowe whom I haue beleeued and he will be a faithfull keeper of that which I haue committed vnto him So then let vs put such difference betweene the liuing God and all the idols which men haue forged of their owne braine as he may be knoweÌ„ alone aboue all others And that we may so doe let vs learne to deuise nothing of our own head For as soone as wee father any thing vpon God which is not in his owne word it is all one as if wee did set vp an idoll for by that meane we disguise him Therefore wee must so sticke to the liuing God to the ende we may bee his people and hearken quietly to so much of his will as he sheweth vs by his worde as it may suffice vs to haue so much knowledge of him as he hath reuealed by his word without seeking any further For as for those that are so bolde as to take leaue to say I weene this is good and why should not God take this or that in good worth and in the mean while haue no warrant of the holy scripture I say they forsake the liuing GOD and turne away after idoles For what else are the imaginations of men but verie idoles to deface the true Maiestie of the onely God Thus much concerning this place Moreouer Moses termeth God Faithfull to shewe that like as afore he attributed strength vnto him for the Hebrewe worde that he vseth commeth therof so must we also haue his truth before our eyes and in our rememberaunce to the end to leane vnto him to referre our selues wholly vnto him knowing that Gods strength serueth not to abash vs but that whensoeuer it is spoken of it is matched immediatly with mercy to the intent we should be drawen vnto him and come to him with a cheerefuller courage Then is it not without cause that Moses hath set down Gods trueth heere of purpose to hold the people in obedience to him And heereby wee bee taught not to preace into Gods priuities and to dispute of thinges that are too high for vs yea and vtterly vncomprehensible but rather that wee must rest vppon his word and trueth which he hath reuealed vnto vs. True it is that we must bee fully perswaded of this point that GOD chose vs in his euerlasting purpose Eph â—â—â— not bicause wee were woorthie of it but bicause it pleased him so to doe and that there is none other cause thereof but onely his good pleasure as the holy Scripture sheweth vs.
sory for it and thereupon labour to liue in the feare of God bowing downe our neckes continually to receiue his yoke and to beare it patiently Thus ye see what we haue to marke as in respect of this word face where it is sayd y t God wil recompence them all to their faces which doe hate him But heere by the way a man might make a question concerning this saying of Moses that God wil not foreslowe to pay them to their faces which hate him For it is commonly seene that the wicked doe spend all their daies and all their whole life in prosperitie so as it shoulde seeme that God is willing to please them in all thinges in so much that it is sayd of them in the psalme Psal. 73.12 that they goe on in continuall prosperitie vnto their death and pine not away as the children of God doe Howe then is it saide that God wil not forslowe Num. 14.18 seeing hee is long suffering And men may see it with their eyes though it were not toulde them in woordes These two thinges agree very well Psal. 103.8 For although God winke at thinges for a tyme and punish not the wicked out of hand when all is welreckened the respite that hee giueth them will not bee so long but that it shall euer bee true that suddain destruction shall ouerwhelme them And for proofe thereof when the wicked say Peace all is safe 1. Thess. 5.3 then shall the suddeine storme fall vppon their heades Esa. 28.15 When they thinke themselues to haue made a composition with death then shall they bee ouertaken as a woman that falleth in labour of child ere shee bee aware bicause shee mistrusted not that the houre or instant of hir trauell had bin so neere at hand Euē after the same maner doth God ouerwhelme all such as shall haue abused his patience when he hath borne with them for a time Now then although God shew not himselfe a iudge to them so soone as we would yet doeth he not faile to destroy them without foreslowing Therefore let vs haue an eye to the shortnesse of our life least we fall asleepe and let vs vnderstand that although God make not hast after our opinion yet notwithstanding he foresloweth not bicause he forgetteth not the offences which he winketh at and which he punisheth not out of hand Let that serue for one point And let vs mark further that God hath not indented with vs so as wee may say he ought to let vs alone vnpunished vntill death For although hee execute not his iudgements all after one rate yet doth he often punish the wicked euen heere and shewe vs examples before our eyes to teach vs to stande in awe of him as the prophet speaketh of it Esa. 59.19 Seeing then that God will alwayes shew himselfe to be our Iudge both during this mortal life after our death Let vs not delay our returning vnto him from day to day but let euery man quicken vp himselfe walke carefully forasmuch as if any man fall asleepe if he wil be wel wakened againe he must be faine to set this saying of Moses before his face That God will pay them all home which do hate him Truely y e wickedest creatures that be will not say they hate God but yet it is so in deede And for proofe therof all such as are desirous to haue liberty to liue naughtily to giue themselues to all iniquitie could find in their heartes that there were no God in heauen to iudge them To bee short if we loue God wee take pleasure in goodnesse But we cannot loue him without his Iustice for they be things which cannot goe asunder Therefore let vs conclude that as long as wee doe euill wee hate God And why For inasmuch as we bee loth there should bee any order or gouernment in the world wee would not that he should be acknowledged with his righteousnes and goodnes Now then when the wicked doe giue themselues the brydle to despise God and to transgresse his commaundementes they coulde finde in their heartes to haue him plucked out of heauen if it were possible Wherefore let vs marke well that God doeth not without cause auow that al such as breake his commaundementes are his deadly enemies inasmuch as they be against his Iustice without the which he cannot be God And therefore let vs beare in minde the thing that hath beene declared already namely that if wee purpose to obey God we must honour him in such sorte as we may like well of his Iustice and mislike of euil dealing that although we fall into it through infirmitie yet we may pray God to lift vs out againe and so to holde vs vp by his power as our whole seeking may be to submit our selues vnto him and to forsake all our owne affections and euill lustes in such wise as we may bee reformed according to his righteousness and consequently obey his holy Law Now let vs cast our selues downe in y e presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him so to beare with vs in thē as he vse not y t rigor towards vs which we haue deserued but y t of his infinite goodnes he reache vs his hand print his word after such sort in our hearts as it may take roote there and wee neuer swarue any way from it nor he suffer such blessing to become vnprofitable through our fault vnthankfulnes but that we may make it auailable by receiuing the promises of our saluation to continue stedfastly in them vnto the end and by shewing our selues willing to bring to passe y t God may be honored serued not only as long as we liue but also after our decease so as they y t come after vs may continue in exalting magnifying his glorie that he may be worshipped on all hands with one cōmon accord vntill he haue rid vs quite and cleane from all the vanities and corruptions of this world made vs partakers of the glorius immortalitie which wee possesse not as yet but by hope That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also c. On Wednesday the vij of August 1555. The Liiij Sermon which is the fourth vpon the seuenth Chapter 11 Therefore keepe the commandements and Ordinances and Lawes which I command thee this day to doe them 12 And it will come to passe that because yee haue heard these Lawes and kept them and done them the Lord thy God wil also performe the couenant and mercie vnto thee which he sware to thy Fathers 13 And he will loue thee and blesse thee and multiply thee he wil blesse the fruite of thy wombe and the fruite of thy land thy corne and thy wine and thine oyle and the increase of thy kine and the flocks of thy sheepe in the Lande which he sware to thy Fathers to giue thee 14 Thou shalt bee blessed
corrupt vs yea and vtterly dull vs. If a man bee riche wheras hee was taken to haue bin lowly and meeke hee will bewray his pride and crueltie If a man bee in authoritie hee becommeth intollerable And so yee see that GOD may try what is in vs and take experience of it euen by making vs to prosper But yet is pouertie set downe here of set purpose because it is the meane whereby God tryeth whether wee bee subiect to him or no. And why For patience as men say is a singular vertue but how may it bee knowen that wee bee patient but by aduersitie Therefore when God sendeth vs aduersities that are hard and troublesome to vs then doth hee as it were lay open our hartes For if wee abide quietly vnder his hand and suffer him to deale with vs according to his good will so as wee prayse his name though he handle vs roughly it is a token that wee loue him in deed and that hypocrisie taketh no place at all in vs. And therefore it is not without cause that Moses intending to shewe how God tryeth vs and prooueth vs speaketh heere expresly of afflictions Now wee haue to gather vpon this text that it is no woonder though God afflict vs diuerse wayes And why so For it is expedient for vs to bee sifted and to haue it knowen what is in vs There is not a more needefull and profitable thing for vs and that is done by afflictions Therefore must wee submit our selues to them and vnderstand that they neuer bee superfluous or more than needeth Mark that for one point Yea and vnto the same end must wee apply this saying of the Apostle â—et 2.20 â— 4.13 that it is the very meane whereby to try our obedience For hee vseth the same word and setteth downe Iesus Christ for an example For although hee be the mirror patterne of all righteousnesse yet was he faine to passe vnder Gods scourges And why Euen to the end that his obedience might be knowen And that which is shewed vs in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 1.23 â— 30. good reason would that the same should bee accomplished in vs that are his members Now is there any thing more requisite than to knowe whether wee bee obedient to God or no And that is not knowen but by aduersitie when thinges fall out contrary to our desire and God handleth vs in such sort as our fleshe and nature striue against it When we be in that case if we can hold our selues in subiection to God to say in deed Lord this is hard for me to beare it goeth against my stomacke it is cleane contrary to my nature but yet howsoeuer I fare I renounce mine owne will I would faine haue health but sith it pleaseth thee to haue me sicke thy name be blessed for it I could finde in my heart to be rich and to haue mine owne ease and pleasure but thou wilt haue me to be poore needy I would be in honor credit thou wilt haue me to liue in reproche and shame and good reason it is O Lorde that wee should haue the humilitie to submit our selues to whatsoeuer it pleaseth thee to sende vs and not that wee should followe our owne swindge when we be come to such a sacrifice of renouncing all our affections and all our owne wil then is our obedience rightly knowen For what matter is it to say amen when God followeth our desires and handleth vs according to the lyking of our owne fleshe How is there any vertue in vs And therefore let vs remember wel this text where Moses telleth vs that Gods afflicting of vs is to try what we be For we might set a faire face vpon thinges and pretend to loue and honor God and yet notwithstanding all should be but counterfetting and leasing But when wee bee handled roughly and God sheweth himselfe as our enemie so as wee bee prouoked to rebellion and would faine striue against him if it were Lawefull and yet notwithstanding wee continue still as Lambes so as wee bowe downe our neckes vnder his yoke and forsake all our owne affections to obey him that say I is a due tryall of vs. And that is the cause why the holy scripture lykeneth aduersitie to a furnace 1. Pet. 4.12 Lyke as golde and siluer are tryed by fire so must God bee faine to try and examine vs by afflictions But here it might bee demaunded whether God doe not knowe what we be without tryall Let vs marke that it is not to bee surmised that God is ignorant of any thing or that he needeth to try vs after the maner of men but it is the common speach of the holy scripture to attribute the thinges to God which are peculiar to men For if it should speake to vs of his maiestie according to the worthinesse thereof we should bee vtterly rauished and yet knowe neuer the more what were sayd to vs. God therefore to vtter himselfe is faine to descend from his owne highnesse and to transfigure himselfe to the end we may knowe so much of him as is for our behoofe To be short let vs vnderstand that God knoweth what is in meÌ„s hearts though he should let them alone as they bee Psal. 33.15 94.9 For it is sayd in the psalme Shal not hee that made the heart knowe it Yes but yet for all that it behoueth vs to bee brought to the touchstone Not that God hath any neede of it on his behalfe but it is done for our owne sakes Now then whereas it is sayd in this text that Gods will was to trye the people of Israel let vs mark y t the meaning thereof is that God intended to shewe in deed and to bewray in trueth what that people was of whom it was his will to haue open record and proofe to the end they might not vse any odde shiftes to keepe their naughtinesse from discouering Now then Gods afflicting of vs is not for that hee hath any neede to sift vs narrowly but because wee on our side haue neede to be so tryed For wee see how men beleeue wonderously wel of their own strength So long as God letteth them alone in rest they thinke there is for all that shall wee tye our lyfe to bread and wine No but wee must consider that although God haue set that order in nature yet notwithstanding it serueth not to bereaue him of his prayse nor to rob him of his right but rather his vttering of his power by his creatures serueth to shewe that he hath them all in his hand and can dispose of them after his own good pleasure That is the thing which wee haue to remeÌ„ber coÌ„cerning these wordes where Moses saith that man liueth by euery word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God And in deede wee cannot haue a better expounder of this text than our Lorde Iesus Christ Matt. 4.4 for hee applying this text
where the temple was and in the places neere aboutes and haue had some portion assigned them as well as the rest of the tribes had But hee did not so but his will was that in euerie countrie citie shire and region there should alwaies be some Leuites that the people might eueriewhere bee taught and the seede of faith be eueriewhere spred abroad For had there beene anie certain countrie assigned to the Leuites it had beene ynough to haue abolished the remembrance of God and to haue layde all teaching vnder foote But forasmuch as God had appointed y e tribe of Leuie to preach his worde and to beare abroade the message of saluation he gaue them no certaine portion to dwell in but his will was to haue them dispersed abroade euerywhere And for proofe thereof we knowe howe the prophete sayth that GOD made his couenant with the tribe of Leuie Mal. 2.4.5 And what manner of one was it Euen the couenant of peace insomuch as he sayde that the priestes are Gods Angels messengers men shall seeke the vnderstanding of the lawe at their mouth they shal teach them knowledge We see then y t the seruice that is spoken of heere comprehendeth instruction insomuch that they whome God had so chosen had charge to preache the Lawe and to expound it to the people that religion might continue vnappaired And the same is to be obserued nowe adayes among vs. For although all of vs from the most to the least bee priestes yet notwithstanding it is the duetie of the ministers of the worde to teach and to shew men the way to GOD and to bring backe the wretched soules that were in the way to destruction And that is the cause why Saint Paul sayeth that he is a priest not after the auncient maner that had beene vnder the Lawe but to slea men with the sworde of the Gospell as sacrifices ought to be slayne after the which maner Saint Paul sayeth also Rom. 15.16 that he had the spirituall sword wherewith to offer vp mens soules vnto GOD. Thus ye see what we haue to remember And therefore let such as are called to the charge of the preaching of Gods worde vnderstande that they must streine themselues to the vttermoste that God may be serued and honoured And the manner is shewed vs in the text which I alleadged out of the fifteenth to the Romanes namely that wee must indeuour to sanctifie all that euer is corrupted in this worlde and that men must become teachable and meeke that God may renewe them accept them for his children And if we doe so then is Gods seruice accomplished in vs after the same manner as it was commaunded to the Leuites in olde time Nowe let vs come to the thirde point that is set downe here It is sayde That the Leuites must blesse the people in the name of God True it is that in the Hebrewe tongue the worde Blesse betokeneth to prayse and magnifie God Howebeit forasmuch as the matter here concerneth those whom God did specially ordaine to blesse in his name we must fetch the meaning of this text out of the sixth Chapter of the booke of Numbers notwithstanding that this maner of speech be verie rife in Moses Numb 6.24 But in that place there is more expressed and for that cause haue I coted the text It is sayde there that the priestes of the house of Leuie shall blesse in the name of God and say The Lorde blesse you and keepe you the Lorde make his countenaunce to shine vpon you and graunt you his mercie The Lord turne his fauourable face towardes you blesse you Nowe hereby wee perceiue that it behoued the Leuites not onely to prayse GOD as their duetie was to doe but also to blesse the people in his name For they were two diuerse thinges So that To blesse the name of God is as it were a doing of homage vnto him for all the benefites which hee bestoweth vpon vs by protesting our selues to holde all thinges of his onely meere goodnesse and that hee is the author of them so as without him wee be miserable and haue not one drop of goodnesse in vs furtherforth than he alone maketh vs partakers of it And so ye see that to blesse God and to magnifie his name is to acknowledge him to be the fountaine of all goodnesse and that all that euer wee haue commeth of him and of his onely meere free goodnesse Nowe this belonged to the Leuites as wee see it was their office to sing 1. Chro. 1â— and although that all the people were present there the prayse of God ought to sounde in al their mouthes yet notwithstanding the Leuites were to beginne the quire and to leade the melodie Neuerthelesse they did also blesse in the name of God And how was that They witnessed Gods grace vnto the people and the same thing taketh place still at this day in such as are ordeyned ministers of the worde For to what ende serueth our dayly preaching of the Gospell but to blesse the thinges in Gods name which were accursed before Ephe. â—â— For by nature we are all of vs accursed and reprobate And therefore it standeth vs in hande to be deliuered out of the wretchednesse wherein we be which to doe there is none other meane but onely that God shewe himselfe louing and fauorable towardes vs and that is the blessing which is spoken of here For when the scripture sayth that God blesseth men it is asmuch to say as that hee sheweth them by effect that he loueth them and maketh them to feele the fruite operation of his grace and fatherly adoption Now therefore when we come to heare the Gospel let vs consider to what ende it is that is to wit to certifie vs that God looketh vpon vs with pittie euen vpon vs wretched creatures and that hee setteth vs free from the cursednesse that is in vs insomuch that although we deserue to be cast off at his hand yet neuerthelesse hee sheweth himselfe gratious vnto vs and that whereas he might with good right bee our enemie he sheweth himselfe as a father towards vs. Let vs say I be well aduised that we make our profit of this doctrine when it is preached vnto vs. Col. 1. â— For whereas we be assured by the scriptures that God sheweth himselfe fauorable to vs in laying aside all enmitie that was betwixt him and vs by reason of our sinnes if the same were well printed in our heartes we would haue an other manner of desire than wee haue to set forth his prayse What a treasure is it that our Lord sheweth himselfe so to vs as though we sawe him in his owne person that he openeth the heauens to assure vs that he loueth vs euen vs which make warre against him insomuch that wheras he should vtterly mislike of vs he vouchsafeth neuerthelesse to take vs into his fauor maketh vs to feele it
benefites in y e world Could he deale more kindly with vs if wee had honored him giuen our selues wholy to him Such consideratiō then ought wel to haue meekened the harts of that people although they were hard stubborne yet ought they to haue bowed seeing they knewe that God sought nothing but their benefite welfare Thus we see now the intent of Moses to what circumstances his sayings are to be referred Which is that the people should knowe that God had not only pardoned their fault aforepast but also was minded to forget it vtterly for euer after that in the mean while they should think thus deutifully with thēselues our God behaueth himselfe towards vs as if we had neuer offended him our state is not a whit appaired he vseth nothing but gentlenes towardes vs. Marke that for one point But now haue we a general sentence to gather vpon the thing y t Moses tolde vnto y e people For the doctrine y t is contained in y e Lawe belongeth as well to vs as to thē Now then o Israell what requireth thy God of thee After y e same maner doth God speake vnto vs at this day he sheweth vs his will as a rule to direct our liues by And what meaneth he in so doing Let vs marke what he cōmandeth see what profit cā redound vnto himselfe by it Certaine it is y t God requireth no more at our handes but that wee should loue him is not that a condition which we shoulde rather chose than all y e kingdoms of the worlde Yes for if our God should make vs princes surely the greatest honour y t hee should do vs therin were but that he should make vs his seruants We see that such as liue at ease yea euen men of worshippe of good reuenue had leuer to trot to the Court to be in seruice with the prince and to take much toyle yea and to spende their goods to get estimation than to play y e snudges at home in their own houses to liue at rest vppon their owne reuenewes Behold our God entertaineth vs keepeth vs in his house y t not in degree of slauerie but as his children insomuch y t he calleth vs his inheritance In deede were there no further than this that hee accepteth y e seruice of vs of vs I say which are altogether vnprofitable haue nothing but al maner of corruption in vs wheras notwithstanding he◠vouchsafeth to imploy vs to good purpose to make vs vessels of honor so as we shine like perles in his church whenas of our selues we be but dūg myre seeing our God dealeth so gently w t vs what an vnthankfulnes is it y t wee come not to yeeld our selues to him with al obedience And I pray you what profit shal he reape by vs when we shal haue serued him neuer so wel Shal he be y e better at ease Hath he need of our help in any thing No but al redoundeth to our welfare he intendeth nothing but to our profit Wo worth vs therefore yea dubble wo worth vs if such goodnes ouercome vs not y t our harts be not inflamed w t a right affection of giuing our selues wholy to our God to be gouerned by him so as we suffer him to ouerrule vs y t we be prest and readie to yeeld to his hand to turn euery way as he wil haue vs. That is y e thing which we haue to mark vpō this text So then whensoeuer the law seemeth ouer rough sharpe vnto vs our wicked lusts tickle vs to spurne against God so as it is hard for vs to do as he cōmandeth vs let vs bethink our selues thus Thou wretched wight is y e law of thy god burdensom grieuous to thee what demandeth he of thee wherat shoteth he His demand is y t thou shouldest loue him honor him serue him wilt thou in this case becom an vnnatural monster Shal y e life which thy god hath giuen thee serue to make thee kick against him wilt thou grieue thy maker who hath created thee shaped thee doeth also maintaine thee Were it not better y t heauen earth were mingled togither y t al things were cōfounded than y t it might be said that thou makest no reckening of thy god nay rather y t thou spitest him of set purpose insomuch y t there is neither lawe nor scripture y t can bring thee to such obediēce as to make thee yeeld glory to thy God Is it not reason y t we should serue God when he vttereth such goodnes towards vs as to tel vs y t he wil be our father specially by planting y e beleefe of his Gospell in vs Now then as the earth when it is lustie in good plight doth alwayes bring forth some thing or other to shewe that it hath heart in it so seeing y t God hath giuen vs vnderstanding reason aboue the brute beasts it becommeth vs to consider y t his doing thereof is to the ende that we should knowe him that made vs of purpose that we should serue honour him and stoop to him with al humility assuring ourselues that he ought to haue soueraigne dominiō ouer all creatures Therfore let vs marke wel y t when soeuer we be tempted to striue against God and his lawe seemeth ouer heauie to vs and our affections fight against it or go the cleane contrary way from it then to ouermaister such frowardnesse of our nature we must bethinke vs as it is told vs here What is it that thy God requireth of thee And then is it certain that we shal be too too much ashamed of our selues For what shal we answere before the Angels of heauen when this saying shal be laide afore vs For it shal bee well layd to the charge of all such as haue made none account of obeying God of all such as haue despised him and his worde Yea and although the Angels were not to iudge of it verily euen the Oxen the Asses the dogges the very stones trees might be our iudges for all those creatures retaine a naturall inclination of obeying God Therfore how shal we do when we shal be vpbraided with this saying vttered by Gods own holy mouth What haue I required at your hands no more but that you should loue mee honor me That is the very summe effect of al y t my law conteineth I haue loued you my desire hath beene to be loued of you Were you worthie to be receiued loued of me when ye◠drew cleane contrarie to my wil Lo here wherwith to hold vs in awe as oft as we cannot finde in our harts to yeld to the obeying of our God y t his commandements seeme hard sharp vnto vs. What Surely our God could not vse greater curtesie towardes vs than to allure vs to him by louing of
al our welfare vnlesse we loue him Therefore if wee haue not this loue there wil be no reuerence at all Wherfore let vs learne y t God requireth free-will offerings that is to say that our offering of our selues vnto him should not be of force or cōstraint but with such deuotion as wee should bee desirous to serue him as we might protest with Dauid Psal. 19.11 not onely that wee set more store by his law than by gold siluer but also that it is more sweete pleasant to vs than honie Thus ye see what the second worde Loue importeth The third worde is Seruice For if wee make pretence to worship God with ceremonies and gewgawes as they say in y e mean while do him no true seruice in deede is it not a mocking of him If men beare folkes in hande y t their intent is to honor God that they loue him submit themselues to him in the meane season make but a flim flam of it when God setteth forth his commandements vnto them what a presumptuousnes were that And likewise what a matter were it if they should shewe no proofe wherby a man might perceiue y t his loue which he speaketh of here is rooted in their heart Then let vs learne y t we must shewe by our deedes that wee loue feare God And what are the doings that must beare witnesse therof Euen our seruing of him y t is to wit when we play not the loose colts by taking leaue to do euery man after his owne lust liking but suffer God to ouerrule vs so as our whole desire be that he should hold y e raines of the bridle we yeld euery way vnder his hād to turne to fro according to his good wil. And so we see y t the way whereby wee must shewe our selues to loue God is by our seruing of him Howbeit forasmuch as men are giuen to deuise seruices of their own brain do make boast that they glorifie God when they haue followed their owne foolish inuentions Moses rebuketh this ouerboldnesse of men and this curiositie of theirs telling them that the seruice of God cōsisteth in keeping the commandements ordinances which he deliuereth to them in the name of God Now then we see here that our Lorde hath cut off all our fond inuentions y t we should not imagine to serue him any more after our owne fancie For why He will haue obedience hee esteemeth more of that than of al the sacrifices in y e world 1. Sa. 15.22 Had this point beene wel obserued there would not be such disputing as is seene nowadayes among such as beare the name of Christians For the Papists may good cheape say that a mā may fulfil the law of God And why Because they neuer wist what end or what mark God aymed at They think it ynough for a man to be able to discharge himself to y e worldward so they make God like a litle babe by reason wherof they say it is a blasphemie to saye that wee cannot perfourme the law For they neuer came to the trial of it The despisers of God stepforth here say that the lawe is easie when as notwithstanding they neuer put so much as their little finger towards the doing of it But when we haue well weyed the things that are conteyned here wee shal finde that it is not so easie a matter Againe if we compare the law with our own frowardnes we shal find that the law were easie ynough of it self if we were as wel disposed as we ought to be But we come farre short of being Angels wee had neede of an angelical nature to the obeying of Gods law For it draweth vs from the world and leadeth vs vp to heauen and we go y e cleane contrarie way Againe when the seruing of god commeth in question it wil not suffice vs to play the hypocrites to say wel this or that is to be done in the meane while to ouerhip y e chiefe point but when it is said that wee must loue our GOD with all our hearte wee come to the wel head and to the verie roote which is that GOD requireth such a soundenesse as not onely wee should doe whatsoeuer hee cōmandeth vs but also haue a pleasure in it so as our chiefe delight should be therin and when we see an agreeablenes betwene God our affections we should be gladder therof than if wee had obtained all our fleshly desires likings Againe men should not be doutfull of the meanes howe to serue God as wee see the worlde hath alwayes beene by swaruing from the rule that is contained in Gods worde What is it that is termed Gods seruice in the Popedome nowadayes but fansies that men haue deuised without any reason And no maruel For to their seeming Gods law was of no great importance neither did they busie their heads greatly about it And therefore needs must they inuent a great number of other small trifles But they that giue them selues to Gods lawe doe see there is cause for them to saye thus Alas although I take neuer so much paine yet can I not compasse it but alwayes I come short of my wayes ende Nay which more is all my inforcing of my selfe is in vaine in so much that if my God were not mercifull to mee to giue me power strength I shoulde goe cleane backewarde and contrarie to his will As for the Papists they had no regard of this but inuented a sorte of gewgawes to serue God withall as setting vp of candles before puppets gadding on pilgrimage hearing of masses taking of holy water and all the rest of their pelting trash But such as knowe what it is to keepe the lawe do neuer set their myndes vppon such childish bawbles But when men knowe not howe to serue God aright then they rome wandring here and there Therefore let vs beare in mynde that here our Lord hath declared which is the true seruice that hee liketh and alloweth of namely the following of his commaundementes so as men deale not after their owne fansie and liking but holde themselues to his worde and as it were bridling and keeping them selues captiue do attēpt nothing but that which they knowe to bee the pleasure of their God Thus you see in effect what wee haue to gather vppon this text Nowe for a conclusion heere Moses setteth foorth commaundements for the welfare of the people Whereas hee sayeth that he setteth them foorth it is to take away all excuses of ignorance and to quayle mennes foolish curiositie that woulde stye aboue the cloudes to knowe Gods will Yee see then howe GOD maketh vs vnexcusable when hee sendeth vs his worde and commaundeth it to be preached vnto vs. Could he make him selfe more familiar vnto vs than by sending mortall men as his messengers vnto vs to speake vnto vs in his name and to giue vs vnderstanding of
vppon vs yea and a confusion more horrible than Turkishnesse in that they durst so openly pronounce all those leawd speaches Let vs marke then how it is not without cause that Moses sayth here The commaundementes which I set before you as if hee should say come not hither to protest dissemblingly that your intent is to serue God but say flatly y t ye wil not admit his Lawe because it is preched vnto you by me by me I say which am a mortall man as you be and not your God least ye should make an idoll of me Alledge none of all these shiftes sayth he for God hath ordained me to set forth his Lawe and he will haue it receiued at my hand And seeing he hath giuen me that charge and office it behoueth you on your side to obey Now againe wee knowe that our Lorde Iesus Christ intendeth not to dwell here visibly in his owne person among vs. Hee hath ordeined Pastors in his Church and hee will be heard by their meanes that is the perfection whereunto hee bringeth vs vntill wee come to that happy meeting 1. Cor. 13.12 to bee throughly ioyned vnto him Those are the wordes of Saint Paul Now if wee will not submit our selues to that order it is as if we would rend asunder the body of Christ as much as in vs lyeth Therefore let vs beware that wee yeelde due authoritie to Gods word and accept it reuerently when it is preached vnto vs. So then whensoeuer we haue to deale with Gods seruice and religion let vs not fall to fancying of high speculations as if we would say Let God shewe me what pleaseth him and I wil doe it For that is but a vaine excuse as wee shall see that Moses himselfe will tell vs hereafter where he sayth Deut. 30.11.12.13.14 Thou needest not to goe ouer the sea nor to mount vp into the ayre nor to goe downe into the deepe forasmuch as thou hast the worde in thy heart and in thy mouth Rom. 10.8 And this word saith S. Paul is not only that which was preached by Moses but also the same word of faith which we preach at this day Sith it is so let vs beare in minde y t God ment as it were to bridle vs by telling vs y t it was his wil to make vs subiect vnto him and y t for the bringing thereof to passe it behoued vs to obserue the doctrine which he did set forth by the hand of Moses And cōsequently it behoueth our Lord Iesus Christes gouerning of vs nowadays to be such as we receiue and beleeue whatsoeuer is preached to vs in his name Ye see thē that the way for Gods word to haue due preheminence and authoritie among vs is that wee gouerne not our selues after our owne lyking but hearken to the voyce of Iesus Christ to submit our selues thereto so as hee may haue the souereintie ouer vs that is giuen him by God his father and we receiue his word without exception or gainsaying knowing that that is the meane whereby God intendeth to try what obedience wee yeelde vnto him Now let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs perceiue them better than wee haue done heretofore so as we may fare the better by all the instructions that are giuen vs as well by the benefites that are dayly bestowed vppon vs at his hand as by the chastisementes which hee sheweth vs that thereby we may be brought to feare him and to honor him by all meanes and not take vppon vs the name of Christianitie falsely but become his people in very deede being separated from all worldly infections and from all wiched lustes that are contrary to his lawe or which striue against it 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 Tewseday the xxiiij of September 1555. The Lxxvi Sermon which is the third vpon the eleuenth Chapter 8 Therefore keepe all c. 9 And that yee may prolong your daies in the lande which the Lorde sware to your fathers to giue to them and to their seede euen a lande that floweth with milke and honnie 10 For the land which thou goest vnto to possesse it is not as the lande of Egypt whence thou camest where thou diddest sow thy seede and water it with thy feete as a garden of herbes 11 But the Lande which thou goest vnto to possesse is a land wherin are hilles and plaines and it drinketh raine water from the skie 12 It is a land which the Lord thy God regardeth the eyes of the Lorde thy God are continually vppon it from the beginning of the yeere to the end of the yeere 13 And if ye be diligent in obeying my commaundementes which I commaunde you this day so as ye loue the Lorde your God and serue him with all your hart and with all your soule 14 Then will I giue the foreraine and the afterraine in season vppon your lande that thou mayest gather vp thy Corne thy Wine and thyne Oyle 15 Also I will giue thee grasse vpon the feeld for thy Cattell So shalt thou eate and haue thy fill AFter that Moses hath warned the people to keepe Gods commaundements now hee harteneth them by setting Gods promises before them as if GOD should tell them that his will was they should not serue him but for good wages And in deede God perceiuing how loth slowe we be to follow him allureth vs to it by promising vs that wee shall not lose our labor in so doing Not that he is bound to doe it or that he intendeth to haue vs as hirelings or that we can deserue or earne any thing at his hand wee must rid away all such imaginations It is meete y t wee should yeeld obedience vnto God though no reward at al were behighted vs. For we ought to loue him for his owne sake not for any recompence that can be looked for Againe on y e other side our affection must be francke free and not lyke theirs that wil doe nothing except their profite be alwayes before them We must loue God w t a free heart Thirdly we can deserue nothing at all by our doings doe what we can God is neuer y t more bound vnto vs for it For we be his already what can we bring which is not due to him already by nature Yet is he contented to apply himselfe to our rawnesse in saying y t if we serue him there is a reward ready for vs so as we shall not neede to be afraid y t our Labor in honoring him shoulde be vnprofitable to vs if we indeuour so to honor him Now we see what a fondnesse it is for men to conclude that because God promiseth rewarde to such as keepe his Lawe therfore men can deserue at his hand For that is not his meaning but
see y t God not onely regardeth vs in the spring-time but also holdeth on all the yeere lōg so as there is not any one day of all the yere wherein we may not behold Gods wonderful goodnesse in making y e earth to yeeld fruite for our sustenance by considering how he is faine one while to hold y e raine lockt vp another while to opē the windowes watergates of heauen that wee may haue moysture in due season How hee is faine to send heate and to asswage it againe to send cold and to abate it againe how hee is faine to send faire weather fowle and to temper the one with the other so as finally we haue neede of all these diuersities in their due times and seasons And sith we see that God prouideth vs of all these thinges ought wee not to be the better assured that he hath a continuall regard of vs and neuer forgetteth vs and that hee is a father to vs all the yeere long Lyke as a man y t is mindful of his houshold riseth betimes a morninges to goe to his businesse when hee hath done one thing looketh about if there bee any thing els to set in order forecasting in his minde how to dispose the thinges y t are giuen him so as the benefite thereof may redound to his whole houshold euen so God behaueth himselfe as a housholder towardes vs so as hee ceaseth not to watch for our benefite both earely and late not that he is faine to toyle after the maner of men but that howsoeuer the case stand hee maketh vs to feele that he is more than a fosterfather to vs we be too blind beastly if we consider it not Thus ye see how the practising of this lesson of Moseses consisteth in giuing thāks to our God according to the varietie of y e time weather which we perceiue in y e yere And whē he hath prouided vs for the whole yeere let vs assure our selues that hee hath had pitie of vs and regarded vs and neuer turned his eye from our benefite to the end that we might be furnished and prouided thereof Furthermore it is not enough for vs to thanke God when we haue so felt his goodnesse but lyke as Moses sayth here that his eyes are alwayes vpon the landes y t are full of hils dales where hollow groūdes are not at commaundement to cut trenches in nor streames at hand to water y e fields as it were gardens so when we thinke vpon those thinges we must beare in minde that God hath his eyes continually vpon vs to y e end that we also should lift vp our eyes vnto him to call vpon him and to resorte to him for succor all y e yeere long that when he hath giuen vs a good season we should pray for the continuance thereof thereafter as we should haue neede of it and it ought to prouoke vs to doc y e lyke from day to day But contrariwise we see our owne negligence For when thinges fall out according to our minde wee doe as it were despise God If we see there hath bin a good seede time then go to let vs make good cheere seeing the seede time was so good we are lyke to haue as good a haruest And doe we wonder y t God disappointeth vs of our desire because of such vnthankefulnesse What a leawdnesse is y t God hath his eyes vpon vs yet we shut our eyes at him kicke spurne against him mocke at him and thinke we y t he either ought or can beare w t such beastlynesse Nay rather seeing y t he sayth first My children I looke vpon you haue a care of you to prouide sustenance for you it would become vs to be answerable vnto him Seeing y t our Lord beginneth after y e fashion what ought we to doe Ought we not at leastwise to say well Lord and we likewise will haue an eye vnto thee Nay contrariwise when we haue receiued benefites at his hand we fall to kicking against him He would take vs into his protection we fall to flinging away from him Againe where is y e care y t we ought to haue to cal vpon him It would become vs to consider thus with our selues Our Lord holdeth vs as it were at y e staues end to y e intent we should stand in awe of him now therefore let vs not giue our lustes the head as if a father shoulde say to his children sirs looke y e yee apply your selues wel the one of you at his booke and the other at his worke then shall ye haue your dinners else ye shall haue nothing If a father hold his childrē at that point so as they knowe not wether they shall haue meate drinke or no except it appeare that they haue done some good surely it will moue thē though they haue no reason nor vnderstanding Behold our God could well giue vs at once all that euer we need or else he could in one day shewe vs y t the yere should be prosperous so as there should bee both a good haruest and a good vintage but he wil not doe it When wee haue passed ouer one day we must beginne againe the next day to pray to him God hath ordeined that it should be so because he sees wel y t it is more thā requisite for vs to be held in awe And therefore let vs learne to profite our selues by this lesson whensoeuer we want raine let vs beware y t we be patient in waiting quietly till God open y e clowdes And on y e other side when he voutsafeth to water y e earth let vs vnderstand y t he giueth vs sustenance w t his owne hand and let vs call vpon him dayly sith wee perceiue y t he watcheth for vs let vs lykewise haue our eyes vpon him againe Thus ye see in effect what Moses meant to declare here Now he addeth thereunto If ye keepe the commaundements which I set before you so as ye loue your God serue him with all your heart in the land◠which I will giue you Here Moses putteth y e people in minde againe what y e true seruice of God is namely y t we learne to obey him This hath bin sufficiently layd forth alreadie but yet is it not w tout cause y t the holy Ghost speaketh of it so often For it standeth vs in hand to haue such warnings set before vs as it were euery minute of an howre And for proofe thereof how serue wee God but by force constreint We haue no willingnesse nor desire at all to it But our Lord telleth vs y t he accepteth no seruice y t is done vnto him except it come from the heart that wee loue him as our father Psal. 13◠◠9 according as it is sayd in y e psalme y t we cannot feare God but because he sheweth himselfe
of measure they indure after a sorte the peines of damned soules and they are euer readie to increase their superstitions Wherefore let vs looke well to ourselues and seeing it is not lawefull for vs to attempt any thing beyonde Gods will but it behoueth vs to knowe what he requireth of vs and to submitte our selues wholely vnto him lette vs be gentle and meeke minded to beare the yoke patiently which GOD layeth vppon vs seeing it is neither harde nor greeuous as I sayde afore And seeing that the ydolaters doe so followe their geere and nothing can stay their trotting and gadding but that they doe as it were flye to the seruing of their ydolles Lette vs steppe forewarde also sith wee see that our Lorde sheweth vs the way yea and such a way as though it be verie harde as in respect of our corruption is neuerthelesse verie playne and easie to vs in respect of the grace of his holy spirit Heere is this moreouer that Moses sayeth not heere y t the Iewes shall destroy and breake the ydolles in all places wheresoeuer they become but that GOD commaundeth them to doe it in the lande that is giuen them to inherite Wherein we see that the holy Ghost commaundeth not all the faithfull in generall to pull downe and to breake all ydolles in the worlde but onely where they themselues haue authoritie And it is a point well worth the noting For if we be among ydolaters it lyeth not in vs to ridde the Lande from the superstitions that reigne in it What is to bee doone then Euerie man must reforme himselfe in his owne heart so as all ydolles may be thrust out from thence When I see Gods seruice corrupted any where I must forbeare to haunt that place or to communicate in companie with those ydolaters I must cutte off all the wicked affections that are in my fleshe and I must shew moreouer that I am not minded to forsake my GOD nor to falsifie the faith that I haue plighted vnto him by defiling my selfe with the ydolatries that are about mee Therefore euerie man must first and formost reforme his owne heart and secondly separate himselfe from all things that may defile him And that is because GOD hath giuen vs a charge of our owne persons and made vs as it were keepers of his temples to the intent that euery of vs shoulde looke narrowly to ourselues That is a thing which it behoueth vs to doe when wee be in the countrey of Idolaters Besides this euerie man must purge and clense his owne house from all filthinesse So as if a man be a housholder hee must looke well about him that he hold well his children and seruauntes in the feare of GOD and in the purenesse of religion For if a man suffer his house to be defiled and all thinges there to goe to hauocke he shal be sure to make account thereof to God Not that a man can holde his wife and seruants continually tyed to his sleeue to turne them to the christian faith when he lysteth but my meaning is that he must not suffer any superstition or ydolatrie For why Seeing that GOD hath giuen him souereigntie in his owne house it behoueth him to deale in such wise as GOD bee honoured there and as no filthinesse be mingled with the pure religion but that all be ridde quite and cleane away But as for Kinges Princes and Magistrates which haue power and authoritie they must roote out all superstition and ydolatrie And seeing that GOD hath armed them with the sworde it behoueth them to vse it in that behalfe so as they doe not in any wise suffer or giue leaue that there be anie vncleannesse to greeue GOD withall or to abolish or deface his seruice Those are y e thinges which we haue to marke vpon this text of Moseses And therefore to be short let vs remember that hee commaundeth euery of vs to keepe cleane his owne body and soule For why God hath laide such a charge vppon vs that he will haue vs to be the Temples of his holy Ghost 1. Cor. 6.19.20 and therefore hee will haue euerie of vs to keep his bodie as cleane as can bee Nowe then let vs bee carefull to driue al idolatrie farre from vs and not to meddle with it in any wise And agayne let euerie of vs haue an eye to his householde that there bee no infection in it to mar the seruice of God And thirdly let those that are in estate of cheefe souereintie as kinges Princes and magistrates let them I say consider that sith the Lord hath giuen them authoritie and power if they suffer his seruice to bee defaced they shall bee called to account for it For it is saide that when thou art come into the lande thou must driue out al Idolatrie and vtterly deface whatsoeuer hath serued to any superstition And in speaking after that manner Moses sheweth that the putting away of idols is not all that wee haue to doe but that the cheefe point is the aduauncing restoring and stablishing of Gods pure seruice And that is well worthie to be noted For wee shall see a great number nowadayes which can wel enough mocke at the follies of the Pope at the abuses which reigne vnder his tyrannie They dare well enough eat fleshe vpon frydayes and they make no great account of Lent Saints euens or of the taking of holy water or of kissing of Relikes or of gadding on Pilgrimage or of anie other such petie trashe They haue no great deuotion to y e masse or to Shrift neither passe they for the deade or for the singing of diriges and such other paltrie for such as are deceased Wee shall see a great number that can well enough despise all the superstitions of the Popedome yea and euen laugh them to skorne and vtterly condemn thē But what There is no feare of God there is no Religion in them Surely it were much better for them to haue gone on still like bruite beastes in their ignorance than by such contempte to fall to rushing against Gods Maiestie like wilde beastes and not to perceiue that there is a God which reigneth ouer the whole worlde Then doeth it not greatly boote to haue abolished Idols except the true religion bee set vp in the steede of it Like as when a house is builded amisse if it be saide to bee nothing worth or that there be many faultes in it it shall be wel done to pull it downe againe whereas notwithstanding if it were let alone in the same plight so as a man had leuer to haue some Hoggescote to lodge in yet for all the ilfauorednesse and faultinesse of it it would serue his turne after a sorte being let stande still but if it were pulled downe and rased to the grounde and none other builded vp in steede thereof the pulling downe of it were to no purpose at al. Let vs marke then that here Moses deliuereth vs a perfecte
take occasion of stumbling at it Yea but in as much as Moses addeth that God doeth it for iust cause the stumbling blocke is taken away Hee sayth that God tempteth vs that is to saye that hee tryeth vs. After what maner Whether we loue the Lorde our God or no. And hereby hee sheweth as I haue declared heretofore that if wee haue a right meaning and pure heart and haue receiued his trueth without hypocrisie he will helpe vs at our neede and we shal be vpheld by his power so as Satan may well straine himselfe to the vttermost but the victorie shall alwayes go on our side And this is the thing that I haue touched out of Saint Paul where he sayth that all the false miracles which befall vnder the reigne of Antichrist 2. Thes. 2.12 as many haue been seene are all reuengements of God to punish such as woulde not obey his trueth And it is good reason that Satan shoulde driue them to destruction sith they woulde not open their eyes at such time as God woulde haue enlightened them And seeing they haue thrust all good doctrine vnder foote it is meete that they shoulde bee deceiued by lyes But let vs come backe againe to the wordes of Moses He sayth that wee be tryed to weete if wee loue the Lorde our God Heereby hee sheweth that God putteth a difference betweene the hypocrites and such as serue him in soundnesse of heart at such time as heresies spring vp and that there is trouble and disagreement And why For it is certaine that such as loue God are preserued by the power of his holy Ghoste that the troubles which they susteyne are a good proofe and sealing vp of their faith whereby the same is made autenticall God sheweth by effect howe hee hath wrought in them and that they bee in verie deede of the number of those whome hee hath chosen So then let vs vnderstand that all the errours and heresies which the diuell shall haue sowed among vs shal bee turned to good ende to all Gods children So farre off is it that they bring vs any hurte or harme that they serue euer to make our faith shyne the brighter and to warrant vs that God hath succoured vs and that hee will haue the same knowen to the whole worlde so as he may bee glorified for it And we also haue the more cause to rest vppon him with the greater certaintie of faith and to trust that hee will neuer faile vs. For as much then as wee see that our Lorde worketh in such wise as hee turneth darkenesse into light and deadly poyson to our health haue wee not whereof to reioyce and ought wee not to bee patient albeit that troubles doe vexe vs for a time and that wee haue much adoo to resist Yet ought not our heartes to quaile seeing that God giueth it so happie an issue Thus much concerning the first poynt that is to witte that if wee loue God with all our heart that is to say roundly and soundly and without counterfayting hee will not suffer vs to bee beguyled but whensoeuer Satan comes to sowe troubles and heresies wee shal bee confirmed still better and better and profite in such wise as wee shall neuer bee ouercome And therewithall wee shall haue the better proofe that wee bee of the number of his seruauntes and of those whome hee hath committed to the custodie of our Lorde Iesus Christ and that wee shall see this saying fulfilled that hee will neuer suffer any of the things to perish Iob. 18.9 which his father hath put into his hande Wee see then howe our Lorde Iesus Christ is the keeper of our saluation that wee finde the thing by experience which Saint Peter sayeth 1. Pet. 1.4.5 namely that our saluation is kept in heauen by faith and that wee our selues also shall get the vpper hande of all the temptations which the diuell stirreth vp against vs by sowing such cockle and darnel to the preiudice of Gods trueth But let vs marke also that such as are winde-shaken doe shewe that they neuer wist what it is to loue God with all their heartes and that there was nothing in them but vanitie and hypocrisie And therefore when wee see men seduced let vs not wonder as though God were cruell to them For it was meete that their hypocrisie shoulde bee discouered They meant to mocke God and vsed a kinde of vernishing and painting to make a showe of that which they were not and God bewrayeth what they were in deede Nowe therefore whereas wee see the wretched worlde so carried nowadayes into darkenesse superstition and ydolatrie wee must not thinke that they doe it of meere simplicitie as though they were innocent and faultlesse and that God had giuen Satan the brydle without cause but wee must rather consider that God with iust vengeance punisheth the vnkindnesse of such as had neither purpose nor desire vnto him Trueth it is that a man shall see some outwarde shewe of holinesse in a number of those that are seduced in the popedome and elsewhere But yet for all that they bee double hearted and God perceiueth what they bee in secret So then let vs vnderstand that God is a iust Iudge and let vs glorifie him for his punishing of such as loued him not soundly in their heartes as they shoulde haue done That is the thing which wee haue to note And in deede experience shewes it in such as turne backe and fall to naughtinesse after they haue once knowen the Gospell Wee haue seene here that when Satans vnderlinges haue come hither to set troubles in the Church those that haue beene seduced by them haue knowen them welynough of olde and not nowe of late for I speake of the space of eyghteene yeares Since the troubling of this Church diuers sectes haue been seene and stil God hath beene faine to shewe and to poynt these out with his finger which had nothing in them but dissimulation hypocrisie howe faire countenance soeuer they did make And I say that this hath beene knowen nowe these eyghteene yeres insomuch that euen they that haue pretended to bee great vpholders of the Gospell are well knowen to mee howe they haue behaued themselues I could rehearse their doings if neede were but it is ynough to giue men an incling of them that others might take example by them When the Anabaptistes came hither to infect all there was great cheere made them in the townhouse and this was about an eyghteene yeares ago True it is that men were constrained to reproue their doctrine openly but yet in the meane-while they were still chockt vnder the chinne in steed of resisting them lustily feastes were made to entertaine them with And since that time wee haue seene in our owne dayes and that not long ago howe other heretikes haue beene fauoured at their comming hither and specially howe that horrible blasphemer was supported And by whom By such as had
them we behold our owne nature but yet for al that the housholdfolke of faith are linked to vs with a much neerer bonde in respect whereof it is good reason that wee shoulde loue them more specially as our brethren Thus yee see after what maner this text is to be vnderstoode where God saith If any of thy brethren that is to say of thine owne countrimen And hee dooth it for that they were linked together in a holie bande had the true Religion and were adopted to be the children of God in consideration whereof it behooued them to bethinke themselues to bee kinde hearted and pitifull one towardes another and yet ought they not to haue despised the rest of the worlde as they did And whereas it is saide within thy Gates it is to shew that the exercising of our charity ought to bee according to our knowledge of mens necessities For wee bee not able to iudge of all mens needes True it is that euen without seeing the extremities that are euery where wee ought to be touched with compassion When we heare of warres that one Countrie hath beene burned another spoyled and all thinges haue beene turned vpside downe it is not for vs to go to the place to see what hath beene done For if we be not too too blockish we may wel thinke that those thinges cannot bee doone without horrible confusion Therefore must we pray for those whome wee neuer sawe for they touch vs they bee men as well as wee they bee reasonable creatures shaped after the Image of GOD. And in that respect wee ought to pitie those that are nothing neere vnto vs. But as in respect of succouring euerie man must straine himselfe according to the neede that hee seeth for I cannot iudge of those that are far off from me But if I see a bodie in present necessitie then must I be moued to pitie and I must consider that God prouoketh and calleth me to the succoring of him that is in neede Thus yee see why Moses hath set it downe expresly that men shoulde haue a regarde of those that are within their gates The heathen coulde well skill to saye that although all mankinde bee alyed together yet notwithstanding the neighbours that are acquainted one with another ought to vse a speciall friendlinesse in succouring one another And in deede euen without anie reading of the holie scripture euerie man can well skill to saye in his owne behalfe when his neighbour faileth him Howe nowe what neybourhood is this And who teacheth them y e lesson Nature Here therefore our Lord telleth vs that if we perceiue any of our neighbors to be in necessitie it ought to stirre vs vp so as if wee bee not too vnnatural wee must needes be touched with it w tout any further putting of vs in mind therof For the thing it selfe speaketh when we see our neighbor so distressed Nowe he addeth further Thou shalt not harden thy heart nor shut thy hande Hee might well haue begunne at this point Thy hand shall not bee shut for that is the matter which hee tendeth to in effect But it is not for nought that he saith Thou shalt not shut vp thy heart For why his intent is to preuent the thing that hindereth our weldoing our succoring of our neighbours that are in distresse namely the hardnesse of our hearts For where pitie is that is to say if we be pitifull wee will indeuour to vtter it if we haue wherewith In deede a man shal see a number that can well skill to weepe but al that they can find in their hearts to do is but to shedde a fewe teares they cast forth such sighes that a man woulde thinke their heartes shoulde burst but to spare one penny out of their purse that is no part of their thought Many such hypocrites are to be seene But let vs haue the true kindheartednesse in vs and let vs not be hardhearted but let our hande euer followe our heart And that is the cause why our Lorde beganne at this point That men shoulde not harden their heartes As if hee should say will yee be good Almesmen Will ye be wel disposed to succour such as haue neede of your helpe Then let your heartes bee softened and not locked vp to holde fast to your selues but to thinke rather with your selues thus Behold God offereth mee here a man he is my neighbour and although hee bee neither â—ith nor kin to mee yet is hee a creature shaped after the image of God and therefore must I open my heart towardes him and haue some pitie vppon him As oft then as wee bee colde and negligent in succouring our neighbours let vs learne to enter into this consideration that is set downe heere and to say to our selues How nowe Wretched man if thou wart as hee is wouldest thou not be gladde that others should succour thee Yes and if they shoulde let thee alone thou couldest skill well ynough to say for thy selfe Alas men make no more account of a creature fashioned after the image of God than of a dog Thou couldest well skill to say so and yet for all that wilt thou thy selfe harden thy heart after the same fashion Thus yee see what wee haue in the first place to marke vppon this text And nowe for the seconde part let vs marke how our Lordes intent here is to shewe vs that almesdeedes please him not vnlesse they come from a willing and free disposed heart â— Cor. 3.7 And therfore let vs learne to order our succouring of our neighbours needes in such sort as we doe it not repyningly and vnwillingly so as when our hand is stretched out there be a wicked affection in vs which may hinder vs from offering vp vnto God that succour which we owe vnto our neighbours when we see them in necessitie And would God that this lesson were well put in vre and that euerie one of vs did beare it better in minde than we do For although we doe some Almesdeedes yet may the world see that our harts are straitened and that wee cannot come to this doctrine of Saint Paules that God loueth the liberall giuer and that hee will not haue men go to worke as it were by constraint and inforcement but of a free goodwill Howe many be there that put this lesson in vre Nay the giuer hath alwayes some hartgrudging in himselfe and would faine drawe his heade out of the coller if hee coulde and his doing of it is as if he were put to his task as they terme it or as though hee payed some tribute But our Lord calleth Almesdeeds Sacrifices to the ende wee should do them cheerefully And I pray you Hebr. 23.16 if wee will offer any thing vnto God shoulde it bee as the paying of a tribute or of some tallage or impost that is extorted Shoulde it bee as it were a ransome giuen to theeues or enemies Shoulde our honouring of our God by
the Lawmaker which ruleth you Therefore when wee haue any thing to doe we must alwayes haue this consideration with vs to thinke that God declareth his will therein and that must suffice vs. Why so For there is but one rule of weldoing and to call the thinges in question which are conteined in his Lawe is al one as if we refused to bee ruled by the mouth and worde of God Therefore the Lawe must haue his full course and we must not go about to separate the thinges which God hath so knit and vnited together But heerewithall Moses bringeth vs backe againe to the thing that hee had treated of afore that is to wit which is the true keeping of the Lawe and to what ende it tendeth The true keeping of the Lawe is to giue eare vnto God in all that hee saieth Keepe all the commaundementes saieth hee as if hee shoulde say Deut. 6.24.25 wee must not serue God after our owne liking when thinges come to passe according to our heartes desire neither must wee take leaue to dispence with our selues when wee meete with any thing that is harde It is not for vs to parte stakes with GOD after that manner but wee must call to minde howe Sainct Iames saieth that he which breaketh any one point is guiltie of the whole law Iames. 2.10 The reason is the same which I haue alleadged afore namely that whe wee incounter Gods ordinaunce wee deface his maiestie as much as in vs lieth True it is that wee can neuer fulfil Gods law I say there was neuer yet so perfect a man in the worlde but hee came farre short of the perfection that God sheweth vs. But yet must wee tende towardes it though wee bee farre off from the marke and but halfe way onwarde of our iourney yet must wee goe forwarde still and not thinke to content God by doing some little peece of it for the loue of him and in the rest take leaue to behaue our selues as wee list Let vs not thinke that God admitteth such compositions but that wee must in all pointes conforme our whole life to his will And although wee attaine not to the full performance yet our desire must bee to doe so as I haue declared afore And nowe let vs come to that which hee addeth namely to what end the keeping of Gods Lawe tendeth that is to wit that we should loue him Whereby wee bee done to vnderstande that our Lordes intent is not to drawe vs to a slauish fearefulnesse but to haue vs to take pleasure and delight in honouring him and in doing his commaundementes for it is certaine that without this loue all our seruice shal bee refused as vnprofitable In deede this matter hath beene expounded alreadie heeretofore neuerthelesse it is good reason that wee shoulde bee put in rememberance of it as oft as the holy Ghost speaketh thereof for heere is no superfluitie And it is a doctrine that wee cannot be perswaded of at the first that it behooueth vs to serue God freely and with a willing loue Truely wee must not loue God as our fellowe or mate but wee must stande in awe of him not as inforced by necessitie so as we shoulde grinde our teeth in grudging against him but as yeelding our heartes to him by setting all our delight in his Lawe as Dauid protesteth himselfe to haue done Psal. 19.11 by which example of his hee sheweth vs also our dewtie Yee see then howe GOD requireth that wee shoulde serue him of free will yea and that wee shoulde also loue him And indeede whence proceedeth true obedience but of the knowledge of the will of our GOD and that wee take him for our father to the ende that wee on our side might behaue our selues like chilrē towardes him Vntill wee be come to that point it is vnpossible for vs to goe about to serue our GOD with a good will wee shall haue nothing but stubbornenesse in vs so as if it were possible wee coulde finde in our hearts neuer to come at him But when wee haue once tasted of his goodnesse then are wee allured to loue him out of hand Seeing then that men haue felt God a father towardes them it becommeth them to answere him in like sort againe and to bee as children towardes him And so wee see heere againe howe the Lawe may bee duely kept by vs that is to witte by louing our GOD. For thereuppon it will come to passe that wee shall walke in all his wayes for God cannot bee diuided from his worde If we loue him it is certaine that wee will indeuour to please and obey him And this is seene euen among mortall men but yet there is a peculiar cause thereof in God For as I saide afore God is neuer separated from his righteousnesse which hee declareth vnto vs in his Lawe Then if wee loue him we must needes like well of his Lawe and take pleasure in obseruing the same And therefore if a man say I loue GOD I feare him I honour him and in the meane while despise his worde and make no reckening of it it is but hypocrisie matched with shamelesnesse For as I haue saide already it is vnpossible that God shoulde transforme himselfe to become as an ydoll by surceasing from his righteousnesse which in verie deede is his owne proper being So then it is to be concluded that we cannot otherwise loue our God than by giuing our selues ouer vnto him by indeuoring to serue and please him But nowe let vs come to that which is saide concerning such as woulde needes abuse the priuiledge by withdrawing themselues to the Sanctuarie when they had committed a murther If it happen that a man which hated his neighbour and killed him doe flee to the place of priuiledge let the Elders of that place that is to say the Rulers or Gouernours for it is a name of office let the Gouernours and Iudges and Magistrates take him and fetch him thence that is to say let thē fetch him from the priuiledged place by strong hand and put him into the handes of him that ought to reuenge the bloudshed or of him y e demaundeth Iustice that he may be put to death and let not thine eye spare him that is to say haue no pitie nor compassion on him Bycause we be moued when we see a man lament and our eyes relent at it that is to say if wee see a man in extreame heauinesse of minde by and by wee bee mooued to pitie his case our Lorde saieth that hee will not haue him to bee pitifull not in any wise to relent which ought to execute Iustice. Goe to worke stoutly saieth hee and let the offender bee punished notwithstanding his misclaiming of the priuiledge which GOD had graunted for such as are guiltlesse and not for such as are faultie This was declared partly yesterday but it is well worthie to bee laide foorth more at large To bee shorte let vs haue an eye
and although he bee ledde with wicked affection yet ought the Iudge to graunt him his right And that is for our profite For many men beare thēselues in hand that so they vse the ordinary way of Iustice it is lawfull for them to doe what they can they shall not be condemned for it before God if their quarell bee iust But it may fall out many a time that a quarell shal be iust and a man shall pursue it by good meanes and yet in the meane while hee shall not faile to be worthie of blame before God For there are three thinges required The quarell must first bee iust and good secondly the meane must be lawfull and thirdly the affection must bee pure and well ruled Nowe this thirde point wanteth in most men As howe Some man perchaunce is misused and hee hath iust cause to require redresse at the Iudges hand hee intendeth neither to strike nor to practise any thing against his aduersarie by treacherie but resorteth to the Iustice this is a lawfull remedie it is ordeined of God wee may safely vse it with good conscience So are there two of the pointes to bee founde heere But yet this man that hath the iust cause and seeketh no remedie but by order of Iustice faileth not somtimes to doe amisse As howe If he haue a desire of reuenge in his heart if hee conceiue such rancour that hee seeketh to bee so reuenged as the partie may perceiue he hath done euill and cannot bee contented and satisfied till hee see himselfe to haue requited like for like to him y t hath offended him such a man is blameable before God For he taketh couert vnder the name of Iustice to be reuenged of his enemie It is in vaine for him to alledge the goodnesse of his quarell for hee doeth but abuse the remedie that God had ordeined What is to be done then When wee bee desirous to demaunde Iustice let euery of vs enter into our selues and examine what our affections are and see that wee bee cleare from all ill will When there is such soundnesse in vs then is it Lawfull for vs to pursue offences done against vs and to require that they may be punished namely so there be no rancour nor malice in our heartes Nowe then if a man haue none other respect than the punishing of the misdeede and that he hate not the partie ne bee ledde by any wicked desire then shal he bee allowed of God and not otherwise But such examples are verie rare For as soone as men begin to go to Lawe by and by enmitie bewrayeth it selfe and such a fire is kindled as cannot be quenched so as this prouerbe is verie true that suit in Lawe and friendshippe are two thinges that can hardly ioyne to together Nowe then let vs bethinke our selues and not imagine that the hauing of good right and our seeking of it by order of Law can vtterly excuse vs before God for our hearts must be clensed from all euill will and from all wicked affection as I saide before Moreouer let vs marke wel the conclusion which is added in this place When Moses saith thine eye shall not spare the man that hath so treacherously murthered his neighbour of set purpose if a murther bee committed in heate of choler as they say it shall not bee helde excused but the lande shall abide still defiled vntill it be punished This was declared sufficiently yesterday Now he treateth here of a more heynous murther which is that a man hauing conceiued hatred and rancour against his neighbour lyeth in waite for him and killeth him wilfully for that is the terme that is proper to the murthers that are committed of set purpose and prepensed malice And that kinde of murther is vnpardonable to graunt fauour in such a case is to ouerthrowe the whole order of nature and al lawes written So then it is not without cause y t God saith here thine eye shall not spare him For sometime wee make our market of other mens welfare of their profite or of their harmes according to the common prouerbe which saith that wee cut large thongs of other mens lether When a man hath offended the Iudge who was not hurt by it ne suffered any harme will easily pardon it What saith hee It was a small matter But if a man had done the like to him he could finde in his heart that God shoulde thunder downe from heauen for the punishing thereof and yet in another mans case hee doeth make a mowe at it Tush saies he this may well be let slippe this will vanish away of it selfe See howe a man shall oftentimes be moued to pitie and compassion towards some one and deale cruelly with some other yea he wil become cruel to a whole realme to spare one man This is dayly seene O say they this poore man is to bee pitied Yea but in the meane time if a wicked deede do passe vnpunished all y e whole realme is defiled and corrupted by it and it is a prouoking of Gods wrath against the whole Nation Againe others take example by it to giue themselues to all leawdnesse when they bee in hope that crimes shall scape vnpunished Men consider not that such kinde of mercie is the cause of innumerable cruelties and that it turneth to the common confusion of all men And therefore whereas our Lord saith that we must not spare him that hath done such euill deedes it is to shewe that wee must not be mercifull after our owne manner to ouerthrowe a great number for the sparing of one man but that we must haue an eye to right and indifferencie And herewithall he sheweth vs againe howe deare our liues are to him in that hee will not suffer a murther to be committed without vengeance for it Herein wee see say I his fatherly care ouer vs. Now if he set such store by this trāsitorie life and shewe himselfe to be the defender thereof what will he do touching the life of our soules Well hath hee shewed by one gage howe greatly he loueth it and what store he setteth by it in that he hath not spared his onely sonne for it Then let vs bethinke vs heere that seeing our Lorde telleth vs howe he hath a care of this transitorie life and vouchsafeth to take it into his custodie whereby hee sheweth his fauour and goodnes towards vs in that behalfe in so much y t although our bodies bee but wormes and rottennesse yet notwithstanding he vouchsafeth to stoope so lowe as to haue regarde of it We ought to consider well such goodnesse and to beare in minde that seeing God loueth vs so much we ought not to bite one another nor to be as cats and dogs sith our God wil haue vs to be knit so together in y e bonde of brotherly loue Therefore in asmuch as we knowe Gods goodnesse and fatherly loue towards vs let vs learne to restraine our selues from doing any harme or wrong to
Indeede I had not done it wittingly but yet had I not bin excusable for al that Then was I in danger to haue beene guiltie of murther and in what case were I then if I shoulde suffer such a fault to scape vnpunished Now then if a Iudge bethinke him not of these thinges it is a token that he hath no feare of God in him Therefore it behooueth vs so much the more to marke well this saying of Moses that y e Iudges eye must not spare the partie that hath done a fault worthie of punishment For it is but crueltie to vse such wrongfull mercie as maketh vs to runne headlong to the breaking of al order set by God and of all vprightnesse among men Now let vs kneele downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowlement of our sins praying him to make vs so to feele them as we may be drawen to true repentaunce and learne more and more to repaire vnto him not tarying till hee hale vs thither by force but seeing hee vouchsafeth to allure vs so gently by his worde let vs come willingly vnto him and prouoking our selues forward become our owne iudges y t in condemning ourselues we may seeke to be acquit by his mercie And that it may please him to guide vs in the meane time as that being rid of our wicked affections cares that holde vs backe from comming to him we may shewe by our deedes that we be his true children and that we beare the marke of his holy spirit That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. On Tewsday the xvii of December 1555. The Cxvj. Sermon which is the fifth vppon the nineteenth Chapter and the first vpon the twentith Chapter 19 Thou shalt doe vnto him as he meant to haue done to his brother and so thou shalt rid away euill from among you 20 And others hearing thereof shal be afraid and not doe any such wicked deede among you from thenceforth 21 Thine eye shal not spare him but life for life eye for eye tooth for tooth hand for hand foote for foote The twentith Chapter WHen thou goest forth to warre against thine enimies and thou seest horses and Chariots and a greater multitude of people than thy selfe be not afraid of them For the Lorde thy God which hath brought thee vp out of the lande of Egypt is with thee 2 And when yee come neere to giue battell then shal the Priest come forth and speake to the people 3 And say vnto them Hearken ô Israel now that ye be come hither this day to giue battell to your enimies let not your heartes faint be not afraid neither be ye discouraged or abashed at the sight of them 4 For the Lorde your God goeth with you to fight for you against your enimies and to preserue you WE saw yesterday what punishment God ordeined for such as practise mischefe against their neighbours And that concerneth Iudges and such as haue the sword of Iustice in their hande But as for vs we for our parte ought to suffer the wronges patiently that are done vnto vs. Or else if we pursue them that they may be punished it must not be done of malicious spite nor with desire of reuendge but to the intent that the partie which is to be punished may bee kept from offending any more afterwarde and also that no outrages or violent dealinges may bee suffered least others shoulde growe bolde to doe so too but that all men may bee made to stande in feare by beholding the example of him that is punished And by this meanes wee see howe the doctrine of our Lorde Iesus Christ agreeth verie well with the doctrine of the Lawe For hee telleth vs that wee must not resist euill The Lawe commaundeth that hee which procureth the death of his Neighbour shall be put to death and not bee spared Nowe at the first sight heere seemeth to be some contrarietie But wee must consider to whome our Lorde speaketh when hee sayth that the offender must bee punished namely that hee speaketh to those whome he hath put in authoritie When hee saith resist not euill with euill hys meaning is that euerie of vs shoulde liue quietly and put vp wronges patiently rather than requite like for like And that is the cause why hee sayth in the fifth of Matthewe yee haue hearde howe it hath beene saide to the men of olde time Matt. 5.38 An eye for an eye and a hande for a hande but I say vnto you if a man strike you on the one cheeke turne him the other also and if a man take awaie thy Cloake bee willing to giue him thy Coate too or if hee take awaye thy Coate giue him thy Cloake too We see howe the Iewes abused the saide Lawe For vnder pretence that GOD woulde haue no iniuries to scape vnpunished they bare themselues in hande that euerie man might seeke to bee reuenged of his enemies But wee must in aniewise put a difference betweene the lawes of policie and the Lawes of GOD which require a perfection and serue to rule our heartes and affections by so as it is not Lawfull to procure harme to anie man though hee haue deserued it The ciuill Lawe and earthly policie giue men leaue to seeke amendes of the wronges doone vnto them and the Iudge is bounde to satisfie their demaunde but yet for all that if the partie that is wronged haue a malicious hearte and his accusing of his enemies is to bee reuenged of him hee is not excused before God Although hee haue right ministred vnto him before men and they say that his cause is good and lawefull yet for all that doeth GOD condemne him And why so Because as I tolde you before wee must bee patient For what vertue is it to bee friendlie to such as loue vs and to wishe no euill to such as doe vs pleasure and seruice Matt. 5.46 Doe not the heathen as much But if men vexe vs and put vs to shame and trouble and wee beare with it indeuouring to ouercome their euill by doeing good then doe wee shewe our selues to be Gods children and followers of his example who causeth his day sunne to shine both vppon good and badde Therefore let vs first marke this foretouched difference betweene the Lawes of policie and the Lawe of GOD which is spirituall and serueth to rule all the affections of a mannes hearte Nowe in policie there is no more to bee looked for but that no man attempt anie thing agaynst his neighbour that men doe one an other no harme that men worke no displeasure one to an other neither in goods nor in person nor in name and that whosoeuer offendeth bee punished But when GOD sheweth vs howe wee shoulde liue hee saith not onely refrayne your selues from euill and let him that offendeth bee punished but hee telleth vs also Matt. 5.28 that it is not
lawfull for vs to looke vppon a woman with fleshely lust of desiring to committe vncleannesse with her nor to hate our Neighbour any more than to murder him Yee see then howe the Lawe of GOD mounteth higher than the earthlie policie God will haue vs to walke before him in all purenesse In so much that besides that it is not lawfull for vs to assaulte our Neighbour or to hate him without cause Nay not then when wee haue iust cause and couerture for the same to the worldewarde For wee must euen then not onely forgiue the wronges that are doone vs and not requiâ—e like for like but also pray for our enemies Matt. 5.44 and although they speake euil of vs and coulde find in their heartes that wee perished a hundred times Yet must wee worke their welfare to the vttermost of our powers Marke that for one point Indeede it is a verie harde thing to bridle our affections after such a sorte as to desire the welfare of our enemie when hee hath goone about to doe vs harme but yet must wee strayne our selues to doe it For though wee feele a gainstriuing in vs yet will not that serue vs for an excuse neyther must wee doe as the Papistes doe who perceyuing this to be cleane contrarie to mans nature haue gone aboute to salue it with this glose that it was a counsell and not a plaine and expresse commaundement and that is a manifest blaspheming of God For hee saith that if wee will bee taken for his children wee must fashion our selues after his goodnes in pardoning those that haue offended him Therefore let vs not haue an eye to our owne strengthes nor to the inclynation of our owne nature but if wee feele anie heartburning in our selues or bee desirous of reuenge through heate of impatiencie when a man hath vexed vs Let vs resort to our GOD praying him to ouermaster the excessiue passions that are in vs and to giue vs the spirite of meekenesse when wee bee in such heates that wee may become patient so as the harme or iniurie bee not too harde and cumbersome for vs to beare but that wee may passe it ouer mieldelie After that manner ought we to deale And therfore let vs learne to beware that wee beguile not our selues with vaine colours Seeing that our Lorde hath giuen vs a good Lawe Let vs not turne it vpside downe by pretending our owne wicked and corrupt affections for an excuse Yea and let vs marke that mannes nature is so frowardlie disposed that if they looke not verie narrowlie to themselues they shal alwayes abuse the name of GOD. The Lawe which I expounded Yesterday namely that the partie which shall haue practised the death of anie innocent person is not to bee borne withall is verie rightfull But yet for all that is it meete that wee shoulde haue leaue to auenge our selues Shoulde the bridle be layde loose in our neckes to requite euill for euill No surely And yet doe men make it their excuse Wee see then that naturally we should be euer inclined to abuse Gods name and therefore wee haue so much the more neede to be watchfull and to consider at what ende God aymed in saying this or that that is that wee shoulde not be blinde therein For it will not auaile vs at all if wee make as though wee sawe it not And therefore let vs first and formost correct our vices and lay aside all our wicked affections and then may we vse the lawes that are good and holy As for example If a man deale by order of lawe and in the meane while haue his heart full of rancour so as he seeke to ouerthrowe his enemie by crooked meanes It is a wicked manner of proceeding and condemned of God Yet notwithstanding it is almost an ordinarie custome For there are few that goe to lawe which are not enemies one to an other according to this coÌ„mon said sawe that suite in lawe and friendshippe doe seldome match together And yet for all that if a man haue anie such hartburning he offendeth God Yea but hee vseth the meane of Iustice and is not that lawfull Is not that manner of dealing permitted Yes but it woulde behooue vs first of all to haue our wicked affections subdued according to this saying that all Gods creatures are good to such as are of a pure and cleane hearte 〈◊〉 â— 15 Saint Paul speaketh there of meates but wee may applie the same saying to all other thinges namely that whensoeuer God appointeth any thing to our vse the same is good and behoouefull yea verily so wee on our side defile it not by our wicked affections If wee haue any filth in vs by and by all that euer wee touch becommeth filthie out of hande Ye see that the order of Iustice is a holy thing appointed of GOD to our vse and benefite and yet if I haue a spitefull hearte and beare anie malice to mine aduersarie then do I defile y e thing which God had dedicated to a holy vse and which was pure and cleane of it selfe And therefore let vs learne to reforme our wicked affections When wee haue done so then may wee say that the thing which GOD hath ordeyned is good and profitable to vs For wee turne it not contrarie to his meaning and will That is the thing which wee haue to remember in effect concerning the Text that was treated of yesterday Nowe let vs come to that which GOD addeth concerning matters of warre When thou guest out agaynst thine enemies saith hee bee not afraide nor dismayed as them though thou see them more strong than thy selfe though the number of their people bee farre greater than thine and though they haue both chariotes and horses that is to say Although they bee better furnished and stored of all things than thou art yet let not thine hearte shrinke for all that And hee addeth the reason For thy God sayth hee goeth with thee and it is hee which brought thee out of the Lande of Egypte Therefore put thou thy trust in his goodnesse and might Nowe wee must presuppose that in so saying GOD giueth not leaue libertie to his people to make warre when they list at their owne pleasure but onely vppon iust cause As for example when the Iewes entered into the Lande of Chanaan they made no warre but by the expresse commaundement of God in so much that they were forbidden to saue anie of the people of that countrie aliue and it behooued them to put all to the swoorde sauing the young infantes and women which were reserued to make slaues of but as for the men they were all appointed to the sworde for God had giuen that iudgement vppon them and not without cause For it was a great matter that he had borne with them so long a time and yet that they continued stubborne and vnreformable still Besides this when the people of Israell had once made a full conquest of the
droue which hath not beene labored nor hath drawen in the yoke 4 And the Elders of that Towne shall driue the young bullocke downe into a harde valley which hath neither beene plowed nor sowed and they shal strike off the bullocks neck there in the valley 5 Also the Priestes the children of Leuie shall come forth for the Lorde thy God hath chosen them to minister vnto him and to blesse in the Lords name And at their worde shall all cases and euery plague be determined 6 And all the Elders of that towne shall come to the deade man and wash their hands ouer the bullocke that is beheaded in the valley 7 And protest and say Our handes haue not shed this bloude neither haue our eyes seene it 8 O Lord be mercifull to thy people Israel whom thou hast purchased and lay not the guiltlesse bloud among thy people Israel And the manslaughter shal be forgiuen them 9 And so shalt thou take guiltles bloud from among you for thou shalt do that which is acceptable in the eyes of the Lord. I Haue spoken of this Law alreadie heretofore and declared briefly what god ment in the ordeining of that Ceremony namely that wee shoulde abhorre the shedding of bloud and murthers and outrages He had spoken heretofore of the law of armes And nowe hee addeth that the killing euen of one man is a defiling of the whole countrey vnlesse the remedie bee sought by praying vnto God to forgiue the fault and by protesting that none of them is guiltie thereof Wee see then that mens liues are deare vnto God sith hee will haue so solemne a redresse to bee made of a murther committed yea euen when the doer thereof is not knowen nor the trueth can bee founde out If a man had heene murdered and the doer thereof knowen then woulde not this ceremonie haue sufficed For God commandeth the crime to bee punished and if a murtherer be suffered to scape the Iudges and all the people become guiltie of the fact But when it is vnknowen by whom a man is slaine then GOD thinketh it not ynough for euery man to protest for himselfe y t hee is neither partie nor priuie to the matter but he will also that the town where the deede was done or which was neerest to the place where the deede was done shoulde bee examined for it For wee knowe that a partition of the townes villages was made to euerie tribe Insomuch that euerie Citie had the Countrie about it and the townes and villages in it were called as it were the daughters of that Citie Yet notwithstanding in this case our Lorde will haue them to make a newe suruey and measuring of the distance of places againe and that the Citie which is found to bee neerest to the dead bodie shal be at the charges to make a solemne sacrifice whereat hee will haue the Elders Iudges and Priestes to be present And he setteth downe the Priests by name as wel for sacrificing as also because it was their Office to make the purgations whensoeuer there befell any blotte so as the people were defiled before God it was the duetie of the Priestes to make them cleane againe towards God And that was the cause why that order was required in this case And therefore Moses addeth that God hath appointed them to serue him and to blesse in his name and that it belongeth to them to iudge of Leprosies and all other like thinges and of all other kindes of vncleannesse wherewith the people might be defiled In attributing this office vnto them he declareth to what purpose their presence ought to serue in this act Also there was prayer to bee made and the priestes were inioyned thereunto And because the whole order of them was a figure of our Lorde Iesus Christ they blessed in Gods name as I haue declared heeretofore and as I shall shewe somewhat more hereafter as I passe ouer it And therefore our Lorde appointed them to make the solemne prayer that is set downe heere Nowe wee see whereto this Lawe tended Namely that our Lorde hath shewed howe precious mens liues are vnto him that wee on our part might bee the more prouoked to take him for our father For what an vnthankfulnesse is it that God shoulde haue so great and so fatherly a care of vs of vs I say which are but Caryons and yet notwithstanding that hee shoulde not bee honoured of vs as of his children nor finde any obedience at our handes So then forasmuch as we see our Lord vouchsafeth to haue a regarde of our life let vs be the more moued to honor him and to yeeld him all reuerence Heerewithall it is shewed vs also that wee must maintaine our neighbours as much as in vs lyeth and abstaine from all violence For if murder bee so hatefull to GOD that although the doer thereof bee vnknowen yet it behoued a solemne clearing thereof to be made what will become of vs if wee spare not our neighbors Is it not a setting of our selues vtterly against God Here then is a bridle to restraine vs from all violence and outrage so as vnlesse wee will bee hatefull to our God wee must liue in concorde and brotherly loue with all our neighbours Nowe I haue tolde you heretofore that whereas murder is forbidden vs it is not meant thereby that wee shoulde but onely forbeare the drawing of our swords to slea men but also that forasmuch as all they which hate their brethren euen in secrete are murderers we should beware to haue our heartes as cleane as our handes and abstaine from all hatred and enmitie Thus yee see what wee haue to remember in the seconde place of this Lawe which is set downe heere For it is not ynough for vs to loue our neighbours and not to haue stepped out into any iniurie or violence but wee must also to the vttermost of our power bee a let to the anoyance that is done to others Indeede it is a great thing to be peaceable but God requireth yet more of his children namely that they shoulde procure peace towardes others Therefore whensoeuer any man fals to quareling or offereth wrong to his neighbour let vs looke that wee set our selues against him as much as wee can I knowe that euerie man is not armed with the sworde neither may euerie of vs take vppon him to redresse wrongs but yet let vs haue an eye to that which GOD permitteth so farre as our duetie will beare and as occasion is ministred to deale And therein wee shall shewe our selues not to consent to any outrage but rather that wee bee willing to succour the innocent that is oppressed and wronged whom let vs looke that we help to our power and abilitie That is the third point which we haue to gather vpon this text Moreouer let vs marke that Iudges and Ministers of iustice are warned heere to doe their dueties For it is not ynough for them to protest that they haue
vnto that which is sayde heere Hearken my daughter forget thine owne people and thy kinred and thy fathers house There it is spoken concerning Salomons wife but vnder that figure it is shewed vnto vs howe Gods Church is marryed spiritually to our Lorde Iesus Christ namely vppon condition that shee forget her father and her kinred and all her former trade of life and all the customes of her countrey And I tolde you that this text concerneth the thinges that are contayned heere For why Shee was a woman of a straunge countrye and had beene an ydolater all the tyme of her life and therefore it was sayde vnto her that shee must forget all the tyme past and put her bringing vp out of her remembrance to the end shee might dedicate her selfe to GOD and then the king woulde loue her beautie As if it were sayde that king Salomon ought not to take any pleasure in his wife nor haue any delight or liking in her vntill shee had protested herselfe to bee desirous to bee wholly vnited to Gods people and had separated herselfe from all the abhominations of Egypt And I haue tolde you that herein wee haue a general rule for all men of what kinred or countrey so euer wee bee For why It is the sonne of God that is our true Salomon who contracteth holye wedlocke with his Church and will haue vs to bee as a wife vnto him And to the same ende serueth the preaching of the Gospell as sayeth Saint Paul in the eleuenth Chapter of the seconde Epistle to the Corinthians I must marrye you sayeth hee as chaste virgines vnto Iesus Christ. And therefore let vs marke that whensoeuer the Gospell is preached vnto vs it is all one as if Christ wooed vs to marrye with him after the same manner that men sue vnto women when they woulde match with them in wedlocke And so our Lorde thinkes it not ynough to take vs as his souldiers and seruants but hee will also haue vs to bee incorporated into him and to bee as neere vnto him as the wife is to her husbande But vppon what condition So long as wee continue in our own nature we cannot be ioyned vnto him neither can he take any pleasure in vs and therfore we must forget our owne stocke our kinsfolkes that is to say we must become new creatures For what haue wee so long as we hold of our father Adā or any thing at all that is of man what haue we say I but vtter frowardnesse Wherefore let vs marke well that this figure must serue vs for an instruction at this day namely that whereas vnder the lawe our Lorde willed heathen women to pare their nayles to shaue off the hayre of their heads to put away their former apparell attyre it is all one as if hee shewed vs in a liuely picture that we cannot bee of the body of his Church nor of the housholde of faith nor admitted into his fauour except we bee stripped out of our accustomed apparel that is to say except wee forsake our olde maners trade of life and bee so chaunged as wee may shewe openly that our desire is not to bee wedded any more to our selues but to be gouerned by him to forsake all that we haue of our own nature al y t euer we haue learned by euill custom Now we see how beneficial this lessō is for vs that God spake it not for y e Iewes only but y t he ment to giue vs also a profitable instruction if we can skill to put it wel in vre Now whereas it is sayde that the woman shall bewayle her father and her mother it is not meant that women shoulde be sorie to come to liue after Gods worde but here our Lorde hath done vs to vnderstande that the naturall affections cannot bee mortified at the first chop without some striuing against them as we see too much by experience insomuch that euen after a man hath beene trayned vp in Gods worde although hee bee desirous to behaue him selfe as becommeth him yet shall hee finde great gaynstryuings and contrarieties in himselfe so as hee must be faine to inforce himself And it is not for one day but for all our life long that our lustes and fleshly affections striue against Gods spirite which dwelleth in vs and stirreth vs vp and prouoketh vs vnto good Wherefore let vs marke that whereas our Lorde speaketh heere of sorrowing it is all one as if hee had sayde that although a woman mourne for her kinred and be greeued with her sinfull and corrupt affections yet notwithstanding her lamenting must be after such a sort that in the ende shee thrust them vnder foote and forget them And hereby wee haue to note that our seruing of God must not bee alonely when thinges fall out after our lyking and after our heartes desire so as we bee nothing pinched in the dooing thereof but also euen when wee bee vexed and stoong with our wicked lustes In so much that although it bee harde for vs to frame our selues to the obeying of Gods commaundementes and wee feele it as a bitter medicine yet must wee not therefore bee out of heart For it is much better for vs to weepe in sorrowing for our sinnes and offences and to forsake them than to bee merry and to laugh and in the meane whyle to haue this threat sounding in our ears that our laughter shal bee turned into weeping and gnashing of teeth 〈◊〉 ◠12 And therefore let vs marke well that heerein our Lorde ment to put vs stil in minde that whatsoeuer infirmities bee in vs yet must they not make our heartes to quayle but wee must still so inforce our selues to amendement as wee may alwayes goe on forwarde howsoeuer wee fare And if Satan cast stoppes in our wayes to make vs retyre or turne head wee must thrust them backe and strayne our selues to ouercome them Although then that we be driuen to mourne as though wee bewayled our kinsfolkes and friends yet must wee still holde out in renouncing worldly things that we may giue ouer our selues vnto our GOD and that Christ may haue the possession of vs quietly and wee faithfully keepe the promise of the sacred spirituall mariage which he contracteth with vs by the Gospel And it is sayde that this must bee done by the space of a moneth during which time the man shall keepe her in his house without touching her yea or without comming at her Hereby wee see that as was sayde at the beginning God in this place did somwhat beare and dispence with the Iewes because they were too greatly giuen to their owne lykings howbeit that was but with a moderation And thereby wee bee taught as I haue touched alreadie at the beginning to eschewe the occasions that might deceiue vs by their intycementes For wee can no sooner open our eyes but Satan hath some meane or other to dasle them in such sorte that hee
once be a wicked thing and that God finde fault with it insomuch as he had leuer that a man should put his wife away than y t mariage should be broken and the order thereof ouerthrowen let vs assure our selues there is yet a greater mischiefe namely secret hatred when a man loueth not his wife but is inflamed with a wicked desire to haue an other beside her And so ye see that the greatest wickednesse that can be is this vnfaithfulnes wherethrough mariage is corrupted and men haue no more care to followe the order of GOD and nature and to frame themselues thereafter Furthermore as touching the worde Hate let vs note that it is taken heere for ouer colde loâ—ing For inasmuch as the Lawe punished not a man for putting of his wife away if he had hated her in deede he would surely haue thrust her out of his house and companie Therefore in keeping her still he shewed plainely that hee hated her not as we meane by hating in our common speech and yet doeth God account it for hatred and not without cause which is a text well worthy to be noted For if a man hate not his wife deadly so as hee woulde kill her with beating or wish her in her graue he will beare the world in hande that although he loue her not yet he doth not vtterly hate her But heere ye see how God speaketh farre otherwise For he sayeth and auoweth that if a mans heart be not whole and sounde towardes his wife it is to be taken for hatred Therefore let vs imbrace this saying That a husbande must loue his wife as himselfe Eph. 5.28 euen as his owne person If hee doe not so yet shall this sentence of God alwayes take place And this lesson ought to serue not onely for the mutuall loue betweene man and wife but also generally for the loue towards our neighbours When a man hath an offence committed against him if he seeke no reuendge if he practise no wicked wayes if he intende not to murder him by sword or by poysoning if he goe about no wicked conspiracie against him he will say As for mee If I would him any euill let it light vpon my selfe I wish him nothing but his benefite and welfare That is true but yet in the meane while there is a secret rancour lurking within And wee must not thinke that God acquitteth vs when we haue such heartburning in vs bearing in minde the offence that hath beene committed against vs so as we be loth to pleasure the partie and could rather finde in our heartes that euill mought befall him On the other side some man is so far reconciled as hee can not finde in his heart to commit any wicked dede by trecherie or vnfaithfulnesse nor by any maner of violence and yet he thinkes with himselfe such a one is mine enemie he hath gone about to vndoe me yet will I forgiue him so farre that I will doe nothing against him But yet if some mischaunce might befall him he would be glad of it and say O it is well bestowed for what had he purposed against me When we keepe such backe shops it is a token that our heart is not rid quite cleane The hatred appeareth not openly but yet it abideth lurking still within And he y t hateth his neighbour in his heart sayeth Saint Iohn that is to say in secret is a murtherer before God So then let vs marke that loue consisteth not onely in wishing none euill to our neighbours but also in seeking their welfare as much as we can and in reioycing at the welfare of our enemies And specially if a man intende to discharge his duety towardes his wife he must not loue her slenderly but he must accept her as his wife that is to say as the partie whom God hath linked to him and therefore he must beare with her and maintaine peace and concorde with her as much as he can possibly That is the thing that Moses meant is saying If a man hate his wife For else a man might say as for mee if I hadde hated her I woulde haue beene diuorced from her and not haue kept her still For what a thing had it beene for me to haue kept her still in my house Yea but wherefore hast thou taken an other wife to her but because thou diddest mislike of the first All the pretences which thou canst alleadge are to no purpose vaine are such excuses For God who is y e Iudge of mens hearts telleth thee that if thou beare her not a right and pure loue thou hatest her Now Moses addeth When he hateth the one and loueth the other if he haue children by them both he may not make the childe of the beloued his heire by giuing him the prerogatiue of dubble portion aboue the rest of his children But the birthright must remaine to him to whome it belongeth by nature though the mother of him was not so well liked of her husbande as the other That is the thing in effect which Moses commaundeth in this text And as touching the birthright of the firstborne it was verie auntient euen before the Lawe yea euen before the going of the people into Egypt there was a regard had of the birthright For although Iacob was in Egypt when hee dyed yet spake hee as of a thing growen already into custome and helde for a common rule that is to witte that there shoulde alwayes bee a kinde of preheminence in eldership so as y e eldest brother should beare chiefe sway in the house ouer his brethreÌ„ And we see it in very deede in the blessing y t Isaac gaue vnto Iacob taking him neuerthelesse to haue beene Esaw For he maketh him his eldest sonne with prerogatiue of Lordshippe and souereigntie ouer all his brethren that is to say ouer all his kinred Yee see then howe it is an auntient prerogatiue insomuch as a man may say it came as it were by inspiration that it was not of mens inuenting but of Gods owne appointing though we haue no recorde thereof ne can proue the thing otherwise than by single coniecture Yet notwithstanding this serueth not to excuse the ambition of such as will needes giue al that they haue to their eldest sonne to the intent to maintaine their houses in greate estate which we see is the marke that men haue shot at Whereof comes it that in many countryes the elder brother hath all and the younger brothers as good as nothing and that men doe giue them a morsell of breade as though their fathers had layde the wallet vppon their neckes to bid them shift for themselues Whereof comes this but of a pride that they will needes haue their houses to continue in their name and not be diminished Yea but our Lorde telleth vs that we must passe through this worlde as wayfarers And wee knowe how the prophet skorneth those that will needes plant their names vpon earth after that
their children will not be reclaymed at the first choppe that for very spyte they let them alone and so their children fall into all excesse But they ought not to deale so Howe then Vntill they finde by experience that their childe is out of measure stubborne and sheweth himselfe to bee of so frowarde and ildisposed nature that hee can not be reclaimed the father and the mother ought to proceede still with that nurturing of him which God commaundeth heere And parentes ought to bee patient in this case for mieldenesse is a vertue right requisite in this behalfe because that if a father trust to his owne courage he shall marre his children if he finde any hardnesse in the teaching of them forasmuch as it is alwayes a painefull thing and yet GOD will haue men to occupie themselues in nurturing of their children notwithstanding the painefulnesse thereof And if they can not frame their children according to their desire but that they will needes take the brydle in their teeth truely it can not but turne to the great griefe of the parentes What say they Ought not one worde to serue to the childe Ought he not to be ashamed if there were any droppe of honestie in him After that manner might a father speake But howsoeuer the worlde go yet must not the creature be left at randon without regarde of winning him to God Wee must rather vse patience still as Saint Paul counselleth vs in speaking of corrections In deede hee telleth vs that we must vse sharpnesse and rigour to moue such as be ouermuch hardened in their naughtinesse but yet hee woulde haue it matched with meekenesse and patience Nowe then what ought fathers to doe Should they bee so far out of patience as to giue ouer the correction of their children No. And therefore let vs learne that in this text fathers for their parte are warned to haue a stay of themselues when they see their children giuen to lightnesse vnconstancie and to misbehaue themselues and that although they cannot winne them at the first nor bring them to such meekenesse as to make them take y e right way of their owne good will yet they must consider with them selues howe it is Gods will to keepe them occupied in that kynde of paines taking and to trye their patience after that manner Thus yee see one other poynt more which wee haue to marke in this text where mention is made of such vnreformable stoutnesse and stubbornesse as fathers and mothers doe finde to bee past remedie in respect of themselues and therefore are faine to resort to the Iudge Nowe let vs come to the euidence that is to be giuen by the father and the mother It is said that they shall come to the gate for that was the place of iustice in olde time So then they shall repaire to the seate of iustice and there say This sonne of ours is stubborne against vs froward wee haue assayed to reforme him cannot preuaile with him He is a riotour a drunkarde and therfore wee put him now into your handes Gods will is that vppon this euidence the chyld shall bee stoned to death And it is not without cause y ◠he giueth such authoritie to fathers and mothers For it is not likely that men wil be so cruell as to spill their own bloud that were vtterly against nature Therfore it is good reason that y e father mother should bee beleeued without further scanning or sifting of the matter seeing the case concerneth their own children For it were a shaming of the father mother to driue them to bring witnesses against their own children their dealing by ordinarie maner of inditement should be a derogation to the degree wherein God hath placed them And seeing such prerogatiue is giuen to men they ought to haue the more regard of their duetie But Gods will is that the father and the mother should be beleeued And why Because hee hath printed ingrauen such an affection naturally in their hearts towardes their children as that they had leuer to dye than to do them wrong Nowe if a man bee so wicked and beastly as to practise any thing falsly against his owne childe and to shewe himselfe voyde of the louing kindnes which our Lorde hath printed in mankind and whereof some footesteppes and sparkes are to be seene euen in the brute beastes what a thing is it that a man should so farre ouershoote himselfe And therefore parentes see here what honour God doth them in making them to be beleeued against their children which thing ought to make them to inforce themselues the more to loue them and to bring them vp with al gentlenes yea and euen in their chasticing of thē to vse the rule that Saint Paul giueth vs Eph. 6.4 which is that parents shoulde not put their children out of heart by their ouergreat rigour For dyuers tymes it falleth out that a chyld is put out of heart because he sees his father vse no mieldnesse towardes him nor any reason or loue in his doings Therefore must discretion be vsed in this case And to bee short let vs note that the more honour GOD doeth vs the more are wee bounde to doe our dueties As for example such as are aduaunced to any degree or state of honour ought to consider that GOD hath bounde them exceedingly and that they ought to strayne themselues the more to doe their duetie and this belongeth generally to al states But it is sayde here expressely concerning fathers and mothers And therefore such as haue children must looke that they loue them after such a sorte as they may well keepe themselues from abusing the power and authoritie which they haue of God for it is not committed to them to that end Also it is declared heere further that the father and the mother may not accuse their children iudicially vnlesse they finde them vnreformable I haue tolde you alreadie that this place speaketh of punishment by death For if fathers and mothers fall to putting of their children to death before they haue vouchsafed to take paynes with them to see them well instructed ought they not to bee coupled with them as causers of their destruction A father perchaunce will say I haue not consented to my sonnes lewdnesse I haue let him alone Yea but shouldest thou haue falne asleepe when as God appoynted thee to keepe watch Thou shouldest haue guyded thy childe so as hee shoulde not haue stepped one pace but thou shouldest haue beene at hande to direct him Thou wouldest haue guyded a brute beast and hast thou made no reckening of thine owne seede Thou lettest the creature alone which is formed after the image of God whereof notwithstanding thou wast appointed to bee the keeper and thinkest thou to scape by so try fling an excuse Then if fathers and mothers come to this plunge of shewing their children to haue beene sturdie and vnreformable if they can not first protest
the health of their soules yea euen of such as are excommunicated cast out of the Church 1. Cor. 5.11 as saith S. Paul We must not seek them for that were y e way to infect vs with their defilements to make vs their partakers Nay we must rather mislike them abhorre them as it is expresly cōmaunded vs. But yet in y e meane season we be bound alwaies to succour them in their need to forbeare to hurt or hinder thē That is the thing which our Lorde compelleth vs vnto And therefore let vs marke well that it was neuer lawfull vnder the law to beare enmity against any man yea although a man had enimies yet was it not lawfull for him to seeke reuēge And if I be bound to succor mine enemies Asse or horse what ought I to do to his own person Shall I be exempted from himselfe when I am bound vnto his cattell It is well knowen no. And herein we see the beastlines that hath been yet still is in the Popedome For the suttle doctors say that to do good to ones enemie is not a commaundement of God but a counsell giuen by our Lord Iesus Christ. And marke I pray you wherupon they groūd thēselues What say they It is too hard a thing for vs to haue y e heart to do good to such as hate vs persecute vs. And therfore it is to be concluded y t God hath not commanded vs to do it for that were too great rigor If Iesus Christ counsel vs verily then is it a point of perfectiō but yet are we not bound to it And thereupon they hold opinion y t none are bound to it but only y e Monks whose state is angelical yet notwithstanding of al mē in y e world they be fullest of reuenge Neuertheles it is for none but Monkes to haue such perfection as for vs that are lay people they say that for vs to become Christians it is enough to take it as a coūsell and to tend y e way howbeit without thinking our selues guiltie of deadly sinne though we doe it not True it is that they can find in their harts to say that we ought not to hate anie body but to say that we be bound to loue our enemies and to do good to such as seeke to hurt or hinder vs no no they cannot digest that worde And why For they be forepossessed with this diuelish opinion that God cōmandeth not any thing which is not possible for men to doe And thereupon they make as it were a counterpeise or euen balance of freewill of all Gods cōmandements insomuch that they stand scanning thus Cannot we doe this or that God then hath not commāded it neither ought it to be done if a man did it it were more than needed As who should say that God had forgone his right because we bee so corrupted and vntowarde as not to be able to performe y t which he hath ordeyned And what a dealing were that If a man owe me monie haue wasted all away by his leawd behauiour is hee therefore cleerely quit and discharged because he hath so mispent both his owne mine No surelie Whence commeth it then that wee cannot loue our enemies and that wee be so reuendgefull but of our owne corruption of the sinfulnesse of our nature Yet notwithstanding we cease not therefore to owe still vnto God the things y t he hath inioyned vs. And therefore wee conclude that our Lord hath bewrayed y e blindnesse of the Papistes in making them to spewe out such blasphemies as these namely y t to doe good to our enemies is not a commandement of the law but a counsell of our Lord Iesus For we see what was inioined by the law of Moses And again on the otherside a man may wel say there is great oddes betweene the perfection of Christians and the conuersation of the fathers yea verily the hardest part of all our life is to loue our enemies to doe good to such as persecute vs. But the fathers that liued vnder the law were bound to that as well as we And therefore wee must not imagine that our Lord Iesus brought any new rule as the Papists auouch blasphemously against Gods lawe saying that it was but an Apsie an entrance and that there is nowe a true holines and perfection in the things which the Gospell sheweth vs. But we see y e cleane cōtrary namely y t euen vnder the law God did expresly forbid men to auenge themselues againe on the otherside cōmanded them to doe good to their enemies to indeuor to ouercom euill by doing good which is the perfection of y e gospel as S. Paul sheweth in y e twelfth to the Romanes And it is the verie same thing that is cōteined in the Sermon which our lord Iesus made frō the fifth chapter of S. Matthew to y e seuenth Also y e same thing is brought to our remēbrance by the thinges which Iesus Christ saith in the similitude of the man that was wounded in his way by theeues as he went from Iericho to Ierusalem There he taunteth the Iewes who came of the linage of Abraham and ceased not to vaunt themselues of that holy pedigree And yet he saith to them I cānot tel what kinred or brotherhoode there is among you For if a man bee falne behinde hande and haue neede of helpe I see not that ye succour him ye acknowledge none other brotherhoode than that which is of the fleshe And if yee see any gaine to be had by allying your selues with any man he shal be your brother and your great cousen But if yee see no profite to bee had by him farewell he he is no more your kinseman Hereby hee inferreth a similitude how a Priest looking vpon a poore mā that was wounded and sore hurt and in daunger of death passed by him and tooke no heede of him and likewise a Leuite and also a common Iew. Then came a Samaritane y e Samaritanes were hatefull to the Iewes as they who indeede had nothing but apes toyes and meere superstition in their Church yet our Lord saith there that the Samaritane had pitie vpon y e Iew which was so sore wounded and succored him Was not this man the Iewes neighbor Ye cannot denie but that he was so Hereupō Iesus Christ concludeth that when the law speaketh of neighbors it meaneth not those which are allied vnto vs or which are of our owne bloud and kinred neither meaneth it those neighbors onely with whome we be conuersant and familiar but generally all men yea euen the furthest strangers vnto vs. Although we may say y ◠such a one belonges not to vs yet are we his neighbors as in respect of god For our Lord could wel haue vsed another word but hee intended of set purpose to touch vs to y e quick in saying Looke how many men are in the
we runne into such loosenesse as we be blamed for seeking to make a hotchpotch to haue had no regarde of bringing all thinges to confusioÌ„ by such disorderly dealing Which mischeefe to eschew both men and women must haue a care to follow euerie of them their owne vocation If we bee not of that minde although we commit not any adultry in act yet are we atteinted already before God with some vice that tendeth towards adultry Wherefore let vs learn that by this sentence where our Lord saith that men and women ought to differ one from an other in the fashion of their apparell he meant to expound and confirm this former saying of his Thou shalt not commit Aduoutry Were this as wel borne away as it ought to be we should haue better rule amoÌ„g vs than we haue there would be no such impediments in the redressing the abuse of apparell The costlinesse thereof would soone be corrected in some countries And why For ye shall see nothing now but imbroderie such ouersumptuous things that by al likelihood men are wilfully bent to ouercharge themselues with the deckings of women but these thinges would be prouided for And in the meane while men looke not to other vices which are as much or more to be condemned For there is neuer any ho when folke beginne once to seeke newe fashions to disguise themselues This seemeth to be nothing but as it commeth from an euill roote so tendeth it also to an euill ende For it is certaine that if it were not for ambition and pride these thinges shoulde not bee seene so common as they be Insomuch that there are a great sort that can finde in their heartes to indure hunger and thirst and a number of other incommodities in their bodies onely to bestowe their monie vppon thinges that canne serue them to none other ende than pompe and vanitie And why doe they so O they loue wel gay apparell they haue a delight to bee tooted at and gased at a great way off And wee see it more nowadayes than euer it was seene This fond curiositie hath reigned in al ages among y e Frenchmen and they cannot be reclaymed froÌ„ it as yet at this day but they despise God nature more than euer they did But we heare what God saith by his Prophet Sophonie Soph. â—â—â— where hee threateneth such folke as seeke newfangled and straunge aâ—tires coueting alwayes new shift No doubt but he condemneth this pompousnes and the persons theÌ„selues which seeke eueriday new fashions that they may be gased at afar off and be the more estemed and y t men may say of theÌ„ Such a one hath inueÌ„ted a new fashioÌ„ such a one is skilfull in finding out new attires Surely such folke are wel worthie to be condemned to be tailours These great lords braue lads which wil needs weare tablets at their necks y t is to say suÌ„ptuous Iewels for folke to gase at a great way off ought of reasoÌ„ to be al made taylors seeing they haue so great pleasure in finding out so diuerse sortes of apparell to disguise themselues with And by the way let vs marke that in saying so our Lord sheweth vs that we must come backe to the said vse and honestie and to the rule which he hath giuen vs and if wee keepe that let vs assure our selues that it shall bee an acceptable seruice to him Contrariwise if we be led with a foolish and inordinate lust to chaunge euery minute of an houre and to disguise our selues it is a thing that displeaseth God though it importe none euill at all And moreouer wee see how it proceedeth of fond vaineglory and when men are so giuen to vanitie surely they despise their owne Soules and neuer care for them Also they bee infected with ouerweening so as they will needes be commended Nowe when men deale after that fashion can it be sayd that there is no euill in it No for whereto doe all these disguisinges and superfluities tend but to all maner of corruption and whoredome and such other like things besides superfluous expenses And therefore let vs marke that to keepe our selues from such daungers and from defiling our bodies with lecherie and other infections we must eschew euill occasions and not meddle with any thing that may allure vs to any wicked lust of lechery or otherwise but apparell our selues soberly and necessarily Thus ye see in effect how we ought to put this commaundement in vre Now Moses addeth That if a man finde a birdes-nest he may take the young ones but he must let goe the dâ—â—â— when shee broodeth her egges or her young ones At the first sight this seemeth not worthy to bee set downe in Gods Law For were there no greater necessarier things to speake of than young birdes Why doth not God say rather that if a man see a mother nursing of her childe he shall not trouble her but rather succour her and helpe her and in any wise beware that he touche her not for that were a hurting of the infant which is a silly innocent soule Why doth not God speake after that maner What needed it to goe say that a man should let a Birde alone when shee broodeth her young Hereby hee ment to expresse the better howe greatly hee abhorreth all crueltie For if hee cannot beare with it when it extendeth but to the little birdes shall a man scape vnpunished when hee falleth to hurting the image of God himselfe that is to say when he offereth wrong to another man So then let vs marke that in speaking of little birdes GOD hath much better declared his meaning than if he had spoken simply of meÌ„ For it is all one as if hee had sayd Accustome your selues in such wise to bee kinde hearted and to doe no deede of crueltie as that euen the little birdes may feele it Not onely practise you it among your selues but also when yee see a little Bird consider thus with your selues no our Lord to inure vs y e better to vprightnes and reason will haue vs to giue some proofe and witnesse of it euen towards the creatures which cannot complaine of vs. A young bird hath no â—ong to craue reason at our hands or to attempt an action against vs. Yet notwithstaÌ„ding albeit y t to our seeming there is no account to be made of them neither is vprightnes to be vsed but among men yet for all that God will haue vs willing to frame our affections the better thereby that wheÌ„ we come to deale with our neighbors we may be restrained by it to say What It is not lawfull for vs to be cruel to the Birdes and howe may wee then bee cruell to such as are of our owne kinde in whom wee see the image of God imprinted Thus ye see what wee haue to remember in the first place where our Lord speaketh so of little Birdes Nowe let vs come to the pith of this
were y e next way to make vs forget the duetie which we owe vnto God We also on our side must take heede of these things not in y e manner as the Iewes did which straitely obserued this law other such like touching the ceremony but we must keepe ourselues vnto y e truth and substance therof which they so much despised according to the coÌ„mon custom of y e world which is euer wont to busie it selfe about the formalitie or shew of things to make no account of the substance Let vs therefore learn to know y t whereas the Iewes obserued this ceremony w tout any minding at all of y t which God required of them they did but dally play with God and their whole obseruation thereof was but hypocrisie so as they did nothing else but prouoke y e anger of God For when men wrest peruert his word in such sort it is such a trecherie as he can not suffer But it is no wonder to see this abuse among men For they would faine content God with such outward things it is ynough for theÌ„ so they set a good face on y e matter And being theÌ„selues carnall they measure God by their owne ell But contrariwise let vs note y t when God coÌ„maÌ„deth vs smal things it is to lead vs to a farther matter therefore let vs alwayes aime at this mark not stay ourselues on things which are of no gret importaÌ„ce according to y e rule which our Lord Iesus hath deliuered vnto vs in this behalf Maâ— 23. â—3 Ye ought in deede saith hee to doe these small things wheÌ„ they are coÌ„manded by y e law but yet ye must alwaies come vnto y e chiefe principall point And we know what God sayth namely y t he requireth mercy not sacrifice his will is y t there shoul be faithfulnes iudgement and vprightnes among men And as for sacrifices washings such like thinges his meaning was y t by theÌ„ men shold be trained to put the assurance of their saluatioÌ„ in y e fauor which he hath promised vnto theÌ„ y t they be sory for their sins when they see them before their eyes y t they should serue theÌ„ for witnesses to endite themselues to y e intent y t when they offer themselues to God being in such displeasure with their sinnes they might attaine pardon and mercie of him Thus ye see what we haue to beare in minde And now seeing the figure is passed done away we haue no neede to busie ourselues in the outward obseruatioÌ„ of this law What remaineth then Is this law needeles nowadaies in respect of vs Ought not we to reade it Yes for ye see that God ment it should be an instruction for his church euen vnto y e end of y e world It remaineth then y t letting the figure passe we gather y t which is taught both to the Israelites to vs namely y t in all things we must take heede of stayning and defiling our selues Nowe we are not ignoraunt what the things are which defile a man Maâ— 15.18 It is not y t which entereth into a man as our Lorde Iesus Christ speaking of meats sayth but it is y t which coÌ„meth out of a maÌ„ Look how many wicked affectioÌ„s we haue so many stainings of vs haue we before god For froÌ„ whence coÌ„meth fornication Proceedeth it not out of the heart of man From whence coÌ„meth ambition From whence come other wicked desires as couetousnesse enuie pride and all the rest Now when y e soule of man is so full of such foule staines y t it is infected before God it draweth the body by by vnto theÌ„ and if we put wicked thoughtes in practise beholde howe our bodies also are wrapped in the same filthines with our soule we become altogether defiled Let vs therefore learne so to dedicate ourselues vnto God as our infectious filth be not a cause to driue him away from vs. And therewithall let vs beare in minde that which S. Paule sayth namely that seeing God will dwell within vs we must purifie both our minds bodies â— Cor. 6.20 2. Cor. 6.16 And this is the reason which Moses alleadgeth when he sayth That God alwayes dwelt in the middes of the campe of Israel to deliuer theÌ„ to giue vp their enemies into their handes And afterwarde he addeth Take heede that the Lorde thy God depart not from thee when he shall find any vncleanesse in thee At this day this fauour is bestowed in more ample maner vpon vs than it was then vpon the auntient people For we know howe God is ioyned vnto vs in the person of his only sonne Now seeing y t the fulnes of the godhead doth dwell in our Lord Iesus Christ that not vnder a shadowe as in the arke of the couenant where y e lawe was enclosed but is assuredly our God being manifested in the flesh seeing it is so y t we are members of Iesus Christ 〈…〉 3. â—6 that he hath vouchsafed vs so great a benefite as by coÌ„ming downe from heauen to ioyne himselfe w t vs let vs note y t at this day God is more neere vnto vs than he was vnto y t people yea he will make vs to haue more feeling of his vertue and power For we are alwaies in such sort vnder his protection y t we neede not to feare but that his power is still stretched out to maintaine preserue vs. When our Lord Iesus sayd vnto his disciples I am with you euen vnto the ende of the worlde 〈◊〉 28.20 surely he ment to strengthen them in all the conflictes which they were to suffer in preaching of the Gospel and it serued likewise to declare vnto vs also y t he will neuer forsake vs as in respect of his power Seeing it is so then that we are vnder the gouernment of the sonne of God and y t although he be ascended vp into heaueÌ„ he faileth not to fill all y t he is also our shepheard to the intent y t none of them whoÌ„ his heauenly father hath giuen vnto him should be lost 〈…〉 .10 〈◊〉 5.30 that we are bone of his bone flesh of his flesh as S. Paul sayth and y t there is no greater coniunctioÌ„ betweene y e husband the wife than is betwene the son of God vs. Seeing it is so I say let such gratious fauour as this prouoke vs to withdraw ourselues froÌ„ al filthines let vs keepe this holy vnitie which we ought to haue with our God And moreouer let vs also diligeÌ„tly note how precious a thing it is y t God dwelleth with vs to giue vp our enemies into our hands to deliuer vs froÌ„ all euill For hereby we are warned y t were it not for his fauour we are set open to ten thousande deathes And in very deede let euery of
bee so presumptuous but wee must assure our selues vppon the warrant which hee giueth vs as wee see in this place Thy GOD wyll giue thee rest from all thine enemyes And therefore Moses sayde not simply When thou hast conquered the Countrey when thou hast the victorie ouer all thine enemyes but hee referreth all vnto GOD. Whereby hee declareth as I haue already touched that men may not grounde themselues vppon their owne power and abilitie but wee must haue our recourse alwayes vnto GOD and acknowledge that it is in him onely to make vs inuincible against all our enemyes And if it was needefull that GOD shoulde woorke in such wyse to make the children of Israel to ouerthrowe the Chananites Pheresites Iebusites and the lyke it is much more needefull that hee shoulde woorke nowadayes with a greater power in vs bycause wee are to encounter with more mightie enemyes Ephes. 6.12 For as Saint Paule sayeth our combat is not against fleshe and blooud that is to say mortall creatures onely but also against the Princes of the ayre In so much that if wee compare the power which wee our selues haue to resiste with the aduauntage which Sathan hath our vs alas hee is the prince of the worlde and besides that hee is aboue our heades so as hee myght ouerwhelme vs out of hande And therefore GOD must put to his helping hande and fight for vs or else wee shoulde bee a hundred thousande times vanquished So then whensoeuer wee are to aduenture vppon any thing let vs learne to haue an eye alwayes vnto the power of GOD assuring our selues that the same is mightie ynough to strengthen vs. And thereuppon taking courage let vs boldly defye all the forces of our enemyes bee they neuer so dreadfull and let vs knowe that they are nothing in comparison of the helpe and succour which God hath promised vnto vs and which he is readie to shewe in verie deede Thus yee see in effect what wee haue to beare in minde vpon this place Nowe it is expressely sayde That the Iewes shall bee reuenged vppon Amalec when they haue the lande in possession which was promised vnto them And it serueth to shewe that wee ought to bee as quiet as may bee in executing GODS vengeaunce For when men reuenge themselues of their enemyes wee see they are altogether troubled with those bickeringes which they haue with them and they are set all on fire by their passions And that is the cause why reuenginges are forbidden vs when they proceede not from GOD but that men thrust themselues so into them without any measure or discretion Will wee then iustifie any reuenge of ours Wee must bee at peace within our selues that is to saye wee must not haue an eye to our owne losse or gayne wee must not bee mooued with any excessiue passion to bee shorte wee must haue a stayed and setled minde and aboue all the zeale of God must abide in vs and gouerne vs. Neuerthelater we may not vnder this colour that GOD sayde vnto his people Remember the Amalekites for I will haue them rooted out of the worlde wee may not I say take occasion thereupon to reuenge our selues after our owne lust and liking And why For God layde not the bridle on his peoples necke to say Doe what you thinke good you shall haue leaue to doe what you liste but hee woulde haue the reuenge to proceede from himselfe whereuppon wee haue to note two thinges The one is that wee must bee appoynted of God or otherwyse it shall not be lawfull for vs to lift vp so much as a finger to punish any offences The other is that although wee haue this calling and that God putteth the sworde in our handes yet neuerthelesse wee must not bring with vs our owne affections which alwayes driue vs on forewarde and ouermaster vs but wee must behaue our selues so simply and plainely in this vocation of ours that the spirit of GOD may gouerne both our heartes and our handes As touching the first poynt I tolde you that hee which hath no expresse commaundement of God to that purpose may not punish offences If I see a man offend although I ought to set my selfe against him to the vtmost of my power and to withstand his wickednesse yet bycause I am a priuate person I may not attempt to punish the offender any way For GOD hath charged mee with no such thing and men may not on their owne heades take vppon them any such charge For although at y e first sight a man would take it for a great vertue if I shoulde fall vpon a wicked man and apprehend him insomuch that if he beate or abuse a poore man I come and maintaine the good cause it would be taken for a good deede yet in verye deede I passe my boundes and take more vppon mee than God hath commaunded mee and this deede of mine may not be accounted for a vertue Yee see then what stayednesse the faithfull ought to keepe in their liuing to wit that they attempt not any thing but what God hath giuen them in charge to doe That is to be noted for one poynt Nowe for the second wee must note that vnder colour that God hath armed them with authoritie to punish vices men must not fall into heates through their carnall affections and passions to reuenge their owne quarels but must doe that which they knowe GOD liketh of and yet to no other ende or meaning than hee hath appoynted And herewithall let vs note that they which are ordained and appointed of God to execute Iustice ought to keepe themselues in the high beaten way wherein God willeth them to goe without taking vnto themselues any new lesson For it is not for earthly Iudges to make lawes at their pleasure and to say euery day I will doe thus and I will doe otherwise but they must haue a carefull eye to their office and duetie Beholde it is GOD which speaketh wee must execute that which hee commaundeth and therefore let men holde themselues thereunto and not presume to alter his commaundement in any wise for otherwise a man may pretende goodly excuses but God liketh better of the obedience which men yeelde vnto him than of al that euer they can alleage in reason although it haue neuer so great likelyhood Moreouer as I haue alreadie touched when wee heare concerning Amalec that GOD woulde haue him cleane rooted out a man might reply and say What if a man should handle this people gently and spare them Were it not a reasonable thing Should a man deale so extremelie with them Surely when the people of Israel left it vndone their shewing of mercie was a kynde of despysing GOD 1. Sam. 15. and it is certayne that their so dooyng turned to their owne confusion according whereunto wee see howe it was sayde You haue not executed the vengeaunce of your GOD Numb 33.5 and therefore those whome you haue suffered to lyue must
the Lord whyle hee is neere at hande call vppon him while hee sheweth himselfe So then let vs learne not to let slippe the opportunitie of time while the Lorde calleth vs and allureth vs vnto himselfe let vs not play the deafe men let vs not bee slowe to come vnto him but let vs be in an vnfayned readinesse and say Lorde behold we are heere what is it that thou commaundest vs We are prest and ready euery of vs for himselfe to obey thee Thus yee see what we haue to beare in minde out of this place And moreouer in this place Moses setteth downe these woordes The commaundementes and statutes in the same sense which we haue heeretofore already touched namely to shewe that GOD teacheth vs not by halfes when wee haue his woorde but that wee haue a perfect instruction so as the knowledge of no good thing shall be wanting vnto vs if wee be not stubborne vnto God and of sette purpose stoppe our eares as there are many which are ready ynough to make a countenaunce of not knowing what it meaneth although GOD haue taught them If we therefore on our part bee tractable to bee taught there is no doubt but that our lyfe shall bee in all poyntes well ruled when we haue the word of God And if this was said of the time of the Lawe which was much more darker than the Gospell is doubtlesse wee haue nowe more plentie of doctrine and instruction Let vs learne therefore so profite in the schoole of our GOD while it pleaseth him to vse the office of a schoolemaster towards vs and let vs not doubt that any thing shall bee wanting vnto vs when we come to him to bee taught And that is the cause why Saint Paule also sayeth that in the Gospel there is such a fulnesse of wisedome as a man can not wish any more So then let vs not bee vnthankefull but when our GOD speakes vnto vs let vs inquire after his will and order our lyfe according vnto that which hee telleth vs. But with all wee must bee diligent For seeing GOD forgetteth not any thing ne leaueth any thing behinde which myght serue for the well ordering of our lyfe shoulde wee on our part bee negligent Or if wee heard but one woorde of that which hee will tell vs shoulde wee ouerpasse it without thinking vppon it No but for as much as wee see that GOD hath such a care of ordering our lyfe let vs also on our side take paynes to proâ—ite in his woorde let vs apply our whole studies thereunto knowing that it is not loste time which is so spent let vs occupie our selues in obseruing his statutes his commaundements and ordinaunces and let vs set our mindes well vppon them In deede GOD hath in ten wordes comprised whatsoeuer hee requireth of vs but these tenne woordes haue in them great substaunce Our knowing of the ten commaundementes must not bee to prattle of them lyke a Pye in a Cage as they say but wee must consider well of the meaning of them and marke whereunto they tend When our Lorde hath spoken the woorde wee must first consider wherunto it tendeth and secondly what things depend thereon and wee shall finde that wee haue neede to thinke vppon it and to occupie and to employ our selues in it al the time of our lyfe Nowe heerewithall Moses sheweth after what sorte wee must keepe the commaundementes of GOD to wit With all our hearts and with all our soule It is not ynough then to employ our handes and our feete to doe well but our heart must marche foremost For if wee serue GOD through constraint all is nothing worth After which manner Hypocrites fearing to bee punished make some fayre shewe of godlynesse and in the sight of men yee would thinke there were cause why they shoulde bee praysed but their heart is full of wickednesse and rebellion so as they defye GOD and woulde haue him abolished if it were possible The first thing therefore which wee haue to doe in framing our lyfe to the obedience of GOD is to serue him with a pure and free good will so as wee bee not forced to doe that which he commaundeth vs ne grynd our teeth at him as who shoulde say wee woulde scape his hand in dooing the cleane contrarie if it were possible But wee must offer our heart in sacrifice that God may bee so serued of vs as wee may shewe that his Lawe is not such as the ciuill orders and lawes of men are For they ordayne what seemeth good vnto them to the intent that men should bee bridled but from the outwarde actions but it is not ynough to please GOD withall not to haue doone euill vnlesse our heart also bee answerable in all purenesse And yet farther Moses speaketh not simply of the affections but hee will haue the heart also to bee pure and vpright Thou shalt serue mee therefore with all thy heart and with all thy soule that is to say soundlye or vnfainedly so as wee double not with GOD as wee see some doe which make a fayre shewe for a time but it soone vanisheth and againe they haue a backe shoppe so as they serue not GOD but agaynst their will Wee must therefore laye open our heart before GOD wee must offer our thoughtes and desires vnto him wee must endeuour to submitte our selues wholly vnto him Thus must hee bee serued and honored of vs howbeit not after our manner but according to his owne lawe But heere a man myght demaunde howe it may bee possible for men to giue themselues to serue GOD with all their heart For as long as wee remayne inclosed in this fleshe of ours there will bee alwayes many infirmities and vices in vs which will holde vs backe and hinder vs. And verily wee heare how Saint Paule sayeth Rom. 7.15 I can not doe the good which I woulde But if the heart were wholly giuen vnto GOD the perfourmaunce of thinges woulde followe out of hande It followeth then that when wee bee so letted and hindered wee obey GOD but in part But as I haue alreadie declared this letteth not but that wee may serue GOD in singlenesse of heart for hee imputeth not vnto vs those infirmities which hinder vs when there is no faynednesse in vs but that our chiefe desire and seeking is that hee shoulde quietlye possesse vs and gouerne vs by his holy spirite and that our lyfe may bee conformable in all poyntes to his woorde Therefore when we haue this desire in vs although wee be helde backe and hindered with the infirmities of our fleshe yet GOD imputeth not that euill vnto vs. That is the thing which wee haue to beare in mynde out of this place But a man may yet farther demaunde whether GOD chargeth a man with any thing which is aboue his power and abilitie For it seemeth an inconuenient thing that GOD should require thinges vnpossible to bee doone But this demaunde is easily aunswered for
agree Furthermore wee knowe also that hee beecame subiect to the Lawe Gal. 4.4 to the intent to performe all maner of obedience to the full as it were in our person And the righteousnesse which hee hath gotten in himselfe is at this day allowed vnto vs as if euery of vs had discharged our selues towardes God The way then for vs to bee deliuered from our cursednesse is â—his After wee haue beene ashamed and as it were plunged in despaire wee may take heart againe to vs to bee assured of our saluation and offer our selues before the Maiestie of our God with assured trust that hee will accept vs for his children and also like well of vs and moreouer that seeing our Lorde Iesus Christ hath fulfilled the Lawe and not fayled in any one point or iote therof now we be clothed againe with his righteousnes and the same is allowed vnto vs as our owne And therefore let vs go boldly before God and call vpon him as our father yea verily so wee put not our purenesse in our owne woorkes nor imagine that GOD oweth vs any thing nor pretende to bring any desert or merite of our owne but that beeing vtterly emptie wee call vpon GOD to vouchsafe not onely to fill vp that which wanteth in our selues in parte by the meanes of our Lorde Iesus Christ but to giue vs the righteousnesse wherof we be vtterly destitute and vnpurueyed And let vs marke further that when we be once so receiued into fauour then shall our workes also bee accepted The way then for vs to serue God to his lyking is that being iustified by faith that is to say that hauing obtayned forgiuenesse of our sinnes yea and hauing obtained it bicause that dayly yea and all the tyme of our life wee haue neede thereof and also hauing recourse to GODS attonement with vs of his owne free goodnesse by meanes of the death passion and sacrifice of our Lorde Iesus Christ offered vp vnto him wee hauing so doone bee then also desirous to serue God for then shall wee doe well and then will hee accept the seruice which we yeelde vnto him whereas without that wee can haue no fayth in Iesus Christ. But when we indeuour to serue GOD although there bee somewhat amisse and our affections turne vs nowe one way nowe another yet doeth not our God ceasse to allowe our life And why Bycause our sinnes are not imputed vnto vs. True it is that in very rigour this saying Cursed shall hee bee which performeth not all these words will stand in force but behold Iesus Christ is our borow and payeth for vs out of hand deliuering vs from our cursednes and making satisfaction to God his father For we know y t his death passion are accepted for the price and raunsome of our saluation that by that meanes we should be reconciled vnto God Yee see then how that on the one side it behooueth vs to feele our own cursednes that we may be afraide of Gods iudgements and that on the other side we must take courage not doubting but that seeing our Lord Iesus Christ answereth for vs we shal be receiued for his sake and God will accept vs together with our works notwithstanding that they bee not so exquisite as they should be but haue some blottes and blemishes in them so as they deserue to bee condemned vtterly reiected To be short the faithfull being iustified by the grace of God haue therewithall this benefit and priuiledge that God accepteth their woorkes and chargeth them not with this curse which they haue deserued After that manner then ought we to put this text in practise But I haue tolde you that on the one side wee must mourne and bee afraid at the sight of our cursednesse before God and that on the other side we must trust in y e grace which Iesus Christ offereth vs. For if we should sooth our selues bycause God forgiueth vs our sinnes what a dealing were that Wee shoulde still enter into the sayde parting of stakes which men weene to make when they think to discharge themselues towardes God in part Now then it behooueth vs to be sorie for all our sinnes and if wee perceyue any vice in vs wee must not suffer it to raigne True it is that wee come short I say not in some one part onely but in all There is not any one poynt of the law wherein we fayle not As for him that thinkes himselfe cleare from couetousnesse and to bee a despiser of worldly goods surely he hath yet some other affection in his heart which holdeth him backe in the world He that is chast and honest of his body hath yet some vanities that will cary him away He that fostreth not any hatred or rancor in his heart is not so vtterly cleere from all wicked affection that he liueth so perfectly as he ought to do To be short we shal be found guilty not in one or two points onely but in all so as there is not any part or peece of the law wherin God might not condemne vs. And therfore as I said seeing we perceiue such vnperfectnesse in vs we must not stand in our own conceits but mourne before God and hauing mourned we must indeuor to giue our selues ouer vnto him prayng him to increase in vs the power and grace of his holy spirite that we may so manfully fight against our sinnes as we may subdue them ouercome them and get the vpper hand of them to triumph ouer them once when we be quite and cleane rid of them Thus ye see how we ought to proceede in that behalfe And this ought to make the faithfull to reioyce that although they perceiue their owne imperfections yet must they not therfore ceasse to imbrace Gods promises with gladnesse assuring themselues that they shal not be disappointed of them And why Bycause they haue the inioying of all good thinges in our Lorde Iesus Christ by whom and by whose meanes the curse that was due to them is done away Ye see then howe that on the one side it behoueth the faithfull to be vtterly cast downe and againe that on the other side they bee lifted vp againe in our Lord Iesus Christ forasmuch as they know that looke what they haue not in themselues they shall finde it if they seeke it there whither God sendeth them And therefore let vs not beguile our selues any more with the fansies of Sathan which raigne in the Popedome of being desirous to offer our owne merites vnto God and to indent with him as though wee had perfourmed his lawe assuring our selues that on our part all the couenants which are made in the lawe are vtterly vaine and that al the promises which import any condition of well doing of holy conuersation shoulde bee vnauailable towardes vs and neuer come to effect vnlesse wee resorted to this free promise Whosoeuer beleeueth that Iesus Christ dyed for our sinnes and that God by his power hath
pine away in our miseries than to returne vnto him To the ende therefore that wee may fare the better by it because men bee so vntowarde to be brought vnto God when hee afflicteth them roughlie let vs marke wel what is saide in this place Although that GOD doe smite stroke vppon stroke although it seemeth that hee is determined to ouerthrowe altogether yet notwithstanding hee doeth still call vs backe vnto him and woulde not haue vs to bee faintehearted And therefore let euerie man stirre vppe himselfe and although hee bee at his wittes ende as they say so as hee woteth not where to become yet let him not cease to take hearte in consideration of this promise and to say No although I were brought to the botome of the graue yet doth my God call me backe to him and telleth mee that seeing I am touched with repentaunce he will haue mercie on mee to forgiue mee all my sinnes This therefore is it that wee haue to marke further in this place Nowe Moses sheweth what is true repentaunce saying If thou doe turne vnto the Lorde thy GOD with all thy minde For euen the wickeddest after God hath ouermaistered them will not sticke to say wee haue doone amisse and they will seeme to bee chaunged But as soone as God giueth them anie releasement by and by they are worse than euer they were before Or if they doe not shewe at the first dashe that they bee rebellious against GOD yet doeth their hypocrisie disclose it selfe at the last and it will appeare that there was a hidden sore within and that there was nothing but filthie matter To bee short there are verie fewe that turne themselues to GOD though they bee admonished by neuer so many afflictions Therefore hath Moses in this place defined true repentaunce and the same ought to serue vs for manie purposes Let vs first of all marke that when God doth punish vs we think it enough to be smitten with one stripe or twain O say wee In deede I haue offended but seeing I doe acknowledge my sinne shoulde God persecute mee yet still Hee seeth y t I am a frayle a wretched creature what wold he haue more than the confession of my faulte But we looke not on the otherside that our heartes bee still hardened in wicked affections and that it is become of vs according as the Prophet complaineth They turne vnto mee Psal. 81.8 howebeit no longer than whilest I doe punishe them for afterwarde they are worse or else they become as bad as they were afore Seeing then that the case standeth so let vs learne that when God after hee hath punished vs once doeth hold on and the plague increaseth vppon vs it is not without cause that hee doeth so For hee perceiueth that there is yet a hidden naughtines in vs like as a Physition perceiueth well that although a disease bee mended in outwarde apparaunce yet the roote thereof is not quite taken away The sicke person coulde well find in his hearte to bee let a lone but hee doeth still carrie the disease about him although hee feele it not Let vs therefore learne to yeelde our selues patiently to the corrections which God sendeth vs. If they continue longer than wee woulde and our affections cannot abide it wee ought so much the more to turne vnto him specially with all our hearte as Moses saith Therefore hee saith by his Prophete Ieremie If you turne Ier. 4.1 turne vnto me ye children of Israell For hee seeth that this worde repentaunce is abused by men for it rowleth in their mouth and euerie man maketh a kinde of cloake thereof as wee see the Papistes doe which call it a dooing of penaunce when folke make crosses or take a crosse vpon their backe or besprincle themselues with holy water or say amea culpa or fast a certayne day or trotte on pilgrimage and doe all other such abhominations Our Lord perceiuing that these are al but mockeries saith It is to mee it is to me that you must turne As if hee shoulde say Am I a little babe that you shoulde bring mee bables to please me and to make me pastime withall No but knowe yee that I am the liuing GOD which searcheth the heartes and knoweth all the thoughtes of men and though there be neuer so much doublenesse in you you shall not be able to deceiue me Assure your selues therefore that I am hee to whome you must conuert And in that respect doeth Moses speake here of the whole heart Let vs consider then that to pacifie the wrath of God when wee haue prouoked it euerie of vs must enter into himselfe and so examine all our thoughtes as wee may be no more giuen to our owne sensualitie and that if we goe about to be wise in our conceytes it shall come to nought and God must haue the gouerning of vs by his worde and ouerrule our affections that they may bee bridled and for asmuch as they boile against God and resist him let vs thrust them vnder foote for we shall neuer bee able to dedicate our selues vnto God vntil we haue forsaken al our owne lustes which be contrarie vnto him Thus you see how men must examine their heartes to come to GOD indeede and to haue a right and a true repentaunce such as is heere mentioned by Moses And nowe he addeth afterwarde If thou doe then call to remembrance Wherein yet better than before he sheweth the fruit of the chastisements which GOD doeth sende vs. And that is alwaies to the ende to induce vs to suffer afflictions patiently for we be like litle children Heb. 12.11 as y e Apostle saith in the Epistle to the Hebrewes As long as a father holdeth the rodde in his hand scourgeth his childe there is nothing but weeping sobbing and euen so it is with vs. But if we could consider of the ende of our afflictions to witte that they be a furtherance to our saluation and doe stand vs in steede of medicines as we haue alreadie said then were we too much vnthankfull if we coulde not finde in our heartes to bowe downe our neckes to him and say Lorde conuert thou vs at thy pleasure seeing thou knowest that we haue neede thereof and makest it profitable to our saluation and doest not shew thy selfe altogether a rigorous Iudge Moses therfore prouoketh vs thereunto by telling vs that although the people of Israel hauing beene afflicted perceiued not at the first that their sins were the cause why they were cast into farre countries and as it were rooted out of the Church and by all likelihoode vtterly reiected of God yet shoulde they at length beginne to perceiue it And therefore let vs learne to looke alwayes vnto our GOD when he scourgeth vs and if we haue forslowed to do it yet when he holdeth on still let vs then at leastwise remember him seeing that he doth still visit vs and let vs not be wilful stubborne But indeede
followe the grace of God and to receiue it and hauing accepted it to make it to preuaile To bee short the Papistes make a parting of stakes as if it lay in vs to seeke God then that it were in vs to put his grace in effect in such wise as it should not be vnprofitable and that there is also a certaine agreement betweene God and man so as God for his part doth one peece and we doe the other yea and the principall part But the meaning of Moses is nothing so For he sheweth not what belongeth to man as in comparison and in respect of God But it is the common fashion of the holy scripture first to shew vs what is our dutie and then to adde that although we be not able to resort vnto God when he calleth vs yet we must not be faintharted at y e feeling of our weaknesse but rather resort vnto him that is able to helpe it according as he hath promised to do it Let vs marke wel then that when holy Scripture speaketh of that which men doe owe vnto God wee must not in that case stand scanning of our owne power and ability for we shall not faile to be euermore detters as we haue said and yet we must note also that the vnabilitie which is in vs proceedeth of our fault Yet notwithstanding the Papists alleage that it were a crueltie in God to require of vs to do more than we can It seemeth indeed that God ought to be contented if a man doe what he can Now then if we cannot haue a good desire 2. Cor. 3.5 and if we haue yet lesse power that we caÌ„not so much as think a good thought wherfore doth God constraine vs to loue him perfectly There seemeth to be no vpright dealing in y t. But we must repaire to our originall sinne which hindereth vs so as we serue not God no nor haue not the will to serue him Indeede God hath imprinted a will in vs by nature Rom. 1.20 and for as much as we are meÌ„ we haue a discretion to discerne good and euill whereby we be inexcusable and when we sin it commeth not of compulsioÌ„ neither are we forced by other meanes but it proceedeth of our own will and inclination But now let vs see whether our wil can bend it selfe both the waies and is able to chuse either good or euill No. For we be captiues vnder sinne Rom. 6.17 7.14 and whence coÌ„meth this captiuitie and bondage From the offence of Adam Seeing therefore that the euill is in our selues wee must not seeke for fonde and vnprofitable excuses for we shall win nothing thereby but let vs stoope and condemn our selues If God therfore require aught of vs he doth vs no wroÌ„g and yet notwithstanding men may not reply that they be feeble and weake for the euill shall euermore be imputed vnto them they shal be found guiltie thereof But now let vs come back to the matter which we haue touched The holy scripture setteth before vs the lawe of God as y e thing which we ought to follow and that is our rule We for our part doe draw cleane contrary Whereto then serueth the law of God so long as it is but a dead letter that is to say so long as we haue but our eares beaten therewith or so long as it is written but in paper parchment or in stones as this was as it is in deede so long as it is but preached vnto vs It serueth but to our condemnation so as we be there conuicted and can no more pleade ignorance but rather shew our selues open rebels in that we bow not downe our neckes to receiue the yoke which God hath ordained for vs. That is the cause why the lawe of God vnder Moses did bring nothing but wrath Therefore he saith y t it doth augment sinne Rom. 4.15 Rom. 5.2 2. Cor. 3.7 and consequently that it is vnto vs the messenger of death So then let vs marke well that whereas God teacheth vs what wee ought to doe albeit y t the same doctrine ought of it selfe to serue vs to saluation yet neuerthelesse it bringeth vs nothing but condemnation euen bicause of our sin Such is the falling out of it but howsoeuer y e case stand yet must the law of God alwaies condeÌ„ne vs. Now after that God hath conuicted men beaten downe their pride to the intent they should not presume of themselues he addeth the promise and saith Go to It is true y t your hearts be incircumcised it is certaine y t you haue blind motions and that you be corrupted in all your nature but I will change your heartes I will renue your mindes I will reforme you to my selfe whereas heretofore you haue been rebellious against me there hath bin nothing in you but malice henceforth there shal be a readines to obey my lawe God giueth that very promise Whereby hee sheweth that whatsoeuer hee commaunded vs afore our doing thereof shal be by his only power not in any part by our own In this case it is not for vs to father the cheefe part vppon our owne free will no nor the one halfe neither for God must haue all the prayse without exception and that whatsoeuer we doe doe proceede of his woorking of it in vs and of his reforming of our wittes and of his changing of vs. And for that cause the holy Scripture sayth 2. Cor. 5.17 that we be made newe creatures When it sayth so doth it meane that men were â—arst good No but that GOD doeth reforme them And in deede if it were in vs to amende our soules and to renewe them wee shoulde doe more than GOD doeth GOD hath created our bodyes and also our soules but yet notwithstanding what bring wee from our mothers wombe but all maner of cursednesse For as I haue sayde wee bee infected with originall sinne Thus doeth GOD make vs mortall men yea but in the meane whyle there is this mischeefe namely that wee bee aliened from him and from all goodnesse Nowe if men were able to deliuer themselues out of the curse wherein they bee and could giue themselues a newe power shoulde not they then doe more than GOD hath doone Nowe then whereas Moses sayeth in this place The Lorde will circumcise thy heart to loue thy GOD with all thy hearte and with all thy soule hee sheweth thereby that if wee doe amisse as we doe indeede wee cannot haue so much as any one good motion to come vnto GOD vntill wee be altogether renewed by Gods working in vs and therefore that we must not be fainthearted Wherfore For when he hath taught vs what we ought to doe he giueth vs also the power to performe it After hee hath taught vs by the voyce of men hee teacheth vs also by his holy Spirite in our heartes and that teaching is of efficacie so as wee doe not onely knowe the good but also wee
haue a desire to followe it and to giue our selues ouer vnto it And that is the cause why hee sayeth that we bee drawen vnto him Iohn 6.44 And indeede Moses sayth not The Lorde will circumcise thyne heart to the ende that thou mayst bee able to loue him but hee sayth to the ende that thou loue him Hee sheweth that GOD doeth not onely giue vs the power to will well but also doeth throughly fashion vs to the same And that is a further point wherein the Papistes doe abuse themselues too grossely for when they speake of the grace of the holy Spirite they vnderstande that GOD in deede giueth vs the power if it seeme good to vs but yet that all the same lyeth in our discretion and that GODS woorking in vs is not in such sorte as that both our listing and our performing proceede both thereof But it is too nygardely a speaking of the grace of GOD that he should say vnto man Well I wil giue thee power that thou mayst doe well if thou wylt but I will lay the brydle on thy necke and when thou hast a good will and that of thy selfe if thou hast constancie and power to put it in execution thou mayest well doe it and I will helpe thee therein If GOD shoulde doe so what shoulde become of our saluation For can men in such frayltie as wee doe feele and amiddest so many combattes as Sathan doeth deliuer vs haue one onely firme and constant will It is impossible Moses therefore sayeth not that GOD will circumcise our heartes to the intent wee may haue power to feare him but hee putteth the thing in effect to the intent that wee shall feare him after which manner also hee speaketh by his Prophetes as well Ieremie as Ezechiel Ier. 31.33 Ezec. 36.26 Hee sayeth that hee will put his feare in our heartes Hee sayeth not that hee will giue them power And then will I make them sayeth hee to walke in my commaundementes This is it that GOD doeth attribute vnto himselfe to wit that hee will so imprint his Lawe in our heartes as wee shall haue a will agreeable vnto his and then hee will guide and gouerne vs in such sorte as wee shall ouercome all temptations and accomplish that which hee commaundeth vs. It belongeth not to vs then to challendge such prayse to our selues Thereby wee see that the Papistes deale treacherously in all the doctrine of freewill for all their whole seeking is to robbe GOD of all that euer the holy Scripture declareth to bee his and which hee reserueth to himselfe and to spoyle him of his honour vsurping it euerie man to himselfe Let vs therefore beware of this diuelish arrogancie and let vs vnderstande that Saint Paule hath not sayde without cause Phil. 2.13 That it is GOD that woorketh in vs both the wyll and the deede Saint Paule sayeth not after the manner of the Papistes that when God giueth vs the meane wee may bee able to will that which is good but hee sayeth that hee will put the will in vs. And then hee addeth that GOD in likewise doeth woorke the matter that is to say hee accomplisheth the good woorkes in vs and the whole is perfourmed sayeth hee after his owne will Therefore whereas the Papistes saye that GOD hath respect whether wee bee able to vse his grace well or no and that according as euerie man behaueth and gouerneth himselfe GOD dealeth with him thereafter Saint Paule sayeth that it proceedeth altogether of GODS good pleasure And yet it is not therefore to bee sayde that wee bee blockes of wood But let vs marke well what Saint Paul concludeth that is that wee must walke in feare and warinesse Phil. 2 1â— woorking our saluation What Is it in vs to doe it No but hee sheweth that wee bee instrumentes of GOD and that when hee giueth vs the wyll and power to perfourme it is bycause that euerie one of vs shoulde offer himselfe to doe his indeuour howbeit vnder the leading of the holy Spirit acknowledging that all of it proceedeth from aboue and Saint Paule sayeth that wee must doe it with feare and carefulnesse to the intent wee bee not vnprofitable and yet that in the meane while there bee not any drop of presumption in vs to suppose that wee haue any abilitie or power of our selues but that GOD bee honoured as hee deserueth Nowe wee see what is the naturall sense of this Text where Moses promiseth vnto the Iewes that GOD will circumcise their hearts Thereby hee sheweth that it is not ynough for men to haue the Lawe preached and to haue their eares beaten therewith and to vnderstande what their duetie is for all that will be but as a dead thing vntill the time that God doe chaunge their heartes and reforme them and woorke within them and that the affections of men and their thoughtes bee guided by the holy Ghost And by the way hee sheweth heere the vse of Circumcision which is another poynt worthie to bee marked For the fantasticall fellowes of our dayes which woulde take away the Baptisme of little children neuer vnderstoode the vse of Circumcision It seemed vnto them that it was but a temporall matter yea and a tryfling thing and that it was not spirituall for the auncient fathers in so much that the cursed heretike which was punished in this Towne mocked all the Sacramentes of the Lawe of Moses Abraham sayd hee had but a shadowe of the heauenly lyfe and albeit that hee was named the father of the faithfullâ— and it appeareth that hee did altogether stay himselfe vppon the celestiall heritage yet was hee not touched therewith neither dyd the fathers knowe GOD but worshipped an Angell which was there in a visible shape in steade of GOD. These bee the horrible Blasphemies which insue when men doe so separate the Lawe from the Gospell In deede wee haue at this day a grace which surpasseth that grace which GOD shewed to our fathers but yet must wee not so bereaue Abraham of the spirituall kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christ as to make Circumcision to bee but an earthly Sacrament Therefore let vs beare well in minde that when GOD ordayned Circumcision besides that it was a seale of the righteousnesse of fayth as Saint Paule sayeth in the fourth Chapter to the Romanes it did also shewe vnto men that they ought to bee mortifyed and renewed by regeneration to the obedience of GOD. Whereby wee may gather that Circumcision signifyed the same thing vnto the Iewes which Baptisme importeth vnto vs at this day What haue wee in Baptisme That wee bee blessed in our Lorde Iesus Christ and that whereas wee haue nothing but accursednesse by the heritage of Adam wee be sanctifyed to bee adopted into the celestiall heritage so as God by iustifying vs doeth accept them which were not earst woorthie to bee numbred amongest his creatures Againe wee haue also a similitude and a portraiture of death that wee myght
that wee haue a good will to serue him yet is there such imperfection in vs as wee bee euermore faultie before him but yet hee forbeareth vs. And therefore when these thinges be put together namely that GOD maketh vs to walke according to his Lawe and that hee doeth it to the ende that wee may lyue it is all one as if it were sayde that men bereaue and spoyle themselues of the grace of GOD bycause they are wicked and liue not as becommeth them And therefore God is fayne to redresse it and to drawe them vnto him and to reforme them and by that meane to make them to inioy all his blessings Nowe hee addeth thereunto That hee will reioyce ouer them for good as hee reioyced ouer their fathers This is a manner of speeche that importeth much In deede GOD is not subiect to our passions to reioyce after the manner of men there is no such matter in him but hee speaketh thus for that hee coulde not sufficiently expresse the loue which hee beareth to vs but by such similitudes The thing then which the holy Ghost meant is that GOD holdeth vs so deare and beareth vs such feruent loue that a father reioyceth not more when hee is able to aduaunce his childe or when he can doe him good than GOD reioyceth in vs when hee hath occasion to doe vs good as who woulde say that his afflicting and scourging of vs doeth grieue and vexe him and that hee doeth it contrarie to his inclination For hee requireth nothing but to finde vs alwayes disposed to receyue the riches which hee hath in his hande which also hee is readie to bestowe vppon vs. And therefore doeth GOD borrowe the same similitude of men For as wee haue sayde hee is not like vnto vs neyther must wee haue so fond imaginations as to thinke that hee is mooued with passions eyther one way or other but to the intent to manifest vnto vs howe much hee loueth vs hee crieth alas when he is to afflict those to whome he meaneth to doe good Isa. 42.1 Alas sayeth hee must I auenge my selfe as of myne enemyes and reioyce mee in vexing them Hee calleth them his enemyes and yet hee speaketh still of the Iewes whom hee had chosen but hee presupposeth that they made warre against him and that therefore hee was driuen to be reuenged of them howbeit hee declareth that it was to his griefe Let vs therefore learne to taste of this loue whereof the holy scripture speaketh vnto vs that we may be so rauished therewith as to desire nothing more thā to submit our selues to our God which is in deede the thing that he shooteth at Wherefore is it that God forceth himselfe to shewe vnto vs so vehement an affection It is to mollifie the hardnes of our hearts that we may be enflamed with an other maner of zeale than wee haue Will we then enioy our God Let vs giue him occasion to doe vs good let vs I say suffer him to be merciful and liberal towards vs when wee hinder not God to doe vs good hee protesteth that he is glad of it And cōtrarywise when we lay a barre in his way so as he cannot vse his gratious goodnesse towards vs in powring out his benefites vppon vs as hee for his parte is ready to doe hee sayth that we grieue his holie spirit 〈…〉 10. For after that manner speaketh the Prophet I say They haue grieued the spirite of God sayth hee Not that God is subiect to vexation of minde as I haue sayd already but it is to shewe that men are so much the more faultie and to cause them to abhorre their naughtinesse the more when they bee thus rebellious against him and cannot suffer him to doe them good Moses dooth adde moreouer Because thou shalt haue hearkened to the voyce of the Lord thy God Here hee commeth againe to the order of speaking for it is enough that hee hath tolde vs in one worde that because wee bee not able God promiseth to doe it Yet neuerthelesse hee continueth his office and as hee was the lawegiuer ordeyned of God so doeth hee require the people to walke vprightly That is the cause why hee vseth still this speech saying Because thou shalt hearken to the voyce of the Lorde thy God yea and that thy hearing shall bee to keepe that which is contained in the Lawe Heereby he meaneth to shewe vs howe wee shoulde obey God that is to say by what meane And as touching the ende wee haue seene heeretofore what it is namely that hee requireth obedience at our handes to the ende hee may haue occasion to deale with vs gently and after a fatherly manner and that hee desireth nothing but to powre out his great treasures vppon vs. It is then to our profite and saluation that wee shoulde obey him That is the ende and the meane is by hearing his voyce We must therefore beware that wee rebell not against him nor bee deafe eared when hee speaketh vnto vs except wee meane to grieue him as hee sayeth in the Psalme Bee not rebellious as your fathers were which prouoked Gods spirite euery day There God complaineth that hee was prouoked to wrath when that the people grieued him and that hee was fayne to enter into a disliking of them So then let vs holde this rule that is deliuered vnto vs whereby to enioy our GOD that hee may cause vs to prosper The meane whereof is that whilest hee speaketh vnto vs wee haue our eares attentiue to receiue his voyce And Moses doeth therewithal expresse what is the manner of hearing God well For there are a great many which bring Asses eares with them they can wel ynough say that the thinges which are spoken are true like the Asse which can well ynough nodde with his eares So it costeth them nothing to say It is all good I like well of it but yet they bee not a whit touched at their heartes nay rather wee see they despise all that is tolde them and they suppose that God is beholding vnto them when they haue not openly spoken against him nor blasphemed his doctrine But Moses requireth an other manner of hearing farre differing from this namely The performing of the thinges which are conteined in the lawe It is sayd in an other place Luke 11.28 that Iesus Christ auoweth them to bee blessed which heare the worde of GOD and keepe it And there our Lord Iesus Christ speaketh the more grosly to the intent we might be the better enformed for we forget things and we think that if we confesse the Law to be good righteous and holy wee bee then discharged But our Lorde saith that wee must first heare and then keepe And Moses ioyneth both together as in deede to heare and to keepe are thinges which ought neuer to goe a sunder Yea but yet therewithall hee giueth men a perfect rule so they yeelde to bee taught of him and they shall not neede as
go downe into the deepe For wee haue sure witnesse and such a one as cannot faile vs. Seeing that God hath spoken let vs followe it He addeth here moreouer See I haue this day set before you life and blessing death and euill Whereby hee sheweth vs that the worde of God when it is taught vs doeth carry with it such vertue and such power that we ought to holde the things which are there tolde vs to bee as certaine as if they were alreadie done in deede The worde which Moses doeth vse in saying See as if he shoulde point with his finger to make the matter visible vnto vs doeth import that wee must yeelde such reuerence to the worde of God that wee must esteeme the thinges therein conteined to 〈◊〉 as present vnto vs. And the same is to bee applied as well to the threatenings as to the promises If God doe promise vs any thing it is not for vs to cast doubts thereof and to say Yea but how may it come to passe seeing there is no likelyhood thereof Let vs sticke to that which hee telleth vs. Likewise if God doe threaten vs wee must tremble and not doe as they doe which tarie for the strokes for they be so ouertaken vnawares as they haue not the power to crie alas they be ouer raught with feare and God giueth them not the grace to returne vnto him because they coulde not finde in their hearts to doe him the honour to submit themselues vnto him at such time as he warned them a farre off that hee is their Iudge Thus are we to practise this sentence which Moses vseth in saying That when wee heare the worde of God hee will haue vs to rest altogether thereon and to settle our wittes wholly vnto it And this ought to serue vs to double purpose that when as it shall seeme vnto vs that it is but lost time in this worlde to serue God yet notwithstanding we may not surcease to obey him waiting for the blessing which hee hath promised vs and assuring our selues that wee shall not be deceiued because he is faithfull And likewise on the contrarie part when wee be tempted to doe euill in hope that we shall remaâ—â—e vnpunished let vs bee holden backe with this bridle namely that wee cannot escape the â—rath of God because hee hath declared that hee is the Iudge to doe vengeance for such thinges The faithfull therefore in ordering their life must alwayes bee fully resolued of this that in seruing of God they bee sure that hee will guide them and that their ende shal be good and happie But in the meane while the worlde shall scorne them and they shall haue many temptations to turne them away they shall see the wicked prosper they shall see them make their triumphes and on the otherside they shall all that while see themselues goe to wracke Nowe when wee bee thus tossed wee must take our stay in the worde of GOD. Seeing that God hath promised to blesse vs when wee walke according to his will we are sure that he will not abuse vs for his worde is the infallible trueth and therefore let vs sticke vnto it Againe it seemeth vnto vs that we shoulde make mountains and work wonders when we let loose the bridle to our owne lustes Let vs feare God for he telleth vs that when men haue once misbehaued themselues Gen. 4.7 their sinne abideth stil at their doore and keepeth continuall watch so as when they haue wandered hither and thither and passed their boundes neuer so farre yet they must come to reckening Seeing it is so let vs learne to bridle our selues and not to tarrie till God execute his iudgementes vppon vs but let vs rather preuent them through feare Nowe wee see to what end Moses hath declared that he set before the eies of the people both life and good death and euill verily euen to assure the Iewes thereof that they might no longer stande in doubt And wherefore For there needeth nothing to carrie vs away as wee see too much by experience For it is a verie rare thing for men to rest them vppon the promises of God steadfastly without wauering they bee blinded with the thinges of the worlde and vnlesse God doe out of hande accomplish the thing which hee hath spoken they thinke they shal be deceiued And although they dare not accuse God of vnfaithfulnes yet can they not find in their hearts to doe him the honour to thinke him to be true Againe although God threaten vs yet are we so dulheaded y â— euery of vs perswadeth himselfe y t he shal go vnpunished and scape scotfree Seeing then y t there is such lightnes in vs that we bee so wauering we ought so much the more to put the lesson in practise which is set downe heere Now as touching life and good it is asmuch as if he should say all manner of happinesse and likewise by death and euill is ment all maner of wretchednes Indeede this present life is not the full measure or perfection of the blessings which God hath promised vs. It is no more but a certaine tast of them Death also is but a little token of Gods wrath The state of the life to come is the perfection both of weale and woe But Moses speaking vnto the people that were yet holden vnder the figures and shadowes of the lawe did name life and thereunto added this worde blessing to signifie that the people by seruing of God shoulde bee blessed euen in all manner of felicitie and contrarywise that they must of necessitie looke for all manner of wretchednesse if they did fall away froÌ„ the seruice of God For the better confirmation hereof hee saieth This day I commaunde thee to loue the Lorde thy God and to keepe his commaundements and to cleaue vnto him that thou maiest come to possesse the Lande which hee hath promised to thy fathers Heere is a confirmation to holde the people conuicted that they might haue no occasion to reply any more but be compelled to confesse that the Lawe of God serued to call them to saluation if so bee they had obeyed him And contrariwise that it shoulde bee vnto them a good Testimonie of their condemnation so as they coulde not pretende any excuse seeing they were so well instructed and yet continued hardhearted and stubborne still Moses sheweth this by the stubstance that is contained in this doctrine What is it saieth hee that I haue inioyned thee It is that thou shouldest loue the Lorde thy God Hath not nature left this marke imprinted in our heartes namely that wee bee created euen to this ende to loue our God Wherfore are we in this world Wherfore doth God keepe vs heere Is it not reason that he should haue some homage of vs and that forsomuch as wee be his creatures wee shoulde haue an eye vnto him he bee the scope of our life If it be not so what order will there be Wee
certaine that euerie of vs woulde followe this Principle and the seede which is in vs namely That forasmuch as there is but one God therefore we ought to worshippe and serue him Let men bee as wicked as they list and let them striue as much as they can to extinguish al manner of light that they may haue no more reason in them as we see many doe whose whole delight and indeuour is to make themselues verie beastes yet doeth this remaine still engrauen in them That there is a God which ought to be serued What shall become of vs then if we seeke him not as we ought to doe Againe see we not the worlde howe it is so farre out of course that there is nothing but confusion throughout all and that thereuppon euery man goeth astray Whereof commeth it say I that we bee so witlesse as to follow the wicked trade of other men and yet bee compelled to condemne the same Euen of this that wee turne away our heartes backe that is to say that euerie of vs wrappeth himselfe in wilfull blindnesse and euery of vs setteth himselfe backe notwithstanding that we haue beene taught the contrarie For albeit that it is true without exception that all they which turne away from the truth doe it of a certaine wickednesse ye◠notwithstanding we bee double folde the lesse excusable when wee haue bin taught by the word so as God hath shewed himselfe vnto vs familiarly Therefore when we heare this saying of Moses wee must apply it to our vse For we see how our Lorde hath shewed vs the way of saluation by his Gospel wee see how he continueth it still from day to day what will become of vs then if wee stray away Wee shall not bee as the Turkes or as the verie Papistes but it shal be vpbraided vs that wee haue turned our heartes backe and that where as God had set vs in the good way and reached vs his hande to guide vs wee haue beene frowarde and woulde not hearken to the thinges which hee tolde vs and that all this wee haue done of wilfull malice Yea and Moses addeth yet an other worde saying If thou bee driuen to serue straunge Gods He sheweth that men be driuen with a certaine furie or frentikenesse when they cannot finde in their heartes to submit themselues to God to bee wunne vnto him by his worde Needes then must there bee a dreadfull rage in this case and that Sathan worketh after a horrible manner when men bee so farre out of order Wee haue seene in the fourth Chapter Deut. 4.19 howe hee saide Looke well to thy selfe that in beholding the sunne and the stars thou be not compelled to worshippe them and to make them ydols There Moses sheweth that men woulde neuer runne out to ydolatrie vnlesse they had some outrageous prouocation within them to driue them thereunto as if they were out of their wittes For were men well aduised setled in their wits as they ought to bee they woulde certainly come to their God And therefore wee bee double guiltie when hauing turned away from our GOD and drawen backe our heartes through wilfull malice and stubbornenesse ouer and besides that wee haue beene caried with such a raging moode as wee cannot bee tamed neither can any repentance take place in vs neither will wee bee ruled by reason but we behaue ourselues like folk that are straught or rather starke madde And hereby wee ought to take warning to mistrust all our affections and to bridle and imprison all our wittes seeing wee bee so lightly withdrawen from God and turned away to become backeslyders If men giue themselues libertie what followeth but that their heart will quickely bee turned backewarde When wee shoulde walke vprightly wee make it difficult to goe one step but if it come to backeslyding wee flitte away like water there is nothing in vs but slippernesse Therefore must wee holde our selues as captiues knowing well that if wee haue neuer so little libertie wee bee straight way gone quite from our God Moreouer when men doe so beleeue their passions they must needes become like madde beastes neither reason nor equitie may beare sway there is no more vnderstanding in them and to bee short they are become brutish of their owne accorde Seeing wee bee warned of these thinges let vs learne so to fight against all manner of excessiue lustes and against all the appetites that boyle within vs as GOD may gouerne vs quietly and wee bee readie to follow which way soeuer he calleth vs. Now after that Moses hath spoken so he addeth that albeit that the people haue passed Iordan and become to the possession of the land yet they shal not enioy it for euer Here our Lorde declareth vnto vs y t if he beare with vs for a time wee may not thereupon fall asleepe nor perswade our selues that wee bee at peace with him as the hypocrites do who vnlesse they be pinched with miserie and that God doe pursue them roughly doe alwayes make their market after their owne deuise Well say they God must needes loue mee for I am at myne case and thereupon they flatter themselues And whereas they do but mocke God they thinke that hee seeth it not a whit To bee short the blessinges that God bestoweth on them they turne as it were to a shrowding sheete of purpose to keepe God from espying any whit of their life And thus they bleare their owne eyes make them selues pastime good cheare as though they shold neuer come to reckoning And that is too common a fault Now Moses sayth vnto them here Albeit your God doe at this present time bring you into the lande which hee promised you and that you passe ouer Iordan where God will shewe his power euen in drying vp y e Iordan as hee did in drying vp the read sea where your enimies were vanquished put to y e foyle insomuch that when you were like to haue bin stopped from entring into your inheritance yet notwithstanding al those lettes were ouercome For as much therfore as you see such fauour of God beware that you sleepe not in the meane whyle but walke in his feare for he can as well driue you out of that land as he doeth at this present bring you into it To be short whensoeuer we haue receiued any fauour at Gods hand we be exhorted to vse it in such wise as y e same may be an occasion vnto vs to serue him so as wee conceiue courage to yeeld ouer our selues to his obedience for least we be bereft therof againe either early or late for playing the wylde beastes for dealing stubbornly after that God hath made vs fatte 〈◊〉 32.15 according as wee shall see in the song of Moses Moses hauing spoken so vseth a greater vehemencie saying This day I call heauen and earth to witnesse that I haue set before thee life and death blessing and cursing The same in effect was spoken afore
himselfe so liberall that hee gaue them euē more than needed Now after as God dealeth largely vnto vs so must wee inlarge our harts to serue him that we may be fully fraught with loue towardes him For all the benefites which we receiue of him must kindle our hearts to goe vnto him We haue in them a tast of his goodnesse to draw vs vnto him Now then if wee make not Gods gracious gifts auailable to vs so as we loue him for them and bee rauished with desire to come vnto him it is certaine that wee must yeelde a sorrowfull account for it For wee vnhallow them and abuse them too shamefully and thereby God looseth the things which hee had bestowed vpon vs as his children because it is not his meaning that they should haue beene cast away as vpon dogges For this cause Moses aggrauateth heere the malice of the people in that he saieth that after God had shewed himselfe so liberall foorthwith they became fatte and being become thicke fat and as is were so brawned that they were readie to burst with greace they fell immediatly to defie the God which had made them and to mocke as the strength of their welfare Here wee be taught to call our selues daily to account for the benefits which God hath bestowed vppon vs. Wherefore let vs beware that we deuour not the benefites which wee haue of God forgetting them and the giuer of them Nay let vs make them all as notes of rememberance to put vs in mind how much we be bound and indebted vnto him True it is that wee can neuer bring that to passe according whereto it is saide in the Psalme 〈…〉 6. that if men imploy themselues neuer so much to the considering of Gods gracious gifts they shall finde themselues graueled for they be mo than the hayres of our heads Yet notwithstanding it behoueth vs to doe our indeuour to magnifie our God considering how greatly wee be bounde vnto him and howe many wayes hee maketh vs to feele his goodnes That is our true studie that is y e thing wherein we must exercise our selues all the time of our life And the chiefe sacrifice that God requireth of vs is thanksgiuing which is when we honour him with the things that we haue receiued of him according to this saying of the hundred and sixteenth Psalme 〈…〉 11. What shall I yeeld vnto the Lorde for all the good which hee hath done vnto mee I will take the cup of saluation and call vpon his name So then let this text bea warning and incouragement to vs to consider better of our Gods benefites that wee may fare the better by them That is one point And moreouer when wee once knowe that God hath bounde vs vnto him and dayly bindeth vs in hauing a care to sustaine these our mortall bodies which are but carions dung the which neuerthelesse he feedeth with bread let the consideration thereof make vs to mount vp higher Ioh. 4.14 6.35 and to bethinke vs howe we be daylie fedde with the grace of his spirite and refreshed with the liuing waters which wee haue of him yea and that we be fedde with our Lord Iesus Christ himselfe who is the heauenly breade that feedeth our soules Let vs consider these things and learne therby to giue ourselues wholly to our God who sheweth himself so bountifull and liberall a father towards vs. If we do not so we haue here a horrible condemnation For as I haue said to the intent to set out the mischiefe so much the more to the full in that men dischargo not their duetie to Godwarde being so preuented by his drawing of them vnto him Moses putteth heere as it were into a paire of scales on the one side Gods benefits and on the otherside the peoples forgetfulnes negligence vnthankfulnes And this is the thing that in effect wee haue to remember out of this place Now it behoueth vs to marke well the thing that is rehearsed heere by Moses namely that the Rightfull was growen fatte His attributing of that title to the people of Israel is to signifie whereto they were called of God for this comprehendeth the principall end of our calling Gods adopting of vs to bee his children is to the ende wee shoulde liue righteously The Iewes are called a froward and crooked generation Matt. 16.4 Such then are the vnbeleeuers vntill our Lorde Iesus Christ haue brought them home to himselfe On the contrarie part when God calleth vs to be of his flocke or housholde then he reformeth vs and he will haue vs to holde the way of saluation as he sheweth it vnto vs. And such ought the children of Israel to haue beene seeing that God had chosen them But what It is said that after the rightfull or righteous was waxen fatte he fell to kicking against his master Now if this bee saide nowadayes it will bee double to our shame for if our Lordes speaking of righteousnesse or vprightnesse be to shewe y t those whom he had sanctified defiled themselues and that those whom he had brought into the right way were gone astray it is to condemne them the more grieuously Therefore it ought to make vs the more ashamed whē God shal say What are yee For I haue adopted you to be my children and what a lookingglasse and patterne haue you in me Ye ought to resēble your father ye knowe my goodnes and my iustice and yet are you as crooked as serpents Must we not needs be confounded with double shame when God vpbraideth vs after that sort So then let vs learne to what purpose God hath ordained vs in vouchsafing vs the grace to gather vs vnto him Let vs follow the vprightnes which he cōmandeth vs let vs not swarue aside from in Moreouer let vs beware y t fatnesse blind vs not and so mar vs least when we haue beene full fedde for a time we growe frowarde through Gods vsing of his liberalitie towards vs. And y t is a very needefull point For when God sheweth himselfe so liberal and feedeth vs with abundance of all things his so doing is to make vs to perceiue his goodnesse the better Therefore it ought to inflame vs the more seeing that our Lorde handleth vs gently as though wee were his tender babes as he himselfe termeth vs. But wee see on the contrarie part that if God deale bountifully with vs wee play the stubborne and vnruly horses As a horse that is ouerpampered in the stable wil not be ruled but fals to kicking and becomes so lustie as if he were wilde euen so is it with vs also such is our nature And are wee to bee excused when we shall haue abused Gods gifts after that fashion If it be demaunded what maketh men proude what maketh men become wilde beasts so as they cannot away with any yoke but are feerce and hardharted and cannot afterward away with good instruction and warning but are madde against God
sayeth generally that GOD calleth the thinges which are not Rom. 4.17 1. Cor. 1.28 as though they were Ye see then howe our first being is when GOD calleth vs to the knowledge of his trueth according whereunto Saint Paul sayth in an other place 1. Cor. 1.30 y t our being is of God in Iesus Christ insomuch that we haue nothing at all before that time because there is nothing in vs but corruption Seeing the case standeth so men can not looke for any thing but eternal death vntil God haue reached them his hand and gathered thē home to himselfe That is the thing which we haue to remember in this text where it is sayde that God would prouoke the Iewes to ielozie by a people which were no people Furthermore let vs marke that whereas we haue beeing at this day that is to say whereas God hath aduaunced vs according also as hee sayth by his prophet Esay I haue brought vppe children and aduaunced them forasmuch as God dealeth so graciously with vs as to put vs in the place of them that were his naturall children euen vs which were as children borne out of time let vs assure our selues that if wee prouoke God to wrath and make him as it were iealous he will surely rayse vp other Nations in our steede according to this saying of our Lord Iesus Christ to the Iewes The kingdome of God shall be taken from you This threat is spoken to vs nowadays For as sayth saint Paul if God haue not spared the naturall braunches of the oliue but haue cut them quite and cleane off and cast them into the fire how shall hee spare the wilde ones What shoulde wee haue who were barreine by nature Could wee say we were the children of Abraham and that God had adopted vs at the first No. For as long as the doctrine of saluation was among the Iewes our forefathers were as rotten members they had no hope of saluation they were without GOD in this worlde as sayeth Saint Paul But nowe wee bee come to the heauenly kingdome Because the Iewes are departed from it through their owne vnthankefulnesse and fallen from the degree wherein they were GOD hath aduaunced vs to it euen against nature And thinke wee then that if wee become like those which were our superiours in dignitie GOD will not in the ende powre out the like vengeaunce vpon vs as wee haue seene vppon them Yes and therefore let the Iewes bee a lookingglasse for vs to make vs behaue ourselues humbly that we abuse not the grace of GOD. True it is that wee must be assured that GOD will holde out to the ende in the thinges which he hath begonne for our welfare specially if we on our side be not so malicious as to disappoint his grace But if we followe those which haue gone before vs let vs not thinke to speede better than they haue done Thus yee see what wee haue to beare away in this Text where it is sayde that God will prouoke his people to iealozie by such as were not a people aforetimes And Moses sayeth That they shall be a foolishe Nation And it behoueth vs yet againe to marke this well For we imagine ourselues to be verie wise and that is the thing which plucketh vs backe from submitting ourselues obediently vnto GOD and disappointeth vs of the modestie to embrace by faith whatsoeuer is propounded to vs in his name But heere the holy Ghost bewrayeth vs what we be to witte that there is nothing in vs but starke folly vntill GOD haue inlightened vs. What must bee our wisedome then Euen that which we learne in Gods schoole Heereby all selfe weening is beaten downe that menne should not imagine themselues to be of sufficient abilitie to gouerne themselues nor despise the doctrine of GOD but yeelde themselues teachable thereunto And herewithall let vs marke also that generally God ment to bereaue men of all glorie in that he sayth that they be not at all and that they be but fooles that is to say that there is nothing in thē but reprochfulnesse And hee addeth foorthwith that his wrath shall be kindled and that it shall enter vnto the bottomlesse pittes and consume the Lande with her fruites yea euen to rootes of the Mountaines Heere Moses ment breefly to touch those yet better and neerer to the quicke which were so bedoted that they could not come to the knowledge of their sinnes And he not onely spake to y t people whom he knewe to be stubborne and stiffenecked Exod. 34.9 but also through the power of Gods spirite he prophecied of those that were to come As for Moses he knewe them not to outwarde appearance but GOD who knoweth what men are gaue his sentence vppon them aforehande And forasmuch as hee seeth them so blockish he handleth them in their kinde saying Goe too I see you be not greatly moued at my threatning and that ye proceede from euill to worse but I tell you that my wrath will bee no light fardle to beare as though I gaue you but a yerke with my rodde by the way What then It is a fire that burneth vp all afore it as we haue seene heeretofore in the fourth chapter Deut. 4.24 where it is sayde Knowe thou O Israel that thy God is a consuming fire This was expresly spoken for the hardenesse of the peoples hearts For it is certeine that God is desirous to shewe himselfe louing towardes vs conditionally that we come vnto him with all meekenesse and be readie to followe his voyce taking him for our sheepehearde and behauing ourselues towardes him as his sheepe If wee doe so then will not God fray vs nor shewe himselfe terrible to vs. But if he see vs play the wilde beastes so as wee can not by any meanes be tamed then is hee faine to vse rigour according to this saying of his in the eighteenth Psalme Psal. 18.17 that hee will bee harde to such as are harde and that if men shew themselues vnreformable hee also will come roughly against them and they shall finde nothing in him but vtter terrour and dreadfulnesse After the same manner is it in this text where he sayeth My wrath shal be as a burning fire Yea and thinke not sayth he that I will burne but the chaffe and the strawe for I will burne vp the verie grounde there is not so hard a mountaine but it shall melt before me yea euen to the verie bottome and there shall not be so deepe a pitte but I will go to the verie bottome thereof Now we see what the purpose or intent of Moses was in this place And heereby let vs take warning not to tempt God accordingly as the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes applyeth the forealleaged text to the same purpose My friends sayeth he knowe ye that God is a consuming fire Hebr. 12.18 and therefore let vs liue in his feare not tempt him as
no longer as stray cattell not knowing him that made vs and fashioned vs nor yet knowing our selues neither And therefore let vs learne to receiue Gods word with all simplicitie not doubt but that there he commeth so familiarly vnto vs as we cannot say y t we need make long iourneyes or that the things are too profound and darke for vs. For our Lord doth as ye would say chawe our morsels aforehand to vs because of the rudenesse which he seeth in vs. And so he handleth vs lyke little babes to the intent we may the easilier swallow down the foode which he giueth vs. Thus ye may see I say howe that when we haue Gods woord preached vnto vs wee must not doe as the Papistes doe which say Oh sir this is to high for me this geere is not for plaine folkes this is to be reserued for the clergie But let vs assure our selues that God speaketh both to great and small and dalyeth not with vs when hee calleth vs to him by his word but will haue vs to vnderstand it Then is it not long of any but ourselues if when his word is preached vnto vs we be not dewly instructed in the things that are requisite for our saluation True it is that we must not steppe to it with presumption trusting in our own wisedome but we must desire God to inlighten vs and that as his voyce soundeth in our eares so also he speake to our heartes by his holy spirite Let vs humble our selues accordingly as we know how it is said that God vttereth his wil to such as are little and lowely Psal. 19.9 If we go to it after that maner let vs not doubt but our Lord will make the things auaileable which are set downe to vs in his name and giue vs accesse vnto him both familiar and easie ynough Therefore let vs marke well this word End whereof Moses speaketh heere and let vs consider whereunto God calleth vs. True it is that he maketh vs promises euen of this present life so as wee ought to assure our selues that God will not fayle vs in this world insomuch that although he will haue vs exercised with many miseries and vexed with diuers temptations yet notwithstanding he sayth he will hold vs vp with his mightie hand so as we shall neuer bee destitute of his helpe at our neede But yet the cheefe point is to consider the heritage which is reserued for vs in heauen so as we tend thitherward and set all our affections thereuppon without intangling ourselues so in these base things that wee cannot haue our heartes alwayes vpwarde and that for as much as our happinesse and treasure is aboue Matt. 6.20 wee bee not held downe in this worlde wherein all things are brittle and transitorie After that maner ought wee to consider the worde End whereof Moses speaketh here For whosoeuer they bee that seeke their happynesse heere beneath surely they differ nothing at all from Oxen and Asses but rather their state is yet much woorse For the beastes go on still and are not troubled with the great number of lustes wherewith men are troubled There is no ambition to be seene in them there is no Couetousnesse there is none of all the other lustes If they be a thirst they drink if they be a hungred they eate But men desire not onely to eate and drinke but also to glut themselues and to follow all maner of excesse Ye see then howe a man is more wretched than a beast in that he is so caried away by his vnruly affections Sith the case standeth so let vs tend to the end which god setteth downe vnto vs and let vs vnderstand that God doth so make vs to taste of his goodnesse in this earthly pilgrimage y t he wil haue vs to be filled therwith aboue but onely to passe through this world or to dwell in it as soiourners and in the meane while not ceasse to be ioyned and vnited to our Lord Iesus Christ knowing that he is our head and the fountaine of all good things and that all our ioy contentation rest and glory doe lye and consist in him and on the contrary part that if God punish vs not at the first for our offences we must not therfore fall asleepe in thē nor take occasion thereby to flatter our selues And why If we liue so from day to day without looking any further must it not needes be y t we be starke blocks True it is that the faithfull are not vexed with ouergreat carefulnes Psal. 37.5 145.18 For why They cast themselues as it were into Gods lap as they be incouraged to do in the psalm Then shal we not be vexed w t vnquietnes as they be which haue no trust in god For when we cal vpon god he is neere at hand and we must not make long discourses in that behalfe as the worldlings doe who stand scanning of that which is to come a hundred yeres after their death Yet notwithstāding we must not be so wedded to y e things which we see before our eyes that we shold not alwaies looke further off But lyke as the promises of the heauenly lyfe ought to lift vs vp aboue the world so ought Gods threatenings to quicken vs vp to walke in his feare by rebuking vs for our sinnes when wee haue done amisse and by calling vs dayly to account accordingly as it is sayde Heb 11.7 that by faith Noe beheld the floud when other men made great cheere and feasting So then let vs learne to haue an eye to our end that is to say when we haue offended God let vs not fall asleepe vpon it neither let vs foster our vices from morrow to morrow till we be growne hardhearted through vnreformable stubbornnesse but although God beare with vs and vse patience in winking at vs for a time yet let not vs forbeare to bethinke vs of his threatenings and to waken our selues that we may repent and aske forgiuenesse and turne vnto him with true amendment Ye see then that the true wisedome is that men should not be tyed to the present thinges but to lift vp their heartes and mindes to the things that are inuisible accordingly as it is said that faith is a mirrour of the things that are not seene 〈◊〉 11.1 and the ground of the thinges which are absent or farre from vs. Although then that our happinesse appeare not at the first and it seeme that for all our seruing of God yet we be miserable by reason whereof the vnbeleeuers floute vs and set their feete as it were vpon our throats so as we be persecuted by them yet notwithstanding let vs not ceasse to conclude that hauing once put our trust in God we shal not be disappointed For why The end of it wil be good and therfore let vs tary patiently til God deliuer vs from the afflictions and miseries wherin we be at this day Let vs therfore
Patriarke And soothly it is a great honor that a detestable villaine hauing broken the whole order of nature yea and committed aduowtrie with his own fathers wife did yet for all y t liue still vpon the earth But God maketh him a Patriark in his Church he wil haue his name holy his posteritie holy Lo here a wōderful mercifulnes of God Yet must he be faine to humble himselfe haue his fault knowen y t hee may no more flatter himselfe That is the cause why Iacob speaketh so roughly and as ye would say thundereth against him being his eldest sonne as I sayd afore Now the comfort which Moses setteth downe here may seeme straunge as why he should say Let Ruben liue and not dye It was to the end that the tribe of Rubē that is to say the people which came of him for there were at that time a great number of heades of howses as it were about a fiftie thowsand men should thinke with thēselues we bee after a sort cut off frō gods house For inasmuch as our father was after a sort banished bereft of his byrthright and wee be succeeded in his place what is our inheritance now but vtter infamie Thus ye see how y e Rubenites that is to say the people y t came of Rubens line might haue bin ashamed if they had not bin vpheld by putting their trust in God to serue him with a pure and freehearted affection or if their heartes had failed them so as they had not still imbraced the promise of saluation which had bin made vnto them and knowen themselues to be the children of Abraham a linage which God had accepted and separated from the rest of the world It behoued the Rubenites to haue that And for that cause it is sayd Let Rubē liue not dye as if Moses had sayd true it is y t Rubē deserued to haue his lyfe thrust downe to the bottom of hell but yet shall he liue for his fault is forgiuen and God hath giuen him lyfe that not such a common lyfe as all the sonnes of Adam haue but Ruben shal liue in the Church of God he shall haue place among the Patriarkes the people which shall come of him shall be a member of Gods Church and of the number of those people whom he hath chosen and sanctifyed Thus then wee see now the meaning of Moses And here we be taught that it ought to suffice vs when our Lord taketh vs to mercie to reserue vs to be of his people When we haue offended him so as we deserue to be cast off to be vtterly disclaymed at his hand it ought well to suffice vs if wee may but haue a place still in his Church be taken admitted for his childrē Moreouer if we be chastized for our faults let vs take it in good worth beare it patiently let vs not doe as they doe which grudge grinde their teeth when God chastizeth thē think they haue great wrong if they be not dādled when they haue more neede to be handled roughly Let vs then beare all y e temporal correctiōs which God sendeth vs with such mildnes meeknes as it may suffise vs to be cōforted in y t he dooth not rase vs out of the register of lyfe but are accounted still among his childrē Doth God then smite some with sicknesse some with pouertie and some after some other sortes so as they pine away in this world wote not where to become Well let all this bee easie for vs to beare so long as we haue stil wherwith to sweeten our sorrowe that is when God sheweth vs y t notwithstanding our imperfections miseries yet he ceaseth not to be our father still So long as we haue that let vs ouergoe all the temptations in the world Well I must bee heare as a wretched creature skorned an outcast of the world shamed despised I shall see no end nor measure of miseries but what for all this Yet is it enough for me so I bee auowed for the childe of God Thus ye see what we haue to gather vppon this place when God doth continually put vs in minde of our desertes and toucheth vs with thē maketh vs to feele them by proofe and experience For whereas he sayth Let Ruben liue and not dye it is to shewe them what he were worthie of that it was needefull in deede that God should haue pitie vppon him insomuch y t if he had listed to haue vsed rigor hee deserued to haue bin vtterly rooted out That then is the first poynt which wee haue to remember vppon this place Moses addeth let his people be fewe in nūber In deede a man might here repeate the former saying thus let him not dy let not his people be few in number But that were constrained forced The naturall sense then is that the Rubenites should be small in number not that they shoulde not be a great multitude of folke for as I tolde you afore they were fiue and fortie Thowsand men besides women children and that is an incredible multitude to come of oneman alone But Moses meaneth small in number because Ruben all his ofpring which ought to haue had preheminence ouer all the children of Abraham was basely slenderly esteemed and placed in a very lowe degree Therefore it is all one as if he had sayd Although Ruben be not restored to his honor but dooth still beare the marke of his reproch and is faine to holde himselfe among the common aray of the children of Israel and to be subiect to his brother Iuda to yeelde reuerence to him as to his superior yet notwithstanding let him liue To be shorte Moses confirmeth that which I haue declared already that is to wit that although Rubē was put from his byrthright because of his wicked doinges and so became vnworthy of the honor which had bin done vnto him yet notwithstanding his linage ought not therefore to bee dismaid but rather take comfort in that God held them still in the number of his people And although they be not Capteines ne haue y e kingdome in their trybe yet ought they not therefore to fret repine but rather to abide in their degree to be glad that they haue God still to their father to set their whole felicitie joy there in the meane season to beare the correction patiently which God sendeth them as a medicine and to make their benefite thereof And moreouer they ought not to bee out of hope as though God had disclaymed them but assure themselues that they were still reteyned for the linage of Abraham which was blessed had the promise of euerlasting saluation Immediatly after hee setteth downe concerning Iuda Let it be thus vnto Iuda saith he And he saith Lord heare the voyce of Iuda Moses magnifieth not the tribe of Iuda so greatly heere as he did in
a all A commendable and well ordered Moorning for the death of good and honest men 1242. a 60. b 10 Moorning for the dead must be moderated and done with measure 1242. b 10.20 In Moorning for the dead that were our friendes we must not fal into despaire as howe 1242. b all Mother Why the Church is generally called by the name of Mother 883. a 20 Of children that refuse to obey their Mother and that rule ouer them belongeth vnto her likewise 755. a 50.60 Mothers Against Mothers that haue no care for their children 775. b 30.40 Looke Parentes Mortification Of Mortification which is the perfection of our life 443. a all Of the sacrifice of Mortification and howe wee should present ourselues therewith before God 820. b 40.50 Touching the Mortification of our affections lustes and vices Reade page 731. a 30.40 c. b 60. 732. a 10. 747. a 10 Moses Whether Moses saw God in his glorie or no. 255. a 60. b 10. he was buried in Nebo and that God buried him 1237. a 40. 1180. a 10. he prepareth himselfe to die according to Gods will 1236. a 10. he was not buried after the common fashion and why 1237. b 10. Why his face was couered with a veile 1200. a 50. 403. b 20.30.40 after what sort hee was glorified and of the shining of his face 1188. a 10. 1237. b 50.60 his blessinges vpon the twelue tribes seuerally expounded in the sermons 192.193.194.195.196.197 in what respect hee was called the man of God 1185. b 10. it is not meant that he was a king in Israell as some gather by the text in whose time no king was in Israell 1192. a 20. hee was of the tribe of Leui and howe he dealt with that tribe 1199. a 40. Of him and Aaron and of Gods punishing of them 1178. all 1179. all what was the cause that he set all his minde vpon the good mountaine c. 103. a 10.20 of his meekenesse and the excesse of his affections c. 97. b 40.50 howe he should offende seeing it appeareth not in the whole storie 49. a 10.20.30.40.50.60 Iethro an heathen man was his father 13. a 20. the singlenesse of his heart in discharging his office 5. a 60. b 10. his authoritie in publishing the lawe and what those hornes which men attribute vnto him were 1. b 30. 2. a 10. he behaued himselfe louinglie and rigorously to the Israelites reade the place howe 144. a 30.40.50 he testifieth his fault why he was excluded out of the lande of Chanaan and what he teacheth vs in that behalfe 1073. b 30.40.50.60 1074. a 10. 1183. a 10. no prophet in Israel like him and why God did so magnifie him 5. a 20.30 1246. b 30.40.50.60 1247. al 258. b 10.20 1198. b all 1246. b 30.40 1247. a all 266. a 20.30 389. a 40.50 he is moorned for of all the people of Israell and what wee haue to note in that 1241. b 50.60 the cause why his life was so prolonged 1241. a 40.50 his age and diuerse thinges notable in him 1241. a 30.40 c. 98. a 10.20 1073. b 20. a forme of speech wherby he might seme not the mildest but the roughest man aliue 1101. a 10.20 God telleth him that hee must die and what wee haue to learne thereby 1088. b 10. c. why his graue is vnknowen to this day and what wee haue to note thereupon 1240. a 20.30.40 1237. b 10.20.30 1184. a 60. hee beareth Gods banishing of him out of the lande of promise patiently and of his fault 1236. a 10. b all 1182. b 30.40.50.60 1183. a 10. he sawe the lande of promise but was shut out of it and why 1073. a 40.50 1235. b 50.60 1179. all 1181. b 30.40 the great care that he had for the peoples welfare 142. b 30.40.50 he is disgraded from his office and Iosua set in his roome 197. a 40. Notwithstanding his age of sixe score yeeres yet did his senses continue in their full strength 106. a 30. he obteined speciall fauor in Gods sight aboue all other and why 105. b 30. though hee were bereft of the lande of promise yet was that no impeachment to his saluation 104. b 20 Mouth The meaning of these wordes Man is nourished by euerie worde that coÌ„meth out of the Mouth of God 351. b 30.40.50.60 352. a all In the gospel we haue the Mouth of god open most of all 32. b 40 In what sort we must pray to God with our Mouth 362. b 10.20.30 What is meant by yeelding to Gods Mouth 32. b 20.30 33. a 10 20. 52 b 40. 1237. a 50 Of hauing the worde of God alwaies in our Mouth Reade all the 176 sermon where Moseses song is treated of and in the sermon going before being the 175. How the Iewes were disobedient to the Mouth of God 55. b 60. Looke Worde of God Mount Why Mount Horeb ought to haue beene sanctified and acknowledged holie 387. b 10 Why Moses and Helias did appeare at the transfiguring of Christ vpon the Mount 390. a 10 Why God choose Mount Sion for his dwelling place 1210. b 50 Moses is tolde of God that he shall die vpon Mount Nebo 1180. a 10 The situation of Mount Pharan mount Seir and mount Sinay 1186. b 10. Looke Hill Multitude Doctrine to be gathered vppon these wordes God spake to the whole Multitude 248. a 10.40.50.60 b 10 20.30 40 Two preferred before a whole Multitude of seuen hundred thousande 47. a â—0 When and in what cases we must let the greater Multitude of men alone 31. b 10.20 To be carried away with the Multitude is no good excuse for vs before God 31. b 40 Not the Multitude but the better sort to be regarded 31. a 20.50 The common trade and custome of the Multitude 31. b 30 The Papistes vaunt their religion to be true because it is receiued of the greater Multitude 1040. a 20 Murmur Dauid diuersly affected in his life time yet did he not Murmur against God 951. b 30.40.50.60 952. a 10. c. In what daunger hee is that doeth but Murmur against his neighbour 220. b 50. 221. a 10 Wee must not Murmur at our estate how miserable and distressed soeuer it be looke the place 409. b 30.40 Murmuring Two hundred and fiftie swallowed vp of the earth for Murmuring against Moses and Aaron 461. b 50.60 The Murmuring of the Iewes against God at Giberoth Thauah 407. b 40.50.60 Why the Murmuring of Aaron against Moses was not punished considering that others offending in the like were not vnpunished 851. a 30. 40.50.60 What will become of our Murmuring against God if we be afflicted out of measure to our owne seeming 89. a 40 The maner of the Israelites Murmuring in the wildernesse 49. a 10.20 408. b 40.50 409. a 30.40 The Murmuring of the Iewes made