thing whatsoeuer and what benefite can you bestowe on me But all which I haue done and doe is onely for your profite and for your welfare I am then here readie to couenaunt by articles with you and to bind my selfe vnto you on my part Seeing I say that the liuing God doth abase himselfe so farre I pray you shall not we be to vnthankfull if we be not herewith beaten downe to humble our selues vnder him laying aside all our pride and hautinesse It is not therefore without cause that Moses speaketh here of the couenaunt which God hath made with his people to the end that especially his fauour and goodnesse shoulde be knowen Nowe if this was to be done in the time of the lawe there is at this day much greater reason thereof for the Lorde hath not onelie made a couenaunt for one time as with the Iewes but when he sent this onely some then declared he him selfe to be our father and sauiour much more fullie than before he had done and that after so sweete so gratious and so amiable a manner as nothing more in such sort that he hath here as it were laid forth his bowelles of loue and compassion towards vs Seeing therefore God hath presented vnto vs his heart in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ and wee heare besides the protestation which Iesus Christ maketh that he will call vs no more his seruaunts but his friendes because he hath so familiarly communicated vnto vs all the secrets of his will must it not I beseeche you needes be that the diuell hath bewitched vs if wee bee not hereby moued to frame ourselues wholy vnto him renouncing euen our selues and all our affections So then when we perceiue in our selues any wickednesse wherby we are hindred to serue God when we feele our selues idely disposed in the worke of the Lord are euen brought into an heauie sleepe by the cares of this world to stirre our selues vp to praise our God let vs haue in minde this couenaunt which the Lord hath made with vs Nowe herevpon Moses further addeth The Lord made not this couenaunt with our fathers but with vs euen with vs which are aliue at this day This place may bee vnderstood after two sortes for it may bee taken for a comparison which Moses maketh the better to declare that the people which then liued ought to bee so much the more diligent in the seruice of God because they had receiued greater benefites than their fathers In which sense he speaketh in Exodus I haue not communicated this name to your fathers where God speaking vnto Moses saith that he declared not him self so plainly to bee God to Abraham Isaac and Iacob as he did vnto Moses And by this he signifieth that the people should be now more attentiue because God had reuealed himselfe vnto them after an vnaccustomed manner Euen so in this place one may vnderstand this God hath not made such a couenaunt with your fathers It is true that God spake vnto his seruaunts Abraham Isaac Iacob and did sufficiently instruct them And it is expresly said in the. 18. of Gen. Shall I hide from my seruant Abraham that which I will now execute vpon Sodome and Gomorra For I knowe that he will instruct his housholde in my decrees and ordinannces in my statutes and iudgements See then howe Abraham instructed his familie not after some bare and naked manner but in the iudgements and statutes and ordinaunces of the Lord Briefly wee must needes say that Abraham had the lawe of God imprinted in his heart yet loe besides a benefite not to be contemned when God hath sent this lawe in the two tables to the end the instruction thereof might remaine and abide for euer to his people and that the thinges therein conteined might be ratified for euer and testified to all posteritie as well as to them We see then what we may gather vpon this sentence euen as much as if Moses should haue said vnto the people Beloued acknowlege we the benefite the Lord bestoweth on vs this day euen such an one as our fathers haue receiued none the like for he deliuered not vnto them the lawe by writing as vnto vs he hath not declared to them these thinges in such plaine order True it is that he did sufficiently instruct them as much as was necessarie requisite for their saluation but here is yet an higher degree further steppe to which we are come at this day and therefore wee ought to drawe so much the neerer to him seeing we see that he hath so stooped vnto vs And this is the meaning of Moses if we vnderstand the place in this sense As if a man shoulde say at this day that God hath not done so to our fathers as he hath done vnto vs And this is that which Christ said to his disciples That many Kings and Prophets haue desired to see those thinges which you see heare those thinges preached which you heare and yet haue not had their desire Seeing then it is so that God of his infinite mercie goodnesse vouchsafeth to preferre vs before the Patriarches and Prophetes as it is also said that the Prophets serued not so much their owne time as ours we ought with greater diligence to suffer our selues to be taught vnder him to applie our selues wholy to his doctrine Notwithstanding when all is well considered although this we haue alledged be profitable and the exhortation is often brought in holy Scripture yet when we shall haue weighed all the wordes wee shall finde that Moses when he saith that God did not make his couenaunt with them which heard the lawe the first day it was published meaneth to say that not onely with them he made his couenaunt but also with those which ouer liued them and succeded in the place of those which were dead So that in fewe woordes Moses woulde here declare that the lawe was not transitorie to endure onely for the life of them which first heard it but that it was a doctrine which shoulde reteine his strength authoritie foreuer The Lord our God saith he hath not made a couenant with our fathers that is to say he woulde not onely haue our fathers for his people he was not tied to them so that his lawe should serue but for fortie or fiftie yeares but he hath made a couenaunt with vs as well and with them which were not borne when the lawe was published You then which were not at the mount of Horeb which haue not seene the fire on the montaine nor heard the thunderinges know you not withstanding that your God did then adopt you also to himselfe and that he made a couenaunt in the which you also were comprised You must therefore obserue his lawe because it hath bene established to bee perpetuall to endure from age to age and to bee preached euen to the end of the worlde And this is
to declare himselfe our father and sauiour for our Lorde Iesus Christes sake that he will not onely graunt this grace to vs but to all people and nations of the earth c. Deut. Chap. 5 ▪ 1 Then Moses called all Israel and said vnto them Heare O Israel the ordinaunces and the lawes whiche I set before you this day that ye may learne them and take heede to obserue them 2 The Lord our God made a couenaunt with vs in Horeb. 3 The Lorde made not this couenaunt with our fathers but with vs which are all aliue at this day 4 The Lorde talked with you face to face on the mount out of the middest of the fire WE haue seene heretofore howe greatly Moses hath laboured to make the people perceiue the Maiestie which is in the worde of God to the end they should receiue it with all reuerence and feare For although men protest that they will obey God for so nature constraineth them yet can they not order them selues and their doinges according to his word and that is the verie true touchstone to knowe whether wee bee obedient to God or no. But herein is the rebellion of the worlde seene that although all will confesse that the worde of God is to bee receiued without any gainsaying yet shall one finde scarse one among an hundred which willingly humbleth him selfe to yeald vnto it that authoritie it deserueth And why is this Surely because we consider not of the Maiestie of God which declareth it selfe therein See then howe Moses not without cause so often heretofore hath wained the people that the worde of God shoulde be of such Maiestie towardes vs that all creatures shoulde tremble at it And nowe againe he addeth a confirmatiō of the same matter when he saith That the Lord talke◠face to face on the mount out of the middest of the fire as if bee shoulde saie You haue no cause now to doubt whether the doctrine which I propose vnto you be of God or of men for it is sufficiently proued God hath declared himselfe vnto you by plaine and visible signes in such sorte that you may well perceiue it is he which speaketh Nowe then wee see the intent and meaning of Moses But before wee passe any further one may here make a question How it is said that God spake face to face seeing that men cannot comprehend his infinite glorie For with what eye can wee contemplate his substance being We are so fraile weak that if God should but shew one beame of his brightnesse behold we should be all dazeled confounded therewith On the other side we know how it is said That we cannot se God face to face vntill we be renewed which shall not bee vntill the latter day For now saith S. Paule We see as in a glasse in part euen obscurely vnperfectly Which more is he saith in an other place That the Gospell at this day doth present vnto vs the Maiestie of God in such sort that wee may see it but the lawe was darke and obscure and had availe which hindered our fathers to knowe God in so plaine and familiar a manner as wee doe at this day But all this agreeth verie well For when wee make a comparison of the lawe with the Gospell it is certeine wee shall finde this which Saint Paule speaketh to be most true For then God declared not himselfe in so familiar a fashion as he doth vnto vs by the meanes of our Lorde Iesus Christ who is the liuelie image of him Nowe a dayes therefore there are laide open vnto vs the great treasures of wisdome in that God calleth vs to the kingdome of heauen sheweth that he holdeth vs for his children heirs Now this was not in the time of the lawe And yet although at this day we haue such a knowledge and so plaine manifest yet remaineth that alwayes true which we haue alledged that wee see but in part And why For we are not yet partakers of the glorie of God neither can we come neere it but it behoueth that he shew it according to our rudenesse and infirmitie Yet notwithstanding from the beginning of the world God hath appeared vnto mortall men Howbeit this was not to shewe him selfe as he is but as the weaknesse and infirmitie of men might beare it We must then note that God was not knowen to the fathers neither appeareth at this day in his owne beeing but he applieth him selfe to vs in asmuch as he sheweth him selfe for our measure and abilitie to make vs perceiue that he is present And yet for all that it is not without cause that Moses saith here that God spake face to face for he vnderstādeth hereby that the people had not some coniecturall signe that they might dout of him or conceiue onely some small opinion of God but that they had a certeine and infallible warrant whereby they might in this sort conclude Behold God hath so shewed himselfe to vs that our faith need not wauer and be doubtfull and the doctrine which is proposed vnto vs in his name ought no longer to be disputed of whether it be to be receiued or refused And why For God hath deliuered vnto vs a sure and certeine marke which can not beguile nor leaue vs in doubt but that this doctrine proceedeth from him Now we vnderstand the mening of Moses from whence we haue to gather a good lesson that is that if God declare not himselfe vnto vs after so high glorious a manner as our lust desireth let vs know that he doeth it for our profite and saluation For let vs haue an eye to our infirmitie and it will be sufficient to abate that ouer boldnesse to the which our nature alwayes stirreth vs For we would inquire and seeke after the secrets of God without end or measure And why is that Verely because we consider not our owne power and abilitie Wherefore let vs praise the great goodnes of our God for that he in fauour so considereth of vs regardeth our weaknesse that he is content to hide his glorie ▪ least we should be swallowed vp thereof For as I haue alreadie said we can not beare it being so fraile weake as we are And here withall let vs knowe that when God geueth vs some euident signe and token of his presence there resteth then no excuse if we yeald not to him the honour and doe him the homage he is worthie of Let vs not then desire that God come in his inestimable glorie that the heauens cleaue in sunder that all the Angels of heauen appeare but when the Lorde any way declareth that it is he which speaketh let it suffice vs and let vs humble our selues incontinently For if then we will foreslowe to yeld him our dutie we shal be sharply reproued for turning our backe to him when he sheweth his face to vs It is true that it is said in an other place That
against Sathan But this is not to say that we are exempted and freed from all fault and that we may so plucke out of vs all sinne and ransome our selues so fullie as if it might not staine and spot vs no longer Alas we are farre wide from this For on the one side it is true that we haue great cause to praise God that he bestoweth this grace on vs by his holy spirit to surmount ouercome all wicked affections But in the meane time we ought to bewaile our selues knowing that we are on our part ouerweake and that if he take not pitie on vs forasmuch as we haue within vs an euill and wicked conscience which is to prouoke his vengeaunce against vs we should well deserue to be throwen downe of him into the bottomlesse pit of hell But let vs note how God would here open and discouer the shame and reproche of the Papists and how he would shew that the greatest Clerkes among them are more rude and ignorant than the poore vnbeleeuers which neuer heard one word of the holy scripture And why For let vs consider of that which is conteined in the lawe It is said that the summe of the lawe is That wee loue God with all our heart with all our minde with all our vnderstanding with all the faculties and powers we haue If it were said Thou shalt loue God with all thine heart a man might with some colour conclude that there is no sinne but when the will is certeine and resolute For the heart in the Scripture although it signifie sometime the vnderstanding yet is it taken for the will. Now then one might vse this cauill It is said That we must loue God with all our heart if so be then our will be not contrarie well it is inough we haue quited our selues before god For one might happilie restraine the will from consenting to this wicked affection and so it should seeme that the wicked desires which first incite and stirre vs vp and yet hold vs not captiues be not comprised vnder sinne But God addeth With all thy heart with all thy vnderstanding and thoughtes and with all thy powers Let vs now consider if I conceiue any thing against God if I conceiue any euill lust or desire of fornication or stealing albeit I cleaue not at all vnto it whether one part of my soule vnderstanding bee not alreadie corrupted and whether I loue God with all my heart when one parte of my vnderstanding is bent against him There is no question of the heart but of this apprehension and conceiuing of the minde which is in the soule of man Nowe I shewe well that there is vanitie in this that the feare of God withholdeth me not as it ought It followeth then that I am culpable and condemned because I discharge not my selfe in louing GOD as he hath commaunded me And againe is there not some vertue and power of my soule which applieth not it selfe to thinke on this or that which is contrarie vnto GOD and his iustice So then wee see that euill and wicked thoughtes are condemned and that wee cannot so excuse them but that GOD shall worthilie punish vs for them And let vs knowe that albeit men neuer consent vnto euil to haue their will resolutely bent therevnto yet cease they not to bee accursed before GOD if hee would vse his seueritie against them Now therefore wee haue the true sense and meaning and wee see withall that wee must take diligent heede to this place that we bee not seduced and abused herein And the example of Saint Paule ought to pricke vs forwarde so much the more seeing that he confesseth that hee was ignoraunt of the lawe of GOD vntill our Lord Iesus Christ had enlightened him by his holy spirite to the ende hee might knowe what this worde of concupiscence imported It remaineth that we now applie this which hath bene touched to our vse and profite In the first place therefore let vs learne that to serue God well and as we ought we must not onelie desire to doe well neither is it sufficient that we profit herein and proceede effectually but we must purge our selues of all euill and wicked affections and of all corrupt thoughts in such sort that all our senses vnderstanding tend to this end to giue ouer our selues fullie and wholie vnto God that we may shew wee haue not bene so distracted as to bend on one side or other but that wee bee held vp so streight as to runne without beeing hindered or staied yea to runne in that way whiche God sheweth vs so that there bee in vs nothing but all puritie and when wee shall haue well and throughlie vnderstood this wee shal be aduertised to bee watchfull and to stand on our garde For wee see howe men wander and lead them selues astray And what is the cause hereof Because they reckon as wee say without their host For they expounde the lawe of GOD after their owne fansie and they thinke it sufficient if their will bee not wicked and that they rest not them selues on their euill thoughtes Well God will not impute this vnto vs say they and herevppon they walke on in their wicked concupiscences and they haue an headband whiche they put before their eyes that they might not knowe howe closelie they deceiue them selues Now when men speake thus yet this will not serue them to escape the hande of the heauenlie Iudge Let vs therefore take diligent heede we restraine our selues in our concupiscences For God hath not onelie condemned wicked intentes and purposes but all desires also which prouoke vs to euil and driue vs therevnto Let vs therefore walke in so much the greater feare let euerie one hold him self as it were vnder lock forasmuch as there is no part in vs which is not infected with sinne For let vs examine all the faults of our soule and wee shall finde sinne dispersed ouer all as when a poison hath entred the bodie of a man so that euerie part thereof is infected There is in vs such an vniuersall leprosie as possesseth both the bones and the marrowe the thoughts and the affections and all which is in vs Seeing then it is so that our nature is thus corrupted ought wee not to be so much the more vigilant and watchfull to hold our selues in bridle seing God by the law hath condemned all wicked thoughts which tend to incite vs vnto euill seeing hee hath condemned the smallest motion which flattereth tickleth vs and when we onelie feele our will a little pricked and stirred albeit it be not at all held captiue When we see this I saie haue we not great occasion to awaken vs to walke vnder the hand of God in so much the greater heedefulnesse So then behold how this precept ought to awaken vs when wee are so sleepie and southfull and would so easilie acquite our selues of our duetie towardes god But let vs knowe that no
his inheritaunce Let vs therefore diligentlie note when it it is saide That thou maiest prosper in the land that God ment not to busie his people in this present life but by this meane it pleseth him to conduct them higher namely to the hope of immortalitie which he had promised them Neuertheles our Lord promiseth his blessing in such sort vnto this people that euen in this life they shall perceiue it and haue thereof some tast waiting to haue the full enioying thereof when they shall be withdrawne out of this world And at this day we ought also to call to minde the testimonie of S. Paule That when we shal feare God we haue the promises of the present life and of the life to come For God wil in this life giue vs some feeling of his goodnes to the end we might therby be led vnto an higher hope and that we also learne to receue the benefites of God in such sort in this world as that we be persuaded we shal be satisâ—ied with them when we shal be come into his kingdome where we shall enioy them in all fulnesse and plentie Now let vs cast our selues downe before the face of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs feele them better than we haue done vntill we be sed to a true repentance and that more and more feeling our owne wretchednesse wee may learne to resist all the affections of our flesh and all our wicked and peruerse desires and not this only but that cursed presumption which is in vs of attempting to do that which we thinke good that nothing may hinder vs to followe the pure and simple worde of our GOD knowing that this is the true and perfect rule to order vs by that wee attempt to adde nothing thereto but simply rest in that which is therein conteined to profite more and more therein vntill that hauing atchieued and ended our course here on earth wee come vnto that heauenlie rest wherevnto he calleth vs and in the meane time pray we him to reach vs out his hand to stay vs when we shall seeke vnto him and call on him in all our needes and necessities That it will please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but vnto all people and nations of the earth c. The. 16. Sermon Deut. Chap. 6. 1 These are the commaundementes ordinaunces and lawes which the Lord your God hath commaunded me to teach you that ye might do them in the lande whither ye goe to possesse it 2 That thou mightest feare the Lorde thy God by keeping all the dayes of thy life thou thy sonne and thy sonnes sonne all his ordinaunces and commaundementes which I commaund thee that thy dayes may be prolonged WE haue often heretofore sene how Moses did put the people in minde of the things conteined in the law euen yesterday we sawe how to the same purpose he made mention of them yet againe in this place he doth the like Howbeit this is no needlesse or vnprofitable repetition seing that men haue so soone forgot the things they learne in the schoole of God except the memorie of them for their better remembrance be often refreshed And we see there needeth nothing to turne vs aside from our duetie herein for we are so much inclined vnto vanitie that there is nothing more harder than to reteine vs vnder the obedience of god As soone as we haue conceiued a fantasie it carieth vs away headlong and we remember no more what God had said vnto vs Moreouer because he seeketh no other thing than to winne vs vnto himself he must roote out of vs those false opinions wherewith wee are alreadie forepossessed For it is with vs as with a ground which hath lien fallowe a long time whereon a man must bestowe exceeding great labour before he can applie it to some profitable vse And that is the cause why Moses saith againe That these are the commaundements and ordinaunces and lawes which the Lord hath committed vnto him that hee deliuer them vnto the people and that they bee obserued Now by these woordes he signifieth that God will reteine the people in his obedience when hee semeth to say What meane ye ye wretched ones to wander Loe I deliuer vnto you my lawe when you shall holde your selues in this doctrine you can not erre this is the way of saluation therefore keepe your selues in it Nowe for all this men are still wandering they are borne away headlong hither thither and God continueth to raine them with the bridle as when an headstrong horse is hardlie ruled the rider restraineth him backe with bitte and bridle not for one time onely but so long as he continueth wild and vntamed Yee see then how God vseth the same order with his people And hereby he sheweth that the minde of man is full of rebellion or full of lightnesse and rashnesse and that he can not wholie rest him selfe on the woord of God wherein notwithstanding our whole saluation and happinesse consisteth Seeing then it is so let vs note that vnder the person of the people of Israel we are here warned that when God hath set before vs his worde wee must not thinke on it for one day onely but that we ought to exercise our selues therein all the time of our life And when wee heare this Beholde the statutes Beholde the ordinaunces Beholde the commaundementes which I propose vnto you we must remember that it is not for vs to establish lawes and rules to gouerne our life by but that this authoritie apperteineth onely vnto god Moreouer he hath also admonished vs that he hath shewed vs the right way Let vs therefore followe it and walke therein let vs not make further inquirie what wee ought to doe for there remaineth no doubting when our Lord hath once spoken wee must no longer alledge I know not whether this bee good I knowe not whether somewhat else bee to bee added Content wee our selues with that which God hath shewed vs for he shall alwayes bee a good maister to teach vs if so bee wee bee not peruerse and euill scholers to learne vnder him And for this cause here is againe mention made of commaundementes statutes and ordinaunces that we might not thinke that God woulde instruct vs by halfes There is then in his lawe comprised a full perfection of all wisedome so that there resteth nothing but that wee yeald obedience therevnto that wee bee not so curious as to desire more than God sheweth vs that we haue no foolish deuotions which leade vs wandering hither and thither knowing that God hath not enuied them which were vnder his charge the knowledge of any thing behouefull for them but hath taught them all that which was profitable and necessarie for them Let vs therfore gouerne our selues according vnto his will let vs applie all our senses thereto let his lawe suffice and content vs albeit the whole world scorne and
you haue not bene worthie to enter into the lande which I did promise you See then how God woulde chastise his people when he suffereth them to dwell nigh vnto the temple of Peor And at this day when we are mingled among idolaters and perceiue what vncleanesse they commit and howe they peruertall religion let vs know that God by this meanes doth punish vs or at least humbleth vs because of our sinnes And in deede considering this we ought not onely to lament for the sinnes which are committed by these incredulous and vnbeleeuing persons but also because we knowe that we are not worthie to haue the worlde wholy reformed and to behold an agreement harmonie in religion that God might be in all places purely worshipped that when we are so neere to the superstitions of other that we be constrained to see some of the markes and signes and to heare something thereof we must impute this to our owne sinnes But how so euer it be God ceaseth not to geue a good remedie to the people of Israel for when the lawe was in this sort taught by Moses it was all one as if God shoulde separate his from those miserable blinde ones which wandered and went astraie in their superstitions Now herevpon we haue to note that although all the worlde be peruerted and that in it wee see great confusions and that all is full of errours and corruptions yet notwithstanding it behoueth that we haue recourse to the worde of God to be guided thereby which must strengthen vs in such sort that we may defie all the superstitions of idolaters And if we be so full fraughted with vanitie that we geue ouer our selues to decline and to turne aside hither and thither after that God shall haue geuen vs his worde there remaineth then no excuse For as I haue alreadie said this shoulde be a bridle good enough for vs that God declareth to vs his will. Although all the worlde drawe backward and some haue one fantasie and others make a faire shewe of some religion yet all this must be esteemed as vaine friuolous after that we haue heard the voice of our God and by that shall haue intelligence of his will. And therefore let vs put to our vse this certeine and infallible doctrine the worde of God to withdrawe vs from all wicked opinions from all euill errours from all that the diuell hath forged and counterfeited and from all that men shall haue inuented deuised in the world Thus ye see what we haue to beare in minde when Moses maketh mention here of the temple of Peor Nowe he also addeth that this was after the two kinges Og the king of Bashan Sehon the king of the Amorites or of Heshbon were discomfited This circumstance serueth to reproue the people if they shoulde not yeald them selues in all obedience vnto god We knowe that according to the benefite GOD bestoweth on vs we ought so much the more to be stirred vp and prouoked to loue and to feare him God hath shewed himselfe bountifull and liberall towards vs ought it not to drawe vs so much the more vnto him For when a mortall man is indebted and bounde vnto vs for some benefite and good turne shall he not be accounted dissolute and verie vnthankfull if he reknowledge not the good we did him Howe then shall there be lesse excuse towards the liuing God Let vs then remember that Moses in this place maketh expresse mention of these two Kinges which were banquished and subdued to the end the people should reknowledge this benefite in this manner Go to we haue had here two excellent victories When heretofore we attempted warre against the commaundement of God our enimies with great courage gaue vs the foile there was in vs no strength our enimies were as waspes which come to put out our eyes as the similitude hereof hath bene before giuen there are now two Kings strong and mightie ouerthrowen and subdued without any cost of ours God hath deliuered them into our handes Who hath bene the cause of both these victories Hath it not bene God which hath ruled gouerned all herein Sithence then it is so that he hath pitie on vs hath begonne to accomplish the promise whiche he made to our fathers that we haue alredie so good a warrant gage thereof ought not wee to endeuour to yeald our selues wholie to our God Ought we not in all thinges to be subiecte vnto him Ought we not to geue our selues ouer into his hand which he hath shewed so strong by reason of the loue he beateth vs See I say how Moses hath vnderstod this which he reciteth touching the ouerthrow of Sehon Og euen to reproue the vnthankfulnesse of the people if they submite not them selues willinglie to the seruice of their God to whome they were so much bound But now we ought also to applie this doctrine to our owne vse that is that as often as we perceiue in our selues any slouth or lithernesse in the busines of the Lord any remisse negligence any coldnes any rebelliō of the flesh which striueth stubbornly resisteth in such sort that wee come not to God with so cheerefull earnest affection as were requisitie that then we enter into a count of the benefites wee haue receiued of him to say Wretched creature howe art thou so negligent that thou cleauest not to thy God when he hath declared his will vnto vs Consider what thou holdest of him consider the benefits he hath bestowed on thee euen vnto this houre So then let euerie one examine consider how farre he is indebted to God that we may be the more prouoked to serue him And in generall let vs know that he not only created vs when we were not but also that after that he had redeemed vs by the bloud of our Lorde Iesus Christ as he redeemed his people out of the land of Egypt he hath by his grace drawen vs to him so as we had the doctrine of the Gospell deliuered vs which is all one as if he had receiued vs vnder his gard and protection and daily he sheweth the same vnto vs by effectes for what greater aides and succours haue wee from him in our infirmities Should we not a thousand times bee ouercome of Satan if our God had not his hand stretched out to succour vs Yes uerelie we should be then all ouercome and not onely oppressed but also swalowed vp in our temptations without such a stay and refuge as I haue said Sith then it is so that our Lorde ceaseth not to confirme daily his goodnesse towards vs let vs on our part aduise our selues and consider to take this occasion to serue him with a more ardent desire and greater zeale as we see it is heere spoken In this sense it foloweth that Moses speaketh to the people of Israel saying Heare O Israel the lawe which the Lord hath caused to be proposed vnto you that ye may
learne it and obserue it Here againe Moses setteth downe the preface of which before we tooke some view that the Lawe is not geuen onely to the end that men should heare it to knowe what it conteineth but that by it we should also be reformed and that God might proue herein what subiection we yealde vnto him In fewe wordes we see that the doctrine of God consisteth in practise and that we must by our doinges shewe that we haue not in vaine bene taught it Nowe then Moses saith in the first place Heare the Lawe whiche I propose in your eares to the end you should learne it As if he should say that God will not that the doctrine which is preached vnto vs in his name and authoritie should fall to the grounde but that we must receiue it with all diligence and applie our whole studies therein For what is the causes that wee profite so euill in the woord of God but that wee are ouermuch busied in the thinges of the world And if we come to the sermon if we read the holy scripture it is but for fashion and manners sake wee seeke not to performe our dueties as we ought in obseruing that whiche is taught vs But let vs aduise our selues to be better and more diligent scholers while the Lord vouchsafeth to instruct vs by his woord and that is the cause why Moses saith he hath told the Lawe in their eares Indeede this manner of speaking would bee verie hard in our tongue howbeit it importeth as much as if God should say That he speaketh not vnto vs in an vnknowen strange language but sheweth himselfe in as plaine and familiar manner as may be desired Seeing then it is so that God cōmeth downe vnto vs in such sorte as to make a plaine and familiar declaration of his will what excuse shall we haue to alledge if his woord be lost in vs or if it slippe from vs or if we keepe it not to make our profite thereof It is true that for asmuch as we are ouer dull and ignorant we shall alwayes find much obscuritie in the woord of God that the langauge of the Lord is to high and profound for vs but to whom should the fault therof be imputed Let vs note therefore that all they which complaine that the woord of God is hard and obscure as if it were hid vnder an vnknowen tongue are here reproued of a manifest lie Yea that they do God great iniurie yea blaspheme him for that they despitefully dissemble denie the bountie goodnesse which Moses protesteth was shewed the people at the publishing of the law for it is there said that God spake to the eares of the people by the mouth of Moses So that the doctrine which he deliuered ought to haue bene throughly knowen of them And at this day we haue lesse occasion to vse this shifte to alledge that we vnderstand nothing of that which is conteined to holie Scripture for GOD speaketh so neerelie and familiarly vnto vs that we neede but to haue our eares cleansed and prepared to heare him And let vs note that there remaineth nothing but that we be attentiue diligent to profite in the doctrine of saluatiō But withall let vs call to mind that we haue aboue touched namely that this doctrine must be kept folowed throughly for if we doe not allowe the worde of God and yeald our consentes that it is good and true and holie God is much beholding vnto vs What must we doe then See God will make a triall whether he shall be maister ouer vs or no. Now then if the worde of God rule our life that is if we not onely inquire after that which he telleth vs but forsake our naughtie lustes and desires and endeuour onely to please him and to be gouerned by him and his righteousnes when we come to this then see we one good proofe that he hath such dominion and superioritie ouer vs as he deserueth But vntill wee haue profited so much that we are come hither let vs not thinke that we haue profited any thing at all in the doctrine which hath bene taught vs Let this worde therefore of Doing be often called to minde and imprinted in memorie of them which heare the worde of god As howe Beholde God doth vs this courtesie in vouchsafing to teach vs And why is that Is it to this end that we shoulde onely lend our eares to say in the end Yea well said that is good Nay but to the end our life shoulde be reformed and because it is a true and certeine rule that we shoulde not erre as we haue done and as many poore ignorant wretches doe which are straied from the right way and are not instructed as we are vnto whome this doctrine ought to serue for mortification and newnesse of life that God may beare rule ouer vs and that we be subiect to him Thus wee se in effect what Moses meant when he protested vnto the people in this preface that he set before them the lawe not that they shoulde heare it and so but haue their eares beaten there with but that they should receiue it and keepe it Nowe for the better confirmation of this he alledgeth That God had made his couenaunt with that people on the mount Horeb the better to persuade them to feare God and to continue in his obedience For if God woulde onely require of vs that which is his due yet were we sufficiently bounde to cleaue vnto him and to obserue his commandements but when it pleaseth him of his infinite goodnesse to couenant with vs to binde himselfe vnto vs when he needeth not to stand on articles with vs that he wil be our father and sauiour that he will receiue vs for his flocke and heritage that wee may liue vnder his gard and protection offering vs euerlasting life seeing that he doth all these thinges ought not our heart to be softened though it were of stone When the creatures behold that the liuing God abaseth himself hitherto as to treate the matter with vs and to say Goe to let vs consider what we are both you see what an infinite distance is betweene you and me and knowe that I could commaund you what seemeth good to me and not haue any thing to deale with you and that you are not worthie to come nighe me or to haue any acquaintaunce with him which can command what he will without any further declaration than this See this I will and this is my minde yet loe I yeald of my right I come hereto offer my selfe to be your guide and sauiour I will gouerne you you shal be my familie if so be that you will content your selues with my worde I wil be your king and you shall be my subiectes for all this thinke you not that the couenant which I haue made with your fathers was to gaine any thing of you for I haue no neede nor want of any
the true and naturall meaning of Moses And from hence we may gather a good and profitable doctrine namely that although we were not at first when the Gospell was published although wee haue not seene with our eyes those thinges which are mentioned in the lawe yet ought we not therfore to haue in lesse estimation price the authoritie of he word of god And why I graunt that when God raised vp Moses it was an especiall token of his fauour and goodnesse towards the people which then liued yet notwithstanding the authoritie of the Lawe must not at any time bee diminished for it cōteineth the truth of God which alwayes abideth and is not variable and transitorie as men are It is said that men are as a flowre or as an herbe which by and by drieth and withereth but the truth of the Lord endureth for euer Now this truth which is vnchaungeable is conteined in the Lawe Truely the Lawe as touching the ceremonies is vtterly abolished but as touching the substaunce doctrine which it cōteineth it reteineth alwayes his force power still not one iot thereof falleth away or perisheth So then let vs note that though we haue not liued in the time of Moses this serueth not to alledge that we may therefore contemne the admonitions he hath geuen are conteined in the lawe And why For he hath spoken to vs he hath not onely spoken to the multitude which was assembled at mount Horeb but generally to the whole world And if this be said of the lawe by a greater more strong reason is it to be said of the Gospel For as we haue said the law concerning the shadowes thereof is cleane done away but the Gospel hath no such thing For in it our Lord maketh a new euerlasting testament a couenaunt to last from generation to generation Howe then must we be affected when the Gospel is preched We must remember that the sonne of God came into the world not onely to instruct them with whom he was conuersant in his manhood but that he hath wonne vs to God his father and hath called vs to saluation by sending his Apostles that their voice should sound to the endes of the worlde to them which heard not him to make them partakers of the doctrine of saluation the which at this day also we ought to receiue as if Iesus Christ were yet in the middest of vs or as if the Apostles with their owne mouthes did speake vnto vs And this is that which wee haue to beare in minde vppon this place that we make no alteration in the Church of GOD neither attempt to chaunge any thing in his woorde knowing that he will alwayes haue kept therein one equall traine For seeing that he hath deliuered vnto vs his Gospel and stablished a certeine rule of regiment in the time of the Apostles and in the primitiue Church we must held the same and thereon rest our selues If we doe otherwise it is as if wee woulde make the word of God mortall and corruptible with vs So then let vs learne that though the worlde be variable and inconstant and hath euerie day his backturning and though there bee none of vs whiche hath not alwayes many gadding opinions whiche trotte in our braine that yet not withstanding concerning that the word of God hath appointed we are not to take that libertie to doe at one time this and at an other time that as we list and as we fansie Wherefore Because God hath not made this couenaunt with our fathers but with vs which are aliue at this day As long then as we are in the world let vs knowe that Gods gouerning of vs and his shewing vs the way is to the end we should not be as wandering pilgrimes to stray hither and thither and to raunge as our lustes and appetites turne vs but that we should be conducted as by his hand To be short whereas Moses saith Heare we that are all aliue at this day it is to declare proue that men during their life time ought not to forge any newe Lawe that they ought not to haue to day one to morrowe an other And why For the life of man is in the lawe of God which ought to suffice vs Let vs then make our profite by regarding the thinges that tend therevnto And further it is no doubt but Moses here chargeth the people with vnthankfulnesse which should be in them if they dedicate not their liues to the seruice of God as if he should say How liue we Is it not for that the Lorde hath placed vs in this world If then our life we haue be geuen of him ought we not to bestowe it employ it in his seruice Ought it not to be wholie consecrated to his will We see then how Moses reproueth here all them which wander and continue not then course in the word of god Let vs withall reteine in memorie that which I haue aboue touched that is that we haue not a doctrine for three dayes but one wherein we must bee confirmed as long as we liue Therfore when we haue once receiued and embraced that which is conteined in the holie scripture let vs studie to profite our selues by it and to go forward encreasing in the knowledge practise of it till God shall drawe vs out of this world knowing that he will vouchsafe to take vs into his couenaunt and that he for his part will not be vnfaithfull and vnconstant but sure and stedfast in his purpose and promise Let vs doe the like that we may be ioyned to him and as long as we liue let vs haue no other purpose but to cleaue vnto him howbeit as he hath declared in his word But let vs not thinke to ioyne and vnite our selues to our God by our owne fantasies but since he commeth vnto vs let vs goe vnto him and when we are come thither let vs take good heede to stay our selues there And thus we see what we haue togather vpon this place to the end we may the better bee disposed and prepared to receiue the instructions which shall hereafter be geuen vs concerning the lawe of God and his Commaundements Nowe let vs cast our selues downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowleging of our sinnes desiring him to make vs feele them better than we haue done in such sort that we desire nothing but to yeald out selues wholie vnto him and that it will please him to reach vs his hand and not suffer vs to be wedded to our owne fantasies and affections that we may alwayes magnifie his goodnesse whiche he vseth towards vs that we may profite by it in rendring vnto him that obedience and dutie which he deserueth especially for that it hath pleased him to bring and deliuer vnto vs his lawe and that he is not onely contented to shew vs the way of well liuing but hath vouchsafed also to adopt vs for his children and
opinions reasoning why this and why that And when we come to the high mysteries of God if they mislike vs we could wish that all were put out and abolished And this is all one as if we would plucke God out of heauen So then let vs learne that aboue all God commendeth vnto vs the honour and authoritie of his word as if he did say I will that you receiue all that which is conteined in the holy scripture that is in my word with all humilitie reuerence I will that you yeld your selues tractable although that which is there said agree not with your sense and reason and that you could wish I had spoken after your maner and fashion I will you do me this honour as to imprison all your senses and submit your vnderstanding to my word and to say Lord we are thy disciples we receiue without gainsaying whatsoeuer it hath pleased thee to teach vs knowing that it is for our profite and saluation Without exception therfore let all that which is comprised in the holy scripture be receiued with reuerence and when any question is of the holy mysteries of God let vs not geue iudgement according to our owne wit and vnderstanding And albeit the thinges be not conuenient and agreeable with our reason let vs notwithstanding be held backe in a short bridle that God may alwaies haue his whole entire authoritie ouer vs and his worde a full course and libertie And when we read the holy scriptures when we come to the Sermons let vs alwayes beare in minde to say Behold our God declareth himselfe vnto vs he sitteth as our Iudge we are not to make toyes and gambaldes of those things he shall speake As we see many will come to the Sermon But what They haue their hearts empoisoned against God and his word so that they can carie nothing thence which they peruert not with their wickednesse yea they will be further enuenomed to spue forth their blasphemies at table or els where when men shall speake any thing to their lust and appetite Loe how these men honour sanctifie the name of god Let vs learne then that whether we read the holy scripture or heare it handled in a Sermon to haue alwayes the name of God in reuerence and to yeld vnto him such maiestie that we tremble when one speaketh vnto vs hereof And aboue all when his word is preached as God speaketh by his Prophet Esaie For let vs know that so we shall declare our selues not onely by wordes but also by our deedes that we are his true faithfull ones and he shall take and auowe vs for his people and shall gather vs in the end into the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen Now let vs cast our selues downe before the face of our good God with at knowledging of our faultes praying him that it will please him not to impute those we haue alreadie committed vnto vs but that it will please him to reforme vs in such sort vnto himselfe that we desire no other thing than to honour him and to dedicate our selues vnto his seruice to the end he may dwel among vs and that our Lord Iesus Christ may reigne in vs both by his holy spirit by his word and so let vs say Almightie God and heauenlie father c. The. 5. Sermon Deut. Chap. 5. 12 Keepe the Sabbaoth day to sanctifie it as the Lord thy God hath commaunded thee 13 Sixe dayes thou shalt labour and shalt do all thy worke 14 But the seuenth day is the Sabbaoth of the Lorde thy God thou shalt not do any worke therein thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter nor thy manseruant nor thy maide nor thine oxe nor thine asse neither any of thy cattell nor the straunger that is within thy gates that thy manseruaunt and thy maide may rest as well as thou AFter that it hath bene spoken of the pure and sincere worship of God of seruing him and glorifying his name without vaine taking of it either in othes or other thinges but reuerently and to the honour of God now here is mention made of the seruice of GOD according to that he hath required in his law touching the order he appointed for the exercise of the faithfull As the Sabbaoth day or day of rest was in part a figure to declare that men could not rightly serue God but by mortifying all that which is of their owne nature and afterward by dedicating themselues in such sorte vnto him as if they were wholy separated from the world Secondly the day of rest had this ceremonious vse to cause the people to assemble together to heare the lawe to call on the name of God to offer their sacrifices and to do all that which should concerne spirituall order and policie We see then now in what sort mention is made of the Sabbaoth day But this cannot be well sufficiently vnderstoode without some plainer and more distinct handling namely except both these parties should particularly be intreated We haue therfore first to note that the Sabbaoth day was a shadowe vnder the law vntill the comming of Christ to signifie that God will that men rest themselues from their owne workes And this is that which I haue said in a worde that we must mortifie our whole nature if we will be conformable to our god And that this is so S. Paule hath also declared Yea besides we haue sufficient testimonie hereof in the new testament But it shall suffice to haue alledged him at this time which speaketh more fully hereof namely to the Colossians when he saith That we haue the substaunce and the body of those thinges which were shadowed vnder the lawe We haue it saith he in Christ And therfore it was expedient that the auncient fathers should be exercised in this hope as well by the Sabbaoth day as by other ceremonies But â—ithence the thing is now giuen vs we ought not to stay our selues on these shadowes True it is that the law is so abolished that yet we ought to keepe the substaunce and truth thereof As for the shadowes and figures they are done away by the comming of Christ If one demaund how the auncient fathers knew of this sense and meaning Moses hath made declaration hereof as it is sufficiently shewed in the booke of Exodus For God after he had published his law in the 20. Chap. he reuealeth it to Moses and declareth to what ende this serueth and saith That he hath ordeined the Sabbaoth day as a signe that the people of Israel should be sanctified vnto him This is saith he the marke of my sanctification which I haue iustified among you Now when the scripture speaketh of our being sanctified vnto God it is to separate vs from all that which is contrarie to his worship and seruice But where shall one finde such puritie We are in the world we know that in the world there is nothing but peruersenes and wickednes
of heauen That it will please him to graunt this grace not onelie vnto vs but to all people and nations of the earth c. The. 10. Sermon Deut. Chap. 5. 19. Thou shalt not steale IF we well vnderstood but in one word the will of God which hee plainlie inough declareth vnto vs we should not neede to studie much for the right knowledge of ordering our selues and of leading an holie and righteous life But no such ignorant person as hee who wil not vnderstand none so deafe as he which will not heare as we say in common prouerbe And this is the cause why we are so blinde albeit our Lorde Iesus Christ hath shined before vs with his brightnesse and hath made vs priuie of his will and meaning as well in this precept of the lawe as in all the rest we haue aboue handled for if euerie one would enter into his owne conscience to make a iust and true examination of his faultes should he not finde that it is easie to iudge that when we do our neighbour anie wrong when we deceiue him in his goods what couerture soeuer and cloake we haue for it that we be culpable of theft before God But what If so be we may hide our shame before the world it sufficeth vs and the iudgement of God in the meane time is troden vnder foote and we care not for it but yet all these fig leaues with the which we couer our selues shall serue vs to no purpose wee must in the end come to our account before the heauenlie Iudge and then shall we finde that it is not spoken in vaine which he hath pronounced by Zacharie That his malediction and curse shall come vpon him which sweareth and vpon him which stealeth that is that in what matter soeuer of the lawe and in what point soeuer we shall haue offended he shall not faile to take vengeance thereon Men therefore may well iustifie them selues or flatter them selues yet God in the ende shall displaie and shewe foorth his indignation both against swearers and against theeues But the better to vnderstande the will of the Lorde let vs knowe that hee hath vsed this word of theft or stealing to make vs haue in greater hatred all deceite and all rapine in all kinde of wrong which we are able to deuise against our neighbours as we haue alreadie aboue declared of murder and adulterie If one call a man theefe he wil be grieuouslie offended for this is a woorde of infamie and reproche and therefore he will not suffer him selfe to be so dishonoured in the face of the whole world God then to the end he might induce vs to hate all deceitfulnesse all harme doing all extortion that we might vse in the goods of our neighbours vseth this word in steade of all other He might well haue spoken after some other manner hee might haue said Take heede how you do pull vnto your selues the goods of an other take heede you make not your gaine by the losse and damage of your neighbour take heede of vsing anie such violence but in a word he saieth Steale not And why Euen to this end that deceits rapines and pillages and all harme doing be had of vs in greater detestation that we be ashamed to do wrong vnto anie that we stand I say in greate feare hereof when wee see that wee are guiltie of theft before god Moreouer let vs note that there are manie kindes of theeueries for some vse priuie and secret sleights when they draw to them selues by subtile meanes and practises the substance of another others vse open force or violence and this is properlie called rapine pillage extortion others vse yet more slie feates and closer conueyance yea a man shall thinke they moue not a finger to touche anie thing of their neighbours a man shal not be able to accuse them before the world and yet because they walke not in all simplicitie vprightnesse they are theeues before god Ye see then how we must consider of the kindes of the euerie when we will vnderstand what is forbidden in this place But in the meane time we haue to note that God iudgeth not of theftes after the manner of men for they which liue in great credit and reputation before men shall not cease to bee condemned before God yea albeit none accuse them but that the poore whom they haue eaten and deuoured shall crie for vengeance and although none of them speake one word yet the afflictions which they endure crie alowde in the eares of God and sue processe against their oppressours without sounding one woorde So then we must not bring our owne fansies to iudge of theftes thinking to escape the hand of God when we shall not be cōdemned of men nor punished by earthly iudgment for God proceedeth in this much further higher Let vs therfore briefly beare in mind that touching God all kind of harme doing when wee desire to plucke vnto vs that which is not ours is named theft throughout the holie scripture And in deede when God manaceth a woe by the prophet Esaie that he which hath pilled and spoyled others shall be rewarded with the like he speaketh not of pettie theeues which we lead to the gallowes but he speaketh of great Princes and Monarchs which bare then the sway through out the whole worlde And againe in the first Chapter when he addresseth his talke against the holie people which was the Church of God Thy princes and gouernours are companions and Princes of theeues saieth he Now certeine it is that none charged these of theft nay these sat as Iudges condemners of other pettie theeues and yet failed they not to be condemned before god And thus the theeues which are honourable here belowe on earth are notwithstanding accursed by the lawe of God and he hath pronounced on them his determinate sentence in this text Wee must therefore humble our selues vnder the iudgment of God and know that we shall gaine litle albeit our theueries be excusable before men although we couer them and colour them For in the meane time the lawe of God shall haue his full course and the execution thereof shall be readie at hande for our condemnation God hath forbidden nothing which he will not call into account Ye see then what we haue to beare in minde concerning this place Now it resteth that that which wee haue briefly touched we handle more amply and as we may say by peecemeales specifying it by examples to the end it may be better vnderstood as I haue alreadie said if we were diligent and attentiue to hearken vnto that which God declareth vnto vs we need not make here any long exposition But what We seeke nothing else but to cloke and hide our selues with some dissimulation and albeit the thing be cleare ynough to be knowne alwayes to make some doubt And this is the cause why we must be so precisely charged and more neerely pressed in all
as it were requisite Wee shall then bee accursed and condemned when God shall iudge vs in any rigor and seueritie So then men must not here vaunt them selues of obteining any reward which they haue merited nor boast of their workes but rather let them knowe that all the promises which God hath giuen in his lawe import with them a condition and therefore shoulde bee vnprofitable vnto vs by reason that none discharge them selues of their dutie except God would accept of vs and beare with vs for his meere bountie and goodnesse And hereby wee see what rage and madnesse this is in the Papistes when they boast themselues of their merites that it seemeth them they haue to contracte and couenaunt with God and they so venturoustie vpon a diuelish ouerweening and boldnesse make their account that they thinke God is verie much bound and beholding vnto them But what proofes haue they of their satisfactions their woorkes their meâ—â—â—es And where shall a man finde those merites O we haue done say they this and that no remedie but wee must make vp our accountes with god And behold on the contrarie side God who requireth that wee serue him in all and through all which wee are neuer able to doe as wee haue seene heretofore and as it is sufficientlie handled and declared in many other places Nowe let all the worlde examine them selues to see whether there may herein be found one which hath accomplished the lawe But so farre we shal be from finding any such that there is not one which may protest that he hath done the hundred part of that which is in the lawe required Therefore all must confesse that they are accursed Yea in this so small portion and so little as may be wherein men acquite them selues shall bee alwayes founde some wickednesse and some blottes or other So then GOD shall iustly reiect and haue in detestation all that we bring and are able to doe Let men therefore bee ouerwhelmed and confounded with shame and let them confesse that they are all culpable guiltie before god Wherefore let vs note that this promise cannot be accomplished but that God beareth with vs and respecteth not so manie vices and infirmities as are in vs but by his mercie hideth and burieth them Therefore our workes are then receiued and approued by God when he respecteth not what they are but accepteth them through the vertue of the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ as good and holie And albeit there be alwayes many blots and staines in vs yea much stinking corruption except it should be washed away by the bloud of Iesus Christ yet hee alwayes accepteth vs by the meanes thereof and no otherwise So let vs learne to boast our selues and glorifie in the meere and only mercie of God and not vaunt vs of anie merites And in the meane time let vs not cease to be incited and stirred vp with so much greater zeale to serue him when we see that hee will allure and winne vs vnto him selfe by such mildnesse and gentlenesse Yea Moses sheweth that whatsoeuer God promiseth vnto his people when they shall obserue his law procedeth from this fountaine rather than from anie obligation And this is that which he saith As God hath promised to thy fathers as if he said Beloued serue God and he shall be a good maister vnto you And thinke not that you haue lost your time labour when you shall haue obserued his law for you shall haue a large reward which is made readie for you But withall consider ye whence it proceedeth Behold the fountaine saith hee that is that before ye were borne and brought into this worlde God hath promised your fathers to bring them into a land which floweth with milke and honie Moses thus leading the people vnto this promise which had beene made vnto the Patriarches sheweth sufficiently that God maketh no new promise but that he ratifieth and confirmeth that which hee had said And why Is it that he was bound to them which were not yet born No but because he had loued their fathers as he hath aboue said It is true that Moses now sheweth that the people was partaker of such a promise if so be they should obserue the lawe of God. But what We must yet alwayes come to this point that men are vtterly confounded if they will oppose themselues against GOD alledging anie dignitie or worthinesse of their owne and that they shall alwayes remaine in their condemnation they shall finde that they are all accursed It behoueth therefore that they haue their onely refuge vnto the mercie of GOD and that they knowe that when they shall haue forced them selues to walke according vnto his lawe that God shall owe them nothing albeit he will not leaue to accomplish that which he hath promised them euen by his meere goodnesse and free mercie Loe then howe this place ought to bee vnderstoode Nowe seeing he in this place speaketh of the land promised vnto the Iewes let vs note that at this day we ought to be by manie degrees more incited and prouoked to serue GOD seeing hee hath dedicated the whole earth vnto himselfe and will that his name be called on throughout all the worlde For the bloud which our Lorde Iesus Christ hath shedde hath sanctified all the world which was then as it were in all filth and pollution For we knowe there was no lande but this which GOD had reserued vnto himselfe and wherein hee woulde beare rule vntill the comming of his Sonne But when our Lorde Iesus Christ appeared he then obteined possession of the whole worlde and his kingdome was extended from one end vnto an other and especially nowe when the Gospell hath beene published Sithence then it is so let vs diligently note that we are at this day much more streightly bounde vnto the seruice and worship of GOD for as much as by the precious bloud of his Sonne he hath consecrated and made holie the whole earth to the end wee may dwell and be lodged therein and that we may liue vnder his kingdome And therefore as we will that he haue vs vnder his safegard and protection so let vs beware that wee yeeld vp our selues wholie vnto him But because men are alwayes so fickle and wauering that as I haue alreadie saide no bridles are sufficient to raine them to obedience Moses confirmeth all the doctrine hee hath in this place pronounced by saying Heare therefore O Israel the Lorde thy GOD is one god He had saide before Hearken he had said Take yee heede he had said That they must obserue the lawe But here he confirmeth his whole matter much more better when hee saith so expressely That the GOD of Israel is one GOD For by this his meaning is to exclude all the gods which the worlde forgeth and he will shewe that it is not lawfull for them to conceiue anie thing after their owne fansie but that only which we holde by
¶ SERMONS of M. Iohn Caluine vpon the ▪ X. Commandementes of the Lawe geuen of God by Moses otherwise called the Decalogue Gathered word for word presently at his Sermons when he preached on Deuteronomie without adding vnto or diminishing from them any thing afterward Translated out of Frenche into English by I. H. ¶ Imprinted at London for Iohn Harison 1579. ¶ To the Right excellent and Honourable Lorde the Lorde Robert Dudley Earle of Leycester Baron of Denbigh Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter Maister of the Queenes Maiesties horses and one of her Graces most Honourable priuie Councell Iohn Harmar wisheth all godlie felicitie continuance of health increase of Honour and Graces eternall OCcasioned Right Honourable to consider certeine of M. Caluins Sermons in the Frenche tongue vpon the lawe of God and his hestes and finding them though gathered and set forth by others yet aunswerable to their makers labour to bee godlie learned and profitable I was the bolder to aduenture the deliuerance of them into our mother language and most bolde to present your Honour therewith the beginning of small abilitie such as they bee yet due to your Lordshippe vnto whom I owe all thankfulnesse and humble duetie Your Honours good procurement of her Maiesties gratious fauour whereby I first became a Scholer in Winchester Colledge afterward to bee remoued to the New Colledge of Oxford whereof at this present I am a poore member I could neuer since forget or burie so good a benefite in such great obliuion Some signification therefore of a gratefull minde is herein sought together with the profit of many the simpler sorte which the rather may be atteined to by your Lordshippes honourable name fauourable countenance and protection which being vouchsafed will be sufficientlieable to counteruaile the contrarie endeuours of such euill disposed persons as seeke euen vnder the colour of greatest truth to pull out the eyes of knowledge and to bring a palpable darkenesse vpon the face of the earth a darkenesse to be brought in by the grosse mist of deuout ignoraunce as more perillous so more lamentable than the temporarie darkenesse of Aegypt For that is the pretence which they vse when as they seeke no other thing than to entrap men by diuelish Sophistrie What need the lawe say they We haue the Gospel What neede we written expositors We haue the liuelie voices of Preachers sounding in great plentie euerie where Of which two speaches the former is vaine the latter parciall and both of them are wicked Truth it is that the strength and sting of the lawes dominion to condemnation concerning the faithfull is weakened and cleane plucked out that the fire is extinguished wherewith the mountaine smoked that the stonie tables are softened that the heauie yoke is lightened that grace hath superabounded and an horne of strong saluation is erected and declared through the administration of the spirite What then Shall we therefore welter in sinne and wallow in the lustes thereof because of these things God forbid Nay rather as the lawe schooleth vs to seeke for grace at the bodie of Christ so the gratious Christian is taught to repaire againe to the booke of the lawe to liue therafter in deede now without seruile feare being deliuered from bondage to serue in freedome of an vpright holie and sincere conscience But as the Bee that hath in her honie hath also a sting so the best men indued with the grace of GOD a thing incomparablie better than honie haue notwithstanding certeine remnantes of the staine of Adam as a sting of corruption to their mortall bodies Whereof to put vs in mind that we may plucke out this sting and as it were weed the garden of our consciences who as the purest ground yet bring forth some weedes of imperfection the lawe of God is most behoouefull and necessarie and M. Caluins trauelles thereon most fruitefull and profitable who striketh euer at the originall and roote of sinne and bringeth the commandement to his olde first and true meaning from the corrupt and common vnderstanding For hee groundeth the exposition of the law vpon the nature of the Lawgiuer who because he is a spirit will be serued in spirit and truth And because he searcheth the reines soundeth the depth of the heart will be serued with euerie affection and motion thereof in all holinesse and sinceritie so that no man can safelie feede or flatter himselfe in the smallest of his owne faultes or follics And now what need there is of this knowledge in England all men see and others can better saie than my selfe declare how thinlie scant here and there such excellent vnderstanding groweth Which thing in more wordes to lament were an ouerlong deteining of your Lordship from your greater affaires The Lord of Lordes and God almightie garde you euer and guide you with his holie spirit to the benefite and commoditie of our countrie and to the profite of his Church with increase of honour to his honour alwayes Your humble to commaund ▪ Iohn Harmar The first Sermon of M. Iohn Caluine vppon the Commaundementes of the Lawe Deut. Chap. 4. 44 This is the Lawe whiche Moses set before the children of Israel 45 These are the witnesses and the ordinances and the Lawes whiche Moses declared to the children of Israel after they came out of Aegypt 46 On this side Iordan in the vallie ouer against Beth-peor in the land of Sihon King of the Amorites which dwelt at Heshbon FOrasmuch as the world is hardly kept and reteined in subiection vnder God let vs see how he for his part after he had chosen to himselfe one peculiar people vouchsafeth to rule them not for one time onely but so long and so often vntill the people should bee well accustomed to the yoke whiche order he vseth yet daily in his Church It ought to suffice vs that we had vnderstood of the truth of our God in one simple woord but because we are not so readie to beleeue as were requisite and when we haue begonne we decline and fall away in the end insomuch that we vtterly forget that which was taught vs see I say howe he is not contented to haue declared vnto vs for one day that whiche apperteineth to our saluation but calleth the same to our mindes continually and imprinteth it in our heartes as much as is possible Let vs consider to this purpose how Moses reciteth in this place that he not onely deliuered the Lawe in Horeb but also that after that he had made his circuite in the wildernesse by the space of fortie yeares or there about he hath againe instructed the people yea that of all the time he was with them he neuer ceased to set before them that which God had commaunded him to publish as we haue alreadie aboue touched And the diligence we here see in Moses is not superfluous but to good purpose when he saith that being come almost to Iordan and hauing discomfited Sehon King
of the Amorites and Og the King of Bashan his neighbour that he yet putteth them in minde of the statutes and ordinaunces of God to the end the people should rest on them and put them in practise and that if heretofore they haue not bene sufficientlie instructed they should at the lest then knowe the truth of the Lorde wherein they should wholie abide Thus yee see what Moses ment by this place and here he purposely placeth together these wordes the Lawe the Witnesses the Statutes the Ordinaunces to the end he might more fullie expresse declare as we haue before shewed that God hath not instructed his people by halfes or deliuered vnto them some obscure or short and vnperfect doctrine but that he hath comprised in the Lawe whatsoeuer was good and profitable so that if in it the people would stay them selues they should not neede to be busied in seeking for any thing beside as being fullie and wholie guided and directed by it Let vs marke this for in this sense the Lawe is a doctrine as indeed the worde whereby it is called is hence taken and deriued It foloweth The witnesses which unporteth as much as if God should declare that he maketh some contract or bargaine with men that he setteth downe articles to this end that he neither omitteth or forgetteth any thing whiche should serue to knit vp this mutuall agreement and aliance when it pleaseth him to choose and adopt vs for his people and for his Church to bring vs to himselfe For to speake in fewe woordes all that whiche concerneth this spirituall couenaunt betweene him and vs is comprehended vnder this word Witnesses because these are as the articles and pointes of the couenaunt as when bondes are geuen when men contract and bargaine together all is put in which may serue for the one and the other partie Wee see then how God hath protested that the Lawe conteineth a sufficient doctrine if so be men would keepe them selues vnder it to the declaration whereof the two other woordes followe the Statutes the Ordinaunces Nowe when God bestoweth such paine to teach and instruct vs and declareth that he hath omitted nothing whiche might perteine herevnto who will not meruell that our mindes for all this are so fleeing and wandering that we alwayes desire I knowe not what something better than that whiche wee finde in the woorde of God This diuelish curiositie both from all times reigned in the world and at this day a man may see that whatsoeuer one doeth he can not represse and stay this wicked and cursed desire but that men will bee alwayes wiser than God would haue them to bee And why We can not denie when his woord is preached but that he hath declared all thinges which were good and for our profite but yet we for all this time are verie ticklish we flote in out fantasies and we will alwayes haue one thing or other more than that which God hath shewed vs Seeing then that such a vice bewrayeth it selfe in vs it doth stand vs in hand to beare in mind the warning which is here conteined namely that if we will suffer God to be our maister we shall finde in his schoole all perfection of wisedome For his lawe is sufficient of it selfe to make vs wise againe It conteineth as we haue saide the articles whiche serue to ioyne vs to our God in whome all our glorie and felicitie consisteth Moreouer it sheweth vs the rule of well doing in such sort that we neede not searche further to vnderstand what God liketh and alloweth for we haue both his statues ordinaunces So then we may know and be throughlie persuaded that our life shal be acceptable vnto God if we passe not the boundes whiche he hath set and assigned vs but if wee adde any thing of our owne whatsoeuer it bee let vs not thinke that God approueth it as right and good for he hath forgotten nothing of that whiche belongeth to our profite and necessitie These two pointes are well worth the noting for they serue to make vs to haue in greater price and reuerence the doctrine whiche is euerie day proposed vnto vs in the name of god For when wee see that in it is perfect wisedome ought not we is applie all our senses to it and to hold our selues thereto When we see that God ceaseth not but continueth daily to teach vs ought not we for our part to be diligent and attentiue to the end we might profite vnder him And if at the first we be not so geuen vnto it as were requisite we should be all the time of our life ought wee not to traine our selues to knowe alwayes better and better the will of God euen vntill we bee wholie ridde of all ignoraunce which shal be when we are taken foorth of this world and not before Nowe it is certeine that whiche Moses hath done ought at this day to serue vs for a rule and example for it is not done at randon and beside good purpose Againe God appointed him as a spectacle and mirrour to all Prophetes and to all those which haue the charge of teaching in his church Let vs then vnderstand that God will not that we receiue his truth for one day onely as if one lesson were inough for vs but that wee shoulde repeate againe that which before we vnderstood to the end it might tarrie by vs and take such deepe roote in vs that we might haue no excuse nor make any allegation to say O I haue not bene yet throughly instructed God then on his part is alwayes readie to teach vs to the end we might not erre except we our selues woulde wittingly decline and of wilfull malice And here is expresse mention made of the temple of Peor to shewe that although the people had in that place an obiect or sight to turne them to superstition yet they had also a remedie in that God daily stirred them vp by his worde to the end they shoulde not meddle with the idolatries of the Painims True it is that it was an hard and greeuous chastisement that the people of God were feigne to haue euer before their eyes the temple of an idol it was all one as if God to spite and anger them shoulde say I did call you to possesse a land which shoulde be dedicated to my seruice where you shoulde haue seene nothing which might in any point haue offended you for my sanctuarie shoulde haue bene set vp in the middest of you I woulde haue bene purely worshipped according to my lawe the lande should not haue bene vnhalowed defiled with her old superstitions all idolatrie should haue bene so raced out that a man should heare nothing but my praises sounded but now ye see ye are here in the corner of the countrie where you see a temple of idols where you see many villanous abhominations This is then as a vengeance which you feele for your sinnes for as much as
gelous God visiting the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children euen to the third and fourth generation of them that hate me 10 And shewing mercie to thousandes of them that loue me keepe my Commaundements BEcause men are so farre inclined to corrupte the worshippe of God by wicked superstitions it behoueth that God feare them by his threates to the end they might be as it wereforceably kept backe when otherwise they woulde carrie them selues headlong by their vanitie to imagine of GOD cleane contrarie to all that which is agreeable with his Maiestie And this is a pointe worthie to bee noted For it seemeth as wee haue alreadie touched that it was now needelesse to forbidde the people of Israel to make any images after they had knowen the liuing god But because of our cursed inclination it was requisite that this so streight a forbidding as wee see should be adioyned And this is done as well for vs as for them because this vice is as it were settled in our bones If God shewe not that he will not suffer idolatrie and that wee bee not wounded with such threats there is not one amongest vs which forgeth not an infinite number of idols and by this meane the honour due to the liuing God is transported vnto our fantasies Let vs note then that here we are reproued of hauing a cursed and peruerse nature whiche alwayes draweth vs to superstition and that there is great need that we be held backe after some violent and forceable manner For of our owne good will we neuer serue GOD in such sort as that we imagine nothing of him but that which is proper to his Maiestie And withall wee may note to what purpose our good meanings serue vs For if there be any thing in whiche men may excuse them selues with this that they thinke they do well it is when they forge vnto them selues idols For to what end doe they make them but to serue God to bee stirred vp to greater deuotion and to haue a more strong assuraunce that GOD will heare them in their requestes These then are the men whiche may best pretend this colour of good meaning but yet we see on the contrarie side that God hereby is grieuously angred wee see how he pronounceth an horrible sentence of condemnatiō vpon all them which leaue them selues to be gouerned by their thinking and meaning They will say still and the thing is so That they thinke to serue God but what He accepteth no such seruice but rather accurseth it and that by good right For as wee haue aboue shewed his maieslie is disguised when one will make vnto him a visible image We are then instructed in this place to doe nothing as seemeth vs especially when there is any question of the seruice of God that we attempt nothing after our owne fantasies but that wee followe in all simplicitie that which he appointeth by his worde without adding of any thing vnto it whatsoeuer For assoone as wee shall haue declined neuer so little herein what euer we alledge to make our cause good God will not leaue vs vnpunished For this is no vaine threate when he saith That he is a God of gelousie and anger which visiteth the iniquitie of parentes vpon their children Thus you see then two pointes which wee haue to beare in minde in this place The one is that because wee are by nature ouer much giuen to idolatrie this threatning of God commes alwayes before our eyes to the end we presume not to mingle any thing with his word or to deuise any kind of idolatrie but that we serue him purely according to his nature and not according to our fantasie And let this be for one note The other is that we knowe we must not pretend our good me aninges to iustifie that which we shall haue inuented and deuised but contrarie wise let vs remember that the principall seruice which God requireth is obedience Nowe let vs come to the wordes which are set downe in this sentence God saith in the first place I am thy euerliuing thy God or thy mightie and strong one Here againe he setteth himselfe against all idols For wee haue alreadie seene that to redresse the superstitions of the Israelites he declared himselfe in his maiestie Nowe this is to take all excuse from men when GOD once manifesteth himselfe vnto them When wee knowe not which is the true religion neither can discerne who is the true GOD it is no maruell if all our senses wander and wee runne hither and thither without any right directing of our wayes as poore wanderers but when God hath once declared himselfe vnto vs and wee knowe his trueth then is there great reason that all our dreames fall to the grounde and that wee abide stedfast in that whereof wee haue knowledge For this cause God repeateth this thing That he hath declared himselfe to his people and hath chosen them to himselfe and that he will gouerne them euen by the lawe which is nowe published And of purpose nameth he himself A gelous God wrathfull For this word importeth both these thinges And againe although he be called here God notwithstanding the worde he here vseth is deriued from a word which signifieth strength feare Now when he nameth himselfe Gelous there is no doubt but he meaneth thereby to signifie that he will not suffer that his honour be violated or that he be robbed of that which properly belongeth vnto him to haue it geuen to creatures that he can not patiently endure any such treacherie Therfore when the honour of God shall not be so priced on our part as it deserueth let vs knowe that he will not neglect it For wee shall feele in the end that he forgetteth not himselfe but will mainteine his glorie as he declareth throughout all the holie scripture Verely if wee had but one droppe of true vnderstanding wee woulde be zealous for the honour of our God so that wee needed not to be stirred vp herevnto wee woulde of our selues endeuour to accomplishe that which is written in the Psalmes that is That his zeale should deuoure vs that we shoulde burne within our selues when wee see his maiestie reprochfully abused it would be I say that wee should then feele within vs a burning and consuming fire But what Wee are curious to mainteine our owne honour and in the meane while wee will suffer that the honour of the Lorde bee trampled vnder feete that men make their sporte and game of it that men haue it in derision and mockerie or at least that men mangle and teare it in peeces And therefore when the worlde shall be wholie set on idolatrie when all of vs shall neglect our duetie in the seruice of God shall not our Lorde after he hath reproued our loosenesse and vnthankfulnesse in this point shewe that although wee haue bene carelesse herein he will yet haue such a zeale as behoueth him to mainteine his honour and
S. Paule handling the same matter of wicked speaches which defile and infect vs with euill vices Now that of other is the worst when men speake of God in mockerie when one will scorne sloute him when one maketh a iest of him not only after a fashion fond and vaine but villainous and execrable Is not this euen of purpose and wilfull malice to violate the maiestie of God And yet notwithstanding this is done and commonlie vsed so that there shall scarse bee any long discourse made or great matter mainteined which hath not I knowe not what intermingled whereby God shal be contemned set at naught Shew we not then hereby that we neuer knew aright what it is to worshippe him Well wee shall say euerie day Thy name be hallowed but we doe all the contrarie Shall there then any other sentence of condemnation light on our heades than that When wee come to the Church wee will confesse with our mouthes that wee desire that the name of GOD bee mainteined in his due honour wee will say as much at the table and euerie one when hee riseth and laieth him downe to sleepe I speake of them which are not altogether brutishe for there are some whiche knowe not what it meaneth to make prayer vnto GOD But they whiche shall haue so much honestie as to pray vnto God they shall well say with the mouth Thy name be sanctified but this is scarse gone from the tip of their tongue and beholde a false othe in their mouth and they will tosse the name of GOD hither and thither And whither tendeth his wickednesse but to the violating of the maiestie of GOD and to the despiting of him as if we would giue him a blowe with a dagger or spit in his face And as I haue said there needeth no other Iudge to condemne vs in our false othes than this protestation whiche wee make when wee desire of GOD that he will mainteine the holinesse of his name And yet in the meane time wee seeke to deface it as much as lieth in vs Nowe it resteth that wee must speake of the maiestie of GOD in all reuerence especiallie when wee talke of his woorkes As howe When wee speake of the time whether he sendeth faire weather or raine â—oe these are markes of the maiestie of god If he sende vs contrarie seasons bee sheweth him selfe as a Iudge to the ende to make vs feele his wrath and indignation that wee might enter into the examination of our sinnes to bewaile them and to bee led to repentaunce Now if in steade of humbling our selues before God and hauing a displeasure with our selues for our offences wee are wayward and ouerthwart as we see that some men are woont despitefully to say And must this season continue in this sorte and thus long and haue not recourse to our God beseeching him to pardon our faultes this shall be to take the name of God in vaine As much is to be said of all the rest I bring this example onely to shew that when we are to speake of the workes of God it behooueth that either we perceiue him to be a Father in his goodnes or feele him to be a Iudge in his rigour and seueritie Therfore when God shall doe thinges which shall not fall out to our mind and which shall be contrarie to our wishes and desires let vs know that he grieueth and chastiseth vs to the ende we should enter into the acknowledging of our sinnes to condemne them and to be displeased with them If then we glorifie not God in this thing we vnhallow his holy name And againe when God on the contrarie side draweth vs to himselfe in all gentlenes as a louing and pitifull father this is to the ende we be led vnto him and that we honour him so much the more And if our vnthankefulnes is to be condemned for not honouring him in the first worde which he shall haue spoken what shall be said when we shall be vpbraided of all these thinges that by all the wayes GOD shall haue sought to drawe and allure vs he might winne vs to himselfe by none But contrariwise we shall haue shewed our selues contemners of his maiestie and shall haue troden his workes vnder our feete or shall haue cast downe the groine as hogges and repine against him I pray you shall not this be an horrible condemnation if we be condemned hereof Now although God hath imprinted some marke of his maiestie in all his workes and that he ought to be knowen of vs in raine in faire weather in heate in colde briefly in all the order of nature yet hath he especially imprinted his marke in his worde True it is that this is an intollerable and inexcusable vice when we reknowledge not God in the benefites which he hath bestowed on vs We hold our life of him that is in him we liue as S. Paule speaketh so that if we haue not a remembraunce of God in all his benefites this is already a wonderfull vnthankefulnes But as I haue aboue said God aboue all would imprint his marke in his word Let vs behold the heauen and the earth and we shall see God declared fully in them For what is this worlde but a liuely image as S. Paule speaketh in the which God sheweth and declareth himselfe For albeit he be inuisible in his essence yet sheweth he himselfe by his workes to the end we should worship him But when we come to the holy scripture in it shall we see an image wherin God openeth and declareth himselfe much more plainly in more familiar wise vnto vs than he doth either in the heauen or in the earth in such sort that neither Sunne nor Moone although they geue light vnto the world do so set forth the maiestie of God as do the Law the Prophets the Gospell Now for all this how speake men of the scriptures With what wicked boldnes and presumption Do not men I pray you at this day geue themselues to lawlesse libertie to speake of the word of God according to their owne fantasies And when men enter into a dispute of the holy scriptures ouer the pot in tauernes and alehouses is there any question of humbling our selues vnder it and that all knowing their owne rudenes and infirmitie desire of God his holy spirit to the end his secrets and mysteries be handled of vs as it behoueth No but these disputes are as in way of mockerie to sport our selues And by this a man may see more than were to be wished how few there be truly religious godly in the world We see some make themselues game with the scripture drawing it into Prouerbiall sentences to moue laughter that they make no other account than to iest and play with it as if it were but a nose of waxe which one may fashion as he listeth and turne any way it should seeme good vnto him Others are in their wandring and flitting
in the way and that we lacke much of accomplishing that which God commaundeth and requireth of vs in the lawe And this one thing may occasion vs to humble our selues seeing that GOD shall alwayes finde in vs ouermuch to condemne vs for his seruice and that this spirituall rest of ours commeth not neere by many degrees to that which he commaundeth On the other side hauing this occasion of humbling bewailing our selues in true repentance let vs know this for the second point that we ought so much the more to bee moued and pricked forward to make our further profite when we may say How now It is true that God hath geuen me the grase that I desire to serue him But how do I behaue my selfe herein Alas I am yet farre wide farre off from it For when we perceiue this imperfection in vs ought we not to enforce our selues forwarde in the seruice of God So betesting the euill and wickednesse which is in vs let vs be pricked so much the more forwarde alwayes to profite in this rest and let euery one call himselfe dailie to account for his going forwarde herein Ye see then how GOD hauing geuen vs occasion to humble our selues vnder his hand all the time of our life sheweth vs that we ought to be inflamed hereby to correct the vices which are in vs and to mortifie more and more the lustes and desires of our fleshe Therefore let vs knowe that it is not sufficient that our olde man be in part crucified except we bee wholy buried with Iesus Christ as Saint Paule speaketh in this seuenth of the Romanes which we haue alreadie alledged Ye see then what we haue to note touching the seuenth day of which it is here spoken It remaineth now that we speake of the second point wherein we haue before in a worde said that the Sabbaoth day was a ciuil order to exercise the faithfull in the seruice of god For this day was appointed to assemble them together to heare the doctrine of the lawe preached to receiue the sacramentes to call on the name of god And touching these pointes it is common to vs with the auncient people of the Iewes For although the figure is ceased I meane that whereof Saint Paule speaketh in the Epistle to the Colossians yet notwithstanding this which apperteineth to ciuil order abideth stil and hath his vse And this policie what is it It is to assemble our selues together in the name of god True it is this ought to be done euerie day but for because of our infirmitie or rather slouthfulnesse it was expedient that one day should bee chosn out If we were so seruent in the loue of God as we should be it should not neede to ordeine one onely day in the weeke but all would both euening and morning assemble themselues together to the ende wee might be edisted more and more in the worde of god And in deede this exercise were more than needfull for vs considering that we are all so enclined vnto euill that we neede not any thing to leade vs on further in wickednesse and to loose the bridle more loose vnto vs It is needefull then that we assemble our selues together on euerie day in the name of god But what We see that with much a doe men will assemble themselues together on the Sunday and that many are to bee holden to this order by force and violence Hauing then such an infirmitie in vs let vs knowe that this order was not prescribed onely vnto the Iewes of obseruing one certeine day in the which they should come together but to vs also as common with them But yet herewithall wee haue to note that this is not all and that this were a verie bare and naked thing that our handes onely and our feete should rest and that nothing els should bee done What must we then doe Wee ought to applie this rest to a more high and excellent thing we ought to cease from those workes which might hinder the workes of GOD lette vs from calling on of his name stay vs from exercising of our selues in his holy woorde If wee employ the Sunday to make good cheare to sporte our selues to goe to games and pastimes shall GOD in this bee honoured Is not this a mockerie Is not this an vnhallowing of his name When our shoppe windowes are shutte in on the Sundaie when wee trauell not after the common order and fashion of men this is to the ende wee shoulde haue more libertie and leasure to attende on that which GOD commaundeth that is to wit to bee taught by his worde to assemble our selues together to make confession of our faith to call on his name to exercise our selues in the vse of the sacramentes Loe then to what purpose this policie ought to serue vs. But now let vs consider whether they which call themselues Christians acquite themselues in this pointe as were requisite A great parte of men thinke they haue the Sundaie the better to attende on their worldly affaires and they reserue to themselues this day as if they had no other to deliberate for the whole weeke to come Nowe if the bell shall ring to a Sermon they thinke they haue no other thing to doe but to thinke on their businesse and to make their accounte of this and of that Others glutte themselues by riotting and are shutte vp in their houses because they dare not shew a manifest contempt of their duetie in the open streetes So that the Sundaie is to them but a retreate to withdrawe themselues from the Churche and congregation of god By this one may see what affection wee haue towarde all Christianitie and the seruice of GOD seeing that by this which was geuen vs for an aide and helpe to drawe neerer vnto GOD wee take occasion to withdrawe our selues so much the further from him And whither wander wee Goe wee not so farre as to recule and flee backe wholie from him Is not this a diuelishe wickednesse of men And yet this is so common as it is pitie to beholde And would to God we stoode in neede to search for examples herein further off and that they were more rare to be founde But wee see how all is profaned and violated that the most parte are nothing carefull for the right vsage of this day which was ordeined to the end that we should bee retired from all worldlie cares and drawen backe from all other businesse to yelde vp ourselues wholie vnto god Moreouer let vs know that the Sunday is not ordeined for vs onely to come to the Sermon but to the end we employ the rest of the time to laude and praise god Note we this For although he nourish vs euerie day yet notwithstanding we meditate not sufficientlie of the benefites he bestoweth on vs to magnifie him in them True it is that this should be but a poore thing if wee should consider of the benefites of GOD but on the Sunday
confesse that our chief desire is willingly vnfeignedly to honor God that we cānot suffer any reprochfullie to abuse his maiestie Thus ye see what we haue to beare in minde vpon this place which we ought at this day with all diligence to obserue albeit it be preciselie geuen in commādement to the Iewes for in substance truth it belongeth vnto vs For as in old time our lord brought this people out of Egypt so at this day hath he drawen vs out of the gulfe of hell hath deliuered vs from eternal death from those deepe and darke dongeons wherein we were plunged to bring vs into his heauenlie kingdome hauing redeemed and purchased vs to himselfe by the bloud of his welbeloued sonne our Lord Iesus Christ Now let vs cast our selues downe before the face of our good God with acknowledging our faults praiing him to make vs feele them better than we haue done that labouring to reforme our selues more and more to his iustice we fight daily against the lustes and desires of our flesh and continue so long in this combate vntill he hath fullie freed vs from it and reformed vs vnto his image in the which we were first created That hee will graunt this grace not only to vs but to al people and nations of the earth c. The. 7. Sermon wherein it is entreated of the second Table Deut. Chap. 5. 16 Honour thy father and thy mother as the Lorde thy God hath commaunded thee that thy dayes may bee prolonged and that it may be well with thee in the land which the Lorde thy God geueth thee WE are now come vnto the second Table of the lawe wherein God sheweth vs how we ought all to liue here together For as it hath bene aboue touched there are two principall thinges required in our life The one that wee serue God purelie and sincerelie The other that we liue with men in all integritie and vprightnesse rendring vnto euerie one that which apperteineth and belongeth vnto him Now as the honour of God is more excellent than all that which concerneth men so it behoued that in the first and principall place the rule of honouring God as we ought should be geuen And this is handled dispatched in the first Table Here then God beginneth to declare vnto vs in what sort our life ought to be ordered if we wil applie our selues vnto the dutie we owe vnto men Now we haue also declared that God requireth no honour of vs for any neede he hath of it or for any profite it bringeth vnto him but it is for our welfare and saluation that he requireth it So then he will proue our obedience and the loue we beare him when he commaundeth vs to walke in all equitie and vprightnesse with our neighbours and that we liue together in such concord and fellowship that any one bee not geuen vnto himselfe but that we communicate together and that euerie one according to his abilitie and power to do well employ and force himselfe therevnto This say I is the proofe which God maketh to knowe whether we worship him vnfeignedly and from our heart For we might make many faire countenances and vse great ceremonies but God shall not content himselfe with it And this is the cause why our Lord Iesus Christ saith that the principall point of the law is iustice iudgement vprightnesse faith which worde importeth here fidelitie or faithfulnesse Therefore when we liue with men without hypocrisie and dissimulation when we are not geuen to our subtile sleightes nor malicious practises wee studie to minister vnto and to serue euerie one in his commoditie we mainteine right resist wrong as much as lieth in vs loe the chiefe and principal part of the lawe Not that the seruice of God ought in the meane while to be forgotten or that it is of lesse importance but because it is vnpossible that men acquite themselues in their duetie toward their neighbours except they be led herevnto by the feare of god Now let vs handle this commaundement last recited which concerneth the honouring of father and mother And here although expresselie mention be made of the father and the mother there is no doubt but GOD meant to deliuer a generall doctrine of hauing all superioritie in honour For graunt we which must needes be confessed that the lawe conteineth a perfect rule of doctrine wherein nothing is wanting and this which we haue said must needes be so For if it hath not touched any thing of the duetie we owe to other superiours as princes and magistrates and those which haue the sworde of iustice if it hath deliuered nothing concerning maisters it should haue some default in it Therefore we must conclude that God hath commaunded that all they which are in any degree of honour and authoritie be honoured and obeyed Moreouer seing all preeminence and superioritie commeth from God and that this order is established and appointed by him without the which the world could not stande what might be thought if God made no account of this when he gaue forth a certeine forme of liuing well and in all holinesse Neither ought we to account it straunge that vnder one speciall kind of obedience to bee yelded to all superiours the whole is comprised For we haue alreadie touched how this ought to be obserued in the law and we shall see it more plainlie hereafter And this was not done because God could speake in no other manner but for our better profite and instruction For we know that albeit men desire to seeme subtile and sharpe witted yet cease they not alwayes to couer themselues with the buckler of ignorance If we might espie that the law of God presseth vs ouer sore we would feigne haue some excuse to exempt our selues from the subiection of it And if the lawe of God were not apt and conuenient to instruct the rude and ignoraunt many would alledge that they are no great Clerkes that they neuer went to schoole It should seeme then that the law of God might not bind them But when we see that God abaseth himselfe to our rudenesse and that he speaketh grosselie according to our capacitie this taketh from vs all excuse this remoueth all pretences whatsoeuer and euerie one is bound to order him selfe aright and we all must confesse that there is nothing which hindereth vs from doing our dueties but that we be rebellious against God and will not beare his yoke Lo why vnder one kind God comprehendeth the whole that he might instruct traine vs vp like yong children whiche are not capable nor apt to be taught after some absolute and perfect maner This therfore is the true and naturall sense of the place as we shall see hereafter For as God deliuered the ten commaundementes or wordes as he calleth them so he annexed also the exposition of them to the end nothing might be obscure and that men might not doubt or dispute of that which
onelie the exteriour acte and permitteth vs in the meane while to bee geuen vnto our wicked lustes and affections For GOD will not bee serued with eye seruice and forbiddeth not onelie the acte it selfe when marriage shall be broken and violated but he interdicteth all wicked desires and affections And this is the cause why Iesus Christ saith That he which loketh but awrie on the wife of another that euen he is an adulterer before God and albeit he be not culpable by the lawes of men and that he may bee accounted chast as not hauing committed any whoredome yet notwithstanding before God he is alreadie condemned as if he had committed fornication Therefore when wee heare this worde of adulterie which is so condemned let vs learne to absteine from all fornication not onelie touching the act thereof but to keepe and reteine all our senses chast that chastitie continencie be both in our eyes and in our heart For behold how S. Paule hath defined true chastitie when he saith That all which are vnmaried ought to studie how they may obey God by keeping their bodies their minds pure cleane He saith not That they who haue not defiled their bodies with fornications remaine chaste but they which tooke paines to keepe both their bodies and soules vndefiled And when we shall haue considered how God abhorreth and detesteth all adulteries we must yet go further applying and extending the same to all fornication vncleannesse True it is that he which breake◠the faith and truth of marriage committeth a double offence and much more enormious as I haue alreadie said but we must alwaies remember this that God will not haue men only not to attempt any thing against mariage but he commandeth also that men lead not a brutish life that they suffer not fornications to haue their ful flote Hee forbids them which are not maried to wander hither and thither in their concupiscences and to abandon themselues to all lustfull meetinges willing them to be pure and cleane both in bodies and minds For he saith That not onely their soules but also their bodies are the temples of the holy ghost as it hath bene alreadie recited And these are the wordes of S. Paul when he warneth the Corinthians that this were a wicked and infamous thing for them to suffer as they had alreadie suffred fornications among them Knowe ye not saith hee that your bodies are the temples of the holy ghost Loe then seing God doth vs this honor to choose our vile bodies which are not only britle vessels but carions euen earth and rottennes yet notwithstanding God honoreth them so far as to make them temples of his holy spirit to dwell therin shal we venter so to moil them in al filth infectiō Shal we make them as stables and sties for hogs What a trecherie is that What an abhominable wickednesse Neither is this all For let vs consider whither S. Paule leadeth vs. Our bodies saith he are the members of Iesus Christ This is then all one as if a man shoulde rent in peeces the bodie of Iesus Christ when he abandoneth his bodie vnto fornication and vncleannesse For it is certeine that we cannot intermingle the sonne of God with our filthes abhominations he being the fountaine of all puritie So then when a man yeldeth himselfe vnto fornication he doth as it were teare in sunder the bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ as much as lieth in him not that we may do it for the sonne of God is not subiect vnto vs to be so dishonoured but we notwithstanding shal be culpable of such a blasphemie as this we shall be guiltie of such an iniurie done vnto him Therefore let vs lerne that God will that not only euerie one for his part obserue the loyaltie and faithfulnes required in mariage but in generall that we be sober and chast to walke in all puritie of life not to giue the bridle to all filthinesse and vncleannesse The reasons which I haue alreadie alledged ought well to moue vs herevnto and this also which I haue alreadie touched of adulteries beeing applied of vs to this purpose may lead vs to all sober and chast liuing Let vs therefore haue all our senses tied vnder such temperance and sobrietie that when the diuell shall sollicite vs to anie vncleannesse wee may alwayes giue him the repulse that hee finde no accesse vnto vs beeing excluded from all enteraunce A certeine Painime knewe well to say That it is not ynough for a man to haue his handes abstinent that is that he be not giuen to rapine and spoile to wrong and iniurie any one but hee must also haue his eyes continent that is to say he must not be giuen to vnchaste and wanton lookes If this hath beene taught by those poore ignoraunt and blinde wretches what shall become of vs if wee remember it not when we are warned as I haue alreadie saide that God hath shewed vs this honour not onely to refourme our soules vnto him but our bodies also although they bee mortall and that we see they haue nothing in them but rottennesse and corruption Seeing then it is so that God accounteth our bodies as his and that he will dwell in them let vs learne to walke warily that wee committe no vncleannesse and bee giuen to no kinde of filthinesse to driue God from out of vs who would possesse vs for his dwelling place and for his holie Temple And withall wee must remember that which Saint Paule saith That other sinnes which a man doth are cōmitted without the bodie but fornication is committed in the bodie For it is certeine that by thefts and oppressions we defile our bodies and our handes as the holie Scripture in this sense speaketh that when we violently oppresse anie we haue our handes full of bloud as the Prophet Esaie speaketh But Saint Paule considering well that fornication is more shamefull and ignominious and that men ought specially to keepe themselues from it declareth that fornication leaueth a marke behinde which remaineth imprinted in the bodie whereby it is open to all infamie and reproch We are verie desirous to conserue our honor and estimation vnspotted it would grieue vs much that any one should staine vs with some euill infamous note why then will we runne hedlong into such vncleannesse as to draw on vs a marke impression of infamie and reproch in the sight of God before his Angels and in the face of al men So then let vs diligently note this and we shall the better be withheld from such corruption filthinesse For albeit our frailtie be such that the diuell tempteth allureth vs herevnto yet shall this serue vs for a bridle to restraine vs to this puritie which I haue mentioned not onely of bodie but also of minde And moreouer let vs heedfully note that which Saint Paule annexeth to the threat he remembreth of wicked persons
looke for all that apperteineth to the maintenance of this present life brieflie it is his blessing which is the fountaine of all riches If we were well and throughlie persuaded of this we should not neede more preceptes in the lawe to forbid stealings we should not neede anie more admonitions wee should not neede anie more aduertisements this onlie word would suffice But what Wee demaund of GOD our dailie bread and while wee protest that hee sustaineth and nourisheth vs wee exercise our rapines our pillinges our deceites and other such wickednes Is not this euen to mocke God when I say with my mouth Giue me my dailie bread and in the meane while I go to seeke it of the diuell For if we vse such vnlawfull meanes if we deceiue one if we spoile an other from whom is it that we take our goods Is it from the hand of God or rather from the hand of the diuell Are we not companions of theeues and of robbers It is certeine therefore that we would the diuell enrich vs when we are giuen so to deceite and extortion and which more is it is a sure signe of our infidelitie and vnbeleefe and that we attend not anie thing at all on the blessing of God and thinke not that he is rich inough to susteine and enriche vs Loe howe wickedlie we are herein disposed and yet this wee ought to profit our selues when we heare that our Lorde accurseth stealings and that he teacheth vs that they are detestable in his sight to let vs haue them in greater horrour and detestation Therefore let vs first of all beare in minde that God iudgeth not according to the fantasie of men but that his will is that we walke in all integritie and vprightnesse that euerie one haue his right that none be molested and troubled for his liuing and substance that wee streightlie withholde our selues from all iniurie and wrong doing And againe because we are so inclined vnto euill let vs consider of those meanes which may holde vs vnder the obedience of GOD and hinder vs from stealing of which we haue alreadie spoken and let vs know that God hath ioyned vs together that we should keepe this lawe and rule of equitie Moreouer let vs not desire to be rich but let vs practise this doctrine of bearing pouertie patientlie that we be not inflamed with a desire of getting and aduauncing and promoting our selues further Againe let vs abhorre and detest all crueltie and deceit and aboue all let vs learne not to be so brutish as to thinke that when we haue scraped together on this side and the other this may be to make vs rich Let vs beware howe we deceiue our selues in this behalfe And why For true riches as I haue said proceede from the blessing of god We must therefore drinke of this fountaine and be satisfied if we will absteine from all kindes of theft But nowe let vs also enter into consideration of the threats which God setteth before vs When hee hath sufficientlie shewed that this precept is of great equitie and that he hath giuen vs the meanes also whereby to walke in all integritie and vprightnesse without hurting or wronging anie one seeing vs yet ouer hard to bee brought to the obseruation hereof and that alwayes our wicked affections carrie vs away headlong altogether backwarde from our dutie he adioyneth his manaces and threates to feare vs to keepe vs in greater awe And is this a small thing and lightlie of vs to be considered when he saieth That theeues and extortioners shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen Loe then howe hee expresselie declareth and pronounceth vnto vs that if we make so great account of this present life as that for to plucke vnto vs some commoditie the better to passe through this present worlde wee will wittinglie prouoke the wrath and indignation of God we shall be exiled and banished his kingdome If we had but one onelie droppe of faith should not this threat be euen to pearce vs to the heart But yet our Lord passeth further for seeing vs so carnall so giuen ouer to the world he sheweth vs that euen in this worlde hee will make vs goe backward and hee which shall thinke to lift vp and aduance him selfe by subtile shiftes by robberies by extortions that euen he shal be consumed he shall haue a secrete curse and malediction which shall vndermine him and consume him to nothing As in that place which we haue alledged of Zacharie it is saide That the curse of GOD shall come vpon the house of theeues and robbers and shall remaine therein vntill they be wholie consumed We see further howe hee hath spoken hereof by all the rest of the Prophetes by whom he hath declared that when men shall thinke to enriche them selues when they shall make their reckoning of I know not what great wealth GOD shall blowe on them yea with such a breath that all their pompe shall vanish and that so soudeinlie that a man could not perceiue their fall and consumption But God passeth yet further True it is that we may read often and in manie places that our Lorde scorneth and derideth them which so torment themselues to gather together great substance when in the ende all shall decaye and fall away like water But we shall see further that great richesse shal be the cause of their destruction which haue liued in credit and reputation Beholde a father which shall haue pilled one and spoyled an other which shall haue the whole time of his life prouoked and plucked on his head the vengeance of God well hee dieth it seemeth vnto him that his children shal be young Dukes Nowe if hee had left them but some small portion to haue bestowed them selues painfullie in some trade if he had learned them honestlie to trauell for their liuing his children might haue had wherewith to haue liued a contented life but loe the father hath twisted the rope to hang his heires For when they repose their trust in the richesse which shall haue bene wickedlie gotten it must needes be that either they be led to the gibbet or otherwise perish vnhappilie And what is the cause hereof Euen the anger and indignation of God which lighteth on them to consume all that which shall haue bene euill gotten by pillings and extortions The house must needes be accursed God must needes shew that he is a iust Iudge both vpon theeues and vpon all such as make a scorne of his diuine maiestie when one speaketh vnto them thereof as we heare these iesters hickscorners will say when the latter iudgement is denounced them Well well it is long time thither when they oppresse a poore man who shall haue neither abilitie nor credit to mainteine his right against them Nowe in the meane time they bath them selues in their iniquities and welter in their wickednesse But what When God seeth that men are so senslesse and that he can
not winne them to euerlasting life and that they account it nothing to be banished and excluded the kingdome of heauen Go to saith he I summon you to appeare before my throne behold I wil now begin to put in execution my once determined sentence I will giue you to vnderstand that my curse is vpon euill gotten goods I will shew you that they which for a time possesse them must in the end forgoe them and that they their goods and all their race and posteritie be consumed Nowe when we heare all these threats ought we not to be moued with them except the diuell haue altogether bewitched and enchaunted vs What resteth then Let vs keepe so good and vpright a conscience as God requireth of his let euerie one trauell faithfully in his vocation let vs not seeke to grieue and molest our neighbour let our whole studie bee howe to passe this life ouer without offending God and albeit wee haue no great reuenues although we haue not much to dispend let sobrietie and moderation serue vs for a double portion Loe howe wee are to behaue our selues But nowe if theftes are so condemned of GOD what shall this be when we robbe him of his honour For wee must make this comparison betweene theftes and sacrileges Beholde God hath forbidden vs to be theeues And why Because he will that we obserue all equitie and vprightnesse one with another he will also that the goods he hath dedicated to our vse be so ordered among vs that we possesse them not by wicked practises that hee which hath store of them dispense and bestowe them so as hauing but onelie the vse and not the proprietie of them that hee which hath little content him selfe therewith as we haue said Now if God will that we obserue such an integritie and vprightnesse towards our neighbours as to conserue and keepe vnto them all the goods they possesse if those things he hath created for our vse be so deare vnto him that he will not we defile and make them vncleane by deceites by oppressions and such like things what shall be thought of this which hee esteemeth by manie degrees more pretious So then when wee shall haue walked with our neighbours in all integritie when wee shall haue sought to giue vnto euerie one that whiche apperteineth vnto him let vs render also vnto our God his right that is to say let vs glorifie him let vs take heede that he alwayes remaine in his entire maiestie and let vs not vsurpe more than he hath permitted vnto vs As we see howe this rash boldnesse is in men that when they haue shewed them selues madde and furious in oppressing their neighbours they will forthwith sharpen their hornes and arme them selues against god When they haue spoiled men of their substaunce they would also that God should bee subiect to their outrages and they will not obey him but when they list and in that seemeth them good we must therefore beware of all these thinges And for conclusion let vs also take heede not onely to abstaine from all iniurie and harme doing but withall not to permitte or suffer as much as shall lie in vs that any one bee molested or indamaged For these are two thinges which God commaundeth vs Iustice and Iudgment Iustice to giue vnto euerie one his right and Iudgment to the end we be not consenting vnto euill and suffer not that the poore which haue no meane to susteine and vpholde them selues to bee troden vnder feete For when I shall with mine eyes see one oppressed and shall not seeke to aide and helpe him behold I am consenting to the theefe so that the sentence of the fiftie Psalme may bee verified of mee When thou sawest a theefe thou diddest runne with him For is not this to runne with them which steale and robbe when we seeke not to represse them or close vp our eyes not to see them or giue them the bridle in their neckes to passe further Wee are consenting to a thefte which is committed and therefore wee must render an account thereof before God as guiltie of thefte albeit this be nothing estemed of among men Let not any therefore thinke that it is lawfull for him onely to keepe his owne but let vs consider that wee must employ our paines also to conserue and increase the good of our neighbours as our owne and so the rule of charitie exhorteth vs Loe how we shall not be theeues neither before God nor before men Loe how the goodes which he hath put into our handes shal be blessed of him when he shall make vs prosper and that wee shall haue such a contentation that wee alwayes aspire vnto and haue our mindes set on our heauenlie inheritance knowing that there we shall haue all fulnesse of riches in perfection Now let vs cast our selues downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledging of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them better than wee haue done and that more and more wee may profite in the obseruing of his holy lawe And because we are so wicked and peruerse that all our thoughtes and affections drawe altogether backward pray wee that it will please him to reforme vs by his holy spirit drawe vs so neere vnto him that renouncing the worlde and despising all earthlie and transitorie thinges wee may aspire to his heauenlie kingdome where wee shall haue all contentation and quietnesse And so let vs say Almightie God and heauenlie father c. The. 11. Sermon Deut. Chap. 5. 20 Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour WE haue heretofore seene that it is not lawfull after what manner soeuer to molest and grieue our neighbours either in their persons or yet in their goodes But because there is yet an other kinde of hurting by the tongue God would also make mention hereof in his lawe as wee see in this place Therefore as before he hath forbidden vs to commit any outrage against our neighbours which thing he hath comprehended vnder this woord of murder not to trouble or annoy them in what sort soeuer or to hurt them in their goods so here he sheweth vs that wee ought to speake no euill of them that wee must vse no talke which may bee to staine them with any blot of infamie or any euill and wicked note True it is that expresselie he speaketh of bearing false witnesse but this is according to the rule we haue before set downe namelie that he proposeth those thinges which ought to bee most of all detested for this end that wee shoulde abhorre those sinnes whiche any way come neere them If wee therefore speake euill of our neighbours if we slaunder them albeit this bee accounted no grieuous sinne before men yet God shall esteme it as heinous as bearing of false witnesse But one may make here a question why God hath in this place spoken of bearing false witnesse of periuries seeing he hath said before Thou shalt
conteined in the law and such desires are forbidden in this place So we see that God not without cause hauing condemned all euill desires and affections annexeth that this is not yet such a perfection as he requireth but wee must know that euerie affection which stirreth vs vp vnto euill albeit we conclude not any thing within our selues neither rest our selues on it that if onlie a concupiscence forceablie breake forth in vs and we striue therwith that this is a sinne committed we are culpable before god And thus we see what integritie is required in this place when our Lord hauing forbidden wicked desires adioineth that both our senses and mindes must be locked vp in such sort vnder his feare and inflamed with such a loue and desire to walke in all holinesse that we be not moued or driuen either on one side or other by any wicked passion to desire either the good or the wife of an other Now seing we haue the intent and meaning of God let vs diligently consider whervnto he bindeth vs For the law ought to serue vs for a looking glasse to behold the pouertie and miserie which is in vs and after that we shall haue vnderstood what our dutie is let vs know that we are to be condemned if we come not neere that perfection to the which God hath called vs Ye see wherevpon we must slaie to make our profite of this last commaundement of the lawe And to the ende that we may be so much the more attentiue and that we may knowe that this is a doctrine which requireth that we applie our whole studies therein let vs beare in minde that which S. Paule saith That being reputed a great and exceding wise Doctor hauing bene nourished in the law of God from his infancie yet was he so blind that he vnderstoode not what the lawe of God ment vntill he was conuerted and that our Lorde Iesus Christ had enlightened him by his Gospell to the end he might knowe whither the lawe of God ought to lead vs. Beholde then Saint Paule who was instructed in such sorte that hee was in great reputation among men not among the Painims to say that he was some great Philosopher but he was taught and brought vp in the lawe of god And touching his life hee protesteth that he liued irreprehensible as without all faulte beefore men Loe I say Sainte Paule an holy and learned personage after the common estimation of men but yet a poore beast touching the law of god And why He saith he esteemed himselfe liuing that he thought himselfe iust before God and knew not that he had neede of the mercie which GOD offereth vnto all sinners For he absteined from theft from fornication such like thinges he had no wicked desires in him which one might perceiue and which might be knowen vnto men so that he iustified him selfe in his owne fantasie Now in the end when God had taken pitie on him he opened his eyes made him to vnderstand that which is conteined in this last commaundement Thou shalt not couet Behold how S. Paul began now first to vnderstand the lawe in which before he was a doctor making profession thereof wherein hee had bene taught and instructed from his first age Vntill he had wel considered and medicated of this he tript ouer the quicke coles he learned his lesson as we say by rot he neuer tasted nor vnderstoode the force and power of the lawe he neuer knewe that this was sinne to condemne himselfe before God and to haue his refuge to his mercie in the which the hope of our saluation lieth and wherevpon it ought to be grounded Seeing then S. Paul knew not the law and had no right vnderstanding thereof but by this worde let vs labour herein with so much the more diligence and seeing that all the time of his life vntill his conuersion he was so blind that he vnderstood not this worde by so much the more ought we to bee attentiue in this place for we are of no greater abilitie than he but God by his holy spirit must reueale to vs what this concupiscence is which hee hath in this place condemned Now beyond all this we must haue an other admonition which is very needfull and necessarie for vs For the diuell hath sought in such sort to couer and hide this precept that a man should not knowe the intent and meaning of God but that one should lightlie content himselfe to condemne onelie those euill concupiscences for sinne which appeared manifestly and whereof a man were plainly conuicted So that many haue restrained this word of concupiscence to those euill affections and desires which importe a resolute will and full consent Now this is against the natural sense and meaning of Moses and yet is this a doctrine fullie concluded on in papistrie Although the Papists cannot denie that to be pricked and prouoked with an euil and wicked desire is a damnable vice and which procedeth from originall sinne and from this corruption which we drawe from our father Adam yet they imagine that after baptisme this is no more a sinne As if such a fantasie come into the minde of man to doubt of the promises of God to murmur against him to be angrie with him when a man shal be afflicted if it come into his fantasie to accuse God of iniustice and crueltie this is not a sinne say the Papists Neither are these of the rudest ignoraniest sort among them which speake thus but this is a generall resolution doctrine vniuersally concluded on in all their diuelish Synagogs There is not a Synagog among them where this hath not bene receiued as an article of faith namelie that a man being prouoked and stirred vp with some wicked desire sinneth not that if he be tempted in himselfe to commit murther to empoyson any to commit fornication and briefly to be guiltie of all the crimes and enormities in the world if so that he consent and assent not thereto for loe the wordes which they vse that is to say if hee resolue not himselfe herein to say I will put in practise my wicked conceite and that hee stay not himselfe hereon to please himselfe in this wicked affection all this is no sinne This is say they but to exercise vs in combate and fight against sinne and we then declare that we are valiant champions and that sinne beareth not rule ouer vs or reigneth in vs Now I graunt it is true that the faithfull shew well that the spirit of God reigneth in them when they repell and beate backe such temptations when they bridle and captiue themselues so when they resist and withstand such thinges knowing that they are contrarie vnto God and that he condemneth them It is certeine that hereby it is shewed that God hath geuen vs victorie ouer sinne and that the vertue and power of his spirit abideth in vs and that we are stoute and valiaunt champions to bid battell
such shiftes will serue vs to escape And why God followeth on alwayes to condemne wicked desires hauing condemned wicked counsels and purposes Nowe this doctrine ought to serue two wayes to our vse and profite First it may teach vs more feruentlie to praie vnto God to gouerne vs by his holy spirit and to purge vs from all our corruptions and vices And againe hauing made our request and prayer vnto him that euery one force himselfe that we vse violence with our nature with all our senses and appetites seeing there is in vs such a rebellion against the law of god As S. Paul also speaketh not onelie of the wils of men when he saith That through their peruerse and crooked nature they are enimies vnto God but he mentioneth the affections thoughts for he vseth a word in that place which signifieth the thoughts which we conceiue Seeing it is so let vs knowe that when we shall haue bestowed our labour well to hold our selues snaffled with the bridle of God that yet some euil desires shal escape vs for which we ought to lament and bewaile our selues before god Loe what the first vse of this doctrine is namelie that we haue this zele to call vpon God to gouerne vs by his holy spirite and that we employ all our paines herein and vse such force with our selues to be retained from all euil that Sathan haue not his entrance into our heartes that he may not make any breach into vs to winne possession of our bodies but that we keepe him aloofe and farre off And as soone as we shal perceiue any thought in vs which shall tende vnto euill let vs come forth to oppose our selues against it let vs make this barre to say What God must beare rule wholie in thee he must possesse not onelie thy mind but all thy senses and thoughts For the second we must learne to condemne our selues giue all glorie vnto God in confessing that we are all culpable guiltie and that if he call vs to account shall vse seueritie with vs loe we all perish and are cast downe to the bottomlesse pitte of hell We must come vnto this point otherwise we shall not profite in the lawe of God as wee ought But here a man may demand seeing that God knoweth the frailtie and weaknesse of men Why he either strengtheneth not them better or why he maketh a lawe so straite and so austere For it seemeth that God would oppresse vs when he forbiddeth wicked desires and that he is not content that we render him obedience in our willes enioyning vs no further thing by adding this word And loe why these ieasters say That God would spite and anger men in his law and as it were forbid them to scratch themselues when they itch But we must come to knowe this miserie and wretchednesse which is in vs namely that we haue neither thoughtes nor affections which are not rebellious vnto god Let vs not therefore maruell if there be such a strife and combate betweene the lawe of God and our lustes and appetites And why For when we haue diligently sifted and examined what soeuer is within vs we shall finde there is nothing but all manner of corruption and damnable wickednesse For we cannot conceiue one onelie thought which tendeth not vnto euill Seeing it is so with vs and that God hath giuen vs a perfect rule of all goodnesse and vpright liuing hath hee not as it were thundered against vs And is it not manifest that the fire and the water are at lesse strife yea agree better than the nature of men and the iustice of God Let vs not therefore thinke it straunge that God hath so reproued our appetites and lustes and when we heare the blasphemies which these ieasters spue foorth let vs detest them as monsters For in steade of glorifying of GOD in his iustice they fling themselues and spurne against him as sauage and furious beastes Lo what wee haue to note touching the frailtie and weaknesse of men that albeit it bee so great yet he condemneth it in his lawe And why For when GOD ordereth our life and sheweth vs howe wee are to walke hee hath not respect what we can doe but hee considereth of that we owe him he respecteth what vprightnesse and innocencie of liuing is though it be not found in vs We are the creatures of GOD ought wee not then to giue ouer our selues wholie to his seruice Without all doubt we ought for this is a percemptorie reason and can not be gainesaide And men may well mutter and murmur hereat yet shall they alwayes bee conuicted with so manifest a proofe that hauing their beeing of GOD and for him they ought to dedicate vnto him all their senses and affections and whatsoeuer there is either in their bodie or their soule Nowe withall let vs note diligently that we cannot acquire vs of our duetie towardes him But where is the cause hereof but in our owne nature But this we drawe from Adam It followeth not for that we are helde captiues vnder sinne and that this cursed seruitude and bondage hindereth vs from doing well and maketh vs giue our selues altogether vnto that which is euill what euer other cause be hereof the roote is in vs and euerie one shall feele himselfe culpable And we must not say that we are driuen herevnto by anie externall force but euerie one is ledde and driuen vnto this by his owne proper concupiscence and so there remaineth no excuse for vs And hereby we see that we must not measure the lawe of God by our owne faculties and powers And why God respecteth not what we can doe or what our power and abilitie is but he respecteth howe farre we are bound vnto him he respecteth this integritie and perfection which is without vs Behold what we haue to obserue And this is that which abuseth and deceiueth the Papists For they haue this principle among them That the law of God is not impossible vnto men It is wonderfull how they haue bene so mad how the diuell hath inchanted and bewitched them in such sort For this doctrine is most cleare and manifest throughout all the holy scripture namely that men shall bee alwayes condemned by the lawe and must alwayes haue recourse to the meere grace and mercie of god When Saint Paule will proue that men are accursed being sinners and that there is not at all one iust man what argument or reason is it which hee vseth He alledgeth the place of Moses Cursed is euerie man that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the law to do them Now it might seeme at first sight that Saint Paule hath euill argued and that this reason is impertinent For let it bee graunted that all they which haue transgressed the lawe of God are accursed yet it followeth not that all mankinde be curssed For if one man obserue the lawe and acquite himselfe herein
before the face of our good God with acknowledgment of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them better than wee haue done and that wee may learne to conforme our liues to his obedience who respecteth not onely the outwarde woorkes but regardeth what our willes our affections and all our thoughtes are And because wee can not in one day come to such a perfection pray we him that this may bee an occasion to humble vs and to stirre vs vp more manfullie to fight with sinne that euerie one awaken him selfe to correct the vices which are in his nature vntill God ridding vs of this flesh and corruption cloth vs with his iustice and reforme vs altogether to the image of his glorie That it will please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but to all people and nations of the earth c. The. 13. Sermon Deut. Chap. 5. 22 These are the wordes which the Lorde spake vnto all your multitude in the mount out of the middest of the fire the cloude and the darkenesse with a great voice added nothing thereto and wrote them vpon two tables of stone and deliuered them vnto me BEcause wee finde no better excuse for our loose behauiour or for our rebellion against God than to alledge ignorance we could bee verie well content to haue alwayes this cloke and couerture to say that we vnderstand not those things which God speaketh vnto vs or that he directeth not his talke vnto vs or that his voice is ouer farre for vs to heare it But God perceiuing such a malicious wickednesse in vs hath sought to preue at all that which men might alledge for their defence to the end they might no longer haue any excuse for them selues And therefore when he published his lawe see why he would that the doctrine therein conteined should bee pronounced with an high and cleare voice and that it shoulde bee spoken in the eares not of three or foure onely but in the hearing of all the people both of the smallest and greatest briefly of all without exception Againe he would that the lawe should bee written that it might continue and serue for the vse not only of one age but that euen to the end of the world it might haue his force and vigor his rule authoritie Loe why in this place it is said That God spake with an high and mightie voice Whereby Moses giueth vs to vnderstand that the lawe is no such secrete and hidden doctrine that any one neede to alledge that he is not so great a scholer as to vnderstande it For God not without great cause hath so exalted his voice when he would prescribe a rule for the ordering of the life of men And he adioyneth this of purpose that the Lord spake vnto all the multitude and assemblie as if he should say True it is that God hath chosen some among you to be your gouernours and hath giuen them of his spirite yet will he that his lawe bee knowen of the most rudest and ignorauntest that it may bee a common wisedome vnto them all that is one of the pointes we haue here to note The second is that God had added nothing after these ten sentences or sayings Whereby Moses admonisheth the people that such breuitie and shortnesse as GOD vseth ought to encourage them to receiue what he shall speake For he proposeth to them no great volumes which might occasion vs to replie that all our life would bee to little to studie them God therefore hath not bene ouer long when he deliuered his woorde he hath instructed vs in ten woordes and no more count wee them on our fingers and wee shall haue instruction touching all that which is required for the well ordering of our life Withall Moses hereby would haue vs vnderstand that seeing GOD hath giuen vs so certeine a rule and that himselfe would adde nothing whatsoeuer to that which he had saide that wee ought to holde our selues content therewith and that it is not lawfull for the creatures to adioyne any thing therevnto And this is the second pointe wee must note For the third point he addeth againe in this place that whereof he had before spoken namelie that God when he published his lawe spake out of the middest of the cloude that the mount smoked that there were flames of fire that the lightenings flew abroade And wherevnto tendeth all this Euen to this end that the doctrine of God might haue the greater maiestie and that men might bee induced to humble them selues in all reuerence before GOD to subiect them selues fullie and wholie vnto his word and to yealde all dutifull obedience vnto it Loe then three notable pointes recited here by Moses before he proceedeth to the rest which folioweth Nowe touching the first let vs beare in minde that whiche hath bene touched namelie that GOD hath spoken with an high and cleare voice and that not to one handfull and small assemblie of men but in generall vnto all the people and that this is for no other end but that wee might knowe that the word of God shall sounde lowde and shrill enough in our eares for vs to heare and vnderstand it except wee will willfullie plaie the deafe men and stop our eares at it I graunt all our senses are so weake that we shall neuer bee able to comprehend one worde of that which God speaketh vnto vs except he inlighâ—en vs by his holy spirite For the naturall man perceiueth not the thinges which are of God they are to high and profound for vs But where of commeth this default and blindnesse but from our owne corruption and wickednesse For it is most certeine and true that the veritie trueth of God in it selfe and in his owne nature is easie enough and plaine to bee vnderstood Let vs not then alledge that it is to darke and obscure But how must wee behaue our selues to profite thereby If wee will that God make vs to profite in his woord let vs bee humble and obedient and little in our owne eyes For it is not for naught that he promiseth to teach and instruct such as are humble Let vs not then trust vnto our owne wit. Let vs not come to the hearing of his word with such an hautinesse and presumption in vs as to thinke we are of sufficient capacitie to iudge of that which shal be saide but rather let vs desire of God that he will open our eyes that he will reach vs out his hande to leade vs and let vs confesse that wee are not of such dexteritie of wit to profite vnder him in his schole except he bestowe it on vs When this humilitie shal be in vs doubt wee not but the woord of God shal be easie vnto vs and that wee shall knowe and vnderstand whatsoeuer is therein deliuered vnto vs Hereby wee see what miserie and wretchednesse hath bene heretofore in the world that the common people and in a manner all haue foreslowed
and euen withdrawen them selues from beeing taught by the holy scripture For they thought this belonged only to the Monkes and Priestes And in the end such a foolish and beastlie opinion was conceiued that men thought all diuinitie ought to be cloistered in their dennes and cabins Now for all this this testimonie hath alwayes remained and must endure to the end of the world that God hath spoken with a lowde voice that he hath not hid or drawen him selfe backe into some little angle and corner of the earth So this hath bene a most wicked vnthankfulnesse in men that they haue left the word of God as clene cast off forsaken of all And so much the more heedfullie ought we to note this place wherein it is said that God directed not his speech only to some great Doctors but hath communicated his voice to the whele people euen to the most simple least among them And withall let vs to whom God hath restored his world praise magnifie him for so inestimable a benefite whereof the greatest part of the worlde haue depriued them selues by their owne malice and retchlesse negligence Let vs I say praise and extoll his goodnesse that his woorde at this daye soundeth in our eares that wee may reade it that all both priuatelie and publikelie may bee partakers thereof that this heauenlie treasure is laid open vnto vs to vse and to enioy it Beholde an inestimable benefite aboue all he bestoweth on vs for which wee ought to magnifie our God as priceing this benefite aboue all the rest Moreouer let vs bee attentiue to heare our GOD speake Let none alledge here any excuse to exempt him self from this dutie For seeing that GOD speaketh to the whole companie of the faithfull to all them which are baptised in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ let euerie one in his degree and calling applie his studie to profite in the woord of GOD and let vs all in generall take God for our Maister and let vs be readie to heare him alwayes and as often as it shall please him to speake vnto vs as he ceaseth not dailie to doe And thus much bee noted touching the first point wherein it is said that GOD hath spoken to the whole multitude and assemblie Nowe let vs come vnto the second point wee noted namelie that he added nothing And this is said that wee might with better courage heare that which is conteined in the lawe It is true that all that which Moses hath written apperteineth to the lawe all that likewise which the Prophetes haue left in writting finallie whatsoeuer hath bene adioyned in the Gospell all this I say conteineth one substaunce of doctrine and the Bible is bigge enough but yet because wee should not neede to wander farre or make any greate inquirie after that wherevnto wee ought to tend GOD hath proposed vs one certeine scope and marke at which in ordering our whole life wee might ayme and shoote at For all is referred to these ten sentences as I haue said Let vs then but count ouer our fingers and wee shall haue the tenne commaundementes of GOD all is concluded in a short summe which we ought to beare in minde to bee good scholers vnder god Therefore when God vseth such breuitie are not men to to wicked and vntoward if they refuse such a doctrine if they will not for all this bee at so much leasure as to profite in the woord of GOD Howe therefore let vs lay aside all such vaine and friuolous replies to say O the holy scripture is a deepe sea it is a bottomlesse pit if a man enter into it which way shall hee bee able to get forth Let vs alledge no such thinges It is true that God sheweth in the holie scripture that which the Angels desire to behold It is true that wee can haue but some small tast thereof while wee dwell in the world It is sufficient that wee knowe in part as Saint Paule speaketh and in darkenesse beholding as it were in a glasse that which wee can not see as yet face to face All this is verie true yet so is it notwithstanding that God hath so conformed and abased him selfe vnto our rudenesse and sâ—endernesse that these things are easie vnto vs or at the least wee shal be able to vnderstand so much as is profitable for our saluation If with all there be thinges doubtfull and obscure let this sobrietie bee in vs that wee aduaunce not our owne iudgements but that wee first aske counsell at the mouth of GOD knowing that wee are yet farre from our perfection And yet according to the measure which he hath giuen vs wee may alwayes glorie in this that our Lorde Iesus Christ will not leaue vs in doubtfulnesse and ignoraunce but that he will giue vs so sure and certeine a way as wherein wee shal be able to walke with great assuraunce knowing that he hath not called vs in vaine vnto him selfe when wee shall not haue any vncerteine and wandering course to runne but so certeine a marke proposed as wherevnto if wee shall directe our race wee shall not neede to feare any erring as destitute of some good guiding and direction Let vs therefore beare in minde that our Lorde hath not spoken according vnto his owne nature For if he would speake in his owne language should he bee vnderstood of mortall creatures Alas no. But how speaketh he vnto vs in the holy scripture Verilie he lispeth and stutteth for our better vnderstanding Saint Paule saith that he became as a nource of little children when he preached the Gospell Nowe when he spake it of himselfe there is no doubt but that he would shewe thereby the goodnesse of God which so gouerned him by his holy spirite And this which is in S. Paule we shall finde likewise in Moses in all the Prophets Let vs then diligentlie note that God is made as it were a nource whiche will not speake vnto her infant as she would vnto a man but will haue respect vnto the capacitie of it So God abaseth him selfe forasmuch as wee could not vnderstand what he said except he submitted him selfe to our vnderstanding Loe for what cause he is like a nource in the holy scripture that men might not perceiue his great and infinite maiestie to the whiche wee can not come nor approche any thing neere vnto it Seeing GOD hath bene so gentle vnto vs as to open himselfe vnto vs in most familiar manner so much more grieuous a condemnation shall fall vpon our heades if we bestowe not paine to profite in that doctrine which hee hath as I may so say shewed vnto vs that there resteth nothing for vs to doe but to swallowe it and digest it Let vs therefore note that when Moses saith That God added nothing to these tenne sentences it is to this end that wee should shew our selues more easie to bee taught and bee the more encouraged knowing that God
will not make vs to wander and take endlesse labour as in a thing which hath neither banke nor bottome but he proposeth vnto vs onelie ten sentences True it is that hee hath expounded these tenne commaundementes by Moses And againe consequentlie by the Prophetes Lastlie we haue had the finall declaration of them by our Lorde Iesus Christ as it is at this day deliuered vs in the Gospell But what Wee haue yet this marke wherevnto we must alwayes order our selues Wee haue but tenne wordes for our lesson and seeing it is so ought wee not to iudge our selues verie frowarde and peruerse if wee despise so great grace of God and if we come not vnto him when hee handleth vs after so gentle a manner This wee haue then briefly to beare in mind of this easinesse and plainenesse which Moses sheweth vs to bee in the worde of god And withall let vs also note that he would hereby warne vs that we learne to content our selues with the simplicitie of the lawe that wee aduise our selues how wee come to controll GOD to cloute our patches and pieces to his worde For when he spake hee spake once for all and will that men hold themselues to that he hath said As we shall see hereafter how he hath streightlie forbidden vs to bende either to the right hande or to the left or to adde any thing to his doctrine And in verie deed seeing GOD hath adioyned nothing thereto who are wee to enterprise and take in hande any thing aboue him Thinke wee that when GOD deliuered his lawe hee had lost his memorie and knew not what was profitable for vs Can a man bethinke himselfe of that which hath bene vnknowen vnto GOD And againe beside all this when our Lorde hath so applied himselfe vnto vs thinke wee hee would instruct vs by halfes and leaue vs in the middest of the way Let vs therefore beare in minde that seeing GOD hauing pronounced these tenne sentences added nothing vnto them wee must so wholie applie and rest our selues simplie on that dâ—ctrine which is conteined in his lawe that wee ventur not to enterlace any thing of our owne whatsoeuer but let vs knowe that this is our perfect wisedome to bee obedient vnto our god It this had bene in all times well obserued we should not haue bene at this daie so incumbered to amend the corruptions whiche reigne throughout the worlde For from whence commeth it that men haue corrupted all religion and the seruice of GOD as wee see it is come to passe in Poperie The Papistes will vaunt and boaste themselues of seruing GOD when they shall haue their solemnities their ceremonies and other like trash And whence is this Euen from this that they haue presumed to adde some thing to the worde of GOD when they thought it not sufficient that GOD should be serued after his owne manner and fashion but men must reare vp some new deuises in their braines and fansie whatsoeuer they should thinke good So then all this which they call the seruice of God in Poperie is nothing els but a fardell of trumperies which men haue made vp together and not onelie this but that which hath bene spoken by the Prophet hath bene accomplished in them namelie That they haue despised and set at naught the commaundements of GOD while they haue bene geuen to their own inuentions And men see the wickednesse and mischiefe which is happened by this diuelish boldnesse and presumption when men haue gone about to disguise the worde of GOD by their lies and dreames and dotages So much the more diligentlie therefore ought wee to note this place when it is said That GOD hauing once spoken added nothing to that which he had said And in verie deede as I haue alredie said this is an horrible blasphemie when men will attempt to finde out I knowe not what some thing better than that which is conteined in the lawe of god This were to reproue him of a lie or to thinke that hee was not well aduised or happillie that hee forgat to geue in commaundement that which he ought And shall men finde out some thing better than hee Nay verilie Then let vs learne to order our selues in such forte vnto God that we haue this alwayes imprinted in memorie that God hauing spoken he made a full end and conclusion to say These are my limits borders whosoeuer wil presume to goe beyond shall but ventur further to breake his necke And in deede it can not otherwise be but a ruine and destruction shall followe vpon vs when wee will not keepe vs in that high way which God hath made and hedged in for vs Now albeit GOD speake not at this time in so visible manner as he did then to the people of Israel yet ought wee often to call to minde this lesson which is conteined in the lawe True it is that God hath not spoken twice but he hath spoken once for all as wee say but wee on our part must againe and againe call it to minde as it is also said in the Psalme The Lord hath spoken once I haue heard him twice For hereby wee are admonished that it shall not suffice to haue vnderstood for one day that which our Lord will haue pronounced and published in his name but wee must often and sundrie times meditate therevpon Let euerie one therefore exercise himselfe herein all the time of his life and let vs not cease euening morning to call this to minde and to consider well that which our Lord sheweth vs For when wee haue employed all the time of our life herein we shall hardly come so farre as the midde way True it is as wee haue alreadie said that euen at the first entrie God teacheth vs so much as is expedient to be knowen for our saluation But yet for all this we shall alwayes finde wherein to make our further profite in the worde of god Let vs therefore be diligent and let vs not thinke it is labour lost which we bestowe herein no not when we applie our studie day by day herein and shall not geue ouer to searche and inquire after that which God teacheth vs Behold in what sort wee must applie this to our vse and practise it wherein it is said that our Lorde hath added nothing Now let vs come to the third point which is that God spake out of the middest of the fire of the cloud and of the whirlewind It is true that this hath bene before expounded alreadie but seeing it is repeated againe vnto vs by Moses let vs note that it is not any thing superfluous And in verie deede wee cannot be to often put in minde hereof that the worde of God ought to beare a great maiestie with vs to humble vs vnder it that wee may yeelde all subiection and obedience therevnto And why First we see what pride and arrogancie is in men that they can hardlie stoope and bend their neckes to
the lawe to haue it well knowne and vnderstoode let vs make our request that it will please him by the vertue and power of his holie spirite to write it at this day in vs that wee may holde it within vs and that howe soeuer the diuell labour herein hee may neuer wipe it out of our remembraunce Nowe withall Moses concludeth that the lawe was deliuered vnto him to conserue and to keepe it and to bee also the minister and dispenser of it to the people that he might bee acknowledged of them for a Prophet for otherwise he could not haue executed his office he could not haue edified the Church of GOD except men had knowne that this charge was committed vnto him As at this time if wee were not persuaded that GOD would that his Gospell should be preached by the mouth of men that there should be pastours in the Church to carrie abrode his word which of vs would daine or vouchsafe to heare a minister I am not nor ante creature beside of such dignitie as that I might persuade the worlde to receiue what I say But when I speake here in the name of God that men hearken to his doctrine to rule and order them selues thereto and to doe him homage beholde this is of more force than all the lawes than all the statutes than all the edictes of Kings and Emperours Hath a mortall man done this No. But when we knowe that God would that this policie and rule of order should be in his Church and that men should inuiolablie obserue it that is that there be Pastours which may beare his word abrode which may be expounders of it which may be as his messengers to announce and declare the remission of sinnes in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ which may reprehend which may reproue which may comfort and exhort when I say we vnderstand that God would such a regiment should be in his Church then are we ashamed to resist and withstand him which hath formed and created vs Loe why Moses in this place saith that God deliuered him the lawe It is true that God deliuered it to all the people in generall as we haue said Why then is Moses now the onelie possessor of it It seemeth that God would depriue the whole world of it and that Moses onely were priuileged therein as if the lawe were written for him and all other as it were excluded and shut out from it But this is nothing so And yet albeit the lawe was giuen for the whole people Moses is appointed the garder and protectour of it And this which God hath pronounced of him we must extend further as we see the Prophetes were appointed in the selfe same charge namely that they were as stewardes and dispensers of the treasure of saluation of this couenaunt of God and that this office was giuen vnto them alwayes to declare the will of GOD and to preach it vnto vs in his name And this is the generall rule which Saint Paule hath deliuered That men ought to esteeme vs as the ministers of God and dispensers of the secretes which hee hath sent the world Now when Saint Paule saith That we are disposers of the secretes of GOD he sheweth hereby that it is not ynough that we haue the holie Scripture that euerie one reade it in his house but it is further required that it be preached vnto vs that we reteine among vs this order to be taught by the mouth of men that there be pastours and teachers whose ministerie God vseth to the end that when we shall heare them we may profite more and more in the doctrine of saluation And this is the cause why Saint Paule in an other place saith That the Church is the piller of truth and as it were the safegard and towre thereof The Papists alledge this verie foolishly to yeeld vnto themselues a licentious libertie of making new articles of faith and of establishing lawes after their owne fansie for Saint Paule hath vnderstood the cleane contrarie He saith therfore That the Church is the piller and sure prop of the truth of God because that when GOD published his trueth vnto men by the lawe by the Prophetes and the Apostles hee would that this ministerie shoulde indure and bee perpetuall that is that there shoulde bee some deputed and appointed to this office and charge to expounde his worde to edifie the Churche in this sort Let vs therefore knowe that it is by meanes of the Churche that the trueth remaineth in his perfect and entire estate For when GOD raiseth vp men which are indued with his spirite to confirme vs in the faith to enlighten vs and to shewe vs the right way Loe how the truth of God remaineth vnto the worlde how it is not extinguished howe it perisheth not Let vs then note that Moses meant not here to make himselfe the onelie possessour of the lawe to exclude the people from it and to shut them out of doores but hee speaketh as thus vnto them Welbeloued it is verie true that the lawe is common vnto vs all wee are all the children of God I challenge nothing vnto my selfe aboue you yet for all this if I will discharge my dutie in the office wherein God hath appointed mee I must be a faithfull expositor of the lawe to you I must be the keeper of it that you tread it not vnder foote I must put you in mind of it euerie day that you neuer forget it Seeing then it is so let all them which are here appointed ministers of the worde of God take heede they be prest and readie to serue and minister vnto the ignorant and let all consider that it is not ynough to read the holie Scripture but we must be diligent to profite therein and to come with all humilitie to heare them which are ordeined ministers of the worde to deliuer vnto vs the meaning and vnderstanding thereof Thus ye see whereto this text is to be referred Nowe let vs cast our selues downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them better than we haue done and to lead vs to such a repentance that we desire onely to serue and please him without seeking after anie thing of our owne And because we are so giuen to the things of this world pray we him the sooner to drawe vs hence and in the meane while to giue vs his grace to order our life to his will and to conforme it to his iustice And for the doing hereof pray we him that his word may beare such rule ouer vs that we be gouerned by it and conforme our whole life thereto vntill that being despoiled of all our carnall affections wee be clothed with his heauenlie glorie when we shall haue neede neither of scripture nor of preaching That it will please him to graunt this grace not onelie to vs but vnto all people and nations of the earth
c. The. 14. Sermon Deut. Chap. 5. 23 And when ye heard the voyce out of the middest of the darknesse because the mountaine did burne ye came to me all the chiefe of your tribes and your elders 24 And ye said Behold the Lorde our God hath shewed vs his glorie and his greatnesse and wee haue heard his voyce out of the middest of the fire we haue seene this day that God hath talked with man and he remaineth liuing 25 And now why should we die c. WE thinke if God in stead of preaching his worde by the meane and ministerie of men should in his owne maiestie speake or that some Angel sent from him should appeare vnto vs that wee should bee more liuelie touched than we are and that the whole world incontinently would be conuerted that euerie one would yeld obedience without any either contradiction or rebellion But alas we knowe not what is conuenient and profitable for vs For if wee considered of our owne frailtie and weakenesse wee would soone vnderstand that it is not possible for God to touche vs with his maiestie and power but hee must needes altogether ouerwhelme and confounde vs Therefore when men desire that GOD would manifestlie shew himselfe with some visible signe or that hee would descend from the heauens to teache them they knowe not what ones themselues are neither consider they howe weake and fraile their condition is For if they would well consider and bethinke themselues hereof the infinite glorie of GOD would strike them with a wonderfull feare and trembling knowing full well that they are not able to beare it Therefore let vs knowe that GOD procureth our profite and saluation when hee declareth vnto vs his will by the mouth of men when hee ordeineth and appointeth ministers of his worde to bee messengers vnto vs of such thinges as he knoweth to be meete and conuenient for vs And yet so is it that for once he would by euident proofe holde men conuicted that it were not good and profitable for them to heare his voice thunder from heauen And that is the cause why he would publish his lawe not simplie by Moses but descending in his owne person as we haue alreadie handled And yesterday wee said that the lighteninges the whirlewinde and the flaming fire and all that we reade of in the 19. and 20. of Exodus that all this I say was done to the end the people of Israel should learne to beare greater reuerence vnto the worde of God. Now this instruction apperteineth also vnto vs For God would that the memorie of these thinges should last for euer and that the vse of them should bee perpetuall So then beholde GOD hath once displaied and laid open his glorious maiestie to the ende wee might learne to receiue his worde in all feare and humilitie But withall he would also that the people of themselues should bee constrained to say It is not good that God speake vnto vs againe onelie let vs haue a man to bring vs such doctrine as it shall please him to sende vs And this rule is for to condemne vs if we followe not the example of this people which hastilie put forth themselues to speake in this sorte Now if any one alledge that this which was then spoken cannot binde vs he is easilie thus answered That if at this day God would doe the like he did then that is would pronounce with his owne mouth that which we now heare by the mouth of mortall men it should bee impossible for vs to abide his glorie and not to be altogether ouerwhelmed therewith and vtterlie confounded And so let vs learne that this is here recited vnto vs to the ende that in the person of the people of Israel wee knowe that God applieth himselfe to our slendernesse and infirmitie when it pleaseth him to sende vs his worde to bee preached by men like vnto our selues which might bee his messengers respecting herein what is behoouefull and profitable for vs And knowe we that this is an inordinate and foolish desire to wishe that God would appeare vnto vs from heauen or shew vs some apparant and visible miracle For we cannot comprehend his maiestie and glorie And although it bee the proper nature of the lawe to fraie vs yet apperteineth this as well vnto the Gospell For wee must take this as a generall rule that as soone as we feele the presence of God wee must needes bee confounded We see how the Angels hide their eyes because the glorie of God is greater than they can beare and they are constrained to confesse that they are ouerweake to beholde it as beeing creatures What shall then be said of vs For wee are farre inferiour vnto the Angels And there is beside in vs an other thing which maketh our infirmitie the greater namelie that wee reteine not that integritie and innocencie of our first nature wee are not such as God created vs that is to say earthlie men onelie as was our father Adam but we are altogether corrupted and there is nothing in vs but sinne and wickednesse And therefore it must needes bee that God be made our enimie and that we flie from his throne as malefactours will keepe themselues as farre as they can from the iudgement seate of their Iudge brieflie wee are poore miserable wormes and stinking carions So then as soone as GOD shall approch and come neere vnto vs we must needes be frighted with so great a feare as to be beaten therewith downe to the ground Therfore it is profitable for vs that God declare himselfe vnto vs in such sort as hath bene alreadie touched namelie by the meane and ministerie of men that he ordeine and appoint men to expounde vs his will as if he himselfe spake and that his worde be receiued of vs in such reuerence as if we heard him to thunder from the heauens But it shall be profitable for vs more fullie to vnderstand that which in a worde we haue here touched and els where more largelie handled namelie that the lawe in comparison of the Gospell frighteth and fraieth vs with a wonderfull feare And why is this Because that in the lawe God requireth of men that which is his due Now consider we whether wee are able to discharge our selues herein Nay contrariwise whether we bee not as poore and miserable debters which haue not one farthing to pay Ye see then in what a desperate case we are For howeuer the case standeth with vs God dischargeth vs not but declareth that we are worthie to beaccursed and condemned of him And for this cause hauing shewed how the life of men ought to be ordered he addeth this curse and malediction as thundring on vs Cursed are they which obserue accomplish not all those thinges which are here conteined As if hee said All men must passe here vnder condemnation from the greatest to the least all must knowe they are indebted vnto me and that by right I may cast
them downe to the bottomlesse pitte of hell If I pronounce this sentence there is not one may bee able to replie against mee for all are vtterly lost and condemned Beholde the language and speache of the lawe beholde the style which God vseth and now must not all needes tremble hereat It is not then without great cause said That the law fraieth vs and if withall it should please God seuerelie to require of vs that which wee owe him we must all needes perish and be confounded Now in the Gospell there is no such thing for there GOD beareth with vs and not onelie pardoneth vs our faultes but he writeth also his will in our heartes Moreouer albeit wee serue him but by halfes yet hee pardoneth vs our default and as I may saie winketh and closeth his eyes when wee are halting in our duetie And as a father dealeth not ouer streightlie and preciselie with his childe to oppresse him so God in his Gospell vleth a fatherlie gentlenesse towards vs that we should not feare to come vnto him And this is the cause why the Apostle in the epistle to the Hebrewes saith That we are not come to this mount which smoketh that wee are not come to Sinai to see the bruning fire which might astonnish vs to see the lightenings and all those other thinges which were to amaze and confound the people but that we heare a sweete and pleasaunt melodie by the which we are accompanied of the angels of heauen with the soules of the holy Patriarches and of the fathers which liued in the hope of eternall life although they had yet nothing but obscure shadowes that God now coupleth ioyneth vs with them which in olde time haue waited for the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ Seeing it is so we must not drawe backe but euerie one must set himselfe forwarde to come with a bolde courage to heare our GOD forasmuch as hee speaketh so gentlie and louinglie vnto vs and vseth so fatherlie a speache as which serueth not to feare and amaze his children but sweetelie to entise them and to winne their heartes vnto him This difference therefore is worthie to bee noted that in comparison of the lawe the Gospell may seeme sweete and amiable vnto vs But for all this wee must returne to this generall principle namelie that it is much better that the worde of GOD bee preached vnto vs by the mouth of men than if GOD him selfe should thunder from heauen And why For heare wee onely this naturall thunder and behold wee are taken with a great astonishment and yet here is nothing expressed God only maketh a noise with a confused and vnperfect sounde What should bee then when he should speake vnto vs and when he should shewe vs his glorie Wee can not looke on the Sunne which his a corruptible creature and how then shall wee bee able to behold the maiestie of GOD if it were fullie shewed vs and in his perfection And therefore it is said that a mortall creature can not see GOD and liue can not behold his glorie and not bee vtterlie confounded I graunt that GOD appeared vnto Moses and that not in such sort only as to other of the Prophetes as it is said in the booke of Numbers That he gaue him this speciall priuiledge to be seene of him face to face euen plainelie as of his friend that he appeared not vnto him either by dreame or by vision onelie but after such an especiall manner that Moses seemed to bee exempted from the companie of men to bee made more familiar vnto god But what euer bee said hereof yet God manifested him selfe vnto him in portion and measure For if he had shewed him his infinite being Moses must haue needes what grace soeuer he had receiued of the holie spirite bene ouerwhelmed therewith and vtterlie confounded Yea when at one time beeing yet among the liuing GOD shewed him his glorie in more ample and plaine manner than euer hee had done yet sawe he him not but as it were by the backe and hinder partes In this similitude it is declared vnto vs that as in beholding a man in the backe wee haue not the plainest sight of him for the plainest sight of a man and the principall view is in the face so albeit Moses had an especiall familiaritie with GOD yet this notwithstanding in this souereigne and principall vision which was giuen him in the mount then when he was separated from the condition of this mortall and transitorie life when he was as an angel of heauen yet he sawe GOD but in part as when wee see a man by the backe So let vs learne to content our selues when GOD vseth this order towardes vs namelie that his woord bee preached vnto vs by men and let vs so receiue it at their mouth as if wee sawe his maiestie face to face For it is profitable for vs to haue pastours which be appointed for ministers of the word forasmuch as we could but perish and be brought to nothing by the appearaunce of the glorie of God if it should bee manifested vnto vs And to the end that none might take any occasion to complaine as if the woorde of GOD were not sufficientlie approued and that men might not doubt whether they ought to hold them selues vnto it or no in publishing his lawe he shewed himselfe And we haue here the testimonie of the people which say It is the Lorde he hath made vs this day to feele his glorie and greatnesse wee haue seene that it is he which speaketh he hath interposed none to be his spokesman vnto vs but wee haue hearde his voice with our eares This then hath bene done for once Withall let vs take this which is here recited for a testimonie and witnesse that Moses spake not of him selfe that he hath not forged and deuised of his owne braine the doctrine wee hold of him but that he hath bene a faithfull steward of GOD who aduowed and approued him and not onely ratified and confirmed by miracles this whiche Moses taught but in his owne person declared that it was he who was the authour of all this doctrine Nowe forasmuch as by great reason the Gospell should bee as authentike and aswell authorized as the lawe wee haue had also a witnesse from heauen that this is no humane doctrine but that it proceedeth from god And this is that which S. Peter toucheth in his second canonicall Epistle saying That he and his companions heard the voice from heauen by the which the father declared his sonne to be the souereigne maister and doctour of his whole Church Behold my welbeloued sonne heare him Therefore when this voice thundered from heauen GOD declared that wee ought not to take the Gospell for a doctrine bredde and borne here beeneath but that wee should alwayes haue this maiestie before our eyes As at this time if wee will bee true disciples of GOD when wee come vnto the sermon
him to continue to doe that which he hath done for one time onelie So as I haue saide let vs not abuse the graces of God as despitefully to question against him in this sorte And seeing God hath done this at other times why will he not doe the like at this day When men lift themselues vp in this manner against God beholde what a diuelish presumption and ouerweening is in them Let vs then honour our God so farre as to graunt him this libertie to manifest and declare himselfe vnto vs in such sorte as it shall please him and as he shal know it expedient necessarie for vs Let vs not binde him by constraint to any necessitie for that it shall haue pleased him for one time to vse some especiall grace let vs not desire him to doe the same againe but content we our selues simplie with his wil whervnto we must alwayes be subiect In the end it is said Go thou neere vnto God and heare all which he shall say vnto thee and declare thou it vnto vs and we will heare it and do it We see here in the first place how the people desire that Moses should bee the messenger to bring them whatsoeuer he shall haue receiued from god And this is written for our instruction that euerie one submit himselfe to the policie and rule of order which God hath established in his church For as I haue alreadie said hee will speake vnto vs by the mouth of men that is the onelie purpose why hee would there should bee ministers This order is not inuented by men but our Lord Iesus Christ hath declared that hee would haue such a regiment in his church Ye see then an inuiolable order and which proceedeth from GOD who will haue Pastours in his church to announce and declare his doctrine which wee must receiue to our saluation Seeing it is so let none oppose himselfe against it but let vs patiently beare it that God raise vp them amongst vs by whom he will be serued to bring vnto vs the embassage of saluation And let vs not murmur at this that euerie one of vs hath not such a priuiledge for hee will that his bodie that is his church bee so gouerned Ye see then what wee haue to gather vppon this place namelie that sithence GOD hath appointed ministers of his worde wee heare them quietlie and contentiuelie that there bee no enuying or malicing for this if all be not Doctors and teachers and that GOD appoint not euerie one vnto this office For wee must bee ordered according to his good pleasure as we haue alreadie said Behold one note to bee obserued But withall let vs also note vnder what condition wee must haue and receiue Pastours For this place is to discerne betweene sâ—ductors and deceiuers which falslie abuse the name of GOD and attribute vnto themselues the title of Prelates without time or reason and betwene the true Prophets and good seruitours of God and ministers of the Gospell The Pope and all his pestilent vermine will say that men must heare them and receiue their doctrine without any contradiction And why For God would there should bee Prelates in the church and will that men heare and obey them All this is true But in the meane while is this title geuen indifferentlie vnto all and without discretion No. But God hath withall adioined that he will be chiefe that we be subiect vnto him and not in the seruitude of men Seeing then it is so wee must knowe what Prelates and what Doctors God sendeth vs as we are directed by this place namelie such as heare what God shall say vnto them and then deliuer it faithfullie to the people So they which would be heard in the name of GOD and that men receiue their doctrine in all reuerence let them bee tâ—e first to heare God let them not attempt to adde any thing vnto the word of God but let then be tractable and easie to be taught of God and when they shall haue bene instructed by God let them dispense vnto others that which they haue receiued from god For none are to be accounted good ministers of the woord of God but such as haue first beene his scholers and which vsurpe not a maistershippe ouer others to bring vnto them whatsoeuer shall seeme good to them selues And wee must not here be to wise for God reserueth vnto himselfe this office to declare that vnto vs which he will haue vs to knowe It is not here simplie said Heare that which God shall say vnto thee and then come and tell it vs but it is said All that which God shall say to thee so that there is no point nor article which may be omitted in such sort that Moses is here put beside all libertie of presuming to declare any thing but that which God appointeth and commaundeth him to declare And now what are these filthes of the world whiche will dare aduaunce themselues aboue Moses Wee shall in the ende see that there neuer was any Prophet raised with so singular a grace as was Moses And in verie deede albeit wee see an admirable spirite in Esaie and in all the rest of the Prophetes yet is Moses notwithstanding preferred before them all when it is said Remember the lawe of Moses my seruant which was giuen him in Horeb. And behold Malachie which speaketh after all the rest of the Prophetes and referreth all vnto Moses as if hee were the principall Doctor and Teacher as if the lawe were the fountaine wherehence all must drawe Now sithence it is so that Moses who hath in this sort bene preferred to whom God gaue so excellent a dignitie if he all this notwithstanding must not enterprise to declare any thing of his owne but what he hath heard of God that must he faithfullie dispense vnto the people is it not now a diuelish arrogancie of lewde villaines to presume to say that it is in them to impose and make lawes for the consciences of men and to binde them vnder the paine of mortall and deadlie sinne Is not this too barbarous a tyrannie So then let vs hold this meane that we fal not into two vicious wicked extremes namelie that seing God would gouerne his church by the exteriour preaching of his worde let euerie one rule and order himselfe thereto let vs be diligent to heare sermons and let this policie and rule of order be inuiolablie kept as a thing sacred and hallowed namelie to be taught by the mouth of mortal men And in the meane time notwithstanding let not men haue this authoritie to bring vnto vs what them listeth but let them be faithfull stewards and dispensers of the worde of god And that we may alwayes protest that our faith is grounded on the will of God let vs not depende on the wisedome of men but let our Lord so hold vs vnder his obedience that wee may say It is he whom we heare from heauen albeit he vse the
ministerie and labour of men as a meane to do this Now let vs cast our selues downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him that he will make vs to feele them more and more in such sort that we may learne to displease our selues And because the souereigne best remedie to deliuer vs from all our maladies and corruptions is this that wee heare his holy doctrine pray wee that it will please him to open vs our eares that we may learne to receiue it in all feare and humilitie and that it may be so imprinted in our hearts that we make it auaile to the vse wherevnto hee hath ordeined it that is that we be thereby quickened and brought to saluation to the end we may with all our heart desire it and applie our studie thereto more and more And so let vs say humblie from our heart Almightie God and heauenlie father c. The. 15. Sermon Deut. Chap. 5. 28 Then the Lorde heard the voyce of your woordes when ye spake vnto me And the Lorde said vnto mee I haue heard the voyce of the woordes of this people which they haue spoken vnto thee they haue well said all that they haue spoken 29 Oh that there were such an heart in them to feare mee and to keepe all my commaundementes alway that it might goe well with them and with their children for euer 30 Goe lay vnto them Returne you into your tentes 31 But stand thou heere with me and I will tell thee all the commaundementes and the ordinaunces and the lawes which thou shalt teach them that they may do them in the land which I geue them to possesse it 32 Take heede therefore that ye do as the Lorde your GOD commaundeth you you shall not decline neither to the right hand nor to the left 33 But you shall walke in all the wayes which the Lorde your God hath commaunded you that ye may liue and that it may goe well with you and that your dayes may bee prolonged in the earth which you shall possesse FOllowing on that which was yesterday declared God in this place sheweth that he agreeth vnto the request and desire of the people and giueth them choice of that which shall serue best to their profite and commoditie And herein we see that he would breed a sense and feeling of his goodnesse in this people to the end that hee might the better winne them vnto himselfe It is true that for the right of his rule and authoritie he hath ouer vs we ought to be vnder his subiection and to yeelde him obedience and he might force vs herevnto but hee chooseth rather to handle vs in all fatherlie loue and gentlenesse Loe then why hee sheweth that he is agreed with the request of the people And so let vs diligently note that GOD considereth of that which is so good and profitable for vs that if wee were to make our choice we could not wish anie thing better than that which he hath appointed It shall not alwayes seeme so vnto vs but the thing notwithstanding euidently declareth it Moreouer hee addeth that hee hath not done according to the desire of the people but because he did approue and allowe their request For well it may be that God sometimes will giue vnto men that which they require but this is because of their importunitie and in the meane time it turnes them to their cōdemnation As when the people would needes eate flesh it is verie true they were satisfied therewith but they payed their shot full deare for God was angrie that they desired to enioy a thing which was taken from them And albeit God thensatisfied them which had murmured so that they had wherwith to fill their bellie yet had it bin much better they had all died for hunger Now in this request whereof Moses in this place speaketh there is no such thing for God expressely saith That they haue rightly iudged As if he did say Follow this order for ye shall see what a plesure and good turn I do you Ye haue requested of me a man which should speake vnto you in my name I am contented you haue him This therfor ought the rather to persuade you to receiue the doctrin which shal be preached vnto you in my name for asmuch as I haue graunted this at your owne choice desire And yet think you not that I would haue pleased you herein without great reason and for good purpose For I assure you you shall do well to follow this order of profiting in my word And always as often as Moses shall come to you when I shall haue sent him heare ye with all reuerence that which he shall tell you for your profite cōmoditie And so let vs note that when the word of God shal be preached vnto vs by men that this is not don according to their pleasure fantasie but because that God hath here deliuered a doctrine which is profitable for vs And this ought the rather to stay vs from being moued with any foolish affection desire to change as seemeth vs what we vnaduisedly shall mislike as alwayes wayes nouelties delite please vs Know we then wheron we are to stay rest our selues namely that all the time of our life we heare the worde of God which shal be preached vnto vs by men And why Because not onely the will of God is such but he hath also declared that the thing is good behouefull for vs Moreouer God in this place awakeneth the people better to consider of obseruing the commandements of the lawe than they had done For the people had said We will do them And God saith on his side that he will giue them the will to do them that he will breede in their heart such a desire Now by these wordes he giueth vs to vnderstand that it was a small thing for them and it cost them little to make a promise as men will with full mouth make great protestacions but when the time commeth to fulfill the things they haue spoken they shewe full well howe at randon and vnaduisedly their promises haue beene made God therefore to make the people feele howe hard a matter it was to obserue the lawe saieth in this place I woulde feigne it might be so For the worde he vseth when he saieth hee will giue them the will and power importeth in Hebrewe this which we say And so be it and I coulde wishe it well It is true that GOD here speaketh much after the manner of men vsing a verie humane speache For he needeth not to wishe anie thing all things are in his hand And therefore one might replie vnto him And this is in thee O Lord to doe askest thou who will giue them an heart and will Who hath power to doe this For man of himselfe will neuer be inclined vnto that which is good but he must be from elsewhere driuen
thereto and our fleshlie mindes alwayes stirre vs vp to inuent I knowe not what nouelties and new-fangled things And loe howe in Poperie euerie one hath enterprised to clout vnto the word of God his patch and piece and howe manie lawes they haue made one on the backe of another And why For it seemeth vnto them that it sufficeth not to walke vprightlie according vnto the word of God but that it were further good and conuenient that their medlie should be made therein Howe God contrariewise saith That if we haue his lawe we shal haue his statutes commaundementes ordinances and rites as if he said That mortall men must not be so presumptuous and ouerweening as to desire to seeme wiser than he For when they shall haue made their longest discourses they shall not finde any thing which they can amend or wherevnto they may make addition yea let them know that all that they shall seeke to put vnto of their owne shall not bee superfluous onelie and vnprofitable but shall marre all as if one would mingle vinegre with wine And now God hauing spoken in this sort warneth them further that they beware they obserue that which hee shall commaunde them without anie turning either vnto the right hande or vnto the left In these words our Lord declareth that hee will not that his law be honoured of men in approuing it onelie with the mouth as if we would seeme to be acquited of all the dutie we beare thereto when we doe no more than this but he sheweth that for to retaine vs vnder his subiection and in his seruice he hath published his lawe and at this day will haue it preached For herein it is his pleasure to proue whether he shall dispatch and come to anie agreement with vs as with a quiet and tractable people whom hee hath nowe lured to his traine Let vs therefore diligentlie note that when we come vnto a sermon this is not to say that the doctrine we heare is holie and good God shal be much beholding vnto vs when wee haue pronounced that his word is worthie to be receiued Hee will not that we be his iudges I graunt that we owe vnto him this confession that when we shall haue heard his worde euerie one acknowledge that it is the pure and sincere veritie that there is no other vprightnesse nor iustice nor wisedome beside that which is there conteined but in the meane time we must proceede further namelie to order our selues vnto the seruice and honour of God Behold one profitable point which we haue to gather vpon this place Againe wee are diligentlie to obserue that which he saith Take heede ye do that I command For hereby God sheweth that we must seriouslie applie all our might and power herein for men shall not followe God by sleeping seeing that when they vse the greatest force they may with themselues they shall with much a doe drawe their legges after them their infirmitie and weakenesse of nature is so great Let vs not thinke then to acquite our dutie towardes God without bestowing much paine and labour therein for the thing is of great difficultie considering what ones we are namelie slowe and euer lazie to bestirre our selues about that which is good Nay I say yet further that albeit God hath affectioned moued vs with some desire thereto albeit he gouerneth vs with his holie spirit the thing will not be ouer easie For if he leaueth vs to remaine such as we are wee shall not onelie be slow herein but we shall drawe cleane backward from that which he willeth vs if he call vs vnto him selfe we shall recule and flee backe from him yea we shal be forced to followe that which is euill so farre shall we be from being able to desire any manner of way that which is good But note we that which wee haue alreadie touched that although God hath giuen vs some good affection albeit he hath set vs in some good way yet are we still slouthfull and loth to remoue one foote whereas a minute of time ought to serue we had need of an houre we winch fling in such sort when we are put forward and if happilie we moue one steppe either we stumble or else we start backe two paces for one or we take so greuous falles as it is pitie to behold So it is not without good cause that God saieth here Take heede ye do that I commaund you as if he saide True it is that my lawe is giuen you that you should put it in practise and to yeelde obedience therevnto but thinke ye not that this is so easie to be done Therefore let euerie one prepare him selfe with such diligence to walke after my commaundementes that ye thinke and meditate on them that ye be diligent to bestowe all paine in them that ye take a full tast and sauour of them that yee bee vigilent to stand on your watch for feare that you bee not turned aside be ye therefore attentiue and heedefull herein This wee see brieflie that our Lorde exhorteth vs in this place seriouslie to trauell and bestirre our selues when question is of walking vnder his obedience And why For the things he requireth of vs are not so easily performed And moreouer wee are so euill disposed as is lamentable to beholde that except wee bee pricked on and driuen thereto as by force wee can not set one foote forward as wee ought in our dutie If is needefull therefore that wee awaken our selues better to bee more diligent and attentiue and to stand alwayes more warilie on our garde to accomplish that which our Lorde commaundeth vs Nowe he afterwarde addeth That this must be done without turning either to the right hand or to the left but that altogether they walke in that way which he hath shewed them True it is that this place shal be expounded more at large in the twelfth Chap. of this booke but yet wee must not so passe it ouer in this place but that wee vnderstande what God meant to say in forbidding vs That wee bee not turned neither vnto the right hand nor to the left For he sheweth vs that his pleasure and will is in all things to bee hearkened vnto of vs nothing whatsoeuer excepted Now this importeth two thinges that is wee neither adde vnto nor diminish any thing from his lawe To adde any thing is as if wee woulde turne on the right hand For they which adde vnto the lawe of God doe it as thinking that it is not enough to obserue all that which is therein conteined but that it were good to put somewhat more therevnto Loe how men woulde haue some place for their fantasies that if they can bethinke them selues of any thing it seemeth them that God hath forgotten it and that it were good to bee obserued And beholde what hath bene the cause of making so many ordinances so many lawes ceremonies in Poperie The Iewes had the like vice reigning among
them as it is vpbraided them that by their traditions they had set at naught the statutes and commandements of god So then let vs beware howe wee walke rightlie I meane on the right hande to turne our selues from the way which God hath shewed vs And why Wee turne then on the right hand when wee will bee to wise and to iust and when wee thinke it is good to doe more than wee are commanded But herein wee are the seruantes and ministers of the diuel for GOD disalloweth whatsoeuer wee shall adde vnto his woorde he will no such medlie Now wee decline vnto the left hand when we diminish and take away any thing from the woorde of God namelie when wee thinke wee haue done enough if wee haue discharged halfe our dutie and that for the rest he giueth vs leaue to followe our owne lustes and desires A man that shall not bee subiect to some number of vices will happilie desire to acquite him selfe towardes God so far forth but because he can not restraine him self from some one he would that God should notwithstanding be contented giue him leaue to cōdition with him to say Well if I misse in this thing I will make a recompense in another But take we heed of walking on the left hand that is to say of diminishing anie thing from the word of God for when he hath forbidden men murder he hath forbidden them also to steale to commit adulterie We must therefore without any replie yeelde our obedience vnto him in all things For as we ought not to adde any thing vnto the lawe of God so is it not lawfull to take anie thing from it but we must walke in all the way he sheweth vs And nowe when he saith The way it is to exhort vs to hold our selues therein as we shall see in the end of the booke Behold the way walke ye therein will Moses say as if he said Who soeuer turneth him selfe aside from the doctrine which I set before you he wandereth he runneth but acrosse the fields the further hee runneth on the further he is from the end of his iournie So in this place Walke ye in the way that is to say Wander ye not wilfullie ye wretched ones straie not from the way wherein your God leadeth you ye can not misse of your way by folowing of him but if you giue your selues ouer to go whither your owne head leadeth you God must in the end declare vnto you that you shal be but as straying wandering beastes for that you haue not kept forward your course in the right way And so know ye that the word of God is your way wherein you must walke If this word were well imprinted in our minds we should be held shorter than to runne wandring at rouers and ranging whither soeuer our flitting fansies desires shall carrie vs as we accustomablie vse to do we should I say beheld backe in this way which is prescribed vs for our God sheweth vs continuallie which is the way And yet for all this men enter into their disputes and make long questions what is to bee done and what is not to bee done As if it had not bene saide That GOD neuer openeth his mouth but to shewe vs the right and perfect way and when hee sheweth it vs doe not wee him great wrong and iniurie if we followe him not And doe we not accuse him as if hee had lost all his time and paine he bestoweth to instruct vs Wee see nowe what this worde way importeth namelie that without the woorde of GOD there is nothing but errour and deceite and that men farre abuse them selues when they shall thinke to do well except they leaue themselues to be gouerned by the worde of God which sheweth vs the best and the streightest way And purposelie he saith All the way For hee will not part stakes with men in this place as they desire hee should that is they would alwayes reserue some thing I knowe not what vnto them selues they would serue GOD by peece meale as wee say but beholde GOD on the contrarie side saith I must be obeyed of all throughout all pointes or else I renounce you I will none of you So then will wee approue our life vnto GOD We must not thinke to yeelde him obedience in part onelie but wee must take heede we order our whole life vnto that which hee commaundeth vs in such sort that wee may truelie protest and say That wee haue helde our selues in all the way of the Lorde But here one might make a question whether it be possible that we may walke altogether in the way of God For contrariwise seeing it is so that men doe not the good they desire to doe it shal be much when we shall haue endeuoured to come to the right way and to goe as far forward towardes the end as we may though we come not thereto Saint Paule him selfe complaineth that he could not do that which he had desired for to discharge his duetie towardes god But here is no speaking of such perfection as is required in the law but we must onlie vnderstande that God will haue men employ them selues with all diligence in his seruice and that they inforce them selues thereto that they make their race therein albeit they can not atteine the end thereof Therefore although for all our life time wee go as drailing our legges after vs and that wee come not fullie and perfectlie vnto God yet must we proceede herevnto and goe on forward not in part onlie but in all that which is conteined in the lawe It is true that we can not acquite our selues herein in such sort that there be a full and correspondent agreement betweene the woorde of God and our life but when we shall haue this desire to order our selues vnto God and to conforme our selues vnto his will not in one point or article onelie but in all without exception and when wee shall haue bestowed our whole trauell and industrie herein beholde howe we shall holde vs in all the waye of GOD. For he beareth with vs in such sort that hee accepteth in good part such a desire when he seeth vs to go roundly to worke in his seruice and that we double not with him and that we reserue not to our selues our owne lustes and desires nor yeeld vs the libertie and leaue to fulfil them but that we labour to please and to serue him as much as we may and according vnto the grace which is giuen vs Now withall he also adioyneth That they may prosper and that it may be well both with them and with their children Wherein hee giueth vs to vnderstand that as we haue alreadie touched all the miseries and afflictions which wee endure in this worlde are so manie chastisements and corrections for our sinnes And we cannot say that we are anie other way miserable and vnhappie but by our owne fault True it is
for GOD protesteth that he hath not spoken in vaine But nowe at this day when GOD speaketh vnto vs with full mouth and that we haue so perfect a reuelation in his Gospell is not this an ouer great wickednesse that men yet wander and goe so astraie Were there euer more foolish and fond superstitions or more outragious and enormous than those which are at this day to bee seene in Poperie I graunt the Iewes mingled them selues among the superstitions of the Painims that they defiled them selues ouer much with their silthes and pollutions but when all shal be well sifted and examined wee shall finde that the Papistes haue surmounted and exceeded them herein by manie degrees for the word of God at this day is as it were buried among them When mention shal be made of faith the articles shal be drawen from out of the forge of men the holie Scripture shal be of no more force than as if it were dead and vtterlie brought to ruine Loe howe they behaue them selues herein and when question is of the seruice of GOD they wander as we haue alreadie said after their owne inuentions and loe My meaning is good will they say and they thinke God will suffer him selfe to bee ruled as a litle childe and that he will neuer come to examine all the doctrine of Poperie Againe if men speake of faith is there anie talke of the free promises of GOD No but they attribute all to them selues When they will speake of the office of Iesus Christ they ouerthrowe the vertue of his death and passion as much as in them lieth When anie question is to be handled of their saluation then will they come in with their free will their merites and satisfactions But we ought contrariwise to returne to the meere and onelie grace of the holie Ghost confessing that we are in bondage and seruitude of sinne but that we are thence deliuered by the mercie and goodnesse of god And here hence cōmeth it that the holy scripture calleth the remission and forgiuenesse of sinnes our righteousnesse We must therefore come vnto this point and also knowe that if we haue failed in our duetie we can not bring anie other payment or satisfaction than that which we borrowe of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ Of all this there is nothing to be found in Poperie If question be of calling vpon GOD they will make their vagaries vnto their he Saintes and shee Saintes and Iesus Christ in the meane time shall not be knowen such a one as he is nor clothed with the office which hath bene giuen him of God his Father But the Papistes degrade him as sacrilegious and false traiterous villaines which seeke nothing els but to burie altogether and toset forth to open prey all the glorie and dignitie which God his Father hath giuen him As much may be said of all their seruice and religion We see howe the Sacramentes are polluted and defiled among them In place of the holie supper of our Lord Iesus Christ there is substituted this infernall and diuelish abhomination of the Masse wherin they say That Iesus Christ is sacrificed as if he him selfe had done nothing as if he were not established the onlie perpetuall priest by God his father So then we see howe the Papistes make a mockerie of the word of God wherein hee hath reuealed him self that it seemeth that of set deliberate purpose they would deface put out the knowledge of him which is in the Gospell And therfore we must more hee fullie note this word That the Lord is God yea one God onlie And so alwayes as often as this worde of God shall come in place let vs knowe that it is to cut off all that shall come into our braine all that which men shall haue forged deuised and which we are not taught by the holy scripture for God wil be in such sort considered of vs that we be not wrapped entangled in the fantasies errours of idolaters And in verie deed wee can not haue the true God except we haue him alone that is that we ioyne with him no companion for assoone as we come in with our litle halfe gods we renounce the liuing god And why For he will be alone as he pronounceth by the Prophet Esaie in another place I am the euerliuing saith the Lord I will not giue my glorie vnto another And again we haue seene before that he nameth him selfe A gealous god And for what other cause than for this to withdrawe vs from all corruptions As S. Paul speaketh in the 2. to the Corinth For assoone as we are turned from the simplicitie of the word of God it is as if a woman should hearken vnto a Bawd which shall come to whisper in her eare Lowe are forthwith corrupted so we play the wicked fornicators against God when we falsifie the faith which we haue promised him in baptisme we reiect cast aside his law we violate and profane all religion when we decline the least that may be from his pure sincere doctrine Let vs therfore beare in mind alwayes as oftē as mention is made of this word God that we know that God must be alone therfore when we shall haue accompanied him with creatures he casteth vs off as Apostataes as people which are not worthie to haue to doe with him because wee would not yeelde vnto him the honour which hee deserueth namelie that he should be the Lorde but shall haue profaned his name by making it common vnto creatures or communicating of it with our dreames But withall let vs note that it is not inough that we reserue vnto the liuing GOD the title of one woorde but we must take heede that whatsoeuer apperteineth vnto him remaine and abide vnto him in his entire and perfecte estate As howe He meaneth not only to be called God but to be acknowledged Almightie to be acknowledged our Father and Sauiour to be knowen for him which hath authoritie to gouerne vs for him in whom we ought to repose our whole trust and confidence for him whom we ought to inuocate and call vpon Loe the chiefe and principall things we ought to thinke and meditate vpon when question is of honouring one onelie god I graunt the Papistes will still say That S. Michael and S. William and such others are not their goddes but yet for all this they worship them yea their images and pictures although they thinke to escape by this shifte that the images are not the Saintes they pray vnto but onelie their remembrances to represent them and yet is this against the expresse commandement of god And againe they knowe not howe GOD will be worshipped when they so mingle him among their idols of wood and of stone by the which they thinke to represent their Saintes It is true they vse words them selues vnderstand not of Dulia and Latria when they say
this importeth that men are of like equalitie But this notwithstanding seeing it hath pleased almightie GOD to appoint certeine degrees wee must returne vnto this point and obserue this order that he which hath any preeminence be so esteemed accounted of amongest men And we ought not here to make this allegation Why Is he better than I For this difference of degrees proceedeth not from this that one is better than another but this is because it pleaseth God to giue preeminence vnto some whom he will also haue honored Now this is not sufficient that childrē honor their fathers by bearing som reuerence to them but they must succour them they must employ them selues for their behoofe and commoditie as much as shal be possible And in verie deed Iesus Christ sheweth that there is nothing but meere hypocrisie when the children shall onely make some signe of loue or honour to fathers and mothers in the meane while leaue them helplesse in neede and necessitie This is to defraude parentes of their right this is to mocke the lawe of God when men will so obserue it by way of outward ceremonies As much is to be said of all subiection For it is required that we make not some signe only of honor but that wee render all the right of dutifullnesse which apperteineth vnto him which is in any preeminence aboue vs yea and that wee doe this of our owne accorde and goodwill Men trulie would be exempted from all kinde of bondage and subiection but seeing God hath ordeined so diuersse an order we must frame our selues therevnto and that not by force and constraint For what account shall be made of this if we obey God in despite of our teeth and our hearte driue alwayes the contrarie way and drawe cleane backward Our will therefore must bee present in this behalfe and we must account it as sweete and pleasaunt whatsoeuer our Lord hath commaunded vs You see then wherein consisteth the first step and degree of honest and vpright walking with men namelie that wee knowe that fathers and mothers and all others which are lifted vp to any dignitie aboue vs must haue the honour and obedience which apperteineth vnto them otherwise God is dishonoured in their persons and this is as much as if we refused to do him homage to yeld our selues subiect to him Now in the next place after this fift cōmandement Moses addeth That we cōmit no murder It is true that at the first sight it would seme God should prescribe vs no great perfection in forbidding vs murders But we haue to note that God would comprise in some short sentence all that whiche were requisite to the well ordering of our whole life And therefore it was not for him to forget or leaue any thing behinde Now we must knowe that the life of men shall then bee well ordered when they absteine from doing of euill from all wrong and violence againe when they walke honestlie in all chastitie when they doe no hurt one to an other when they shall keepe their tongues also from harming their neighbors by lying or any slaunderous speaking All these good properties ought to bee in vs if we will conforme our selues to the will and iustice of god So then wee ought not to maruell that God speaketh here expressely of murders For this is the better to bridle vs that wee presume not to commit any outrage or attempt any way to harme our neighbours But for all this let vs beare in minde that whiche before we haue touched namelie that God hath spoken after a grosse rude manner to applie him selfe to all sortes of men and to be vnderstood euen of the most idiotes For wee see how euerie one excuseth him selfe of ignoraunce and if a thing be somwhat hard and obscure it seemeth to vs that wee may wash our handes as innocent and guiltlesse if we shall haue failed in our dutie and if wee can say Oh this was ouer high and to profound for me and I could neuer come to any vnderstanding of the matter we thinke all is cocksure To the end therfore that men might no longer haue such shiftes God would speake in such sorte that euen little children might vnderstand what he saith That is the cause why in so shorte and plaine wise he saith Thou shalt doe no murder Moreouer let vs note that God to bring vs by little and little to liue well proposeth vnto vs those thinges which are most detestable most to be abhorred that we might lerne thereby to take heede of doing euill For example in this place he might well haue said Ye shall doe no iniurie ye shall vse no violence with your neighbours Hee might well haue spoken thus But he woulde rather speake in this place of murder And why Because this is a thing contrarie to nature when men aduaunce them selues to deface the image of god We must then needes haue murders in horrour and detestation except we be altogether brutish and beastlie How euer it bee this teacheth vs that the thing is ouer enormous and outragious and which wee ought to detest and haue in execratiō which is as murder God therfore to the end he might hold vs in more strong and sure bondes and the better withdrawe vs from all harme doing and from all wrong and iniurie sheweth vs that wee ought not to pollute and defile our handes in the bloud of our neighbours Well then when one absteineth from murder is this all which is required Nay there wanteth yet verie much as anon shall appeare when we haue more fullie declared this matter For God will hold both our heartes and our thoughtes in subiection he will be serued in such pure and sincere manner that we nourish within vs no euill will against our neighbours Therefore when he speaketh of murder it is as if he said Marke ye and be heedfull in this matter If you had not the written lawe if you were altogether as the Painims yet should you haue this imprinted in your heartes that murder is a thing wicked and detestable Now I declare to you that I hold condemne for murderers all those which commit any outrage against their neighbours all those which deuise any thing against them all those which nourish within their heartes hatred and rancour Loe how God interpreteth him selfe Now let vs diligentlie note that not without great cause our Lorde hath forbidden such murders And why Because we can not dwell with men but in absteining from all iniurie and violence Howbeit vnder one speciall kinde he hath forbidden the whole And why For if he had vsed many woordes and made some long discourse one might haue said I remember not so long a lesson and it was to hard for me Loe why God would speake in one word euen to the end his doctrine might by and by be learned that his lawe might easily bee imprinted in memorie We neede not turne ouer many leaues wee
neede not haue any great registers and volumes this sufficeth that God hath in ten woordes comprised the rule of well liuing What shall he now be which may alledge and say I haue forgotten such an article I haue not vnderstood it For can we not beare in minde ten woordes Wee see then now how God would hold men conuicted of shamlesnesse when they haue not well vnderstood that which they ought to doe Yee see then why God hath spoken after so briefe and short a maner Moreouer he hath so chewed these things as the Prouerbe is that digesting of them we might learne to order our selues peceably to him yea that the most idiotes might knowe that it needeth not to bee any great Clerke to vnderstand the lawe of God seeing he hath descended so lowe and framed him selfe so to our capacitie that there is no poore wretch so ignorant whiche may not comprehend and vnderstand that which is conteined in the lawe Loe what wee haue briefly to beare in minde Nowe seeing it is so that God hath forbidden murder as a wicked and detestable thing wee haue to knowe first of all that he which lifteth himselfe vp to kill and murder his neighbours is not worthie to bee nourished on the earth as beeing worse natured than the brute beastes For wee see how the Beares the Lions and other wilde and sauage beastes spare those which are of their owne kinde are like them selues And why Although they want all reason to discerne good from euill albeit they haue neither lawe nor equitie yet notwithstanding euen this acknowledging of a common and like nature betweene them selues withholdeth them from all crueltie Shall then the brute beastes knowe well howe to liue without hurting of their owne kinde and shall it not bee an ouer-great shame that men may not bee withhelde by some consideration seeing that God hath imprinted in their heartes howe wicked and execrable a thing murder is They see they are all of the same nature euerie one doth behold the image of GOD in his neighbour and should not this serue them for a bridle to withhold them from all violence and wrong doing Whither might our furie further leade vs So then let vs remember that albeit God had not spoken wee are alreadie conuicted by the testimonie of our owne consâ—ience That who so armeth him selfe against his neighbour despiteth nature and is not worthie to bee accounted in the number of men But now sith the authoritie of GOD is matched with that which alreadie wee knowe by the guide and direction of nature and seeing he sheweth vs that the bloud of men can not bee shedde but wee shall bee accountable thereof vnto him when wee heare this let vs learne to walke without iniuring of any or otherwise let vs knowe that GOD will bee our mortall enimie as hauing alreadie declared that all men are vnder his garde and protection It is true that this threate is not here expressed but it is sufficient that he hath spoken hereof in other places For when he saith That man is created to the image of GOD it is not lawefull to make any assault vppon him For it is asmuch as if our Lorde did say You wage battell with mee when you doe thus seeke to hurt one an other For I haue imprinted mine image and likenesse in you If one deface the armes of some Prince it is an iniurie so great that it shal be reuenged and punished as murder And why For this in like sort tendeth to the confusion of all order and policie But loe the image of God which is imprinted in men and one despiseth it must not such an outragious villaine bee double punished So then note we that God in declaring that it is against him that men arme them selues when they doe iniurie to men would shewe vs that this ought to withhold vs from doing them wrong except we be beereaued of all sense beecome mad furious And further to the end we might better aduise our selues in this thing our Lorde declareth there can not bee a murder committed but the earth therewith must needes bee polluted and defiled As it is handled hereof in an other place where it is said That the effusion of mans bloud in it selfe importeth a filth and vncleanesse and such a blot which scarse can bee wiped out When mention is made of killing euen in a battell allowed and approued yet is it said That a man thereby is become vncleane And why Because wee might learne thereby to haue in greater horror and detestation the effusion of bloud If an enimie be killed in open battell although God pardon this because he which staieth him hath iust and lawfull cause thereof and doth it for necessitie yet notwithstanding it is said That the man which hath slaine him is polluted and made vncleane And why To the end we might knowe that God hath created vs to liue together in peace and that wee can not geue one fillippe as they say but that wee defile our selues and wee beecome by and by vncleane before the face of god Therefore when the holie scripture vseth all these formes of speaking ought we not so much the better be withholden from doing of iniurie to any of our neighbours Yes verily Now withall seeing God hath handled these thinges according to our rudenesse and infirmitie let vs note that albeit we shed not bloud yet this sufficeth not except wee absteine from all outragious and violent dealing Briefly let vs vnderstand that the persons of men must bee accounted deare and pretious in our eyes For vntill wee be come to such perfection God shall alwayes account vs for murderers If any one strike his neighbour albeit he slaie him not loe he is alreadie a murderer before god And why We haue alreadie said that God hath purposely vsed that word to the end he might declare to vs that howe euer wee esteeme them as light and little faultes to bee the occasion of tumultes and seditions to haue giuen some crosse-blowe that he notwithstanding shall not account so of these things as wee doe Wherefore They are all as weightie as murder Ye see then why God hath thus spoke Therefore as he hath forbidden vs murder so let vs knowe that he hath interdicted vs to doe any iniurie or vse any violence towardes our neighbours When wee haue done nothing but lifted vp our dagger against any one and haue touched him in anger and indignation behold a murder is committed in the sight of god If wee would well consider of this shoulde wee not bee much more sober in our dealinges than wee are Wee shall see some so cholerike that if one displese them but with a word loe forthwith the dagger is drawen to strike and to beate him For it seemeth vnto them that so there be no bloud drawen the matter is not great but howe easie soeuer they bee in their iudgementes the sentence of God can not bee
men are by good right conuicted to haue repelled and despitefullie refused the gratious goodnesse of God and to haue debarred him of all accesse and entrance by shutting vp the doore when they haue bene taught and instructed by his word and yet they haue not profited therein And so this is a verie profitable admonition for vs when we see that God wisheth in this place that we would do that which he commaundeth vs to the end it might be wel with vs And hereby we see that if we receiue his doctrine in all reuerence and humilitie if we seeke to yeelde all obedience therevnto it can not be but the ende and issue thereof shal be prosperous and blessed and that we shal be certeine of our saluation Nowe it is true that we must alwayes returne backe to this point to pray God to giue vs the minde and will to serue him but if thorough infirmitie we faile in our duetie let vs learne to condemne our selues that we may be absolued before him And moreouer let vs reioyce when we see that he procureth by all meanes our saluation and seeketh to set vs forward therein alwayes and as often as his holie word is preached vnto vs and let vs call to minde that which is said in the Prouerbes of Solomon That the solace and delight of the wisedome of God iâ— to dwell with men Beholde howe God here protesteth that when he sendeth his word it is to instruct vs in all perfection of wisedome as if he sent his wisedome from the heauens Yea and to what end For wisedome is brought in here to speake and to say Behold my dainties and delites to dwell with the children of men And this is as much as if God did displaie and laid open his heart vnto vs and that he saide Beholde I will binde my selfe with an holie and sacred bond vnto men when I instruct them by my word and if they on their part be not wilde and vnrulie they shall perceiue that I will alwayes be in the middest of them and neuer withdrawe my selfe from them This ought well to inflame vs with such a reuerence of the woorde of GOD that wee endeuour with all our might to profit therein and not to suffer our selues to be at anie time turned from it seeing the benefit thereof is inestimable namelie that by it our Lorde vniteth him selfe with vs Now it followeth in the text of Moses how God commaundeth the people That euerie one goe his way into his tent and that Moses abide there and he addeth I will tell thee all the commaundementes and the statutes and the lawes which thou must teach the whole people God againe in this place sheweth that he ceaseth not to continue in teaching and instructing the people albeit he vse the meane whiche hath bene declared namelie that Moses bee as an expositour of the will of God and the messenger thereof vnto the people This is well worthie the noting For it serueth vnto this end that wee may vnderstand that God will alwayes hold vs vnto himselfe and that he will not that our faith bee grounded vpon men or depend on them And it is verie needefull and requisite that wee bee warned hereof It is true that those whiche followe their good meaninges or which say that they hold and sticke vnto those things which haue bene determined by the Church and by the auncient Fathers may bee for a time so besotted that if one tell them they hold as it were by the aire that they haue no certeine stay and assurance to leane vnto when they so rest themselues wholie one men they will bee still headie and obstinate as we see the Papists whom the diuell hath so bewitched that they are content to stande vnto the resolutions which men at their owne lust and pleasure haue made and venturousie despised the woord of GOD yea albeit men bring manifest witnesses and testimonies from it to reproue their superstitions all is one with them they are so dull and obstinate that it skilleth not with them whether GOD bee contrarie vnto them or no. Men I say shall haue this presumptuous boldnesse for a time to ventur to goe on whither their fond imagination carrieth them they shall indurate and harden them selues against GOD but when they come to the triall that GOD thorouglie toucheth them with the vertue and power of his woorde behold they are so astonished and amazed that they know not what may become of them So then let vs note that wee shall haue no certeine and assured stay to rest vpon except our faith bee grounded on the woord of GOD and that wee may protest that whatsoeuer wee haue wee hold from him and account that this is the onely truth that wee wander not in our owne weenings and thinkings or propose vnto our selues the doctrine of men to leane vnto and to stay and to rest vpon When wee heare that GOD in this place saith I will tell thee the things wherein thou shalt instruct them let vs note that wee must also in like manner leane wholie vppon him that our faith must not bee wauering and in doubt being vnderpropped by the infallible veritie of his woord And this is that wee are to seeke after when wee come vnto a sermon that wee may haue this article fullie ratified and sealed vp in our consciences that wee haue the woorde of GOD wherein our life consisteth Withall let vs also note that GOD would bridle them in this place which haue the charge of preaching his woord from all presumption of commending vnto the people any thing of their owne but that they content them selues to bee faithfull dispensers of that which he commaundeth that they alwayes protest they haue serued God forasmuch as they haue executed that whiche he gaue them in commaundement and haue deliuered the doctrine they preach from the mouth of God into the handes of men Beholde what wee haue to note we I say whom God hath ordeined ministers to declare his woorde and vnto whom he hath committed this office of teaching his people that wee adde vnto his woorde nothing of our owne which wee shall haue imagined but wee declare simplie and bring that onely whiche wee knowe to proceede from god How to the end that the people should not thinke that God instructed them by halfes but in most absolute and perfect manner he repeateth in this place that whereof we haue heretofore entreated The ordinaunces the statutes the commaundements ceremonies as if he said that nothing shal be wanting in his doctrine and that the people ought not to desire any thing besides whatsoeuer This hath bene beefore largelie expounded but alwayes when GOD vseth so many and diuerse wordes where hee might simplie and in a woorde haue saide the lawe let vs note that this is the better to withholde men from attempting vppon anie foolish curiositie to adde anie thing vnto his lawe as we see how by nature we are ouermuch giuen