in saying it is the loue of God For it is not ynough for vs to knowe that God hath chosen vs to himselfe but we must also know what it is that moued him thereto and how he was induced thervnto Did hee seeke the cause of it out of himselfe No but his owne loue was the cause that he chose vs. Nowe when the scripture speaketh of Gods loue it meaneth that free fauor which he beareth towards vs so as he respecteth not our persons nor seruices nor aught else that wee can bring Sith it is so let vs consider here Gods goodnes two wayes For first of al when we haue his Gospel preached among vs and his Sacraments whereby he gathereth vs as it were into his fold and sheweth himselfe to be our shepherd it is say I a choosing of vs for the which wee be greatly bounde vnto him in so much that our maliciousnesse must needes be cast in our teeth and bee called to account to receiue horrible veÌ„geance if we make no reckening of so great a grace as he hath bestowed vpon vs. Therefore let vs make much of the benefite that we inioy Deâ—â— â—â— that is to wit of Gods gathering vs heere together in his name to bee as his houshold folke But there is yet a seconde choosing which is when euerie of vs perceiueth that God hath inlightened him by his holie spirit and made vs to tast his worde so as wee sticke to it by fait and that hee hath graffed vs into the bodie of Iesus Christ Rom. â—â— Eph. 5â— to the ende we shoulde bee taken held for members of him which thing wee must vnderstand commeth not of our selues nor of our owne power but of Gods will which vouchsafed to marke vs out And why Let vs not make long circuits to finde some reason in our selues but let vs holde vs contented with the free loue of our God for hee is not bounde to any man Hee might destroye all mankinde by his iustice but yet for all that he hath pitie vpon vs. And wheras he pitieth not all alike but letteth whom hee list alone therein he intendeth to giue the greater shewe of his goodnesse as I haue said alredy to the ende that wee shoulde compare our selues with others and say Wherfore am I one of gods elect wherefore hath God chosen mee to himselfe I shoulde haue beene as other men are if God had not reached me his hand And what moued him to do it His owne meere goodnesse This comparison then must induce vs to glorifie our God when we see that he hath stretched out his mighty arme ouer vs. And so we see that that doctrine was not vttered onely for the instruction of the people of old time but that the same is common to vs also at this day Remember saith Moses that thy God hath chosen thee And why Because hee loued thy fathers And the same also is the cause why that in that high and excellent redemption which was made by our Lorde Iesus Christ the scripture sendeth vs to the loue of God for that is the onely welspring God so loued the worlde that hee spared not his onely sonne Iohn 3.16 What is the cause then that Iesus Christ is come to bee our Sauiour What is the cause that the saluation which he purchased for vs is preached nowadayes vnto vs What is the verie cause that faith is giuen vs and that God inlighteneth vs by his holy spirit We must alwayes resort to this grounde that it is because God loued vs. It is true that Saint Iohn saith generally that hee loued the worlde And why For Iesus Christ offereth himselfe generally to all men without exception to be their redeemer It is saide afterwarde in the couenant that God loued the world when he sent his only sonne but he loued vs vs I say which haue beene taught by his Gospel because he gathereth vs to him And the faithful that are inlightened by the holy Ghost Eph 1.9 Rom. 8.16 Gal. 4.6 Eph. 13.14 haue yet a thirde vse of Gods loue in that he reueileth himself more familiarly to theÌ„ and sealeth vp his fatherly adoption by his holy spirit and ingraueth it in their hearts Now then let vs in al cases learn to know this loue of God when we be once come to it let vs goe no further Thus we see three degrees of the loue that god hath shewed vs in our Lord Iesus Christ. The first is in respect of the redemption that was purchased in the person of him that gaue himselfe to death for vs Gal. 3.13 and became accursed to reconcile vs to God his father That is the first degree of loue which extendeth to al men inasmuch as Iesus Christ reacheth out his armes to call and allure all men both great and small and to win them to him But there is a speciall loue for those to whom the gospel is preached which is y t God testifieth vnto them that he wil make them partakers of y e benefite that was purchased for them by the death and passion of his sonne And forasmuch as we be of that number therefore are we dubble bound alreadie to our God here are two bonds which hold vs as it were strait tyed vnto him Now let vs come to the third bonde which dependeth vpon the thirde loue that God sheweth vs which is that he not only causeth the gospel to be preached vnto vs but also maketh vs to feel the power therof so as we know him to be our father sauiour not douting but that our sins are forgiuen vs for our Lord Iesus Christes sake who bringeth vs the gift of the holy Ghost to reforme vs after his owne image When as God doth so imprint in our harts the doctrine that is preached vnto vs by the mouthes of men let vs vnderstand that he sheweth vs a third loue True it is that to speake properly God hath not diuers affections wee must not imagine so but I handle these matters according to our capacitie and wee must consider of Gods loue according to our slendernesse because wee cannot attaine to his high maiestie as is said afore and therfore euen he himselfe also vttereth himselfe to vs according to our abilitie And so wee see now that Gods loue is vttered and shewed vnto vs euidently three wayes in our Lorde Iesus Christe Col. 3.10 the cheefe whereof are when wee haue the gospell preached and that faith is added vnto it therewithall And as I saide when wee once haue this free loue of God we must goe no further For we see what hath happened to all such as haue not held themselues in such sobernesse And surely when men are inquisitiue why God loueth some more than othersome it proceedeth of a certain pride and spyte in that they cannot abide that the whole praise of their saluation should rest in god alone Men seeke alwayes to challenge somwhat to themselues And therefore
and then doe wee knowe him And this certaintie of being fully resolued that we worship not a new forged god or a god that is brought in by men but the same God to whom all praise is due is the verie foundation of all Religion Herewithall let vs beare in minde that he will bee worshipped all alone not onely by reseruing to himselfe the name of God but also by hauing all that is his that is to wit all that belongeth to his Maiestie and as ye woulde say to his office I speake after this maner to expresse the better that God hath not respect alonely to his being His will is not that men should onely call him the euerlasting or confesse him to be the maker of the world but that they should also knowe him to bee almightie and that it is he to whom the gouernment of vs belongeth it is he in whom is all vertue wisedome goodnesse and righteousnesse it is he to whom wee must runne for succour it is hee in whom we must put all our trust it is he to whom wee owe all glorie Yee see then how Moses in shewing that there is but onely one God meaneth that men should commit themselues vnto him knowing that they be in his hand that they bee maintained by his onely power that it is he at whose hand they must looke for saluation and all welfare and finally that it is he in whom they haue their lyfe moouing and being and therefore that it is he whom wee must honour Act. 17.28 Psal. 50.14.15 as well with prayer and supplications as also by praise and thansgiuing And nowe to shewe his meaning the better Moses addeth Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy strength In these wordes wee see the thing that hath bin touched alreadie that is to wit that Gods intent is to hold vs wholly to himselfe and to possesse vs in such sort as wee serue him not by halues ne wander in the meane while to and fro Then like as God of his gratious goodnesse giueth himselfe to vs so doeth it behooue vs to bee altogether his possession and inheritaunce That is the summe of the thinges contained in these wordes of Moses where he speaketh of the louing of GOD with all our heart with all our soule and with all our strength As if he shoulde say There is no meane way in this case deceiue not your selues by imagining to serue God by parcelmeale and by making any restraint from him for he will keepe his owne right throughout in all points What is to be done then You must giue your hearts wholly vnto him so as ye reserue not any peece of it to idoles For that were a corrupting and a bastarding of his seruice eyther he must haue all whole or else he will haue none at all accordingly as we see how he renounceth the people in Ezechiel for mingling of superstitions with his Lawe Goe your wayes saieth he and serue your owne idoles I will no more of you He giueth them leaue and casteth them vp to Satan telling them that hee liketh not any of all the things which they doeâ— for he will not bee matched with idoles What an outrage and blasphemie is that Thus then we see now the meaning of Moses Now as concerning these words Soule Minde and Strength the Iewes did misunderstaÌ„d them Their saying is that Thou shalt loue God with all thy soule is as much to say as thou shalt not spare thy life for the loue of thy God but thou shalt set so much store by his glorie that in comparison thereof thou shalt not esteeme thine owne lyfe so as if neede require that thou shouldest die to shewe the loue which thou bearest vnto God thou shouldest doe it Againe Thou shalt loue thy God with all thy minde or Heart betokeneth with them but as it were a comparison so as a man shoulde preferre GOD aboue all other things And finally Thou shalt loue God with all thy strength importeth among them that thou must loue him with all thy substance and with all thy goods so as if the case required that thou shouldest bee impouerished thou shouldest rather giue ouer thy worldely goods than forsake thy God But this exposition is too straite laced and attaineth not to the verie meaning of Moses For proofe whereof there needeth nowe no long discourse For what better expounder of the Lawe is there to bee found than our Lorde Iesus Christ by whose spirit it was giuen For it was at his hand and by his authoritie that Moses receiued the Lawe which wee holde of him So then we must fetch the exposition thereof at his mouth and we must receiue it without gainsaying And for the same cause doe the three Euangelists S. Matthew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 30. â—â— 10. â—â— in the 22. S. Mark in y e 12. and S. Luke in the 10. set downe this louing of God to be the whole summe of the well keeping of the lawe True it is that he addeth Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Howbeit in answering he saieth thou shalt loue thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule with all thy minde and with all thy strength Our Lord Iesus Christ addeth there one woorde more not to make a new sense but to assure vs the better of the same thing that Moses meant by the wordes Soule and Heart So then he setteth downe Soule Heart and Minde as if he should say The man that intendeth to keepe Gods Lawe well must yeeld himselfe wholly and throughly to the obeying and louing of God Nowe wee see that in our soules first there is the power of thinking when wee conceiue thinges to iudge and discerne of them That is the first power of the soule namely that vpon the insight of things we enter into deliberation and iudgement and conclude one way or other Gods will then is to restraine all these thoughtes to himselfe Againe there is the soule which is not onely the life but also the meane betwixt the thoughtes and the heart For the Heart betokeneth the affections desires will It is one thing to think a thing another thing to desire it and to set a hartie affection vpon it Ye see then that the heart is matched with the thoughtes to shewe that we must loue our God with all our mind And there is the Soule which is as it were betweene both as if it were sayd that whether wee debate and take counsell of our owne affaires we must alwayes begin at the loue of God and referre all thinges thereunto or whether wee couet one thing or other in seeking our own profite Gods loue must alwais gouerne vs so as al our desires be as it were restreined and bridled vnder it Yee see then that the whole soule with all the powers thereof ought to bee throughly possessed with the loue towardes God And the word strength serueth to
vs to the intent y t wee shoulde loue him againe His meaning is y t we should followe him the same way that he hath led vs afore But now it is certaine y t although God require nothing of vs but to haue the reuerence y t hee deserueth yet can we not serue him honour him vntil he haue reformed our harts And therby it appeareth what frowardnesse there is in all men by originall sinne Behold God commandeth vs but to loue him to yeeld him honor that is all y t is conteined in his lawe And yet we come all of vs so farre short of the perfect performāce of the thing y t is commanded that we cannot so much as thinke a good thought but we indeuer by all meanes possible to withstande whatsoeuer God commandeth Therefore let vs learne to be abashed ashamed of the crabbednes of our nature seeing we be so wayward as to striue against our God his righteousnes yea euen though y e things that he requireth be more than rightfull And so ye see what we haue to marke when wee feele such a law in our selues Rom. 7.23 contrary to y e lawe y t God hath giuen vs. And hereby wee be warned that it is in vaine for men to make protestation as a number doe which go about to excuse themselues y t they can not giue themselues to God because of y e weaknes sinfulnes of their nature Verily as who would say that the euil which is in vs shold serue vs for our defence Were not that a mocking of God Shal a man be acquit at his iudges hand by confessing himself to be giltie But here it is shewed vs that al y e hardnes that we haue in vs to obey God yea euen though it be impossible for vs to moue forward to the performance of the least commandement of the lawe will not serue to iustifie vs. Why so Let a man looke well to it he shal find that the fault is not in the lawe for it requireth no more but that wee shoulde serue our God therewithal loue him by yelding him his dew reuerence and what is it to do that let vs knowe therfore that the whole fault is in our selues y t we obey not our God that although we haue no power at all to performe our duetie yet doth not that discharge vs seeing that God demādeth nothing but y t which is right reasō By the way we must call to minde what hath beene declared heretofore Deut. 6. ◠namely that as concerning this text where Moses sheweth y e meane how to fulfill the law aright it is not meant that we must but onely haue our eyes hands feete well ruled but that wee must begin at the reformation of our harts Thou shalt loue thy God sayeth he serue him And howe With all thy soule with all thy heart Then let vs learne y t if we do the things by compulsion which are cōmanded vs it is nothing woorth we may not thinke that it shall passe in account And in deed there are diuers that beare countenance faire ynough afore men so as they cannot be accused of theft murther or whoredome but in y e meane while they be full of wicked lustes so as they bee readie to burst with them it is a corsie to them to obey God neither finde they any taste in his commandements And therfore al is but hypocrisie all is but a faire pretence shewe to the worldward to be short all is but vanitie and leazing till the heart be wonne vnto God vntill we be fully minded bent to do as God cōmandeth vs. That say I is the ende that wee must beginne at if we will accomplish the lawe throughly Wherefore let vs not beguile our selues any more as the hypocrites do with desire that men only should be contented Let vs vnderstand y t we haue to do w t the heauēly Iudge who admitteth no eyeseruice Ier. 5. ◠but looketh to the trueth of y e heart Therfore let vs giue our selues to God with hartie affection not content our selues so with y e outward workes y t the intent of doing wel shold not also be groūded in our harts Besides this Moses telleth vs y t God will not only be serued honored but also loued And here are three words the one is Loue the other is Reuerence the third is Seruice Now as touching Reuerence or Feare for he vseth the same term of feare it is not a slauish fearefulnes but it is y e seruiceablenes honor which we yeld vnto god in submitting our selues vnto him because we be throughly persuaded that forasmuch as he hath all soueraintie ouer vs it is good reason that we should be subiect vnto him First formost therfore let vs consider that although God had not spoken to vs to persuade vs to this reuerence surely euen nature sheweth it vs sufficiently and it is welynough proued vnto vs in our selues For although it were neuer told vs that the lewdnes of men is such as they seeke nothing else but to turne away from God to become beastlike by al meanes they can deuise yea euen wittingly wilfully yet our heads harts are stuffed so full of that lesson as we cānot be ignorant of it And therfore it standeth vs greatly in hand to beare in mind what this word reuerēce or feare importeth that is to wit that God ought to be honored of all his creatures that seeing we be his wee ought to offer our selues to be subiect to him Also it importeth that when we thinke vpon God wee should hallowe his name that is to say not imagine any thing of him to the derogation of his glorie but yeeld honor to his righteousnes wisdome power This is the first point which Moses setteth downe here cōcerning obedience and the right obseruing of the Lawe Now this reuerence requireth also loue For God wil bee honored with harty affection If we reuerence his maiestie yet stand in feare of it so as it is a terror to vs then would wee wish that there were no God at all and wee coulde fynd in our heartes to plucke him out of his seate if it were possible As many as woorship God vppon no further grounde but for that they are sure they cannot scape his hād because they know him to be their maker those say I being not touched with any free loue wil shunne God and when they heare any speaking of him it grieueth them insomuch that if it were in their choyce power they woulde plucke him out of his seat if they could as I said afore So then it is not possible for vs to feare God I meane to yeelde him right reuerence so as we beare a hartie god will to him haue a feeling of his goodnes towards vs y t he is the place where we must seeke
take occasion of stumbling at it Yea but in as much as Moses addeth that God doeth it for iust cause the stumbling blocke is taken away Hee sayth that God tempteth vs that is to saye that hee tryeth vs. After what maner Whether we loue the Lorde our God or no. And hereby hee sheweth as I haue declared heretofore that if wee haue a right meaning and pure heart and haue receiued his trueth without hypocrisie he will helpe vs at our neede and we shal be vpheld by his power so as Satan may well straine himselfe to the vttermost but the victorie shall alwayes go on our side And this is the thing that I haue touched out of Saint Paul where he sayth that all the false miracles which befall vnder the reigne of Antichrist 2. Thes. 2.12 as many haue been seene are all reuengements of God to punish such as woulde not obey his trueth And it is good reason that Satan shoulde driue them to destruction sith they woulde not open their eyes at such time as God woulde haue enlightened them And seeing they haue thrust all good doctrine vnder foote it is meete that they shoulde bee deceiued by lyes But let vs come backe againe to the wordes of Moses He sayth that wee be tryed to weete if wee loue the Lorde our God Heereby hee sheweth that God putteth a difference betweene the hypocrites and such as serue him in soundnesse of heart at such time as heresies spring vp and that there is trouble and disagreement And why For it is certaine that such as loue God are preserued by the power of his holy Ghoste that the troubles which they susteyne are a good proofe and sealing vp of their faith whereby the same is made autenticall God sheweth by effect howe hee hath wrought in them and that they bee in verie deede of the number of those whome hee hath chosen So then let vs vnderstand that all the errours and heresies which the diuell shall haue sowed among vs shal bee turned to good ende to all Gods children So farre off is it that they bring vs any hurte or harme that they serue euer to make our faith shyne the brighter and to warrant vs that God hath succoured vs and that hee will haue the same knowen to the whole worlde so as he may bee glorified for it And we also haue the more cause to rest vppon him with the greater certaintie of faith and to trust that hee will neuer faile vs. For as much then as wee see that our Lorde worketh in such wise as hee turneth darkenesse into light and deadly poyson to our health haue wee not whereof to reioyce and ought wee not to bee patient albeit that troubles doe vexe vs for a time and that wee haue much adoo to resist Yet ought not our heartes to quaile seeing that God giueth it so happie an issue Thus much concerning the first poynt that is to witte that if wee loue God with all our heart that is to say roundly and soundly and without counterfayting hee will not suffer vs to bee beguyled but whensoeuer Satan comes to sowe troubles and heresies wee shal bee confirmed still better and better and profite in such wise as wee shall neuer bee ouercome And therewithall wee shall haue the better proofe that wee bee of the number of his seruauntes and of those whome hee hath committed to the custodie of our Lorde Iesus Christ and that wee shall see this saying fulfilled that hee will neuer suffer any of the things to perish Iob. 18.9 which his father hath put into his hande Wee see then howe our Lorde Iesus Christ is the keeper of our saluation that wee finde the thing by experience which Saint Peter sayeth 1. Pet. 1.4.5 namely that our saluation is kept in heauen by faith and that wee our selues also shall get the vpper hande of all the temptations which the diuell stirreth vp against vs by sowing such cockle and darnel to the preiudice of Gods trueth But let vs marke also that such as are winde-shaken doe shewe that they neuer wist what it is to loue God with all their heartes and that there was nothing in them but vanitie and hypocrisie And therefore when wee see men seduced let vs not wonder as though God were cruell to them For it was meete that their hypocrisie shoulde bee discouered They meant to mocke God and vsed a kinde of vernishing and painting to make a showe of that which they were not and God bewrayeth what they were in deede Nowe therefore whereas wee see the wretched worlde so carried nowadayes into darkenesse superstition and ydolatrie wee must not thinke that they doe it of meere simplicitie as though they were innocent and faultlesse and that God had giuen Satan the brydle without cause but wee must rather consider that God with iust vengeance punisheth the vnkindnesse of such as had neither purpose nor desire vnto him Trueth it is that a man shall see some outwarde shewe of holinesse in a number of those that are seduced in the popedome and elsewhere But yet for all that they bee double hearted and God perceiueth what they bee in secret So then let vs vnderstand that God is a iust Iudge and let vs glorifie him for his punishing of such as loued him not soundly in their heartes as they shoulde haue done That is the thing which wee haue to note And in deede experience shewes it in such as turne backe and fall to naughtinesse after they haue once knowen the Gospell Wee haue seene here that when Satans vnderlinges haue come hither to set troubles in the Church those that haue beene seduced by them haue knowen them welynough of olde and not nowe of late for I speake of the space of eyghteene yeares Since the troubling of this Church diuers sectes haue been seene and stil God hath beene faine to shewe and to poynt these out with his finger which had nothing in them but dissimulation hypocrisie howe faire countenance soeuer they did make And I say that this hath beene knowen nowe these eyghteene yeres insomuch that euen they that haue pretended to bee great vpholders of the Gospell are well knowen to mee howe they haue behaued themselues I could rehearse their doings if neede were but it is ynough to giue men an incling of them that others might take example by them When the Anabaptistes came hither to infect all there was great cheere made them in the townhouse and this was about an eyghteene yeares ago True it is that men were constrained to reproue their doctrine openly but yet in the meane-while they were still chockt vnder the chinne in steed of resisting them lustily feastes were made to entertaine them with And since that time wee haue seene in our owne dayes and that not long ago howe other heretikes haue beene fauoured at their comming hither and specially howe that horrible blasphemer was supported And by whom By such as had
For he wil haue al men to confesse it to be so yea he wil haue euery man to cōfesse it with his own mouth And what remaineth then for vs to do Where is the hope of saluation Hereby wee see that if we had but the ten commandements of the law we should vtterly be vndone perish and y t it behoueth vs to haue recourse to his mercy which out goeth his iustice Lam. 2.13 as saith S. Iames. Gods goodnes then must take place towards vs to deliuer vs frō the confusion wherin al of vs should haue bin if the said sentence should stand and y t there shold be no grace to outgo it And truly S. Paule in the third to the Galathians proueth by this text Gal. 3.10 that wee cannot become righteous by our workes but that it behooueth vs to bee made righteous by fayth onely that is to say by the meere grace of God bicause we be cōdemned euerichone of vs if God enter into account with vs. For why Cursed shall hee bee which performeth not all the wordes of the lawe If a man reply yea but if a man doe performe them why should he not become righteous thereby And why should hee not be payde his hire at Gods hande according to his desertes Saint Paule presupposeth that there was neuer yet any man found nor any can possibly be found which performeth al the words of the law and all that euer God commaundeth Indeede it hath beene a common saying That GODS Lawe is not vnpossible And at this day when the Papistes reason against vs they thinke it an vnuincible argument to prooue their freewill Why should GOD haue commaunded vs to loue him with all our hearte if we bee not able to doe it It were too repugnaunt that GOD should exact more of men than they are able to doe nay in so dooing hee shoulde bee vniust and cruell After that maner doe the Papistes reason But Saint Paule on the contrary part sayeth Cursed shall he bee which performeth not all the Commaundementes And he presupposeth as I sayde afore that no man performeth them and that it is vnpossible for to finde any such man Whereupon he inferreth his conclusion Then is all mankinde vndoone if they enter into examination of workes so as men must bee punished according to their deseruinges GOD must needes cast them off and vtterly damne them And so wee haue an excellent lesson in this text For it is as much as if GOD strake downe all the Children of Adam with one blowe of a beetle yea and thundred downe vpon them to fling them into such a dungeon of confusion as they might perceiue that in themselues they are all damned and perished But wee tary not there For when God hath once humbled vs he giueth vs the fitte meane of deliuerance from the condemnation as shall bee shewed more plainely heereafter But eare we proceed so farre let vs consider howe the Papistes deceiue themselues They see wellynough that no man performeth y e law of God and although they forge the fantasticall arguments which I spake of saying that God commaundeth not any thing which is not in the power of men to doe yet are they conuicted euen by their owne experience that all men are sinners that all men haue doone amisse as the holy scripture also telleth vs that there is not any man liuing vpon the earth as Salomon sayeth which sinneth not and that all men haue neede of the grace of God The Papistes then although they well see this yet do they wrangle still saying that that is before wee be regenerated againe by Gods spirite Neuerthelesse if they be pressed they must needs confesse in the second place that euen the holyest folke are still vnperfect and y t there is some frailty in them And though they would not confesse it yet doth the holy scripture shew it and euery man feeles it in himselfe Now then wherfore do the Papists so greatly mayntaine the righteousnesse of works beare themselues in hand that we deserue well to be recompenced and that we purchace or earne y e kingdome of heauen How cōmeth it to passe that they be so brutish and so beastly It is bicause they imagine that although we performe not the law yet neuerthelesse we faile not to merite or deserue this they terme a righteousnesse in part They say that all men doe amisse in deede that is true and that in that respect they be faultie before God and through rigour doe well deserue to be condemned Neuerthelesse y t when they haue the righteousnes in part that is to say when they doe partly obey the law that doing of theirs is worthie to be accepted and to be put into the account and reckoning And that is the thing wherein they glorie so much After that maner then there are deseruings in men though they performe not the whole law That is for one point Againe they haue another diuelish imagination which is that when they haue doone amisse they can make amendes vnto GOD by their owne satisfactions and can raunsome themselues so as they shall goe scotfree at leastwyse in their owne seeming They will well confesse in one woorde wee bee indaungered but yet doeth it not followe that wee haue no meane to shifte it off and to make GOD to accept in exchaunge whatsoeuer wee bring vnto him Heereuppon haue they founded all their good deuotions as they terme them as Pilgrimages Masses and Yeremindes with all their free will deuotions as their fastinges and diuerse other thinges in so much that euen their Shrift is put among their woorkes of satisfaction Againe the pratling of some Paternosters the babling before a Puppet the chaunting of some Masse the setting vp of some Tapers and such other things are all of them such recompences as GOD can not finde any fault at all with them howbeit bycause they see themselues ouercharged with those thinges they forge a sort of petie inuentions wherewith to play with GOD. And therefore they haue deuised veniall sinnes in so much that if a man be tempted to wicked desires yet he shall not haue offended God vntill he be willing and perfectly consenting to y e performance therof If a mā be tempted in himself if a man bee mooued to doe euill all this is no deadly sinne say the Papists it is but veniall sin and one sprinkle of holy water is ynough to wash it cleane away But contrariwise wee knowe howe it is sayde 〈…〉 12. O Israel what is it that thy GOD requireth of thee but that thou shouldest loue him with all thy heart Heere yee see howe the righteousnesse of the Lawe is that a man loue GOD with all his heart But hee that hath offended is accursed And all of vs offende and are not all of vs then in daunger of death There is not that man vppon whome GOD pronounceth not this curse Nowe when men haue thought euill so as they haue beene prouoked
this is not common to all for there be many which continue frowarde and are vtterly cut off from the Church and from al hope of saluation And therefore seeing that the world is vnreformable Let vs looke wel about vs that we bee not comprised in the number of thē and when God maketh vs to feele his wrath let vs so feele it as it cause vs not to defie him to vomet our bleasphemies as many do but to bring vs in minde of our sinnes and to make vs ashamed of them and moreouer that therwithall wee may bee assured to finde mercy in our GOD for without that it is impossible that wee shoulde haue anie desire to turne vnto him As for those which thinke that God will not be mercifull vnto them albeit that they doe acknowledge their sinnes yet will they squatte them downe in their filthinesse and they can neuer be deliuered or dispatched from thē And why so Because they runne away from God neither is it possible to make them to come neere him for that they haue none vnderstanding of his fatherly goodnesse nor bee ascerteyned that he is readie to receyue them vnto him Hereby wee see howe the diuell hath reigned and yet doeth reigne in the Popedome For they talk much of repentance but the wretched sinners are still left in doubt In deede they giue them many plaisters howbeit not to purge away the inward vncleannes but rather to qualifie and to sweeten the sore on the outside which inwardly continueth still whereuppon they become drunken with this foolish opinion of satisfying God that thereby they deserue and make full amendes Thus the wretched Papistes doe their endeuour to reconcile themselues to God but with what certaintie None at all all is haphazard Againe they alleage the keyes of the Church but those keyes bee Pardons Satisfactions and Indulgences and Merites before God but no promise at all Nowe contrariwise wee must vnderstande that for to haue true repentance it is behouefull that God doe declare vnto vs his fatherly loue and that in making our repaire to him we bee fully certified that we shall not be disappointed nor haue the gate shut against vs. How so Moses hath spoken obscurely of the Redeemer for the time was not yet come that the plaine declaration should bee made thereof At this day Iesus Christ doeth call vs and wee vnderstand what the Apostle saieth namely that Gods Throne is not dreadfull and terrible vnto vs to make vs afraide but that it is a Throne of Grace vnto vs to the which wee may boldly approch Nowe then let vs acknowledge the inestimable good which God hath doone vs in drawing vs out of this maze of the Popedome and in telling vs that hee is readie to receiue vs to mercie and to deale with vs like a father notwithstanding that we haue bin rebellious children towardes him Thus did Moses meane in this place Yea and for a more confirmation thereof he addeth Although thou wert dispersed into the vttermost coastes vnder heauen yet the Lorde thy God will fetch thee from thence and bring thee againe into this lande which he hath promised thy fathers and there hee will increase thee more than euer thou wast Moses doeth here shewe that wee must not mistrust God albeit that there bee nothing but troubles myseries and calamities so as wee bee vtterly forlorne Let vs haue an eye to this comfort For ye see here howe y e people of Israel was like a bodie torne in pieces and driuen away as dust before the winde and yet notwithstanding God doeth promise to gather them together againe Nowe seeing hee hath wrought so with them wee must vnderstand that he will doe the like toward vs at this day and that although we were dispersed he will not fayle to holde vs vnder his protection so as we shall be gathered together againe if Iesus Christ doe the office of a Shepeheard towarde vs and wee bee of his flocke And hath he not in deede accomplished towarde vs that which is spoken heere Wee must consider not onely howe God hath gathered vs in when wee were vnder the tyrannie of the Pope but moreouer howe he hath assembled vs heere in a flocke wee must vnderstand that wee bee heere vnited all together as if wee were of one housholde Whereas we were dispersed and aliened from our Lorde Iesus Christ he hath now renuited vs to himselfe For as Paule saieth to the Colossians his office is to gather all thinges together as well in heauen as in earth Col. 1.21 So long as we bee cut off from the vnitie of faith and aliened from Iesus Christ wee bee like dust driuen with the wind◠and in such confused state haue wee beene but God hath deliuered vs from it As often therefore as wee come into extremitie let vs vnderstande that God woulde haue vs yet to turne vnto him and will giue vs furtheraunce thereunto wherefore let vs plucke vp our heartes following the exhortation that is giuen vs heere And by the way Moses sheweth that GOD doeth it not for any recompence which he looketh for at the peoples hand but for loue of his owne free choise and for his promise sake by the which he bounde himselfe when he swore vnto Abraham to giue vnto him and his that land for their inheritance Therefore when wee turne vnto our God to aske him forgiuenesse of our sinnes if wee woulde haue him mooued to shewe vs mercie wee must not come vnto him vpon presumption of our merites we must not thinke to obtaine grace by our owne satisfactions or by our good workes or by any other meanes but wee must be wholly grounded vpon this that it hath once pleased him to receiue vs vnto him and also declared by his dooinges that he will holde vs for his children seeing hee hath giuen vs Iesus Christ by whom wee obtayne forgiuenesse When wee bee once grounded vppon this free mercie let vs not doubt but that our Lorde is alwayes prest and readie to receiue vs to mercie But if wee doe swarue neuer so litle from that way wee shall so stray that in stead of approching vnto God wee shall goe further from him That is the thing which Moses meant to signifie in making mention of the othe whereby God had sworne to their fathers that he woulde giue them the lande Likewyse if at this day wee perceiue the Church to decrease yea euen so farre as it may seeme to be nothing let vs vnderstande that GOD wyll multiplie it seeing hee hath made that promise at leastwise if wee returne vnto him according as it is heere spoken And seeing he hath iustified the knowledge of his mercie in the land of Chanaan let vs not doubt at this day but that to bring vs into the heritage of the kingdome of heauen he will shewe himselfe much more stedfast yea and vtter such power in our behalfe that albeit wee see neuer so many lettes as it were to
273. a 40 Howe Gods Loue must gouerne vs. 273 a 10 The meaning of S. Paul that Loue seeketh not his owne 582. a 10 A true mirror where we may beholde whether wee Loue our God or not 1067 b 30.40 274. a 60. b 10. The cause of our election is the Loue of God 314. b all 166. b 10.20 The meaning of the scripture when it speaketh of Gods Loue. 166. b 20. Whence it commeth y t men are inquisitiue why God doeth Loue some more than othersome 167. b 10.20 The Loue of God most amplie declared set foorth 167. a 10.20 The purpose and intent of God in not shewing his Loue to all alike 166. b 50 A pithie and effectuall reason to moue vs to mutuall Loue kindness 210. a 20.30.40.50.60 We be vtterlie vnexcusable if wee doe not Loue God 186. a 10.28 What is required in vs if wee will Loue God 192. a 30 Of some which neuer wist what it is to Loue God and how God punisheth their vnkindnes 532. a 60. b 10.20 Hypocrites haue a bastardly seede of Gods Loue in them 191. b. 20.30 The surpassing Loue of God expressed by similitudes 1121. a b all 142 b 10.40 b 50 Such as Loue God shal not loue him without profit 1067. b 40.50 A speciall triall that God vseth whether we Loue him or no. 531. a b all and 532. a all 540. b 20.30.40.50 God witnesseth his Loue towardes vs in matching our saluation with his owne glorie 536. b 50 The Loue of God effectuallie set foorth 172. b 10 The records of Gods Loue which hee giueth vs aboue and beneath 186. a 50 Wee neuer knowe what it is to keepe Gods Lawe c. vnlesse we begin at Loue. 192. a 10.20 It cannot be wel discerned in this world whō God doeth Loue and why 987 b 60. 988. a all A generall Loue of God extended to al men 167. a 30 A speciall Loue of God for those to whome the gospell is preached 167. a 40 Three degrees of the Loue that God hath shewed vs in Iesus Christ. 167. a 10.20.30 and 168. a 30 What Loue wee ought to beare to our Lorde God when he hath once vttered him selfe vnto vs. 541. b 40.50 We cannot Loue God without his iustice 320. b 10 The continuance of Gods fauour and Loue is for euer 86. b 10.20 In what respects we should perceiue the Loue of God plainelie 105. a 10 God diuerse times hideth the signes of his Loue frō vs. 51. a 10 The Loue of god cannot be in vs vntil wee haue tasted of his goodnesse 192. a 30 God requireth no more at our handes but that wee shoulde Loue him Looke well on that point 433. a and b all 434. a 10. 435. b all 272. b all What we haue to learne in that mention is made of obediēce after Loue. 468. b 30.40 God will not haue vs to Loue him as our fellowe howe then 275. a 10.20.30 The true performance of the lawe beginneth at the Loue of God 455. a all Of the free Loue of God wherewith he loued the Iewes c. 439. a 10.20 It is not possible for vs to feare God vnlesse we Loue him 435. a 10.20 Howe these words Loue couereth the multitude of sinnes is meant 237. a 50.60 c Why it is no harde or cumbersome matter to Loue one an other 232. a 10 Of this worde Loue due vnto God frō vs and what the same importeth 435. a 10.20.30 In what respect God doeth Loue vs much rather nowe that wee are reconciled vnto him 326. b 30 That we are bounde to Loue God and whence the let of not doing so doth spring hereupon dependeth notable doctrine 273. b 10. c. Howe the Iewes vnderstoode these wordes Thou shalt Loue God with all thy soule minde and strength 272. b 10.20.30 There ought to be a kinde of brotherlie Loue among vs and why 62. a 40 50.68 a all Gods Loue testified by his speeches vttered as it were with certaine passions 1149. a 40.50.60 c. How the Loue of our selues doth blind vs. 350. a 20 Lowlinesse There is none other meane to serue God than with lowlinesse 210. a 40 Of the right Lowlinesse which God commaundeth vs. 417. a 20.30 A definition or description of Lowlinesse 376. a 40 Forceable reasons to draw vs to meeknesse and Lowlinesse 365. a 30.40 b 10.20 True obedience must beginne at Lowlinesse 217. b 10 With what Lowlinesse and reuerence we shoulde walke before God 115. b 40 Humilitie and Lowlinesse is the knot wherewith God will haue vs knit together 13. b 10 The meanes that God vseth to drawe vs to Lowlinesse 366. b 10.20 The Lowlinesse of Moses in not thinking scorne of the counsell of a man not so excellent as himselfe 13. a 30. and why hee submitted himselfe thereto ibidem a 40 Not without cause are Lowlinesse and meekenes fathered vpon Gods holie spirite 363. a 30 Mildnesse and Lowlinesse required in ministers and preachers 22. a 50 With what reuerence and Lowlinesse wee must receiue Gods goodnesse 152. b 10. Looke Humilitie Lust. Whether euill Lust bee imputed for sinne to the faithfull 246. a 30.40 The Papistes saie that to bee prouoked with Lust is no sinne 242. b 50.60 243. a 10 What we haue to doe when wee perceiue anie euill Lust rising in vs. 244. a 60. b 10 Lust sometimes betokeneth the wil in man Read howe 242. a 10 Two kindes of couetousnesse or Lust. 242. a 10.20 Vnto what affections men restrain this word Lust. 242. b 50 Of the Lust of the Israelites for flesh Garlike and Onions in the wildernesse 410. b 20.30 Why when wee Lust after anie thing our fleshe shoulde not ouermaister vs. 411. a 10 Of Ciberoth Thauah the graues of Lust and why that place was so named 407. b 40.50.60 Looke Fleshe and Desire Lustes Of bridling our Lustes and howe wee offende in giuing them their scope 781. b all 782. al. 115. b 30. 617. b 40.50 747. b 40.50.60 748. a 60. 341. a 20.30 105. b 20.30 Wee be wedded to our owne Lustes how 74. a 10.20 What it is that ought is able to rule and maister our Lustes 73. b 40 Of maintaining our Lustes and in what case they bee that are subdued of them 1036. b 20. c The Lustes of men compared to men surfeited with drinke 1036. a 50.60 Howe Lustes of diuerse sortes do concurre together in men 1036. a 10 Whence it commeth that men are so uch caried away with their Lustes 1020. a 50.60 b 10 Why God after hee had condemned wicked intentes proceedeth to the condemning of euill Lustes too 244. a 30.40 c. All wicked Lustes forbidden vnder the name of whoredome 241. b 50 It is no easie matter to winde ourselues frō our wicked Lustes 203. b 10 Howe the faithfull doe shewe that gods spirite reigneth in them by beating backe
whould fill all things with bloud and violate so many images of God as come in their way that the same should be suffered I pray you is it not a bewraying that wee bee loth that GOD shoulde raigne among vs or haue vs vnder his protection Yes Therefore let vs marke well what is said here concerning wilfull murthers how there is no pardon for them but God will haue them rooted out of the worlde and executed by Iustice which haue violated his image And why To the intent wee shoulde alwayes beare in minde the thing that I spake of before that is to wit how greatly he loueth vs and that forasmuch as he hath adopted vs to be his children he will haue a continuall care of vs and keepe vs as charely as the Apple of his eye as he speaketh by his Prophet Zacharie Zach. 2.8 Now if it bee so that wee desire God as the holy Ghost teacheth vs to keepe vs as the Apple of his eye that is to say as the tenderest and delicatest part of him I pray you ought not we to gather therby that seeing he loueth vs he will haue vs also to loue one another yea euen with more than brotherly loue Yes and therefore let vs learne to abstaine from all wrong and outrage Moreouer whensoeuer any murther is committed or whensoeuer any folke are so wicked and cruel as to goe about to shed mans bloud let vs make account of them not onely as enemies to men but also as deadly enemies to God for as much as he sheweth himselfe to bee their aduersarie and telleth vs that he taketh it as an assaulting of him in his owne person and in his owne Maiestie That is the thing which wee haue to marke And herewithall wee must passe yet further For wee knowe how S. Iohn saieth that whosoeuer hateth his neighbor in his hart 1. Iohn 3.15 is a murtherer before God True it is y t wee must in any wise keepe our handes cleane from all iniurie and outrage but yet must our heart also be pure and cleane before God If it bee not so we shall bee blamed not for drawing of our swordes but for desiring to ouerthrowe our neighbour and for labouring so much as was in vs to bring it to passe by ouerthwart meanes Albeit that men can not blame vs yet doeth God condemne vs for murtherers yea though our hatred were so secret as wee neuer made countenance of it For whereas S. Iohn saieth he that hateth his brother in his heart it is al one as if he saide although the hatred appeare not nor men can beare witnesse of it yet are wee faultie if our heart be infected with any rancour or enmitie Sith it is so let vs beare well in minde that our Lordes intent is to perswade vs to brotherly loue among our selues and to agree togither indeuouring to helpe one another For all mankinde is knit togither as it were into one bodie And therfore let vs learn to abhorre all murther as well which is committed against other folkes as which is meant against our selues Howbeit let vs learne to hate that is to say to condemne cōtinually all murder without saying little or much in excuse of it in so much that although wee were guiltie of it yet wee should iudge against our selues if wee would iudge rightly Will wee then condemne murther in another man Let vs condemne hatred in our selues by abstaining from all malice and reuengement that our heartes may be rid of it If we deale with such vprightnesse then wil God dwell with vs and make vs to prosper But yet for al this it is saide that the manslaughters which are not committed through malice nor in rage nor by quarelling shall bee pardoned and not without cause For as I tolde you the crimes that are punishable must bee committed with a will and intent Then if one shoote and meaning to leuell at his marke doe hit a man by the way he is not punishable for euen the Lawes of man haue ordained so and there is an example of it set downe in another place of this booke Deut. 19.5 where it is said that if a man bee cropping of a tree and his Ax fall downe vpon one that is vnder the tree he shall not bee guiltie of the falling of his Ax vppon the head of him whom he perceiued not And why For it was God that did it saieth the text whereas we say it was by chaunce or fortune Bicause wee cannot conceiue that things happen otherwise than by chaunce Ye see here howe it is saide to bee Gods doing that is to say it was the will of God who gouerneth all things by his secret prouidence that such a one should bee taken out of the worlde Yet notwithstanding he that gaue the stripe vnawares ought not to be punished as if he had killed one in anger and in a fray Thus wee see heere what manslaughters are pardonable Howbeit there are two thinges to bee noted therewithall the one is that inquisition must be made of it and the other is that although such a one bee not to bee taken as a felon yet doeth God separate him from other men will haue him to bee as a prisoner for a time to the intent he should be an example to others to shun murder the more seeing that y e manslaughter which was cōmitted vnwillingly is punished after that fashion As touching inquisition and making of search it is a notable point For we see how men are abused with the thinges that are done in fauour of offenders in so much that if any thing be alledged that may moue to pitie and a countenance bee set vppon the matter that the offender is verie sorie men must shut their eyes at him and say alas what should a man do And this is done dayly and woulde God that examples therof were not so common Iustice is commonly abused in so much that if there bee any cause or reason to be shewed that some mā may happen not to bee so faultie as he is accused to be the same shall bee wrested to another mans defence which is not worthy to haue any fauour at all And why is that For want of examination And by that meane wicked men are styll maintained For were there diligent examination made and things sifted to the bottome men might soone discerne betweene them that are faultie and them that are faultlesse But what men are contented to shutte their eyes and although they cannot but see yet will they make countenance as though they knewe it not And so are the wicked discharged The matters lye open to the worlde they may bee pointed out with ones finger the euidence is too too apparant and yet nothing can bee knowen And why Bicause men list not O ye purblinde folkes which bleare your eyes in such sort yee shall be driuen in the ende to knowe what place yee hold that he which ordeined you to be
that hee doeth them wrong or that he is cruell to them All mouthes must bee stopped in that behalfe True it is that the rebellious sorte will neuer bee contented for wee see howe there are some which aduance themselues against God with such boldnesse as all modest and sober folke may bee ashamed of them But let vs suffer those dogges to bark their fill and let vs in the meane while glorifie our God with all lowlinesse acknowledging neuerthelesse that hee hath authoritie and good right to bee gracious and fauourable to whome hee listeth Exod. 3 3.19 By reason whereof wee must conclude that if God withholde his spirite from the linage of the wicked hee cannot bee blamed of crueltie for it for yee see they bee punishable when they bee so forsaken of him and are not gouerned by his holy spirit Wherefore let vs marke well that this saying impugneth not the saying of Ezechiell But let vs come backe againe to the intent of Moses It is not to bee doubted but hee ment to imprint a greater feare of God in vs than if he had said but singly God will punish you when yee shall haue corrupted his seruice by chaunging any thing in Religion and thinke not to scape his vengeance if yee deuise any shape of him for hee cannot abide to haue his honour defaced after that fashion Had Moses spoken after that manner men are so stubborne and hardharted y t they woulde not haue beene sufficiently touched with feare But heere hee proceedeth further God saieth hee will not onely punish you in your owne persons but also extende his vengeance to your issue and not onely to your children but also to the vttermost of your ofspring so as you shal alwayes feele his wrath as a burning fire and the markes of your wickednesse shal appeare stil after your decease God will put you to open shame so as yee shall needes bee a gazing stocke Although ye be rotten in the earth yet shall Gods vengeance pursue you in such sort as your sinnes shal be remēbered from age to age and the world shall know that yee haue beene disobedient vnto him that had bestowed so many benefites vppon you as yee ought at leastwise to haue beene as sheepe of his flocke to bee ruled by him according to his worde Nowe therefore let vs learne to bee no more so drowsie when God wakeneth vs after that fashion Surely if hee gaue vs but some incling of his displeasure by some worde or outward signe it ought to touch vs with feare and terrour But wee bee dull vppon the spurre and therefore seeing GOD telleth vs that besides his punishing of vs in our selues hee will continue his vengeance still vppon all our linage and that those which are begottē of vs must be condemned after our death his speaking after that maner ought at leastwise to make vs more ware to liue in awe of him and to call our selues home to him least we should prouoke his wrath seeing it is so terrible Thus yee see howe we may profite our selues by this text Nowe he saieth of them that hate him By this terme hee meaneth all such as breake his Lawe If it bee demaunded whether all such as swarue from their obedience to God warde doe therefore hate him this text sheweth that they do so Howbeit not to their owne seeming but yet in verie deede And in this case we must not rest vppon our owne iudgement for onely God is competent iudge to determine of that matter And forasmuch as men when they giue themselues to naughtinesse will not say no nor think in their hearts y t they hate God in doing amisse it is requisite that that fault shoulde bee discouered True it is that the hypocrites will indeede pretende that the loue of God causeth them to shew some good countenance and in verie deed they may well haue some seede of it howbeit that is but a bastardly and sinful seede insomuch that this hatred of God appeareth not in the hypocrites no nor euen in those that leade a disordered and loose life but yet is it in them though wee perceiue it not For like as malefactors coulde finde in their heartes that there were no iudge nor order nor gouernement in the worlde so all such as acknowledge not themselues subiect to God at leastwise willingly are contemptuous against him and coulde bee contented to haue him plucked out of heauen This is apparant ynough in such as are vtterly giuen to wilfulnesse When men haue once let themselues loose to all wickednesse they can no more away with any correction and thervpon they become so much the lesse teachable If a man threaten them they gnash their teeth at him they storme at him and they become as good as madde against God Nowe then this hatred of God is apparant ynough in such as haue taken lawelesse leaue to doe euill and are caryed away with their owne leawdnesse and as it were saped in their sinnes Againe it is true that this appeareth not in such as haue yet any feare of God in them feele some remorse when a man speakes to them of God and of his iustice but yet is there some hate of God in them Indeede they thinke it not but God seeth much more clearely than wee and whereas we perceiue not things he noteth them Wee must alwayes remember how saint Iohn saieth 1. Ioh. 3.20 that God is greater than our consciences that is to say that if our consciences beare recorde of our offences God will not sleepe in the meane while And so let vs briefely beare in minde that all such as submit not themselues obediently vnto God ne humble themselues vnder his maiestie to serue him and to honour him do euerie one of them hate him although they shewe it not at the first by their deedes nor can bee deemed of the worlde so to doe And for the same cause doeth God begin at loue when hee speaketh of such as keepe his commaundements He saieth that hee will shewe mercie in a thousand descentes to such a◠loue him And why For it is vnpossible that wee shoulde bee desirous to honour God and to bee obedient vnto him vnlesse wee haue felt the loue that is spoken of heere And this may serue vs for a good lesson according as we shall see hereafter howe Moses intending to giue vs a briefe summe of the Lawe saith What doeth the Lorde thy God require of thee O Israel Deut. 10.12 but that thou shouldest loue him with all thy hart that thou shouldest sticke vnto him Neuer say I doe we knowe what it is to keepe Gods Law and to behaue our selues thereafter vnlesse wee beginne at the saide loue And why For God requireth willing seruice Hee will not haue vs to serue him 2. Cor. 9.7 onely vpon a slauish feare but hee will haue vs to goe to it with a free and cheerefull courage Rom. 8.15 that wee may euen take
pleasure in honouring him and that cannot be done without we loue him Wherefore let vs marke that the beginning and as it were the welspring foundation and roote of obedience is the saide loue of God so as wee be not forced to come vnto him but haue a singular pleasure in doing it assuring our selues that our true blessednesse is to desire to bee gouerned altogether according to his will and to frame our selues wholly therevnto Moreouer let vs marke also that this loue cannot be in vs vntil we haue tasted of the goodnesse of our God For so long as wee imagine God to be against vs wee must needes shunne him Will wee then loue him will wee frame our selues to the obeying of him to take all our delight in seruing of him Wee must first knowe that hee is our father and sauiour and that hee seeketh nothing but to bee fauourable vnto vs. When we haue so tasted his loue towards vs theÌ„ shal wee bee prouoked to loue him as our father Ioh. 14.15 Insomuch that if that loue be in vs no doubt but we will obey him and his lawe shall reigne in our mindes in our affections and in all our members For what is the cause why we be so disobedient vnto God but for that wee hate him as I saide afore So on the contrarie part the loue of God will drawe vs to serue him and to submit our selues to his righteousnesse so as men shall see a certaine conformitie and agreeablenesse betwixt Gods lawe and all our desires and affections But yet for the better vnderstanding hereof let vs consider what God is For hee will not be knowen according to our nature And when we heare him spoken of it is not ynough for vs to giue him the title of God but he will be knowen as hee is in deede that is to wit to bee righteous and good as the perfection and fountaine of all wisedome of all power of all right and of all equitie Nowe then let vs conceiue God as he is that is to wit with his iustice rightuousnesse and equitie and then shall wee not desire any thing else than to fashion our selues like to him Contrariwise if we loue naughtinesse and be wrapped in it we must needes hate God For why Heere is no talke of a naked being wee must not imagine God to bee as an ydoll wee must conceiue him with his righteousnesse and equitie Therefore when wee hate the thinges that are in God that is to say his iustice and righteousnesse wee must needes hate his owne selfe for hee cannot forsake himselfe hee cannot disguise himselfe 2. Tim. 1. â—â— hee cannot transforme himselfe after our fashion hee continueth euermore like himselfe So then as I saide afore all such as loue God neede not bee afraide that they shall not obey his Lawe and keepe his commaundementes for they bee thinges vnited and vnseparable That is the thing whiche wee haue to marke vppon this place And heereby wee bee warned to shunne all stubbornenesse and all offending more than we haue done for it is no small matter for vs to bee declared to bee Gods enemies and as makers of warre against him And yet the case standeth so as we cannot aduance our selues aboue him nor turne away from him nor shake off his yoke but wee be conuicted to haue beene his enemies and to haue made open warre against him And is not that a cursed thing So then let vs learne to abhorre our owne sinnes and vices because they attaint vs as traitors to God and hee must needes shewe himselfe to bee our aduersarie partie Also herewithall we be warned to resort vnto God with a pure and right meaning minde For it is not ynough for vs to haue with helde our feete hands and eyes from euill doing but the heart must goe before and wee must serue God with a true affection and this affection must not bee inforced but it must proceede of verie loue to Godwarde Therefore if wee minde to keepe the Lawe well wee must first knowe that God is a good and kinde-harted father towardes vs to the ende we may be fully perswaded of his loue towardes vs. And therewithall let it neuer sinke in our heartes to dally in protesting that wee loue God except the same may appeare by our whole life For when as Moses speaketh heere of the louing of GOD hee addeth That those which loue him doe also keepe his commaundementes Therefore our life must bee answerable in that behalfe and bee as a certificate whether we loue him or hate him Furthermore it is not without cause that God comparing here his wrath and vengeance with his mercie saieth that hee will punish those that hate him euen in three or foure descentes and shewe mercie in a thousande descentes to them that loue him For thereby hee sheweth the thing which is yet better expressed in other sentences of the scripture which is that hee is slowe to wrath and forwarde to mercie Psal. â—â—9 17 and therewithall long suffering so that where as his anger lasteth but a verie short time his mercie is euerlasting all the life long Yee see then that the verie nature of God is such as hee seeketh nothing but to drawe men to him by all manner of gentlenesse and to vse his goodnesse towardes them When hee punisheth them it is as yee woulde say against his nature Not that it is not meete for God to punish as well as to shewe mercie but his meaning is to shewe vs that his goodnesse is farre the greater and to be short that he is not rigorous but that his onely desire is to vtter his good will to vs if wee woulde suffer him for in very deede hee woulde faine bee knowen to bee good and pitifull and it is the thing wherein his glorie doeth chiefly shine foorth Therefore let vs marke well how it is not for nought that Moses hath assigned heere a thousande generations to Gods mercie and restrained his wrath and vengeance to a three or foure generations As if hee shoulde saye It is true that our Lorde will not suffer superstition vnpunished When yee shall haue corrupted his seruice and defaced his honour by gadding after your owne dotages yee shall feele the punishment thereof yea and euen your children after you must bee faine to feele it to insomuch that when the fire of his wrath is once kindled vppon you it shall not bee quenched againe so soone as yee weene for but yet for all that hee will not faile to bee pitifull still and his mercie shall alwayes bee greater than his wrath And in deede like as by the threate which wee haue hearde GOD intended to holde the worlde in the true religion to the ende they shoulde not make ydoIs and puppets to themselues so was it his will also that the promise which is conteined heere shoulde allure vs to him if wee beare him the loue and reuerence which wee ought to doe and hee had
honour to bee Gods forbidding of mee to beare false witnes against my neighbour is bicause he will haue friendlinesse maintayned among men and that no mā should bee impayred in his name or goods Now if God haue such regard of vs which are but wretched Earthwormes thinke wee that he forgetteth himselfe in the meane while No. But if I by my false record doe goe about to support or bolstar an offender so as I couer or conceale his crime it is certaine that I dishonour God as much as in mee is Why so For I protest to say the truth yet notwithstanding I make a lie And is not y t a defacing of Gods honor Is it not an imbacing of his glory Yes therfore let vs vnderstand that when God said Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour he meant not to gratifie or pleasure euil doers or to couer mens faults but to shew in few words that we ought as much as in vs lyeth to maintaine our neighbours honestie so it may be done with trueth And let vs marke further that heere God had an eye to the wicked affections that proceede of malice and rancour rather than to the deede it selfe as wee shall perceyue better in the thinges that remayne as yet to bee discussed For I haue tolde yee alreadye that in this place GOD speaketh not onely of the giuing of false euidence in place of Iustice and in cases where solemne othe is to bee taken but also of all slaunders and diffamations because that after what sort soeuer a man backebite his neighbour hee shall euer bee counted a false witnesse before God If I wisper any man in the eare to diffame my neighbour withall surely it is a false witnessing It was true that I was not called before a iudge I laide not my hande vppon the Booke I performed not the rest of the ceremonies in taking of an othe but yet wee see howe God speaketh of it and therefore am I guiltie in that behalfe But now must this bee considered if I spie a fault in a man without bearing him any ill will whether am I to bee counted a false witnesse before God or men for so doing No. For God hath a speciall respect to the euill will and enmitie Then if I hate a man and therevppon misreport him caried thereto by the il disposed minde that I beare towardes him in so doing I am to bee condemned for a false witnesse If I haue desire to backebite and that vice doth so reigne in mee as I must needes be snatching at euerie man surely I am a false witnesse And that is the cause why it is saide that loue couereth the multitude of sinnes Prou. 10.12 1. Pet. 4.8 but hatred bewrayeth them to shame a man Loe howe Salomon hath in fewe wordes in this sentence touched the roote of the false witnessing which GOD hath forbidden and condemned by his Lawe namely that we bee ledde by hatred And why For if wee loue one another surely wee will indeuour to maintaine one another We knowe it is as a kindling of a fire when wee backbite any man so as hee must needes bee angrie with vs in defence of his owne honestie by meanes whereof all friendship is broken So then if wee had any care to maintaine charitie we woulde hide other mens faultes as much as wee coulde But if there bee any enmitie then will our tongues runne ryot If the heart bee venemous it must needes haue a vent and we must needes vtter the malice that lay lurking within Let vs marke wel then that in this text God condemneth all backebitings that proceede of malice and ill will when we hate any man and woulde wish him vndone so as if wee cannot anoy his person nor hurt him in his goods by bereauing him of his substance wee fall to touching of him with some priuie nippe and we will goe about to diffame him If we doe so it is a wicked roote which cannot but bring foorth like fruits That is the point that we must resort vnto to haue the right vnderstanding of this commaundement of God Howbeit let vs marke by the way that wheras it is saide that loue couereth the multitude of sinnes it is not ment that wee shoulde flatter one another and foster our vices by lying but that we should not blowe them abrode vpon desire to diffame the parties who possiblie might take such a stomacke thereat that they might giue themselues ouer to al naughtinesse through shamelesnesse as desperate persons do Wherefore let vs marke well that the holy Ghost intendeth not to make vs flatterers and fosterers of our neighbours vyces nor yet lyers but that wee shoulde labour to reforme their vyces as much as wee can and yet notwithstanding beare with them that we make them not desperate when they haue done amisse For when a man seeth himselfe defaced and that it is done vppon reuenge it spyteth him he giueth himselfe to the doing of euill and so hee hardeneth in it Therefore when men are in an euill plight alreadie if we reproue them boystowsly without any charitable affection wee cause them to disorder themselues the more And therefore if wee rebuke mens vyces Gal. 6.1 let it bee doone with mieldnesse that the parties which are so rebuked may perceiue that our meaning is to drawe them backe from the way of destruction And for the same cause doth Saint Iames apply this text to such as labour to drawe their neighbours to God Iam. 5.20 by good gentle and friendely corrections Therefore if I see a man deale leawdely and I tell him his faulte so as by my warning I win him that he returneth into the right way beholde saith he then is this saying fulfilled that loue couereth the multitude of sinnes True it is that Salomon speaketh it to another end but yet hath not S. Iames misapplyed this lesson of Salomons by a similitude for he doeth vs to vnderstande that our couering of mens sinnes must not bee by winking at them nor by holding of our peace when God is offended if a man destroy himselfe wee must not then dissemble to conceale his vyces through loue that is an ill practising of this lesson but we must rather vse good and brotherly correction therewithall finde the meanes that his faults may bee buried before God also not come in rememberance before men Therefore it must content vs to haue brought our neighbours home againe and wee must alwayes keepe this measure that when the faults are amended we must not diffame the parties if it bee possible least they haue shame of their repentance and fall into dispaire to the worldwarde But this is ill put in vre and we see how men do amisse in going too farre both the ways For the meane way that is to wit of correcting mens faultes with gentlenesse and of seeking to couer them to the ende that euerie man should be reclaimed and in the meane
any thing at al No. Yee see then where at God ameth and what we haue to marke vppon this sentence Wherefore let vs learn that if we haue obeyed our God and he make vs to prosper it is not for that hee oweth vs any thing or for that wee haue deserued aught and can boast that he recompenseth our deserts but because it pleaseth him to vtter his free goodnesse so farre forth vnto vs as to terme that thing a wages hyre or recompēce which hee giueth vs of his owne onely free liberalitie without being bounde any thing at all thervnto Againe when he chastiseth vs and wee bee distressed with many miseries let vs assure our selues that we reape the fruits of our own feede and because we haue liued amisse our Lord also must be faine to giue vs some signe of his wrath to the ende that hee may bee knowen to be the iudge of the worlde But yet hath hee also a regarde of our welfare namely to mislike of our faults and to bee sorie for them and to resort to him by true repentance Thus yee see that God in shewing of himself angrie with vs ceaseth not to vtter his loue towards vs. For he indeuoreth to bring vs home to himselfe therby He seeth that we be falne asleepe in our sinnes and hee wakeneth vs as one knowing it to be expedient for vs so to be That is the thing which wee haue to marke vpon this place Nowe in the end Moses speaketh of the land and saith That thou maist prosper in the lande which I will giue thee and afterwarde he setteth downe this saying againe That it may goe well with you in the land which yee must possesse Nowe it seemeth heere at the first sight that God promiseth none othere rewarde than in this earthly and transitorie life And if it had beene so then had the hope of the children of Israel bene quite dashed But wee must note that our Lorde vsed another maner of dealing towards that people than hee doth towards vs though they tende both to one end Heb. 9.8.13.14.22 For the sacrifices that were ordeined by the lawe serued not to drawe the people away from the saluation which we haue in Iesus Christ but rather to leade them to it so as Gods mind was to doe men to vnderstande that they were condemned and that there was none other meane of reconciliation but by the bloude of our Lorde Iesus Christ. But yet in the meane while men ceased not to kill brute beasts and God said vnto them your sinnes shal bee forgiuen you when you shall haue offered me a Calfe a Lambe or a Sheepe It should seeme by this that God ment to set the remission of sinnes in the sacrificing of brute beastes But hee did not so That was done to leade the people after that grosse manner to the redēption that was at the length purchased for vs by our Lord Iesus Christs owne person In like case is it with the land of Chanaan For first of all Gods will was to set foorth the euerlasting heritage of saluation to the children of Abraham in saying to Abraham I am thy large reward He promiseth not Abraham the lande as though he would haue him to stay himself there but willed him to put his whole trust in him and to raise vp himselfe aboue the worlde to looke for the heauenly life both for himselfe and for his ofspring Howbeit forasmuch as our Lord Iesus Christ was not yet come nor the veile of the temple was not as yet broken I say it was meet◠that the Land of Chanaan should be as a pledge of it because it was fully behighted him for an inheritance Then let vs marke well that wheras God saith that thou maist prosper in the land his intent is not that his people shoulde set their mindes vpon this present life but to guide them higher by that meane namely to the hope of the immortalitie which hee had promised them Neuerthelesse our Lorde promiseth his blessing in such sort to his people as they shall feele it euen in this worlde and haue some tast of it here in waiting for the discouerie of the full inioyment thereof at such time as they shal be taken out of the worlde And euen at this day also wee must bethinke vs of this text of Saint Paul that if we feare God we shall haue the promises both of the life present and of the life to come For God will make vs to feele his goodnesse in this worlde to the ende to drawe vs vp higher and to teach vs so to receiue his benefites heere as wee may looke to haue our fill of them when we be come to his kingdom where we shal haue the whole fulnesse of them Nowe let vs fall downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them better than we haue done euen till they haue drawen vs to true repentance and that wee acknowledging our wretchednesse more and more may learne to striue against all the affections of our flesh and against all our wicked and frowarde lustes and moreouer to withstande the cursed presumptuousnes that is in vs which also woulde haue vs to doe that which we our selues best like of so as nothing may stay vs from following the pure and simple worde of our God assuring our selues y t it is the true perfite rule whervnto we must submit our selues and that we must not attempt to ad any thing to it but simplie rest vpon that which is conteined there and goe forwarde more and more therein vntill that hauing finished this earthly race wee be come to the heauenly rest wherevnto hee calleth vs. And let vs pray him to reach vs his hande in the meane while whensoeuer we seeke him and call vppon him in our neede That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. On Friday the nineteenth of Iuly 1555. The xlv Sermon which is the first vpon the sixt Chapter THese are the Commaundements Ordinances and Lawes which the Lorde your God commaunded me to teach you to the end that you should doe them in the Land whereinto you shall enter to possesse it 2 That thou maist feare the Lord thy God in keeping al his ordinances commaundements which I commaund thee all the dayes of thy life both thou and thy children and thy childrens children that thy dayes may be prolonged 3 Hearken therefore O Israel and take heede that thou doe them that it may goe well with thee and that thou maist be mightilie multiplied in the land that floweth with milke and honnie as the Lorde God of thy fathers hath sayde vnto thee 4 Heare O Israel the Lord our God is the onelie Lord. WE haue sene oft heretofore howe Moses spake to the people concerning y e contents of the law yea and euen yesterday
shewe yet better that God admitteth not any exception neither may wee reply in this behalfe and say is my doing of this or that an impeaching of any part of my loue towards God No no if thou doe neuer so little a thing that al thy thoughts tend not to the louing of God so as the loue of God doe guide thee all is mard and there is nothing but sinne in thee in all thy whole soule For hast thou any strēgth or power there which is not giuen thee from aboue No. Therefore must thou reknowledge it vnto God of whome thou holdest it Now then seeing that our Lord Iesus Christ hath expounded vs this text wee neede not to make long discourse of it as I sayde afore but onely to holde vs to the authoritie of him which is the very Lawegiuer Now remaineth the practising of this doctrine that is to say to knowe how wee should put it in effect and execution And let vs marke first of all how this onely one text sheweth vs sufficiently that Gods law passeth al our abilities so as it is not possible for vs to fulfill it to discharge ourselues of it or of the hundreth part of it as long as wee liue here beneath For why doe we knowe God throughly as we ought to doe No no wee come farre short of it Then is it impossible for vs to loue him with all our strength and with all our affections for knowledge goeth before loue If our knowing of God bee but in part so as wee be wrapped as yet in much darknesse our louing of God must also be weake lykewise Moreouer wee see what the fondnesse of our minde is for in stead of seeking heauenly thinges wee looke alwayes downeward And if wee be desirous but so much as to lift vp our head wee must be faine to striue and to goe to it by maine force and yet wee returne still to our owne nature How fickle are our desires and how fight they one against another So as men are tossed and turmoyled without ende or measure and haue no rest at all but are tormented with vnquietnesse of ambition on the one side and of couetousnesse on the other Againe they would faine liue at ease and in pleasure and they would faine be had in honor and estimation Finally they be combered with fleshly lustes and such other lyke thinges Hereby then it appeareth enough and too much that wee come farre short of louing God with all our heart and of giuing our selues wholy ouer vnto him as wee be commaunded here And so let vs marke that the righteousnesse of the Lawe respecteth not what men can doe but what they ought to doe We be bound to loue our GOD with all our heart with all our minde and with all our soule Although we haue no such perfection in vs as to come any thing neere it yet notwithstanding wee bee bound vnto it If any man say How so why should God require more of vs than we be able to performe we must consider from whēce the mischief springeth namely euen from our owne fault The originall sin that is in vs is the cause thereof so as we take it by byrth And is it meet y t because we be naughtie and frowarde therefore God should bee bereft of his seruice and lose his right No. If a man haue played the vnthrift and wasted away both his owne goods and other mens shall his creditor bee bound to bring him his obligation and to say take thee here thy bond thou owest me nothing The creditor will at leastwise keepe still his obligation and although the vnthrift haue not wherewith to pay yet ought he to doe homage to his creditor and to stand bound vnto him still and not to deny him his dette Now God deserueth well to bee much more priuiledged than mortall men Wherefore let vs consider that we owe him a hundred thowsand fold more than al the debts of gold and siluer in the world So then Gods righteousnesse is an inuiolable thing so that the order of nature ought rather to bee abolished Now then if men bee lewde and froward doth it follow therefore that they should pluck the sonne out of the skie or make the earth to bee confounded True it is that there happen many confusions by reason of our sinnes insomuch that our Lorde sendeth both raine and thunder hayles and tempestes and such other like thinges but yet for all that the order of nature continueth vnappayred after such turmoyling Therefore wee must vnderstande that although wee bee lewde and there is nothing but vnrighteousnesse and naughtinesse in vs Yet must Gods iustice and righte continue perfecte and vnappayred as in respecte of the commaundementes and we must needes stoope to them and suffer our selues to bee condemned for not dischardging our dueties Do we then heare this summe of the Law Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with al thy hearte with all thy soule with all thy minde and with all thy strength Let it make vs conclude that we be all damned and accursed before God and that there is none other shifte for vs but to flee to his mercie aad that we bee not condemned for any one sinne or for two or three but y t God findeth vs guiltie in al pointes al respects And for proofe therof let vs examine wel y e best works that we can haue done in all our life and there wil be stil some fancie or other to turn vs away so as we shal not goe on so freely towardes God but y t there wil be some temptatiō mingled therwith or som toy to pluck vs back the diuel shal haue endeuered to coole vs. And when it fareth so w t vs it is a plaine corruption to infect y e thing y t shold be good and commendable in our works Ye see then that wee take not any deliberation any counsel or any desire in our whole life but the curse of God is with vs and vpon our heads Were this well printed in our heartes all glorying to the worldeward should bee beaten downe in vs and there would be no more so much meriting wherewith the Papists are so bewitched that to their owne seeming they may enter into account before GOD. Alas they shoulde then see that they be far off from their account Howebeit forasmuch as the Diuell hath blinded them with such pride let vs on our side make our commoditie of this text And sith wee heare that God requireth that we should loue him perfectly with all our heart with all our minde and with al our soule let vs be of opinion that hee condemneth vs vtterly vntil hee haue acquit vs of his owne infinite goodnesse But yet for all this we must plucke vp our hearts and quicken vp our spirites sith wee see that our Lorde prouoketh vs after that fashion For what maketh vs so cold and negligent It is our bearing of our selues in hande that wee
worde Loue was playnely set downe in this text Notwithstanding God will not haue vs to loue him as our fellowe but hee will haue vs to loue him honor him and serue him as our God And therefore let vs marke well that if wee will obserue Gods lawe as we ought to doe we must not consider him al only in the degree of a maister thereby to yeelde him reuerence but wee must also set before vs the title of father and assure our selues that Gods intent is to win vs to him by gentlenesse that our heart may bee as it were tyed vnto him according to this saying of his by his prophet If I be your maister Mal. 1.6 where is my feare and if I be your father where is my loue In deede he setteth downe honor in that place to betoken that a seruant ought to feare his maister but yet immediatly after hee setteth downe the worde Loue also of purpose to shewe what honour the childe yeeldeth to his father And therefore let vs remember that the first point of seruing God aright is to bee led vnto him yea and to be led thither vpō knowledge of this worde Sauiour so as we couet aboue all things to be so knit vnto him as all our ioy contentation and rest bee there that by that meane we may no more be giuen to the thinges that are contrarie to his righteousnesse And that is the cause why wee say that we must first know Gods grace and goodnesse before we can serue him For as for such as serue God for feare of being damned not knowing that hee will bee their sauiour what doe they They seeme to inforce themselues greatly foreward but in deede they drawe cleane backe Though they breake both their armes and their legges yet are they neuer the forewarder And for that cause is it sayde in the hundred and thirtith psalme Psal. 130.7 Because the Lord hath bin mercifull and men haue found him gentle and gratious therefore is hee feared and dreaded In deede the world thinketh to serue GOD well enough without knowing him and wee see that the Papistes doe this and that vpon such opinion But what for that In the meane while they haue no trust in God they neuer knewe his will nor his louing kindenesse and therefore are they alwayes in terror and vnquietnesse True it is that they yeelde some outward seruice vnto God but all that euer they doe is not woorth a pin insomuch that God reiectes euen their keeping of the Lawe for wee must be led by loue and by a franke and free goodwill as I sayd afore And how may that bee done Euen by knowing God to be our father and Sauiour as I alledged out of the text of malachie Psal. 130.7 131.24 and as is yet better expressed in this verse of the psalme that wee must first know Gods mercy and rest thereupon or else wee can neuer feare him and come neere him to serue him That is the true plaine meaning of this text and so must wee apply it Moses hauing spoken after that fashion addeth now that the Lawe must bee so deare vnto vs as to take it for our chiefe treasure And forasmuch as wee bee too much subiect to the seeking of the corruptible thinges of this world and forget God out of hand and withdrawe our selues too farre from him hee sayth that men must haue Gods lawe continually in their sight and make as it were a Headroll thereof as if a woman were attyred after the auncient maner with borders on her head bracelets on her armes or as if a man should make borders of thē about his house or ingrauers vppon the doores of his house so as Gods glorie might be euery where And whereas hee speaketh heere of frontlets and bracelets and of painting and ingrauing of Gods lawe vpon doore postes it is to shewe that whereas men giue themselues to vaine glory in decking and attyring of themselues and the same turneth them away from God they must make all their deckinges of Gods Lawe that must bee their Iewels Like as if a man or a woman haue a costly Iewell vpon their finger and take pleasure therein in steade thereof they shoulde haue Gods Lawe continually before their eyes so as a man should no sooner looke vpon himselfe no though it were but vpon his nayles but it shoulde come to his minde to thinke Thou hast a maker who fashioned thee and whose will it is that thou shouldest serue him by yeelding thy selfe wholly to his obedience Although thou bee a sillie vnprofitable creature yet will thy God bee glorified in thee Thus yee see howe we must make all our deckinges of Gods Lawe Againe in stead of the beautifying of houses with thinges of goodly shewe and furniture to the ende it may bee saide this is the house of some man of estimation the Lawe of God must be written vpon it Now wee see what the meaning of Moses was But by the way we haue here to bewaile y e corruption of mankinde For it is manifest that euen of the holyest thinges in the world men take occasion to mocke God and to marre all and to turne them to a contrary ende As how This saying Hearken O Israell the Lorde thy God is one onely God is a notable saying and worthie to be had in remembrance aboue all others For it serueth to magnify the liuing GOD that hee might bee discerned from the idols that haue bin forged to the ende that our religion might be certeine and infallible Then is it as excellent a lesson as a man shall reade any and yet what haue the Iewes which were Gods people fared the better for it They haue turned it into a charme and sorcerie imagining y t the speaking of those words would make a coniuration lyke to the Agnus Dei in poperie and to such other geugawes as the papists hang about their necks in the which Agnus Dei they write y e beginning of Saint Iohns Gospell and I wote not what els wherewith they beare themselues in hand that they can coniure both God and the diuill As much haue the Iewes done with this lesson insomuch that they haue abused euen the very letters of it There is one letter say they which importeth foure betokening that God is Lorde of the fowre partes of the worlde They haue taken othersome according to their numbers and ciphers to signify thinges which they haue deuised of their owne brayne And in the meane while they had no reuerence to God but would that hee should haue no more power nor authoritie ouer them And that doe they shewe full well not onely by their despising shunning reiecting of Iesus Christ who ought to haue reigned ouer them but also by their crucifying of him in despite of God and by their turning away from the saluation that had bin promised them And euen as much haue they done with this text For they haue turned to pride and
as wee bee when he seeth that wee haue no minde of him and that euen his benefites are an occasion vnto vs to dispise him so as wee turne them the cleane contrarie way frō the lawfull vse wherevnto hee had ordained them Might hee not iustly leaue vs in that state as cursed creatures and vnwoorthy that euer hee shoulde open his mouth to speake to vs Yes and yet for all that he commeth to seeke vs. Beholde saieth he I knowe yee bee inclined to forget mee when I haue fed you well and fat and the more abundance that you haue the more ye refuse to come to me and therefore ye deserue to be shaken off that I should neuer remember you any more Yet notwithstanding my desire is not that you should perish but that ye should returne vnto mee What naughtinesse or lewdnesse so euer I espie in you I am contented to take you still for my children I will preuent the vices whereto you bee giuen therefore take heede y t ye forget me not when you be at your ease Seeing that our Lord beareth with vs after that fashion ought it not to breake our hearts though they were harder than stone So then first of all let vs mistrust prosperitie In deede we couet it for the loue thereof wee shun the things that are hard and combersome If we suffer hunger and thirst it grieueth vs we neuer leaue storming vntill God haue prouided for it but yet for all y t it would be more for our profit oftentimes to indure hunger than to haue abundance Howsoeuer the case standeth whensoeuer God bestoweth his benefites vpon vs let vs haue prosperitie in suspitiō as I said afore Not that it ought of it selfe so to deceiue vs blindfold our eyes as wee should not knowe God but for that it behoueth vs to perceiue our owne nature to be so sinfull and euill giuen as we cannot profit our selues by any of the benefites which we receiue at Gods hand Yea and we see howe euen Salomon was afraide to bee ouerriche Prou. 30.9 for feare of aduauncing himselfe against God least he should despise him and forsake him See here howe Salomon who was indued with so excellent giftes of grace did neuerthelesse see the frailtie of man to bee such that when he had all y t his heart could wish yet he might forget himselfe be ouersotted as he should fall to renouncing of God by aduauncing himselfe against him Phil. 2.12 Now then let vs liue in feare and aw and if God giue vs not such aboundaunce as we would desire but doe cutte our morsels very small let vs vnderstande that the same is for our benefite in that wee haue neede to bee dyeted for feare least fatnesse stoppe our eyes and so make vs starke blinde If wee thinke well vppon this it will make vs to beare pouertie the more patiently When wee want our pleasures and delyghtes when wee want our delicate morselles and when wee want abundance to fill our selues withall let vs knowe that our Lorde hath a regarde to holde vs in awe by that meane for we shoulde bee in daunger of forgetting him if we shoulde growe too fatte And therefore when wee haue wealth at will let vs bethinke vs thus why was it sayde to the people of Israel forget not thy GOD when thou hast thy fill It was bicause men can not brouke their wealth in so much that if they haue all that they haue neede of yea and mor◠too they ouershoot themselues they play the loose coltes they arme themselues against GOD and they haue no more care of him Is the winde in that doore Let vs learne to haue God alwayes before our eyes so as if he deale graciously with vs and giue vs more than he doeth to other men wee may haue the skill to consider See howe my God commeth to me and to what intent but that I shoulde bee as it were brooded vnder his wings and liue obediently towardes him honouring him and referring my whole life to the glorifying of his holy name so as it may bee as a bond whereby to binde mee straytlyer vnto him than others on whome hee hath not bestowed the lyke benefites as he hath doone vppon mee Thus ye see that both poore and riche ought to tend to God-ward eche one according to his degree Againe the comparing of the people of Israel with our selues ought to quicken vs vp yet better to stand vppon our garde It is said when the Lorde thy GOD shall haue giuen thee thy fill And of what goods Of wyne which thou shalt haue gathered of other mens labours and of all other thinges to lyue by which thou haste not earned when thy God shall haue fedde thee so of his owne free goodnesse see thou forget him not If the people of Israel myght forget GOD hauing had most apparant recordes of the fauour that was shewed vnto them what will become of vs which are helde here vnder the common order of nature For wee haue no myracles to spurre vs foorth to Godwarde wee haue not a lande of Chanaan as a speciall elected and chosen dwelling place And therefore wee myght easilyer forget GOD than that people coulde if wee shoulde not remember this present lesson earely and late And for as much as wee see our owne coldnesse let vs learne to matche the spirituall benefites as well which God hath bestowed vppon vs heeretofore as which we looke for heereafter with the thinges that pertaine to the maintenaunce of this transitorie lyfe True it is that although wee thought vppon no more than the thinges that are giuen vs for this bodie yet were wee sufficiently bounde to God yea and a hundred folde more than wee coulde discharge our selues of Notwithstanding besides all this our Lorde giueth vs cause ynough to serue him in that he graunteth vs so many spirituall benefites that belong to the sauing of our soules whereof wee haue a portion alreadie Eph. 2.8 Rom. 7. For whereof commeth fayth wherof commeth it that wee bee graffed into the bodie of our Lorde Iesus Christ by being baptized in his name and that wee bee taken into Gods housholde to bee auowed for his children Whereof come these thinges but of his giuing of the spirit of adoption vnto vs Eph. 1.5 2 Gal. 4.6 Eph. 2.14 to the intent wee should call vppon him as our father bee assured of the heauenly heritage stande in awe of him and liue according to his woord And is not this dooing of his a speciall gift Yes and yet besides this there is a lyfe prepared for vs whereof wee haue but onely a taste as yet For wee haue receiued as yee would say some first fruites of it but wee shall not haue the full fruition of it vntill God haue taken vs quite and cleane away to himselfe it is ynough for vs as nowe that we followe after it aloofe Now then sith we see that besides y e
to himselfe whom he thinketh good to the end that men shold not trust to the outward signes without faith obedience knowing that although we haue bin chosen to be of the bodie of the Church yet if we make not our profite of that election God can welynough cut vs off againe reserue a smal number to himselfe And although there bee some great multitude of vs which confes al w t one mouth y t God hath choseâ— vs yet can we not therefore say y t he auoweth vs for his childreÌ„ except we liue in purenes of faith haue ratified y e couenaÌ„t which god hath made with vs. And so let vs vnderstand y t Gods liberality sheweth it self after al sorts to vs and y t therfore wee haue the iuster cause to loue him more and more Rom. â—â— to yeeld him all praise For haue we his word It is a free gift aforehand whereby he hath bound vs vnto him Col. â—â— Haue we his sacrameÌ„ts They be the badges of his fatherly election we haue not deserued any of all these thinges But aboue all Eph. â—â— â—â— when it pleaseth him to imprint the certainetie of his promises in our heartes by his holy spirite then is it a speciall adoption then doeth hee shewe vs that wee bee of the little nomber whome hee hath reserued to himselfe And so as I sayde afore wee see that in all respectes wee must keepe our mouthes shut from bragging of any thing and on the other side haue it open to magnifie Gods goodnesse which he vttereth towardes vs. Nowe herevpon Moses addeth That God will keepe couenaunt to a thousande generations of them that loue him yea through his mercie saieth he For as much as he treateth of the generall election therefore he exhorteth the people to bethinke themselues aduisedly Note ye saith he that for as much as God hath promised your father Abraham to be the God of his seede after him he wil not faile you But yet for all that looke y t ye walk warely for the couenant is made with condition that ye must be sound and haue a right meaning heart Therefore thinke not but that your God can driue you out of his house and out of his Church if he finde you vnworthie of the benefit which he hath offred vnto you With y t meaning doeth Moses speake when he putteth here a difference betweene them that loue him and keepe his commaundements and them that hate him Now by these wordes we be taught y t when God offereth vs his word it is alreadie an allying of himself to vs a giuing of vs a record of our saluation but yet doth it not follow y t we may therfore be carelesse Nay rather we must be quickened vp to imbrace y e promises which he sendeth vs so as we may rest wholly vpon them and bee stedfastly setled in them all our life long That is a thing wherevpon it behoueth vs to think True it is that God layeth open his heart vnto vs wheÌ„ his word is preached vnto vs there we be put in minde of his loue and also haue full assurance of our saluation But yet must y t word enter in vnto our heart preuaile with vs which thing is not done but through faith And so let vs understaÌ„d y t Gods electioÌ„ is as it were defeated by vs vnlesse we be coÌ„stant continue stedfastly in it to y e end Rom. 10.7 But yet Moses noteth here againe that this Couenant which God maketh with them y t beleeue him and obey him is of his owne Mercie least we should imagine that God respecteth our deseruings as we see that men are commonly giuen to think in so much y t if they meete but with a syllable which seemeth to tell them y t they may deserue I wote not what they be puffed vp with pride and beleeue wonders of themselues That is the cause why Moses saieth expresly y t God wil performe his couenaÌ„t mercy And he sheweth wherein this couenant consisteth It is not y t wee on our side do bring him any thing why he shold loue vs but y t he is mercifull vnto vs as we see is said in the hundred third Psalme Psal. 103.13 â—4 True it is y t euen there God requireth that wee should feare him indeuour to keepe his commandements But yet howsoeuer the world go he sheweth vs alwayes that the thing which wee must vnderstand of him is that he vseth pitie in handling vs gently through his grace and not according to our deseruing Therefore let vs beare this saying well in minde and weigh it throughly where Moses telleth vs that the couenant which God maketh with vs lieth wholly in his goodnes and no where else and that it is not for vs to puffe vp our selues with foolish presumption as though we were worthie of such a benefite or as though God did but recompence vs but that wee must alwayes looke vp to his goodnesse so as when wee come vnto him wee doe nothing else but say Alas Lord we be sure that thou receiuest vs to mercy as wretched creatures and therefore vouchsafe to haue regard of our miseries by shedding out thy mercy vpon vs. That is the thing whereof we be put in minde in this text Nowe furthermore Moses sheweth howe wee may keepe Gods commandements Deut. 5.10 6.5 y t is to wit by hauing y e things which haue bin treated of heretofore And they be maner of speeches which import so profitable doctrine y t it is good to renue y e remembrance of them wheÌ„ the text offereth occasion therof Moses therefore ment to do vs to vnderstand that to abstaine froÌ„ doing of euill to keepe the things contained in the law to outward show is not all y t we haue to doe As for example if a maÌ„ haue not blasphemed the name of God if he haue not led a disordered lyfe if he haue not bin an adulterer a theefe a quareller or a periured person but haue liued honestly all this will not suffice him For why Such seruice may be by constraint so as the partie shall not obey of his owne free will nor delight in submitting himselfe to Gods righteousnesse to frame his life thereafter That is the cause why Moses beginneth here with loue As if he should say that y e beginning of good obedience to Godward and of liuing according to his Law is to determine w t our selues to delight in nothing more thaÌ„ to yeld our selues to him with al obedientnes to make that our whole pleasure accordingly as wee see how Dauid protesteth that Gods Law was more sweete and pleasant vnto him honnie Psal. 19.11 and not only that he did set more store by it than by gold siluer but also that he imbraced it w t such loue as he gaue not himselfe to the pleasures of the world nor was caried away with wicked affections to
once be a wicked thing and that God finde fault with it insomuch as he had leuer that a man should put his wife away than y t mariage should be broken and the order thereof ouerthrowen let vs assure our selues there is yet a greater mischiefe namely secret hatred when a man loueth not his wife but is inflamed with a wicked desire to haue an other beside her And so ye see that the greatest wickednesse that can be is this vnfaithfulnes wherethrough mariage is corrupted and men haue no more care to followe the order of GOD and nature and to frame themselues thereafter Furthermore as touching the worde Hate let vs note that it is taken heere for ouer colde loâ—ing For inasmuch as the Lawe punished not a man for putting of his wife away if he had hated her in deede he would surely haue thrust her out of his house and companie Therefore in keeping her still he shewed plainely that hee hated her not as we meane by hating in our common speech and yet doeth God account it for hatred and not without cause which is a text well worthy to be noted For if a man hate not his wife deadly so as hee woulde kill her with beating or wish her in her graue he will beare the world in hande that although he loue her not yet he doth not vtterly hate her But heere ye see how God speaketh farre otherwise For he sayeth and auoweth that if a mans heart be not whole and sounde towardes his wife it is to be taken for hatred Therefore let vs imbrace this saying That a husbande must loue his wife as himselfe Eph. 5.28 euen as his owne person If hee doe not so yet shall this sentence of God alwayes take place And this lesson ought to serue not onely for the mutuall loue betweene man and wife but also generally for the loue towards our neighbours When a man hath an offence committed against him if he seeke no reuendge if he practise no wicked wayes if he intende not to murder him by sword or by poysoning if he goe about no wicked conspiracie against him he will say As for mee If I would him any euill let it light vpon my selfe I wish him nothing but his benefite and welfare That is true but yet in the meane while there is a secret rancour lurking within And wee must not thinke that God acquitteth vs when we haue such heartburning in vs bearing in minde the offence that hath beene committed against vs so as we be loth to pleasure the partie and could rather finde in our heartes that euill mought befall him On the other side some man is so far reconciled as hee can not finde in his heart to commit any wicked dede by trecherie or vnfaithfulnesse nor by any maner of violence and yet he thinkes with himselfe such a one is mine enemie he hath gone about to vndoe me yet will I forgiue him so farre that I will doe nothing against him But yet if some mischaunce might befall him he would be glad of it and say O it is well bestowed for what had he purposed against me When we keepe such backe shops it is a token that our heart is not rid quite cleane The hatred appeareth not openly but yet it abideth lurking still within And he y t hateth his neighbour in his heart sayeth Saint Iohn that is to say in secret is a murtherer before God So then let vs marke that loue consisteth not onely in wishing none euill to our neighbours but also in seeking their welfare as much as we can and in reioycing at the welfare of our enemies And specially if a man intende to discharge his duety towardes his wife he must not loue her slenderly but he must accept her as his wife that is to say as the partie whom God hath linked to him and therefore he must beare with her and maintaine peace and concorde with her as much as he can possibly That is the thing that Moses meant is saying If a man hate his wife For else a man might say as for mee if I hadde hated her I woulde haue beene diuorced from her and not haue kept her still For what a thing had it beene for me to haue kept her still in my house Yea but wherefore hast thou taken an other wife to her but because thou diddest mislike of the first All the pretences which thou canst alleadge are to no purpose vaine are such excuses For God who is y e Iudge of mens hearts telleth thee that if thou beare her not a right and pure loue thou hatest her Now Moses addeth When he hateth the one and loueth the other if he haue children by them both he may not make the childe of the beloued his heire by giuing him the prerogatiue of dubble portion aboue the rest of his children But the birthright must remaine to him to whome it belongeth by nature though the mother of him was not so well liked of her husbande as the other That is the thing in effect which Moses commaundeth in this text And as touching the birthright of the firstborne it was verie auntient euen before the Lawe yea euen before the going of the people into Egypt there was a regard had of the birthright For although Iacob was in Egypt when hee dyed yet spake hee as of a thing growen already into custome and helde for a common rule that is to witte that there shoulde alwayes bee a kinde of preheminence in eldership so as y e eldest brother should beare chiefe sway in the house ouer his brethreÌ„ And we see it in very deede in the blessing y t Isaac gaue vnto Iacob taking him neuerthelesse to haue beene Esaw For he maketh him his eldest sonne with prerogatiue of Lordshippe and souereigntie ouer all his brethren that is to say ouer all his kinred Yee see then howe it is an auntient prerogatiue insomuch as a man may say it came as it were by inspiration that it was not of mens inuenting but of Gods owne appointing though we haue no recorde thereof ne can proue the thing otherwise than by single coniecture Yet notwithstanding this serueth not to excuse the ambition of such as will needes giue al that they haue to their eldest sonne to the intent to maintaine their houses in greate estate which we see is the marke that men haue shot at Whereof comes it that in many countryes the elder brother hath all and the younger brothers as good as nothing and that men doe giue them a morsell of breade as though their fathers had layde the wallet vppon their neckes to bid them shift for themselues Whereof comes this but of a pride that they will needes haue their houses to continue in their name and not be diminished Yea but our Lorde telleth vs that we must passe through this worlde as wayfarers And wee knowe how the prophet skorneth those that will needes plant their names vpon earth after that
their children will not be reclaymed at the first choppe that for very spyte they let them alone and so their children fall into all excesse But they ought not to deale so Howe then Vntill they finde by experience that their childe is out of measure stubborne and sheweth himselfe to bee of so frowarde and ildisposed nature that hee can not be reclaimed the father and the mother ought to proceede still with that nurturing of him which God commaundeth heere And parentes ought to bee patient in this case for mieldenesse is a vertue right requisite in this behalfe because that if a father trust to his owne courage he shall marre his children if he finde any hardnesse in the teaching of them forasmuch as it is alwayes a painefull thing and yet GOD will haue men to occupie themselues in nurturing of their children notwithstanding the painefulnesse thereof And if they can not frame their children according to their desire but that they will needes take the brydle in their teeth truely it can not but turne to the great griefe of the parentes What say they Ought not one worde to serue to the childe Ought he not to be ashamed if there were any droppe of honestie in him After that manner might a father speake But howsoeuer the worlde go yet must not the creature be left at randon without regarde of winning him to God Wee must rather vse patience still as Saint Paul counselleth vs in speaking of corrections In deede hee telleth vs that we must vse sharpnesse and rigour to moue such as be ouermuch hardened in their naughtinesse but yet hee woulde haue it matched with meekenesse and patience Nowe then what ought fathers to doe Should they bee so far out of patience as to giue ouer the correction of their children No. And therefore let vs learne that in this text fathers for their parte are warned to haue a stay of themselues when they see their children giuen to lightnesse vnconstancie and to misbehaue themselues and that although they cannot winne them at the first nor bring them to such meekenesse as to make them take y e right way of their owne good will yet they must consider with them selues howe it is Gods will to keepe them occupied in that kynde of paines taking and to trye their patience after that manner Thus yee see one other poynt more which wee haue to marke in this text where mention is made of such vnreformable stoutnesse and stubbornesse as fathers and mothers doe finde to bee past remedie in respect of themselues and therefore are faine to resort to the Iudge Nowe let vs come to the euidence that is to be giuen by the father and the mother It is said that they shall come to the gate for that was the place of iustice in olde time So then they shall repaire to the seate of iustice and there say This sonne of ours is stubborne against vs froward wee haue assayed to reforme him cannot preuaile with him He is a riotour a drunkarde and therfore wee put him now into your handes Gods will is that vppon this euidence the chyld shall bee stoned to death And it is not without cause y ◠he giueth such authoritie to fathers and mothers For it is not likely that men wil be so cruell as to spill their own bloud that were vtterly against nature Therfore it is good reason that y e father mother should bee beleeued without further scanning or sifting of the matter seeing the case concerneth their own children For it were a shaming of the father mother to driue them to bring witnesses against their own children their dealing by ordinarie maner of inditement should be a derogation to the degree wherein God hath placed them And seeing such prerogatiue is giuen to men they ought to haue the more regard of their duetie But Gods will is that the father and the mother should be beleeued And why Because hee hath printed ingrauen such an affection naturally in their hearts towardes their children as that they had leuer to dye than to do them wrong Nowe if a man bee so wicked and beastly as to practise any thing falsly against his owne childe and to shewe himselfe voyde of the louing kindnes which our Lorde hath printed in mankind and whereof some footesteppes and sparkes are to be seene euen in the brute beastes what a thing is it that a man should so farre ouershoote himselfe And therefore parentes see here what honour God doth them in making them to be beleeued against their children which thing ought to make them to inforce themselues the more to loue them and to bring them vp with al gentlenes yea and euen in their chasticing of thē to vse the rule that Saint Paul giueth vs Eph. 6.4 which is that parents shoulde not put their children out of heart by their ouergreat rigour For dyuers tymes it falleth out that a chyld is put out of heart because he sees his father vse no mieldnesse towardes him nor any reason or loue in his doings Therefore must discretion be vsed in this case And to bee short let vs note that the more honour GOD doeth vs the more are wee bounde to doe our dueties As for example such as are aduaunced to any degree or state of honour ought to consider that GOD hath bounde them exceedingly and that they ought to strayne themselues the more to doe their duetie and this belongeth generally to al states But it is sayde here expressely concerning fathers and mothers And therefore such as haue children must looke that they loue them after such a sorte as they may well keepe themselues from abusing the power and authoritie which they haue of God for it is not committed to them to that end Also it is declared heere further that the father and the mother may not accuse their children iudicially vnlesse they finde them vnreformable I haue tolde you alreadie that this place speaketh of punishment by death For if fathers and mothers fall to putting of their children to death before they haue vouchsafed to take paynes with them to see them well instructed ought they not to bee coupled with them as causers of their destruction A father perchaunce will say I haue not consented to my sonnes lewdnesse I haue let him alone Yea but shouldest thou haue falne asleepe when as God appoynted thee to keepe watch Thou shouldest haue guyded thy childe so as hee shoulde not haue stepped one pace but thou shouldest haue beene at hande to direct him Thou wouldest haue guyded a brute beast and hast thou made no reckening of thine owne seede Thou lettest the creature alone which is formed after the image of God whereof notwithstanding thou wast appointed to bee the keeper and thinkest thou to scape by so try fling an excuse Then if fathers and mothers come to this plunge of shewing their children to haue beene sturdie and vnreformable if they can not first protest
so much yet shall wee at the last bee conuicted of this maliciousnesse that we could not finde in our heartes to suffer GOD to dealâ— gently with vs ne haue serued him ioyfully and with a merrie heart Therefore let vs not woonder though hee doe handle vs as wee deserue when wee bee so rebellious against him For when hee seeth that wee kicke against him hee must needes breake vs and deale with vs after such a fashion as wee may vnderstande that hee is our maister not that they which bee punished doe serue GOD but for that they vnderstand that hee hath the maisterie ouer them when the punishmentes come so farre that they are become signes and wonders When GOD appeareth vnto them as it were in a visible manner from heauen then doe they perceiue Alas I cannot flee nor scape the hande of GOD. Then doe they vnderstande that hee hath the Lordship ouer them not that they willingly yeeld themselues thereunto but that they lye languishing and astonished therein as men locked vp in prison The thing then which wee haue to remember is that sith wee coulde not bee contented that God should handle vs gently by bowing vnder his hand that he might guide vs turne vs and returne vs which way he listed wee must bee forced by trouble and sorrowe to vnderstand that he hath full souerainty ouer vs and that his vtter breaking and ouerthrowing of vs is bycause wee could not abide to bee gouerned by his hande when hee was ready to guide vs. This is the matter that we haue to note in the second place Wee see the very same in all mankinde not only touching the afflictions of this present life but also wee haue this reproch layde vppon vs that we bee still as it were famished for want of spirituall blessinges For our father Adam was created in such state that the worlde was an earthly Paradise The whole earth yeelded him all good thinges to his wishe hee endured neither heate nor colde nor any greeuous want Thus was our father Adam appointed Lorde and Maister ouer all the worlde Gen. 1.26 all the Elementes and all the beastes of the earth serued him quietly and all fruites serued his tast and sauour What was hee in his person Hee bare the Image of God and was of so great noblenesse and worthinesse that hee was as the Angels of heauen and hee had dwelled in this worlde with all his lynage as in a place where hee shoulde haue had no trouble but hee could not abide to bee so gently entreated When God had thus enriched him with his benefites hee must needes mistake himselfe hee could not serue God with a good heart nor with ioy What could haue greeued him For God shewed him a sweete and a gratious countenance and powred out the treasures of his fatherly loue towards him but Adam could not abyde that but through his vnthankfulnesse he alyenated himselfe from God And in what case are wee nowe We must serue God in hungar and thurst in nakednesse and reproche for the earth is cursed vnto vs. When we haue tilled it Gen. 3.18 it must bring vs foorth thistles and thornes Wee see the seasons contrary when we waite for a good yeere we see hayle or frost drought or rayne which serue to pluck the bread out of our mouthes and to disappoint vs of our foode We see the ayre troubled and infections which oftentimes engender diseases Great is the toyle of men For when they haue gotten foode with greate distresse yet want they wherwith to cloath themselues See there I say in what taking we be And wherefore Bicause wee would not serue our God cheerefully and with a good hart when he gaue vs abundance of all maner of blessings But this is not the cheefe matter as I haue sayde heeretofore for wee are destitute of the righteousnesse of God Our very true ornament was that wee could haue fashioned our selues to all manner of right and nowe we be spoyled thereof As then wee had reason and vnderstanding but nowe bee wee become beastly for the brightnesse that shoulde shine in vs is but darkenesse Againe wee bee couered with reproche and whereas the Image of God shoulde shyne in vs now we haue the markes of sinne so that euen our very bare bodyes must giue vs to vnderstand of the same insomuch that if a man bee naked hee is ashamed of himselfe And why God doeth by this meane shewe vnto vs what infection there is in our soules in that wee bee fayne to hyde vs as not beeing worthy to bee numbred amongst his creatures Finally wee bee like dry earth Trueth it is that wee bee ouer fruitefull in euill but of goodnesse what is founde in vs Seeing wee bee thus vnfuâ—nished of all graces it is good reason that wee shoulde languish in this fraile lyfe bycause wee could not serue our God with ioy and a good heart at such tyme as hee had powred out all his riches most perfectly vpon vs. Nowe sith wee beholde the euill that is in all mankynde let vs also apply the same particularly to our selues Therefore when aâ— our Lorde visiteth vs and maketh vs to feele afflictions that bee straunge vnto vs let vs cast down our heads and enter into such examination of our selues as this Goe to whereas GOD hath giuen vs wherewith to serue him howe doe wee discharge our selues thereof If there come an ill yeere that bringeth dearth of Corne or wine so that famine doth threaten vs let vs looke howe wee honoured GOD in the tyme that hee gaue vs plentie If wee see there is aboundaunce of wine then drunkennesse hath his full scope so that men cannot bee restrayned from breaking out into all maner of disorder and which worse is they sticke not to blaspheme the name of GOD and to rush out into al disorder and to take leaue to surfeitting and glutting of themselues out of all measure In aboundaunce of Corne wee see the lyke men bee so proude therof that they cannot abyde either warning or discipline but they kicke against GOD and their pryde is moreouer matched with crueltie so as euery man raketh to himselfe hee that hath the most will if hee can playe the Tyrant ouer his neighbours in taking no pitie vppon them that bee in want At this poynt are wee in the tyme of plentie Therefore is our Lorde fayne chaunge his Copie and to manyfest his Maiâ—stie vnto vs and to compell vs to vnderstande what soueraintie and dominion hee hath ouer vs seeing wee cannot finde in our heartes to serue him with a cheerefull heart and with a good will nor to giue ouer our selues vnto him Are wee in rest All our indeuour is howe to plucke out one an others eyes and to torment our selues lyke Cattes and Dogges And if wee warre not with men wee fight against GOD which is farre worse And if wee holde on let vs not bee greeued that wee bee confounded altogether seeing wee set
God whether wee haue meekely imbraced all that he hath commaunded vs for if any of vs doe finde himselfe to haue made warre and to haue set vs himselfe against God it is not to be wondered at if God pay him with the like againe on the behalfe of men But wee shall neuer be perswaded of this doctrine vnlesse we vnderstande that God holdeth the hearts of men in his hand to soften them when it pleaseth him be they neuer so hard hearted and on the contrarie part to harden them though they bore vs neuer so much good will before Let vs not therfore trust to y e loue of men vnlesse we walke in the feare of God For it lieth in him so to change their hearts as they shal beare rancor toward vs be quite cleane w tdrawen frō vs for lesse than nothing in so much as the worlde shall see y t they which were most foreward to helpe vs shall become most against vs. And on y e otherside let vs vnderstand y t our Lord can well qualifie al malice yea though they be as fierce as a Lion he will make them mylde friendly towardes vs. There was neuer nation so proude cruell as y e Egyptians and in special how spiteful were they against the children of Israel It seemed y t this poore people should neuer haue founde any mercy And yet God wrought in such wise y t the Egyptians gaue them all their treasures all that euer was excellent in their houses there was neither siluer nor gold spared And whereof came that Before y t time they had held the Iewes in bondage they had vexed them out of all measure they wold haue plucked y e bread out of their mouths yea haue cut y e throtes of thē all A litle afore they had killed their children as soone as they came out of their mothers wombs of purpose to haue destroyed y e whole stock of them wherof then came this soudaine myldnes y t euery man brought them y e things y t were most precious in his house 〈◊〉 11.2 It was god y t cōuerted their harts And likewise on y e cōtrary side 〈◊〉 11.10 it is said y t he hardned the hearts of kings when y e people were to enter into y e land of Canaan whereas they shold haue bin suffered to passe there were may gainesayers y t resisted them Whence came that Euen of this y t they had resisted their God Let vs therefore learne as I haue saide heretofore so to behaue our selues in obedience towardes God y t men also for their partes may be friendly vnto vs For there is none so great nor so mightie but he shal finde some miserie to rise vp against him when he wil needes play the stout fellow in striuing against God And we haue seene that they which are drunken w t their owne greatnes must in y e end bee punished not by such as are in any authoritie or by such as are of estimation in this world but by rascals naughtipacks such folke must euen spit in their faces And such examples are to be seen euen in princes men of greatest state For when they yeelde not themselues to be gouerned of God he is faine to stirre vp gouernours to y e contrary to shame such as wil not be obedient vnto him Yet notw tstanding when men yeeld not thēselues tractable then must we vnderstand y t god manageth the matter by a secret meane and that he doth it to make vs to stoope Therefore let vs not deceiue our selues in the creatures saying What fortune is this In deede we may say so but wee must go yet one step farther we must vnderstand y t it commeth not to passe without y e direction of God And thereupon wee must repaire to y e remedie that is to wit wee must stoope vnder the word hand of God and consider y t if it please him he can turne y e minds of men y t were so spitefull against vs make thē to become friendly to vs. And y t is a thing more than necessarie For when wee haue to doe with them y t be rough intractable we be by and by out of heart would if we could possibly ridde our selues of all troubles and be set free from thē at the first dash But we should rather returne vnto God acknowledging y t those things proceede from his hand And so when men shew thēselues so vnfaithful and cruell towarde vs handling vs scornefully opprobriously so as we cānot get one whit of right or reason at their hands but we see how their whole seeking is to set their feete on our throtes they haue such a beastly shamelesnes as it is said here y t they be not ashamed of any thing y t is said vnto them but they take y e bridle in their teeth play the wilde beastes so as there is neither grace nor honestie in them when wee see such barbarous beastlinesse let vs learne to resort vnto our God to acknowledge y t we deserue to be so tamed by him Moreouer y e onely meane to appease such furie to asswage those which are so hot and hastie is to call vpon our God and to pray him to touche those inwardly with his holy spirite which are so cruell and cannot yeelde to doe vs good bycause wee haue set vp our selues against our God That is the thing whereof we are admonished in this Text. Nowe Moses repeateth that which hath beene touched heeretofore namely That God will bring vs enemyes from a farre Countrie and that they shall flie as Eagles to the intent wee shoulde not thinke that GOD needeth to make any preparation long aforehand As if a man should threaten vs we would looke whether he had a sword in his hand and whether he be in readines to execute y t which he hath said But if God doe but whistle as he often speaketh by his Prophets by and by hee hath his men of warre in readines Esa. 5.26 he needeth not to make musters or to inrolle them or to sounde the drum he needeth none of al this onely at his whistle for he vseth that similitude all the whole earth must needes bee moued Therefore let vs not looke whether things be in a readines nor whether any hurt or harme be done vs. Let vs not looke whether any worldly meanes bee prepared thereunto but let vs vnderstand that ere we can conceiue what euill may happen vnto vs we shall be presently ouerthrowne And wherefore Bycause it is God that speaketh which maketh men to flye as birds euen from y e one end of the earth to the other There is neither sea nor mountains able to saue vs from the experience of y t which we neuer beleeued Howbeit God hath so disposed things yea euen amongst the heathen is oftentimes seene incredible speedines when God is disposed to
blessings and that when we be once graffed into the stocke of Abraham to be his children by faith wee may alwaies hold on stil in the course of our adoption that in the ende God may acknowledge vs for his children and we bee made partakers of the glorie which is prepared for vs seeing that in this worlde and in this short life wee haue inioyed blessings by the which hee maketh vs alreadie to taste of his loue Nowe let vs fall downe before the face of our good God acknowledging our faultes and beâ—eeching him that we may bee more and more cast downe in ourselues to haue such a horror and feeling of our sinnes as wee may not fayle to runne vnto him and to flee for refuge to his mercie that by forgiuing vs our sinnes from day to day he may amend vs euermore vntill hee hath quite ridde vs of them That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely vnto vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. On Friday the x. of Aprill 1556. The CLXVIII Sermon which is the fifth vpon the nine and twentith Chapter 22 Thus will the generation to come â—ay namelie your children which shall succede after you and the straunger which shall come from a farre lande when they see the plagues of this lande and the diseases of it wherewith the Lord shall haue smitten it 23 The brimstone and sault wherewith hee shall haue burned all his lande so as it shall not bee sowed nor yeelde fruite nor haue anie grasse growing thereon as in the ouerthrowe of Sodome and Gomorrah Adam and Seboim which the Lord destroyed in his wrath and displeasure 24 Then shall all Nations say wherefore hath the Lorde doone this to this Lande O how fierce is his great wrath 25 And it shall bee aunswered because they forsooke the couenaunt of the Lorde GOD of their fathers which hee made with them when hee brought them out of the land of Egypt 26 For they went and serued other gods and bowed themselues before the the same gods whome they knewe not neither hadde they doone them anie good 27 Therefore is the wrath of the Lorde kindled against this land to bring vpon it all the curses written in this booke 28 And the Lorde hath rooted them out of their lande in wrath anger and great indignation and he hath throwne them out into an other land as it appeareth at this day 29 The secretes of the Lord our God be reuealed vnto vs and to our children for euer to the intent we should do all the wordes of this law MOses proceedeth here still with the matter which wee beganne yesterday namely to declare howe detestable our rebellion is vnto God when he hath once taught vs by his worde and can not winne vs but wee turne heade to the contrarie For it had beene enough to haue declared in one worde that none shoulde remayne vnpunished howbeit forasmuch as men doe not so quickely consider the vengeaunce of God to be mooued therewith to the quicke therefore Moses addeth threateninges vpon threatnings declaring that the punishmentes shall bee so greeuous that euerie man shall bee abashed at it according also as the Prophet Ieremie vseth this phrase of speach 〈…〉 3. saying y t al mens eares shal â—ingle at the hearing of the straunge thinges which God shall haue wrought in Ierusalem the lande of Iudah For if God chastise vs after the common order wee regarde it not we take it to be but haphazard or else we doe linger til y e plague be past but as for submitting ourselues to God it is no part of our care That is y e cause why Moses doeth in this place inhaunce the plagues which God woulde sende vppon that lande to the intent that the people might bee the better instructed and euerie man looke to himselfe and vnderstand that if they tempted Gods patience they must needes fall into this so horrible extremitie In which respect hee saith That the generations to come and those also which shoulde resort thither from farre countries shall inquire thereof as people abashed By which woordes hee doeth vs to vnderstande that the punishmentes which God woulde sende vppon the rebelles shoulde be straunge such as should make all folke astonished and amased at the sight of them and to say this is a matter that hath not beene woont to be it must needes be that the hande of God hath gone this way Nowe wee see the meaning of Moses And herein wee haue to condemne our slowenesse seeing that God must be faine to describe thinges vnto vs as it were in a painted table the cause whereof is for that wee bee not plyable to receyue the admonishmentes which hee giueth vs. We thinke our selues able folke but in so doing wee doe all of vs beguile our selues with selfesoothing vntill our Lorde doe as it were beate it into our braynes by force that if wee proceede on to offende him wee shall not escape his hande yea and that wee shall be handled with such rigour as shall make all them to tremble which see but the tracts thereof so that not onely wee that receyue the strokes shall be confounded but they also which come from farre shall confesse that it was the vengeance of God which was not without cause and that it must needes bee that wee did committe ouer greeuous and hainous offences seeing that God is thus inflamed against vs. Moreouer Moses sheweth that God will no more spare a whole country than one man least they should shroude themselues vnder the multitudes of people that giue themselues to wickednesse and thinke thereby to scape the better cheape before God It is expressely saide that if anie man sinne hee shall be punished Ezech. 18.4 and if a whole lande be faultie God will wrappe them all likewise into one fardell Therefore let vs not bleare our eyes wilfully as wee see the Papistes doe who vaunt themselues this day because y e number of such as are inclined to their superstitions is not small They boast them of their great multitude making it their buckler against both God and men And thereupon they doe despise vs and it seemeth to them that they may of good right condemne the pure and true religion But contrariwise God telleth vs that when a whole land hath forsaken the right way that rebellion of theirs shal not go vnpunished albeit that the multitude of them which be faultie be neuer so great Finallie wee must beware that we followe not one an other to do euill for if a blinde body doe leade the way hee shal fal into the ditch and likewise they that followe him hee shall not exempt them by his fal We must therefore vnderstand that when God calleth vs wee must sticke vnto his voyce and obey it and if all the worlde fall away and euerie man goe astray yet must not we ground our selues vpon the examples that wee see as if wee woulde say It
that this can in any way agree with the Gospell But if we marke it well wee shall finde it good reason that Saint Paul saith that this poynt is not verifyed vntill wee come throughly to Christ. And why Let vs take Moses to witnesse without going any further Wee haue seene here afore that in fourtie yeeres space after the setting forth of the Lawe the people had profited nothing in it The reason thereof is this For thy God hath not giuen thee an vnderstanding heart 〈◊〉 â—3 4 euen to this day Wee haue the Lawe beaten into our eares and yet in the meane while wee are still dulheadded and conceiue not the meaning of Gods speach This as I haue sayd afore proceedeth not of any faulte y t is in the Law but of our owne wretched blindnesse As the Sunne is as bright to the blinde as to all other men but yet they bee not able to receiue lyke benefit by the light thereof Euen so standeth the case with vs. Thus much for one poynt Insomuch that as long as God speaketh to vs but onely by the mouthes of men It is but losse of time And wherefore Because wee are deafe wee are blinde wee are dulheaded neither is it sufficient for vs that the commaundement bee layd directly before our eyes that wee neede notâ—punc to mount aboue the clowdes and that wee neede not to discend into the deepe to seeke for it for it must bee in our mouth and in our heart But how shall we haue it in our mouth and in our heart Soothly euen by Gods putting of it there by the grace of his holy spirit Saint Paul therefore presupposeth this grace to proceede from God peculiarly toward his elect that he not onely offereth himselfe freely vnto them which manner of speach Moses also did vse when he sayd God sheweth vs his goodnes after a special maner Deut. 4.7 but also imprinteth it in our hartes making vs to vnderstand what he sayth by giuing vs the spirit of knowledge and discretion for vntill God hath so wrought with vs his word lyeth still hidden from vs. And we heare what he saith by the Prophet Esay Esa. 28 11. 29.11.12 I wil saith God speake vnto this people in a straunge and vnknowen language And when I send forth my Prophets euery man shall bee astonished saying What is this What is it that God sayth For I will speake to them in high Dutch of purpose that they shall not vnderstand one iotte and so shall all the prophesies be vnto them as a sealed booke which if you offer to a learned man hee will answere I would read in it but the booke is close and sealed vp therefore let it be opened and I will see what matter is in it Againe it shall bee a booke layd open yea but as a booke offered to the vnlearned and to little children and they shall say I see heere is a booke a man may well perceaue the letters but I haue not bin at schoole I am not learned I see well the letters but I knowe not what they meane Wee see that our Lorde speaketh and yet notwithstanding he is not vnderstoode Therefore let vs marke that Moses presupposed God to haue giuen vnderstanding to the people Now his giuing of it was by the meane of Iesus Christ our Lord and that not through the Lawe but through the Gospel The Lawe of it selfe bringeth nothing but condemnation conuerting men before God Rom. 4.15 7.7 making forth their proces and finding them guiltie as wee haue heretofore alledged The case beeing so there is but onely one meane whereby to bee inlightened from God so as wee may attaine to the knowledge of his holy will for our saluation And that is to acknowledge the grace which is offered vnto vs in his Gospell through our Sauiour Christ. It is not therefore without cause that Saint Paul addeth this title vnto the worde Rom. 10. â— It is saith he the word of faith that wee preach vnto you He calleth it the worde of faith when wee not onely knowe whereto we be bound and vnderstand what God exacteth and requireth of vs and what hee commandeth vs but also when wee come to him as destitute of all goodnesse beseeching him to vouchsafe to take pitie of our want and needinesse and to enrich vs with his graces When wee seeke God in this maner and aske of him that which wee want then haue wee the worde of faith and not the word of the Lawe For the worde of the Law sayth Doe this and doe that and beware of such a thing which if thou transgresse beholde the curse is prepared for thee By the worde of the Lawe wee see whereunto wee are bound but wee bee not able to discharge it but wee stand all confounded and damned It behooueth vs therefore to haue the worde of faith that is to say to taste of Gods promises whereby hee sheweth himselfe so bountifull towarde vs through our Lorde Iesus Christ. When we receiue this as it is offred vnto vs in the Gospel then is that fulfilled which is spoken here to wit that the worde is not aboue the clowdes that it is not in the bottome of the deepe nor on the other side of the Sea but in our mouth and in our heart Wee haue therefore to consider first of all that God holdeth men sufficiently guiltie after hee hath once taught them For as soone as the worde is preached there is present condemnation to all them that cannot profite thereby and there is no way for them to scape And why For God hath called vs and wee haue not aunswered him he hath shewed vs the way and we haue not vouchsafed to enter therein to bee shorte wee see that when Gods worde hath bin preached vnto vs there is matter sufficient to reprooue vs and wee cannot reply vnto it But herewithall let vs marke also that as touching our parte the worde of GOD is at it were aloft aboue the skyes or as if it were in the bottome of the deepe notwithstanding that wee haue our eares continually beaten therewith Herein wee see the wretchednesse of our nature that though God speake vnto vs with open mouth and teach vs neuer so faithfully yet doe wee continue still as we were so as no amendment at all is perceiued in vs for all the long schooling that God hath bestowed on vs. What is to be done then That GOD hauing spoken by the mouth of men and by the holy scripture doe also gather vs vnto him and make vs to feele his goodnesse towarde vs. For it is not sufficient for vs to vnderstand the thinges that are shewed vs in the holy scripture but wee must also bee touched to the quicke with them in our heartes that wee may bee well assured of Gods fatherly loue towardes vs. WheÌ„ wee are once at that poynt there is no more hyding then is there no more darkenesse in the holy scripture but
himselfe so liberall that hee gaue them euē more than needed Now after as God dealeth largely vnto vs so must wee inlarge our harts to serue him that we may be fully fraught with loue towardes him For all the benefites which we receiue of him must kindle our hearts to goe vnto him We haue in them a tast of his goodnesse to draw vs vnto him Now then if wee make not Gods gracious gifts auailable to vs so as we loue him for them and bee rauished with desire to come vnto him it is certaine that wee must yeelde a sorrowfull account for it For wee vnhallow them and abuse them too shamefully and thereby God looseth the things which hee had bestowed vpon vs as his children because it is not his meaning that they should haue beene cast away as vpon dogges For this cause Moses aggrauateth heere the malice of the people in that he saieth that after God had shewed himselfe so liberall foorthwith they became fatte and being become thicke fat and as is were so brawned that they were readie to burst with greace they fell immediatly to defie the God which had made them and to mocke as the strength of their welfare Here wee be taught to call our selues daily to account for the benefits which God hath bestowed vppon vs. Wherefore let vs beware that we deuour not the benefites which wee haue of God forgetting them and the giuer of them Nay let vs make them all as notes of rememberance to put vs in mind how much we be bound and indebted vnto him True it is that wee can neuer bring that to passe according whereto it is saide in the Psalme 〈…〉 6. that if men imploy themselues neuer so much to the considering of Gods gracious gifts they shall finde themselues graueled for they be mo than the hayres of our heads Yet notwithstanding it behoueth vs to doe our indeuour to magnifie our God considering how greatly wee be bounde vnto him and howe many wayes hee maketh vs to feele his goodnes That is our true studie that is y e thing wherein we must exercise our selues all the time of our life And the chiefe sacrifice that God requireth of vs is thanksgiuing which is when we honour him with the things that we haue receiued of him according to this saying of the hundred and sixteenth Psalme 〈…〉 11. What shall I yeeld vnto the Lorde for all the good which hee hath done vnto mee I will take the cup of saluation and call vpon his name So then let this text bea warning and incouragement to vs to consider better of our Gods benefites that wee may fare the better by them That is one point And moreouer when wee once knowe that God hath bounde vs vnto him and dayly bindeth vs in hauing a care to sustaine these our mortall bodies which are but carions dung the which neuerthelesse he feedeth with bread let the consideration thereof make vs to mount vp higher Ioh. 4.14 6.35 and to bethinke vs howe we be daylie fedde with the grace of his spirite and refreshed with the liuing waters which wee haue of him yea and that we be fedde with our Lord Iesus Christ himselfe who is the heauenly breade that feedeth our soules Let vs consider these things and learne therby to giue ourselues wholly to our God who sheweth himself so bountifull and liberall a father towards vs. If we do not so we haue here a horrible condemnation For as I haue said to the intent to set out the mischiefe so much the more to the full in that men dischargo not their duetie to Godwarde being so preuented by his drawing of them vnto him Moses putteth heere as it were into a paire of scales on the one side Gods benefits and on the otherside the peoples forgetfulnes negligence vnthankfulnes And this is the thing that in effect wee haue to remember out of this place Now it behoueth vs to marke well the thing that is rehearsed heere by Moses namely that the Rightfull was growen fatte His attributing of that title to the people of Israel is to signifie whereto they were called of God for this comprehendeth the principall end of our calling Gods adopting of vs to bee his children is to the ende wee shoulde liue righteously The Iewes are called a froward and crooked generation Matt. 16.4 Such then are the vnbeleeuers vntill our Lorde Iesus Christ haue brought them home to himselfe On the contrarie part when God calleth vs to be of his flocke or housholde then he reformeth vs and he will haue vs to holde the way of saluation as he sheweth it vnto vs. And such ought the children of Israel to haue beene seeing that God had chosen them But what It is said that after the rightfull or righteous was waxen fatte he fell to kicking against his master Now if this bee saide nowadayes it will bee double to our shame for if our Lordes speaking of righteousnesse or vprightnesse be to shewe y t those whom he had sanctified defiled themselues and that those whom he had brought into the right way were gone astray it is to condemne them the more grieuously Therefore it ought to make vs the more ashamed whē God shal say What are yee For I haue adopted you to be my children and what a lookingglasse and patterne haue you in me Ye ought to resēble your father ye knowe my goodnes and my iustice and yet are you as crooked as serpents Must we not needs be confounded with double shame when God vpbraideth vs after that sort So then let vs learne to what purpose God hath ordained vs in vouchsafing vs the grace to gather vs vnto him Let vs follow the vprightnes which he cōmandeth vs let vs not swarue aside from in Moreouer let vs beware y t fatnesse blind vs not and so mar vs least when we haue beene full fedde for a time we growe frowarde through Gods vsing of his liberalitie towards vs. And y t is a very needefull point For when God sheweth himselfe so liberal and feedeth vs with abundance of all things his so doing is to make vs to perceiue his goodnesse the better Therefore it ought to inflame vs the more seeing that our Lorde handleth vs gently as though wee were his tender babes as he himselfe termeth vs. But wee see on the contrarie part that if God deale bountifully with vs wee play the stubborne and vnruly horses As a horse that is ouerpampered in the stable wil not be ruled but fals to kicking and becomes so lustie as if he were wilde euen so is it with vs also such is our nature And are wee to bee excused when we shall haue abused Gods gifts after that fashion If it be demaunded what maketh men proude what maketh men become wilde beasts so as they cannot away with any yoke but are feerce and hardharted and cannot afterward away with good instruction and warning but are madde against God
soone as he speaketh let vs quake at it let vs not tarry till hee smite vppon our heades with main blowes but let vs go vnto him obediently and let vs pray him to haue pitie vpon vs. For if we goe about to winne him by stoutnesse surely we shall finde howe it is not sayde without cause that Gods wrath is a burning fire to consume all thinges and wee shall feele that although we be neuer so stubborne and that our heartes to our owne seeming bee as whot as fire through ouerweening whereof wee haue made our selues as it were foretresses towers and bulwarkes for our great safetie yet notwithstanding God will so vndermine vs that we shall find howe there is nothing in vs wherewith to make resistaunce and that we haue no more power to stande before his wrath and vengeaunce than stubble or hay which is consumed out of hande by fire nay we shall be no better than towe Thus ye see howe wee may benefite ourselues by this doctrine if wee will not haue the sentence that God pronounceth executed vppon vs. That is to wit that forasmuch as his wrath burneth so whot and is able to consume all wee must turne vnto him as soone as he threatneth vs yea and so returne as he finde vs not to be foolishe and wilde headed folke as in whom there is nothing but lightnes and vnconstancie Nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to open our eyes more and more that we may see our owne wretchednesse and vpon the knowing thereof bee also so touched by his holy spirite that our heartes may stoope and hauing felt what wee haue deserued we may steppe to him aforehande to obtaine fauour and mercie of him and so continue therein that all our life long our whole seeking may be to increase and to be settled in his feare and loue that taking him for our father and reposing ourselues wholly vpon him and his goodnesse we may neuerthelesse yeelde him such reuerence as to quake at his threatninges and yet assure ourselues that hee will be so good a protector and defender of vs that we shal be safe from all daungers when he hath once taken vs into his protection and safekeeping That it may please him to grant this grace not only to vs but also to all people and Nations of the earth c. On Fryday the v. of Iune 1556. The CLXXXIIII Sermon which is the seuenth vpon the two thirtith Chapter 23 I will heape euilles vppon them and I will bestowe mine arrowes vppon them 24 They shal be burnt with hunger and consumed with heate and with bitter destruction Also I will sende them the teeth of beastes with the venime of Serpentes that traile in the dust 25 The sword shal rob them of their children without and in their chambers shal be fearefulnesse vpon the young woman and the mayde the sucking child and the man with the hore head 26 I haue saide I will scatter them abroade and make the remembraunce of them to cease from among men 27 Were it not that I feared the disdayne of the enemie least peraduenture their aduersaries should wax straunge and say Our hande is high and it is not the Lorde that hath done all this thing WE sawe yesterday howe Moses hauing spoken of Gods vengeaunce to the people of Israel shewed how dreadful the same is because men are not so moued at y e first as were requisite at leastwise to consider their own naughtines to be displeased at it y t they might humble themselues be ashamed thereof before God For inasmuch as men are slowe vnto that our Lorde sheweth y t his threatning of them is not in sport and therefore that it is not for theÌ„ to fall asleepe at it and to take their ease but rather to treÌ„ble and quake Now pursuing the same matter Moses addeth That he will sende vpon that people all the euilles that can bee deuised that hee will let fly his arrowes at them to the vtter consuming of them that he wil arme the wilde beastes against them that hee will sende venemous serpentes among them which though they glyde in the dust shall neuerthelesse without fayle fasten vpon theÌ„ with their teeth that they shal be starued for hunger that he will sende them burning diseases enemyes without doores and feare within doores and that he will not spare their babes nor their olde men nor any thing else It might seeme at the first sight that GOD were ouerrigorous For seeing that God had chosen the ofspring of Abraham from among the whole world and his adopting of them was not grounded vppon any desert or worthinesse but vppon the freegoodnes of Gods owne will shoulde he haue vsed so great sternnesse against those wretched creatures though they had right greeuously offended him Why did hee not rather spare them and make the grace auailable which he had bestowed vpon them afore Nay we haue seene already the long sufferaunce which God had vsed towards them And when men doe heape vp hoords of wrath a long time together after that fashioÌ„ by their abusing of Gods goodnesse as who shoulde say they were minded to spite God wilfullie and to defie him to see the worst that hee can doe vnto them it is good reason that for their wilfull and stubborne hardening of their heartes God should make them to feele that hee will not haue his gentlenesse so scorned and finally turned cleane contrarie to his intent Againe after as God vttereth his fauour towardes vs so must it bee the deerelyer solde vnto vs if wee abuse it Nowe he calleth the Church his house 〈◊〉 3.15 and he taketh and admitteth vs for his children Therefore if hee be dishonoured among vs ought it not to greeue him worse as I haue declared afore than if those which belong not vnto him in comparison at all had offended him a thousand times Then let vs vnderstande that God did iustlie shewe himselfe so rigorous against the children of Israell and let vs applie this doctrine to our selues because wee be succeeded in their roome We haue seene alreadie heretofore howe God hath cut them off and graffed vs in in their steade to the intent wee shoulde bee partakers of the adoption that belonged vnto them Nowe if God haue not pardoned them what will hee doe to vs 〈◊〉 11. â—1 For we be not of more worthinesse than they neither is our state more excellent than theirs Therefore let vs see that we liue warely and that we make the grace effectuall which we haue receiued at Gods hand so as he may bee glorifyed thereby and our saluation more and more furthered and confirmed by meane thereof Thus ye see in effect what wee haue to gather vpon this text And whereas it is saide that God will heape euill vpon them and shoote out all his arrowes against them let vs marke y t here Moses meant to
fonde as that euen litle babes might haue mocked them for it Yet notwithstanding euē the wisest folke haue beene doted with them the spirit of giddinesse hath reigned ouer them And it hath beene Gods will to make men so brutish For when they would not hold themselues simply vnto him but were carryed away with their fickle lustes it was meete that they should come to that poynt For as much then as it is so let vs vnderstand that our Lorde giueth vs so many warnings the mo to the intent to hold vs in such awe as we may be well ware that wee be not by any meanes seduced Thus yee see what wee haue to note as in respect of the things which S. Iude teacheth vs concerning the body of Moses Now there is yet this saying further set down in the text No man hath knowen his graue vnto this day Wee knowe not which of the Prophets wrote this last Chapter The Iewes say it was Iosua but their coniecture hath no ground It is much more likely that the same Prophet which gathered the booke of Iosua did therewithall write the death of Moses also Neuerthelesse it is not without cause sayd that no man vnto this day For it doeth vs to vnderstand that it was not for one day onely that God woulde haue the bodie of Moses so hidden for then it might haue beene sayd true it is that the body of Moses was vnknowen to men but that was but at the beginning For the first boylings are somewhat too headie and God sawe that the people might haue beene moued with too great affection and by that meane they might haue corrupted themselues It is not then to be wondered at if Moses sepulchre had beene vnknowen for two or three dayes or for a moneth or for a yeare for these people were too farre in loue with him but when he was once buryed then it came to knowledge But our Lord sheweth that hee knewe well that men are subiect to ydolatrie and that not for a day onely but euen vnto the ende and that the same sinne is so rooted in vs that as soone as wee haue neuer so little an obiect by and by wee start out of our boundes Let vs marke well then that it behooueth vs to stande vppon our garde for ydolatrie is not for a time but for euer And wee take this cursed inclination from our mothers wombe so as wee bee easily allured away from the seruice of God That is the thing which wee haue to remember vppon this part of the text And therefore let vs indeuour al the time of our life to walke according to Gods ordinance and let vs also beware that wee bee not caried away after the illusions of Satan And when we our selues shall haue continued in the seruice of God let vs teach our children to doe the like that it may for euer be reteyned in the worlde so as God may be serued of al men with one common accord For if wee be recheles in that behalfe it wil abash vs to see howe the diuel will incontinently get the forehand of vs in the turning of a hand there wil followe a horrible change which will corrupt and marre all Sith wee see this let vs be steddie and constant and let vs bee so zealous to bring to passe that God may bee purely worshipped as it may continue not for one day onely but euen vnto the ende so as we may from age to age protest that Gods name is called vppon ouer vs and that he hath the whole preheminence and that the creatures howe excellent so euer they bee doe abyde in their degree and place and that they haue not occupyed the roome of God nor his soueraigne dominion Now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God which acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs perceiue them more and more that wee may be so cast downe in our selues as our whole seeking may bee to receiue mercie at his hand and hauing receiued it to bee so guyded by his holy spirite as we may giue our selues wholly vnto him to dedicate our selues fully to his obedience and to serue him with all purenesse both in body and soule and that hee impute not our imperfections vnto vs which are yet still in vs but that he rid them from vs day by day and reclaime vs of them more and more vntil he haue brought vs to the perfection whereunto he inuiteth vs. That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. On Wednesday the xv of Iuly 1556. The CC. Sermon which is the second vpon the xxxiiij Chapter of Deuteronomie and the last vpon that booke 7 Moses was a hundred and twentie yeres olde when he dyed his sight was not dimmed nor his liuelinesse abated 8 And the children of Israel mourned for Moses thirtie dayes in the playne of Moab And after that the dayes of mourning and sorrowing for Moses were ended 9 Then Iosua the sonne of Nun was filled with the spirite of wisedome for Moses had laid his hand vpon him And the children of Israel obeyed him and did as the Lord had commaunded Moses 10 And there arose not vp a Prophet in Israel thenceforth like vnto Moses which knew the Lord face to face 11 In all signes and woonders for which the Lorde sent him to do them in the Land of Egypt before Pharao and all his seruants and all his Land 12 Nor in all the strong hand and al the great vision which Moses did before the eyes of all Israel IT was needefull that after the death of Moses the Iewes should know the good that God had done them by the meanes of such a man For we know that Gods gratious dealings are by and by forgotten and it is the point wherein men doe chiefly shewe their leawdnesse For although it be prooued to them that God hath helped them yea euen with signes and myracles yet woulde they passe it ouer slightly In this respect it is saide expresly heere that Moses had his liuelinesse and all his strength vnto the age of a hundred and twentie yeares Nowe wee knowe what is written in his song in the fowerscore and tenth Psalme That after a man commeth to threescore yeares 〈◊〉 90.10 there remaineth nothing but sorrowe paine and griefe and he doeth but linger and pine away Loe what our life is Although we haue beene strong yet doe wee decay in the twinkling of an eye when wee once passe threescore yeares and it is a great matter for a man to attaine thereto I meane in such strength But nowe whereas it is reported that Moses attained to double those yeares thereby it appeareth that God strengthened him aboue the common rate of men And that was not for his owne sake onely but to the intent he might be able to susteine the charge that was committed vnto him Had not
all Howe and why wee haue neede to bee strengthened in Comming to God 466. a 30 40 The Comming of Christ in the flesh how homely vnrenowmed it was 1004. b 10.20 To what end the Comming of Christ from his father serued 1247. b 20 Of Gods Comming to vs first without which we cannot come vnto him 1060. b 10.20 Of diuerse thinges prophesied to bee doone by Christ at his Comming which he did visiblie 1018. b 30.40 Commission Moses and Iosua receiued their Commission from God myraculously cōfirmed and how 1087. all A briefe of the Commission and charge that the preachers of Gods worde haue 718 a 10.20 Looke Dutie Message and Office Commoditie We ought not to be too greedy vpon any fleshly Commoditie 92. b 40 We ought to forbeare the seeking of our owne Commoditie c. 92. b 20.30 Looke Profite Commodities Doctrine for the children of God to marke when they want the Commodities of this life 983. a 10.20.30 What we haue to do in respect of al the Commodities of this present life 719 b 50.60 Common A notable point vpō this that it behooued the land of Promise to be cōquered by the Israelits in Common 95. a 60. b 10 Gods will was to deale foorth his word vnto all and that the same should be Common 1082. b all 183. a all Commonwealth Two or three vnthriftes are ynough to trouble the whole Commonwealth c. 96. b 10 It behooueth euery man to imploy him selfe to the benefite of y e whole state or Commonwealth 94. b 30.40.50 What Commonwealth is happie by the opinion of a Heathen man 650. a 40 Communication The ende whereunto Communication should tend 240. b 10 Against bawdie communication what hurt it doth and y t it is to be reformed 883. b 30.40.50 Looke Speech Talke Communion Reasons why there ought to be a vnion and Communion among vs. 68. a 20.30.40 In what case men bee when they will needs draw backe from the Communion of life c. 94. b 60. 95. a 10 What is meant by our confession of the Communion of saincts 51. b 40. What must content vs whē we receiue the Communion 498. a 10. Looke Sacraments Supper of the Lorde Companie With what kind of people we must alwayes keepe Companie 745. a 10.30 Whether it be not lawfull to keepe Cōpanie with the wicked and frowarde to win them 731. a 40.50 Of keeping Companie with such as be cast off like rotten members from the Church 731. b 20.30 c That euill Companie must be auoided what harme it doth 730. b 30. c. An example shewing what it is to keepe Companie with the wicked 887. b 40 Touching ill Companie reade pithie doctrine in page 850. a 40.50.60 b 10.20 How wherupon we must keepe Companie with the wicked 308. a 40.50 Against such as say that they may keep Companie with the wicked and yet be free from corruption 307. b 60. 308. a 10 Whether it be lawfull for the faithfull to haue any Company with the wicked 308. a 20. Of following God with Companie 47. b 20.30.40 It is hard to abstaine from sinning whē a man is in euill Companie 48. a 50 To call vppon God is needefull when we be mingled with euil Companie 48. a 60. b 50 A warning to shunne the Companie of the heathenish sort which come to Sermons as it were in scorne of god 93. b 50.60 Companion God cannot away with any Companion 490. b 40.50.60 185. a 40.50 Compassion A pithie kind of inducement to mooue vs to Cōpassion of others 210. b 10.20 Doctrin deliuered at large tēding wholly to Compassion specially of three sorts of poore people Reade all the sermon 141. Willingly ought we to haue Compassion on another mans miserie when we for our part haue beene pinched with the like 864. a all That we ought to shew compassion vnto all such as be oppressed 817. a 40.50.60 b 10. c. The necessary doctrine of Compassion vpon the needie purposely declared 852. a 40.50 c. 853. a all c. 854. a all With what kind of Compassion a iudge should be touched 708. a 40.50 Gods seruants may wel haue a burning zeale to execute their charge yet not cease to haue Cōpassion on such as perish 401. a all b 10.20 The cause of the decay of Compassion on our neighbours 210. b 20 Our Compassion must stretch euen to them that we see not 580. b 20.38 Howe God will be honoured by Compassion shewed on our behalfe to the poore 578. a 10.20 Great reasons to induce vs to Compassion of the poore and distressed among vs. 577. all Effectuall reasons to moue vs to haue Compassion on the poore 610. a 20.30.40.50.60 b 10.20 Pitie and Compassion must bee had on all indifferently and on whom specially 580. a all b 10. Looke Mercie and Pitie Complaine Whether he which is wrongfully hurt may Complaine or no for redresse 873. b 50.60 Complaint Whether it be lawful in cases of wrong to make our Complaint before a iudge Christ seeming to counsell vs to the contrarie 873. b 50.60 Complaints Iudges must heare the Complaints of men and proceede vnto sentence likewise 873. a 60. b 10. c. What Complaints men do make when God punisheth not y e outrages done to his seruants 1168. b 30.40.50 The Complaints of the wronged are heard of God from heauen 872. b al. Compulsion That such as worship ydols by Compulsion doe offend God 983. b 20.30.40.50 A miserable appeale to come to God by compulsion 964. a 10 Of a kinde of people which serue God by Compulsion 962. a 20 They are reprooued that serue God by Compulsion 962. b 30 Compulsion maketh men come vnto God 1082. a 20.30 c. Concord Two things chiefely to be regarded in mainteining Concord among men 516. a 10 Of the Concord which ought to bee in Gods Church 1192. b 60. c. Doctrine touching the maintenance of Concord among vs Gods plague to them that are churlish 979. b 20.30 Forceable reasons why we shoulde bee knit together in brotherly loue and Concord 696. b 50.60.697 a 10 Of Concord in faith and whereupon the same shoulde be grounded 509 a 10.20.50 How carefull God is to maintain peace and Concord among men and howe shamefully the same is violated 690. b 10.20.30.40.50 What is to be doone if wee will liue in peace and Concord 217. b 20 God will haue vs all to agree in Concord like good melodie Reade the place it is worth marking 95. b 10.20.30 Looke agreement Loue and Vnitie Concupiscence Nothing prouoketh vs to euill but the Concupiscence of our owne flesh 943. b 50 Against the doctrine of the Iesuites that Concupiscence is no sin Reade it well and aduisedly 243. a 10.20 c. and b 10.20 c. Looke Flesh Lust. Condemnation The cause why infantes are in state of Condemnation 189. b 50 What we must do if
to Shame and what doctrine we haue to apply vnto our selues in that case 1101. all 1102. a 10. Looke Reproch and Iewes Shamefastnesse Shamefastnesse a proper vertue to women whereto they are commanded and exhorted 884. a 40 A lawe ordeined for the maintaining of honestie and Shamefastnesse 883. a 60. b all Looke Honestie and Chastitie Shephearde What we must doe if we will haue God to continue our Shepheard still 148. b 20 Christ is our Shephearde and of our dutie if we will be his sheepe 461. b 40.1099 b 10.20.30.40 Looke Minister and Preacher Shepheardes It standeth Shepheardes in hande to haue a double voyce and why 536. a 40 It is Gods inuiolable ordinance that there should be Shepheardes in his Church 258. a 10.20.30.40 The office of Shepheardes and what course they must keepe in their teaching 1172. a 30.40.112 b 40.718 a 10.20.1206 a all Two things requisite in all good Shepheards 112. b 50.60 113. a 10 What Shepheards must do if they will needes claime to be founde at the common charges of the Church 429 b 50.60 The clergie of the papasie deserue not to be called Shepheardes 1204. b 50.60.1206 a all Looke Ministers and Preachers Shiftes It is no seeking for Shiftes when God doth smite vs. 1166. b 60.1167 a 10 Shoulders Of bearing the Lord vpon or betweene our Shoulders 1210. b 20.30.40.50.60.1211 a all Shrift The antiquitie of papisticall confession or Shrift 1129. b 50.60 The behauiour of papistes when they come to Shrift 613. a 20.50 Looke Confession Sicera All the compounded drinks which they make in the east countries called by the common name of Sicera 1020. b 60. Looke Drinke Sickenesse Sicknesse is to bee accounted as the hande of God vpon vs and to what ende 1142. b 20 That we ought not to take Sicknesse in euill part 350. b 20. Looke Diseases Sight The meaning of these wordes Ye shall haue a Sight before your eyes 980. a 20.30.40 Signe Of the Signe of baptisme and that simply it auayleth nothing 441. a 10.20 Looke Figure Signes Of the outwarde Signes of thinges and what doctrine is therby to be gathered 440. b all 441. â— 10. c. Looke Figures Simeon Of the tribe of Simeon and that they of that tribe were Idolaters 1227. b 30. God gaue them no seuerall blessing but left him to languish and what we haue to note therein 1227. b 40.50 Of the secret fauour which God bore him by way of comparison 1227. b 50.60.1228 a 10. Iacobs blessing belonged to him and Leui was common to them both 1228. a 10.20 Looke Tribe and Tribes Sinne. Sinne the woorst and deadliest enimie that we haue 374. b 10 Of what thinges we are warned in that it is saide Sinne dwelleth in vs. 247. b 40 What the papistes thinke of Sinne and what they count not Sinne. 242. b 50.60 243. a 10 Of stripping our selues naked which is done by committing of Sinne. 1151. b 30.40 Howe Sinne is shed throughout all our bodie and bodilie faculties 244. a 10.20 The greeuousnesse of the Sinne of the Iewes if they should turne away from the purenesse which they had learned in the lawe 146. a 10.20 That one Sinne is punished with another 983. b 10.20 Howe Sinne is conceiued and not conceiued though there be no consent 245. a 30 Sinne ouercome by Christes death and passion 35. b 10 Of veniall Sinne according to the construction of papistes 939. a 30.40 The meaning of Moses his wordes in reporting that God was angrie with him for the peoples Sinne. 48. b 60. 49. a 10. 50. a 10.20 Of committing Sinne by imitation or example 50. a 40 Sinnes Of certaine Sacrifices that were called Sinnes Howe Sinnes be cloked and couered 237. b 50.60 We must beware that we wrap not our selues in other mens Sinnes and howe that is done 550. b 10.20 The sentence of God vpon our Sins is vpon a condition Reade the place 399. a 10 In what danger we be when we are become malitiously wilfull in our Sins 393. b 40.50.60 394. a 10 The saying of men euen in the popedome when they are in sorowe and haue their Sinnes layde afore them 155. a 30 Of two sortes of Sinnes some laid open to men and some reserued to God himselfe 699. b 40.50.60.700 a 10 Sinnes distinguished into crimes and ignorances 690. a 50 How God is sayâ—le to punish the Sinnes of the fathers in their children 861. b all 862. a 10.190 all The corruptions that are among vs are the rewardes of our Sinnes 109. a 10 God doth afflict his people oftentimes for other causes than their Sinnes 949. a 30.40.50.60 b 10.20.60 We shall be guiltie of al the Sinnes that we haue occasioned 104. a 50.60 Howe wee must be resolued when wee pray to God to forgiue vs our Sinnes 99. a 30 Whereof the Sinnes of the wicked doe come 80. b 60 That no necessitie can excuse our Sins 65. b 30 A through searching of our Sinnes by Gods ministers is necessarie why 143. a 20 Our owne Sinnes attaint vs as traitors to God 192. b 20 God punisheth vs for our Sinnes after he hath forgiuen them Reade how 99. a 50 We haue manie Sinnes that we knowe not of 49. b 30 God maketh inquisition of our Sinnes before he punisheth vs. 394. a 50.60 b 10.20 What we must doe if we will haue our Sinnes and the sinnes of our forefathers buried 385. a 30.40.143 a 10 Howe and in what respectes our deadly Sinnes proceeding euen to the deed doing shall not be imputed vnto vs before God 246. a 40.50 How lightly the Papistes deeme of the grossest Sinnes that be 246. a 60 Howe it commeth to passe that we rot not in our Sinnes and by whom we are raised vp 480. b 10.20 How these wordes Loue couereth the multitude of Sinnes is meant 237. a 50.60 c. The Sinnes of men are the causes of their miseries 263. b 30.50 Of beeing touched with the remembrance of our Sinnes most necessary doctrine 1180. all 1181. all 381. b al 382. a all 408. b 10.20 Of two pointes to bee marked concerning the Sinnes of men how light a matter they make of them 1155. a 30 40.50.60 God keepeth a register of our Sinnes and what wee ought to doe in that case 1155. all The Sinnes of Sodome and Gomor set forth in a summarie of three clauses 1154. a 40.50 Men cannot perceiue their Sinnes except they be made to smart 156. a 10 Looke Offences Sinners How wretched Sinners when they bee tempted to doe amisse must bridle and restraine themselues 405. b 50.60 406. a 10 What plasters the papistes giue poore Sinners to put away their sins 1050. a 10 The sorest point of Gods wrath vpon Sinners what it is 990. b 30 Promises of Gods mercie to comfort penitent Sinners 157. b 10.20 The true comfort of wretched Sinners when God scourgeth them 155. a 20.30 Looke Offenders Sit. Howe the Lorde doth Sit
to doe naughtily it is no sinne say the Papistes they bee righteous still for all that See how the Papistes do fully mocke God in that they thinke y t by some fond ceremonie or by a Meaculpa they be discharged of their sins make account of thē as of a thing of nothing These are the startingholes which they haue to mocke God withal as a yong babe and that is a dreadfull thing But yet is it put in vre in al their schooles Neuerthelesse we must not goe to worke after that fashion but we must rather bethinke vs howe the Apostle sayeth Heb. 10.31 That it is a dreadfull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God Therefore we must not in this case breake the bondes and yoke which hee hath layde vppon our neckes we must not play the wilde beastes we must not thinke to beguile him by some faire show in making countenance to serue him hauing in the meane while no good will to serue him indeede For in the ende hee will shewe that his vengeance shall light vppon al such as haue liued like hypocrites and dubble hearted dissemblers before him What is to be doone then We must frankely refuse this glose of righteousnesse in part which the Papistes haue forged for it is a deuice of Sathans and euen they themselues will well confesse that wee cannot merite by any inwarde worthinesse which is in our woorkes They say that all the worthynesse of our woorkes commeth onely of this that God is acquainted with vs insomuch that when men haue doone all that is possible yet will there euer bee some fault to bee founde in their woorkes when they come before GOD. Not that all Papistes are of that minde there is not past one of a thousande that thinketh so but there is yet a farre finer and subtler doctrine of Poperie which is that woorkes are not worthy of themselues but bycause of the promise of the Lawe But what maner a one is this promise Let vs come to that point Beholde GOD offereth himselfe to all men and sayeth that whosoeuer performeth the Lawe shall bee blessed and contrariwise that they shall bee cursed which step away from it Thus ye see that the perfect righteousnes is the performing of y e law But as I haue told you already no man performeth it and therefore God is quitte of his promise towardes vs. Seeing that wee on our side fayle in our condition hee for his parte oweth vs nothing After the same maner also speaketh S. Paule thereof Rom. 4.14 saying If righteousnesse depende vpon the workes of the lawe then is the promise to no purpose Saint Paule in that place toucheth the matter to the quicke For why Who performeth the Lawe of God that he can say I haue attained vnto perfect righteousnesse in my workes There is no such man to bee founde Then is there no more certaintie in the promises saith he so consequently we be all damned if wee will needes ground our selues vppon our woorkes After that maner speaketh hee thereof as well to the Romanes as to the Galathians Rom. 4. Gal. 3. And so let vs marke that God denounceth vs to bee all condemned by this sentence where he sayth Cursed shall he bee which performeth not all the thinges that are contayned in the booke of my Lawe As for the pelting trashe which the Papistes call satisfactions they bee but mockeries For GOD will bee serued with obedience Moreouer the releasing of our sinnes is free beestowed as the holye Scripture sheweth And as for all the Satisfactions as they terme them which men haue forge they serue to no purpose neither doeth GOD accept any of them When wee fall to breeding of our owne lykinges in our owne braynes hee refuseth euerywhit of it Therefore let vs holde vs to the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ knowing that wee bee washed and clensed by his bloude and it is the onely remedie that GOD setteth foorth vnto vs. Thus haue wee two thinges to marke the one is that if wee should bee iudged by the Law of God there needed no more but this foresaide sentence to damne vs all yea euen the holyest Saintes that euer were in the worlde For no man hath satisfied GODS Lawe and therefore are wee all condemned For if the holy fathers which had an Angelicall holynesse in this worlde were notwithstanding faultie before GOD what shall become of vs Let vs nowe make comparison betweene vs and them Howe farre off are wee from the holynesse of Abraham the purenesse of Dauid the soundnesse of Iob and the perfectnesse of Daniel When these may bee condemned what shall wee bee And therefore let vs learne to shrinke in our hornes and let euerie of vs keepe his mouth shutte Rom. 3.19 as sayeth Saint Paule when hee bringeth vs to the righteousnesse of fayth and to the mercie of God The thing then which we haue to beare in mind is that God hath bereft vs of all righteousnesse to the intent to rid vs of al presumption pride and that we should no more pretend to come to account with him to bind him vnto vs but that we should willingly condemne our selues Let that serue for one point Nowe heereupon wee haue to consider the remedie which God hath left which is that yet neuerthelesse we be righteous by meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ. For hee hath deliuered vs from the curse which was due vnto vs and for that cause was hee hanged vppon tree Gal. 3.13 as sayth S. Paule We haue seene heeretofore in the one and twentith chapter that as many as were hanged vpon tree were all accursed Now when GOD made that Lawe knewe hee not what hee had ordayned afore concerning his owne only sonne who was to be hanged on tree Surely it was an vnchaungeable decree made euen before the creation of the worlde Seeing it is so wee bee redeemed from the curse by our Lorde Iesus Christ and wee must nowe match this sentence with the other which wee haue seene in the one and twentyth Chapter Whereas it is sayde heere Cursed shall hee bee which performeth not all these sayinges yee see well that for want of performing them wee bee confounded and of ryght as good as damned But yet heerewithall wee must also imbrace our Lorde Iesus Christ who was cursed for our sakes And if that this Curse bee not in vaine then must wee nowe bee needes sette free What a thing were it that the sonne of GOD should bee cursed without cause and yet no fruite redounde thereof to vs That hee which is the fountaine of all blessednesse should bee accursed and yet wee not knowe wherefore but that it should bee vnprofitable Nowe then seeing that the curse which Iefus Christ suffered in his owne person is not vaine and to no purpose let vs knowe that by the same meane wee bee deliuered before GOD. And so yee see howe wee ought to make those two textes to