that is to wit that this booke of Moses beeing well read and vnderstoode doth shew sufficiently who they be that holde the true religion and resolueth a question wherof men seeme partly to doubt yet at this day and partly to determine ouer boldly after their owne fancie against the expresse word of God We speake not here of Turks Iewes Sarasins and such other which are commonly called Miscreants or Infidels as they be in deede but we speake of the nations which haue long time borne the renowne of Christianitie bicause that through Gods gracious goodnes some signe of holy baptisme hath continued amongst them and Iesus Christ is professed there in name We see then that there is great variance nowadaies The one saith that Christianitie requireth that in seruing God men should or at leastwise may haue images set them vp in churches for Christian people the other side vpholdeth on the contrary part that it is a vilanous defiling of religion and an vtter forsaking of the true Christianitie and a taking in of a bastard religion in steede of it If men can finde in their hearts to heare Moses speake in this booke as they needes must or else be conuicted of renouncing God the Father and his sonne our Lord Iesus Christ who is very God and euerlasting life and of resisting the holie Ghost he sheweth the thing which he forgetteth not in his other bookes also namelie that God could neuer away to be serued after that fashion but euermore expresselie forbade images in case of Religion and threatened his owne people with horrible punishments if they held not themselues contented with that single order to rest thereupon without attempting any further Were there no more but the onely text of the second commandement it were ynough and sufficient For as Moses wrote in the twentith of Exodus and hath rehearsed againe at large in the fifth of this present booke God saith Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image And to the intent that no man should vse any wrangling by standing vpon the particular he addeth nor the likenesse of any thing that is in heauen aboue or in earth beneath or in the waters vnder the earth Moreouer to shew that he will not haue men to yeelde them any part of his seruice how little soeuer it be he addeth Thou shalt not bowe downe to them nor worship them Last of all he addeth a horrible and dreadefull threate that he will take vengeance vpon the transgressors and their children to the thirde and fourth generation This commaundement then is set downe in so expresse termes that the matter is as manifest as may be And therefore the lusty laddes that haue helde the people in error perceyuing the great gaine which they and their bellies reaped by this meane or occasion of mingling Images with religion haue ouerleapt this second commaundement and diuided the last commaundement into two that the full number of tenne might be found there still But besides this Moses deliuereth so often expositions of it euen in this selfe same booke and setteth forth so liuely and precise discourses therof that if any man will not giue place thereunto in these dayes this prouerbe may well be verified of him that none is so deafe as he that will not heare and that he is ouerpreached vnto which hath no care to doe well For as touching the arguments which some haue alledged for that purpose in these latter yeres although they haue beene oftentimes chafed and rechafed yet are they so starke and stiffe for colde that they haue no force nor might to giue any holinesse to Images in the Temples of the Christians as hath beene well shewed to the forementioned gainesayers in due time and place and shall still hereafter whensoeuer they list to giue eare And as for vs we haue on the one side to continue in praying vnto God that he vouchsafe to touch the heartes of the people and of their leaders and gouernours effectually by his holy spirite so as they may well vnderstande this point which would be a good meane to appease Gods wrath and to open a great gappe to the reformation that might insue from better to better And on the other side it standeth vs on hand to strengthen our selues in the infallible certaintie of the holy Christian religion and true Apostolike faith which we holde with the other holy Churches that are reformed And as concerning this point no doubt but it is an inuincible fortresse vnto vs that we are able to shewe forth this thing from age to age namely first of all that the true Apostolike and Primatiue Church had no Images at all in their holy meetings whether it were in Temples or elsewhere ne willed the people to kneele downe to them or to set them vp before them That likewise aforetimes when the Church was gouerned by the Iewes both after their returne from Babylon and euen in the captiuitie it selfe the good and faithfull sort did warily keepe themselues from it that if yee mount vp yet higher the true Prophetes were commended for crying out against Images and the manner of worshipping of Images and the holy Kinges were well liked of God for pulling downe razing out and rooting vp the occasions of such superstitions among their people that the good Iudges and gouernours had doone likewise before the kings and that euen Moses himselfe who was auncienter than any others that haue left any bookes of long time spake of them after the same manner and dealt accordingly thereto bicause he had both the administration of the doctrine and the gouernement of the common weale together which was not ordinarie afterwarde in others Yee see then yee see howe the true Catholike Church is on their side which follow the Gospell whatsoeuer men list to say to the contrarie And nowe that we be deliuered from outwarde Idolatrie it standeth vs on hande to looke neerely to our selues that our life bee agreeable to the purenesse of Gods seruice so as wee shunne Couetousnesse which also is named Idolatrie ambition excesse and vanitie of the worlde taking good heede as much as is possible for vs to doe that no man bee withdrawne from the Gospell and the loue thereof through our vndiscreete dealing to the ende it may appeare that whereas the disobedient doe seeke excuses and take occasion of stumbling they doe it without any cause giuen on our behalfe Furthermore the strange blindnesse or ratherwilfull stubbornnesse which is to be seene nowadaies in a number of them that cal themselues Christians ought to make vs so much the earnester in praying to the end aforesaid that is to wit that our good God may vouchsafe to worke so effectually in the hearts of all men as well great as small Kings Princes and other gouernors as their subiects as the wretched world may not alwais continue at the A. B. C of Christianitie without learning any further We terme the second commandement an A. B. C
we be made partakers of thē by his meanes we be of y e order number of y e Leuites that is to say of them that are dedicated vnto god Not as y e people of Israel were which held themselues aloofe in y e body of the temple worshipped God afarre of Heb◠〈…〉 1 〈…〉 but we haue a mean to prease neere him wee haue familiar accesse we haue his own sonne entred afore vs into the Sanctuarie which is not made with mans hand to bring vs in thither in whose name al the faithfull haue libertie to come thither Thus ye see that the thing which wee haue to marke in the first place is that God shooled out one tribe of the children of Israell to serue him in the Sanctuarie but nowe adayes he hath shedde out the same grace vpon all beleeuers and there is no exception but wee be all made holie to offer sacrifice to God and not onely to beare the vesselles of the temple but also to be the verie vesselles themselues ◠Cor. 6.19 For although our bodies bee but wretched carcasses yet fayle they not to be the temples of the holy Ghost and Gods will is to be worshipped in them Hadde there beene sayde no more but that our soules are the temples of God it had beene a verie excellent honour But seeing it is sayde of our earthly and corruptible bodies we see what goodnes God vttereth towardes vs. And therefore let vs learne that this doctrine belonges to vs and that this figure which was vnder the lawe concerneth vs at this day to the end that we should aduauntage our selues thereby And after what manner The first is that we should magnifie the goodnesse of our God in that hee hath shewed himselfe so gratious vnto vs as to chose vs to be his seruauntes not onely to beare the vesselles of his temple but also to be the verie temples thēselues and the altars whereat hee will be worshipped both in our bodies and our soules to the intent we should yeelde him not onely the bodily seruice which consisteth in shadowes and figures but also the true spirituall seruice by dedicating our selues all wholly vnto him Yee see then howe the ende whereat we must beginne is to knowe how greatly we by bounde vnto God for vsing such gratious goodnes towardes vs. 2. Cor. 6.17 Moreouer according as Saint Paul sheweth vs in the second to the Corinthians we must take warning to separate our selues from all vncleanesse as the prophet cryeth out vnto vs saying Separate your selues from all vncleannesse Isa. 52.11 you that carrie the Lordes vessels And Saint Paul alleadging the same text of Esay sayth that according to the same promise it is good reason that wee shoulde giue our selues to cleannesse both of bodie and soule For in very deede the prophet Esaie in saying Be ye cleane you that beare the Lordes vesselles hath not an eye to the time of the figures but extendeth his doctrine to the kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ. Nowe then this text must needes be performed in vs. But there are not nowe a dayes any moe materiall vesselles as there were in the time of the Lawe and therefore it followeth that the doctrine thereof must bee performed in higher matters that is to say that in asmuch as God hath called vs to be members of his sonne and by that meane to come so neere him as he may dwell in vs we be his temples the same should prouoke vs to giue our selues to all cleannesse which thing wee can not doe but by separating of our selues from the corruptions of the world For wee dwell here among such filthinesse as it is not possible for vs to scape vninfected vnlesse we labour to withdrawe our selues from it Yea and there needes no euill to come vpon vs from elsewhere for euerie of vs shall finde ynough in himselfe Wherefore lette vs beware that wee turne away from all wicked lustes and that we cut off whatsoeuer is defiled in vs and generally all that euer is of the world so as we may prease vnto our God and hauing giuen ouer the world we may be so vnited vnto him as he may auowe vs to be his priestes For if we doe otherwise we shal be dubble accursed and we shall not be able to excuse our selues but that God hath aduaunced vs high ynough But what excuse will there be for vs nowe when our Lorde hath brought vs so neere vnto him and vouchsafed to make vs priestes to offer vppe our owne selues vnto him and to make vs his temples so as we should haue a spirituall altar erected vnto him in our selues Seeing that God hath brought vs to that point is it not a horrible treacherie say I if wee fall to vnhallowe his temple Nowe then lette vs vnderstande that whensoeuer this worlde turneth vs away vnto euill wee offer God greate wrong in making his temple a swynes stie and in vnhallowing the thing that he had hallowed by causing all the corruptions of Sathan and of this worlde to come into his temple Surely it ought to holde vs in awe and to make vs walke in all soundenesse so as we giue not ouer our bodies and soules to anie dishonestie seeing that God hath sanctified them to himselfe This is the thing which we haue to beare away vpon the first part of this text Neuerthelesse lette vs marke that although God haue extended the sayde grace of making vs all Leuites or Priestes to all the members of his Church yet hath hee not vtterly abolished the order of his Church but his will is to haue some certaine men appointed to the preaching of his worde And that is the thing which is ment here in the seconde place where he saith that they shall stande before the Lorde to serue him and finally that they shall blesse in the Lordes name The same must bee put in vre at this day by the ministers of the worde For although God haue called vs all in common to bee serued and honoured at our handes yet doeth he require a speciall seruice at their handes whom he setteth ouer his Church to be the shepheardes thereof that is to witte that they should shewe the way and alwayes be in a readinesse to serue God And this seruice importeth that the Leuites shoulde maintaine the religion pure and vncorrupted among the people and shewe the Iewes that they ought not to deale with the superstitions of the heathē and what God it was which had deliuered them and to be short that they shoulde alwayes holde the people in obedience to the true faith And for the same cause GOD allotted them not any one certaine countrie or shire to dwell in but dispersed thē throughout the whole lande We knowe there was not anie one tribe which had not Leuites among them And why was that For God could well ynough haue gathered thē together so as they might haue bin all together in Ierusalem
in very dede But what We welter in our own dung euen till we do as it were stinke in it without any care or regard at all And that is the cause of such contēpt of the gospel of such vnthankefulnes as is seene almost euery where Yet notwithstanding it behoueth y e faithfull to consider of how great value it is 2. Cor. 5.20 y t God receiueth them to mercy sheweth himselfe to be a father to them that such as are appointed to preach his word are as witnesses to certifie vs y t God beareth vs such fatherly loue Trueth it is y t this was accōplished by our Lord Iesus Christ for he was the only priest and y t that which wee do is not to take his office vpon vs but onely to approue ratifie the thing y t he did Hebr. 5.6 And therefore let vs marke well that it belongeth onely to our Lord Iesus Christ to assure vs of the loue of God his father but yet doth he also witnes it vnto vs by y e mouthes of such as preach the Gospel in his name It hath bin told vs herewithall that the things which were figured vnder y e Law Col. 2.17 haue bin performed in his person For the high priests when they blessed the people had a solemn ceremony of lifting vp of their handes as though they made an offering vp of all the people vnto God Likewise whē Iesus Christ wēt vp into heauen he vsed y e same fashiō by lifting vp his hands to blesse his disciples Luke 24.50.51 in whose persons hee pronounced a general blessing vpon y e whole body of his Church We see then y t the figures of y e Lawe belōg to vs at this day howbeit not as touching the outward vse of them but as in respect of the substance truth of thē Wherby we be warned to get vs to our Lord Iesus Christ who bringeth vs y e full accomplishment of all thinges And we must vnderstand y t although he be not now conuersant in y e world to blesse vs yet will he haue vs to bee made partakers of the same blessing by meanes of y e gospel when it is preached among vs. This is the effect of the thinges which we haue to gather vpon that place Now Moses addeth That God hath giuen the Leuites no portion among their brethren but that he himselfe would be their portion and heritage Yea but yet for all that he appointed them y e tenthes first-fruits as is shewed in the fourth booke of Moses Num. 18.21 Now then Gods assigning of a portion vnto thē was in such sort as they possessed not any Lande or inheritance more thā their townes suburbs for their cattell But yet tooke they the tenthes firstfruits all other such things of all y e people Herein God had a cōsideration y t such as he mēt to dedicate to y e seruing of himselfe should be w tdrawen frō all worldly affaires y t they might intend to y e seruing of God Gods intent then was y t the Leuits their children shold not giue thēselues to husbādry such other things And why For they had ynough to do to discharg thēselues of their dutie otherwise y t is to wit in calling vpō the people to folow Gods cōmandementes to keepe his couenant so as religion might continue vnapaired faith might haue his full force so consequently y t God might be honored Also they had the Sacrifices which serued them in steed of Sacraments at y t time they were many in nūber because the people could not otherwise be held in order they would easily haue bin mard if they had not bin restreined w t many bridles That therfore was ynough to keep y e Leuits occupied And for the same cause God gaue thē a portion beside the tithes that they might haue wherwith to finde mainteine thēselues while they were a doing of their duties But this hath bin corrupted falsified by the papistes For they haue borne men in hand that tithes belong to thē by Gods Law And why because as they say they belonged to y e Leuits But they consider not y t the Leuites were inheriters of the land of Chanaan as well as those y t were of the tribes of Iuda Beniamin Ephraim Manasses and all y e residue In respect whereof it was meete they shold haue had their portiō with their brethren they ought not to haue bin excluded or banished frō it for y e inheritance of the land was cōmon to them all therfore was it meete y t they should haue had their part of it Yea but God recompensed them after an other fashion It were meete then y t the Pope al his rable shold shew how y e inheritances of all landes belong to thē then might they therepon demand their tithes Thus ye see how this text hath bin miswrested But yet for all this let vs beare in minde howe S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 9.13 y t euen at this day it is Gods wil y t they which preach y e gospel should be nourished and mainteined as well as the Priestes had their liuinges appointed thē in old time 2. Cor. 3.6 S. Paul demādeth in way of cōparison whether y e spiritual seruice y t is yelded to God nowadaies ought not at the least to be asmuch esteemed as the seruice y t was vnder the figures of y e law Now it was Gods will y t such as serued at the altar should be mainteined by the altar therefore it is good reason y t such as at this day doe serue Gods Church in bringing thē his word should also be nourished and mainteined Thus ye see y t the way to vnder stād this text a right is to take S. Paul for our expounder thereof But to conclude peremptorily y t tithes belong to the preachers of y e gospel is to grosse an abuse fondnes Neuertheles we must mark also y t it is not our Lords meaning y t ydols or idle bellies much lesse y t such as peruert al order turne vs away from y e seruing obeying of God should be nourished in his Church Now then if the Shepherdes will needes claime to be found at y e common charges of the Church they must looke that they occupie themselues in the seruice of God As how It is no title of idlenes it is no fantasticall dignitie to be called the Shepherde of a Church but it is a kinde of bondage howbeit y t it be honorable And therfore y e party y t is appointed to be a shepherd or minister must looke y t he obey God and serue his people For we can not serue him y t hath put vs in office but by seruing of his Church Yee see then how the Pope al his hangers on are disappointed of the things which they pretend to pertain to them of
soule To the intent then y t men should not stand poring vpon y e outward fashion figure that is the chiefe poynt The marke say I whereat hee shoores and whereunto all this doctrine is to bee referred is that Gods lawe should be in our hearts and in our soules For though wee haue it euer before our eyes at our tongues end so as wee seeme to set neuer so great store by it and yet in the meane while our heart is locked vp wee haue no courage to serue God truely we doe but deceiue men procure our selues the sorer condemnation before God Now then let vs haue Gods law written let vs haue the sayings of it painted vpō our walles as in tables let vs haue thinges to put vs in minde of it earely late but let not y t serue for our discharge as though God were to be payed in such coyne How then Let vs indeuer to haue it so grauen in our heartes as it may neuer be wiped out againe yea euen in our harts in our soules y t is to say in such sort as it may possesse al our affectiōs For that is y e place where Gods word is to bee kept But what The thing y t S. Iames speaketh of Iames. 1.23 is seene more nowadayes than euer it was namely that they which come to heare Gods word take as much profite by it as by looking vpon themselues in a glasse they be no sooner gone but all is forgotten What fareth a man the better by his seeing of himselfe in a glasse As soone as he turneth away his face his shape vanisheth away Euen so is it with vs. Whereas our comming to Gods word should be to be transformed into y e lykenesse of God ◠Cor. 3.18 as S. Paul teacheth vs in the second to y e Corinthians whereas it is the power propertie of y e Gospel to transforme vs into the glory of God by beholding him in the person of Iesus Christ we come to it but to make a pastime of it so as anon all slippeth away againe there remaineth no substance nor power of it with vs. And by that meanes the precious seede of the Gospell perisheth For it lighteth amōg stones so as it can take no roote A man may loose a good deale of corne if he cast it vppon the drye ground Matt. 13.19 or in a footepath or vpon stones for the byrdes will picke it vp by and by Euen so let vs not maruel though Gods word enter not into vs for whereas our heartes ought to be tilled as when a plowgh hath eared a peece of land they lye still vnopened vnbroken vp at all By reason whereof Gods word may wel be giuen vs as a seede but it shall doe vs no good the diuell wil catche it away by and by because it sinketh not into our heartes our soules That is the cause why I sayd y t al y t Moses hath spoken offrontlets of bracelets of writings set vp in mens houses must be referred altogether to this y t wee shall fare neuerawhit y e better for y e vttering of y e Lawe vnto vs nor vnderstand any thing at all by it vntill it haue taken roote in vs that wee haue receiued it with hartie affection to giue our selues vnto God And yet is not all y t wee haue to doe neither doth God thinke it enough y t euery man shoulde indeuer to profite himselfe by it but he will also haue the fathers to teach their children Wherin he sheweth y t as I haue sayd afore it is not enough for vs to serue our God during our owne liues but we must also prouide y t the seede of religion may remaine after our decease For we be transitorie our lyfe is but a shadow therefore inasmuch as Gods trueth is immortall it is good reason y t it should continue for euer that it should be preserued frō hand to hand that men should put their indeuour thereunto And specially whē God hath giuē them childrē it behoueth them to know y t it is a treasure and that they must yeeld an account thereof For it is no small honor y t God doth to men women when he giueth them children They be creatures fashioned after y e image of God we terme them y e seede of y e Church Now then seeing that God committeth thē to our charge it is good reason y t we should indeuour to bring thē vp in such wise as God may be serued by them y t when religion shal haue continued her course all our lyfe long it may also hold out and continue stil euen after our death But here we see our owne negligence or rather our leawdnesse For wee bee not onely slothfull but we see how the most part of vs doe shun eschew as much as we can to be trained in Gods worde If men bee spoken to of it it is a corsie to them if they perceiue y t there shall be talke of any good doctrine they haue no regard to come there It is well seene y t a number are worse than y e Turkes are so bewitched w t their owne fond opinions y t as soone as y e bell tolleth to call prouoke vs to come dayly to y e hearing of Gods worde they goe another way And for proofe thereof what a number are there which w tdrawe thēselues from it as much as they can Yea when they come they stoppe their eares wilfully because they bee occupyed about their wicked affections and the diuel hath so besotted them as they finde not any sauor at all in any word that is spoken vnto thē but are weary of it as soone as there is any matter spoken concerning God As for y e bringing vp of children y e world sees what it is Fathers are loth to haue their childrē better than thēselues for feare least they should put them to shame Forasmuch as they themselues haue despised God all y e time of their lyfe they be contented y t their children shall despise him full as much or dubble if they happen to haue any regard of y e doctrine it is but for fashions sake by way of constreint But wee bee so taught these thinges in this text y t it shal cost vs full deare to haue bin so warned by God if we regard not the thinges y t he hath tolde vs. Therefore let vs bee alwayes carefull to beare Gods word in minde assuring our selues y t although we haue profited neuer so wel yet are we but in the way we must goe on still so as the once knowing of things is not enough for vs but we must be faine to be put in remembrance of thē continually to be stirred vp by God or else wee shall start away by and by Now then let vs think vppon it let euery of vs haue
of measure they indure after a sorte the peines of damned soules and they are euer readie to increase their superstitions Wherefore let vs looke well to ourselues and seeing it is not lawefull for vs to attempt any thing beyonde Gods will but it behoueth vs to knowe what he requireth of vs and to submitte our selues wholely vnto him lette vs be gentle and meeke minded to beare the yoke patiently which GOD layeth vppon vs seeing it is neither harde nor greeuous as I sayde afore And seeing that the ydolaters doe so followe their geere and nothing can stay their trotting and gadding but that they doe as it were flye to the seruing of their ydolles Lette vs steppe forewarde also sith wee see that our Lorde sheweth vs the way yea and such a way as though it be verie harde as in respect of our corruption is neuerthelesse verie playne and easie to vs in respect of the grace of his holy spirit Heere is this moreouer that Moses sayeth not heere y t the Iewes shall destroy and breake the ydolles in all places wheresoeuer they become but that GOD commaundeth them to doe it in the lande that is giuen them to inherite Wherein we see that the holy Ghost commaundeth not all the faithfull in generall to pull downe and to breake all ydolles in the worlde but onely where they themselues haue authoritie And it is a point well worth the noting For if we be among ydolaters it lyeth not in vs to ridde the Lande from the superstitions that reigne in it What is to bee doone then Euerie man must reforme himselfe in his owne heart so as all ydolles may be thrust out from thence When I see Gods seruice corrupted any where I must forbeare to haunt that place or to communicate in companie with those ydolaters I must cutte off all the wicked affections that are in my fleshe and I must shew moreouer that I am not minded to forsake my GOD nor to falsifie the faith that I haue plighted vnto him by defiling my selfe with the ydolatries that are about mee Therefore euerie man must first and formost reforme his owne heart and secondly separate himselfe from all things that may defile him And that is because GOD hath giuen vs a charge of our owne persons and made vs as it were keepers of his temples to the intent that euery of vs shoulde looke narrowly to ourselues That is a thing which it behoueth vs to doe when wee be in the countrey of Idolaters Besides this euerie man must purge and clense his owne house from all filthinesse So as if a man be a housholder hee must looke well about him that he hold well his children and seruauntes in the feare of GOD and in the purenesse of religion For if a man suffer his house to be defiled and all thinges there to goe to hauocke he shal be sure to make account thereof to God Not that a man can holde his wife and seruants continually tyed to his sleeue to turne them to the christian faith when he lysteth but my meaning is that he must not suffer any superstition or ydolatrie For why Seeing that GOD hath giuen him souereigntie in his owne house it behoueth him to deale in such wise as GOD bee honoured there and as no filthinesse be mingled with the pure religion but that all be ridde quite and cleane away But as for Kinges Princes and Magistrates which haue power and authoritie they must roote out all superstition and ydolatrie And seeing that GOD hath armed them with the sworde it behoueth them to vse it in that behalfe so as they doe not in any wise suffer or giue leaue that there be anie vncleannesse to greeue GOD withall or to abolish or deface his seruice Those are y e thinges which we haue to marke vpon this text of Moseses And therefore to be short let vs remember that hee commaundeth euery of vs to keepe cleane his owne body and soule For why God hath laide such a charge vppon vs that he will haue vs to be the Temples of his holy Ghost 1. Cor. 6.19.20 and therefore hee will haue euerie of vs to keep his bodie as cleane as can bee Nowe then let vs bee carefull to driue al idolatrie farre from vs and not to meddle with it in any wise And agayne let euerie of vs haue an eye to his householde that there bee no infection in it to mar the seruice of God And thirdly let those that are in estate of cheefe souereintie as kinges Princes and magistrates let them I say consider that sith the Lord hath giuen them authoritie and power if they suffer his seruice to bee defaced they shall bee called to account for it For it is saide that when thou art come into the lande thou must driue out al Idolatrie and vtterly deface whatsoeuer hath serued to any superstition And in speaking after that manner Moses sheweth that the putting away of idols is not all that wee haue to doe but that the cheefe point is the aduauncing restoring and stablishing of Gods pure seruice And that is well worthie to be noted For wee shall see a great number nowadayes which can wel enough mocke at the follies of the Pope at the abuses which reigne vnder his tyrannie They dare well enough eat fleshe vpon frydayes and they make no great account of Lent Saints euens or of the taking of holy water or of kissing of Relikes or of gadding on Pilgrimage or of anie other such petie trashe They haue no great deuotion to y e masse or to Shrift neither passe they for the deade or for the singing of diriges and such other paltrie for such as are deceased Wee shall see a great number that can well enough despise all the superstitions of the Popedome yea and euen laugh them to skorne and vtterly condemn thē But what There is no feare of God there is no Religion in them Surely it were much better for them to haue gone on still like bruite beastes in their ignorance than by such contempte to fall to rushing against Gods Maiestie like wilde beastes and not to perceiue that there is a God which reigneth ouer the whole worlde Then doeth it not greatly boote to haue abolished Idols except the true religion bee set vp in the steede of it Like as when a house is builded amisse if it be saide to bee nothing worth or that there be many faultes in it it shall be wel done to pull it downe againe whereas notwithstanding if it were let alone in the same plight so as a man had leuer to haue some Hoggescote to lodge in yet for all the ilfauorednesse and faultinesse of it it would serue his turne after a sorte being let stande still but if it were pulled downe and rased to the grounde and none other builded vp in steede thereof the pulling downe of it were to no purpose at al. Let vs marke then that here Moses deliuereth vs a perfecte
estimation by setting a faire face and countenaunce vppon the matter And therefore let vs marke in feawe wordes that Gods word ought to serue vs to dubble purpose First to teach vs his will that wee may submit our selues simply vnto it so that when wee haue the grace giuen vs to haue the doctrine purely taught vs then euery of vs should agree thereunto and hearken to the voyce of our sheepheard and followe whatsoeuer is tolde vs without gainesaying The thing which wee must doe when wee haue order in the Church so as there be no sectes nor troubles in it but Gods trueth is purely preached is that there must bee true concorde and brotherly loue among vs to answere our God all with one hart and one mouth that his trueth may be aduaunced among vs. The second vse thereof is that when it falleth out that Satan indeuoreth to turne vs away and there spring vp heresies false doctrines and errors among vs wee must withstand all such things and shew that Gods trueth is strong enough to hold vs still vnto him according to my former saying that our faith must get the vpper hand of all the world so as wee bee starke deafe in hearkening to any of all the wiles that are put to vs to intice vs from GOD and his pure trueth Thus yee see in effect what is told vs in this text And let vs marke well Moseses maner of speache If a prophet steppe vp among you sayth he Hereby hee sheweth that wee must not onely withstand the open enemies that fight against Gods word and pretend not at all to bee of his flocke or to haue any partnership or neighborhoode with vs but also resist our homebred battels insomuch that if there rise vp any deceiuer among our selues that is to say if any such as maketh pretence to be of the fellowship of the faithfull and to be as it were of the very household of faith step vp we must not bee troubled at it out of measure And that is well worthie to be noted for if the christian faith be impugned by the wicked which pretend not to come vnto God as by the Turkes Paynims and Iewes so as they blaspheme with open mouth forasmuch as they be vtterly cut off from the Church lyke rotten members their resisting of the Gospell and their striuing to abolishe the Christian religion is no great woonder to vs. For why Wee be as it were hardened with such examples Therfore when the opē enemies set themselues against God his word it is a tēptation that will easily bee ouercome But when those that are knitte vnto vs and are as it were of our owne bodie doe fall to tearing of the vnitie of our faith in peeces to peruert Gods trueth and to marre it in such wise as it shoulde bee disfigured that is such a perplexitie and griefe to vs as wee wote not where to become And that is the thing that troubleth so many simple folkes nowadayes What shall wee doe say they For wee see so much disputing in the Church and so greate diuersitie of opinions that it were better to aske no question of any thing insomuch that a great number become carelesse for feare to bee intangled in wicked matters and to bee beguyled and therefore they let all alone and will not in any wise come neere vnto God Wee see a greate sorte of men of that stampe Othersome let loose the raynes of the brydle and take libertie to maintaine one while one mans saying and another while another mans and are neuer fully persuaded of any thing but are in one mynde to day and in another minde to morrowe and chaunge at euery minute of an houre Wee see a number of wild heades nowadayes which haue no stay at all but thinke that all thinges are lawfull And why For I see there are diuerse opinions say they But such men do shewe that they neuer tasted what Gods trueth is The first sort doe well bewray a cursed vnbeleefe For our Lorde promiseth that such as seeke him with a lowly heart shall not be disappointed but hee will shewe him selfe to them Esa. 45.19 Matt. 7.7 Luke 11.19 Let vs knocke and the doore shal be opened If wee desire reuerently to be guided by God surely he will not faile vs. Let vs distrust our owne infirmitie and rudenesse and our Lorde will give vs the spirite of discretion so as wee shall not bee beguyled To be short this saying of Saint Paul which I haue alleaged alreadie heretofore shall euer be perfourmed ◠Cor. 11.19 namely that heresies shall turne to the true tryall of our faith and not bee able to ouerthrowe it For as touching those that are so fleeting without cause they shewe that there was nothing in them but a false pretence and that they did but play the hypocrites in making a countenance to sticke to Gods trueth for had they beene well rooted in it as I sayde they woulde haue continued stedfast in it still To conclude let such examples prouoke vs to put this lesson the better in vre And when wee see the troubles that are nowadays in the world let vs not be ouercome by them neither let our faith be defaced But the more the diuel laboureth and inforceth himselfe to vndo it the more let it aduaunce it selfe and get the vpper hande of such assaultes And when wee see false prophets step vp among vs let vs not ceasse to yeeld this honour still to God that wee hold our selues to his word and start not from it by any means And very necessitie constraines vs to it in these dayes because wee see that such as call themselues Christians and take that title most vppon them are the worst enemies of God that a man can finde For the Turkes Iewes are not more fierie and venemous at this day against God to deface the whole doctrine of saluation than are the Papistes And therefore let vs arme our selues with the warning that is giuen vs heere which is that when wee see false prophets step vp in the sheepefold and in the middes of Gods house yet notwithstanding wee must not faile to hold on stil nor make a stumbling blocke of it to step aside or start away but ouergo it through the power of faith Yea and to come yet neerer the matter when wee see these varlets that had pretended to be at oddes with the Papistes and had mingled themselues among vs do thereupō fall to inuenting of false opinions let vs not bee ouermuch amazed for all that True it is that wee be not senselesse that we haue neede to be waked but yet must wee alwayes conclude thus with our selues How nowe Our Lord hath beene so gratious to vs as to open his owne holy mouth to giue vs the certeintie of faith by his Gospel and shall wee nowe turne away at euery push After that manner say I must wee withstande all the temptations that may befall vs when deceiuers
assault euerie minute of an houre would we not prouide for it Now the case standeth so with vs that our enemie is not onely at hande but also is entered in already When wee heare his lyes and withstand them not ne make account of theÌ„ we may seeme to be wilfully disposed to perish as wee bee worthie And as touching vs that are shepheardes it standeth vs in hande to haue a double voyce For wee must gather together the sheepe as much as is possible and when they bee in the flocke wee must keepe them there quietly But if there be wolues also and theeues that woulde inuade the flocke against those we must crye out aloude And yet besides this such as haue the sworde in their hande must prouide for it also and euerie man to his power must streine himselfe to keepe Gods Church from infecting with suche poyson that the deuill may not haue his full scope to falsifie the pure trueth to aduaunce himselfe against GOD to ouerthrowe the right religion and at a worde to turne all thinges vpside downe but we must let these thinges as much as we can Wherefore let vs marke that it was Gods will that falseprophetes shoulde be rooted out from among his people Nowe at the first sight this Lawe seemeth to bee ouerstreite for is it meete that a man shoulde bee punished so sore for speaking his minde Verily it is a wonder that we can abide that one shoulde be punished for speaking against a mortall man and that when a man shall haue blasphemed the liuing GOD we coulde finde in our heartes that he shoulde scape vnpunished It appeareth what zeale is in them which woulde haue such rigour abolished If a Prince be misused men will thinke that death is too small a thing for the offender and that the fact can not be sufficiently reuendged insomuch that whosoeuer speaketh against the princes authoritie shall bee punished and no man will speake against it If a man be founde so wicked as to procure a rebellion or to rayse an insurrection among the people verie well he must loose his heade for it and no man will say that such a Lawe is vniust or wicked And why Because it serues for the mainteynaunce of the state and common weale of the Countrey And yet for all this whereas GOD hath the soueraigne dominion of all a woorme of the earth shall sette himselfe against him and goe about to robbe him of his honour and to deface his maiestie and authoritie and yet all this shall be as nothing it shall be let slippe and because it is but woordes there is no reason why such punishement should ensewe of it But they that say so doe well shewe that they haue no loue at all towardes GOD but which worse is that they coulde finde in their heartes that all thinges were confounded together in a hotchpotche so as men might scoffe at GOD and at his maiestie and turne all religion into a mockerie and scorne To be shorte whosoeuer he is that speaketh so he is not to be taken for an ignoraunt person seeing hee woulde that false doctrines shoulde be vnpunished but rather hee is to bee counted a despiser of GOD and an vphoulder of the deuill which seeketh nothing else but the â—urning of all thinges vpside downe in the worlde For our parte lette vs learne to haue Gods honour in such estimation that wheras we reuenge the wronges doone to men wee thinke it much more reason that the partie shoulde bee punished which violateth the maiestie of him that hath created and fashioned vs. And the matter concerneth not onely the honour of God but also the saluation of our owne soules for they be thinges inseparable And that ought well to whette vs on the more not to beare with the erroures and deceites of false prophetes See howe GOD witnesseth the infinite Loue that hee beareth vs in that hee matcheth our saluation with his owne glorie so as men canne not touche the one without hurting of the other insomuch that if a man deface the honour of GOD the saluation of man is assayled therewithall In respect whereof GOD sayeth vnto vs suffer mee not to bee misused among you nor your selues to bee inticed to shrinke from my obedience But if there be any wicked man among you that goeth about to egge you away beware yee nourishe not such a plague Doeth not our Lorde in so saying shewe that wee can not serue to his honour nor mayntaine him in his estate but that in so dooing wee procure our owne welfare And therefore these dalyers and mockers that woulde haue vs to beare with all manner of false doctrine and that it shoulde bee Lawefull for euerie man to spewe out whatsoeuer hee lysteth besides that they shewe themselues traitours to GOD and vtter defacers of his maiestie if it lay in them to doe it doe also bewraye themselues to bee enemies of mankinde and desirous to bring their soules to ruine and destruction so as they bee worse than murtherers Let vs marke then that if Gods honour bee precious in our sight and that the saluation of our owne soules bee deere vnto vs we must not nourishe heresies nor abuses nor any other of Sathans trumperies but euerie of vs in his owne state and calling must procure the purging of Gods Churche from all euill that wee may worshippe him with one common consent that his doctrine may bee receiued and that there may bee no diuision among vs. But this was sayde to the people of olde time Yea and Gods honour must not be diminished by vs at this day the reasons that I haue alleadged alreadie doe serue as well for vs as for them Then lette vs not thinke that this Lawe is a speciall Lawe for the Iewes but let vs vnderstande that GOD intended to deliuer vs a generall rule to which wee must tye our selues In deede it is alleadged that when our Lorde Iesus Christ came into the worlde he aduaunced not his doctrine by the sworde but rather both he and his were persecuted and therefore that the right way to mayntaine the true religion is not to punishe such as set vppe themselues against it but rather to holde our selues contented with the spirituall swoorde and to vse that in our fighting against Satan so as our vnholding of the trueth bee alwayes by sufferaunce and patience if the worlde doe persecute it But lette vs see whether our Lorde haue excluded and banished Princes and Magistrates and Officers of Iustice out of his flocke so as they may not be Christians No surely For when he speaketh of the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christe hee sayeth expresly Yee kinges stande you in awe and yee Iudges of the earth Psal. 2.10 humble you your selues and all of you kisse the sonne Moreouer before hee speake to priuate persons hee willeth expresly that Kinges Iudges and Officers of Iustice shoulde doe homage to our Lorde Iesus Christ then they bee called to the
that order obserued among those that are his Marke that for one point And herewithall it behoueth vs to consider of whome hee speaketh Hee sayeth not onely if a man goe about to abolish all religion as wee see some worldlings doe which coulde finde in their heartes like a sort of dogges and swyne that men shoulde make a mockerie of all the seruice of God hee speaketh not of such kinde of men But his saying is if a man go about by superstitious meanes to turne thee from mee to the seruing of ydolles although it bee of the gods that are moste renowmed in the worlde in the seruing and worshipping of whome the people that are about thee doe thinke themselues to do well If any man labour to turne thee from my worde to make thee followe after those gods let him bee rooted out Nowe then wee see that God punisheth not onely those that woulde abolish all religion but also those that woulde corrupt his trueth And therefore for the better vnderstanding of this lawe that is giuen vs heere let vs marke at a worde that it is not for vs to saye There is no God it is but folly for men to trouble themselues about any deuotion for wee shall gaine nothing by it but wee must consider that if a man bee neuer so deuout and thinke to doo neuer so well yet if hee turne himselfe to the superstitions of the Heathen like a renegate and knowe not the true God hee is condemned And it is a distinction which wee ought to beare well in minde For our Lorde sheweth vs that hee will haue vs to bee contented with his worde and to rest wholly vppon it that wee may bee brydled by it and not attempt to alter any thing seeing hee hath once declared with his owne mouth what hee alloweth And hee sayeth expressely the gods which neither thou nor thy fathers haue knowen By this saying hee doeth vs to vnderstande that it behooueth vs to bee well assured of our religion For to put a man to death without hauing knowen which is the true God were but a frantike zeale as wee see the Papistes doe at this day and the Heathen haue beene wont to doe at all times yea and euen the Iewes also who haue put this lawe in execution howbeit a misse against the prophets And vnder the same pretence were our Lorde Iesus and his Apostles driuen to suffer persecution As for the Heathen when they made lawes for the obseruing of the manner of religion that was stablished among them they had a good grounde and foundation for the thing they did For it is not ynough for Magistrates to make lawes to represse robberies murther and violence but they knewe also howe it was meete that God should haue the forehande Nowe if nature taught them so much what excuse will there bee for vs that professe Christianitie if we say it is ynough for men to represse robberies aduowtries murthers and other such violent and outragious dooings that tende to the hurt of priuate persons and in the meane while make none account of God What a dealing were that The Heathen then had a good grounde in that they knewe that in a well ordered Common weale religion ought to bee obserued and that if any man attempted ought to the contrarie he was to be punished in so much that it was a matter of life and death among them and it was obserued throughout all the worlde in all ages The Iewes did not amisse in beeing zelous in punishing false prophets after that God had giuen them this lawe Likewise in these dayes whereas the Papistes say that Heretikes are to bee punished that is true wee confesse that they bee worthie of it But therewithal they ought to come to the poynt that is set downe heere namely that it behooueth vs to knowe which is the GOD whome wee serue and that wee bee sure that our religion is not a thing set foorth at all aduenture but that wee holde the infallible trueth of Gods owne sending and that it is preached vnto vs in his name by his authoritie so as it is hee on whome our faith is grounded It woulde become vs say I to come to that poynt But the Papistes play the beasts in that behalfe bearing themselues in hand that so they shut their eyes they may execute their rage and furie vppon innocents And after the same manner haue the Heathen ouershot themselues For because religion was to bee maintained they not discerning what they did nor perceiuing whether it was good or euill did set themselues against the seruauntes of God Likewise dealt the Iewes with the Prophets Yee see then here is a point which it standeth vs in hande to wey well all our life long and that is that wee must haue knowen the true God so as wee may iustly and without grudge of conscience condemne the errours which men woulde drawe vs to Which thing will come to passe if wee haue the light of Gods worde to shewe vs the way for thence it is that all good discretion commeth Nowe then to the intent wee may benefite our selues by this text let vs marke first of all what loue wee ought to beare to our Lord God when hee hath vttered himselfe vnto vs. Namely that wee must beware that in any wise hee may bee serued without gainsaying and that the rule which hee hath giuen vs bee vnbroken and that nothing bee chaunged in his worde but that we make much more account of the doctrine which wee haue receiued of him than of our liues And therefore let vs not bee plucked backe from the saide zeale for any worldly respect as wee see the worlde is which fauoureth more his owne fleshly affections than God But howsoeuer the case stande yet must wee fight against all impedimentes and distresses vntill the saide zeale doe get the vpper hande in vs so as wee will rather cause them to dye which seeke the defacing of the true Religion than suffer such a plague to preuaile in the Church to the infecting and marring of our selues or of any others And hereof wee may gather a good exhortation which is that when wee see Gods honour impaired any manner of way it must greeue vs at the heart according to the generally saying of the Psalme Psal. 69.10 concerning all reproches I say wee must not beare with any thing whatsoeuer it be whereby Gods honour may be impeached or defaced But what Little in deede is this doctrine imbraced nowadaies For blasphemie hath his ful scope euery where and if a body be to be reproued for so doing though a dosen persons bee at the hearing of the blasphemie yet shall not a man finde so much as one witnesse In this case God ordeyneth all both small and greate to bee his aduocates and hee will haue euery man to doe him seruice in it For it needes not to bee sayd to a man Haue a care to bewray blasphemie when ye heare it No
had bin executed as had bin for our benefite and behoofe Christianitie had not beene so corrupted as it is neither had Religion beene so imbaced as wee see it is For the remedie thereof was good and behouefull but men haue not vsed it And that hath caused all thinges to come to vtter confusion Therefore it standeth vs the more in hand to take warning that if this Lawe helde vs not in awe wee shoulde alwayes bee in daunger of withdrawing our selues from the seruing of God and he shold no sooner haue giuen vs his word but it shoulde by and by vanish away againe through the malyce and vnthankfulnesse of a great number which woulde soone ouerthrowe the state that is stablished at this day among vs. Marke that for one speciall point Secondly let vs marke howe it is not said that all ydolaters in generall should be punished but onely such ydolaters as liue in some Church of God where order is set alreadie and where Religion is certainly stablished and thinges are sufficiently knowen For then if any man do wilfully playe the naughtipacke and forsake the pure seruing of God and defile himselfe with ydolatrie and superstition that person deserueth death Besides this let vs marke well that as I saide heretofore if wee bee not punished before men we must early or late come to account before God and there we shall finde that we haue deserued not onely to be stoned but also to bee vtterly banished from the euerlasting saluation And why Because we were baptised in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ euen before we knew any thing at all True it is that wee haue beene mistaught but that excuseth not our disobedience but that wee our selues to the vttermost of our power haue falsified our baptisme for wee haue beene corrupted with ydolatrie So then our Lorde might with good right thrust vs quite out of his kingdome and hee could doe it well ynough neuerthelesse wee see howe he hath gathered vs home to him Nowe therefore let vs bethinke vs of the state wherein we haue beene being ashamed of our selues let vs craue pardon at Gods hand And as I haue saide afore let vs not be ashamed to confesse our selues to bee wretched offenders that God may vse no violence against vs nor enter into the rigour of his iudgement towards vs. And that is the cause why it is sayde in Ezechiel Thou shalt remember thine owne wayes Ezec. 16 6◠and be ashamed of them For there God speaketh of the repentance of such as had beene deceiued for a time by ydolatrie declaring that when they were brought againe into the right way of saluation they ought to be verie mindfull of the euill which they had committed yea they ought to thinke vppon it with shame and confusion That is the thing which wee haue to beare in minde So that although God drawe not his sword to punish our bodies yet faile we not to bee guiltie and damnable before God Neuerthelesse we must vnderstand that hee will alwayes haue pitie vppon vs 1. Cor. 11.31 if wee preuent his iudgement condemne our selues aforehand acknowledging our selues to be worthy to sinke for the ydolatrie and superstition which we haue followed but that God haue pitie vpon vs. But as I saide we haue wherewith to comfort vs because we knowe y t he is readie to receiue vs to mercie when wee acknowledge our sinnes and repaire to him after the foresaid manner That is a thing which we haue to mark further where it is said that if y e thing be reported men must inquire of it Now he addeth that the partie which hath done the misdeede shal be conueyed out at the gate and why so For saith Moses hee hath committed abhomination before the Lorde whether it be man or woman as hee had saide afore For it is such a sinne as is wicked and grieuous in the eyes of the Lord. Wherin he doth vs to vnderstand that we must not iudge after our own imagination whether that deede be worthy of death or no. For it is a thing which beguileth many men maketh them to striue against God and to blaspheme his Law that they will needs giue sentence of them selues according to their owne opinion But contrariwise our Lord bringeth vs backe here to his will It is euill in my sight saith he it displeaseth me I abhorre it And hee telleth vs moreouer that we must rest vpon his worde saying I haue commanded it Hereby therfore let vs take warning that wee iudge not at all aduenture with diuelish boldnesse as these galants do nowadays which would not haue religiō to come in iudgement for the punishing of blasphemie and such other like things which are committed against y e honor of God To be short they would not haue the Magistrates to sit in iudgement vppon any fault committed against y e first table If any fault be committed against men as robbery ryot murther or aduowtry they be contented that y t shal be punished but if Gods name be blasphemed if any abhomination be committed to the putting away of al feare of god if heresies spring vp to y e trouble of the Church and to the peruerting of all order they would haue that to be suffered excused And what leadeth them thereto but the saide hellish pride that when a thing misliketh not them they thinke y t God shoulde yeeld to their lyking But therin appeareth their ouerweening matched w t vngodlines of making none account of God forasmuch as they can finde in their hearts that his maiestie should be so lightly esteemed at all assayes Howbeit let vs for our part marke what is set down here namely that if any euill displease the eyes of the Lord it is not to be borne withall neither must wee in that case leane to our owne wisedome as if wee woulde say O I will shewe my verdit of it No no we must thinke it ynough that God holdeth it for abhomination and that hee cannot away with any such thing Furthermore he expresly sendeth vs backe to his word to the intent wee should see it proued to our faces that they which are such ydolaters ought not to bee excused for they make warre against God And is the crime of rebellion a veniall sinne Is it a fault that may bee pardoned without making any countenance of doing any thing to it If a man doe of wilfull malice rebell against his father or his mother his master or his superior it shal be throughly weyed and continually aggrauated to double treble the fault And shall a man be so rebellious against God as to defie him and to doe quite contrarie to his will and intent and shoulde we still cocker and flatter them that haue so grieuously offended We see that our Lord speaketh but onely to such as haue bin dulie taught his wil aforehād For he sayde not to the heathen or the vnbeleeuers I haue commanded you this or I
God had a certaine regard bare a special fauour vnto al that house vnto them which were to issue from it accordingly also as we see how he saith As concerning Ismael 〈◊〉 17.10 I haue heard thee And in very deede it was not for nought y t God cōmaunded y t Ismael should be circumcised We know what circumcision importeth it is a signe of the fauor of God Now seeing it was giuen vnto Ismael it is great reason y t he should approch more neere vnto God than the Paynims which were altogither defiled which had no signe that God loued them I say no particular signe For in as much as he maketh his sunne to shine vpon the good vppon the wicked Mat. 5.45 in that he nourisheth the whole world therby he proueth himselfe a father towards all But here the case is of hauing some warrant of adoption Now Ismaell had it But in the end it is saide that he shall not be the inheritour of the house 〈◊〉 21.10 〈◊〉 4.30 Behold he is cut off And S. Paul also alleageth the same similitude to shew that there are many which are called in the church of God which in the ende are driuen out againe banished as not worthy to enioy so great a benefit And so was it with Esau for he was the sonne Isaac yea he and his brother Iacob were twinnes 〈◊〉 15.24 by reason whereof it might seeme there should haue been two nations of like condition estate altogither Esau was the elder for that cause should haue been preferred before his brother but he was bereued of his right God chaunged the order of nature to the intent we might haue a looking glasse as the holy scripture sheweth it to bee that it is of meere fauour when we are elected of God y t we must not seeke y e cause therof in our selues as if we had preuented him or as if we had deserued any thing y t he had found vs more worthy thā others There is none of al this But if wee bee smal contemptible yea as it were thinges borne out of time God will magnifie his goodnes so much the more by choosing vs. Yee see how Esau is driuen out of his fathers house And in what maner Is it that he should be put beside all y e commodities of this world No. For he was rich wealthie Yea it seemed y t he was an hundred fold more happie than his brother Iacob For whiles Iacob remained a stranger stil in the land Esau was wel harbored his ofspring was settled in peace Yea he had then the lordship gouernment in y e countrey of Edom which countrie caried his name And al this whyles poore Iacob is a fugitiue in a farre countrie And when hee returneth hee falleth on his knees before him Gen. 33.4 desireth mercie so as his life seemed to hang by a slender thread that Esau should deuour him like as when a Wolfe holdeth a sillie sheepe in his chawes Euen so stoode y e case with him And in the end when Iacob was com home againe wee see he did nothing but wander here there so as hee had scarce any corner to liue in yea y t was at the curtesie of another he had no water to drink but it cost him dearely he was hardly entreated many quarels were picked vnto him for al the things y t he had lastly hee was driuen from his owne home into Egypt by reason of famine there to dye But as for the Edomites they pyned not away after that maner And so we see as I told you y t God meant in this behalf to shew the fauour which he bestoweth on men when he vouchsafeth to choose them unto himselfe And herewithal we see how his goodnes was extended to al the stock of Abraham although they which were children only after y e flesh were not accounted nor aduowed to be of the church yet neuertheles there alwayes remained some remnant of grace amōg them Likewise at this day we be farre neerer neighbors vnto the Papists than vnto y e Turkes or other Paynims And the reason is because y t albeit they are estranged from the grace of god haue corrupted al religion are so intāgled in their abuses corruptions as it is horrible to behold yet notwithstanding there remayneth among them some footstep of y e calling of God For they haue baptisme which is a visible signe wherby we see y t God held thē of his house of his fold Ye see then how y e papists are as it were the Edomites For they were first called and shoulde haue beene partakers of the saluation which was preached vnto vs by the gospel they beare yet the mark therof as touching baptisme But because they haue peruerted the seruice of God yea as it were taken faith clean away by the which they should haue bin called vnto the mercie which hath bin brought vnto vs by our Lord Iesus Christ it is great reason y t they shold be held for Edomites But on the other side we ought notwithstanding to call to mynd the brotherhood which they had with vs. And therfore let vs endeuor as much as is possible for vs to bring them back againe that we may be knit togither againe And how knit togither againe I meane not that we should turne aside from the pure trueth of God to be at agreement with the Papists but that they should enter that is to say that they should approch neare vnto God so we be reconciled al of vs yeelding obediēce vnto our heauenly father so as we may haue al one head Iesus Christ who will defende vs vnder his wings When the Papistes come order themselues thus we are to receiue them with all gentlenes by reasō of the brotherhood which God hath set betweene them vs. And we must not only do so but also must seeke them as much as is possible for vs to do As touching the Egyptians it is saide y t they also shal be receiued into the Church And why For thou wast a stranger saith he in the land of Egypt Now in deede true it is that the children of Israel were oppressed with cruel bondage by reson of the cruel tyrannie which the Egyptians exercised ouer them But yet Gods will is that their benefits should be acknowledged Albeit they so vniustly oppressed the childrē of Israel yet because y e children of God had their refuge thither in the time of famine were there relieued God wil not haue that benefit forgotten And y t is the cause also why God by the Prophet Esay Esa. 52.4 comparing the captiuitie of Egypt with y e captiuitie of Assyria saith In deede my people went to soiorne in Egypt necessitie constrained them therto wheras the Egyptians oppressed them in so doing they did them wrong but yet they had some
men bee not brought into the way of saluation and that all of vs liue not with one accorde as wee ought to doe It is saide The straunger also that dwelleth with thee shall in likewise be taught In deede they had not the promise as the childrē of Abraham had they were not of the body of that people But neuerthelesse God would not haue any brutish people to abide there which shoulde despise all religion for it is such an infection and corruption as is not to bee borne withall in the church when such folke are to bee seene there as knowe not whether there bee a God in heauen or not or which knowe not what religion they shoulde holde Such are to bee ridde away or else there wil bee nothing but corruption which in the ende will marre all Againe it is sayde The children of them which haue not heard thereof afore It is shewed in this place that when the lawe of God hath serued to establish vs in his feare and in the hope of his goodnes and that wee our selues haue beene edified thereby from day to day wee must not forget them that haue not yet tasted of y e trueth but doe as yet goe astray in their errors we must pitie them and doe our indeuour so much as in vs lyeth to winne them that God may be honoured of vs all together That is all in effect which wee haue to beare away concerning this place Nowe as I haue alreadie sayde if the people of Israel were exhorted to haue such a care in the time when they had the doctrine yet more darkely than it is nowe deliuered vnto vs in the Gospel for albeit that it was sufficient for that time yet in comparison of the Gospel it was not so large as wee haue it now sith it is so let vs looke well to our selues and marke well that if euer wee be bereft of this so precious treasure which God hath giuen vs so as it be taken from vs it is for our owne malice rechlesnesse and vnthankfulnes because wee haue despised God and thrust the things vnder foote which wee shoulde haue kept most carefully And therefore let it be a warning to vs to make vs giue good heede to the heauenly doctrine when it is once taught vs and set afore vs. And moreouer let vs followe the order which our Lorde hath established in his Church and not onely let euery of vs for his owne particular part and person followe it and indeuour to profit his owne housholde but also let vs benefite al other folk in common by exercising our selues in that which God commandeth vs. And againe when euery of vs hath so considered of himselfe let vs in likewise bee careful of our neighbours doe our indeuours to winne the ignorant to confirme them which be alreadie brought into the good way vntill wee bee all come to the marke that God hath set before vs. Now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults beseeching him to make vs to feele them more and more euen with such repentance as being beaten downe in our selues we may seeke nothing but to obtein mercie of him according as he hath promised vs in our Lord Iesus Christ so as he will cause the desert of his death passion to be auailable that we being washed from all our filthines may be so gouerned by his holy Spirite as we may desire nothing but to giue ouer our selues vnto him fighting against all maner of wicked lustes affections labouring more and more to bee ridde and deliuered from all things that may hinder vs from yeelding our obedience to his righteousnes That it may please him to grant this grace not only vnto vs but also to al people nations of the earth c. On Munday the iiij of May 1556. The CLXXV Sermon which is the third vpon the one thirtith Chapter 14 Then the Lorde said vnto Moses Behold the dayes of thy death be at hand Call Iosuah and stand both of you at the Tabernacle of the Congregation that I may giue him his charge So Moses and Iosuah went and stoode at the Tabernacle of the congregation 15 Then appeared the Lord at the Tabernacle in a clowdie pillar and the clowdy pillar rested vpon the doore of the Tabernacle 16 And the Lord said vnto Moses Beholde thou goest to sleepe with thy fathers and this people will stande vp and commit fornication with the strange gods of the lande whereinto they goe and will forsake mee and breake my couenant which I haue made with them 17 By reason whereof my wrath shall in that day be kindled against them and I will forsake them and hyde my face from them that they may be a pray Many mischiefes and troubles shall they fynde By reason whereof they shall say at that day Do not these mischiefes finde mee out because my God is not with mee GOD hath such a care of mans welfare that hee delayeth not the remedying of a mischiefe til the mischiefe be come but preuenteth if aforehand as we haue here a faire exāple thereof He tarried not til the people were turned away after idols but forasmuch as he knewe well y t it would so come to passe hee vouchesafed to warn them of it made an assay to see whether any preseruatiue medicine might holde it from breaking out God therefore ordeined this song to the intent y t the people shoulde daily haue in their mouth a testimonie against themselues y t they should by that meanes be either restrayned if it were possible or else bee left vtterly w tout excuse And here we see first of al y t God did not choose this people for that they were more worthie or more righteous than other nations of y e earth For proofe wherof he knew very wel that they would be always inclined to euil and not ceasse to shrinke away but become hard-harted in rebelling against him yet for all y t he forbare not to deliuer them out of the land of Egypt to powre out all y e treasures of his infinite goodnes mercie vpon them in doing thē good We haue then heere a certaine proofe y t when God did choose the people of Israel hee had no respect to any worthines or merites that were in them but rather meant to glorifie his own free mercie in shewing y t although men be neuer so vnworthie to be receiued to mercie yet doth he not therefore cease to shew himselfe a father towards them But herewithal we see also as I haue already sayd that god ordeineth such remedies as hee knoweth to bee conuenient to bring them back into the right way delayeth not the releeuing of them till they haue done are falne downe but prouideth all the helpes aforehand which he knoweth to be meete for the leading guiding of them to the intent they should not swarue nor start
and dispatching of their owne affection and of all that euer they haue of nature but yet our Lord Iesus sheweth that no man can followe him nor come vnto him to continue stedfastly in y e Gospel but with condition of forgetting his father and mother and of forsaking his wife and of giuing ouer his own children After what manner Not that we do it of our owne head for euery man ought to discharge his dutie as much as he can But if a man bee called to forsake his wife and houshold for witnessing of y e Gospel he must be turned from them as if he had his bowels plucked from him and yet for all y t hee must rather choose to haue the one halfe of himselfe taken from him than in any wise to shrinke away or to estraunge himselfe from Iesus Christ. That is the thing which we haue to gather vpon that text Nowe hee addeth thereunto That they shall keepe the sayings of the Lorde and holde fast his couenant True it is that forasmuch as the Law was giuen to all the children of Abraham without exception the thing that is spoken here belonged alike to all the other tribes And wee haue seene already that the Leuites were not the onely folke which were commaunded to keepe the doctrine conteined therin but it was saide indifferently to all the rest Yee shall keepe my Statutes Deut. 27.1 When God said so hee directed his speech to all the children of Israel Yet notwithstanding as I saide afore it behooued the priests who had the charge of drawing the people and of holding them vnder the obedience of God to shewe them the way and to haue a more ardent zeale to keepe the lawe faithâ—ully That is the cause why Moses giueth them that title But wee must note that these wordes keepe and maintaine importe two thinges that is to wit that the Leuites shoulde teach the people the Lawe as shal be shewed more at large and also holde them in awe that the religion might be preserued pure so as the people might not start away to ydolatrie and superstition nor leade a wicked and loose life but that God might bee honoured and serued That is the first keeping which wee haue of the doctrine And for the same cause doeth Moses adde They shall teach thy Lawe vnto Israel and thy Commaundementes vnto Iacob Then was it not ynough for the children of Leuie to walke vndefiledly and according to the doctrine of the Lawe but also it behooued them all to haue the doctrine in their mouth to giue instruction to their brethren to bring them alwayes to the knowledge of God and to make them continue therein to the end The seconde manner of keeping was in good life by shewing example and by being zelous to holde the people still in order when they sawe them start aside as we knowe that the worlde is ouer fraile yea and that we be so inclined to naughtinesse and vice that it is a great matter to vs if we be not vtterly dissolute Therefore it stoode the children of Leuie in hande to imploy themselues thereabouts And here we see first that God meant not to make ydols in his Church when he ordeined Shepherds and other men to haue some ouersight and authoritie there And if it were so in the time of the Lawe much more ought it to bee so at this day For as wee shall see againe anon the Priestes had the Ceremonies and manie like thinges so as they were sufficiently occupied about them although they had not medled at all with teaching But nowadays al those things are ceased and there remaineth no more buy y e preaching of the Gospel and the ministring of the sacraments which are but feaw in number and haue not so much adoe as was vnder the figures of old time That is the cause why I said that if the Priestes which were before the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ were bound to be Gods messengers in preaching his word and in giuing good instruction to the people or else they were after a sort disgraded from their office what shall become of it nowadayes when such as are ordained shepherds in the Church haue none other charge but to teach folke publikely and priuately and therewithall to minister the sacraments Seeing it is so then is there no excuse for such as say they haue any charge or spirituall gouernement in the Church if therewithall they haue not the doctrin in their mouth Wherby it is apparaÌ„t that in the Popedome there is nothing but confused disorder and that all those which nowadayes doe name themselues Bishops and Prelates are but scare-bugs set vp by the diuell to bleare the eyes of the ignorant and are folkes vnworthy to bee counted of y e flock forasmuch as they haue peruerted Gods order and made such a bottomles pit that a man cannot discerne any remnant of that which our Lord Iesus Christ had ordained among the faithfull Seeing they haue altered and imbaced all thinges after that fashion they bee not worthy to bee of the number of Gods people but rather of his deadly foes and much lesse ought they to be reputed for Sheepeherds But forasmuch as this deserueth to be laid forth more at length let vs begin at those which are spoken of heere It is saide That the children of Leuie shall keepe the sayings of the Lorde and maintaine his doctrine and preach his Lawe in Iacob Heere we see that because the worlde is so weake and so easily turned away from God from the right way it is requisite that Gods word shold be preached and that there should be men appointed therevnto It might be said that euery man may bee his owne teacher and that there needeth not any choosing of some small number of men to guide the rest for seeing we haue the Law and the holy scriptures are not they ynough to gouerne vs A man might so say Yea but they which giue out such speeches did neuer examin their owne weakenesse or rather how wicked the inclination of their nature is For our Lord hath set downe an order which he knoweth to be profitable for vs. And thereby he hath shewed vs that of our selues we should be caried away out of hande vnto euill if wee were not restreined by the meane which he hath giuen vnto vs. And therfore it was requisite that there should alwayes be men appointed in the church to preach Gods word to admonish the people and to holde them in awe and to withholde them from disorder so as the Religion might not be corrupted We see then howe God condemneth our vnfaithfulnesse in this behalfe shewing vs that if we be not held back as it were by force vnder his yoke we wil by and by play y e lose coltes and euery of vs will sting away after such a sort that we shall become as stray beasts Seing that God telleth vs it let vs learn to humble our selues and to consider
agree in vnitie of faith God doeth vs to vnderstande that hee dwelleth among vs and our Lorde Iesus Christ doeth then shewe himselfe to bee the heade of that whole bodie That is the thing which wee haue to gather vppon this text where it is saide that the children of Leuie shall keepe Gods couenant And why For else it might perish in the worlde according whereunto Saint Paul saieth 1. Tim. 3.15 that the Church is the Arch the Piller and the vpholder of Gods trueth And howe is that Because that men as I haue saide afore are so inclined to vanitie and leasings that they shoulde bee alienated out of hande from the pure Religion if they were held still by that meane The Church then is as a Gardian to Gods trueth to the intent it shoulde not bee dâ—rie away but that we should alwayes haue that light among vs and that wee might vnderstand that where preaching is there Gods voice ringeth in our eares so as if wee were neuer so sore shaken too and fro yet doeth God giue vs a sure stay wherewith to resist all temptations Yee see then how the keeping of Gods couenant is committed to the Leuits and generally to all such as haue the office of sheepherds among Gods people Moreouer for the better maintaining of the pure Religion it behooueth them to haue a zeale of Gods honour they must all their life long indeuour to maintaine the doctrine and therewithall they must haue their mouthes open to preach the worde that is committed vnto them to the ende that that treasure bee not lost nor buried but that all men may bee made partakers thereof They shall preach thy lawe then vnto Iacob and thy doctrine vnto Israel so as Gods worde must needes be published if we will shew our selues to bee a people dedicated vnto him Againe let vs marke also that heere is speciall mention made of Gods worde and of his lawe to doe vs to wit that God will not haue mens inuentions to reigne among his people but will haue men to hold themselues wholly vnto him and as yee would say to hang altogether vpon his mouth Nowe then the children of Leuie haue not here a libertie giuen them to forge lawes after their owne liking and to set foorth whatsoeuer they list as the Pope and al his haue done And it is to be seene yet still at this day howe the same tyrannie reigneth in such sort that whatsoeuer is termed by the name of Gods seruice in Poperie is but a confused heape of all manner of dotages whereunto euery man hath put to his peece and yet they cannot alledge one syllable of holy scripture to shew that God alloweth their doings But men haue stepped foorth through their owne diuelish rashnes haue made Lawes and Statutes to binde mens consciences vnder paine of deadly sinne and moreouer haue coyned articles of faith at their owne pleasure From whence then hath all the doctrine of poperie beene taken Not from the fountaine of y e truth but from the hellish stinking puddle of Satan where there is nothing but confusion Where haue they founde their praying vnto Sainctes but in their owne braine or rather that Satan hauing forged it in his shoppe hath besotted them therewith Againe where finde they any of the thinges which they speak concerning works of supererogation Merits the Apes toyes of their Masse and all their Ceremonies in generall It is certaine that al these things were set forth by men But contrariwise our Lorde hath tolde vs here that he meaneth not to haue those to put forth any thing of their owne whom hee hath appointed to beare abroade his worde For the commission which hee gaue to the Leuites was to set those thinges abroade which they had receiued of him and to deale them forth plainly and rightly to the people taking good heede that they did not alter or falsifie any thing And therefore let vs marke that wee shall then bee allowed for Gods people when our faith flittereth not after the lure of mortall men without knowing why wee beleeue but that wee rest wholly vppon God and that when wee knowe that wee haue his worde to rule vs by then will hee vpholde and auowe vs to bee his Church But yet must wee alwayes come backe to this that it is not ynough for vs to haue the lawe written and to haue Gods worde in our handes and to make a priuate reading thereof at home in our houses but the same worde must also bee preached and expounded vnto vs. And why so Because Gods will is that it shoulde be so and therefore wee must not dispute vppon it For why The order which God hath set among vs is not to bee broken Neither hath hee doone it without cause and iust reason as I haue saide alreadie considering the frailtie that is in vs and how easily wee be led to swarue aside Moses addeth heereunto That they shall put vp the perfume vnto the nosethrilles of the Lorde and lay the whole burnt offerings vppon his Altar This concerneth the Ceremonies For vnder the Lawe they had thinges which we haue not nowadayes namely the figures of the things which were fulfilled in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ. For the Priesthoode did vs to vnderstande that the people coulde not haue any accesse vnto GOD without some meane And when the people came to worshippe God and to offer sacrifices they helde themselues in y e outmost court There was the first part wherein they all held themselues and it was not lawfull for them to preace any further There was also y e sanctuarie for the priests and lodgings for the tribe of Leuie Also there was the great Sanctuarie whereinto the high-priest entered all alone with great solemnitie And all this serued to shewe yet more liuely the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ. But nowe all those things are come to an end For there is no more shadowing the veile as it is said is broken asunder and we haue the heaueÌ„ly sanctuarie wherunto we be called right forth and Iesus Christ hath set it open for vs. And so there needeth nowe no more burnt offering there needeth no more sacrifising for sinnes for our Lorde Iesus Christ hath by his one only sacrifice wiped away the sins of the world made an euerlasting attonement the vertue whereof can neuer be diminished As often then as we will preace vnto God it is not for vs to bring thither either calfe or sheep but we must resort to the bloudshed of our Lorde Iesus Christ because that thereby the euerlasting redemption is purchased vnto vs. Nowe we see wherein the Priestes of the olde lawe differed from vs. Yet notwithstanding those which are ordeined at this day to preach Gods worde ought to knowe that God will haue them to shewe the way in praying to him And to that ende serued the perfumes that were made in the Temple Let vs not thinke that God taketh
and not to stand aloofe vnderneath the hill as is sayd heere And it is the same thing the Apostle sheweth in the Epistle to the Hebrewes when he sayth Heb. 22. â— that wee be not come to the mountaine where there was nothing but fire where nothing was heard but thundering and tempest where lightninges flashed where trumpets sounded and where there was nothing but terriblenesse wee be not come to that mountaine we bee not nowadaies called to bondage but wee bee heere in the presence of our God where we haue friendly felowship with the Angels wee be matched and knitte in companie with the holy fathers and with the soules whom God hath already taken out of the world and we be all called to the end we should with open mouth call vppon God as our father Then if we bethink our selues hereof let vs goe boldly to our God Moreouer let vs alwayes beare in minde how it is tolde vs here that Gods inioyning of vs to keepe his lawe is by way of couenanting with vs. And that ought to giue vs the more â—ourage True it is that if God did simply vse his authoritie euen in shewing vs our duetie towards him and delt with vs by playne rigor saying yee must obey mee spyte of your teeth yet ought wee to doe it and it were not meete for vs to gainesay him But now when wee see that Gods subdewing of vs vnto him is in such wise as hee vouchsafeth therewithall to be our sauiour and father couenaunting as it were by mutual consent with vs and binding himselfe to vs in requiring vs to come to serue him ought it not to moue vs greatly if wee were not woorse than blockishe Ought it not to prouoke vs to giue our selues ouer to our GOD seeing that hee vouchsafeth to ioyne with vs yes and therefore let vs alwayes marke well this word Couenaunt And that worde ought specially to touch vs to the quicke in these dayes when wee compare the lawe with the Gospell For if God in those dayes made a couenaunt with the people of olde time it is in farre other taking with vs nowadayes â—ebr 8.6 that is to say infinitly better And for proofe thereof the pledges of those times were earthly and serued to keepe folke alwayes in feare True it is that God did alwayes set to his mark so as the auncient fathers had an eye to the Lorde Iesus Christe â—â—b 11.2 and were not destitute of this warrant that hee of his free goodnesse was their Sauiour howbeit that was done but as yee would say aloofe But nowadayes God vttereth his couenant vnto vs so largely that wee be sure of the forgiuenesse of our sins and that although there be many thinges amisse in vs although wee haue a number of incomberaunces by reason of our infirmities although wee limpe and hang our winges yea and although wee stumble and take many a fall yet shall not all this let him to vse that inestimable goodnesse of his stil towards vs Iere. 31.9 whereof hee speaketh by his prophet namely that hee will not deale roughly with vs no more than a father doth with his children Seeing then that wee perceiue that our Lord of his free fauour accepteth our seruice though it bee vnperfect and full of faultes wee ought to bee the more willing to giue our selues vnto him euen with all our power And sith wee see it hath pleased him to stoope so lowe as to shewe himselfe to be our father and teacher dealing more familiarly with vs than hee did in old time with the fathers vnder the lawe let not vs on our side be slothfull in comming to him but let vs labor the more earnestly in his commaundementes and striue to withdrawe our selues so from the worlde as nothing may keepe vs from atteining to the holy vnion which is conteined in the couenant that God hath made with vs on the behalfe of our Lorde Iesus Christ. Now let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good GOD with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him to make vs feele them better that wee may mislyke of them in such wise as after wee haue condemned our selues for theÌ„ our whole seeking may be to feele the mercie that hee hath promised vs not onely in not imputing our faultes to vs but also in correcting them by the power of his holy spirite that wee may all liue in his obedience And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. On Thursday the xxiii of May. 1555. The xxiij Sermon which is the fifth vpon the fourth Chapter 15 Therefore shall yee take good heede for your selues that yee saw no maner of image in the day that the Lorde your God spake vnto you in Horeb from the middes of the fire 16 That you marre not your selues ne make you anie grauen image or representation of anie portraiture bee it the likenesse of man or woman 17 Or the lykenesse of any beast vppon earth or the lykenesse of any byrd that hath winges which flyeth vnder the skye 18 Or the lykenesse of any thing that creepeth on the ground or the lykenesse of any fishe that is in the water vnder the earth 19 Also that when thou liftest vp thine eyes vnto heauen and beholdest the Sunne and the Moone and the starres with all the hoste of heauen thou bee not deceiued and bowe downe before them and serue them seeing the Lorde God hath imparted them to all people that are vnder the whole heauen 20 But as for you the Lord hath taken you and drawen you out of the yron fornace of Egypt to be vnto him a people of inheritance as you be this day WE haue seene already heretofore the care that God had of his people in willing them to take heede to themselues and to watch well for their soules For by those words he sheweth howe deare chare our soule health is vnto him Here we see the like againe Take heede to thy selfe saith he and keepe thy soule If God did not beare a singular good will to men he would not speake so And therefore wee haue a sure and infallible warrant that God seeketh our saluation to the end that we on our side shall thinke vppon it also But wee must marke therewithall whereof he treateth here that is to wit of the worshipping of God purely without disguysing of his maiestie Then is it a token that the same belongeth chiefly to our saluation and that wee runne to ruine and destruction when we swarue aside from the pure religion and fall to deuising of any thing that beseemeth not God If wee doe so the diuell reigneth among vs and GOD must needes forsake vs. Wherefore let vs learne that the holding of religion purely in such sorte as God alloweth it as a thing of no small importance For this kinde of speach were vnexpedient if to make images were either lawfull or but a small and light fault and surely God would not
his seruice to keepe our selues from these tentations y t run oftētimes in our heads If we fal to scanning so as we say to our selues how now must I for seruing of god haue so hard cumbersome a condition It should seeme y t he is minded to discorage me Let vs beware of such conceits rather follow y e example of Moses He saw himself bereft of y e inheritance y t had bin promised to y e whole people he saw he had as it were a marke of reproch for euer as though God had withered him for wheras God had chosen him to bee the leader of his people to supplie his roome in bringing to thē that welfare that they had loked for so long time now towards his death he must bee disgraded at Gods hand and be banished from the possession that was as a pledge of the kingdome of heauen True it is that Moses continued and doth continue still an heire of Gods kingdome but he had not that earthly pledge of it that was set before the people He saw that of six hundred thousand persons for the whole multitude was so manie there was not one among them al that was worthier to enter into the land than himselfe Therfore he might haue stormed thus with himselfe Howe nowe I see I haue taken great payn◠in leading this people God hath wrought so manie miracles by my hand I haue yet stil such zeale to the honor of God and to y e welfare of his people as I neuer cease to procure the same therw tall I may well say God hath granted me y e grace to walke more roundly than al y e rest and yet notw tstanding must I be barred out of y e land the residue enter into it which haue not taken so much paine as I nothing neere Moses might haue bin in a chafe chawed vpon his bridle saying wel seeing I haue taken so much paine God ment to serue his turne by me heretofore it is ynough for me I am contented with that which I haue done but notwithstanding I will giue ouer my roome and seeing that he will not set me aworke any longer let him serue his turn by some other Moses might wel haue entred into such fancies But what Notwithstāding y t God listed to abace him so before men by bereuing him of the benefite that he esteemed aboue al other and to preferre the meanest and miserablest of the people before him who was so excellent a Prophet yet ceased he not to discharge his duetie and to goe through with it still And we see with what carefulnes he goeth about it My friends saith he although I must dye here and God cutteth me off from you as touching the bodie yet notwithstanding I will discharge my selfe both towards him and you and seeing it hath pleased him to make me his minister to teach you his doctrine I will neuer faile to doe my duetie In deede he might haue twyted the people as them that had caused God to lay such punishment vppon him but yet for all that hee ceaseth not to serue God and to loue the people still which as I said had caused him to be disinherited of the Land that was promised to Abraham Therfore hath Moses good right to say Because of your words God sware that I should not go ouer Iordan to enter into this good land Neither murmuring nor blaspheming proceeded from Moses Nay which is more we see he crucified himself whē he saw that god was not honored as he ought to haue beene whereas on the contrarie part there was a froward wilfull people which could not be brought into order by any meanes It seemeth then indeede y t Moses had iust cause to be angrie with the people seeing that God had punished him so grieuously for their disobedience But yet for all that a man may see hee sheweth himselfe still a father towardes them and taketh them as his children for hee knewe to what state he was called True it is that he vsed sharpnesse and rigour in due time and place specially when it behooued him to shewe the people their offences We see that Moses was in that behalf as a burning fire we see howe vehemently he rebuketh the despysers of God and the Rebels But when y t was once ouer he shewed himselfe alwayes to beare an affection of loue towards such as could abide it As for example God had now punished the people by the space of fortie yeres insomuch that they which had brought punishments vpon the people and had beene the authors of sedition were alreadie dead and their carkesses were rotten in the wildernes yet now behold Moses pitieth the children that were descended of them and ceaseth not to loue them So then let vs marke that if God call vs to the preaching of his word the vnthankfulnesse of such as ought to heare it must not stay vs from procuring their saluation as much as in vs lyeth Moreouer let vs not forbeare to pronounce Gods iustice against the wicked And though there be some that are vtterly wilful past hope of recouery whose diseases are vncurable wel yet let vs do our duetie towardes them let vs cite them to Gods iudgement let our doctrine serue for their condemnation to sende them to hell And in the meane while looke where we can reclaime them that haue done amisse let vs giue good heede therto and bestow our labor thereon Behold yet what we haue further to remember out of this place And herewithall wee see also that when Gods seruants perceiue themselues to bee neere their ende they must be the carefuller to stablish the doctrin which they taught in their life time And why For we see how men do easily slip away that euen such as haue shewed some good signe will anon after start aside if they be not helde in with a dubble reine as they say And when a seruant of God seeth y t in his lifetime he was greatly hindered in the maintenance of Gods seruice and had much adoe to represse euil what should he thinke but that the diuell will take possession after his death if God remedie not the matter Therfore such as haue felt and found by experience in their lifetime how painefull a thing it is to maintein the church ought euē for this cause to take so much the more paine trauell when they draw towards their death to cause the syncere religion to be mainteined in his purenesse that men being once set in a good course may not swarue away from it Beholde the example which Moses sheweth vs. And besides this let vs mark also that he doth not only discharge himselfe here at his death by vttering some sodaine speach or by shewing some signe of zeale onely but that he stood vpon this and did most vrge it to wit all his life long that the people might bee edified in the feare of God For yee
as was fitte for their saluation Now remaineth how Moses addeth That the people hauing heard Gods voyce continued still aliue Whereby he doeth vs to vnderstande that it is a speciall grace of God that wee bee not consumed by his presence and by his worde It is saide that the mountaines melt at the sight of him Psal. 68.9 97.4 5. and 114 7. Psal. 9.3 And againe that if he doe but cast his eye vpon the whole earth it quaketh For Gods Maiestie in it selfe is so terrible as it were ynough to sink the whole worlde When he speaketh his voyce doeth not onely scare all creatures but also vtterly dismay them yea and euen bring them to nothing Therefore it is a great myracle that mortall men being so frayle and brickle and being no better than a shadowe are inabled to heare Gods voyce and yet are not consumed thereby So then Moses sheweth here y ◠God did not onely make the people of Israel to perceiue his Maiestie heauenly power but also gaue thē a louing taste of his grace and goodnesse therewithal to the intent they should not be too much dismaied at it but rather haue their wits at libertie and well setled to acknowledge Beholde my God hath shewed himself to mee therefore it is good reason y t I shoulde serue him and submit my self wholly vnto him Thus in effect wee see two things wherof the one is that God shewed not himselfe to his people without teaching thē by his word the other is y t the same word was not only so warranted as they might know it to be the word of God and submit themselues vnto it but also was made sweete amiable so farre forth as was requisite The people could not but bee partly afraide as I haue declared alreadie when they perceiued the Maiestie of God but yet howsoeuer they fared God did so moderate his rigour as they perceiued him to be their father in that he shewed them such reason Moses addeth immediatly Was there euer any God that tooke vppon him to bring a people from among other people by temptations signes wonders warres and a stretched out arme as thou knowest that thy God hath done in bringing thee out of Egypt Here Moses purposeth expressely to confirme the people in the Religion that had bin giuen them to the intent they shoulde not yeeld themselues to any of the great nomber of superstitions that raigned eueriwhere at the same time as wee bee commonly wont to doe Truely if a people haue auncient customes they bee loth to forgo them And why Bicause pride maketh vs to like well of the thinges that growe in our owne gardine as they say and to our seeming all that euer other men haue is nothing in comparison of that which is our owne But if God call vs to him and teach vs faithfully what we haue to doe we be so wildheaded as we cannot abide the things that are shewed vs. We fall to seeking of this that behold say we in such a Countrie there is such a custome such a fashion why should not wee haue the same as well as they Also wee see howe the vnbeleeuers vpbraide Gods children that they will needes bee too wise if they hold themselues in awe vnder Gods word What is it that the Papists do cast vs in the teeth withall now adayes These are the men say they which take vpon them to renew the world they will needes be singular by themselues as though they had nothing at all to doe with the rest of mankinde For this cause doeth Moses say here Passe not you for it though you see so manye Nations haue diuers fashions so as euery of thē hath a Religion contrarie to yours and that you be alone by your selues For why Your God hath chosen you in such sort as he hath shewed you that ye may bee bold to defie all other nations For hath it euer come to passe that any god hath taken vppon him to conuey a people from out of the mids of another people Seeing then that you are so shooled out haue yee not a sure warrant that GOD will not haue you to mingle your selues with other Nations Therefore if ye haue an eye to Gods bringing of you out of the lande of Egypt ye shall alwaies bee put in minde that the Religion which ye hold of him is good and holy and ye may hold scorne of all other religions in the world And moreouer although other nations bee greater than you yet may ye be bold to spit at their superstitions For God hath sufficiently shewed that he hath not giuen you his Lawes and Ordinances in vaine And why For he hath brought you out by your selues which neuer befell to any people of the world but you And to the end that these things should bee the better esteemed Moses sheweth here that the said deliuerance had no common thing in it For it was wrought saieth he by temptations signes wonders warres strong hand and stretched out arme When as he saieth by temptations he meaneth that the proofes were so notable as the matter ought to be out of all crie Seeing then that God had giuen them so many tokens was it not ynough to lay it wide open to them that the idols of Egypt were nothing and that Pharao with all his power was vnable to doe any thing against y e God of Abraham True it is that the woordes Signes and wonders import the selfe same thing but yet is it not without cause that Moses vseth such diuersitie of termes And why so For wee see howe lightly men ouerpasse Gods woorkes and make verie slender reckening of them Therefore was it requisite that Moses shoulde vse such termes and speeche to set the more estimation vppon the excellent greatnesse of the thinges that God had done in Egypt Beholde saieth he thy God hath giuen thee signes and wonders he hath vsed his strong hand stretched out his arme in deliuering thee from such bondage and therefore know thou thereby that he hath sufficiently warranted his Lawe and the rule whereby he will haue thee to liue wherevnto he hath put thee in subiection Now he presently addeth thereunto That this was done before their eyes so as they were certified y t GOD was their maker and that he onely was the true GOD and that there was none other God before him Here againe Moses intendeth to prooue the people the more vnthankefull if they profited not themselues by the things that they knewe by experience Thine eyes saieth he are witnesses of it As if hee should say If God of his gratious goodnesse did but send thee messengers to tell thee of y e things that he had done yet oughtest thou to receiue the thinges that were told thee But now it is not any other bodie that maketh report of them vnto thee but euen thy God himselfe hath shewed them vnto thee and therfore there is no further excuse
honored serued and obeyed True it is that children subiects and seruants shall not bee excused by that 1. Pet. 2.18 but yet we see it is the iust vengeance of God therefore so much the more ought we to be prouoked to followe that which is told vs as well in this text as in all the holie Scripture where this commandement is declared vnto vs. Then to be short let vs be wel aduised that we dischardge our dueties euerie of vs in his owne calling and state Let those to whome God hath done the honor to giue them the mace of Iustice whom he hath set in his seate be wel aduised that they reigne in his name that they cause all men to serue and honour him that they be as mirrours to giue good example to their people and y t they holde their subiects in such good awe and order as Gods name bee blessed and the mouthes of all euill speakers be stopped Marke that for one point Againe let fathers and mothers haue a care to bring vp their children wel and to make them knowe God for their onely father And as touching their menseruantes and womenseruants let them so vse their seruice as God haue always the preheminence Let them not followe the common trade for men doe commonly passe for nothing else so as they may bee serued to their owne profite and contentation As for God he is forgotten all the while But let masters vnderstande that God must reigne both ouer themselues and ouer those that are vnder them Thus much concerning those that are in authoritie Now for our part let vs beare wel in minde y t when we haue Magistrates if wee rebell against them or rise against the State indeuouring to ouerthrowe the order that God hath set Rom. 13.2 wee resist not mortall creatures but it is God whom we assaile And what can we winne by making warre against him Can we ouermaster him No but he will reuenge himselfe without handiestrokes so as men shal be vtterly abashed to see howe he maintaineth the thing that hee had spoken with his mouth yea euen by wonderfull power Thus much concerning the first point Againe let children beware that they bee not highminded nor wildheaded nor wilfull but that they submit themselues quietly to their fathers and mothers assuring themselues that they fight against God when they cannot finde in their heartes to stoope to the yoke which our Lorde putteth vppon them Eph. 〈…〉 And let seruauntes knowe that if they refuse the subiection of the men whom they serue God is offended at it and in the end they must bee blamed for refusing to be gouerned by his hand But let vs marke herewithall that God muste be honoured first and the subiectes must so obey their Princes and Magistrates as the same may be no derogation to the right that God reserueth to himselfe as he is worthie And if Princes will needs inforce vs to doe euill and ouerthrowe the pure doctrine of God as we see too commonly in the worlde insomuch that a number are so madde as they woulde faine wrest religion after their owne fancie to make as it were an image of wax of it that they might writh it which way they listed as all men may see God will not like of it that they shoulde bee obeyed in that behalfe For who bee they When they once reuolt and climbe aboue him that hath all soueraine Dominion Esa. 〈…〉 Phil. 〈…〉 forthwith they forgoe all their authoritie The verie diuels must bow their knees before God and our Lorde Iesus Christ and beholde mortall men vsurpe such superioritie as the honour of God is defaced and all religion thrust downe So then let vs learne to obey both princes and fathers and mothers in such wise as God may holde still his right vnimpayred and wee not be letted to yeelde him his due honour Neuerthelesse we must obey them quietly so farre forth as wee may without hurt of conscience And although that such as haue authoritie ouer vs discharge not their duetie yet must not children misbehaue themselues when their parents are too sharp and rigorous to them True it is that the parentes are forbidden to vse any crueltie towards their children Eph. 〈…〉 Col. 〈…〉 specialy to discorage them but yet for all that though the parents bee not so well aduised as to gouerne their children with mildenesse the children must beare it patiently Finally wee must suffer at the handes of all such as haue authoritie ouer vs. And so yee see what God ment to set out in this commaundement Nowe hee addeth a promise That thy dayes saith hee may bee prolonged and that thou maist prosper in the Lande which the Lorde thy God giueth thee But there is yet one thing more which is that forasmuch as we be loth to yelde our selues to humilitie God giueth vs here a stroke with the spurre saying thy God commaundeth thee And it serueth to confirme the doctrine that I haue touched alredie that is to wit that it is but a fond trifling shift to dispute whether such as are in state of honour aboue vs doe deserue to haue that roome Or whether they do discharge their dutie as well as they are aduanced therto All such geere must bee laide aside And why For wee must holde vs contented with Gods ordinance and rest altogether vppon his good pleasure And that is y e cause why Moses addeth here expresly according as the Euerlasting thy God hath commaunded thee As if he shoulde say true it is that men doe alwayes kicke against it as much as they can If one woulde bring them vnder awe they will not abide it by their good will Againe they haue such loftinesse in them as prouoketh them continually to bee desirous to exalt themselues too much By meanes whereof there will neuer be any willing subiection vntill God haue wrought it But you be alwayes rebellious against God saith hee when yee once enter into such debatings as this Shoulde such a one raigne ouer mee and I obey him seeing hee is no better than I If yee beare such spite towardes men God himselfe steppeth forth and desireth to knowe whether yee will serue him or no And if yee will not receiue his leeuetenantes when hee sendeth them vnto you it is a certaine signe that yee refuse his yoke likewise by meanes wherof his iustice is impeached and hee feeleth himselfe to bee iniuried by you Sith it is so then knowe yee saieth Moses that the children which are disobedient to their fathers and mothers may well alledge this and that and the folke that rebell against their superiors may well make excuses but none of those thinges shall stande them in any steede The reason is that God who hath ordeined superioritie in the worlde will also haue it maintained hee hath spoken the word and it cannot be called backe Psal. 3 9.10 When God hath once giuen his definitiue sentence it is
wel that Moses in commaunding men to sweare by none but by the name of God sheweth that therein they doe him the honour of acknowledging him for onely Iudge 1. Cor. 4.5 and attribute vnto him the office of serching mens harts and thoughts and of bewraying the thinges that are secret and hidden Psal. 31.6 finally acknowledge him to bee the certaine and vnfallible truth and therefore that he is able to be sufficient witnesse thereof That is the effect of that which he ment to say Nowe hereby wee see that such as sweare by the names of creatures are ydolaters rob God of the protestations which hee will haue men to make vnto him inasmuch as hee will haue none to be so honored but himselfe It is a common thing among the Papists to sweare by the virgin Mary and by the rest of the saints True it is that men haue not thought that to bee so great euill but although there were no more but that yet there appeareth to bee manifest ydolatrie in so doing For why They that sweare by the virgin Marie doe set her in Gods feate as though it belonged to her to iudge the worlde and a man coulde not deuise to doe greater wrong to our Lorde Iesus Christ than to attribute that thing vnto her which is giuen vnto him alone yea and giuen vnto him in respect that hee is God manifested in the flesh 2. Chr. 6.30 Againe they attribute vnto her the searching and knowing of mens secret thoughts which title the holie scripture reserueth peculiarly vnto God Then is it horrible trecherie to sweare by the virgin Marie or by any other creature And would God this superstition were vtterly abolished among vs that it might neuer be had in rememberaÌ„ce any more But what There are a number of wilfull folke from whom that cursed custome cannot bee taken and say what yee will to them they continue doted in it insomuch that if a man doe so point them to it with his finger that as blinde as they bee they may see the meane howe to yeeld God his due honour yet all is one with them they will not in any wiâ—e bee made to beleeue it And why Because the diuell hath bewitched them Howsoeuer the case stande let vs note that al such as sweare by any other name than by the name of God are ydolaters And why I tolde yee the reason before namely because we cannot sweare by the name of God but wee must confesse that he is our iudge and that it is onely hee to whom it belongeth to knowe our secret thoughts and to punish vs for falsifying his truth and for turning of it into a lye wheras we should beare witnesse vnto it And let vs marke that one kinde is put for all of that sort By reason whereof wee bee commaunded not onely to sweare by the name of God but also to yeelde such confession of him before men as we may shewe our selues to bee his people in deede and that we woulde faine that hee shoulde reigne among vs and that his name shoulde be glorified And so let vs extend this lesson generally to the honoring of God so that if the case concerne religion wee giue not that thing to creatures which our Lorde telleth vs is peculiar to himselfe And therefore whensoeuer wee speake of the name of God let vs yeeld him al that belongeth vnto him let those thinges bee reserued vnto him and let vs not bereaue him of his honour to giue it away by peeces and colluppes to men and other creatures This extendeth verie farre Neuerthelesse it is ynough for vs to be admonished in faire wordes that when Moses saith wee must sweare by the name of God it is as much as if he should say my friends like as yee worship the Lord so must ye also maintaine his honour before men Insomuch that if any man will compell you to transforme or chaunge your religion you shall not suffer it in any case whatsoeuer but stande stil in this vncorruptnes to say we haue the one God who hath called vs to him Deuâ—◠〈…〉 and both created and redeemed vs and therefore it is good reason that wee shoulde bee his heritage and continue wholly his Thus yee see in effect what Moses meant to vtter in this text But heere wee see the frowardnesse that is in men which is a thing greatly to be lamented For an othe as I saide ought to bee a recorde of y e honour which we yeeld vnto God and wee see howe men cleane contrariwise will needes spite him in vsing of othes First of all when men sweare vnaduisedly is it not a manifest despising of Gods name It must bee rapt out when there is neither why nor wherefore The talke shal be but of mirth and laughter and yet notwithstanding Gods name must bee mingled with it And is not that too great and too shamefull a skorning of him Nay moreouer a mannes patience is no sooner stird so as he entreth into a litle choler but by and by gods name must answere for it In so much that it is not enough for them to some out their rage against their nighbours but they must also step vp against God and shew themselues wode and starke mad And they be no simple othes which they vse but othes matched with blasphemie whereby y e maiestie of Gods name is as good as trampled vnder foote Othes are referred to nothing lesse than to the end that I spake of that is to wit to the glorifying of God among vs when they be applied to so deuillish outrages as the wilfull defying of God and the skorning of his name by tossing it too and fro like a tennisball without yeelding any reuerence vnto it And therefore let vs learne that it is too too detestable a vice when trifling othes are so rife among vs and also that in our cholerik passions of impatiencie Gods name shoulde be so rent and torne and that men are not contented to haue sworne after some simple manner but also take vp kindes of othes that are matched with blasphemie so as it appeareth that their intent is to make warre against God and euen to spyte him when they cannot bee reuenged of men Thus yee see what wee haue to marke vpon this text Therefore to bee short let vs vnderstande that it is not ynough for vs that the spirituall seruice which wee owe vnto God bee yeelded vncorruptly vnto him that is to wit that wee put our trust in him that wee call vppon him and that wee offer him our soules and bodies in sacrifice but we must also shewe openly before men what religion wee holde of and wee must make it knowen that wee bee separated from all the defilements of the Infidels and vnbeleeuers The thing which is expresly required heere is that when othes are to bee vsed wee must vse them with such sobrietie as God may bee glorified and that whensoeuer wee sweare wee
must beare in minde that God is to bee reuerenced as our iudge and offer our selues in such wise before him as hee suffer not any falshoode to abide vnpunished and as wee yeelde vnto him the office of serching euen our heartes If wee deale so then shall our othes be holie vnto him and accepted as a part and portion of the seruice that he requireth and alloweth And by that meanes wee shall abhorre and loth not onely the blasphemies whereby he is spyted out of measure but also all fonde and trifling othes that are made without cause or reason Thus wee see in fewe words what wee haue to note and howe this text is to bee put in vre Nowe Moses addeth immediately Yee shall not followe any other Gods the Gods of the heathen which dwell rounde about you When hee saieth yee shall not followe any other Gods hee sheweth vs that wee cannot mingle the true religion with any abuses or with any thing deuised by vnbeleeuers but by and by all is mard and God disauoweth it as soone as wee swarue one way or other from the plaine trueth and from the rule that hee hath giuen vs. For it is not saide simply you shall not renounce your GOD but they bee forbidden to followe any other Gods So then let vs marke wel that if wee intende to serue the liuing God we must holde our selues to him alone and worshippe him with such vncorruptnesse as all ydoles bee vtterly cast downe and all superstitions cut off and cast behinde vs. And if this were well obserued wee shoulde no more bee put to such paines neither shoulde wee haue so manie bickerings as wee haue For what causeth the troubles that are nowadayes in the worlde and that there is such diuision betweene vs and the Papistes For both of vs confesse that there is but one God that grounde is common to vs both both of vs name him the maker of heauen and earth and both of vs take Iesus Christ for our redeemer and yet notwithstanding we bee at so greate oddes that the Turkes and the Iewes are not more deuided from vs than the Papistes are Whereof commeth this Not that the Papistes doe vtterly renounce GOD but because they will needes make a mingled and confused hotchpotch of all the Religions of the worlde They haue raked together all abuses all Sathans trumperie and all the superstitions that euer haue beene and that terme they the seruice of God It is no part of their meaning to holde themselues to the purenesse of the holy scripture and of the Lawe and the Gospell but to the thinges which they haue deuised of their owne braine They will needes haue those thinges mingled with the pure seede and that is such a corruption as God is vtterly shaken of by it Although men thinke it not or at leastwise confesse it not with their mouth yet hath hee no more place where those thinges are So then as I saide afore if this saying which forbiddeth vs to followe any other Gods were well obserued we might easily agree nowadayes with the Papistes For the controuersie heere concerneth not the onely name True it is that the Papistes call not their Sainctes which they haue forged their Gods but yet they serue them and worshippe them as Gods And therewithall they haue deuised such lawes and ordinances as they thinke good and yet the thing which they terme Gods seruice is but vtter follie of their owne inuention Nowe it is a flatte following of the Gods of the Paynims when men vse straunge fashions in the seruing of God and in steede of praying vnto him alone doe call vpon the creatures so as they cannot tel whom to choose when al comes to all And therefore let vs beare wel in minde the meaning of Moses which is that to worship God aright we must sticke simply to his word wee must stop our eares against all thinges that are brought vs from elsewhere and we must not admit any thing but y t which we haue from God onely Let vs then submit our selues wholly to the obeying of our god not receiue any thing which procedeth not out of his mouth And if we beare with our infirmities Esa. 42.3 and that he is always pitifull Although we deserue to sinke vnder his hande yet will he alwayes shew mercie towards vs. But doth it followe therefore that he will be scorned at our handes and that wee may come pranking against him to despise him No but contrariwise forasmuch as he sheweth himselfe gratious and louing towards vs it ought to break soften our harts to make vs submit our selues wholly vnto him and at leastwise to applie our selues altogether to the seruing honouring of him when he preueÌ„teth vs through his free goodnesse Then let vs mark well that when our Lord is neere vnto vs although it bee of purpose to make vs glad and also to giue vs contentation and rest yet notwithstanding hee ceaseth not to be zealous in the maintaining of his glorie neither will he suffer it to be trampled vnder foote without sending horrible vengeance for it Doe we then know that our Lord dwelleth among vs Let vs on our side beware that wee sanctifie our selues wholly vnto him for feare least his wrath bee kindled that is say least hee withdraw his goodnesse which he hath once shewed towards vs and bereaue vs of it as we deserue and therewithall powre out his wrath vppon vs when hee seeth that hee cannot winne vs nor any whit preuaile by shewing himselfe pitifull in bearing with vs with such louingkindnes and gentlenes as he doth Ye see then after what sort we ought to vse y e goodnes and patientnesse of our Lorde That is to wit knowing that we may boldly stay vpon him not doubting but that he wil be fauorable vnto vs wee neuerthelesse must indeuour and inforce our selues to the vttermost of our power to serue and honour him And forasmuch as we cannot do it of our selues wee must pray him to hold vs in such obedience by his holy spirit as our whole seeking may bee to shewe y t his comming so vnto vs is not in vaine but that we be truly knit vnto him and that hee hath set such a holy and vnuiolable bond betweene him and vs Psal. â—â— â— that as he once gaue himselfe to vs to be our inheritance so he also possesseth vs and maketh vs to be throughly contented with him and to proceede in such wise in profiting to his honor glory as our whole life may shewe that we desire nothing else but to bee reteined vnder his protection Nowe let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God w t acknowledgment of our faults praying him to humble vs more more by true repentance so as we may not onely be sorie for our faults but also amend them and submit our selues duetifully vnto him to the intent we may be more and more rid of all our naughtie lustes
name should be magnifyed in all ages and that wee shoulde indeuour to the vttermost of our power that it decay not with vs but continue still vnappayred and florishe and reigne euen after wee be dead The other reason is that hee intended to quicken vp the Iewes to serue God with the better courage by putting them in minde of the deliuerance which God had wrought for them for needes must they haue bin too vnthankefull if that had not prouoked them to serue God Now then the intent of Moses is that those to whom he had declared the Lawe should not onely indeuour themselues to serue GOD during their owne liues but also finde the meanes that their children and successors should followe them in the same trace And this lesson belongeth to vs as well as to them For wee know that God calleth vs with the same condition not onely that we our selues should serue and honor him to our liues end but also that we should haue a care to cause them that come after vs to doe the lyke Verily there are very few that dischardge themselues in that behalfe but yet are we bound vnto it and there will be no excuse for vs if wee doe not our indeuour Therefore let euery man haue an eye to himselfe and let vs not thinke it enough to haue serued God so long as wee our selues liue but that we must also findy y e meanes that his name may continue for euer and that his trueth may alwayes bee knowen so as although wee bee taken out of the world yet they that come after vs being taught by our meanes may linke in with vs into the same fayth and so fashion themselues thereunto as God may alwayes be gloryfyed honored vnto the worldes end And specially they y t haue children ought to thinke that it is they to whom this warning is giuen True it is that euery one of vs is bound thereto for himselfe yea and we must teach eueÌ„ the most straungers so as the man needeth not to be my sonne or my nephew or my kinseman whom I should indeuour to cause to serue God to be of the same faith and religion that I am of but yet they which haue children ought to consider that they shall yeelde account for it if they doe not what they can to hold them in the feare of God and to see them so instructed and stablished in the pure doctrine as they may continue in it and as the knowledge of Gods trueth may still be conueied ouer from hand to hand Thus yee see what we haue to remember vppon this place where Moses sayth If thy childe aske hereafter what these commaundementes statutes and ordinances meane Now there is also a second poynt which is that Moses intended to stirre vp the people to honor God and to obey him because they had bin deliuered by his mighty hand Therefore it is all one as if hee should say Bethinke your selues well of the good which your GOD hath done for you for he hath shewed himselfe to be your redeemer hee hath smitten the realme of Egypt a people that did set greatly by themselues yea and which was rich and wealthie and where was nothing but all maner of pompe and glory to the worldward and yet notwithstanding your God hath loued you so dearely that he hath not spared the Egyptians for your sakes but hee hath smitten them with plagues and powred out such vengeance vpon them as is horrible to thinke of Hee hath stretched out his strong arme to bring you to this land which hee promised to your fathers Seeing then that God hath shewed himselfe so gratious and liberall towardes you and preuented you of purpose to be your father is it not reason that you should giue your selues to him all your lyfe long and indeuour to serue him and at leastwise shew that yee haue not forgotten his so great and inestimable benefites Yes And so wee see that forasmuch as the Iewes might bee negligent in keeping Gods lawe Moses renewed the rememberaunce thereof and set their deliuerance before them that they might bee the better minded and consider that they were bound at leastwise to serue GOD in such wise as they might acknowledge themselues to bee the same people whome hee had once deliuered after a maruellous fashion and with wonderful power Like as at this day if a man should speake to vs of the Christian religion and say Beholde our GOD hath vouchsafed to make vs partakers of the redemption which hee wrought in the person of his Sonne and therefore it is good reason that wee shoulde bee gathered here together vnder his worde to take him for our father and Sauour because hee hath chosen vs to bee his people And whereas Moses declareth that the Iewes were deliuered out of Aegypt hee meaneth to doe vs to witte that God intended to shoule them out from all other nations specially by assigning them the inheritaunce of the Lande which hee had promised to their fathers Yee see then how they should haue sanctifyed themselues to the seruice of God and haue held theÌ„selues in obedience to his law because he suffered them not to be intermingled with y e infidels but made a seuerall nation of them alone by theÌ„selues And hereupon we haue to note y t such as seeke counsell at Gods law doe alwayes finde instruction our Lord procureth them ayde help to bring theÌ„ to the knowledge of the truth It is sayd If thy sonne aske thee what meane these statutes He presupposeth that the children are not so brutish as at leastwise not to be willing desirous to knowe why they vse such maner of seruing God And wee see it is Gods ordinance that the fathers should helpe their children True it is that the fathers ought not to â—ary for that but if they see their children to be despisers of God or vnruly and carelesse both of the saluation of their owne soules and of all Christianitie and fayth they ought to correct such vices But the matter which wee treate of as now is that if children bee willing to learne and to profite God here assigneth them their fathers to be their teachers and schoolemasters to shewe them why the lawe was giuen Herein then wee see that if wee haue any good will to knowe the trueth our Lorde will not suffer vs to bee disappoynted but wil finde the meanes that wee shall know whatsoeuer hee thinketh profitable for our saluation And although hee appoynt not mortall creatures to teach vs yet will hee worke in such wise by his owne power as wee shall not bee destitute of knowledge But our owne slothfulnesse is the cause that GOD shutteth the gate against vs and that wee abide still in darknesse lyke blinde wretches For what is hee that vouchsafeth to seeke after the will of his GOD Wee bee giuen to worldly thinges to our owne pleasures to our owne vanities and to all manner of worldly businesses
the furtherance of their benefite and welfare as I saide afore when Moses was taken vp as it were into the companie of Angels by reason whereof they shoulde rather haue thought thus Goe too in the person of that one man wee bee after a sorte separated from the rest of mankinde and God sanctifieth vs to himselfe and therewithall bringeth vs into his kingdome to the intent wee should not haue any earthlinesse in our religion What a lewde dealing was that For this cause Moses saith that God commanded him to get him downe in hast because the people were marred out of hande so as they were falne to making of a newe God euen while the lawe was a writing and whyle God was confirming of his couenaunt with them And it is plainely saide that they were marred Beholde saith God they haue marred For the worde which hee vseth betokeneth no more but they haue marred without other addition And indeed it was a right marring of them that is to say of the Iewes who became lewde backesliders and periured kaytifes vtterly turning away from the trueth and rule of God and finally from all order both heauenly and earthly For wherein consisteth our purenesse but in obeying GOD According to this similitude of Saint Paules 2. Cor. 11.2 that like as a woman is a lawfull and faithfull wife as long as shee keepeth herselfe chast to her husbande so all the chastitie which God requireth of vs is that wee shoulde sticke alonely to his worde Then if wee fall to making of idols it is a vilanous marring of our selues wee become like common harlotes that giue ouer their bodies to all commers leauing their owne husbandes and yeelding themselues to euerie whoremaister and ruffian Euen so is it with vs. And after the same maner was this people marred out of hande Yea and wee marre the maiestie of God also as much as in vs lieth when wee followe our owne foolishe inuentions True it is that wee cannot touch his maiestie to doe it any harme but yet are wee guiltie thereof as sayth Saint Paul because we turne the trueth into a lie Rom. 〈…〉 and make all thinges false and moreouer turne the order of nature vpside downe by forsaking Gods pure doctrine so as wee bereaue him of his soueraigne right that hee can not reigne ouer vs when wee fall to setting vp of idols and deade thinges in his roome and doe the thinges which we our selues haue inuented So then it is not for nought that our Lord saith not in plaine wordes This people haue made them an Idoll but hee saith This people haue marred that is to say they haue turned all vpside downe Wherefore let vs marke well that whensoeuer we steppe aside from the purenesse of Gods worde wee make a shamefull marring we practise our owne destruction wee leaue nothing whole and sounde and to bee short we bee guiltie of mingling heauen and earth together and of the vtter defacing of Gods maiestie So much the more therefore doeth it stande vs on hande to submitte our selues to Gods pure worde and to see that wee inuent nothing of our owne heads nor bring vp anie new religion but hold our selues to the thinges which our Lorde hath tolde vs 1. Sa◠◠22. forasmuch as hee alloweth not anie thing but that Afterwards hee addeth the residue which I cannot expound as nowe but it shall suffice as I haue saide alreadie that wee haue this bonde of our God that wee stray not so farre as to reiect his trueth but that wee abide in obedience to his worde as hee hath giuen it vs in writing and as it is his will to haue it dayly preached vnto vs. Nowe let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them better than we haue doone that we may be drawen to such repentance as our whole desire may be to be quite rid of our fleshly affections and lusts to giue our selues vnto him and to holde vs so vnder his awe as wee may bring nothing of our owne deuising but that when our owne conscience findeth fault with vs wee may so much the more yeelde ourselues guiltie and not turne away from his obedience and that forasmuch as wee can not fullie satisfie and performe his Lawe in this worlde it may please him of his infinite goodnesse to beare with vs vntill hee haue throughly corrected the euill which hee knoweth to bee yet still remayning in vs. That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people nations of the earth c. On Friday the xxx of August 1555. The Lxv. Sermon which is the fourth vpon the ninth Chapter 13 Wherefore the Lord spake vnto mee saying I haue seene this people and beholde it is a stiffenecked people 14 Let mee alone I will destroy them and put out the name of them from vnder heauen and I will make thee to growe into a mightier and greater Nation than they bee I Began to shewe you yesterday howe foule and cursed the faulte was which Moses vpbraideth the people withal in this place and that the cause why hee did set it before thē was to the end they should be y e better humbled therby And here he addeth a recorde of the greatnesse of that fault in that it prouoked Gods wrath so sore that hee would haue destroyed and rooted out that people and put out the remembrance of them for euer Nowe if God doe measure his anger and can skill to punishe mens offences according to the greatnesse of them it must needes bee concluded that this offence was verie horrible seeing that God hauing deliuered his people and hauing wrought so many miracles for them woulde neuerthelesse so wipe them out as they shoulde neuer bee spoken of more That then was the meaning of Moses verily as if hee shoulde saye yee wretched foolke consider what yee bee and what yee haue beene For whereas yee were redeemed by the hande of GOD you by reuolting from him after yee hadde receiued such fauour deserued to haue beene so rooted out as no remembraunce of you might haue remayned in the worlde and sentence thereof was giuen also Hadde not I intreated for you GOD hadde determined to haue destroyed you Nowe goe make your bragges imagine I wote not what of your selues impute your obteyning of this lande to your owne righteousnesse to your owne power or to some other thing else Nay contrariwise yee see what yee haue done yee haue to the vttermost of your power vndoone the deliueraunce of your selues whiche GOD hadde wrought yee haue forsaken the saluation that was promised you and the inheritaunce that was prepared for you and to be short it was meet that God should haue powred out his horrible vengeaunce vppon you Therefore learne to magnifie his mercie considering that yee haue prouoked him so sore Thus yee see in effect whereto this saying of
substance and truth of the Sacramentes that hee hath giuen vs it may please him to graunt vs the grace to be so washed in our hartes through the power of the holy Ghost as all our filthinesse may be purged and cleansed so as in the end we may be wholy transformed into his glory 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 Saturday the xiiij of September 1555. The Lxx. Sermon which is the fifth vpon the tenth Chapter 17 For the Lord c. 18 Who doth right to the fatherlesse and widowe and loueth the straunger to giue him foode and rayment 19 Therefore loue the straunger for you your selues haue beene straungers in the land of Egypt 20 Thou shalt feare the Lorde thy God and serue him and sticke to him and sweare by his name 21 Hee is thy praise hee is thy God who hath doone those great and terrible thinges for thee which thine eyes haue seene WE sawe yesterday that to haue a right zele and affection in seruing GOD wee must bee sure that the religion which wee holde of is good and allowed of him For so long as we stand in doubt it is vnpossible for vs to goe on with a free courage we shall alwayes goe limping and as constrained and if there bee any earnest minde in vs the same proceedeth of an insensiblenesse and not for that wee bee giuen in good earnest to serue the GOD whom wee knowe not And therefore wee must bee well and dewly instructed eare wee can bee disposed to doe well And that is the cause why Moses saith expresly heere that the GOD which vttered himselfe by the Law and shewed himselfe afore to the Patriarkes is the God of Gods and that there is not any other to bee sought insomuch that although wee were very well disposed and that wee were neuer so full of deuotion as they say yet should all that euer wee were able to doe bee nothing woorth Rom. 14.23 without faith Therefore wee must bee sure and knowe that wee doe not any thing in vaine nor at al aduenture but that we followe Gods will and that he liketh well of our dooinges Now Moses hauing tould the people that this Lawe was the Lawe of the liuing God addeth now further that hee is great strong and terrible For wee see how men take leaue to despise God and ouersotte themselues so much in their pride and presumption as they cannot bee brought to any subiection To the ende therefore that men should not dally with such a Lord he sayth expresly that the God which willed his Lawe to bee publshed vnto them at that tyme is great mighty dreadfull His terming of him Great is to shew what honour is dew to him His terming of him strong or mightie is to withhold men from standing against him And his terming of him terrible or dreadfull is to make vs knowe that if he doe but touch vs with his hand wee must needes be vndone Therefore let vs beware we despise him not and when he calleth vs before his Maiestie let vs tremble and quake for feare that we may come with right humilitie Thus do we now see Moseses meaning And therefore let vs marke that if we wil direct our liues aright wee must haue pure doctrine that our religion may be grounded vppon Gods truth so as wee may be sure that the doctrine which we professe is infallible therewithall we must beware that when we know God we set not light by him but y t our knowing of him doe bring a lowelines with it so as we submit our selues wholly to the honoring of him y t is so high and incomprehensible before whom the very Angels themselues doe tremble Iob. 41.16 Ye see then how the thing which wee haue to mark is y t men shal neuer know God vntill they haue gotten such feeling of the infinite glory that is in him as maketh them to stoope yea to make none account at al of themselues that they may giue ouer themselues wholly to the honoring seruing of him But this is very yll put in vre For euen they that make greatest boast of their profiting in the Gospell can skill to babble well ynough they beare themselues in hand y t they be iolly fellowes when they can prattle at pleasure though it be without any reuerence at all And we see how the holy scripture is shamefully abused nowe adayes by a nomber of mens discoursing of it as it were but of a fable or to shew the finenesse of their wit by raunging into curious and vnprofitable questions Thus ye see how Gods word is abused now adayes at mens pleasures without any feare or reuerence for want of coÌ„sidering that which Moses telleth here that is to wit y t when we resort vnto God wee must bethinke vs of the dreadfull Maiestie that is in him that it may bridle vs and holde vs in subiection to him and make vs to yeeld him such honour as to be abashed at his speaking to vs vntill we haue conceiued what he saith to vs vpon the knowledge thereof to be ready and foreward in obeying the same without any gainfaiyng And so ye see what we haue to gather vpoÌ„ this text where he saith y t the God which hath vttered himselfe by the Law is great terrible Certaine it is that GOD intendeth not to to driue vs away from him but rather to win vs to him by gentlenes But yet must we bee fayne to bee tamed bicause of the pride that is in vs least wee growe bold to offend him and cannot finde in our hearts to be inured to his yoke than the which there is not any thing more harde for vs to doe Wee must I say bee first subdued by the feare or terrour that Moses speaketh of here before wee can conceiue Gods goodnesse But yet must it be so tempered as we shunne noâ— his good instruction ne bee so dismaied as to refuse Gods word out of hand but as it may be as a preparatiue to make vs good scholers and to drawe our wittes to such a teachablenesse as all that euer we haue of nature may be done away and nothing may hinder vs to receiue his doctrine without gainsaying but y t his word besides that wee loue it may also bee reuerenced at our handes and we follow it by submitting our selues to it alwayes and in all cases Now after that Moses hath said so he addeth that God hath no respect of persons nor receiueth any rewards Whereas he saieth y t he hath no respect of persons his meaning is that there is no fauor to be had at his hand for the things that men are willingly mooued with For this word Persoâ—â— tokeneth the outward appearance It is not takeÌ„ here nor in any other places of the scripture for y t which we meane by the word person when we say Lo
for vs aboue in heauen It is sayd in the psalme Psal. 16.11 I shal haue my fill of the abundance of thy goodnesse And in an other place it is saide Lorde howe greate is the abundance of thy goodnes Psal. 17.15 which thou hast layd vp for them that loue thee True it is that God maketh vs to feele the abundance of his goodnesse partly euen in this world but yet shall we neuer haue our fill of it as is said in the sixteenth psalme vntill our Lord haue taken vs vp to himself rid vs quite out of this world And so let vs marke that the full measure of the good things that are promised vs which we looke to inioy is not to be found here beneath it is enough that we see some part of them Yea and although our Lord bestow but as much vppon vs as he seeth requisite for our infirmitie Let vs alwayes be led vp higher therby so as it may make vs to consider y t when the time commeth wherein God wil shewe himselfe vnto vs face to face then shall we be linked much neerer to him than we be now and to be short that whē we be gathered vp into his heauenly kingdome then we shall haue our fill of all thinges Ye see then that we must so passe through this world as we must not take our fill contentation and rest in the thinges that are here but bee drawen euer higher and higher to the spirituall good thinges and that if we linger in penurie heere beneath we must consider that by that meane God prouoketh vs to come vnto him vntill wee bee perfectly vnited vnto him as the vnion shal be at the last day Now let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good GOD with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele thē better than we haue done so as it may cause vs to hūble our selues continually and to mislyke of our selues and to aske him forgiuenesse of the great number of sinnes and iniquities which we haue committed and that in the meane while it may please him to beare with vs in our weakenesse vntill he haue clothed vs againe with his owne righteousnesse and also taken vs vp into his endlesse glorie That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all c. On Wednesday the xxv of September 1555. The Lxxvij Sermon which is the fourth vppon the eleuenth Chapter 16 Beware that your heart bee not beguyled and that yee turne not away to serue other Gods and to bowe downe before them 17 Least the wrath of your God bee kindled against you and hee shut vp the heauen that it raine not and the earth yeeld not her fruit and least ye perish sodenly from of the good Land which the Lord giueth you 18 Therefore lay vp these wordes in your heartes and in your mindes and tye them for a token to your hands let thē be as frontlets written between your eys 19 And teach thē to your childrē talking of thē when thou art at home in thine house when thou goest abroad and when thou lyest down when thou risest 20 See thou write them vppon the portals and gates of thy house 21 That your dayes the dayes of your children may be increased in the Land which the Lord sware to your fathers to giue you as lōg as y e skyes are ouer y e earth WHen as Moses sayth here that men must beware that they ouershoote not themselues thereby he doth vs to vnderstand howe frail we be how inclined vnto euill if we be not diligently restreined by the feare of God by continuall minding of y e doctrine whereby he guideth and gouerneth vs. To our seeming it had bin enough to haue sayd Keep the cōmandements of your God Yee see what he requireth of you sith yee know his will holde your selues to it But forasmuch as men are vnconstant a small thing or nothing will make them start out of y e right way he addeth yet further this warning that they should beware As if he should say Syrs keepe good watch Why so For wee shall be surprised by and by if we watch not to withstand Satans temptations wiles Specially when y e case cōcerneth y e seruing of God wee bee streightwayes turned aside and we need none other bodie to tempt vs for euery man shall finde continually some seede of superstition in his owne heart and the minde of man is a warehouse of Idolatrie so as euen without schooling euery of vs will forge idols ouerthrow the seruice of God For y e diuell sleepes not 1. Pet. 5.8 ne ceaseth to intangle vs in many fond wicked fancies Hereby therefore we may iudge how needefull this warning is for vs where we be willed to be watchfull Yea and wee know y e frailetie of our minde to be such y t if wee be not well fenced to w tstand Satans tēptations constantly he wil soon haue turned vs out of the way of saluation from y e pure doctrine of God And therefore let vs vnderstand at a word y t we haue need to stand continually vpon our garde as long as we liue in this mortall lyfe For why On the one side y e diuell tempteth vs hath an infinite number of wiles to winde about vs euery minute of an howre although his tēptations were not so great as they be yet are we so weake of our selues y t euery thing of nothing is able to ouerthrowe vs. Sith it is so with vs let vs watch specially seeing y t the spirit of God warneth vs so to doe But what It is well seene how we be takē vnwares vnprouided and God punisheth our negligence in falling so asleepe as though wee were at peace rest here Nay our life must bee kept occupyed here as though there were continuall warre the diuell faileth not to put vs to infinite assaultes skirmishes on all sides And therefore seeing we on our side be so sleepie and our enemie on y e other side is so watching to cut our throates it is good reason y t we should so be ouercome For seeing y t God warneth vs to stand at our defence we voutsafe not to be mindeful of it to cal vpon him to refer our selues vnto his protectiō must he not needes shew vs by experience y t his warning of vs is not w tout cause Yes therefore let vs beare this exhortation in mind specially when God is to be serued as I said afore let vs assure our selues there needeth nothing to dazle our eies as appeareth by experience As soone as y e true pure religion is stablished in any place by by mē fal to imbacing of it for their very nature affordeth it And therfore so much y e more behoueth it vs to hold our selues as imprisoned and not to swarue one way
world at this day is that men take leaue continually to imagin whatsoeuer comes in their heads O say they I trow God will lyke wel of this to my seeming such a thing is good Now if men behaue themselues so after their owne imagination all things must needes be out of order Ye see it is euen a very seagulfe Therefore let vs learne to giue eare to God when hee speakes to vs let vs not take leaue to coÌ„ceiue any thing of him otherwise than is shewed vs by his worde This then is the first point that we should learne to discerne our God from all the Idols which the world forgeth to it selfe therewithall y t we should not attempt any thing but that which he alloweth For y e Papistes can welenough protest y t their intent is to serue y e God y t made both heauen earth so also doe the Iewes Turkes y e case is common to them all But yet for al y t ye see how y e Turks haue wounde themselues into a maze of superstitions through y e deceitfulnesse of their Mahomet who hath bewitched them Again y e Iewes on their parte are growen out of kinde haue mingled y e Lawe w t their owne inuentions refusing y e redeemer that had bin promised them who is the very foundation of all y e religioÌ„ which they should haue held And as for y e Papists y e world sees how they haue corrupted all trueth turned it vtterly into lying Therefore let vs learne y t if we will not worship straunge Gods we must so holde our selues in awe as we attempt not any thing vnlesse we be sure y t it is according to Gods will For whensoeuer we fal to worshipping him after our owne deuice we doe set vp an idoll in our owne braine that is a thing which he vtterly mislyketh reiecteth and abhorreth Thus ye see y t the thing which we haue to remember vpon this place is y t seeing God hath graunted vs y e grace to haue his word to be our guide we ought to be y e more watchfull sith we be so weake as we neede not any thing to thrust vs out of the way we ought to take so much y e moore heede y t we may profit dayly by his word And besides y t let vs assure our selues throughly that it is not enough for vs to weene we doe well for we win nothing by being deceiued our case is neuer a whit amended by it before God therefore let vs learn to pray him to inlighten vs. And therewithall let vs knowe y t wheÌ„ God hath shewed vs his wil we must hold vs to it without adding aught thereto Thus yee see in effect what we haue to remeÌ„ber vpon this text of Moseses Now he addeth immediately that men shoulde lay vp the things in their heartes which he telleth theÌ„ that they shoulde make a continuall monument of them as if it were of bracelets about their wristes or of attyres on their heades or of deuices in writing at the entrace of their dores so the intent they might occasion them to thinke vppon the lawe of God so as at their rysing in the morning as their going to bed at night men should talke conferre of it that their children might learne thereby Hereby Moses sheweth yet better y t vnlesse men be held as it were by force they will soone start away froÌ„ God Lyke as wheÌ„ a man thinkes he hath made a Foxe tame if he let him alone but one halfe day he returnes againe to his kinde by and by Euen so is it with vs. We be so wilde y t although it may seeme for a time that we be throughly brought home vnto God very wel reformed yet in y e turning of a hand all is quite forgotten And therefore our Lord is faine to put vs in remeÌ„brance as hee doth in this text to quicken vs vp to inforce our selues to seeke al the means and helps y t may be to hold our selues in awe vnder his obedieÌ„ce That is the cause why he saith y t folke shoulde make theÌ„ frontlets as ornaments of their heads Whereas men doe commonly weare brooches buttons such other thinges women weare billiments of gold and other costly attyres vpon their heades the attire of the faithful must be to haue some remembraÌ„ce of Gods law In stead of bracelets other fine toyes to apparell deck our selues w tal we must vse such an attyre as may teach vs to garnish our soules yea to giue our selues wholy to God to submit our selues altogether to his word In stead of the hauing of gay things to furnish our houses withal for delight we must haue some such thing as may put vs in minde to say These are the things that our God calleth vs vnto he will neuer haue vs to forget him And if we haue ouershot our selues so as our minds do wander abrode he calleth vs home againe telleth vs y t we must not raunge so after our own vaine fansies Thus we see y e summe of that which is contained here We haue had the like saying in the sixth Chapter Dâ—â— 6.7 â—â— But yet this sheweth vs more expresly that it is not ynough for vs to haue withdrawen our selues for once froÌ„ our vain and wandering imaginations but God must bee faine to bring vs to that point againe by putting vs in minde of our flouth and negligence or else we shall dwel in it continually and he must be faine also to shewe vs the weaknesse feeblenesse of our spirites And in deede very experience shewes it for the whisking of a flye before our eyes is ynough to make vs run after it to do what we can to stop her Wee builde castles in y e aire by and by al vanisheth away Now then seeing there are so many vanities in our braine do we wonder y t we doe very quickly start away from God What a nomber of occasions are there in this world to turne vs this way that way so as we shal be led caried quite away ere euer we thinke on it Again Satan is such a suttle Sire that if we be not wel armed against him we shal neuer continue in y e obeying of our God This repetition therfore is not superfluous where God telleth vs again y â— it is good for vs to haue his law written eueriwhere so as we might reade his coÌ„mandements vpon our fingers And he hath disposed them into ten sentences to the end they should be y e better knowen vnto vs. For looke how many fingers there are vpoÌ„ our haÌ„ds so many are y e commandements of God to y e intent they should be y e easier to beare in remeÌ„beraÌ„ce so as there needeth no loÌ„g registers which were hard to carie away forasmuch as he hath giuen vs so short a rule y t if we be long in
the west side in the lande of the Cananites which dwel in y e plaine ouer against Gilgal beside the groue of Moreh 31 For ye shall passe ouer Iordan to go possesse the lande which the Lorde your God giueth you and you shall possesse it dwell therein 32 Take heede therefore perfourme all the ordinances lawes which I set before you this day THE protestation that Moses maketh here serueth to shewe y t men themselues are the cause of all their miseries that it is not for them to seeke the blame therof any where else And on y e other side that when God declareth his will vnto vs the way of welfare is shewed vs it is long of our selues y t our life is not happie in al respects throughout So then the meaning of Moses is y t God doth men a singular good turne when hee vouchsafeth to teach them by his word For whē they haue the record of his wil it is as good as a shewing of them howe to attaine to saluation how to prosper in this transitorie life Contrarywise also they be warned y t if they fare not y e better by the doctrine that is deliuered vnto them vnhappie are they they haue not cause to cōplaine of God afterward as though it were long of him for they had choyce Therefore when we haue beene instructed in Gods worde knowen y e true pure religion if we hold not on through out all the blame is to be layed vpon our selues For God had shewed vs the good way we held it not ne kept our selues in it Needes therefore must we be barred from al excuse and God must hold vs as conuicted for that we had leuer to perish wilfully to go to destruction than submit our selues to him who was willing to haue led vs to life saluation For this cause Moses sayeth Behold this day do I set before you a blessing a curse As if he should say Bethinke your selues Seeing y t God hath commanded me to publish his lawe it is not for you to fall asleepe For on the one side hee sheweth you howe you may prosper all your life long namely by obeying him On the contrarie part thinke not to scape scotfree when ye shall haue disobeyed your God such vnthākfulnes shal not abide vnpunished For God must needes be reuenged of such as haue refused his doctrine made no reckening of it So then first we be done to vnderstand that y e hauing of the knowledge of Gods will is an inestimable treasure All of vs are desirous to lead a happie life but there is no meane for vs to attain to it vnlesse God open vs the gate to come vnto him If it be alleged How then Shal not men be blessed if they indeuour to do wel Wil not God accept all their seruice when he sees them go on with a good intent Let vs marke first of all that men may to their own seeming haue as greate deuotion as is possible yet they shall but erre To weene that we do wel is not all that we haue to do We must be sure y t the way which wee take is no bypath but the way that leadeth straight forth vnto God Ye see then that we cannot bee sure of any blessing that is to say that our liues please God and that the seruice which wee doe him is wel liked of vntil he haue shewed vs what he requireth what he alloweth For so long as we walke after our own imagination wee go the clean contrarie way in stead of going forward wee go back Marke that for one point Againe for the second point when we haue done all yet is God nothing beholden to vs for it What oweth he vnto vs Nothing Now then al that we can hope for is by reason of the promise y t he maketh vnto vs by telling vs that if wee keepe his law we shal not lose our labour nor be disappointed but we shall haue a good rewarde at his hand Gods saying so is the ground from whence the blessing springeth that Moses speaketh here And it is the same thing that S. Paul telleth vs where he presupposeth y t euen before y e law men could not deserue any thing not without cause For if wee had done all that which were possible for vs to do as I said afore were it possible for vs to deserue aught at Gods hande No for wee owe it him euery whit of it he oweth nothing vnto vs. And so yee see why Moses sayeth here y t when the lawe was published then was a blessing set before the people As if he should say Heretofore ye haue knowen no rule ye haue beene as the wretched infidels which go on at all aduenture haue no certeintie to trust vnto But now hath your God gathered you to him shewed you y e right way Therfore y e way for you to leade a happie life is to obey the wil of your God Also here is a promise added to it whereby the people might bee in the better hope y t God would blesse them It is al one then with y t which I haue told you alreadie namely y t God is verie gracious to vs in shewing vs after what manner we ought to lead our life For without that wee might martyr our selues as much as we lifted yet it should be to no purpose Wherefore let vs beware that we receiue the word the more reuerently which is preached vnto vs in his name specially seeing it bringeth vs a blessing not only in y t we learne therby to know what Gods wil is how to liue in his fauour but also for that hee bindeth himselfe of his own good wil insomuch y t although no duetie compell him thereto yet vouchsafeth he to couenant with vs in such sort as we shal not serue him in vaine But here a mā might cast a dout how it commeth to passe that Moses speaking of the law sayth that he setteth forth a blessing For as was declared yesterday whatsoeuer God promiseth vs in his lawe wee fare neuer a whit the better by it because of the conditiō that goeth with it which is that y e promise of his blessing is tyed to performing of his commandemēts But no man doth that therfore are we al disappointed of the promise of the lawe by reason of the vnpossibilitie of the condition It should seeme then y t Moses speakes to no purpose in this text in promising a blessing to the people And in deede wee heare how S. Paul speketh of it Rom. 4.15 7.14 He saith y t the law bringeth nothing but Gods wrath vengeance for it rebuketh euery one of vs so as there is none of vs all that is righteous neither hath euer any man bin All of vs then are conuicted by the lawe Psal. 14.3 as transgressors against Gods righteousnes so
knowledge of y e Gospell And in deede according heereunto it is sayde in the Psalme that kinges shall come to submitte themselues to him that was to bee sent to be the redeemer Psa. 72.10.11 â— 13â— 4 Esa. 49.7.23 And againe that they shal be as foster fathers to the Churche and that Queenes shall giue her sucke that is to saye that such as haue the sworde of Iustice in their hande shall take Gods Churche into their protection to mainteine it in the pure doctrine and in the same Religion that is set downe in Gods worde Sith it is so it is to be concluded not onely that it is Lawefull for all Kinges and Magistrates to punish heretikes and such as haue peruerted the pure trueth but also that they be bounde to doe it and that they misbehaue themselues towardes GOD if they suffer errours to roust without redresse and employ not their whole power to shewe a greater zeale in that behalfe than in all other thinges For is it reason that he which sitteth in the seate of Iustice shoulde punishe a theefe for doing wrong but to the valewe of fiue shillinges and in the meane while let a traytour to GOD goe vnpunished Gods name is thereby blasphemed 2. Cor. 3.18 his trueth whiche is his image is trampled vnder foote and it is much more than if a man should rende some princes Cotearmour in peeces In so dooing the liuing image of GOD is skorned and as it were spitted at and the saluation of mennes soules hindered and shall the Magistrates sit still at it like ydolles They must punish a theefe for the valewe of fifteene pence and beholde this is such a traytour as goeth about to confounde heauen and earth together and must the same go vnpunished What a dealing were that Doeth not euen nature teache what is to be doone in this behalfe And as for those that say that we should let the euill weedes growe still doe they not shewe themselues to be growen out of kinde like monsters and that they bee more intollerable than if they were starke madde For it shoulde seeme that their meaning is to defie the whole order of nature and men see that they not onely speake against GOD but also poyson mennes soules and bewray themselues not to haue one droppe of setled discretion Nowe then let vs marke that sith God hath declared that in the reigne of his Sonne euen kinges shoulde bee called to the knowledge of the trueth and become a parte of his Church It behoueth them to giue example to their people and it is good reason that they shoulde employ their whole power and authoritie to maintaine the good doctrine and to cause GOD to be honored and serued and to driue away all ydolatrie and superstition and to see that it bee not Lawefull for anie man to spewe out blasphemies agaynst GOD. That is the thing which we haue to marke vpon this place And whereas it is alleadged that Iesus Christ vsed not the materiall sworde to aduaunce his doctrine withall that is true and wee also bring not the sworde in our hande into the pulpit to prooue the things that wee preache But lette vs learne to put a difference betweene offices and let vs consider howe our Lorde Iesus Christe came to preache his worde when hee woulde that such as receiue it should euerie man in his owne state and calling followe whatsoeuer is ordeined for him Nowe it is true that in the time of our Lorde Iesus Christ the great men of the worlde claue not to the Gospell no more than we see them doe yet still at this day but the little ones and weakâ—linges were faine to be chosen thereby to beate downe the pride of the worlde as Saint Paule auoweth in the first to the Corinthians Ye see sayeth he that there bee not many noble men 1. Cor. 1.26 men of power or wise men among you And why For men are but too much giuen to the aduauncing of themselues and if God had begunne at the great ones the litle ones shoulde haue seemed as nothing But God ment to beate downe all pride that men might learne to chalendge nothing to themselues Notwithstanding howesoeuer the case stand when the great ones are called to the seruice of God then must they imploy theÌ„selues in the thinges that belong to their charge For the thinges that I alleadged out of Esay Dauid and diuerse other Psalmes belong to the reigne of our Lorde Iesus Christ and to the state of the Christian Church Therefore must we needes conclude that our Lorde will haue Princes and magistrates to vse the sworde that is giuen them to the mainteynaunce of his honour and of the vnitie of faith and good agreement so as if any man rayse vp trouble or goe about to sowe darnell he may be rooted out But is not that punishment too rigorous Yes for some will well ynough graunt as constrained thereunto that it is good that heresies shoulde be repressed but that it were too great an extremitie to proceede so farre as to punishe them with death Yea but as I sayde afore wee must esteeme Gods honour as it deserueth For if wee woulde that deceiuers shoulde be reprooued so as they might not haue their mouthes open and yet that they shoulde not bee vtterly suppressed as were requisite it were all one as if we shoulde say In deede we ought to please God but as for to put a man to death for blaspheming him what a thing were that Loe at what point we be Bet God for all that will not faile to be had in estimation as I sayde afore yea and that to our cost if wee goe that way to worke For the very cause in deede why we see the worlde infected with so many troubles and errours is our lasines in that wee haue neither zeale nor disposition to beate downe the leasinges of Satan Nay rather which worse is there are a great number which maintaine them willingly And yet in the meane while men crye out that all thinges are confounded that all thinges goe to hauocke and that there are so greate troubles as is pitie to beholde And what is the cause thereof Euen the princes that are willing to maintaine errours and further them by all meanes they can so as it may seeme that they bee of Satans setting vp as it were to vpholde his part against God and his worde Their people likewise desire nothing so much as to be fedde with lyes that is al their seeking and God sendeth it them For as I haue shewed afore it is a iust rewarde for them Why then should men cry alas or why should they be greeued at the matter when all men both great and small seeke the vtter defacing of Gods trueth and to giue scope to all manner of leasinges Therefore let vs learne in any wise to haue the zeale and affectioÌ„ which our Lorde commaundeth vs or else it wil come to passe the heresies
for hee is knowen to haue beene present and yet if hee bee asked of it hee doeth but wring his groyne like a swyne and saye I heard him not Such folke are well worthie not only that God should plucke their eares from their head but also vtterly ouerwhelme them They bee monsters that can heare the name of their maker blasphemed and yet couer such filthines and suffer it to abyde vnpunished Is it not reason that God should shew how it is hee to whom they be to yeeld accompt for it And though he winke at it yet let not vs thinke that they which forsweare themselues so vntrustily shall scape scotfree but that in the ende GOD will shewe howe it is not without cause that hee hath pronounced that to fauour euill is worse than to doe euill For it may bee that hee that doeth the euill is carried to it by choler or by some other affection but as for him that cloketh it he is not onely a partaker of it but also a wilfull iustifier of it as it were in despite of GOD and that is an vtter peruerting of the order of nature And therefore lette vs learne by that which is tolde vs heere that euerie of vs must beare such zeale to the mainteinaunce of Gods honour as not to spare anie kinne or friende if they steppe vppe to sette themselues against him to whome wee belong and to whome wee owe all seruice going about to ouerthrowe his seate and to disappoint him that hee may no more reigne among vs. And therefore whensoeuer Gods honour is darkened or diminished among vs let euerie of vs in his state looke to it that we be so zealous as to redresse it to the vttermost of his power This is y e first point which we haue to marke heere And moreouer if any man shoulde goe about to alter the Religion so as GOD shoulde after a sorte bee driuen from among vs it were meete that our zeale shoulde in that case be kindled yet more For if wee bee nice in hauing our owne honour touched what ought wee to be when Gods kingdome is in daunger of vtter dispatch If there be some wicked practise in a Citie so as some treason insurrection or alteration of the state is a bruing and one hauing but some secret incling of it tolde him in his eare doe conceiue it shall hee not bee taken as accessarie and bee adiudged woorthie of punishment If it be proued against a man that some wicked treason was a practising and hee heard of the matter and yet discouered it not he shal be punished as a traytour and men will say hee was well worthie of such punishment And shall we bee helde excused of our silence when an insurrection is made against GOD and men goe about to ouerthrowe his holy temple that he might not dwell any more among vs so as they indeuour to deface his maiestie and furthermore to cast vp the saluation of mennes soules as a pray to Satan and wee say nothing to it Doeth not our dissimulation import both trecherie and periurie against GOD Yet notwithstanding there be some so farre past shame that they demaunde at euerie turne Who is he that findeth faulte with mee Whome haue I wronged Behoulde hee hath played the blasphemous and wicked wretche in flushing out some matter so vglye against GOD as hee ought to be rooted out for it and yet hee sayes Who complaines of mee If hee had stolne but fifteene pence he shoulde be whipped and for the seconde or thirde offence he should goe to the gallowes and like a Churchtraytour hee hath trampled Gods maiestie vnder foote wherin hee hath doone worse than the theefe that cuttes a trauellers throte in a wood and yet to his owne seeming he is iust still And whereof commeth this but of the foresaid lasinesse that no man bethinks himself of his dutie in that behalfe GOD doeth vs the honour to make vs mainteyners of his trueth as though he made vs a solemne commission of it And is not that such a preheminence as of duetie ought to make euerie of vs to streine himselfe yea euen beyonde his power to shew a constant and inuincible zeale in causing men to serue and honour GOD For if a prince imployed a man in his afaires and did put him in commission hee woulde strayne himselfe so farre as he woulde euen hazarde his life and hee woulde thinke that what paine so euer hee tooke though he did much more yet all were too litle seeing hee hadde so honourable a charge Beholde the liuing GOD taketh vs as if wee were his defenders and will haue euerie of vs to represent his owne person and yet for all that we despise all those thinges when Gods name is blasphemed wee make no reckening of it the partie himselfe that hath taken the othe to conceale no such thing shall playe the traytour first And therefore it is no woonder though wicked folke take such libertie and that when they bee conuicted they alleadge that no man complaines of them that they haue done no man any wrong For were wee the true children of GOD surely wee woulde tender the wronges that are doone to him more than the wronges that are doone to our selues and wee woulde take them much sorer to hearte For if wee our selues bee offended is it any great matter But when Gods holy name is lightly esteemed and reproched then wee ought to bee verie tender hearted And because wee thinke not of it when wee haue blasphemed God wee say wee haue done no man any wrong Furthermore let vs consider as I haue saide afore that if wee must endeuour by all the meanes wee can to haue swearing redressed much more reason is it that wee shoulde not suffer any man to step vp to trouble the Church and to make any rebellion but vtterly roote out such a pestilent fellowe out of hande But yet before all other thinges let vs looke that wee knowe Gods trueth aforehand that wee may be able to maintaine the same for without that wee shall goe lumpishly to worke and our zeale shal bee but as the rage of madfolkes as I haue alreadie shewed by the examples of the heathen men Iewes and Papistes The Papistes haue a faire colour in saying that if a man deface the maiestie of a Prince hee shall not scape vnpunished and therefore it is much more reason that men shoulde bee punished for setting themselues against God Yea but in the meane while they wote not what GOD they worship for they bee carried away with their owne wicked and diuelish superstitions Let vs marke then that wee must not take this lawe here at alauenture but that to begin well wee must lay this foundation that wee bee sure that the religion which wee holde is of God As for example wee haue the holy Scripture and there our Lorde hath shewed vs his will Hee protesteth by his Prophet Esay that hee hath not spoken vainly nor couertly
Councels Yea but before that God commaunded the punishment of Rentgates that shoulde goe about to trouble the Church and to set diuision in the faith he saide Thou shalt not doe what seemeth good in thine owne eyes Deut. 12. but thou shalt submit thy selfe obediently to my sayinges and not step aside from my worde but yeelde your selues to it both great and small and therefore that order ought to bee maintained But we see that all thinges are turned vpside downe And therefore let vs looke that wee bee well informed as I saide afore and that wee bee well assured that wee haue Gods certaine trueth and that wee bee throughly resolued of it so as wee may bee able to say It is God that hath spoken it we haue beene taught it in his schoole and wee renounce all imaginations of men for wee knowe there is nothing but vanitie and vntrueth in men God then must bee the author of our faith and allowe it before wee can say This is the trueth And when wee bee so resolued then may wee obey this commaundement here But wee must marke therewithall that it is not ynough for men to excuse themselues by saying as for mee I meane not to abolish all religion and yet if I like well of this thing why shoulde it not bee lawfull for mee to haue it Moses sheweth vs that although a man pretend the title of some god yet is that nothing for wee must haue the liuing GOD and that when wee haue once the knowledge of the true Religion that must suffice vs and that if wee goe astraye it is through our owne fault and there is no excuse for vs. That is the meaning of Moses and it is a doctrine well worthie to bee noted For many men might finde starting holes in this behalfe May not a man bee ouerseene through simplicitie Yes but when wee haue once knowen God wee cannot bee separated from him but our malice must needes bee vtterly vnexcusable And therefore let vs take courage to benefite our selues and when Gods worde is giuen vs freely and preached vnto vs purely let vs bee so confirmed in it as wee bee not anye more like wauering reedes yeelding to euery wynde nor as little children whome euery man may beguyle but let vs vse wit and discretion And in deede our Lorde giueth vs his worde not onely to the intent wee should saye Lo this or that is good but to the ende that euery man shoulde keepe himselfe from euill bee fenced and armed against al temptations of Satan so as wee might haue wherewith to resist him when hee goeth about to thrust vs out of the way Nowe Eph. 6. â—â— Gods worde is tearmed a spirituall sworde and therefore wee haue wherewith to outstande all assaultes so wee haue profited in Gods worde as wee shoulde doe And hereby it appeareth what diuels they bee which would nowadayes leaue all things in dout For there are fantasticall persons which say What If a man will punish Heretikes hee must do it continually because all thinges are out of order True it is that men ought to serue God And if any many woulde saye there were no diuine maiestie in heauen there is no GOD there ought to bee no religion in the worlde O that were not to bee abidden But as long as men holde this grounde that there is a GOD it is ynough And although the heathen keepe stil their dotages although the Iewes be wilfull in maintayning their false exposition of y e lawe although the Turkes holde still their Mahomets Alcoran although the Papistes bee still intangled in their superstitions all is one so they holde fast this principle that there is a God Yea but Moses sayeth here expressely that although a man pretende an intent to serue God yet must hee bee stoned to death if it be knowen that hee meant but onely to ouerthrowe or disguise the true religion And what more then For as I haue sayd wee must not onely pronounce with our mouth that there is a God but wee must also discerne him from all the abuses that men haue inuented of their owne brayne For otherwise it is but a mocking of all the holy Scripture I shall say I worship God and in the meane time I worship a puppet And what is my God It is a fantasie that I haue deuised in mine owne head it is not the liuing God hee disclaymeth all such dealings so am I but a forger For as Saint Paul speaketh of it in the first to the Romanes Rom 1.21 such as haue wandred away after their owne imaginations haue transformed the maiestie of GOD though their intent was to worship the liuing God as the Papistes doe which protest that they worship God the maker of heauen and earth and likewise the Turkes who say the same thing and so also doe the Iewes notwithstanding that they abhorre Iesus Christ. And it is sayd in Saint Iohn that hee which beleeueth not in the Sonne beleeueth not in the Father which sent him 1. Ioâ— â— 23 Nay he that turneth away from Iesus Christ doeth vtterly renounce God For where dwelleth the fulnesse of the Godhead but in Iesus Christ Col. 2 17. When the Turks set their Mahomet in the place of Gods sonne 1. Tiâ—â— 3.16 knowing not that God hath manifested himself in the flesh which is one of the chiefe articles of our faith what a dealing is it So then how many thinges soeuer men terme by the name of God they bee but diuels of their owne deuising and setting vp 1. Cor. 10. â—0 if they keepe not themselues fast inclosed within the boundes of the holy scripture And therefore let vs marke well that wee must holde vs to the pure Religion and when wee bee well assured of that then must we come to this lawe whereof Moses speaketh here And whosoeuer aduaunceth himselfe against it let him bee rooted out Nowe if the man that woulde drawe vs to the seruing of straunge gods deserue to bee put to death what is to be done to these dogges whose whole indeuour is to turne all vpside downe and to be sorte the whole worlde so as men may not knowe any more what religion is And in these dayes wee see this kinde of weede to rise thorough the whole worlde a sorte of heathenish people which serue to no purpose but to scoffe and iest at all thinges that are spoken of GOD. Also what shall become of those that commit so open blasphemie as they may seeme to make but a mockerie of all the holye Scripture as though it were nothing else but fables Nowe then sith wee see that Moses speaketh so what doe they deserue which do so trouble and defile the holy thinges Beholde there comes mee an hypocrite that woulde deuise a newe Religion as it were to set vp a popedome here againe or to bring in the Alcoran of Mahomet nowe ought such a one to bee put to death without
you and haue seduced the inhabitants of their cities saying let vs go and serue other gods whome yee haue not knowen 14 Then shalt thou search and inquire and examine the matter throughly if it be true certaine that such abhomination hath beene doone among you 15 Thou shalt roote out the inhabitants of that citie with y e edge of the sword and vtterly destroy the citie and all that is in it and the verie cattell thereof with the edge of the sworde 16 And thou shalt gather al the spoyle thereof together into the middes of the citie and burne vp the citie and all the spoyle thereof with fire to the Lorde thy God and it shal be a heape for euer and neuer be builded againe 17 And none of the cursed thinges shall sticke to thy handes that the Lorde your God may turne away the fiercenesse of his wrath from thee and giue thee mercie and haue pitie vpon thee and multiply thee as he sware to thy fathers 18 Because thou shalt haue obeyed the voyce of the Lorde thy God in keeping all his commaundementes which I commaund thee this day to the ende thou mayest doe the thinges that are right in the eyes of the Lorde thy God WE haue seene heretofore what manner of zeale wee ought to haue to y e mainteining of Gods true seruice the pure religiō that is to wit that we must forget al y e friendship of the world and shewe that we make more account of the honor of our God than of all those that are as deere to vs as our owne soules But now Moses proceedeth further and sayth that wee must vse such rigour not only against particular persons but also against whole cities Now if a whole Citie ought to be rased for breaking y e seruice of God what shal be done to any one man Should he be borne with Here then we see how Gods honour ought to be preferred before the whole worlde And because he had set downe a right and pure order to y e people of Israel how to do it his mind was that it should be kept to the vttermost and that if any man transgressed it he should be cut off insomuch that if it were a whole people that had done it they should be delt withall after the same maner Now then we see yet better howe carefull wee ought to be for the preseruation of religion in his purenes True it is that we ought to be alwayes mindefull of y t which we haue sayd already namely that it serueth not to excuse ydolaters whē they be so inraged with zeale without discretion For we must be sure a forehande that the religion which we holde is holy that God alloweth of it so as it is not a doctrine forged at the pleasure of men but Gods owne will vttered vnto vs of his owne free fauour whereof we haue good and infallible record that if any set himselfe against it he must be cutte off yea though it were a whole Citie So litle ought any priuate person to be forborne that euen a whole citie ought to be destroyed for it But to the intent this doctrine may be y e better vnderstoode let vs marke the order which God commandeth here to be kept If it be sayde that is to say if the report go that some wicked persons are gone from among you and haue led away the inhabitantes of a Citie make good inquisition of the matter search it out diligently and vnfainedly to the vttermost and if it be found to be so let that Citie bee vtterly destroyed with the edge of the sworde and so forth Now first our Lordes will is that when any brute goeth of an euill deede we should first inquire how y e case standeth And hereby he sheweth that such as haue authoritie of the sword sit in the seate of Iustice must not be retchlesse in suffering thinges to passe before their eyes without making any countenance to see them Is there then any brute of a thing Inquisition must be made of it For if it be let passe we shew that our intent is to nourishe the euill and the parties that haue so concealed it must in y e ende abide their payment which is that it must light wholly vpon their owne heads as we see it commeth to passe And it is a iust punishmēt of God that when such as are in office to remedie redresse euill doe beare with it they themselues should abide the paine of it And when they suffer it it happeneth not by haphazard but God yeeldeth them the iust wages which they haue deserued Therefore we must marke this text that God will haue vs to be doing aforehand as soone as the brute is reported or giuen forth not to tary till the thing be apparaunt without setting hand to it or without making inquisition of it but he will haue the Iustice to inquire of it betimes specialy when there goeth any brute of it And by the way to the intent there be not a slight inquirie made of it as it were but for fashions sake he vseth here three wordes and afterwarde he addeth that it must be done throughly so as there be an exquisite care vsed in the matter For diuers times informations are taken when some cōplaint is made and that the euill is knowen yea and y t in suchwise as they be ashamed to cloke it altogether and so witnesses bee called But they will not seeke to vnderstand the pith of the matter they doe but vse a kinde of forme for fashions sake as who should say y e matter is not buried because there hath bin some seeking to knowe the truth of it But what This is no proofe that is to say we wil not search how the case stands in deede For the witnesses are dispatched ere they haue tolde halfe their tales and that which they haue spoken is let slip so as wee see not the thing that is as apparant as the nooneday Now to the end that men should not daly after that sort with God it is sayd expresly that inquisition should be made that the matter should be examined and information dewly taken And therfore let Iustices vnderstand that they shall not goe quit but that God will hold them giltie for neglecting their duetie if they do not what they can to bring matters to light when they heare any complaint or any brute of them Neuerthelesse our Lords meaning is not that mē should iudge at al aduenture but that the crime should be duly proued whether it be so of a truth in deede He vseth two wordes to shew that a Iudge ought not to be led by bare suspition to conclude what hee listeth For wee must be faine to beare with the euill when it is not knowen because God hath not yet brought it to light As for example there be some sinnes sayth S. Paul which make hast to come to their condemnation 1. Tim. 5.24 and
we see that God doth so thrust and driue some wicked men forward that they runne a head into mischiefe For sometimes it is Gods will to humble vs by making our offences knowen that we may feele them and be sorie at the heart for them Yea sometimes againe a man knowes not at what end to begin but is letted that he cannot punish because he findeth no mean how to do it Therfore a Iudge must be discreete and milde that he giue not sentence vpoÌ„ bare coniectures but that he first of all do see the matter substantially proued Now then here are two notable thinges the one is that we must not be rechlesse but diligent in searching out of thinges that y e euil may be discouered not nourished The other is that we should not iudge rashly but that the matter should be welknowen and throughly brought to light before me come to giue diffinitiue senteÌ„ce of it so as our iudgement may be ripe settled Now this being so it is sayde thou shalt destroy the inhabitants of that Citie with the edge of the sword Wherby God sheweth as I haue declared already what affection wee ought to beare vnto his seruice For if we consider what a thing his glory is it ought to be more deere to vs thaÌ„ all y e whole world What see we either in heauen or on earth but litle sparks of y e power righteousnes goodnes wisedome which are infinite in God They be not to be measured we haue but only some litle signes and tokens of them in heauen and earth Therefore it were better that the worlde should perish ten thousand times than that Gods glory should be defaced But it falleth out that his glory is conueyed ouer vnto ydols yea bestowed vpon Satan when his seruice is corrupted And therefore it is not for vs to fal asleepe or to cocker ourselues in this case as we haue bin wont to doe making sale of Gods honour and letting it passe as though we seemed to count it as a thing of nothing But contrariwise we see here how he putteth all cities to destruction if they haue defaced his honor So then let vs vnderstand that it is not for vs to rowe any more betweene two streames as we haue bin wont to if we intend to keepe our religion vnappayred but we must see that all Church treasons that is to say all outrages that are doone to the maiestie of God may be punished Seeing we know and nature teacheth vs that robberies murthers theftes and all manner of pilfries ought not to bee borne with what shal we do when gods name is blasphemed all religion turned vpside downe and the pure doctrine falsified to thrust folke out of the way and to breake the vnion of faith Such thinges are not to be winked at for they be too heynous crymes Yea and it behoueth vs to marke how it is said heere that if any wicked men be risen vp and haue seduced the inhabitants of a Citie For it may seeme that this circumstance should somewhat abate the fault forasmuch as the whole citie went not away of their own accord but were carried away by certain wicked persons as in deed a few such firebrandes of hell are ynough to set all thinges out of order Yea but yet are not they to be born with which haue giuen eare to such deceiuers they must be punished for it neuerthelesse yea and y t not with stripes of roddes onely but euen with death And in deede how trifling an excuse is it for a man to say I was vndermined I would neuer haue done amisse if I had not bin inticed to it ye may see what ill counsell is Yea but yet notwithstanding thou haddest bin taught by the voyce of thy God thou knewest his will wast ascerteined of it Beholde a man whome thou knewest to be wicked came to seduce thee and thou gauest more credit to his leaudnesse and to thine owne wit than to y e infallible truth of thy God Thou knowest y t thy God speaketh for thy benefite and thou leauest him thou giuest him deafe eare thou art loth to giue him any hearing thou refusest all that he telleth thee and is that to be excused Nay rather shoulde wee not spit in the faces of such men as will needes make a shield of other mens inticementes Yes and for that cause doth not God hold a whole Citie excused when the people of it haue bin deluded by wicked persons Both great and small say I must be punishable and God is not cruell in punishing them all as wee see hee hath ordeined heere Furthermore let vs marke well y e God ment to do vs to vnderstand what it is to haue wicked persoÌ„s in a citie 1. Cor. 5. â— Câ—l â—â— For as saith S. Paul a little leueÌ„ soureth a whole lump of dow Nowe then whersoeuer deceiuers be there are the people by by infected God speaketh so thereof plainly to the intent we should not suffer euill to harbor amomoÌ„g vs. If there be any poysoninges we are all afraid of them and it troubleth vs to prouide howe to saue our selues froÌ„ them ô say we such a plague must not abide among vs. Now it is certain that there is not a worse nor a more deadly plague than the stepping vp of vnruly persons despisers of God and wicked men which seeke to turne al thinges vpside downe and to bring all to confusion corrupting all thinges to the intent to haue the more libertie to doe euill When such foke rise vp be borne withall it is good reason that al should be giltie of their fault And we see also that God punisheth those y t beare with euill doinges when they both should and could correct them insomuch that the common prouerbe is verified in them that when a man is saued from the gallous he could finde in his heart to see theÌ„ hanged y t deliuered him from it And good reasoÌ„ it is that they should haue such reward for their corrupting of Iustice and for their impeaching of right Therefore when we see men goe about to turne all thinges vpside downe wee must represse them aforehande and not tarie till y e end for that is a cursed patience True it is as I said afore that if God giue vs not the meane to rid away euill so soone as we would then must wee be sory for it haue patience But when things are euident there is none other let than lacke of corage then if we be cold and laâ—ie and shut our eyes because wee be loth to susteine displeasure as if a man shoulde say I will not be too forwarde least I bee left in the bryers for feare least I pay for the shot when I haue entered into such a quarell for I see that such fellowes are ful of reuendge and may easily be euen with mee when we vse such cowardlynesse then must wee abide the penaltie of it And
we see whatsoeuer belongeth to our saluation Now they fall to making of impedimeÌ„ts by such ceremonies y t the world might not looke full vpoÌ„ Iesus Christ. And they bee not contented w t the intermingling of the thinges y t God had ordeined for a time amoÌ„g y e Iewes but they haue also borrowed of y e obseruances of the heathen True it is y t euen in this case also they pretended some color as who should say that the world could not be drawen froÌ„ those foolish ceremonies therefore it was better to vse them stil vnder the title of God his saincts than vnder y e title of idols as they haue done before bâ—â— by that meanes the seruice of God was falsifyed Let vs mark then y t all that euer is termed by the name of Gods seruice at this day in y e Popedome is but a confused hotchpotch of all maner of superstitions for they cannot shewe that the holy scripture hath appointed men to do so And whence haue they fetched their ground bâ—t froÌ„ a desire to counterfeit the things y t were vsed among the Iewes Infidels Sith it is so what a thing is it if we shall now fashion our selues lyke vnto them and suffer a â—ort of pelting bables or ceremonies to bee layd vppon vs and binde our selues to y e keeping of theÌ„ to y e intent wee would not be too far vnlyke those y t name themselues Christians It is y e same corruptioÌ„ which God coÌ„demneth in this sentence For it is not Gods will y t we should haue any resemblaÌ„ce to those which haue w tdrawen theÌ„selues froÌ„ the pure obeying of his word Therefore let vs be conteÌ„ted to haue Gods seruice reformed stablished according to his coÌ„maundement That is the thing which we haue to obserue in the first place As touching the second poynt it is sayd that God would haue but onely one Altar whereon to offer their sacrifices At this day this is no more in vse we haue no more any materiall altar For whereas the Papistes vse altars in so dooing they deface the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ as much as they can Neuerthelesse Gods intent at that time was to keepe his people in the vnion of faith by allowing them but one Altar And now it is sayd that they should not seâ— vp any memoriall of long continuance in any certeine place For by that meanes they might haue accustomed themselues to worship God there or they might haue made some chappell for deuotion and so had all bin mard And therefore not without cause were they forbidden to plant any trees in the places where they sacrificed for Gods Sanctuarie was to be plaÌ„ted at length vpoÌ„ mount Sion And as many as intended to serue God purely it behooued them to resort thither to shewe on common accord and one true vnitie of beliefe Lykewise nowadayes our Lorde Iesus Christ hath left vs his holy supper for a warrant that he dwelleth among vs and is alwayes present with vs by his power insomuch that although he be exalted aboue the glory of heauen 〈…〉 3.16 〈◊〉 5.30 〈◊〉 â— 56.57 yet doe not we faile to be knit vnto him to bee members of his body to haue one common lyfe with him and at one word to be fed and nourished by his substance And because it is a secret that passeth all vnderstanding of man he hath warranted it vnto vs by y e visible signe of his supper Come we then to the table of our Lorde Iesus Christ The bit of bread and the draught of wine which we receiue there doe represent vnto vs y t Iesus Christ is truely our food that we be so incorporated into him y t we be partakers of his owne proper life By meanes whereof Iesus Christ is so present with vs y t we must all needes be gathered together vnto him But we see at this day what hath bin done in the Popedome Was there a table for the receiuing of the Communion No it was turned into an Altar And that was one corruptioÌ„ aforehand For as I haue sayd already it is not for any man to sacrifice Iesus Christ any more That office belonged peculiarly to himselfe 〈◊〉 9. â—â— 25 and he discharged it throughly now must we receiue y e sacrifice that was offered vp vnto God let y e worde altar alone Neuerthelesse it is not enough with theÌ„ that there be but one table they will needes haue three or foure euery man buildes me his chappel there sets me vp an altar Although it were a good thing of it selfe to haue one altar among y e ChristiaÌ„s yet doe they breake y e vnitie of faith wheÌ„ they build seuerall chappels after y t fashion For why It is y e will of Iesus Christ that there should be one common supper y t all his Church should meet together that the receiuing thereof should be as a true band to hold the faithfull in one with him But they go to say their deuotions in such a place to sing Masse in an other place And y t is an open defying of God a setting vp of idols in his stead It is a turning of Gods teÌ„ple not onely into a Swines stye but also into a stinking dungeon of all abhomination idolatrie And therfore let vs marke how it is not without cause y t God teacheth vs in this text y t although we haue not y e auncient ceremonie of Sacrifycing Oxen Sheepe yet notwithstaÌ„ding we ought to be vnited in faith Deut. 12.32 and not ad any thing at al to y t which is coÌ„maÌ„ded vs but simply keep this rule inuiolable y t we vnderstand how after what fashioÌ„ God wil be worshiped agree thereto w tout presuming to put any thing to it Now also Moses sayth That they must not offer vnto God any beast that hath any maim or blemish in it He hath told vs hitherto that men must not meddle w t idolaters nor haue any resemblance to their superstitions For the true religion must be held in his pure singlenesse But that is not all For they that offer vnto God turne not away after the fond deuotions of men must moreouer serue God soundly that is to say their discharging of themselues towardes him must not bee lightly as men doe commonly nowadayes For we see howe men defraude God of his right In deede when we be indetted vnto men we discharge our selues one way or other but whereas we be indetted vnto God all our seeking is how to scape from him True it is y t we wil indeuer to defraud men also but yet wil we be ashamed to vse libertie towardes them as wee doe towardes God euen in dalying with him If we owe a man either custome or rent we will not stick to conceale it if wee can if wee be of euill conscience But yet for all that wee will not be plucked too
worlde y t men might come rūning to it a foure or fiue thousād leagues off to worship God And do ye not see what an absurditie that were Therfore it were too grosse a fondnesse to cōclude thus There was but one temple one high priest in al Iewrie ergo there ought to be y e like throughout the whole worlde For then ought there also some litle nooke to be made where men might so assemble togither as they should not neede to go past foure or fiue dayes iourneyes from home but we see that that were vnpossible and moreouer it were contrarie to nature Marke that for one poynt And secondly let vs marke 1. Tim. 3.16 Hebr. 〈…〉 that the Leuitical Priesthood is come to an end quite put down by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ into y e world Moreouer the high priest was a figure shadow of our Lord Iesus Christ and therefore it were an abolishing or putting away of the trueth if men shoulde haue a high priest to bee the vniuersall head of the Church as the Pope woulde make men beleeue It is saide that there was one high priest one chiefe Iudge yea one king in Israel Now if a man wil conclude hereupō that there ought to be one high-priest through the whole world there must also be but one chiefe king so should all common weales be cast downe the order which as now is distinctly set among kingdoms dukedomes free cities should be but a confusion accursed of God And in what taking were wee then Nay wee must go to the chiefe point of all which is that thereby our Lorde Iesus Christ shoulde be robbed of his right Matt. 28.18 Phil. ◠9 Hebr. 1.8.13 For now that he is come the kingdome is stablished euerlastingly in his person he is set ouer all the Empires and kingdomes of the worlde Also he hath taken vpon him the euerlasting priesthood ouer all order gouernement of the Church Not that there shoulde not as now be any mo Bishops sheepheards as the scripture speaketh of them but y t Iesus Christ be the only head the residue but as inferior members and that the body be gouerned in such wise as all things may be subiect to him of whome it is saide This is my welbeloued sonne Mat. 17.5 Heare ye him And so wee see that y e Pope is a traytour that robbeth Iesus Christ of his soueraigntie by making of himself highpriest ouer the Church of God And by the way if it be alledged that it is requisite there should be some meane to end quarels and controuersies that might rise for religion the answere is that so there be an order set there needeth not any one man to be set ouer al the rest but they may assemble together w t one cōmon accord as we see hath bin done in times past True it is that the men of olde time had a certeine order in the Church for the great Prouinces namely that there were certaine Patriarkes but as for to haue any one head ouer the whole Church that was neuer agreed vppon so long as there was any purenes of the Gospel or any tolerable gouernement But as soone as all things were confounded after a barbarous or rather brutish maner then did the Pope lift vp his hornes In deed he stroue long time against the bishop of Constantinople But howsoeuer y e case stood it fell out anon after that all thinges were corrupted confounded men wist not any more what the gouernment of the church ment So then let vs marke y t if it be said that like as it is requisite there should be some stay for the pacifying of ciuil quarels and for the determining of criminal 〈◊〉 so it is good reason that there should be so 〈…〉 hiefe court of prerogatiue for the appeasing 〈◊〉 rife contention in doctrine yet it followeth not that one man only ought to haue supremacie ouer the whole world for as I haue shewed afore that is quite contrarie to nature What remaineth then That men assemble togither that Iesus Christ beare the chiefe sway among them But we must wey well the things that are contained heere It is said that y e Priest must iudge according to the law of God Wherein it is shewed that our Lorde layeth not the brydle loose on the necke eyther of all the priestes together or of the Iudge which was in those dayes in state of a king but that al of them ought to be subiect to the law and that as I said afore God meant to reserue the soueraigne authoritie to himselfe so as men should receiue definitiue sentence as at his mouth that the persons which were to giue the sentence should be but as instrumentes of his holy spirite expounders of his lawe Therefore let vs marke wel that God ment not here that men should do any thing on their own heads but that his lawe should beare the sway specially in Ierusalem rather than in any other place But now let vs see what the Pope doeth what all the bastardly Councels haue done whereunto he would tye vs. There is nothing amongest them but to say that the holy Ghost gouerned them for as for the holy scripture they did let that alone In deede they gaue it the honorable title of Gods word but when they ment to determine what they thought good was it according to that which God hath declared No but they tooke another rule which is that the Church cannot erre because it is gouerned by y e holy Ghost that as touching the holy scripture it leadeth vs into perfection but we must mount vp yet higher for if we haue not the reuelations of the holy Ghost it is nothing If a man holde himselfe to that which is conteined in the holy scripture it is but an vnperfect thing with them but as for that which is determined by y e Church that must be held inuiolable and no man must in any wise gainsay it Againe the holy scripture say they is a nose of wax which a man may wryth euery way there is no certeintie in it but whē the church hath once pronounced a thing there is no more dout in it After y e maner went all the rable of them to worke so as they haue troden y e holy scripture vnder foote Although they grant in words that it proceeded from God yet haue they taken it to be but as an apsie and as a cōmō doctrine affirming that the Reuelations which haue beene giuen vnto them are much higher doctrine These blasphemies they haue not been ashamed to vtter their bookes are ful of them Insomuch that they say that the holy scripture is a pliable thing as I haue declared afore so as if wee should sticke to that which is conteyned there our fayth shold neuer be certein And therupon euery man folowes his owne fancye Seeing they were come to
such extremitie a mā may wel perceiue y t the holy scripture bare no sway amōg thē But on y e cōtrarie part it is said y t the highpriest must be a Iudge not only in matters concerning the spiritual gouernment of the church but also in ciuil cases that he must follow y e law though the case concern but the temporal iurisdiction If it be so what is to be done whē they haue to deale with y e law of God Whē the case concerneth the saluation of mens souls religion faith which are things y t passe all the whole world Shal men therein forsake the holy Scriptures Shall men in those cases ouerrule matters at their own pleasure as if they woulde say This seemes good to mee this hath y e holy Ghost reuealed vnto mee See yee not how God is shamefully mocked in this behalf So then let vs mark wel first that our lord ment not to giue infinit power either to the Priests or to y e Iudges but y t he hath sent referred them backe to his law y t they might iudge according to y e same In deede here a man might reply that euery man might say It is not according to Gods lawe vnlesse the exposition y t is giuen thereof be to their own liking And truely the heretikes are so wilful y t they wil neuer be conuicted Although the holy scripture be alledged vnto them that the texts be set downe neuer so cleare infallible yet wil they not ceasse to contend stil euen whē their own consciences condemn them as saith S. Paul Tit. 3.11 Al this is true yet must not they which are in autoritie abuse it as though it were lawful for them to say This is y e law let it be followed Neuerthelesse the Pope al his clergie haue left y e holy scripture what should we do then but repaire to this rule y t seeing God woulde haue the temporal iurisdictiō to be gouerned by his word there is much more reason y t the Church should not be otherwise gouerned than by y e holy scripture Wheresoeuer temporal Iudges are they be lawmakers neither haue they libertie to make new lawes for the spirituall gouernement of the Church To be short men must hold their peace all mouthes must be stopped men must content themselues with that which is set down by Moses by the Prophets by the Apostles thereupon must men rest altogether Seeing it is so y t God hath not authorised men to bee lawmakers as in respect of the spirituall gouernement of the church let vs conclude y t it is not lawfull for vs to turne away from the law from y e holy scripture but y t we must hold vs to it And so yee see what we haue to marke vpon this text where it is said y t the Priests the Iudge for y e time being shall iudge according to the law of God And in very deede I haue declared a litle alreadie that we ought to receiue Iesus Christ as wel for our Iudge as for our highpriest For Iesus Christ hath a double office in somuch y t besides that he is our chiefe prophet of whom we ought to hold al our doctrine to fetch all trueth Esa. 7.14 Hebr. 1.2.8 2.17 he is also our soueraigne king highpriest Howbeit forasmuch as they represented his person being as it were his shadowes figures it behoued thē to follow this law As now there are no mo such shadowes figures as I saide heretofore because the sonne of God is come into the worlde y e old priesthood is passed away the old kingdome is abolished Therfore let vs be contented to haue an inferior order y t is to wit that ciuil gouernement be so maintained as Gods law do alwayes beare chiefe stroke as all men in the mean while haue a regard what is lawful for thē When kings princes magistrates are to make lawes let them vnderstand that if they make them of their own head it is a marring confounding of all things For God saith it is by me that magistrates discerne what is good and expedient Prou. 8.15.16 Therfore let them call vpon the spirit of God that he may giue them wisdom discretion to make good conuenient lawes And let them that sit in the seat of Iustice referre thēselues to God and seeke to bee ruled by his holy spirite Let them that haue the spirituall iurisdiction knowe that it is not lawfull for them to meddle any further than with the preaching of Gods worde and to speake as out of his mouth and to deliuer the doctrine faithfully which is contained in the law and y e Gospel let them holde themselues within those boundes and take no further vppon them Thus yee see in effect howe wee ought to put this doctrine in vre And it is said expresly That men shall stand to the sentence which is giuen by the Iudges and Priests and that the party which disobeyeth it shal dy the death because of his pryde Hereupon the Pope would needs grounde that it is not lawefull in any wise to stand against the things that haue bin determined by the Councels What Beholde the Pope hath sit as cheefe of the Councel and the Byshops and prelates haue consented thereunto and shall a man come and set himselfe against it and say y t it was il decreed O that were an intolerable crime in deed God wilnot haue such pride to be borne withall in his people This as I haue sayd afore may easily be ouerthrowen as thus that forasmuch as this text treateth of matters of lawe it treateth not of doctrine For God hath deliuered his lawe and hath said that men must not turne aside neither to the right hand nor to y e left In so much that whē Moses gaue instructions vnto Iosua Deut. 31 1◠Iosu◠2.7 he said to him thou shalt follow whatsoeuer is conteined in y e law not swarue aside one way nor other Behold Iosua is ordeined to be the cheefe Iudge to hold the people in good order he is their head and represēteth our Lord Iesus Christ yet for al y t he saith not to him Thou shalt doe whatsoeuer thy mind giueth thee to do whatsoeuer is good right to thine own seeming but thou shalt do as y e meanest of all the people submitting thy selfe to the doctrine which is giuen thee for the guiding of the Church So then as touching Gods seruice and religion wee see howe the lawe hath euer borne the swaye and it behoued all men to haue their ears open and redie to receiue whatsoeuer is set forth there and that no man might presume to stand against it or to ouerrule it for making of the people to murmure Now therfore forasmuch as here is no speech concerning any other things than of matter in lawe how they ought to be ended and of the pacifying
Kin. 11.36 to shewe that God maketh his light to shine vpon his people and that although there be not at all times great light yet there shal euer be a Lampe howsoeuer the world goeth And the seconde reason was that if a straunger shoulde haue reigned he would soone haue changed the religion as wee knowe that the heathen will alwayes needes sette vp their owne superstitions And why For commonly they haue not the feare of God to keepe them in awe but rather they thinke God to be bounde vnto them if they giue men leaue to worshippe him and serue him after some sort yet for all that they wil needes turne all the seruice of God to their owne lustes and liking If the Turke get the souereignetie in any countrey although he be contented to abide the Christians as they call themselues Yet doeth he worke them all the spite and reproch that can be to discourage them Where the Papistes beare swaye they defile al the puritie of Christian doctrine and they can not abide that the Gospell shoulde be preached or that the Sacramentes shoulde be purely vsed but they will needes put all to hauocke and in any wise set vp their owne ydolatries Thus yee see what would haue come of it insomuch y t if a stranger should haue reigned ouer the people of Israell it hadde bin the next way to haue ouerthrowen the whole Lawe Not without cause therefore did God expressely prouide that they shoulde not choose any other king than of the lynage of Abraham such a one as were comprised in the couenaunt Col. 2.11.12 and bare the marke of the Church that is to wit Circumcision which was the like Sacrament to the Iewes that we haue noweadayes of Baptisme But nowe must we apply this to our owne vse and vnderstande first of all that the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christ must bee mainteined in such soundenesse as that wee must beware of bringing any defilemēt into it And what is y e kingdom of Christ I haue told you already y t it consisteth not in any visible things or in any things belonging to this present life but it is the gathering of vs together by his holy spirite into the hope of the heauenly life and the preaching of the Gospell vnto vs that it may bee as a rule to holde vs vnder the obedience of God And although the Sacramentes bee visible of themselues yet are they neuerthelesse spirituall as in respect of their ende as all other Ceremonies are We come hither togither well it is a visible thing we kneele downe to pray vnto God that is visible also but yet it aimeth at a higher ende and hath a respect which is altogether spirituall So then let vs learne that the kingdom of our Lord Iesus Christ ought to be mainteined in his full soundenesse that is to wit wee must beware that wee mingle not any corruption with the things that he hath commaunded in his Churche ne thrust in such persons as may serue to ouerthrowe the common weale For if we should choose false Sheepheards and men of wicked doctrine or of leaude conuersation were it not a dishonoring of Iesus Christes kingdome and a putting of all thinges to hauocke as much as in vs lieth Seeing then that the children of Israell were forbidden to set vp a straunge King in the seate that was a figure of our Lorde Iesus Christ nowe that we haue the sonne of God to gouerne vs not in shadowe as in the time of the Lawe but in full trueth nowe that wee haue our Lorde Iesus Christ who is called the daysunne of righteousnesse as the prophete Malachie termeth him M◠◠4 who telleth vs that he is neere at hand to vs and ruleth in the middes of vs what a trecherie were it if we should deface his roial throne and not maintaine it in such purenesse as that he might alwayes reigne by his worde and euerie man doe him homage and both greate and small knowe him Psal. 〈…〉 and he haue alwayes his preheminence among vs Thus yee see howe the first point is that God commaundeth vs heere to haue a speciall care of his Churche so as there may be no defilement to hinder Christes reigning ouer vs as he ought to doe Nowe as touching the second reason let vs marke also that if God haue giuen a people the grace to choose Kinges Princes Magistrates or Iudges they ought to haue great regarde that the seate which God hath ordeined for the wellfare of mankinde be not giuen to a man that is an vnbeleeuer For the people that chooseth either king or Iudge without discerning whether he be a man that fearth God or no doe put the haulter about their owne neckes wilfully And when they shall choose and take Magistrates that are either deadly enemies of the Gospell or Hypocrites that seeke nothing else but to turne all thinges vpsidedowne or worldelinges that coulde finde in their heartes to treade all religion vnder foote is not the admitting of such men as an opening of the gate vnto Sathan that hee might haue place among vs Is it not a reiecting of Gods grace to the ende that all abhominations might haue their full scope So then when soeuer wee choose Iudges Magistrates Gouernours and Officers of Iustice let vs take warning by this text to looke for this marke in them that they bee men which feare God and are at leastwise desirous that Religion shoulde be mainteined in his purenesse For otherwise it is all one as if wee woulde driue God from vs and seeke to banish him from among vs which is too cursed a trayterousnesse And thus much concerning earthly gouernement After wee haue indeuoured that the spirituall religion of y e church may bee maintayned let vs likewise be so minded towardes the state of the temporall sworde and ordinarie iustice that such as sit in iudgement may bee all one with vs in brotherly religion and that the holy bande of faith may knit vs togither in obedience to one selfesame God And hereof there is a faire confirmation in the thinges that Moses addeth for it deserueth to bee treated of immediatly and we shall see it in place conuenient But he sayeth expressely That the king which shall haue beene chosen must cause the booke of the lawe to be copied out in the presence of the high priest and of the Leuites Nowe let vs see why God hath made this so strait ordinance that there should bee a booke of authoritie for the kings vse Is it meant that a man shoulde bee ignorant and vtterly vnacquainted with the doctrine of God vntil hee came to the crowne No. For Gods will is that his lawe should bee knowen both of greate and small as wee shall see by his protestation hereafter Deut. 32.46 The secrete thinges belong to your God himselfe but yet it hath pleased him to set his worde here before you ye must not say any more that it
Ye see how the Papists nowadays being besotted in their follies cannot bee brought back into y e right way of saluatioÌ„ For they beare theÌ„selues in hand y t they are sufficiently armed with this shift of theirs y t of long time men haue liued as they doe that themselues are not the inuenters of the religion which they holde But as I haue tolde you this can serue them to no purpose no more than it can serue for y e defence of adultery to alledge y t it is not punished nowadayes nor any account made of it No but God who is the heauenly Iudge will in the end shewe that these are such enormities as hee cart in no wise suffer Now y t which Moses addeth proueth y e same thing which we touched yesterday namely y t God did not always punish offences in such sort as by good right he might I meane of punishing according to y e law which he gaue for y e ordering of the people of Israel For he bare w t many things because of the hardnes of that people as our Lord Iesus sheweth them when hee speaketh of diuorcements which were done against all reason indifferencie For hee saith here that if a man finde a maide and y t she without forcing yeelde herselfe that hee shal be quit by giuing of money for the marriage of y e maide by taking of her to wife and by being debarred of y e common liberty that he may neuer forsake her Now I grant that this was a chastisement vnto y e man which had played the fornicator But was it so grieuous as the fault required Nay verily What shall we say then Did God permit whoredome or ment he to lay y e bridle on their neck or gaue he to vnderstand therby y t the sin should be pardoned No none of all this For we haue shewed afore that when God deliuered his lawe which consisteth in ten words hee declared therin his will and prescribed men a certaine rule wherby they should liue Now that lawe is it which shall iudge vs at y e latter day it not onely serueth to condemne offenders vnto temporal punishmeÌ„t but also doth vs to vnderstand that we must answere thereunto before the iudgement seate of God to perish for euer Therfore when we shall haue escaped y e hands of men yea and y e god shal haue winked at our faults yet must we in y e ende come to our accouÌ„t before him Ye see then y t the law of God is to iudge vs. As for this it serued but for an earthly policie And God as I haue saide respected not such perfection as is required in y e faithfull but rather bare with the hardnes of y e people which was so sturdy so hard to be ruled And albeit he punished not those diuorcements which were made against all indifferency yet is it not to be said therefore that he permitted theÌ„ For we heare how our Lord Iesus Christ pronouÌ„ceth therof That whosoeuer forsaketh his wife taketh another except it be for adulterie so that he can proue she hath played y e whore is an adulterer and that who so taketh her to wife that is forsaken Mat. 19.9 committeth adultery also and his mariage is not lawful but detested of God Euen so staÌ„deth y e case in that which we see in this place For although God punisheth him not seuerely which coÌ„mitteth fornication w t a maide it is not because that whoredome is any way at all to bee pardoned If it be not punished by meÌ„ yet god alwais hath his right reserued But this is done because y t commonly in y e estate of gouernement men wil sooner punish those faults wherby their own coÌ„modities are hindered than wherby God is offended Indeed y e Iudges magistrats ought not to giue the bridle so far that God should bee mocked y t his name should be dishonoured or that al religion should be trampled vnder foote as wee haue seene heretofore that blasphemies were more grieuously punished thaÌ„ murders But when there is some by offence coÌ„mitted wherin there is no manifest despising of God to be seen men will not pursue it so fiersly as when a matter toucheth themselues So then as touching y e fornicatioÌ„ which Moses speaketh of in this place forasmuch as it concerneth the losse discredit which is done vnto a man because his daughter is kept back from prefermeÌ„t in mariage he that hath inueagled her must assigne her a dowry because it may be that she shall not find another match therefore he must take her to wife if her father wil. And if he should cast her off againe w tin a while after she should be new to prouide againe Therfore he must keepe her still and be so debarred of that common right which belonged to others y t he may neuer forsake her Ye see theÌ„ howe God prouideth for the commoditie of the partie But yet for all this God is still offended if a man defile the temple of the holy ghost which is his bodie 1. Cor. 6.15 and giue ouer the members of our Lord Iesus Christ to such wickednes For we are all members of his bodie And farther when he goeth about to defile a maide which is y e â—â—â—ple of God and a member of the bodie of our Lorde Iesus Christ I say that the doing thereof is an ouer great confusion And yet for all that shee is not punished no not by ciuill order But yet the law of God remaineth alwayes in his estate y t is to say it is the rule which he hath giueÌ„ vs to liue by which shall not bend at our pleasure To bee short God by giuing his Law ment to frame vs vnto his obedience and to shew vs our dutie towards him And therfore y e law goeth roundly to work sheweth vnto vs wherunto we are bouÌ„d Moreouer touching ciuil order god had an eye vnto y t which y e weaknes of y e world might beare conformed himself therunto therfore there were many things which were not punished by the law of Moses Neuertheles we are taught y t albeit our faults be not iudged by men wee must not therfore fal asleepe in our sins For we shall gaine little though earthly iudges let vs alone we escape without punishment before them if in y e meane time y e wrath of God encrease vpon vs and because he hath patiently waited our ameÌ„dment it grow more more against vs we put that in vre which S Paul saith y t is to wit that we hord vp to our selues a treasure of y e greater condemnation 〈◊〉 2.4 Let vs therefore learne not to haue such respect vnto meÌ„ that we think so our faults be not vpbraided vs by them or so they accuse vs not or frame no inditement against vs we be therfore quited Nay let vs know that it should be good for vs somtimes to
haue libertie to honour and serue him For it is a dreadfull desolation which Moses speaketh of heere namely to be no more of the body of the church nor to haue any more the shewe or shape of Religion and yet is this seene throughout the worlde at this day Therefore let vs marke that one of the greatest benefites which GOD can bestowe vppon vs in this transitorie life is to let vs haue some little corner wherein to assemble our selues in his name to call vpon him and to professe our selues to be his people This ought to be more esteemed amongst vs than either meate or drinke or any thing else Howbeit verie few do think thereon Yet notwithstanding we must needs confesse that albeit we haue sufficient foode and in the meane while forget God our state is miserable And if we think not thereon we bewray our owne beastlynesse for God telleth vs that this benefite which is spoken of here is farre greater than all the rest that is to wit that we may worship him in purenesse be gathered together vnder that head which he hath appointed vnto vs namely our Lord Iesus Christ. And therefore while wee haue such priuiledge to heare the worde of God to call vpon his name and to walke according to his Gospell let vs harken vnto it for feare least God disperse scatter vs abroad in like sort as he hath dispersed the Iewes And specially let vs stande in feare of this threatning namely to bee made such beasts as to honour ydols againe as we see it is become of others who are a good president to vs of the vengeance of God whereof wee our selues also haue felt our part For wee haue beene as bondslaues vnder ydolatrie and vnderlings vnto the abhominations of the Popedome and that was for our sins and for the sins of our fathers Seeing we haue earst felt the blowes yea and beene as looking glasses vnto others shoulde wee nowe be so brutish to prouoke our God in such wise as he shoulde bee forced as it were to depriue vs of the grace that he hath giuen vs Let vs then vse this benefite and treasure of the Gospel whilest our Lord giueth vs place where to hide vs as it were vnder his hand while he doeth gouerne and guide vs and while we be knit together in one bodie that hee may bee magnified amongst vs with one accorde not onely with the mouth but also specially with our life to the ende that vppon our indeuouring of our selues to honour him hee on his side may continue his good doing towardes vs and that this threatening bee not executed vppon our heads that is to bee dispersed heere and there and to bee constrained againe to worshippe ydoles and other deade and senselesse things Nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes beseeching him to touch vs with such repentance as being ashamed of our sinnes wee may seeke altogether to put our selues wholly into his handes and that by obtaining forgiuenesse of him we may also feele that hee hath reformed vs and that wee bee in his fauour to giue ouer our selues altogether to his holy will And that albeit there is alwayes much to bee amended in vs and that our lustes and affectionâ— doe drawe vs quite away from that which hee commaundeth vs yet neuerthelesse wee may not ceasse to striue against them and to yeelde our selues wholly vnto him and to inforce our selues thereunto more and more knowing that the same is our soueraine welfare and that although hee shewe vs nowe and then some tokens of rigour in correcting vs yet wee may learne to profite thereby to the amending of our sinnes so as wee may bee brought to the perfection wherunto hee dayly calleth 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 Saturday the xxviij of March 1556. The CLXIII Sermon which is the eleuenth vpon the eight and twentith Chapter 65 Amongest these people also shalt thou haue no rest neither shall there bee any rest to the sole of thy foote Moreouer the Lorde wil giue thee a trembling heart and dymnesse of eyes and a heauinesse of minde 66 And thy life shal be hanging before thee thou shalt be afeard day night and be vncertaine of thy life 67 Thou shalt say in the morning O that it were night and at night thou shalt say O that it were morning because of the fearefulnesse of thy heart wherewith thou shalt bee afraide and because of the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see 68 And the Lorde will make thee to returne into Egypt by shippes by the way whereof I haue said vnto thee that thou shouldest not go about to see it any more and there shalt thou bee solde to thine enemies for bondmen and bondwomen and none shall bye thee AMongst the benefites that we desire in this present life one is to haue some restingplace and some harbor to lodge in Though a man be poore yea and troubled on all sides yet if he haue some little hole to hide his heade in that he may resort thither he careth not for all the rest But if we knowe not where to become nor haue any friend to receiue vs nor any nooke nor corner wherein to rest vs our state is then extremely miserable That is the cause why Moses now after hee hath declared that God woulde driue away and banish the Iewes out of the lande which hee had giuen them to inherite and to rest in for euer addeth that they shall be as vagabondes and haue no certaine dwelling place but be tossed from post to piller Nowe it is certaine as we haue alreadie saide y t this shal oftentimes happen to the faithful but it is for another purpose God doth in y e mean space comfort them it is behoueful that their patience should be tried after that maner For the thing wherein wee shewe our obedience towarde God is when as hee mingleth vs among the wicked so as wee seeme not to differ a whit from them but all goes to hauocke as they say and yet notwithstanding we continue sounde in heart and commit our selues into the handes of our God knowing that hee hath not forgotten vs though he suffer vs to be so tossed Contrariwise all despisers of the Lawe doe beare their mark as if they were burned with a searingvron in their hearts and do know that God is against them and that their sinnes doe reproue them Albeit that men doe not accuse them yet doe they feele a sufficient testimonie in themselues to confound them withall And that is it that Moses doth farther adde saying That vnto such as are hard hearted against Gods worde God will giue a trembling heart a sorowfull minde and daseling eyes so as in the morning they shall say May I see night And when night is come Alas how shall
wel aduised y t you bring not with you any disloyalty or hypocrisie but rather see that ye tremble before him which is heere present to receiue the protestation y t you make vnto him Nowe we see what Moses meaneth It remaineth y t we apply this sentence to our owne vse It is true that God doth not euery day passe such couenant as that was But yet so often as we be assembled in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 â—8 20 he is in the middest of vs as he hath sayde and when the gospell is preached vnto vs it is asmuch a if he spake to vs in his own person and it is our duetie to be answerable againe that we seeke nothing but to be his and to giue ouer ourselues vnto him Therfore if there be any counterfaiting let vs not thinke to hide it it must needes come to reckening For whosoeuer coÌ„meth not to him with right soundnesse doeth plainely mocke the sonne of God Wherefore lette vs consider well that wee must not be double minded when wee come to a sermon least Iesus Christ blame vs for falsifying our faith and promise by our wicked a busing of his worde and by turning of a thing of such holinesse and maiestie to a iest and scoffe For when he calleth vs to be members of his bodie and would haue vs to doe him homage it is an excellent benefite and such a one as can not be sufficiently esteemed And therefore so much the more diligent ought we to be subdue ourselues vnto him To be short as often as wee goe to the Church if we steppe but one step thitherwarde whensoeuer the bell calleth vs it ought to come to our remembraunce that our Lorde Iesus Christ commeth thither himselfe to receiue the obedience which we yeelde vnto him and that wee come hither to make our musters before him thereby to shewe that wee be his people yea and his verie body Nowe as it importeth an infinite reioycing when our Lorde Iesus is neere vnto vs so ought wee also to tremble before his royall maiestie which was giuen him of God his father and to resorte thither with a true and right meaning heart as I haue tolde you afore And Moses speaketh expressely both of men women litle children gouernours the Elders of the people all the chiefe of the people and the handie craft men euen from them that clyued the wood to them that carryed water Also among them he comprehended the straungers which were vncircumcised and dwelled amongest the people and hee sayeth that purposely to the intent that the great ones shoulde not thinke themselues exempted from the common sort For the greatest honour that kinges and princes haue is to bee of the bodie of the Church if they consider it well But certainely the Pompes of the worlde doe so blinde them that they woulde bee diuided from the rest of men and woulde haue a worlde by themselues so as they will not in any wife bowe to submitte themselues vnto God Neuerthelesse it is expressely shewed heere that euerie high thing must stoope and that when God vttereth himselfe then euen the highest ought to vnderstande that they must shewe the way to others and goe afore to prouoke them by their example Thus much concerning that which Moses speaketh of Princes and Gouernours And in likewise when Ioell exhorteth the people to bewayle and lament their sinnes Ioel. 1.13 and to condemne themselues hee beginneth with them Albeit that at the first sight it may seeme to bee an vnseemely thing and to import a certaine shame that the great ones shoulde come to acknowledge themselues offenders before GOD yet because that oftentimes they bee most faultie the prophete sayeth that they must beginne the daunse and that the litle ones must followe their trace when they see that there is none exempted no not euen of them that bee in any authoritie Let vs therefore vnderstande that Moses in this place obserued great order in saying that the heades and Rulers and the greatest of the people were there to binde themselues vnto GOD that there myght bee no greatenesse in this worlde which shoulde not stoope vnto his maiestie And hee addeth the women and children that the people might knowe howe there was no person which shoulde not be comprehended in that couenaunt And forasmuch as GOD did this fauour to their litle children to receiue them into the number of his people it was meet that they should be taught the Lawe of GOD as soone as they came to the age of vnderstanding to the intent they might knowe that they were that blessed ofspring which GOD hadde adopted and chosen out of all the world Deut. 6.2 And heereuppon Moses exhorteth the menne to haue care of their families and to consider that seeing all were dedicated vnto GOD all ought to be referred to that ende and it behooued men to yeelde him his due and not to disappoint him of his right To bee shorte husbandes were taught by this woorde to take paynes to guyde their wiues and children in such order as GOD might bee honoured in all the house and that there might be one common agreement in the same Yea and hee sayth that the verie straungers which were vncircumcised were to resort thyther notwithstanding that they hadde not the marke of saluation And wherefore Because God was to be honored in the Lande of Chanaan which he gaue to his people for an heritage Albeeit then that to speake properly these straungers were not of the bodie of the Church yet behoued it them also to be bounde To what end Because it was not meete that they should haue leaue or libertie to mocke GOD to vnhallow his Religion and to peruert the order which he had appointed That in effect was the meaning of Moses Nowe must wee apply the same to our owne vse For we be neuer assembled or come together in the name of GOD but we make protestation that wee be of his flocke It is not enough that euerie man come thither for himselfe but the great ones must vnderstande that they are to shewe the way to their inferiours and vnderlinges And they must consider that they bee bounde with a straiter bonde because GOD hath set them on high to the intent they should be as Lamps to giue light vnto others And therefore if they doe not endeuour and enforce themselues to discharge their dueties in that behalfe it is certaine that they be doubble guiltie Againe euery man ought to bethinke him of his housholde and family They that will haue their wiues quiet and obedient vnto them ought much rather to be diligent to cause them to serue GOD and to take such paynes so to rule their children as God may be the chiefe father husbande and master of the house That is the thing whereof we be admonished heere And if we doe not so then looke how often we come into the Church so manie witnessinges haue we to
heritage of saluation Now then if they being y e first borne were so grieuously punished shold it not make our haires to stand vp on end seeing y t in comparison of thē we be as children borne before their time In deed we haue beene graffed in their place but yet they were y e naturall oliue they were the branches proceeding of y e same roote which was dedicated in the person of Abrahā But we for our part were vnholy Now if we succeed in their place thinke we y ◠God wil spare vs if we folow their iniquities We see how he hath dealt w t them it is a dreadful matter Therefore let vs learne to profit thereby not tary till our Lorde make vs as it were a looking-glasse y e others may be taught by vs to our confusion Thus ye see how we ought to put this place in practise Now Moses doeth here expressely accuse the Iewes to y e intent to take away from thē al startingholes saying They forgot the God of their fathers him that had deliuered them out of the land of Egypt and set them free from that hard bondage By saying The GOD of their fathers he meaneth that they were reuolted without cause Which complaynt the Prophete Ieremie doeth also vse Ier. 2.10 Go saith he ouer the sea goe throughout al the countries of the worlde see how constant the heathen are they chaunge not their Gods yet they be but Idols men did deuise of their owne fansies y t such a religion was to bee had they sticke to it shewing great constancie stedfastnes albeit that it haue no foundation But I am the true God you haue knowen me to be so by experience yet notwithstāding you be euermore fickle to haue some noueltie you cannot bee stayed nor restrained in my seruice is not y t to great an vnthankfulnes So thē Moses telleth them here that they haue forsaken the God of their fathers Yet notwithstanding it is not to be inferred hereupon that because our fathers haue helde some euill trade of life therefore wee must follow the same for the Papistes Turkes haue that defence common amongst them namely that it is nowe a long while since they haue behaued themselues after that manner The Turkes say What It is eight hundred yeres ago since that Mahomet brought vs to his law and it hath bin kept euer since our fathers haue deliuered it vnto vs from hand to hande The Papistes also doe alledge their holy Councels and the Traditions of auncient lawes but as I haue alreadie touched it is not enough for vs that our fathers haue deliuered vs such a religiō as they thought good But Moseses speaking here of fathers doeth separate Abraham Isaac and Iacob from the worlde because God did sanctifie them Those bee the fathers that deserued to bee of dignitie and reputation aboue worldlie men for God did ordeyne thē to be followed that other men might become like vnto them That is the thing which Moses regarded Ezec. 20.18 For in deede wee see that Ezechiel blamed the people for following the lawes and righteousnesse of their fathers it might seeme at the firste showe that here is some contrarietie God on the one side condemneth the Iewes for that they followed not their fathers and afterwarde hee condemneth them for that they followed them too much Yea but those fathers did differ verie much For in this place the fathers bee they whome GOD hath exalted to credite to whome also hee willeth vs to sticke that is to say the holie Patriaches They therefore shoulde drawe after them all their generations that there might bee a true vnion of faith and one accorde to prooue that they be the children of Abrahā but in steed of these they folowed their bastarde fathers as S. Steuen telleth thē saying You haue alwaies resisted the holy Ghost Act. 7.51 as your fathers did and againe bee not a stubborne and frowarde generation as your fathers were which prouoked God to wrath in the wildernes they were full of bitternesse Therefore we must haue this difference of fathers And if we meane now to worship the true God in such sort as is requisite we must haue the holy Patriarches to guide vs so as we may protest that we be ioyned with them in true vnitie of faith Also we must haue the Apostles which bee called the fathers of the Church For when wee followe that rule wee cannot faile And therewithall let vs beware that we mingle not our selues with them y t are growen out of kind from the true fathers as the Papistes doe who sticke stoutly to them For they which were backesliders which forsooke the pure doctrine of the Gospel which also peruerted and corrupted the religion of our auncient fathers those be the verie fathers of the Papistes which haue falsely vsurped that title Let vs therefore beware of such a mingling without any discretion Marke that for a speciall point Finally forasmuch as God hath at all times beene reueiled vnto them that haue shewed vs the way of saluation let that suffice vs and let it serue to confirme our faith that we be not hindered in the submitting of our selues vnto him to whome we owe all manner of obedience nor become so fickleheaded as to turne from that which hath beene taught vs from the beginning for wee haue the lawe which beareth vs witnesse that the religion which we hold at this day hath beene alwayes among the Patriarches and that it was then ratified when the people were brought out of Egypt And we haue the Gospel which is a whole and a ful confirmation vnto vs and the finishing vp of the lawe from whence we must drawe all thinges if we intende that God shall allowe of our religion Nowe secondly GOD speaketh of the deliuerance of his people that by their owne experience they might bee conuicted of their transgressions I haue saith he brought them out of y e land of Egypt Here did they feele the grace of God and like as it was manifested to them by effect euen so should they haue acknowledged that they were so much y e more bound vnto him Nowe then if they turne away are they not double faultie Yes truely Thereby we haue yet to marke another warning which is to note well the giftes and benefites which God bestoweth on vs that the same may holde vs in awe and make vs to yeelde ourselues so much the more vnto him and not to bee wauering Howesoeuer Satan intice vs let vs euer holde our owne still and say What Our God thinketh it not enough to giue vs his worde but ouer and besides that he maketh vs to vnderstand y e power of his hande by succouring vs so manie wayes we knowe that he neuer fayled those that serue him Nowe then shoulde not the same be sufficient to prouoke vs also to serue him On the otherside if wee doe forget the benefites which
let vs search out our sinnes let vs be sorie to see that we be not so forwarde as were requisite and beeing prouoked hereby let vs pray God to change and reforme vs and to bring vs home wholy to himselfe After that manner must wee deale And moreouer although wee haue had some order and kinde of gouernment among vs for a time yet let vs be afraid alwayes least there haue beene some faynednesse lurking vnderneath it For we see what befell to the people of Israel and in verie deede the thing shewes it selfe For wee see that by startes they submitted themselues and there seemed to bee some feare of God in them And yet as soone as any occasion was offered as soone as anie wicked deceiuer stepped vp by and by they were turned away againe Examples hereof are to bee seene and God graunt we see them no more Yet ought they to warne vs that if there bee anie forme of good gouernment or behauiour among vs so as the Church seemeth to be in good state and religion to florishe and God to bee honoured the sight of all this must not make vs to thinke that that is all which we haue to do as though a great number of vices lay not lurking vnderneath it but wee must pray God to vouchsafe to make this gouernment to bee of such force as it may drawe our heartes vnto him and euerie of vs may haue an eye to himselfe that when wee once knowe throughly the euill that is in vs we may seeke to God to rid vs thereof that where as wee haue beene stubborne and hardhearted aforetimes we may no more followe that trade but come and submitte our selues with all meekenesse and mieldnes to our God so as he may rule vs without any gainstriuing Nowe let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him to vouchsafe to burie them quite and cleane and therewithall to receiue vs so into his protection as we may fight against al the lustes of our fleshe and the temptations of the worlde vntill wee haue finished our course And that because wee be so frayle of our selues wee may alwayes resort vnto him euen vpon trust of the promises which hee hath made vs specially in that hee hath promised to heare vs in all our petitions which wee make to him in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ. And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenlie father c. On Thursday the vij of May 1556. The CLXXVIII Sermon which is the first vpon the two and thirtith Chapter HEarken O yee heauens and I will speake and heare thou earth the word of my mouth 2 My doctrine shall flowe as doth the rayne and my wordes shal drop as the deawe euen as the raine vpon the hearbes and as the great raine vpon the greene grasse 3 For I will call vppon the name of the Lorde God yeeld yee honour to our God 4 The workes of the mightie God are perfect for all his wayes are iudgement God is true and without wickednesse he is righteous and iust IT shoulde seeme that for as much as Moses was ordeyned to bee the teacher of the Iewes hee shold chieflie haue exhorted thē to heare the thinges that were spoken to them for their instruction and welfare But hee seemeth not to vouchsafe to direct his speach to them but rather to heauen and earth as though hee condemned them aforehande for stubborne people and not of capacitie to receiue anie good learning Neuerthelesse his so doing is not for that hee woulde not haue the same to serue their turne that they might benefite themselues thereby but for that hee was faine to quicken them vp in such wise as it might grieue them at the heart to see that God taketh them for condemned persons aforehand to the end that the same might touch and moue them the better And so let vs marke that because Moses sawe that the people were all prepared and he ment to teach them to bee reformed by that means it behooued him to vse such manner of proceeding And it is verie needfull towards those that are stubborne and vnwilling to learne at Gods hande for such are to bee rebuked and threatened their leawdnesse it to be discouered and they must bee put to shame y t being dismayed they may aduise themselues to returne vnto God And this sheweth vs that such as haue the charge of teaching in y e church ought to bee indued with wisedome and discretion For if their hearers behaue themselues meeldly and be willing to be guided by the hande of God it were no reason to thunder at them or to vse roughnesse against them But on the cōtrarie part if there appeare anie hardnes of heart and stubbornesse in them or if it be founde by experience that it is but lost labour to speake gently to them as when men make thē selues deafe then behoueth it the Preacher to step to them with greater vehemencie And Moses beganne not his gouerning of the people at the making of this song but he had felt the experience of it long time afore whereby he perceiued that it was a verie harde thing to bring to passe And moreouer he regarded not onely the folke then present but also the ages then to come True it is that those which liued in the time of Moses coulde not but haue their eares beaten with the thinges conteyned here but yet was the same to serue for their children also Moses therfore foreseeing that the Iewes might become worse and worse as it is the common custome of the worlde yea and being aduertised thereof by Gods spirite vseth such a kinde of roughnesse as wee see here And herewithal we haue to remember the thing which I haue expounded alreadie namely that Moses calleth heauen and earth to witnesse Deut. 30.19 to the intent the people shoulde bee the more ashamed seeing that the senselesse creatures doe frame their inditement and that there needeth none other condemnation before GOD. For had Moses called the heathen and vnbeleeuers to witnesse it had bin sufficient to put those to shame whome God had chosen and adopted to bee his children but yet woulde not that haue mooued them for all men are of one common nature al haue reason and vnderstanding and although they bee not al trained familiarly in Gods word yet haue they al some seede of religion in them Therefore the alleadging of the heathen and vnbeleeuers as he will alledge them afterward had not beene of such force as the vsing of this preface that heauen and earth shall bee his witnesses in all ages Cap 32.8 As if hee shoulde say as long as there is either Sunne or Moone in the skie as long as the earth doeth her duetie in yeelding sustenaunce and foode for man so long shall I haue good and faithfull witnesses that I haue spoken in the name of God and yet for all that this people continueth hardhearted
which they had seene with their eyes But beholde there followed a newe falling away euen in the life of Noy His owne children forsooke the seruice of GOD and forged ydols to them selues Nowe this ought of reason to bee taken for newe But the mischiefe continueth still and wee see that ydolatrie reigned euen in the time of Abraham Foure hundred yeares mo had passed at such time as the lawe was giuen yea there were passed about a fiue hundred yeares since the time that Abraham had beene an ydolater at home with his father Iosua 24.2 Superstition therefore had beene auncient and was become as it were rotten Men had weltered in it so long time that they might well say We in these dayes are not the first beginners thereof No but though an errour bee once waxen olde yet must not men make a custome of it neither must they of a wicked custome make a continuall lawe or rule Loe howe men beguyle themselues by sticking too stiffely to things that are growen into euill custome For why They beare them selues in hande that if a thing haue beene vsed of long time then it is lawfull for men to doe it But an euill custome is nothing else than an errour forgrowen And it is so much the woorse and the more to bee misliked because God hath beene the grieuouslyer offended by it Wherefore let vs beware that wee drawe not thinges to a consequence because they haue beene abused of long time but let vs still returne backe to the originall And this is a verie necessarie poynt for vs in these dayes For the Papistes affirme that the thinges which wee doe are newe and that they were inuented but a whyle agoe Yea but if wee aske them a proofe of their antiquitie what say they That such thinges haue beene done nowe these fiue hundred yeares Truely they lye most commonly with full mouth For the thing which they holde as chiefe and most resolute is not of so long continuance If yee seek for their confession or shrift about a foure hundred yeares agoe there was no lawe at all thereof If yee looke for their transubstantiation it is in like case They make men beleeue that the breade is no more a materiall thing but that it is God whome wee ought to worship And that is spycke and spawne newe I meane euen in accounting after the manner of men In like case is it with all the residue If wee looke vppon all the fashions which they holde at this day surely they bee but a renuing of the thinges that were in olde tyme and yet there is little or no resemblaunce in them But let vs put the case it were to bee graunted them that the forme of religion which they holde hath beene obserued by the space of a thousande yeares or mo What will a thousand yeares helpe when wee come before GOD They will not bee reckened for a day Psal. 90.4 2. Pet. 3.8 no nor for a minute as I sayde afore And where is then our true antiquitie In Iesus Christ who is the beginning of all thinges and to whome all things are to bee brought backe againe In the liuing God by whom our Lorde Iesus Christ is sent vnto vs to make his will knowen vnto vs. There must wee bee grounded if wee will haue the auncient faith For in holding our selues to men wee shall haue nothing but noueltie Score wee vp neuer so many yeares they will stande vs in no steede for all passeth and glydeth away But wee must haue him which hath neither beginning nor ending and his vnchangeable trueth must bee our rule When wee rest vppon that then haue wee the auncient faith And therefore wee at this day may well protect against the Papistes Turkes and Iewes themselues that they bee backeslyders and haue withdrawen themselues from the true and pure religion and that wee continue in the doctrine which hath beene followed in all ages worshipping the God which created vs which gaue foorth his lawe by the hand of Moses and which hath vttered himself most perfectly by the Gospel Bring wee here any newe thing Say wee that men must haue newe rules and newe fashions inuented by men at the Papistes doe For all their Religion is grounded vppon these poyntes namely that they must keepe the traditions of their elders that they must obserue the lawes of their mother holy Church that the same must bee taken in equall authoritie with the holy Scripture and that the holy Ghost was not giuen fully ynough to the Apostles but that the perfection of thinges was reuealed afterwardes to a sort of hypocrites and I wote not to whome else Those are thinges whereon the Papistes rest The Turkes are altogether Renegates The Iewes haue peruerted the lawe and haue no more of it but the dead letter because they haue refused Iesus Christ who is the soule therof as Saint Paul termeth him 2. Cor. 3.6.7 8. So then wee may well protest that our faith is auncient for as much as it is grounded vppon Gods trueth who neuer chaungeth ne varyeth and that men haue not taught vs any thing on their owne head but that wee haue the same God which hath vttered him selfe in all ages and that wee followe the doctrine whereunto hee woulde haue men to holde themselues which likewise is euerlasting Thus much concerning the first poynt And as touching the mention that is made of the fathers let vs marke that in this behalfe wee must in any wise vse discretion that wee take not those indifferently for our fathers which could not beget vs by the worde of God For the Egyptians and all the Infidels of the worlde coulde welynough say Our fathers liued so so haue they taught vs wee holde our religion of them and such sayinges might wel bee set as a sheelde to defende them But because God disclaymed their fathers therefore coulde that excuse stande them in no steede For God presupposeth heere that hee had called to him both Abraham and the Patriarkes and also that they had helde the true religion which thing did put a difference betwene them and the rest of the whole worlde Againe whereas hee sayeth that they had worshipped gods whome their fathers feared not it is all one as if hee shoulde vpbrayd them saying What I adopted and choose your fathers to bee my children and they worshipped mee as their God and will you nowe forsake mee To bee short wee must holde this for a generall rule our fathers are those whome God hath reputed and aduowed to bee his children Therefore whosoeuer seeketh any other fathers than the children of God shall finde nothing but bastardie And at that poynt are the Papistes For in speaking of the fathers they consider not that the Apostles and such other as haue beene begotten by the pure doctrine of the Gospel are our true fathers but they call hypocrites and dreamers yea and scorners of GOD which haue turned all thinges vpside downe their
saide in Iob Iob. 9.10 that we see the brimmes of Gods workes but we can neuer attaine to the bottome of theÌ„ Therefore whereas the scripture speaketh nowe and then of some executions which God doeth although the same may seeme to vs ouerrigorous yet must wee bridle our selues and imprison our wits to honour God with such reuerence as he deserueth Let that serue for one poynt Furthermore as concerning that which is said here of Babes let vs marke that if God listed to rende vp the whole worlde by the rootes hee coulde doe it yea and that right iustlie For euen from our verie birth we bring nothing but wrath and cursednesse If God take young babes out of the worlde yea and damne them yet is there no rigour in so doing for wee be all forlorne afore hande by nature In this case therefore it behooueth vs to cast downe our heades and our eyes and not presume to stande in contention with God by reasoning the matter with him nor to control him as though he did wrong or iniurie to little infantes in taking them out of the worlde For as I saide hee may not onely smite them with death but also sende them to euerlasting damnation because wee bee all cursed in Adam Now then when he hath withdrawen his grace from a whole Nation and all of them are become reprobates then must his wrath needes extende as well to the young infantes as to their fathers according to this saying that God casteth backe the wickednesse of the fathers Ier. 32.18 into the bosomes and lappes of their children Not that the children be punished being guiltlesse for God knoweth that they bee not so Yea but we perceiue not that they haue offended As who woulde say that wee were able to perceiue as much as God knoweth Haue wee as sharpe a sight as hee No. So then although wee take little babes to bee faultlesse yet notwithstanding there is a naughtinesse inclosed in them and the seede of sinne is sufficient to condemne them before God Wherefore let vs marke that although hee root out young babes yet in so doing he cannot be blamed of crueltie but he executeth a iudgement which surmounteth the capacitie and measure of mans wit whereat wee may well wonder but yet must wee confesse it to bee rightfull as it is indeede Wee see howe it fell out both in Sodome and in other places where it was his will to haue all destroyed Gen. 19.24 When anie such thing happeneth let vs vnderstande that GODS intent is to make vs to cast downe our eyes For if it befall so to the greene tree Luk. 23.31 what shall be doone to the drie Behold the litle Infants whom we imagine to bee innocent and faultlesse and yet wee see that Gods vengeaunce wrappeth them in with the elder sorte and with those that haue greatlie offended Righteous is GOD in so doing What shall wee say to it but onelie that wee ought to quake at it For there is none of vs all which hath not deserued a hundred times as much If GOD spare vs are we not the more bounde to his goodnesse And againe if it pleased him to deale with vs according to our misdeedes shoulde wee not be afraide that we shal bee much more roughlie handled than wee see little babes are Yes surelie So then insteede of contending as manie doe and of entering into curious questions euen with diuelishe malapeartnesse to controll GOD as I haue saide afore let vs learne to be lowlie in such wise that hauing giuen glorie vnto GOD by confessing that he is euer righteous and soothfast and let vs also haue an eye to that wee haue seene that so we may impute it to his free mercifulnesse that hee beareth with vs and also bee the more incouraged to returne to him so as wee may no more abuse the long time of his patience Thus yee see what wee haue to remember vppon this text where GOD saith that hee will destroy euen the little sucking babes Nowe hee addeth yet further I had saide or determined to roote out this people but that I feared the prouoking of the enemie least the Aduersarie might haue beene estraunged and haue said Our hand is high and it is not the Lorde that hath doone all this In this text our Lorde sheweth that hee is so farre off from vsing any vnmeasurable rigour against his people that hee hath rather yet another respect not to roote them vtterly out namelie least the Infidels should haue occasion to blaspheme him That is the meaning of Moses They will complaine and say that GOD ought not to handle his people after that fashion but that hee ought to vse greater kindnesse and gentlenesse towardes them Yea saith hee pleade on your case but yet shal yee winne nothing by it For if God had respected no further matter than you hee had rooted you long agoe out of the worlde and the remembrance of you had beene quite and cleane abolished long ere this What letted him then Not that you were not worthie to haue perished for you haue not ceased to prouoke his wrath by dooing euill but for that hee had a respect to your enemies that is to say to the Infidels And why For if God shoulde haue rooted out that people whom he had choosen forasmuch as the renowne thereof was spread ouer all the worlde and the deliuering of them out of Egypt was as a woonderfull miracle and the Israelites themselues professed themselues continually to bee the worshippers of the God which had taken them out of the deepe gulfe shoulde not his destroying of them haue opened the mouthes of the wicked to skoffe at the Religion which was held in Iurie and to haue saide Where is nowe the God which maintained them so long time as they themselues haue reported Either hee is falne asleepe or else he hath lost his wittes for he succoureth them not any more After that manner woulde the Infidels haue rayled at God if hee had not euer reserued and kept still some seede of that people to shewe that his couenaunt was not quite and cleane disanulled but that it stoode still in full force That is the verie meaning of this saying where wee reade I had determined to root them yea and to scatter theÌ„ abroade eueriwhere For the worde betokeneth such a scattering or rending asunder as if one shoulde dismember a mans bodie and cast the peeces thereof abroade here and there so as nothing were left whole Therefore I had rooted them out saith hee yea and that in such wise as they shoulde neuer haue beene spoken of anie more among men but that I feared the prouocation of the enemie Nowe the thing that is rehearsed here is read of in Exodus Exod. 32 9.10.11.12.1â—â— 14. And so it shoulde seeme that God was restrayned by Moses from doing the thing which hee speaketh of here For hee giueth the sentence and addeth Let me doe it as though Moses
had set himselfe against him And yet for all that it is verie certaine that God had determined aforehande to pardon his people but yet it was his will that Moses shoulde make intercession for them yea euen Moses in asmuch as he was there made supplicatiō in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ and the people knew that they coulde not haue scaped except God had hearde the prayers of Moses But howesoeuer the case stoode this text sheweth vs that God altered not his purpose for hee is not variable neither repealed hee his sentence though hee saide I will yet againe pardon this people for thy sake For the thing which hee had determined in his owne minde was performed and yet notwithstanding it was his will that Moses shoulde steppe in as a mediator And when God heareth vs it is not for that we make him to chaunge his minde but it pleaseth him to declare the thing to vs which hee had determined to doe to the end that our faith shoulde bee exercised and wee knowe that no pray is no labour lost or vnprofitable for the fruite sheweth the contrarie That is the cause then why hee graunteth those thinges at our request which hee had determined in his euerlasting purpose afore Yet notwithstanding we see in effect that if God had not beene minded to stoppe the mouthes of all the wicked and vnbeleeuing sort he had destroyed that people And that was done to correct y e ouerweening of such as were euer ready to grudge against God For such is the maner of men that they neuer want replies but as soone as God scourgeth them by and by they stand in contention with him And if he presse them double then they not onelie grunt at it but also spewe out their blasphemies against him But here our Lorde sheweth that whē men haue cast forth al their rage after that fashion yet it shall bee prooued to their faces that hee notwithstanding hath dealt ouergentlie with them accordingly as it is certayne that euen at this day if God had not a further consideration than onely of vs we deserue well to be wiped out of the worlde For notwithstanding that wee haue receiued his worde what doe we fare the better for it We professe the hauing of the Gospell and wee can well say that the Papistes are Idolaters straungers from God and men giuen ouer to all euill And why For they be blinde and walke in the darke But yet for all that wee that haue the cleare light of life howe doe we order our doinges If we be compared with the Papistes shall a man finde vs better than them Nay wee are so much more blame worthie than they because that for all our teaching yet wee despise God of a certayne malicious and determinate purpose Sith it is so if God had not a further respect than to vs surelie wee shoulde bee consumed out of hand But for asmuch as the Papistes woulde by and by set open their throates to scoffe at God and the pure Religion therefore hee maintaineth vs still Wherefore let vs not boast that wee haue helde out vnto this time by our owne power but let vs consider that God woulde not haue his name blasphemed nor make the trueth of his Gospell to bee a iestingstocke for men to scoffe at and let that bee a meane to humble vs yet better Wee see then that this doctrine belongeth vnto vs and that Moses spake it not onely to the people of Israell but also to all such as shoulde professe the seruice of God and haue the pure doctrine of his worde insomuch that if they play the naughtipackes and prouoke Gods vengeaunce against them and God neuerthelesse doe beare with them it is not for their faire eyes as they say nor for that they haue deserued it but because our Lord will not giue such loose and vnbridled libertie to them that seeke occasion thereof And it is saide expressely That God feared the prouocation of the enemie least hee shoulde estraunge himselfe and say My hande is high and it is not the Lorde that hath doone this thing By this worde Prouocation hee meaneth the pride that is in men accordinglie also as hee doeth in the eight Psalme where it is saide that God is glorifyed by the mouthes of sucklinges 〈◊〉 3◠in which place expresse mention is made of the enemie and of y e auenger because the vnbeleeuers are alwayes so proude and presumptuous that there is nothing with them but crueltie thundering So likewise in this text it is saide that God feared to prouoke the enemie that is to wit least the Infidels shoulde proceede to such wickednesse as to scoffe at the Law and at the true Religion God then preuented them And wee must not imagine that God was afraide of men for hee coulde well haue prouided for it by some other meane Is it not hee that hath made mens tongues And how can they then stirre to speak one worde if he listed to restrayne them Could they moue to vtter one syllable It should seeme then that the thing which Moses speaketh here is needlesse namely that God shoulde bee afrayde to prouoke his enemies for hee coulde wel haue remedied the matter if hee had would I haue tolde you oftentimes alreadie that God is spoken of after the manner of men Therefore when God prouideth for a thing by anie worldlie meane and such as is common among vs it is not for that hee is tyed vnto it cannot of his infinite power doe otherwise but because it pleaseth him so to doe Thus are wee doone to vnderstande in fewe wordes that when it pleaseth God to serue his owne turne by the inferiour meanes which hee hath ordeyned in this worlde it is not for that hee cannot doe what he listeth of himselfe and without any other helpe but for that it is his will to keepe that order As for example Hee coulde well susteine vs without breade wine or water and yet notwithstanding hee vseth those meanes And why so Euen because it pleaseth him If we be sicke he can well heale vs without any medicine and yet will hee haue vs to vse medicines In the time of warre he coulde wel represse all our enemies without our stirring of anie finger towards it but yet hath hee ordeyned other meanes Ye see then after what manner this text is to bee vnderstoode where it is saide that God was afraide to prouoke the enemie not that hee was vnable to let them or to withstande them if hee had would or that hee was vnable to haue stopped the mouthes of the Infidels but because hee sawe men so malicious that their whole desire is to haue full libertie to speake euill of his maiestie Which thing he perceyning intendeth to remedie it And by what meanes Euen by such as hee himselfe likes best of Not that hee doeth it of necessitie as I saide afore or by anie constraynt but that his good pleasure is
so And therefore God coulde well roote vs out of the worlde at this day and on the otherside hee coulde well make the Papistes dumbe and altogether senselesse or else hee coulde make them blockes or stones or else he could vtterlie ouerwhelme them so as his name should not bee blasphemed by them and therewithall hee coulde raise vp a newe people which should glorifie him in his iust destroying and consuming of vs. God coulde well doe all these thinges but yet for all that hee holdeth still such order in his workes as hee hath determined vppon in himselfe That is the cause why on the one side hee spareth vs and on the other side giueth not occasion to the Papistes to blaspheme his holy name if hee shoulde vse extreeme rigour agaynst vs. And by the way here wee bee put in minde of the nature of man Indeede God speaketh of the aduersarie and enemie but yet vnder them he comprehendeth all such as haue not beene taught by his worde to yeeld themselues teachable vnto him And what manner of disposition attributeth hee vnto them That they estrange themselues that is to say that without inquiring or considering of Gods vengeaunce wherein he ought to be glorified they turne it into a slaunder and say It is not God that did it Let vs marke well then that if wee bee let alone to our owne nature and that God guide vs not by his worde and spirite to giue vs the true soundnesse of vnderstanding discretion and skill although hee worke after such a fashion as his righteousnesse power and wisedome may so appeare that wee must needes be conuicted by it yet we shal not cease to cast foorth blasphemie against him And why For wee shall bee as witlesse beastes And this saying For feare least the enemie shoulde estraunge himselfe is to bee well weyed For thereby God meaneth that men insteede of applying their wittes to the beholding of the thinges which hee sheweth them do wrappe themselues in ignorance wilfully Nowe it is certayne that although wee be blinde wretches and that although by reason of Adams sinne wee bee bereft of iudgement reason and vnderstanding yet there is malice still in vs so as our whole seeking is to bee ignoraunt of the thinges which our Lorde woulde haue vs to knowe Therefore whensoeuer men doe make a cloke of their ignorance they shall euermore bee conuicted to haue refused the knowledge of those thinges which might haue beene well knowen vnto them if they had set their minds vppon them And that is the verie cause why Saint Iude in his Epistle speaking of these heathenish folke which despise GOD and are grosse and dulheaded as folke that haue no knowledge at all Iude. 10. saith that they knowe not the thinges which they shoulde know because they haue no list to knowe them Then is it a cursed kinde of cloking whensoeuer men make not their benefite of Gods workes but applie them cleane contrarie to his meaning Now looke what is said here concerning the Infidels the same belongeth likewise vnto vs. And were it not that GOD bringeth the light vnto vs or vs vnto the light and opened our eyes to see the thinges which hee sheweth vs surely we should not onely continue stil blind but also it shoulde cause vs to become worse and worse accordingly as it is saide here that the Infidels shoulde haue blasphemed GOD saying Our hande is high and it is not God that hath doone this On the one side then we let God alone as though he had done nothing and on y e other side wee become so proude as to put ourselues in his roome For men content not themselues with their robbing of God of his power with their defacing of his maiestie but they will also needs deck thēselues with his feathers make themselues verie Idols and haue men to belieue them to haue beene the doers of the thinges which are peculiar to GOD. So then seeing there is such mad pride in vs and so grosse selfe weening wee ought to bee the more warned to yeelde our selues vnto GOD and to pray him not onely to shew vs his workes wherein his glorie may shine foorth and appeare but also to open our eyes that wee may see them in giuing vs skill and discretion by his holy spirit so as we may learne with humilitie to honour him and that when we haue confessed his iustice goodnes and mercie we may consider howe much we be bounde vnto him and that when hee punisheth other men we may be drawen to repentaunce by their meanes and vnderstande that he beareth with vs because he might well confounde vs out of hande were it not that he intended to vse fauour and goodnes towardes vs to the ende wee shoulde bee the more inflamed to honor him and to dedicate our selues to him in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ. Nowe let vs pray vnto him to vouchsafe to haue pitie vppon vs and not to call vs to account for the great number of misdeeds whereof wee be guiltie because wee knowe well that if hee listed to deale rigorously with vs we should needes be confounded yea and vtterly perishe and that although hee had not wayted for vs so long time yet he had iust cause to haue destroyed vs as often as wee prouoked him to wrath wherfore although we haue offended him without end or measure yet notwithstanding seeing hee hath shewed himselfe so kindhearted a father towardes vs alreadie it may please him to continue his mercie and fauour and therewithall to reforme vs so by his holy spirit that being guided and gouerned by him our whole seeking may be to frame ourselues to y e obeying of him suffering our selues to be ruled by his word and seeking nought else but to please him in all respects 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 Saturday the vj. of Iune 1556. The CLXXXV Sermon which is the eight vpon the two thirtith Chapter 28 For it is a Nation voyde of discretion and there is no vnderstanding in them 29 But if they were wise they would vnderstande this and take heed to their ende 30 Howe shoulde one of them chase a thousande and two of them put tenne thousande to flight were it not that God had solde them and that the Lord had shut them vp 31 For their gods are not as our God and thereof euen our enemyes themselues are Iudges WE saw yesterday how God hauing a respect to the Infidels their blasphemies had spared the people of Israel And thereupon it was shewed that God doth oftentimes pitie vs not punish vs so rigorously as we deserue to y e end that his name should not be made a scoffing stocke a iesting stock among the wicked who seeke occasion of skorning when they see God chastice his Church thereupon they fall to rayling at the doctrine and Religion
a 50.60 b 10 How Ambition tickleth vs continually 22. b 50 Men are made to spite God through their Ambition and couetousnesse 63. b 10 The Ambition of Princes noted and whereupon it groweth 15. a 10 All men giuen to Ambition and endeuour to growe greate and why 13. b Of a foolish Ambition whereto men are ouer much giuen 879. a 20.30.40 b. 30.40 Looke Loftinesse and Pride Amen The faithfull must aunswere Amen as well to the curssings as the blessings of God 487. a 50.60 Read what particular cursses they bee concerning the second table whereto the Iewes aunswered Amen with one accord Sermon 151 beginning at page 929 We must answere Amen willingly wheÌ„ the Lord behighteth vs his blessing 487. a 40.60 Of this worde Amen aunswered by the Iewes and vs. 486. b 40.50.60 and 487. a 10.20.30 Of answering Amen to the blessings and threatenings of God 925. all 927. b 50 Amendement Foure hundred yeares respite of repentance and Amendement giuen by God and to whome 728. a 60. and b 10 The maner of our Amendement when wee haue offended God described 114. a. 20 The Amendement of the Iewes noted when they sawe they had troden Gods lawe vnder foote 114. a 40 Eighteene hundred yeres forbearance of the Iewes for their Amendement 1137. b 60 Ammon The meaning of the worde Ammon 68. a 60 Moab and Ammon harlots birdes borne in a brothell house 68. b. 10 Ammonites Why the Ammonites Moabites were forbidden by Gods lawe to enter into his sanctuarie and why the Iewes were forbidden in no wise to seeke the peace and prosperitie of them 798. a 40.50.60 b all 799 all 800 all The Ammonites notwithstanding their kinred with the Israelites became Scorpions to sting them c. 69. b 10 Amorrhites The Amorrhites being enimies to the Iewes likened vnto bees and how 57. b 10.20 Why God woulde haue none of the Amorrhites left aliue 303. a 60. and b 10.20 God bare with the abhominations of the Amorrhites foure hundred yeres 303. b 40.50.60 The Amorrhites spared of the Israelites and what followed thereuponâ— since God bad the contrarie 307. a 30.40.50 The Amorrhites were forborne eight hundred yeres before God destroyed them 1142. b 40.50 The cause why God commaunded the Amorrhites to be rooted out of the world 84. b 10.20 Anabaptistes Anabaptistes receiued in Geneua and gret cheere made them in the town house 532. b 40.50 Looke Heretikes Angels How Angels are sometimes called the sonnes of God 647. b 60 Of wicked Angels which execute Gods vengeance vppon men 669. b 20 Whether the Angels are fed with Manna as the Psalme seemeth to say 355. a 40.50 Angels righteousnes scarcely answerable to Gods law 245. b 50 The verie Angels do hide their eyes because of the greatnesse of Gods glorie 254. b 10.20 A stryfe betweene the Angels and the diuels for our behoofe 1239. a 10 20 Of the helpe or seruice of Angels and whereto God vseth the same 1123 a 40.50.60 In what respect Angels are called the children of God 1113. a 40 Angels are nothing as in respect of themselues 1123. a 40.50.60 The Angels were witnesses vnto the lawe 1187. b 50 By Saints are ment Angels Looke the place and marke the doctrine 1187 b 20 30.40.50.60.1188 a 10.20 Of the infinit number of Angels which were witnesses vnto God at such time as hee shewed himselfe to bee the author of the lawe 1187. b all 1188. a 10.20 Of Gods Angels why they were created and their office 1187. b 30.40.50 60 What wee haue to note in that it is Gods will that the Angels shall fight to drawe vs out of all y e temptations of Satan 1239. a 20.30.40 Anger The Anger of God against the Amalekites and the cause thereof 888. b 40.50.60 In what cases wee ought to shewe that wee feare not the hatred and Anger of men 74. a 10 Towardes whome the Anger of God is soone pacified and not soone pacified 975. b 50.60 Loo Wrath. Anguish Of the Anguish of the heart and why speciall mention is made hereof 907. a all and b 10 The meaning of the wordes I haue not eaten of the first fruites in the Anguish of my heart 906. b 50.60 907. all Annealing Of Annealing the sicke and whence the Papistes haue that sacrament of theirs 919. b 10.20 Looke Sacraments Antiquitie That Antiquitie is not enough for vs but other degrees are also required 489. a 20.30 What wee must first do touching religion before wee goe to Antiquitie 488. b 60. 489 a 10 An allegoricall exposition of that men should hold them selues in all things and in all respectes to Antiquitie 698. b 10 Vnto what Antiquitie wee must haue an eye touching the doctrine of saluation 698. b 50 The Antiquitie of the true authenticall religion 1041. b all 1042. a 10 20.30 Of the true Antiquitie embraced of Christians and of the auncient faith 1130. a 10.20 The Antiquitie of diuerse trumperies vsed in the Popedome 1129. b 50.60 1130. a 10. c. The Antiquitie of Gods Church 489. a 10 The Antiquitie that the Papistes alleage for them selues 489. a 20 Touching the Antiquitie of superstition Read page 1129. all Apostasie Of the Apostasie of men from God after they haue once knowen his trueth 370. b 60. and 371. a 10 The Apostasie of the Iewes from God was without cause 1041. b 10.20 Generall Apostasie from God naturally in men from their birth 10â—7 b 60 Of Apostasie from God and his trueth and how the same is committed a. 30.40.50.60 b all The Iewes Apostasie from God after the death of Iosua and what wee haue to marke thereby 1072. a b all The manifold Apostasie of the Iewes from God and their reprobation 1138. a all 1137. all Howe God will deale with vs for our Apostasie from him 1091. a 40.50.60 Howe Moses was greeued when hee heard of the Apostasie of the Iewes from God after his death 1089. a 40.50.60 Apostles The Apostles the true fathers of the Christian Church 489. b 10 That the Apostles must be our fathers and that we must follow their example 897. a 20 The twelue Apostles were chosen according to the twelue tribes of Israell 45. a 50 The Papistes common prouerbe that God is not knowen for the Apostles 490. b 50 Apparell Howe the lawe forbidding women to weare mens Apparell expoundeth the commaundement Thou shalt not commit adulterie 774. a 50.60 What we haue to note vppon Aarons Priestlie Apparell 1199. b 30.40.50.60 What wee are to learne by the Lawe forbidding the Iewes to weare Apparell of diuers sorts 782. a 10. c. Against excesse of Apparell and the vaine brauerie of the same 782. b 10.20 A lawe made which forbad the Iewes to weare Apparell wouen of linnen and wollen and what doctrines wee haue to gather of the same 780. b all Of what things we be put in mind wheÌ„ we put on our Apparell 774. a 30.40 Of honestie in Apparell and that God liketh well
occasion vnto them to blaspheme his holy name 1145. b 10.20.30.40.50 Papists and protestants compared and which of the twaine founde worst 1145. a 10. Their wretched state noted 299. b 40. 124. a 50. Their excuse of not comming to the Gospel 257. a 20.30 Their weake reason for the maintenance of images 136. a 50. 138. a 50. b 10. Their assertion that the Iewes onely were forbidden to worship images refuted 135. a 20. c. Their behauiour in their church 131. b 60. Of certaine despisers of religion worse than they and how they condemne the Papists 1165. a 20.30 77. a 50.60 b 10 At what point the Papistes bee when mention is made of the fathers 1130 b 20.30.40 The foundation whereon they haue grounded their implied faith 130. b 10. They haue some reuerence of their religion 124. a 50. Their damnable doctrine that men ought not to assure themselues of their saluation but to suppose it 914. b 20.30 They are cōfuted with their reasons inferred as touching iustification by workes 938. b all 380. a 40.50.60 How they haue broken the vnity which Christ hath set betweene his members 920. a all That they vsurpe the priesthood of the Leuites and would be iudges of the leprosie 849. With what defaults they charge vs with open outcries 905. a 10.20.30 Paradise That the whole world was an earthly Paradise to Adam and howe 992. b 20.30.40 The earthlie Paradise is no where because all the earth is accurssed 949. b 40 Pardoning Gods Pardoning of our faultes is with condition reade the place 294. a 10 Looke Forgiue Parents How farre the dutie of children should extende to their Parentes 218. a 50.60 Parents are forbidden to vse any crueltie to their children 216. b 50 What Parents shoulde doe if they see their children despisers of God c. 297. b 60. 298. a 10 Euidence giuen iudiciallie by the Parents against their owne children 757. a 40.50.60 b 10.30 The negligence of Parents in looking to their children noted and their charge and plague declared 755. all 756. a all The charge of Parentes ouer their children described by the example of birds ouer their young 776. a all That such as smite their Parents shall die the death without fauour 760. a 10.20 A notable mirror for Parents that haue gracelesse and vnthankefull children 755. b 50.60 756. a 10. c. Howe Parents that haue children in their house should bethinke them 756. a 50.60 and howe they should nurture them ibidem b all We cannot be Christs disciples except we hate our Parents and how these words are meant 1203. a all b 10. Looke Father Partakers What is the way for vs to be Partakers of the sacrifice which Christ hath offered 605. a 10.20 606. a 60. b 30. 604. a 10. Who they bee that cannot bee Partakers of the Paschall Lambe 606. b. 20.30 What wee must doe to become Partakers of the fruite of Christes death and passion 604. a 40. In what cases we cannot be Partakers of the Sonne of God 604. a 60 Partition How Iacob dying three hundred yeres before the Partition of the Lande of Chanaan could make a partition thereof to the twelue Tribes 1212. a 30 Partitions Partitions of the lande of Chanaan among the tribes and by whom they were made 697. a 40.50 Paschall lambe What wee haue to learne by the Iewes absteining from leauened breade in eating then Paschal lambe 604. a 10.20 Why God would haue the Iewes to resort to Ierusalem to sacrifice the Paschall lambe 601. a 30 What the ceremonie of the Paschall lambe imported to the Iewes 601. a 30.40 603. b 60. 602. b 60 Why the Iewes were commaūded that they should not breake a bone of the Paschall lambe 601. a 60. b 10 Why God would not haue the Paschall lambe eaten by vnbeleeuing folke 602. a 20 In what moneths the Iewes were appointed to eate their Paschall lambe 601. b 40 What we haue to learne by the sprinkling of the doores of the houses of the Iewes with a braunch of Isop dipped in the bloude of the Paschall lambe 603. a 30.40.50.60 b 10.20.30 Diuerse ceremonies commaunded of the Iewes to bee obserued in eating of their Paschall lambe Sermon 97. beginning at page 596. Diuersitie of respects betweene circumcision and the Paschall lambe 600. b 50.60 To what ende the Paschall lambe was offered vp 603. a 20. and what wee haue to learne thereby ibid. 30 The manner how Christ and his disciples sate downe at the eating of the Paschall lambe 600. a 40.50.60 Who they be that cannot be partakers of the Paschall lambe 606. b 20.30 Looke Passouer Passouer What day of the moneth was the day of Passouer 610. b 50 In what sense Christ is said to be our euerlasting Passouer 606. a 10.30 and 605. b 10.20.30 What we must doe to keepe the Passouer aright at this day 606. a 50 The meaning of the seuerall ceremonies vsed in the Iewish Passouer opened by applications in the 98. Sermon beginning at page 602.599 b 20. c. Gods meaning by ordeining the Passouer day what it was 602. a 10.60 What agreement there was betweene Christ and the Iewish Passouer 603. a 10 Whereof Paul doth vs to vnderstande in saying that our Passouer Iesus Christ is offered vp c. 603. b 40 Why it was commanded that the Passouer shoulde be eaten with bitter or sower herbes 600. a 30.40 b 10.20 The Iewes admit no heathen man to their Passouer vnlesse hee were circumcised 600. b 20.30 Of the feast of Passouer and of Gods double respect in ordeining the same 597. a 60. b 10. reade sermon 97. all The bringing in of the feast of Passouer by such as beare the name of Christians counted superstitious how 598. b 30.40 Why the Iewes were commaunded to eate vnleuened breade in their feast of Passouer and sixe dayes together 599. a all b 10 The feast of the Passouer was not a ceremonie without instruction 597. b 50. and 598. a 10.20 Looke Paschall lambe Passion By what meanes Christ maketh the vertue of his death and Passion auailable vnto vs. 430. b 40.50.60 The benefits that wee haue by Christs death and Passion 1062. b 50.60 and 1063. all What we must do to become partakers of the fruite of Christs death Passion 604. a 40 A description of the passion of Christ Iesus 29. all It were a disanulling of the death and Passion of Christ not to be resolued of the inheritance of heauen 29. b 40 The death and Passion of Christ are thinges of great price and of the power thereof 29. b 60. page 30. a 10. Looke Crosse. Passions God is not mooued with Passions of anie sort either one way or other 1056. b 30.40.50 and 890. b 60. and 891. a 10 Why God doth so transfigure himselfe as if he were subiect to the Passions of a mortal man 1004. b 50.60 890 b 60. 891. a 10 Gods loue
must do when we find things contrarie to our naturall Reason 76. b 50 Gods inestimable goodnes noted in shewing vs a Reason why he doeth things Read the place 338. b 50.60 339. a 10. Looke Discretion Rebellion The Rebellion of the Amalekites against God in hindering the Iewes from coÌ„ming into the land of Chanaan 888. a 10.20.30 What is the ground of Rebellion diuerse times 216. a 20 Of the Rebellion of Chore Dathan Abiron against Aaron and of the number of them 458. b 20.30 c. Read the same set forth at large 459 a 10. c. 460. a 60. b all Rebellion against God and his worde raised in Geneua by certaine heretikes and their fauourers 460. b all 461. a all 384. a 30.40.50.60 b 10 The RebellioÌ„ of the Iewes when they should haue entred into the promised land 407. b 60. and 408. a 10. Looke stubbornesse Rebellious Meanes which God vseth to traine vs to obedience and how Rebellious we be is shewed by comparison of a heiffer a horsse 895. a 20.30.40 The punishments of God vppon them that be Rebellious against him shal be as signes and wonders to them their posteritie and how 9â—9 a 40 50.60 What it is to be Rebellious against god Looke page 412. a 50.60 b 10. Look Stubborne Rebuke What is required in vs wheÌ„ we Rebuke others 331. a 10.20.237 b 10.239 b 10.20 How euerie one of vs should Rebuke him selfe when wee liue not as wee ought 455. a 10 Against certaine nycelings that take griefe at the preacher when he doth Rebuke their vices 238. b 50.60 Looke Faultes Rebukes To what ende all the Rebukes which God giueth vs do serue 1172. b 50 60.1173 a 10 Recompense How we ought to take the texts of holy scriptures where God behighteth vs Recompense 295. a 60. and b 10 20.60 God will not bee serued at our handes without Recompense 466. a 60. b 10 To what purpose God promiseth vs Recompense if wee serue him 267. b 50. Looke Rewards Reconcile Of the meanes vsed in poperie to pacifie Reconcile God when he is offended 447. b 20.30.40 c. Reconciled The true meanes ways that we must vse to be Reconciled vnto God wheÌ„ we haue offended 447. b 60. 448. a 10.50.60 Reconciliation Of Reconciliation with our enimies inferred vppon a text treating of warre 724. b 50.60.725 a 10.20.30 Of the papists Reconciliation of them selues to God and that it is without certaintie 1051. a 10 Of the message of Reconciliation and what it is 1028. b 20 The meanes of Reconciliation that God vseth betweene himselfe vs 973. b 40. None other meane of Reconciliation but the bloud of Christ. 264. b 10. Looke Attonement Fauour Redemption The Redemption of vs Christians and the Redemption of the Iewes compared 870. a 50.60.169 a 30.1114 b 20.30 Gods loue the welspring of our RedeÌ„ption 167. a 10 Of the Redemption of mankinde and whether God needed any helpe to bring the same to passe 1123. b all Why Esaie treating of our RedemptioÌ„ that was to be performed in y e person of Christ saâ—eth expressely Behold this is he beholde this is our God as though he had been present wheÌ„ as yet he was not incarnate 269. b 40.50.60 Looke Ransome Reformation A forceable Reformation necessarie to the Iewes and also to vs Read the place it is most excellent 154. a 50.60 b 10.20.30.40 What kinde of Reformation is required in euerie man for the vtter abolishment of superstition and idolatrie 492. b all The Reformation of our hearts belongeth vnto God 1024. b 30 Regenerate Imperfectious euen in the Regenerate though the papists say no. 938. b 50 999. â—30 40 Regeneration Of our Regeneration and that it is not of man but of God 441. b all Reigne How malitiously the Iewes construed these wordes Yee shall Reigne ouer many nations 580. a 30 Reioysing Of Reioysing in the presence of the Lord and in what case mens reioysings are accurssed 901. a 30.40.50 With whome our Reioysing should be and with what companie 901. b 20.30 Of Gods Reioysing and that it is not after the manner of men 1056. b 30 40.50.60 Looke Mirth Reliefe Lawes of Reliefe prouided for y e poore with the crop of the ground 865. a 40.50.60 so forwarde the whole sermon 141.517 a 20. c. b 10. Looke Helpe and succour Religion both true false Why Moses confirmeth the Iewes in y e Religion that had beene giuen theÌ„ 162. b 10.20.30.40.50.60 A reason why the Religion of the Iewes should haue been sound and sincere c. 160. a 30 The Religion of poperie discouered 187. a 20.1042 b all 1130. a 40.50.1041 b 30.40 The foundation of all perfect sound Religion 272. a 10.20.444 b all 509. a 20.446 a 50.496 a 40.388 a 20 The ground from whence the Iewes tooke their boldnes to make their so manie changes of Religion 114. a 40 Howe wee ought to behaue our selues touching the true and sincere Religion 288. all 537. a all What followeth of mingling true Religion with the deuises of vnbeleeuers 287. a 60. b â—â— What we must do to haue the true and right Religion 288. a 10.20 We must prouide that the seede of Religion may remaine after our decease how 474. a 40 An exhortatioÌ„ to the imbracing of true Religion 470. b 40.50.60 With what vaine speculations we must not medle whensoeuer wee haue to deale with Gods seruice Religion 463. b 10.20 A brieâ—e summe or description of y â— true pure Religion 117. b 60 How wee must be affected if any man should goe about to alter Religion 542. a 50.60 b 10. This place is worth the marking 636. a all Of certaine worldlings that go about to abolish all Religion 541. a 10.545 a 50.60 b all That for the maintenance of true Religion wee should not spare the life of our neerest kin 540. a 40.50.60 b all What ground the heathen had when they made Iewes for the obseruing of that manner of Religion that was established among them 541. a 50.60 That it behoueth vs to be well assured of our Religion why 541. a 40.163 b 60.164 a 10 That the pure Religion of God is the chiefest blessing that wee haue in this life and what wee are taught to do in that behalfe 982. a 50.60 and b all 983. a 10.494 b 10 How deere true Religion ought to bee vnto vs is shewed by circumstances 540. a 40.50.60 b all 547. a 30.40 We must shew openly before meÌ„ what Religion we holde of 287. a 30 The meanes that God vsed to retaine the Iewes in the puritie of Religion 1014. a 10.20.30 The seducers of Gods people from the right Religion compared to bitter rootes and how 1032. a 50. b all 1033 a b all Of what Religion God alloweth disalloweth 1128. a b 30.40.50.60 c. In what taking they be which followe their owne fansies in cases
Thou shalt loue God with all thy Strength 272. b 20. Looke Power Strife A Strife betweene the Angels and the diuels for our behoofe 1239. a 10.20 The cause of Strife debate and emulation among men 73. b 50.114 b 10.20 Looke Variance Stripe Whereupon the Iewes tooke away one Stripe from fourtie Gods lawe appointing fourtie stripes to be giuen the misdooer 876. a 10.20.30 Stripes Saint Paule beaten fiue times with fortie Stripes saue one and what he giueth vs to vnderstande thereby 876. a 50.60 Stubborne Howe God dealeth with vs if wee bee wilfull Stubborne against him 394. a all b 10.987 a 60 Howe such as be Stubborne and vnwilling to learne at Gods hands should be dealt withall 1104. a 10. Looke Rebellious Stubbornnesse The continuall Stubbornnesse of the Iewes ours against God laid down in particulars 383. the whole page 384. a 10.20.1101 al. 411. b 40.50.1102 a 10.1119 a 10 The Stubbornnesse of mans nature declared by comparison 265. b 30.1162 b 50.60.1163 a 10 Of Stubbornnesse specially in children and the punishment for the same by Gods lawe 756. b 10.20 c. Howe hardly the Stubbornesse of men is subdued and whereby it is subdued 1099. b 50.60 Ouermuch ease is the cause of wilfull Stubbornnesse Reade the place 279 b 30 How God will fall to Stubbornesse with vs if wee fall to stubbornnesse with him 444. a 10.20.30.40 For what cause Moses sayth Lord haue not an eye to the Stubbornnes of this people 415. b 60. 416. a 10. Looke Rebellion Subiectes An exhortation to Subiectes touching their dutie of obedience to their superiours 216. a 60. b 10 In what behalfe God will not like that Subiectes should obey their princes 216. b 20.30.40 Subiection An exhortation summarilie to all estats touching Subiection 216 a 60. b 10.20.217 a 60 Howe wee ought to behaue ourselues towardes them that be in Subiection vnto vs. 591. a 20.30 The Subiection of children to their parents according to Saint Paules rule 213. b 30.40 A forme of speech touching our Subiection to God when he any way crosseth vs. 349. a 60. b 10.250 b 30.40 223. b 50 Wherein consisteth a good triall of our Subiection vnto God 525. a 50 The straite Subiection of the Iewes vnder the law declared by comparison 344. b 10.20 Subiection is a thing sore against our nature 213. a 40.217 a 10.20 A forme of Subiection described and set downe 218. a 60. b 40 What may enable vs to submitte ourselues euen to the meanest this concerneth Subiection 214. a 60. b all What kinde of Subiection God requireth at our handes 443. b 10.20 A warning as well to them that are in authoritie as to them that are vnder Subiection 215. a 50.60 Looke Obedience and Honour Submission The papistes haue shewed that they can in no case away with Submission of themselues to God 504. a 50.60 Looke Subiection Substance A question with what eye wee can beholde Gods Substance 182. b 40 How the Substance and wealth of men consumeth when God curseth it 985. a 40.50 Succession Of the Succession of the Gentiles into the place of the Iewes and when the same was accomplished 1137. a all Of the chiefe Succession that we ought to leaue to them that come after vs. 1095. b 10.20 The Succession of the Leuiticall priesthoode vsurped and to whom it doth properly belong 849. a 50.60 b all 850. a 10 Succour That Gods speaking vnto vs to Succour the poore is not without cause and why 584. a 50.585 a 50.60 Who they be whom we are bounde in conscience to Succour 582. b 40.50 Most effectuall reasons and persuasions to moue vs to Succour such as be in neede among vs. 580. all 581. a all God doth Succour his seruantes after a woonderfull fashion example of Ioseph 1212. b 60.1213 a all What we haue to learne in that wee be cōmanded to Succour dumbe beasts going astray or trying vnder their burden 769. b 50.60.770 a 10. Looke Helpe and Releefe Sunne The Sunne is a rightnoble creature yet our seruant 148. a 20. howe wee must vse the light thereof 353. a 40 Why light was made before the Sunne 353. a 40 Superfluities Against the needeles Superfluities of Gods creatures wherein the worlde doth commonly offende 781. b all 782. all 783. a all Looke Excesse and Abuse Superiours Men cannot gouerne themselues except they haue Superiours to guide them 622. a 10 What Superiors the pope will haue vs to obey 217. b 50.60 What is to be done when Superiours abuse their power 218. a 10 The Superiours must shew the way of going to the Church to the inferiors 1028. a all God in one worde hath giuen vs the rule of obedience to all Superiours 215. a 10.20 A notable punishment of God vpon Superiours for abusing the dignitie which God hath giuen them 215. b 30.40 A generall doctrine for the honouring of all Superiours 212. b 10.20 c. Superioritie Two pointes to bee marked of such as haue any Superioritie ouer others 508. a 10 God hath ordeined Superioritie in the worlde and he will haue it maintained 217. a 30.40 Against such as be disobedient to lawefull Superioritie 217. b 20 All such as haue Superioritie ouer vs. do represent Gods person and must be obeyed 214. a 10.20 To what ende the Superioritie which men haue should tende 22. a 10 God reserueth chiefe Superioritie alwayes to himselfe 21. b 40. Looke Authoritie Superstition Houshoulders must suffer no Superstition or ydolatrie in their houses 492. b 30.40.311 b 40.50 A cleare riddance of all such thinges as may allure vs to Superstition is necessarie 491. a b all The remedie to preserue vs from all vncleannesse of Superstition 524. b 10.20.30 Of naturall pronenesse to Superstition and false Adoration 310. a 40.50.60 b 10.561 a all The fountaine and welspring of all Superstition what it is 271. b 60 The sundrie practises of Sathan to aduance Superstition and ydolatrie 1239. b all Howe ancient Superstition was 1129. a all b all That the more we knowe Superstition the more we must eschew it 1031. a al. When and at what time wee haue the very meane to destroy all Superstition 146. a 50 We must holde vs to the simplicitie of Gods worde without mingling any Superstition therewith 149. a 30 The fondnesse and Superstition of the worlde noted in diuerse pointes 140. b 30.40 The eyesore that the Iewes had to turne them to Superstition 177. b 50 How Superstition gat scope among the Iewes c. 114. a 40. Looke Deuotion Superstitions Why Moses speaketh of the abolishing of Superstitions first and then of other thinges 493. b 10.20.494 b 60.495 a 10 The madnesse of men in their Superstitions noted 491. b 50.60.187 a 40 Of diuerse kindes of notable Superstitions retained in the Church 495. a all Of diuerse that can mocke and scorne at popish Superstitiōs who notwithstanding haue no religion in them 493. a 20.30 40 The
among all the Tribes 496. b 50 What the Iewes might haue alledged for their owne aduancement against the Tribe of Iuda 496. b 10.20.30.40 The punishment of the Tribe of Leui turned into an honour 658. a 10 Tribes Why the townes of the Leuits were appointed of God to bee dispersed among the Tribes 508. a 10.20.30.40 50.60.513 a 60 The twelue Tribes had euerie one his portion to inherite in the lande of Chanaan 496. The Tribes of Ephraim and Manasses refused 496. b 40 Two Tribes put in steede of one to make vp twelue for the diuiding of the lande of Chanaan into twelue portions 568. b 10 The Tribes of Leui and Iuda priuileged the one more notably than the other and both aboue all the other Tribes 658. a 10.20 The rest of the Tribes hauing their portions ceased not to grudge against the Priestes and Leuites 656. b 50.60 657. a 40 The blessings of Moses vpō the twelue Tribes with their expositions Read sermons 192.193.194.195.196.197 What wee haue to note vppon these wordes God shall cut such a man off from among the Tribes of Israel 1038. a 40.50.60 b all What wee haue to learne by this that God woulde choose a place for his sanctuarie in one of y e twelue Tribes 509. b 10 How the twelue Tribes were diuided and the Leuites standing in y e midst whiles curssing and blessing were vttered of either side 922. b 60.923 a 10 Tributes Tributes allowed to be laide vpon vanquished or subdued cities 725. b 10 20. and what instructions wee are to gather thereby ibidem 30.40.50 60. c. Triumph The Triumph of Christ set forth vpon his crosse 764. b 40.50.60.765 a all Looke Victorie Trouble Against such as Trouble molest the church and that God will take vengeance of them in due time 798. b 40 50.60.799 all How a poore sillie man that is in anguish and Trouble of minde shoulde be comforted how he should bethinke himselfe 717. b 50.60 What wee haue to doe when wee feele such Trouble of minde in our selues that we cannot be comforted again out of hand 714. a 60. b 10.20.30 Looke Affliction Troubles The cause why wee see the worlde infected with so many Troubles errours 538. a 30.40.50 Why God doth exercise vs with Troubles in this life 368. a 60. and b 10.20 340. b 30.40 Through whose fault it is that God doeth not deliuer vs from all Troubles out of hand 340. a 40.50 Looke Chastisements True What we haue to learne in that God is said to be True 1108. a 60. b 10.20.30 Looke Faithfull Vpright Trust in God What trust God will haue vs yeld vnto his word 528. a 20.30.374 a all Reasons of proofe that wee haue no Trust in Gods alsufficiencie 595. a 10 How the Israelites might haue emboldened themselues with Trust that God would not faile thē 86. a 40.50 Words of great comfort for the confirming of our Trust in Gods helpe 87. b 30.40 The worlde vseth the words Faith and Trust vprightly how 87. a 60 An in separable bonde betweene Gods promises and the Trust that we haue in him 87. a 50 Vpon what Trust wee may be bolde to come vnto God in prayer 101. a 10 An exhortation to put our Trust in god in respect of his promises c. 335. b 30.40 The mightifull force of perfect Trust in God 335. a 10.20 Vntil what time wee cannot put any Trust in God 337. a 60 Into what extremities wee fall because wee put not our Trust in God 1077. a 10 Wee cannot exceede measure of Trust in God 147. a 40.50 Trust in men creatures Why no man should beguile himselfe vpon Trust of men 37. b 20 That it is not for vs to put our Trust in any worldly munition or defence but in God only 996. all Of a diuelish Trust that men haue in the things that they possesse 583. b 60.584 a 10 Trueth of God God is the author of Truth and wil bee the warranter thereof 5. a 10. b 30 We reply against Gods Truth as thogh he were not faithfull 26. a 40.50 What kind of truth gods Truth is which endureth for euer 22. b 20 How much honour wee should yeeld to Gods Truth 28. a 10 Gods Truth is not to bee measured by time 25. b 50.60 How farre foorth wee must be inquisitiue of Gods Truth 33. a 50.60 God suffereth not his Truth to fall to the grounde or to die without effect 44. a 10 The carelesnes of such as should maintaine Gods Truth 113. a 30 Gods Truth doeth not die with men 25. b 40 If God haue once taught vs his Truth it ought to suffice vs why 370. b 10.30 How the church is said to be the piller of Gods Truth 253. a 20.30.40 God giueth them ouer which turne away frō the Truth 404. b 10.147 a 20 That euen among the heathen there remained alwayes a remnant of the Truth 1095. b 60.1096 a 10 Of Gods Truth and what wee haue to gather by that title ascribed vnto him 1108. b all 1109. a all 177. b 30.40.26 a 50 Houshoulde enimies of the Truth noted farre worsse than the Papistes 129. b 40.50 It is a falsification of Gods Truth whēsoeuer men make any counterfeit of God 135. a 30 What the Iewes ought to haue done in so much as they were taught the Truth 149. b 10 The rewarde of such as would not obey the Truth 153. b 30 How and in what sort God will haue vs to learne his Truth 177. b 30.40 Wee cannot deuise to doe a greater outrage to God than to abolish or deface his Truth 194. b 50 Gods Truth being vnuariable is contained in the law 181. a 20 How wee must endeuour to get knowledge of the Truth 298. a 10.20.40.50 To what end God hath called vs to the knowledge of the Truth 300. a 40 How wee confirme Gods Truth to our saluation 487. a 10 That it is not enough for a mā to haue some taste of Gods Truth but a further matter is required Looke what 493. b 60.494 a 10 Howe wee must arme our selues against the open and secret enimies of gods Truth 528. b 50.60 529. a b all Looke Gospell Scripture and Word of God Trumpets Of the feast of Trumpets 612. a 10.613 b 10 Of what things the Iewes were warned when they heard the Trumpets 613. b 30.40 What kinde of Trumpets we should be that are Christians 613. b 50.60 Looke Feasts Turkes The Turkes cut off from Gods church through their owne fault 124. a 50 The Turkes haue some reuerence of their religion 124. a 50 Turne Without what it is vnpossible for vs to haue any desire to Turne vnto God 1050. b 50 To Turne to the right hande and to the left Read what is thereby meant 262. b 30.40.50.60 263. a 10 God doth Turne mens hearts maketh them to be inflamed with hatred 80. b 20 God doth Turne the hearts of men to gentlenes when
vs goe and serue other gods which thou hast not knowen nor yet thy fathers 7 That is to wit any of the gods of the nations that are about thee whether they bee neere thee or farre off from thee from the one side of the earth to the other 8 Consent not to him neither giue eare vnto him neither let thine eye fauour him shewe him not any pitie neither conceale him 9 But thou shalt put him to death thy hande shal be the first vpon him to put him to death and afterward the hand of all the people 10 And thou shalt stone him with stones and so he shall die for he hath sought to thrust thee from the Lorde thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage 11 That all Israell may heare and be afraide and not doe such a wicked thing among you any more Psal. 69.10 HAd we the zeale in vs that is spoken of in the Psalme that wee tooke the reproch which is done vnto GOD as if it were offered to our selues this lawe here were in a manner needelesse For euerie of vs woulde willingly of his owne accorde indeuour to maintaine Gods honour But nowe inasmuch as manie men thinke it to be too excessiue rigour to put the troublers and peruerters of religion to death thereby it appeareth that we despise Gods honour and make no greate account of it For euerie of vs would faine haue his owne honour maynteined and if anie man haue stormed against vs wee thinke the time will neuer come soone ynough for vs to bee reuenged If a man doe vs any wrong or iniurie wee woulde that euerie man shoulde sette himselfe against it in our defence but if Gods honour bee trampled vnder foote wee lette it slippe Wee see then howe colde and vnlustie wee bee but this vnlustinesse of ours deserueth a more shamefull name For if a man suffer his father to bee scorned folke will say hee is not worthie to liue in the worlde because he doeth against his kinde And beholde GOD is as it were torne in peeces by wicked mennes aduauncing of themselues to rend asunder the vnion of the fayth wherethrough it is his will to bee knowen and whereby it is his will to reigne among vs and that is borne withall And is not that a token that if it lay in vs wee woulde neuer haue any remembraunce of GOD at all But forasmuch as there is so litle zeale in vs therefore is this Lawe giuen vs. And GOD declareth that hee is not vnmindefull of his owne maiestie but that hee will haue the defacing thereof to bee punished Naye rather hee sheweth that hee disclaymeth vs for his people if we haue not a speciall regarde of this case of his Wee haue hearde heeretofore what hath beene sayde concerning false prophetes namely that if anie man troubled the Churche of GOD hee shoulde bee stoned to death without sparing Nowe God expresseth yet better the thing that he hadde spoken which is that we must put all affections of nature vnder foote when his honour commeth in question so as the father must not spare his sonne nor the brother his brother nor the husbande his wife nor the friend his friende y t is as deere to him as his own life y t he be not put to death And good reason For doe not all the friendeshippes in the worlde proceede of that order of nature whiche the creator hath established Then if wee will not sette the carte before the horses wee muste alwayes beginne at GOD. And Saint Paule doeth not without cause say Eph. 3.15 that al kinred commeth from thence and issueth out of that fountayne Also when there is any friendshippe betweene man and man it must alwayes bee referred to this marke that GOD haue still the cheife preheminence and that wee be ioyned together in him And cursed be al alyaunce that separateth vs from our maker in whome consisteth all our life welfare and ioye Then if a husbande loue his wife without regarde of GOD hee is woorthie to bee thrust out amonge the brute beastes In like case is the father which aimeth not at the same marke in louing of his children If wee be so linked together and haue so plighted our faith and trothe one to an other as wee may seeme after a forte to haue as ye would say but one soule in two bodies and in the mean while GOD be lette alone vnthought on doe yee not see that it is too shamefull a beastlinesse Then is it not without cause that GOD hath tolde vs expresly that his honour is to bee preferred before al worldely or naturall considerations And lette vs marke well the wordes that are sette downe heere for they bee of great weight Moses coulde haue sayde singly If thy brother thy wife thy sonne or some friende of thine indeâ— thee and goe aboute to allure thee to naughtinesse but hee addeth which is of much more vehemencie If thy brother the sonne of thy mother which laye in the same bellie that thou thy selfe diddest And to what ende is this doone of GOD but to searche the bottome of our affections by entering euen vnto our bowels as if hee shoulde say I will see whether yee loue mee better than yee doe these carkesses For what is thy brother Hee is but a mortall creature and I will see whether thou sette more store by him than by mee Naye say wee but he and I laye both in one bellie That is trewe sayth GOD but is it not meete that I shoulde alwayes haue the vpper hande and highest preheminence The same case is it when hee sayeth thine owne sonne thine owne daughter thy wife that sleepeth in thy bosome Hee coulde haue sayde singly thy wife but hee sayeth No thou muste forgette and quite and cleane shake off all the loue which thou bearest to thy wife if shee goe about to plucke thee away from me Agayne If thou haue a friende sayeth hee which is as deere to thee as thine owne life thou must lay thy hande vppon him also to stone him thou must not onely bee his accuser and giue euidence against him but thou must also sette hande vppon him without sparing all mercie and pitie must bee put away in that case Hereby wee see in effect as I sayde afore that Gods will is to trie vs whether wee truely loue him And for that cause doeth he sette downe vnto vs whatsoeuer might holde vs backe or hinder our desire from shewing such zeale as wee ought to haue to the mainteinaunce of his honour declaring vnto vs that if any thing bee an impediment to our continuall keeping of the vnion of fayth aboue all thinges in such wise as it is contayned in his woorde wee bee traytoures and false hearted towardes him and hee will shake vs off and in steede of taking vs for his children hee will giue vs ouer and banishe vs from his kingdome and his Churche for hee will haue