Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 35
On Friday the xxj. of Iune. 1555. The xxxv Sermon which is the sixth vponupon the fift Chapter.
13 Six dayes shalt thou labour &c.
14 Thou shalt not doe anie worke therein, thy selfe, thy Sonne, thy daughter, thy manseruaunt, thy womanseruaunt, thyne Ox, thyne Asse, and thy cattle, and thy Straunger which is within thy gates, that thy manseruaunt and thy womanseruaunt may hauehave rest as well as thy selfe.
15 Remember that thou wast a seruaunt in the land of Egypt, and that the Lorde thy God brought thee thence with strong hande and arme stretched out. And therefore the Lord thy God hath commaunded thee to keepe holie the Saboth day.
I Declared yesterday how and why the commaundement of keeping the Saboth day was giuen to the Iewes. I told you briefly how it was a figure of the spirituall rest which the faithfull ought to obserue, to serue God in.Col. 2.14.17 20. Howbeit our Lorde Iesus Christ hath brought vsus the performance thereof, so as wee must no more stay vppon the shadowe of the Lawe,Rom. 6.6. but content our selues with the crucifying of our olde man by the power of ye death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ, that wee may bee renued to serue our GOD throughly. But yet in the mean while we hauehave need of some policie and order among vsus. Therefore it is expedient that there bee a day of rest for vsus to meete together, that we be confirmed in the doctrine of God, and profite daily therein, that is to say, all the time of our life, and also bee occupied in calling vppon his name, and in making confession of our faith: and that therewithall the residewe of the day be spent in considering the benefits that wee receiue from time to time at Gods hand, that he may be the better glorifyed for them.
And now we hauehave to marke what is sayd in Moseses text. Six dayes shalt thou labor, sayth the Lorde. This must not be taken as though God commaunded vsus to labor. It is true that we bee borne thereto, and wee knowe that God intendeth not that wee should be idle, while we liue in this world: for hee hath giuen men handes and feete and cunning and wit. Yea and euen before there was any sin,Gen. 2.15. it is sayd that Adam was put into the garden to dresse it. But the labor that men take now, is a chastisement for sin. For it is sayd vntounto them, Thou shalt eate thy bread in the sweate of thy browes: that is a curse which is layd vppon all mankinde. For wee be not worthie to inioy the state that was giuen to our first father, which was to liue in pleasure without much troubling of himselfe. Notwithstanding, euen before sin came into the world, and before we were condemned of God to this paynful and constreyned labor, it behoued men to occupy themselues in some exercise. And why? For it is against our nature to be as vnprofitable blockes of wood. So then it is very certeine that we must apply the whole time of our lyfe to some labor. Neuerthelesse here is no precise commaundement giuen of laboring six dayes. For in very deede there were other solemnities besides the Saboth day, vnderunder the Lawe: There were other feastes which might fall in the middest of the weeke. But for as much as the number of them was small, (for they were but fower dayes in the yeere:) here is no mention made of them: hee speaketh but only of the Saboth day. And wheras it is sayd, thou shalt labor sixe dayes: our Lord sheweth vsus that wee hauehave no cause to grudge of the giuing and bestowing of one day vppon him, seeing he leaueth vsus sixe for one. As if he should say, is it a great matter to you that I should chose out one day to be reserued wholy to my seruice, so as ye shall doe nothing therein but reade and exercise yourselues in my lawe, or heare the doctrine that shalbe preached vntounto you, and come to the temple to be there confirmed by the sacrifices that shall be offered, and to call vppon my name, and to protest that you bee of the felowship of my people? Shold this grieue you seing you hauehave sixe dayes free and whole to doe your businesse and affaires in? Seing then that I deale so courteously with you: as to require but one day of seuen: is it not too great an vnthank…fulnesse, if yee complayne of that time as though it were misbestowed, as who shoulde say yee were so churlish and nigardly, as to grudge mee the seuenth part of your time? I giuegive you your whole life ye sunne neuer shineth vpō you, but you ought to consider my goodnesse, & that I am a freehearted father towardes you. For I make my sunne to shine,Psal. 104.22 …3. to giuegive you light to goe by, that eueryevery of you might doe his businesse. And why then should not I hauehave one day of seuen, wherein eueryevery man shall surcease from his owne businesse, so as ye shall not be intangled in any worldly care, but that ye may hauehave leasure to thinke vppon me? We see then that this saying of laboring sixe dayes, is not set downe as a cō maundement, but rather as a graunt that God maketh euen in way of vpbraiding men with their vnthankefulnesse, if they doe not obserue the Saboth day and keepe it holy as is spoken of it here.
But hereof we may gather a good and profitable lesson: which is that when we be slow to obey God, we must cōsider his benefits. For what should more sharpen our desire to followe Gods commaundementes, than to consider that hee dealeth not roughly, with vsus, ne ouerpresseth vsus not? behold God coulde reine vsus with a streite bit if it pleased him: he could driue vsus to so hard thinges as there should be no meanes to get out of them: but hee hath a consideration to guide vsus as a father doth his children. Seing then yt he doth so beare with vsus: ought wee not to be the more prouoked to doe as he appointeth vsus? yes. So then, as oft as Gods commaundements are hard vntounto vsus, or at leastwise seeme to bee so: let vsus assure our selues that hee doth not presse vsus so much as hee could, nothing neere. For if God listed to vse his right with extremitie: we should be tormented out of all measure. Therefore let vsus vnderstand that he beareth with vsus, and that hee vseth more than fatherly goodnesse in that behalfe. It is true that the lawe of GOD is vnpossible vntounto vsus,Ro. 7.14.15 insomuch that wee bee not onelyonly vnable to obserue it throughout: but also if a man would of his owne naturall power discharge himselfe to Godward, he could not stirre one finger, nor hauehave one good thought, to know which way to begin. And so farre off are wee from being able to obey GOD, and to execute the thinges that are conteined in his lawe: that all our thoughtes and affections are enmities against God.Rom. 8.7. If men could through their owne power performe the Lawe: it should bee sayd to them, Labor thou. But contrariwise it is sayd, Rest yee, to the end that God may worke. The lawe then may well be vnpossible as in respect of vsus, but yet is it possible for GOD to printe it in our heartes, and to gouerne vsus by his holy spirit, yea euen in such wise as it shall bee a sweete and light yoke vntounto vsus, and there shall bee no hardnesse in it that may weary vsus. Therfore when men hauehave looked well about them: they shall finde that God beareth with them, as a father that pitieth his children. And therefore let vsus learne to bee thankfull, and to be the more forewarde to serue our God, seeing hee commaundeth vsus no such thinges as ought to seeme ouer bitter or paynefull to vsus, but hath a regarde of our abilitie.
Thus yee see what wee hauehave to marke vponupon this text, where our Lord sheweth that he leaueth men their commoditie. True it is (as was touched yesterday) that wee ought to bee so spirituall, as to assemble eueryevery day to call vpō the name of God, and that we ought to mount vp to the heauenly lyfe, leauing all our worldly businesses. But what? God seeth that wee be compassed about with our flesh, that we creep vppon the earth, and that our infirmities cary vsus away in such sorte, as we cannot leade the life of Angels. God therefore beholding such rawnes & weakenes in vsus, and rewing our vnabilitie to discharge our selues fully of our dutie: releaseth vsus, and vttereth not his vttermost rigor, but sayth hee is contented if wee alowe him one day: or rather if that day serue vsus for all the rest of the weeke, God is contented with it. And why? For (as I sayd) hee goeth not to extremitie: because hee knoweth that wee bee too feeble. Seeing then that hee beareth so with vsus, and leaueth our commodities to vsus: we be so much the more lewde, vnhonest and vnexcusable, if wee bee not inflamed to giuegive our selues ouer vntounto him.
Now it is sayd therewithall, that neither manseruant, nor womanseruant, nor Ox, nor Asse, nor any other Cattell must labour on the Saboth day, no nor any straunger within thy gates. As concerning cattel, it might bee thought straunge that God shoulde comprehende them vnderunder the keeping of the Saboth or day of rest, seeing it is a high and heauenly mysterie, as was declared yesterday. Doeth such geere belong to Oxen and Asses? GOD sayth,Exod. 31.13.17. Eze. 20.12. I hauehave giuen you the Saboth day, to bee as a signe that I make you holy, and that I am your GOD which reigneth among you. This is not common to all mortall men. For God graunteth not such grace and priuiledge to the paynims and infidels, as to make them holy: Hee speaketh but onelyonly to the people whome hee adopted and chose to bee his heritage. But nowe seeing that the Saboth day is a signe of Gods separating of his faithfull Church from all the rest of the worlde: wherefore is it extended vntounto Oxen and Asses? Let vsus marke that it is not done for the brute beastes sakes: but to the intent that men shoulde hauehave a monument before their eyes, to bee the more touched therewith. This Sacrament then concerneth not the beastes, which hauehave no vnderstanding nor reason: but it concerneth men, who ought to make their profit of it. Wee see that the Sacrifices were made of the brute beastes: wee see there was greate preparation in that behalfe: there were vessels of gold and siluer & such other lyke thinges: and whereas all these things were hallowed, is it meant that God did put his spirit into the corruptible mettals, and into the other thinges that hauehave no feeling? No: but all this is referred to the men, for whose vse and commoditie they are made. God doth not onelyonly serue his owne turne with them in this present and brittle lyfe:Gen. 1.28. Psal. 8.7. but also giuegive them to vsus as tokens of his fauour, to bee as meanes and helpes to drawe vsus vp to heauen. Now then, whereas God would hauehave the Oxen and Asses to rest the seuenth day: it is not meant thereby that hee maketh them partakers of the spirituall rest that wee spake of before: but it was done to ye end that ye Iewes beholding their Stables and stalles shut vp, shoulde consider thus with themselues: Lo: God setteth vsus downe this signe and visible Sacrament before our eyes, and extendeth it euen to the bruite beastes: and that is to the end that wee on our part shoulde be held the better to his seruice, and consider that it were a breaking of the whole lawe, if wee should not thinke vponupon the thing that is chiefest in all our whole lyfe: namely if wee shoulde not learne to forsake our selues, and no more followe our owne lykings, reason, and wisedome, but suffer our God to rule vsus, and become as dead creatures, that hee may liue in vsus,Gal. 2.20. and not followe our own swindge any more, which is vtterly corrupted. After this maner should the Iewes hauehave looked vponupon the visible signe that extended euen to the beastes, to the end it might hauehave restreined them so much the more, and they by that meane hauehave bin put in minde to hauehave kept the Saboth day with all reuerence.
Also wee see how God at all times handleth men according to their hardnesse, and how he hath prouided conuenient remedies for them, because they bee not ouerhastie to come vntounto him, vntill they bee drawen thither after that fashion. And this serueth not onelyonly for the Iewes, but also for vsus. Then let vsus consider the goodnesse of our God, sith wee see hee is not vnmindefull of vsus, nor ouerslippeth any thing at all that may remedy our vices. And therewithall let vsus also consider the vntowardnesse that is in our selues, to the ende that wee flatter not our selues ne giuegive head to our affections, seeing it is so that wee hauehave neede to bee constreined, and that God should giuegive vsus strokes with the spurre, as it were to restie horses. Seeing then that God quickeneth vsus vp after that fashion, let vsus assure our selues hee doth it no… causelesse, but because wee be froward and stubborne. And therfore let vsus mislike of all our affections, and learne to imprison our selues, so as nothing may withhold vsus from following the trace that God commandeth vsus. And although our nature striue against it, yet let vsus so bridle the same, as wee may goe through without ceasing, euen til wee be fully obedient to our God.
Thus ye see what we hauehave to remember vppon this place, besides that which shall be spoken anon concerning menseruaunts and womenseruaunts, wherby God putteth the Iewes in mind, that they had bin seruantes in the land of Egipt, and therefore that they ought to deale gently with such as were vnderunder their power. Thy manseruant (sayth hee) and thy womanseruant shall rest themselues. And why? for thou thy selfe hast bin in bondage. [The time hath bin that] thou wouldest faine hauehave had some rest and refreshing giuen thee. Therefore now thou must vse the lyke gentlenesse towards such as are vnderunder thy hand. Heere it shoulde seeme that God ordeined not the Saboth day for a spirituall order onelyonly, as is sayd afore: but also for charities sake. For hee sayth, if thou thy selfe weart in bondage, wouldest thou not that other men should giuegive thee some release? couldest thou finde in thy heart to be alwayes toyling? No surely. Therefore must thou also beare with others. Now this is not done for the seruice of God, but rather for common charities sake which ought to be betweene neighbor and neighbor, how farre soeuer they bee vnderlings to vsus in degree. Howbeit inasmuch as this commaundement is contayned in the first table of the Lawe: surely the thing that is touched here, is but an accessorie, I say the first table. For not without cause hath God deuided his lawe in such sorte, as that he wrote it in two stones. Coulde he not hauehave written it all in one stone if hee had listed? Yes. Why then was it made in two partes? It was not without cause. For there are two principall poyntes in Gods Lawe. The one concerneth our duetie towards him, & the other concerneth our duetie towardes our neighbours in being conuersant with them. For the end wherunto our whole life ought to bee referred, is first of all, that vppon knowledge that wee hauehave a God to whome wee belong, wee should walke in his obedience, and that forasmuch as wee holde our lyfe of him, wee should doe him homage for it: and that forasmuch as he hath created vsus to a better hope, and adopted vsus for his children, wee should glorify him for such goodnesse: and that forasmuch as hee hath redeemed vsus with the bloud of his sonne, wee should bee wholy his, indeuoring to withdrawe our selues from the defilementes of this world, yt we may be true sacrifices vntounto him, calling vponupon him alone, fleeing to him alone for succor, & yelding him thanks for all his benefits. Ye see then yt the first poynt of our life, is the honour that we ought to yeeld to our God.
Another poynt is this: that forasmuch as it is his will to trye our obedientnesse by liuing vprightly among men: none of vsus must bee giuen to his owne peculiar profit, but eueryevery of vsus must indeuour to serue other, and mainteine mutuall honestie among our selues, so as wee not onelyonly absteine from deceite, violence, and crueltie▪ but also leade a sober and modest life, without loosenesse, lewdenesse, or beastlynesse. That is the second poynt of our lyfe.
Now sith it is so that the commandement of the Saboth day is conteined in the first table: it followeth that it belongeth to the spirituall seruice of God, and that it concerneth not the charitie which ought to bee betwixt neighbor and neighbor. And why then is it treated of in that place? It is all one as if our Lord should say, This Saboth day shall serue you for an ouerplus, that your manseruantes and womenseruauntes may hauehave some ease as well as your selues. Not that that was the drift of Gods purpose: his chiefe intent was not yt there should be a day in ye week wherein mē should cease frō labor yt they might take breath & not be continually ouerhaled, so as they shoulde be tyred: yt was not the cause which moued God to appoint the Saboth day: But his ordeining of it was to do ye faithfull to vnderstand yt they ought to liue after such a holy maner, as to rest from all their owne lustes and desires, that God might worke wholy in them. Also here is a verie excellent benefite, as men terme it. Behold (saieth our Lord) in as much as ye hauehave this warrant among you, that I do sanctifie you: see that you also indeuour to giuegive your selues vntounto mee. For loe, this thing shal doe you seruice, and it is to your profite: that is to wit, your housholde shall not bee alwaies ouerhaled: for your menseruants and your womenseruantes and your cattell must hauehave some rest. Therefore ye shall hauehave this as an ouerplus. Nowe wee see why here is expresse mention made, yt the Iewes had bin bondseruantes in Egypt, and therefore yt they ought to hauehave regard of such as were held as prisoners vnderunder their hand. For whereas Moses speaketh of menseruants & womenseruants: he meaneth not ye maner of seruice that is common among vsus nowe adayes: for in those dayes seruantes were slaues, and they were held downe like Oxen & Asses: they were handled so roughly and vnkindly, as was pitie to see. God therfore telleth ye Iewish people, yt in keeping the Saboth day, they should euen benefite & prosper their owne houshold. So little cause hauehave you (saieth he) to repine at the time that I hauehave reserued to my selfe, in taking one of seuen: yt if ye were not ouercruell and tyrannous to such as are at your deuotion, [ye would see that] the same day is to your benefite. If ye had no further regard than to ciuill order, that is to wit that in that day your seruauntes shall hauehave some refreshing: it ought to perswade you thereunto. But ye must vnderstand that I hauehave not ordained it alonly for your housholdes sake: but to the intent ye should bethinke ye of the thing yt I hauehave told you: namely that in as much as ye be sholed out from the Infidels, you must be to mee a kingly priesthood, so as you must seeke nothing but to serue me in all soundnesse and purenesse of conscience.Exo. 19.5.6 HaueHave yee once that regard, ye shall perceiue that the same day will yeelde ye moreouer some earthly commoditie, but yet is not that the thing which you must seeke thereby. To bee short, ou… Lorde sheweth vsus here ye same thing which is auowed by Iesus Christ: which is, that if wee seeke the kingdome of heauen,…att. 6.33. all other thinges shall bee cast vppon vsus. For we beare our selues on hand, that if we seeke the heauenly life, we shall starue for hunger, & it wil be a meane to turne vsus out of all our cōmodities. To be short, the deuil comes, & alwaies temptes vsus to mislike of Gods seruice, vnderunder this pretence & guile, that if wee giuegive our selues to the seruing of God, wee must starue for hunger, so as we shall bee in rufull case, & all the world will forsake vsus. But surely we cannot serue God, vnlesse we be bereft of our own affections, & shake off the worldly cares that presse vsus too sore. Neuerthelesse wee must repose our selues vppon the blessing that is promised vsus: which is, that if we seeke the kingdome of God, we shalbe blessed euen in these transitorie things, so as our Lord will pitie vsus▪ & giuegive vsus all thinges which he knoweth to be requisite for this present life: only let vsus but waite vppon him for the things which we cānot attaine to by our own power & policie. That is ye thing which is shewed vsus in this place.
Now this saying ought to serue vsus continually for a spurre, to make vsus goe foreward with the things that God commandeth vsus. For the chiefe thing that staieth vsus from ruling and directing our life in the obedience of God, is that being too much wedded to our selues, we thinke yt this thing or that thing will be more for our profite, and whatsoeuer come of it, we will needs lay for our own commoditie, & for the things that pertaine to the world. Wee see here yt men cannot finde in their heartes to follow God: but rather shrink away frō him & drawe cleane backe from his law, bicause yt to their seeming, if they should serue God they should neuer thriue. But that is such a shamefull thanklesnesse, as inhaunceth their rebelliousnes a hundredfold more. What is to be done then? Let vsus marke well yt we can neuer serue God wt a free & cheerful heart, except we be fully resolued yt he wil prouide for vsus al our life long, & not forget vsus as is said in the person of Iosua.Iosua 1.5.6. He. 4.8.11. For in the Epistle to the Hebrewes, the Apostle applieth this doctrine to all the faithful, euen of purpose to withdraw them frō ouer great carefulnes: he saieth, Thy God will not forsake thee, neither will he forget thee. Now if we could once be throughly perswaded that God watcheth ouer vsus, and that he will prouide for al our necessities: it is certaine that we should not bee so ouerplunged in our earthly affections, wee should not bee turned away frō the seruing of him, neither shold we be letted to minde the spirituall life: but wee should passe through the world & vse the creatures as though wee vsed them not, bicause wee would consider that wee had yet further to goe. Thus ye see the effect that we hauehave to gather of this lesson, is that where our Lorde sheweth vsus yt his commanding of the Saboth day to bee kept, hath a spirituall meaning: yet notwithstanding men shal not faile to finde the same profitable to them, and that God will blesse them for it, if they looke rightforth to him, and be not too eagre in seeking their earthly commodities.
And by the way wee bee warned, that if any hauehave authoritie ouer others, they must not despise their neighbors though they be their inferiours. And this reacheth very farre. For wee must not interprete it onelyonly of menseruants and womenseruants: but also of the poore, of such as are not of authoritie or estimation, of all vnderlings & subiects, & of all such as (to our seeming) are not worthy to be compared or matched with vsus in respect of the worlde. For wee see what the pride of men is. Although there be no cause why we should aduaunce our selues: yet doth euerie of vsus couet some preheminence. Now then, if we be so high minded, that euerie of vsus could finde in his heart to ouerpeere his neighbour, yea euē though there be no reason why: what will we do if we be aduanced in deede? Looke vponupon such as sit in seat of Iustice: they beare thēselues in hand yt the whole world (as ye wold say) was made for none but thē, except God bridle thē by his holy spirit, & shewe them yt they ought to walke in all maner of mildnes, & not oppresse those that are vnderunder their charge, but rather behaue thēselues as fathers, & account of their subiects as of their children, yea & that bicause God honoreth thē, therefore they ought to liue in the greater humilitie. As for those that preache Gods worde, and hauehave ye charge to direct others: if they think they ought to bee exempted from the common sort, & despise other men: woe worth them. For it were better for them to breake their neckes in going vp into the Pulpit, than not to straine thē selues to be the first yt should leade a godly conuersation, & liue quietly with their neighbors, & shew thēselues to be sheepe of the flocke of our Lord Iesus Christ. But yet for all this, it is true yt rich men may well be serued by the poore. If a man hauehave menseruantes & womenseruantes for wages, he will not set his seruant aboue himselfe at the table, neither will he lay him in his owne bed: but yet, (notwithstanding all superioritie,) we must come to this point,Gen. 9.6. yt we be knit togither as one flesh, & that all of vsus are created after the image of God. If we considered that as many as come of Adams race are our owne flesh & bone: ought it not to moue vsus vntounto kindnes, though we were as wild beastes one to another? When the Prophet Esay ment to reproue men for their vnnaturalnesse:Esa. 58.7. he said, thou shalt not despise thine owne flesh. There ought I to behold my self as in a lookingglasse: namely in as many men & women as are in the world. Marke yt for one point.
But there is yet more: namely that the image of God is printed in all men. Therefore whensoeuer I goe about to oppresse any man, I not only despise mine owne flesh, but also hurte Gods image as much as in mee lyeth. So then let vsus mark well, that by this text, God meant to shewe to all such as are in authoritie & estimation, and to all such as are richer than others, & to all such as are in any degree of honour: that they ought not to abuse those yt are vnderunder their hand, nor to vex or tormēt thē out of measure, but euermore to beare in minde how wee bee all descended of Adams race, & are all of one kinde, yea & that al of vsus hauehave Gods image printed in vsus. That is the thing which we hauehave to note, specially now that our Lorde Iesus Christ is come downe to vsus, and hath abased himselfe to condemne all pride,Phil. 2.7. and to shew that there is none other meane to serue God than wt lowelines,1. Cor. 12.13 Ga. 3.27.28 & moreouer hath made vsus all members of his body, as well seruants [& vnderlings) as maisters & superiors, so as there is no distinction in yt behalf. When we come to our Lord Iesus Christ, and hauehave an eye to him: wee must follow him. And seeing that all of vsus both great and small are members of his bodie, and hee is our head: it is good reason that euerie of vsus should fashion himselfe like to his neighbors. And besides that, seeing that God hath shewed himselfe a father more familiarly to vsus, than he did to them that liued vnderunder the Lawe: let the same mooue vsus to maintaine brotherly louelove among vsus. Thus ye see further what we had to remember vponupon this place.
Howbeit there is yet one poynt more, concerning Gods ordaining of this monument to put the Iewes in rememberaunce, That they had bent as wretched bondslaues in the land of Egypt. And wee knowe that they were naughtily and cruelly handled there. Now forasmuch as they would faine hauehave bin borne withall in ye case, and God hearkened to them whē they sighed and gro…ed:Exod. … therefore doeth he tell thē, that they also ought to doe the like to others. And this containeth a good lesson: which is, yt if wee consider our selues, we may continually be induced to discharge our dueties. On the contrarie part, if we be cruell towards our neighbors: it is bicause wee bee (as ye would say) besotted in our own ease, & think not vponupon our wretchednes & miserie. He yt hath suffered hunger and thirst, bicause he hath longed to bee succoured at his neede, will thinke thus with himselfe when he sees a poore man: Go to, I my selfe hauehave bene in the like necessitie, and I would hauehave bin glad to hauehave bin succored, & mee thought that other men ought to hauehave had pitie vponupon me to releeue me. Now (say I) if a man bethinke him of such things when he beholdeth a poore man in neede: will it not make his heart to relent? Yes verily: but what for that? When we be at our ease, we thinke no more vponupon our humane wretchednes: but rather we imagin yt we be exempted, and yt we be no more of the cōmon sort. And that causeth vsus to forget our selues, so as we hauehave no more compassion of our neighbours, nor of any thing yt they indure. Therefore hauehave we so much the more neede to mark this matter: namely, yt bicause our Lord seeth vsus blinded with selfloue, so as it is ynough for vsus to welter in pleasure, & wee neuer thinke vponupon such as are in distresse & necessitie: therfore he sheweth vsus [our state, saying:] who be you? Were ye neuer in any aduersitie▪ Yea & though ye happen to ouershooe your selues towards them: doe ye not bethinke your selues againe [and say▪] Lo, these are creatures shaped after the image of God, & if we misuse thē, God will hauehave no pitie vponupon vsus? And so let vsus practise this doctrine all our life lōg. Therfore whensoeuer wee see any folke pinched with aduersitie, let vsus call our selues to remembrance in this wise▪ HaueHave not I bin in neede as well as they? And if I were in like taking againe, would I not be glad to bee succoured? Seeing it is soe why shoulde wee exempt our selues from such condition? We ought at leastwise to do to other folkes, as we our selues would be done vntounto. Nature teacheth vsus that, and wee neede not goe to schole to learne it. Then needeth there not any other euidence to condemne vsus, thā our Lordes teaching of vsus aforehand by experience. If wee hauehave that: surely we shalbe touched with kindnes & compassion to succour such as hauehave neede and want, and we shalbe moued wt pitie towards them that are in durance, so that if wee hauehave the meane and power to releeue them, euerie of vsus will straine himselfe to doe it. That is the thing which wee hauehave to marke in this place, where it is said, Thou wart a straunger in the land of Egypt, & therefore thou must now hauehave a care to releeue them that are vnderunder thy hand: for at that time when thou thy self wast a seruant, thou wouldest faine hauehave bin borne withall.
But let vsus come nowe to such as were not of the Iewish nation, but onelyonly traffickers among them. God will hauehave them also to keepe the Saboth day, & yet were they not sanctified of God, neither could this signe belong to thē, as I hauehave said already. It seemeth then yt God vnhalloweth the Sacrament, when he maketh it so common to the Infidels, & to such as were not circumcised to beare the mark of the couenant, & to such as had not the law & the promises. But we hauehave to marke, that Gods speaking of straūgers in this place, is as hauing alwayes an eye to the people whom he had chosen and adopted. For we know yt if things should bee permitted which are contrarie to Gods seruice: although it might bee sayde that they bee no people of our bodie: wee might bee induced to followe them by their euill example. If strangers had bin suffered to trauell among the Iewes: what would hauehave come of it? The Iewes would hauehave dealt with thē, & so hauehave defiled themselues, and there would hauehave bin no difference at that time. For when occasions offer themselues, wee bee easily intised to euill. And although there be no great occasion: yet is our nature so much inclined to euill, that wee be allured to it by and by. And what will become of vsus then, when all shall bee out of order? So then the libertie that had bin giuen to straungers to labour & trauell among the people of Israel [on the Sabaoth day,] would hauehave led them to corruption. EueryEvery man would hauehave dispenced with himselfe, and taken leaue to breake the Saboth day and not to keepe it. Therefore to cut off such occasion of euill, and to hauehave that day obserued with the greater reuerēce: like as Gods will was that the cattell should rest, so ordayned he the like also for straungers. And nowe must this serue for vsus too. For it sheweth vsus that vices may not bee suffered among people that make profession of Christianitie, so as they should goe vnpunished, no not euen in such as are but trauellers or soiourners. As howe? Whereas blasphemie is condemned among vsus, if a man heare one blaspheme in passing by, so as he scorneth God, and yet suffereth it and winketh at it: is not his bearing with such blasphemie, so as it hath full scope vnrepressed, as good as a defiling to make al other things stinke? Yes: and yet is it to bee seene. Surely so farre of is it that blasphemie is punished as it deserueth, among such as are not of our religion: that euen in those which are mingled with vsus and professe Christianitie as we doe, men doe as it were harden themselues: and that is to our greater shame. But yet for all that, if any man, bee he Papist or bee he of any other sect, (as nowe adayes the worlde is fraught full of despisers of God:) I say if any man hee suffered to rayle against the doctrine of the Gospell, and to blaspheme Gods name: corruption will insue of it, so as it shall not bee easie to redresse it. If Whooremaisters and Ruffians may bee suffered to bring in their lewde trickes, and to sowe more wickednesse among vsus than wee had afore: If wanton persons & vnthriftes may bee suffered to come and play their lewde pranckes here: must it not needes bee that wee shall play the vnthrifts with them, & bee vtterly corrupted? Yes: and therefore let vsus marke well, that our Lord intendeth to keepe his people occupied in all cleannesse, so as the professors of Christianitie shall not onelyonly abstaine from euill themselues, but also not suffer any, so farre as in them lyeth. For wee must vnderstande that the earth is as it were vnhallowed, when Gods seruice is defyled, and his holye name dishonoured. The lande wherein hee will hauehave vsus to dwel, is as it were defyled and accursed, or at leastwise it is not long; of vsus if it bee not so. But if GOD hauehave giuen his children prerogatiue, so as they bee able to ridde idolatrie out of the Countrie where they dwell: surely if they doe it not, they prouoke Gods wrath and vengeaunce against themselues. Nowe then if wee shoulde graunt the abhominations of the Popedome, to bee mingled here with the pure seruice of GOD, so as the wilfull Papistes that list to liue here, shoulde hauehave Masse graunted them by priuiledge, and they shoulde bee suffered to hauehave some corner to worke their idolatrie and superstition in: it were a drawing of Gods wrath vppon vsus, and a kindling of the fyre of his vengeaunce against vsus. And why? Bicause that in as much as God hath put the sworde of Iustice into the hand of such as hauehave the rule of things in this life, and giuen them power to driue away idolatrie and all infections of Papistrie: surely if they maintayne them, it is as if they draue away GOD, that hee shoulde no more dwell among them nor raigne ouer them. So then let vsus mark well, that it is not without cause that our Lord woulde that the straungers which dwelt among his people, (notwithstanding that they were of another faith and Religion,) should bee compelled to keepe the seuenth daye. Not for their owne sakes nor for their owne instruction, (for they were not capable therof:) but to the ende there shoulde bee no stumbling blocke to disorder his people, or to deface his seruice, but that the land which he had giuen to his seruaunt Abraham to inherit, might bee wholly dedicated vntounto him.
And hereby we bee warned, not onelyonly to sanctifie our selues by Gods worde: but also not to suffer anye occasion of offence or disorder to bee committed among vsus, but to see that all such things be cleane rid away. Moreouer seeing our Lorde will hauehave vsus to be so zealous in the maintenance of his seruice, as to constraine euen thē that professe not thēselues to be of his Church, to yeeld and frame themselues vntounto vsus as long as they be in our companie: I pray you how shall wee excuse our selues, if wee on our side bee not wholly giuen vntounto him, nor set foorth our selues as mirrours to drawe wretched vnbeleeuers vntounto vsus, and to winne them to our GOD? For if wee rebuke them when they doe amisse, & in the meane while they perceiue the like or greater faultes in vsus: shall they not hauehave occasion to laugh all our sayinges to scorne? Nowe then seeing it was forbidden to suffer straungers to doe thinges contrarie to Gods seruice: let vsus assure our selues that wee be dubble commanded to walke warely and in such humilitie & sobernesse, as straungers may see by experience, yt our desiring that God should be honoured, is in good earnest & without counterfetting, & that wee cannot abide that any man should woorke reproche to his Maiestie and glorie. That is the thing which we hauehave to marke vppon this place, if wee minde to obserue the thing nowe adayes which was commaunded the Iewes, accordingly also as it belongeth to vsus in trueth and substance. For like as our Lord in olde time deliuered that people out of Egypt: so hath he nowe deliuered vsus from the gulfe of hell, and rid vsus frō euerlasting death,Col. 1.13. Heb. 2.14. and from the bottomlesse pit of hell wherein wee were plundged, of purpose to take vsus vp into his heauenly kingdome, purchased for vsus by the bloud of his deare beloued sonne our Lord Iesus Christ.
Nowe let vsus kneele down in ye presence of our good God, with acknowledgment of our sinnes, praying him to make vsus feele them better than wee hauehave done, to the ende that wee indeuouring to refourme our selues more and more according to his righteousnesse, may fight dayly against the lustes of our flesh, and shunne al that is against the pure seruice of our God, holding out in the same incounter till he hauehave fully ridde vsus of it, and fashioned vsus againe after his owne image, according whereunto we were created at the first. That it may please him to graunt this grace, not onelyonly to vsus but also to all people and nations of the earth, &c.