Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 45
On Friday the nineteenth of Iuly. 1555. The xlv. Sermon, which is the first vponupon the sixt Chapter.
THese are the Commaundements, Ordinances and Lawes which the Lorde your God commaunded me to teach you: to the end that you should doe them in the Land whereinto you shall enter to possesse it.
2 That thou maist feare the Lord thy God, in keeping al his ordinances & commaundements which I commaund thee, all the dayes of thy life, both thou and thy children and thy childrens children, that thy dayes may be prolonged.
3 Hearken therefore O Israel and take heede that thou doe them, that it may goe well with thee, and that thou maist be mightilie multiplied in the land that floweth with milke and honnie, as the Lorde God of thy fathers hath sayde vntounto thee.
4 Heare O Israel, the Lord our God is the onelie Lord.
WE hauehave sene oft heretofore howe Moses spake to the people concerning ye contents of the law: yea and euen yesterday we saw yt hee made mētion therof: and here we see the like againe. And yet for all that, it is not a needelesse repetition, considering howe soone men forget the thinges they hauehave learned of God, if they be not put in mind of them: and wee knowe that we neede not any thing to turne vsus away from them. For we be so giuen to vanitie, that nothing is harder to vsus, than to holde our selues in obedience vntounto God. As soone as any toy takes vsus in the heade, it carieth vsus away, and wee minde no more what God had saide vntounto vsus. Againe forasmuch as he is very desirous to winne vsus to him: he must bee faine to plucke vp ye false opinions by the roote, wherewith we be ouergrowen aforehande. For when a grounde is bushie, it will aske much labour before it can be put to any vse: and euen so is it with vsus. And that is the cause why Moses saieth againe, that these are the commaundements, statutes and ordinances which the Lorde committed to him, to giuegive them forth to the people, that they might be kept. Nowe by these wordes hee giueth an incling, that Gods intent is to holde the people vnderunder his obedience. What meane yee wretched folke to goe astray after that fashion? I giuegive you my Lawe: and hauing that doctrine ye cannot goe amisse: it is the way of saluation, and therfore holde you to it. But yet for all this, men are fickle and fleeting to and fro: and God reigneth them with a strong bitte: like as when a horse is harde to bee ruled, hee is faine to bee raigned backe more than once, and if hee fling out and will not suffer himselfe to be handled, the ryder is faine to reine him streyt againe & againe. After the same manner doeth God deale with his people. And thereby hee sheweth that mans minde is full of stubbornenesse, or else of lightnesse, so as hee cannot rest vppon Gods worde, wherein notwithstanding lyeth our whole saluation and welfare. Sith it is so: let vsus marke that in the person of the people of Israel, wee bee warned heere, that when God setteth his worde before vsus, wee must not onelyonly minde it for one day, but wee must exercise vsus in it all the dayes of our life, and wee must alwayes hauehave this saying before our eyes, these are the Statutes, these are the Ordinances, these are the Commaundementes, so as it is not for vsus to frame rules and Lawes wherewith to gouerne our life, forasmuch as that authoritie belongeth only to God.
Besides this wee bee also put in minde, that God hath shewed vsus the right way. Therefore let vsus followe it, and not stand questioning what wee hauehave to doe. For there is no more cause of doubt when our Lorde hath once spoken. Wee must not any more alledge, I cannot tell whether it bee good, I wote not whether I neede to do more or no: but let vsus be contented with that which God hath shewed vsus. For hee will alwayes be a good schoolemaster vntounto vsus, if we bee not euill scholers vntounto him. And for the same cause speaketh hee here againe of Commandements Statutes and Ordinances, to the intent we shold not think that God ment to teach vsus by halues. Then is the perfection of wisedome conteined in the Lawe: and there remaineth no more for vsus to doe,Psal. 19.8. but to obey it, so as we be not curious in coueting more than God hath shewed vsus, or in fonde deuotions to draw vsus one way or other, but perswade our selues that God hath not enuied those of whome hee tooke the charge, but hath taught them all that is for their benefite. Let vsus behaue our selues according to his will, and apply all our wittes therevnto, and let his lawe suffice vsus. Although all the worlde reiect vsus, wee shall not passe for it, for wee hauehave our iudge. And therefore although the worlde wander away in vaine imaginations, and euerie man deuiseth what hee thinketh good: Let vsus alwayes remember that wee must appeare before the iudgement seate of our God,Rom. 2.16. so as it is hee to whome wee must make our account. But hee hath giuen vsus his Lawe, and according therevnto will he iudge vsus.Rom. 2.12. And therfore let vsus leaue al worldly imaginations, assuring ourselues that they are al but vanity and leasing.
Herevnto Moses addeth, that as concerning his office he had not brought them any thing of his owne deuising, but had set forth Gods Lawe faithfully according as hee had giuen him in charge. And this protestation is well to be marked. For wee must bethinke vsus of the thing that hath beene treated of heretofore: namely that Moses was the excellentest Prophet that euer God raised vp:Deut. 34.10 and yet notwithstanding he taketh no libertie here to teach what hee himselfe deemed good: for he knew himselfe to be a mortall man, and subiect to the Lawe as wel as other men. That is the cause why hee protesteth that the things which hee bringeth are the same yt he receiued of God, so as he deliuereth them as it were from hand to hand. Seeing yt Moses did so: who dareth say that it is lawful for him to passe further? And yet we see what hath come to passe. For in the whole Popedom is there any hearkening what God saieth, that they might put a difference betwixt it and the doctrines of men? No: but they hauehave their holy mother ye Church as they terme it, they hauehave determinations and decrees of their owne, and they thinke it ynough to take couert vnderunder the name of the Church: and in the meane while they rob God of his authoritie to bestowe it vponupon men, which are no better but dung. Therefore it is an intollerable traiterousnesse, that God should not bee suffered to be any more the Lawemaker that hee might guide his people, and holde them vnderunder his yoke: but that men should vsurpe such authoritie against him. And therfore we hauehave so much the more need to marke what is conteined here: namely that although Moses was as an Angel of heauen, and had beene exalted aboue all men by God, and had beene fortie dayes and fortie nights with him vponupon the mount without eating or drinking, to shewe that he was no more of the common aray of other men: yet notwithstanding when hee came from that heauenly glorie and as it were from the company of Angels: hee humbled himselfe still, and shewed that hee did not put forth aught of his owne, ne followe his owne fancie in that behalfe, but was contented to harken what God said, and reported the same as a good seruant that had neither added any thing, nor falsified the commission that was giuen him. That is another thing which we had to marke againe vppon this text.
Nowe followeth an exhortation that the people should discharge themselues in doing the Lawe. As if hee should saie, that the giuing thereof was not to the ende that men shoulde but onelyonly confesse that all that is conteined therein is good, iust and rightfull: but also that men shoulde thereby shew whether they were obedient to God or no. And in that respect he saith, to the ende that thou shouldest feare the Lorde thy God, and keepe his commaundements and statutes. By this word Feare he doth vsus to wit, that God in giuing forth his Law, ment to trie what we be, and whether we be willing to serue him or no. For although we coulde doe all his commaundements in such sort as no fault could be found in vsus to the worldward, if in the meane whyle the feare of God be not rooted in our hearts, to yeelde him such reuerence as to be willing to be his: all our life shalbe but a fond pompe: for wee must not thinke that God is satisfied with outward apparances. How muchsoeuer they be commended of men,Luke. 6.1… they bee but smoke before him. Then if wee minde to keepe his Lawe dewly, and to hauehave our life acceptable vntounto him: we must beginne at this point of yeelding him such reuerence, as to be desirous to bee vnderunder his hande and gouernement, and to doe him homage as to our soueraine Lord & to giuegive ouer our selues to him as to our maker, and to honour him as our father. If we be thus minded, it is the beginning of all the Lawe and of al righteousnes. And that is the cause why it is sayde that the true wisedom is to feare God.Pro…. ….… 9.10. And if we will know whether we hauehave profited in gods lawe or no: we must alwayes sift & search our selues whether we hauehave such desire & zeale that God shold be honored & glorified by vsus. For if there be that feare in our hearts, ye fruits therof wil shew themselues both in our feete and in our handes, yt is to say in al our members, according to ye rule which he hath set downe in publishing his law. And as for them that boast of the feare of God, & neuerthelesse behaue themselues lewdly in their conuersation: they belie thēselues wt their own mouthes, & bewray yt they be shameles in bragging so of the feare of God. Now then we see here a text which is well worthie to be marked: wherin Moses declareth, that to serue god well, first we must giuegive our hearts vntounto him, so as it sufficeth not to hauehave all ye vertues yt can be imagined to outward shew, vnlesse a vertuous mind go before them: & secondly that the feare of God is no secret or ydle thing, but yt although it bee inclosed in mens harts, yet neuertheles it must shew it self in their liues: for it is the heart that gouerneth both the hands and the feete and all that euer is besides. Therefore if wee feare God, we must learne to shew it by our deeds and by proofe, euen by framing our life according to his will.
Now herevpon we may gather, that God disalloweth all that euer men can doe, when they turne away from his worde. As for example, the Papistes are alwayes seruing of God (as they themselues say): but in the meane season what doe they? They take much paine, but they bee neuer a whit the forwarder, because they hauehave nothing among them but mens inuentions. Their seruing of God, is to biblebable or to kneele downe before puppets or idols, to scudde from altar to altar, to cause Masses to be chaunted, to gadde on pilgrimage, to fast such a day in the honour of such a saint, and to eate no flesh vppon fridayes and saturdayes. To bee short, it is a gulfe of all baggage, couered with the name and title of Gods seruice. But shall ye find that euer God vttered one word or syllable concerning such thinges? No. It was eueryevery whit of it deuised by men. Nowe let vsus consider by this texte, whether God accepteth such seruice for good and lawfull. Nay contrariwise he saith, thou shalt feare the Lorde thy God, and keepe all his commaundements and statutes. So then, when men turne from that way, and followe their owne imaginations and the inuentions of men: thereby they shewe sufficiently that they hauehave no feare of God in them, for else they woulde offer him the sacrifice which hee preferreth before all things: namely the sacrifice of obedience, as is shewed in the first booke of Samuel the fifteenth Chapter.1. Sam. 15.22.23 Insomuch that if a man herken not vntounto Gods voice to submit himselfe thereto, but contrariwise followeth the inuention of his owne braine, or the thinges that other men hauehave deuised: surely it is an ydolatry, and as badde as witchcraft, which God abhorreth. After that manner doth Gods spirit speake of it, notwithstanding that mortall men doe deeme the cleane contrarie. Now then wee see howe Moses declareth here, that if we feare God in good earnest, we will also doe him the honour to be ruled by his will, so as we wil not take leaue at mens handes to doe what they thinke good, but stop all mens mouthes when God speaketh, and open our eares to hearken what hee saieth, and receiue the same.
But yet for all this, it is not ynough for eueryevery of vsus to imploye himselfe in the seruing of God: wee must also procure to the vttermost of our power, that he may be worshipped of al men: yea and that his seruice may continue euen after our decease, so as his honour may abide fast setled when we bee deade and gone out of the worlde, & not be abolished with our transitorie life. And that is the cause why Moses saith, thy children, and they that issue of their race, shal continue in seruing God & in keeping his law. Therfore let vsus mark well, that here Moses not onelyonly exhorteth euerie man to serue God by framing his owne life according to the Law that he hath giuen vsus: but also willeth fathers to take paine in bringing vp their children, and to leaue such seed after them (so neere as they can), as God may be honored in their ofspring, and his name bee euer purely called vponupon, that by that meane such as descend of vsus may bee blessed, and his couenant (which conteineth our saluation) indure for euer, & not perish though we our selues be mortall. But wee see that fathers are so farre of from discharging their dueties in this behalfe: that they giuegive such examples to their children, as they may seeme to hauehave conspired to abolish al feare of God, and all keeping of his Lawe. And therefore no maruell though God withdraw himselfe from vsus, and seeme to be minded to cut off the benefits which he hath bestowed vponupon vsus. For are we worthy of ye continuance of them towards vsus, seeing we bee so negligent in causing his seruice to continue in perfect and vnappaired state? But yet for al that, this must not bee spoken to vsus in vaine. Therefore let vsus indeuour to teach such as shal succeed vsus, so as God may euer bee worshipped, and knowen to bee the father and Sauiour of the whole worlde, and men giuegive themselues whollie vntounto him.
Immediatly herevppon, Moses addeth that which he had said afore: namely, to the end that their dayes might bee prolonged, and that God might make the people to prosper, according as he had promised to their fathers to giuegive them a land that flowed with milke and honnie. I hauehave declared alreadie heretofore, what Moses ment by this saying: that is to wit, that although God might at one worde hauehave compelled vsus to serue him, yet notwithstanding he vseth a more louing kinde of dealing towards vsus: which is, that hee promiseth vsus rewarde for seruing of him: not that our workes deserue aught, or that hee is any whit bounde vntounto vsus: but that his benefiting of vsus after that sort, is to the end that we shoulde be the better allured to serue him the more earnestly. For is it not too shamefull a thanklesnesse, that when wee heare howe God bindeth himselfe to vsus after that maner, of his owne accorde, and vouchsafeth to set rewarde before vsus, is it not (say I) too great a shame and vnthankfulnesse, if we giuegive not our selues wholly to his seruice? Wee bee his, and whatsoeuer we can doe, wee be beholden to him for it,Luke 17.7. as our Lord Iesus Christ speaketh thereof. Howe say you, saieth hee? tell mee, if a man hauehave a seruant, or rather a slaue whom he may put to toyle like an Oxe or a horse, and the same hauehave done him some seruice: will his master rise from the table to serue him at his turne? No: for whatsoeuer a man doeth that is in bondage, hee oweth it to him that hath the superioritie ouer him. So owe you all thinges to God (saith Christ), and God oweth you nothing. Yet notwithstanding God binding himselfe of his owne free good will, promiseth that if wee serue him wee shalbe well recompensed, and not lose our labour. To what purpose doth hee so? euen to breake our hearts, for (as I saide afore) we bee too churlish if wee bee not wholly inflamed to serue God, when wee see that he of his owne free goodnesse vouchsafeth to beheight vsus rewarde, whereof we be not worthie.
And herewithall let vsus marke also, that if God had couenanted a thousande times with vsus to rewarde our workes: yet coulde wee so little say that hee owed vsus any thing, as hee might rather curse and abhorre vsus. For which of vsus performeth his Law as we ought to do? If wee doe one point, we faile in a hundred: and when we thinke we do the thinges that God commandeth vsus in his Lawe: we do but drag our legges, and there is alwayes much imperfection in vsus, so as wee can neuer runne as were requisite. therefore wee should be cursed and damned, if God listed to iudge vsus with rigour. Then is it not for men to vaunt thēselues in this behalfe of the obteining of any rewarde for desertes sake, or to boast of their workes. But rather they must vnderstand that all the promises which God hath giuen in his Law, import a condition, and therefore that they should not boote vsus at all, because none of vsus dischargeth his dutie, if God did not accept vsus & beare with vsus of his own mere goodnes. And hereby we see how mad the papists are to boast of their merites, so as it seemeth to them that they hauehave to bargaine with God, and thereupon enter boldly into account with him through deuilish malapeartnes, bearing themselues in hand that God is greatly bounde vntounto them. And for what maner of dealinges? They alleage their satisfactions, their workes, and their merites. And where shall a man finde these merites? O (say they) we hauehave done this and that: and therefore we neede not sticke to enter into account with God. But on the contrary parte, God requireth here that we shoulde serue him throughly in all respectes: which thing we can not do as we hauehave seene heeretofore, and as is declared in many other places.Ro. 7.14.18. For lette all the worlde examine themselues, and see if euer there were anie one that performed the Lawe. Nay, so farre off is that to be found, that there is none which may protest that he hath done the hundreth parte of it. Therefore all must needes confesse themselues to bee accursed. Besides this, euen in that little portion which men can bring, howe small so euer it be, there is alwayes some default and blot: by reason whereof God might well refuse it and abhorre it. Nowe then let men continue confounded in their shame, and confesse themselues to be all faultie before God. And let vsus note that this promise can not be performed, vnlesse God beare with vsus, and respecte not the great number of infirmities and vices that are in vsus,Psal. 32.1.2. but bury them through his mercy. Our workes then are receiued at Gods hande, inasmuch as he respecteth not what they be, but accepteth them as good and holy, through the power of the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ. And although there be euer som blemish and blot in them, yea and that God could finde euen some filthinesse in them if it were not blotted out by the bloud of Iesus Christ: yet doth he accept vsus by that meane, and not otherwise. Wherefore let vsus learne to glorie in Gods meere merciemercy, and not to boast of any deseruings. And yet therewithall let vsus not cease to steppe vppe with the better courage to serue him: when wee see that he vouchsafeth to drawe vsus so vntounto him and to winne vsus by such gentlenesse.
Verily Moses sheweth that all that euer God promiseth to his people for keeping of his Law, springeth from the same fountaine, rather than from any bond. And that is it which he meaneth by saying, As God promised to thy Fathers. As if he should say, my friendes, serue God and hee will be good maister vntounto you: and thinke not that ye shall hauehave lost your time when yee shall hauehave kept his Lawe: for ye shall hauehave the large rewarde that is behighted you. But yet for all that, consider from whence the same commeth. The fountaine thereof (sayth he) is, that before yee were borne into the worlde, God promised your fathers to bring them into a lande that floweth with milke and honnie. Moses by bringing the people thus backe to the promise that had beene made to the Patriarkes, sheweth sufficiently that God promised not any thing anewe, but onelyonly that he performeth the thing that hee had promised afore. And why so? Was it for that hee, was bounde to them, which were not yet borne into the worlde?Deut … No: but because he loued their fathers as is saide heretofore. It is true that heere Moses sheweth that the people should be partakers of that promise, so they kept Gods Lawe. But what for that? Yet behoued it them to come backe still to this point, that men are vtterly vndone if they set themselues against God, and that if they alledge any worthines, they shall abide still in their condemnation, and finde themselues all accursed. Therefore they must hauehave none other refuge but to Gods mercy, & they must vnderstand that when they hauehave inforced themselues neuer so much to liue according to Gods Law yet shall God owe them nothing at all, neuerthelesse hee will not faile to performe his promise to them euen of his owne mere and freebestowed goodnesse. And so ye see how this text is to bee vnderstoode. Nowe forasmuch as here is mention made of the Land that was promised to the Iewes: let vsus marke that we nowadays ought to bee much more prouoked to serue God,Iohn 4…. seeing hee hath dedicated the whole earth to himself, & wil hauehave his name to bee called vponupon eueryevery where. For the bloudshed of our Lord Iesus Christ, hath sāctified the whole world which was then in vncleannesse. For we knowe there were no moe lands but this, which God reserued to himselfe, and wherein he would reigne til the comming of his sonne. But when our Lord Iesus Christ was once come: then got hee the possession of the whole worlde,Psal. ….… Mat. ….… Colos. …. so as his kingdome was extended from the one side thereof to the other, specially at the publishing of the Gospel. Seeing it is so, let vsus marke that we nowadayes are so much the more straitly bounde to serue God, because he hath sanctified the whole earth by the precious bloude of his sonne, that wee might dwell in it and liue vnderunder his reigne, and beware that we addict our selues vntounto him, as well as we would that hee should hauehave vsus in his protection and safekeeping.
Howbeit forasmuch as men are alwayes so ticklish, that (as I hauehave saide alreadie) they cannot bee bridled ynough to restraine them: Moses confirmeth the whole doctrine that hee had vttered heere, saying, Harken therefore O Israell, the Lorde thy God is one God. Hee had saide afore, Hearken: he had saide, take heede: hee had saide that it behoued them to keepe the law: but heere hee confirmeth the whole matter much better, by setting downe expresly that the God of Israel is the one God. And hereby his meaning is to exclude all the Gods which the world forged to it selfe, and to shew that it is not lawfull for vsus to conceiue any thing in our owne imagination, whereof wee hauehave not warrant in Gods woord. Therefore whereas the God of Israel is called the one God, it is all one as if Moses should compare the God that had set foorth his lawe, (who had also manifested himselfe before to his seruant Abraham, and to the Patriarkes,) with all those whom the worlde weened to be Gods, and should set him against them all. For in deede God had beene called vponupon in all ages, and that name was common to the heathē. But what for that? The Heathen wandered at rouers, so as euerie man said I worship God. And yet in the meane while, what was it they did? nothing but dreames and fantasies: for when men take vponupon them to worship God without knowing him: no doubt but they worship idols. The Turkes at this day doe say they worship the God that made heauen and earth: but yet is it but an idoll which they worship. And howe so? They name him the maker of heauen and earth, and they hauehave none images. That is true: but yet for all that, they hauehave but an idoll in stead of God, bicause they admit not our Lorde Iesus Christ,Col. 1.15. & Hebr. 1.3. 1. Ioh. 2.23. who is ye liuely image of God his father. And we knowe how S. Iohn saieth that he which denieth the sonne, denieth the father too. Therfore they hauehave not God, but an idoll. As much is to be said of the Iewes. The Iewes boast of their hauing of the lawe, and of their worshipping of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Iacob. But what for that?Rom. 10.4. Col. 2.17. They bee but backsliders and hauehave renounced Gods lawe, for as much as they hauehave reiected Iesus Christ who is the soule of the law. It is he in whom God the father intendeth to manifest himselfe vntounto vsus: It is he, whom he will hauehave to bee worshipped. And in that respect he saieth, Kisse the sonne whom I send vntounto you. And againe,Psal. 2.12. Ioh. 5.13. he that honoureth not the sonne, honoreth not the father that sent him. Let vsus marke wel then, that here Moses meant to compare the God which vttered himself by his word, with al the Gods that are honored through the whole world, and to shew that in them all there is nothing but mockerie and leasing. And why? For wee can neuer worship God aright, vnlesse we first knowe him. And wee must alwayes hauehave an eye to this saying of Iesus Christ which hee spake to the woman of Samaria,Iohn 4.21. yee knowe not what ye worshippe. Iesus Christes vsing of such speach, is as much as if he shoulde spit at all the worshippings which ye world had set vp in those dayes. There was not that nation which boasted not themselues to serue God: but Iesus Christ reiecteth quite and cleane the things which mē tooke to bee good and holy. Ye knowe not what ye worship saieth he. Hereby he sheweth that it is expedient for vsus to be told of it. We must not goe to it at all aduenture, but wee must bee sure which is the God whom wee serue. And seeing it standeth vsus on hand to knowe God, if wee will worship him and serue him aright: let vsus consider from whence this knowledge cōmeth. Groweth it in our owne garden as they say: May wee get it by our owne trauell or policie? Is it lawfull for euerie man to imagine what he listeth, and to say, I knowe God? No no: but God must bee faine to vtter himselfe, and to come vntounto vsus. And so the onelyonly meane to knowe God aright, is to be taught by his woorde. And that is the cause why he saieth, The Lord thy God. For this people had receiued the lawe: and beside, the couenant had bin made with their fathers: God had shooled out that flocke from the rest of the world. Iustly therefore doeth Moses here bring back the people to the knowledge of God, to the ende they shoulde restraine themselues from all the superstitions of the heathen, and hauehave nothing at all to doe with the vnbeleeuers, but know that in as much as God had manifested himselfe so familiarly vntounto them: they had the certaine and infallible trueth.
Now although this was spoken in the time of the lawe: yet doeth it agree better still to vsus. For although God gaue the Iewes sufficient warning that they should not hauehave to doe with the defilings and idolatries of the heathē: yet hauehave wee a much larger light nowe adayes, since the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ.Col. 1.15. Hebr. 1.3. Hee is the liuely image of God his father (as I hauehave sayde alreadie,) and we may well agree to this saying in the first of Saint Iohn,Iohn 1.18. That no man euer saw God, but the sonne who hath alwayes beene in the bosome of the father hath reuealed him vntounto vsus. The fathers of olde time had a knowledge as I said, but that knowledge is esteemed as none at all, in comparison of the knowledge which we hauehave now adayes by the Gospell.Matt. 4.2. God sheweth himselfe more plainely vntounto vsus by the shining forth of the daysunne of righteousnesse. And for the same cause the Prophet Esay treating of the redemption that was to bee perfourmed in the person of the sonne of God,Esa. 25.9. saith expressely: Behold, this is he: beholde, this is our God. The Prophet crieth out, this is he, this is our God. He contenteth not himselfe to say, behold our God: but he speaketh as if the thing were present, and as though God had appeared vntounto him. How so? And was not God in ye mids of his people?Exod. 25.8. Yes: for he said, I will dwel among you. And againe, This is my rest, Sion is ye place where I will dwell.Psal. 131.13.14. And afterward he protesteth that he will neuer depart thence, and that the people is his temple and a royall Priesthood. Why then doeth the Prophet Esay say, Behold, behold our God: this is he, this is he: when our Lorde Iesus Christ was to come into the world? Euen bicause God reuealed himselfe to vsus in greater perfection. Now then we be the lesse to be excused, if we run gadding nowe adayes without holding of our selues to the pure trueth, so as euerie of vsus turneth away after his own dotages, to say, it seemeth so to mee, this thinke I good. Let vsus assure our selues that all this is nothing worth, but we must repaire to the certaintie that is brought vsus by our Lord Iesus Christ.
Neuerthelesse, so farre off is the worlde from knowing this, that it should seeme they bee all bent to spyte God, and hauehave conspired to turne their backes vppon him, and to shake off all subiection, that they may hauehave libertie to continue in their disorders, and to scape in the meane while vnespyed with their lewdnesse. The Iewes are vnexcusable, according as wee see howe the Prophetes vpbrayde them with their wilfull forsaking of God,Es. 42.19.20 & 65.10.11. Esa. 55.11. so as they coulde not excuse themselues by saying yt they had not heard any thing, as the poore Paynims might doe: for God protesteth that he spake not in vaine. And now adayes when God speaketh to vsus with open mouth,2. Cor. 3.18 and wee hauehave him perfectly discouered vntounto vsus by the Gospell, is it not too great a lewdnesse that men should runne astray after that fashion? Were there euer any superstitions more grosse and more outragious, than are to bee seene nowe adayes in the Popedome? It is true that the Iewes medled with the superstitions of the Heathen, and tooke much filth and vncleannesse of them: but if all bee well searched, it will bee founde that the Papists hauehave farre exceeded them. For Gods word is as it were, at this day buryed among them. When they treate of fayth, they fetch the points of it from mens inuentions: and the holy scripture is in as much reuerence among them as if it were dead, and that all thinges went to hauocke. Loe at what poynt they bee. And if a man speake to them of Gods seruice, (as I sayde) they bee busie about their owne inuentions. Yea verily, myne intent is good say they: and so they beare themselues in hand, that God will suffer himselfe to bee dandled lyke a little babe, and will neuer come to examine any whit of the doctrine of Poperie. Againe if they speake of fayth: exhort they men to resort to Gods free promises? No, but they chalendge all to themselues. When they take in hand to treate of the office of Iesus Christ, they ouerthrowe the vertue of his death and passion, as much as they can. When they treate of their saluation: then step forth their owne freewill, their merites, and their satisfactions. But contrariwise we should resort to the mere grace of the holy Ghost,Ro. 7.17.18 acknowledging our selues to bee in bondage to sinne, vntill God deliuer vsus from it through his merciemercy. And thereuppon it commeth that the holy Scripture calleth the forgiuenesse of sinnes our righteousnesse. That is the point which wee must resort vntounto,Rom. 3.…2.23.…4. to know that when wee hauehave done amisse, wee can bring none other amendes or payment for it, than such as wee borrowe of the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ. But there is not a word of all this in Poperie. When God is to be prayed vntounto, they make their vagaries to their Heesaintes and Sheesaintes: & in the meane while Iesus Christ is not knowen to bee as he is, neither is let alone with the office that is giuen him by God his father: but they depose him, lyke a sorte of theeues and traytours that seeke nothing else but to burie him againe, and to make hauocke of all the glorie that was giuen him by God his Father. After the same sort deale they also in all other things. Wee see how the Sacramentes are defiled to the vttermost. In stead of the Supper of our Lorde Iesus Christ, they hauehave set vp that same hellish abhomination of the Masse, wherein they say that Iesus Christ is sacrificed, as though he had done nothing alreadie, nor were appointed to be the onelyonly & euerlasting Priest by God his father.Heb. 7.2…. Wee see then that the Papists hauehave so dalyed with Gods word wherein he hath reuealed himselfe: as it should seeme that they meant of set purpose to wype away the knowledge that is in the Gospell. And therefore wee hauehave so much the more neede to marke well this saying. That the Lord is God yea e…en the onelyonly one God.
Nowe then, as oft as this word God commeth to our minde, let vsus assure ourselues that it serueth to cut off all toyes that may come in our heades, and all inuentions of men, and all other things whereof we hauehave not warrant in the holy scriptures. For God will hauehave vsus to consider him in such wise, as wee snarle not ourselues in the imaginations and errours of idolatrie. And of a truth, we cannot hauehave the true God, except wee hauehave him alone: that is to say, without adding any companion vntounto him. For as soone as we fall to bringing in of vndergoddes, we forsake the liuing God. And why? Bicause his will is to bee alone, as he auoweth in another place by his Prophet Esay saying,Esa. 41.… I am the liuing God (saieth the Lord) and I will not giuegive my glory to any other. Againe we hauehave seene heretofore how he called himselfe a iealous God. And why was that, but to withdrawe vsus from all corruptions,2. Cor. … as S. Paule affirmeth in the second to the Corinthians? For as soone as we be turned aside from the simplicitie of Gods word, it is all one as if a wife should hearken to a bawde that came to whisper hir in the eare. By and by we be corrupted, and so wee commit foule whoredome against God, when we falsifie the faith that we hauehave plighted him in Baptisme. We cast away his law, and stain al religion, when wee swarue neuer so little from the pure Religion. Wherefore let vsus beare well in minde, that as oft as this word God commeth to our rememberance, God must be all alone. And if wee accompanie him with any creatures: he forsaketh vsus as backsliders, and as folk vnworthy to hauehave any thing to doe with him, bicause wee vouchsafed not to yeelde him his deserued honour: that is to wit, to take him for our [onelyonly] Lord, but hauehave vnhallowed that name by imparting the same to creatures, or rather to our owne dreames.
And herewithall let vsus marke, that it is not ynough for vsus to reserue to the liuing God the tytle of the onelyonly God: but all that euer belongeth vntounto him must also abide vnminished and vnappaired. As howe? His meaning is not alonely to be called the onelyonly God: but also to be acknowledged to be almightie, and to be our father and Sauiour, which hath all authoritie ouer vsus to gouerne vsus, in whom wee ought to put our whole trust, and whom wee ought to call vponupon. Those are the chiefe things which wee ought to minde when mention is made of the honoring of the onelyonly one God. Trueth it is that the Papists will well ynough say, that S. Michael and S. William are not their Gods: but yet for all that they worship them, yea euen the stockes of them. Although they hope to scape by this shift, that the images are not the Saintes themselues whome they pray vntounto; but onelyonly rememberances set vp there to represent them: yet is it expressely against Gods forbidding. And againe, we see that they cannot by any meanes discerne the difference how God will bee worshipped, when they intangle themselues after that maner with their idols of stone and timber, whereby they surmise themselues to represent their Saints. True it is yt they countenance the matter with the termes of Doulia & Latria, which they themselues vnderstand not, saying that they serue their puppets and yeelde reuerence vntounto God: for that is the thing which they meane by those woordes. But surely God is much beholden to them, in yt they shew that they doe but honour him, and in the meane season serue their idols. Againe, is it not a holy thing to pray vntounto God? Yes: for it is ye very seruice that he requireth, as it is saide in the fiftith Psalme. So then, we see that the world doth dally too shamelesly with God,Psal. 50.15. in corrupting his seruice so lewdly, yea and that it is too detestable a thing, that men should runne astray so, after so cleare and open reuelation or discouerie of thinges, as is contained in the Gospell. And therefore it behooueth vsus so much the more to stand to this doctrine, knowing that our Lorde will hauehave vsus tyed wholly to himselfe alone, so as there may be an inuiolable vnion betwixt him & vsus. Which thing will come to passe, if wee holde our selues simply within the boundes and listes of his word, so as we giuegive no enterance to mens inuentions, nor suffer our mindes to wander at rouers, but hearken to the thinges yt are contayned in the holy scripture, & not only say amen to them readily with our mouthes, but also settle our faith throughly vppon the thinges that are proceeded out of the mouth of our God.
Now let vsus kneele downe in ye presence of our good God, with acknowledgement of our faults, praying him to make vsus feele them better than wee hauehave doone, so as wee may knowe more and more wherein wee bee bounde vntounto him, and not thinke to discharge our selues thereof lightly, but bend our selues wholly to him and to his seruice, not hauing any other intent or desire than to keepe his holy Lawe. and seeing wee bee yet verie farre off from it, so that straine wee our selues neuer so much, wee stop in the middes of our waye: let vsus flee for succour to the forgiuenesse of our sinnes, praying him to vouchsafe to receiue vsus to merciemercy, and to beare with vsus in such sort, as he neuer ceasse to guide vsus with his holy spirit, though wee deserue to bee vtterly shaken off at his hand. And therewithall it may please him so to open our eyes, that wee beholding the brightnesse of our Lorde Iesus Christ, may bee wholly rauished thereat, to renounce these worldly things and our fleshly affections, which carrie vsus awaye: so as wee may hauehave none other desire than to humble our selues vnderunder him, to the ende that beyng striken downe in our selues, wee may bee lifted vp at his hand by his woorde, wayting till it please him to transfigure vsus after his owne image at the latter daye. That it maye please him to graunt this grace not onelyonly to vsus but also, &c.