Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 50
On Wednesday the last of Iuly. 1555. The L. Sermon, which is the sixth vponupon the sixth Chapter.
20 When thy child asketh thee in time to come, saying: What are these testimonies, Ordinaunces, and lawes which the Lorde our God hath commaunded you?
21 Then shalt thou say to thy chyld, Wee were Pharaose bondfolke in Egypt: but the Lord brought vsus out of Egypt with a mightie hand.
22 And the Lord wrought signes and miracles great and euill, vppon Egypt, and vponupon Pharao and all his house before our eyes,
23 And brought vsus out thence, to bring vsus in [hither,] and to giuegive vsus the land which he had sworne to our fathers.
24 And the Lorde commaunded vsus to keepe all these ordinaunces, and to feare the Lorde our God, that wee might alwayes prosper and liue as wee doe this day.
25 And it shall bee counted vntounto vsus for righteousnesse, if wee keepe and doe all these commaundementes before the Lorde our God, as he hath commaunded vsus.
HEere wee hauehave two reasons to marke why Moses commaundeth, that such as were to come after that time, should be tolde why God gaue his Lawe to the Iewes, and why he woulde hauehave them gouerned after that maner. The one is, that it is good reason that Gods name should be magnifyed in all ages, and that wee shoulde indeuour to the vttermost of our power, that it decay not with vsus, 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 hauehave 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 onelyonly 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 vsus as well as to them. For wee know that God calleth vsus with the same condition, not onelyonly that we our selues should serue and honor him to our liues end: but also that we should hauehave a care to cause them that come after vsus to doe the lyke. Verily there are very few that dischardge themselues in that behalfe: but yet are we bound vntounto it, and there will be no excuse for vsus, if wee doe not our indeuour. Therefore let eueryevery man hauehave an eye to himselfe, and let vsus not thinke it enough to hauehave serued God so long as wee our selues liue: but [that we must also findy ye 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 vsus being taught by our meanes, may linke in with vsus into the same fayth, and so fashion themselues thereunto, as God may alwayes be gloryfyed & honored vntounto the worldes end. And specially they yt hauehave children ought to thinke that it is they to whom this warning is giuen. True it is that eueryevery one of vsus is bound thereto for himselfe, yea and we must teach euē 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 hauehave 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 hauehave 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 vponupon 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 giuegive your selues to him all your lyfe long, and indeuour to serue him, and at leastwise shew that yee hauehave 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 vsus of the Christian religion and say, Beholde, our GOD hath vouchsafed to make vsus 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 vnderunder his worde, to take him for our father and Sauour, because hee hath chosen vsus to bee his people.
And whereas Moses declareth that the Iewes were deliuered out of Aegypt: hee meaneth to doe vsus 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 hauehave sanctifyed themselues to the seruice of God, and hauehave held thē selues in obedience to his law, because he suffered them not to be intermingled with ye infidels, but made a seuerall nation of them alone by thē selues. And hereupon we hauehave to note, yt such as seeke counsell at Gods law, doe alwayes finde instruction, & our Lord procureth them ayde & help to bring thē 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 …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 hauehave any good will to knowe the trueth, our Lorde will not suffer vsus 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 vsus: 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 vsus, 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: and in the meane while God is let alone, and his lawe is forgotten. And therefore it is not to bee wondered at, that hee hardeneth vsus in such brutishnes, and that there is so grosse ignorance in the world, as fewe folke hauehave the true taste and sauor of the doctrine of saluation, but rather wee see that all men despise it, and are so farre off from hauing any affection and zeale to the knowing of it, that they doe rather thrust it from them when it is offered them, and when GOD seeketh them, they runne from him. Sith wee see such vnthankefulnesse euerywhere, it is any maruell that our Lorde reuealeth not his trueth as hee would doe, if men were well minded towardes it? It is true that God taryeth not till wee come vntounto him, but rather performeth that which hee sayth by his prophet Esay,Esa. 65.1. namely that hee appeareth to them that aske not after him, and that hee is found of them that seeke him not, insomuch that hee sayth to them that are farre off from him, Lo, here I am. Yet notwithstanding, men must not vnderunder this color that God reacheth them his hand, and draweth them out of the dungeons of ignorance before they euer thought vppon him, men (I say) must not flatter and fode themselues in their carelesnesse: but rather wee must learne according to this text, that whereas wee bee ignorant of the trueth, wee must at leastwise doe our indeuer to get knowledge of it, and resorte to such as wee thinke that God hath reuealed more vntounto, than to our selues. If wee doe so, and with all humilitie seeke to knowe the thinges that are auaileable to our saluation: God will shewe himselfe to vsus, and giuegive vsus such meanes and helpes as he knoweth to be expedient for vsus. And although mortall men faile vsus: yet will hee so supply our want by the power of his holy spirite, as wee shall not continue still in darkenesse, if wee seeke ye light: for he wil not shut ye dore against vsus if we knock,Matt. 7.7. & Lu…. 11.9.10 & do our indeuer to enter. Thus ye see in effect what we hauehave to remember vppon ye text.
Furthermore it behoueth vsus to marke, that here God sheweth not the end of his commandements, what is ment by them and to what vse he hath appoynted thē. He doth not onelyonly shew, that the people were iustly bound to keepe the lawe that was giuen them, seeing that God had bought them so dearly. Here are two things. The one is that inasmuch as God hath giuen vsus his worde, hee doth well deserue that wee should yeelde him obedience. Why so? Because we be his creatures, and hee hath voutsafed to gather vsus together vntounto him, to bee his people and to fight vnderunder his standard, and hath made vsus to bee of his flocke and of his Church. Marke that for one poynt.
The other is, that wee should know to what end hee hath giuen vsus his Sacraments, so as we hauehave the preceptes of his whole Lawe, which pertaine to the exercising of vsus in his feare and in the hope of our saluation: and to what end he hath set such order among vsus as wee now hauehave. Wee must knowe what is meant by all this. Neuerthelesse, this briefenesse will bee darkesome, if it be not declared better. When wee consider how God hath created & shaped vsus, and moreouer made vsus after his owne image, and giuen vsus witte and reson, and therewithall the hope of a better life▪ and finally hath voutsafed to take vsus as his houshold folke: it sheweth vsus that wee bee bound to submit our selues vntounto him. For seeing hee is our maker: doe wee not owe him all obedience? Nay there is yet more: namely that in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ his sonne,… hee hath redeemed vsus and made vsus partakers of his Gospell,… to the ende that wee should bee guided by his hand. Now then, the first poynt is that when we hauehave knowledge, it must stirre vsus vp to serue God, & to stick to the pure religion that is comprehended in his word. Howbeit this is not enough: but whē we be asked yet neerer, Wherfore ye promises of ye forgiuenes of sins are giuen vsus:… [wee must answere,] Alas, it is because we be wretched sinners, & we should be continually in anguish and sorrowe of minde, if we knewe not that God is cōtented to be mercifull vntounto vsus of his owne meere grace. For hee cannot louelove vsus except we be righteous: and wee shall neuer finde any holynesse in our lyfe,Psal. … or perfection in our vertues: but it is through Gods merciemercy, which it pleaseth him to extend towards vsus. And so now yee see whereunto the promises tend.
Againe, if it be demaunded of vsus why hee hath appoynted the order of prayer, as wel publique as priuate: it is for that eueryevery of vsus ought to inure himselfe to seeke all his succor at his hand. For wee hauehave not any good thing, wee be destitute both of wisedome,… strength, and righteousnesse, wee bee woorse than emptie, vntill our good God doe succor our needes: and the meane thereof, is to flee to him for refuge. To that end hath hee ordeined priuate prayer. And publique or common prayer is ordeined to the intent to assure vsus the better, that hee will here the common accorde that is among vsus, when wee bee come together as it were into one bodie: and therewithall wee make confession of our faith & exercise our charitie. By this meanes then we learne, why and to what end our Lorde hath set order in his Churche, that is to lay, what he meant to betoken thereby, and to what purpose it is to be referred.
If a man aske vsus what is meant by Baptisme, and wherefore it was ordeined: it is to the intent wee should know, that euen from our mothers wombe wee bring nothing but all maner of vncleanesse with vsus, and that wee be ful of infection and filth before the Lord, so as wee must be faine to bee washed, or else hee will not vouchsafe to auowe vsus for his.Eph. 5.26.27. And wherewithall must wee be washed? With the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ.1 Iohn 1.7. That then is the way to make vsus cleane. For as long as wee liue in Adam and in our owne nature, wee can doe nothing but euill. We bee so marred, as there is nothing in vsus but vtter rebelliousnesse against GOD. Therefore wee must enter as it were into death, and into the graue,Rom. 6.4. to bee renewed, and our Lord must bee faine to giuegive vsus a new vnderstanding, and a new heart, and he must so shape vsus new againe, as we may no more be the same we were before, but bee (as yee would say) cast in a newe mould,Eph. 4.23.24. and bee made new creatures, as the scripture vseth to speake of it. Thus ye see how wee may learne what Baptisme is, what it betokeneth, and to what end it was ordeyned.
As touching the Lordes supper: if it bee inquired of vsus why wee come together to receiue a bit of bread: and a draught wine: it is in way of acknowledgement that our soules hauehave neede of foode, no lesse than our bodies, and that as there is such frailetie in this present lyfe, as it cannot continue without the helpes of meate and drinke, so must our soules also bee mainteined after lyke sorte, by reason of the infirmitie that is in them. Neuerthelesse our soules are not nourished with the corruptible meates of this world,Iohn 6.53.54.55.56. but it is the sonne of God that is our foode.Matt. 26.26.28. Wee then hauehave Iesus Christ, who is our lyfe, it is hee of whome wee hauehave sustenance and nourishment,…. Cor. 11.24 forasmuch as hee was offered in sacrifice for vsus, and the bloud that he did shed for our saluation is our drinke. Thus ye see how we nowadayes may learne whereunto ye ordināces to tēd which God hath stablished in his Church, and to what end they be to be referred.
In lyke case was it vnderunder the lawe. For God ordeyned not the ceremonies without further consideration of some reason in them. It is true that hee meant to separate his people from all the heathen and vnbeleeuers of the earth:Deut. 4.8. but yet in the meane while,Heb. 9.10. & 10.3 & 11.12. the washinges which they vsed were done, to shewe that they were full of naughtinesse as well as wee, and that it stood them in hand to seeke the meanes to bee made cleane. The sacrifices were a witnesse that they were worthy to bee condemned to euerlasting death, and that there was none other shift for them, but to flee to the sacrifice wherby they should bee reconciled to God. The Sanctuary betokened that no man but onelyonly Iesus Christ might enter into Gods kingdome,Heb. 9.7 & …0.18. nor come nye it: and that by his meanes all nations hauehave accesse thither, and that all such as are vnworthie in respect of their owne persons. are brought in thither by that mediator. To be shorte,Heb. 7.19. all the ceremonies of the Lawe had some certaine vse, and serued to trayne the people to put their trust in the redeemer that was promised them.Heb. 8.5. And that was the cause why Moses was commaunded to make all things according to the spirituall patterne which hee had seene on the mount. For Moses builded not the Tabernacle, otherwise than GOD had giuen him the patterne of it. And all was to shewe, that there was a conformable resemblance betweene the outward thinges, and the trueth which was to bee manifested in our Lord Iesus Christ. But in the text Moses speaketh but of the first, and that is the cause why I sayd, that it be behoued vsus to hauehave an eye to his meaning. For it was enough for him to say, go too my friendes, you which hauehave seene the redemption that GOD hath wrought, you (say I) ought to consider how much you bee bound vntounto him. Therefore make account to the doctrine of the Lawe, and frame your whole lyfe therafter, that it may be as an acknowledgement of the deliuerance which you hauehave receiued at his hand. And when ye shall hauehave walked thereafter all the time of your lyfe: looke well to it that you teach your children also, so as Gods seruice may continue among you, and neuer decay nor bee abolished. That is the playne meaning of Moses.
Furthermore let vsus vnderstand that wee must consider, that the Lawe was not inuented at the pleasure of men, neither was it founded by them: but God was the giuer thereof, who holdeth vsus vnderunder his gouernement, and it is his trueth which we followe, so as wee holde not any whit of thinges inuented by men. That is the thing whereon wee must rest, that we may not bee alwayes wauering and doubtfull. And hereby wee knowe how wretched the state of the papistes is: for they bee stubborne and wilfull in their own imaginations. If a man aske thē of whō they hold their superstitiōs: they alledge their fathers, they alledge long antiquitie, they alledge ye common fashion of ye whole world: but in ye meane while they hauehave no certeintie yt their doinges please God, or yt he alloweth thē, whereas in very deed the thing yt God leadeth vsus vntounto is yt we should be sure that hauehave not ne holde not any thing yt is brought vsus at al aduenture: but yt the doctrine of our faith is ye pure truth. Seeing then that God commaundeth vsus so to doe: let vsus assure our selues yt to liue as becommeth vsus, wee must hauehave this certeintie yt wee be gouerned by Gods word, & that ye same is ye rule of our fayth, & that ye religion which wee sticke vntounto is ye true religiō. Now therefore we may profite our selues by this text, sith we se yt ye meaning of Moses was, yt the people should know, yt the Law was not deuised by men, but that God was the author of it. And euen at this day the Lawe must beare this sway with vsus▪ yt wee must know to what purpose it was giuē. Besides this, although there be nothing set down here cōcerning ye end wherunto Gods ordinances doe tend▪ yet must we looke thereat. For all things are not spoken in one place: wee must take things in such order as God hath set them downe. In other places hee will teach vsus what marke it behoued the people to shoote at in keeping the lawe:Rom. 3.20.21. & 4.15.16. & Gal. 3.19.22. but here the case concerneth the continuall seruing of God with reuerence, so as the people may knowe themselues to bee wholly at his deuotion, and that therwithall he reserueth to himselfe the authoritie of gouerning his people and of holding them in subiection. Those are the thinges which we hauehave to beare in minde.
Now let vsus come to that which hee addeth in the conclusion: that is to wit, That God hauing deliuered his people, and brought them into the land that hee had giuen them, appointed them all his commaundements. Hereby wee see, that when God sheweth vsus this grace, to gather vsus into his Church, hee calleth vsus not to bee idle, but at the least to the ende wee shoulde glorify him, as the thing whereof the whole Scripture speaketh. And these sayings,Esa. 12.5.6. & Psal. 107.14.15. & 80.16. Behold, I hauehave purchased a people that shall sing my praise, Behold, I hauehave planted a vine and I wilbe glorified therby, and such other, are so often beaten into the peoples heads by the Prophets, as it ought to be a doctrine wellinough knowne among them. Nowe therefore Gods speaking after that maner, is to shewe that his intent in chosing that people, was to be honoured at their hands. And this belongeth much more to vsus, forasmuch as God hath vttered a farre greater power in deliuering vsus from the dungeons of hell in the person of his sonne.Col. 1.13.14. Let vsus vnderstand then, that wee bee baptised with this condition, to giuegive our selues wholy to our God: lyke as when Saint Paule treateth thereof, chiefely in the first to the Ephesians: he sayth that God hauing chosen vsus before the creation of the world to bee his children,Eph. 1.5.6.12. hath also made vsus partakers of the saluation that was purchased for vsus by our Lord Iesus Christ, to the end that wee shoulde glorifie him which hath shewed himselfe so bountifull towardes vsus, and vsed such merciemercy. As often then as we remember Gods benefites, and specially his voutsafing to call vsus to the knowledge of his trueth: Let vsus ad this, namely that it is to the end that our life should bee wholy dedicated to his honor and seruice, or else we doe what wee can to ouerthrowe Gods adoption, and wee labor to disanull it vtterly: lyke as on the contrary part it is sayd that our calling is warranted by our walking in holynesse of lyfe: for after that maner doth Saint Peter speake of it.2 Pet. 1.10.
Finally Moses addeth, It shall bee imputed to thee for righteousnesse afore God, if thou keepe his commaundementes as hee hath appoynted thee. In these wordes hee doth men to wit, that if they bee desirous to bee allowed of God, and that he should accept their seruice: they must not bring any of their owne inuentions, but bee contented to doe simply whatsoeuer Gods worde afordeth, and whatsoeuer is conteined there. That is the meaning of Moses. And whereas he sayth that the keeping of the commandements which God hath ordeyned, shall beee imputed to men for righteousnesse before God: it is all one as if hee should say, my friendes, tell your children that if they swarue from Gods word conteined in his Lawe, and turne away after their owne fancies, to doe what seemeth good to themselues: God will reiect it eueryevery whit, and it shalbe but as dung before him. For why? Hee alloweth obedience aboue all thinges.… He intendeth not to giuegive mee leaue to deuise and inuent newe Lawes: but hee will hauehave them to be contented with that pure rule [of his Law], in such sorte as hee hath giuen it. Therefore looke not that God should accept you, or allowe any of all your doinges for righteousnesse, vnlesse it be conformable to his doctrine. For although men would faine hauehave things to passe in account which they themselues like of: yet wil God crosse them out eueryevery one. For why? Their traueling is in vaine, vnlesse they can say, Lord we hauehave folowed the way wherin thou diddest set vsus. For so sayeth he by his Prophet Esay.… Who hath required these thinges at your hand, faith he? When the Hypocrites make their brags, and thinke themselues wel dischardged in being willing to serue God after their owne fancie: there needeth no more but this answer to disproue all their doings, who required these thinges a… your hands? As if he shoulde say, let him that did set you a worke, pay you: for as for me I will none of you, I disclaime ye, ye hauehave nothing to doe with me, seeing ye hauehave not serued me obediently, which is the principal seruice yt I require And that is the cause also why S. Paul speaking of mens inuentions,Col. ….…. addeth no more but this, that they be mennes doctrines. True it is, that they shall hauehave some faire colour, and some likelihoode of religion, yea and there will seeme to bee in them a perfection of all holynesse: but what for that? Seeing they proceed from …, they be no better than flat mockery.
And it is purposely said, Thy righteousnesse before God. Why so? To the intent that menne should no more beguile themselues in their owne opinion, as they be wont to do by hardning their harts when other men sooth them, or by standing in their owne conceites. For then they beare themselues on hand, that God hath no more authoritie to condemne them, but that the fond opinion which they hauehave conceiued, shalbe as a blocke to cast in his way. To the intent therefore that men should not yeelde to their owne imaginations and to the thinges which they surmise to bee good: Moses sayth here, my friendes, what shall yee winne, by deeming it to bee righteousnesse to doe as the heathen doe, and to intangle you selues in their superstitions? For though the world lyke well of you for so doing: yet must ye come [to an after-reckoning] before the heauenly Iudge: for men bee not competent iudges to giuegive sentence of that matter. And therefore (to bee short) yee had neede to looke about you how God will accept your doinges. And hee telleth you that he wil not be subiect to mens willes, nor be so plyable as to say: shal this be accounted good? Then must I agree to it.… No no, hee will continue alwayes lyke himselfe.… Therefore holde yee to that which hee commaundeth: for his worde must bee your whole wisedome, while the world foadeth it selfe with it owne inuentions. Thus yee see what is meant by these wordes where Moses sayth, it shall be counted to you for righteousnesse before God, if yee keepe the commaundementes which hee hath appoynted.
But yet by the way here might bee made a question. For it should seeme that God sendeth men to their owne deseruinges to bee iustified by them.Rom. 3.27. And on the otherside S. Paul auoucheth that wee bee iustified by faith: that is to say, that wee bee accepted for righteous before GOD, through his onelyonly free goodnesse, forasmuch as hee accepteth vsus in our Lorde Iesus Christ. For it is written that Abraham beleeued God,Gen. 15.6. & Rom. 4.22. and it was reckoned to him for righteousnesse. But here Moses sayth, that the keeping of the Lawe is imputed for righteousnesse. It seemeth then that men are able to purchase saluation by their owne workes, and so by that meanes are not indaungered vntounto God. But wee hauehave two thinges to note here. The first is that whereas it is sayd that the keeping of the Lawe is righteousnesse before GOD, it is not meant thereby that men can become righteous by their owne workes: for then must they fulfill the lawe throughout in all poyntes. But now was there euer any creature found that discharged himself to Godward? No.Rom. 3.10. Yee see then that wee be all damned, and so bee quite berest of the righteousnesse that was giuen by the Lawe. Wherefore let vsus learne that the Lawe could well iustify vsus before God, if wee could keepe it from poynt to poynt without any fayling.Leuit. 18.5. Ezech. 20.11. Rom. 10.5. Gal. 3.12. For it is written, hee that doth these thinges shall liue in them. If a man (say I) coulde so order his lyfe, as hee might make his boast that hee had fully performed all that GOD hath commaunded him: hee shoulde be righteous. And why? For God which cannot lye hath made vsus a promise, that hee will accept our workes for righteousnesse, so wee fayle not in the performance of any poynt of his Law. But now is there not any man that dischargeth himselfe so much as of any one poynt.Ro. 3.10.19. Gal. 3.10. Therefore are we all transgressors of the Lawe, and consequently wee bee all accursed. And wee must not imagine that it deserueth to bee allowed, when wee hauehave done but some peece of that which GOD commaundeth. No: for hee that misseth in any one poynt,Rome. ….2.10. is guiltie before God, and there remaineth nothing for him but death and cursednesse. For it is written, that whosoeuer performeth not all the thinges that are conteined in this booke,…eut. 27.26 shall be accursed. Now then let vsus learne, that whereas the keeping of the Lawe might bee imputed to vsus for righteousnesse, if it could bee found in vsus: wee bee vtterly depriued and bereft thereof. And why? For there is not that man which trāsgresseth not the Lawe in some poynt or other: nay, not onelyonly in some one poynt, but in all poyntes throughout, when wee hauehave caste vp our account. For wee neuer serue GOD with all our heart, with all our soule, and with all our strength as hath bin sayd heeretofore. And euen when wee doe any good woorkes to outward appearance, there is alwayes some coldenesse, some slothfulnesse, or some one thing or other mingled with them, to hinder vsus. And therefore the worke is still faultie. Thus wee cease not to breake Gods Lawe in all pointes, so as wee must needes yeelde our selues guiltie, cōfessing that if God listed to iudge vsus rigorously, hee shoulde needes reiect vsus. Now wee see that although the Lawe conteine the true rule of righteousnesse: yet can it not make vsus righteous, because of the weakenesse of our fleshe, as sayth Saint Paul in the seuenth to the Romans.Rom. 7.14. It remaineth now to knowe, in what sense that is spoken: For it seemeth to be to no purpose, that God should promise to accept thē for righteous which keepe his lawe: and yet notwithstanding that all of vsus shoulde bee bereft thereof.
Howbeit wee must marke,Rom. 3.24. that there is a refuge giuen vsus which is to resort to the forgiuenesse of our sinnes, which is graunted vsus in our Lorde Iesus Christ. Therefore when we hauehave acknowledged our selues to bee vtterly forlorne and damned in our owne nature▪ and thereupon repayre to our Lord Iesus Christ, sewing to bee partakers of his righteousnesse, and to bee iustifyed by vertue of the obedience which hee yeelded to God his father: then GOD not onelyonly receiueth vsus to mercy, and couereth vsus with the perfection that is in our Lorde Iesus Christ, as with a cloake, to the intent wee shoulde obtaine saluation: but also taketh our workes in good woorth. And although wee performe not the Lawe, but come loytering aloofe after it, so as there is great store of vices in vsus, wherewith our workes are blemished: yet notwithstanding GOD accepteth them, and promiseth that we shall not loose our labor, insomuch that our workes shall be taken for righteous before him. Albeit that they bee worthie to bee taken for starke filth, because there is alwayes somewhat in them that God may condemne: yet this keeping of the Law which we performe (vnperfect as it is) shall not faile to bee taken for righteousnesse. The reason is, because Iesus Christ supplyeth our default. Then doth not our righteousnesse consist in the worthynesse of our owne workes:Iohn. 1.16. Eph. 1.4. Rom. 3.20. Eph. 2.9.10. but inasmuch as they bee sanctifyed in the name of Gods son, & forasmuch as we be his mēbers. [both they &] we be admitted for righteous, because of the obediēce which hee yeelded vntounto God. And that obedience is communicated vntounto vsus, as if it were our owne. Thus yee see how the promises that are made vntounto vsus, doe assure vsus that God will accept the thinges for righteousnesse, which we doe in indeuouring to serue him. For such promises are not vaine nor frutelesse, so our Lord Iesus Christ bee or mediator, and performe that which wanteth on our behalfe. For without that, all the lawe will serue vsus to none other purpose but to condemne vsus, as hath bin shewed afore.
Moreouer let vsus marke for the second point, that although the people had kept the Lawe of GOD: yet euen the very performance thereof of was a record vntounto them, that it stoode them in hand to bee iustifyed by merciemercy and grace, and not by their owne merites. For their sacrificing was a kind of protesting that they were worthie of death.Hebr. 10.3. There was neuer any beast slayne vnderunder the lawe, but the same was an autenticall record that men deserued to bee damned at Gods hand. And thereby it behoued the faithfull to bee put in minde to resort vntounto God, and that with such humilitie, as they sought their lyfe elsewhere than in themselues. In lyke case was it with their washings, and with all the rest of their ceremonies. The hauing of light in the Temple, was to shew that men are starke blind in themselues: and their hauing of the holy Lampes, and the oyle that God had ordeined for the same, and their anointinges, and such other thinges ought to hauehave made the people to consider thus with themselues: there is neyther vnderstanding, grace, vertue, nor any thing else in our wit, but wee must bee faine to borrowe all thinges of the redeemer that was promised to our fathers, and of Gods spirit who is the fountaine and fulnesse of all good thinges.Eph. 4.7. So then the keeping of the lawe sent the people backe to the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, and serued for nothing lesse than to hold them still to those shadowes to put their trust in them. Lykewise at this day, sith wee vnderstand well which is the right keeping of Gods lawe, wee see well enough that it is not for vsus to presume vppon our owne deseruinges, as these mad papistes doe, who vphold that they become righteous by keeping of the Lawe. They bee so caryed away with that opinion, that they think not any more of Gods grace, neither doe they perceiue that the Lawe was giuen to holde men conuicted, & to driue them to come before their Iudge, as wretched offenders to sewe for grace. They thinke not of that. Againe, they hauehave the terme Merit or Desert, which they vse like a drunken man that can discerne nothing because he is ouersotted and hath his eyes bleared: euen so play these wretched vnbeleeuers. But we for our part knowe that we hauehave to thanke our God for his infinite goodnesse, in making vsus to vnderstand that the true keeping of the lawe, is for men to condemne themselues by it, and to take knowledge that they hauehave nothing in them but vtter frowardnesse, and that they must be faine to resorte vntounto God, and to betake themselues wholy to his mercy. And forasmuch as there is none other meane but Iesus Christ: they must get them thither, and know that God will bee neither father nor Sauiour vntounto them, but by accepting them in the person of him in whome hee auoweth all his delight to bee.Mat. 3.…17.5.… Eph. … Thus the thinges which wee hauehave to remember vponupon this text, are, first that if we will hauehave God to allow of our lyfe, wee must not doe what wee thinke good of our selues, but simply follow that which is commaunded vsus in his Lawe. Howbeit forasmuch as it is promised vsus, that wee shall bee taken for righteous before him, if wee keepe his Lawe: and yet notwithstanding, all of vsus are trāsgressors of ye law, so as our whole lyfe condēneth vsus, & there is none of vsus but hee may iudge by ye Rom. …heartbitings of his owne conscience, that wee bee full of sinnes and offences: we must flee to ye forementioned refuge which is, to beseech God to iustifye vsus of his owne free merciemercy. And besides this, when wee bee once graffed into the body of our Lorde Iesus Christ, let vsus not doubt but hee will make vsus partakers of the fruite of his death and passion,Ro. … so that although our workes be sinfull, yet God will admit them: for righteous. But yet, that proceedeth of his free goodnesse, and not of any desert of ours. Finally forasmuch as wee knowe that the best workes which wee can doe, are worthie to bee condemned: let vsus looke well to it that wee presume not of our selues, not of our owne vertues: but let vsus go and submit our selues with all humilitie to our God,1. P… praying him to worke so in vsus by his holy spirit, as hee make the death and passion of his sonne auaileable, whereby the euerlasting saluation is purchased for vsus.
And now let vsus kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes, praying him to voutsafe to print his Law in such wise in our heartes, as wee may bee able to keepe it, not of our owne power and motion, but by the guiding of his holy spirit: and that therewithall it may please him to beare with vsus in our infirmities, vntill hee hauehave rid vsus quite & cleane of al our sinnes, & taken vsus vp into the euerlasting kingdome which hee hath promised vsus. And so let vsus all say, A mighty God &c.