Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 79
On Fryday the xxvij. of September. 1555. The Lxxix. Sermon which is the sixth vponupon the eleuenth Chapter.
26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing & a curse.
27 A blessing if ye obey the commandements of the Lord your God which I commaund you this day.
28 And likewise a curse if ye obey not the commandements of the Lorde your God, but turne out of the way which I cōmaunde you this day, to go after strange gods which ye know not.
29 And when the Lord your God shal hauehave brought you into the land which thou goest vntounto to possesse it: then shalt thou set the blessing vponupon mount Garizim, & the curse vponupon mount Eball.
30 Are they not on the other side of Iordan, on the west side in the lande of the Cananites, which dwel in ye plaine ouer against Gilgal, beside the groue of Moreh?
31 For ye shall passe ouer Iordan, to go & possesse the lande which the Lorde your God giueth you: and you shall possesse it & dwell therein.
32 Take heede therefore, & perfourme all the ordinances & lawes which I set before you this day.
THE protestation that Moses maketh here, serueth to shewe yt men themselues are the cause of all their miseries, & that it is not for them to seeke the blame therof any where else. And on ye other side, that when God declareth his will vntounto vsus, the way of welfare is shewed vsus, & it is long of our selues yt our life is not happie in al respects throughout. So then, the meaning of Moses is, yt God doth men a singular good turne, when hee vouchsafeth to teach them by his word. For whē they hauehave the record of his wil, it is as good as a shewing of them howe to attaine to saluation, & how to prosper in this transitorie life. Contrarywise also they be warned yt if they fare not ye better by the doctrine that is deliuered vntounto them, vnhappie are they, & they hauehave not cause to cō plaine of God afterward as though it were long of him; for they had choyce. Therefore when we hauehave beene instructed in Gods worde, & knowen ye true & pure religion: if we hold not on through out, all the blame is to be layed vponupon our selues. For God had shewed vsus the good way; & we held it not, ne kept our selues in it. Needes therefore must we be barred from al excuse, and God must hold vsus as conuicted for that we had leuer to perish wilfully, & to go to destruction, than submit our selues to him who was willing to hauehave led vsus to life & saluation. For this cause Moses sayeth, Behold, this day do I set before you a blessing & a curse. As if he should say; Bethinke your selues: Seeing yt God hath commanded me to publish his lawe, it is not for you to fall asleepe: For on the one side hee sheweth you howe you may prosper all your life long: namely by obeying him. On the contrarie part thinke not to scape scotfree when ye shall hauehave disobeyed your God; such vnthākfulnes shal not abide vnpunished. For God must needes be reuenged of such as hauehave refused his doctrine & made no reckening of it.
So then, first we be done to vnderstand that ye hauing of the knowledge of Gods will is an inestimable treasure. All of vsus are desirous to lead a happie life, but there is no meane for vsus to attain to it, vnlesse God open vsus the gate to come vntounto him. If it be alleged, How then? Shal not men be blessed, if they indeuour to do wel? Wil not God accept all their seruice when he sees them go on with a good intent? Let vsus marke first of all, that men may (to their own seeming) hauehave as greate deuotion as is possible, & yet they shall but erre. To weene that we do wel is not all that we hauehave to do. We must be sure yt the way which wee take is no bypath, but the way that leadeth straight forth vntounto God. Ye see then that we cannot bee sure of any blessing, that is to say, that our liues please God, and that the seruice which wee doe him is wel liked of; vntil he hauehave shewed vsus what he requireth & what he alloweth. For so long as we walke after our own imagination, wee go the clean contrarie way; & in stead of going forward wee go back. Marke that for one point. Againe, for the second point, when we hauehave done all, yet is God nothing beholden to vsus for it. What oweth he vntounto vsus? [Nothing.] Now then al that we can hope for is by reason of the promise yt he maketh vntounto vsus, & by telling vsus that if wee keepe his law, we shal not lose our labour nor be disappointed, but we shall hauehave a good rewarde at his hand. Gods saying so, is the ground from whence the blessing springeth that Moses speaketh here. And it is the same thing that S. Paul telleth vsus,… where he presupposeth yt euen before ye law, men could not deserue any thing: & not without cause For if wee had done all that which were possible for vsus to do, (as I said afore) were it possible for vsus to deserue aught at Gods hande? No: for wee owe it him eueryevery whit of it, & he oweth nothing vntounto vsus. And so yee see why Moses sayeth here, yt when the lawe was published, then was a blessing set before the people. As if he should say, Heretofore ye hauehave knowen no rule, ye hauehave beene as the wretched infidels which go on at all aduenture & hauehave no certeintie to trust vntounto. But now hath your God gathered you to him, & shewed you ye right way. Therfore ye way for you to leade a happie life is to obey the wil of your God.
Also here is a promise added to it, whereby the people might bee in the better hope yt God would blesse them. It is al one then with yt which I hauehave told you alreadie, namely yt God is verie gracious to vsus, in shewing vsus after what manner we ought to lead our life. For without that, wee might martyr our selues as much as we lifted, & yet it should be to no purpose. Wherefore let vsus beware that we receiue the word the more reuerently which is preached vntounto vsus in his name, specially seeing it bringeth vsus a blessing, not only in yt we learne therby to know what Gods wil is, & how to liue in his fauour; but also for that hee bindeth himselfe of his own good wil: insomuch yt although no duetie compell him thereto; yet vouchsafeth he to couenant with vsus in such sort, as we shal not serue him in vaine. But here a mā might cast a dout, how it commeth to passe that Moses speaking of the law, sayth that he setteth forth a blessing? For (as was declared yesterday) whatsoeuer God promiseth vsus in his lawe, wee fare neuer a whit the better by it, because of the conditiō that goeth with it, which is that ye promise of his blessing is tyed to performing of his commandemēts. But no man doth that; & therfore are we al disappointed of the promise of the lawe, by reason of the vnpossibilitie of the condition. It should seeme then yt Moses speakes to no purpose in this text, in promising a blessing to the people. And in deede wee heare how S. Paul speketh of it.Rom. 4.15. & 7.14. He saith yt the law bringeth nothing but Gods wrath & vengeance; for it rebuketh eueryevery one of vsus, so as there is none of vsus all that is righteous, neither hath euer any man bin. All of vsus then are conuicted by the lawe,Psal. 14.3. as transgressors against Gods righteousnes; & so be wee in danger of endles death. Sith it is so: it followeth yt the law of it selfe can do no more but shewe vsus that we be accursed of our God, & that he is our deadly enemie & must needs be our Iudge. And where is then the blessing that Moses speakes of here? The answere hereto is this; that if we looke no further but what we be in our own frowarde nature, in respect of the sinne yt we hauehave drawen from Adam: the law can doe nothing but curse vsus. For whereas God sheweth vsus what our righteousnes ought to be; if we fall to the examining of our liues; we shal find yt we hauehave offended him in eueryevery point, & therfore we be past hope. Yea, but yt springeth not of the nature of ye law,Rom. 7.14. & ….7. but of our own sinfulnes, in yt we are stubborne against God, so that in steede of obeying him, wee indeuour altogether to follow our own wicked lustes. The lawe then as in respect of our selues, bringeth nothing but wrath & death. But as in respect of it selfe, surely it bringeth blessing. For were we as we ought to be, that is to wit, were we so sound & vncorrupted yt we were as throughly disposed to serue God as was our forefather Adam by creation before his fall: the lawe should bring vsus his blessing. For why? It sheweth vsus that we must louelove God with all our heart. When wee be once ioyned vntounto him, & when wee bee once knit vntounto him in all perfection of goodnesse, of ioy, of life, & of glorie; then shal this saying bee found true. For were we of nature good & right, we should be answerable to this doctrine, & wee should obserue it: & so should this blessing be performed towards vsus. Wherof is it long yt as now the law bringeth vsus nothing but death & damnation? Euen for that wee be not able to receiue the promises yt are conteined there. Our Lorde saith, Come ye to mee, & I will fill you full of all goodnes; & we shrinke quite & cleane from him. So is it not long of the doctrine. Wherof then? Euen of our selues. Where is the fault to bee found? In the law? No: but in our owne selues. Now then let vsus mark, that whereas Moses protesteth here ye he setteth a blessing before ye people, his so doing is not without cause.
But here it might be replyed, that although our own sin be the let that we be not made partakers of ye blessing that is behighted in ye lawe to enioy it; yet notwithstanding, for asmuch as wee be vtterly excluded from it; it is in vaine for him to say, I set before you a blessing. That is not so: For we hauehave two points to note. The one is, that Gods speaking after that maner concerning his word, is to the ende yt we should hauehave it in reuerence & estimation, & also louelove it & set our harts vponupon it; & moreouer fall to the considering of our owne cursednes, so as we might be humbled & cast downe, & be sorie when we see our benefite turned to our bane, & our life into death because we be not disposed to receiue it. But God shall hauehave wunne nothing at our handes by letting vsus alone there: wee must be faine to go one step further. Forasmuch as we see our selues bereft of the blessing of the law so long as it continueth but a dead letter;2. Cor. 3.6. that is to say, so long as it doth but only tel vsus what wee should do, & giueth vsus not power to do it in deede: wee must resort to our Lord Iesus Christ, whose office is to write the thinges in our heartes which God had written in stones,2. Cor. 3.3. that hee may make vsus willing to obey, in steede of our swaruing aside to ye contrarie. Againe, our Lord Iesus Christ hath deserued this blessing for vsus; that wee might henceforth be receiued into fauour for his sake, & our workes be accepted at Gods hande though they be nothing worth of themselues. For we come not as eueryevery man in his own person, nor as they yt had performed the law thēselues: but we come in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ, as members of his bodie. Ye see then that the blessing is perfourmed in vsus by seeking the remedie which we want, which is that whereas God hath promised to blesse men vponupon condition, forasmuch as the same booteth vsus not, there is added another point of fauour, which is that he receiueth vsus for his sonnes sake,Ier. 31.34. & 36.26.29. & writing his lawe in our harts, imputeth not our sins vntounto vsus; by meanes wherof we faile not to bee partakers of the blessing that is contained here, though we be not able to performe the law, but that the same passe our abilitie. Marke that for one point.
Now let vsus come to yt which Moses sayth concerning ye curse. He sayth yt like as the law offereth vsus Gods fauor, which is the blessing yt tendeth to our welfare; so also we must not set light by the threatnings yt are set-downe there. For if we giuegive deafe eare to Gods speaking, so as our harts rancle against it through stubbornesse, or yt we play the scoffers which turne all thinges to laughter:2. Cor. 2.15.16. let vsus beare this in mind, that howsoeuer the world go, Gods worde shall either be our life or our death, there shall not so much as one word therof fall to the ground. Such as benefite themselues by ye things yt are told them on gods behalf, shall find yt the doctrine serueth to their saluation: And on the other side, the despisers thereof, & such as refuse to be taught by it, must yeeld an account thereof, and they shall feele yt no one iote of it shalbe lost, neither is to be despised. For should the thing be vndone & vanish away wtout effect, which passeth out of ye mouth of God? No. And therefore let vsus marke well, yt if men cannot find in their hearts to vse Gods doctrine to their benefite when he sendeth it vntounto them; it shal turne to their euerlasting death, & their damnation wilbee doubled, because they held scorne of the benefite yt was profered them. And this is very needfull for vsus. For we see how men dally with Gods word; & they yt cast it not quite & cleane away, do thinke themselues to be more than half perfect; because they becom not vtter enemies to fight against it, they beare thē selues in hand yt God ought to hold himself contented with it. But think we that God wil suffer so good a thing to perish? He offered vsus life, and we refused it: and doeth not such vnkindnes deserue horrible vengeance? Againe, God setteth more store by his own honor, than by the saluation of our soules. And good reasō it is yt he shonld. Now he hath shewed vsus after what manner he wilbee glorified by vsus, & wee make no account of it but reiect it vtterly. And therfore let vsus consider wel, yt if we receiue not the blessing of Gods worde, yt is to say, if it serue not to reconcile vsus to him, yt we may take him for our father: we must (spite of our teeth) feele him our iudge, & his worde must condemne vsus. Wheras it should hauehave ben a witnes of his louelove towards vsus to bring vsus to saluation, & to the inheritāce of ye kingdom of heauen: it must become an inditement to passe vpō our liues, so as we shalbe accursed in this present life, & after our death Gods vengeance shal pursue vsus for euer, because we obeyd not gods word when it was preached & set forth to vsus.
Now then, seeing yt God telleth vsus yt this is ye conuenient time,Esa. 49.8. & yt he calleth vsus vntounto him: let vsus learne, let vsus learne I say to go to him and to make hast, least this threat light vponupon vsus, that we be cursed for our wickednes, in yt we listed not to receiue ye benefite that was offered vsus. And specially nowadayes we ought to be ye more prouoked therunto, because our fathers of old time had not the like occasion. It is true that Moses might wel say he offered ye blessing to those people in ye law: But we in these dayes hauehave the blessing set forth more openly in ye Gospel. The promises at yt time were dark, & they pointed at Iesus Christ, howbeit a farre off. They yeelded some smal tast of life; but wee at this day hauehave our fill of it, so as god giueth vsus euen his hart there without omitting of any thing, to ye intent to make vsus to perceiue his inestimable louelove, therby to draw vsus & to win vsus vntounto him. Sith it is so, yt the law sheweth vsus it aloofe, & ye gospel bringeth it neerer to vsus: let vsus not bee so frowarde as to shrinke away as though we would needs spite God of purpose to be cursed: but let vsus rather imbrace the blessing which costeth vsus nothing as they say: For there is no more for vsus to doe but to receiue it willingly, according to ye promise which he maketh vsus, saying: Opē thy mouth & I wil fil it.Psal. 81.…. And for ye same cause also doth S. Paul say, Now are ye acceptable dayes, now are ye dayes of saluatiō; shewing how ye same is to be applyed to y• preaching of ye Gospel. His alledging of that text of Esayes is as he should say, Our Lords desire is nothing else but to do ye office of a sauiour among vsus: & therfore suffer him to shew himself such a one. Againe, let vsus vnderstand yt we neede not to seeke farre for him; for he offereth himself to vsus before we once thinke of him, to make vsus perceiue his fatherly kindnes & goodnes. And on the contrary parte, when he threateneth vsus & is minded to make vsus feele his rigour; he runneth not vponupon vsus at ye first dash, neither lifteth he vp his hand by and by to strike vsus: but only sheweth it vsus first aloofe. Yet notwithstanding, howsoeuer he fare, let vsus mark yt the Gospel is neuer preached, but yt he witnesseth on ye one side yt he is readie to receiue men to mercy, & to open them ye gate of his kingdō, yt they may go into it: & on the other side that if they be stubborne & wilful in their wickednes, it shal not boote thē to think to escape, or to ween yt the word shalbe vaine & to no purpose: for god wil always giuegive it force & power. What to doe? To destroy those yt hauehave so refused it, & trodē it vnderunder foot, & made a mocke of it, & openly resisted it. Now by the way we must call to minde again what I hauehave touched already heretofore in following Moseses discourse: namely yt God promiseth not any blessing but to such as obey his cōmandements: like as on ye other side he threateneth none but such as turne away from him, And therby he sheweth that men may well take much paine, but they shal but lose their labour if they rule not themselues according to the lawe. Here ye see how al ye deuotions yt men deuise, are cast down. Moses saith they be vtterly frutelesse. In deede ye Papists, Turks & Iewes doe perswade themselues, yt they deserue much at Gods hande by their doing of things vppon their own head, whē they be able to say; I take it to be very good. They beare themselues in hand yt they come very neere to God by their wādring in their windlasses after yt fashion. But on ye contrary parte wee see, yt God promiseth not any thing but to such as obey his word. Therfore if we intēd to be vndisappointed of our hope, let vsus seeke to knowe Gods wil by asking it at his own mouth, & therupō let vsus simply obey whatsoeuer he telleth vsus. For as long as men rule themselues after their own imaginations, or after ye traditions of men; it is no obedience, but a displeasing of God, & he wil not admit it to come in their account. Thus much for the first point cōcerning this blessing.
On ye contrarie, how much soeuer mē repine at it, setting themselues against vsus, yea & condemning vsus for our refusing to follow their foolish inuentions; God acquiteth vsus here, for he threateneth none but such as rebel against him. Nowadays ye Pope thundreth against vsus, because wee wil not be subiect to him as other do, which hold downe their neckes vntounto him and yeeld themselues in bondage to him like wretched beastes.
True it is yt their imagining that he hath power to ding vsus down to the deepe pit of hell, is ye thing yt amazeth them, & maketh the rude and ignorāt sort to quake. But forasmuch as we heare it at the mouth of our God, yt we neede not to be afraid except we hauehave disobeyed him: let vsus hold vsus to it, & be bold to laugh al the popes manaces to scorne, for they be no better than the rattling of a bladder with a fewe beanes in it to scarre a yong babe withal. In deed it makes a great noise: but yet it is but a toy. And euen in like case is it with all the manacings that men can make.
But here is yet one other saying wel worthy to be noted. Moses saith that the curse shal come vponupon the people when they turne away from their GOD to serue straunge Gods and such as they hauehave not knowen. Here againe he sheweth yt they which hauehave bin rightly taught, are much more blamewoorthie than the wretched infidels. For they spite God maliciously & wilfully: they offend not any more of ignorance, but turne aside wilfully frō ye way yt God had willed them to walke in, & seeme to make warre against him of set purpose: by means wherof they make their condemnation the grieuouser. And therfore let vsus marke well, that wee which hauehave receiued ye doctrine of the Gospell, shalbe lesse excusable than ye papists, if we obey not our God. For the papistes holde on stil their old trade, they be gone astray like sillie beasts, & all that euer they do is but filth & abhomination. This is true. And yet do we for our partes much worse in turning away from our God, after his comming vntounto vsus, & yt hee had brought vsus nigh vntounto himselfe. And Moses saith expressely; The Gods which you hauehave not knowen. Wherein he rebuketh the malice of men, in that they had leuer to follow ye vncertaine than the certaine. True it is yt we hauehave a cleane contrarie ground in nature. For if a man be demanded whether he had leuer to be sure of a thing or to be doutful of it; He wil alwaies say he had leuer be sure of it. And yet for all that, we seeme all of vsus to striue who may bee most wauering, doutful, & vncerteine of his soul-health, & yet notwithstanding what is there that we should make more account of? And God is readie to assure vsus of it, warranting vsus it by his word, so as we cannot faile of it, if we obey him. We heare it, & can God ly? No: & therfore let vsus go on as he hath cōmanded vsus. Nay, we be loth to do so. And what do we in steed therof? I trow, I weene. Loe at what point we be! Let vsus see howe the papists do. When they should pray vntounto god, this one good point they hauehave, that they knowe themselues vnworthie to prease vntounto him. That is true.Ioh. 14.13. & 1. Ioh. 2.1. But behold, our Lord giueth vsus a remedy, which is, that our Lord Iesus Christ shalbee our spokesman: so as if he intreat for vsus, we shalbe admitted & God wil heare all our prayers. It is the thing which the holy scripture assureth vsus of euerywhere. But what do the Papistes? I am not worthie to prease vntounto God (say they) & therefore I wil go seeke to the virgin Marie, S. Michael, & S. Peter: & therupon they deuise & set vp a great sort of Saints at their own pleasure. And what a dealing is that? Sure we be that our Lord Iesus Christ wil not faile vsus: for as much as it is his office appointed him of his father; hee will discharge it. And why then do we not go rightforth vntounto him? He wilbe a good stay for vsus. Com vntounto me saith he,Matt. 11.18. alluring vsus gently. Againe wee hauehave promises innumerable, that if we resort vntounto him we shal not be disappointed of that which we hope for: & yet for all this wee leane to our own weening, & we say, to my seeming I were best to go to S. Michael or to our Lady. And so we fall to forsaking the certaintie yt God hath giuen vsus, to ketch an vncerteintie: and in likewise wise deale we with al ye rest. For in seruing God according to his law, we be sure that our seruice shabe wel taken. But the Papistes fall to inuenting of this & that, & leaue the law of God: & is not that a forsaking of the certaine to followe an vncertaine? Yes, & that is against nature. Therefore it appeareth yt we be blinded by Satan. For we hauehave the cleane contrarie in vsus by nature. We hauehave with ynough to say, I would faine be assured & we bee loth to hazard our selues at all aduenture: & yet in this case we be so mad, that neither ropes nor chaines can hold vsus. My alleaging of these examples is to shewe after what sort wee should put this doctrine in vre: for it falleth out yt men hauehave wilfully estranged themselues from God in al cases. Howso? For whereas God hath discouered himselfe vntounto them; they hauehave not vouchsafed to hold themselues to him, but rather hauehave busied themselues about their own dreams & dotages. In deed they wil easily say, We know there is but one god ye maker of heauen & earth: but in ye meane while they hatch a whole swarm of other gods, as we may wel perceiue by ye idols which they hauehave forged.Rom. 1.21. And wherof commeth that? Euen of this, yt wheras men knew God, yet they hauehave had no list to glorifie him, but hauehave wandred away after their own imagination, by meanes whereof they be turned away from him. And at such time as God gaue his law, ye blessing was more darksom than it is nowadays in ye time of ye Gospel. Beholde, God doth not onelyonly report himself to be ye maker of heauen & earth; but also because he is incomprehensible, & his maiestie passeth all our vnderstanding: he will hauehave vsus to looke vponupon him in his liuely image, that is to wit in our Lord Iesus Christ.2. Cor. 3.18. & 4.4.6. He is the sonne of god, which hath shewed himself so familiarly, yt we may be sure ynough that we worship the liuing God forasmuch as we knowe that the whole fulnesse of glorie & of ye Godhead dwelleth in him.Col. 2.9. Esa. 25.9. That is the cause also why ye Prophet Esay speaking of him, saith, Lo this is he, lo this is our god. If the case stoode so with the fathers of olde time, yt it behoueth them to stand vpō a certeintie euen in the time of the law, so as God woulde not hauehave his people hang in dout, but that they should be certified of as much as was for their behoofe & benefit: much more ought we to bee sure nowadayes. For we hauehave a larger discouerie of things in our Lord Iesus Christ, so as ye voyce of the prophet Esay; Lo this is he; lo this is our God, ought to sound continually in our eares; by reason wherof it is not for any man to turn away from it, nor to runne gadding at rouers, nor to reele one way or other; but we must knowe & assure our selues yt we hauehave ye ful & perfect mesure of al wisdome, if we can hold vsus to Iesus Christ, & to the things which his doctrine teacheth vsus. But herein we see how the wretched world gaddeth vp & downe, eueryevery man trotting after his own way, so as eueryevery mans will is to go astray: & yet notwithstanding we shield our selues with ignorance. When we hauehave shut our eyes after yt fashion against ye light, when we hauehave stopped our eares against ye doctrin of saluation, whē we hauehave turned our backs vponupon him at his shewing of his face, & whē we hauehave spit at him for his reaching of hand vntounto vsus: yet we fall stil to excusing of our selues by ignorance. So then the thing which we hauehave to remember here in this place, by Gods vpbraiding of men with their turning away from his word when it is preached vntounto them; is that their so doing is through a diuelish stubbornes, & yt (euen by ye witnes of their own consciēces) it is a worshipping of gods which they hauehave not knowwen. For our faith must not be vncerteine, it must not be an opinion or weening, but it must bring a sure knowledge with it. And what maner of knowledge? Truely as in respect of our own wit & reason, if we intend to come vntounto god, we must worship him wt all humilitie, & remēber that his secrets surmount our vnderstāding. But yet here withall it behoueth vsus to stande vppon so sure a ground, euen by knowledge; as our owne consciences may beare record of it, & wee bee able to say with S Iohn,1. Iohn 3.2. we wote well yt we be ye children of God. Lo here what the true Religion is. It is not an vnaduised zeale, or a liking that men cast to this thing or that: but a sure knowen doctrine grounded vponupon Gods trueth, wherethrough we be able to say yt it is he which hath spoken to vsus, & yt he is a faithfull witnesse of ye things yt are for our welfare & saluation And againe, whatsoeuer we alleage, wee shall alwayes abide conuicted of our malice. So that when wee hauehave once beene taught ye word of God, if wee afterwarde worship gods whom we hauehave not knowen, if we swarue aside to any superstition, or if we continue not in ye pure simplicitie of ye holy scripture: surely we shal iustly be accused to hauehave had strange Gods, & to hauehave bin forgers of them, as folke yt louelove the vntrueth better than ye trueth. According wherunto S. Paul speaking of all such as obeyed not the Gospel,…. 1.25.28. saith it is good reason they shold be striken with horrible blindnes, & that forasmuch as they honored not the creator, it was meete that they should become vnderlings to the creatures, yt is to say, to the things which they had dreamed in their own fond braine & foolish fancies. Now thē seeing yt our God hath taught vsus, let vsus learn to hold our selues at a stay to his word, & to vnderstand in what maner he hath shewed himself vntounto vsus; & let vsus benefite our selues by al the records which he giueth vsus, & beware yt we wander not one way or other, ne followe not our owne leasings. For there wilbe no excuse for such as would not be certified of God when he was readie to do it.
Now in the end Moses addeth, that when the people were come into the land of promise, they shoulde diuide their companie in two partes: the one halfe vpō mount Garizim, & the other halfe vponupon mount E…all: & that they which should bee vppon mount Garizim, should pronounce the blessings; & that those which should be vponupon mount Ebal, should pronounce the curses, which thing wee see was done accordingly. For this commandement shalbee rehearsed yet againe in the 27. Chapter of this booke.De…t. 27.… & Ios. 3.… And Iosua in his eyghth Chapter declareth yt he had obeyed the cōmandement of Moses. The effect of ye storie is, that when ye people were entred into ye land, they should meete with two mountaines, ye one called Hebal & ye other Garizim. Now god had commanded yt one part of ye people, namely certaine tribes, shold be on ye one side on mount Garizim; & yt the rest of the tribes should be vpō mount Hebal, & yt the Leuites shold stand in the middes of ye host bearing the Ark of God, to shew yt God was chiefe souerein there, & that the Leuites were as witnesses or sureties to vndertake matters in ye behalf of the people, like as if there were two parties to make som solemne match or couenant, a notarie or register is present to take an othe betwixt them: euen so God had ordeyned yt the people shoulde be there to heare & receiue ye doctrine of saluation, & yt they should answere on their part, as in ye passing of som solemn contract; to ye end they might knowe vponupon what condition God had chosen thē & preferred thē before al other nations of ye earth, as shalbe shewed hereafter in the foresaid 27. Chapter. And what were ye blessings? They were a rehersal of ye same thing that God had spoken afore: namely, al such as keepe my law shalbe blessed; Al such as worship me with a pure conscience shalbe blessed; all such as hallow my name, shalbe blessed: al such as obey their fathers & mothers, shalbee blessed: all yt liue chastly shalbe blessed: all yt abstaine from deceit, extortion, & al maner of euil, shalbe blessed. God then on his parte promised blessing after yt maner. Hereunto the people answered, Amen, Amen: yt is to say, So be it: whereby they ratified yt which had been spoken by the mouth of God. Again, on ye contrarie part, ye curses were vttered on mount Hebal in this wise: Cursed be he yt turneth aside after strange gods: Cursed be he yt dishonoreth his father or his mothe…: Cursed be hee that offendeth in theft or in whoredom: Cursed be he yt performeth not all ye cōmandements conteined in this booke. Amen, Amen, said ye people. When the curses were vttered after yt fashion, it behoueth eueryevery man to answer Amē. And so ye see what is said in this text.
Now let vsus mark yt by that meanes god ment to touch ye people neerer to ye quicke, by their agreing to such a couenant. And the same belongeth vntounto vsus. For although wee hauehave not ye same cerermonie yt was obserued at yt time, yet hauehave we ye trueth howsoeuer the world go: & whensoeuer Gods word is preached vntounto vsus, although we receiue it not, yet shal it not fal to ye grounde, but it shal light vpō our heads spite of our teeth, & it shalbe an intolerable burthen to sink vsus down to ye bottom of hel. Therfore when we receiue gods word into our harts, let beware yt we like wel of it & yt we ratifie the promise of our saluatiō which he maketh vsus. Nowe hee adopteth vsus to be his children; and if we be his children we be also his heires. Therfore when we imbrace the preached word by faith & obedience, although our mouth speake not a worde, yet doe wee confirme Gods truth to our saluation, according to this saying of S. Iohns, that as many as beleeue in the only sonne of God,Iohn 3.33. hauehave set to their seales that God is true. Thus ye see howe the full measure of our saluation and of the promise is accomplished & hath his full effect & power, when we on our side do aunswere rightly Amen. And although it be not spoken with the mouth, yet let the heart say it for yt is the chiefe point. True it is that if there be faith in the heart, the mouth must needes agree vntounto it also; according to this saying of the Psalme,Psal. 116.10 & 2. Cor. 4.13. I did beleeue, and therfore will I speake, which saying, is alledged likewise by S. Paul to the Corinthians. But my speaking at this time is of the ceremonie; namely yt although wee hauehave not a mount Garizim & a mount Heball among vsus; although we assemble not together into one cōpanie, to seuer our selues into two hostes, and although there be not a visible Arke among vsus; yet is Gods once declaring therof inough for vsus, & his once setting downe of a memoriall thereof before vsus is sufficient for vsus, to make vsus know yt ye same belongeth to vsus at this day, & yt the preaching of the Gospell vntounto vsus in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ, is all one as if wee confirmed God to be our father by our saying Amen. That is ye very meane wherby we be receiued to be his children, & wherby we be assured of the inheritance of the kingdom of heauen. For otherwise, how were it possible that we wretched creatures should attaine to such dignitie, as yt God should vouchsafe to win vsus by gentlenes, & vtter ye good louelove that he beareth vsus, & be willing to hauehave vsus to be his, to the ende yt he might be owner of vsus? Must it not needs be yt we be worse than froward if we benefit not ourselues by such grace? Yes, & therfore let vsus learn to answere Amen willingly, when our Lord behighteth vsus his blessinges. For on the contrary part, although wee harden our hearts & shut our eyes, yea & grind our teeth at God as it were in rage & dispite of him: yet must there follow an Amen therupō, which shall burn vsus like a searingyron, wherby God wil shew yt his word is as a burning fire to consume all thinges, so as we must needs feele ye inward scalding therof when God vttereth ye power of his word, by reason whereof we shalbe in continuall vnquietnes & torment for euer, if he set himselfe against vsus. Yet for all this ye faithfull must answere Amē, as well to the blessings as the cursings. Amen, by imbracing ye grace yt God offereth vsus. Doth God offer himselfe so vntounto vsus? Cōmeth he to seeke vsus out when we be vtterly lost & forlorne? Doth he come downe to these horrible miseries wherein we be plundged? Well, then it is our duetie to go vntounto him, and not to be so frowarde as to drawe back when he allureth vsus so gently. Thus ye see how we must answere Amen to the blessings, by imbracing ye grace of the holy Ghost, yt we may be guided & gouerned by it, & made acceptable to our God, by fashioning our life after the rule ye he hath giuen vsus, in resting vponupon ye grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, wherby he is reconciled vntounto vsus, & accepteth vsus for righteous, insomuch yt although we be sinners, yet he receiueth vsus for his sonnes sake, & couereth al our sins & vices. After that sort therfore must wee answere Amen, that our Lorde may performe all the free promises which he hath made vntounto vsus.
Also we must aunswere Amen to ye curses. For why? We hauehave such a number of contrarieties in vsus, as is pity to see. Although God hauehave giuen vsus a good desire to receiue his word, & y• we receiue it in deede; yet do we it not to the full. For wee drag our legges after vsus; there is alwayes some gainstriuing in vsus; we hauehave still some remnantes of our flesh; & besides that, there is too too much stubornes in vsus, so as we be like asses yt hauehave need to be driuen forwarde by force. And therefore I sayd yt we must answere Amen to ye curses. When we see yt God will hauehave vsus to passe through ye afflictions of this worlde, & through the cares yt are vponupon earth: Let thē prouoke vsus to repaire vntounto him, and let vsus assure ourselues yt oftentimes his causing of vsus to feele his curse, is for our benefit. Moreouer let vsus consider thus with ourselues: Alas, if God curse all such as transgresse his comā dementes; what shall become of me? Now then let euerie of vsus finde such fault with himselfe, as we may patiently indure whatsoeuer it pleaseth God to lay vponupon vsus in this present life. Thus our pronouncing of the curses must be to ye end that they light not vpō vsus.1. Cor. 11.38 For they yt quicken vp thē selues after yt maner, shalbe set free from the curses. And let vsus mark by the way, yt when we shall not hauehave performed all ye cōmandements of the lawe, we hauehave a remedie for it in our Lord Iesus Christ, for otherwise we shold be accursed euerychone of vsus, according to this alegation of saint Pauls to the Galathians:Gal. 3.10. Cursed are they yt performe not the whole Lawe to the full. Whereupō he concludeth, yt all men are cursed of God as in respect of their owne workes, and yt if we will be iustified by our owne desertes, we must go seeke our payment in hell. For God hath shot out one thunderbolt against all mankinde,Deut. 27.26. in saying, cursed be all they yt perform not the whole Law. But no man performeth it. Euen ye holiest men in the world are indebted in yt behalfe. So then S. Paul rightly concludeth, yt we be all accursed in ourselues. But yet he sendeth vsus to our Lorde Iesus Christ, & telleth vsus yt forasmuch as he is giuen vntounto vsus, we be set free from ye rigor of the Law: so yt whereas God as now doth teach vsus his will, telling vsus what way we should walke, & setting before vsus both his promises & his threatnings: although our liues be still vnperfect, yet wil he not cease to accept vsus, so wee hauehave recourse to him which hath supplied our want. For our Lord Iesus Christ hath made such satisfaction by ye sacrifice of his death; yt God accepteth it in full paymēt to coueral our faults. Therfore let vsus repaire thither, & let vsus so plundge ourselues in it, as we may be clensed & scoured frō al our spots. Which thing will come to passe, if we learne to walke in humilitie and feare before our God, & abuse not his goodnesse & patience. For yt is the meane to make vsus acceptable vntounto him, so as his curses shal be turned frō our heads, & his grace & blessing so increased after he hath once vttred the same, as it shal growe cōtinually in vsus, vntil it be come to the full perfection.
Nowe let vsus kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults, praying him &c.