Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 100
On Fryday the viij. of Nouember. 1555. The C. Sermon which is the fourth vponupon the sixteenth Chapter.
13 Thou shalt keepe the feast of Tabernacles seuen dayes, after thou hast gathered in thy corne feeldes and thy vineyardes.
14 And thou shalt reioyce in the feast, thou, thy sonne, thy daughter, thy manseruant, and thy woman seruant, the Leuite, the straunger, the fatherles, & the widowe which are within thy gates.
15 Seuen dayes shalt thou keepe the feast to the Lorde thy God, in the place which the Lord shall hauehave chosen: for the Lord thy God, will blesse thee in al thy fruites, and in all the workes of thy handes: and therefore shalt thou reioyce.
16 Three times a yeare shall all thy males appeare before the Lord thy God in the place which the Lord wil choose: that is to wit, in the feast of vnleauened bread, in the feast of Weekes, and in the feast of Tabernacles: and none shall appeare emptie before the face of the Lord.
17 But euerie man shal giuegive according to his abilitie, euen according to the blessing of the Lord thy God, which he shall hauehave giuen thee.
WE hauehave here to treate of the feast of Tabernacles, which was a memoriall of Gods preseruing of the Iewes in the wildernesse, where was no house. For he had kept them by the space of fortie yeares vnderunder Tentes, and small boothes; the cause wherof was that he had so remoued them from place to place, that they had no leasure to builde, nor stuffe wherewith to builde. Therefore it was meete that they should be put in remembrance of it, that being come into the lande of Chanaan, they should not giuegive themselues to iollitie, and forget it when God had set them at rest. For we see howe men are giuen to fall asleepe and to nestle themselues when our Lorde remooueth them not. To auoide this danger, it was Gods wil that ye Iewes shoulde yeare by yeare depart out of their houses and dwell in Tentes, that is to say vnderunder the open skie in arbers made of boughes, and for seauen dayes together minde that benefite. For it was an incredible thing that God shoulde hauehave preserued so great a multitude of people with their yong children, in boothes & tentes wtout houses. We knowe yt houses serue to keepe off both cold & heat and al other discōmodities. Needs therfore must it be yt god wrought after a wonderfull fashion, and it was meete that his goodnes should be acknowledge in that behalf. We see then nowe wherefore this feast was ordeyned vnderunder the lawe. For the seruing of God cōsisted not in ye peoples shifting of their places, for it had beene but a stage play, to hauehave come to Ierusalem, and there to pinch themselues, & to dwel a while in Cabanes, vnlesse it had beene to some ende, and that they had beene taught some thing whereby to magnifie Gods name, & to put their trust in him: accordingly as I hauehave declared heretofore that all ceremonies must implie some learning and instruction, or else they be but pelting baggage: ye a it is but a mocking of God, if the faithfull be not edified, that they may alwayes liue in the feare of God to rest vppon him and to call vppon him with the better courage. If it bee not so, it is but superstition: and the thinges are not onelyonly vnprofitable, but also abhominable before God. Nowe then the feast of Tabernacles was a traynment to the people of Israell, to shew them that if they were at rest and at their ease in the land of Chanaan, they had not alwayes beene so, but that God had led them after a straunge fashion through the wildernesse: and that if they were contented with Cabanes and arbers; it behoued them also to applie themselues to the praysing of God for his deliuering of them out of the Land of Egypt by so manie miracles. The Iewes as foolkes that woulde faine discharge themselues to Godwarde by hypocrisie, did indeede keepe the feast it selfe, but they lefte the meaning of him that had commaunded it. For euen at this day still they keepe the feast according to the letter, and they hauehave a number of pretie apes toyes which they obserue diligently. As, that their Cabanes be not too close, but made full of holes, nor that the boughes bee not too thicke platted, but so as a man may see the stars through them, and that there bee Loopeholes to looke vponupon the skie, so as the skie may glimse vppon their eyes. All of them (I say) doe vse such trifling toyes, but in the meane while they consider not whereunto God meant to direct them. By which example of theirs wee bee the better warned not to regarde the letter of the lawe: but to seeke the ende which God pointeth vsus too. And seeing that the Iewes had such instruction: let vsus consider what fruit we ought to reape nowadayes of the feast of Tabernacles. It is not nowe any more in vse that wee shoulde be bounde to the keeping thereof: but yet the doctrine thereof continueth still, and concerneth vsus as much or more than the Iewes. And our keeping of the feast of Tabernacles must not be for a weeke or twayne, but for all our life long. And why?…. 16 For if wee be not straungers in this worlde, we shall hauehave no part in the kingdome of heauen. Will we hauehave God to auowe vsus for his children? Let vsus keepe on our way here beneath, assuring our selues that this life of ours is but as a iourney, or rather but as a race. And it is not enough for vsus to goe, but wee must also runne a pace, holding on our way still to that ende, and alwayes straining our selues to atteyne vntounto it. For except we streine and inforce our selues we shal neuer get one steppe forward, but wee shall retyre fower backe for it. Agayne we see howe slow we be, and how manie meanes Satan hath to hinder vsus: and therefore we must euen fight against such impedimentes. And so let vsus marke, that the thinges which wee reade here in Moses, declare vntounto vsus that for asmuch as it was Gods will that the Iewes in the time of the lawe shoulde hauehave a weeke to put them in minde howe they had beene as pilgrims in the wildernesse, and that he had maintayned them there after a straunge fashion: we in these daies (because the figure is abolished) must repaire to the trueth, that is to say, wee must remember that God harboreth vsus in such sort in this world, as that he wil not hauehave vsus to nestle here, nor to be so intangled in it as to make it our euerlasting resting place, but to stie vpward still, and to bee here as birdes sitting vppon a bough. True it is that God is so fauourable to a great number, that they neuer remooue from home of all the time of their life, and yet they be neuer the lesse Christians for all that: but yet must not any man make him a nest vppon earth vppon imagination that he will rest here. Where as Saint Paul saith that he had no rest;2. Cor. 7.5. he meant it specially of himselfe and of certaine others of the faithfull, whome God tossed from post to piller. But as for the meaning of the mind, that must needes bee common to all the faithfull, namely that they hauehave no restingplace in this worlde. Although then that GOD do beare with some mens weakenesse, so as they neuer remoue out of the place where they were borne, but continue at home still in their owne houses: yet must they consider that they ought to bee alwayes readie and to hauehave one foote set forwarde, against the time that it shall please God to remoue them into some straunge countrie so as they make not their reckening to be so setled in any place, that they shoulde not departe from it, but rather bee readie to goe, whensoeuer GOD calleth to fleete anie whither else.
Againe, let those whome God remoueth vnderstande, that he giueth them the prerogatiue aforehande, to put the thing in vre which the holy scripture sheweth vsus:2. Cor. 5.6. Hebr. 11.13. namely, that we bee made pilgrims here beneath, to the intent wee shoulde hauehave our resting place in heauen: and let it confirme them so much the more in ye hope of ye life to come, so as they may pluck vp a good hearte when they bee so driuen from place to place, and not be too much greeued at it, because it is a warrant to them that God hath reserued a better resting place for them. After that manner ought all of vsus together to obserue the feast of Tabernacles. Let such as remooue not, thinke neuerthelesse, that they hauehave not any perpetuall state of abiding in anie place certaine, but must offer themselues to GOD to goe whithersoeuer it pleaseth him. And as for them yt are fain to remoue out of their countrie, and are drawen a farre off; let them vnderstande that Gods walking of them after that fashion in this worlde, is to the ende to drawe them out of it, and that they should not set their mindes vppon it. Yee see then howe with one common accorde, we shall make a good obseruation of this feast, I meane as spiritually. For nowadayes we hauehave not anie more the figures of the lawe: but yet must the trueth of the Gospell needes bee conformable to the figures that were among the fathers of olde time. And herewithall wee must also be readie to remooue a good pace, so as wee must not be tyed nor helde backe to this corruptible life, but goe to GOD with a free heart whensoeuer it pleaseth him to take vsus hence. And indeede, what house soeuer we dwel in in this world, our bodie is always going away. If a man be asked which is his cheef house, he will not goe seeke his chamber, nor his kitchen, nor any other of his houses of ease: but hee will say it is his bodie. Nowe let vsus consider what our bodies are. Wee may wel build vsus houses of square stone. Riche men make them pallaces, and laye all their lande about them thereto. Their building is substantiall, it is able to indure much, it is not to bee feared that it will rotte ouer hastily, nor that it will bee marde with winde or wether; neither is there anie thing in it to be altered: And though some hanginges of it bee to be remooued, that is all one; the walles are so good, that at a hundred yeares ende they bee as founde as they were at the first day. Well may a man make such a building: but can wee builde our bodies so, as they may be of any long continuance? No. Our Lord therefore doeth laughe those foolke to skorne, which are so blinde that they imagine they shal liue euer the longer for their building of their goodly houses, bearing themselues in hand that it is a meane to make them tarie ye longer time in this worlde. But (as I saide afore) all houses are nothing in comparison of our cheefe house, which is our bodie. If a man passe not for hys chamber, nor for his kitchen, nor for his parlour, but woulde go seeke some corner in his stable, and betake himselfe to that, saying, this is the surest and substanciallest place, I had leuer tarie here thā in anie other part of al my house: folke woulde laugh him to skorne as a foole. Likewise if a man be proude of his house, and hauehave no regarde of his owne person whereof he ought to make much greater account: it is euident, that he is out of his wits, and vtterly voide of reason. What is to be doone then? Wee must come backe to this lesson of Saint Paules,2. Cor. 5 1. that if our outwarde man decay, wee hauehave a building prepared for vsus in heauen. For this lodging of ours must decay, and fall quite downe, but yet shall wee be fully restored againe, and then shal wee dwell in an vncorruptible house. There Saint Paule sheweth vsus the thing that I spake of before, namely that our bodies (when we hauehave neuer so great account of them) are but as arbours made of Leaues, which are of no continuaunce: one blast of winde will blowe them quite and cleane downe. Seeing it is so, let vsus walke in lowlinesse, and lift our mindes aloft: for wee hauehave promise that there we shall be immortall & vncorruptible. And we must not thinke it strange that our bodies shoulde bee compared to Arbors of leaues which are of no continuance: for take mee the strongest bodie in the worlde, and yet cannot the force therof continue long time in one state; but that if the saying of the Prophet Esay be founde true as in respect of our soules, it must needes bee verified much more of our bodies:Esa. …0.… namely that a man is but a flower, and that allbeit he flourish for a time, yet is one blast of winde enough to make him to wither, and to bring him to nought. Such is our strength euen when it is at the best. But besides this, there is none of vsus which feeleth not a great sort of inconueniences in himself, to the intent we should forsake this present life, and not bee too much addicted to it. Take me the strongest man that is, and hath hee not some disease or other that will not suffer him to indure long? Againe if a man be once past a certaine age, he falleth by & by to declyning; insomuch that a man may see and perceyue with his eyes, that euen without sicknesse he slydeth away like water. Indeede most men doe neuer thinke of it: but what booteth it thē to blinde themselues? Nay it is a monstruous thing that euerie bodie shoulde see how a man goeth to naught, and yet bee so blinde as not to perceiue it in himselfe. On the contrarie part, if our Lorde be so gratious to the faithfull as to remooue them to and fro, and to put them vnderunder many diseases: it is to quicken them vp to goe forwarde with earnester willes to their heauenly inheritaunce, because they doe but hang their winges in this worlde, continually drooping nowe after one sort and nowe after an other, and liuing as it were halfe deade. Sith it is so, let them vnderstande that God worketh for their benefite and saluation. And it is a very profitable lesson, when wee hauehave learned to keepe the feast of Tabernacles spiritually: that is to say, when we hauehave learned to passe in such wise through this worlde, as wee goe on further.
And if we be demaunded howe such persons can be Christians, as are setled in wealth and at their ease: the aunswere thereunto is that eueryevery man must beware first of all that hee seeke not his owne ease too much. For we heare howe S. Paul saith,Rom. 13.… that wee must no cocker our flesh in ye lusts thereof. And why? Because there is no …o when wee once beginne to followe our owne likinges: they be so far out to order, that there is alwayes somewhat amisse in them. They therefore which will be lodged after their heartes desire, so as there may be nothing amisse in their state: doe put themselues in great hazarde of falling into a sounde sleepe, and of intangling themselues in such wise in the worlde, as they may neuer thinke more vppon the heauenly rest. And therefore a man cannot keepe too good a measure nor too stayed a hand in that behalfe. Not that wee can bee tyed to any certayne rule, for we must vse Gods creatures freely. If wee shoulde be scrupulous at euerie thing, what woulde come of it? Either wee shoulde neuer be thankefull to God for the benefites that he bestoweth vppon vsus, because we bee not sure that he hath giuen vsus leaue to vse them freely: or else wee shall become hardhearted and stubborne to vse them as it were in despite of GOD, by meanes whereof all thinges shoulde bee corrupted. So then, we must vse our houses as wee doe all other commodities of this present life, without making any scruple of conscience in thē But yet therewithall, we must beware (as I said afore) that we giuegive not the bridle to our fleshe, by satisfying the desires thereof: for it is a bottomlesse pit, and we can neuer come to the bottome of it.
Againe besides this, let such as are planted commodiously, beware that they fal not asleep. But rather whereas the children of this worlde doe welter in their delightes, and so feede themselues with them, that they vtterly forgette the kingdome of heauen: Let the other sorte learne to consider thus: Goe to, albeit I bee planted here to my commoditie, yet must I not be tyed too much to this world. Wheras my lusts would holde me backe, I must so fight against them, as all the impediments in the worlde may not restraine me frō looking continually towards heauen. After that manner must the faithfull deale. And such as are not planted at their heartes desire, must consider how our Lorde putteth them in mind, to goe continually forwarde to the rest of heauen, warning thē of it both earely & late, as a thing which is for their benefite, & behoofe to be put in mind of. Insomuch that if the Iewes had such instruction as was meet for them: ye exercise that God giueth to his faithful ones nowadayes in planting them not ouer much to their liking, is a far better learning than was the auncient ceremonie of the law. Whosoeuer then do find any discōmoditie, and are not at their ease; let them vnderstande that God by that meanes pricketh & spurreth thē to seeke the rest of heauen; & strengtheneth them therewithal in ye hope which they hauehave of their saluation.
And this concerneth not onelyonly a mans housing, but also all other things as I said afore: so as ye body with al thing belonging therunto, is the cheefe house which we hauehave. Therefore if we be now & then diseased, so as we cānot take so quiet rest as we faine would, nor hauehave things ready alwaies at hand: let vsus consider yt our lord handleth vsus like wayfarers. When a man shalbe in his own house which is well ruled, they faile not to serue him at his own houre, & to hauehave such meat prepared for him as he best liketh: but if he be abrod in the country, he shall not hauehave al yt he would: for folk are not acquainted with his complexiō: & whereas he is wont to dine at such an houre, he must be faine to tary an houre or twaine longer. And again, when he hath suppedperaduenture he shal not be so well lodged as in his owne house. Now must wee apply all this to our selues: namely yt in this world we be as waifarers. Therfore if our Lord do now & then disappoint vsus of things yt we desire, it is to the end wee should run a pace through this world & alwaies keepe on forth stil, til we come to ye kingdome of heauen, & not be tyed & fastened to ye earth. Thus ye see how this lesson extendeth generally to al things that concerne this transitory life.
And yet neuertheles it is said expresly, That the Iewes in keeping this feast should be merry, & also make other men merry with them. Whereby we see yt we ought not to be sad, though our Lord make vsus to waste away by litle & litle. Or rather hee sheweth vsus yt he will not hauehave vsus to make anie ouersūptuous building here below, but yt we shold be contēted with our lodgings of boughs which wil soon rot. Sith it is so, we must not be sory, but rather reioyce in our God. And it is a very profitable point and well worthy to bee noted. For it may be yt some man wil be sufficiently warned to depart out of this world, in yt he sees himself sick, or in yt som strange mishaps befal him: by reason whereof he thinkes vponupon death oueroften, and doth nothing but mourne, desiring to be dispatched at the first push. Such are to bee seene: but yet for al that, their departing is not without sorowing. For what ioy can they hauehave, except they know that God draggeth them through ye world of purpose to lift them vp to heauen to the companie of the Angels? If they know not that, surely they shal hauehave their harts alwayes distressed with anguish and greefe, accordingly as we see how the vnbeleeuers repine, and neuer commit themselues to GOD, but murmur and grudge against God. And although their mouth speake not, yet hauehave they no gladnes nor rest in their harts. Then let vsus learne to keepe ye feast of Tabernacles after such a sort, as we may be merrie in the Lord: that is to wit, as it may not greeue vsus that our bodies should consume away by litle and litle, vntil they be turned again into rottennesse; or that our Lord should cut vsus quite off frō our bodies, & vtterly dispossesse & bereaue vsus of all yt euer we hauehave in this world. For why? Hee doth it to draw vsus vp to heauen. Therefore let vsus goe ioyfully, and let our hart be inlarged to giuegive our selues wholy to our God. That (say I) is the thing which we hauehave to doe.
And it is the same thing yt S. Paul speaketh of, howbeit hee sheweth vsus ye meane also how to put this lesson in vre.2. Cor. 5 4. True it is yt by nature we seeke not to be dissolued or cast downe. If yee say to a man, my friende, are you willing to die? It were against nature for him to say yea, vnles it were to some better ende: for his desire is to hauehave being still. Indede the vnbeleeuers do besot themselues in their desiring to be: for this beeing of theirs is but to cram themselues, to eat & drinke, to fil their bellies like swine, to sleepe like beasts, and to looke vppon pleasaunt thinges, as folkes that are caried altogither with sensualitie. Those are the things wherein the vnbeleeuers repose themselues. And in the meane while they be so dull, that they consider not that that beeing of theirs is no being at all, and that the state of this presēt life is but a shadow which is euer fleeting & neuer at any stay. But contrarywise when the godly say, it is good to liue, thereupon they conclude, that it is not for them to couer death vnlesse it be to exchaunge for the better. Neuerthelesse, when they take holde by saith vppon the heritage which God hath promised them: then are they desirous (and not without iust cause) to depart out of this mortal body, yt it may be renewed againe. We see then as nowe, howe we may dwell with ioy in tentes: that is to say, by being assured that after wee be passed out of this worlde, we shalbe taken vp into the resting place which God hath prepared for vsus, & which was purchased for vsus so dearely. Therfore let vsus go on with a free courage, & let vsus not cease to keepe on our pace, vntill we be come to our end. And let vsus always conclude with ourselues, yt it is enough for vsus to hope continually that the heauenly rest shall not faile vsus, after that God hath exercised vsus in this world, and tossed vsus to and fro. Thus ye see in effect how we ought to keepe this feast with gladnesse.
Now for a conclusion Moses addeth, that they must resort thrise a yeare to Ierusalem, and there shew themselues before God, as many as were males, & none to come emptie, but eueryevery man to make some offering to God, according to the blessing that God had giuen him. This maner of speaking that the Iewes shoulde come before the face of God, serued for the better expressing that the sanctuary was not a vaine and vnprofitable figure, but that God vttered his power there, to shew in very deed yt he dwelled among his people. If Moses had saide singly, yee shall resort to the Sanctuarie: eueryevery of you shall make his offering before the Arke of couenant: the Iewes had not bin so wel certified, that their comming to call vponupon God in the sanctuary, was not in vaine. For they might hauehave said, very wel, indeed wee hauehave the figures & ceremonies, but yet are we not sure yt God wil heare vsus. But when it was said, ye shal come shew your selues to god, it was a greater edifying of them, because they were wel assured that the ceremonies of ye lawe were not deceiuable. Yet notwithstanding, it was not to make thē to set their minds vponupon the visible signes, & so to hold themselues still downe: but they were to consider, yt although God stoop to apply himselfe to our infirmitie, yet is it not his meaning therfore to hold vsus downe to these earthly thinges: but contrarywise his comming downe to vsus, is to make vsus to stie vp & to seeke him aboue; so yt when we hauehave visible signes, we should consider yt his glorie surmounteth ye heauens, & is infinite, & therefore that we must worship him with our minds lifted vp aboue ye world, and aboue al things that are corruptible. And so yee see that this maner of speech where it is said, ye shalbe in the presence of your God when yee be come into his sanctuarie: was profitable, and imported a very good lesson to the Iewes. For why? God shewed in very deed, that he had not instituted those signes without cause, but that thereby he made his grace and power to be felt of the faithfull, when they came thither to call vponupon him. But yet for all that, it behooued the faithfull therewithal to worship God spiritually. For we see howe the Iewes are reproued for this:Esa. 66.1.2. in yt they corrupted his seruice, by reason yt they supposed to shut him vp within their Temple. Shall I dwell in a house made with mans hande saith the Lord? If the Iewes had replyed & said, Why not? for it is said, when ye come to the sanctuarie, ye shall bee there before the face of your God. Yea, but that is no excuse. For Gods ordeining of his sanctuarie to dwell there, was not in such wise that hee woulde forsake his heauenly glorie: but to come seeke men here beneath, and to lift them vp aboue. We nowadayes must remember the like.
For when God sendeth vsus his word, and addeth ye sacraments for a confirmatiō of the same: it is asmuch as if he shewed vsus his face, at leastwise so farre as we are able to abide it. For wee be rude and earthly, and cannot beholde God as he is,1. Cor. …3 1…. and therefore he is faine to applie himselfe vntounto vsus. Yet notwithstanding wee must so seeke him after the maner that he vttereth and declareth himselfe vntounto vsus; as we be not tyed to the visible signes, nor intangled with them as we see the wretched Idolaters are, which alwayes take occasion to turne away from GOD, by meanes of the helpes which hee giueth them to bring them to him. Therefore let men beware of such abuse. Indeede when we speake of the Lords supper, wee can well enough say that Iesus Christ is there present, and that wee possesse him. When we come to the receyuing of the bread and ye wine, we can say they be no emptie signes, but that we hauehave there the very substance, insomuch that Iesus Christ imparteth himselfe to vsus, so as wee bee feede and nourished with his body and bloode. So then Iesus Christ offereth himselfe to vsus in his supper. But is it to bee saide therefore, that he commeth downe from heauen, and that he is to bee sought after a superstitious manner, as the Papistes and such other like doe in these dayes? No: but it serueth to lift vsus vp to heauen, and to make vsus vnderstand that although Christ dwelleth there, yet wee ought not to doubt but that his power reacheth vntounto vsus, and that we be made partakers thereof, and that when we receiue the breade & the wine, they be true warrantes of that which I hauehave saide. Yee see then that we be in the presence of our God, by beeing partakers of Christs last supper. As much is to be saide of Baptisme; namely that in the water of baptisme we behold the bloude of our Lord Iesus Christ, and the redemption which he hath purchased for vsus: So as it is to vsus as a liuely picture; & not only that, but also wee hauehave the trueth so ioyned with the image and portrayture, as the effect must needs bee felt and perceiued. Neuerthelesse it standeth vsus alwayes in hande, to beware that wee abuse not the Sacraments: namely that wee be not so fleshly, as to sticke to the world: but that seeing God is come downe vntounto vsus, we also on our side doe mount vp vntounto him: and therewithall assure our selues, that our Lorde in giuing vsus his sacramentes, giueth vsus not rittleratles and childishe trifles to busie our heades withall: but that hee giueth vsus the verie trueth, to the end we should be knit vntounto him, and that we might feele that his power is euer at hande with vsus. Thus much concerning the saying where Moses speaketh againe of Gods presence, & cōmaundeth ye Iewes to resort to Ierusalē, whē God should hauehave chosē ye place: & in the meane while to resort to ye place where ye arke of ye couenāt & ye sanctuary were set vp. And finally he sayth, That they should not come empty before the lord, but that eueryevery man should bring somewhat according as God had blessed him. Some hauehave taken this text to bee a kinde of promise, as though God had sayd that such as resorted vntounto him, should not go their way againe empty. True it is that if wee seeke God, wee shall finde plenty of all good things in him, according as it is sayd, Come vntounto him and ye shall be inlightened,Psal. 34.6. and your faces shall not be ashamed. Therfore let vsus not thinke that wee shall want any thing if wee seeke God, for he will fill vsus; as hee is riche, so is he liberal, we shal be satisfied, and hauehave our fil of al thinges yt wee hauehave neede of for our saluation. Then is it very true in it selfe, that all such as offer themselues before God, shal not return emptie according as it is written;Psal. …1.11. Open thy mouth and I will fill it. But as in respect of this present place, it is certaine that Moses speaketh of Offeringes: and wee must not bring in any other gloses. For hee declareth that eueryevery man ought to offer according to the gifte of his hande, that is to say, according to his abilitie. For that kind of speeche were straunge to vsus, if wee were not made to vnderstand it; namely, that eueryevery man ought to consider what GOD hath giuen him, that hee may doe him homage for it. Therefore looke what wee hauehave in our hande, that let vsus take to offer vntounto God, and to make sacrifice to him withall. In the tyme of the Lawe, the offeringes were applyed to such vse as wee hauehave seene heeretofore, and wee neede not to rehearse the Ceremonie any more. As nowe in remaineth that wee doe homage to GOD at all tymes, with the goods that hee hath bestowed vppon vsus. And howe may that bee doone? By Almesdeedes.Iob. 35.6. P…al. 16.2. Hebr. 13.16. For wee cannot increase him by bestowing any thing vppon him: but yet hee accepteth whatsoeuer wee giuegive to the poore. Those are the sacrifices which hee requireth and alloweth nowadayes. Therefore must we bestowe them there. And seeing that our Lord offereth himselfe vntounto vsus, not thrise a yeere onelyonly, but manifestly in the person of his sonne Iesus Christ, so as hee dwelleth with vsus continually: let it bee a meane to drawe vsus to him euen with an earnest minde, that wee may hauehave our hande alwayes open to offer vntounto him. If wee had the Sanctuarie, and that it behoued vsus to present our selues thrise a yeere at Ierusalem: wee should doe the thing that is commaunded vsus heere, and yet should not that serue to exempt vsus from doing of Almes deeds al the yeere after. For if there were no more than the Ceremonie, it were a smal matter as I hauehave said afore. But where is Gods Temple now? Beholde Iesus Christ, who filleth ye whole world; he is with vsus, & dwelleth euen in our soules. Sith it is so then, let vsus see yt we imploy our selues to make our offerings: & seeing that our God doeth vsus ye honour to appoint vsus to be his Sanctuaries & Temples;…. Cor. 6.19. 2 Cor. 6.16. …. 2.9. insomuch yt eueryevery Christian man is ye Temple of the holy Ghost, & eueryevery Christian hath ye honorable title of Priest: and yt otherwise we shoulde neuer be counted ye temple & house of God: it is good reason yt eueryevery man should occupy himself incessantly wtout end, in offring him ye sacrifice of praise, so as he may bee acknowledged in all his benefits & blessings which he bestoweth vpō vsus.
And it is not only the doing of Almes deedes, yt he accepteth for sacrifices: but wee must also serue him & worship him, wt al our thoughts, with all our desires, with all our affections, and with al our members. So then, that wee may not appeare emptie in the presence of our God, let vsus looke yt we bring him good fruites & such as he requireth: & let vsus beware yt we bee not vpbraided, as Ieremie vpbraided ye Iewes when he said,Ier. 2.21. & Esa. 5.24. What hauehave I done for thee my vine? I hauehave planted thee, I hauehave dressed thee: & thou bringest me forth bitter fruite. Therefore let vsus bring good fruit to our God, seeing it hath pleased him to till vsus, to the end we should doe good, and not be vnprofitable. And how may that be? True it is that we cānot bring any thing to him, neither can he be inriched: but when we indeuer to glorifie him in our whole life; that is the fruite which he requireth and maketh account of. Seeing then that he graunteth vsus the grace: let vsus profit continually vnderunder him, & let not vsus on our side be emptie. Notwithstanding, it is certaine that we hauehave not one drop of goodnesse, vnlesse he gaue it vsus: for we be barrein. In deede we be too fruitful in bringing forth euill: there are too many bryers & brambles to be found in vsus: but as for of good corne, there is not one graine to be found in vsus, vntill God hauehave put it in vsus. What is to be doone then? We must pray our God to blesse vsus, that is to say, to powre out his holy spirite so vppon vsus, as wee may hauehave good fruite to bring vntounto him: that wheras we be nothing, he may giuegive vsus a being; and whereas we be nought woorth, he may make vsus some what worth by his manuring of vsus, so as hee may be glorified in vsus. For it is not ynough for vsus to hauehave Gods gratious giftes in vsus; but he must also make vsus to put them to the vse whereto he hath ordeined them. And heere let vsus call to mind what hath beene declared heeretofore: namely that God will not hauehave vsus all to reioyce our selues, but also to make our neighbours partakers of our gladnesse: and also to call vntounto vsus, not onelyonly the husband and his wife, and the father and his children; but also euen those that are furthest off from vsus, and to indeuour to bring them after such a sorte before the face of our GOD, as the veryest straungers and those that are furthest off from vsus, may bee partakers of our mirth and feele the benefite of it, bicause it is made common, according to the same saying of Moses in this present Text, that the strangers, the widowes, and the fatherles must be merrie with those that present themselues after that manner to God, to offer sacrifice vntounto him.
Now let vsus fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes, praying him to make vsus feele them better, that being vtterly in misliking with them, we may seeke to be reformed by his worde, and profite therein more and more: And that for as much as he doth chiefely commaund vsus to passe through the world, and to aspire to ye kingdome of heauen; we by this making of vsus to feele our owne wretchednesse, may bee stirred vp by the same meane to seeke the saluation which he hath promised vsus, and whereinto our Lord Iesus Christ is entered to guide vsus thither by his example: And that in the meane while we may be confirmed by the power of his holy spirite in the doctrine yt he giueth vsus, so as we may neuer be turned from it for any impedimentes that can befal vsus, but that we may alwaies keepe on our course, till he hauehave rid vsus of this mortall body, and clothed vsus againe with his owne immortall glory. That it may please him to graunt this grace, not onelyonly to vsus, but also to all people and Nations of the earth, &c.