Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 102
On Wednesday the xiii. of Nouember. 1555. The Cii. Sermon, which is the sixt vponupon the sixteenth Chapter, and the first vponupon the seuenteenth.
20 In all cases thou shalt follow the thing that is right, that thou maist liue and inioy the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee.
21 Thou shalt plant no groue of any maner of trees neere vntounto the Altar of the Lord thy God, which thou shalt make thee.
22 Also thou shalt not set vp any Image: for that doth the Lord thy God hate.
The Seuenteenth Chapter.
THou shalt not offer to the Lorde thy God, either Ox or Sheepe that hath any blemish therin: I say thou shalt not offer any euilfauoured thing: for that is abhomination to the Lorde thy God.
HItherto Moses hath commended equitie & vprightnesse vntounto vsus, saying that those which are appointed to bee Iudges, ought to mainteine eueryevery mans right without swaruing. And thereupon he sayd, that as many as intend to continue in such soundnesse, must beware in any wise of taking rewardes: for if they take any, by and by they be corrupted, by & by they be blinded. And it is not to be replyed here, that a man may well receiue a present, & yet hauehave no meaning to fauor any wicked case. For ye holy ghost hath giuen sentence, that the man which is so giuen to taking of presentes, shall bee blinded though he were the sharpest sighted man in the world. Nay, he hath a towell before his eyes already, and besides that, whereas he was well & holily disposed before, now hee is quite peruerted. We see then how it is a deadly poyson, for a Iudge to receiue any presentes in any wise.
And now to hold men the better in awe, Moses addeth Gods promise, as if he should say, that we must not be wedded to our owne profit, whē God on the otherside offereth vsus his blessing, & telleth vsus that he will prosper vsus, so we stick vntounto him. And whether were it better for vsus, to inrich our selues by vnlawfull meanes which God condemneth, and which shall come to an euill end: or to hauehave Gods fauor present with vsus, and that the same should neuer faile vsus? Thus we see now to what purpose Moses addeth this sentēce, That men should followe vprightnesse. Verily euen to the intent they may inioy Gods fauor, & that thou maist possesse the land (sayth he) which the Lorde thy GOD giueth thee, and that thou maist liue long therein. This is a continuing of the same matter still, which I hauehave declared before: namely that whereas God might commaund vsus in one word; yet notwithstanding to win vsus to him, hee is so gentle that hee bindeth himselfe to vsus, and maketh a couenant with vsus as it were betweene two parties. He hath authoritie enough to commaund vsus, and it is not for vsus to aske wherefore. Againe, he is not bound to promise vsus any thing: for we owe him all that we hauehave, and he is indetted to none of vsus. Neuerthelesse he voutsafeth to yeelde to our infirmitie, accordingly as we hauehave seene heretofore, that after his requesting of yt which is our duetie, he addeth that we shall not be disappointed in seruing of him. Yet must wee not conclude thereupon, that wee can deserue aught at his hand: but rather we see his infinite goodnesse, in that hee promiseth vsus his fauor freely after that fashiō. And therefore we ought to be the forewarder in dooing whatsoeuer hee commaundeth, notwithstāding any impedimēt that might hinder vsus to plucke vsus back. Vnexcusable are we in these dayes, if we feele not some force of his promises, in quickening & stirring of vsus vp to obey him. Hath God commanded it? That ought to suffice vsus. Notwithstāding, because we be slowe and negligent, he addeth this help, that he commeth to win vsus by gentlenes, as if a father should flatter his child. See we this? Must it not needes be yt our hearts are too too much hardened▪ if they relent not at such goodnesse? Therefore when we feele that Gods commaundementes touche vsus not sufficiently to the quicke: let vsus take these promises here, to stirre vp our selues the more, and to spurre vsus the more forewarde.
Againe, let vsus marke well the speach howe he saith, Thou shalt followe vprightnesse in all cases. The wordes are; Vprightnes, vprightnes shalt thou follow. So doth Moses speake, how beit that some men translate it, Thou shalt follow iustice vprightly. But when all is throughly lookt vntounto, he meaneth nothing else but that men should beare an euen hand in executing of iustice, following the right by streight line, and perseuering stedfastly in it without swaruing. I say it behoueth vsus to marke well this saying, bycause men will needs alwayes discharge themselues to Godwarde by peeces: but as for to go through stedfastly with all things that he commaundeth; that is a very rare matter, (as the world seeth) specially in those which hauehave the handling of the lawe. True it is yt though they be wicked, yet wil they be ashamed not to hauehave some goodly shew: & so now and then a man shal finde some vprightnesse and reason in them. But hauehave they done right to one man? To morowe they will deale contrariewise with another. HaueHave they punished one misdeede? Three shall go vnpunished for it, after as the persons are fauored and borne out. This partialitie is to be seene in maner continually: and it is a token that there is no vprightnesse. And this is not to serue God: insomuch that when indifferencie is not vsed in the ministration of Iustice, those that are punished cry out vntounto God for vengeance, as though they were wronged. And therefore Moses thinks it not enough that men should simply doe Iustice; but hee will also hauehave them to proceede with it, and to continue it, so as there may be Iustice vponupon Iustice: that is to say, a continuall holding on, so as no vndifferencie may be perceiued, nor any diuersitie of weightes and ballances, nor any respect of persons: accordingly as hath bin sayd heretofore, that men must not leane to the one side for any fauor, nor forsake a good cause for any hatred, but be of such stoute courage that they bow not one way or other for any thing. That is the way to mainteine Iustice.
This lesson is apparant enough of it self: there remaineth no more for vsus but to fall to the practising therof. But as I sayd, it is a very hard thing for men to frame themselues to keepe an euen hand. So farre off is it, that this was written in vaine: that it is sayd yt if we will prosper through Gods fauor, wee must keepe order continually among vsus, so as eueryevery man may hauehave his right: and that on the contrary part, without we doe so, God threatneth to bereaue vsus of his blessing though he had giuen vsus it before. And thereof it is that we see so many chaunges and alterations to happen in the worlde: namely for that when God hath blessed a people, & set them in as good state as were to be wished, by & by they fall to ryoting, so as the gouerners abuse their authoritie, & the people take libertie to doe euill, when they see yt their Iudges are corrupted, by reason wherof God is fain to lift vp his hand, & to take away quite and cleane all that euer he had bestowed vponupon that nation. Wee see examples thereof too commonly. Wherefore let vsus stand in awe, and let vsus learne to liue the warelyer in the obedience of God, when he hath set vsus in any prosperitie. Let eueryevery man according to his abilitie, further the maintenāce of Iustice: and let such as hauehave the sword in hand, vse it in such sorte as God may be honored, & not be driuen to bring vsus to our arreignment for breaking of the order which he had set among vsus: That is the effect of the thinges which we hauehave to remember in this text.
Now Moses addeth, That men should not plant any tree neere vntounto the Altar of the Lord, nor see vp any maner of image. Wherby he prouideth yt there should be no resemblance betweene thē & the Idolaters & Gentiles: and also that there should not be any memoriall of long continuance, for feare least they should learne or accustome thē selues to doe sacrifice in diuers places. So are there two reasons which Moses hath an eye vntounto in this text. The one is, yt he would hauehave ye seruice of God separated from all ye superstitions of the heathen. The other is, yt he would hauehave folke to accustome thēselues to the worshipping of God, and to offer their solemne sacrifices in the place where ye Arke of ye couenant was, and that there might not be any peculiar religion throughout all ye countrie. As touching ye first, it is a point wel woorth the weying, yt God will hauehave his seruice to be such as he himself requireth & appointeth, & that he will not in any wise hauehave vsus to meddle with those yt inuēt & deuise superstitions on their owne head. In ye first place; Let vsus marke thē how it is not wtout cause, yt God is so charie of ye seruice yt we be to doe vntounto him. For in deed, is it reason that men should stand in defence & maintenance of their own right, and that God should be disappointed of his? And is there any thing more precious & holy, than ye honor which we yeelde vntounto him, in protesting him to be our God & father, of whome we hold all yt euer we hauehave, & at whose hand we looke for saluation? Is there any thing more holy than yt? Thē let vsus learne to be attentiue when ye holy scripture speaketh to vsus of the seruice of God. For it is a thing yt passeth all other in dignitie. Marke that for one point.
And is standeth vsus so much the more in hand to giuegive our indeuour thereunto, because wee see ye world holdeth skorne to yeelde God his due obedience. If a man speake to a blasphemer, or to a despiser of ye orders of ye church, or (to be short) to one that is no better than a dog: if a man tell such a one of his leawdnesse: To whom do I any wrong, saith he? If he had giuen a man a fillip, or had chaunced to hauehave spoken a crosse worde, as small as ye wrong is, he would hauehave confessed his fault and say de, I hauehave done amisse: and yet is this but against a mortall man. But when hee shal hauehave spit God in the face, tush, it is nothing, it is no wrong to any mā. Dayly shal a man heare such speeches. Insomuch yt if God bee blasphemed, and his maiestie so shamefully dishonored as would make a mans hart ake to see it: it is all one, there is no account made of it. But let vsus mark (as I sayd afore) that our Lorde will hauehave his seruice to be placed formost & in highest degree: and when the case concerneth the ruling of our lyfe, we must begin at that end; To wit; To honor him as he deserueth.
Moreouer, let vsus marke wel that it is not without cause, that he will hauehave his seruice so farre vnlyke all ye superstitions of ye heathen. For euen of our owne nature we be too much giuen to the corrupting & disguising of thinges, by meanes whereof the purenesse of the true religion is peruerted. EueryEvery man hath in himselfe a storehouse of idolatrie, though hee be not prouoked thereto by others: & in what case then are we, when we light vppon stumblingblockes and occasions, yea & euen go to seeke them? I see idolaters yt hauehave disguised & falsified ye whole seruice of God, & I shall goe borrow of them I wote not what; because this thing or that thing lykes me, I shall goe put it to that which our Lorde hath commaunded me. Am not I by and by snarled in the same folly that they were, which played ye naughtipackes before me? Yes surely. For although I regard neither ye one nor the other; yet hauehave I many vain fancies in my hart. And if I fal to seeking of such thinges of set purpose: it is all one as if I did cast my selfe into Satans snares. And therefore let vsus mark, that our Lord meant to preserue his seruantes from a deadly plague, when he sayd that they should holde them to ye pure simplicitie of his word, and not resemble ye paynims and infidels in any case. In those dayes the heathen for deuotion sake, made shadowes about their Altars, lyke as at this day in ye Popedome, if a place be darkesome, it seemeth to thē to cary some maiestie in it, and the simple sorte are as it were amazed when they come into a Caue, and where the windowes be dimmed with red or blewe glasse, mens eyes dazle at it, and sillie simple soules feele a kind of motion in thē selues which maketh them afraid & astonished: and to their seeming, it is good to stirre them vp to deuotion, bearing folke in hand that it is a reuerencing of God, whereas in deede it is stark foolishnesse. After the same maner did the heathen in plashing of trees to make places darke, that when men entered into them, they seemed to be agast, as though a woolfe had bin at their tayle as they say, by reason whereof they were moued to some fearefulnesse. Now forasmuch as this custome was among the heathen, our Lord will not hauehave the faithfull to resemble thē. Thus in fewe wordes, we see heere how all maner of resembling the vnbeleeuers is forbidden vsus, if we intend to serue God in such wise as hee may lyke of it and take it in good woorth.
And this warning is as needefull for vsus nowadaies, as it was for ye Iewes in the time of Moses. For what a nūber of deuices are there in ye Popedome, which hauehave bin taken from the superstitions of the heathē? All that euer is termed Gods seruice in the Popedome, is but a cōfused heape, gathered out of the thinges that are commaunded in the Lawe of Moses, & the thinges that are seene to hauehave bin obserued of the Heathen. And to colour the matter wtal, they alledge that their so dooing, is least the Iewes should vpbraide the Christians yt they hauehave not so goodly ceremonies in their Churches, as they hauehave. And therefore they must needes hauehave this and that, after their example. True it is yt they hauehave not bin so bold as to kil brute beastes in sacrifice; for yt had bin too detestable. But yet they tooke vp their Lampes, their perfumes, their attyrementes, their altars, and a certaine maner of sacrifycing, though it be not of Calues, Oxen, & Sheepe. Besides this, the Iewes had their washings; & therfore the Papistes would needes hauehave holy water. To be short, the Iewes were so throughly counterfeited; that to all seeming, they could not bost that they had mo goodly ceremonies in their tē ples, than ye Christians had in theirs. But yt was high treason against God. And if there had bin no more but meere folly in it, it might hauehave bin y• better born wt. But it tended to the darkening of the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, by drawing a new veile ouer him.2. Cor. …pan…18. The veile yt God had commaunded to be in ye temple, is rent asunder: and they fal to hanging vp of another yt is wrought by ye hand of man: by means wherof Iesus Christ is as good as hidden, so as men can not behold yt maiestie yt should shine forth in him.…. Cor. … For he is y• liuely image of God his father; & in him and in his person or face we see whatsoeuer belongeth to our saluation. Now they fall to making of impedimēts by such ceremonies, yt the world might not looke full vpō Iesus Christ. And they bee not contented wt the intermingling of the thinges yt God had ordeined for a time amōg ye Iewes▪ but they hauehave also borrowed of ye obseruances of the heathen. True it is yt euen in this case also they pretended some color, as who should say that the world could not be drawen frō those foolish ceremonies, & therefore it was better to vse them stil vnderunder the title of God & his saincts, than vnderunder ye title of idols as they hauehave done before: b… by that meanes the seruice of God was falsifyed.
Let vsus mark then yt all that euer is termed by the name of Gods seruice at this day in ye Popedome, is but a confused hotchpotch of all maner of superstitions; for they cannot shewe that the holy scripture hath appointed men to do so. And whence hauehave they fetched their ground, b…t frō a desire to counterfeit the things yt were vsed among the Iewes & Infidels? Sith it is so, what a thing is it if we shall now fashion our selues lyke vntounto them, and suffer a …ort of pelting bables or ceremonies to bee layd vppon vsus, and binde our selues to ye keeping of thē, to ye intent wee would not be too far vnlyke those yt name themselues Christians? It is ye same corruptiō which God cō demneth in this sentence. For it is not Gods will yt we should hauehave any resemblāce to those which hauehave wtdrawen thēselues frō the pure obeying of his word. Therefore let vsus be contēted to hauehave Gods seruice reformed & stablished according to his cōmaundement. That is the thing which we hauehave to obserue in the first place.
As touching the second poynt, it is sayd that God would hauehave but onelyonly one Altar whereon to offer their sacrifices. At this day, this is no more in vse; we hauehave no more any materiall altar. For whereas the Papistes vse altars, in so dooing they deface the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ as much as they can. Neuerthelesse, Gods intent at that time, was to keepe his people in the vnion of faith, by allowing them but one Altar.
And now it is sayd, that they should not se… vp any memoriall of long continuance, in any certeine place. For by that meanes they might hauehave accustomed themselues to worship God there, or they might hauehave made some chappell for deuotion, and so had all bin mard. And therefore not without cause were they forbidden to plant any trees in the places where they sacrificed: for Gods Sanctuarie was to be plāted at length vpō mount Sion. And as many as intended to serue God purely, it behooued them to resort thither, to shewe on common accord, and one true vnitie of beliefe. Lykewise nowadayes our Lorde Iesus Christ hath left vsus his holy supper, for a warrant that he dwelleth among vsus, and is alwayes present with vsus by his power: insomuch that although he be exalted aboue the glory of heauen;… 3.16. … 5.30. … ….56.57. yet doe not we faile to be knit vntounto him to bee members of his body, to hauehave one common lyfe with him, and (at one word) to be fed and nourished by his substance. And because it is a secret that passeth all vnderstanding of man; he hath warranted it vntounto vsus, by ye visible signe of his supper. Come we then to the table of our Lorde Iesus Christ? The bit of bread and the draught of wine which we receiue there, doe represent vntounto vsus, yt Iesus Christ is truely our food, & that we be so incorporated into him, yt we be partakers of his owne proper life. By meanes whereof Iesus Christ is so present with vsus yt we must all needes be gathered together vntounto him.
But we see at this day what hath bin done in the Popedome. Was there a table for the receiuing of the Communion? No, it was turned into an Altar. And that was one corruptiō aforehand For as I hauehave sayd already, it is not for any man to sacrifice Iesus Christ any more. That office belonged peculiarly to himselfe,… 9.….25. and he discharged it throughly, & now must we receiue ye sacrifice that was offered vp vntounto God, & let ye worde altar alone. Neuerthelesse it is not enough with thē that there be but one table; they will needes hauehave three or foure: eueryevery man buildes me his chappel, & there sets me vp an altar. Although it were a good thing of it selfe to hauehave one altar among ye Christiās: yet doe they breake ye vnitie of faith, whē they build seuerall chappels after yt fashion. For why? It is ye will of Iesus Christ that there should be one common supper, & yt all his Church should meet together, & that the receiuing thereof should be as a true band to hold the faithfull in one with him. But they go to say their deuotions in such a place, & to sing Masse in an other place: And yt is an open defying of God, & a setting vp of idols in his stead. It is a turning of Gods tēple, not onelyonly into a Swines stye, but also into a stinking dungeon of all abhomination & idolatrie. And therfore let vsus marke, how it is not without cause yt God teacheth vsus in this text yt although we hauehave not ye auncient ceremonie of Sacrifycing Oxen & Sheepe: yet notwithstāding we ought to be vnited in faith,Deut. 12.32. and not ad any thing at al to yt which is cōmāded vsus, but simply keep this rule inuiolable, yt we vnderstand how & after what fashiō God wil be worshiped, & agree thereto, wtout presuming to put any thing to it.
Now also Moses sayth; That they must not offer vntounto God any beast that hath any maim or blemish in it. He hath told vsus hitherto that men must not meddle wt idolaters, nor hauehave any resemblance to their superstitions. For the true religion must be held in his pure singlenesse. But that is not all. For they that offer vntounto God, & turne not away after the fond deuotions of men, must moreouer serue God soundly, that is to say, their discharging of themselues towardes him, must not bee lightly, as men doe commonly nowadayes. For we see howe men defraude God of his right. In deede when we be indetted vntounto men, we discharge our selues one way or other: but whereas we be indetted vntounto God, all our seeking is how to scape from him. True it is yt we wil indeuer to defraud men also: but yet wil we be ashamed to vse libertie towardes them as wee doe towardes God euen in dalying with him. If we owe a man either custome or rent, we will not stick to conceale it if wee can, if wee be of euill conscience: But yet for all that, wee will not be plucked too much by the eare: for wee thinke wee shall gaine nothing by so dooing. So then, as touching ye dettes yt men doe owe one to another, they discharge thē: but it skils not for God. Although he call vponupon vsus & threatē vsus; yet euen after he hath shewed vsus our duetie, we cease not to defraud him stil▪ yea & we be quite past shame in it. Verily we wil not sticke to say, it is good reason yt he should be honored & serued: but yet we wil hauehave this seruing to be after our owne fashiō. But he requireth a right obedience. And what doe wee to him? Very well say we, we must discharge our selues to Godwarde. And after what maner? In mocking of him. Insomuch yt although ye doing of some ceremonies be nothing worth; yet notwithstāding men beare thēselues in hand yt God ought to hold himself contented therewt, and that he dealeth too rigorously wt vsus if he require any more of vsus. For this cause it is sayd yt men shall not offer any thing in sacrifice whi…h hath either blemish or spot. For vnderunder one kinde Moses cōprehendeth y• whole; as if he had sayd, let vsus not thinke our selues escaped when wee hauehave serued God by halues and peeces; but wee must go to it soundly & roundly, so as we doe our duetie towardes him throughly in all pointes. True it is that there was a special reason for the Iewes: for ye Iewes were admonished yt their sins coulde not bee wiped out before God, but by meanes of ye sacrifice yt was to be offered. For it behoued them to lift vp their mindes aboue the world, vntounto ye trueth, to say, there will bee a payment to discharge all our dets: whē Iesus Christ commeth, he wil reconcile vsus to God his father, and discharge vsus of ye bond of death, wherein we be bound. Therefore it behoued ye Iewes to hauehave their sacrifices pure & cleane, yt they might bee led by them to our Lord Iesus Christ, and their faith be lifted vp aboue the world, to know that there is not any satisfaction nor offering that we can bring on our side to please God withall, but that he must be faine to giuegive vsus the thing that we want to offer vntounto him.
Notwithstanding, we must generally beare in minde yt which I hauehave declared already; namely how Moses sheweth vsus yt we must so roundely yeeld vntounto god that which he requireth, as he be not disappointed, as we heare him cōplain therof by his prophet,Mal. 1.13.14 that although the Iewes did not vtterly refuse to pay ye tenthes & first fruites: yet they did it but by halues. But God cannot away with such partinges, nor to be played with lyke a little childe. And hereby wee may learne yt our seruing of God must not be by pangs and fittes onelyonly, & afterward fall to lazinesse: but yt it must be done soundly & substantialy throughout, with obedience to his word. And again, yt in our doinges there must be no hypocrisie nor cō streint: but y• we must goe to work wt a free will, & not set a faire countenāce on it to ye worldward, & in the meane while hauehave a back shop that displeaseth God: nay we must go to work freely, as I sayd afore. That is the thing in effect, which we hauehave to remember vponupon this text. Wee nowadayes doe not offer any moe Oxen or Sheepe: but ye offerings which we make vntounto God, are of our owne selues & of all yt euer he hath giuē vntounto vsus,Rom. 12.1. so as all be dedicated vntounto him, & applyed to such vse as he alloweth; or else it is but vncleanesse. For if God hauehave giuē me a thing, & I abuse it: I am a traitor to God, because I vnhallowe ye thing which he had dedicated to the cleane cō trarie vse. And therefore let vsus mark, yt to please God in offering our selues vntounto him, we must do it soundly, wtout blemish or spot. True it is yt there can be no such perfection in vsus, but yt very great fault may be found in our seruice of him: but yet must we alwayes holde vsus to this principle, yt we come to God vnfeinedly, and whereas there are infirmities in vsus, we must resort to our Lord Iesus Christ. For al our spots & blemishes are done quite & clean away by his bloud.1. Iohn 1.7. Hebr. 13.15. And yt is ye cause why it is said, yt wee offer our prayses vntounto God by him. If there were any sacrifice clean on mēs behalfe, it were ye sacrifice of prayse: for when we fall to ye magnifying of Gods name, & confesse yt we be beholden to him for al good things; our so dooing seemeth to bee cleane. Howbeit forasmuch as we hauehave our lips so vnclean…, yt we cannot yet discharge our selues in yt behalfe: therefore it standeth vsus in hand to resort continually to our Lord Iesus Christ. Our sacrifices then are steyned with some spot & vice or other; yt is true: but yet must wee hauehave this roundnesse & soundnesse, of tending vntounto God wtout inforcement, necessitie, or hypocrisie. When we be at yt point, our Lorde will accept our sacrifices, as though they were offred vp vntounto him throughly pure & perfect, & vtterly faultles. In deed it is by means of our Lord Iesus Christ; for there must wee be grounded as I said afore. But if we hauehave yt vertue, then doth God accept ye sacrifices which we offer vntounto him, so we be not snarled wt hypocrisie, & come not to him as inforced or constreined, but with a free will. Therefore if men will serue God, they must beware yt they seek not to please men by it, as it often falleth out yt they thinke it enough to make some faire shew, & therewtal do content & sooth thēselues. We beare our selues in hand yt we hauehave done al yt can be done; yea but we neuer entred into our selues, to giuegive ouer our selues wholy vntounto God. Wee neuer sounded our selues to finde whether there were any euill intermingled, that we might be purged of it. And yet is that the ende which wee should hauehave begunne at, that our comming vntounto God might not be as by constreint. For if it were possible, we would exempt our selues from all obedience, and neuer come to reckoning with him for it. But contrariwise wee ought to serue him with a free disposed minde. Then let vsus consider, that if wee intend to make our lyfe allowable before God, then in all our thoughtes and all our affections we must hauehave this substantiall soundnesse of dedicating our whole lyfe vntounto him, so as our senses and desires be made captiues vntounto him, and hee so reigne ouer vsus, as our cheefe desire may bee to bee ruled by him and by his holy spirit, and to frame our selues in such wise to his will, that we take nothing in hand but that which lyketh him. When wee goe that way to worke: then shall our sacrifices bee pure and cleane.
Besides this, let vsus marke also yt we must lykewise offer vntounto God all yt euer he hath bestowed vponupon vsus. As for exāple, when we do almesdeeds, let eueryevery man apply ye giftes which he hath receiued, to ye common benefit of ye Church. Those are ye sacrifices of good sent, at leastwise if they be without blemish or spot. For a man shall well edify y• Church when he himself is led with ambition & vainglory. And as for such a one, let him not thinke yt he hath offred any thing vntounto God. For it is but vtter abhominatiō, whē things hauehave not their right end, by giuing thē ouer again into Gods hande which had committed them to vsus, & by putting thē to such vse as he hath cō maunded. Again whē a man yt doth almesdeeds is led thereto by vaine ambition, to boast himself before men, & to be esteemed & honored for it; his dealing after yt fashion is but vncleanes before God. Now then, let vsus learn to hauehave an eye vntounto God, that our sacrifices, may bee without blemish or spot.
Moreouer, as concerning ye order of ye Church, & of all other gouernment, we must vnderstand lykewise yt all our sacrifices must be so purifyed as God may accept them. As for example, ye ordeyning of Ministers to preach Gods word, and the doctrine of saluatiō, the creating of Magistrates & the choosing of Officers, are sacrifices which we offer vntounto God. Now we must offer them wt out spot. For if a man bring in any corruption in those cases▪ it is high treason to God, as I hauehave sayd afore. Therefore let vsus bethinke our selues throughly, & consider yt although these thinges according to ye letter, were inioyned to the Iewes in ye time of ceremonies: yet must we apply them to ye sacrifices yt are in vse and force at this day. And for performance thereof, let vsus come back to that which S. Iames sayth,Iames …span namely yt he which commaunded the one, hath also commaunded the other; & that he which forbad the one, hath also forbidden the other. Will wee then please God in all the seruices which we doe vntounto him? Let there be no parting of stakes, as if we woulde say, I wil do this for the honor of God, & for the rest he shal beare with me & giuegive me leaue to do as I list. For in so doing we would be hailfellow wt God. And therfore let vsus vnderstand yt the righteousnes of the law is a thing that cannot be deuided, neither is it for vsus to rende it in peeces. Wherfore let vsus submit our selues to the rule yt is giuen vsus, after such sort as is conteined in ye Law of God. And therwithal let vsus mark further, that we must not hauehave dubble or dissembling hearts, but that wee must submit our selues wholly vntounto God. And if we cannot attaine therto at ye first as were to be wished: yet notwithstanding that must be the mark that we shoote at. Now we see what our Lord meant to require in this text.
But to the end wee may bee the more prouoked, to deale soundly and substantially: let vsus also marke this speech that Moses addeth here for a conclusion, namely that it is abhomination before God. For men do alwayes make themselues beleeue, that they cease not to serue God though there bee nothing but dissimulation and hypocrisie in all their doings. And we knowe howe hypocrites are puffed vp continually with this fonde presumption, that although there bee nothing but counterfeiting in all that they do, yet (to their seeming) God is neuerthelesse beholden to them; and all is wellynough so there bee some gaie painting and some faire shewe. In deede they dare not vtterly deny that there is any fault at all in them: but yet would they still beare men in hande, that there is much good in them which God accepteth. As for example, when ye Popish Priests say their prime & hours, besides that they doe but biblebable, their minds are elsewhere; one thinks vponupon his kitchin, and another vppon his harlot. Well, they will graunt that this is ill done, and that they ought to bee more heedefull in their praying▪ But yet will they vpholde, that so they hauehave a finall intent to pray vntounto God, it is a good and commendable deede; and their comming to Church deserueth verie much, so they hauehave this final intent to serue god there, though their mindes be distracted about other things. When they hauehave once worshipped a puppet, and taken a little holy water, though they looke vponupon a woman after an vnchast sort, although they be caried away with couetousnes, or although their mindes bee occupied about some other wicked, shamefull, and hellish lust: yet it skilles not, so they hauehave the saide finall intent of seruing God; all is wellynough, so they make a shewe of seruing God, notwithstanding that they spite him by all the meanes they can. Likewise in their fasting, though a man cast him selfe into all manner of leawdnes and ruffianry, yet if he fast vppon a deuotion, O thats a holy man, there is no more fault to be founde in him. Thus is it not possible to ridde the hypocrites of the false and diuelish opinion wherwith they be besorted, of paying God with this pelting trash, which is nothing else than abhomination before him; and in the meane while, to spite him in all the residue of their life: so as a man can neuer winne them to beleeue,Prou. 11.20 that God vtterly mislyketh all that euer proceedeth not from a sounde heart. So much ye more therfore doth it stand vsus in hande, to marke well this saying which Moses setteth downe for a finall conclusion: namely that such dealings are abhominable before god. Indeede the blinde & ignorant wretches deeme it not so to be; nay, their doings are commended of men; behold (say they), here is a goodly vertue, here is a good desert. But we must come before the great Iudge, who hath giuen sentence already, that such things are but trash, filthines, and vanitie. And he is not contented with saying so; but he saieth also that they be vtter abhomination or lothsomnes. For indeede, besides their dalying wt him to make him as an ydoll, they fal to opē defying of him. If mē thought not god to be starke blind, durst they come before him with a dubble heart, & fraughted ful of hypocrisie? No surely: it woulde make them euen ag…st at it. For whē they play ye hypocrites after yt fashion, it is al one as if they came to stop gods eyes, yt he might not discerne their dissimulation and cursed hypocrisie. So then let vsus marke well, that we must not stay our selues vponupon mens bearing of themselues in hande, that to their seeming they faile not to do well, and to deserue wel at Gods hand, though they go not to worke with a free corage, nor with hartie and substantiall soundnesse: Let not such follies runne in our heads. For God not onelyonly reiecteth such thinges as pelting baggage of no value: but also auoweth them to be all abhominable before him, and that he will not suffer his seruice to be so shamefully disguised, with out taking horrible vengeance for it. And therefore let vsus know that he will hauehave eueryevery of vsus to examine our selues; & sith we see al our thoughts and affections to be corrupted, so as there is nothing in them but dung and vncleannesse: let vsus pray him to reforme vsus in such sort by his holie spirite, as he may be serued and honored by vsus, and wee apply to good and holy vse the thinges that he giueth vsus: and that therewithall he make vsus to profite more and more in his obedience, vntill we bee come with a free will, to serue him with so good a corage, as wee may be wholly dedicated to his honour.1. Pet. 1.19. And that we may so doe, let vsus repaire vntounto our Lorde Iesus Christ, that our spotes and steines may be scowred away by his purenesse and perfection, as he hath promised vsus. If wee shall doe so, then will our God approue of our life.
Now let vsus kneele downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faultes, praying him to make vsus so to feele them, that wee may from henceforth fall to amendement and resort to his merciemercy, and that in the meane season he reforme vsus in such sort to the obedience of his Law, as it may shine forth in all our whole life, and hee also beare with vsus in our frailties, vntill he hauehave ridde vsus quite and cleane of them. And so let vsus all say, Almightie God heauenly father, &c.