Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 112
On Thursday the v. of December. 1555. The Cxij Sermon which is the first vppon the nineteenth Chapter
WHen the Lord thy God shal hauehave rooted out the nations, whose lande the Lorde thy God giueth thee, so as thou arte owner of them and dwellest in their Cities and houses:
2 Then shalt thou set thee out three Cities in the middest of the lande which the Lorde thy God wil giuegive thee to possesse.
3 Thou shalt prepare a way to them, and diuide the bounds of the land (which the Lorde thy God will giuegive thee to inherite) into three parts, that whosoeuer hath committed manslaughter may flee thither.
4 They shal serue for the mansleaer to flee thither, that he may liue: namely if he hauehave striken his neighbour ignorantly, and hauehave not hated him aforetimes.
5 [As for example] if a man goe with his neighbour to the wood to fel timber, and he casteth backe his hande with the axe in hewing the wood, and the head flieth off of the helue, and hitteth his neighbour that he dieth: he shall flee to one of those Cities and liue:
6 To the intent that the next of his kinne followe not the mansleaer, while his heart is chafed, and ouertake him if the way be ouerlong, and put him to death though he bee guiltlesse of the other mans death, forasmuch as he hated him not before.
7 Therefore commaund I thee to appoint out three Cities.
ALthough ye Lawe that is set down here, serued for ye commō weale of Israel: yet may we also fare the better for it at this day. For therby god meant to declare what punishment ought to be executed vppon such as commit wilfull murder thorow malice and of set purpose. Also it sheweth that we must not take yt for a crime, which a man dooth not willingly, but by chauncemedly as they terme it. True it is that such thinges are not so casuall but that God gouerneth them frō aboue, as is shewed in another place, where it is sayd,…. 21.13 that if a man be lopping of a tree, and a bough thereof doe hitte one vppon the head that he dye, it is God that had determined it so. And the holy scripture will not hauehave vsus to attribute the falling out of thinges to fortune, but that wee should knowe that God directeth all thinges, to the intent that although we see not his hande, yet wee should vnderstand by faith, that he setteth such store by our lyfe,…. 12.7. that hee hath numbred all the hayres of our heades, as is sayd in another text. Moreouer, to come againe to the matter, it is shewed here that all faultes are willing, that is to say, that men doe them wittingly and of set purpose. But let vsus goe foreward with the text that is set downe here. God commaundeth the people of Israell to choose out three Cities, vntill he hauehave inlarged their boundes further. For it behooued them to hauehave sixe in al as wee shall see in the next lecture,Iosu. 20.2.7. and as is declared in the twentith chapter of Iosua. Neuerthelesse, vntill such time as the people were in full and peaceable possession of the land, Gods will was that they should appoint out but three Cities of refuge, for all such to flee vntounto as had committed any manslaughter by chaunce meddely (as they call it.) Notwithstanding, least any man should abuse that priuiledge, hee addeth what maner of mansleaers shoulde hauehave protection thereby. Such (sayth he) as hauehave killed their neighbours vnwittingly: and thereof hee alledgeth an example. If a man goe to fell timber, and the Axe slippeth out of his hand, and hitteth one so as hee dye; forasmuch as the man purposed not to doe any such deede, hee may flee and hauehave himselfe in one of those Cities. Now wee must marke that it was not enough for a man to protect that he had done it but by mischance: but it behooued him to hauehave it well proued,Luk. 22.35. so as the partie that was to inioy the priuiledge should bee worthie of it, and the matter well knowen and the trueth of al thinges tryed out how the case stood by iust examination: and specially that there had bin no hatred betweene the parties aforetimes, so as it might appeare that there was none other cause of the committing of the slaughter, than Gods only determination, without any act done on mans behalfe otherwise than of minde to doe well. And the mansleaer that was able to prooue this, should flee to one of those Cities, and there tary till the death of the high Priest: and then hee was to returne home againe, because in that while the heartburning of the deadmans kinsemen might bee appeased.
And hereby God sheweth, first how greatly he would hauehave vsus to abhorre the shedding of mans bloud: and it is a point which we ought to marke well. For thereby we perceiue what louelove he beareth vsus, in that our lyfe is so deare vntounto him, and that he is so charie of it. If God made no more account of vsus thā he doth of the brute beastes, hee would not set so much store by our lyues. Therefore must wee needes conclude that he loueth vsus with a fatherly louelove, seeing our lyfe is so pretious to him. Besides this, eueryevery of vsus ought to take knowledge hereby of his own duetie: for wee cannot doe any outrage or violence to our neighbor, but we must offend God deadly. And not without cause. For in so doing wee deface his image, as is sayd in the ninth of Genesis.Gen. 9.6. Forasmuch as God hath printed his image in men; whosoeuer hurteth his neighbor malitiously, spiteth God to the vttermost of his power. And so are wee warned to absteine from all euill dooing, and to liue in such sorte among men as no man bee hurt by vsus. And in deede we see that the manslaughters which are committed euen of necessitie, cary with them neuerthelesse a kinde of defiling. As for example, when enemies are slayne in battel,1. Chron. 22 8. & 28.3. although the thing bee lawefull, yet doth God say that it is a defiling of mens handes. Not that hee imputeth it for a crime, but to the intent that the man which is constreined to fight against his enemies, should bee sory to see the order of nature so troubled by reason of mens sinnes, that whereas wee ought to bee as brethren, and to acknowledge our owne fleshe in eueryevery man that is made after our owne lykenesse: yet notwithstanding wee be driuen to destroy them after that fashion. Yee see then how that euen in the time of warre, he yt putteth on armour against his enemies ought to doe it, being sorie in his heart, and to bethinke himselfe that such outrage happeneth not but through the great leawdnesse of men. The meaning of all this, is that wee should liue quietly, and eueryevery man indeuour to maintein peace and concord, and hauehave our handes tyed for committing of any euill deedes.
And wheras God declareth how greatly manslaughter displeaseth him: let vsus marke that (as saith Saint Iohn) before him all maner of hatred is accounted for murther.1. Iohn. 3.15 Then ought we to eschewe all wrong dealing that may be done against men, for if wee hauehave any rancor or enmitie towardes them in our hartes, wee be guiltie of murther alreadie afore GOD. Marke that for one point. But here our Lorde acquitteth the partie that shall hauehave slayne a man vnwittingly. Behold (saith hee,) there shall no iudgement of death passe vppon such a man: for there is none offence in him. Seeing that the heauenly Iudge hath pronounced such sentence: what creature dareth reply against it? Yee see then that such a one is guitlesse, and so declared to bee before God. Yet notwithstanding hee must bee faine to forsake his owne house and inheritance, and go dwell in a strange place, and suffer many incommodities. And why doth God vexe him so, sith he findeth him guiltlesse? Hee sheweth vsus that although the partie be faultlesse, yet is it done for examples sake, to the ende wee shoulde not admit any murderers among vsus, but punish them as grieuously as may bee, and vtterly abhorre them. That is the cause why the partie that offendeth vnwittingly, shall neuerthelesse abide some punishment, and become as a man that is put to his penance, to the intent that hee may humble himself and acknowledge in this wise: Truely, I meant not to doe any harme; and this mischaunce is befalne mee vnwittingly: whereby God warneth mee that I hauehave great neede to pray him to rule both my handes and my feete. And moreouer forasmuch as mans bloude hath bin shed by me; although there were none euil meant on my part: yet must I bee sorie for it, and beare in minde that our Lorde maketh such account of mans lyfe: as he wil hauehave it alwayes to bee had in estimation of vsus. Let that serue for one point, concerning this lawe.
And nowe for the second poynt, Our Lord sheweth vsus that wee ought to preuent all daungers and occasions, in respect whereof hee addeth that the mansleaer shal flee to one of those Cities. And why? For feare least any of the dead mans kinsemen being moued to wrath, shoulde reuenge his neighbors death, and so shoulde the mischiefe bee dubbled. Now then, to auoyd this inconuenience, There must be Townes appointed for refuge. And hereby wee see that (as I sayd afore) the Lorde will not hauehave vsus to tary till the mischiefe light vponupon vsus, but hee will hauehave vsus to take the remedie of it. It might so fall out that some kinseman of the deadmans being angrie with the matter would say, hee hath slayne my cousin, or my brother, and thereupon come running vppon the innocent partie in his rage, and kill him; whereby the land should hauehave bin defiled with bloud. Therefore Gods will is that the partie which hath committed manslaughter, should get him out of the …ight of those that might bee stirred vp to anger against him. But it is certeine that hee coulde not excuse himselfe, which shoulde so beare malice to the guiltlesse partie. For what could he require of him? Lyeth it in man to ouerrule the things that come to passe by Gods prouidence, which is hidden to vsus? Are wee able to withstande it? Needs then must it be too spitefull hartburning and malice, that should so moue a man to wrath against the partie that neither intended nor thought any euil. But although this commeth of infirmitie and of sinne, yet hath our Lorde voutsafed to remedie that inconuenience. And so wee see that the lawes serue not to bring men to perfection, I meane the politike lawes that are made for ciuill gouernement. They serue not to stablishe perfect holinesse among vsus, but to remedie the vices whereunto we be inclined. Because wee bee not throughly clensed, our Lorde is faine to set barres about vsus, to the intent that if our hearts incline to naughtinesse, our handes may bee withhelde from performing the naughtie desires that we hauehave conceiued in our mindes. Gods lawe is giuen vsus to rule our hearts and minds by. For our Lorde not only commaundeth vsus to absteine from all euill,… 7.7. but also will hauehave our soules ruled altogether by his wil, I meane the moral lawe or ten commaundementes which I hauehave expounded heretofore. But as touching the earthly policie or outwarde gouernement, we must vnderstand that Gods intent was to bring his people to honestie, that there might be good order among them; and yet for all that, he restreined their affections that they might not come to effect. As for example, in this place, if we were required to shew what were eueryevery mans dutie and what he ought to do: it might be said that when a man hath giuen a blowe with his hand vnwittingly, so as the same be sufficiently verified: thē the next friend or kinsman must not steppe to reuenge it: for in so doing he offendeth God in two sorts: first in setting vppon the partie that hath not done him any harme by his will, and secondly in fathering that thing vppon a mortall man which God had ordeined by his owne secret prouidence. After that maner would God speake, if hee ment to bring vsus to a perfect doctrine. But when he maketh a positiue lawe, he thinks it ynough to say that men should hauehave an eye to the inconueniences that may insue, and preuent them, and not tarie till the harme be done, but eschew it aforehand, and shut the doore against all occasions. In like case is it whē a manslaughter is committed: the offender must get him out of the way, and saue himselfe in one of ye Cities of refuge that the next kinsmā which is desirous of reuenge, hauehave none occasion to do it; but that all further stryking may bee layde aside, and the pursuer preace not into the citie, to followe the rage of his choler; but that the offender may be pardoned, so as if there bee any fault in him, the same may bee borne withal, and furthermore that the partie which is so dealt with may liue in safetie, according as it is sayd in another place that those cities of refuge should belong to the Leuites, thereby to shew that God had appointed them there, to bee as protectors of such as came thither for succor:… 35.6. so as if any body came to pursue the quarel against the offender, the Priests and the Leuites should set themselues against him, and take vponupon them ye protection of the partie. Thus much concerning that text.
Now to bee shorte wee hauehave to gather hereof, that God meant not to make such Fraunchises as are deuised in the Popedome. For (to their seeming) God is well honored, when a murtherer, a theefe, or a robber taketh sanctuarie in a Church, so as the officer of Iustice may not bee bolde to lay handes vppon him. In deede it is an auntient superstition; but yet it ceaseth not for all that, to be euill. For God neuer meant to hallowe his temple after that fashion. True it is that such as were in daunger, were woont to flee for succor to his Temple: but yet it booted not the parties that were guiltie. It serued for such as being wrongfully pursued by their enemies, thought that the reuerence of God might appease the wrath of their pursuers: and therefore they fled into the Temple. But yet for all that the offenders escaped not vnpunished, neither was it any let that they receiued not a punishment according to their desertes. As for example, Salomon sware that although Adonias had caught holde of the hornes of the altar of the Temple;1. Kin. 1.52. yet should hee be taken thence and put to death. Salomon was not so blind, that the reuerence of the Temple coulde make him to let the partie scape vnpunished that had deserued it. For why? It is a mocking and scorning of God, when his Iustice is displaced or disappoynted vnderunder pretence of his name and Maiestie. Beholde, God commaundeth vsus to punish murthers and robberies: and yet we will make him a bolsterer of them, in so much that if a cutthroate get him into a Church, hee must bee preserued there from the hand of Iustice for the honor of God: and so God should be contrarie to himselfe. Nowe then the bringing vp of such Fraunchises in the Popedome was a fondnesse, I meane before such time as the tyrannie thereof confounded thinges in such sorte as wee see they be nowe: and it was done of wicked superstitiō. True it is that in old time there were certaine kinds of priuiledges: but they were but for the poorer sort that were vexed out of measure. As for example, if a bondman were cruelly handled by his maister; hee might flee for refuge to some image. To say the trueth, the Emperors made themselues idols in so dooing: but yet the end whereunto it was done was not euil. For thereby their case came to examination. If a maister would needes cut his bondseruants throate, or misuse him without cause: he was compelled to sell him away, and to take mony for him: and so the innocent was deliuered from death. But the sanctuaries that were deuised among Christians, was a peruerting of all ciuill order and equitie among men. And in very deede our Lorde helde skorne of that fond kinde of deuotion, and shewed by the effect that hee mislyked it. For in olde time, they that tooke Sanctuarie in Churches were those that neuer came at Sermons. Wee see howe complayntes hauehave bin made thereof by the auntient doctors that hauehave written thirteene hundred yeeres ago. For thus doe they say, As for them that take sanctuarie here among vsus; they bee none of those whome wee knowe, they bee none of those whome wee see dayly, they bee none of those whome wee take for our disciples, and which come hither to receiue Gods Doctrine: none of that sort do euer take sanctuarie among vsus. Who bee they then that are desirous to inioy the priuiledges of the Church? Vnthriftes, despisers of God, and dayly haunters of Tauernes and brothelhouses. When they hauehave committed any faulte or offence, by and by they take sanctuarie and flee to vsus for refuge. And how happeneth that? No doubt but our Lord hath declared that hee cannot abide any such disorder, that men should make his Church a denne of theeues,Ier. 7.11. as is spoken of it by the Prophet Ieremie. In deede it is otherwise meant: but yet is this a generall ground, that God will not hauehave his temple to serue for a couert for any euill dooers. And therefore let vsus note that although the Churches of the Popedome had bin dedicated to God; yet were they vnhalowed againe by that meanes, forasmuch as they serued to priuiledge offenders, and beside to greeue the creditors, and for such other wicked thinges. Howbeit forasmuch as at this day they be Satans brothelhouses and nothing else but dennes of idols: they may wel hauehave such priuiledges, & we should not hate them for it. But in the meane while wee see how all manner of disorder reigneth there.
And now for our part let vsus marke, that Gods wil was not to giuegive protection to misdemeanors. For on the contrary side it is sayd, That the partie which committeth such a manslaughter shall offer himselfe: (That saying is set downe expresly:) and againe, that the Iustices shall make diligent inquirie of the matter, to knowe whether the partie that hath committed the manslaughter did hate his neighbor aforetimes, or whether he had any quarell against him or no. Herein our Lord sheweth that no excuse may bee admitted. And this discretion ought to bee in all Iudges to beware that they admit not the answere of a man that would couer his owne misbehauiour. For the deed must bee looked into, and the trueth boulted out. Oftentimes Iudges are contented to bee beguiled and to see and not see when some color is set vppon the matter, and to admit the excuse though it bee neuer so trifling, Tush (say they) hee excuseth himselfe of such a matter. Yea and if the offender may bee beleeued, hee will excuse himselfe euer. Therefore must wee make inquirie as God commaundeth vsus, and wee must doe it throughly. So then let vsus marke that when God gaue protection to such as commit manslaughter vnwittingly, he meant not yt the same should serue for wilfull offenders; and therfore he hath shewed the meane how ye thing being good of it self, might be kept from turning into abuse. And hereby wee bee done to vnderstand that if priuiledges bee good and vpright, they serue not for the wicked: and the graunters of them ought to consider that thing well: and they must hauehave an eye aforehande to all other respectes, whereby men may from time to time drawe their dooinges to euill libertie to the ouergreeuing of such as are worthie to be mainteined. But now whereas hee hath made a lawe of vprightnesse, for pitie of such as deserue to bee regarded at his hand: by and by the wicked sorte being suttle, doe take the aduauntage thereof to themselues. Men therefore had neede of discretion in that behalfe, to disappoint such as would abuse priuiledges, which are grāted for none but for such as are worthy of them & deserue them. That is the thing which we hauehave to beare in minde concerning the inquirie which God commaundeth to be made when manslaughter is committed.
And heere wee hauehave a dubble lesson to gather of this text. The one is for such as sit in the seate of Iustice. They (as I hauehave sayd afore) must take good heede that they admit no trifling excuses: but that when any open offence is committed, they trye out who is faultie thereof, that hee may be punished for it.Deut. 21.1. For wee see how God hath commaunded that if a mans body were found dead, the Iustice shoulde make diligent inquisition of it out of hand without any forslowing or partialitie: and that if the murtherer could not bee found, yet if it were neere the boundes of any Towne or Citie, inquisition should be made for it round about, and solemne protestation should bee made by those Cities that they were guiltles of the bloudshed before God, and that if they knewe the dooer thereof, they would bewray him: and after all this, it behoued them also to offer a sacrifice. And there is not any thing that can better shewe vsus how greatly God abhorreth the shedding of mans bloud, than this that wee see that hee willeth the magistrates to come together after that fashion, to doe Iustice for dueties sake of their owne accord, though no man require it at their hand: and also to offer themselues before God in the open face of the world, with protestation that their intent is not to conceale the misdeed, but that they would to the vttermost of their power auenge it, if it came to their knowledge, without cloaking of it. And yet is not that enough: but they must moreouer adde a sacrifice, to craue pardon at Gods hand, forasmuch as it was his will to humble them, by suffering a manslaughter to be committed within their iurisdiction, and in that they were not able to cleare the land thereof. So then let vsus learne, that such as sit in the seate of Iustice must bee watchful, to see that no misdemeanor bee fostered. And if it bee concealed, they must looke diligētly to it that it may be brought to light. And when they hauehave proofe of the matter, they must not bee slacke in punishing of it, vnlesse they will be taken for accessaries before God to ye deed doers. Mark y• for one poin…
And further, in all examinations of matters let Iudges and Iustices hauehave their eyes open, to see whether folke deale craftily and couertly or no. And if they did so, there should bee better regard had to proofes than there is. But they let many thinges slippe, and are contented that they shoulde not come to knowledge. And yet doth God shewe here how men ought to behaue themselues in the examination of offences. Wherein we hauehave a generall lesson that concerneth vsus all. For although all of vsus bee not ordeined to bee Iustices to beare the sworde for the punishing of offenders:… Cor. 11.31. yet doth God graunt vsus the honor to bee our owne Iudges. Therefore let vsus examine our selues diligently, when any matter befalleth vsus, that wee flatter not our selues in our offences and misdealinges. And if we ought to be so diligent in examining our selues, that although wee feele no remorse or heartbyting of conscience, yet notwithstanding wee should sift our selues whether wee bee worthie of blame or no: what ought we to do whē we be conuicted by the witnesse of our owne consciences, so as we perceiue there was some euill disposition in vsus? Let vsus beware that wee can well iustifie our selues then. And so yee see how wee may proceede from one thing to another: namely that inasmuch as wee perceiue that Magistrates are here warned to doe their duetie diligently; wee may gather vppon that particular poynt, that God hath inioyned eueryevery of vsus to preferre inditementes against our selues, and to take good heede that wee flatter not our selues in any wise.
But now by the way, to come againe to the examinations which our Lord hath set downe here: it is sayd that consideration must be had whether there hauehave bin any hatred betweene the partie that is so striken that hee dyeth of it, and the other that gaue the stroke: Let it be considered (saith he) whether there was any hatred betwixt them or no. Here we see yet better the thing that I touched afore, that is to wit, that all crimes are willing, and that wee must repaire to that fountaine to know whether it bee a crime or no. As for example, if a man hauehave committed a manslaughter, how may it bee knowen that hee is guiltie of crime or no? By knowing whether hee bare any hatred or malice to the partie or no, saith the Lord. And here we hauehave to marke first of all, that forasmuch as hatred or malice is the welspring of murther, it is not to bee wondered at, or to be thought straunge, that God should denounce all them to bee murtherers, which hate men in their hartes, and that he should condemne the rancor though it lye hidden within. For why? when a murtherer commeth to examination, is the hand to blame? is the swoorde to blame? or is the stroke to blame that was giuen? No. But the blame is in the malice that was conceiued afore, which led the hand and prouoked the man to commit the murther. Therefore marke it for a point, that it is not without cause that our Lorde deemeth all those to be murtherers, which doe so hate their neighbors. And the same must warne vsus to preuent all daungers, that the sunne go not downe vppon our malice; for in so dooing wee giuegive Satan possession of vsus. Beware my brethren (sayth S. Paul) that ye giuegive not place to Satan.Eph. 4.26.27. And how doe wee giuegive him place? It is (sayth hee) by suffering the Sunne to goe downe vppon our wrath; for when we feede any hartburning within vsus, and multiply rancor in our mindes; although wee perceiue it not at the first, yet are we caught with so cursed affection, as we cānot ouercome it afterward. Seeing then that hatred procureth such wickednesse; let eueryevery man looke to himselfe, and when wee be moued to any ill will, although some displeasure be done vntounto vsus, and it may seeme that we hauehave iust cause of reuenge as in respect of men: yet notwithstanding let all such thinges be layd aside, and let vsus striue earnestly to ouermaister our selues, that our hearts be not hardened for feare least the diuel doe so worke in vsus, that the hatred which we hauehave cōceiued to day, do make vsus ready to slea & kil to morrow, so as ye hart being inuenimed doe cary ye hande away wt it. Yee see then how it is a thing worthie to be marked.
And generally let vsus learne, that to examine our faultes well, we must not onelyonly hauehave an eye to the thinges that are done by our hands, feete, eyes, & eares: but we must also goe to the inward parts & search our thoughts, our wicked desires, and all the thinges that doe tempt and prouoke vsus: for there lyeth the right examination of our sins. When a man goeth about to Iustify himself because he hath committed no murther, theft, or whoredome in actuall deede, & yet is infected with wicked lusts in his hart: his laboring to acquit himselfe after that sort, is in vaine before God. And therefore let vsus beare in minde, that to search our selues duely of all our offences and misdooinges, we must enter into our owne consciences, & not only cōdemne our wicked lustes, but also euen our thoughts wherby we were prouoked & induced to euill, and we must vnderstād that euen that is a damnable sin already before God. Thus ye see what we be taught in this text where it is sayd that inquirie must be made whether the man hated his neighbour before or no.
And here is expresse mention made of the time that went before. In deede in the Hebrewe it is, yesterday or before yesterday: but it is but their common phrase of speach, whereby they doe betoken all time that is past. And hereby our Lord meant to declare, that men must not looke onelyonly at the present deede, but that they must proceede further, and see whether any mischief lay lurking afore. For if a man alledge circumstances to cleere himselfe, and bee not found faultie out of hand; that is not yet enough: an eye must be had what went before: the thing may be found out in a monethmonth which can not be found in a day: and the thing will bee found in a yeere, which is not to be found in a monethmonth. Now if this ought to be done in earthly Iustice: let eueryevery of vsus practise it lykewise in our owne behalfe. When wee enter into the consideration of our owne faultes, let vsus not looke onelyonly vppon the thinges that are presently falne out; but let vsus goe yet further and say; How is this befalne me? It is because I hauehave nourished this vice long time in me, whereas if I had cut it off at the first, God would not hauehave left me so much to my selfe. But what? I hauehave soothed my selfe in mine euill dooinges, and suffered this cursed seede to take roote in my heart, without regarding to represse it, so as it may seeme that I hauehave bin minded to tempt God wilfully. And therefore it is good reason that I should fall so grosly, sith I my selfe am the cause thereof. Such examination should we make of all our faultes, and not onelyonly condemne our selues for the present deede done, but also proceede further and say; Alas, if I had armed my selfe against Satan or if I had not of long time set open the way for him, or if I had not wrought the meanes for him to beguile me: God had preserued me. But mine owne negligence is to blame for it, thereof it commeth that I hauehave yeelded my selfe to this wicked lust, against the which I should hauehave striued at the first. And so yee see yet againe what we hauehave to marke when wee be to examine our selues well; and what doctrine wee hauehave to gather of this saying, yt inquirie must be made whether there hauehave bin any former hatred betwixt the parties that are spoken of in this place.
Now finally, whereas it is sayd, That there is no iudgement of death vppon such a man, it serueth to proue the thing better, which I hauehave spoken already: namely that if a man be not guiltie by his own purpose, intēt, or wil; he ought not to be taken for an offender. God acquitteth him, and therefore he ought not to bee condemned by men or by any creature. This ought to serue vsus for a further confirmation of the doctrine which I take in hand to expound. Men can alwayes wel grant yt faults are willing. Whē ye Heathen wrate of yt matter, they spake after this maner: the Lawe punisheth not the euentes of thinges, but the intentes of them. And when the Philosophers wrate thereof, they could wel skill to say, there is neither vice nor vertue which proceedeth not of the will. Yet for all this, we cease not to bleare our owne eyes, neither doe we thinke our selues to hauehave offended, vnlesse our handes bee bloudy, or that there appeare some euident token to the worldward, or (to be short,) yt we be conuicted of the doing of some wicked deed. But yt is against my former saying, yt is to wit, that all sinnes proceede of the wil. Therefore when wee intend to examine our selues throughly, let vsus learn to begin at our wils And if we finde no euil deed in our selues, yt is to say neither malice, nor euil wil; thē is it no crime. And whereas I say that euill affection is willing, yet for all that I exclude not mens inquiries: for it is not for naught that God hath distinguished sinnes and misdeedes into two sortes; whereof the one sorte are called crimes, and the other sorte are called ignorances. Although then that men hauehave no intent or meaning to doe amisse, yet is it not to bee sayd that therefore they bee righteous. But my meaning now is that there be no wicked affection or desire in vsus, so as wee bee not disposed to it of any will, but that the whole matter standeth vppon mischaunce that insueth. And I call it mischaunce after the custome of common speach. For it behooueth vsus to referre all thinges to Gods prouidence, and not to thinke that any thing can fal out through fortune. Neuerthelesse it is a common manner of speach among vsus, to say that a thing happeneth by chaunce or fortune, when it commeth to passe on our side. That then is the thing in effect, which we hauehave to note, in that our Lorde sayth that there shall no iudgement of death passe vppon a man that shall hauehave giuen his neighbour a deadly blowe, without any malice borne to him before: but that hee shall bee quitte, if his stryking of him were without forepurpose or intent of will.
And furthermore wee see here in few words, how our Lorde meant to forbid vsus to be moued to anger one against another, and hath voutsafed to beare with our imperfections so farre, that to eschew greater inconueniences, hee will hauehave the guiltlesse person to get him out of the way for a time. True it is (as I hauehave declared heretofore) that his intent is also to shewe how greatly wee ought to abhorre murther. But howsoeuer the case stand, yet it doth behooue vsus to marke well Gods gratious goodnesse, in mainteining peace and concorde by all meanes possible. Were wee such as wee ought to bee, there shoulde bee as it were but one common league of fellowship among vsus: but now are wee faine to be separated asunder; so as eueryevery man getteth himselfe alone, eueryevery man hath his goods by himselfe, eueryevery man hath his possessions seuerall, and eueryevery man hath as it were a proprietie alone: and that is because of our infirmitie. And true it is that this Lawe might bee generall: but there are many other meanes whereby God sheweth vsus how he beareth with our infirmities. Is it not a pitious case that two brethren cannot liue quietly together, without contention and strife; and that euen the father and the sonne also should be at the same point? These are shamefull thinges and vtterly against nature, so as it may well bee sayd that we be worse than wilde beastes, seeing that euen they which are linked together in so neere and holy bond, cannot beare one with another that they might liue together infriendship. But what? The vices of men are so great, that to eschewe greater mischiefes, sometime the parties that ought to be neerest together, are faine to be set furthest asunder. And the same maner of dealing doth God vse in this place. Hee will hauehave a man to forsake his owne house and possessions, and to goe into a straunge place. And wherfore? To the end that the partie which was mooued to wrath for louelove of his neighbour, should hauehave no occasion to doe worse, nor bee prouoked by seeing him before his eyes. Now then sith wee see this, let vsus briefly market the goodnes which God vseth towardes vsus, which is more than the louelove of a father, in that hee beareth with vsus in our vices, and findeth fit meanes to keepe vsus from flinging out at randon, and moreouer giueth vsus warning by his owne example to preuent or cut off all occasions of euill. Therefore let vsus beware: for the diuell is alwayes watching & will soone take vsus in a trip, if we admit neuer so small an occasion of dooing euill. So then let vsus bridle our selues short, and be well aduised, saying thus to our selues: O, if I commit such a thing I may bee tempted with such an euill, and therefore I had need to labour to keepe my selfe from it. For why? The diuell, is ouer wylie for me, and if I cast my selfe once into his nettes, what will become of mee? For God sheweth vsus howe we ought to liue, and howe to cut off all occasions of euill, and that if there bee any thing that may leade vsus to any euil, we must shunne it aforehande. Seeing then that God hath sung vsus such a lesson, let vsus take heede not onelyonly that wee absteine from all euill deedes, whereby wee may corrupt and defile our whole life and vtterly cast our selues into all disorder; but also that wee eschewe all thinges that may leade vsus to euill by any indirect wayes.
Nowe let vsus kneele downe before the Maiestie of our good God, with acknowledgement of our faultes, praying him to make vsus feele them more and more, that euerie of vsus may so bethinke vsus of our sinnes, as wee become our owne Iudges and learne to condemne our selues, that wee may obtaine forgiuenesse of the heauenly Iudge, so as hee may pitie vsus and bury all our transgressiōs by which we be guiltie before him: and that wee may examine our sinnes narrowly dayly more and more, to the ende that being mortified vntounto them, wee may dayly draw neere to his righteousnesse, whereunto hee calleth vsus by his worde. That it may please him to graunt this grace, not onelyonly to vsus but also to all people and Nations of the earth &c.