Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 153
On Tewsday the x. of March, 1556. The CLiij. Sermon, which is the first vponupon the eight and twentith Chapter.
IF thou obey the voyce of the Lorde thy God, in keeping and doeing all his commaundementes which I commaunde thee this day, then will the Lord thy God make thee head ouer al the nations of the earth.
2 And al these blessings shall come vponupon thee, and inclose thee round about, if thou obey the voyce of the Lord thy God.
WE hauehave seen heretofore, howe God hath couenanted with his people, of purpose to bynde them: that euerye one shold know his duetie, and bee the better disposed to doe the same. Now he speaketh as a Iudge hauing all authoritie. It skilles not whether folke doe pleade guiltie or no, when they hauehave doone amisse: for God giueth heere his determinate sentence, though they consent not thereunto. Neyther doeth the case concerne altogether the condemning of those that offend the lawe; but he beginneth with another matter, to wit, with right amiable promises: therby to allure and to win mens heartes vntounto him. Thus therefore doeth he say: If ye hearken vntounto my voyce to obey my commaundementes, and bee carefull to keepe them: you shalbe blessed all maner of wayes, and yee shall be enuironed through my fauour, with all maner of welfare and prosperitie. I hauehave already tolde you, that GOD sheweth great goodnesse towardes men, when hee goeth about by such meanes to winne them: for it were sufficient for him to to say, This is your duty: and al creatures should tremble at his speaking. Therefore when hee addeth any promises, hee forbeareth part of his right, and therein humbleth himselfe, that wee should bee the more inclyned and better disposed to serue him. If wee had doone all that wee can, yea and more than wee are able: is GOD bound to recompence vsus? Surely no. Wee must alwaies resort to that which our Lorde Iesus alleageth in Saint Luke,Luke. 17.7. namely: That if a man hauehave a bond seruant, and he send him to labour in the feelde all the day long, when the seruant commeth home at night; wil he say: Wel, nowe must I doe my turne; thou shalt sit downe at the Table, and I will prepare thy supper, and giuegive thee thy meate and drinke, bycause thou hast laboured for mee, and my course is nowe come to serue thee? Will the Maister say so? No truly. But when the seruant is come home, the Maister will say vntounto him, Couer the table, dresse my supper, and giuegive me drinke. Euen so sayth Iesus Christ, When you hauehave doone all that is possible for you to do: thinke not in your selues, that God my father oweth you aught at all, or that hee is beholden vntounto you: but proceede on still, and acknowledge, that all that euer yee can doe is but duetie towardes him. And indeede seeing that God hath made vsus, what is hee that can do too much for the seruice of him? We see then yt God might say playnly: Thus it it pleaseth me, & this is my will, follow you yt way. And therfore whereas he telleth vsus yt we shalbe blessed & not loose our labour, but hauehave rewarde for our seruing of him: It is not to be doubted, but yt in so dooing, hee forbeareth some part of his right. In the meane whyle, wee may see that he playeth the good and kinde hearted Father to win his Children. For although a father woteth well that his children are bounde to obey him to the vttermost; and that hee for his part, is not any way bounde to them: yet will hee not refuse to saye: Loe, I louelove you, and I desire but your owne welfare: doe but so as I may hauehave lyking of you, and I will not forsake you. A father will be liberall of promyse, saying: Goe to, yee knowe that all that euer I hauehave is for you: for whome else doe I trauayle? And to what other ende? And if I see you take good wayes, I will vse you accordingly. Thus doeth the father that humbleth himselfe in his authoritie. And wherefore? Bycause hee woulde that his children shoulde serue him of free good will, rather than bee compelled thereunto by rigorous extremitie. Let vsus marke therefore, that all the promises contayned in holy Scripture, be as it were so many testimonies of the fatherly louelove of our GOD; shewing himselfe to hauehave a care of our health and welfare, in that hee vouchsafeth thus to apply and fashion himselfe vntounto vsus. By meanes whereof the Lawe of GOD becommeth the more amyable vntounto vsus; for as much as wee see that in keeping of the same wee bee not disappoynted of a good rewarde, yea farre greater than we can wish. For vnderunder this woorde Blessing, is comprehended all manner of prosperitie.
Moreouer whē God doeth make vsus to prosper in this world: it is for none other purpose, but to giuegive vsus a tast of his louelove towards vsus. Howbeit, this is not the cheefe point whereupon hee woulde hauehave vsus to stay: but he leadeth vsus euer further: Insomuch that when we feele his goodnesse in this present life, and that hee hath care of vsus, & that hee reacheth foorth his hande to prouide for vsus al thinges that are necessarie: wee ought thereuppon to conclude much more stronglie, that when hee hath taken vsus out of this present worlde, hee will then powre vppon vsus the Riches of his goodnesse, in other manner of sorte than wee be nowe able to comprehende. Indeede wee hauehave in this life some small shewe thereof, but the aboundant accomplishment of the same shall bee in the kingdome of heauen. Thus ye see what wee hauehave to consider, in that our GOD deliuereth foorth his promises to traine vsus the better to serue him of free good will.
Neuerthelatter, howsoeuer the worlde goe, let vsus marke, that all the promises which God maketh vsus vppon condition, stand vsus in no steed (as it was told you yesterday) if wee stay there. For why? Truely, God is faithfull: and his speaking is not to deceyue vsus: but yet let vsus looke to our selues. What is hee that so dischargeth him of his duetie, that hee may hope to bee blessed of God? It is not saide: You shal bee blessed in keeping part of my law: but it is said in the text: If you heare my voice, and be diligent in keeping all my commaundementes, and fulfill them all: then I will blesse you. Nowe that men endeuour themselues in all that is possible to keepe the lawe of God, I speake not of their owne power or naturall motion. For so farre off are they which bee not regenerate by the holy Ghost, from atteyning to serue God, that they canne no skil so much as to conceyue a good thought. What is the inclination of man, but a striuing against God, and all his righteousnesse? So long as men followe the leading of their owne spirite,….3. …. 1.5. they doe nothing else but fight against God, as vtter rebelles to his whole wil. To bee short,….3.5. we bee not apt (as Saint Paul sayeth) so much as to thinke to doe well. To thinke is a verie small thing: and yet Saint Paul cutteth vsus off from that power, and sheweth that wee bee so corrupted and frowardely bent, that in all thinges wee drawe contrarie to that which God commaundeth vsus. Insomuch that euen when God hath reformed vsus by his holy spirite, and changed our malice and rebellion, whereunto wee bee wholie inclined: yet can it not bee saide that wee proc…ede to the obeying of him in all perfection: for there is alwayes some infirmitie to let vsus: so that in steede of running wee doe but halt, and trayle our legges after vsus: in steede of going right forwarde, wee …eele from one side to an other: and it happeneth often to vsus, to trippe and to stumble, as euerie man may well finde in himselfe. Howe then can wee hope to bee blessed of our GOD, beeing so farre wide from keeping of his lawe? That is the cause why I sayde, that all the promises which bee vppon condition are vtterlie vnauaylable, and shall neuer come to their effect, if God shoulde rest vppon that point. In deede this matter was expounded yesterday, and this place was expresly alleaged by Saint Paul, where it is sayde, that if saluation come by workes,Rom. 4.14. and the inheritaunce proceede of the lawe: then shall there bee no performance of the promises. For wee doe faile on our part, and therefore the couenant is voide, that God hath made with vsus: yet may it not hereby bee concluded that God mocketh vsus, in setting downe these promises: as the Papistes doe at the first dash, starting out of their boundes, and playing the madde men. For when it is saide, that all the promises conteyned in wholy scriptures, bee not effectuall, otherwise than by meane of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes through the free goodnesse of God, and that wee are iustifyed by faith onelyonly: What (say they?) Seeing it is saide, I wil blesse you, so you serue mee and honour mee▪ it seemeth that God vseth but hypocrisie, and maketh a daliaunce with men. To what purpose (saith he so?) Thus do the Papistes accuse GOD of falsehoode, and blaspheme him, if they be not able to deserue the promises which hee hath made them. For otherwise [they thinke] it is but a mockerie, to make men beleeue that he woulde blesse them. But let vsus beware of such maddenesse, and let vsus rather vnderstande to what ende God hath giuen his promises vntounto men: and wee shall see that it is not in vaine. I saide heretofore, that God hath shewed his great goodnesse, in humbling himselfe so louingly vntounto vsus. We perteyne wholy to him, wee are altogether his, and yet woulde hee not simplie commaund; but commaunde with promises, and gentlenesse to win vsus. If a man doe hereupon replie and say, What doeth it profite vsus? Truely it profiteth vsus nothing at all▪ if wee stay there: but wee must goe further. When wee heare the promises that God hath offered vntounto vsus, & see that all his seeking is to winne vsus through louelove, and that hee meaneth not to enforce vsus through necessitie, it condemneth vsus of vnthankefulnesse, if we bend not ourselues wholy towardes him. But wee cannot doe it. Wherefore? Are wee then excused? No. For it is our owne naughtinesse that doth let vsus.Iames. 1.14. Euerie man shal… condemne himselfe, saith Saint Iames, because there is nothing that prouoketh vsus to euill, but the concupiscence of our owne fleshe. Seeing then that the fault is in vsus, wee must make no more allegations, and here yee see wee bee confounded before God. Thus then hauehave wee cause to bee twise the more lowely. First of all, for that wee bee so leawde, that Gods goodnesse mooueth vsus not to come neere him, and to put our selues vnderunder his leading: And secondlie for that we search not out the bottome of the sinne that is in vsus, after this manner: Alas, seeing I hauehave euerie day so in numerable thoughtes, so many desires and motions, such store of affections, which serue altogether to turne mee away from that good whereunto God doeth call mee: by reason whereof I ceasse not to offende God in all thinges, so as nothing can bee drawen from mee, but vtter euill, all offence, and al iniquitie: alas in what taking am I? Men, when they see this, must needes feele themselues double confounded. And when they hauehave well examined themselues, [they must needes bee driuen to thinke thus,] Well, God hath layde before mee all the meanes that I can wish, for to attayne saluation, if I were not altogether corrupt and peruerse. And now cannot I pleade ignoraunce, seeing that the lawe is giuen vntounto mee, and the way shewed mee, howe I ought to gouerne mee and howe to leade my life. And to the ende that I should bee the more willing thereunto; my God trayneth mee to it by gentlenesse, promising that I shalbee rewarded for seruing him. Is it so? What is then to be done? I must not in this case make any further protestation, nor stande pleading any more against GOD: for I am too much too blame already. Now when men finde themselues thus condemned, then are they forced to seeke their saluation out of themselues, and to resort to this second remedie; Alas Lord, if the case were so that I shoulde obteyne saluation by seruing of thee, thou hast giuen mee thy lawe, and also ioyned thereunto thy promises; howbeit these thinges auaile mee nothing: I must therefore forsake my selfe, acknowledging that I am quite shutte out of all hope of life, vnlesse I finde some other better helpe. See heere I say, how wee bee ledde to our Lorde Iesus Christ, and made to embrace the grace which is offered vntounto vsus in him that by obteining forgiuenesse of our sinnes, wee may be sure to bee blessed of God. When wee hauehave once gotten that fauour, that God is at one with vsus by meanes of our Lorde Iesus Christ; then doeth hee accept our vnperfect woorkes, as though we had accomplished all the lawe. Although the good which the faithfull doe, bee not woorthy to bee receiued of God: yet doeth hee accept it in good woorth. And wherefore? For he of his owne goodnesse wipeth away all the faultes that are in them. So then, when wee labour to doe well, notwithstanding that it lyeth not in our power to attayne to perfection, because of the ouermuch frailtie of our nature: yet wil God receiue our seruice as acceptable, as though hee had nothing to say against it: and so are wee made partakers of the blessinges that are heere mentioned. As howe? We hauehave not fulfilled all: It is true: but yet God passeth it in his accounts, as if al were performed, forsomuch as wee bee made cleane by the bloud of Iesus Christ. And like as wee be cleansed, so be our workes also, and when they come before God, hee accepteth them, as though they were thorowly good, righteous and perfect. Here therefore wee perceiue that the promises bee not giuen in vaine, but that they hauehave their effect in the faithfull: not at the first dash, but when we come thereunto by degrees, and circumstances, for then wee shall feele the effect and force of them. As concerning the misbeleeuers, the promises stande them in no steade; but to make them the more vnexcusable before God in the last day. For what shall they be able to pleade, seeing that God hath so familiarly offered himselfe vntounto them, requiring nothing but to hauehave the fruition of their whole life: that they might obey him: and yet they continue hardhearted? See yee not howe they bee double confounded? And therefore the promises and threateninges of the lawe, bee alwayes good and righteous, neither shall they bee vnprofitable, if a man can skill to take them as it were meete they shoulde. But this shalbee better perceiued by the discourse which I shall make thereof particularly. Now let vsus proceede to expound the wordes that Moses doeth vse. If thou wilt bear… the voyce of the Lorde thy God, and bee carefull to fulfill all the commaundementes which I commaund thee this day: all these blessinges shall come vponupon the… and compasse thee rounde about. As touching the first point, Moses sheweth that which wee sawe before, namely, that the beginning to liue well, is to hearken vntounto God. For men must not hauehave the rule ouer themselues, saying, I will gouerne my selfe after mine owne liking: wee must not take such libertie: For hee that taketh too much vppon himselfe, shall at the last bee reiected of GOD, for not yeelding him this obedience, which is the foundation whereon wee ought to builde. Let vsus marke therefore, that all they which followe their owne foolish deuotions (as they cal them,) are misliked of God. For this text of the Prophet Esay must take place. Who hath required these thinges at your handes? Esa. 1.1Let vsus acknowledge therefore, that it is an inestimable benefite when God sheweth vsus his will, and that the state of the Papists is accursed. For when they intend to doe well, they knowe not which way to turne them, but eueryevery one followeth his owne fancie with, I hope it wilbee well, for my meaning is good: and againe common custome alloweth it, and our holy mother the Church doth commaunde it: but in the meane while the lawe of God remaineth forgotten. Whereby we may learne that there is nothing but confusion in the life of man, in which is nought else but a mingling without order, vntill they bee taught of God, as wee shall see hereafter. This is the way, walke in it. It is said that we must be carefull. This word was set downe once afore by Moses,Deut. 30.1… and not without cause is it here againe repeated. For we be warned by it, that vnlesse men bee very heedeful in obeying God, and inforce themselues thereunto, and set their whole studie thereon in good earnest, they shal neuer atteine to keepe the lawe. And we ourselues see what weakenesse there is in vsus, yea euen albeit that God doe gouerne vsus, and although we be reformed by his holy Spirit. For as for the vnfaithful, they bee so caried away and so furious in their wilfull stubbornesse, that a man woulde thinke they should runne madde against God. Yea and although that wee bee gouerned by the holy Ghost; yet are we so frayle as is pitie to see. God requireth a great perfection, when he willeth vsus to louelove him with all our heart, to eschue all the vanities of this world, and all our fleshly lustes; and (to be shorte,) to forsake our selues, and to be altogether changed. This is a matter ouer high and difficult. Now let vsus consider what Sathan doth deuise and practise to turne vsus away from the seruice of God: how many sorts of tēptations be there? They be infinite. Againe, how sore are the assaultes that Sathan prepareth against vsus? When we hauehave considered of all this; wee may well conclude, that it is not without cause, that God sayth, that we must be carefull, that eueryevery one of vsus must strengthen himselfe, and gather all our forces together; and not thinke to set foorth negligently to the seruice of our God. For when we suppose to march one step foreward, we shall goe an hundred backward, if we bee not very stoute and couragious, holding our selues in awe and restreyning our selues, & gathering our wits to vsus in such sort, as we bend our mindes wholly thereunto, and euen as yee would say) labour for breath in trauelling about it.
And moreouer seeing we be for laide with ambushes on eueryevery side, and shoulde bee soone surprised so as we should fall into the snares of Satan ere we were aware: let vsus take heede and be watchfull. That is the thing whereof we be warned. And would God we could well cary away this lesson. For then, whereas we now apply all our power, and all our endeuours to thinges not onelyonly friuolous, but altogether hurtfull, tending to none other ende but to deceiue vsus to our destruction: eueryevery of vsus woulde be vigilant to walke in the obedience of GOD, and to giuegive himselfe wholly thereunto. And seeing that wee bee warned thereof, there is no excuse. Will we then obey our God, and shewe that our affection is so bent without dissembling? Let eueryevery one of vsus incline to that which is giuen him in commaundement: namely to bee carefull, vigilant and attentiue.
Nowe he addeth: To keepe all the commaundementes which I set before thee this day, or which I ordeyne for thee. Although Moses be the speaker hereof: yet taketh hee the aucthoritie and power to commaund, and to subdue men not to anything of his owne forging, as who should say, it ought therefore to bee receiued without gainesaying: but to God, because GOD speaketh by his mouth, and for that hee himselfe doeth faithfully deliuer the doctrine that was to him committed. Therefore speaketh hee in such a high style, insomuch as he saith, that they should keepe his ordinaunces. It lieth not in the power of a mortal man to binde folks consciences. And yet is that ye thing which wholly corrupted the Church; in that men hauehave vsurped the office of God in making lawes and statutes, for spirituall gouernement of mens soules. And that is a point of high treason to Godward. For the creature vsurpeth to himselfe the thing which appertaineth to GOD onelyonly, whom the Prophet Esay termeth the lawgiuer,… 3.22. and in likewise Saint Iames,…. 12. to the ende that wee should learne to hea…ken vntounto him, and wholly to depend vponupon his worde. Let vsus marke wel then, that it is not lawful for men to inioine lawes vntounto mens soules. But whereas Moses saith, I ordeine vntounto thee, he presupposeth that he preferred not any thing of his owne, ne forged any law of his owne brayne, or added any thing to that which God had committed vntounto him: but forasmuch as hee did his office faithfully, he might well say, I ordeyne for thee. As when wee set forth the pure word of God, the same very worde is a souereigne commaundement. Now it is not meant heereby, that we should vsurp any dominion or souereintie ouer mens soules. But that in dooing seruice to GOD, wee may commaund in his name and in his person. Thus wee see heere what the meaning of Moses was. And in deede, doth it lie in vsus to promise men life euerlasting▪ or to denounce vntounto them the vengeance of God? And yet wee doe it neuerthelesse. Yea verily, howbeit no furtherfoorth than the worde of God is put into our mouth, and that wee hauehave the testimonie of him, being his witnesse bearers and his herauldes: his witnesses (I meane) to assure the faithfull of the grace and saluation which is promised vntounto thē; and his heralds to pronounce and to publish his sentence against al the vnbeleeuing sort and rebels. Therefore to be short, God meant to shew forth the maiestie of his word, when he appointed Moses to speake in that manner. And it was to the end that we should receiue the woorde of God with so much the more lowlinesse and reuerence, when it is preached vntounto vsus: not respecting the person, as who would say, hee is but a man that speaketh, he is like vntounto vsus, and as wee …re, so is he: but as though we thought thus with our selues, It is God that speaketh by the mouth of this man: therefore let vsus tremble at his presence, let vsus stoope, and receiue that which hee saith: and seeing he calleth vsus before him, let it serue to bring vsus to such obedience, that we may doe him homage: thereby to shewe that we embrace that which proceedeth from his maiestie. This is the summe of that which wee hauehave to keepe in memorie touching this text.
Now here might a question be moued, why it is said: When you hauehave kept al my commandementes: For it is impossible for vsus to fulfil the law, so long as we stand cloathed with this mortall flesh. As I said afore, we shal euer be ful of vices and imperfections. It seemeth then, that it is to no purpose for God to require such a fulfilling of the lawe, seeing it is impossible. But here we must remember what hath bin spoken of afore: To wit, that God in his law respecteth not our might, power, or abilitie, but our dutie, & after what maner our life ought to be gouerned. And ye same ought to suffice vsus, inasmuch as we say yt a man shal neuer attaine to ye perfect obedience of God, but yt we be euer farre from the end of our way: the cause whereof, is our corrupt nature, being so infected through original sinne, yt when we think on God, we be troubled with many euil fansies: & whē we hauehave any good motiō, we are by & by pluckt back from it, & we neede not any other thing to draw vsus to the cleane contrarie. But nowe by the way, doth the impossibilitie of dooing it, discharge vsus of our seruice which wee bee bound to doe vntounto God? No. For the euil commeth of ourselues. It is no maruel then, that God in his lawe shoulde hauehave no regard to mās abilitie or vnabilitie, but rather to the dutie which we owe him, or that he shoulde require the right that belongeth vntounto him: for who is he yt can denie it him? Hee must not change his nature. If wee bee froward, what hath he to do to meddle with our steines & fylthines? But he setteth forth such a righteousnes, as we are not able to replie against. And in his law he setteth not down such a righteousnes as is in himself, he hath not respect to his own right…ousnesse, but vntounto the righteousnesse that ought to bee in his creatures, namely, such as is in his Angels. If wee had continued in our integritie, and not beene peruerted and corrupted through sinne, then should we hauehave beene able to hauehave discharged all that God requireth of vsus in his lawe. That is certaine. Now then we see how it is not without cause that God will hauehave vsus to keepe his whole law. And yet we be not able to performe it. It is true: but the default proceedeth of the sinne which dwelleth in vsus, as I hauehave shewed heeretofore.
Now herewithal we hauehave to mark, that seeing God promiseth nothing, but vntounto thē that hauehave obeyed al ye law, it were too doltish follie to suppose that we can merit or deserue by doing this thing or that thing: we must first of all hauehave kept al the law, which is impossible. And whereas the Papists prate of their merits, enabling thēselues to purchase the kingdome of heauen; they think that whē they hauehave done anie good to their own seeming, God is bound to them, Oh (say they) I hauehave beene deuoutly at Masse. It is certaine that they prouoke the wrath of God by so dooing: for we know that it is a diuelish abhomination. Againe, I hauehave serued such a Saint my Patron (say they,) I hauehave builded such a Chappell: and they beare themselues in hand that in so dooing they earne heauen. Truely al these things are but a spiting of God: they bee diuelish superstitions, whereby the seruice of God is quite defaced. But put the case that the Papists did wel in their dalying so with such pelting stuffe: were God euer the more bound vntounto them for it? It woulde behoue them to consider first before what notarie that euidence did passe. For it is not for vsus to bridle him, or to tie him to ye stake, or to subdue him to our fantasies. It must proceed of his own good wil. Now then▪ what saith hee? When you shal hauehave kept al my cōmandements, thē shal these blessings come vponupon you. Let eueryevery of vsus looke how he hath kept ye cōmandements of God. Let ye Papists brag as much as they list, can they say yt they hauehave accōplished ye hundreth part of thē? If they hauehave kept one of Gods cōmandements, they hauehave offended him in a hundred sins for it: & if there be but one fault cōmitted, though it be neuer so litle a one, they be faultie in al, according as S. Iames saith: he yt faileth in any one only point,Iames. 2.10. is a breaker of ye whole law. Seeing then yt they bee offenders, they are depriued & banished from al the blessings yt God hath set forth, yea euen yt concerne but this present transitorie life: much lesse therefore are they able to win ye kingdome of heauen (as they imagin) being not able to deserue one morsel of breade to put into their mouth. Thus are they shut out of al. And why? For God hath not promised any thing but vntounto them that keepe al his whole law. How shal we do then? We must heare God speake after an other fashion: to wit: we must harken vntounto him speaking of the free promises which hee offereth vntounto vsus in our Lord Iesus Christ. God in ye holy scripture vseth a double speach: And whē I speake of double speach, I meane not yt he do… bleth on his part, or yt he is contrarie to himselfe, or ye one saying of his is repugnant to an other: for God keepeth alwaies at one stay, and (as I hauehave said afore) hee changeth not: all ye speeches yt proceed from him do very wel agree together, without any contradictiō. Neuertheles…, as touching his law, there he hath spoken as a Iudge & not as a father. In his law he speaketh as a Iudge, saying: He yt liueth as he ought, shal not bee deceiued, he shal not leese his labor: for when you hauehave done me seruice, I wil cause you to prosper. After such maner doth God speake in the person of a Iudge. And when wee hauehave receiued this word, behold we are confounded, howsoeuer the case standeth. And wherefore? For that in stead of abilitie to obteine the grace yt is offered vntounto vsus, wee ceasse not to kindle Gods wrath against vsus; and therefore we be all damned. What is to be done then? God commeth speaking as a father, and saith: Well then, I am contented to forbeare this rigour of mine, which I might execute vponupon you by my law; howbeit yt the same is not ouer great: for I hauehave applied my selfe so far vntounto you, as to promise that which is not your due: I hauehave bin willing as it were to entice you by amiable meanes: but I hauehave wonne nothing therby, because of your frowardnes. What remedy then? I come now to tel you, yt if you wil beleeue in my Son, I wil release you of al your debts. If you will receiue him for your Shepheard, yt he may guide you quietly, you shall perceiue yt I desire not to win you otherwise thā by gentle & friendly dealing, as if I should say, Come vntounto mee, & I will forgiue you al your sins, & accept you into fauor. And albeit yt you are miserable creatures, deseruing vtter damnatiō: yet wil I quite forget & bury al your offences: when I hauehave so doone, I promise to beget you anew, by my holy spirite: and this grace shalbee giuen vntounto you by meanes of mine onelyonly son, if you labour to come vntounto him. And therupō although you be driuen to striue against many temptatiōs, and yt at ye first encounter ye hauehave not ful victorie ouer them, but that ye be encompassed with many spottes and vices still: yet will I not lay any of al these thinges to your chardge; I forgiue you your sinnes: and the good yt you doe, shalbee acceptable to mee thorow my fauour, although it deserueth it not. Loe heere the second order of speeche that God vseth vntounto vsus in the holy Scripture.
Let vsus marke therefore, that when we heare the voyce of our GOD, and knowe what wee owe vntounto him, and hauehave hearde the promises that he hath made vsus in his lawe: we must needes rest there confounded and condemned, forsomuch as none of al those things can auaile vsus by reason of our vnthankfulnes… wherupon we must hauehave our refuge to the free merciemercy which is offred vntounto vsus in our Lord Iesus Christ & hearken vntounto God when he speaketh vntounto vsus, which thing he doth both in the Law, in the Prophets, and in ye Gospell, saying, I of mine owne mere goodnes am become your Sauiour: & you must seek your saluatiō frō somewhere else, than in yourselues. For the redeemer which God promised, was euer had in mind, yt men might rest thē vpō him. And for yt cause were the sacrifices ordeined in ye time of the law. For although Christ was not yet vttered openly to the worlde: yet did the Iewes vnderstand yt all the hope of their saluation depended vppon their reconcilement to God by meane of the sacrifice yt was to be offered. They brought brute beasts to the Temple: was that to cleanse ye vncleannes of their soules? No: for what can corrupt bloud doe, what shal stinking greace do, can those things purge ye soule of her iniquitie? No truely. But vnderunder those figures the Iewes saw how they should be deliuered from the curse of God, & admitted into his fauor, and yt al their life should be acceptable vntounto him. And nowe hauehave wee a more sure testimonie thereof in the Gospel, for there we see the thing it self fully accomplished vntounto vsus: namely yt although we hauehave not kept ye commaundementes of God, yet Iesus Christ hath kept thē. And wherefore was it? Because hee was subiect to it? No. But hee became subiect to the law: yea, but yt was for our sakes. So then let vt hauehave our recourse vntounto our Lord Iesus Christ, and let vsus heare God speaking in such a phrase, whereby he doth not only say, these be the things yt I commaund you, and if ye do them thē you shal prosper & be blessed; but also where hee saith, Beholde I am your father, come vntounto me, but come in the name of my only Son, whō I hauehave appointed to be your mediator: & acknowledge yt there is nought else in you but corruptiō: and trust not in your own power, nor in your own freewil: but casting away all foolishe fantasies of vaine presumption, come with lowlines to seek ye grace of my spirit: and then ye shalbe sure yt. I wil alwaies vphold you by my goodnes, & from day to day confirme you in my feare, and make you to walke in my waies, so as I wil not lay to your charge ye faults of your works, they shal not hinder my blessing toward you: not yt you should not confesse your transgressions, & alwaies acknowledge before me yt you are faultie; but that your sins shal not bee laide to your charge, although there be occasion why that they should bee called to reckoning, and to be reptoued by me. Loe there the second voice of God, to the which we must hearken, if wee desire to become partakers of the blessings yt be here conteined. But by the way we hauehave to note for a conclusion, yt although the faithful be exempted from the curse of God, and that he wil not deale rigorously with them, but rather vphold them and make them to inioy the blessings which he hath promised in his law, as though they had fully accomplished ye same: yet ceasse they not to suffer many stripes of his rods, & our Lorde chastiseth them continually, exercising some after one maner, and some after an other, so yt al are smitten. And al the chastisements which God sendeth vsus, bee curses euerychone of thē, I meane as to outward apparance. If we be sick, if we be hungrie or thirstie, if we be tormented in this present world, if we be troubled and persecuted: al these are ye curses of God. Our enemies scoffe at vsus, we bee in reproche, in pouertie, in vexation, & in many anguishes: one is troubled in his house by his wife, an other by his children, and an other by his neighbor: finally, the faithful be many waies depriued of ye blessings of God. It is sure so. Howbeit this letteth not but yt we be euermore blessed of him, by reason yt we hauehave a continual tast of his goodnes, to allure vsus vntounto him. Let vsus therefore note well, yt when he cutteth off his blessings, and giueth thē not as we do wish, the same is for our profite: because he seeth we hauehave need of some quickening vp to make vsus to come vntounto him. And forasmuch as eueryevery of vsus do fal asleepe in our sinnes: God is faine to waken vsus, and to make vsus feele, that so soone as we withdraw vsus from his seruice, he wil in likewise absent himselfe from vsus, and that his grace shalbe taken away from vsus, and wee stand dispossessed of the same… howbeit neuer so vtterly, but yt the blessing of God shal alwais surmoūt, so as we may ioy therein, acknowledging him to be merciful, & wayting vponupon his fatherly goodnes, more amply to be shewed when he shal take vsus hence againe to himselfe. Thus ye see howe we may possesse and enioy the blessings of God, which are set forth for vsus in his lawe, insomuch that although our Lord doth enterlace the same with many afflictions, and many corrections, as though he had cursed vsus: his so doing is but to prouoke vsus day by day to repentance, & to keep vsus from falling asleepe in this present worlde: as we wel know yt our delightes make vsus drunken & vnmindful of God, except hee constraine vsus by pricking and spurring vsus foreward. Thus yee see how the thinges which at the first sight seemed contraries, agree very wel. And in yt respect doth Moses say yt these blessings shal light vponupon vsus, & encompasse vsus round about, as if hee had saide yt we shal alwaies be sure of Gods fauour, yea euen so sure of it that it shal neuer faile vsus, if wee serue him. For the word Encompasse, or to light vponupon vsus, doth import that ye grace of God is not fleeting, as though it fel at al aduenture, & as though we could not catch it soone ynough. No (saith hee) You shalbe encompassed therewith. And therefore let vsus assure ourselues of the goodnes of our God, and yt it shal neuer faile vsus, so that we for our part do come vntounto him. But let vsus note well, that wee can neuer come there, vnlesse he drawe vsus vntounto him. And that forsomuch as we bee subiect to so many infirmities and vices, he by his bearing with vsus, sheweth vsus yt we must hauehave our recourse to his free goodnesse, for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes by the reconciliation that hee hath made in our Lorde Iesus Christ: and that we in streyning ourselues to doe well, shall perceiue that the goodnesse of God ceasseth not to bee free vntounto vsus, without owing vsus any thing at all.
Nowe let vsus fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God, with acknowledgement of our sinnes, praying him to make vsus feele them better than wee hauehave doone, that beeing beaten downe, yea and as it were drowned in despaire, wee may bee drawen to the faith in our Lord Iesus Christ; and knowing that wee bee altogether emptie and naked of al goodnesse, let vsus beseech him to renue vsus by his holy spirit, euen till wee be fully chaunged, and that wee may bee more and more encreased in his graces, so that wee may hauehave testimonie that GOD regardeth vsus, and is neere vntounto vsus, yea and dwelleth in vsus: & that we may bee so confirmed in his adoption, that wee may alwaies waite for the heauenly inheritaunce, and not be weary in this worlde to walke in his obedience: That it may please him to bestowe this grace not only vponupon vsus, but also vponupon al people and nations of the earth, &c.