Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 109
On Munday the ij. of December. 1555. The Cix. Sermon which is the third vponupon the eighteenth Chapter.
10.11.12.13.14.15. There shall not anie bee found among you, &c.
WE hauehave seene howe our Lorde, to make his worde preuaile among the Iewes, hath willed them to put away all superstitions from among them. For in verie deede the trueth of God cannot be cuppled with satans lies & corruptiōs: we must be either altogether the ones or altogether the others. Also I hauehave declared vntounto you, that this order of Preaching Gods word, must be obserued to the worldes ende. In doing whereof I hauehave reserued hitherto the declaring of the seuerall sorts of the superstitions that are set down here: First of all it is saide That the Iewes must not make their children to passe through ye fire. And yt may be taken two waies. For we know they were caried away wt such rage, yt they burnt their childrē in sacrifice, & yt was a terrible thing. But ye may see how foolish ye deuotiō of men is, when they estrange thēselues frō God. Needs must they be bereft of all humane sense, and needs must the deuil possesse them & driue thē into such furie as is horrible to al men. Yet notwithstanding, this mischeefe befell among the Iewes, that they sacrificed their children to Moloch. But there was yet an other fashion of making their children to goe through the fire, whereof Moses doeth rather speake in this place, according to the obseruing thereof among the heathen. They tearmed it a manner of purging or cleansing when they vsed such Ceremonies. As for example, there hauehave remained some remnant thereof in the Popedome, in their Bonfires on Midsommer night. They had such a kinde of witcherie as they did beare themselues in hande, that it was a kinde of purging to go take the aire of that holy fire (as they esteemed it) in going about it. But our Lord putteth such superstitions among the number of inchauntmentes. Likewise the Papistes hauehave their holy water: and what else is that than a kinde of cleansing inuented by them selues to set against the bloode of our Lorde Iesus Christ, and against Baptisme, which is the true signe thereof? Then let vsus marke well that here our Lorde condemneth all manner of purgings or clensings which mē deuise of their own braine, when they will bee clensed by any other meane than he hath ordeyned, which is, by the onelyonly sacrifice of our Lorde Iesus Christ, and by receyuing the records and assurāces of the same by the Sacramentes. True it is that the Sacraments of themselues hauehave not this power in thē to make men cleane: it is not the water of baptisme yt washeth away our sins before God: but it is a figure that putteth vsus in minde of the trueth and substance, which sealeth in vsus the thing that was brought to passe by the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ. Thus much concerning this one point, that here our Lordes meaning is that men should not inuent meanes or fashions of purging themselues, but bee contented with that which he hath ordeyned in his lawe.
Also he speaketh of such as hauehave regard of the flying of birdes, and obserue times. Although it bee lawfull for vsus to marke the courses of the times according to the starres: yet is it a cursed superstition well worthie to be condemned, when we goe beyond the order of nature. The measuring of the yeare by the course of the Sunne is according to Gods rule. So likewise is the measuring of the monethes by the course of the moone, and the obseruing of the other thinges which God hath set in all the planets and starres. For it is not saide for nought that God hath ordeyned the Sunne and the Moone to do vsus seruice: but yet therewithal they hauehave a kind of gouernment ouer the day and the night: and thereof springeth the difference of times, as is said therof. Then if men holde themselues within those bounds, no euil wil come of it: but if they range without them, and fall to inuenting of other thinges beyonde the ordinarie course of nature: then it is diuelish superstitiō, like as that is which men call iudiciall Astrologie. For there are a great sort of fantasticall persons nowadayes, which will take vponupon them to tel mens fortunes by the disposition of the Starres. Such a one (say they) shall come to such an ende: or else if hee take his iourney on such a day, such a thing shall betide him, because such a planet reigneth and hath his aspect to the taile of such a one. Againe if a man be borne vnderunder such an aspect, then must he die after such a sort. When men inuent thinges after this fashion beyond Gods limitation, they be but diuelish deuises to corrupt the order of nature. Therefore let vsus marke wel that here Moses forbiddeth all such diuinations as are made vppon the time: not meaning but that we shoulde hauehave respect of winter and sommer, that we shoulde sowe and reape, that wee shoulde dresse our vines according to the season of the Moones, and as we see that opportunitie will serue best: For otherwise it were an vtter vndoing of all thinges, and an abolishing of the order that God hath set. But his meaning is that men shoulde not through their fonde and wicked desires, passe the boundes which God hath appointed. So then let vsus keepe our selues to this playnnesse that God hath set downe.
Moreouer, whereas he speaketh of Diuinatiō by the flight of birdes: It was too common a vice among the heathen, as I saide afore. When they were to take anie thing in hand, they went gasing abroad in the aire, and they might not conclude vppon any thing, till they had seene some birde flying. And there were three o… foure of them, or if they came frō the East or the North, they tooke them by & by for signes: and that was a cursed kinde of diuination. For why? we must holde it for a generall rule, that wee marre all when wee drawe Gods creatures to anie other vse than he hath ordeyned them vntounto. Let vsus marke (say I) after what maner God will hauehave his creatures to be vsed. For as soone as we turne from that point, such disguising of his workes is a cursed corruption of them. God hath not created the birdes to speake vntounto vsus by their flying from one place to another, nor to the end that we shoulde make account whether there be foure or fiue of them, or take their flying out of this coast or that coast to be a token of euil luck. These are starke witcheries, forged by men out of their owne fonde curiositie, and blowen into their eares by Satan. And therefore let vsus not maruell though our Lord hauehave forbidden vsus such thinges: for as soone as wee happen to bee imbrewed wt such superstitions and follies, we must needes bee turned away from Gods trueth. Yea and there followeth iust punishment vponupon such curious persons, so as they bee euer doubtful & in perplexitie.
For in as much as they resorte to deade creatures, or to such creatures as hauehave no reason nor vnderstanding; they must needes bee alwayes vncertaine. But if wee feare our God; we shallbe sure of all things. The feare of God is the best hold that wee can hauehave.Psal. 33.1. I meane such a reuerende feare of GOD, as therewithall we take him for our father. For if we be agast at him, we shall stil be in neuer the lesse anguish & vnquietnes. But if wee submit our selues to God for louelove; surelie his protection shall auaile vsus to rest vppon, so as we may defie Sathan and all that he practiseth against vsus. On the contrarie part, when we feare not God, we shall be afraid both of the birdes and of the beasts, of the winde and of the rayne, of the Sun and of the Moone, of the earth and of the heauen; and to be short, euen our owne shadowes (as men say) shal make vsus afraide. And as for them which submit them selues to the Sunne and Moone, and make Idols of them as though they had dominion ouer vsus: all such doe showe in deede that they hauehave no feare of God in them, and therefore needes must they bee caried away anewe. And that is the cause why the Prophete Ieremie expressely forbiddeth vsus to be afraide of the signes of the heauen,Ier. 10.2. at leastwise according to the inchauntmentes which the Infidels hauehave inuented, as is saide alreadie. For if wee be afraide of them after ye maner, we bereaue God of his dominion, and impart it to the Stars and other dead creatures. But God wil hauehave the Sunne & the Moone to giuegive vsus light, and to doe vsus seruice with their natural vse, (as the Sun to heate the earth, & the Moone and the Stars to giuegive their influences:) I say he will hauehave all these so to keepe their natures and proprieties; as that he himselfe alone be the gouernour notwithstanding. For when we imagine that the Sunne or the Moone hauehave such power ouer vsus, that we cannot goe one step without they bring vsus some misaduenture or prosperitie by their aspectes towardes vsus: is not God himselfe so much debaced? Yes verily. If it be said that God worketh by his creatures: that is true: but yet will he not doe it after that fashion. We must hauehave an eye to the meane which he hath helde, and we must not go beyond that. And therefore as many as rend Gods dominion in peeces and impart it so to the liuelesse creatures, are starke mad, and it is good reason that they should alwayes bee as men in a traunce or afrighted, & not know where to become. Wherefore let vsus learne to put our selues in such wise vnderunder the hand & guiding of our God: as we fall not to passing beyond the course of nature. That is the thing which wee hauehave to remember here.
As touching the other kinds, indeede a man might distinguish thē, as many hauehave laboured to doe: but it is enough for vsus to vnderstande that here is mention made of Inchaunters, Sorceres, Calkers▪ workers with Familiars, and of such as aske counsell as the dead. As concerning Inchaunters▪ they be not these Iugglers that bleare mens eies with slight of hand, and make men beleeue they doe the things which they doe not: but the diuell hath such dominion ouer the vnbeleeuers, that although a thing be not done in very deed; yet the illusion is such, as makes men beleeue they see that which they see not. And so it is a kinde of Inchauntment, that is to say of diuelish illusion, when a man shall bee made to thinke that one is transformed into a wolfe, or that hee sees thē shape of a thing that hath no substance or trueth indeede. Now it is demaunded whether such thinges can be done or no. And why not? we hauehave an example in Pharaoes sorcerers,…od. ….7. who made frogges to come vp as well as Moses did: not that the diuell hath any thing in his owne power: for we must not imagine that hee can fight against God to doe aught whether he will or no: we knowe he is vnderunder Gods hande, & can doe nothing without leaue or licence. Hee may well attempt much, but yet can he not stir one finger, as ye woulde say. And hereof wee hauehave example euident enough in Iob:Iob. 1.6. for we see yt the diuel is there among the Angels, that is to say, that he is faine to come yeelde an account before Gods seate, and to hauehave leaue of him, and to be admitted. As much is saide when God will hauehave Achab to bee beguiled for his Idolatrie.1. Kin. 32 21. Ye see then howe the scripture sheweth that the diuell hath not a seuerall dominion by himselfe, as though he could attempt any thing against God. But yet by permission he may indeede trouble the aire, and also do other thinges, after which maner God is saide to send tempestes & hailes. And by whome doeth he it?Psal. 78.49. By the wicked Angels. For he speaketh not there of the heauenly Angels, but of the diuels by name, which execute Gods vengeance vponupon men. And therefore let vsus marke, that (as experience also sheweth) ye diuels may worke many such illusions by inchauntmentes. And truely such thinges are not done but in the dark. For so long as we be inlightened by GOD, we neede not feare that a man shall seeme a wolfe to vsus, or that such trishtrash shall get the vpper hand of vsus. But if we be faithles, it is a iust reward for our quenching of ye light yt should hauehave shone into vsus, & of our turning of our backes vntounto God. And when we wil not bee ruled by him, then discern we no more between white and black, but men seeme vntounto vsus to bee wolues, and al things are out of order, & that iustly. Therefore whereas here is mention made of such as mishape things by their inchantments: Let vsus note yt the law is not superfluous. For sith ye case standeth so, it is to be cōcluded yt such things may befall, as whereof we hauehave examples.
But yet for al that, it is abhominable before God: and so likewise are Soothsayers. It is a questiō whether it be possible for mā to foretel of things, for it is Gods office to foreknow things to come: and how then may it belong to the diuell? Sure it is (as saith ye prophet Esay) that idols can foresee nothing.Esa. 41.23. And as for Satan, hee must alwayes needs be the father of lies, & deceiue al such as aske counsel of him. Yet notwithstanding God doth nowe & then suffer satan to tel of things to come, and yt is for the more hardening of such as wil not obey the truth,2. Thess. 2.11 12. Deut. 13.3. (as we hauehave seene by example in the thirteenth chapter) & it hath been treated of partly already. Yet notwithstanding it is true also, that soothsayers do ly most cōmonly, and by that meanes our Lorde deludeth them yt seeke counsel of satan after ye fashion. And beside let vsus not thinke it strange, though inchaunters, soothsayers, & such other like do now & then tel of things to come: for it is gods iust sufferance, to ye intent they should be ye deeplier plunged in error. For asmuch as they wold needs be willingly deceiued▪ he letteth thē be so, yt they may perish. Thus ye see why the law was made concerning such as diuine of thinges to come. Also hee speaketh of Sorcerers: And this sort conteyneth manie thinges: For what a sinne is it, that men shoulde forsake God, and giuegive themselues ouer to Satan? Must they not needes fall into horrible confusion? Yes: For after Satan hath once possessed vsus and stopped our eyes, and that God hath withdrawen his light from vsus, so as we bee destitute of his holy spirite, and voyde of all reason: then follow infinite abuses without ende or measure. And thereof come sorceries. Manie incredible thinges are reported of Sorcerers. And truely when wee heare them spoken of, we ought not onelyonly to mislike of them, but also bee sorrowfull in our heartes, yea & the very haires of our heades ought to stand vp thereat. But yet therewithall we must consider that they bee reuengementes of God cast vppon such as hauehave forsaken him. And that the same may be a cause to holde vsus in awe and feare, let vsus learne not to tempt our God nor to play with him, sith we see men become so brutishe after they be once turned away from the right path. Truely if there were no moe but two or three examples hereof; yet might it well seeme straunge vntounto vsus. But we know that in al ages and in al Nations Sorcerie or witchcraft hath borne sway, yea and ye more sway for ye reiecting of Gods truth. Insomuch yt where men hauehave once fallen to withstanding ye truth & hauehave disdained to be taught by the pure worde of God; there hauehave followed the moe illusions of Sathan, yea and the more excessiue, which hauehave also beene the more manifest and greeuous. And whereof commeth this, but of the cause which Saint Paul sheweth vsus in his epistle to the Thessalonians?2. Thess. 2.11 12. namely that such as will not obey the trueth, are vtterly peruerted by leasinges: and that thence forth the diuell must needes worke with the greater force, bycause God giueth him the bridle to carie men so away as they become ougly monsters. To be short, wee must beare in minde, that whereas God speaketh to vsus of inchauntmentes and sorceries, it is to holde vsus shorte vnderunder the obedience of his worde, least wee shoulde fall into such a maze as the wretched Infidels are in, yea and proceede so farre as to wander quite away, when we hauehave once forsaken his worde. Therefore let vsus abide in this simplicity of obeying him and of submitting our selues to his mouth.
Also here is mention made of workers with Familiars. As touching the which, needes must Satans illusions be horrible. But what? There hauehave beene of them in all ages, and wee see a notable example thereof in king Saule when he went to the Witch.1. Sam. 28.7. He as king had erst forbidden all inchauntmentes and all kinde of damnable craftes, and hee had behaued himselfe vertuously in executing Gods lawe. And yet in the ende he became so wretched, that hee fell to running after a Witch. And what was ye cause thereof, but that he dispised God? Whereuppon in the end he fell into despaire, and gaue himselfe ouer altogether to Satan: which thing hee shewed full well. For if ye looke aduisedly into the matter, ye shall finde that Satans illusions doe then get the vpper hand of men, when their wittes bee amased by reason of sorrowfulnesse that gnaweth them inwardly, & for that in steede of receiuing some comfort of Gods word, they bee ouerwhelmed with such anguishe, that they fall into vtter despayre. When doeth Sathan meete a man in some bodily shape, and tangle him in his snares? When a man is in some greefe of minde, or in some hatred against his neighbour, or when a woman spiteth her husbande. Well then, although such affections beare sway, yet doeth not God by and by giuegive Sathan the bridle, to raigne ouer men, vntill they be come to such extremitie that they fall to chawing vppon the bit, and become so wilfull in their sorowe, that they fall into despaire and will no more admit anie comforte, but refuse all remē braunce of GOD, and woulde that his name were buried: for there is the gate open to Satan, and he entereth to worke his illusions, which a man is not able to withstande. Hereof we hauehave a faire warning is Saul. For hee had offended God, and therefore was to be bereft of his kingdome, because it was Gods pleasure it shoulde be so, and there was none other shifte for him but to humble himselfe. But he would not doe that. And when hee sawe there was no meane to appease Gods displeasure, but that for all his flattering of Samuell,1. Sam. 15.27.28. yet hee auayled so litle thereby, that when hee had rent the Prophetes Cote, the Prophete saide vntounto him, euen so will God rende the kingdome from thee: hee cryed out and flang himselfe out of his bounds, saying thus: What should I doe more? Seeing that God hath forsaken mee, I also on my side must forsake him. And what was the end hereof? He went after Witches. Whereas hee hadde punished inchaunters before; nowe he goeth to seeke them. And what came of it? Samuell was shewed him in a shape, that is to say in a shadowe and imagination, so as he thought the Prophete to hauehave beene raised vp againe by meanes of the Witch. Sith we see it befell thus to such a king as God had chosen, and to whom hee had giuen the sacred authoritie, til the kingdome of Dauid were set vp: what shall wee say to it? Let vsus applie it to such instruction as I hauehave touched alreadie, to make vsus liue in feare. For when men doe feele themselues after that sort in euil, and wilfully shrinke away from God: Satan must needes take possession of them, and then is there not any thing vnpossible vntounto him. Wee shall heare incredible thinges reported of Witches, and wee must not maruell though God execute so exceeding great vengeaunce. For when men hauehave once turned their backes vponupon him, and forsaken him euen of wilfull malice: they must needs become starke beastes.
Finally here is mention made of such as aske counsell of the deade. For it is not our Lords will that wee shoulde hauehave anie thing to doe with the deade. Therefore they that vse such coniurations, goe about to peruert the whole order of nature. For doe men what they can, yet can they not bring the liuing and the deade together: but the deuill steps in betwixt them and pretendeth the persons of the dead, so as to outward seeming, the dead man himselfe appeareth (as was not long since rehearsed) whereas in very deed it is the diuell that worketh such illusions. And therefore let vsus marke wel, that seeing our Lord hath forbidden vsus to hauehave to doe with the dead, we cannot be deceiued so long as wee keepe within our bounds, and attempt not anie thing which we see not to bee comprised within the order which he hath set. And thereby we see also, that al the things yt euer hauehave bin said of ye comming vp againe of dead mens ghosts, hauehave bin but sleights of satan: & when men hauehave bin beguiled by thā, it was al one as if they had wilfully yeelded thēselues slaues to satan. And yet was it held for great deuotion in Poperie. The cause why they made pilgrimages, and Masses to be sung, yea and their feast of all soules to be kept once a yeare, was by reason of a Reuelatiō or dreame of some deuout Monke that had an idle head. He heard ye crying of deadmens soules: and thereupon the Papistes concluded, that a solemne feast was to be kept for the dead, & such and such things were to be done for them. To be short, in that men hauehave inuented seruice for the dead in the Popedome, that was nothing els but meere witcherie, euen such as God disliketh in this text and vtterly abhorreth. And all they yt hauehave their deuotion after yt fashion to pray for ye dead, are witches and sorcerers: for they beleeue in Satans inchantments in despite of God.
And now let vsus marke that these thinges here are not noted as smal & tolerable faults: but it is said expresly, that they be abhominable before God, & that the people of Chanaan were to be rooted out for such crimes & misdeeds. Wherby we see yt although other vices were to be pardoned, yet ought this to be punished and vtterly roted out. Therefore if we will be taken for Gods people, let vsus see that we vnderstand what this word Abhomination betokeneth: namely yt we must be very ware of sorceries, inchauntments, & such other like things. And indeed wee see how such things hauehave euer bin misliked, euen among ye heathen. How much soeuer witchcraft had raigned, yet was it a great thing for a man to hauehave asked, is this well done? For eueryevery man would hauehave said, How so? It is a monster: it is a shamefull & cursed thing. After yt maner did the heathen speake thereof. For it was Gods will yt it should be so ingrauen in mens harts, as it might be reproued euen without ye doctrine of the lawe. True it is yt in Poperie all are witches in their idolatries: for in ye fiftenth of the first booke of Samuel▪ 1. S…. 15.23.God cuppleth those two sins togither: yea & I hauehave told you already, yt the seruice of ye dead is a kind of witchcraft. Yet notwithstanding they alwaies abhorre ye terme, and vtterly mislike thereof. And why? Because God hath suffered it to make thē ye more vnexcusable. So then let vsus marke, yt it is not for vsus to suffer either inchanters or witches amōg vsus. And if these be forbidden; we must vnderstand therwithall, yt all other kinds of Wisardrie are deadly crimes before God. And if Iudges & Magistrats do their duties, it is certain yt they wil no more beare with them than with murthers. It seemeth a smal fault to turne about ye siue (as we terme it in this coū try): but it is more worthy to be punished, than ye fleaing of a man quicke. For why? It is an ouerthrowing of Gods seruice, and a peruerting of ye order of nature. Were it not worthy of punishment and punishment againe, if the order of nature should bee confounded betweene men and bruit beasts? Were there any reason in so doing? And surely when men begin with such inchauntments, it is certain yt they fall into a deeper and dreadfuller dungeon, than if they giuegive ouer their bodies to companie with the bruit beastes. And yet wee see the selfe same illusions to bee wrought by satan vponupon al witches & sorcerers. And what is the originall cause thereof, but that they bee turned away from Gods truth? Although there were no further euill in it than the attributing of Gods office vntounto satan: yet were it a matter in no wise to be borne with. There is a thing concealed from me, & I wold know it: yea, but God is not minded to discouer it vntounto thee. Thats no matter, I will find it out by some meanes or other though he say nay to it, yea I will hauehave vnderstanding of it by diuelish illusion. Is it not a making of warre against God, if this be suffered? So then let vsus marke, that if we will be taken for Christians; Witchcraftes, inchantments, & such other like thinges must bee lesse borne with among vsus, than Robberies and murthers.
Also it ought to make indeede the hayres to stand vp vponupon our heads, when it is said yt the heathen which were neuer trayned vp in the law, were roted out because of such things. For if God pardoned not y• infidels which neuer had any knowledge of his truth: what shal become of vsus yt are so wel warned, to whome God crieth aloude, that hee will not suffer it, and that such abhominations stinke before him, and that we must be cleansed from them, or else he vtterly disclaimeth vsus? I pray you shall we hope to bee spared, when wee lie still asleepe, hauing such warning from heauen? God must first giuegive ouer his office. Againe, whereas it is set downe here, first that God cannot away with such abhominations, & secondly hath shewed in effect what punishment shall insue vpō it, by rooting out those that rebelled not wilfully against him, but had euer bin hardened in their superstitions, and neuer knew ne tasted of the good doctrine: seeing that such are rooted out for hauing to doe with satan: it standeth vsus in hande to take the better heede, and to learne to withholde our selues in such wise from all illusions and wiles, that if there be either sorrerer, witch, or wisarde among vsus, they be liuely repressed. If there be a poysoner or a theefe; eueryevery man runnes vppon him. For it is knowen that they be the common enemies of mankinde which do so peruert al lawe, and indeuour to abolish all policie and order of nature. But these are much worse. For God hath commaunded that his worde shoulde raigne among vsus: and ought not eueryevery one of vsus to be diligent in preuenting the mischeefe when the diuell goeth about to ouerthrowe all and to bring all thinges to horrible confusion?Esa. 2.3.4. Verily it is not to be douted but that because manie superstitions are suffered, God also doeth giuegive Satan head, to ouerwhelme vsus altogether. Wo worth them that hauehave plaide the blinde bussardes, and woulde see nothing, but hauehave suffered the mischeefe to settle among vsus. For it must needes increase more and more, vntill it come to the top, and that wee be so far and so deepely plunged in it, as it is vnpossible for vsus to get out againe. That is ye thing which wee hauehave to remember vponupon this Text.
And further let vsus marke well, that whereas Moses saith here, that the Iewes must not doe so; but that they must giuegive eare to Gods Prophet: it is according to that which I hauehave expounded alreadie: namely that forasmuch as God hath giuen vsus so good a remedie by being taught at his mouth, it is good reason that wee should hearken vntounto him. If we had no witnes of Gods will it were halfe an excuse for vsus to alledge, yea but should wee knowe nothing? The Infidels hauehave meanes to finde out thinges by their illusions. True it is that they serue idols: but yet are they in better case than we bee. After this maner might we speake. But our Lorde telleth vsus, that wee shall hauehave teaching enough, if we list to hearken to his worde. He addeth that he will raise vp Prophets from among vsus. As if hee shoulde say vntounto vsus, Wretched men, seeing that I am so gratious to you as to condescende to your rudenesse and infirmitie, and to speake to you by the mouthes of men: are ye not too too vnthankefull and malicious in turning away for my doctrine, to satans trashe, so as ye can not finde in your heartes to acquaint your selues with the manner of teaching which I hauehave chosen as fittest and conuenientest for you? Then is it not superfluous that God saith here, that hee will raise vp a Prophet from among vsus which shal be one of our brethrē. Indeede we coulde well finde in our heartes that the Angels shoulde come downe from heauen to speake vntounto vsus: but our desiring thereof, springeth of a foolish lust. For as shal be shewed more fully hereafter) ye people of Israel hauing founde by experiēce what it was to heare Gods voice in his heauenly maiestie: were so afraide, that they besought God to speake to them by the mouth of Moses. Now then, if the choice were put vntounto vsus, it is certaine that wee should euer finde it best for vsus that God should speak vntounto vsus by the mouthes of mē. And it was knowē to be so: as we hauehave seene heretofore, and as God himselfe auoweth there againe, saying: I like wel of the peoples request, that there shoulde bee a meane betwixt them and me, and that there should be a man to bring them worde from me in my name. And so here our Lord vpbraideth men with their vnthankfulnes, in that they wil not receiue his worde when it is brought them by the Prophets and teachers whom he hath appointed & placed in his Church. If he had said, I wil send mine Angels; it had bin much. But we see how men abuse euen the heauenly reuelations also. God therefore applieth himselfe so much ye more vntounto vsus, & commeth downe one step lower vntounto vsus, in yt hee saith, I wil raise you vp a Prophet frō amōg your brethrē. Sith we see that God cōmeth so familiarly vntounto vsus, & speaketh with vsus as it were mouth to mouth: were wee not worse than mad, if wee should say I would that God would send mee his Angels, I would he would worke some miracles, I would hee would send mee some reuelations, or raise me vp the dead, & tel me some newes of the things that are done in the other world? Needs must it be yt we be driuen by the diuell, when we hauehave so inordinate desires. For behold our God intendeth to teach vsus familiarly. After what maner? I will raise vp men. Now seeing we bee wont to be fellow like one wt an other: what a prerogatiue doth he giuegive vsus in applying himselfe so vntounto vsus? We be lyers by nature, we be full of vanitie: & yet doth God appoint vsus to be preachers of his word, and messagers of his vnfallible trueth: he appointeth men as his instruments to speake in his name.
And so let vsus beare in minde, that when God graunteth vsus the grace to hauehave his word faithfully expounded vntounto vsus, and to hauehave shepeheards to teach vsus: it is such a priuiledge as ought well to holde vsus in such singlenesse of faith, that all curiositie be laide away among vsus, and none of vsus be led with fond desires, as they be which are euer seeking and neuer attaine to the knowledge of the trueth.…. Tim. 3.7. Let vsus beware (I say) yt we be not such questioners, and disputers of this and that: and let it suffice vsus to heare our God speake, assuring our selues that he hath so ratified that order as we neede not to doubt but that it is the verie way to be taught by him. For (as shall bee declared more fully hereafter) let vsus marke that whereas our God hath ratified his lawe: yet to ye ende it shoulde be helde for the more certaine, he hath also left vsus the Prophetes, and that the Gospell hath yet had a more full approbation when it was published. For at that time (as is saide by the Prophet Haggeus) God shooke,Agge. ….7. not onelyonly the earth, but also the heauen. And therfore when we come to heare the doctrine that is drawen out of the lawe as out of the verie fountaine, and out of the Prophets, and out of the Gospell which is the perfection of all our wisedome: when we take that touchstone to trie the things that are set afore vsus, and are desirous to be taught of God: Let vsus not doubt but we stand vppon a sure grounde, and shall hauehave whatsoeuer is needfull for our saluation, and therefore let vsus leaue al vnprofitable speculations; to such as can not find in their heartes to bee taught in Gods schoole; and let it suffice vsus that our Lord speaketh not to vsus by halues, nor as it were to leaue vsus hanging in the aire that we might know neuer the more what to doe: but that he giueth vsus such a knowledge as we may be throughly assured, and safely rest vponupon the saluation of our soules. Thus ye see howe we should put this text in vre, tarying till the rest may bee laide foorth more fully.
Nowe let vsus fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our sins, praying him to make vsus feele thē better than we hauehave don, & yt we may more & more be drawē to him wt such repētāce, yt forsaking al our own lusts our whole desire may be to be gouerned by him, & to be held in such awe to him, as we may not swarue either to the right hande or to the left, by withdrawing our selues from his obedience; but that seeing he hath once shewed vsus the way of saluation, wee may neuer turne away from it for any practise of satan, howsoeuer he seeke to blind our eyes with his illusions & inchantments, nor bee suffered by our good God to fall into his snares, to be trapped by him, & in ye end to be swallowed vp and drowned; but yt we be so inlightened by ye holy Ghost, as we may shunne and eschew all satans allurements, which tende but to our ruine. That it may please him to grant this grace, not onelyonly to vsus, but also to all people and Nations of the earth &c.