Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 113
On Friday the vj. of December. 1555 The Cxiij. Sermon which is the second vponupon the nineteenth Chapter.
8 And when the Lorde thy God shall hauehave inlarged thy borders, as hee hath sworne to thy fathers, and hath giuen thee all the lande which he promised to giuegive to thy fathers:
9 (Condicionally that thou hauehave an eye to all his commaundementes, to doe them, which I commaunde thee this day, and that thou louelove the Lorde thy God, and walke continually in his wayes:) then thou shalt adde three other townes to those three,
10 To the intent that innocent bloude be not shedde in the midst of the Lande which the Lorde thy God giueth thee to inherite, and that bloude bee not vppon thee.
11 But if a man hauehave hated his neighbour, and hauehave lyen in waite for him, and risen vp against him, and smitten him that he die, and thereupon be fled into one of those Cities:
12 Then the Elders of that Citie shall sende and take him thence, and deliuer him into the hand of the next kinsman, and he shall die.
13 Thine eye shall not spare him: but thou shalt take away the guiltlesse bloude from Israel, that it may go well with thee.
WE sawe yesterday howe it was Gods will to hauehave the inconueniences preuented, which are wont to be seene when men suffer occasions of euill vncut off. And that is somwhat better expressed in this saying which Moses addeth: Beware (saith he) that guiltlesse bloud bee not shed in thy lande. Then it is not ynough to punish murthers after they be committed, but we must also hauehave the wisedome to preuent them aforehande and to take such order as they may not bee committed. And forasmuch as Satan needes but a small gap to thrust vsus out at, let vsus be watchfull in this case of preuenting occasions of euill as hath bin said afore. Moreouer let vsus also marke this saying, that the bloud shalbe vppon those that suffer things to slip so. For though a man can protest that hee consented not to the doing of an euill deede, yet notwithstanding if he suffered it so as it came to passe through his negligence: he shalbe taken as accessary. The olde prouerbe is true, yt he which suffereth a thing to be done and may let it, is the doer of it. And therefore if a Iudge that hath the sword in his hand do suffer euil deeds to be done and punish them not: it is al one as if he committed them himself. It is not ynough for him to say I would it were otherwise: but he must shew it by his doings. To bee short, when men beare with such as trouble the order of the common weale; it is al one as if they bolstered them in it. Again, by such examples thinges are set at a generall libertie, so as custome is taken for lawe. And therefore looke what mischiefe or inconuenience insueth afterwarde, the blame of it is to bee imputed to those that remedyed it not when time was. That is the cause why it is saide that the bloude shall bee vppon a whole Nation, when men hauehave not beene held short that they might not commit murthers. For that maner of speech is verie rife in the Hebrue toung. And in the same respect also did the Iewes say,Matt. 27.25. his bloude be vponupon vsus and vppon our children that is to say, let the blame lyght vponupon vsus. We must not bring here fantastical imaginations as the Rabbines (that is to say the Iewish doctors) doo, who alledging alwaies their owne dreames, do say that the soules of the murthered doo aske vengeance continually at Gods hande, vntill they hauehave had Iustice done vntounto them. All such sayinges are but dotages. For although their bloud cry not at all, yet doth God heare them, as he himselfe declareth; and there needeth neither sollicitor nor attourney to require iustice at his hande; hee can tell well ynough howe to doe his office, without any importunate calling vppon him. The very cause why it is saide that bloude crieth,Gen. 4.10. is for that God hath an eye to the euill that is committed, and it is all one with him as if the case were followed with neuer so great suite. Worldly Iudges make no greate force of a crime when it is committed, vnlesse they bee called vppon verie earnestly, and that the matter bee stoutly pursewed. But God declareth himselfe to be no such, and that his owne seeing of the misdeede is ynough, for nothing can scape him, and therefore it is all one with him as if the whole worlde tooke the quarell in hande, and euerie man followed the suite of it with tooth and nayle. God then taryeth not for our speaking, but as one yt knoweth his office welinough, hee can skill to put to his hande when neede is: and therefore let vsus tarie his leasure. And surely it is a doctrine of great comfort. For although wee holde our peace when men misuse vsus; yet doeth not God faile to hauehave his hande lifted vp to succour vsus. Therefore let vsus bee patient in our afflictions and wrongs, and whatsoeuer come of it God will not foreslowe: it is ynough that he seeth mē persecute vsus wrongfully: let vsus content our selues with that: the lesse that wee speake of it, the readier will he be to releeue vsus: yea though wee speake not one worde of it: Not that it is not meete for vsus to call vppon him, that hee may vouchsafe to pitie vsus: but that wee shoulde not bee desirous of reuenge, nor beare any malice to our enemies. If wee holde our peace in that respect, and tary Gods leasure for the succour which it shall please him to sende vsus; let vsus not doubt but he will doe his office, and therfore let vsus comfort our selues with that hope.
Moreouer forasmuch as it is faide that the bloude shall be vppon vsus; let vsus bee afraide of it: and although wee bee not pursued nor complaind of by men, yet let vsus assure our selues our market is neuer a whit amended by it, for God …leepeth not, but marketh all the misdeedes that are done, and they must all needes come to account. Therefore let vsus bee pure before him: and let vsus not onelyonly abstaine from euill deedes, but also beware that wee consent not to any euill, for then shall wee bee helde as accessaries, and wrappe our selues in the same condemnation with the deede dooers, as it is witnessed vntounto vsus heere. For God speaketh not onelyonly to the murtherers themselues, but also to all the people. When this Lawe is broken and murthers are freely committed for want of good execution of Iustice; God saieth not that hee will require it at the hande of two or three, But at the handes of all in generall. Nowe then seeing the case standeth so, what shall become of those that are in authoritie and reigne in the seate of Iustice, when they themselues are accessaries? Shall not they bee the first that shall answere for it? To bee short, wee hauehave to gather vppon this text, that when an outrage or wrong is done to any man, not onelyonly the principall shall bee punished, but also the whole Nation in common shall hauehave the curse lye vppon them, and must come to reckening for it before God. To our seeming it is ynough when wee can say, that wee woulde faine that men should liue in peace, and yet in the meane while wee see men grieued and vexed before our eyes, and wee vouchsafe not to open our mouthes to succour the innocent, but though wee hauehave both opportunitie and abilitie, yet we let al slippe, & we beare our selues in hande that God ought not to require it at our handes: but heere wee see the contrarie. Let vsus marke well then, that to the vttermost of our power, wee must set our …elues in defence of the innocents so as they may not bee vexed, fleeced or troubled, not might bee suffered to ouercome right, as they say. Let eueryevery of vsus in his degree looke to the remedying hereof. Let such as hauehave the sworde of iustice shewe themselues stout in this case and not suffer disorder to hauehave full scope. And as for those that are not of abilitie, let them yet at leastwise doe the best they can to comfort such as hauehave no bodye to vpholde them. And when wee see these lustie gallantes steppe vp and take more vppon them than is lawfull; let vsus become their enemies, let vsus hinder their misdealings, and let vsus withstand them. That is the thing which we be bounde vntounto by Gods worde; otherwise wee shall bee helde as accessaries to their misdoings. If wee hauehave not preuented them, it is a consenting to them, and God must demaund an account of it at our hands.
Heere it is to be noted further, that whereas God saieth that the people of Israel shall adde three other Cities of refuge, after that their boundes are inlarged: thereby wee bee done to vnderstande, that the more power and abilitie that GOD giueth vsus, the more are wee bounde to imploy it, to comfort innocentes, and to succour them at their neede. And this ought to be put in vre generally by all men of authoritie and gouernours. The more power then that a Magistrate hath, the more ought hee to thinke himselfe bounde to maintaine the good and guiltlesse vnderunder his protection, and to bee a help to them that they be not trobled. Ofttimes hee that woulde releeue good men, is not able: yea and peraduenture he himself also shalbe oppressed. In such cases we must hauehave recourse vntounto God, & bow down our sholders, tarying till he hauehave pitie vppon vsus, and in the meane while we must arme our selues with patience. But when a man is armed with Gods power; then it shall not be ynough for him to mislike of thinges, and to bee somewhat sorie for them; but hee must also imploy the authoritie that God giueth him, and the same rule ought to be obserued of eueryevery of vsus particularly. To be short, forasmuch as God giueth power to Kings, Princes, and all other Magistrates; they ought to imploy all that euer they hauehave, to the defence of those whome God hath committed to their charge, and to deale in such sort as their subiects be not wrongfully molested. Lo heere a rule that concerneth such as hauehave the sworde of iustice in their hand. Neuerthelesse, it behoueth eueryevery of vsus to follow the same order. And although we be not armed with the sworde of Iustice; yet notwithstanding if God giuegive vsus any abilitie or opportunitie, let vsus looke to it that we help the good and succour them in their neede. Therefore if a rich man see a poore man suffer wrong; let him helpe him and releeue him. If a man of discretion see a poore man destitute of counsell, so as he knoweth not what to doe: let him giuegive him his aduise as the case serueth. If a man hauehave credit whereby he may deliuer them that are in distresse: let him likewise imploy it for his part. Thus yee see howe wee ought to put this saying in vre, When God shall hauehave inlarged thy bounds, then shalt thou adde three Cities moe. Yee see heere howe our Lorde measureth his ordinance for the releef of good men, and of such as were in daunger without deseruing it or without any gilt. Therefore his will is to hauehave the thing doubled which he had ordeined for their reliefe. And why so? It is to doe vsus to vnderstande, that the mo benefites we hauehave receiued at Gods hande, the more are wee bound and indetted both to God and to our neighbours.
But nowe let vsus come to that which Moses interlaceth heere, insomuch as thou shalt obserue all these thinges which I commaunde thee, to louelove the Lorde thy God, to keepe all his commaundements, and to walke in his feare. Heere hee maketh (as yee would say (a kinde of coniuratiō, as if he should adiure the people after this manner; Looke wel to this commaundement that yee despise it not, if yee louelove the Lorde your God and seeke to obey him. As if hee shoulde say. In deede a man woulde thinke at the first sight that this were nothing: but be you sure that your God wil hauehave you to obserue such humanitie diligently. And therein hee trieth whether yee bee louing and obedient vntounto him or no. To bee short, Moses meant to shewe heere, that this commaundement is of greate importance before God, to the intent that men shoulde not despise it. And heerewithall wee hauehave to marke, that wee cannot omitte any of the thinges that God commaundeth, without doing wrong to the Lawmaker: for it is an imbasing of his authoritie. And for that cause is it saide that hee which despiseth any of the least thinges that are conteined in the Lawe,M…. 5.19. and imbreweth men with the like contempt, shal be called the least in the kingdome of heauen; that is to say, shall be vtterly shaken off. Our Lorde then wil hauehave vsus to reuerence his Lawe, and to obserue it without respect of this or that, so as wee must not alledge, This is a small matter, this a veniall sinne, there is no greate conscience to bee made of it. When GOD hath opened his holy mouth, and vouchsafed to ordeyne one thing or other; becommeth it vsus to make small account of it? If a Lorde Great master speake a thing, men say not; is the matter greate or small? but thus they say, the king spake it. And if that that may suffice in mortall creatures; shall wee replie to the contrarie, and make it an occasion of euill doing and of rebelling against the liuing God, when he declareth his will vntounto vsus? Shall wee say it is a thing of no great importance, and that it is not so grieuous and heynous an offence? Indeede there are some commaundementes which our Lorde vrgeth more than othersome, but yet must wee in all cases and all respectes obserue that which our Lorde Iesus Christ saieth: Those things ought to bee done,Matt. 23.23 and the other not to bee left vndone: so that forasmuch as God hath giuen vsus his Lawe, it behooueth vsus to keepe it, and not to diuide it; as who shoulde say, I will keepe this point, and let that point alone. Nay, if wee beleeue God, wee must looke that wee submit our selues to him, yea euen to the vttermost title. But nowe let vsus consider howe it is saide here, inasmuch as thou obseruest these thinges. Here Moses driueth men to the obseruing of the Lawe, when any particular thing is to bee done which God hath ordeined. And it is as much as if hee shoulde say, HaueHave an eye to the Lawmaker which ruleth you. Therefore when wee hauehave any thing to doe; we must alwayes hauehave this consideration with vsus, to thinke that God declareth his will therein: and that must suffice vsus. Why so? For there is but one rule of weldoing; and to call the thinges in question which are conteined in his Lawe, is al one as if we refused to bee ruled by the mouth and worde of God. Therefore the Lawe must hauehave his full course, and we must not go about to separate the thinges which God hath so knit and vnited together.
But heerewithall Moses bringeth vsus backe againe to the thing that hee had treated of afore; that is to wit, which is the true keeping of the Lawe, and to what ende it tendeth. The true keeping of the Lawe is to giuegive eare vntounto God in all that hee saieth. Keepe all the commaundementes (saieth hee), as if hee shoulde say,Deut. 6.24.25. wee must not serue God after our owne liking, when thinges come to passe according to our heartes desire: neither must wee take leaue to dispence with our selues, when wee meete with any thing that is harde. It is not for vsus to parte stakes with GOD after that manner: but wee must call to minde howe Sainct Iames saieth, that he which breaketh any one point is guiltie of the whole law.Iames. 2.10. The reason is the same which I hauehave alleadged afore, namely that whe wee incounter Gods ordinaunce, wee deface his maiestie as much as in vsus lieth.
True it is that wee can neuer fulfil Gods law, I say there was neuer yet so perfect a man in the worlde, but hee came farre short of the perfection that God sheweth vsus. But yet must wee tende towardes it: though wee bee farre off from the marke, and but halfe way onwarde of our iourney; yet must wee goe forwarde still, and not thinke to content God by doing some little peece of it for the louelove of him, and in the rest take leaue to behaue our selues as wee list. Let vsus not thinke that God admitteth such compositions: but that wee must in all pointes conforme our whole life to his will. And although wee attaine not to the full performance; yet our desire must bee to doe so as I hauehave declared afore.
And nowe let vsus come to that which hee addeth, namely to what end the keeping of Gods Lawe tendeth, that is to wit that we should louelove him. Whereby wee bee done to vnderstande, that our Lordes intent is not to drawe vsus to a slauish fearefulnesse, but to hauehave vsus to take pleasure and delight in honouring him, and in doing his commaundementes: for it is certaine that without this louelove, all our seruice shalbee refused as vnprofitable. In deede this matter hath beene expounded alreadie heeretofore: neuerthelesse it is good reason that wee shoulde bee put in rememberance of it, as oft as the holy Ghost speaketh thereof: for heere is no superfluitie. And it is a doctrine that wee cannot be perswaded of at the first, that it behooueth vsus to serue God freely and with a willing louelove. Truely wee must not louelove God as our fellowe or mate: but wee must stande in awe of him, not as inforced by necessitie, so as we shoulde grinde our teeth in grudging against him: but as yeelding our heartes to him, by setting all our delight in his Lawe, as Dauid protesteth himselfe to hauehave done,Psal. 19.11. by which example of his hee sheweth vsus also our dewtie. Yee see then howe GOD requireth that wee shoulde serue him of free will, yea and that wee shoulde also louelove him. And indeede whence proceedeth true obedience, but of the knowledge of the will of our GOD, and that wee take him for our father, to the ende that wee on our side might behaue our selues like chilrē towardes him? Vntill wee be come to that point, it is vnpossible for vsus to goe about to serue our GOD with a good will: wee shall hauehave nothing but stubbornenesse in vsus, so as (if it were possible) wee coulde finde in our hearts neuer to come at him. But when wee hauehave once tasted of his goodnesse; then are wee allured to louelove him out of hand.
Seeing then that men hauehave felt God a father towardes them; it becommeth them to answere him in like sort againe, and to bee as children towardes him. And so wee see heere againe, howe the Lawe may bee duely kept by vsus: that is to witte, by louing our GOD. For thereuppon it will come to passe that wee shall walke in all his wayes, for God cannot bee diuided from his worde. If we louelove him, it is certaine that wee will indeuour to please and obey him. And this is seene euen among mortall men: but yet there is a peculiar cause thereof in God. For (as I saide afore) God is neuer separated from his righteousnesse, which hee declareth vntounto vsus in his Lawe. Then if wee louelove him, we must needes like well of his Lawe, and take pleasure in obseruing the same. And therefore if a man say, I louelove GOD, I feare him, I honour him; and in the meane while despise his worde, and make no reckening of it: it is but hypocrisie matched with shamelesnesse. For as I hauehave saide already, it is vnpossible that God shoulde transforme himselfe, to become as an ydoll by surceasing from his righteousnesse which in verie deede is his owne proper being. So then it is to be concluded, that we cannot otherwise louelove our God, than by giuing our selues ouer vntounto him, by indeuoring to serue and please him.
But nowe let vsus come to that which is saide concerning such as woulde needes abuse the priuiledge by withdrawing themselues to the Sanctuarie when they had committed a murther. If it happen that a man which hated his neighbour and killed him, doe flee to the place of priuiledge: let the Elders of that place, that is to say the Rulers or Gouernours, (for it is a name of office): let the Gouernours and Iudges and Magistrates, take him and fetch him thence, that is to say, let thē fetch him from the priuiledged place by strong hand, and put him into the handes of him that ought to reuenge the bloudshed or of him ye demaundeth Iustice, that he may be put to death, and let not thine eye spare him, that is to say, hauehave no pitie nor compassion on him. Bycause we be moued when we see a man lament, and our eyes relent at it: that is to say, if wee see a man in extreame heauinesse of minde, by and by wee bee mooued to pitie his case: our Lorde saieth that hee will not hauehave him to bee pitifull, not in any wise to relent, which ought to execute Iustice. Goe to worke stoutly (saieth hee), and let the offender bee punished, notwithstanding his misclaiming of the priuiledge which GOD had graunted for such as are guiltlesse and not for such as are faultie. This was declared partly yesterday: but it is well worthie to bee laide foorth more at large. To bee shorte, let vsus hauehave an eye to the expounding of Moseses wordes, and it will suffice vsus: for thereuppon wee easily gather a lesson greatly to our behoofe. The wordes are, If a man that hath slaine his neighbour of prepensed malice and lying in waite for him, doe get him into one of those fraunchised Cities. Wherein wee see that the wicked doe alwayes seeke to abuse the thinges that are ordeyned for the succour of good men, and are boldest in taking the benefite of them. The Magistrats therefore must hauehave an eye thereunto, and beware that the wicked abuse not the things that are graunted for the releefe of Gods children: for that is too great a skorning of Lawes. And it is not without cause that our Lorde speaketh of it heere: for it sheweth that the like kinde of corrupt dealing hath beene in all ages: and we must not maruell at it, seeing that the world is not amended since, but rather appaired. Let vsus looke well about vsus therefore, that if a man which hath committed any misdeede doe go about to hide himselfe or to scape away by some vndirect meanes, it may not auaile him. That is the thing which wee hauehave to marke in the first place.
And whereas it is said that the Iudges shall pull him away: it serueth to shewe that it is not ynough for men to make good Lawes & statutes, but there must also be corage to execute them; there must bee a stoute and constant minde in those that beare authoritie. For although that Lawes be proclaimed by the sound of the trumpet, and written of recorde with neuer so great solemnitie: yet are they but deade and all is nothing worth, except that they which sit in the seate of Iustice, hauehave the constancie that our Lorde inioyneth heere, and be stout in maintaining the things that are inacted, that men may not laugh them to skorne as we see that the wicked sort do, which make but a mocke at them. If a Lawe hauehave once beene proclaimed, they beare themselues in hande that it will be buried within three or foure dayes after. Yee see then howe it is a good and profitable warning for all such as hauehave the sworde of iustice in hande, to hauehave this stoutnesse of minde and constancie. And for as much as it is not to be founde in men, (for it is a speciall vertue attributed to the spirite of God): let such as are in office beseech God to strengthen them, so as they may vse force of hande when neede requireth, and not be afraide when they see such troubles as might abash them, but stoutly withstande them, yea and also outstande them. That is one thing further which wee hauehave to marke vponupon this place.
Now this thing is to be applyed likewise to ye instructing of eueryevery of vsus. I say let priuate persons also looke well to the repressing of euill doings, and that with such stoutnesse that although they be threatned to put them in feare, yet it may not turne them away from doing their dutie. For what a thing were it if we should bee afraide at eueryevery turne? The lifting vp of a mans litle finger would scarre vsus; and though we were neuer so willing to doe our duetie, yet if any mā stepped afore vsus to turne vsus from our purpose, eueryevery word of his mouth (as I saide) would bee ynough to put vsus out of hart. But the case concerneth the seruing of our God, wherein we must ouercome all the assaults of Satan, and all the impediments that the world can deuise. Nowe if it behooue vsus to fight so valiantly against Satan & all his indeuors: should we be afraide of men, or stand in dreade of them? Should they so scarre vsus that we should leaue our God behind? So thē, to the intent we may do our duetie, let vsus learne to strengthen our selues. And at one word, it stā deth vsus in hande to marke wel, that no man shal euer discharge his duetie towardes God, except he inforce himselfe and hauehave such a couragious constancie, as may furmount al temptations: and that is a thing greatly for our behoofe to marke. For a hundred times a day shall we hauehave occasions to thrust vsus out of the way; & we resist them full coldly. Againe, if we be to do any good, wee make excuses and say, I would faine do my duetie, but I see such an impediment, and by that meanes I am helde backe. Because that they which are vnderunder the tyranny of the Pope in these dayes, cannot hauehave leaue to doe well and to serue God purely, without putting of their liues in hazard: they beare themselues in hande that they bee discharged, when they can make this excuse to say, I woulde faine doe otherwise, but I am not suffered to do it, it shall neuer come to account before God. And we neede not to go farre for proofe of the matter. Euen here where there is no persecution to hinder the seruing of God, but rather incoragement to men to do wel, yet neuerthelesse wee hauehave many distresses. For Satan is suttle ynough to finde euerie day newe inuentions to turne vsus from the right way. What remaineth then, but to go to it with force, and to doe our indeuour to serue our God in such wise, that if we meete with any lets to turne vsus aside, they may bee ouercome by the constancie and corage that I spake of, which it behoueth vsus to require of the holy Ghost.
Furthermore let vsus marke, that the offender must bee deliuered into the hande of him that is to reuenge the bloudshedde, or else of him that demaundeth iustice: Whereby we may perceiue that God alloweth no [priuate] reuenges. For wee knowe what rule is giuen vsus in the holy scripture: My brethren,Rom. 12.19. (saith S. Paul) forbeare reuenge, yea, desire it not: but put it altogether into the handes of the heauenly Iudge, to whome it belongeth.Matt. 5.44. Nay (which more is) wee bee commaunded to render good for euill, to pray for them that curse vsus, to doe good to our enemies and to such as persecute vsus. Sith it is so then, wee must assure our selues, and be fully resolued of it, that our Lorde will hauehave our affections bridled, so as we desire not any reuenge though cause thereof bee ministred; but rather striue to ouercome the euill by doing good. Lo whereunto God calleth vsus. And why then is it saide heere, that the offender shall bee put into the hande of him that requireth Iustice? Let vsus note that the Lawes which are made for ciuill or outwarde gouernement, serue not to ouerrule mens affections: they be things that go asunder. Trueth it is that they bee not repugnant, neither is there any contrarietie in them: but we must hauehave the discretion to consider, that when God spake as king of Israel and made statutes but for cōmon policie; he respected not the spirituall perfection that is contained in the law which is our rule to all holinesse and righteousnesse. A Iudge therefore may well agree to one that requireth Iustice at his hande; and although he bee ledde with wicked affection, yet ought the Iudge to graunt him his right. And that is for our profite. For many men beare thē selues in hand, that so they vse the ordinary way of Iustice, it is lawfull for them to doe what they can, & they shall not be condemned for it before God, if their quarell bee iust. But it may fall out many a time, that a quarell shalbe iust, and a man shall pursue it by good meanes; and yet in the meane while hee shall not faile to be worthie of blame before God. For there are three thinges required. The quarell must first bee iust and good: secondly the meane must be lawfull: and thirdly the affection must bee pure and well ruled. Nowe this thirde point wanteth in most men. As howe? Some man perchaunce is misused, and hee hath iust cause to require redresse at the Iudges hand: hee intendeth neither to strike nor to practise any thing against his aduersarie by treacherie, but resorteth to the Iustice: this is a lawfull remedie, it is ordeined of God, wee may safely vse it with good conscience. So are there two of the pointes to bee founde heere. But yet this man that hath the iust cause, and seeketh no remedie but by order of Iustice, faileth not somtimes to doe amisse. As howe? If he hauehave a desire of reuenge in his heart, if hee conceiue such rancour that hee seeketh to bee so reuenged as the partie may perceiue he hath done euill; and cannot bee contented and satisfied till hee see himselfe to hauehave requited like for like to him yt hath offended him: such a man is blameable before God. For he taketh couert vnderunder the name of Iustice, to be reuenged of his enemie. It is in vaine for him to alledge the goodnesse of his quarell; for hee doeth but abuse the remedie that God had ordeined. What is to be done then? When wee bee desirous to demaunde Iustice, let eueryevery of vsus enter into our selues and examine what our affections are, and see that wee bee cleare from all ill will. When there is such soundnesse in vsus; then is it Lawfull for vsus to pursue offences done against vsus, and to require that they may be punished, namely so there be no rancour nor malice in our heartes. Nowe then if a man hauehave none other respect than the punishing of the misdeede, and that he hate not the partie ne bee ledde by any wicked desire: then shal he bee allowed of God, and not otherwise. But such examples are verie rare. For as soone as men begin to go to Lawe, by and by enmitie bewrayeth it selfe, and such a fire is kindled as cannot be quenched, so as this prouerbe is verie true, that suit in Lawe and friendshippe are two thinges that can hardly ioyne to together. Nowe then let vsus bethinke our selues, and not imagine that the hauing of good right, and our seeking of it by order of Law, can vtterly excuse vsus before God: for our hearts must be clensed from all euill will, and from all wicked affection as I saide before. Moreouer let vsus marke wel the conclusion which is added in this place: When Moses saith thine eye shall not spare the man that hath so treacherously murthered his neighbour of set purpose; if a murther bee committed in heate of choler as they say, it shall not bee helde excused, but the lande shall abide still defiled, vntill it be punished. This was declared sufficiently yesterday. Now he treateth here of a more heynous murther: which is, that a man hauing conceiued hatred and rancour against his neighbour, lyeth in waite for him, and killeth him wilfully: for that is the terme that is proper to the murthers that are committed of set purpose and prepensed malice. And that kinde of murther is vnpardonable: to graunt fauour in such a case, is to ouerthrowe the whole order of nature, and al lawes written. So then, it is not without cause yt God saith here, thine eye shall not spare him. For sometime wee make our market of other mens welfare, of their profite, or of their harmes, according to the common prouerbe, which saith that wee cut large thongs of other mens lether. When a man hath offended, the Iudge, who was not hurt by it, ne suffered any harme, will easily pardon it. What, saith hee? It was a small matter. But if a man had done the like to him: he could finde in his heart that God shoulde thunder downe from heauen for the punishing thereof: and yet [in another mans case] hee doeth make a mowe at it. Tush (saies he) this may well be let slippe, this will vanish away of it selfe. See howe a man shall oftentimes be moued to pitie and compassion towards some one, and deale cruelly with some other: yea he wil become cruel to a whole realme to spare one man. This is dayly seene: O say they, this poore man is to bee pitied. Yea, but in the meane time, if a wicked deede do passe vnpunished, all ye whole realme is defiled and corrupted by it, and it is a prouoking of Gods wrath against the whole Nation. Againe, others take example by it to giuegive themselues to all leawdnesse, when they bee in hope that crimes shall scape vnpunished. Men consider not that such kinde of merciemercy is the cause of innumerable cruelties, and that it turneth to the common confusion of all men. And therefore whereas our Lord saith that we must not spare him that hath done such euill deedes; it is to shewe that wee must not be mercifull after our owne manner, to ouerthrowe a great number for the sparing of one man; but that we must hauehave an eye to right and indifferencie.
And herewithall he sheweth vsus againe, howe deare our liues are to him, in that hee will not suffer a murther to be committed, without vengeance for it. Herein wee see (say I) his fatherly care ouer vsus. Now if he set such store by this trā sitorie life, and shewe himselfe to be the defender thereof: what will he do touching the life of our soules? Well hath hee shewed by one gage howe greatly he loueth it, and what store he setteth by it, in that he hath not spared his onelyonly sonne for it. Then let vsus bethinke vsus heere, that seeing our Lorde telleth vsus howe he hath a care of this transitorie life, and vouchsafeth to take it into his custodie, whereby hee sheweth his fauour and goodnes towards vsus in that behalfe, in so much yt although our bodies bee but wormes and rottennesse, yet notwithstanding he vouchsafeth to stoope so lowe as to hauehave regarde of it. We ought to consider well such goodnesse, and to beare in minde that seeing God loueth vsus so much, we ought not to bite one another, nor to be as cats and dogs, sith our God wil hauehave vsus to be knit so together in ye bonde of brotherly louelove. Therefore in asmuch as we knowe Gods goodnesse and fatherly louelove towards vsus; let vsus learne to restraine our selues from doing any harme or wrong to our neighbours. And afterwarde let the same leade vsus yet further: that is to witte, that for asmuch as God holdeth vsus vnderunder his protection, and holdeth out his hand to succor vsus: we in the mean season must looke vp higher, namely to the heauenly life which he hath prepared for vsus; not douting but that hee will preserue our soules much more then our bodies. Let vsus be fully resolued of that, to the intent that wee may call vppon him with full boldnesse. And although wee bee beset with infinite dangers; yet let vsus go forwarde still, assuring our selues that our God wil strengthen vsus, seeing hee hath a care of vsus. And moreouer, that although no man require reuenge for vsus; yet he himselfe will require it. Therefore let vsus be contented to bee in such wise vnderunder his protection, that if any man do vsus any outrage, hee will hauehave his hande lifted vp to succour vsus at our neede. Let vsus content our selues therewith, say I; and let vsus walke on in simplicitie and vprightnesse being patient in all our aduersities, waiting Gods leasure til he prouide conuenient remedie for vsus. And as for those that sit in the seate of Iustice, and hauehave authoritie in their hand; let them also doe their office duly, so as they may yeeld a good & faithfull account of their doings at the last day.
Nowe let vsus kneele downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes, praying him to make vsus feele them better thā we hauehave done, that we may be drawen more and more to true repentance, and be so cast downe in our selues, as wee may rise vp againe in him & seeke him, and so rest vppon his promises, that through his inuincible power we may fight valiantly both against Satan and all his champions, and also against the worlde: and that although wee bee sometimes hindered to serue him, yet we may go through with our race, vntil wee be come to the marke whereunto hee calleth vsus. That it may please him to graunt this grace, not only to vsus, but also to all people & nations of the earth, &c.