Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 123
On Tewsday the last of December. 1555. The Cxxiij. Sermon which is the fourth vponupon the one and twentith Chapter.
18 If a man hauehave a sonne that is stubborne & disobedient, so as he will not harken to the voice of his father, nor to the voyce of his mother, and they hauehave chastised him, and he will not obey them:
19 Then shall his father and mother take him, and bring him to the Elders of their Citie, and vntounto the gate of their place,
20 And shall say to the Elders of their Citie: This sonne of ours is stubborne and disobedient, and will not harken to our voyce, he is a ryottour and a drunkard.
21 And all the men of that Citie shall stone him with stones vntounto death. And so shalt thou rid away the euill from thee, that all Israell may be afrayde when they heare thereof.
HEere first of all is shewed what their charge & duetie is which hauehave children: and secondely that when children growe past amendment by their fathers & mothers, they must be rooted out, bycause their doing is against nature, and it is such an infection as prouoketh Gods wrath vponupon the whole Countrey. Nowe as touching the first point, it is sayde that if a man hauehave a frowarde and stubborne sonne, and that he hauehave done his indeuour to reforme him. Here God presupposeth that the father and mother doe performe their duetie; for their children are giuen them with condition that they must yeelde account of them. If a man hauehave layde the brydle vppon his childes necke, and let him playe the loose colte: he is worthy to hauehave his eyes pickt out by him, and all the euill that the childe doeth is to be imputed to his father, because he was negligent in correcting him. Therefore wee see heere (as I sayde afore) that Moses doeth here warne fathers and mothers to bee diligent in nurturing their children. And if chastisement will not preuaile, their children are to be taken for vtterly vnrecouerable. Wherefore, that wee may benefite ourselues by this text, let vsus marke well, that he to whome GOD giueth children, must hauehave a speciall care to bring them vppe well: for, that is a singular treasure, which ought to be preferred before al the goods in the worlde. Then if a man be slothfull, and suffer his children to runne at randone: is it not an vnthankefulnesse that offendeth GOD greeuously, seeing hee despiseth the benefite and honour which hee had vouchsafed vppon him? Must it not needes be that men are starke blinde, when they make more account of some other thing in their house, than of their owne children? Some hauehave more care of their kine, Oxen, or Horses, than of their children. EueryEvery man makes account of his wares, of his Lands, and of his Medowes: and in the meane while they let the chiefe thing alone. Worthy be they to bee sent to schoole to a certaine Heathen man, who beeing in a house where all thinges were as finely furnished and dressed as could be deuised, & finding the good mās sonne to bee aranke slouin and euilnurtured, did spit in his face, saying: I must needes spitte vppon this filth that is left heere. As for those which are so diligent and watchfull about their marchandise, their reuenewes, their possessions, yea and their Cattell, insomuch as they take more care for their dogges and horses than for their children; accordingly as wee see howe greate Lordes sette more store by their haukes and houndes than by their children: Doe not such blinde wretches bewraye their beastlinesse, that men may abhorre them as folke too too farre voide of all witte and reason? Yet notwithstanding our Lorde telleth vsus heere, that if men or women hauehave children, they must looke to the bringing vppe of them. True it is, that chiefly it is the fathers duetie: but yet must not the mother also be barred of her right. If a childe be so lustie as to say, my mother is a woman; he must goe and finde fault with GOD. For wee see heere howe the authoritie is giuen as well to the one as to the other, so as God will not hauehave the father alone to hauehave the gouerning of the childe, but that the mother also shoulde hauehave part of the honour and preheminence, and that ye child which will not obey his mother, shall be taken for past grace, & be condemned to death. And therefore both of them ought to do their endeuour to the vtter most of their power. For seeing that GOD hath honoured the mother, it is good reason that shee on her side shoulde streyne her selfe to doe her duetie. And it is not ynough for fathers and mothers not to giuegive their children leaue to doe euill, or not to traine them thereunto: but they must also nurture them and instruct them in goodnesse, as nature it selfe sheweth. If a father say, As for mee, I vpholde not my sonne in this euill, I mislike of it, but I can not doe withall: it is a very simple excuse, and it is not meete to be admitted or to be taken in account. For it may be sayde vntounto him, thou art a very blocke; for seeing thou art set in that place, and he will hauehave thee to bee the maister of thy childe: thou art but a dolt in that thou makest no countenaunce when thou seest him doe amisse. So then, lette vsus learne that heere GOD requireth a carefulnesse in fathers and mothers, that they shoulde take paines to teach their children, and hauehave an eye to their behauiour and dispositions: and that if there be any fault in them, they correct it, and be very diligent in that behalfe.
Nowe if onelyonly negligence be so condemned though fathers and mothers allowe not of their childrens faultes: what will become of them when they bolster them in their euill dooinges, and cloke them as much as they can, and are offended when any other bodie goes about to bring them into the right way from their vnthriftinesse? And yet we see that parentes doe so. Truely, negligence is too common a thing: for fathers & mothers hauehave no further regard of their children, than to receiue some seruice at their hands. In deede they coulde well finde in their heartes that their children were taught: what to doe? To thinke vponupon their houshould businesse and dealinges, or to occupy some trade that they might put them to no cost when they came to age, but rather that they might reape some profite by them. For these wayes there is commonly care ynough. But as for the feare of GOD, honestie of conuersation, and all other vertues: they neuer thinke vppon them. For (as the prouerbe sayes,) there is no likelihoode that those thinges will bring gryst to the mill, and therefore a father can finde in his hart to winke at ye vices of his child, so long as he sees no disaduantage to insue of it. But there is malice also matched with it: insomuch that if a man goe about to reforme their children, they will steppe vp against him, and fauour their children, and maintaine them euen against GOD. And our Lorde payeth them the wages which they hauehave deserued. Wee see howe the veriest pinchpennies in a whole Citie or countrey, and the veriest niggardes and vilanes, which would gnawe off their fingers endes for a pennie, or for a dodkinne to white their teeth withall: hauehave whoremongers to their children, who can not but picke their fathers purses: for a harlotte will alwayes be crauing. The child therefore becomes a robber of his father, and yet the father is contented to maintaine him, and will be angry that any body should chastise him for it, spewing foorth his poyson like a diuell as hee is. In deede this is no newe thing, for it falles out so in all cases; and likewise also in this behalfe. Nowe when such thinges are to be seene, ought we not to beholde Gods vengeance also? Thou art a pinchpenny, thou art so giuen to couetousnesse yt thou pinest vponupon the ground, thou darest not eate one bit of breade but with greefe: and yet in the meane while thou hast a Sonne that filcheth and stealeth from thee to maintaine his whoredome. Because thou art a despiser of God, and a wicked keytife, and wilt needes hauehave thy sonne to resemble thee, and thy mainteyning of him after that fashion, is a furtherance of his sinne and wickednesse: Therfore doeth God recompence thee according to thy desert. For thou art worthy to hauehave thy goods deuoured, and to be mocked at of the whole worlde, so as all men may beholde thy shame, & thou thy selfe neuer perceiue it. Herein we see Gods manifest iudgement. Whatsoeuer it be let vsus beare in minde this lesson, that if fathers and mothers be negligent, they be as blameworthy before God, as if they had giuen their children leaue to doe all maner of wickednesse. But if they be offended at other men for correcting them, & for indeuoring to bring thē backe into the right way: they shew thēselues to be become starke diuels, and yt God hath giuen them vp to a reprobate sense. Therefore let eueryevery of vsus for his owne part take warning, to discharge ourselues of his duetie. And let such as hauehave children take pains to teach them, howbeit not for the reaping of any earthly profite by them. Truly, that may well be an accessarie to it: but it ought not to be the chiefe point. Wherunto then must they hauehave regarde? Forasmuch as God hath done them the honour to set them in the degree of fathers: they must do their best to yeelde vntounto him their children whom he hath put into their handes, & to make true sacrifices of them vntounto him, that there may alwayes remaine some good seede to honour him withall. For we see howe ye scripture telleth vsus oftentimes that Gods name must florish from generation to generation. And that is to the end yt hauing serued him all the time of our life, we should indeuour to the vttermost of our power, that there might remain a good ofspring after our decease so as Gods glory might not be quenched nor buried, but yt his praise might indure for euer. That (say I) is the marke whereat fathers & mothers ought to aime: insomuch that euen they yt hauehave no children, ought to hauehave the same minde and desire, yea and to shewe it also by their doings as much as they can possibly. What ought he then to doe, who is bound to it by some speciall reasō? When he seeth a mirrour of Gods grace in his house,Psal. 128. it is the blessing which the scripture doth so highly commende as who would say, I hauehave my yong children about me, & God sheweth me as it were with his finger, yt he loueth me & hath a care of my house. He hath created mee heere yong children of my seede, after his own image, and they be baptised in his name, to the intent I should bee the more mooued to dedicate them to him, & to frame them to the obeying of him. If a man hauehave such a teaching, and such a marke to set his eyes vponupon, and yet is neuer the more prouoked to doe his duetie: must it not needes be that he is worse than a block? So then let this respect bee well marked, and let men beare it in mind, that it may stirre them vp to do the thing that is tolde them heere, namely to bring vp their children faithfully if they hauehave any. And moreouer when they see any euill touch or vice in them; let them labour to reforme it, so as the father and mother may protest that they hauehave done their dueties.
Nowe moreouer, heere is expresse mention made of stubbornnesse. For as concerning peculiar faultes, a father and a mother ought to indeuour continually to bring their children into the right way. True it is that God ment not to hauehave other faultes to goe vnpunished. When a childe hath any way offended hauing a father or mother aliue; it is not meant that hee should be exempted from punishment, vnderunder colour that he is vnderunder correction of his father and mother. But heere God speaketh of an other case, which is, that fathers and mothers should bring their children before the Iudge to hauehave them put to death. Loe, heere is a great extremitie. We knowe well what a heartbreaking it is to a father to see his sonne punished by Lawe, euen though it bee by some other bodyes meane. Then is it not possible for a father to deliuer his sonne to death, vntill he hauehave assayed all the remedies that can bee: for otherwise it were against kinde. Therefore not without cause is heere mention made of so great pride and stubbornnesse, that the father hauing streyned himselfe and done what hee can to the vttermost to reclayme his childe, perceiueth that it booteth him not to doe any more, and therefore that he must bee faine to deliuer him into the Iudges hande to be put to death. And so wee see that fathers and mothers must proceede in chastisesing their children, vntill they see them vtterly past hope of amendement. And I adde this, because that parentes are so out of patience sometimes when their children will not be reclaymed at the first choppe, that for very spyte they let them alone: and so their children fall into all excesse. But they ought not to deale so. Howe then? Vntill they finde by experience that their childe is out of measure stubborne, and sheweth himselfe to bee of so frowarde and ildisposed nature, that hee can not be reclaimed: the father and the mother ought to proceede still with that nurturing of him which God commaundeth heere. And parentes ought to bee patient in this case: for mieldenesse is a vertue right requisite in this behalfe, because that if a father trust to his owne courage, he shall marre his children if he finde any hardnesse in the teaching of them, forasmuch as it is alwayes a painefull thing, and yet GOD will hauehave men to occupie themselues in nurturing of their children, notwithstanding the painefulnesse thereof. And if they can not frame their children according to their desire, but that they will needes take the brydle in their teeth: truely it can not but turne to the great griefe of the parentes. What say they? Ought not one worde to serue to the childe? Ought he not to be ashamed if there were any droppe of honestie in him? After that manner might a father speake. But howsoeuer the worlde go, yet must not the creature be left at randon, without regarde of winning him to God. Wee must rather vse patience still, as Saint Paul counselleth vsus in speaking of corrections. In deede hee telleth vsus that we must vse sharpnesse and rigour to moue such as be ouermuch hardened in their naughtinesse, but yet hee woulde hauehave it matched with meekenesse and patience. Nowe then, what ought fathers to doe? Should they bee so far out of patience, as to giuegive ouer the correction of their children? No. And therefore let vsus learne that in this text fathers for their parte are warned to hauehave a stay of themselues, when they see their children giuen to lightnesse & vnconstancie, and to misbehaue themselues: and that although they cannot winne them at the first, nor bring them to such meekenesse as to make them take ye right way of their owne good will; yet they must consider with them selues howe it is Gods will to keepe them occupied in that kynde of paines taking, and to trye their patience after that manner. Thus yee see one other poynt more which wee hauehave to marke in this text, where mention is made of such vnreformable stoutnesse and stubbornesse as fathers and mothers doe finde to bee past remedie, in respect of themselues, and therefore are faine to resort to the Iudge.
Nowe let vsus come to the euidence that is to be giuen by the father and the mother. It is said, that they shall come to the gate; for that was the place of iustice in olde time. So then they shall repaire to the seate of iustice, and there say, This sonne of ours is stubborne against vsus, & froward: wee hauehave assayed to reforme him & cannot preuaile with him: He is a riotour & a drunkarde: and therfore wee put him now into your handes. Gods will is that vppon this euidence, the chyld shall bee stoned to death. And it is not without cause y• he giueth such authoritie to fathers and mothers. For it is not likely that men wilbe so cruell as to spill their own bloud: that were vtterly against nature. Therfore it is good reason that ye father & mother should bee beleeued without further scanning or sifting of the matter, seeing the case concerneth their own children. For it were a shaming of the father & mother, to driue them to bring witnesses against their own children, & their dealing by ordinarie maner of inditement should be a derogation to the degree wherein God hath placed them. And seeing such prerogatiue is giuen to men, they ought to hauehave the more regard of their duetie. But Gods will is that the father and the mother should be beleeued. And why? Because hee hath printed & ingrauen such an affection naturally in their hearts towardes their children, as that they had leuer to dye than to do them wrong. Nowe if a man bee so wicked and beastly, as to practise any thing falsly against his owne childe, and to shewe himselfe voyde of the louing kindnes which our Lorde hath printed in mankind, and whereof some footesteppes and sparkes are to be seene euen in the brute beastes: what a thing is it, that a man should so farre ouershoote himselfe? And therefore parentes see here what honour God doth them, in making them to be beleeued against their children: which thing ought to make them to inforce themselues the more to louelove them, and to bring them vp with al gentlenes, yea, and (euen in their chasticing of thē) to vse the rule that Saint Paul giueth vsus,Eph. 6.4. which is, that parents shoulde not put their children out of heart by their ouergreat rigour. For dyuers tymes it falleth out, that a chyld is put out of heart, because he sees his father vse no mieldnesse towardes him, nor any reason or louelove in his doings. Therefore must discretion be vsed in this case. And to bee short, let vsus note, that the more honour GOD doeth vsus, the more are wee bounde to doe our dueties. As for example, such as are aduaunced to any degree or state of honour, ought to consider that GOD hath bounde them exceedingly, and that they ought to strayne themselues the more to doe their duetie: and this belongeth generally to al states. But it is sayde here expressely, concerning fathers and mothers. And therefore such as hauehave children, must looke that they louelove them after such a sorte, as they may well keepe themselues from abusing the power and authoritie which they hauehave of God: for it is not committed to them to that end.
Also it is declared heere further, that the father and the mother may not accuse their children iudicially, vnlesse they finde them vnreformable. I hauehave tolde you alreadie that this place speaketh of punishment by death. For if fathers and mothers fall to putting of their children to death, before they hauehave vouchsafed to take paynes with them to see them well instructed: ought they not to bee coupled with them, as causers of their destruction? A father perchaunce will say, I hauehave not consented to my sonnes lewdnesse, I hauehave let him alone. Yea, but shouldest thou hauehave falne asleepe, when as God appoynted thee to keepe watch? Thou shouldest hauehave guyded thy childe, so as hee shoulde not hauehave stepped one pace, but thou shouldest hauehave beene at hande to direct him; Thou wouldest hauehave guyded a brute beast, and hast thou made no reckening of thine owne seede? Thou lettest the creature alone which is formed after the image of God, whereof notwithstanding thou wast appointed to bee the keeper: and thinkest thou to scape by so try fling an excuse. Then if fathers and mothers come to this plunge of shewing their children to hauehave beene sturdie and vnreformable, if they can not first protest that they hauehave done their dueties in chasticing them, they themselues also shalbee taken for guiltie, forasmuch as it is apparant that it was long of themselues that their children did leaudly, because they did suffer them to runne at randon. By reason whereof if a man bee punished by lawe, it may well bee inquired howe hee hath beene brought vp, and what teaching hee had in his fathers house: and when the mischief procedeth from that spring, the father ought no more to scape scotfree than the sonne. Thus yee see what wee hauehave to beare in mynd.
And here is mention made of two vices. Our sonne is a riotour & a drunkard. Doth this import that other vices ought not to be corrected? No, but vnderunder these two kyndes, God ment to shew that fathers & mothers ought to bring vp their children in all vertue and honestie: For vnderunder ryoting and drunkennesse, hee meant to comprehende all loosenesse of life. If ryotousnesse bee punished, what is to be doone to other much heynouser thinges? What shall become of whoredome, theft, and periurie? What shall become of such other like things? God then restreyneth not this lawe to these two vyces, but intendeth to shewe generally that all fathers and mothers ought to hauehave a vigilant eye to the conuersations of their children; and that if they finde any misbehauiour or vnthriftines in them, they must do their indeuour to reform them, and to bring them back againe from their euill trade. Thus much for one poynt. To bee short, it is all one as if hee had sayd, that if there bee any priuie faultes in children, their fathers and mothers must hauehave a vigilant eye vppon them, and reclaime them againe, that they growe not desperate. For what a thing were it if a man shoulde marre his chylde, by bearing wt him in some particular fault? One euil woulde drawe on a hundred mo after it: and …o the chylde should bee lost and vndone. Men therefore must take good heede, and preuent the danger, that their children growe not worse and worse, and that the forgiuing of one fault make them not to fall into another, and so they become eueryevery day worse than other. For if men suffer ryot or drunkennesse in their children, those vyces are ill ynough of them selues alreadie: but yet in the ende a ryotour becomes a swyne, and wilbe altogether vnprofitable. And though there were no more in it but the vntemperance in ye abusing of Gods creatures: soothly it were too much. What is drunkennesse? It is a kynde of beastlinesse, that bereaueth men of the grace which God had bestowed vponupon them in nature. A ryotour being an ydle and vnprofitable lubber, and hauing spent all vponupon bellyfare, must needes fall to stealing when he wanteth wherewith to furnish out his excesse. But a drunkarde is yet worse. The worlde sees these euil inconueniences. Therefore wee had neede to preuent them, and to lay aforehand that such mischiefes come not to passe. Notwithstanding it is shewed vsus herewithall, howe men tumble out of one euill into another, vntill they come to deadly ruine. If a chylde bee a glutton or a drunkarde in his youth; well, men will say they be euill touches: but yet shall they be bornwith, and they wil not be thought to be deadly sinnes. But wee see to what poynt children come by yt meanes. If that ryotousnesse bee not reformed in them, but that they continue stil in their stubbornes: at length they must bee deliuered into the hande of the Iusticer, and bee put to death. Seeing it is so, let vsus beware that wee flatter not our selues; but whensoeuer there is any vyce in vsus, let vsus assure our selues that if stubbornnes be matched with it; we shall grow eueryevery day more wilfull and hardharted than other, in so much y• a fault which is counted but small before men, and as it were a veniall sinne, wil become an intollerable cryme. Now it is God which saith so. Therefore let vsus learne to examine our selues, and when we perceiue any vyce in vsus, let vsus doe our indeuour to amende it, for feare least it throwe vsus downe headlong altogither, and finally sinke vsus in such sorte as there remaine no mo punishmentes but the last, that is to say, the mortall and deadly punishment. Thus much concerning that poynt.
Nowe let vsus treate of the duetie of children towardes their fathers and mothers. In deede it were to bee wished afore all thinges, that children were of themselues so wyse and weladuysed, as not to vexe their fathers and mothers in teaching them, and specially in chastycing them for their faultes. And soothly, were our nature so well ruled as it ought to bee; a chylde woulde not tarry till hee were rebuked or compelled: but rather hee woulde thinke, alas, to what ende liue I in the worlde? And on ye other side hee woulde consider thus, God hath set thee heere, to be serued and honoured by thee, & againe to obey my father and mother whome he hath giuen vntounto mee to that end. Contrariwise if they reape nothing but sorow by my meanes, it had bene better for mee to hauehave dyed before I was borne, yt the earth might hauehave swalowed me vp. After that maner ought a child to thinke. But forasmuch as youth lacketh discretion; & childrē are not so reformable of themselues as were requisite: at leastwise let them suffer themselues to bee gouerned by others. And if their father spye any vyce in them, let them acknowledge it when they bee put in mynde of it, and not onelyonly confesse the misdeede, [but also reforme it.] For it is but hypocrisie when a chyld holdeth on in his vnthriftinesse, after hee hath made pretence of repentance, by humbling him selfe before his father. If hee change not his conditions, but continue still in his vnthriftinesse, it is a lying before GOD, and mocking of his father. Therefore if a chylde hauehave done amisse, or see himselfe subiect to any vyce, and God is so gracious to him that hee hath a father or mother: Let him consider thus with himselfe: Go too, God reacheth thee his hande in this behalfe: for what are my father and my mother but the handes of God, and his instruments wherewith he intendeth to serue his turne, to guyde thee into the way of welfare? For when I see my father and my mother goe about to correct my vyces: I must needes set my selfe against GOD, and defye him op…ly; if my stomacke bee not abated and pulled downe, to receiue their correction. And surely, children ought to vnderstande that this superioritie ouer vsus is the amiablest in all the worlde: I meane the superioritie which our fathers and mothers hauehave ouer vsus. For although Kinges, princes, & magistrates be to be reuerenced: yet is not that kind of superiority so amiable. A man wilbe ashamed to be corrected by his prince, or by his superiour that weeldeth the sword of Iustice: but if a father speake to his sonne, yea and smite him too, it is no shame at all for the child to stoope to him, though the father doe him wrong, or reuile him saying, thou villaine, thou stretchehalter, thou gracelesse knaue, what wilt thou doe? When thou hast killed me with greife and sorrow of mind, thou must needes cal down Gods vengeance vponupon thee. When the father vseth such roughnesse towardes his chylde, and the chyld humbleth himselfe vntounto him, and becommeth as it were dumme without replying at all against him; it shalbee a great honour to him to hauehave receiued correction at his fathers hande, and to hauehave beene touched by him after that fashion. Now then, sith wee see that this superioritie which God hath giuen to fathers & mothers, is a thing which wee ought euen naturally to hauehave in estimation: if a chyld nod his head at all the warninges that are giuen him, shewing himselfe brazen faced and vtterly past shame, so as hee regardeth not what his father and mother say vntounto him, but wrings his groyn at them for their putting of him in mynde of his faultes: is he not quyte & cleane past grace? What can a man say more, or hope for at his hande? Now then, let children hauehave regarde hereof, and let them note also that the honouring of their father and mother is the first commaundement that is giuen in the seconde table, and the onelyonly commaundement of the law that hath any promise,…. 6.2. I meane speciall promise, as S. Paul declareth. And hereby wee bee put in mynd, that such as holde scorne to honor their fathers and mothers, doe not only despise God▪ but also shewe their vnbeleefe in mocking at all his promises, and in refusing and casting away of all his blessings wilfully; as if they should say, I passe not for prospering by Gods grace, I will none of that meane. And for proofe that it is so, God hauing sayde that we must honour our father and mother, addeth, To the ende thou mayst liue long in the lande which the Lord thy God giueth thee:…. 10.12. as if hee shoulde say, Looke not that I shoulde prosper you or blesse you, but vppon this condition, that yee obey your fathers and mothers. Nowe then, as for those that harden themselues, do they not shewe that all is one to them whether they bee depriued of Gods grace and blessing, or no? And that is an intolerable vnthankfulnes.
Moreouer, let vsus mark also, that wheras God speaketh of the honouring of our fathers & mothers, hee meaneth not of ceremoniousnes; but that children shoulde thinke thus with themselues, God hath giuen mee a father and a mother to the intent I shoulde bee ruled by their hande, and liue vnderunder their direction. The honour then which a chylde oweth to his father & mother, consisteth not in pretending some ceremonious and counterfet humilitie: but in behauing himselfe meekely, in suffering them to hauehave the gouernement of him, and in beeing tractable to bee refourmed when his parentes tell him of his faults. Those bee the things that children ought to regarde, but specially religion. For often times fathers and mothers deserue well to bee disobeyed at their childrens hands. And in deede, they can no skill of seruing God, otherwise than by disobeying their fathers and mothers. If there bee any man so wicked, that hee woulde hauehave his sonne giuen to craftinesse, to leaudnesse, to vnthankfulnesse, to periurie, and to trecherie: what a thing were that? And yet we see a number of fathers, which hauehave beene despysers of God all their life long, and all their seeking is to bring vp their children in their owne schoole. A father will say to his sonne, I renounce thee if thou bee not like me. Such cursed wordes shall we heare men speake. In so much that hee which hath beene a whoremonger and infected a whole countrye with his filthinesse all the time of his life, or a blasphemer, or a drunkarde; will needes hauehave his sonne to bee like himselfe. Nowe in such cases children must disobey their parents: for otherwise they cannot obey God. And therefore S. Paul speaking of the honor and obedience that children should yeeld to their parentes, addeth this exception or afterspeeche,Eph. 6.1. in the Lorde. For God must euer hauehave the vpper hande. And for the same cause also did I say crewhyles, that the honour which is required in this commaundement of the lawe, ought then cheefely to be put in practice, when fathers and mothers doe their indeuour to trayne vp their children well, and to correct their vyces. Then must the children in any wise obey, assuring themselues that if they admit not both the warnings and the chasticements of their parents, and reforme themselues thereafter when they heare their vices so condemned: they shewe themselues to be disobedient both to God and to the order of nature. Notwithstanding to the intent that children excuse not themselues, and beare themselues in hande that it is a light fault to disobey their parentes; heere God condemneth such disobedience to death. It is God that giueth this sentence, and not man. And hee sayeth that it is an vnpardonable fault, when a childe is so hard-hearted, that his fathers and mothers correction̄ cannot preuaile with him. For why? wee must euer come backe to this point, that such a one is as a monster: and whatsoeuer is against nature wee ought to lothe & abhorre it. And no dout but Gods curse & vengeance would bee kindled against vsus, if we should suffer the thing that is against nature. Nowe if a child wil not heare his father and his mother, when God vouchsafeth to giuegive him gouernours at home to tell him his faults: his despysing of them is a manifest despysing of God. For why? God hath printed his marke vppon the father and mother, insomuch that if there bee any religion, the same must bee acknowledged in the person of the father and of the mother. Euen the very Heathen had a cōmon saying concerning the obedience which they yeelded to God and to their parents. As if they should say, (as nature had taught them) that fathers & mothers beare the image of God in this world, & yt he which hath any religion in him, & acknowledgeth any soueraine maiestie & submitteth himself therto: must also needs obey his father & mother. The verie heathen spake after yt maner, it was their common style. Nowe then, if we receiue not this instruction, must it not needes follow, yt wee be too destitute of wit? Greatly ought we to be ashamed, to be taught in the schoole of the Heathen, to knowe our dutie. Therefore (as I saide afore) let children knowe that it is no light fault nor easie to be pardoned, when they bee disobedient to their fathers and mothers. For why? They had the instinct of nature, which they ought to hauehave followed. And therefore it is an vnpardonable cryme to disobey a mans father & mother, according whereunto it is sayde in another place, He that smyteth his father or his mother,Exod. 21.15 shall dye ye death without fauour. If one strike another man: well, he shalbe punished for it: but if he beate his father or his mother, it is as much as if hee had killed a man: else there were no order or reason in nature. And why? For let vsus alwayes hauehave an eye to the grounde which God hath set downe in nature: namely, that it is all one as if a man woulde confounde heauen and earth together, when hee setteth himselfe so against his father and mother. And this serueth to hold children in awe, if they hauehave any sparke of myldnesse in them, and that they bee not vtterly vnreformable, so as Satan possesseth them wholly. That is the thing which we hauehave to remember more vponupon this text.
Howbeit, forasmuch as the time wil not suffer mee to speake so much therof as were to bee spoken; wee will nowe come to the conclusion: which is, that if the disobedience which is committed against the fathers of this worlde, bee so grieuously punished by Gods lawe: what shall become of men when they will not heare the voyce of their heauenly father? True it is that heere God speaketh of the corrections which proceede from himselfe: for when a man nurtureth his chylde, he is Gods minister in that behalf, and his voyce is not the voyce of man but of God. But yet when as God declareth after a more manifest fashion, that it is hee which gaue his lawe, so as wee hauehave his holy writte, where wee may heare his heauenly voyce: that is a voice of more authoritie, than the speaking of a father or a mother at home in their house. Againe, wee come to the Church, where Gods worde is preached vntounto vsus, and God hath dedicated that place and the pulpit to deliuer out his worde to be heard, as though he were there in his owne person. Seeing then that Gods worde is so set downe vntounto vsus in the holy scripture, and so preached vntounto vsus: are they not to bee reiected as monsters, and in no wise to bee suffered, which disobey the same and make no account of it? And if men beare with them, is it not a procuring of Gods wrath? When it hath lurked neuer so long among vsus, in the ende it must needes bewray it selfe, and wee must feele to our cost what it is to hauehave maintayned euill willingly and wittingly. So then, let vsus alwayes make this comparison. Seeing that God wilbee acknowledged in his creatures according to the degree which hee hath giuen to eueryevery of them: and seeing also that hee will hauehave those to bee obeyed which are in preheminence, so as the rest must receiue their correction and submit themselues to them: it is much more reason, that hee himselfe shoulde bee heard and obeyed, when hee speaketh with his owne holy mouth, which thing hee doeth when wee reade the holy scripture, and when we heare his word preached. For inasmuch as he hath set this order in his Church, that they which preache his worde should represent the person of his sonne: can wee say it is a light fault to hauehave despysed Gods maiestie, and to hauehave made no reckening of the hearing of his worde? Then let vsus looke well to it.
Finally, let vsus marke how it is said here, Thou shalt roote out the euil from thee, and all Israell shall heare thereof and be afrayd. Here our Lord repeateth that againe which wee hauehave heard afore, yt is, that when outragious crimes are fostered among vsus, it is the next way to infect vsus, & we see there needeth not much leauen to make sower a whole lump of dow; besides that we be tolde it by Gods word, experience also doth shew it vsus. And therefore let Magistrates bee vigilant in rooting out wickednesse, yea and in punishing mennes faultes as they deserue. If there bee neede of mannes correction, let it bee had, and let this extremitie of putting men to death bee alwayes preuented. But if the cryme be vnpardonable, then must seueritie and rigour be vsed. For if wickednesse bee willingly fostered, men shall see in the ende what they shal hauehave wonne by it. Also let vsus take warning there withall, to benefite our selues by the examples which wee see before our eyes; that when any punishment is executed by order of lawe, wee may vnderstande that God teacheth vsus at other mennes cost, and therefore wee ought to hauehave regarde thereof. Moreouer if Magistrates and Iudges bee called here of God, yea, and expressely cō maunded by him to punish the disobedience that is committed against earthly fathers and mothers: let vsus mark, yt whensoeuer there is any manifest contempt of God, any irreligiousnes, or any withstanding of his worde, those thinges are much lesse to be suffered: and that if they be borne with; it is rank treason to Godward, which he will not leaue vnpunished. And therefore let all Magistrates and all such as are set in place of gouernement to execute iustice, vnderstande that God commendeth his owne honour to them aboue all thinges, and that they must bee vigilant in that case chiefely, yea, and that after such a sort, as al of vsus together may shew by our doings, that our whole desire is that God should reigne among vsus, & that we would not hauehave his worde to be despised and scorned, but rather reuerenced as it ought to bee. Wherefore let vsus shewe this zeale, if wee will hauehave our Lorde to blesse and prosper vsus.
Nowe let vsus kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes, praying him to vouchsafe so to tame vsus, that whereas wee bee inclyned to much wretchednesse and corruption, at leastwise wee may not become frowarde and vnreformable: but that when wee bee warned by his worde, wee may eueryevery of vsus humble our selues, and quietly take the yoke which hee layeth vponupon our shoulders, and patiently beare the corrections which he layes vppon vsus by men, specially by those to whome hee hath giuen the charge to guyde and gouerne vsus, so as eueryevery of vsus acknowledging himselfe to bee subiect to his superiours, may yeeld God his due obedience, and in no wise tary till wee bee compelled, and spurred, but receiue the warnings that are giuen vsus, (from whence so euer they come) as the warnings of God, knowing that all trueth is of him, and that by that meanes also hee procureth our saluation. That it may please him to grant this grace, not onelyonly to vsus, but also to all nations and people of the earth, &c.