Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 126
On Fryday the iij. of Ianuarie. 1556. The Cxxvj. Sermon, which is the second vponupon the two and twentith Chapter.
5 A woman shal not weare the apparel of a man: neither shal a man put on the garments of a woman. For whosoeuer doth so, is an abhomination to the Lord thy God.
6 When thou goest abroad and findest a birds nest in a tree or on the grounde, and young birdes or egges therein, & the dam sitting vponupon her young or vponupon the egges: thou shalt not take the dam with her young birdes:
7 But thou shalt let the dam goe, & take the young ones to thy selfe, that it may goe well with thee, and that thou maist prolong thy dayes.
8 When thou buildest thee a newe house, thou shalt make a battlement about the roofe of it, that thou bring not bloud vponupon thy house by the falling of some man downe from it.
THe first law which I hauehave rehearsed here, sheweth yt in all our behauiour, we must hauehave a care to be honest, & eschue al loosenes. Truely it should seeme to be no matter of great importance for a man to be apparelled after one fashiō or other: but yet for all that, God wil hauehave things done in order. For if men go disguised, & weare such apparell as serueth not for necessitie but for follie: that is not conuenient. If women bee dissolute, what a thing is that? They forget their nature: for women ought to bee modest. If there bee no shame, but that they will needes be out of order: it is a very beastlines. That is the effect of Gods intent in saying that men ought not to put on womens apparell, nor women ought not to bee cloathed in mens apparell: For it is good reason that there should be a difference betweene men and women. And although there were no lawe written, doeth not euen nature teach it vsus? And when S. Paul telleth vsus that women must come to the Church with their heades couered & not with their haire about their eares:… 1….5. hee sheweth the same thing. What saith he? hauehave we need to speake to you of such things? For if a womā were polled, durst she shew her head abroade? A man may well be bold to shew his head bare, though he be polled: and shall a woman do so too? That were a shame, euerie bodie would mocke at her, and she shoulde be faine to hide her heade. Now sith ye know this without any scripture or worde written: doe ye not see howe God hath sowen as it were a seede of modestie in you, to the intent that euerie man shoulde hauehave a regarde to that which is comelie for him? So then, let vsus mark yt here God intended to shew vsus that eueryevery bodies attyring of themselues ought to be such, as there may be a difference betweene men and women. And truly we see what daungers doe insue when folke go so disguised: many inconueniences doe accompanie them, & God is offended with thē. Therefore the setting downe of this lawe is not without cause. For they that louelove to go so disguised, do despise God: as for example, in these maskings & mummings, when men put themselues into womens apparel, and women put thēselues into mēs as ye know: what comes of it? Although no euil ensued thereof, yet the verie thing it self displeseth god. We heare what is said of it in this place. Whosoeuer doth it, is an abhominatiō. Ought not this saying to make the haire of our heades stand vp, rather than wee would prouoke Gods wrath vponupon vsus wilfully? But besides this, we are sure yt the suffring hereof is the opening of a gap to all whoredome. At a word, such disguisings are but inticements of baudry, as experience prooueth. Therfore let vsus not think, that it was more than needed, for God to appoint men a seuerall kind of apparelling by themselues, and the women another kinde of attiring by themselues agreeable to their seuerall sexes. Whereupon wee hauehave to remember, that God liketh well, yt there should be an honestie euen in our apparel. Truely (as I hauehave said afore) yt is not the cheefe point: For if a man should set ye perfection of our life in this thing: it were al one as if he should set the cart before the horse: but yet is it not to bee omitted. For euen the Heathen themselues hauehave shewed vsus our lesson, telling vsus that if there bee no regard of honestie, men do bewray yt the rest of their vertues are not counted for vertues any more. For if they obserue not some order, discretion and modestie in their behauiours & maner of dealings, they may seeme to bee degenerated into brute beastes. Then is it as a witnes that we walke as before God, when we regarde a kind of honestie in our apparell. Truely men may soone ouershoot themselues. Although they attire not themselues like women, yet if they vse any gaudishnes, and make themselues to bee as gasing-stocks: such superfluitie displeaseth God already in another respect. Likewise though women attyre not themselues in the raiment of men: Yet if they be too gallant & braue, and couet to hauehave too great a show, they faile not to offende God▪ euen in another respect, as I said afore. Yet notwithstanding, we must first of all see that men be so apparelled as they become not womanlike, as we see diuerse times yt they attire thēselues like brides. In so doing they seeme to be sorie yt God made them not women, & to bee desirous to renounce their owne sexe. And that is a shamefull thing. Againe, when women go apparelled like men of war, (as there be some which had leuer to beare a hackebutte on their shoulder than a distaffe in their hand:) it is against kinde, and we ought to abhorre it. Although wee were not spoken to, ne had any law or ordinance of God▪ yet do we euen of ourselues perceiue it to be strange and whosoeuer hath any sparke of purenesse in him, wil iudge so. Ye see thē yt first of al the fashiō which men do vse in apparelling thēselues, must shew yt God hath created them to be as men: and that the women also must obserue the modestie that is agreeable to their sexe. Thus much concerning the first point.
And as touching the second, let vsus marke also generally, that in our apparelling of our selues God wil hauehave vsus to respect vse & honesty. Those are the two things which we ought to set store by. The first is vse. And my meaning by vse, is yt men should be contented with such apparell as will defend them from cold and heate. And by honestie I meane that they shold not be clad & attired after a disguised fashion, as though they went to play an enterlude, or were desirous to make folke to gase at them for the strangenes of their apparell, that it might be said, who is this? O, it is such a one. Now then, if wee obserue the vse, that is to say, if we hold it enough to bee clothed onelyonly: and therwithall do keepe such measure as we breake not common order: it is a rule that God alloweth. Also whē women be not too curious in attyring themselues, nor desirous to drawe all mens eyes vntounto them to behold them in their decking: that is the honest kinde of behauiour, which God commendeth vntounto vsus. And in the same respect doeth S. Paul say that womē ought to hauehave a holy honestie,1. Tim. 2.9. or a comelie holines. In speaking of the attire and apparell of the faithfull women, he vseth a worde which importeth that they must not onelyonly bee honest, but also therewithal hauehave a certaine mark of holinesse, that men may know them to hauehave profited in Gods word. And soothly if we considered wel what was the first cause of apparel, we would not be so greatly giuen to superfluous brauerie as we be. For as oft as we put on either shirte or Cote, we be put in mind that our Lord commā deth vsus to hide our selues, because his image is disfigured in vsus: and our clothing of ourselues ought to make vsus thinke vponupon the sinne of our father Adam. For by reason of sin, we become subiect both to heat & cold. And againe, God telleth vsus that it is a signe of our shame. For nakednesse of it selfe is not vnhonest, were it not yt Gods image is disfigured in vsus by our corruption. Had we this regard with vsus, surely we would be warer to keepe order and measure in our apparel, than we be. Howsoeuer the worlde go, let vsus learne yt God wil hauehave vsus not only to be pure and cleane from all lecherie, but also to preuent all inconueniences. As for example, when he saith, Thou shalt not commit aduoutrie: that commaundement hath an eye to this present text. I hauehave tolde you alreadie, that all the lawes which are writtē here, cōcerne maners, & are rules of good lyfe, & are to bee referred to the ten commandements: For God hath not added anie thing to those tenne sentences. Therefore whereas in this text it is said yt the man shall not weare the apparell of the woman; doeth God set downe an eleuenth commaundement? Did God bethinke himselfe better afterwarde, and adde somewhat else to that which we had heard of him heretofore? No, it is but onelyonly an exposition of this saying of his, Thou shalt not commit adulterie. As how? For in forbidding aduoutrie, God not onelyonly forbiddeth ye act it selfe, which were punishable & worthie of reproch euen before men: but also hee forbiddeth in effect al vnchast behauiour, so as none may appeare, neither in apparell nor in any part of our conuersation. We must keep such a measure, as our apparell tend not to vnchastitie, least we runne into such loosenesse, as we be blamed for seeking to make a hotchpotch, & to hauehave had no regarde of bringing all thinges to confusiō by such disorderly dealing. Which mischeefe to eschew, both men and women must hauehave a care to follow euerie of them their owne vocation. If we bee not of that minde, although we commit not any adultry in act, yet are we atteinted already before God, with some vice that tendeth towards adultry. Wherefore let vsus learn that by this sentence where our Lord saith that men and women ought to differ one from an other in the fashion of their apparell, he meant to expound and confirm this former saying of his, Thou shalt not commit Aduoutry. Were this as wel borne away as it ought to be, we should hauehave better rule amōg vsus than we hauehave: & there would be no such impediments in the redressing the abuse of apparell. The costlinesse thereof would soone be corrected in some countries. And why? For ye shall see nothing now but imbroderie, & such ouersumptuous things, that by al likelihood men are wilfully bent to ouercharge themselues with the deckings of women, but these thinges would be prouided for. And in the meane while men looke not to other vices which are as much or more to be condemned. For there is neuer any ho, when folke beginne once to seeke newe fashions to disguise themselues. This seemeth to be nothing: but as it commeth from an euill roote, so tendeth it also to an euill ende. For it is certaine that if it were not for ambition and pride, these thinges shoulde not bee seene so common as they be. Insomuch that there are a great sort, that can finde in their heartes to indure hunger and thirst and a number of other incommodities in their bodies, onelyonly to bestowe their monie vppon thinges that canne serue them to none other ende than pompe and vanitie. And why doe they so? O, they louelove wel gay apparell: they hauehave a delight to bee tooted at and gased at a great way off. And wee see it more nowadayes than euer it was seene. This fond curiositie hath reigned in al ages among ye Frenchmen, and they cannot be reclaymed frō it as yet at this day, but they despise God & nature more than euer they did. But we heare what God saith by his Prophet Sophonie,Soph. … where hee threateneth such folke as seeke newfangled and straunge a…tires, coueting alwayes new shift. No doubt but he condemneth this pompousnes and the persons thēselues which seeke eueriday new fashions, that they may be gased at afar off, and be the more estemed, and yt men may say of thē; Such a one hath inuēted a new fashiō: such a one is skilfull in finding out new attires. Surely such folke are wel worthie to be condemned to be tailours. These great lords & braue lads which wil needs weare tablets at their necks, yt is to say sūptuous Iewels for folke to gase at a great way off ought of reasō to be al made taylors, seeing they, hauehave so great pleasure in finding out so diuerse sortes of apparell to disguise themselues with. And by the way let vsus marke, that in saying so our Lord sheweth vsus that we must come backe to the said vse and honestie, and to the rule which he hath giuen vsus: and if wee keepe that; let vsus assure our selues that it shall bee an acceptable seruice to him. Contrariwise, if we be led with a foolish and inordinate lust, to chaunge eueryevery minute of an houre and to disguise our selues: it is a thing that displeaseth God, though it importe none euill at all. And moreouer, wee see how it proceedeth of fond vaineglory: and when men are so giuen to vanitie, surely they despise their owne Soules and neuer care for them. Also they bee infected with ouerweening, so as they will needes be commended. Nowe when men deale after that fashion, can it be sayd that there is no euill in it? No: for whereto doe all these disguisinges and superfluities tend, but to all maner of corruption, and whoredome, and such other like things, besides superfluous expenses? And therefore let vsus marke, that to keepe our selues from such daungers, and from defiling our bodies with lecherie, and other infections; we must eschew euill occasions, and not meddle with any thing that may allure vsus to any wicked lust of lechery, or otherwise, but apparell our selues soberly and necessarily. Thus ye see in effect, how we ought to put this commaundement in vre.
Now Moses addeth, That if a man finde a birdesnest, he may take the young ones, but he must let goe the d…, when shee broodeth her egges or her young ones. At the first sight this seemeth not worthy to bee set downe in Gods Law. For were there no greater & necessarier things to speake of than young birdes? Why doth not God say rather that if a man see a mother nursing of her childe, he shall not trouble her, but rather succour her and helpe her, and in any wise beware that he touche her not, for that were a hurting of the infant which is a silly innocent soule. Why doth not God speake after that maner? What needed it to goe say that a man should let a Birde alone when shee broodeth her young? Hereby hee ment to expresse the better, howe greatly hee abhorreth all crueltie. For if hee cannot beare with it when it extendeth but to the little birdes: shall a man scape vnpunished when hee falleth to hurting the image of God himselfe, that is to say when he offereth wrong to another man? So then let vsus marke that in speaking of little birdes, GOD hath much better declared his meaning, than if he had spoken simply of mē. For it is all one as if hee had sayd, Accustome your selues in such wise to bee kinde hearted, and to doe no deede of crueltie, as that euen the little birdes may feele it. Not onelyonly practise you it among your selues; but also when yee see a little Bird, consider thus with your selues: no, our Lord, to inure vsus ye better to vprightnes and reason; will hauehave vsus to giuegive some proofe and witnesse of it euen towards the creatures which cannot complaine of vsus. A young bird hath no …ong to craue reason at our hands, or to attempt an action against vsus. Yet notwithstāding, albeit yt (to our seeming) there is no account to be made of them, neither is vprightnes to be vsed but among men: yet for all that God will hauehave vsus willing to frame our affections the better thereby; that whē we come to deale with our neighbors, we may be restrained by it to say, What? It is not lawfull for vsus to be cruel to the Birdes: and howe may wee then bee cruell to such as are of our owne kinde, in whom wee see the image of God imprinted? Thus ye see what wee hauehave to remember in the first place, where our Lord speaketh so of little Birdes.
Nowe let vsus come to the pith of this Lawe. It is sayd, Thou shalt let the Damme goe, and onelyonly take the young ones to thy selfe. When a Henbird broodeth her young ones, therein we hauehave an image of a mothers dutie towardes her children. And the sillie birdes doe sometimes teache vsus our lesson, when men and women are so brutish, that GOD is fayne to send them to schoole to the beastes.Esa. 1.3. For when as the Prophet Esay saith, The Oxe knoweth his Maisters stable, and the Asse knoweth his Crib: thereby hee ment to put men in minde of their leaudnesse, and as it were to vpbraide them thus, Yee bee woorse than the brute beastes, therefore go learne of them. For the Oxe in knowing his owne Crib or stall, doeth shewe you that you ought to knowe the Lorde your GOD. And seeing hee vouchsafeth to gather you into his flocke and into his Church, and yet you remaine woorse than the wilde beastes: doe ye not shew your selues to hauehave vtterly forgotten the order of nature? Nowe then, seeing that the birdes hauehave such a care of their young ones, surely they may teache men and women their lesson, when they shewe themselues to hauehave no care of their Children, as wee see some ryotous folke doe, which care not though they let their wiues and Children starue at home, without regarde thereof, and in the meane while goe and spende thrise as much at the tauerne as would find their whole house. Againe there are mothers yt hauehave no care at all of their children, all their seeking is to rid their hands of them, they cannot finde in their heartes to take the paines with them: wherein they shew themselues to be vtterly void of louingnesse and kindnesse, and to bee woorse than the brute beasts, which teache vsus our lesson in this behalfe. For although the beasts hauehave no further care of their young, than til they be able to shift for themselues: yet are men taught their dewtie and charge thereby, and what they hauehave to doe all the time of their life. Why doe not the birds take care for their young ones, furtherforth than till they be able to shift for themselues? Bycause a bird is not created in the world to be gouerned by his sire and his dam all the time of his life; He is not bound to that: for he is a reasonles creature. But the case standeth not so with men. For euen when they be come to yeres of liberty, they must still be guided and gouerned by counsell, and their fathers and mothers must put them in mind of their dewty when they hauehave done amisse. This needeth not in the beasts: but yet doe the beasts discharge themselues of their duety so long til their yong ones be exempted out of their charge. And sith it is so, what shall men doe? Let vsus resorte to that which is sayd heere, namely, Thou shalt not catch the dam when shee sitteth vponupon her young. And why? I see the dam brooding her yong ones, and (as we see) she had leuer suffer herselfe to bee eaten with vermine, than forsake her yong: she sittes there as vponupon a torture, and shee passeth not for it. For why? Shee hath such a care of her yong, that shee forgetteth her selfe for their sakes: If ye demaund a reason of it, there is none that we know, but this; it is a naturall inclination and mouing impressed by God in birdes, that when they see their little ones, to their seeming they be deerer to them than their owne life. And although it bee a painefull thing to them to tary sitting there in such care: yet goe they to it with a cheerefull courage. Nowe when wee beholde this, is it not all one to vsus as if we sawe a picture wherein God shewed vsus our dewtie? Let fathers take warning heere, to trauell earnestly for their children. And as they ought to hauehave a care for the feeding and mainteyning of them: so must the mothers also doe their diligence in that behalfe, assuring themselues that it is an acceptable seruice to God, when they take such paines in respect that GOD hath bound them to that Condition, and that it behoueth them to yeeld thereunto, willingly and with a franke and free goodwill. Seeing then that wee see an Image of our charge, and God sheweth as it were with his finger, what dewtie fathers and mothers doe owe to their children: shall wee goe ouerthrow it, were not that all one as if a Child should goe burne his booke? When he hath a booke bought for him to goe to schoole with, and he teareth it in peeces; shal he not be beaten for it? Then if wee burne the booke which our Lorde sheweth vsus, and wittingly defeate the order which hee hath set in nature, by playing the butchers in killing with our owne handes the silly bird, brought thereto by constraint of necessitie for the discharge of her fatherly and motherly duetie: what will become of vsus? True it is that God hath giuen vsus the birdes for our foode, as wee knowe hee hath made the whole worlde for vsus. Yet notwithstanding if wee bee so cruell that wee will not spare the poore birdes, euen when they bee as it were vnderunder Gods tuition, imploying themselues in his seruice: is it not a refusing of the grace which he offereth vsus, in setting before our eyes as in a lookingglasse, the duetie which we owe towardes those whom hee hath committed vntounto vsus? Yes verily. In so much that if wee bee not besides our wittes, and caryed with too cruell a rage, wee will hauehave pitie and compassion vppon the poore birdes, when wee see them yeelde their life in that sort, to discharge their duetie. And in deede, it shoulde seeme that men intended to defye God and nature, when they take the dammes so vppon their little ones. For they bee so leane, that they bee as it were frothe or slime. Nowe our Lorde meant to restraine men, and to shewe them that their lustes are altogither out of order. As if he should say, What will ye doe? Ye see there is no substance or strength in them. For during the time that I take them into my tuition, they be not good for sustenance. Now then if a man bee so cruell towardes the birdes without hauing regard hereto: surely he wil be cruel to his neighbours also. And he that maketh no sticking nor cōscience to kil birdes in their breeding time, will also …ut his neighbors throat if he thinke he may hauehave any gaine by it. Thus wee see nowe why our Lorde hath tolde vsus that hee woulde hauehave the Broodbirdes to bee in safetie though their young ones bee taken from them. Hereby wee bee taught so to vse Gods creatures, as the vse of them may bee orderly, and specially that wee may inure our selues to pitie and compassion all our life long. For to that ende is this commaundement to bee referred. As I sayde afore, GOD standeth not vppon the birdes, to put any great perfection therein: but hee ment to teache vsus by an argument from the lesser to the greater after what maner we ought to behaue our selues towardes our neighbours. Therefore if we trouble any man whyle he is doing his dutie, and put him to any vexation vnderunder colour yt he is busie in discharging himselfe towardes God and towards those to whom he is bound: we bee worthie of double blame. If a man disquiet a nurce or a mother in doing her duetie towardes her child, surely it is double crueltie. The instruction that wee must take hereat, is that eueryevery of vsus must straine himselfe to help his neighbours. When we see them take paines to doe the things that God hath inioyned them, we must indeuor to succour them, & no man is to bee troubled or molested in yt behalfe. For if it be not lawfull to trouble ye birdes, what may we do towards them that are ioyned vntounto vsus, as our brethren, as hath bin declared heretofore?
Nowe it followeth, that when a man buildeth a house, he must make battlemēts or railes about the roofe of it. This serued for ye houses of Iewrie. For there they builded their houses with flat roofe, and in all the East Countries they hauehave kept the same fashion still to this day. And in that respect our Lord Iesus Christ said,… looke what ye heare now in secret, ye shal preach hereafter vponupon ye houses toppes. When wee reade this text, it seemeth strange to vsus, if we hauehave an eye to the forme of building that is vsed here in these countries. For how shall a man get vp to ye house top, to preach there? But their houses were made like Towers, that a man might walke vp and downe vppon them. Now if those had no battlemēts or railes, men had beene in daunger to hauehave falne downe from them. For their children went vp to ye tops of their houses, wherby many might hauehave beene slaine through want of heede; sometime a man seruant, sometime a chambermaide, and consequently a child might hauehave falne downe, and so all should hauehave bin in daunger. Now our Lorde commandeth thē to prouide aforehand for it, by making battlements about their houses. But wee must first of all aduise our selues whereunto all the sayinges are referred, which are set downe heere. Following the keye which I hauehave giuen already, which is that there are but ten articles whereby to rule our whole life well: we must not goe seeke for fiue legges in one sheepe, as they say: but we must alwayes hold vsus to this point▪ yt God gaue vsus a perfect rule of all righteousnesse and iust dealing, when he comprised his Law in two Tables and in ten commaundements. Now whereas here is mention made of building mens houses in such sort as they bring not bloud vponupon them; hereby we see how our Lord hath shewed vsus how deere the liues of al men ought to be vntounto vsus. Marke that for oue point. And so hauehave we the exposition of this commaundement, Thou shalt not kill. But is it ynough for a man, yt he abstaine from murthering, from cutting of throats, from beating, and from vexing his neighbour? Truly it would be abhorred, if it were but spoken of in common speeche: but God hath yet a further respect in forbidding murder. Why is that? Let vsus come to this reason: that forasmuch as mans life is precious vntounto him: therefore it followeth that wee must preserue our neighbours liues to the vttermost of our power. For although wee offer them no violence, yet shall wee not bee discharged. But eueryevery of vsus must looke that hee vse no anoyaunce, nor giuegive any cause or occasion of harme or losse to insewe to our neighbour. Yee see then howe our Lorde hath …ould vsus yet better in this text, the thing which hee had spoken afore when hee sayd, Thou shalt not kill. And so according to my rule, wee must come to y• foresetdowne and foreexpressed commaundement, Thou shalt not kill. Well, God maketh there but a single forbidding: but yet must we learn thereby to seek al the meanes wee can to maintaine the life of our neighbour. Thou wouldest not that any man shoulde put thee in daunger of thy lyfe, but rather that hee should preserue it, and that thou mightest not be in perill by another mans ouersight. Therefore looke that thou yeeld yt like minde to thy neighbour.
Moreouer let vsus marke that heere God hath vnderunder one part comprehended the whole. Hee speaketh of the making of battlements or Railes vponupon the roofes of mens houses: but it is all one as if he had said, whensoeuer men build, let them bee well ware to build after such a sort, as no incōuenience may insue therof. Many be so grosse witted, that they make things in their houses as it were of set purpose to intrappe them that come in: so as a man had neede of good skill where to set his foote, and if hee bee not very ware and looke well to himselfe, hee shal bee in daunger to breake his necke. There are some which bee so ill disposed. And God sayth that he which doeth so, bringeth bloud vponupon his house, that is to say, defileth his house with mans bloud. Nowe then, let vsus looke wel about vsus, and let vsus so seeke our owne commodities, as our building may bee without daunger. And why? For otherwise wee shalbee worthie of blame. But (as hath beene declared already) we hauehave to gather vponupon this text, that God doth well vouchsafe to lay for the preseruing of our liues, & to prouide aforehand for all inconueniences, that none of vsus may fall in daunger. For as much then as wee see that GOD hath such a fatherly care of vsus: hauehave we not cause to acknowledge his gracious goodnesse, and to be vtterly rauished at it? Therefore although our dewtie bee shewed vsus heere, that is to say, although God tell vsus that eueryevery of vsus ought to prouide for the safegarde of his neighbours life: yet hauehave wee another good lesson to gather here, namely that GOD descendeth hither vntounto vsus, and sheweth that hee hath his eye vponupon our life, and that he intendeth to bee the defender thereof. Nowe sith wee see this, hauehave wee not a singular recorde of his goodnesse? Yee see howe our bodyes are but Carions: and yet GOD vouchsafeth to mayntaine them, and giueth vsus heere a commaundement to prouide long aforehande for the daungers that may insue to it, that it may bee preserued from them. Ought not the sight of all these things to touch vsus to the quicke, and to make vsus to magnifie the goodnes of our God?
And furthermore, when we know this goodnesse, as in respect of this present life and this world: let vsus mount vp one step higher, and not doubt but hee hath a farre greater care of our soules, as hee sheweth by experience. And therefore let vsus rest boldly vppon him, and not doubt but wee shall bee preserued if wee abyde vnderunder his protection, and play not the loose Coultes, but come broode our selues vnderunder his winges (as the Scripture sayeth) not doubting but hee will keepe vsus safe and sounde. And besides this, let vsus marke also, that if they which put their neighbours in perill of their bodyes are guiltie before GOD: much more shall they bee accountable to him, which cast any stumblingblocke in their neighbours wayes, whereby they be turned from the way of saluation. If a man shoote at aduenture and wounde one as hee passeth by, hee is worthy of blame, yea and of punishment too. For why? Men ought to looke one to another. Am I to be excused if I shoote at aladuenture and kill a poore man that mistrusted no such thing? Nay, I ought to be aduised for him aforehand. Euen so is it with all other lyke thinges. Insomuch that if any neighbour fall into any missehappe through my faulte or negligence, it is an offence committed against GOD, and the world also knoweth such thinges to bee punishable. But I make my neighbour to stumble, not onelyonly to the breaking of his arme or of his leg, yea or euen of his necke: but also to the destroying of his soule: and what a thing is that? For wee see that the stumbling blocks which are cast in mens waies, serue to the vtter destruction and casting downe of the silly soules that were puchased by the bloud of our Lorde Iesus Christ. Therefore when men procure troubles & stumbling blocks in the Church, doe they not cause the thinges to goe to destruction, which God had begun to build vp? And is not that one of ye highest points of treason against God? Therefore let vsus looke to our selues, and seeing yt God hath such a care of our persōs, let eueryevery of vsus follow his example: & if we prouide aforehand yt no hurt may befal to mens bodies, let vsus hauehave much greater regard of their soules.
And moreouer, let vsus marke what is sayde heere concerning eueryevery mans house. For if a man giuegive euill example to his houshould: he not onelyonly bringeth bloud vponupon his house, that is to say, he not onelyonly defileth the house wherein he dwelleth; but also he bringeth much worse vponupon it, that is to say, all manner of cursednesse, and hee prouoketh Gods wrath. There is a man which is a despiser of all Religion, hee passeth not to hauehave GOD dishonoured in his house, nay hee neuer openeth his mouth, but to the spewing out of some blasphemie or diuelishnesse: againe on the other side his wife is a harlot, or a drunkard, or a feend of hell, vtterly voyde of the feare of GOD, voyde of courtesie, voyde of modestie: and besides all this, there are a great sorte of other euil examples to bee seene there in diuers maners: and is not the dooing of all these thinges a wilfull defiling of his owne house? And what can come thereof? When a man hath goods, and a great housholde, if in the meane while hee defile the place that was giuen him and wherein hee dwelleth, so as all is full of filth, as for example, his children are ill nurtu…ed, his seruauntes are vnruly, and in stead of giuing themselues to the seruice of God, there is nothing but loosenesse and cause of offence: what other can come of it than is sayde in this text, namely that his house is defiled? And therefore let vsus marke, that after our Lorde had declared in this text, that all those are counted for murderers before him, which are not careful to preserue all mens liues: hee addeth likewise, that eueryevery man must so prouide for his owne houshold, as no offence may bee committed there, and that the poore soules bee not destroyed: [as for example,] that the young children be not corrupted and marred by wicked bringing vp, nor the seruants and housholdfolk see any thing that may marre them: but that the Maysters and Mistresses do so behaue themselues that GOD bee honoured and serued, to the intent their houses bee not defiled and infected with the common …ilth of the worlde, but that wee may shewe that God raigneth there, so as his blessinges may be powred out vponupon it in all respectes, as well of body as of soule.
Nowe let vsus fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes, praying him to make vsus so to feele them more and more, as we may returne to him as to the Phisition that can heale vsus of all our diseases: Praying him also, so to call vsus home to himselfe, that with all sobernesse and modestie we may cast aforehand to keepe our selues cha…t and vndefiled for his seruice; and that therwithal we may euerichone of vsus hauehave a care and regarde of our neighbours, being ready to releeue one another, & (as much as is possible) eschuing all anoyaunce and harme dooing: and that by this meane wee may with one common accorde shewe our selues to bee true children towardes him, and bee able to call vppon him with full trust. And for the bringing heereof to passe, it may please him to rayse vp true and faithfull Ministers of his woorde, &c.