Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 130
On Thursday the xvj. of Ianuarie, 1556 The Cxxx. Sermon which is the first vponupon the three and twentith Chapter.
NOne that is hurte by bursting, or that is gelded shall enter into the congregation of the Lorde.
2 A Bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the Lorde, neither shall the tenth generation of him enter in.
3 The Ammonites & Moabites shal not enter into ye congregation of the Lord, neither shall their tenth generation for euer enter into the cōgregation of the Lord.
IT might seme a strāg case yt God in this place shutteth out of his congreegation such as are maymed in their bodies. For men can hardly bee perswaded yt this hindereth any to come neare vntounto God. Nay rather when there in any weakenes in them, it maketh them more worthy of pitie and compassion. And we are assured on the other side, yt God requireth a spiritual purenes, & maketh no great account of this outward appearance; as it is expresly written in the fifteenth Chapter of ye first booke of Samuel, that he respecteth not those things which appeare to the eye ward, as men do. But wee are to note, that when God in the old time vnderunder the law required any outward purenes, it was to bring the Iewes more forward to consider, that they could not present themselues vntounto the temple, except they were throughly purified, specialy touching their soules. The like is meant in that which we see here. For wheras God in this place condemneth ye maime which is in the body; it is to betoken, that they which will serue him & desire to approch neare vntounto him, ought to be soūd both in their bodies and in their soules. For whatsoeuer was figured in ye law, was referred vntounto that spiritual and heauenly patron which Moses saw in the mount: as it is written in the 25. Chapter of Leuiticus. And this is wel obserued both by S. Steuen,Act 7.44. Hebr. 8.5. and by the Apostle to the Hebrewes. So then let vsus note yt when God barreth those from entring into the sanctuary, which had any mayme in their bodie: he ment to betoken therby that he woulde hauehave his seruants sound & pure. Yea and that men should not in yt behalfe rest on that which is seen with the eye of man, but rather seeke after the true soundnesse, which God respecteth, which is in our heartes and in our mindes.
The like is to bee saide of that which Moses addeth touching bastards. God meant hereby to shewe, first what a priuiledge he had graunted vntounto the stocke of Abraham. And this was done to the intent that his fauour shoulde be the better knowen. Beholde howe God chose out of all the world one certaine people. And why? Wee hauehave before shewed that there was no worthines at all in them, but this proceeded of his own free bestowed louelove. Nowe because men doe willingly darken the fauour of God or cleane forget it, or happily not knowe it in such sort as they should; God would that the children of Abrahā, before they entred into the sanctuary, shoulde learne to reason thus with themselues: What is ye cause yt we hauehave accesse & entrāce vntounto our god? What is the cause why hee sheweth himselfe so familiar vntounto vsus, and receiueth vsus when wee come vntounto him? It is because he hath chosen the seed of Abraham, howbeit such as are ye true seed of Abraham. We see thē how god ment to make thē which were descended from ye stock of Abraham, to perceiue yt without any desert of theirs, he had chosen them to be the inheritāce of ye euerlasting God. I say he shewed this vntounto thē, & exercised thē in the remembrance of yt benefite, to ye intent it might be ye better acknowledged among thē. That (say I) is ye thing which we hauehave to note first of all. Secondly God by this meanes held the Iewes shorter yt they might keepe themselues pure & chast, and yt there might be no fornication among them; nor any such confusion as men might not know which were right begotten and which were bastarde children, when no difference might bee had in that behalfe. Therefore GOD by ordayning this Lawe, gaue the Iewes an occasion to liue more chastly, to the ende their stocke might bee holie and not prophane, and that he which intended to commit adultery should be moued thus to thinke and to reason with himself: How now? God chose me before I was borne because I am of the children of Abraham: and yet not contented herewith, he hath declared that hee will be my sauiour, euen to a thousand generations: he accepteth my ofspring, hee hath dedicated it vntounto himselfe; although we be al cursed by nature, yet this grace of adoption exceedeth in my stocke. And shall I goe now and raise vp a defiled seede, which shall not bee of the people of God, which shal not be of the body of his congregation, which shall hauehave no entrance into the sanctuary? Were not yt a renouncing of the benefit of my god? I… it not to shut him far off from me, & to giuegive him no entertainment, or to shew him no countenance, when hee calleth mee so gently? This (say I) ought to holde backe the Iewes, or els they were more than blockish. And that had beene too leawd an vnthankfulnes and … forgetting of the benefit which God had grā ted vntounto them.
Therfore that we may nowe apply these two places to our instruction, let vsus note yt although God regard not nowadayes whether there be any blemish in a mans body or no, ne respecteth our parentage: yet notwithstanding his will is yt this law shold serue for vsus, and yt we should apply the truth therof to our vse: that is to wit, yt when we come vntounto him, we must bring with vsus an vpright soundnes. And wherein? Surely not in our bodily members, for we know yt his seruice is spiritual. Therfore let vsus purifie our soules. I grant yt our bodies ought to be purified also (as S. Paul warneth vsus):Iob. ….23. …. Cor. ….6. but that is not in such wise as there be no maime or fault of sicknes in them, but it is meant, that we must not defile them wt vile and wicked thinges, as he speaketh of Idolatry & fornication, & also as the scripture speaketh of briberies & extortions. He which falleth downe before ydols, as much as in him lieth defileth his body, which ought to be dedicated vntounto the seruice of God. The like is to be said of fornicators, which giuegive thēselues ouer …nto such wickednes as God detesteth. They which spoile & rob another man of his goods,…. 1.15. hauehave bloudy hands as the Prophet Esay vpbraideth them. Thus ye se how we ought to indeuor our selues to purifie our bodies. But ye chiefe point is, yt we hauehave this soundnes in our soules, that they be not scarred wt any such maime, as may hinder vsus from being quicke and ready to obey our God. We must not (say I) be womanish; but we must hauehave an inuincible corage to make battaile against Satan & against all temptatiōs, shewing ourselues to be mē indeed. Likewise we must not be weake in faith, but wee must proceede always forward, and enforce our selues to come vntounto yt mās estate wherof S. Paul speaketh to ye Ephesians,Eph. ….13. that we wauer not with eueryevery word but hold vsus fast to yt which is good, & abide cōstant, & stable in ye truth which we hauehave knowen. Wee must not be tottering & wauering too & fro; but we must resist al temptations so as nothing may hinder vsus to keepe on that course whereunto God hath called vsus. Let vsus therefore strengthen again ye weake knees, & let vsus fortifie ye trembling hands by the power of ye holy Ghost. Thus ye see whereof we are expresly warned in this place to occasion vsus to cling vntounto our God, when we be to withstand any tēptations which hinder vsus from seruing him.
And moreouer let vsus note, yt seeing God hath sanctified vsus, (yea & that together with our whole ofspring) we ought to continue in true chastitie when we heare his voice at ye mouth of our God: I wil be ye sauiour both of you & of your children also after you.Gen. 17.7. Whē God is so gratious as to giuegive vsus children, we ought to prouide diligently yt the stocke be pure & vndefiled. And let the faithfull take good heed that they intermingle not them selues with fornications or such other like defilements. And why? Because it is a renouncing of ye excellent priuiledge which God giueth them, when he chuseth them in such sort vntounto himself and therewithal chooseth their children also although they be not yet begotten. But the chiefe point is,Rom. 11.17. Gal. 3.7. that we must learne to be the true children of Abraham. Seeing we be graffed into his stocke through faith let vsus take heede that we be not cut off from this body by our vnbeliefe. For the Prophets who were ye true expounders of the law, do wel declare what the thing is which God ameth at in this place, when they say: Come you of the stocke of Abraham? No ye are the childrē of an harlot euerychone of you. Get ye hence ye harlots brats, appeare here in your liknes, come foorth and let men knowe you;Esa. 57.3. Ezech. 16.3. yee children of a strumpet (saith ye Prophet Esay). And ye Prophets Ieremy & Ezechiel speak in like sort: What hauehave you like vntounto Abraham whose name yee beare? Was not your father an Amorite, & your mother a whore? To whō speake they thus? Speake they to children of harlots & vntounto bastardes concerning ye flesh? No. But vntounto lawful borne children. And why then calleth hee them strumpets children, as if they were begotten in some brothelhouse? Because they were corrupted & followed not ye faith of Abraham. For ye true parentage is spiritual (as S. Paul saith). They which descēded from ye stock of Abraham concerning ye flesh,Rom. 9.7. Gal. 3.7. are not therfore accounted ye linage of Abrahā. And what is ye reasō? Forsooth because they are growen out of kind. So then let vsus note that whē Moses forbade yt bastards should enter into ye temple, it was not onelyonly for this shameful note which is in respect of the world, when childrē are not begotten in lawful wedlocke: it was rather to shew yt the Iewes were not worthy to hauehave any accesse vntounto God, to call vponupon his name, or to company with his congregation, except they held fast this spiritual kinred of Abraham, that is to say, except they followed his faith, & except they continued in ye pure couenant of god. Now this could not be done except they always bare in mind, that god had chosen them to bee an holy people, to bee a royal priesthood. Let vsus now for our part note yt albeit wee were altogether strangers vntounto God, although we had no accesse into his tēple, & although (as S. Paul saith) we had no couenāt with him because ye promises were not made vntounto vsus;Eph. 2.12. & 19. yet notwithstanding we are made houshold seruants with the holy fathers, citisens of the kingdome of heauen, through faith, forasmuch as God hath communicated vntounto vsus this freedome which was giuen only vntounto ye stock of Abraham.
Seeing it is so yt we which were wild & barren trees,Rom. 11.24. hauehave bin besids nature graffed into ye good Olife, let vsus take heed yt we vse well so excellent a benefite: and let vsus sticke with a stedfast faith vntounto Abraham our father, and as oft as we come vntounto the church, let vsus take warning to examine our selues and to say: Behold God hath appointed this order, that we should come together to the intent he may be among vsus,…ph. 2.18. & we hauehave familiar accesse vntounto him: and that is on condition yt we become true children of Abraham. And in what sort? Let vsus consider of that which is said in the first Chapt. of S. Iohn:Ioh. 1.12 & 23. for this kinred is there expounded, such as God requireth nowadayes and alloweth of. It commeth (saith he) neither of the will of man, nor of the wil of the flesh, nor of bloude: but the cause therof is that we hauehave beleeued in the onelyonly sonne of God. Seeing then it is so: that when we beleeue in our Lorde Iesus Christ, & be graffed into his body, we are admitted for the sonnes of God, although wee on our part are not worthy of that honour. Let vsus take heede, that we hold our selues there, and that we grow not out of kinde through vnthankfulnes, & so cut our selues off from that body wherunto we were ioyned through the grace of God and his infinite mercy by ye meane of faith. Yee see then what we hauehave to beare in mind vponupon this place, when it is saide expresly, that bastards shall not enter into the congregation of God, euen vntounto the tenth generation:
But let vsus come now to yt which is spoken of ye Moabites & the Ammonites. These people were descended from Lot, and so ought to bee ye kinsmen of ye Iewes. Yet neuertheles God banisheth them out of his Church, and will not yt they hauehave any entrance therinto, vntounto the tenth generation, albeit they yeelded themselues vnderunder ye obedience of ye law. He addeth: They met you not by the way when you came out of Egypt with bread & water, that is to say, they entertained you not as kinsmē and friends should hauehave done. Now albeit ye Ammonites and ye Moabites were seuered from the stock of Abraham, as Lot was alredy gone vntounto Sodome, and so had not the promise: yet neuertheles they ought to hauehave called to minde their kindred, and yt Abraham had brought Lot into ye land of promise, & had taken him for his son. The remembrance hereof ought so to hauehave endured, that ye Moabites & Ammonites (if they had had any good nature) shold hauehave granted passage vntounto them which were of their owne bloud. And againe we see how God spared them. For we hauehave seene heretofore,Deut. 2.18.19. how the Israelits were expresly commanded to abstaine from al iniury and violence, whē they passed through their land. Take heede yee vse not any force of armes, take nothing but what you pay for: keep ye high and beaten common way as ye passe: buy ye water which thou drinkest, and vse no extortion. And why? For they be thy brethren. And indeed although god chose not Lot as he did Abraham, yet ceased he not to pity him, & to hauehave som care of sparing his successours & those which issued from him, albeit those people were begottē by his incestuous coupling wt his two daughters.Gen. 19.36. The two fathers which were ye first rootes of this issue were Ammon & Moab, yt is to say, such as were begotten by incest & by shameful and vnnaturall fornication. Yet neuertheles God beareth wt them. But they are so wicked & vnthankfull, yt they d… fie both God and man. God hath compassion of them, and therwithall chargeth ye Iewes to hauehave a care of them. Ye see what curtesie ye Iewes vsed. They praied them to let thē passe through their country as friends, protesting yt they woulde not molest nor annoy them in any manner of thing. They desired them to graunt them passage for their mony,Num. …1.… that they might come vntounto ye lande wherunto God called thē. But these cursed creatures wold needs hinder ye calling of god, & bring to passe, that ye people shoulde not enter into the land of promise to take possession thereof. And hereupon they hyred Balaam the son of Beo… y• false Prophet.Numb. …2.… And why? Because they distrusted their owne power, and thought by the meanes of a false Prophet to coniure God, & that by vsing such a kind of bewitching, they might curse that people of his. Now because they were so froward, and vouchsafed not to vse yt benefite which God offered vntounto them, it was good reason that they should be punished therfore. For albeit the vengeance of God was not by and by executed, yet God registred it in his booke & we see here how their punishmēt for this wickednes was reserued.
Now hereupon we hauehave to note, that if we intend to be accepted of God in the number and companie of the faithfull, wee must procure the welfare of the whole Church as much as lieth in vsus. For those which make any touble in ye church of God, or be any way offensiue, are heere banished the Church vnderunder the person of ye Moabites and Ammonites, as if God declared that they are not worthy to come neare vntounto him, or… company with any of them which are dedicated vntounto him. And nowadayes how many are to bee seene of this sort? So yt we ought not to meruaile if ye curse of god lie vponupon so many men. And why? Because yt for one which is found to aduance the weale of ye church, & to edifie ye people of God, a man may find a dousen which indeuour nothing els, but to bring vtter confusion & destructiō vponupon it. How many turmoiles see we nowadays in ye world to hinder ye course of the gospel, & to bring to passe yt the Church might fal vntounto ye ground, or be confused & disordered? Now from whēce proceedeth this, but from ye wickednes of men? Thē like as God sparred ye doore against ye Ammonits and Moabites at yt time, because they refused to giuegive way vntounto his people whē they should enter into the lande of promise: so let vsus note yt all such as lay stumblingblocks nowadays to turne those aside, and to driue them into wickednesse which were in a good way, & al such as breede troubles in ye Church of God, are euerychone reiected of God. And verily we see that there are nowadays many Ammonites and Moabites in the worlde. For, who are they which seeke to peruert all things, and which giuegive so many offences & make such great confusions throughout Gods church? They are such as name themselues ye faithfull, such as are of our company & hauehave one commō baptisme wt vsus: so that they ought to aide vsus: they ought to bring vsus forth bread & water yt is to say, they ought to lend vsus their hand, that we might follow our calling to come vntounto that place to the which God calleth vsus: those (I say) which ought to receiue vsus and open the way vntounto vsus, euen those are they which barre vsus of entraunce, those are they which pull the bridle backward, & which make these hurliburleyes among vsus.
Hereby we are warned, that seeing the people of God was so vexed by their owne kindred, we ought nowadayes to beare it patiently, if the lyke befall vsus. And withall let vsus be warned (as I hauehave told you) to behaue our selues in such sort as none of vsus may be cōdemned of hauing shut vp the way against them which endeuored to come vntounto God. But let vsus ayde them as farre as we shall be able, euen vntounto the vtmost of our power: If we doe otherwise, the vengeance of God is at hand, and shall light vppon vsus. For God who once condemned the Moabites, will not faile to be our Iudge at this day. Although the ceremonie be not obserued, yet (as I tolde you) all they which indeuor not to set foreward the course of the Gospell, must needes be banished his kingdome. And in very deede wee heare the threates which are made by the Prophets against all those which are enemies of the Church, and which trouble it: and that was not for the time of the lawe onelyonly: but they foretold vsus of the kingdom of our Lord Iesus Christ. Whosoeuer they be that seeke not to ayde and succour Ierusalem (sayth the Prophet Esay) the Lord will arme himselfe against them,… 1….11. and they shall feele his strong hand and be destroyed. All they which deuise any mischiefe against thee, or relieue thy enemies to strengthē them, shal feele the hand of God contrarie & enemie vntounto thē. As much to ye same purpose is said in Zacharie.… 2.2. And these prophecies and threatnings (as I hauehave touched alreadie) serued not for the time of the lawe, but for the state of Christianitie. Let vsus therefore comfort our selues when wee vnderstand that God hath such a care of our saluatiō, that he protesteth he will be an aduersarie vntounto all them which seeke to hinder vsus frō comming vntounto his kingdome, and into that inheritance which hee hath promised vsus, and telleth them that his hand shall bee against them, and that his curse shall fall vppon their heades. Hereby wee see how deare our saluation is vntounto him, and what care he hath of it. Moreouer let vsus be afraid (as I tolde you) to giuegive occasions of trouble and offence. Let vsus not be of the number of those naughtipackes, which when they see ye Church florish, seeke nothing more busilie thā to disorder al things therein. The diuel hath drencht them with such a poyson, that they cannot abide the weale of the Church, therefore they seeke al the meanes they possiblie can, to breede confusion and disorder therin: let vsus take heede (I say) yt we intangle not ourselues among them, knowing that if we doe, we shall neuer escape the curse which is here threatned vntounto the Moabites and the Ammonites.
But we hauehave yet one point more to note. And yt is, yt although God at ye first punish not thē which molest his people: yet hee faileth not to keepe alwayes some punishment for them in store, notwithstanding that he delayeth it. And therefore let vsus not bee so hardie as to beare our selues in hand, that if God beare with vsus and w…n… at our … for a …ime, we shall still remaine vnpunished for wee see how it fell out in this case with this people. No doubt but they bare themselues in …word, that it was a matter of nothing when they molested the people of God. And why? Bycause God listed not to execute his vengeance vponupon them out of hand▪ Now in deede they were ouerthrowen. But what for that? They did but wagge their head thereat, bicause they bare thē selues in hand that the Iewes wold not put them to any farther trouble. But God for all yt remained their Iudge. And so although ye Ammonites & Moabites were spared for a time, & God would not that they should be rooted out as those people which he had alreadie before condemned: yet notwithstanding they made neuer the better match for all that; for ye see how like a sort of vnhallowed people, they are put besides all entrance into ye temple of God, they are reiected with this note of shame; yt they are declared enemies vntounto ye people of God. Let vsus therfore stand in feare sith we see this. And although we be not punished out of hand, yet let vsus knowe yt we shall not escape the vengeaunce of God; when wee hauehave sought to molest his Church, and hauehave set a barre against our neighbours that they may not enter in as they ought to doe. And why? Bicause although God lingreth, yet will he not forget y• wickednes of them which shal hauehave sought to molest his Church, or to bring any maner of trouble vponupon it. Ye see whereof wee ought to be aduertised. And if this were printed well in our heartes, we would hauehave another maner of care than we hauehave to edifie the Church of God, and we woulde withall more abhorre and detest all offences. But what? We see how headlong men runne into this wickednesse, euen with a madde & brainsicke disposition. And why? Bycause God is not ready at hand to take vēgeance, they bare themselues in hand yt the matter commeth al to one end, whether they worke ye Churches weale or woe, & thereupon they welter in their wickednes. But for al yt let vsus looke vntounto our selues.
And moreouer although God vtter not his vengeance at the first against them which seeke to trouble and to ouerthrowe the building of our faith: yet let vsus assure our selues, that God (notwithstanding that he winke at things for a time) yet sleepeth not in heauen for all that. And therfore let vsus patiently wayte vntill hee put to his hand. He suffereth the wicked sometime to wander at will, and to triumph among vsus, & we are of opinion that the earth will sinke vnderunder them; we are astonished & euen beside our selues: we think there is no remedie, we suppose there is no way to succor vsus, we are of opinion yt god is laid down to sleepe. But in ye end he putteth to his hād. And although he chastise some of them lightly, yet others settle in their lees. As for exāple, a mā shal see yt when God punisheth some wicked persons which hauehave been the occasions and authors of many troubles and offences, yet others shall remaine vnpunished, by reason whereof they thinke their owne wickednesse to be nothing, & so they followe it on farther, because God beareth with them. But it is sayd that the Ammonits and Moabites shal beare this curse throughout ten generations. Therefore sith we see that God will punishe them which molest vsus, and which hauehave bin occasions of falling among vsus; howsoeuer the case go, let vsus waite gods leasure, hauing an eye to yt which is set downe here, & beholding yt which hath happened vnderunder ye Law, vntill he wreke his vengeance on the wicked.
For wee may vnderunder this figure which is here giuen vntounto vsus beholde the louelove and fatherlike care which God hath for his Church in that it is his pleasure that thinges should bee well ordred therein, and that none should hinder his childrē whom he hath adopted, from cōming vntounto that inheritance which he hath promised them. And therefore let vsus alwayes constantly goe on, and ouerleape those stumbling blockes which are layd in our way. When we see that the wicked aduaunce themselues against vsus, and inuent & deuise all that they are able, to destroy vsus; let vsus be armed with strong and inuincible constancie to fight against such temptations; let vsus not slack our courage, but let vsus assure our selues that God will looke to these thinges in such sorte, that by his reaching forth of his hand we shal ouercome all ye difficulties and incomberaunces which men on their part set against vsus. This being done we shall knowe that God hath reserued an horrible iudgement for our enemies, although they perswade themselues yt all is forgotten, & that there is no remembraunce of their misdeedes. And when they be in full possession of their wickednesse, God wil euen then prouide a remedie suddainly & beside ye expectation of all men & of the whole world. Ye see then in effect what we hauehave to beare in minde vppon this place.
Now by ye way, a man might demaund what the cause is why God ordayned that the Iewes should in no wise seeke the peace nor the prosperitie of the Ammonites and Moabites. For it seemeth that he giueth here the Iewes an occasion to reuenge themselues, the which notwithstanding was neuer lawful. Let vsus note in a word that God appointed them to execute his iudgement. And so his will is that they should punish the Ammonites and Moabites, howbeit with apure and vpright zeale. When God ordayneth Iustice, and putteth the sword into the hand of them whom he hath called vntounto that estate, hee commaundeth them to put such to death as deserue it, and willeth them to punish offences. And that vndoubtedly is a kinde of reuenge: but yet that reuenging is lawful; yea it is requisite & necessarie. And if he which is armed with the sworde of Iustice punish not offences, hee shall render an account thereof vntounto God. Now it is very true yt magistrates ought to take pitie and compassion of thē whom they cause to be executed. When they put an euill doer to death, they must hauehave pitie on him because hee is a man & a reasonable creature. But howsoeuer the case stād they must execute ye vēgeance of God, howbeit without spitefulnesse, and without bitternesse. So was it with the Iewes touching ye Moabites and the Ammonites. God ordayned thē to execute his iudgement. And for this cause hee saith vntounto them, Ye shal not seeke neither their prosperitie nor their peace: that is to say, let them be as they are. For God will not hauehave you either to companie with them, or to relieue them. Now shal it be lawfull to helpe an euill doer, & to fauour him? That were to ouerthrowe Iustice, and the order which God hath appointed▪ & to bee a confederate with him in ye same offence. If a man fauour ye wicked, if he helpe & ayde thē; he becommeth guiltie of the same crime, & intangleth himselfe in their wickednesse. And therefore God forbad ye Iewes to beare any such affection towardes ye Moabites or Ammonites to help thē. And now wee see how reuenging was not onelyonly graunted vntounto ye Iewes, but also commaunded them: & this reuenging was not such as should proceede frō a venemous minde or which should be wrought after the lust of ye flesh, (for whē we hate any mā to the death, our affectiōs are always troubled & we are neuer well ordered) but gods meaning was, yt the Iewes should worke this reuenge, of a good zeale, as being taught thus to say: Beholde wee are appointed by God to execute his vengeance vppon ye Moabites. Sith it is ye vengeance of God which we ought to execute, we must not make it ours, yt is, we must not be ruled after our own lustes, we must bridle our own wils. Now thē let vsus after ye example of ye Iewes (which were executors of ye vengeance of God vppon ye Ammonites & Moabites) learn to submit ourselues wholie vntounto ye obedience of God. For surely it is an acceptable sacrifice to him, whē as we suffer our selues to be guided by his word, and will not attempt any thing beyond yt which he biddeth or forbiddeth.
Now hereby we be warned, first of all not to giuegive ye bridle to our owne reuengementes: and yt when we be wronged or iniured, we must not be pricked foreward through our carnal affections, to enterprise more than God permitteth vsus. For it is written:Rom. 12.1… Vengeance is mine & I will pay it home, as we shal see in the two & thirtith chapter of this booke. Now thē, hauehave we bridled our selues in that behalf? hauehave we not desired reuēge against thē which hauehave prouoked vsus, & wrought vsus any despyte? Let vsus therewithall tary our Lordes leasure for the redresse of it, yea and let vsus hauehave pitie on our enemies and seeke by all meanes possible to bring them backe into ye way of saluation. And if we see that God also taketh reuenge vppon the wicked, let vsus acknowledge his louing kindenesse towardes vsus, and let it be a warrant vntounto vsus that he hath a great care of vsus, & that he watcheth while we sleepe. Let vsus therfore learne to fare the better by all the chastisementes which God layeth vppon the enemies of his Church, knowing yt therby he declareth that hee loueth vsus with a fatherly affection, and is mindefull of vsus and of our saluation; albeit wee thinke not so. This is a thing which ought to make the godly to reioyce, and to confirme thē to trust so much the more stedfastly in God, and to runne vntounto him, when the wicked vexe them, and when men seeke to turne them aside out of the way of their saluation. But as for those which are appointed to execute ye vengeance of God, let them doe it constantlie, & yet without spitefulnesse, & without bitternesse. For if wee intermeddle our affections with that which God cō maundeth, the vengeance is no longer his: but it proceedeth from our flesh, that is to say, from our vnruly passions. Let them therefore which hauehave the charge of Iustice, take diligent heede that they proceede therein withall vprightnesse and indifferencie: without being caryed away in any manner whatsoeuer with any wicked desire.
And moreouer let vsus be seuered generally frō the wicked: and not ioyne our selues with them; specially when they separate themselues frō the Church of God; for if we hauehave any familiaritie with them, is it not a conspiring against God & his people as much as lyeth in vsus? Shal we not by that meanes be confederates with them? Yes, & therefore we must in this behalfe forget all kinred: we may not say, he is my friend, he is my gossip, I hauehave vsed his companie this long time. We must lay all these thinges aside and say; this man hath shewed himselfe to bee Gods open enemie because he is a let that the faithful agree not as they ought, and because hee hath layd a stumbling block to stop the increase of the Church. When we behold such thinges, let vsus not be led with our doltish affections: for although ye Iewes were the Moabites kinsemen, yet must they reiect them. And why? Because the Moabites were estraunged from the people of God, yea & were become their enemies. Ye see then what we are to beare in minde. But wee put it ill in practise. For who is he which nowadayes preferreth not kinred and I know not what else before God and his Church? We neede nothing to procure our selues fauour. If a man bee in office and hauehave a neighbour, he will be his friend. If he hauehave a gossip or a kinsemā, he wil be his friend, much more. But though we be in no authoritie, yet we wil fauour one or other. And why? for eueryevery smal wandring friendship is enough to win our heart. But in the mean while God is forgotten. We can see his Church destroyed before our faces, wee can see men indeuour nothing but to worke destruction and confusion in all thinges, & yet we will be touched therewith neuer a whit. Are we worthie that God should accept vsus for his children? We heare the curse which is pronounced in the Psalme against al those which make not Ierusalē the cheefe of their ioye:Psal. 137.6. that is to say, which esteeme not more of the common welfare of the Church, than of al the prosperities of this world. Lyke as the faithful ought to endeuour that the Church of God may prosper, that it may bee aduaunced, that it may encrease: so when the same commeth to passe, they ought to bee farre gladder thereof than of all other benefites, commodities, and whatsoeuer else they enioy in this world.
And contrariwise when they see any affliction in the Church, they ought to be more sorie for it, than if they suffred al maner of afflictions in their owne persons. If they doe not thus, they are accursed. But now we can see ye Church of God troubled by the wicked, and we can go and ioyne our selues with them. We are not contented to let them alone, such as they are: but we will needes fauour them, wee will needes support and ayde them. And is not this a confederating of our selues with Satan, as I hauehave sayd afore? Is it not asmuch as to make open war both against God & against his people? Yes verily. And therefore let vsus learn to hauehave such a regard vntounto the welfare of the Church of God, as to holde all those for our enemies which lift themselues vp against it: and let vsus wage battaile against them to the vttermost of our power, to resist their wicked practises: except wee will be guiltie of confederacie with them to ouerthrow all that which God hath builded.
Moreouer, whereas it is said, That they came not out to meete the people; let vsus note diligently that GOD thinkes it not enough for vsus not to bee offensiue vntounto his Church, but his will is that wee should also employ our selues faithfully, alwaies to further the saluation of the faithfull, according whereunto it is said: That all they which succor not the Church shall bee cursed. After that GOD hath threatened them which made warre against the citie of Ierusalem, hee turneth his threateninges against them also which holpe it not when it was in necessitie. For there must bee no ventershippe in this behalfe. We must be either friendes or enemies. Therefore if we minde to escape the vengeance of God, whensoeuer wee see the Church stand in neede of our helpe, let eueryevery of vsus employ himselfe faithfully, and let vsus endeuour to aduaunce that which is belonging vntounto GOD, and to ayde them which seeke him, and labor to come vntounto vntounto him. Let vsus endeuour (I say) to assist them and to quicken them vp to goe on alwayes more forewarder. If wee doe not so, doubtlesse wee shall be guiltie of hauing bin too retchlesse and negligent in the Churches behalfe. But (as I sayd afore) if we help and fauour men when they lay their heades together to destroy all, surely wee not onelyonly bewray our selues to bee open enemies of God and of his Church, but also wee shewe our selues to bee double enemies, and so it must needes bee that double vengeance shall fall vppon our heades, as it is in this place declared vntounto vsus.
Now let vsus kneele downe in the presence of our good God wt acknowlegement of our faults, praying him to vouchsafe to make vsus feele them better than we hauehave done, so as wee may bee alwaies quickened vp more & more to resorte vntounto him, & he so strengthen vsus to resist the temptations which are bent against vsus in this worlde, as we may withstand al the enimies which cease not to molest vsus: and all the vnderlinges of Sathan which rayse troubles and offences among vsus; This good GOD of ours graunt vsus grace not to bee discouraged with such thinges, but that wee may continually proceede in the way whereunto God hath called vsus, vntill he hauehave put vsus in possession of that saluatiō which he hath promised vsus in the kingdome of heauen. That it may please him to graunt this grace not onelyonly vntounto vsus, but also to all people and nations of the earth, &c.