Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 133
On Munday the xxvij of Ianuary, 1556. The Cxxxiij. Sermon which is the fourth vponupon the three and twentith Chapter.
12 Thou shalt hauehave a place without the camp, wherunto thou shalt goe forth.
13 And thou shalt hauehave a paddle among the rest of thy tooles: and when thou listest to sitte downe without, thou shalt digge therewith: and when thou hast eased thee, thou shalt couer that which is come from thee.
14 For the lord thy God walketh in the middest of thy camp to deliuer thee, & to giuegive thee thine enimies before thee. Therfore let thine host be holy that he see no filthy thing in thee and turne away from thee.
15 Thou shalt not deliuer the seruant vntounto his master: which is escaped to thee from his master.
16 He shall dwell with thee euen among you, in what place soeuer he shall chuse in one of thy cities where it liketh him best: thou shalt not vexe him.
17 There shalbe no whoore among the daughters of Israell, nor anie whooremonger among the sonnes of Israel.
WE hauehave already seene heeretofore, how God meant to traine vp the people of old time vnderunder the lawe, in all purenes, euen in the smallest thinges: intending thereby to accustome them to keepe thēselues holy without any maner of stain or defilement. And this is ye principall end wherunto wee ought to referre the first sentence of yt which we hauehave now read. A man might think it strange at first sight, yt God should speake of such a thing as is mentioned here: namely that when men will ease themselues, they must couer their ordure. A man would thinke yt this ought not to be put in ye law of God. For these are such things as are not honestly named. But as we hauehave already touched, it behoued the people to be alwaies led by the things which concerne the body, vntounto the keeping of thēselues in al holines in the seruice of God: as for example, wheras in the lawe mention is made of washings; it was not for yt the clensing of the soule cōsisted in taking a litle water to wash ones hands or to wet his body withal but the people was warned thereby, yt they must purifie thēselues before God, or otherwise they were defiled. If a mā happened but to touch the body of one yt was dead, he was become vnclean. And why? Thereby God gaue vsus to vnderstand, that wee can scarcely in all our life mooue either hande or foote, but we drawe vponupon vsus some staine or other. For this worlde is full of occasions vntounto euill: and we for our part do no sooner take any thing in hand but we offend therein: so as we ought alwaies to consider & acknowledge; that if God take vsus for such as wee are, hee must needes abhorre vsus. And why? Because wee are filthy and vncleane. What remaineth then for vsus to doe? Let vsus seeke the remedy of our vncleanesse. Can the water enter as farre as the soule to purge vsus? No. It is but a signe, to betoken that men hauehave neede to be washed, and to be made cleane: and they ought to bee guided thereby vntounto that which is represented vntounto them by the water. The like is to be sayde of all other thinges. Let vsus therefore note well, that whereas Moses sayth here, that if men auoyde their excrementes, and any stinke insue therof, or if there be any disorder among them: God is offended at it: not yt he stayeth on those thinges: for we know that all is one vntounto him, so our harts be pure and clean, & our bodies answerable therunto, so as we be not stirred vp to defile ourselues with our wicked lustes and affections.
But yet for all that because men pardon them selues so lightly for many faultes, and by giuing themselues the bridle are led from one euil vntounto another: this law (say I) was giuen to this intent, that men should accustome themselues, euen in the smallest thinges, to take heede of all vncleanes. If a mā be of vnhonest behauiour in his life, doutles he will become so hardhearted, yt he wil make no account of filthy things, as we see how beastly some are become in that behalfe: when they hauehave once forgottē God & al honesty, they cast off al shame, so as a man may say they hauehave no longer any discretion to knowe what is good & what is euil: and this cōmeth of euill accustoming of thēselues. And therefore our Lord (not without good cause) ment to bridle his people in all these things which pertaine vntounto ye body. For it was not lawfull for thē to make water, (I know not how much lesse to ease themselues) but in secret. And why? For if they had bin a filthy & vncleane people, this filthines of theirs might hauehave bin to their further discredit. As much may bee said of vsus. If we be not ashamed hereof, we giuegive ourselues by & by the bridle in things also cōcerning God. It is needeful therfore yt we be restrained & gouerned with such honestie, as men may say we walke in the presence of our God. And indeed, whē we are to receiue any honorable gests our house shalbe swept & we will take good heed yt no sluts corner be left, nor any thing else which may offend thē. What reuerence then ought we to beare vntounto our God, who alwaies beholdeth vsus, & we can not stir a finger but he eieth whatsoeuer we do in our whole life? Ought we not so to walke before him, as to be well ware eueryevery one of vsus least we should displease him? True it is indeede (as I hauehave already touched) yt God is not offended wt these corruptible things▪ for he is not subiect to our passiōs, nor to be moued with thē. But because of our rawnes, & for yt we are grosse and earthly minded, there is great need yt by the things which concerne ye body, we shold be warned to come vntounto yt which is spiritual. So then we hauehave now ye meaning of this law, wherin God forbad his people, to lay their filth abroad to be seen.
And he addeth also the reason thereof: For I am in the middest of you (sayth he) and I will turne away from you if you do otherwise. Heereby he declareth yt neither the health of the people nor any such like thing was the matter yt he respected in making this law, neither was it any ciuill policie, as for exāple it may bee well cōmanded & it is a very good order, yt men shal make clean ye streets and such other thinges, for it is for the health of men: & when such things are not obserued, it is a filthy thing, & if a man see heapes of filth & mire in a citie, he wil say, there is no good order seene vntounto: God had no respect hereunto whē he forbade such filthinesse: but hee aimed at an higher thing, to wit, yt the children of Israel shold be put in minde to say: wel, God is so gratious vntounto vsus, as to dwell among vsus, let vsus therefore learne to walke in such purenes of soule & body, yt principally our souls be purified frō al wicked thoughts and affections: and secondly yt our bodies also be kept in such honesty, yt we be not hardned to cō mit any filthy things before men, & grow past all shame: for yt were ye next way to make vsus forget the duetie which we owe vntounto God. We also on our side must take heede of these things, not in ye manner as the Iewes did, which straitely obserued this law & other such like touching the ceremony: but we must keepe ourselues vntounto ye truth and substance therof, which they so much despised, according to the cōmon custom of ye world, which is euer wont to busie it selfe about the formalitie or shew of things, & to make no account of the substance. Let vsus therefore learn to know, yt whereas the Iewes obserued this ceremony wt out any minding at all of yt which God required of them, they did but dally & play with God, and their whole obseruation thereof was but hypocrisie, so as they did nothing else but prouoke ye anger of God. For when men wrest & peruert his word in such sort, it is such a trecherie as he can not suffer. But it is no wonder to see this abuse among men. For they would faine content God with such outward things, it is ynough for thē so they set a good face on ye matter. And being thē selues carnall, they measure God by their owne ell. But contrariwise let vsus note yt when God cō mādeth vsus smal things, it is to lead vsus to a farther matter; & therefore let vsus alwayes aime at this mark, & not stay ourselues on things which are of no gret importāce, according to ye rule which our Lord Iesus hath deliuered vntounto vsus in this behalf,Ma…. 23.…3. Ye ought in deede (saith hee) to doe these small things whē they are cōmanded by ye law: but yet ye must alwaies come vntounto ye chiefe & principall point. And we know what God sayth: namely, yt he requireth mercy & not sacrifice: his will is yt there shoul be faithfulnes, & iudgement and vprightnes among men. And as for sacrifices & washings & such like thinges, his meaning was yt by thē men shold be trained to put the assurance of their saluatiō in ye fauor which he hath promised vntounto thē, yt they be sory for their sins when they see them before their eyes, & yt they should serue thē for witnesses to endite themselues, to ye intent yt when they offer themselues to God being in such displeasure with their sinnes, they might attaine pardon and merciemercy of him. Thus ye see what we hauehave to beare in minde.
And now seeing the figure is passed & done away, we hauehave no neede to busie ourselues in the outward obseruatiō of this law. What remaineth then? Is this law needeles nowadaies in respect of vsus? Ought not we to reade it? Yes: for ye see that God ment it should be an instruction for his church euen vntounto ye end of ye world. It remaineth then, yt letting the figure passe, we gather yt which is taught both to the Israelites & to vsus: namely yt in all things we must take heede of stayning and defiling our selues. Nowe we are not ignoraunt what the things are which defile a man.Ma…. 15.18. It is not yt which entereth into a man (as our Lorde Iesus Christ speaking of meats sayth) but it is yt which cōmeth out of a mā. Look how many wicked affectiōs we hauehave, so many stainings of vsus hauehave we before god. For frō whence cōmeth fornication? Proceedeth it not out of the heart of man? From whence cōmeth ambition? From whence come other wicked desires, as couetousnesse, enuie, pride, and all the rest? Now when ye soule of man is so full of such foule staines, yt it is infected before God: it draweth the body by & by vntounto thē, and if we put wicked thoughtes in practise, beholde, howe our bodies also are wrapped in the same filthines with our soule, & we become altogether defiled. Let vsus therefore learne so to dedicate ourselues vntounto God, as our infectious filth be not a cause to driue him away from vsus. And therewithall let vsus beare in minde that which S. Paule sayth: namely that seeing God will dwell within vsus we must purifie both our minds & bodies.…. Cor. 6.20. 2. Cor. 6.16. And this is the reason which Moses alleadgeth, when he sayth That God alwayes dwelt in the middes of the campe of Israel, to deliuer thē, & to giuegive vp their enemies into their handes.
And afterwarde he addeth, Take heede that the Lorde thy God depart not from thee, when he shall find any vncleanesse in thee. At this day this fauour is bestowed in more ample maner vponupon vsus, than it was then vponupon the auntient people. For we know howe God is ioyned vntounto vsus in the person of his only sonne. Now seeing yt the fulnes of the godhead doth dwell in our Lord Iesus Christ,… & that not vnderunder a shadowe as in the arke of the couenant where ye lawe was enclosed, but is assuredly our God being manifested in the flesh: & seeing it is so yt we are members of Iesus Christ,… 3.…6. & that he hath vouchsafed vsus so great a benefite, as by cōming downe from heauen to ioyne himselfe wt vsus: let vsus note yt at this day God is more neere vntounto vsus than he was vntounto yt people, yea & he will make vsus to hauehave more feeling of his vertue and power. For we are alwaies in such sort vnderunder his protection, yt we neede not to feare but that his power is still stretched out to maintaine & preserue vsus. When our Lord Iesus sayd vntounto his disciples; I am with you euen vntounto the ende of the worlde,…. 28.20. surely he ment to strengthen them in all the conflictes which they were to suffer in preaching of the Gospel, and it serued likewise to declare vntounto vsus also yt he will neuer forsake vsus as in respect of his power. Seeing it is so then that we are vnderunder the gouernment of the sonne of God, and yt although he be ascended vp into heauē, he faileth not to fill all, & yt he is also our shepheard to the intent yt none of them whō his heauenly father hath giuen vntounto him should be lost:….10. …. 5.30. & that we are bone of his bone & flesh of his flesh (as S. Paul sayth) and yt there is no greater coniunctiō betweene ye husband & the wife than is betwene the son of God & vsus. Seeing it is so I say: let such gratious fauour as this, prouoke vsus to withdraw ourselues frō al filthines; & let vsus keepe this holy vnitie which we ought to hauehave with our God.
And moreouer let vsus also diligētly note, how precious a thing it is yt God dwelleth with vsus, to giuegive vp our enemies into our hands, & to deliuer vsus frō all euill. For hereby we are warned yt were it not for his fauour, we are set open to ten thousande deathes. And in very deede let eueryevery of vsus cōsider his own infirmities throughly, & we shall finde yt if our Lord had not a care of vsus & fought not mightily for our defence, we should perish eueryevery minute of an houre. How is it then yt we are assured of our saluation? Surely because our Lord who watcheth ouer vsus, is strong ynough, & therfore albeit yt all the armies of hell were banded against vsus, yet shall they not preuaile any thing at all, if God be on our side: insomuch yt we shall not only be preserued from the hand of our enemies, but also hauehave ye victorie ouer them & bring them vnderunder our feete, because God dwelleth among vsus. Ye see then on the one side, howe men ought to feele what need they hauehave yt God shold help them, seeing they are thēselues ouer weake and hauehave no helpe to defende thēselues: & also how for all yt, they may boldly bost. And why? because God hath receiued them vntounto himselfe, & will preserue them & be their safegarde. Behold (I say) what ye glory of the faithful is, which notwtstanding proceedeth of humblenes. For we can neuer be safegarded by our God vntil we hauehave learned to distrust our selues, and feele ourselues for lorne considering ye weaknes which is in vsus.
But let vsus also note the threat. Take heede (saith he) lest thy God, whē he shal see any filthy thing in thee, depart from thee. Now the filthy things among vsus which may offend God, consist not in our bodily sluttishnesse. For where doeth God oftener dwel thā in poore cottages, which through great neede and penury somtimes there is vermine & sometimes stinch? There are poore Lazars who hauehave not wherwith to serue their neede, & much lesse wherewith to serue their pleasures: a lamē table case to beholde. Surely none of all these things, which may seeme sluttish vntounto most men do offend God: but ye filth which maketh him to depart from vsus, is the defiling which commeth from the heart, & afterwards (as I tolde you) defileth our bodies. And therfore let vsus not think ye God is like vntounto mortall men, or yt he is led with such passions, but let vsus know yt being a spirit; his will is yt we also should hauehave a spirituall purenes in vsus: that is, yt we should put away farre from vsus the thinges which may infect vsus (as I hauehave sayd afore) namely fornication, enuy, hatred, treason, excessiue desire of hauing riches, ambition, and pride. Al these things are filthy & displease God, and when our bodies are defiled with them, the wickednes is double. Let vsus therefore learne to purge ourselues frō all such infections, if we will hauehave God to be resident among vsus. For as hee is come neere vntounto vsus, so wil he also withdraw him selfe frō vsus, if we be not pure temples. For vponupon none other condition than yt, will he dwell amōg vsus. Therefore this threat may set our hayres on end on our head where it is sayd: Take heede that thy Lord depart not from thee. For seeing yt our lord hath vouchsafed vsus this honor to come neere vntounto vsus, and yt he declareth yt he will hauehave the chief roome in our cōpany; it is good reason yt eueryevery of vsus should take heede yt we giuegive him no repulse, & yt there be such publike order takē as our infections cause vsus not to want ye presence of our God: wherefore let eueryevery of vsus particularly looke vntounto himselfe & afterward let vsus al vniuersally do our indeuor yt al honesty may be mainteined, so as we may be a people hallowed vntounto god. For if eueryevery of vsus giuegive ouer himselfe to filthy demeanours, so as one taketh leaue to be an adulterer, an other dispenseth with himselfe to play the theefe, and to vse deceites and extortion, respecting onlie howe hee may enriche himselfe by vnlawfull meanes, and a thirde giueth himselfe to wicked practises, to vndermine and to ouerthrowe his neighbour: and a fourth is full of arrogancie and ambition, & so blasphemousnes reigneth at wil: is it not all one as if eueryevery of vsus for his part had conspired to banish God out of our companie, and to driue him away? Seeing then that vices doe so reigne, and there is so horrible confusion among vsus: Lette vsus looke well to ourselues and let this warning serue vsus for a bridle to restraine the mischiefe, or otherwise we shall bee guiltie of driuing GOD away that he might no more dwell among vsus to blesse vsus. Thus ye see what we hauehave to beare in minde concerning this place.
Now Moses addeth: That if a seruant, (that is to say a slaue as we hauehave expounded it heretofore) which is of the heathen, doe runne away and desire refuge among the people of Israell, they must suffer him to dwell there, and not deliuer him into the hande of his maister. This lawe may seeme euill at the first sight, if we consider not well what God meant thereby. For seruauntes were at that time in the same plight and stare that a mannes oxe or horse is now. Men imployed them to maruelous painefull and burthensome thinges, and their maisters had power ouer them both of life and death: so as among the Paynims a maister went not to make his complaint vntounto the Iustice when he would put his seruant in prison or set him on the racke, yea or put him to death. Euerie man might hange and drawe in his owne house, and that was a verie harde case. And moreouer (as I hauehave tolde you heretofore) a mans seruantes were counted among his moueable goods in like sorte as an horse or an oxe. So then if it had not beene lawfull to withholde from a man any part of his goods, but it had bin verie ill dealing to hauehave done so: why was it lawfull to keepe backe his seruant? It might seeme that a man doeth him wrong and iniurie to defraude him in this wise of that which is his right, and men might persuade themselues yt God dispensed here with his people to play the theeues after some indirect maner. But the meaning of the Lawe is that it was Gods will yt there should be some priuiledge for such seruauntes as were willing to yeelde themselues vntounto his seruice: and that because, as long as they liued vnderunder the Paynims, they were not their own men nor had such libertie: and therefore when they turned into the better way, God granted them this exemption by way of priuiledge. Moreouer let vsus note, that because of the excessiue cruelty of the maisters, the Lawes themselues were to graunt some release vntounto seruants. For ye maisters most cruelly abused the authority which was granted vntounto thē ouer their seruants, insomuch yt for eueryevery smal trifle (as ye breaking of a glasse [or such other like]) a maister would hamper his seruaunt to beate him without pitie or mercy. These examples caused men to let thē hauehave some refuge. And the heathen themselues permitted yt if the seruants could escape vntounto any tēple, they were in safetie from their maisters, not yt they were altogether freed, but that they were solde vntounto some other who peraduenture woulde handle them more gently. Also if they coulde get holde of the image of an Emperour, they hadde as it were a suretie for their safegarde. Our Lorde likewise had the same regarde in the lawe which is set downe heere, that is to say, because the Paynims hauing no feare of God, did torment their seruauntes with more than tyrannicall crueltie: he would that those poore wretches should hauehave some place of refuge, that beeing pressed with anguish and affliction, they might hauehave a meane to be brought vntounto true religion. For we knowe that when men are daunted after that manner, then they seeke vntounto God. It is a good preparatiue to bring vsus vntounto the obedience of God, when we are afflicted and can no longer tell what to doe. For we see that when we are at heartes ease and hauehave our delightes, we are also dronken with them, that God is no bodie with vsus. That is the very thing whereat this lawe aimeth.
Now let vsus note, that when God giueth forth speciall lawes, he gainesayeth not him selfe: but we must alwayes referre them vntounto the generall doctrine. As howe? If a seruant should runne away vponupon deceite, or vponupon malice, or vppon any other such cause, it were a sinne in him; and that theeuerie were not good nor allowed of GOD. Therefore when this speciall law and priuiledge was giuen foorth, that a seruant should be suffered in the Lande of Iuda, it repealeth not that which our Lorde had deliuered concerning seruants afore. And againe whereas he sayth: Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours seruaunt, nor his maide; yt commaundement standeth still in full force; so that it was not lawefull for the Iewes to holde backe an other mans seruāt, for their own profits sake; neither was it lawfull for seruants to deceiue their maisters. But when a seruant escaped vntounto them, & desired to dwell among ye people of God; this leaue was graunted vntounto him: howbeit vponupon this condition, yt he was oppressed, and yt he had iust & reasonable cause: of running from his maister, for being too leau…lly & cruelly handled. That was to be presuppose…d afore. For (as I hauehave tolde you) the law which is conteined in the tenne cōmandements is an infallible rule▪ When we hauehave that abridgement, we hauehave therin the will of God fully warranted vntounto vsus. And we ought to measure eueryevery particular lawe by those ten cōmandements, That is ye true touchstone whereby we must examine how eueryevery speciall lawe is to be taken and expounded. For we shall neuer vnderstande thinges to any purpose, except we referre them all hither. And why? for perfect righteousnesse is contained in those ten commandements which God hath deliuered in the two tables. Seeing it is so, we can neuer be deceiued if we examin things after this manner. Go to: here is the law. Pertaineth the thing vntounto the seruice of God, or to the second table; that is to that table wherin God hath prescribed how we ought to liue with men? It is of the second table. Well then, let vsus see nowe whether it pertaine vntounto the first commaundement of honouring father and mother: or to the second, Thou shalt doe no murder: or to the third, Thou shalt not commit adulterie: or to the fourth, Thou shalt not steale: or to ye fift, Thou shalt not beare false witnesse: or lastly to ye sixt, Thou shalt not couet. When we shall hauehave thus considered of the thing, so as we may say, this belongeth vntounto such a commaundement: then shall wee hauehave a keye which will open vsus the dore vntounto the right vnderstanding of the thing. If a lawe concerne the seruice of God, be it of the first cōmaundement, or of the second, or of the third, or of the fourth, we may hauehave the better assurance how this Law ought to be vnderstoode. And why? For we shall consider of the end whereunto it tendeth. If the law be between both (as we say) let it be referred vntounto the first and t… second table, let it be mingled of both, and then we may also iudge easily of it. But to return to ye present matter: when ye Lord graunted a place of refuge in the lande of Iury vntounto poore slaues, there is no doubt but he ment neuertheles to leaue his law still in his full force. Let vsus therefore conclude, that he meant in this place to remedie the excessiue and outragious cruelty which maisters vsed, & would that poore afflicted wretches (who as touching the worlde could finde no ease of their greefes) being destitute of all succour, might hauehave libertie to come into the Countrey of Iurie and there to dwel for euer.
Now we are warned hereby to help ye vttermost of our power such as are vniustly & wrongfully afflicted. In deede wee must not mayntaine wicked quarelles; wee must not cloake that which is ill. For they which shall vse such merciemercy, shall not bee able to iustifie their case thereby before God. There are many which could be content that all leawd faultes might be buried, and they will oftentimes willingly foster wickednesse through a fond pitie or deuotion as they call it. But let vsus note yt Gods will is not to lead vsus vntounto that kind of dealing: but yt when wee see any poore soules tormented, he would hauehave vsus moued with pitie to releeue them as much as in vsus lyeth. We heare what is sayd vntounto Moab. Moab thou wast the harbour of my people,… 3. and thou madest hew & cry after those which came to shelter themselues vnderunder thy shadow. Although the people of Israell were iustly punished for their euill deedes, yet as in respect of the world, they had not prouoked the infidels to be so cruell vntounto them. For the Infidels came and made warre against them like tyrantes as they were, they came like wolues to spoile and deuour all. And well, the poore Iewes flie into the lande of Moab, and our Lord sayeth that he had appointed that Countrie, as a place of harbour for them. And why? Was there any Prophet which tolde them so? No. For humanitie perswadeth this of it selfe, that if wee see any poore people which are driuen out of their owne Countries by warres or by any other violent oppressions, it is all one as if God sent vsus a message both to receiue them and to entertayne them as curteouslie as wee are able to doe. And so let vsus beare in minde, that where there are any poore wretches with vsus whome men hauehave persecuted, and tormented, we are too too vnkind if we deliuer them into their enemies pawes, which seeke nothing else but to vse all violence and all maner of cruelty against them. That is it which wee hauehave to beare in mind vponupon this place.
Now seeing it is so that we ought to shew such gentlenes, and to vse such compassion towardes all that are vniustly oppressed, and whom men torment beyond measure without any cause; how ought we to behaue our selues toward those poore soules which are afflicted for the worde of God? By much more reason is it that wee should giuegive them refuge, and succour them in their afflictions: and if we doe not relieue them, let vsus also feare that which is said by the Prophet vntounto the Moabites.Esa. 15. For he addeth that God will hunt them out of their secretest lurking corners. And why? Bicause they discouered the people which fled vntounto them, and set them foorth for a pray. Therefore if we cause the children of God to be persecuted by tyrantes, and ioyne with tyrantes in such wickednes, by driuing Gods children out from among vsus, doubtlesse the Lorde will not faile to punish such crueltie. But when our turne commeth to bee visited after the same manner, (as it must needes come) men shall hunt vsus also out of our corners, and we shall finde no harbouring place for our selues in the whole world, bicause wee hauehave laboured to cast them away whom God deliuered into our handes. Yee see then in fewe wordes what wee hauehave to beare in minde.
And moreouer as touching the matter which I hauehave treated of alreadie, wee must vnderstand that our Lorde commandeth vsus to straine our selues to the vttermost, to bring them vntounto the knowledge of the trueth, which hauehave strayed heeretofore in superstition. The seruants which offered themselues out of straunge Countries were in the ende framed vntounto the seruice of God. For albeit they were at the first rude and rawe, yet was it behoouefull that they should accustome themselues vntounto the Lawe, and that in the ende they should frame themselues wholly vntounto it. Seeing then it is so, let vsus gather vppon this place, that God ment to stirre vsus vp to seeke after the poore wandering sheepe, to bring them into the way of saluatiō, and to gather them into his flock. And so ye see what we hauehave to beare in minde as touching this custome.
Moses in the third place sayth: Let there be no whore in Israell, nor any filthie & infamous fornicator, And whereas he speaketh heere, of fornicators; it is not meant of common fornication, but of that outrageous filthynesse which is contrary to all nature. And verily it is a dreadfull thing to consider that the people which was dedicated vntounto GOD, should bee forbidden such wickednesse: and especially that they should at that time so exceede in villainous behauiour, that they had not onelyonly stewes for strumpets, where women abandoned themselues vntounto filthie lustes, but also that men with men were giuen to such filthynesse. Is not this a thing which ought to make eueryevery hayre of our head to stande on ende? But heereby wee are warned what men of themselues are, except GOD holde them backe and gouerne them by his holy spirite. Wee must not thinke that these corruptions neuer came into the worlde before this day. They hauehave beene in it from all time. For since the time that Adam estraunged himselfe from GOD, it was of necessitie, that hee shoulde beare the punishment of his sinne▪ and that all his posteritie should bee abandoned vntounto wickednesse. For the roote of all vices, yea of all outragious crimes doeth then budde foorth when man is forsaken of GOD, and hath the brydle layd loose on his necke as it is to bee seene heere. For wee see that naturall fornications suffice not, but more than beastly enormities are committed. Common filching theeueries suffice not, but there are robberies and piracies: there are inuentions and practises more wicked than all the theeueries in the world. Men are growen so farre out of kinde, that they are dayly inuenting of strange fashions, they thinke it not ynough to hauehave put their enemies to death, except they extend their crueltie yet farther. To bee shorte, if wee consider well of all that is in man vntill GOD gouerne him; we shal find within him euen a sinke and gulfe of hell. And as eueryevery man nourisheth in himselfe much wickednesse, so must it needes be that the mischiefe thereof shall increase, except GOD prouide a remedie for it. And whereas among the Paynims themselues there was alwayes kept some honestie; it came so to passe through the wonderfull prouidence of GOD, who meant still to reserue some honestie among mankinde. In deede the Paynims had neuer this intent of seruing GOD, as was reason they should, but yet although none of their workes were accounted pure before GOD, he notwithstanding so ruled them, as thinges might not bee vtterly confounded. Sith wee see this, let vsus learne that when God sheweth vsus any signes of his prouidence by retayning men in some order and honestie; it is to make vsus perceyue thereby, that he watcheth ouer mankinde. And on the otherside let vsus knowe also, that if hee helde not out his hande to keepe men vnderunder some order; wee should see such villainous and detestable things, that euen the brute beastes should behaue themselues more honestly than men. See (I say) what wee are to consider of; to the ende we may pray God to receiue vsus, and not to suffer vsus to fall into any such enormities as euen our selues should bee constrayned to abhorre them. And for as much as wee see yt examples of these things hauehave beene giuen so long time since; and perceiue by experience that the worlde ceaseth not to growe worse and worse: what woulde come of it if God shoulde not redresse it? What would bee the ende of it? Questionlesse were it not for Gods wonderfull prouidence in this behalfe, it must needes come to passe that all honestie among men should be cleane wiped out. Thus yee see what wee hauehave to consider vppon the forewarning which GOD maketh in this place. And moreouer let vsus note that this lawe of GOD himselfe coulde not vtterly disappoint the raigning of such abhomination euen in the people which named themselues holy and elected aboue all the rest of the world. Insomuch that sometimes the holy Scripture speaking of Kinges which were not ouer diligent in dooing their dueties, saith that there were Stewes, yea euen against nature, not onelyonly of harlots which were there at hire, but also of other shamefull filthynesse not to bee named: and that this wickednesse raygned. And where? In Iuda. Therefore when wee heare this rehearsed vntounto vsus, wee ought to tremble and walke in feare and warinesse, praying GOD to hide vsus vnderunder his wing… and not to suffer such corruptions to happen vntounto vsus. And let vsus note that from the one wee steppe to the other. For when loose behauiours is once permitted, men beare themselues in hande that eueryevery thing is lawefull. When such infamous thinges are suffered, and lawlesse libertie of vsing them is graunted in any countrey; men not onelyonly giuegive themselues to lechery lyke dogges, but also in the ende doe fall into greater and more outragious filthynesse. Therefore seeing it is so, let vsus learne in generall to hauehave such a care among vsus, as all infections of whoredome may be remoued, and wee cleane purged from them. For that is the very thing which GOD aimeth at. Now indeed it is true that this is a ciuill lawe: but yet for all that, it belongeth vntounto the third commaundement of the second table: where it is sayde: Thou shalt not commit adulterie. Why are the people of GOD forbidden to hauehave a stewes among them? Because fornication is a detestable thing in his …ight: for his will is that wee shoulde bee wholly dedicated vntounto him both in our soules, and in our bodyes. So then whereas God detesteth whoredome, what shall we thinke when open stewes are suffered, and no punishment or chastisement appointed for adulterers? What shall wee thinke thereof, but that men in the ende will defie God and perswade themselues that whoredome is nothing? Wee see then whereunto God meant to lead vsus, namely, that we should knowe howe profitable a thing it is for vsus to thinke on the wretchednesse of some men, that is to wit, that they fall into so outragious thinges, that they forget all honestie of nature; and that there would bee nothing but beastlinesse in them, except they were withheld by ye hand of God. Let this put vsus in feare, and quicken vsus vp to pray God to withdrawe vsus from these corruptions whereunto we are ouermuch enclined, or rather wholly giuen ouer. And let vsus yeeld our selues fully vntounto him, & not behaue our selues as horses which are broken loose. Let vsus take heede of seeking occasions of wickednesse, or of graunting vntounto our selues leaue of lawlesse libertie to doe wickedly, either in adulterie or otherwise: and let vsus keepe our selues in such purenesse, as eueryevery of vsus may be ready to frame himselfe vntounto the righteousnesse of God, and to keepe and maintaine our selues in all innocencie before him.
Now let vsus kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes, praying him to make vsus to feele them more and more. And bicause it hath pleased him to call vsus vntounto himselfe, yea and to declare oftentimes that he is our God, and to make vsus also to perceiue the power of his helpe, not onelyonly touching our bodyes, but also touching our soules: let vsus beseech him that we may be prouoked hereby to yeelde our selues wholly vntounto him, & that all of vsus examining our selues more narowly, and perceiuing our owne defilements, may resort vntounto the holines and purenes of our Lord Iesus Christ, praying him so to purge vsus by his holy spirit, that our onelyonly seeking may be to offer our selues vp vntounto our God both soule and body, and that therewithall wee may learne to liue one with another in all vprightnes and honestie, so as it may alwayes serue vsus to mortifie our wicked affections, and not hinder vsus frō enioying those benefits which he daily bestoweth vponupon his Church. And that it may please him to impart these things not onelyonly to vsus, but also to all people and nations of the earth, &c.