Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 149
On Thursday the xxvii. of Februarie, 1556. The CXLIX. Sermon which is the first vponupon the seuen and twentith Chapter.
18 19 And the Lord hath set thee:
The xxvii. Chapter.
THen Moses with the Elders of Israel charged the people saying, Keepe all the commaundementes, which I commaund you this day.
2 And when ye be passed ouer Iordan into the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee, thou shalt set thee vp great stones, and plaister thē with plaister.
3 And shalt write vponupon them all the wordes of this lawe when thou art come ouer, that thou maist go into the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee: a land that floweth with milke and hony, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee.
4 Therefore when ye are passed ouer Iordan, ye shal set vp these stones which I command you this day in mount Ebal, & thou shalt plaister them with plaister.
5 And there shalt thou buyld an altar vntounto the Lorde thy God, euen an altar of stones: vponupon which stones thou shalt lift vp no yron toole.
6 Thou shalt make the altar of the Lord thy God, of whole stones, and offer burnt offrings thereon vntounto the Lord thy God.
7 And thou shalt offer peace offrings, & eat there, & reioyce before the Lorde thy God.
8 And thou shalt write vpō the stones al the words of this law wel & plainly.
9 And Moses & the Priests ye Leuites spake vntounto all Israel saying, take heede & heare O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the Lord thy God.
10 Thou shalt hearken therefore vntounto the voyce of the Lord thy God, and do his commandements & his ordinances which I command thee this day.
IN yesterdayes Lecture Moses hauing exhorted ye people to serue God, declared yt the couenant which hee hadde made with them was to their great profite. For the more that God bestoweth on vsus, the more particularly are we, (if wee bee not voyde of all sense and reason) bound to giuegive our selues ouer wholly vntounto him. But yet for all that, though wee see that God is so liberall towardes vsus, are wee mooued to offer our selues in obedience vntounto him? [Noe verily]. For this cause Moses sayde vntounto the Iewes: that they were chosen to bee in praise, in name, and in glorie, as people shouled out from the rest of the world vntounto God. Wheras some expound this, that they were in praise & glorie, to the end yt God might be glorified: it is a harde & forced exposition. The thing they say is in deed true in it self, as it is said often times in ye holy scripture, that God had chosen this people for his own name, as the end wherunto he hath created al things. And ye church was builded specially to the intent that the name of God should be exalted, as it is sayd in the Prophet Esay:… 11.7. …phes. 1.6. & as S. Paul also leadeth vsus vntounto the same consideratiō in the first Chapter to the Ephesians, where he treateth of yt thing more at large. Therfore it is true in it self yt God adopted the Iewes to the intent yt they might know his exceeding fauour & goodnes, & that ye glorie which was due vntounto him therefore might be yelded vntounto him. But in this place Moses had an eye vntounto yt which we hauehave alreadie touched, to wit, that ye people might be the more moued & enflamed to discharge their dueties, because God hath called them for none other reasō, but to vtter foorth the infinite treasures of his mercies. And therfore he saith: Thy God hath placed thee this day in honor & in renoune, & in glorie, according to this which hath bin said afore in the fourth Chapter, What nation is so noble and of such dignitie,…. ….33. which hath his God so neere vntounto him, as thy God hath made himself familiar vntounto thee, to gouerne thee? This then was a dignitie which God had vouchsafed vppon ye Iewes aboue the rest of all the world. And it ought to hauehave bin a cause to stirre them vp so much the more to bee obedient vntounto the will & worde of God. And in deede if all be wel considered, wee shal finde that God can hope for nothing at our hands, nor receiue any thing of vsus, but that wee hold al things of him. I pray you, when we hauehave taken neuer so great paines to exalt the name of God; shall it bee any whit increased thereby? What is it that we do vntounto him? Surely, wee of our owne nature cannot but blaspheme his name, and wee are the cause why it is blasphemed: and if hee will drawe any good out of vsus, hee himselfe must first put it in vsus. But when God hath once graunted vsus the grace to glorifie him, doe wee bring any thing vntounto him, or doth hee receiue any profite of vsus? Doutles no. Yet in the meane time he powreth out his benefites, so as wee holde all of him, as I hauehave alreadie tolde you. So then not without cause doeth Moses declare vntounto the Iewes, that they were called to glorie, to renoune, and to praise, to the ende hee might vpbrayd them with their vnthankefulnesse, if they enforced not themselues wt all their power to serue God, who shewed him selfe so liberall towardes them. And this toucheth vsus also nowe adayes. For seeing it pleaseth God to imprint his image in vsus; is it not a preheminence which hee giueth vntounto vsus aboue all the creatures in the worlde, to be called vntounto the company of the Angels, and to bee members of our Lord Iesus Christ? Forasmuch then as hee so preuenteth vsus with his goodnes; what remaineth but that wee shoulde giuegive our selues wholly vntounto him, and shewe, that seeing hee hath filled vsus with his glorie, wee will not cause his name to bee set light by, nor the doctrine of saluation which hee hath giuen vsus, to be reproched, that the vnfaithfull should make a scorne of it? Let vsus therefore giuegive all diligēce hereunto: as we see we be warned in this place. And that is the verie thing also whereat Moses aimeth when he addeth: That when the people hauing passed Iordan shall come into the lande which was promised vntounto them, and hauehave it in full possession, they shall then set vp great stones, and write vponupon them an abridgement of the lawe. And secondly that they shal erect also an altar, to giuegive thanks vntounto god▪ and to testifie that hee had fulfilled the promise which hee had made in former time vntounto their fathers. This (I say) is the intent & meaning of Moses, namely that ye people should not only for one time giuegive thanks vntounto God, but that they should do it afresh when they come into ye lande which was promised vntounto them: and that they should ratifie that which they had before confessed, yt is, that they owed al homage vntounto God for that land, because it was giuen vntounto them of his free bestowed goodnes, & not gottē by their own power, nor befalne vntounto them by any kind of chaunce, or by the gift or helpe of men.
But we hauehave to note the maner & fashion of ye speach which Moses vseth; he saith, That he & the Elders of Israel commanded the people saying, Doe that which I command thee. I grant that this might be referred vntounto Moses, because he was ye chiefe seruant of God in publishing of the law; but it is certaine yt both he & the Elders speak in ye name & as it were in the person of God. And yet it would seeme at the first blush that this sentence were not wel framed. Moses and the Elders say vntounto the people, Do that which I command thee: but they are many, & yet here is mention made but of one alone. Yea, but (as I hauehave alredy told you) it was requisite that ye Iewes should be taught yt these things proceeded not from men but from God, who spake by their mouth. Wee see then yt Moses and the Elders come not heere in their owne persons as attributing any thing to their owne worthinesse, neither step they foorth vppon their owne heads, ne to charge the people with any lawes: but were the instrumentes of God to deale foorth faithfully whatsoeuer was committed vntounto them. Nowe if Moses which was the excellentest of all Phophets (as we shall see hereafter) did neuerthelesse restrayne himselfe with such modestie,Deut. 34.10. that he vsurped not the authoritie to speake any thing in his owne name: what shall we say of them which gouern the Church nowadayes? Wil they say that they exceede Moses? Let vsus note then that Pastor… are not appointed to set foorth whatsoeuer doctrine shall seeme good vntounto themselues, nor to bring mennes soules in subiection and bondage to them; nor to make lawes and articles of faith at their owne pleasure: but onelyonly to bring to passe that God may beare rule, and that his worde may bee harkened vntounto. Let that bee noted for one poynt. Wee see then that all the traditions of men which are nowe adayes in the Popedome in steede of the pure worde of God▪ are but vaine things: and that they must bee all beaten downe, and that the true gouernement which God liketh of, must be established againe in his Church: that is, that men hearken vntounto him, that they submit themselues vntounto him, that both great and small receiue that which is deliuered in his name, & that men passe no farther. Let this be wel noted. But withal wee must also note, that when they which are appointed ministers of the word of God, do their office faithfully; then they may speake with masterly authoritie, as they say. And in deede we heare how Moses with the rest of the Elders sayeth, I commaunde thee this day, keepe my statutes. It is not for a mortal creature to aduance himself so hy: no, but because Moses bringeth nothing of his own, but is a faithful minister of God, & doth nothing but expound the law euen as it is giuen & committed vntounto him, therefore hee sticketh not to speake as from an high, as one hauing all power & authoritie. Therefore when we bring nothng but the pure doctrine of God without falsifying of it, or without adding any thing thereunto of our owne: then may wee bring into captiuitie all the loftinesse of men as S. Paul sayth,…. Cor. 10.4. so as no man may exempt himselfe from the doctrine which is put forth vntounto him, but that euen they which are the greatest must submit themselues vntounto it. The seruants of god then must so behaue themselues as they may not be of a fearful mind to yeeld to the world whē it rebelleth,1. Tim. 1.7. & wil not be willingly subdued: but that they must holde their own with inuincible constancie, challenging to their master the honor of soueraintie, & the ouerruling of al the world. This is the thing which wee hauehave to beare in minde concerning this place.
But let vsus come now vntounto yt which is said. The Iewes are commanded, To gather great stones, & to whitelime them ouer, & so to engraue the law of god vponupon them, that the letters might be easily read, & secondly they are commanded To buyld an altar on the hil of Hebal, & there to sacrifice vntounto God. As touching ye altar we hauehave already said, yt it was a special witnes of ye peoples doing homage vntounto god for yt land which they knewe they helde of him. For in deed ye law was there ingraued, to ye intēt yt the remembrance thereof should be renewed, & that ye doctrine therof shold be laid open and made cōmon vntounto al men; & yt at their first entrance into yt land they might hauehave a marke to put them in mind, to say: This is a land dedicated vntounto God. And like as princes set vp their armes & their ensignes in ye endes & borders of their seignories & kingdoms: euen so ye armes of God were set vp in yt place, that men might see not a puppet or some such other thing: but ye law of God written, to the intent yt men might say, Behold it is the liuing God that hath dedicated this people vntounto himself, & chosen them for his seruice, yt he might be honored & called vpō of thē. Thus ye see in effect what we hauehave to beare in mind. But before we passe any farther, let vsus consider why it is saide yt they shall not make or buyld ye altar of carued or pullished stones, and yt they must not lift vp an hammer or any other toole vponupon it, but yt the stones must be taken as they come to hand, without any …itting of them, by reason wherof it shold be but as a rude heap. This place hath without cause much troubled many men, neither could they in the ende finde out ye meaning of it without some allegory, saying, yt when God commanded to hauehave the altar made of rough & vnhewen stones, it was to shew yt he taketh no pleasure in any inuentions of mē, & that he will hauehave no curious workmanship in his altar, to the intent we should be warned, yt to serue him aright wee must make no mingling wt our own deuises, as in deede we see it is not lawful for mē to forge at their own pleasure any seruice of God, for he liketh of obedience aboue al things: & so this sense of theirs is in it self true, but it is nothing to the meaning of the place. Moses hath an eye vntounto another thing, to wit, that there shold be but one altar to sacrifice vntounto God. And in verie deede wee see that when y• two trybes & the halfe were returned home after ye conquest of the land of Chanaan,Iosu…. 22. & had erected an altar, they were in danger to hauehave bin vtterly destroyed & rooted out for it. For when newes therof came to the rest of ye Tribes, they sayd: What meaneth this making of a double altar vntounto God? And therupon they went al forth to battel to destroy ye Tribes which dwelt beyōd Iordan, & to put them to horrible slaughter: and that was because God had cōmanded, that they should make but one only altar. And the reason hereof was to maintaine the vnitie of faith & agreement among ye Iewes. We know yt although ye law containe the perfect doctrine of saluation: yet notwithstanding it faileth not to be darke, as we hauehave alreadie seene. Therefore it behoued ye Iewes to be as it were inured to yt doctrine, that they might not wander. For wee see how fickle mē are, so as they be easily turned aside to make diuerse sects, & eueryevery man hath his deuotion a part by himself. God therefore minding to preuent that mischiefe, wherunto he saw men ouermuch giuen by nature, would there shoulde bee but one single altar. But now if they should hauehave made an altar of hewen & squared stones, it would hauehave lasted for euer. And what would mē hauehave said hereupon? This is the altar whereon they sacrificed vntounto God. And thereuppon they would hauehave thought it to hauehave beene a seruing of God to hauehave sacrificed there still: and they which succeeded a long time after, woulde hauehave thought that the sacrifices which had been offered there, would hauehave been of the more worthines, and that had beene an ouerthrowing of the order which God had established among that people: it had bin the next way to bring in a general confusion. We see what befel of the hil of Samaria,Iohn 4.20. as the woman which spake to our Lord Iesus Christ declareth. What? (saith she) did not our fathers sacrifice on this mountaine? Because Abraham, Isaac, & Iacob had dwelt there, ye Samaritans bare themselues in hand yt their tēple was more excellent & more holy than ye temple of Ierusalem. Yea: but it was built against ye wil of God, it was an heathenish place, it was more ful of filthines & vncleanes than any brothelhouse. Not but yt the people had thought they did wel, but we must alwais consider whether god liketh of that which we do: if he do not, wo be vntounto vsus. So then because men will needes without reason followe the examples which they heare, it was requisite that there should be no altars made of pullished stones, for they would hauehave remained in their estate, & there would hauehave bin sacrifices offered. Nowe ye see what abhominations proceeded therof in Israel, Ieroboam intending to maintain his estate,…. 12.28 erected an altar in Bethel, & wold hauehave God worshipped there, & sacrifices to be offred there vntounto him. He sayth vntounto thē, wel, behold, we sacrifice vntounto God, which brought vsus out of the land of Egypt. He protesteth yt he will serue no Idols, & yet notwithstanding he serueth thē. Yea verily: for it was Gods will to hauehave his temple built in Ierusalē where it was, & we hauehave seen heretofore yt he reserueth the authority vntounto himself to say: Thou shalt call vponupon me in that place which I hauehave chosē to hauehave my name called vponupon there. For it is not for men to say, let vsus worship God in this place;…. 16.2. but they must keepe thēselues vntounto yt which he hath cōmāded in that behalfe. Ieroboā therfore in making a second tē ple brought the seruice of god wholy out of kind. He corrupted & falsified ye true religion. In deed he made a faire protestatiō (as I hauehave told you) yt he wold change nothing in the seruice of God: but we see what the meaning of God is; namely y• when they were come into ye lande of promise, they should sacrifice vntounto him on the hill of Hebal, & there set vp an altar wt such stones as came next vntounto their hands, wtout vsing any workmā ship, to the intent it might be abolished & that no mention should remaine of it, to drawe yt into an euerlasting rule which was done but for one time onelyonly.
Now albeit that this Ceremonie serue not vsus nowadaies: yet may we gather a very profitable doctrine of this place. And first of all let vsus note that we must not ground ourselues vponupon yt which God hath cōmanded for a certaine time, as if it ought to be obserued for euer. For vnderunder the law it was Gods wil yt men shold sacrifice bruit beasts vntounto him; but nowadaies there is no such thing. He required yt there should be perfumes made, and lights set vp, & fire alwayes burning vpō the altar. These thinges are now done away, & if any man renew thē, they are but dung as we see how they are yet vsed in popery. When the Papistes com & perfume their idols noses, they beare thē selues in hand, yt it is an acceptable sacrifice vntounto God. And when they hauehave cōsumed much waxe on their torches & tapers & candles, O here is a wonderous great deuotion thinke they. And yet it is but a meere mocking of God. For it was his will to be so serued vnderunder the law: But if we shold now go & in lighten the sun, yt is to say, if now after the cōming of our Lord Iesus Christ into the world, we should yet stil vse those lights as in the night & in the darke; it were a peruerting of the whole order of nature. The antient fathers walked vnderunder darke shadowes & therfore they stood in neede of those aydes. And when they had a light, it was to shewe them, yt they came not to worship God at all aduentures, or at randon▪ but that they were guided & directed by the word of God, & by his holy spirit. And so they were held brideled, to the intent they should not presume vponupon any thing on their own fancies. But as now we hauehave no need of al these things: for why? The vaile of ye temple is rent in sunder;Matt. 27.31 & god sheweth vsus his face in ye gospel, euen in ye persō of his son, so as we may now walk as at no one day. So then let vsus consider what is euerlasting & what is but for a time; yt we make no fond & foolish confusiō ne do as the papists do. For yt is the fountain frō whence so many superstitions hauehave risen. When the Papistes baptise, they take spettle. And why? Forsooth because Iesus Christ did so. Yea but wold he hauehave it drawen into consequence & that men should make a rule of it, and yt his miracle should be mocked at in baptisme? Wil they make a young infant to speake, by their spitting vponupon his lips? Againe, they hauehave the annealing of the sicke, and yt is a sacrament with them. And why? Forsooth the Apostles vsed oyle when they healed ye sicke. Yea, but yt gift serued but for ye begining of the gospell, & now after yt we know yt miracles are seased, will we vse the signes still? Is not y• a mocking of God? By like then, the truth & substance of things must depart & the signe must remaine▪ yt were a goodly matter. Again, they hauehave retained other like things, as is lent. This is the fast yt is to be kept, say the Papistes. The reason forsooth is, because Iesus Christ fasted. Yea, but did he which is ye fountaine of all perfection, and the mirror of all holines fast eueryevery yere? No▪ he fasted but once in his life. The Papists say yt wee must fast eueryevery yeere, and yt there is great deuotion & holines therin. Yea, but therin they would exceed Iesus Christ. But in deed it is a diuilish superstition, to fast 40. dais after yt maner, vpō opiniō yt by this means we may make ourselues like to Christ.Matt. 4.…. 1. King 19.8 For we know yt our Lord Iesus ment to shew thereby, yt he was then exēpted frō al condition of man, as the same was done in Elias by miracle, & likewise in Moses, when hee published the law. And did ye Iewes follow Moses and Elias therein? Or did any of so many holy prophets euer fast yt fast? No: for they knewe wel it was not cōmanded thē of God, and yt he made no cōmon rule of it, nor would hauehave yt thing drawen into example which he had once ordained for ye authorising of his law. So then we see yt it is very profitable to consider what God hath for one onelyonly time cōmanded, to the intent we peruert not al, nor desire without any difference to do whatsoeuer is contained in ye holy scripture, wtout knowing first whether it concerne vsus & be spoken vntounto vsus or no. This is one point to be noted.
A second point to be obserued is yt we ought, as much as we may possibly to maintaine vnitie & agreemēt among vsus; as shal by & by be declared. It was Gods will there should be no mo temples but one. And why? To ye intent it shold be as a bond to hold the people together in ye purenes and soundnesse of faith. We hauehave one only God which is called vponupon among vsus, wee must come into one certaine place to sacrifice vntounto him, all of vsus must there gather ourselues together. It is true in deede yt we are not nowadaies tyed vntounto any such bondage; but howsoeuer it be, yet ye substance is remaining still vntounto vsus. Let vsus therfore take heede vntounto all those ayds which we hauehave to holde vsus in this communion of faith, and in this vnitie which God requireth, let vsus keepe them well, and let no man turne aside from them. And as touching the outwarde order, we knowe that our Lorde Iesus christ would hauehave men to assemble them selues together. I graunt wee are not bound to be al in one place, & mē also preach in diuers churches of one toune. And why? Bicause al the worlde can not heare one sermon: but yet for all that, because of our slownesse wee are so bounde that we must gather our selues together in the name of God. He that wil keepe him selfe in his howse, despising the cōmon order, and will say, I can reade at home & edifie my selfe sufficiētly there▪ yt man asmuch as in him lieth breaketh in sunder ye vnitie of faith & teareth in pieces the body of our Lord Iesus Christ. We know yt baptisme was ordained to ye intent it should be as a cōmon seale yt we are the church of God, & are gouerned with his spirit. Now if eueryevery man wil hauehave his baptisme a part, what a wicked disorder were it? The holy supper of ye Lord also is distributed as a cōmon food to ye intent we should all cōmunicat of it. We are wa…ned by it that we are one body. And as one loafe is made of many graines of corne, which are so mingled together yt they make but one substāce; euen so ought we to be knit together, if we will be accoūted for the children of God. Therefore if eueryevery man should hauehave his priuate supper, were it not a wtdrawing of ourselues frō the agreement & brotherhoode which Iesus Christ would hauehave vsus to keepe? In Popery eueryevery mā must hauehave his altar & his chappell. Yea & they were of opinion, that God was much bound vntounto thē for so doing. There should hauehave bin one cōmō table (for I wil not say yt they hauehave turned ye cōmunion table into an altar to sacrifice vpō, which thing in it self is a diuelish abhominatiō) but in ye meane time although they retain the word, yet wil they not hauehave a cōmon table for all the church. For eueryevery man thrusteth in himself to say, O I wil hauehave a chappel, & there I will hauehave my deuotion by my selfe. When men be come to yt point, it is an horrible wasting of the Church of God; & the building of so manie seueral altars hath bin ye cause of the bringing in of so many sectes & diuisions. Although ye papists had placed no idols in their churches, & althogh they had not such a nūber of superstitiōs & Idolatries as wee see they hauehave; yet in doing of this one thing they hauehave broken ye vnity which christ hath solemnly set betweene his mēbers, & in the whole Church. What must we do then? Let vsus indeuor to keepe ourselues in brotherly agreement and vnderunder the signes & tokens which God hath giuen vsus, and let vsus continue therein, and make al those meanes which he hath giuen vsus, to serue vntounto that ende. That is the doctrine which we hauehave to gather vponupon this place.
But let vsus returne now vntounto yt which we sayde in the beginning; that is▪ yt God hath here required of his people a solemne acknowledgement, how much they were bound vntounto him. We are therfore exhorted to acknowledge ye benefits of God, yea & to occupy ourselues therein, so as we neuer forget thē. The people in deed had already giuen thanks vntounto God after they were come out of Egypt, in the wildernes, where they sacrificed continually vntounto him, but yet after they are passed ouer Iordā, they must begin to giuegive thāks again. And why? Because mē would alwaies discharge their dutie towards God by halues: and they hauehave soone forgotten it, & thinke no longer what they owe vntounto God. And yt is the cause why they must be occupied continually in ye self same thing. So then let vsus note well, yt euen all ye time of our life we must apply our whole indeuour to magnifie & set foorth the name of God. For although we be not lodged in this land of Canaā: yet ye fauor of God ought to be asmuch, or more esteemed of vsus, than yt earthly inheritāce which was giuen to ȳe children of Israel. For god hauing plucked vsus out of the dungeons of death, & out of ye bondage of Satan, declareth yt we are blessed of him, and yt we are a roial priesthood. And who is he yt can discharge himselfe in magnifying so great & so inestimable a goodnes of God?1. Pet. ….9. So thē because we are slow & slacke to giuegive yt glory vntounto God which is belonging vntounto him; and because yt when we hauehave once done it, we thinke it ynough & we are loth to do it again; let vsus beare in mind this lessō which is taught vsus here, that is, yt according as God increaseth his giftes in vsus, & as hee confirmeth & ratifieth them, so ought we on our part to be so much ye more moued & stirred vp to yeelde him praise, declaring thereby, how much we are bound vntounto him, and protesting yt we are wholly his, and yt we will dedicate our whole life vntounto him. This (say I) is ye thing which we hauehave to beare in minde as touching this place, where mention is made of sacrificing vntounto God.
Now after that Moses hath named The whole burnt offring, he addeth, Thou shalt offer also the peace offeringes vntounto the Lord thy God. Nowe before he shewed yt the peace offerings serued for thanks giuing, so as if God had deliuered his people, if he had giuen thē any victorie against their enemies, if he had deliuered thē frō famine or any other calamitie; then they sacrificed, in witnes yt this benefit deserued, not to beforgotten. We see then yt Moses aimeth altogether at yt which wee hauehave alredy declared: namely, yt the people shold make an acknowledgement of this benefit vntounto God after yt they were come into the land of Canaan. And whereas Moses sayth yt it was a Land flowing with milke & hony (as we hauehave already seene afore) it is to ye intent yt the people shoulde be the more stirred vp to giuegive glory vntounto God, when they see yt the land was so fer…ill, and that God had shewed himselfe so liberall towardes thē. We know yt at this day it is not so fruitfull a land, neither was it so fertill before their cōming thither, and yt is a wonderful thing. And yet notwithstanding ye wicked hauehave taken occasion here upon, to blaspheme, as yt wicked heritike which was punished here, mocked both Moses and the prophets saying, yt when they praised the land of Chanaan, they did but fable. Yea but he sheweth himselfe (as all despisers of God & such enraged folke whom Satan possesseth vse to do) to skorne Gods benefits which men may see wt their eyes. Neither considered he, yt (as it was shewed vntounto him, notwtstanding yt he continued in his wilfull stubbornnes) God did expresly threaten to sowe salt vponupon yt land,… ….7. that is to say, to make it baren: & at this day also men see it desolate & wast. So as it is a dreadfull thing to beholde, what ye state of yt countrey is at this day, in cōparison of yt it is knowen to hauehave bin heretofore. For our Lorde hath sheweth by effect, ye which is said in the 107 Psalme:….37 namely yt when it pleaseth him to blesse a land with fruitfulnes, it shalbe fat & ful of al maner of fruits; and contrary wise yt when he listeth to make it barren, it shalbe cleane withered. We see this to be true in the lande of Chanaan. So then let vsus note yt Moses meant to shewe heere more particularly the fauour which God shewed to his people, in nourishing thē in yt land for the which he made it as a man wold say to flow with milke & hony, shewing therby yt that was done euen by miracle. Now for our part it is true yt we shall not be fat fed as in respect of our bodies: but yet in feeling the spirituall benefites which God bestoweth largely vpō vsus, we ought to be moued & stirred vp to this consideration, that when we hauehave protested as solemnely as is possible, yt wee are his, and yt we owe all vntounto him; yet we are not discharged of the hundredth part of our dutie.
And as touching yt which is added cōcerning the great stones, wheron God cōmanded his law to be written; according vntounto yt which wee hauehave already touched; let vsus note, yt God ment to hold his people vnderunder his obedience by al ye means he might. For men by reason of their infirmitie, had neede to be held in awe: and to be called backe vntounto God, to the intēt they swarue not aside frō him. I hauehave already brought a cōparison from ȳe armes of Princes; in steed whereof God woulde hauehave his law to be writtē. And why? For his lawes are his true armes: & his worde the liuely image wherin we ought to behold him. And yt is ye cause why he sayth, ye shal come & present yourselues before my face, when they presented thēselues before the arke, wherein ye law was enclosed. For God would not hauehave any other shape wherby to be represented vntounto men, than only the cōtinuall instruction of his worde, according vntounto that which we hauehave already seene in the fourth chap. where it is said,… 4.12. remēber yt you sawe not ye shape of man, or of any creature whatsoeuer, but you heard the voice of your God. Take heed therfore how ye coūterfeit any thing in this behalf. Now forasmuch as we hauehave ye vnderstanding heereof, let vsus note yt when our Lord vouchsafeth to hauehave his word preached in any place, and lodgeth vsus quietly as it were with his owne hand; it is to the intent we should do him double homage. As many as liue in ye worlde & are fed and sustained by God, ought therefore to confesse yt he is worthie to hauehave all soueraintie ouer them. But seeing we hauehave such a speciall priuilege of God, as to be separated frō the rest of the worlde, & to hauehave his word preached vntounto vsus, & to hauehave libertie to call vponupon his name purely: ought wee not to enforce ourselues to do him double homage for it? Surely this ought now adaies to be throughly cōsidered of. For how great fauour doth God shewe vsus, in that we may vse his sacraments with all liberty, and hauehave our eares eueryevery day filled with the doctrine of saluation; so as he ceaseth not to call vsus vntounto himselfe? Wee see on the other side many wretched people which are held in bondage vnderunder the tyranny of ye Pope, & dare not once open their mouth or make ye least countenāce of worshipping God purely, they hauehave neither churches to resort vntounto, nor any means to be taught: the world sees this. So then we ought in deede to hauehave the armes of God, wherby ye lawe should be presented. But we see the cleane contrary; for as sone as any man cōmeth neere vntounto vsus he shold perceiue a wonderful chāge in vsus by our wtdrawing of ourselues frō the defilements of the vnbeleuing; but whereas men should see yt God raigneth & beareth rule among vsus, & hath his seat & throne with vsus; they may see vsus as loose in liuing as the very ignorauntest in all the worlde, nay a man may see yt God is defied of some of thē, vntounto whom the gospell is preached, & that there are worse diuels & more wicked among thē, than in the deepest dungeon of poperie. And this deserueth double woe. For it is not only to the Iewes that Moyses hath spoken, but it is to shew vntounto all ingenerall, yt as God vouchsafeth vsus the fauor to be his, euen so we ought to remoue al corruptions frō among vsus, yt men may know yt we are in deede his people. Yet notwithstanding, this importeth not yt they which liue in popery are to be excused. Although they be neuersomuch threatned, & can not make a free confession of their faith wtout danger of death: yet they are alwaies guiltie of offending God, in yt they hauehave not honored him. Now if there be no excuse for them, how great shall our condemnation be? For there is nothing to hinder vsus from seruing of God, saue only our owne wickednes & negligence. So then let vsus be diligent to discharge our duetie, not as touching the outward ceremony of great stones which is cōmanded here: but as in respect of the thing which God had a special eye vntounto; namely that eueryevery of vsus should not only yeeld ourselues vntounto his obedience, & dedicate ourselues to follow his will; but also yt with one cōmon accorde, we should shewe yt he is our soueraigne king and that we are vnderunder his gouernmēt; and yt because he hath plāted vsus in such a place where his name is openly called vponupon, & where there are Churches for vsus to come together to make our cōmō prayers, & to confesse our faith in; we also do indeuor to walk in such sort, as men may in deede know, yt those places are not defiled, but reserued vntounto ye glory of him who hath chosē thē to yt vse.
Now for the end & conclusion let vsus note that our Lord will not hauehave his armes blased in such sort as men like of, but yt hee will hauehave his owne Image to be knowen in them: and yt is the cause why he speketh purposly of ye law. The words saith he, of the lawe. The Papistes hauehave chappels, they hauehave crosses, they hauehave gay paintings, & they bere thēselues in hand yt God is represented by them: but he liketh none of all those thinges. What is to be done then? We must returne vntounto ye word, which is the meane whereby God openeth himselfe vntounto vsus, & thereby will he be knowen. Let men therfore content thēselues simply therwith. Now as touching that which he saieth, Let these wordes bee well engraued: hereby we are taught, yt God gaue not his law for a few people, but ment yt it shold be a cōmon doctrin vntounto al, both great & smal, euen to ye most Idiots: and yt all should be instructed by it. And if it were so in ye time of the law, by greater reasō ought it nowadaies to be in force among vsus. For of the gospell it is said yt it should be preached vntounto al creatures.Mar. 16.15. God therfore will not hauehave his doctrin locked vp, and that none but the clergy should thrust their nose into it: but he will hauehave vsus all to be his scholers, & the law so written, yt eueryevery mā may read it. And why? To the intent yt all men should receiue instructiō by it. Let none therfore exempt himselfe frō the reading of it, as we see many do, which say, O I am no clerke, I neuer went to schoole: it pertaineth not to my occupation. I grant in deed yt it is not eueryevery mans occupation to be a teacher. But who may exempt himselfe frō being a scholer in ye word of God? It is all one for a man to renoūce christianity, & to say, ô as for me, I know neither A nor B; what can I tel what ye law of God or any holy scripture meaneth? Neuerthelesse, ye will of God which is declared to vsus in his word, is written in letters big ynough, & albeit yt noweadaies there be not any heape of stones set vp for ye law of God to be written & engraued thereupon; yet notwtstanding our Lord ment to shew vnderunder this figure, yt whē he hath deliuered his word, it is to ye intent ye we should be taught, & ordered by it, & yt the doctrine there of should be cōmon vntounto al. And truly we hauehave no lesse neede to nourish our soules with ye word of God, thā to sustaine our bodies with bread & other daily food. Seeing then it is so, let eueryevery of vsus labor yt way, & let vsus be attentife to harken vntounto our God whē he speaketh vntounto vsus by ye mouth of the minister; & whē we hauehave his holy scripture, let eueryevery man endeuour to be taught by it: they then which hauehave no skill to reade thēselues, let them heare it reade, yt we may shew, yt seeing our Lorde speaketh vntounto vsus, we on our side are ready to receiue yt which he shal say, & desire nothing else, but to profit vnderunder him; & yt in such sort, yt his word be not only engraued in stone & chalke but also imprinted in our hartes, so as in our whole life we seeke to followe it, and giuegive our selues wholely vntounto it.
Nowe let vsus kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of ye great nūber of faults & offences which we cease not to cōmit daily against his maiestie, praying him to make vsus feele thē better thā we hauehave done: yt we may endeuor to amend thē more & more, vntill we be cleane rid of them, and ye forasmuch as we obtaine pardon for thē by the meane of our lord Iesus Christ, we may also increase & be cōfirmed in al righteousnes & holines, yt so we may in deed confirme our calling: and yt forasmuch as he hath chosen vsus for his people, it may please him also to withdraw vsus frō al the defilements of ye world, so as we may be vntounto him an holy people in the name of our lord Iesus Christ. That it may please him to grant this grace not only to vsus but also to all people and Nations of the earth, &c.