Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 192
On Munday the xxix. of Iune, 1556 The CXCII. Sermon which is the second vponupon the xxxiij. Chapter.
3 They bowe downe to thy feete, to receiue of thy wordes.
4 Moses hath commaunded vsus the Lawe for an inheritaunce, vntounto the congregation of Iacob.
5 And was a king among the righteous, when they gathered the heades of the people together, together with the tribes of Israel.
6 Let Ruben liue and not die, and let his people be fewe in number.
7 As touching Iuda he sayde, O Lorde God, hearken to the voyce of Iuda, and bring him in to his people: let his handes suffise him, because thou wilt bee his helpe against his enemies.
HEeretofore Moses had exhorted the people to receiue the Lawe with all obedience: for he hadde sayde that they did cast themselues downe at Gods feete. And it is a kind of speech that is verie rife in the Hebrewe tongue, because the man that is a learner sitteth downe at his maisters feete to receiue learning at his hande. Nowe we hauehave seene howe it behooued the people to bee as it were at Gods feete. To what ende? To heare the woordes of his mouth. And heereby we see that GOD hath the whole souereinetie in his Church, and that although he speake by the mouthes of mortall men, yet doth not that abate any whitte of his right, that men should therefore vsurpe his authoritie, or thrust themselues into his place; but that they ought to deliuer the thinges faithfully which they hauehave receiued of him. To be short, heere it is shewed vsus that the Church of God is to be guyded alonely by his worde, and not by the thinges which men shall hauehave dreamed and deuised of their owne heades. And heerewithall we be also exhorted to obey God, and not to striue against him when he speaketh to vsus, but to stoope and to yeelde ourselues wholly to that which he sayeth. At a worde, heere wee bee brought backe from the bondage of men, to the ende that our fayth should not depende vppon this man or yt man, but be grounded vponupon God. And by the way it is shewed vsus, that it is our dutie to humble ourselues vntounto God, and to profit vnderunder his worde and in his schoole, so as wee may suffer our selues to be gouerned by his doctrine.
Nowe heereupon it followeth, That Moses gaue the Lawe for an inheritaunce to the Congregation of Israell. This serueth to expresse better what worde it is whereof he had made mention. For eueryevery man can well ynough graunt that GOD deserueth well to be hearde and obeyed: and the wickeddest folke in the worlde will magnifie Gods worde; but in the meane while there are very fewe which by their deedes doe shewe themselues throughly willing to doe that which they say. And why? They woulde hauehave God to come downe from heauen, and to sende vsus his Angelles to tell vsus his will. But he will trie our fayth after another fashion. True it is that he ratified his Lawe in olde time, and shewed that it came from heauen, and that it was not deuised by men. But nowe hee will hauehave his Lawe preached vntounto vsus by meanes of men, and that the same shalbe of as great force, as if hee himselfe were present in his own being and maiestie. As for the Gospell, wee knowe it hath had his confirmation, and that it is not for vsus to dout whether it be Gods trueth or no. But now, what are they that bring vsus the Gospell? They be mortall creatures, so as this treasure (as sayth Saint Paule) is in brittle vesselles;2. Cor. 4.7. like as if a man should put a two or three thousande Crownes into a potte that is not woorth aboue a cupple of pence, euen so is it in that our Lorde will hauehave the doctrine of saluation which is an inestimable benefite, to be declared vntounto vsus by men like our selues, which beare no great showe, nor are of any estimation to the worldewarde: and yetnotwithstanding he will hauehave his worde to be of as great estimation among vsus, as if he himselfe were personally present with vsus. And for that cause he sayeth,Luke. 10.16. He that heareth you, heareth me, and he that refuseth you, refuseth me. For in that place, our Lorde Iesus Christ ment not to exalt men: but to shewe that Gods worde ought not to be the lesse esteemed, although there bee no man to giuegive estimation thereto. For we must not hauehave an eie to the messenger, but to him that sendeth him. So then, we see how Moses hauing spoken of Gods worde, and hauing shewed that they which call themselues faithfull, ought to submit themselues thereto; addeth, Moses gaue the Lawe, meaning thereby that we neede not to goe to the newfounde Iles to seeke Gods worde, nor to passe ouer the sea (as we hauehave seene already,Deut. 30.12) nor to goe downe into the bottome of the earth; but that Gods worde is in our mouth and in our heart, at leastwise if GOD worke there by his holy spirite. For well might we hauehave our eares beaten therewith, but our heartes should not be touched at all, vnlesse God gaue force thereto. But when our Lord inlighteneth vsus, and maketh vsus to feele that it is he that speaketh; then hauehave we his word in our heart; and againe, we hauehave it also in our mouth, to confesse it to be the infallible trueth. And if we set our delight therein, wee shall no more stand in doubt whether it were best for vsus to receiue it or not, but wee shall be fully resolued thereof. Wherefore let vsus learne by this text, that if we will honor God and obey him, and quietly receiue both his lawe and his Gospell when they bee preached vntounto vsus by the mouths of men: we must not forbeare to doe him the honor to submit our selues vntounto him, although hee appeare not a…ter a visible maner, ne send vsus his Angels from heauen. For it is a true tryall of our faith, when for the honor of him, we forbeare not to accept of men which cary not any great countenance, nor hauehave any estimation at all. That is the thing which we hauehave to beare away here in the first place.
Now immediatly he saith that the lawe belongeth vntounto vsus, because it serueth for the whole congregation of Israell. For we knowe that God hath gathered vsus together with the Iewes, and that in the end when they had shut out and banished themselues from the promise of saluation, we succeeded in their place. Seeing it is so, looke what was spoken concerning the children of Israell, which were come of the race of Abraham as in respect of the flesh: ye same ought to be applyed vntounto vsus at this day. And therefore it is no superfluous speech, when it is sayde that the law was giuen. Let vsus learne then, yt seeing our Lord will hauehave vsus to receiue his word, assuring our selues that it is spoken to vsus, and dedicated to vsus for the health of our soules, it is not as a seed that is throwen into the ayre; but that God speaketh in such wise, as he sheweth that it is for our profit to be so taught, and that he will so approch vntounto vsus, as we may be knit vntounto him. Now then whereas we hauehave heard, that folke must cast themselues downe at Gods feete to heare his word: let vsus vnderstand yt wee be those folke. Sith we know that Gods word lyeth and consisteth in his lawe; let vsus assure ourselues that it is the treasure & benefite which God hath prepared for ye food and sustenance of his children accordingly also as he speaketh thereof to the woman of Chanaan,…. 7.27. where he saith yt men must not giuegive the bread of children vntounto dogs. True it is that at ye time we were as dogs, yt is to say, al the hea…hen men of ye world were reiected. And our Lord Iesus Christ sheweth, yt as in respect of our first state, we be no more worthy to be partakers of this benefite; than a dogge is to go to a mans table. None but the children are to take their sustenance and refection there. Howbeit forasmuch as at this day God hath called vsus, & we be his true Church & flocke; this breade is therwithal giuen vsus for our sustenāce. And therfore let vsus not suffer Gods word to slip away, whē it is preached vntounto vsus, but let eueryevery of vsus appl…e it to our vse.
And Moses declareth expresly that it is for an inheritance to the Church of Israel, to do thē to vnderstand yt it was not giuen for a time, but to the intent it shold be receiued frō age to age, and yt al men shold giuegive thēselues to it, so as there might be one consent of faith betweene the fathers and the children, accordingly as it is saide thereof in the song of Zacharie, & as the Prophet Malachie also had sayde thereof afore.Mal. 4.6. Luk. 1.17.18 Let vsus marke then, that this worde Inheritance, or Heritage importeth a perpetuitie of Gods word, so as it must not bee receiued alonely by such as liue at some one time, and afterward bee buryed: but the fathers must hauehave a care to make their children agree thereunto after their decease, that all men may obey God and honor him to the ende. If a man hauehave goods, he will keepe them with great care for his children; and when he dyeth he is well apayd that he leaueth them not vnprouided for, but that they may hauehave some inheritance. But in the meane while we consider not which is the principal good thing which ought to be left to those which come after vsus: which is that they may be partakers of Gods adoption, and accounted among the company of his children. That is the cause why Moses warneth here ye people which had bin duely trayned vp in Gods word, that it serued not for them alone, but yt God bound th… ̄ to leaue the same inheritance in possession to their posteritie, and would hauehave his Lawe to be knowen continually, & that it should abide frō age to age in full force and authoritie for euer. And therefore whēsoeuer we come to a Sermō; let vsus vnderstand yt our Lord calleth vsus to him, to the intent that our childrē should be drawen thither with vsus.Gen. 17.7. 1. Cor. 7.14. And forasmuch as he of his infinite goodnes receiueth them afore they bee borne, and declareth that he will be their father and Sauiour, and putteth them aforehand into the aray and company of his, accordingly also as they be baptised in ye vertue of that promise: needs must we be worse than vnthankful, if we hauehave not a care to teach them, whē they come to discretion: and let vsus assure our selues that this inheritance is oftē lost through the leawdnes of men, or through their carelesnes and coldnes, so as their childrē are depriued thereof. We see what is happened to the world. Wee see the horrible disorder which hath bin eueryevery where, and is yet still in a number of countries, which make great account of themselues, and deeme themselues to be of great worthines. If a man should aske the Italians, the Frenchmen, and a great sort of the Almaines, of what worthines they be; they will set so great estimation vppon themselues in their pride, as ye would maruel: and yet are they all banished from the inheritance of God, they are all disherited, they be depriued of the foode of saluation which God hath ordayned for his children. Seeing it is so, let vsus see that we be more diligent in keeping this inheritance, & sith our Lord hath put it as a gage into our handes, let eueryevery of vsus inforce himselfe to teach the younger sort, that the trueth may bee receiued continually from hand to hand, and that GOD may reigne among vsus euerlastingly. And to the intent wee may hauehave the more zeale and good will thereto, let vsus call to minde that which I hauehave sayd afore, namely that if wee should compare all the goods in the world, and all the riches that fathers can leaue to their children, with this: they be nothing in comparison of this heauēly treasure of Gods auowing of vsus to be of his houshold, and of his declaring that he will dwel among vsus, to make vsus partakers of his glorie. Seing then that our Lord assigneth vsus so great a good thing; it is reason that he should bee preferred before all the thinges which are to be desired in this world, and which rauish all our wits and willes from vsus.
Now he addeth afterward, That he was a king among the vpright dealers; that is to say, in Israell. This sentence is commonly vnderstood concerning Moses, because he was spoken of in the last verse. For he had sayd, Moses gaue vsus the Lawe: and now he addeth, he was a king in Israel. But we knowe it was not the custome of Moses to call himselfe king. For the time was not yet come wherein God should hauehave chosen and ord…yned a king to hauehave preheminence. Saul was the first:1. Sam. 10.1. yea and that was through a rebellion of the people. But God chose Dauid, to the intent that the kingdome should bee stablished in his person. And vntill that time, the people were at libertie, and God named himself their king, and called the people a royall priesthood. So then, no doubt but that here Moses contineweth the matter which hee had begunne already; namely that the people should sit downe at the feete of God to heare his word. He declareth after what maner wee should sit downe at Gods feete to be his scholers, and that hee may be our maister, and we be taught at his mouth: It is (saith he) by being our king therewithall. Hee sheweth that whereas God abaceth himselfe so farre as to be our teacher; his so dooing ought not to cause vsus to despise him, or to diminish his maiestie: but therewithal he must also be a king. Let vsus beare in minde then, that the doctrine which wee receiue of God, is as the speach of a king, and it behoueth vsus to tremble vnderunder him: so as wee may not onelyonly be as little children yt record their lesson vnderunder a maister; but also that both great and small doe come to heare what God speaketh, and giuegive eare vntounto it with all humilitie, and that his lawes may preuaile and hauehave their force amongest vsus. The thing then in effect which Moses meant in this place, is that hauing shewed that God stoopeth so lowe vntounto our meanesse, yt he maketh himselfe as a scholemaister, and voutsafeth to hauehave vsus sit at his feet, to the intent we should be familiarly taught at his hand; yet ceaseth he not therefore to bee a king, and to keepe still his dominion and degree, so that what excellencie soeuer bee in men, they must not presume to skorne the doctrine that is preached vntounto them, but euen the very kinges of the earth ought all of them to submit themselues to it, and hee as the onelyonly head ought to hauehave all preheminence and soueraigne dominion ouer vsus.
To be short, we hauehave two things to consider in Gods word, the one is his infinite goodnesse, in that he commeth downe to vsus, and becōmeth familiar with vsus, and (as yee would say) dandleth vsus, and speaketh to vsus as kindly as a nurse woulde speake to her babe. Seeing then that God doth so fashion himselfe to our small capacitie; wee ought of right to louelove well his worde. But yet therewithall let vsus marke also, that hee will not bereaue himselfe of his right, that hee should not continue King for euer, and wee tremble vnderunder him, and bee subiect to his lawes and commandements. Thus the thing which we hauehave in effect to beare in mind, is that Gods word ought to bee as sweete to vsus as honie, and as precious as Gold and Siluer, as Dauid speaketh thereof.Psal. 19.11. And he doth expresly name the people of Israell by the terme of vpright persons, as he had done afore; to shewe vponupon what condition wee be Gods Church; namely that vprightnesse and Iustice should reigne among vsus. For we knowe that God wil not be intangled in our disorders, if we should rush out into any maner of eull: for in so doing it might seeme that wee would driue God farre from vsus. So much the more then ought wee to marke well this text, that God was king among the vpright. For it serueth to the end that we should first vnderstand, that if wee obey Gods Lawe, his kingdome flourisheth. And againe, when wee serue him, he maketh vsus to be righteous, & certesse, our true righteousnesse dependeth vponupon our hearkening vntounto God, & ought to be esteemed thereafter. As for those then which are disobedient to the lawe and the Gospell; doe well shewe that they cannot abyde that GOD should gouerne them; and that is all one as if they defied him, and would not admit him for their king and Prince. True it is that none of the wicked sort of this worlde will confesse that their intent is to alienate thēselues from God after that maner: but yet is it so indeede, and it is not for them to pleade to the contrarie, bycause the soueraigne Iudge hath giuen definitiue sentence thereof. Also let vsus marke by the way, that God neuer reigneth among vsus, except our conuersation bee conformable to his worde, so as wee forsake all our owne wicked affections to obey him. And therewithall let vsus beare in mynde likewise that there will bee no righteousnes when eueryevery man wil needes serue God after his owne deuotion as we see ye world doeth which museth vppon these pelting fonde toyes: insomuch that the Papistes seeme to thē selues to be halfe Angels, so long as they hauehave daunced their common trace, that is to say, hauehave played the brute beastes. But the very true righteousnes which God alloweth and accepteth, is to suffer our selues to bee gouerned by his hand, & to hauehave none other leader than his single worde.
He sayeth immediatly, in gathering the heads of the people, and the Trybes of Israel together. Heere hee expresseth the concorde which ought to bee in Gods Church, euen from the greatest to the least. Whereas hee sayeth in gathering or assembling, hee sheweth that as soone as GOD hath spoken, there ought to be a conformitie and true vnion amongs vsus. We must not be at variaunce, one drawing one way and another another; but eueryevery of vsus must yeelde & assemble together, that none but God may hauehave any preheminence ouer vsus, and that we may be gathered together in one, as it were vnderunder his winges. That then is the gathering together which Moses speaketh of heere. And therfore we may conclude thereupon, that when Gods word is not preached, although mē agree together, yet their agreement is cursed, & there is nothing but confusion in it. Will we thē be so knit together, as God may allowe of the concorde that is among vsus? Let him be alwayes our head; let his word be the mean to fashion vsus one like an other; let there be no brotherhoode but because there is one father cōmon to vsus al, and yt wee be his children together by one common accorde. And herein it is to be seene, that all the fond bragging of the Papists is but smoke & leasing, when they say that they agree among themselues. For it is alwayes to bee considered what the bonde is. Now the Papistes agree in all disobedience, so as they must needes bee stubborne in refusing Gods worde, and trample his truth vnderunder their feete; or else we see that without that there is no accesse to be had vntounto them. Seeing then that their linking in together is but to withdrawe themselues from God: wo worth that vnion. But if we will hauehave a holy and commendable concorde, such as God may allowe of: let vsus begin at this point; namly that we hearken to his voyce, and yt we followe it, shewing therby that we bee his true sheepe, & that we take him for our sheepeheard. And in so doing let vsus take him also for our king (as it is sayde in this text,) that he also may take vsus for his people and Church; and then we may be bolde to defie all such as behaue themselues after their owne inuentions and fancies.
Nowe therewithall Moses sheweth that there is no man which ought not to submit himselfe to Gods worde, when he sayeth in gathering the heades and all the Trybes together. Heere then is no exception: neither ought ye great ones to alleage either their authority or their power: for they be the folke which ought to shewe the way, and which ought by their exāple to induce the meaner people to obedience. Therefore when our Lord speaketh, let the heads be as lowely as the inferiour sort, & let them lead the daunce and reach their hands to all the residue. For in very deede when the great men and rich men of this worlde, and such as are in any estimation despise Gods worde & set light by it: it is a dubble stumblingblocke, because men hauehave an eye to them, & they be as it were set vp on a hygh stage. The disorder therefore which they make is such, that they must yeelde dubble account vntounto God, for yt they hauehave bin the cause of the backeslyding of many simple & weake soules. And therefore let vsus learn yt whensoeuer God speaketh, those to whō he hath giuen yt greater giftes of grace, & which hauehave any dignity or excellency, must shewe that Gods prouoking of thē to come vntounto him is not in vaine, & they must be the first that obey him. And on the other side the rude & vnskilful must not alleadge, We be no Clerks, we be no men of great vnderstanding; for it is sayde that all the Trybes of Israell must likewise assemble together. Let vsus conclude then, yt as the great ones must shew the way to the litle ones; so all the people generally and without exception, must submit them selues to God, & al of vsus must become his scholers, seeing he vouchsafeth to be our scholemaister; and al of vsus must be his people, seeing he doth vsus the honor to set his royall seate among vsus. That is the effect of the thing which wee hauehave to remember vponupon this place.
But let vsus come to the blessinges which Moses giueth to the Tribes of Israell. I hauehave tolde you afore that they be not single prayers, made as by a priuate man: but that forasmuch as God had appointed him to be his deputie, he declareth that the state of the Church shalbe alwayes blessed, & that God will hauehave a care therof. Moses then speaketh heere, not in his owne person, nor of his owne authoritie; but as one gouerned by the holy Ghost, and as one whom God caused to shewe foorth the fatherly care which he would alwayes hauehave of his Church. To be short, there is nothing heere which ought to be fathered vppon a mortall man: but by the mouth of Moses God sheweth that hee hath not chosen the children of Abraham in vaine, but that hee will continue his goodnesse towardes them to the ende, and shew in very deede that they be a people whom he hath adopted to himselfe and dedicated to his owne seruice, and of whom he wilbe the defender. Howebeit, forasmuch as these thinges shalbe layd foorth more at large; I doe but touch them shortly as nowe.
Let vsus come to that which is spoken of Ruben. Let Ruben liue, and not dy. We know that Ruben was Iacobs eldest sonne, and ought to hauehave obteyned the right of the first begotten, and ought to hauehave had a double portion, and to hauehave reigned among his brothers: but he was bereft of it by his owne leaudenesse. For he committed incest, which was a crime worthy of more than death: he deserued to hauehave beene wyped out of the worlde, and to hauehave had his name reprochfull for euer.Gen. 35.22. Neuerthelesse God pardoned him. Yea, but not without chastisement, as we see by the blessing which was giuen him: and he seemeth rather to hauehave beene accursed. For Iacob his father sayde vntounto him,Gen 49.3. Ruben, thou wast my first borne, the beginning of my force and strength; but thou hast also beene the beginning of my sorrowes. And therefore thou must slippe away like water, and drie vp. For thou diddest loose the title of thy birth right, when thou wentest vp vponupon thy fathers bedde, and committedst incest, which is a horrible crime. Forasmuch therefore as thou hast beene a greefe and sorrowe to me whereas I ought to hauehave receyued ioye and comfort of thee; thou must be banished and excluded from thy birthryght, and from the dignitie which thou shouldest hauehave had. It shold seeme yt Iacob taketh too great displeasure against his eldest son, when he ouerwhelmeth him so with infamie, & thundereth so against him. Howbeit, yt is but a temporall correction. For notwithstāding this, yet he continueth stil a Patriarke. And soothly it is a great honor, that a detestable villaine hauing broken the whole order of nature, yea and committed aduowtrie with his own fathers wife, did yet for all yt, liue still vponupon the earth. But God maketh him a Patriark in his Church, & he wil hauehave his name holy & his posteritie holy. Lo here a wō derful mercifulnes of God. Yet must he be faine to humble himselfe, & hauehave his fault knowen, yt hee may no more flatter himselfe. That is the cause why Iacob speaketh so roughly, and (as ye would say) thundereth against him being his eldest sonne as I sayd afore. Now the comfort which Moses setteth downe here, may seeme straunge, as why he should say, Let Ruben liue and not dye. It was to the end that the tribe of Rubē, (that is to say, the people which came of him, for there were at that time a great number of heades of howses, as it were about a fiftie thowsand men,) should thinke with thēselues, we bee after a sort cut off frō gods house. For inasmuch as our father was after a sort banished & bereft of his byrthright, and wee be succeeded in his place; what is our inheritance now but vtter infamie? Thus ye see how ye Rubenites, (that is to say the people yt came of Rubens line,) might hauehave bin ashamed, if they had not bin vpheld, by putting their trust in God, to serue him with a pure and freehearted affection, or if their heartes had failed them so as they had not still imbraced the promise of saluation which had bin made vntounto them, and knowen themselues to be the children of Abraham, a linage which God had accepted and separated from the rest of the world. It behoued the Rubenites to hauehave that. And for that cause it is sayd, Let Rubē liue & not dye: as if Moses had sayd, true it is yt Rubē deserued to hauehave his lyfe thrust downe to the bottom of hell: but yet shall he liue; for his fault is forgiuen; and God hath giuen him lyfe, & that not such a common lyfe as all the sonnes of Adam hauehave, but Ruben shal liue in the Church of God, he shall hauehave place among the Patriarkes, & the people which shall come of him shall be a member of Gods Church, and of the number of those people whom he hath chosen and sanctifyed. Thus then wee see now the meaning of Moses.
And here we be taught, that it ought to suffice vsus when our Lord taketh vsus to merciemercy, to reserue vsus to be of his people. When we hauehave offended him, so as we deserue to be cast off, & to be vtterly disclaymed at his hand: it ought well to suffice vsus if wee may but hauehave a place still in his Church, & be taken & admitted for his childrē. Moreouer, if we be chastized for our faults, let vsus take it in good worth & beare it patiently, & let vsus not doe as they doe which grudge & grinde their teeth when God chastizeth thē, & think they hauehave great wrong if they be not dādled, when they hauehave more neede to be handled roughly. Let vsus then beare all ye temporal correctiōs which God sendeth vsus, with such mildnes & meeknes, as it may suffise vsus to be cōforted, in yt he dooth not rase vsus out of the register of lyfe, but are accounted still among his childrē. Doth God then smite some with sicknesse, some with pouertie, and some after some other sortes, so as they pine away in this world, & wote not where to become? Well let all this bee easie for vsus to beare, so long as we hauehave stil wherwith to sweeten our sorrowe: that is, when God sheweth vsus yt notwithstanding our imperfections & miseries, yet he ceaseth not to be our father still. So long as we hauehave that; let vsus ouergoe all the temptations in the world. Well, I must bee heare as a wretched creature, skorned, an outcast of the world, shamed & despised; I shall see no end nor measure of miseries: but what for all this? Yet is it enough for me so I bee auowed for the childe of God. Thus ye see what we hauehave to gather vppon this place, when God doth continually put vsus in minde of our desertes, and toucheth vsus with thē, & maketh vsus to feele them by proofe and experience: For whereas he sayth: Let Ruben liue and not dye: it is to shewe them what he were worthie of, & that it was needefull in deede that God should hauehave pitie vppon him; insomuch yt if he had listed to hauehave vsed rigor, hee deserued to hauehave bin vtterly rooted out. That then is the first poynt which wee hauehave to remember vppon this place.
Moses addeth, let his people be fewe in nūber. In deede a man might here repeate the former saying thus, let him not dy & let not his people be few in number. But that were constrained & forced. The naturall sense then is, that the Rubenites should be small in number: not that they shoulde not be a great multitude of folke; for (as I tolde you afore) they were fiue and fortie Thowsand men besides women & children: and that is an incredible multitude to come of oneman alone. But Moses meaneth small in number, because Ruben & all his ofpring, which ought to hauehave had preheminence ouer all the children of Abraham, was basely & slenderly esteemed, and placed in a very lowe degree. Therefore it is all one as if he had sayd, Although Ruben be not restored to his honor, but dooth still beare the marke of his reproch, and is faine to holde himselfe among the common aray of the children of Israel, and to be subiect to his brother Iuda; & to yeelde reuerence to him as to his superior: yet notwithstanding, let him liue. To be shorte, Moses confirmeth that which I hauehave declared already, that is to wit, that although Rubē was put from his byrthright because of his wicked doinges, and so became vnworthy of the honor which had bin done vntounto him: yet notwithstanding his linage ought not therefore to bee dismaid, but rather take comfort in that God held them still in the number of his people. And although they be not Capteines, ne hauehave ye kingdome in their trybe: yet ought they not therefore to fret & repine, but rather to abide in their degree, & to be glad that they hauehave God still to their father, & to set their whole felicitie & joy there: & in the meane season to beare the correction patiently which God sendeth them as a medicine, and to make their benefite thereof. And moreouer they ought not to bee out of hope, as though God had disclaymed them: but assure themselues that they were still reteyned for the linage of Abraham, which was blessed & had the promise of euerlasting saluation.
Immediatly after hee setteth downe concerning Iuda. Let it be thus vntounto Iuda, saith he. And he saith, Lord heare the voyce of Iuda. Moses magnifieth not the tribe of Iuda so greatly heere, as he did in Genesis in the person of Iacob. For there he is likened to a lyon whom no man dareth waken vp.… …9.8.9 And againe he saith he shalbe Lorde of all his brethren, so as all of them must stoope vntounto him, and bowe their knees to him: and finally that the scepter shall not depart from his house, nor the Lawgiuer frō betweene his knees, vntill God hauehave sent the Redeemer whom he had promised. Seing that these things were spoken of the tribe of Iuda; it is maruaile that Moses speaketh so shortly of them heere. And againe, hee maketh no mention of the fruitfulnesse which God promised him: As that his teeth should be whyted with milke, that is to say, that he shoulde hauehave good and fat grasinggrounde, so as hee might drinke milke his belly ful; that his eyes should be red with wine, that is to say, that he should hauehave goodly vyneyardes. Heereby he meant to shew, what should become of the tribe of Iuda, and of all his people. And why then doth Moses speake heere so sparely thereof? It behooueth vsus to marke, that by the blessings which Moses vttereth heere, hee meant not to deface the remembrance of the things which he had written afore concerning the state of Iuda, in the testament or last will of Iacob: but to make as it were a Codicill vntounto it, as men terme that which is added to a last will that is made afore. And when there is such a Codicill, it serueth not to impeach the former last will, nor yet to burie it so as it should not be knowen. For it is but an appendant, and the Codicill it selfe were nothing worth without the will, and that it were added to it. Truly a man may well make a will alone by it selfe: but as for the Codicill, it is but as a thing belonging thereto or as a short matter that is added to the will. After that manner doeth Moses deale heere. For hauing set downe there the last will of Iacob, as an authenticall matter, and such as ought to hauehave his full force and effect: nowe for the larger confirmation thereof, hee addeth this comfort which we hauehave seene concerning Ruben, and the comfort which wee shall see to morrow concerning Leui and such like. Nowe his speaking of the tribe of Iuda, is to confirme the thing which had beene spoken afore by the mouth of Iacob. True it is that they be two sundrie persons which speake: but yet is all done in the name of God, and by his authoritie. Iacob was not a priuate person when he blessed his children: but he was Gods deputie. As much is to be saide of Moses. Therefore he represented alwayes the person of God, who declareth that he hath chosen his people, and will maintaine them to the end, and hauehave a fatherly care of them. To be short, this shortnes serueth not to abate the dignitie that was giuen to the tribe of Iuda: but to continue the thing which he had said afore, to the intent we should knowe that God ment not to disappoint Iuda of the promise which he had made vntounto him, but that it shoulde bee performed in his children. And therefore hee saith, Lorde heare the voice of Iuda.
Heereby Moses sheweth, that the tribe of Iuda shoulde not attaine to the kingdome without impediment. True it is that Iacob had said, that the scepter shoulde not depart from the tribe of Iuda.Gen. 49.10. And where is this king? Yee see that the tribe of Iuda surmounted all the rest of the tribes at such time as God deliuered his people out of the lande of Egypt. It is true that Nahasson had the preheminence, when the offerings were made in the sanctuarie.Nomb. 2.3. It is true that when God distributed his host among the fower captaines of his people, Iuda was the formost. Howbeit, that was but a very darke shadowe, he had neither kingdome nor principalirie. It should seeme then that the things which are spoken here concerning the scepter and the kingdome, are to no purpose. For those thinges were not yet seene. Againe, let vsus consider what happened to the people after the decease of Moses. Iosua ruled them, and the Iudges succeeded him.1. Sam. 9.1. Thē came Saul of the tribe of Beniamin, who was made king. And what shall become of Iuda? The thinges that Iacob had spoken seemed to bee but a iest. And yet it is God that saide that the kingdome should come from thence. Nowe Moses sheweth heere, that Iuda must bee faine to call vppon God, that is to say that the tribe of Iuda must sigh and grone and indure much hardnesse, ere it attained to the degree of honour, and vntounto the thinges which God had promised them. Wee see then that things shall not [alwayes] come to passe out of hande, immediatly after that God hath promised them. Beholde, Iacob appointeth Iuda to hauehave the birthright in his house, by reason whereof hee hath the right of the first begotten ouer all his brethren, and it seemeth that all should bee subiect to him. And yet for a time there was no whit of it seene, but rather Iacob seemed to hauehave doted, and that these things serued to no purpose. Afterward at the end of fower hundred yeares or thereabouts, (for there were not full fower hundred yeares,) came Moses. But at the ende of three hundred and fiftie yeares or thereaboutes he came and said, Iuda, pray to God, hee will heare thy voyce, and herken vntounto thee. As if he should say, My friendes, ye hauehave a promise of the kingdome in the tribe of Iuda, and trouble not your selues though it be not performed presently before your eyes, but tarie till God worke, and he in the end will performe that which he hath promised. Be of good hope therefore and possesse the kingdome now by faith, vntill God shewe openly by the effect, that it was hee that spake by the mouth of your father Iacob. Thus we see now in effect, what the meaning of Moses was. The residue we must reserue vntill to morrowe.
Nowe let vsus kneele downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes, praying him to forbeare to hauehave respect of the multitude and greatnes of them, & but onelyonly to correct them by his holy spirit, and so to increase his strength in vsus from day to day as we may fight against all temptations, and be reformed in such wise to his obedience, as nothing may let him to reigne as king ouer vsus, nor vsus to doe him homage by dedicating our selues to him in all iustice, holinesse, and righteousnesse, but that they may bee the true marke whereby we may be knowen to be his children, and that we may feele him to reigne among vsus, and we more and more finde sauour in his promises; so as we may be drawen to the kingdome of heauen, and drawen away from this worlde, and not helde backe to it any more as wee hauehave beene too much afore. That it may please him to grant this grace, not onelyonly to vsus, but also to al people and Nations of the earth, &c.