Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 195
On Thursday the second of Iuly, 1556. The CXCV. sermon, which is the fifth vponupon the xxxiij. Chapter.
12 Also he saide of Beniamin, The beloued of the Lorde shall dwell safelie by him. He shalbe a shadowe ouer him all the day, and he shall dwell betwixt his shoulders.
13 Also he said of Ioseph, His Land is blessed of the Lorde, through the heauenly sweetenesse of the deaw, and of the watersprings lying beneath,
14 And through the sweetnesse of the fruits of the Sunne, and the sweetnesse of the influence of the Moone,
15 And through the toppe of the auncient mountaine, & through the sweetnesse of the euerlasting hilles,
16 And through the sweetnesse of the earth, and the plentifulnesse therof. And the good fauour of him that dwelt in the bush, shall come plentifully vppon the heade of Ioseph, and vponupon the Crowne of the Nazarits head among his brethren.
17 His beawtie is as the first borne of a bull, and his hornes are as the hornes of an Vnicorne. With them shall hee dash the people together vntounto the ends of the earth. These are the thousands of Ephraim and the thousands of Manasses.
YEsterday in the blessing of Leuie, we sawe this promise, that God will mainetaine such as preach his worde faithfully, insomuch that although they hauehave many enemies in this world, and bee assailed on all sides; yet are they sure that God will shewe himselfe on their side, and strengthen them when he seeth that Satan streyneth himself by all meanes to make cleane riddance of them. And therein he hath an eye to ye welfare of all his people. For Gods Church shoulde perish, if it were not preserued by good and pure doctrine. God then must bee faine to reach out his mightie hande ouer all those which preach his word, to the intent they may be mainteined though all the world striue to ouerthrow them.
Nowe he speaketh of Beniamin, and he saith, That he shall dwell safely by God, and be his wel beloued; and that God will shelter him and dwell betwixt his shoulders. I hauehave told you already that heere Moses confirmeth and warranteth the promises which God had vttered afore by the mouth of Iacob: or else that where there was any hardnesse in them, Moses mitigateth the same, to the intent that the faithfull should not bee troubled out of measure. As touching the tribe of Beniamin, Iacob had saide that it shoulde bee like a woolfe that inatcheth vp his pray in the morning,… …9.27. and diuideth the spoile at night. For that is the natiue sense. Beniamin then shalbe as a rauening woolfe, alwayes giuen to the pray: insomuch that when hee hath robbed in the morning, he shall diuide the spoile at night also. It is a harde condition that a people shoulde liue vppon robbing and rauening: and it might seeme by that meanes that they were disgraded. For we knowe that all men will hate them that vse such violence and liue vponupon the spoile of other men by doing them harme and anoyance. To be short, it seemeth that the tribe of Beniamin shoulde become as robbers. Truely this was spoken in respect that in the ende they shoulde bee placed in the borders or marches of two kingdomes; which thing came to passe when the kingdome of Israel was departed from the tribe of Iuda. For then the one halfe of the tribe of Beniamin abode on the one side, and the other halfe on the other side; by reason whereof they were as members rent in peeces. And because the first brunts lighted vppon them, so as they were faine to beare the first blowes: it behooued them also to be men of warre. That was the thing which Iacob had an eye vntounto. Yet coulde it not bee but that the Beniamits must bee grieued, seeing that God did set them there, to maintaine themselues by violence, and to bee alwayes with sworde in hande. It was a verie harde case, whereat the faithfull might be sore grieued and disquieted. Heere therefore Moses qualifieth the thing which might seeme ouer sharpe in ye Prophesie of Iacob; in respect wherof he saith yt Beniamin shalbe Gods derling, and that he shall dwell safely by him. Soothly it was requisite that the Beniamits, (at leastwise the faithfull sort of thē) should be comforted, because there befel horrible enormities, so as it might hauehave seemed that God had appointed that house to bee as a lookingglasse of his wrath. At one time all the people of Israel were faine to set themselues against them to roote them out.Iudg. 20. And in very deede there was a solemne othe taken to hauehave slaine them all so as one man of them shoulde not hauehave beene left aliue: and they were driuen to deuise meanes howe to saue fower hundred men which were not in the battell, but were by chaunce in a Towne neere by. Ye see then how the tribe of Beniamin should hauehave beene rooted out of the world.
Now it might seeme that by this meanes Satan had made a breach which God foresawe not before it was come to passe, or else that hee had failed of his promise in maintaining the ofspring of Abraham. This (say I) was a great temptation. And therefore not without cause doth Moses preuent it, and giuegive a good remedy to such as could patiently beare the punishmēts that God sent vponupon them: and he saith that yet for all that, that tribe should not cease to be beloued of God, and to dwell by him in safetie as vnderunder his hande. But wee must note that this profited not al of them in general. For the tribe of Beniamin was great,Iudg. 20.15 and we see there went a great armie of them to the fielde: And needes must it bee that they were of great force, when all the people of Israel were faine to go to battell to punish the cursed deede which had bene committed in murthering the Leuites wife,Iudg. 19.25 and the abhominable sinne of Sodome which had reigned in the Citie of Gabaa; which had beene suffered by all the Beniamits; insomuch that to mans seeming, God was minded to hauehave thundred downe vppon them, to shewe the like vengeance as he had done afore in Sodome & Ghomorre. It was not therefore for any small number to hauehave done this. And so wee hauehave to gather, that when God maketh any promise to a Nation, a great number of them shal not faile to perish; but yet those which call vppon his name purely shalbe preserued, as it is saide in Ioel,Ioel. 2.31. Although there seeme to be some waterfloude to ouerflowe all; yet will God finde incomprehensible meanes to drawe his seruantes out of it, so as they shall not perish with the multitude. And therefore when wee hauehave any promise, let vsus bethinke our selues, and receiue it with purenesse of faith: and then let vsus not doubt but it shalbe performed. But if we thinke that God should be bound vntounto vsus, because we hauehave heard ye promise; and in the meane while bee disordred and carelesse of him, so as it may rather seeme that we would hauehave nothing at all to doe with him: surely hee can well shewe himselfe to be faithfull and performe his saying, & yet wee notwithstanding shall perish, so as the same shall stande vsus in no steade. And indeede, we see how God worketh after that manner for the preseruation of the state of his Church. He saith generally yt he is our defender: & yet notwithstāding we see yt the greatest number goes to wrecke, and that the number which remaineth is very small. Yea, but yet doth God continually bring to passe, that his Church abydeth vnquenched, and that there is still some remnant left, according to this saying of Esay,Esay 1.9. that he will reserue still some little seede. And therefore let vsus beware that we be of the seede which God reserueth to himselfe, when hee punisheth those which turne away from him, notwithstanding that they did erst beare the name and title to bee of his house, and in deede God did direct the promises of saluation vntounto them, but they receiued them not. Wherefore let vsus take heede that wee run not into disorder with the greater number.
And it is saide expresly, that God will shrowde him, dwelling betweene his shoulders. Heere Moses sheweth why God will maintaine the tribe of Beniamin, which notwithstanding might seeme to be vtterly perished: namely for yt he woulde dwel vppon his shoulders. For the temple was builded in the tribe of Beniamin. Although the kingdome was in the tribe of Iuda, and that the kinges house also was set there: yet in the parting of their inheritances, the mountaine of Sion fell to the lot of the Beniamits. God then dwelt vponupon his shoulders or betweene his shoulders; as if a man should beare some burthen vponupon his necke, so doeth God declare that Beniamin did partly beare him as I hauehave tolde you, because it was his will to dwell vponupon him and to hauehave his Temple there. And he speaketh of his shoulders as in respect of mount Sion. And so forasmuch as Beniamin did beare God vponupon his shoulders, that is to say, because the Temple wherein it was Gods will to be serued, was builded in the tribe of Beniamin, and the people were to assemble on Sion to doe homage vntounto God, and Beniamin serued to that purpose: therefore it is saide that God was (after a sort) vppon his shoulders. That then is the reason why Beniamin was well beloued of God. Not that he had any whit deserued it: for wherof came it yt God chose mount Sion for his dwelling place? Euen of his owne free louelove, which hee bare to Beniamin. So then let vsus not dreame that Beniamin preuented Gods grace with any worthinesse: but Moses declareth, that Gods vttering of his louelove and fauour towards the tribe of Beniamin, & that there should be a manifest recorde and token thereof in the building of the Temple there, and that the tribe of Beniamin shoulde euer continue vnderunder Gods protection; are thinges linked together. Insomuch that although that tribe seemed to bee left vp to the spoile, and that their enemies had gotten the ouerhande of them: yet woulde God shewe himselfe pitifull to maintaine them still. True it is that in the ende all that Countrie was harryed, and wee see howe the Prophet Ieremie saieth thereof,Iere. 32.15 that Rachel mourned for her children (for Beniamin came of her) and sorrowed to see such desolation & wast made, & could not be cōforted because all were destroyed, and no tydings coulde bee brought vntounto her of any residue that remained, but shee sawe that all her bloude was shed, whereuppon shee was in anguish and as a woman forlorne. Surely Rachel was at that time deade: but the Prophet Ieremie speaketh of her in way of a similitude, and setteth her as a mother vppon a scaffolde weeping and lamenting to see one cut the throats of all her children. Thus ye see what befell; but that was an vtter extremitie. Yet for all this, God ceased not to performe his promise; but at the ende euen in the middes of Babylon, euen in that gulfe, he reserued a remnāt of Beniamin, which returned home with the tribe of Iuda. They that were much more excellent in dignitie became as banished folk, and God forsooke them as rotten members, so as they returned not any more into the inheritance of ye land of Chanaan, & the resting place which god had foreappointed to their fathers. Ye see then how God continued still his grace towardes the tribe of Beniamin; not that they had not horrible punishments, as it fell out afterwardes, but that God by his infinite goodnes ouercame the naughtinesse of men.
To bee short, let vsus note, that when God giueth vsus his promises after that maner; they shal seeme to be disappointed of their effect and performāce through the vnthankfulnes of ye world, for yt there are a great many which refuse Gods goodnes & shut the gate against him, so as they be not partakers thereof. That is the cause why God sheweth not himself liberal towards vsus any more. For if we could skill to inioy his goodnes; surely he would alwayes outgo our expectation, & all our wishes. But what? We will hauehave him to content vsus, and to please vsus in all cases: and in the meane while it should seeme that wee hauehave conspired against him, to keepe him back from doing vsus good. Therefore let vsus not thinke it strange if God perform not his promises which he hath made vntounto vsus with his owne mouth; for we our selues be ye cause thereof. Neuerthelater, although the world be so malicious and froward, that (to all seeming) men woulde wilfully disappoint all Gods gratious dealings: yet notwithstanding let vsus not doubt but that there shall euer be some smal number whom God wil maintaine. OnelyOnly let vsus indeuour to liue vnderunder Gods wings, that we may be preserued by him, & suffer him to dwell betweene our shoulders. Wee heare what warning S. Paul giueth vsus thereof,… 6.9. & … 7.34. how he saith yt we must beare the Lorde both in our bodies & in our soules. True it is that there is not now any material tēple builded any where, wherein to do sacrifice: but▪ eueryevery of vsus is ye temple of God, and that is with condition that wee shoulde beare him, according to S. Paul… saying, who vseth the same word. And how do we beare him? In knowing that it belongeth to him to be the soueraine & to raigne ouer vsus, and to hauehave al preheminence; & that it behooueth vsus to bow downe our neckes to receiue his yoke, and to obey him in al respects. And if we do so, let vsus not doubt but that God watcheth for vsus cōtinually, so as all the assaultes and temptations of the world shall not preuaile any thing at all against vsus. Insomuch that although we be like to perish a hundred times, yea and to bee ouerwhelmed; yet will he vtter forth his power to preserue vsus, and we shalbe saued in the mids of death, so as we may keepe on our course stil. When thunder seemeth to come downe from aboue, & nothing is to bee seene vponupon earth but confusion euerywhere; then let vsus not doubt but God giueth vsus incomprehensible safetie. Thus much concerning the tribe of Beniamin.
Now commeth Moses to the tribe of Ioseph and saith; That his lande shalbe blessed of God with the delectable fruites of the Sunne, with the fruites of the Moone, with the pleasures of the Deaw from aboue, and of the depths from beneath, that is to say, of fountaines and watersprings which giuegive moisture and nourishment to the earth. That his honour should be as the firstborne of a bull; that he shall hauehave excellent hornes, wherewith to push against his enemies; that hee shall hauehave the olde mountaines, and the pleasant hilles, where shalbe nothing but sweetenes. And afterward in the end it is saide, That all these things shall come vponupon the heade of Ioseph, & vppon the Crowne of the heade of the Nazarite of his brothers. Here we may see how the intent of Moses was to cofirme the things that Iacob had spoken afore: for he vseth many of the same words which are in the nine and fortith Chapter of Genesis.Gen. 49. Partly then Moses doeth but make a rehearsall of the things which had beene written in the person of Iacob: and that is not superfluous: but God reneweth and ratifreth his promises, to the ende they should be the more assured. And such confirmation also was needfull, to the intent that the other tribes shoulde not grudge against the tribes of Ioseph. Wee knowe that the people of Israel were verie full of quareling and rebellion, and that it was a verie harde matter to holde them in awe. Nowe Iacob had giuen dubble portion to his sonne Ioseph, because hee had two children, Ephraim and Manasses. Hee had saide that Ioseph shoulde represent two heades in the house,Nomb. 18.20.21. because the tribe of Leuie was excluded and had no portion in the Lande, but onelyonly tooke the tenthes and Offerings. Their successours therefore might hauehave saide, In deede it was the will of our father Iacob to giuegive this aduantage to his sonne Ioseph, howbeit that was vppon ouer earnest affection, because Ioseph had succoured him in his neede, and fedde our fathers in the time of famine. But what? Shoulde they therefore hauehave two heads here, and we bee so much abated? Because the people might still hauehave pleaded for the partition which had bin assigned, and hauehave striuen when they had bin come into the Land of Chanaan: Moses confirmeth the thing which had beene declared afore; that is to wit, that Ioseph should hold still the portion yt had bin giuen vntounto him, & represent two chiefe houses in ye linage of Iacob, & that there should be ten thousands of Ephraim & thousāds of Manasses. We see now to what purpose Moses rehersed ye words of Iacob.
And let vsus marke also that whereas he saith, that he is the Nazarite among his brethren, the word which he vseth may bee taken for a Crowne, as if he shoulde say, Hee shall be the glorie of his brethren. True it is that this continued not for euer; it was but a temporall dignitie, because that in the end it behooued the tribe of Iuda to attaine to the royall scepter, and to hauehave the soueraintie ouer all the whole bodie. And then was Ioseph also brought vnderunder obedience. But yet for a time hee was the crowne of his brethren. Yet notwithstanding, he setteth downe the worde of Separation. So then, he was separated from among his brethen; not in that hee was solde into Egypt as some hauehave expounded it, for that is cleane contrarie. But rather hee is termed a Nazarite in way of honour, for that God had chosen him and shouled him out by himselfe, so as hee was not of the common sort, but had as it were a first begottenship, in respect whereof he tooke double portion of inheritance. That is the cause why hee was called a Nazarite.
And here we hauehave to marke first of all, that al that euer hath beene rehearsed by Moses, or said before by Iacob, was a very prophesie that came from God, so as it could not hauehave bin vttered by the mouth of mā, except God had gouerned him by his holy spirite. And why? For Moses neuer came in the land of Chanaan, as we knowe. And as for Iacob, he dyed more than three hundred yeares before the partitiō of the Land was made. How then coulde he make it? And euen hereby wee see, that there was no casualtie or chaunce in the matter. For Iacob (as wee shall see againe in due place,) assigneth vntounto Nepthal…m the countrie on the seacoast, and pointeth out eueryevery man his portion there. And howe is it possible that he should hit so right vponupon it? Surely he did it not of his owne imagination; but God who holdeth the lottes in his hand (as saieth Salomon,Prou. 16.13.) and who by his wonderfull prouidence which is hidden from vsus, disposeth of the things which seeme to come by chaunce; vttered by Iacobs mouth what he intended to do. And nowe he sheweth that when the people are come into the lande, nothing shall happen but by his direction. Nowe wee know that the tribe of Ephraim and Manasses were planted in so fat and fertile a soile, that it was the very storehouse of the Lande. True it is that other of the tribes, as the tribe of Aser, had great Cornecountries; but these countries were stored with all kinde of commodities besides: they were the pleasantest and plentifullest Countries of all the lande of Iurie. Nowe then we may easily gather, that in this case Moses hath not set forth any thing of his owne braine; but that the holy Ghost did in very deede gouerne his tongue. And therfore we hauehave a great warrant of all his doctrine, in that wee see that vnderunder the name and authoritie of God, hee setteth such order in things to come which a man wold neuer hauehave thought of. Sith we heare this, it is all one as if God reached out his hand from heauen, and came to authorise ye doctrine which Moses deliuered, and to shew that he is ye author therof, and that it proceedeth from him, neither ought men to doubt thereof as though it came from some creature. And let vsus marke that wel. For we knowe that by nature we be inclined to distrust: and were it not that we be helde vp, we should continually be shakē downe, & we should not neede any thing to turne vsus aside from the right way, & from the certaintie of our faith. For this cause therefore let vsus marke well howe it is told vsus heere, that God in these Prophesies hath shewed vndoubtedly, howe it was hee that was the guider of Moses; and that he vsed his seruice in such wise, as we may well say that we receiue his doctrine from God, and that it is grounded vponupon his vnchaungeable power, & yt it is the vnfallible truth. And why? For it was not inuented by man.
But nowe let vsus come to the contents of this blessing. It is said that Iosephs Land shalbe blessed of God, as well with the deaw from aboue, as with fountaines and welsprings from beneath; that is to say, that God woulde so water the land both from aboue and beneath, that it should be fat & fruitefull. Nowe here we see howe it is not for nought yt we be commaunded to seeke our dayly breade at Gods hande. For howe commeth it to passe that ye earth bringeth forth fruites for our sustenance? It is because God moysteneth it. It is not said yt the earth hath substance in it self, neither is it said that ye heauen or the fountaines do giuegive it simply of themselues: but it is God that sendeth the deaw, it is God that maketh the water springs to shead out; so yt he is to hauehave the praise of all the substance which we hauehave, whensoeuer we be fed and nourished therewith. Ye see then how God hath such a care of our bodies, and of this corruptible life, that we cannot eate one bit of bread which commeth not from him & of his meere liberality. And indeede it standeth vsus in hande to acquaint our selues well herewith. For sith it is told vsus yt we cānot hauehave so much as one silie mite of these goods, no not euen of these transitory goods, but we must receiue it at gods hand: What shal befal in the things yt are much more excellent? If I want but a bit of breade, I ought of duety to aske it of God, & to acknowledge yt it is his peculiar office to feede me. And when ye case concerneth the attainmēt of ye heauenly life & the euerlasting saluation; shal I thē go seek it elsewhere thā at Gods hand? Or shall I thinke to hauehave it in my selfe? What an ouerweening were that? We see then how the bread and the bodily foode which is giuen vsus, ought to be as a meane to lift vsus vp higher, to make vsus to thinke our selues beholden to God and to his bountifulnes for all yt we hauehave, both of body and soule and all. Marke that for one point.
Againe, wheras in this place Ioseph is called A Nazarite among his brethren: we see howe God bestoweth his gracious goodnes where hee listeth, euen contrary to the opinion of men, yea & cleane contrary to al expectation. Ioseph was indeede separated from his brothers; yea and yt was as by being appointed vntounto death, they had conspired against him to kill him.Gen. 37.18.24.28. And whereas he was yet saued, it was but to bee cast into a pit and there to pyne away, which was a crueller death than if they had cut his throte out of hād. In the end, the greatest fauour that hee founde, was that he was sold into a barbarous nation to strange & vnknowen persons. Againe, when hee came into Egypt, he was thrust into the bottom of a dungeon,Psa. 105.18. & he was put into the stockes, according to this saying of the Psalme, yt the iron wounded him & nipped him to the heart. Yee see then how Ioseph is separated not only from his fathers house, but also from ye whole worlde; he is cut off from mankind as a dead person; he is like to rot in a dungeon. But God separated him after another maner in his wunderful coū sel. And therefore it is sayd, that hee was as a starre which was to be worshipped of ye Sunne & of the Moone, and of all the rest of the stars. Which was as much to say,Gen. 37.5.9 as that all his house should stoope to him & be subiect to him, so as his sheafe should hauehave preheminence, and all the other sheaues fall downe: euen because god had decreed it in his own counsaile. And so we see that when all the worlde thought to hauehave thrust Ioseph downe into the pit: then God exalted him in spite of men. Thus yee see howe God succoureth his seruauntes after a wonderfull fashion. If wee looke vponupon our state as it appeareth to the viewe of men: we may seeme as it were reiected, death seemeth to threaten vsus, and we seeme to be beseeged with it on al sides, it seemeth that we should be ouerwhelmed eueryevery minute of an houre, & that we should be eaten vp quyte & cleane. Lo at what point wee be! But God who hath sanctified vsus, & doeth as it were broode vsus vnderunder the shadow of his wings, if we put our trust in him & flee to him for refuge; will shew that his blessing of vsus is not in vaine; but that he hath so separated vsus, yt though all the earth were moued, & that we were afflicted as wel as the wicked, & wrapped with them in the same curse; yet notwithstanding hee will maintaine vsus by his grace, & euen in the middes of death always find meanes to draw vsus out to saluation. That is the thing which wee hauehave to marke in that Ioseph is called a Nazarite amōg his brethren. So that if we hauehave any aduantage or priuilege, if we be exempted from any perill, if we be enriched wt any goods be it of body or of soule; all those things proceed of Gods sanctifying & choosing of vsus to himself, & we ought to yeld ye praise therof to his only free goodnes.
And to the intent these things may be taken to be ye more certaine, it is said that they shal light vponupon the head of Ioseph. Moses then declareth that these things are not a sound which vanisheth in the aire: but yt God wil giuegive effect to his word so as his blessing shalbe poured out vponupon the linage of Ioseph. For thereby he assureth vsus as if he should say, No: I speake nowe in the name of God, let no man think that I gesse at aduenture concerning things to come: for God will performe al things vponupon Iosephs head; yt is to say, either vponupon Iosephs own person or else vponupon his children. For here the case concerneth those yt come of his race. God therefore wil shewe by ye effect, how it is he yt hath spoken by my mouth, & how it is he yt hath declared ye things which he had concluded in his own counsaile afore.
Now in the ende, he doeth also compare his beautie to a yong Bull & an Vnicorne; to shewe that he shal not onelyonly hauehave abundantly wherewith to liue, but also that he shall hauehave strength to withstand his foes & be preserued. For wee know we hauehave neede of two things; the one is that we desire God to blesse vsus & to giuegive vsus sustenance: & againe that wee may bee defended from our enemies which assayle vsus. Both these things are here comprised in the linage of Ioseph. For it is sayd that God will blesse him in his lande, so as it shalbee verie fruitfull: and also that he will giuegive him strength, whereby hee shall hauehave the vpper hande of his enemies, yea and driue them away to th… vttermost borders of the world.
For a conclusion Moses addeth that there shal be ten thousands of Ephraim, & thousands of Manasses. His meaning is that these two trybes shall come to be headhouses. For by this worde thousands, the Hebrues are wont to betokē as it were Bayliwikes & Prouostships; like as when it is said,Mich. 5.2. And thou Bethleem in the land of Ephrata, art of the least among the thousands of Iuda; that is to say, if a man consider thy Prouostships and Bayliwikes, thou art the least of all: but yet shall the redeemer come of thee. I alledge this text to shewe what this worde thousand importeth. Now then, when Moses speaketh here of [thousandes] he meaneth briefely that Ephraim who was one of Iosephs children, shoulde make a headhouse or trybe, so as he shuld hauehave his state of gouernement & officers by himself: and also that Manasses who was another of Iosephs sonnes, shoulde likewise hauehave his order and state of gouernement with vnderofficers as wel as Iuda, Beniamin, Isachar & the rest of ye other trybes had. Let that serue for one poynt.
But by the way it is sayd, the thousands of Ephraim, & the thousands of Manasses. Here he maketh Ephraim tenfold greater than his brother: yet was Manasses in verie deede the elder sonne of Ioseph:Gen. 48.19. but at such time as their grandfather [Iacob] blessed them, he declared that Ephraim should be greter than his brother Manasses. Thus was the order of nature quyte changed, in that God gaue the birthright of the firstbegotten to the yonger sonne; to shewe yt we bring not any thing of our own vntounto god, but yt we receiue al things of his mere goodnes, & yt he disposeth of vsus at his pleasure, without being boūd therunto. And this hath God shewed by a figure in ye persons of Manasses & Ephraim. For it lay not in Iacobs power to make Ephraim greater than Manasses: the matter concerued not ye inheriting of ye countrey only, but also the hauing of a Trybe. And ye same is called a special gift of God. Although riches also do come of him, yet wil he hauehave mē to acknowledge, yt to hauehave issue is a peculiar gift which cannot be gottē by cunning nor by any other meane. The scripture then in speaking so, doth wel shew that it lyeth not in the power of any creature, to say, This man shall growe into a great people, as Iacob said, & yet he could not then discerne them asunder by outward sight. For he was blinde for age.Gen 48.10.13. And when Ioseph came & brought him his two children, he did set Manasses the elder to his right hand, & Ephraim to his left; to the end that Iacob in blessing them (as the fashion and ceremonie then was) should lay his right hand vponupon Manasses, & his left vppon Ephraim. But Iacob putting his hand sacrosse, did lay his right hand vponupon the yonger, & his left hand vponupon the elder. Whereat Ioseph sayd, Sir ye mistake them. No, no, sayd Iacob; let mee alone, I do it not through ignorance: for he that is the inferior by nature, must be the greater; God hath so ordeined it. Behold here a silie blind soule, an old man, such a one as seemeth to dote for age: he speaketh of things vnknowen, & yet for all that, hee dealeth in that behalfe as if hee were God sitting in his seat. And in very deede (as I hauehave told you afore) He was Gods deputie and spake by his authoritie. So then, to confirme the prophesies which had bin vttered by the mouth of Iacob, Moses sayeth, these bee the ten thousands of Ephraim. Although he be the yonger brother, yet shall he exceede his elder brother in number of people, & in al other things: and according hereunto, in the end there was such preheminence giuen to that trybe, that the other ten trybes of Israel were comprehended vnderunder it. When the Prophets name Ephraim, it is a comprehending of all the ten trybes togither;Esai. 7.2. & in other places. insomuch that euen Ruben who was the eldest of all, lay hid vnderunder the wings of Ephraim. And who knew that? Our Lord did so vtter it by the mouth of those whom he had appointed in his place. And so we see againe the thing that I said afore, namely that in this case Moses was not a priuate person, ne spake at randon, nor of his owne head; but was directed by God, to the intent it might be knowen, that that people was gouerned by speciall meanes as a people chosen and picked out by God from the rest of the world. True it is that God is the generall creator of all mankind, and that all people are his. Yet notwithstanding, forasmuch as he had chosen the linage of Abraham; it was his will to hauehave his power the better knowen there, & to holde them as his houshold folke, & neerer alyed vntounto him. And therefore it was good reason that the things which are declared here, should be knowen of al ye Iewes, & that by that meanes they should be prouoked to blesse the name of God▪ acknowledging howe greatly they were bound & tied vntounto him, for that he had so withdrawen them from al other nations, & vouchsafed to make them feele him to be their father, seeing he had adopted them to be his children.
Now let vsus come to the things that befell. True it is that God hath wel perfourmed al that he had spoken. And thereby wee see that the children of Ioseph were not disapointed of their expectation, neither was any of al those promises void. But yet for al that; they tooke no great benefite by them, but rather it came to passe through their own lewdnes, that they were of necessitie turned to their harme and vndoing. Wherin we see yt men are so vntoward, yt they change all yt euer God had ordeyned for their welfare: in so much that when he blesseth them, they turne his blessing into a curse; when he offereth them life, they turne it into deth; & they not only dim ye light, but also turne it into darknes. But what befell to the Trybe of Ephraim? It was aduaunced as it were by miracle, and against the order of nature, through the onelyonly blessing of God. And yet for all this, it caused ye body [of the commonweale] to be rent & torne asunder, Gods seruice to bee corrupted & peruerted, ydolatry to reigne in the holy land, God to be defrauded and bereft of his inheritance, and all manner of infections to be brought in. Whereupon insued foorthwith all manner of mischiefe, so as they did eate vp one another like dogs and cattes, and there was such deadly enmitie betweene the two kingdoms of Iuda & Israel,Esay. 7.1. that they went to seeke help of the Heathen & Infidels to ouerthrow one another: and was not yt a diuelish rage? & yet all this proceeded from the trybe of Ephraim. If a man should say yt Gods blessing was the cause thereof, then is there a double malice to be seene in yt behalf. For they ought the rather to hauehave bin incouraged to magnifie Gods name, & to walke in his feare, seeing he had so greatly▪ bounde them to him. But they turned yt benefite to the contrary, as I hauehave shewed alreadie, & therfore it was of necessitie yt all those blessings were taken from them, & moreouer yt they were vntounto them an occasion of decay; I say they were the occasion, howbeit not the cause. Yea, but yet was ye blame to be imputed vntounto them, because they themselues were the alterers of Gods order. What is to be done then? Let vsus vnderstand that when God shal hauehave fed vsus fat in this world, so as wee hauehave the fruits of the earth, yea & be as it were made drunken with the things that delight vsus; yet if we hauehave not the chiefe poynt, the residue shalbe sold vsus ful deere. Then let vsus not so gretly esteeme the temporall & transitory goods, that we should not euermore hauehave an eye to ye chiefe point; which is yt God receiues vsus for his children, that we abide vnderunder his gouernement, that wee call vppon him as our father, howbeit truely and vnfaynedly, resorting rightly vntounto him and submitting our selues wholy to his wil; knowing that as soone as wee bee neuer so litle separated from him, it cannot bee but that miserie and confusion must needes fall vponupon vsus. So then, let vsus esteeme of the transitorie benefits which god bestoweth vponupon vsus in this world; but let vsus esteem them in their degree, so as we be not tyed to them, ne set not our chief desire vppon them. If God giuegive vsus of them, let vsus enioy them with all sobrietie; and let vsus not set our minds too much vpō them. Again, if he giuegive vsus them not, let vsus beare our pouertie patiently, & keep on our way stil. And in ye meane while let vsus take our cōtentatiō & rest in ye spiritual goods which God granteth vsus, in yt he vouchsafeth to certifie vsus yt he is our father, in yt he calleth vsus vntounto him daily, in yt he telleth vsus yt we shal finde fauor at his hand for our lord Iesus Christs sake. Let the hauing of these things suffise vsus, and let vsus not repyne at the aduersities, griefes, & troubles which we hauehave in this world: neither let vsus enuye such as are here in better case than wee; but when we see the vnbeleeuers liue at ease, & hauehave all their pleasures, so as they want not any thing; let vsus hauehave an eye to the trybe of Ephraim, & consider the great wealth both of the same, & also of the trybe of Manasses. They were fed at their pleasure; but what? They glutted themselues with Gods benefites, and were choked with them for their owne vnthankfulnes. Now then, let this serue to restraine vsus frō repyning at those with whome God dealeth so liberally in this world, and to whom he sheweth himselfe so bountifull. Let not vsus bee grieued thereat. For why? We hauehave the goods which are of farre greater value: that is to wit, the things that concerne our saluation. For seeing yt God hath begunne to worke after that fashion in vsus by his holy spirite; let vsus seeke for the heauenly riches whereunto he calleth vsus from day to day till we hauehave the ful fruition of them at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ.
Now let vsus fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults, praying him to make vsus perceiue them more & more, and that therewithall when wee enioy here neuer so many benefites, and bee fedde by his hande, wee may not bee so rechlesse and sleepie, as not to hauehave our myndes continually lifted vp to heauen, to giuegive thanks to him for all his benefites, and to serue him with the earnester good will: and that by these transitorie benefites, we may be put in minde to seeke all things in him which belong to ye heauenly life, knowing that we shalbe vtterly destitute & barreine of them, vntil he vouchesafe to impart them vntounto vsus, at leastwise according to the measure & portion of his meere goodnes, because that wee on our side deserue not any thing at all. That it may please him to graunt this grace, not onelyonly to vsus but also to all people & nations of the earth, &c.