Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 199
On Tewsday the xiiij. of Iuly, 1556. The CXCIX. Sermon which is the ninth vponupon the xxxiij. Chapter, and the first vponupon the xxxiiij. Chapter.
29 Blessed art thou O Israell. Who is like thee O people which art saued by the Lorde the sheelde of thine ayde, and who is the sworde of thy mightinesse? Thine enemies shalbe weakened towardes thee, and thou shalt march ouer their toppes.
The foure and thirtith Chapter.
THen Moses went from the plaine of Moab vntounto the mountaine Nebo, vp to the top of Phasga, which is ouer against Iericho. And the Lorde made him to see the whole Lande, the Countrey of Galaad vntounto Dan.
2 And all the Lande of Nephthaly, and all the Lande of Ephraim and of Manasses; and all the Lande of Iuda vntounto the vttermost Sea.
3 And the South and the leuell of the medowes of Iericho, the citie of Palmtrees, vntounto Zoar.
4 And the Lorde sayde vntounto him, This is the Lande whereof I sware to Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, saying, I will giuegive it to thy seede; I hauehave made thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go into it.
5 And Moses the seruaunt of the Lorde dyed there, in the Lande of Moab, according to the word of the Lorde.
6 And he was buried in the valley in the Lande of Moab, oueragainst Bethphogor, and no man hath knowen his graue vntounto this day.
AMong the other matters which were layde foorth yesterday, there remayned how Moses told the people of Israel, That there was not then any Nation vponupon earth, like vntounto them, because they were saued by God: and that is to bee marked well. For although God do by his power and grace preserue all creatures; yet will he bee knowen to be the Sauiour of his people. Therefore when wee be saued in him it is a priuiledge which can not be sufficiently expressed & magnified. For we differ not from other men in respect of any worthinesse that is in vsus; neither hauehave we it by inheritaunce, but it commeth of Gods freegoodnesse. And therefore whensoeuer we be spoken to concerning our saluation, let vsus vnderstande from whence it proceedeth, and that God giueth vsus that beautie. For we be like all the rest of Adams ofspring. If we should bee esteemed according to our nature, we be no better woorth than those whom God forsaketh and vtterly casteth away. Wherefore then hath he chosen vsus, but for his owne meere goodnesse sake? The thing which we hauehave to remember vponupon this text, is that God will hauehave his grace so much the better knowen, because saluation is not common in generall to all men, but is a peculiar gift. And Moses sheweth by the way, what this sauing is; namely when God is our shielde and our defence. As if hee should say that without him we can not be maintayned: for wee be layde open to many deathes, and hauehave not wherewith to resist. It is like as when a man is assayled on all sides, and hath neither weapon nor armour, but is starke naked. Euen so is it with vsus, if God fence vsus not. Therefore he is called our shield and our help. Wherby we be done to vnderstand, that we can not succour ourselues of our owne power, neither hauehave we the meane to doe; but it must come of God. Hee is termed the sworde of our glorie. In deede men glorie ynough in themselues, they flatter themselues, and they perswade themselues the thing that is not. But heere we be plucked backe from all the vaine hopes which deceiue vsus and beguile vsus, to the ende we should learne to set all our glorie in God, and to conclude that we hauehave none other power than his, whereby to be maynteyned.
Now heereupon Moses addeth, that the Iewes should march ouer their enemies heades, or ouer all their gallantnesse (for there is no more but the word Top, or hyghest part), and that their enemies shall flatter them with leazing [or lying]: for this worde Lye in holy scripture, is taken for to set a good face or countenaunce vponupon a matter, and to play the hypocrite by force, as when it is said in the eighteenth Psalme (where the great victories are spoken of, which God would giuegive vntounto Dauid) Thine enemies shall lye vntounto thee. Psal. 18.5.Nowe then, the summe is this, that God will be the sauiour of his people. Insomuch that although they hauehave many enemies, yet shall they not bee able to match them, but shall be driuen in the ende to confesse themselues to bee the weaker. And that although their so dooing be but counterfaite; yet notwithstanding, Gods power shall shewe it selfe therein. And now proceeding with this lesson, let vsus learne first to knowe that wee be vtterly naked, and that wee want all thinges: & when we knowe that, let vsus humble ourselues so as there may not be one droppe of hautinesse or foolish selfeweening in vsus. And therewithall let vsus vnderstande, that God will not suffer vsus to quaile in any case. For if we hauehave neither sword nor shielde, he will serue our turne for both of them. If we be in daunger of vndooing, hee is our preseruer. If we be plundged heere in neuer so many miseries with the rest of all mankinde; we shalbe recouered again by his grace, because he hath chosen vsus for his people. That is the point whereon we must rest.
Nowe hauehave we heere a rehearsal of the death of Moses, whereof mention was made in the end of the two and thirtith Chapter, and heere it is repeated againe;Deut. 32.50. namely that God made Moses to goe vp into the mountaine Nebo, which otherwise is a part of the Mountaine Abarim. And he addeth afterwarde Gay. In deede this worde Gay signifieth a valley. But we see it was a part of the mountaine in diuers respectes, and that appeareth in many places. Moses then went vp as he was commaunded of God, and there beheld all the Lande which had bin promised for an inheritaunce to the linage of Abraham, euen vntounto the Sea which was right ouer against it, that is to wit the midland Sea. He viewed the Countrey, to the intent he should be certified before his death, that the promise which God hadde made fourehundred yeeres afore,Gen. 12.7. was not in vaine, but euen at the point to bee performed: neuerthelesse it was not Lawfull for him to goe into the Lande, but only to see it. And (as hath beene treated heeretofore) God punished him because he had not glorified God at the place of Meriba,Deut. 32.51. Exod. 17.7. that is to say the place of Strife, which was so named because the people were on an vprore there.
And heere we hauehave to cal to minde the thing which hath beene layde foorth already more at length; that is to wit, the obedientnesse of Moses. For he knewe well that his going vp thither as God called him, was to the intent he should die. Death then was not so greeuous vntounto him, but that he prepared himselfe vntounto it when hee sawe it was Gods will it should be so. And by this example wee be taught to liue in such sort, as wee may alwayes hauehave one foote lifted vppe to goe, whensoeuer GOD listeth to take vsus hence to himselfe. And in deede, what win the stubborne sort by their desyrousnesse to eschewe death, but to bee ouercome by force when they hauehave fretted and chafed neuer so much? It is a point of slender discretion when men consider not that as God hath sette them heere, so he ought also to hauehave authoritie to take them away againe when he listeth. Wee shewe ourselues to be destitute of wit and reason like brute beastes, if we hauehave not such consideration wt vsus. Wherfore let vsus learne to finish our course in such wise, walking as Pilgrimes vppon earth: as we may euermore be ready and weldisposed to depart from it, whensoeuer God sheweth vsus that our houre is come. But truely that can not be done, except we conceiue a hope of a better life.1. Cor. 5.4. For (as sayth S. Paul) naturally we be loth to be vnhoused; there is no man but hee would faine continue still. Therefore it standeth vsus in hande to knowe that our true dwelling place is not heere in this worlde, and that we be but only to passe through it. So then, without fayth we can neuer obey God,Hebr. 13.14. specially when we bee to depart out of the worlde; but we will alwayes grynde our teeth at it, so as if it were possible, we would fight against God. But when we once conceiue that our inheritaunce is aboue, and that God hath a better life in store for vsus: then doe we determine and prepare to submit ourselues vntounto him, whensoeuer hee giueth vsus any token that we must depart hence. After that manner shall we followe the example of Moses.
I graunt he had a promise that God accepted him for one of his; but yet the same belongeth to vsus also, and we hauehave this aduauntage more, that our Lorde Iesus Christ who is our life,Iohn. 11.25. hath shewed himselfe vntounto vsus, to the intent we should boldly followe his steppes. And he entered into death, to bring vsus to the glorie of his resurrection. Therefore let vsus not sticke to followe the Lorde Iesus, because that if we die with him, we be sure (as sayth S. Paule) to be partakers of his life,Rom. 6.8. and to be companions with him, because it belongeth vntounto vsus. For he was not raysed againe for his owne profite, but for the assuring of our saluation. Therefore let vsus not dout therof; but let vsus cleaue vntounto him. And in so doing let vsus assure ourselues,Rom. 4.26. that his resurrection shall be manifested in vsus also. Thus ye see howe we hauehave to put this text in practise, where it is sayde that Moses went [vppe to the mountaine] knowing well that when he came there, God would take him out of the worlde. And yet for all that hee shunned not the place, ne mad… any resistance, but prepared himselfe to death with true obedience, yea and with such frowardnesse, that he needed not to be ledde, nor to be haled forth by the handes of sergeauntes. God sayde the worde, and Moses went thither with a good will.
Againe, let vsus marke also what hath bin declared as touching the punishment that was laid vponupon Moses: namely that God had shut him out & banished him from the lande which was promised to all Abrahams posteritie: and that was a verie greeuous thing to him. But yet did he beare it patiently, acknowledging ye fault which he had committed; though it came not of himselfe. For he had alwayes serued God faythfully: yea and in the very selfesame deede, there was no more but this, that it spyted him to see the leaudnesse of the people. Howbeit forasmuch as he was cast downe, and stoode not so stoutly to it as was requisite; God layd that fault to his charge, and punished it with such rigour as we see, in not admitting him into the lande of promise. To be short, let vsus vnderstande (as I hauehave sayde afore) that whereas we thinke wee hauehave not done amisse, our offences shalbe grosse and exceeding great before God. Wherefore let vsus learne, not to be our owne Iudges, but to referre ourselues vntounto God, and to suffer him to acquit vsus or condemne vsus by his worde. When we shall hauehave doone any thing, albeit that our conscience reprooue vsus not, let vsus assure ourselues that God seeth more clearely than we do, as sayth S. Iohn in his canonicall Epistle.1. Iohn. 3 And if we thinke the fault small, our Lorde will account it great. If we should iudge after the imagination of men concerning this deede of Moses, what is to be sayde but that he shewed great stoutnesse? For he resisted the people▪ and vsed very rough and sharpe wordes. Thinke yee (sayth he) that God is not able to make water to issue out of this Rocke?Num. 20. See howe Moses stryueth with them through fayth, with obedience to God, and he glorifieth him. To be short, in all his words there is nothing to be seene, which is not worthy prayse: and yet notwithstanding he did amisse; and seeing that God pronounceth it so, it is not for vsus to gainesay it. Therefore let vsus learne to walke in humilitie, for feare least it happen vntounto vsus according to this saying of Salomon,Prouer. 2… that whē we hauehave weyed our waies and thoughtes, and that to our owne seeming there is nothing amisse, God will not agree to our balaunce, for hee hath another measure, whereby he will iudge more vprightly. And we hauehave his worde to iudge vsus. Let eueryevery man then examine himselfe, and when we finde that our Lorde reprooueth any thing, let vsus assure ourselues it is not without cause. Againe when we once knowe our faultes, let vsus assure ourselues that there are a hundered thousande times moe than we can perceiue, and we must cry out with Dauid, Lorde, who can tell the number of his faultes?Psal. 19.13. Clense thou mee from my secret sinnes.
Moreouer, wee hauehave to comfort ourselues in all the temporall punishmentes which God sendeth vsus, because they serue to bring vsus lowe, whereby God ceaseth not to further our saluation continually, and to holde vsus euermore in the hope which we hauehave that he acounteth vsus of his houshoulde and Church. So long then as we be sure that we belong to our God, and that he acknowledgeth and auoweth vsus to be his; it ought well to content vsus, as wee see heere that Moses was contented with the onelyonly sight of the Land. Truely he neither possessed nor inioyed it; but it suffised him that he was a partener in the promise, to the ende he might attaine to the heritage of heauen. Forasmuch as Moses had that, it was a comfort and ioy vntounto him. And it behoued him thence foorth to forbeare the making of that request any more afterwarde.Deut. 3.25. So then, although the punishmentes bee harde vntounto vsus when God chastiseth our sinnes, & that we may desire him to deliuer vsus from them: yet if we see that his will is not so, but that it is good for vsus to be corrected, let vsus strengthen ourselues to it, and pray him to giuegive vsus power to holde out vnquailed. And therewithall let vsus vnderstande that our strength consisteth in faith, in yt we hauehave an eye to the hope wherunto we be called. True it is that we possesse not in deede the thing that is promised vsus; but yet God giueth vsus such a tast thereof, as ought to suffise vsus: we hauehave the certeinetie thereof printed in vsus by his holy spirite. Therefore let that bee a meane to holde vsus in, that we may patiently beare all the corrections which God listeth to lay vponupon vsus. That is ye thing which we hauehave to gather here vponupon the example of Moses.
Now in the end it is sayd, That God buried him. In deede the word [God] is not expressed, ye text sayth only Moses dyed, and he buried him in Nebo: but yet it setteth down also, according to the mouth of God, and buryed him in Gay. Hee went vp into Nebo, & on the other side of the hill, there was a place named the valley of Gay; and there was his sepulchre. We see then yt it is spoken of God where it is set downe that Moses dyed according to his mouth. For Gods mouth signifieth nothing else but his worde. In deede God declareth not the dying time of eueryevery of vsus, he reserueth that to himselfe. We hauehave our boundes which wee can not passe;Iob. 14.5. but we shall die eueryevery chone of vsus, and we be to die according to Gods decree. The only difference betweene vsus and Moses is this, that God telleth vsus that we be mortall as soone as we come into the worlde. Heerewithal we see also how short & flyghtfull our life is, insomuch that we hauehave but a shadow which slippeth away.Iob. 14.2. We see it; but we hauehave not a day certaine assigned vsus: God prolongeth the life of one, & shortneth the life of another. And in that case it behoueth vsus to submit ourselues to his determination. All of vsus then die according to Gods decree: but Moses dyed according to his mouth, that is to say, according as hee had, declared it afore.
Nowe as touching his buryall, it behooueth vsus to see wherefore Moses was not buried after the common fashion of men, and why he would hauehave his sepulcher to remain vnknowen. Soothly we must not expounde the worde so grossely which is set downe heere, as to say yt God made a pit to burie Moses in: but hee so ordeined that he was buried by his power. God needeth not to set his hande to a thing when hee will hauehave it done: it is ynough that his power bee knowen. For all creatures must needes obey him, the earth will open when it pleaseth him, as the which was made of nothing. God then may cō maunde, and the thing is by and by done & performed, accordingly as it is saide in the Psalme,Psal. 33.9. that his commaundement is of as great force as all the executinges of the worlde. Ye see then that ye burying of Moses by God, was that God willed the earth to open to giuegive him buryall, & to hyde his body in, such sort as neuer man might knowe what became thereof. And it was not without cause, yt God would hauehave the graue of Moses so hidden. Nay rather, wee hauehave to note what S. Iude sayth thereof in his epistle, yt is to wit,Iude. 9. that Michael tharkeangell fought with the deuill for the graue of Moses. And that battell was not stirred vp by Satan for nought. For needes must it be that hee pretended some aduauntage, if the graue of Moses had bin knowen: and that had bin a meane to beguyle men with superstition. So then Gods purpose and intent is nowe manifest vntounto vsus; which is that he would not hauehave men to abuse the body of Moses in ydolatrie. And seeing that God prouided for it; it is a signe that he knewe mens inclinations to be such, as they would hardly forbeare to make ydolles, if they had any occasion at all. Beholde, Moses excelled all Prophetes, as it is said of him in the ende of this booke, & as (by Gods will) we shall see to morrow. Insomuch that after his death there came not a prophet in Israel like vntounto him. All of them were as expounders of the Lawe; but yet had he as it were the principall anthoritie. Againe, we knowe howe God wrought by him, how he deliuered the children of Israell from the bondage of Egypt, howe hee ruled them by the space of fortie yeeres in the wildernesse: yea and that he was taken vp into the mountaine to set foorth the Lawe,Exod. 19.3. and had taryed there fortie dayes and fourtie nightes together without eating or drinking, liuing like an Angell of heauen,Exod. 24.18 as one that was no more subiect to mortall state. For we knowe that men can not continue if they want sustenance. Yee see then howe Moses was caught vp to the glorie of heauen. Moreouer, when he came to the people, he had beames streaming from his face so as men could no more abide to looke vppon him than vponupon the Sunne. The brightnesse of God shewed it selfe in such wise in him, that the people were astonished at it,Exod. 34.29 33 and hee was fayne to put a veyle before his face, to shewe that he was no more a common man, nor ought to bee taken as he was afore. Seeing then that Moses had done so notable thinges, and God had so hyghly inhonored him: no dout but the people would hauehave beene led to some superstition, and hauehave made an ydol of his bodie. That is ye cause why his body was hidden, and God would not hauehave it to be perceiued.
Nowe wee hauehave in this text a very profitable warning. First of all how great frailtie there is in vsus, if wee bee not restrained and brydled by God; and that aboue all things our nature is so giuen to superstition, that God is faine to reclaime vsus from that vyce as it were by force. Therefore let vsus suspect our selues in that behalfe, and consider that it standeth vsus in hande to remoue all obiectes and all other things that may intyce vsus to ydolatry, because wee be so much giuen vntounto it alreadie. Marke that for one poynt. But if men had wel considered this, there had neuer beene so great and horrible confusion, as is to be seene in the Popedome. What is the cause the Papistes are so whot after their ydols and puppets? Whereupon hauehave they taken so great libertie to fill all their Churches with them without ende or measure, buylding so many altars and chappels, and making so many images and pictures? It is for want of the knowledge of that which is tolde vsus heere, that is to wit, that as soone as men hauehave neuer so litle occasion to commit ydolatrie, by and by they bee rauished with it, and as it were starke mad. They knewe not this. They bore themselues in hande that they might buylde altars, make images, and fill all places with the filthines of their ydolatrie, and yet not offend God. They persuaded themselues so. Howbeit they shewed by experience, that God doth not without cause condemne all mankinde to bee giuen to superstition. Seeing then that wee perceiue this mischiefe to bee come to passe; let vsus the rather take warning to liue soberly; and (as I sayd afore) let vsus distrust our owne nature, seeing it is so sinfull and corrupted. Also let vsus note, that God meant to shewe by his owne authoritie, howe greatly all ydolatries and superstitions displease him. Hee hath hidden the graue of Moses; and shall men nowe pleade against it? No: for it is a fighting against God, when wee will nowe dispute whether it be good to hauehave meanes of ydolatrie. For our Lord pulleth them away from vsus, because he seeth well that wee shall by and by bee snarled in Satans snares, vnlesse hee take from vsus all obiectes. Seeing then that God declareth the matter so plainly; it behooueth vsus to agree fully thereunto.
And specially wee hauehave to note, that heere God condemneth all the superstitions which are committed in the persons of Prophets or Apostles, as well as vntounto Idols which the Heathen hauehave made. And that is yet one other thing wherein the Papistes do ouer grossely ouershoote themselues. For when ydols are spoken of, they beare themselues in hand, that if a man worship not the gods which were renowmed among the Heathen; it makes no matter, & that it is no ydolatrie at all. For if the virgin Marie should bee called an ydol among them; what a thing were it? If the Saints as well Apostles as Martyrs, & euen those whom they them selues hauehave imagined, should be called ydols: it were a cursed speech among the Papists. And why? For they take none to be ydols, but those which were so vsed among the Heathen. Yea, but in the meane time they perceiue not that ydolatrie may as wel be committed in the person of an Angel, yea & euen in the person of God, as in the persons of these pe…idinels which were so forged among the Infidels. I say that ydolatrie may be committed euen in the person of God. Let a man followe all the abominations that are committed in the world, & how be they coloured? There is a thing in the Popedome, which they terme Gods seruice; and what is that? The Masse. But we knowe it is most lothsome & diuelish ydolatrie that can be specially, because ye name of God is intermedled with it. So then we may wel say, that we serue God, & that we worship him; & yet in the meane while there shalbe shameful & excessiue ydolatrie; as when men turne away from Gods worde, & followe their owne inuentions & fancies. But as for the Papists, it is certeine that of the virgin Mary they make an ydol. For wheras they attribute vntounto her the office of an Aduocate, to make intercession betweene God & men, & terme her their life, light, & hope: what remaineth more to our Lord Iesus Christ? Is he not by that meane bereft of his Priesthood which was giuen vntounto him of God his father? As much is to bee said of all the rest of their Patrones as they beare themselues in hand. So then we ought to marke well this text, where God would hauehave the body of Moses to be hidden. And why? Because that if the people had giuen themselues that way, it had bin no lesse abhomination, than their receiuing of strange gods, & their intangling of themselues in the superstitions of the Heathen. I grant there had been a more apparant shrowding sheete: For they would hauehave sayd, he was ye seruant & Prophet of God, who published the law: and therefore in the honor of God whom he serued, hee must nowe bee worshipped and hauehave his bodie aduaunced among vsus. And if the rod which he bare had such vertue in it;Exod. 7.20. & 8.17. Nom. 20.11. howe much more shall his bodie hauehave? Therfore whē we would bee heard of God, wee may resort to his tumb, and there pray vntounto God. For needes must he be present with ye bodie of Moses, seeing that so great & notable miracles were wrought by his rod only. Such things might they hauehave alledged. But yet for all that, where are so many enticements of Satan, there ought we to be the more afrayde. When Satan hath illusions, and the things which he faceth vsus withall doe carry some likelihood: then must wee (say I) fight the more manfully: or otherwise wee shalbee carryed away by and by into manie dotages, from whence it will bee vnpossible for vsus to retyre.
Moreouer, as touching the text which I alledged out of S. Iude, let vsus mark that in all ages it hath bin Satans policie, to face men with the things yt might corrupt them, or drawe them to ydolatry: like as the Fowler or Birdcatcher hath his snares and nettes alwayes set; so hath Satan his sleights to beguyle vsus. And he knoweth that he hath wunne the goale of vsus; when he can once turne vsus away from the purenesse of Gods seruice, and trayne vsus to some superstition: for then runne wee headlong into wickednes, and hee carryeth vsus whither he listeth. That is the cause why he taketh so much paines in this behalfe, and wee see it as in respect of the bodie of Moses; yea, we see it by experience the which is vsed too much. And herewithall let vsus marke well howe S. Iude sayeth, that Michael the Archangel withstoode him. Yee see here howe there is a stryfe betweene the Angels of God and the diuels, the Angels fighting to maintaine vsus continually in the purenes which God requireth, that is to say, that we should worship him alone, and not put our trust in any creatures. That is the desire of the Angels. On the other side, the diuel being enemie to our saluation would faine that the maiestie of God were quite defaced. And when he cannot do that, he laboureth to darken it, practising continually to cast fooles bables before our eyes, that wee might hauehave toyes to occupy our heads withal here below, & neither go nor once looke vntounto God. And here we be put in mynd, first what a care God hath of our saluation, in that it is his will that the Angels shall fight to draw vsus out of all the temptations of Satan. Which thing ought to prouoke vsus to bee of the better courage, sith we see we hauehave such helpes. Now then, if we be weake as of our selues, and cannot put from vsus the temptations of Satan when we be assayled with them; let vsus trust that God wil not faile vsus, but that he wil imploy euen his Angels, who be champions valiant ynough to resist all Satans attempts, & whatsoeuer else he can practise against vsus. Here yee see vppon what trust wee ought to stande to our tackling, when Satan assaileth vsus & laboureth to win vsus. True it is yt we should euermore be ouerthrowē & ouerwhelmed out of hand, if God succoured vsus not. But seeing wee hauehave the Angels of heauen to reliue vsus, and God armeth them with his owne inuincible power to the intent we should neuer faile; it ought to make vsus take courage, as I said afore.
Now moreouer we see also, what pleasure the ydolaters do to the Angels, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, & (at a word) to al the seruants of god, when they will needes aduaunce them aboue their degrees. The Papists thinke they doe well aduaunce the virgin Marie, when they call her their aduocate, when they terme her the life & welfare of the worlde, when they bid her commaund her sonne, and when they cast foorth such other horrible blasphemies. But if they had troden her vnderunder their feete when shee was in this world, or if they had dragged her by ye haire of her head; they should not hauehave done her so great outrage. And why? For wee knowe howe exceedingly God hateth al ydolatries. A church that is infected with images, is worse than a brothelhouse to Godward. And shal men go & abuse the name of the holy virgin? And whereas the Apostles and holy Martyrs hauehave shed their bloud to keepe holy the name of God, whereas (say I) they despised all the abhominations and ydolatries of the world, and shed their bloud for the maintenance of Gods trueth and Gospel; shal men now in steede thereof goe vnderunder their shadow, to deface Gods honour, to vnhallowe his seruice, and to rend him in pieces and gobbets? Let vsus marke wel then, that the Papistes hauehave not any worser or sorer enemies than the Saintes whome they thinke to honour, because they do them so much wrong as to set them for contrarie parties against God. And how see we that?Iude. 9. Euen by S. Iudes reporting that the Angels of heauen with their captaine, did striue for the bodie of Moses. And let vsus not thinke that the virgin Marie, the Apostles and Martyrs are at variance with the Angels: nay, they bee all of one mynde: And that shalbe knowen when the bookes shalbe layde open.Dan. 7.10. Yee see then how that all the seruants of God doe sight to keepe the Church from beeing corrupted, & from turning away or slipping aside into any ydolatrie or superstition. Seeing it is so, let vsus also on our side ioyne with them in fighting, & sticke to our tackeling, that Gods seruice may continue vnappayred, and that there may bee no mingling at all to alienate vsus from God; and let vsus occupie our selues wholly therein, seeing it is the peculiar office of Satan to set himselfe continually against our saluation, so as he ceasseth not euen now to hinder the same, but holdeth out stil. And his striuing was not then only for the only bodie of Moses: but he hath striued euer since to set vp all the bodies of the holy Prophets. When Ieremie serued for ydolatrie in Egypt, where was his bodie? To whome shall that bee imputed but to Satan, which inuented a newe meane of ydolatrie to the holie Prophet? Againe, whence came all the illusions and false miracles that hauehave bin wrought in the Popedome, but from the same shop? Wee see then how Satan hath alwayes strayned him self to cast some obiect before our eyes, to draw vsus away from Gods seruice, and to busie our heads about other things, that being wrapped in superstition, we might be vtterly marde. Sith it is so, let vsus keepe the better watch and stande at our defence. For seeing our enemies come neere vsus, and are alwayes watching to spye vsus at some aduantage: surely it will waken vsus though wee bee neuer so loth. But it is said that Satan neuer resteth, and that he is euer practising what he can possibly, to catch vsus vnawares in ydolatrie. Wee see it; the thing bewrayeth it selfe. Sith it is so, should wee fall asleepe? Nay rather let vsus looke narrowly about vsus (as I sayde afore,) and let vsus take good heede that wee bee not intrapped. I sayde that wee see howe Satan practiseth all meanes to corrupt vsus. For hee hath fought, not onelyonly for the bodies of men, but also for al other things belonging to them, euen such as a man would not think; insomuch yt the very haire of their heads, their kerchiefes, their shirts, their pantoples, and diuerse other things hauehave bin worshipped. To bee short, they hauehave worshipped thinges so fonde, as that euen litle babes might hauehave mocked them for it. Yet notwithstanding, euē the wisest folke hauehave beene doted with them, & the spirit of giddinesse hath reigned ouer them. And it hath beene Gods will to make men so brutish. For when they would not hold themselues simply vntounto him, but were carryed away with their fickle lustes; it was meete that they should come to that poynt. For as much then as it is so; let vsus vnderstand that our Lorde giueth vsus so many warnings the mo, to the intent to hold vsus in such awe, as we may be well ware that wee be not by any meanes seduced. Thus yee see what wee hauehave to note as in respect of the things which S. Iude teacheth vsus concerning the body of Moses.
Now there is yet this saying further set down in the text, No man hath knowen his graue vntounto this day. Wee knowe not which of the Prophets wrote this last Chapter. The Iewes say it was Iosua: but their coniecture hath no ground. It is much more likely that the same Prophet which gathered the booke of Iosua, did therewithall write the death of Moses also. Neuerthelesse it is not without cause sayd, that no man vntounto this day. For it doeth vsus to vnderstand that it was not for one day onelyonly that God woulde hauehave the bodie of Moses so hidden: for then it might hauehave beene sayd, true it is that the body of Moses was vnknowen to men, but that was but at the beginning. For the first boylings are somewhat too headie, and God sawe that the people might hauehave beene moued with too great affection, and by that meane they might hauehave corrupted themselues. It is not then to be wondered at, if Moses sepulchre had beene vnknowen, for two or three dayes, or for a monethmonth, or for a yeare: for these people were too farre in louelove with him: but when he was once buryed, then it came to knowledge. But our Lord sheweth that hee knewe well that men are subiect to ydolatrie, and that, not for a day onelyonly; but euen vntounto the ende; and that the same sinne is so rooted in vsus, that as soone as wee hauehave neuer so little an obiect, by and by wee start out of our boundes. Let vsus marke well then that it behooueth vsus to stande vppon our garde; for ydolatrie is not for a time, but for euer. And wee take this cursed inclination from our mothers wombe, so as wee bee easily allured away from the seruice of God. That is the thing which wee hauehave to remember vppon this part of the text. And therefore let vsus indeuour al the time of our life, to walke according to Gods ordinance, and let vsus also beware that wee bee not caried away after the illusions of Satan. And when we our selues shall hauehave continued in the seruice of God; let vsus teach our children to doe the like, that it may for euer be reteyned in the worlde, so as God may be serued of al men with one common accord. For if wee be recheles in that behalfe, it wil abash vsus to see howe the diuel will incontinently get the forehand of vsus; & in the turning of a hand there wil followe a horrible change which will corrupt and marre all. Sith wee see this, let vsus be steddie and constant, and let vsus bee so zealous to bring to passe that God may bee purely worshipped, as it may continue, not for one day onelyonly, but euen vntounto the ende, so as we may from age to age protest, that Gods name is called vppon ouer vsus, and that he hath the whole preheminence; and that the creatures howe excellent so euer they bee, doe abyde in their degree and place, and that they hauehave not occupyed the roome of God nor his soueraigne dominion.
Now let vsus fall downe before the maiestie of our good God which acknowledgement of our faultes, praying him to make vsus perceiue them more and more, that wee may be so cast downe in our selues, as our whole seeking may bee to receiue merciemercy at his hand, and hauing receiued it, to bee so guyded by his holy spirite, as we may giuegive our selues wholly vntounto him to dedicate our selues fully to his obedience, and to serue him with all purenesse both in body and soule, and that hee impute not our imperfections vntounto vsus which are yet still in vsus, but that he rid them from vsus day by day, and reclaime vsus of them more and more, vntil he hauehave brought vsus to the perfection whereunto he inuiteth vsus. That it may please him to graunt this grace, not onelyonly to vsus, but also to all people and nations of the earth, &c.