Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 20
On Munday the xx. of May. 1555. The xx. Sermon which is the second vponupon the fourth Chapter.
3 Your eyes hauehave seene what the Lorde did to Beelphegor, for the Lorde thy God hath rooted out all the men from among you, which walked after Beelphegor.
4 But you which hauehave cleaued to the Lorde your God, are all aliue at this day.
5 Beholde, I hauehave taught yee ordinances and lawes as the Lorde my God commaunded mee, that you should doe thereafter in the land which you are entering into to possesse it.
6 Keepe them [therefore] and doe them: for that is your wisedome and vnderstanding in the sight of the Nations, who hearing of all these ordinances shall say, surely it is a wise and vnderstanding people, it is a great Nation.
GOd sheweth his great goodnes in labouring to drawe vsus to him by gentlenesse: and great also is his grace if he draw vsus to him by force, when he seeth that wee cannot otherwise bee subdued. And that is the cause why he not only setteth his promises before vsus, but also addeth threatnings, shewing vsus his rigour, and making vsus also to feele it: euen to the ende to win vsus by some meanes or other. But yet doeth all this redound to our welfare, and God sheweth howe much he tendereth vsus, euē in that he is so sharp and rough towardes vsus. For if wee coulde suffer our selues to bee led gently by him, surely such is his nature that he would deale that way with vsus, according to his owne saying that he is a kinde hearted and pitifull God,Exo. 34.6. & Deut. 1.31. & Esa. 49.15. & Matt. 7.9. foreward to shew merciemercy, and of long sufferaunce. When God intendeth to shewe what good will he beareth vsus, he alledgeth all the properties of a good Father. Then will he neuer vse any roughnesse, vnlesse he bee inforced, bicause he seeth vsus dul vponupon the spurre, and is faine to prick vsus, or else wee would neuer goe on our way. Therefore when we come to reade the holy Scripture, let vsus alwaies hauehave this before our eyes, that our Lordes desire is to drawe vsus to him by gentlenesse, if wee bee plyable: and therevpon let vsus humble our selues vntounto him, and not looke to hauehave him deale roughly with vsus, but followe him quietly as soone as he hath shewed vsus that he is willing to receiue vsus. And if we hauehave bin so farre ouerseene as to hauehave giuen deafe eare to all his promises, and not to come at his call: at leastwise it were not meete for vsus to bee drowsie still, when he addeth his threatnings to waken vsus. Therefore let vsus vnderstand that it is time for vsus to yeeld our selues to God then or neuer. And that is the cause why that in this text, Moses putteth the people in rememberance, of the punishments that God had laide vponupon such as worshipped the idole of Ammō which was called Beel-phegor. But we hauehave yet one point more to mark, which is, that God spareth vsus and punisheth others, to the intent wee should learne wit at other mens cost, as they say. If God should step to vsus at the first dash, and correct vsus as soone as wee hauehave done amisse, or tell vsus that we should looke for vengeance at his hand: yet ought we to take it as a token of his fatherly goodnesse, as I said afore. But his will is to beare with vsus, and he setteth the saide chastisements before vsus, to make vsus knowe that his punishing of offenders is not without cause, & that wee ought to take the same for a warning to our selues. And so doth Moses vse it here. For he saith not, God will punish you if ye offende: but hee saieth, Ye hauehave seene howe they were punished which worshipped Beel-phegor. Nowe therefore, preuent Gods wrath, and tarie not till he be angrie with you, & set on fire: but cleaue simply to his word, and let the corrections that he hath shewed you auaile you, & not bee shewed you in vaine. Thus ye see the third point which wee hauehave to marke: that is to wit, that our Lorde vttereth not his threatenings vntounto all men, but sheweth vsus howe he punisheth the vnbeleeuers, to the intent that wee shoulde not bee of their nomber, least wee should be wrapped in the same condemnation with them.Eph. 5.5… And it is the same thing that S. Paul sheweth. For after he hath tolde the faithfull, that they must abstaine from couetousnes, theft, whoredome, drunkennesse, and such other like things, yea and euen from all manner of loosenesse and wantonnesse: he addeth, be not deceiued, for Gods wrath commeth vppon the vnbeleeuers for such things. He saieth not that Gods wrath shall come vponupon them: but he tempereth his speach and saieth, Consider that God punisheth the vnbeleeuers for such causes, and therfore separate your selues from their nomber and companie. After the same maner speaketh he likewise in the tenth of the first to the Corinthians.1. Cor. … After he had tolde them how God had punished idolaters, rebels, and such as had coueted vnlawfull things: he addeth that those thinges are written for vsus, that we might see and behold Gods iudgements as in a liuely picture, & keepe our selues from falling into the like punishment. Nowe therefore let vsus come to that which Moses rehearseth here: Your eyes (saieth he) hauehave seen what the Lorde did in the case of Beel-phegor. In saying so, he telleth not the people a tale that shall doe them no good: but he doeth them to vnderstand, that Gods vttering of his vengeaunce against such as had worshipped that idole, was to giuegive a generall lesson to all men: and therefore that they ought to thinke themselues worthie of dubble blame in that behalfe, forasmuch as they had fared neuer the better by Gods scourges, but had shut their eyes all the while that he was about to warne them to their benefite and welfare.
Nowe remaineth to apply this geere to our vse. When God sendeth any trouble vppon the world: let vsus vnderstand that it is not without cause that he is so sore displeased. For if we consider the offences and misdeedes that hauehave bene committed: wee must needes conclude yt God sheweth himselfe a iudge in punishing sinnes. But doeth that serue onelyonly for them that feele the strokes? No: Gods will is to shewe his iust vengeance generally, that men may learne to stoope to him, and to walke in feare of him, and to giuegive thēselues no more to prouoking of him. To be short, all the chastisementes that wee see in the worlde, ought to serue for our learning: according to this saying of the Prophet Esay,Esa. 26.9. O Lorde, when thou executest thy iudgementes, the dwellers of the earth shall learne righteousnesse. For when God winketh, and punisheth not the wicked and vnrighteous: men take leaue to doe euill, it seemeth that all thinges shoulde scape vnpunished, and euerie man beareth with himselfe, accordingly as all of vsus are naturally too much inclined to flatter our selues in our sinnes. But when wee perceiue that GOD calleth mens sinnes to account, and that all thinges are inrolled before him, he sheweth him selfe a iudge in punishing men, whereas they thought they had beene forgotten: then behold, wee be wakened, so as euerie of vsus beginnes to bethinke himselfe, or at leastwise it were good reason that he should do so. True it is that Gods iudgementes doe sometimes passe before our eyes, and wee make none account of them, by meanes whereof wee can fare neuer the better for them: but vnhappie are wee when we bee so blinde. And why? For (as I saide) Gods intent is that other men shoulde take example, by his chastising of those that hauehave offended. Yea and euen the worldly iudges obserue the same order, insomuch that when they punish a theefe, or a murderer, or any other euill dooer, they doe it not alonely to be reuenged of ye euil that he hath done as in respect of himselfe: but also to set him forth as a lookingglasse, to the intent that all other folkes shoulde set a watch ouer themselues, and abhorre such crimes, and not suffer them to hauehave their full course and scope. And thinke wee that God goeth yet any further? So then, let vsus suffer our selues to bee amended at other mens cost, and let vsus hauehave our eyes open to beholde the punishment so that he sendeth. And nowe in these dayes, must it not needes bee that wee be worse than asleepe, if wee bee not mooued at the great number of corrections that God sendeth? Wee see howe the whole worlde is in maner past recouerie, and (as the Prophet Esay saieth) there is not one whit of soundnesse from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foote:Esa. 1.6. Gods scourges runne abrode euerie where: euerie man complaineth, great and small lament: On the one side wee see warres, famine, and pestilence, (and those thinges happen not by casualtie:) and on the otherside euerie man bewaileth his owne priuate case. And why so? Wherfore doe wee not knowe the hande that striketh vsus? Wherefore doe wee not consider that God sheweth himselfe a iudge towardes vsus, to make vsus returne vntounto him? For mens sinnes are not vnknowen, we see well that the whole worlde is out of order, and that God must bee faine to put to his hand. And yet in the meane season wee abide still blockish, but wee shall be helde the lesse excused for it in the ende. And why? For it may bee tolde vsus to our shame, that our eyes hauehave seene howe God warned vsus: it was long of none but our selues that we were not brought to repentance. Seeing that GOD did laye his iudgementes open to our sight, and wee marked them not: wee must needes bee punished the sorer for such negligence, because we hauehave played the deafe and blinde folkes, when GOD went about to bring vsus gently to him. And so the thing that Moses spake to the people of Israell, is written to our vse in these dayes. For it is as much as if the holy Ghost shoulde tell vsus, that when God punisheth men, bee it generally or particularly: we must not be purblinde, in that case, but bethinke vsus well and see whether wee our selues hauehave not deserued the like: and therevppon bee sorie for our sinnes, and not tarie till God drawe his sworde against vsus, but hye vsus apace to him seeing hee warneth vsus to returne. And for the performing heereof, let vsus vnderstande that the calamities which light vppon the worlde, come not by haphazarde, but from heauen, and are corrections for the offences where into the worlde hath ouershot it selfe.
Nowe Moses speaketh heere by name of Beelphegor, which was the ydoll of the Ammonites, as is saide afore. And the worde Baal betokeneth a Principal, a Master, or a Patrone: which thing is well worthie to bee marked. For when wee heere speaking of the ydolles of the heathen, they seeme to vsus to bee farre other thinges than those that wee see noweadayes. But the Scripture sheweth vsus that they bee in manner all one. And why? For the heathen were not so grosse and dulwitted, but that they knewe there was a certaine soueraine maiestie which had created heauen and earth, and helde soueraine Dominion ouer all thinges. But therewith all they woulde needes hauehave vndergods and meane gods whom they termed their Patrones, as they doe nowadayes in the Popedome. Againe there was another sort of gods, whom they thought to hauehave the charge of seuerall Countries: for euerie countrie had his ydol. And so also this worlde Baal was the name as yee woulde say of a God that had the gouernance of a whole countrie, and serued to get men fauour at the great Gods hand. Nowe it may seeme at the first blush, that this was no defacing of Gods glorie, nor any impeachment to the continuall seruing and worshipping of him: and yet is it such a corruption as he cannot abide. For he will hauehave all preheminence to himselfe, and hee will not hauehave men to giuegive him or assigne him any companion, as we shall see hereafter where Moses will say,Deut. 4.35. The Lorde thy God is the onelyonly God. Againe, when men make such mingling, and will needs hauehave a multitude of gods: we see how god speaketh of it in the twentith of Ezechiell. Goe your wayes (saith he) I giuegive yee ouer,Eze. 20.3… seeing yee hauehave other Gods than me: go serue the diuel altogether, for I will hauehave nothing to do with you. Let vsus mark wel then, that Gods seruice can neuer be kept in his purenesse, except all superstition be laide downe, and men holde themselues simply to his worde, without inuenting of any thing, & without intermingling of any thing deuised of their owne braine. Thus yee see that the true and pure religion, is the exalting of the only one God, so as his glorie is not darkened by adding any companion vntounto him.
And nowe hee sayeth expresly, You that hauehave clea…ed to your God are all aliue this day. This serueth not so much to make the people gladde: as to shewe them that seeing they bee so greatly bounde and beholden to their God, they ought to serue him with the greater zeale. Moses then telleth the people thus: Yee hauehave seene Gods wrath: and what hath preserued you from it hitherto? For yee might hauehave beene ouerthrowen and destroyed as well as they that worshipped Beelphegor. Knowe yee therefore that your continuing vntounto this day, is through the free fauour of your God. And therefore looke that yee serue and honour him as hee deserueth, seeing hee hath mainteined you after such a fashion, and against all hope. Nowe this warning belongeth vntounto vsus, because we liue not to any other ende than to serue our GOD, and woe bee to them which being in this worlde doe rauen vp Gods benefites, and knowe not to what ende, but are heere as brute beastes. So then let vsus marke well, that as long as we bee in this worlde, God will hauehave vsus to doe him homage for our life, and [to vnderstande] that we bee bounde to him [for all thinges,] and to make that our marke to shoote at, according to this sentence often spoken in the scripture,Psal. 5.8. & 118.17. Ionas. 2.5. I shall liue and goe into the temple of the Lorde. Yea & when Ionas was come out of the Whales bellie, and euen when hee called vppon GOD being there as in a gulfe of hell: hee saide not I will liue and make good cheere, but hee saieth that hee shal yet againe see the temple of God. And what to doe? to giuegive him thankes for prolonging his life after that sort. Therefore let vsus marke, that in al the benefites which we receiue at Gods hande, he bindeth vsus so much the more streitly vntounto him, to the intent that we shoulde indeuour to serue him, and to giuegive our selues wholly vntounto him, and to walke in the obedience of his righteousnes. This is it in effect which Moses meant to note.
And hee setteth downe afterwarde, that hee had giuen them statutes and ordinances according as God had commaunded him. Wherein hee protesteth that hee had beene a faithfull deliuerer of the doctrine which hee did set forth, to the end that the people might not receiue it as the doctrine of a man, but consider howe it was God that had spoken it, and so imbrace it with all reuerence. And heereby wee see that GOD doeth euermore reserue to himselfe, the right of gouerning vsus as in respect of the spirituall gouernement of our soules. True it is that God woulde there shoulde bee ciuill policie in this worlde, and hee hath put men in commission for the same: but in the meane while hee will hauehave none but onelyonly himselfe to hauehave power to lay lawes vppon vsus. When the case concerneth his owne seruice, and religion, and spirituall thinges: then must onelyonly he himselfe bee heard, and no man must vsurp his office or meddle in it, nor no man steppe in to adde one word. For if euer any man in the worlde was worthie to bee hearde: was not Moses so excellent, that hee might well bee formost and chiefe? Yes: for wee shall see heereafter,Deut. 14. 1. Pet. 5…. that there neuer was such a Prophet in the worlde, neither before him nor after him, euen to the comming of him that is aboue al Prophetes, that is to wit, the sonne of God. And yet for all his worthinesse, Moses holdeth himself in the number of those which ought to herken vntounto God without setting forth any thing of his owne deuice. Seeing it is so, whosoeuer taketh vponupon him to make lawes to rule mens soules, shall goe to confusion with his diuelish presumptuousnesse and ouerweening. To bee short, when any doctrine is to bee followed, let vsus on our side looke that wee bee sure that it proceedeth from God, & that our faith be groūded on him alone, so as wee hang not vppon mortall men, nor vppon any creature. For there woulde bee no steedinesse. Thus yee see that the first point which wee hauehave to marke vppon this text, is that Moses protesteth that hee commeth not in his owne name, nor setteth vp Lawes at his owne pleasure, but receiued the thinges at Gods hande, which hee taught. And for that cause he saith, the Lorde my God commaunded mee. True it is that the people might hauehave saide so as well as Moses, according also as Moses addeth oftentimes, The Lorde your God. But here hee appropriateth the title of God to himselfe, saying, The Lorde my God. And whie? It is like as in a Countrie where there is a Prince, euerie man may well say, yondsame is the king, yondsame is the Prince: and yet notwithstanding, they that are of his housholde or beare any office may adde these wordes ouer, the King my master, or they may saye, the Prince my master. And why? For they bee his officers or his householde seruauntes. After the same manner delt the Prophetes.Esa. … As for example, Esay in his seuenth chapter speaking to Acaz, saieth: Yee house of Dauid, is it not ynough for you to [greeue men, but yee muste also] tempt my GOD? Heere yee see howe Esay setteth himselfe alone. And why?1. … 21. for hee is Gods officer, and hath his commission to bee his Prophet. We see as much in Helias. And Saint Paul likewise incrocheth vppon the tytle that is common,Rom… …. and sayeth, The Gospel which I hauehave receiued of my God. Whereby hee sheweth that hee was ordeyned to be an Apostle. Euen so is it in this text, where Moses declareth that hee was not a Prophet of his owne making, ne came foorth at auenture, but that GOD had called him to that state, and committed that charge vntounto him. The reason then why wee muste giuegive eare to men that teach vsus, is because they bee sent of God, so as hee diminisheth not his owne authoritie, ne dischargeth vsus to goe where wee list, but will hauehave vsus alwayes ruled by his word.
Nowe Moses addeth immediatly, that he hath set foorth the statutes and ordinances, to the ende that the people shoulde doe them, when they were come into the lande to possesse it. Wherein wee see the same that hath beene shewed heeretofore; that is to wit, that God wil not hauehave mē to dally with his doctrine, but to imbrace it with all reuerence, and to obey it by framing themselues thereafter. Wherefore let vsus bee well aduised, that if wee will bee well taught at Gods hande, wee must serue him all our life long. For without wee doe so, wee shall be condemned of false abusing the doctrine, which was giuen vsus to kill our vices and to alter our lewde and inordinate lustes. As often then as we come to heare Gods worde, let vsus alwayes hauehave this before our eyes, that his will is to bring vsus home to himselfe, and not to hauehave vsus wander after our owne wicked lusts and likings, but to bow down our necke vnderunder his yoke to yeelde him obedience. And heereby wee see howe the Gospell is vnhallowed nowadayes. For wee hauehave our …ares sufficiently beaten with the thinges that wee ought to doe: but who is hee that doeth but so much as lifte vp his finger, to streine himselfe to serue God? The number of them is verie small. But there is great store of them that take greater libertie to doe euil vppon the preaching of the Gospell, and in their opinion God is much beholden to them, in that they suffer his worde to bee preached, themselues holding scorne of it. But needes must such vngodlinesse and diuelish pride bee horrible punished. Why so? For the worde that GOD sendeth vsus, is the seede of life which ought to yeelde fruite in vsus: and yet for all that, wee make no reckening of it, but trample it vnderunder our feete, and wee become starke blockes. And it is not ynough for vsus to bee a barren grounde that beareth no fruite: but wee doe also bring forth the fruites of bitternesse, as God complayneth by his Prophet Ieremie:Ier. 2.21. insomuch that yee shall see a great number that doe euen spite God and rancle in malice against him, seeking nothing else but to kindle his wrath more and more. Such folke must needes looke for dreadful damnation and mercilesse vengeance.
And truely like as Moses hath declared here that hee came not in his owne name: so also, his protesting that hee had inioyned them the lawes and ordinances as GOD had vttered them vntounto him, sheweth that men cannot deuise to spite God more openly, than by striuing against his worde. Indeede they will alledge that their intent is not so, like as wee see in these dayes that these scorners of God which make none account of any doctrine, doe dosse with their hornes like madde bulles against all good gouernement and policie, and would faine that there were nothing but vtter desolation in the Church: and yet notwithstanding to couer themselues, they will [not sticke to] say, what, doeth the matter concerne the Gospell? who is he that woulde not mainteine it? Yea if the diuels of hel maintain it. We see some such among vsus, yea euen which shew themselues much wickeder than the Papists. And the diuel also must needes be faine to shew his furie, and the libertie that God hath giuen him against such despisers. But all is well if they can couer themselues alwayes with this faire excuse, that they mind not to fight against the Gospel, but against the preachers. Nowe seeing they bee at that point, wee must fall to scanning of the matter, to wit whether the preachers doe set foorth any straunge doctrine, whether they hauehave put forth any forged dotages, or whether they hauehave set vp any lawes at their owne pleasure. If it be found that the ministers preach Gods worde purely: that they are glad and faine to aduaunce the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christ: that they procure the same to the vttermost of their power: and that they seeke to hauehave such order in the Church, as God may alwayes be worshiped, and good policie bee mainteined among men: with whom hauehave they to do, which striue here against? And we must bee faine to come to the protestation that Moses made,Exod. 16.7. saying: What are wee Moses and Aaron? What hauehave wee set foorth, which wee hauehave not receiued of God? What cause hauehave you to mooue this sedition and vprore, in saying that yee cannot abide that wee shoulde reigne ouer you? What is the souereintie, what is the dominion which we woulde hauehave ouer you? Wee desire nothing but that God bee obeyed, and that hee hauehave the authoritie and preheminence that belong vntounto him. Loe howe Moses spake of his time. And after the same maner speake wee nowadayes to these roysters, which seeke to bring all to confusion, vnderunder shadowe and pretence that they intende to mainteine the Gospell, whereas it appeareth that they make a flatte mockerie of it, and raile against it. Yet for all this, they that hauehave any taste of Religion, wil defie such plages, and separate themselues from them, least God wrappe them vp with them in the same condemnation: and they will looke to make the knowledge profitable which they have receiued, yea and with all humblenesse receiue the thinges that are taught them by men, so they bee sure that they come from God. Thus yee see what wee hauehave to remember vppon this sentence.
Nowe afterwarde hee commaundeth them to keepe these thinges and to doe them. And why? for (saith hee) Beholde your vnderstanding and your wisedome in the sight of all Nations, is that you bee taught of your God. Whereas he saith, ye shall keepe them therefore and doe them: it is a conclusion well worthie to bee noted. For must it not needes be that men are starke madde, when they hauehave no minde to heare God at such time as hee teacheth them? What are wee that GOD shoulde take the paine to doe the office of a teacher towardes vsus? Is it not a great stooping downe from his highnesse? But seeing that God doth so lessen himselfe, as to stoope to our rudenesse to teach vsus: shoulde wee let his worde fall to the grounde and despise it? So then let vsus vnderstande, that whensoeuer wee bee spoken to in Gods name, we ought to tremble vnderunder his maiestie, yea and to imbrace his worde with all reuerence, truely, hartily, and zealously. For it is but a counterfait worshipping of God, if we be not as Lambes, suffring our selues to be led by his onelyonly voice: and it is certaine that if we followe not after him as soone as hee doeth but make a signe, wee be wilde beastes, and hee will not knowe vsus for any of his. And so wee see what authoritie the name of God carieth with it: insomuch that when Gods worde is set afore vsus, wee must all cast downe our heades, and bowe downe our neckes to receiue the yoke that is laide vponupon vsus, and seeke by al meanes to please him and to be obedient to him.
Nowe Moses returneth to that which I touched at the beginning: namely, that God indeuoureth to drawe vsus to him by gentlenesse: and hee sheweth it heere to the people of Israel, in telling them of the excellent prerogatiue that had beene giuen them. For beholde heere (saieth God) this is thy wisedome and thine vnderstanding in the sight of all nations. Wee knowe that naturally it is a griefe to men to be counted beasts. And why? For they knowe that the thing wherein they differ from beastes, is that they hauehave discretion and reason in them. God to the intent to make vsus excell Oxon, Asses, Dogges, and Swyne, hath printed his image in vsus. And wherein consisteth this image, but in the hauing of discretion to descerne betweene good and euill… And therefore it is not to bee maruailed at, though men couet to bee skilfull, and to hauehave wisedome and abilitie to iudge. But yet for all that, there are verie fewe that seeke rightly to hauehave a true iudgement, insomuch that al doe rather turne away and wander after their owne fancies, and become brutish in themselues. Yet neuerthelesse, (as I saide afore) wee make great account of the hauing of discretion and wisedome to iudge betweene good and euill. But heere Moses sheweth, that men are vnable to rule themselues. In deede wee weene yes: but it is but a weening, yea and an ouerweening. For our life is vtterly out of order, and there is nothing well ruled in it, vntill GOD hauehave shewed vsus the way, and that wee hauehave profited in his schoole. That is the thing where vntounto Moses leadeth the people as nowe. All men [sayeth hee] are desirous of knowledge, and loath to bee as brute beastes. Because they bee shaped after the image of God, they woulde faine hauehave discretion, that they might know how to liue.
Nowe it is so that GOD giueth you discretion and wisedome, by vouchsafing to set his worde before you. So then, bee not so vnthankefull towardes him, as to misuse so inestimable a benefite. Suffer GOD to make you profite in such wise by his worde as yee may bee skilfull and wise, and not wander any more. Wee see now in effect the meaning of Moses.
Nowe hauehave wee to gather vppon this text, what the weakenesse of mans minde is. True it is that our father Adam receiued vnderstanding and power to discerne betweene good and euill in his creation: but after hee had sinned hee was after a sort blinded. And wee likewise are corrupted, so as wee discerne in a manner nothing at all. Wee take white for blacke, as it appeareth by our corrupting of the whole seruice of GOD by our superstitions.…o. 2.14.15 True it is that God hath left vsus some discretion, so as we knowe it is euill to commit theft, whoredome, murther, &c. but yet notwithstanding, wee be daseled in such wise, that our insight is not so cleare and sure as to make vsus walke aright. Yee see then after what sort men are marde, and it is the thing that the scripture sheweth vsus,Ep. 4.17.…. insomuch that the wretched Paynims and such as knew not God, could not but be plunged in darknesse and so destitute of reason, as they coulde not discerne any more. That is the first point which we hauehave to marke.
And when as Moses intytleth Gods worde and his lawe to bee our wisedome: thereby hee sheweth that wee hauehave no wisedome in our selues, ne knowe howe to behaue our selues, but are as brute beastes, vntill such time as our Lorde hauehave taught vsus. That is another point. And were the same well borne in minde, surely men woulde not bee so bolde to inuent things after their owne liking, but woulde hold themselues soberly and meekely vnderunder Gods worde. And so much the more neede hauehave wee to mind this texte, because wee knowe there is no other wisedome in vsus, than to submit our selues teachable vntounto God, and to harken what hee saith to vsus, to sticke thereto quietly, refusing all that euer we can conceiue of our owne head. According wherevnto Sainct Paul saieth,1. Cor. … 19. that wee cannot bee wise before God, vntill wee be become fooles in our selues: that is to witte, vntil we know that there is nothing but vanitie & leasing in our owne vnderstanding, and therefore that wee must giuegive ouer all that we thinke good, and not knowe aught but that which God commaundeth. And therewithall, as Moses ment heere to bereaue men of all selfeweening, to the intent they shoulde stoope and submitte themselues vntounto Gods worde: so on the contrarie parte hee ment to shew that when men hauehave Gods Lawe for their rule: they shall want nothing, but all shall bee well and perfect. That is a seconde point which we hauehave to note. I hauehave told you alreadie that men must vnderstande, that there is not one droppe of sounde iudgement in them, but that to become wise, they must yeeld themselues wholly vntounto God. It is not ynough to knowe this: for wee might partly heere GOD, and afterwarde adde thereto of our owne, as we see the Papists hauehave done. They will not saye that the Scripture is false, (howebit that they themselues doe falsifie it moste wickedly: and yet for all that they bee inforced spite of their teeth to say still, it is the worde of God:) But they woulde faine mingle their owne lawes with it: whereby it is euident that they hauehave made such confusion, as a man cannot discerne betweene the holy scripture, and their fancies. And why [hauehave they done so]? Because that to their seeming there is some want in Gods worde, and hee hath not taught thinges perfectly ynough: but that is a cursed blasphemie. For Moses, to giuegive due authoritie to Gods worde, saieth expreslie that it is the wisedome and vnderstanding of such as heare it, and taste of the doctrine that is conteyned in it. As if hee shoulde say, couet not to knowe further than your God sheweth you. Holde yee there: for those are your boundes and listes, and whosoeuer passeth them confoundeth heauen and earth together. So then let vsus learne, that when God is so gratious as to teach vsus, it behoueth vsus to yeelde simplie to that which he saith. And how may that bee done? Verily if wee take thinges whole as hee telleth vsus them, and not by halfe as wee see these braue laddes doe, which would cut off Gods authoritie from him by the waste. Well, say they: Let the Gospell be preached: but if there bee any thing that wee mislike, let that be laide away, such doctrine must bee let alone. Yea? Shall God then be subiect to mens fancies, so as they shall receiue nothing but what they thinke good themselues? What a madnes is that? Now when we see yt these rascals aduaunce themselues after that sort: let vsus on our side learne to giuegive eare to God in all points, and to make no exception to restreine his authoritie, but to receiue obediently whatsoeuer proceedeth from his mouth. Let that serue for a principle. And againe, when we once know what is in the holy scripture, let vsus reiect all the rest as straunge and bastardestuffe. For our Lorde hath not taught vsus as it were an Apsie, to sende vsus to a greater and excellenter master than himselfe: For what a presumptuousnesse were it [to think,] that God hath shewed vsus but onelyonly the first enterances, and that men must leade vsus higher? What a comparison were that? And yet notwithstanding it is the thing that is done in poperie. For the Pope saith, that the lawes which hee hath made, are the reuelations of the holie Ghost, whereof our Lorde Iesus spake when hee saide to his disciples [I hauehave many thinges to say vntounto you,Iohn 16.12.] but yee cannot beare them all away as nowe. Verily as who shoulde say, that God had giuen but some small enterances in his Lawe and his Gospell: and that the Pope were inspired aboue the Prophets and aboue Christ himselfe to bring a much more exquisite doctrine than theirs. Wee see then that the diuell hath passed all measure in this behalfe. Wherefore let vsus learne to knowe nothing but that which we receiue from aboue, and which it pleaseth God to shewe vntounto vsus. Take that for a principle. Moreouer, if this was verified of the lawe of Moses: let vsus assure our selues there is much more reason that it shoulde properly be iustified and verified of the gospel, so as they which hauehave profited therein, may assure themselues that they hauehave perfect learning, wherein to beholde euen the heauenly giftes,2. Cor. 3.18. as Saint Paul speaketh of it. And therefore let vsus humble our selues when we see our Lorde so gratious to vsus, as to teach vsus familiarly as it were with his owne mouth. This is it in effect, which we hauehave to remember vppon this streine. In deede it deserueth well to be laide foorth more at length, and I must touch it againe hereafter: neuerthelesse I will now conclude with a complaint. I see walkers yonder, & I knowe for what their comming is, except it be to shew a contempt of God and his word, which is an intollerable lewdenesse. They come babling heere to the doore, and that not twise or thrise, but more than a doosen times. It sheweth well that they despise God manifestly. Such is the honour of Geneua, that when the Gospell is a preaching, men come euen to the Church doore to make a flatte mockerie of it, and after the same manner also is baptisme honored heere: and it is too common a dealing.
Therefore let vsus kneele downe in the presence of our good God, with acknowledgement of the innumerable faultes which wee hauehave committed against his maiestie, and for the which wee bee woorthy of eternall death if hee pittie vsus not. And therfore let vsus pray him to shedde out his merciemercy vppon vsus: and that we may the better feele the same, let vsus beseech him to vouchsafe to traine vsus so vntounto him henceforth as hee subdue all our stubburnnesse and all the wicked lustes of our flesh, and reforme vsus in such wise to his obedience, as wee may fare the better by the chastisements that he sendeth vsus: and therewithall graunt vsus the grace to receiue our Lord Iesus Christ for our guide and shephearde, and to heare him as our teacher and master, like as hee speaketh to vsus daylie by his worde. That it may please him to graunt this grace, not onelie to vsus, but also to all people and Nations of the earth, &.