Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 37

Sermons on Deuteronomy · Sermons · Sermon 37

p. 218On Munday the first of Iuly. 1555. The xxxvij Sermon which is the eight vponupon the fift Chapter.

17 Thou shalt not be a murtherer.

WE hauehave seene alreadie, howe that to liue well with men, wee must obey our superiors. For it is the first thing that God commaundeth vsus in the second table of his lawe: because the meane in descending from him to men, is to honour those whom he hath set ouer vsus. In deede when wee speake of men, there is some equall fellowship: for wee come all of Adams race: we 40be all of one kinde:Rom. 13.1.Rom 13:1 and all this importeth an equalitie among men. Neuerthelesse forasmuch as it hath pleased God to set certaine degrees: wee must holde vsus thereunto, and keepe that order, so as the partie which hath any preheminence and dignitie, may bee acknowledged for such a one as is to bee honoured. And in this case we must not alledge, why is he more estemed than I? For that commeth not of any worthines that is in one more than in another: but of Gods 50will, who wi…l hauehave them so honoured to whom hee hath giuen any preheminence. And it is not ynough for y^e children to honor their parents by yeelding them some reuerence: but they must also succour them, and spende themselues to the vttermost for them,Matt. 15.4.5.6.Matt 15:4Matt 15:5Matt 15:6 accordingly as our Lorde Iesus Christ sheweth howe it is but hypocrisie, when children doe but make some countenance of honoring their fathers and mothers, and in the meane while let them alone in their 60necessitie, without regarde of discharging their duetie towardes them at their neede. It is a defrauding of the parentes of that which is due to them, and a scorning of Gods Lawe, when men obserue it so by way of Ceremonie. In like case is it with all manner of subiection. For it is not ment that men shoulde but onelyonly yeelde some signe of honour:Rom. … Eph. 6.… Col. ….Eph 6 but that they should yeeld the partie his full right, which hath any preheminence, yea and that the same shoulde bee done willingly. True it is (as I hauehave declared heretofore) that men would faine be exempted from all bondage. Howebeit forasmuch as God hath set a contrarie order: wee must submit our selues to it with a good wil, and not by force. For to what purpose is it to obey God spite of our teeth, when our heart goeth cleane against? Thē must our will goe with it, and whatsoeuer our Lord commaundeth vsus wee must thinke it good and amiable. Thus the entrance into good conuersation among men, is to consider that our fathers and mothers and all our superiors are aduanced to that preheminence aboue others, to the intent they shoulde be honored:Rom. … Otherwise, God is misused in their persons, and it is all one as if we refused to honour him and to be subiect to him.

Nowe after that Moses hath set downe this fift commaundement: he addeth, That wee must not be murtherers. In deede it may seeme at the first blush, that God ledde not his people to great perfection in forbidding them to commit murther. But wee must marke, that God intended to comprise (as it were in a short abridgment) all that is requisite for the well ruling of this our life: and therefore it was not for him to forget any thing, or to leaue any thing behinde. Nowe wee must vnderstande that thePsal. … way for men to rule their liues well & orderly, is to abstaine from al euil doing, iniury, & violence, and therwithall to liue chastly and honestly with out hurting or hindering of any man, and on the p. 219other side, to keepe their tongues from harming any man by any manner of falshood and lying. All these good properties must be in vsus, if wee wil frame our selues to Gods will and righteousnesse. So then, it is not to bee marueiled at, that God shoulde speake here of murthers. For it is done to holde vsus in awe, that we shoulde not goe about to doe any outrage or harme to our neighbours. But yet for all this, we must come backe againe to that which I hauehave touched alreadie: 10that is to wit, that God speaketh after a rude and grosse fashion, to apply himselfe both to great and small▪ and euen to the very ydiots. For wee see howe eueryevery man excuseth himselfe by ignorance: and if a thing bee somewhat darke and hard, we thinke we hauehave wherewith to wash our handes of the matter. When wee hauehave done amisse, [wee thinke all is safe,] if wee can say, Oh, it was too high and too profounde for mee, I vnderstoode neuer a whit of 20it. To the end therfore that men should hauehave no such startingholes: Gods will was to speake after such a fashion, as euen little babes might vnderstande what hee saide. That is the cause why he saith in short wordes, Thou shalt not bee a murtherer.

Let vsus marke moreouer, that God, to the intent to leade vsus by little and little to liue well, setteth vsus downe the thinges that are most hatefull that we might learn to keepe our selues from 30euill doing. As for example, hee coulde hauehave saide, yee shall doe no wrong nor violence to your neighbours: hee could well hauehave saide so: but he listed to set downe the word Murther. And why? Because it is a thing against nature, when men goe about to wipe out Gods image after y^t fashion. Needes then must we abhorre murther, if we be not starke beastes. Howe be it, this teacheth vsus that there is not a more heinous thing, nor a thing that wee ought to abhorre 40more, than murther. GOD therefore to tye vsus the shorter and to withhold vsus from all anoying, and from all wrong dealing, telleth vsus that wee muste not defile our handes with the bloude of our neighbours. Well then: If a man abstaine from murther, is that all? No not by a great deale, as shall bee shewed anon, and as the matter afordeth alreadie at the first enterance into it. For Gods intent is to holde both our heartes and our thoughtes in subiection, 50and he will be serued so purely at our hands, as we nourish not any ill will towards our neighbours. Why then speaketh he of murther? [It is all one] as if hee should say, although ye had no lawe written, but were as heathen men: yet ought yee to hauehave this printed in your heartes, that murther is a shamefull and owgly thing. Nowe I tell you, that as many as doe any outrage to their neighbours, as manie as deuise any mischiefe against them, and as many as nourish 60any hatred and rancour in their heartes:Iob. 3.15.Job 3:15 I account and condemne them all for murtherers. Thus yee see the cause why GOD vseth that terme.

And nowe let vsus marke well, that it is not for nought that God forbiddeth murther. Why so? For wee can hauehave no fellowshippe with men▪ vnlesse we abstaine from al wrong and violence. And vnderunder one particular kind, God forbiddeth all. Why so? for had hee vsed long speech: a man might hauehave saide, I cannot well beare my lesson in minde, and it is too hard for me. Therfore hath God spoken here in one worde, to the intent that his doctrine might be soone learned, and his lawe bee easily borne in rememberance. There needes no great turning ouer of leaues: wee need not to hauehave many great volumes and registers: God hath comprehended the rule of good life in tenne wordes, and that is ynough for vsus. Who is hee nowe that can alledge, I hauehave forgotten such an article, I hauehave not borne it away? Howe so? Are wee not able to remember so much as halfe a score wordes? Nowe then wee see it was Gods will to holde men conuicted of shamelesnesse, if they vnderstande not what they ought to doe. And so yee see the cause why hee spake so briefely. Moreouer he hath (as yee woulde say) chawed the thinges to vsus, that we might learne to submit our selues quietly to him, and that euen the veriest ydiots might knowe, that they neede not to bee greate clearkes to vnderstande his Lawe, for asmuch as hee hath stooped so lowe, that there is not so ignorant a poore soule, but hee vnderstandeth what is conteined in the Lawe. That is the effect of the matter which wee hauehave to remember here.

Furthermore seeing God hath forbidden murther as an owgly and outragious thing: let vsus assure our selues that hee which riseth vp against his neighbour to murther him, is not worthy to liue vponupon the earth: for he is worse than a wood beaste. Wee see howe Beares, Lyons, and other wilde beastes doe play together. And why is that? Because that although they hauehave no reason nor discretion, although they hauehave no Lawe nor equitie: yet notwithstanding the common knowledge [or instinct] of nature holdeth them in order. Yee see then that the verie beasts hauehave skill to liue well together with the beastes of their owne kinde, without hurting one another. And shoulde not men bee restreined by some consideration, seeing that God hath imprinted it in their hearts that murther is a wicked thing? They see they bee all of one nature, and euerie man beholdes the image of God in his neighbor. And shoulde not this serue them for a bridle, to withholde them from all violence? What a dealing were it else? So then, let vsus beare well in minde, that although God had neuer spoken to vsus, yet hauehave wee sufficient proofe in our selues alreadie, that if any man set himselfe against his neighbour, hee defieth nature, and is vnworthy to be reckened in y^e aray of men. But nowe seeing that the authoritie of God is matched with the knowledge which wee ought to hauehave had aforehande, and that hee sheweth vsus that there shall no bloude of man bee shed, but the same shall come to account before him: let the hearing thereof teach vsus to liue without doing any man wrong, or els let vsus assure our selues he will become our mortall enemie: for hee telleth p. 220vsus that men are in his protection.

In deede the threate is not expressed heere: but yet is it all one, for as much as it is spoken of in other places. Seeing it is said that man is created after the image of God:Gen. 9.6.Gen 9:6 it is not lawfull to make any assault vppon him. For it were all one as if our Lorde shoulde say, yee bidde mee battell when yee goe about to hurt one another after that fashion: for I hauehave printed mine image in you. If a man shoulde but deface the armes 10of a Prince, it were so great an iniurie as should bee punished as a murther. And why? Because it tendeth to the confusion of the state. Beholde, Gods image is printed in men, and it is despised: and shoulde not such an outrage be punished dubble? Yes. Now then let vsus mark, that God in telling vsus that we assault him when we do any man wrong, intendeth to shew vsus that that ought to restraine vsus, or else we be too witlesse and madde. Yea and to the intent wee 20should the better bethinke vsus thereof: our Lord telleth vsus that a murther cannot bee committed, but the lande is defiled with it,Num. 35.33Num 35:33 as is declared in another texte, where it is saide that the shedding of mans bloude bringeth such a stayning and defiling with it, as can scarsly bee wyped out. When there is any speaking of manslaughter, yea though it bee done lawfully,1. Chro. 22.81 Chr 22:8 as in warre, which is allowed: yet is it saide to bee a defiling. And why? To the intent that wee 30shoulde learne to abhorre the shedding of bloud the more. If an enemie bee slaine in open warre, although GOD pardon it because the slaier hath iust and lawfull cause, and doeth it of necessitie: yet notwithstanding it is saide still to bee a staine, and the dooer thereof is saide to bee defiled. And why is that? To the intent wee shoulde knowe that God hath created vsus to liue quietly together, and that wee cannot giuegive a fillippe (as they say), but that it is streitwayes 40a spotte vponupon vsus, and wee be by and by defiled before God. Seeing then that the holy scripture vseth all these formes of speech, ought we not to be held the better in awe, to liue without doing of any wrong to our neighbours? Yes.

Howebeit forasmuch as God doeth so chawe thinges to vsus heere, according to our rawenesse and infirmitie: let vsus marke further, that it is not ynough for vsus to abstaine from bloudshed: but that wee must also abstaine from all outrage 50and violence. To bee short, mens persons must bee deare and precious vntounto vsus. For till we bee come to that point: God will take vsus still for murtherers. If a man doe but strike his neighbour, although hee kill him not: yet is he a murtherer alreadie in Gods sight. And why? I hauehave tolde you alreadie howe GOD vsed that worde of set purpose to shewe vsus that although wee take a quarrelling or the giuing of a blowe ouerthwartly, to bee small and light faultes: yet 60they bee not so before God. And why? Because there is alway a murtherous intent in it. And that is y^e cause why God calleth it murther. And besides that, if we be forbidden to commit murther, let vsus vnderstande that wee bee likewise forbidden to doe any wrong, or to make any assault vppon our neighbours. If wee doe but lift vp our fist against one, or touch him in anger: by and by there is murther committed before God. If wee thought well on this: woulde we not be mielder than we be? Wee see some men so testie, that if a word doe but mislike them, by and by their fist is vp, to smite and beate the partie. For they thinke it is a small matter, so they shedde no bloude. But wee must not make God to eate his worde, in that he telleth vsus that all quarellers are murtherers. So then let vsus learne to forbeare our owne fancies when we intend to iudge of our faults, and let vsus quietly imbrace the sentence that god hath giuen, assuring our selues that all such as offer any violence to their neighbours, are alreadie guiltie of murther before God. That is the thing in effect which we hauehave to remember here.

But hauehave wee abstained from all anoyance? HaueHave we done no outrage to the persons of our neighbors? Then must we go euen to the heart. For God hath not giuen a ciuill Lawe, onelyonly to make vsus liue honestly: but he hath giuen a Lawe agreeable to his owne nature. We knowe he is a spirit,Ioh… … and he will hauehave vsus to serue him in spirite and trueth. Seeing it is so, we must vnderstand y^t he hath giuen vsus a rule, not only for our hands and feete, but also for our affections & thoughts. True it is, that inasmuch as men are fleshly, when gods lawe is first vttered vntounto them, they thinke they hauehave well discharged themselues, if they cannot be blamed before the world: and so on y^e otherside they doe easily grant & take leaue to do cuill. And for the same cause, euen y^e Iewes themselues, who ought to hauehave bin grounded in y^e lawe of God from their childhood, tooke this saying too grosly, Thou shalt not kill. For they vnderstood it, y^t they offēded not god, so they made no open assault vponupon their neighbour to wound him. And therfore if the fault were not apparant to the eye: they bare themselues in hand y^t they ought not to bee charged with it before God. Which thing our Lorde Iesus Christ rebuketh,Mat. 5.…Matt 5 shewing that the law was too fōdly expounded. Because it is said Thou shalt not kil: you beare your selues in hand (saith he) that yee shalbe quit before God, if men cannot bring yee to the bar for it. But whosoeuer calleth his neighbor foole, y^t is to say, whosoeuer doth but shew som tokē of displeasure against him, is forthwith worthy of helfire. Whosoeuer doth another man wrong: is in danger of iudgement from heauen, y^t God and al his Angels shal set themselues again him. And whosoeuer doth but murmure against his neighbour, so as he doth but mūble somwhat betwixt the teeth though he vtter nothing at all: he is already in danger of iudgement. Wee see whereto our Lord Iesus sendeth vsus: namely that when we may protest that we hauehave not done any outrage, nor giuen any blow, and y^t we hauehave so litle ment to wounde our neighbour, that wee hauehave not so much as once drawen our sworde at him: yet is not al this ynough, but wee must consider that God wilouer rule both our tōgues, our thoughts and all our affections, as good reason is hee shoulde. Sith it is so: whosoeuer misuseth p. 221his neighbour [in speeche,] sheweth himselfe alreadie to bee a murtherer: for the tongue cutteth as a sworde. Although then that yee hauehave not your sworde in your fist to strike: yet if your tongue bee armed to speake euill of your neighbour, so as yee hauehave railed vppon him: it is a kinde of murther, as in respect of God. And although yee hauehave not so misused him as all the worlde may bee priuie to it: yet thinke not that ye shall therefore goe cleare. For if ye doe but 10mumble betwixt the teeth: it is ynough to make yee guiltie in the sight of GOD, and ye shall be condemned before the heauēly throne, though ye bee quit before men, and though worldly Iustice take no holde of you. When wee heare this: we may well perceiue, that he which speaketh it is the same person whom God the father hath giuen to bee the iudge of the world.1. Pet. 4.5.1 Pet 4:5 Therfore wee must not giuegive our selues too large scope in this behalfe. For wee shall win nothing by our 20caueling and shifting. But let vsus learne to looke at God, if wee will hauehave the right and naturall exposition of the Lawe. Who is he that speaketh? Euen hee that raigneth ouer our heartes and thoughtes:1. Sa. 16.17. Psal. 7.10.1 Sam 16:17Ps 7:10 euen hee that can not abide to bee serued with eyeseruice, nor that wee should abstaine from euill onelyonly to the worldward, but which will be serued in spirit and trueth. He will hauehave our consciences to be pure & cleane,Iohn 4.24. 1. Tim. 1.5.John 4:241 Tim 1:5 so as wee bee clensed from all naughtinesse. Seeing it 30is so: if wee consider the nature of GOD, wee must no more restraine his Lawe to the outward deedes: but wee must conclude that when God speaketh of murther, he speaketh likewise of all enmitie, displeasure, anger, and rancor that we hauehave against our neighbours. And in deede that is the verie cause why S. Iohn sayeth,1. Ioh. 3.15.1 John 3:15 that he which hateth his neighbour in his heart is a murtherer. As if hee should say, yee maye well set a fayre countenaunce vppon the matter: but 40bee the hatred neuer so secretly hidden in your hearte, and although yee dissemble neuer so much, so as ye vtter no signe of any malice: yet thinke not that Gods eyes are shut for all that. Men may well bee ignoraunt of the thing that yee hauehave not bewrayed: but hauehave yee once hated your neighbours in your hearts, that is to say so secretly as no man may perceiue it: by and by ye bee murtherers before God. And truely the reason hereof is too too apparant. In deed when 50Princes and Magistrates make lawes, it is not after the maner of God. It is but onelyonly to the end that men shoulde behaue themselues well as touching outward ciuill order, so as no man bee misused, but euerie man hauehave his right, & peace and concord bee maintained among men. That is the intent of Magistrates in making of their lawes. And why? For they bee mortall men, and cannot reforme the inward & hidden affections. That belongeth to God. Againe they cannot 60search mens hearts,Psal. 7.10.Ps 7:10 for y^t is Gods peculiar office, and so doeth the holy scripture attribute it vntounto him. Neuerthelesse, when a ciuill lawe is once made: although there be not one drop of bloud shed: yet is the offender worthie to bee caried to the gallowes, if he be knowen to hauehave done what he could to hauehave murthered one. If one draw his sword vponupon a man, who notwithstanding doth so ward his blowes as they neuer touche any bare of him: the Lawes euen of the heathen doe neuerthelesse condemne such a one to the gibbet as he is worthie. For why? The Lawe respecteth not the successe, but the purpose and intent. Nowe seeing it is so that earthly Princes and Magistrates doe punish such as hauehave indeuoured themselues to doe amisse, though they hauehave bene disappointed of their purpose, and not brought their attempt to passe: what shall God doe? Shall he hauehave lesse authoritie than a mortall creature? To that point (say I) must wee come, to knowe that GOD doeth iustly condemne all such for murtherers, as hate their neighbours. Why so? As I said afore, let vsus consider what his nature is. Will wee then keepe his commaundement? Wee must in effect begin at murthering: And why? For God meant to strike a feare into vsus aforehande, to the intent that whensoeuer wee went about to hurt our neyghbours, or to doe any extorsion or wrong: wee might vnderstand that it is a detestable and horrible thing vntounto them, and such a one as hee cannot abide. Why so? Bicause it is a kinde of murthering. Ye see then howe God meant to daunt vsus at the first blowe: and that is the end that we must begin at.

Moreouer if we thinke it straunge that God should condemne a blowe to be murther, yea or a wrong offered but in wordes, yea and euen a frowne though the tongue hauehave bewrayed nothing at all, yea and euen the secret and vnespied hartburning that is deeply ouercouered with in: I say if we thinke it straunge that these things should bee condemned for murther before God: let vsus consider what his nature is, and howe he is worthie that wee should allow more to him than to mortall men. For if earthly Iudges hauehave power to punish a wicked intent when it bewrayeth it selfe: what shall GOD hauehave, from whom nothing is hidden? Againe wee must consider howe the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes sayeth,Heb. 4.12.13Heb 4:12Heb 4:13 that the word of God resembleth him that is the author therof, so as it must needs be as a two edged sword, pearcing in such wise to the verie marie of the bones, that there is not a thought within vsus, which it espieth not out. And why is that? Bicause nothing is hid in the presence of GOD. Nowe seeing that nothing is hidden before God: his woorde must needes searche and sifte mennes heartes to the harde bottome. So then, the things that are vnknowen to men, must needes come all to account before God: whereby wee must take warning to liue in such sort, as wee beare no enmitie nor ill will to our neighbours.

But yet notwithstanding we must go yet further. For it is not ynough for men to abstaine frō euill dooing: but forasmuch as they bee created to helpe one another, they must seeke one anothers maintenance. God thē in forbidding vsus to murther, sheweth vsus on the contrarie part y^t wee must set store by our neighbors liues, & indeuour to maintaine & preserue them to y^e vttermost of p. 222our power. But it was his will to begin at that end, to shewe vsus what he commanded. And why? For we see howe sinfull we bee. Looke how many thoughts wee hauehave, and so many briers and thornes wee hauehave. Looke howe many affections wee hauehave: and so many bushes, brambles, and such other things wee hauehave. Not without cause therefore intended God to weede out y^e naughtinesse and vice out of our heartes▪ yea and to amend all the partes in vsus that are sinfull and corrupted. 10For without that, it were vnpossible to set so much as one finger to the dooing of any good, that wee should but so much as thinke one good thought. That is the cause why y^e Prophet saith that men breake vp their layes & sowe not among bushes.Ier. 4.4.Jer 4:4 As if he should say, I see how the world goeth w^t you: if a man tell ye y^t ye hauehave offended God, ye wil make some faire coūtenāce, & pretend as though ye were reformed, & yet in the meane while continue still the same ye were 20before. But it is not ynough to sowe corne in a field: but ye must also stub vp the bushes & clense the ground. So long as ye doe but indeuour to make some faire showe: thornes, briers, thistles, and other euill weedes growe still within. Therfore there can bee no good sowing, & much lesse can ye bring forth good fruite before God. And for the same cause doth our Lord say here, Thou shalt not kill, in stead of saying, Looke that thou preserue thy neighbors life. Now we see by experience 30howe men would faine discharge themselues to Godward w^t faire countenances, and yet retaine still their vices and corruptions, according to y^t which I hauehave alledged out of the Prophet. For if a man speake to vsus of doing good to our neighbours: in deede we dare not altogither gainesay him. So then wee would discharge our selues after a sort. But in the meane season our sores doe rancle within, & we doe but plaster them aboue, like vntounto those that are loth to open their purses 40whē their houses decay: but what do they? They parget them ouer, & stop the holes and rifts, but yet in the meane while their house is still in decay. Euen so is it with vsus: wee doe but parget or plaster our selues ouer, of purpose to discharge our selues as lightly as might bee. But yet doeth nature teach vsus the cleane contrarie. For if a mā be minded to sowe a field, will he cast his corne among the briers and thornes? No: but when he sees his field faire and cleane, then breakes he it 50vp & tils it: and so must we do. Let vsus learne then that it is not without cause that God doeth first of all condemne the vices. For hee sees they bee rooted so deepely in our nature: that it is hard to weede them out, yea and that he can neuer hold vsus at such a stay, as to cause vsus to liue in his righteousnesse, vnlesse he plucke vp the cursed rootes of this naughtinesse which he knoweth to be in vsus. That is the cause why he saieth, thou shalt not kill. As if he shoulde say, will ye liue in 60good louelove one with another? Euerie man must enter into himself, and examine wel whether he hauehave there any hatred, enmity, or ill wil towards his neighbours. Ye must looke whether ye hauehave not some hartrisings & eagernesse in you, which prouoketh you to threaten your neighbors or to attempt somewhat against them. Ye must consider all these things. For when ye be cleare from all anger, hatred, and enmitie: then must yee come to this point, that it is not ynough for you to abstaine frō anoyance, wrongfulnesse, & violence, so as yee hauehave not practised any thing against y^e persons of your neighbors, nor norished any rancor or malice against thē in your hearts, nor bin infected with euill will: but you must also liue in charitie, and ye must bee as brethren one to another, worshipping God as your father. Lo to what point we must come.

So then let vsus marke, that if we intend to profit well in Gods Law, we must hauehave an eye to the vices and imperfections that are in vsus, and bee sorie for them: and moreouer straine our selues to weed them out. HaueHave we done so? that is not all that wee hauehave to doe. For God will not hauehave vsus idle in this worlde. His creating of vsus, is not onelyonly to abstaine from euill: (for stones and trees and other senselesse things doe as much as that comes to:) but wee must giuegive and applye our selues to the doing of good.Psal. … Then let vsus vnderstand, that whereas our Lord will hauehave the life of our neighbours to bee deare and precions to vsus: he sheweth therewithall y^t he which helpeth not his neighbor at his neede, doeth what he can to murther him: in so much y^t we become murtherers, not onelyonly whē we beare any ill will, or keepe any hatred priuily towards our neighbours: but also euen whē wee succour them not in their necessitie. If we vouchsafe not to bestow our trauel for them when they hauehave neede of our helpe, we shall be blamed before God. Sith it is so, it is not for vsus to flatter our selues any more in this case: for wee see howe straite the Law is: and yet not straiter than it ought to bee. For can wee refuse to bee knit togither in charitie at Gods commandement, seeing he hath created vsus after his owne image? Or to yeelde him such reuerence being our father, as to maintaine brotherhood among our selues, seeing he hath vouchsafed to vnite vsus in such bond? Shall wee say that God is too straite to vsus, and layeth too heauie a burthē vponupon vsus, bicause he leadeth vsus to such indifferē cie & vprightnes? No: but howsoeuer come of it, let vsus beware we flatter not our selues, seeing we vnderstand y^t our Lord will hauehave vsus to do our indeuour in helping one another, and that wee should set as much store by the life of our neighbour, as he himselfe doeth.

Nowe hauehave we the effect of this commandement, Of not killing. What remaineth then, but y^t we pray God so to guide vsus, as wee may frame our selues to his will? For it is to no purpose to alledge that his speeche is darke: Or to alledge that there be so many commandements, as wee cannot beare them in rememberance: (for God speaketh in a worde or twaine, and vseth briefenesse to take away all excuse.) Or to alledge that wee wote not whereat to begin: for he sheweth vsus it: namely that in stead of taking leaue to doe euill as wee hauehave bin wont to doe, bearing our selues in hand that the thing which we doe is no great nor no deadly crime: wee must contrariwise thinke alwayes thus, if I doe my neighbour p. 223the least harme that is possible to bee named, I am a murtherer before God. When wee bee willing to doe euill, see howe the diuell blindeth vsus, to bee desirous at the first dash to kill one and to cut his throte. This (as I sayd) is an ougly thing. For euen nature restrayneth vsus, that wee can not bee so madde as to say, I will kill. But if a man displease vsus, and we bee no more but angry with him: all is well, it passeth away as a smoke, and to our owne seeming, it is nothing. Againe, hauehave 10wee once conceyued any grudge, wee thinke it is to bee pardoned if wee requite like for like, so wee doe it not with ouergreat violence. Moreouer if a man doe but bend his fiste to strike or to beate: …ush, it is still but a blowe, it is no deadly offence. Loe howe men dispence with themselues. And why? Bicause all their imagining is howe to lessen their faultes. But wee must keepe a contrarie way to this, as GOD telleth vsus: namely that when wee goe aboute to strike and 20to beate, or when we goe about to doe wrong, or when wee go about to conceiue any hatred or hearteburning: wee must set murther before our faces, and thinke thus with our selues: Wretched creature, whither goest thou? whither throwest thou thy selfe? Wilt thou make thy self guiltie of murther before God? So thē let vsus no more alledge that wee wote not whereat to begin: for God sheweth it vsus, and we cānot be ignorant of any thing but through our owne wilfulnesse: & 30therefore in the end it must needes be knowen, y^t we listed not to lift vp our eyes, to see the things which we ought to hauehave seene most manifestly. Those are the things which wee hauehave to gather vponupon this place.

Againe, there is this further, that God hath not without cause forbidden murther before he come to command charitie, & to shewe vsus howe we be bound to succour one another, according as neede requireth. And why? For we be full of euill 40affections which had neede to be rooted out. Therfore like as a peece of ground that is ful of thornes & briers, had neede to be clensed before it be sowed: so hauehave we neede to be clensed from the vices that are naturally in vsus, or else we shall neuer bee disposed to liue in good louelove one towards another. But yet must eueryevery man hauehave an eye to his owne abilitie. If I hauehave wherewith to helpe my neighbors: I must be fully resolued w^t my self, y^t the things which God hath giuen mee 50are not mine own, y^t is to say, that I must not louelove my self so much, as to hauehave no regard of others: but if I be of abilitie to succour other folkes that hauehave want of my reliefe, I must bestowe it vppon them. For there is a commō fellowship amōg all men. It was not Gods wil to make so many seuerall worldes, eueryevery one by it self as there be seueral mē & women: but he hath knit vsus altogither. Seeing then y^t God hath brought vsus one neere another: we must keepe & maintaine y^e fellowship 60that God hath set among vsus, & we must alwayes come to this point, that it is against kind to hate our owne flesh. But yet there is a farre other respect than this among y^e faithfull. For they must not only cōsider themselues to be created after the image of God: but also remember y^t they be members of our Lord Iesus Christ,Eph. 5.30.Eph 5:30 so as there is a much straiter & holier bond, than the bond of nature which is common to all mankinde. And therfore so much the more ought we to mislike of those, which do so forget the vnion that God hath set among his people, seeking nothing else but to put the thinges asunder which God hath ioyned togither, by disseuering the body of his Church, as we see these vnderlings of Satan do, who practise nothing but all maner of mischief, as though they were wilfully bent to defie God bicause he bindeth them to men, & therfore doe separate themselues frō such as are not for their profit (as if seemes to thē,) nor yet for their sansie. Now when so brutish a disposition & so far out of square is entred into a mans mind, is it not a token that the diuell dwelleth in him, and that y^e spirit of God raigneth not there, no nor any drop of him is there? Yes: and therefore let vsus learne to frame our selues in such wise to that which is spoken here, that being rid of all rancour and malice, wee determine to imploy our selues in the seruice of our neighbours, & to discharge our duetie according to the abilitie that God giueth vsus. Again, if wicked affections, (notwithstanding that they bee hidden) bee taken for murther before GOD: what shall violence & outrage be, when men ouershoote themselues so farre, as to strike & slea one another as much as they can? Must it not needes bee that they be worse than all the Paynims in the world? Yes: but whatsoeuer come of it, let vsus assure our selues that wee hauehave ill profited in Gods schole, if wee onelyonly keepe our handes from dooing euill, and in the meane while leaue our heartes vnreformed. Nowe then, to shew which is the true perfection of Christians, they must not only refraine from bearing any priuie euill will in their heartes:1. Pet. 2.17.1 Pet 2:17 but they must also be as true brothers, to spend themselues in their neighbours behalfe to the vttermost of their power. And if it bee not lawfull to nourish any secret ill will: much lesse is it lawfull for a man to ouershoote himselfe so farre, as to smite, to kill, and to doe outrage: and they that doe so, are worse than wild beastes. Yea and if that that disposition was condemned euen among the heathen, & by the lawes of men: much more shall it be condemned by the Lawe of God. And therefore let vsus learne to submit our selues to him, not after our owne imagination, but according to his owne nature. But forasmuch as he is a spirit,Iohn 4.24.John 4:24 he will hauehave vsus to serue him with such soundnesse, that besides the restrayning of our feete and handes, our heartes also must be submitted vntounto him, and that with such subiection and obedience, as our whole indeuour be to shew by our deedes, that we be his true children, in as much as we maintaine brotherlinesse with all those whom he hath called to the same alyance with vsus.

Nowe let vsus kneele down in y^e presence of our good God, with acknowledgment of our faults, praying him to make vsus feele them better, and that wee considering howe hee hath bounde vsus to our neighbours, and will hauehave vsus to shewe the reuerence y^t that wee beare towardes him by abstaining p. 224from all euill & wrongfull dealing may liue in such brotherly louelove one with another, as the chiefe marke that we shoote at, may bee to honour him as our father, and to suffer our selues to bee gouerned by him and by his holy spirit according to his word, so as we may bee strengthened more and more in it, knowing that his reaching of his hand to vsus, is to the end to guide vsus and to hold vsus vnderunder his protection. That it may please him to graunt this grace, not onelyonly to vsus but also to all people and Nations of the earth, &c.