Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 4
On Thursday the xj. of Aprill. 1555. The fourth Sermon vppon the first Chapter.
16 And I charged then your Iudges, saying, Heare your brethren, and iudge vprightly betweene a man and his brother, and betweene the straunger that is with him.
17 You shall hauehave no respect of person in iudgement, but heare the small as well as the great. Ye shall feare no mans countenance: for the iudgement is the Lordes. And the case that is too harde for you, bring it before mee and I will heare it.
18 And at the same time I commanded you all the things which you ought to doe.
WE hauehave seene already what warning Moses gaue for the choosing of men meete to gouerne the people. For (as hath bin declared) if they had taken iudges at all aduenture, it had bin a defiling of Gods seate. Therefore in that case, it behooued them to vse good discretion. But here Moses addeth a point which wee ought to marke well. For although he had procured, that such as were chosen were men that feared God, and were indued with singular giftes: yet ceasseth he not to put them in minde of their duety, and to warne them of the thinges that they had to doe. Wherein wee see, that euen the wisest hauehave neede to be taught, and the vprightest and iustest hauehave neede to bee warned. And therefore if God hauehave set vsus in the good way, and bestowed giftes of his holy spirit vponupon vsus: let vsus not thinke that therefore wee hauehave no neede to bee taught. For wee must bee guided euen vntounto the ende, and wee knowe that our perfection is not in this world, nor so long as wee beare our flesh about vsus, and are conuersant here beneath. Againe, whom soeuer God hath honoured by setting them in state & degree of preheminence: let them vnderstand that they hauehave neede to be told of their duetie, and to bee quickened vp to discharge themselues accordingly.
But let vsus come now to that which is conteyned here. The first charge that Moses giueth to them that are ordeyned to bee Iudges and Gouernours, is to heare mens causes. Wherein he doeth vsus to vnderstand, that they ought to bee attentiue and diligent to vnderstande eueryevery mans right. For if a iudge vouchsafe not to heare, howe shall he execute his office? Wee knowe that although men doe the best they can to iudge aright, yet their frailetie is such as they may misse: and if they be negligent too, then must all needes goe to confusion. Therefore it is not without cause, that Moses warneth the Iudges to vnderstande well mens cases. And he sayeth expressely, betweene the Iewes and betweene the straungers, As if he should say, eueryevery man must bee suffered to shewe his reason. Notwithstanding that the examination and sifting out of things may now and then procure fauour or hatred: yet the iudge that will doe his duetie well, must forget all thinges that may turne him from the right way. And forasmuch as the straunger hath no vpholder nor stay to leane vntounto: the iudge must supply his want. And although he can looke for no reward, no nor for any great thankes at his hand to whom he may doe right: yet let him not forbeare to discharge his duetie, for he doeth acceptable seruice to God: albeit that there come no rewarde on mens behalfe, God is able ynough to recompence him.
Nowe then, such as are Iusticers hauehave their lesson here in writing: that is to wit, that they must maintayne right and equitie towardes all men that are committed to their charge. For (as hath bin declared afore) the office of iustice is an honourable seruice. They that are set in authoritie are not aduaunced to that high estate to the intent they should trample their subiectes vnderunder their feete, or make none account of them: but contrariwise they bee bounde vntounto them, and it is a kinde of seruice. For God hath not made principalities for a fewe mens pleasures, to ye end that all mankind should be their vnderlings: but for the common welfare and benefit of all men. Then if gouernours vnderstand not that they be bound by Gods will and by the order of nature, to them of whom they hauehave the charge: they must be faine to yeeld an account vntounto God for their abusing of his gift and of the honour that he bestowed vppon them. Thus much concerning the first point that we hauehave to marke here.
And herewithall let vsus marke also, that if they bee so greatly bounde vntounto men: much more straitl, are they bound vntounto God. If a man be grieued in a matter of fiue shillings or lesse, and the iustice cause him not to hauehave right: we see what is sayd here. But now, if the name of God bee blasphemed, if his honour bee defaced, if wicked and detestable thinges bee done, and they that sitte in the seate of iustice and beare the sworde in their hande withstand it not, but are carelesse what iniurie bee done vntounto God: are they to bee excused? No: for if they suffer but a poore man to bee troden done, so as he hauehave but one penny losse: they shall bee blamed for it before God. But yet much more precious is the Maiestie of God, and the thing that concerneth his honour and seruice. Sith it is so, that Magistrates bee bounde to minister right to eueryevery man, in thinges that are small and in maner of no valew: let vsus marke well that they ought in any wise to procure the maintenaunce of Gods honor, more carefully without al comparison, specially when the case concerneth the kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ, wherevnto all the whole world is not to bee compared, in as much as Gods glorie shineth forth there. And that is the second point which we hauehave to marke vponupon this streine.
Againe, whereas it is sayde, that the Magistrates must accept no mans person: it betokeneth that they must not bee mooued with any mans riches, or pouertie, or byrth, or friendship, or any thing else. For in the holy scripture, this worde Person is taken for any qualitie in man, which may purchace him grace and fauour, or disgrace and disfauour. When wee speake of a person in our common speache, wee meane a man or a woman: but the Scripture meaneth a more speciall thing: namely that there should no regard be had what maner a one the man is, whether he bee our neighbour, our friend, a riche man able to doe vsus good, a man of credit and authoritie able to reuenge himself of vsus, or a poore man, a man of no allyance or kinred, or I wote not what else. All these accidentes which serue but to induce vsus to liking or misliking of the partie, and to make vsus swarue from the right way, are comprehended in the Scripture vnderunder the worde Person: as if wee should vse the word Vizor. And in very deede, all these accidentes which bleare our eyes and beguile vsus to make vsus start out of the right way, are but as vizors. If a man come before vsus without any qualitie: very well, we would heare him simply, and wee woulde not bee corrupted to iudge amisse. But if there happen any stoppe, by and by wee bee ouerraught, and our reason is so troubled, that wee iudge not any more as wee ought to doe. That therefore is a vizor, which yeeldeth foorth such a qualitie to bee seene in the partie, as maketh vsus eyther to fauour him too much, or else to mislike him out of measure, so as wee keepe not an vpright and euen hand betweene the great and the small. And truely Moses declareth the same very well in this text, in that he sayeth, Thou shalt heare the small as well as the great: for it serueth to expound the word Person, and there needeth none other glose from elsewhere. And it is a phrase of speache which wee shall see in other textes hereafter. Therefore it behoueth vsus to acquaint our selues with the termes and phrases of the holy Ghost, that the thinges which are contained here may not seeme straunge vntounto vsus.
Howbeit by the way, that wee may fare the better by the things that are declared here, let vsus marke that the chiefe reason and ground of this doctrine, is bicause there is no accepting of persons before GOD. For the same cause ought Iudges to hauehave a stay of themselues, and to keepe them cleare from all considerations that may thrust them aside, or make them to swarue one way or other:…m. 13.1 …ut. 10.17 namely (say I) for that they represent the Maiestie of God, in as much as he hath made them his officers. Now then, there is no accepting of persons before God, that is to say, when he iudgeth he hath no respect to the thinges that men regarde, and wherewith they bee drawen too and fro, so as they iudge not vpright any more, bicause their excessiue affections doe ouer maister them. And this saying, that there is no respect of persons with GOD, extendeth very farre. For when as Saint Peter speaketh of it, first in the tenth of the Actes,…. 10.34. …. Pe. 1.17 and afterward in his Epistle, he sheweth that God chose whom he listed out of the whole world, in so much as he passed not whether they were Iewes or Gentiles. Whosoeuer doeth good (saieth he) shall hauehave the fauour of God, and as for Circumcision or vncircumcision, they shall none of them both bee made account of. True it is that God must bee faine to looke mercifully vponupon vsus, before we can do any good. For of our owne nature wee bee vtterly froward, and there can nothing come from vsus but all maner of naughtinesse: insomuch that God should hate and abhorre the whole world, and cast vsus away eueryevery chone, if hee should tarie till any of vsus gaue himselfe to well doing: for our nature driueth vsus alwayes vntounto euill. But God chooseth his, without any abilitie of deseruing aforehand on their behalfe: and yet notwithstanding, after he hath marked them to bee of the number of his flocke, he auoweth them & loueth them as his children and houshold folke, yea euen without regarding of what nation or state they be, whether they be riche or poore, or in credit, or indued with any good qualitie and handsomnesse, or any other thing. God then doeth as it were shut his eyes against all the respectes which are had in so great estimation. For he hath an eye to nothing but to soundnesse of heart, he doteth not vponupon these vizors that are seene to the eye,1. Sam. 16.7. according to this saying in an other place, namely that the outward showes deceiue not him, but that he looketh vponupon that which is within. Thus much concerning the first point.
But wee must apply this texte to the same vse that Moses putteth it: which is, that after the example of God, wee must hauehave this vnpartialitie in vsus, so as wee will not bee drawen one way nor other by the thinges that appeare in men. And this is a very profitable or rather needefull doctrine. True it is that this is spoken expressely to Iudges and gouernours, in as much as God hath taken them neere to himselfe by setting them in his owne seate, and by willing them to execute his office in this worlde: and therefore ought they also to hauehave the greater care to followe vprightnesse, that they suffer not themselues to bee peruerted by the thinges that are to bee seene in men. But yet for all that, eueryevery man for his owne part ought to take warning to follow Gods example, and to frame himselfe thereafter,Colos. 4.1. according also as Saint Paul sendeth vsus thither, when he speaketh of bondmen and of men of bace degree that are easie to bee oppressed, bicause men take leaue to doe euill when they see that a sillie soule cannot reuenge himselfe, and that if he hauehave any wrong done vntounto him he must bee faine to put it vp patiently: by reason wherof they presume ye more boldly to say, O, as for him, when I hauehave done the worst to him that I can, he hath no meanes to hurt mee. Thus are wee the bolder when we see that men are bace & hauehave no maintenance. But in this case Saint Paul saieth that wee must lifte vp our eyes to heauen, and that forasmuch as there is no respect of persons before God, wee must not thinke wee shall escape vnpunished when we abuse the priuiledge & authoritie that he giueth vsus. He then yt despiseth his neighbour ought to thinke thus: yet notwtstanding, we hauehave a cōmon iudge in heauen, & although I be now rich & honorable to the worldward, although I be in authoritie & estimation, yet when I come thither, all this geare must ceasse: and although my coūterpartie be now despised, & hauehave no mā to stād by him, yet hath he a defender in heauē. Lo here (say I) what ought to beate downe all pride in vsus, to the end that none of vsus aduance himselfe, nor take more vponupon him than is lawfull, ne thinke he hath leaue to doe euill, vnderunder colour that our counterparties are of no credite and authoritie. Let vsus not tarie till ordinarie Iustice doe redresse our extorsions, or till those whom God hath set in his place to iudge without respect of persons, doe punish vsus for committing of some outrage: but let eueryevery of vsus remember this lesson here, namely that inasmuch as God regardeth not any outward showes at al, it behoueth eueryevery of vsus also to frame himselfe to the like vprightnesse and indifferencie.
And forasmuch as men do always put vsus in feare, so as there spring from thence the sorest and worst temptations that can be to hinder the perfourmance of our duetie: Moses warneth Iudges expresly, not to be afrayde of men. Why? For the iudgement is Gods, sayeth he. Loe here a text well worthy to bee marked. I hauehave tolde you alreadie, that which experience sheweth too much: that is to wit, that they which otherwise are of good nature, doe neuerthelesse ouershoote themselues through fearefulnesse. Ye shall see a man in the place of Iustice, who being not euill of himselfe, would that all should goe well, it grieueth him when he seeth any fault, and he could finde in his heart that eueryevery man should brydle himselfe, or else that there should be some good correction when any men hauehave done amisse: but in the meane whyle, forasmuch as he seeth that there will be some grudging and misliking of the matter, [he thinketh thus with himselfe:] What? Shall I prouoke eueryevery man to anger against mee? That man hath kinsfolke and friends, and such a one is able to be euen with me if I trouble him. Againe forasmuch as naughtinesse reigneth euerywhere, and wicked folke hauehave their full scope, and are most in number: I shall bring all the world in my top, & if I minde to discharge my duetie, I must not set my selfe against two or three onelyonly, but I see that all are corrupt, and there is no man but he resisteth weldoing. They therefore which otherwise feare God and woulde minister right and iustice when they sit in iudgement, are letted through fearefulnesse. If they stand in awe of men, they shall surely bee shaken downe. And why? Bicause they bee not grounded vponupon the foundation that Moses layeth here, namely that the iudgement is Gods. They knowe not (say I) that they offer great dishonour and reproche vntounto God, when they preferre men before him. For he that swarueth from his duetie for feare, esteemeth mē more than God. Why so? A Iudge ought to consider, that God hath set him in the place where he is, with another maner of countenance than other simple creatures. For he that sitteth in the seate of Iustice, sitteth in the roome of God, and is as his Lieuetenant. A Iudge therefore ought to consider that: and if he doe not, he forgetteth God, whom he was bound to serue. It is all one as if a man being feced by his maister to doe him seruice, knoweth not whether there bee a maister in the house or no, but falles to singing and playing, and eateth & drinketh at his houres, and sleepeth when he listeth, without hauing any care or regarde of his maister. Doeth not the seruaunt that forgetteth his maister after that fashion, deserue to hauehave men to spitte in his face? Nowe then, if Iudges consider not of whome they holde their estate and dignitie: their vnthankefulnesse or rather blockishnesse is too too shamefull & beastly. Againe, if Iudges knowing themselues to bee set vp of God, doe neuerthelesse shrinke from their duetie for feare of men, and bee stopped and held backe from doing the things which they knowe they ought to do, bicause men are against them: what yeelde they vntounto God? what estimation hauehave they of his power? And yet for al that, God hath taught them their lesson, and promised them to stande by them, and to bee their defence. Seeing it is so, ought they not to make a bucklar of his inuincible power, and to fight lustily though al the world should step vp against them? Is not God mightie ynough to ayde them and succour them, if they trusted thereunto, so as they woulde rest vponupon it, and plucke vp a liuely courage and constancie to goe on in the right way? Yes: but else, if they bee moued by such temptations to swarue from their duetie: let them assure themselues that God wil leaue them destitute of his power. Thus then wee see, that this streine (as I saide afore) importeth a very profitable doctrine.
But yet wee must note also, that this perteyneth not only to them that are in authoritie: but also to all men in generall. For there is as it were a comparison made betweene God and mortall men. And why? For nothing beguileth vsus more, than that wee make too great reckening of men, and in so doing eyther diminishe God, or abolish his highnesse. As oft as men come in our minds, God is no body in comparison: insomuch as if wee put him in ballaunce, hee seemeth lighter than a feather: whereas men doe alwayes keepe their full weight with vsus. Surely if wee were about to compare other men with our selues, wee coulde set them light ynough: for eueryevery of vsus woulde make much of himselfe. Or if wee were to consider one man with another: looke whom wee lyked off, he should giuegive greatest glosse to disgrace the thinges that were to bee mislyked in the contrarie partie: insomuch that wee say, tushe what is he? he is no body. For why? Wee woulde make farre greater estimation of the other. Thus ye see howe wee could skill to disgrace men. But come we once to GOD, he must bee as good as cast downe, and men must bee set vp in his place. Lo howe spytefull and frowarde wee bee. So much the more therefore doeth it stande vsus on hand to mark this saying, where it is declared yt if God come in place, it is not for vsus to make any reckening of men. For it is a great trayterousnesse that men or creatures shoulde bee in such estimation, that Gods right should bee defaced, or any thing bee plucked from him. And yet for all that, we see it is too common a thing, & it hindereth vsus that we cannot serue GOD as we ought to doe. True it is that eueryevery man is turned away by his owne lustes, insomuch that although wee hauehave none other to withstande vsus, yet hauehave wee inwarde incumberances of our owne, and our nature is so sinfull, as wee cannot in any wise applie our selues to doe good. But yet is there this inconuenience more in it, that assoone as another man comes in place, by and by wee bee at our wittes ende. I would faine doe my duetie (say we), but what? Then must I purchase mesuch a mās displeasure. Wee see nowe adayes that a man cannot pleasure men, except hee doe as the worlde doeth, and followe the byasse of other men. And againe, beholde heere my neighbour, hee will alwayes bee at deadly foode with mee, if I fashion not my selfe to his manner of dealing: beholde, such a man is my friende, I must needes beare him out. Hence come all priuie packings and other lewde trickes, namely that eueryevery man despiseth God, to please his neighbor or his friend. For whē vices reigne, as whoredome, drunkennesse, and other disorders, so as eueryevery man is infected by ye example of his neighbor, & one catcheth diseases of another: what is the cause of al this? It is for that we aduaunce men too much, and consider not that it were meete for vsus to abase both great and small, and to frame our selues earnestly to the will of God.
Now therfore let vsus bethinke vsus so much the better of this doctrine that is set down here, not only for Iudges but also for all men in common: [That is to witte,] that forasmuch as the iudgement is Gods, we must not in any wise be shaken any more by mē, but giuegive God his preheminēce, & thrust downe all consideration of men, so as if men vex vsus wee set our selues against them, and be not so lewd as to rob God of that which belō geth vntounto him, to furnish creatures therewithal. Thus yee see what we hauehave to remember heere.
Moreouer also, whereas it is saide that the Iudgement is Gods: that speech importeth another good lesson. True it is that Moses speaketh heere of the roome that Iudges and Magistrates holde: as if hee shoulde say, they hauehave it not in feesimple or as a Lordship of inheritance, but as an office: and God in setting them in that degree of honour, resigned not his owne maiestie to say, Sirs, you shall reigne with absolute power, and I will henceforth bee no bodie. God therefore, when hee did thus set men in office, did not for all that diminish his owne estate. For hee holdeth still the souereine dominion ouer all men, and they ought to bee but as instruments of his power, and consequently to serue him, and to referre all thinges vntounto him. If this doctrine were well knowen, Kinges and Princes woulde not lorde it so lycentiously nowadayes as they doe, and men shoulde hauehave seene another manner of modestie in them at all times than is now seene. For they that are aduaunced vntounto honour, doe beare themselues on hande that the worlde was made for them, and for their faire eyes (as they say): and there vponupon they reiect all informations, lawes & statutes, and shake off the yoke from their necks, as though they helde all things at their own swindge, and God is no body at al with them. But yet in this text Moses telleth them, that be they neuer so great kings & princes, their superioritie ought not to diminish the authoritie of God, that his glory should not continue alwayes vnappaired. Why so? For what else are the princes of the world than Gods officers, to the end yt by their meanes he might be obeyed, and al men do him homage, so as the highest should begin & giuegive example to the lowest? Seeing then that the iudgement is Gods: they that peruert the order of gouernment when they be called to do their duetie, shalbe double blamed. And therfore shal Kings and Princes and al such as are in roome of Iustice, hauehave a verie harde account to make. For if they do amisse, they be not bound alonely vntounto men, neither hauehave they offē ded creatures onelyonly▪ but they hauehave violated the maiestie of God, and defiled his seate. Why so? Because iudgement belongeth vntounto him, and he reserueth it to himselfe.
But like as it is said of the execution of Iustice: so let vsus note that it belongeth also to the spiritual gouernement which god hath ordeined in his Church: yea and this doctrine ought to bee kept more straitly in that respect, than in the earthly gouernment. Why? When God ordeineth kings, Princes and Magistrates: there withall he giueth them authoritie to make Lawes. True it is, that they ought to learne them in his schoole, according as it is said that lawes and ordinances which are made in commō weales,Prou. 8.15. do take their force of Gods wisedome. But yet for al that, ciuil or politike lawes are made by men. Yet notwithstanding God hath not resigned any thing, yt he should not hold stil the soueraine dominion ouer men. I meane euen in respect of outward policy. And as touching the spiritual gouernment of the Church, we know that God wilbe heard, and that he wil hauehave his word obeyed aboue all things, so as men may not take vponupon them to make laws & statutes, but must hold themselues contēted with that which he commandeth them. For the rule that is conteined in his word is the very perfection it self. Therfore when we go vp into the pulpit, it is not to vtter our owne dreames and dotages. why so? For God reserueth the mastership and chiefe superioritie still to himselfe, so as hee will hauehave mē to receiue his word, to rest wholly thervpon without any swaruing at all from it. Seeing that God hath once set it downe so: it behoueth vsus to rest vponupon it. Had this bin well obserued in the world, there should not be so great troubles & variances at this day as there are. Whence come the variances that are betwixt vsus & the papists, but of yt men hauehave not reserued vntounto god ye thing that belongeth vntounto him, but hauehave framed articles of faith, lawes, and ordinances at their owne pleasure, & in the ende are come to this horrible confusion of mingling the inuentions of mens braines with the purenes of the holy scripture, so as they hauehave marred all things? And wherof else commeth it, that euen at this day, the papistes fight still for the maintenance of that tyrannie, that a man might not knowe God from his Apostles as they themselues say, by which common prouerbe of theirs they condemne themselues and cut their owne throtes? Wherefore let vsus marke well this lesson wherein it is saide that the iudgement is Gods, that is to say, that the superioritie which men hauehave, in what degree so euer it bee, is not to diminish Gods preheminence, but rather to maintaine it. What then are the states of honour and all the dignities of the worlde? They are all meanes to bring to passe that God may reigne ouer vsus, and to make all men to stoope to him, and to knowe him and obey him in all cases. So then, what ought kings, Emperours, and Magistrates to doe? They ought to see that God be exalted and magnified as he is worthie, and that all their subiectes doe him homage, and they themselues must shewe them the way. Againe, what ought schoolemasters and fathers to doe, and all such as hauehave anie householde [or seruauntes]? Euerie of them ought to consider on his owne behalfe howe greatly God hath inhonored him? He that hath children ought to consider, thou holdest Gods place in this roome of a father, but yet hath not GOD stripped himselfe to clothe thee with his honour. What then? He is the father still, both of mee and of my children, therefore must I indeuer that he may be obeyed. The master must thinke thus: Is the mastershippe mine? No: but it is Gods, who hath graunted mee that prerogatiue vndeserued on my parte. It hath pleased him to put this householde vnderunder my gouernement, but yet for all that, it is he that must rule me, yea both me and all that are vnderunder my subiection. After this manner ought wee to put this doctrine in vre.
And when wee hauehave passed through all the states of the worlde, wee must also come to the spirituall gouernement of the Church. Therefore let such as are ordeined to preach Gods worde, vnderstande that God hath not appointed them to set foorth their owne dotages, and to speake what they list: but to thinke vppon Gods superiorite, specially seeing that our Lord Iesus Christ is nowe declared to bee the heade of his Church, Ephe. 1.22.according to the euerlasting mastership which God gaue him ouer vsus, in saying, Heare ye him.Mat. 17.5. & Luke. 9.35. Seeing it is so, let such as hauehave the charge of teaching in the Church and are shepherdes and ministers, vnderstande that they must not seeke to aduance themselues, nor to be heard, nor to bring the people in a mase with their owne inuentions: but [they must indeuer] that God may alwayes hauehave the ouerhand, and be obeyed, and his worde bee receiued purely and simplie without any mingling or adding to it.
And like as they that are in that vocation and office, ought to hauehave mildnesse, and lowlinesse, that they vsurpe not the authoritie which God hath reserued to himselfe, yea and giuen to his onelyonly sonne: so all Christians ought to thinke thus with themselues. Wherefore come wee to Sermons? Wherefore is there order in the Church? It is to the ende that GOD shoulde gouerne vsus, and that wee shoulde hauehave our Lorde Iesus Christ to bee as our soueraine teacher, and that wee shoulde be his flocke to bee led by him. Nowe this cannot bee done, vnlesse we hearken to his voyce, and discerne it from the voyces of straungers, so as wee be not caried too and fro like wauering Reedes with euerie winde, but stande fast setled vppon the purenesse of the holy Scripture, and that our faith be so grounded therevppon, as the diuell may neuer shake it downe. Loe (say I) howe we ought to applie this doctrine to our vse, namely that the iudgement and authoritie is Gods. For if wee doe so, wee may well see many contrarieties in this world, men may assayle vsus with many troubles, they may well set themselues against vsus, and they may well speake against vsus: but yet shal we stil keepe on our pace. And why? for GOD is not variable. Although the diuell keepe neuer so great a stirre here beneath, yet is Gods purpose alwayes vnchaungeable. And so is ment by this that is saide of the truth,Psal. 117.… ▪ that it dureth for euer. It is not such a trueth as is hidden our shutte vp in heauen: but it is saide expresly that it is the same truth which God vttereth to vsus by his worde, as he witnesseth dayly. Sith it is so, let vsus looke vp to GOD, and yeelde him the gouernement that is due vntounto him, that hee may reigne ouer vsus: and then shal our faith bee vnuariable, though the diuell trouble and turmoyle all thinges vpsidedowne, and stirre vp neuer so much strife and contention. Thus you see howe we must put the doctrine in vre that is conteined heere.
Nowe furthermore Moses saith expreslie▪ that if there were any harde case, it should be brought vntounto him. And afterwarde hee addeth for a conclusion, that hee had commaunded them all the things which they ought to doe. As touching the harde cases, Moseses reseruing of them to himselfe, was neither for desire of praise nor for pride, but because they belonged to his vocation: hee knewe that God had ordeined him to the same purpose. And therefore let vsus not bee afraide to keepe still that which God hath giuen vsus, if wee execute the charge that hee hath committed vntounto vsus. For why? like as a man must not esteeme of himselfe, so must hee not surmise, oh, this is hatefull, it may be ill taken, it is subiect to slaunder: but wee must followe that which God commaundeth vsus. And therefore let vsus not take any thing vppon vsus of our owne heade, that is to say, let vsus not bee rashe to say, this belongeth to mee, for ambition tickleth vsus continually, and euerie of vsus would hauehave I wote not what a priuiledge: wherefore let vsus beware of such folly. Yet notwithstanding like as there shoulde no such boldnesse reigne in vsus, as to vsurpe or take any thing vppon vsus: so on the contrarie part, when GOD will hauehave any office or charge laide vppon vsus, it becommeth vsus to take it. True it is that men may chaunce to speake euill of vsus for it, but wee must ouerpasse that, and keepe on our pace still. That is the thing which Moses hath shewed vsus heere by his owne example.
And in his owne person, hee hath set vsus as it were a looking glasse before our eyes, to shewe vsus that we must followe the order that God hath set, and not swarue from it at all. If wee doe not so, it is an vntolerable vnthankefulnesse. We knowe what infirmitie is in our selues: not onelyonly in some one point but in all things are wee so fraile as is pitie to see. But our Lorde hath well prouided for all our needes, and giuen vsus remedies for them. As for example, hee hath giuen vsus meate and drinke to maintaine this transitorie life of ours, hee hath ordeined Magistracie to gouerne vsus, hee hath ordeyned the ministerie of his worde to rule our soules, and hee hath giuen singular giftes of grace to seuerall persons, so as they bee able to giuegive vsus counsell, and to comfort and incourage their neighbours, and to helpe them at their neede. What is to be done then? Whensoeuer wee bee cumbered or in any perplexitie, let vsus looke that wee vse the meanes of remedie that GOD giueth vsus, yea and to vse them alwayes in his feare. For wee may bee abused, as wee hauehave seene. What is to bee done then? We must not turne aside nor stoppe for such as hauehave neither right nor reason in them, but euerie of vsus must further himselfe by such meanes as God giueth him, euen as though hee were going to God himselfe. And that will make vsus to vse the order of Lawe lawefully, which thing men doe not nowe. And it is a point well worthie to bee marked, to wit, howe men may repulse iniuries, and howe they ought to behaue themselues, when any of vsus findeth himselfe intangled or in perplexitie, let vsus pray to God to direct vsus. If wee did so, surely wee would not goe to lawe but with trembling, and wee woulde say in our selues, I goe now to present my self as it were before my God. But howe goe men to it noweadayes? Rather to seeke a cloke for all naughtinesse: so as there is neither craft, nor spite, nor any other wickednesse which is not to bee founde there. And why? For without hauing any regarde of God, there is nothing thought vppon but howe to beguile men, or howe to winde them in by some wicked practise. So much the more neede therfore hauehave wee to marke well what is saide here, that is to wit, that according as God hath ordeined states and degrees among men: so must men dispose things and direct them by the order that God hath set and established.
And for a conclusion let vsus also wey well this which Moses addeth in the ende: namely, that hee had taught the Iewes all thinges which they had to doe. When hee saith so, it is all one as if hee shoulde protest, that they coulde not but know, that they sinned not through ignorance, neither coulde say, I tooke it to hauehave beene otherwise, I knewe not what was to bee done. You knowe (saieth Moses) there is no let but in your selues, for I for my parte hauehave beene faithfull full to Godwarde since the time that hee did put mee in trust to instruct you, I hauehave taught you as hee commmaunded mee: nowe therefore you cannot hauehave any excuse to hide you withall. And if Moses had such a care to teach the people in respecte of the earthly gouernment: no doubte but hee was yet more diligent in teaching them the doctrine of saluation. That is the first poynt whiche wee hauehave to note. Doth Moses tell vsus, that hee did not conceale nor hyde any thing from the Iewes, in the thinges that concerned their worldlie dueties, for the mainteyning of some order and humaine honestie among them? Then is it much more likely that hee first preached to them the grace of God, and afterwarde shewed them the rule of good conuersation and there withall tolde them of the couenant of saluation, which GOD had made with his people. It is certaine that nothing was concealed in that behalfe, but that he vsed an exquisite diligence, so as hee lefte not the Iewes in doubt without due warrant how to behaue themselues to Godward.
Nowe then, if Moses discharged his duetie after that sort, wee must conclude that the Lawe was a sufficient doctrine to instructe the people, and that hee vsed not anie shiftes to carie them heere and there. Afterwarde came the Prophetes, which added yet a greater lighte. Last of all, the Gospell was preached through the whole worlde. Nowe then, can wee say that our Lorde hath not taught vsus sufficiently, and that all the Prophetes, and the Apostles, yea and Iesus Christ himselfe hauehave giuen vsus but halfe an instruction? Can wee say so? No that were too vilanous a blasphemie. Nowe therefore, let vsus hauehave our eares open to hearken to our GOD, and he will be a good schoolemaster to vsus, and let vsus bee contented with the doctrine that is conteyned in the holy Scripture. For there wee hauehave so perfect wisedome, as no fault can bee found with it. Consider well therefore what we hauehave to marke vppon this streine, to the ende that euerie of vsus may indeuer to profite dayly more and more. And if there bee any ignorance in vsus, let vsus assure our selues it is through our owne fault, in that we bee as blinde wretches, vntill God hauehave inlightened vsus through his grace. Therefore it behoueth vsus to pray him to open our eyes by his holy spirite. And on the other side, let vsus not stop our eares against the thinges that God speaketh, nor pretende ignorance to excuse our naughtinesse. But seeing that God telleth vsus, that he hath shewed vsus all thinges by his worde which wee ought to doe: let vsus holde vsus to it without coueting any nouelties, and without fond curiositie, for we shall neuer scape from him; and therefore let vsus not be gadding to receiue euerie newe toy that is offered vntounto vsus. And so let vsus ponder well the thinges that wee hauehave to marke vppon this text, to the ende that for asmuch as GOD hath nowe giuen vsus a confirmation of his Lawe and of his Prophisies, and directed vsus to the right marke: wee may take the Gospel [alwayes] for our guide, in wayting till he hauehave gathered vsus together into his kingdome.
Nowe let vsus kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults, praying him to make vsus feele them better, to the ende we may returne to him with true repentance, and being ashamed of our selues flee for refuge to his mercy: and that forasmuch as we knowe hee hath set it forth most largely and abundantly in our Lord Iesus Christ, wee may resort to him the more boldely, seeking continually for the great treasures which he hath prepared for vsus in his kingdome. And [beseeching him] to guide vsus so hencefoorth with his holie spirite, as we may liue in his feare, framing our selues vntounto his righteousnesse, and seruing him according to his holie will, so that although wee might be hindered by the stumbling blockes and cumberances which wee see in the worlde, yet wee may not cease to followe our good GOD, whither soeuer hee calleth vsus, notwithstanding that the worlde bee blinded with neuer so outragious confusion and disorder. That it may please him to graunt this grace, not onelyonly to vsus &c.