Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 64
On Thursday the xxix. of August. 1555. The Lxiiij Sermon which is the third vppon the ninth Chapter.
8 Also ye prouoked the Lord to anger in Horeb: for the which, the Lord was wroth with you to destroy you.
9 When I went vp into the Mount to fetch the two tables of stone, euen the tables of the Couenant which the Lord had made with you, and had taryed in the Mount fortie dayes and fortie nightes, without eating of bread or drinking of water:
10 Then the Lord gaue mee the two tables of stone, written with the finger of God, wherein were contentes according to all the woordes which the Lorde had spoken to you on the Mountaine, from the middes of the fire, in the day of your assembling togither.
11 And it came to passe that in the ende of fortie dayes and fortie nightes, the Lord gaue mee the two tables of stone, euen the tables of the Couenant.
12 Then said the Lord vntounto mee, vp and get thee downe quickly from hence: for thy people whome thou broughtest out of Egypt hauehave marred all. They bee suddainly turned aside from the way that I commaunded them, and hauehave made them a molten image.
WE sawe yesterday howe Moses did cast the people in the teeth with their malicious stubbornnesse, in that they had not ceassed from dooing of euill, euen since GOD had deliuered them from the thraldome of Egypt. And surely it was an ill acknowledging of such a benefite, to spyte him so wilfully, which had beene their Redeemer and Father. But nowe he alleageth a greater faulte of theirs, and farre more outrageous: that the rememberaunce thereof myght leade them yet further, namely to bethinke themselues of all their former offences, and to confesse that they had beene a frowarde and in maner desperate people in all respectes. And hee putteth them in minde, that euen while Gods lawe was a giuing to them in Mount Horeb or Sinay, they prouoked Gods vengeaunce by making of a molten image: This is not set downe without cause. For if euer God shewed himselfe to holde men in his obedience: it was then. For the lawe was not giuen after an ordinarie maner: but Gods maiestie appeared so visiblie in the doing thereof, that the people was sore abashed at it. Beholde, the Mountayne was full of fire, lightninges, and smoke: the ayre was heard to rore: the Trumpets sounded: and to be short, there were such a number of tokens of Gods presence, that the people was constrained to say, Let not the Lord speake vntounto vsus, for then are we but dead. After this, Moses was on the Mount as one separated from the companie of men, and as an Angel of God, exempted from mortall state, so as hee needed neither meate nor drink, which was such a myracle as ought well to hauehave rauished ye people to the seruing of God. And yet for all this, they reiected all that had bin taught them, and not tarying so much as the end of one yeere, but euen before fortie dayes were expired, they said they wist not what was become of Moses, terming him scornfully the fellow that had brought them out of Egypt.Exod. 32.1. What can wee tell what is become of this fellowe, sayde they? And therefore let vsus hauehave some God to goe before vsus. Yet had they beene taught familiarly ynough: For God shewed himselfe to them both euening and morning, he led them a nightes by a signe of fire, and a days he stretched out a cloud ouer them: and yet woulde they needes hauehave a God that shold be present with thē. And what maner of God? forsooth a puppet. Beholde, God had shewed the people his wonderfull power, he had made them to feele it, they knewe themselues to bee safe ynough vnderunder his protection, and yet all this was nothing with them: they will needes hauehave a calfe, a dead thing, a corruptible thing, to make it their God. Was it not a hellishe furiousnesse when they became so brurishe? Seeing they had so lately euen with in freshe rememberaunce hearde the lawe vttered vntounto them, and that Moses was but gone aside: it was as if God had separated them all from this earthly life in the person of that one man. Hee ment to communicate himselfe familiarly vntounto them, as it were by taking them vp into heauen: and in the meane while they become so vnthankefull and rebellious, that when hee manifested himselfe to them, they stopped their eyes and would not see, but defaced his maiestie and infinite power. Whereby? Euen by a dead thing which was an ydoll. Surely such contempt▪ such vnthankfulnesse, such beastlynesse should hauehave made the Iewes ashamed. And that is the cause why Moses speaketh expresly of that horrible crime which they had committed, in that they would needes hauehave an ydoll to go before them, that is to say, some visible signe whereby it might be said that God was among them. Thus see wee now the meaning of this text.
But wee must marke diligently all the circumstances which are set downe here. Remember (sayeth he) howe ye prouoked Gods wrath in Mount Horeb. That mountaine ought to hauehave bin sanctified, bicause God had chosen it to giuegive his Lawe there, in respect whereof it is a place that is innobled to the worlds end. For sith it pleased God to vtter his will there, which is the rule of al righteousnesse, and there to make his couenant with the children of Abraham: ought not that place to hauehave beene acknowledged as holy? Not vppon any superstition: but by putting the people the better in minde to honour their God as ofte as they speake of Mount Sinay. It is a mountaine in the wildernes, which aforetimes bare no renowne: & now it became as an earthly Paradise, so as God shewed his Maiestie there. Seeing that God had saide vntounto Moses,Exod. 3.5. The place where thou standest is holy, put off thy shooes: so as he required a speciall reuerence bicause he was minded to shewe himselfe there: and ought not the selfe same reason to preuaile in respect of Mount Sinay? But so farre off were the people from being allured to honour God a hundred or a thousande yeeres after, by acknowledging the singular benefite which hee had bestowed vponupon them there: that they started away from him and fell to spyting of him, euen while the lawe was a giuing, & whyle Moses was yet vponupon the Mount. So then Moses ment here to make their sinne more heauie by shewing them that it was like as if a mā should come and as it were dispitefully rushe into a Church, where folke were assembled togither to pray vntounto God and to heare his word and to receiue his sacraments: and there commit some villanie or leaudnesse that might breede offence. And were not such a sinne so much the heinouser? Yes: and so was it with them. Therefore when we reade it, the very haire ought to stand vp vppon our heades. Neuerthelesse we must vnderstand, that this is set downe as a lookingglasse for vsus, to see that we should be no better than they if wee were not withheld by the holy Ghost. Let vsus consider what men are. These were a people whome God had chosen from among all others: he had giuen them his doctrine: he had shewed them his lawe: and yet for all that, they giuegive ouer themselues to so cursed a thing. Although then that God come vntounto vsus, yet is it certayne that we may start way, if hee hold vsus not backe, not onelyonly by his teaching of vsus, but also by the power of his holy spirite. Now the law had bin published to this people, so as they sinned not through ignoraunce, neither could they say, We wote not how to serue God, we are to bee borne withall though wee deuise wayes on our owne head: for beholde, GOD had vttered his will plainely vntounto them, and therefore they shoulde hauehave stayed thereuppon, and obeyed it simply without adding any thing vntounto it. But notwithstanding all this teaching, they cast away his whole doctrine, and ceasse not to ouershoote themselues, as much as if they had neuer knowen any thing. Seeing it is so: let vsus learne that men may well preach vntounto vsus: but when we hauehave had our eares neuer so much beatē with Gods truth, yet shall we not faile to turn the clean contrarie way, except he print the things in our heartes, which men shall hauehave vttered vntounto vsus with their mouthes: I say, imprinted them in our hearts, & made vsus to vnderstand y• that is the thing which wee must sticke vntounto. That is the thing which we hauehave to remember vppon that text.
And whereas Moses rehearseth howe hee was vppon the Mount by the space of fortie dayes and fortie nightes together without eating or drinking: let vsus note that that was doone for the better authorising of the lawe, that it might be receiued with the greater reuerence, and that men might knowe it was not a worldely thing. And hereby we see that the communicating of Gods word vntounto vsus is a matter of great importance, so as we neede not to doubt but it commeth of him, and that we ought to submit our selues vntounto it. If we hauehave not that: there will bee no religion among vsus. Indeede wee may well ynough surmise our selues to hauehave it: but the cheefe groundworke of religion, that is to say of faith and of the seruice of God, is to be sure of our doctrine. For if wee go but by weening: as ye paynims, Turks, & al Idolaters doe: and as the Papists doe in dreaming vppon their good intentes: it is but a toye, it is but a building in the aire and vponupon imagination. Therefore let vsus marke well, that the first enterance to serue God, and to be allowed of him, is to bee throughly sure of our rule, so as we say not I thought this had beene good, it seemed so to me, it was tolde me so: but that wee hauehave Gods woord for our guide, and then let vsus go on hardly, wee cannot go amisse as long as we followe that way: for our leader will neuer deceaue vsus, wee shall not be beguiled in obeying him. That then is the thing which wee hauehave to beare in minde, for as much as we see that God hath so auowed and authorised his woord, as he sheweth plainly that men ought no more to call it in question or to doubt of it. But although we see that this is verye needefull for vsus: yet doe wee see that the worlde makes none account of it. Whereof comes it that the Papistes are so wilfull at this day: but bycause they shut their eyes at the thinges that I hauehave nowe touched? For if a man examine throughly all that euer they hauehave, surely hee shall fynde that they can alledge none other reason than their owne imagination. They can not mayntaine the thinges which they terme Gods seruice and the articles of their faith, otherwise thā by their owne reason, onelyonly bicause other men hauehave saide it, and they beleeue it without further inquirie. Therfore are they alwayes in a mamering, without any stay or stedines: And yet ye see they be so wilfull, yt they raile against God & his word, & worke it all the spite they can, & if a mā go about to shew them their faults & ouersights, they be so stubborne as he can nothing preuaile with them. Wherefore let vsus be ye circumspecter in marking the things yt are set heere before our eyes: which is, yt we knowe not what Religion or Christianitie is, or whether our faith be substātiall or no: vnlesse we be sure yt we hauehave the rule of Gods seruice from God himself, & that our religion is grounded vponupon the same. Marke that for one point.
But wo worth vsus if we despise the law and make no account of it, seeing it hath bin published with such warrantise as Moses reporteth in this text. Behold, the law is auowed by God himselfe: and what surer warrant shoulde men require than yt? Could God deuise to warrant his law more than he hath done? no: and yet notwithstanding, after the hearing of ye doctrine & contents therof, we do but nod our heads at it, or rather we be not moued nor touched at al wt it: nay we see there is nothing but coldnesse in vsus, & a great number of vsus do euen spite it and gnash our teeth at it. Now then if wee rebell against God after hee hath so warranted the truth of his lawe: what excuse shall wee hauehave? It is not a fighting against the maiestie of GOD? Yes verily. And therefore all the despisers of GOD, may well pretende what excuse they list: but yet are they conuicted of open warre making against GOD, and against his eternall maiestie, and against his diuine and heauenly power. Why so? For God in publishing his law, came as neere men as he could, and as neere as they could away with. In deede God shewed not himselfe as hee is: for wee bee not of capacitie to receiue such knowledge of him: but it is certaine that he shewed himselfe according to the small abilitie and slendernesse of men, specially at the publishing of his lawe. And I meane not onelyonly the Lawe, but also the prophets, which were added as an appurtenance thereunto, bicause they be the expounders thereof. Againe what proofe is there of the Gospell? God did not only shake the earth at that tyme: but also (as faith the prophet Aggeus,Agge. ….… Heb. 12.… and as is alleaged by the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes) hee did shake both heauen and earth, so as there was a greater maiesty vttered at the preaching of the Gospell, than at the publishing of the lawe. Nowe then, sith it is so (sayth the Apostle) yt the Lawe which bringeth nothing but terror vntounto men, was so magnified: what ought the Gospell to bee? For the law was but a shadow & figure of the things which we hauehave nowe shewed vsus perfectly in the Gospell.Col. ….1…. In the Gospell God sheweth himselfe face to face,2. Cor. 3.… to ye intent yt we should be transformed to his glory. Sith it is so, what a curse pul we vponupon our heads, in yt we do not hearkē vntounto God with all reuerence, & shew that it is he whom we worship, & to whom we be willing to dedicate al our senses, all our affections, & all our thoughts? If we be not brought so lowe as to heare and receiue the doctrine of the lawe and the Gospell with all humilitie and reuerence: we fight openly against the whole power and glory of God.
And herewithall we hauehave to marke also, after what maner it is that God warranteth his lawe, to the intent it may bee of authoritie among men, and that they may submit themselues to it. It is by fathering of it vppon himselfe: and that is one point more, well worth the marking. For God sheweth vsus thereby, yt he will not hauehave vsus to leane vntounto men,1. Cor. … but to looke singly vntounto him, that wee may hauehave a true and assured faith. So long then as our mindes runne vppon creatures: wee shall alwayes bee in a mamering. Albeit that wee may conceiue some wilfull opinion in our head: yet shall it vanish quite away at length, vntill wee bee come to this poynt, that wee bee sure it is GOD that hath taught vsus it, and that it is hee of whome wee holde all that wee hauehave. When wee bee so assured: then hauehave wee a right faith: but wee see howe the world forgetteth that. For is there any question of the hearing of GOD in the Popedome? Nay verily, they woorke all the abhominations that are against Gods woorde, and their dooyng thereof is matched with foule shamelessenesse, as it were euen in vtter despyte of God. For they will needes hauehave the Gospell set aside, and that men should bee the sticklers in that behalfe, to intermingle whatsoeuer they themselues thinke good. Wee see then that this hath beene ill put in vre. And therefore let vsus for our part remember, that when God meant to magnifie his Lawe, he saide not, Here is a wise man that shall tell you good things: but he tooke vp Moses to him, and he gaue tokens from heauen as if he should hauehave protested thus: It is I my self, I will hauehave ye to take all things that shal be vttered by Moses, as things that come from me. For I am not hidden in this case. Although I speake to you by the mouth of a mortal man: yet ye see he hath all of mee, and he hath not deuised any thing of himselfe or of his owne braine. And to what ende was Moses so exempted from the state of all other men? It is not possible yt a man which is accustomed to eate & drink, should fast by the space of fortie dayes and fortie nights togither. Then must it needes bee concluded, that God intended to shew in effect, how he himselfe was the author of the Law, and the giuer thereof by Moses. And although Moses was so excellent a person: yet was hee but a seruant, he was not the maister of the house, neyther did he challendge any thing to himselfe, but deliuered the thinges faithfully from hand to hande, which he had receiued.
Nowe seeing that GOD reserued to himselfe the gouerning of his Church, and the giuing of the rule whereunto he woulde hauehave all men to holde themselues, so as euen Moses should not passe the boundes thereof▪ what shal other men doe nowe adayes? Wee shall see at length that God neuer raised vp a greater Prophet, no nor the like among his people.Deut. 34.10. There was neuer any [that matched him or went beyond him,Phil. 2.9.10. Col. 1.16.17] but onelyonly Iesus Christ the head of all Prophets. And good reason it is yt he should bee aboue Moses, which hath the soueraintie of all, considering that he is aboue the Angels, and euen the euerlasting GOD manifested in the flesh,…. Tim. 3.16 and our Mediatour, exalted to the right hand of God his father, to sit as his Lieuetenant, of purpose that all knees shoulde bow before him. So then, wee see how shamelesse the Pope and all his rable hauehave beene, in vsurping such libertie to forge articles of fayth, to make lawes for mens soules, and to bring the Churche in such bondage, as to burie all pure doctrine, that their owne dreames and dotages which they had deuised contrarie to Gods woorde, myght bee followed. And therefore let vsus beare well in minde, that when wee studye to honour men, wee robbe God of his honour: and when wee adde any thing at all to his woorde, wee become backslyders. That is a poynt which wee must bee fully resolued of, or else wee shall hauehave no certaintie in our Religion and fayth.Colos. 2.23. In deede the Papistes hauehave some showe of humilitie, in that they say, and why shoulde not men obserue the commaundementes of our holy mother the Church? For although it bee more than needeth, yet notwithstanding, will not GOD accept it? There is nothing more commendable than humilitie: but yet for all their humbling of themselues before men, they rush with their hornes against God. But if they ment to doe GOD his due honour: they shoulde not giuegive men the thing, which belongeth alonely vntounto him. For if they fall to mingling of the leauen and corruption of their own imaginations, with the puernesse of Gods woord: it is more than if they medled heauen and earth together. For it is easie to discerne Gods creatures one from another: and although there bee neuer so much oddes betwixt them, yet is there more agreement betweene them, than there is betweene mennes inuentions and Gods woorde. And therefore when they fall to mingling of their owne fansies with it, and take leaue to make Lawes at their owne pleasure: all is out of fashion, all is out of order, there is not any more purenesse. Now then, whereas the Papistes alleage their humblenesse in obseruing the commaundementes of their Church, or rather hellish synagogue: it is but a diuelish ouerweening, wherethrough they aduaunce themselues openly against GOD, in commending their own follie and beastlinesse as highly, as though their owne inuentions were farre greater and exquisiter perfection, than the wisedome of God. Thus yee see what we hauehave to remember concerning this point, where Moses reporteth yt he neither ate bread nor dranke water, of all the while that he was vponupon the mount.
Wee see heere to what end he forbare meate and drink. It was not to set vp some fast, neither indeede was there any euer ordeined, he did it not to make a rule of it: but rather it was Gods intent to woorke such a miracle as might not be drawen to a common example, of purpose to authorise his Lawe, as hath beene sayde afore. And herein it appeareth what a fondnesse it was to make the lenton fast, and to binde men to fast fortie dayes after the example of Iesus Christe,Matt. 4.2. vnderunder colour that hee had forborne meate and drinke so long together. Surely the fasting of our Lorde Iesus Christ, was to shewe that the Gospell ought not to bee lesse esteemed than the Lawe: and wee see that the lyke besell to Helias, who was beetweene them both.1. King. 19.8. Matt. 17.3. Wherefore did Moses and Helias appeare at the transfiguring of Iesus Christ vppon the Mount, but to shew the agreement that was betweene the Lawe and the Gospell? And wee see hereby, that Helias was as it were betweene both, that is to say, betweene Moses and Christ. For hee restored the Lawe and the pure Religion that had beene corrupted afore. And so ye see that Moses and Helias agree in such sorte with Iesus Christ, that they not onelyonly come to humble themselues to him, but also declare that he onelyonly is the ende and perfection of the Lawe, and that hee is the partie to whome all must bee referred. Againe, when our Lorde Iesus Christ fasted, that is to say, when he abstained from meate and drinke by the space of fortie dayes together: he did it not yerely, but onelyonly once in all his lyfe, at such tyme as hee was to enter vppon the execution of his office, which was committed vntounto him by GOD his father: yea and hee did it by way of myracle. Nowe then is it not a turning of all thinges topsiteruie, when men will drawe it to an ordinarie, and make a common rule of it? Is it not an open mocking of Iesus Christ? Is it not a defacing of Gods myracle, as though they woulde spitte at his power? Yes surely. Wee see then what a blindnesse it was. And although this superstition be very auncient, in so much yt Satan had brought in yt diuelish errour, euen before there was any Pope: yet ought wee to mislike it and abhorre it. For it is not a simple abuse, it is not a fond deuotion, such as men are woont to hauehave: but it is a blasphemie against Iesus Christe, it is a policie of Satan to deface the honour of the Gospell, and to make vsus forget the thing yt the holy ghost amed at, which is that we might know how the lawe & the Gospel are no earthly doctrines, nor of mans inuention, but altogether heauenly and of God, to the end that we should stoope vntounto them.
Yet for all this, it is not meant that fasting is not good and holy. For though wee make no Lentfast, yet are there other fastes which are commaunded vsus in the holy Scripture: that is to wit, first of all stayednesse and sobrietie all our life long, so as wee glut not our selues one day to forbeare another for it, but vse the benefites measurably which God hath bestowed vppon vsus: that they which hauehave abundance abuse it not in superfluitie. And our fasting must bee to restraine and brydle our selues willingly aswell from meate and drinke, as from all other thinges wherein wee may commit excesse or disorder, so as wee forbeare them willingly, as I sayde afore. As for these that hauehave not verie well wherewith to finde themselues, let them be contented with their pouertie, and take it patiently with thankesgiuing vntounto God. Againe if our Lorde afflict vsus, or yt we bee in any distresse: let vsus resort to fasting, of purpose to dispose our selues to prayer and supplication, and to lifte vppe our heartes the better vntounto GOD, humbling our selues and acknowledging our faults vntounto him. Let our fastings be as spurres to driue vsus to god, to present ourselues before him as wretched offenders, to craue merciemercy and forgiuenes at his hand. These are the fastings which ye holy scripture alloweth, notwithstanding the said superstition inuēted by ye diuell to deface Gods word, & the diuine power yt was shewed in Moses, but more fully in our Lord Iesus Christ. For he fasted not as compelled by others: but of his owne free will, to shewe that although he was like vsus in all things sauing only sinne: yet could he well hauehave beene exempted from fasting, as in deede hee was not a hungred nor a thirst of all the whyle he fasted. And why? For hee had laide aside the state that he tooke vppon him. Although hee was vnderunder the shape of a seruaunt:Ph…l. … yet notwithstanding, that seruauntship bare no sway in him by the space of those fortie dayes. Now let vsus proceede further.
Moses addeth that at the same tyme hee receiued two tables, euen two tables of stone, the two tables that were written with the finger of GOD, the tables of the couenant which God had made with vsus sayth hee. This serued to make the Iewes the more ashamed, of their exceeding great vnfaithfulnesse towardes GOD. For if I and another were to make a bargayne, and in the meane tyme while the partie were causing the couenaunte and conueyaunce to bee ingrosed, I on the other side should practise some deuise to betray him while hee trusted mee: what a villanie were that? Shoulde I not bee a double false catife? Yes: for if a man conclude a bargayne, and afterward breake it or teare the writinges in peeces, hee shalbe punished. But if the one partie goe through with good and faithfull meaning, and the other partie marre all with crafte and treacherie, vnderunder pretence of quietnesse and friendly dealing: what is to bee sayd of that? Euen after the same maner dealt the Iewes. For God taketh Moses aside. And to what purpose, but to woorke the welfare of his people, and to assure them that their religion was a true warrant of their saluation, and that they walked not at all aduenture as all other nations of the earth did? Thereuppon he maketh an autenticall instrument of the lawe that he had giuen them, that the rememberaunce thereof might continue for euer, and not bee such a doctrine as should bee forgotten, Now while God was thus working the welfare of his people: they recompensed him so euill, that they fell to vtter defying of him, and would needes hauehave a newe God. Wee see then howe Moses ment to inhaunce their euill dealing, that they might bee the more ashamed, by knowing the horriblenesse of the crime which they had committed. And the same belongeth to vsus also at this day. For we see that God ceasseth not to renewe the remembraunce of his couenaunt. True it is that hee published his lawe once for all, and likewise his Gospell. But yet for all that, wee hauehave both his lawe and his Gospell in wryting also, and moreouer it is dayly preached vntounto vsus. Now then, if wee prouoke Gods wrath and anger, by falsifying our faith which we gaue and promised in baptisme: doeth it not make vsus the more vnexcusable? Yes surely. And therefore to holde our selues the better in awe & feare of God: let vsus vnderstand that gods ordeyning of the ministers of his worde, and his gracious dealing with vsus in causing the same to be preached and expounded vntounto vsus afterward, is to put vsus in minde of his couenant, that wee shoulde put it in practise: [and therefore] let vsus pray him that nothing may turne vsus from it. Let vsus vnderstande that: and then shall we hauehave the more constancie and stedfastnesse to obey him. Thus ye see what we hauehave to remember vppon that text.
Furthermore, let vsus marke that God thought it not ynough to proclaime his Lawe, but he did also put it in writing. And why? because men are shorte witted in bearing away the trueth. Therefore is our Lorde faine to prouide for it, & to warne vsus to looke well to all thinges, because we be so feeble. Had the Iewes done their duetie, Gods speaking to them had beene ynough: for he had giuen his lawe in so small roome, as euerie man might count it vponupon his fingers ends, These are the ten commaundementes, in these hath God comprehended his whole wil, which is the rule of good life, All this doctrine (say I) is comprehended in ten verses. Ye see then that the people had beene taught familiarly ynough. Now if they that heard Gods voyce vponupon the mount had done their duetie: they should hauehave taught their children, so as the doctrine might hauehave beene kept in mind from the father to the childe.Deut. 6.8. For God had taught them familiarly ynough, as I saide afore. Insomuch that he had willed them to make their ornaments of ye sentences of the lawe, so as in steed of bracelets and other pretie toyes, which foolkes do weare to make themselues gay: all the deckings of his people shoulde be to hauehave the sentences of the lawe written & ingraued about them, that which way soeuer they turned their eyes, they might still hauehave some marke to put them in minde of Gods lawe. Howbeit, to the ende they shoulde hauehave a more certaine remembrance therof: like as men hauehave bin wont to ingraue their leages in some tables of brasse or stone: so God took stone to write and ingraue his lawe in. It was not his pleasure to vse paper or parchment: but to hauehave his law written in stone▪ [and that was done] not by handicraft, (for hee borowed no workemanship of man in that behalfe,) but with his owne finger. Not that God hath anie handes: but that the holy scripture speaketh so by a resemblance as if it were saide, the lawe was not written or ingrauen by mans hand: but God approoued and ratified it by way of myracle. Now then sith it is so: let vsus learne that God hath prouided well for the assuring of our faith, to the intente we should not be put to any great paine or hardnesse to knowe what wee ought to follow. True it is that the worlde will runne into al lewdenes, as we see it doeth, and the examples thereof are too rise. It is pitie to see howe oft the Iewes swarued aside vntounto idolatrie: it semed that gods name should hauehave beene abolished among thē: all was out of order: they had so grosse superstitions, as a man coulde not discerne betweene them and the heathen: they had so imbaced thēselues, as there remained not any more certaintie among them. But yet for al that such as were disposed to serue God helde alwayes this point still, that they sticked to the certaine doctrine. And why? For Gods will was set downe in writing. When superstitions were to bee corrected: the meane to doe it was not harde. For why? The lawe was written. That is the thing which wee must sticke vntounto if wee will obey our God: and if wee forsake that doctrine, God will also forsake vsus. VVe see then that God hath prouided sufficiently for the suretie of his people, that their faith might not be doutfull, but firme and constant. As for vsus nowe adayes, wee hauehave more than the fathers had in the time of the lawe. For wee hauehave both the lawe and the prophetes, and also the gospell. What is to bee done then? They that alleadge in these dayes, I wote not which way to turne mee, I see disputinges, debates, and contrarietie of opinions, & therefore I will let all alone in suspence: [must consider also with themselues,] Yea? hath God lost his labour in setting downe his lawe in writing, and in adding the exposition thereof by his prophetes, to the ende that wee might the better knowe that the gospel is the true and full accomplishment thereof? Shall wee accuse God as though hee had left vsus at randome, so as wee shoulde not knowe what wee hauehave to doe, when he hath giuen vsus his infallible trueth, and tolde vsus that we can neuer be deceiued in obeying the things that proceede out of his mouth? So then let vsus vnderstande, that whereas the worlde goes astray, and is ill instructed: the onelyonly cause therof is mens own vnthankfulnes. For why? there is inough prouided to make vsus walk in the broade daylight, so as wee may defile the superstitions of the faithles, and not suffer things to hang any longer in suspence, if we hauehave God reigning ouer vsus. Whereby wee see that Gods speaking was not for one day onelyonly: but of purpose that the same shoulde continue still euen to the worldes ende. Therefore let vsus go on boldly, seeing we hauehave the doctrine of the holy scripture: and let vsus assure our selues that that is the thing which wee must holde vsus to, so as we must not any more say, whither shoulde we go? That is the way,Deut. 13.5. & Esa. 30.21. let vsus walke therein, as Moses protesteth hereafter. Trueth it is that in those two tables are not conteyned all the things that are written in Exodus, Leuiticus, and the booke which we doe nowe expounde: those tables are but an abridgement of them, and they conteyne but ten verses. Neuerthelesse, our Lord meant to shewe by those two tables, that all the things which Moses left in writing, were of him.
So then, here are two thinges: That is to wit, that Gods will was there shoulde bee scripture, like as when couenants are set downe in writing, or leages are ingrauen in tables of brasse, & euen so was it his will that there shoulde be a perpetuall memoriall of his lawe, that men might take no occasion to turne away from it. And he made those two tables, not to shewe any cunning of man therin: but to ingraue his law in thē without out mans hande, that it might bee knowen that the same came of him. As touching Gods writting twice in the two stones: we wil treate thereof hereafter: For it is meete that things shoulde be set downe in order, and therefore I will not medle with them nowe.
Nowe remayneth howe Moses addeth, that after the tearme of fortie dayes, God saide vntounto him, Vp and get thee downe apace: for this people hauehave soone marred themselues, by forgetting mee, and the fauour that I hauehave shewed them. Here Moses goeth on still with his matter, shewing the people that their reuolting and starting away so soone from GOD was too too shamefull and detestable. True it is that although they had helde out foure hundred yea or a thousande yeares, yet had they not beene to be excused. But now when as they fell to making of an idol, and did set vp a Puppet within fortie dayes space, euen whyle God was about the furtherance of their benefite and welfare, (as I saide afore) when Moses was taken vp as it were into the companie of Angels, by reason whereof they shoulde rather hauehave thought thus, Goe too, in the person of that one man wee bee after a sorte separated from the rest of mankinde, and God sanctifieth vsus to himselfe, and therewithall bringeth vsus into his kingdome, to the intent wee should not hauehave any earthlinesse in our religion: What a lewde dealing was that? For this cause Moses saith, that God commanded him to get him downe in hast, because the people were marred out of hande, so as they were falne to making of a newe God, euen while the lawe was a writing, and whyle God was confirming of his couenaunt with them. And it is plainely saide that they were marred: Beholde (saith God) they hauehave marred. For the worde which hee vseth, betokeneth no more, but they hauehave marred, without other addition. And indeed it was a right marring of them, that is to say of the Iewes, who became lewde backesliders and periured kaytifes, vtterly turning away from the trueth and rule of God, and finally from all order both heauenly and earthly. For wherein consisteth our purenesse, but in obeying GOD? According to this similitude of Saint Paules,2. Cor. 11.2. that like as a woman is a lawfull and faithfull wife as long as shee keepeth herselfe chast to her husbande: so all the chastitie which God requireth of vsus, is that wee shoulde sticke alonely to his worde. Then if wee fall to making of idols: it is a vilanous marring of our selues, wee become like common harlotes that giuegive ouer their bodies to all commers, leauing their owne husbandes, and yeelding themselues to euerie whoremaister and ruffian. Euen so is it with vsus. And after the same maner was this people marred out of hande. Yea and wee marre the maiestie of God also, as much as in vsus lieth, when wee followe our owne foolishe inuentions. True it is that wee cannot touch his maiestie to doe it any harme: but yet are wee guiltie thereof (as sayth Saint Paul,) because we turne the trueth into a lie,Rom. … and make all thinges false: and moreouer turne the order of nature vpside downe, by forsaking Gods pure doctrine, so as wee bereaue him of his soueraigne right that hee can not reigne ouer vsus, when wee fall to setting vp of idols and deade thinges in his roome, and doe the thinges which we our selues hauehave inuented. So then it is not for nought that our Lord saith not in plaine wordes, This people hauehave made them an Idoll: but hee saith, This people hauehave marred, that is to say, they hauehave turned all vpside downe.
Wherefore let vsus marke well, that whensoeuer we steppe aside from the purenesse of Gods worde, wee make a shamefull marring, we practise our owne destruction, wee leaue nothing whole and sounde, and to bee short, we bee guiltie of mingling heauen and earth together, and of the vtter defacing of Gods maiestie. So much the more therefore doeth it stande vsus on hande to submitte our selues to Gods pure worde, and to see that wee inuent nothing of our owne heads, nor bring vp anie new religion: but hold our selues to the thinges which our Lorde hath tolde vsus,1. Sa…. … 22. forasmuch as hee alloweth not anie thing but that. Afterwards hee addeth the residue, which I cannot expound as nowe: but it shall suffice (as I hauehave saide alreadie) that wee hauehave this bonde of our God, that wee stray not so farre as to reiect his trueth: but that wee abide in obedience to his worde, as hee hath giuen it vsus in writing, and as it is his will to hauehave it dayly preached vntounto vsus.
Nowe let vsus kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes, praying him to make vsus feele them better than we hauehave doone, that we may be drawen to such repentance, as our whole desire may be to be quite rid of our fleshly affections and lusts, to giuegive our selues vntounto him, and to holde vsus so vnderunder his awe, as wee may bring nothing of our owne deuising, but that when our owne conscience findeth fault with vsus, wee may so much the more yeelde ourselues guiltie, and not turne away from his obedience: and that forasmuch as wee can not fullie satisfie and performe his Lawe in this worlde, it may please him of his infinite goodnesse to beare with vsus, vntill hee hauehave throughly corrected the euill which hee knoweth to bee yet still remayning in vsus. That it may please him to graunt this grace not onelyonly to vsus, but also to all people & nations of the earth, &c.