Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 81
On Wednesday the ij. of October. 1555. The Lxxxj. Sermon, which is the second vponupon the twelfth Chapter.
3.4.5 But looke what place soeuer &c.
6 And thither shall yee bring your burnt offeringes, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and the heaue offerings of your handes, and your vowes, and your freewill offeringes, and the firstborne of your kine and sheepe.
7 And there shall you eat before the Lorde your God, and be merrie both you and your household in all things that you set your hande vntounto, wherein the Lorde your God shall hauehave blessed you.
IN the Doctrine that I hauehave deliuered vntounto you alreadie, there are two partes. The one is that God will hauehave all thinges vtterly rooted out wherewith Idols hauehave beene serued. And good reason hath hee so to doe, because he seeth the frailtie of men: for if we hauehave neuer so small an occasion, by and by we be miscaried. For Idolatrie is so rooted in our heartes, that wee hauehave neede as it were to plucke ourselues from it by force: and what wil then become of vsus, when we be drawen to it? Let vsus marke wel therefore, that forasmuch as we be inclined to superstition, if we intende to serue GOD, we must put away all things that may turne vsus from the right way, & from the simplicitie which God commaundeth vsus. And men cannot stand too much vponupon their gard in that case. True it is that a number of mē do weene themselues to be so strong, yt although they be neuer somuch conuersant among ye superstitions of the vnbeleeuers, yet they shal not be atteinted with them: But God is wiser thā we. And therfore let vsus remember the lesson that he telleth vsus: namely that we must shunne all the uperstitions of the heathen and the misbeleeuers, or else his seruice will bee marred among vsus by and by. But forasmuch as I hauehave declared that part alreadie, I wil stand no longer vponupon it.
Let vsus proceed to that which Moses addeth, namely that mē must not deale so with God: by which saying he meaneth, that the Iewes must not go about to honour the liuing GOD by building vp the altars, Chappels, or any other of all the filthie things again which they had beatē down. As if he shoulde say, GOD will not bee serued after the manner of Idols, and therefore regarde not what the heathen hauehave done, followe them not, neither fashion your selues to their example: but holde you to this one rule, of doing that which your God commaundeth you. And this is well worth the noting: for when we hauehave condemned Idolatrie, we cease not for al that to imagine that God liketh well that we shoulde do ye same things in honor of him, which were done by the vnbeleeuers: and yt appeareth by the dealinges in the Popedome. After that the Gospell had beene preached to the worlde, men fell to mingling of al maner of superstitiōs of ye heathē with the true seruice of God. And what was the cause thereof? The heathen had their Pilgrimages: and men knewe well it was a diuelishe abuse: neuerthelesse they did not put them quite and cleane away, they did but onelyonly chaunge them. In steede of going on pilgrimage to such an Idol, they goe now to our Ladie of Laurette, to It is a Relike in Rome wherin they say ye picture of Christes face is; after it was wiped therewith.the holy handekercher, to Saint Michael, to Saint Iames, and to visite the holy Sepulchre. Men should hauehave vtterly rooted out all ye things that had beene so brought in by Satan, and in steed thereof they did but change them. Wheras men saw that the heathen made great feasts, and kept a great number of solemne holy dayes in honour of their Idols: O (quoth they) wee must no more doe soe, for that were a seruing of the diuell: but let eueryevery parishe make a Church-holyday, to play, to daunce, and to feede in till they burst againe, and all in the honour of God. Besides this, let eueryevery one hauehave their patron, and let them worshippe him. And so in steade of the solemne feastes that were among the heathen, let others be brought in among vsus. O sirs (say they) these thinges are not doone any more in honour of the Idols; but in honour of Saint Martine. And then let them daunce and playe the drunkerdes, for all is well enough so it be done in the honour of God. Againe the heathen were wont to keepe a holy day which they called the feast of all Spirits: and we must chaunge ye word and hauehave the feast of all Soules. Moreouer the heathen had a Temple which was called the Temple of all goddes: and wee doe nowe call it the Church of all Saintes or all Hallowes. See what an act worthie of remembraunce and an Angelicall act the Pope thought hee did, as the Papistes can well skill to make their bragges. For …o (say they) there is a temple called the Temple of all the gods: but what? Wee hauehave but one God, and therefore it must not continue after that fashion. Wel, we will chaunge the worde, and whereas the heathen had a Temple which they called the Temple of All their gods, we wil hauehave it the Church of all Hallowes, and we will hauehave a Churchholyday added to it. Again when they sawe that the heathen had their sacrifices: Needes must they also hauehave their Masses set vp in the roome of them. Moreouer perceiuing that the heathen had their washings, they also would needes hauehave their holywater. To be short, whatsoeuer filth and infection was among the Infidels; the Papists tooke it to themselues to keepe. And what was the cause thereof? Euen for want of taking heede to this text, wherein it is saide that whereas the Infidels hauehave many deuotions deuised of their owne braine; we must not couet to doe the like to our God, nor looke that way; but we must harken what he saith and commandeth. Were this saying of Moseses vnderstoode; all the diuelish deuises that hauehave reigned & doe reigne still at this day in the Popedome, shoulde get them away to the bottome of hell. For we see here a generall condemnation, whereby GOD sheweth that he hateth al such things. And why? Because he will not hauehave men to deale with him as the ignorant doe with their Idols. A thing may seeme faire to the worldwarde, & men may clap their hands at it: but behold God saith here, I wil not be serued after such fashiō, or such maner, let not men presume into my presēce to deuise what they think good thēselues. And if it be alleadged, yea, but shall such a thing bee euil taken, when I doe it in the honour of God? Shal it be said that I serue Idols, when I do such a thing of a good intent, and all to serue God? Is it so great an euil that men should cry out at it? No, no, men must hearken what God commandeth, and ground themselues altogether therepon, so as they presume not to adde any thing thereunto. We see then that the meaning of this text is, that wee must forget al the follies that hauehave beguiled vsus, and not alledge custome or continuance of time, but receiue the doctrine of the holy scripture like litle children. A yong childe will not say, thus and thus hauehave I beene taught; for he knoweth yet nothing at all: But he receiueth that which is put to him, and is the readier to learne, because he is not inured aforehande with anie maner of misteaching. But if a childe hauehave been mistaught and nusled in his fondnes: then if a man go about to amend him, O (sayes he) I was taught so, and a man shal not be able to make him pronounce one syllable aright, nor to speake one worde to any purpose. And why so? Bicause he hath bin trained by an Asse, who hath framed him to his owne fashion, and hee hath learned ye right trick of him. After the same maner it is with a great number of folke that hauehave been brought vp in cursed poperie: alwayes they hold stil some relikes of it, saying, Yea sir, but can such a thing be euil? There is euer some replying against God. But as for vsus, let vsus practise yt which is saide in the foure & fortith Psalme:Psal. 45.11.12. My daughter, forget thine owne people and thy fathers house, and thy husband wil take pleasure in thee. We know that in that place our spiritual marriage with Iesus Christ is described vnderunder ye person of Salomon. And first of all we bee commaunded to forget all that euer is of our owne. For by our people and by our fathers house, is meant all that euer we hauehave of nature, all things that we hauehave loued afore, and al the pleasures & delights wherewith we hauehave beene helde backe. Al these thinges must be thrust vnderunder foote, or else the sonne of God wil neuer like of vsus, whose calling of vsus to him is to make vsus all one with himselfe. Also we must put the same thing in vre which I hauehave alledged heretofore out of Sainte Peter:1. Pet. 2.2. namely that we must be like newe borne babes. For when a child beginneth at his Apsie he is easie to be taught and suffereth himselfe to be ouer ruled: euen so in al things, let vsus learne this lessō which God teacheth vsus in his doctrine, & let al our wisedome be to obey him. That is the thing which we hauehave to marke in this texte where it is said, thou shalt not deale so with thy God: for God wil not be weighed in the balance nor ruled by ye measure of Idols; but wil hauehave mē to imbrace whatsoeuer he commandeth, and to rest vponupon it wtout gainsaying or replying. For declaration hereof he saith, Ye shal resort to the place which hee shall hauehave chosen to put his name in, and to dwel in. Which saying here is expounded of some to bee his habitation, that is to say, his sanctuary or tabernacle. But all cōmeth to one end: Gods meaning is plain & vndoutful, namely yt whereas the heathen had set vp many Altars, builded many Chappels, and gone on many pilgrimages: the Israelites shoulde holde themselues contented with the only sanctuarie. Now if it were lawfull for men to bee ruled by their owne reason, ye Iewes might here hauehave pleaded in this wise against God, What, the countrie is great, and shall there be no Altarin no place of it but onelyonly in one? There are diuerse great Cities; and shall there be neuer a Temple in them for men to offer sacrifice in and to doe their deuotions? There are a great number of countries bordering vponupon it, [which doe otherwise;] and shall we in worshipping GOD looke onelyonly vntounto heauen? Why shall there be no altar? It might seeme therefore that the Iewes had verie iust cause to refuse this commaundement and to say wee will bee so deuout that wee will hauehave some signe or marke of Gods dwelling among vsus and wee will worshippe him, and doe solemne sacrifices vntounto him. But what? In this case men must bridle themselues and holde their owne wits in captiuitie, so as they giuegive God leaue to speake, and they themselues holde their peace, without attempting to go anie further than Gods mouth permitteth them. Ye see then howe it is Gods will to humble his seruauntes by making them subiect to his word. Wherfore let vsus learne that wee must not followe our owne sway nor our owne imagination: but this ought to suffice vsus, that our seruice be acceptable vntounto God, by ordering of it according to his will: there is no other way but that.
And it is said expressely in the place which the euerlasting, thy God shal choose: as if he shold say, it is not in the choice of ye Iewes to appoint God a place or to say vntounto him, here wil wee sacrifice. Men must not presume so far. It belongeth to thy God to choose saith Moses. To be short hee will hauehave Gods authoritie to bee receiued and him onelyonly to be the ruler of his people, so as he may command what he listeth and be obeyed without gainsaying. Ye see then that the foundation of true religion is not to say, it seemeth so to me, I weene so, I would faine hauehave it so, it is a goodly thing: but to let God speake, and to assure our selues that it is not for vsus to doe any thing but yt which he alloweth. And so is meant by this saying that obedience is more worth before him thā all maner of sacrifice.1. Sam. 15.22 And in verie deed can wee doe him any greater honor than to rest vponupon his worde, and suffer our selues to be gouerned by it, and to be as poore blinde folkes vntill hee hauehave lightened vsus and shewed vsus the way? Now as for those that folow their owne deuotions, they bereaue GOD of his souereintie and yeeld him no reuerence at al: therefore it is but a building in ye aire and an vtter confusion. Wherefore let vsus weigh wel this word choose, that we may be fully resolued in our selues that none but God hath authoritie to set order how he should be honoured and serued.
And he addeth yet further, from out of al your tribes. Here the people might bee tempted to a kind of ielosie, for we know that men do willingly drawe things to themselues, and that it is a greefe and a corsey vntounto vsus when others are preferred before vsus. The same might bee also among the Iewes. The lande of Chanaan is diuided into twelue tribes, for the Tribe of Ioseph made two, and the Leuites had no portion at al. But yet for all that, yee see there were twelue Tribes,Deut. … Ioh… … which had eueryevery one his portion to enherite. Now GOD tolde them that his Tabernacle should be set in Ierusalem, and that his tē ple should be builded vponupon mount Sion. Hereupon the residue might hauehave quarelled thus: What? Are not we the children of Abraham aswell as they? with whome is it that GOD hath made his couenant? Are we not al of one stocke? Why then shoulde the Tribe of Iuda be preferred before vsus? specially seeing he is not the first begotten. Doth ye birth right belong vntounto him? Why then shoulde he bee more honoured than all the rest Whence hath hee this priuiledge? After that manner might the matter bee debated. Also it might be alledged that the Arke ought to be remoued eueryevery monethmonth of the yere frō one tribe to an other throughout al ye twelue Tribes. There are twelue moneths in the yere, and we be twelue tribes of vsus: and therefore wee ought to begin according to the order of birthright, so as the eldest hauehave the carying of the Arke the first monethmonth, and eueryevery Tribe after in his order. Were it not reason it shoulde be so? Yee see then that the rest of the Tribes might hauehave made that allegation when they sawe the Tribe of Iuda preferred before all the other Tribes. But Moses preuenteth that, saying, it belongeth vntounto thy GOD to choose and to commaunded what hee thinketh good. According whereunto it is saide in the Psalme, that the land of Chanaan was in deede made holy, and that God had promised it to his seruant Abraham. But what? He refused the tribes of Manasses and Ephraim,Psal … and rested not there, but choose the Tribe of Iuda. And why? because it pleased him. If a man shoulde looke vppon the outwarde apparance, it is wel knowen that the kingdome of Israell was farre greater than the kingdom of Iuda. True it is that in king Dauids time they were all one kingdome: but when the people fell away, then the Tribe of Ephraim became of greatest honour among them: but yet for all that, God reserued this dignitie to the citie of Ierusalem and to mount Sion, that hee woulde be worshipped there. Sith it is so, let vsus vnderstande that to serue GOD aright, men must vncase themselues of al pride, so as they seeke not to aduaunce themselues, but submit themselues wholy to Gods wil without regarding to bee honoured aboue others after the ambitious manner of the Papistes which striue who shall goe foremost to the offering. They pretend to doe it of deuotion; but indeed they doe it of diuelish pride. And therefore if we wil hauehave God to accept our seruice, let vsus learne to come vntounto him with humilitie and not to turne our tayles to our neighbours: & if god vouchsafe to endue any others with greater grace than our selues, wee must not spyte them for it, as wee be warned of it. Wee see that God distributeth his giftes more vntounto one than vntounto another; What is nowe to bee doone? shoulde wee hauehave spite at it? Shoulde wee gase aboute vsus howe to make our selues iolie fellowes? Alas wee doe but wander away from GOD when we steppe foorth to aduaunce our selues before men. Therefore let vsus proceede with all lowlinesse, and not bee so fondly and wickedlie disposed as to hauehave a will to bee preferred before our neighbours. And so we see what Moses meant to expresse here in saying, God wil choose him out some one certaine place from among thy tribes: and let it not greeue them that are put backe from it. For why? If it bee Gods will to humble them, they shall gayne nothing by their comming to rushe against him. And therfore let eueryevery man holde himselfe contented with his degree and measure, and let him that is little holde himselfe contented with his littlenesse.
And nowe hee addeth expressely also, that God will choose a place to put his name in. Whereby he meaneth that he is not to be inclosed in it as in respect of his substance. For (as I hauehave declared afore) there are alwayes two thinges which it behooueth vsus to marke well. When we hauehave an outwarde order or forme of seruing God, wee muste obserue two thinges therein. The one is that forasmuch as God seeth vsus to be rude and earthly, hee stoopeth vntounto vsus, and pleasureth vsus so far, as to giuegive vsus things fit for vsus. As for example, when wee in praying doe vse these ceremonies of kneeling down, of putting off our cappes, and lifting vp our handes: wherfore doe we so? It is not for that GOD hath neede of it for his part, but for our owne weakenesse sake. Because we bee ouer grosse, we bee faine to be exercised after that fashion. After the same manner wee hauehave Baptisme, and the Lords holy Supper, all which thinges are for the weakenes of our nature. And so ye see that that is one thing which wee hauehave to marke on our part. But when as God beareth with vsus after that fashion, let vsus beware that wee surmise him not to be like our selues, or that wee thinke him not to behaue himselfe after our lust. For men are alwayes in daunger of falling into that extremitie. The thing then in effect which Moses ment to say, is this: The Lord will choose him a place to set his sanctuarie in, there will he hauehave you to worshippe him: there will he hauehave you to offer your sacrifices to him, thither will hee hauehave you to bring your oblations; there will he hauehave you to honor him wt your persons & goods, protesting your selues to bee wholy at his deuotion. But yet must you not thinke that your God is come downe from heauen and shut vp in a cofer or chest. You must not thinke that he fitteth betweene Cherubins after the manner of men: but that it is ynough for you that his name is there, that is to say that he giueth you some token of his presence and power, to the intent yee may be sure that he will heare all our prayers and be mercifull to you. And yet for all that hee filleth heauen and earth, howsoeuer the worlde goe. Therefore ye must not fall to shutting vp of the infinite maiestie and substance of your God, into a corner, or into a material & corruptible Temple. Beware of such superstition, and be contented with the hauing of his name, that is to say, yt your God is there called vponupon, that his Law is there preached to you, that his promises are there set before you, that you be grounded vponupon his grace, that you neede not to doubt but that he is your father and Sauior, that you may boldly sue vntounto him, and that you be sure he is ready to receiue your requests. That is the intent why your God is minded to be among you.
Of this place we hauehave a good lesson to gather, which is, that seeing God hath ordeyned means agreable to our infirmitie to serue him withall; we ought to vse them, according to this saying, thou shalt seeke out that place. For Moses hauing warned the Iewes of their rudenesse, commaundeth thē to benefite themselues by such meanes as the Lord teacheth them: that is to wit, by the ceremonies which he would giuegive them. Noweadayes we hauehave not the like ceremonies to those that were vnderunder the lawe. But yet doth our Lord beare with vsus also, so farre foorth as hee seeth it requisite, and giueth vsus such ceremonies as are meet for vsus, in respect wherof we hauehave the meetinges that are made among vsus, as I hauehave saide afore. And why? To the end that Gods worde should be preached to vsus, that we shoulde make cōmon prayers as it were with one mouth, that we should confesse our faith, and christendome together, and that ye Sacramentes should be ministred in the companie of the faithful. Seeing yt our Lord giueth vsus such meanes, it behoueth vsus to vse them. For whosoeuer despiseth thē, mocketh God openly. Let vsus marke wel that whatsoeuer our Lord hath ordeined for our behoofe, we must receiue it, & be diligent to strengthen our faith therby dayly more & more. For if I thinke my self to be so perfect, yt I passe not to come at ye Church, there to benefit my self with others: it is a diuelishe ouerweening; and it were better for me that I were some poore begger that had neither witte nor vnderstanding, (so as in the meane while I knewe mine owne pouertie) than to be so high minded. For it is the next way to cast me downe to the bottome of hell, when I will needes exempt my selfe from the common order. And therefore whosoeuer hath any zeale and affection to serue God, must doe that which is commaunded here in seeking the place that God hath appointed: that is to say, he must not holde skorne of any thing which he hath ordeined for the confirming of our faith. That is one point.
Againe we must alwayes beare in minde, that when God vouchsafeth to plant his name amōg vsus, we must not serue him after our owne fashion, and after our owne rude manner: for his seruice is alwayes spirituall, and the thinges that he sheweth vsus here beneath, must draw vp aloft to heauen. And hereby a man may see howe the wretched world hath bin beguiled. For ye greatest
naunce must bee after such a sort, as therewith we must find some further taste of the goodnesse of our God, and ioy in him for that hee is our fosterfather, of whom we hauehave our dayly bread, as wee professe by asking it at his hande. And when we hauehave taken our repast, wee must proceede to take sustenance of ye good things that are prepared for vsus in heauen, against wee departe out of this worlde, that wee may hauehave some beginning of them afore hande, and trauell towardes the attaynement of them dayly more and more. That is the thing which Moses ment plainely in this place saying, When yee hauehave offered sacryfice to your GOD, yee shall make merry there in his presence. For the people were woont to make feastes at their sacrifices. And what maner a ones? Holy feastes: not that God was honoured by their eating and drinking: but for that it was a testifying, that it behoued them to beare in mind that they were all their life long in Gods sight: So as it behoued them not onelyonly to think vppon him at the beginning of the yeere, or a three or foure times a yeere when they came to Ierusalem to do sacrifice, but also to thinke thus with themselues continually: Although wee bee farre off from the Temple, so as wee cannot bee there to doe our sacrifices: yet doth not our GOD fayle to regarde vsus: for hee watcheth ouer vsus, and wee bee in his protection. Therefore whensoeuer wee eate or drinke, let vsus assure our selues that hee seeth vsus, and we cannot hide our selues out of his sight, neither ought wee on the other side to forget him, as men commonly doe when they be minded to make merry. They friske it out in such sort, as if they thought they could get away from him. But on the contrary parte, Gods will was to doe the people of old time to vnderstand, that whensoeuer they did eate and drinke, they should thinke that God sawe them. Wee in these dayes hauehave no such Ceremonie of feasting in Ierusalem and in the places neere about the Temple: but yet doth the truth thereof continue still to vsus: which is, that we be done to vnderstand yt after we hauehave beene at the Church, and hauehave mette there together in the name of our God; when eueryevery of vsus returneth home to his house to dinner, we must not let god alone in the Church, and take our leaue of him; but we must beare in mind that God guideth vsus, and when we be come home to take our repast eueryevery man by himselfe, we must behaue our selues as in the presence of our God, & our mirth must be after such a sorte, as he may bee the witnesse of our gladnesse. For we know that if our mirth be vnholy, it is cursed of God. Therefore let vsus learne to beare alwaies in mind, that our God is our guide eueryevery where, and that he neuer forsaketh vsus, to the intent that we on our part shold not be as beastes that runne astray. That is the thing which wee hauehave to marke vponupon this text. The Ceremonie thereof was in force during the time of the Lawe. But as for vsus nowadayes, let vsus bee contented with the truth therof, & learne to vnderstand yt sith our Lord Iesus Christ is come, we neede no more any materiall Temples to tell vsus that God is with vsus. For our Lord Iesus hath not for naught taken to him ye name of Em…uel (as the Prophet Esay calleth him) that is to say:Esa. … God with vsus.… And forasmuch as our Lorde Iesus Christ telleth vsus yt he wil be with vsus continually to ye worldes end, let vsus not feare but yt God will accept vsus for his childrē, so yt in passing through this transitorie life, we hauehave our eye alwaies vpō him, and goe foreward still towards his heauenly kingdom. For then wil he make all the rest to be dedicated to his honor, so as euen our eating & drinking shalbe a peece of his seruice, & he will take it in good worth & like well of it, so that we do wholly worship him, looking to be fed at his hand, not onelyonly with this corruptible foode, but also with such nourishing foode to himselfward, as wee may liue with him the same life that he himselfe liueth.
Nowe let vsus kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our innumerable faults, which we cōmit dayly against his Maiestie without ceassing, praying him to make vsus perceiue thē better than we hauehave done, and in the meane while to beare with vsus, vntill he hauehave rid vsus quite & cleane from all vices, and vnited vsus throughly to his righteousnesse. And so let vsus all say, Almightie God heauenly father, &c.