Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 89
On Munday the xxj. of October. 1555. The Lxxxix Sermon, which is the fourth vponupon the thirteenth Chapter.
12 If thou heare say, that in any of the cities which the Lorde thy God giueth thee to dwell in,
13 Some wicked men are gone from among you, and hauehave seduced the inhabitants of their cities, saying, let vsus go and serue other gods whome yee hauehave not knowen:
14 Then shalt thou search, and inquire, and examine the matter throughly, & if it be true & certaine that such abhomination hath beene doone among you:
15 Thou shalt roote out the inhabitants of that citie with ye edge of the sword, and vtterly destroy the citie, and all that is in it, and the verie cattell thereof with the edge of the sworde.
16 And thou shalt gather al the spoyle thereof together into the middes of the citie, and burne vp the citie and all the spoyle thereof with fire to the Lorde thy God: and it shalbe a heape for euer, and neuer be builded againe,
17 And none of the cursed thinges shall sticke to thy handes, that the Lorde your God may turne away the fiercenesse of his wrath from thee, and giuegive thee merciemercy, and hauehave pitie vponupon thee and multiply thee, as he sware to thy fathers,
18 Because thou shalt hauehave obeyed the voyce of the Lorde thy God, in keeping all his commaundementes which I commaund thee this day, to the ende thou mayest doe the thinges that are right in the eyes of the Lorde thy God.
WE hauehave seene heretofore what manner of zeale wee ought to hauehave to ye mainteining of Gods true seruice & the pure religiō: that is to wit, that we must forget al ye friendship of the world, and shewe that we make more account of the honor of our God, than of all those that are as deere to vsus as our owne soules. But now Moses proceedeth further, and sayth that wee must vse such rigour not only against particular persons, but also against whole cities. Now if a whole Citie ought to be rased for breaking ye seruice of God; what shalbe done to any one man? Should he be borne with? Here then we see how Gods honour ought to be preferred before the whole worlde. And because he had set downe a right and pure order to ye people of Israel how to do it; his mind was that it should be kept to the vttermost, and that if any man transgressed it, he should be cut off; insomuch that if it were a whole people that had done it; they should be delt withall after the same maner. Now then we see yet better, howe carefull wee ought to be for the preseruation of religion in his purenes. True it is that we ought to be alwayes mindefull of yt which we hauehave sayd already; namely that it serueth not to excuse ydolaters whē they be so inraged with zeale without discretion. For we must be sure a forehande, that the religion which we holde is holy, & that God alloweth of it, so as it is not a doctrine forged at the pleasure of men, but Gods owne will vttered vntounto vsus of his owne free fauour, whereof we hauehave good and infallible record, that if any set himselfe against it, he must be cutte off: yea though it were a whole Citie. So litle ought any priuate person to be forborne, that euen a whole citie ought to be destroyed for it.
But to the intent this doctrine may be ye better vnderstoode; let vsus marke the order which God commandeth here to be kept. If it be sayde, that is to say, if the report go, that some wicked persons are gone from among you, and hauehave led away the inhabitantes of a Citie: make good inquisition of the matter, & search it out diligently and vnfainedly to the vttermost: and if it be found to be so; let that Citie bee vtterly destroyed with the edge of the sworde, and so forth, Now first our Lordes will is, that when any brute goeth of an euill deede, we should first inquire how ye case standeth. And hereby he sheweth that such as hauehave authoritie of the sword, & sit in the seate of Iustice, must not be retchlesse, in suffering thinges to passe before their eyes, without making any countenance to see them. Is there then any brute of a thing? Inquisition must be made of it. For if it be let passe, we shew that our intent is to nourishe the euill: and the parties that hauehave so concealed it, must in ye ende abide their payment, which is that it must light wholly vponupon their owne heads, as we see it commeth to passe. And it is a iust punishmēt of God, that when such as are in office to remedie & redresse euill, doe beare with it, they themselues should abide the paine of it. And when they suffer it, it happeneth not by haphazard, but God yeeldeth them the iust wages which they hauehave deserued. Therefore we must marke this text, that God will hauehave vsus to be doing aforehand as soone as the brute is reported or giuen forth, & not to tary till the thing be apparaunt, without setting hand to it or without making inquisition of it: but he will hauehave the Iustice to inquire of it betimes, specialy when there goeth any brute of it. And by the way, to the intent there be not a slight inquirie made of it as it were but for fashions sake; he vseth here three wordes: and afterwarde he addeth that it must be done throughly, so as there be an exquisite care vsed in the matter, For diuers times, informations are taken when some cōplaint is made, and that the euill is knowen, yea and yt in suchwise as they be ashamed to cloke it altogether, and so witnesses bee called. But they will not seeke to vnderstand the pith of the matter, they doe but vse a kinde of forme for fashions sake, as who should say ye matter is not buried, because there hath bin some seeking to knowe the truth of it. But what? This is no proofe: that is to say, we wil not search how the case stands in deede. For the witnesses are dispatched ere they hauehave tolde halfe their tales: and that which they hauehave spoken is let slip, so as wee see not the thing that is as apparant as the nooneday.
Now to the end that men should not daly after that sort with God; it is sayd expresly that inquisition should be made, that the matter should be examined, and information dewly taken. And therfore let Iustices vnderstand, that they shall not goe quit, but that God will hold them giltie, for neglecting their duetie, if they do not what they can to bring matters to light, when they heare any complaint or any brute of them. Neuerthelesse our Lords meaning is not that mē should iudge at al aduenture, but that the crime should be duly proued whether it be so of a truth in deede. He vseth two wordes to shew that a Iudge ought not to be led by bare suspition to conclude what hee listeth. For wee must be faine to beare with the euill when it is not knowen, because God hath not yet brought it to light. As for example, there be some sinnes (sayth S. Paul) which make hast to come to their condemnation;1. Tim. 5.24 and we see that God doth so thrust and driue some wicked men forward, that they runne a head into mischiefe. For sometimes it is Gods will to humble vsus by making our offences knowen, that we may feele them and be sorie at the heart for them. Yea & [sometimes againe] a man knowes not at what end to begin, but is letted that he cannot punish, because he findeth no mean how to do it. Therfore a Iudge must be discreete and milde, that he giuegive not sentence vpō bare coniectures, but that he first of all do see the matter substantially proued. Now then, here are two notable thinges: the one is that we must not be rechlesse, but diligent in searching out of thinges, that ye euil may be discouered & not nourished. The other is, that we should not iudge rashly, but that the matter should be welknowen and throughly brought to light, before me come to giuegive diffinitiue sentēce of it, so as our iudgement may be ripe & settled.
Now this being so, it is sayde, thou shalt destroy the inhabitants of that Citie with the edge of the sword. Wherby God sheweth (as I hauehave declared already) what affection wee ought to beare vntounto his seruice. For if we consider what a thing his glory is, it ought to be more deere to vsus thā all ye whole world. What see we either in heauen or on earth but litle sparks of ye power, righteousnes, goodnes & wisedome which are infinite in God? They be not to be measured: we hauehave but only some litle signes and tokens of them in heauen and earth. Therefore it were better that the worlde should perish ten thousand times, than that Gods glory should be defaced. But it falleth out that his glory is conueyed ouer vntounto ydols, yea & bestowed vponupon Satan, when his seruice is corrupted. And therefore it is not for vsus to fal asleepe or to cocker ourselues in this case, as we hauehave bin wont to doe, making sale of Gods honour, and letting it passe as though we seemed to count it as a thing of nothing. But contrariwise we see here how he putteth all cities to destruction, if they hauehave defaced his honor. So then let vsus vnderstand that it is not for vsus to rowe any more betweene two streames as we hauehave bin wont to, if we intend to keepe our religion vnappayred: but we must see that all Church treasons, that is to say all outrages that are doone to the maiestie of God, may be punished. Seeing we know and nature teacheth vsus that robberies, murthers, theftes, and all manner of pilfries ought not to bee borne with; what shal we do when gods name is blasphemed, all religion turned vpside downe, and the pure doctrine falsified, to thrust folke out of the way and to breake the vnion of faith? Such thinges are not to be winked at: for they be too heynous crymes.
Yea and it behoueth vsus to marke how it is said heere, that if any wicked men be risen vp, and hauehave seduced the inhabitants of a Citie. For it may seeme that this circumstance should somewhat abate the fault, forasmuch as the whole citie went not away of their own accord, but were carried away by certain wicked persons, as in deed a few such firebrandes of hell are ynough to set all thinges out of order. Yea, but yet are not they to be born with, which hauehave giuen eare to such deceiuers; they must be punished for it neuerthelesse: yea and yt not with stripes of roddes onelyonly, but euen with death. And in deede, how trifling an excuse is it for a man to say, I was vndermined, I would neuer hauehave done amisse if I had not bin inticed to it, ye may see what ill counsell is. Yea, but yet notwithstanding thou haddest bin taught by the voyce of thy God, thou knewest his will, & wast ascerteined of it. Beholde, a man whome thou knewest to be wicked came to seduce thee, and thou gauest more credit to his leaudnesse and to thine owne wit, than to ye infallible truth of thy God. Thou knowest yt thy God speaketh for thy benefite, and thou leauest him, thou giuest him deafe eare, thou art loth to giuegive him any hearing, thou refusest all that he telleth thee: and is that to be excused? Nay rather, shoulde wee not spit in the faces of such men as will needes make a shield of other mens inticementes? Yes: and for that cause doth not God hold a whole Citie excused, when the people of it hauehave bin deluded by wicked persons. Both great and small (say I) must be punishable: and God is not cruell in punishing them all, as wee see hee hath ordeined heere.
Furthermore, let vsus marke well ye God ment to do vsus to vnderstand what it is to hauehave wicked persōs in a citie.1. Cor. 5.… & C…l. …. For (as saith S. Paul) a little leuē soureth a whole lump of dow. Nowe then, whersoeuer deceiuers be, there are the people by & by infected. God speaketh so thereof plainly, to the intent we should not suffer euill to harbor amomōg vsus. If there be any poysoninges, we are all afraid of them, and it troubleth vsus to prouide howe to saue our selues frō them. ô (say we) such a plague must not abide among vsus. Now it is certain that there is not a worse nor a more deadly plague, than the stepping vp of vnruly persons, despisers of God, and wicked men, which seeke to turne al thinges vpside downe, and to bring all to confusion, corrupting all thinges to the intent to hauehave the more libertie to doe euill. When such foke rise vp, & be borne withall; it is good reason that al should be giltie of their fault. And we see also that God punisheth those yt beare with euill doinges when they both should and could correct them: insomuch that the common prouerbe is verified in them, that when a man is saued from the gallous, he could finde in his heart to see thē hanged yt deliuered him from it. And good reasō it is that they should hauehave such reward, for their corrupting of Iustice, and for their impeaching of right. Therefore when we see men goe about to turne all thinges vpside downe, wee must represse them aforehande: and not tarie till ye end, for that is a cursed patience. True it is (as I said afore) that if God giuegive vsus not the meane to rid away euill so soone as we would; then must wee be sory for it & hauehave patience. But when things are euident, & there is none other let than lacke of corage: then if we be cold and la…ie, and shut our eyes because wee be loth to susteine displeasure; [as if a man shoulde say,] I will not be too forwarde, least I bee left in the bryers, for feare least I pay for the shot when I hauehave entered into such a quarell, for I see that such fellowes are ful of reuendge and may easily be euen with mee: when we vse such cowardlynesse, then must wee abide the penaltie of it. And surely it is a great grace of God to hauehave power to redresse a mischiefe that hath bin knowen of long afore: and therfore it must not be let slip without prouiding for it in time conuenient.
Moreouer we must heare what a simple shift it is to alledge pitie, when men marre all thinges by giuing cause of offence. For what kinde of pitie is it to spare two or three to cut ye throtes of a whole nation? On the contrarie part, if they that be so wickedly bent, be repressed that they may no more hauehave their own swinge, but rather be vtterly rooted out: it is a purging of the whole nation, it is a healing of a common sore. So then if wee louelove the welfare of all men, lette vsus not giuegive head after that sort to such as intice men to forsake the right way. But wee must goe backe againe to the matter which I hauehave spoken of alreadie, and which Moses goeth forwarde withall still in this text: to wit, that the worst corruption which can befall a nation, is to hauehave despisers of God that falsifie the true religion, or to hauehave vpholders of Satan that leade men into superstition and ydolatrie, to abolishe the pure doctrine and the trueth which they hadde receiued. True it is that if there bee gluttons, drunkardes, whooremongers, and such other like folke, it is an infection that is wel worthie to be feared, & meet to be redressed out of hande, least the mischiefe growe too strong: But as for those that put all thinges out of order, shewing themselues to be bent to spite God, and to make men to yeelde no more reuerence to his maiestie: it is as a gathering of all sinnes togither into one heape, and a packing of them vp in one bundle. For there can be nothing pure when Gods seruice in taken away, and when men walke not in his feare, all other thinges must needes be out of order. For the knowing of God and the worshipping of him as he deserueth, is the verie brydle that holdeth men in all holinesse and honestie. But if men turne their backes vppon him, they must needes play the beastes, and their life must needes become so loose and lothsome, that a man shal see as it were a gulfe of hell among them. And therefore not without cause are we so straitly commaunded in no wise to beare with men, when they become wicked and goe about to inuegle folke to doe seruice to ydolles. Let vsus marke then, that if we be desirous to liue as wee ought and in good concord; we must aboue all thinges hauehave Gods seruice in estimation, as the thing wherein it behoueth vsus to vse seueritie and rigor, or els all will go to wrecke and confusion. That is the thing which we hauehave to gather vponupon this place: and would to God that it were better in vre now adayes. For as I hauehave touched heretofore, men are moued at the thinges that concerne and touch themselues. Insomuch that if we perceiue that the suffering of an offence will turne to our harme or losse, euerie of vsus cryeth out to hauehave it punished. And why? Because wee hauehave no regarde but of our selues. But if GOD his honour bee impeached, that is let slippe, and we say it is not so great an euill. And why? For our purses are not pinched by it: and therefore it seemeth to make no skill at all. Nowe see heere on the contrarie parte, howe GOD punisheth vsus as we deserue. For thinges become so farre out of order among vsus, that wee wote not which way to turne vsus. And good reason it is that it shoulde come so to passe, euen because we hauehave forsaken GOD, and beene more mindefull of ourselues than of his maiestie, so as we hauehave not yeelded him his dewe honour whereof hee is worthie, and which hee requireth at our handes. Thus much concerning this text.
And it is sayde, that all that euer is in the Citie must be brought together on a heape, and set on fire, & be taken as a cursed thing, and be made a sacrifice vntounto God. Heere Moses sheweth howe hatefull a thing ydolatrie is, and consequently whatsoeuer ouerthroweth the true seruice of God and the pure religion: and that is done to moue men so much the more. But [you will say, that] when such a fault is committed, the Citie it selfe, the cattell, and the houses are not to be blamed for it. And why then will GOD hauehave all to be destroyed? It is to the ende that folke shoulde learne to abhorre ydolatrie the more, that wee might vnderstand that the wicked folkes whom Satan dryueth to giuegive themselues to ydolatrie are so little to be borne with, that we must euen abhorre the verie place where they hauehave dwelled, yea and the verie sight of them, and thinke with ourselues, beholde, this is a place wherein Gods wrath hath beene prouoked, and that was ynough to hauehave soonke vsus all to hell. Wee see then whereat God aimed. For hee knewe that we see nowe with our eyes; namely that we hauehave not such zeale to maintaine his glorie, as wee ought to hauehave, we passe not for it, euerie man is occupied about his owne gaine, and about the thinges that concerne himselfe. Nowe because we be so colde, God on the other side quickneth vsus vp, and telleth vsus that the corrupting of his seruice is a great misdeede, yea and so horrible a thing, as might make the hayres to stand stiffe vponupon our heades. That is one point which wee ought to marke.
And herewithall we hauehave to marke also, that the rigour of this Lawe, is not to be obserued of from point to point as it is commaunded heere to the people of Israell. But yet the substance thereof abideth still in force, as I hauehave declared heretofore intreating of ydolatry,Deut. 12.2. where I told you that wee were commaunded to put away all places that hauehave serued to superstition. Nowe then, we in these dayes be not in such thraldom, but that we may vse a Church that hath beene one of Satans brothelhouses. Ydolles hauehave bin worshipped heere, and GOD hath beene blasphemed heere: and yet for all that wee bee nowe come heere together in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ. This place then is newe dedicated, according to the saying of Saint Paul,1. Tim. 4.5. that all thinges are sanctified vntounto vsus by faith and by calling vponupon the name of God. And therefore if a place be put to such vse, that God is honoured there, it is a kinde of hallowing of that place. But vnderunder the Lawe God helde the people in greater and more slauishe bondage, commaunding them to make cleane rid daunce and vtter dispatch of all thinges that had beene vsed in the seruice of ydolles. So is it in this text, where GOD commandeth that the whole Citie shall bee rased, and neuer inhabited anie more. And the straitnesse of this bonde serued for the time wherein the fathers were gouerned like litle children.Gal. 4.1. But yet doeth the substaunce thereof abide with vsus still: and wee hauehave to gather of this text, that our Lorde abhorreth ydolatry aboue all thinges; and that if other offences bee to be punished, this is not to be indured in any wise, but that we ought to abhorre it. And because wee be too colde in that behalfe, we be warned to quicken vp our selues, and to take the meanes which wee knowe to be fit for it, to the ende wee may bee the forwarder in causing God to bee serued purely among vsus, and open no gap to deceiuers, ne make any way for superstitions and ydolatrie, that might bereaue vsus of the pure trueth and drawe vsus vntounto lyes. Thus yee see what we hauehave to remember vponupon this text.
But heere a man might aske a question, howe Moses may say that all the thinges which shalbe founde in such a Citie shalbe accursed; and yet they must bee put ouer vntounto God as an offering or sacrifice? Yet doeth GOD speake after that fashion in manie places, and not without cause. For it is an offering of sacrifice vntounto him, when we protest that only he ought to be worshipped, and when we make as it were a solemne homage vntounto him. And againe when other appurtenances come in place: as when men sacrificed vnderunder the Lawe, they protested that they were worthie of death, and yet notwithstanding they had a warrant of their reconcilement vntounto God, by the sacrifice that was to bee offered. Also men offered of their goods vntounto GOD, as who shoulde say, Lorde, all that I hauehave commeth of thee, and it is alwayes at thy commaundement. Yee see then that sacrifices were blessed: and yet neuerthelesse there was a kinde of cursednesse in the sacrifices that were offered for sinne. In the Firstlinges, Tenthes, and such other like things, there was nothing but the praising of God and giuing of thankes vntounto him: but as for the sacrifice that was offered for sinne, it behoueth Gods curse to be thereupon, as who shoulde say, Loe this is hee that shall aunswere for all. To the ende that men may bee acquit and deliuered from death, this sacrifice must answere for them. And therefore those sacrifices were called sinnes: and the same name is attributed to our Lorde Iesus Christ, because he bare our curse in his person.Leuit. 7.2. 2. Cor. 5.21. But heere is an other kinde of cursednesse; namely that GOD is honoured, and homage is doone vntounto him by rooting out the thinges that hadde defaced his honour before. Therefore when a Citie is destroied that had erst beene a denne of ydolatry, and all the spoyle thereof is set on fire: it is a sacrifice that God liketh verie well of. And why so? Because it is a protesting that wee be not willing to suffer any thing that impeacheth the honoring of him at all mens handes, and that all men shoulde submit themselues to him, and his maiestie be knowen as it ought to be. Nowe then we see howe it is not without cause that Moses commaunded sacrifice to be done vntounto GOD with the vtter destruction of all thinges that had beene infected and defiled with ydolatrie.
And hee sayeth expresly, to the ende that the wrath of God bee not vponupon thee. Whereby he confirmeth the matter that … hauehave touched already, which is that we must beware that wee wrap not ourselues in other mens sinnes. For they that correct not euill dooinges when they may, and when their office requireth it; are giltie of it themselues. As for example, if a preacher winke at the vices that reigne; surely he is a traitour and vnfaithfull: for he shoulde keepe good watch, and waken such as are in daunger of vndoing. Then if I beare with the euill wittingly or through negligence: I am the first that shalbe condemned. Likewise if they that holde the sworde of Iustice, execute not the rigor which they ought to redresse mēs misbehauiours: surely the wrath of God is vponupon them continually, yea and vponupon ye whole country, because no man is found, that complaineth of this, that the mischiefe was so borne withall. One good zealous man is ynough to turne away the wrath of God; for hee will inforce others that were negligent. But when no man beginnes the daunce, but all men drawe backe, and eueryevery man sayes, What nowe? If all the rest put not to their handes, what can I alone doe? Surely none of them all can exempt themselues from condemnation before God; when euerie one of them speaketh so. Not without cause then doeth Moses here wrap vp a whole Countrey vnderunder condemnation, if a wicked deede bee borne with, or not punished when it commeth to knowledge. And hereby we be put in minde, to be more diligent than we are wont to bee, in ridding away of all filth and vncleannesse from among vsus. For it is all one as if we shoulde lay wood vppon the fire that is kindled ynough [and too much] alreadie, so as we shall all of vsus be consumed with it in the end; and yet wee doe so euen wittingly and wilfully. Why then doe wee not open our eyes, sith our Lorde sheweth vsus the daunger so euidently, and warneth vsus to prouide for it aforehande? Why doe wee not thinke vppon it? Nay, wee be well worthy to perish, and to be vtterly confounded, because wee hauehave not vouchsafed to receiue the counsell that God hath giuen vsus.
After that Moses hath thus threatned vsus; now he addeth a promise that God will blesse his people, if they obey his voyce, & doe the thinges that are right before him. Our Lord indeuouring after his manner, to winne vsus to him alwayes by gentlenesse and friendely dealing: when hee hath doone threatning of vsus in this text, doeth also attempt the contrarie way saying: If ye finde the meanes to hauehave my seruice purely mainteyned, I will be with you; yee shall finde that my seeking is but to increase the benefites which I hauehave begonne already to bestowe vponupon you, yee shall inioy the Lande that I hauehave giuen you to inherite; ye shall perceiue that my promising of my fauour and merciemercy to your fathers is not in vaine. And let vsus marke, that heere it is our Lordes intent to drawe vsus to a willing seruing of him. True it is that yet for all this, wee must not forgette his threatenings, seeing we be so slowe in resorting vntounto him. Then lette vsus be afrayde of them, and consider that wee shall not scape his vengeaunce except we maintaine his seruice. But yet howsoeuer the worlde goe with vsus, lette vsus not doe it by constraint, but let vsus goe to worke with a free courage. And howe may that bee doone? Euen by beeing drawen by the gentlenesse that Moses sheweth heere vntounto vsus: as if he shoulde say, goe to, happie will our state bee if we serue our GOD, and euerie man endeuour to drawe his neighbours with him, and suffer not any man (as farre as lyeth in vsus) to peruert or trouble our state when it is well setled. If we doe so, our Lorde telleth vsus that hee will be among vsus, blessing vsus in such sorte as wee shall prosper more and more, and that he will stablish vsus in the possession of all the benefites which he hath giuen vsus. Seeing the case standeth so; too too leaude were wee if we woulde not submitte ourselues to him, seeing that his desiring to hauehave vsus, is altogether for our benefite and welfare. Let vsus learne then on the one side to quicken vp our selues with Gods threatninges; but yet on the other side let vsus be moued and allured to serue him with a free and pure affection, voyde of inforcement or constraint. Let vsus goe to worke of our owne goodwill, assuring our selues that wee be bereft and dispossessed of all good thinges, if wee serue not our GOD. And why? Because wee can not prosper but by his fauour. And let vsus not delude ourselues: if we see that he make vsus to prosper this present time, lette vsus not fall asleepe, but let vsus consider that wee hauehave neede of the continuaunce of his benefites and free fauour towardes vsus. And this is a very needefull warning: for we see howe men take libertie, as soone as they hauehave any respitte. So long as GOD sheweth vsus his roddes, or as wee feele his stripes; wee make countenaunce still to serue him. Yea, but that is but hypocrisie, according to this complaint which the Lord maketh by his prophete.Psal. 71.34.36. As long as I afflicted them, they turned vntounto me; but either the same day or the next morow they became like themselues againe. Therefore let not vsus doe so; but although GOD let vsus alone in rest, and wee perceiue no harme at hande; yet let vsus looke for it afarre of, and forecast that there will come a suddeine tempest which wee looked not for, if we swarue aside from his seruice. Wee see howe that in summer the wether chaungeth in a minute of an houre: euen so may it fall out in respect of Gods wrath: and therefore let vsus not welter in our delightes. When God prospereth vsus, let vsus not fall to frisking as abusers of his goodnesse and patience: but let vsus remember howe Moses sayeth,Deut. …2.9.1…. that when he hath giuen vsus a Lande to inhabit, he must be faine to maintaine vsus in it, and to stablishe vsus in the possession thereof. For I hauehave tolde you heeretofore that vnderunder this worde The Lande of Chanaan, all the benefites that GOD bestowed vppon his people, were comprehended, as all in one perticular. Nowe then, let vsus looke to our selues, and if we purpose to continue in the perpetuall inioying of the benefites belonging both to our bodies and to our soules which GOD hath bestowed vponupon vsus: let vsus looke that wee continue stedfastly in the seruing of him, without swaruing one way or other. And moreouer lette vsus labour that there may be one common accord among vsus, and that eueryevery of vsus hearten vp his neighbour to doe well, so as we may doe as hath beene declared alreadie, and as we hauehave seene heeretofore; that is to wit, that it is not for vsus to demeane ourselues after our owne imagination and fancie as wee see men doe in bearing with themselues, not onelyonly when they doe as ill as may be, but also when they doe their duetie by halues, and yet they beare themselues in hande that they hauehave doone ynough, and that there is no fault to bee founde in them, GOD can require no more at their hande. And though a man point them to a thing with his finger, as if he shoulde say, This is a generall rule, and wee must not goe to it by halues; but God must hauehave all that belongeth vntounto him, or else hee will accept none of all the thinges that can bee doone: they shut their eyes at it. O (say they) it makes no matter, wee must hauehave a respect of our infirmitie, we must be well aduised by wisedome and discretion. Yea, but for all that, shall we swarue from that which GOD hath ordeined? Lette men vse as much discretion and gentlenesse as can be: but yet howsoeuer the case stande, let him look wel to it, yt Gods honour be not troden vnderunder foote, and that mennes sinnes bee not so bolstered, that any body come to aduance himselfe against the sacred maiestie of him that made vsus and fashioned vsus, which also maintaineth, vsus, by whose power wee bee vphelde, and without whose grace we could not continue one minute of an houre. Let this bee well considered, and let men doe the thinges that are right in the eyes of the Lord: for hee will not frame himselfe to our dyet. Imagine we our selues to doo thinges neuer so well, to the contentation of men, yet wil not GOD be contented with them, because hee measureth not himselfe by our weyghtes and balance. He will hauehave vsus to harken to his worde, and to hauehave an eye to the thinges yt he liketh, so as we may say, Lord, thou shalt hauehave the gouerning of vsus. Thus yee see what we hauehave to remember vppon this text, if we entende to eschewe the curse which GOD denounceth against all such as hauehave suffered the peruerting of the true Religion and the corrupting of his seruice, and to hauehave him not onelyonly to blesse vsus, but also to increase ye benefites which we hauehave receiued at his hande, and also to continue them towardes vsus to the ende.
Nowe let vsus kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults, praying him to make vsus feele thē yt better, so as we may be able to shewe that his instructing of vsus in his worde hath not beene in vaine, but that we may yeelde him such reuerence, as our whole seeking may bee to hauehave him purely worshipped among vsus, and yt the same may be done with one accorde, and all stumbling blockes bee cut off frō among vsus, so as we suffer not ourselues to bee deluded wittingly, nor the ignoraunt to be lēd to destruction, but that we may looke to the drawing of them backe: and that hauing such zeale to amende other folkes misdeedes, euerie of vsus may beginne at himselfe, and not giuegive out owne flesh such libertie, as that it should turne vsus aside and alienate vsus from our God, but reine our selues short; fearing his threates and also in respect of his blessinges and promises which hee maketh vsus for that it is his will to maintaine vsus in his house as his children. That it may please him to graunt this grace, not onelyonly to vsus, but also to all people and nations of the earth. &c.