haue not couenanted with him vnfeynedly, nor serue him onely with Ceremonies, but also in ve∣ry deede: them will he assemble together. And on the contrarie part, hee vpbraydeth those that take his name in their mouth, and yet notwith∣standing doe take part with robbers, murderers, theeues, and traytours. Therefore when men will needes match GOD and the diuel toge∣ther after that fashion, as it appeareth that most men doe: God complaineth of it, and prote∣steth [ 10] that it shall not scape vnpunished. Now if he shewe such a separation aforehand: Let vs bee well assured, that when the day commeth wherein the Goates shalbe put asunder from the Lambes, the shame of such as haue preaced af∣ter that sorte into Gods Church shall then bee discouered, and they shalbe abhorred of all crea∣tures as they deserue. But in the meane while let vs see that wee separate our selues from them as neere as we can: and when we see such vnclean∣nesse, [ 20] at leastwise let vs beware that wee mislike them, and let vs pray God to rid and cleanse his Church of such infections. Howsoeuer the case stand, let vs be mindeful of the thing that Moses speaketh in this text, whensoeuer we intende to meete together in the name of God.
Afterward hee addeth, that when wee our selues haue walked in the feare of God, euery of vs must teach his children to do the lyke. Wherein we see that it is not enough for euery man to discharge his duty [ 30] in liuing orderly himselfe: but that we must (to ye vttermost of our power,) procure the cōtinuance of Gods honor and seruice after our deceases. And in good fayth, is it reason that Gods name should be buryed with our death? We know how flightfull our lyfe is: but Gods glory must indure for euer without decaying. Therfore let vs learn our owne duetie: that is, to walke righteous∣ly all ye time of our lyfe, and to indeuer to traine vp our children aright, so as religion may florish [ 40] and prosper when wee be dead, and God be al∣wayes honored in the world, that his name may be called vppon purely. And that is the very cause also why God commaundeth fathers so straightly to teach their children. For the coulde well send his creatures into the worlde, though no man had any speciall care of them: but hee chargeth fathers to bring vp their children. And why? To the ende they should knowe that they must yeelde an account of them. And for the [ 50]
same cause also doth he communicate his name vnto them. For the title of father belongeth to himselfe alone: but yet hee honoreth men so much as to grant them the name of fathers. And to what ende? That they should be the earnester and carefuller in teaching their children their dueties.
So then, let vs doe our indeuour, that there may remaine a good afterspring after our decease, so as Gods Church may florishe still, [ 60] and his name be worshipped from age to age. And wee ought to labour so much the more in that behalfe, because wee see how the diuil pra∣ctiseth to ouerthrow all that euer is builded in the name of God. So farre of is it that the fruite which ought to come of the Gospel doth ripen: that men doe labor to plucke it vp, or else to marre it and to turne it out of the owne kinde. Sith wee see this, ought we not to bee the more prouoked to doe the duetie that is commaunded vs here? Without going any further, what is to be seene heere among vs? The Gospell hath bin preached to vs now a long time: and yet for al that, what maner of ones are they which haue bin borne of all this time, to whome God hath graūted the grace to be suckled with Gods word euen from the teate, and to bee brought vp in it lykewise, so as they being then but little babes, did neuer see any of the diuelish abhominations of poperie, and therefore ought to bee euen throughly soked in the doctrine of saluation? what maner of ones are they? doth it not ap∣peare that most part of them are so frowarde, as if they were the brood of Serpents? The world may see that they despise God openly, and com∣mit such wickednesse and lewdenesse, that there is much more honestie and more shewe of Re∣ligion among the Papistes, than there is among these. Seeing then that thinges are so farre out of order, and the diuill indeuoreth to put all to hauocke, ought we not to be the more inflamed to doe our indeuer, that there may remaine at leastwise some little seede after our decease, so as the remembraunce of the Gospell be not vt∣terly abolished, nor the thing that hath bin set vp so happily in the name of GOD and by his wonderfull power, be decayed and pulled downe againe by the enemies? Now then, seeing that God hath graunted vs the grace and priuiledge to bee called to the hearing of his worde, and to haue it set forth in the pure simplicitie among vs: let vs vnderstand that we be the more bound to serue and honor him, not onely seuerally for our owne partes, but also by teaching our chil∣dren, and by taking paynes to make them also to liue vertuously, so as the doctrine which they shall haue heard in their youth bee not loste nor marde, as wee see too much by experience. And generally let vs all haue this regarde, that such as come after vs may agree in the true reli∣gion, so as there may be no chaunge. But so far off is that from being done, that the enemies of the trueth, (I meane the housholde enemies and not the Papistes, for they bee farre woorse than the Papists,) think they shall neuer come time enough to ouerthrowe all order and to pull downe all that GOD hath set vp here. Sith wee see it is so, let vs vnderstand that wee ought to bee as earnest in building vp to the Lorde as the diuill is in pulling all downe. For let vs not mistrust but that Gods power is stronger than al the fiendes of hell. Thus yee see what wee haue to note vppon this streyne: but the chiefe mat∣ter is the putting of it in vre.
And now Moses addeth, that GOD shew∣ed himselfe to his people with dreadfull to∣kens, which were able to haue astonished them. For hee spake to them (sayth he) from the middes of the fyre. And therewithall there was a great clowde, darknesse, and miste. By these wordes Moses sheweth that the lawe was not brought without good warrant: for it was