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On Thursday the ix. of April. 1556. The CLxvii. Sermon which is the fourth vpon the nine & twentith Chapter.
that there bee not among you any roote that bringeth foorth Gall and woorme∣wood:
19 And so it come to passe that some man hearing the woordes of this curse, doe blesse himselfe in his heart, saying: I shall haue peace, notwithstanding that I walke after the purpose of mine owne heart, and so put drunkennesse vnto thirst.
20 The Lorde will not agree to forgiue him: for then the wrath and Ie∣lozie of the Lord will kindle against that man, and heape vpon him all the Curses that are written in this booke.
21 And the Lorde wil wype out the name of him from vnder the heauen, and the Lorde will shoole him out from all the Trybes of Israell to mischeefe, according to all the Curses of the Couenaunt that is written in the booke of this Lawe.
WEe beganne yesterday to de∣clare, wherefore Moses dyd put foorth this similitude of [ 30] the euill roote, which brin∣geth forth bitternesse and gal. For we do not perceiue at the first sight, when the diuel beginneth to worke in vs, vntill wee be corrupted and marred, yea and ••••at the thinges bee past remedie, which at the first might haue bin taken away. Therefore wee cannot be too circumspect in keeping ourselues, seeing that of nature wee bee inclined to euill, and we bee so fraile; that ere wee bee aware, the [ 40] diuell taketh possession, and then euery man in∣fecteth his neighbour, and so the corruption is spred throughout all. Heere hee sheweth the principall daunger that men ought to beware of; which is, that they become not hard hearted against the threateninges of GOD. For it must needs be that we are altogether senselesse, when wee feele no more any remorse or griefe of con∣science, but rather doe spyte God through diue∣lish pride. For men to ouershoote themselues, it [ 50] is too ordinarie a matter; to be slowe when they are driuen and pricked foreward, is yet a com∣mon fault; againe, not to beleeue good counsell at the first, is a thing to bee seene dayly. But if a man become a scorner and take the bridle in the teeth to dally with God, perswading him∣selfe that all the threatenings, which are layde before him, bee nothing, and that all is but a fa∣ble whatsoeuer is sayde concerning the iudge∣ment of GOD, so as hee taketh leaue to doe [ 60] what hee listeth, and will bee ordered by no meanes, but followeth his owne swindge lyke a horse that will not bee tamed, and resisteth all that may bee doone vnto him; when a man o∣uershooteth himselfe so farre, it must needes be that hee is like a desperate creature. Thus yee see whereof Moses admonisheth the people in this place. Let a man beware (sayeth hee) that when hee heareth the curses which are set foorth in the Lawe, hee say not? Well, yet shall I not fayle to haue peace still although I giue my selfe ouer to all mine owne wayes, and followe my lustes. In deede GOD saieth that I shall bee accursed, but I see it not, I will a∣bide the hazard come what will: in the meane while I will not vexe my selfe with melancholy, I will make meerie, come what come will. When men iest thus desperately, they bee vndoone, and they become altogether vnre∣formable.
Nowe first of all let vs marke howe it is sayde heere, that when wee haue heard the curses that are contayned in the Lawe, it is a token of a spitefull and bitter minde to say; Tush I care not a whit what God speaketh. Albeit that we were not taught by any doctrine: yet haue wee a wit∣nesse within vs which speaketh vnto vs, namely our owne conscience, whereby euerie of vs is reprooued, and driuen to vnderstand that God is our iudge, yea, euen when wee bee absolued by men, as they bee which escape by bribes, pre∣sentes, fauour, sleightes and suttelties; who be∣ing absolued by men, faile not to beare their condemnation still about them in their owne hearts. But if when God sheweth vnto vs that we must come to an account, and wakeneth vs vp, by confirming and ratifying that which wee doe alreadie knowe and perceiue, concerning the difference betwixt good and euill: if wee then continue still hardhearted; is it not to bee sayd that wee bee as good as bewitched by Sa∣than, and that hee hath bereft vs of all vnder∣standing and reason? To bee shorte, let