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17 For the Lord &c.
18 Who doth right to the fatherlesse and widowe, and loueth the straunger to giue him foode and rayment.
19 Therefore loue the straunger: for you your selues haue beene straungers in the land of Egypt.
20 Thou shalt feare the Lorde thy God, and serue him, and sticke to him, and sweare by his name.
21 Hee is thy praise, hee is thy God, who hath doone those great and terrible thinges for thee, which thine eyes haue seene.
WE sawe yesterday, that to haue a right zele and affection in ser∣uing GOD, wee must bee sure that the religion which wee holde of, is good and allowed of him. For so long as we stand in doubt, it is vnpossible for vs to goe on with [ 10] a free courage: we shall alwayes goe limping and as constrained: and if there bee any ear∣nest minde in vs, the same proceedeth of an insensiblenesse, and not for that wee bee giuen in good earnest to serue the GOD whom wee knowe not. And therefore wee must bee well and dewly instructed, eare wee can bee dispo∣sed to doe well. And that is the cause why Mo∣ses saith expresly heere, that the GOD which vttered himselfe by the Law, and shewed him∣selfe [ 20] afore to the Patriarkes, is the God of Gods, and that there is not any other to bee sought: insomuch that although wee were very well dis∣posed, and that wee were neuer so full of deuo∣tion (as they say:) yet should all that euer wee were able to doe bee nothing woorth,* 1.1 without faith. Therefore wee must bee sure and knowe, that wee doe not any thing in vaine, nor at al ad∣uenture: but that we followe Gods will, and that he liketh well of our dooinges. [ 30]
Now Moses hauing tould the people, that this Lawe was the Lawe of the liuing God; addeth now further, that hee is great, strong, and terrible. For wee see how men take leaue to despise God, and ouersotte themselues so much in their pride and presumption, as they cannot bee brought to any subiection. To the ende therefore that men should not dally with such a Lord, he sayth expresly that the God which willed his Lawe to bee publshed vnto them at that tyme, is great, [ 40] mighty, & dreadfull. His terming of him Great, is to shew what honour is dew to him. His ter∣ming of him strong or mightie, is to withhold men from standing against him. And his terming of him terrible or dreadfull, is to make vs knowe that if he doe but touch vs with his hand, wee must needes be vndone. Therefore let vs beware we despise him not: and when he calleth vs before his Maiestie, let vs tremble and quake for feare, that we may come with right humilitie. Thus [ 50] do we now see Moseses meaning. And therefore let vs marke, that if we wil direct our liues aright, wee must haue pure doctrine, that our religion may be grounded vppon Gods truth, so as wee may be sure that the doctrine which we professe, is infallible, & therewithall we must beware that when we know God, we set not light by him, but yt our knowing of him doe bring a lowelines with it, so as we submit our selues wholly to the hono∣ring of him yt is so high and incomprehensible, [ 60] before whom the very Angels themselues doe tremble.* 1.2 Ye see then how the thing which wee haue to mark, is yt men shal neuer know God, vn∣till they haue gotten such feeling of the infinite glory that is in him, as maketh them to stoope, yea & to make none account at al of themselues, that they may giue ouer themselues wholly to the honoring & seruing of him. But this is very yll put in vre. For euen they that make greatest boast of their profiting in the Gospell, can skill to babble well ynough, & they beare themselues in hand yt they be iolly fellowes, when they can prattle at pleasure, though it be without any re∣uerence at all. And we see how the holy scripture is shamefully abused nowe adayes by a nomber of mens discoursing of it as it were but of a fable, or to shew the finenesse of their wit, by raunging into curious and vnprofitable questions. Thus ye see how Gods word is abused now adayes at mens pleasures, without any feare or reuerence, for want of cōsidering that which Moses telleth here, that is to wit, yt when we resort vnto God, wee must bethinke vs of the dreadfull Maiestie that is in him, that it may bridle vs and holde vs in subiection to him, and make vs to yeeld him such honour, as to be abashed at his speaking to vs, vntill we haue conceiued what he saith to vs: & vpon the knowledge thereof, to be ready and foreward in obeying the same, without any gain∣faiyng. And so ye see what we haue to gather vpō this text, where he saith yt the God which hath vttered himselfe by the Law, is great & terrible.
Certaine it is that GOD intendeth not to to driue vs away from him, but rather to win vs to him by gentlenes. But yet must we bee fayne to bee tamed, bicause of the pride that is in vs, least wee growe bold to offend him, and cannot finde in our hearts to be inured to his yoke, than the which there is not any thing more harde for vs to doe. Wee must (I say) bee first subdued by the feare or terrour that Moses speaketh of here, before wee can conceiue Gods goodnesse. But yet must it be so tempered, as we shunne no•• his good instruction, ne bee so dismaied as to re∣fuse Gods word out of hand; but as it may be as a preparatiue, to make vs good scholers, and to drawe our wittes to such a teachablenesse, as all that euer we haue of nature may be done away, and nothing may hinder vs to receiue his do∣ctrine without gainsaying, but yt his word (besides that wee loue it) may also bee reuerenced at our handes, and we follow it by submitting our selues to it alwayes and in all cases.
Now after that Moses hath said so, he addeth that God hath no respect of persons, nor receiueth any rewards. Whereas he saieth yt he hath no respect of persons, his meaning is that there is no fauor to be had at his hand for the things that men are willingly mooued with. For this word Perso•••• tokeneth the outward appearance. It is not takē here nor in any other places of the scripture, for yt which we meane by the word person when we say, Lo here is one person, Lo here are two per∣sons: but it is taken for riches, pouertie, birth, no∣bilitie, or honour. All things therefore yt carie an outward showe before men, to moue vs to fauor them or to hate them, to honour them or de∣spyse them, all those things (I say) are compre∣hended vnder the word Person, for they bel••ue
as vizors. And after that maner is it sayd that God accepteth no mans person. To what pur∣pose now doeth Moses speake thereof? It is bi∣cause that the great ones perceiuing themselues to bee borne out by the world, thinke they may doe as much before God, & thereupon become proude. If a man haue once won credit, so as mē dare not open their mouthes against his misbe∣hauiour, but he dasheth thē out of countenance as many as stand against him: he beares himselfe [ 10] in hand yt he may beare as great sway with God, & thereupon playes ye prince among them. That is the cause why a nūber ouershoote themselues, & cast away all feare of God. For when they see men feare them & stand in awe of them, or whē they see men commend them and fauour them: Then they thinke they haue won the gole, then they fal to triumphing, & they beare themselues in hand yt they should no more bee called to ac∣count. Now bicause men ouershoote themselues [ 20] after yt fashion:* 1.3 Moses summoneth them to gods iudgement, which is done according to trueth, after which maner S. Paul speaketh of it where he expoundeth this same saying, yt God hath no respect of persons. He iudgeth truly (saith he) ac∣cording to the deede & according to righteous∣nesse, so as men must not thinke they shall fare euer the better for their alleaging this or that.
Furthermore he signifieth therewithall, yt God is not contented with eyseruice, but hath respect [ 30] to the truenesse of the heart, & not to ye outward seeming of things, as is said in the first booke of Samuel.* 1.4 And so we haue to marke, yt although a man be great to the worldward, yet he must not lift vp his head or his necke against God. For they shal gaine nothing by it, bicause all ye great∣nes of the world, is but as smoke before him. And on the otherside they yt are vnderlings, must not thinke that God will beare with them the more for yt, as they now and then moue mortall men [ 40] to compassion thereby. Therefore away with all these things that muster afore our eyes, & wher∣by we be moued to loue or hatred: for all this is neither heere nor there before God: When we come before him, the first thing yt he will loke vp∣on, is our harts: and although they be now wrap∣ped vp, and (to our owne seeming) we haue lur∣king holes to hide vs in: yet shall all be laid open. Therefore let vs not beguile our selues in yt be∣halfe. Again, let vs consider, that God will iudge [ 50] according to ye truth of the deede. We may well face out matters for a while, as we do bicause we be naturaly giuen to hipocrisie: but al ye paintings and all ye gay colours yt we pretend as now, shalbe wiped quite & cleane away when we come once before God. Therefore let vs walke vprightly & with a pure hart, & in especially let vs rule all our workes by his law, knowing yt he hath no respect of persons, & let yt bridle vs all. Let such as are in authority & of power to grieue ye inferior & wea∣ker [ 60] sorte, forbeare to do so. And on the otherside let the weaker beare in minde, that God will not faile to iudge them for all that, bicause he is not an accepter of persons: & therefore let vs bring nothing with vs but righteousnesse & soundnesse of conscience before him, for nothing will passe for payment but onely that.
It is not without cause, that Moses addeth yet further, that God taketh no rewards. If a man aske vs whether God be like mortal iudges that wil be corrupted with bribes & money: truely there is none of vs all but wil say no: yea and it is such a blasphemie to say otherwise, yt euen the wickedst persons yt are would abhorre it. For they woulde say, what hath God to do with gold and siluer? Is God corruptible? But yet for all that, wee ceasse not to deeme that thing of him which we know to be false. And how so? Bicause yt as we see that worldly iudges are corrupted, insomuch that if a mā grease them in ye hand, they wil suffer them∣selues to be caried away, and whereas they had done him wrong afore, they will nowe doe him right, & they be to be bound & chaunged euery way: we beare our selues in hand yt God will bee dealt with after ye same maner. We will not speak it with open mouth: but surely men would neuer be so bold to doe euill, if they did not transfigure God, & beare themselues in hand yt he is plyable, & such a one as wil be won by rewards. But let vs come to the ordinarie custome of al ages. What is the meanes wherewith men thinke to pacifie God in ye Popedome, but by setting vp of tapers, by burning of perfumes, & by doing such other pretie trifles? It seemeth to them yt he shold hold himselfe contented with such payments, as if a man brought a bribe to an earthly Iudge to cor∣rupt him & to win him wtall. But this had not his first beginning in Poperie. The Iewes were de∣ceiued therwith. Also ye heathen men had ye same superstitiō, notwithstanding yt some of them mis∣liked it, I meane some of thē whose bookes wee haue, insomuch yt they haue cried out against it, saying: what intend ye to do ye wretched folke? When ye haue giuen your selues to deceit,* 1.5 theft, open wrong, crueltie, extortion, & all maner of wickednesse, ye come by & by to reconcile your selues vnto God. And howe? By bringing him some part of ye bootie. But forasmuch as ye guise of ye Popedome is best knowne vnto vs, let vs see what is done there. Whē a mā hath pilled & pol∣led his fill, if he giue some Cope to ye Church, if he build some chappel, if he found some Masses, if he cause some puppets to be made, or if he doe some other such gewgawe: thats a fellow alone, God is well recompenced at his hand, he needes not to doubt of ye forgiuenes of all his sinnes be∣fore God: If he doe but offer him a peece of the bootie, he is wel ynough contented, his mouth is so stopt yt he cā demand no more. In deede men wil not say thus, but yet is it so neuerthelesse. For whereof comes it yt the wicked surmise all their wicked deeds to be couered, but of yt they imagin themselues to haue compoūded wt God, so as he knowes not what to say any more, when they haue once as it were bribed him after that sort with some present? Now then bicause the world doth daly so with God, & beareth it self in hand that it can agree with him for rewards: Moses saith on the contrarie, that God is not like mor∣tall men, nor will yeeld a whitte for all that: and therfore he wold not haue men to beguile them∣selues. For if we desire to be reconciled vnto him
when we haue offended him; there is none other way for vs, but to cast our selues downe, and to come to him with a sory heart for it. For as it is said in the psalme, that is the sacrifice which hee accepteth aboue all:* 1.6 And when he receiueth vs into his fauor, let vs assure our selues that it is for yt paimentes sake, which was made in the person of our lord Iesus Christ. Wherfore let vs not pre∣sume to bring him any thing of our own, but let vs borrow elsewhere, that which we haue not in [ 10] our selues. Yet for all this, it behoueth vs to hate sin, if we meane yt God should admit vs into his fauour.* 1.7 Yea and we must condemne the euill yt we know to be in our selues, if we intend to be ac∣quite of it. And therfore let vs not come any more with our owne vaine fancies, vpon hope to pacifie God with such pelting trash, or by like∣ning him to a corrupted Iudge, that will haue his eyes blinded with rewardes: let vs not imagin a∣ny such thing in him, but let vs walke soundly. [ 20]
Nowe then wee see howe Moseses intent was to bridle vs, by shewing vs what the nature of God is: and he exhorteth vs to feare him bicause he is terrible. And again, for as much as he regardeth no mans person, let vs put away all pride & pre∣sumption. Let the great ones know yt they shall gain nothing by their stoutnes, but yt al creatures must stoope to him. Finally let vs not think that when we haue offended God, we shal please him again with this fond shift of offering him some [ 30] amends for it. For he doth so greatly abhorre & loath sin, as he can by no meanes away with it, neither is there any payment in the world yt can make satisfactiō for it. What is to be done then, but to resort simply & plainely to our God, sub∣mitting our selues vnto him, & seeking nothing else at his hand but to be reformed by him, so as al yt euer he misliketh may be corrected & cast downe in vs? Furthermore when as it is saide yt God taketh no rewards, we bee done to vnder∣stand, [ 40] yt (as much as in vs lieth) we defile ye blood of our Lord Iesus Christ, which is the only pay∣ment & satisfaction for our sinnes, when we be ye bolder to sin vnder pretence of reconciling our selues vnto God. They (I say) yt take such libertie to doe euill, defile the blood of our Lorde Iesus Christ, as if they trampled it vnder foote. For to say yt when we haue done a fault, we may be dis∣charged of it by bringing some raunsome or re∣compence for it, were a plaine declaration yt we [ 50] loue not our gold & siluer at all. If a man shoulde breake all lawe bicause he is sure he hath to doe with corrupt iudges, whose fauour he shal win wt his purse, and yet notwithstanding for all his of∣fending after yt sort, had no care howe he wasted & consumed his money, men would say he were witles. But we haue not any other means wherby to be reconciled vnto God, than ye only blood of our Lord Iesus Christ. Now then if we fall to la∣shing of it out after yt fashion wtout discretion, is it [ 60] not a token of too villanous contempt? Yes. And therfore let vs learne to hold our selues to yt ine∣stimable price yt was paide for our raunsome: let vs learn (I say) to hold our selues in the feare of God, so as we giue not our selues ouer vnto euil. And therewtall let vs learne also, to behaue our selues in such wise towardes our neighbors, as y• mightie greeue not the weeke and feeble. For although we may scape in this world, yet when we come before the heauenly iudge, we shall be punished double for our abusing of our power & credite after yt fashion.* 1.8 According whereunto S. Paule warneth maisters yt they should not misin∣treat their seruants: for God (saith he) iudgeth wt∣out respect of persons. Wherby he sheweth, that such as are set in high estate & authoritie, ought to abstaine vtterly from al crueltie & pride. For why? They may well be serued of the same sauce thēselues. And it is not for thē to think thēselues to haue ye better hand bicause that as now they haue ye vauntage & are in better degree: for all ye geere shalbe dasht, when it cōmeth before God. Thus ye see what we haue to beare in minde.
Now for a further declaration he addeth, that God doeth right to the fatherlesse, the widowe and the straunger: & that God hath a care of the straunger to giue him clothing & foode. Yea & he telleth ye Iewes that they had bin straungers in ye land of Egypt, & therefore they ought to be mindefull still of yt state of theirs, that they might vse all maner of gentlenesse towards straungers. This serueth for the proofe of ye doctrine which I touched euen now; yt is to wit, yt god hath no respect of persons. And in yt respect doth Moses say, yt the widowes, fatherlesse, and straungers shal be vexed in this world, they shall haue none to beare them out, men shall suffer the widowes to be troubled, the fatherlesse shalbe made a pray, straungers shalbe laid open to all iniuries, & no mā shall withstand it. And why? For in as much as they beare no coūtenance in this world, nor haue any kinsfolke or friends to maintaine them: it seemeth yt they may be put to ye bearing of al things: yt is the cu∣stome of ye world. But contrariwise it is said here, yt God is a defender of the fatherlesse, a maintai∣ner of the widowes, & a protector of straungers. This is vtterly against ye cōmon custome of men. For (as I haue said alreadie) men are giuen to ye pleasuring of such as may stād them in some sted again: Kinsfolk & friends will help one another: & in the meane while poore people are forsake. But see here how God dealeth ye cleane contra∣rie way. When he sees men trust in their owne staies, and in their own strength, he letteth them alone, as if he should say to them, Very wel, try what ye can doe of your selues. For commonly when means are profered vs in this world wher∣by to helpe vs, we despise God, & we beare our selues in hand, that wee may well ynough for∣beare him. Not that wee will so say; but for as much as fewe folke doe call vppon God when the world fauoureth them: therefore doth God also make no account of them. Beholde, it is the widowe, the straunger, and the fatherlesse, that are constrained to make their mone vnto him; and when they haue looked about them, they finde no fauour nor helpe among men. They shalbe dalyed withall, and although some fayre promises be made them, all is but holy water of the court as they terme it: in so much that the poore soules wote not where to become. This kinde of intreatance driueth them to God, & he
hearkeneth to their sighes & complaints. And so we see, that by such examples, Moses hath well confirmed the lesson which he had set downe; namely that God respecteth no persons. For the things that are despised in the world, are preci∣ous in his sight: and whom men hold scorne to bestowe a looke vpon; them doth he giue good care vnto.
Sith it is so, let vs mark for the first point, that if wee vexe such as are without defence in the [ 10] world, God will set himselfe as an aduersarie a∣gainst vs. And surely, were wee well perswaded therof, we wold be more afraid to offend a poore fatherlesse child, a widow, or a straunger, than to offend those that are best friended, and are a∣ble to reuenge themselues to the worldwarde. But what? Our vnbeliefe bewrayes it selfe in that behalf: in so much that if there be a man that is riche, mightie and well propped vp, we dare not withstand him. And although he haue doone vs [ 20] some wrong, yet we put it vp meekly, & dare not complaine of it, & much lesse dare we lift vp our hand against him. But as for a poore man, we will not tarie till hee haue doone vs some wrong or outrage, we wil be at hoste with him aforehand. For why? Wee feare not that he will be euen wt vs; he may not bee so bolde as once to murmur against vs. And if he doe, wee can put a barre in his way, with who are you sir? He shall obtayne no right in Law. And if he doe, yet shall he haue [ 30] the worse end of yt staffe. Thus stand we in feare of men if they be armed with any power, but in ye meane while we feare not God, who declareth himselfe to be the defender of all poore folkes yt are destitute of help. If we beleeued ye holy scrip∣ture, surely this only one saying of Moses would more abash vs, than all the worldly consideratiōs that could befall vs. On the contrary part, when we be so bold in troubling poore folks; it is a tokē that we belieue not any whit of al that is contei∣ned [ 40] in the holy scripture, and that we bee worse than heathen folke: And yet for all that, it is the cōmon fashion of ye world. But herby it appereth, yt nowadays vnbeleef ouerfloweth ye whole earth, like a water flud. In deede it is a horrible thing: but yet is it so, & it cannot be denied. What is to be done then? Let vs loke into our selues. If the Armes of a common weale or of a prince bee set vpon a house, or vpon a peece of land, no man dareth presume into it, for it were a breaking of [ 50] his aleagance and not a priuate offence. Behold, God setteth his armes or badge vpon ye widowe, the fatherles, and the straunger, & he telleth vs that hee hath taken them into his protection. Now if a man fal to troubling of them, & deale outragiously, with them: is it not an open despising of God, and a defying of him, as it were to bid him battaile? In deede we wil not take it so, but God wil not referre himselfe to our vaine opinion and fancie. Whatsoeuer come of it, let [ 60] vs marke well, that although the widowes bee shaken off as to the worldward, though fatherles children bee put to the spoyle, though poore straungers be skorned and troden vnder foote: yet doth God set neuertheles store by them, but hath his eyes continually vpon them, and will surely maintayne them. And therefore vnles we purpose to haue God our aduersary, and that he should shew himselfe to bee our deadly enemy; let vs abstaine from all wrong dealing, extorsion outrage, deceite, and malice, towards those that are friendlesse in respect of the world, and vtter∣ly destitute of all shiftes, and after a sorte set o∣pen to the spoyle, as I said afore. Let vs not op∣presse them, least God set himselfe against vs, & shew himselfe to be their continuall shield. Mark well this first fruite which wee haue to gather of the said lesson that was giuen to the Iewes in old tyme, to the end that if we feare not the punish∣ment of men, we may yet be afraid of the deter∣minate sentence that God setteth downe: which is, that hee will not ouerslip the wrongfull trub∣ling of poore folke, without shewing of himselfe to be on their side, and that he hath taken their quarell in hand, according to this saying, that he will doe them right.
He saies not, only that he loueth them, or that he pitieth them; but that he will doe them right. Now then, if we see that the Iudges on earth do but mocke poore folks when they come to them for succour, and yt in stead of helping them they do but skorne them, let vs vnderstand that those Iudges must come before the heauenly Iudge, who will surely punish both those whome he had put in commission to defend poore folke, and al∣so those that haue abused the liberty which they had in this world, by dooing the more euill by∣cause they saw they might scape vnpunyshed. God therefore looketh vpon them, and yet ma∣keth as though he saw them not, for a time; so as if men misintreat poore folkes, be they widowes, fatherlesse, or straungers, in deede he setteth not himselfe against their dooings at the first, but when hee hath let them take their pleasure a while, then layes he his hand vppon all such as haue passed their boundes in doing outrage to the feeble and little ones; and specially vppon such as haue not doone their office when they were in authoritie to doe Iustice, nor haue suc∣coured poore soules when they were oppressed. For God must needes redresse such enormities, and shew such persons their negligence, by set∣ting himselfe against them, as against the cor∣rupters of the lawe when it was put into their hand. And so ye see what Moses ment, in saying yt God doth right to such as are wrongfully trodē vnder foote, and are not regarded in the world.
By the way, wee haue also great comforte to receiue of this text: so that if wee be destitute of worldly helpes, our God here taketh vs into his tuition; yea and he taryeth not till we come vn∣to him, but telleth vs that he is our defence, and yt he will be our maintainer. Now then although poore folk be wronged, and haue neuer so much violence offered them, so as they be in maner troden vnder foote: haue they not wherewith to content thēselues, sith they know yt God looketh vpon them with pittie, and will in ye end stretch foorth his mighty hand to succour them? True it is yt they must bee excercised with patience so lōg as pleaseth God: but yet if they be not too vn∣thankfull, they haue well wherwith to content
themselues, in that they be sure yt God neuer for∣getteth them, but succoureth them, & keepeth a register of all ye wrongs yt are done vnto them, to bring thē to account in time conuenient. How∣beit to the intent wee may inioy this comfort, let vs note also, yt it is not ynough for men to be fatherlesse or straungers, or for womē to be hus∣bandlesse; but wee must also be truely distressed before God, so as we humble our selues & resort to him for rescue whē men afflict vs wrongfully. [ 10] For if a straūger be prouder than he yt is at home in his owne countrey and among his friendes: it is in vaine for him to trust yt God wil be ye defen∣der of his welfare. When a straunger is so lordly, yt he will take more vpon him than ye partie that hath wherewith to helpe himselfe: he may goe seeke his maintenaunce elswhere than at Gods hand; for he shal not finde it there. But if a straū∣ger perceiuing himselfe destitute of all worldly helpe, & yet yt God is on his side, do call vpō him [ 20] & put himself wholly into his hands; surely then shal he finde at length, yt Gods promising to doe right to ye straūger, is not in vaine. If a widow play the shee diuell, in troubling and vexing of other folks, and yt there is more to do with her than wt a dosen men: let her not thinke yt God will trou∣ble himselfe for her. But if a widow be helplesse, & behaue her selfe meekely, & seeke no further than to liue peaceably with al men: such a one wil the heauenly Iudge receiue into his protecti∣on. [ 30] In like case standeth it with the fatherlesse. If they giue themselues to naughtines, shaking off all yoke, & become vnthrifts in spite of God & the world; they beguile themselues if they think that God fauoreth them, vnder pretence of this doctrine. And therefore let vs marke well, yt this is set downe expressely for such as suffer afflicti∣ons patiently, & auenge not themselues, but put their case into Gods hands. Although then that such folke be scorned of the world, and poynted [ 40] at with the finger, and triumphed at by such as treade them vnder foote: yet doeth God take their case in hand, and will surely shewe it how long so euer he delay. Wherefore let vs learne hereby, to comfort our selues in our afflictions: which is, by being tamed and made to stoope, so as we seeke to be pitied at Gods hand, & referre our whole case vnto him, casting all our cares & sorowes into his lap. And again, let vs be wel ad∣uised, yt although the world giue vs leaue to doe [ 50] euil, so as we may vex & trouble men at our plea∣sure; yet shal we not scape Gods wrath: wel may we wrangle with him, but it shall not boote vs at all. Thus ye see what we haue to remember vp∣pon that text.
To be short, let vs marke, that here Moses in∣tended to commend equitie and vprightnes vn∣to vs. I say he sheweth vs how our Lord will bee serued at our handes: namely by behauing our selues plainely with our neighbors, so as we offer [ 60] no violence or wrong to any body, & specially to the weaker sort, and to such as haue no mainte∣nance at mās hand. God then will not haue vs to serue him with Ceremonies, but wee must deale iustly and vprightly, so as we yeelde euery man his right. That is the true seruing of God, as is shewed vs oftentimes in the holy scripture. And frō thence also is it, yt the Prophets haue drawen these sayings,* 1.9 That God requireth mercie & not sacrifice; That God will haue vs to liue amōg our neighbours without doing harme to any body; That he wil haue al violence to ceasse; & that he wil haue al crueltie & deceite to be farre frō vs. The Prophets haue good store of such exhorta∣tions: & the foūtaine whereout of they haue fet∣ched them, is this doctrine of Moseses, yt God wil not be serued with I wote not what superstitions as men are wont to do, who vse much pompe & gloriousnes in seruing God with faire temples, goodly pictures, gay imagerie, sweete perfumes, ringing of bels, setting vp of tapers, & such other pelting trash. They beare themselues in hand yt God delighteth in such things, & that when they play vpō their Organs, they make him to daūce as if he were a little babe. But let not vs busie our heads about such small trifles, for God wil be ser∣ued wt truth, righteousnes, & soundnes of heart. Againe he will haue vs to indeuour to serue our neighbors: for we haue nothing else yt is worth the bringing vnto him: but he wil haue vs to cō∣municate togither, so as euery of vs according to his abilitie, do straine his wits to succour them yt haue need of help, & in any wise to beware that we take not libertie to doe any hurt or harme to any body. Now then let vs marke wel the meane of seruing our God according to his wil, that we trāsforme him not by our vaine folly, by bearing our selues in hand, yt he is wel honored when we bring in our own pelting trash, as it were to dasle his eyes withall, which thing is vnpossible.
Now after that Moses hath shewed that God is terrible, and that it is not for vs to daly with so great a Lorde, who can well ynough hamper vs if we rebel against him; and therefore that it be∣houeth vs to liue vprightly, & to pitie ye poore, & to succor them yt are oppressed, so as we offer no crueltie nor tyrannie to ye weaker sort, & to such as are destitute of friends to support thē: now af∣ter all this he addeth, that God is the praise of his people. And it is to ye end to win their heartes by gentlenes & friendly dealing. And herein we see ye God omitteth not any thing whereby to draw vs to him, but yt after he hath vsed threatenings & put vs in feare, to make vs to stoope & to stand in awe of him, he commeth like a father yt should flatter his childe, & vseth myld & gentle words, rather than his fatherly authoritie. Thus ye see how our Lord laboreth by al meanes to win vs; & therfore so much ye more to blame are we, and ye lesse to be excused, if we cannot be bowed nei∣ther by faire meanes nor by foule, seeing yt our Lord trieth al ye waies to the wood, to draw vs to him. Therefore doeth Moses purposely say, That God is the praise of his people, & that he had done great & terrible things for their sakes. For this cause he saith, first of all that God is their praise. And by that speech hee meaneth, that when wee once know God, and he hath shewed himself to vs by his word; his will is that wee should glorifie him. Marke that for one point.
Secondly he putteth ye people in remembrāce of the great miracles that had bin done for thē in their
going out of the land of Egypt. For they were as marks or tokens of Gods goodnes, so as ye people could not but be conuicted of vnthankfulnesse, forasmuch as God had vttered himselfe as fami∣liarly as was possible, to shewe himselfe fauora∣ble to Abrahams posteritie. To be short, we see how God not onely vseth his dominion & right of soueraintie, which hee hath ouer vs to make vs subiect to his lawe and commaundementes: [ 10] but also commeth to vs as a father, and vttereth as mield and gracious louingnesse towardes vs, as can be; and all to the end to breake the hard∣nesse of our harts. Insomuch that if wee bee not moued at his maiestie, or if we yeelde him not such reuerence as we ought to doe in respect of his souereintie ouer vs: at least wise yet ought we to be meekened, seeing he stoopeth to vs, & cō∣meth downe frō his seate vnto vs, as if he should say, Wel sirs, assure yourselues I am your father, and therefore I pray you consider well the good [ 20] that I haue done you, and whereby I haue wit∣nessed my fauour towardes you, and let it moue you at lestwis•• to loue and serue me. That is the very principall meaning of Moses.
But yet by the way, let vs marke also that God is neuer duely honored at our hands, vnles we lay all our glorie vpon him. For wheras he is termed our prayse, by yt word he bereaueth vs of al glorie, & sheweth vs yt there is not any thing in vs, whereof we ought to be proude. Therefore [ 30] let a man set as much store by himselfe as he li∣steth, yet in the end he shal come to shame, so as he shall perceiue there is not one drop of good∣nesse in himselfe. What is to be done then? Let vs resort right forth to our God, to seeke al good∣nes in him, & let vs glorifie him for shewing him selfe so liberall towards vs, yt wee may also make our boast thereof, according as it is saide by Ie∣remie, that the rich man must forget his riches,* 1.10 [ 40] and the strong man his strength, & the wise man his wisdome, and all that euer is of man must be beaten downe, that wee may fetch our glory at Gods hand, knowing that it is he that executeth righteousnes, iudgement, and mercie. Thus yee see what wee haue to remember in this worde, where Moses saith that God is the praise of his people. And if we be not moued by that which is tolde vs in the holy scripture, at least wise yet let vs open our eyes, and let the often experi∣ence [ 50] of Gods benefits frame vs to such humility as wee may not presume to commend ourselues any more, but onely haue our mouthes open to praise and magnifie the thinges that wee shall haue receiued at Gods hand. For sith he shew∣eth vs so many waies, that all our welfare con∣sisteth in him, and that it commeth only of him, if we wil shut our eyes at it like a sort of blocke∣heads, and vouchsafe not ne list not to hold our selues to the thing that is throughly knowen and [ 60] apparāt; surely we shalbe conuicted of bereauing God of his praise, & of bringing him to nothing as much as in vs lieth, for his benefits are infinit towards vs. And therfore let vs learn by this les∣sō, to acknowledge the benefits throughly which God hath bestowed vpon vs: for they be a suffi∣cient busines to keepe vs occupied. If we gather our wits about vs to consider Gods goodnes to∣wards vs, we shal find that we ought to seeke our whole praise no where els than only in him. And for that cause doth Moses adde, It is he that hath done the great and terrible things which your eyes haue seene. As if he shold say, God needeth not to seek here & there for record, or for iudges to arreigne you: for (spite of your teeth) it shalbe proued to your faces, that your God is great, mightie, and terrible. For you were ye miserablest creatures in the world, you were in bondage like bruit beasts; and your God loued you so deerely, that he hath stretched out his arme against the Realme of E∣gypt, that stately & excellent Realme, yt realme so renoumed, wherein all the wisedome of the world was inclosed, insomuch yt hee hath made more account of your welfare, than of yt Realme. Sith it is so, know ye that it is not for you to glo∣ry any more of your selues, but to glorie onely of him. Assure your selues yt looke howe manie be∣nefits you haue receiued at his hand, so many re∣cords haue you to be wray your lewdnes and vn∣thankfulnes, if ye acknowledge them not vnto him. And so by the example that is set vs downe here, let vs learne to acknowledge gods gratious goodnes, & to lay it vp in minde, and to make a good memorial thereof, & to call it often to re∣membrance, that wee may be prouoked thereby to yeld al glory vnto God, & to confesse that for our parts we be sillie and wretched creatures, in whom there is nothing but condemnation, and therefore there belongeth nothing to vs but wrath, & it is only God to whom all the glory & praise of our welfare perteyneth. Wherefore let it suffice vs that he is ours, and that hauing giuen himself vnto vs, he vouchsafeth also to make his benefits common vnto vs.* 1.11
Nowe let vs fall downe in the presence of our good God, with acknowledgement of our faults, praying him to make vs to perceiue them throughly, and that therwithal we may so know the greatnes of his maiestie, as it may moue vs to submit our selues to the obeying of him, and draw vs to such subiection, as we may frame our selues to his wil, and bee no more intangled and wrapped in worldly things; but that we may bee so rid of them, as all our seeking may be to dedi∣cate our selues wholy vnto him, yt he may acknow¦ledge & accept vs for his people, & haue his hād alwayes stretched out to succor vs at our neede. And that in the meane while we may patiently beare al the aduersities that he shall sende vs for the tryal of our obedience, & so apply our selues thereunto, as wee may not fayle to take com∣fort in his goodnes, and to rest vppon the same, til he haue made vs to feele ye things perfectly, whereof hee hath giuen vs a tast alreadie in this transitorie life. That it may please him to grant this grace, not onely to vs, but also to al people & nations of the earth. &c.
Rom. 14.23.
Iob. 41.16.
Col. 3.25.
1 Sam. 16.7.
Persiu•• Satyra 2••
Psal. 51.19.
1. Cor. 11.31.
Eph. 〈…〉〈…〉.
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Ier. 9.23.
Rom. 8.30.