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On Munday the xviij. of Nouember. 1555. The Ciij. Sermon which is the second vpon the seuenteenth Chapter.
2 If within any of the Gates which the Lorde thy God giueth thee, there bee found either man or woman that hath wrought wickednes in the sight of the Lord the God, by transgressing his Couenant,
3 And hath gone and serued straunge gods, and bowed himselfe before them, whether it bee the sunne, or the moone, or any of all the host of heauen, which I haue not commaunded,
4 And it is told thee, and thou hast heard of it: then shalt thou inquire diligent∣ly. And if it be true and certaine that such abhomination hath beene committed in Israel:
5 Thou shalt cause, that man or that woman which hath committed that wicked deede, to bee brought out of the gates, and thou shalt stone them with stones, till they die.
6 At the mouth of two or three witnesses, let him that is worthie of death, dye: but at the mouth of one witnesse, let no man dye.
7 The hands of the witnesses shalbe the first vpon him to kill him, and after∣ward the hands of all the people. And so thou shalt ridde away that euil from thee.
* 1.1WE haue seene heretofore, that if there were either man or wo∣man which went about to coun∣sell others to peruert the seruice of God: they shoulde die for it. Nowe here is a Lawe, yet more sharpe: that is to wit, that if there be any ydolater founde among the people, whether the same bee man or woman, it must cost the party his head and his life, yea though hee haue not gone about to corrupt [ 10] others or to intice them to leawdnesse. Truely this seemeth rough dealing at the first blush, as we see howe they blame God for vsing such se∣ueritie against such as vppon deuotion did any act contrarie to his trueth. Because wee wey not Gods honour as it is worthy, wee make greater account of a mortall creature than of the liuing God. For if a man haue practised against his Prince, or gone about to alter the publike state: hee shall be condemned to death without any [ 20] sticking. Againe, if a man bee vnderstoode to haue had secrete conference with his Princes enemie, to haue shewed him fauour, or to haue conspired with him; no bodie will excuse such disloyaltie: and yet for all that, all this dealing is but against men. But if a man turne away from the seruing of God to gad after ydols: men thinke hee ought to bee borne withall, as though it were a thing of nothing. Whereby wee be∣wray, that wee passe not for the diminishing of [ 30] Gods honour, or for the defacing of his maie∣stie. But wee bee no competent Iudges in that case. Therefore let vs remember what is saide heere, and not thinke that God passed measure, when hee did set such price vppon his honour.
Nowe it is saide, If there be founde either man or woman, to the intent that no frailtie should bee a shrowding sheete to any euill doing. For else it woulde bee saide, it is a womans deede. If a man of wit, courage, and vnderstanding had done it; it had beene to haue beene regarded: but seeing it is done by sillie soules that are easie to be deceiued, is it meete that they shoulde bee haled to death for it at the first dash? See I pray you howe we bee wont to qualifie thinges. But God on the contrarie parte intended to preuent such shiftes, by telling vs that wee must not passe whether it bee man or woman, but that the deede of it selfe is so detestable; as that it ought not abide vnpunished. Yet notwith∣standing, before wee proceede to punishing, he will haue vs to vnderstande perfectly howe the matter goeth, and hee will haue the truth of the thing tryed out. And therefore hee saith, When it is reported vnto thee, inquire diligently thereof: and if thou find it true, then shalt thou take the partie which hath committed such crime, and stone him to death. Hereby our Lorde sheweth vs (as he hath done afore) that wee must not bee hastie to proceede rashly vnder pretence of any good will or zeale:* 1.2 but vse aduisednesse that thinges may bee well knowen. And that is well worth the noting. For wee see howe vnaduised zeale doth often carie men away, and make them to offende GOD. And when it is done, then they say, I did it of a good intent. Yea, but GOD telleth vs heere, that in this behalfe wee must behaue our selues discreetely. And in deede, God mea∣neth not that men shoulde so falsely abuse his name: For what a vile thing is this; that I shall suppose that I serue GOD and yet in