god vouchsafe to endue any others with greater grace than our selues, wee must not spyte them for it, as wee be warned of it. Wee see that God distributeth his giftes more vnto one than vnto another; What is nowe to bee doone? shoulde wee haue spite at it? Shoulde wee gase aboute vs howe to make our selues iolie fellowes? A∣las wee doe but wander away from GOD when we steppe foorth to aduaunce our selues before men. Therefore let vs proceede with all lowli∣nesse, [ 10] and not bee so fondly and wickedlie dis∣posed as to haue a will to bee preferred before our neighbours. And so we see what Moses meant to expresse here in saying, God wil choose him out some one certaine place from among thy tribes: and let it not greeue them that are put backe from it. For why? If it bee Gods will to humble them, they shall gayne nothing by their comming to rushe against him. And ther∣fore let euery man holde himselfe contented [ 20] with his degree and measure, and let him that is little holde himselfe contented with his lit∣tlenesse.
And nowe hee addeth expressely also, that God will choose a place to put his name in. Whereby he meaneth that he is not to be inclosed in it as in respect of his substance. For (as I haue de∣clared afore) there are alwayes two thinges which it behooueth vs to marke well. When we haue an outwarde order or forme of seruing [ 30] God, wee muste obserue two thinges therein. The one is that forasmuch as God seeth vs to be rude and earthly, hee stoopeth vnto vs, and pleasureth vs so far, as to giue vs things fit for vs. As for example, when wee in praying doe vse these ceremonies of kneeling down, of putting off our cappes, and lifting vp our handes: wher∣fore doe we so? It is not for that GOD hath neede of it for his part, but for our owne weake∣nesse sake. Because we bee ouer grosse, we bee [ 40] faine to be exercised after that fashion. After the same manner wee haue Baptisme, and the Lords holy Supper, all which thinges are for the weakenes of our nature. And so ye see that that is one thing which wee haue to marke on our part. But when as God beareth with vs after that fashion, let vs beware that wee surmise him not to be like our selues, or that wee thinke him not to behaue himselfe after our lust. For men are alwayes in daunger of falling into that extremi∣tie. [ 50] The thing then in effect which Moses ment to say, is this: The Lord will choose him a place to set his sanctuarie in, there will he haue you to worshippe him: there will he haue you to of∣fer your sacrifices to him, thither will hee haue you to bring your oblations; there will he haue you to honor him wt your persons & goods, pro∣testing your selues to bee wholy at his deuotion. But yet must you not thinke that your God is come downe from heauen and shut vp in a cofer [ 60] or chest. You must not thinke that he fitteth be∣tweene Cherubins after the manner of men: but that it is ynough for you that his name is there, that is to say that he giueth you some token of his presence and power, to the intent yee may be sure that he will heare all our prayers and be mercifull to you. And yet for all that hee filleth heauen and earth, howsoeuer the worlde goe. Therefore ye must not fall to shutting vp of the infinite maiestie and substance of your God, into a corner, or into a material & corruptible Tem∣ple. Beware of such superstition, and be conten∣ted with the hauing of his name, that is to say, yt your God is there called vpon, that his Law is there preached to you, that his promises are there set before you, that you be grounded vpon his grace, that you neede not to doubt but that he is your father and Sauior, that you may bold∣ly sue vnto him, and that you be sure he is ready to receiue your requests. That is the intent why your God is minded to be among you.
Of this place we haue a good lesson to gather, which is, that seeing God hath ordeyned means agreable to our infirmitie to serue him withall; we ought to vse them, according to this saying, thou shalt seeke out that place. For Moses hauing warned the Iewes of their rudenesse, commaun∣deth thē to benefite themselues by such meanes as the Lord teacheth them: that is to wit, by the ceremonies which he would giue them. Nowe∣adayes we haue not the like ceremonies to those that were vnder the lawe. But yet doth our Lord beare with vs also, so farre foorth as hee seeth it requisite, and giueth vs such ceremonies as are meet for vs, in respect wherof we haue the mee∣tinges that are made among vs, as I haue saide afore. And why? To the end that Gods worde should be preached to vs, that we shoulde make cōmon prayers as it were with one mouth, that we should confesse our faith, and christendome together, and that ye Sacramentes should be mi∣nistred in the companie of the faithful. Seeing yt our Lord giueth vs such meanes, it behoueth vs to vse them. For whosoeuer despiseth thē, moc∣keth God openly. Let vs marke wel that whatso∣euer our Lord hath ordeined for our behoofe, we must receiue it, & be diligent to strengthen our faith therby dayly more & more. For if I thinke my self to be so perfect, yt I passe not to come at ye Church, there to benefit my self with others: it is a diuelishe ouerweening; and it were better for me that I were some poore begger that had neither witte nor vnderstanding, (so as in the meane while I knewe mine owne pouertie) than to be so high minded. For it is the next way to cast me downe to the bottome of hell, when I will needes exempt my selfe from the common order. And therefore whosoeuer hath any zeale and affection to serue God, must doe that which is commaunded here in seeking the place that God hath appointed: that is to say, he must not holde skorne of any thing which he hath ordei∣ned for the confirming of our faith. That is one point.
Againe we must alwayes beare in minde, that when God vouchsafeth to plant his name amōg vs, we must not serue him after our owne fashi∣on, and after our owne rude manner: for his ser∣uice is alwayes spirituall, and the thinges that he sheweth vs here beneath, must draw vp aloft to heauen. And hereby a man may see howe the wretched world hath bin beguiled. For ye greatest
〈2 pages missing〉〈2 pages missing〉