Sermons on Deuteronomy (continued)
On Wednesday, the 13th of
November 1555 The 102nd Sermon, which is the first upon the sixteenth Chapter, and the first upon the seventeenth.
20. In all cases thou shall follow the thing that is right, that thou may live and enjoy the land which the Lord your God give you.
21. Thou shall plant no grove of any man of trees mere into the Altar of the Lord your God, which thou shall make you.
22. Also thou shall not set up any Image: for that does the Lord your God hate.
The Seventeenth Chapter
Thou shall not offer to the Lord your God, either Ox or Sheep that has any blemish therein: I say thou shall not offer any evil-favored thing: for that is abomination to the Lord your God.
Hitherto Moses has commended equity & uprightness to us, saying that those which are appointed to be Judges, ought to maintain every mans thereupon he said, that as many as intend to continue in such soundness, must beware in any wise of taking reward: for if they take any, by and by they be corrupted, by & by they be blinded. And it is not to be replied here, that a man may well receive a present, & yet have no meaning to favor any wicked case. For the holy ghost has given sentence, that the man which is so given to taking of presents, shall be blinded though he were the sharpest sighted man in the world. Nay, he has a towel before his eyes already, and besides that, whereas he was well & holy disposed before, now he is quite perverted. We see then how it is a deadly poison, for a Judge to receive any presents in any wise.
And now to hold men the better in awe, Moses added God, promise, as if he should say, that we must not be wedded to our own profit, where God on the other side offered us his blessing, & tells us that he will prosper us, so we stick to him. And whether were it better for us, to enrich our selves by unlawful means which God condemn, and which shall come to an evil end: or to have Gods favor present with us, and that the same should never fail us? Thus we see now to what purpose Moses add this sentence, Thus men should follow uprightness. Verily even to the intent they may enjoy Gods favor, & has thou may possess the land (say he) which the Lords your GOD give you, and that thou may live long therein. This is a continuing of the same matter still, which I have declared before: namely that whereas God might command us in one word; yet notwithstanding to win us to him, he is so gentle that he bind himself to us, and make a covenant with us as it were between two parties. He has authority enough to command us, and it is not for us to ask wherefore. Again, he is not bound to promise us anything: for we owe him all that we have, and he is indented to none of us. Nevertheless he vouchsafe to yield to our infirmity, accordingly as we have seen heretofore, that after his requesting of they which is our duty, he added that we shall not be disappointed in serving of him. Yet must we not conclude thereupon, that we can deserve ought at his hand: but rather we see his infinite goodness, in that he promises us his favor freely after that faith. And therefore we ought to be the forwarder in doing whatsoever he commanded, notwithstanding any impediment that might hinder us to pluck us back. Inexcusable are we in these days, if we feel not some force of his promises, in quickening & stirring of us up to obey him. Has God commanded it? That ought to suffice us.
Notwithstanding, because we be slow and negligent, he added this help, that he comes to win us by gentleness, as if a father should flatter his child. See we this? Must it not needed be your our hearts are too, too much hardened, if they relent not at such goodness?
Therefore when we feel that Gods commandments touch us not sufficiently to the quick: let us take these promises here, to stir up our selves the more, and to spur us the more forward.
Again, let us mark well the speech how he says, Thou shall follow uprightness in all cases. The words are: Uprightness, uprightness shall thou follow. So does Moses speak, how be it that some men translate it, Thou shall follow justice uprightly. But when all is thoroughly looked to, he means nothing else but that men should bear an even hand in executing of justice, following the right by straight line, and persevering steadfastly in it without swarming. I say it behoove us to mark well this saying, because men will needs always discharge themselves to God ward by peace: but as for to g through steadfastly with all things that he commanded; that is a very rare matter, (as the world see) specially in those which have the handling of the law. True it is they though they be wicked, yet will they be ashamed not to have some goodly show: & so now and then a man shall find some uprightness and reason in them. But have they done right to one man? Tomorrow they will deal contrary wise with another. Have they punished one misdeed? Three shall go unpunished for it, after as the persons are favored and born out. This partiality is to be seen in manner continually: and it is a token that there is no uprightness. And this is not to serve God: insomuch that when indifference is not used in the ministration of Justice, those that are punished cry out to God for vengeance, as though they were wrong. And therefore Moses thinks it not enough that men should simply do Justice; but he will also have them to proceed with it, and to continue it, so as there may be Justice upon Justice: that is to say, a continual holding on, so as no indifferences may be perceived, nor any diversity of weight and balances, nor any respect of persons: accordingly as has been said heretofore, that men must not lean to the one side for any favor, nor forsake a good cause for any hatred, but be of such stout courage that they bow not one way or other for anything. That is the way to maintain Justice.
This lesson is apparent enough of itself: there remain no more for us but to fall to the practicing thereof. But as I said, it is a very hard thing for men to frame themselves to keep an even hand. So far off is it, that this was written in vain: that it is said they if we will prosper through Gods favor, we must keep order continually among us, so as every man may have his right: and that on the contrary part, without we do so, God threaten to because us of his blessing though he had given us it before. And thereof it is that we see of so many changes and alterations to happen in the world: namely for that when God has blessed a people, & set them in as good state as were to be wished, by & by the fall to rioting, so as the governors abuse their authority, & the people take liberty to do evil, when they see thou their Judges are corrupted, by reason whereof God is fain to lift up his hand, & to take away quite and clean all that ever he had bestowed upon that nation. We see examples thereof too commonly.
Wherefore let us stand in awe, and let us learn to live the aware liar in the obedience of God, when he has see us in any prosperity. Let every man according to his ability, further the maintenance of Justice: and let such as have the sword in hand, use it in such fort as God may be honored, & not be driven to bring us to our arraignment for breaking of the order which he had set among us: That is the effect of the things which we have to remember in this text.
Now Moses add, That men should not plans any tree mere to the Altar of the Lord, nor see up any manner of image. Whereby he provided that there should be no resemblance between the & the Idolaters & Gentiles: and also that there should not be any memorial of long continuance, for fear least they should learn or accustom themselves to do sacrifice in diverse places. So are there two reasons which Moses has an eye to in this text. The one, that he would have that service of God separated from all that superstitions of the heath.
The other is, that he would have folk to accustom themselves to the worshipping of God, and to offer their solemn sacrifices in the place where that Ark of that covenant was, and that there might not be any peculiar religion throughout all thou country. As touching that first, it is a point well worth the witting, that God is so chary of that service to be such as he himself require & appoint, & that he will not in any wise have us to meddle with those that Inuit & devise superstitions on their own head. In that first place; Let us mark them how it is not worth cause, that God is so chary of that service that we be to do to him. For indeed, is it reason that men should stand in defense & maintenance of their own right, and that God should be disappointed of his? And is there anything more precious & holy, than that honor which we yield to him, in protecting him to be our God & father, of whom we hold all that ever we have, & at whole hand we look for salvation? Is there anything more holy than y? Then let us learn to be attentive when that holy scripture speaks to us of the service of God.
For it is a thing that passes all other in dignity. Mark that for one point.
And it stands us so much the more in hand to give our endeavor thereto, because we see that world holds scorn to yield God his due obedience. If a man speaks to a blasphemer, or to a despiser of that orders of that church, or (to be short) to one that is no better than a dog: if a man tell such a one of his lewdness: To whom do I any wrong, said he? If he had given a man a fillip, or had chance to have spoken a cross word, as small as that wrong is, he would have confessed his fault and say de, I have done amiss: and yet is this but against a mortal man. But when he shall have spit God in the face, Cush, it is nothing, it is no wrong to any man. Daily shall a man hear such speeches. Insomuch that if God be blasphemed, and his majesty so shamefully dishonored as would make a mans hart are to see it: it is all one, there is no account made of it. But let us mark (as I said afore) that our Lord will have his service to be placed foremost & in highest degree: and when the case concerns the ruling of our life, we must begin at that end; To wit; To honor him as he deserve.
Moreover, let us mark well that it is not without cause, that he will have his service so far unlike all that superstitions of that heath. For even of our own nature we be too much given to the corrupting & disguising of things, by means whereof the pureness of the true religion is perverted. Every man has in himself a storehouse of idolatry, though he be not provoked thereto by other: & in what case then are we, when we light upon stumbling blocks and occasions, yes
& even go to seek them? I see idolaters that have disguised & falsified that whole service of God, & I shall go borrow of them I wore not what; because this thing or that thing likes me, I shall go put it to that which our Lord has commanded me. Am not I by and by snarled in the fame folly that they were, which played that naughty packers before me? Yes surely. For although I regard neither that one nor the other; yet have I many vain fancies in my heart. And if I fail to seeking of such things of set purpose: it is all one as if I did cast myself into Satans snares. And therefore let us mark, that our Lord meant to preserve his servants from a deadly plague when he said that they should hold them to that pure simplicity of his word, and not resemble that panics and infidels in any case. In those days the heath for devotion sake, made shadows about their Altars, like as at this day in that Popedom, if a place be darksome, it seems to them to carry some majesty in it, and the simple force are as it were amazed when they come into a Cave, and where the windows be dimmed with red or blue glass, mans eyes dazzle at it, and filly simple fouls feel a kind of motion in themselves which make them afraid & astonished: and to their seeming, it is good to stir them up to devotion, bearing folk in hand that it is a reverencing of God, whereas in deed it is stark foolishness. After the same manner did the heathen in plashing of trees to make places dark, that when men entered into them, they seemed to be aghast, as though a wolf had been at their tail as they say, by reason whereof they were moved to some fearfulness. Now forasmuch as this custom was among the heathen, our Lord will not have the faithful to resemble them. Thus in few words, we see here how all manner of resembling the unbelievers is forbidden us, if we intend to serve God in such wise as he may like of it and take it in good worth.
And this warning is as needful for us nowadays, as it was for that Jews in the time of Moses. For what a number of devices are there in that Popedom, which have been taken from the superstitions of the heathen? All that ever is terms Gods service in the Popedom, is but a confused heap, gathered out of the things that are commanded in the Law of Moses, & the things that are seen to have been observed of the Heathen. And to color the matter was, they allege that their so doing, is least the Jews should upbraid the Christians that they have not so goodly ceremonies in their Churches as they have. And therefore they must need have this and that, after their example. True it is that they have not been so bold as to kill brute beasts in sacrifice; for that had been too detectable. But yet they took up their Lamps, their perfumes, their attainments, their altars, and a certain manner of sacrificing, though it be not of Calves, Oxen, & Sheep. Besides this, the Jews had their washings; & therefore the Papists would need have holy water. To be short, the Jews were so thoroughly counterfeited; that to all seeming, they could not boost that they had no goodly ceremonies in their temples, than that Christians had in theirs. But that was high treason against God. And if there had been no more but mere folly in it, it might have been that better born now.
But it tended to the darkening of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, by drawing a new veil over him. The veil that God had commanded to be in that temple, is rent asunder: and they fall to hanging up of another that is wrought by that hand of man: by means whereof
Jesus Christ is as good as hidden, so as men cannot behold that majesty that should shine forth in him. For he is that lively image of God his father; & in him and in his person or face we see whatsoever belongs to our salvation. Now they fail to making of impediments by such ceremonies, that the world might not look full to Jesus Christ.
And they be not contented with the intermingling of the things that God had ordered for a time among that Jews: but they have also borrowed of that observances of the heathen. True it is that even in this case also they pretended some color, as who should say that the world could not be drawn from those foolish ceremonies, & therefore it was better to use them still under the title of God & his saints, than under that title of idols as they have done before: but by that means the service of God was falsified.
Let us mark then that all that ever is termed by the name of Gods service at this day in that Popedom, is but a confused hotchpotch of all manner of superstitions; for they cannot show that the holy scripture has appointed men to do so. And when have they fetched their ground, but from a desire to counterfeit the things that were used among the Jews & Infidels Sit it is so, what a thing is it if we shall now fashion ourselves like into them, and suffer a sort of pelting babbles or ceremonies to be laid upon us, and bind ourselves to that keeping of them to that intent we would not be too far unlike those that name themselves Christians? It is that same corruption which God condemn in this sentence. For it is not Gods will that we should have any resemblance to those which have withdrawn themselves from the pure obeying of his word. Therefore let us be conceived to have Gods service reformed & established according to his commandment. That is the thing which we have to observe in the first place.
As touching the second point, it is said that God would have but only one Altar whereon to offer their sacrifices. At this day, this is no more in use; we have no more any material altar. For whereas the Papists use altars, in so doing they deface the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ as much as they can. Nevertheless, Gods intent at that time, was to keep his people in the union of faith, by allowing them but one Altar
And now it is said, that they should not see up any memorial of long continuance, in any certain place. For by that means they might have accustomed themselves to worship God there, or they might have made some chapel for devotion, and so had all been made. And therefore not without cause were they forbidden to plant any trees in the places where they sacrificed: for Gods Sanctuary was to be planted at length upon mount Zion. And as many as intended to serve God purely, it behooved them to resort thither, to show one common accord, and one true unity of belief. Likewise nowadays our Lord Jesus Christ has left us his holy supper, for a warrant that he dwell among us, and is always present with us by his power: insomuch that although he be exalted above the glory of heaven; yet do not we fail to be knit into him to be members of his body, to have one common life with him, and (at one word) to be fed and nourished by his substance. And because it is a secret that passed all understanding of man; he has warranted into us, by that visible sign of his supper. Come we then to the table of our Lord Jesus Christ?
The bit of bread and the draught of wine which we receive there, do represent to us, that Jesus Christ is truly our food, & that we be so incorporated into him, that we be partakers of his own proper life. By means whereof Jesus Christ is so present with us that we must all need be gathered together to him.
But we see at this day what has been done in the Popedom. Was there a table for the receiving of the Communion? No, it was turned into an Altar. And that was one corruption a forehand. For as I have said already, it is not for any man to sacrifice Jesus Christ any more.
That office belonged peculiarly to himself, and he discharged it thoroughly, & now must we receive that sacrifice that was offered up to God, & let that word altar alone. Nevertheless it is not enough with them that there be but one table; they will need have three or four: every man builds me his chapel, & there sets me up an altar.
Although it were a good thing of itself to have one altar among that Christians: yet do they break that unity of faith, when they build several chapels after that fashion. For why? It is that will of Jesus
Christ that there should be one common supper, & that all his Church should meet together, & that the receiving thereof should be as a true band to hold the faithful in one with him. But they go to say their devotions in such a place & to sing Masse in another place: And that is an open defying of God, & a setting up on idols in his stead. It is a turning of Gods temple, not only into a Swine style, but also into a thinking dungeon of all abomination & idolatry. And therefore let us mark, how it is not without cause that God teaches us in this text that although we have not that ancient ceremony of Sacrificing Oxen
& Sheep: yet notwithstanding we ought to be united in faith, and not had anything at all to that which is commanded us, but simply keep this rule invaluable, that we understand how & after what fashion
God will be worshipped, & agree thereto, without presuming to put anything to it.
Now also Moses says; Thus they must not offer to God any beast that has any main or blemish in it. He has told us hitherto to that men must not meddle with idolaters, not have any resemblance to their superstitions. For the true religion must be held in his pure singleness. But that is not all. For they that offer to God, & turn not away after the fond devotions of men, must moreover serve God soundly, that is to say, their discharging of themselves towards him, must not be lightly, as men do commonly nowadays. For we see how men defraud God of his right. In deed when we be indented to men, we discharge our selves one way or other: but whereas we be indented to God, all our seeking is how to escape from him. True it is that we will endeavor to defraud men also: but yet will be ashamed to use liberty towards them as we do towards God even in dallying with him. If we owe a man either custom or rent, we will not stick to conceal it if we can, if we be of evil conscience: But yet for all that, we will not be plucked too much by the care: for we think we shall gain nothing by so doing. So then, as touching that detest that men do owe one to another they discharge them: but it skills not for God.
Although he call upon us & threaten us; yet even after he has showed us our duty, we cease not to defraud him still, yes & we be quite past shame in it. Verily we will not stick to say, it is good reason that he should be honored & served: but yet we will have this serving to be after our own fashion. But he requires a right obedience. And what do we to him? Very well say we, we must discharge ourselves to Godward. And after what manner? In mocking of him. Insomuch that although that doing of some ceremonies be nothing worth; yet notwithstanding men bear themselves in hand that God ought to hold himself contented therewith, and that he dealt too rigorously with us if he require any more of us. For this cause it is said that men shall not offer any thing in sacrifice which has either blemish or spot.
For under one kind Moses comprehend that whole; as if he had said, let us not think our selves escaped when we have served God by halves and pieces, but we must go to it soundly & roundly, so as we do our duty towards him thoroughly in all points. True it is that there was a special reason for the Jews: for that Jews were admonished that their sins could not be wiped out before God, but by means of that sacrifice that was to be offered. For it behaved them to life up their minds above the world, to that true, to say, there will be a payment to discharge all our debts: when Jesus Christ come, he will reconcile us to God his father, and discharge us of that bond of death, wherein we be bound. Therefore it behaved that Jews to have their sacrifices pure & clean, that they might be led by them to our Lord
Jesus Christ, and their faith be listed up above the world, to know that there is not any satisfaction nor offering that we can bring on our side to please God withal, but that he must be fain to give us the thing that we want to offer into him.
Notwithstanding, we must generally bear in mind which I have declared already; namely how Moses show us we must so roundly yield into god that which he requires, as he be not disappointed, as we hear him complain thereof by his prophet, that although the laws did not utterly refuse to pay tenth and first suits: yet they did it but by halves. But God cannot away with such parings, not to be played with like a little child. And hereby we may learn our serving of God must not be by pangs and fits only, and afterward fall to laziness: but it must be done soundly and substantially throughout, with obedience to his word. And again, in our doings there must be no hypocrisy not constraint: but we must go to work a free will and not set a fair countenance on it to world ward, and in the meanwhile have a back shop that displease God: may we must go to work freely, as I said before. That is the thing in effect, which we have to remember upon this text. We nowadays do not offer any more Oxen or Sheep: but offerings which we make into God, are of our own selves and of all ever be has give into us, so as all be dedicated into him, and applied to such if as he allow; or else it is but uncleanness.
For if God have give me a thing, and I abuse it: I am a traitor to God, because I unhallowed thing which he had dedicated to the clean contrary if. And therefore let us mark to please God in offering ourselves into him, we must do it soundly, our blemish or spot. True it is there can be no such perfection in us, but very great fault may be found in our service of him: but yet must we always hold us to this principle, we come to God unfriendly and whereas there are infirmities in us, we must report to our Lord Jesus Christ. For all our spots and blemishes are done quite and clean away by his blood. And is because why it is said, we offer our praises into God by him. If there were any sacrifice clean on misbehave, it were sacrifice of praise: for when we fall to magnifying of Gods name, and confess we be beholden to him for all good things; our so doing seemed to be clean. How be it for all much as we have our lips so unclean, we cannot yet discharge ourselves in behalf: therefore it stand is in hand to resort continually to our Lord Jesus Christ. Our sacrifice then are stained with some spot and vice or other; is true: but yet must we have this roundness and soundness of tending into God out enforcement, necessity or hypocrisy. When we be at point, our Lord will accept our sacrifices, as though they were offered up into him thoroughly pure and perfect, and utterly faults. Indeed it is by means of our Lord Jesus Christ; for there must we be grounded as I said before. But if we have virtue, then do God accept sacrifices which we offer into him, so we be not snarled hypocrisy and come not to him as enforced or constrained, but with a free will. Therefore if men will serve God, they must beware they seek not to please men by it, as it often fall out they think it though to make some fair show and there do content and sooth themselves. We bear ourselves in had we have done all can be done; yeah but we never enter into ourselves, to give over ourselves wholly into God. We never sounded ourselves to find whether there were any evil intermingled, that we might be purged of it. And yet is that the end which we should have begun, that our coming into God might not be as by constraint. For if it were possible, we would exempt ourselves from all obedience, and never come to reckoning with him for it. But contrariwise we ought to serve him with a free him with a free disposed mind. Then let us consider, that if we intend to make our life allowable before God, then in all our thoughts and all our affections we must have this substantial soundness of dedicating our whole life into him, so as our senses and desires be made captures into him, and he so reign over us, as our chief desire may be to be ruled by him and by his holy spirit, and to frame ourselves in such wise to his will, that we take nothing in hand but that which liked him. When we go that way to work: then shall our sacrifices be pure and clean.
Besides this, let us mark also we must likewise offer into God all ever he has bestowed upon us. As for example, when we do almost deed, let every man apply gifts which he has received to common benefit of Church. Those are sacrifices of good sent, as leastwise if they be without blemish or spot. For a man shall well edify Church when he himself is led with ambition and vainglory. And as for such a one, let him know think he has offered anything into God. For it is but utter abominate, when things have not their right end, by giving that over again into Gods hand which had committed them to us, and by putting that to such if as he has commanded. Again when a man do almost deeds is led thereto by vain ambition, to boast himself before men and to be esteemed and honored for it; his dealing after fashion but unclean before God. Now then, let us learn to have an eye into God, that our sacrifices may be without blemish or spot.
Moreover, as concerning order of Church, and of all other government, we must understand likewise all our sacrifices must be so purified as God may accept them. As for example, ordering of Ministers to preach Gods word, and the doctrine of fault, the creating of Magistrates and the choosing of Officers, are sacrifices which we offer into God. Now we must offer them our spot. For if a man bring in any corruption in those cases, it is high treason to God, as I have said before. Therefore let us be think ourselves thoroughly and consider although these things according to letter, were enjoined to the Jews in time of ceremony: yet must we apply them to sacrifices are in if and force at this day. And for performance thereof, let us come back to that which S. James Says, name he which commanded the one, has also commanded the other: & that he which forbad the one, has also forbidden the other. Will we then please God in all the services which we do to him? Let there be no passing of stakes, as if we would say. I will do this for the honor of God, & for the rest he shall bear with me & give me leave to do as I lift. For in so doing we would be hail-fellow with God. And therefore let us understand that the righteousness of the law is a thing that cannot be divided, neither is it for us to read it in peace. Therefore let us submit ourselves to the rule that is given us, after such sort as is contained in that Law of God. and therewithal let us mark further, that we must not have double or dissembling hearts, but that we must submit our selves wholly to God. And if we cannot attain thereto at that first as were to be wished: yet notwithstanding that must be the mark that we shoot at. Now we see what our Lord meant to require in this text.
But to the end we may be the more provoked, to deal soundly and substantially: let us also mark this speech that Moses added here for a conclusion, namely shall it is abomination before God. For men do always make themselves believe, that they cease not to serve God though there be nothing but dissimulation and hypocrites in all their doings. And we know how hypocrites are puffed up continually with this fond presumption, that although there be noting but counterfeiting in all that they do, yet (to their seeming) God is nevertheless beholden to them; and all is well enough so there be some gay painting and some faire show. Indeed they dare not utterly deny that there is any fault at all in them: but yet would they still beat men in hand, that there is much good in them which God accept. As for example, when that Papist Priests say their prime & hours, besides that they do but bible able, their minds are elsewhere; one thinks upon his kitchen, and another upon his harlot. Well, they will grant that this is ill done, and that they ought to be more heedful in their praying. But yet will they uphold, that so they have a final intent to pray to God, it is a good and commendable deed; and their coming to Church deserve verse much, so they have this final intent to serve god there, though their minds be distracted about other things. When they have once worshipped a puppet, and taken a little holy water, though they look upon a woman after an unchaste fort, although they be carried away with covetousness, or although their minds be occupied about some other wicked, shameful, and hellish lust: yet it skills not, so they have the said final intent of serving God; all is well enough, so they make a show of serving God, notwithstanding that they spite him all the means they can. Likewise in their fasting, though a man cast himself into all manner of lewdness and refinery, yet if he fast upon a devotion, O thats a holy man, there is no more fault to be found in him. Thus is it not possible to rid the hypocrites of the false and devilish opinion wherewith they be be-forced, of paying God with this pelting rash, which is nothing else than abomination before him; and in the meanwhile, to spite him in all the residue of their life: so as a man can never win them to believe, that God utterly mislay all that ever proceed not from a sound hear. So much that more therefore does it stand us in hand, to mark well this saying which Moses set down for a final conclusion: namely that such dealings are abominable before god. Indeed the blind & ignorant wretches deem it not so to be; may, their doings are commended of men; behold (say they), here is a goodly virtue, here is a good desert. But we must come before the great Judge, who has given sentence already that such things are but crash, filthiness, and vanity. And he is not contented with saying so; but he said also that they be utter abomination or loathsomeness. For indeed, besides their denying with him to make him as an that doll, they fall to open denying of him. If men thought not god to be stark blind, durst they come before him with a double heart, & fraught full of hypocrites?
No surely: it would make them even aghast at it. For when they play that hypocrites after that fashion, it is all one as if they came to stop gods eyes, that he might not discern their dissimulation and cursed hypocrites. So then let us mark well, that we must not stay our selves upon mens bearing of themselves in hand, that to their seeming they fail not to do well, and to deserve well at Gods hand, though they go not to work with a free courage, nor with hearty and substantial soundness: Lee not such follies run in our heads. For God not only retested such things as pelting baggage of no value: but also and we them to be all abominable before him, and that he will not suffer his service to be so shamefully disguised, without taking horrible vengeance for it. And therefore let us know that he will have every of us to examine our selves; & sit we see all our thoughts and affection to be corrupted, so as there is nothing in them but dung and uncleanness: let us pray him to reform us in such sort by his holy spirit, as he may be served and honored by us, and we apply to good and holy use the tunings that he give us: and that therewithal he make us to profit more and more in his obedience, until we be come with a free will, to serve him with so good a courage, as we may be wholly dedicated to his honor. And that we may so do, let us repair to our Lord Jesus Christ, that our spot and steins may be scored away by his pureness and perfection, as he has promised us. If we shall do so, then will our God approve of our life.
Now let us kneel down before the majesty of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults, praying him to make so to feel them that we may from henceforth fall to amendment and resort to his mercy, and that in the mean season he reform us in such sort to the obedience of his Law, as it may shine fort in all our whole life, and he also bear with us in our frailties, until he have rid us quite and clean of them. And so let us all say, Almighty God heavenly father, et cetera.