The 161st Sermon, which is the ninth upon the twenty-eighth Chapter

The 161st Sermon

which is the ninth upon the twenty-eighth Chapter.

50 The Lord will stir up, &c.

51 The same shall eat the fruit of thy Cattle, and the fruit of thy land, until thou be rooted out, and he shall leave thee neither Corn, wine, nor Oil, nor any fruit of thy Cattle, nor of the flocks of thy sheep, until he have brought thee to nought.

52 And he shall besiege thee in all thy Towns, until he have cast down thy high and strong walls, wherein thou didst put thy trust throughout all thy land: and he shall besiege thee in all thy Towns throughout all the land that the Lord thy God hath given thee.

53 Thou shalt eat the fruit of thy womb even the flesh of thy sons and daughters, which the Lord thy God hath given thee, in the siege and distress wherewith thine enemy shall straiten thee.

54 In so much that the man which is tender and exceeding dainty among you shall be grieved to look upon his brother, and upon the wife in his bosom, and upon the rest of his children that be left,

55 And shall not give unto them of the flesh of his children, whereof he himself eateth, for fear lest he should leave nothing at all for himself, by reason of the siege and straitness wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in all thy Cities.

56 Yea and the woman that is so tender and nice among you, that she will not venture to set the sole of her foot upon the ground, because of her tenderness and niceness, shall be grieved to look upon the husband that lies in her bosom, and upon her son and upon her daughter,

57 And upon the afterbirth which is come out from between her legs, and upon the babes which she hath brought forth: for she shall eat them privily for want of all manner of things, in the siege and straitness, wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy Cities.

58 If thou do not keep and perform all the words of this Law, which be written in this book, and fear this glorious and dreadful name of the Lord thy God.

We must remember what was touched yesterday, and also what Moses continues to speak of: that is, that if men be rough and cruel unto us, God stirs them up thereto because he has found us rebellious towards him. And therefore, whenever men do not deal so mildly with us as we would, let us look whether we have answered God, and whether we have meekly embraced all that he has commanded us: for if any of us find himself to have made war and to have set himself against God, it is not to be wondered at if God repay him with the like again on behalf of men. But we shall never be persuaded of this doctrine unless we understand that God holds the hearts of men in his hand to soften them, be they never so hardhearted; and on the contrary part to harden them, though they bore us never so much good will before. Let us not therefore trust to the love of men unless we walk in the fear of God. For it lies in him to change their hearts so that they bear rancor toward us and are quite and clean withdrawn from us for less than nothing, in such a way that the world shall see that those who were most forward to help us shall become most against us. And on the other side let us understand that our Lord can well qualify all malice, yes, though they be as fierce as a lion, he will make them mild and friendly towards us. There was never a nation so proud and cruel as the Egyptians: and especially, how spiteful were they against the children of Israel? It seemed that this poor people should never have found any mercy. And yet God wrought in such wise that the Egyptians gave them all their treasures, and all that ever was excellent in their houses, there was neither silver nor gold spared. And whereof came that? Before that time, they had held the Jews in bondage, they had vexed them out of all measure: they would have plucked the bread out of their mouths, yes, and have cut the throats of them all. A little before, they had killed their children as soon as they came out of their mothers' wombs, of purpose to have destroyed the whole stock of them: and whereof then came this sudden mildness that every man brought them the things that were most precious in his house? It was God that converted their hearts. And likewise, on the contrary side, it is said that he hardened the hearts of kings when the people were to enter into the land of Canaan: whereas they should have been suffered to pass, there were many gainers that resisted them. Whence came that? Even of this, that they had resisted their God. Let us therefore learn (as I have said heretofore) so to behave ourselves in obedience towards God that men also for their parts may be friendly unto us. For there is none so great nor so mighty but he shall find some misery to rise up against him when he will needs play the stout fellow in striving against God. And we have seen that they who are drunken with their own greatness must in the end be punished, not by such as are in any authority or by such as are of estimation in this world, but by rascals and naughtypacks: such folk must even spit in their faces. And such examples are to be seen even in princes and men of greatest state. For when they yield not themselves to be governed of God, he is fain to stir up governors to the contrary, to shame such as will not be obedient unto him. Yet notwithstanding when men yield not themselves tractable, then must we understand that God manages the matter by a secret means; and that he does it to make us to stoop. Therefore let us not deceive ourselves in the creatures, saying; What fortune is this? Indeed, we may say so, but we must go yet one step further: and we must understand that it comes not to pass without the direction of God. And thereupon we must repair to the remedy, that is to wit, we must stoop under the word and hand of God, and consider that if it pleases him, he can turn the minds of men that were so spiteful against us, and make them to become friendly to us. And that is a thing more than necessary. For when we have to do with them that be rough and intractable, we are by and by out of heart, and would (if we could possibly) rid ourselves of all troubles, and be set free from them at the first dash. But we should rather return unto God, acknowledging that those things proceed from his hand. And so, when men show themselves so unfaithful and cruel toward us, handling us scornfully and opprobriously, so as we cannot get one whit of right or reason at their hands, but we see how their whole seeking is to set their feet on our throats, and they have such a beastly shamelessness (as it is said here) that they are not ashamed of anything that is said unto them, but they take the bridle in their teeth, and play the wild beasts, so as there is neither grace nor honesty in them; when we see such barbarous beastliness, let us learn to resort unto our God, and to acknowledge that we deserve to be so tamed by him. Moreover, the only means to appease such fury, and to assuage those who are so hot and hasty, is to call upon our God, and to pray him to touch those inwardly with his Holy Spirit, which are so cruel and cannot yield to do us good, because we have set up ourselves against our God. That is the thing whereof we are admonished in this Text.

Now Moses repeateth that which hath been touched heretofore: namely, That God will bring us enemies from a far country, and that they shall fly as Eagles, to the intent we should not think that GOD needeth to make any preparation long beforehand. As if a man should threaten us: we would look whether he had a sword in his hand, and whether he be in readiness to execute what he hath said. But if God do but whistle (as he often speaketh by his Prophets), by and by he hath his men of war in readiness; he needeth not to make musters, or to enroll them, or to sound the drum: he needeth none of all this: only at his whistle (for he useth that similitude) all the whole earth must needs be moved. Therefore let us not look whether things be in readiness, nor whether any hurt or harm be done us. Let us not look whether any worldly means be prepared thereunto: but let us understand that ere we can conceive what evil may happen unto us, we shall be presently overthrown. And wherefore? Because it is God that speaketh, which maketh men to fly as birds, even from the one end of the earth to the other. There is neither sea nor mountains able to save us from the experience of that which we never believed. Howbeit God hath so disposed things, yea and even amongst the heathen is oftentimes seen incredible speediness, when God is disposed to chastise the greatest part of the world: insomuch that some one man hath risen with a small number of people, to chastise an infinite multitude that did set themselves against him: and that not for one time only, but twice or thrice one after another, with taking of Towns & Fortresses, which seemed to be so well appointed, yea and strong by natural situation, that they could not be approached unto, & yet have they been sacked as if God had meant to renew a great part of the world. It hath been likewise seen, that a people without renounce or estimation, have risen and made the most mighty to tremble. In this doing God giveth examples of that which is written here: to wit, that he can surely bring our enemies upon the sudden, and that they shall make such dispatch, as if they came swifter against us than by post: and that when we suppose to have some respite, by truce for one month, for one year or for all our lifetime, we shall be suddenly surprised in a morning before we think thereon. Let us therefore understand, that as soon as God speaketh, we must have an eye unto the infinite power (that is in him, yea and which is incredible to man's understanding), and to tremble at his very word, and to yield unto him: knowing well that if we delay from day to day, we may be prevented, and then will it be too late. Let us therefore be advised to humble ourselves in due time, and to crave pardon when we have offended him.

Moses sayeth expressly, That they which are disobedient unto God, shall be besieged and shut up within their walls, until all their fortresses in which they trusted, be beaten down. Here we see how God reproves the false and cursed presumption whereby men deceive themselves, in thinking themselves to be well fenced against him. It is a sacrilege whereby God is robbed of his honor, when we attribute unto the creatures, the means to uphold us. It is certain that God serves himself by means, and we must also apply them unto our use: but in the meantime to settle our trust upon them, were a robbing of God of his majesty. For he will have us to hold all things of him, and to do him homage for them. So then it is an intolerable presumption for us to put our trust in creatures and to ground ourselves on them: and yet there is no fault more common in the world. We can say well enough, that it is not lawful, and that we ought not to do it: but in the meantime everyone does it. Now let us remember ourselves, for there is nothing that God holds more dear, or whereof he makes greater account than his honor. Neither is it sufficient for us to leave him the title and name of God: but he must also be known as he is, that is to say, that all power lies in him, that he is the fountain of all manner of grace and goodness: that it is his proper office to maintain and preserve us: that our life is in his hand, and all things that belong thereto. When we have well thought upon this, let us take order to gather our wits so about us, as we be not grounded upon creatures. Surely the mischief is double when we shield ourselves with the creatures against God, and thereby to become stubborn when he threatens us, and to hold on still when he utters forth tokens of his displeasure: let us consider that the offense is then much more grievous. But yet is this over common. For while we perceive not any danger towards, as in respect of the world; do not we continue in our sins? And do we not abide in stubbornness? God speaketh: but we regard him not. So that men do favor us, and so we have wherewith to fortify ourselves, we think that the hand of God cannot come at us. And therefore it is not without cause that our Lord reproves the frowardness of all such as are disobedient towards him: that is to say, that they put their trust in their fortresses, in their high walls, in their munitions, and in such like things. Now forasmuch as we be subject to these things, it were better for us that we had neither hedge nor aught else, than to be well fenced with walls and bulwarks. For they serve but to blind our eyes, that have no more respect to our God: but be bewitched by Satan to put our trust in things which shall be our confusion. Howsoever the case standeth, let us advisedly hold this rule in general; that is, that God be evermore our fortress: as we see he promises by his Prophet Isaiah, as well in the 12th Chapter, as also from the 55th unto the end: for it tends all to this point. And it is so common a doctrine in the holy scripture, that we can scarce turn a leaf, but we shall see some text, wherein God tells us that he will be our ramparts, our walls, our ditches, yea and double ditches, our towers, and whatever else is needful for our defense. And why? For (as I have heretofore said,) our minds do forthwith slide into vanity so as God is not able to hold us back to himself; and to make account that we will put our whole trust in him. What must we then do? First of all, if we be destitute of man's aid, let us understand that God alone is sufficient, if we return unto him, [and say:] Ah Lord, it is certain that we are set for a prey, we have not wherewith to save ourselves, for all the world doth fail us: but yet it is enough that thou art our succor. After that manner should we learn to resort unto him.

And so should we take occasion to yield ourselves wholly unto him when the things of this world do fail us. And by the way, although we have walls, and artillery, money and munition, and all that we can wish for, yea and people also, and all things else: yet let us understand that we must in the meantime so use them, as our Lord may be always our trust, and we give him evermore this honor, that it is his office to defend us, and that thereupon we wade no farther. It is certain that we may serve our turn with the things which he putteth into our hands: but yet in the meantime, our hearts and minds must be raised up above all the world, and he alone must be our shooteanker. Thirdly, we must not vaunt ourselves of the force of the helps that he gives us: for a spear of a bramble (as they say) is enough to make us believe that we are invincible. What say we? Is it possible that they should prevail against us? All this is nothing: no not worth the pill of an Onion, as they say: yet will we needs strain our wits to give it price and the glory. Nay contrariwise, let us acknowledge our debility and weakness, that we may repair unto God, and let nothing hinder us from yielding ourselves wholly unto him and unto his protection: let us not deceive ourselves with such vain confidence, as the Jews had in their high walls. Now herewithal he shows also that all that ever we can devise for our strength and safeguard, can do nothing against his power: but that we shall continue besieged, until we be altogether wasted. Yea and we may gather by this Text, that it were much better for us to be delivered at the first into the hands of our enemies, than to have means to resist, whereby we may be made to languish in such wise as we may not die a simple death [out of hand]: for the poor people that be abroad in the fields, are spoiled at the first, and so are dispatched of it. Surely it is a pitious case, to behold their throats cut and all set on fire: but yet for all that, by that means they are delivered from their miseries, so as they pine not away in them. But as for them that are in strong Towns, they must be fain to abide a long siege, they must languish and pine away by piecemeal, not for a month or two, but even until they can hold out no more: and that is as much as if they should pass a hundred deaths. Thus does our Lord revenge himself of them that think themselves to be dispatched, when God does not root them out at the first. No, says he, bethink yourselves whether of these fruits do speed best; they that are brought to the market in their prime, and eaten out of hand; or they that are kept for a time, and in the end do rot? It were better then for you to be overcome and vanquished by your enemies at the first. Let us therefore consider well, that when we have wherewith to defend us to the worldward, where it should profit us, it shall turn to our double confusion if we trust therein: for we must groan a great while under the burden, and be wasted by little and little. For when we be disobedient and will not be reformed, our Lord will never leave us till he have utterly brought us to nought, as he shows here so oftentimes. And yet it is better expressed by this that Moses adds. The man (says he) that is tender and delicate among you, shall be grieved at his brother, and at the wife which lies in his arms, because he cannot be suffered to eat his own children alone. The woman which is so nice that she dare not touch the ground with her foot (for so are the very words of Moses) shall seek to destroy and to spoil her own children; yea, they shall no sooner be born out of her womb, but she shall be desirous to devour them; and if she have brought them up to some bigness, she will spare them never the more. These be dreadful things: for it is not said alone, You shall be besieged, and tarry a long while in famine, so as you shall be driven to eat, Horses, Rats, mice, shoelaces; yea and the very dung of birds (as it has been seen) and all these things shall be your meat.* Neither is it said that men and women should be eaten: but that every man shall eat his own children. Seeing that God speaks in this manner, were it not enough to make our hair stand upright? Yes verily; and yet here is nothing declared by Moses, which has not been seen in execution. It is not for a man to say, it is not credible, it is repugnant to nature, a man would pluck the bread out of his own mouth, when he is in extremity, to give it unto his children, he would die to help them, insomuch that we see that Hagar could not abide to see the death of her child,* but she left him alone, and wished her own death. But we need not to allege examples of these things: for the common affection does sufficiently declare, that every man would rather die, than eat his own children: but yet was such cruelty seen among the Jews. They which were instructed in the law of God, and should have had much more humanity and compassion, than the Pagans and infidels, even they forgot all manner of honesty, and were overcome with this madness. It was meet that this blindness,* whereof the Prophets had spoken, and which we see here before touched also by Moses, should be then accomplished in them, and that they should be ravished of their wits: For when GOD takes away all reason and uprightness from men: then he leaves them to a kind of madness. Such fury then must needs be in them, when they did eat their own children.

Hereby we are specially warned that those who are reserved for the last cast are in no better case than those whom God has chastised long before. And this is a profitable warning. For as soon as God strikes some and forbears others: And why not these also, say we? Have not these deserved as much? We have not the patience to suffer God to execute his judgments in such order as seems good unto himself: but we surmise that those whom he does respect, and whom he for a little while forbears, are privileged more than we. But it is contrary: for it had been better for them to have been punished sooner than to be so reserved. And therefore let us not envy them because God forbears them for a time, as though they were exempted from all plagues, but let us tarry till God fetch them about at their turn: for it had been far better for them to have been dispatched out of hand. And therewithal let every one of us look to himself. Let us not trust to the patience that God uses toward us, to deceive ourselves therewith. Indeed when God has been patient and forborne us, it should give us the better disposition to resort unto him, and to hope to find him pitiful, to forgive us our faults and trespasses. But we must not fall asleep thereupon, to dally with him, and to say: O, he has tarried for us, he will yet do the like hereafter; as we see the wicked do, which do but shake their head at it: when they see that God has spared them, they think they are discharged. Let us beware that. For we see how he says, that when we are well appointed, and have fortresses as it were invincible, all must fall on our heads, and we shall be so much the more grievously punished. Thus much have we to remember touching this text.

Now let us mark further, that when we forget our God, we must also forget all the course of nature, and he must needs bereave us of our wits: for it is he on whom all fatherhood depends, he is the wellspring thereof. We should not know what the duty of the parents is toward their children, nor what reverence children do owe to their parents and superiors, unless God did bear the sovereignty. If we refer not all unto him, he will make us become blockish, so as we shall not understand what this fatherly affection toward our children should mean. Thus much for one point.

But by the way, we have to note that the men who did so devour their own children were not so blockish but that they were pinched with terrible heartbitings, and vexed with such furious fearfulness as made them even to abhor that which they did. True it is that they were carried away by force and had no reason in them; but yet for all that, they had certain secret stings and prickings inwardly, and God held them as it were upon the rack or torture, as if he should have said unto them, "What will you do, you wretched creature? It had been better for you to have been born before your time, and that the earth had swallowed you up a hundred times, than you should have committed so terrible a fact: but yet necessity needs must get the upper hand of you." Let us mark therefore, that when we are not meekened by the hand of God, we must then fall into such a woodness as shall overmaster us, and make us torment ourselves without the help of any other executioner, so as every one of us shall execute God's vengeance upon himself, which he had scorned afore and scoffed at. I have said, that here is nothing spoken of, which has not been seen in effect: to wit, that the fathers have eaten their own children, and in like case the mothers. But like as the Jews had most exceedingly provoked God; even so came they to the fullness of iniquity, and consequently it behooved God so to utter his wrath toward them with extremity, as it was seen when they were besieged with their enemies; for then did they eat pigeon's dung, and bought it by gold weight; yea, you shall see that they committed acts against nature in eating one another. But when they had once rejected the Son of God, and had utterly cut themselves off from the hope of salvation by forsaking the Redeemer upon whom were grounded all the promises which had been made unto them concerning the goodness of God; then was it of necessity that those things should be the more accomplished. For if you read the histories, even of them that were of the same nation, and which were present witnesses of the matter; you would think that you heard dreams or fables; and yet for all that, those things were then notoriously known, and noted to be true, and God intended as it were to set up scaffoldings, that it might be seen how his threatening of his people after that manner was not in vain, as we see, and that all men should take example thereat. For they are horrible things, and such as may make our hairs to stand upright, when it is said that the husband shall deceive the wife and steal away the children issued of the bodies of them both, and that the wife likewise shall seek some secret place to cut the throat of her child in, as if she should say, "I will lock up this for myself"; and that both the husbands and the wives should be so mad as to say, "I will eat mine own child." Seeing that all these things were accomplished; and that our Lord has executed such vengeance: let us understand that we ought not to read these things at this day without trembling, even as if God should lay forth his foredenounced vengeance before us in a painted table. Moreover, let us understand that when God had pronounced such sentence against the Jews, it was not executed at the first day. For he waited for them with so long patience, that it seemed that no mischief should light upon them. But when the sore was burst, then was the rottenness perceived which lay hidden afore and the disease was the more deadly. Also let us mark, that if God do bear with us, and afterward do divers ways correct us, and yet not strike so roughly as to come to extremity: we must not think that we are thereby escaped his hand, but we must return unto him, and not tarry till he see our disobedience unreformable, and so be fain to proceed to the extremity of his threatenings. Thus much have we to remember touching this text.

Now finally Moses says: "If thou keepe not all the wordes of this lawe for to doe them, and feare not this dreadfull and glorious name: that is to say the eternal thy God." Verily it seems at the first sight that Moses requires of men above measure, that which is not in their power: for who is he that can fulfill all the law of God? And again, though a man miss in some certain points, should God use such rigor? I have told you heretofore, that he directs this talk towards them that are altogether given over to evil, and to such as are despisers of God to break his law by all means they can. To what end then does he require such perfection? Let us first of all mark that God will not have his law chopped into pieces and gobbets: for therein he sets forth his righteousness unto us. Men therefore must not make a parting of stakes in this case at their own pleasure, as who would say, "I will, for God's honor, abstain from whoredom, but yet I will steal: I will abstain from murder, but yet I will be a blasphemer." No, but seeing that he who has forbidden to rob, has also forbidden to kill; and he who has forbidden fornication, has likewise forbidden to blaspheme: let us learn to obey him in all points and all respects, let us restrain our senses, and bridle our affections, and to be short, let us come to the point to give over ourselves wholly to the service of our God. So ought we to do: and that is the thing also whereunto Moses has respect. For if we miss in any one point, we are accursed of God, and deserve the rigor which is mentioned here. Nevertheless, he of his mercy ceases not to bear with us: yea, and he will never use the great severity that is spoken of here, but towards such as set themselves altogether stubbornly against him. Yet notwithstanding, it is not without cause, that Moses does here exhort the Jews to the perfect observation of the law. A Physician prescribing an order, gives not the bridle to the appetite of his patient, to do anything amiss however little it be: but he says, "I will have you to do thus, and thus." Now if the sick man does step any whit aside, very well, he is not yet incurable, the Physician will have a care of him still. But if he will needs set all at six and at seven (as they say,) and cast off all order, and play the madman; well, he shall have his payment as he deserves. And in like wise will our Lord have us at his commandment in all cases: and good reason. However, there is so great infirmity (I mean even in them who are governed by the Holy Ghost, and who strain themselves to be obedient unto him) that they fail in many respects: but yet however the world goes, sin overmasters them not, they strive not of set purpose to transgress the Law; but they proceed and go forward still: and albeit that they do it limpingly, yet do they hold on still toward God. As touching these they are borne withal. True is that God will chastise them: and in what manner? Even in forgiving them: according to this saying of his, "If thy children transgress my commandments, I will visit their iniquities; but it shall be with the rod of men, and not with extremity: I will not deal with them as with enemies, I will not take away my mercy from them, albeit that I do correct them." Thus does God deal in that behalf. But if our hearts be utterly hardened: then will he war upon us, and destroy us without sparing: and although he bear with us, yet shall all turn to our confusion. That is one thing that we have to remember concerning this Text.

Also, it is a notable point to be observed, where Moses speaks of the yoke of iron. For he says, "That the Lord will lay a yoke of iron upon the neck of all misbelievers until they be altogether consumed." And that is to the end we should learn to receive the corrections which we hear of, and not kick against them. For we see what befell to Ananias, when he mocked at the threatenings of Jeremiah, and came to break the yoke which he had upon his neck, which was a yoke of wood and of cords. The Prophet did wear that yoke, to move the people to consider that they should all become captives, and so to behold their own state in the person of the Prophet. Now this wicked one that was possessed of the devil, (to make the word of God to be naught set by) came to break the bands of Jeremiah, and said, even thus will God break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar: and albeit that he besiege you, and do what he can to carry you away captives into a strange land: yet shall you be preserved by the grace of your God. God threatened, and this fellow mocked all his threatenings: and thereto took the shadow of the name of God to abuse the people. Well then, what won he by such rebellion? It was said to the Prophet: "Take a yoke of iron: for whereas the bondage should have been gentle and tolerable, it must now be so cruel, as they shall not be able to endure any more." See here how he deals with all such as harden their hearts against God, and will not abide to be meekened by his hand. Then let us be afraid of this yoke of iron. First of all, we know that God's yoke is amiable unto all such as willingly yield themselves unto it, and suffer themselves to be governed by the hand of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have the testimony of the Son of God, "My yoke (says he) is easy, and my burden is light. Come to me, and learn that I am lowly and meek." Seeing that our Lord Jesus declares, that they who are teachable and obedient shall perceive that there is neither burden, nor weight, nor grief in his yoke, to oppress them withal: it ought to move us to yield our necks unto it, and to pray God, to put us under it, and also to suffer him to chastise us when we have offended him.

Indeed, the strokes will be grievous unto us, as the Apostle says, and we shall never find the corrections pleasant during the time that God strikes us. We are like little children when they are corrected; we feel it grievous, because our nature does repugn against it. But however we like it, yet God will use that fatherly means, and by little and little teach us to return unto him. But if we will needs tempt his patience to the utmost, he must then use the iron rod to break our heads withal, as it is said in the Psalm: "We shall be driven to feel the iron, which shall serve, not to reclaim us withal, but to break us in pieces and to consume us utterly." And justly. For we do hear what is said here: "If thou wilt not fear the glorious and dreadful name of the eternal thy God." Whence come the despising and contempt of good doctrine, and the boldness that we take to sin, but of this, that we are deaf to all admonitions? Indeed if we could yield ourselves obedient to our God, with a good heart, and with a good affection, and abide at that point continually: we should no sooner hear these threatenings but we should consider thus: "Alas, have we not deserved a grievous curse at God's hand, seeing we have thus striven against him?" We see then that all the evil deeds and disobedience which is committed, do spring of ignorance and of the contempt of God, for that we have not regarded his majesty. Certainly this kind of stubbornness is not always directly of set purpose and foredetermined malice: but yet is there such rudeness in us, that we yield not such a reverence to God, as is requisite, nor the obedience whereby we should endeavor to submit ourselves to his word. And because we are so dull-headed that nothing can quicken us up, when we are called upon to submit ourselves unto God: Moses says expressly, "This dreadful name, this glorious name, to wit, The eternal, thy God." Whereas he says, The eternal or Everlasting: that word imports all glory and Majesty; and therefore ought to ravish us with astonishment: yea, truly; for we should not have this name of God only to use it coldly, to say, "God, God," as they do who have it continually on their lips, and afterward do let it vanish, as though it were a thing of nothing: but we must join both twain together thus, "God, even the same that created us; the same that holds all things in his hand, the same that is honored of the Angels, the same that is of glory infinite, the very same whom all the principalities of heaven cannot abide, at the sight of whom all manner of creatures must be fain to cast down their eyes, even the same which with one only word can make all the earth to tremble, the same that can remove mountains with his only blast, that same that gives being to all manner of creatures, finally the same that maintains and governs all things, and orders all things well, righteously, and with wisdom: the same is he that speaks unto us." And so you see after what manner we use the words of Moses, where he says, "The eternal thy God, this is he that speaks now unto thee." Let us therefore hear him speak, in such sort, as his majesty may possess all our wits, and that thereby we may be so humbled under the same, that when we have worshipped him, we may so remain under his hand, as we suffer ourselves to be governed by him, to follow the rule that he has delivered unto us.

Now let us fall down before the Judgment seat of our God, acknowledging the infinite faults whereof we be guilty, if he listed to execute the office of a Judge against us: and therewithal let us pray him, not to omit to be our father for our Lord Jesus Christ's sake: And that forasmuch as we be guilty of many offences: we may suffer ourselves to be daily cut off from our sins, so as nothing may hinder our coming to him to yield ourselves in such sort unto him, as we may renounce all our wicked affections more and more, until we be thoroughly rid of them, and be clothed with his heavenly righteousness. And so let us all say, Almighty God, heavenly father, &c.

On Friday the 27th of March, 1556.