Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

Neither was the Lord therewith content, but commanded Moses to call together all the people, six hundred thousand men, I say, with their wives and children. They are called out to the mount Sinai, where God appeareth in a wonderful and terrible fashion, and he him self preaching to the congregation, doth rehearse unto them the ten Commandments. But the people being terrified with the majesty of God, doth pray and beseech, that God him self would no more afterward, preach to the congregation with his own mouth, saying, that it were enough, if he would use Moses as an interpreter to them, and by him speak to the Church. The most high God did like the offer, and after that, he spake to the people by Moses, what soever he would have done. And for because that the people was a stifnecked people, & by keeping company with Idolaters in Egypt, was not a little corrupted, Moses now began to set down in writing, those things which the holy fathers by tradition had taught, & the things also which the Lord had revealed unto him. The cause why he wrote them was, least peradventure, by oblivion, continuance of time, and obstinacy of a people so slow to believe, they might either perish, or else be corrupted. The Lord also set Moses an example to follow. For what so ever God had spoken to the Church in Mount Sinai, that same did he straight way after, write with his own finger in two tables of stone, as he had with his finger from the beginning of the world written the same in the harts of the fathers. Afterward also in plain words, he commanded Moses to write what soever the Lord had revealed. Moses obeyed the Lords commandment and writ them. The holy Guest which was wholly in the mind ⟨p. 8⟩of Moses directed his hand as he writ. There was no ability wanting in Moses, that was necessary for a most absolute writer. He was abundantly instructed by his ancestors. For he was borne of the holiest progeny of those fathers, whom God had appointed to be witnesses of his will, commandments, and judgements, suppose Amram, Kahad, Jacob, Shem, Methusalem, and Adam. He was able therefore, to write a true and certain History, from the beginning of the world, even until his own time. Whereunto he added those things, which were done among the people of God in his own life time, whereof he was a very true witness, as one that saw and heard them.

Neyther was the Lord therewith content, but commaunded Meles to call together all the people, sixe hundreth thousand men, I say, with their wiues and children. They are called out to the mount Sina, where God appeareth in a wonderfull and terrible fashion, and he him selfe preaching to the congregation, doth rehearse vnto them the ten Commaundements. But the people being terrified with the maiestie of God, doth pray and beséech, that God him self would no more afterward, preach to the congregatiō with his owne mouth, saying, that it were inoughe, if he would vse Moses as an interpreter to them, and by him speake to the Church. The most high God did like the offer, and after that, he spake to the people by Moses, what soeuer he would haue done. And for bycause that the people was a stifnecked people, & by keping company with Idolaters in Egypt, was not a little corrupted, Moses nowe began to set downe in writing, those things whiche ye holy fathers by tradition had taught, & the things also which the Lorde had reuealed vnto him. The cause why he wrote them was, least peraduenture, by obliuion, continuance of time, and obstinancie of a people so slowe to beleeue, they might either perish, or else be corrupted. The Lord also set Moses an example to folow. For what so euer God had spoken to the Church in Mount Sina, that same did he streight way after, write with his owne finger in two tables of stone, as he had with his finger frō the beginning of ye world writtē the same in the harts of the fathers. Afterward also in plain words, he commaunded Moses to write what soeuer the Lord had reueled. Moses obeyed the Lordes commaundement and writ them. The holy Gheste whiche was wholye in the mynde