Sermons upon Deuteronomy

And here is mention made of Coree, Dathan, and Abiram, that is to wit, of such as could not abide §60the observing of things in such sort as God had then commanded them by Moses. True it is that they professed themselves to be Gods chosen, & the children of Abraham: mark it for one point. For they alleged that they were sanctified; their intent was that their circumcision should be as a warrant for them that they were a holy & sacred generation. But yet for all that, they would none of the priesthood, at leastwise not as God had ordained it, but every of them would have it to him self. Now I pray you, have not we for our part seen the like rebellion against God & his word? For wherefore hath all the skirmishing bin, both against the doctrine & against the discipline of the church with such rage: but to displace the order that God set among us? When heretics, (yea even such heretics as brought mo blasphemies than ever were herd of since there was any christian Church) came hither: they were maintained here with tooth & nail, & openly, yea even by such as sate in the seat of Justice: in so much as they took part with them, and showed them as much favour as Turks should have under Mahomet. Afterward when other heretics came hither to bring in Freewill again, & to set it up to the derogation of Gods grace, blaspheming his election and Providence: they had those men for their Patrons & Advocates, which ought to have bin their Judges: & those spake for them in our presence, and that with such impudency, as if they had bent them selves like bulls to strike us with their horns, & to set themselves as shamefully as could be, against God and his doctrine. This have we seen. Again, when things were showed them so plainly by the holy scripture, as would have been received even among the very papists, and when so clear and evident texts were alleged, as could not be gain said, which things we not only spake by mouth, but also gave them the articles in writing, & set down the sentences of the scripture whereby the truth was pointed to as with ones finger: They were not ashamed to reject all, but stepped forth proudly still, as it were to say; we will fight against God whatsoever come of it. True it is that they spewed not out such sayings with full mouth, for they protested still to hold themselves to the Gospel. O (said they) our desire is to have the Gospel.

And here is mention made of Coree, Dathan, and Abiram, yt is to wit, of such as could not abide §60