Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Now as touching the second, Moses saith, that the Jews must not eat of all manner of meats, but that they must have a care to discern between the clean beasts and the unclean. And afterward he nameth the beasts, whereof it was lawful for §40them to eat: & also the several kinds which it was not lawful for them to touch. And to be short, he saith that the beasts which chaw Cud, (that is to say; which keep in their mouths the last of their meat, to chaw it again) are clean, so as they might eat of them, conditionally that those beasts do also cleave the hoof. Now, to seek here for nice points, as what this should mean, that the hooves should be cloven, or that they should chaw the cud; were no matter to be greatly stood upon.§50 And as for them that have pried into the matter to fetch the new & the old Testament out of the beasts cleaving of their hooves, & have told us that we must needs put a difference betwixt them; & moreover, that we must chew our cud, that is to say feed upon the doctrine again and again, that we may the better digest it, because it is the food of our souls: it is too too curious. For if it be so, what do the scales of the fishes betoken? There will be occasion of seeking everywhere, and we §60shall fall into many fond speculations. And therefore let us be advised to use modesty in this case. Some hold opinion that God had no further respect but to the health of mens bodies, when he forbade the eating of such beasts as he termeth unclean, & they think that God plaid the part of a Physician. But that is too cold & too barren stuff, & the scripture showeth us the contrary. In deed a man may well think that our Lord had regard what was good and convenient for mens bodies: but to think that he had a further consideration, than to spy out what meats were best for mans health; that is too childish a matter. And (as I said afore) it is no matter for us to scan upon, seeing the holy Ghost hath told us plainly, that god aimed at a far other end. Let us mark well then, that this commandment is no such order as is wont to be prescribed by a physician for the preservation of a mans health: but a ceremonial law that served for Gods people in the time of the law, to hold them in obedience and to lead them up higher and higher to the cleanness of the mind:

Nowe as touching the second, Moses saith, that the Iewes must not eate of all manner of meates, but that they must haue a care to discerne betweene the cleane beastes and the vncleane. And afterward hee nameth the beastes, whereof it was lawful for