Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Now he addeth, that the party which hath done the misdeed, shall be conveyed out at the gate: and why so? For (saith Moses) he hath committed abomination before the Lord, whether it be man or woman as he had said afore. For it is such a sin as is wicked and grievous in the eyes of the Lord. Wherein he doth us to understand, that we must not judge after our own imagination, whether that deed be worthy of death or no. For it is a thing which beguileth many men, & maketh them to strive against God and to blaspheme his Law: that they will needs give sentence of them selves according to their own opinion. But contrariwise our Lord bringeth us back here to his will. It is evil in my sight (saith he) it displeaseth me; I abhor it. And he telleth us moreover, that we must rest upon his word, saying: I have commanded it. Hereby therefore let us take warning that we judge not at all adventure & with devilish boldness as these gallants do nowadays, which would not have religion to come in judgement for the punishing of blasphemy and such other like things which are committed against the honour of God. To be short, they would not have the Magistrates to sit in judgement upon any fault committed against the first table. If any fault be committed against men, as robbery, riot, murder, or adultery; they be contented that it shall be punished, but if Gods name be blasphemed; if any abomination be committed to the putting away of all fear of god; if heresies spring up to the trouble of the Church, and to the perverting of all order: they would have that to be suffered & excused. And what leadeth them thereto, but the said hellish pride, that when a thing misliketh not them, they think that God should yield to their liking? But therein appeareth their ⟨p. 635⟩overweening matched with ungodliness of making none account of God, forasmuch as they can find in their hearts that his majesty should be so lightly esteemed at all assays▪ Howbeit, let us for our part mark what is set down here, namely that if any evil displease the eyes of the Lord, it is not to be borne withal: neither must we in that case lean to our own wisdom, as if we would say; O, I will show my verdict of it. No, no, we must think it enough that God holdeth §10it for abomination, and that he cannot away with any such thing.

Now he addeth, that the partie which hath done the misdeede, shalbe conueyed out at the gate: and why so? For (saith Moses) hee hath committed abhomination before the Lorde, whether it be man or woman as hee had saide afore. For it is such a sinne as is wicked and grieuous in the eyes of the Lord. Wherin he doth vs to vnderstand, that we must not iudge after our own imagination, whether that deede be worthy of death or no. For it is a thing which beguileth many men, & maketh them to striue against God and to blaspheme his Law: that they will needs giue sentence of them selues according to their owne opinion. But contrariwise our Lord bringeth vs backe here to his will. It is euill in my sight (saith he) it displeaseth me; I abhorre it. And hee telleth vs moreouer, that we must rest vpon his worde, saying: I haue commanded it. Hereby therfore let vs take warning that wee iudge not at all aduenture & with diuelish boldnesse as these galants do nowadays, which would not haue religiō to come in iudgement for the punishing of blasphemie and such other like things which are committed against ye honor of God. To be short, they would not haue the Magistrates to sit in iudgement vppon any fault committed against ye first table. If any fault be committed against men, as robbery, ryot, murther, or aduowtry; they be contented that yt shalbe punished, but if Gods name be blasphemed; if any abhomination be committed to the putting away of al feare of god; if heresies spring vp to ye trouble of the Church, and to the peruerting of all order: they would haue that to be suffered & excused. And what leadeth them thereto, but the saide hellish pride, that when a thing misliketh not them, they thinke yt God shoulde yeeld to their lyking? But therin appeareth their