Sermons upon Deuteronomy

and that for as much as he maketh us his attorneys, it is good reason that every of us should endeavour to discharge himself of his duty. And thereunto doth God himself exhort us, in that he showeth us that the suffering of such evil is an infection & deadly plague, and that our bearing with the things that are clean contrary to his majesty, is a provoking of his wrath against us.

and that for as much as he maketh vs his attourneys, it is good reason that euery of vs should indeuour to discharge himselfe of his duety. And thereunto doth God himselfe exhort vs, in that hee sheweth vs that the suffering of such euil is an infection & deadly plague, and that our bearing with the thinges that are cleane contrarie to his maiestie, is a prouoking of his wrath against vs.

Now remaineth, that we come to this Law that a man shall die at the mouth of two or three witnesses, but not upon the evidence of any one witness alone. This Law serveth for order of government. And indeed the very Heathen were taught by nature to follow this order, so as they could well say it was requisite that a matter should be proved by a couple of witnesses. And this was printed in their minds, because our Lords will was to hold mankind continually in some kind of uprightness, and that discretion should be used. But we have this doctrine the better confirmed, in that God speaketh it with his own mouth & sayeth, that a man shall die at the mouth of two or three witnesses, and not upon the report of any one. Then let us bear in mind, that things ought not to be judged at all adventure without lawful proof. Nevertheless, it may be that even the Judge himself may sometimes be a witness in a matter▪ and yet notwithstanding he must judge contrary to that he knoweth. If a man say, he doth amiss: Nay, he could do no otherwise, and he doeth well. For if I be a Judge, and no body but my self doth know a man to be faulty, so as I can have no witness of his doing•: I must let him alone, because I cannot remedy it, & he must be quit by my sentence. And this dealing of mine is no prejudice to my conscience: for I condemn him before god as he deserveth: but yet I let his crime alone still concealed, until God discover it and bring it to light. Now then let us mark that for civill orders sake, we must always observe this rule, that we judge not but upon good proof, so as the matter be known