Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 26
On Munday the iij. of Iune. 1555. The xxvj. Sermon which is the eight vponupon the fourth Chapter.
27 And the Lorde God shall scatter you among the Heathen, and ye shall remaine fewe in nomber among the Nations whither the Lord will bring you.
28 And there ye shall serue gods which are the worke of mans hand, wood & stone, which neither see nor heare, eate nor smell.
29 And there thou shalt seeke the Lorde thy God, and thou shalt finde him if thou seeke him with all thy heart and with all thy soule.
30 And when thou art in tribulation and all these thinges are come vponupon thee: in the end thou shalt returne vntounto the Lord thy God and obey his voyce.
31 For the Lord thy God is a merciful God: he will not forsake thee, nor destroy thee, nor forget the Couenant of thy fathers which he sware to them.
WEe hauehave saide heretofore, that Gods vsing of the similitude of fire, is not to dismay vsus in such sort as we should not come vntounto him: but contrariwise to make vsus come to him with reuerence. For what shoulde it boote men to bee striken in such terrour, as shoulde make them shrinke away from GOD, and loth to hauehave any thing to do with him? Againe we know that our Lorde hath not any other marke or intent,Ezec. 18.23. than to winne vsus to him and to drawe vsus to saluation. Nowe the onelyonly meane thereof, is to goe right foorth vntounto him, and to bee ioyned vntounto him. Wherfore let vsus beare well in minde this lesson, that Gods intent is not to scare vsus in such wise, as we should shun him: and that is the thing which we hauehave to gather at this time vponupon that which is rehearsed here. For the threate that Moses giueth here, is hard: but yet it serueth to bring the people backe to God. If thou disobey the voyce of the Lord thy God (saieth he,) thou shalt bee scattered. Flatter not thy selfe wt his choosing of thee from among all other Nations to bee his inheritance, nor with his giuing of thee this lande in possession: for he can well ynough bereaue thee of all these benefites. Yet notwithstanding, hee addeth that if God see repentance in his people, after he hath chastised them: he will bring them againe & deale fauourably with them, so as they shall feele him to bee a mercifull God, and such a one as powreth not out his rigor with extremitie vponupon offenders, when he seeth that they bee not vtterly past amendment. What is to be done then? First of all, when wee heare this sentence which God gaue in olde time vppon his people: let vsus learne to beware that wee abuse not his goodnesse. Let vsus goe to him with all humilitie while he allureth vsus by gentlenesse, as the Apostle declareth in the Epistle to the Hebrewes.He. 12.18.22. For there he saieth that wee bee not come to Mount Sinay where there was nothing but flashes of Lightening, and Thundercraks: and where the people were so amazed, as they looked for present death. What remaineth then? Behold (saith he,) God calleth vsus by his Gospell, to the intent wee should bee fellowes with the Angels, & with the spirits of the faithful, and that we should bee verie Citizens of his kingdome. Seeing it is so (saieth he:) let vsus enter into the heauenly Ierusalem, for our God is a consuming fire. It should seeme at the first sight that there is some contrarietie in these two sayings, That wee should come boldly and after an assured maner to our God: and also that he should bee a consuming fire. But both these agree verie well togither. For first the Apostle sheweth that wee ought not to be so afraide of the Maiestie of our God, as that wee should shunne him, but rather consider that there is nothing in him but gentlenesse. But yet therewithall wee must knowe also, that wee must worship him vnfainedly: or else wee must learne that he can well reuenge himselfe of such as shal hauehave abused his grace, and of such as shall hauehave held scorne of it. Therefore let vsus receiue Gods goodnesse when it is offered vsus, & that with such reuerence and lowelinesse, as wee prouoke him not to wrath against vsus, ne make him to arme himselfe as he doeth against the despisers of his grace.
But nowe let vsus come to that which Moses saieth here. The Lord thy God (saieth he) will scatter thee among the Heathen, and there thou shalt bee fewe in nomber, and thou shalt serue straunge Gods that are made with mans hand. Here Moses setteth Gods curses against all the benefites that he had promised to his people. It was a singular benefite that the people were gathered into one bodie, that they had a land alone by themselues, that they were settled quietly there, and that euerie man had a house of his owne. But here he saieth that they shall be driuē out of it. The first threat then betokeneth that the people of the Iewes shall bee thrust out of the land that God had giuen them. And let vsus mark herewithall, that the bringing of the people into that lande, was not onelyonly to the intent they should liue at their ease and in rest: but to the intent they should also be sanctified vntounto God. The Land of Chanaan was as a mirror of the heauenly life, so that by dwelling there ye people were assured that they were the children of God: and therefore this threate that they should be driuen out among the heathen Nations, was not to bee esteemed lightly. Also it is said that there shall bee a small nomber left of them. But we knowe that among other things, God had promised Abraham to multiplie his seede as the Starres of the skie,Gen. 1….….22.17. and as the sande of the Sea. It is said here that they shall be fewe in nomber: yea, and wee see they had bin euen as Sodom and Gomorrhe, so as they had perished euerichone, if God had not vouchsafed to reserue some little seede to himselfe, as is said in the Prophet Esay.Esa. 1.… Lastly it is said that they shall serue straunge goddes which are made with mans hand. This is the grieuousest punishment of all, that the Iewes which had Gods Lawe, should neuerthelesse bee subiect to such tyrannie, as to bee faine to worship the idoles of the Heathen, so as they should hauehave no Religion among them but such as should defile them, and that all their toyling of themselues should bee but to their greater condemnation. Thus wee see in effect what this text comprehendeth. Now remaineth that we apply it to our instruction.
First therefore let vsus learne to vse well the benefites that God bestoweth vponupon vsus, and to submit our selues vntounto him seeing he sheweth himselfe so friendly and louing towardes vsus, assuring our selues that he can well take away the things that he hath giuen vsus. Not that wee must bee afraide that God will not continue his goodnesse still towardes vsus, yea and also increase it if we on our side walke aright, and continue in the possession of ye things that he hath put into our hands: but that such as despise God, shal feele that he is not bound to them, nor vnable to pluck ye things out of their fistes which he had giuen them. Let vsus therefore possesse Gods benefits in feare and carefulnesse. This is the thing in effect, which we hauehave to gather vppon the said saying of Moses. True it is, that wee hauehave not nowe adayes a land of Chanaan, so as Gods Church should be separated into some one countrie, where it pleaseth him to hauehave his name called vppon: but yet notwithstanding if wee hauehave a place where wee may serue him vncorruptly, hee graunteth vsus a speciall grace, and wee ought to set great store by it. And if wee know not that: we shall feele that Moses hath not sayd in vaine, that we shall become lyke other nations. How many nations see wee in these dayes, that inioye the lyke benefite as GOD hath bestowed vppon vsus? Nay contrariwise, they yt hauehave any tast of the Gospell, doe languishe among the enemies of the faith, and are there as sheepe in the woolues mouth, wandering vp and down as in a wildernesse, while in the meane time our God keepeth vsus as in his flocke. Seeing then that wee hauehave such an aduantage: is it not reason that wee shoulde streyne our selues to serue God, and that wee should liue peaseably vnderunder his hand, seeing hee doth vsus the honor to receiue vsus, as in deede it is he that gouerneth vsus, and the thing is as apparant as any thing may be? Now then if wee will needes bee ouerlustie, the threate that was vttered in olde time against the Iewes will light vppon our heades. And as it is sayde here that they shall bee fewe in number: so although GOD hauehave gathered a greate sorte of vsus together, hee can well enough diminishe our number, if wee misbehaue our selues: and in the end, ye thing that is most of all to bee feared will come vponupon vsus, that is to wit, yt we shall serue straunge Gods. And in deede if we cannot finde in our heartes to beare Gods yoke, but are loth to be subiect vntounto him: is it not reason that wee should be vnderunder a cleane contrarie gouernment, that is to wit, that we should be bereft of the true and pure religion, and be plunged in idolatrie? We heare what hee sayth by his prophet Ezechiel.Eze. 20.11.13 For hauing blamed ye Iewes for their vnthankfulnesse, he addeth yt his deliuering of thē into ye handes of tyrants, is rightfull. I hauehave giuē them (sayth he) a good & holy lawe, yea euen wt promis, yt if they walked in it, they should finde lyfe and welfare therein: and I cannot tel what I might hauehave done more for them. What a thing is it, that God doth vsus the honor to rule vsus, and to take the paine to guide vsus all our lyfe long? Againe, seeing he addeth a promise, that his teaching of vsus is for our welfare: if we will not yeeld our selues teachable vntounto him, but shake off his yoke lyke wood beastes: is it not reason that we should be cast into most vile slauerie, seeing we cānot abide such a master as our God, specially sith he desireth not to rule vsus otherwise than to our welfare? [yes, and therefore] the creatures, yea and euen the diuell himselfe in the end must reigne ouer vsus. For that is the thing which Ezechiel meaneth by the Tyrannie of Babylon.
For there (sayth he) they shall hauehave lawes giuen thē for their own tooth, and such lawes as they can finde in their heartes to keepe: but they shall not liue by them. When they hauehave toyled themselues to the vttermost, and payde impostes and tributes to the infidels: yet shall they bee faine to serue their idols too, so as they shall defile and beray themselues with all superstitions. And what shalbe their rewarde? Euerlasting death. That is the payment of all such as cannot finde in their heartes to serue God quietly, and to keepe his law and his word. But to the intent wee may not thinke that this serued but for that one time: Moses sheweth that the lyke should befall to all such as misbehaue themselues and withdrawe themselues from the Church. And this vengeance of God hath bin accomplished vppon the greater parte of the world, as we see already. For whence came the hellish confusion of poperie? Euen of gods iust punishment for the rebelliousnesse of the world, because men were hardharted and would not stoope. For when God caused his Gospel to be published: then was the trumpet sounded, to the end that all men both great and small should hauehave bin brought vntounto him. But we see what befel on mens behalf. They would in no wise stoop: they were very loth to doe that. And not that onelyonly, but also some defied God openly when hee would hauehave brought them to his lure: and othersom made countenāce of obediēce through hipocrisie, but it lasted not: for they were vnconstant and fled touch anon after. Therefore it behoued him to punishe such spiteful wickednesse, and so he did. Because they would not obey the trueth: therefore did lying get the maisterie of them.2. Thes. 2.11 God gaue Satan the bridle, so as his errors wrought effectually, in besotting such as had wilfully shut their eyes, against the doctrine of saluation when it was offered them. Now then sith we see that God offereth vsus great good nowadayes in gathering vsus into his flocke, and in giuing vsus his worde whereby we hauehave life and saluation: let vsus learne to inioy so greate a benefite. For God mocketh vsus not when hee telleth vsus that he is our father and Sauiour. Hee taketh not the thinges with the one hand which he gaue vsus with the other. OnelyOnly let vsus be contented to continue still in the possession of his grace.
But yet besides this, let vsus stand in feare of this horrible curse of seruing straunge Gods, and of being bereft of the pure religion, for refusing to make our commoditie of the honor and priuiledge that God giueth vsus in drawing vsus to him, and in shewing vsus that hee is willing to reigne among vsus. And Moses speaketh here expresly of the vanitie of idols, to the ende that the people may bee the better touched therewith. For the wretched Paynims in worshipping a peece of woodde or stone, could not conceiue what an abhomination it is to worship a dead thing. But they that knew the liuing God, euen the GOD that giueth lyfe to all thinges, ought better to perceiue that it is against nature, yea and a detestable thing, to worship a puppet so, whether it were made of woodde, or cast of mettall either golde or siluer. For they bee all of them corruptible creatures: and without GOD there is no lyfe, without his power there is no mouing.
So then Moses hath set downe these circumstances,Act. 17.28. to ye end that the people might knowe that they shoulde not be punished lightly, but that in disobeying God and in refusing to keepe themselues holy vntounto him: they shoulde defile themselues. And it is good reason that when God hath shed foorth his grace vppon vsus, wee should bee punished the more grieuously, if wee cannot profite our selues by it. The more then yt eueryevery of vsus hath made proceedinges in Gods grace: the more earnest let him be to louelove him and serue him: vnlesse we will hauehave him on the contrary part, to vse the extreme rigor that is spoken of here.
Howbeit herewithall (as I hauehave touched already) Moses sheweth that God will not so punishe his people as to leaue them in despayre: but that hee intendeth a cleane contrary ende, that is to wit, to bring them to repentance. And surely this is a very notable place. For although God thunder against vsus, so as to our seeming we may iudge by all lykelyhood, that he is minded to make cleane riddance of vsus without any merciemercy: yet notwithstanding hee seeketh our saluation by that meanes, and giueth vsus alwayes space of repentance: at leastwise so long as his word is preached vntounto vsus. For somtimes the gate is shut vp, and we must euer beare in minde how the prophet Esay sayth,Esa. 55.6. Seeke the Lorde while hee may be found. And againe in another place correspondent vntounto this,Esa. 49.8. he sayth, I hauehave heard thee in conuenient time, I hauehave succored thee in the day of saluation. Hereby it is shewed vsus, that there is still space of repentaunce, and the gate is still open for vsus to come vntounto God. so long as hee giueth vsus his worde. But if wee passe not to enter while GOD giueth vsus the meane: wee shall bee bereft of his worde, and then may wee well seeke after him, howbeit but as blinde folkes that grope in the darke: for the Lorde will hauehave shut vsus out from him. But here Moses teacheth, that although God seeme vnmeasurably sharpe in chastising his children▪ yet notwithstanding he giueth them space of repentance, and ceaseth not to hauehave a care of their saluation. For hee sayth, When thou art so scattered, if thou seeke thy God: thou shalt finde him: yea verily, if thou seeke him with all thy heart and with all thy soule. Now, that wee may the better vnderstand the thinges that are conteyned here: let vsus note first of all, that when men are once gone away vntounto wickednesse, it is very hard to fetch them backe againe, vnlesse they bee subdewed by maine force. And that ment Moses to expresse in saying, Then shalt thou seeke the Lord thy God. When is this then? not when the people are ful fed, nor when they hauehave store of al Gods benefites: for wee shall see in the song, how the people are lykened to ouerpampered horses, which are kicking and wincing against their masters,Deut. 32.15. and will not suffer thēselues to be handled. Moses then meaneth that the people should be faine to bee reformed after a forcible manner: for (as I sayd afore) that is our nature. If wee be once gone astray, GOD shall neuer get vsus home againe, till hee hauehave throughly tamed vsus. True it is that hee coulde goe another way to worke, and it is not for that he is vnable to reclayme vsus by his holy spirite, if hee listed: but hee intendeth to shewe vsus what our lewdenesse is, and that is the cause why he vseth these inferiour meanes. This is the first poynt which we hauehave to marke vppon this place.
And hereunto aunswereth that which is written in the second of Osee:Osee. 2.5. for there our Lorde complayneth of the Iewes, saying that they bee lyke a harlot that hath forsaken her husband, and giuen ouer her selfe to all commers, bearing her selfe in hand that she is best at ease when she may receiue rewardes, and bee catching and snatching on all sides: so that (to her seeming) if shee were an honest wife, she should bee faine to be contented with a little, whereas now being a strumpet, shee eateth of the deyntiest morsels, and hath store of presentes brought her. God therefore sayth that the Iewes were in the same taking, when they were in louelove with their idols, and in the meane time fathered all their good thinges vppon them. What shall I doe now, sayth the Lorde? When yee say, it is our idols that giuegive vsus meate and drinke: ye be vnthankefull vntounto mee: for yee hauehave receiued all these thinges at my hand. Now therefore I must be faine to bereaue you of them. I will take away the bread and wine wherewith yee hauehave bin susteined, and your wool and flaxe & all other thinges. I will bring you out (sayth he) into the wildernesse, I will make you to pine away there, yee shall be lyke a wretched harlot, which after she hath played the naughtipacke, and hath runne gadding here and there, and in the ende hath bin driuen to eate her owne dung and filth, is reiected of all men, and dyeth for hunger and thirst, not hauing wherewith to couer her shame. Thus will I handle you (sayth he:) and then shall ye finde that there is nothing better than to sticke to me. Yee shal say, Alas where is my husband that dealt so gently with me? I must be faine to returne to him. By this similitude the prophet doth vsus to vnderstand, yt when men giuegive themselues to lewdnes, and doe not serue and honor GGD, after he hath giuen them his worde: they must bee reformed by force. And why? For as long as they liue at their ease, they forget themselues, they flatter themselues, they be proude, and thinke they may euen despise God. For when God pincheth vsus not, nor maketh vsus to feele his strong hand: we take occasion thereat to sooth our selues in our vices, so that wee hauehave neede (as I said afore) to be reformed by Gods striking vppon vsus with maine blowes. For if hee dally with vsus, it will breede our destruction and decay. And surely there is not a notabler poynt than this: For wee thinke it straunge, that God should vse so sundry sortes of rigor in this world: but in the meane while wee consider not the hardnesse of mens heartes. For although Gods curses hauehave their full scope, so as we see warres on the one side and famine on the other, and eueryevery man cryes out alas: yet notwithstanding, who is hee that looketh to the hand that smiteth? Howe many returne to GOD for all that? doth it not rather seeme that sinners hauehave conspired to resist God still? Nowe seeing it is so, let vsus marke that Gods shewing of himselfe so rigorous, is not without cause, and let vsus impute it to our owne selues. Then if any of vsus bee afflicted alone, or all of vsus in common, so as we bee smitten with Gods scourges: let vsus vnderstande that wee hauehave neede of it, and that it serueth to stoppe our mouthes, that we grudge not against God, assuring our selues that his nipping of vsus after that fashion is not causelesse.
Besides this, let vsus also learne to comfort our selues sith wee see the ende that God aymeth at. For like as hee sheweth himselfe rough and sharpe: so will he also hauehave vsus to tast of his louelove and care towardes vsus: that is to wit, that forasmuch as we hauehave forgotten him & turned our backes to him, & not fought to him, but rather indeuored to flee from him: his intent is to drawe vsus to him by that meanes, and to induce vsus to seeke him againe. Ye see then that the true comfort of wretched sinners when God scourgeth them, is to consider thus with themselues: yet GOD hath pitie vppon vsus: in deede wee remembered not him: but yet for all that, hee hath not forgotten vsus, and that doeth hee shewe by the effect. Neuerthelesse, the cheefest [comfort] is in this that Moses addeth, namely, that they shall finde God if they seeke him. For if wee goe to seeke God, being onelyonly in distresse and trouble: can wee hauehave any courage to come vntounto him? True it is that when the wretched vnbeleeuers are distressed, they toyle themselues and doe all that they can to seeke God. We see that euen in the Popedome, when men are in sorrowe and hauehave their sinnes laide afore them, [their saying is,] goe to, let vsus see if wee can pacifie God. But as for them, they hauehave no warrant that God will receiue them, neither trust they to his free promises, neither pray they in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ. They can well speake of repentaunce: but (to their owne seeming) God should receiue them for their owne worthinesse, and not otherwise. And so wee see they come thither as it were doubting: for it is certaine that such repentance is ful of hipocrisie. For why? They be not sure of Gods goodnesse: nay they neuer wist what it ment. But as for vsus, let vsus put the thing in vre which is sayd in the psalme,Psal. 86.5. Lord, thy mercy is euer ready in thee. Hereby it is shewed vsus that we can neuer returne vntounto God, to submit our selues vntounto him: vnlesse wee taste his merciemercy, that wee may trust to it and rest vppon it. That is the cause why I tolde you that wee must marke the text where Moses sayth, If thou seeke the Lorde thy God, thou shalt finde him. Will wee then be prouoked to repentance when we hauehave sinned? Let vsus hearken to the promises that GOD hath giuen vsus. For there hee assureth vsus that as soone as wee open our mouth to pray,Psal. 32.5. & 50.15. and …45.19. …sa. 65.23. he will stretch out his hand to succour vsus at our neede: yea and that he will preuent vsus, so as wee neede not distrust him that hee will not receiue vsus to mercy, seeing we hauehave such a warrant.
Howbeit forasmuch as men would alwayes pacify God with countenances and ceremonies: Moses addeth purposely, that wee must seeke him with heart and with soule. I sayd that men are euer desirous to content God with trifling thinges: and wee see it too much. For when they speake of repentance or penaunce in poperie: what meane they by that worde, but that men must vse much liplabour, and make a sorte of Apes toyes? But the heart must abide stil locked vp, and men must in no wise rid themselues of their wicked affections, nor clense them away. They will alwayes keepe a backe shop behinde, and in the meane season if they shewe some good outward signe, they thinke it is enough, and that God ought not to presse them any further. They be dubble hearted: and therfore they woulde hauehave God to receiue but the one halfe of that which he requireth: and the other halfe they woulde pay him as it were in way of raunsome. But as for vsus, let vsus on our side learne to vnderstand, that to finde him, and to be receiued of him, wee must seeke him with al our heart, and with all our soule. Not that wee can come vntounto him with such perfection as were to bee wished: but yet must we hauehave this soundnesse with vsus, that wee seeke no lurkingholes, but rather examine our sinnes throughly, and when wee hauehave condemned them, seeke the remedie with sighing and groning, that it may please our God to reclayme vsus to him, so as wee condemning our owne sinnes, may desire nothing so much as to be reformed according to his righteousnesse. Thus yee see what it is to seeke God with all our heart and with all our soule. And when wee go so to worke, let vsus not thinke that wee shall bee disappointed of the promise which hee made to the fathers of olde time. And so yee see that the thing which we hauehave to marke vppon this place is that forasmuch as wee come not to God of our owne good wil, we are faine to be driuen to it by force, and that is the cause of the afflictions that God sendeth vsus.
Furthermore we must also cōsider his fatherly goodnes in striking vsus: for he doth it to bring vsus home againe to him by that meane. And how come we thither? It would behoue vsus to be stripped starke naked out of all selftrust, and to be vtterly cast downe in our selues: but wee cannot away with yt, because our nature driueth vsus ye clean contrary way. But yet for al yt, we see we hauehave wherwith to cōfort vsus in our afflictions▪ 1. Pet. 4.12.For our Lorde seeketh not our destruction,Ezech. 18.23 but bringeth vsus home againe to himselfe: and yt not doubtfully: but assuredly warranting vsus that if wee come vntounto him, it shall not be in vaine, neither shall we be disappointed. Why? For if wee seeke him, wee shall finde him. But therewithall let vsus looke well to it, that there be no feining nor dubblenesse in vsus: for God cannot away with such hipocrisie.
And now it is immediatly sayd, When these aduersities are come vppon you, yee shall returne to your GOD and obey his voyce. And because the Lorde is mercifull, hee will not forget you nor caste you out of his presence, nor out of the couenaun… of your fathers. This serueth to expresse yet better the doctrine which I touched where Moses saide, When these miseries are come vponupon you, then shall you seeke your God. For he sheweth that men play the drunken folke so long as God dealeth gently with them: and that they cannot perceiue their sinnes, except they be made to smart. When these miseries hauehave caught hold of you, thē (saith he) &c. By the miseries yt he speaketh of, he meaneth the punishments wherewith he had threatened the people before. To be short, God must be faine to shewe vsus his wrath to our faces, and to make vsus to feele it: or else we conceiue it not. And we see it is so. For when we be daily told of Gods wrath, we make but a sport of it, it moues vsus not a whit. And why? Because wee be earthly and fleshly, and therefore God is faine to make vsus feele his wrath and vengeance according to our rudenesse. Yet notwithstanding we bee still nice and tender, insomuch that if wee feele any thing amisse in our bodies, and that we hauehave not our owne desires: we be by and by vexed & greeued, and by that meanes God amendeth vsus. Not that we be humbled at ye first stripe: but we come to it by litle and litle and as it were by degrees, so as in the end God maketh his corrections auaylable. And whereas I say that God bringeth vsus home to him by the chastisements that hee sendeth vsus: that is not generall to all men. Wee see that the vnbeleeuers become the frowarder, insomuch that when God chastiseth them for their sinnes, they storme against him, they gnash their teeth, and in the end they fall to despaire. But this saying concerneth those that are rightly of Gods Church: those when they bee chastised are willing to returne to God in their aduersities. Thus ye see what Moses meant to expresse in saying, Whē these miseries shal hauehave caught hold of thee. As if he had said, so long as your God suffreth you to liue in rest, so long as hee setteth not your sinnes before you, so long as he calleth you not to a reckoning: you thinke your selues out of daunger, and that no man can hurt you, and (which worse is) your faults neuer come to your remembraunces. But if yee be once pinched with aduersitie, then will yee cling to your God. Hereby wee be warned againe, to beare the corrections patiently which God sendeth vsus: for they doe vsus good: whereas prosperitie blindeth vsus and breedeth our destruction. True it is yt gods gentle handling of vsus, ought not to cause vsus to despise him nor to neglect him. Whē God sheweth himselfe louing towards vsus, surely wee ought to be the more inclined thereby to louelove him. But what? Our dragging cleane backward, bewrayeth that prosperitie is not good for vsus. And therefore our Lorde must be faine to scourge vsus. Wherefore let vsus learne not to bee grieued out of measure when God beateth vsus so with his roddes: but to beare his stripes meekely, forasmuch as wee see that the ende thereof is to our welfare according as it is sayd here, when thou art pinched with aduersitie. Yea and if our Lord hauing smitten vsus after one sorte doe dubble his stripes: let vsus not murmure against him as we be inclined to doe. For [sometimes] they that hauehave bin patient in some one aduersitie, fall to storming and chasing against God whē it commeth to the second or the third. But wee must not doe so. For on the contrarie part, wee see our Lorde withdraweth not his hand at the first as soone as he hath chastised vsus once: and wee abide by it still. In deede when wee feele any aduersitie, we will set a good face vppon it at the first, and say, very well, seeing that God chastiseth mee. I must returne vntounto him. But let him turne his hād on the other side: and we fal to fretting and chafing by and by. Therefore we must be chastised throughly: that is to say, God must let vsus alone in distresse, & aduersitie must so ouermaister vsus, as we may be throughly tamed, & it may so stick by our ribs, that when he shall hauehave withdrawen his hand, we may remember it al our lyfe after. Then let vsus learne that wee must be patient in our aduersities, not onelyonly for a day or twayne, or for some affection: but so as we holde out quietly vnderunder the hand of our God, euen when he dubleth and increaseth his stripes. That is the effect of the thing which we hauehave to marke.
Now when Moses sayth, The Lord thy God is mercifull, and therefore hee will not forsake thee nor cast thee of: he bringeth back the people to the nature of God that they might hope to be receiued to merciemercy, if they repented them of their sinnes. And it is another very notable poynt. In deede I hauehave touched it heretofore: neuerthelesse, Moses maketh a larger declaratiō thereof, and not without cause. For lyke as hee had earst sayde that GOD is a fire which consumeth all thinges: so it behoued him to shewe on the contrarie part, that Gods nature is louing and gentle, and that he is ready to forgiue the faultes of such as acknowledge them. And that also is the cause why God telleth vsus so often of his merciemercy. But whatsoeuer bee sayd to vsus concerning his goodnesse: yet can we not trust in him as wee ought to doe. There is not any thing harder to vsus than to assure our selues of the goodnesse and fatherly louelove of our God. It is a great thing, that whē God shal hauehave auowed a hundred thowsand times, yt he loueth vsus & wil be fauorable to vsus: yet we continue still in a wauering, and stand disputing vppon the matter, & feede our owne distrustfulnesse, as though we would needes disable the record yt God giueth vsus of his goodnesse. Now then, it is not more than needeth, when Moses telleth vsus that God of his owne nature is pitifull. It is a propertie yt is euermore attributed vntounto him, and that not onelyonly in this text, but also in other places as we shal see hereafter:Deut. … and the Scripture is full of the same doctrine.Psa. … And why? Because that else it were not possible to assure men, forasmuch as they be so giuen to vnbeliefe, as they still martyr themselues, and are alwayes in perplexitie and vnquietnesse, bearing themselues in hand that God will neuer be at one wt them. True it is yt (as I hauehave sayd already) we be but too hardy in doing euil: but whē we should assure our selues yt God wil hauehave pittie vponupon vsus, & when we should seeke him: then doth our vnbeliefe bewray it selfe. Not without cause therefore doth Moses say here yt God is mercifull, to the end that the people might conceiue Gods nature and take holde of it, which is altogether contrarie to their owne, as God himselfe auoweth in other places.Esa. 45.8. My thoughtes (sayth hee by his prophet Esay) are not lyke yours. For if a man bee offended, although the wrong that is done him bee but small: yet is there no meanes to pacify him, there will alwayes remain some roote of displeasure in his heart. Now we imagine God to be lyke our selues, & we measure him by our owne yard. For this cause hee protesteth thus:Esa. 45.9. looke how farre heauen is from the earth, so farre are my thoughts from yours. And therefore assure your selues I seeke nothing else but that all such as hauehave offended mee should be at one with me. Yea & although your misdeedes be neuer so greiuous & heinous: Yet so it is yt I am ready to forget them out of hand. So then let vsus hearken to ye textes of holy scripture, where God telleth vsus that he is slowe to wrath, patient, and ready to forgiue the faultes that are committed against him. Let vsus beare this in minde, that it may bee as a foundation for vsus to builde vponupon, when the case concerneth the forsaking of our sins, that we should be sorie for them, and obtain the merciemercy that God hath promised vsus. Thus much concerning that poynt.
But it were not enough for vsus to knowe Gods nature, except wee had his promise, and that hee shewed vsus his will there. For the Papistes, the Turkes, and the Paynims also can well enough say (as they hauehave alwayes sayde) that God is mercifull but they cannot seeke it to taste thereof. And the reason is, because they doe not sticke and leane to his promises. True it is that when they hauehave once imagined that God is mercifull, they enter into many questions. Yea but in deede (say they:) what wote I, whether this merciemercy serue for mee or no? And afterward they put Gods mercy into the ballance with their sinnes, and stand as folke dismaied at it. Then is there a certaine confused imagination of Gods mercy in all men: but yet can they not trust to it, neither can they returne vntounto God, with ful perswasion that hee will reach them his hand to succor them. And why? for they hauehave not his promises. So much the more therefore doth it stand vsus in hand, to marke well this text of Moses when hee addeth: The Lorde thy God will not forget the couenant of thy fathers which hee sware to them. And so besides ye knowledge which wee hauehave that God is mercifull, and will receiue sinners when they come vntounto him: let vsus marke well that it behoueth vsus also to hauehave his promises to rest vppon, so as our comming vntounto him may bee because hee calleth and allureth vsus, because hee hath shewed vsus his will, because wee neede not feare that wee shall loose our labor. And why? for wee hauehave a warrant that GOD will heare vsus. But Moses sayth expresly here, the couenaunt of thy fathers which hee hath sworne vntounto. And why [hath hee sworne vntounto it?] Because it is not enough for vsus to knowe that God hath promised to receiue wretched sinners & to pardon them: except wee knowe also that his promises are directed specially vntounto vsus, and can apply them to our vse.
True it is that his promises stand not vppon mens doings, neither is it in eueryevery mans power to warrant himselfe that God will shewe him fauour. For doe wee thinke him bound to vsus? Vppon what assurance shall I conceiue in my head, that God wil accept me? That were a diuellishe presumption. God then must be faine to preuent vsus: hee must be faine to promise vsus of his own free goodnesse, yt although we be wretched & miserable: yet neuerthelesse he wil hauehave pitie vponupon vsus. So then, if we wil obteyne forgiuenesse of our sins: we must begin at gods promises.
But it is not for naught that Moses sayth, the couenaunt of thy fathers. That is to say, the couenaunt that was made with thy fathers, which is as their peculiar inheritaunce. Now then we see how Moseses meaning is, that to come vntounto God, wee must not onelyonly consider that hee hath promised to bee mercifull to sinners: but also eueryevery of vsus must apply it peculiarly to himselfe, so as he can say, in deede I am a wretched creature, I am plunged in cursednesse, there is nothing but despaire for mee. No verily, if thy God should not shewe thee merciemercy. As how? It is to thee that hee speaketh when hee sayth, Come vntounto mee all ye that are weary and ouerloden,Matt. 11.28. and I will refreshe you. Thou art of that number. Nowe then assure thy selfe that thy GOD giueth thee his promises, to the intent that thou resting vppon them, mightest be sure of his goodnesse, that it cannot faile thee. Wherfore let vsus not dout but that the promises which God hath made to his Church are ours, & that eueryevery of vsus ought to apply them particularly to his owne vse and benefite, so as when any man is in perplexitie, that he woteth not what to say, hee must alwayes come backe to this poynt, how now?Psal. 145.19 hath not thy GOD promised that hee will pitie such as call vponupon him? Yes in deed: but I knowe not whether I be of that sort or no. Why? hauehave I not bin baptized in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ? HaueHave I not his holy Supper as a second pledge, whereby hee sheweth mee that hee receiueth mee into the number of his children? Be thou out of doubte therefore seeing thou hast so many records, that thy God will be fauorable to thee, and feare thou not but hee will shewe thee merciemercy. Thus yee see the cause why Moses speaketh here expresly of the couenaunt of the fathers, as it was made with their father Abraham, and to all his seede after him: For otherwise it woulde not hauehave booted at all in the time of Moses. But forasmuch as GOD had sayd, I will bee thy GOD to a thowsand generations:Gen. 17.7. his ofspring is comprehended in it after his decease. And therefore the Iewes ought to hauehave assured thēselues by the vertue of the same couenaunt, that they shoulde bee receiued: so as if they repented thē of their sinnes, they shoulde alwayes finde the merciemercy that they had neede of.
And now let vsus vnderstand, that seeing God vouchsafed to extend his goodnesse to the children of those with whome he had made his couenaunt: and that although they were slidden backe and vtterly turned away from him, and had quite forsaken him, yet notwithstanding he ceased not to shew them merciemercy. Now seeing he speaketh nowadays vntounto vsus, and the voyce of our Lorde Iesus Christ soundeth lowde in calling vsus, to reconcile vsus to our God, and that the forgiuenesse of sinnes is preached vntounto vsus in his name,2. Cor. 5.18.19.20. Eph. 2.17. and tidings is brought vntounto vsus that God desireth to be friendes with vsus, and that all warre should be layd aside betweene him and vsus: let vsus assure our selues I say, that it is not for vsus to bee wilfull and stubborne, but that it behooueth vsus to submit our selues to our God: and therewithall to assure our selues throughly, that this promise of his is not deceitefull. Why? for the couenant is ours, so as our God intendeth not that his promises shall vanish into the aire, but that they shall bee stedfast towards vsus, so as eueryevery of vsus may fare the better by them. Thus much cōcerning this saying of the couenant of the fathers.
But yet herewithall Moses faileth not to shew, that it was not men that did first make the couenant with God, but that God did preuent them: and that it is hee, that of his owne free goodnesse hath bound himselfe vntounto them. And for that cause is it sayd that God sware to that couenant: and both of them are right necessarie. For as I hauehave told you, if wee take not Gods promises as peculiar to our selues, it is vnpossible for vsus to be so grounded vppon them, as to call vppon him with a stedfast heart, but wee shal bee euer wauering. Therefore wee must be fully perswaded, that God maketh vsus partakers of all the benefites that hee promised to our auncesters. And when wee be once at that poynt, we must also consider on the otherside, that it is not for vsus to be on the forehand with God, neither doth our Lorde tarie till wee come to seeke him: but it is he yt hath preuented vsus wt his merciemercy. To be short, it is he yt hath vouchsafed to take vsus for his children: and although we were straungers vntounto him, & had not in any wise deserued to hauehave any acquaintance with him: yet notwithstāding he hath vouchsafed of his owne accord to lincke himselfe with vsus. It behoueth vsus to thinke so. For if wee knowe not that Gods promises are of free gift: wee will fal to seeking of some deserte and worthinesse in our selues, and wee will say, that was the meane whereby to come vntounto God: he bestowed such a benefite or gratious gift vppon vsus, because wee deserued it: wee hauehave gotten such a thing by the meanes of our own vertues. Let vsus beware of such fantasticall imaginations, and let vsus not thinke to doe our selues any good y• way. So then let vsus beare in mind, that wheras God hath declared his couenant vntounto vsus, & calleth it ours: yet notwithstāding he wil hauehave vsus to know, yt his vouchsafing to vtter himself vntounto vsus, & to giuegive himself vntounto vsus, is of his owne accord without being bound thereto, insomuch that wee did rather deserue to be vtterly reiected at his hand. And Moses thinketh it not enough to say …ingly that God made the sayd couenant: but hee addeth also that hee sware it: and not without cause doth he set that further here. For as I hauehave declared already heretofore, when GOD speaketh, wee inquire whether the thing be so or no. Truely such manner of inquiring is very wicked. But what for that? Our vnbeliefe beareth such sway with vsus, as we cannot simply trust vntounto GOD. Therefore doth he supply our want, and sweareth to warrant his worde the better which hee hath giuen vsus. If wee beleeue not a man vppon his bare worde, wee doe him wrong. And therefore are mortall men put to their othe, because they bee inclined ouermuch to vanitie. But when God sweareth at our request, what a thing is that? For seing he is the vnchangeable truthe: why should not men trust him as soone as the worde is spoken with his mouth? But hereby we see how frowarde wee bee, and on the otherside we see also how God beareth with vsus in humbling himself so farre as to sweare for our sakes, because hee seeth that wee would else be alwayes vnquiet, and that we shoulde still bee tempted to doubt. Therefore vouchsafeth hee to confirme vsus by swearing, to the intent wee might bee the better assured of the hope of our saluation, and not doubt any more of his promises. Thus much concerning Gods swearing.
Now againe Moses sheweth after what maner men ought to seeke GOD: and hee sheweth it by deede. Hee had sayd afore that such as seeke God: with all their heart and with all their soule, shal find him. And now he sheweth by what meanes men shall yeelde good proofe thereof, that is to wit of their true and vnfeined repentance: that is to wit, by obeying the voyce of God. For men will make bragges enowe that they beare a good heart to Godward: and we see dayly this shamelesnesse, that such as hauehave not one veine that tendeth to Godward, cease not for all that to protest with full mouth, that they louelove God, and they beare the worlde in hand that they bee wonderful zealous. But there Moses bringeth vsus backe to the tryall. Wee must shewe whereby, (sayth hee,) so as it may appeare by our fruites that our sinnes mislyke vsus in deede, and that we bee desirous in very deede to seeke God, to sticke vntounto him. And howe may that bee done? Euen by obeying his voyce, according as wee knowe also that obedience is the thing which God preferreth before all other sacrifices.1. Sa. 15.… Psal. 5….… And that is a thing worthie to be wel marked. For Moses here setteth our two things: The one is, that when men bragge of their willingnesse to seeke God, if they shewe it not in good earnest by their whole lyfe, so as it may bee knowen by their fruites: a men may well tell them that they lye, and that they doe but mocke with GOD and the worlde when they say, wee bee sorie for our sinnes. That is the thing which wee hauehave to marke for one poynt. Therefore let vsus try our repentance by the said rule. When wee seeme to our selues to seeke God: let vsus looke that it bee with liuely repentance, not in feete, hands, or eyes: but in ye reformation of all our affectiōs, so as they may be giuen ouer all wholy to follow God & his worde. If it be not so with vsus: all yt euer we can say of repentance, is but mockery. Marke that for one poynt.
The other is the obeying of Gods voyce. When as hee speaketh of the obeying of Gods voyce: it is to exclude all the fond deuotions of mans owne inuenting. For when men intend to serue God well, how goe they to worke? Mee thinkes (say they) that such a thing is good: and thereupon they set vp goodly gay seruices. Moses therefore excludeth all these thinges, in saying that we must obey the voyce of our God. Wherfore let vsus see that wee submit our selues vntounto him. Because wee see the world is so greatly giuen to inuent fond deuotions: let vsus for our part learne to know, that whatsoeuer is of mans deuising, is playne deceit, and euen the high way to leade vsus to destruction: and that the onelyonly way to please God and to make our lyfe allowable before him, is simply to obey his worde, & to submit our selues to him, whē he prouoketh vsus to repentance, assuring our selues that it is the very meanes also whereby we may obteyne saluation, though wee hauehave deserued to perishe a hundred thowsand times.
Now let vsus kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our sins, praying him to make vsus feele them better than we hauehave done heretofore, yea euen in such wise, as hauing condemned our selues for them, wee may not forbeare to rest vppon his promises, and to resorte vntounto him, and to pray vntounto him, that hee may hauehave pitie vppon vsus, as hee that desireth not the death of sinners, but that they should come home againe to him, for asmuch as hee is ready to admit them to the saluation which hee hath promised to his children. Wherefore let vsus repayre vntounto him, euen in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ, and if wee conuert not at the very first as soone as hee chastiseth vsus, let vsus pray him to make vsus to proceede in true repentaunce from day to day, by forsaking the vice that is in vsus, so as he may gouerne vsus by his holy spirit, and the worlde may perceiue that Gods word hath such authoritie ouer vsus, as we desire nothing but to fashion our selues all wholly thereafter. That it may please him to grant this grace, not onelie to vsus, but also to all people and nations of the earth, &c.