Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 9
On Tewsday the xxiij. of April. 1555. The ninth Sermon vponupon the first Chapter.
37.38.39.40. Also the Lord &c.
41 Then answered you and saide vntounto me: We hauehave sinned against the Lorde. VVe will goe vp and fight as the Lorde our God hath commaunded vsus. And you armed your selues eueryevery one with harnesse of warre, and were readie to goe vp into the hill.
42 And the Lord said vntounto me, warne them that they goe not vp, ne fight not, for I am not among you: least you be vanquished of your enimies.
WE began yesterday to see howe hard it is to abstaine from sinning when a man is in euil companie, specially if hee hauehave the charge of gouernment. For seeing it was Moses hap to be shaken downe: Howe shall they do which are farre weaker than he was? Wee knowe that God had made him to excell all men, we see also how he serued his turne by him, & what record hee hath giuen of him. And yet for all that, behold here a fal which God mislyketh of so greatly, that he disappointeth him of entring into the lande for it: and such dishonour and reproch was done vntounto him, that hee might not possesse the inheritance that had beene promised, as well to him as to all the people. Therefore we had neede to call vponupon God when we be mingled with such as are able to corrupt vsus and to thrust vsus out of the way, so as we be hemmed it rounde about with euill examples. But yet they which hauehave the charge of gouernement, ought to stande in greater feare and dreade, and to call vppon God to strengthen them, and to giuegive them such constancie as they may not swarue any whit at all.
But before we goe any further, we must mark that where as Moses reporteth that God was angrie with him for the peoples sakes: hee doth it not to excuse himselfe that he had not done amisse: for then should he replie against God who had giuen sentence vponupon him.Num. … In the twentith Chapter of the booke of Numbers it is sayde expresly, thou shalt not enter into the lande, because that thou and Aaron hauehave not glorified the Lord before the people of Israel. So then we see that God chargeth not Moses with the sinne of the people, as who shoulde say that he himselfe had beene giltlesse: but his meaning is that hee fell not to euill of his owne accorde and mouing, but was driuen to it as by a storme, when he saw such vprore and hurlyburly among the people, that he was at his wits ende and wist not what to doe, by meanes whereof he had not a present faith to giuegive glorie vntounto God. The intent of Moses then is not to wash his hands, as though hee were not blame woorthy at all: but to doe the people to vnderstande that the verie mischiefe sprang of them. Neuertheles it may be thought straunge howe Moses shoulde offende, seeing it appeareth not in all the rehersall of the storie. It is saide that the people grudged against God,Numb. 20.2 because they wanted drinke in the wildernesse, saying: Had it not beene better for vsus that God had killed vsus in Egypt? Must hee needes bring vsus into this drie and barren place, that we might die heere for thirst? it appeareth well that hee hateth vsus, and that his intent is to make vsus to linger heere in tormentes: and in the meane while wee bee past all hope of doing well. After this manner did the people murmure. On the contrarie part Moses weepeth and resorteth vntounto God, saying: Alas Lorde, oughtest thou to hauehave so slēder a reward for thy deliuering of this people through thine owne goodnes, as to hauehave thy holy name blasphemed by them? What coulde Moses hauehave done better than this? For he is so farre off from consenting to the wickednesse of the people, to bee any companion with them: that hee weepeth to see the offence committed against God.…sal. 9.12. And Dauid likewise sheweth an excellent and wonderfull weldisposed minde, in saying that hee wore sackloth for their sakes that blasphemed God. Moses did as much. It shoulde not seeme then that there is any fault in all this. For God commaunded him to take his staffe, and to strike vponupon a rocke, and to make water to come out of it before the people. Hee obeyed. Wee see not there any replying at al: nay we see not that Moses did so much as once doubt. Moreouer when hee speaketh to the people,…. 20.10. hee saith: Come on yee rebelles, must God bee faine to make water to come out of this rocke, which you see nowe so harde and drie? Yee see hee rebuketh the people sharpely, and a man woulde thinke hee coulde not glorifie God better. And yet for all this, it is saide vntounto him, Thou hast not giuen vntounto mee the honour that belonged to mee, and therefore thou shalt bee banished out of the lande that belonged by inheritance vntounto thee. And did hee sinne then? As I saide afore, if we iudge after our owne fancie, it will seeme to vsus that Moses discharged himselfe well in all pointes, so as hee offended not, ne had any spot or blemish in him. But what for that? Heereby wee see that it belongeth onelyonly vntounto God to iudge, and that wee may bee deceiued at all turnes, in following our owne witte and reason. Wherefore let vsus keepe this rule which is verie needefull: that is to wit, that wee bee farre vnable to discerne good and euill alwayes by eye sight, for as is said in the sixteenth of Saint Luke,… 16.5. the thing that is highly esteemed among men, shall be abhominable before God. When we hauehave sifted a thing neuer so well, and setled all our wittes to vtter it well: yet shall it seeme to vsus cleane contrarie to that it is indeede. Nowe then, let vsus cast downe our eyes and acknowledge that none but onelyonly God is the competent iudge.
True it is that wee hauehave the lawe, whereby wee may assuredly say, this is good and that is euill: and our yeelding vntounto that which is shewed vsus there, is not to make vsus iudges: for wee take no authoritie to our selues, but onelyonly yelde to ye things that God setteth forth, And besides this, wee must not onelyonly iudge our neighbours doings by the lawe, but also examine our owne liues by it. And when wee finde our selues to hauehave swarued from Gods commaundementes, we must willingly condemne our selues, and allowe no further of our owne doings, than they agree with Gods will. Although they seeme good to our selues, yet let vsus not stande vppon that. For our eyes are so troubled and weake, that oftentimes one sinne escapeth vsus and a hundred followe out after it: and that is because we be not sharpesighted ynough, to spie out the thinges that God perceiueth, and which are hid from vsus.1. Cor. 4.4. And that is the cause why saint Paul saieth, that although he had walked purely in his office: yet was he not iustified for all that. For God requireth another manner of perfection than wee can see. So then, seeing wee hauehave so weake and dimme a sight, let vsus learne to referre our selues vntounto God: and let euerie of vsus put that thing in vre in himselfe,Psal. 19.13. which is shewed vsus by Dauid when he saith, Who is he that knoweth his falts? Lord forgiue me the euill which I perceiue not. We must not onelyonly ask God forgiuenesse of the sinnes that sting vsus, and whereof we hauehave proofe in our selues: but we must also acknowledge that we hauehave manie sinnes which wee knowe not of. Marke that for one point.
Furthermore, proceeding still herewith, let vsus not be hastie in iudging, to acquite one and to condemne another: but let vsus reserue vntounto God that which is his, for as I hauehave said afore, if God had not pronounced that sentence vppon Moses, eueryevery man would canonize him, and say hee did the best that coulde be deuised. But what for that? Seeing hee is condemned by the heauenly iudge, we must bridle our selues, and not fall to incountering against God. For wee shall winne nothing by it.Rom. 14.10. And for the same cause also S. Paul intending to exhort vsus to modestie in the 14. to the Romanes, alledgeth that wee must all come before the iudgement seate of our Lorde Iesus Christ, where we shall not allowe what we thinke good, nor reiect what we mislike in our own fancie: for that authoritie belongeth to the onelyonly son of God. Seeing it is so my brethren (saith he) wee must absteine from foolish ouerweening. Thus much concerning that which is reported of the sinne of Moses.
Nowe let vsus come againe to the matter that wee were in hande with: Which is, that Moses meaneth not to excuse himselfe: he seeketh no startinghole to lessen his fault: but the thing that he alledgeth is reasonable, he setteth foorth the heynousnesse of the peoples offence, shewing yt their sedition was so forcible, that euen he him selfe also was ouerthrowen with it. The meaning then of Moses was as if he should hauehave said thus: Beholde yee wretches, God hath chosen me to supply his place among you, and he hath gouerned me in such wise by his holy spirit, that I hauehave had as it were his image printed in me: & yet not withstanding I hauehave done amisse, I hauehave offended. And what is the cause of it? I excuse not my selfe: but yet are you giltie before God, of corrupting me, your murmuring hath ouerthrowen me, for by reason thereof I hauehave forgotten my duetie, and not yeelded God such glorie as was due vntounto him. Seeing it is so: [I may well say] it is not long of you, that you bereft mee not of all the grace that I had receiued at Gods hande: for where as he made me your heade to guide you: you hauehave done ynough to carie mee away to Satan through your naughtinesse and rebellion.
Nowe then acknowledge the sinne that you hauehave committed, for God hath brought me low, and it is his will to shewe you in my person, that you bee well worthie to perish eueriechone of you. Therefore besides the thing that I hauehave touched alreadie, (which is, that we must not like ye better of our selues whē our faults are vnknowen [to our selues,] or when we can couer them, for Gods eies are not blindfolded for al yt, and the thinges that scape men are inrolled before him): wee must marke moreouer, that if wee giuegive anie man an occasion [of stumbling or offending], although hee on his parte is not thereby discharged, yet must our offence needs be the more grieuous and heauie, according as it is in very deede. Wherefore let eueryevery man so behaue himselfe, as hee giuegive not his neighbours any occasion of stumbling. For if any man sinne vnderunder pretence of mee, if hee be misseled by my lewde conuersation, if he take ill example by my vices: all the whole mischiefe shalbe laide in my necke before God, I shalbe discharged, wo shalbe vntounto mee as saith our Lord Iesus Christ,Matt. 18.6. & Mark. 9.42. & Luk. 17.2 and it were better for mee that I were cast into the middes of the sea with a milstone about my necke, than to hauehave giuen my neighbour any cause of misbehauiour. And therefore let vsus liue in such sorte, as it may not bee cast in our teeth before GOD, that wee hauehave beene the cause of other mens ruine and destruction. For it will cost vsus very deare, if the sillie soules whom God hath created after his owne image, and whom Iesus Christ hath so deerely redeemed, be lost through our fault and wickednesse. Thus we see in effect what we hauehave to note vponupon this sentence, where Moses saith, that GOD was angrie with him by meanes of the people.
And furthermore we hauehave to mark here, that Gods laying of his temporall chastisementes vppon his faithfull ones, is not to driue them to despayre, but to humble them for a time: for in the ende all turneth to their benefite, and therefore they must not bee out of heart for it. It was a verie harde and bitter punishment vntounto Moses, to bee banished out of the lande that had beene promised him.
The time is come that the people shoulde bee deliuered out of the thraldome of Egypte, to bee conueyed into the Lande of promise: Moses is chosen to bee their guide, so as hee supplyeth Gods office in deliuering them: and yet notwithstanding this shame is done vntounto him, that GOD shutteth the gappe against him and saieth, thou shalt not come there. Yee see then howe Moses is (as yee woulde say) bronded with a marke of reproch before God. Nowe had hee taken it in despyte: it had beene ynough to hauehave plunged him into some blasphemie. But hee bare this correction patiently, knowing that it shoulde bee to his benefite, because it was but temporall. And therefore let vsus marke this saying of Saint Paul,1. Cor. 11.… that Gods punishing of vsus is to the intent we shoulde not perish with the worlde. Seeing then that GOD procureth our welfare thereby, and his mortifying of vsus for a time as in respect of the fleshe: and his condemning of vsus in such wise as we bee ashamed afore men,1. Cor. 5. is to the intent that our soules should be saued at the latter day, and wee liue in his presence: seeing that that is the end & butte that he shooteth at: let not vsus on our part be so headstrong, as to chafe or fume at his corrections, but rather follow the example of Moses, who (as wee see) did make no wordes against God. It might seeme hee had some occasion to say, howe falles this out, that I am driuen out of the lande of promise? What shall a man say to it? For thou hast ordeyned mee to be as a redeemer in thy steede: and nowe must I tarie heere still. It was thy will that I should serue in this office, to put the people in possession of the promised lande: and why shall I not be partaker of the benefite that thou hast purchased them by my hande? What though there hauehave beene some little distrust in mee, which continued not the turning of a hande? Is the offence so heynous, that I must bee so grieuously punished for that? Moses then might hauehave helde such plea with God: but hee holdeth his peace, and yeeldeth to the sentence of condemnation willingly. Therefore let vsus followe that which is shewed vsus here by example: and (as I said afore) when GOD is so gratious to vsus, that in steede of casting of vsus away (as he might iustly doe) he doth no more but chastise vsus as in respect of the flesh, and shame vsus before men, to the ende to bring vsus to repentance, and to humble vsus: let vsus bee quiet, and let it not cast vsus into sorrowe, but let vsus plucke vp a good heart to follow our vocation. This is the thing wee hauehave to remember. For if hee spared not Moses, what will he doe to vsus? Ought wee to chalenge greater priuiledge than he?
But heerewith all let vsus marke, that Moses ceased not to bee an heire still of the heauenly kingdome, though hee were bereft of the outwarde signe of it. And thereby wee be warned, that if God make vsus not to feele his fauour and louelove in this worlde so fully as wee woulde wish, it must not make vsus to bee out of patience. For it may happe that we shall take our selues to bee miserable, yea and that when wee looke vppon our owne state, we shall deeme it had bin much better for vsus to hauehave gone astray with the world: But what for that?Coloss. 3.3. Of al yt time we hauehave a life that lyeth hid in God. Therefore it is no hurt at all to vsus, though God cut off the blessings of this present life from vsus. For he knoweth to what end he doeth it: and it is good for vsus to be so exercised. Thus yee see that the thing which wee hauehave to beare in minde, is that God doeth diuers times hide the signes of his louelove from vsus, as in respect of the worlde: but hee loueth vsus neuer a whit the lesse, as we see how it happened vntounto Moses.
As touching that which is saide of Iosua: it is one notable point more. For beholde, hee is appointed to succeede in Moses roome, yea, and yet was he but his seruaunt. And afterward Moses is commaunded to incourage him. Heere we see that God will take the thinges that are not greatly esteemed among men, yea and exalt them aboue our opinion, as we see he hath vsed to doe at all times: and not without cause: for thereby he intendeth to pull downe all pride according to this saying of Saint Paul, that hee chooseth the weake thinges,…. Cor. 1.27.…. yea euen to the end that men shoulde not glorie in their owne strength: and hee chooseth the foolish thinges, to the ende that men shoulde not glorie in their wisedome: and when he taketh ye things that are despised, it is to the ende that men shoulde not trust in their owne credit, nor bee puffed vp with their owne worthinesse. And it is verie requisite that it shoulde be so: for we see howe eueryevery man seekes to aduaunce himselfe, and wee leaue nothing to God as neere as we can. Nay rather if wee doe but yeelde him the tytles that belong vntounto him, it is but in way of daliance: and in the meane while we would that all shoulde be in our own persons. Now forasmuch as men hauehave this pride rooted in them: God must be fain to shew them by experience, that all of it is but vanitie: and so doth hee, by choosing the things that are not regarded, and by seruing his turne with such as are not esteemed to be of any great renowne. If we looke howe God chooseth men somtimes, to set them in preheminence: wee will say, who woulde hauehave looked for this? And God worketh after that manner, to the intent that those by whom he serueth his turne, shoulde learne to acknowledge themselues beholden to him for their dignitie wherein he hath set them, and vnderstande that they obteined it not by their own power and policie, but that it is God which hath placed them in that degree. For if they thinke they hauehave ought of their owne purchasing: God will shewe them the contrarie. That then is the thing which we hauehave to marke, when it is heere declared that God preferred Iosua before Moses insomuch that although Moses had now of long time beene cladde with the grace of the holy Ghost: although hee had beene chosen to bee the Redeemer [or Ransommer] of the people: although God had set his marks vppon him: although that in executing his office, it was well seene that hee was a newe creature, and there appeared in him a maiestie surmounting the nature of man: and there withall although hee had done so many deedes worthy of memorie, as might astonishe all them that hearde speaking of them: yet notwithstanding, in the ende God ordeyned his seruant in steede, to leade the people into the lande of Chanaan, and to put them in possession of their promised heritage, and Moses himselfe is not worthy to come there. So far off is hee from cōming there euen as a common member shuffeled in among the rest of the body: that God driueth him from it: and behold, God reacheth his hand to Iosua, who had neuer looked for it.
But now besides that which I hauehave said, (that is to wit, that we be warned to forbeare all presumption, and to lay downe all pride): let vsus bee wel assured, that it belongeth to God to aduance vsus & to make vsus of estimation, through his mere grace: and that when we shal hauehave heaped vp al that euer we can together, all is nothing. Then, besides that we hauehave a good warning to humble our selues: it is shewed vsus therewithall, that wee must not enuie those by whom God serueth his turne. And that is another good lesson. For wee see howe eueryevery of vsus repyneth, when God hath aduanced any man, specially beyonde all worldly hope. Where as we should consider thus, beholde God serueth his turne by such a one, euerie man commendeth him, and there appeare manifest gifts of grace in him: when we see those things, we be so malicious, that we grudge & repine at it. But contrariwise wee ought to marke, that when we be so pricked with spite and enuie, it is an aduancing of our selues against God and not against mortall creatures. Therefore let vsus learne to honour God wheresoeuer hee sheweth himself, & to be glad when he vouchsafeth to extend his grace to our neighbours: for if we do so, all shall fall out to our welfare. If another man hauehave mo gracious gifts thā I: I am rich in his person. For whē we confesse ye communion of saints: it is to shew, that whatsoeuer God giueth to one man or to another, the same redoundeth to the benefite of all. True it is that we perceiue it not at the first push: but yet doth such diuersitie serue for the whole bodie of the Church.Rom. 12.4. The members of a bodie hauehave not all one operation: the eyes execute not the office of the legges, nor the hands the office of the feete: and yet notwithstanding the body is so knit together in one, that whatsoeuer is giuen to any one member, doeth benefite al the rest. Now then let vsus vnderstand, that when God bestoweth the gifts of his holie spirit more largely vponupon some one man than vponupon others, he ceaseth not therefore to hauehave pitie vponupon vsus: For we also must be edified therby. Yea surely, so we be not vnthankfull, and that we take no pritch at it when hee listeth to holde vsus lowe and to exalt our neighbours. To bee short, wee make warre against God when we cannot abide that he shoulde keepe the order which hee hath determined: yt is to wit, to pul down ye things that are great to the worldward, and to aduance and exalt the things that are base and despised.
Moreouer we see that Moses is commaunded to strengthen Iosua. So little ought Moses to be greeued at the preferring of his seruaunt before himselfe, that hee must instruct him and harten him. As if hee shoulde say, I see nowe it is Gods will to honour thee by dishonoring mee. I am worthie of it, and I must be faine to beare it, and therewithall also to prepare thee to thine office. Although thou take my place: yet will I not set my selfe against thee, but (which more is) I will helpe thee to the vttermost of my power. Nowe am I become thy seruaunt. Whereas God had erst aduaunced mee: I must nowe giuegive vp this preheminence, and thou must take my roome: and I must indeuer as much as I can, that the benefite which Gods will is to bestow vponupon thee, may auayle in thee. So then, if it please God to take any man to serue him, let vsus streyne our selues to helpe him, and let vsus not bee ashamed to put our shoulders vnderunder him to heaue him vp. Let vsus not hauehave any of these wicked respects, to say, O ho, truely as for mee, if God were so gratious to mee as to aduance me as wel as such a one, I woulde bestirre mee. But forasmuch as hee holdeth mee downe to the grounde, I will not meddle with other men. Let vsus beware of such churlishnesse. Nay rather when we see that God hath chosen a man: [let vsus reason thus with our selues.] I see that God hath chosen such a man, indeede hee is not the ablest that coulde bee deuised, but yet is it Gods will to bee serued by him, and wee see hee hath a good will: therefore let vsus helpe him, let euerie of vsus reach him his hande, and let euerie of vsus consider wherin hee may succour him to his furtherance. Yee see then that the thing which wee hauehave to marke heere, is that although our working beare no great outwarde shewe, and that the thinges which we doe hauehave no great glosse to commend them to the worlde: yet wee must not therefore cease to serue God according to our power, and to linke in with those by whom it is Gods will to bee serued, and not to imagine any thing that may foreslowe vsus, or make vsus say, At whose whose hande shall I bee recompensed? That which I hauehave done is as good as lost, men make none account of it. It shall well ynough come in account before God. And therefore let it suffise vsus to be allowed at his hand. These are y• things that we hauehave to note vponupon this, that Moses was commaunded to strengthen Iosua.
Nowe finally it is saide, that the people perceiuing their sinne, answered: Wee hauehave offended the Lorde, and therefore wee bee nowe readie to goe vp. And they not onelyonly vsed those wordes: but also euerie man prepared and armed himselfe, and so they went vp to encounter with their enemies. Heere wee see the nature of men. When GOD biddeth them be stil, they be too too forward, & they be as hot as fire to doe the thing that is forbidden them. But when they were bidden goe, then their legges were broken. And yet notwithstanding it is saide, that the people acknowledged their sinne, when they had beene so disobedient against GOD. Whereby it appeareth that there is such a corruptnesse in our nature, that euen in minding to doe good we doe euill, and offende God, & ouershoote our selues without reason or measure. Heere is then a faire lookingglasse for vsus to discerne our owne vices by: yea verily, so wee consider in the person of ye Iewes, that not only they themselues are condemned, but also that God purposeth to giuegive a generall lesson, whereby all men may fare the better. Nowe I tolde you first of all, that when God soundeth his trumpet and commaundeth vsus to march, we stir not a whit: and that although wee hauehave some good liking of the matter, yet we bee so colde and slowe, as is pitie to see. And on the contrarie part, that if hee say, Tary still, wee bee lustie, and moreouer so hot and hastie, that wee desire nothing but to occupie both our armes & our legs too. When it was saide to the people, Go, for your God is among you, bee not afraide so long as yee hauehave such a power to defende you: The people replyed againe on the other side, nay marie, howe shall wee goe vp? They bee Gyants, they wil deuour vsus with their lookes, wee shalbe vndone at the first chop, it were better yet to returne into Egypt. When the people had replyed so, and it was tolde them againe, What meane you thus to distrust your God? He hath giuen vsus this lande, wee hauehave his promise of it: and besides that, you hauehave had proofe of his helpe alreadie many wayes, and he offereth it you still: howe thinke you of it, you faithlesse and rebellious people? When the people were thus laide at: did they yet returne to their right wits? Yea, for yee see they repented. What for that? It is but a false repentance. Goe to (say they) sith it is so, we will goe and march against our enemies, seeing it is Gods pleasure. Nay, yee see heere, that God ment to trie their faith and obedience another way, that is to wit, by their forbearing to doe any thing at all. Because hee sawe they had not obeyed him at the first: nowe he will hauehave them ashamed of it, and to tarie his leisure till hee hauehave pitie of them. And forasmuch as hee had sworne that they shoulde not come there: his will was that they shoulde (after the example of Moses) hauehave suffered themselues to bee bereft of that honour as they were worthie. Wee see then that men hauehave but too greate frowardnesse when GOD commaundeth them to sit at rest: and contrariwise that they bee but too colde, when he would hauehave them to goe forwarde: nay they will rather creepe into cranies, than goe forth when God biddeth them.
Howbeit, for the better vnderstanding of this matter, let vsus marke that this people offended in preacing forwarde without promise. For as I hauehave saide afore, we must not be hardie any further than God biddeth vsus. Therefore when wee hauehave but a worde of his mouth, we must take corage, and put all lette… vnderunder foote that may turne vsus away. For the thing wherein GOD will bee glorified, is that hee commaunde vsus nothing in vaine. And speciallie when hee promiseth vsus good successe to our matters, and to prosper our doings: then must we rest thervpon, assuring our selues that hee will giuegive vsus good dispatch. Neuerthelesse when God had sworne, that the people should not come there: then woulde they needes goe vp against their enemies, not considering that in so doing they resisted GOD, and aduaunced themselues against him. True it is that if a man had asked them, whether they minded to resist God or no, and to doe cleane contrarie to his will, or whether they minded to hauehave him to bee their aduersarie: they woulde hauehave aunswered, No: Wee beleeue that God will helpe vsus. For why? Hee hath deliuered vsus out of Egypt, he hath promised our father Abraham to giuegive this lande in possession to his linage, and the time is nowe come. Yea but there is no promise [to you,] and therefore it is but fonde presumption or rather starke madnesse, when men take a toye in their heades, and aduenture to doe this or that, when in the meane while God hath not promised any such thing. So then let vsus marke well, that wee must not be bolde vppon our owne heade, but hearken till God speake: and when wee hauehave his promise, wee must rule our selues thereby, and not passe the boundes thereof. For else it may happen vntounto vsus, as Moses reporteth here that it happened to this people: that is to witte that wee shall doe all thinges arsiuersie, and so offende God. In so much that when wee weene to doe well, wee shall dubble our faultes: when GOD commaundeth vsus to go, wee shall bee as though our legges were broken: and when he commandeth vsus to tarie, we shall run too swift: and so, all our whole life shall be out of order.
Furthermore let vsus beare in minde, that (as I hauehave sayde alreadie) if GOD list to chastice vsus as in respect of the fleshe, we must not bee too much grieued thereat: for it is for our benefite and welfare. If this people had beene well aduised, they woulde hauehave thought thus: bicause wee hauehave offended God by our disobedience, hee will not hauehave vsus to enter into the land: but yet for all that he bereaueth vsus not of the hope of saluation, let vsus content our selues with that, and wander foorth in this worlde till he take vsus hence. So likewise let vsus learne to wander on, if wee minde to come to the heauenly life. And if God doe nowe and then cast vsus downe, let vsus consider that y• casting downe, will make vsus to go much more swiftlie towardes the marke of the heauenly kingdome that is set before vsus, than if wee had runned neuer so fast, and had neuer left galloping all the way. Thus ye see what we had to marke more, vppon this saying, that the people would needes goe vp to discomfit their enemies.
Nowe Moses addeth, that They made themselues readie with their armour and weapons. Yea forsooth, but it is all one as if ye shoulde put an armour vppon a scarecrowes backe, and take him a sworde in his fiste: surely hee were substantially well armed: but in deede all were to no purpose. Euen so is it with vsus: If wee were furnished with all the helpes of man and with al inferiour meanes, and in the meane whyle were not strengthened in our heartes, but were full of foolishe selfeweening, and as it were drunkennesse, by presuming vppon our owne power: all the brauerie that wee can make, is but winde and smoke, bicause wee hauehave not an eye vntounto God, but are rebellious against him. Wherefore let vsus learne to leaue the arming of our selues, and to seeke strength and courage at Gods hand, and then let vsus take armour & weapon as at his appointment. If we go that way to worke, God will prosper the helpes that he hath giuen vsus: for he will blesse thē, bicause we sought them at his hand. Besides this, he himselfe will stand by vsus though all other meanes faile vsus. For diuers times he will perchaunce suffer vsus to bee made naked, and let ye world mock vsus, as though we were vndone aforehand: but yet will he prouide wel ynough for all at leastwise so that afore all things wee be furnished with his inward vertue. This is the thing that we had to marke, yet further vponupon this text.
And here Moses sheweth that God ment not to destroy the people, when he commaunded them to turne backe Turne ye backe againe saieth he. Here wee see Gods wonderfull goodnesse, & that the threate which he spake off yesterday, was not to the end that God woulde pursue the iniquitie of the people without hauing any pitie vponupon them: but to make them feele their owne euill. For notwithstanding all that, yet doeth he vse compassion and kindnesse towardes them, in forbidding them to incounter with their enemies. For although that at the first sight a man would say that God reiected them, and cursed them: yet notwithstanding, in so dooing he sheweth them a signe of his merciemercy. For had he said neuer a worde, what a thing had yt bin? In deede the people increased their offence yet more, by being disobedient to the warning that he gaue them. But whatsoeuer they did, wee must consider what God intended when he saide, Goe not vp: for I will not bee with you, neither will I helpe you. Wee see that when the people had once bin brought Iowe, they perceiued and acknowledged a wonderfull goodnesse in God, and therewith all became ye better disposed to profit themselues by the correction that was sent them. Let vsus marke well therefore, that when our Lord vttereth any token of his grace and goodnesse towardes vsus: therein he sheweth more apparantly howe much he loueth vsus, than if he made no countenance of any thing, but helde his mouth shut▪ and suffered vsus to do what we listed. Why? For alas, we should but throwe our selues headlong into destruction, if we followed eueryevery man his owne fansie. Seeing it is so then, whensoeuer God setteth himselfe against vsus, whensoeuer he rebuketh vsus, and whensoeuer he sheweth vsus our follie, yea though it be with such roughnesse as it amaseth vsus: yet is it to our benefite, & therefore let vsus learne to beare his yoke.
Moreouer let this bee our rule to discerne good and euill by: namely to depend wholly vponupon Gods mouth, and not to bee wise in our owne conceits, but to suffer him to be our guide, and not to fall to gambolding at our owne pleasure and fansie, but to followe the way quietly which he sheweth vsus. And then will he giuegive vsus armes and legs, and guide all our steppes in such sort, as he will make vsus to goe still forewarde, and cause vsus to arriue at the good hauen. But on the contrarie part, if wee will needes bee fantasticall, and doe thinges vppon our owne head and vppon our owne liking, and therevpon fall also to foolish practises: God must needes bee against vsus: And then albeit that all thinges goe well forewarde with vsus to our seeming, and fall out according to our minde: yet will God turne all vpside downe, and ouerthrowe vsus when we be at the highest. Those are the things which wee hauehave to note. And therefore let vsus set all our whole mindes to obey God: And for the bringing thereof to passe, let vsus beseech him to giuegive vsus the true vnderstanding of his worde, and to keepe vsus from being froward and stubborne against him, as wee see by the example that is shewed vsus here, which I pray God wee may eschew.
And now let vsus kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes, praying him so to touche vsus with them, as wee may profite more and more in faith and repentaunce, euen vntill he hauehave vtterly chaunged vsus: and not suffer vsus to stand against his holy commaundementes, nor to dubble our misdoings when wee hauehave offended him: but to reforme vsus in such sort, that being rid of all fleshly glory, wee may seeke nothing but to bee mortified by him, to the end yt he may so frame vsus to his righteousnesse, as our whole indeuour may be to rule all our thoughtes wordes and deedes thereby. That it may please him to graunt this grace, not onelyonly to vsus, but also, &c.