Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 160
On Wednesday the xxv. of March, 1556. The CLx. Sermon which is the eight vponupon the eight and twentith Chapter.
46. And these things shalbe for tokens and woonders to thee and to thy seede for euer,
47 Because thou hast not serued the Lorde thy God with ioye, and with a good heart, for the aboundance of all ma…er of thinges.
48 And thou shalt serue thine Enemy, whom the Lorde thy God will send against thee: I say thou shalt serue him in hunger and thirst, in nakednesse and in all maner of want. And he will lay a yoke of yron vponupon thy neeke, vntill he hauehave rooted thee out.
49 The Lord will bring a people vponupon thee from a farre, and from the end of the earth, which shal fly as the Eagle: a people whose language thou shalt not vnderstand.
50 A people of a shameles countenance, which wil not reuerence the person of the aged, nor take pitie vponupon the young.
BEcause that things bee so greatly confused in this worlde, that it is heard to discerne who they …ee whome God meaneth to punishe for their sin…or to whō hee meaneth to shewe his louelove: Moses sayth expressely, that God will send such apparant tokens vponupon them that bee stubborne against him, as shall bee wonderfull to them: Insomuch as they shall be compelled to vnderstande, that the same commeth to passe neither by fortune, nor by common meane; but that they bee extraordinarie thinges, and that God doth shewe foorth his power therein. It is true (as wee hauehave saide heretofore) that at the first sight it cannot bee well discerned, who they be whome God loueth, and who they bee whome hee misliketh: because that (as Salomon saith) both the good and the euil is common vntounto all. Hee that serueth God doeth some times prosper;Eccle. 9.2. and oftentimes hee is afflicted: And so is a despiser of God also. This is the cause saith he yt men become hardhearted, for it seemeth vntounto them yt they win nothing by seruing of god: or rather that it is but lost labor. Moreouer it is oftē duplicate page duplicate page seene that the children of God bee sometimes more hardly handled than the most wicked in ye worlde, and therefore it is to bee gathered after carnall capacitie, that it is much better to despise God.Psal. 73.2. Dauid confessed, that hee staggered as vponupon the Ice, when he behelde the course of thinges to be such as that the good, and they that endeuored to walke in all maner of integritie, must be constrayned to drinke the water of troubles, to eate the bread of heauinesse, and to moisten themselues with teares: and in the meane while the wicked, which cease not to doe euill, to liue at their ease and in pleasure: whereby it should seeme that God loueth them. And what a dealing were that? But our Lorde declareth in this place, that in the ende he will make it apparant to thē that be corrected at his hand, that their sinnes are the cause why they suffer smarte, howbeit that it be not so quickely perceiued. We hauehave seene heretofore among other curses which Moses denounced,Deut. 28.44 yt they which cast off the worde of God be constrayned to borow, and to be euer in neede: and that the others which shoulde borowe of them, hauehave wherewith to help thēselues. But we see how al the children of God fall into necessitie, and find not any yt wil comfort thē: they make many turns before they meete with a man that wil vse gentlenes toward them: and this seemeth cleane contrarie to the other. But yet doeth God exercise his people after yt maner: and in that respect it is that I said, that when we bee afflicted, whether it bee with pouertie, or with sickenesse, or anie other way, we must not fail to enter into accoūt with God, that is, to examine our life, and to see whether wee hauehave not committed manie faultes or no: & …hen shal euerie one of vsus finde himselfe faultie.
Againe on the otherside, if wee perceiue not the cause why that God is mooued to vse rigour towardes vsus: let vsus content our selues, that hee …noweth the same to be profitable for vsus: and yt if we had not alreadie offended him, yet were we in way to do it: and he hath preuented it: and that all these corrections bee to bring vsus lowe, to the end that we shoulde walke vnderunder him in feare, and that our fleshe shoulde not be ouerlustie, as it is thereunto enclined: for God doeth some times foresee the pride of a man, and then he taketh away the occasions and the obiectes. Besides this he knoweth that a man will be too iolie in his pompes and delightes; and therefore he cutteth off the occasion aforehande, whereby the partie is letted, so as hee cannot doe as hee woulde. Seeing that our Lord prouideth aforehand for our welfare after such manner, let vsus thinke on the faultes which we hauehave …arst committed. Moreouer if there were no further meaning in it, than to exhort vsus to repentance; euen that were much: but we hauehave alwayes to consider, howe God cannot too much prouoke vsus to come vntounto him: for euerie strawe is enough to stay vsus in this world, and in the meane while wee hauehave no minde of the heauenly life; or if we thinke thereon, it is so coldly, that our trauelling towardes it is not with so earnest affection as it ought to be; and therefore God is faine to deale with vsus by manie afflictions. After this manner ought euerie of vsus to behaue himselfe toward him. As touching others, we may not at the first dash condemne them whome God doth punishe: but we must remember that which is saide in the Psalme; Blessed is the man that deemeth wisely of ye afflicted in the day of his trouble.Psal. 41.1. But wee be wonderfull hastie in that point. As soone as wee see a poore man in miserie and wretchednesse, O say wee, God plagueth him, and he hath deserued it: we be in that case verie rashe Iudges. If God smite vsus; after that he hath bestowed many stripes vppon vsus, we will hardely remember that wee hauehave sinned: but as concerning others, our tongues be verie quicke to condemne them. But we shoulde much rather encline to gentlenesse: as for example, when we see the faithfull to suffer, we should thinke thus: Behold howe God dealeth with his children, instructing vsus thereby, that there is no rest in this world, and that our happinesse is in heauen, and it is thither that wee ought to lifte vp our hearts.Luk. 23.3…. And againe, if this happen to the greene trees, what shall become of the drie wood? If God spare not them which hauehave indeuoured to followe his worde,Esa. 51.21. as appeareth vntounto vsus, what shall become of the skorners thereof, as sayth the Prophet? If iugdement beginne at the house of God: miserable then shall they be which hauehave hardened themselues against him. Saint Peter also doeth admonishe vsus to put the same in vre.1. Pet. 4.17▪ And so yee see howe wee ought to deale in this matter. Moreouer, if wee hauehave patience, and meekenesse and bee apt to bee taught, it is certaine that wee shall euermore feele a tast of the goodnesse of God in the middest of the afflictions which hee sendeth vsus. True it is that oftentimes wee shall bee put in feare by them. There will be a kinde of vnquietnesse in vsus which will so vexe vsus that we shall thinke our selues vtterly forlorne vnlesse GOD withdrawe his hande very quicklie. If he prolong our afflictions; then we be altogether blancke, our courage faileth vsus: so that if we be not held in with ye feare of God, and with patience, to be altogether quiet vnderunder his hande: we be euermore wandering. But if we holde vsus still there, then shall wee vnderstand yt he chastiseth vsus in his merciemercy and goodnesse: according as it is saide in the Prophet Abacuc,Abac. 2.4. That the faithfull after they hauehave beene in heauinesse, doe in deede vnderstande, that God doeth neuerthelesse vphold them, and forgetteth them not but doeth alwayes temper & mitigate their afflictions, so as they feele his fatherly goodnes towardes them, and therewithall doe comfort themselues, and can well say with Dauid, Lord if thou wilt bee angrie, it is but for a little while:Psal. 30.6. but thy goodnes endureth all our life long. Beholde (I say) here wee may alwayes hauehave matter wherewith to cheere our selues, and to reioyce in the middest of our afflictions: so as we may perceiue indeede that our Lorde will not faile to be mercifull vntounto vsus, notwithstanding that hee vseth some rigour towarde vsus, to trye our patience, and to quicken vsus vppe to come vntounto him, and to labour to the celestiall life. But we must euermore hauehave an eye to the ende, according as Dauid saith. And therfore in the psalme 37.Psal. 37.1. hee exhorteth vsus not to be greeued at ye prosperitie of the wicked: for he knoweth that our eies be as it were dasled. When we see a wicked body to be at ease and to hauehave all wishes, we streight waies conclude that God hath regard to deale with mē according as they be worthy: by meanes whereof we stagger and are in such perplexitie as we wote not what shal becom of vsus. Now Dauid saith, that in thinking so, he played the beast, and was out of his wittes, and hee confesseth that hee was in that point, berest of reason and iudgement, affirming that he did wrong to al the generation of Gods children,…3.22. vntil he had looked into the Sanctuarie. It is true, that in the thirty & seuenth Psalme which I alleadged here before, he saith, I passed by and sawe the wicked floorish and growe high like a Cedar tree of Lebanon: and after that I had turned me about, he was cut downe as a tree that had no more left but ye drie stocke vponupon the earth: so as there remained no signe of him at al. Such changes do we see in this world; but put ye case we sawe none: yet must we enter into the Sanctuarie of God,…5.17. as it is said in the threescore and thirteenth Psalm. And there we must wayte patiently till God make it apparant vntounto vsus that al afflictions be profitable for his children: and that hee sendeth them as medicines for their health: and contrariwise, yt the prosperitie which he permitteth to the contemners of his law and iustice, shallbee conuerted to their great confusion. We must therefore learne to hold our wits and senses in awe, that we wander not in the afflictions which God doth send vsus.
But to returne to the purpose of Moses: let vsus note well howe hee saith that the punishmentes which God sendeth vppon them that hauehave rebelled against him to the vttermost, and woulde not be corrected: shall be as tokens and wonders to them and to their posteritie: that is to say, he wil punish them after a straunge fashion, and as hath not beene wonted amongest men: so as they shal be compelled in spite of their teeth to say: This is the verie hande of God. And indeed can there be a more beastly contempt of God found, than that which was in Pharao? Hee was a man not onelyonly drunken with pride, but altogether senselesse: he was a man that despised the maiestie of God, and a man so rebellious, as was not in any wise to be dealt withall. When he heard Moses and Aaron speake, he laughed them to skorn: his feeling of the first strokes coulde not make him to yeelde. And in the ende hee needed not a Prophet to admonish him: for he himselfe could say,…19. Surely this is the finger of God. Wee see therefore howe God doeth oftentimes expresse his power in such wise, that euen the most fierce are constrained to perceiue and to thinke that there is some maiestie in heauen, which afore that time they had not accompted of, and thereupon to enter into consideration of their sinnes and to confesse them, and to be the more liuely touched therewith. That is it which Moses meaneth here concerning signes and woonders.
This matter is worthie to be marked. For (as I hauehave saide) if God beginne to punish men, it is euermore saide to be fortune, this is agreeable to our state, (say they:) we know that mans life is subiect to much wretchednes, and in ye meane while the hand of God is not regarded. And though he double it, yet do men continue dull, & seeme as though they could euermore hide them, & scape away, because they enter not into their consciences to searche out the sinnes that be there, but are loath to knowe them, as if a man should goe hide himselfe in a darke corner of set purpose to shun the brightnesse of the sun at noone days. Euen so doe we in al the chastisements which God doth send vsus to warne vsus of our sins and to drawe vsus to repentance. But in the end God doth augment his punishments in such sort, as they become miracles: that is to say, they exceede the common measure, order and course of nature, so as we might be rauished with astonishment, and thereby perceiue that God doth then shewe himselfe, as though his hand appeared vntounto vsus frō heauen. And that is the thing which he declareth more fully in the xxvi. Chapter of Leui. For after he hath pronoū ced the sentence vponupon them that reiect the doctrine of saluation, he saith, I will send vponupon you seuentimes as much,Leuit. 26.8. if I perceiue that nothing do preuaile with you: If my punishing of you amend you not, I will ad there to seuentimes as much. And hee repeateth this sentence againe in the end; & saith, If you will walke at al aduenture against men, I will walke also at all aduenture against you. Now this word, Aduenture, hath relation to the blockishnes that is in vsus, which we hauehave touched here before. For we see very well the aduersities that doe befall vsus in this worlde, & wading yet further we confesse that it is God that punisheth vsus: but to thinke thereon in good earnest; and to iudge euerie man himselfe by calling our sinnes to remembrance so often as God giueth any incling of them; it is the furthest part of our thought. Let eueryevery man looke to him selfe: How many afflictions hauehave we in the yere which shold be testimonies vntounto vsus of ye wrath of God, & as it were summons of apparance before him, warning vsus to sue to him for pardon, and to hauehave pitie vponupon vsus? Scarsely doth any one day passe, but that a man is warned fiue or sixe times as if God should say vntounto him; Wretched creature, why hast thou no minde of thy soule? Why hast thou no care to beseech me to receiue thee to merciemercy? But scarse once in a monethmonth wil a mā enter into examination of his life to condemne himselfe; and if we doe it, it is but coldly. But we ought to be so ashamed and so vexed at the feeling of Gods wrath as though we saw hell lie open before eyes. But wee see that very few doe thinke thereon: for euerie of vsus forgetteth himselfe. That is the thing which God meaneth by this worde of walking at all aduentures against vsus. Yet doe wee follow on our course still, as though no harme had touched vsus, we swallowe vp our afflictions. They do indeede trouble vsus, when they pinch vsus, and yet do we nothing but shake our eares (as they say) and followe still our owne way. Then goe wee at all aduentures, yea euen with excessiue ouerweening, when we acknowledge not the hande of God, ne perceiue that hee is a iudge, to the ende that we might misselike of our sinnes, and euerie man labour and indeuour to withdrawe himselfe therefrom. Our Lorde therefore saith, I will come against you at all aduentures, as if he should say, I will crosse you and ouertwhart you, & thinke not to gaine anie thing either by your hardening of your heartes, and by your kicking against me, or by your dulnesse in that yee perceiue not howe it is my hande that must bring you againe: No no, (saith hee) I will bee as stout and headstrong as you, yea and more stout and headstrong to. For I will come at all aduentures, I will let my plagues runne out at randon, so as I will breake your neckes, and beate you both backe and bellie, and that without pitie. Nowe we see howe much this word ought to wey with vsus, where Moses saith: That the plagues shall bee for tokens and wonders, to all skorners: insomuch that when they hauehave bleared out their tongues at the threatenings of God, and hauehave nodded their heade against the first corrections which he sendeth them, & hauehave bitten on the bridle: he proceedeth on stil & ceaseth not to wring them, but driueth them in the end to come to a reckening do the worst they can, & to say openly, It is the hand of God that presseth vsus; these are the miracles, they be no ordinarie things nor according to the course of nature.
Now therfore, let vsus learn, not to prouoke Gods wrath so far against vsus; but let vsus suffer ourselues to be tamed by him; and let vsus yeelde our selues conformable & gentle so soone as he hath summoned vsus, let vsus yeeld ourselues guiltie without vsing any startingholes: for we shall win nothing thereby. There is nothing better than to enter into pure and free confession, saying, Lord what wilt thou do to these frail & wretched creatures? It is true yt we hauehave a hundred folde deserued to be suncken: but yet for all that, wee flee vntounto thy mercy: wherefore hauehave pitie vponupon vsus. When we hauehave thus condemned our selues, it is a meane to pacifi… the anger of God, which thing will not be done by hardening of our hearts. For then he will euer more proceede farther, vntill hee hauehave brought vsus to these signes and wonders, that be here mentioned. Again God must needs do the like also in respect of mens slouthfulnes & negligence, or rather vtter senselesnes. If wee could be subdued at ye first blow: God would take no pleasure in laying plague vponupon plague. But when he seeth that there is such a kinde of stoutnes, and such a presumption in vsus, that we wil not stoope nor bow our necks: he must needs hold on vntil he make vsus to feel in very deed & after a strange maner, that it is he before whom we must yeeld our account. Let vsus therfore marke well how the obstinate malice of the worlde is the cause why God sendeth so strange corrections to put vsus in feare. And if we considered well the state of the world at this day, it would make ye haires of our head to stand vpright. Certainely they doe all sigh at the feeling of the stripes, and they complain, howbeit not to any amendmēt, but rather they bite on ye bridle: Insomuch that when those which be not altogether blockish do make comparison of the present state, with that which we hauehave seene before the wrath of God was on this wise prouoked; they see it as it were a seagulfe: & that ought to make vsus afraid. And so let vsus come backe againe to that which Moses declareth, to wit, that God must needs hauehave found the world very rebellious & hardhearted when he augmē teth his punishments in such sort: for it shoulde neuer come to that passe, were it not that men were otherwise vnreformable. Let vsus not accuse God of crueltie, when we see his rigor to exceed in punishing vsus: but let vsus acknowledge that our stubbornnesse is so great, that our Lorde must needes handle vsus after that fashion: for otherwise he should neuer ouermaster vsus.
That is the thing which we hauehave to beare in mind. Howbeit that is not al: for we must alwaies feare that which is to come. And sith we saw that God hath thus increased his punishmentes not vponupon one man only, but vponupon the whole world: let vsus bethinke vsus to call our selues home again before he fal to striking of vsus with maine blowes to our confusion and vtter vndoing, without giuing vsus any more respit to come to the acknowledgement of our sins. For it is the sorest point of Gods wrath, when sinners be taken after such a sort out of this world, yt they cannot hauehave remē brance of their sins, nor take breath to resort vntounto God, or to aske him forgiuenes. Let vsus beware least Gods vengeance proceede so farre. And for asmuch as we see yt the aduersities of these daies be verie great, let vsus acknowledge that we hauehave prouoked God verie much, & that it is not for vsus to abuse his patience any longer. Thus ye see in effect what we hauehave to beare away: specialy whē we see yt sin doth ouerflow, so as all the world is infected with corruption. Although a man doe good, yet neuerthelesse forasmuch as it is euermore mixed wt sin, he shalbe chastised, howbeit, not at the first dash: for as I hauehave said afore, God doeth spare the wicked and tarrie for them, and in the meane while punish the good that seek to walke a right: but yet in the end he alwayes plagueth the dispisers of his law & maiestie. And as touching the good, he will make thē to feele his grace to their ioy, so that although hee exercise thē with manie chastisements & aduersities: yet notwithstanding, they shal not faile to know him to be their God & father stil, & to rest vponupon him. As for the wicked they be not disposed to tast or to feele the louelove & goodnes of God: but are rather wood against him. But when iniquitie is become as a maine sea, & al men are corrupted: thē the vengeance of God must also ouerflow, so as none may be free from it. We hauehave seen already ye threatning yt was made here before,Deut. 28.3… namely yt ye people should be led into captiuitie with their king. When this came to passe, were none caried away into captiuitie but the wicked, and such as stroue against the Prophetes, and such as despised the good doctrine, and such also as were headstrong against God like wilde beastes? Yes, there was Ieremie himselfe who had called vppon the people fiftie yeeres together and neuer ceassed to crie: What do ye, ye wretched people? Yet notwithstanding wee see that while others sported them, he wept and wailed: and not contented with that, saide; Who can turne my heade into teares,… so as my braine may bee as a fountaine gushing out continually, that I may bewayle the sinnes and calamities of my people? See how the holy Prophet, (after that he had laboured in the seruice of God, and fought against al the wicked, and made warre against all maner of iniquitie and stubbornnesse:) is faine to be led away captiue aswell as the rest, and to be put to reproch, not of being caried to Babilon, for that had beene the best that could hauehave bin wished at that time: but God gaue him not the fauour to be brought thither, but he was faine to be harried into Egypt:… yet had hee sayde, Cursed bee they that goe into Egypt: goe ye into Babylon and serue the king of Babylon; be quiet and obedient there,… 15. and beare patiently this punishment of God, and in the ende he will take pitie on you. The holy Prophet had not the same libertie. So then wee see, that when calamities come for the generall corruption of all men, the good are wrapped vp amongst the euill. And why is that? Bycause it is not almost possible to walke amongst such infections, and not to bee somewhat spotted therewith. Albeit that Ieremie resisted the euill as much as he coulde: yet sauored hee of the publique corruptions of the people, and therefore behoued him to be punished with the rest; howbeit God did not execute such vengeance vponupon him, as he did vppon the despisers of his lawe, no not by a great deale. For Ieremie had alwayes a good testimonie, that God did guide him; and when he was in Egypt, he was by a speciall priuiledge free from ye curse that hee had pronounced vppon all them that would goe into Egypt: for they drewe him thyther by force. Ye see therefore howe God wrappeth vp his people amongst the rebels, but yet he saueth them after a maruailous maner, which giueth them continuall cause of comfort in him. As much is to be sayd of Daniel. Daniel is set forth vntounto vsus as a myrror of integritie. Ezechiel speaking of him, putteth him for the third of the most holy that could be chosen;… 14.14. yet was he caried to Babylon; and was it for the sinnes of others? He was an hypocrite and had lied vntounto God, if it had not bin for his owne sinnes. For he saith expresly in the ninth chapter,… I hauehave made confession as well of mine owne sinnes as of the sinnes of my people. He sayth euen at the first, Lord we hauehave offended thee, & bin disobedient, we hauehave rebelled against thee, both wee and our fathers, our Kings and Rulers: which wordes of his are spoken generally: It may be sayde, that he put himselfe in the number with the others. But, to the end that nothing should be replyed thereunto, he goeth further and sayth,… I hauehave confessed my sinnes and the sinnes of my people. Whereby we see that Daniell, whatsoeuer integritie and perfection was in him, was neuerthelesse stained with the common vices, and therefore deserued to feele his part and portion of the punishments that God sent vppon all the people. Heereby wee are also the better warned, to stand in feare and to walke in the more warinesse when we see the world so corrupted; assuring our selues, that in the ende wee must feele by experience, that God hath spoken in good earnest, where hee sayeth, that hee will come stubbornly against vsus, if we continue in going stubbornly against him. This is in effect all that wee hauehave to remember in this Text, where Moses speaketh of Signes and myracles. Wherefore let vsus open our eyes in this case, and let vsus not linger vntill GOD compell vsus to come to him by force, and stretch out his mightie arme against vsus: but let vsus receiue his worde, and let it serue vsus for Spectacles to beholde his iudgementes afarre off, and let vsus not tarie the executing of his extreme rigour.
Nowe he addeth therewith, Bycause thou hast not serued thy God with a good will, and cheerefully when thou haddest aboundance of all manner of things. Heere doeth hee reprooue the Iewes, for that they coulde not abyde that God should intreate them gently. And it is not all onelyonly to them that hee speaketh, but also vntounto vsus. We hauehave therefore a generall doctrine to bee gathered of this speeche; namely, that God of his owne nature, is inclyned to allure vsus vntounto him by gentle and louing meanes, like as a father goeth about to winne his children, by beyng merrie with them, and by giuing them all that they desire. If a father coulde alwayes laugh with his children, and fulfill their desires, all his delyght should surely be in them: such a one doeth God shew himselfe to be toward vsus. In deede he is not passionate as men are: we may not thinke yt God is like vntounto vsus; but in so much as we comprehend not his maiestie, bicause it is too high, he is faine to humble himselfe, and to vse a kinde of speech fitte for our rudenesse and for the weakenes of our wittes. Neuerthelesse it is certaine that the propertie of God is to winne vsus gently, as a father endeuoureth to win his children. What is it that God requireth? That wee shoulde serue him with a franke and free heart, yea and euen with gladnesse. In what manner? Verily that bicause he dealeth gently with vsus, and giueth vsus al thinges that we neede, we therefore ought to be quiet and well contented, if we be not vnthankfull. And so let vsus conclude, that all the calamities, troubles, wretchednes and miseries, which happen in this world, be the fruits of our sinnes, and that wee driue God to handle vsus with such rigor. He is faine (as ye would say) to transforme himselfe, and to forsake his nature to ouermaister vsus, bicause hee seeth that sinne is exceeding great in vsus, and that we can no skill to turne the good to our benefite, which he is readie to doe vsus. Howbeit (as I hauehave said afore) God doth not alwayes tarie till we hauehave offended him: we must needes graunt that he preuenteth our sinnes: he seeth that we be in danger to fall, and he doeth remedie it in due time. Yet notwithstanding, all the corrections which we endure in this world, proceede of our sinnes: and the filthines that is in vsus, is the cause why God sendeth vsus not abundance of good thinges according to our desire. And if there were nothing else, but this, yt men fall asleepe, & sape themselues in these earthly pleasures, so as they be not able to looke to the place which Dauid doth call them to;Psal. 4.7. Psal. 1….11. namely, to satisfie our selues with the sight of God, & to reioyce in his presence. Seeing yt men cannot attaine thereunto, but are euer wedded to these base things: doe not we deserue that God should withdraw ye plenty yt he was ready to giuegive vsus, for y• he perceiueth that it wold burst vsus: and in stead of susteining vsus it would so ouerload vsus yt it wold beare vsus down to the ground. This is ye cause why our Lord vseth not such liberality toward vsus as we desire. For he for his part is not dreined dry, neither doeth hee feare to bee impouerished, by sending vsus plenty of al manner of good thinges. We know he is a fountaine yt can neuer bee drawen dry: but when he seeth that we wast & deuour his benefites, and be worse than drunken, & that besides the riotousnes which wee vse, we be also vnthankfull as not onelyonly to fall into forgetfulnesse, but also to spurne against his maiesty, & to turne our backes vponupon him: insomuch that if wee hauehave wherwith to maintaine our selues well, we fall to Gluttonie, pompousnesse, whoredom, and other loosenesse, and to be short, the abuses which we commit in the vsing of Gods blessings, are as an vnmeasurable seagulfe: therfore when he seeth such things, he withdraweth his hand & sheweth not himselfe so liberall toward vsus. This is the Summe of that we hauehave to beare in mind. And therefore, seeing that God for his part is alwayes readie to multiply vsus, & to giuegive vsus plentie of all good things, were it not that we be not able to brooke it: we must vnderstand that wee are as sicke folke, which must hauehave a small pittance allowed vntounto them, and be constrained to a diet. And why? Bycause they bee not able to brooke their foode. Whereupon we ought well to vnderstande that which Moses speaketh to our reproche. For what a shame is it, that wee cannot abide that God should vse vsus gently and after a fatherly sort? Behold, God offereth himselfe, not onelyonly in woordes, but also in deedes: and he offereth to giuegive vsus all that wee desire. But what? Hee seeth vsus not disposed to receiue him, wee despise him, and thrust away his grace; must there not bee then a horrible frowardnes in men? Let euerie one of vsus excuse himselfe as much as he will: yet must this saying needes bee verified, and when we hauehave kicked and spurned neuer so much, yet shall wee at the last bee conuicted of this maliciousnesse, that we could not finde in our heartes to suffer GOD to deal… gently with vsus, ne hauehave serued him ioyfully and with a merrie heart. Therefore let vsus not woonder though hee doe handle vsus as wee deserue, when wee bee so rebellious against him. For when hee seeth that wee kicke against him, hee must needes breake vsus, and deale with vsus after such a fashion as wee may vnderstande that hee is our maister: not that they which bee punished, doe serue GOD: but for that they vnderstand that hee hath the maisterie ouer them, when the punishmentes come so farre that they are become signes and wonders. When GOD appeareth vntounto them as it were in a visible manner from heauen; then doe they perceiue, Alas I cannot flee nor scape the hande of GOD. Then doe they vnderstande that hee hath the Lordship ouer them, not that they willingly yeeld themselues thereunto, but that they lye languishing and astonished therein, as men locked vp in prison. The thing then which wee hauehave to remember, is that sith wee coulde not bee contented, that God should handle vsus gently by bowing vnderunder his hand, that he might guide vsus, turne vsus and returne vsus which way he listed: wee must bee forced by trouble and sorrowe, to vnderstand that he hath full souerainty ouer vsus, and that his vtter breaking and ouerthrowing of vsus, is bycause wee could not abide to bee gouerned by his hande, when hee was ready to guide vsus. This is the matter that we hauehave to note in the second place.
Wee see the very same in all mankinde, not only touching the afflictions of this present life; but also wee hauehave this reproch layde vppon vsus, that we bee still as it were, famished for want of spirituall blessinges. For our father Adam was created in such state, that the worlde was an earthly Paradise: The whole earth yeelded him all good thinges to his wishe: hee endured neither heate nor colde, nor any greeuous want. Thus was our father Adam appointed Lorde and Maister ouer all the worlde,Gen. 1.26. all the Elementes and all the beastes of the earth serued him quietly, and all fruites serued his tast and sauour. What was hee in his person? Hee bare the Image of God, and was of so great noblenesse and worthinesse that hee was as the Angels of heauen: and hee had dwelled in this worlde, with all his lynage, as in a place where hee shoulde hauehave had no trouble: but hee could not abide to bee so gently entreated. When God had thus enriched him with his benefites, hee must needes mistake himselfe, hee could not serue God with a good heart nor with ioy. What could hauehave greeued him? For God shewed him a sweete and a gratious countenance, and powred out the treasures of his fatherly louelove towards him; but Adam could not abyde that, but through his vnthankfulnesse he alyenated himselfe from God. And in what case are wee nowe? We must serue God in hungar and thurst, in nakednesse and reproche, for the earth is cursed vntounto vsus. When we hauehave tilled it,Gen. 3.18. it must bring vsus foorth thistles and thornes. Wee see the seasons contrary; when we waite for a good yeere, we see hayle or frost, drought or rayne, which serue to pluck the bread out of our mouthes, and to disappoint vsus of our foode. We see the ayre troubled, and infections which oftentimes engender diseases. Great is the toyle of men. For when they hauehave gotten foode with greate distresse; yet want they wherwith to cloath themselues. See there (I say) in what taking we be. And wherefore? Bicause wee would not serue our God cheerefully and with a good hart, when he gaue vsus abundance of all maner of blessings. But this is not the cheefe matter, (as I hauehave sayde heeretofore:) for wee are destitute of the righteousnesse of God. Our very true ornament, was that wee could hauehave fashioned our selues to all manner of right; and nowe we be spoyled thereof. As then wee had reason and vnderstanding: but nowe bee wee become beastly, for the brightnesse that shoulde shine in vsus, is but darkenesse. Againe, wee bee couered with reproche: and whereas the Image of God shoulde shyne in vsus, now we hauehave the markes of sinne; so that euen our very bare bodyes must giuegive vsus to vnderstand of the same: insomuch that if a man bee naked, hee is ashamed of himselfe. And why? God doeth by this meane shewe vntounto vsus what infection there is in our soules, in that wee bee fayne to hyde vsus, as not beeing worthy to bee numbred amongst his creatures. Finally wee bee like dry earth. Trueth it is that wee bee ouer fruitefull in euill▪ but of goodnesse, what is founde in vsus? Seeing wee bee thus vnfu…nished of all graces, it is good reason that wee shoulde languish in this fraile lyfe, bycause wee could not serue our God with ioy and a good heart, at such tyme as hee had powred out all his riches most perfectly vponupon vsus.
Nowe sith wee beholde the euill that is in all mankynde; let vsus also apply the same particularly to our selues. Therefore when a… our Lorde visiteth vsus, and maketh vsus to feele afflictions that bee straunge vntounto vsus; let vsus cast down our heads, and enter into such examination of our selues as this: Goe to, whereas GOD hath giuen vsus wherewith to serue him, howe doe wee discharge our selues thereof? If there come an ill yeere that bringeth dearth of Corne or wine, so that famine doth threaten vsus; let vsus looke howe wee honoured GOD in the tyme that hee gaue vsus plentie. If wee see there is aboundaunce of wine, then drunkennesse hath his full scope, so that men cannot bee restrayned from breaking out into all maner of disorder, and (which worse is,) they sticke not to blaspheme the name of GOD, and to rush out into al disorder, and to take leaue to surfeitting and glutting of themselues out of all measure. In aboundaunce of Corne wee see the lyke; men bee so proude therof that they cannot abyde either warning or discipline, but they kicke against GOD, and their pryde is moreouer matched with crueltie, so as eueryevery man raketh to himselfe; hee that hath the most, will if hee can playe the Tyrant ouer his neighbours, in taking no pitie vppon them that bee in want. At this poynt are wee in the tyme of plentie. Therefore is our Lorde fayne chaunge his Copie, and to manyfest his Mai…stie vntounto vsus, and to compell vsus to vnderstande what soueraintie and dominion hee hath ouer vsus, seeing wee cannot finde in our heartes to serue him with a cheerefull heart and with a good will, nor to giuegive ouer our selues vntounto him. Are wee in rest? All our indeuour is howe to plucke out one an others eyes, and to torment our selues lyke Cattes and Dogges. And if wee warre not with men, wee fight against GOD, which is farre worse. And if wee holde on, let vsus not bee greeued that wee bee confounded altogether, seeing wee set vp our selues agaynst the Maiestie of him, vnderunder whome wee ought to bowe. Nay, wee see that most commonly men make warre against GOD, when hee giueth them rest: wee shall see both generally and particularly that they which bee at leasure to doe euill, doe persecute the Church, and torment the poore faythfull ones. As soone as GOD giueth them any respite, they seeke nothing but occasion to doe hurt and to exercise their crueltie. And this is to be seene, not onelyonly in the enemies of the Church, but also in all others: insomuch that both greate and small, when GOD hath left vsus in rest, and wee hauehave made an ende of warring one against another, wee fall to despising of GOD one way or other. Let vsus not wonder therefore, if when a warre is finished; it beginne againe immediatly. For it is needefull that GOD should deale with vsus in such maner: otherwise he cannot rule vsus.
And let vsus marke well howe it is sayde heere moreouer, That GOD will raise vp a barbarous people against such as woulde not bee obedient vntounto him. Such is Gods r…igning ouer vsus, that hee desireth to bee as a father vntounto vsus, rather than to bee a dreadfull King or Prince ouer vsus. It is true that wee must doe him homage as to our soueraigne Lorde, and that wee must behaue our selues as his people in all su…iection and humilitie, submitting our selues vnderunder his obedience: but yet therewithall hee doeth the office of a father towarde vsus, and will bee knowen to bee a father. For hee speaketh after an amiable maner, insomuch that although his commaundementes be harde vntounto vsus, bicause of our malice and rebellion as concerning the fleshe: yet notwithstanding after hee hath declared his will vntounto vsus, hee exhorteth vsus, he warneth vsus, he rebuketh vsus: and all these things hee doeth with such myldenesse, as wee must needes shewe our selues to want both witte and reason, if wee bee not benefited by the goodnesse hee vseth. But will wee not hearken to our GOD when hee speaketh vntounto vsus in so gentle and gratious a manner. Then wil hee talke with vsus with maine strokes of halbardes, pykes, and hagbuts. Wee shall there vnderstande nothing, the language of them will bee very straunge vntounto vsus. And wherefore▪ Bycause wee had no eares to heare when GOD spake gratiously vntounto vsus, yea and when hee stooped so lowe, as to teache vsus lyke little children, that are taught their A, B, C. Go too then, let vsus vnderstande that when wee bee so deafe against God: hee must talke with vsus in an other language, and hee must stirre vp some barbarous and brasen faced people, that hauehave neyther reuerence, reason, nor equitie▪ to whom when yee shall pray for pitie and compassion: it shall be but in vaine, they will giuegive no eare vntounto you, you shall goe that way in spite of your beardes. And what is the remedie of all these euils? Let vsus enter, let vsus enter into our consciences, let vsus not grynde our teeth at men, as wee are wont to doe, let vsus not striue with them. For our combate is not there. But let vsus vnderstand that God meaneth to chastise vsus by men, bycause wee hauehave beene stubborn… towardes him, and would not bee edifyed by his woorde, according as his meaning was. And therefore let vsus benefite our selues by all these warninges, and corrections which GOD doeth sende vsus. And let vsus not abyde till wee feele the knockes; but whensoeuer GOD doeth vsus the fauour to teach vsus at other mens cost, let vsus receiue profite thereby: and when he spareth vsus, let vsus not abuse his patience. And for as much as the meane to reconcile vsus vntounto him, is to accept the promise that hee offereth vsus in the Gospell; let vsus imbrace our Lorde Iesus Christ, which is our peace,Eph. 2.14. to the ende that wee may be entreated after a fatherly sorte, at the handes of our God.
Nowe let vsus fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God, with acknowledgement of our misdeedes, beseeching him to make vsus to perceiue them yet better; and therewithall to beare with vsus in such sort, and that his chastisements and corrections may bee so fatherly and measurable towarde vsus, as wee may bee reduced to the obedience of his righteousnesse, and that he will euermore so comfort vsus, as wee may hauehave whereof to reioyce in him, and to glorifie him, for his procuring of our saluation by all meanes. And so let vsus all say, Almightie God heauenly father, &c.