Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 162
On Fryday the xxvii. of March, 1556. The CLxii. Sermon which is the tenth vponupon the eight and twentith Chapter.
59 Then will the Lorde make thy plagues marueilous, and the plagues of thy seede, greate plagues and sure: euill and sure diseases.
60 And hee shall turne vponupon thee all the plagues of Egypt, the presence whereof thou diddest feare, and they shall cleaue vntounto thee.
61 Also all the diseases and all the plagues which be not written in the booke of this Lawe, the Lorde will cause to come vponupon thee, vntil thou be destroyed.
62 And where as thou wast in multitude as the starres of heauen, thou shalt bee fewe in number, because thou hast not obeyed the voyce of the Lorde thy God.
63 And it shall come to passe, that like as the Lorde thy God reioyced ouer thee to doe thee good, and to multiplie thee: euen so will the Lorde reioyce ouer you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought: and thou shalt bee rooted our of the land to the which thou goest to possesse it.
64 And the Lorde will scatter thee among all people, from the one ende of the earth to the other ende of the earth. And there thou shalt serue other goddes, which neither thou nor thy fathers hauehave knowen: euen goddes of wood and of stone.
I HaueHave shewed here before, how slowe men are to bee taught by the chastisementes which God doth send them. For vntill they perceiue the hand of God, and be driuen to vnderstand, that it is hee with whome they hauehave to doe: of themselues they waxe hardhearted: and which worse is, they labour to cloke that which they ought to feele and see as it were before the eye: namely, that they bee smitten for their sinnes. Forasmuch therefore as men doe neuer willingly come to the knowledge of themselues: GOD is faine to enforce them to it. This is the cause why Moses, ouer and besides that which hee repeateth afore, doth adde, That God will make the plagues of the despisers of his Lawe, wonderfull. That is to say, they shall bee so notable, that euen in spite of their teeth, they shall be afraide of them as of thinges that were neuer knowen, nor in vse. For wee see that accustomed thinges are despised: and euen so is it also with Gods benefites. Forasmuch as the Sunne doth dayly rise to lighten vsus: who is hee that thinketh of the change and intercourse which GOD maketh betweene the night and the day? according to the saying of the nineteenth psalme, that it is as if God should waken vsus vp eueryevery morning,… 1. and tell vsus with a lowde voyce how it is good reason, that his infinite goodnes, wisedome and power should bee knowen. But wee hauehave no eares to heare. What is the reason? It is because the sunne appeareth eueryevery day in lyke order, by meanes whereof wee bee hardened with it: and because it is ordinarie, we make none account of it: euen so is it concerning punishmentes. For the more our Lorde prouoketh vsus to come vntounto him, the more doe we take heart to become vnreformable. And therefore it is needefull for vsus that his plagues shoulde bee woonderfull vntounto vsus, that wee may bee made afraide of them spite of our teeth. And againe hee addeth, That they shall bee great and certaine. The last worde that Moses vseth, dooth signify true or faithfull. Whereby GOD dooth vsus to vnderstand, that his plagues shall holde on still, lyke as hee sayd also that they shoulde cleaue vntounto thē that were rebellious and could not bee wonne by gentlenesse: these plagues must bee rooted in them: and for that cause dooth hee terme them Certaine. Here hauehave wee to consider our owne hardnesse, that eueryevery of vsus may bee the more vigilant in looking to the hand of GOD and conceiue the better thereof. Forasmuch as wee bee so dull of nature, we must learne to stirre vp our selues. And let vsus feare least GOD should accomplish that which is pronounced in this text: Namely that when his accustomed punishmēts profit vsus not, then hee must needes proceede against vsus after such a straunge and horrible manner, as shall make vsus afraide, and cause the hayre of all them to stand vp which doe but heare speake of it: yea, and (as the Prophet Ieremy sayth) to make mens eares tingle, whē the reporte thereof commeth into foraine Countries.
Let vsus bee afraide therefore, least God doe worke after that manner, when hee perceaueth such stubbornnesse in vsus, as hee cannot winne vsus by measurable and tollerable corrections. And therewithal let vsus also take warning by this word Of sure plagues; that when God hath followed vsus to reduce vsus to the way of saluatiō, and we hauehave still fled from him, the plagues must also continue to the vttermost both vponupon vsus and vponupon all our lynage, insomuch that when wee thinke to see an end therof, we shal not hauehave yet begunne. Let vsus not therefore make account to escape, when the plague hath lasted a while: for accordingly as wee proceede on in our naughtinesse; so must God proceede with his rigor and augment it more and more; according as hee seeth vsus to waxe worse and worse. Then let vsus not doe as we see most men doe, which cry out and storme at it, saying: And when shall this hauehave an end? How happeneth it that God taketh no pitie on mee to ease me of my paynes? But in the meane while hauehave they any minde to reconcile themselues to God? Do they cōfesse their faults and bewaile them? Nay rather they be at the very poynt to defy him. Yet doe they talke of their afflictions, and make complaintes: but in the meane while no man looketh to the ground of the mischief to amend it. Therefore when we hauehave bin stubborne against our God, let vsus not thinke it straunge, that he should pursue vsus with such rigour: but let vsus acknowledge that it is expedient for vsus. In the meane space, let vsus not forget this that is written here: namely, that God threatneth sinners, to the ende to bring them backe againe, notwithstanding that they hauehave bin as folke forlorne and past hope of recouery. For God speaketh not to such as had committed but one onelyonly fault, or some two or three faultes, or to such as hauing done amisse, did not wholy giuegive themselues ouer to wickednesse: but he speaketh vntounto such offenders, as had made warre long time against him, and despised his word, and bin deafe to all his warnings, and had made but a mock of them. Yet notwithstanding he doth not cease to threaten them stil. And to what end and purpose? Euen to winne them by his amiable goodnes. So then although we hauehave bin misaduised for a time, yet is it better for vsus to turne late than neuer: and so shall wee fare the better by that which is shewed vsus here by Moses. Now consequently hee sayth, That God will cause the plagues of Egypt to turne vppon the Iewes. Wee vnderstand that God did so afflict the Egyptians, as that they were a terror vntounto his own people, insomuch that the Iewes themselues were astonished thereat, notwithstanding that they were exempted from the euil. When the Egyptians were oppressed to the vttermost, thereby the Iewes vnderstoode that God spared them, and that hee held them in his protection, because hee smote their enemies, and in the meane space did keepe thē in peace and rest. And this wee see chiefely in his killing of all the first borne of Egypt: For GOD had commaunded, that the doore postes of the houses should be marked with the bloud of the Paschall Lambe.Exod. 12.7. There God gaue a singular testimonie vntounto the Iewes that hee woulde spare them; and during that while he turned his wrath and vengeance against their enemies. But now he saith here cleane contrary, That God will cause those very plagues to returne backe. For the worde that Moses vseth doth importe as much as if he shoulde say, Thy fathers sawe howe God turned his wrath against the Egyptians, but nowe they must returne backe againe vppon thee, because thou makest none account to honor and serue him, which hath loued thee so much, and to whome thou art so greatly bound. By this saying we be admonished, that when God hath forborne vsus for a time, and moreouer for the louelove that he beareth towardes vsus, hath punished our enemies, and shewed himself a contrarie partie against them for to maintaine vsus: wee must not therefore flatter our selues, but rather bee more diligent to walke in his feare. For when we will not acknowledge such grace, but rather abuse it quite contrarie: it is good reason that our Lorde should cause the thinges to returne backe vppon vsus, which hee had sent vppon our enemies, thereby to shewe vsus that hee held vsus in his defence and safegarde. It is sayd that the people of God shall bee as a fyre kindled to consume all the wicked and vnbeleeuers. And God will shewe the same in very deede. But if we will needes kindle his wrath through our sinnes and transgressions: then the fyre that shoulde hauehave bin vppon the vnfaithful, must fall backe vppon our selues, and we must perishe therewith. Let vsus therefore consider well of this worde, and let this which is recited concerning the land of Egypt be vntounto vsus a myrror and a learning, that we at this day may apply it to our owne vse; according as all these thinges bee written for vsus. Let vsus marke (I say) what our Lorde did in olde time for the Iewes, and let vsus vnderstand that thereby he gaue record what louelove hee beareth to his Church. But yet therewithal, let vsus take warning to yeelde our selues in such wise obedient vntounto him, as he may continue to doe vsus good, and that this couenant may be confirmed betweene him and vsus,Exo. 23.22. Namely, I will bee a friend vntounto thy friends, and an enemy vntounto thyne enemyes. It is certaine that this promise was giuen to Abraham: howbeit, to the ende that wee also should inioy the same. Now if we cānot suffer God to be our friend, but rather wil make war against him, and breake the faith and aliance that is established betwixt vsus: then whereas afore, hee did set himselfe against our enemies, now hee must be faine to fall vponupon vsus, and to make vsus to feele his infinite power, vntill wee be quite confounded and brought to nought. Therefore while our Lorde spareth vsus, let vsus acknowledge his goodnesse, and not prouoke his wrath to make vsus to feele his power in smiting vsus. And moreouer, when as we see, that whereas the vnfaythful shoulde be striken at his hand, wee feele the first blowes: let vsus acknowledge that it is meete it should be so, because we hauehave broken the peace which he had made with vsus. Let vsus not thereupon be discouraged, howsoeuer the worlde goe, but let vsus stick to him stil. Furthermore let vsus not tary till he proceede to extremitie. And if we be not so wise as to hauehave that discretion at the first, yet at leastwise let vsus benefite our selues by the aduertisements which are set down in this place. After that manner shoulde wee put this text in vre.
Now Moses saith expresly, that the Iewes feared the plagues of the Egyptians, and that they had good cause to stand the more in dread of them, for that in beholding them vponupon their enemies, they were then astonished at them, & therefore it was good reason that they should magnifie the goodnesse of God: but howsoeuer the case stoode, the plagues which God sent vppon the Egyptians, were so great and so horrible, that the Iewes must needes be amazed at them, albeit that they themselues were free from thē, because they beheld such an alteratiō of nature. Nowe if they feared the wrath of God whilest it was vppon their enemies, and had therein a testimonie of his louelove & goodnesse: what ought they then to doe when God rusheth vponupon their heades, and that they must be faine to feele the selfe same plagues which came vppon the Egyptians? Must they not needes be doubly dismaied? Yes: and therefore we see that this threatning is not superfluous; but serueth to waken them, according as we hauehave sayd herebefore, and as experience sheweth that we be too much deafe, yea and as it were senselesse, when God doeth warne vsus; and that he must smite vppon vsus as it were with a hammer, or else will wee neuer vnderstand what he saith. And so ye see the reason why this word is expresly set downe. Now when we see that God punisheth the wicked, let vsus learne to hauehave such feare of his vengeance, as we doe not tarie till he wrappe vsus vp amongest those whom wee hauehave seene punished afore vsus. This is the thing that S. Paul meant in saying, Deceiue not your selues, neither let any man abuse you with vaine words:Eph. 5.6. for the wrath of God hath bin woont to fall vppon the vnbeleeuers & disobedient for such offences. Hereby S. Paul sheweth to the faithfull, that they shoulde not feare the hand of God alonly when they see it armed against them, and when it toucheth their persōs: but they ought to vse the opportunitie in reforming thēselues, euen when God is so good vntounto them as to punish the reprobates & rebels before their eyes. Let vsus therfore be afraid when God punisheth the wicked, and let vsus be aduised to acknowledge him for our Iudge aforehand; and that we hauehave wel deserued to be handled as seuerely as they, were it not that he of his goodnes forbeareth vsus. Let this touch vsus to the quick, that we may be brought to repentance. Thus shoulde we yet further put this saying of Moses in practise.
Nowe hee addeth, that God (ouer & beside all this which he hath declared,) will sende yet other aduersities and afflictions vponupon the Iewes. In deede Moses did recken vp many sortes of plagues heretofore, and hee thought it not ynough to hauehave saide at once, God will chastise thee after such and such manner: but he redoubled it, because he sawe men so grosse and heauy that they bee not so moued at the first, as were to be wished. But our Lordes intent heere, is to declare that hee hath meanes of vengeance incomprehensible, and moe than can bee vttered by wordes; insomuch that if a man should make a Roll of them, and rehearse a whole million of seuerall sorts of them, yet shoulde he not comprise them al: for God hath other hidden means vnknowen to men, wherewith to punish them that doe still rancle in malice against him. And that is according as wee shall see in the two and thirtith chapter, in the solemne song that Moses maketh there. These thinges are laide vp in my Treasurie (saith the Lord) so as I hauehave my whole Chestes full of horrible plagues,…. 32.34 such as neuer were imagined nor vnderstood by men. As much is saide in this text.
And so let vsus remember two thinges, to wit, when wee hauehave had experience of the power of God by his doings, or reade the threatenings that he hath made against the transgressours of his lawe, and doe beholde the practise and execution thereof: let vsus bee amased thereat and say, How now? What a thing is it to prouoke the Lorde? For if hee spare vsus on the one side, hee can well assaile vsus on the other; and when wee bee deliuered from one hundred of afflictions, he hath three hundred others readie for vsus: and when wee hauehave escaped all those, yet hauehave wee gotten nothing. Let vsus therefore thinke vponupon these thinges. Nowe let vsus looke what a sort of threatenings there are in the holy Scripture, howe many sortes of deathes there bee that God hath denounced against the despisers of his maiestie, and against all them that despise and set light by his worde: it woulde wearie vsus to recite them. And in reading the hystories, wee see the examples that God hath giuen vsus of his wrath: and that not in one sort; wee shoulde needes bee at our wittes ende if wee shoulde thinke but vppon the tenth part of them. And if wee shoulde set our mindes to marke and to note them all: what a thing were it? The first thing therefore which wee hauehave to doe, is to be diligent to cal to rememberance all the threatnings whereby God woulde tame our wicked affections, and holde vsus enbridled: and therewithall to compare the thinges that are set downe vntounto vsus, howe that God hath not threatened in vaine, but hath accomplished whatsoeuer hee hath saide. Let vsus thinke on that. And moreouer let vsus vnderstand, that besides the meanes which are contained in the holy scripture, God hath yet a great many of other meanes to punish men; and we see how he doeth dayly bring vp newe. If we had eyes, or rather woulde open them, wee might well see that God doeth daily sende newe kindes of his wrath: and that is to the end which I hauehave touched heretofore, namely to make his plagues wonderful, that men may be inforced to thinke vppon them because they see that God worketh not after the ordinary course of nature: but after a sort that hath not bin earst knowen. When eueryevery of vsus hath well studied all the lessons that be declared vntounto vsus in the holy Scripture; and made our cōmoditie of the examples & punishments yt bee there mentioned; let vsus conclude yt God hath yet a great many mo meanes than be expressed, which men neuer thought vpō. And yt thing he hath made manifest euer since yt the law was written: and he doth not yet ceasse to do the same still, that al maner of excuse may be taken from vsus. If a man looke vponupon the diseases that bee at this day in the worlde, hee shall see that there be many which were not expressed in the law of Moses, or in ye dayes of our fathers. Howe hath whoredome bin punished by diseases that be come vppe of late? Who knewe the pocks a hundred yeres ago? That is one horrible plague which God hath sent vponupon ye worlde. And it is asmuch as if hee had stretched his arme out of heauen, and sayde, No, they knowe mee no more to be their Iudge, they harden their harts against al the plagues yt men did know & receiue afore time, they make but a figge at it; but now I will make them to vnderstand; that in my Coffers, and in my storehouses there are yet other roddes that be incomprehensible to them. God sheweth this: and wee perceiue that wee cannot take a better course to profite by this doctrine, than to feare the rods and punishments, which be not written in the booke of the lawe: otherwise, it is meete that we vnderstand that GOD is stil our Iudge, howesoeuer the world goe.
Now he addeth: That albeit they were as many in number as the stars of heauen, God would wast them in such wise as there should but a handfull of them remaine. Here must we remember that which was spoken of herebefore. For whereas God vseth this similitude of the starres of heauen, he hath respect to the promise which he had made to his seruant Abraham: namely yt his seede should be in number like the starres of heauen. So God spake. But now, to the end yt the Iewes should not presume to thinke yt God was alwayes bound to multiply them, he sayth, No, I wil consume you whatsoeuer come of it, and you shalbee but a handfull of people. It seemeth at the first sight that here is contrarietie. For where as God promised so great a seed vntounto his seruant Abrahā, it was not grounded vponupon the mirites of men. And why? For seeing that the promise dependeth vponupon the free goodnesse of God, must it not be kept, albeit that men be wicked? Yes in deede. But we hauehave to consider, that God doeth not alwayes accomplish his promises after our fashion, nor according to our carnall capacitie: he hath means incredible to vsus, & which we vnderstand not, vntill they appeare by effect. Whereas he promiseth to multiply his Church, that is to say, to make it to prosper, if he see that vnderunder colour thereof the hypocrits take libertie to doe euil, he withdraweth his hand. Let vsus therefore consider wel, that forasmuch as the Iewes were puft vp wt a foolish presumption, and thought it impossible for God to diminish them, seeing he had spoken the worde that he woulde increase them: forasmuch I say as they abused the goodnes of GOD and falsified his promise through their hypocrisie, hee consumed them and brought them to a small number. Neuerthelesse, of that small number, there came a great ofspring againe, yea and so great a one, that men might so much the better perceiue his trueth and merciemercy, howbeit after an other maner. Therefore saieth hee by his Prophet Esay in the tenth Chapter:Esa. 10.22. Although you were as the sande of the sea; (for he did alwayes send them backe to the promise made to Abraham,) although thy seede (as I saide) be as the sande of the sea; yet shall but a small remnant bee saued. But when ye are altogether consumed, yet shall that little remnant bee dispersed ouer all the earth, as if out of a little fountaine shoulde issue forth a greate riuer, or a great lake, wherewith verie many lands shold be watered. So shal it be. Nowe then wee perceiue, that although GOD punish the hypocrites which abuse his promises, yet faileth hee not to performe his sayings still, howbeit by an extraordinary meane; as we hauehave seene it in the Popedome, and as is to bee seene yet stil. For the Papists hauehave ouerflowed the whole worlde with superstition and ydolatrie, and all manner of euill: yea and moreouer thy harden their heartes in pride, and scoffe at God with open mouth. Howe nowe, say they? Are not we the church? Is it not said that Iesus Christ shalbe with vsus vntounto the end of the worlde?Matt. 28.20 Can he forsake his Church? Yet do they continually crucifie him as much as in them lieth, they spit in his face, and doe him all the reproch in the worlde; they make him as if hee were a prisoner or a bondslaue amongst them: and they consider not that such a horrible destruction happeneth throughout ye whole worlde, through Gods iust vengeance for the shamelesse hypocrisie which hath beene in them that hauehave rebelled against the Gospel: yet notwithstanding, GOD hath not omitted to saue his people, as it were vnderunder the earth. And in our dayes he hath raised his Church, as if ye bones of rotten bodies shold recouer flesh and strength againe. For what were we through our vnbeliefe? Yee see howe it is a meruailous resurrection that God hath wrought in that behalfe. Marke well therefore that when our Lorde promiseth to maintaine his Church and to preserue it, the same belongeth nothing to them that abuse his name falsely, nor to them that come to despise him vnderunder colour that hee is gentle and mercifull. For they shall euermore be disappointed of that fauour which God hath so reserued vntounto his people: for they bereaue themselues thereof through their owne malice and vnthankfulnesse. Yet notwithstanding howsoeuer the case stande, God is euer faithful, and wil find incomprehensible meanes to giuegive place to his trueth, by fighting against the malice of men. That is the thing which we hauehave to remē ber concerning this text, where he saith: That he will wast the Iewes though they were as the starres in the skie.
And in verie deede the same appeared euen in Iesus Christ the head of the church. And therfore we ought not to thinke it straunge that that the members of the bod…e should be fashioned like vntounto him. Whence came Iesus Christ when God his father sent him to be the Redeemer? The Prophet Esay saieth that hee shoulde spring from a stocke,Esa. 11.2… as if a tree were hewen downe and there remained but the stub within the grounde, in such sort as men might tread vponupon it. It is not saide that hee should come out of house of Dauid, but out of the house of Iessee, who was a Neateheard and a man despised. The same was I say the father of Dauid a man of no estimation. Albeit that Dauid was so excellent a king, that he was chosen of God to be magnified to the skies; yet the Prophet sheweth, that when Iesus Christ shoulde come into the worlde, it should not bee with any shewe of that royal maiestie that was in Dauid, but he should come out of the house of Isay, as if he should come out of a heard. And that euen then also hee should not come of a tree, but of a stocke, that were cut off. And in what manner? And after what fashion? As a little braunch, saith he. Nowe seeing that God did thus to the head of the church, we must vnderstande that all the bodie must be sutelike: but this maketh not that the hypocrites shall be partakers of that which God reserueth to his elect, and whom he hath chosen, and indeed doe shewe themselues to be his children, and bee obedient vntounto him, as to their father: which also come not alonely with all confidence, but also are drawen with a right affection to honor him. And wheras we perceiue yt God doth at this day sende horrible destructions into the worlde; let vsus vnderstande that he practiseth that which is heere declared: yet let vsus not doubt, but that he doth euermore prese…ue his Church: let vsus not doubt but he doth vpholde vsus as oft as wee hauehave our recourse to him, according to this saying, that whosoeuer calleth vppon the name of the Lord shalbe saued,Ioel. 2.32. yea euen amiddest the greatest troubles thay may be. Though heauen and earth should run together, yet are wee sure that by calling vppon the name of God, we shall bee preserued. But let vsus take heede, that wee abuse not his name, to make thereof a fained cloake: for he can wast vsus well ynough. And if we boast that wee bee of his Church; when he hath cut vsus off, he can quickely rayse him a new people: and augment them in such wise as his trueth shall not be defaced, and yet we shall perish.
After that Moses hath thus spoken, he addeth: That like as God had taken pleasure in dooing good to the Iewes, euen so he woulde take pleasure in persecuting them, vntill he had consumed them and vtterly rooted them out. Heere Moses doeth first of all shewe what affection GOD beareth towardes these whome hee hath chosen out for himselfe, and meaneth to take for his flock. It is certaine that God is not subiect to any humane passions: yet can not he sufficiently manifest either the goodnesse or the louelove that he hath towards vsus, but by transfiguring himself, as if he were a mortall man, saying that he woulde take pleasure in doing vsus good. Let vsus vnderstand therefore that God holdeth vsus so deere as if a father shoulde shoulde delight and reioyce to doe good to his children. When hee seeth them according to his minde, and to doe him honour, and to bee obedient vntounto him: then his feeding of them, and his clothing of them, is a comfort to him, and it doeth him good to see them in their brauerie; for that is the very felicitie of a father. GOD likeneth himselfe to mortall men, and saieth that hee will delight to doe vsus good. And therefore we cannot magnifie the inestimable goodnesse of our God too much, seeing hee stoopeth so lowe as to tell vsus, that his whole delight is in making vsus to inioy his benefites, and in demeaning himselfe in such wise towards vsus, as wee may hauehave cause to praise him, and finally, in yeelding to all our desires. But what? Wee cannot away with it: we are not able to apprehende that, for wee bee not able to consider it.
Wee see that God is (as yee woulde say) waywarde towardes vsus, wee see that hee doeth not onelyonly bereaue vsus of his blessings, but is also angrie with vsus: and to be short, wee perceiue in him nothing, but all manner of rigour. And what is the cause hereof? Verily that wee shut the gate against his goodnesse, and will not suffer him to vse (as yee would say) his naturall disposition. Loe heere a thing that should make vsus the better to acknowledge our faultes, and not to accuse GOD of any accessiue crueltie, when hee dealeth not with vsus after our lyking. For it is certaine that hee will take pleasure in doing vsus good: but on the otherside let vsus consider also, that hee must in likewise delight to doe vsus euill. And why so? Verily because that he is iust. In deede, if wee did suffer GOD to vse his owne inclination towardes vsus; he would bestowe infinite benefites vppon vsus, and we lyuing in this worlde shoulde bee as in Paradise: but because of our sinnes, wee must liue heere like wretched wanderers, wee must languish in many miseries, wee must dwell in continuall feare and in doubt, and wee must grone in great vnrest: it must bee euen so. And wherefore? Because God is iust.
This is the verie pleasure that is spoken of in this texte. According whereunto it is saide, that GOD will reioyce and bee gladde,…. 24. when hee hath punished the wicked, and maintained his maiestie against them, for that they hauehave despised him and set him at nought. Neuerthelesse, it is likewise true that hee saieth by his Prophet Esay, that hee doeth it vnwillingly. Alas (saieth hee) must I needes reuenge mee of mine enimies? GOD crieth there alas, as if hee were in sorrowe and anguish for it. I must (saieth hee) take comfort in auenging mee of mine enemies. Those whom hee termeth his enemies, are the children whome hee had adopted, and which boasted themselues to bee his people. And howe doeth hee comfort himselfe in them? Euen by giuing them ouer, and by driuing them away. But in the meane while, hee sheweth that it is against his will, when hee must so beate men downe with maine strokes, howbeit that hee can none otherwise doe. Yet notwithstanding, in verie deede God is able to tame the heartes of men without any great violence: for (as wee hauehave saide) hee is not subiect to our passions. But heereby we be to consider howe his intent is to declare, that our vnreformable naughtinesse is the cause why hee is faine to pursue vsus after such manner as is spoken of heere, and that hee is faine to take pleasure in doing vsus harme▪ wherein the order of nature is after a sort quit… altered and chaunged: but all is through our owne fault, and wee our selues are to blame for it, and it is not for vsus to seeke any other reason thereof than our owne sinne, which hath kindeled his vengeance to the vttermost. Thus much concerning that sentence.
Nowe for a conclusion it is sayde. That God will roote out this people from the lande wherein hee had planted them, and that he would disperse them amongest all the nations of the world. And that ther… this wretched people, (which were earst in a countrey of freedome, wherein God had sette them to the ende that his seruice and pure Religion shoulde dwell there) shall serue straunge Gods, euen ydols of Wodde and Stone. First we see that albeit the Land of Chanaan was giuen in Inheritance to the people of Israel, yet they failed not to bee put out and banished, when they abused the fauour that had beene shewed vntounto them. GOD had planted them there, euen as though hee had set them at his owne hande. Loe (saide hee) heere is my resting-place and yours: hee intended to dwell amongst them himselfe,Psal. 132.14 and thereuppon hee promised to giuegive them rest there, insomuch that although all other people shoulde bee displaced and remoued too and fro, yet shoulde the children of Abraham inioy the heritage of that lande still. Notwithstanding, this letted not God to driue them out againe, and to scatter them abroade with the winde, because they had defiled that lande, which shoulde hauehave beene kept holy to his name.
Nowe sith it is so, let vsus not thinke it straunge though God at this day doe sende many changes into the worlde: for he hath giuen no such priuiledge to any Nation as to say vntounto them, You shal inhabite this lande, as the Lande of Chanaan was giuen to the linage of Abraham. But wee see howe GOD is offended, wee see mens misdoings as haynous as can bee. Nowe then if GOD remooue men, let vsus vnderstande that it is for their sinnes. Moreouer, let vsus returne to the eternall rest, whereunto the Apostle leadeth vsus in the Epistle to the Hebrues.Hebr. 4.9. & 11.26. Hauing spoken of the rest of the land of Chanaan, hee saieth that wee must looke vntounto a rest that is higher. For the children of GOD are commonly as wayfarers in this worlde, as Sainct Paul termeth them, putting himselfe in the number: but let vsus euermore direct our course and indeuour to this heritage, which is promised vsus in heauen:2. Cor. 5.6. for wee shall not bee disappointed of that heritage, so wee continue in our vocation whereunto God hath called vsus. Neuerthelesse it is said, that they which giuegive themselues ouer vntounto wickednesse shalbe wiped out of the booke of life.Exod. 32.34 Not that Gods chosen shall euer perish: but it is spoken in respect of such folke as thinke it ynough for them to beare ye name of Gods children, and to hauehave beene baptised, and to receiue the Lords supper, and such like thinges: and make no further regarde. But our Lorde telleth vsus that although it seeme for a time that they be written and enrolled in his Register, because they bee taken to be of the company of the faithfull: yet shall they not faile to be wiped out. So then let vsus aduise our selues, and so long as it shall please God to keepe v… in this worlde, let vsus walke so vnderunder his obedience, as his hande may euer bee stretched out to preserue and maintaine vsus: Let vsus so sticke vntounto him as wee may hauehave libertie to honour and serue him. For it is a dreadfull desolation which Moses speaketh of heere, namely to be no more of the body of the church nor to hauehave any more the shewe or shape of Religion: and yet is this seene throughout the worlde at this day. Therefore let vsus marke, that one of the greatest benefites which GOD can bestowe vppon vsus in this transitorie life, is to let vsus hauehave some little corner wherein to assemble our selues in his name, to call vponupon him and to professe our selues to be his people. This ought to be more esteemed amongst vsus than either meate or drinke or any thing else. Howbeit verie few do think thereon. Yet notwithstanding we must needs confesse, that albeit we hauehave sufficient foode, and in the meane while forget God, our state is miserable. And if we think not thereon, we bewray our owne beastlynesse: for God telleth vsus that this benefite which is spoken of here, is farre greater than all the rest, that is to wit that we may worship him in purenesse, & be gathered together vnderunder that head which he hath appointed vntounto vsus, namely our Lord Iesus Christ. And therefore while wee hauehave such priuiledge to heare the worde of God, to call vponupon his name, and to walke according to his Gospell: let vsus harken vntounto it, for feare least God disperse & scatter vsus abroad in like sort as he hath dispersed the Iewes. And specially let vsus stande in feare of this threatning, namely, to bee made such beasts, as to honour ydols againe, as we see it is become of others, who are a good president to vsus of the vengeance of God, whereof wee our selues also hauehave felt our part. For wee hauehave beene as bondslaues vnderunder ydolatrie, and vnderlings vntounto the abhominations of the Popedome; and that was for our sins, and for the sins of our fathers. Seeing we hauehave earst felt the blowes, yea, and beene as looking glasses vntounto others: shoulde wee nowe be so brutish, to prouoke our God in such wise, as he shoulde bee forced as it were, to depriue vsus of the grace that he hath giuen vsus? Let vsus then vse this benefite and treasure of the Gospel, whilest our Lord giueth vsus place where to hide vsus as it were vnderunder his hand while he doeth gouerne and guide vsus, and while we be knit together in one bodie: that hee may bee magnified amongst vsus with one accorde not onelyonly with the mouth, but also specially with our life: to the ende that vppon our indeuouring of our selues to honour him, hee on his side may continue his good doing towardes vsus: and that this threatening bee not executed vppon our heads, that is; to bee dispersed heere and there, and to bee constrained againe to worshippe ydoles, and other deade and senselesse things.
Nowe let vsus fall downe before the maiestie of our good God, with acknowledgement of our sinnes; beseeching him to touch vsus with such repentance, as being ashamed of our sinnes, wee may seeke altogether to put our selues wholly into his handes, and that by obtaining forgiuenesse of him, we may also feele that hee hath reformed vsus, and that wee bee in his fauour, to giuegive ouer our selues altogether to his holy will. And that albeit there is alwayes much to bee amended in vsus, and that our lustes and affection… doe drawe vsus quite away from that which hee commaundeth vsus; yet neuerthelesse wee may not ceasse to striue against them, and to yeelde our selues wholly vntounto him, and to inforce our selues thereunto more and more, knowing that the same is our soueraine welfare: and that although hee shewe vsus nowe and then some tokens of rigour in correcting vsus, yet wee may learne to profite thereby, to the amending of our sinnes, so as wee may bee brought to the perfection wherunto hee dayly calleth vsus. That it may please him to graunt this grace not onelyonly to vsus, but also to all people and Nations of the earth, &c.