Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 182
On Wednesday the iij. of Iune, 1556. The CLXXXII. Sermon which is the fifth vppon the two and thirtith Chapter.
16 They hauehave prouoked him with their strange gods, & stirred him to displeasure with their abhominations.
17 They hauehave offered sacrifice to Deuils, and not vntounto God: to gods whom they hauehave not knowen, to newe gods lately come vp, whom your fathers feared not.
18 Thou hast forgotten the strong God that begate thee: and beene vnmindefull of the God that shaped thee.
19 The Lorde sawe it and was sore grieued at it by reason of the prouocation of his sonnes and daughters.
HEere Moses declareth the vnthankfulnesse of the people, in that they peruerted the seruice of God, hauing the lawe whereby they were taught after what manner God woulde bee honored, and being instructed at his hande that they ought to giuegive themselues wholly to him, and not go seeke vntounto ydols, nor borrowe any thing of the heathen and Infidels. But notwithstanding all this, the people ceased not to take the bridle in their teeth, and to mingle a sort of superstitions with the seruice of God. Insomuch as it sufficed them not to hauehave God to their father, but they woulde needes hauehave a number of other patrons, as men terme them. And this befell not onelyonly when Moses wrate this song: but also the holy ghost informed him of the things that were then to come vponupon that people, and this record was of necessitie to bee giuen thereof. And so this song serued to shewe the transgressours of Gods lawe, that they coulde not scape the hande of the heauenly Iudge, seeing their sinnes were knowen so long aforehande. For howe is it possible that God should forget the faultes that wee hauehave committed, or howe is it possible for vsus to blindfolde his eyes that he should not see them, seeing he foresawe our euill doings euen long afore we were borne, and is the iudge of them?
But heere Moses vpbraideth the people, That they had prouoked God by straunge Gods, that they had stirred him vp to ielosie, and that they set his wrath on fire with their abhominations. First wee must call to rememberance what hath beene saide as well in the fifth Chapter as in other places: namely that this worde ielousie is attributed to God,Deut. 5.9. because hee will hauehave vsus to worshippe none but himselfe alone: and also because hee admitteth vsus with this condition, that wee shoulde walke before him in all manner of purenesse. When a man misbehaueth himselfe, it is all one as if a woman forsaking her husbande, shoulde play the harlot and giuegive ouer her self to al leawdnes. That then is the cause why God termeth himselfe iealous. Not that he is subiect to any passions; but to shewe that his honour is deare to him, and that he cannot away with any companion, but that if we will acquite our selues of the faith that we hauehave plighted vntounto him, wee must yeeld ourselues wholy vntounto him, we must behaue ourselues soundly & vncorruptly without doublenes, we must not stand debating what God we should sticke vntounto, but we must let him hauehave the possession of vsus, & not make any minglemangle or corruption. And that is the cause why Moses expresly addeth the worde straunge, as though a woman forgetting herselfe to bee vnderunder couert baron, or that she is bounde vntounto her husbande by reason of the faith which she hath plighted vntounto him: shoulde goe make herselfe common to such as had no interest in her. In the same taking are wee, when wee inuent newe gods to worship them at our owne pleasure.
Moses addeth their abhominations: meaning that as soone as wee steppe aside from the liuing God, and from the doctrine whereby he woulde hauehave vsus to bee ruled; all our life is detestable before him, what colour of good intent so euer wee set vppon it, as the vnbeleeuers beare themselues euer in hande that they doe well when they corrupt the true religion with their owne fancies. They beare themselues in hand that all shoulde be well: but God cleane contrarie wise auoweth that in those doings of theirs there is nothing but cursednesse. And so let vsus marke well, that God alloweth not any Religion which is not ruled by his worde, and that it shall be in vaine for vsus to alledge that wee thought we did for the best, when we sought patrons and aduocates and inuented newe gods of our owne heade. All these thinges may perchaunce goe for good on mens behalfe, who deceiue themselues with their owne dotages and dreames: but yet hath GOD giuen his definitiue sentence vponupon them, which hee will not repeale.
And to aggrauate the euill, Moses addeth that they were newe gods, gods that were start vp but a while agoe, gods whom their fathers knewe not: and so in effect, that they had done sacrifice; not vntounto God, but vntounto the diuel. When hee speaketh here of newe gods, whome the fathers feared not, and which came vp but tother day: thereby God doth the children of Israel to vnderstande, that they ought to hauehave sticked vntounto him, because hee is the maker of the world, and there was none but hee onelyonly from all euerlastingnesse, and that without him there is nothing firme and stable. Here therefore hee reprooueth the peoples foolishnesse in forging newe gods to themselues, euen such gods as had neuer beene knowen of afore. And heere wee must note, that Moses termeth al things by the name of Nouelties, which are inuented by men, though the error hauehave continued neuer so long time. For it is a fondnesse to alledge that men hauehave done so heretofore a hundred yeares ago, and that things hauehave beene helde and obserued so beyonde all remembrance of man. For God passeth not for that. And why? Wee must goe to the euerlastingnesse which hath beene before the creation of the worlde. Men then can not preiudice Gods trueth by their long possessing of their abuses. For God will still vse such style as wee see heere, namely, that it is all but newe stuffe. For in deede the ydols of whome mention is made heere, had beene worshipped long time afore. As for example, the Egyptians boasted themselues to hauehave beene often thousande yeares continuance before the creating of the worlde: they bare them selues in hande that they had their kingdome long afore the Moone was created in the skye. But what coulde all this boote them as in respect of their superstitions? Let vsus marke well then, that the children of Israell, intermedling themselues with the abuses and corruptions of such as boasted themselues to hauehave liued after that fashion by the space of fiue hundred, a thousande, three thousande, yea and (as I sayde) ten thousande yeares before the creation of the worlde, are (notwithstanding all this) condemned of deuysing of newe gods. Coulde not they hauehave replyed thus? This is not newe: for let it bee inquired, and it will bee founde that the Egyptians hauehave euer liued so: and Gods lawe may bee called newe in comparison, at leastwise to outwarde seeming. But (as I sayde afore) Moses had an eye to Gods euerlastingnesse. For if yee seeke there for the things that men hauehave deuised; yee shall finde them to bee nothing. And why so?… For (as it is sayde in the Psalme) a thousande yeares are but as one day in Gods sight. In deede wee make great account of a thousande yeares: but that is because wee passe away in post through the worlde. For after a two or three turnes, wee bee fayne to returne from whence wee came. By reason of the shortnesse and brittlenesse of our life, wee make a greate matter of it if a thing hauehave continued fourtie or threescore yeares, and much more if it continue a hundred yeares. And if it holde out to a thousande: then wee thinke wee shoulde neuer make any more sticking at it, nor any more gaynesay it: but in deede all this is but mockerie, as I hauehave declared before. And truely GOD created the worlde to the ende that his maiestie shoulde bee seene both aboue and beneath, as in a looking glasse, and hee hath taught men that it is hee, to whome they ought to come. Adam knewe that. Neuerthelesse, most men hauehave falne away to superstition, insomuch that wee see that the seruice of GOD was imbaced euen in the life of Adam, and that it was fayne to bee reformed againe as it were by miracle. When the floude came,Gen. 7.17. God cleansed the earth newe againe. And whereas hee reserued but one only housholde wherein there were but eight persons: it was a meane to bring home the worlde againe vntounto him: that whereas they had all beene backeslyders afore, and had turned away from him, they ought as then to hauehave come to reason, and to hauehave reformed themselues by the thinges which they had seene with their eyes. But beholde, there followed a newe falling away euen in the life of Noy. His owne children forsooke the seruice of GOD, and forged ydols to them selues. Nowe this ought of reason to bee taken for newe. But the mischiefe continueth still, and wee see that ydolatrie reigned euen in the time of Abraham. Foure hundred yeares mo had passed at such time as the lawe was giuen, yea, there were passed about a fiue hundred yeares since the time that Abraham had beene an ydolater at home with his father.Iosua. 24.2. Superstition therefore had beene auncient, and was become as it were rotten. Men had weltered in it so long time, that they might well say, We in these dayes are not the first beginners thereof▪ No: but though an errour bee once waxen olde, yet must not men make a custome of it, neither must they of a wicked custome make a continuall lawe or rule. Loe howe men beguyle themselues by sticking too stiffely to things that are growen into euill custome. For why? They beare them selues in hande, that if a thing hauehave beene vsed of long time, then it is lawfull for men to doe it. But an euill custome is nothing else than an errour forgrowen. And it is so much the woorse and the more to bee misliked, because God hath beene the grieuouslyer offended by it. Wherefore let vsus beware that wee drawe not thinges to a consequence, because they hauehave beene abused of long time: but let vsus still returne backe to the originall.
And this is a verie necessarie poynt for vsus in these dayes. For the Papistes affirme that the thinges which wee doe, are newe, and that they were inuented but a whyle agoe. Yea, but if wee aske them a proofe of their antiquitie, what say they? That such thinges hauehave beene done nowe these fiue hundred yeares. Truely they lye most commonly with full mouth. For the thing which they holde as chiefe and most resolute, is not of so long continuance. If yee seek for their confession, or shrift, about a foure hundred yeares agoe, there was no lawe at all thereof. If yee looke for their transubstantiation, it is in like case. They make men beleeue that the breade is no more a materiall thing, but that it is God whome wee ought to worship. And that is spycke and spawne newe, I meane euen in accounting after the manner of men. In like case is it with all the residue. If wee looke vppon all the fashions which they holde at this day, surely they bee but a renuing of the thinges that were in olde tyme, and yet there is little or no resemblaunce in them. But let vsus put the case it were to bee graunted them, that the forme of religion which they holde hath beene obserued by the space of a thousande yeares or mo. What will a thousand yeares helpe when wee come before GOD? They will not bee reckened for a day,Psal. 90.4. & 2. Pet. 3.8. no nor for a minute, as I sayde afore. And where is then our true antiquitie? In Iesus Christ who is the beginning of all thinges, and to whome all things are to bee brought backe againe: In the liuing God, by whom our Lorde Iesus Christ is sent vntounto vsus, to make his will knowen vntounto vsus. There must wee bee grounded, if wee will hauehave the auncient faith. For in holding our selues to men, wee shall hauehave nothing but noueltie. Score wee vp neuer so many yeares, they will stande vsus in no steede, for all passeth and glydeth away. But wee must hauehave him, which hath neither beginning nor ending, and his vnchangeable trueth must bee our rule. When wee rest vppon that, then hauehave wee the auncient faith. And therefore wee at this day may well protect against the Papistes, Turkes, and Iewes themselues, that they bee backeslyders, and hauehave withdrawen themselues from the true and pure religion, and that wee continue in the doctrine which hath beene followed in all ages, worshipping the God which created vsus, which gaue foorth his lawe by the hand of Moses, and which hath vttered himself most perfectly by the Gospel. Bring wee here any newe thing? Say wee that men must hauehave newe rules and newe fashions inuented by men at the Papistes doe? For all their Religion is grounded vppon these poyntes, namely, that they must keepe the traditions of their elders, that they must obserue the lawes of their mother holy Church, that the same must bee taken in equall authoritie with the holy Scripture, and that the holy Ghost was not giuen fully ynough to the Apostles, but that the perfection of thinges was reuealed afterwardes to a sort of hypocrites and I wote not to whome else. Those are thinges whereon the Papistes rest. The Turkes are altogether Renegates. The Iewes hauehave peruerted the lawe, and hauehave no more of it but the dead letter, because they hauehave refused Iesus Christ who is the soule therof as Saint Paul termeth him.2. Cor. 3.6.7 8. So then, wee may well protest, that our faith is auncient, for as much as it is grounded vppon Gods trueth, who neuer chaungeth ne varyeth, and that men hauehave not taught vsus any thing on their owne head, but that wee hauehave the same God which hath vttered him selfe in all ages, and that wee followe the doctrine whereunto hee woulde hauehave men to holde themselues, which likewise is euerlasting. Thus much concerning the first poynt.
And as touching the mention that is made of the fathers, let vsus marke that in this behalfe wee must in any wise vse discretion, that wee take not those indifferently for our fathers, which could not beget vsus by the worde of God. For the Egyptians and all the Infidels of the worlde coulde welynough say, Our fathers liued so, so hauehave they taught vsus, wee holde our religion of them: and such sayinges might wel bee set as a sheelde to defende them. But because God disclaymed their fathers, therefore coulde that excuse stande them in no steede. For God presupposeth heere that hee had called to him both Abraham and the Patriarkes, and also that they had helde the true religion, which thing did put a difference betwene them and the rest of the whole worlde.
Againe, whereas hee sayeth, that they had worshipped gods whome their fathers feared not: it is all one as if hee shoulde vpbrayd them, saying; What? I adopted and choose your fathers to bee my children, and they worshipped mee as their God, and will you nowe forsake mee? To bee short, wee must holde this for a generall rule, our fathers are those whome God hath reputed, and aduowed to bee his children. Therefore whosoeuer seeketh any other fathers than the children of God, shall finde nothing but bastardie. And at that poynt are the Papistes. For in speaking of the fathers, they consider not that the Apostles and such other as hauehave beene begotten by the pure doctrine of the Gospel, are our true fathers: but they call hypocrites, and dreamers, yea and scorners of GOD which hauehave turned all thinges vpside downe, their fathers. They alledge the greate Asses which neuer tasted any whit of the holy Scripture; so that if a man marke what maner of fathers they auouche, surely it is so fonde a thing, that they bee woorthie to bee laughed to scorne for it euen of little babes. True it is that for honours sake they will say that Saint Austine, S. Ambrose, and Saint Bernarde are their fathers: but if any good thing be alledged that is founde in them, they abhorre that: in so much that if they had them aliue at this day, they woulde burne them as well as they doe the Martyrs, whom wee see them handle most cruelly. Therefore (as I sayde afore) it behoueth vsus to walke discreetely in that behalfe, and to consider who bee our true fathers that wee may followe them: namely those whome God auoweth for his children, and hauehave begotten vsus by his worde, which hauehave helde vsus to it, and which hauehave taught vsus it. But as soone as this incorruptible seede of saluation is marred;1. Pet. 1.23, by and by there is no more fatherhood. And herein wee must practise Saint Paules saying, which is,Eph. 3.15. that all kinred proceedeth of God. Let vsus then referre all kinred vntounto God, and so shall wee not bee ashamed. But if eueryevery man will needes followe his owne fathers without difference; hee shall finde that when the blynde followeth the blynde, both of them fall into the pit and breake their neckes together. At that poynt are all they which stande stiffely in their owne opinion against God, & leane to ye things which hauehave beene deuised by men. Therefore let vsus bee well aduised, and seeing GOD hath graunted vsus the grace to hauehave his gospel planted once among vsus, let vsus continue in all purenesse, holding our selues wholly vntounto him, that there may bee a conformitie and agreement betweene vsus and those that hauehave shewed vsus the right way. Thus yee see in effect what wee hauehave to remember vppon this text, where Moses blameth the Iewes for starting backe, & for deuising of new gods which had not beene feared among their fathers.
Yea and wee must bethinke vsus of that which is sayd in the seconde Chapter of Ieremy. Go your wayes (sayth hee) into all the countryes afarre off,… 10. get ye ouer the sea, seeke throughout al the yles, and see if there be any people that forsaketh their gods: yet are they no gods, they bee but ydoles and dead thinges: but you hauehave forsaken mee, euen mee who am the fountaine of liuing water. God sheweth there that ydolaters are wilful in their leasings: insomuch that although the diuell hauehave so bewitched them that they bee voyde of discretion and reason, & cannot iudge of any thing: yet notwithstanding they be wedded still to their follies. And because they thinke they do well, they holde them to it, and they can by no meanes bee turned from it. Yee shall see them as greatly bent to their willes, as may bee, and yet they hauehave no foundation nor proofe thereof. Now then, that we which hauehave knowen Gods trueth; which are sure that it is hee which created and shaped vsus, and which hath vttered himselfe to vsus by his lawe, by his Prophets, and by his Gospel; that wee which hauehave such warrant and certeintie, that wee which hauehave the fathers & the greate clowde of witnesses to guyde vsus (as the Apostle termeth them in the Epistle to the Hebrewes:… 12.1,) that wee which after the Apostles hauehave also had the Martyrs & those which hauehave receiued the Gospel with pure obediēce, & followed the simplicitie thereof: that we (I say) should yet notwithstanding louelove better the corruption, dung, & filthines brought in by men, & that we should find in our hearts to hauehave Gods word falsifyed among vsus: what a rhing were that? Must it not needes be that wee be as it were mad, when we be o vnstedfast & light mynded, as to start away from that which is certaine and infallible? After that maner then must wee put this text in vre, to ye intent we be not accused before God, as sekers of new gods which were not knowē to our fathers, & which came vp but a while agoe.
The word that Moses vseth here betokeneth properly to stand in awe, to feare, or to tremble before God. Wherby he sheweth that Gods maiestie ought to bee so dreaded of vsus, yt we should stoope vntounto it, & be cast down & humbled at it. Not that God would hauehave vsus to be afrayd of it, for we can neuer serue him with our good will, & with a pure & free heart, if wee conceiue such a feare of him as shal make vsus to flee from him. But there are two things in the seruice of God, as is shewed vsus in the Psalme which shalbe song anon,Psal. 5.8. namely that in comming vntounto God, wee must bee touched with a certeine feare, to yeeld him his due reuerence. That is one point. And therewithall wee must also consider his goodnes, that wee may take courage to come vntounto him, & be bold to cal vponupon him, not douting but that he heareth vsus, & that we shalbe wel accepted at his hand. Marke wel therefore what this word Feare, importeth, that wee may learne to hold our selues vnderunder the obedience of our God with such awe as none of vsus may take leaue to runne astray, as wee see men do, whose boldnes is such that they fling abrode eueryevery where, because they make but a sporte & a dalyance of God. Therefore let vsus beware that wee be not so rude as to daly with so great a Lorde; but rather let vsus be seasoned with such a feare aforehand, as may alwayes hold vsus in awe: and yet notwithstanding not cause vsus to ceasse frō worshipping of our God, in such sort as hee may be amyable to vsus, and we may prease boldly to him knowing well that he will receiue vsus with pitie, as a father doth his children,Psal. 103.13 seeing hee calleth vsus to him before we come.
Nowe in the ende Moses sayeth, that they offered sacrifice to diuels & not vntounto God. This saying may seeme rough and hard at the first sight. For if a man had asked the heathen concerning their intent, they would hauehave sayd by & by, We knowe there is one chiefe God: but wee hauehave many gods because the maiestie of God is spred out eueryevery where. And therefore forasmuch as we cannot attaine to so high a thing, it behooueth vsus to hauehave meanes. That is the cause why they forged such a multitude of gods. As for the diuels, they abhorred them. The Heathen could as will skill as the Papistes to say, Wee intende not to hauehave aught to doe with the diuels, sauing the sorcerers, (for there hauehave euer beene some such) but I speake as touching their cō mon religion: and it is certaine that all of them woulde hauehave protested, Our will is to serue God. But what is answered them heere by the mouth of Moses, who is appoynted Iudge with full authoritie, and is as the instrument of the holy Ghost? Ye serue the diuel. Wee see then that all their excuses shall stande them in no steede, and that this must holde to the condemnation of the whole worlde, namely, that as soone as men swarue neuer so litle from ye pure trueth, it is a seruing of the diuell, and the diuel hath a parte in all their doings: for God refuseth eueryevery whit of it. And it is a text well worthie to bee noted, to the intent that the ignorant wretches may bee wakened, and vnderstande that in grounding themselues vponupon their owne good intentes, they doe nothing else but increase Gods vengeance vppon their heads, without amending their case thereby. Wherefore let vsus on our syde vtterly abhorre all that euer is contrarie to the seruice of God, & make much of the fauour that hath beene shewed vsus in his deliuering of vsus from such a bottomlesse pit. We hauehave thought our selues to hauehave done maruellously well in seruing of ydols; we hauehave esteemed it an Angels life to trot vp and down from altar to altar, and from chappel to chappel, to babble before puppets, to heare Masses, and to set our mindes vppon such other gewgawes. But in the meane while, beholde, God telleth vsus that wee serued the diuel. It is a horrible thing for vsus to heare him say so. Therefore let vsus looke that wee condemne our ydolatries, and bee sory that wee hauehave so prouoked Gods wrath against vsus. And therewithall let vsus consider the inestimable good which he hath done vsus, in reaching vsus his hande to lift vsus out of the gulfe wherein wee were plunged. That is the thing which wee hauehave to remember vppon this Text. And therfore let vsus be throughly settled in the pure doctrine, and in the simplicitie of the holy Scripture. For why? As long as wee holde that rule, wee bee sure that GOD will allowe of the seruice which wee doe vntounto him. But if wee mingle any thing with it of our owne fancies, or if we borrowe any thing of men; all is marde and corrupted, and the diuel is foorthwith put in possession of all that euer wee doe, and God renounceth vsus, according to this saying of his by the Prophet Ezechiel. Hence (sayeth he) I giuegive ouer my part,Ezec. 20.39 I will hauehave neither little nor much to doe in this case, I require no more of you: yee thinke to serue mee and your ydoles together, but I renounce you and giuegive you ouer quite and cleane to the diuell: for I intende not that you shall so mingle mee with your dung and filthinesse. Thus you see in effect what Moses meant to declare heere.
Nowe hee addeth, that the people forgate the God which had begotten them, and the mightie one which had created and shaped them. Hee vseth still the same worde which I hauehave translated before, and which signifieth properly a Rocke. And God is so termed, because we be preserued, and mayntained by his power, as if a house were grounded and buylded vponupon a rocke. Whereas hee sayeth that the people had forgotten the God which had begotten them, it is to bereaue them of all excuse of ignorance. For the Heathen might well hauehave sayde that they had neuer tasted a whit of the true religion, and that their weltring after that manner in their owne dotages, was for want of teaching, and that it is no woonder though a blynd man stumble or goe astray in the darke. The Heathen might hauehave alleaged after that sort for themselues. But as for those to whome the lawe had bin giuen, there was no such starting hole for them. For God had drawen their father Abraham from the ydolatrie wherein he liued,Ios…. 24.2. Exod. 3.15. & 34.1. as is declared in the last Chapter of Iosua. Hereupon, about a foure hundred yeres after, he put them the better in mynde againe that he was the liuing God. And afterward he did set down his wil euen in writing. It was his minde that it should bee a president of authoritie whereby to knit a mutuall agreement betweene him and them, as if hee shoulde say, I wilbee your father, and bee you my children. Seeing then that the people of Israel were taught after that fashion, and God vttered himselfe so familiarly vntounto them; what can they say, or what excuse can they alledge, for their turning away to the superstitions of the Heathen, and for their peruerting of the trueth, which was so throughly knowen vntounto them, and yet they turned it into lyes, insomuch as they fell to the quenching of the light of saluation, and woulde needes goe wilfully and wittingly astray, seeking their owne destruction euen after that God had reached them his hande, and shewed them the way of saluation? According whereunto wee hauehave seene the protestation that Moses made in the thirtith Chapter, saying: This is he way,Deut. 30.15 walke therein. Is it not too shamefull a rebelliousnesse, when folke will so despise God and not sticke vntounto him? So then, it is not causelesse that they bee accused in this text to hauehave forgotten the GOD which shaped them. And therefore let vsus marke well, that when wee hauehave once knowen God, the same ought to suffice to holde vsus in continuall obedience towardes him, if wee were not too too vnthankfull. Nothing ought to holde vsus so sure as the knowing of GOD. For then may wee say, This is our GOD, wee hauehave no dout nor misweening of him, as they hauehave which deceiue them selues by following their owne imaginations, but wee hauehave the certaine trueth which cannot beguyle vsus. Had we therefore well profited in the knowledge of GOD, surely it woulde suffice to holde vsus in awe. And although wee were neuer so sore turmoyled on all sydes, so as the diuell did cast neuer so many stumbling blockes in our wayes, and wee had neuer so many occasions giuen to turne vsus asyde, and wee see neuer so greate diuersitie of opinions and whatsoeuer else is possible: surely if wee hauehave profited in Gods schoole, and knowe him as wee ought to doe, wee shall neuer bee turned away from him. And that is Saint Paules meaning where hee sayeth,Eph. 4.14. that such as are well grounded in the Gospel, shall no more bee like little babes that wilbee allured at the shewing of an apple, and turne their heads this way and that way after it, and that if a man put a toye in their head, by and by they bee carryed away with it, and forget the thing which they were in louelove withall a litle afore. S. Paul sayth that if wee be well settled in the Gospell, wee shall not bee any more so led by the billes, neither shall the diuell bee able to woorke vsus such illusions, but that wee shall abyde vnuanquishable, and hee shall gayne nothing at our hands. For our faith shall be stedfast.
Also on the contrarie parte, if wee doe estrange ourselues from GOD, after wee hauehave once knowen him, it betokeneth a desperate malice in vsus, it is not for vsus to cloke the matter as then, for all that wee can alleage wilbee to no purpose. Then is it a thrusting of GOD vnderunder our foote, if after his shewing of him selfe vntounto vsus, wee corrupt the purenesse of his woorde in chaunging the Religion which hee hath giuen vntounto vsus, and in leauing the rule which it behooued vsus to followe. Nowe wee see the meaning of Moses. And therefore seeing that God hath beene so gracious to vsus as to reueale his will vntounto vsus, and sheweth vsus that hee is the liuing God: let vsus take heed that wee wauer not any more, ne bee any more as reedes that yeeld to eueryevery wynde,…. 4.14. but that wee continue stedfast in the fayth wee hauehave receiued by his worde, least it bee cast in our teeth that wee hauehave forgotten him with all the benefites which wee hauehave receiued at his hande.
And heere Moses setteth not downe singly the worde God, but sayeth, The God which begate thee, the mightie one which shaped thee. Here Moses telleth the people of Israell, that they had good cause to holde him for their God, if they had not quyte and cleane forgotten the gracious goodnesse which they had earst founde in him by experience. And that is a thing well woorthie to bee weyed. For it is Gods will not onelyonly to bee knowen in his beeing or in his name, but also to shewe himselfe to vsus by his deedes, so as wee hauehave true recordes of his power, goodnesse, merciemercy, and iustice. Seeing then that God hath so shewed himselfe to vsus, what is our vnthankfulnesse if wee knowe him not? Is it not too shamefull? Therefore wee must alwayes consider, that God hath caused it to be declared vntounto vsus, not onelyonly that it is hee whome wee ought to feare, and to whome wee ought to be subiect without any further proofe, but also that therewithall it is hee that hath begotten vsus. And this is to bee marked yet better of vsus, than it was of the men of olde time vnderunder the lawe. For wee hauehave our Lorde Iesus Christ the onelyonly sonne, into whose bodie wee be graffed that we may become the sonnes of God. Therefore the body of the tree and roote of our adoption, is that wee bee made the brethren of our Lorde Iesus Christ. For beeing begotten of God, wee bee nourished and sustayned by the doctrine of his Gospel. Nowe if wee consider what wee were before, namely, the children of Adam and heires of euerlasting cursednesse: and also if wee hauehave an eye to those whome God suffereth to runne into destruction, it will yeelde the greater glory to the fauour which hee sheweth vsus. Seeing then that God doeth nowe drawe vsus to him to bee his owne, and to bee of his housholde, shall wee fling away from him? Shall wee rather followe ydoles which wee are not acquainted with? Wee see then as nowe, that wheras Moses doeth so grieuously blame the children of Israell, hee doeth it not without cause, considering the experience which they had had of Gods goodnes, power and iustice, and yet that they had made no reckoning of it.
In respect whereof hee sayeth that God sawe it and was angrie at it, euen because of the misbehauiour of his sonnes and daughters. This sentence is a confirmation of my former saying. For whereas the Iewes are termed the children of God, it is not in way of honour, but rather to shewe that they were guiltie of such vnfaithfulnesse as to forsake their God, and to rebell against him, and to woorke him such spyte, as that they had leuer choose the deuil than him. Thus yee see howe wee ought to ioyne these two thinges together, namely, that God is the mightie one which begate vsus, and of whom wee holde all thinges: and therewithall that hee hath receiued vsus and adopted vsus to be his children. But wee shall pay full deare for it, if wee continue not in his obedience. The thing then whereunto wee must come backe, is that if God cannot beare with the wickednes of the world, ne doeth forgiue the vnbeleeuers which hauehave sinned without the knowledge of his wil: needes must wee bee dubble punished, and needes must more horrible vengeance light vppon our heads, who hauehave beene faithfully instructed to drawe nigh vntounto him, and taught that hee hath nourished vsus in his lappe as his owne children, and yet notwithstanding wee hauehave forsaken him.Rom. 2.12. And that is Saint Paules meaning where hee sayeth, that they which hauehave sinned without the lawe, shall perish neuerthelesse for all that: and that they which hauehave offended after warning giuen by knowledge of the lawe, shall hauehave the sorer damnation, accordingly also as our Lorde Iesus sayeth,Luk. 12.48. that the seruant which hath done amisse though it were through vnskilfulnesse, shall not fayle to bee punished for it: because hee ought to hauehave inquyred his masters will. If a seruaunt say; I wist it not: And knowest thou not that I am thy master? Oughtest thou not to inquire my will? But much more ought God to hauehave such preheminence ouer his creatures. And if they that hauehave offended so through ignorance are not excused, what shall become of vsus which knowe the will of our GOD? If wee fall to stryuing against him, to spyte him as it were of set purpose and of prepensed malice and frowardnesse; if wee fall to dashing at him with out hornes, so as wee set our selues against his righteousnesse and transgresse his whole doctrine: must not so greate and so diuelish headdinesse bee punished much more grieuously? In that respect is it sayde heere that God was prouoked to anger with the transgression of his sonnes and daughters: as who shoulde say; True it is that God is greately offended throughout the whole worlde: but hee had reserued a people to himselfe, whome hee had gathered together for his owne inheritance, and euen they are growen out of kynde: and is not that a thing to moue Gods vengeance the more?
Nowe let vsus apply this doctrine to our owne vse. And sith wee see howe the wretched worlde is blynded nowe adayes, let vsus consider thus with our selues: Well, the Papistes shall not fayle to bee condemned. And if wee condemne them, can they scape the hande of GOD? That is vnpossible. But let vsus first of all play the Iudges towardes ourselues, and consider that GOD hauing called vsus to bee his children, will bee knowen to be our father, and wilbe serued & worshipped at our hands. And therfore whensoeuer we happen to ouershoote our selues, and to giuegive ouer ye doctrine wherein we hauehave bin once trayned. Gods wrath must needs be kindled against vsus, & without cōparisō much more grieuously than against the silly ignorant and vnbeleeuing sort. Seeing then that we be Gods children, & he hath set his markes vponupon vsus, & neuer ceasseth to allure vsus by gentlenes: let vsus not turne away from him, but let his so doing prouoke vsus to honor him, and to serue him in such wise, as he may take pleasure in vsus, and delight to doe vsus good, and continue the increase of his grace and benefites more & more towardes vsus.
But nowe let vsus fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes, praying him not to lay them to our charge, but to drawe vsus to him continually as long as wee bee in this worlde, correcting our vyces and infirmities, and ridding vsus from all the corruptnes of our flesh, and stil bearing with vsus till hee hauehave fully reformed vsus according to his righteousnes, and taken vsus quyte & cleane out of this corruptible life. And so let vsus all say, Almightie God heauenly father, &c.