Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 17
On Thursday the ix. of May. 1555. The xvij. Sermon, which is the third vponupon the third Chapter.
23 And at the same time I prayed vntounto the Lord, saying:
24 O Lord God, thou hast begun to shew thy seruant thy greatnesse and thy mightie hand. For what God is there in heauen or earth, that can doe according to thy workes, and according to thy mightinesse?
25 I beseech thee let me goe and see the good lande that is beyond Iordan, and this goodly mountaine, and Libanus.
…ut. 1.37.I Tolde you heretofore that Moses made mention how God had bereft him of the benefite and honour of entering into the land of promise, for the sinne of the people. Nowe he rehearseth the same matter againe, howbeit to another ende. For it was conuenient that the people should be done to vnderstande, that they shoulde not alwayes hauehave such a leader. To the intent therefore that the exhortations which Moses maketh, might be the better receiued, and the people take the better heede to them: hee telleth them that he must leaue them, and that he shall not hauehave leaue to passe ouer Iordan. That is his meaning, wherof I shal speake more fully hereafter. In the meane season, let vsus see what he saith here. First of all he reherseth that he besought god, that he might enter into the promised lande. But hee had alredie had the sentence of condemnation, that hee might not goe. It shoulde seeme then that he resisteth God as much as in him lyeth, and that hee cannot finde in his heart to admit his saying. And in deede wee cannot vtterly excuse him that hee did not amisse. For we cannot bee tickled with so small a desire contrarie to Gods will: but wee bee by and by blameworthie. But when wee be so bolde as to come vntounto God, to make a request cleane contrarie to his will: then is the offence double.…. 21.22 11.24. …. 1.6. And why? For the foundation of all our prayers is faith. But there can bee no faith without Gods promise. Who so then commeth to cast out his pangs, & desireth of God the thing that hee knoweth shall mislike him: doth he not passe his bounds? Doth he not goe cleane contrarie to that which the rule of praying will beare? Yes. Now, this was seene in Moses, and therefore it followeth that hee did amisse. And indeede the aunswere sheweth it. For like as God was angrie with him before,Num. 20.12. because he had not glorified him in the strife that the people moued for want of drinke: so is hee angrie with him nowe againe. Though we had none other witnesse, euen this ought to suffice vsus, that God doeth expresly shutte the gate against him for the time to come, that he shoulde no more returne vntounto him. Heereby wee bee done to vnderstande, that wee must bee earnest in repressing our desires, and in bridling them. For hardly is there any man to bee founde, that euer yeelded himselfe so pliable to obey God, as Moses was, Let vsus seeke on all sides, [and yet shall we not finde one.] It is certaine that Mo- was an excellent mirrour of meekenesse, and such a one as had his minde vtterly brought downe, so as he sought not to followe any thing which was not commaunded him from aboue. And yet for all that, it appeareth that he coulde not so restraine and ouermaster himself, but that there was some excesse in his affections. If this befell to Moses who had beene accustomed to obey God in all pointes: howe shall we do which hauehave pro…ited so euill in that behalfe? So then, we see heere a deede which sheweth vsus what the cheefe exercise and studie of Gods children is: namely to subdue their affections, that it may not befall them to desire any thing, but such as they knowe doeth please GOD. For that is the onelyonly rule whereby to discerne good from bad. Marke that for one point.
Moreouer wee muste not staie vppon the outwarde apparance. If wee hauehave a desire to a thing, although the same seeme good and iust, yet must wee not thinke that it is therefore lawfull. For if wee looke vppon Moses desire, euerie of vsus will say it was holy. Yea and wee maruell howe it was so refused, considering that hee spake not so much for himselfe, as for the common profite of all the people. For his desire tended to none other ende, but that the people might hauehave beene the better stablished and confirmed in Gods grace. Hee sawe the vocation wherevnto hee had beene ordeined, to bee most excellent: hee had executed it alreadie by the space of fortie yeeres: hee sawe the hardest was yet behinde: hee was acquainted with the peoples vices: hee knewe the power of mind that was giuen vntounto himselfe: hee was sure hee had purchased greate credite nowe long agoe: Loe heere the causes why hee wished to hauehave entred into the land. For being a man of sixescore yeeres olde, hee was not wedded to this present life. And besides all this, wee knowe that inasmuch as hee had beene taken vp heeretofore into the mountaine, and had tasted there of Gods glorie: he was not intangled with transitorie delightes, nor with any worldly thing. Yee see then that Moses had no respect to himselfe, but woulde faine hauehave accomplished his office, in setting the people in possession of the heritage that had beene promised them, and by that meane hauehave stablished the seruice of God in the holy lande. Who woulde not say that this was a good desire, considering howe it tended to the glorifying of GOD, and to the procuring of the welfare of the whole people? Loe heere the two principall endes where vntounto the whole life of man shoulde tende. And yetnotwithstanding, Moses did amisse. Why so? for hee resisted God. It ought to hauehave suffised him, when hee had once hearde that GOD woulde not bee serued by him in that case. Albeit then that the desire that hee purposeth bee excellent in it selfe, and ame at a good and rightfull ende: yet doeth it not faile to bee worthie of blame. The reason is, because hee submitted not himselfe to God.
Nowe then, wee see the thing that I saide afore: that is to wit, that wee may nowe and then hauehave faire colours to desire this or that: but in so doing wee may goe too farre, yea and indeede wee shall not obtaine our requestes. Why so? For obedience must goe before: and without that wee cannot builde, but to our ruine and confusion. And it is a thing verie requisite. For men cannot bridle themselues from being wise in their owne conceites: insomuch that if wee take a thing to bee good: wee cannot bee perswaded to the contrarie, GOD cannot winne so much at our handes as to gette the masterie of vsus. So much the more then behoueth it vsus to take paine to holde our selues wholly in awe, to the end we build not any thing which God alloweth not, but that wee alwayes hauehave that marke before our eyes, and rest wholly vppon it.
Nowe if it bee so that the desires which of their owne nature are good, holie, and commendable, doe neuerthelesse become sinfull and blameworthie, when they aduaunce themselues against God: what are they when wee couet euill thinges, and giuegive heade to our fleshly lustes? Wee see that the thing which GOD hath forbidden vsus is euill, and yet notwithstanding wee take leaue to desire it: is this to bee excused? Nowe then, to the intent wee may take profite by this doctrine, let vsus marke that although our desires to see to, are as good as can bee: yet must wee absteine from them vnlesse God doe like of them. For at that ende muste wee beginne. And furthermore, that if wee ought to correct our desires, though there bee no likelihoode of euill in them: we ought much more to bee well aduised that wee cast not forth our bubbles when wee bee tempted to euill, and when wee be caried away to fleshly lustes. All that geere must bee killed starke deade, seeing it is not lawfull for vsus euen to wi…h the thing that is good, except wee hauehave leaue of God. But we must then specially obserue this lesson, when wee goe about to pray: for as I hauehave saide alredie, the foundation of all our prayers is faith: and what importeth that? Euen that we should heare God speake. If wee pray at all aduenture, doubting whether wee shall obtaine the thing that wee require or no:Iames. ….… ▪ it is but hypocrisie and it shall not boote vsus at all, saith the holy scripture. It standeth vsus then in hande, to bee well assured when wee come before God, so as we beleeue certainly that our praying is not in vaine, and that wee shall not bee disappointed of the thing that wee require. And that is the point where in the prayers of the Christians doe differre from the prayers of the infidelles. For the infidelles and vnbeleeuers may well flee vntounto God, and craue this and that at his hande: but what for that? they bee euer wauering, and wote not whether they shall obteine or no. For they depende not vppon the promises. But as for vsus, wee must assure our selues of the louelove of our God, & that he is much redier to graunt than wee bee to require, yea and that hee is so pitifull and hath such a respect of our miseries and necessities to relieue them,…sa. … that he euen preuenteth vsus. Wee must bee throughly perswaded of this when wee pray. But how shall we knowe it? Wee must not beare our selues on hande that wee holde God bounde vntounto vsus, and that wee shall make him to graunt all our desires: for what a malapertnesse were that? And what an honouring of God were it, if euerie man shoulde say, I trowe God will do whatsoeuer I list to commaunde him? But we must rest vppon his promises. Yee see then that faith is requisite in our prayers: that is to wit, that no man thrust forth himselfe vponupon his owne heade, but that hauing the promise whereby God allureth vsus vntounto him, wee goe vntounto him boldely, not doubting but that hee will keepe touch with vsus. Seeing it is so: wee must note nowe that al our praiers are faultie, if they bee not ruled by the wil of God. For when wee presume to aske of him whatsoeuer comes in our heade, there is no promise for vsus to trust vntounto in going to it so without aduise. And therefore for asmuch as we passe our bounds, wee be neuer a whit furthered by it. Thus ye see that in praying we must alwayes cō sider what god permitteth vsus, & what his will is yt we shoulde aske of him: and that wee must euer hauehave this modestie and sobernesse with vsus to aske counsaile of him, as though his spirit spake in vsus, and indyted vntounto vsus the verie forme of our prayer.Matt. 6.9. And for that cause hath our Lorde Iesus Christ made as it were a summe of all the requestes which wee ought to make vntounto God. For although wee bee not tyed to those words, to say hollowed bee the name of God, his kingdome come, his will bee done, &c. yet must we referre all our desires, wishes and requestes to those sixe articles, which are conteyned in the praier that our Lord Iesus Christ hath giuen vntounto vsus. And although the Fathers of olde time had not the same rule; yet were they alwayes gouerned by Gods spirite, to keepe them from wandering from the thinges that are taught vsus at this day, so as all their prayers were conformable to the rule that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath giuen vsus. Nowe then we see, that all such as take leaue to pray what they list, doe not direct themselues to God as they ought to doe, and therefore are they likewise disappointed of their desires. And for the same cause is it, that I hauehave tolde you, that in all our prayers wee must be well aduised, that the thinges bee lawfull according to Gods worde. But nowe there are some thinges which God hath promised without exception, and those wee may demaunde without condition. Whensoeuer wee hauehave offended him, (which thing wee neuer cease to doe) wee must resort to the remedie, praying God to forgiue vsus our sinnes and to shewe vsus merciemercy. God hath assured vsus that hee is redie to doe it. And seeing he hath promised it, our comming to him to seeke fauour must not bee as though we wist not what woulde be the ende of our request: but wee must bee fully resolued that hee will shewe vsus fauour indeede. Yet notwithstanding, if therewithall wee desire him to release his chastisementes: that is nowe another thing. For hee may well pardon our faultes, but yet in the meane while hee wil not cease to subdue vsus, vntill he perceiue that our vices are corrected. I meane not as the Papists doe, namely that God pardoneth the fault, and reteineth the punishment still, as they hauehave surmised, saying that when God forgiueth men their sinnes, hee ceaseth not in the meane while to execute his rigor vponupon them as a iudge. It is nothing so. But God chastiseth vsus for our sinnes after hee hath forgiuen them, howbeit, not in way of punishment, but to make vsus looke better to our selues & to be warer hereafter, so as we become not so vnconstant as to returne to the selfe same fault againe. Then if God perceiuing vsus to hauehave neede to be tamed, doe list to chastise vsus: if wee require of him simply & without condition, that he should by and by withdraw his hand: that request were out of square. For why? He perchāce sendeth vsus some sicknes or some other crosse, & hee knoweth that it is not ynough for vsus to bee sicke a two or three dayes: and therefore the disease must continue and increase, vntil wee bee throughly clensed of it. Therfore when we make any requests vntounto God, he must hauehave the moderating of them. Why? For we know not his will: I knowe not what is meete for mee, neither hath God giuen me any promise of it: nowe must I in this case stay my selfe, and referre my selfe to God in praying to him, I must patiently waite for such issue as he shall thinke good, and I must yeelde my selfe as a prisoner wholly to his will, vtterly forsaking all mine owne affections. Now then we see that where wee be not sure of Gods will: wee must not warrant our selues any thing vppon our owne heades, but wee must goe to it with condition, that God shall doe to vsus as hee listeth. And therewithall wee must pray him to make vsus thinke wel of al his doings, and to deale so with vsus as wee may agree there vntounto: howbeit, not as inforsed, but of our owne accorde. Thus yee see what we hauehave to remember vppon this example of Moses. Sith it is so: let vsus beware that we pray not for any thing, which we knowe doth displease God and is condemned of him. As howe? If we should desire him that we might liue euer in this worlde: we knowe we be created to another ende, yea and we cannot be his children, but we must be as pilgrims in this world,He. 11.13.16 as saith the Apostle. Seeing it is so: he that shoulde desire to liue alwayes here, should renounce the kingdome of heauen, separate himself from god, and barre himselfe from all accesse vntounto him. So then yee see heere a thing that were cleane contrarie to the manner of praying aright: as much is to be saide of all our sinfull lustes. Wee knowe what God hath forbidden vsus: if we deale to the contrarie, is it not as if wee shoulde play the chafed bulles or wilde beastes? And suppose wee that such manner of praying prouoketh not Gods vengeance against vsus? Is it not a heynous treason to him, seeing wee cannot deuise to abuse his name more falsly? Therefore wee must alwayes looke wel about vsus. Seeing the case standeth vppon the finding out of the will of our God: wee must (I say) be well aduised what he promiseth vsus, & then shall we hauehave our requests graunted vsus.
Yet notwithstanding wee hauehave to marke, that when Moses desired God that hee might goe ouer Iordan: hee did it not wilfully of purpose to disobey God. For hee had humbly receiued the condemnation that wee sawe, whereby GOD had banished him from entering into the lande… of promise: but as nowe we forgetteth himselfe, and this escapeth from him. When as wee see this, let vsus marke that wee had neede to bee so much the more diligent in examining our owne wishes, to witte whether they bee conformable to Gods wil, and squared throughout by the rule of his worde or no. For wee may well proteste that our intent is to bee subiect to God, and wee may well say it without dissimulation: but yet in the meane time wee shall not cease to bee intangled in wandering imaginations, and our wittes shall vanish away. If Moses being a man wholly bent to obey GOD, were so farre ouerseene, as to confounde himselfe in his owne request: what shall wee doe? For wee hauehave a great sort of thicke and darke cloudes, which dimme our …ight that wee cannot see cleare. And therefore let vsus sharpen our wittes, that we may consider what is lawfull for vsus to demaunde with godlinesse, and what liketh God according as hee shall hauehave declared it vntounto vsus. Thus yee see what wee hauehave to beare in minde. And if wee chaunce at any time to ouershoote our selues th…ough heate, and to require the thing which wee cannot tell whether wee shoulde obtaine or no: let vsus by and by correct it with this addition, My God, thy will bee done. As for example, A man hath his childe or his wife sicke, or he is in some other perplexitie: Alas my God (saith hee), and hee casteth forth some vehement affection, ah my God, wilt not thou pittie mee? must I bee thus afflicted with extremitie? Well, when hee hath made this request, he must acknowledge that there is a fault in it. And let vsus not excuse our selues by saying, As for me, I neuer meant to withstand God or his will: but when wee once knowe the fault, let vsus goe and adde this correction, Alas my God, indeede such is my desire, that thou knowest to what end it is: but yet for all that, it becommeth me to yeelde thee thy principall seruice which thou preferrest before all others: that is to wit, obedience, so as I humble my self wholly in this case vnderunder thy hande. Euen so Lorde, dispose thou of mee and of all mine at thine owne pleasure. Ye see then that in examining our requests, when we doubt whether God like of them or no: we must enter into this consideration, that God ought to ouerrule vsus, that we may yeeld him his deserued honour, and all our affections bee so bridled, as he may hauehave the masterie of vsus. That is the true manner of praying, if we intend to be hearde.
But by the way we must also marke the thing that is set downe heere. Moses to the intent to obtaine his request, saith, Lorde thou hast begun to shewe thy seruant the highnesse of thy mightie hande. When Moses speaketh after that fashion, it is a kinde of protesting that his putting of himselfe forth to pray, is not for any seruice that he hath done to God: hee alledgeth not any such thing. No: but he protesteth that God had shewed him fauour alreadie, and therefore he desireth him to continue it still. And it is a point that wee ought to marke wel, namely that when we come vntounto God, the best reason that wee can alledge vntounto him, to winne our requests at his hande, is to say, alas Lorde, wee be exceedingly bound vntounto thee alredie. If a mortall man hauehave done vsus a good turne, wee may well bee ashamed to be alwayes hanging vponupon him: but it is not so towards God: For he neuer ceaseth to do vsus good: neither can hee bee dreined drie in doing good, as creatures should. And yet notwithstanding, if wee should return three or foure times to a man that hath done vsus good or pleasured vsus, we might say: Sir, the goodnesse that you hauehave shewed mee heretofore, for the which I think myselfe greatly boūd vntounto you, maketh me bold to repaire vntounto you againe, euen to increase my dette to you the more. If wee might say so to mortall men: much more ought wee to say it vntounto God, for vntounto him wee can alledge no deserts, nor any thing else of our owne. Therefore wee muste followe that which is shewed vsus heere, saying: Lorde, seeing thou hast begunne to do vsus good, goe through with it. For God bindeth himselfe to vsus in doing vsus good: not that he is tyed to it of necessitie, we must not step to him with such lustinesse as though hee owed vsus any thing: but after as we hauehave felt the experience of his goodnesse and grace towardes vsus▪ wee may bee so much the more familiar with him. And that is the thing whereon wee must cast our eye: and it is also the thing wherein GOD is rightly glorified by vsus. When I come vntounto him and say, Ah Lorde, true it is that nothing I am, nor nothing I can: I hauehave nothing in mee but vtter naughtinesse: neuerthelesse, forasmuch as I hauehave found thee bountiful to me heeretofore, & thou hast shewed thy selfe good to me so many ways: therefore doe I resort vntounto thee still. Beholde, by my so doing, GOD (say I) is glorified, both for the time present and for the time to come. And it is not onelyonly Moses that hath vsed this manner of praying: Wee see it was common among all the auncient fathers. Howe often see wee it vsed in the Psalmes:Psal. 30▪ Gen. 32.… ▪ and wee see also that Iacob did the like. Lorde (saith hee) I am stuffed full of thy benefites: when I consider the good that thou hast done mee, I cannot but acknowledge that thou hast vsed wonderfull merciemercy towardes mee: and yet for all that, I am faine nowe to repayre to thee still. Wherefore let vsus learne, that if Moses being a man of GOD, yea and such a one as had so excellent recorde of the holy Ghost, alledged not any desertes of his, ne vaunted of any worthinesse of his owne parte, in his praying vntounto GOD: much more ought wee to confesse that wee bee not worthie to open our lippes vntounto him: and to stoope and to discharge our selues of all selfestimation when wee come vntounto him, so as wee presume not vppon any thing that is in our selues. Marke that for one point.
But though wee bee vnworthie to pray: wee hauehave well wherewith to imbolden vsus, by reason of the greate number of benefites that wee hauehave receiued at Gods hande. For his reaching out of his hande vntounto vsus, is not to doe vsus good for one day, but to continue, and to giuegive vsus accesse to resort to him againe to morrowe. In so much that when God hath once beene gracious to vsus, thereby hee sheweth that hee woulde hauehave vsus to come still to him, seeing hee hath shewed vsus the way and opened vsus the gate.
So then, let vsus learne to call to minde the great number of benefites, whereby GOD hath vttered his louelove towards vsus, to strengthen our selues withall, that wee may take heart to warrant our selues by true faith, that hee will heere vsus at our neede. And surely, as for them that minde not Gods benefites: they bee at their wittes ende when they come to the pinche. And the same is the verie cause why we be so colde in praying, and why we goe to it so vnlustily, not knowing whether wee shall obtaine aught or no, or whether our prayers shall bee in vaine and vnprofitable or no. Why so? For wee bethinke vsus not of the promises that GOD hath made vsus, and (as yee would say) of the hansels which he hath giuen vsus.Matt. 7.7. He hath assured vsus oftentimes that wee shall neuer come vntounto him amisse: and we thinke not vppon it at all. Our owne vnthankfulnesse therfore, is the let that wee hauehave not a true and right trust in him, and that wee cannot repaire vntounto him to say, Lorde, I doubt not but thou art mercifull to mee, and admittest mee alwaies vntounto thee, but not for any worthinesse of mine. Neuerthelesse I beseeche thee remember the benefites that I hauehave receiued at thy hand: for it is vponupon that trust that I come vntounto thee: hoping that as thou hast shewed thy selfe gracious and bountifull to mee heretofore, so thou wilt continue still vntounto the ende. Thus ye see what wee hauehave to remember in that Moses saieth, Lord thou hast begun to shewe thy seruaunt the highnesse of thy mightie arme.
Now Moses speaketh here expressely of Gods highnesse and greatnesse, and of the mightie power of his hand. As if he should say, that God had made him to feele an extraordinarie working, and that the grace whereby hee was induced to pray vntounto GOD, was a speciall one aboue that which euerie man feeleth. For God had vttered an vnaccustomed maner of power, so as they wee no common thinges which he shewed vntounto Moses. That then was ye cause why he desired to bee brought into the lande of promise. As if he had saide, My God, thou knowest that thou hast chosen mee, not as some other person among vsus, but as an elect vessel: & therefore forasmuch as thou hast vsed mee in thy seruice, nowe vouchsafe to bring me into the land. And herein wee see, that Moses desired this, not so much for his owne sake, as for the whole peoples sakes, that all of them might hauehave fared the better by it. For it was a thing that might hauehave troubled ye weaklings, to see the leader of ye people die. Ye see they were a people that were ouerbold, at leastwise in rashnesse: but yet when they should obey God, they were seene to be cowardly ynough: and when Moses died, it was ynough to hauehave made them vtterly vnweeldie, insomuch as it might hauehave caused great offence among them. What meaneth this [might they hauehave saide?] The Lorde was determined to put vsus in possession of the lande: and why doeth he nowe bereaue vsus of him whom he had ordeined to bee our guide? Moses hath bene his lieuetenant vntounto this houre, and nowe he goeth away to die. It should seeme then that God had altered his minde, and intended not to goe through with the thing he had begun. Moses had an eye to all this. And therefore, if we looke no further, we see so much ye more, that his desire was good and holy: but his fault was, that being condemned of God, whereas he ought to hauehave held him to it and not to hauehave gone any further to reply against it: he did it not.
Moreouer he addeth therewithall, What God is hee in heauen or earth, that hath done according to thy workes, and according to thy mightie power? This manner of speache to say, What God is he in heauen or earth, seemeth perchaunce to be fond. For is there any other GOD, than hee that had published his lawe by the hand of Moses? If hee alonely bee God, then is this comparison superfluous, yea and euen fonde, and to no purpose. But wee hauehave to note that in speaking so, Moses meant not that there is a multitude of Gods, so as euerie of them wrought according to his owne abilitie and power, and that the GOD of Israel surmounted all the rest, and was mightier than they all: Moses had no such diuelish superstitiō in his head. For he knew well ynough yt there is but onelyonly one God, euen he that had reuealed himselfe to their father Abraham, the verie same which had shewed by his deedes, that he is yt euerlasting & vnchangeable God: but he spake so as in respect of men. Although men do generally confesse that all good commeth of God: yet ceasse they not to forge idols after their owne fansie: insomuch yt in sted of resorting to the true God that made heauen & earth, which reuealed himselfe to the fathers: they wander away after their own imaginations (as saith S. Paul,Rom. 1.21.) and fal to deuising of they wote not what. As soone as we conceiue any whit of the diuine Maiestie: by and by wee bee gadding after idols, and turne away from the liuing God. And thereupon came it that euerie nation had his God. If man had asked them, what intende ye to doe, yee wretched soules? [they woulde hauehave answered,] wee intende to serue God. But yet for all that, they worshipped idoles. And why? For they turned away from the simple essence of God, and worshipped the things which they had set vp in their owne dotages and foolish conceites. According whereunto, when any of thē had any welfare or prosperitie, they would say, God be praised, God hath done vsus this good turne: but in the meane while they fathered all vponupon their idols. If a mā had said to the Egyptians in the time of Moses, now sirs ye hauehave had a fruitefull yeere, yee hauehave gotten in good store of Corne and Wine, and whence comes all this? [They woulde hauehave answered,] it is GOD that hath helped vsus. And yet notwithstanding they worshiped an Oxe, they worshipped bruite beastes, yea and euen Serpentes and the herbes of the earth. It was as brutish a kinde of dealing as might be. Although this people was sharpe witted and suttle aboue all others: yet were they become so brutish, that they gaue ouer themselues to all the abominations of the worlde. To bee shorte, when they had either peace, or health, or abundaunce of wealth: they woulde say God, God: the worde God ran trotting euerywhere: But in the meane while euerie man had a God by himselfe. Such a one was Baal Peor (of whom wee shall speake hereafter) which was the GOD of the Ammonites. Thus did Idolatrie reigne eueryevery where, and euerie man had his Patrons and gods by himselfe. In consideration whereof Moses saith, Of a trueth Lorde, m…n abuse thy benefites, and when thou doest them good, (as in deede all proceedeth from thy hand:) they do vtterly forget it, or marre it, or beelie it. For they beare themselues on hande that they receiue those things of their Gods, that is to say of their idols, which are but leasinges and dotages. And so are men vtterly ouerseene. But Lord, howsoeuer the world fareth, thou hast vttered such a power towardes vsus, as all the Heathen must needes hauehave their mouthes stopped, so as they cannot saye, These are Gods that hauehave wrought as great miracles as the God of Israel. If thy deliuering of thy people bee compared with all the benefites which thou hast bestowed vponupon men: it will appeare that thou art the souereigne God, & that thou hast shewed forth thy mightie arme in such wise, as all other Gods must needs be cast down. Thus ye see what Moseses meaning was.Deut. 10.17. & Psal. 50.1 & Esa. 45.21 And the Scripture speaketh often after that maner, as though it graunted men their errour. As if we should say, put the case, or admit: not that it is so in deede, but to come by degrees, to the thing that is to be proued. As for example: if we hauehave to doe with some Papist: to the intent wee may teache him according to his rawenesse, wee will say: Go to, in praying vntounto God, let the one side hauehave Iesus Christ for their aduocate, and let the other side hauehave the Virgin Marie with the rest of their Heesaints and Sheesaints: and let vsus see which is the better. For when a man comes vntounto God, and setteth Iesus Christ before him: he is assured by the holy scripture, that it is Christs office to bee the meane betweene God and him, and to make intercession for him. And so, hee that prayeth in the name of Iesus Christ, is thoroughly sure that he goeth not to worke at all aduenture. But as for him that takes the Virgin Marie or any other patrone, he shall bee beguiled when he thinkes himselfe most sure to be heard: for why, he hath no warrant. Now then, which is best? Wee speake after that maner to the Papistes, not that wee meane it is lawfull to hauehave patrones: for then should we abuse Gods name. It is said, that in praying wee must bring nothing of our owne head, but faith must be our foreleader, and it is as the key to open vsus ye gate. Neuerthelesse wee vse such maner of speache to the vnbeleeuing and ignorant sort, to draw them by little and little. So then, Moses maketh not comparison of the God of Israel, as though hee had conceiued in his imagination that there was a swarme of Gods, and that euerie of them wrought according to his abilitie: No: he knew well ynough that there is but onelyonly one God: but forasmuch as he sawe men ouershoote them selues in that behalfe: he saieth that although all other Nations imagine themselues to receiue benefites at the handes of their Gods: yet notwithstanding, the God of Israel had vttered himselfe with such power, as he onelyonly ought to bee worshipped, and men might well vnderstande that none reigneth but onelyonly he, and that the gouernment of heauen and earth belongeth to none but onelyonly to him, and all men might see by the myracles which he had wrought, that all creatures are in his hande. That then was the meaning of Moses.
Let vsus marke further, that when the fathers of olde time, did by reason hereof despise idols and all those that worshipped them:Psal. 115… & Esa. 4… & Deut. 34. & 3… & Ier. 1… God did shewe himselfe to them also, after a mightie fashion. Their saying is, where are the Gods that can doe like the God of Israel, which hath vttered such a mightie power? And in deede wee see no visible substaunce of God: but his will is to hauehave vsus knowe him by his shewing of himselfe in his workes: that is the way that he will hauehave vsus to conceiue him. Seeing then that God hath vttered his mightie power: It is our duetie to magnifie him and to worship him in such sorte, as wee defie all the idols that men hauehave forged to themselues, and laugh all the things to scorne that hauehave bene brought in by the worlde. For why, there is nothing but vanitie and leasing in them. But forasmuch as wee be not of sufficient capacitie to iudge of Gods workes, though they be present afore vsus, ne can come right vntounto him, except he guide vsus thither by his worde: let vsus learne to hold our selues to this doctrine. Therfore whensoeuer God maketh vsus to perceiue his mightie power: let vsus bethinke vsus of our owne rudenesse and infirmitie, and by and by take his worde to vsus, to exercise vsus therein. And let vsus not play the Paynims and wretched Infidels, who are harping vponupon ye word God with their mouth, and in the meane runne trotting vp and downe knowing not what God is in deede. Let vsus then followe the infallible trueth. And seeing that God hath reuealed himselfe vntounto vsus, yea euen in such sort as wee can not be deceiued nor beguiled: let vsus learne to stay thereupon, and to holde vsus to it throughout. Let vsus not bee so fond headed, as not to profite our selues by the benefites that God bestoweth dayly vponupon vsus, and by the which he will be glorified: let all superstition and Idolatrie bee beaten downe, and let Gods trueth hauehave full scope: let all inuentions of men ceasse, and let the world know which is the liuing God. Thus ye see after what manner wee must proceede: that is to wit, when wee once know God, wee must worship him, wee must goe to the perfection, which is onelyonly he, and whatsoeuer is set vp on the contrarie side against him, it must bee brought to naught. For it is not possible for vsus to worship God as wee should doe: except wee put all things vnderunder foote, which men hauehave forged and imagined in their owne braine. Wherefore let vsus learne to exalt him in such wise, as nothing may impeach or darken his preheminence. And forasmuch as wee knowe not of our selues howe wee should glorifie God to yeeld him his deserued honour: let vsus take his worde for our guide, and fetch light at his trueth which is in the holy scripture, to the ende wee may knowe that there is none but onelyonly God to whom we ought to resort, and that it is onelyonly he to whom wee must yeeld all praise and thanksgiuing.
Nowe let vsus kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes, praying him to make vsus feele them better than wee hauehave done heretofore, that we may returne vntounto him with true repentance: and that forasmuch as our nature is so corrupted, we may fight without ceassing against our owne desires, and holde them in such awe, as wee may seeke nothing at his hand but that which wee knowe that he alloweth and liketh off: not doubting but that in the meane while he will shewe himselfe bountifull towardes vsus in prouiding of all things for vsus which are meete for vsus and necessarie to our saluation, so as we may learne to submit our selues to him, glorifying him, and giuing him thankes for all his benefites, in such wise as his bounteousnesse be not buried, but eueryevery of vsus acknowledge more and more howe much he is bound vntounto him, and yeelde him praise for the same. That it may please him to graunt this grace, not onelyonly to vsus, but also, &c.