Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 187
On Tewsday the xvj. of Iune, 1556. The CLXXXVII. Sermon, which is the tenth vponupon the two and thirtith Chapter.
36 Surely the Lorde will take in hande the case of his people, and repent him ouer his seruantes, when he seeth their strength is so gone from them, that they be in a manner shut vp, and none of them left remaining.
37 And when it shalbe sayd, where are their gods, [euen] their God in whom they trusted:
38 The fat of whose sacrifices they did eat, and the wine of whose drinkeoffrings they dranke? Let them stepe vp and helpe you, and let them bee your refuge.
39 See nowe how it is I, euen I that am God, and there is no God with me.
SVch as thinke that God hath hitherto alreadie threatened the heathen & vncircumcised, which skorned the Iewes when they sawe them in aduersitie, expounde this text as though our Lorde shoulde say that hee will maintaine the case of his people, when hee sees them become such a skorningstocke to the Infidels, and that hee will reioyce in so doing. For the seconde worde which Moses vseth, betokeneth sometimes to comfort. But wee must remember what hath beene saide afore, namely that GOD continueth in threatening such as cannot bee subdued but by maine force, according to the hardnes of heart which wee knowe to hauehave beene in that people. It was not enough then for God to hauehave threatened them in a worde or twayne: but it stoode him vponupon to holde them as it were imprisoned. And that is the cause why hee addeth nowe, That God will iudge his people. As if hee shoulde say, Those whome GOD hath chosen must not thinke to hauehave a priuiledge to be let alone vnpunished in their offences and wicked doings: it is cleane contrarie: for therein will God shew his Iustice. And although God be Iudge of the whole worlde in generall: yet will he be knowen to bee so cheefely in his Church as the which is his house,1. Tim, 3.15 and it is good reason that he shoulde hauehave a care thereof and shew himselfe to watch ouer it. And therefore when they that hauehave beene trained in Gods worde, and are his flocke doe runne astray: he must needs reforme them first of all. And that is the cause why the Prophete faith that Iudgement shall beginne at Gods house, which thing Saint Peter alleadgeth also. And it is a verie notable saying, and such a one as may serue vsus to great purpose. For we be abashed when wee see God lay his hand vppon them that call vppon his name, and are counted of the number of his seruauntes. When hee handleth them more roughly than he doth the Infidels, which belong no whit vntounto him, it seemeth straunge. But wee must note what I hauehave alleadged afore, namely that forasmuch as GOD acknowledgeth vsus for his householde folke, hee must needes hauehave a speciall care of vsus. Therefore when hee sees vsus goe astray, hee reformeth vsus, whereas in the meane while he makes as though he saw not the faults of those that are strangers to him, which neuer knewe him, and which neuer had any instruction by his worde: hee giueth them the bridle for a time: not that they shall not be driuen to yeeld an account thereof in the ende, but for that (as I hauehave saide afore) God executeth his chastisementes rather vponupon his owne Church, than vppon all the worlde besides: Or at leastwise beginneth at that poynt. And that is the meaning of Moses in this place where hee saith: The Lord will iudge his people. As if he shoulde say, Consider vppon what condition God hath gathered you together, to wit, that you shoulde call vponupon his name, and be his people and his heritage; his intent is to gouerne you himselfe, and to hauehave the guiding of you himselfe. Nowe then if ye be rebels against him, hee must needs hauehave his hand lifted vp, for to punish you. Know yee therefore that when ye transgresse his lawe, and that moreouer he sees you hardened in euil and cānot reclaime you by gentlenes, he must needs vse an other remedie, and deale with you by all kinde of rigour: for it is his peculiar office to iudge his people.
And hereunto also is referred the text that was alledged yesterday out of Esay,Esa. 10.12. When God hath dispatched all his worke vppon mount Sion, then will he turne his sworde against the skorners of his maiestie and against his vtter enemies. There the Prophet meant to hearten the faithful which might be troubled when they sawe God punish them out of measure as men might deeme, and in the meane whyle beare with the heathen who had prosperitie and made good cheare as though God gaue them more libertie to doe euill. The godlie therefore might be shaken, and what meanes this? What auayleth it vsus to hauehave the promises? Where is God become? It were better for vsus yt he gaue vsus ouer, and wee had no acquaintaunce with him. After that manner might a man bee tempted as in respect of the fleshe. But the Prophet saith, No, no, spite not them which liue nowe in rest, for they shall hauehave their turne. Howbeit, God must first finishe his worke vppon mount Sion, that is to say, he must first beginne with you, because you be neerest him, insomuch that you ought to be linked to him by the bonde of his worde. But you hauehave fayled, you hauehave offended: and therefore hee is faine to chastise you, and that not sleightlie as it were with his little finger, for he will doe all his worke throughlie. And it is not without cause that hee setteth downe the worde All; for it serueth to doe vsus to vnderstande, that wee must hauehave our backes readie to receiue his strokes, vntill it please him to withdrawe his hande who knoweth when it is enough, and that hee hauehave chastised vsus as much as needeth. That is the thing in effect, which we hauehave to remember vponupon this text.
And the Apostle also helpeth vsus to that construction in the tenth to the Hebrewes. For after that he hath shewed that if they which break the Lawe of Moses were condemned to death, wee in these dayes cannot escape Gods venge…unce, if wee breake the couenaunt which hee hath made with vsus by the bloude of our Lorde Iesus Christ, which ought to bee much holier to vsus than the couenaunt which hee made, but by the bloude of brute beastes: after his speaking so, hee addeth, My friendes, yee knowe howe it is hee which hath saide.Hebr. 10.30 I will iudge my people, it is I to whome vengeaunce belongeth. Also hee noteth the text that was expounded yesterday, and likewise the same which we treat of as nowe. And wee see howe this applying of them is to make vsus to vnderstand, that if God spared not the despisers of the couenant which hee had made and contracted with them in old time; needes must wee be handled more roughlie in these dayes. For we bee worthie of it, considering that God hath shewed himselfe to vsus after a farre more excellent fashion, by sending his owne sonne, through whome he would hauehave vsus to bee the more confirmed in the promise of saluation, by meanes of his bloude which is the verie seale thereof. Nowe then, if wee in these dayes despise so great a good turne, God must needes shewe double rigour to vsus, and execute the thing which Moses speakes of here, which is, that vengeaunce belongeth vntounto him, and that it is his office to iudge his people, and that he will do it.
Now afterward Moses comforteth the faithfull, telling them that Gods rigour shal be none such, but that in the ende he will hauehave pitie vppon such as are not vtterlie past grace. Hee will repent him ouer his seruantes, saith hee. This is added as a qualification of that which he had saide afore, to the intent we should not bee too much dismayed when wee heare that in punishing sin God will beginne at vsus. For that might put vsus into such an vnquietnesse, as that wee had leuer he shoulde let vsus alone, and neuer take or auowe vsus any more to bee his people. Not without cause therefore doth the Apostle adde this qualification: My friendes (saith hee) true it is that wee must liue in feare, and beware that wee tempt not God in abusing his goodnesse. If hee beare with vsus for a time, wee must not in the meane while play the loose coltes: for if wee bee his people, wee must receiue the first stripes. And why? Because he hath a speciall care of our welfare, and hee must needes call vsus home againe to himselfe when hee sees vsus runne at randon. But yet must not wee thinke our case the worse, neither must it greeue vsus to bee so chastised at Gods hande. For why? He will punish vsus measurablie, and in the ende wee shall perceiue that hee hath not forgotten his merciemercy for all his shewing of such rigour. He will then repent ouer vsus, because he seeth we be his people, and that hee hath entred into a couenaunt with vsus and hath adopted vsus for his children: and therefore hee will hauehave vsus to bee his seruauntes, to the ende hee may rule ouer vsus: and so at the length hee will declare; that whatsoeuer hee hath doone in correcting vsus, hath not beene doone in vaine, or without purpose. But when the worde is taken for Comforting, it is as much as if GOD shoulde say, that hee will take pleasure and delight in their vtter ouerthrowe and destruction. But here it is easie to be perceiued that Moses meant to say the cleane contrarie: For he addeth, That God will repent him when hee seeth the strength of his people vanished away, and that all of them are as folke discomfited, so as there is none of them bee hee neuer so well garded and shut vp in hold, or bee hee abroade in the fields, which is not forlorne and vndone. Therefore when God seeth his people so miserablie vnderunder foote, then will hee be sorie (sayeth he). For it might be sayd vntounto them. Where bee your gods? Heereby Moses meaneth in effect, that GOD wilbee contented to hauehave so ouermaistred the Iewes that they put not their trust any more in their Idols, ne bee any more blynded in their superstitions. For they shall well see that Sathan had beguyled and deceyued them. And on the other syde GOD may then saie vntounto them, Yee see now how it is I, euen I only that am GOD alone, and that there bee no other gods. Knowe ye also that when I hauehave stryken, I doe heale: and when I hauehave killed, I do quicken againe. Therefore turne yee againe to mee, and by the way consider that there is none which can deliuer you out of my hand. God then sayeth that he will finde the meane to speake after that manner, and that when the people are well beaten, then they will be disposed to come to amendement. Now we see what is contained in this text of Moseses: it remaineth to apply the doctrine hereof to our vse.
As touching this worde repent, we must take it as it is taken through out the whole scripture, not that God is changeable, or that he hath any alteration in himselfe: but that it is so sayd in respect of vsus. Moses reporteth that God repented that he had made man:… 6.6. which is not to bee so vnderstoode as though God had not bin well aduised at the first what shoulde insewe afterward. For whereof proc…edeth repentance in vsus, but that to our seeming we fore sawe not the matter well at the first, and therefore it greeueth vsus afterwarde that we were no better aduised aforehand? But this can in no wise befall vntounto God: for all things are present vntounto him, and he cannot be ouerseene in any thing whatsoeuer. Why then sayeth he that he repenteth? (for surely it is a very cōmon manner of speech among the Prophets to say, Repent you of your sinnes,…. 18.2. and I will repent me of the euill which I had purposed against you, I will discharge you of it saith the Lorde) As hauehave sayd afore, he applyeth himselfe to our vnderstanding. When we see any change or alteration in Gods works, to our seeming hee himselfe also is chaungeable. Not that hee is so in deede, but wee be so dull of vnderstanding that wee cannot reach to the maiestie of God, and we imagine of God after the manner and resemblance of our owne nature. Now God applyeth himselfe to vsus. Howbeit not to bring vsus a sleepe in our owne ignorance, or superstition; but to drawe vsus to him leasurely by degrees. That is the cause why hee sayth hee will repent him. Neuerthelesse the worde signifyeth properly, to cease from punishing of vsus, lyke as when a man hath chastised his childe, hee is touched with remorse for it, and thereupon is loth to vse so great rigour any more, insomuch that hee saieth in the ende, I forgiue thee and I will forget the euill and the offence which thou hast done: onelyonly see that henceforth thou doe as I bid thee, and all shall bee forgotten. When a father speaketh to his childe after that manner, it is as much as if he repented him, because he is touched with a fatherly affection and louelove that hee beareth to his owne bloud. But God who in goodnesse excelleth all worldly creatures vseth this similitude of Repenting, to shewe that when hee hath chastised vsus he will withdrawe his hand, and not presse vsus to the vttermost. And that is a very necessary lesson, and that is the cause why the Prophets, doe harpe so much vppon it. For if we looke well vppon the Prophets, there is nothing more ryfe among them, than after threatning, to adde some comfort wherwith to sweeten Gods wrath, least the faithfull should be too much discomforted. For when wee see that God is against vsus, is it not a gulfe to swallow vsus in despaire? Who is hee that can stand out, when hee thinketh that God is his enemie, and can taste nothing in him but vtter rigor? Must we not needes bee stricken then with such terror, that heauen and earth doe threaten vsus, that our lyfe becommeth lothsome to vsus, and that wee could finde in our heartes that the mountaines should ouerwhelme vsus as is sayd in the Prophets?Osee. 10.8. What should become of vsus if there were nothing but such rigor in God? Could wee euer preace vntounto him, to hope that hee would be fauorable to vsus? No, but wee would shunne him as much as wee coulde, and we could find in our hartes that his maiestie were vtterly abolished. Now then, if wee bee desirous to fare the better by Gods threatninges, thereby to be drawen to repentance: wee must vnderstand also that he is mercifull, and that we shall finde him ready to receiue vsus into his fauour. When we once tast of such goodnesse, then shall wee fare the better by his threatninges. The thing then which Moses telleth vsus here, is that when wee once knowe that GOD will not spare vsus to feede vsus in our vices and corruptions, but that forasmuch as he hath adopted vsus to be his children, he will hold vsus in awe and correct vsus when wee hauehave done amisse: wee must also consider therewithall that hee forgetteth not to bee our father, but will repent him ouer his seruantes, and so measure his chastisements, that they shalbe as a medicine to vsus, and we shall finde them to be to a good end. That is the thing which must comfort vsus, that is the thing which must make vsus to like well of all Gods chastisementes, that wee bee not too sorrowfull in greeuing our selues, ne gnash our teeth at them as the faithlesse do, which martyr themselues with sorrowing, and play the madde beastes.
But let vsus marke well that for the same cause Moses addeth ouer his Seruauntes. It is true when he saith, God will iudge his people, that is to w…t the people that cal vponupon his name, notwithstanding that the most part of thē were hypocrites and wicked persons. But whereas hee sp…aketh of Gods Seruante…, he meaneth those which followe the good trade whereto they were called, and which seeke to honor God to whom they belong, and who hath dedicated them to himselfe. Then must we not onelyonly hauehave the title of Gods people, but we must also indeuour earnestly to serue him, and be Zelous in yeelding ourselues ouer vntounto him, seeing he hath reached vsus his hand, and tolde vsus that he will receiue vsus to merciemercy.
And it behoueth vsus to marke well the reason that Moses addeth to wit, For hee shall see then their strength is faded and weakened. Here it is shewed, vsus that God withdraweth not his hand at the first when he hath once begunne to punish such as hauehave shrunke away from his obedience, but at such time as he perceiueth that their strength fayleth. For why? We set that his corrections drawe vsus not to amendment at the first. In deed we will protest as soone as God toucheth vsus, that we be cleane altered from that we were before. If a man fall into any sicknes, he will mourne & make a gay confession of his former lyfe, he will seeme to be wholy reformed, & that frō thenceforth his whole indeuers shall be to giuegive himselfe altogether vntounto God. But be he once a foote againe▪ he fals to his old by as, and there appeareth no chaunge at all in him: but rather we accomplish that which is sayd by the Prophet, namely that wee returne but onelyonly while God smiteth vsus,Psal. 78.34. and as soone as he giueth vsus a little test, wee forget it by and by, and make no more account of it. So much the more neede therefore hauehave wee to marke well these wordes of Moses, where God taryeth till our strength vanishe away. For as long as wee hauehave any courage in vsus, we imploy it altogether to rebelling. Although GOD hauehave broken our armes, yet if we can stirre our legges, wee will bee still kicking and spurning against him. If our tongue be able to wagge, wee will occupy it either in chasing and fuming, or in grudging and blaspheming. To bee shorte, as long as men are strong and lusty, they cease not to striue against God, and to lift vp their hornes, and to pushe at him lyke Bulles and wilde beastes. Lo at what poynt wee bee. Therefore it is no woonder though GOD continue his chastisementes, and that wee seeme to bee at the last cast, and that it might well suffice him to hauehave handled vsus so roughly, yet hee layeth miserie vppon miserie still; it is nothing to bee wondered at. For why? Vntill wee be washed away lyke water, and that there remaine not one whit of strength in vsus, it is certaine that wee will keepe some peece of stubbornesse still lurking within vsus, which will shewe it selfe whensoeuer occasion is offered. GOD then knoweth good cause why hee withdraweth not the afflictions by and by which he sendeth vponupon vsus. For vnlesse it were expedient for our welfare, surely he taketh not delight to see vsus so in anguish and sorrowe. But hee knoweth our secrete diseases which are vnperceiued euen to our selues, how that wee should be beguiled by them. For a man wil diuers times imagine himselfe to bee so well reclaymed, that hee needeth no more, and that is the thing that beguileth vsus. But GOD seeth much clearer than wee doe, and hee is faine to play the Phisition. If a Phisition being a mortall man, bee able to coniecture that there lyeth some further inconuenience lurking in the diseased person, and thereuppon doe giuegive him a stronger medicine: shall not our Lord from whom nothing is hidden, & to whome it belongeth to search mens hearts, perceiue yt there are yet stil some naughty and wicked affections to bee remedied in vsus? Yes: and therefore let vsus marke well this sentence of Moseses, where hee saith that God will repent him, at leastwise when he seeeth all the strength of his people to bee forespent. And therefore let vsus not thinke that our Lorde will vtterly sinke vsus, though he asswage not the afflictions out of hand which he sendeth vppon vsus. For hee knoweth that it is for our behoofe to languish, and he seeth that wee would kicke at him againe, if hee left vsus in our full strength. Therefore we hauehave neede to bee tamed, yea and to bee broosed and broken, or else hee shall neuer hauehave ioy of vsus. That is the thing in effect, which wee hauehave to practise vppon this place.
Nowe it is expresly sayd, that GOD will see them all discomfited, as well the man that is shut vp, as the man that is left abroad. This maner of speaking is common enough in the holy scripture, as if yee would say the strong and the weake, that is to say, all one with another. For by this worde Shut vp, the Hebrewes betoken him that is in a fortresse, castle, or holde, and in good safetie as in respect of men. And by the man that is left abroad, they meane the poore man which goeth abroad in the fieldes without defence or safegard. We see then howe his meaning in effect is that all of them as well great as small, strong as weake, riche as poore, shall bee all discomfited. True it is that such as are already feeble to the worldward, ought to bee easily reclaymed vntounto God and teachable enough. But herein it appeareth howe much naughtinesse there is in our nature. For the miserablest of vsus cease not to striue against God, and euen they which hauehave not whereof to bee prowd, but ought rather to hang downe their heads and to bee ashamed of themselues, euen they (I say) will not faile to swell with pride lyke Toades. When we see men fight after that fashion against nature: needs must we say yt there is a terrible vntowardnesse in mans nature. Now if these cannot bee made to stoope at the first, but God must be faine to winne them by maine blowes, insomuch as hee may sooner break them than make thē obedient & subiect to his gouernment & auctoritie, how much more needful is it for ye rich, & for such as thinke thēselues to be well fenced, & for such as hauehave worldly meanes to stay vponupon? Howe much more neede hauehave they to bee tamed? For they doe euen burst for pride, accordinglie as wee see howe the riche folke and the great personages of this worlde, and all such as seeke to stande by themselues, are so besotted yea and bewitched with diuelishe selfeweening, that they thinke they may defie God, and that his hande cannot touch them, & that they hauehave made a league with death, so that although al the earth were afflicted, yet they themselues should scape. Wee see that men are blinded after that fashion vnderunder pretence that all thinges shall falout as they woulde wishe. Now therefore let vsus learne that all of vsus as well small as great, hauehave neede to bee subdued by Gods hand, yea and to be so subdued, as that wee may bee brought in maner to nothing. For vntill God hauehave brought vsus to that point, wee will neuer cease to put out our hornes at him like snayles. Albeit that we be nothing, yet wil we pretend some signe of pride. Seeing it is so, our Lorde must be faine to trample vsus so vnderunder his feete, as wee may not be able to indure any more. Furthermore wee see how pride is a disease so rooted in men, that the remedying thereof must needes bee violent. Nay, which more is, God must bee fayne to vse as it were a poyson to cure that disease withall. Wee see what befell to Saint Paul. To the ende (saith he) that I should not boast of my selfe, God buffeted mee. As howe? After what manner? Hee saith that hee sent him a messenger of Satan.1 Cor. 12.7. See heere howe the diuell is become a Physition. And howe is that? Wee knowe that he bringeth nothing with him but deadly poyson. That is true. But yet God serueth his owne turne by this poyson as by a medicine. And if Saint Paul were fayne to hauehave this doone vntounto him, what hauehave wee neede of in comparison of him? So then, let vsus not thinke it straunge, seeing we bee so vnrulie and so vnweeldie, that when we hauehave once done amisse, a man cannot tel at what end to beginne to reclayme vsus. For asmuch then as we be so harde to bee tamed, we must not thinke it straunge that our Lorde shoulde beate vppon vsus with mayne strokes, & continue still in chastising of vsus, vntill wee be vtterly dismayed, and ashamed of our selues, yea and be brought as it were to nothing in ourselues. And nowe Moses declareth, whereat God amed in all his scourginges of his people, to wit, to make them able to abide the hearing of the reproch that was to bee doone vntounto them, and to touch them to the quicke, that they might accuse and condemne themselues, and make no mo replies and vaine excuses, nor be any more possessed of their own fonde fancies, so as they coulde not feele their owne harme and offence.
For this cause hee addeth, that it shoulde be saide vntounto them, Where are your gods? Or where is the mightie one in whome you trusted? Yee hauehave eaten the bloude of the sacrifices, you hauehave drunke the wine of their drinkofferinges: nowe therefore let them steppe vp to helpe you and to succour you, and let them be your refuge. Ye see ye hauehave beene deceiued by your foolish imaginations. Know ye now therfore that I am the Lord, I am hee, euen I am hee without any other. By these words which I hauehave declared, Moses doeth vsus to vnderstande, first that God respecteth nothing else but the winning of vsus to himselfe, to the end wee shoulde be meeke, and of a mielde disposition to receiue correction. That is the thing wherewith he is contented: insomuch that if we returne to him by repentance, it is enough. Thē let vsus conclude, that when he sheweth himselfe rough and sharpe towardes vsus, it is altogether for our welfare, and that although he put vsus in feare by pretending the countenance of a iudge, yet he ceaseth not to be a father and a Physition vntounto vsus. True it is that all men cannot taste of this. For we may see a great sort of these braue laddes of the worlde, which will needes abide in their wilfulnesse, whatsoeuer come thereof. As for such, all Gods chastisementes must serue for summoninges, to warne them of their finall condemnation, howe it is as an entering into hell for them. But if wee bee not vtterly vnreformable, let vsus marke as I hauehave saide alreadie, that Gods intent is not to sink vsus, when he seemeth to thunder against vsus: but to put vsus in feare yt we may bee led to repentance & become plyable, to suffer him to gouerne vsus, that hauing acknowledged our sinnes, wee may come to him with true humilitie, crauing pardon at his hand, that by that meane wee may be reconciled vntounto him. That is a verie needeful thing for vsus.
Nowe by the way wee see the fruite which the afflictions sent of God doe yeelde vsus. Not that they bee profitable to all men, as I shall shewe hereafter: but vntounto the faithfull, whom God maketh his corrections to serue. For by thē he holdeth vsus in awe, to the end we may not be moued with impatiencie when we happen to be chastised by his hande. For naturally wee bee inclined to impatiencie: insomuch that if wee feele anie smarte, by and by wee leape out of our boundes. And we heare what complaintes and grudginges are made continually in the worlde: when men see warres, when folke are pinched with famine, or when they bee stricken with plagues: what a number of blasphemies doe they spewe out against God? And although men dare not bee so bolde as to defie GOD in wordes: yet doe they gnashe their teeth at him, shewing thereby that they be no whyt mooued to receiue his chastisements with such mieldnes & meekenes as they ought to do. And whereof proceedeth that? Euen of that we tast not the thing which Moses telleth vsus here, namely, that by Gods ouermastring of vsus wee beginne to bee quiet towardes him, and to become teachable, and to receiue the warninges contayned in his worde, so as they profite vsus to our saluation. Vntill GOD hauehave tamed vsus, wee bee both deafe and blinde, yea and in a manner Lunatike. If a wretched man that is in a burning ague, hauehave anie strength in him, hee will caste him selfe into the fire or into the water: and if hee bee letted of his purpose, hee will fling himselfe downe headlong to breake his necke. Nowe if the Physicion do hold him downe in his bed, & seeme to deale violently with him: it is meete he should doe so, and hee doth no more than neede constreyneth him vntounto. Let vsus vnderstande then, that wee be like Lunatike folke, and that there is neither wit nor reason in vsus as long as God spareth vsus. By reason whereof hee is forced to tame vsus euen to ye vttermost til we can no more. For when wee be come to the poynt that there is scarce any more breath in vsus, and that wee can scarce fetch our winde: then beginne wee to fall to the mieldenesse whereof Moses speaketh here, which is, that if a man vpbrayde vsus with our offences and blame vsus for them, wee keepe silence and holde our peace, and are not so hastie as to say by and by: It is not so, ye doe mee wrong, as wee see a number doe, who as soone as a man openeth his mouth to tell them of their faultes, they fome out their furiousnes, and cannot be reclaymed vntill God hauehave ouermaistred them. Therefore let vsus consider the fruit that commeth of Gods corrections: namely that where as earst we did nothing but sooth our selues in our sinnes and vncleannesse, and weltred in them, and coulde not abide to bee drawen from them: then wee hauehave our eares opened to receiue good instruction, and we acknowledge our selues to hauehave done amisse. That is the thing whereunto the words of Moses tend when hee saith, Where are your gods?
For the same cause also doeth our Lorde by his prophete Osee liken Idolaters to Harlots. As long as a Harlot or Courtisan hath great resort vntounto her, and hath great giftes, gaynes, and rewardes, and is costlie apparelled, and mayntayned in her delightes and pleasures: she maketh more account of herselfe (notwithstanding her leawdnesse) than all the honest women of the worlde: and euen so is it with Idolaters. As long as they prosper in the worlde, they beare themselues in hande that their Idolatrie is the cause thereof, and thereupon they growe hardhearted. Nowe if our Lorde let them alone in that plight, they settle themselues continuallie more and more in their filthinesse: and therefore hee must bee fayne to vse violent remedies. In respect hereof hee saith that he will strippe them out of their clothes,Hose. 2.7.8.9. yea and discouer their shamefull partes, so as they shall become like a Harlot that is smitten with fistulaes, Pockes, and such other filthie diseases, and in steede of her former brauerie, is lothed and shunned of all men, that whereas she went ruffling in her agglets before, nowe shee findeth not a man that will giuegive her a bit of breade, but is shaken off and scorned at al handes; whereby she perceiueth her miserie, and saith. Alas, I shoulde hauehave kept mee to mine owne husband, and [because I did not,] now I hauehave the reward which I hauehave deserued. Nowe then a leawd woman that is giuen to such naughtinesse, will neuer bee reclaymed but by such necessitie. And euen so is it with Idolaters. That is the cause why Moses saith nowe, that when God hath so discouraged his people, that both great and small shall bee as it were vanished away: then it shall bee saide vntounto them, Where bee your gods? Goe make your mone to your Idols, goe call vppon them as yee were woont to doe. And so let vsus consider Gods goodnesse in that hee hath reclaimed vsus from the Idolatrie wherein we were, and that with more gentlenesse than is spoken of here euen by his reaching of his hande vntounto vsus to drawe vsus to him. And if hee vse nowe and then some sharpe chastisementes, let vsus assure our selues hee doeth it not without cause, but for that he knoweth our diseases to be so deepe rooted, that wee hauehave neede to bee so purged and cured.
Nowe it followeth, Let them steppe vp to succour you, and let them reskewe you. Hereby Moses meaneth, that when Idolaters are bereft of al worldlie thinges, and finde themselues disappointed of their vaine imaginations which they had conceiued afore: then they fall to recouer their sight and their hearing. And in verie deed there is no accesse to Gods trueth, for those that are wilfull, vntill they see themselues at such an afterdeele, that for all the shiftes and windlasses which they can make, they perceiue there was nothing but deceite in all their deuices. As for example in these dayes, so long as the Papistes thinke they can preuaile by the diuelishe deuices of their Masses, Pilgrimages, and the rest of Satans illusions wherein they be plunged; who can perswade them to giuegive ouer any of all those thinges? What say they? Is it not good for a mā to serue such a Saint, to call vppon such a patron or aduocate, to builde a Chappel, to cause a masse to bee said, or to mumble before such an altar? To bee shorte, as long as the Papistes thinke they may preuaile by their superstitions, they be so wilful that it is vnpossible to hauehave any enterance vntounto them, except our Lorde set to his hande, as hee hath doone towardes vsus, and touch them with his holy spirite. But I speake of the ordinarie meane, and I say that men are so forepossessed, that they shut the doore against God, and against all instruction, and against all warninges that can bee giuen. And therefore our Lorde had neede to smite vppon them with mayne blowes, yea and to bring them to such extremitie, as they may knowe that they doe but misspend their time to no purpose, in gadding after their Idols, and so fall to misliking of their offerings and other superstitions whereunto they were giuen afore.
But yet the knowing hereof is not all that is to be doone: the cheefe point is that which Moses addeth here, namely to returne vntounto God, and to acknowledge that it is hee onelyonly on whome we ought to rest. For euen the Idolaters themselues wil oftentimes through desperation defie their owne Idols. Wee see that when the Saint George of the Papistes or some other of their Idols hauehave beguiled them, so as there commeth some great frost, they fall to dragging of him about in a Corde, like a galloweclapper, whom they had worshipped a little afore. Wee shall see some, yea euen men of honour, which to spite their idols, doe breake downe their puppets, yea euen their blessed Ladie and all. And howe so? They play the madde bedlems, not onelie against their owne Idols, but also against whatsoeuer else they imagine to bee as a God. And the heathen hauehave shewed ful well, that their worshipping of their Idols was not for anie reuerence that they bore vntounto them, but for that it seemed to yeelde some benefite vntounto them: insomuch that when they were once touched to the quicke, then they vttered their poison to abolish the name and maiestie of God, ouerreaching themselues so far, as to say that there is no God at all. After that manner doe all Idolaters and all vnbeleeuers deale, vnlesse our Lorde take vppon him to worke and restraine them by his holy spirite. And that is the knowledge which Moses speakes of. Let vsus marke wel therefore howe it is not saide here barely, that God would vpbraide the Iewes with their yeelding of themselues to their Idols in vaine, and that their Gods in whom they trusted, had stood them in no steede: but that hee addeth, Beholde howe it is I my selfe, and there is no other God with mee. To bee shorte, it booteth vsus not to knowe all the abuses and foolishe fancies wherewith men beguile themselues; but wee must also returne vntounto God. And indeede what a sorte of skoffers are there noweadaies in the worlde, which make a skorning of all the dotages of the Papistes, and yet in the meane while are worse themselues than dogges, so as it were much better for them that they were Papistes. A man shall see (I say) the despisers of all Religion, which will say according as they thinke, that all the Religion which is in the Popedome, is flat mockerie, and a verie childishe toye. But what? They hauehave no feare of God, nor reuerence of his worde; it beareth no sway at all with them. Nowe (as I hauehave saide afore) it were much better for such that they were Papistes. And so let vsus marke well howe it is to no purpose to knowe Idolatrie, and to perceiue and beleeue that all that euer is doone without the warrant of Gods worde or contriued by man is but abuse, filth, and corruption: vnlesse (which is the principall poynt) wee returne vntounto God to doe homage to his maiestie, and come ashamed before him, acknowledging our faultes & crauing pardon at his hande, so as euerie of vsus accuse himselfe and humble himselfe in such sorte as there bee no more replying in vsus, but that wee yeelde ourselues to him with true repentance. That is the cause thē why Moses hauing spoken of sacrifycing to Idols, and vpbraded the Iewes with their defiling of themselues with their abhominations, in eating the bloude and drinking the wine of their offeringes, and in intermedling themselues with the filthinesse of the heathen: after hee hath said all these things and shewed that in all those things there is nothing but illusion and deceitefulnesse: he addeth, Beholde, I am hee. Nowe God presupposeth that they which are so subdued with maine blowes, hauehave their eyes well opened. Hee had cast them in the teeth afore,Deut … that they were vtter blindfoolded as it had beene with a towell: but nowe that they shall see themselues starke naked, now they shall see themselues vnarmed, their eyes shall be opened, there will be nothing to hinder their knowledge any more. What is to bee doone then? They must consider that there is but one onelyonly God, and that it is he to whom we must turne againe, euen to craue forgiuenes of our sinnes at his hande, and consequently to put our whole trust in him, contenting ourselues with his protection, without troubling of ourselues to trot vp and downe as the wretched vnbeleeuers doe, who neuer hauehave any rest but are tossed and turmoyled with continuall vexations. Therefore let not vsus bee caried away with such vnquietnesse, but let vsus conceiue a right assurance, so as wee may rest all wholie vponupon our God. The rest that followeth cannot be dispatched as now, and therefore it shall bee reserued til to morow.
Now let vsus fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes, praying him to vouchsafe to make vsus so to feele them, as hauing perceiued howe farre we hauehave ouershot ourselues, wee may seeke earnestly to be reformed by his hand, and that if it please him to chastice vsus, wee may patiently abide all the corrections which hee shall send vsus: or rather it may please him to make his worde to profite so much in vsus, as wee may not tarrie till hee lift vp his hande to punish vsus, but receiue the warninges that are giuen vsus in his name, to reclayme vsus wholy to his will, and that in the meane while he beare with vsus in our infirmities, till hee hauehave rid vsus quite and cleane of them, and in such wise reformed vsus to the obedience of his righteousnes, as our whole seeking may bee to glorifie his name, euen till wee come to the immortal glorie which is prepared for vsus in heauen & was purchased for vsus by our Lord Iesus Christ. That it may please him to grant this grace, not onelyonly to vsus, but also to all people and nations of the earth, &c.