Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 118
On Thursday the xix. of December. 1555. The Cxviij. Sermon, which is the third vponupon the twentith Chapter.
10 When thou commest neere any Citie to fight against it, thou shalt offer it peace.
11 And if they aunswere thee peaceably, and open vntounto thee, al the people that is in it shall bee tributarie vntounto thee and serue thee.
12 But if they will not make peace with thee, but make warre with thee: then shalt thou lay seege to it.
13 And the Lord thy God will giuegive it into thy handes. Thou shalt slea all the males in it with the edge of the sword.
14 But the women, the children, and the cattel, and al that is in the Citie besides, and all the spoile thereof thou shalt take to thy selfe: and thou shalt eat the spoyle of thine enimies which the Lord thy God giueth thee.
15 After that manner shalt thou doe to all the Cities that are farre off from thee, which are not of the Cities of this nation.
16 But of the Cities of the nations which the Lord thy God giueth thee to inherite, thou shalt not leaue any soule aliue.
17 But thou shalt vtterly destroy thē: namely the Hethites, the Amorrhites, the Chananites, the Pheresites, the Hiuites and the Iebusites, as the Lord thy God hath commaunded thee:
18 Least they teach you to doe according to all the abhominations which they hauehave done to their gods, and so you sinne against the Lord your God.
IT might well seeme at the first blushe, that wee hauehave no great need to hauehave ye doctrine expounded to vsus which is conteyned heere, bycause it declareth howe men ought to beehaue themselues in warfare. But when all is well looked vppon, wee shall finde that wee may gather good and profitable fruite to our instruction, of the thinges that GOD hath commaunded his people heere. For first wee see what a care hee had to teach those of whome hee had taken charge, that they myght knowe howe to behaue themselue… in all thinges. Nowe seeing th…t GOD hath such a care: let vsus learne …o walke in his obedience, not doubting but wee shall finde sufficient instruction in his worde, whereby to rule our whole lyfe well. I say that all they which yeeld themselues teachable vntounto GOD, and are ready to fashion themselues after his will, shall finde sufficient in his worde wherewith to guide themselues aright without any want at all; insomuch that whereas men are disordered in their dealinges, and knowe not what to doe: the cause thereof is, that they submit not themselues wholly to GOD, but take counsell by themselues, and runne gadding heere and there, whereas all they that seeke to be taught by Gods worde, as well in matters of state as in priuate matters, and as well in time of warre as in tyme of peace, shall finde a perfect doctrine and such as is fitte for them. The thing then which wee hauehave to marke vppon this text, is that GOD woulde not faile them in any one point, whom he had taken into his tuition.
But there is yet more. For it may well seeme that where open warre is, there all thinges should bee put to hauocke. But our Lorde ment to shewe, that all his seruauntes must alwayes brydle themselues, yea euen where they seeme to hauehave most excessiue lybertie, to breake the bondes of all humanitie and vprightnesse. GOD sheweth that such as belong to him must euen in those cases keepe and mayntayne themselues vndefiled; so as howesoeuer the worlde goe, they must stande in continuall awe, that no extremitie may driue them beyond their bondes, but that they holde them still to this ground; Wee must obey GOD. True it is that euen the heathen coulde skill to say, that euen in tyme of warre it was not Lawefull to assault or beseege a Towne, vntill they had offered it conditions of peace. But yet wee see there was nothing but furie and crueltie: for as soone as they were entered into armes, they bare themselues in hand that it was Lawfull for them to beare all thinges downe before them without sparing. GOD then ment to shewe heere, that his people ought to bee so courteous as to spare their enemies, euen in tyme of warre. That is the thing which is conteyned heere. A man shall finde in the bookes of the heathen, that they also commended this vprightnesse, that although there was iust cause of warre; yet the shedding mans bloode was to bee forborne; but this rule was not well kept. And howesoeuer the case stande, our Lorde hath heere separated his people from all the rest of the worlde, shewing that they which are led by his worde, must looke more straitely and narrowly to themselues, than they that followe their naturall inclination, and are not taught as they should be.
And nowe let vsus come to the doctrine that is conteyned heere. It is sayde, When thou commest to a Citie to beseege it, thou shalt offer them peace: and if they yeeld or bee willing to fall to composition, thou shalt receiue them to merciemercy, so as no bloud shall bee shedde. The inhabitants shall but onelyonly bee subiect to thee and pay thee Tribune. In so saying GOD sheweth that although there bee iust cause of warre, yet must not men bee so whot and firie at the first dashe, as to put all to the swoord and slaughter: For howesoeuer the worlde goe,Gen. 9.6. men are created after the Image of GOD: and there must we beholde our nature. Wherefore it must needes bee that wee are caryed away from all reason, if the same witholde vsus not, and that wee hauehave no pitie of those which are our owne fleshe and bones,Esa. 58.7. and which beare the marke of our GOD, euen of the same GOD which hath fashioned vsus after his own lykenesse. If this (say I) bee not able to asswage our passions, which myght carie vsus away to crueltie: it must needes be sayde that wee bee bereft of all reason, and woorse than the brute beasts, which knowe their owne kinde, and doe not so deadly pursue one another. That is the thing which wee hauehave to marke in the first place. And hereof we may gather a good lesson expedient for vsus all. For heere God speaketh of those against whom he armeth his people. But we cannot say the like of our enemies. If a man hauehave done me all the wrong that is possible, yea and hauehave euen sought my death: yet doeth not that arme me to be auenged of him: God doeth not giuegive mee leaue to requite like for like, but I am commanded to render good for euill. Howbeit the case standeth otherwise with Princes and Magistrates which hauehave the sword:Rom. 12.…. for God hath set them in his owne stead to execute vengeance. Ye see then that heere is a people armed with Gods authoritie, as if God had sayde, draw your swords, for I dispence with you at this tyme, so as ye may slea your enimies, and it shall not be layde to your charge for a cryme. When a warre is rightfull, and God giueth men leaues it is a permission or priuilege which he granteth them. And yet for all that he will not hauehave men to goe to it at alauenture, but that they shoulde seeke peace, and abstayn from shedding of bloud if it be possible, so as no man may be hurt of woū ded in his person. Seeing that God wil hauehave men to brydle themselues after that manner in the tyme of warre, I pray you what is to bee doone where our handes are so tyed vp, as it is not lawfull to giuegive our enimie a philluppe, but to louelove them rather,Matt. 5.44. that hauehave grieued vsus or wrought vsus any wrong or iniury? Ought we not to offer them peace, & to be already to receiue them to mercy when we see them willing to be reconciled to vsus? So then, seeing that euen in the tyme of warre, when all thinges seeme to be lawfull, our Lorde will hauehave vsus to offer peace to them that hauehave dealt amisse with vsus and hauehave deserued to be purnished in their bodies: Seeing (I say) that God will hauehave vsus to seeke meanes to saue them, and that wee should not deale rigorously with them: much more ought eueryevery of vsus in our owne priuat cases, to be inclined to beare with our aduersaries. If we be troubled and molested, so as we hauehave iust cause to the worldwarde to pursue the iniurie doone vsus: yet ought wee rather to fall to composition, if it be possible: And if we doe not, what excuse will there bee for vsus? If those whom God hath armed against their enemies, may not strike one stroke at them vntill they hauehave assaied to make peace with them: what shall become of vsus who ought to be men of peace, and to louelove our enemies; if we be vnreconcilable, fierce as Lyons, harde as steele, and such as can bee brought to none attonement? Must it not needes be said that we hauehave shaken off all feare of God? Yes: and yet we see howe men doe sooth themselues in this case. Insomuch that if a man bee grieued; he is so far off from warning ye offender of his fault quietly, to bring him to good attonement againe; that (to all lykelyhoode) he will rather turne the whole world vpside downe, than he will by any meanes be reconciled. Wee see that this wilfull stubbornnesse is vtterly past amendment in most men. And so wee perceiue now what fruite wee ought to reape of this text: namely that although he speake of warre, yet he giueth good instruction to his people and eueryevery of vsus.
And therefore let vsus remember, that whensoeuer any man hath offended vsus, wee must as much as in vsus lyeth indeuour to fall to agreement with our enemyes. As howe? By warning them of their faultes. For reconciliation presupposeth that the offender should vnderstande his offence and mislike thereof, and that wee shoulde bee ready to receiue such as are so minded, so as wee shoulde bee desirous to bee at one with them as with our brethren, notwithstanding that they had beene as enemyes to vsus before so much as in them lay. And if wee ought to yeelde this courtesie towardes them that hauehave broken the bond of all peace and brotherly vnitie: howe much more should wee maintayne peace and concorde with our neighbours that hauehave not doone vsus any wrong? And so wee must come by degrees,…. 12.18 euen to the procuring of our peace with all men as much as wee can possibly, bicause it is Gods will that all men shoulde bee linked together in one bonde; as in very deede the nature yt is common to vsus all, ought to bee as a common kinred to vsus all. Nowe then, seeing it is so that wee ought to maintayne peace and brotherly louelove among vsus: let vsus see that we offer peace to all men, not onelyonly in wordes, but also in such wise as our life may beare record that we be desirous of nothing more than to be friendes to all men. Insomuch that if there happen any quarel, wee must not minister occasion thereunto, nor kindle the fire on our behalfe, but so refraine our selues, as wee prouoke not our neyghbour to enmitie. Thus yee see howe after the order afore mentioned, wee must come to the doctrine which the holy Scripture sheweth vsus in other places: That is to wit, that it must not bee long vsus that wee bee not as brothers to al men, and that wee communicate not together, without any iarring or disagreement. That (say I) is the meane and maner to offer peace accordingly as GOD commaundeth. And nowe let vsus proceede to that which followeth.
When a Citie will not receiue peace, God giueth his people leaue to destroy all the men, reseruing onelyonly the young Children, the women, and the Gatteli. True it is that although a Citie fall to composition, yet will hee hauehave it to become tributarie. For (as I sayde afore) hee presupposeth that the warre must be rightfull, and allowed by him, as made in his name and by his authoritie. And therefore it is not to bee wondered at though he lay trybute vponupon those that submit themselues. For why? It is as a penaltie. Lyke as in Ministration of Iustice, men punishe offenders according to the Lawe; and when the case requireth not the punishment of death, there is some other chastisement or amercement layde vppon them for a penaltie: Euen so our Lorde giueth leaue to such as hauehave iust tytle of warre, to lay some correction vppon those whom they shall hauehave vanquished and subdewed. And heerein wee see howe we ought to take good heede, that wee giuegive no cause of warre. For whereas wee see our Lorde hath giuen his people leaue lay trybute vppon others, it is all one as if hee shoulde say that all such as minister occasion of trouble, are to bee punished, and that if they bee borne with, it is but of fauour and courtesie: but yet are they woorthy to hauehave some correction for all that.
Therefore let vsus learne heereby to be so peaceable, as wee moue not any trouble or discord on our side. For by setting downe such a Lawe, GOD hath shewed that whosoeuer soweth any discord among men, or procureth any trouble, deserueth alwayes to bee punished; and that although hee bee spared, yet hee is to bee chastised after some sorte neuerthelesse. And although warre bee not made against vsus, nor any tribute bee layde vppon vsus: yet notwithstanding wee must not therefore omitte to acknowledge our selues faultie before GOD. For if a whole Nation bee not spared: what shall a priuate person bee? I see that GOD condemneth a whole Citie or a Countrie: and what will become of mee, when I shall hauehave kindled the fire of discorde, and giuen occasion of enmitie? Am not I much more worthy to bee condemned? Is it meete that I which am but one man, shoulde bee more borne with than a whole Nation? This therefore ought to bee a good warning to vsus, to liue in peace and to maintaine my eldenesse, so as no man bee troubled or vexed by vsus. For sith wee see so sharpe execution, that God giueth leaue to put the men to death, and to reserue ye women to bondage and slauerie: is it not a thing that ought to make vsus afraide? Yes: and this doeth vsus to vnderstande, that when swoordes are once drawen, there must needs be horrible confusion, and it is not possible to remedie it. For it is GOD that speaketh heere, and hee setteth downe the best order of gouernment among his people, that is possible to bee founde: and yet so horrible is that kynde of dealing, that when a Citie is assaulted and taken by force, all the men must be destroyed. Surely such shedding of bloud ought to make the hayre to stande vp vppon our heades. And yet for all that it is GOD that speaketh it, and (as I sayde afore) hee intendeth to set downe heere the perfectest Lawe of armes that can bee among men. Then let vsus conclude, that if warre bee once kindled, there is no remedye to appease it. And therefore it behooueth men to hauehave the more staye of themselues before hande, and to consider thus: What a thing is it come to battell, wherein so manie murders are to bee committed, and so manie slaughters are to bee doone, as though the whole world shoulde goe to confusion, and all bondes of nature were to bee forgotten, and men shoulde shutte their eyes wilfully to the intent they myght not see whether the folke whome they so murther bee men or no? Ought it not to bee a good brydle to vsus, when wee see so great enormities insue thereof? Let such as take warres in hande looke well to themselues, and bethinke them thus: What? Peraduenture I must come to the sacking of a Citie: and so from one to another, and battell vppon battell shall bee fought. What a nomber of poore widowes and fatherlesse children shall bee made thereby? What a heape of confusions wil insue thereof, so as ye woulde thinke that the worlde should bee turned vpside downe? And shall I bee the cause of all this? If Princes considered that they shoulde fall into such extremities by taking warres in hande, surely they would deale much more myldly than they doe.
But if they benefite not themselues thereby, yet let vsus looke to our selues, and consider that the mischiefe which our Lord sheweth vsus to bee in warre, may also befall to priuate persons. For when two men fall at variaunce, and runne out into heates of euill speeches, strypes will ensue of it, and when swoordes bee once drawen, bloudshed doeth lyghtly followe after. And in this case there is no lawfulnesse at all: it is not as when God giueth men leaue to kill their enemyes in battell: for whoseuer sleaeth a man for any priuate quarell, is a murtherer. So then, wee must looke neerelyer to our selues, and eschewe quarels and debates the more, knowing that it is a giuing way and an opening of a gappe to Satan, that hee may raygne among vsus, whensoeuer wee seeke occasions of quarelling, or when wee shunne them not as we ought to doe.
Yee see then howe the warning which wee hauehave to gather vppon this text, is that seeing GOD hath giuen leaue (as it were of force and necessitie) to kill such as resist the assault of a Towne: it behooueth vsus to take good heede, that quarelles, troubles, and contentions proceede not so farre through our faulte, as there is none other remedie but the shedding of bloud. For if wee be slaine in any such fray, vnhappie bee wee; and if wee chaunce to slea our aduersarie, vnhappie bee we so too. For wee see that GODS spirit beareth not the sway in that case. True it is, that if a man that is assaulted, doe slea him that assaulteth him, hee shall not bee punished for it, neyther ought hee to bee: but yet is hee not excusable before GOD. For why? Who is hee that can so brydle himselfe, that hee is not inflamed with choler, or with some excessiue and inordinate passion? Seeing then that such thinges doe raigne in vsus, wee bee blame woorthie though wee hauehave iust cause to doe it. For it is not ynough for vsus to hauehave a good case; but it must also bee well ordered, that is to say, it must bee done with a quiet minde, so as wee proceede not into such extremitie as to commit manslaughter. And therefore let vsus learne to preuent Sathan, and to seeke meanes of attonement, that our quarelles may not proceede into shedding of bloud.
Besides this, wee hauehave also one other lesson to gather, namely that if there bee any agreement among vsus, or any meane of reconcilement whereas wee were deadly enemyes before: the cause thereof is, that God stablisheth a holy brotherhood among vsus, by calling vsus to him, and by adopting vsus to bee his children. And in that respect is the Gospell called the message of peace.Eph. 6.15. For why? Whereas we bee at warre with GOD, and he must needes hate vsus in as much as wee be corrupted, and there is nothing in vsus but vtter cursednesse: hee vouchsafeth to become our friend, and receiuing vsus as his owne children, promiseth to forget and to burie all our faults. The Gospell beareth vsus recorde hereof. And therefore not without cause is it called the doctrine of peace, seeing it vniteth vsus againe to our GOD. Sith it is so, wee ought in deede likewise to bee at one among our selues. For howe is it possible that GOD should acknowledge vsus for his children, if there bee not vnitie and agreement among vsus? And if wee receyue not the sayde message, then must greater warre bee proclaymed against vsus than euer there was afore. And therefore our Lord Iesus Christ sayde to his Disciples, Into whatsoeuer house yee enter, greete the same with peace. For (as I sayde afore) it is the propertie of the doctrine of saluation, to shewe that God is minded to come vntounto vsus and to receiue vsus to merciemercy though wee bee not woorthie thereof. Therfore all the Ministers of his word are commaunded to beare witnesse thereof: and to tell men that if they refuse it, cast it off, and make none account of it; there is a harder battel towards than this is. For the case concerneth not the destruction of their bodies onelyonly, but also of their soules. It is not onelie the males that shall bee slaine for it; but both males and females must passe vnspared. Not the greate ones only shall beare the punishment, but both great and small shall feele the whole weight of Gods vengeaunce. Nowe then, if men accept not your peace, gette you out from among them,Matt. 10.14 and shake the dust off your feete. As if hee shoulde say, Such folk are so accursed, that yee must not hauehave anie thing at all to doe with them. But for asmuch as they carrie nothing about them but infection; yee must shewe by outwarde tokens, that yee woulde faine bee separated from them, euen as it were into another world. Thus ye see how the things that are spoken here concerning the law of armes, ought to be applied in way of similitude to the peace which our Lorde sendeth vsus by the preaching of his Gospell.… 8.7. Eph. 1.3.1… 2. Cor. 5.…0. For there was enmitie betweene him and vsus before: by nature (as I hauehave said alreadie) we be all stranngers to our God, and we cannot but set our selues against him. Yet for all this, hee seeketh attonement with vsus. Vppon what condition? Not that we shoulde pay him tribute, as though hee were minded to inrich himselfe with our goods. True it is that hee liketh wel to hauehave vsus to serue him: but yt is for our benefite and welfare, and not for anie aduauntage to himselfe. For hee hath no want of anie thing, neither needeth he to be inriched: but by possessing vsus, he would that wee likewise should inherite him. And that is as amiable a condition as can be. Nowe what is to bee doone, but to receiue his peace? Yea verily: and therefore let vsus not tarie til God inforce vsus; but let vsus preuent him, by imbracing the inestimable prerogatiue which he offereth vsus in vouchsafing to forgiue vsus all our sinnes. But if wee be so wretched as to refuse so great a benefite: let vsus mark that wee bee not onelyonly cast vp as it were to the spoile, and that GOD shaketh vsus quite & cleane off: but also that his wrath must needes bee vttered vppon vsus, because of such vnthankfulnes and churlishnesse, in despising our GOD so wilfully and stubbornely, that wee had leuer to hauehave him our deadly enemy than our protector. Seeing then that his intent is not to hauehave vsus as subiects that are conquered by tight of warre, nor to raise tributes vponupon vsus to increase himselfe withall; but to reigne ouer vsus for our welfare; and yet wee will not abide it, but shake him off vtterly and pursue him still with a venemous heart to prouoke him to anger: is not our deseruing such as hee may iustlie bee so rigorous vntounto vsus, as to commaunde his seruauntes to withdrawe themselues from vsus, and to shake off the dust of their feete? As who shoulde say, wee bee not worthie to treade vppon the earth, because wee defile it. The verie thing therefore which wee hauehave to marke, is that wee cannot prouoke Gods wrath any way more, than by refusing the peace that is offered vsus by the Gospell, so as wee vouchsafe not to hearken to it. For then, because God findeth vsus past grace, God also is faine to arme himselfe with terrible and dreadfull vengeaunce against vsus, and not onelyonly to punish vsus in our bodies, but also to extende his vengeaunce vntounto our soules, and so to roote vsus out quite and cleane, in which behalfe women are no more to bee spared than men. For when as God calleth vsus all in Christ Iesus, there is no difference of male and female (as saith Saint Paul,)Gal. 3.28. but faith reconcileth vsus all vntounto God. Likewise vnbeleefe and stubbornnesse make vsus enemies to God, both men and women, the punishment whereof extendeth both to great and small. For seeing wee are become traitours and rebels to our God, it is good reason that all our whole ofspring should perish with vsus: because Gods curse lies vppon the wicked euen vntounto the third and fourth generation,Deut. 5.9. as the law auoweth & we hauehave seene heretofore. Thus ye see in effect what wee hauehave to remember vponupon this text.
And let vsus marke herewithall, that seeing God doeth so preuent vsus aforehand to seeke attonement and to sende vsus tydings of peace: we also ought to seeke meanes to bee friends with such as hauehave offended vsus, and to followe the example of our heauenly father, as if wee shoulde say. What shal become of mee who am but a worme and rottennesse, if I continue wilfull; and holde skorne to come to attonement with mine enemie when he hath once offended mee, so as I chawe vppon my bridle still and will not by anie meanes bee pacified, when in the meane time my God seeketh mee? Beholde, my GOD is wel contented to stoope vntounto mee which am but rottenesse: and shall I not withstanding refuse to be reconciled to him that is my fellowe and brother? Although he hauehave offended mee, yet can I not renounce mine one nature; yet can I not bring to passe but that he is still a humane creature shaped after the image of God as well as my selfe. So then let vsus learne to meeken our stomackes though they bee neuer so stout, and let this example of God induce vsus to greater gē tlenesse and compassion than wee bee woont to hauehave.
Hereuppon Moses addeth, That this lawe serueth but onelyonly for the Nations that were farre off. For as for those nations (saith he) whom God giueth you now presently, as the Chananites, the Hethites, the Amorrhites the Pheresues, the Heuites, and the Iebusites; all those you must vtterlie roote out, and inherite their lande, howbeit hauing first purged it cleane from all abuses. Here wee see howe the lawe which I hauehave expounded alreadie, serued for the time then to come when the Israelites should hauehave any newe warre against such as had not beene their enemies before. But as for the people of the Lande of Chanaan which God had promised for an inheritaunce to the Iewes: it was his wil that they shoulde bee vtterly rooted out, which thing at the first sight might seeme ouerharde as I hauehave saide thereof heere before, [but it was not so indeede.] For to the intent that men shoulde not accuse God of crueltie, it was shewed why hee vsed so great rigour. But forasmuch as all of you [perchaunce] vnderstood it not; it is requisite to declare againe wherefore duplicate page duplicate page our Lorde commaunded all those Nations to bee rooted out and to bee put to sworde and hauocke without any merciemercy at all. For they were no such enemies as had doone any speciall wrong to the children of Israell, but they were enemies to God,Gen. 15.16. yea and enemies alreadie condemned euen by the space of fourehundred yeares afore. True it it that the children of Israell had iust cause of warre against them, because Abraham came into that coūtrie by Gods appointment to dwell there. And although GOD did not yet put him in possession of the souereigntie thereof which he had giuen vntounto him: yet was it his will that hee shoulde bee an inhabiter of that lande. But they draue him from place to place: so did they also to his sonne Isaac,Gen. 12.19. & 26.16.19.20. and likewise to Iacob, insomuch as they euen denied them water. Not that they went about to borrow water at their neighbours pits: but that their neighbours stopped vp the pittes which they had digged, and draue them from them without al humanitie. Howbeit there was yet a much higher respect: which was that God knowing the excessiue wickednesse of all those nations to be vtterly vnreclaimable, determined to take them quite and cleane out of the world, and yet woulde not that their lande shoulde lie wast without inhabitauntes: and therefore hee appointed it for an inheritaunce to his owne people. Here therefore wee must behold Gods speciall iudgement, to the ende wee accuse him not as I saide afore, ne dispute as a number doe, which presume to replie and to say, why was GOD so seuere? What cause had he so to do? To the intent therefore that wee may honour God in his iudgementes, acknowledging him to bee vpright, and iust, yea without fault in all thinges: let vsus marke that the condemning of this people here is not without cause. Might not God (if he listed) wipe vsus out of the worlde euen at the first? And what shoulde we gayne by pleading agaynst him or by going to Law with him? Nowe if hee may so destroy vsus at the first dash, and yet we may not complaine thereof or goe to Law with him therefore, but that he shall continue righteous still in his punishing of vsus: what may hee doe to vsus when we be past grace, when he hath borne with vsus long time, and patiently taried for vsus, and yet wee growe euer worse and worse, and cease not to increase his wrath still against vsus? If God finde vsus so hard-hearted, is not our wickednesse then ripe? Is it not come to the full growth, as hee speaketh of these Nations here? Yes verily is it. For we see how these people were so wicked long aforehand euen in the time of Abraham, that it woulde greeue ones hearte to thinke on it, so as they were not to bee borne with anie longer. They sawe what befell to Sodome and Gomor, which were their Neighbour cities;Gen. 19.24. and yet they became neuer the better for it, but continued still in all manner of outrageous wickednesse. Yet notwithstanding, it was Gods will to holde his hand, and not to punishe them at the first. And howe long a time did hee waite for them? Not a tenne or twentie yeares onelie: but he saith, I hauehave condemned them, and giuen diffinitiue sentence vppon them, and yet will I giuegive them,Gen. 15.16. fourehundred yeares respite, so as I will not execute my iudgement till then. God (I say) deferred the execution of his iudgement against those that were worthie to hauehave beene rooted out of the worlde at the verie first. And yet for all his long delay what commeth of it? Did they amende? Did they bethinke them of their faultes to mislike of them and to craue forgiuenesse at Gods hande? No: But they grewe still worse and worse; insomuch that the thing which God had foretolde to Abraham fell out to bee true: namely that the wickednesse of the Chananites was not yet as then growen to the full. As if hee shoulde say, Indeed the measure is full enough alreadie: but yet there must be such an ouermeasure, as they may come to destruction of themselues, and their owne wickednesse may be their ouerthrow.
Sith we see that God did so refrayne himselfe and vse so mielde a kinde of proceeding towardes these Nations: what shall wee say, but that wee hauehave good cause to glorifie him, and to confesse him to bee so kindehearted towards mankinde, as yet notwithstanding wee must not dallie with him, but liue in his feare? But if God beare with vsus, wee take occasion to mocke him for his labour, and we thinke our selues escaped when hee hath delayed his punishing of vsus. But beholde, GOD on the one side is loth to giuegive vsus anie cause to complaine of ouergreat rigour: and therefore hee is patient and long-suffering, as hee termeth himselfe in the holie Scripture. Howbeit forasmuch as wee abuse his goodnesse, and become the bolder to doe euill: hee sheweth vsus that wee must come to a reckening for it in the ende, and that hee will pay the most vnrulie sorte of vsus for the arrearages that he is behinde hande with vsus. The thing then which wee hauehave to remember at the sight of this fayre lookingglasse which wee hauehave in the Amorrhites, Hethites, Chananites, Pheresites, Iebusites, and their like; is to consider with our selues, that if GOD anie time do let men alone as though hee had layde the reines in their necke, and do wincke at them, and make no countenance at all of punishing them: it is no consequent that therefore hee acquiteth them, and that nothing is registred vp before him, and that their sinnes shall scape quite and cleane vnpunished. No no: but hee waiteth for them with patience, and in the ende they must come to their account. And therefore let it not trouble vsus when we see y• our Lord punisheth not the wicked at ye first dash; neither let it spite vsus to see them ruffle it out in the meane while, & to make good cheere: for their triumphing shall cost thē right deare, because they hauehave despised God; yea & euen falsely abused his grace, in making it a shrowdingsheete of their noughtinesse. Therefore let it not be a meane to drawe vsus to follow their example: but let vsus patiently abide Gods leasure til he worke, & vntill the conuenient time bee come for him to execute his wrath: and that wil serue vsus for a double lesson. For on the one side, when wee see that GOD punisheth not the wicked: we woulde by and by take part with them, if we bethought vsus not of this threate. Well though GOD shewe not his arme to day, yet doeth it not follow but that he may doe it to morrowe. If wee were not restreyned by this feare, wee woulde soone be out of all order, and the verie Angels woulde be corrupted by the example of the diuelles. Marke that for one point. Againe, wee must bridle our affections and lustes that carrie vsus away because wee bee amased yea and astonished, to thinke howe GOD leaueth those vnpunished which hauehave offended him so sore: and that on the contrarie part, whereas he letteth them alone, yea and giueth them full scope to doe what they list in this worlde: in the meane time hee seemeth to forget vsus as though hee had no regarde of vsus at al. [Wherupon we think thus with our selues:] If wee be his children, where is the pitie that he hath promised vsus? Such complaint doe they make, which hauehave not an eye to Gods long-sufferance. And so the seconde lesson which he shoulde receiue, is that seeing wee perceiue that our Lorde taried so long a time for those nations which had offended him as highlie as could be, and we see him delay their punishment so long a time, that their sins seemed to lie buryed by the space of fourehundred yeares, and that yet neuerthelesse God executeth his sentence at the ende of those fower hundred yeares, which was foure times beyonde the remembrance of men: Let the beholding hereof make vsus to feare the rigour of our God afarre off: and though no tokens of his wrath appeare; yet let not vsus fayle to foresee them by faith. As for example; when ye Apostle speaketh of Noe,Hebr. 11.7. he saith that he foresawe the flud by faith. While men were sotted in their delightes, and gaue themselues to feasting, Noe behelde the fludde. And howe behelde he it? For it was yet faire weather, and euerie man tooke his pleasure and pastime. Yet did hee see all the worlde drowned and destroyed: For hee sawe it by faith, because God had threatened that it shoulde bee so. Nowe, the same threate hauehave we, and therewithall wee hauehave the proofe of it also, euen in this, that our Lorde punished these nations that are spoken of here, at the end of foure hundred yeares, when they thought not of it, ne tooke anie heed of it, insomuch that if a man had then threatened them any such thing, they woulde hauehave blurted out their tongues and shaken their heads at him. But their inditement was framed in heauen, iudgement was giuen vponupon them alreadie, and the Iudge had power & might to put it in execution in spite of their wilfull stubbornesse. And therefore let the sight hereof make vsus to stand in awe of our God. And when he letteth vsus alone in quiet, and spareth vsus, let vsus not thinke our selues to bee scaped his hande: but let vsus enter into account, and euerie man quicken vp himselfe, and looke into his owne faults, and that in such wise as we may preuent his wrath, and let vsus not tarie till he be armed against vsus to proclayme war against vsus, but let vsus preuent the rigor of his iudgement, that by comming vntounto him, whereas we shoulde else finde him our Iudge in the end, wee may finde him to bee our pitifull and kinde hearted father.
Nowe let vsus kneele downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes, praying him to make vsus feele them continually more and more. And for asmuch as there is none of vsus which hath not prouoked his wrath exceedingly, so as we be all guiltie before him; let vsus seeke to returne to the refuge of his merciemercy. And seeing there is no meanes to come at him except he reach vsus out his hande and drawe vsus by his holy spirit: let vsus not refuse to goe to him when he calleth vsus, nor tarie till ye gate be shut against vsus: but let vsus vse the opportunitie of the time when he causeth his Gospell to be preached vntounto vsus, and let vsus imbrace our Lorde Iesus Christ with the peace which he offereth vsus, resorting to his death and passion, that we may hauehave him for the gage of our righteousnesse, and the verie raunsome whereby to come in fauor with our God againe, so as all our sinnes may be buried through his merciemercy, and we labour to drawe others also vntounto him, that all of vsus with one common accord may tend vntounto our God, and he be serued and worshipped of al mē. And for the bringing hereof to passe, it may please him to raise vp true and faithfull ministers of his worde, &c.