Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 14
On Munday the vj. of May. 1555. The xiiij. Sermon, which is the fourth vponupon the second Chapter.
26.27.28.29. Then sent I messengers, &c.
30 But Sehon King of Hesebon would not let vsus passe, for the Lorde thy God had hardened his spirit, and made his heart stubborne, to the ende to deliuer him into thy hand, as it appeareth at this day.
31 And the Lorde saide vntounto mee, beholde, I hauehave begunne to giuegive Sehon and his land before thee; goe to, take possession, that thou mayest possesse his land.
32 And Sehon came out again vsus, he and all his people to fight in Iasa:
33 And the Lorde our God deliuered him before vsus, and wee smote him, and his sonnes, and all his people.
34 And at the same time wee tooke all his Cities, and destroyed the men, women, and children in them, and we left him nothing remaining,
35 Sauing the Cattell which we tooke to our selues, and the spoyle of the Cities, which we tooke.
36 From Aroer which is vppon the banke of the Riuer Arnon, and the Citie which is vppon the Riuer, and vntounto Galaad, there was not any Citie that could defend it selfe from vsus. For the Lord our God had giuen them all into our hands.
37 OnelyOnly thou shalt not come neere the land of the children of Ammon, nor vntounto any place of the Riuer Iabok, nor vntounto the Cities on the hill, nor vntounto any of all those places which the Lord our God forbad vsus.
WEe hauehave seene heretofore howe God being determined to hardē Sehon, letted not for all that to cause him to be summoned, to the end he shold hauehave let the children of Israel passe without dooing them harme, and without shewing himselfe to be their enemie. And therewithall it hath bene shewed, that GOD will sende message of peace vntounto men: & yet notwithstanding knoweth that the same shall stand them in no stead, but to make them vnexcusable. After the same maner, the Gospell is preached to a great nomber, who notwithstanding doe but become the worse for it, and God knoweth right well that no profite shall come thereof, but that they shall bee rebellious still. Why then doeth hee call them to him? To bereaue them of all excuse, and to lay open their malice and vngodlinesse. For so long as men abide vndiscouered, GOD seemeth after a sorte to doe them wrong. But when he sendeth them his worde, then bewray they themselues what they bee, and their vnbeliefe is manifestly prooued. And so let vsus vnderstand that our Lorde knoweth well what the end of the preaching of his word shall be: y• is to wit,Cor. 2.16. that it shall become the sauour of death to a great sort: but yet will he not ceasse to appoint his worde to bee preached still: and that doeth he for good and iust cause, namely to the ende that men should bee the more condemned. But yet for all this, it is the preachers duetie to offer peace vntounto all men, according also as our Lorde Iesus Christ saith to his Disciples,… 10.5. wheresoeuer yee come, offer peace: and if they that heare you bee vnwoorthie thereof, your peace shall returne to you againe. As if he should say, There shall be no losse at al, you shall trie what is in men, and the friendlye greeting which you shall beare vntounto them, shall be as a touchstone, to the ende they may not be able to say, that God hath not visited them nor had no care of them: and so shall they be proued to hauehave reiected his grace.
And herewithall wee bee warned, to seeke peace with all men as much as in vsus lyeth, accordingly as it is saide in the Psalme that wee must euen followe after it:Psal. 34.15. 1. Pet. 3.11. so as it is not ynough for vsus to bee friendly, and to indeuour to liue without anoying of any bodie, and without vexing or troubling any of our neighbours: but wee must labour yet further to seeke peace. If wee see there bee any vnrulye folke, wee must pacifye them as much as is possible. If wee see that Satan procureth vsus strife and contention, wee must labour to remedie them as much as wee can: accordingly as our Lorde Iesus Christ requireth of the faithfull, not onelyonly that they shoulde bee peaceable themselues, but also that they shoulde indeuour to set peace euerywhere. That then is one thing which wee ought to doe.Rom. 12.18. And therewithall wee must bethinke our selues how S. Paul saieth, that wee must seeke peace, as much as in vsus is. And by that saying he comforteth vsus. If it so happen that wee can not make men our friendes, but yt although they hauehave no cause to complaine of vsus, nor can say that wee hauehave done them any harme or wrong, yet they ceasse not to be malicious & bitter towards vsus: we hauehave wherewith to comfort our selues, in yt we hauehave done the best we can to seeke peace. And therefore although wee bee faine to liue among such as seeke all the meanes they can to trouble and vexe vsus: yet must not wee followe their malice to be like vntounto them, but wee must alwayes doe our duetie to maintaine peace and friendship.Pro 25.22. & Ro. 12.20 And if men will not bee wonne by vsus: then shall our mildenesse and gentlenesse turne to burning coales against them, wherewith they shall bee consumed. Besides this, the Lorde will maintaine our innocencie, and when he seeth that wee hauehave not assailed those at whose handes we demaund not any thing, but rather hauehave laboured to ouercome euill with dooing good: let vsus not doubt but he will assist vsus with his succour.
There is this further, that Moses termeth it The word of peace, when men abstaine from all euill dooing, and offer all right and reason: which wee ought to marke well: for many will say that they desire nothing but peace: howbeit, that is but to their owne profite, and to their neighbors losse: and that is no meane [of peace in deede.] Desire wee then to bee at peace? Desire wee to hauehave agreement with them that dwell with vsus? Let vsus on our side deale vprightly: let vsus abstaine from all wrong dooing: let vsus greeue no man, let vsus drawe no mans goods to our selues, let vsus yeeld euerie man that which is his due. Lo what peace is. And herein wee see that all the faire protestations which they make that are giuen to rauine and extorsion: are but lyes. For the holy Ghost hath tolde vsus here, that there is no word of peace, but where vprightnesse and iust dealing is obserued, so as no man is vexed in any wise. And like as wee must indeuour to bee reasonable towardes our neighbours, to maintaine friendship with them: so if they offer vsus reason, wee must looke that we refuse it not. For if wee bee vnmeasurably hard to bee contented: the thing must needes be performed in vsus which is written in the Psalme:Psal. 109.17. that is to wit, he refused blessednesse, and it is farre off from him: therefore shall cursednesse couer him as a cloake, and it shall sticke fast to his flesh and to his skinne. Would wee then that God should blesse vsus, and cause men also to beare vsus fauour and friendship? Let vsus on our behalfe seeke blessednesse to the vttermost of our power: and when wordes of peace are offered vsus, let vsus not goe seeke occasions of controuersie, to stirre vp strife and debate. Thus ye see what wee hauehave to marke vponupon that text.
Nowe let vsus come to that which Moses addeth. He saieth That Sehon King of Hesebon woulde not giuegive the children of Israel leaue to passe. And why? For the Lord (saieth he) had hardened his spirit, and made his heart stubborne. I hauehave told you alreadie, that although God foresee that the message of peace shall not preuaile: yet he ceasseth not to send it. But here Moses expresseth yet a further matter: that God hardeneth mens hartes. And in the ende he addeth moreouer, that he doeth it of purpose to ouerthrowe them and destroy them, which is much more. Nowe this is verie straunge geere at the first sight. And that is the cause why men hauehave gone about to alter these textes: but in so doing they hauehave marred them, for it is all one when they would set such a glose as this vponupon it, that Gods hardening of Sehons heart, was no more but his promising that hee should become hard hearted, and that he letted not the hardnesse and stubbornnesse of his hart, that is to say, he did let Sehon alone when he shewed himselfe stubborn. These are too feeble shiftes. For when as the scripture saith expressely that GOD hardened: it fathereth the verie worke it selfe vponupon him. Againe, wee see how it saieth, Thou Lord hast done it: and that in mo places than onelyonly in this. Thinke wee that the holy Ghost wanted wordes wherewith to vtter his meaning, when he saide, I will harden Pharaos heart,Exod. ….… and beholde, God hath hardened him? And againe when he saieth in the Psalme that the Lord turned & conuerted their heartes vntounto stubbornnesse,Psal. 105 when they rose vp so against Israel? If men should flee alwayes to this glose, God saieth that he will harden, that is to say, he will not hinder or impeache the hardening: to what purpose were that? Wee see it is a fond kinde of dealing, and the word Turne sheweth it well. Behold, God turneth the heart. Whereas mens heartes were plyable and disposed to courtesie, God turneth them and maketh them to be inflamed with hatred, so as they be the first that begin the warre. And what meaneth that? So then vnlesse wee meane to dally and mocke with the holy scripture, we must not seeke such shifts, but rather consider after what sort it is that God hardeneth mens heartes: and yet notwithstanding is not guiltie of the hardnesse that is in mē, nor can or ought to bee charged with the euill. Wee must come to that point. For let vsus marke, that although God harden mens heartes, yet men faile not also to harden themselues. And these two things may agree very well: that is to wit that a man shoulde harden himselfe in his owne naughtinesse, and yet not without Gods working in such wise as the euill proceedeth not of him, ne ought to bee imputed to him, as I said afore. And to proue that men themselues ought to beare the blame and condemnation of their hard heartednesse, there needeth no long discourse to bee made: for eueryevery man carieth his owne inditement readie framed in himselfe. As howe? Euen the wickedst sort doe giuegive euidence against themselues: and although all the world would excuse them, and that both great & small did acquit them: yet hauehave they a hartbiting within them, which maketh them to perceiue, that whensoeuer they offend or sinne, they doe it willingly of their owne accorde, of a certaine lewdnesse, and with their owne wil. There is not that man which knoweth not this. Euen the greatest despisers of God that are (say I,) euen they that are become as brutish as is possible to bee, hauehave the said brondingyron searing within them, so as they knowe that their sinnes come of nothing else than their owne selfe mouing, and of their owne cursed and wicked affection. Seeing then that men doe feele themselues guiltie: there needeth no more disputing vppon that poin….
But now let vsus come to the second point: that is to wit, how it is that God hardeneth men, without being partaker of their sinnes. Let vsus marke, that sometimes the causes shall be apparant. And whensoeuer God punisheth men, wee must needes confesse that hee doeth it iustly: marke that for one poynt. Now one of the meanes which he hath to punishe men with all, is that hee blindeth them, that hee hardeneth their hartes, that hee sendeth them the spirit of giddinesse, that hee deliuereth them vp to Satan. These then are signes of Gods wrath and vengeance.
And therefore if there were any cause going before: wee must glorify him. And why? for hee doeth the office of a iudge: and for so doing there is no cause to carp and snap at him. It is sayd that God will send the spirit of drowsinesse vppon men.…. 19.14. …m. 1.28.And why? Because they hauehave misused his goodnesse, and the instruction that he gaue them. When wee see that this cause went afore: that is to wit, that men did wilfully shut their eyes, that they would not heare, and that they would not receiue any instruction, but rather labored to abolish Gods truth vtterly: is it not reason that they should bee giuen vp to the spirit of giddinesse? Nay moreouer, they will needes be wittie to mocke God: and we see a nomber of these skoffers, which are alwayes frumping, and to their seeming, God is but a babe. By reason hereof hee shaketh them vtterly of, in such wise as they become brute beastes. Now then, when that cause goeth afore: wee see that God executeth his Iustice and punisheth men in such sort, as wee can not but glorifie him. Marke that for one poynt.
True it is that sometime there shall be speciall causes:Rom. 1.19. but the saying of Saint Paul in the first chapter to the Romans extendeth yet further. For there wee see that God hath iust reason to blinde all the world, and that if hee should doe so he should doe but the office of a iudge. For why? although the heathen had no doctrine preached vntounto them: yet doe the heauens and the earth speake sufficiently vntounto them, inasmuch as God doth shewe himselfe there. But who are they that honor and serue God, for all their inioying of the benefites which he bestoweth vponupon them in this world? All are vnthankefull, all are malicious, wee cobble vp Gods riches here, and in the meane while regard not how much we be beholden to him, at leastwise to doe him homage for them. And therefore it is reason that he should giuegive vp men into a leude minde,…om. 1.24.…6.28. (as sayth Sainte Paule) and that hee should deliuer them into wicked lustes, so as they should forget themselues, and ouershoote themselues, and giuegive ouer themselues to all vngratiousnesse, and to all maner of shamefull and horrible dealings. And why? For they honoured not their creator that made them, & had shewed himselfe so bountifull and mercifull to them. And therefore whensoeuer God hardeneth men, wee must thinke he hath iust reason to doe so, because our leawdnesse and vnthankfulnesse are to be found eueryevery where.
But yet neuerthelesse, if there appeare no apparant cause, and that when we hauehave sought neuer so much why God hardeneth men, wee finde no cause at all: yet let vsus not therefore cease to glorifie him, though wee see not the reason of his doings. As for example, a man might aske why Sehon was hardened rather than the Moabites, Edomites, and Ammonites? Ye see here foure nations betweene whom there was no oddes, I meane as in respect of naughtinesse. For if wee thinke that the Ammonites and Edomites, were better than the Amorrhits: it is but folly and a deceiuing of our selues. Then were they all as infidelles, and coulde hauehave found in their hartes that Gods people had bin vtterly sunk. But God boweth the heartes of the Ammonites and such others, to the end that they should not enter into warre. Hee meckeneth and suppleth them, as if a wilde beaste were tamed: and in the meane while he hardeneth Sehons hart, pricking him and inflaming him foreward, to the ende he should come to giuegive battell. Whence commeth such diuersitie? Wee cannot alleadge any reason, our wit is too rawe and weake thereto. And againe, God concealeth his purpose from vsus in that behalfe. What shall wee doe then? although wee be at our wits end in this case: let vsus learne to doe God so much honor, as to acknowledge that hee is iust and vpright in all his doinges. And although the thing be straunge to our vnderstanding, and it seeme to vsus that wee might speake against it: yet notwithstanding let vsus forbeare to reply, and let vsus humble our selues vnderunder the maiestie of our God. For truely the thing wherein he wil try mens humilitie, is that wee should glorifie him in al his works, yea euen though they agree not ne match not with our natural reasō.Rom. 1.5.16 26. There is not a truer obedience of faith than that. And if they which babble so much nowadayes against Gods prouidence, had learned but this one principle of honoring GOD by confessing that hee is righteous, and measured not his Iustice or righteousnesse by their owne brayne: there would be no more difficultie. But what? There are a sorte of proud beggers, which set themselues against GOD, and swelle at him lyke Toades. Insomuch that if they hauehave once taken a toy in their head, although GOD hauehave spoken the flat contrary: they passe not for that, neither will they surcease their rage for it. But as for our part, to the intent wee may be Gods true disciples, let vsus bridle our wittes and hold them as prisoners and captiues vnderunder the doctrine of the holy scripture: which is, that God holdeth mens hartes in his hand, and turneth them to gentlenesse when hee listeth, as we see he did in Egypt.Exod. 11.3. & 12.36. Behold, the Egyptians were ful of spite and crueltie, so as they ment nothing else but to hauehave vtterly destroyed the people of Israel. But yet in one minute of an houre, and euen in the turning of a hand, God wrought in such wise that they were chaunged. They yeelded vp all their vessell of golde and siluer at the cōmaundemēt of ye people. To be short they did more for the children of Israel, than the fathers would hauehave done for their owne children. And whereof came this? Euen of Gods changing of their hartes when hee thought good. Also on the contrary part, God holdeth mens hartes in his hand, to harden them as he listeth. And if this seeme straunge vntounto vsus: let vsus acknowledge the weakenesse of our vnderstanding, and let vsus alwayes first and formost confesse God to bee righteous, and therewithall reuerence his high and deepe secretes, sith wee cannot atteine vntounto them. Thus yee see what we hauehave to remember in the first place.
Also wee hauehave to note the ende for which this was done. God (sayth Moses) was determined to destroy Sehon: GOD had already assigned him his iudgement: that was the cause why hee hardened him. It is not in this text onelyonly, that the holy Ghost speaketh so. But when God sendeth his Prophet Esay, and telleth him that the people shalbe hardened and blinded, yea euen the more after their hearing of all the matters and warninges that should be giuen them: he addeth I will hauehave this people blinded, to the ende they conuert not and I should heale them. As if he should say, this people is not worthie to bee pitied at my hand, or to hauehave any mercy shewed them: and therefore they must dwell still in their destruction. And that they may doe so, I will harden their hartes, stop their eares, and blinde their eyes, so as they shall be past all amendement. Let vsus vnderstand, that in so doing God hath alwayes iust reason: but yet is it not to be said, that therefore it is lawfull for vsus alwayes to know it. If the reason be apparant to vsus: it is well, and let vsus wey it throughly, acknowledging (as I tolde you before) that God executeth his iust vengeance vppon the sinners that hauehave offended him too much, and abused his patience and goodnesse, But howsoeuer the case stand, if wee see no reason at all, let his onelyonly will and ordinance suffice vsus, and let it content vsus that he knoweth why hee dealeth so, though it be not his will to reueile it vntounto vsus, at leastwise till the day wherein the thinges that are now hidden from vsus,1. Cor. 3.9. shal be discouered vntounto vsus. For (as sayth Saint Paul) as now wee see but in part and darkely. And if wee knewe that: namely that wee be here as in a darke prison, so long as we be closed in with our mortall fleshe: and againe that wee be earthly and must be faine to bee renewed ere wee can comprehend Gods secretes perfectly: it were enough to allaye the cackeling of such as nowadayes blaspheme the doctrine of election, so as they should humble themselues before God, to imbrace with all reuerence whatsouer is conteined in the holy scripture. But doe what we can, yet must wee passe that way. And therefore when wee heare that Gods will was to destroy Sehon, and yt therefore he hardened him: let vsus assure our selues, that when it pleaseth God to drawe men to saluation, he turneth their hartes to make thē repent them of their sinnes, that they may bee sory for them and seeke to obey him. After that maner doth God alter the hartes of such as were malicious and froward, and reformeth them to his obedience, yea euen when he intendeth to saue them. Lykewise on the contrary part, when he hath vtterly appoynted them to destruction: he hardeneth them, so as there is no meane for them to admit any amendment, or to come neere it, but they repine against him and his doctrine, whereof they make as it were a deadly poyson. Lo after what sorte God worketh. True it is that mans naturall reason can neuer well brooke his doctrine: but wee must submit our selues with such humiltie in this behalfe,1. … as wee gainesay not the thinges which the holy scripture teacheth. Againe, whereas it is sayd, that the children of Hely hauing bin warned, receiued not correction at their fathers hand: it followeth immediately, because the Lord was purposed to slea them. By the setting downe hereof, wee see that God gaue them not the grace to conuert, because he left them in the destruction, wherein they were by nature: And that he so purposed, it was through his rightfull iustice. Here is no talke of I wote not what permission or sufferance, so as God should play the blinkard, or shut his eyes as these fantasticall fellowes imagine, which hauehave as much experience in the holy scripture as dogges: but it is sayd, that Gods will was to hauehave it so. Wherefore let vsus learne, that when God hardeneth men, it is a signe that hee hath deliuered them to Satan, as past recouery. True it is that on the one part God serueth his turne by Satan and by wicked men,1. … to deceiue the vnbeleeuers, according as wee see that when it was sayd, who will be my messenger to deceiue Achab? the diuill offereth himselfe, and God sendeth him. Go (sayth God) and ouerrule thou all his false prophets, and let them bee all there to blinde this wretch that hath bin so rebellious against me. We see how God serueth his turne by Satan, & that all false prophets are sent by him. But yet should not this preuaile: for if men were well disposed, Satan should win nothing by his illusions, and al his wiles should be withstood:2. Thes. … But it is sayd that God giueth effectuall or workefull error: it is euen Saint Paules owne maner of speach.
Now whereas he termeth it effectuall error, it is as much to say as men shall be so sotted, that they shall not be able to discerne any more, nor to perceiue the deceites, but shall become so brutish, as they shall fling and cast themselues headlong into destruction, and not iudge of any thing. It is God that blindeth them so, sayth Saint Paul. And why? Because he is minded to ouerthrowe them. Now I hauehave tolde you already, that sometimes the cause shall not be apparant as it is in that place of Saint Paul, who auoucheth it concerning such as hauing heard the Gospell, receiued it not, ne became the better for it, but reiected it, as wee see these wretches doe nowadayes, which trample the doctrine of saluation vnderunder their feete, through their vngodlynesse. And Saint Paul sayth it is good reason that God should so blinde them, as darkenesse might reigne ouer them, forasmuch as they listed not to receiue the light. But sometimes the cause shall be incomprehensible: wee shall not perceiue why God worketh so; [wee shall not discerne] why hee will hauehave one to pearishe rather than another. [In that case] let vsus content our selues with his only goodnes, and confesse that he is righteous howsoeuer the worlde goe. Besides this, let vsus learne to call vponupon God, that it may please him to turne our hartes to good, so as when hee sendeth vsus the message of peace, and offereth vsus his fatherly goodnesse, wee may not onelyonly heare it as the voyce of a man: but also be touched with it by him in our hartes. And in so dooing, let vsus not doubt of his merciemercy, for hee witnesseth thereby that he hath pitie vppon vsus, and prepareth vsus, and chaungeth our hartes,…. Pet. 1.2. to bowe them to his obedience. Thus yee see what wee hauehave to remember as in respect of this sentence.
Now Moses sayth, that Sehon came foorth to battell & was ouercome, both he and all his people, because God had deliuered him to the children of Israel. Here Moses sheweth that the victorie which the people had of Sehon and the Amorrhytes, was of Gods meere grace. And it was meete also that the people should bee put in mind thereof, that they might perciue how God had gouerned thē. And this rehearsall is made, to keepe the people in awe, and to make them vnderstand, that if they did not serue and honor him all their lyfe long, and teach their children to doe the lyke: it were too wicked an vnthankefulnesse. And here wee hauehave two poyntes to marke. The one is generall, that wee must learne to yeelde God the honor of all the victories that hee giueth vsus against our enemies. I meane not onelyonly of Princes when they hauehave made warres, or woonne a battell in the field: but [euen of our selues also] when wee hauehave bin assayled by some peculiar person, and be escaped from his handes. When a man hath done vsus any wrong, or put vsus to some trouble, and wee bee deliuered from it: Let vsus assure our selues it is God that hath giuen vsus that vpper hand, to the end we should alwayes hauehave our mouthes open to yeelde him thankes for it: and that we should not onelyonly doe it with the mouth: but also and specially shewe forth by our whole lyfe, how much wee bee bound vntounto him. Yee see then that the thing which wee hauehave to marke, is that whensoeuer and how oft soeuer we scape from the malice of our enemies, God hath reached out his hand to succour vsus, and by that meanes hath bound vsus to him, to the intent wee shoulde hauehave the more courage to serue him and honor him.
The second poynt is, that looke what Moses spake to the people of Israel, the same doth hee say at this day vntounto vsus. For wee hauehave neede to be put in minde of Gods grace and benefites, that wee may bee the more moued to magnify his name and to giuegive our selues wholy vntounto him, so as wee may neuer forget his benefites, to runne into any disorder. For wee see howe men doe easily sotte themselues, specially when GOD dealeth fauourably with them. Because our God dealeth gently with vsus: wee thinke we may conspire to forsake him and forget him. And truely this prouerb which is common among men, namely that wee cannot away with our owne ease, is put too much in practise. And therefore it is for our welfare to be put in minde of Gods benefites, and to hauehave the rememberaunce of them refreshed. And why? To the intent wee may be helde in awe of him, and serue him, & take courage to keepe our selues altogether vnderunder his subiectiō, assuring our selues that that is our souereigne blisse, and that forasmuch as hee neuer forsaketh his faithful ones, and those that leane vntounto him, wee suffer him to be our protector, and play not the loose colts, so as wee should be forsaken of him at our neede. Yee see then that this declaration is directed to vsus nowadayes.
As touching that it is sayd, That GOD had deliuered Sehon before them: it serueth to shewe the better, that inasmuch as they had an easie victorie, GOD gaue the greater brightnesse to his grace, as wee hauehave seene alreadye heretofore. I note this briefly, to the intent that this str…ine may bee layd to the other, which wee hauehave seene and expounded alreadie.
Had the people of Israell had much a doe to ouercome their enemies: they might hauehave imputed it to their owne force. O wee hauehave fought well, [might they hauehave sayd.] O there was great prowes in vsus: for our enemies were very valiant.
But when as their enemies were driuen lyke chaffe with the winde, when they that we carst both strong and stout were dismayed, so as they had no more hart than women, but scattered away at the first shocke, and became so cowardly, as they might smite vppon them at their pleasure, so as the people were euen weary of sleaing them that were lyke enough to hauehave eaten them vp: What is to be sayd of it, but that God deliuered the enemies of his people, that is to say, that hee brought them thither as it were of purpose to take vengeance of them? Yee see then that the thing which is imported by this maner of Moseses speach, is the amplifying of Gods grace, to the ende that it might bee the better knowen of the children of Israel.
And whereas it is sayd, that all were put to the sworde, euen little children and all: It might at the first blushe seeme a poynt of great crueltie, that the children of Israel spared not euen the little babes. And what an outrage was that? For what though the king and the men had bin so froward as to deny them passage? Ought the women therefore to hauehave borne the smart of it, and their little babes too? We see and are warned hereby, that wee must not deeme of Gods iudgements after our owne fancie. For if wee will needes runne a head when God telleth vsus that hee hath disposed a matter, and that wee will needes shoote foorth our bolte at eueryevery turne: wee take vppon vsus the office of GOD. For it is his right to iudge of vsus, and not ours to iudge of him. And what will come of it, but that wee shall be confounded in our rashnesse and malapertnesse? What a trayterousnesse is it, that mortall creatures shoulde climbe so high, as to giuegive iudgement vponupon their maker? Therefore when there is any speaking of Gods iudgementes, let vsus learne to restreine our wittes from such rashnesse as to say what we thinke good: and let vsus consider that all that euer commeth from God, is good and rightfull, though it seeme contrariwise to vsus. And in uery deede, sith wee see not a whit into the bottomlesse deepes of Gods iudgementes: let vsus assure our selues that wee doe but bewray the informitie that is in vsus, and that in the meane season God hath wherewith to maintaine his iustice, although he shewe it not to vsus.Gen. 5.16. And were the thing wel weied yt is written in Genesis: we should know that it was not without cause yt our Lord commanded the children of the Amorrhytes to be rooted out of the world. For euen in the time of Abraham, the Chananites were come to the full measure of all iniquitie, as it seemed: and we see examples enow thereof, in that they troubled Abraham so much. And yet for al that, God sayd that their iniquitie was not yet full ripe. Albeit that men had condemned them: yet is God patient, and taryeth, and beareth with them, yea euen foure hundred yeeres after. Yee see then that God did beare with the wickednesse of that people foure hundred yeeres: and shall wee say now at the foure hundred yeeres ende, how happeneth it that God dealeth so roughly with them? Wee would faine be pleading against God. If he vse patience, wee say he is too slowe: and if he vse extreme vengeance, wee blame him of crueltie. But contrarywise, if God execute not his iudgementes out of hand: let vsus assure our selues yt therein he sheweth his goodnesse. And on the other side if he extend such rigor as maketh vsus abashed and afraide: let vsus assure our selues that he doth it iustly and vponupon good cause, although the same cause be not euer apparant vntounto vsus. So then, first of al, wheras here is mentiō made of such a slaughter of the Amorrhites as extended euen to the infantes: let vsus assure our selues that seeing GOD telleth vsus that hee hadde commaunded the people of Israell to doe it: wee must imbrace it without gainsaying, & it is not for vsus to checke against it, vnlesse we will be condemned for our diuelish pride, in presuming to pleade against our iudge, yea euen against our souereine iudge. Finally wee must not iustifie men when they aduenture any thing vponupon their owne heades and for their owne pleasure: but wee must put a difference betweene the things that concerne God, and the thinges that concerne men. For in the end of the chapter, Moses saith expressely, According as the Lord our God had commanded. Thē if any thing come in our way, let vsus inquire whether it concerne God or no. If wee perceiue that it concerne God: then must wee submit our selues thereto, saying, Lord thou art righteous, let thine onelyonly will suffice vsus, without looking to hauehave any other reason: let it not be lawfull for vsus to goe beyond that rule, forasmuch as it is the rule of all right. Now then if we hauehave the discretion and skill, to discerne betweene God and men: then shall we not fayle to honor and glorify God, and to yeeld him the prayse of Iustice and vprightnesse: [and so shall wee lykewise] if wee indeuour to trye mens doings by Gods word as we be taught it. For good reason it is that the same should ouerrule vsus, yea and that all our deedes and thoughtes shoulde be so measured, compassed, and directed thereby, as wee may consider thus with our selues: Hath God forbidden it? then is it a wicked thing, and therefore I must forbeare it: but doth God allow it or permit it? then let vsus confesse that it is well done, without inquiring any further. Thus yee see what wee hauehave to remember for the conclusion of this text.
Now let vsus kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes, praying him to make vsus feele them better, and to teach vsus to condemne ourselues vtterly, (as in very deede there is nothing in vsus but cursednesse, and none but onelyonly God deserueth to hauehave al praise of righteousness & vprightnes yeelded vntounto him) and yt eueryevery of vsus may not only confesse it with our mouths, but also sigh for our sinnes through true repentance, so as wee may returne againe vntounto him, praying him to chaunge our wicked hartes in such wise, that whereas now they be plunged in al naughtines, and stonehard: hee will vouchsafe to bring them to his obedience, and to write and ingrose his lawes and commaundementes in them, so as we may seeke nothing but to please him, and to frame our selues wholy to his good will. That it may please him to graunt this grace, not onelyonly to vsus, but also to all people, &c.