Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 158
On Munday the xxiij. of March, 1556. The CLVIII. Sermon, which is the sixt vponupon the eight and twentith Chapter.
29 And thou shalt alwayes suffer iniurie and oppression, and no man shall deliuer thee.
30 Thou shalt mary a wyfe, and an other man shall lye with her: thou shalt buylde a house, but thou shalt not dwell in it: thou shalt plant a vyne, but thou shalt not gather the fruite thereof.
31 Thyne oxe shalbe killed before thine eyes, but thou shalt not eate of it: thyne Asse shalbee taken away before thy face, and it shall not be restored vntounto thee: thy sheepe shalbe deliuered to thyne enemies. and there shalbe no bodie to saue them.
32 Thy sonnes and thy daughters shalbe giuen to another people, thyne eyes shall see it, and dasle at it all the day long, and thy hande shall hauehave no strength.
33 And a people which thou hast not knowen, shall eat the fruite of thy land, and all thy labour: and thou shalt doe nothing but suffer reuylinges and oppressions alwayes.
34 And thou shalt be amased at the sight of those things which thyne eyes shal beholde.
35 The Lord wil smite thee with a sore swelling in the knees, and in the legs, of the which thou shalt not bee healed from the sole of thy foote to the crowne of thy head.
WE ought well to rememember the meaning of Moses, whereof wee hauehave spoken heeretofore; namely, wherefore hee continueth in vttering so many curses. For wee are slowe to bee mooued: when our Lorde doeth threaten vsus, wee make a game of it: and albeit wee confesse that wee shoulde thinke thereon, yet doeth it escape vsus. And futhermore, wee suppose that wee shall alwayes fynde starting holes, and that if God doe followe vsus one way, wee by flying another way shalbee able to void his blowes. Thus doe men deceiue themselues, and thereuppon waxe hardhearted. Nowe Moses (or rather the spirite of GOD speaking by his mouth) perceiuing that men be so carelesse, and that they shrinke not at the first, when the iudgement of God is set before them, continueth his matter still and addeth threatenings vppon threatenings. Againe, on the other side, perceiuing also that men seeke startingholes, and thereby deceiue themselues, bearing themselues in hande, that they can saue themselues by flinging ouer the Fenne (as they say:) hee sheweth that God hath infinite meanes to punish vsus withall, both aboue and beneath, before and behynde, on the right hande and the lefte, and that wee shalbee so hemmed in on all sides, that it shall not be possible for vsus to escape his hand.
Nowe after the threatenings, which we hauehave seene heere before, hee presently addeth that they which so resist God shalbee afflicted and tormented, so as men shall spoyle them, and they shalbee layde open to all vyolence for euer, and no man shall deliuer them. Wee see heere that God serueth his owne turne by the wicked, and that although their intent bee nothing so, yet doeth hee apply them to a good vse, when hee listeth to punish vsus. Whereas there bee theeues and robbers, albeeit that they bee giuen ouer to Sathan, yet fayle they not to serue Gods purpose; yea truely, for wee see in this text that our Lorde leaueth them not at randon, to robbe and to spoyle, whether hee will or no: but hee threateneth his people, saying, They that disobey mee, shalbee vexed and robbed. And whence proceedeth that? It must needes, come from him.
Nowe albeit that God suffereth oppressions, robberies, and violence to bee done, hee can very well condemne them, according as hee is righteous, and must needes hate Iniustice: yet notwithstanding, by his wonderfull wisedome which to vsus is incomprehensible, hee turneth those things to his owne seruice: so that when wee hauehave offended him, he must needs punishe vsus by the hand of the most wicked: which is the more to our reproche. For if he himselfe shoulde hauehave punished vsus, and we sawe before our eyes, yt he reuengeth him of our iniquities, wel would wee say, seeing that wee hauehave offended him, it is good reason that wee should come to account for it. But when hee sturreth vppe leawd folke, and despisers of his maiestie, and such as are giuen to all naughtinesse, and maketh them our Iudges: it is to make vsus so much the more ashamed. Let vsus therefore consider, that whencesoeuer the euill commeth, wee hauehave euermore to deale with GOD: and wee must thinke that there is nothing done in this worlde but by his direction. And thereupon let vsus enter into the examination of our faults. For it is not ynough to know that God ruleth al things: but eueryevery one of vsus must also make his owne inditement, and consider that all afflictions and aduersities, are tokens of Gods wrath. Nowe when wee speake of his wrath, wee must in like wise remember his iustice; and thereuppon conclude that wee verie well deserue to bee punished. But yet he threateneth vsus before hee strike, to the ende that wee shoulde not stand gaping til the things were come to passe; but rather preuent them aforehande,1. Cor. 11.31 as Saynt Paul also doeth admonish vsus. Whilest God spareth vsus, let vsus bee aduised, so to walke in his feare, that wee prouoke him not to stirre vp theeues to torment and vex… vsus: but that rather (if men attempt such iniuries against vsus) wee may stande in his protection, according as hee promiseth to vpholde all them that walke in his obedience. Then let vsus see that wee doe so; and let vsus remember that which is spoken by the Prophet Esaye, to wit, that they which hauehave robbed, must bee serued with the same sawce.Esa. 33.1. And that is the cause why violences and extortions doe so continue in the worlde.
Men wonder to see that the mischiefe growes woorse and woorse: but they shoulde note the cause thereof. For they that beare chiefe sway and preheminence, doe let themselues loose, seeking nothing but to enriche themselues, an to swallowe vp other mennes substance. But hauehave they robbed? God must sende a reuolution, so as other robbers shall come and bereaue these of their booties: and afterwarde, a thirde sorte must step vp to spoile them againe. And so there is neuer any ende. And why? Because the worlde neuer ceasseth to prouoke the wrath of God. And for so much as wee bee headstrong, it is reason, that our Lorde shoulde continue to shewe himselfe our Iudge. But (as I sayde euen nowe) let vsus bee well ware to walke in such wise, as innocent bloud crye not out for vengeance against vsus. Let vsus not doe iniurie or outrage to any person, that our Lorde may blesse vsus for so dooing, and not pay vsus with like measure, according as wee see howe our Lorde Iesus Christ sayeth,Matt. 7.2. that it shall come so to passe. Let eueryevery of vsus therefore brydle him selfe in such wise, as this curse come not vppon vsus, to bee robbed for vsing of robberie and extortion against the innocentes. But for as much as men imagine that their aduersitie shalbee short, and that they shalbee soone ridde of it: Moses addeth, That it shal bee for euer, and that when the hande of God is against vsus, no man shalbee able to saue vsus.
It is certayne, that like as God is slowe to anger, so is hee soone pacified;Psal. 103.8. Psal. 18.27. but that is but towardes the faithfull. As for the wicked, hee must holde on with them, and they must feele their burden eueryevery day heauyer than other. And wherefore? According as they harden their heartes against God, they must in like wise feele him the harder against them. And albeeit that this is not alwayes, yet doe wee see it often come to passe, God will at some times withdrawe his hande after hee hath menaced the wicked; or else when hee hath giuen them some strypes with his rodde, hee will let them goe againe: and that is, as it were a respyte, that they may hauehave leasure to turne to repentance. Notwithstanding, because hee knoweth them to bee vnrefourmable: that dealing of his must of necessitie bee turned to their sorer condemnation. If GOD then do spare the despisers of his lawe, and them that bee obstinate in malice, it doeth not therefore followe, that they shall bee saued: but it is to the ende that the plague shall come double vppon their heades, for their abusing of his patience after that manner. For when hee hath waited for them, and they proceede still from euill to woorse: hee must needes put to his hande at the last. Howsoeuer the case standeth, it is not in vayne that Moses telleth vsus heere, that when GOD is our enemie, our life shall not bee miserable only for a day, or yet for a little while; wee must not limit our selues any terme in that case: but we must looke for one mischieefe to drawe another, and that there shall bee none ende, vntill hee hath layde vsus quyte vnderunder foote, vnlesse wee turne to him to obtayne merciemercy. Wherefore let vsus weye well this woorde which Moses addeth, where hee sayeth, that if GOD doe beginne to smyte vsus for despysing of his iustice: it shall not continue for a little whyle, but wee must bee miserable for euer. And why? For in as much as the maiestie of God is euerlasting, he must needes take endelesse vengeaunce of them that despise his iustice. Therefore so soone as wee see the blowes come neere vsus, let vsus bee afrayde, and let eueryevery of vsus make haste to returne vntounto him, whome wee hauehave offended, to wit, our GOD, to obtayne forgiuenesse of our trespasses. That is the onelyonly remedie, without which there will bee neyther ende nor measure of our afflictions, except wee take order to reconcile our selues to our God.
Nowe where hee alleageth, that none shall saue them: That is to cut off all the vayne hopes which men doe forge to them selues in their owne braynes, when hee punisheth them. They looke hither and thither, and if they finde any comfort in this worlde, it seemeth vntounto them, that they shall make a stoppage against God, and that they shall bee able to winne the goale in the ende. In deede they will not say so; for it is a blasphemie which all of vsus doe holde accursed; but yet wee bee so doltish, that wee hope to turne away the hande of GOD when wee finde any helpe heere: in so much that if men beare vsus any fauour, and wee bee supported in any thing, wee arme our selues therewith against God. But Moses telleth vsus heere, that it is in vayne for men to seeke dyuers succours after that fashion, when GOD warreth vppon them. For why? All creatures are in his hande, and without him they can doe nothing. More ouer, that which is for our benefite, shall become our bane, and all thinges shall redounde to our confusion. Let vsus not therefore looke to bee saued by anye meanes that may bee, when our Lorde taketh parte against vsus: but let vsus returne vntounto him, seeing that there is none other remedie but that, and let vsus ridde our selues of all such thinges as may hinder vsus to come to repentance.
Let vsus then bee quickened vp by these two sayings of Moses, that wee sleepe no more in our vayne fantasies, as wee hauehave beene earst too much accustomed. But what? There are very fewe which thinke vppon that. For eueryevery man martyreth himselfe, if his griefe continue, and hee fynde no helpe in men. In all our afflictions, wee can complayne welynough: but wee consider not that GOD withholdeth mennes helpe from vsus, when hee intendeth to punish vsus, in such wise that wee shall (after a sorte) bee vtterly ouerwhelmed. And againe, if our sorrowe continue; it is, because wee hauehave persisted too much in our stubbornnesse. Wee thinke not a whit of all this. But yet are not these things written in vayne. And therfore let vsus learne to profite better thereby, than wee hauehave done in times past.
Finally, Moses setteth foorth by this threatening, howe wee shalbee vexed and robbed, if wee offende against the lawe of God. Hee sayeth: Thou shalt marry a wife and not lye with her: Thou shalt buylde a house, and not dwell therein: Thou shalt plant a vyneyarde, and not gather the fruite thereof. Yea, they shall take thy Beefe, and thy Muttons and kill them, and thou shalt continue still a hungred: and not onelyonly all thy cattell shall bee made a praye and a bootie: but thy verie children also shall bee deliuered into the handes of thine enimies, and thou shalt yerne after them, and thine eyes shall dasle for verie greefe and sorrowe, & in the meane whyle, thy hande shalbee without strength or power to recouer them. It had beene ynough to hauehave sayde in one worde, Thou shalt suffer robberies, extortions, and wronges: but because men are slowe, it behooueth them to bee so much the better touched, and to beholde the thing as it were before their eyes. That is the cause why Moses speaketh heere of houses and vyneyeardes, of wiues and children, and of cattell. As if hee shoulde say: Some shall bewayle the taking away of their houses which they had builded, the putting of them from their vyneyeardes and their other possessions, the spoyling of their goods, and the driuing away of their cattell: And othersome shall bewayle the wrong that is done vntounto them in their children, and in their very wiues. But wee bee to consider that all these thinges bee the scourges of God, wherewith hee punisheth vsus for our sinnes.
It is certayne (as I hauehave sayde alreadie heretofore) that GOD at sometimes, for the exercising of the faithfull in patience, doeth sende them the verye chasticementes heere mentioned, and yet punisheth them not for their offences. For Iob was not punished for his sinnes: Not that GOD had not iust cause so to doe, but for that hee had no respect to that: howe so euer the case stand, surely it is an ordinarie matter.
In deede wee may alleage many examples of men that are tormented and vexed by the wicked, so as they bee driuen from post to piller, and robbed of their goods: such examples doe happen eueryevery day: but this prooueth not, that this doctrine taketh not place, and that it is not true in it selfe, as an ordinarie rule, to wit, that God punisheth mens sins by such meanes. Nowe when wee hauehave walked in the feare of God, and endeuoured to serue him: and yet notwithstanding, our substaunce is taken away, and the robbers possesse it: let vsus consider, that if this bee not doone for our sinnes, our Lorde giueth vsus a great preeminence. For first of all, of whome was it long that wee offended him not? We were preserued by his holy spirite. And moreouer, notwithstanding any good affection and zeale that wee hauehave had to liue vprightly and vncorruptly; yet wee cease not to be guiltie before God. But what for that? Hee spareth vsus, and yet hee meaneth to trye our patience, for to humble vsus. When it is his will that wee shall beare the miseries, which bee punishmentes for them that despite his lawe, and that wee must feele them: well, wee must stoope. And thereby hee tryeth vsus, howe pliable wee bee vnderunder his hande to yeeld vntounto his gouernement, as shall stande with his good pleasure. Moreouer, this alwayes taketh place, (as wee hauehave sayde afore) that our Lord punisheth the offences and transgressions of his lawe, by the things that are specified here. So then, when a man buildeth, let him take heede that hee buylde not with extortion, pilling, polling, and robberie, vnlesse it bee his meaning to hauehave his house taken from him, according as it is spoken by the Prophet Abacuc.… ….11. For the Prophet bringeth in the walles singing and answering one another. For in as much as mens Palaces and houses, bee oftentimes buylded with bloud, robberie, extortion, and wicked practises: and the verie walles them selues doe crye out that they were buylded with pilling and polling: it must needes waken vp Gods wrath and vengeance against such buylders. Desire wee then to bee harboured in peace? Let vsus looke that wee buylde without doyng wrong to any body, whatsoeuer hee bee.
And moreouer let eueryevery of vsus in his dwelling, dedicate himselfe in such wise to God, as hee may dwell with vsus. For they that are driuen out of their dwellings, hauehave commonly driuen God out before: that is to say, they hauehave followed some lewde trade, so as GOD hath not reigned there. Is it then any wonder, if they bee driuen thence in the ende? No: For why? Shall GOD bee thrust from his right; and wee in the meane while possesse eueryevery man his dwelling in rest? Were that reason? Therefore, when wee see such changes to happen, as they bee to bee seene in the worlde: let vsus vnderstande that GOD driueth them out, which earst woulde giuegive him no lodging: and let such examples admonish vsus to stande in feare of the threatenings heere specified. And let vsus not tarrie till our Lorde banish vsus from the place where wee bee harboured: but let vsus rather endeuour to serue him, so as hee may continue alwayes with vsus to maintayne vsus. And if it come to passe, that wee bee driuen out, let vsus vnderstande that the same is for our sinnes: for it is better late than neuer. Moreouer, if we bee driuen out for any other cause, as at this day wee see the poore faithfull people, in state like a byrde on the bough, as though the earth coulde not beare them:1. Cor. 4.… as Saint Paul speaketh of his time, and as it is knowen at this present time that the children of God bee as vagabondes, hauing not a hole to hyde themselues in: when wee beholde these things, let vsus vnderstande, that forasmuch as our Lorde leadeth vsus this walke, hee doeth vsus great fauour that the same is not because of our sinnes, but for his names sake, and for our better establishment in the hope of the heauenly inheritance, seeing that there is nothing sure nor stable in this present worlde, but that wee must alwayes aspire to the eternall life, and to the rest that is prepared for vsus on high. Let vsus then acknowledge the good that hee doeth vntounto vsus in this poynt. But in any wise, let vsus take good heede that wee prouoke not his wrath against vsus is such sort as I hauehave said afore.
Nowe, whereas hee sayth: Thou shalt marrie a wife, and another shall lye with her: let eueryevery man take heede to walke in such chastitie, as hee drawe not vppon him this curse of God, in such wise as to bee depriued of the wife the he thinkes to hauehave: and the wiues in like case of their husbandes. Wee see howe men bee giuen ouer to all vnchastitie, and God must needs yeelde them their rewarde accordingly. Dauid himselfe was not spared in this case.2. Sam. 12.12 Wee heare howe it was sayde vntounto him: Thou hast done this in secrete, but that shalbee done openly. Hee was fayne to abyde reproche before all the worlde, in hauing his wiues rauished openly. Sith it is so then; let vsus take good heede, that wee walke in such chastitie, that when men take wiues, they may so liue together as they may feele the blessing of God, and that their marryages bee not broken through. the committing of any offence. For, as I hauehave sayde: it is no wonder that there bee so confused changes in the worlde at this day, because men doe more and more kindle the wrath and vengeance of God. It is euen in like case with adulteries. For what is the cause that they reygne so ryfe, and are come (as yee woulde say) to their full pryde? It is because wedlocke is so little regarded, and that there is no feare of God: there is neither faith nor trueth: and therefore must men needes plunge themselues in all misfortune, so that in the ende there will bee nothing but disorder. So much the more therefore ought wee to take warning to walke so in all cleannesse of life, as eueryevery one may keepe him to his owne wife, and the Lorde blesse their marryages and mayntayne them in quietnes.
Moreouer, seeing that God is matched with vsus in the person of his onelyonly sonne, and woulde hauehave vsus to keepe fast the faith of wedlocke towardes him, according to the simplicitie of his Gospell: let vsus sticke throughly to that which hee hath commaunded vsus: and to bee short, let vsus be halowed vntounto him, and followe his holy calling. For if wee doe so, our Lorde will graunt vntounto husbandes the grace to liue quietly with their wiues and housholds, and vntounto the wiues that they shall learne to liue in good agreement with their husbandes. For wee must marke, that if man and wife doe not ioyne in one mynde, there must needes bee discorde in the whole house, and one shall byte and snatch at another like dogges and cattes, and the one woulde wish the other a hundred foote vnderunder the ground, so as they shall liue in continuall miserie and disquietnes. And why? Because that neither the one nor the other hath any regarde to God, to yeelde themselues to his direction. Therefore let vsus leane, not to prouoke any more the vengeance of God in this case.
As concerning the landes and possessions he sayeth: That the transgressours of the law of God shall plant vines, but they shall neuer gather the fruite of them. Nowe wee see that they which hauehave thus offended God, bee the stoutest and boldest sort, bearing themselues in hand that no harme can come neere them. And that is the cause why wee see that the greatest getters, & the doers of greatest enterprises, are those which wilfully giuegive them selues to pilling and polling by hooke and by crooke, hauing no care what polling and extorsion they commit, and offending both God and man without ende or measure. Such persons as these therefore must afterward yeelde an account. [They beare themselues in hand] that when they hauehave plāted vyneyeards, they shall inioy them without controuersie: and that when they hauehave buylded houses, they shall dwel in them without putting out againe. Thus do men hardē thēselues against God. But Moses cōtrariwise declareth: That when they hauehave planted vines, other men shall gather the fruite of them. And in deede, whereas wee see at this day so much theeuerie in the worlde; let vsus vnderstand, that it is because there bee so fewe that hauehave cleane handes, and are able to protest that they hauehave not encroched vppon the goods of other men by vniust meanes. Soothely there is so vnmeasurable disorder nowadayes, that the children of God bee fleeced though they abstayne from all manner of iniuries. But we must euermore hauehave recourse to the ordinarie course whereof I hauehave spoken, to wit, that our Lorde will not fayle to punish the sinnes that breake out after that fashion like a waterfloud. As for them that hauehave landes and possessions, they will not goe to steale otherfolkes goods, nor to picke a fewe grapes: they will not go filchingly to cut down a patche of medowe: it is for beggers to doe for and wee see in these dayes, that the most parte of poore folkes are pilferers, filching and stealing all that euer they can finger. But yet they that hauehave landes and possessions, bee the greatest theeues: for the things which they possesse, they get by vnlawfull meanes. It is no wonder then, if God do requite them with the like; and that they bee so vexed in their goods and possessions. God therefore sheweth vsus by experience, that his vttering of such speeches is not in vayne; but wee thinke not thereon. Men can well ynough complayne, as I hauehave sayde afore: but they hauehave no regarde to the principall poynt, which is; that GOD putteth the thinges in execution which hee spake by the mouth of Moses. Let vsus therefore beethinke our selues; and whereas wee see so much stealing, both of vynes, of corne, and of such other things; let vsus vnderstande that our Lorde punisheth the rauenousnesse and extortion that is committed both in marchandize, and in all other trades of occupying: and let vsus not tarye till GOD doe punish vsus in verie deede; but let vsus walke vprightly, if wee will hauehave him to defende vsus. For although that all places bee neuer so full of theeues; yet will our Lorde keepe our goods in safetie, if wee walke in his feare, and abstayne from all manner of euill doing. That is the thing whereunto we must hauehave our recourse; and wee must not thinke to escape euill, by euill doing: but wee must vse the remedie which our Lorde setteth foorth in this text. As much is to bee sayde of our cattell, and also of our children. Yea, and Moses proceedeth still with inlarging, to the ende that men shoulde so much the better perceiue, what the effect is of this speeche which hee vseth: namely, that this shalbee for euer. As if hee shoulde saye, that the hande of God shall euer waxe heauier and heauier. In so much that if a man which is driuen from his dwelling, doe thinke to remooue to his possessions, and to his landes; GOD will persecute him euen there: and if hee thinke to cheere himselfe with his wife, shee shalbee taken from him by force: and if hee thinke to fynde some comfort in his children, they shalbe deliuered into the hands of his enimies; and if hee thinke to hauehave any recourse to his cattell, they shalbee all stolne or taken away by force. Moses therefore besetteth vsus heere on all sides, to the ende wee shoulde learne to resort vntounto our God; forasmuch as it is in vayne, for vsus to labour to escape by any other way. This is the matter in effect which wee hauehave to beare in minde of this text.
Nowe hee addeth moreouer, to the increase of the mischeefe, That the fruits of the earth and the labour of our handes, shalbee eaten by a people which wee hauehave not knowen: and that wee our selues shalbee distraughted by reason of the miseries which shall so light vppon vsus. That is to say, wee shalbee as out of our wittes, beholding the mischiefe before our eyes; and beeing amazed thereat, whereby wee shalbee enforced to perceiue that the hande of God is against vsus. That is in effect the matter which hee meant to say in this text. Nowe I hauehave tolde you that the miserie is so much the more greeuous to beare, when a people vnknowen commeth to ransacke all. Truely if we be robbed by our owne neighbours, and by them that should bee at amitie with vsus: the same is verie harde to beare. But if there come a straunge people, there is lesse merciemercy. For when men bee so separated one from the other, and hauehave no intercōmoning at al: there is the lesse likelihoode of any meanes of safetie. And wee see howe this repetition heere is often founde in the Prophetes: insomuch as it is saide sometimes,… 19. that the people which shall persecute vsus, shall be a barbarous people without language whereby to hauehave any take with vsus: by reason whereof, when we shall aske them merciemercy, and cry alas, it shall seeme vntounto them that wee curse them; and that shall be an increase of their crueltie. So then lette vsus marke, that his speaking thus of a straunge people, is to make vsus to vnderstande, that GOD will sende vsus such chastisers as will hauehave no pitie nor compassion of vsus, vntill they hauehave quite and cleane rooted vsus out.
And nowe by the way we warned, that although the plague be not yet come neere vsus, we must not therefore fall asleepe. For wee doe alwayes measure God; threateninges, by our owne conceiuing of them, and by the thinges that offer themselues to our fight. When men speake of warre, and doe threaten vsus with the Turke, But how can he come at vsus say we? He is too farre off. Againe, can such a Prince inuade vsus? Tush, he shall be letted by such a meane: the plague can not come that way, by reason of such a cause. He may be dealt withall by such a meane; it can not be. When wee hauehave such kinde of worldely shiftes to defende our selues withall, thereupon wee despise GOD, not in worde, but in deede, for wee continue vnreformable and frowarde, and feare not that the plague can come at vsus. Therefore sayeth God, that he will stirre vppe straunge people against vsus, euen people of farre Countryes. When men doubt in least, then shall they wonder to see howe GOD will come in vppon them on that side which they neuer thought of, and bring them enemies to spoyle them. Lette vsus then marke by this texte, that Gods scourges lye sometimes hidden, and breake our vppon a suddaine, so as men are taken tardie by them, according to this saying,… that they be like to a woman that is childe bearing. For a woman that is with childe; is vtterly abashed when her houre is come; euen so fareth it with them that are puffed vp with their iniquities, and delight in them: they forecast not that the hande of God is neere them.…. 33. It commeth vppon them like a tempest; when they say, Peace and all is safe, then commeth their ruine and vtter destruction. Therefore whereas we be tolde of strange people, lette vsus learne to looke farre beefore vsus when GOD doeth threaten vsus; for like a… faith must aduaunce it selfe aboue the worlde to take holde of Gods promises, that it may rest altogether vppon them: so likewise when GOD threatneth vsus, our fayth must looke further off than we can see with our eyes, and we mistrust the thing which wee see not at all: like as wee may perceiue that Noe tarryed not till the floude breake out, and that GOD did vnlocke the Raine of heauen,Gen. 6.22. and opened the waterspringes of the earth: but as soone as hee hearde the woorde, hee did nothing but thinke vponupon the vengeaunce of GOD: and by vertue of that worde, he behelde the floude as if it hadde beene present: and hee liued in such feare and carefulnesse, as if he had seene the rayne both euening and morning to destroy all thinges before his eyes. Euen so should we do: and we be warned thereof by this saying, where God speaketh of farre countries.
Moreouer wee bee therewithall warned to liue in peace and concorde. For seeing that GOD hath associated vsus and wee be intermingled together: we must learne to liue in such vnitie, as our Lorde neede not to bring straunge enemies to chastise our churlishnesse in resembling cats and dogs. For when men which ought to agree together, doe vexe one another; it causeth GOD to stirre vp straungers to bee their enemies; because that the neerer that our Lord commeth vntounto vsus, the more would he hauehave vsus giuen to doe good one to another. And if wee doe the contrarie, then must GOD stirre vp a people to come to spoyle vsus, because we hauehave not liued in peace like brethren, ne knitte ourselues together like fingers of one hande. This is the thing which wee hauehave to beare in minde touching this text.
Nowe where he sayeth, And you shall be amazed at the sights which you shall see: it is according to that which was sayde before;Deut. 28.2… namely: that men shold be distraughted, and grope at nooneday, as doeth the blinde in the darke. For if wee be borne withall so farre as to gather and plucke vppe our spirites to call vppon GOD, and to bee patient in our afflictions; it is a great grace, and such a one as can not bee sufficiently esteemed. But if our Lorde incourage vsus not to repentaunce, ne giuegive vsus wherewith to asswage and diminish our sorrowes, but all hope is taken away, and we be as folke already forlorne, so as we bee besides our wittes to see the naked sword continually before vsus, hauing no meane of remedie or succour at all: that is a dreadfull threatning. Neuerthelesse it is not sent without cause, considering the hardenesse of hearte which is to bee seene in all men. For vntill GOD hauehave brought vsus to this straughtednesse, we be altogether blockish, and we hauehave the contrarie vice, which is, that we can verie well complayne when any thing doeth trouble vsus: yea, and sometimes we lye as beaten downe, but yet doeth not that make vsus to come againe to God: for we see howe eueryevery man taketh the bridle in his teeth, so as they shake off all feare, and neuer thinke vponupon that which is set downe heere. And so we see howe men become blockish. Now our Lorde would faine drawe them to repentaunce, at leastwise if they were teacheable, that is to say, if they were not wilfull stubborne. For he tryeth all manner of wayes to drawe vsus vntounto him. This is the cause why hee doeth correct vsus gently, and as it were within compasse, as with his litle finger. But when hee seeth that that will nothing preuayle; then must he bring vsus to this kinde of woodnesse. For vntill he hath les… vsus as men distraughted, we wil neuer hauehave our minds peaceable and obedient, we will neuer be wunne.
Therefore let vsus marke well that this threatning is directed to such as stoope not at the first blowe when GOD hath warned them, but goe on from euill to worse: for then must they of necessitie come to this woodenesse. Nowe he speaketh expresly concerning the sightes of the eyes. For men doe blinde themselues (as I hauehave sayde heeretofore) persuading with themselues that they can escape by some mean: in so much that although wee see the euill at hande, yet ye woulde wonder to see howe wee holde on our course, and care not for it, according as the prophet Esaie speaketh of the wicked:Isa. 28.15. saying that when the scourge passeth ouer the whole earth, and the storme ouer taketh them all, they bee not any whit mooued thereat. After that manner doe the despisers of GOD speake, and the number of them is infinite. So then, when men doe thus blinde their eyes, and hauehave no respect at all to the plagues whereunto they be subiect: but notwithstanding that they fall into infinite troubles out of the which they can not get out againe, yet they holde on stil: forasmuch as they be so frowarde, Moses sayeth expressely in this texte: You shall hauehave a sight before your eyes: that is to say, after that you hauehave beene a long while hardened in your vaine fantasies, and hauehave flattered yourselues in your sinnes, imagining that GOD should spare you and that you be (as it were his mates, and hauehave made a league with death and with the graue,Isa. 28.15. according as the Prophet speaketh of it: when as you hauehave beene thus a long while vntouched with any awe, and hauehave deceiued yourselues in bearing yourselues in hande that your plague shall not last: There shall come a sight that shall make your eyes to dazle in beholding the infinite mischiefes which you must bee faine to endure: and which way so euer you turne your eyes, whether it bee vpwarde or downeward, foreward or backeward, you shal see Gods hande continually pursewing you; by reason whereof you shal be driuen into a madnes. Let vsus learne therefore to conuert this text to our benefite: and whyle GOD doeth forbeare vsus, or at the least so moderate his plagues that wee be not thereby altogether ouerthrowen; let vsus feare him, and lette vsus bethinke ourselues howe sundrie wayes wee hauehave offended GOD: insomuch that if he listed to deale rygorously with vsus, we shoulde then perish euerie minute of an houre. And therewithall lette vsus not tarrie till hee thunder downe vppon vsus, and powre out his curses vppon vsus in such sorte as they may sinke into our verie bones: but let vsus returne to him and to his goodnesse. And aboue all thinges when hee giueth vsus the grace to foresee his plagues afarre off, so as wee may say that others bee punished for our instruction: lette vsus take warning by their example, and in such wise by faith receiue Gods corrections wherewith he threatneth vsus, as it may preserue vsus from that sight whereof Moses speaketh heere: to the intent that our Lorde strike vsus not with such feare, as we can not in anie wise thinke to receiue any recorde of his goodnesse by reason of our sinnes. Nay rather, that by putting this lesson of obeying him and of submitting our selues vntounto him in vre, wee may eschewe this foresayde amazednesse, and not bee so oppressed as wee shoulde become like folke that were out of their wittes. Let vsus not come to such an extremitie, neither let vsus compell GOD to execute such Threateninges against vsus.
Nowe let vsus fall downe before the maiestie of our good God, with acknowledgement of our sinnes: beseeching him to vouchsafe to make vsus so to vnderstande them, as eueryevery one of vsus may be his owne iudge, and turne to him, before we be thereunto constrayned: and that hauing willingly condēned ourselues & bewailed out sins, we may seeke to return to his obedience in such wise, as the same may be to dedicate vsus wholely vntounto him. And that in the meane while it may please him yt like as he hath sent vsus the message of reconciliation by his gospell, he will also giuegive vsus yt grace to obtaine merciemercy of him, & forgiuenes of all our sinnes in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ: and that resting thereupon, we sayle not to walke alwaies in feare: and that his bearing with vsus through his fatherly goodnes may not cause vsus to sleepe in our sinnes, and to flatter ourselues in them: but yt eueryevery of vsus may quicken vp himselfe, vntil we be quite and cleane rid of them. And that forsomuch as wee are to passe through so much filthines in this world, we may be taught to amende our misdoinges continually vntil that we be throughly ridde of them, for the full vniting of vsus to himselfe, and to make vsus pertakers of his heauenly glorie. That it may please him to graunt this grace, not only to vsus but also to all people and nations of the earth, &c.