Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 159
On Tewsday the xxiiij. of March, 1556. The CLIX. Sermon, which is the seuenth vponupon the eight and twentith Chapter.
36 The Lord wil carry thee and thy king which thou shalt hauehave set ouer thee, to a people which thou hast not knowen, neither thou nor thy fathers: and there shalt thou serue other gods, of wood and of stone.
37 And there shalt thou be a gazing stocke, a skoffing stocke, and a byworde to all people, to whom the Lorde shall bring thee.
38 Thou shalt lay much seede in the grounde, and shalt gather litle: for the grassehoppers shall deuour it.
39 Thou shalt plant a vineyearde and dresse it: but thou shalt not drinke the wine of it, nor gather any fruite of it: for the wormes shall eate it.
40 Thou shalt hauehave Oliue trees in all thy coastes, but thou shalt not annoint thyselfe with the oyle of it: for all thine Oliues shal be shaken off.
41 Thou shalt beget sonnes and daughters, but not to thy selfe: for they shall goe into Captiuitie.
42 The worme shall destroy all thy trees, and the fruite of thy lande.
43 The straunger which dwelleth with thee, shall rise aboue thee very high: and thou shalt stoope vnderunder him verie lowe.
44 He shall lende vntounto thee, and not thou vntounto him: he shalbe the head, and thou shalt be the taile.
45 And all these curses shall come vponupon thee and followe thee and take holde of thee, vntill thou be vtterly rooted out, because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the Lorde thy God, by keeping his commaundementes and ordinaunces which he hath commaunded thee.
WE know when the people of Israel chose thē a king, with what affection they were led;…al. 10. euen of pride, for that they would not bee inferiours to their neighbours. Moreouer they thought to be very sure, by hauing a head ouer thē, that should hauehave the whole authoritie. And so ye see that the children of Abrahā could not content themselues with their libertie, but desired to hauehave a king. Because they sawe the Egyptians, the Syrians, the Moabites, yea and the Tyrians, and other like people to hauehave kinges: they bare themselues in hand, that if they also might hauehave a head, all would goe well with them. Now like as pride and ambition was the cause that they chose a king in Israell: euen so became they hardhearted thereupon, supposing themselues to be out of all perils, by hauing such a defence: by meane whereof we see that they despised the prophetes, vnderunder pretence that they thought themselues well fensed. The spirite of GOD foreseeing this (albeit that it was not yet come to passe) sayde in this Text, That the king which they shall appoint should be lead captiue into a straunge countrey: As if God should hauehave sayde that they might well seeke startinghooles to saue themselues: but they should stande them in no steede at all against his hande. This is the thing that we touched yesterday; namely, that when God is our aduersarie, we may not thinke to maynetaine ourselues against him by the meane of creatures, knowing that he will surely apply thē to our destruction. Therefore let none of vsus deceiue himselfe, neither let vsus make our defence of that which is nothing but smoke and leasing. It is true that the king which was first chosen by the people of Israell, namely king Saule, was not brought to captiuitie:1. Sam. 31.4. howbeit that he dyed in battayle: but the successours of Dauid were handled cruelly & with great reproch, notwithstanding that God had ordained them, yea and that they were a figure and Image of our Lorde Iesus Christ. And it is a horrible thing, that the kingdome which GOD had dedicated vntounto himselfe, (as witnessed the annoynting) should be layde foorth to such a reproch. Yee see howe the successours of Dauid which hadde receiued the promise that their seate shoulde be euerlasting, and in the meane while were as the figures of our Lorde Iesus Christe: were handeled on such a sort that they were led prisoners in chains, were arrained as offenders, had their eyes put out, hadde their childrens throtes cutte in their owne presence, were cast into a deepe dungeon, there to rotte or to bee eaten to death with vermine: and that, as you see is a verie strange matter. But the vengeance of God was to extende so farre euen of necessitie, because of the frowardenesse of the people, whereof was none other remedie. And the more that God had suffered them and patiently waited for them, the more were they to bee brought to the extremitie of all confusion, for despising so great goodnesse, and for beeing so frowarde and hardhearted against it. Nowe we may heereby gather a good warning, to witte, that (as was declared yesterday) albeit that according to the worlde, we seeme to stande in no perill: yet doeth it behooue vsus to seeke to hauehave Gods fauour: for if he be not on our side, and we vnderunder his sauegarde, cursed are all the helps which we suppose to hauehave of creatures; for they serue rather to ouerthrowe vsus. And therefore lette vsus take heede that wee put not our confidence in the greatnesse of Princes, or in any other de…ences; for wee see howe they bee but meanes to blinde such as might else turne to GOD, and obtaine foregiuenesse of him: and that in the ende it shall ouerthrowe them vtterly. Let vsus then bee better aduised, and though we seeme to be neuer so wel garded to ye worlde: yet let not that be a lette vntounto vsus to walke alwayes in the feare of God, knowing that all the fauor which we are able to purchase in the world is nothing at all; and that if God doe but blowe vppon it all vanisheth away in the minute of an houre. That is the thing which we hauehave to mark vponupon this text.
Nowe it is sayde expresly, That as well the king as the subiectes shall serue straunge Gods yea euen of stone and of woodde, that is to say, puppettes and Idolles. No doubt but that God by these wordes ment to vtter how dreadfull punishment was to come vppon the Iewes. For albeit that the nourishment that God giueth vsus, and in like wise, all the Testimonies of his fatherly louelove and goodnesse appertayning to this transitorie life, bee to bee highly esteemed: yet the most singular benefite that we receiue as long as wee liue in the worlde, is that we hauehave Religion well ordred, that his seruice be pure amongst vsus, that we call vppon him, and that it bee lawefull for vsus to claime him as our GOD, and that wee be not berayde and defiled with superstition and Idolatrie. That (say I) is the principall good thing whereunto the faithfull should aspire: and we be verie blockes and beastes, if wee preferre not the same before all manner of riches and pleasures, and before all our case and commodities. Nowe then on the contrarie parte, the plague which ought to be most dreadfull to vsus, and the horriblest calamitie that can fall vppon vsus, is to be depriued of Gods seruice, and to hauehave our mouth shutte, so as wee can not call vppon him: and not onelyonly that, but also through Tyrannie to be compelled to honour Idolles, and to defile ourselues with their abhominations, and to peruert that which GOD hath ordayned for the magnifying of his name amongest vsus. When thinges be thus confounded, let vsus vnderstande that GOD is departed from vsus, and declareth himselfe to bee our mortall enemie, and hath quite forsaken and refused vsus, and is loath that wee should thencefoorth hauehave anie token or inkling at all, either of his presence or of his fauour. And so, whereas Moses sayeth in this Text, That the Iewes shall serue straunge Gods, he meaneth to threaten them more dreadfully than before. As if he should say; Right greeuous will it be vntounto you when you shall be famished and want bread to eate, and water to drink, when your enemies shall robbe you of all your substaunce, and make hauocke of all your possessions, when ye shall pine away in griefe and sorrowe, without any meane to helpe you: surely these wil be verie hard thinges for you, specially when you can obtaine no fauour of your enemies, who shall be as wilde beastes against you: but yet is all this nothing in comparison of the other curse, that whereas in steede of honoring the liuing GOD, and of confessing that he hath chosen you to be his people, (which is an immeasurable blessing) in steede of such thinges I say, you should serue Idolles, and bee conuersant amongest the superstitions of the Paynimes, and hauehave no more prayers neither Psalmes nor Sacrifices, but be dispersed and forlorne.
Nowe seeing that wee perceiue the naturall sense of Moses, let vsus vnderstande that amongst all the blessinges of GOD which we enioy in this present life, this ought to be preferred aboue all the rest: namely, to hauehave libertie to serue our GOD, and to make confession of our faith, and to declare that wee bee his people, of his Church and of his flocke. Truely it is slenderly knowen: howbeit, it is not in vaine that we be admonished thereof. Seeing then, that it hath beene the will of God to plant his Church amongest vsus, and that we should hauehave his worde and his sacramentes, by the which he declareth that he dwelleth amongest vsus: lette vsus accept such a blessing according as it is worthye: It will serue vsus to a double vse. First of all, when wee fare the better by the doctrine that is preached vntounto vsus eueryevery day, such a treasure perisheth not but through our owne vnthankefulnesse: as wee see that manie folke thinke it ynough to bee at sermons, and it seemeth vntounto them, that God hath his duetie, so they hauehave vsed some ceremonie. But in the meane while the seede of life doeth perish without yeelding any fruite. To the ende therefore that we may apply the blessing that GOD bestoweth on vsus, to this vse: when as wee hauehave libertie to heare his doctrine, and to bee trayned therein, and hauehave the Sacramentes for an establishment of our faith, and may declare that it is the liuing God whome wee worshippe and that hee gouerneth vsus: I say, let the same profite vsus: and so will it, if we acknowledge that our Lord can not bestowe on vsus any greater blessing than that is. And in the meane whyle we will take it patiently if other thinges doe faile vsus: as where many want their commodities, let them not be greeued at the children of this worlde, which hauehave their delightes, and do triumph, weltring themselues in their earthly pleasures, if the children of God hauehave not the same, let them knowe that they enioy a thing which recompenseth double, yea an hundreth folde: that is, that they can serue God. For to what purpose is it, that these wretched people which dwell in papistrie may lye slumbring in their neastes, and in the meane while be banished from the kingdome of GOD, and that Christ Iesus himselfe and his worde be banished from the countrey wherein they dwel? What auayleth it, that they bee serued in their houses, and in the meane while bee not suffered to serue GOD? What auayleth it, that they hauehave whereof to eate and drinke till they burst, and in the meane while be starued for want of ghostly foode? What auaileth it, that they be in honour and credite, and in the meane while be constrayned to defile themselues with these trecherous dealinges whereby GOD is despised, and his honour spoyled, and conueyed ouer to Idolles, and they be guiltie thereof? Alas: is not this a cursed state? Let vsus therefore take it patiently, albeit that we we be had in contempt to the worlde warde, and counted as vnderlings and castawayes, not hauing our ease, nor that which our fleshe desireth: seeing that GOD giueth vsus this special libertie, that we may purely worshippe him and serue him, and be deliuered from this cursed seruitude of Idolles; let vsus be contented, and esteeme this sayde benefite, according as it is worthie, so as wee be not grieued towarde them that enioy the goods of this worlde, and in he meane while are destitute of the grace of God, which remaineth amongst vsus.
Besides this, heere is a warning that seeing God hath put vsus in possession and fruition of this libertie, we must take good heede that wee bee not depriued thereof through our owne leaudenesse: for this threatning which was made to the Iewes, is in likewise directed vntounto vsus. Let vsus vnderstande therefore, that seeing we hauehave the Gospell preached vntounto vsus, if it preuaile not with vsus, God must deliuer vsus into the handes of other teachers when wee shall hauehave refused to obey him. And in verie deede, wee may not thinke that the horrible confusion which is in the Popedome, befalleth for any other cause, than that whereas they hauehave beene taught the pure doctrine of the Gospell, yet they hauehave beene rebelles to Gods, and hauehave not bounde their neckes to beare his yoke; and therefore GOD could not otherwise doe, than deliuer them ouer to such Tyrannie as wee see. And truely the same was tolde them aforehand by Saint Paule: It is good reason (sayeth hee) that the worlde,…. 1.17 seeing that it will not beleeue the truth, should obey lies: and that they which would not be subiect to the liuing God, shoulde be obedient to the creature, euen to the Idolles, which be nothing. Beholding therefore the examples before our eyes, and hearing the threatning as it yeth heere: let vsus learne, whilest GOD doeth keepe vsus in his schoole, so to walke in his feare, and awe, as we may no… bee bereft of the welfare which we nowe enioy; but that God may rather augment it, and cause it to preuaile. Moreouer let vsus marke that they which doe serue Idolles, shall not bee excused therefore, although the same be a punishment of God. We knowe that one sinne is punished by an other, according as it is spoken in diuerse Textes of scripture: and as we see it specially auowed in the first Chapter to the Romanes,Rom. 1.24. That they which serued not GOD in giuing themselues wholely to cleannesse of life, shall be shaken off and giuen ouer to al maner of shamefull lustes, and hauehave no more vnderstanding to discerne betwixt euill and good, than bruto beastes, but shall runne into all manner of infamie. Hereby Saint Paule doth very well … that when GOD giueth vsus heade to bee plunged in the depth of our iniquities, it is for that we should be the more guiltie before him. They therefore which worshippe Idolles, notwithstnding that they be compelled thereto, and doe sigh and would faine be at libertie: yet cease they not to offende God: and thereby they should vnderstande the better, howe haynous their sinnes bee, seeing that they must receiue such correction for them. As howe? Whereas I should glorifie my God, I must offende him, he is faine to cast me off, because I am not worthie to serue him, and he must depriue mee of the liberty and mean to dedicate my selfe wholly to his obedience. Let all them therefore that be in the captiuitie of poperie and mingled amongst the superstitious, vnderstande that the vengeaunce of GOD lieth vppon them, and that they shalbe more and more guiltie for their seruing of Idolles. It is a poore reply for them to say, we doe it not willingly, wee wish that it might please God that the right and pure Religion were ouer all: but for all this, our Lorde doeth not exempt them from condemnation. And he is the competent Iudge. Let vsus therefore rest vppon his worde: and seeke no more startingholes, but let them that indure such a state, vnderstande that it is nowe time or neuer, to turne to God, forasmuch as they bee as good as drowned therein, and hauehave a token of his wrath, against them, in that he is gone farre away from them. Therefore let them thinke thereuppon, and bee moued therewith to the quicke: according as the meaning of GOD is in this Text, and as we hauehave touched it heretofore.
Nowe Moses sayeth: That this people shall bee a gazing stocke, and an example, and a byworde, and a skoffing stock vntounto the nations, amongest whom they shall bee dispersed. Heere our Lorde sheweth that as his goodnesse shoulde be knowen in the people of Israell, and eueryevery man should reioyce in the …eede of Abraham, so shoulde the verie same people be abhorred and detested. The promise was thus: Al Nations shall be blessed in thy seede.Gen. 22.18. The trueth is that we must resort to our Lorde Iesus Christ, which is the verie bonde of the seede of Abraham; or else this blessing hath no place, nor grounde to stande vponupon. Yet notwithstanding, they which were descended of the race of Abraham, shoulde hauehave beene blessed of GOD, so as they might hauehave been an example, that eueryevery one desiring grace might hauehave sayde, O God take pitie vppon me, as vponupon the children of Abraham, whome hee hath chosen and adopted. Such was the promise. See heere the threatning that was layde against it, that seeing GOD did smite so rigorously vponupon the people whome hee hadde chosen, men might bee astonished at it and thinke thus with themselues: Is it possible that they whome GOD hath chosen, should now be cast off, and be persecuted and throwen vnderunder foote with all manner of reproch? And hereuppon men may say: O God keepe mee that I fall not to such case as this people is in, or else when they intende to curse, they might say, GOD doe vntounto thee as hee hath doone to these vile Iewes. This much is to be vnderstoode of this place.
Nowe let vsus marke that whereas the holy ghost spake thus by the mouth of Moses, it was not his meaning that this doctrine shoulde serue onelyonly for two thousand yeares or thereabouts, which time the law lasted vntill the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ: but yt we at this day must apply the same to our owne vse: that insomuch as God is come nigh vsus, wee must walke in his feare in despite of Sathan, so as his goodnesse may shine in vsus, and be perceyued to remaine vponupon vsus: and contrariwise that when wee bee vnthankfull, and our God is as it were mocked of vsus, it behoueth vsus then to thinke thus: Wel may wee shrinke backe, but wee shall gaine nothing by all our shiftes: for in the ende wee shall not faile to come to shame. Verily wee see how it is sayde that the name of God shalbe blasphemed amongst ye misbeleeuers,Esa. 52.5. because that they which were counted faithfull before, bee so cast downe, as GOD may seeme to hauehave falsified his promise and to hauehave deluded them, so farre foorth must the vengeaunce of GOD extend. Nowe seeing it is so, let vsus learne to submit ourselues to our Lorde while hee allureth vsus vntounto him with gentlenesse, and so to holde vsus vnderunder his obedience, as we may not become a by word and a iesting stocke to all the wicked, which seeke nothing but to blaspheme GOD and to make a mocke of vsus. Let vsus (I say) looke well to that.
Moreouer, where Moses sayeth, That GOD will thus disperse his people: it serueth still to confirme his matter, to the ende that the Iewes, shoulde not thinke that they were carried away by a storme, as it were by happe hazarde; but that they should vnderstande that it is the hand of GOD that is vppon them: and that forasmuch as this threatening preuayled not with them, therefore the thing that is happened vntounto them should stande vsus in some steede. For looke what vengeance we heare GOD speake of in this place; the same we see executed before our eyes. Is it not a horrible thing that the Iewes be abhorred at this day throughout the whole worlde? Yet were they the people whom GOD hadde sanctified for himselfe, they were his heritage, they were the royal priesthoode, according as they bee termed in Exodus,Exod. 19. 1.6. 1. Pet. 2.9. and they were the blessed Generation, and yet for all this, they be reiected of all men, insomuch that men doe as it were shudder to behold them as though they ought to be cutte off from mankinde. If it be sayde, O this may verie well happen to the faithfull, and the like befell euen to the holy Patriarkes; it did so in deede, howebeit after an other sorte. For the faithfull may well be put in feare, according as it is sayde in the prophet Esay,Esa. ….1…. that folke shall point at them with the finger, and shunne them afarre off: and that is because GOD is not knowen, and his grace is despised. But whereas we speake of the Iewes at this day, it is very well seene that God is against them: for they be as rotten members, and their bodie is torne in peeces, and there remaineth not any token of this blessing which God hadde bestowed on them. Therefore when we beholde such a lookingglasse, let vsus learne to make our commoditie thereof, and lette the example of them serue to seale this doctrine and to ratifie it, that wee tempt not GOD, and that wee continue not hardehearted so long till he bee faine to wrappe vsus vp in reproch with all the rest of the nations of the worlde. After this, Moses returneth to that which hee hadde touched afore:Deut. ….30 which is, That the people hauing tylled their groundes and their possessions, shall not drinke of the wine of their grapes, nor eate of the corne of their haruest, nor enioy the fruites of their trees. This hath beene spoken afore: but there is heere a certaine difference to be noted. For therefore God had shewed, that when the Iewes had laboured for corne and wine, the enemies should come and take all away, and that all the same should be made a pray: but nowe he sayth, that without any force of man, and without any troubles of warre, they should neuerthelesse not faile to bee famished, and to bee destitute of all thinges that might doe them good. Why so? Because that wormes, beastes, Caterpillers, locustes, and all other thinges shall eate vppe the fruite of the earth. Loe what armies God stirreth vp against the wretched. Againe, on the other side, there shal come blasting and sindging, so that all must needes perish: albeit that men touch not the Iewes, but let them alone in rest, yet shall they vnderstande that GOD hath other meanes to punish them, and that hee is alwayes armed infinite wayes. That is the thing which GOD meant to declare. And therefore lette vsus take warning by this Text, that when wee hauehave escaped one plague, GOD will finde out an other for vsus: and if we step aside to the left hand, & he neuertheles is armed against vsus, and before wee hauehave gone three pases, hee stoppeth vsus of our way. Loe how men preuaile, when they seeke lurking holes; according as we see how the Prophete Esay mocketh them that thinke by their subtiltie to escape the hande of God.…. 15. Dreame on, dreame on your fill (saith he) yet shall the curse always ouertake you. And in like case, althogh we hauehave no enemies to trouble vsus, & to rise vp against vsus to spoile our substance: yet let vsus vnderstand yt God hath other meanes, which we know not, for to bereaue vsus of yt which he hath put into our hands, and that we shall be abashed, to thinke how wee hauehave wherewith to satisfie vsus, and yet that the bread shall be pluckt out of our mouthes: and that when we thinke to drinke, we shall be drie. And whereof commeth that? Euen of this, that it is our Lorde which giueth increase to the corne when it is sowen in the ground: It is he that sendeth the Grapes; It is hee also that causeth all thinges to prosper for our nourishment. We be taught by this text, first of all, that when we till the fieldes, sowe them & reape them, we must make prayers alwayes vntounto God to blesse the earth, that wee may be fed through his grace; and wee must holde it for a certayntie, that it is his peculiar office to feede vsus like as a father doeth his litle children. Thus much concerning that poynt. Whereof because I hauehave treated more at large heretofore, it sufficeth as nowe to touch it in one word.
Now furthermore let vsus marke, that whereas God speaketh here of Locustes, wormes, Caterpillers, & other beasts, & wheras he speaketh of blasting & of burning which cōmeth therof, hee sheweth yt he hath men of warre of a straunge sort, when hee vouchsafeth not to doe men good: & this also serueth to pull downe the pride of men. For if we be spoyled by the enemies: verie well (will men say) this was doone by violence and plaine force. As for example when warre is, the whole countrie is spoyled, the richest foolke become beggers: and all this is wited vppon the warre, man is not blamed for it. But when it commeth to passe by other accidentes, so as men wote not by what meane their substāce is wasted, though they see it melte away before their eyes, one yeare by haile, an other yeare by frost, and one while one way & another while an other, so as al thinges consume betwixt their handes; God by this meane maketh it more manifest vntounto men, that hee meaneth to confounde them vtterly. And indeed if we marke the course that he kept with the Egyptians,… 2.9. wee shall perceiue it much better. For we discerne Gods iugdementes better in other men than in our selues. If God had stirred vp a great armie against the Egyptiās, in steede of the lyce and vermine: they would still hauehave continued in their pride and presumption: and albeit that they had beene a hundred times discomfited, yet woulde they not hauehave fayled to hauehave beene stiffenecked still. When they were persecuted with lice, and that there were such Souldiers in Egypt; they shoulde hauehave beene ashamed. Therefore let vsus well note, that God by sending men such chastisementes as be set downe here doth warne them to thinke on their frailtie. If Herod had beene slaine with a thunder bolt from heauen; it had not beene so fit a punishment for the blasphemie which he committed in suffering himselfe to be called a God,Act. 12.23. and not a man, as when God caused him to bee eaten and consumed with vermine, till hee was as rotten as coulde bee, insomuch as hee was compelled by that disease to say (as hee that liued at the time and was his familiar beareth witnes:Ioseph. de Ant. 17. lib.) Oh see here a goodly God, which is so rotten that he is inforced to feele that the hand of God doeth persecute him for his pride. Let vsus therefore marke well, that God, after he had threatened the Iewes to sende them enemies, which by violence and force of armes shoulde spoyle the countrie of all manner of foode: now hee addeth moreouer that although they were not vexed nor troubled at al by mans hand, nor anie thing were attēpted by man against their possessions and lands; yet notwithstanding they shoulde not boote themselues by their labours, nor by the well tilling of their groundes. And why? Because the vermine shall wast all. And hee saith againe expressely, Thou shalt sow much and gather nothing, whereby hee sheweth that when men make neuer so good prouision aforehande, thinking vndoubtedly that all shall goe as they woulde wishe, yet shall they bee neuer the better for it. And it serueth to this end that we shoulde not fall asleepe when wee see fayre likelihoodes, according as wee bee commonly woont to despise God: as who should say, that if there bee a good seedtime, wee are past danger, and God had no more to deale with the thinges that bee vppon the earth, or if we hauehave reapt and laide vp the Corne in our barnes, it shoulde make vsus to be the more proude, because we see no likelihoode of any more daunger. But in steade of this, wee shoulde euermoe hauehave an eye to Godwarde, saying, Lorde, beholde, the earth waiteth for raine as though it were a thirste, and when thou giuest it, it is to make it to bring foorth sustenance for our nourishment. Againe, such stormes might fall from heauen as woulde washe away all from vsus, and one warre woulde be enough to bereaue vsus of all that wee hauehave. Thus is all in thy hande O Lorde, and wee …ust depend vppon thy merciemercy, and bee all our life long it thy custodie; or else we must perishe, and all the prouisions that we hauehave shall profite vsus nothing. Thus then must we call vppon God with diligence, and walke in his feare, seeing he is so gratious as to bee our forsterfather, and vouchsafeth to stoope so low vntounto vsus. Therefore hath Moses verie wel declared in this text, yt wee must not be beguiled by the goodly likelihoods & faire prouisions which we are able to hauehave. As for example, when we see ye corne to bee faire vponupon the ground, we must not bee too lustie as though all were won, no not euen when the corne is gathered in. For God will be then called vponupon, according as we are bound to make our dayly sute vntounto him, saying, GiueGive vsus our daily breade O Lorde,Matt. 6.11. that day by day hee may feede vsus. For albeit we hauehave neuer so much to day, yet to morrowe we may starue. For when it pleaseth God, he is able not only to destroy ye corne and wine in the fieldes; but also he can make thē to bee worth nothing, euen when we hauehave them in our garners and Cellers. Nay, we heare the threatnings that he maketh, saying, You shall carie corne to the mill by measure, and ye bread to the ouen by weight, and yet for all that, you shall be stil emptie and hungrie,Ezec. 4.16. when you hauehave eaten neuer so much, there shall be no vertue at al in the meat, neither shal you be sufficed therewith. Seeing our Lord telleth vsus that he hath so manie wayes to famish vsus, let vsus not bee harde hearted: but let it rather waken vsus, that we may altogether depende vponupon him, and walke in his feare, and be his children, if we intend that hee shall still continue to do the office of a father toward vsus. That is the effect of the thinges which we hauehave to remember. Here againe Moses repeateth these threatenings, whereof he had spoken afore, saying: That the Iewes and their linage shall be caried away into captiuitie. Now certainly there can nothing more bitter happen vntounto men, than to see their children taken away by force, eaten, and deuoured by the enemies, and cruelly dealt withal: they had rather to hauehave buried them a hundred times. Now then let vsus marke in fewe words that God meant to declare in this text, that although he hauehave beene neuer so bountifull towardes vsus, and filled vsus with his blessinges, so as we be fenced in on all sides: yet he can verie well bereaue vsus of them all againe, and that plague shal be much more greeuous vntounto vsus, than if we had neuer knowē, what his goodnesse meaneth. Wherefore the largelier yt God bestoweth his blessinges vponupon vsus, yea euen those blessings that concerne this transitorie life, let vsus looke that wee bee alwayes so much the more prouoked to honour him and to serue him. For he for his part, will not cease to do vsus good, so we turne not tayle, & giuegive him ouer. But seeing he allureth vsus so gentlie, if we be willing to come vntounto him; let vsus assure our selues that his hande shall euermore be stretched forth to augment the giftes and blessinges that we hauehave receiued of him.
In the end he returneth to the matter which we saw heretofore. All these curses shal come vppon thee, they shal sease vponupon thee, & thou shalt be caught and besieged by them on all sides, vntill that God hath quite consumed thee: euen because thou hast not hearkened to his voice, to obey his statutes and commandementes, which he hath giuen thee. I hauehave tolde you herebefore howe that Moses hath oftentimes shewed to the Iewes, that no euill or aduersitie came vponupon them but by the hande of God. But it behooueth vsus also to knowe the cause. True it is that sometime God doth visite vsus, and we cannot perceiue the cause thereof: for hee doeth it not for our sins, not for that he might not doe it, but for that he spareth vsus. Yet is this alwayes to be looked vntounto, that when we susteyne any afflictions, we must thinke on our sins, & enter into examination of them to condemne our selues before God: yea & we must not tary so long: but we must benefit our selues by al manner of calamities which we see throughout ye worlde, knowing yt God punisheth mens sins by such meanes: and thereupon bridling our selues from the like. The matter then whereunto Moses doth nowe returne, is, that hauing shewed vsus howe it is the Lord that withdraweth all maner of blessinges from vsus, it is he that curseth our possessions, and the fruites of the earth, it is he that sendeth vermine, stormes and tempests, to destroy all: it is he yt giueth power to our enemies: hee sheweth wherfore all this is done: to wit, because we hauehave rebelled against him, because we hauehave despised his law. That is ye verie cause why these plagues of vengeance do so pursue vsus. Now then, let vsus beare in minde the doctrine which hath beene sufficiently set foorth hereaboue: which is, that when God doeth afflict vsus, we must shutte our mouthes from replying or entring into plea: for we shal win nothing by standing in contention with him. Nay rather we must condemne our selues, confessing that hee dealeth iustlie. Although it be his will to proue our patience, and to trie vsus to the vttermost; yet notwithstanding we must yeeld ourselues as guiltie before him, & vnderstand that our sinnes deserue to bee thus roughly handled at his hands. Here is wherwith to cause all ye blasphemies, murmurings and cō plaints to cease which are daily heard in ye world. Whē there happeneth any aduersitie or anie other afflictiō, it is to the end we shold think on ye sinnes that we hauehave committed. Marke that for one point. And whereas mention is made of the commandements and statutes which God hath ordeined, the same expressely and purposely cō cerneth vsus. For albeit that the Papistes hauehave the law, yet is it buried in them:2. Cor. 3.1… ▪ the Iewes (as saith Saint Paul) hauehave a vaile before their eyes, so as they vnderstand nothing. The Turkes walke in their owne ignorance, so doe all the rest of the heathen. Now our Lord doth inlighten vsus, and shew vsus the way. There is therefore a more vilanous rebellion in vsus, when we do not according as we be taught, and also wee deserue that God shoulde vse greater rigor toward vsus, and powre vppon vsus the plagues of vengeance which bee here conteyned. Therefore let vsus benefite our selues by the things that are saide here, concerning the commandements & statutes that God hath ordeined. And seeing it is so yt hee speaketh dayly vntounto vsus, declaring vntounto vsus his wil so familiarly: let euerie of vsus submit himselfe obediently therunto. And whereas Moses saith further, That these curses shall catch holde vponupon vsus, and that wee shalbe hemmed in round about by them, vntil they hauehave consumed vsus: it is a warning to vsus yt we should not be selfe willed against God: for wel may we seeke starting holes: but it shal nothing boote vsus, (as hath beene saide heretofore) for the end shal be euer vnhappie for vsus. And therfore let vsus remē ber the complaint that God maketh by his Prophet Esay.… He saith in that text (as we heard yesterday) that from the crowne of the heade to the sole of the foot, God must needs smite hard vponupon all them that hauehave rebelled. And hauing spoken so by his Prophete Esay, he saith: What may I doe more? I hauehave not ceased to chastice my children: insomuch that from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foote, I hauehave so beaten them, that there is no whole nor sounde place, and yet they continue hardhearted still. Alas, what shall I doe? I must crushe them and breake them all too peeces. Then let vsus be afraid to stande so wilful froward against our God, and let vsus preuent the condemnatiō here pronounced. And so soone as God beginneth to correct vsus, let vsus bestirre vsus to returne vntounto him, yea and let vsus not tarie so long neither, but being admonished by his worde, let vsus fall to bewaile our sinnes, and to be sorie for them, and moreouer let vsus aske forgiuenesse of them in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ.
Now let vsus fall downe before the maiestie of our good God, with acknowlegement of our sins: beseeching him not to suffer vsus to bee so blinded in this mortall life, as not to know that al ye miseries & wretchednes which we suffer, be warnings giuen vntounto vsus, to make vsus to thinke vppon ourselues & vponupon our liues: & also to moue vsus to repentance. And therfore that if we be afflicted at his hand, it may not make vsus to blaspheme his holy name, nor moue vsus to impatiencie: but rather tame vsus, so as we may fare the better by al his corrections, and turne againe vntounto him. And that for asmuch as we see the wretched world at this day to be so full of wretchednes and miseries, as is horrible, and also do behold the wrath of God for the sinnes that raigne therein: it may be a meane to hold vsus in awe, praying God not to vse any such rigour toward vsus: but rather that we fleeing for refuge to his merciemercy in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ, may be touched with true repentance: & increase and prosper more and more therein, vntill that, beeing deliuered from all our imperfections and sins, our God do cloath vsus with his righteousnes vntounto the which wee bee daylie called. That it may please him to graunt this grace, not onelyonly to vsus but also to all people and nations of the earth, &c.