Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 161
On Thursday the xxvj. of March, 1556. The CLXI. Sermon which is the ninth vponupon the eight and twentith Chapter.
49.50 The Lord will stirre vp, &c.
51 The same shall eate the fruite of thy Cattel, and the fruite of thy land, vntil thou bee rooted out, and hee shall leaue thee neither Corne, wine, nor Oyle, nor any fruite of thy Cattel, nor of the flocks of thy sheepe, vntil he hauehave brought thee to nought.
52 And hee shall besiege thee in all thy Townes, vntill hee hauehave cast downe thy high and strong walles, wherein thou dyddest put thy trust throughout all thy lande: and hee shall besiege thee in all thy Townes throughout al the lande that the Lord thy God hath giuen thee.
53 Thou shalt eate the fruite of thy wombe euen the fleshe of thy sonnes and daughters, which the Lorde thy God hath giuen thee, in the siege and distresse wherewith thine enemie shall straiten thee.
54 In so much that the man which is tender and exceeding daintie among you shall bee grieued to looke vponupon his brother, and vponupon the wife in his bosome, and vponupon the rest of his children that be left,
55 And shall not giuegive vntounto them of the flesh of his children, whereof hee himselfe eateth, for feare least he should leaue nothing at al for himselfe, by reason of the siege and straitnesse wherewith thine enemie shall distresse thee in all thy Cities.
56 Yea and the woman that is so tender and nyce among you, that shee will not vent…r to set the sole of hir foote vppon the grounde, bicause of hir tendernes and nycenesse, shall bee grieued to looke vponupon the husband that lyeth in hir bosome, and vponupon hir sonne and vponupon hir daughter,
57 And vppon the afterbirth which is come out from betwixt hir legges, and vponupon the babes which shee hath brought forth: for shee shall eate them priuily for want of all manner of things, in the siege and straitnes, wherewith thine enemie shall distresse thee in thy Cities.
58 If thou doe not keepe and perfourme all the wordes of this Law, which be written in this booke, and feare this glorious and dreadfull name of the Lorde thy God▪
WEe must remember what was touched yesterday, and also what Moses doeth still continue to speake of: that is, that if men bee rough and cruell vntounto vsus, God doeth stirre them vp thereunto: bycause he hath found vsus rebellious towardes him. And therefore whensoeuer men deale not so myldely with vsus as we woulde, let vsus looke whether we hauehave answered God, & whether wee hauehave meekely imbraced all that he hath commaunded vsus: for if any of vsus doe finde himselfe to hauehave made warre and to hauehave set vsus himselfe against God; it is not to be wondered at, if God pay him with the like againe, on the behalfe of men. But wee shall neuer be perswaded of this doctrine, vnlesse we vnderstande, that God holdeth the hearts of men in his hand to soften them, when it pleaseth him be they neuer so hard hearted; and on the contrarie part to harden them, though they bore vsus neuer so much good will before. Let vsus not therfore trust to ye louelove of men, vnlesse we walke in the feare of God. For it lieth in him so to change their hearts as they shal beare rancor toward vsus, & be quite & cleane wtdrawen frō vsus for lesse than nothing, in so much as the worlde shall see yt they which were most foreward to helpe vsus, shall become most against vsus. And on ye otherside let vsus vnderstand, yt our Lord can well qualifie al malice, yea though they be as fierce as a Lion, he will make them mylde & friendly towardes vsus. There was neuer nation so proude & cruell as ye Egyptians: and in special, how spiteful were they against the children of Israel? It seemed yt this poore people should neuer hauehave founde any mercy. And yet God wrought in such wise, yt the Egyptians gaue them all their treasures, & all that euer was excellent in their houses, there was neither siluer nor gold spared. And whereof came that? Before yt time they had held the Iewes in bondage, they had vexed them out of all measure: they wold hauehave plucked ye bread out of their mouths, yea & hauehave cut ye throtes of thē all. A litle afore they had killed their children as soone as they came out of their mothers wombs,… of purpose to hauehave destroyed ye whole stock of them: & wherof then came this soudaine myldnes yt eueryevery man brought them ye things yt were most precious in his house?… 11.2. It was god yt cōuerted their harts. And likewise on ye cōtrary side,… 11.10 it is said yt he hardned the hearts of kings, when ye people were to enter into ye land of Canaan: whereas they shold hauehave bin suffered to passe, there were may gainesayers yt resisted them. Whence came that? Euen of this, yt they had resisted their God. Let vsus therefore learne (as I hauehave saide heretofore) so to behaue our selues in obedience towardes God, yt men also for their partes may be friendly vntounto vsus, For there is none so great nor so mightie, but he shal finde some miserie to rise vp against him, when he wil needes play the stout fellow in striuing against God. And we hauehave seene that they which are drunken wt their owne greatnes, must in ye end bee punished, not by such as are in any authoritie, or by such as are of estimation in this world: but by rascals & naughtipacks: such folke must euen spit in their faces. And such examples are to be seen euen in princes, & men of greatest state. For when they yeelde not themselues to be gouerned of God, he is faine to stirre vp gouernours to ye contrary, to shame such as wil not be obedient vntounto him. Yet notwtstanding when men yeeld not thēselues tractable▪ then must we vnderstand yt god manageth the matter by a secret meane; and that he doth it to make vsus to stoope. Therefore let vsus not deceiue our selues in the creatures, saying; What fortune is this? In deede we may say so, but wee must go yet one step farther: & we must vnderstand yt it commeth not to passe without ye direction of God. And thereupon wee must repaire to ye remedie, that is to wit, wee must stoope vnderunder the word & hand of God, and consider, yt if it please him, he can turne ye minds of men yt were so spitefull against vsus, & make thē to become friendly to vsus. And yt is a thing more than necessarie. For when wee hauehave to doe with them yt be rough & intractable, we be by and by out of heart, & would, (if we could possibly) ridde our selues of all troubles, and be set free from thē at the first dash. But we should rather returne vntounto God, acknowledging yt those things proceede from his hand. And so, when men shew thēselues so vnfaithful and cruell towarde vsus, handling vsus scornefully & opprobriously, so as we cānot get one whit of right or reason at their hands, but we see how their whole seeking is to set their feete on our throtes, & they hauehave such a beastly shamelesnes (as it is said here,) yt they be not ashamed of any thing yt is said vntounto them, but they take ye bridle in their teeth, & play the wilde beastes, so as there is neither grace nor honestie in them; when wee see such barbarous beastlinesse, let vsus learne to resort vntounto our God, & to acknowledge yt we deserue to be so tamed by him. Moreouer ye onelyonly meane to appease such furie, & to asswage those which are so hot and hastie; is to call vponupon our God, and to pray him to touche those inwardly with his holy spirite, which are so cruell and cannot yeelde to doe vsus good, bycause wee hauehave set vp our selues against our God. That is the thing whereof we are admonished in this Text.
Nowe Moses repeateth that which hath beene touched heeretofore: namely, That God will bring vsus enemyes from a farre Countrie, and that they shall flie as Eagles, to the intent wee shoulde not thinke that GOD needeth to make any preparation long aforehand. As if a man should threaten vsus: we would looke whether he had a sword in his hand, and whether he be in readines to execute yt which he hath said. But if God doe but whistle (as he often speaketh by his Prophets,) by and by hee hath his men of warre in readines;Esa. 5.26. he needeth not to make musters, or to inrolle them, or to sounde the drum: he needeth none of al this: onelyonly at his whistle (for he vseth that similitude;) all the whole earth must needes bee moued. Therefore let vsus not looke whether things be in a readines, nor whether any hurt or harme be done vsus. Let vsus not looke whether any worldly meanes bee prepared thereunto: but let vsus vnderstand that ere we can conceiue what euill may happen vntounto vsus, we shall be presently ouerthrowne. And wherefore? Bycause it is God that speaketh, which maketh men to flye as birds, euen from ye one end of the earth to the other. There is neither sea nor mountains able to saue vsus from the experience of yt which we neuer beleeued. Howbeit God hath so disposed things, yea & euen amongst the heathen is oftentimes seene incredible speedines, when God is disposed to chastise the greatest part of ye world: insomuch that some one man hath risen with a smal number of people, to chastice an infinite multitude yt did set themselues against him: and that not for one time onelyonly, but twise or thrise one after another, with taking of Townes & Fortresses, which seemed to be so wel appointed, yea and strong by naturall situation, that they could not be approched vntounto, & yet hauehave they bin sacked as if God had meant to renue a great part of the worlde. It hath bin in likewise seene, that a people without renounce or estimation, hauehave risen and made the most mighty to tremble. In this dooing God giueth examples of that which is written heere: to wit, that he can surely bring our enemies vponupon the soudayne, and that they shal make such dispatch, as if they came swifter against vsus than by post: and that when we suppose to hauehave some respit, by truce for one monethmonth, for one yeere or for al our lifetime, we shal be soudenly surprised in a morning before we thinke thereon. Let vsus therfore vnderstand, that as soone as God speaketh, wee must hauehave an eye vntounto the infinite power (that is in him, yea and which is incredible to mans vnderstanding,) & to tremble at his very word, and to yeeld vntounto him: knowing well that if we delay from day to day, wee may be preuented, & then will it be too late. Let vsus therfore be aduised to humble our selues in due time, and to craue pardon when we hauehave offended him.
Moses sayeth expressely, That they which are disobedient vntounto God, shal be besieged & shut vp within their walles, vntill all their fortresses in which they trusted, be beaten downe. Here we see how God reproueth the false and cursed presumption wherby men deceiue themselues, in thinking themselues to be well fenced against him. It is a sacriledge whereby God is robbed of his honor, whē we attribute vntounto the creatures, ye meane to vphold vsus. It is certaine yt God serueth himselfe by meanes, & we must also apply thē vntounto our vse: but in the meane while to settle our trust vppon them, were a robbing of God of his maiestie. For he wil hauehave vsus to hold al things of him, and to do him homage for them. So then it is an intollerable presumption for vsus to put our trust in creatures & to ground our selues on them: and yet there is no fault more common in ye world. We can say wel ynough, yt it is not lawfull, & that we ought not to doe it: but in the meane while euerie one doth it. Now let vsus remēber our selues, for there is nothing yt God holdeth more deare, or whereof he maketh greater account than his honour. Neither is it sufficient for vsus to leaue him the title & name of God: but he must also be knowne as he is, yt is to say, that al power lieth in him, that he is the fountaine of all manner of grace & goodnes: that it is his proper office to maintaine and preserue vsus: that our life is in his hand, & all things that belong therto. When we hauehave well thought vponupon this, let vsus take order to gather our wits so about vsus, as we be not grounded vponupon creatures. Surely the mischiefe is double when we shield our selues with ye creatures against God, & therby to become stubborne whē he threateneth vsus, & to hold on still when he vttereth forth tokens of his displeasure: let vsus consider that the offence is then much more grieuous. But yet is this ouer common. For whilest we perceiue not any daunger towardes, as in respect of the world; doe not wee continue in our sinnes? And doe we not abide in stubbornnesse… God speaketh: but we regard him not. So yt men doe fauour vsus, & so we hauehave wherewith to fortifie our selues, we thinke that ye hand of God can not come at vsus. And therefore it is not without cause yt our Lord reproueth the frowardnes of al such as are disobedient towardes him: that is to say, that they put their trust in their fortresses, in their high walles, in their munitions, and in such like things. Now forasmuch as we bee subiect to these things, it were better for vsus yt we had neyther hedge nor aught else, than to be wel fenced with walles and bulworkes. For they serue but to blinde our eyes, that hauehave no more respect to our God: but be bewitched by Sathan to put our trust in things which shalbe our confusion. Howsoeuer the case standeth, let vsus aduisedly holde this rule in generall; that is, yt God be euermore our fortresse: as we see he promiseth by his Prophet Esay,Esa. 1….…. aswel in the 12. Chapter, as also from ye 55. vntounto the end: for it tendeth al to this point. And it is so commō a doctrine in the holy scripture, that we can scarse turne a leafe, but we shal see some text, wherein God telleth vsus yt he wil be our rampyres, our wals, our ditches, yea & double ditches, our towers, and whatsoeuer else is needefull for our defence. And why? For (as I hauehave heretofore said,) our mindes do forthwith slide into vanitie so as God is not able to hold vsus backe to himselfe; and to make account that we will put our whole trust in him. What must wee then doe? First of all, if we bee destitute of mans aide, let vsus vnderstand that God alone is sufficient, if wee returne vntounto him, [& say:] Ah Lord, it is certaine yt we are set for a pray, we hauehave not wherewt to saue our selues, for all the world doth faile vsus: but yet it is ynough yt thou art our succour. After yt maner should wee learne to resort vntounto him. And so shoulde wee take occasion to yeelde our selues wholly vntounto him when the things of this worlde doe fayle vsus. And by the way, although wee hauehave walles, and artillerie, money and munition, and all that wee can wish for, yea and people also, and all thinges else: yet let vsus vnderstande that wee must in the meane while so vse them, as our Lorde may bee alway our trust, and we giuegive him euermore this honor, that it is his office to defend vsus, and that thereupon wee wade no farther. It is certayne that wee may serue our turne with the things which hee putteth into our handes: but yet in the meane while, our hearts and mindes must bee raysed vp aboue all the worlde, and hee alone must bee our shooteanker. Thirdely, wee must not vaunt our selues of the force of the helpes that he giueth vsus: for a speare of a bramble (as they say) is enough to make vsus beleeue that wee bee inuincible. What [say wee?] Is it possible that they should preuaile against vsus? All this is nothing: no not worth the pill of an Onyon, as they say: yet will wee needes streine our wittes to giuegive it price and the glory. Nay contrariwise, let vsus acknowledge our debilitie and weakenesse, that we may repaire vntounto God, and let nothing hinder vsus from yeelding our selues wholy vntounto him and vntounto his protection: let vsus not deceiue our selues with such vaine confidence, as the Iewes had in their high wals. Nowe heerewithall hee sheweth also that all that euer wee can deuise for our strength and safegarde, can doe nothing against his power: but that wee shall continue besieged, vntill wee bee altogether wasted. Yea and wee may gather by this Text, that it were much better for vsus to bee deliuered at the first into the handes of our enemies, than to hauehave meanes to resist, whereby wee may bee made to languish in such wise as wee may not dye a simple death [out of hand]: for the poore people that be abroad in the fieldes, are spoyled at the first, and so are dispatched of it. Surely it is a pitious case, to beholde their throates cut and all set on fire: but yet for all that, by that meanes they are deliuered from their miseries, so as they pine not away in them. But as for them that are in strong Townes, they must bee faine to abide a long siege, they must languishe and pine away by peecemeale, not for a monethmonth or two, but euen vntill they can holde out no more: and that is asmuch as if they should passe a hundred deaths. Thus doth our Lorde reuenge himselfe of them that thinke themselues to bee dispatched, when God doth not roote them out at the first. No, saieth hee, bethinke your selues whether of these fruites doe speede best; they that are brought to the market in their prime, and eaten out of hand; or they that are kept for a time, and in the ende doe rotte? It were better then for you to bee ouercome and vanquished by your enemies at the first. Let vsus therfore consider well, that when wee hauehave wherewith to defend vsus to the worldeward, where it should profite vsus, it shall turne to our double confusion if wee trust therein: for wee must grone a great while vnderunder the burden, and bee wasted by little and little. For when wee bee disobedient and wil not be reformed, our Lorde wil neuer leaue vsus til he hauehave vtterly brought vsus to nought, as he sheweth here so oftentimes. And yt is yet better expressed by this that Moses addeth. The man (saith he) that is tender and delicate among you, shall bee greeued at his brother, and at the wife which lyeth in his armes, because hee cannot bee suffered to eate his owne children alone. The woman which is so nice that shee dare not touch the ground with her foote (for so are the very woordes of Moses) shall seeke to destroy and to spoile her own children; yea, they shall no sooner bee borne out of her wombe, but shee shall bee desirous to deuoure them; and if shee hauehave brought them vp to some bignesse, shee will spare them neuer the more. These bee dreadfull thinges: for it is not sayd alonely, You shal bee besieged, and tarie a long while in famine, so as you shall bee driuen to eate, Horses, Rattes, mice, shooeleathers; yea and the very doung of byrdes (as it hath bin seene) and all these thinges shall bee your meate.2. Kin. 6.25. Neither is it sayd that men and women should bee eaten: but that eueryevery man shall eate his owne children. Seeing that God speaketh in this maner, were it not enough to make our hayre stand vpright? Yes verily; and yet here is nothing declared by Moses, which hath not bin seene in execution. It is not for a man to say, it is not credible, it is repugnant to nature, a man would plucke the bread out of his owne mouth, when hee is in extremitie, to giuegive it vntounto his children, he would dy to helpe them, insomuch that wee see that Agar could not abide to see the death of her childe,Gen. 21.16. but shee left him alone, and wished her owne death. But wee neede not to alledge examples of these thinges: for the common affection doth sufficiently declare, that eueryevery man would rather dy, than eate his owne children: but yet was such crueltie seene among the Iewes. They which were instructed in ye lawe of God, and should hauehave had much more humanity and compassion, than the Paganes and infidels, euen they forgot al maner of honestie, and were ouercome with this madnes. It was meete that this blindenesse,Esa. 6.9. & Deut. 28. whereof the Prophets had spoken, and which wee see here before touched also by Moses, should bee then accomplished in them, and that they should bee rauished of their wittes: For when GOD taketh away all reason and vprightnesse from men: then hee leaueth them to a kinde of madnesse. Such furie then must needes be in them, when they did eate their owne children.
Hereby wee bee specially warned, that they which bee reserued for the last cast, bee in no better case than they, whom God hath chasticed long afore. And this is a profitable warning. For so soone as God striketh some, and forbeareth othersome: And why not these also, say we? HaueHave not these deserued asmuch? We hauehave not the patience to suffer God to execute his iudgementes in such order as seemeth good vntounto him selfe: but wee surmise, that those whome hee dooth respit, and whom hee for a little while forbeareth, bee priuiledged more than wee. But it is contrary: for it had bin better for them to hauehave bin punished sooner than to be so reserued. And therefore let vsus not enuy them because that God forbeareth them for a time, as though they were exempted from all plagues, but let vsus tary till God fetch them about at their turne: for it had bin farre better for them, to hauehave bin dispatched out of hand. And therewithall let eueryevery of vsus looke to himselfe. Let vsus not trust to the patience that God …eth toward vsus, to deceiue our selues therewith. In deede when God hath bin patient, and forborne vsus, it shoulde giuegive vsus the better disposition, to resorte vntounto him, and to hope to finde him pitiful, to forgiue vsus our faultes and trespasses. But we must not fal asleepe thereupon, to dally with him, and to say: O, hee hath taried for vsus, he will yet doe the lyke hereafter; as wee see the wicked doe, which doe but shake their head at it: when they see that God hath spared them, they thinke they be discharged. Let vsus beware that. For wee see how he saith, that when we be well appointed, and hauehave fortresses as it were inuincible, all must fall on our heades, and wee shall be so much the more grieuously punished. Thus much hauehave we to remember touching this text.
Now let vsus marke further, that when we forget our God, wee must also forget all the course of nature, and he must needes bereaue vsus of our wittes:Ephes. 3.15. for it is hee on whom all fatherhood dependeth, he is the welspring thereof. We should not knowe what the duetie of the parents is towarde their children, nor what reuerence children doe owe to their parentes and superiors, vnlesse God did beare the souereintie. If we referre not all vntounto him, he wil make vsus to become blockish, so as wee shall not vnderstand what this fatherly affectiō toward our children should meane. Thus much for one poynt.
But by the way wee hauehave to note, that the men which did so deuour their owne children, were not so blockish but that they were pinched with terrible heartbitings, and vexed with such furious fearefulnes, as made them euen to abhor that which they did. True it is that they were caryed away by force, and had no reason in them; but yet for all that they had certaine secret stings and prickinges inwardly, and God held them as it were vppon the racke or torture, as if he should hauehave sayd vntounto them, What wilt thou doe; thou wretched creature? It had bin better for thee to hauehave bin borne afore thy time, and yt the earth had swalowed thee vp a hundred times, than thou shouldest hauehave cōmitted so terrible a fact: but yet must necessitie needs get the vpper hand of thee. Let vsus marke therefore, that when wee be not meekened by the hand of God, wee must then fall into such a woodnes, as shall ouermaister vsus, and make vsus torment our selues without the helpe of any other executioner, so as eueryevery of vsus shall execute Gods vengeance vppon himselfe, which he had skorned afore and skoffed at. I hauehave sayd, that here is nothing spoken of, which hath not bin seene in effect: to wit, that the fathers hauehave eaten their own children, and in lyke case the mothers. But like as the Iewes had most exceedingly prouoked God; euen so came they to the fulnesse of iniquitie, and consequently it behooued God so to vtter his wrath toward them with extremitie, as it was seene when they were besieged with their enemies; for then did they eate Pygions doung, and bought it by golde weight; yee shall see that they committed actes against nature in eating one another. But when they had once reiected the sonne of God, & had vtterly cut themselues off from the hope of saluation by forsaking the redeemer vppon whome were grounded all the promises which had bin made vntounto them concerning the goodnesse of God; then was it of necessitie that those thinges should bee the more accomplished. For if yee reade the histories, euen of them that were of the same nation, and which were present witnesses of the matter; yee would thinke that yee heard dreames or fables; and yet for all that, those thinges were then notoriously knowen, and noted to bee true, and God intended as it were to set vp scaffoldes, that it might be seene how his threatning of his people after that manner, was not in vaine, as wee see, and that all men should take example thereat. For they bee horrible thinges, and such as may make our hayres to stand vpright, when it is sayd that the husband shall deceiue the wife and steale away the children issued of the bodies of them both, and that ye wife lykewise shal seeke some secret place to cut the throat of her childe in, as if shee shoulde say, I will locke vp this for my selfe: and that both the husbandes and the wiues should bee so madde as to say, I will eate mine owne childe. Seeing that all these things were accomplished; and that our Lord hath executed such vengeance: let vsus vnderstand that wee ought not to reade these thinges at this day without trembling, euen as if GOD should lay forth his foredenounced vengeance before vsus in a paynted table. Moreouer let vsus vnderstand, that when God had pronounced such sentence against the Iewes, it was not executed at the first day. For he waited for them with so long patience, that it seemed that no mischief should light vppon them. But when the sore was burst, then was the rottennesse perceiued which lay hiddē afore and the disease was the more deadly. Also let vsus marke, that if God doe beare with vsus, and afterward do diuers wayes correct vsus, and yet not strike so roughly as to come to extremitie: wee must not thinke that wee are thereby escaped his hand, but we must returne vntounto him, and not tary till hee see our disobedience vnreformable, and so be faine to proceede to the extremitie of his threatninges. Thus much hauehave wee to remember touching this text.
Now finally Moses sayth: If thou keepe not all the wordes of this lawe for to doe them, and feare no… this dreadfull and glorious name: that is to say the eternall thy God. Verily it seemeth at the first sight, that Moses requireth of men aboue measure, that which is not in their power: for who is hee that can fulfill all the lawe of God? And againe, though a man misse in some certaine poyntes, should GOD vse such rigor? I hauehave tolde you heretofore, that hee directeth this talk towardes them that be altogether giuen ouer to euil, and to such as bee despisers of God to break his lawe by all meanes they can. To what ende then dooth hee require such a perfection? Let vsus first of all marke that GOD will not hauehave his law chopped into peeces & gobbe…s: for there in he setteth forth his righteousnes vntounto vsus. Men therefore must not make a parting of stakes in this case at their own pleasure, as who wold say, I wil, for Gods honor, abstain from whoredome, but yet I will steale: I will abstaine from murther, but yet I will bee a blasphemer:… 2.11. No, but seeing that he which hath forbidden to robbe, hath also forbidden to kil; and hee which hath forbidden fornication, hath in lykewise forbidden to blaspheme: let vsus learne to obey him in all poyntes and all respectes, let vsus restreine our senses, and bridle our affections, and to bee shorte, let vsus come to the poynt to giuegive ouer our selues wholy to the seruice of our God. So ought we to doe: and that is the thing also whereunto Moses hath respect. For if we misse in any one poynt, wee be accursed of God, and deserue the rigor which is mentioned here. Neuerthelesse he of his merciemercy ceaseth not to beare with vsus: yea and he will neuer vse the great seueritie that is spoken of here, but towards such as set themselues altogether stubbornely against him. Yet notwithstanding, it is not without cause, that Moses dooth here exhorte the Iewes to the perfect obseruation of the law. A Phisition prescribing an order, giueth not the bridle to the appetite of his patient, to doe any thing amisse how little soeuer it bee: but he faith, I will hauehave you to doe thus, and thus. Now if the sicke man doe step any whit aside, very well, hee is not yet incurable, the Phisition will hauehave a care of him still. But if hee will needes set all at sixe and at seuen (as they say,) and cast off all order, and play the madman; well, hee shall hauehave his payment as hee deserueth. And in like wise will our Lorde hauehave vsus at his commaundement in all cases: and good reason. Howbeit there is so great infirmitie (I meane euen in them which bee gouerned by the holy Ghost, and which streine themselues to bee obedient vntounto him) that they faile in many respectes: but yet howsoeuer the world goe, sinne ouermaistereth them not, they striue not of set purpose to transgresse the Lawe; but they proceede and go foreward stil: and albeit that they do it limpingly, yet doe they hold on still toward God. As touching these they bee borne withall. True is that GOD will chastise them: and in what maner? Euen in forgiuing them: according to this saying of his,…word4 7.…4. If thy children transgresse my commaundementes, I will visite their iniquities; but it shall bee with the rodde of men, and not with extremitie: I will not deale with them as with enemies, I will not take away my merciemercy from them, albeit that I doe correct them. Thus doth God deale in that behalfe. But if our hearts bee vtterly hardened: then will hee warre vponupon vsus, and destroy vsus without sparing: & although hee beare with vsus, yet shall all turne to our confusion. That is one thing that wee hauehave to remember concerning this Text.
Also it is a notable poynt to bee obserued, where Moses speaketh of the yoke of yron. For hee saith, That the Lorde will lay a yoke of yron vponupon the neck of all misbeleeuers vntill they bee altogether consumed. And that is to the ende wee shoulde learne to receiue the correctiōs which we heare of, and not kicke against them. For wee see what befell to Ananias,… 16. when hee mocked at the threatninges of Ieremy, and came to breake the yoke which hee had vppon his necke, which was a yoke of wood and of cordes. The Prophet did weare that yoke, to moue the people to consider that they shoulde all become captiues, and so to beholde their owne state in the person of the Prophet. Now this wicked one that was possessed of the diuel, (to make the worde of God to bee naught set by) came to breake the bandes of Ieremy, and sayd, euen thus wil God breake the yoke of Nabuchodonoser: and albeit yt he besiege you, and doe what hee can to cary you away captiues into a straunge land: yet shal you bee preserued by the grace of your God. God threatned, and this fellowe mocked all his threatninges: and thereto tooke the shadowe of the name of God to abuse the people. Well then, what wanne hee by such rebellion? It was sayd to the Prophet▪ Ier. 28.14.Take a yoke of yron: for whereas the bondage shoulde hauehave bin gentle and tollerable▪ it must how be so cruel, as they shal not be able to endure any more. See here how hee dealeth with all such as harden their heartes against GOD, and will not abide to bee meekened by his hand. Then let vsus bee afraid of this yoke of yron. First of all wee know that Gods yoke is amiable vntounto all such as willingly yeelde themselues vntounto it, and suffer thē selues to bee gouerned by the hand of our Lorde Iesus Christ. Wee hauehave the testimony of the sonne of GOD,Matt. 11.30. My yoke (sayth hee) is easie, and my burden is light. Come to me, and learne that I am lowly and meeke. Seeing that our Lord Iesus declareth, that they which be teachable and obedient shall perceiue that there is neither burthen, nor weight, nor griefe in his yoke, to ouerpresse them withall: it ought to moue vsus to yeeld our necks vntounto it, and to pray God, to put vsus vnderunder it, and also to suffer him to chastice vsus whē we hauehave offended him. In deed the strokes wil be greeuous vntounto vsus, as ye Apostle sayth,Heb. 12.11. and we shall neuer finde the corrections pleasant during the time yt God stryketh vsus. We bee lyke little children when they bee corrected; wee feele it greeuous, because our nature doth repugne against it. But howsoeuer wee lyke of it, yet God will vse that fatherly meane, and by little and little teach vsus to returne vntounto him. But if wee will needes tempt his patience to the vttermost, hee must then vse the yron rodde to breake our heades withall, as it is sayd in the Psalme:Psal. 2.9. Wee shall bee driuen to feele the yron, which shall serue, not to reclayme vsus withall, but to breake vsus in peeces and to consume vsus vtterly. And iustly. For wee doe heare what is sayd here: If thou wilt not feare the glorious & dreadfull name of the eternall thy God. Whence come the despising and contempt of good doctrine, and the boldnesse that wee take to sinne, but of this, that wee are deafe to all admonitions? In deede if wee could yeelde our selues obedient to our God, with a good heart, and with a good affection, and abide at that point continually: wee should no sooner heare these threatnings but wee should consider thus: Alas, hauehave wee not deserued a greeuous curse at Gods hand, seeing wee hauehave thus striuen against him? We see then that all the euill deedes and disobedience which is committed, doe spring of ignorance and of the contempt of GOD, for that wee hauehave not regarded his maiestie. Certainely this kinde of stubornenesse is not alwayes directly of set purpose and foredetermined malice: but yet is there such rudenesse in vsus, that wee yeelde not such a reuerence to God, as is requisite, nor the obedience whereby wee should indeuour to submit our selues to his worde. And because wee bee so dulheaded that nothing can quicken vsus vp, when wee bee called vppon to submit our selues vntounto GOD: Moses sayth expresly, This dread full name, this glorious name, to wit, The eternall, thy God. Whereas he sayth, The eternall or Euerlasting: that woorde importeth all glorie and Maiestie; and therefore ought to rauish vsus with astonishment: yea truely; for wee shoulde not hauehave this name of GOD alonely to vse it coldely, for to say, GOD, GOD, as they doe which hauehave it continually in their lippes, and afterward doe let it vanish, as though it were a thing of nothing: but wee must ioyne both twaine together thus, GOD, euen the same that created vsus; the same that holdeth all thinges in his hand, the same that is honored of the Angels, the same that is of glory infinite, the very same whome all the principalities of heauen cannot abide, at the sight of whome all manner of creatures must be faine to cast downe their eyes, euen the same which with one onelyonly worde can make all the earth to tremble, the same that can remoue mountaines with his only blaste, that same that giueth being to all maner of creatures, finally the same that maintaineth and gouerneth all thinges, and ordereth all thinges wel, righteously, and with wisedome: the same is hee that speaketh vntounto vsus. And so yee see after what manner we vse the wordes of Moses, where hee saith, The eternall thy God, this is hee that speaketh nowe vntounto thee. Let vsus therefore heare him speake, in such sorte, as his maiestie may possesse all our wittes, and that thereby wee may bee so humbled vnderunder the same, that when wee hauehave worshipped him, wee may so remaine vnderunder his hand, as wee suffer our selues to bee gouerned by him, to followe the rule that hee hath deliuered vntounto vsus.
Nowe let vsus fall downe before the Iudgement seate of our God, acknowledging the infinite faultes whereof wee bee guiltie, if hee listed to execute the office of a Iudge against vsus: and therewithall let vsus pray him, not to omit to bee our father for our Lord Iesus Christes sake: And that forsomuch as wee bee guiltie of many offences: wee may suffer our selues to be dayly cutte off from our sinnes, so as nothing may hinder our comming to him to yeeld our selues in such sorte vntounto him, as wee may renounce all our wicked affections more and more, vntil wee bee throughly ridde of them, and bee clothed with his heauenly righteousnesse. And so let vsus all say▪ Almighty GOD heauenly father▪ &c.