Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 55
On Munday the twelfth of August. 1555. The Lv. Sermon, which is the fift vponupon the seuenth Chapter.
16 Thou shalt consume all the nations which the Lorde thy God giueth thee. Thine eye shall not pardon them: neither shalt thou serue their Gods: for that wilbe thy decay.
17 If thou say in thine hart, these nations are moe in number than I, how may I driue them out?
18 Be not afraide of them: but remember what the Lorde thy God did to Pharao, and to all the Egyptians.
19 That is to wit, the great tryals which thine eyes hauehave seene, and the signes and wonders, and the strong hand stretched out arme, where with the Lorde thy God brought thee out. So will the Lord thy God doe to all the nations of whose face thou art afraid.
FOrasmuch as we bee exhorted to become lyke God in gentlenesse & mildnesse,Matt. 5.44.45. and that he will hauehave his children knowen thereby in this world: it should seeme yt the thing which Moses sayth here, is not agreeable thereunto. For euen the heathen could well skill to say, that there is nothing wherein men resemble God more, thā in gentlenes and louingkindnes, when they giuegive themselues to doe good. But in this place heere is nothing but rigor. God will hauehave them to kill all without sparing of any thing: it seemeth then yt there is some contrarietie in this matter. No: but (as I hauehave declared heretofore) although God execute his iudgements, and appoint men to be the doers thereof: Yet is that no let, but that we may in the meane while bee kindehearted in our selues, and hauehave pitie and compassion euen vppon them that perish. Nowe on the one side, if God inioyne a thing to be done: it must be done without gainesaying. And yet in the meane while we must followe the rule that is giuen vsus generally: namely to louelove our neighbors though they be not worthie of it, yea euen such as hate vsus, and to indeuour to doe them good, & to ouercome them by doing good for euill. But this will be the better vnderstoode, if wee take the matter by partes.
First we must cal to minde here what hath bin declared vponupon the sixth chapter,Deut. 6.1.2. that is to wit, that it is not for vsus to measure Gods iudgemēts after our fancie, for we must needes graunt, that sometimes they bee as a bottomlesse pit: but yet for all that, they cease not to bee rightfull still. Then shal we not always see the reason of Gods doinges: but yet must we lyke well of them without gainsaying. For it is good reason that all creatures should stoope to him, and that he should not be bound to yeeld any account. And therefore when the thing that God commaundeth vsus seemeth straunge: let vsus hold our mindes in awe and subiection, and yeelde God so much honor, as to confesse that he is righteous & iust though we perceiue it not. Let that serue for one point.
Againe when we see him vtter such rigor towardes others, as to vsus may seeme excessiue: therein let vsus acknowledge his goodnesse and merciemercy towardes vsus: for hee might doe the lyke to vsus. Of what or of whom is it long that wee perish not, as well as they vponupon whome God powreth out the extremitie of his rigor? It is certeine that our sinnes hauehave well deserued that as much should befall vsus: but God beareth with vsus of his infinite goodnesse. Therefore let vsus stand in awe. For though God vse goodnesse and patience towardes vsus as now: yet hath not he forgotten our faultes, except wee our selues doe beare them in minde. And therefore let vsus vnderstnd yt God might iustly destroy vsus, and thereupon let vsus cal our selues home to him, and preuent the thing yt is to be feared, yt is to wit, leaft he should stetch forth his arme to cōfounde vsus. So then, the executions of Gods iudgements ought to be as warninges vntounto vsus, to enter into the knowledge of our sinnes, yt when we hauehave giuen God thankes for bearing with vsus, wee may learne to returne home to him againe.
But yet notwithstanding, when we hauehave well considered all thinges: [wee shall finde that] it was not without cause that God cōmanded his people to roote out all the folk that dwelt in the land of Chanaan. For he had already born with them a long time, as hath bin declared. Shall we thinke it strange, yt after God had taryed foure hundred yeeres for men yt were despisers of his maiestie, & giuen to all naughtinesse: he should in the end hauehave no more pitie vpō them, but wil them to be vtterly wiped out of the world? But such were all those nations. For although they were malicious and froward already in the time of Abraham, and it was apparant that the land was infected with their filthinesse: yet did God auow, that their wickednesse was not yet come to the full grouth. And therefore hee delayed his wrath, not for the space of halfe a score yeeres only, but full foure hundred yeeres together. He let them alone in ease and rest: and they waxed stil woorse and worse, and hardened more and more. It seemeth that Gods goodnesse gaue the more libertie to doe euill. Therefore it was high time for God to put forth his mighty hand then or neuer to destroy them, seeing hee found them so farre past grace. And in deed, we can well skil to desire God to punish the wicked, and it greeueth vsus that he should beare with thē, & if he make delay, we thinke hee is too patient. Againe, if hee vse rigor after his long tariance: thē we cry out that he is too seuere, and we ask if he could not deale otherwise thā so. To be plain, there is no measure in vsus. For if God satisfy not our desires, we fal to cōplayning, one while of his ouergreat gentlenesse, & anotherwhile of his ouergreat seueritie. And if he execute not such vengeance at ye first dash as we would wishe, we thinke he is a sleepe, & that hee dissembleth too much. And dayly we here such murmuringes as these: What meanes he by this? Why doth hee forbeare so long? Againe on the otherside, if God come with his power to punish men according to their deseruing: then, alas howe comes it to passe yt God (who reporteth himselfe to be so patient & pitifull,( doth now shewe himselfe so rigorous against vsus? Yea, but we consider not that while our sinnes prouoke his wrath, & while we stack vp wood to kindle the fire of it,Rom. 2.5. he allureth vsus to repentance by gentlenesse. For he giueth vsus leasure to return vntounto him, to the end we should aske him forgiuenes. And if we doe not so, must he not then shew himself to be our iudge? In like taking were the people of whom Moses maketh mentiō here. For Gods intent was not to punish thē wtout iust cause: sentence was giuē vppon thē aforehand in ye time of Abrahā. And now there are foure hundred yeeres runne out since: and is not yt a terme long enough? did these nations amend of all that time? Nay, contrariwise they cesed not to giuegive thēselues ouer to al naughtines, & because they were not corrected, they became the worse & ye more stubborne, & their malapernesse increased more & more. Now thē God executeth ye sentence which he had giuen vponupon thē foure hundered yeere before: for hee knoweth yt they be past remedie. And therefore let vsus learn to glorify him in his iudgements, & whereas we see ye reason of thē here, let vsus not cease to conclude wtout disputing (yea euē when we perceiue not ye reason of thē) yt he is iust & righteous,Psal. 111.7. and yt he weieth his workes in such balance, as there is no fault to bee found in them, and that if wee chaunce to checke against them, we shalbe confounded in our blasphemie. And so ye see what we hauehave to remember.
Againe, whē God listeth to execute his rigor: let not vsus allege his merciemercy to him. True it is yt in resorting vntounto him we must alwayes beseech him to voutsafe to receiue vsus to merciemercy, & al our prayers must begin & end wt this confession, yt if God vsed not his goodnesse wee shoulde be vndone, & there would be no more hope of saluation for vsus: & therefore it standeth vsus in hand to flee for refuge to Gods meere merciemercy. But the thing yt I speake of as now, is yt we must not reply against God when he listeth to deale rigorously wt vsus: for there is none of vsus al, but he could finde in his heart to make God to stoope to his lure. Let vsus beware of such presumptuousnesse, & rather doe him the honor to say yt his iustice is vnblameable in all points & all respectes. And forasmuch as it is so: we hauehave to note, yt whensoeuer God punisheth ye wicked, it is not enough for vsus to confesse yt he doth it iustly: but also if he commaūd vsus to execute his iudgemēts, wee must doe it, & we must shut our eyes at all thinges. For as for him yt will be more pitiful thā God: although he be cōmended of men, & that his doing hauehave some shewe of vertue: Yet doth he most leawdly blaspheme him which is ye fountaine of all goodnesse. The man yt pretendeth to be more mercifull than God: is worse than the diuell. For why? What are we? Let vsus make comparison between God & vsus. Behold, God will hauehave vsus to execute rigor: & we will needes call him back to merciemercy: now is not that a spiting of him, as though wee would spit in his face if we could? Yes: for there is nothing more peculiar to him than his goodnesse. Let vsus take away his goodnesse from him, & he is no longer God. Shal we imagine God to be but some dead thing? Nay, when we speake of God, we must vnderstād yt al goodnesse is in him, & that we hauehave none at al in vsus, but by smal peeces, such as it pleaseth him to bestowe vppon vsus. Now then, if a man wil needes say, I wil vse merciemercy, when God forbiddeth him: what a presumptuousnesse is yt? So then, let vsus marke well in this text, that it is not enough for vsus to confesse that God doth iustly punish whom he listeth, but also yt if he list to giuegive vsus the charge & cōmission to execute his iudgements, we must goe through wt it wtout skanning or gainsaying. And therefore in matters of Iustice, men must forbeare their own opinions & wils, & not be so ouerweening, as to take leaue to do what they think good, or to turn aside one way or other: but hauehave a regard to followe the rule that our Lord giueth them, assuring themselues that the authoritie of Iustice is tyed to the thing which he sheweth, and that his putting of them in that commission, is to the intent they should represse & punish euil doers, and maintaine & defend good folke. Seeing it is so: it is meete yt ye vse therof should be thereafter.
Moreouer, as cōcerning these nations whom Moses speaketh of: Let vsus marke that besides the other crimes & enormities which they had cō mitted: there was also a contempt of God, which was vtterly intollerable. In deede, wee will make no great reckoning of that: but yet doth GOD make reckoning of it, and hee passeth not what we hauehave imagined: for all our imaginations are corrupted. Whē God doth once set vp his iudgment seate: we may well put forth our opinion, but ye thing which God hath ordeyned must stād, & not be repealed. Now thē let vsus note, yt whensoeuer Gods honor is lightly estemed, then must rigor be vsed rather thā merciemercy in yt behalf. And we must call to minde ye example yt is rehearsed in ye first booke of kinges:1. … namely of Achab who would needs shewe mercy to Benhadad king of Syria. And there is expresly this saying, that whē Benhadad came to him to sew for merciemercy, al that euer he said vntounto him was no more but this, that the kings of Israel were mercifull and kind hearted. And behold, that goodly vertue of clemencie ouer came his heart: by meanes wherof wheras God commaunded him to execute rigour, he shewed merciemercy. But it happened vntounto him as he had deserued. And why? For the Syrians had cō mitted horrible blasphemie against God & scorned him, saying. He is ye God of ye mountains, but if we come into ye plain grounds, we shal hauehave victorie, he can do nothing there. Thus were idols set vp in Gods place. And therefore it was saide to Achab, that the king of Syria should bee vanquished & rooted out. Now it came to passe that his aray was put to flight: but yet they founde a shift by & by to make peace. And why? For this goodly commendation liked Achabs eares well, when they called him a mercifull Prince. By meanes wherof he was dandled a sleepe, so as he made sale of the blasphemie yt was committed against God, as it is a common matter with vsus to bee pitifull in cases where God is offended. For this cause a Prophet was sent vntounto him, bringing his badge with him, that is to wit, that he had bin woūded by the commandement of God: and the first man, (who had refused to do it,) was deuoured of a Lion out of hand. Yet notwithstā ding the Prophet came to Achab wounded and disfigured and said vntounto him: I tooke a man to keepe, and he that deliuered him to mee bad mee I should not let him goe vponupon paine of my life. Neuerthelesse while I turned mee too & fro, he scaped from me. And thou must answere him vponupon thy life, quoth Achab. Then answered the Prophet vntounto Achab: it is thy selfe that this toucheth. This message is sent to thee of God, to shewe thee that for as much as thou hast spared the king of Syria, whom God had put into thy hand to be reuenged of him for the outrage done to his Maiestie: thou must answere for him lyfe for life, and thy people with thee. So then we see that if Gods honor be impeached, it is not for vsus to let things slip, but we must vnderstand that if wee make light of such a crime, God will surely make the vengeance to light vponupon our selues. To be short, let vsus marke well, that if such as hauehave commission to punish offenders doe it not: there will bee no excuse for them. For yt which is written will not be repealed for mens pleasures: that is to wit, that he which iustifieth or acquitteth ye guiltie person,Prou. 17.15. is as abhominable before God, as he that condemneth the innocent. If a poore innocent bee oppressed, men can skill to say, there is no reason in it▪ and that the matter must come to account before God. And here God addeth the second part, that is to wit, that if an offender be quit, and Iustice and equitie so turned vpside downe: it must come to account as well as the other. Yee see then howe it is a lesson which all those ought to beare in minde, whom God hath commanded to punish mens offences: that they must bee well ware to vse one rule and one egall measure. For if a man punish one offender and pardon another, and thinke to goe halfe quit for it before God: it is cleane contrarie. And for proofe thereof, let vsus consider the example that is set downe in Hoseas concerning king Iehu.Osee. 1.14. God commaunded him to destroy all Idolaters: he did it partly but not altogither: for hee destroyed those whom he stoode in feare of, and he did it for his owne vaine glory and suertie. God did him the honour to make him king, & he considered it not. But when he came once to ye kingdome, O he must maintaine himselfe in it. And what did he? He executed rigor ynough vppon those whom he listed, and specially vponupon such as he wist might doe him harme: but when he had so begun, he let the rest go vnpunished, he cared not what came of it, so he might reigne peaceably. Now at the first sight a man might well say it was a vertue worthie of commendation, that he punished those whom God had commanded him. Verily and so was it, if he had held on that trade still. But for as much as he destroyed one sort and spared another sort: it is said that God will punish the māslaughter that Iehu had committed. And how may that be? Is it manslaughter to hauehave executed the cōmandement of God? Yea, after the maner that he went to worke. He is said to bee a manslear, bicause he had not an eye to the thing that God commanded him. For he should hauehave gone through as he began. But he stayed in the middes of his way. For as for those whom he punished, he punished thē in respect of his owne peculiar profit. He had no regard of Gods honour, so the Crowne of the kingdome continued with him. Therefore is he iustly accoūted for a manslear and not a iudge. And therefore let vsus beware that we take not more libertie than God giueth vsus. For he can well skill to moderate his own doings, though we take not vponupon vsus to be more pitifull than he. And if wee make our hand of his honor, we must pay dearely for it when we come to our reckening before him. But if this seeme straunge vntounto vsus: let vsus go a litle by degrees, & see if nature might not be a schoolemystresse good enough for vsus, if we were not blinded by our wicked affectiōs. If a mā hauehave children, he knoweth well ynough that it is his duetie to teach them, and to chastise them whē they doe amisse. For if he beare with his childrē, and dare not touch them, but cockereth them, and in the meane while they bee of euill nature: may it not bee saide that he is worthie that his children should picke out his eyes, and pluck his nose from his face? And on the contrarie part, if children were teachable & meeke of themselues: it were not meete that they should bee touched. But when a father perceiues his children to bee curst and vnruly: if he spare them then, men will say that he marreth them, and that he sendeth them to the gallowes, and that he is the cause of their vndoing. Now let vsus compare a father with a Iudge. Whereas a father ought to chastise his children with roddes: a iudge hath an office that passeth yet further. Therefore he must hauehave an eye thereunto: and if he doe not, he is worthy to hauehave his eyes put out with the mischiefe, as Moses speaketh here of these people, saying: They shall be as thornes to prick thee on all sides,Iosu. 23.13. and to put out thine eyes: they shall be as waspes to sting thee in such sort as yu shalt not know which way to turne thee. Lo what reward ye Israelites had for their retchlesnesse in that they were not stout in putting the sentence in execution, which God had vttered with his own mouth. But howsoeuer the case stoode with them: let vsus learne still to be pitifull. For the rigour that is spoken of here, must not make vsus to forget how God commandeth vsus to louelove euen our enemies,Matt. 5.44. & them that persecute vsus, and to indeuour to doe them good to the vttermost of our power, that we may bring them into the right way of saluation. Then must we needes hauehave that. Yea and euen when a Iudge vseth rigour, his heart must mourne and lament, to see a creature that is made after the image of God so dealt withall: but yet must he go on still, and execute the office which GOD hath committed vntounto him. These two thinges then are not vnmatchable: that is to wit, that gentlenesse should bee vsed in the executing of Iustice, so as our wicked moode should not carie vsus away, but that we should alwayes hold vsus still to this point, of louing euen those that shall hauehave done vsus the worst they could. Thus ye see howe we ought to put this doctrine in vre. Gods intent is not to stirre vp his people to crueltie, his meaning is not to bereaue them vtterly of all compassion: and yet notwithstanding he will hauehave misdeedes to be punished.
And furthermore as touching the lande of Chanaan which hee had purposely appointed to his honour: hee woulde not hauehave it any longer so defyled with such infections. For the Nations that had dwelled therein before, had as it were defiled the land. Nowe Gods intent is to stablish his kingdome there, he will bee worshipped vncorruptly there: and therefore all abhominations must be rid away. For seeing that God will hauehave his righteousnesse put in vre through the whole world: whensoeuer he is knowen in any place, so as his trueth is there preached, and he hath set his Church in some good order and state: men must looke well about them that no offences, or defylinges may raigne there. For wheresoeuer God is worshipped and serued: that place is as a temple dedicated to his Maiestie, and Gods temple must be kept holy as it ought to bee.1. Cor. 3. Then is it the greatest and intollerablest treacherie to Godward that can bee, when euill doings and crimes are fostered in his Churche. Therefore it is not said without cause, Thine eye shall not pardon any of all these Nations, they must bee consumed vtterly. And why? first the wickednesse that was among them was ouergreat, they were despisers of God, and therefore he was faine to be reuenged of them in the end. Againe, he hath an eye to the benefit and welfare of his Church, so as he woulde not hauehave his children intangled with such as might draw them to euill, & consequently to theirruine and destruction. God then wil hauehave his people rid of all stumbling blocks. Marke that for the second point. Moreouer for the third point, it was conuenient yt God should shewe himselfe a Iudge, to the intent that by beholding such vengeance, they might take warning to thinke thus with themselues: seeing that God hath done vsus the honour to punish such as hauehave offended vsus, to giuegive vsus example by them: let vsus beware yt wee fall not into the same offences: for then shall we be dubble to blame. Thus ye see how Gods committing of his vengeaunce vntounto his owne people, to punish such as had bin giuen ouer to all naughtinesse, ought to serue all folkes for an example.
After he hath said so,De…. … 15. he addeth now, Thou shalt not serue their Gods, for that would turne to thy decay. Although this saying hauehave bin set downe by Moses alreadie heretofore: yet is it not without cause yt he setteth it downe here againe. For we soone forget what God commandeth vsus, if wee bee not quickened vp to put it in execution. We crie out dayly to hauehave iustice executed: but how do men discharge themselues therof? Let their eares be neuer so much beaten, it is to no purpose, they passe not much for it: but they be the more forgetfull from day to day. Therefore doeth Moses put them in minde of the things that he had told them before, to the intent that the people should in any wise refraine from seruing the idols of the heathen. And he addeth a threate, It would turne to thy decay. In deede the Hebrew word which he vseth is commonly taken for cordes or lines, but here by a similitude it is taken for snares or ne…, and for ruine, decay, downfal, or stumbling. Then if thou fall into idolatrie: it will be a deadly fall to thee, saith he. Keepe thee from that. Thus we see that when God punisheth ye wicked, we must alwayes learne at their cost, to liue in his feare. For our condemning of other folkes wil not iustifie our selues, if we follow them or become like them: but rather they shalbe witnesses against vsus to bereaue vsus of al excuse. Therfore let vsus thinke vponupon that which is added here, that when God had commanded his people to destroy the idolaters: he addeth, beware ye meddle not wt their superstitions, for then shall ye bee ouerthrowen out of hand Yea & we see also that God did not beare with the people of Israel any long time after they had offended. For the heathen might yet hauehave some excuse, bicause they had not had any teaching: but the Israelites sinned wilfully, & their dooing was a manifest rebellion, bicause they had bin sufficiently warned thereof before, specially for as much as God had done them so great honor, as to put the sword into their hand, as if he should say, Thou shalt punish the misdoings of others. Seeing then yt God had so honored that people: was it not an increasing of their euill much more, whē they happened to become like those whom they punished? Yes: for ye punishment which they had executed vponupon others, serued to bereaue thē of al colour of ignorance, and to dubble their owne fault. For after as God honoreth men: they ought to take ye more heede to liue in all purenes before him. That is the cause thē why those two things are matched togither.
And hereupon wee may gather, that all such as hauehave the executing of Iustice, must lay away their owne fleshly passions, and looke that they be quite and cleare from all desire of reuenge, hatred and rancor. And this must be regarded of vsus, not onelyonly in punishing of euill doers, but also in the admonishments and warninges that wee giuegive. For if we be too sharpe, it is an ouershooting of our selues which proceedeth of our sinfulnesse, by reason whereof, although the correction which we minister be out of Gods word, yet is it already steined, and God alloweth it not. Sometimes wee think our selues to bee excused, if wee tell a man the truth. Yea, but wee would not tell it him, if our oueruehement affection draue vsus not to it. For nowadaies vices are fostred among men, and eueryevery man is content to beare with his neighbour in his euill doeing: but if there happen any variance or quarell, then out flieth that which was cōcealed before. Therefore in rebuking men, it is not enough for vsus that wee can alleage that we hauehave told them the truth: vnlesse we can also therewithall protest, that we were not led with desire of reuenge or otherwise. Let vsus marke then, that if it be but in warninges by word of mouth, we must not be passionate nor desirous of reuenge, but simply do it of zeale to Godward. Now then it is much more reason that when a iudge holdeth the sword in his hand, and is to proceede further to the executing of Iustice with rigour, hee should then lay aside all euill affections. That is the cause why God hath expresly shewed his people the end of the law which he had giuen them, to the intent they shoulde bee the better taught to walke in the pure religion, and not follow the superstitions which they should punish in the Heathen. That is the thing which we hauehave to note in effect.
Now Moses addeth immediatly, If thou say in thine heart, Alas these Nations are moe in nūber than I, & how is it possible that I should discomfite them? Remember what thy God did in the land of Egypt, how he handled Pharao & at his people, & what proofe of his power he gaue thee there. For euen so will hee doe to all the Nations whom thou art afraid of. Heere Moses intendeth to harten the people, to the intent they should not bee daunted with fearefulnesse. For the thing that doeth commonly hinder men in doing their duetie, is a certaine fearfulnesse which they conceiue. O (say they) this is hard to be done: and againe, if I doe it, I shall stirre vp many mens displeasure against mee, and such a harme may come to me by it. Thus in stead of walking as God commaundeth vsus, we bowe with eueryevery blast, and in the end turn quite away. Wee be but ouer bould and hardie in following our owne passions, and wee be so blinded with them, that although there bee daunger in them, yet wee think not vppon it: and although it come to our mind, yet doe our affections so ouermaister vsus, that we ceasse not to goe on still. We see that if a man be in a rage, although death be before his eyes, yet hee goeth through with it like a mad man, or like a beast that is caried away with furiousnesse. After that maner doe we deale. And that is the cause why I sayd that we be but too bold in executing our owne wicked and excessiue moode. But if God commaund vsus any thing: we make such nysenesse at it, as is pitifull to see. And then come all these doubtes in our head: How is it possible that I should holde out, if I should followe my vocation faithfully? For beholde, there is such a blocke in my way, I shall hauehave such a man mine enemie, such a thing may befall mee, such a man will bee against me. All these forecastes (say I) will come to our mind. And therefore let vsus marke, that God doth not without cause say thus to his people heere, doe these thinges, not respecting thine owne power, and abilitie, but respecting and knowing my strength: for that is inuincible. If thou hauehave mee on thy side, feare not but I will make thee ouercome all thine incomberaunces, and all the euill incounters that thou canst meete with. Thus ye see in effect what wee hauehave to mark vponupon this text.
Howbeit forasmuch as the vice that is spoken of heere, is common among vsus, and all of vsus are (as yee would say) attainted with it: wee hauehave so much the more neede to bee earnest in putting this lesson in vre. We see that if men be against vsus, by and by we ouershoote our selues, and we cannot serue God. And how so? If I should doe al that God commaundeth me, all the world would hate mee: I shalbe pointed at with mens fingers, I shal hauehave as many enemies as I hauehave neighbours about me. Heereuppon wee shrink in our hornes by and by, and we beare ourselues in hand that wee bee excused before God. And this happeneth in maner continually. Yea verily, and forasmch as the world is frowarde, we hauehave good cause to be afraid when we intend to liue in such vprightnesse and soundnesse as God commaundeth. Sith we see it is so, let vsus returne to that which is said heere: namely that to obey GOD, wee must not passe what wee our selues are, nor what our owne credite and power is: but we must arme our selues with this promise. It is God that commaundeth me to doe it, and hee seeth well ynough what daungers and distresses are in it, he will stand by me and reach me his mighty hand. It behoueth me to rest vppon that, and to conceiue a stedfast trust, to ouercome all thinges that may turne me away from the doing of my duety. That is the thing which we hauehave to remember vppon this lesson of Moses. And in deede how should we doe without that? For wee see howe vices hauehave their full scope nowadaies, and he that intendeth to serue God purely, may wel say he is as a sheepe among wolues. But what for that? Wee hauehave a good Shepheard, who hath promised to defende vsus. Let vsus put our trust in him, and in the meane season walke on in the way that he hath shewed vsus. Else, I beseech ye what would become of the poore Christians that are deteined among the enemies of ye fayth? If they should passe for the daungers wherein they bee, how durst they open their mouthes to honour God? Should they not needes either giuegive themselues ouer to all euill, or else at leastwise be faine to strike sayle? Yes surely. But when they consider thus. Our God is the keeper of our soules, and seeing wee bee vnderunder his protection, let vsus wait till hee reache vsus his hande at our neede: then at the conceiuing of such thoughtes, they take newe courage & are inabled to serue God, or at leastwise the saide fearefulnesse ouermaistreth them not. True it is that wee cannot but bee afraide, and feele our flesh continually shrinking away, when wee bee disposed to walke according to Gods ordinance, and wee shall conceiue many crossebytings: but yet must wee not foster such vice to foade our selues in it. I say we must come to that which Moses telleth vsus here: Thy God wil worke for thee.
Aboue all other, they that are in authoritie must arme themselues with this promise, or else there wilbe neither constancie nor stoutnesse in them. For wee see what threatninges, and spitings are wrought eueryevery where. Insomuch that when euen the greatest kinges and princes are minded to doe right: there needeth but some Courtier to inuegle them, and hee shall so alter their minde as (doe what they can) they must needes yeeld to all naughtinesse. No doubt but that euen the greatest princes, (although they themselues intend no such thing) doe become starke naught for other mens pleasures, so as they be oftentimes inforced to say, I would faine doe the thing that I knowe to be good, but I dare not for displeasing of such as are about mee, bycause they may stirre mee vp great troubles and vnquietnesse, and therefore I must bee faine to yeeld to them. Againe there are a great number of people that wil set themselues against me, if I should doe my dewty. Lo in what taking a prince shall diuers times bee. Insomuch that if hee perceiue some officers of his to hauehave committed outrages, pillinges, pollinges, and extortions, O [saieth he] I shall lose all my seruantes heartes if I bee too rigorous: therefore must I let such thinges slippe, and though my people bee oppressed by it, yet must not I make any countenance yt I see it. Ye see then that the greatest princes are the cause of all mischiefe by their inclining to the woorser part, when they thinke they cannot maintaine their state, but by fauoring wicked persons, and by laying the brydle in their necke. And how then shall they doe which hauehave not the like authoritie? Surely eueryevery little blast of winde, and eueryevery leafe that falleth from a tree, must needes astonish them out of hand, so as for feare they shal alleage thus and thus: Alas, I shal get such a mans displeasure, such an inconuenience may befall mee for it: therefore I must doe such a thing or such a thing to saue my selfe: I see my life would be in daunger, and I am but one man alone, I should bee made a pray for others. Yee see then howe these forecastes are a cause of the ouerthrow of all right & Iustice, so as men keepe not one continual train, nor hold themselues at one good stay, but that as soone as they hauehave done any one good deede that is worthy of prayse, by and by they vndoe it againe and marre all. Therefore it standeth vsus so much the more in hande to beare this doctrine well printed in our mindes, yt if we intend to serue God, wee must not hauehave an eye to our owne power, but trust to him that setteth vsus a worke. For he wil not suffer vsus to be disappointed, so we doe him the honour to call vponupon him, and to flie to him for refuge, not mistrusting but that his power is able enoughe to maintaine vsus. Yea and although we hauehave none enemies to the worldward, yet must that be our foundation, that wee may keepe the right way all our life long. For let eueryevery of vsus looke into himselfe, and hee shall see that wee hauehave a common enimie of Sathan, and wee see what wiles he hath to surprise vsus: and what strength hauehave wee to withstande him? Againe the holy scripture telleth vsus that wee must forsake our selues,… & Col. … mortifie all our affections and hold them in prison, and renounce all worldly thinges, if wee will come vntounto God, & moreouer our life must shew ye fruits thereof. Now we know our frailtie, we see infinite temptations to inuegle vsus,Eph. ….… 6.11. we knowe that the diuell is the prince that raineth in the aire aboue vsus: and alas what can wee doe? This might at the first make vsus abashed. But what? Wee must not heere hauehave an eye to our owne freewill as these blind wretches doe, which presume vppon their owne strength, and rest vponupon their own abilities: but wee must say, O Lorde, performe thou the thinges which thou commaundest vsus, and then commaund vsus what thou wilt. Let vsus goe and put our selues after that fashion into the hand of our God, and suffer him to rule vsus by his holy spirite: and then wee neede not doubt but wee shal hauehave the vpperhand of al euils that incounters vsus, and that although wee be troubled neuersomuch, yet in the end hee will giuegive vsus a happie issewe, so as wee shall feele that our trusting in him hath not beene in vaine. To be short, we see how profitable this doctrine is for vsus. For it were impossible for vsus to ouercome the least assault that wee could be put vntounto, vnlesse God reached out his hand to succour vsus at our neede. Therefore let vsus call vppon him, and that not for once and away, but forasmuch as it is right hard for vsus to hold out to the end, and to hauehave a continuall stedfastnesse, let vsus pray God that when he hath once set vsus in the good trade, he continue the same, and suffer not vsus to turne head again within two or three dayes after, but that when wee hauehave walked rightly for a certaine time, we may goe foreward more and more, and shewe that we hauehave walked vnderunder his guidance, and not beene foolish hardie to raunge abroad at aduenture, but that wee hauehave put our trust in him, and imbraced his promises, whereby he telleth vsus that he will neuer faile such as are his, but that like as they submit themselues to him, so he also will vtter his power towardes them, to maintain them and defende them against all the temptations of Sathan, and against all the wronges of the world.
Nowe let vsus kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes, praying him to make vsus so to feele them as wee may learne to mislike of them, and giuegive our selues more and more to serue him: and that seeth we bee so sore tempted with our owne wicked lustes, and so assailed by them eueryevery minute of an houre, as we bee not able to ouermaister them: wee may take the armor which he giueth vsus from heauen, that is to wit, the grace of his holie spirite, wherewith to repulse all Sathans assaults, that by that meanes our God may bee glorified in vsus, and his Kingdome aduaunced more and more, so as his righteousnesse, goodnesse, and wisedome may shine foorth euerywhere, and specially be so printed in our hearts, as wee also may beare the badges of them in all our members. That it may please him to graunt this grace, not onelyonly to vsus, but also to all people and Nations of the earth, &c.