Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon
On Wednesday the xxj. of August. 1555. The threescore Sermon, which is the third vponupon the eight Chapter.
10 Thou shalt eate and be filled, and blesse the Lorde thy God for the good land which he shall hauehave giuen thee.
11 Take heede that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commaundements, Lawes, and Ordinances, which I commaund thee this day:
12 To the ende that when thou shalt hauehave eaten and beene satisfied, and hauehave builded faire houses and dwelt in them:
13 And that thine Oxen and sheepe are multiplyed, and thy siluer and golde are increased, and all that thou hast is multiplied:
14 Thy heart do not then swel, and thou forget the Lord thy God which hath brought thee out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage.
If God commaund vsus to be patient in aduersitie, wee thinke it a hard thing: and yet is it good reason that we should passe that way, seeing wee hauehave a paterne and image thereof in our Lorde Iesus Christ, vntounto whome wee must bee like fashioned, if wee will bee Gods children,2. Cor. 4.10. & 1. Pet. 2.21 nor onelyonly in suffering quietly the afflictions which hee sendeth vsus in this present lyfe, but also in being readie and obedient to him euen to the death. Yee see then that it is a most rightful condition: and yet we on our side doe finde it combersome. And why? Bicause we be too nyce, and our selfe louelove doeth so carie vsus away, that wee can not abyde to suffer any thing. Nowe if we bewraye great vnthankefulnesse and faulte in this: much more doe wee bewraye the same when we cannot so conceiue of Gods benefices, as to bee thankefull to him for them. Herein (say I) wee shewe our selues to bee too too lewd. For if GOD deale gently with vsus and shewe himselfe fatherlike towards vsus: must it not needs be yt we are worse than brute beasts, if we vouchsafe not to lift vp our eyes towards heauē, to yeld him some acknowledgmēt of his goodnes. Now although this be a detestable vice: yet is it cōmō & too cōmon amōg men. And if eueryevery mālooke into himself: in maner al shal find thēselues guiltie of it. If there were no further than y• outward Ceremonie of thanksgiuing: yet is it apparant that men make none account of it. Doe all men beare in minde to call vppon Gods name when they sit downe to the table? Or when they hauehave taken their repast, doe they remember to acknowledge that they bee beholden to him for their life, and for all things else that are requisite for their sustenance? Nay rather, they chop downe to the table like Swyne, and start vp like dogges, so as there is no tydings nor rememberance of Gods name among them, but to their seeming it is a spice of moonkish hypocrisie or popeholinesse to thanke God. Loe howe farre the worlde is out of square. Howbeit when we hauehave praised God both at the beginning and at the ending of our repast, yet is not that ynough to discharge vsus. Therefore if we faile in that: we bee double vnhappie. For what will wee doe in the greater things, if wee cannot performe the lesser? For this manner of calling vponupon God is as good as nothing, I meane in comparison of the knowledge that lyeth hidden vnderunder it, and which hath a liuely roote, which shall bee treated of more largely anon. For if men cannot finde in their hearts to discharge their duetie in the lesser thinges, as in the lifting vp of their handes, and in yeelding some praise vntounto God by some outward signes: I pray you howe will they doe that which is commaunded them here, that is to wit, how will they blesse God in all their whole life, which is the harder thing to doe? Therefore let vsus marke, that this vnthankfulnesse of forgetting God▪ and of yeelding no signe of acknowledgement of his benefites, is an ordinarie vice. But although it be so: yet fayle they not to be blameworthie for it: neither let vsus thinke to iustifie or excuse our selues by wicked custome as a number do, which would faine make a bucklar of it against God, bearing themselues on hand, that forasmuch as [the ouerslipping of thankesgiuing vntounto God] is so common a thing among men, therefore it is lawfull for them to doe so also: But that will bee no excuse for vsus, as I saide afore. For although there be not a commoner thing than this leaudnes of forgetting God which is daily seene amōg men: doth it followe that therefore their fault should not be imputed vntounto them? No no: but the more yt one of them hauehave hardened another, and al of thē are become brutish, & hauehave cōspired against God: so much the more horrible must their vengeance be.
And therefore let vsus marke first of al, that the warning which Moses giueth vsus here, (that is to wit, that when we be full fed we should then thinke vponupon God, th…t is to say, yeeld him his due praise,) is no more than needeth. For if wee did it of our owne accord so as eueryevery man gaue his minde to it: we should not neede to be put in minde of it by others. But forasmuch as we bee negligent: the holy Ghost is faine to pricke vsus forward, and to quicken vsus vp as he doeth in this text. And sith wee see that the thing which God requireth of vsus is so reasonable, and such as wee ought to hauehave learned aforehād by nature: let vsus be dubble ashamed to continue still vnlustie, and at leastwise not to be touched with such warning. It ought to shame vsus aforehand, that God should bee faine to tell vsus of the thing which euen litle children ought to knowe. For seeing hee is so liberall as to feede vsus and to nourish vsus: let vsus at the least call him our father, and shewe that wee thinke our selues beholden to him for that benefite. Ye see then how it is to our great shame, that God must be faine to stirre vsus vp to yt thing, which euen nature ought to hauehave taught vsus. But if we continue weltring stil in that brutishnesse: what excuse will there remaine for vsus?] None at all:] and therefore let vsus practise this lesson: that when GOD filleth vsus. wee at leastewise yeelde him thankes, and shew that wee hauehave not forgotten the authour of all welfare.
Here a man might demaund, why God saith no more, but that men shoulde praise him and blesse him in the time of prosperitie? For that (as I saide) is not all that a Christian man hath to doe. Hee must proceede yet further: that is to wit, when it pleaseth God to send vsus trouble, anguish, pouertie, sickenesse, in…urie, reproche, [and such other things]: wee must bee obedient to him, and bowe downe our neckes in all cases, to receiue his yoke & to beare it without gaine…saying or striuing. Therein (say I) lyeth the perfect true vertue [of obedience]: namely when God shall rule vsus after his good pleasure, and we like well of all his doings towards vsus, and are euer ready to bowe and to stoope vntounto his hande, whether it be to liue or to die. And so al the seruice that we can doe vntounto God, is nothing without patience. For one of the chiefe sacrifices that he requireth, is that wee should quietly endure all the aduersitie that hee sendeth vsus. And why then maketh he no mention of it here? The reason is, first because his desire is to deale gently with vsus. And if we on our side could suffer it: surely we should be priuiledged from all the aduersities that trouble vsus. For had a man no leaud lustes in him, were he not wedded to the world, were hee foreward to submitte himselfe to God… will in all thinges, had hee no seede of vanitie or pride in him, nor were hee not sotted in his owne delightes: GOD woulde maintaine him here as in an earthly Paradise. For his scourging of vsus is of necessitie, because he seeeth that wee hauehave neede of such medicines. To bee short, if wee were sound in our soules: God would deale with vsus as with strong folke, to whō men minister neither medicines, nor pilles, nor purgations, nor any such other things. But forasmuch as he seeth that wee be diseased: he is faine to cut vsus our morsels, and to binde vsus to such diet as hee knoweth to bee good for vsus. Hee is faine to let vsus bloud, and to giuegive vsus bitter drinkes, pilles, and such like thinges. Yea and moreouer he is faine nowe and then to seare vsus, when he perceiueth our diseases to be otherwise vncurable. Let vsus marke therefore that in this place God hath spoken according to his owne nature, because hee is inclyned of himselfe to deale gently with men, and is desirous to giuegive vsus our fill of his benefites, and to holde vsus as it were in his lappe, as a mother doeth her owne childe. After that maner would GOD deale with vsus, if wee coulde beare it.
And that is the cause why hee saith, When thy God shall hauehave brought thee into the good lande, and there hauehave filled thee with his benefites: Look… in any wise that thou blesse his name. Wherefore let vsus marke the order which God keepeth in exhorting vsus to serue him. The first point is that forasmuch as he is desirous to shewe himselfe a father towardes vsus: his shewing of himselfe to be such a one, should mooue vsus and make vsus the willinger to honour him▪ & to louelove him so much the more: and that seeing he handleth vsus so gētly, wee also shoulde acknowledge it and glorifie him for it al our life long: and that as he is a father towards vsus, so we should bee as children towardes him. (That say I) is the ende that wee must begin at. But on the contrarie part, forasmuch as we be wilde headed children, of nature froward, vnruly, & leawd: God is faine to scourge vsus, and to chastisse vsus, and tame vsus with beating. Sith it is so: let vsus learne, that if God shewe vsus an angry looke & frowne vponupon vsus or lift to deale roughly with vsus because hee seeth vsus abuse his benefites, and that we hauehave not honored him as wee ought to doe: wee must not harden our heartes against him, nor take occasion to withdrawe our selues from his obedience: neither must wee play these vnthriftes that forsake their fathers houses, and run gadding abrode at randon, as though they liked better of the galowes than of their inheritance. Let vsus refraine from misbehauing our selues after yt fashion against our God, and let vsus learne to submit our selues mieldly vnderunder his hand, assuring our selues that if he afflict vsus he hath good reason to do it. And although we perceiue not ye cause why he doth it let vsus do him the honour to submit our selues to him, and to shut our owne eyes, that he may dispose of vsus according to his own wisedom which is vnknowen to vsus. After this manner must wee come from the acknowledgment of Gods benefites, to the subiection which we ought to yeelde vntounto him, to humble our selues vnderunder his mightie hand, whensoeuer he listeth to chastise vsus or to tame vsus for our stubbornesse, and to clense vsus of our vices and wicked lustes, and of the infirmities which he knoweth to be in vsus.
And now proceeding with that which I hauehave touched alreadie: let vsus marke that it is not ynough for vsus to pray vntounto God with our mouths onelyonly: but it must bee as a helpe to conuey vsus further, namely to the dedicating of our whole lyfe vntounto him, accordingly as Moses sheweth here, adding: Thou shalt not forget the Lord thy God, to despise his Commandements, statutes, & Lawes, which I inioyne thee this day. Hereby he sheweth vsus that to yeeld thankes vntounto God is a good & holy exercise: but yet it is not all yt we hauehave to doe: our life must be answerable to our tongue, and as we hauehave protested our selues to bee beholden vntounto God, so must we shew it by our deedes. That is ye cause why it is expresly said, beware thou forget notthy God by foreslowing to keepe al his commandements and Lawes. Now first of all Moses sheweth here, whence this vnthankfulnes of mē springeth, yt they acknowledge not ye party which hath done them so much good, but forget him vtterly. And may yt excuse vsus? Nay it rather maketh our fault the heynouser, when we think not vponupon God, seeing he setteth his goodnes before our eyes, so as wee may beholde him therein, & we hauehave as faire presidents of him there as if he were liuely painted before vsus in a table, & yet we looke not vponupon him. If God withheld himself from vsus, so as we found no fauour at his hand, and he suffered vsus to linger in all maner of miserie, without giuing vsus any succour when wee called vppon him: yet were that no sufficient excuse, that wee shoulde not seeke him. For it is the meane whereby hee quickeneth vsus vp to call vponupon him the more earnestly. Neuerthelesse, wee might hauehave some colour to say, Alas I wo…e not what to doe, for God seemeth to be gone quite and cleane from me, & it is no maruell though I set not my minde vppon him, for I hauehave no meane to allure mee thereto. But nowe contrariwise, seeing hee offereth himselfe to vsus, and maketh vsus to perceyue his goodnesse, so as we might euen feele him by groping though we were blind: must it not needs bee that we be worse than froward, if we thinke not vponupon him? Yes, and yet we see this naughtinesse to bee ordinarie among men. For why? When wee bee once full, wee beare our selues on hand that wee hauehave no more neede of Gods helpe. If necessitie pinch vsus, then we come running to him. But if he send vsus the worlde at will, wee become as it were drunken in our delights, all our seeking is to wade deeper and deeper, and to bee short, wee neuer come to God but by constraint. Wherein we see that all the prayers which wee make vntounto him when hee afflicteth vsus, are but fained and vntrue. For then wee will confesse well ynough, that wee be miserable creatures if he pitie vsus not. But what? As soone as he hath withdrawen his hand, we neuer think vponupon him more. Therefore it is a token that all was but hypocrisie in vsus before, & that we were not rightly and syncerely minded. Now then we shall not faile to be ye grieuouslier condemned, if we forget our God when he draweth neere to vsus. For the moe good turnes that he doeth vsus, the moe signes and recordes hauehave we that he is willing to be our father, and to take vsus for his children, and that hee sheweth himselfe in such sort vntounto vsus, as we cannot but know him. If this will not moue vsus, our cursednesse is double. And therefore let vsus learne that when our God hath made vsus wealthie, we must not play the beastly folke, which despise God when they hauehave the world at wil, as who should say they had ynough of their owne to content themselues with all: but wee must bethinke vsus of two things. First (as I saide) that if our Lord be liberall to vsus, his comming to vsus and his shewing of himself so familiar & friendly towardes vsus, is to the end we shoulde know him ye better. That is for ye first point. And again for the second, let vsus vnderstand that if we hauehave abundance to day, we may bee bereft of it in a minute of an houre, so as ye man that thinks himselfe well stored, shall finde himselfe naked, bare, and poore, in lesse than the turning of a hande. Why so? Because God auengeth himselfe of the saide vnthankfulnessse. And it is good reason also that hee shoulde not suffer men to forget him, when hee hath shewed himselfe after that fashion vntounto them. Wherefore let vsus vnderstande, that when we be in prosperitie wee hauehave the iuster cause to call vppon God, not onelyonly to shewe that wee bee bounde vntounto him for the good that he hath done vsus alreadie: but also to shewe that the goods which we possesse were nothing, if he should not continue them and maintaine vsus in them. These are the things which wee must beare in minde.
And therefore let vsus marke, that the more God powreth out his benefits vponupon vsus, the more ought we to be quickened vp by them to thinke the better vppon him. But what? Wee bee farre wyde from the hauing of any such discretion with vsus: and therefore hauehave wee so much the more neede to bethinke vsus of this lesson that is shewed vsus here, considering what hath happened in all ages. As for the vnbeleeuers, they are often enough vpbraided, that when God sends them the world most at will,Psal. 73.5.9 then do they most kicke against him, and shewe themselues most stubborne and rebellious. But as touching them yt call themselues beleeuers: euē in them also is the same vice blamed by ye holy scripture.Deut. 32.15 And not without cause: for we see that euen the children of God hauehave bin subiect to it. What is written of Ezechias? Although he was a peerelesse perle and mirror of all holines:2. Kin. 20.13 yet wee see that as soone as God gaue him ease,Esa. 39.2. & 2. Kin. 13.5. he was no more mindfull to thinke vponupon him. Yea and at what point was euē Dauid himself? Seeing then that this misdealing fell euen vpō them ye were as halfe Angels in this world:1. Sam. 11.2. let vsus be the watchfuller, & let eueryevery of vsus labour to redresse himselfe both earely & late. And seeing there is such slownesse in vsus, let the same spurre vsus foreward to bethinke vsus of Gods grace, yt his name may be blessed and magnified by vsus. Yea & Moses doeth expresly make a comparison here, betweene Gods former guiding of his people, and his leading of them through the wildernes with his afflicting of thē there, after he had brought them out of the thraldome of Egypt, to the end yt the same might prouoke them the more to be thankfull vntounto God. For when we hauehave once felt many miseries, & God hath deliuered vsus from them: if it moue vsus not the more to yeeld him his due praise, it is the fouler & hainouser fault. And that is the cause why Moses speaketh of it. But what? We see how the people of old time behaued themselues. After this deliuerāce, God deliuered his people another time from the captiuitie of Babylon, wherein he reached out his arme after so noble a fashion, as the Prophetes could neuer thinke themselues to hauehave spoken ynough of his power which he shewed therein. Neuerthelesse, they were no sooner returned home, but eueryevery man was busie about the building of his owne house,Zac. 1.16.17 & Gods temple was let alone,Agge. 1.8.9 no man made account of it. It lay open to raine & snowe, so as the sacrifices & al the order of the Church lay dead. And what was ye cause thereof? Euen priuate profit, which possessed al such as had receiued that benefit at Gods hand. And how fare wee nowe adayes I praye you? For if our Lord giuegive vsus rest & ease, then in stead of knowing out shepheard like good sheepe, we play the wild beasts with him, and fall to kicking at him. And what are we the better by remembring our former miseries? Without going any further, in what plyght hauehave they bin, which at this present are well at their case and rest? And yet are they so farre off from faring the better by it, that it grieueth them at the heart that any man should tell them of it. They would hauehave all the things buryed which they hauehave indured aforetimes, & also the benefites which they hauehave receiued since, and in the meane while become brutish like swine. They could finde in their hearts (say I) to aduance thēselues against God, without being aknowen yt they be beholden to him for any thing: They neuer passe for the procuring of Gods honor, neither regard they how much they be bound vntounto him. But eueryevery man in the meane season followes his owne likings. One burnes in couetousnesse, and another in vaine glorie, seeking to be aduaunced to authoritie and honour, and to bee taken to be I wo…e not what. Thus ye see at what point they bee, which will needes be taken to bee greatest and zealousest Christians. Now then seeing it is not onelyonly among ye Iewes yt this foule vnthankfulnes hath reigned, but that wee also are steyned, yea and vnmeasurablie attainted with it at this day: Let vsus be sure that ye holy Ghost warneth vsus also, & yt this doctrine of Moseses pointeth at vsus too, Nowe therefore let vsus followe his saying: that is to wit, that our life must bee answerable to our speech, so as wee may shewe that wee play not the hypocrites in praysing God. Indeede the mouth must doe his office, and eueryevery man must inure himselfe to praise God: and if wee doe it not, our leawdnesse is apparant euen to little children. For they that sit downe to the table, and when they hauehave filled their bellies rise vp againe without shewing any signe of feare or reuerence to Godward, deserue to hauehave litle children to spitte in their faces, or else to hauehave dung cast vponupon them, as they that defie nature. For the very Asses and Oxen obserue a naturall order in their feeding. Such folke doe spite GOD through their intemperance and excesse, and finally would hauehave his name abolished, as they shewe wellynough. Therefore are they verie monsters, whome men ought euen to abhorre. But yet must wee not stay there. For heere is a rule giuen vsus to pray in such sort vntounto God with our mouth, as our life may beare witnesse therewithall, that our praying to him is done truely and vnfeynedly. For if when wee hauehave protested with our mouth, that God is our father and shewed himselfe liberall to vsus, and that wee liue by his grace, and that he giueth vsus all things which he knoweth to bee for our welfare: we after wee hauehave saide so, doe giuegive our selues to all naughtinesse, and take leaue to exempt our selues from all subiection: wherto shal our thanksgiuing serue which we hauehave yeelded with our tongues, but to be as a bond to hold our noses to ye grindestone, so as wee may hauehave no shift to helpe our selues? Then let vsus learne to sing vntounto God with such melodie as Moses speaketh of here: yt is to wit, as our whole life agree with our mouth, and as god be honored truly and effectually.
Nowe herewithall let vsus marke well howe he addeth, Take good heede, that when thou hast eaten and drunke thy fill, and builded thee faire houses, and increased thy Cattell: thy heart doe not swell, and thou forget the Lord thy God. Here Moses bringeth vsus to the very welhead of ye naughtinesse that I hauehave touched already. Men are vnthankeful & forget god though he shew him selfe friendly vntounto thē, and their praying to him wt their tongues is but feining. And wherof commeth that? Moses saith yt it commeth of yt loftines of the heart. But let vsus mark wel, yt in so saying he tanteth mens selfweening, in chalenging yt things to thēselues which belong alonely vntounto God, as he will expresse yet better in ye end: but all cannot be spoken at once. Then if God hauehave done vsus any good, no doubt but it will inforce vsus to graunte in wordes that it is so indeede: but yet for all that, wee will not fayle to father all thinges either vppon our owne wisedome, or vppon our good fortune, or vponupon one thing or other. And therefore no maruell though we bee so besotted therwithal, that we thinke no more vponupon God. For why? Is there any greater or horribler blindnes, than for men to bee so proude as to set vp their bristles and to knowe themselues no more, but contrariwise to imagine themselues to bee that which they be not? Nowe then, when men are caried away with this false opinion of selfestimation: they bee so ouerblinded as they hauehave neither reason nor wit, insomuch that tell them what a man can, they passe not for it, but continue still in their wilfulnesse. Therefore let vsus beware of this Highmindednesse which Moses speaketh of here. And that we may be the warer to keepe our selues from it: let vsus assure our selues that eueryevery one of vsus hauehave as it were a roote of it in vsus, vntill God hauehave rid vsus of it. In deede there are some to bee seene which are modest, so as if God aduance them to honour or wealth, yee shall not perceiue any pride or chaunge at all in them. If they become great wheras they were little before: ye shall see them holde an euen hande, and continue still gentle. But wheresoeuer wee see that: let vsus note that God hath wrought there, or else it were vnpossible. For not without cause are Lowelinesse and meekenes fathered vponupon his holy spirit. When the holy scripture speaketh of those vertues,… 2. exhorting men to be mielde,… …. 18 & not to grow proud, but rather to liue quietly with their inferiors: it saith that they be singular gifts of ye holy ghost. Againe, we see they be verie rare gifts. For howe do most men behaue themselues when they bee aduaunced: [M…ldly?] Nay contrariwise we see they be intollerable, as who shoulde saye they came out of the cloudes. But let them beware that they tumble not downe: for there is no loftines so high, which God cannot cast downe, if men stande in their owne conceites and forget themselues. Neuerthelesse, the worlde sees that this is too common, and there is a double vnthankfulnes in it. For first they consider not that the wealth which they hauehave, cōmeth from aboue: but their hearts are hardened in that behalfe. And secondly they fall not to consider with themselues afterwarde, that they bee not worthy of it, to the end they might hūble themselues & thank God for it. But contrariwise they be so malicious, as they could find in their harts that all the grace of God in the world were suppressed. Wee see this apparantly in those which cannot abide to offer God the sacrifice of praise that Moses speaks of here: that is to wit, to giuegive ouer themselues vntounto him with all humilitie, & not to challendge any vertue at all to thēselues.
Now, that we may so do: let vsus ad that which hath bin touched: that is to wit, yt as God chastised his people in the wildernes, so was he also their guide and leader. So then, let vsus marke well▪ that after he hath rebuked the pride that is in vsus, and told vsus that if God reach out his hand to aduaunce vsus, our heart must not be puffed vp therefore, but we must walk on stil in mieldnesse and awfulnes [towards God,] yea and be gentle louing and courteous towards our neighbours: he bringeth vsus backe to consider what we were, when God vouchsafed to aduaunce vsus to worship, riches, and such other like thinges. Nowe if we could take hold of this: surely whereas we set vp our bristles, we would all of vsus cast downe our eyes continually. True it is that when God hath deliuered vsus from our miseries, we must put thē quite out of our minde, euen of purpose to bee no more disquieted with the griefe that we hauehave indured, after that God hath once asswaged it after that fashion: but yet is it not ment that we shoulde neuer thinke vponupon it more. For why? It must alwayes bee as a lookingglasse for vsus to holde vsus in awe, that we play not the loose colts. Then if a man bee rich, and God hauehave increased him, let him bethinke himselfe from whence comes this to me? Indeede if a man bee rich by inheritance: he is the more bounde vntounto God, so as hee ought to acknowledge thus, beholde what a number of goods God hath prouided for me euen before I was borne, so as I hauehave wherewith to content me, and although I bee not one pennie increased, yet hauehave I alreadie more than I need. Such acknowledgement ought they to yeld (say I), which are welthy by successiō or inheritance. And when a mans goods are of his owne gathering: let him alwayes hauehave this regard, I was once poore, and howe am I come to the state wherein I see my selfe as now? It is not meete I should cast a scarce before mine eyes in this case to forget God: but it behoueth mee to acknowledge his liberalitie towardes mee, and that I am beholden to his free merciemercy for all that euer I hauehave. After this manner ought hee that is growen rich, to bethinke him of his former pouertie. For it will serue to bridle him, that he shall not be so misaduised as to wax stout against God, or to deale cruelly with his neighbours, by oppressing or reiecting thē that seeme to bee his inferiours: but rather practise this warning of S. Pauls, of applying our selues to the meanest sort,1. Cor. 9.22… & 1. Tim. 6.17. that is to say, that although there seeme to bee some cause that we shoulde exalt our selues: yet we must yeelde vntounto them and stoope to our God. Let him that is aduanced in degree think thus: Alas am I worthy of it? Hath God brought me to this for my faire eyes sakes? No: but forasmuch as it hath pleased him to exalt me, it becommeth me to acknowledge what I was before. For had not God looked mercifully vppon me, I should not onelyonly hauehave continued in my former state: but also gone to decay, yea and vtterly come to nought. Nowe if a man bethinke himself after this fashion: surely he wil behaue himselfe mieldly, and not bee so lustie as to holde scorne of others. And wee hauehave the more neede to marke wel this doctrine, forasmuch as wee see that the haultinesse of heart which Moses speakes of here, is not a single or dubble mischiefe, but such a one as draweth a long tayle of manie inconueniences after it. What is this aduauncing of our selues whereas wee shoulde humble our selues? Is it not (as yee woulde say) a defying of God, and a proclayming of open warre against him? Yes: but
and serue them, and bow down before them: I protest vntounto you this day that you shall surely perishe.
20 As the Lord destroyeth the Nations before you: so shall you perishe, because yee hauehave not obeyed the voyce of the Lord your God.
HEre wee must goe foreward still with the matter which Moses had touched afore, and which I hauehave partly expounded already: which is that he telleth the people what fauour had bin shewed them in Gods deliuering of them from the bondage of Egypt, and in his leading of them through the wildernesse, which thinges were not doone but of Gods wonderfull goodnesse. For when we hauehave beene in aduersitie, and God hath deliuered vsus from it, and done vsus good: his merciemercy hath the greater beautie, and becommeth the better knowen to vsus, if the aduersitie bee set before vsus againe, and that wee bee put in minde of it. That then is the meaning of Moses. To the intent that the people shoulde not fall asleepe in their pleasures, he sayeth vntounto them, consider in what plyght and taking yee were, whē God reached you his hand to succour you. Consider by what means he brought you into this land where he giueth you rest at this time Bee mindfull of those thinges, and ye shall hauehave cause to say that ye hauehave found so great merciemercy, as there is no excuse for ye if ye forget it. And he speaketh purposely of the Manna, not to the same ende that he spake of it a while ago: but to doe the people to vnderstand, that they had bin fedde after such a straunge fashion, as had not bin commonly seene. Behold (saith he), ye hauehave liued this fortie yeeres togither without bread or vittels. God hath fed ye with Manna, which was a thing vnknowen: and he gaue you a new kinde of drinke: for he made fresh water to come out of the drie and hard rocke for you. Thus chaunged he the order of nature, that yee might the better perceiue the presence of his Maiestie. True it is (as hath bin declared heretofore) that when the earth bringeth foorth corne, it is through Gods blessing of it, & through his breathing of that power into it, howbeit we perceiue it not. For wee despise the things that are common among vsus, and whē we speake of the course of nature, wee perswade our selues yt God should be excluded, and that he should beare no sway at all. Now bicause we bee so dull: it was Gods will to alter the things that are ordinarie among mē, and to appoint his people to bee fed with Manna, and to drink of the water which he had made to come out of the hard rocke. That then serued to shewe his people his heauenly power the better, that they might be driuen to thinke, wee bee not nourished after the maner of men. Beholde, God vttereth himselfe in this behalfe, and withdraweth vsus from the world, as though wee were going vntounto him, or as though the heauens were set open vntounto vsus, that we might the better behold his goodnesse and power, and perceiue that it is he that hath deliuered vsus, and maintaineth vsus.
Finally Moses declareth howe it was Gods will to afflict and try his people, to the ende they should not say, It is mine owne power and mine owne strength that hath gotten me this abundance. And here wee hauehave to note, first the order which God keepeth in teaching his people: which is, to begin with afflictions as Moses expresseth here. And so must it be: or else we shall neuer bee well taught, except our Lord hauehave made vsus to feele hunger and thirst, and to indure pouertie and aduersitie. We knowe what pride is in men by nature: they be wedded to themselues and stand in their own conceits, and vntil God hauehave subdewed them by force, they be besotted with vaine selfesoothing. Moreouer when they be full fed, they fall to kicking against God and acknowledge him not for their mayster. Therefore to bring vsus to lowelinesse and obedience, God is faine to afflicte vsus. Marke that for one point. And God maketh this triall that Moses speaketh of, not for that he needeth to search vsus, as I hauehave declared heretofore: (for mortall men are faine to make some tryall, bycause they knowe not what is in folkes hartes: But God hath no neede thereof: all thinges are knowne vntounto him:) but he speaketh after the maner of men when he layeth things open, and discouereth them whether there be any fayning or hypocrisie in them, or whether their heart bee right, so as they walke roundly and soundly. Whē God discouereth & bewrayeth these things he is said to search, examine, and try men. Howbeit his so doeing is not for himselfe, but for vsus. For we see how men stand in their own conceits, bearing themselues on hande that there is nothing in them but perfect vertue and holynesse: but if God nip them a little, by and by the byle bursteth, and out comes the poyson. Thus yee see why it is sayd that God trieth vsus.
And here wee hauehave to beare in mind, that if God afflict vsus oftentimes, wee must not think it straunge, considering the needefulnesse thereof. For if hee should let vsus alone in our delightes, and handle eueryevery of vsus according to our owne liking: what a thing were that? Wee would neuer submit our selues vnderunder his yoke, we should not know what it is to feare him, wee should not skill what it is to humble our selues vnderunder his hand, we should not know what it is to call vponupon him, and to seeke all our welfare in him. Seeing then that afflictions are so beneficial: let vsus learn to beare them patiently, and to submit our selues to them willingly, though they goe against our stomacks. Here is expresse mention made of humilitie and obedience. For first of all, if men continue in their loftinesse: they cannot bowe to obey God & to serue him, but they wil needes hauehave the brydle layd loose vponupon their necke, & be let alone to follow their own wicked affections and lustes. Yee see then what stubbornesse is rooted in vsus, vntil God correct it by mainforce. And so there is no obedience, vnlesse men bee beatē down with maine strokes, neither is there any lowlines in them, til then. And why? Bicause they sooth themselues, and take maruelously vponupon them, bearing themselues on hande that they want nothing, but that they bee very able men, vntill God hauehave prooued the contrary vponupon them. And that is the thing which Moses expresseth in this text when he saith, It was Gods wil so to afflict thee. And to what end? To the end thou shouldest not say, It is mine owne strength and myne owne power that hauehave gotten mee this aboundance. Wee see that when GOD suffereth the order of nature to proceede, he that is riche thinketh not that his wealth commeth from heauē, or that God did set any hand to it: but he sayth that all came to him by inheritaunce, or by succession, or that he hath gotten it by his own trauell and policie. Thus doe men euer aduaunce themselues, vntill our Lord shew them that they be nothing, nor nothing can do, and make them to feele it spite of their hartes. Therefore were the people of Israell fed after a wonderfull fashion by the space of fortie yeeres together in the wildernesse, to the intent that when they were come into the land that had bin promised them and did eate meate, they shoulde thinke thus: True it is that as nowe God giueth mee meate, but it was not alwayes so: the time hath beene that hee fed mee with Manna: therefore must I needes conclude that mine own power hath not purchased me the things that I possesse: I cannot say that I my selfe am ye founder of them: I must do homage to my God for them, and hold them al of him: I must accept them as of his free gifte, that he may let me inioy them still: for I am worthy to bee bereft of them, if I acknowledge not that they come of him. Now albeit that this instruction serued for the people of olde tyme: yet belonges it also vntounto vsus, to the end that such as possesse goods may vnderstande, that they hauehave none other interest in them, than bycause God hath blessed them, and powred out his fauour & bountie vponupon them. True it is that God respecteth not the worthines of men in this case: for oftentimes he giueth riches to the wicked, to ye intent it should turn to their sorer condemnatiō ▪ Forasmuch as he hath shewed himselfe so liberall towards them: they must come to accoūt & be punished dubble, if they benefite not themselues by the fauour that was shewed them. Yet notwithstanding we must take this for a general rule, yt men attaine not to riches by their owne power, wisedome, or trauell, but onelyonly by Gods blessing, whereof it hath pleased him to giuegive a continuall president, which serueth not onelyonly for the Iewes but also for vsus, so as it behoueth vsus to vnderstand, that although some seeme to be inriched by their greate diligence, yet is it Gods blessing, which worketh with them after that fashion: and that wheras othersome are riche before they be borne, so as their auncetors hauehave purchased them great possessions, yet doe none of these things happen to them by chaunce, but Gods prouidence ouerruleth all. We must (say I) referre all these things to that which is told vsus in the Psalme:… 127.2. namely yt a man may well rise earely and go late to bed, drinke water & eate browne bread not half his fill: & yet shall he nothing auaile by it, vnlesse God reache out his hand and goodnes. On ye contrarie part, sometimes he will cause goods to light vpō his children as they lie asleepe. And yt sheweth vsus yt men beguile themselues, if they thinke to inrich thēselues by their owne power: and yt they be stark mad if they become proud, as though their goods came to thē by their owne meanes. For in so doing they blaspheme God, & rob him of his peculiar honor: & therefore is it good reason yt they also should be bereft of the things yt he hath giuen them. As for example, if a Vassall shoulde step vp against his lord to whō he hath promised fealtie & homage, & refuse all the dueties yt he is bound vntounto: his goods should be seased, & he be turned out of all yt euer he hath, & wel worthy. Now behold here, God dealeth his benefits vntounto vsus as vntounto his Vassals, reseruing ye royalties still to himself, so as he wil be knowne to bee chief Lord of ye fee: & it is good reason yt he should be so, specially seeing he doth it not for his own benefit but for ours. Now if we be so malitious and froward as to defraud him, & to set him besides his right: should he not bereaue vsus of the goods yt he had giuen vsus and make vsus poore againe, yt he may driue vsus of force to sue vntounto him? Yes: & so ye see whence ye chaū ges come which we beholde in the worlde, that whereas a house is riche and wealthy and neuer like to decay: a man shall be at his wits endes to see it consume and ebbe away. I speake not onelyonly of houses of meane Citizens: but also of ye houses of great Lordes, which hauehave so many thousande poundes of yeerely Rent: it is a wonder to see howe they waste away, first to the halfe, then to a third part, & finally to nothing. And how may this come to passe? It shoulde seeme that God makes pastime, and taketh pleasure in turning of worldly thinges vpside downe: howbeit, that is bicause of our vnthankfulnesse. For as much as men hold not the things with good conscience, which he hath put into their hands: it is meete yt they should be dispatched of them. Therefore it standeth vsus so much the more on hand, to mark well this doctrine yt is contained in these words, Thy God afflicted thee, yea euen of purpose that thou shouldest not now say, It is mine owne hand that hath gotten me this abundance. That if louelove & good will cannot perswade vsus to come to so much reason, as to glorifie God by acknowledging our selues to holde all thinges of him: at leastwise his scourging of vsus may make vsus to thinke it, and driue vsus by some meanes to bee mindefull of his grace, so as wee may fare the better by the examples that hee hath giuen vsus at all times, and not onelyonly hauehave an eye to the things that wee hauehave seene in our owne life, but also to the thinges which are reported to vsus in the holy scripture, to hauehave bin done long ago: I say let vsus call them to remembrance, bicause God will hauehave them to serue for our instructiō. Now if we be vnthankfull to our God in these small things: what wil wee bee in the greater things? [much more vnthankefull,] as the worlde seeth. And if wee hauehave neede to bee tamed by afflictions,
owne. And therefore when wee thinke vppon the corruption wherein wee bee by the sin of Adam, and consider that God hath cleansed vsus frō it:Rom. 3.26. & 5.15. & Eph. 2.8.9. let vsus assure our selues it is Gods free gift, as wel as is his continual maintaining of vsus, and his strengthening of vsus at our neede.
After that Moses hath spoken so: he addeth, That if the people turne away from GOD and serue straunge Gods: God will bee angry with them, and they shall perish as the people did whom bee was about to cast downe before them. You shall perish after the same maner sayth hee. Moseses adding of this threat, is to waken them vp the better, which cannot thinke vppon God when they bee too full fed with the good that he hath done them. And it happeneth well neere continually to all men, that if God warne them gently, and deale friendly with them, and let them sit at rest as it were in his lap: then it is no speaking to them: for they giuegive him the deafe eare, and abuse his fauour by tempting his patience, and the more that hee spareth them, the lesse doe they seeme to regard his louelove and fauour. Therefore doth it behooue men to be wakened and quickened vp with threateninges. It is true, that God indeuoreth as much as is possible to win vsus by gentlenesse and not by constreint. But when he seeth vsus so hardharted, that if hee speake gently vntounto vsus, we make but a mocke of his doctrine, and voutsafe not to thinke vppon it: then doth hee adde threatenings. After the same maner dealeth Moses both here & in many other places, and it is the common order of speach of the holy Ghost throughout al ye holy scripture. Then let vsus marke well, that God for his parte is loth to speake otherwise than gently vntounto vsus, and would faine so waken vsus as wel should come to him willingly. But our naughtinesse and lewdnesse bewrayeth it selfe, in that in stead of comming to him, we retire from him. Seeing he allureth vsus gently, speaking to vsus as a father, or rather as a mother to her little children: must it not needes be that we be too froward, when we turne our backes vponupon him, and despise him for shewing himselfe so louing to vsus? Yes: & yet is it an ordinary vice among vsus. And therefore let vsus not thinke it straunge, though we heare thereatninges oftentimes in ye holy scripture, and that God setteth his wrath before vsus: & that we be so rebuked when we come at Sermons. For why? Let eueryevery man looke into himselfe: and if God should alwayes set his promises afore vsus & say, come my children, come: let vsus see if that would suffice. Nay contrary wise we see how eueryevery man abuseth such goodnesse. And therefore whensoeuer there is any sharpenesse or vehemencie in the doctrine that is set forth vntounto vsus in ye name of God: let vsus vnderstand that our naughtinesse requireth it, and that without it we should continue still in our filthinesse & rotte in our owne doung, so as there would be no meanes to pluck vsus out of it, because eueryevery man delightes in his owne destruction. And if we were not afraid of Gods iudgement, neuer would any of vsus all play the iudge towardes himselfe, but we would think our selues to be scaped out of Gods hand, and eueryevery of vsus would winke at his owne faultes. Fo… although God cite vsus to his iudgement seate, & indite vsus there to make vsus ashamed: yet cease we not to sleepe still in our sinnes. And what would we then doe if we were not threatned? So then it is not without cause, that the holy Ghost hauing vsed gentlenesse, falleth to roughnesse. For it is meete that men shoulde bee so dealt withall, and that God should not onelyonly wring them by y• eares, but also stryke them hard, to the intent to bowe them, yt they may yeeld themselues teachable and be disposed to come vntounto him, which thing they would neuer doe with their good will.
And now Moses sayth expresly, If yee forget the Lord your God, and goe after straunge Gods: Whereby he doth vsus to vnderstand, yt inasmuch as the Israelites had bin trayned in the sound doctrine, and in the right religion: they coulde not turne away to superstition and idolatrie, but through vnthankefulnesse in forgetting God. For why? If God hauehave once taught vsus his truth, and manifested himselfe to vsus: it ought to suffice vsus, because it is so greate a light as we cannot go amisse, but of wilfulnesse. If a man that walketh at noonedayes doe run against a stone or tumble into a ditch, can hee say I see it not? Hee seeth playnely, and besides that, hee hath the Sunne to guide him: and how can hee then excuse himselfe? Euen so is it with vsus: When God hath inlightned vsus by giuing vsus his worde, wee can no more walke in darkenesse, insomuch that if wee rush against any thing, it is through our owne wilfulnesse: and if wee fall into the ditch, wee our selues are too blame for it. That is the thing which Moses meant in saying, If yee goe after strange Gods, yee forget the Lord your God, The poore Paynims that were in those dayes, had more to excuse themselues withall than the Iewes had,… because God shewed not himselfe vntounto them. But forasmuch as the people of Israell had receiued Gods lawe, so as hee had set them in the way of saluation: they could not say We knowe him not, according to the solemne protestation which wee shall see that Moses maketh in the two and thirtith Chapter.… I cal heauē and earth to witnesse this day (sayth hee), that I hauehave set you in the way of saluation, so as yee cannot henceforth alledge that yee hauehave not heard any thing, or that if yee had bin taught, yee would hauehave done your indeuour to liue according to Gods will. I hauehave shewed it you sufficiently, therefore followe it.
Now must wee benefite our selues by this doctrine, and apply it to our vse nowadayes. For the Papistes, Turkes, and Paynims liue in ignorance, and no maruell at all. True it is that yet for all that they shal not faile to be condemned before God.… But yet are wee much more blame worthie than they, if wee sticke not to our God. And why? For hee hath sent vsus the pure doctrine of his Gospell, hee hath voutsafed to giuegive vsus the vnderstanding of his trueth, so as wee may now discerne betweene good and euill. Now if wee turne againe to our olde superstitions, can wee say wee were deceiued through ignorance? No: but God will alwayes holde vsus at this bay, that we hauehave forsaken him lyke backslyders, and broken our faith lyke periured and disloyall kaytifes. Yee see then that the thing which wee hauehave to marke vppon this place, is that when God hath manifested himselfe to vsus by his worde, so as wee knowe the way of saluation: it behoueth vsus to be the more circumspect, and to hold our selues the faster to the purenesse of his doctrine. For if wee swarue from it, it is because wee hauehave forgotten our God, that is to say, wee hauehave wilfully turned our backe vppon him, and forsaken him after our knowing of him. In deede this is layd to the charge of all men in generall, I meane euen of the ignorantest: for God manifesteth himselfe to all men,Rom. 1.20. & Deut. 4.7.12. Hebr. 1.1.2. euen by heauen and earth though he doe no more. But heere the case concerneth Gods word, which is the familiar maner of shewing himselfe to vsus. And had we this lesson wel printed in our hearts so as wee could bethinke vsus to benefite our selues by the thinges that are shewed vsus nowadayes in the Gospell: wee would neuer forget our God, to step aside after superstitions.
Notwithstanding, let vsus marke by the way, that if other sinnes bee intollerable before God: hee abhorreth idolatrie and the corruption of his seruice aboue all other crimes. In deede if a man that knoweth the Gospel doe giuegive himselfe to deceite and extorsion, or be ful of pride, crueltie, and malice, or cast himself into whoredome and other filthinesse and infection: God will surely punish him: for it is too great a prouoking of him, when wee desile our selues so, after he hath sanctifyed vsus. But if wee decline to idolatrie: that is not a priuate offence, springing onelyonly of infirmitie that caryeth vsus away: but it is an vtterrenouncing of God, it is a giuing of him ouer, as though wee intended to hauehave no more to doe with him. And wee must marke moreouer, that although an vpright, honest, chaste and sober conuersation be a parte of Gods seruice: yet the chiefe seruing of him, is to put our trust in him,… 22.37.…. to honor him, to call vponupon him, and to professe him to bee our onelyonly God. But when wee fall to making of idols, and set them vp in his place: is it not a robbing of him of his Godhead? Can wee make any more open warre against him? Is it not all one as if we would plucke him downe from heauen, and put him from the gouernment of the world? Yes. Seeing then that the corrupting of Gods seruice bringeth so horrible confusion: let vsus not thinke it strange that Moses should tel the Israelites here, that if they gaue themselues lewdly to idolatrie, God would consume them: Yea and that not by gentle and fauorable meanes as in way of chastisement: but by rooting of them out quite and cleane, a… the people should be rooted out which had dwelt before them in the land that hee had promised them. The …hing was not yet don but yet Moses speaketh of it as of a thing that was most certeine to them. And surely Gods promise ought to beare great sway with vsus, when hee behighteth vsus any good: and so ought his threatnings to bee taken to bee as sure, when he cannot draw vsus to him by gentlenesse. And that is the cause why Moses sayth, I protest vntounto you this day. Now by this saying we bee warned that God taketh as it were a solemn recognisance of vsus, when he sendeth vsus his word: and that the faithfull preaching thereof is as an open proclamation to summon vsus and to cite vsus. Lyke as when a man refuseth to doe his duetie, then to the intent he may answere to the Lawe, hee is cited, and his aduersary commenceth sute against him: euen so doth God deale with vsus. For (as I sayd afore) hee desireth no more but that we should come to him by gentlenesse and friendly dealing. But yet if wee bee slowe and negligent, so as hee cannot allure vsus to him: thē doth he enter his sute and make protestation against vsus after this maner: wel then, I hauehave done what I could to win you, and yet notwithstanding yee hauehave bin stubborne still towardes me, and therefore I protest against you. He sendeth his ministers as his proctors, yea and hee sendeth them with solemne commission, as if some Notary were by to make a publike instrument, [as if hee should say,] I protest against you that it was not long of mee that yee were not rid out of the destruction wherein yee are: if ye perish, the fault is in your selues. Wherefore let vsus mark this well, to the end that when wee come to a Sermon, or reade the holy scriptures, if we finde any sowrenesse or vehemencie that greeueth vsus: wee doe not therefore forbeare to receiue the thinges that are told vsus in Gods name, assuring our selues it is the greatest benefite that can befall vsus, to suffer our selues to bee so rebuked by Gods word, forasmuch as it bringeth vsus to him by repentance. And therefore let vsus see that we bee not bereft of such a benefite by our owne lewdnesse.
Now let vsus kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes, praying him to make vsus feele them better than we hauehave done, so as we may be brought to true repentance, to mortify all our wicked lustes, that wee may be wholy subiect vntounto him, desiring nothing but to please him in al respects, and to lead our liues according to his holy commaundementes: and that although we be weake, yet wee may not cease to goe foreward still towardes our wayes end through his power, assuring our selues that hee will hauehave his hand continually stretched out ouer vsus to strengthen vsus, vntill hee hauehave giuen vsus full victorie ouer all assaultes, and finally taken vsus vp into the glorie which hee hath promised vsus in the kingdome of heauen. That it may please him to graunt this grace, not onelyonly to vsus but also to all people and Nations of the earth, &c.