Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 65
On Friday the xxx. of August. 1555. The Lxv. Sermon, which is the fourth vponupon the ninth Chapter.
13 Wherefore the Lord spake vntounto mee, saying: I hauehave seene this people, and beholde, it is a stiffenecked people.
14 Let mee alone, I will destroy them, and put out the name of them from vnderunder heauen, and I will make thee to growe into a mightier and greater Nation than they bee.
I Began to shewe you yesterday, howe foule and cursed the faulte was which Moses vpbraideth the people withal in this place: and that the cause why hee did set it before thē, was to the end they should be ye better humbled therby. And here he addeth a recorde of the greatnesse of that fault, in that it prouoked Gods wrath so sore, that hee would hauehave destroyed and rooted out that people, and put out the remembrance of them for euer. Nowe if God doe measure his anger▪ and can skill to punishe mens offences according to the greatnesse of them: it must needes bee concluded that this offence was verie horrible, seeing that God hauing deliuered his people, and hauing wrought so many miracles for them, woulde neuerthelesse so wipe them out as they shoulde neuer bee spoken of more. That then was the meaning of Moses: verily as if hee shoulde saye, yee wretched foolke, consider what yee bee and what yee hauehave beene. For whereas yee were redeemed by the hande of GOD, you by reuolting from him after yee hadde receiued such fauour, deserued to hauehave beene so rooted out, as no remembraunce of you might hauehave remayned in the worlde, and sentence thereof was giuen also. Hadde not I intreated for you, GOD hadde determined to hauehave destroyed you. Nowe goe make your bragges, imagine I wote not what of your selues, impute your obteyning of this lande to your owne righteousnesse, to your owne power, or to some other thing else. Nay contrariwise, yee see what yee hauehave done: yee hauehave (to the vttermost of your power) vndoone the deliueraunce of your selues whiche GOD hadde wrought, yee hauehave forsaken the saluation that was promised you, and the inheritaunce that was prepared for you: and to be short it was meet that God should hauehave powred out his horrible vengeaunce vppon you, Therefore learne to magnifie his merciemercy, considering that yee hauehave prouoked him so sore. Thus yee see in effect whereto this saying of Moses is to be referred.
But by the way wee must marke the words that hee vseth. I hauehave seene this people (saith he) and it is a stiffenecked people. Heere GOD sheweth that he hath iust cause to make cleane riddance of this people, forasmuchas they were past amendement. True it is that GOD might well thunder downe vppon all menne, without shewing them why or wherefore, and all mouthes ought to bee shutte. For wee winne nothing by replying against him, and in murmuring at his chastisementes.Psal. 51.6. For hee shall euer bee founde to bee righteous as is sayde in the one and fiftith Psalme, and whosoeuer blasphemeth him shall bee put to shame. Yet notwithstanding, heere God sheweth why hee had determined to punishe the Iewes so roughly, to the intent that Moses shoulde bee the better contented. I hauehave seene (sayth hee) that this people is a stiffenecked people. Heereby hee doeth vsus to vnderstande, that when wee once fall to malicious wilfulnesse, it is all one as if wee were rotten in our sinnes, and that there is none other remedie, but that GOD must put to his hande to destroy vsus vtterly.
In deede the least faulte that wee committe doeth well deserue that GOD shoulde vse extreeme rigour: but yet doeth hee moderate himselfe, according to this saying of the holy Scripture, that hee is flowe to wrath and long suffering. GOD then spareth vsus, and vseth not rigour against vsus at the firste dashe.Psal. 103.…. But when hee seeth vsus so harde hearted that hee canne not winne vsus by patience, and that wee bee so stubborne as hee can not amende vsus, nor make vsus stoope vnderunder his hande: then is hee fayne to worke after another fashion, and to striue no lōger with thē, according to this saying
Surely wee shoulde be left bare, accordingly also as the same similitude is alleadged in Exodus,Exod. 32.25 that the people had made themselues bare of his protection, by making the golden calfe. For they had no more any God to maintaine them. And euen so would it befall vsus also that we shold make our selues bare eueryevery day, by putting our selues out of the protection of our God: were it not that some do set themselues in the breach. And therefore let vsus learne that oftentimes God spareth vsus, because there are some yt make intercession for vsus, euen whome wee knowe not of. And let vsus thinke vppon it the more, for asmuch as euerie of vsus feeleth himselfe colde in praying, and that wee goe not to it with such corage and earnestnesse as God commaundeth. [Let eueryevery of vsus bethinke our selues thus:] Alas, if I were alone, and all the worlde were like mee: what woulde become of it? We might perishe for wee are not worthie that GOD shoulde regarde vsus. But wee must vnderstande, that it is not our Lordes will that wee shoulde perishe, when hee ordeyneth men to come before him after that maner. And therefore howsoeuer wee fare, after wee hauehave rebuked our selues, let vsus proceede to this zeale of praying both for our selues and for other men, and let vsus not doubt but God will hauehave pitie vppon vsus, yea and euen forgiue our neighbours also at our request. Trueth it is that in this case wee must not bring any ouerweening with vsus, to auaunce our selues as though we coulde further the saluation of other men: but we must take it as God sheweth it. Beholde I am not worthie that God should heare me my selfe: and yet notwithstanding hee vouchsafeth to heare mee, not onelyonly for my selfe, or for three or foure moe…punc; but also for a whole nation. Let euerie of vsus doe this, and let vsus consider howe mercifull our God is to vsus, seeing hee not onelyonly vouchsafeth to regarde vsus our selues, vsus wretched sinners, vsus that hauehave turned our backes vponupon him, vsus that hauehave not ceased to prouoke his wrath against vsus: but also vouchsafeth for our sakes, to accepte our prayers and supplications not onelyonly for our priuate friendes, but also for his whole Church. For it behoueth vsus to pray generally for all the faithful, yea and for them whō we know not, yea and moreouer euen for the vnbeleeuers if there bee anie meane to conuert them.1. Tim. 2.1. Seeing that God heareth vsus after that fashion, euen for the furthest straungers in the worlde, for those that are vnknowen to vsus, yea and euen for such as are not yet of his house, nor of his flocke, but are as stray sheepe: is it not a meane to make vsus to trust in him, and to pray vntounto him with such certeintie, as wee come not to him like wauering reedes,Iam. 1.6. (as saith Saint Iames) but with assurednesse that hee wil heare vsus, and that our prayers shall not bee vnauailable, because wee resort vntounto him and hauehave recour…e vntounto him vponupon trust of his promise?
And hereby wee see howe greatly the wretched worlde hath beene abused by making intercession to Saincts. When men read that Moses was hearde, and likewise Helias: they concluded thereupon, O then must we resort to the Heesainctes and sheesaincts, and they must be our aduocates and Patrons to God. Yea but the meaning of the holy scripture is cleane contrarie, as I hauehave declared alreadie, according to the saying of Saint Iames. For when God sayth so: it is not to make vsus to runne vntounto Moses: but it is to the ende that by his example we shoulde not doubt to pray also: for the promises belong to vsus as well as to him. Like as Moses trusted not in his owne goodnesse, ne preased before God as more worthie than the rest of the people: but only as knowing that God called & allured him thereunto: so also let vsus nowe grounde our selues vppon the promises whereby God incourageth vsus to come vntounto him, yea and to come without doubting that hee will reach vsus his hande, euen without regarding whether there bee any worthinesse in vsus or no. For wee shall finde none in vsus: but it is enough for vsus that our Lorde biddeth vsus come, and our obeying of him liketh him better than all the vertues that wee coulde bring with vsus, if there were any in vsus. Therefore it is too grosse an ouersight, that whereas God incourageth vsus to come vntounto him with prayer and supplication after the example of the holy Prophetes: wee thereupon shoulde contrariwise make them our Patrons and Aduocates to shift our selues from repayring vntounto him. Againe on the otherside, although Moses prayed for the people while he was in this worlde: Doeth it followe that the same charge is committed to him nowe still in heauen? Doeth the scripture tell vsus that Moses maketh intercession for vsus still? So then, it is as it were a dragging of the holy scripture by the haire of the heade, (as men saye,) and a racking of it to falsehoode, when the thinges that are spoken of men aliue, are wrested to them dead. Therefore let vsus holde vsus contented with this common doctrine, that is to wit that euerie of vsus must take heart to pray vntounto God, because his promises are made to all men without exception. For our petitions are not grounded vponupon our owne worthinesse: but vppon Gods goodnesse, in that he sheweth him selfe so free hearted as to reach out his hande to receyue vsus. Heerewithall let vsus pray one for another, and let vsus not doubt but wee shall bee hearde. And although wee bee colde, and slouthfull: yet let vsus vnderstande that GOD heareth his Church, so that although we come not to him so freely, and with so earnest and wel disposed minde as we should doe: yet doth he pitie vsus, because hee not onelyonly hath an eye to our seuerall requestes: but also accepteth the generall prayers that are made by the whole Church, in our behalfe and fauour: and therefore let vsus occupie our selues therein as long as wee liue. As for those whome God hath taken out of this worlde, for asmuch as the holie scripture telleth vsus not anie thing of them: let not vsus fall to thrusting in of our owne imaginations and dotages in that behalfe: for eyther wee muste pray in faith, or else wee shall neuer bee hearde. And what is meant by faith? That wee shoulde bee taught by Gods worde. Saint Paul settes it downe for an vnchaungeable order, that wee canne not call vppon God, vnlesse wee knowe his trueth, and that the Gospell hauehave beene preached vntounto vsus,Rom. 10.14.17. as is saide in the tenth to the Romanes. And let vsus assure our selues, that as manie as steppe aside from this rule, are as stray beastes, and their prayers shall neuer boote them, for they doe but vnhallow the name of GOD, because they hauehave not the warrantes of his promises in their heartes.
Now let vsus passe further: It is said, I will make of thee a mightier and greater people than this. Here GOD sheweth Moses, that there is no cause why hee shoulde bee afraide, that the good will which hee hadde shewed towardes that people shoulde bee lost, or that hee was raised vppe in vaine to be a worker of their redemption, and of the welfare that was promised them. I will make of thee another people, saith he. But Moses is not contented with that: for hee maketh intercession still vntounto GOD. And this is not added without cause: but rather to make vsus to knowe that Moses regarded not himselfe, but that forgetting himselfe hee sought the welfare of those that were cōmitted to his charge. That is the thing in effecte which wee hauehave to beare in minde vppon this place.
Neuerthelesse it might bee demaunded heere, whether it were enough for GOD to raise vppe a newe people or no, seeing the promise was made to Abraham and his ofspring. Howe then? Coulde hee destroye this people, without vnsaying his owne worde, and without calling back of his owne promise? No, but hereby we be done to vnderstand, that we must not bee ouerinquisitiue of Gods iudgementes, but deale soberly, and modestlie with them. For if wee enter into too deepe ransaking of them, wee shall finde them such a bottomlesse pitte, as wee shall neuer gette out of them. Therefore let it suffice vsus that if GOD had listed to hauehave dispatched that people, hee coulde hauehave founde meanes to hauehave performed his promise, so as it shoulde not hauehave beene in vaine. For (as it is saide) had hee not beene able to hauehave raysed vppe children to Abraham euen out of stones?Matt. 3.9. Then must not wee binde GOD to our meanes, nor to the common order of nature, seeing hee is to vsus incomprehensible: but wee must consider that hee is able to worke after such a sorte, as will vtterly abashe vsus, and wee shall not knowe which way hee went to worke.
Thus ye see that the thing which wee hauehave to marke in this text, is that when Gods iudgementes passe our capacitie, we must not fall to ransaking of them by peecemeale out of measure: for (as saith Salomon in the fiue and twentith Chapter of the Prouerbes) it is his glorie to keepe thinges hidden, so that although he shewe vsus not why hee doeth this or that, yet is not his glorie thereby diminished, but rather increased. For it sheweth men their own weakenesse, to the ende they shoulde learne to liue in lowlinesse, and not thinke too well of their owne wisedome. Marke that for a speciall point.
But here are yet other thinges which deserue to be looked vntounto more neerely. And first of all, whereas it is saide that Moses ceased not to make intercession: that may seeme strange. For I hauehave tolde you alreadie that our prayers are faultie, if they be not directed by fatih: & faith importeth that wee bee sure of Gods will, according to Saint Iohns exhortation,1. Iohn 3.22 & 5.14. where hee saith that if wee intende to pray aright, we must followe Gods ordinaunce, and not our owne likinges. Sith it is so: howe durst Moses in this text sue vntounto God contrarie to his expresse forbidding, so as although GOD say, Let mee alone, I will not heare thee speake of it anie more, this people must needes perishe: yet doth Moses make intreatance still? Wherein he may peraduenture seeme vnportunate, yea and that hee is minded euen to spite him, or at least wise to shewe some kinde of disobedience? Nay we must note, that Moses neuer shewed himselfe more obedient than in this, forasmuch as ye trust of the promise that God had made could not be wrested from him by so forcible a temptation, needes must it bee that hee was throughly setled in faith, when God speaketh to him after such a sorte, and telleth him, I am determined to destroy this people: and yet Moses maketh intercession stil, as though he woulde let him of his purpose. And why? Is it for that hee discrediteth God, or for that hee beleeueth not his threatning as the vnbeleeuers doe, who commonly make but a mocke of it when God speaketh to them of his wrath? No: Moses dealeth not so: but this is his leaningstocke: behold, God hath made his couenaunt with Abraham, and that couenaunt must needes bee vnchaungeable. For it dependeth not vppon the desertes of men, but is grounded vppon Gods owne free goodnesse. Moses knewe this: and therefore when hee hearde GOD speake of the destroying of that people: he fell as it were to setting of himselfe against it, vppon assuraunce of the promise that had beene made. True it is that he saith nothing of it: but yet was it a thing throughly knowen to the people, that at the ende of foure hundreth yeares, they shoulde be put in possession of the inheritaunce which God had promised them. Moses then helde himselfe to Gods couenaunt,2. Tim. 2.13 which was vnchaungeable and to stande in force for euer. Though men bee neuer so wicked: yet will God of his goodnesse surmount all their sinnes, so as his worde must needes come to effect. But nowe had GOD raunsomed his people, and the tearme was fully come wherein they shoulde inioye his promise: therefore was it of necessitie that all these thinges shoulde bee doone, and Moses doeth God the honour, to keepe him to that which hee had sayde. Nowe that hee is assaulted with greeuous temptation, euen as though it were cannon shot, hee persisteth neuerthelesse in the same faith, and it is not a faith that flickereth as a shaddowe, but a faith conceyued of the worde and couenaunt of God, a faith that shoulde stande fast setled and vnmouable. We see howe that Moses neuer obeyed GOD better, than when hee withstoode the threatening which God made. But yet doeth not this resolue the whole question. For a man might replie: Howe so? Beholde, God speaketh continually: why then doeth Moses beleeue one of his sayinges more than other? Againe there is an other doubte. Seeing that God is vnuariable and hath but one single will: why speaketh he otherwise than hee had determined in himselfe? For in so doing hee shoulde deale double, which thing wee knowe can in no wise agree with his nature. As touching the first question, let vsus marke that forasmuch as Moses was gouerned by the holy Ghost, and was fullie perswaded that it behooued him to sticke to the promise which was made to Abraham, and therefore gaue credite to the same: hee considered also therewithall, that Gods threatening was iust, and that he might iustly execute it: for else his praying had beene but a mockerie. Hee sawe the daunger that hung ouer the people, and was readie to fall vppon them. But forasmuch as he thought there was a remedy, though GOD had saide, Let me alone: hee falleth to intreataunce againe. And that serueth to shew the heynousnesse of the offence, and of the fault that had beene committed. For such an enormitie as that was, deserued well ye vtter destruction of the people. Moses then is so gouerned by the holy Ghoste, that although his will seeme contrarie to Gods will: yet neuerthelesse hee knoweth what wee ought to followe. But it seemeth that Abraham did the cleane contrarie.Gen. 22.2. For God had promised him to blesse Isaac, and to raise vp a people of his seed, whom he woulde take to himselfe. And yet notwithstanding he commaundeth Abraham to slea Isaac with his owne handes. Nowe it seemeth that after the example which is set vsus downe here, he shoulde rather hauehave saide, Lorde thou hast promised mee that my sonne Isaac shall beget a seede whereby saluation shall be sent vntounto the worlde: therefore he must needes liue. But Abraham is gouerned by the holy Ghoste, and knoweth that hee ought to obey GOD simplie without gaynesaying: for hee coulde well hauehave stirred vp seede from out of the ashes of Isaac when he had beene deade. So then let vsus marke that when such temptations as these doe incounter the faithfull, so as God seemeth to bee contrarie to himselfe: he fay leth not to gouerne them by his holy spirite, and to giuegive them such wisedome and discretion, as they holde themselues alwayes to the thing that is good and belonging to their duetie, and neuer doubt at al of Gods worde. And therefore let vsus beseech God to teach vsus his will, and let vsus doe our indeuour in seeking his worde: and surely hee will neuer suffer vsus to goe astray, nor to doe amisse, but forasmuchas he knoweth vsus to be vnskilfull and easie to be led away to and fro, he will hold vsus backe by his holie spirit, and giuegive vsus discretion to discerne what hee commaundeth. For like as he fayled neither Moses, nor Abraham, no more also will he faile vsus.
As touching the seconde question, where it was demaunded howe it may be that GOD shoulde say one thing and meane an other: (for that is contrarie to his nature, in somuch as hee nameth himselfe the trueth, and therefore must needes shewe himselfe to bee so indeede:) we must marke that in saying so, hee speaketh not peremptorilie, but with condition, though the condition be not expressed. Therefore we must hauehave an eye to the ende whereunto these wordes are referred: and then shall wee finde that there is no contrarietie in them. God had saide to Abraham, thy seede shall bee helde in bondage: but about afoure hundred yeres hence I will performe the promise that I hauehave made thee.
Needes nowe muste this free promise of God be performed: for it dependeth not vppon men: it is not saide, conditionally that thine ofspring behaue themselues well: but Gods intent is to bee vnchaungeable in his determination. And therefore whereas he saith here to Moses, Let me alone, I will make cleane riddaunce of this people: it is as if he shoulde say, This people hath deserued to be vtterly destroyed: for seeing they be past amendement, what shall I doe more? I hauehave tried them a number of wayes, I hauehave experience of them, I hauehave borne gentlie with them, I hauehave chastised them, and yet will they not bee reclaimed, neither by faire meanes nor by foule. Seeing then that they be past recouerie, they must needs be vtterly rooted out and perish. Yea, but yet is there this, Let mee alone. His vsing of that speech includeth a condition: as if he shoulde say, Here am I readie to doe the office of a iudge: what remaineth nowe to doe, but to thunder downe vppon this people, and to make cleane dispatche of them? OnelyOnly make thou no intercession for them.
Nowe wee see yet better the thing which I touched afore: that is to wit, that God was so farre off from cutting off of Moses, or from shutting him out that he shoulde not pray: that hee did rather sharpen him thereunto. As if hee shoulde say: But for thee this people shoulde be destroyed. For if I shoulde handle them according to their desertes: I shoulde confounde them. And forasmuch as they be so wilfull that they be past amendement. It is time nowe or neuer to execute my sentence. It is too much: I will make no moe wordes: But I will graunt thus much at thy request, that if thou make intercession to me, I will be restrayned by it. Now then wee see these two questions well resolued… and the profite that redoundeth of this texte. Namely firste that the force of our prayers is shewed vsus here, when we pray vntounto God faithfullie.
And secondly we see that daungers ought to prouoke vsus the more. The more that Gods wrath is vttered vntounto vsus, the more ought we to be moued to pray vntounto God: because it is as if he draue vsus thereto by force. And wee must not pray alonly for our selues, nor hauehave a care of our saluation onelyonly, nor onelyonly feare the daungers that hang ouer our heades: but wee must also take care …or our neighbors, and when we heare Gods threateninges, they must waken vsus, and make vsus to come before him, saying, Alas Lord, heere is a sorte of wretched creatures which must needes perish, if thou be so disposed. Therfore let vsus bee prouoked to feare, the more for Gods shewing of his wrath vntounto vsus, and for the hearing of his threates: For hee vttereth his iudgementes vntounto vsus to the ende that we should preuent them. For when GOD giueth sentence vppon our sinnes, it is alwayes with this condition, that hee doeth it not with out giuing of vsus some respit to remedie the mischeefe, so wee seeke the remedie by such meanes as he commaundeth in his worde. And so yee see what we hauehave to remember vppon the example of Moses.
To bee shorte, wee see that it is not lawfull for men to put forth themselues to make prayer and supplication: except they hauehave the promise and be sure that it is Gods good will that they shoulde doe so. But GOD will giuegive them such a zeale, as the temptations which shall crosse them shall not stay them from going on forwarde, though it seeme to themselues that GOD is not minded to heare them, but rather to put them backe and to shake them quite off. Therefore let vsus not cease to resorte vntounto him as it were importunately. For the importunatenesse whereof our Lorde Iesus Christe speaketh,Luke. 18.2. in reporting the similitude concerning a widow yt had to do with a wicked iudge: made ye iudge ashamed though he were a naughtie and frowarde man. But surely when wee come to GOD, we neede not to bee importunate: for Iesus Christ telleth vsus, that if wee finde merciemercy in men that are lewde and ill minded towardes vsus: we shall much more obtayne fauour at Gods hande, who …arieth not till we come vntounto him, but calleth and allureth vsus to him. Seeing then that he is so friendlie, let vsus not be afraide that we shall not obteyne our requestes. But yet for all that, let vsus not giuegive ouer with once praying vntounto him as it were for fashions sake: but let vsus holde out to the ende, yea and euen be importunate vppon him. Although he seeme vnwilling to heare vsus, and let vsus alone in our distresses, yea and that to our seeming our miserie doeth still increase: yet notwithstanding let not vsus fayle to holde on still, resting vppon his promise which he hath giuen vsus, which is certayne and vnfallible: that is to wit, that hee will neuer faile those which come vntounto him and call vponupon him in trueth.
Nowe 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 wee hauehave done heretofore, and that forasmuch as wee knowe what neede wee hauehave to pray, (insomuch that euerie minute of an houre wee runne in daunger of endlesse death and are like to perishe both bodie and soule:) it may please him to inflame vsus so by his holie spirite, as we may call vppon him vnfaynedlie, and be more carefull to doe it and to exercise our selues in it at all times, as prouoked thereto by the great neede which wee hauehave thereof, considering the miseries wherethrough wee shoulde perishe, if wee were not succoured by him and by his grace: and that in the meane whyle it may please him to beare with vsus in our infirmities, and not suffer vsus to be rent off from ye bodie of his Church, but make vsus to perceiue by experience, that the prayers which are made through the whole worlde are auailable to his chosen, and yt their prayers also do auaile vsus, so as the same may stablishe vsus continuallie more & more, in the holie vnion which he hath made with vsus in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ. That it may please him to graunt this grace not onelyonly to vsus but also to all people and Nations of the earth, reducing all poore ignoraunt people, into the right way of saluation, out of the bondage of errour and darkenesse: and that for this purpose it woulde please him, to rayse vp true and faithfull ministers of his worde, which may not seeke their owne profite and ambition, but the glorifying of his holy name, and the saluation of his poore flocke. On the other side, &c.