Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 8
On Munday the xxij. of April. 1555. The eight Sermon vponupon the first Chapter.
34 Then the Lord heard the voyce of your wordes, and was angrie, & sware, saying:
35 None of the men of this wicked generation, shall see the good land that I hauehave sworne to giuegive to their fathers,
36 Sauing Caleb the sonne of Iephone, who shall see it: and I will giuegive him the ground wherevpon he hath troden, and vntounto his children, bicause he hath followed the Lord throughly.
37 Also the Lord was angrie with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not goe in thither:
38 But Iosua the sonne of Nun, which standeth with thee, shall goe in thither. Strengthen thou him: for he shall put Israel in possession thereof.
39 Your little children which ye said should be a pray, and your sonnes which at this day knowe neither good nor euill, shall go in thither, and I will giuegive them the land, and they shall possesse it.
40 But as for you, turne ye backe againe, and get ye into the wildernesse by the way of the red sea.
AFter that Moses hath rehearsed the peoples sinne: now he putteth them in remembraunce of the punishment that followed vponupon it, that they might be better aduised thenceforth, & not prouoke God to wrath after that fashion. For whensoeuer God punisheth men for any offences, the same ought to serue them for a warning, and other men for an example, to beware that they doe no more so. True it is that they which had murmured after that sort against God, were alreadie dead: but yet was it expedient yt their children should hauehave it printed in their mindes, that God had not left such vnbeliefe and disobedience vnpunished. And so wee see the intent of Moses. Wherefore let vsus note, that if God hauehave shewed vsus that he cannot away with some offence: his intent is that we should thinke vppon it, and that the chastisementes which he layeth vponupon vsus should turne to our profite, and that they should serue vsus for the time to come, so as wee should not looke to hauehave him to stretch out his hand against vsus: for it is good for vsus to bee taught at other mens cost as the prouerb saieth. But wee must marke, that Moses rehearseth here briefely, the things that are declared more largely in the fourteenth Chapter of the Booke of Nombers, where God is so wroth with the people,…m. 14.11 that he would hauehave destroyed them vtterly. He saieth there to Moses, passe not thou for it: I can giuegive thee a greater and excellenter people than this: but as for these wicked folke, they must needes bee rooted out, I cannot suffer them any more. Hereupon Moses maketh intercession for them and saieth: Not so Lord: for if it should be heard in Egypt, that it were so come to passe, thy name should be blasphemed, & the wicked would make a scoffing at it, saying: bicause God could not performe his promise, therfore hath he slaine this people, and so hath he beguiled them and betrayed them. Lord, wilt thou suffer thy name to be slaundred after that sort? Thereupon God telleth him that he will not execute his vengeance vponupon any other than such as had murmured, & yet notwithstanding that he would therewithall reserue a seede, on whom to perfourme the thing that he had promised to his seruant Abraham.
By the way, ye threate that is conteined here, importeth not that God was not determined in his owne purpose what he would doe: for if wee should thinke that he altered his mind vponupon the aduertisement that Moses gaue him: it could by no meanes agree [with his nature.] Should a mortall man hauehave more discretion and forecast than liuing God? No: and on the otherside wee knowe that God doeth in no wise chaunge his purpose. Neuerthelesse, diuers times he vttereth somewhat rough threatnings, to driue vsus to humble our selues before him, and to make vsus feele what wee hauehave deserued. God then in telling Moses that he would vtterly roote out that people, so as there should not one of them bee left aliue, meant not that he was determined so to doe: but sheweth that the people was worthy to hauehave bene quite and cleane destroyed. And in deede there was iust cause why, to the intent that eueryevery of them should be smitten downe and subdued on his owne behalfe, and that Moses should pray after that maner. And yet for all that, God found the meanes to make good his promise, notwithstanding the wilfull frowardnes that was in the people. And this is a point well worthie to be marked among others: that when God hath chosen any people, although his grace bee despised, so as all they whom he had called become vnworthie of such a benefite, and banish themselues out of his house by reiecting ye promise that was offered them: yet will God finde the meanes to chastise them in such wise, as his Church shall not vtterly perish, yea and he will euen ouercome mens frowardnesse with his goodnesse. I say it is well worthie to bee marked. For wee see that on the one side, the hypocrites, vnderunder colour that God hath manifested himselfe vntounto them, and promised to bee their Sauiour: doe surmise that they hauehave him bound, and thereupon take leaue to doe euill: and if a man shewe them their sinnes, they hardē themselues against it, there is nothing but pride in them, & they arme themselues with Gods name, to fight against his Prophets. And this hauehave they done in all ages. When the Iewes were rebuked for their wicked life, & for their turning away from God: they were inflamed with such rage against the Prophets, as to say, How nowe?Ierem. 7.4. To whom speake ye? Are not wee the Church? Are not wee Gods inheritance? Hath he not set his couenant among vsus? HaueHave not wee the signe of Circumcision? HaueHave not wee the temple where he is worshipped? Wee see then that the Iewes did falsely abuse Gods name, to aduaunce themselues against him and his word. And this is reported of the Iewes: but yet wee may see the like in our selues. For all they to whom God hath done so much honour as to giuegive them his word and to manifest himselfe vntounto them, doe imagin that they hauehave him as it were in their sleeue: & yet for all that, in stead of profiting themselues by Gods so gentle alluring of them vntounto him, they set themselues against all good doctrine, they cannot finde in their heartes to beare any yoke, they will needes bee as wilde beastes, and yet in the meane while they will needes hauehave God to auow them to be of his flocke. But here wee see, that although God had as then set vp his seat among the Iewes, and made a couenant with them to bee their Sauiour vntounto the ende: yet when he sawe they were not meete to hauehave him, but that they drew cleane backe, and ceassed not to spite him: he found the meanes to punishe them, yea and that in such sort, as all those things went to nought, and yet he himself abode soothfast, notwithstanding their destruction. And therfore let vsus not deceiue our selues. When God hath once taken vsus to him to be of his houshold, and adopted vsus to be his children: let vsus not sooth our selues in our vices, but consider how it stādeth vsus on hand to walke so much the more awefully, when God hath shewed himselfe so bountifull towardes vsus, and that forasmuch as he hath vttred his goodnes in such wise, it is good reason that wee on our part being so much beholden vntounto him, should looke well about vsus and indeuour to giuegive our selues wholly to his seruice, and be so loth to offend him, as we may also be afraide to be bereft of the grace that he hath once bestowed vponupon vsus. Marke that for one point.
And therewithall let vsus marke also, that God in punishing the hypocrites and all such as abuse the goodnesse that he hath done towards them, ceasseth not for all that, to continue faithfull stil. For if he should destroy the whole world and leaue no afterspring to call vponupon him, it might bee said, in deede God hath iust cause to punish men after that maner: but in the meane time where is his promise?Psal. 72.17. He hath saide that his Church shall continue for euer, & that his name shall bee called vponupon here beneath, as long as there is eyther Sunne or Moone in the skie: but nowe is all dispatched quite and cleane, the remembrance of saluation is vtterly buried among men. Although then that God should doe iustly in punishing such as had done amisse: yet should his promise bee vaine and voide, if he perfourmed not the thing that he promised, and so would men blame him of vnfaithfulnesse. But (as I saide) he findeth meanes to punish them that deserue it, and yet notwithstanding reserueth and keepeth still a people to himselfe, and suffereth not his trueth to fall to the ground, or to die without effect. And hereof we hauehave a notable example in this place. For wee see that God had made a couenant with Abraham, and had promised him to giuegive the land of Chanaan for an heritage to his ofspring. As soone as the time came, the promise was performed. Yea verily: but all the posteritie of Abraham refused and reiected the promise, whereby they disanulled it as much as lay in them. Thus you see they bee depriued of it through their owne vnthankfulnesse. But yet to the intent that God be not accused of leauing his promise vnperformed: it behoued him in punishing the fathers to preserue their race. They that come vp afterward are also the ofspring of Abraham, and they possesse the land that was promised: by meanes whereof the couenaunt that God had made abode sure and fast settled to the end. And for the same cause it is said that God reserued the yong children to himselfe. Now then, as many as had murmured and were aboue the age of twentie yeeres, are cast off and banished from the good turne that was readie for them: but they that were vnderunder that age are preserued still, and God is glorified in them. And albeit that the accomplishment of his promise was delayed by the space of fortie yeeres: yet notwithstanding he shewed himselfe faithfull in the end. This is the matter which we hauehave to beare away.
So now likewise, when wee see the world so farre out of order that al is mard, and it seemeth that all men will needes spite GOD, and shut themselues out of all hope of saluation, by driuing away the light of the Gospell that is giuen them: let vsus looke for some vengeaunce at hand. For though God bee patient: yet must he bee faine in the ende, to stretch out his arme to bee reuenged of such malice and contempt. On the one side, they to whom the Gospell is preached, doe growe altogether heathenish, and it is seene that a nomber waxe worse and worse, and wickednesse becomes more excessiue than it was in the time of the abominations of the Popedome, so that (to speake properly) it should seeme that men become diuilles after their hearing of the Gospell. What is it I pray you, that a man shall see, yea and that commonly? That there is now no more louelove of God, no nor countenance of louing him, that Religion is let alone colde and dead, and that there is no more zeale in vsus than in a timberlogge. It is apparant then that Gods word is now adayes stained and defyled with our iniquities, in so much that whereas wee should bee as burning Lampes to giuegive light to the sillie ignorant soules, wee giuegive them occasion of stumbling. Againe on the other side, we see how the faithlesse doe fight against God, seeking nothing else dayly but to ouerthrow his trueth, and to cause it to be quenched out, that it might neuer be spoken off more. Seeing then that the whole world is so malicious, and that as well the one sort as the other doe make open warre against God, continuing still in their stubbornnesse which increaseth from day to day: must not God (after he hath waited for some conuersion and amendment) execute his vengeance vppon vsus as wee deserue? Ye see then after what manner it behoueth vsus to prepare our selues, considering that wickednesse is so great nowe adayes, and so farre past hope of recouerie. But yet therewithall let vsus comfort our selues, and looke also that in punishing the offenders God will not fayle to keepe still some seed to himselfe, so as he wil alwaies hauehave some little flock to cal vponupon him and to worship him. Let vsus not doubt then but that our Lorde will alwayes maintaine his Churche, to the intent to shewe himselfe sooth fast. Although all thinges seeme forlorne and brought to confusion: yet will God worke after such a fashion, as wee shall see in the ende, that he hath had a regard of his promise, and that he will shew himselfe faithfull and prooue himselfe so in deede.
But let vsus marke well, that the Churche shall not alwayes be visible so as wee shall perceiue it. It shall seeme [nowe and then] that all is come to nought: Like as when God made the people to turne backe againe, he said vntounto them, Get ye into the wildernesse towardes the red Sea, as though they should hauehave returned againe into Egypt. Here is such a great confusion, as it might well seeme that he minded not any more that the land of Chanaan shoulde bee giuen for an heritage vntounto those to whom it was promised. Ye see then that for a time it seemed that God had falsified his promise, and that there was not any more hope that the children of Abraham should hauehave entered into the place that was promised them. Euen so shall it fall out with vsus, as in deede it is come to passe. For when God withdraweth his light out of the worlde: it will seeme that there is no more any Church at all. If a man looke round about him, he shall see that all is gone to hauocke. And in good faith, what desolation was there in the time of Poperie? Yea and euen still at this day, a man myght thinke that all shoulde goe to ruine and decaye. But let vsus marke, that it is all one as if God shoulde cause those to goe backe againe which are not woorthie to goe forewarde: and that yet notwithstanding, he ceasseth not to holde on in such wise, as his Churche shall still bee maintained and preserued. Howbeit, not that the same can bee discerned with the eye, or perceiued by man: but wee must shut our eyes, vntill our Lord doe worke after his owne maner, that is to say wonderfully beyond all our expectation, and beyond all that we bee able to conceiue. Thus you see howe wee may comfort our selues in this, that although wee see it is not possible but yt God must not cast some horrible punishment in these dayes vppon mens wickednesse: yet neuerthelesse hee will alwayes reserue some people to himselfe, so as the thing that he speaketh by his Prophet Ioel shalbe seene continually.…. 2.30. Though heauen and earth (saith he) do goe together, though the sunne be darkened, though the moone drop bloude, though the starres lose their light, and though the earth remoue: yet for all that whosoeuer calleth vppon the name of the Lorde, shalbee saued: GOD will preserue them whom he hath chosen to call vppon him: and albeit that their life bee hidde, yet will not God faile to heare them in the end, and to shewe them that hee neuer was vnmindefull of his promise, but that he had a regarde of himselfe, notwithstanding that men were not worthy to hauehave any one drop of goodnes and mercy offered vntounto them. This is the matter in effect which we hauehave to remember in this first place.
But herewithall we must marke the othe that God made against the Iewes,Psal. 95.7. & Heb. 3.7. & 4.7. as it is set downe in the Psalme, and afterwarde applyed vntounto vsus by the Apostle, saying: To day, if ye wil heare his voyce, harden not your hearts as your fathers did in the wildernesse, vntounto whom I sware in my wrath, that they should not enter into ye land yt was my rest. We see how it was ye wil of the holy Ghost, that the Iewes should in al ages be mindful of this disobedience that had bin committed: and that therevpon they should remember that for the same, their fathers were bereft of the benefit that had beene promised them, and shutte out from Gods rest. For (as I saide afore) this serued not for the Iewes only, but the Apostle applieth it also to our time. God then directeth his speech to vsus at this day. Therefore wee must hauehave our eares open to hearken vntounto him: wee must not driue of from morrowe to morrowe: wee must seeke no delay: as soone as God speaketh wee must be readie to learne, and not harden our heartes against him. Whereby wee bee put in minde, that there is nothing which hindereth our obedience vntounto God, but our own resisting of him through a certaine wilful frowardnes. For he for his part applieth himselfe in such wise vntounto vsus: as hee beareth with our rudenesse and infirmitie. So then, all they that are taught by the Gospell, shall obey God without gainesaying, if they poyson not themselues through a certaine wilful frowardnesse to withstande God, and to driue backe his grace. That is the cause why we be expresly warned, not to harden our heartes. Yea verily: for wee must not think that God will suffer his grace to bee so scorned, and dalyed with, and set light by. If he were inflamed with anger against the Iewes for refusing to enter into the Land of Chanaan: if we nowadayes doe playe the restie iades and fall to kicking, let vsus not thinke that such vnthankefulnesse shall scape vnpunished. And in good sooth, if the Iewes were so punished at that time, that all the sorte of them came to nought, wandering in the wildernesse by the space of fortie yeeres: God shewed yet more harde and rigorous vengeance vppon them afterwarde, in the thraldome of Babylon and other miseries that happened vntounto them: for the thraldome of Babylon lasted three score and ten yeares. And at their returne, although he shewed great and wonderfull power: yet were they but a handfull which were saued, according to this saying of the Prophet Esay,Esa. 10.22. though thy people were as the sande of the sea, yet shoulde but a small remnant of them be saued. And in another place hee saith, we had beene as Sodome and Gomorre,Esa. 1.9. if God had not reserued a little seede, yea euen a verie little one. Wee see then that God increased his wrath against such as amended not at the example of their fathers. And why? Because they were the lesse to bee excused, for they ought to hauehave taken warning by the punishmentes that were prepared for them. Therefore did they double their offence. And what thinke we of the desolation that hath happened since the [first] preaching of the Gospell, [for the refusall whereof] the wretched world hath wandred so astray, as all things hauehave bin corrupted in the Church, so that in steede of Gods seruice there hath beene nothing but abhominations, insteed of truth there hath beene nothing but diuelish lyes and errours, and all thinges hauehave beene put out of order there, and that the same confusion hath lasted nowe so long time? [All these thinges doe put vsus in minde] that Gods voyce ought to sounde shirler noweadayes in the Gospell, than it did in the Lawe. For as is saide by the Prophet Aggeus,Agge. 2.7. God maketh heauen and earth to quake nowadayes, when the Gospel is preached. And besides that, wee hauehave all the thinges that befell to the people of olde time, which serue vsus as a liuely picture. There must wee beholde Gods wrath, to restrayne our selues from doing euil,1. Cor. 10.11 as Saint Paul sheweth vsus in ye tenth of the first to the Corinthians. But if wee make no reckening therof: is it not reason that God shoulde punish vsus sorer than hee did the Iewes?
Let vsus learne then to hearken to Gods voyce while it soundeth in our eares, and let vsus beware that wee harden not our heartes, least God sweare in his wrath. For it is saide expresly that God sware. And whie? Because men thinke his threates to be vaine, if hee make them not to perceiue that hee speaketh in good earnest. And of a trueth we see dayly, that when Gods threatnings are vttered vntounto vsus, a great many of vsus do but shake our eares at them, and the number of those that are touched with them, is verie smal. Therefore the othe that GOD sweareth is no more than needeth, euen in respect of the blockishnesse that is in men, forasmuch as they bee so foolish as to make but a mocke of euerie thing that is tolde them. And like as God to helpe the weakenesse of our faith, vseth an othe when hee confirmeth his promises: so on the contrarie part, hee vseth to sweare when hee threatneth to punishe vsus. And why? To the ende that being afraide and abashed at it, wee shoulde come to repentance. For if wee bee not made to stoope that wee may take holde of Gods iustice: our faultes will neuer mislike vsus. Gods iustice then must become as a thunder or lightning, and we must bee abashed before him, that we may no more bee so drunken in our sins as wee were. And therefore whensoeuer Gods threatnings do not dismay vsus sufficiently: let vsus cal to minde the oth that Moses speakes of here, and let vsus assure our selues that it is we whom the same pointeth at, according to that which I hauehave alledged alreadie both out of the Psalme, and out of the record of the Apostle.
And therewithall let vsus also marke well the words that are set downe heere by Moses. None of this cursed and wicked generation (saith hee) shall see the good land that I hauehave promised. Heere GOD maketh a comparison betweene lande and the people. This lande then was a singular gift, in token whereof hee calleth it his rest: meaning thereby that he had chosen that lande to bee as a dwelling place and euerlasting inheritance for the people to rest in vnderunder his protection. For there is no certaintie in this worlde, and if wee bee lodged in any place, wee may bee put out of our nest againe to day or to morrowe. But God tolde them that hee had assigned the lande of Chanaan for an euerlasting possessiō to the children of Abraham, to mainteine them and keepe them safe there, so as no man shoulde trouble them, nor euer driue them out againe. Yee see then that the lande was not a common gift, but a gift that deserued to bee esteemed as most excellent aboue al others. But behold, the people on the otherside, are malicious and froward. Therefore it is all one as if our Lorde shoulde say, I see wel ynough howe the worlde goes, I shall sooner make fire and water to agree, than cause this people to like of my benefits. For in my benefites there is nothing but meere goodnesse, and in this people there is nothing but meere naughtinesse.
Let vsus marke well then, that to inioy Gods benefites, wee must frame our selues to his will and righteousnesse: for our naughtinesse and Gods goodnesse can neuer match together, insomuch that if wee will needes followe our owne nature, God must needes withdrawe his goodnesse away from vsus. True it is that God looketh not for any worthinesse at our hands why hee shoulde doe vsus good: nay rather, hee fighteth dayly against our sinnes, and vseth merciemercy where as hee might lawfully vse rigour against vsus. But yet for all that, if hee see that we continue in our naughtinesse, hee can no longer continue in doing vsus good. Yee see then that the doctrine which we hauehave to gather vppon this consideration: is that there must bee as it were an accorde and melodie betweene God and vsus, and that when hee imparteth his benefites vntounto vsus, we must make such estimation of them, as wee indeuer to serue and honour him for them, and consider that he calleth vsus to him, to plucke vsus backe from our sinnes. If wee doe so, the good that he hath done vsus shalbe confirmed more & more. Otherwise, it must needes bee that our naughtinesse shall cut off the course of his goodnesse. Why so? For (as I hauehave said alreadie) when God offreth men his benefits, & they refuse them of a wilfull frowardnesse: it is as if fire and water should meete together.
But besides this, wee must also marke Gods vpbrayding of the people, with their saying that their yong children shoulde be a pray to their enemies. They (saith he) shall possesse the lande, yea euen to the intent that you may be proued lyers. Heere it behoueth vsus to marke well, that when men will needes doubt of Gods trueth, they must in the ende be founde lyers, and Gods trueth shine forth the brighter to their shame. Nowe hereby wee bee warned to receiue simplie the promises that GOD offereth vsus. And although it seeme at the first blush that they shold neuer be accomplished, & that there be a number of impediments to hinder them: yet must we doe him the honour to beleeue that he is faithfull, and to abide patiently for the conuenient time of his performance of the thing that hee hath said. For if we gaine say his truth, and murmure, and fall to questioning and disputing, with howe can this be? is it possible? God seemeth to mocke vsus: I say, if we go that way to worke: Well may hee performe his promise for all that: but it shalbe to our shame, so as wee shall alwayes bee founde lyers. Wee may well triumph for a time, as we see the vnbeleeuers doe, which malapertly despise God, spewing out their blasphemies against him: but yet in the ende God shall continue faithfull, and his trewnesse shalbe knowen spite of our teeth, and therewithall we shalbee put to shame. And therefore let vsus beware of it, and that wee may beware of it, let vsus marke well howe the Iewes are vpbrayded with it here. Yee hauehave saide that your children shall bee made a pray: but they shall inioy the land, and you shalbe set beside it.
Moreouer the example of Caleb the sonne of Iephone is verie notable, and so is also the example of Iosua the sonne of Nun. These two are reserued of a great multitude. And why? Because they had gone through stoutly. For this recorde is yelded to Caleb, that hee had persisted [or continued] in following the Lorde. Whenas God exempteth here but two men of an infinite multitude: therein wee see howe it is a folly to looke what other men doe. For had Caleb and Iosua done so: what had come of it? They had gone to destruction with the rest. But they suffered not themselues to bee caryed away by that horrible tempest. When they sawe so straunge a turning backe in the whole people: yet did they confirme themselues in the power of God, and although the people woulde hauehave stoned them,Num. … (as is declared in the booke of numbers, and as shalbe touched againe anon): yet did they their duetie. So then, seeing that God alloweth the constancie of Caleb and Iosua, for that they did shut their eyes when they sawe the people so excessiuely set vppon mischiefe, and exhorted them to obey God: let vsus note well that although thinges be out of order in the worlde, and we see stumbling blockes to ouerthrowe vsus, and vices rage like a waterfloud: yet is it no sufficient cause to suffer our selues to bee caryed away, or to make vsus followe the common traine, for it shall not abate our condemnation before God. We may well say, all the worlde doth so: for all the worlde shall perish, and thou with it, which speakest so in contempt of thy God. What a thing is it, that men wil needs abolish Gods iustice, and giuegive no more eare vntounto him when they giuegive themselues to all naughtinesse, but shut him vp in heauen, and suffer him to hauehave no more authoritie heere beneath? Whereto tendeth this? And yet for all that, wee see noweadayes that when the ignorant intende to shrowde themselues, the greatest sheelde that they hauehave is to alledge, Howe so? I see that all the worlde behaue themselues contrariwise. And in the meane season what becomes of God? God must bee faine to bee thrust vnderunder foote, and men must runne leaping and frisking at their pleasure. Yea and euen among our selues, if a man tell one or other of their faults. [their answere is,] I see others are as bad as my selfe. Wee beare our selues on hande, that our condemning of our neighbours will goe for good payment, and that we shal scape Gods hand by that meane. Therefore let vsus thinke continually vponupon the example of Caleb and Iosua. And forasmuch as GOD sheweth that hee made more account of them though they were but two in all, than of all the other howge multitude which were about seuen hundred thousande persons: forasmuch (say I) as we see that God giueth such sentence of them: let vsus learne to submit our selues to him, and to regarde nothing but that which he commaundeth. And though the world runne gadding here and there in the meane while, let vsus followe the way that God hath shewed vsus by his pure word.
Moreouer, let vsus wey this speech where it is saide, that Caleb held out in following the Lorde. For it is not ynough for vsus to beginne well, but wee must also sticke to God through stitch, yea euen without any feining or starting, and without fainting or giuing ouer in the mids of our way. And in good sooth, it is not for nought that this recorde is giuen to Caleb. For (as I hauehave touched heretofore) the people were in such an vprore, as they would hauehave stoned him and Iosua too. Insomuch that if God had not takē them away, and his glorie appeared vppon the tabernacle: they had loste their liues for it. Yet for all this, they ceased not to doe their duetie still, but cryed out against the people and rent their clothes. And after that manner stroue they against those which woulde not inioy Gods blessing. Wee see then how there was a marueilous power in Caleb and in Iosua. And therefore we bee warned by their example, not onelyonly to enter into the way, but also to goe forwarde and forward stil, assuring our selues that we cannot holde out to the ende in seruing God, but by bearing out of many harde brunts and temptations, [and therfore we hauehave neede] to strengthen our heartes in such wise, as nothing may be able to make vsus to fleete. Thus yee see whereto our Lord and his holy spirite exhort vsus.
Where as he praiseth here the constancie of Caleb and Iosua: it is to the end (say I) that their example should serue to our instruction. For although the memoriall of the righteous be blessed before God: yet is it declared for our profite. Therefore let vsus not hauehave such a zeale as shall waxe colde when it commeth to the following of God: but let vsus determine fully with our selues to holde out with it, whatsoeuer the diuell practise, or howsoeuer the world set it selfe against vsus: like as at this day wee see many resistances, and many occasions, …hat might make vsus start away: but yet for all that, we must holde on our iourney, not for two or three dayes onelyonly, but all our life long. Let vsus goe on therefore: and when there is any mention of following God: let vsus marke that it is to confirme the matter better which I hauehave declared alredie: that is to wit, that if we followe men, we shall runne astray. For why? what els are the wais of the world but straiings, so as eueryevery man gaddes in and out, when they once turne their backes vponupon God? What is to bee done then? So long as wee looke vppon men, it will bee vnpossible for vsus to goe right: but wee must followe God.
True it is that when God is so good vntounto vsus, as to giuegive vsus men to accompanie vsus, yea and to goe before vsus and to reach vsus their hande: it is a great helpe,1. Cor. 4.16. & Heb. 13.7. and (as Paul telleth vsus) wee must looke wistly vponupon them: and when we hauehave good seruantes of God which teache vsus and leade vsus with good conscience, we must marke that, and fashion our selues like to them: and in so doing we shall not followe men: for in fashioning our selues like to them that follow God, we hauehave his way for our way. We grounde not our selues one vponupon another, to say, Thus will I doe, for I see most men doe it. No: but forasmuch as God calleth vsus to him, it behoueth vsus to go, Yea though there were no mo but my selfe alone: yet ought I to follow my God. But if furthermore he beare with me so farre, as to giuegive me companie: then must I goe to him with so much the better corage: and whatsoeuer come of it, I must not swarue from his pure worde. Thus yee see why it is saide here, that Caleb the sonne of Iephone followed the way of the Lord, and therefore was exempted from the common condemnation. Yea and it is saide that he followed constantly, that is to say, he continued throughout to the vttermost. And so wee see nowe in effect that all the people were condemned, & that onelyonly two were acquit, because they had giuen glorie vntounto God.
But the circūstance that is added, namely, that God spared not Moses because of the people: increaseth yet more the thing that I hauehave saide. In deede this cannot be dispatched all as nowe: but yet must I ad this point aforehande. For if God spared not Moses, (who notwithstanding had such recorde as wee knowe), but punished him because hee helde not out constantly to the vttermost in resisting the leawdnesse of the people: I pray you what shall become of vsus? Is it likelie that were shall goe scotfree nowadayes, when euerie man suffereth himselfe to be caried away because hee seeth that naughtinesse hath the vpper hande? Then if wee happen to ouershoote our selues so, thinke wee that God will let vsus alone? No no: For if such punishment as we heare of, was extended vponupon Moses: needes must wee feele farre sorer, when we intangle our selues in the common vices, and forsake God to followe the worlde. And let vsus marke well,Num. 14.34. that in swearing that the people should not enter into the lande: he sayth, ye shal recken the yeres according to the nomber of the dayes wherein ye spied out the land. They that were sent to spy out the lande taried forty daies: and so behoued it the people to wander vp and downe by the space of fortie yeares. And so we see that when God hath vsed long patience towardes vsus, he maketh vsus to pay verie deere for our abusing of his goodnesse. Wherefore let vsus not measure Gods punishments after our owne fancie: for they be sorer than our wittes can conceaue. But whensoeuer he threatneth vsus, let vsus tremble at his only speech, and make hast to follow it. And forasmuch as his speech is directed to vsus nowadaies, let vsus not driue off til to morow, but let vsus follow, and let euerie man be going on his way. Againe forasmuch as we be fraile and hauehave a rough and thornie way to goe, yea and there be many stoppes to barre vsus, so as it will seeme that there be great mountaines to make vsus turne backe againe: let vsus pray our God to giuegive vsus strength to go on stil forward. For if he strengthened Caleb and Iosua: let vsus assure our selues he will do the like to vsus. And there withall if we see that the world hinder vsus, and that there is store of stumbling blockes on all sides: let vsus pray God that he suffer vsus not to be corrupted with others, but that we may beare him the honor to stick vntounto him, & to yeld our selues wholly to his word, giuing them leaue to perishe that needes will perish, and in the meane while staying our selues by the promise of saluation which he hath giuen vsus, accordingly also as it is his will that wee shoulde attaine thereto by any such knowledge.
Now let vsus kneel: down in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults, praying him to touch vsus better than we hauehave bin: & that aboue al things we may bethinke vsus of the vnthankefulnesse whereof we be giltie, in that we hauehave not obeyed his word, nor bin so willing to followe the things that he hath declared vntounto vsus as was requisite. And therefore let vsus beseech him, not only to forgiue vsus our faults past, but also to strengthen & gouerne vsus in such wise by his holie spirite, as wee may ouercome al the temptations of Satan, and forsake all the lustes of our owne flesh, to the end we may obey the voyce of our God, and in such sort applie all our senses thereunto, as we may passe through all the distresses of this present world, vntill he hauehave gathered vsus togither into his euerlasting kingdom. That it may please him to graunt this grace, not only to vsus, but also to all people & nations of the earth, &c.