Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Now whereas Moses addeth, As ye tempted him in Masa: It is all one as if he had said, seeing ye have escaped for one brunt, come no more there. For whereas your God showed himself merciful at that time: his meaning was that ye should not understand, that he listed not to be tempted. Wherefore seeing he hath withdrawn his hand from you, let it not be an occasion to deceive you hereafter, that ye should take courage to tempt him any more: for when men provoke him so often, it is not for them to look for mercy and favour at his hand.

Now whereas Moses addeth, As ye tempted him in Masa: It is all one as if he had said, seeing yee haue escaped for one brunt, come no more there. For whereas your God shewed himselfe mercifull at that time: his meaning was that yee shoulde not vnderstande, that hee listed not to be tempted. Wherfore seeing he hath withdrawen his hande from you, let it not be an occasion to deceiue you hereafter, that yee shoulde take courage to tempt him any more: for when men prouoke him so often, it is not for them to looke for mercy and fauour at his hand.

Now we see to what purpose Moses alleged the temptation wherewith the Jews tempted God in Masa. And thereby we be taught, that when we have done any fault, we must bethink us of it, to the intent we may do no more so. And in stead of taking occasion to grudge at GOD through impatience: we must humble our selves the more under his awe. When we have offended him after that sort, and obtained forgiveness: it is to the end we should take the better heed §10all our life after, and that the remembrance of our evil doing should abide printed in our hearts, until we have showed that Gods goodness hath booted us as well as his scourges and corrections. And therefore, to be short, when God chastiseth us, let us beware that we receive instruction by it: and when he forgiveth us, let us look that we take such taste of his goodness, as may inflame our hearts and minds to honour him the more. Whereas the unbelievers do mock §20God when he spareth them, and make no reckoning of it, but bear themselves in hand that they be discharged, if he punish them not out of hand: ye see that the faithful must by all means stir up themselves to fear & honour God so much the more carefully and warily. When he chastiseth the unbelievers, they fret and storm and grind their teeth at him, and their rebelliousness increaseth more and more, even until it come to stark madness. Now then, whereas the unbelievers