Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Again, when God listeth to execute his rigour: let not us allege his mercy to him. True it is that in resorting unto him we must always beseech §60him to vouchsafe to receive us to mercy, & all our prayers must begin & end with this confession, that if God used not his goodness we should be undone, & there would be no more hope of salvation for us: & therefore it standeth us in hand to flee for refuge to Gods mere mercy. But the thing that I speak of as now, is that we must not reply against God when he listeth to deal rigorously with us: for there is none of us all, but he could find in his heart to make God to stoop to his lure. Let us beware of such presumptuousness, & rather do him the honour to say that his justice is unblameable in all points & all respects. And forasmuch as it is so: we have to note, that whensoever God punisheth the wicked, it is not enough for us to confess that he doth it justly: but also if he command us to execute his judgements, we must do it, & we must shut our eyes at all things. For as for him that will be more pitiful than God: although he be commended of men, & that his doing have some show of virtue: Yet doth he most lewdly blaspheme him which is the fountain of all goodness. The man that pretendeth to be more merciful than God: is worse than the devil. For why? What are we? Let us make comparison between God & us. Behold, God will have us to execute rigour: & we will needs call him back to mercy: now is not that a spiting of him, as though we would spit in his face if we could? Yes: for there is nothing more peculiar to him than his goodness. Let us take away his goodness from him, & he is no longer God. Shall we imagine God to be but some dead thing? Nay, when we speak of God, we must understand that all goodness is in him, & that we have none at all in us, but by small pieces, such as it pleaseth him to bestow upon us. Now then, if a man will needs say, I will use mercy, when God forbiddeth him: what a presumptuousness is it? So then, let us mark well in this text, that it is not enough for us to confess that God doth justly punish whom he listeth, but also that if he list to give us the charge & commission to execute his judgements, we must go through with it without scanning or gainsaying.

Againe, whē God listeth to execute his rigor: let not vs allege his mercie to him. True it is yt in resorting vnto him we must alwayes beseech §60him to voutsafe to receiue vs to mercie, & al our prayers must begin & end wt this confession, yt if God vsed not his goodnesse wee shoulde be vndone, & there would be no more hope of saluation for vs: & therefore it standeth vs in hand to flee for refuge to Gods meere mercie. But the thing yt I speake of as now, is yt we must not reply against God when he listeth to deale rigorously wt vs: for there is none of vs al, but he could finde in his heart to make God to stoope to his lure. Let vs beware of such presumptuousnesse, & rather doe him the honor to say yt his iustice is vnblameable in all points & all respectes. And forasmuch as it is so: we haue to note, yt whensoeuer God punisheth ye wicked, it is not enough for vs to confesse yt he doth it iustly: but also if he commaūd vs to execute his iudgemēts, wee must doe it, & we must shut our eyes at all thinges. For as for him yt will be more pitiful thā God: although he be cōmended of men, & that his doing haue some shewe of vertue: Yet doth he most leawdly blaspheme him which is ye fountaine of all goodnesse. The man yt pretendeth to be more mercifull than God: is worse than the diuell. For why? What are we? Let vs make comparison between God & vs. Behold, God will haue vs to execute rigor: & we will needes call him back to mercie: now is not that a spiting of him, as though wee would spit in his face if we could? Yes: for there is nothing more peculiar to him than his goodnesse. Let vs take away his goodnesse from him, & he is no longer God. Shal we imagine God to be but some dead thing? Nay, when we speake of God, we must vnderstād yt al goodnesse is in him, & that we haue none at al in vs, but by smal peeces, such as it pleaseth him to bestowe vppon vs. Now then, if a man wil needes say, I wil vse mercie, when God forbiddeth him: what a presumptuousnesse is yt? So then, let vs marke well in this text, that it is not enough for vs to confesse that God doth iustly punish whom he listeth, but also yt if he list to giue vs the charge & cōmission to execute his iudgements, we must goe through wt it wtout skanning or gainsaying.