Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Moses therefore speaketh here expressly of the snares that the Canaanites were fallen into. As if he should say, whatsoever you see in any unbelievers, is all one as if God warned you long aforehand, to beware that ye fall not into the like curse by following their steps; and therefore shun them. For we must understand that as oft as our Lord punisheth those that have offended him, and we know it, and he will have it so; it is all one as if he should make some sign to us, or rather arrest us with his own hand and say, Take heed to your selves, proceed no further, go not on still; for if ye do, ye be undone, ye be forlorn. Seeing that our Lord giveth us such warning, may it not be said that we be worse than mad if we proceed on still? What excuse will there be for us, when God shall have showed us the ditch and bidden us beware that we fall not into it, and yet we be so wilful in wickedness, that he cannot win so much at our hands, as to make us turn back again from it?

Moses therefore speaketh heere expresly of the snares that the Cananites were falne into. As if hee shoulde say, whatsoeuer you see in any vnbeleeuers, is all one as if God warned you long aforehande, to beware that yee fall not into the like curse by following their steps; and therefore shunne them. For wee must vnderstande that as oft as our Lorde punisheth those that haue offended him, and wee knowe it, and hee will haue it so; it is all one as if hee shoulde make some signe to vs, or rather arrest vs with his owne hande and say, Take heede to your selues, proceede no further, goe not on still; for if yee doe, yee bee vndone, yee bee forlorne. Seeing that our Lorde giueth vs such warning, may it not bee saide that wee bee worse than madde if wee proceede on still? What excuse will there bee for vs, when God shal haue shewed vs the ditche and bidden vs beware that wee fall not into it, and yet we bee so wilful in wickednesse, that he cannot winne so much at our handes, as to make vs turne backe againe from it?

Moreover we see by this text, that it is but a simple shift to say, Other men do so as well as I: and yet a great number of silly souls beguile themselves with it even at this day. If a man warn the Papists of their superstitions, to bring them to Gods trueth; O (say they) I am not alone, there be many others in the world. They bear themselves in hand that they may by and by disappoint God, with the multitude of their partakers. But Moses telleth us here, that all shall be tied together in one bundle, and one of them shall not help to acquit another or to diminish another's fault, but that all of them shall be rooted out together, according to this saying of our Lord Jesus Christ,