Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Yea and it behoveth us to mark how it is said here, that if any wicked men be risen up, and have seduced the inhabitants of a City. For it may seem that this circumstance should somewhat abate the fault, forasmuch as the whole city went not away of their own accord, but were carried away §60by certain wicked persons, as in deed a few such firebrands of hell are enough to set all things out of order. Yea, but yet are not they to be born with, which have given ear to such deceivers; they must be punished for it nevertheless: yea and that not with stripes of rods only, but even with death. And in deed, how trifling an excuse is it for a man to say, I was undermined, I would never have done amiss if I had not bin enticed to it, ye may see what ill counsel is. Yea, but yet notwithstanding thou haddest bin taught by the voice of thy God, thou knewest his will, & wast ascertained of it. Behold, a man whom thou knewest to be wicked came to seduce thee, and thou gavest more credit to his lewdness and to thine own wit, than to the infallible truth of thy God. Thou knowest that thy God speaketh for thy benefit, and thou leavest him, thou givest him deaf ear, thou art loth to give him any hearing, thou refusest all that he telleth thee: and is that to be excused? Nay rather, should we not spit in the faces of such men as will needs make a shield of other mens enticements? Yes: and for that cause doth not God hold a whole City excused, when the people of it have bin deluded by wicked persons. Both great and small (say I) must be punishable: and God is not cruel in punishing them all, as we see he hath ordained here.

Yea and it behoueth vs to marke how it is said heere, that if any wicked men be risen vp, and haue seduced the inhabitants of a Citie. For it may seeme that this circumstance should somewhat abate the fault, forasmuch as the whole citie went not away of their own accord, but were carried away §60by certain wicked persons, as in deed a few such firebrandes of hell are ynough to set all thinges out of order. Yea, but yet are not they to be born with, which haue giuen eare to such deceiuers; they must be punished for it neuerthelesse: yea and yt not with stripes of roddes onely, but euen with death. And in deede, how trifling an excuse is it for a man to say, I was vndermined, I would neuer haue done amisse if I had not bin inticed to it, ye may see what ill counsell is. Yea, but yet notwithstanding thou haddest bin taught by the voyce of thy God, thou knewest his will, & wast ascerteined of it. Beholde, a man whome thou knewest to be wicked came to seduce thee, and thou gauest more credit to his leaudnesse and to thine owne wit, than to ye infallible truth of thy God. Thou knowest yt thy God speaketh for thy benefite, and thou leauest him, thou giuest him deafe eare, thou art loth to giue him any hearing, thou refusest all that he telleth thee: and is that to be excused? Nay rather, shoulde wee not spit in the faces of such men as will needes make a shield of other mens inticementes? Yes: and for that cause doth not God hold a whole Citie excused, when the people of it haue bin deluded by wicked persons. Both great and small (say I) must be punishable: and God is not cruell in punishing them all, as wee see hee hath ordeined heere.