Sermons upon Deuteronomy

And hereunto Moses addeth the cause why the people of Israel might not take any thing from the Moabites.¹ For it is the Lord (sayeth he) that hath given them the land to possess. Yesterday it was declared, that God did cast out his lines over all the world, and that the partitions were made by him: insomuch that Principalities, Kingdoms, & Common weals have not any thing of them selves, but for that he will have the world to be so governed. Therefore when any man goes about to change the borders that God hath set: he doeth as much as he can to violate the order of nature, and the end thereof must needs be cursed. Were this marked throughly, we should not see so many garboils as are in the world. For men think not that they ought to yield any account unto God. And in very deed they think not that God meddleth with the governing of men. When they have gotten any victory, they make bonfires for joy, & they thank God with solemn procession: but it is not for that they think so, or for that they be fully persuaded of it: it is but for vainglory that they do it. For if they meant to show that God was on their side: they should lay down their pride in fathering all things upon their own power, or upon their good fortune. Yet notwithstanding it would be thought a very strange thing now adays, if a man should say to them that take wars in hand, Be well advised: for if your cause be not just, lawful, and allowed of God, so as you have sure and infallible witness that you were enforced to make war, and that God hath reached out his hand unto you and showed you the way: all you furniture must needs turn to your own overthrowing. If a man should say so to them, they would think he did them great wrong: but yet were it for their behoof to mark that lesson well.

And hereunto Moses addeth the cause why the people of Israel might not take any thing frō the Moabites.¹ For it is the Lorde (saieth he) that hath giuen them the land to possesse. Yesterday it was declared, that God did cast out his lynes ouer all the world, and that the partitions were made by him: insomuch that Principalities, Kingdomes, & Common weales haue not any thing of them selues, but for that he will haue the world to bee so gouerned. Therefore when any man goes about to chaunge the borders that God hath set: he doeth as much as he can to violate the order of nature, and the end thereof must needes bee cursed. Were this marked throughly, wee should not see so many garboyles as are in the worlde. For men thinke not that they ought to yeelde any account vnto God. And in very deede they thinke not that God medleth with the gouerning of men. When they haue gotten any victorie, they make bonfires for ioy, & they thanke God with solemne procession: but it is not for that they thinke so, or for that they be fully perswaded of it: it is but for vaineglorie that they do it. For if they meant to shewe that God was on their side: they should lay downe their pride in fathering all things vpon their owne power, or vpon their good fortune. Yet notwithstanding it would bee thought a very straunge thing nowe adayes, if a man shoulde say to them that take warres in hand, Be well aduised: for if your cause be not iust, lawfull, and allowed of God, so as you haue sure and infallible witnesse that you were inforced to make warre, and that God hath reached out his hand vnto you and shewed you the way: all you furniture must needes turne to your owne ouerthrowing. If a man should say so to them, they would thinke he did them great wrong: but yet were it for their behoofe to mark that lesson well.