Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Now let us come unto that which Moses addeth concerning Amalec. A man might at first blush, think it an hard case, that it should be lawful for the Jews to revenge themselves upon the Amalekites, and that when they were at rest from their enemies, they should then root them clean out. Remember Amalec also, because he would have cut thee off by the way, and made an assault on thy hindermost people, and sought to make havoc of thee. Forget it not, but pursue it with fire and sword. This is a very severe and sharp condemnation. But we have to note that the Amalekites had provoked the vengeance of God against themselves and were entangled in the condemnation which was already given upon the people of the land of Canaan, as upon the Amorites, the Pheresites and such like. We have before showed that we may not account this sentence of GOD any way cruel, when he ordained that all these people should be rooted out of the world. For he had spared them now by the space of four hundred years and more. And although they had then deserved to have been utterly overwhelmed with destruction;¹ yet was it said that their wickedness was not then come unto full measure. But amended they in all that time wherein GOD waited for their repentance with so great patience? No, but of bad they became worse. And therefore it behooved that clean riddance should be made of them, seeing they were such a stubborn and unamendable people. The like reason was of Amalec also. And hereby we see what it is to be entangled among the wicked, when they are altogether forsaken of GOD. It is all one as if a man would cast himself into the middest of an hot burning fire, where he must needs be consumed with the wood. Let us mark well then that under the example of the Amalekites, GOD hath warned us in this place to take heed, that when we see men given over unto all wickedness and hardened in their sins, we come not near them, nor have any thing to do with them. And why? For it is the next way to bind up our selves in the same bundle with them, and then must we needs perish together. Wherefore let us keep our selves aloof from folk when we see them so perverse, and that they be despisers of GOD, & are become as brutish as beasts in their wickedness.

Nowe let vs come vnto that which Moses addeth concerning Amalec. A man might at first blushe, thinke it an harde case, that it shoulde bee lawfull for the Iewes to reuenge themselues vppon the Amalekites, and that when they were at rest from their enemies, they shoulde then roote them cleane out. Remember Amalec also, because hee woulde haue cutte thee off by the way, and made an assault on thy hindermost people, and sought to make hauocke of thee. Forgette it not, but pursue it with fire and sworde. This is a verie seuere and sharpe condemnation. But wee haue to note that the Amalekites had prouoked the vengeaunce of God against themselues and were intangled in the condemnation which was alreadie giuen vpon the people of the lande of Chanaan, as vppon the Amorites, the Pheresites and such like. Wee haue before shewed that wee may not account this sentence of GOD anie way cruell, when he ordayned that all these people should bee rooted out of the worlde. For hee had spared them nowe by the space of foure hundred yeares and more. And although they had then deserued to haue beene vtterlie ouerwhelmed with destruction;