Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Now he addeth: That albeit they were as many in number as the stars of heaven, God would wast them in such wise as there should but a handful of them remain. Here must we remember that which was spoken of herebefore. For whereas God useth this similitude of the stars of heaven, he hath respect to the promise which he had made to his servant Abraham: namely that his seed should be in number like the stars of heaven. So God spake. But now, to the end that the Jews should not presume to think that God was always bound to multiply them, he saith, No, I will consume you whatsoever come of it, and you shall be but a handful of people. It seemeth at the first sight that here is contrariety. For where as God promised so great a seed unto his servant Abraham, it was not grounded upon the merits of men. And why? For seeing that the promise dependeth upon the free goodness of God, must it not be kept, albeit that men be wicked? Yes in deed. But we have to consider, that God doeth not always accomplish his promises after our fashion, nor according to our carnal capacity: he hath means incredible to us, & which we understand not, until they appear by effect. Whereas he promiseth to multiply his Church, that is to say, to make it to prosper, if he see that under colour thereof the hypocrites take liberty to do evil, he withdraweth his hand. Let us therefore consider well, that forasmuch as the Jews were puffed up with a foolish presumption, and thought it impossible for God to diminish them, seeing he had spoken the word that he would increase them: forasmuch I say as they abused the goodness of GOD and falsified his promise through ⟨p. 1004⟩their hypocrisy, he consumed them and brought them to a small number. Nevertheless, of that small number, there came a great offspring again, yea and so great a one, that men might so much the better perceive his trueth and mercy, howbeit after an other manner. Therefore sayeth he by his Prophet Isaiah in the tenth Chapter:¹ Although you were as the sand of the sea; (for he did always send them back to the promise made to Abraham,)§10 although thy seed (as I said) be as the sand of the sea; yet shall but a small remnant be saved.

Now he addeth: That albeit they were as many in number as the stars of heauen, God would wast them in such wise as there should but a handfull of them remaine. Here must we remember that which was spoken of herebefore. For whereas God vseth this similitude of the starres of heauen, he hath respect to the promise which he had made to his seruant Abraham: namely yt his seede should be in number like the starres of heauen. So God spake. But now, to the end yt the Iewes should not presume to thinke yt God was alwayes bound to multiply them, he sayth, No, I wil consume you whatsoeuer come of it, and you shalbee but a handfull of people. It seemeth at the first sight that here is contrarietie. For where as God promised so great a seed vnto his seruant Abrahā, it was not grounded vpon the mirites of men. And why? For seeing that the promise dependeth vpon the free goodnesse of God, must it not be kept, albeit that men be wicked? Yes in deede. But we haue to consider, that God doeth not alwayes accomplish his promises after our fashion, nor according to our carnall capacitie: he hath means incredible to vs, & which we vnderstand not, vntill they appeare by effect. Whereas he promiseth to multiply his Church, that is to say, to make it to prosper, if he see that vnder colour thereof the hypocrits take libertie to doe euil, he withdraweth his hand. Let vs therefore consider wel, that forasmuch as the Iewes were puft vp wt a foolish presumption, and thought it impossible for God to diminish them, seeing he had spoken the worde that he woulde increase them: forasmuch I say as they abused the goodnes of GOD and falsified his promise through