Sermons upon Deuteronomy

He saith further that God will destroy even the sucking babes, and the old men which are already grey headed, so as he will not spare, neither sex nor age nor any thing else; for he speaketh of young folk and of maids that are to be married. Now (as I said afore) we must not think it strange that God should use such severity: but we must call to mind the unreformable stubbornness which was in the people afore. For we know that Moses wrote this song to show the people their malicious and froward nature, yea and utterly unamendable: in so much that when God had by all means uttered his goodness and mercy towards them, they drew all to the worst, and showed themselves too too unthankful, shrinking continually away from him, and marring themselves with superstition and Idolatry, so as the Prophets straining themselves to the uttermost, could not bring them back again into the right way. Is it then any wonder that GOD after so long waiting should use so great extremity as we see? No. For after that GOD had winked at them, their iniquity came to the full growth, according to the fore alleged text of Genesis which saith,¹ that the wickedness of the Amorites was not yet full grown: but within four hundred years afterward, they should be utterly rooted out. And why was that? For it was too much that those people were hardened already in the time of Abraham. But when as at the end of four hundred years more, they were become yet worse, and ceased not to increase still the great heap of Gods vengeance: was it not meet that he should then make them to pay the whole arrearages (as they say?) And seeing that the children of Israel coming into the same place and having so fair a looking glass before their eyes, in those Nations whom OOD had utterly destroyed; did nevertheless give ⟨p. 1143⟩over themselves to the same superstitions, and thereby defiled the land, which God had appointed to his own service: was it not meet that they also should be made an example to others? Now this ought to serve us. For we be in possession of the inheritance which God promised to the children of Abraham: I mean not the land which they dwelt in, but the inheritance which was betokened by that land as by a gage and figure.

He saith further that God will destroy euen the sucking babes, and the olde men which are alreadie gray headed, so as hee will not spare, neither sex nor age nor anie thing else; for hee speaketh of young folke and of maydes that are to bee maried. Nowe (as I sayde afore) wee must not thinke it straunge that God shoulde vse such seueritie: but wee must call to minde the vnreformable stubbornesse which was in the people afore. For wee knowe that Moses wrate this song to shewe the people their malicious and frowarde nature, yea and vtterlie vnamendable: in so much that when God had by all meanes vttered his goodnesse and mercie towardes them, they drewe all to the worst, and shewed themselues too too vnthankefull, shrinking continually away from him, and marring themselues with superstition and Idolatrie, so as the Prophetes streyning themselues to the vttermost, coulde not bring them backe againe into the right way. Is it then anie woonder that GOD after so long wayting shoulde vse so great extremitie as wee see? No. For after that GOD had winked at them, their iniquitie came to the full growth, according to the fore alledged text of Genesis which saith,