Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Now it might seem that by this means Satan had made a breach which God foresaw not before it was come to pass, or else that he §20had failed of his promise in maintaining the offspring of Abraham. This (say I) was a great temptation. And therefore not without cause doth Moses prevent it, and give a good remedy to such as could patiently bear the punishments that God sent upon them: and he saith that yet for all that, that tribe should not cease to be beloved of God, and to dwell by him in safety as under his hand. But we must note that this profited not all of them in general. For the tribe §30of Benjamin was great,¹ and we see there went a great army of them to the field: And needs must it be that they were of great force, when all the people of Israel were fain to go to battle to punish the cursed deed which had been committed in murdering the Levites wife,² and the abominable sin of Sodom which had reigned in the City of Gabaa; which had been suffered by all the Beniamits; insomuch that to mans seeming, God was minded to have §40thundered down upon them, to show the like vengeance as he had done afore in Sodom & Gomorrah. It was not therefore for any small number to have done this. And so we have to gather, that when God maketh any promise to a Nation, a great number of them shall not fail to perish; but yet those which call upon his name purely shall be preserved, as it is said in Joel,³ Although there seem to be some waterflood to overflow all; yet will God find incomprehensible §50means to draw his servants out of it, so as they shall not perish with the multitude. And therefore when we have any promise, let us bethink our selves, and receive it with pureness of faith: and then let us not doubt but it shall be performed. But if we think that God should be bound unto us, because we have heard the promise; and in the mean while be disordered and careless of him, so as it may rather seem that we would have nothing at all §60