Sermons upon Deuteronomy

And truly this circumstance deserveth well to be noted. For at the first a man would not say it were Justice and Judgement, to go to put all to the sword. For the very purpose for which it is said that Gad should follow the tribes of Israel, was to go with naked sword, to kill all the males of that Country both great & small. And therefore in that case it might seem there was some cruelty. Yea; but yet for all that, it behooved it to be executed; for it was the just vengeance of God. Four hundred years afore, he might well have rooted out those people, who were so froward, and so excessive in all wickedness, that although God punished them with extreme rigour, yet must it needs be confessed that he had just cause to do it. Yet did he spare them and bear with them. But when their wickedness was once ripe, and come to the full growth;¹ as had been said thereof unto Abraham four hundred years afore: then was it for God to execute his last sentence. And so let us mark, that although the thing which God commandeth us may seem strange unto us, and we may allege some reasons against it and cast doubts of it: yet is it not for us to be wiser than he, or to make any replying to shrink from obeying him: but we must go through with it. For it is a true proof and trial of our subjection, when God commandeth us a thing that may seem scarce good, and yet notwithstanding because he speaketh it, we hold our wits captive, so as we take not leave to say, I am of a contrary opinion, I think it not to be reasonable. Let us not be so presumptuous as to dispute against God, but though a thing seem evil unto us, let us think it good if he allow of it. That is the thing wherein we show that we be rightly obedient unto him in all points. Therefore when we hear Gods Justice & judgement spoken of, though the case concern the utter rooting out of all that ever is to be found in a whole Country, and the putting of all things to the sword without sparing: let us assure ourselves that it is not for men to be judges of good and evil in that case, but that look whatsoever God speaketh, it behooveth them to hold them to it, and to rest wholly thereupon. For sith the tribe of Gad is excused here for not enterprising any thing against God, and commended for doing Justice and Judgement in war:

And truely this circumstance deserueth well to be noted. For at the first a man would not say it were Iustice and Iudgement, to goe to put all to the sworde. For the very purpose for which it is sayde that Gad should followe the tribes of Israell, was to goe with naked sworde, to kill all the males of that Countrey both great & small. And therefore in that case it might seeme there was some crueltie. Yea; but yet for all that, it behooued it to be executed; for it was the iust vengeaunce of God. Fourehundred yeeres afore, he might well haue rooted out those people, who were so frowarde, and so excessiue in all wickednesse, that although God punished them with extreeme rigor, yet must it needes be confessed that he had iust cause to doe it. Yet did he spare them and beare with them. But when their wickednesse was once ripe, and come to the full grouth;