Sermons upon Deuteronomy

But now let us come to Moseses chief intent which I have touched afore. I shall not go into this good land, saith he. And therefore I warn ye continue steadfastly in the covenant of God, so as ye never forget it, to worship idols in his stead, but serve him, seeing he hath once chosen you, & vouchsafed to show himself your god & father. Here we see that Moses was not out of hart, though God chastised him roughly. And here we see how the faithful ought to behave themselves. That is to say, if God punish them, yet must they not therefore cease to love him, and to go forward in their course still, yea & to give over themselves wholly unto him. As soon as the wicked feel but one yirk of the rod with Gods hand, and by and by they kick against him, and if they may scape from him, they play the horse that having shaken of the bridle casteth his rider down, & afterwards becoming as if he were mad, he stormeth as though no man were able to lay hold on him, or to restrain him: Even so play the wicked, which can never abide that God should chastise them and tame them, to hold them in obedience to him. If he make them to feel their sins, they burst out into impatience, & thereupon fall by and by to rebellion & fury. But contrariwise, when our Lord visiteth us with afflictions: we know it is not for us to stray far from him, nor to take occasion to scape his hands: but rather to submit our selves quietly to his service, & to keep our selves from these tentations that run oftentimes in our heads. If we fall to scanning, so as we say to our selves, how now? must I for serving of god have so hard & cumbersome a condition? It should seem that he is minded to discourage me: Let us beware of such conceits, & rather follow the example of Moses. He saw himself bereft of the inheritance that had bin promised to the whole people, he saw he had as it were a mark of reproach for ever, as though God had withered him: for whereas God had chosen him to be the leader of his people, & to supply his room in bringing to them that welfare that they had looked for so long time: now towards his death he must be degraded at Gods hand, and be banished from the possession that was as a pledge of the kingdom of heaven. True it is that Moses continued and doth continue still an heir of Gods kingdom: but he had not that earthly pledge of it, that was set before the people.

But now let vs come to Moseses chiefe intent which I haue touched afore. I shall not go into this good land, saith he. And therfore I warne ye continue stedfastly in the couenant of God, so as yee neuer forget it, to worship ydols in his steede, but serue him, seeing he hath once chosen you, & vouchsafed to shewe himselfe your god & father. Here we see yt Moses was not out of hart, though God chastised him roughly. And here we see how the faithful ought to behaue themselues. That is to say, if God punish them, yet must they not therefore cease to loue him, and to go forward in their course still, yea & to giue ouer themselues wholly vnto him. As soone as the wicked feele but one yirke of the rod with Gods hand, and by and by they kicke against him, and if they may scape from him, they play the horse that hauing shaken of the bridle casteth his rider downe, & afterwards becōming as if he were mad, he stormeth as though no mā were able to lay hold on him, or to restrain him: Euen so play the wicked, which can neuer abide yt God shold chastise thē and tame them, to hold thē in obedience to him. If he make thē to feele their sins, they burst out into impatiēcie, & thervpon fal by and by to rebellion & furie. But contrariwise, when our Lord visiteth vs with afflictions: we know it is not for vs to stray far from him, nor to take occasion to scape his hands: but rather to submit our selues quietly to his seruice, & to keepe our selues from these tentations yt run oftētimes in our heads. If we fal to scanning, so as we say to our selues, how now? must I for seruing of god haue so hard & cumbersome a condition? It should seeme yt he is minded to discorage me: Let vs beware of such conceits, & rather follow ye example of Moses. He saw himself bereft of ye inheritance yt had bin promised to ye whole people, he saw he had as it were a marke of reproch for euer, as though God had withered him: for wheras God had chosen him to bee the leader of his people, & to supplie his roome in bringing to thē that welfare that they had loked for so long time: now towards his death he must bee disgraded at Gods hand, and be banished from the possession that was as a pledge of the kingdome of heauen. True it is that Moses continued and doth continue still an heire of Gods kingdome: but he had not that earthly pledge of it, that was set before the people.