Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Now herewithall he addeth also, that this [was done] after their overcoming of the two kings, Og king of Bashan, and Sehon king of the Amorites or of Hesebon. And this circumstance served to blame the people, if they yielded not themselves obedient unto God. We know that the more §60favour GOD showeth us, the more ought we to be provoked to love and fear him. God hath showed himself beneficial to us: now ought not the same to draw us the more unto him? Yes. For if we bind a mortal man unto us by our well doing: he shall be taken and deemed unthankful, if he acknowledge not the good that we have done him: and how much less are we to be excused, if we do not so to the living God? Then let us bear in mind that Moses maketh express mention here, of the two kings that had bin overcome: to the intent that the people should have considered thus with themselves. Go to, we have had here two excellent victories. Heretofore when we would have attempted it against the forbidding of our GOD: we were stoutly beaten back, there was no strength nor courage in us, our enemies came like Wasps or Hornets to sting out our eyes, according to the similitude which hath bin set down heretofore. But now are two strong and mighty kings overcome, without any cost of ours. So as GOD hath given them into our hands. Who was the cause of these two victories? was it not God, who directed and ruled all? Seeing then that he hath pitied us, and begun to perform the promise which he made to our fathers, and given us so good a handsel of it already: ought we not to endeavour to give our selves in such wise unto him, as we may be wholly at his commandment? Should we not put our selves into his hand, which he hath showed to be so mighty for the love of us? Behold (say I) how Moses meant the things that he rehearseth concerning the discomfiture of Sehon and Og: namely to blame the people for their unthankfulness, if they yielded not themselves quietly to the service of their God, which had bound them so greatly unto him.

Now herewithall hee addeth also, that this [was done] after their ouercomming of the two kinges, Og king of Basan, and Sehon king of the Amorrhites or of Hesebon. And this circumstance serued to blame the people, if they yelded not themselues obedient vnto God. Wee knowe that the more §60fauor GOD sheweth vs, the more ought wee to bee prouoked to loue and feare him. God hath shewed himselfe beneficiall to vs: nowe ought not the same to drawe vs the more vnto him? Yes. For if wee bynde a mortall man vnto vs by our wel doing: he shall bee taken and deemed vnthankefull, if hee acknowledge not the good that wee haue done him: and howe much lesse are we to be excused, if we doe not so to the liuing God? Then let vs beare in minde that Moses maketh expresse mention here, of the two kinges that had bin ouercome: to the intent that the people shoulde haue considered thus with themselues. Goe to, we haue had here two excellent victories. Heretofore when wee woulde haue attempted it against the forbidding of our GOD: wee were stoutely beaten back, there was no strength nor courage in vs, our enemies came lyke Waspes or Hornets to sting out our eyes, according to the similitude which hath bin set downe heeretofore. But now are two strong and mightie kinges ouercome, without any cost of ours. So as GOD hath giuen them into our handes. Who was the cause of these two victories? was it not God, who directed and ruled all? Seeing then that he hath pitied vs, and begonne to performe the promise which he made to our fathers, and giuen vs so good a hansell of it already: ought wee not to indeuer to giue our selues in such wise vnto him, as wee may be wholy at his commaundement? Should wee not put our selues into his hand, which hee hath shewed to be so mightie for the loue of vs? Behold (say I) how Moses meant the thinges that he rehearseth concerning the discomfiture of Sehon and Og: namely to blame the people for their vnthankefulnesse, if they yelded not thēselues quietly to ye seruice of their God, which had bound thē so greatly vnto him.