Sermons on Deuteronomy
5. It is not through thin own righteousness or for the rightness of your heart, that you are come to the possession of their Land. But for the wickedness of those nations, has the Lord your God driven them out before your face: and to perform the word which the Lord your God swear to your fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
6. Know you therefore that it is not for thin own righteousness that the Lord your God has given you this good land to possess: for you are stiff necked people.
We have two extreme vices in us. The one is that God promise us anything, and we find it hard: we be utterly dismayed, and to our see is no way for God to perform the thing that he has spoken: wherein we deface his power, and yield him not his due honor. For as soon as God has said the word: although the thing seem utterly impossible: yet ought we to conclude, that he will find means well enough to bring it to pass. And why? For his power is infinite and ought not to be measured after our imagination. Therefore we must glorify the Lord, saying: Alas my God: indeed I am at my wits end in this case: but I leave that matter in your hand, you cannot work after such a fashion as I cannot now comprehend. But instead of honoring the Lord after that manner, we be full of doubting and unbelief, and fall to scanning whether God will be as good as his word or no. And if any let come in our way, we think we be disappointed of our hope.
Also there is another extremity on the contrary part: which is, that when God has brought things to pass, and matters are dispatched, we father the doing of them upon ourselves, as though God were nobody, and forgetting the perplexity wherein we were before, we besot ourselves with fond over weaning, to set out our own praise.
Thus is God robbed of his honor two ways: and it is our manner of dealing in all cases.
For as I said, if we think the thing to be hard: we persuade ourselves that it shall never come to pass: And when it is done, we deface his working, and endeavor to take the praise of it to ourselves, and we be so unthankful to him, that we would have him plucked out of his seat. For this cause Moses makes such an exhortation here, as wherein he reproves both parts. For on the one side he enter into the land that was promised you. Now I am sure you will be afraid: for you must fight against great and strong Nations, which do far surmount you every way. It may be therefore that you will be dismayed and out of heart, and thereupon turn head, so as you shall be disappointed of the heritage that God has promised you. But pluck you up a good courage in him and assure yourselves that it is through his power that you must conquer the land of Canaan, your God will be your guide: and you must understand that he is devouring fire, to consume all your enemies.
Therefore be not afraid for anything that you shall see, but assure yourselves that the power of God passes all capacity of man. Now then, if you find yourselves abashed: stay, and let God go through with his work, and he will show that he can (without help of man) consume all those against whom he has armed himself in his wrath.
Be mindful therefore of the power of your God, and trust thereunto, and be bold to rest upon it. That is the first point which Moses touches here, and it serves to correct the said distrust with all, namely, that men look no further but whether a thing be easy or not, and thereupon conclude so fondly, that they make not such account of God as they ought to do. Beware (says Moses) that you embrace not the power of your God, through any imagination of unbelief.
And afterward he comes to the second part, and tells them that when God shall have given them the upper hand of their enemies, they must not boast themselves of it, as though it proceeds of their own worthiness, desert, ability, power, or skill. And why? For God (says he) God had tarried patiently for them, to see if there were any amendment and conversion. But when they continued hardhearted still, and that the mischief increased more and more: was it not reason that God should execute his judgment? Yes verily. So then the Jews are warned that they should not be puffed up with any vain self weaning, as though they had been worthy to be placed in the land of Canaan: but rather consider that God executed his vengeance upon those nations for their evil life, and therefore that they which should succeed them, ought to humble themselves the more. And moreover, that if they compared themselves with their enemies, there was no cause why they should think themselves to have the better case, or that they ought to be preferred before them: I say, there was no cause why they should have any such conceit. For Moses tells them, that the covenant which God had made with their fathers, was concluded long before any o them were born: whereupon it follows, that God had no respect to their deserts. I have told you moreover that the same covenant was free bestowed: for it was not grounded upon any service of men, but Gods intent therein was to set forth his own goodness and mercy. You see then that the Israelites are bereft of all power and glory, and that all wordily lustiness is here beaten down, so as only God must be known to be good and righteous, and men are bound to him in all cases, insomuch that they must keep their mouths shut, and not boast of their own power and virtue, as though they were folk of good ability. That in effect is the thing that is treated off in the text which I have rehearsed.
And these two vices which Moses rebukes, reigns not only at some onetime: but they reign still at this day, and we have them rooted in our nature. Therefore let us mark well that this doctrine is directed to us at this day, and that it behooves us to benefit ourselves by it. So then, as touching the first point, let us call to mind the lesson that is showed us by the example of our father Abraham, when it is said, that he believed beyond hope, giving glory to him that had made the promise, in believing him to be able to bring the same to pass. Lo here a general rule for all the faithful: which is, that if they purpose to lean to Gods promises, they must not deem of them after their own wit and imagination: (for what a thing were that?) but they must assure themselves that God has means in his hand, which are unknown to them, and which they conceive not, and that it is enough for them to have his word, which is the infallible truth. This reaches very far: but it shall suffice for this present, to gather a short sum of it. For then God calls us to him, if we consider but what we ourselves are: surely we shall be utterly dismayed. As for example, when God promised issue to Abraham, he was a man already decayed and sore broken, as well with age as with travel that he had endured. His wife also was past the age of childbearing, and moreover she had been barren all the time of her life: it might seem then that God had mocked him in promising him issue. But what? He had not an eye to his own body which was for worn and broken with age, (as says Saint
Paul:) neither had he an eye whether his wife were able to conceive or not: but seeing that God had spoken the word, he rested upon thereupon, assuring himself that forasmuch as God is faithful, he should not be disappointed in trusting to him. And after the same manner must we deal, seeing we have so fair looking glass. For (as I said) if we have an eye to our own frailty: in respect of our bodies we be but carrions and rottenness: and yet does God promise us the glory of his everlasting kingdom. Does the thing seem possible to us?
Yet then we fail of our duty every minute of an hour: and yet does God promise us such strength as shall get the upper hand of the whole world. Let Satan do the worst he can, and let all the powers of hell embattle themselves against us: and yet shall we never be overcome. Where now shall we find this strength? So then it may seem that GOD dallies with us, when he promises us the things which we cannot conceive, nor reach to by our own understanding.
But what? We must mount up higher, and we must submit ourselves to him with such humility and subjection, as to acknowledge that he is able to perform his promise towards us in all things whatsoever he has spoken. And how? We know not that: that passes our capacity: but let us have our eye upon God.
For the chief honor that he requires at our hands, and the very sacrifice that he requires, is that we should acknowledge his word to be the very undoubted truth, notwithstanding that our wit and imagination tell us the clean contrary. And that is the cause why the Prophet Abacus says that he will go up into his tower to keep watch.
When the case concerns faith, we must not stay here beneath upon the earth, neither must we look but before our noses as they say: but we must learn to go up into our tower, that is to say, to discharge ourselves of all worldly encumbrances, and to consider, that if we have not pitched our anchor in heaven as the Apostle says, we shall be tossed with such storms and whirl winds, as will swallow us up.
Look me upon them that sail on the sea. If they spy a storm, they cast. Anchor, for that is their trust. Though there come never so great waves, and although their vessel be weather beaten and driven to and from, yet does their Anchor preserve them. And he uses this similitude, to show us that our anchor hold must reach up to heaven, and that we must conclude boldly, that Gods saying of the word is enough. For he is not variable as mortal men are. Again, he is not lavish in promising fondly, without knowing whether he be able to perform or not. But if he speak a thing and perform it not out of hand: let us assure ourselves that his meaning is to humble us thereby, though we conceive not his dealing. And therefore let us remember at one word, that we must take God for our good and leader all our lifelong. If we be weak, let us lean to his strength. If we have strong and mighty enemies: let us hope that being under the keeping and protection of our God, we shall be preserved from all danger, and our enemies shall not be able to do anything against us.
And now let us apply this doctrine to our own use two manner of ways. For we be assailed on all sides in this world, both in body and in soul. We see what the Church of God is nowadays: we be but a small handful of folk, and our enemies are a huge multitude: they seem able enough to eat us up at one bit: we be like sheep without any strength, and they be like ravening wolves full of cruelty, they have all the might and power of the world on their side. Thus you see in what plight and taking the faithful at this day. Nevertheless since we hear that our Lord broods us under his wings, and will be the preserver of our life, assuring us that he will be both a wall a vampire and dies to us: let us trust thereunto, and not doubt but he will preserve us. Although the world practice what it can against us, yet shall we be always safe, so we flee for refuge to our God, and ground ourselves upon the promise that he has made us, which is, that both our life and our death are precious in his sight. And that is the cause why Moses uses this preface: Hearken of Israel. It is not a needless speech: but forasmuch as we be tempted to unbelief, and cannot hold ourselves to God and stick to his promises, because the cumbrances of this world have gotten the upper hand of us already: therefore does God exhort us to hearken to his world, and he wakens us up, to the end we should not lie still asleep, but understand, that he is able to overcome all the dangers wherewith we be besotted and assailed in this world. Now then, as concerning our worldly enemies, which practice the destruction of our bodies: let us not doubt but God is able to withstand them. Again, there is the devil, there are infinite temptations, and we have war every man within himself, so as sin dwells in us which is the worst and deadliest enemy that we have.
But yet let us not doubt but we shall well enough wade out, seeing it is said that God will be our leader. For although our strength be weak or rather none at all: yet will God reach us his hand, so as we shall be unvanquishable. And when it seems that we should be utterly overthrown: we shall be held up by the power of our God. Therefore let us put our trust in him: let us rest upon his promise: and let us not be afraid that we shall be deceived.
On the contrary part we cannot rust to ourselves (be it never so little): but God will laugh such over weaning to scorn: insomuch that if we put our trust in creatures, we must needs be deceived and beguiled. But if he case concern the yielding of glory to God: let us not be afraid, that our boldness shall turn us to shame, as the Scripture says in a number of places.
And Moses plainly says here, that God will be their leader, yes, and even as a consuming fire to destroy all things that shall be against them. This is not added without cause. For when we be disposed to further our own fearfulness, we exalt the power of our enemies above measure, and of little dwarfs we make Giants. And what will we do then, when our enemies be tall and strong indeed? We will be much more astonished at them. But yet does Moses tell us here, that we must not seed such doubts and distrusts. And for the same cause he uses this similitude, that Gods fighting for us shall not be after the common fashion: but that he will be as a fire to devour all. Albeit then that we have neither sword, spear, gun, nor other artillery: yet let us suffice us to know, that God has means enough to help us withal, which we know not of. And because this cannot be so well expressed as were requisite: he says that if we see a fire, we know it is able to burn up a forest, a city, or a whole country: and therefore we ought not to doubt, but that God is strong enough for our enemies, seeing he is a consuming fire. So likewise, when David intends to comfort himself in the midst of his greatest troubles, so as he seems to be hemmed in on all sides, and ready to be swallowed up into the gulfs of hell, we hear how he often times says that God is a consuming fire, and assures himself that all they which set themselves after that fashion against him, shall be consumed thereof, and that they conspire his death shall be devoured of that fire which consumes all things.
After this manner must we put this saying of Moses in practice. And from hence that David drawn his said doctrine, as from the fountain that served all the other Prophets to gather right comfort of, wherewith to resist and overcome all the troubles that could be fall them: and the same also is the cause why Moses declares that God is a consuming fire to dispatch all the enemies of his people. Also David flees thereunto for refuge, when so ever he sees great armies embattled against him, so as he is as a man past hope [of Victory] and is as good as banished out of his own country, yes and moreover there are so many that practice his destruction, that he is vexed out of all measure. You see then that he is as a wretched man in utter extremity, and as a silly creature past hope of recovery: and yet for all that, he ceases not to make his boast, that he will never be afraid as long as he has God on his side. And after the same manner does Saint Paul conclude: If God be on our side, who shall be against us?
Not that we shall not have store of enemies: but that they shall not be able to prevail against us.
They shall make their triumphs beforehand, but the victory go with us, if we have God for our defense. Now we see the reason of this similitude. In the fourth Chapter of this book Moses used the like saying, but it was to another purpose. For there his meaning was to stir up the people to fear and wariness.
And indeed we have need to know that God is a consuming fire two ways. The one is the same that we have seen in the fourth chapter, which is also alleged by the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrews, who expounded this text faithfully, saying: My friends, it is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God: let us beware how we dally with such a Lord, and let us receive his word with all reverence, or else we shall find therein that God is a fire to consume us. Indeed when God comes to us and calls us to him, he allures us graciously, and he shows us all manner of gentleness and fatherly loving kindness. But yet however he deal, his meaning is not that men should abuse his goodness, as we see these scorners do, of whom there is ever too great store. We see a number of scorners in these days which scoff at Gods word, bearing themselves on hand, that he which reigns in heaven, has no authority over them. They overshoot themselves with desperate malapert, and betray themselves to have no more religion than dogs, and yet they persuade themselves that they may mock with God after that fashion in all matters, and yet notwithstanding that they shall escape unpunished. Now forasmuch as men are so thankless, and do set up their hellish bristles against God to despise his goodness, it is said, that they shall feel him to be a consuming fire. Although he show himself a father, avow us to be as his children, so as he will hold us and nourish us in his lap, of purpose that we should behave ourselves mildly towards him, and yield him his due honor and love: yet if we abuse his gracious favor, so as we yield him no reverence nor subjection: then instead of feeling his fatherly loving kindness, we shall find him a consuming fire to devour us. Thus you see how we must first of all take hold of that which Moses says here, to the intent we may live in awe, fear, and humility, and always hold ourselves under the yoke and obedience of him that has adopted us; and be true children towards him as he is a father towards us.
Albeit let us mark here withal, that he is a consuming fire to devour our enemies. When we see our enemies threaten us, and that they become proud and stately against us, so as it may seem that they should destroy us with their only looks: let us take hold of Gods power to comfort us in all our afflictions, and let us consider that it is enough for us that God is a consuming fire. Thus you see how we must apply this doctrine to double use: first, that it may be as a bridle to hold us in awe and subjection under our God: and secondly that it maybe as a bulwark to outstand all temptations. When we be struck in fear, because we hear that our enemies do practice, all that every they can against us: and that it is in their hand to overthrow us and destroy us: yet let us come still back to this point and say, Well then, and what shall our God do? Think we that he sits idle in heaven? Indeed it may well be that for a time he will suffer us to be vexed, and to have our necks under the sword; and to be as silly sheep led to the slaughter: but yet for all that, our life is precious in his sight, because he has chosen us to be his heritage. And although he suffer us to be troubled for a time: yet in the end he will make us perceive that he was always at hand with us, so as we shall have continual cause to glorify him, especially when we shall see that he shall have overthrown all those which now have their own swings against us, in comparison of whom we be nothing at all. Thus much concerning the saying wherein God is called a consuming fire.
Now Moses comes to the second matter which we have touched, which ought to be well marked: namely, that when God has helped and succored us, and done more for us than we looked for, or than our wit could conceive: we must yield him his deserved glory, so as we be not so with pride and over weaning, to challenge that to ourselves which belongs lonely to God: let us beware of such unthankfulness. Again, let us not imagine that God serves his turn by us, in respect of any worthiness of ours: but let us understand that his choosing of us is only in respect of his own good will. We shall not find any deserving at all in ourselves in this behalf: but it is of his only free mercy, which he will have us to magnify above all things.
True it is, that Moses speaks here of the land of Canaan. But if men cannot deserve anything in this world in respect of transitory things: how shall they deserve everlasting life? If I cannot win a little piece of ground: how shall I win a whole realm? So then, let us mark that of the things that are said here, we must gather a general doctrine, which is, that if the children of Israel were put in possession of the land that had been promised them, not for their own righteousness sake, but through Gods free goodness: it is much more reason that when we speak of the heavenly life, and of the inheritance of the heavenly glory, we should not dream upon any power of our own, but acknowledge that God has uttered his righteousness and showed his goodness in his vouchsafing to choose us. And let us mark well the arguments and reasons which Moses alleges here, to pull down all pride withal, that men might not take occasion to vaunt themselves.
God (says he) has driven out these people before you. That is one point. So then, will we be rid of all vainglory? Let us behold ourselves advisedly in those whom God punishes, and against whom he uses his extreme rigor. Are we any better than they? Indeed a number of us can well flatter ourselves: but yet we reckon without our host, we come all of Adams corrupt race, we be all forlorn and damned by nature. What is to be done then? Surely if we consider well what we be: it will suffice to beat down all our presumption. It is said in the proverb, that he which knows himself best, sets least by himself: but it is ill put in use. And we must not say, he sets little by himself: but we must pass yet farther: namely, that he which knows himself well, may set nothing at all by himself, but rather utterly abase himself, and be utterly ashamed of himself. And here you see what the true knowledge of a mans self is. Humility or loveliness is not a counterfeiting to do little before God, or to use some nice ceremonies: but a through examining and sifting of a mans self, so as he acknowledge that there is neither wisdom, power, righteousness, nor ought else in him, whereof he may boast: but rather consider on the contrary part, that we be full of vanity, leasing, and unfaithfulness, that we be unruly and rebellious against God, that we be fraught full of wicked lusts, that there is a sea of all naughtiness in us, and that the fairest show of virtue which we have, is but filth and dung before God. Lo how the Scripture speaks of us: lo how it blazes our arms. Now therefore, when men have well considered themselves: they must make this comparison. Alas, I see Gods wrath lie upon such a man or such a woman, yes and upon such great and excellent nations. We see a great number nowadays which are far off from the light of life, whereas in the meanwhile the Gospel is preached to us, and the way into Gods kingdom is set upon to us.
And yet for all this, are we better worthy of it than they? Wherein?
Let us look a little upon our own deserving, and let us allege all that is possible to be devised. Why then does God prefer us before them?
Because it pleases him so to do. So then, look how many wretched castaways we see straying away from God, and look how many silly souls we see punished at Gods hand: and let them all be as looking glasses for us to behold ourselves in, and to make us conclude, that if God lifted to show himself a judge in handling us after our deserts, we should be no more spared than they be, and that our standing is through his free goodness, inasmuch as he bears with us, and vouchsafes to show himself favorable. Lo what light we ought to take at Gods mercy towards us, when we see his vengeance upon the unbelievers and rebels, accordingly also as Saint Paul tells us in the Epistle to the Romans, that we should be utterly damned with the wicked, if God spared us not of his own free goodness. And that is said to us to the intent we should not take any fond conceit in ourselves, that might puff us up and make us drunken. For if we give not God the glory, acknowledging his goodness to be the thing that we rest upon: surely he must need make us feel to our cost, that we be nor worthy to find such mercy and favor at his hand. Thus you see why Moses told the Jews, that the Canaanites and their neighbors should be destroyed at Gods hand for their sins sake. Well then, the Jews might have replied at the first blush, If God punish them because of their sins: his putting of us in their place, is a token that he finds us to be better and right over than them. It is not so. For Moses declares, that Gods choosing of the Jews (as shall be showed more fully hereafter) was not for that they were worthier: for they were much more incorrigible than those nations: and yet did God choose them. Now then, let us learn to profit ourselves by all the chastisements which we see, and which God shows us in this world.
And forasmuch as the blows light not upon ourselves, let us not forbear to come to his school and to humble ourselves to him. For we have deserved to be touched as roughly by God, as they have done which are damned. But what? As I said before, he bears with us. That is the first argument.
The second is this: When the Lord shall have driven out the people before you. Here Moses cuts off all the fond braggers wherewith men deceive themselves. As how? IF we had not played the tall fellows in fighting manfully against our enemies, what had become of us? We had strong enemies, they were mighty and puissant, they had huge fortresses and munitions, they were tall of stature like Giants, and we were but dwarfs in comparison of them: and therefore it stood us on band to pluck up a stout courage. Moses wipes away all this, saying: You silly souls, it is your God that fought for you, it was not yourselves.
So then, let us learn that although God use our service, and we seem to do somewhat: yet the work is not ours, it is always his that works it by us, and which breaths his secret power into us. We have nothing of our own, whereof we may boast, but God must always be acknowledged to be the author of his own. This is the second reason which Moses alleges here, to teach the people that they should not be proud, nor believe marvelously of their own power, so as they should say, I have done this or that, I have brought this or that to pass. No (says he) you God is he that drives out nations, and roots them out.
Now if this were said of temporal enemies: what is to be said of Satan, and of the enemies of our souls? Are we able to overcome them? Will the bringing of our own free will, our merits, and our good works be able to overcome the devil, the world, death itself, and hell? No, but the blind wretches are well paid that they may be deceived in bearing themselves in hand that they can do much, and that they be very able folk. Yet notwithstanding, they be disgraced here by the holy Ghost, and it is told us that nothing we be, nor nothing can do of ourselves: but that all that good which we do comes of God, and it is he that does it in us. For if a man cannot stir one finger towards the saving of this transitory life: can he save his soul to the kingdom of heaven? If a man cannot do anything against his adversary which is a mortal and frail creature as well as himself: how shall he overcome the world, and all the devils in hell? So then, let us learn to deceive ourselves no more with these fond imaginations, in thinking ourselves to have free will to do this and that: but let us know that if God reach us his hand, then shall we be able to stand through him and not through ourselves. Saint Paul glorifies sufficiently: but how is that? I can do all things (says he) through Jesus Christ which strengthens me. He says he can do all things: and by that mean he defies the devil, (which manner of boldness we see he uses chiefly in the Epistle to the Philippians:) but yet he reserves nothing to himself. He says that he is strengthened by Jesus Christ. Then if we be strengthened from above: we shall get the upper hand: But yet (as I said) we must always acknowledge how it is God that strengthened us, and that it is in him and by him that we stand out and get the victory.
The third reason that Moses alleges is this: that God in setting his people in possessions of the promised land, had an eye to the promise which he had made and sworn to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Hereby the Jews are put in mind, that God chose them not as more worthy, more noble, and more excellent than other men, as has been showed already: but because he had made promise to their forefathers. But now let us see what cause moved and led God to give this land to Abraham and to his feed. If he had had an eye to mans worthiness: Abraham deserved much more than any other, to have been set in possession of that land. And yet contrariwise, his dwelling there was but as a stranger, he was driven out of it, and he was so far off from having of it at his commandment, that he was kept even from water, not only when we would have borrowed it at other mens pities, but also when he had dug pits by his own labor: both he and his successors were driven from them. Lo how the holy Patriarchs were tossed to and fro, and how men mocked them and did them many outrages and wrongs, and of all that while they had not one foot of ground more than a burying place. Insomuch that at length, Jacob was driven to pay for the ground where he lodged and pitched his tents: and finally constrained and go into the land of Egypt, by reason of dearth which drove him out of the land of Canaan. Now seeing that the holy fathers were not put in possession of it during their lives: shall we say that their posterity were worthier that they?
No: it follows then that Gods covenant was merely of free gift, and that he had no respect to any deserts of men. And why? Because he loved that people. We must not ask whether he found any virtue in them or not: but it must suffice us that he lifted to magnify his mercy. As if he should say, I seek no cause in men to do them good.
But I find it in myself. For of men that are worthy to be utterly rejected, I choose out some and take them to be my children, to the intent they should give me all the praise thereof. That is the thing which Moses had an eye to, in alleging the covenant which God had made with their fathers. Now we know (as I said before) that this covenant was made before these people were born. They could not say that God regarded what they were, as some fantastical persons do, which say that God foresaw what men would be. If he do but foresee: surely he shall find us all devils, that is to say unhappy and cursed creatures, full of all wickedness, and such as have nothing but utter abomination in us. Those are the things that God shall find in us, if he do but foresee. Nor, if he will have us good: he himself must frame us thereto: for we be his workmanship as says Saint Paul in the second to the Ephesians. And the same is also expressed plainly in the fourscore and fifteenth Psalm, where it is said that it is he that made us. And David in that place speaks not of Gods first creating of us, when we were set into the world as his creatures: but he means it of his reforming of us by his grace. Now then, if God did but foresee things: then saw he nothing in us but utter rebellion and wickedness.
To be short we be damnable in all respects, and heirs of endless death. And therefore if he chose us before we had done either good or evil: it was to magnify his own grace, as Saint Paul declares in the ninth to the Romans. And so you may see what Moses tell us here.
But now must we come back again to the said comparison that I touched before: which is, that if God would have the said covenant which he made concerning the land of Canaan and temporal succession, to be known to be of his free goodness: it is much more reason, that when he calls us to be heirs of his kingdom, and shows himself to be our God and Savior, his goodness should have the highest degree, and all respects of deserving be laid always, so as men should not imagine themselves to have I know not what power of their own to prevent Gods goodness. Then let us mark well, that Gods calling of us, and his vouchsafing to enlighten us in the belief of his Gospel: is because he had chosen us, not only from our mothers wombs, but also before the world was created, yes, and because it pleased him to have us and to take us for his own, even before all eternity. And so we have no cause to allege anything at all in our own behalf, but rather to be ashamed of ourselves, that God may only be exalted, and have all praise given to him. Furthermore let us consider well, that we know not why God has preferred us before others: for it is only he that puts a difference betwixt us, as says Saint Paul to the Corinthians. Who is he (says Paul) that makes you to excel? And indeed God shows us matter enough why he should altogether cast us down, insomuch that when the faithful have thoroughly examined what is in themselves: they see nothing there but utter wretchedness, and those are that they know themselves best. What is the cause that a number become so proud? It is for that they keep aloof from God, and are so full of hypocrisy that they take vice to be virtue, and (which worse is) due sooth themselves in their vices, filth, and wretchedness. But the faithful being well wakened, do consider what Gods justice is. After they have well examined themselves, they have an eye to their faults, and without flattering of themselves, they take
Gods word to them to discover all the naughtiness in them, whereby they know how to condemn themselves in good earnest, and they hinder not themselves through any hypocrisy. Therefore when God comes to faithful, they acknowledge their own misdeeds and hate them in their hearts. And when God has reformed them, so as they feel that he has wrought in them by his holy Ghost: they father all upon his free goodness, knowing well that there is nothing in them worthy to be made account of.
And let us mark here withal, that since our Lord vouchsafed to keep the covenant which he swear to the holy Patriarchs: we need not to doubt but that he will keep and perform the promise at this day, whereby he has willingly bound himself to us. The word swear is set down, because God considering mens frailty, thinks is not enough to make them a single promise, as I have told you heretofore: but also has vouchsafed to swear, that they might have the better warrant to rest upon him and upon his saying. Indeed God ought to be heard and obeyed, though he give but his bare word: but yet he condescends to our infirmity, and so has he vouchsafed to do even from the beginning, so as he has not thought it enough to give us his bare word, but he has also warranted it with a solemn oath.
Wherefore, if in these days there rise any doubt concerning our salvation, yes, or but even concerning this transitory life: if we doubt what shall become of us: let us have an eye to his promises, assuring ourselves that they be warranted to the uttermost, to the intent we should have no cause to cast any doubt of them at all. Behold our God swears, and yet we charge him with unfaithfulness: yes, and we accuse him, not only of untruth, but also of treachery, yes, and even of purvey: and what a devilish blasphemy is that? So then, let us learn to stick to the promises that are so well warranted to us, unless we will be blamed for blaspheming God after that fashion.
And let us mark moreover, that if he have kept the promise which he made to Abraham, who was but a poor mortal man, and confirmed the same to Isaac and Jacob, who were but weak creatures though they had received never so excellent gifts of grace: we may much better trust that he will not fail us in the covenant which he has made with us, by the hand of our Lord Jesus Christ the king of glory and head of Angels, which is the fountain of all righteousness and holiness.
So then, we see how this doctrine belongs to us, at least wise, if we stop not our ears, and for sake not the things that are offered us through the great bountifulness of our God, as we see the most part of the world does nowadays, seeking altogether to blind their own eyes, that they might not know any whit at all of the things that are told them to the Gospel, let him show them the way of salvation, and they know not what it means, they take no taste of it. And why?
Because some of them be traitors and hypocrites, some be open despisers of Gods majesty, and other some be so fore-possessed of their own wicked affections, as they will not give any ear to God, no suffer him to have any entrance into them. But as for us, let us look that we submit ourselves willingly to his saying, and receive his word with awe and reverence, and be ready to fight under the Ensign of our Captain Jesus Christ, in resisting all the temptation of this world stoutly, and I ridding away of all our wicked lusts.
And in so doing, let us not doubt but that as GOD adopted us before we were born, and chose us of his own mercy, and has called us to his Gospel, and receives us presently into this possession: so in the end he will bring us to his everlasting inheritance, to enjoy the endless glory which he has promised us.
Now let us kneel down in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults, praying him to vouchsafe so to clean us of them, as we may be led to true repentance, and learn to dislike more of ourselves than we have done, that we may hate the sins whereby we provoke him to displeasure, and he so arm us with his strength as we quail not: and again that forasmuch as this life is a continual battle, we may not be slothful nor fall asleep, but every man endeavor to make the strength of the holy Ghost available to him, so as it may make us to get the upper hand of all our ghostly enemies, even until GOD have taken us hence into his rest. That it may please him to grant this grace not only to us but also to all people and nations of the earth, & c.