The 159th. Sermon, which is the seventh upon the twenty-eighth Chapter

The 159th. Sermon,

which is the seventh upon the twenty-eighth Chapter.

36 The Lord will carry thee and thy king which thou shalt have set over thee, to a people which thou hast not known, neither thou nor thy fathers: and there shalt thou serve other gods, of wood and of stone.

37 And there shalt thou be a gazing stock, a scoffing stock, and a byword to all people, to whom the Lord shall bring thee.

38 Thou shalt lay much seed in the ground, and shalt gather little: for the grasshoppers shall devour it.

39 Thou shalt plant a vineyard and dress it: but thou shalt not drink the wine of it, nor gather any fruit of it: for the worms shall eat it.

40 Thou shalt have Olive trees in all thy coasts, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with the oil of it: for all thine Olives shall be shaken off.

41 Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but not for thyself: for they shall go into Captivity.

42 The worm shall destroy all thy trees, and the fruit of thy land.

43 The stranger which dwelleth with thee, shall rise above thee very high: and thou shalt stoop under him very low.

44 He shall lend unto thee, and not thou unto him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail.

45 And all these curses shall come upon thee and follow thee and take hold of thee, until thou be utterly rooted out, because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the Lord thy God, by keeping his commandments and ordinances which he hath commanded thee.

WE know when the people of Israel chose themselves a king, with what affection they were led; even of pride, for that they would not be inferiors to their neighbours. Moreover, they thought to be very sure, by having a head over them, that should have the whole authority. And so you see that the children of Abraham could not content themselves with their liberty, but desired to have a king. Because they saw the Egyptians, the Syrians, the Moabites, yea and the Tyrians, and other like people to have kings: they bore themselves in hand, that if they also might have a head, all would go well with them. Now like as pride and ambition was the cause that they chose a king in Israel: even so became they hard-hearted thereupon, supposing themselves to be out of all perils, by having such a defense: by means whereof we see that they despised the prophets, under pretense that they thought themselves well fenced.

The spirit of God foreseeing this (albeit that it was not yet come to pass) said in this Text, That the king which they shall appoint should be led captive into a strange country: As if God should have said that they might well seek starting holes to save themselves: but they should stand them in no stead at all against his hand. This is the thing that we touched yesterday; namely, that when God is our adversary, we may not think to maintain ourselves against him by the means of creatures, knowing that he will surely apply them to our destruction. Therefore let none of us deceive himself, neither let us make our defense of that which is nothing but smoke and leasing. It is true that the king which was first chosen by the people of Israel, namely King Saul, was not brought to captivity: however, that he died in battle: but the successors of David were handled cruelly and with great reproach, notwithstanding that God had ordained them, yea and that they were a figure and Image of our Lord Jesus Christ. And it is a horrible thing, that the kingdom which God had dedicated unto himself, (as witnessed the anointing) should be laid forth to such a reproach. You see how the successors of David which had received the promise that their seat should be everlasting, and in the meanwhile were as the figures of our Lord Jesus Christ: were handled in such a sort that they were led prisoners in chains, were arraigned as offenders, had their eyes put out, had their children's throats cut in their own presence, were cast into a deep dungeon, there to rot or to be eaten to death with vermin: and that, as you see is a very strange matter. But the vengeance of God was to extend so far even of necessity, because of the frowardness of the people, whereof was none other remedy. And the more that God had suffered them and patiently waited for them, the more were they to be brought to the extremity of all confusion, for despising so great goodness, and for being so froward and hard-hearted against it. Now we may hereby gather a good warning, to wit, that (as was declared yesterday) albeit that according to the world, we seem to stand in no peril: yet does it behoove us to seek to have God's favor: for if he be not on our side, and we under his safeguard, cursed are all the helps which we suppose to have of creatures; for they serve rather to overthrow us. And therefore let us take heed that we put not our confidence in the greatness of Princes, or in any other defenses; for we see how they be but means to blind such as might else turn to God, and obtain forgiveness of him: and that in the end it shall overthrow them utterly. Let us then be better advised, and though we seem to be never so well guarded to the world: yet let not that be a let to us to walk always in the fear of God, knowing that all the favor which we are able to purchase in the world is nothing at all; and that if God does but blow upon it all vanishes away in the minute of an hour. That is the thing which we have to mark upon this text.

Now it is said expressly, That as well the king as the subjects shall serve strange Gods yea even of stone and of wood, that is to say, puppets and Idols. No doubt but that God by these words meant to utter how dreadful punishment was to come upon the Jews. For albeit that the nourishment that God gives us, and in like wise, all the Testimonies of his fatherly love and goodness appertaining to this transitory life, are to be highly esteemed: yet the most singular benefit that we receive as long as we live in the world, is that we have Religion well ordered, that his service be pure amongst us, that we call upon him, and that it be lawful for us to claim him as our GOD, and that we be not betrayed and defiled with superstition and Idolatry. That (say I) is the principal good thing whereunto the faithful should aspire: and we be very blocks and beasts, if we prefer not the same before all manner of riches and pleasures, and before all our ease and commodities. Now then on the contrary part, the plague which ought to be most dreadful to us, and the horriblest calamity that can fall upon us, is to be deprived of God's service, and to have our mouth shut, so as we can not call upon him: and not only that, but also through Tyranny to be compelled to honor Idols, and to defile ourselves with their abominations, and to pervert that which GOD has ordained for the magnifying of his name amongst us. When things be thus confounded, let us understand that GOD is departed from us, and declares himself to be our mortal enemy, and has quite forsaken and refused us, and is loath that we should thenceforth have any token or inkling at all, either of his presence or of his favor. And so, whereas Moses says in this Text, That the Jews shall serve strange Gods, he means to threaten them more dreadfully than before. As if he should say; Right grievous will it be unto you when you shall be famished and want bread to eat, and water to drink, when your enemies shall rob you of all your substance, and make havoc of all your possessions, when you shall pine away in grief and sorrow, without any mean to help you: surely these will be very hard things for you, specially when you can obtain no favor of your enemies, who shall be as wild beasts against you: but yet is all this nothing in comparison of the other curse, that whereas in stead of honoring the living GOD, and of confessing that he has chosen you to be his people, (which is an immeasurable blessing) in stead of such things I say, you should serve Idols, and be conversant amongst the superstitions of the Pagans, and have no more prayers neither Psalms nor Sacrifices, but be dispersed and forlorn.

Now seeing that we perceive the natural sense of Moses, let us understand that amongst all the blessings of GOD which we enjoy in this present life, this ought to be preferred above all the rest: namely, to have liberty to serve our GOD, and to make confession of our faith, and to declare that we are his people, of his Church and of his flock. Truly it is slenderly known: howbeit, it is not in vain that we be admonished thereof. Seeing then, that it has been the will of God to plant his Church amongst us, and that we should have his word and his sacraments, by which he declares that he dwells amongst us: let us accept such a blessing according as it is worthy. It will serve us to a double use. First of all, when we fare the better by the doctrine that is preached unto us every day, such a treasure perishes not but through our own unthankfulness: as we see that many folk think it enough to be at sermons, and it seems unto them, that God has his due, so they have used some ceremony. But in the meantime the seed of life does perish without yielding any fruit. To the end therefore that we may apply the blessing that GOD bestows on us, to this use: when as we have liberty to hear his doctrine, and to be trained therein, and have the Sacraments for an establishment of our faith, and may declare that it is the living God whom we worship and that he governs us: I say, let the same profit us: and so will it, if we acknowledge that our Lord cannot bestow on us any greater blessing than that is. And in the meantime we will take it patiently if other things do fail us: as where many want their commodities, let them not be grieved at the children of this world, which have their delights, and do triumph, weltering themselves in their earthly pleasures, if the children of God have not the same, let them know that they enjoy a thing which recompenses double, yea an hundredfold: that is, that they can serve God. For to what purpose is it, that these wretched people which dwell in papistry may lie slumbering in their nests, and in the meantime be banished from the kingdom of GOD, and that Christ Jesus himself and his word be banished from the country wherein they dwell? What avails it, that they be served in their houses, and in the meantime be not suffered to serve GOD? What avails it, that they have whereof to eat and drink till they burst, and in the meantime be starved for want of ghostly food? What avails it, that they be in honor and credit, and in the meantime be constrained to defile themselves with these treacherous dealings whereby GOD is despised, and his honor spoiled, and conveyed over to Idols, and they be guilty thereof? Alas: is not this a cursed state? Let us therefore take it patiently, albeit that we be had in contempt toward the worldward, and counted as underlings and castaways, not having our ease, nor that which our flesh desires: seeing that GOD gives us this special liberty, that we may purely worship him and serve him, and be delivered from this cursed servitude of Idols; let us be contented, and esteem this said benefit, according as it is worthy, so as we be not grieved toward them that enjoy the goods of this world, and in the meantime are destitute of the grace of God, which remains amongst us.

Besides this, here is a warning that seeing God has put us in possession and fruition of this liberty, we must take good heed that we are not deprived thereof through our own lewdness: for this threatening which was made to the Jews, is likewise directed unto us. Let us understand therefore, that seeing we have the Gospel preached unto us, if it prevail not with us, God must deliver us into the hands of other teachers when we shall have refused to obey him. And in very deed, we may not think that the horrible confusion which is in the Papadome, befalls for any other cause, than that whereas they have been taught the pure doctrine of the Gospel, yet they have been rebels to God, and have not bound their necks to bear his yoke; and therefore GOD could not otherwise do, than deliver them over to such tyranny as we see. And truly the same was told them beforehand by Saint Paul: "It is good reason (saith he) that the world, seeing that it will not believe the truth, should obey lies: and that they which would not be subject to the living God, should be obedient to the creature, even to the Idols, which be nothing." Beholding therefore the examples before our eyes, and hearing the threatening as it yet here: let us learn, while GOD does keep us in his school, so to walk in his fear, and awe, as we may not be bereft of the welfare which we now enjoy; but that God may rather augment it, and cause it to prevail. Moreover, let us mark that they who do serve Idols, shall not be excused therefore, although the same be a punishment of God. We know that one sin is punished by another, according as it is spoken in diverse Texts of scripture: and as we see it specially avowed in the first Chapter to the Romans, "That they which served not God in giving themselves wholly to cleanness of life, shall be shaken off and given over to all manner of shameful lusts, and have no more understanding to discern between evil and good, than brute beasts, but shall run into all manner of infamy." Hereby Saint Paul does very well declare that when GOD gives us head to be plunged in the depth of our iniquities, it is for that we should be the more guilty before him. They therefore which worship Idols, notwithstanding that they are compelled thereto, and do sigh and would fain be at liberty: yet cease they not to offend God: and thereby they should understand the better, how heinous their sins be, seeing that they must receive such correction for them. As how? Whereas I should glorify my God, I must offend him, he is fain to cast me off, because I am not worthy to serve him, and he must deprive me of the liberty and mean to dedicate myself wholly to his obedience. Let all them therefore that be in the captivity of Popery and mingled amongst the superstitious, understand that the vengeance of GOD lies upon them, and that they shall be more and more guilty for their serving of Idols. It is a poor reply for them to say, we do it not willingly, we wish that it might please God that the right and pure Religion were over all: but for all this, our Lord does not exempt them from condemnation. And he is the competent Judge. Let us therefore rest upon his word: and seek no more starting holes, but let them that endure such a state, understand that it is now time or never, to turn to God, forasmuch as they be as good as drowned therein, and have a token of his wrath against them, in that he is gone far away from them. Therefore let them think thereupon, and be moved therewith to the quick: according as the meaning of GOD is in this Text, and as we have touched it heretofore.

Now Moses says: That this people shall be a gazing stock, and an example, and a byword, and a scoffing stock unto the nations, among whom they shall be dispersed. Here our Lord shows that as his goodness should be known in the people of Israel, and every man should rejoice in the seed of Abraham, so should the very same people be abhorred and detested. The promise was thus: "All Nations shall be blessed in thy seed." The truth is that we must resort to our Lord Jesus Christ, which is the very bond of the seed of Abraham; or else this blessing has no place, nor ground to stand upon. Yet notwithstanding, they which were descended of the race of Abraham, should have been blessed of God, so as they might have been an example, that every one desiring grace might have said, O God take pity upon me, as upon the children of Abraham, whom he has chosen and adopted. Such was the promise. See here the threatening that was laid against it, that seeing God did smite so rigorously upon the people whom he had chosen, men might be astonished at it and think thus with themselves: Is it possible that they whom God has chosen, should now be cast off, and be persecuted and thrown underfoot with all manner of reproach? And hereupon men may say: O God keep me that I fall not to such case as this people is in, or else when they intend to curse, they might say, GOD do unto thee as he has done to these vile Jews. This much is to be understood of this place.

Now let us mark that whereas the holy ghost spoke thus by the mouth of Moses, it was not his meaning that this doctrine should serve only for two thousand years or thereabouts, which time the law lasted until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: but that we at this day must apply the same to our own use: that insomuch as God is come nigh us, we must walk in his fear in despite of Satan, so as his goodness may shine in us, and be perceived to remain upon us: and contrariwise that when we be unthankful, and our God is as it were mocked of us, it behooves us then to think thus: Well may we shrink back, but we shall gain nothing by all our shifts: for in the end we shall not fail to come to shame. Verily we see how it is said that the name of God shall be blasphemed among the misbelievers, because that they which were counted faithful before, be so cast down, as GOD may seem to have falsified his promise and to have deluded them, so far forth must the vengeance of GOD extend. Now seeing it is so, let us learn to submit ourselves to our Lord while he allures us unto him with gentleness, and so to hold us under his obedience, as we may not become a byword and a jesting stock to all the wicked, which seek nothing but to blaspheme GOD and to make a mock of us. Let us (I say) look well to that.

Moreover, where Moses says, That GOD will thus disperse his people: it serves still to confirm his matter, to the end that the Jews, should not think that they were carried away by a storm, as it were by haphazard; but that they should understand that it is the hand of GOD that is upon them: and that for as much as this threatening prevailed not with them, therefore the thing that is happened unto them should stand us in some stead. For look what vengeance we hear GOD speak of in this place; the same we see executed before our eyes. Is it not a horrible thing that the Jews be abhorred at this day throughout the whole world? Yet were they the people whom GOD had sanctified for himself, they were his heritage, they were the royal priesthood, according as they be termed in Exodus, and they were the blessed Generation, and yet for all this, they be rejected of all men, insomuch that men do as it were shudder to behold them as though they ought to be cut off from mankind. If it be said, O this may very well happen to the faithful, and the like befell even to the holy Patriarchs; it did so indeed, howbeit after another sort. For the faithful may well be put in fear, according as it is said in the prophet Isaiah, that folk shall point at them with the finger, and shun them afar off: and that is because GOD is not known, and his grace is despised. But whereas we speak of the Jews at this day, it is very well seen that God is against them: for they be as rotten members, and their body is torn in pieces, and there remains not any token of this blessing which God had bestowed on them. Therefore when we behold such a looking glass, let us learn to make our commodity thereof, and let the example of them serve to seal this doctrine and to ratify it, that we tempt not GOD, and that we continue not hardhearted so long till he be fain to wrap us up in reproach with all the rest of the nations of the world. After this, Moses returns to that which he had touched afore: which is, That the people having tilled their grounds and their possessions, shall not drink of the wine of their grapes, nor eat of the corn of their harvest, nor enjoy the fruits of their trees. This has been spoken afore: but there is here a certain difference to be noted. For therefore God had showed, that when the Jews had labored for corn and wine, the enemies should come and take all away, and that all the same should be made a prey: but now he says, that without any force of man, and without any troubles of war, they should nevertheless not fail to be famished, and to be destitute of all things that might do them good. Why so? Because that worms, beasts, Caterpillars, locusts, and all other things shall eat up the fruit of the earth. Lo what armies God stirs up against the wretched. Again, on the other side, there shall come blasting and singeing, so that all must needs perish: albeit that men touch not the Jews, but let them alone in rest, yet shall they understand that GOD has other means to punish them, and that he is always armed infinite ways. That is the thing which GOD meant to declare. And therefore let us take warning by this Text, that when we have escaped one plague, GOD will find out another for us: and if we step aside to the left hand, & he nevertheless is armed against us, and before we have gone three paces, he stops us of our way. Lo how men prevail, when they seek lurking holes; according as we see how the Prophet Isaiah mocks them that think by their subtlety to escape the hand of God. Dream on, dream on your fill (saith he) yet shall the curse always overtake you. And in like case, although we have no enemies to trouble us, & to rise up against us to spoil our substance: yet let us understand that God has other means, which we know not, for to bereave us of that which he has put into our hands, and that we shall be abashed, to think how we have wherewith to satisfy us, and yet that the bread shall be plucked out of our mouths: and that when we think to drink, we shall be dry. And whereof comes that? Even of this, that it is our Lord which gives increase to the corn when it is sown in the ground: It is he that sends the Grapes; It is he also that causes all things to prosper for our nourishment. We be taught by this text, first of all, that when we till the fields, sow them & reap them, we must make prayers always unto God to bless the earth, that we may be fed through his grace; and we must hold it for a certainty, that it is his peculiar office to feed us like as a father does his little children. Thus much concerning that point. Whereof because I have treated more at large heretofore, it suffices as now to touch it in one word.

Now furthermore let us mark, that whereas God speaks here of Locusts, worms, Caterpillars, & other beasts, & whereas he speaks of blasting & of burning which comes thereof, he shows that he has men of war of a strange sort, when he vouchsafes not to do men good: & this also serves to pull down the pride of men. For if we be spoiled by the enemies: very well (will men say) this was done by violence and plain force. As for example when war is, the whole country is spoiled, the richest folk become beggars: and all this is wited upon the war, man is not blamed for it. But when it comes to pass by other accidents, so as men wot not by what mean their substance is wasted, though they see it melt away before their eyes, one year by hail, another year by frost, and one while one way & another while another, so as all things consume between their hands; God by this means makes it more manifest unto men, that he means to confound them utterly. And indeed if we mark the course that he kept with the Egyptians, we shall perceive it much better. For we discern God's judgments better in other men than in ourselves. If God had stirred up a great army against the Egyptians, in stead of the lice and vermin: they would still have continued in their pride and presumption: and albeit that they had been a hundred times discomfited, yet would they not have failed to have been stiff-necked still. When they were persecuted with lice, and that there were such Soldiers in Egypt; they should have been ashamed. Therefore let us well note, that God by sending men such chastisements as be set down here does warn them to think on their frailty. If Herod had been slain with a thunderbolt from heaven; it had not been so fit a punishment for the blasphemy which he committed in suffering himself to be called a God, and not a man, as when God caused him to be eaten and consumed with vermin, till he was as rotten as could be, insomuch as he was compelled by that disease to say (as he that lived at the time and was his familiar bears witness:*) Oh see here a goodly God, which is so rotten that he is enforced to feel that the hand of God does persecute him for his pride. Let us therefore mark well, that God, after he had threatened the Jews to send them enemies, which by violence and force of arms should spoil the country of all manner of food: now he adds moreover that although they were not vexed nor troubled at all by man's hand, nor anything were attempted by man against their possessions and lands; yet notwithstanding they should not boot themselves by their labors, nor by the well tilling of their grounds. And why? Because the vermin shall waste all. And he says again expressly, Thou shalt sow much and gather nothing, whereby he shows that when men make never so good provision beforehand, thinking undoubtedly that all shall go as they would wish, yet shall they be never the better for it. And it serves to this end that we should not fall asleep when we see fair likelihoods, according as we be commonly wont to despise God: as who should say, that if there be a good seedtime, we are past danger, and God had no more to deal with the things that be upon the earth, or if we have reaped and laid up the Corn in our barns, it should make us to be the more proud, because we see no likelihood of any more danger. But in stead of this, we should evermore have an eye to Godward, saying, Lord, behold, the earth waits for rain as though it were a thirst, and when thou givest it, it is to make it to bring forth sustenance for our nourishment. Again, such storms might fall from heaven as would wash away all from us, and one war would be enough to bereave us of all that we have. Thus is all in thy hand O Lord, and we must depend upon thy mercy, and be all our life long in thy custody; or else we must perish, and all the provisions that we have shall profit us nothing. Thus then must we call upon God with diligence, and walk in his fear, seeing he is so gracious as to be our foster-father, and vouchsafes to stoop so low unto us. Therefore has Moses very well declared in this text, that we must not be beguiled by the goodly likelihoods & fair provisions which we are able to have. As for example, when we see the corn to be fair upon the ground, we must not be too lusty as though all were won, no not even when the corn is gathered in. For God will be then called upon, according as we are bound to make our daily suit unto him, saying, Give us our daily bread O Lord, that day by day he may feed us. For albeit we have never so much to day, yet tomorrow we may starve. For when it pleases God, he is able not only to destroy the corn and wine in the fields; but also he can make them to be worth nothing, even when we have them in our garners and Cellers. Nay, we hear the threatenings that he makes, saying, You shall carry corn to the mill by measure, and the bread to the oven by weight, and yet for all that, you shall be still empty and hungry, when you have eaten never so much, there shall be no virtue at all in the meat, neither shall you be sufficed therewith. Seeing our Lord tells us that he has so many ways to famish us, let us not be hard-hearted: but let it rather waken us, that we may altogether depend upon him, and walk in his fear, and be his children, if we intend that he shall still continue to do the office of a father toward us. That is the effect of the things which we have to remember. Here again Moses repeats these threatenings, whereof he had spoken afore, saying: That the Jews and their lineage shall be carried away into captivity. Now certainly there can nothing more bitter happen unto men, than to see their children taken away by force, eaten, and devoured by the enemies, and cruelly dealt withal: they had rather to have buried them a hundred times. Now then let us mark in few words that God meant to declare in this text, that although he have been never so bountiful towards us, and filled us with his blessings, so as we be fenced in on all sides: yet he can very well bereave us of them all again, and that plague shall be much more grievous unto us, than if we had never known, what his goodness means. Wherefore the larger that God bestows his blessings upon us, yea even those blessings that concern this transitory life, let us look that we be always so much the more provoked to honor him and to serve him. For he for his part, will not cease to do us good, so we turn not tail, & give him over. But seeing he allures us so gently, if we be willing to come unto him; let us assure ourselves that his hand shall evermore be stretched forth to augment the gifts and blessings that we have received of him.

In the end, he returneth to the matter which we saw heretofore. All these curses shall come upon thee, they shall seize upon thee, & thou shalt be caught and besieged by them on all sides, until that God hath quite consumed thee: even because thou hast not hearkened to his voice, to obey his statutes and commandments, which he hath given thee. I have told you heretofore how that Moses hath oftentimes showed to the Jews, that no evil or adversity came upon them but by the hand of God. But it behooves us also to know the cause. True it is that sometime God doth visit us, and we cannot perceive the cause thereof: for he doeth it not for our sins, not for that he might not do it, but for that he spareth us. Yet is this always to be looked unto, that when we sustain any afflictions, we must think on our sins, & enter into examination of them to condemn ourselves before God: yea & we must not tarry so long: but we must benefit ourselves by all manner of calamities which we see throughout the world, knowing that God punishes men's sins by such means: and thereupon bridling ourselves from the like. The matter then whereunto Moses doth now return, is, that having showed us how it is the Lord that withdraws all manner of blessings from us, it is he that curses our possessions, and the fruits of the earth, it is he that sends vermin, storms and tempests, to destroy all: it is he that gives power to our enemies: he shows wherefore all this is done: to wit, because we have rebelled against him, because we have despised his law. That is the very cause why these plagues of vengeance do so pursue us. Now then, let us bear in mind the doctrine which has been sufficiently set forth above: which is, that when God doth afflict us, we must shut our mouths from replying or entering into plea: for we shall win nothing by standing in contention with him. Nay rather we must condemn ourselves, confessing that he deals justly. Although it be his will to prove our patience, and to try us to the uttermost; yet notwithstanding we must yield ourselves as guilty before him, & understand that our sins deserve to be thus roughly handled at his hands. Here is wherewith to cause all the blasphemies, murmurings and complaints to cease which are daily heard in the world. When there happens any adversity or any other affliction, it is to the end we should think on the sins that we have committed. Mark that for one point. And whereas mention is made of the commandments and statutes which God has ordained, the same expressly and purposely concerns us. For albeit that the Papists have the law, yet is it buried in them: the Jews (as says Saint Paul) have a veil before their eyes, so as they understand nothing. The Turks walk in their own ignorance, so do all the rest of the heathen. Now our Lord does enlighten us, and show us the way. There is therefore a more villainous rebellion in us, when we do not according as we be taught, and also we deserve that God should use greater rigor toward us, and pour upon us the plagues of vengeance which are here contained. Therefore let us benefit ourselves by the things that are said here, concerning the commandments & statutes that God has ordained. And seeing it is so that he speaks daily unto us, declaring unto us his will so familiarly: let every of us submit himself obediently thereto. And whereas Moses says further, That these curses shall catch hold upon us, and that we shall be hemmed in round about by them, until they have consumed us: it is a warning to us that we should not be self-willed against God: for well may we seek starting holes: but it shall nothing boot us, (as has been said heretofore) for the end shall be ever unhappy for us. And therefore let us remember the complaint that God makes by his Prophet Isaiah.* He says in that text (as we heard yesterday) that from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot, God must needs smite hard upon all them that have rebelled. And having spoken so by his Prophet Isaiah, he says: What may I do more? I have not ceased to chastise my children: insomuch that from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot, I have so beaten them, that there is no whole nor sound place, and yet they continue hard-hearted still. Alas, what shall I do? I must crush them and break them all to pieces. Then let us be afraid to stand so wilful froward against our God, and let us prevent the condemnation here pronounced. And so soon as God begins to correct us, let us bestir us to return unto him, yea and let us not tarry so long neither, but being admonished by his word, let us fall to bewail our sins, and to be sorry for them, and moreover let us ask forgiveness of them in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now let us fall down before the majesty of our good God, with acknowledgment of our sins: beseeching him not to suffer us to be so blinded in this mortal life, as not to know that all the miseries & wretchedness which we suffer, be warnings given unto us, to make us to think upon ourselves & upon our lives: & also to move us to repentance. And therefore that if we be afflicted at his hand, it may not make us to blaspheme his holy name, nor move us to impatience: but rather tame us, so as we may fare the better by all his corrections, and turn again unto him. And that forasmuch as we see the wretched world at this day to be so full of wretchedness and miseries, as is horrible, and also do behold the wrath of God for the sins that reign therein: it may be a mean to hold us in awe, praying God not to use any such rigor toward us: but rather that we fleeing for refuge to his mercy in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, may be touched with true repentance: & increase and prosper more and more therein, until that, being delivered from all our imperfections and sins, our God do clothe us with his righteousness unto the which we be daily called. That it may please him to grant this grace, not only to us but also to all people and nations of the earth, &c.

On Wednesday the 25th of March, 1556.