Sermon 21: 1 Samuel 6:1-5

1. The ark of the Lord was in the region of the Philistines for seven months. 2. And the Philistines called the priests and diviners, saying: What shall we do with the ark of the Lord? Tell us how we should send it back to its place. 3. They said: If you send back the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it away empty, but you must render to it a guilt offering, and then you will be healed; and you will know why his hand does not withdraw from you. 4. They said: What is the guilt offering that we should render to it? And they answered: According to the number of the provinces of the Philistines, you shall make five golden tumors and five golden mice, because the same plague was upon all of you and your rulers. 5. You shall make images of your tumors, and images of the mice that are destroying the land, and you shall give glory to the God of Israel; perhaps he will lighten his hand from you, and from your gods, and from your land.

How many and how great difficulties the Israelites suffered and were afflicted by, when for so long — seven months, that is — they saw that ark of the covenant, which they had received from God as a sign of his presence and favor, held captive in the power of the enemy: this is what we must especially consider here. For if the Philistines had returned the captured ark after two days, they would have thought that a great occasion for joy had been offered to them. But since such a long interval of time, seven full months, had elapsed, during which that people could not exercise themselves in the worship of God — for it was not permitted to make sacrifices except in the presence of that ark — how bitter we may judge that struggle and temptation to have been! For they could rightly think that they had been utterly forsaken by God, and that the covenant which he had once made with Abraham and his posterity had been broken by him. In short, what else remained for them but despair, from whom God seemed to have entirely departed? But in truth God did not so abandon those wretched people that they did not recognize by unmistakable testimonies that God had not entirely forgotten them; indeed, they even felt the force and efficacy of his promises in protecting and defending them. For who doubts that

if the Philistines had enjoyed a tranquil, quiet, and undisturbed victory — victory being by nature insolent and proud — they would have laid waste all of Judea with fire and sword, would have blotted out the memory and name of Abraham, and would have scattered the miserable people into various regions, so that they would be like a body torn apart into many pieces? But the hand of God restrained them from using their victory so insolently. For otherwise they lay exposed to the fury of the enemy — they who, without a leader, without a plan, routed and slaughtered, had fled back to their tents, whom great fear had seized, whom God himself seemed to be pursuing, and who wandered about like sheep to be torn apart by the strongest wild beasts. Yet meanwhile the enemy dared to make no attempt, no effort against them, because God was pursuing the victors with another kind of warfare and held them ensnared with plagues, afflicting them with shameful diseases — namely with boils and hemorrhoids, as we saw before — and stirring up mice by which the fields were devastated. By these things they were compelled, even against their will, to keep quiet — they who had nonetheless won a remarkable victory over the enemy. From which it becomes evident how great was the benevolence with which God embraced his people, whom he protected in such calamity and utter upheaval. And although the ark of the covenant made with Abraham and his posterity, the pledge of divine power and protection, was held in the hands and power of the enemy, he nevertheless did not desert those wretched and afflicted ones, but took pity on those once chosen and adopted as his peculiar people, and thus remained faithful even though all seemed to have conspired to obscure and overthrow his power, so that it would no longer be known in the world.

And from this let us learn to hope well even in adversity, so that when God seems to be far from us, we should not on that account cease to hope well, to pray to him with ardent desires, and to rely on his grace. And if perhaps his help does not appear as suddenly as we would wish, let us nevertheless wait patiently for him. For even though from the judgment of our senses he may seem far from us, it is certain that he fights for us against our enemies and promotes and advances our salvation. And indeed the manner by which God restrains the fury of our enemies is unknown to us, but in reality we experience that the most savage enemies, who would want to have devoured us a hundred thousand times over, are held back by some greater force. But we do not notice that he protects us by extraordinary means, so that we always have occasion to flee to him and to seek him with prayers, firmly persuaded that God, even though he may seem averse to our salvation, nevertheless takes the greatest care for it. And indeed if we would recall to memory how often God has rescued us from the greatest dangers, not allowing our most savage and deadly enemies, however exalted and powerful, to remove us from the world — we would have in ourselves the image of those things that are recorded here about the ancient people. For who among us is ignorant how often our enemies have been far superior to us in strength, so that we already seemed to be within their jaws, about to be devoured? And even today, who would not judge that nothing prevents them from attacking and overwhelming us, wretched and unarmed? What then holds them back, if not that hidden power of God, by which, as though ensnared by plagues and bound by chains, they are restrained? See then how we shall often judge God to be far from us because his presence does not strike our senses, and therefore that we are deserted and abandoned by him — yet he is very near, and most zealous for our salvation, since he breaks and renders futile the efforts of our enemies who thirst for nothing but our blood. Therefore we must endeavor, if the duration of time and afflictions is burdensome, to draw our strength from God, knowing that we experience nothing new, since we see that God's chosen people, the Israelites, were afflicted to the point that for seven whole months they were deprived of the ark of the covenant, which the enemy held captive in their power.

Next, the Philistines are said to have called their priests and diviners, to ask what they thought should be done about the ark of the God of Israel. From this we learn that the pagans in times of distress always sought counsel from God, even though they did not follow the right path in doing so. Nevertheless, it appears that this principle and axiom was planted in the minds of men from nature: that in difficult and troubled times one should flee to God, and that he alone is the one from whom men can learn what is useful, what is necessary, and what is honorable. But the error of the pagans in this matter was twofold. The first was that they never fled to God unless compelled by force. For in prosperous and favorable times they cared little about God's will, and much less about the things necessary for his worship. For they gloried in their own prudence and wisdom. It is true that they always maintained their sorcerers, diviners, and enchanters, to whom they might flee in times of distress and from whom they might seek counsel in doubtful and uncertain matters. But they only turned to their oracles when compelled and in the utmost crisis. The second error is that they did not follow the right way. For in order to approach God, they used diviners, sorcerers, and enchanters as their guides. Priests indeed are mentioned here, who were thought to enjoy the friendship of the gods, and that God revealed himself to them more intimately — a notion that had originated from a good principle. But it went badly wrong, because the pagans treated their priests of idols as if they were angels, endowed with all understanding and knowledge of divine things. For they transformed the power of God and turned it into a lie, since they made common to their idols what was proper to the one living God. But what were those sorcerers, diviners, and enchanters, if not instruments of Satan, who by their impostures and illusions deceived and deluded wretched and unbelieving men? Thus God was stripped of his honor. Therefore this must be carefully observed, so that we know that it is neither sufficient nor a true starting point merely to want to seek God, as the pagans did — whose footsteps the papists have followed when they speak of good intentions — but that he must be sought in such a way that we follow the right path. When the papists speak of their good intentions, they seem to themselves to have beautifully satisfied God, and therefore they stubbornly retain that superstition about good intentions, if something seemed good to them. Indeed, if this were the right way to worship God, those wretched pagans would have to be admitted with all their ridiculous, foolish, and laughable forms of worship by which they tried to win God's favor. Therefore, unless we seek God with the intention of being governed by him, of surrendering ourselves to him, and of praying that he grant us the spirit of understanding and wisdom as our guide for ordering our lives, it is certain that we will ultimately be judged and condemned even by the pagans, who, although acting according to their own sense, nevertheless in the end, when placed in distress, fled to God. But let us not imitate them in this, nor wait so long until despisers of God who never knew him rise up to destroy his church, and necessity presses. Therefore let us seek God at all times, and even if we enjoy prosperous circumstances and therefore think we do not greatly need his help, let us not on that account cease always to flee to him and to pray that he not allow us to incline this way or that, lest we ultimately find him to be our judge as well. Finally, let us give God this honor: that we candidly confess that without the guidance of his Holy Spirit and his Word, we would be like wretched sheep, wandering and straying without a shepherd. Then let us approach him not unwillingly, not by force, not driven by necessity, but willingly. And lastly, we must be careful not to imitate the ignorant and unbelieving, who sought God rashly when they took enchanters, sorcerers, and diviners into counsel. And let us recall what the Lord once spoke through Moses: 'For those nations whose heir you are to be listen to fortune-tellers and diviners; but as for you, it is not so — the Lord your God gives you something different. The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet from your midst, from your brothers, like me: listen to him.' Isaiah also agrees with this statement when he says: 'When they tell you to consult mediums or spiritists, who chirp and mutter, should not a people consult their God?' As if to say: should we not stand by God's revelation and the interpretation of his will that he made known in the law, and by the irrefutable testimonies of his prophets? Let us therefore apply these things as is fitting, and not wander through various detours, as those do who think they have progressed more in the school of Satan than in the law and the prophets. But content with what God has declared in his Word, let us willingly acquiesce in them; and since the understanding of them comes from him alone, let us pray to him with ardent desires that, with the Holy Spirit as guide and teacher, we may grasp the mysteries of the law.

And these are the things worth noting in the interpretation of this passage. For what I have said is sufficiently confirmed by the words of the passage itself. For the circumstance of time is to be noted — when the priests and diviners are said to have been called by the Philistines, not immediately upon the capture of the ark of the covenant. For at that time they were celebrating triumphs over it, insolently and wantonly insulting the divine majesty, wounding it with blasphemous words; in short, they thought they had won a victory over God and considered that they had no need of priests, diviners, or counsel. They proclaimed that they had no more business with God. But when they are afflicted with the heaviest and most protracted punishments — for they were not stricken for just one or two months, but for seven whole months the plagues increased — then they think about calling priests and taking counsel. In this we should by no means follow their example, but rather go to meet God with suppliant prayers when he threatens punishments, knowing that this is the opportune time to approach God. Then, when we hear diviners and enchanters named here, we see the gross ignorance of unbelievers, who while thinking they are approaching God, throw themselves into a labyrinth from which there is no exit. From this it appears how great the benevolence, how great the favor and grace with which God has embraced us, what an excellent privilege he has bestowed, when he revealed his Word through his only-begotten Son, our Lord, and wills that it be proclaimed to us. For following the Word that shines before us, we shall never go astray, nor be led into trackless paths, but we shall follow the right way that has been shown us beforehand, as Moses, having set the law before the people, says: 'This word is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, so that you may do it.'

Next, the priests and diviners are said to have answered that the ark of the God of Israel should not be sent away empty, but that the guilt offering must by all means be rendered to it. And so the Philistines now begin to deal with sending back the ark — they who up to this point had resisted with all their might. But now their stubbornness is revealed, because for the space of seven months, afflicted by plagues, they sought new plans by which to keep the ark among them, and finally, more harshly afflicted, they urge its release. For although they felt and acknowledged the hand of God, they never acknowledged him in such a way as to give him glory. God indeed wrested from them, even against their will, this concession — that he was stronger and more powerful than their idol Dagon — but it was momentary and did them no good. For they did not have the friendly and favorable presence of God, since those who wish to be counted in the register of sons and to be treated as sons must acknowledge God as father. Moreover, the Philistines experienced him in part as judge, but were not thereby made more modest; rather, all the more insolent and defiant, they kicked against the goad and tried to shake off the yoke and to free themselves from the fetters placed upon them. And therefore the closer God came, the more terrible and fearsome was his power and might. Now therefore they desire to send God far away from themselves — and these are the prayers of unbelievers when they are made guilty before God's tribunal. In this we experience how fearful a thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God. And here also the nature of hypocrites is to be observed, who would indeed want God, when called upon, to be present at hand, but when provoked by their sins and demanding punishment, and showing himself in reality to be their enemy, they turn away from him and send him as far away from themselves as possible. The Philistines behave no differently here: they desire peace with God, whom nevertheless they wish to send far away. From which that statement we touched on above appears to be true: namely, that unbelievers cannot entirely despise the majesty of God. For although it is true that while they enjoy prosperous circumstances, they spew all manner of curses against God, hold God in mockery and contempt, celebrate triumphs, ridicule all religion, think ill of God as judge, and dismiss him with impudent jests — as if such a long interval of time erases the memory, and repentance can be accomplished with a single sigh — and indeed many reach such a level of shamelessness that as long as God spares them and tolerates them for a time, they mock and ridicule him. But when they feel themselves so ensnared in the traps and plagues of divine judgments that there is no longer any place of escape, and they despair of being able to flee the hand of God without being compelled to give an account of their deeds — then indeed they beg for peace, then they acknowledge the power and dignity of his rule, then they try to win his benevolence with empty flattery and vain fawning. But, I ask, what is the end of all these things? Namely, that he should depart far from them. But let us seek from the Lord such a peace by which we may mutually behold one another. For this reason Paul, speaking of that true rest to be desired by all, does not simply say that we have peace, but that we have peace with God. Therefore we must be careful not to imitate the profane, for whom there is no peace unless they are occupied by lethargy and are utterly dull, casting away all thought of God. But on the contrary, we must endeavor that when we have drawn near to God, we be firmly persuaded of his benevolence toward us, by which he adopts us into the number of his children — reconciled to him, that is, through the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. And this is the peace we must seek, this is what we must pursue: not simply that the Lord remove his hand from us and that we no longer be tormented by his terrible power, but that he embrace us with his fatherly favor and benevolence, cherish us, and grant us easy access to himself, and at the same time reveal that he will never forsake us or withdraw far from us.

As for the priests' counsel that the ark should not be sent away empty — that is, without gifts and offerings — in this they confess that the majesty of the God of Israel has been injured, and that satisfaction must be made to him for the wrong received. Indeed, those whose counsel we hear here would gladly have spoken blasphemously about God and would have persuaded the people that the ark was nothing other than a specter and idol that the Israelites had fashioned for themselves, and would have called the majesty of God into contempt and hatred in order to exalt their own idol and persuade the wretched people that its power and majesty were supreme. But even against their will they are compelled to proclaim the infinite majesty and unconquerable power of the God of Israel. For they easily perceive that God will not be appeased simply by the ark being sent away, but rather that the plagues will be redoubled. Therefore they conclude that God cannot be appeased unless satisfaction is made for the injury done to him. And while they deliberate about these things, at first glance they seem to follow the right path and to adopt the true method of returning to God's favor and appeasing his wrath. But who does not see that they were as far off as the heavens? For the sacrifices for sin were made not without serious repentance; moreover, those same sacrifices signified that God's wrath was not appeased by them, nor was his judgment satisfied by them, but that a far different price was required for the redemption of sins. And so those offering sacrifices to God testified that they stood as guilty persons before the Lord, begging for grace and pardon for their sins, that they might be blotted out before him. But in this act of the Philistines there is only a ridiculous imitation and a corruption of divine worship. For whatever they hold in the place of sacrifices, it gravely offends God and is counted as sacrilege. For, I ask, to whom did they offer their sacrifices? Was it not to dead things — namely to idols fashioned from gold, or silver, from wood or stone? But another error was far more serious. For they do not know what they are doing when they make their offerings; they regard sacrifices as a kind of price by which, once paid, the creditor is satisfied, and what he had lent by bond is repaid to him. Such are the words of these priests: 'You shall offer to him sacrifices for sin, and you shall not send it away empty; you shall render to him a guilt offering.' But sacred Scripture mentions sacrifices for sin to show that men cannot satisfy God by their own effort, but that satisfaction must be sought elsewhere, namely in Jesus Christ. But the Philistines twist these things in a different direction, for they persuade themselves that a sacrifice for sin is a price that is paid by men to God, to satisfy for the injury. And so this is the false worship they devise for themselves, from which we learn that already in ancient times the pagans, like apes, celebrated their sacred rites, the purpose of which they did not understand. For thus the devil blinded those wretched people. For they had indeed received from the holy fathers the rites of worshiping God, so that they might have a certain resemblance and conformity with them, but the purpose of which they did not grasp, nor did they even understand. For they did not look into the substance of the sacrifices, which, as we taught above, were lessons by which the people were invited to repentance and true faith: to repentance indeed, so that, having recognized their sins, they would be displeased with themselves on account of them and would detest them in the future; to faith, so that, acknowledging themselves by nature subject to the curse of God, they would learn to borrow from elsewhere what they did not have in themselves — namely the means of being reconciled to God — that is, from our Lord Jesus Christ. And therefore they would not doubt that they enjoyed a propitious God and would obtain the remission of sins through the blood of that spotless lamb. But the Philistines think nothing of the kind in their sacrifices — there is only the external appearance, the display, and a painted holiness. All the more, therefore, must we retain this from here: that all external signs and ceremonies by which we are exercised in the worship of God will be empty and void unless truth and substance are joined to the figures. For, by way of example, we will turn baptism into an idol and a ridiculous theatrical thing unless we know that in it the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ is represented to us, as if it were being poured out again for the washing of our sins; and unless we recognize that in baptism the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit are offered to us, so that we may be reformed into holiness of life and the inborn corruption, in which we are entirely immersed by nature, may be utterly abolished. As for the Lord's Supper, we see how the papists boast that they have the Lord's institution, when in fact fire is no more contrary to water than that abomination of the mass is to the institution of the Supper made by the Lord himself. Therefore the sacrifices of the pagans were more tolerable than the inventions of the papists. For the latter turned baptism into magical incantations and adulterated it with many ridiculous rites; and the Supper they utterly overthrew. But the pagans in their sacrificing came closer to the rites instituted by God, and therefore it is certain that they worshiped God better than the papists do today — even though the worship of both was worthless, rather evil and rejected, because they did not look to that spiritual type which God, appearing to Moses on the mountain, had shown. This is what Saint Stephen also brings up when addressing the Jews, to show how great is the weakness of men, and teaches that the rites prescribed by God, by which we exercise ourselves in his worship, must be practiced. Today, however, we do not have the same exercises, the same rites, the same material signs that once existed among the Israelites; we do not offer to God for the obtaining of the remission of sins the sacrifices of oxen, bulls, sheep, or the like. But since those figures have passed away and been fulfilled, we have the testimony from God that through baptism we are cleansed from all our sins, reformed in the image of God, and renewed in holiness of life. Therefore when we speak of baptism, we must not invent rites without the Word of God, but doctrine must be added to the rites, because we can derive no fruit from them unless they rest upon the Word of our Lord Jesus Christ and his grace and power. Therefore those who come to baptism ought to be touched by an awareness of their sins, to confess them before God, to condemn themselves, and to be moved by true repentance for past sins, so that, truly recognizing our deficiencies, we may seek elsewhere — namely in the Son of God, Jesus Christ — what we lack. Namely, since by nature we are subject to the wrath of God, and therefore children of death, never to be reconciled to him unless, grafted into the body of his only-begotten and beloved Son Jesus Christ, we are brought through him to the Father and received into grace. And it is certain that those who rest on this foundation will be admitted and counted among the number of God's children.

Let us pass on to the kind of offering that the priests here prescribe. They say: 'According to the number of the provinces of the Philistines, you shall make five golden tumors and five golden mice, because the same plague was upon all of you and your rulers.' See how they expose their own shame! For it is foul and shameful for anyone suffering from such a disease — hemorrhoids, that is — to display that afflicted part. But the Philistines not only displayed the shameful parts of their bodies but also made replicas of them, which, as perpetual monuments, would remind posterity that they had been struck by God with such great disgrace. Sometimes we see in the Scriptures that God threatens to uncover the shameful parts of his people, because they gloried in their own strength and neglected the promised help from God. 'You,' he says, 'think yourselves strong; you, then, resist the enemy.' 'You greatly exult and glory in the alliance made with the Egyptians.' 'But I will strip bare your shameful parts and expose your foulness to all, and subject you to everyone's reproach.' Now these were clearly metaphorical expressions. But here we see in reality the foulness of the Philistines exposed, no less than if they had publicly displayed those parts dripping with blood, so that they would be a spectacle and example of God's judgments for all people of every age, sex, and condition — not just for a time, but for all ages — and would be exposed to everyone's reproach. See by what means God crushes the stubbornness of those who despise his majesty. They would want honor paid to them by all; they pursue their damaged reputation by every means, want their violated honor to be expiated, their praises to be proclaimed, and their name to be upheld among all. But God not only turns the glory of such people into reproach and disgrace, as he threatens through the prophet, but also compels them to pass sentence upon themselves and to carry out with their own hands the decree pronounced against them. For this decree of the Philistines clearly enough testifies that they publicly acknowledge that the diseases sent upon their shameful parts were the just vengeance of the God of Israel punishing them for their sins. Then they carry out the sentence passed upon themselves when they make images of their tumors and images of the mice — images, I say, of the diseases and calamities they had suffered. For this reason Paul, in the first chapter of the epistle to the Romans, says that those who, although they knew God (not from his law, but only from his works — namely heaven and earth) and yet did not glorify him as God, would bring upon themselves such great vengeance from God that he would hand them over to shameful passions and cast them into a depraved mind, so that they would cast off all decency and shame. And so we see that those who are so eager to protect their own glory are exposed to everyone's reproach and mockery. Let us therefore learn from this passage to honor and worship God, if we desire honor to be rendered to us, so that all our glory may be in God. Conversely, let us know that those who despise God will not bear that contempt unpunished, but will at last be exposed by God's judgment to everyone's mockery, and will be regarded and treated as the dregs and refuse of the world.

I do acknowledge that the faithful are sometimes overwhelmed with disgrace and ignominy — a thing we see happened often to David and generally to many of God's servants. But that disgrace is ultimately turned into the highest glory, just as God is accustomed, after the darkness of his people has been dispelled, to bring them light and joy, and after they have been virtually buried under many calamities, he finally delivers them from the same. Conversely, the more insolent the wicked have been and the more they have provoked the living God, the more will they ultimately be cast down with greater confusion, and will be compelled to pass sentence upon themselves and to carry it out, as stated above.

Moreover, we must here observe the illusions of the devil. For the Philistines, after making their offering, were relieved of their plagues — yet God did not approve their sacrifice, as we have seen and shall see hereafter. For they offered images of their tumors and of the mice. We see the papists imitating this example today, preferring to follow the Philistines as teachers rather than the law and the prophets. For if some woman has suffered from pain in her breasts, images of breasts made of wax or some other material are offered to some idol in its honor. Likewise those who have suffered from their legs or feet dedicate images of feet or legs to their idols — such as Saint Anthony or any other — or they offer undergarments or stockings stuffed with hay or flour: following and imitating the custom and example of the Philistine idolaters rather than the true worship of God prescribed by his Word. Nor do they lack legitimate excuses, as they say — namely, that these are monuments of the legs restored by Anthony. But, I ask, do they not take away from God's glory as much as they attribute to created things? Who then would deny that they received this ridiculous, indeed impious ceremony from the Philistines and not from God's servants?

From all of which it becomes most evident that whatever good intentions men may put forward, they will always deviate to the left or right and be troubled by many obstacles, unless they are kept on track by the purity and simplicity of God's Word, to which nothing is added and nothing taken away, shining before them as a light. And therefore, recognizing what worship is pleasing to God, having cast aside all those good intentions, they should exercise themselves in it. And so every effort must be made that, since the desires of men are disordered, they be entirely set aside, and all rites not prescribed by God for his worship be utterly rejected.

So much for the fruit and doctrine that we have shown must be drawn from the fact that the Philistines are said to have made images of their tumors and mice. Moreover, how great was the anxiety that exercised the Philistines is evident from the fact that they inquire not simply about how the ark of the God of Israel should be sent away, but also with what offerings the God of Israel should be propitiated and by what method the ark should be dismissed. From which it appears how men whom the hand of God pursues and presses are roused from their former lethargy, and by afflictions are brought before God's judgment as guilty parties — men who previously, enjoying prosperity while God granted them, as it were, a truce, lived securely and without care. And here observe the impiety of profane men, who, enjoying peace and prosperity, securely despise God's judgments — although, I confess (and would that not many of you are in that number), they pray to God with some external ceremony and attend sermons to hear something, but by no means to inquire of the mouth of God, nor to pray from the heart for the grace of the Holy Spirit, unless some graver necessity drives them. But when God seizes the unwary and presses them more closely, then only groans are heard, witnesses of former negligence; then at last they recognize the lethargy by which they had been possessed, and the vanity of their ceremonies in which, like drunkards, they had been immersed. And so God rouses them from their lethargy by afflictions — those whom forgetfulness of himself had seized. If the Philistines experienced this, what, I ask, will become of us? Surely it is shameful that we do not approach God unless driven by great blows as of hammers. But nevertheless, better late than never. If we feel his hand opposing us, it is precisely because we have been too sluggish and too slow in seeking him. Therefore we should not imitate the Philistines in this, who, superstitiously delaying and putting things off from day to day, sought ways to send away the ark of God and to appease the wrath of the God of Israel. But when evils press us, we must go straight to God, not merely simulating some kind of conversion, but composing ourselves in obedience to him and at the command of his will. Let us not imitate, then, those blind ones who do not come to their senses at God's blows nor feel their sins. Rather, let us of our own accord, not compelled, flee to God, even if afflicted with the greatest plagues, begging for mercy and seeking a remedy for our ills in his Word. There remain a few words of these priests to be explained, when they say: 'You shall give glory to the God of Israel; perhaps he will lighten his hand from you.' Surely at first glance these are good and holy words of exhortation, but they are such only in appearance, containing nothing solid about God. For they do not say: 'Come, Philistines, let us cast aside our superstitions and recognize that our worship has hitherto been vain; let us attribute to the God of Israel alone the glory of divinity, and worship and venerate him with a sincere mind.' They contemplate nothing of the sort; they are only anxious about sending back the ark, and they investigate ways by which, once it is sent away, they will have no further dealings with the God of Israel. See what kind of glory they give to God — confessing him indeed to be omnipotent, but not admitting him as their God, nor submitting themselves to his authority. But let us learn, when overwhelmed by calamities and afflictions, and fleeing to God's mercy and acknowledging his power, not to make a rash confession, but from the heart to renounce all idolatrous forms of worship and abominable ceremonies, and to hate worse than a dog or a snake whatever is repugnant to divine truth, and so to acknowledge our God as God that we remember him to be the fountain and source of all good things, and offer to him sacrifices of praise, call upon him in all circumstances both prosperous and adverse, and so depend upon him alone that he may be glorified in us, and we in turn, rendering to him the honor and glory that is due, may be glorified in him.

Now then, let us bow, etc.

1. The ark of the Lord was in the territory of the Philistines for seven months. 2. The Philistines called their priests and diviners and said: What shall we do with the ark of the Lord? Tell us how we should send it back to its place. 3. They said: If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it empty, but bring a guilt offering with it; then you will be healed, and you will know why His hand has not turned away from you. 4. They asked: What guilt offering shall we bring? They answered: Five golden tumors and five golden mice, corresponding to the number of the Philistine rulers — for the same plague was upon all of you and your rulers. 5. Make images of your tumors and images of the mice that are destroying the land, and give glory to the God of Israel; perhaps He will lift His hand from you, from your gods, and from your land.

We must especially consider here how many and how great were the difficulties the Israelites suffered during those seven months when they saw the ark of the covenant — which God had given them as a sign of His presence and favor — held captive in the enemy's power. If the Philistines had returned the captured ark after two days, the Israelites would have thought a great occasion for joy had been given them. But seven full months had elapsed, during which the people could not exercise themselves in the worship of God — for sacrifices were not permitted except in the presence of the ark. How bitter we may judge that trial and temptation to have been! They could rightly think that God had utterly forsaken them, and that the covenant He had once made with Abraham and his descendants had been broken. In short, what remained for them but despair — from whom God seemed to have entirely departed? But in truth God did not so abandon those wretched people that they failed to recognize by unmistakable signs that He had not entirely forgotten them — indeed, they even felt the force and power of His promises in protecting and defending them.

For who doubts that if the Philistines had enjoyed a tranquil and undisturbed victory — victory being by nature insolent and proud — they would have laid waste all of Judea with fire and sword, wiped out the memory and name of Abraham, and scattered the miserable people into various regions, leaving them like a body torn into many pieces? But God's hand restrained them from using their victory so insolently. For the Israelites lay exposed to the enemy's fury — without a leader, without a plan, routed and slaughtered, having fled back to their tents, seized by great fear, wandering like sheep to be torn apart by powerful wild beasts. And yet the enemy dared to make no move against them, because God was pursuing the victors with another kind of warfare, holding them ensnared with plagues, afflicting them with shameful diseases — namely boils and hemorrhoids, as we saw — and driving mice to devastate their fields. By these things the Philistines were compelled, even against their will, to remain quiet — they who had nonetheless won a remarkable victory over the enemy. From this it becomes evident how great was the goodness with which God embraced His people, protecting them in such calamity and total upheaval. Although the ark of the covenant, the pledge of divine power and protection, was held in the enemy's hands, He nevertheless did not desert those wretched and afflicted people — but had pity on those once chosen and adopted as His own, and remained faithful even though everything seemed to conspire to obscure and overthrow His power so that it would no longer be known in the world.

From this let us learn to hope well even in adversity — so that when God seems to be far from us, we do not on that account stop hoping, stop praying to Him with earnest desires, or stop relying on His grace. And if His help does not appear as quickly as we would wish, let us wait for Him patiently. For even though by every outward sense He may seem far from us, it is certain that He is fighting for us against our enemies and advancing our salvation. The means by which God restrains the fury of our enemies may be hidden from us, but we experience in reality that our most fierce enemies — who would gladly have devoured us a hundred thousand times over — are held back by some greater force. We do not notice that He protects us by extraordinary means, so we always have occasion to flee to Him and seek Him in prayer, firmly persuaded that God — even when He seems turned away from our salvation — is taking the greatest care for it. If we would recall how often God has rescued us from the greatest dangers, not allowing our most brutal and powerful enemies to remove us from the world — we would find in ourselves an image of what is recorded here about the ancient people. Who among us does not know how often our enemies have been far superior to us in strength, so that we already seemed within their jaws, about to be swallowed? And even today, who would not judge that nothing stands between us and their attack — we who are weak and unarmed? What holds them back, if not that hidden power of God, by which, as though ensnared by plagues and bound by chains, they are restrained? See then how we will often judge God to be far from us because His presence does not strike our senses — and therefore conclude we are deserted and abandoned — yet He is very near, and most zealous for our salvation, since He breaks and frustrates the efforts of our enemies who thirst for nothing but our blood. Therefore, when the length of time and our afflictions grow burdensome, we must draw our strength from God, knowing that we are experiencing nothing new — for we see that God's chosen people, the Israelites, were so afflicted that for seven whole months they were deprived of the ark of the covenant, which the enemy held captive in their power.

The Philistines are said to have called their priests and diviners to ask what they thought should be done about the ark of the God of Israel. From this we learn that the pagans in times of distress always sought counsel from God — even though they did not follow the right path in doing so. Nevertheless, it appears that this principle was planted in human minds by nature: that in difficult and troubled times one should flee to God, and that He alone is the one from whom people can learn what is useful, necessary, and honorable. But the pagans made two errors in this matter. The first was that they never fled to God unless forced. In prosperous times they cared little about God's will, and even less about what was necessary for His worship. They gloried in their own prudence and wisdom. They maintained their sorcerers, diviners, and enchanters, to whom they might flee in distress and from whom they might seek counsel in uncertain matters — but they turned to these oracles only when driven by necessity in the most desperate hour. The second error was that they did not follow the right path. In order to approach God, they used diviners, sorcerers, and enchanters as their guides. Priests are mentioned here, who were thought to enjoy the friendship of the gods and to whom God was believed to reveal Himself more intimately — a notion that had a good origin. But it went badly wrong, because the pagans treated their idol priests as if they were angels, endowed with all knowledge and understanding of divine things. They transformed the power of God and turned it into a lie, attributing to their idols what belongs only to the one living God. But what were those sorcerers, diviners, and enchanters, if not instruments of Satan, who by their tricks and illusions deceived and misled wretched and unbelieving people? Thus God was robbed of His honor. This must be carefully noted: it is neither sufficient nor a right beginning merely to want to seek God, as the pagans did — the same path the papists have followed when speaking of good intentions. When papists speak of their good intentions, they think they have beautifully satisfied God, and stubbornly cling to that notion. But if good intentions were the right way to worship God, then those wretched pagans would have to be accepted along with all their ridiculous and laughable forms of worship by which they tried to win God's favor. Therefore, unless we seek God with the intention of being governed by Him, of surrendering ourselves to Him, and of praying for the Spirit of understanding and wisdom to guide our lives, we will ultimately be condemned even by the pagans — who, though acting on their own impulse, at least in times of distress finally fled to God. Let us not imitate them in this, nor wait until despisers of God who never knew Him rise up to destroy His church, and necessity forces our hand. Let us seek God at all times — even when we enjoy prosperity and think we do not urgently need His help, let us not on that account stop fleeing to Him and praying that He not let us drift away, lest we ultimately find Him to be our judge as well. Finally, let us give God this honor: frankly confessing that without the guidance of His Holy Spirit and His Word, we would be like wretched sheep wandering without a shepherd. Then let us come to Him not reluctantly, not under force, not driven by desperation, but willingly. And let us be careful not to imitate the ignorant and unbelieving, who rashly sought God through enchanters, sorcerers, and diviners. Let us recall what the Lord once spoke through Moses: For those nations whose heir you are to be listen to fortune-tellers and diviners; but as for you, it is not so — the Lord your God gives you something different. The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet from your midst, from your brothers, like me: listen to him. Isaiah agrees with this when he says: When they tell you to consult mediums or spiritists, who chirp and mutter, should not a people consult their God? As if to say: should we not stand by God's revelation and the interpretation of His will that He made known in the law, and by the unmistakable testimony of His prophets? Let us apply these things as is fitting, and not wander through various detours, as those do who think they have advanced further in the school of Satan than in the law and the prophets. Content with what God has declared in His Word, let us willingly rest in it; and since understanding it comes from God alone, let us pray to Him with earnest desire that, with the Holy Spirit as our guide and teacher, we may grasp the mysteries of the law.

These are the points worth noting in the interpretation of this passage, and what I have said is sufficiently confirmed by the text itself. The timing is especially noteworthy: the priests and diviners were not called immediately after the capture of the ark. At that time the Philistines were celebrating their triumph over it, insolently mocking the divine majesty, wounding it with blasphemous words; in short, they thought they had won a victory over God and had no need of priests, diviners, or counsel. They declared they had no more business with God. But when they were struck with the heaviest and most prolonged punishments — not for just one or two months but for seven full months, with the plagues increasing — then they thought about calling priests and taking counsel. In this we should by no means follow their example; rather, we should go to meet God with suppliant prayers when He threatens punishment, knowing this is the right time to approach Him. And when we see diviners and enchanters named here, we see the gross ignorance of unbelievers, who while thinking they are approaching God, throw themselves into a labyrinth from which there is no way out. From this it becomes apparent how great is the goodness, favor, and grace with which God has embraced us — what an excellent privilege He has given us — when He revealed His Word through His only-begotten Son, our Lord, and wills that it be proclaimed to us. Following the Word that shines before us, we will never go astray or be led into trackless paths, but will follow the right way that has been shown to us — as Moses, having set the law before the people, says: This word is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, so that you may do it.

Next, the priests and diviners are said to have answered that the ark of the God of Israel should not be sent away empty, but that a guilt offering must by all means accompany it. And so the Philistines now begin dealing with sending back the ark — they who up to this point had resisted with all their might. Their stubbornness now stands exposed: for seven months, while being struck by plagues, they searched for new strategies to keep the ark among them, and only when struck more severely did they press for its release. For although they felt and acknowledged the hand of God, they never acknowledged Him in such a way as to give Him glory. God wrested from them, even against their will, a concession — that He was stronger and more powerful than their idol Dagon — but it was only momentary and did them no good. They did not have the friendly and favorable presence of God, since those who wish to be numbered among His sons and treated as sons must acknowledge God as Father. The Philistines experienced Him in part as judge, but this made them not more humble but more insolent and defiant — they kicked against the goad and tried to shake off the yoke and free themselves from the chains placed on them. And therefore the closer God came, the more terrible and fearsome His power seemed. Now they desired to send God far away from themselves — and this is the prayer of unbelievers when they stand guilty before God's tribunal. In this we experience how dreadful it is to fall into the hands of the living God. Here also the nature of hypocrites is to be observed: they would want God, when they call on Him, to be present and helpful — but when provoked by their sins, demanding punishment, and showing Himself in reality to be their enemy, they turn away from Him and send Him as far from themselves as possible. The Philistines behave no differently here: they desire peace with God, whom they nonetheless wish to send far away. From this that statement we touched on above proves true: unbelievers cannot entirely despise the majesty of God. For although in prosperous times they spew all manner of curses against God, hold Him in mockery and contempt, celebrate their triumphs, ridicule all religion, dismiss Him with impudent jokes — as if the passing of time erases the memory, and repentance can be accomplished with a single sigh — yet many reach such a level of shamelessness that as long as God tolerates them, they mock and ridicule Him. But when they find themselves so caught in the traps and plagues of God's judgment that there is no longer any escape, and they despair of being able to flee His hand without being compelled to give account of their deeds — then they beg for peace, acknowledge the power and dignity of His rule, and try to win His favor with empty flattery and hollow fawning. But what is the end they are seeking in all of this? Simply that He would go away and leave them alone. But let us seek from the Lord a peace by which we may mutually behold one another. For this reason Paul, speaking of that true rest all should desire, does not simply say we have peace, but that we have peace with God. Therefore we must be careful not to imitate the godless, for whom there is no peace unless they are numbed by lethargy, utterly dull, with all thought of God thrown aside. On the contrary, we must strive so that when we have drawn near to God, we may be firmly persuaded of His goodness toward us — by which He adopts us into the number of His children, reconciled to Him through the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the peace we must seek and pursue: not simply that the Lord remove His hand from us and that we no longer be tormented by His terrible power, but that He embrace us with His fatherly favor and kindness, cherish us, give us easy access to Himself, and at the same time assure us that He will never forsake us or withdraw far from us.

As for the priests' counsel that the ark should not be sent away empty — that is, without gifts and offerings — they are in this confessing that the majesty of the God of Israel has been offended, and that satisfaction must be made to Him for the wrong. Those whose counsel we hear here would gladly have spoken blasphemously about God and persuaded the people that the ark was nothing more than a phantom and idol the Israelites had fashioned for themselves — they would have called God's majesty into contempt in order to exalt their own idol and persuade the wretched people of its supreme power. But even against their will they are compelled to proclaim the infinite majesty and unconquerable power of the God of Israel. For they easily perceive that God will not be appeased simply by the ark being sent away — the plagues would only redouble. They therefore conclude that God cannot be appeased unless satisfaction is made for the injury done to Him. While they deliberate about these things, at first glance they seem to be following the right path and adopting the true method of returning to God's favor and appeasing His wrath. But who does not see that they were as far from the mark as heaven is from earth? For the sacrifices for sin in Israel were never made without genuine repentance; moreover, those sacrifices signified that God's wrath was not appeased by them, nor His judgment satisfied by them — that a far different price was required for the redemption of sins. Those offering sacrifices testified that they stood as guilty persons before the Lord, begging for grace and pardon, that their sins might be blotted out before Him. But in this act of the Philistines there is only a ridiculous imitation and a corruption of divine worship. For whatever they hold in the place of sacrifices gravely offends God and is counted as sacrilege. To whom did they offer their sacrifices? To dead things — idols fashioned from gold, silver, wood, or stone. But another error was far more serious. They did not understand what they were doing when making their offerings — they treated sacrifices as a kind of payment by which, once paid, the creditor is satisfied and the debt settled. Such are the words of these priests: You shall offer Him sacrifices for sin, and you shall not send it empty; you shall render to it a guilt offering. But what Scripture says about sacrifices for sin is meant to show that people cannot satisfy God by their own effort — satisfaction must be sought elsewhere, namely in Jesus Christ. The Philistines twisted this in a different direction, persuading themselves that a sin offering is simply a payment that people make to God to compensate for the injury. And so this is the false worship they devised for themselves — from which we learn that even in ancient times the pagans, like apes, imitated sacred rites whose purpose they did not understand. For the devil blinded those wretched people in this way. They had received from the holy fathers certain forms of worshipping God, having a resemblance and conformity to the true rites — but they grasped neither the substance nor the meaning. They did not look into the substance of the sacrifices, which were, as we taught above, instructions inviting the people to repentance and true faith — to repentance, so that, having recognized their sins, they would be displeased with themselves and detest those sins in the future; to faith, so that, acknowledging themselves by nature subject to God's curse, they would learn to seek from elsewhere what they lacked in themselves — namely, reconciliation with God — that is, from our Lord Jesus Christ. And therefore they would not doubt that they had a favorable God and would receive the forgiveness of sins through the blood of that spotless Lamb. But the Philistines thought nothing of the kind in their sacrifices — there was only outward display and a painted holiness. All the more, then, must we hold onto this truth: all outward signs and ceremonies by which we are exercised in the worship of God will be empty and void unless truth and substance are joined to the symbols. For example, we will turn baptism into an idol and a ridiculous performance unless we know that in it the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ is represented to us, as if being poured out again to wash away our sins; and unless we recognize that in baptism God's grace and the power of the Holy Spirit are offered to us, so that we may be reformed into holy living and the inborn corruption in which we are entirely immersed by nature may be utterly abolished. As for the Lord's Supper: we see how the papists boast that they have the Lord's institution, when in fact fire is no more contrary to water than that abomination of the mass is to the institution of the Supper made by the Lord Himself. The sacrifices of the pagans were therefore more tolerable than the inventions of the papists. For the latter turned baptism into magical incantations and adulterated it with many ridiculous rites; and the Supper they utterly overthrew. The pagans in their sacrificing came closer to the rites instituted by God — and therefore their worship, though worthless, was in some ways less corrupt than what the papists practice today, because neither group looked to the spiritual reality that God, appearing to Moses on the mountain, had shown. This is also what Stephen brings up when addressing the Jews — to show how great is the weakness of human nature, and to teach that the rites God prescribed, by which we exercise ourselves in His worship, must be rightly practiced. Today we do not have the same exercises, the same rites, the same material signs that once existed among the Israelites — we do not offer oxen, bulls, sheep, or the like to God to obtain forgiveness of sins. But since those figures have passed away and been fulfilled, we have God's testimony that through baptism we are cleansed from all our sins, reformed into God's image, and renewed in holy living. Therefore when we speak of baptism, we must not invent rites without God's Word — doctrine must accompany the rites, because we can derive no fruit from them unless they rest on the Word of our Lord Jesus Christ and His grace and power. Those who come to baptism ought therefore to be moved by an awareness of their sins, to confess them before God, to condemn themselves, and to be genuinely repentant for past sins — truly recognizing our deficiencies, so that we may seek elsewhere — namely in the Son of God, Jesus Christ — what we lack. By nature we are subject to God's wrath and therefore children of death, never to be reconciled to Him unless — grafted into the body of His only-begotten and beloved Son Jesus Christ — we are brought through Him to the Father and received into grace. And it is certain that those who rest on this foundation will be admitted and counted among the number of God's children.

Let us move on to the kind of offering the priests prescribed. They said: According to the number of the Philistine provinces, you shall make five golden tumors and five golden mice, because the same plague was upon all of you and your rulers. See how they exposed their own shame! For it is foul and humiliating for anyone suffering from such a disease — hemorrhoids — to display that afflicted part. But the Philistines not only displayed those shameful parts of their bodies but also made replicas of them, which as permanent monuments would remind future generations that they had been struck by God with such great disgrace. We sometimes see in Scripture that God threatened to uncover the shameful parts of His people, because they gloried in their own strength and neglected the help He had promised. You think yourselves strong — resist the enemy then, He says. You greatly exult and glory in your alliance with the Egyptians. But I will strip bare your shameful parts, expose your foulness to all, and make you everyone's reproach. Those were clearly figures of speech. But here we see the foulness of the Philistines exposed in reality — no less than if they had publicly displayed those diseased parts dripping with blood, making themselves a spectacle and an example of God's judgment for all people of every age, sex, and station — not just for a time, but for all ages — exposed to everyone's contempt. See by what means God crushes the stubbornness of those who despise His majesty. They want honor from all; they defend their damaged reputation by every means, insisting their violated honor be restored and their name upheld among all. But God not only turns the glory of such people into reproach and disgrace, as He threatens through the prophet — He also compels them to pass sentence upon themselves and carry it out with their own hands. For this decree of the Philistines clearly enough testifies that they publicly acknowledge the diseases sent upon their shameful parts were the just vengeance of the God of Israel punishing them for their sins. Then they carry out the sentence themselves by making images of their tumors and images of the mice — images, I say, of the very diseases and calamities they had suffered. For this reason Paul, in Romans 1, says that those who, although they knew God — not from His law but from His works, namely heaven and earth — and yet did not glorify Him as God, would bring upon themselves such great vengeance that He would hand them over to shameful passions and a depraved mind, so that they would cast off all decency and shame. And so we see that those who are most eager to protect their own glory are exposed to everyone's contempt and mockery. Let us therefore learn from this passage to honor and worship God, if we desire honor to be rendered to us — so that all our glory may be in God. Conversely, let us know that those who despise God will not bear that contempt unpunished, but will at last be exposed by God's judgment to everyone's mockery, and will be treated as the dregs and refuse of the world.

I acknowledge that the faithful are sometimes overwhelmed with disgrace and shame — something we see happened often to David and generally to many of God's servants. But that disgrace is ultimately turned into the highest glory, just as God is accustomed, after the darkness of His people has been dispelled, to bring them light and joy — and after they have been virtually buried under many calamities, He at last delivers them. Conversely, the more insolent the wicked have been and the more they have provoked the living God, the more they will ultimately be brought down with greater shame, compelled to pass sentence upon themselves and carry it out, as stated above.

We must also observe here the deceptions of the devil. For the Philistines, after making their offering, were relieved of their plagues — yet God did not approve their sacrifice, as we have seen and will see further. For they offered images of their tumors and of the mice. We see the papists imitating this example today, preferring to follow the Philistines as teachers rather than the law and the prophets. If some woman has suffered pain in her breasts, wax images of breasts are offered to some idol in its honor. Likewise those who have suffered with their legs or feet dedicate images of feet or legs to their idols — to Saint Anthony or any other — or they offer undergarments or stockings stuffed with hay or flour, following the custom and example of Philistine idolaters rather than the true worship of God prescribed by His Word. They do not lack their excuses — these, they say, are monuments of legs restored by Anthony. But do they not take from God's glory exactly as much as they attribute to created things? Who then would deny that they received this ridiculous — indeed impious — ceremony from the Philistines and not from God's servants?

From all of this it becomes most evident that whatever good intentions people may put forward, they will always drift to the left or right and be troubled by many obstacles — unless they are kept on course by the purity and simplicity of God's Word, to which nothing is added and nothing taken away, shining before them as a light. Therefore, recognizing what worship is pleasing to God, they should cast aside all those self-invented good intentions and exercise themselves in true worship. Every effort must therefore be made to ensure that, since human desires are disordered, they are entirely set aside, and all rites not prescribed by God for His worship are utterly rejected.

So much for the lesson to be drawn from the Philistines making images of their tumors and mice. How great was the anxiety troubling the Philistines is evident from this: they did not simply ask how the ark of the God of Israel should be sent away, but also with what offerings God should be appeased and by what method the ark should be dismissed. From this it appears how those who are being pursued and pressed by God's hand are roused from their former lethargy, brought before God's judgment as guilty parties — men who previously, enjoying prosperity while God granted them a kind of truce, had lived in ease without a care. Observe here the impiety of the godless, who, while enjoying peace and prosperity, securely despise God's judgments — although, I confess, many pray to God with some outward ceremony and attend sermons to hear something, but by no means to inquire of God's mouth or pray from the heart for the grace of the Holy Spirit, unless some more pressing need drives them. But when God seizes the unprepared and presses them more closely, then only groans are heard — witnesses to their former negligence; then at last they recognize the lethargy that had possessed them, and the emptiness of the ceremonies in which, like drunkards, they had been immersed. And so God rouses from lethargy those whom forgetfulness of Him had seized. If even the Philistines experienced this, what, I ask, will become of us? Surely it is shameful that we do not approach God unless driven by great blows like hammer strikes. But nevertheless, better late than never. If we feel His hand opposing us, it is precisely because we have been too sluggish and slow in seeking Him. We should therefore not imitate the Philistines, who, superstitiously delaying and putting things off day by day, searched for ways to send away the ark and appease the God of Israel's wrath. When evils press us, we must go directly to God — not merely simulating some kind of conversion, but genuinely composing ourselves in obedience to Him and conforming to His will. Let us not imitate those blind ones who do not come to their senses when God strikes, nor feel their sins. Rather, let us of our own accord — not under compulsion — flee to God, even amid the greatest afflictions, begging for mercy and seeking a remedy for our ills in His Word. There remain a few words of these priests to be explained: You shall give glory to the God of Israel; perhaps he will lighten his hand from you. At first glance these seem like good and holy words of exhortation — but they are only so in appearance, containing nothing solid about God. For they do not say: Come, Philistines, let us cast aside our superstitions and acknowledge that our worship has been vain; let us attribute the glory of divinity to the God of Israel alone and worship and honor Him with a sincere heart. They contemplate nothing of the sort. They are only anxious to send the ark away, looking for ways to have no further dealings with the God of Israel once it is gone. See what kind of glory they give God — confessing He is all-powerful, but not admitting Him as their God or submitting themselves to His authority. But let us learn, when overwhelmed by calamities and fleeing to God's mercy while acknowledging His power, not to make a rash or shallow confession, but from the heart to renounce all idolatrous worship and abominable ceremonies — and to hate worse than a dog or a snake whatever is contrary to divine truth. Let us acknowledge God as our God in such a way that we remember Him as the fountain and source of all good things, offering Him sacrifices of praise, calling upon Him in all circumstances both prosperous and adverse, and depending on Him alone — so that He may be glorified in us, and we in turn, rendering to Him the honor and glory that is due, may be glorified in Him.

Now then, let us bow, etc.