Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 49
On Tewsday the xxx. of Iuly. 1555. The xlix. Sermon which is the fift vponupon the sixth Chapter.
15 For the Lord &c.
16 You shall not tempt the Lord your God as you tempted him in Massa.
17 Yee shall keepe the commaundements of the Lord your God diligently, and his testimonies and ordinances which he hath commaunded you.
18 Thou shalt doe the thing that is right and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may goe well with thee, and that thou maist go into this good land and possesse it according as the Lord hath sworne to thy fathers.
19 And that hee may beate backe thine enemies before thee, as the Lorde hath saide.
WE sawe yesterday howe Moses shewed the people, that forasmuch as God vouchsafed to dwell among them, they also ought to liue in his feare. And wee likewise must thinke, that his approching vntounto vsus after that sort, is not to be despised of vsus, but rather to the intent that his goodnesse should prouoke vsus to honour him the more. And there was a threatning added immediatly, For feare least thou be bereft of the land which thy God hath now giuen thee. Wherein Moses declared, that when we hauehave receiued any good alreadie at Gods hand, we must not be proude of it, but rather yeelde him due honour for it, that we may inioy it still: for after as he sheweth him selfe liberall to vsus, so doth he binde vsus vntounto him. And therefore let vsus marke, that when wee hauehave the possession of his benefites, it is not to the ende wee shoulde fall asleepe in them, but rather hauehave the greater care to serue and honour him. And herewithal let vsus note, that vnderunder this terme of yt lande of Canaan, Moses comprehended generally all that belonged to the peoples election: for that lande was an outwarde testimony thereof. Therefore in effect hee ment to say, Beholde, God hath chosen thee to bee of his houshold and Church: wilt thou continue therin? Then must thou be carefull to honour him, and walke after his guiding. Nowe to apply the same to our vse, it is all one as if a man shold say vntounto vsus, seeing that God hath promised to be our father and Sauior, let vsus feare him, to ye intent he may continue alwayes so. And this importeth yt he wil hauehave a care of vsus, during this mortal life of ours. And although we passe through many miseries, yet will he deliuer vsus from them. Howbeit that his defending of vsus in this world is not the chiefe benefite, nor the thing that we must stay vponupon, but we must mount vp higher to ye endlesse life. And so to be short, whensoeuer we think vpō the benefits that god hath giuen vsus, let vsus vnderstande that hee can well bereeue vsus of them as soone as we abuse them, and pluck away our fethers yt make vsus so proude. For his bestowing of his benefits vponupon vsus, is not to the intent that we should despise him, & take occasion to stande in our owne conceits, & so be negligent and cal no more vponupon him: but the blessings which we inioy tend to this end wee should dayly and howerly hauehave ye better regard of him, & lift vp our minds on high to yeeld him due thanks, and to glorifie him in our whole life. Now herevnto Moses addeth, Thou shalt not tempt the Lorde thy God, as you tēpted him in Masa. Hereby he meaneth yt the people must not abuse gods patience. As if he shold say, look wel to it my friends: although god deale gently with you, ye must not think but your sins shal come to accoūt, if you serue him not with all humility. If ye say, we be Gods friends, we neede not be afraid yt he wilbe angry with vsus or work vsus any displeasure, for we see how well he dealeth wt vsus: beware how ye daly so with him, for ye know what befell to your fathers in Masa. Therefore do no more so, but preuent the chastisements of your God, & before he arme himself against you, know him to be your iudge, and tary not till hee shewe forth the tokens of his wrath and vengeance by his deeds, but in ye meane time while he vseth mieldnes & gentlenes, consider yt hee allureth you to repentāce,Rom. ….4. & so let eueryevery man be prouoked to amend his faults, that God may be honored by yt mean. For if ye tempt him againe, he wil not bere it. He sharply punished your fathers in Masa: but you shal feele much greater & horrible punishmēt, if you go on stil. And let vsus mark, that here he toucheth the story which is written more at length in the seuenteenth of Exodus.Exo. 17.1.7. There it is saide that the people being in a drie place of the wildernesse, did grudge and repine against Moses, because they had no drinke, crying out that they were betrayed, because there was no more water in the desert, so as it had bin better for them to hauehave taried still in Egypt, where were graues ynow to hauehave buried them in God punished the people with the bytings of Serpents: but yet howsoeuer they fared hee had pity vponupon them, and vsed merciemercy towards them, sending remedy conuenient for ye same. And yet notwithstanding his will is to hauehave the name therof to continue stil, for a memorial to vpbraid the people with their vnthankfulnesse. It is his pleasure yt it should remaine still, to the intent yt the childrē might know yt their fathers were rebels: for ye word Masa betokeneth as much as tēptation. Now for ye better vnderstāding of ye things that are saide here, we must consider what it is to tempt God: for that is done diuers wayes. But chiefly it is said that we tempt God, when we be too importunate in requiring more than is lawfull for vsus, and when we will needs hauehave further trial of his power and abilitie than pleaseth him, so as we fall to spyting of him as if we would say, Go to we shal see now whether God be mightie or no: let him do what wee will hauehave him to doe. When we go to work with such outrage, & hauehave no modestie nor stay of our selues, so as we consider not what is lawful for vsus, but wil needs hauehave God to please vsus without awe or measure: then do we tempt him. And why so? This word Tempt betokeneth properly to assay or trie. See nowe, God is willing to vtter his power, howbeit not at our pleasure: neither were it reason that he shold be subiect vntounto vsus. True it is that he vseth this amiable kind of speech,Psa. 145.19. that he wil doe the will of such as feare him. But this will is ment, not of an inordinate lust when men take leaue to craue whatsoeuer commeth in their minde: but of the desire that is subiect and conformable to Gods ordinance, so far forth as he giueth vsus leaue. And by that meanes God is glorified. It is not ment yt he will do whatsoeuer commeth in our head: for that would oftentimes turne to our vndoing. As for example, whē he gaue the people flesh: it had bin much better for them to hauehave died for hunger,Num. 11.33. than to hauehave crammed & glutted themselues after that fashion vnsatiably in despite of God. But God performeth our wil, whē we be obediēt vntounto him, & hauehave respect vntounto goodnes in al our requests, according as S. Iohn exhorteth vsus to attempt nothing further than pleaseth him.1. Ioh. 3.22. If wee doe so, God will also pleasure vsus. But if wee come malapertly with a loftie countenance, to say I wil trie whether God can do this or no: [we shal come short of our desires.] What? Is it a conuenient fashion of dealing, that we shold stepforth so to trie God, & that we wil needs hauehave him to giuegive vsus proofe of his power by making himselfe subiect to vsus? Is it not a diuelish malapertnes that carieth vsus so away? Yes▪ So then, we se now what is signified by this word Tempt, namely a trying of God, as though we douted of his power or abilitie, & a repining at him & a charging of him with infirmitie when he doth not whatsoeuer we lust, so as we measure him by the things that we perceiue with our eyes. That is the temptation which is forbidden here. And indeede our Lord Iesus Christ is a good & faithfull expounder of this text. For he alledgeth it to beat back Satan, as is written in the fourth of S. Mathew.Matt. 4.7. Yea and ye diuell himself taketh ye holy scripture to tempt our Lorde withall, facing him with this text, It is written that God hath giuen his Angels charge ouer thee,Psal. 91.11. to beare thee vp in their hands, & not to suffer thee to dash thy foote against a stone. Wel then, herevpon we may gather, yt God hath committed vsus to the keeping of his Angels, so as we shalbe borne vp by them, & preserued from all euill that may incounter vsus. Wee must assure our selues of that. But yet it is said therewithall, that they shall keepe vsus in all our wayes, that is to say, which we hauehave to go in. Now then, let vsus keepe on our wayes, that is to say, let vsus looke about vsus how God hath disposed our life, & let vsus not attempt any thing rashly & vppon our owne head, but let eueryevery of vsus cōsider his own calling: & then we may be sure ye Gods hand shal always be reached out ouer vsus, and ye Angels of heauen shall trauel after vsus: let vsus not doubt of it. Neuertheles whatsoeuer come of it, let vsus not passe the bounds & lists yt he hath set vsus, nor play the loce colts to say, I will go trie this or that: for yt were a tempting of God. Why so? For whosoeuer listeth not to take paines, but saieth: is not God able ynough to maintain me? He trieth gods power too fa…. For why? God hath promised that his blessing shalbe vponupon ye handes of them that take paines.Psal. 128.2. His will is yt the lande should be tilled, and yt men should follow husbandrie, & other labors, euerie one according to his calling. And yet notwithstāding if they wil needs refuse al this, & disdain to vse those ordinary meanes: is it not a tempting of him what hee can doe? It is all one as if I shold step vp into ye pulpet, without vouchsafing to looke vponupon any book, & fondly imagine to say thus in my self: tush, whē I come thither, god will giuegive me ynough wherof to speak, & in the mean while I holde scorne to reade, or to study aforehand what I shal speake, & come hither without minding how to apply ye holy scripture to ye edifiing of ye people, by reason wherof I should play ye presumptuous foole, & God also would put me to shame for mine ouerboldnesse. In like case is it with al other things. So then we see in effect ye to tempt God, is to be vnruly, and to omit the meanes which God giueth vsus and setteth downe vntounto vsus, & to refuse to put thē to their right vse, so as wee wil needs hauehave God serued after our owne fond liking, and make him as it were subiect vntounto vsus. And forasmuch as our Lord Iesus Christ alledged this same text against Satan: we see which is the true and naturall sense thereof.
Nowe then, whereas it is saide, Thou shalt not tempt thy God: It is al one as if Moses had said, my friends, beware ye play not mockholiday. When God is patient, and powreth not out his rigour vponupon you at the first dash: thinke not that therefore ye shal scape scotfree, neither take occasion to fall asleepe & to flatter your selues for it: but liue in feare, and preuent the wrath which God hath not yet powred out vppon you, because hee spareth you. To be short, we be said to tempt god, when we abuse his benefits which we possesse, & which he hath put into our hands, & in ye meane while acknowledge not him to be the founder of them. For why? vnderunder pretence that God dealeth gently with vsus, we beare our selues in hande that wee may despise him. And that is a turning of his goodnes to the cleane contrary end that it ought to be applied. Doth not god apply himself to vsus, of purpose to win vsus, and to the end that we should hauehave his louelove so printed in our hearts, as we might be wholly knit vntounto him and made one with him? But if eueryevery of vsus do contrariwise run at rouers, & deuour the goods yt he hath bestowed vponupon vsus: is it not a tempting of him? Yes. And aboue all thinges whereas it hath pleased him to impart vntounto vsus the doctrine of saluation: it is to the intent wee should take him for our father, and Iesus Christ for our shepherd, and that wee shoulde harken to his voice. Againe he hath taken vsus as it were into his house, to the intent we should be his very houshold folke, applying our selues more and more vntounto him, and bee vtterly separated from ye vnbeleeuers, by dedicating our whole life vntounto him. But on the contrarie part, if we will needs be vnruly, & yet in the mean while vaunt our selues of hauing the Gospel, insomuch yt we feede our selues with this vaine hope to say, O ho, seeing we hauehave Gods word, he cannot but louelove vsus,… for it is his power to ye saluation of al that beleeue: I say if men dalie after this sort, & abuse the name of faith to make a shrowding sheete of it, to the end they may giuegive themselues the more boldly to all naughtines: it is a tempting of God. For inasmuch as hee vttereth not his power at ye first dash by thundering downe vponupon them: hee seemeth to them to be as a little babe & a weakling, & so they play with him [at their pleasure]. Therfore let vsus learne to feare God: & although we perceiue not that he hath drawen his sword, bent his bow, & made readie his arrowes against vsus:Psal. … yet let vsus not tary till ye fire of his vengeance be kindled vponupon vsus, but consider that the sentēce therof shalbe executed vponupon all ye despisers of his maiestie, though they feele nothing of it for a time. Thus ye see how we be forbidden to tempt the Lord in the time of prosperitie. To be short, let vsus learne to feare God while he beareth with vsus. For if we say with these mockers, what I pray you? Doth not God shew himselfe gracious & fauorable towards vsus, in that hee doth vsus so much good? It is all one as if we scorned his power and should say, yea, it is true yt men threaten vsus with Gods punishments, but where be they? wee perceiue no likelihood of them. When we speake after yt maner, it is a defying of him, as though wee would say, Let vsus tary a while & see what he can do. Yea, it is moreouer as good as a bereauing of him of his power, and a making of him to be an ydoll: and is not yt (in effect) a denying that he is the iudge of the world? Wherfore to ye intent we may not tempt God, let vsus learn to liue humbly and warely. Although we bee at our ease & rest, & although there be no shew or likelihood yt god wil send any aduersitie or affliction vponupon vsus: let vsus not measure his power by our perceiuerance, nor after yt which we see: but euē when his scourges seeme to be very far of from vsus, let vsus bee as much afraid of them, as if wee felt the stripes of them alredy. Thus ye see in effect how we ought to put this text in practise.
Now whereas Moses addeth, As ye tempted him in Masa: It is all one as if he had said, seeing yee hauehave escaped for one brunt, come no more there. For whereas your God shewed himselfe mercifull at that time: his meaning was that yee shoulde not vnderstande, that hee listed not to be tempted. Wherfore seeing he hath withdrawen his hande from you, let it not be an occasion to deceiue you hereafter, that yee shoulde take courage to tempt him any more: for when men prouoke him so often, it is not for them to looke for mercy and fauour at his hand.
Now we see to what purpose Moses alledged the temptation wherewith the Iewes tempted God in Masa. And thereby we bee taught, that when wee hauehave done any fault, wee must bethinke vsus of it, to the intent wee may doe no more so. And in stead of taking occasion to grudge at GOD through impatience: we must humble our selues the more vnderunder his awe. When wee hauehave offended him after that sort, and obtained forgiuenes: it is to the ende we should take the better heede all our lyfe after, and that the rememberance of our euil doing should abide printed in our hearts, vntill we hauehave shewed that Gods goodnes hath booted vsus as well as his scourges and corrections. And therefore, to bee short, when God chastiseth vsus, let vsus beware that we receiue instruction by it: and when he forgiueth vsus, let vsus looke that wee take such taste of his goodnesse, as may inflame our heartes and mindes to honour him the more. Whereas the vnbeleeuers doe mocke God when he spareth them, and make no reckening of it, but beare themselues in hand yt they be discharged, if he punish them not out of hand: ye see that the faithfull must by all meanes stirre vp themselues to feare & honour God so much the more carefully and warely. When he chastiseth the vnbeleeuers, they fret and storme and grinde their teeth at him, and their rebelliousnes increaseth more and more, euen vntill it come to starke madnesse. Nowe then, whereas the vnbeleeuers are so frowarde, yt howsoeuer God deale with them they become still worse and worse: let vsus thinke well vponupon this, euen to returne into the right way, whether it bee that God lift vp his hand to chastise vsus, or that he make delay & pitie our infirmities as not being willing to punish them at all: To this purpose is Masa spoken of in this place. And so, to be short, when we hauehave cō mitted any grieuous offence I meane publikely, so as there is any disorder among vsus and God is offended: let vsus bethinke our selues thus: Alas, seeing that God hath shewed himselfe a father for all our prouoking of him, and yet neuerthelesse receiued vsus to merciemercy: let vsus doe so no more. Seeing God hath pitied vsus and reached vsus his hand, euen when we deserued to hauehave beene destroyed, which thing he hath not suffered to come to passe: let vsus beware & take heede that wee giuegive not too much scope to our lustes, so as they should make vsus to slip from him, and to ouershoote our selues so farre, as to run into the way of damnation. After this maner (say I) must the faithfull quicken vp themselues, bearing in minde that when they hauehave once ouershot them selues, & forsaken the right way: they must cal thēselues home againe to walk awefully euer after, and betake thēselues into Gods hand, yt he may guide them & not suffer thē to be so ouerseene any more. Also we must doe the like particularly. When any man shal hauehave bin ouerseen for a time, and not hauehave dealt so warely as hee ought to hauehave doone, euen after hee knoweth Gods trueth: let him bethinke himselfe thus: Alas, I hauehave bene vnthankefull to my God, and for as much as I hauehave started away from him, I am worthie to bee vtterly confounded: but yet hath not he suffered that to come to passe. Now then what is to bee done on my part? It is not meete that I shoulde forget the faultes which I hauehave committed, but that I should thinke vponupon them, and beare the bitternesse of them still about mee in my heart. After that manner must euerie of vsus deale, say I: not as distrusting God, or to prouoke our selues to any despayre: but to reyne our selues the shorter, and to holde our selues the more in awe. For as soone as a man doeth but lift himselfe vp, by and by he ouershooteth himselfe if God let him alone. That is the thing which wee hauehave to note in this text, where Moses sayeth that they must not tempt God, as they tempted him once afore in Masa. And for the same cause and to the same purpose also is it spoken of in the Psalme, where it is said, To day if ye heare his voyce harden not your heartes as your fathers did in the wildernesse.Psal. 95.7.8 This is spoken expressely of the temptation that Moses toucheth here. See how the Prophet warneth the people, yea and that desirously, as if he should say, very well, if ye bee so teachable as to hearken to your God, seeing he doeth now exhort you to come vntounto him, refuse it not: for this benefite shal not last alwayes to them that make delay and are neuer mooued to obey him, but driue of from day to day when he calleth them. And therefore, if ye heare his voyce (sayeth he) nowe when God calleth you. He vseth there a vehemencie as though he could not finde words fit to exhort the people and sufficiently to prick them forwarde. In that hee saieth, Goe to my freindes, bee well aduised that you harden not your heartes: he sheweth what is the cause of al mischeife, and why we profit no better by Gods teaching of vsus. Namely that besides that we bee full of naughtinesse, and so sinfull by nature, that whereas our heartes ought to be susteined to receaue that which God sayeth, it may seeme that wee intende of set purpose to harden them against him: we doe moreouer fall to stomacking against him with a certaine spitefulnesse, as if we would say, what care I to obey God? Shall I bee brideled of my will like a beast? Beware of that sayeth he: for ye knowe what happened to your Fathers. The Prophet casteth them in the teeth with the thinges that had beene done by their forefathers in olde time, to the intent they shoulde not boast of their descending from the holy Patriarkes. Beholde saieth he, your forefathers were rebels: & how thē hauehave you continued vntounto this day? Is it not through Gods merciemercy? Yes: for ye shoulde hauehave perished vtterly. Againe, seeing your God hath pitied you being Abraham his race: thinke not that he will hauehave ye to runne backe again, so as ye should bee alwayes newe to begin. For when he hath borne with you a while, he must bee faine to make you pay your arrerages all at once. Thus ye see that the way for vsus to put this sentence in practise, is to vnderstand that when God shall hauehave pardoned our faultes oftentimes, hee shall hauehave iust cause to punish vsus the more grieuously, if wee ceasse not to prouoke him still, but will needes bee the boulder to doe euill, vnderunder pretence that hee hath not vsed extremity towardes vsus. If God see that in vsus: hee can well call vsus to account for all the thinges that hee had pardoned before. For his pardoning of vsus is with condition, that we should humble our selues, and consider all our life after, how much we be beholden vntounto him. If an offender hauehave obtained fauour, and thereupon he fall to spyting of him to whom he is beholdē for his life, within a day or twaine after: doeth he not deserue to hauehave his former lewdnesse brought to remembrance againe, and to be reckened withall frō point to point, and to hauehave his vnthankfulnes laid afore him, for his abusing of the fauour yt had bin shewed him? Yes: and thinke we that our Lord will hauehave lesse right than mortall men? Thinke we then that his shewing of fauour vntounto vsus, is to the intent to make vsus bolder to doe euill? No, but rather his dooing of it is to the intent wee shoulde all our life after beare our offence in minde and bee sorie for it: accordingly also as wee see howe the good king Ezechias speaketh of the bitternesse of his heart,Esa 38.15. when he sayeth, that he will bee mindefull of the euill and of the offence that he had committed. Not but that he reioyced in Gods goodnesse, but that yet neuerthelesse hee would beare it in remembrance, to the intent he might not let himselfe slip any more, nor be any more surprised by the wylinesse of Satan.
Now after that Moses hath spoken so, he addeth: Ye shall diligently keepe the commaundements, Statutes, and Lawes of your God which I set before you this day, that you may enter into the land which he promised to your fathers with an othe, and he driue ou… all your enemies before you. Here we bee put in minde of the thing that hath beene told vsus before: that is to wit, that whereas Moses vseth many wordes to expresse the Lawe, it is no superfluous speech, but serueth to induce folke the better, to profite in the doctrine that is giuē them. As if he should say, GiueGive good eare: for behold, your God taketh paines with you. Like as a schoolemaister taketh paines to teach the children that are committed to his charge: so doth God apply himselfe to you, giuing you his Law orderly and distinctly, to the end ye should not be greatly combered to vnderstand what he saieth concerning his will. Here therfore are his Statutes, Ordinances, & Iudgementes. As if he shoulde say, the doctrine is set foorth vntounto you in good order, so that if you can finde in your hearts to hearken to your God, and to receiue yt which he shall say, you need not dout but you shall be taught faithfully by his word, & hauehave knowledge of al things yt are good and conuenient for you. The first thing then which Moses ment to expresse by these wordes Iudgementes statutes, & Ordinance…, is yt our Lord taketh paine to teach vsus whatsoeuer is good for vsus, and yt he vseth such order, as we cannot say that his word is too high and confused for vsus. And therewithall his intent is also to hold mē wholly to the pure obedience of the lawe, and to the simplicitie therein contained, as if he should say: My friends, Gods meaning is, not onelyonly yt ye should be attentiue in hearing what he saith to you, but also yt your only wisedome should be to obey him, & not to inuent any nouelties, so as ye should think to serue him after your owne fansie, according to the cō mon fashion of mē, who hauehave alwayes some foolish desire to change Gods word. No, saieth he. If ye can beare in minde the lessons of the Law, ye shall hauehave statutes, Iudgements and ordinances, so as ye shal not want any thing whereby ye may be taught in all perfection. This hath bin expoū ded alreadie heretofore: and therefore I stande not long vppon it. Neuerthelesse the repeating of it here againe by the holy Ghost, is not without cause: and therefore I must needes put you briefly in rememberance thereof, as oft as those wordes are set downe.
Now Moses saieth expressely, That these Commaundements, Ordinances and Lawes must be done & kept. As if he should say, that God will not hauehave his word to fall to the ground. His setting foorth of it, is to the end that we on our side should bee attentiue to hearken what he saith to vsus. And so let vsus marke well that it is not ynough for vsus to allowe Gods worde in speeche, by saying it is true: but we must also bee diligent in keeping it all our life long. And for further proofe of that which he had said, he addeth, Thou shalt doe th… which is right & good in the sight of God. Herein he sheweth vsus, that we must not doe whatsoeuer seemeth good to our selues, nor followe our owne good intentes, as they terme them. And he will set out this matter yet better in another place which we shal see hereafter.De…. … For there he wil forbid men expresly to do the things yt seeme right in their owne eyes: for whatsoeuer seemeth excellent vntounto vsus,Luke. … shalbe condemned for abhominable at Gods hand, as is said in S. Luke. Therefore let vsus take good heede yt we ouershoote not our selues in our conceites to say, How so? Why should not God allow this for good, seeing we do it to such a purpose? seeing wee be desirous to obey him? Yea, but how will he be obeyed? Not yt men should be Iudges & Vmpers of the things yt they do, to say this is good, or yt is euill: he reserueth yt authoritie to himself alone. Now then, will we order our life aright? Let vsus not open our eyes to be wise in our owne conceites, for we see that yt hath cost vsus deare. Wee see (I say) yt our father Adam saw too much, when he could not content himselfe with the measure yt was giuen him. And therefore let vsus not be too sharpe sighted to say, I finde yt this is good, & therfore it must be done. Cursed be such wisdome: for it is a diuelish pride. Will we then be allowed of our God? Let vsus take good heede to that which he speaketh: for whatsoeuer is right in his eyes, must needes be allowed in the end: & the things which we shall hauehave imagined to hauehave bene best, shall be condemned when wee bring them before him. For why? He seeth more clearely than wee doe: he knoweth things which wee knowe not. And therefore he misliketh all our imaginations, & will hauehave vsus to followe the thinges which he vttereth with his mouth, simply without mingling any thing of our owne. For the verie sacrifice that he requireth at our handes, is that wee should serue him obediently,… and therewithall learne to distrust al our owne strength, wit, and reason, and not to presume vppon any thing that wee our selues hauehave inuented: (for all that euer our mindes can conceiue, is but follie, vanitie, and leasing:) but to bee well aduised that we doe the things which are good and right in the eyes of the Lord, that is to say, that we frame our whole life according to his commaundements.
But now let vsus come to the promise. That thou maist goe into the land (saith he) which the Lord hath sworne to thy fathers, to possesse it. Here we see how God is desirous to win the heartes of his people by gentlenesse, in setting the possession of the land of Chanaan before them, for a reward and inheritance. As if he should say, Truth it is that yee bee bounde to serue mee: but yet will I not hauehave yee to serue mee for nought: beholde, the recompence that is prepared for you, is that ye shall possesse the land of Chanaan. But yet wee must alwayes marke with what condition. It was not yt the people should liue there at rest like swine in a stie: but so as the land might bee as a pledge of the endlesse lyfe, and that they might consider thus: God hath adopted vsus to bee his heires: and therefore let vsus mount vsus hygher to the euerlasting lyfe. See heere how GOD telleth vsus, that if wee serue him, hee will keepe touche with vsus, so as wee shall possesse the lande that hee hath promised vsus. Nowe heere wee see first the thing that I hauehave touched already: that is to wit, that God stoopeth to mens rudenesse and infirmity, in promising them recompence though hee bee not bound thereto. Marke that for one poynt. But by the waye wee hauehave to marke also, that God bindeth not himselfe as though wee could deserue aught. For he saith not, I will giuegive you the land for the seruice you hauehave doone to mee, as a thing that you hauehave earned: but, you shall goe into the lande which I promised to your fathers. Heere are two thinges vttered couertly. The one is that God promised the lande of his owne meere goodnesse, and not as a due debt that had beene deserued at his hande. For the promise thereof had bine made before the people was borne: foure hundred and thyrtie yeeres before their departure out of Egypt, God had sayd vntounto Abraham, this land shall be thine and thy seedes. Let vsus note then that this people had not deserued aught at Gods hande, and that the rewarde which is mentioned heere, befell them not in respect of their workes. Marke that for a specially poynt. And God telleth vsus also, that hee termeth the thing by the name of Hyre, [Recompence, & Wages,] which he giueth vsus onelyonly of his owne free liberalitie, without being bounde thereto by any kind of meanes, and without any desert at all at our handes. And why? To the intent that men should bee prouoked to serue him, and not that they should become proude, or father any thing vponupon themselues which God shoulde accept for payment or admit for any recompence. And this wee see euen in Abraham himselfe.Gen. 17.1. For before hee had doone any thing at all God sayd vntounto him, I am thine abundant recompence: Abraham, I hauehave giuen thee this land: I will bee thy God, and the God of thy seede after thee: I will be thy defender. Yee see then that all the promises which are possible to bee wished, were giuen of God vntounto Abraham before he had shewed any signe of faith or of the feare of God. But when he was willing to hauehave sacrificed his sonne Isaac: our Lorde sayd I will blesse my seruaunt Abraham, bicause hee hath feared mee, and seeing hee hath not spared his owne sonne for the louelove of me, I will multiplie my blessinges vponupon him. And that was saide afore. But God giueth so much the greater beautie to his goodnesse, of purpose to strengthen Abrahams heart, not that hee intended to exalt Abrahams desertes that hee might presume of himselfe: but to make him know, my God hath of his own mere merciemercy giuen me the thing yt he promised me, I had the promise of it long agoe, and now he sheweth that he accepteth my seruice, in asmuch as he performeth the promise that he made to me of his owne free goodnesse. Thus we see howe we ought to take the textes of holy scripture, where god behighteth vsus recompence. We must not conclude therevppon that wee deserue aught, or that our workes are of any valew, or that God is any thing bounde vntounto vsus: but that he doth it to quicken vsus vp & to harten vsus the better to serue him, in as much as our labours are not lost before him, but are made account of and redound to our benefit. Nowe then we see what is ye meaning of these wordes where Moses sheweth the people that ye Lande had bin promised to their forefathers by othe, before they whom he speaketh to were borne.
Now for a conclusion let vsus come to this saying, That thou maiest driue out all thine enemies before thee. Herein Moses doth the people to wit, that no let can hinder them from possessing the land, so they serue their God. True it is that the land of Chanaan had people in it at that time to keepe possession of it, & we perceiue how ye spies brought word yt they were Giantes, and such as would hauehave swallowed vp the people of God. It shold seeme therfore to hauehave bin impossible for thē to hauehave set foote within ye land. But God told them yt although his people were barred from al enterance to mans vnderstanding: yet would he open them the way by his infinite power, so they inclined to serue him. Now remaineth that wee apply this to our own vse. First of all let vsus mark, that whensoeuer God calleth vsus to his seruice, his promising of reward vntounto vsus, (not onelyonly in this transitorie lyfe, but also in the kingdome of heauen) is not to puffe vsus vp with selfweening, or to make vsus to beleeue that wee hauehave deserued aught: but onelyonly to quicken vp our slouthfulnesse: and bicause wee bee so lasie in seruing him, his intent is to spurre vsus forewarde by that meanes. Therefore let vsus take courage: and seeing wee loose not our labour in imploying our selues in Gods seruice, let vsus goe to it diligently and lustily. And whereas he behighteth vsus reward: let vsus assure our selues it is not bicause our workes deserue it,Rom. 3.20. Eph 2.9. but bicause that he of his own infinite goodnesse taketh them in good woorth, and giueth that tytle vntounto them. Let that serue for one poynt.
And let vsus marke heerewithall, that whereas God calleth vsus to his inheritance, although he doe it freely: yet is it with condition that wee behaue our selues as trew children towards him,Eph. 1.4.5.6 & 2.10. and consider that hee calleth vsus vntounto holynesse. And in deede the very ende why hee calleth vsus to bee his people and of his flocke, is not that he will hauehave vsus to be intangled and held backe still in this worlde: but to sanctifie our selues vntounto him that wee may liue holily vnderunder his obedience, for as much as he hath washed and clensed vsus by the blood of our Lorde Iesus Christe. And Gods calling of vsus thereunto, is not for our woorkes sakes, but for his owne merciemercy. Now if vnderunder colour heereof, wee will needes stand facing with him: I hauehave tould you already what will come of it. Therefore let vsus hauehave regard to marche the thinges together which are inseparable: that is to wit, the free goodnesse of our God, and the condition thereunto annexed, which is that hee be serued and honored at our handes. And besides this, although wee see neuer so great lettes, which may seeme to barre vsus from all entraunce into the kingdome of heauen, and that wee be cast vp heere for a pray vntounto Sathan, and we hauehave so many enemies that our life is as it weere in hazarde eueryevery minute of an houre: yet let vsus not cease to hope, and to beleeue that our Lorde will keepe vsus safe and sure,Psal. 8 5.10. if wee walke in his feare. Then let vsus not passe for all the worlde. Although it seeme that all thinges should be turned vpsidowne: yet let not all the troubles and incōberances which we see in the world, stoppe vsus frō going through to the end: but let vsus reason thus with our selues, who is he that hath taken vsus into his keeping? Is it not our God? Is it not he which hath promised vsus the inheritaunce of the kingdome of heauen? Yes. Then is it his office to holde vsus by strong hande. True it is that wee on our part are feeble: but yet his onelyonly power will bee ynough to strengthen vsus. True it is that we be inuironed with many enemies: but yet our God is a good shield,2. Sa. … he wilbe an inuincible fortresse for vsus, so wee put our trust in him. We hauehave his promise that hee will neuer fayle vsus. Thus yee see that God hauing once begun the worke of our saluation, will goe through with it in suche sorte,Phil. … as wee may glory that his calling of vsus vntounto him is not in vaine, nor to disappoint vsus of our hope, wherein hee will hauehave vsus to continue vntounto the ende.
Now let vsus kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes, praying him that whereas heeretofore we hauehave abused his power and might too much, we may hensefoorth be more diligent in practising his iudgementes and corrections, and so make our commodity of them, as the warninges which hee hath giuen vsus may neuer out of our remembraunce: and that as long as it shal please him to maintaine vsus in prosperytie and quiet, we may be watchfull and stand vponupon our garde, so as wee turne not from the right way, ne tary till he powre out his vengeance vponupon vsus, but indeuour to preuent it, as we bee warned to doe: and also that in al our lyfe we may continually so repent vsus of our sinnes, as we may still trauell the better towardes him, vntill hee hauehave gathered vsus fully to himselfe, to frame vsus to the perfection of the righteousnesse whereunto wee tend as nowe. That it may please him to graunt this grace, not onelyonly to vsus, but also to all people and nations of the earth, &c.