Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 148
On Wednesday the xxvj of Februarie, 1556. The CXLVIII. Sermon which is the fourth vponupon the sixe and twentith Chapter.
16 This day the Lorde thy GOD commaundeth thee to doe these ordinaunces and lawes, and to keepe them and doe them with all thy heart and with all thy soule.
17 Thou hast set vp this day the Lorde to bee thy GOD, and to walke in his wayes, and keepe his ordinaunces and his commaundementes, and his lawes, and to obey his voyce.
18 And the Lorde hath set thee vp this day, in that thou art vntounto him a speciall people, as hee hath tolde thee, to the end that thou shouldest keepe al his commaundements.
19 That hee may make thee very hie in praise, and in name, and in glorie aboue all the nations which he hath made, and that thou maiest be an holie people vntounto the Lorde thy God as he hath saide.
MOses in this place continueth the matter which was handled yesterday, to wit, in shewing vntounto the Iewes for what ende GOD had chosen them to bee his people and his flock. It was not that they should liue as the Gentiles, which were in ignoraunce; but that seeing they had the lyght of lyfe and saluation, they should follow it. For there is no reason, that seeing GOD hath adopted vsus for his children, wee shoulde bee as brute beastes, eueryevery man wandering after the fantasies and lustes of his owne heart: wee must order our selues vnderunder the direction of him which taketh and admitteth vsus for his owne. It is therefore sayde in this place, This day the Lorde thy GOD commaundeth thee to keepe all his statutes, and his commaundementes: to doe them, and to obserue them, yea, and that with all thy heart, and wish all thy soule. This worde To day, betokeneth, that when wee are taught in the worde of GOD, wee are much more straiter bounde, than if hee had onelyonly created vsus and placed vsus in this worlde, and in the meane time left vsus to walke after our owne liking. It is true in deede, that the vnbeleeuing sort shall not bee excused, although GOD neuer vouchsafed to make them partakers of his woorde. Although they bee as poore blinde wretches in darkenesse, yet shall they not fayle to bee condemned in their ignoraunce. He that hath sinned without the Lawe,Rom. 2.12. shall perish (sayeth Saint Paul.) And in deede [without the Lawe] there is not that man which hath not some witnesse ingraued in his owne heart, that there is but one GOD whome wee ought to serue, and whome wee ought to honour. They which knowe this by nature, deserue sufficiently to bee condemned: but when GOD commeth neere vntounto vsus, and vouchsafeth to vse the office of a teacher to declare vntounto vsus his will, there is the lesse excuse for vsus. Then must double condemnation needes fall vponupon all them which receiue not the yoke of GOD, when it pleaseth him to guide them, and to shewe them that hee will not leaue them to goe at randon, as the wretched and vnbeleeuing Gentiles. Ye see thē what Moses meant by this woorde, To day the Lorde thy GOD commaundeth thee. And that is the cause why this word also is put in the 95. Psalm.Psal. 95.7… To day if ye heare the voyce of the Lorde. And the Apostle hath well weyed the same, in the Epistle to the Hebrewes:Hebr. 13.… & 4.7. saying, that this worde To day, betokeneth that when wee once hauehave the woorde of God preached vntounto vsus, wee must vse that occasion, and that if it escape vsus, wee must needes bee iudged by them, which neuer knewe what good and euill meant to make any sure difference betweene them. And to this purpose also Saint Paule alleageth the place of Esay,Esa. 49.8. 2. Cor. 6.2. Beholde, nowe are the acceptable dayes, loe nowe is the time of saluation, seeke the Lord whyle hee is neere at hande, call vppon him while hee sheweth himselfe. So then let vsus learne, not to let slippe the opportunitie of time while the Lorde calleth vsus, and allureth vsus vntounto himselfe, let vsus not play the deafe men, let vsus not bee slowe to come vntounto him, but let vsus be in an vnfayned readinesse, and say; Lorde, behold we are heere, what is it that thou commaundest vsus? We are prest and ready eueryevery of vsus for himselfe to obey thee. Thus yee see what we hauehave to beare in minde out of this place.
And moreouer in this place Moses setteth downe these woordes, The commaundementes and statutes, in the same sense which we hauehave heeretofore already touched: namely, to shewe that GOD teacheth vsus not by halfes when wee hauehave his woorde, but that wee hauehave a perfect instruction, so as the knowledge of no good thing shall be wanting vntounto vsus, if wee be not stubborne vntounto God, and of sette purpose stoppe our eares: as there are many which are ready ynough to make a countenaunce of not knowing what it meaneth: although GOD hauehave taught them. If we therefore on our part bee tractable to bee taught, there is no doubt but that our lyfe shall bee in all poyntes well ruled, when we hauehave the word of God.
And if this was said of the time of the Lawe, which was much more darker than the Gospell is, doubtlesse wee hauehave nowe more plentie of doctrine and instruction. Let vsus learne therefore so profite in the schoole of our GOD, while it pleaseth him to vse the office of a schoolemaster towards vsus, and let vsus not doubt that any thing shall bee wanting vntounto vsus, when we come to him to bee taught. And that is the cause why Saint Paule also sayeth,… that in the Gospel there is such a fulnesse of wisedome, as a man can not wish any more. So then let vsus not bee vnthankefull; but when our GOD speakes vntounto vsus, let vsus inquire after his will, and order our lyfe according vntounto that which hee telleth vsus. But with all wee must bee diligent. For seeing GOD forgetteth not any thing, ne leaueth any thing behinde which myght serue for the well ordering of our lyfe, shoulde wee on our part bee negligent? Or if wee heard but one woorde of that which hee will tell vsus, shoulde wee ouerpasse it without thinking vppon it? No: but for as much as wee see that GOD hath such a care of ordering our lyfe, let vsus also on our side take paynes to pro…ite in his woorde; let vsus apply our whole studies thereunto, knowing that it is not loste time which is so spent; let vsus occupie our selues in obseruing his statutes, his commaundements, and ordinaunces: and let vsus set our mindes well vppon them. In deede GOD hath in ten wordes comprised whatsoeuer hee requireth of vsus, but these tenne woordes hauehave in them great substaunce. Our knowing of the ten commaundementes must not bee to prattle of them lyke a Pye in a Cage as they say: but wee must consider well of the meaning of them, and marke whereunto they tend. When our Lorde hath spoken the woorde, wee must first consider wherunto it tendeth: and secondly, what things depend thereon: and wee shall finde that wee hauehave neede to thinke vppon it, and to occupie and to employ our selues in it, al the time of our lyfe.
Nowe heerewithall Moses sheweth after what sorte wee must keepe the commaundementes of GOD, to wit, With all our hearts and with all our soule. It is not ynough then to employ our handes and our feete to doe well, but our heart must marche foremost. For if wee serue GOD through constraint, all is nothing worth. After which manner, Hypocrites fearing to bee punished make some fayre shewe of godlynesse, and in the sight of men, yee would thinke there were cause why they shoulde bee praysed; but their heart is full of wickednesse and rebellion, so as they defye GOD, and woulde hauehave him abolished if it were possible. The first thing therefore which wee hauehave to doe in framing our lyfe to the obedience of GOD, is to serue him with a pure and free good will, so as wee bee not forced to doe that which he commaundeth vsus, ne grynd our teeth at him, as who shoulde say wee woulde scape his hand, in dooing the cleane contrarie, if it were possible. But wee must offer our heart in sacrifice, that God may bee so serued of vsus, as wee may shewe that his Lawe is not such as the ciuill orders and lawes of men are. For they ordayne what seemeth good vntounto them, to the intent that men should bee bridled but from the outwarde actions: but it is not ynough to please GOD withall, not to hauehave doone euill, vnlesse our heart also bee answerable in all purenesse. And yet farther Moses speaketh not simply of the affections, but hee will hauehave the heart also to bee pure and vpright. Thou shalt serue mee therefore with all thy heart, and with all thy soule: that is to say, soundlye or vnfainedly, so as wee double not with GOD as wee see some doe; which make a fayre shewe for a time, but it soone vanisheth: and againe, they hauehave a backe shoppe so as they serue not GOD but agaynst their will. Wee must therefore laye open our heart before GOD, wee must offer our thoughtes and desires vntounto him, wee must endeuour to submitte our selues wholly vntounto him. Thus must hee bee serued and honored of vsus, howbeit not after our manner, but according to his owne lawe.
But heere a man myght demaunde, howe it may bee possible for men to giuegive themselues to serue GOD with all their heart. For as long as wee remayne inclosed in this fleshe of ours, there will bee alwayes many infirmities and vices in vsus which will holde vsus backe and hinder vsus. And verily wee heare how Saint Paule sayeth,Rom. 7.15. I can not doe the good which I woulde. But if the heart were wholly giuen vntounto GOD, the perfourmaunce of thinges woulde followe out of hande. It followeth then, that when wee bee so letted and hindered, wee obey GOD but in part. But as I hauehave alreadie declared, this letteth not, but that wee may serue GOD in singlenesse of heart: for hee imputeth not vntounto vsus those infirmities which hinder vsus, when there is no faynednesse in vsus, but that our chiefe desire and seeking is that hee shoulde quietlye possesse vsus and gouerne vsus by his holy spirite, and that our lyfe may bee conformable in all poyntes to his woorde. Therefore when we hauehave this desire in vsus, although wee be helde backe and hindered with the infirmities of our fleshe, yet GOD imputeth not that euill vntounto vsus. That is the thing which wee hauehave to beare in mynde out of this place. But a man may yet farther demaunde, whether GOD chargeth a man with any thing which is aboue his power and abilitie? For it seemeth an inconuenient thing that GOD should require thinges vnpossible to bee doone. But this demaunde is easily aunswered: for when God published and set foorth his lawe, hee respected not what we coulde doe, or what our power or abilitie is, but what we owe vntounto him.
Therefore when he saieth: You shall serue mee by keeping my Statutes with all your heart and with all your soule: hee speaketh not according to our abilitie: hee knoweth full well, that wee are not able to compasse it, wee are farre wyde from it: but yet for all that, wee ceasse not to bee bounde vntounto him, and there is good right why hee shoulde require his due, although wee are not able to perfourme it. For whence commeth the faulte? Of the corruptnesse of our nature. Seeing it is so then, let vsus conclude that GOD must not bee barred of his right. And therefore although men can not whollye discharge themselues, yet GOD ceasseth not to say, You owe mee this, and therefore doe it. Now whereas the Lawe was in such sort giuen vntounto vsus, wee are so farre vnable to perfourme it, that wee knowe not howe to hauehave one good thought onelyonly to beginne,…. Cor. 3.5. much lesse hauehave wee any ryght affection to stirre one finger to doe it. That is no newes: but wee must mourne, knowing that wee are altogether rebelles vntounto GOD, and that there is nothing in our nature, which is not repugnaunt to his righteousnesse. HaueHave wee done so? HaueHave wee condemned our selues? Then let vsus pray him to ayde vsus with his holy spirite. And moreouer when hee shall hauehave ayded vsus, let vsus knowe that if there be any thing wanting in our duetie, yet shall it not come into account, but GOD will accept of the seruice which we yeelde vntounto him, so it proceede from a free and syncere mynde, as I sayde afore. Wee see then that the thing which wee hauehave to gather vppon this place, is, that GOD will bee serued, not by piece meale nor by force or constraint, but of a pure and freehearted deuotion and with all our heart. Moreouer let vsus note, that wee cannot discharge our selues of all that which wee owe him, and as in respect of our owne nature, wee can not any way beginne. But whereas hee hath published his Lawe by the mouth of menne, and hath caused it to bee set downe in wryting; hee must also write it in our heartes, as he promiseth to doe;Ier. 31.33. Ezec. 11.19. Hebr. 8.10. Deut. 30.6. both by Ezechiel and also Ieremie. And it is a common doctrine (as wee shall see heereafter) that hee promysed the Iewes to circumcise their heartes. After that manner doeth GOD speake vntounto his elect, that is, that through his holy spirite, hee imprinteth his commaundementes in their heartes. Moreouer wee must knowe that although GOD hauehave touched our heartes by his holy spirite, yet wee are alwayes rebelles against him, and wee neuer come to the perfect and substantiall seruing of him which is sette downe heere. Wee must therefore alwayes bewayle our selues, crauing forgiuenesse of the faultes which remayne in vsus. But yet notwithstanding wee must inforce our selues to come vntounto GOD, yea euen with willing seruice, that our heartes may bee so disposed, as wee may take a pleasure to bee obedient vntounto him, for vntill wee bee come to that poynt, GOD will accept of no seruice which wee doe to him. Thus yee see in effect what wee hauehave to beare in minde concerning these words of Moses.
Nowe hee addeth; The Lorde thy GOD hath made made thee to promise this daye, that thou shalt bee a people vntounto him: and thou hast caused the Lorde thy GOD to say, that hee shall bee thy GOD. This place heere is taken in two sortes. For the verbe which Moses vseth, signifyeth sometyme to exalt or to sette vppe on high: howbeeit not in his originall signification, but after a certayne manner: and sometime whereas yee woulde saye, according to the roote of the woorde, A man is exalted; it may also bee construed, hee hath made himselfe to saye: bycause it is to bee gathered, that bragging and boasting doe make a man to set out and to aduaunce himselfe highly. Therefore commonly this place is taken as if it were sayde, the Lorde thy GOD hath chosen thee this day to bee his people, and thou also hast exalted or sette him vp to bee thy GOD. I graunt that this sense maye well bee borne with. But when all is more nearelie considered, the naturall meanyng of Moses is as wee hauehave turned it, to wit, this daye thou hast caused the Lorde thy GOD to say, that hee will by thy GOD; and hee hath made thee saye, that thou wilt bee his people. For in this place Moses meant to shewe the fauour which GOD had vttered towardes the Iewes, in making his couenaunt with them. And to prooue this to bee so, wee see that the same thing i… declared many tymes in the holye Scripture, both to the Iewes, and also vntounto vsus: that is, that GOD vseth inestimable goodnes towards vsus whē it pleaseth him to cal vsus into his church, and to receiue vsus as it were into his own house, for then he couenāteth with vsus as if two persons should meete to passe bondes on eyther part. As for example; Some gift is to be made. Now hee that is the granter speaketh first, and he that accepteth is there also. Then are conditions annexed; and the partie that maketh the gift saith: This I except, This I reserue, or I will hauehave him to whom I giuegive it, to bee bounde vntounto mee after such a maner. The graunter (as they terme him) accepteth of the gift, & bindeth himselfe on his part, and both of them make promises, I (saith ye one) doe renounce all my right, & giuegive all ouer into this mans hand. And I for my part (saith the other) doe accept it with condition to performe yt which he requireth of me. So then like as Conueiances doe passe betweene men: euen so dealeth God wt vsus in that it pleaseth him to admit vsus for his people, & to take vsus for his owne. Now let vsus see what honor this is, whē he stoopeth so vntounto vsus wretched creatures. We are poore wormes of the earth: as touching our bodies we are vile carions & rottennes: & as for our soules there is yet farre greater wretchednes in them: and yet notwithstanding God entreth into couenants wt such as we are: & what equal match is there betweene vsus? Would an earthly king or some great Prince vouchsafe to come vntounto a swineheard or some other man of base degree, & say, we wil couenant one wt another, we wil hauehave a Notary betwixt vsus. A Prince (which yet is but a mortall creature) would think himself too much disgraced, if he should enter into couenāt with such an abiect as in respect of ye world: and yet our God vouchsafeth to stoope as lowe vntounto vsus. And therefore we ought to magnifie so great a priuilege. When we heare the worde of God preached vntounto vsus, it is all one as if God came down hither vntounto vsus and saide; Come on. As for mee, I am readie to couenant with you, onelyonly be you likewise disposed on your side. When wee hauehave such a neare accesse vntounto God, and he acquainteth himselfe so with vsus, and woulde hauehave vsus so ioyned vntounto him: are wee not voyde of al sense and reason, if this doe not moue vsus, yea and inflame our heartes to giuegive our selues wholly ouer vntounto God, who vseth such & so incredible gentlenesse towardes vsus? So then it is not without cause that Moses sayeth in this place: This daye the Lorde thy God hath made thee to giuegive thy worde, that is to saye, hee hath made thee to couenant with him, that thou wilt bee his people, and thou hast made him to couenant with thee, that hee will bee thy God. Thou hast this libertie, or rather this priuiledge to speake with thy God. Goe to then, let vsus couenant togither, let vsus hauehave our mouthes open to demaunde and to aske, seeing our Lorde stoopeth so lowe vntounto vsus. It is verie true that hee can owe vsus nothing, but yet neuerthelesse, of his meere liberalitie hee will hauehave vsus to aske him, that wee may bee his; hee will hauehave vsus to require him that hee may bee our God, and we his inheritance; hee our King, and we his people: wee his children, and hee our father. Seeing then that wee may come so farre; ought not the great pitifulnesse which our Lorde sheweth vntounto vsus, to make vsus ashamed? What a shame were it if wee shoulde remaine so blockish as to bee nothing at all mooued, after that God hath so allured vsus, and after that hee hath so preuented vsus afore hande with his infinite goodnesse? Nowe then to the intent wee may profite our selues the better by this place, let vsus note once againe this worde, To day. For Moses alwayes putteth the Iewes in minde, that when the law was published, God was present with them, and called them to enter into couenant with him as I will declare anon. But nowe as touching vsus, wee hauehave the Gospel, wee see the time seasonable, we see the dayes of saluation, wee see the acceptable time of God; let vsus therefore make hast, let vsus enter in whyle the doore is open, while the way is readie let vsus goe forward in it, let vsus not fo…e…lowe it; for if God perceiue that wee despise his grace,… 24 20▪ doutlesse hee can well ynough skill howe to withdrawe it, as hee also threateneth to doe. Let vsus not therefore delay the time vntill to morrowe, to followe whither God calleth vsus; but whyle he speaketh let vsus be attentiue to heare him. Thus yee see what wee hauehave to beare in mynde vppon this woorde, To daye.
Moreouer it is true, that in substance God maketh no other couenant with vsus nowadayes, than hee made in olde time with the Iewes: but yet hee speaketh much more familiarly vntounto vsus, hee sheweth him selfe to bee our God, and our father, and hath made vsus a farre greater assurance thereof in our Lorde Iesus Christ, than the Iewes coulde hauehave vnderunder the shadowes and figures of the lawe. In deede the auncient fathers were saued by no other meanes, than by that which wee hauehave, to wit, that they were the people of God; for this betokeneth as much, as that God held them for his childrē: & they had their saluation grounded in Christ Iesus, as wee hauehave: but that was after an obscure manner, so as they behelde the thing afarre off which was presented vntounto them. As for vsus, seeing God is come so neere vntounto vsus in the person of our lord Iesus Christ, that wee be vnited vntounto him, and hauehave the trueth and substance of the ancient figures: wee bee so much the more surer yt God maketh vsus to saye that wee are his people, and that we make him to say that he is our God. And how doth he make vsus to say it? Truly altogether of his owne good will, without beeing tyed or bound vntounto vsus. For God hauing adopted vsus for his children, certifieth vsus that the inheritance of heauen is made readie for vsus, and behold hee giueth his own sonne vntounto vsus for a pledge of his louelove, & whatsoeuer our Lorde Iesus Christ hath is all ours, with all the fulnesse of riches which wee reade was giuen vntounto him. And why? Euen vntounto the ende that wee shoulde bee enriched by them. The obedience which hee yeelded vntounto his father is our righteousnes. To be short, hee hath nothing whereof he maketh not vsus partakers. Seeing that he is ours, and that hee is giuen vntounto vsus, how shall not all the rest which hee hath be giuen vntounto vsus also with him, as S. Paul saith in the eighth to the Romanes?Rom. 8.32. Seeing thē that we hauehave this, and that wee may make our God say that he is our sauiour, and that nothing can be wanting to vsus after hee hath receiued vsus into his fauour and louelove: let it lift vsus vp vntounto heauē, so as eueryevery of vsus may forget & renounce him selfe. Let vsus bid the world farewell, and let vsus be rauished to giuegive our selues ouer altogither vntounto him, who sheweth himself so liberall & fauourable vntounto vsus. And let vsus note, that seeing we make God to speake so, that is to say, to graunt vsus libertie to come vntounto him, & to require him to accomplish his promises; we must at leastwise be mutually bound vntounto him, & he take promise of vsus, that we wil be his people, that is to say, that because hee hath redeemed vsus by the bloud of his onelyonly sonne, we will liue no longer after our own lusts & fleshly desires, but be ruled by him; & that as he is our father so we wil be his children, so as none of vsus wil yeld to do wickedly, but hold fast the seale of our adoption which is the holy spirite to be gouerned by him. There must (say I) as leastwise be this mutual bonde betwixt vsus, that seeing God bindeth himselfe so vntounto vsus, we also must come and submit ourselues wholly vntounto him.
Now herewithal we ought to wey wel this word which Moses addeth. He saith twise As the Lorde hath said vntounto thee, whereby he sheweth, yt when we come vntounto God, we must not come vntounto him with stoutnes & pride, as though he were beholden vntounto vsus; but we must know that we come because he calleth vsus. What mortall man will presume to present himselfe before God & say, bind thy selfe vntounto me, & let vsus couenant here togither, yt thou wilt be my God, & that I shalbe of ye number of thy people? Were not men stark mad if they shoulde presume to speake so vntounto God? Now then let vsus note, yt it is for him to open our mouthes, & to giuegive vsus such warrant. And that is the cause why Moses sayeth (& that not once only, but with a dubble repetition) that it is God which hath spoken. Therefore if men should of their own mind come vntounto God & say, bind thy selfe vntounto vsus; it were a diuelish rashnes: but let vsus wait vntil our Lord cal vsus. And when it pleaseth him to offer speech vntounto vsus, then let vsus knowe yt it is no presumption worthy to bee condemned to say, wel Lord, seeing we know thy wil, we will vse the liberty which thou offerest vntounto vsus. That is the maner of proceeding which wee must obserue when we come vntounto God. But herein wee see how the wretched world hath bin blinded wt horrible abuses. When we speake of the certeintie of our saluation, the Papistes say it is a presumptuousnes: & that we must always stande in suspence & dout of it. Their beleefe is, that no man ought to assure himself of his saluation, but that he should only weene & suppose it. Neither is it ye ignorantest sort which speake thus: but it is the resolute determination of all their diuelish schooles. But in the meane while what do they? EueryEvery of thē bindeth God at his own pleasure: and looke what they hauehave forged & deuised, yt wil they hauehave God to admit for good, although he neuer spake word of it. These are two extremities which are too excessiue. For on yt one side the Papists stand always in dout saying, I cannot tel in what case I am with God: in deed I thinke I stand in his fauor, but I know not how yt matter goeth. And what is the cause [why they vse such maner of speaches?] Forsooth they are afrayde of presumptuousnes. Is it presumptuousnes to hang wholly vponupon the goodnes of God; & to doe him the honor to beleeue his worde; and to answere Amen, as soone as he speaketh; and to acccount al these things vtterly vnfallible? Is that presumptuousnes? Nay, it is rather true obedience; & obedience importeth humblenes. In deede there is in this behalf a kind of boldnesse; and S. Paul also ioyneth those two togither in 3. Chap.Ephes. 3.12. to the Ephesians, saying. By faith which we hauehave in Christ Iesus, wee hauehave trust giuen vsus with boldnes & hardines to come vntounto God. Faith therfore engēdreth boldnes: but this boldnes proceedeth not of pryde; but rather thereby we learn our humblenes in that we receiue quietly that which God telleth vsus, & accept it, as a thing wherof we ought not to dout. That is the first extremitie, which raigneth too too shamefully among the Papists. But what do they in the meane time? They hauehave their deuotions eueryevery man after his own fancie. I wil do this, & I will do that. I must win heauen; I must make satisfaction for my sinnes in such wise & such. God is iust, & think we that seeing he is iust, he wil deny vsus our hyre when wee shall hauehave serued him? And although we serue him not in full perfectnes, yet he wil like of that which wee shal doe, or else he should be cruel & vniust, if he should not accept of our seruice: and if there be any default in it, we wil make an amends for it: for we hauehave meanes to satisfie him. Nay we wil do more than he hath cōmanded vsus; wee wil take vppon vsus to keepe his law, but yet wil wee hauehave some farther deuotion in store, & it cannot bee but yt all this must be taken into our accounts; for whatsoeuer is done vponupon a good intent cannot be bad: neither ought God also to reiect it. See how the Papists plead with God, not onelyonly as with their match, but also as with some little play fellow: & if he like not of al yt they do, & account it good, he shalbe condemned although he declare that he disliketh of it al & say, I wil not put it into my account; Deceiue not your selues, it is vtter abomination vntounto me. No sir (say they) you will like of it welynough for al that; you cannot but accept of it, seeing we think it to be good. After that maner do the Papists talke. In deede they wil not vse those very woordes; but yet is it the very effect of their doctrine, without adding one syllable therunto. And surely it is a diuelish presumption, when men take so highly vponupon them as to make God beleeue that whatsoeuer they hauehave deuised, is good, & that he must needes receiue it: & againe, when they wil binde him vntounto them, as who would say, God will receiue me, I hauehave purchased ye kingdom of heauen, I must be receiued thereinto for my desert, & if God will not admit me for his pities sake, yet must he do it for his iustice sake: for it is not his simple merciemercy that I stande vntounto, I will not bee saued by his mere grace, but I will hauehave him to take mine account, and as he shall find me worthy, so let him deale by me. See how the deuil be wraieth himselfe, and lifteth vp his horns against God. But wee for our part are taught heere an other lesson. For Moses saith it is the Lord which hath sayd it. And he doth expresly repete this kinde of speach to do vsus to vnderstand, that it is not for vsus to sue God or to make any couenāt with him: but he must first call vsus and we must stand aloofe without preacing to come at him, vntill he of his owne good will do seeke vsus. Notwithstanding yt we be thus shaken off, our God telleth vsus that he will hauehave acquaintance with vsus, and yt although we hauehave bin his mortal enimies, yet hereafter we shalbe of his houshold. And that wheras we hauehave bin bondslaues to satan & holden captiue vnderunder the bondage of death; he will make vsus his children & heires. Doth our Lorde once say so? O then there remaineth nothing for vsus to doe but to come vntounto him; for then hauehave wee leaue & libertie to set our selues forward. But here there is nothing of our owne: all is because we are called from aboue, yea, euen of his meere grace, so as wee bring nothing. It is not said, because thou hast done this or that, or because God hath founde in thee some cause why he should shew thee such fauour. No, but according as he hath spoken, according as the Lorde hath said it. The purpose of God therefore must hauehave all the preheminence in this case. And when he hath decreede ye thing in him selfe, & openeth his holy mouth to declare his will vntounto vsus; then let vsus accept of it, let vsus take there our sure grounding, & let vsus depend wholy thereupon; let vsus not bring with vsus our owne flickering fancies, but let vsus onelyonly walke as the Lorde hath directed vsus by his hande, and as hee himselfe hath declared vntounto vsus. And when wee hauehave such humblenesse as to hauehave skill to confesse, yt vntil God drawe neare vntounto vsus, we are far off from the hope of saluation: then ought boldnes to follow, & to keepe his course & way; & we must come vntounto that which is here declared by Moses: This day thou hast made the Lorde thy God to speake. Therfore when wee hauehave this warrant of the fatherly louelove which god beareth vntounto vsus; thē may we make him to speak. For do we any thing else in al our prayers, than charge God with his promises? In deede wee come not to pray as the heathenish sort of mē do, & as al those do which are vnpatient, when they come vntounto God: for if he grant them not their request at ye first chop they defy him. But wee come not to pray after yt maner: for we protest on the contrary, that his wil ought to be done. But yet notwithstanding we cannot pray vntounto God, but we must say, Lord thou owest vsus nothing, but that which thou hast promised vsus. Neuerthelatter wheras thou didest not owe vsus any thing, thou hast bound thy selfe vntounto vsus of thine owne good will, wherein thou shewest thy selfe most liberal: and therefore our comming as now is vppon trust of thy promises to pray thee to perform them. Seeing then that in all our prayers we alleage vntounto God the couenant & contract which he hath made with vsus, by that meanes we make him [as it were] to speake, & to say that hee is our God. And vnderunder this speach (as I hauehave already told you) all the good things which wee can hope for, or wish for, are contained. For seeing yt God giueth himselfe so vntounto vsus, what can we farther desire? Is not he the fountaine of al wisedome, righteousnes, vertue, life, ioy, & glorie? Is there any good thing to bee desired, which we may not find in our God? Al yt euer he hath is ours: he communicateth himself so vntounto vsus, yt he will hauehave vsus partakers of al those good things which are in himself; not yt we hauehave ye ful possession of them at the first, but that wee possesse them by hope, vntil ye day that the fruit of them shalbe layd open vntounto vsus. Now therfore let vsus marke wel, yt when we are once taught in ye word of the gospel, thē we may make our God to speake, then wee may come familiarly vntounto him, & require him to shew himself such an one as he hath always promised to be: and let vsus assure our selues that we shal not be disappointed, when he hath once giuen vsus the warrant of his louelove, which is more than if we had al the deedes of record in the world. And in this case we need not to seeke for notaries or signets or mennes seales, we hauehave ye bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ, which is ye seale of this couenant that God hath made with vsus, declaring yt he is our God. Also we hauehave the holy ghost, by whome the promise is better warranted vntounto vsus, yea, euen in our harts. And so we see now, that it is not for nought, that Moses hath so magnified this greate goodnes which God vseth towardes vsus, & this priuiledge which he giueth vsus in drawing vsus vntounto himselfe, & in choosing vsus to be of his house, and of his church. But we must alwayes hauehave an eye vntounto ye end for which our Lord graunteth vsus this libertie, to wit, that he also may be at a point with vsus & hauehave vsus for his people. For if we be not answerable on our part with our obedience: is there any reason that he should keep his promise, when we hauehave broken the league? In deede he must be faine alwayes to fight against our stubbornnes & to ouercome it: for we are eueryevery day vnfaithful vntounto him, and hee continueth faithfull vntounto vsus; but howsoeuer the worlde goeth, yet when wee reiect his couenant, and set light by it thorough our wicked life, wee may not looke that hee shoulde bee any longer bounde vntounto vsus. For why? For hee is become our God vppon this condition, yt we also shoulde be his people. And how shall wee be his people? It is not by saying simply with our mouth, Wee are the people of God: for the veriest hypocrites will boast as much as that; yea, and they bee so farre past shame, that they will needs occupy the chiefest places and hyest roomes in the church: but wee must shewe by our deedes, that we are the people of God, in that we obey him, hearkening to the voyce of that shepeheard which he hath giuen vntounto vsus, When wee liue quietly vnderunder the guyding of our Lorde Iesus Christ; then do wee make certaine proofe that wee keepe the couenant of our God, without falsifying of the faith which wee promised vntounto him. And in this sense hath Moses spoken it. So then forasmuch as the Gospel is preached vntounto vsus, let vsus knowe that our Lorde draweth so nigh vntounto vsus, as hee desireth nothing but that wee shoulde bee as it were gathered vnderunder his winges. And here withall let vsus consider the contentes or substance of this doctrine which wee hauehave touched, namely, that our Lorde hauing sought vsus out, giueth him selfe vntounto vsus, yea, and that in such wise, as that hee is after a sorte bounde as it were by solemne couenant; by reason whereof wee may freely come vntounto him, and require him to perfourme his promises. And after that rule ought al our prayers to bee directed. But therewithal let vsus also vnderstande, on what condition it is that hee is so bounde vntounto vsus. For when we be once bounde after that fashion; if wee make little reckoning of so inestimable a benefite, or if wee reiect it and disdayne it; thinke wee that such contempt of ours shall remayne vnpunished? Woe bee vntounto them therefore which hauehave the knowledge of the Gospell, and vntounto whome GOD hath so communicated him selfe, if they bee not aunswerable thereunto in true obedience, and humblenesse, and submit not themselues vntounto him, and that in such sorte, as they may shewe by their deedes euen in their whole lyfe, that they holde him for their God, and bee also of his flocke, that is to say, yt they bee willing to giuegive them selues fully and wholly vntounto him.
Now let vsus kneele downe before the maiesty of our good God, with acknowledgement of our faults, praying him to make vsus feele them more and more, and that in such wise, as that beeing beaten down in our selues, we may receiue that remedie which he offereth vntounto vsus: that is, to be renewed by his holy spirit. And moreouer to imprint in our hearts the certeintie of his promises which are contained in his worde, so as wee may not dout but that if we hang vponupon him, hee wil shew himselfe our sauiour euen vntounto y• ende, and that as hee hath once redeemed vsus by the death and passion of his only son, so if we hauehave our trust settled on him, he wil neuer forsake vsus, but hauehave a care of the gouerning of vsus, in such sort that hee will not suffer the thinges to perish which he hath committed to the keeping of our Lord Iesus Christ, but preserue them all safe vntil the latter day. And so let vsus say. Almightie God heauenly father, &c.