Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 155
On Thursday the xij. of March, 1556. The CLV. Sermon which is the third vponupon the eight and twentith Chapter.
9 The Lorde thy God will make thee a holy people to himselfe, as hee hath sworne vntounto thee, if thou keepe the commaundements of the Lord thy God and walke in his wayes.
10 And all the nations of the earth shall see that the name of the Lorde is called vppon ouer thee, and they shall bee afraide of thee.
11 And the Lord thy GOD will make thee to abound in substance, in the fruite of thy wombe, in the fruite of thy cattel, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the Lord thy GOD hath sworne to thy fathers to giuegive thee.
12 The Lord thy GOD will open vntounto thee his good treasure, euen the heauens, to send downe raine vponupon thy land in due season: and to blesse all the worke of thy handes, and thou shalt lende vntounto many people and borrowe of none.
13 The Lorde God will make thee the head, and not the tayle: And thou shalt be onelyonly aboue, and not beneath, if thou obey the commaundements of the Lord thy God, which I commaund thee this day to keepe and to doe them.
14 And that you swarue not, neither to the right hand nor to the left, from any of al the wordes which I commaund you this day, in walking after other gods to serue them.
MOses continuing the matter which was handled yesterday, sheweth vppon what condition GOD choseth vsus, when hee taketh vsus to bee of his Church: that is, that wee should bee separated, and set far off from the common curse of mankinde. True it is that Gods goodnesse extendeth ouer all the men of the worlde, wee see how all are fedde and maintayned by his liberalitie: but in the meane while wee see to how many miseries men be subiect. For this cause it behoueth vsus to bee sundered, and that God watch ouer vsus, and beare vsus a speciall louelove, as to his owne children: for without that, all our lyfe is confused, as it is seene howe the wretched infidelles, albeeit that GOD bestowe neuer so many blessinges vppon them, yet can they not profite by them, but they stand alwayes in doubt; and not without cause. For wherevppon may they repose their hope, seeing they bee not certifyed of the louelove of GOD? How can they holde him for their father? Therefore it is a worde well worth the marking, where Moses sayth that GOD hath separated vsus from all other nations of the worlde. It is certaine that this worde holynesse doth importe, that the image of GOD shoulde shine forth in vsus, and that wee should serue him purely in vertuous conuersation: but yet from thence hee proceedeth farther, as hee doth in this text; namely that God will giuegive vntounto his people a certeine marke, to shewe that they bee priuiledged aboue all other folke. Therefore in beholding what the state of man is in this present lyfe, let vsus learne to resorte alwayes to this promise, that God hath not onelyonly created vsus after the common course of the brood of all Adams children: but that hee hath also chosen vsus to himselfe for his heritage. And let vsus not doubt at all, but that he watcheth ouer vsus, and wil make vsus to perceiue that wee be of his housholde, and that he is nigh vntounto vsus to succour vsus: let vsus bee well resolued in this.
Moreouer Moses addeth, Other people shall see that the name of the Lorde thy GOD is called vppon ouer thee, and they shall be afraide. It is certaine that the Idolaters can vaunt themselues enough of the name of God: and we see howe they pretend it, euen in their fighting against him, when they cast off all doctrine: Insomuch that being as fierce as wilde beastes, yet they looke to bee counted of the Church. But Moses dooth here take the worde call vppon, for naming, or calling vponupon: yea and that in trueth; meaning that the people were truely and in deed called after God his name; or named his People. If wee walke in the feare of our God, and frame our life after his calling, then shall it be seene how it is not in vaine that hee calleth himselfe our God, & auoweth vsus to be his people. Now it is certain that this word dooth presuppose that wee hauehave our recourse to God, as being vnderunder his protection. For it is sayd that a man is called vppon or named after the name of a prince, when hee is become his subiect, and is vnderunder his tuition. Euen so it is sayd, that the faithfull hauehave GOD his name called vppon ouer them in protesting that they bee his, and that, there they bee all safe v…der his winges. And this cannot bee vnlesse we call vppon GOD, and hauehave our refuge vntounto him in all our necessities. But whence commeth such boldnesse, that wee glory in this: that wee belong vntounto God, more than any other? For wee know that the state of men is alyke by nature. Wherefore then be we preferred before them that are descended of the self same race? It commeth through Gods election: It may not begin of vsus. For what is he yt can aduaunce himself to come nigher vntounto God, thā others come? What desert can any man bring wt him? [None at all.] Thē must God make choice of vsus through his own meere goodnes: & whē he hath declared himselfe to be our God, then may wee also of our parte bee bolde, in all assurance and without doubt to call vppon his name. Nowe wee see what is the effect of this sentence. And Moses meaneth to declare, what preheminence GOD giueth vntounto those whome hee hath adopted for his children: to wit, that albeit they be mingled amongest men, and encompassed with many miseries; yet be they preserued, as being vnderunder his hand and protection, euen because hee doth holde and auowe them to bee of his houshold: not for any other cause than onelyonly his own good pleasure. Let vsus therfore courageously defie Sathan, when wee see that hee practiseth all that hee possibly can against vsus, and let vsus count our selues assured against all the dangers of this world, seeing that God hath done vsus such fauor, as not to leaue vsus to fortune, as the vnbeleeuers doe imagine. And why? For wee bee vntounto him a holy people. And from whence shall wee fetche this preeminence? Wee hauehave it because hee hath testified vntounto vsus that hee is our GOD. If wee had not gotten this worde of him, we should bee alwayes in perplexitie, wee shoulde still doubt, through questioning of this and that, and our lyfe should hang as it were by a threed; as wee shall see in this Chapter. But seeing that God hath vttered his fatherly louelove vntounto vsus, and it hath pleased him to open his mouth, to make vsus to vnderstand that hee hath giuen vsus familiar accesse vntounto him: seeing (I say) that wee hauehave such assurance: let vsus call vppon him (that is to say) let vsus not doubt to glorie in this: that hee is our Sauiour: and that seeing we are his, wee cannot perish. Howebeit let vsus beware that wee call not vppon the name of God falsly, as all they doe which abuse it, and yet in the meane while doe make a mocke of him, and are despisers of his maiestie. If wee clayme the name of God, let it bee, because we be grounded vppon his promises, and hauehave receiued them through faith: and then let vsus call vppon him, let him bee our refuge, and let vsus not giuegive our selues to fond bragging as they doe which thinke it enough for them to beare the bare name of Christians. Nay, let vsus followe the call of our GOD: as Moses sheweth here; saying: If thou wilt keepe the commaundementes of thy GOD, as I d…e set them afore thee this day. For it is good reason that seeing God hath so bound himselfe vntounto vsus, wee in lykewise for our parte should yeelde our selues to his direction. And that wee should not onelyonly professe with our mouthes that wee bee his people, but also shewe it by framing our whole lyfe agreeable to the same, and by keeping his commaundementes, make it apparant that we hauehave receiued the grace which hee offered vsus: For that is the true proofe thereof.
Now hee sayth moreouer, That other people shall see how the name of God is called vppon ouer vsus, and that they shall feare vsus. It is not enough for vsus that GOD doe promise vsus to make vsus to feele that wee bee in his keeping: but he saith, that euen the Paynims our mortall enemies, and the despisers of his maiestie shall bee made to know the same. Now it is certaine that the Infidels knowe not the arme of GOD, in such wise, as it ought to bee knowen vntounto vsus: they come far short of it. For in seeing, they see not a whit: and how then should it be possible that they should perceiue that GOD hath blessed vsus, that we liue of his fauor, and that we be nourished at his cost? For they bee blockish, and thinke not that any thing cōmeth vntounto them from the hand of God. Wee see well how the Infidels be fedde and cloathed, they enioy the light of the Sunne, yea, and they hauehave aboundance of goods. But as for the worshipping and seeking of God, there is no tidinges at all among them thereof. And if besides their despising of the benefites of their God, they hauehave no vnderstanding whence they come vntounto them: howe should they then knowe that the name of God is called vppon ouer vsus? Their knowing of it is not through any perswasion of minde, or through any such true vnderstanding of it, as we ought to hauehave: but Moses sayth that they shall hauehave it proued to their faces: as for example, wee see the wicked grinde their teeth when they behold the faithfull to prosper, and see that God vpholdeth and keepeth them. And whence commeth that? Truely they shall be astonished at it: and they shal not be able to think otherwise, but that God fauoreth the contrarie parte: not that they doe settle vppon it, or bee rightly resolued thereof in their heartes: but for that they be confounded in their owne selues.
Hee sayth, that they shall perceaue that Gods name is claymed [or called vppon] ouer vsus: and that it shall put them in feare. For albeit that they feare not God: yet doth he bridle them secretly, insomuch that when they would practise any thing against his people, they cannot, for they feele their courage broken. This is to be wondred at, that God sometimes doth giuegive the wicked the bridle so far as to cast out the fome of their rage against vsus: they deuise what they can, and worke their spite. But hauehave they once done that: then shall it appeare that they are vnderlings to him, and cannot withstand him. And what is the cause thereof? If God should suffer the faythlesse to hauehave their owne will, it is certaine that the worlde should not last three dayes, but that they would beare downe all things before them. Therefore it is necessarie that hee shoulde restraine them with some secret bridle, and not suffer their headynesse to hauehave full scope. And we see it before our eyes. Whereof comes it that we hauehave not bin swallowed vp a hundred thowsand times within these twentie or thirtie yeeres last past? OnelyOnly of Gods defence, which consisteth not in signes that may be seene, but in his secret holding of the wicked as it were in prison, mauger all the mischieuousnesse that is in them. By reason whereof, when they hauehave deuised any thing, they wash away lyke water, & all their thoughtes doe vanish, and they ly as with their armes broken, and though they vndertake great thinges, yet can they not attaine to their purpose. And so yee see what Moses meant in saying, that the wicked, (forsomuch as they bee our enemies) shall perceiue that the name of God is called vppon ouer vsus, and thereby bee stricken in feare. Whereby wee see, that there is no such fortresse nor defence as to hauehave our recourse to God. So long as hee taketh the care vponupon him to saue vsus, let vsus boldely trust that wee stand in safetie, yea albeit that the wicked conspire against vsus, and lye in waite and watch for vsus: yet shall we be as in an inuincible fortresse, so we can call vppon the name of our GOD, and be throughly assured in ourselues that he auoweth vsus to be his people, whereof wee hauehave good warrant, so wee breake not our faith which on our part we hauehave plighted vntounto him. But wee must feele the protection of GOD otherwise than the wicked doe; that is to say, in hearing his woorde, we must embrace the grace which is presented vntounto vsus, and rest wholy vppon it. After that manner must we bee ascerteyned that the name of God is called vppon ouer vsus.
Now Moses doth repeate againe that which he had sayd concerning the fruite of the womb, of Cattell, and of the Earth. Truely it had bin sufficient, to hauehave promised at once, yt al bodily blessings proceede from God. But on the one side we see the mistrust that is in men, how that when God speaketh vntounto them, they cease not to argue and to reply; Yea, but shall be sure of it? And therefore to resolue vsus the better, God confirmeth the matter which he had spoken of. Againe we see our vnthankfulnesse to be such, that we attribute the thinges to Fortune, and to our owne skill and trauel, which God hath done for vsus. Therefore he calleth vsus vntounto him, and sheweth that it is he which doth it: and on the other side he would hauehave vsus to vnderstand, that if we intend to prosper in all pointes, wee must hearken to him and obey him. For all men, yea euen the wickeddest in the world are desirous to hauehave issue of their owne bodies, increase of cattell, and great reuenewes. But what? In the meane while wee despise▪ God the author of all goodnesse, and seeme as though wee laboured of purpose to thrust his hand far frō vsus: which is asmuch as if I should aske a man an almes, and giuegive him a whyrret on the eare: or as if hee should come to succour mee, and I should spit in his face: euen so deale wee with our God. God therefore perceiuing such a malice in vsus, and that wee cannot be taught at the first, but doe stop our eares against that which he saith; repeteth the same thinges againe which he had spoken to vsus before. Whereby hee warneth vsus, that if wee want any thing, wee must lay the blame thereof vppon our owne sinne, and not vppon him. Why so? Because hee is ready for his part, to blesse vsus as well in issue of our bodies, as in reuenue of land, and in cattell, and is liberall and rich enough for vsus, neither will hee bee streite laced towards vsus of the blessings that be in his possession. Let vsus therefore acknowledge, that the fault is in vsus, when hee withdraweth his benefites, and giueth them not vntounto vsus so largely as wee would.
Moreouer it is a notable manner of speach, when he sayth, That God wil open his good treasure, namely the heauen, to giuegive vsus rayne, that the earth may bring forth foode. Here Moses setteth forth the order of nature which wee see with our eyes, that wee might the better vnderstand how God is our father and our nourisher: and that although the sustenance whereon wee feed is gathered from the earth: yet is it onelyonly God that sendeth all thinges. How so? The earth in deede hath nature giuen vntounto it, to bring forth fruite; but if it should continue dry, what woulde come of it? Wee see that vnlesse there fall both rayne and dewe, the earth dooth open, as though it would cry out that it were a thirst, and it dryeth vp for want of moysture. And therefore Dauid intending to vtter his earnest desire of Gods grace, vseth this similitude, saying: Lorde I am vntounto thee as a dry grounde.Psal. 143.6. Wee see before our eyes how the earth becommeth barreine and parcheth for want of moysture, and finally hath neither strength nor substance. Had it so pleased God, coulde not hee hauehave giuen propertie to the earth, to hauehave of it selfe substance enough? For as wee reade in Genesis,Gen. 2.6. there was not such raine in the beginning as wee hauehave in these dayes: but GOD caused a certaine vapor to rise vp to moysten the earth: and cannot hee doe the same now, or else that the earth shoulde hauehave some certaine moysture proceding from vnderneath? And in deede, wherehence commeth the rayne? If yee aske the Philosophers, they will say that the rayne commeth of the vapors that ascend out of ye earth, which being drawen vp into the ayre, bee sent downe againe vppon the earth. Thus then, after ye opinion of the Philosophers, the vapors doe ascend: But now wherefore commeth it, that GOD cannot make the heauens to yeelde rayne except it come first out of the earth: or the earth to keepe still that moysture which it hath, so that it may alwayes hauehave strength and substance of it selfe? What is the cause of this rising vp of the vapors, that when the earth hath yeelded them forth, they bee held vp in the ayre as in Bottles: as is mentioned in the Psalme?Psal. 18.12. What is the cause of all this? It is for that he seeth vsus to be so blockish and grosse, that although hee shewe as with his fingar, that it is at his hand that wee receiue all goodnesse; yet is it his meaning to make vsus to perceiue it in a more visible maner. And that is the cause also why hee sayth,Osee. 2.21. That he will heare the heauens, and the heauens shall heare the earth, and the earth shall heare the corne, and all the seedes yt be committed vntounto it. When the husbandman soweth his graine well, he layeth it vp as it were in prison: & it seemeth to be as at the merciemercy of the earth. The earth then must cōceiue ye corne, nourish it, & make it to spring, & in likewise giuegive it substance. But doth ye earth heare the Corne … It is deafe: that is to say, it hath no power to make it to prosper, except it be heard of others. And how is that? The earth as I hauehave sayd, looketh vp to heauen, and after a sort openeth her mouth, it cleaueth when it feeleth extreme heate, and is not watered as it woulde. The heauen then must bee faine to aunswere to the earth. The heauen? What can that doe? Can the heauen giuegive water? It hath none except GOD drawe it vntounto it by his secrete power.Leui. 26.19. Deut. 28.23 In very deede wee shall see hereafter how God threatneth to giuegive a brasen heauen: It is needefull then that God do heare the heauen, and that we repaire thither. So then, as often as it reineth, wee must vnderstand that God openeth his Treasures, which are else shut vp. God (as I hauehave sayd) could euen without rayne or deawe) cause the earth to bring forth fruite: but hee vseth such meane, as he knoweth to be conuenient for our dulnesse: and hee doth so, to the intent that we should hauehave the lesse excuse: that if we be vnthankfull vntounto him, and close our eyes against so apparant a matter: wee should be so much the more blameworthie at the last day, and bee sure to yeelde account for our wilfulnesse in refusing to knowe the thing which ought to bee throughly knowen vntounto vsus. Thus yee see what wee hauehave to beare in minde.
Whereupon Saint Paul speaking of the ignorance which was in the olde world,Act. 14.16. before the Gospel was preached: sayth that all people went astray lyke brute beastes: And what was the reason? Because the doctrine was not yet taught, which is the true light to shewe vsus the way of sauing health:Deut. 30.15 as we shall see in the thirtith Chapter. Notwithstanding he addeth, that God neuerthelesse leaft not himselfe without witnesse.Act. 14.17. And his vsing of this manner of speach Hee lefte not himselfe without witnesse, is as much as if hee sayd: Wherefore? For hee hath sent rayne vppon the earth in due time and season: hee hath sent faire weather also. These be Gods witnesses, which declare, that as hee hath created the world, euen so hee doth vpholde and preserue it: these bee the witnesses that speake with a lowde and cleare voyce, saying that wee must looke vntounto GOD for all the nourishment that hee giueth vsus. And that is the cause, why I sayd, that we should marke well this saying: that God wil open his Treasures. For although wee see what great riches God hath set in this world, what sundry sortes of beastes, what hearbes, what trees, and what a number of all other thinges: yet should all these thinges go to decay, vnlesse God sent vsus dayly from heauen the thinges that are requisite for the preseruation of this lyfe. Could wee abide three dayes without the light of the Sauiour? If God gaue not the naturall vertue to eueryevery seede, what were it? Wee should quickly perishe. And if there were none other matter, but that whereof I spake euen nowe concerning the earth, it woulde soone dry vp, vnlesse God remedied it. These therefore be the good Treasures, which God bestoweth on vsus. And when it is his will to shewe himselfe a father towardes vsus: he layeth the heauens before vsus, that wee might see it there. And it is asmuch as if God should li…t vsus vp by the chin, and say; Poore creatures, when ye seeke to bee fedde; you looke whether you hauehave laide corne enough into the ground or no. Indeed that is a thing which you must looke vntounto: but yet you must first of all goe higher, and lift vp your eyes to mee, and euen nature it selfe doeth compell you so to doe. For ye knowe that without rayne the earth cannot prosper. And therefore forget not the thinges which I shewe you day by day, and whereof you bee conuicted by experience. This is the good Treasure whereof Moses speaketh: & he expressely addeth, The heauen. For what cause? For if hee had sayde, GOD will vtter his bountifulnesse, both from aboue and from beneath; truely it ought well to hauehave contented vsus: but yet bycause of our infirmitie, wee see howe God is fayne to expresse the matter more plainely: as hee also sheweth that wee must come vntounto him, and looke vp to the heauens bycause hee calleth vsus thither, and hath set such order that he will hauehave vsus to thinke our selues to be as barraine and hungerstaruen folke, vntill hee hath powred his goodnesse vponupon vsus from aboue.
Nowe hauing spoken of this good Treasure, hee sayeth: Hee will giuegive rayne in dewe time, and will blesse the woorke [or labor] of thy handes. By speaking of due season, hee sheweth vntounto vsus that this Gods giuing of rayne vntounto vsus in due time, proceedeth of a speciall care. For sometimes rayne is verie hurtfull, as wee see before our eyes. Whereuppon wee must conclude, that if GOD had not the power and skill to stay the rayne, the fruites of the earth and also the bodyes of men shoulde rotte. What doeth the raine of it selfe? It engendereth but rottennesse. On the otherside wee see that the raine refresheth in season, & giueth strength vntounto the grounde, whereby wee see that it is the Treasure of God for to giuegive vsus sustenance. And why is that? Bycause God knoweth it is good for vsus, that hee cause it to raine. Let vsus therfore when wee see it rayne out of season, let vsus marke how GOD sheweth vsus that it is verie requisite for vsus that he doe watch ouer vsus, and that no drop of rayne fall without his commaundement; according to this which we hauehave heard before,Psal. 18.12. namely: That he holdeth the waters aboue, as it were in bottles. The cloudes be dreadfull bottles. But the Prophet woulde hauehave vsus to consider, that it must needes be a wonderful power whereby the rayne is shut vp there, or else wee shoulde bee drowned out of hand: at leastwise it would serue but to rotte vsus, as I hauehave sayde alreadie. And here by the way wee be admonished, as shall be sayde hereafter, to consider our sinnes and trespasses: and to thinke that when God giueth vsus extraordinarie raines, they be as punishmentes for our offences. Moreouer when the raine commeth in season, let vsus acknowledge that there falleth not one drop but by Gods appointment, assuring our selues that it is necessarie for vsus. That is the cause why Moses did expresly adde that saying.
Afterward he saith that God will blesse the labor of our handes: Psal. 127.2.to doe vsus to vnderstande (as hee hath shewed in another Text) that it is not our owne labour and trauell that feedeth vsus, as wee hauehave seene in the eyght Chapter,Deut. 8.17. where he saieth thus: When thou art come into the land which GOD giueth thee, remember that by the space of fortie yeeres thou wast fed with Manna that fell from heauen, to the end thou shouldest not say: It is mine owne labor that findeth me. Let vsus therefore learne by these texts that when wee hauehave traueiled, and bestowed our labour to till the earth, and consideration is had of al that we see requisite: yet neuertheles wee must lift vppe our eyes, and not stand in our owne conceit to say, I hauehave doone this, it is mine owne labor and policie: but acknoweledge that it is Gods office to giuegive increase, and that without that, all our labor is in vaine: as we might wel enough breake our armes and our legges, and yet in steade of going foreward wee should still goe backewarde. The summe of the matter which God meant to shew vsus, is that we should labor in al lowelinesse, and that when eueryevery of vsus hath trauailed for his liuing, wee should vnderstand, that it is not in vsus to giuegive the successe, but that GOD must wholly guide it, and giuegive it good issue: not onelyonly to ye harbage of the earth, but to all things els in generall. So then, when a man applyeth him to any kinde of labor, let him not go about it presumptuously; but let him call vponupon GOD to helpe him, saying, Lorde it is thy pleasure that I shoulde take paine: well, I goe about it; but I knowe that I shall not preuaile, vnlesse thou guide me, & vnles thou giuegive me good successe: Through thy meere grace and goodnes, let my labor prosper. That is the thing whereof wee bee admonished in this text. Let vsus not then thinke, that mans care & skill, or his trauell and endeuour can make the ground fertile: but that the blessing of GOD releth all. Yet notwithstanding it putteth vsus in mind of our dutie, to wit, that GOD will so helpe vsus, as wee may not bee idle for wee bee not made as logges of wood: men must (I say) imploye them selues when GOD promiseth them his blessing. For these two poyntes goe together, namely that the Lorde will blesse thee, and yet neuerthelesse that he will hauehave thee also to labor. It is certaine that GOD canne feede vsus, though our armes were broken, he coulde make vsus to liue without any care, and without hauing regarde to maintaine our houshold: GOD (I say) coulde giuegive vsus foode of free cost: but it is his pleasure to exercise vsus, with care and trauel, and that eueryevery man according to his vocation, should apply himself to that which he seeth meete for him. I say that Gods matching of his blessings with out trauell, is to shewe that hee will not hauehave vsus to bee sluggerds, so as eueryevery man shoulde sitte on his taile, and neither deale with tilling of the ground nor with any other trade of occupying, & take the bridle in our teeth: but that we should doe this honour vntounto GOD, to say, Lorde, albeit we hauehave doone what we can, yet is it nothing, vnlesse thy gratious goodnesse rule it. But this is ill put in vre. For we see how men are giuen to darken the grace of God vnderunder colour that they doe some thing of themselues: for so they beare themselues in hande.
And this deuillish arrogancie is not onelyonly in matters concerning the nourishment of our bodies, but also touching the saluatiō of our soules. Whereupon is it, that freewil is grounded? Euen vppon this, that God requireth men to studie and labour to doe good, to withstand temptations, to hauehave such a feruent zeale as to giuegive thē selues wholy vntounto him, & to forsake themselues. Forasmuch as God requireth all these thinges, it seemeth that we can doe them. Yea but we consider not, that God for all his commaunding, sayth also that hee worketh by his holy spirite, so as he is faine to write his lawes in our harts,Iere. 31.33. Ezech. 11.19 3… 36.27. & to engraue them in our mindes, and to make vsus walke according as he commaundeth. O it is true, but yet therewithall, we also must doe our endeuor. And whence commeth that endeuor? These wretches doe not vnderstand, that it is God that driueth vsus foreward and stirreth vsus vp, and that all the endeuoring wherewith men indeuor, is that they be instrumentes of the holy Ghost. Now then, forasmuch as vnderunder this colour of working wee seeke nothing else but to darken the grace of God, so much the more diligently ought we to note this doctrine, whereby GOD doth stirre vsus vp, and would hauehave vsus to worke, and yet sheweth vsus therewithall that we cannot profit, vnlesse he giuegive vsus good successe. Truely there is great difference betwixt ye handy worke, and that which the faithful do in indeuoring to liue well. For (as I hauehave sayd) men are created to labour by nature: but wee be so wicked & froward, that in stead of obeying god▪ we be borne to nothing but to offend God, vntill he hath reformed vsus, and made vsus new creatures. So then God doth not onelyonly blesse our labor, when we endeuor to serue him, through the grace of his holy spirit: but we labor also through his only vertue, according as he doth guide and gouerne vsus. This is the summe of that which we hauehave to beare in minde concerning this text.
Now it is also sayd, That God will make them the head and not the taile, namely them that indeuour to serue him: hee will set them aboue, and not beneath. This is as it were the toppe of all prosperitie. Now surely it was more behoouefull (as it was treated of yesterday) that the olde fathers vnderunder the lawe, should hauehave moe promises concerning the transitory lyfe, than we hauehave. For they had not such opening of the heauenly lyfe as is giuen vsus in the Gospel. Therefore it was Gods will to drawe them after that fashion lyke little children. For inasmuch as an infant is not of capacitie to vnderstand the goodnesse of his father: therefore to encourage him, he will say vntounto him; I will giuegive thee a trim cappe, and I will buy thee a gay newe cote: this is agreeable to the capacitie of the childe, and because his heart is tender, such talke is vsed vntounto him: bowbeit the father meaneth to lead him on farther. Euen so did God deale with the olde fathers: He did set forth his benefites which they should enioy in this worlde: meaning to drawe them from thence to a higher hope, namely, to the hope of the heauenly heritage. And so the Iewes were made as a head when the kingdome florished amongest them, when they ouercame their enemies, and when God shewed himselfe to fight for them. As nowadayes wee must not loke to hauehave either kingdomes or principalities as they had; neither hauehave wee in lyke manner the temporall kingdome of Dauid: it is sufficient for vsus that Iesus Christ is giuen vsus, and that we reigne with him, and yt he being our king, causeth vsus to florish vnderunder his conduction: I say it ought to suffice vsus, that we bee a kingly Priesthood vnderunder our head;1. Pet. 2.9. which is the sonne of GOD Neuerthelesse, our Lorde hath made promise to all the faithfull, that if they walke in his obedience, they shall not be oppressed by the tyrannie of men, but bee mainteined in libertie, which is also a blessing as much to be desired as any can be in this world. Knowing therefore that this is a speciall gift of God, as it is here shewed, let vsus learne to serue him and to giuegive him the whole authoritie ouer vsus: that by his gouerning of vsus, we may bee set free from bondage of men. Wee shall see hereafter in this present Chapter,Deut. 28.37 how hee threatneth them that will not feare him nor shrinke at his terrib…enesse, accordingly as is sayd in the psalme;Psal. 105.38 God must needes lay the feare of men vppon all them that will not feare him, and be his willing subiectes. Let vsus marke therefore, that if in case we yeeld to the reigning of God ouer vsus, wee shall bee maintained by him, in such sorte, as men shall not bee able to oppresse vsus. And if at any time the wicked hauehave their scope, and seeme to set their feete as it were vppon our throtes; let vsus vnderstand that God doth bring vsus lowe, because wee hauehave offended him, and because wee hauehave not rendred him the praise that belongeth vntounto him; and that hee chastiseth vsus according to our desertes. But yet must wee euer come backe to this point, that if we cast not off GOD, wee shall bee receiued of him, in such wise as hee will be vntounto vsus as an armie, and make vsus able to walke with our heades vpright:Psal. 3.4. as it is sayd in the third psalme. So then, this blessing serued not onelyonly for the fathers that liued vnderunder the lawe, but it continueth also vntounto the end of the world, and wee shall vnderstand that it is not vaine, so wee followe in lykewise that which is added here: Keepe the commaundementes which I sette before thee this day, (sayth Moses) that thou swarue not neither to the right hand nor to the left, to goe …o seeke straunge Gods and to worship them. Wee see how GOD doth euer put vsus in minde of obedience to his worde: and that is to the end wee should serue him, not in hypocrisie, whereunto wee bee too much enclined. Let vsus remember therefore this lesson, which is, that to worship our GOD syncerely, we must euermore begin at the hearkening to his voyce, and of giuing eare to that which he commaundeth vsus; for is eueryevery man goe after his owne way, wee shall wander, wee may well runne, but wee shall bee neuer a whit the neerer to the right way, but rather the further off from it. And God will not onelyonly bee heard, but also obeyed of all men without exception, yea euen without adding any thing to his worde, or without taking any thing from it. And this is expresly sayd: For that men dare be so bold as to bring in their newe manner of seruing GOD, and to doe that which they suppose to bee good. Contrariwise let vsus vnderstand that when GOD hath once shewed what he will hauehave vsus to doe, wee must simply holde vsus there, without presuming to adde thereunto or to diminish it by any meanes at all. But aboue all thinges hee would hauehave vsus to acknowledge him to bee our GOD. For the very cause that maketh men to stray, and altogether to vanish in so many superstitions and idolatries, is that they knowe not what GOD they ought to worship. Wee hauehave therefore profited greatly in the Gospell, in the Lawe and in the Prophets, when we hauehave the skill to say, This is the GOD that shewed himselfe to Abraham, the GOD that shewed himselfe by Moses, the God that lastly shewed himselfe fully in the person of his onelyonly sonne, and the same is hee that is our God. As it is also sayde in the Prophet Esay, where hee speaketh of the manifestation of our Lorde Iesus Christ.Esa. 25.9. Loe, this is hee; Loe, this is our GOD. Then let vsus hauehave a setled faith, that wee be not rouers; let vsus not bee like vntounto little children, nor lyke wauering Reedes that are caryed eueryevery way; but let our faith be well stayed, by taking roote in our Lorde Iesus Christ.
Nowe let vsus fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes, beseeching him so to teach vsus with true repentance, that we may bewaile them, and be heartily sory for our corruption, to the end to withdrawe vsus more and more, and therein to reforme vsus. And forasmuch as we bee not onelyonly fraile but also altogether froward: it may please him to bring vsus home againe vntounto him, and to vnderproppe our weakenesse with his mightinesse, so as we may ouercome all the hinderances that serue to turne vsus from him; and that we may with perfect constancie go on to the marke whereunto he calleth vsus, vntill we attaine to the perfection of righteousnesse. And that in the meane while, it may please him to vpholde vsus in such sorte, as that albeit we should faile, yet he cease not to take vsus still for his children, and make vsus to vnderstand more and more, that he dooth confirme vsus in the trust of our saluation. That it may please him, to graunt this grace not onelyonly to vsus but also to all people and nations of the earth, &c.