Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 180
On Munday the j. of Iune, 1556. The CLXXX. Sermon which is the third vppon the two and thirtith Chapter.
8 When the highest diuided to the Nations their inheritaunces: and when hee separated the Sonnes of men: then did he set the boundes of Nations according to the number of the children of Israel.
9 For the Lordes portion is his owne people, and Iacob is the meteline of his inheritaunce.
10 He founde him in a desert Lande, and in a horrible wildernesse where nothing was to bee heard but roaring. He led him vp and downe, and gaue him vnderstanding, and kept him as the apple of his eye.
11 As the Eagle stirreth vp her neast, houering ouer her young ones, and spreading out her wings, taketh them vp, and caryeth them vponupon her wings:
WE hauehave seene already heeretofore, howe the intent of Moses in this text is, to shewe the children of Israell how greatly they bee bound vntounto God, in that he loued them, and chose them out from among all the nations of the earth, and adopted them to bee his children without any desert of theirs, or without hauing any respect of their worthinesse, only of his own meere merciemercy. Now hereuppon hee sayth, That when God distributed the world into partes, assigning all Nations their Countries: hee helde still this Lande for the heritage of his people. True it is that notwithstanding this, he did as it were lend the land of Chanaan for a time to the olde inhabiters thereof, that is, to the Hethites, the Heuites, the Pheresites, the Chananites, and such like. His assigning of that Countrie to them was not for euer, for hee reserued it till the time that hee should fetch his owne people out of Egypt. And wee must marke, that at that time Abraham was not yet borne, neither was there then any people of Israel: Howe can it then bee, that God should bee prouoked by any desert, seeing hee tooke the thing which as then had not any being? Yea and let vsus marke alwaies, that the people which was to issue out of the stocke of Abraham, had beene no better than other nations, if God had not wrought in them. Therefore it is to bee concluded that God vttered an infinite goodnesse towardes that people, and that his will was that they should bee a lookingglasse of his grace, to the whole worlde. And where as Moses saith, that God diuided landes to Nations, according to the number of the children of Israel: he maketh here a comparison betweene the ofspring of Abraham, and the seuen nations that dwelled in the Countrie, which they entred into and possessed afterwarde. Surely they were a great multitude of people, and seuen sundry nations were of them: and yet our Lord preferred one lynage before them al. True it is that hee encreased the same lynage beyond the opinion of men, according to this promise which hee had made to his seruaunt Abraham, Number the starres of the Skie and sand of the Sea if thou canst:Gen. 15. for so shall thy seede be in multitude. But who wold hauehave thought that for one housholds sake, there needed so great a lande as that seuen nations should hauehave bin driuen out of their Country, to giuegive place to them that were descended of one barren man, as the prophet Esay telleth them,Esa. 51. saying: Go seeke your originall, get ye to the stone that ye were heawen out of; for Abraham was alone, and Sara was a barren woman to her vttermost olde age: and yet hath God made you to issue out of these two stones as it were by myracle, and not by the common order of nature: knowe yee therefore that he hath wrought so mightily toward you, that of duetie you ought to be the more prouoked to serue and honour him, that his glorie may shine foorth in you. Yee see then that the meaning of Moses in saying, according to the number of the children of Israel, is that forasmuch as God had foreseene that hee would adopt the ofspring of Abraham; hee gaue the Lande of Chanaan, not to one people alone, but to seuen Nations in number.
And here we hauehave to note in the first place, that inasmuch as the office of distributing the worlde into portions is attributed vntounto God: wee soiourne as it were by his appointment, so long as wee dwell here belowe. True it is that the children of Israel had a peculiar state: but here Moses speaketh of the whole worlde, accordingly also as the same is treated of in the hundreth psalme and in other places.Psal. 107… And that ought make vsus to liue in the feare of God, wheresoeuer wee bee. For why? We be found at his cost, & our dwelling vponupon earth is not by haphazard, but where it pleaseth him to maintaine vsus. Yee see then how it is a profitable lesson to teach men to liue as in the presence of God, because it is hee that hath appointed them to dwell there. But by the way we be warned also, not to trouble the boundes of places or the common order, but to holde our selues eueryevery man to his owne, without incroching vppon other men. For why? God hath ordayned bounds in the world from the beginning. This being so; let eueryevery man now abide in his owne possession; and let not men trouble nor molest one another. Yet notwithstanding we see how malicious men are. For ambition and couetousnesse hauehave caused all the boundes to bee broken which GOD had set in the worlde. Nembrod began first with setting vp the kingdome of Babylon:… 10. and afterward other men became desirous to win one frō another. Yee see then how men hauehave peruerted the order that God had set in the world lyke vnsatiable gulfes. But howsoeuer men hauehave delt, yet hath God alwayes so bridled them, that for all their greedinesse they could neuer set such confusion, but that some certaine order hath remained still. Howsoeuer the case stand, let vsus marke wel, that Gods creating of men was not to cast them here at aladuenture: but that his ordeyning and setling of the earth was to the ende we shoulde dwell therein. And truely wee knowe that the earth was couered with water, & naturally the sea ought to be aboue the earth, so as al of it should be ouerflowen. It is of speciall vertue that wee hauehave any dry place whereon to set our foote. And who is the dooer of that? As soone as God commaunded the waters to withdrawe,… by and by there was place for men to dwell on. Seeing then that we liue here, and that the earth dooth feed & susteine vsus, let vsus assure our selues that therein God sheweth his pitie towardes vsus.… And therefore let vsus serue him with the earnester minde, & eueryevery of vsus be contented with that which he hath, without intermedling within other mens boundes. Let vsus not through couetousnesse rake to vsus the things yt belong not to vsus: but let eueryevery man hold himselfe as it were locked vp, because we offend God and not men when we seeke to incroch vppon that which hee hath not giuen vsus.
Now then, seeing that Moses telleth the people of Israel that they be bound vntounto God for his allotting of their inheritance vntounto them in the land of Chanaan, yea euen before Abraham was borne: there is much more reason that we should magnify the inestimable goodnesse of our God, in consideration of the heauenly heritage which he hath promised and prepared for vsus. For his preparing of a place for vsus in heauen, was not at that time when he parted the worlde into portions: but euen before the world was created, as sayth S. Paul.… 4. For before there was either heauē or earth, God hauing adopted vsus to be his children, prepared a dwelling place for vsus aboue. Sith it is so, we conclude that he had no respect of any worthines in our persons, ne looked that wee should merit or deserue aught at his hand: but onelyonly vsed his owne free goodnesse. Yee see then how we must be caryed vp aboue the world as oft as we thinke vppon our saluation.
And the reason hereof is added forthwith by Moses, namely, Because they were the people of God, and his portion, and Iacob is the meteline of his inheritaunce. Thē if it be demaunded, why God in making partition of the world, preferred the children of Israel before all the residue, & why that one house was so deere vntounto him, that he vouchsafed to appoint them a countrie certaine: If it be demaunded what moued God thereto: Moses answereth, it was because Iacob was his portion and the meteline of his heritage. As if he should say, Ye poore soules, your God hath vsed such gratious goodnesse towardes you, as yee cannot say there was any thing on your owne behalf, or that ye had any vertue in you, or (at a word) that ye can dim Gods glory any whit by your owne deserts. There was no such thing; for all proceeded of his owne free adoption. What was the cause that the linage of Abraham became Gods inheritance, & as it were his portion? For by the worde Meteline here is betokened a part or portion. For in those dayes men measured Landes by Metelines, & that is the cause why the word Cord, or Meteline is so often spoken of in the holy scripture, when mention is made of distributing or diuiding into portions. Now then if it be demaunded why ye people of Israell belonged more to God than all ye rest of the worlde; or what affinitie or acquaintance there was more betweene him and them: It cannot be sayd that they had purchased or procured more to themselues, or that they were nobler than all other men, as we hauehave seene heretofore. What canst thou say (sayth Moses in the seuenth chapter?Deut. 7.7.) Hath God chosen thee, because thou wast a nobler, a worthier, or a more renowmed Nation than any other? No: but for the louelove which he bare to thee. Therefore lyke as in that place Moses vsed the word LoueLove, to shewe that Gods owne freegoodnesse moued him to take Abrahā & his ofspring: so in this place he saith, Know ye that your God hath chosen you, & that it is his will to take you for his heritage. And so ye see in effect, yt to take away all pride and presumption from the children of Israell, & to shew them that they could chalenge nothing to thēselues, Moses bringeth them backe to the welspring which the whole scripture sheweth vsus, to wit, that all the benefits and gratious giftes which God bestoweth vponupon vsus, and which wee receiue at his hand, proceede of his owne meere goodnesse, witho…t being bounde thereto, or without inclyning thereto in respect of any deserte of ours, but onelyonly because hee loueth vsus, yea euen without any cause why that wee can alledge: for we bring nothing at all vntounto him. That is the thing which we hauehave to beare in minde.
And if this doctrine was true as in respect of ye Land of Chanaan: what shal it be in respect of our comming to the immortalitie of the heauē ly glory? The people of Israell could not obteine the land of Chanaan by their owne deseruing…, but GOD was faine to louelove them euen of his owne meere merciemercy, wherethrough hee did thē all the good that they receiued at his hand. Yet notwithstanding, that land was nothing in comparison of the immortall life. Whereas it is sayd that wee bee reformed after the image of God, to bee partakers of his glory, and that wee bee his heires, and companions to the Angels, yea and to our Lord Iesus Christ: it is a far other thing than ye land of Canaan and the sustenance that is giuē vsus for this transitorie life. And therefore let vsus vnderstand that men are worse than blinde, yea and more than mad, whē they thinke to attaine to so great a good thing by their owne desertes. Yet notwithstanding, we see how this diuelish opinion hath reigned and had full scope in the world, and how the Papistes are still at the same poynt at this day, that when ye inheriting of paradice is talked of, [they say] that men must purchace it by their own merites. And in the meane while they consider not how the immortal lyfe is named an inheritance, because it dependeth vponupon Gods free adoption. And whereon is Gods free adoption grounded,Eph. 1.14. but vppon his choosing of vsus before ye world was made; I say vponupon his choosing of vsus, euen of vsus which were forlorn as well as ye rest of the whole world? For we know we be all cursed in Adam. Again, what is ye cause yt he chooseth vsus, who were lyke to those whō hee reiecteth? What is ye cause yt he proceedeth yet stil in drawing vsus vntounto him? Shall wee finde the cause thereof in our selues? Alas no: but wee must discharge our selues of all ouerweening, and repaire to the foresayd fountaine of his freegoodnesse. And therefore let vsus beare well in minde, that here wee bee warned, that we must not seeke the cause of our saluation in our selues nor of any of all the benefits which God bestoweth vppon vsus, no not euen in respect of this present lyfe: and therefore that wee can much lesse seeke the cause or ground of the promised immortalitie, in our selues or in our owne deserts, but yt we must magnify his meere goodnesse in that behalfe. And seeing that God hath chosen vsus to be his heritage, we must suffer him to possesse vsus. But there is a greater reason in respect of vsus than of the Israelites; because he hath not onelyonly reserued vsus in creating the world, but also purchased vsus by our Lord Iesus Christ. Doth not this price which God hath bestowed for our saluation to ye intent we should bee his heritage, deserue to hauehave vsus wholy at his deuotion, and yt eueryevery man should so indeuour to dedicate himselfe to his seruice, as that he might hauehave the dominion ouer vsus? So then, let vsus not play the traitors in bereauing God of the thing which he reteined to himself when he voutsafed to hauehave vsus to be of his Church. Also let this moue vsus that he will not possesse vsus, but vppon condition that as we inioy him, so hee may inioy vsus: and what an exchange is that? Consider what we be. We be dung, filth, and vtter cursednesse, and yet ye see how God accepteth vsus for his heritage, and for his part would that we should possesse him. Sith it is so, what an vnthankfulnesse is it, if we continue not in obeying him, that he may possesse vsus?
And let vsus mark further, that there is not any thing which ought to moue vsus more to the seruing of God, than to come to the knowledge of our free election, so as we know that his beginning to doe vsus good is not now presently, but before we were borne, before the creating of the world, insomuch that he tooke vsus to him and adopted vsus aforehand euen before that time. So much the more ought we to abhorre these rascals which would hauehave the doctrine of Election abolished: for by that meane they ouerthrowe ye whole groundwork of our saluation, as though they should stop the spring from whēce the water floweth, so as we may no more drink thereof. For how shall we know that God hath called vsus to saluation, but for that he hath loued vsus without any desert of ours, and taken vsus aforehand to himself, euen before ye world was created? Also how shall we know our selues to be beholden to him for all thinges, and that he is not bound vntounto vsus; vnlesse we come to this poynt, that we were lyke to those which pearish, so as there was no difference at all betweene them and vsus, sauing yt hee hath marked vsus out to be his, without finding any cause in vsus why, that we were dearer to him than other men, and that he made more account of our welfare, all which thinges are grounded vppon his euerlasting vnchaungeable purpose and will, the reason whereof is vncomprehensible to the worlde? They therefore which go about to abolish this doctrine, are deadly enemies to God his glory, and to our saluatiō, and would (as much as in them lyeth) deface al religion. That (say I) is the thing which we hauehave to remember vponupon this Text.
Hereupō Moses sheweth yet better, how God hath vttered his goodnesse towards the people of Israel. He found him (saith he) in a desert land, in a desolate place, in a dredful wildernes, where was nothing but roring of wild beasts. There he led him vp & down, there he nurtured him, there he kept him as the apple of his eye. If the people of Israel had not serued as slaues in Egypt, and trauelled through the wildernesse: Gods goodnesse had not bin so well knowen and so glorious as it is at this day. For why? Whereas God tooke Abraham out of his countrie, and brought him into a strange Land, and afterward gaue him a sonne when hee was vppon the point of a hundred yeres old, & that of that one child there issued such an infinit multitude: it might well hauehave bin sayd that God had shewed fauor to that linage: but yet so blind are men in considering Gods goodnesse towardes thē, that it would neuer hauehave bin perceiued how God vttered his bountifulnesse towards yt stock, vnlesse Iacob had gone downe into Egypt, and that the people of Israell had bin kept in cruell bondage,Exod. 1. as Moses reporteth in Exodus. But when they had bin held in such slauery that the king of Egypt had commaunded all their men-children to be slayne: then were they come to ye vttermost pinch. And then did God fetch them away, and make thē to passe the red sea, hauing wrought a great number of miracles before. By meanes whereof they were after a sort wakened, that they might the better bethinke them howe dearely God loued them & how much he set by them, seeing he vouchsafed to yeeld so great & so stately recordes of the goodnesse and fauour which he bare towardes them. Moses therefore following the same reason, saith here, Looke backe to your first originall from whence you be issued. Did God find you in a fat and fertile coū trie, as though he should say, I wil maintaine you in the state wherein yee be: for it is not enough for men to hauehave a conuenient and easie dwelling place, vnlesse I preserue them and hold thē vnderunder my protectiō. You therefore shal be mine, and I will bee your safegarde. Did God finde his people in such state? No. And therefore Moses sayeth to the children of Israel, Consider from whence ye came, & from whence your God hath fetched you. Were ye not in a wildernesse sayeth hee? Yes; that then is the place from whence hee hath fetched you: and so much the more ought you to consider the fauour which he hath shewed you, that yee may perceiue howe much you be bounde vntounto him. Now then, ye were in a wildernesse: and after what sorte? There was not one graine of Corne to feede you withall, there was not one drop of water for you to drinke, he was faine to make water to issue out of a dry rocke miraculously for you, hee made Manna to fall from heauen. Ye were in a place where yee coulde not build you one house, ye were there among the wild beasts, so as ye must needes hauehave perished, and therfore a man needes not to vse long discourses to shew how God was bountiful vntounto you. For ye were as good as in a graue by the space of forty yeeres, and yet God kept you aliue after a straunge fashion & vnknowen to men. Ye were destitute of foode and drinke, & God furnished your turne. Your shooes, your hose, & your garments did not rotte all that while. Now then, seeing that God maintained you after that manner against the commō order of nature; did he not shew thereby what care he had of you, and what louelove he bare vntounto you? So then, looke that ye neuer forget so great benefites, specially being so many and so huge in number as he hath done for you.
Nowe we see the meaning of Moses in that hee sayeth that God founde his people in a wildernesse, a dry and barraine ground, a desolate place. And the selfesame thing meaneth Ezechiell in his sixteenth chapter, where he vpbraideth the people of Israell with the vnthankfullnesse which they had shewed.… 16.3 What are yee, sayeth hee? For I tooke you comming out of the land of Egypt, as a Child borne out of time. The Child yt so commeth out of his mothers wombe, is al to berayed▪ and he should perish in his own filth, if he were not rid of his spottes and blemishes, and washed from the vncleannes which he bringeth with him. To be short, he rehearseth all the thinges that are wont to bee doone to a child that is newely borne. Againe he vseth another similitude which is, as if a man should finde a wretched harlot that were starke rotten and readie to fall in peeces by reason of her infections: And I hauehave washed you & made you cleane,… 15.8. yea and I hauehave taken you in mariage▪ and doe ye not knowe that to bee a benefite? Thus we see that Ezechiell hath followed the same order which Moses did in abasing the Children of Israell, by bringing them backe to their first state, to the intent they shoulde learne that Gods aduancing of them after that fashion beyond al expectation of man, was to the end his grace might be the better knowen in them.
And now to apply this doctrine to our owne instruction, let vsus consider what wee be before God chooseth vsus. It is sayd that hee found his people in a wildernesse. True it is that he had adopted them before that time, insomuch that the promises were made vntounto them before they went downe into Egypt. But it is enough that the people were there in so miserable state, to the end they shoulde perceiue that God had at that time giuen them as it were a second byrth, and so dooth the scripture customably terme it. But not let vsus come to our selues. In what case dooth God finde vsus? In what state dooth hee take vsus? We bee the children of Adam, that is to say, cursed, and heires of euerlasting death. There is nothing in vsus but sin, there is nothing in vsus but corruption, God must needes reiect vsus and hate vsus, he must needes become our deadly enemy, and vtter his vengeance vppon vsus. To bee short, wee be in the dungeons of hell, vntill God hauehave reached vsus his hand, and had pitie vppon vsus. It is not for any man to exempt him selfe from this confusion: for from the greatest to the least of vsus, we be all plunged in it. Now let vsus boast of the thinges which we hauehave of nature. For God findeth vsus voyd of all goodnesse, we hauehave not one droppe of vertue, wisedome, or righteousnesse: but contrariwise wee be full of corruption, wee bee ready to burst for filth and vncleanesse, wee bee bondslaues to Satan, vnderunder the tyranny and bondage of death, and at a worde we bee plunged in hell. At that poynt are wee when God chooseth vsus, that is the poynt whereat hee beginneth our saluation. Now sith it is so, let vsus learne first of all to rid our selues of all pride. And although Satan beguile most men, making them to beleeue that they can deserue at Gods hand: yet let vsus assure our selues that we bee beholden to Gods free goodnesse for all thinges. Marke that for one point. To the intent that all mouthes may bee stopped before GOD (as saieth Saint Paul) let vsus so humble our selues,Rom. 3.19. as that wee make not any mo allegations, as who would say, we hauehave done this or that: but let vsus preach the merciemercy of our God, and let vsus declare that he is the beginning, the ende and the increase of our welfare, so as wee drawe out of that fountaine wherewith to satisfy vsus, without seeking of any peece of our saluation either in our selues or in any creature. Otherwise wee make our selues to beleeue wonders, and they shall serue to feed vsus withall: but in deed it will be but deadly poyson to make vsus to burst.
And now let vsus marke well, that Moses hauing sayd that God found his people in a wildernesse, addeth that he led them vp and downe there, that hee nur…ured them there, and that he kept them there as the apple of his eye. By this terme of leading vp & down, Moses dooth the people to vnderstand, that it was not for a day or twaine, nor for some short time that God made them to taste his goodnes, but that he had continued it by the space of forty yeeres together. Lykewise, his heaping vp of these words together, A desert land, a desolate coū trie, a place full of roringes, a barraine ground, is not for nought, but serueth to touch the people the better to the quick, that they might call to mind what plight they had bin in before their cōming into the land of promise, where Gods blessing was powred out vponupon them most aboundantly. And therfore the word Lead betokened as much at yt time as if Moses shoulde hauehave said, Ye wretched people, had God vttered his louelove & goodnesse towardes you but for one monethmonth, ye same ought to hauehave bin remembred of you for euer, so as you should neuer hauehave forgotten it. But now, it is not one monethmonth no nor one yere, but whole fortie yeres together, that God hath held on & continued his goodnesse towardes you: of all which time your fathers hauing not a crum of bread to eate, were miraculously fed with Manna from heauen; nor hauing any wine or other liquor to drink, had water giuen them out of the rocke. And as they shifted from place to place, GOD gaue a continuall course to the water,Num. 20.11. Psal. 105.41 wherewith to refresh themselues and their cattell. Seeing then that God hath so imprinted his grace yt it may be wel knowen of you in the great number of good turnes which he hath done for you: you be the lesse to be helde excused, if yee make not account of the glorifying of your God, who hath shewed himself so liberal towards you.
But we must alwayes marke, that the speaking of these thinges by Moses to ye Iewes is after such a sort, that his doctrine is behoueful to vsus at this day. And therefore we must vnderstand, yt God leadeth vsus vp and downe in this world, to ye end we may hauehave the more leisure to feele his fauor, if we perceiue it not sufficiently in one day. True it is yt if we should hauehave experiēce of Gods goodnes but once in all our life, ye same ought to suffice vsus, at leastwise if we had not our eyes blindfolded, or that we were not shortwitted to forget Gods doinges out of hand. If he had once giuen vsus any recorde of his fatherly louelove, we ought to acknowledge the same and to minde well yt lesson, and to exercise our selues therein dayly both euen and morne. But what? Because al is marred by our vanitie, and all the good yt God dooth for vsus is by and by forgotten: therfore doth he traine vsus in this flightful lyfe, and leade vsus vp & downe after such a fashion, that wee be put in minde of our wretchednes many wayes. The happening of so many necessities & Gods deliuering of vsus from them, is to the intent yt we shoulde beare it the better in minde; how he not onelyonly succoreth vsus once or twice at our need, but also holdeth on with his fauor throughout, yeelding vsus record by infinite wayes yt he is our father & taketh vsus for his children. After this manner ought we to wey this word Lead, when God tosseth & turmoyleth vsus to & fro in this world, making vsus to feel many things, so as we hauehave not one continual state of quietnes, but are fain to walk one while one way, and another while another, & anon to go clean backe again, enduring now cold and now heate, & another time hunger, & being vexed sometimes with noyse of warres, sometime with sicknesses, & somtime with other things. Now when we be so led vp & downe, let vsus assure our selues that our Lordes meaning is to make vsus to come to the knowledge of his goodnesse.
And hereunto Moses addeth farther, that the people were nurtured. Truely ye chiefe learning and instruction which they receiued was by the law. Yet notwithstanding, all the warnings that God gaue them in the wildernesse, serued to nurture them. Moses therefore speaketh not here alonely of the Lawe which was vttered to the people to giuegive them knowledge of Gods wil: but also generally of all the instructions & warnings which God gaue them by the space of forty yeeres, as when he punished the idolaters,Num. 32.28. Numb. 25.9. Num. 11.33. Num. 14.21. when he punished ye whoremongers, and such as were giuen to their lustes, and when hee punished the rebels. For at those times it behooued them to receiue newe instruction. Yea and all of vsus must vnderstand, that generally al ye benefites, al ye threates, & all the punishmentes which God at any time vsed towardes the childrē of Israell, were as many instructions to them. But we must marke here that it is Gods will that we should learn by them so long as we liue in this world. For like as he executeth ye office of a schoolemaister towards vsus, so wil he hauehave vsus to play the good scholers vnderunder him, & to profit in the doctrine which he deliuereth vsus. And it is a very notable point, that God will not hauehave vsus to liue here lyke brute beastes without reason & vnderstanding. Whereto then ought our lyfe to serue here, & whereto ought it to be applyed? Wherein ought men to busie thē selues during ye time that they be here beneath? To profit in Gods schoole. That is ye end whereunto we be susteyned and mainteined here. But we abuse the life wickedly which hee giueth vsus, applying it cleane contrary to his will, if we become not eueryevery day better than other. Therefore let vsus not lose our time, but let vsus imploy it according to ye meaning of our God. And when we rise a mornings let vsus thinke with our selues, God hath preserued me hitherto to the intent I should profit in his schoole, and therefore I must not forget the benefites which God bestoweth vponupon me this day, but make them meanes wherby to confesse my faith, that ye praise of all goodnes may be yeelded to him, & I imploy my selfe with so much ye better courage to the seruing and honouring of him, knowing yt he furthereth my saluation continually more and more, seeing he draweth me to him by so many meanes: & therwithall I must also learne to stand in awe of him, yt I may yeeld him his due reuerence. Lykewise when euening commeth, let vsus consider thus with our selues, seeing that God hath voutsafed to imploy me hitherto in his seruice, it is good reason that I should holde on still, and yt I should not turne away from him. Therefore when wee hauehave reckoned all thinges well, we shall finde yt there hath not passed one day no nor one howre or minute wherein our God hath not giuen vsus some instruction. And if we fare neuer the better by it, who is too blame for it? Then hauehave we here a very profitable lesson, namely that as long as we liue in this world, we be in Gods schoole, & that he for his part ceaseth not to giuegive vsus good instructions and furtherances to our saluation. Whether he bestow his benefites vppon vsus, or chastice vsus for our sinnes, or shewe vsus examples of his goodnes, or of his wrath and of his rigour in punishing such as hauehave done amisse: all of thē are euer instructions for vsus to fare the better by.
Now in the end Moses addeth, that God kept that people as the apple of his eye. Here is a similitude which ought well to rauish vsus to wonder at it. For Moses could not hauehave vsed a fitter speech to shewe vsus what care God hath of vsus & of our saluation. He saith here that if God were a mortall man, he could not more charily keepe the apple of his eye, than he kept his people. Wee knowe it is the tendrest part of all a mans body. If a man be striken on the head, or on the hands, or on the armes, it may be borne with: but if he be but touched on the apple of his eye, al his bodie starkles at it: we be as greatly grieued at it as if a man had stabbed vsus in with a dagger. It wold not greeue vsus so much to hauehave one of our armes cut off, as to hauehave but a phillup with ones finger vppon the eye. And it is expresly sayd, that God keepeth vsus not onelyonly as his arme or as his legge. True it is yt God hath neither armes nor legges, we must not imagin any such thing in him: but he borroweth a figure from men, to make vsus vnderstand the thing yt else were too high for vsus to reach vntounto. For if hee should speake according to his own maiestie, we could not conceiue him: but he stoopeth to vsus & vseth a maner of speech that is agreeable to our rudenesse & infirmitie. His saying then is, that he will defend and preserue vsus, not as a mortall man dooth his armes or his feete, but as he would doe the apple of his eye. Wherby we learne that God vttered such a charinesse in preseruing the people of Israel, that if all the gentlenesse and louingkindenes in the world were put together, it were nothing in cō parison of the infinite gratious goodnesse which hee shewed in that behalfe.
And this is sayd for vsus also. God must be faine to keepe vsus as the apple of his eye,… as he himself speaketh thereof by the Prophet Zacharie. For Moses maketh here a recitall: but there is a promise which serueth for all ages. And lykewise also it is sayde in the Psalme according to that which Moses had set downe afore,…. 7.7. Lorde keepe vsus as ye apple of ones eye. This prayer was penned by the holy Ghost for all the faithfull: and it is needefull for them, as I hauehave sayd. For let vsus see what our state were without it. We be in daū ger of a thowsand deathes,… not without cause is Satan named the prince of this world, and what power hauehave we to withstand him? He hath fiery dartes against vsus, there is not that stroke which he striketh but it were deadly, if we were not defended and preserued by the wonderful gratious goodnes of our God. Seeing it is so, it standeth vsus in hand to be maintayned by him, yea & to be so maintayned, as he ouercome al ye dangers yt may befal vsus in this worlde, & also al ye assaults which wee may hauehave within our selues. God I say must be faine to ouercome thē all, or else we shall liue in continual doubt & anguish, & not know where to become eueryevery minute of an houre. We should be shaken with dispayre of our saluation, were it not that we were thus shielded by God, yea euen in such sort, that if wee were to indure all that euer coulde light vppon vsus in this present world, yet we might conclude with our selues, that God wil get the vpper hand howsoeuer the world go.
And here is added another similitude, that is to wit, that God played the parte of an Eagle or of a Hen in speaking after that manner. Now we knowe that in the holy scripture there is often mentiō made of Eagles. And why? Because they be much commoner in that countrie than they be hereawayes: and the Prophets after Moses time did apply themselues to ye common maner of speech of that country. Therefore let vsus mark wel that whereas here is speaking of an Eagle, it is as much as if God should say, Go to, I hauehave bin as a Hen is towardes her Chickens. Here we see how God stoopeth to vsus. When the case concerneth Gods maiestie, we see how ye very Angels doe couer their eyes, & are not able to looke vppon it, accordingly as the Cherubins are described vntounto vsus by the Prophet,Esa. 6.2. namely yt they hauehave winges to couer their faces withall, because they could not abide to beholde ye glory of God, without dazeling of their eyes. Now if the Angels of heauen cannot stand before the glory & maiestie of God, but that they must be faine to cast down their eylids: what shal wee be able to doe? And yet notwithstanding God lykeneth himselfe here to a Hen. And why? to the end to vpbraid vsus with our vnthankfulnesse. For he should neuer need to vse such similitudes, if we were not too too blockishe, not considering his gratious goodnes when he vttereth it vntounto vsus, insomuch that although we hauehave the fruition of it, yet notwithstanding we perceiue it not. Therefore to rid vsus of this brutish blockishnes, God is faine to say, Ye wretched people, knowe ye not that I am towardes you as a Hen that broodeth her Chickens vnderunder her winges? So then, let vsus marke first of all that here we be reproued of the ouergreat blockishnes which is in vsus, in that we consider not Gods benefites. That is the cause why God vseth such comparisons: And yet is not that any derogation at all to his glory or highnes. For his goodnes & his power are thinges yt agree wel together; they be no such thinges as cannot abide to match one with another. God is mightie, God is dreadfull in his maiestie, all yt is true: but yet is his goodnes as infinite as his power. And what importeth his goodnes? That hee should be as a Hen. And therefore let vsus marke, that this dealing of God must not diminishe his glory, so as we should not worship him with all humilitie & reuerence: but rather touch vsus to the quick, that when God (hauing bestowed so many benefites vponupon vsus, & we thinke not vponupon them but doe bury his goodnes in forgetfulnes) vpbraideth vsus yt he hath played ye Clockhen towardes vsus and we could not abide it: we may learn to apply all our wittes to consider how good & gratious God is towardes vsus, & that knowing him to be so, wee may also assure ourselues that hee ought to bee worshipped in his glory & maiestie, to the ende we may be subiect to him and come shrowd our selues vnderunder his winges, to be defended by him. But this shalbe layd forth more at large to morrowe if God will.
Now let vsus fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes, praying him to make vsus feele them better, yea in such sort, as wee may returne to him with true repentance, acknowledging the transgressions and iniquities which we hauehave committed, not only to obteine forgiuenesse of them, but also to be maintained by him all the time of our lyfe: and that in the meane while it would please him to keepe vsus to himself and correct all things that are contrary to his righteousnes, and doe hinder vsus from giuing our selues wholy to him as we ought to doe. That it may please him to graunt this grace, not onelyonly to vsus but also to all people and nations of the earth, &c.