Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 54
On Wednesday the vij. of August. 1555. The Liiij. Sermon which is the fourth vponupon the seuenth Chapter.
11 Therefore keepe the commandements, and Ordinances, and Lawes which I command thee this day to doe them.
12 And it will come to passe, that because yee hauehave heard these Lawes and kept them and done them, the Lord thy God wil also performe the couenant and merciemercy vntounto thee, which he sware to thy Fathers.
13 And he will louelove thee, and blesse thee, and multiply thee: & he wil blesse the fruite of thy wombe, and the fruite of thy land: thy corne and thy wine, and thine oyle, and the increase of thy kine and the flocks of thy sheepe, in the Lande which he sware to thy Fathers to giuegive thee.
14 Thou shalt bee blessed aboue all nations, and there shall not bee either male or female barren among you, or among thy Cattell.
15 The Lord will take from thee all diseases, and all the euill plagues of Egypt which thou hast knowen. Hee will not lay them vponupon thee, but vponupon all those that hate thee.
WE see here againe the thing that hath bin treated of alredy heretofore: namely that God indeuoreth to drawe vsus to him by gentlenesse. It were enough for him to shew vsus his will: howbeit forasmuch as our nature draweth the cleane cō trary way, he setteth his promises afore vsus to win vsus withall, & to prouoke vsus to serue him the better. Therefore whensoeuer God promiseth to blesse vsus, & to mak vsus to prosper so we serue him: thereby we be put in minde of ye singular goodnesse & louelove which he beareth towardes vsus. For is he bound to doe it? Nay, ought not eueryevery of vsus to streine our selues, (yea euē aboue our power,) to serue him? Are we not bounde thereto by nature? Yes: and therefore let vsus marke well, that whereas God voutsafeth to tel vsus that if we serue him he will be fauorable and mercifull vntounto vsus: his so dooing proceedeth of his own meere freegoodnesse. And if that moue vsus not: the worlde may see what our vnthankfulnesse is. But yet by the way let vsus marke well, yt his promises should stand vsus in no stead, if our Lord supplyed not our defaults, I mean euen whē we be best minded to serue him, for else should we come farre short of ye perfection yt is required of vsus. All his promises then should nothing boote vsus, if he did not beare with vsus: and so is he faine to vse dubble grace towardes vsus. Howbeit to ye intent yt things may be the better vnderstoode: let vsus see first of all how it may agree, yt God should blesse vsus of his owne free goodnesse, & make vsus to prosper: & yet notwithstanding match it with this condition, yt we serue & honor him. For at the first sight there seemeth to be some disagreement in it. If God louelove vsus without respect of our deseruinges: there ought to be no iffes nor conditions in the matter.
But he putteth them to it, as we see in this text: yea & all the whole scripture is full of the same doctrine,…. 19.29. Rom. 2.6. Apo. 14. namely that God recompenceth eueryevery man as they shall hauehave serued him. How can it thē be, that God should both hauehave respect of our life: & also louelove vsus of his owne free mercy? Let vsus marke well the wordes that Moses vseth here. For he sayth that God will performe his couenant and mercy according as he hath promised, if he be honored and serued. In saying that God will performe his couenant and merciemercy, he sheweth v… well that we must not begin at our owne seruice▪ as though we would bring any thing vntounto God to moue him to louelove vsus: For whereupon is his couenant grounded? Euen vppon his merciemercy. Now thē let vsus see what his merciemercy is, & whereto it ought to be referred. First of all, it is his chosing of vsus. Although wee be vttterly froward, & deserue to be shaken off at his hand: yet doth he take vsus into his fauor. Thus is it already a great and inestimable merciemercy, that although God find vsus lost and damned creatures: yet he vouchsafeth to take vsus for his people, aduauncing vsus to such dignitie as to be of his houshold and Church. Now when he hath so begun, he must be faine to hold out still: that is to say, he must be faine to like well of vsus continually by reason of the same free fauor which he beareth vsus, and all for our Lorde Iesus Christes sake. So then, God maintaineth his mercy towards vsus, bycause he pitieth our wretchednesse and miserie. And although we be not worthie to be receiued: yet doeth he accept vsus. And wherefore? Because he loueth vsus in the person of his only son.Eph. 1.6. But there is yet more: that is to wit yt he vseth mercy towards vsus, in bearing with our imperfections, and by that meanes accepteth our seruice, so that although it be faultie and hauehave always some blemish in it: yet notwithstanding he admitteth it of his owne goodnesse. Now we see what the couenant importeth, which Moses speaketh of here: namely that first and foremost God receiueth vsus to mercye, euen without finding any thing but vtter cursednesse in vsus. And secondly, that he continueth his fauour towards vsus for louelove of his only son, notwithstanding yt he might find iust cause in vsus, to shake vsus off and to hate vsus. And thirdly, that he accepteth our workes & taketh them for good, so as although they be (as ye would say) but halfe done, and hauehave alwayes some faulte mingled with them: yet notwithstanding he ceaseth not to admit them as if they were righteous and sound, and all by vertue of the said couenaunt, as I saide afore. Now then we see it is no incōuenience, yt God should blesse vsus and make vsus to prosper when wee hauehave serued him: and yet notwithstanding that his louing of vsus should bee, not for any woorthinesse or desertes of ours: but for his owne free goodnesse sake, without any other reason that wee can alledge, than that he hath chosen vsus and made vsus partakers of the righteousnesse that is in our Lord Iesus Christ, that thereby all our filthinesse may be couered and hidden.
But as soone as the ignoraunt sort doe heare of the woord Condition, they beare themselues in hand that God maketh some payment, & that when he sheweth vsus any fauour, he doth it in recompence of our desertes. And by that meanes the wretched Papists doe blind themselues with vain presumption, & quite ouerthrow thēselues by perking vp after that fashion against God, & therefore they must at length be cast downe in their ouerloftines. For whereunto do they leane? Beholde (say they,) God telleth vsus that he will blesse vsus if we serue him: therefore it followeth that all the promises which he maketh are conditionall. Yea, but they hauehave ill studied the holy scripture, when they cannot discerne betweene the promises as they be set downe in the Lawe, and the thinges that God addeth to thē to supply our default. For if wee take the promises so rawely: that is to wit, that God will blesse none but them that serue him: wee shall all of vsus bee shut out from hope. For which of vsus serueth God with all his heart and with all his soule as God hath expressely commaunded vsus? Nay contrariwise we drag backward, and by nature wee be deadly enemies vntounto him, because all ye thoughts and affections that are in vsus doe fight against his will.Rom. 8.7. Then are wee so farre of from being able to serue him as wee should doe, that wee make war against him, and cease not to prouoke his wrath against vsus. Nay verily, euen when God hath reformed vsus by his holy spirit, so as he hath giuen vsus some good disposition, wherethrough wee be inclyned to serue him, and to be short, wee shew that his spirit reigneth in vsus by subduing of our vices and of the wicked lustes which are in vsus by nature: yet come we stil far short of the marke which wee should tend vntounto. It is true that wee will trauell thitherward, as all the faithfull doe, whose chiefe regard and principall desire is to serue God: but yet doe they finde themselues so sore combered as maketh them to shudder at it. When they bee about to stirre one finger foreward, the rest of their body drawes backward. It is much if they can but trayne themselues: that is to say, if they can get forward a little & coldely. And therefore they be driuen to sigh & grone, and to condemne themselues, beseeching God to vouchsafe to hearten them better, and to take away all the lets that are in themselues. For he that is perfectest, condemneth himselfe most: insomuch that the true perfection that is in mē during this mortall lyfe, is to knowe the euill that is in vsus and how wretched we be.
On the contrary part, as for those that make themselues idols, bearing themselues in hand that they bee come already to the highest toppe of perfection: they burst themselues with pride, and doe but shroude a secret filthinesse within, whereby they bewray that they knowe not yet what it is to louelove God and to serue him. For otherwise they should neuer bee so blinded with mad selfetrust, as to beare themselues in hand that they bee throughly righteous. Seeing then that although we indeuer neuer so much to serue God, we shall go limping and dragge our legges after vsus: let vsus bee sure that God shall neuer bee in daunger or det to any of vsus, but rather wee shall be condemned in all our workes. We may well alledge, I was willing, and I did mine indeuer: but that is not all that wee hauehave to doe. For the will shall alwayes be found very weake, so as if wee hauehave one good affection, there shall be a dosen euil ones for it. And so by that meanes al of vsus should be disappoynted of the hope that God giueth vsus by his promises, if they should be taken so rawely & according to the naked letter where it is sayd: If yee serue mee, I will doe yee good. But nowe let men streine themselues as much as they list: when they come to their audit there will bee so many abatements, as wil shewe that all Gods promises can stand them in no stead. And therefore they must come to ye second remedie, which is that God supplieth our defaultes: and that although all our workes deserue naught else but condemnation, yet notwithstanding God accepteth them and taketh them for good, of his owne fatherly goodnesse: and not of any duetie that hee is bounde vntounto. Then let vsus not bee so blinde as the wretched papistes, who when they heare that God addeth any condition to his promises, doe by & by step vp with their ergoes, and fall to descanting of their owne free will and deseruinges. But contrariwise, let vsus assure our selues that when God speaketh to vsus in such order of speach as is shewed vsus here, although hee come to vsus with gentlenesse: yet doth it nothing auaile vsus, vntill he vse his own meere merciemercy to saue vsus throughout, not for any desert of ours, but because it pleseth him so to doe. Marke yt for a special poynt.
And therewithall let vsus marke also, that if the good which God doth to men in the thinges that concerne this transitory lyfe, doe proceede of his merciemercy: much more reason is it that the immortall heritage cannot bee gotten by our owne strength, but that God must be faine to giuegive it vsus of his owne meere liberalitie or free gift. And whereof speaketh Moses in this place? He sayth, God will blesse thy Cattell, God will blesse thy Corne, Wine, and Oyle. All these are transitory thinges: and how is it that God prospereth vsus in them? By his merciemercy, saith he. And he sheweth expresly that Gods couenant proceedeth not from any other spring, nor hath any other roote than that▪ no not euen in cases concerning this flightfull lyfe and these transitorie thinges. Now if in promising to prosper vsus in our Cattell, in our Landes, & in the bread which we eate, God hauehave not an eye to any worthinesse of ours, but onelyonly voutsafeth to shew himselfe a liberall & kindehearted father towardes vsus: what will hee doe in cases concerning the making of vsus partakers of the heauenly glory? I beseech you, can wee alledge any desertes in that behalfe? No: for then shold Oxen & kine be of more estimation wt him than mens soules. Therefore let vsus marke well the thinges that I hauehave touched: namely that wee may well vnderstand aforehand howe greatly God loueth vsus, by his promising of reward & recompence for our workes. For he doth it not of any duetie, but to win vsus by gentlenesse and louingnesse. Yet notwithstanding let vsus vnderstand moreouer, yt the same shall neuer boote vsus a whit, vnlesse our Lord proceede yet further in shewing himselfe liberall towards vsus: namely yt after he hath receiued vsus to merciemercy, euē vsus which were vtterly lost & damned, he doe also louelove vsus for our Lord Iesus Christes sake, and thereupon beare with all the imperfections yt are in vsus without intēding to impute thē to vsus, so as our workes may please him, although they deserue it not. For that is verifyed euen in these base thinges beneath. When we take our repast of the bread wherewith we be susteined: wee must acknowledge that the same commeth of yt meere goodnesse of our God. And lykewise when wee hauehave done our indeuour to serue him, [wee must acknowledge] that he is not any whit beholden vntounto vsus for it, but (which more is) that the good affection which we hauehave, is giuen vsus of him, and yet that all this is nothing, because there is some faultinesse in it. Therefore it must needs be, that Gods receiuing of vsus into fauor, is not for that he oweth vsus any thing, but for that he loueth vsus. Now seeing that God wil hauehave his mercy knowē in these corruptible thinges: what will hee hauehave done in the euerlasting saluation of our soules?
But here might a question bee moued, that seeing God respecteth not our merites when he doth vsus good: why vseth he this maner of speach which we reade here in Moses? There are two reasons. The one is, that he intendeth to make vsus feele his grace ye better, by driuing vsus to graūt that none of al ye things which he behighteth vsus could take effect, if our workes should be respected, & therefore that he must be faine to bury all our sinnes, & to accept vsus of his owne freegoodnesse. This would be somewhat with ye darkest, if it should not be layd forth more at lēgth. His saying (in effect,) is that wheras God telleth vsus, that if we serue him, he wil blesse vsus and prosper vsus: his intent is that eueryevery of vsus should examine himselfe, and consider at what point wee be with him. And when we once know yt in stead of seruing him, we doe prouoke him against vsus & greeue him, as though wee had conspired to doe so of wilful malice: & when we once knowe that we bee so greatly in his daunger euen by nature: then will all vaine selfetrust bee beaten downe in vsus, & we wil hauehave none other minde, than to resort to ye mercy that is promised vsus, and to flee thither for refuge, so as we shalbe quite & cleane bereft of ye fonde opiniō which we had cōceiued of our owne workes, & not thinke thē any more to be meritorious. Thus ye see what we hauehave to note for the first reason.
The second is yt forasmuch as God hath pitied vsus, he beareth with our workes, & intendeth not to sift them with rigor, but admitteth thē for good & auaileable, though there be many infirmities & vices in thē. But yet for all yt, wee must vnderstand yt he will not so beare wt our infirmities, yt we should take leaue to abuse his merciemercy: for then should we deale too lewdly. And yet neuerthelesse it appeareth by experiēce, yt as soone as men heare yt God forgiueth thē their sinnes, & saueth them of his owne goodnesse: they dispence wt themselues, & take leaue to doe euil: & vnderunder colour yt they bee freed frō ye bondage and cursednesse wherin they were by nature, they ouershoot thēselues into all disorder. But God wil not be so mocked, he wil not hauehave the goodnesse which he vseth towardes vsus, to be made an occasiō of sinning. For our Lord Iesus Christ is come to destroy ye kingdome of Satan,Rom. 1.4. & 6.1.2.15. as it is shewed vsus. So then, although God wil hauehave vsus to impute al ye good which he doth vsus, vntounto his free merciemercy: yet doth he put this cōditiō to it, yt he wil hauehave vsus to serue him. Although the inheritāce which is promised vsus depēd not vponupon our owne workes: yet will hee hauehave vsus to be his children for it, seeing he sheweth himselfe to bee our father. Although it become vsus not to looke for any thing in respect of all ye seruice yt wee doe him, forasmuch as we be well assured that they▪ be not of such value as we can rest vponupon thē: yet notwithstanding inasmuch as God hath called vsus to him into ye way of saluatiō: he wil not hauehave vsus to fal to kicking against him. His Church must not bee a Hoggescote, but a tēple dedicated to his honor. So then, seeing God hath adopted vsus, wee must liue as his childrē, so as wee may shew yt he hath not called & inuited vsus to ye inheritāce of ye heauē ly life in vaine. For if we can finde no sauor in it, are we not worthie to be banished & shut out of it?2. Cor. 5. Yes. Again, if we go thitherward, ought we not to despise these transitory thinges, and to passe through this world as straūgers, & not to be wed…ded to this earthly trash? That thē is the second reason why our Lord addeth ye cōdition that he will be serued & honoured at our handes. And therefore let vsus learne in fewe wordes, yt when we hauehave done homage to our God for our euerlasting saluatiō,Eph. 1.6. & for al the tēporall & transitory goods yt he bestoweth vponupon vsus in this worlde: it behoueth vsus to vnderstād, yt his adopting of vsus to be his children, is to ye intēt to be honored by vsus▪ & his calling of vsus into his Church is to the end we should be as his housholdfolke & not as wild beastes,Iohn 10.27. seeing we be of his flock. For he wil hauehave such sheepe as shall hearken to his voyce. And yt is the cause why it is sayd expresly in this text, Yee shall keepe all the statutes, cōmandements & lawes which I set before you to doe them. As if hee should say, among the other giftes of God, we hauehave his word which is an excellēt treasure. And it is not giuen vsus onelyonly to ye end we should but heare it & allow it in our wordes: but to the ende we should frame our liues thereafter. Seeing then yt God voutsafeth to teach vsus, & stoopeth so lowe as to do ye office of a scholemaister & teacher towards vsus: are not we too vnthākful if we hearkē not vntounto him? And let vsus marke wel, that we bee none of his disciples, vnlesse wee obey his doctrine, and make it auaileable to vsus. For otherwise it is but as if we heard a song yt delighted our eares,Ezec. 33.31 as is sayd of it in Ezechiel. And surely it is a goodly worshipping of God, for vsus to say that he hath song well. Nay his will is that wee should vtter another melodie correspondēt to his voice which is, that wee shoulde shewe by our whole lyfe, that hee hath not taken paynes with vsus in vaine, nor lost his time, in declaring his will vntounto vsus.
And now furthermore Moses addeth, keepe them: yea (sayth hee,) and God will blesse you: and afterward hee addeth againe, that hee will louelove vsus. Surely by these wordes it may be deemed at the first sight, yt God looketh whether men wil do their duetie or not, ere hee louelove them. But I hauehave tolde yee already how the promises of the Lawe doe serue first of all to bring men to right humilitie, that they may know themselues to be as they bee, and quite rid and discharge themselues of all selfetrust. When that is done, then know they yt Gods calling of them is with condition, that they should serue him: and that if they inforce themselues so to doe, they please him, so that although their doinges be vnperfect, yet will hee not faile to accept them, because hee imputeth not the vices vntounto them wherewith they bee interlaced. And moreouer wee may gather vponupon these wordes of Moses, that the seruice whereof hee speaketh here, goeth not before Gods blessing and the fauor that hee promiseth vsus: for doe wee louelove him before hee loued vsus? Wee cannot make the holy Ghost a lyar which speaketh by the mouth of Saint Iohn. It is not (sayth hee) for that wee loued God first: but God vouchsafed to receiue vsus into his fauor, at such time as wee were his enemies. And all the scripture is full of this. Now then, seeing it is told vsus here that God will louelove his people, if they hauehave a care to keepe his commaundementes: let vsus note that it is not meant, that men can preuent God and drawe him to them first of all: but that (as is declared vntounto vsus here) it is all one as if hee should say, I hauehave loued you freely, and I will louelove you still, and yee shall feele my louelove in such wise, as yee may inioy it and possesse it for euer. But yet for all that, let vsus beware that wee deceiue not our selues, as they doe which confesse that God loueth vsus of his owne free goodnesse, but yet we must secondly bee worthie of it. For wee must alwayes come backe againe to that which I hauehave touched already: namely that vnlesse God beare with vsus, and skowre away al the spottes that are in our workes, the thing that is spoken of here, shall neuer bee accomplished in vsus: but contrariwise it shall alwayes turne vsus to some greater shame, to shewe vsus, Go to, behold, your God hath abaced himselfe so much as to tell you that if yee serue him, hee will be fauorable and mercifull to you. For of whom is it long now, that you be vnhappie, that hee curseth you, that he refuseth you, and that he persecuteth you? commeth it not of your owne fault? yes: You your selues then, are to be blamed for this, that you be not beloued of your God. It should (say I) be layde to our reproche, if God pardoned not the faultes that are in our workes. So then let vsus mark that his louelove is alwayes free in our workes, howbeit that hee will not bee mocked, nor hauehave his goodnesse abused, nor abide that men should take libertie to doe euill when they see him so gentle and freehearted towardes them: but contrariwise will hauehave vsus to bee answerable againe on our side, so as we giuegive not deafe eare to him when hee speaketh to vsus: but that when he hath bin so gratious to vsus as to declare his will vntounto vsus, we also should shew that his so doing is not in vaine, & yt he is not disappointed of his purpose. But what? We see how stubborne men are for all that: and whatsoeuer God tel them or shew thē, although they hauehave their eares beaten dayly wt such warninges, yet notwithstanding they continue stil lyke themselues in their wilfulnesse. Beholde, God promiseth to blesse vsus, so wee serue him. Now there is no man but hee woulde faine prosper. We could well finde in our heartes that God should sted all our necessities, and that hee should giuegive vsus meate and drinke: we could finde in our heartes to be cloathed at his cost. But in ye meane while, who is he that bethinketh himselfe thus: this is ye meane whereby I must inioy Gods blessing? Nay we drawe cleane backe, and it should seeme that our whole seeking is to bereaue our selues therof, and to cut off God by yt way, or rather so to stoppe the entries & issewes of his grace, as it may neuer come at vsus. Behold, God wil hauehave vsus first of al to liue vprightly, faithfully & in his feare; & thereupon hee promiseth to blesse vsus. On the contrary part, men giuegive thē selues to filching, stealing, robbing, & crueltie, seeking by all meanes to pick out one anothers eys. There is no mention of the feare of God: to be short, they would yt all might goe to hauocke. In so doing we renounce Gods blessing, so farre as in vsus lyeth, and it seemeth to vsus yt we cannot take a better way to prosper, than by seruing the diuell. Wherin it appeareth in how cursed plight we be. And whence springeth it, but of that we giuegive no credit to Gods promises? For if we beleued God to be soothfast in good earnest: surely we would be rauished at this saying of his, I will make you to prosper. But forasmuch as our vanities doe carry vsus headlong the contrary way: it maketh vsus to imagin that we win more by doing euill, than by seruing God. Neuerthelesse this vnbeleefe of ours shal be right deerely paied for, speacially when it is matched with such blasphemie, and wee doe our God so much wrong as not to beleeue his word: & moreouer, when as instead of acknowledging him to be the Author of all goodnesse, and comming to drawe of the fulnesse of his grace, we doe nothing else but make our selues strangers to him. Seeing then that we fail to prouoking of him so by all meanes: what remaineth for vsus, but to be bereft of his blessings, yea and that he, as though he were our enemy, pursue vsus euen to the vtttermost? But truly a man may still perceiue an inestimable goodnesse, in yt he ceaseth not to doe vsus good, when hee is so prouoked by vsus, & that wee cease not to kindle ye fire of his wrath: but yet in the end we shall finde that this doctrine was not in vaine. It is true that a man shall not alwayes perceiue the thing that Moses sayth here: that is to wit, that God prospereth them that serue him. For yee shal see yt such as are desirous to doe best, and imploy thē selues in the trueth, are miserable folkes, afflicted diuers wayes at Gods hand, and hauehave not halfe their fil wherwith to susteine them. Again, they shall be tormēted with diseases, or else they shall hauehave many reproches & iniuries wrought them in this world, & (to be short) they shall be in continual languishing. On the contrarie part, ye shall see the wicked prosper: ye shall see them in credit and estimation: they shall cram themselues with all excesse: and they shall hauehave such abundance, as may make euen their heires to burst.Psal. 17.14. These thinges are to be seene. Howbeit we must note, that when the good are so afflicted, it is first because they hauehave not yet serued God as they ought to doe. But why doth God scourge them, more than the wicked which rush out into all naughtinesse? it is because he intendeth to chastice thē fatherly. To ye end that their soules may be saued,1. Cor. 5.5. he chastiseth them in their bodies. Againe, in sending afflictiōs, Gods intent is not alwayes to punish men according to their misdeedes: but also to try their patiēce, and to withdrawe them from the world, to the intent they should not be too much intangled in it: and his will is to humble them, that they may know thē selues as they be, & be sory for it. So then forasmuch as God hath many causes to afflict ye faithfull: he will not hauehave vsus to make one egall rule of it, & to say that he punisheth them according to their misdeedes. But whereforesoeuer he doe it, let vsus note that if God should vtterly destroy thē he had iust cause so to doe, & hee should doe thē no wrong. Neuerthelesse we must hauehave an eye to that which Saint Paul sayth in the eight to the Romans,Rom. 8.26. and be contented with it: namely yt all thinges turne to the welfare of them that louelove God, so as they serue not to turne them aside, or to pluck them away from their saluation, but rather be as helpes to further it. Marke yt for one poynt. And yet notwithstanding it is euidently seene, that Gods grace faileth thē not in the afflictions and miseries which they indure. True it is that they finde thēselues in paine, & the things are harde and grieuous for them to beare: but yet there is alwayes somewhat so sweeten them, they hauehave still some cōfort at Gods hand, which serueth to make them vnderstand yt hee blesseth and prospereth them. If he should giuegive them no more but one bit of bread: yet hauehave they such an inward ioy, as they can better thanke God for it, than ye wicked can doe [for great abundance,] who fret themselues inwardly, insomuch that although they labor to bring thēselues a sleepe that they might not hauehave any remorse of consciēce to trouble them, & striue euen against nature, that they might be as it were senselesse: Yet doeth not GOD let them so rest, that they can be so mery at the heart euen with their abū dance, as the silie faithful ones are with their pouertie, who holde themselues contented from morrowe to morrowe, waiting to be fed at Gods hand, & referring themselues wholy vntounto him, & calling vppon him. And againe, although they hauehave not all that they would wish: yet thinke thy thus wt themselues, well, yet doth not my God cease to watch ouer me, & therfore I betake me to his prouidence, and rest my selfe vppon him. Thus yee see howe the faithfull cease not to bee blessed of God, though the world see not Gods benefites so apparantly in them.
But let vsus come now to the vnbeleuers. It is true that God sheddeth out his temporall benefites vponupon them, so as they be healthie, & hauehave aboundance of goods, and so forth: but yet shall all these thinges be turned into a curse to them. If a man demaund whether the hauing of bodily health, & also wherewith to finde a mans selfe, be not the blessinges of God: yes verily be they. But yet must wee note that as in respecte of the faithlesse,Tit. 1.15. & of the despisers of God, they turne to their harme, because they be foule & vnclean, & doe defile Gods benefites with their handling of them. Needes must it bee then that the order of nature is turned vpside downe in this behalfe. For inasmuch as the wicked & the vnbeleeuers are full of filth & vncleanesse: they can not touch any of Gods benefites, but they must needes beray them and marre them. And therefore all must needes turne to their condemnation. Againe, we see how the world goeth. HaueHave theeues (I meane such as are giuē to deceite & fleecing) hauehave they gathered much together? They hauehave tormented themselues all the tim of their lyfe: & whay ioy hauehave they had of them? God taketh vengeance on them: for they be inflamed wt such greedinesse of them, as they be neuer in quiet: & besides yt, they cannot doe good wt their euilgotten goods. But in the end, doe they once dye? Then goes all to hauock againe. For the worlde sees how the diuell hath libertie to ouerthrowe, euen such as a man would hauehave thought to hauehave bin well grounded, & that they shold neuer hauehave decayed to the worldes end. A man would wonder to see how they be destroyed in ye turning of a hand. Yea and moreouer, the goods which they hauehave raked together for their children, become as halters to hang them withall, so as they become miserable euen in the sight of the world, & men behold the signes of Gods wrath & vengeance in thē, whereby it is well knowen that he neuer leaueth men vnpunished for the contēpt & wrong which they doe to his maiestie, in rushing foorth into all disorder insomuch yt if hee punish not the fathers themselues, he layeth the execution of it vponupon their children how long soeuer he make delay. So then let vsus marke that it is not without cause that God telleth vsus hee will blesse such as serue him, yea euen to the worldward. And that is ye cause why Saint Paul saith, that the feare of God hath promises,1. Tim. 4.…. not onelyonly of ye euerlasting life, but also of this earthly life: so as if we liue in the feare of God, wee shall not onelyonly be sure of the inheritance which hee hath prepared for vsus aboue: but also, yt euen as long as we liue in this world he will guide vsus and keep vsus vnderunder his protection, & not suffer vsus to want any thing whereof hee knoweth vsus to hauehave neede. Trueth it is that God wil alwayes be our karuer, because he knoweth we bee too much giuen to these earthly thinges, from the which he intendeth to pull vsus away, to the ende we should hauehave the better skill to lift vp our heades to heauen, and to seeke after the goods that are prepared for vsus there. Therfore whē God restreineth his benefites as we see he doth, that is to say, when he giueth vsus them in smal & slender portion: it is to the intent we should not be hindred to keepe on our way stil in going right foorth vntounto him. Thus ye see what we hauehave to marke in this text. And therfore if we serue our God, let vsus not dout but he wil blesse vsus euen to the worldwarde, and make vsus to prosper better than ye wicked, yea and although we see them puffed vp with pride, although we see thē tryumph in pomp & brauery, & although we see thē swimming in their pleasures: let vsus tary patiently a litle while, & we shal find yt God dalied not wt vsus, whē he promised his blessing to such as ar willing to serue & louelove him.
And specially let vsus marke well howe he telleth vsus here expresly, that he will blesse vsus in our issue, and in the increase of your Cattell. I pray you, if the fauor which God sheweth vsus do extend euen to the brute beastes, so as the marke of his fatherly good will towardes vsus shall bee printed in them: what wil he doe to our selues & to our childrē, and to the things yt touch vsus much neerer? For in deed me must make this cōparison of our bodies with our soules. If God hauehave a care to feede these wretched carkesses heere: what will hee doe for vsus when we be restored into his glorie? If he hauehave a care of our mortall bodies: what will he hauehave of our soules, which are fashioned after his owne image? But let vsus returne to the present matter. If God voutsafe to hauehave care of our cattell, as of our Oxen, our Asses, and our sheepe for our sakes: what care will hee hauehave of our persons? What care will he hauehave of our children, which are heires of the promised saluation, and are adopted to belong to his couenant, seeing it pleaseth him to choose and adopt vsus to be his people? For hee doth not onelyonly say, come vntounto me: but also I will be the God of thy children after thee vntounto a thowsand generations.Deut. 5.10. But what? we be worthie to be left destitute of al Gods promises: and it were much to, if we could by that meane bee brought to right repentance. Let vsus see if Gods blessing be to be found among vsus nowadayes as it is promised. Indeede it is to bee marueled (as I hauehave declared alreadie) that God is so patient towardes vsus. For are we woorthie to be maintained here one minute of an houre, considering the outrageous offences which we commit dayly against him? No: and yet notwithstanding, although he spare vsus, although he tarie for vsus, and although he scourge vsus not as we hauehave deserued: yet neuerthelesse, we see how we doe partly languishe. Some decay and consume thēselues by little & little: some perish vtterly out of hand: & othersome pine away as if they were almost dead of cold, as men terme it. And what is ye cause hereof but our driuing away of Gods grace & blessing? Again we need not to go to our Oxen, our horses and our sheep to weet whether God wtdraw his hand & grace frō vsus or no: Let vsus but looke vpō our children in what plight they be. Gods receiuing of their fathers into his fauor, ought to bee as a lookinglasse of his goodnesse towards thē: but yet ought it to be much better knowē in the children, so as it might be sayd, Lo here a blessed seede. For Gods voutsafing to take ye fathers vntounto him, was of purpose to vtter his merciemercy yet more in their childrē. But cōtrariwise, let a man looke vponupon their children, & he shall be driuē to conclude, yt we be as good as banished frō Gods blessing, & from all ye prosperitie which he promised to his people. And mo maruel though it be so. for ye world seeth wherat ye fathers ame. Their intent is not to edify thē in the feare of God: for it should seeme that they be loth ye their childrē should shame them by becomming honester mē than they. And to say ye trueth, they bring thē vp in all lewdnesse: and is it not meete then yt God should shew himself a iudge? Where are ye fathers nowadayes, yt make ye feare of God their mark to ame at in teaching their children? In deede they be willing enough to hauehave their childrē aduaunced to ye worldward, & to lay for thē yt they may want no wealth. but in the meane while, as for to hauehave an eye vntounto God, to say, I will dedicate my childrē vntounto him, I will hauehave them so brought vp as he may be rightly honored by them: it is the furthest end of all their thought. Needes therefore must we be bereft of the benefites that are promised here, and banished from them.
Furthermore, whensoeuer it is told vsus yt our Lord prouoketh vsus to returne vntounto him: let vsus vnderstād yt seeing he loued vsus freely when wee were yet his enemies:Rom. 5.2▪ it must needes be yt he will much rather louelove vsus now yt he is reconciled vntounto vsus. Yea, but yet must yt be in respect of our Lorde Iesus Christ, & for his sake. We must not seeke any worthinesse out of ye person of him yt is called Gods welbeloued son:Heb. … for it is only he yt hath satisfied ye paimēt of all our dets, which thing it lay not in any creature to do. Yet notwithstāding let vsus assure our selues yt it behoueth vsus to indeuer to doe wel, knowing yt God wil not hauehave vsus to abuse his merciemercy. For seeing he hath adopted vsus to be his childrē: let vsus yeeld him ye honor yt is due to our father. And besides yt, although our workes be vnperfect, and wee doe but offer him thinges which are not worth ye accepting at his hād; yet doth not he cease to lyke wel of vsus in ye thinges yt we do to serue & honor him wtall, & we shall not be disappointed of ye benefits yt he hath promised vsus. But yet must we impute all to his merciemercy, and we must liue in such sort in his world, as we may be out of doubt yt he wil hauehave regard to maintein vsus euē in this present lyfe, & to giuegive vsus whatsoeuer he knoweth to be meet for vsus. Therefore let yt serue to make vsus to finde such tast in his goodnesse, as it may tolle vsus on stil further & further, so as we may be able to goe through wt a cheareful heart,… to the spiritual blessednesse that taryeth for vsus aboue, whereof we hauehave but onelyonly a raste as now by faith and hope.
Nowe let vsus kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults, praying him to make vsus so to feele them, as we may learne to be sory for them better than wee hauehave beene, and to turne wholy vntounto him, and to reforme our whole lyfe after such a sorte, as wee may seeke nothing but to giuegive ouer our selues all wholy vntounto him, and to frame our selues to his holy will as he hath declared it in his worde. And so let vsus all say, Almightie God heauenly father, &c.