Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 59
On Fryday the xvj. of August. 1555. The Lix. Sermon which is the second vponupon the eight Chapter.
3.4 He afflicted thee &c.
5 Knowe thou therfore in thyne hart, that the Lord thy God nurtured thee as a man nurtureth hys owne child.
6 Therefore keepe thou the commaundementes of the Lord thy God, by walking in his wayes, and by fearing him.
7 For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land wherein are riuers of water, fountaines and springes which come out of the valleys and hilles.
8 A land of wheate, and barely, of Vines, figtrees, and Poungarnets: a lande wherein are Oiuetrees, Oyle, and honnie.
9 A lande wherein thou shalt eate bread without scarcetie, so as thou shalt not want any thing in it: a Lande whose stones are iron, and out of whose hils thou shalt digge brasse.
YEsterday wee sawe first of all, how the myracle that GOD wrought in feeding his people with Manna by the space of fortie yeeres togither in the wildernesse, ought to serue for euer. And therewithall was shewed the ende thereof: that is to wit, that the Iewes ought to hauehave considered, that it is not the bread yt maintaineth a man, neither is the power of our lyfe shut vp within it: but rather it is God yt breatheth liuelinesse into vsus, and which giueth the breade that nature wherby it is able to sustaine vsus. And so we see yt the matter here concerneth not the life of our soules, but that God sheweth vsus howe this flightfull and transitorie life is maintayned by his onelyonly power: so that, whether wee hauehave meate and drinke, or whether we suffer hunger, wee must alwayes hauehave recourse to Gods goodnesse, assuring our selues that he is our foster father, and that our life is in his hand, and that it is his office to preserue it in good plight. That is the summe of the things which wee hauehave to remember here. And ye hauehave seene also howe ou… Lord Iesus vsed the same text,Matt. 4.4. as was declared in fewe wordes: but yet must we lay forth the residue of the things a little more at length.
Now then wee hauehave to marke, that if GOD giuegive vsus abundance, our minds must not be wedded to it: for can the bread quicken vsus, seeing it is a dead thing? Although God vse it as an instrument, it is not to deface his owne commendation, no more than when he giueth vsus light by the Sunne. For we knowe that in the creation of the world, light was made before the Sunne was created. And why? To the intent we should not conuey the honour of God vntounto creatures. Therefore let vsus so vse the light of the Sunne, as wee acknowledge therewithall, that there is but onelyonly one God, to whom the glorie of that benefite ought to bee yeelded. And when wee hauehave bread to eate, it is not the bread that sustaineth vsus, but it is God, who powreth out his goodnesse continually vponupon vsus. Although he apply those meanes to our vse: yet is it he himselfe that worketh, it is he that is the author of them. And in that respect is it that hee saith hee will breake the staffe of breade.…. 4.16. ….16. … 28.23 … 2.21.22 True it is that hee threatneth to shut vp the heauen as if it were iron, and to make the earth to bee of brasse, so that when the earth crieth out to the heauen, the heauen shall not heare it. God then when he intendeth to send barrennesse vppon a land, vseth such meanes as he thinketh good: by reason whereof wee hauehave not wherewith to sustaine our selues: in so much that when the grounde hath borne a haruest good and great ynough, yet wil God wel ynough diminish it and make it to moulder away, yea and when the corne is caried to the mill, it shall consume in the grinding: and when it is brought from the mill to the ouen, if it bee measured or weied againe,Leui. 26.26. it shall not hold full weight and measure. Howbeit, we must come to this point, that the strength which bread hath, is not of ye bread it selfe, but of Gods breathing of this woord into it whereof Moses speaketh here: that is to wit, that when God will hauehave vsus to bee nourished and susteined by the bread, he vttereth his goodnesse towards vsus, by making vsus to feele his blessing which sheadeth it selfe into it after a secret fashion. Albeit that we behold it not with our eyesight, yet must wee be throughly perswaded of it by faith. Then let vsus marke well, that when wee hauehave whereof to feede, we must not be so doultish as to think that the power is inclosed in the breade or in any other vittles or drinkes: but that therein God vttereth his goodnesse towardes vsus, and sheadeth it into vsus, as we see the raine come from heauen which moisteneth ye earth and giueth it strength: On the other side if wee hauehave want: let vsus vnderstand that God can sustaine vsus by turning bread into Manna, that is to say: if all ordinarie meanes fayle vsus, God will prouide for vsus after another fashion, as wee see hee remedied the necessitie of his people, when they were in the wildernes.Matt. 4.4. And for ye same cause did our Lord Iesus Christ answere Satan, it is written that man liueth not by bread only, but by eueryevery word that commeth out of the mouth of God. For Sathan tempted him to distrust, vnderunder colour that in the wildernesse God sent him not the thinges that were expedient to liue withall. He had not any foode there, and yet in the meane while he was pinched, with hunger as a mortall man: for he vouchsafed to become subiect to our passions or sufferinges. Now heere vponupon, Sathan taketh occasion to enter vppon him, saying: Seeing thou art the sonne of God, shouldest thou want any thing? Is it not reason that all creatures should serue thee? yes: for thou art the heire of the world. Thou hast no bread: and therefore thou must be faine to try the power of God, that these stones may bee turned into bread, or else thou seest how thy God forsaketh thee, for if he had a care of thee, thou shouldest perceiue his blessing and fauour, so as thou shouldest hauehave heere wherwith to susteine thee. Now thē seeing thou wantest such helpes, it is a signe that God hath no regard of thee. But Iesus Christ aunswereth hereunto: I shalbe susteined well enough though bread faile mee. And why? For the life of man dependeth not vponupon these meanes. And surely God were of very small and weake force, if hee could not helpe a man but by breade: he should be no better than an earthly man. A riche man can doe welinough, if hee hauehave wherewith: but if he fall into pouerty, he must be faine to begge
a good heart to call vponupon God, and commit our selues vntounto him, assuring our selues that he will neuer faile vsus. That is the care which God willeth vsus to hauehave. Neuerthelesse wee must also put the thing in practise that is spoken here: that is to wit, that God will giuegive vsus sufficient to serue our turne, so as if we want cote or shooes, he will either prouide vsus of them, or else make one paire of soles to doe vsus more seruice than a doosen, when it pleaseth him. And we may see this with our eyes. For they that are warmest clad, fayle not for all that to bee as it were halfe dead thorowe colde: and on the other side, whereas it seemeth that poore folke should starue and bee frosen with yee a hundred times [ere the yeere goe about:] God warmeth them, yea and they bee so preserued, as though he kept them in a stooue, or as though some Phisitiō were alwaies at hand with them, ministring good remedies to them to saue them from the colde. After that maner doeth God worke. And that is the cause why that in the time of the Law, God commanded that all newe things should be blessed,Leui. 23.10.14.19, 23. & Num. 15.20 to the ende that men should thinke vponupon him, & consider thus with themselues: Go to, I hauehave a newe garment, and I must looke that I thanke him for it which gaue it mee. For seeing it pleaseth my God to clothe mee thus, and to giuegive me this apparell to vse it as mine owne: it becommeth me to acknowledge that it is of his goodnesse and merciemercy that I am so prouided for. Yee see then, that the intent why he caused all things to bee dedicated vntounto him which men should occupie: was that they should acknowledge the giuor of them, and that if he blessed not the helps which he had giuen them, all was nothing and noughtwoorth. And as for now adayes, although wee hauehave not the like Ceremonie: yet must we hold still the truth thereof.
Nowe for a conclusion Moses addeth, Knowe thou in thy Heart, that as a father nurtureth his owne childe, so hath thy God nurtured thee. In deede the hebrew woord that Moses vseth in this place, signifieth sometimes to Chastise: and therefore it might be taken as if he sayd thus: Know thou that the intent of thy God in all the afflictions which thou hast indured, hath beene to correct thy faultes: that like as a man intending to reforme his child when he hath doone a misse, taketh the rod by and by in his hande: so likewise thy God hath chastised thee, not suffering thee to become an vnruly and froward child, but holding thee alwaies vnderunder awe. And this doctrine were very good: but the same woord doth by a similitude betoken likewise all instruction and good gouernment. No doubt but the intent of Moses in this place, was to make a generall conclusion of the matters that hee had treated of. For hee had spoken of Afflictions, and hee had spoken likewise of Gods benefites, and of his leading of the people, al the time yt they were in the wildernesse. Now therefore, to all those matters he applieth this finall sentence, saying: know thou that thy God hath nurtured thee after a gentle and louing fashion, so as thou needest not to wander farre, or to make long vagaries to know whether thy God hath beene with thee or no: he hath applyed himselfe to thee as familiarly as may bee. Is not the instruction that hee hath giuen thee, so familiar as no man can shew himselfe more familiar? That therefore is the meaning of Moses.
And whereas he saieth, Know thou in thy heart: It is to the end that men should bee the diligenter in applying ye things to their instructiō, which God teacheth them. For it is pitie to see howe dull wee bee of our selues. Although God vtter himselfe familiarly vntounto vsus: yet doe not we see him a whit. And what is the cause thereof? A man that is dulsighted and hath sore eyes, discerneth not things well though they be layd afore him. Nowe, wee bee not onelyonly dimsighted, but also starke blinde in Gods workes. True it is that he must bee faine to inlighten vsus: but yet must wee also doe our indeuour, and apply our mindes to iudge well of his workes, when it pleaseth him to shewe them to vsus. And so it is not a needelesse speech of Moses, to say know thou in thy heart. As if he should say, euerie man must enter into himselfe, and indeuour earnestly to know the grace and goodnesse of God. We must not slumber in that case, but eueryevery of vsus must do his diligence to the vttermost. To bee short, these sayinges, Let men inforce themselues, and let men streine themselues, are well woorth the noting. For when God teacheth vsus, by and by eueryevery of vsus must enter into his owne heart.
And now againe, whereas hee sayth that God taught [or trained] his people, as a man doth his Children: It is to cut off aloccasion of starting holes, that men might not pretend any ignoraunce. For in as much as thinges are declared here according to our rudenesse: wee cannot excuse our selues by saying that our wit is too dul, and that we be vnable to mount so high: for this doctrine is giuen vsus familiarly ynough. To the end therefore that no man might take occasion of excuse: Moses sayth at a woord, what? hath not thy God taught thee after a commō fashion and as men doe? When a father intendeth to teach his child, will he do more than thy God hath doone to thee? Nowe sith it is so: these thinges were not spoken for that time onelyonly: but our Lorde woorketh after the same maner yet still at this day, so as wee may perceiue the thinges that Moses telleth them heere.Rom. … In deede Gods woorkers are likened to a bottomlesse pit, and it is not lawfull for vsus to bee so inquisitiue of his doings, as to seeke to know all the reasons of them: for we be not able to conceiue them: and therefore (as we hauehave seene in Iob,Iob. 16…) we must be contented to see the outleetes of his woorkes. And this similitude importeth much, where it is saide that wee see but the outleets, that is to say the outermost partes of Gods woorkes. As for to attaine to the middes of them, or to search al that which lyeth hidden within: that is vtterly vnpossible. And let vsus beware of rushing so farre, for God would surely punish our rashnesse. But yet must wee looke vppon the outleets and listes or bondes of Gods woorkes, and take such taste of them as wee may learne so much of them as may bee for our welfare and saluation. If wee doe so: wee shall perceiue that God applyeth himselfe to our rudenesse, and that hee dealeth with vsus after the maner of men, that teach little children, instructing vsus in such wise as wee cannot say to him, yea, but I am not as an Angell of heauen to comprehend Gods doings. For (as I said) God vouchsafeth to stoope to vsus: & to the intent wee should vnderstand his workes, he becommeth familiar with vsus. Of whom is it long then yt we profit not by the instructions that he giueth vsus? For wee cannot say but yt he manifesteth himselfe to vsus so many ways, yt there is no more excuse for vsus if we knowe him not. Verily euen by the order of nature, wee may knowe him generally, as by the seasons of the yeere, by the growing of fruites vponupon the earth, and by the shining of the Sunne, the Moone, and ye starres. Euen by these thinges may we see that our Lord hath applied himselfe wholly vntounto vsus, and to the feeblenesse of our vnderstanding, and that he hath (as it were) transfigured himselfe, by taking vppon him the person of a man, to the end that we might know him. Again, when he scourgeth vsus, doe wee not see that hee handleth vsus as a father handleth his owne children? If he see a man wax ouerlustie and malapert: after hee hath borne a while with him, he taketh the rod in his hand. For on the one side he warneth vsus by his word. And afterward if he smite vsus with his hand, doth hee not vse the greater kindnesse towardes vsus, to the intent wee shoulde receiue his corrections to our benefite? Againe, when he sendeth vsus of his benefites, it is all one as if a father being desirous to winne his childe by gentlenesse, shoulde say vntounto him, My Sonne, what wilt thou doe? Who shall maintaine thee when thou art gone away from mee? Here thou hast alwayes whereon to liue: thou seest howe I take paines for thee: get thee to a straunger, and see if hee will deale better with thee. Nowe then like as a father will speake after that manner to his childe: so doeth our Lorde shewe him selfe vntounto vsus, and hee matcheth his worde with his deeds: that is to say, whereas he sendeth vsus prosperitie and quietnesse, he telleth vsus also that it is to allure vsus to him, that his gentlenes might winne vsus to him, and make vsus to returne familiarly vntounto him, and to depart from our sinnes. Sith it is so: let vsus learne that there will be no excuse for us, if we take not instruction by al the order which God keepeth to teach vsus withall in this worlde. For why? Hee behaueth himselfe like a mortal man towards vsus, and worketh not after the manner of his owne incomprehensible maiestie, because it woulde confounde vsus. Wee be too weake to mount so high: and therefore hee stoopeth vntounto vsus. Seeing then that hee dealeth so friendly on his behalfe: Let not vsus be so slouthfull, as not to enter into our owne harts, and to consider thinges accordingly, and to inforce our selues to beare Gods benefites well in minde, so as we take instruction by them as wee ought to do. Thus ye see what we hauehave to mark vponupon that place.
Nowe Moses sheweth to what end he exhorted the people to deeme well of Gods workes: namely to the end they might keepe al his commaundementes, to walke in his wayes, and to feare him. Keepe the commaundements of the Lorde thy God (saith he) that thou maist walke in his wayes and feare him. First wee hauehave to marke here, that Moses sendeth the people to the Lawe,Psal. 19.8. as to the perfect and chief doctrine of our whole life. And it is a point well worthie to bee marked. For thereuppon we hauehave to gather, that when God hath taught vsus neuer so many wayes, yet shall they neuer boote vsus, vnlesse wee hauehave recourse vntounto his worde. Beholde, the Infidels can well ynough search the secrets of nature, they can well not onelyonly alledge reasons, but also say, this is done after this fashion. Yea and they hauehave deemed God to bee good, righteous, and wife, & wee see that the heathen Philosophers knewe Gods workes so farre, as they coulde take of his maiestie. But what? It was all confusedly: and in the end they vanished away in their owne imaginations, so as they neuer attained to the point whereto they should hauehave come.Rom. 1.20. Then let vsus vnderstande that all is to no purpose, vntill wee hauehave Gods doctrine for all perfection. True it is that the things which we behold in the worlde, and all the instructions which God giueth vsus thereby, are good and profitable helpes: but yet for all that, the marke that we must shoote at is the doctrine [of his worde,] so as wee set all our wittes vppon that, to the ende wee wander not out of the way. For if a man shoore, and hauehave no marke to shoote at: what doth hee else but lose all his shotte? Euen so is it with vsus: we may well shoote, that is to say, we may take paine to know Gods works: but what shall we gaine by it, if we hauehave not the saide marke to shoote at? It shalbe but lost labour. And this marke is not to be chosen at our owne descretion▪ but God must set vsus vp our whyte: and that white is the Lawe, the Prophets, and the Gospel. And so ye see that that is the cause why Moses hauing spoken of y• wonders which the people had seene, & hauing told them that the same ought to serue to their instruction, and hauing exhorted the faithfull to profite wel in that schoole: sendeth them backe againe to the word. Keepe the commaundementes of the Lord thy God, saith hee: and afterward he addeth that thou maist walke in his wayes.
Here wee hauehave to note, that whensoeuer wee swarue from Gods word, wee shal but wander, as hath beene shewed heretofore: and we may well goe vp and downe, but wee shal be neuer the further forwarde. Let men breake their shankes as much as they list, & yet shal they either go back, or else find thēselues all in one place still, vnlesse they know ye way which they ought to keepe. For let vsus mark wel yt our own ways are croked,Gen. 6.12. and yt there is nothing but straying and wandering in vaine.Deut. 32.4. Psal. 119.15…. & 145.17. And therfore God will hauehave vsus to walk in his ways, which are strait and leuell. In saying so, Moses setteth down a cōparison of things cōtrarie. As if he should say, Wretched folk, ye thinke to further your selues when ye walk in your own ways, by deuising eueryevery man a sundry way at his owne pleasure. But what? Yee doe but martyr your selues in vaine: for God will hauehave men to walke in his wayes, that is to say, in the wayes that he sheweth them, and he will hauehave them to be followed. Therefore let vsus learne to submitte our selues to Gods worde, knowing well that our life shall neuer be well ordered, except wee obey him. Yea and whereas hee saith the wayes of the Lord in the plurall number: wee must apply it to that which hath beene saide heretofore: that is to wit, that God hath giuen vsus so full a doctrine, as wee cannot alledge that it is not ynough, or that more may bee added to it. Let vsus marke that our Lorde will not fayle vsus in any thing. Therfore let vsus not be wise in our own conceit, but let vsus aske counsel of him. And if wee doubt that wee goe astray, or if we bee afraide of wandering vp and downe: let vsus keepe his way, and wee can not goe amisse. For why? God hath not made one way onelyonly: but he hath shewed vsus all his wayes, that is to say, all that euer is requisite to make a man walke aright, so as wee can neuer goe amisse, if wee followe the direction that he setteth afore vsus. Nowe hee addeth hereunto, To the ende that we should feare the Lord. Herein hee sheweth to what ende God gaue vsus his Lawe. Why will he hauehave men to keepe it? To doe him homage aboue all thinges. For wee knowe that he receiueth neither harme nor benefite by vsus. What can wee doe to him? Our seruing of him is not to aduauntage him any whit:Iob. 35.7. & Psal. 16.2. & 50.10. & Act. 17.25. & Rom. 8.15 & 2. Tim. 1.7 for hee hath no neede of any thing. Againe what riches hauehave we to increase him withall? Why then hath hee giuen vsus his lawe, but to the ende that wee should dedicate our whole life vntounto him, and by keeping his commaundementes shewe our selues willing to bee subiect vntounto him, and that hee hath all souereine dominion ouer vsus? That is the thing which is meant by the feare that Moses speaketh of heere. And let vsus note that he meaneth not a slauish fearefulnesse, that is to say, that men should submitte themselues to him as inforced: but that wee should stand in reuerend awe of him, not onelyonly as of our master but also as of our father. The feare which GOD requireth, is matched with heartie louelove: so as wee bee gladde and faine to serue him. And why? Because it is good reason that we should be his, and that he shoulde hauehave the gouerning of vsus, & that we should frame our liues according to his wil. And so yee see what is the chiefe point in the keeping of the Lawe.
Furthermore let vsus mark, that it is not ynough for men to liue vprightly, so as they absteine from all euill and vice, and deale in such sort as nothing but vertue can bee founde in them: For a man may well bee chast, and abstaine from all wrong, anoyance, deceit, blasphemie, and lewd talke: and yet shall all this be nothing worth, except he referre all to the said end of offering vp of himselfe in sacrifice vntounto God, Vertues therefore are not of estimation in themselues, so as it may bee saide, O this is an excellent fellowe in vertue, he hath done this and that, he hath absteyned from all euill: but wee must goe on further to the vertue of all vertues, the fountaine and welspring of all holinesse, righteousnesse, and vpright dealing: namely that wee tende to our God, seeking to honour and glorifie him, and to bee wholly his and vnderunder his gouernement. When wee bee at that point: then is our life well ordered. But wee may make the fairest shewe in the worlde, and yet if wee hauehave not respect to our God, to submit our selues to him that his name may bee exalted and magnified, & that he may hauehave his due right at our hands: all is but leasing, be it neuer so highly esteemed. Yee see then in effect that the thing which wee hauehave to remember, is yt when God hath shewed vsus his workes, then doth he call vsus to his worde, telling vsus that that is the thing whereunto wee must holde our selues without wandering here and there: and thirdly that if wee will hauehave our life well ordered, wee must alwayes hauehave our eye vponupon the thing that he commandeth. And howe is that? Euen to honour him in such sort, as wee come to him with a free and cleare hart, to serue him, & to dedicate our selues to him: & also but among our neighbors without working any deceit or wrong to any man, & without ouershooting of our selues into any outrage. But yet the chief point is yt God hauehave his due, yt is to wit, that he gouerne vsus, and be glorified by al our life, because it is good reason that he should hauehave vsus at his deuotion, and that we shoulde bee subiect to him, forsomuch as we bee beholden to him for all good things. And we must not only do so because he is our maker and hath soueraine dominion ouer vsus:… but we must also louelove him because he is our father. And againe, seeing he bestoweth so many benefits vponupon vsus: we ought at leastwise to yeelde him his due reuerence.
And that is the cause why Moses addeth in the end, God will bring thee into the Land which hee hath promised thee, a rich and wealthie Lande, a Land that is full of all good thinges, wherein there is plentie of wheate, barly, wyne, honny, and Oyle, and of allother thinges. And this is saide to prouoke the people the more, to the feare that was spoken of before. For truely if wee feele nothing but rigour at Gods handle: wee may wel yeeld to him, but it will bee but perforce, it will not bee with a free will, there will bee nothing but hypocrisie in all our life. Indeede wee will not faile to pretend a faire countenāce of seruing our God: but our doing of it will bee by constreint, like as they which hauehave done euill may well go on still, howbeit that is but for feare of stripes, and in the meane while they hauehave no list nor good will to it. But when wee hauehave once marked well the good turnes that God doeth vsus: then are we the more moued and prouoked to honour him, knowing that wee ought to yeelde him a willing and freehearted reuerence, so as our whole seeking bee to make an offering of our selues vntounto him, and to sacrifice euen our liues to him. To that ende then doeth Moses alledge the good turnes which God was about to doe vntounto his people. And hee not onelyonly speaketh of the former benefites which they ought to hauehave borne well in minde: but he saieth also, when thy God shall hauehave brought thee into the Lande: then put forth thy selfe to serue him with the better courage, accordingly as he goeth through with his benefites towardes thee.
Now let vsus kneele down in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults, praying him to touch vsus in such wise, as we may be drawen to true repentance: and yt forasmuch as we be wretched creatures yt hauehave neede to bee sustained by him eueryevery minute of an houre, we may resort to his bountifulnesse, assuring our selues that although wee had all the abundance of the world, yet could we not bee sustained and nourished by it, except his hand were stretched out ouer vsus to blesse vsus: and therefore that wee may depend wholly vponupon his blessing, & vponupon his grace, and drawe out of that fountaine of his which can neuer drie vp: and that when we are once filled therewith, we may learne to thanke him for his gracious goodnesse, so as his feeding of vsus here beneath, may not tie vsus to this transitorie life like brute beastes, but rather make vsus to know that we must always trauel towards the heauenly life, whereunto it may please him to guide vsus, & to bring vsus euer neerer and neerer vntounto it, vntill he hauehave brought vsus fully thither, for the sake & by the meanes of his welbeloued sonne our Lord Iesus Christ. That it may please him to graunt this grace, not onelyonly to vsus, but also to all people and Nations, &c.