Sermons on Deuteronomy (continued)
On Friday the 16th of August
1555 The 59th Sermon which is the second upon the eight Chapter
3. 4. He afflicted you & c.
5. Know you therefore in your heart, that the Lord your God nurtured you as a man nurtures his own child.
6. Therefore keep you the commandments of the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by fearing him.
7. For the Lord your God brings you into a good hand, a land wherein are rivers of water, fountains and springs which come out of the valleys and hills.
8. A land of wheat, and barley, of vines, fig trees, and pone garnets. a land wherein are Olive trees, oil and honey.
9. A land wherein you shall eat bread without scarcity, so as though shall not want anything in it: a Land whose stones are iron, and out of the whose hills you shall dig brass.
Yesterday we saw first of all, how the miracle that God wrought in feeding his people with Manna by the space of forty years together in the wilderness, ought to serve forever. And therewithal was showed the end thereof: that is to know, that the Jews ought to have considered, that it is not the bread that maintains a man, neither is the power of our life shut up within it: but rather it is God that breaths liveliness into us, and which gives the bread that nature whereby it is able to sustain us. And so we see the matter here concerns not the life of our souls, but that God shows us how this frightful and transitory life is maintain by his only power: so that, whether we have meat and drink, or whether we suffer hunger we must always have recourse to Gods goodness, assuring ourselves that he is our foster father, and that our life is in his hand, and that it is his office to preserve it in good plight. That is the sum of the things which we have to remember here. And you have seen also how out
Lord Jesus used the same text, as was declared in few words: but yet must we lay forth the residue of the things a little more at length.
Now then we have to mark, that if God give us abundance, our minds must not be wedded to it: for can the bread quicken us, seeing it is a dead thing? Although God use it as an instrument, it is not to deface his own commendation, no more than when he gives us light by the Sun. For we know that in the creation of the world, light was made before the sun was created. And why? To the intent we should not convey the honor of God to creatures. Therefore let us so use the light of the Sun, as we acknowledge therewithal, that there is but only one God, to whom the glory of that benefit ought to be yielded.
And when we have bread to eat. It is not the bread that sustains us, but it is God, who powers out his goodness continually upon us.
Although he apply those means to our use: yet is it he himself that works, it is he that is the author of them. And in that respect is it that he says he will break the staff of bread. True it is that he threatens to shut up the heaven as if it were iron, and to make the earth to be of brass, so that when the earth cries out to the heaven, the heaven shall not hear it. God then when he intends to send bareness upon a land, uses such means as he thinks good: by reason whereof we have not wherewith to sustain ourselves: insomuch that when the ground has born a harvest good and great enough, yet will God well enough diminish it and make it to molder away, yes and when the corn is carried to the mill, it shall consume in the grinding: and when it is brought from the mill to the oven, if it be measured or weighed again, it shall not hold full weight and measure. Albeit, we must come to this point, that the strength which bread has, is not of the bread itself, but of Gods breathing of this world into it whereof
Moses speaks here: that is to know, that when God will have us to be nourished and sustained by the bread, he utters his goodness towards us, by making us to feel his blessing which sheds itself into it after a secret fashion. Albeit that we behold it not with our eyesight, yet must we be thoroughly persuaded of it by faith. Then let us mark well, that when we have whereof of feed, we must not be so doltish as to think that the power is enclosed in the bread or in any other vittles or drinks: but that therein God utters his goodness towards us, and sheds it into us, as we see the rain come from heaven which moistens the earth and gives it strength: On the other side if we have want: let us understand that God can sustain us by turning bread into Manna, that is to say: if all ordinary means fail us, God will provide for us after another fashion, as we see he remedied the necessity of his people, when they were in the wilderness. And for the same cause did our Lord Jesus Christ answer Satan, it is written that man lives not by bread only, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God.
For Satan tempts him to distrust, under color that in the wilderness
God sent him not the things that were expedient to live withal. He had not any food there, and yet in the meanwhile he was pinched, with hunger as a mortal man: for he vouchsafed to become subject to our passions or sufferings. Now here upon, Satan takes occasion to enter upon him, saying: Seeing your are the son of God, should you want anything? Is it not reason that all creatures should serve you?
Yes: for you are the heir of the world. You has no bread: and therefore you must be fine to try the power of God, that these stones may be turned into bread, or else you sees how your God forsakes you, for if he had a care of you, you should perceive his blessing and favor, so as you should have here wherewith to sustain you. Now the feeling you wants such helps, it is a sign that God has no regard of you. But Jesus Christ answers hereto: I shall be sustained well enough though bread frail me. And why? For the life of man depends not upon these means. And surely God were of very small and weak force, if he could not help a man but by bread: he should be no better than an earthly man. A rich man can do well enough, if he have wherewith: but if he fall into poverty, he must be fine to beg himself.
And so should it be [by your saying] with God. But although there were never a whit of bread in the world: yet has he always his word in his mouth, that is to know, he needs no more but to say the world.
Like as he created the world of nothing, by uttering his will that it pleased him to have it so: and all things were made and they are maintained still at this day in their state, by his only commandment: so can he maintain those that are his, asked he thinks good. He needs no more but to breath forth his secret power: and all shall be as well satisfied, as if they had their fill of meat and drink. According to this lesson, if God at any time withdraw our food and make us to feel necessity: let us learn to wait upon him, and to rest upon his providence, praying him to supply our wants: and we shall find that this is not written in vain.
Now then we see the original double using this doctrine, and that he must apply it is well to the time of abundance, as to the time of scarcity. When we have great store of things, let not that stop our eyes to make us trust too much to them: and assuring ourselves that our eating of the bread cannot sustain us, except God give it force.
For if he once break the staff of it: there will be no more leaning to it, it will rather be but a grief to us. For we must always mark this similitude, that as a weak man stays himself upon a staff: so God strengthen our powers again by bread and drink. But if the staff be broken: to what purpose will it serve, but to break his neck that shall trust to it? Then let us learn to trust to God and to lean to him in our abundance, and to give him thanks for vouchsafing to make this creatures to serve our turn after that fashion: and let us beware that we convey not over his power and praise to any other thing. For that were to make an idol of the bread. God has ordained it to do us service, and he has put it in subjection to us: and shall be notwithstanding go and worship it? If the bread [of itself] do sustain us, has ignored the office of God, so as God must sit still like an idle and dead thing? Let us beware that we make not idols of the benefits which God bestows upon us: for that were an intolerable unthankfulness. And thus much concerning abundance. And therefore let not rich man think they can forbear God's help because they have their garners well stuffed and stored: for if God do but blow upon them, all vanishes away. When they have the morsels in their mouths: they shall stick fast in their throats: and when they have their bellies crammed never so full, yet shall they receive no nourishment by it, except God gave with them by his secret working.
By this means shall all of us live in humility, and such as are well stored shall not cease to make this prayer without hypocrisy: give us this day our daily bread. For otherwise, were it not a mocking of God, if a man should think himself to be well enough provided, because he has great store of corn and wine, or because he has money in his purse and rents coming in, or because he perceives himself to be thoroughly furnished and stored of all things? How shall he crave his daily bread of God's hand, unless he now that the things which he has nothing, and that God must be fine to work, yes, and to continue his secret operation always? If that were not: a man might defy God and hold scorn of him, as in very deed he might well enough forbear him. But if we be fully resolved of this lesson in our hearts, that nothing sustains us but only God: it will put us in mind to pray him, to continue his sustaining of us tomorrow us will us he has fed us today, notwithstanding that we have a whole years provision beforehand. For we must always consider, that all that ever we have without him is nothing.
Again, in time of poverty, it is a great comfort to us that we may resort to our God, and beseech him to have pity upon us, and [be sure] that although there were no bread in the world, yet he will not fail to sustain us by his power. Seeing then that we have this promise, it ought to be an encouragement to us to pray boldly, and to rejoice and not to torment ourselves out of measure, they that think there is no God at all in heaven, when they see not the helps wherewith they be acquainted. And why is that? Because we tie all God's power to our eyesight and outward senses. Therefore let us beware of such fondness, and let us put this lesson in use. And truly God shows us the experience thereof even still at this day. If we had our eyes open: we should perceive that this is not written in vain. For you see that even they which are the best fed nor well clad, do nevertheless both fat and lusty, and thrive well to see too. What eat they? For want of good sustenance, they eat things that may hurt them: and yet notwithstanding God makes them to grow and increase by attending the things into good juice, which might engender evil nourishment.
We be sure that we see this. So then, let us mark well that our Lord has left still in the world some remnant of the thing that Moses witnesses here. And let us Mark moreover, that the world which is spoken of here, betokens that power or operation, like as when the Apostle says in the first to the Hebrews, that Christ has the full us of the whole godhead in him, and that he bears up the whole world with his word: according whereto also it is said in the Psalm, that the heavens were created by the word, and the same word showed itself there: so God showed us by stabilizing of the order of nature, that it is he in whom all things have their being. You see then how he works towards us, and that he needs not to travel with great labor and painstaking: it is enough if he do but say that word, that is to say if he do but utter his good pleasure, for that performance will follow by and by therewithal.
But by the way we have here a resemblance to gather: That is our bodies be nourished and sustained by God's word, that is to know, by the secret power which he breaths into bread, wine, and all other vittles: much rather our souls nourished by his doctrine that is daily preached to us. Indeed, that is not the meaning of this text, as it shows us before: but yet for all that, when God has once taught us what this temporal life is, and showed us that it depends wholly upon his power and grace: he will have the same to convey us yet higher.
For when we know that God shows himself a father to us in giving us meat and drink: we must also pass on to the heavenly heritage. [We must consider] that his adopting of us to be his children, is not to feed us in this world like brute beasts: but to draw us to the everlasting life. And therefore when we perceive the operation and power of this secret word of God in the nourishing of our bodies: we must mount up higher, and consider that our souls are not fed neither with bread nor with wine, but that they have a precious food, namely that God gives them life by nourishing them to the salvation that is prepared for us. Therefore when we have sought our food at God's hand, and given him thanks for our meat and drink, staying ourselves altogether upon the trust of his goodness, in hope that he will always be our forefather, yes even in the time of extreme dearth: let us assure ourselves that he will never fail us anymore, especially in respect of our souls, forasmuch as that is the thing above all other, whereby he intends to certify us that he takes us for his children.
Thus you see how we ought to put this text in use.
And here withal let us mark that it was meat that the people of Israel should acknowledge the benefit that is spoken of in the Psalm where it is said that man was fed with Angels food. For the prophet, to magnify God's grace the more in that he had felt his people with Manna, says that when they were a hundred, God sends them bread from heaven, so as mortal and earthly man did eat the bread of Angels. Not that the Angels are fed with Manna: (for they be spirits, which have no need of meat and drink:) but that the prophet meant to show that it was an excellent thing, and that whereas the earth yielded food to us, the heavens opened to them, and mortal men did after a sort to communicate with the inhabitants of heaven. This saw great benefit and prerogative ought to be acknowledged of the Jews: but yet the instruction that comes of the things that God showed us at that time, ought to endure forever. And therefore although we never saw the Manna, and to be kept in the Tabernacle with the Ark of his Covenant: that although the people [which were to come] saw not the wonders that had been wrought in the wilderness: yet notwithstanding they might have a memorial thereof, to put them always in mind of it, that they might profit themselves by it. Then let us understand that although God send us not Manna from heaven nowadays: yet he will not have us to doubt, but that he had such a care to sustain us, as we shall perceive he does not tell us for naught in this text, that the word which proceeds out of his mouth is that thing whereby we leave and whence we talk all of our sustenance.
Now Moses adds immediately, That their garments were not worn, nor the people's feat swollen in the wilderness by the space of forty years. And thereupon he concludes thus, Know you with thin heart, for so is it word for word: but the meaning thereof is, Assure yourself in thin heart, that as a man nurtures his own child, so has God nurtured you. Now then like as God did feed that people with heavenly foot so did he cloth them miraculously: for otherwise their apparel would soon have been worn out. But God provided for it that all those forty years together they were shod and clad with the same raiment and shoes, which they brought to come out of Egypt. And it is a president which must assure us that although we be clothed with the wool of sheep, and have linen to wear: and notwithstanding it is God that gives us continually wherewith to feed and clothe us: and so long as he lifts to make the helps available which he gives us, he will so blessed with us as one coat shall last us out to three coats, yes and a whole dozen that shall not do so much as one alone when God lifts to curse them. Likewise when he breaths his blessing and favor into bread, 1 ounce of it shall do more than a whole pound otherwise: and when he lifts to break the staff of bread, a pound shall not do so much service as half an ounce. This is the meaning of Moses in this text. And therefore let us mark, that if God lift to prosper as we must have such content as we be not to eager and careful for it as we commonly be, bearing ourselves on hand that the earth should fail us, if we made not the better provision to have all things beforehand.
And what a thing is that? It is true that we ought to think upon our needs. But how? First by calling upon God, saying: Alas Lord, we be much poorer and wretched creatures than any beasts in the world: for dogs, asses and all other beasts are coated with their own skins, and they be enough for them: but if a man be naked, he starves out of hand. So lord, we be the poorest and miserable of all other creatures.
All beasts can find their food in the fields: but as for us, if we be not nourished, we decay by and by. God then does well vouchsafe that we should have a care to provide for our necessities. Albeit, that is to the end we should resort to him referring ourselves to his fatherly goodness. Again, we must travel according to the skill that he gives us, we must not spare ourselves, we must follow that means that he appoints us, we must follow that means that he appoints us, we must not be lazy and slothful: for he will not have us to be idle, nor to be as blocks. But yet must this carefulness be bridled, that it vex us not too much, and we must always pluck up a good heart to call upon God, and commit ourselves to him, assuring ourselves that he will never fail us.
That is the care which God wills us to have. Nevertheless we must also put the thing in practice that is spoken of here: that is to know, that God will give a sufficient to serve our turned, so us if we want coat our shoes, he will a provide us of them, or else make one pair of soles to do us more service than a dozen, when it pleases him. And we may see this with our eyes. For they that are warms clad, fail not for all that to be as it is where half dead throw cold: and on the other side, whereas it seems that poor folk should starve and be frozen with you a hundred times [are the year go about] god warms them, yes and they be so preserved, as though he kept them in a stove, or as though some Physician were always at hand with them, ministering good remedies to them to save them from the cold. After that is the cause why that in the time of the Law, God commanded that all new things should be blessed, to the end that men should think upon him, and consider thus with themselves: Go to, I have a new garment, and I must look that I think him for it which gave it me. For seeing it pleases my God to cloth me thus, and to give me this apparel to use it as mine own: it becomes me to acknowledge that it is of his goodness and mercy that I am so provided for. You see then, that the intent why he caused all thing to be dedicated to him which men should occupy: was that they should acknowledge the giver of them, and that if he blessed not the helps which he had given them, all was nothing and noteworthy. And as for nowadays, although we have not the like Ceremony: yet must we hold still the truth thereof.
Now for a conclusion Moses adds, Know you in your heart, that as a father murders his own child, so has your God nurtured you. Indeed the Hebrew word that Moses uses in this place, signifies sometimes to Chastise: and therefore it might be taken as if he said thus: Know you that the intent of your God in all the afflictions which you has endured, has been to correct your faults, that like us a man intending to reform his child when he us and enemies takes the wrought by and by in his hand, so likewise that gold has chastised you, not suffering you to become and unruly and forward child, but holding you always under him. And this doctrine were very good, but the same word that us by a similitude the talk and likewise all instruction and good government. No doubt but the intent of Moses in this place was to make yet another conclusion of the matter is that he had treated off.
For he had spoken of afflictions and he had spoken likewise of gods benefits and of his leading of the people, all the time that they were in the wilderness. Now therefore, to all those matters he applies this final sentence saying, know you that your God has nurtured you after a gentle and loving fashion, so see we need is not to wander far ought to make long vagaries to know whether your God has been with you or not, he has supplied himself to you pass familiarity maybe. Is not the instruction that has given you, so familiar us no man can shows himself more familiar? That's therefore is the meaning of Moses.
And whereas he says, know you in your hearts. It is to the end that men should be the diligent in applying the things to their instruction, which God reaches them. For it is pity to see how dulled we be of ourselves. Although God utter himself familiarity to us, yet do not be seeking any whit. And what is the cause thereof? And man that is dull sighted and has sore eyes, and discern is not things well though they be laid before him. Now, we be not only dim sighted, but also stark blind in gods works. True it is that he must be fine to enlighten us, but yet must we also to our endeavor and apply our minds to judge well office works, when it pleases him to show them to us. And so it is not a needless speech of Moses, you know you in your heart.
As if he should say, every man must enter into himself and endeavor earnestly do not the grace and goodness of God. We must not slumber in that case but every of us must do this diligence to the uttermost. To be short, these sayings, let men enforce themselves, and let men strained themselves, is well worth the noting. For when God reaches us, by and by every of us must enter into his own heart.
And now again, whereas he says that God not all trained his people is a man does his children. It is to cut off all occasion of starting holes, that men might not pretend any ignorance. For in Smiths us thinks us declared here according to our rudeness, we cannot excuse ourselves by saying that our knowledge is to dull and that we be unable to mount so high. For this doctrine is given us familiarity enough. To the end therefore that no man might take occasion of excuse, Moses says that they word, what? Has taught your God taught you after a common fashion and a men do? When a father intends to teach his child will he do more than your God has done to you? Now since it is so, these things were not spoken for at that time only, but our Lord works after the same manner yet still at this day so as we may perceive the things that Moses tells them here. Indeed gods works out like and to you bottomless pit, and it is not lawful for us to be so inquisitive of his doings, asked to seek to know all the reasons of them. For we be not able to conceive them and therefore (as we have seen in Job) we must be consented to see the outlets of his works. And this similitude imports much where it is said that VC but the outlets, that is to say the outermost parts of gods works. As for to attain to the midst of them, or to search all that which lies done within, that is utterly impossible. Rushing so far for God will surely punish our rashness.
But yet must we look upon the outlets and let us all bonds of gods works and take such taste of them as we may learn so much of them as may be for our welfare and salvation. If we do so, we shall perceive that God applies himself to our rudeness, and that he deals with us after the manner of men, that teach little children, instructing us in such wise as we cannot say to him, yes, but I am not as an angel of heaven to comprehend God's doings. For (as I said) God vouchsafes to stoop is and to the intent we should understand his works, he becomes familiar with us. Of whom these it long then that we profit not by we be instructions that he gives us? For we cannot say but that he manifests in to is so many ways, that there is no more excuse for us if we know him not. Vaguely even by the order of nature, we may know him summarily us by the seasons of the year, by the growing of roads upon the and by the shining of the son, the more than the stars. Even by these things may we see that our Lord has supplied himself wholly to us, and to the feebleness of our understanding, and that he has (as it were) transfigured himself, by taking upon him the person of a man, to the end that we might know him. Again, when he scourges us, do we not see that he handles us as a father handles his own children? If he see a man wax over lust and malapert: after he has bond a wily in, he takes the wrought in his hand. For on the one side he wants us by his word. And afterward if he smites us it his hand, does he not use the greater kindness towards us, to the intent we should receive his corrections to our benefit? Again, when he sends us of his benefits, it is all one as if a father being desirous to win his child by gentleness, should say to him, my son, what will you do? Who shall maintain you when you are gone away from me? Here you has always whereon to leave, you sees how I take pains for you, get you to a stranger and see he will be better with you. Now then like as a father will speak after that manner of his child, so does our Lord show himself to us, and he marks his word with his deeds, that is to say whereas he sends us prosperity and quietness, he tells us also that it is to allure us to him that his gentleness might win us to him.
And make us to return familiarity to him and to depart from our sins.
Since it is so, let us learn that there will be no excuse for us if you take not instruction by all the order which God keeps to teach us with all in this world. For why? He be use himself like a mortal man towards us and works not after the manner of his own incomprehensible Majesty because it would confound us. We be too weak to mount so highly, and therefore he stoops to us. Seeing then that he deal so friendly on his behalf, let not us be so slothful us not to enter into our own hearts, and to consider things accordingly, and to enforce ourselves to bear God's benefits well in mind, so as we take instruction by them as we ought to do. Thus you see what we have to mark upon the place.
Now Moses shows to what end he exhorted the people to being well of gods works, namely to the end they might keep all his commandments, to Kinney space and to fear him. Keep the commandment of the Lord your God (says he) that you must walk in his place and fear him. First we have to Mark here, that more suspense the people to the law, asked to the perfect and chief doctrine of our whole life. And it is a point well worth the to be marked. For thereupon we have to gather, that when God has taught us never so many ways yet shall they never boot us, unless we have recourse to this word. Behold, the infidels can well enough search the secrets of nature, they can well not only alleged reasons, but also saying which is done after this fashion. He has, and they have deemed God to be good, righteous, and wise, and we see that the heathen philosophers new gods works so far as they could talk of his Majesty. But what? It was all confusedly and in the end they managed their way in their own imaginations, so as they never attained to the point where they should have come. Then let us understand that all this is to no purpose, until we have gods doctrine for all perfection. True it is that the things which we behold in the world and all the instructions which God gives us thereby, good and profitable helps: but yet for all that the mark that we must shoot at is the doctrine [of his word] so as we set all our wits upon that, to the end we want not out of the way. For if a man shoot and have no marked to shoot at, what does he else but is always shot? Even so is it with us, we may well shoot, that is to say, we may take pain to know
Gods works, but what shall we gain by it, if we have not they said mark to shoot at? It shall but lost labor. And this mark is not to be chosen at our own discretion, but God must set us up our white: and that white is the Law, the Prophets, and the Gospel. And so you see that that is the cause why Moses having spoken of the wonders which the people had seen, and having told them that the same ought to serve to their instruction, and having exhorted the faithful to profit well in that school: sends them back again to word. Keep the commandments of the Lord your God, says he: and afterward he adds that you must walk in his ways.
Here we have to note, that whensoever we swerve from Gods word, we shall but wander, as has been showed heretofore, and we may well go up and down but we shall be never the further forward. Let men break their shanks as much as they lift, and yet shall they a to go back or else find themselves all in one place still, unless they know that they which they ought to keep. For let us mark well that our own ways are crocked, and there is nothing but straying and wandering in vain to stop and therefore God will have us to walk in his face, which are straight and level. In saying so Moses sets down a comparison of things contrary. As if he should say wretched folk, you think to further that yourselves when you walk in your own ways but by the rising every man a sundry way that his own pleasure. But what?
You do but martyr yourselves in vain: for God will have men to walk in these days, that is to say, in the least that he shows them and he will have them to be fall out. Therefore let us learn to submit ourselves to God's word knowing well that our life shall never be well ordered except we obey him. Yes, and whereas he says the ways of the Lord in the approval number, we must apply it to that which has been said heretofore, that is to know, that God has given us so full doctrine as we cannot allege that it is not enough, or that more may be wedded to it. Let us Mark that our Lord will not fail us in anything. Therefore let us not be wise in our own conceit, but let us ask counsel of him. And if we doubt that we go astray, or if we be afraid of wandering up and down, let us keep this way and we cannot go amiss if we follow the direction that he sets before us. Now he adds here too, to the end that we should fear the Lord. Herein he shows to what end God gave us his law. Why Willie have men to keep it? To do him homage above all things. For we know that he receives neither harm our benefit by ears. What can we do to him? Our serving of him is not to advantage in any whit, for he has no need of anything. Again what riches have we to increase him with all? Why then has he given us his law, but to the end that we should dedicate our whole life to him, and by keeping his commandments show ourselves willing to be subject to him and that he has all sovereign dominion over us? That is the thing which is meant by the fear that Moses speaks of here. And let us not that he means not as lavish fearfulness, that is to say, that men should submit themselves to him as enforced, but that we should stand in reverent awe of him, not only as of our master but also us of our father. That feared which God requires is matched with hearty Love, so as we be glad and fine to serve him. And why? Because it is good reason that we should be his, and that he should have the governing of us and that we should frame our lives according to his will. And so you see what is the chief point in the keeping of the law.
Furthermore let us mark, that it is not enough for men to leave uprightly, so as they abstain from all evil and wise, and deal in such sort is nothing but a virtual can be found in them. For a man may well be chaste, and abstain from all wrong, annoyance, deceit, blaspheme, and lewd talk, and yet shall all this be nothing worth, except he refer all to the said end of offering up of himself in sacrifice to God. Virtues therefore our not of estimation in themselves, so as it may be said, oh, this is an excellent fellow in virtue, he has done this and that, he has abstain from all the world, but we must go on further to be virtue of all virtues, and found then and well spring of all holiness, righteousness, and the upright dealing, namely that we tend to our God, seeking to honor and glorify him, and to be wholly his and under his government. When we be at that point then is our life well ordered. But we may make the fairest show in the world and yet if we have not respect ought to our God, to submit ourselves to him that his name maybe exalted and magnified, and that he may have his due right at our hands. All is but leasing, but be never so highly esteemed. You see then in effect that the thing which we have to remember is that when God has shortened us his works, then does he call us to this world telling us that that is the thing where we must hold ourselves without wandering here and there, and thirdly that if we will have our life well ordered we must always have our eye upon the thing that he commands. And how is that? Even to honor him in such sort, as we come to him with a free and cleared heart, to serve him and to dedicate ourselves to him and also leaves among our neighbors without working any deceits or wrong to any man and without overshooting of ourselves into any outrage. But yet the chief point is that God have his you, that is to know, that he governs us and be glorified by all our life because it is good reason that he should have at his devotion, and that we should be subject to him, for so much as we be beholden to him for all good things. And we must not only do so because he is our maker and has sovereign dominion over us, but we must also love him because he is our father. And again, seeing he bestows so many benefits upon us, we ought that at least wise to yield him his due reverence.
And that is the cause why Moses adds in the end, God will bring you into the land which he has promised you, a rich and wealthy land, and land that is full of all good things, wherein there is plenty of wheat, barley, wine, honey, and oil, and of all other things. And this is the to provoke the people the more, to the fear that are spoken of before. For truly if we feel nothing but rigor at gods hand, we may well yield to him but it will be but the force, it will not be with a free will, there will be nothing but hyper crazy in all our life. Indeed they will not fail to pretend a fair countenance of serving our God. But our doing of it will be by constraint like as they which have done evil may well go on still, howbeit that is but for fear of strips and in the meanwhile they have no lift nor goodwill to do it. But when we have once Mark well the good turns that God does us, then are we the more moved and provoked to honor him, knowing that we ought to yield him a willing and three hearted reverence so is our whole seeking be to make an offering of ourselves to him and to sack advise even our lives to him. To that end then does Moses alleged the good turns which God was about to his people. And he not only speaks of the former benefits which they ought to have born well in mind, but he says also when your God shall have brought you into the land, than put forth yourself to serve him with the better courage accordingly as he goes through with his benefits towards you.
Now let us kneel down in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults, praying him to touch us in such wise as we may be drawn to true repentance and that for as much as we be wretched creatures that have need to be sustained by him every minute of an hour, we may resort to his bountifulness, assuring ourselves that although he had all the abundance of the world, yet could we not be sustained and nourished by it, except his hand were stretched out over us to bless us and therefore that we may depend wholly upon his blessing and upon his grace, and row out of that Fountain of his which can never dry up, and that when we once filled therewith, we may learn to thank him for his gracious goodness, saucy speeding of us here beneath, may not the years to this transitory life like brute beasts, but rather make us to know that we must always travelled towards the heavenly life where it may please him to guide us and to bring us ever nearer and nearer to it until he have brought us fully thither, for the sake and by the means of his well beloved son our Lord Jesus Christ. That it may please him to grand this grace, not only to us, but also to all people and nations et cetera.