Part 4
more familiarly taught. This does God speak as it were mouth to mouth: and look what the Infidels had but by imagination, the same does he tell and testify unto us: I say, he tells it us, that we might know it familiarly: and he testifies it unto us, that we should be thereof assured. That is the cause why he says that he would make all manner of felicity to reign upon us, so we would hearken to his voice.
Whereby he shows, that if it were not long of ourselves, he were ready and forward to entreat us as a father does his children: and that he delights not to vex us with multitudes of evils, but that he means rather to make us feel his goodness in all respects. Let us therefore be advised to walk in the obedience of our God, if we mean that he should pour upon us the treasures of his grace, in such wise as all our life may be blessed. Nevertheless, it is certain that God oftentimes afflicts his people for other causes than their sins: as we see it happened to Job, which is a notable mirror for us. We see the like in the holy Patriarchs, who although they did endeavor and travail to serve God, yet were they in as great troubles and griefs as could be. The same is yet more manifest in the New Testament. For seeing that God has revealed more fully, what is the perfect happiness of men: It behooves the faithful to be exercised under many adversities in this transitory life. But let us mark first of all, that if God does not punish the sins of the faithful, he does it to preserve them, as the Physician that waits not always till the sickness do appear, but if he perceive any likelihood that a man is in danger, he will prevent it. God then, in not punishing the sins that be presently committed by his children, does use chastisements towards them, as preservative medicines. It may every day fall out, that a man has not offended against God in some particular sins. But what? If he were always in prosperity, he would forget himself: God therefore does cure such diseases by withdrawing his blessings: he will not suffer the fat to blind men's eyes, or to hinder our coming unto him, lest it should stay us too long in this world: he will not suffer us to be so entangled in our delights, as to fall altogether asleep in the same.
There is yet a second point, to wit: that when God forbears to punish us for our sins, it is not that he has not always just cause so to do if he listed. Let the perfectest folk in the world be chosen out, and yet if GOD would deal with them by rigor, he should lay many hard knocks upon their pates. But truly we think it not so: for we are not so sharpsighted, as to know the faults which God does mark. But yet must we assure ourselves, that GOD utters his patience and goodness in that he spares men, and punishes them not, I mean, the most righteous that can be found. As for example, when David was cruelly persecuted of Saul and of all his enemies; when Abraham was stung and vexed so many ways; likewise when Isaac and Jacob, and all the Prophets were afflicted by the wicked and by the despisers of God, even to the very death: and finally when the Apostles and all the faithful [were cruelly dealt with,] it was not for their sins. No verily.
But had it pleased God to have called them to account, he might have punished them a hundred times more, and they should have had no cause to have accused him of cruelty. He spared them, and in so doing he did them the honor to suffer for his name: or rather he tried their obedience, killed their carnal affections, and drew them nearer unto himself. As for example, whereas it pleased God to make Job a mirror of patience, yet nevertheless he made him acquainted with his own frailty: but howsoever it were, yet was it his intent to make him to serve for an example to us all. We perceive then that God has other meanings in afflicting his people, than only to punish their sins; nevertheless he ceases not to uphold them, even by his own mere grace. And yet must we on our side resort back to this point, that the origin of all the miseries that we suffer in this present world, does proceed of sin. And why so? For were not this corruption in our nature, which God condemns, and of which also we be convicted: we should enjoy here a blessed life: all this whole world should be unto us an earthly Paradise. For we must not think that Adam was cooped up in a little corner for himself alone, but that all the whole earth was blessed of God, and that we should have felt the same to the end of the world. But where is the earthly paradise now? It is nowhere at all: For in very deed, the earth is accursed. It was the sentence that God pronounced upon Adam & upon all his offspring.* And therefore we must understand, that all the miseries whereunto we be subject in this present world, do grow from this root, that we continue not in the perfection, wherein Adam was created. And that God reforms us, when we have done amiss, or rather beholds the vices whereof he intends to purge us by fit medicines, and tarries not till we have offended him and provoked his vengeance, but prevents us and ministers the remedy in such season as he knows best. And in very deed, when he afflicts us for some other consideration, than for our sins; the same is a great honor, and a special preeminence unto us: and we have cause to praise him in that he vouchsafes to mark us, and to make his adoption apparent in us by making us to suffer for the Testimony of his truth, and to receive wrongful persecution at men's hands, under any color or occasion, whatsoever it be.
Moreover let us mark, that it is not in vain that God promises that they who serve him shall lead a happy life even in this world. Not that they shall be exempted from all adversity, for that is impossible, yea and also against our salvation. But he will so dispose our life as we shall perceive that he meant not to feed us with a vain hope, when he said that he will cause all them to prosper that harken unto his voice. But by the way we must remember, that the blessings which are here contained, serve not to show what the sovereign felicity of men is: but to give us a taste of the heavenly life, to the end we should seek for the celestial inheritance which is promised us, there to set our rest. This must be laid forth more particularly, or else it will be dark. It is true, that there is difference between us and the fathers that lived under the Law: For God did there entreat them as little children: and it was meet so to be. For they had not yet our Lord Jesus, who has now set open the gates of heaven to bring us into the life and glory of heaven. Indeed they had as good part therein as we, but they were fain to walk in shadows and figures to understand it; therefore they had need of some aide, whereof we at this time have no need at all; neither may we think our state to be therefore the worse; as many do complain at this day, because that God does not dandle them, and that they are not (as seems to themselves) so much at their ease as the old fathers were: surely they deceive themselves in this comparison. For if any one of us should reckon up what he suffered all the days of his life, and therewithal look upon the state either of Abraham or of David: doubtless he shall find himself to be in better case than were the holy fathers: For they (as says the Apostle) did but see the things afar off, which we behold before our eyes. God promised to be their Savior, he had chosen them, to be, as it were, of his household; But where was he in the mean while that was promised to be the redeemer? Where was the doctrine that is made so manifest unto us in the Gospel concerning the resurrection? They knew the same a far off: but now it is declared unto us in the Gospel, in such manner, as we may indeed say, as our Lord Jesus Christ gave us also to understand, That blessed be the ears which hear the things that are told us concerning him, and the eyes that see the things which we see: for the holy kings and Prophets have longed for the same, and could not obtain it. We therefore have a much more excellent state, than they had who lived under the law.
This is the difference whereof I speak, which had need to be supplied by God, for the imperfection that was in the doctrine concerning the revealing of the heavenly life, which the fathers knew but by outward tokens, albeit that they were dear unto God. Now that Jesus Christ is come down hither, and has showed us how we ought to follow him, by suffering many afflictions, as it is told us, and that we must be fashioned after his image in bearing poverty and reproach, and all such like things; and to be short, that our life must be as a kind of death: forasmuch as we know all this, and the infinite power of God is uttered in his raising up Jesus Christ from death, and in his exalting of him to the glory of heaven; should not we thereupon take good courage? And ought it not to be a sweetening to all the afflictions that we can suffer? Have not we cause to rejoice in the midst of our sorrows? Let us note then that if the old fathers were more blessed of God than we are, as touching this present life, we ought not to wonder at it at all. For the reason thereof is apparent.
But howsoever the world goes, yet is this saying of Saint Paul always verified, That the fear of God has the promises not only of the life to come, but of this present life also. Let us walk therefore in the obedience of God, and then shall we be assured that he will show himself a father unto us, yea even in the maintenance of our bodies, at leastwise so far forth as concerns the keeping and preserving of us in peace, the delivering of us from all evils, and the succoring of us in all our necessities. God (I say) will make us to feel his blessing in all these things, so that we walk in his fear.
Yet notwithstanding we must return to this point, that God, in making us to taste of his favor here, means not that we should be so glutted therewith, that we should forget the everlasting rest whereunto he invites us. And so all the benefits of God which belong unto this transitory life, must serve us for ladders to mount upward, and not for cushions to fall asleep upon in this world. When God gives a man wherewith to live, endowing him with health, and suffering him not to be vexed of his enemies; what else should such a man do but be drawn by the grace of God, to endeavor to serve him so much the more, and not misbehave himself in this world; but go on forward, using that which is given him, as though he used it not at all, so as nothing stops him from keeping on his way still unto God?
But we do all things clean contrary, and therefore we ought to be more wakeful. When we hear the promises that are here contained, let us not think that the meaning of God was to pamper the old people in their transitory pleasures: but rather that the same should be a mean, to draw them up on high as he means nowadays toward us: For all the good that we receive of him, has this end and intent, that our minds should always be raised up to the heavenly life. Does God give us bread to eat? Therein he shows himself to be our father.
Yea, but yet for all that we, being his children, cease not to be as wanderers in this world, having always one foot lifted up, and we have here no rest. Therefore let us have an eye to the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, and let the bread which we eat to nourish us, be a mean to direct us thither. After the same manner is it with all other things. Now let us come to that which is here contained in the text of Moses, and then in the end we shall the better understand what has been said. Moses says here, That God will bless his people both in the town and in the field, he will bless them in the seed of their body: he will bless them in their cattle, he will bless them in the fruit of their land, he will bless them in their baskets and in their stores and in their granaries, he will bless them in giving them victory against their enemies. We know that the happiness of this present life, that is to say, such happiness as may be in this world, is for men to have wherewith to maintain themselves quietly, and to be preserved from their enemies. Here God sets down both the one, and the other: For touching the one he says, Thou shalt be blessed as well in the town as also in the field: and shalt be blessed in the fruit of thy womb, and in the fruit of thy land, and in the fruit of thy cattle. It is certain that the chief blessing which we can desire of God, is in our own persons: that he provide us of such things as are requisite for this transitory life. And that is the cause why he begins at our persons, and then comes to our children, and from thence descends to our cattle, to the fruit of the earth, and to all provisions. It seems here at the first show that God meant to pamper his people, as though he would set them up in a sty, and there cram their bellies, as it were to lay them asleep at their ease, and to be short, that they should be here as in a Paradise. But I have told you heretofore, that it behooved God to bestow his benefits more largely upon the fathers that lived under the Law, because they could not otherwise be drawn unto him, seeing that the promises of the Eternal life, were yet obscure unto them. Howbeit we have to note herewithal, that when God speaks after this manner, he means not only to give men hope that they shall be blessed in all respects; but also to admonish us, that nothing lets us from enjoying a sovereign and perfect felicity in this world, whilst we wait for the life of heaven, but only that we be wrapped in vices and corruptions. And so did God thereby mean to train the faithful, that they should think thus with themselves: Let us serve God, and we shall want no manner of thing: And if we be vexed, and have not all our desires, if the earth does not yield such fruitfulness as may content us, or if our cattle prosper not as we would; let us understand that this comes to pass, because we be wretched creatures, and cannot abide the blessing of God so perfect as it might be amongst us, by means whereof he is fain to withdraw his hand, and to give us but a portion of his blessings, because that if we should have so much, as he could find in his heart to bestow upon us, it should glut us, and in the end we should be choked therewith.
This is the cause then why God does here so greatly magnify his blessings; it is done, not for that men have ever been blessed in all manner of respects, without feeling of any evil to vex them: this (I say) never happened. And wherefore then does God promise it? As we have said afore, it is to make us understand, that whenever our life is not so blessed as we covet, we should consider that God knows us to be unable to receive the fullness of his benefits, and therefore is fain to distribute them unto us by piecemeals, after the manner of sick folks or little children, which for want of discretion, are fain to be governed by others. But we be less advised than the infants, or sick folks: for we would devour the blessings that God does send, if he held us not in order, for our lusts are miserably corrupted. God bestows his blessings upon us sufficiently: but we like sick folks do refuse good meat, and fall to foul feeding, which cannot but hurt us: thus are we carried away by our wicked affections, and are never able to direct the use of God's benefits, nor to govern them as behooves; for we would infect and defile all, if he provided not for it beforehand. Let us mark therefore that God does here warn us to call our sins to remembrance, and to bewail them as often as we enjoy not such fullness of his blessings, as is here mentioned: Nevertheless he would have us to hope, that by serving of him we shall prosper, and have enough for our contentment.
And indeed, we see how all the faithful have in that behalf behaved themselves. It is sure (as we have said) that David was divers ways in perplexity and afflicted: no man more: but did he in all that while murmur against God? No. True it is that he uttered his griefs and passions: but that was with all meekness: and yet in the meantime he omitted not to say, that the anger of God lasted but a little while, and that when he afflicts his people, he has done in the turning of a hand: but his goodness lasts long and continues unto life. As how? If we look into the whole life of David, what shall we find the rein? Behold, in his infancy he was brought up as a Shepherd's son of the country, and God says that he took him from the flocks, as he was among his cattle. When he came to the court of Saul, it is certain that, beyond all hope and opinion of the world, he was advanced to be the king's son-in-law: but it had been better for him to have continued still a shepherd in the field, than to have been in such travail and misery, so long time as we perceive he was: they sought his death by all means, and his life did not only hang as it were by a thread, but he was also held in reproach. In so much that they counted him the most wicked caitiff in the world, a Traitor to his Prince, a disloyal man to his King. You see then that David was as it were, abominable to every body. And when God had set him at peace [that way] then was he vexed with foreign war, insomuch as he had no sooner done with one people, but he was fain to turn him about to another; and to make up the measure, his own natural son chased him out of his kingdom, meaning no less than to cut his throat: and we see what other conspiracies he suffered, as the conspiracy of Shimei. Yet did David always confess without feigning, that all the chastisements, miseries, and afflictions that God sent him, were nothing unto him, and that they lasted but the turning of a hand, or for a minute of an hour, whereas his blessings endured forever. For why? David had not in him such unthankfulness as we have. We embrace God's gracious dealings and make no account of them: of every little harm we make a great mountain: when God chastises us, we shrink away our shoulders, making great complaints and outcries. But let us learn to esteem better of God's goodness towards us, in such wise as we be not found unthankful for his grace. This is the cause (say I) why we conceive not the value of the blessings that are contained here: For why? If God sends us any vexation, we shut our hearts against it, insomuch that there is none of us who frets not against him. And though we murmur not in speech, yet fail we not to have some bitterness lurking in our hearts: there needs but one affliction in all our life, to put the grace of God quite out of cast with us. And when he has done us all the good that can be devised, yet does it ever run in our remembrance, we saying: yea but I have sustained such a harm: and our mind is never off, of it.
Thus are God's benefits unsavory to us, so as we pass them over or let them slip. Contrariwise therefore, when our Lord afflicts us, let us receive the comforts that he gives us to moderate our heaviness: and then shall we continue to walk on our way. And albeit we be fain to endure many things, and that by reason of our frailty and feebleness, we be not able to overcome the temptations at the first blow: yet notwithstanding through the grace of God we may get the upper hand. And when we be so oppressed with our miseries, then will we esteem of God's grace in such sort that even in the midst of darkness we shall perceive what light God gives us, so as we shall always feel him to be our father. Now when we find this, to wit, that God is our father; it is out of doubt that he will sufficiently bless us, so far forth as is fit for our salvation. Thus you see what we have to do and to practice if we will rightly understand, that GOD has not said in vain, that he will bless his people, So they harken to his voice.
Moreover, we are warned hereby, not to seek anything that we desire, but at the hand of GOD. And this also is another very profitable admonition. For we see how men do err when they desire to be at their ease. It is the natural inclination of all men to covet to be this and that, but in that while, what course hold we? No doubt, but we turn our backs on God and kick against him. He that means to be rich, uses ruin and cruelty, deceits and wicked practices: he that desires to attain to credit and authority, practices treason, indirect wiles, and other sleights. To be short, Ambition rules him altogether: and finally, he that would compass any other lusts of his, cannot but provoke the anger of God. See at what point we be. And thus does our faithlessness discover itself every way, as I have spoken here before. Therefore have we need to be mindful of this lesson, to wit, that if we will prosper, yea even in this present life, there is none other mean for it, but to put ourselves under God's guiding, who has all goods in his power to bestow on whom it pleases him: hoping also that he will not be niggardly in distributing his gracious gifts unto us, at leastwise, so we hearken unto his voice. For (as I said even now,) seeing that we be his children, can we think that he takes pleasure to vex us? Moreover, he diminishes not; be he never so liberal towards us, yet he fears not that he shall have aught the less, or that he shall feel any want. For he is a fountain that can never be drawn dry.
Let us therefore be persuaded, that our life shall always be accursed, unless we return to this point where to Moses leads us, namely, to hearken to the voice of our God, to be thereby moved, and continually confirmed, that he has care of our salvation, yea not only of the eternal salvation of our souls, but also to maintain us in the state of this earthly life, to make us to taste presently of his love and goodness, in such sort as may content and suffice us, waiting till we may have our fill thereof, and behold the thing face to face which we be fain as now to look upon as it were through a glass and in the dark. That is one thing more which we have to remember upon this text, where it is said that we shall be blessed, if we hearken to the voice of the Lord our God.
And this is to be applied to all the parts of our life: as for example when a man would prosper in his own person, so as he is desirous to employ himself in the service of God, and to obtain some grace, to the end he may not be unprofitable here, but that GOD may be honoured by him: let him bethink himself thus, Lord I am thine, dispose thou of me, behold here I am ready to obey thee: for that is the point whereat we must begin, if we desire that GOD should take us to his guiding, and dispose of us to serve him, in such wise as his blessing may appear and lighten upon us, and upon our persons. So is it concerning every man's household.
When a man is desirous to live in peace and concord with his wife, or to have children in whom to rejoice; let him understand that all this is in the hand of God, and that it lies not in our own power nor skill to order our household after our hearts desire. For they that think to compass it by their own power, deceive themselves very much, and commit sacrilege in robbing God of the honor that he hath reserved to himself. It is said that the fruit of the womb is a special gift of God, and so is every thing else that pertains to household. According whereunto it is said to be but vanity for a man to build unless God builds also with him. They therefore that will possess a quiet state for themselves and their children, let them turn unto God, and commit themselves wholly unto him and to his guiding: knowing that there is none other mean, to attain to the same, but by his blessing: so is it also, as concerning cattle, food, and all other things. For we see here was nothing forgotten. And God meant to make us to perceive his infinite goodness, in that he declares that he will deal with our smallest business, which one of our own equals would be loath to meddle with. If we have a friend, we would be very loath, yea, and ashamed to use his help, unless it were in a matter of some importance. But see here, God goes into our sheepfolds and into the stalls of our Kine and Oxen, and he goes into our fields: yea he has care of all things else. For as much then as we see him abase himself so far, ought not we to be ravished to honor him and to magnify his bounty?
Moreover let us conclude, that whereas God says, that he will bless us in the fruit of the earth, that he will bless us in the fruit of our cattle: it is a most sure argument that he will not forget the principal.
These things be contemptible and of small reputation, and many times mortal men do despise them; and yet we see that God notwithstanding takes care of them. Seeing that it is so, will he forget our souls, the which he has created after his own image, the which also he has so dearly redeemed with the sacred blood of his son?
Surely no. First of all therefore let us acknowledge God's favor towards us, in abasing himself so far as to direct and to govern everything that belongs to our life and sustenance; and from thence let us mount up higher, and understand that he will not fail us in the things that surpass this present life: but rather that in the chief things that belong to our life, yea even in this world, God will stretch forth his hand to furnish us always with all things that are needful.
There is the second point: which is; that we shall be upheld against our enemies. We have said, that the first point is, that God provides for us, so as we want not anything that is requisite for the passing of our life in this world. But if our Granaries were never so full, our Cellars never so thoroughly furnished, and our purse never so well stuffed, so as we want no manner of thing: yet if in the meantime our enemies be able to scratch out our eyes, and we be as people set out to the spoil, so as we be daily assaulted, and have no defense; what boots us our great abundance? Therefore it was God's will, shortly to show here, that his blessings should extend themselves so far and wide in all cases and all respects, that nothing should be missing to such as do him honor and service. But let us mark, that God has not exempted us quite from our enemies, neither did he exempt the people of old time. For why? It is impossible for us to live in this world without some vexation at other men's hands. True it is that as much as in us lies we ought to procure peace, for our part. But forasmuch as the devil is Prince of this world, he will not leave God's children in rest. And he has supporters enough to serve his turn: for all the despisers of God, all the wicked, and all the hypocrites that be in this world, the number of whom is in manner infinite, are Satan's darts, swords, and arrows.
Seeing then that we must dwell amongst the contemners of God, and amongst the wicked; let us make our reckoning that we shall be troubled, and have enemies, let us endeavor to appease them so much as we can, and let us give them none occasion of hatred: but yet in the meantime let us not be unprovided, howsoever the matter stands. Thus much concerning that one point. For God has not said, "I will utterly root out your enemies, so as you shall have the world by yourselves, wherein to lead a happy and quiet life, and to have all the felicity that can be wished": he says not so: but he says, "Albeit that you be compassed round about with your enemies, yet will I not suffer them to have the upper hand over you."
Now he says further, that if our enemies come forth by one way, they shall flee seven ways. Whereby he gives us to understand, that our enemies may well conspire by great numbers, so as it may be like that we should be swallowed up of them; but yet they shall be filled with fear, as shall be showed more at large in another text. Here we have to mark, that the sustaining and maintaining of our life is in the hand of God, and that our rest and quietness depend also of him.
And although that men do continually devise to hurt and annoy us, yet is God ever strong enough to disappoint them when he has once received us into his protection, and to hinder them, so as they shall be able to attempt nothing against us, but the same shall be overthrown. That is a thing which we have to bear in remembrance.
Now when God permits us to have enemies, thereby he calls us unto himself, and we ought to be the more provoked to call upon him when we see ourselves driven thereto by necessity. For if the world should laugh on us, and rejoice at us on all parts: it would seem unto us, that we had no more need of God's protection. But when we be beset with perils and dangers, and see that men lie in wait for us, seeking nothing else but to come in to vex us; it stands us in hand to resort to God, and to commit us to his tuition, praying him to be our shield and fortress, and (finally) to be our defender. Let us mark therefore that God, in permitting us to have enemies, does thereby draw us unto him, that we should pray him always to succor and defend us.
But to conclude, we must remember that God is mighty enough to maintain us. As how? If our enemies came upon us with great fierceness, it were enough to daunt us and to put us out of courage: but however we fare, although he suffer them to rise against us, and to be as furious as wild beasts; yet shall they not know what to do, but be as folk amazed. And although they have never so great advantage at the beginning, and be never so full of craft and wiliness; yet will God stop their eyes, so as they shall cast themselves wilfully into the snare, and there be taken. Again, even when they be armed with malice and boldness to set upon us, God will in the end confound them, no man can tell how: he will destroy all their devices and attempts, yes and when they band themselves against us, and have never so great multitudes on their sides, yet will God scatter them. Like as when we see a cloud threatening rain, and it seems that all should be drowned; God scatters it, and the tempest is gone; even so will he deal with our enemies. Thus you see in effect what we have to remember concerning this text, where it is said that we shall be defended against all such as set themselves against us, and that our God will make them flee before our faces, if we do him the honor to acknowledge him to be the Lord of hosts, and that his power is infinite, and that therefore the whole world can nothing prevail against him. Finally, what have we now to do but to submit ourselves under the obedience of our God? Also let us understand, that all the misbelieving, and all the despisers of God's majesty (albeit that for a time their life may seem happy) are appointed to perdition, and that all the goods which they possess shall become a curse unto them, so as they must needs be in a forlorn state: according to this saying, that their very Table shall be turned into snares and gins wherewith to take them, and all the benefits of God shall become deadly poison unto them. Lo what we have to carry in mind.
Moreover, so often as we be afflicted, let us humble ourselves, and acknowledge our sins, and bewail them before God: and in the meantime let us not omit to qualify our griefs, knowing that amidst the afflictions which he sends us, there always appears a certain testimony of his goodness, and that it is necessary that he should so hold us in awe. Yet notwithstanding, we must not be cast down nor be discouraged, when we be vexed and troubled though we be environed with never so many miseries. And why? Because God fails not for all that, to show himself a father towards us. That is the thing whereon we must altogether rest, so as all the afflictions of this world may quicken us up to aspire to the heavenly heritage: and when we have bewailed our sins, let us not doubt, but God of his mercy will bless us, even in Jesus Christ the fountain of all goodness and blessedness, by whom all curses are quite taken away. To prove that it is so: what may be the chief curse that has fallen upon mankind, but death? And yet we see that the same has become an entrance into life. And wherefore? For that in the person of Jesus Christ it is now made blessed. Wherefore let us learn to rejoice, since we see that God has so provided for our salvation, that although he make us to feel our sins, and would have us touched with some sorrow, thereby to bring us to repentance, yet he ceases not amidst all these to show himself a father evermore, and by all means to advance our salvation.
Now let us humble ourselves before the majesty of our good God, with acknowledgment of sins, praying him to touch us to the quick more and more, that we may dislike them: and that acknowledging the evil which is in us, we may seek his mercy: not only to forgive us the sins that we have already committed, but also to mortify us, and by the power of his spirit to give us grace so to forsake ourselves, as we may seek his righteousness, and more and more profit therein, until it be perfect in us, at such time as he shall have taken us out of this world: And so let us all say, Almighty God, heavenly father, etc.
On Thursday the twelfth of March, 1556.
The 155th Sermon which is the third upon the twenty-eighth Chapter.
9 "The Lord thy God will make thee a holy people to himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou keep the commandments of the Lord thy God and walk in his ways.
10 And all the nations of the earth shall see that the name of the Lord is called upon over thee, and they shall be afraid of thee.
11 And the Lord thy God will make thee to abound in substance, in the fruit of thy womb, in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the Lord thy God hath sworn to thy fathers to give thee.
12 The Lord thy God will open unto thee his good treasure, even the heavens, to send down rain upon thy land in due season: and to bless all the work of thy hands, and thou shalt lend unto many people and borrow of none.
13 The Lord God will make thee the head, and not the tail: And thou shalt be only above, and not beneath, if thou obey the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day to keep and to do them.
14 And that you swerve not, neither to the right hand nor to the left, from any of all the words which I command you this day, in walking after other gods to serve them."
Moses, continuing the matter which was handled yesterday, shows upon what condition GOD chooses us when he takes us to be of his Church: that is, that we should be separated and set far off from the common curse of mankind. True it is that God's goodness extends over all the men of the world; we see how all are fed and maintained by his liberality. But in the meantime, we see to how many miseries men are subject. For this cause, it behooves us to be sundered, and that God watches over us and bears us a special love as to his own children: for without that, all our life is confused, as it is seen how the wretched infidels, albeit that God bestows never so many blessings upon them, yet cannot profit by them, but they stand always in doubt; and not without cause. Whereupon may they repose their hope, seeing they are not certified of the love of GOD? How can they hold him for their father? Therefore it is a word well worth the marking, where Moses says that GOD has separated us from all other nations of the world. It is certain that this word holiness does import that the image of GOD should shine forth in us, and that we should serve him purely in virtuous conversation; but yet from thence, he proceeds farther, as he does in this text; namely, that God will give unto his people a certain mark to show that they are privileged above all other folk. Therefore, in beholding what the state of man is in this present life, let us learn to resort always to this promise, that God has not only created us after the common course of the brood of all
Adam's children: but that he has also chosen us to himself for his heritage. And let us not doubt at all but that he watches over us and will make us perceive that we are of his household, and that he is near unto us to succor us: let us be well resolved in this.
Moreover, Moses adds, "Other people shall see that the name of the Lord thy GOD is called upon over thee, and they shall be afraid." It is certain that the idolaters can vaunt themselves enough of the name of God, and we see how they pretend it, even in their fighting against him when they cast off all doctrine. Inasmuch as being as fierce as wild beasts, yet they look to be counted of the Church. But Moses does here take the word "call upon" for naming or calling upon; yea, and that in truth; meaning that the people were truly and indeed called after God's name, or named his People. If we walk in the fear of our God and frame our life after his calling, then shall it be seen how it is not in vain that he calls himself our God, and avows us to be his people. Now it is certain that this word does presuppose that we have our recourse to God, as being under his protection. For it is said that a man is called upon or named after the name of a prince when he becomes his subject and is under his tuition. Even so it is said that the faithful have GOD's name called upon them in protesting that they are his, and that, there they are all safe under his wings. And this cannot be unless we call upon GOD and have our refuge unto him in all our necessities. But whence comes such boldness, that we glory in this: that we belong unto God, more than any other? For we know that the state of men is alike by nature. Wherefore then are we preferred before them that are descended of the self-same race? It comes through God's election: It may not begin of us. For what is he that can advance himself to come nigher unto God than others come?
What desert can any man bring with him? None at all. Then must God make choice of us through his own mere goodness: and when he has declared himself to be our God, then may we also of our part be bold, in all assurance and without doubt to call upon his name. Now we see what is the effect of this sentence. And Moses means to declare what preeminence GOD gives unto those whom he has adopted for his children: to wit, that albeit they are mingled among men and encompassed with many miseries, yet are they preserved, as being under his hand and protection, even because he does hold and avow them to be of his household: not for any other cause than only his own good pleasure. Let us therefore courageously defy Satan when we see that he practices all that he possibly can against us, and let us count ourselves assured against all the dangers of this world, seeing that God has done us such favor, as not to leave us to fortune, as the unbelievers do imagine. And why? For we are unto him a holy people. And from whence shall we fetch this preeminence? We have it because he has testified unto us that he is our GOD. If we had not gotten this word of him, we should be always in perplexity, we should still doubt, through questioning of this and that, and our life should hang as it were by a thread; as we shall see in this Chapter. But seeing that God has uttered his fatherly love unto us, and it has pleased him to open his mouth, to make us to understand that he has given us familiar access unto him: seeing (I say) that we have such assurance: let us call upon him (that is to say) let us not doubt to glory in this: that he is our Savior: and that seeing we are his, we cannot perish. Howbeit let us beware that we call not upon the name of God falsely, as all they do which abuse it, and yet in the meanwhile make a mock of him and are despisers of his majesty. If we claim the name of God, let it be because we are grounded upon his promises and have received them through faith: and then let us call upon him, let him be our refuge, and let us not give ourselves to fond bragging as they do which think it enough for them to bear the bare name of Christians. Nay, let us follow the call of our GOD: as Moses shows here; saying: "If thou wilt keep the commandments of thy GOD, as I have set them before thee this day." For it is good reason that seeing
God has so bound himself unto us, we in like manner for our part should yield ourselves to his direction. And that we should not only profess with our mouths that we are his people, but also show it by framing our whole life agreeable to the same, and by keeping his commandments, make it apparent that we have received the grace which he offered us: For that is the true proof thereof.
Now he says moreover, "That other people shall see how the name of God is called upon over us, and that they shall fear us." It is not enough for us that GOD does promise us to make us feel that we are in his keeping: but he says that even the Pagans, our mortal enemies, and the despisers of his majesty shall be made to know the same.
Now it is certain that the Infidels know not the arm of GOD, in such wise as it ought to be known unto us: they come far short of it. For in seeing, they see not a whit: and how then should it be possible that they should perceive that GOD has blessed us, that we live of his favor, and that we be nourished at his cost? For they are blockish and think not that anything comes unto them from the hand of God. We see well how the Infidels are fed and clothed; they enjoy the light of the Sun, yea, and they have abundance of goods. But as for the worshipping and seeking of God, there is no tidings at all among them thereof. And if besides their despising of the benefits of their God, they have no understanding whence they come unto them: how should they then know that the name of God is called upon over us?
Their knowing of it is not through any persuasion of mind or through any such true understanding of it as we ought to have: but Moses says that they shall have it proved to their faces: as, for example, we see the wicked grind their teeth when they behold the faithful to prosper, and see that God upholds and keeps them. And whence comes that? Truly, they shall be astonished at it: and they shall not be able to think otherwise but that God favors the contrary part: not that they do settle upon it or are rightly resolved thereof in their hearts: but for that they are confounded in themselves.
He says that they shall perceive that God's name is claimed [or called upon] over us: and that it shall put them in fear. For albeit that they fear not God: yet does he bridle them secretly, insomuch that when they would practice anything against his people, they cannot, for they feel their courage broken. This is to be wondered at, that God sometimes does give the wicked the bridle so far as to cast out the foam of their rage against us: they devise what they can, and work their spite. But have they once done that: then shall it appear that they are underlings to him, and cannot withstand him. And what is the cause thereof? If God should suffer the faithless to have their own will, it is certain that the world should not last three days, but that they would bear down all things before them. Therefore, it is necessary that he should restrain them with some secret bridle and not suffer their headiness to have full scope. And we see it before our eyes. Whereof comes it that we have not been swallowed up a hundred thousand times within these twenty or thirty years last past? Only of God's defense, which consists not in signs that may be seen, but in his secret holding of the wicked as it were in prison, maugre all the mischievousness that is in them. By reason whereof, when they have devised anything, they wash away like water, and all their thoughts do vanish, and they lie as with their arms broken, and though they undertake great things, yet can they not attain to their purpose. And so you see what Moses meant in saying, that the wicked, (inasmuch as they are our enemies) shall perceive that the name of God is called upon over us, and thereby be stricken in fear.
Whereby we see that there is no such fortress nor defense as to have our recourse to God. So long as he takes the care upon him to save us, let us boldly trust that we stand in safety, yea albeit that the wicked conspire against us, and lie in wait and watch for us: yet shall we be as in an invincible fortress, so we can call upon the name of our GOD, and be thoroughly assured in ourselves that he avows us to be his people, whereof we have good warrant, so we break not our faith which on our part we have plighted unto him. But we must feel the protection of GOD otherwise than the wicked do; that is to say, in hearing his word, we must embrace the grace which is presented unto us, and rest wholly upon it. After that manner must we be ascertained that the name of God is called upon over us.
Now Moses repeats again that which he had said concerning the fruit of the womb, of Cattle, and of the Earth. Truly it had been sufficient to have promised at once that all bodily blessings proceed from God.
But on the one side we see the mistrust that is in men, how that when God speaks unto them, they cease not to argue and to reply; "Yea, but shall we be sure of it?" And therefore to resolve us the better, God confirms the matter which he had spoken of. Again we see our unthankfulness to be such, that we attribute the things to Fortune, and to our own skill and travail, which God has done for us.
Therefore he calls us unto him, and shows that it is he who does it: and on the other side, he would have us to understand that if we intend to prosper in all points, we must hearken to him and obey him. For all men, yea even the wickedest in the world, are desirous to have issue of their own bodies, increase of cattle, and great revenues.
But what? In the meanwhile we despise God the author of all goodness, and seem as though we labored on purpose to thrust his hand far from us: which is as much as if I should ask a man for alms, and he give me a whirret on the ear: or as if he should come to succor me, and I should spit in his face: even so deal we with our God. God, therefore, perceiving such malice in us, and that we cannot be taught at the first, but do stop our ears against that which he says; repeats the same things again which he had spoken to us before. Whereby he warns us that if we want anything, we must lay the blame thereof upon our own sin, and not upon him. Why so? Because he is ready for his part to bless us as well in issue of our bodies as in revenue of land, and in cattle, and is liberal and rich enough for us, neither will he be strait-laced towards us of the blessings that are in his possession. Let us therefore acknowledge that the fault is in us when he withdraws his benefits and gives them not unto us so largely as we would.
Moreover, it is a notable manner of speech when he says, "That God will open his good treasure, namely the heaven, to give us rain, that the earth may bring forth food." Here Moses sets forth the order of nature which we see with our eyes, that we might the better understand how God is our father and our nourisher: and that although the sustenance whereon we feed is gathered from the earth: yet it is only God that sends all things. How so? The earth indeed has nature given unto it to bring forth fruit; but if it should continue dry, what would come of it? We see that unless there fall both rain and dew, the earth does open, as though it would cry out that it were athirst, and it dries up for want of moisture. And therefore David, intending to utter his earnest desire of God's grace, uses this similitude, saying: "Lord, I am unto thee as a dry ground." We see before our eyes how the earth becomes barren and parches for want of moisture, and finally has neither strength nor substance. Had it so pleased God, could he not have given property to the earth, to have of itself substance enough? For as we read in Genesis, there was not such rain in the beginning as we have in these days: but GOD caused a certain vapor to rise up to moisten the earth: and cannot he do the same now, or else that the earth should have some certain moisture proceeding from underneath? And indeed, whence comes the rain? If you ask the Philosophers, they will say that the rain comes of the vapors that ascend out of the earth, which being drawn up into the air, are sent down again upon the earth. Thus then, after the opinion of the Philosophers, the vapors do ascend: But now wherefore comes it that GOD cannot make the heavens to yield rain except it come first out of the earth: or the earth to keep still that moisture which it has, so that it may always have strength and substance of itself?
What is the cause of this rising up of the vapors, that when the earth has yielded them forth, they are held up in the air as in Bottles: as is mentioned in the Psalm? What is the cause of all this? It is for that he sees us to be so blockish and gross, that although he show as with his finger that it is at his hand that we receive all goodness; yet it is his meaning to make us to perceive it in a more visible manner. And that is the cause also why he says, "That he will hear the heavens, and the heavens shall hear the earth, and the earth shall hear the corn, and all the seeds that be committed unto it." When the husbandman sows his grain well, he lays it up as it were in prison: and it seems to be as at the mercy of the earth. The earth then must conceive the corn, nourish it, and make it to spring, and in likewise give it substance.
But does the earth hear the Corn? It is deaf: that is to say, it has no power to make it to prosper, except it be heard of others. And how is that? The earth, as I have said, looks up to heaven, and after a sort opens her mouth, it cleaves when it feels extreme heat, and is not watered as it would. The heaven then must be fain to answer to the earth. The heaven? What can that do? Can the heaven give water? It has none except GOD draw it unto it by his secret power. In very deed we shall see hereafter how God threatens to give a brazen heaven: It is needful then that God do hear the heaven, and that we repair thither. So then, as often as it rains, we must understand that God opens his Treasures, which are else shut up. God (as I have said) could even without rain or dew cause the earth to bring forth fruit: but he uses such means as he knows to be convenient for our dulness: and he does so, to the intent that we should have the less excuse: that if we be unthankful unto him, and close our eyes against so apparent a matter: we should be so much the more blameworthy at the last day, and be sure to yield account for our wilfulness in refusing to know the thing which ought to be thoroughly known unto us. Thus you see what we have to bear in mind.
Whereupon Saint Paul, speaking of the ignorance which was in the old world before the Gospel was preached, says that all people went astray like brute beasts. And what was the reason? Because the doctrine was not yet taught, which is the true light to show us the way of saving health, as we shall see in the thirtieth Chapter.
Notwithstanding, he adds that God nevertheless left not himself without witness. And his using of this manner of speech "He left not himself without witness," is as much as if he said: Wherefore? For he has sent rain upon the earth in due time and season; he has sent fair weather also. These are God's witnesses, which declare that as he has created the world, even so he upholds and preserves it: these are the witnesses that speak with a loud and clear voice, saying that we must look unto GOD for all the nourishment that he gives us. And that is the cause why I said that we should mark well this saying: that God will open his Treasures. For although we see what great riches God has set in this world, what sundry sorts of beasts, what herbs, what trees, and what a number of all other things: yet should all these things go to decay unless God sent us daily from heaven the things that are requisite for the preservation of this life. Could we abide three days without the light of the Savior? If God gave not the natural virtue to every seed, what were it? We should quickly perish. And if there were none other matter but that whereof I spoke even now concerning the earth, it would soon dry up, unless God remedied it.
These therefore are the good Treasures which God bestows on us.
And when it is his will to show himself a father towards us, he lays the heavens before us, that we might see it there. And it is as much as if God should lift us up by the chin, and say; "Poor creatures, when you seek to be fed, you look whether you have laid corn enough into the ground or no. Indeed, that is a thing which you must look unto: but yet you must first of all go higher, and lift up your eyes to me, and even nature itself does compel you so to do. For you know that without rain the earth cannot prosper. And therefore forget not the things which I show you day by day, and whereof you are convicted by experience. This is the good Treasure whereof Moses speaks: and he expressly adds, The heaven. For what cause? For if he had said, GOD will utter his bountifulness, both from above and from beneath; truly it ought well to have contented us: but yet because of our infirmity, we see how God is fain to express the matter more plainly: as he also shows that we must come unto him, and look up to the heavens because he calls us thither, and has set such order that he will have us to think ourselves to be as barren and hunger-starved folk, until he has poured his goodness upon us from above.
Now having spoken of this good Treasure, he says: "He will give rain in due time, and will bless the work [or labor] of thy hands." By speaking of due season, he shows unto us that this God's giving of rain unto us in due time proceeds of a special care. For sometimes rain is very hurtful, as we see before our eyes. Whereupon we must conclude that if GOD had not the power and skill to stay the rain, the fruits of the earth and also the bodies of men should rot. What does the rain of itself? It engenders but rottenness. On the other side, we see that the rain refreshes in season, and gives strength unto the ground, whereby we see that it is the Treasure of God to give us sustenance. And why is that? Because God knows it is good for us, that he causes it to rain. Let us therefore when we see it rain out of season, let us mark how GOD shows us that it is very requisite for us that he do watch over us, and that no drop of rain fall without his commandment; according to this which we have heard before, namely: That he holds the waters above, as it were in bottles. The clouds are dreadful bottles. But the Prophet would have us to consider, that it must needs be a wonderful power whereby the rain is shut up there, or else we should be drowned out of hand: at leastwise it would serve but to rot us, as I have said already. And here by the way we are admonished, as shall be said hereafter, to consider our sins and trespasses: and to think that when God gives us extraordinary rains, they are as punishments for our offences.
Moreover, when the rain comes in season, let us acknowledge that there falls not one drop but by God's appointment, assuring ourselves that it is necessary for us. That is the cause why Moses did expressly add that saying.
Afterward he says that God will bless the labor of our hands: to do us to understand (as he has shown in another text) that it is not our own labor and travail that feeds us, as we have seen in the eighth Chapter, where he says thus: "When thou art come into the land which GOD gives thee, remember that by the space of forty years thou wast fed with Manna that fell from heaven, to the end thou shouldst not say: It is mine own labor that finds me." Let us therefore learn by these texts that when we have travailed and bestowed our labor to till the earth, and consideration is had of all that we see requisite: yet nevertheless we must lift up our eyes, and not stand in our own conceit to say, "I have done this, it is mine own labor and policy," but acknowledge that it is God's office to give increase, and that without that, all our labor is in vain: as we might well enough break our arms and our legs, and yet instead of going forward we should still go backward. The sum of the matter which God meant to show us is that we should labor in all lowliness, and that when every one of us has travailed for his living, we should understand that it is not in us to give the success, but that GOD must wholly guide it, and give it good issue: not only to the herbage of the earth, but to all things else in general. So then, when a man applies himself to any kind of labor, let him not go about it presumptuously; but let him call upon GOD to help him, saying, "Lord, it is thy pleasure that I should take pain: well, I go about it; but I know that I shall not prevail unless thou guide me, and unless thou give me good success: Through thy mere grace and goodness, let my labor prosper." That is the thing whereof we are admonished in this text. Let us not then think that man's care and skill, or his travail and endeavor can make the ground fertile: but that the blessing of GOD rules all. Yet notwithstanding it puts us in mind of our duty, to wit, that GOD will so help us, as we may not be idle for we are not made as logs of wood: men must (I say) employ themselves when GOD promises them his blessing. For these two points go together, namely that the Lord will bless thee, and yet nevertheless that he will have thee also to labor. It is certain that GOD can feed us, though our arms were broken, he could make us to live without any care, and without having regard to maintain our household: GOD (I say) could give us food of free cost: but it is his pleasure to exercise us, with care and travail, and that every man according to his vocation, should apply himself to that which he sees meet for him. I say that God's matching of his blessings without travail, is to show that he will not have us to be sluggards, so as every man should sit on his tail, and neither deal with tilling of the ground nor with any other trade of occupying, and take the bridle in our teeth: but that we should do this honor unto GOD, to say, "Lord, albeit we have done what we can, yet is it nothing, unless thy gracious goodness rule it." But this is ill put in use. For we see how men are given to darken the grace of God under color that they do something of themselves: for so they bear themselves in hand.
And this devilish arrogance is not only in matters concerning the nourishment of our bodies, but also touching the salvation of our souls. Whereupon is it, that freewill is grounded? Even upon this, that God requires men to study and labor to do good, to withstand temptations, to have such a fervent zeal as to give themselves wholly unto him, and to forsake themselves. Forasmuch as God requires all these things, it seems that we can do them. Yea but we consider not, that God for all his commanding, says also that he works by his holy spirit, so as he is forced to write his laws in our hearts, and to engrave them in our minds, and to make us walk according as he commands. O it is true, but yet therewithal, we also must do our endeavor. And whence comes that endeavor? These wretches do not understand, that it is God that drives us forward and stirs us up, and that all the endeavoring wherewith men endeavor, is that they be instruments of the holy Ghost. Now then, forasmuch as under this color of working we seek nothing else but to darken the grace of God, so much the more diligently ought we to note this doctrine, whereby
GOD does stir us up, and would have us to work, and yet shows us therewithal that we cannot profit, unless he give us good success.
Truly there is great difference betwixt the handy work, and that which the faithful do in endeavoring to live well. For (as I have said) men are created to labor by nature: but we be so wicked and froward, that instead of obeying God, we be borne to nothing but to offend
God, until he has reformed us, and made us new creatures. So then God does not only bless our labor, when we endeavor to serve him, through the grace of his holy spirit: but we labor also through his only virtue, according as he does guide and govern us. This is the sum of that which we have to bear in mind concerning this text.
Now it is also said, That God will make them the head and not the tail, namely them that endeavor to serve him: he will set them above, and not beneath. This is as it were the top of all prosperity. Now surely it was more behooveful (as it was treated of yesterday) that the old fathers under the law, should have more promises concerning the transitory life, than we have. For they had not such opening of the heavenly life as is given us in the Gospel. Therefore it was God's will to draw them after that fashion like little children. For inasmuch as an infant is not of capacity to understand the goodness of his father: therefore to encourage him, he will say unto him; "I will give thee a trim cap, and I will buy thee a gay new coat": this is agreeable to the capacity of the child, and because his heart is tender, such talk is used unto him: howbeit the father means to lead him on farther.
Even so did God deal with the old fathers: He did set forth his benefits which they should enjoy in this world: meaning to draw them from thence to a higher hope, namely, to the hope of the heavenly heritage. And so the Jews were made as a head when the kingdom flourished amongst them, when they overcame their enemies, and when God showed himself to fight for them. As