The 155th Sermon, which is the third upon the twenty-eighth Chapter

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 lowhness, 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 nowadays we must not look to have either kingdoms or principalities as they had; neither have we in like manner the temporal kingdom of David: it is sufficient for us that Jesus Christ is given us, and that we reign with him, and that he being our king, causes us to flourish under his conduction: I say it ought to suffice us, that we be a kingly Priesthood under our head; which is the Son of GOD. Nevertheless, our Lord has made promise to all the faithful, that if they walk in his obedience, they shall not be oppressed by the tyranny of men, but be maintained in liberty, which is also a blessing as much to be desired as any can be in this world. Knowing therefore that this is a special gift of God, as it is here showed, let us learn to serve him and to give him the whole authority over us: that by his governing of us, we may be set free from bondage of men. We shall see hereafter in this present Chapter, how he threatens them that will not fear him nor shrink at his terribleness, accordingly as is said in the psalm; "God must needs lay the fear of men upon all them that will not fear him, and be his willing subjects." Let us mark therefore, that if in case we yield to the reigning of God over us, we shall be maintained by him, in such sort, as men shall not be able to oppress us. And if at any time the wicked have their scope, and seem to set their feet as it were upon our throats; let us understand that God does bring us low, because we have offended him, and because we have not rendered him the praise that belongs unto him; and that he chastises us according to our deserts. But yet must we ever come back to this point, that if we cast not off GOD, we shall be received of him, in such wise as he will be unto us as an armie, and make us able to walk with our heads upright: as it is said in the third psalm. So then, this blessing served not only for the fathers that lived under the law, but it continues also unto the end of the world, and we shall understand that it is not vain, so we follow in likewise that which is added here: "Keep the commandments which I set before thee this day," says Moses, "that thou swerve not neither to the right hand nor to the left, to go to seek strange Gods and to worship them." We see how GOD does ever put us in mind of obedience to his word: and that is to the end we should serve him, not in hypocrisy, whereunto we be too much inclined. Let us remember therefore this lesson, which is, that to worship our GOD sincerely, we must evermore begin at the hearkening to his voice, and of giving ear to that which he commands us; for if every man go after his own way, we shall wander, we may well run, but we shall be never a whit the nearer to the right way, but rather the further off from it. And God will not only be heard, but also obeyed of all men without exception, yea even without adding anything to his word, or without taking anything from it. And this is expressly said: For that men dare be so bold as to bring in their new manner of serving GOD, and to do that which they suppose to be good. Contrariwise let us understand that when GOD has once showed what he will have us to do, we must simply hold us there, without presuming to add thereunto or to diminish it by any means at all. But above all things he would have us to acknowledge him to be our GOD. For the very cause that makes men to stray, and altogether to vanish in so many superstitions and idolatries, is that they know not what GOD they ought to worship. We have therefore profited greatly in the Gospel, in the Law and in the Prophets, when we have the skill to say, "This is the GOD that showed himself to Abraham, the GOD that showed himself by Moses, the God that lastly showed himself fully in the person of his only son, and the same is he that is our God." As it is also said in the Prophet Esay, where he speaks of the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ: "Lo, this is he; Lo, this is our GOD." Then let us have a settled faith, that we be not rovers; let us not be like unto little children, nor like wavering Reeds that are carried every way; but let our faith be well stayed, by taking root in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now let us fall down before the Majesty of our good God with acknowledgment of our sins, beseeching him so to teach us with true repentance, that we may bewail them, and be heartily sorry for our corruption, to the end to withdraw us more and more, and therein to reform us. And forasmuch as we be not only frail but also altogether froward: it may please him to bring us home again unto him, and to underprop our weakness with his mightiness, so as we may overcome all the hindrances that serve to turn us from him; and that we may with perfect constancy go on to the mark whereunto he calls us, until we attain to the perfection of righteousness. And that in the mean while, it may please him to uphold us in such sort, as that albeit we should fail, yet he cease not to take us still for his children, and make us to understand more and more, that he does confirm us in the trust of our salvation. That it may please him, to grant this grace not only to us but also to all people and nations of the earth, etc.

On Friday the thirteenth of March, 1556.