On Tewsday the ij. of Iune, 1556. The CLXXXI. Sermon, which is the fourth vpon the two and thirtith Chapter.

YEsterday we sawe the similitude which Moses brought in to ex∣presse what goodnes and gen∣tlenes God vsed towardes the children of Israell: for he dealt with them as when a hen gathe∣reth [ 30] her chickens vnder her winges. We see thē howe God dooth in such wise vtter and make knowen his infinite power to his children in the preseruing of them, that hee stoopeth to them, beareth with them in respect of their frailetie, and (at a word) maketh himselfe lyke a Clock∣hen. Now it remaineth on our side, y^t we know∣ing our owne feeblenesse, should flee vnto God, and hide our selues vnder his winges, that wee may there be defended and kept safe. And wee [ 40] must not bee afraid to peace vnto him, for his maiestie ought not to be terrible to vs any more sith we see he hath made himselfe familiar with vs, & draweth vs to him by gentlenes. And sure∣ly it must needes bee that we be destitute of wit and reason, if we goe not to seeke him: for howe shall the little chicken doe, if he be not vnder his dammes wing? Much lesse can wee continue without the protection of our God, than little [ 50] chickens can doe, if they run not vnder y^e wings of their dam which leadeth them. But in the meane while we fare little the better by this les∣son. For although we bee warned sufficiently of our infirmities, yet doe we not cease for all that to be blinded with presumption, insomuch as e∣uery of vs thinketh to maintaine himself well e∣nough. And by y^t meanes we hold skorn of y^e help of our God. Or else we be so full of distrust, y^t al∣though he call vs to him with all the gentlenes [ 60] that can be deuised: yet we cannot finde in our heartes to come to him, but doe alwayes stand in doubt of him. And that is the cause why our Lord Iesus Christ findeth fault with the citie of Ierusalem,* that when as hee would haue gathe∣red her chickens together, she would not. Hee maketh euen a complaint of it in way of lamen∣tation, saying: O Ierusalem Ierusalem, how of∣ten would I haue gathered thy childrē together, as y^e Hen stretcheth out her wings to gather her yong chickens to her, & thou hast despised that great benefite, thou hast not voutsafed to shroud thy selfe vnder me. I haue bin desirous to make thee to feele my power to y^e maintaining of thee in thine estate. But what? Thou hast bin faine to feele heeretofore many chastisementes because of thine vnthankfulnes: but the time will come y^t thou shalt bee vtterly destroyed. Let vs be∣ware that God haue not lyke cause to finde fault with vs nowadayes, and to powre out his ven∣geance vpon vs after he shal haue borne with vs a long time. For the foresaid threatning which our Lord Iesus Christ made, befel not out of hād. God had many ways assayed to gather the citie of Ierusalem vnto his obedience: and when he saw them so stubborne y^t they were past amend∣ment, he punished them according to their de∣sert. Therfore let vs not tempt y^e patience of our God, but when we see him spread out his wings to gather vs to him, let vs runne to him, & let necessitie driue vs thereto: For what shall we• doe if our Lord keepe vs not? Againe, Let not fearefulnes or douting keepe vs back from him. For what can he do more, than abace himselfe after the maner of a clockhen, to the intent that his maiestie shoulde not bee terrible to vs and scarre vs away?

Let vs marke further, y^t God playeth the part of a Clockhen in all pointes, to gather vs vnder his winges. For on the one side he calleth vs vn∣to his tuition by y^e preaching of the Gospel, pro∣mising vs y^t the power of his holy spirit shall not faile vs, but y^t it shall defend vs against all the as∣saultes of Satan, according as it is sayd that all the fortresses of hell shall bee able to doe no∣thing to vs,* if wee bee grounded vppon the faith of the Gospell. Besides this, wee knowe Page  1123 that God watcheth ouer his seruaunts, and that he guideth them. Therfore let vs sticke to those promises, and suffer our Lorde to vse his kind∣nesse, as he setteth it forth by this similitude; and sith we see he is willing that we should come fa∣miliarly vnto him; let vs not play y^e wild beasts.

Nowe, it is saide immediatly after▪ that God a∣lone ledde his people, and that there was no straunge god with him. This serueth to condemne the wic∣kednesse of the children of Israel, which coulde [ 10] not rest wholly vpon God; whereas hee was so sufficient for them: for they had founde by ex∣perience, that they needed not to seeke any o∣ther. And not without cause is this set downe. For although men doe not vtterly refuse Gods help, yet can they not content themselues with it, but they fall to raunging and rouing and make by∣leapes, bearing themselues in hand, that it wilbe good for them to match some other helpe with God. Lo at what point we be. For we woulde bee [ 20] ashamed to say that God can doe vs no good, & that we can well forbeare him. Therefore wee can finde in our hearts that he shal haue the first place and chiefe preheminence: but we cannot finde in our hearts to rest wholly vpon him, but we fall to conceiuing of fonde imaginations, O, God is farre from vs, wee deserue not that hee should haue care of our saluation, and therefore it were good for vs to get vs this or that. To bee short, in all ages men haue sought occasion to [ 30] turne away from God, not by falling quite and cleane away from him, (as I said) but by making a minglemangle, and by seeking still the things which haue seemed best to their owne lyking, as though God were not ynough of himself alone.

In respect of such naughtinesse it is said here, that there was no straunge god with him when hee led the people through the wildernesse, and conueied thē into the Lande of promise. The God which had adopted Abraham, the same which made [ 40] both heauen and earth, the same which after∣warde did set forth his lawe, euen the same was hee alone, and hee called not any others to his helpe. True it is that God continually vsed the seruice of his Angels for the welfare of his peo∣ple, and for the maintenance of his Church: but yet doth it not followe that hee borrowed aught of them. Whereas it is said that the Angels are appointed to haue care of vs,* it is not to stoppe vs from repai•ing right foorth vnto God, nor to [ 50] darken his brightnesse therby, that men should honour him the lesse: for the Angels are no∣thing as in respect of themselues: And there∣fore the holy scripture termeth them the ver∣tues or powers of God,* for he vseth them as his owne hands. Not without cause therefore doth Moses say, that God was alone in the leading of his people, and had not any straunge god with him. For we see how those wretched folk forbare not to forge ydols to themselues. Insomuch y^t al∣though [ 60] God 400 yeres before had promised to redeeme them, although he had performed that promise in very deede, although he had shewed himself to them so many sundry wayes, so y^t they had euery day some newe visible token and y^t the cloude by day and the fire by night were a war∣rant of Gods presence: yet notwithstanding they forbare not to inuēt new superstitions. And why? Because that (as I saide afore) such is our cursed inclination, that we cannot repose our selues vp∣on God alone, but we fal to rāging here & there, and our wits are rouing abrode to inuent ydols to our selues. For this cause doth Moses here re∣proue the leawdnesse of the children of Israel, which could not hold themselues contented with God, though he gaue them sufficient cause.

But now let vs applie this lesson to our selues also. For we see what y^e Prophet Esay saith where he speaketh of the redemption that was to bee wrought in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ. It is said in the 59. Chapter; that God sought and looked about him if he coulde finde any helpe to redeeme the worlde.* Not that God was cumbe∣red with the matter, or that he wist not what hee had to do: but by that figure the Prophet expres∣seth the better, that it was onely God that re∣deemed vs, and that he was not helped by any other. Therefore when he had sought, he found that he shoulde bee faine to vse his owne onely power. Then armed hee himselfe with his iustice, hee fenced himselfe with his owne power, and so finished and performed the thing which hee had determined, that is to wit, the re∣demption of his people. Seeing then that God hath so purchased vs to himselfe in the person of his sonne, as that he had not any companion in the doing thereof, but hath vttered forth the infinite treasures of his goodnesse, iustice, and power: let vs learne to hold our selues wholly to him, and not to be so fickleheaded as to set vp ydols, and to runne gadding here and there, and to let our selues loose to no benefite. Let vs ra∣ther consider howe God himselfe alone hath re∣deemed vs once for all, and that hencefoorth hee will haue the guiding of all his himselfe a∣lone, and that hee wil haue vs to sticke to him a∣lone. True it is that our Lord Iesus Christ also was a leader of the people of Israell in the wil∣dernes,* as sheweth S. Paule in the tenth chap∣ter of the first epistle to the Corinthians, where he saith that they tempted Iesus Christ. And how was that? Euen because he was alwaies the medi∣ator: howbeit, that was after a darke maner. But nowadaies hee sheweth himselfe to vs face to face: insomuch that if we looke there, we haue there y^e whole fulnes of Gods maiestie. Seeing it is so, that God in these daies discouereth himself more fully vnto vs, than he did to the Iewes in the time of the law: there wilbe so much the lesse excuse for vs, if wee abyde nor fast setled in him, so as hee alone do suffice vs, and we doe take our whole contentation in him. Yet not∣withstanding, wee see howe froward the worlde hath beene. For what a number of ydolles haue men forged euen since Christes comming into the world? And howe haue we behaued our selues since the time of our ignoraunce? For looke howe manie Patrons and Aduocates the Papistes haue imagined, so many fellowes haue they added to our Lorde Iesus Christ, and so doing they set their minds vpon the creatures, and let the liuing God goe. Indeede they will Page  1124 protect that their intent is nothing so: but a man may see by their doings that God is not knowen there from his sainctes, as they themselues haue saide in their common prouerbe. After that manner haue we erred: and we haue alienated our selues (to our power) so farre from our God, that we haue wel deserued to be shaken off at his hand. But forasmuch as he hath shewed vs that it is onely hee to whom wee must sticke, and foras∣much as he offereth himselfe so familiarly vnto [ 10] vs, to the intent we shoulde submit our selues to him: we ought now to be so much the more sted∣fast: and seeing wee haue such assurance, let vs not be drawen too and fro by our vnconstancie and lightnes, but let vs conclude that God can∣not away to haue any straunge gods with him, and that it behoueth vs to doe him the honour of resting in such wise vpon his power and good∣nesse, as it may suffice vs to call vpon him, and to flee to him for all our refuge. [ 20]

And Moses addeth immediatly, that God ca∣ried vp his people, (or made them to ride vp) vppon the high places of the earth, and gaue them the fruites thereof to feede them, namely the butter of Kyne, the milke of sheepe, the fat of Muttons, of Lambes, and of Goates, the fat of Corne and the bloud of Grapes, (for so he termeth them:) and that he made them to eate Oyle out of the harde stones and honny out of the Rocks. Hereby Moses ment to vtter howe liberall (yea euen beyonde all opinion of man) God shewed [ 30] himselfe towards his people. His speaking of the high places of the earth, is in respect of the situ∣ation of the lande of Chanaan: for it is high in comparison of Egypt and of the countries there∣abouts. To say (as some haue imagined) that it is the middest and (as ye would say) the Nauill of the earth, is to no purpose. Because mention is made of the mids of the earth among the Pro∣phetes,* some haue surmised that God meant to bound it out, as if he had beene some Geometri∣cian [ 40] that should haue butteled and bounded the whole world. But whereas it is saide, in the mids of the earth, it is meant, in the mids of the lande that is to say, of Iewry. Yet notwithstanding, as I saide afore, the Lande of Chanaan is high, if a man haue an eye to any of all the Countries round about it. Againe, it hath many mountains and high Rockes in it, insomuch that at the first fight a man woulde take it to be barren. And therefore Moses declareth that the people shold [ 50] eate honnie out of the Rockes, and Oyle out of the harde stones: that is to say, that where men would think there were nothing but wildernes, there would God make Olifetrees to growe: and where men would thinke to be nothing but bar∣rennesse, there they shoulde gather honnie, and (to be short) that eueriwhere there shoulde bee nothing but sweetenesse and abundance.

Afterwarde hee speaketh of fat Sheepe, Goates and Lambes. Trueth it is that in this place is [ 60] vsed the worde Basan, which had that name, of fatnesse: for the hill of Basan was a goodly coun∣trie of pasture. And this is the cause, why hee expresly speaketh thereof. And let vs marke that Moses neuer came within the land of Cha∣naan, hee had neuer so vewed it that hee coulde describe it, as he doth heere. Needs therefore must hee speake, not as a man, but as one whose tongue is gouerned by the spirite of God. And heere he treateth of the thinges which the peo∣ple were to finde after the decease; and yet hee speaketh of them as if he had seene them, and as though the thinges had beene done alreadie. So then we haue a plain proofe that Moses wrate not any thing on his owne heade, but was an in∣strument of the holy Ghost. For he left this song to the children of Israel, and made it common among them before his death, as wee haue seene afore. Whereby it was apparant, that hee was taught at Gods hand all the thinges which were vnknowen vnto him as in respect of the flesh: & surely not euen the children of Israel themselues coulde vnderstande the contentes of that song, vntill they had had the experience of it. But the effect shewed that his so speaking was not in vaine. The thing then which Moses (or rather the holy Ghost by his mouth) intended; is to put the Iewes in minde, howe liberall God had shewed himselfe to them, namely by bringing them into the Lande of promise, and by giuing them fruitfulnesse, that it might suffice to main∣taine them. And no doubt but he meant here to magnifie Gods goodnes, by declaring that he passed the common order of nature when he had such a care to sustaine his people so welthily in that lande which a man woulde neuer haue thought able to do it. So much the more there∣fore ought we to abhorre these diuelish heades, which haue gone about to deface Gods grace in this behalfe, seeing that the holy scripture stan∣deth thereuppon, namely that men must not deeme according to the common order of na∣ture, concerning Gods mainteining of his peo∣ple after that manner.* As for example, that cur∣sed heretike which was executed heere among vs; was not ashamed to write in one of his books that the land of Chanaan is indeede spoken of, howebeit ouer fauourablie, and that they which haue so spoken thereof, haue made vs to beleeue many things vnaduisedly. And what caused him so to do, but that he was a worldly man and a de∣spiser of God, seeking by all meanes to skorne God, and to abolish his grace, and that men might no more knowe how to worship him? So then yee see howe Gods grace was had in con∣tempt. But contrariwise, we must always be re∣solued, that God hauing once made his promise to his seruant Abraham, did therupon intend to vtter his wonderfull power, as one that had a care of his people. Yea and we must call to mind what was saide yesterday, namely that GOD had made his partition to the former inhabiters of that countrie, (to wit of the lande of promise) according to the number of the children of Is∣rael, for he knewe wellynough what a multitude of people he was to maintaine there. That is a cause why Moses declareth here again, that the Rocks yeelded hony, and y^e stones brought forth Olifes: that there was pasture ground to yeelde fat mattons, lambs & goats, & to yeeld butter, & all manner of white meate, so as nothing might be wanting: also y^t the land yeelded y^e fat of corne Page  1125 (for he vseth that terme,) as who shold say there were lumps in the meale, and nothing but pure and fine flower of wheate, so as our Lorde gaue his people abundance of all things y^t he knewe to be meete for them: and that hee gaue them the bloud of y^e grape, that is to say, the grapes were so full, that a man might haue pressed as it were bloude out of them. To be short, he declareth that God failed not his people in any thing, but prouided them store of all things necessarie, yea [ 10] and shewed himselfe so liberall, that hee gaue them euē more than needed. Now after as God dealeth largely vnto vs, so must wee inlarge our harts to serue him, that we may be fully fraught with loue towardes him. For all the benefites which we receiue of him, must kindle our hearts to goe vnto him. We haue in them a tast of his goodnesse to draw vs vnto him. Now then if wee make not Gods gracious gifts auailable to vs, so as we loue him for them, and bee rauished with [ 20] desire to come vnto him: it is certaine that wee must yeelde a sorrowfull account for it. For wee vnhallow them, and abuse them too shamefully, and thereby God looseth the things which hee had bestowed vpon vs as his children, because it is not his meaning that they should haue beene cast away as vpon dogges.

For this cause Moses aggrauateth heere the malice of the people, in that he saieth, that after God had shewed himselfe so liberall, foorthwith [ 30] they became fatte, and being become thicke, fat, and as is were so brawned that they were readie to burst with greace: they fell immediatly to defie the God which had made them, and to mocke as the strength of their wel∣fare. Here wee be taught to call our selues daily to account for the benefits which God hath be∣stowed vppon vs. Wherefore let vs beware that we deuour not the benefites which wee haue of God, forgetting them and the giuer of them; Nay, let vs make them all as notes of remembe∣rance [ 40] to put vs in mind how much we be bound and indebted vnto him. True it is that wee can neuer bring that to passe, according where∣to it is saide in the Psalme,* that if men imploy themselues neuer so much to the considering of Gods gracious gifts, they shall finde themselues graueled, for they be mo than the hayres of our heads. Yet notwithstanding, it behoueth vs to doe our indeuour to magnifie our God, conside∣ring how greatly wee be bounde vnto him, and [ 50] howe many wayes hee maketh vs to feele his goodnes. That is our true studie; that is y^e thing wherein we must exercise our selues all the time of our life. And the chiefe sacrifice that God re∣quireth of vs, is thanksgiuing, which is when we honour him with the things that we haue recei∣ued of him, according to this saying of the hun∣dred and sixteenth Psalme.* What shall I yeeld vnto the Lorde for all the good which hee hath done vnto mee? I will take the cup of saluation, [ 60] and call vpon his name. So then let this text bea warning and incouragement to vs, to con∣sider better of our Gods benefites that wee may fare the better by them. That is one point.

And moreouer, when wee once knowe that God hath bounde vs vnto him, and dayly bin∣deth vs in hauing a care to sustaine these our mortall bodies which are but carions & dung, the which neuerthelesse he feedeth with bread: let the consideration thereof make vs to mount vp higher,* and to bethinke vs howe we be day∣lie fedde with the grace of his spirite, and refre∣shed with the liuing waters which wee haue of him; yea and that we be fedde with our Lord Ie∣sus Christ himselfe who is the heauenly breade that feedeth our soules. Let vs consider these things, and learne therby to giue ourselues whol∣ly to our God who sheweth himself so bountifull and liberall a father towards vs. If we do not so, we haue here a horrible condemnation. For (as I haue said) to the intent to set out the mischiefe so much the more to the full in that men dis∣chargo not their duetie to Godwarde, being so preuented by his drawing of them vnto him: Moses putteth heere as it were into a paire of scales, on the one side Gods benefits, and on the otherside the peoples forgetfulnes, negligence & vnthankfulnes. And this is the thing that in ef∣fect wee haue to remember out of this place.

Now it behoueth vs to marke well the thing that is rehearsed heere by Moses, namely that the Rightfull was growen fatte. His attributing of that title to the people of Israel, is to signifie whereto they were called of God: for this comprehen∣deth the principall end of our calling. Gods ad∣opting of vs to bee his children, is to the ende wee shoulde liue righteously. The Iewes are called a froward and crooked generation.* Such then are the vnbeleeuers vntill our Lorde Iesus Christ haue brought them home to himselfe. On the contrarie part, when God calleth vs to be of his flocke or housholde: then he reformeth vs, and he will haue vs to holde the way of salua∣tion as he sheweth it vnto vs. And such ought the children of Israel to haue beene, seeing that God had chosen them. But what? It is said that after the rightfull or righteous was waxen fatte, he fell to kicking against his master. Now if this bee saide nowadayes, it will bee double to our shame: for if our Lordes speaking of righteous∣nesse or vprightnesse be to shewe y^t those whom he had sanctified, defiled themselues, and that those whom he had brought into the right way, were gone astray: it is to condemne them the more grieuously. Therefore it ought to make vs the more ashamed, whē God shal say, What are yee? For I haue adopted you to be my children, and what a lookingglasse and patterne haue you in me? Ye ought to resēble your father: ye knowe my goodnes and my iustice, and yet are you as crooked as serpents. Must we not needs be con∣founded with double shame, when God vpbrai∣deth vs after that sort? So then, let vs learne to what purpose God hath ordained vs in vouch∣safing vs the grace to gather vs vnto him. Let vs follow the vprightnes which he cōmandeth vs, & let vs not swarue aside from in. Moreouer let vs beware y^t fatnesse blind vs not, and so mar vs: least when we haue beene full fedde for a time, we growe frowarde through Gods vsing of his liberalitie towards vs. And y^t is a very needefull Page  1126 point. For when God sheweth himselfe so libe∣ral, and feedeth vs with abundance of all things: his so doing is to make vs to perceiue his good∣nesse the better. Therefore it ought to inflame vs the more, seeing that our Lorde handleth vs gently as though wee were his tender babes, as he himselfe termeth vs. But wee see on the con∣trarie part, that if God deale bountifully with vs, wee play the stubborne and vnruly horses. As a horse that is ouerpampered in the stable wil not [ 10] be ruled, but fals to kicking, and becomes so lu∣stie as if he were wilde: euen so is it with vs also: such is our nature. And are wee to bee excused, when we shall haue abused Gods gifts after that fashion? If it be demaunded what maketh men proude, what maketh men become wilde beasts, so as they cannot away with any yoke, but are feerce and hardharted, and cannot afterward a∣way with good instruction and warning, but are madde against God, puffed vp with pride and [ 20] presumption, starke blinde, destitute of reason, and vtterly voide of modestie and humanitie: what is the cause of all this, but the good things which God hath bestowed vppon them? And how may that bee? For it is a monstrous thing, and a thing vtterly against nature. God com∣meth to vs, he vttereth his treasures, hee woulde haue vs to knowe him to be as gentle and grati∣ous a father as can be, hee maketh vs as it were cockeneyes; he could do no more to shewe what [ 30] affection he beareth vs, except he should powre out his bowels vppon vs; he interteineth vs as if it were in a Paradise, accordingly as it is saide of all those whom God hath taught,* namely that he keepeth them as much at their ease, as if they had all the commodities that coulde be wished. Seeing then y^t God hath shewed himselfe such a one; what a thing is it that men shoulde take oc∣casion thereby, to kicke against him, and to bee proude and full of presumption & ouerweening, [ 40] so as they shoulde despise all admonitions, yea and be as it were stark mad against all doctrine? And what a horrible sin is this? Yet do wee make a trade and custome of it. Whereby we see howe froward our nature is, and what a bottomlesse pit of al vices and infections is in it.

And therefore let vs beare this doctrine so much the better in minde, where it is said that the righteous fell to kicking when he once became fat. How that although wee had earst some good plaine [ 50] meaning in vs, & there appeared in vs some wil∣lingnesse to serue God: yet assoone as we be wax∣en fatte, by and by we become wilde beastes, as appeareth euen by experience. Howe many be there, which are treatable & liue after some vp∣right manner, so long as God holdeth them in meane state? True it is that we shall see a num∣ber of hypocrites also, who as long as they haue not wherwith to set out themselues, will pretend to be as lowly as is possible, and yet all is but hy∣pocrisie. [ 60] Again there are others which wil beare the countenance of good behauiour, and be well ruled, and liue in the feare of God: but as soone as they be growen fatte, by and by they play the wilde beasts, they be starke mad, they shew their teeth, they put out their hornes, they fall to kic∣king, & they fling out against God. This is seene too much. And therefore it was not for the chil∣dren of Israel onely that Moses spake so: but the holy Ghost hath shewed vs heere as it were the liuely picture or image of the naughtines which is in vs, and wherunto we be inclined and giuen: that is to wit, that when God hath once made vs fatte, by and by in steede of liuing righteously which is the very condition whereupon he hath chosen vs to be his children, we fall to kicking a∣gainst him.

And to amplifie the leawdnesse yet more, of such as doe so abuse Gods gratious giftes; Moses saith further, Thou art become thicke and fatte, thou art as it were cumbered with thine owne fatte, thou art euen ouergrowen with fatte. And so he forgate (or for∣sooke) the God that made him, and skorned the strong God of his welfare. Whereas Moses saith here that the people became lusty, fatte & thick, as though they had bin choked with their own greace: it is in two respects: the one to blame them y^e sorer, for that in steed of noting & marking well Gods be∣nefites, y^t thereby they might haue bin the more prouoked to serue and honour him: they deuou∣red them vp without measure or temperance: and also that the quantitie of Gods benefites was so great, that it behighted them the grea∣ter condemnation. Let vs marke well then, that if wee forget Gods benefites, they be registred vp before him to put vs to reproch. Therfore we shall gaine nothing by the shortnes of our re∣membraunce, nor by our forgetting of the great number of Gods benefits, no nor yet by our defa∣cing of them as much as in vs lieth: for God for∣getteth not any thing, all thinges must needes come to account before him. Wherefore let vs prouide for it aforehand. And as (I haue said) let euery of vs looke neerely to himselfe, & the mo commodities we haue, let vs consider y^t our Lord bindeth vs the more to magnifie him, & wil haue vs to receiue the cup of saluation at his hand, & to call vpon his name, that our mouthes may be open to sing songs of praise vnto him. Mark that for one point. And therefore let vs assure our∣selues y^t this vnthankfulnes wil make vs the more vnexcusable, seeing y^t God setteth here before vs y^e benefites which he had bestowed vpō his peo∣ple, & vseth such a number of words to shew that nothing was forgotten which he had done for y^• people when they had once estranged thēselues from him, and y^t his intent in shewing himself so liberal, was not y^t the people shoulde make none account of it, but y^t they shold haue born al things wel in minde. Let y^t therfore serue for one point.

Againe, when our God giueth vs such abun∣dance; let vs beware that we vse his benefits wel. For surely to learne to be rich, and to haue abun∣dance, and also to be contented with pouertie & want (as saith S. Paul) is a poynt very hard to bee attained vnto:* and yet it ought to be common to al the children of God. S. Paul, in saying that he could skil to be poore, meaneth that hee was patient, so as he neither troubled nor tormēted himselfe when God sent him scarsitie and want of ease: for he knew that God would not fail him in the end. Ye see then y^t he knowledge of Gods Page  1127 children, is on the one side to be poore. Againe on the otherside he saith, that he can skill to a∣bounde: meaning, that when God gaue him a∣bundance and more than he needed: hee ouer∣shot not himselfe by abusing it in superfluous ex∣penses or in playing the loose colt as men term it, but that he vsed it moderatly and measura∣bly. Then if God giue vs more than wee neede, let vs assure our selues that in so doing he appro∣cheth the neerer to vs, at leastwise if we can skill [ 10] to vse well the benefites which he hath bestow∣ed vpō vs, that is to say without vainglory, with∣out pride, without disorder, so as wee be not too much giuen to our delights, but vse Gods bene∣fites with measure and stayednes, and therwith∣all be readie to indure hunger and thirst when it pleaseth God, that if he giue vs abundance wee be not so drunken with it but that we stil acknow∣ledge him to be our fosterfather. But we see on the contrary part howe the worlde behaueth [ 20] it selfe in this behalfe. For what a sort of drun∣kardes, what a sort of gluttons shall a man see, which are like swine in a stie without any vnder∣standing or reason? They can fill their paunches well ynough, but they can no skill to lift vp their heades to heauen to honor him that findeth and maintaineth them so wealthily: their groynes & mussels are euer grubbing downewarde to their feeding. Therefore let vs not resemble them. If God giue vs wealth, let vs not pamper or pranck [ 30] vp our selues, but rather let it bee as a spurre to quicken vs vp to come vnto him; the nearer that hee approcheth vnto vs, and the more that hee maketh vs to feele his goodnes; the more wholly let vs yeeld our selues thereto. That is the thing which we be taught in this text.

Now whereas Moses saith, Hee forsooke the God which made him, and skorned the strong God of his wel∣fare: thereby hee sheweth vs after what manner we abuse Gods benefites, namely by shrinking a∣way [ 40] from him, whereas he would haue vs to bee brought neerer to him. For (as I saide afore) all the commodities which God giueth vs in this world ought to be as ladders whereby to climbe vp to him. And if we be wedded to the earth, it is the way to make vs turne the benefits of our God to the cleane contrarie. Therefore let vs take good heede that we prouoke him not to dis∣pleasure. And whereas Moses saieth, that it was God that created his people: hee meaneth it not [ 50] alonely as in respect that he is the maker of the world, but as in respect that hee had chosen that people, and had made as it were a newe worlde of them. For Gods fetching of the children of Israel out of the lande of Egypt, his feeding of them in the wildernes, and his putting of them in possession of the land which he had promised vnto them, were as a newe creating of them: He had not onely made them men, but also newe men. So then the making that Moses speakes of [ 60] here, is not of the first making whereby the chil∣dren of Israel were brought into the worlde: but of Gods reforming of them to bee his children. And it is the very same thing that is ment in the fourescore and fifteenth Psalm.* Now then (saith Moses) will ye spite him which hath twice made you after that fashion? What an vnthankfulnes were that? The like condemnation lyeth vpon vs nowadayes, if we walke not in the obedience of our God, seeing he hath not onelie placed vs in the worlde, but also called vs to the hope of the endlesse life, reforming vs by his holy spirit, and calling vs to the knowledge of the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ. Sith it is so, let vs beware we forget it not, or that we shrink not away from him in any wise. Yea and let vs marke well the word that Moses vseth in saying that they mocked or skorned the strong God of their welfare. The terme that hee vseth commeth of a foole or thing of no∣thing▪ [as if a man would say, they befooled him, or they louted him.] Whereby he aggrauateth the ouergreat skornefulnesse of that people in not honoring God as they ought to haue done. Then if wee yeelde not God his due glorie and praise, it is all one as if wee made no account of him, or as if wee bleared out our tongues at him in way of mockage▪ And that were too excessiue vnthankfulnesse or rather vntolerable trecherie. Therfore let vs beware that we be not guiltie of such a crime as is the despising of him which is the strong holde of our welfare, that is to say, him vpon whom we stay, without whom we can by no meanes continue, which keepeth vs vnder his protection, and to be short, of whom we hold our life and all that belongeth thereunto. Must we not needes be worse than brute beastes, when we forget him? Let vs vnderstand then that be∣sides the other benefites which God bestoweth vpon vs, we be also setled vpon his power, so as he hath y^e gouerning of vs, and we be after such a sort in his tuition, that we finde him alwayes the fortresse of our welfare, to the intent that wee holding our selues to him, may knowe also that hee is euer readie and forwarde to increase his gratious giftes and to multiplie them, vntill hee haue brought vs to the full perfection of our sal∣uation.

Nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good GOD with acknowledgment of our faults, praying him to make vs feele them more and more, and therewithall that hauing shewed himselfe so gratious towards vs, hee suffer vs not to forget his benefits, nor to abuse the sustenāce which hee giueth vs in this worlde; but that wee may be drawen further by it, namely to seeke the heauenly foode of our soules least they shoulde starue, and that our whole stay and contentation may be in the doctrine which is dayly deliuered vs by the Gospel, and in the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ; so as all his spirituall gifts may bee applied by vs to the glorifying of our good god: that when his glorie shineth forth in this world, we may perfectly be partakers thereof, after wee bee rid of this mortall flesh, and dispatched from the transitorie state of this earthly life. That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to al people and Nations of the earth &c.