The eleuenth Chapter.
LOue the Lorde thy God therefore, and keepe his appointmentes, Ordinan∣ces, Lawes, and Commaundementes for euer.
2 And consider you this day (for I speake not to your children which haue neither knowen nor seene [them]) the instruction of the Lord your God, his greatnesse, his mightie hande, and his stretched out arme,
3 And his wonders and workes which hee did in the middes of Egypt, vnto Pharao king of Egypt and all his Land:
4 And what he did to the host of the Egyptians, vnto their horses & Chariots, when the Lord brought the waters of the read sea vpon their faces when they pur∣sued you, and how the Lord destroyed them vnto this day.
I Haue alrea∣die shewed ye meaning of Moses, how that by rehearsinge [ 30] ye wonders yt GOD had wrought for the deliue∣ring of his people out of captiuity he shewed the Iewes that they ought to haue bin the more conformable to him, in respect of the fauor and loue which he had shewed to them at [ 40] al times. For he had alwayes shewed by his do∣ings, that his promising to take Abraham & all his ofspring into his protection, was not in vain. Ye see then an euident proofe yt God hauing re∣ceiued Abrahams ofspring into his free fauour, hath also confirmed it by deedes & experience. And thereupon it is to be concluded, that if that people had not beene altogether froward, they ought of reason to haue serued God. And that is the point that Moses shot at. Consider with your [ 50] selues (saith he) if ye be not bounde to giue your selues wholy to the obeying of your God. For he hath multiplied you as the stars of the skie. Through his gratious goodnes you are become so great a nūber, yt euen you your selues may be astonished at it. To be short, if ye look vpō your body, yt is to say your state; you cānot but see such a wōderful fauor of your God, as you could neuer haue once looked for or hoped. Sith it is so, there is now no excuse for you if you cannot find in your hartes [ 60] to glorifie his name,* 1.1 seeing he hath shewed him selfe so good & merciful towards you. That is ye sūme of ye matter yt Moses intended to set down.
And he speaketh expresly of the stars of the skie, because of the promise. For God speaking to his seruāt Abrahā, shewed him in a vision ye mul∣titude of the stars, which is infinite. Euen as they be past reckening (saith god) so also shal thy seed be. Now then the meaning of Moses in this text is, yt Gods saying so was not in vain, & that Abra∣ham was not disappointed of his hope in resting altogether vpon yt promise: for we see the thing performed before our eies. And this is wel worth the noting. For if God haue done vs any good, we wil indeed for maners sake say it was he yt did it: but to be throughly persuaded of it in our hart, that is a very hard thing. Therefore is it requi∣sit in respect of such rudenes, yt we should be cō∣demned by Gods word, to the end we may ye bet∣ter consider of his hand & power. As for exam∣ple: if we had neuer read any whit of holy scrip∣ture, & yet notwithstanding god should haue de∣liuered vs frō some aduersitie: to say ye truth, our own naturall wit would put vs in mind, to think our selues indetted to God for ye same: But when we be exercised in the holy scriptures, and haue seene there yt God reserueth to himself the issues of death, & that it is in him to succor vs, yea euē after a strange fashion when al seemeth to be vt¦terly forlorne; so as if we call vpon him, he will heare our sighes: the performance therfore ma∣keth it the easier for vs to conceiue his goodnes, bicause we be taught aforehand, the same things which we come to find by experience. For why? The word yt went afore, is as a lampe to giue vs light. Of our owne nature we be as it were blind. True it is that God inlighteneth vs by his holy spirit: but yet are we still in darknes & cannot see two fingers bredth afore vs. But whē God teach∣eth vs by his word; yt is as a lampe to guide vs & shew vs our way. Therfore let vs marke well yt to profit our selues by the benefits yt God bestoweth vpō vs, it is good, yea & nedful for vs to be put in mind of his promises, & to compare thē together God had promised it; & now he hath performed it: here we see a testimony yt he is alwaies faithful in his sayings, & yt a man may safely rest vpō his truth. That is ye thing which Moses sheweth vs in this