HE adds yet another favour of God, and that is, that the people shall be delivered from all dangers, though they walked through the deserts. Before,1 among other curses of God he put this; that wild beasts should meet the Jews in all places which way soever they travailed: but now, being received into favour, they should be assailed neither by lions, nor any other cruel beasts, because God would chase them away, that his redeemed might pass without hurt or danger. For albeit they had liberty to return, yet they might well meet with many impediments in the way, and therefore he saith, The Lord shall remove all annoyances that might any way stop their passage.2 Hence we gather a very necessary doctrine, to wit, that the Lord not only begins the work of our salvation, but continues it unto the very end, lest otherwise his grace might be fruitless and vain in us. First then he opens the way to give us entrance. §1Secondly, he makes it plain and easy, and §2takes away all impediments. Thirdly, he goes with, §3and before us in the way. Lastly, he so continues §4forth this grace in us, that at the last he brings us unto his perfection. 3We must make use of these four points every day. For albeit our hearts be set (whilst we live in this world) to aspire to our inheritance which is in heaven, yet Satan lays many stumbling blocks before us, and we are environed on every side with infinite dangers, but the Lord who hath set us in this way, and goes before us, leading us by the hand, will never leave us in the midway, but will fully perfect that unto the end which he hath begun in us by his Spirit. We may also observe, that the mouths of ravening and wild beasts are muzzled so by the grace of ⟨p. 353⟩God, they cannot hurt us, nor exercise their cruelty upon us; according as it is said in Hose. 2.18. I will make a covenant for you with the beasts of the field, and with the birds of the air.
HE addes yet another fauour of God, and that is, that the people shall be deliuered frō all dangers, though they walked through the deserts. Before,1 among other curses of God he put this; that wild beasts should meet the Iewes in all places which way soeuer they trauailed: but now, being receiued into fauor, they should be assailed neither by lyons, nor any other cruell beasts, because God would chase them away, that his redeemed might passe without hurt or danger. For albeit they had libertie to returne, yet they might well meete with many impediments in the way, and therefore he saith, The Lord shall remoue all anoyances that might any way stop their passage.2 Hence we gather a very necessarie doctrine, to wit, that the Lord not only begins the worke of our saluation, but cōtinues it vnto the very end, lest otherwise his grace might be frutelesse and vaine in vs. First then he opens the way to giue vs entrance. §1Secondly, he makes it plaine and easie, and §2takes away all impediments. Thirdly, he goes with, §3and before vs in the way. Lastly, he so continues §4forth this grace in vs, that at the last he brings vs vnto his perfection. 3We must make vse of these foure points euery day. For albeit our hearts be set (whilest we liue in this world) to aspire to our inheritance which is in heauen, yet Satan laies many stumbling blocks before vs, and we are inuironed on euery side with infinit dangers, but the Lord who hath set vs in this way, and goes before vs, leading vs by the hand, will neuer leaue vs in the midway, but wil fullie perfect that vnto the end which he hath begun in vs by his Spirit. We may also obserue, that the mouthes of rauening and wilde beasts are musled so by the grace of ⟨p. 353⟩God, they cannot hurt vs, nor exercise their crueltie vpon vs; according as it is said in Hose. 2.18. I will make a couenant for you with the beasts of the field, and with the birds of the aire.
- 1Chap. 30.6.
- 2He that begins a good work, will accomplish it unto the day of Christ Philip. 1.6.He that begins a good worke, will accomplish it vnto the day of Christ Philip. 1.6.
- 3We ought to make use of this doctrine for the whole course of our life.We ought to make vse of this doctrine for the whole course of our life.
