Sermons upon Deuteronomy

And although God prevent us and blame us, and do us such shame as to make us hear of it: yet will not we think upon it. Notwithstanding it is not written in vain, When thou hast thy fill of the benefits of thy God, beware that thou forget him not. Wherefore let us mark, that prosperity of it self ought to provoke us to resort unto God, because it is all one as if he should reach out his hands and arms unto us. Like as when a father offereth his child a thing and saith to him, Come hither, and holdeth out his arms: so likewise Gods desire in bestowing his benefits upon us, is nothing else but to see us quiet, as it were in his lap or under his wings. Now then, if we have an eye to the order of nature: prosperity should draw us to God, and make us well minded to serve him: and yet notwithstanding, we see how we despise both GOD and nature and all kindness, and become worse than wild beasts. For whereas GOD allureth us to him after that gentle manner: we turn our backs upon him, and in stead of coming to him, retire from him: nay (which worse is) we kick against him. For it is not enough for men to despise Gods goodness, and to stop their eyes, and to devour all the good things which they have, without knowing who giveth them: but also they proceed so far as to rush against him, and to gnashing their teeth at him, and to spurning at him. If a man should liken us to swine, we would think he did us great wrong. And yet are swine contented with rooting in the ground, to fill themselves with the Acorns that are fallen down, and they be not so fierce as to fall to rending down of the tree, they leap not up against it, they byte not the boughs, they have their groins hanging always downward. As for us we play indeed the swine, because we have always our groins in the earth: insomuch that When we cram our selves never so full, there is none of us which lifteth up his mind on high to say, it is Gods hand that giveth us this thing: but either we impute all things to our own policy, or we think that the gain cometh of our selves, or we imagine that it happeneth us by some chance, and to be short we never think of God.

And although God preuent vs and blame vs, and doe vs such shame as to make vs heare of it: yet will not wee thinke vppon it. Notwithstanding it is not written in vaine, When thou hast thy fil of the benefites of thy God, beware that thou forget him not. Wherfore let vs marke, that prosperitie of it self ought to prouoke vs to resort vnto God, bicause it is all one as if he should reach out his hands and armes vnto vs. Like as when a father offereth his childe a thing and sayth to him, Come hither, and holdeth out his armes: so likewise Gods desire in bestowing his benefits vppon vs, is nothing else but to see vs quiet, as it were in his lap or vnder his winges. Nowe then, if wee haue an eye to the order of nature: prosperitie should drawe vs to God, and make vs well minded to serue him: and yet notwithstanding, wee see how wee despise both GOD and nature and all kindenesse, and become woorse than wilde beastes. For whereas GOD allureth vs to him after that gentle manner: wee turne our backes vppon him, and in stead of cōming to him, retyre from him: nay (which woorse is) wee kicke againste him. For it is not inough for men to despise Gods goodnesse, and to stop their eyes, and to deuour al ye good things which they haue, without knowing who giueth them: but also they proceede so far as to rush against him, and to gnashing their teeth at him, and to spurning at him. If a man should liken vs to swine, wee woulde thinke hee did vs greate wrong. And yet are swine contented with rooting in the ground, to fill themselues with the Acornes that are fallen downe, and they be not so fearce as to fall to rending downe of the tree, they leape not vp against it, they byte not the boughes, they haue their groines hāging alwais downward. As for vs we play indeede the swine, bicause we haue alwais our groines in the earth: insomuch that When we cram our selues neuer so full, there is none of vs whiche lifteth vp his mind on highe to saye, it is Gods hande that giueth vs this thing: but either we impute al things to our owne policie, or we thinke that the gaine commeth of our selues, or wee imagine that it happeneth vs by some chaunce, and to be short wee neuer thinke of God.