Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Now let us come to that which he addeth in the conclusion: that is to wit, That God having delivered his people, and brought them into the land that he had given them, appointed them all his commandments. Hereby we see, that when God showeth us this grace, to gather us into his Church, he calleth us not to be idle, but at the least to the end we should glorify him, as the thing whereof the whole Scripture speaketh. And these sayings,¹ Behold, I have purchased §20a people that shall sing my praise, Behold, I have planted a vine and I will be glorified thereby, and such other, are so often beaten into the peoples heads by the Prophets, as it ought to be a doctrine well enough known among them. Now therefore Gods speaking after that manner, is to show that his intent in choosing that people, was to be honoured at their hands. And this belongeth much more to us, forasmuch as God hath uttered a far greater power in delivering us §30from the dungeons of hell in the person of his son.² Let us understand then, that we be baptised with this condition, to give our selves wholly to our God: like as when Saint Paul treateth thereof, chiefly in the first to the Ephesians: he saith that God having chosen us before the creation of the world to be his children,³ hath also made us partakers of the salvation that was purchased for us by our Lord Jesus Christ, to the end that we should glorify him §40which hath showed himself so bountiful towards us, and used such mercy. As often then as we remember Gods benefits, and specially his vouchsafing to call us to the knowledge of his trueth: Let us ad this, namely that it is to the end that our life should be wholly dedicated to his honour and service, or else we do what we can to overthrow Gods adoption, and we labour to disannul it utterly: like as on the contrary part it is said that our calling is warranted by our §50walking in holiness of life: for after that manner doth Saint Peter speak of it.⁴