Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Now he addeth, that God had brought them out of the land of Egypt by his mighty power and with a strong hand, even to make it known that they were his inheritance, by a visible token, and by the apparent effect of it. True it is that the people should have grounded and themselves upon the promise: and Moses hath followed the same order here. For he saith not first, Lord thou hast brought us out of Egypt, and afterward upheld us by thy power when thou madest us to pass through the wilderness: but he saith expressly, we be thy people and thine inheritance. And whereupon rested he? Upon the promise, because God had spoken the word, saying, I will be the Saviour of thy linage. But yet therewithal he letteth not to allege the said deliverance also,¹ to prove that God counted that people for his heritage. For when God delivered the Jews out of Egypt, & reached them his hand to bring them out: where of came it? It was as a sealing of the covenant that had been made by word of mouth. God (say I) did show as then, that the former promising unto Abraham, that he would be the God of his linage was not in vain. And for the same cause doth Moses set down both twain of them here. He beginneth with the promise, and afterward addeth what ensued thereof: that is to wit the deliverance, which was a sure warrant that he meant not to beguile his servant Abraham, when he told him as I h•ue told you before. Wherefore let us briefly bear in mind that if we intend to have access unto god to rest upon his goodness, we must begin at his word: and afterward we must also acknowledge the benefits that we have felt at his hand. And if we have found that he hath not beguiled us by his promises, it is as a former warrant whereby he intendeth to confirm and assure us the better. Lo here a goodly matching namely that we yield such honour unto Gods word, as to trust assuredly thereunto: and therewithal that we be not thankless for the goodness which he hath showed us indeed, but make the same to serve us as a president to ratify our faith, to the end that his word have the greater show and power in us, and we be the more provoked to call upon him, not doubting at all but that we shall find him the same that he hath showed himself to be, even to the end.

Now he addeth, that God had brought them out of the land of Egypt by his mightie power and with a strong hand, euē to make it knowen that they were his inheritance, by a vysible token, and by the apparant effect of it. True it is that the people shold haue grounded and themselues vpon the promise: and Moses hath followed the same order here. For he saith not first, Lorde yu hast brought vs out of Egypt, and afterward vpheld vs by thy power when thou madest vs to passe through ye wildernesse: but he saith expresly, we be thy people and thine inheritance. And wherupon rested he? Vpon the promise, because God had spoken the word, saying, I will bee the Sauiour of thy lynage. But yet therewithall hee letteth not to alledge the saide deliuerance also,