Sermons upon Deuteronomy

for other way there is none to water the land, except your God power out his blessing upon you from heaven. Otherwise §40land must needs lye dry and untilled. Thus do we see how Moseses meaning is, to stir up the people to live in awe and fear, and to provoke them to call upon God continually, and therewithal to submit themselves to his government, and to consider how great need they have of his help, so as they may say: Alas Lord, what will become of us if thou bless us not?

for other way there is none to water ye land, except your God power out his blessing vppon you from heauen. Otherwise §40land must needes lye dry and vntilled. Thus doe we see how Moseses meaning is, to stirre vp the people to liue in awe and feare, and to prouoke them to call vppon God continually, and therewithall to submit themselues to his gouernment, and to consider how great need they haue of his help, so as they may say: Alas Lord, what will become of vs if thou blesse vs not?

Moreover he putteth them in mind also,§50 to consider what a fatherly care God had of the land of Canaan, sith it was his pleasure to rain so upon it, not for once a year only, but yearly from the beginning of the year to the end of it. That is the effect of the things that Moses intended to say here. And thereby we be done to understand, that Gods bringing of us into distress and necessity, is to provoke us to repair unto him, and to look up to his goodness, so as we should not only have cause to give him §60thanks for his benefits; but also be driven to call upon him by being held at the staves end, and thereupon daily resort unto him. After the same manner, we see nowadays how we have need of fair weather; and that not for four or five days in a year: but as often as seed is to be laid into the ground, or the land is to be tilled; or else we see men could not put the plough into the ground, nor sow their corn: if they should, it would rot immediately, and never take root in the earth. Again the grapes would rot upon the vines and never ripen. Nevertheless, when corn is laid into the ground, it requireth rain; and it is marred if there follow an unmeasurable drought. Afterward in summertime when harvest cometh, the time must be fit for it, and likewise for dressing of vines and for mowing of grass. To be short, all the year long God calleth us to him, by making us to have need of him. And although we were not provoked at all; yet the very wit and understanding that he giveth us by nature, may cause us to see that he calleth us daily to come unto him, and to put our whole trust in his goodness. This is the thing in effect which we have to remember upon this text.