Sermons upon Deuteronomy

But the chief point is to put this lesson well in practise. And therefore whensoever we see that our God hath looked upon us throughout all the year; let us understand that his intent was to show the more familiarly, what a fatherly care he hath over us. For if we had any river like to Nilus which watered the land in stead of rain: we would think thus with our selves; well, now hath God done pitying of us for this year: & it would not touch us so well, as when we see that God not only regardeth us in the springtime, but also holdeth on all the year long, so as there is not any one day of all the year, wherein we may not behold Gods wonderful goodness, in making the earth to yield fruit for our sustenance, by considering how he is fain one while to hold the rain locked up, & another while to open the windows & watergates of heaven, that we may have moisture in due season: How he is fain to send heat, and to assuage it again: & to send cold and to abate it again; how he is fain to send fair weather & foul, and to temper the one with the other: so as finally, we have need of all these diversities, in their due times and seasons. And sith we see that God provideth us of all these things; ought we not to be the better assured that he hath a continual regard of us and never forgetteth us, and that he is a father to us all the year long? Like as a man that is mindful of his household, riseth betimes a mornings to go to his business; & when he hath done one thing, looketh about if there be any thing else to set in order; forecasting in his mind how to dispose the things that are given him, so as the benefit thereof may redound to his whole household: even so God behaveth himself as a householder towards us, so as he ceaseth not to watch for our benefit both early and late; not that he is fain to toil after the manner of men: but that howsoever the case stand, he maketh us to feel that he is more than a fosterfather to us, & we be too blind & beastly if we consider it not. Thus ye see how the practising of this lesson of Moseses, consisteth in giving thanks to our God, according to the variety of the time & weather which we perceive in the year. And when he hath provided us for the whole year;

But the chiefe point is to put this lesson well in practise. And therefore whensoeuer we see that our God hath looked vppon vs throughout all the yeere; let vs vnderstand that his intent was to shewe the more familiarly, what a fatherly care he hath ouer vs. For if wee had any riuer lyke to Nilus which watered the land in stead of rayne: wee would thinke thus with our selues; well, now hath God done pitying of vs for this yeere: & it would not touch vs so wel, as when we see yt God not onely regardeth vs in the springtime, but also holdeth on all the yeere lōg, so as there is not any one day of all the yere, wherein we may not behold Gods wonderful goodnesse, in making ye earth to yeeld fruite for our sustenance, by considering how he is faine one while to hold ye raine lockt vp, & another while to opē the windowes & watergates of heauen, that wee may haue moysture in due season: How hee is faine to send heate, and to asswage it againe: & to send cold and to abate it againe; how hee is faine to send faire weather & fowle, and to temper the one with the other: so as finally, we haue neede of all these diuersities, in their due times and seasons. And sith we see that God prouideth vs of all these thinges; ought wee not to be the better assured that he hath a continuall regard of vs and neuer forgetteth vs, and that hee is a father to vs all the yeere long? Lyke as a man yt is mindful of his houshold, riseth betimes a morninges to goe to his businesse; & when hee hath done one thing, looketh about if there bee any thing els to set in order; forecasting in his minde how to dispose the thinges yt are giuen him, so as the benefite thereof may redound to his whole houshold: euen so God behaueth himselfe as a housholder towardes vs, so as hee ceaseth not to watch for our benefite both earely and late; not that he is faine to toyle after the maner of men: but that howsoeuer the case stand, hee maketh vs to feele that he is more than a fosterfather to vs, & we be too blind & beastly if we consider it not. Thus ye see how the practising of this lesson of Moseses, consisteth in giuing thāks to our God, according to the varietie of ye time & weather which we perceiue in ye yere. And whē he hath prouided vs for the whole yeere;