Sermons upon Deuteronomy

And for that cause doth Moses say, You shall go over Jordan, & God will give you rest in the land that he hath promised you, & there shall you dwell in safety, though you have enemies round about you. And then will he choose him a place in one of your tribes, and thither shall you bring your sacrifices, burnt offerings, & oblations. And the very true sacrifice (saith he) is to do nothing upon your own heads, but to obey your God throughly in all points.§40 When he saith that they shall come into the land, it is to show that Gods deferring to give his law till that time, was to declare more particularly what things he liked of. For it was his will to perform his promise made unto Abraham, before he would establish his own service. And thereby he gave them to understand that the land of Canaan ought to have led them to a further thing. For had there bin no further matter in it than the land it self; it had bin enough for them to have bin settled in it, and §50there to have had wherewith to find them abundantly. But God setteth up his service, & showeth them after what sort they should honour him thenceforth: & all is referred to our Lord Jesus Christ. We see then that the land of Canaan should have guided the Jews to the hope of the heavenly life; so as they should not have set their minds upon the enjoying & possessing of the profits that came thereof, but have proceeded on further & considered that Gods meaning was to reign among them after a §60spiritual manner. That was the cause why he listed not to give them that ceremonies at the first, after the manner that they be set down in Leviticus: but reserved the setting of them forth, until the people were come into their inheritance.

And for yt cause doth Moses say, You shal go ouer Iordan, & God wil giue you rest in the land that he hath promised you, & there shall you dwell in safetie, though you haue enemies round about you. And then wil he choose him a place in one of your tribes, and thither shal you bring your sacrifices, burnt offerings, & oblations. And the very true sacrifice (saith he) is to do nothing vpon your own heads, but to obey your God throughly in all poyntes.§40 Whē he saith yt they shall come into ye land, it is to shew yt Gods deferring to giue his law til that time, was to declare more particularly what things he liked of. For it was his will to performe his promise made vnto Abrahā, before he would establish his owne seruice. And thereby he gaue thē to vnderstand yt the land of Canaā ought to haue led thē to a further thing. For had there bin no further matter in it than ye land it selfe; it had bin ynough for thē to haue bin setled in it, and