Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Also there is this point: To day thou art made the people of God, if thou keep his commandments. Therefore like as our Lord receiveth us into his house, so must we also wholly give our selves unto him, knowing that to this end he hath schooled us out from the rest of the world, and will have us to be his own, and as it were his peculiar inheritance. It is time indeed that all men are bound to serve him: but yet notwithstanding, when he calleth us unto him, & showeth himself our father, doth he not bind us unto him, with a double bond? Yes verily. Are we not then without all sense and reason, & altogether bewitched, if we be not moved to yield our selves over to his will, so as he may guide us and bear rule over all our whole life? Then let us weigh well these words: To day thou art made the people of the Lord thy God, and therefore keep his commandments. Howe are we made the people of God, but by being his Church, and by having the use of his sacraments, and that is all one as if he appeared among us? For we may not look that GOD should come down from heaven in his own person, or send his Angels unto us. But the true mark whereby he will be known to be among us, is the preaching of his word purely unto us: for no doubt but then he beareth rule in the middest of us. So then let this thing profit us, that we know that our Lord receiveth us unto himself & will have us to be of his own household. Seeing it is so, let us take pains to obey him in all our life, and to keep his commandments: let us not wander like brute beasts as the wretched unbelievers do, because they never knew what it was to be of the house of God.

Also there is this point: To day thou art made the people of God, if thou keepe his commaundementes. Therefore like as our Lorde receyueth vs into his house, so must wee also wholy giue our selues vnto him, knowing that to this ende hee hath shooled vs out from the rest of the worlde, and will haue vs to bee his owne, and as it were his peculiar inheritance. It is time indeede that all men are bounde to serue him: but yet notwithstanding, when hee calleth vs vnto him, & sheweth himselfe our father, doth he not binde vs vnto him, with a double bonde? Yes verily. Are we not then without all sense and reason, & altogether bewitched, if we be not mooued to yeelde our selues ouer to his will, so as hee may guide vs and beare rule ouer all our whole life? Then let vs wey well these woordes: To day thou art made the people of the Lorde thy God, and therefore keepe his commaundementes. Howe are wee made the people of God, but by beeing his Church, and by hauing the vse of his sacramentes, and that is all one as if hee appeared among vs? For wee may not looke that GOD should come downe from heauen in his owne person, or sende his Angels vnto vs. But the true marke whereby he will bee knowen to bee among vs, is the preaching of his worde purely vnto vs: for no doubt but then he beareth rule in the middest of vs. So then let this thing profite vs, that we knowe that our Lorde receyueth vs vnto himselfe & will haue vs to be of his owne householde. Seeing it is so, let vs take paines to obey him in all our life, and to keepe his commaundementes: let vs not wander like brute beastes as the wretched vnbeleeuers doe, because they neuer knewe what it was to bee of the house of God.