Sermons upon Deuteronomy

He showeth yet better what testimony he giveth by this Song. It is (sayeth he) that I will bring you into the land which I have promised to your fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey. Hereby he giveth us to understand, that it is a fat land, and fruitful of all good things in such abundance, as if milk did run therein, in stead of Rivers: and as if they had withal the like abundance of honey. This manner of speech is very commonly used whensoever God speaketh of the land of Canaan: and not without cause. For God had blessed it above all the rest of the world; yea and no doubt, but the people found that with their coming thither, the fruitfulness of that land was augmented. And surely it is a marvellous matter, how such a huge multitude was nourished in so small a country. But at this day we see it is a land half barren. True it is that even as yet there are some places thereof as little specks, which are very fat & abundant; but yet far unable to verify that which we read of it here, namely that the land did flow with milk and honey. But herein we do so much the better see that which is spoken in the 107. Psalm,¹ namely, that when God hath given never so great fruitfulness to a land, he can make it barren again, as if it were sowed with salt, so as there shall be nothing but leanness, nor any sustenance to be found therein. We perceive then by the land of Canaan, how it is the hand of God that giveth abundance to a land: and likewise that his withdrawing of his blessing, causeth a land to become fruitless and altogether barren. And therefore doeth Moses now protest that when the people come into the land, and there be nourished, filled and fatted, & then serve strange gods: they shall be condemned so much the more: and then they must not look for any starting holes, but be discovered to the whole world to their condemnation, and this present song shall be as a process wherein the form of law is observed; so as the summons shall be made first, & then the examinations and informations shall be exhibited; and afterward the malefactors being arraigned and condemned by their own mouth, shall receive the sentence of judgement against them. Now we see what the meaning of Moses was.

Hee sheweth yet better what testimonie hee giueth by this Song. It is (sayeth he) that I will bring you into the lande which I haue promised to your fathers, a land flowing with milke and honnie. Heereby he giueth vs to vnderstande, that it is a fatte lande, and fruitfull of all good things in such abundance, as if milke did runne therein, in stead of Riuers: and as if they had withall the like abundance of hony. This maner of speech is very commonly vsed whensoeuer God speaketh of the land of Chanaan: and not without cause. For God had blessed it aboue all the rest of the world; yea and no doubt, but the people found that with their comming thither, the fruitefulnesse of that land was augmented. And surely it is a maruailous matter, how such a huge multitude was nourished in so small a countrie. But at this day we see it is a land halfe barren. True it is that euen as yet there are some places thereof as little speckes, which are very fat & abundant; but yet farre vnable to verifie that which wee reade of it here, namely that the land did flowe with milke and honie. But herein we do so much the better see that which is spoken in the 107. Psalme,