Sermons upon Deuteronomy

But there is yet a second choosing: which is when every of us perceiveth that God hath enlightened him by his holy spirit, and made us to taste his word, so as we stick to it by faith, and that he hath grafted us into the body of Jesus Christ,^{1 2}to the end we should be taken & held for members of him: which thing we must understand cometh not of our selves, nor of our own power: but of Gods will, which vouchsafed to mark us out. And why? Let us not make long circuits to find some reason in our selves: but let us hold us contented with the free love of our God, for he is not bound to any man. He might destroy all mankind by his justice: but yet for all that, he hath pity upon us. And whereas he pitieth not all alike, but letteth whom he list alone: therein he intendeth to give the greater show of his goodness (as I have said already) to the end that we should compare our selves with others and say, Wherefore am I one of gods elect? wherefore hath God chosen me to himself? I should have been as other men are, if God had not reached me his hand. And what moved him to do it? His own mere goodness. This comparison then must induce us to glorify our God, when we see that he hath stretched out his mighty arm over us. And so we see, that that doctrine was not uttered only for the instruction ⟨p. 167⟩of the people of old time: but that the same is common to us also at this day.

But there is yet a seconde choosing: which is when euerie of vs perceiueth that God hath inlightened him by his holie spirit, and made vs to tast his worde, so as wee sticke to it by fait, and that hee hath graffed vs into the bodie of Iesus Christ,^{1 2}to the ende we shoulde bee taken & held for members of him: which thing wee must vnderstand commeth not of our selues, nor of our owne power: but of Gods will, which vouchsafed to marke vs out. And why? Let vs not make long circuits to finde some reason in our selues: but let vs holde vs contented with the free loue of our God, for hee is not bounde to any man. Hee might destroye all mankinde by his iustice: but yet for all that, he hath pitie vpon vs. And wheras he pitieth not all alike, but letteth whom hee list alone: therein he intendeth to giue the greater shewe of his goodnesse (as I haue said alredy) to the ende that wee shoulde compare our selues with others and say, Wherfore am I one of gods elect? wherefore hath God chosen mee to himselfe? I shoulde haue beene as other men are, if God had not reached me his hand. And what moued him to do it? His owne meere goodnesse. This comparison then must induce vs to glorifie our God, when we see that he hath stretched out his mighty arme ouer vs. And so we see, that that doctrine was not vttered onely for the instruction