Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Nevertheless it is not for nought that Moses sayeth also, that God brought out the people before his face: as if he should say, he was their guide. For had GOD reached out his hand to his people but for once, and thenceforth have let them alone: to what purpose had that been? It is not enough for a mother to help up her young child when he is fallen down: for he may fall a hundred thousand times, and in the end break his neck: but she must hold him up still. Even so our Lord declareth that it was not enough for him to have showed himself to be a deliverer of his people for a day or two: but he held on still, and conveyed them before his face, as a man that hath his eye continually upon his child. To be short, he showeth here that his goodness abode with the people even to the end, so as he held on in helping and succouring them, and maintained them throughout. And why? for else his bringing of them out of the land of Egypt had been in vain.

Neuerthelesse it is not for nought that Moses saieth also, that God brought out the people before his face: as if hee shoulde say, hee was their guide. For had GOD reached out his hande to his people but for once, and thencefoorth haue let them alone: to what purpose had that beene? It is not ynough for a mother to helpe vp her young childe when hee is falne downe: for hee may fall a hundred thousande times, and in the ende breake his necke: but shee must holde him vp still. Euen so our Lorde declareth that it was not ynough for him to haue shewed himselfe to bee a deliuerer of his people for a day or two: but hee helde on still, and conueyed them before his face, as a man that hath his eye continually vppon his childe. To bee short, hee sheweth heere that his goodnesse abode with the people euen to the ende, so as hee helde on in helping and succoring them, and mainteined them throughout. And why? for else his bringing of them out of the lande of Egypt had beene in vaine.

And afterward he addeth, To destroy people mightier and stronger than they, that their land might be given them to inherit. He showeth that God ceased not to go through with his favour towards the Jews, till he had performed the promise that he made to their fathers: that is to wit, of putting them in possession of the land of Canaan as he had promised. But (as I have said already) we must compare our selves with the state of that people. And therefore let us learn, that God not only draweth us out of the gulf of hell, and out of the cursedness wherein we were borne, and which would hold us always locked under his wrath: but also holdeth on and continueth his goodness towards us, so as he will not miss but have his eye still upon us, to watch over us unto the end. And if our Lord had not such a care to defend us: in what taking were we? Should not the devil snatch us up every minute of an hour? We see he trotteth up and down seeking ever to devour,