Sermons upon Deuteronomy

And therefore let us weigh well these words where he sayeth, Get ye hence and possess the land. God sayeth not singly to his faithful ones, go your ways, see what ye can do, try your strength, and in the mean while leaveth them at all adventures: no, but he sayeth to them, Go to possess. As if he should say, do but only apply your selves to serve me, and let me alone with the doing of it. for I will work after such a sort, as he that endeavoureth to follow me shall not lose his labour, he shall not take pain in vain. I will make all his doings to prosper. That then is the thing that we have to mark upon this strain. And therefore what excuse is there for us, if we follow not our Lord whither soever he call us, considering that this voice, Go and possess, ought to sound in our ears? And if it were spoken for the land of Canaan, much more shall it be avowed and verified still at this day. Wherefore whensoever we be slow to obey God, loath to part from this world, or astonished with distresses: let us enter into such thoughts as these: Alas, is it possible for to me to come unto God? how may I overcome so many and so great distresses? It far surmounteth all my power and strength. When we be so encumbered and brought in perplexity and doubt, let us bethink our selves thus: well, seeing it hath pleased God to show himself to me, it is good reason that I should be contented with the assurance that he hath given me, and with the experience of his goodness which he hath made me to feel. And so must we pass on forward still, notwithstanding all the temptations of distrust that may come in our heads.

And therefore let vs wey wel these wordes where he sayeth, Get yee hence and possesse the land. God sayeth not singly to his faithfull ones, goe your wayes, see what ye can doe, trye your strength, and in the meane while leaueth them at all aduentures: no, but he sayeth to them, Go to possesse. As if he should say, doe but onely apply your selues to serue me, and let me alone with the doing of it. for I will worke after such a sort, as he that endeuoreth to followe me shall not lose his labor, he shal not take paine in vain. I will make all his doings to prosper. That then is the thing that wee haue to marke vppon this streyne. And therefore what excuse is there for vs, if we followe not our Lord whither soeuer he call vs, considering that this voyce, Goe and possesse, ought to sound in our eares? And if it were spoken for ye land of Chanaan, much more shall it be auowed and verified still at this day. Wherefore whensoeuer we be slowe to obey God, loath to part from this world, or astonished with distresses: let vs enter into such thoughts as these: Alas, is it possible for to me to come vnto God? how may I ouercome so manie and so great distresses? It farre surmounteth all my power and strength. When we be so incombred and brought in perplexitie and doubt, let vs bethinke our selues thus: well, seeing it hath pleased God to shewe himselfe to me, it is good reason that I should be contented with the assurance that he hath giuen me, and with the experience of his goodnesse which hee hath made me to feele. And so must we passe on foreward still, notwithstanding all the temptations of distrust that may come in our heads.