Sermons upon Deuteronomy

But it should seem at the first sight, that here were some contrariety. For first the people say, This day have we seen how God speaketh with men, and that they continue alive still: and afterward they say again: we dye if God speak to us. For by all likelihood, if we have once found by experience that God speaketh to us without destroying of us: it ought to embolden us. And why? For seeing we remain alive still after we have heard the voice of God once: why should we not do so still after twice or thrice, as well as after once? And here the people say, We have heard the voice of God: but if he speak to us again, we dye for it, we be undone, we be forlorn. It seemeth that they trust not to Gods goodness, but rather that they be unthankful, in that they acknowledge not the benefit which God did for them in letting them continue in their strength. But we must mark how the people show here, that they will not try God any further, and that it is enough for them to have had that one experience, that the law was not a thing invented by man, but that God was the author thereof. Therefore it must be taken as if they had said thus: This day have we seen that God hath spoken to men, and they remain still alive: that is enough for us: we intend not to abuse Gods patience in this case: he hath spared us to day, but we must not look that he should do so ever: he hath given us a trial for this once, & that was because of the lewdness & hardness of our hearts. For were we worthy to have him appear to us in his glory? No: but he knew that we would never be fully tamed & subdued to his obedience, except he had come in his visible glory, & made us so afraid as we had bin at our wits end. Therefore if he had not won us so by force, he knew well that we would have bin always as wild beasts. But seeing it hath pleased him to pardon the fault that we have committed, & to bear with us this time: we will not fall to it again: for it were overmuch: it were a scorning of his patience. So then, this one record sufficeth us, both for our own lives and for the lives of our children, & so forth for ever to the worlds end, that they which come after us may know that it is not for us to draw God out of heaven any more, as though he ought to be but our mate. Thus ye see how these two sayings agree very well.

But it should seeme at the first sight, that heere were some contrarietie. For first the people say, This day haue wee seene how God speaketh with men, and that they continue aliue still: and afterwarde they say againe: wee dye if God speake to vs. For by all lykelyhoode, if wee haue once found by experience yt God speaketh to vs without destroying of vs: it ought to imbolden vs. And why? For seeing wee remaine aliue still after wee haue heard the voyce of God once: why should wee not doe so still after twise or thrice, as well as after once? And here the people say, Wee haue heard the voyce of God: but if hee speake to vs againe, wee dye for it, wee bee vndone, wee bee forlorne. It seemeth that they trust not to Gods goodnesse, but rather that they be vnthankefull, in that they acknowledge not the benefite which God did for them in letting thē continue in their strength. But wee must marke how the people shew here, that they wil not try God any further, and that it is enough for them to haue had that one experience, that the lawe was not a thing inuented by man, but that God was the author thereof. Therefore it must be taken as if they had sayd thus: This day haue we seene that God hath spokē to men, and they remaine still aliue: that is enough for vs: we intend not to abuse Gods patience in this case: he hath spared vs to day, but wee must not looke yt he should doe so euer: he hath giuen vs a tryall for this once, & that was because of ye lewdnesse & hardnesse of our heartes. For were we worthie to haue him appeare to vs in his glory? No: but he knew yt we would neuer be fully tamed & subdued to his obediēce, except he had come in his visible glorie, & made vs so afraide as we had bin at our wits end. Therfore if he had not won vs so by force, he knew wel that we would haue bin always as wild beasts. But seing it hath pleased him to pardon the fault that we haue cōmitted, & to beare with vs this time: we wil not fal to it againe: for yt were ouermuch: it were a skorning of his patience. So then, this one recorde sufficeth vs, both for our owne liues and for the liues of our children, & so forth for euer to the worlds end, yt they which come after vs may knowe yt it is not for vs to draw God out of heauen any more, as though he ought to be but our mate. Thus yee see how these two sayings agree very wel.