Sermons upon Deuteronomy

And to the end that folk should know that God meant not to teach them by halves: he rehearseth the thing again which we have seen heretofore namely his statutes, ordinances, commandments and Ceremonies. As if he should say there wanteth not any thing in his doctrine, neither ought the people to covet any thing more. This hath been declared more at large already. Notwithstanding, whensoever God useth such diversity of words to us, whereas he might say in one word the Law: let us mark, that it serveth to restrain men the better from fond curiosity of adding any thing to his law, as the thing which we see we be too much given unto by nature, forasmuch as our flesh provoketh us continually to invent, I know not what new thing. And that is the cause why in popery every man hath adventured to cast to his collop, & to make so many laws one upon another. For why? They thought it not enough to live plainly according to gods word, but that it would be good to ad still some mingle-mangle. But contrariwise God telleth us that if we have his law, we have statutes, commandments, ordinances and rites enow: as if he should say that mortal men ought not to stand so much in their own conceits, as to ⟨p. 262⟩go about to be wiser than he. For when they have made never so large discourses, yet can they not amend any part [of his doings] nor ad any thing to them, but whatsoever they put too further of their own, it shall be not only superfluous and unprofitable: but also a marring to all the rest, as if a man should mingle vinegar with good wine.

And to the end that folke should knowe yt God ment not to teach them by halues: he reherseth the thing again which we haue seene heretofore namely his statutes, ordinances, commandements and Ceremonies. As if he should say there wanteth not any thing in his doctrine, neither ought the people to couet any thing more. This hath bene declared more at large alreadie. Notwithstanding, whensoeuer God vseth such diuersitie of wordes to vs, wheras he might say in one word the Lawe: let vs marke, that it serueth to restraine men the better from fond curiositie of adding any thing to his law, as the thing which wee see we bee too much giuen vnto by nature, forasmuch as our flesh prouoketh vs continually to inuent, I know not what new thing. And yt is the cause why in popery euery mā hath aduētured to cast to his collup, & to make so many lawes one vpon another. For why? They thought it not ynough to liue plainly according to gods word, but yt it would be good to ad still some minglemangle. But contrariwise God telleth vs that if we haue his law, we haue statuts, commandements, ordinances and rites ynow: as if he should say yt mortal mē ought not to stand so much in their own conceits, as to