Sermons upon Deuteronomy

If a man have played the unthrift and wasted away both his own goods and other mens: shall his creditor be bound to bring him his obligation and to say, take thee here thy bond, thou owest me nothing? The creditor will at leastwise keep still his obligation, and although the unthrift have not wherewith to pay: yet ought he to do homage to his creditor, and to stand bound unto him still, and not to deny him his debt. Now God deserveth well to be much more privileged than mortal men. Wherefore let us consider that we owe him a hundred thousand fold more than all the debts of gold and silver in the world. So then, Gods righteousness is an inviolable thing, so that the order of nature ought rather to be abolished. Now then if men be lewd and froward, doth it follow therefore, that they should pluck the sun out of the sky, or make the earth to be confounded? True it is that there happen many confusions by reason of our sins, insomuch that our Lord sendeth both rain, and thunder, hails, and tempests, and such other like things: but yet for all that, the order of nature continueth unimpaired after such turmoiling. Therefore we must understand, that although we be lewd, and there is nothing but unrighteousness and naughtiness in us: Yet must. Gods justice and right continue perfect and unimpaired as in respect of the commandments: and we must needs stoop to them, and suffer our selves to be condemned for not discharging our duties. Do we then hear this sum of the Law, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength? Let it make us conclude that we be all damned and accursed before God, and that there is none other shift for us, but to flee to his mercy: and that we be not condemned for any one sin, or for two or three: but that God findeth us guilty in all points & all respects. And for proof thereof, let us examine well the best works that we can have done in all our life: and there will be still some fancy or other to turn us away, so as we shall not go on so freely towards God, but that there will be some temptation mingled therewith, or some toy to pluck us back, & the devil shall have endeavoured to cool us. And when it fareth so with us, it is a plain corruption to infect the thing that should be good and commendable in our works.

If a man haue played the vnthrift and wasted away both his owne goods and other mens: shall his creditor bee bound to bring him his obligation and to say, take thee here thy bond, thou owest me nothing? The creditor will at leastwise keepe still his obligation, and although the vnthrift haue not wherewith to pay: yet ought he to doe homage to his creditor, and to stand bound vnto him still, and not to deny him his dette. Now God deserueth well to bee much more priuiledged than mortall men. Wherefore let vs consider that we owe him a hundred thowsand fold more than al the debts of gold and siluer in the world. So then, Gods righteousnesse is an inuiolable thing, so that the order of nature ought rather to bee abolished. Now then if men bee lewde and froward, doth it follow therefore, that they should pluck the sonne out of the skie, or make the earth to bee confounded? True it is that there happen many confusions by reason of our sinnes, insomuch that our Lorde sendeth both raine, and thunder, hayles, and tempestes, and such other like thinges: but yet for all that, the order of nature continueth vnappayred after such turmoyling. Therefore wee must vnderstande, that although wee bee lewde, and there is nothing but vnrighteousnesse and naughtinesse in vs: Yet must. Gods iustice and righte continue perfecte and vnappayred as in respecte of the commaundementes: and we must needes stoope to them, and suffer our selues to bee condemned for not dischardging our dueties. Do we then heare this summe of the Law, Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with al thy hearte, with all thy soule, with all thy minde, and with all thy strength? Let it make vs conclude that we be all damned and accursed before God, and that there is none other shifte for vs, but to flee to his mercie: aad that we bee not condemned for any one sinne, or for two or three: but yt God findeth vs guiltie in al pointes & al respects. And for proofe therof, let vs examine wel ye best works that we can haue done in all our life: and there wil be stil some fancie or other to turn vs away, so as we shal not goe on so freely towardes God, but yt there wil be some temptatiō mingled therwith, or som toy to pluck vs back, & the diuel shal haue endeuered to coole vs. And when it fareth so wt vs, it is a plaine corruption to infect ye thing yt shold be good and commendable in our works.