Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Now Moses addeth immediately, Ye shall not follow any other Gods, the Gods of the heathen §60which dwell round about you. When he sayeth, ye shall not follow any other Gods: he showeth us that we cannot mingle the true religion with any abuses, or with any thing devised by unbelievers, but by and by all is marred, and God disavoweth it, as soon as we swerve one way or other from the plain trueth, and from the rule that he hath given us. For it is not said simply, you shall not renounce your GOD: but they be forbidden to follow any other Gods. So then let us mark well, that if we intend to serve the living God, we must hold our selves to him alone, and worship him with such uncorruptnesse, as all idols be utterly cast down, and all superstitions cut off and cast behind us. And if this were well observed, we should no more be put to such pains, neither should we have so many bickerings as we have. For what causeth the troubles that are nowadays in the world, and that there is such division between us and the Papists? For both of us confess that there is but one God: that ground is common to us both, both of us name him the maker of heaven and earth, and both of us take Jesus Christ for our redeemer: and yet notwithstanding we be at so great odds, that the Turks and the Jews are not more divided from us than the Papists are. Whereof cometh this? Not that the Papists do utterly renounce GOD: but because they will needs make a mingled and confused hotchpotch of all the Religions of the world. They have raked together all abuses, all Satan's trumpery, and all the superstitions that ever have been: and that term they the service of God. It is no part of their meaning to hold themselves to the pureness of the holy scripture, and of the Law and the Gospel: but to the things which they have devised of their own brain. They will needs have those things mingled with the pure seed: and that is such a corruption, as God is utterly shaken of by it. Although men think it not▪ or at leastwise confess it not with their mouth: yet hath he no more place where those things are. So then (as I said afore), if this saying which forbiddeth us to follow any other Gods were well observed: we might easily agree nowadays with the Papists. For the controversy here concerneth not the only name.

Nowe Moses addeth immediately, Yee shall not followe any other Gods, the Gods of the heathen §60which dwell rounde about you. When hee saieth, yee shall not followe any other Gods: hee sheweth vs that wee cannot mingle the true religion with any abuses, or with any thing deuised by vnbeleeuers, but by and by all is mard, and God disauoweth it, as soone as wee swarue one way or other from the plaine trueth, and from the rule that hee hath giuen vs. For it is not saide simply, you shall not renounce your GOD: but they bee forbidden to followe any other Gods. So then let vs marke wel, that if wee intende to serue the liuing God, we must holde our selues to him alone, and worshippe him with such vncorruptnesse, as all ydoles bee vtterly cast downe, and all superstitions cut off and cast behinde vs. And if this were well obserued, wee shoulde no more bee put to such paines, neither shoulde wee haue so manie bickerings as wee haue. For what causeth the troubles that are nowadayes in the worlde, and that there is such diuision betweene vs and the Papistes? For both of vs confesse that there is but one God: that grounde is common to vs both, both of vs name him the maker of heauen and earth, and both of vs take Iesus Christ for our redeemer: and yet notwithstanding we bee at so greate oddes, that the Turkes and the Iewes are not more deuided from vs than the Papistes are. Whereof commeth this? Not that the Papistes doe vtterly renounce GOD: but because they will needes make a mingled and confused hotchpotch of all the Religions of the worlde. They haue raked together all abuses, all Sathans trumperie, and all the superstitions that euer haue beene: and that terme they the seruice of God. It is no part of their meaning to holde themselues to the purenesse of the holy scripture, and of the Lawe and the Gospell: but to the thinges which they haue deuised of their owne braine. They will needes haue those thinges mingled with the pure seede: and that is such a corruption, as God is vtterly shaken of by it. Although men thinke it not or at leastwise confesse it not with their mouth: yet hath hee no more place where those thinges are. So then (as I saide afore), if this saying which forbiddeth vs to followe any other Gods were well obserued: we might easily agree nowadayes with the Papistes. For the controuersie heere concerneth not the onely name.