Sermons upon Deuteronomy

He useth there a vehemency as though he could not find words fit to exhort the people and sufficiently to prick them forward. In that he sayeth, Go to my friends, be well advised that you harden not your hearts: he showeth what is the cause of all mischief, and why we profit no better by Gods teaching of us. Namely that besides that we be full of naughtiness, and so sinful by nature, that whereas our hearts ought to be sustained to receive that which God sayeth, it may seem that we intend of set purpose to harden them against him: we do moreover fall to stomacking against him with a certain spitefulness, as if we would say, what care I to obey God? Shall I be bridled of my will like a beast? Beware of that sayeth he: for ye know what happened to your Fathers. The Prophet casteth them in the teeth with the things that had been done by their forefathers in old time, to the intent they should not boast of their descending from the holy Patriarchs. Behold sayeth he, your forefathers were rebels: & how then have you continued unto this day? Is it not through Gods mercy? Yes: for ye should have perished utterly. Again, seeing your God hath pitied you being Abraham his race: think not that he will have ye to run back again, so as ye should be always new to begin. For when he hath borne with you a while, he must be fain to make you pay your arrearages all at once. Thus ye see that the way for us to put this sentence in practise, is to understand that when God shall have pardoned our faults oftentimes, he shall have just cause to punish us the more grievously, if we cease not to provoke him still, but will needs be the boulder to do evil, under pretence ⟨p. 294⟩that he hath not used extremity towards us. If God see that in us: he can well call us to account for all the things that he had pardoned before. For his pardoning of us is with condition, that we should humble our selves, and consider all our life after, how much we be beholden unto him. If an offender have obtained favour, and thereupon he fall to spiting of him to whom he is beholden for his life, within a day or twain after: doeth he not deserve to have his former §10lewdness brought to remembrance again, and to be reckoned withal from point to point, and to have his unthankfulness laid afore him, for his abusing of the favour that had bin showed him? Yes:

He vseth there a vehemencie as though he could not finde words fit to exhort the people and sufficiently to prick them forwarde. In that hee saieth, Goe to my freindes, bee well aduised that you harden not your heartes: he sheweth what is the cause of al mischeife, and why we profit no better by Gods teaching of vs. Namely that besides that we bee full of naughtinesse, and so sinfull by nature, that whereas our heartes ought to be susteined to receaue that which God sayeth, it may seeme that wee intende of set purpose to harden them against him: we doe moreouer fall to stomacking against him with a certaine spitefulnesse, as if we would say, what care I to obey God? Shall I bee brideled of my will like a beast? Beware of that sayeth he: for ye knowe what happened to your Fathers. The Prophet casteth them in the teeth with the thinges that had beene done by their forefathers in olde time, to the intent they shoulde not boast of their descending from the holy Patriarkes. Beholde saieth he, your forefathers were rebels: & how thē haue you continued vnto this day? Is it not through Gods mercie? Yes: for ye shoulde haue perished vtterly. Againe, seeing your God hath pitied you being Abraham his race: thinke not that he will haue ye to runne backe again, so as ye should bee alwayes newe to begin. For when he hath borne with you a while, he must bee faine to make you pay your arrerages all at once. Thus ye see that the way for vs to put this sentence in practise, is to vnderstand that when God shall haue pardoned our faultes oftentimes, hee shall haue iust cause to punish vs the more grieuously, if wee ceasse not to prouoke him still, but will needes bee the boulder to doe euill, vnder pretence