Sermons upon Deuteronomy

The second is that forasmuch as God hath pitied us, he beareth with our works, & intendeth not to sift them with rigour, but admitteth them for good & available, though there be many infirmities & vices in them. But yet for all that, we must understand that he will not so bear with our infirmities, that we should take leave to abuse his mercy: for then should we deal too lewdly. And yet nevertheless it appeareth by experience, that as soon as men hear that God forgiveth them their sins, & saveth them of his own goodness: they dispense with themselves, & take leave to do evil: & under colour that they be freed from the bondage and cursedness wherein they were by nature, they overshoot themselves into all disorder. But God will not be so mocked, he will not have the goodness which he useth towards us, to be made an occasion of sinning. For our Lord Jesus Christ is come to destroy the kingdom of Satan,¹ as it is showed us. So then, although God will have us to impute all the good which he doth us, unto his free mercy: yet doth he put this condition to it, that he will have us to serve him. Although the inheritance which is promised us depend not upon our own works: yet will he have us to be his children for it, seeing he showeth himself to be our father. Although it become us not to look for any thing in respect of all the service that we do him, forasmuch as we be well assured that they▪ be not of such value as we can rest upon them: yet notwithstanding inasmuch as God hath called us to him into the way of salvation: he will not have us to fall to kicking against him. His Church must not be a Hoggescote, but a temple dedicated to his honour. So then, seeing God hath adopted us, we must live as his children, so as we may show that he hath not called & invited us to the inheritance of the heavenly life in vain. For if we can find no savour in it, are we not worthy to be banished & shut out of it?² Yes. Again, if we go thitherward, ought we not to despise these transitory things, and to pass through this world as strangers, & not to be wedded to this earthly trash? That then is the second reason why our Lord addeth the condition that he will be served & honoured at our hands.

The second is yt forasmuch as God hath pitied vs, he beareth with our workes, & intendeth not to sift them with rigor, but admitteth thē for good & auaileable, though there be many infirmities & vices in thē. But yet for all yt, wee must vnderstand yt he will not so beare wt our infirmities, yt we should take leaue to abuse his mercie: for then should we deale too lewdly. And yet neuerthelesse it appeareth by experiēce, yt as soone as men heare yt God forgiueth thē their sinnes, & saueth them of his owne goodnesse: they dispence wt themselues, & take leaue to doe euil: & vnder colour yt they bee freed frō ye bondage and cursednesse wherin they were by nature, they ouershoot thēselues into all disorder. But God wil not be so mocked, he wil not haue the goodnesse which he vseth towardes vs, to be made an occasiō of sinning. For our Lord Iesus Christ is come to destroy ye kingdome of Satan,