Sermons upon Deuteronomy

And hereby we see how greatly the wretched world hath been abused by making intercession to Saints. When men read that Moses was heard, and likewise Elijah: they concluded thereupon, O then must we resort to the He-saints and she-saints, and they must be our advocates and Patrons to God. Yea but the meaning of the holy scripture is clean contrary, as I have declared already, according to the saying of Saint James. For when God saith so: it is not to make us to run unto Moses: but it is to the end that by his example we should not doubt to pray also: for the promises belong to us as well as to him. Like as Moses trusted not in his own goodness, ne pressed before God as more worthy than the rest of the people: but only as knowing that God called & allured him thereunto: so also let us now ground our selves upon the promises whereby God encourageth us to come unto him, yea and to come without doubting that he will reach us his hand, even without regarding whether there be any worthiness in us or no. For we shall find none in us: but it is enough for us that our Lord biddeth us come, and our obeying of him liketh him better than all the virtues that we could bring with us, if there were any in us. Therefore it is too gross an oversight, that whereas God encourageth us to come unto him with prayer and supplication after the example of the holy Prophets: we thereupon should contrariwise make them our Patrons and Advocates to shift our selves from repairing unto him. Again on the other side, although Moses prayed for the people while he was in this world: Doeth it follow that the same charge is committed to him now still in heaven? Doeth the scripture tell us that Moses maketh intercession for us still? So then, it is as it were a dragging of the holy scripture by the hair of the head, (as men say,) and a racking of it to falsehood, when the things that are spoken of men alive, are wrested to them dead. Therefore let us hold us contented with this common doctrine, that is to wit that every of us must take heart to pray unto God, because his promises are made to all men without exception. For our petitions are not grounded upon our own worthiness: but upon Gods goodness, in that he showeth him self so free hearted as to reach out his hand to receive us.

And hereby wee see howe greatly the wretched worlde hath beene abused by making intercession to Saincts. When men read that Moses was hearde, and likewise Helias: they concluded thereupon, O then must we resort to the Heesainctes and sheesaincts, and they must be our aduocates and Patrons to God. Yea but the meaning of the holy scripture is cleane contrarie, as I haue declared alreadie, according to the saying of Saint Iames. For when God sayth so: it is not to make vs to runne vnto Moses: but it is to the ende that by his example we shoulde not doubt to pray also: for the promises belong to vs as well as to him. Like as Moses trusted not in his owne goodnesse, ne preased before God as more worthie than the rest of the people: but only as knowing that God called & allured him thereunto: so also let vs nowe grounde our selues vppon the promises whereby God incourageth vs to come vnto him, yea and to come without doubting that hee will reach vs his hande, euen without regarding whether there bee any worthinesse in vs or no. For wee shall finde none in vs: but it is enough for vs that our Lorde biddeth vs come, and our obeying of him liketh him better than all the vertues that wee coulde bring with vs, if there were any in vs. Therefore it is too grosse an ouersight, that whereas God incourageth vs to come vnto him with prayer and supplication after the example of the holy Prophetes: wee thereupon shoulde contrariwise make them our Patrons and Aduocates to shift our selues from repayring vnto him. Againe on the otherside, although Moses prayed for the people while he was in this worlde: Doeth it followe that the same charge is committed to him nowe still in heauen? Doeth the scripture tell vs that Moses maketh intercession for vs still? So then, it is as it were a dragging of the holy scripture by the haire of the heade, (as men saye,) and a racking of it to falsehoode, when the thinges that are spoken of men aliue, are wrested to them dead. Therefore let vs holde vs contented with this common doctrine, that is to wit that euerie of vs must take heart to pray vnto God, because his promises are made to all men without exception. For our petitions are not grounded vpon our owne worthinesse: but vppon Gods goodnesse, in that he sheweth him selfe so free hearted as to reach out his hande to receyue vs.