Sermons upon Deuteronomy

So then, whensoever the law seemeth over rough & sharp unto us, & our wicked lusts tickle us to spurn against God, so as it is hard for us to do as he commandeth us: let us bethink our selves thus: Thou wretched wight, is the law of thy god burdensome & grievous to thee? what demandeth he of thee? whereat shoteth he? His demand is that thou shouldest love him, honour him, & serve him: & wilt thou in this case become an unnatural monster? Shall the life which thy god hath given thee, serve to make thee kick against him? wilt thou grieve thy maker who hath created thee & shaped thee, & doeth also maintain thee? Were it not better that heaven & earth were mingled together, & that all things were confounded; than that it might be said that thou makest no reckoning of thy god? nay rather, that thou spitest him of set purpose, insomuch that there is neither law nor scripture that can bring thee to such obedience, as to make thee yield glory to thy God? Is it not reason that we should serve God, when he uttereth such goodness towards us, as to tell us that he will be our father, specially by planting the belief of his Gospel in us? Now then, as the earth when it is lusty & in good plight doth always bring forth some thing or other, to show that it hath heart in it, so, seeing that God hath given us understanding & reason above the brute beasts, it becometh us to consider that his doing thereof is to the end that we should know him that made us, of purpose that we should serve & honour him, and stoop to him with all humility, assuring ourselves that he ought to have sovereign dominion over all creatures. Therefore let us mark well, that when soever we be tempted to strive against God, and his law seemeth over heavy to us, and our affections fight against it, or go the clean contrary way from it; then to overmaster such frowardness of our nature, we must bethink us as it is told us here, What is it that thy God requireth ⟨p. 434⟩of thee? And then is it certain that we shall be too too much ashamed of our selves. For what shall we answer before the Angels of heaven, when this saying shall be laid afore us? For it shall be well laid to the charge of all such as have made none account of obeying God, & of all such as have despised him and his word. Yea and although the Angels were not to judge of it, verily even the Oxen, the Asses, the dogs & the very stones & trees might be our judges:

So then, whensoeuer the law seemeth ouer rough & sharpe vnto vs, & our wicked lusts tickle vs to spurne against God, so as it is hard for vs to do as he cōmandeth vs: let vs bethink our selues thus: Thou wretched wight, is ye law of thy god burdensom & grieuous to thee? what demandeth he of thee? wherat shoteth he? His demand is yt thou shouldest loue him, honor him, & serue him: & wilt thou in this case becom an vnnatural monster? Shal ye life which thy god hath giuen thee, serue to make thee kick against him? wilt thou grieue thy maker who hath created thee & shaped thee, & doeth also maintaine thee? Were it not better yt heauen & earth were mingled togither, & yt al things were cōfounded; than yt it might be said that thou makest no reckening of thy god? nay rather, yt thou spitest him of set purpose, insomuch yt there is neither lawe nor scripture yt can bring thee to such obediēce, as to make thee yeeld glory to thy God? Is it not reason yt we should serue God, when he vttereth such goodnes towards vs, as to tel vs yt he wilbe our father, specially by planting ye beleefe of his Gospell in vs? Now then, as the earth when it is lustie & in good plight doth alwayes bring forth some thing or other, to shewe that it hath heart in it, so, seeing yt God hath giuen vs vnderstanding & reason aboue the brute beasts, it becommeth vs to consider yt his doing thereof is to the ende that we should knowe him that made vs, of purpose that we should serue & honour him, and stoop to him with al humility, assuring ourselues that he ought to haue soueraigne dominiō ouer all creatures. Therfore let vs marke wel, yt when soeuer we be tempted to striue against God, and his lawe seemeth ouer heauie to vs, and our affections fight against it, or go the cleane contrary way from it; then to ouermaister such frowardnesse of our nature, we must bethinke vs as it is told vs here, What is it that thy God requireth