Sermons upon Deuteronomy

But now let us see how every of us is stirred up thereby, to serve him. Nay it should seem we seek nothing else but towels to hid our eyes withal, and that we believe not the things which are & ought to be most apparent to us. Yet was not this doctrine uttered to no end. For if God have showed us by his deeds, that •e dwelleth among us, & have reached out his hand from heaven, to prove that all power belongeth […] him, and that he will be the saviour of his church, & yet we believe it not, but play the blind buzzards, and turn our backs upon him, shutting our eyes wilfully when we should take most heed to consider in what wise the Lord hath showed himself to be the father & saviour, both of our selves & of all that are his: what excuse will there be for us? Ye see then here is a lesson that toucheth us. For if ever God uttered himself: surely we of our time have seen such deeds of his, as are worthy of remembrance. And when men shall rehearse them a hundred years hereafter, (if the world endure so long) it is certain that they shall serve to make them ashamed that shall have heard them spoken of, so we may well say, (as is said by the prophets) that the strangeness of them shall make their ears to glow that shall hear of them:¹ for that is the manner of speech which the Prophets use in such cases. And we have seen these things, and had experience of them. Now if the report of them in time to come, ought to move the people that shall be then: although they shall have had none other knowledge of them: ought not we much rather to be moved by them now presently? Ought they not to pierce our hearts? Must not Satan needs have utterly sotted us, when after such perceiving of gods benefits & power, we see nothing at all, but go on still & conceive nothing? Is such blockishness to be borne with? No verily. And therefore let us bethink ourselves, & consider well how god hath wrought in gathering us together, & in that we can worship him purely as he requireth. Who is he, (be he a citizen borne or a stranger,) which hath not cause to say, lo how my god hath so uttered himself to me, as if I had seen his hand come down from heaven to me in some visible shape? For what hope had they which are here townsmen borne, to be either in liberty, or to be but even a mean people? Insomuch as it seemed that all should have gone to wrack, & come to utter ruin ere this time.

But now let vs se how euery of vs is stirred vp therby, to serue him. Nay it should seeme we seeke nothing else but towels to hid our eyes withal, and yt we beleeue not the thinges which are & ought to be most apparant to vs. Yet was not this doctrine vttred to no end. For if God haue shewed vs by his deeds, that e dwelleth amōg vs, & haue reached out his hand frō heauen, to proue yt all power belongeth him, and yt he wilbe ye sauior of his church, & yet we beleeue it not, but play ye blind bussards, and turne our backs vpon him, shutting our eyes wilfully when we should take most heed to cōsider in what wise ye Lord hath shewed himselfe to be ye father & sauior, both of our selues & of al yt are his: what excuse will there be for vs? Ye see then here is a lesson yt toucheth vs. For if euer God vttered himselfe: surely we of our time haue seene such deeds of his, as are worthy of remēbrance. And whē men shal reherse thē a hundred yeres hereafter, (if ye world indure so long) it is certain yt they shal serue to make them ashamed yt shall haue heard thē spoken of, so we may wel say, (as is said by ye prophets) yt the strāgenes of thē shal make their eares to glow yt shal heare of thē: