Sermons upon Deuteronomy

But is this all? No, behold here is yet a much more cursed blasphemy, in that the people spiteth GOD, repining at his bringing of them out of Egypt, and charging him with hatred towards them. And whereof came this? No doubt but he maketh it plain: namely for that men seek covert in doing evil, and make no conscience to accuse God and to blaspheme his holy name, to the end to have some colour wherewith to hide their own wickedness. Thus you see how men deal, when they cannot find in their hearts to yield unto God. They will needs still justify themselves in their disobedience, specially when God presseth upon them and holdeth them at a bay, yea and layeth in such evidence against them, as they be convicted: for then do they seek starting-holes to justify themselves even in despite of God, accusing him and laying all the fault upon him. Truly this is a cursed kind of dealing, but yet we see it is common, insomuch that men do make even an art of it. How many are there to be found, that will not blame God to clear themselves? If a man blame them for it, and charge them with their faults: they will not grant that their intent was so: but yet the deed bewrayeth that it is so. If a man be rebuked for his vices, with whom hath he to do? In deed it may be that it is but a mortal man which findeth fault with him & saith, thou hast done this or that: but yet must he understand that the judgement is Gods. When soever any man telleth us that we have done amiss: we must not look at him that speaketh, for Gods word is the judge. Therefore must every man city himself, and as oft as he is warned of any offence, he must offer himself to Gods judgement seat, & consider that it is the place where he must appear to make his account. Now let us see how every of us is inclined or disposed to confess his faults. Nay, contrariwise we seek all the shifts we can, to shroud our selves, & we have our lurking-holes, insomuch that even when we be too manifestly convicted of our sins, yet we ⟨p. 34⟩cease not to wrangle still. But our Lord will not suffer us to scape him so by our fond excuses. He followeth still upon us, and then begin we to gnash our teeth at him. We see that these would excuse themselves. But when they fall to replying, with how so? see we not that the evil is already apparent?

But is this all? No, behold here is yet a much more cursed blasphemie, in that the people spyteth GOD, repyning at his bringing of them out of Egypt, and charging him with hatred towardes them. And whereof came this? No doubt but hee maketh it playne: namely for that men seeke couert in dooing euill, and make no conscience to accuse God and to blaspheme his holy name, to the ende to haue some colour wherewith to hide their owne wickednesse. Thus you see how men deale, when they cannot finde in their hartes to yeeld vnto God. They will needes still iustifie themselues in their disobedience, specially when God preaceth vppon them and holdeth them at a bay, yea and layeth in such euidence against them, as they be conuicted: for then doe they seeke startingholes to iustifie themselues euen in despite of God, accusing him and laying all the fault vppon him. Truely this is a cursed kinde of dealing, but yet we see it is common, insomuch that men doe make euen an arte of it. How many are there to be found, that wil not blame God to cleare themselues? If a man blame them for it, and charge them with their faultes: they will not graunt that their intent was so: but yet the deede bewrayeth that it is so. If a man bee rebuked for his vices, with whom hath he to doe? In deede it may be yt it is but a mortall man which findeth fault with him & sayth, thou hast done this or that: but yet must he vnderstand that the iudgement is Gods. When soeuer any man telleth vs that we haue done amisse: wee must not looke at him that speaketh, for Gods word is the iudge. Therefore must euery man cyte himselfe, and as oft as he is warned of any offēce, he must offer himself to Gods iudgemēt seat, & consider yt yt is the place where he must appeare to make his account. Now let vs se how euery of vs is inclined or disposed to cōfesse his faults. Nay, cōtrariwise we seeke al ye shifts we can, to shroud our selues, & we haue our lurkingholes, insomuch yt euen whē we be too manifestly cōuicted of our sins, yet we