Sermons upon Deuteronomy

And therefore seeing we on our side be so sleepy, and our enemy on the other side is so watching to cut our throats: it is good reason that we should so be overcome. For seeing that God warneth us to stand at our defence, & we vouchsafe not to be mindful of it, & to call upon him & to refer our selves unto his protection; must he not needs show us by experience, that his warning of us is not without cause? Yes; & therefore let us bear this exhortation in mind, & specially when God is to be served (as I said afore), let us assure our selves there needeth nothing to dazzle our eyes, as appeareth by experience. As soon as the true & pure religion is stablished in any place; by & by men fall to embasing of it; for their very nature affordeth it. And therefore so much the more behoveth it us to hold our selves as imprisoned, and not to swerve one way nor other, that we may hold our selves continually in the pure simplicity of Gods word. Again let us not be out of quiet though never so many men do turn out of the right way: for it is their kind so to do. Wherefore let us strengthen our selves against such stumbling blocks, when we see corruptions creep in again, & that such as were in a good trade do disgrace themselves. Sith it is so that men do easily fall asleep, & take no heed to themselves: let us not marvel though every thing of nothing do corrupt them. Thus ye see how this sentence may serve us to double purpose.

And therefore seeing we on our side be so sleepie, and our enemie on ye other side is so watching to cut our throates: it is good reason yt we should so be ouercome. For seeing yt God warneth vs to stand at our defence, & we voutsafe not to be mindeful of it, & to cal vpon him & to refer our selues vnto his protectiō; must he not needes shew vs by experience, yt his warning of vs is not wtout cause? Yes; & therefore let vs beare this exhortation in mind, & specially when God is to be serued (as I said afore), let vs assure our selues there needeth nothing to dazle our eies, as appeareth by experience. As soone as ye true & pure religion is stablished in any place; by & by mē fal to imbacing of it; for their very nature affordeth it. And therfore so much ye more behoueth it vs to hold our selues as imprisoned, and not to swarue one way nor other, yt we may hold our selues continually in ye pure simplicitie of Gods word. Againe let vs not be out of quiet though neuer so many mē do turne out of ye right way: for it is their kinde so to do. Wherfore let vs strengthē our selues against such stumbling blocks, when we see corruptions creepe in againe, & that such as were in a good trade doe disgrace themselues. Sith it is so yt men doe easily fall asleepe, & take no heede to themselues: let vs not maruell though euery thing of nothing do corrupt them. Thus ye see how this sentence may serue vs to dubble purpose.