Sermons upon Deuteronomy

but God must be fain to bring us to that point again, by putting us in mind of our sloth and negligence, or else we shall dwell in it continually, and he must be fain also to show us the weakness & feebleness of our spirits. And in deed, very experience shows it: for the whisking of a fly before our eyes, is enough to make us run after it, & to do what we can to stop her. We build castles in the air, & by and by all vanisheth away. Now then seeing there are so many vanities in our brain, do we wonder that we do very quickly start away from God? What a number of occasions are there in this world, to turn us this way & that way, so as we shall be led & carried quite away ere ever we think on it? Again, Satan is such a subtle Sire, that if we be not well armed against him, we shall never continue in the obeying of our God. This repetition therefore is not superfluous, where God telleth us again, y• it is good for us to have his law written everywhere, so as we might read his commandments upon our fingers. And he hath disposed them into ten sentences, to the end they should be the better known unto us. For look how many fingers there are upon our hands, so many are the commandments of God, to the intent they should be the easier to bear in remembrance: so as there needeth no long registers, (which were hard to carry away,) forasmuch as he hath given us so short a rule, that if we be long in learning of it, we prove our selves to be wilful. To be short, if we shut not our eyes wilfully, we cannot say but that we may soon have learned the things which our god showeth us. Again sith it is his will that in stead of the deckings whereunto both men & women are too much given through fond desire of vainglory, we should have wherewith to put our selves in mind of his law, that we might be held in awe by it: what excuse will there be for us, if we fall to going astray, or if we be wedded to this world, or give our selves to wickedness? Thus much concerning this text.

but God must bee faine to bring vs to that point againe, by putting vs in minde of our flouth and negligence, or else we shall dwel in it continually, and he must be faine also to shewe vs the weaknesse & feeblenesse of our spirites. And in deede, very experience shewes it: for the whisking of a flye before our eyes, is ynough to make vs run after it, & to do what we can to stop her. Wee builde castles in ye aire, & by and by al vanisheth away. Now then seeing there are so many vanities in our braine, do we wonder yt we doe very quickly start away from God? What a nomber of occasions are there in this world, to turne vs this way & that way, so as we shal be led & caried quite away ere euer we thinke on it? Again, Satan is such a suttle Sire, that if we be not wel armed against him, we shal neuer continue in ye obeying of our God. This repetition therfore is not superfluous, where God telleth vs again, y it is good for vs to haue his law written eueriwhere, so as we might reade his cōmandements vpon our fingers. And he hath disposed them into ten sentences, to the end they should be ye better knowen vnto vs. For looke how many fingers there are vpō our hāds, so many are ye commandements of God, to ye intent they should be ye easier to beare in remēberāce: so as there needeth no lōg registers, (which were hard to carie away,) forasmuch as he hath giuen vs so short a rule, yt if we be long in learning of it, we proue our selues to be wilful. To be short, if we shut not our eyes wilfully, we cānot say but yt we may soon haue lerned ye things which our god sheweth vs. Againe sith it is his wil yt in stead of ye deckings wherunto both men & women are too much giuen through fond desire of vainglorie, wee should haue wherewith to put our selues in mind of his lawe, yt we might be held in awe by it: what excuse wil there be for vs, if we fal to going astray, or if we bee wedded to this world, or giue our selues to wickednesse? Thus much concerning this text.