Sermons upon Deuteronomy

And let us mark well Moseses manner of speech. If a prophet steppe up among you saith he. Hereby he showeth that we must not only withstand the open enemies that fight against Gods word, and pretend not at all to be of his flock, or to have any partnership or neighbourhood with us: but also resist our homebred battles, insomuch that if there rise up any deceiver among our selves, that is to say if any such as maketh pretence to be of the fellowship of the faithful, and to be as it were of the very household of faith, step up: we must not be troubled at it out of measure. And that is well worthy to be noted, for if the christian faith be impugned by the wicked, which pretend not to come unto God, (as by the Turks, Paynims, and Jews) so as they blaspheme with open mouth: forasmuch as they be utterly cut off from the Church like rotten members, their resisting of the Gospel, and their striving to abolish the Christian religion, is no great wonder to us. For why? We be as it were hardened with such examples. Therefore when the open enemies set themselves against God & his word, it is a temptation ⟨p. 529⟩that will easily be overcome. But when those that are knit unto us, and are as it were of our own body, do fall to tearing of the unity of our faith in pieces, to pervert Gods trueth, and to mar it in such wise as it should be disfigured: that is such a perplexity and grief to us, as we wot not where to become. And that is the thing that troubleth so many simple folks nowadays. What shall we do, say they? For we see so much disputing in the Church, and §10so great diversity of opinions, that it were better to ask no question of any thing, insomuch that a great number become careless, for fear to be entangled in wicked matters and to be beguiled, and therefore they let all alone, and will not in any wise come near unto God. We see a great sort of men of that stamp. Othersome let loose the reins of the bridle, and take liberty to maintain one while one mans saying and another while another mans, and §20are never fully persuaded of any thing; but are in one mind to day, and in another mind to morrow, and change at every minute of an hour.

And let vs marke well Moseses maner of speache. If a prophet steppe vp among you sayth he. Hereby hee sheweth that wee must not onely withstand the open enemies that fight against Gods word, and pretend not at all to bee of his flocke, or to haue any partnership or neighborhoode with vs: but also resist our homebred battels, insomuch that if there rise vp any deceiuer among our selues, that is to say if any such as maketh pretence to be of the fellowship of the faithfull, and to be as it were of the very household of faith, step vp: we must not bee troubled at it out of measure. And that is well worthie to be noted, for if the christian faith be impugned by the wicked, which pretend not to come vnto God, (as by the Turkes, Paynims, and Iewes) so as they blaspheme with open mouth: forasmuch as they be vtterly cut off from the Church lyke rotten members, their resisting of the Gospell, and their striuing to abolishe the Christian religion, is no great woonder to vs. For why? Wee be as it were hardened with such examples. Therfore when the opē enemies set themselues against God & his word, it is a tēptation