Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Trueth it is, that a man shall see some outward show of holiness in a number of those that are seduced in the popedom and elsewhere. But yet for all that, they be double hearted, and God perceiveth what they be in secret. So then, let us understand that God is a just Judge, and let us glorify him for his punishing of such as loved him not soundly in their hearts as they should have done. That is the thing which we have to note.

Trueth it is, that a man shall see some outwarde shewe of holinesse in a number of those that are seduced in the popedome and elsewhere. But yet for all that, they bee double hearted, and God perceiueth what they bee in secret. So then, let vs vnderstand that God is a iust Iudge, and let vs glorifie him for his punishing of such as loued him not soundly in their heartes as they shoulde haue done. That is the thing which wee haue to note.

And in deed, experience shows it in such as turn back and fall to naughtiness after they have once known the Gospel. We have seen here that when Satan's underlings have come hither to set troubles in the Church, those that have been seduced by them have known them well enough of old, and not now of late, for I speak of the space of eighteen years. Since the troubling of this Church, divers sects have been seen, and still God hath been fain to show and to point these out with his finger, which had nothing in them but dissimulation & hypocrisy, how fair countenance soever they did make. And I say that this hath been known now these eighteen years; insomuch that even they that have pretended to be great upholders of the Gospel, are well known to me how they have behaved themselves, & I could rehearse their doings if need were, but it is enough to give men an inkling of them, that others might take example by them. When the Anabaptists came hither to infect all, there was great cheer made them in the townhouse, and this was about an eighteen years ago. True it is, that men were constrained to reprove their doctrine openly: but yet in the meanwhile they were still chocked under the chin; & in steed of resisting them lustily, feasts were made to entertain them with. And since that time, we have seen in our own days, (and that not long ago) how other heretics have been favoured at their coming hither, and specially how that horrible blasphemer was supported. And by whom? By such as had so long despised God, that in the end their shame was of necessity to be discovered. They protested sufficiently that their desire was to have the Gospel: but that was the gospel of Mahomet to turn all things upside down, and to bring all things to confusion. For the world hath seen how far they overshot themselves; insomuch that they took part against God and his word. Now sith we have such examples, let us learn to live in fear and wariness, and always come back to that which is told us here, that is to