Sermons upon Deuteronomy

And here we see (as I have said afore,) that although God held his people under very strait bondage, yet notwithstanding he laid no more upon them than they were able to bear, but so mitigated the rigour of the Law, as no man could say it was unpossible to do the things that he had enjoined. Sith we see it is so; Let us assure our selves, that if our good GOD do in these days lay any burden upon our shoulders, that may be too heavy for us; he doth also give us ability to bear it, so as we be not borne down by it, at leastwise if we commit our selves to him; so as we have no cause to complain of him as though he did utterly overwhelm us. True it is, that the righteousness which God requireth of us in his Law, doth far surmount all our ability, yea and we come so far short of the performing of all that he hath commanded us, so as we be not able to stir one finger towards it; nay, we cannot so much as think one good thought towards it: GOD must be fain to give us every whit. But when he assisteth us with his holy spirit, then we find his yoke sweet and easy,¹ specially, when he lays it upon our necks by the hand of our Lord Jesus Christ. And that is the cause why Jesus Christ protesteth that his burden is not too heavy, nor his yoke too hard. But how cometh that to pass? It is because God giveth us both the will to serve him, and also the ability to put the same in execution.² And therewithal he addeth a second grace, which is that he beareth with us when we have done amiss. For we of our selves are overfraile, we cannot throughly perform the things that he commandeth us, & therefore he pardoneth our infirmities & forgetteth them. But howsoever the case stand, yet have we good cause to serve him freely & with a frank hart, forasmuch as we see that he on his side desireth no more but to guide us as the father doth his children,³ as he avoweth by his Prophet Hosea.

And here wee see (as I haue sayd afore,) that although God held his people vnder very strait bondage, yet notwithstanding hee layde no more vppon them than they were able to beare, but so mitigated the rigor of the Lawe, as no man could say it was vnpossible to doe the thinges that hee had inioyned. Sith wee see it is so; Let vs assure our selues, that if our good GOD doe in these dayes lay any burthen vppon our shoulders, that may bee too heauie for vs; hee doth also giue vs abilitie to beare it, so as wee bee not borne downe by it, at leastwise if wee commit our selues to him; so as we haue no cause to complayn of him as though he did vtterly ouerwhelme vs. True it is, that the righteousnesse which God requireth of vs in his Lawe, dooth farre surmount all our abilitie, yea and we come so farre shorte of the performing of all that hee hath commaunded vs, so as wee bee not able to stirre one finger towardes it; nay, wee cannot so much as thinke one good thought towardes it: GOD must be faine to giue vs euery whit. But when he assisteth vs with his holy spirit, then wee finde his yoke sweete and easie,