Sermons upon Deuteronomy

& again, when they will bind him unto them, as who would say, God will receive me, I have purchased the kingdom of heaven, I must be received thereinto for my desert, & if God will not admit me for his pities sake, yet must he do it for his justice sake: for it is not his simple mercy that I stand unto, I will not be saved by his mere grace, but I will have him to take mine account, and as he shall find me worthy, so let him deal by me. See how the devil be wraieth himself, and lifteth up his horns against God. But we for our part are taught here an other lesson. For Moses saith it is the Lord which hath said it. And he doth expressly repeat this kind of speech to do us to understand, that it is not for us to sue God or to make any covenant with him: but he must first call us and we must stand aloof without preaching to come at him, until he of his own good will do seek us. Notwithstanding that we be thus shaken off, our God telleth us that he will have acquaintance with us, and that although we have bin his mortal enemies, yet hereafter we shall be of his household. And that whereas we have bin bondslaves to satan & holden captive under the bondage of death; he will make us his children & heirs. Doth our Lord once say so? O then there remaineth nothing for us to do but to come unto him; for then have we leave & liberty to set our selves forward. But here there is nothing of our own: all is because we are called from above, yea, even of his mere grace, so as we bring nothing. It is not said, because thou hast done this or that, or because God hath found in thee some cause why he should show thee such favour. No, but according as he hath spoken, according as the Lord hath said it. The purpose of God therefore ⟨p. 915⟩must have all the preeminence in this case. And when he hath decreed the thing in him self, & openeth his holy mouth to declare his will unto us; then let us accept of it, let us take there our sure grounding, & let us depend wholly thereupon; let us not bring with us our own flickering fancies, but let us only walk as the Lord hath directed us by his hand, and as he himself hath declared unto us. And when we have such humbleness as to have skill to confess,§10 that until God draw near unto us, we are far off from the hope of salvation: then ought boldness to follow, & to keep his course & way;

& againe, when they wil binde him vnto them, as who would say, God will receiue me, I haue purchased ye kingdom of heauen, I must be receiued thereinto for my desert, & if God will not admit me for his pities sake, yet must he do it for his iustice sake: for it is not his simple mercie that I stande vnto, I will not bee saued by his mere grace, but I will haue him to take mine account, and as he shall find me worthy, so let him deale by me. See how the deuil be wraieth himselfe, and lifteth vp his horns against God. But wee for our part are taught heere an other lesson. For Moses saith it is the Lord which hath sayd it. And he doth expresly repete this kinde of speach to do vs to vnderstand, that it is not for vs to sue God or to make any couenāt with him: but he must first call vs and we must stand aloofe without preacing to come at him, vntill he of his owne good will do seeke vs. Notwithstanding yt we be thus shaken off, our God telleth vs that he will haue acquaintance with vs, and yt although we haue bin his mortal enimies, yet hereafter we shalbe of his houshold. And that wheras we haue bin bondslaues to satan & holden captiue vnder the bondage of death; he will make vs his children & heires. Doth our Lorde once say so? O then there remaineth nothing for vs to doe but to come vnto him; for then haue wee leaue & libertie to set our selues forward. But here there is nothing of our owne: all is because we are called from aboue, yea, euen of his meere grace, so as wee bring nothing. It is not said, because thou hast done this or that, or because God hath founde in thee some cause why he should shew thee such fauour. No, but according as he hath spoken, according as the Lorde hath said it. The purpose of God therefore