Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Now here might a question be moved, why it is said: When you have kept all my commandments: For it is impossible for us to fulfil the law, so long as we stand clothed with this mortal flesh. As I said afore, we shall ever be full of vices and imperfections. It seemeth then, that it is to no purpose for God to require such a fulfilling of the law, seeing it is impossible. But here we must remember what hath bin spoken of afore: To wit, that God in his law respecteth not our might, power, or ability, but our duty, & after what manner our life ought to be governed. And the same ought to suffice us, inasmuch as we say that a man shall never attain to the perfect obedience of God, but that we be ever far from the end of our way: the cause whereof, is our corrupt nature, being so infected through original sin, that when we think on God, we be troubled with many evil fancies: & when we have any good motion, we are by & by plucked back from it, & we need not any other thing to draw us to the clean contrary. But now by the way, ⟨p. 946⟩doth the impossibility of doing it, discharge us of our service which we be bound to do unto God? No. For the evil cometh of ourselves. It is no marvel then, that God in his law should have no regard to mans ability or unabilitie, but rather to the duty which we owe him, or that he should require the right that belongeth unto him: for who is he that can deny it him? He must not change his nature. If we be froward, what hath he to do to meddle with our steins & filthiness?§10 But he setteth forth such a righteousness, as we are not able to reply against. And in his law he setteth not down such a righteousness as is in himself, he hath not respect to his own righteousness, but unto the righteousness that ought to be in his creatures, namely, such as is in his Angels. If we had continued in our integrity, and not been perverted and corrupted through sin, then should we have been able to have discharged all that God requireth of us §20in his law. That is certain. Now then we see how it is not without cause that God will have us to keep his whole law. And yet we be not able to perform it. It is true: but the default proceedeth of the sin which dwelleth in us, as I have showed heretofore.

Now here might a question be moued, why it is said: When you haue kept al my commandementes: For it is impossible for vs to fulfil the law, so long as we stand cloathed with this mortall flesh. As I said afore, we shal euer be ful of vices and imperfections. It seemeth then, that it is to no purpose for God to require such a fulfilling of the lawe, seeing it is impossible. But here we must remember what hath bin spoken of afore: To wit, that God in his law respecteth not our might, power, or abilitie, but our dutie, & after what maner our life ought to be gouerned. And ye same ought to suffice vs, inasmuch as we say yt a man shal neuer attaine to ye perfect obedience of God, but yt we be euer farre from the end of our way: the cause whereof, is our corrupt nature, being so infected through original sinne, yt when we think on God, we be troubled with many euil fansies: & whē we haue any good motiō, we are by & by pluckt back from it, & we neede not any other thing to draw vs to the cleane contrarie. But nowe by the way,