Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Now if it be demanded why Moses vouchsafed not to express the cause why God gave not his spirit unto the said people; (for it seemeth that he might in one word more grievously have condemned the people, if he had said: Thou hast not harkened, thou hast not discerned:) There are two causes thereof. The one is to do the people to understand that they were so froward, that although God had wrought a million of miracles mo than they had seen already; yet had it bin unpossible that they should have bin converted by the same. When men see that they be so lewdly disposed and froward, that although God should create a hundred worlds before their eyes, yet would it stand them in no stead: ought they not to be the more ashamed of themselves? Yes surely. And again let us mark farther, that Moses meant to exhort the people to pray unto God, for that in deed is the only remedy, when we find so gross and so excessive: brutishness in us, that we forget all manner of good doctrine, and all manner of admonitions which God hath given us, yea even when he stretcheth out his hand effectually to make us to feel his power. When we have buried all these things, let us resort to the remedy, which is, that we pray unto him to give us wisdom and discretion to judge better hereafter. Moses therefore did aim at those two ends, as if he should say, Wretched people, look to your selves: for to presume any thing of your own wisdom, or of your virtues, what were it? Sith experience doth show that you be altogether given to evil, & that although God work never so mightily in your presence, yet it serveth you to no purpose. Therefore acknowledge your selves to be stark blind, and no better than wretched brute beasts. Forget all your glorying, put away all overweening, & flatter not your selves, as if you had this or that: For you have power to do nothing but evil. So much for that point. Secondarily again he sayeth unto them, Go to, what is to be done? As for to enforce your selves, you be not able, for all your endeavouring is but unto wickedness. But will you them yield your selves wholly unto God? Know ye that it is ⟨p. 1018⟩his office to open mens eyes and ears.

Now if it be demaunded why Moses voutsafed not to expresse the cause why God gaue not his spirite vnto the said people; (for it seemeth that he might in one word more grieuously haue condemned the people, if hee had sayd: Thou hast not harkened, thou hast not discerned:) There are two causes thereof. The one is to doe the people to vnderstand that they were so froward, that although God had wrought a million of miracles mo than they had seene already; yet had it bin vnpossible that they shoulde haue bin conuerted by the same. When men see that they be so leawdly disposed and froward, that although God should create a hundred worlds before their eyes, yet woulde it stand them in no stead: ought they not to bee the more ashamed of themselues? Yes surely. And again let vs mark farther, that Moses meant to exhort the people to pray vnto God, for that in deed is the onely remedy, when we find so grosse and so excessiue: brutishnesse in vs, that wee forget all manner of good doctrine, and all manner of admonitions which God hath giuē vs, yea euen when he stretcheth out his hand effectually to make vs to feel his power. Whē we haue buryed al these things, let vs resorte to the remedy, which is, that wee pray vnto him to giue vs wisedome and discretion to iudge better hereafter. Moses therefore did ame at those two ends, as if he should say, Wretched people, looke to your selues: for to presume any thing of your own wisedome, or of your vertues, what were it? Sith experience doth shewe that you bee altogether giuen to euil, & that although God work neuer so mightily in your presence, yet it serueth you to no purpose. Therfore acknowledge your selues to be starke blind, and no better than wretched brute beastes. Forget all your glorying, put away al ouerwening, & flatter not your selues, as if you had this or yt: For you haue power to do nothing but euil. So much for yt point. Secondarily again he sayeth vnto thē, Go to, what is to be done? As for to inforce your selues, you be not able, for all your indeuoring is but vnto wickednes. But wil you thē yeld your selues wholy vnto God? Knowe yee that it is