Sermons upon Deuteronomy

And now on the contrary part he blameth them for that, That they be turned away after strange gods, which they have not known, and which had done them no good. This is generally incident to all Idolaters. For notwithstanding that there be a kind of wilful opinion in them; yet are they at no certainty. Like as the Papists, which can not say that they be assured of their religion, all is grounded upon a supposition. True it is, that they play the mad men: for when they be told of their foolishness, they rage and storm and think that men do them the greatest wrong in the world, when they make any gainsaying to that which they imagine to be good: and yet howsoever they fare, they have but a supposal. For all their saying is, Our fathers taught us so: it is the order of our holy mother the Church: this hath now been received of old. Very well, shall God be outfaced with that? Shall his trueth, which we ought to admit to be unfallible, be made void unless we be grounded upon custom and authorities of men? Nay, without that, there is nothing in men but vanities and lies. Hereby then we must learn not to think that strange which the Scripture speaketh, namely that we must fashion our selves after our fathers, howbeit those fathers which have followed the trueth of God and none other. To be short, we shall find that there is no certainty in them that follow not the law, & that none but the children of God can talk of it upon knowledge,¹ according as Saint John saith in his Canonical Epistle. Soothly it is not for us to be taught by conjectures of men, when the word of God is laid before us: for it is good reason that God should have so great authority over us, as that when he saith the word, we should wholly stick to it, and seek no farther: but yet is there always a true knowledge in faith, and not a wavering opinion. Contrariwise, all they that serve GOD after their own devotion, do but imagine, and serve gods whom they know not. The Papists say, that the Virgin Mary is their advocate, every one hath his patron, such as he hath devised of his own head; do they understand that GOD hath given them these offices? Have they any Testimonies thereof? None; but they think so. When I go on Pilgrimage or cause a mass to be sung, or found such a years mind: O that is goodly serving of God.

And nowe on the contrarie part he blameth them for that, That they bee turned away after straunge gods, which they haue not knowen, and which had done them no good. This is generally incident to all Idolaters. For notwithstanding that there be a kinde of wilfull opinion in them; yet are they at no certaintie. Like as the Papistes, which can not say that they bee assured of their religion, all is grounded vpon a supposition. True it is, that they play the madde men: for when they bee tolde of their foolishnesse, they rage and storme and thinke that men do them the greatest wrong in the worlde, when they make any gainesaying to that which they imagine to bee good: and yet howsoeuer they fare, they haue but a supposall. For all their saying is, Our fathers taught vs so: it is the order of our holie mother the Church: this hath nowe beene receyued of olde. Verie well, shall God bee outfaced with that? Shall his trueth, which wee ought to admitte to bee vnfallible, bee made voyde vnlesse wee bee grounded vppon custome and authorities of men? Nay, without that, there is nothing in men but vanities and lies. Hereby then wee must learne not to thinke that straunge which the Scripture speaketh, namelie that wee must fashion our selues after our fathers, howbeit those fathers which haue followed the trueth of God and none other. To bee short, wee shall finde that there is no certeyntie in them that followe not the lawe, & that none but the children of God can talke of it vppon knowledge,