Sermons upon Deuteronomy

For we see how our Lord hath showed us the way of salvation by his Gospel, we see how he continueth it still from day to day: what will become of us then, if we stray away? We shall not be as the Turks, or as the very Papists: but it shall be upbraided us that we have turned our hearts back, and that where as God had set us in the good way, and reached us his hand to guide us: we have been froward, and would not hearken to the things which he told us: and that all this we have done of wilful malice. Yea and Moses addeth yet an other word, saying, If thou be driven to serve strange Gods. He showeth that men be driven with a certain fury or frentikenesse when they cannot find in their hearts to submit themselves to God, to be won unto him by his word. Needs then must there be a dreadful rage in this case, and that Satan worketh after a horrible manner, when men be so far out of order. We have seen in the fourth Chapter,¹ how he said, Look well to thy self, that in beholding the sun and the stars, thou be not compelled to worship them and to make them idols. There Moses showeth that men would never run out to idolatry, unless they had some outrageous provocation within them to drive them thereunto, as if they were out of their wits. For were men well advised & settled in their wits, as they ought to be: they would certainly come to their God. And therefore we be double guilty, when having turned away from our GOD, and drawn back our hearts through wilful malice and stubbornness, over and besides that, we have been carried with such a raging mood, as we cannot be tamed, neither can any repentance take place in us, neither will we be ruled by reason; but we behave ourselves like folk that are straught or rather stark mad. And hereby we ought to take warning to mistrust all our affections, and to bridle and imprison all our wits, seeing we be so lightly withdrawn from God, and turned away to become backsliders. If men give themselves liberty, what followeth but that their heart will quickly be turned backward? When we should walk uprightly, we make it difficult to go one step, but if it come to backsliding, we flit away like water, there is nothing in us but slipperiness.

For we see how our Lorde hath shewed vs the way of saluation by his Gospel, wee see how he continueth it still from day to day: what will become of vs then, if wee stray away? Wee shall not bee as the Turkes, or as the verie Papistes: but it shalbe vpbraided vs that wee haue turned our heartes backe, and that where as God had set vs in the good way, and reached vs his hande to guide vs: wee haue beene frowarde, and woulde not hearken to the thinges which hee tolde vs: and that all this wee haue done of wilfull malice. Yea and Moses addeth yet an other worde, saying, If thou bee driuen to serue straunge Gods. He sheweth that men be driuen with a certaine furie or frentikenesse when they cannot finde in their heartes to submit themselues to God, to bee wunne vnto him by his worde. Needes then must there bee a dreadfull rage in this case, and that Sathan worketh after a horrible manner, when men bee so farre out of order. Wee haue seene in the fourth Chapter,