Sermons upon Deuteronomy

[as if he should say] were not this people very far overseen, or had they any drop of reason & good understanding, to consider their own end: they would not have bin so turned away from me. After that manner then is the song, as we shall see. Now it was a common song. God willed that it should be in every bodies mouth both great & small, to the end that every man should be daily called upon, to walk in the fear of God. And so we be warned of that which may happen unto us. God doeth first declare unto us his curse: and to what end, but that every one of us should keep himself from it? Again, he showeth us the inconvenience whereinto we shall fall, he telleth us that he will revenge our recklessness, & therefore let us beware of it. For to what end doth he it, but that he would not have us to tempt him, but rather that it should retain us in his service? Ye see then how the people ought to have taken warning hereby.

[as if he should say] were not this people very far ouerseene, or had they any drop of reason & good vnderstanding, to consider their owne ende: they would not haue bin so turned away from me. After that manner then is the song, as we shal see. Now it was a cō mon song. God willed that it should bee in euery bodies mouth both great & smal, to the end that euery man should be daily called vpon, to walke in the feare of God. And so we be warned of that which may happen vnto vs. God doeth first declare vnto vs his curse: and to what end, but that euery one of vs should keepe himselfe from it? Againe, he sheweth vs the inconuenience wherinto we shal fall, he telleth vs that he wil reuenge our rechlesnes, & therefore let vs beware of it. For to what end doth he it, but that he woulde not haue vs to tempt him, but rather yt it should reteine vs in his seruice? Ye see then howe the people ought to haue taken warning hereby.

But now we ask whether that ought to have sufficed, and whether the people had power to restrain themselves, as it is imagined that men have free will to choose good or evil. The answer is, that it was not enough for GOD to put his word in their mouth, but it behoved him also to imprint it in their harts by his holy spirit. We see how it is said farther in this place: Thou goest to dye, and the people after thy death will fall away, and run a whoring after strange gods. It is God that speaketh on this wise to Moses. Now it must needs be that he foresaw what would come to pass, yea, but they will allege that Gods foresight keepeth not men back from turning unto God when they list. In deed it is certain that the foresight of God is not the cause that men do either good or evil, but yet god did know very well that this people, whatsoever doctrine or religion they should have, would not cease to be wicked & froward: he knew very well that his warning of them aforehand would not suffice