Sermons upon Deuteronomy

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 ⟨p. 1086⟩to convert them. God knew it well enough. Wherefore then did he not provide for it? See here how men do take upon them to plead against God: but they must be stopped with their presumption. If they allege, Wherefore is it that God, when he seeth men go out of course, doeth not remedy it? The answer thereunto is this, that God is neither tied nor bound thereto: it is enough then that they be made thereby inexcusable. And therefore, although God §10doeth know aforehand, that we, because of our infirmity, shall not be able to continue in his obedience; and that there will be such malice in us, that we shall not cease to provoke his wrath: yet is it enough that he doth instruct us by his word, & that we be accused & condemned by him. Yea: but in deed it lieth not in us to do well. Al these replies be frivolous before God. For men cannot allege that the evil cometh from any where else [than themselves.]§20 Although we be inclined to sin, & although we be altogether thereto given by nature; shall we say that it is by any constraint? Shall we say that the fault thereof is not in us? It is impossible. Seeing then that our mouth is stopped in this case, we must condemn our selves & humble us before God. And albeit that his word serve but to make us guilty, & not to change our hearts from evil to good:

But now we aske whether that ought to haue sufficed, and whether the people had power to restrayne themselues, as it is imagined that men haue free wil to choose good or euil. The answer is, that it was not ynough for GOD to put his word in their mouth, but it behoued 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 runne a whoring after strange gods. It is God yt speaketh on this wise to Moses. Now it must needes be yt he foresaw what would come to passe, yea, but they will allege yt Gods foresight kepeth not men back frō turning vnto God whē they list. In deed it is certaine yt the foresight of God is not ye cause that men do either good or euil, but yet god did know very wel yt this people, whatsoeuer doctrine or religion they should haue, would not cease to be wicked & froward: he knew very wel yt his warning of thē aforehande would not suffice