Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Nay, as soon as any man shows us our faults, we gnash our teeth at him, and there is none of us that will be meekened. True it is that we will all generally confess, that it is good reason that GOD should govern us, and that we should be guided and directed by his word: but when it comes to the proof, none of us will taste of that sauce: every of us letteth the bridle loose to his lusts, and so we drown and become drunk in our delights. Likewise we be full of cruelty. Where shall a man nowadays find men that desire to communicate so with their neighbours, as they be contented to relieve the need of the poor? We see the contrary. Think we that GOD sleepeth in the mean while? Think we that he hath a double measure to mete with? So then (as I have declared afore) we shall gain nothing by flattering our selves: but GOD shall ever find us like to the folk of Sodom and Gomor, if we belie his word, and in stead of dedicating our selves unto him, do lead a heathenish and loose life. That is one thing which we have to mark upon the first place.

Nay, as soone as any man shewes vs our faults, wee gnash our teeth at him, and there is none of vs that will bee meekened. True it is that wee will all generally confesse, that it is good reason that GOD shoulde gouerne vs, and that wee should be guided and directed by his word: but when it comes to the proofe, none of vs will taste of that sauce: euerie of vs letteth the brydle loose to his lustes, and so wee drowne and become drunke in our delyghtes. Likewise wee bee full of crueltie. Where shall a man noweadayes finde men that desire to communicate so with their neighbours, as they bee contented to releeue the neede of the poore? We see the contrarie. Thinke wee that GOD sleepeth in the meane whyle? Thinke wee that hee hath a double measure to mete with? So then (as I haue declared afore) wee shall gayne nothing by flattering our selues: but GOD shall euer finde vs like to the folke of Sodom and Gomor, if we beelie his word, and in stead of dedicating our selues vnto him, doe leade a heathenish and loose life. That is one thing which wee haue to marke vpon the first place.

Again, let us mark well also, how he likeneth the fruit of Sodom and Gomor to the gall or venom of the Asp, to the cruel or deadly poison of the Dragon, and to all manner of bitterness. For thereby he doeth us to understand, that when we live wickedly, it is all one as if we offered GOD poison to drink, or would go about to poison him. True it is that God is not subject to such things: but yet is it not long of us. But if a child should offer his father the gall of an Asp, and all manner of bitterness: I pray you would not every man abhor such a monster? Would they not say he deserved to have all men rise up against him to root him out? Behold, here our Lord complaineth that when we yield not the fruit which he requireth of us, it is all one as if we did give him bitter things to drink, or as if we would make him to burst with gall, or with the poison of an Asp. Were this weighed as it deserveth, surely we would stand more in awe than we do. When the devil tempteth us and provoketh us to evil, if we bear this lesson well in mind, [we would say to our selves,] Howe now? Wilt thou proffer thy GOD the gall of Asps, and rank poison to drink? Truly we are not so blockish but that our hearts would relent at it, and it would make us to bethink our selves. But alas, the devil doeth so bewitch us, that we follow our wicked lusts still. Nevertheless this is not spoken in vain. So then let us not imagine that Moses hath heaped up here a deal of needless speech in that he sayeth, Their vine is of the planting of Sodom and of the vineyard of Gomor: and again, their grapes are bitter, they be the very gall of the Asp, and their wine is the poison of Dragons. His gathering of all these things together, is to show us that we cannot set ourselves against GOD by leading a