Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Now it followeth, Let them steppe up to succour you, and let them rescue you. Hereby Moses meaneth, that when Idolaters are bereft of all worldly things, and find themselves disappointed of their vain imaginations which they had conceived afore: then they fall to recover their sight and their hearing. And in very deed there is no access to Gods trueth, for those that are wilful, until they see themselves at such an after deal, that for all the shifts and windlasses which they can make, they perceive there was nothing but deceit in all their devices. As for example in these days, so long as the Papists think they can prevail by the devilish devices of their Masses, Pilgrimages, and the rest of Satan's illusions wherein they be plunged; who can persuade them to give over any of all those things? What say they? Is it not good for a man to serve such a Saint, to call upon such a patron or advocate, to build a Chapel, to cause a mass to be said, or to mumble before such an altar? To be short, as long as the Papists think they may prevail by their superstitions, they be so wilful that it is unpossible to have any entrance unto them, except our Lord set to his hand, as he hath done towards us, and touch them with his holy spirit. But I speak of the ordinary mean, and I say that men are so forepossessed, that they shut the door against God, and against all instruction, and against all warnings that can be given. And therefore our Lord had need to smite upon them with main blows, yea and to bring them to such extremity, as they may know that they do but misspend their time to no purpose, in gadding after their Idols, and so fall to misliking of their offerings and other superstitions whereunto they were given afore.

Nowe it followeth, Let them steppe vp to succour you, and let them reskewe you. Hereby Moses meaneth, that when Idolaters are bereft of al worldlie thinges, and finde themselues disappointed of their vaine imaginations which they had conceiued afore: then they fall to recouer their sight and their hearing. And in verie deed there is no accesse to Gods trueth, for those that are wilfull, vntill they see themselues at such an afterdeele, that for all the shiftes and windlasses which they can make, they perceiue there was nothing but deceite in all their deuices. As for example in these dayes, so long as the Papistes thinke they can preuaile by the diuelishe deuices of their Masses, Pilgrimages, and the rest of Satans illusions wherein they be plunged; who can perswade them to giue ouer any of all those thinges? What say they? Is it not good for a mā to serue such a Saint, to call vppon such a patron or aduocate, to builde a Chappel, to cause a masse to bee said, or to mumble before such an altar? To bee shorte, as long as the Papistes thinke they may preuaile by their superstitions, they be so wilful that it is vnpossible to haue any enterance vnto them, except our Lorde set to his hande, as hee hath doone towardes vs, and touch them with his holy spirite. But I speake of the ordinarie meane, and I say that men are so forepossessed, that they shut the doore against God, and against all instruction, and against all warninges that can bee giuen. And therefore our Lorde had neede to smite vppon them with mayne blowes, yea and to bring them to such extremitie, as they may knowe that they doe but misspend their time to no purpose, in gadding after their Idols, and so fall to misliking of their offerings and other superstitions whereunto they were giuen afore.