Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Furthermore, whereas God hath vouchsafed to hold on in the office of instructing, to teach y• people which was so rude & rebellious: let us assure ourselves that he doeth the like towards us nowadays. Yea & it is requisite for us that he should so do (as I have said already): or else what would become of it? But sith we see that God is so gracious as not to be weary of teaching us, though it boot us not at the first day, nor at the first year: let us assure our selves that his dealing with us after that sort from day to day, is no more than needeth. And it is a point well worth the marking. For men have itching ears, and be desirous to hear always new things: & if the doctrine of God be preached and set forth to them every day, it becometh irksome to them & they wax weary of it. For to their seeming it is enough to speak of it once or twice, and they consider not how they forget the things which they ought to have borne away. So then, to the end we wax not weary of the doctrine that is preached unto us: let us mark that it is needful for us that God should put us still in mind of the things that he hath taught us already: for our wits are short towards him. And therefore let us bethink our selves well, & whensoever it is told us that there is but one God in whom we be, & that he is not only our maker, but also our father, & hath adopted us to be his children, and more over tied us to him by a much straiter band, in that he hath redeemed us with the blood of his own son: whensoever we be put in mind of these things: although we have heard of them before, yet let us not say, tush, these things have been preached to us long ago: but let every of us enter into himself, & examine himself, & see whether the things that we have heard heretofore, be well printed in our harts. Let us then enter into account after that sort. And why? For if we remembered well, that we be set in this world to the end to glorify our god: would we not be more mindful to discharge our duty towards him? If we considered the fatherly kindness that he useth in calling us his children, and which he hath showed towards us once already in adopting of us in the person of his own son: & if we mark how dearly we cost our Lord Jesus Christ when he did set us free from endless death: should we not be desirous to give our selves wholly to our God?

Furthermore, whereas God hath vouchsafed to hold on in the office of instructing, to teache y• people which was so rude & rebellious: let vs assure ourselues that he doeth the like towards vs nowadaies. Yea & it is requisite for vs yt he should so doe (as I haue saide already): or else what would become of it? But sith we see that God is so gracious as not to bee weary of teaching vs, though it boote vs not at the first day, nor at the first yeare: let vs assure our selues yt his dealing wt vs after that sorte from day to day, is no more than needeth. And it is a point well worth the marking. For men haue itching eares, and be desirous to heare alwaies new things: & if the doctrine of God be preached and set forth to them euery day, it becōmeth irksome to them & they wax weary of it. For to their seeming it is inough to speake of it once or twise, and they consider not how they forget the things which they ought to haue borne away. So then, to the end we wax not weary of the doctrine that is preached vnto vs: let vs marke that it is needful for vs that God should put vs still in minde of the things that he hath taught vs already: for our wits are short towardes him. And therefore let vs bethinke our selues well, & whensoeuer it is told vs that there is but one God in whom we be, & that he is not only our maker, but also our father, & hath adopted vs to be his children, and more ouer tied vs to him by a much streiter band, in that he hath redeemed vs with the bloud of his owne sonne: whensoeuer we be put in minde of these things: although we haue heard of them before, yet let vs not say, tush, these thinges haue beene preached to vs long ago: but let euery of vs enter into himselfe, & examine himselfe, & see whether ye things yt we haue heard heretofore, be wel printed in our harts. Let vs then enter into accompt after yt sort. And why? For if we remembred wel, yt we be set in this world to the end to glorifie our god: would we not be more mindful to discharge our dutie towards him? If we considered the fatherly kindenesse that hee vseth in calling vs his children, and which he hath shewed towards vs once alredy in adopting of vs in the person of his own sonne: & if we mark how dearly we cost our Lord Iesus Christ whē he did set vs free frō endlesse death: should we not be desirous to giue our selues wholy to our God?