Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Now he addeth, that he will say, destroy them. If God put them to flight or drive them away; why saith he that we shall destroy them? Here may seem to be some contrariety. For if God do all, it seemeth that he leaveth nothing for us. But Moses hath very well expressed, how it cometh to pass that we get the victory of our enemies. In deed it is God that fighteth, but yet will he have us to be instruments of his power. As for us, we could not abide any one assault, unless we were strengthened from above, and (to be short) that God himself governed us. For we be utterly unprofitable, insomuch that there is not one drop of strength in us, & that strength which we ween we have, is but leasing. Ye see then how God worketh in such wise, that we be maintained by him, whatsoever we have be it welfare or life, we must father it all wholly upon him, and acknowledge ourselves to have it from thence. And if we will needs make such a partition as the papists do, and say that we work together with God so as there is a concurrence [or meeting together] and that we do help him: it is a renouncing of his aid. So then, let us learn to let God alone with that which is his, namely that all our welfare consisteth in him. Yet notwithstanding, he applieth us to his service, so as we seem to be doers thereof. And that is a thing wherein the papists beguile themselves. They spake of Freewill, and of mans abilities, and (to their seeming) we work wonders. They confess in deed that we had need to be helped by God, and that he had need to succour us with his grace: but yet do they always make us companions with GOD. And why? Because they see well, that to serve God, to resist temptations, to walk in uprightness of life, and to eschew the corruptions of the world, the faithful are fain to enforce them selves, to take pains to bridle themselves, to become as captives, and to fight against themselves; ⟨p. 1232⟩which can not be done with great difficulty. For, to be patient in their adversities, they are fain to hold themselves as locked up, and so to bridle and overmaster their passions, as they may be tamed. Now then, when the Papists see the faithful take such pains; they imagine that they do it of their own power. But the matter is not whether men take great pains, and whether they labour till they pant or no:

Nowe he addeth, that he will say, destroy them. If God put them to flight or driue them away; why sayth he that we shall destroy them? Heere may seeme to be some contrarietie. For if God doe all, it seemeth that hee leaueth nothing for vs. But Moses hath very well expressed, how it commeth to passe that we get the victorie of our enemies. In deede it is God that fighteth, but yet will he haue vs to bee instrumentes of his power. As for vs, we could not abide any one assault, vnlesse we were strengthened frō aboue, and (to be short) that God himselfe gouerned vs. For we be vtterly vnprofitable, insomuch that there is not one droppe of strength in vs, & that strength which we weene we haue, is but leasing. Yee see then how God worketh in such wise, that we be maintayned by him, whatsoeuer we haue be it welfare or life, we must father it all wholly vpon him, and acknowledge ourselues to haue it from thence. And if we will needes make such a partition as the papistes do, and say that we worke together with God so as there is a concurrence [or meeting togethe] and that we do helpe him: it is a renouncing of his ayde. So then, let vs learne to let God alone with that which is his, namely that all our welfare consisteth in him. Yet notwithstanding, he applyeth vs to his seruice, so as we seeme to be dooers thereof. And that is a thing wherein the papists beguile themselues. They spake of Freewill, and of mans abilities, and (to their seeming) we worke wonders. They confesse in deede that we had neede to be helped by God, and that he had neede to succour vs with his grace: but yet doe they alwayes make vs companions with GOD. And why? Because they see well, that to serue God, to resist temptations, to walke in vprightnesse of life, and to eschue the corruptions of the world, the faithfull are faine to inforce thē selues, to take paines to brydle themselues, to become as captiues, and to fight against themselues;