Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Now Moses addeth immediately, Take heed to thy self and keep thy soul diligently, that thou forget not the things which thine eyes have seen, nor let them ever depart from thy heart: that is to wit, the day wherein thy God made thee to appear before his Majesty in the valley of Hareb. There he taught thee his law, when he willed me to make you all to appear together before him. Therefore be mindful of that day, and let it never be forgotten. Now when as Moses saith take heed to thy self & keep thy soul: He showeth that he cannot sufficiently express the care which we ought to have to walk in the fear of God, and to make and keep good watch, for fear of starting from him, least the devil harry us abroad and make us become as stray sheep. Now if this be not superfluous, what needeth any more to quicken us up withal? See how God speaketh here: he sayeth not only, take heed to your selves: but also, take heed to your selves and take heed to your souls. That is to say, upon peril of your lives take heed to your selves and watch well, that ye be not taken unawares. And this is not said without cause: for we see how frail we be. Although God have given us so sure a foundation, as we can never be shaken down if we hold us to it: yet do we nothing but totter, and every thing of nothing maketh us to reel. Seeing then that our nature is so unconstant, and we swerve so easily from Gods trueth: let us assure our selves that this exhortation is not set down here without cause. Again, we see also how wily the devil is, and how many means he hath to beguile us, and we are easily led to give ear to such as seduce us. Also there is great policy used to deceive us: insomuch that the cozeners do shroud themselves even under the name of GOD, in their foisting in of their false doctrines and errors: and the devil disguiseth himself by transforming himself into an Angel of light (as S. Paul speaketh of him):¹ and he assaulteth us not some one way only,² but when he perceiveth that he hath missed on the one side, he runneth straight to the other, so as we have no sooner withstood one assault, but we must by and by come to another. Seeing then that we on our sides are so frail, and the devil hath such shift of wiles and slights to beguile us:

Nowe Moses addeth immediatly, Take heede to thy selfe and keepe thy soule diligently, that thou forget not the thinges which thine eyes haue seene, nor let them euer depart from thy heart: that is to wit, the day wherein thy God made thee to appeare before his Maiestie in the valley of Hareb. There hee taught thee his lawe, when hee willed mee to make you all to appeare together before him. Therfore be mindfull of that day, and let it neuer be forgotten. Nowe when as Moses saith take heede to thy selfe & keepe thy soule: Hee sheweth that hee cannot sufficiently expresse the care which wee ought to haue to walke in the feare of God, and to make and keepe good watch, for feare of starting from him, least the diuell harrie vs abrode and make vs become as stray sheepe. Nowe if this bee not superfluous, what needeth any more to quicken vs vp withall? See howe God speaketh heere: hee saieth not onely, take heede to your selues: but also, take heede to your selues and take heede to your soules. That is to say, vppon perill of your liues take heede to your selues and watch well, that yee bee not taken vnwares. And this is not said without cause: for wee see howe frayle wee bee. Although God haue giuen vs so sure a foundation, as wee can neuer be shaken downe if wee holde vs to it: yet doe wee nothing but totter, and euerie thing of nothing maketh vs to reele. Seeing then that our nature is so vnconstant, and wee swarue so easily from Gods trueth: let vs assure our selues that this exhortation is not set downe heere without cause. Againe, wee see also howe wyly the diuell is, and howe many meanes hee hath to beguile vs, and wee are easily ledde to giue eare to such as seduce vs. Also there is great policie vsed to deceiue vs: insomuch that the cousiners doe shroude themselues euen vnder the name of GOD, in their foisting in of their false doctrines and errours: and the diuell disguiseth himselfe by transforming himselfe into an Angel of light (as S. Paul speaketh of him):