Sermons upon Deuteronomy

So then, let us do our endeavour, that there may remain a good afterspring after our decease, so as Gods Church may flourish still,§60 and his name be worshipped from age to age. And we ought to labour so much the more in that behalf, because we see how the divil practiseth to overthrow all that ever is builded in the name of God. So far of is it that the fruit which ought to come of the Gospel doth ripen: that men do labour to pluck it up, or else to mar it and to turn it out of the own kind. Sith we see this, ought we not to be the more provoked to do the duty that is commanded us here? Without going any further, what is to be seen here among us? The Gospel hath bin preached to us now a long time: and yet for all that, what manner of ones are they which have bin borne of all this time, to whom God hath granted the grace to be suckled with Gods word even from the teat, and to be brought up in it likewise, so as they being then but little babes, did never see any of the devilish abominations of popery, and therefore ought to be even throughly soaked in the doctrine of salvation? what manner of ones are they? doth it not appear that most part of them are so froward, as if they were the brood of Serpents? The world may see that they despise God openly, and commit such wickedness and lewdness, that there is much more honesty and more show of Religion among the Papists, than there is among these. Seeing then that things are so far out of order, and the divill endeavoureth to put all to havoc, ought we not to be the more inflamed to do our endeavour, that there may remain at leastwise some little seed after our decease, so as the remembrance of the Gospel be not utterly abolished, nor the thing that hath bin set up so happily in the name of GOD and by his wonderful power, be decayed and pulled down again by the enemies? Now then, seeing that God hath granted us the grace and privilege to be called to the hearing of his word, and to have it set forth in the pure simplicity among us: let us understand that we be the more bound to serve and honour him, not only severally for our own parts, but also by teaching our children, and by taking pains to make them also to live virtuously, so as the doctrine which they shall have heard in their youth be not lost nor marred, as we see too much by experience.

So then, let vs doe our indeuour, that there may remaine a good afterspring after our decease, so as Gods Church may florishe still,§60 and his name be worshipped from age to age. And wee ought to labour so much the more in that behalfe, because wee see how the diuil practiseth to ouerthrow all that euer is builded in the name of God. So farre of is it that the fruite which ought to come of the Gospel doth ripen: that men doe labor to plucke it vp, or else to marre it and to turne it out of the owne kinde. Sith wee see this, ought we not to bee the more prouoked to doe the duetie that is commaunded vs here? Without going any further, what is to be seene heere among vs? The Gospell hath bin preached to vs now a long time: and yet for al that, what maner of ones are they which haue bin borne of all this time, to whome God hath graūted the grace to be suckled with Gods word euen from the teate, and to bee brought vp in it lykewise, so as they being then but little babes, did neuer see any of the diuelish abhominations of poperie, and therefore ought to bee euen throughly soked in the doctrine of saluation? what maner of ones are they? doth it not appeare that most part of them are so frowarde, as if they were the brood of Serpents? The world may see that they despise God openly, and commit such wickednesse and lewdenesse, that there is much more honestie and more shewe of Religion among the Papistes, than there is among these. Seeing then that thinges are so farre out of order, and the diuill indeuoreth to put all to hauocke, ought we not to be the more inflamed to doe our indeuer, that there may remaine at leastwise some little seede after our decease, so as the remembraunce of the Gospell be not vtterly abolished, nor the thing that hath bin set vp so happily in the name of GOD and by his wonderfull power, be decayed and pulled downe againe by the enemies? Now then, seeing that God hath graunted vs the grace and priuiledge to bee called to the hearing of his worde, and to haue it set forth in the pure simplicitie among vs: let vs vnderstand that we be the more bound to serue and honor him, not onely seuerally for our owne partes, but also by teaching our children, and by taking paynes to make them also to liue vertuously, so as the doctrine which they shall haue heard in their youth bee not loste nor marde, as wee see too much by experience.