Sermons upon Deuteronomy

And herewithall we see also, that when Gods servants perceive themselves to be near their end, they must be the carefuller to stablish the doctrine which they taught in their life time. And why? For we see how men do easily slip away, & that even such as have showed some good sign, will anon after start aside, if they be not held in with a double rein as they say. And when a servant of God seeth that in his lifetime he was greatly hindered in the maintenance of Gods service, and had much ado to repress evil: what should he think but that the devil will take possession after his death, if God remedy not the matter? Therefore such as have felt and found by experience in their lifetime, how painful a thing it is to maintain the church, ought even for this cause to take so much the more pain & travel when they draw towards their death, to cause the sincere religion to be maintained in his pureness, that men being once set in a good course, may not swerve away from it. Behold the example which Moses showeth us.

And herewithall wee see also, that when Gods seruants perceiue themselues to bee neere their ende, they must be the carefuller to stablish the doctrin which they taught in their life time. And why? For we see how men do easily slip away, & that euen such as haue shewed some good signe, will anon after start aside, if they be not helde in with a dubble reine as they say. And when a seruant of God seeth yt in his lifetime he was greatly hindered in the maintenance of Gods seruice, and had much adoe to represse euil: what should he thinke but that the diuell will take possession after his death, if God remedie not the matter? Therfore such as haue felt and found by experience in their lifetime, how painefull a thing it is to maintein the church, ought euē for this cause to take so much the more paine & trauell when they draw towards their death, to cause the syncere religion to be mainteined in his purenesse, that men being once set in a good course, may not swarue away from it. Beholde the example which Moses sheweth vs.

And besides this let us mark also that he doth not only discharge himself here at his death, by uttering some sudden speech, or by showing some sign of zeal only: but that he stood upon this, and did most urge it, to wit, all his life long that the people might be edified in the fear of God. For ye shall see a number that are negligent all their lifetime: and yet they think that if they do but once exalt God and make a fair protestation at their lives end: it is enough. But Moses dealt not so. For he never forgot the commission that was given him, but continued throughout in preaching to the people. Nevertheless, whatsoever he did all his life long: yet when he saw his death at hand, he enforced himself the more, and burned the hotter in earnestness of zeal, because of the urgent necessity aforesaid. Wherefore let those whom God hath ordained to preach his word, look well that they discharge their duty all their life long. And that when they shall have done their endeavour to stablish the true religion, and brought to pass that God is honoured, and that they have builded Gods Church as much as they could, and taught those to walk in the fear of God which were committed to their charge: let them endeavour to seal up all the same doctrine, & to cause it to continue after their decease. This then is another thing which we have to remember.