Sermons upon Deuteronomy

For he saith that at that time God spake to the peoples ears by the mouth of him. Sith it is so: the doctrine ought to have bin familiar enough to them. And much less cause have we nowadays to allege this shift, that we understand not the things that are contained in the holy scripture. For God speaketh merrily enough and familiarly enough unto us. It is long of no•• but our selves that we have not our ears bored to hear him. And so let us mark well, that there §60remaineth nothing for us to do, but to be attentive that we may profit by the doctrine.

For he saith yt at yt time God spake to the peoples eares by the mouth of him. Sith it is so: the doctrine ought to haue bin familiar enough to them. And much lesse cause haue we nowadayes to alledge this shift, that wee vnderstand not the thinges yt are contained in the holy scripture. For God speaketh merily enough and familiarly enough vnto vs. It is long of no•• but our selues yt we haue not our eares bored to heare him. And so let vs marke well, that there §60remaineth nothing for vs to doe, but to be attē tiue that we may profite by the doctrine.

But yet herewithall we must resort to that which I have touched afore namely that it must be kept and throughly followed. for if we do no more but only like well of Gods word, & yield record unto it that it is good,¹ true, and holy: God shall be greatly beholden to us for it. What is to be done then? Behold, God will try whether he be our master or no. For the thing whereby to rule our life, is not only to inquire what he saith unto us: but also to give over our own desires and affections, and to desire nothing else but to please him, and to be governed by him and by his righteousness. When we be at that point, then is it a good proof that God hath such authority over us as he deserveth. But until we be come to that point, we shall never know what it is to have profited in the doctrine. Therefore let this word Do or Perform run always in their minds which hear the word of God. How now, let them say? Behold God hath granted us the grace to be taught. And to what end? not to the end we should but only hearken to it to say, yea marry, it is well said, this is good: but to the end that our whole life should be reformed, and that forasmuch as it is a good and sure rule, we should no more go astray as we have done, and as the ignorant wretches do, which are wandered out of the right way, and have not the teaching that we have, whom the doctrine ought so to mortify, as God may reign over us, and we be subject unto him. Thus ye see in effect what Moses meant by protesting to the people in this preface, that his setting forth of the Law unto them, was not to the intent they should but only hear it and have their ears beaten with it: but to the intent they should also embrace it and keep it.