Sermons upon Deuteronomy

But besides this, there is none of us which feeleth not a great sort of inconveniences in himself, to the intent we should forsake this present life, and not be too much addicted to it. Take me the strongest man that is, and hath he not some disease or other that will not suffer him to endure long? Again if a man be once past a certain age, he falleth by & by to declining; insomuch that a man may see and perceive with his eyes, that even without sickness he slideth away like water. Indeed most men do never think of it: but what booteth it them to blind themselves? Nay it is a monstrous thing that every body should see how a man goeth to naught, and yet be so blind as not to perceive it in himself. On the contrary part, if our Lord be so gracious to the faithful as to remove them to and fro, and to put them under many diseases: it is to quicken them up to go forward with earnester wills to their heavenly inheritance, because they do but hang their wings in this world, continually drooping now after one sort and now after an other, and living as it were half dead. Sith it is so, let them understand that God worketh for their benefit and salvation. And it is a very profitable lesson, when we have learned to keep the feast of Tabernacles spiritually: that is to say, when we have learned to pass in such wise through this world, as we go on further.

But besides this, there is none of vs which feeleth not a great sort of inconueniences in himself, to the intent we should forsake this present life, and not bee too much addicted to it. Take me the strongest man that is, and hath hee not some disease or other that will not suffer him to indure long? Againe if a man be once past a certaine age, he falleth by & by to declyning; insomuch that a man may see and perceyue with his eyes, that euen without sicknesse he slydeth away like water. Indeede most men doe neuer thinke of it: but what booteth it thē to blinde themselues? Nay it is a monstruous thing that euerie bodie shoulde see how a man goeth to naught, and yet bee so blinde as not to perceiue it in himselfe. On the contrarie part, if our Lorde be so gratious to the faithfull as to remooue them to and fro, and to put them vnder many diseases: it is to quicken them vp to goe forwarde with earnester willes to their heauenly inheritaunce, because they doe but hang their winges in this worlde, continually drooping nowe after one sort and nowe after an other, and liuing as it were halfe deade. Sith it is so, let them vnderstande that God worketh for their benefite and saluation. And it is a very profitable lesson, when wee haue learned to keepe the feast of Tabernacles spiritually: that is to say, when we haue learned to passe in such wise through this worlde, as wee goe on further.