Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Now Moses saith expressly, that after the people had fet a windlass and trailed about the mountain Seir, they came to the north side, even as God had commanded him. Wherein we see the thing more clearly which I have touched: that is to say, that there is a pliableness in the people which was not in them before: they be now become tractable. And although they wandered a long time, so as they might have bin out of patience every day, and have taken occasion to murmur, and to have made sedition: yet notwithstanding they went still forward. And why? for the corrections which they had received, had wrought a change in them. We see then that Gods reforming of men by punishing them for their sins,¹ is as a furnace to melt them and cast them new again in. And therefore if God have let us alone here at out ease, and we fall to kicking against him: let us assure our selves it is more for our behoof to be corrected by some chastisement. And therewithal let us beware that we profit our selves by it, and that we become not worse than they were which are set forth to us as an example of disobedience and stubbornness. Harden not your hearts as your fathers did,² saith the Lord. And yet notwithstanding we see that this people (how stubborn and froward soever they were) missed not to go about the mountain a long time, after God had so chastised them: that is to say, they were driven to know that it was in vain for them to resist the hand of God. Howbeit we see yet some obedience, in that it is said, that they waited to have a new commandment, so as they durst not remove one step, [till they had it.] It might seem that God mocked them to go round about after that fashion. They might have said, what shall become of this in the end? If God will have us to tarry, why lets he us not alone? Or if he will have us to go, why showeth he us not the way, to say, go forward? He holds us here like little children, so as we do nothing but fetch a circuit without departing out of one place, and when we have tired our legs never so much, we are never the further onward on our way, The people might have descanted after that fashion. But what? They tarry till God say to them, Turn ye that way. We see then yet still how this chastisement had done them good in that behalf. And hereupon let us mark what true repentance bringeth with it.

Now Moses sayth expressely, that after the people had fet a windlasse and trayled about the mountaine Seir, they came to the north side, euen as God had commaunded him. Wherein wee see the thing more clearely which I haue touched: that is to say, that there is a pliablenesse in the people which was not in them before: they bee now become tractable. And although they wandered a long time, so as they might haue bin out of patience euery day, and haue taken occasion to murmure, and to haue made sedition: yet notwithstanding they went still foreward. And why? for the corrections which they had receiued, had wrought a chaunge in them. Wee see then that Gods reforming of men by punishing them for their sinnes,