Sermons upon Deuteronomy

God then, in not punishing the sins that be presently committed by his children, doth use chastisements towards them, as §50preservative medicines. It may every day fall out, that a man hath not offended against God in some particular sins. But what? If he were always in prosperity, he would forget himself: God therefore doeth cure such diseases by withdrawing his blessings: he will not suffer the fat to blind mens eyes, or to hinder our coming unto him, least it should stay us too long in this world: he will not suffer us to be so entangled in our delights, as to fall altogether on sleep §60in the same.

God then, in not punishing the sinnes that be presently committed by his children, doth vse chastisements towardes them, as §50preseruatiue medicines. It may euery day fall out, that a man hath not offended against God in some particular sins. But what? If he were alwayes in prosperitie, he woulde forget himselfe: God therefore doeth cure such diseases by withdrawing his blessings: hee will not suffer the fat to blinde mens eyes, or to hinder our comming vnto him, least it shoulde stay vs too long in this worlde: he will not suffer vs to bee so intangled in our delightes, as to fall altogether on sleepe §60in the same.

There is yet a second point, to wit: that when God forbeareth to punish us for our sins, it is not that he hath not always just cause so to do if he listed. Let the perfectest folk in the world be chosen out, and yet if GOD would deal with them by rigour, he should lay many hard knocks upon their pates. But truly we think it not so: for we be not so sharp sighted, as to know the faults which God doth mark. But yet must we assure our selves, that GOD uttereth his patience and goodness in that he spareth men, and punisheth them not, I mean, the most righteous that can be found. As for example, when David was cruelly persecuted of Saul and of all his enemies; when Abraham was stung and vexed so many ways; likewise when Isaac and Jacob, and all the Prophets were afflicted by the wicked and by the despisers of God, even to the very death: and finally when the Apostles and all the faithful [were cruelly dealt with,] it was not for their sins. No verily. But had it pleased God to have called them to account, he might have punished them an hundred times more, and they should have had no cause to have accused him of cruelty. He spared them, and in so doing he did them the honour to suffer for his name: or rather he tried their obedience, killed their carnal affections, and drew them near unto himself. As for example, whereas it pleased God to make Job a mirror of patience, yet nevertheless he made him acquainted with his own frailty: but howsoever it were, yet was it his intent to make him to serve for an example to us all. We perceive then that God hath other meanings in afflicting his people, than only to punish their sins; nevertheless he ceaseth not to uphold them, even by his own mere grace. And yet must we on our side resort back to this point, that the original of all the miseries that we suffer in this present world, doth proceed of sin. And why so? For were not this corruption in our nature, which God condemneth, and of the which also we be convicted: we should enjoy here a blessed life: all this whole world should be unto us an earthly Paradise. For we must not think that Adam was cooped up in a little corner for himself alone, but that all the whole earth was blessed of God, and that we should have felt the same to the end of the world. But where is the earthly paradise now?