Sermons upon Deuteronomy

And even in that respect is it said by the Prophet Amos:¹ Is there any evil in the city which God hath not done? That is to say, can there happen either war, or pestilence, or famine, or diseases, or poverty, or any other calamity whatsoever it be, that cometh not to you from God? Wretched people, be you so foolish and beastly, as to imagine, that God which created the world, doeth leave it at random, and hath no care to watch over his creatures, or to bestow on them, that which he thinketh meet for them, sometimes to show his goodness, and sometimes to make them feel that he is a Judge, and to punish mens sins, and to make them to know what his office is? Think you that he dwelleth idle in heaven, and that he uttereth not his virtue, or that the world is not guided and governed by his providence? So then, like as heretofore God hath showed that we cannot prosper,² but through his grace and love that he beareth us, in that he hath chosen us for his children, and will also accept our service; so now he showeth in like wise, that if there be any affliction, poverty, or other misery, they come not by haphazard: but are very punishments of Gods sending: and therefore when things fall not out after our liking, we must fall to considering & examining of our sins. If we be grieved with any manner of thing, so as one is troubled with his household, an other with the loss of his goods, another with some disease, another with some vexation of mind, and an other with the forgoing of some thing that he loved: ⟨p. 965⟩let us acknowledge, saying; Lo, it is our God that hath lifted up his hand, & holdeth it up still. And wherefore? Because that we have offended him. The first point then is, that men may not flatter them selves when God visiteth them: but they must know, that by this means they are made to understand their offences, to the end to humble themselves, and to bewail them. Thus much for one point.

And euen in that respect is it sayde by the Prophet Amos:¹ Is there any euill in the city which God hath not done? That is to saye, can there happen either warre, or pestilence, or famine, or diseases, or pouertie, or any other calamitie whatsoeuer it bee, that commeth not to you from God? Wretched people, bee you so foolish and beastly, as to imagine, that God which created the worlde, doeth leaue it at randon, and hath no care to watche ouer his creatures, or to bestowe on them, that which hee thinketh meete for them, sometimes to shewe his goodnesse, and sometimes to make them feele that hee is a Iudge, and to punish mens sinnes, and to make them to knowe what his office is? Thinke you that hee dwelleth ydle in heauen, and that he vttereth not his vertue, or that the worlde is not guyded and gouerned by his prouidence? So then, like as heretofore God hath shewed that wee cannot prosper,