Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Now let us come to that which Moses saith farther. He sayeth that GOD will strike the despisers of his law with many diseases. He hath spoken heretofore of fevers, and of the hot disease, and of the yellow jaundice, and of such others: now he speaketh of the Itch and canker and of other worms and scabs. Where also mention is made of the Emerods, as some do expound them; all these foresaid things be the weapons of GOD, to punish the offenders of the Law. To be short, they be his men of war to encounter with us, when he seeth that we take heart of grass against him. And truly when we favour our own lusts to violate his righteousness, and to break the order which he hath established among us: and when he seeth our lusts to be so inordinate which are thieves and robbers: he armeth his people and substitutes which be the diseases that are here spoken of, and other sorts. Let us therefore learne•, that whatsoever diseases we suffer in our bodies, the same be all messages of GOD to make us to feel his wrath, because we have offended him: but specially the extraordinary diseases, as when GOD sendeth upon us the sicknesses that are not usual amongst men, for the curing whereof they can hardly find any mean, or else it is altogether impossible to do it, by reason of the strangeness of the things: then meaneth GOD to make us to feel his anger toward us double, and to show us that we have provoked him too too much. But we think very slenderly of this. For contrariwise concerning the common diseases, the ordinary having of them maketh us to think that they proceed not from God. They say: there is a man that hath a fever: and there is an other that hath the murre & the pose, or some such other disease. Well, these be things wherein we be hardened. As how? By custom. And must God in the mean while leese the possession of his right? If he do still show himself a Judge towards us, in chastising us: is that a reason why we should forget him, and have no regard of his hand? But howsoever the case standeth, such is our blockishness. I would God that the examples thereof were not so notorious as they be.

Nowe let vs come to that which Moses sayth farther. He sayeth that GOD will strike the despisers of his lawe with many diseases. He hath spoken heeretofore of feuers, and of the whotte disease, and of the yelowe iaundis, and of such others: nowe hee speaketh of the Itch and canker and of other wormes and scabbes. Where also mention is made of the Emorodes, as some doe expounde them; all these foresayde thinges be the weapons of GOD, to punish the offenders of the Lawe. To be short, they be his men of warre to incounter with vs, when he seeth that we take heart of grasse against him. And truely when we fauour our owne lustes to violate his righteousnesse, and to breake the order which he hath established among vs: and when hee seeth our lustes to bee so inordinate which are theeues and robbers: he armeth his people and substitutes which bee the diseases that are heere spoken of, and other sortes. Lette vs therefore learne, that whatsoeuer diseases we suffer in our bodyes, the same be all messages of GOD to make vs to feele his wrath, because wee haue offended him: but specially the extraordinarie diseases, as when GOD sendeth vppon vs the sickenesses that are not vsuall amongst men, for the curing whereof they can hardely finde any meane, or else it is altogether impossible to doe it, by reason of the straungenesse of the thinges: then meaneth GOD to make vs to feele his anger towarde vs double, and to shewe vs that wee haue prouoked him too too much. But we thinke verie slenderly of this. For contrariwise concerning the common diseases, the ordinarie hauing of them maketh vs to thinke that they proceede not from God. They saye: there is a man that hath a feuer: and there is an other that hath the murre & the poze, or some such other disease. Wel, these be thinges wherein we be hardened. As howe? By custome. And must God in the mean while leese the possession of his right? If he doe still shewe himselfe a Iudge towards vs, in chastising vs: is that a reason why wee should forget him, and haue no regarde of his hande? But howsoeuer the case standeth, such is our blockishnesse. I woulde God that the examples therof were not so notorious as they be.