Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Now where he sayeth, And you shall be amazed at the sights which you shall see: it is according to that which was said before;¹ namely: that men should be distracted, and grope at noonday, as doeth the blind in the dark. For if we be borne withal so far as to gather and pluck up our spirits to call upon GOD, and to be patient in our afflictions; it is a great grace, and such a one as can not be sufficiently esteemed. But if our Lord encourage us not to repentance, nor give us wherewith to assuage and diminish our sorrows, but all hope is taken away, and we be as folk already forlorn, so as we be besides our wits to see the naked sword continually before us, having no mean of remedy or succour at all: that is a dreadful threatening. Nevertheless it is not sent without cause, considering the hardness of heart which is to be seen in all men. For until GOD have brought us to this straughtednesse, we be altogether blockish, and we have the contrary vice, which is, that we can very well complain when any thing doeth trouble us: yea, and sometimes we lye as beaten down, but yet doeth not that make us to come again to God: for we see how every man taketh the bridle in his teeth, so as they shake off all fear, and never think upon that which is set down here. And so we see how men become blockish. Now our Lord would fain draw them to repentance, ⟨p. 980⟩at leastwise if they were teachable, that is to say, if they were not wilful stubborn. For he trieth all manner of ways to draw us unto him. This is the cause why he doeth correct us gently, and as it were within compass, as with his little finger. But when he seeth that that will nothing prevail; then must he bring us to this kind of woodness. For until he hath les• us as men distracted, we will never have our minds peaceable and obedient,§10 we will never be won.

Nowe where he sayeth, And you shall be amazed at the sights which you shall see: it is according to that which was sayde before;¹ namely: that men shold be distraughted, and grope at nooneday, as doeth the blinde in the darke. For if wee be borne withall so farre as to gather and plucke vppe our spirites to call vppon GOD, and to bee patient in our afflictions; it is a great grace, and such a one as can not bee sufficiently esteemed. But if our Lorde incourage vs not to repentaunce, ne giue vs wherewith to asswage and diminish our sorrowes, but all hope is taken away, and we be as folke already forlorne, so as we bee besides our wittes to see the naked sword continually before vs, hauing no meane of remedie or succour at all: that is a dreadfull threatning. Neuerthelesse it is not sent without cause, considering the hardenesse of hearte which is to bee seene in all men. For vntill GOD haue brought vs to this straughtednesse, we be altogether blockish, and we haue the contrarie vice, which is, that we can verie well complayne when any thing doeth trouble vs: yea, and sometimes we lye as beaten downe, but yet doeth not that make vs to come againe to God: for we see howe euery man taketh the bridle in his teeth, so as they shake off all feare, and neuer thinke vpon that which is set downe heere. And so we see howe men become blockish. Now our Lorde would faine drawe them to repentaunce,