Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Now by the way we see the fruit which the afflictions sent of God do yield us. Not that they be profitable to all men, as I shall show hereafter: but unto the faithful, whom God maketh his corrections to serve. For by them he holdeth us in awe, to the end we may not be moved with impatience when we happen to be chastised by his hand. For naturally we be inclined to impatience: insomuch that if we feel any smart, by and by we leap out of our bounds. And we hear what complaints and grudgings are made continually in the world: when men see wars, when folk are pinched with famine, or when they be stricken with plagues: what a number of blasphemies do they spew out against God? And although men dare not be so bold as to defy GOD in words: yet do they gnash their teeth at him, showing thereby that they be no whit moved to receive his chastisements with such mildness & meekness as they ought to do. And whereof proceedeth that? Even of that we taste not the thing which Moses telleth us here, namely, that by Gods overmastering of us we begin to be quiet towards him, and to become teachable, and to receive the warnings contained in his word, so as they profit us to our salvation. Until GOD have tamed us, we be both deaf and blind, yea and in a manner Lunatic. If a wretched man that is in a burning ague, have any strength in him, he will caste him self into the fire or into the water: and if he be letted of his purpose, he will fling himself down headlong to break his neck. Now if the Physician do hold him down in his bed, & seem ⟨p. 1164⟩to deal violently with him: it is meet he should do so, and he doth no more than need constraineth him unto. Let us understand then, that we be like Lunatic folk, and that there is neither wit nor reason in us as long as God spareth us. By reason whereof he is forced to tame us even to the uttermost till we can no more. For when we be come to the point that there is scarce any more breath in us, and that we can scarce fetch our wind: then begin we §10to fall to the mildness whereof Moses speaketh here, which is, that if a man upbraid us with our offences and blame us for them, we keep silence and hold our peace, and are not so hasty as to say by and by:

Nowe by the way wee see the fruite which the afflictions sent of God doe yeelde vs. Not that they bee profitable to all men, as I shall shewe hereafter: but vnto the faithfull, whom God maketh his corrections to serue. For by thē he holdeth vs in awe, to the end we may not be moued with impatiencie when we happen to be chastised by his hande. For naturally wee bee inclined to impatiencie: insomuch that if wee feele anie smarte, by and by wee leape out of our boundes. And we heare what complaintes and grudginges are made continually in the worlde: when men see warres, when folke are pinched with famine, or when they bee stricken with plagues: what a number of blasphemies doe they spewe out against God? And although men dare not bee so bolde as to defie GOD in wordes: yet doe they gnashe their teeth at him, shewing thereby that they be no whyt mooued to receiue his chastisements with such mieldnes & meekenes as they ought to do. And whereof proceedeth that? Euen of that we tast not the thing which Moses telleth vs here, namely, that by Gods ouermastring of vs wee beginne to bee quiet towardes him, and to become teachable, and to receiue the warninges contayned in his worde, so as they profite vs to our saluation. Vntill GOD haue tamed vs, wee bee both deafe and blinde, yea and in a manner Lunatike. If a wretched man that is in a burning ague, haue anie strength in him, hee will caste him selfe into the fire or into the water: and if hee bee letted of his purpose, hee will fling himselfe downe headlong to breake his necke. Nowe if the Physicion do hold him downe in his bed, & seeme