Sermons upon Deuteronomy

To be short the two things which Moses noteth here, are to be considered well: namely that God useth rigour towards such as take too much liberty to do evil, and also that his goodness is ready to utter it self towards those which return to him with repentance. And so ye see how we have to mark also how good and pitiful God is: and again on the contrary part, we have to consider his rigour and severity. To be short, as oft as we be provoked to evil, and the wicked lusts of our flesh do tickle us and entice us to sin; let Gods judgement come before our eyes, that we may be moved with fear, and thereby be restrained from the evil whereunto we be tempted. On the other side, when we fall through infirmity, let us not be afraid to turn again to our God, neither let us think that he hath quite cast us off. Although his hand be sore upon us, and he smite us as though he meant to use wrath and vengeance against us: yet let that not make us to shrink from him, but rather let us understand, that as he hath made the wound, so he is at hand to heal it, so we seek the remedy. Now the mean how to seek it, hath been declared heretofore. And so ye see after what manner we ought to put this lesson in ure, where Moses saith that god having put to death, doth make alive again. And herewithall let us also bear in mind, that God playeth not with men as the heathen have imagined, as who would say he tossed and turned them like a ball: but the reason is manifest why God doth first kill and lay in grave, before he restore to life again: namely because we cannot find in our harts to submit our selves willingly unto him until he have subdued us by force: Nay the fervent heat of our boiling lusts doth so carry us away, and we be so blinded with them, that we cannot conceive how terrible Gods justice is, until he have made us to feel it by experience. Therefore it is needful for us that our Lord should put us as it were to death, to the intent to make us to taste the life which he giveth to those that return unto him.

To be short the two thinges which Moses noteth here, are to be considered well: namely that God vseth rigor towards such as take too much libertie to do euil, and also that his goodnes is ready to vtter it selfe towardes those which returne to him with repentaunce. And so ye see howe we haue to marke also howe good and pitifull God is: and againe on the contrarie part, wee haue to consider his rigour and seueritie. To be short, as oft as wee be prouoked to euill, and the wicked lustes of our flesh do tickle vs and intice vs to sin; let Gods iudgement come before our eyes, that we may be mooued with feare, and thereby bee restrayned from the euill whereunto we bee tempted. On the other side, when we fall through infirmitie, let vs not be afraide to turne againe to our God, neither let vs thinke that hee hath quite cast vs off. Although his hande be sore vppon vs, and he smite vs as though he meant to vse wrath and vengeance against vs: yet let that not make vs to shrinke from him, but rather let vs vnderstande, yt as he hath made the wound, so he is at hand to heale it, so we seeke the remedy. Now the mean howe to seeke it, hath beene declared heretofore. And so ye see after what maner we ought to put this lesson in vre, where Moses saith that god hauing put to death, doth make aliue again. And herewithall let vs also beare in minde, that God playeth not with men as the heathen haue imagined, as who would say he tossed and turned them like a bal: but ye reason is manifest why God doth first kill and lay in graue, before he restore to life againe: namelie because we cannot find in our harts to submit our selues willingly vnto him vntil he haue subdued vs by force: Nay the feruent heate of our boyling lustes doth so carie vs away, and we be so blinded with them, that wee cannot conceiue howe terrible Gods iustice is, vntil he haue made vs to feele it by experience. Therfore it is needful for vs yt our Lord shold put vs as it were to death, to ye intēt to make vs to tast ye life which he giueth to those yt return vnto him.