Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 94
On Saturday the xxvj. of October. 1555. The XCiiij. Sermon which is the second vponupon the fifteenth Chapter.
7 If a brother of thine become poore within any of the gates in the Lande which the Lord thy God giueth thee, thou shalt not harden thy heart nor shut thy hand from thy brother that is poore.
8 But thou shalt open thy hand bountifully, and lend him sufficiently for his neede wherewith he is pinched.
9 Beware that there be no point of peeuishnes in thy heart, that thou say not, the seuenth yeare which is the yeare of respiting is at hande, and thereuppon thou hauehave a wicked eye against thy poore brother, so as thou giuegive him nothing; and then hee crie against thee to the Lorde thy GOD, so as it become sinne vntounto thee.
10. Thou shalt giuegive him freely, and let not thy heart repine at thy giuing vntounto him: for because of this the Lorde thy God will blesse thee in all thy woorkes, and in all that euer thou puttest thy hande vntounto.
HEre Moses goeth on with ye same matter that was ripped vp yesterday, that is to wit, that in the seuenth yeare dettes should be respited, to the intent that the poore shoulde not bee sued nor molested. And I told you that the meaning therof was not that they shoulde be quite and cleane forgiuen, but that the poore shoulde be so much eased. Now Moses addeth a larger declaration, That the same ought not to hinder men from lending liberally when any bodie had neede. And this is added because men doe alwayes goe about to defraude the Law. Although equitie be shewed vsus neuer so plainely, and that the Lawes bee set neuer so well together: yet are men so suttle in naughtinesse, that they finde alwayes some startinghole, to beare the worlde in hand that they hauehave not offended the Lawe, and yet the intent of the Lawe maker is defrauded. This is a thing too much accustomed; and woulde God there were not too many examples of it in experience. But what? When men thinke themselues to hauehave set things in as good order as can be, a thousand meanes are deuised to scape from them, and thereof commeth so much brabling in Law. For the end of good Lawes is to stop the way to all pratlers, that there might bee no debate nor quarelling among men, but that eueryevery man might hauehave his owne right. And inasmuch as Lawes doe shewe that whosoeuer offendeth must be punished; is it not a mean to hold euerie man in awe? But as I saide afore, the Law serues vsus but to deuise wicked shifts how to do hurt and harme vntill our hearts be reformed. Neuerthelesse, our Lords meaning in this text, was to prouide that the Law which he had set downe shold be kept, and that men shoulde not take occasion thereat to withholde themselues from succouring such as are in necessitie. And yet notwithstanding, that which is spoken here was not onelyonly wrested to the defrauding of the Law; but also applyed much worse. For such as were too much wedded to their owne profite, tooke occasion at Gods law to do lesse good and to shew lesse merciemercy to their neighbours than otherwise they woulde hauehave done. For why? Had it beene lawfull for them to hauehave sued men at all times, so as they might hauehave required their right at all times without exception: they woulde hauehave lent money in the sixth yeare as well as in the first, and they woulde hauehave made no bones at all at it. But nowe that a Lawe was set foorth, that there shoulde bee a forbearing of it in the seuenth yeare, if a poore man required succour, euerie man thought thus with himselfe: if I lende him money nowe, it is layde a water, I loose a whole yeares occupying of it, and what a thing is that? It were better that this good fellowe shoulde goe prouide himselfe where hee can: for I intende not to hazarde myselfe in this wise: for what can I tell what will befall within a yeare and a halfe? There needeth but a little hinderance, and beside, hee may fall into further pouertie, and then am I cut short of my money. Thus ye see how eueryevery man woulde shrinke away, and vnderunder colour that God had commaunded men to vse gentlenesse towardes their neighbours in the seuenth yeare; the poore were disappointed of help and reliefe, and their throates were cut, so as there was no way for them to ease themselues of their want.
And hereby we see yet better, that men not onelyonly be suttle in deuising new shiftes from time to time, to couer their misdoings: but also yt whē they hauehave neuer so good and iust Lawes, they turne them to the cleane contrarie. And this commeth to passe not only in worldly gouernment, but also euen in matter concerning God: wherein we see, ye horrible corruption of our nature. And this is one point well worthy to be noted. When such as are in authoritie ouer vsus, as Princes, Magistrates, and Iudges make Lawes & statutes: if wee breake them, that disobedience of ours (as Saint Paul sheweth) toucheth God, and therefore is not to be excused.Rom. 13.2. But when as God commeth as it were in his owne person, and telleth vsus his will as it were with his own mouth: if we then dally with him, and shroud ourselues by shifts and suttleties as though hee were not able to see vsus: is not that a diuilish malapeartnes? But there is yet a farre greater and more outragious extremity, as I said afore. God goeth about to rule our life aright, he seeth vsus pitifully wandering in our own affections: he setteth vsus down an order what to doe: and his will ought to bee as a definitiue sentence for vsus to stande vntounto, so as wee ought to inquire no further: for we know that whatsoeuer God alloweth, is perfect righteousnesse. Nowe when hee hath beene so gracious to vsus as to teach vsus, What doe we? We not onelyonly fall to dissemble in his Lawe, but also turne al order vpsidedowne, and transgresse the verie Lawes themselues which hee giueth vsus to direct vsus by: Sith wee see such frowardnesse, wee hauehave good cause to mislike of our selues, and to condemne our selues vtterly. And therefore seeing wee be of malicious and froward nature, let vsus learne to suspect our selues, and to yeeld to Gods good will, that when he hath giuen vsus his Lawe, he may also giuegive vsus the grace to receiue it with all singlenesse of heart, so as it may bee to our benefite, and that we may not turne life into death, nor light into darkenesse. Thus yee see what we hauehave to remember in the first place.
Secondly it behoueth vsus to marke here, that the keeping of the outwarde forme of the Lawe is not all that we hauehave to doe: but that wee must specially obserue the substance of the Lawe. Wil wee proue our obedience towardes God? The way to do it is not by Ceremonies, but to seeke out the certaintie of his meaning, and to submit our selues thereunto. For men will take good heede to the worldewarde, that they offende not in such wise, as they may bee punished: and if a man can finde some pretie shift to excuse himselfe withall when hee commeth before the iudge; hee thinkes all his doings to bee iustifiable ynough. A man then will make no conscience to offende, so he hauehave wherewith to hide himselfe when he is reproued, and that hee can say, as for mee, I vnderstoode it not so: the Law saith not so. He findeth out some little worde that carieth a shewe of contrarietie to the true meaning of the Lawe, and setteth a counterfait construction vppon it, and so beares himselfe in hande that hee hath well ridded his handes of the matter, and that by that meanes he is cleare of it. And therfore let vsus learn that it is nothing worth to hauehave obserued the Lawe as in respect of the outwarde forme of it, that is to say, in such wise as men can finde no fault with vsus; but that the chiefe point is to liue soundly & roundly, accordingly as wee see here that it was Gods will that in the seuenth yeare there should bee a respit, that is to wit that men shoulde not sue for their dettes, but suffer it to bee a restingtime, as I declared yesterday.
True it is that the Iewes woulde not vtterly transgresse this order: but yet they thought it ynough for them to discharge themselues of the Ceremonie, and they bare themselues in hand that God might well holde himselfe contented with such disguisings, when in the meane while the chiefe thing was left vndone. For the poore were not pitied to their reliefe, but rather men tooke occasion to leaue them vtterly destitute. Insomuch that howe great so euer their neede was, they were neuer the more releeued, and all vnderunder colour that men could not recouer that which they had lent. Wee see then how men woulde alwayes appease God with ceremonies. But let vsus beare in minde howe hee saieth by his Prophet,Ier. 5.3. that he hath an eye to the soundnesse of the heart. Therefore let vsus deale faithfully with our neighbours, if wee will hauehave God to accept the seruice which we yeeld vntounto him.
And nowe let vsus come to that which is set downe here. If any of thy brethren (saieth hee) bee falne behinde hand, as leastwise of such as dwell within thy gates: looke that thou harden not thy heart, n… shut thy hande against him. His speaking peculiarly of the Israelites themselues, was not to giuegive the Iewes leaue to deuour the goods of the heathen, nor to deale cruelly with them: but his meaning was that there shoulde bee the more friendlinesse vsed among themselues, because that besides the kinred that was among them, there was also an vnion of faith. For GOD had shouled out the lynage of Abraham from the rest of the worlde, and had knitte them together into one bodie, whereof hee himselfe vouchsafed to bee the head: and therefore it was good reason that they shoulde maintaine one another, and be the more inclined one to succor another. But hereof the Iewes tooke occasion, to holde fast all that euer they coulde catch; for they constrewed all the promises of the holy scripture to their owne aduantage, as though God had laide the bridle on their necks, and had no more care of the Gentyles than of brute beastes. As for example; whereas it is said, Yee shall reigne ouer many Nations; therupon they concluded, Then is it lawfull for vsus to execute all maner of Tyrannie vppon the Gentiles, and to eate them vp▪ for they be vncircumcysed and vncleane, and belong not vntounto God at al: & therfore let vsus sucke what wee can possiblie out of them, and not spare them. Yea and they stretched the worde Lenide verie farre: for they sticked not a whit to ouerlode the straungers with vsurie to the vttermost that they coulde beare, without any regarde of vprightnesse. Thus yee see howe the Iewes did alwayes restreine the right of Gods promises, bearing themselues in hande that it behoued them to be a little friendlyer to their neighbours, that is to say to those that were of their owne kinred: And yet euen in yt behalfe also they were counted as rauening Wolues, as the Prophet Ieremie vpbraideth them,Ier. 5.26. Mic. 3.1.2.3 and as shalbe declared in due place.
But let vsus nowe come backe againe to that which is saide here, to applie it to our instruction. If the Iewes vsed this hypocrisie of couering their couetousnesse with a pretence that they might well pill and poll the heathen and Infidels: let vsus see if wee our selues doe not the like at this day. True it is that our Lord commendeth vntounto vsus the housholde folke of faith aboue all others:Gal. 6.10. and yet is it not ment that he giueth vsus leaue to fleece such as hauehave not the knowledge of his worde. For hee hath knitte vsus generally altogether in that hee hath saide by his Prophet Esay,Esa. 58.7. Thou shalt not despise thine owne flesh, in which saying hee comprehendeth all men without exception. Therefore must we behaue our selues vprightly and indifferently towardes all men; and likewise wee must hauehave pitie and compassion vponupon al: For …n them we behold our owne nature; but yet for al that, the housholdfolke of faith are linked to vsus with a much neerer bonde: in respect whereof it is good reason that wee shoulde louelove them more specially as our brethren. Thus yee see after what maner this text is to be vnderstoode, where God saith If any of thy brethren, that is to say of thine owne countrimen. And hee dooth it for that they were linked together in a holie bande, had the true Religion, and were adopted to be the children of God: in consideration whereof it behooued them to bethinke themselues to bee kinde hearted and pitifull one towardes another, and yet ought they not to hauehave despised the rest of the worlde as they did.
And whereas it is saide within thy Gates: it is to shew that the exercising of our charity ought to bee according to our knowledge of mens necessities. For wee bee not able to iudge of all mens needes. True it is that euen without seeing the extremities that are eueryevery where wee ought to be touched with compassion. When we heare of warres, that one Countrie hath beene burned, another spoyled, and all thinges hauehave beene turned vpside downe; it is not for vsus to go to the place to see what hath beene done. For if we be not too too blockish, we may wel thinke that those thinges cannot bee doone without horrible confusion. Therefore must we pray for those whome wee neuer sawe: for they touch vsus, they bee men as well as wee, they bee reasonable creatures shaped after the Image of GOD.… And in that respect wee ought to pitie those that are nothing neere vntounto vsus. But as in respect of succouring, euerie man must straine himselfe according to the neede that hee seeth, for I cannot iudge of those that are far off from me. But if I see a bodie in present necessitie; then must I be moued to pitie, and I must consider that God prouoketh and calleth me to the succoring of him that is in neede.
Thus yee see why Moses hath set it downe expresly, that men shoulde hauehave a regarde of those that are within their gates. The heathen coulde well skill to saye, that although all mankinde bee alyed together; yet notwithstanding, the neighbours that are acquainted one with another, ought to vse a speciall friendlinesse in succouring one another. And in deede, euen without anie reading of the holie scripture, euerie man can well skill to saye in his owne behalfe when his neighbour faileth him, Howe nowe? what neybourhood is this? And who teacheth them ye lesson? Nature. Here therefore our Lord telleth vsus that if we perceiue any of our neighbors to be in necessitie, it ought to stirre vsus vp, so as if wee bee not too vnnatural, wee must needes be touched with it wtout any further putting of vsus in mind therof. For the thing it selfe speaketh when we see our neighbor so distressed.
Nowe he addeth further, Thou shalt not harden thy heart, nor shut thy hande. Hee might well hauehave begunne at this point, Thy hand shall not bee shut, for that is the matter which hee tendeth to in effect. But it is not for nought that he saith, Thou shalt not shut vp thy heart. For why, his intent is to preuent the thing that hindereth our weldoing & our succoring of our neighbours that are in distresse: namely, the hardnesse of our hearts. For where pitie is, that is to say if we be pitifull, wee will indeuour to vtter it if we hauehave wherewith. In deede a man shal see a number that can well skill to weepe; but al that they can find in their hearts to do, is but to shedde a fewe teares: they cast forth such sighes that a man woulde thinke their heartes shoulde burst; but to spare one penny out of their purse, that is no part of their thought. Many such hypocrites are to be seene. But let vsus hauehave the true kindheartednesse in vsus, and let vsus not be hardhearted, but let our hande euer followe our heart. And that is the cause why our Lorde beganne at this point▪ That men shoulde not harden their heartes. As if hee should say, will yee be good Almesmen? Will ye be wel disposed to succour such as hauehave neede of your helpe? Then let your heartes bee softened, and not locked vp to holde fast to your selues, but to thinke rather with your selues thus: Behold God offereth mee here a man, he is my neighbour, and although hee bee neither …ith nor kin to mee, yet is hee a creature shaped after the image of God, and therefore must I open my heart towardes him, and hauehave some pitie vppon him. As oft then as wee bee colde and negligent in succouring our neighbours, let vsus learne to enter into this consideration that is set downe heere, and to say to our selues: How nowe? Wretched man, if thou wart as hee is, wouldest thou not be gladde that others should succour thee? Yes: and if they shoulde let thee alone, thou couldest skill well ynough to say for thy selfe, Alas, men make no more account of a creature fashioned after the image of God, than of a dog. Thou couldest well skill to say so; and yet for all that wilt thou thy selfe harden thy heart after the same fashion? Thus yee see what wee hauehave in the first place to marke vppon this text.
And nowe for the seconde part, let vsus marke how our Lordes intent here, is to shewe vsus that almesdeedes please him not, vnlesse they come from a willing and free disposed heart.…. Cor. 3.7. And therfore let vsus learne to order our succouring of our neighbours needes in such sort, as we doe it not repyningly and vnwillingly, so as when our hand is stretched out, there be a wicked affection in vsus which may hinder vsus from offering vp vntounto God that succour which we owe vntounto our neighbours when we see them in necessitie. And would God that this lesson were well put in vre, and that euerie one of vsus did beare it better in minde than we do. For although we doe some Almesdeedes, yet may the world see that our harts are straitened, and that wee cannot come to this doctrine of Saint Paules, that God loueth the liberall giuer, and that hee will not hauehave men go to worke as it were, by constraint and inforcement, but of a free goodwill. Howe many be there that put this lesson in vre? Nay, the giuer hath alwayes some hartgrudging in himselfe, and would faine drawe his heade out of the coller if hee coulde, and his doing of it is as if he were put to his task as they terme it, or as though hee payed some tribute. But our Lord calleth Almesdeeds Sacrifices, to the ende wee should do them cheerefully. And I pray you,Hebr. 23.16 if wee will offer any thing vntounto God, shoulde it bee as the paying of a tribute, or of some tallage or impost, that is extorted? Shoulde it bee as it were a ransome giuen to theeues or enemies? Shoulde our honouring of our God by doing him homage for the goods that wee hauehave receiued at his hande, bee by such force and constreint? Nowe wee see in effect▪ what is imported in these two speeches; namely that wee must not hauehave our hearts locked vp to hinder vsus from well doing; but that not onelyonly our handes but also our heartes must bee open towards such as are distressed, to hauehave pitie vppon them, and to vse kindnesse to them. Where this is not, there must needes bee all manner of crueltie, as wee commonly see that such as hauehave most to spare, doe fall to repyning if a bodie go about to wring an almes from them and they make a grudging at it like a dog when one woulde take away a bone out of his mouth. And if they happe to giuegive any thing, bee it for shame or for any other cause, it is a death to thē to part from it. And surely it were better that such rakehelles were rooted out of the worlde, than that they should liue among men. For they bee monsters against kinde, they bee foule churles, that coulde finde in their hearts to deuour and swallowe downe all the worlde into their mawes. Or rather they bee men full of vnbeliefe, which hauehave no more trust in God than diuels, bearing themselues in hande that the earth is not able to finde them. By reason whereof if it come to the point that they must giuegive any thing, it striketh them to the heart, it killeth them, insomuch that the asking of an Almes at their hande, is as the drawing of a sworde to cut their throtes. Therefore let vsus looke to our selues, and when we heare our Lord speake of the not hardening of our hearts, let vsus beginne at this point of kindnesse in hauing pitie and compassion vponupon such as are in distresse. And therewithall let our hande bee at libertie afterwarde, in such sort as wee may protest that wee offer GOD a sacrifice with a free heart.
And nowe Moses addeth, Beware that this wicked thought come not in thy heart to say, Beholde, the Seuenth yeare is at hande, and if I lende, my money must lie dead for the time. He calleth it a wicked thought when we be helde backe by it too much to our owne profite, and in the meane while forsake the partie that is in neede. For were our thoughts well ruled, surely wee should not bee so greatly wedded to our owne profite, but that we would also thinke vponupon those whom God commendeth vntounto vsus.1. Cor. 13.15 It is saide that louelove seeketh not his owne. True it is that it cannot bee but that euerie man will bee mindfull of himselfe. But Saint Paules meaning in saying so, is that men must not bee caried away with the louelove of their owne profite, as who shoulde say they woulde hauehave no fellowshippe with their neighbours, nor streine themselues to doe any thing for them. Therefore as for those which say, I must hauehave regarde of my selfe, and therewithall doe despise others, and passe not what they endure: those seeke their owne gaine, and in so doing shewe themselues to be vtterly voide of charitie. Contrariwise, if wee bee kindhearted, although wee be mindfull of our selues, yet are we not so caried away with it; but that wee beare an euen hand and proceede to the louing of our neighbours as our selues. Whereas our nature wholly draweth vsus to our owne priuate profite, let vsus bethinke our selues thus: What? I cannot separate my selfe from those to whom God hath knit me; for that were a wicked diuorce. If I should holde my selfe alone, and hauehave no regard but of mine owne aduantage; It were a cutting of my selfe off from mankinde, & I were worthie to be cut from the rest of the world, for it is against kinde. So then, it is not without cause that Moses saith, that when a man is so mindful of his owne profite, and seeketh it in such sort that he taketh it as an occasion to refuse to help his neighbors at all: it is a wicked thought, for thereby wee bee done to vnderstand, that we must not iustifie our selues because that although men be not able to accuse vsus so as we may condemned by mans Lawe; yet doth it not followe therefore that wee be quit before God. If a man come to borrowe mony of mee, and I thinke thus with my selfe, I cannot tell whether this man be able to pay me againe or no, he is a poore man, and when I hauehave taried a long time, hee may chaunce to growe poorer and poorer, and then is my money loste. Nowe then if this poore man that was to be succoured abide still in distresse, and in the end perish: the other that woulde not lend him, shall not be accused for it nor brought to answere for it before men. And if men cast him in the teeth with it. O (will hee say) It was for mee to seeke mine owne profite, I listed not to hazarde my selfe after that fashion. Well this excuse may serue afore men: but in the meane while what saith the heauenly Iudge to it? It is a wicked thought, saieth hee: and let men flatter themselues neuer so much, they shall winne nothing by it. Therefore let vsus marke that wee must not wey our woorkes in our owne scales, as who shoulde say wee shall goe scotfree because wee hauehave some startinghole. For our Lorde telleth vsus that the thing which beares a shewe to be excusable of it selfe, is cursed in his sight; that is to wit if wee succour not the partie that hath neede, at leastwise according to our abilitie. And it is the selfesame thing that our Lorde Iesus Christ putteth vsus in minde of, where hee saieth that wee must doe good to such as are not able to requite vsus with the like,Luke. 6.35. and that wee must lende without looking for any gaine. For neither in lending nor in giuing, commonly is there any liberalitie among men, but euerie man hath an eye to his owne gaine. If a man giuegive, it is to the ende to receiue giftes againe: and if a man lende, alwayes his respect is, that such a one may doe him pleasure and recompence him with the like good turne againe. It is no Liberalitie when wee doe good in hope to bee recompensed for it againe. But if wee do good to a poore man, at whose hande wee cannot by any meanes reape any profite; that is a point of free goodnesse, and God alloweth of it, for it is an acceptable sacrifice vntounto him. And that is the cause why hee saieth that we should not giuegive to such as are able to requite vsus, but to such as are vtterly vnable, and of whom wee hauehave no hope to recouer the principall: for it is no Almesdeede, that is to say, no deede of merciemercy, vnlesse there bee neede: and where is neede, but among such as are not able to recompence? Yea and euen where our money may seeme to bee cast into the water, insomuch that wee hauehave succoured such a man as it may bee saide▪ Verily this is quite lost for aught that I can see? Yea verily, as to the worldwarde. But our Lorde saieth▪ Mat. …I receiue it: yee thinke yee put your almes into a mortall mans hande, but it is I that become detter for it. Although all thinges bee his, yet bindeth he himself in the person of the poore; and shoulde then any nigardlynesse stay vsus from succoring those whom God offereth vntounto vsus, seeing he setteth them as in his owne steede, and auoweth all to be done to himselfe which is done to them?
Moreouer let vsus marke that Moses speaketh here, of such as are in neede. For God ment not to maintaine wicked folke in ydlenes & naughtinesse. The man that seeketh to wast away other mens goods, and to defraude his Creditors, is not commended vntounto vsus heere of God: but hee speaketh directly of mercy. And that is the cause why he saieth, Thou shalt not harden thy heart. For if wee hauehave not that discretion: doe what Almesdeedes we will, and yet shall none of them be acceptable. Wherfore let vsus marke, that here God speaketh not in fauour of all men, but onelyonly setteth before vsus such as are in neede & wote not what to doe, and shoulde perish in distresse if they were not relieued. Those are they which are to be helped according to our abilitie. True it is, that to make a Lawe of it, it is not possible. God hath set this order among his people, that the poore shoulde be succoured. But he hath not tolde with what sūme, nor how oftentimes: hee hath not made a tax of it, to say that eueryevery man should beare thus much; Only we must resort to this which S. Paul saith,…. Co…. 3.5… Let eueryevery man doe that which he doth with a free hart, and not lay a tribute vponupon mē as though they shold pay as much as they were sessed at: but let eueryevery mā sesse him self of his own good wil, & think thus, although I streined my self a hundred times more, yet could I not discharge my self to my godward. Howbeit forasmuch as he sheweth me this fauor to accept it as an offring of my hand, although I do not so much as I ought to doe nothing neere, yet doth it please him to receiue yt which I giuegive him, so it be done wt a free hart. Sith we know this, albeit that we cannot make a grounded Lawe of it, to say how farre we shall go in succoring our neighbors, yet let eueryevery of vsus streine himselfe, and alwayes be doing, with the foresayd free heart.
And it is sayd, Thou shalt not thinke with thy self, the yeere of respit is at hand, and therefore I will not lend. Hereby it is shewed vsus, (as I hauehave touched afore) that if a poore man require help, although he be not able to pay the thing againe out of hand which he borroweth, yet must not wee be cold for all that. For we must thinke, if I helpe this poore man at this time, he is a faithful man, and my succoring and releeuing of him shall set him halfe vp againe, but howsoeuer the worlde go, he may be able to mainteine his trade, and at length he may pay mee all that hee borroweth. But if I vtterly faile him at this time, he is quite sunck, he is brought vnderunder foote for euer, and hee hath no meanes to get vp againe: and I am too blame if I see him perish so. Had we this cō sideratiō with vsus, we should not hauehave the nigardlines that Moses mentioneth and condemneth here. And how so? Let vsus knowe that where need requireth, we must not hauehave such respect to our owne profite, as to let the poore perish in their distresse without lending them our helping hād.
Again, Let vsus wey wel this saying which Moses setteth downe here: namely that wee must open our handes. Hee repeteth it twise or thrice: and that is to shewe vsus that there is nothing but hypocrisie in vsus, when we pretend to hauehave compassion, & yet our hand is alwayes shut▪ and nothing can be wrong out of vsus. I hauehave told you already yt a number of folke wil not passe greatly to say; Alas, when they see poore people: but they beare themselues in hand yt it is enough to hauehave pretended a countenance. But here God reproueth mens dissimulation, if they hauehave not their handes open: for it is a tokē that their hart is hardened, so as there is nothing but beastly churlishnesse in them, and when their handes be not opened, it must needes bee a record of it. Againe he setteth downe that the poore is to be succored according to his neede, and that a gage is to be taken of him, if there be a gage to be had: for it may also full well be vnderstood of the taking of gages. And hereby we see yet better, that our Lordes meaning was not to hauehave dettes vtterly released by the respit that was giuen in the seuenth yeere: but onelyonly to hauehave a time of rest giuen for the respectes and considerations which I hauehave treated of before.
Furthermore it is tolde vsus here, that we must relieue our neighbors wants: for our Lord speaketh heere of the lendinges that are doone of almes. And in deede, it is oftentimes a greater almesdeede to lend some cōpetēt sūme, than to giuegive a very little. For it may be yt the giuing of a little will doe a man no ease at all: but the lending of as much as neede requireth, releeueth him very wel, & he may in time content his creditor again. That then is the thing whereunto our Lord appointeth vsus. And therefore let vsus marke the thing which I hauehave touched already; that is to wit, that although a man cannot set downe a Lawe certeine in this behalfe; yet must eueryevery man be a rule to himself, to doe according to his own abilitie and according to ye need that he seeth in his neighbors.
Now here is added yet further, That God will blesse such as doe so, according as hee had begun yesterday to promise his blessing to all such as were so liberally minded towardes the succoring of the poore. And this serueth still to correct the cursed vnbeleefe yt holdeth our heartes locked vp so as no man mindeth aught else than himself and his own profite. For it seemeth to vsus yt if we forgo neuer so little of yt which we hauehave, we be in ye way to be vndone by it. That is ye cause why eueryevery man holdes fast, & neuer thinkes hee hath enough. O (say we) it is true yt we may doe so and so: but thereby I should be impayred, & I cannot tell what may befall to my selfe. We cast so many doubtes, yt we can neuer finde occasion to giuegive any thing. And why so? Forsooth because I might want it my selfe. But yt is a cursed distrust, & such a one as prouoketh Gods wrath. For wee ought rather to hope well at his hand, yt as he hath not failed vsus heretofore, so he will continue to doe vsus good stil. And yet we go to seek these doubts a far off, which we be afraid of: insomuch yt it grieueth vsus euen to heare thē spoken of. If a man shoulde say to vsus, such a thing may befal the if thy house should be burned, & all thy goods be cōsumed in it, & thou be driuen to sell thy landes & possessions, in what case wart thou thē? None of these songes would please vsus, but we would chafe and storme at him yt should speake so. And why? For a rich man would faine sleepe in his riches, hee hopeth yt he shal stand alwayes at one stay, & he foadeth himselfe in his delights. But in ye meane while, if he be to doe any good; he by & by forecasteth, O such a thing might befall me; famine & warre & I wote not what else must be feared. We heape together all ye mischaunces yt can bee deuised. And to what ende? Euen to shut vp our harts & our hands; yt we might do no mā good. Now our Lord minding to correct such distrust, bringeth vsus backe to his blessing, & sayth, Know ye yt it belōgeth to me to multiply you And therfore ye may wel hope yt when ye seeme to be impaired to ye worldward, yee shall hauehave a greater treasure thā if ye had kept all yt euer could hauehave come to your handes, and had neuer done any good to your neighbors to succor thē withal. For I am rich enough to fill you againe, euen when you be vtterly destitute of al things. Seeing yt our Lord speaketh after yt maner, must we not needs be woorse than infidels if wee bee not mooued thereat to doe good? Yea and though we go not to woorke with so earnest mindes as we should doe, yet if wee be not mooued at leastwise to doe somewhat; may it not bee sayd that wee stop our eares against God and giuegive him no audience at all, yea and that we giuegive no credit nor trust at all to any of his promises? Therefore let vsus learne to wey better ye valew of this lesson cō cerning Gods blessing, & let no man rest vponupon ye thinges yt he hath in his own possession, ne put such trust in thē as to say; This is my stay, this is trust in them as to say; This is my stay, this is the staffe that I must leane vponupon. Let vsus beware of such trust, for it is diuelish. Nay rather, let vsus think thus; Seeing yt God hath giuen me wheron to liue, I am contented with yt which I hauehave, and I hope yt he wil also prouide for me stil hereafter; and in ye mean time I wil so vse yt which he giueth me, as I may succour those that hauehave neede. And therwithal I wil put from me al things that may draw me from ye obeying of my God, and from ye trust which I ought to repose in his goodnesse. Thus ye see how we ought to benefite ourselues by ye promises of Gods blessing, so as they may quicken vsus vp, not onelyonly to hauehave recourse vntounto him, but also to vse liberalitie towards those that hauehave neede of vsus, to the end yt our Lord may bee praysed both of great & small, poore & rich, and al of vsus hauehave our cōtentmēt in him alone, according to ye grace yt he shal hauehave bestowed vponupon vsus.
Nowe let vsus kneele downe in his presence wt acknowledgement of our faults, praying him to make vsus perceiue them better, & to touch vsus to the quicke, to the ende that knowing his infallible truth, & what his wil is towards vsus, wee may be moued thereby to followe ye same, & to fashiō our selues to his exāple, by imparting ourselues in such wise to our neighbors, & by disposing the good in such sorte which hee hath put into your hands, as we may one day yeeld him a good and faithful account of them, yt we hauehave not bin too much addicted to our selues: but yt when we shall hauehave indeuoured to doe good according to his meaning, our whole seeking may be to liue & die in his obedience, drawing others with vsus to the selfesame fayth, so as we may all call vppon him as our father truely and vnfeinedly, because wee mainteine a right brotherhoode with all such as are knitte vntounto vsus. That it may please him to graunt this grace, not onelyonly to vsus, but also to all people and nations of the earth, &c.