Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 11

Sermons on Deuteronomy · Sermons · Sermon 11

p. 60On Thursday the xxv. of Aprill. 1555. The eleuenth Sermon which is the first vponupon the second Chapter.

THen turned wee and drewe to the wildernesse by the way of the red Sea, as the Lorde had sayd to mee: and wee compassed about mount Seir many a day.

2 And the Lorde spake vntounto me, saying:

3 Yee hauehave gone long enough about this mountaine: turne yee towardes the North.

4 And warne thou the people, saying: yee shall shortly passe through the borders of your brethren the children of Esau which dwell in Seir, and they shall be afrayd of you: but take yee good heede to your selues,

5 That yee prouoke them not: for I will not giuegive you so much as one foote of their land.

6 Yee shall buy vittels of them for mony, and eate: and lykewise yee shall buy water of them for mony, and drinke.

7 For the Lorde thy God hath blessed thee in all the workes of thy handes. He knewe that thou shouldest iourney through this great wildernesse. The Lord thy God hath bin with thee now these fortie yeeres, and thou hast wanted nothing.

HEre wee see more fully the proofe of the matter that I treated of 40yesterday: y^t God in chastising men, doth teache them to obeye him, & by that meanes holdeth them in awe by force, because they would not submitte themselues to 50him willingly: And secondly that he tryeth their obedience, by reyning them backe, whereas wee of our owne nature are desirous to preace foreward, and to purchase our selues estimation. Moses then sayth, that the people turned backe after they had bin so beaten by their enemies: For before they could not bee tamed by no meanes. God had commaunded them what they should doe: but wee sawe they rebelled for all that. When he sayd, be ye still: they were in a heate and would needes be running vponupon their enemies: 60And when he sayde, goe not: they would needes runne faster than before. But were they once taught to their coste, and had God once performed his threatning, by making them to be ouerthrowen by their enemies: then were they plyable enough: But it was all too late, as we commonly say in the prouerb, a foole is neuer wise till he be well beaten. Now hereby we be taught how greatly it is for our behoofe to bee so dealt with. For except God bring vsus home to him by correction: it would be vnpossible for vsus to bee such as we ought to be, so as we would harken to his voyce and followe him whithersoeuer hee commaundeth vsus. Therefore wee must be faine to be prepared with stripes of the rod.

Furthermore, let vsus learne well the thing that hath bin declared heretofore, according also as Moses sheweth it to the eye: that is to wit, that God will suffer vsus to languish: and that although he bee mercifull to vsus, and hauehave forgiuen the sinnes that we hauehave committed: yet must wee be faine to suffer for a time. We shall sigh vntounto him, and yet will he let vsus alone in our miserable state and plight: but in the ende, all shall fall out to our benefite. For had God set open the gap to the children of Israell, and giuen them enterance into the promised land: within a day or two they woulde hauehave forgotten that horrible cryme of theirs in murmuring against him, yea (& as much as in thē lay) euen in forsaking their heritage: they would neuer hauehave thought vppon their vnthankefulnesse and disobedience. Therefore it behooued them to bee chastised a long season, so as they might neuer forget the offence that they had committed. Now then, whensoeuer wee hauehave prouoked God to anger by our disobedience: let vsus not thinke it strange though he doe not at the first dashe p. 61deliuer vsus from the aduersitie that he sendeth vsus for a chastisement. For our sinne would not bee printed so throughly in our remembraunce at the first day as is requisite. God therefore must be faine to worke after such sorte, and to make vsus to languish, as I hauehave touched before. And in good faith, what else is all this present lyfe but such an exercise? Wherefore hath God made vsus subiect to so many miseries? wee be no sooner scaped out of one mischiefe, but anon there 10commeth another in the necke of it, so as there is neuer any ende. And all is to teach vsus this lesson, which wee cannot remember if wee be not inforced to it. Besides that, we would forget it by and by, if our Lord did not (as yee would say) incorporate it into vsus, so as wee may bee prepared and led of nature to say, see how our God exerciseth vsus with many miseries, and hee doth it because wee be wretched sinners. And yet for all this, can wee frame our selues to his lure, and 20not rather drawe cleane contrarie to his will? Therefore is he faine to teach vsus, that spyte of our teeth wee be in his hand, and he hath all souereine dominion and Lordship ouer vsus.

Againe to come to particularities, whensoeuer God sendeth a man any affliction, let him bethinke himselfe, that besides the common miseries of this flightful lyfe, god intendeth to giuegive him a particular instruction. And let vsus not say, why doth not this man or that man deserue to 30be chastised as well as I: according to the common maner, which is that eueryevery man woulde be priuiledged aboue others? nay let eueryevery of vsus yeelde to receiue the rod patiently at Gods hād, assuring our selues that hee chastiseth vsus measurably, & as he knoweth to be for our profit. Thus much concerning y^e retyring y^t is treated of here.

Furthermore if our Lord plucke vsus backe, and wheras thing were in good forewardnesse, and there was good lykelyhoode that all should 40hauehave florished and bin in great prosperitie: if we see a suddeine confusion, and that the same continueth afterward, and things goe on from worse to worse: let vsus vnderstand that it is for our sins sakes, & because wee hauehave peruerted the course of Gods goodnesse. For he [for his part] neuer fayleth to goe foreward with the good that hee hath begunne to doe for vsus: but wee cannot abide that hee should continue it, wee hinder him as much as in vsus lyeth. And therefore is he 50faine to handle vsus as we deserue.

Besides this, let vsus assure our selues that when we obey God, then hath he made his corrections auaileable in vsus. True it is that a great nomber doe harden when God goeth about to subdue them: yee shall see them growe wilfull and full of venim against him. But God worketh after such a sorte in his chosen, that when hee smiteth them with his hand, he doth also touch thē inwardly with his holy spirit, so as their harts 60become soft that they may obey, by reason wherof the corrections doe them good. Although then that the miseries which we indure are hard and contrary to our nature: yet must wee thinke them good, because God maketh them to serue for our welfare after that fashion.

Now Moses sayth expressely, that after the people had fet a windlasse and trayled about the mountaine Seir, they came to the north side, euen as God had commaunded him. Wherein wee see the thing more clearely which I hauehave touched: that is to say, that there is a pliablenesse in the people which was not in them before: they bee now become tractable. And although they wandered a long time, so as they might hauehave bin out of patience eueryevery day, and hauehave taken occasion to murmure, and to hauehave made sedition: yet notwithstanding they went still foreward. And why? for the corrections which they had receiued, had wrought a chaunge in them. Wee see then that Gods reforming of men by punishing them for their sinnes,1. Pet. 1.7.1 Pet 1:7 is as a fornace to melt them and cast them newe againe in. And therefore if God hauehave let vsus alone here at out ease, and wee fall to kicking against him: let vsus assure our selues it is more for our behoofe to bee corrected by some chastisement. And therewithall let vsus beware that we profite our selues by it, and that wee become not worse than they were which are set forth to vsus as an example of disobedience and stubbornnesse. Harden not your hartes as your fathers did,Psal. 95.8. & Heb. 4.7.Ps 95:8Heb 4:7 sayth the Lord. And yet notwithstanding wee see that this people (how stubborne and froward soeuer they were) missed not to goe about the mountaine a long tyme, after God had so chastised them: that is to say, they were driuen to knowe that it was in vaine for them to resist the hand of God. Howbeit we see yet some obedience, in that it is said, that they waited to hauehave a new commaundement, so as they durst not remoue one step, [till they had it.] It might seeme that God mocked them to goe round about after that fashion. They might hauehave sayd, what shall become of this in the end? If God will hauehave vsus to tary, why lets he vsus not alone? Or if he will hauehave vsus to goe, why sheweth hee vsus not the way, to say, goe forewarde? He holdes vsus here lyke little children, so as wee doe nothing but fetch a circuit without departing out of one place, and when wee hauehave tyred our legges neuer so much, wee are neuer the further onwarde on our way, The people might hauehave descanted after that fashion. But what? They tary till God say to them, Turne yee that way. Wee see then yet still howe this chastisement had done them good in that behalfe. And heereupon let vsus marke what true repentaunce bringeth with it. Where as wee were deafe when God spake to vsus, and gaue no eare to his voyce: wee must holde our selues in awe vnderunder him, and looke what hee sayth, that must wee doe, and no more. That is the chiefe fruite of repentance. And if it appeared vntounto vsus in this people which was so stubborne and vntamable: what excuse will there be for vsus, if wee will not receiue the thinges that are spoken to vsus in the name of God: but rather will be still replying, and hauehave not the witte and discretion to suffer our selues to be guided by him who onelyonly can leade vsus aright? So much the more then ought wee to restraine our selues from attempting any thing, vnlesse God commaund it.

p. 62Moreouer it is sayd that the people shall passe through the countrye of Edome, without prouoking of the inhabitantes. First of all it is sayd, They bee your brethren, the children of Esau. Wee knowe that Esau was the brother of Iacob, who was the Patriarke, and (as yee would say) the welspring from whence this people descended. And for asmuch as Esau came of the line of Abraham: a part of the land of promise had belonged vntounto him, but that hee was cut off from the inheriting 10thereof, howbeit not by the pleasure of man, but by the heauenly ordinaunce vttered by God yea euen while their mother Rebecca was with childe of them,Gen. 25.23. & Mal. 1.2. & Rom. 9.13Gen 25:23Mal 1:2Rom 9:13 inasmuch as hee sayd that the elder should serue the younger. But yet for all this, Esau ceased not to bee Iacobs brother still. And their children ought to hauehave continued the same brotherhoode & kinred betwixt them afterwarde. Marke that for one poynt.

Another poynt is, That God gaue mount Seir in possession to Esau: it was his lot. When he had excluded him out of the land of Chanaan, hee gaue him the other countrye for himselfe and his successors. Forasmuch then as it was assigned him of God: it was not for men to attempt to depriue or bereaue him thereof. Now as touching this brotherhood, God will hauehave it to moue vsus, and to be as a certein bond to knit vsus together, so as nature may perswade vsus to bee 30kindehearted one to another, and restreyne vsus from doing wrong or harme to any man. True it is that there is not fleshly kinred betweene all men, to make them so neere of bloud as they might call one another cousins, and name themselues be any linage whereof either other were descended: but yet is there a certain cōmon kinred in generall, which is, that all men ought to think how they be fashioned after Gods image, and that there is one nature common among 40them al. Euen the heathen men knew that very wel. So then whereas we hauehave some discretion to maintaine peace and concorde, and to yeelde eueryevery man his right without taking away of any mans goods, & without committing of any extortion or outrage: and wee peruert the order of nature, and are worse than the wilde beastes which make countenance one to another when they be al of one kind. For the woolues are not at 50such variance among themselues as men are. And therefore let vsus learne, that although there be not any neere kinred among vsus, yet notwithstanding in asmuch as we be men, there ought to be some cōmon bond betweene vsus, and a certain brotherly louelove. But there is yet another consideration among Christians: for God hath adopted them to bee of his housholde: and that ought to auaile more than all the kinred on the earth. For seeing that God hath tolde vsus that he intendeth to take vsus to himselfe, because that 60being of his Church wee bee as it were his owne children, and call vponupon him as with one mouth, saying our father: if wee neuerthelesse agree as cattes and dogges among our selues: may it in any wise be borne withal, specially considering that wee cannot clayme him for our father, vnlesse we be gouerned by his holy spirit: [No surely:] For either his spirit must cry in our hartes: or else we shall hauehave our mouthes shut.Rom. … 15.16.Rom 15:16 Againe on the other side, by what title can wee clayme so great a benefite and honor as to be the children of God: if we be not members of Iesus Christ? But wee be not of his body, but vppon condition aforesayd. Whosoeuer then hurteth his neighbor, whosoeuer is voyde of louingkindenesse and pitie, whosoeuer layeth to catching and snatching on all sides: the same (as much as in him is) rendeth Iesus Christ in peeces. And therfore let vsus marke well, that when God alledgeth kinred: we be warned to consider in what degree God hath put vsus, and what vnion hee hath set among vsus, & eueryevery of vsus to discharge himselfe faithfully thereof, to y^e intent y^t whereas God hath set vsus together to maintaine vsus in good agreement and louelove: wee make not a confused disorder. Let that serue for one poynt.

But if wee consider the common trade of the worlde, how it should seeme that men hauehave conspyred to doe cleane contrary to Gods commaundement: it is so farre of from neighbors to thinke that Gods placing of them neere together, is to the end that eueryevery man shoulde serue his neighbors turne, and all imploy themselues to the common profite, without hurting or greeuing one another: that euen brothers thinke it lawfull to shift eueryevery one for himselfe, and there is none other lyfe with them, but to drawe still to themselues without any pitie or compassion. How then shal the neighbors be brethren, which hauehave but some acquaintance a farre of: seeing y^t they which were borne all in one belly, and are all one mans children, beare no more friendship one to another than wilde beastes, but rather much lesse? Truely it should seeme that some will needes be brethren, euen in spite of God. For if it be to doe some mischiefe, or to playe some diuelish pranke to the ouerthrowe of all goodnesse: then they can skill to alledge, wee hauehave this, and wee hauehave that, wee be countrymen, wee be neighbors children borne all in one towne. Loe how the wicked can finde themselues to be cousins and brothers. And what to doe? To rise vp against God, to put all thinges out of order, to make quarels and frayes, to maintaine themselues in all loosenesse, and to procure all manner of stumblingblockes, that Gods name may be blasphemed and all honestie peruerted. These are the brotherhoods and cousiningships of the worlde, as is to bee seene too much. But when it commeth to the poynt that eueryevery man should helpe his neighbor, and absteine from doing him harme or anoyance: men be so farre of from absteining, or from thinking that God vnited them together, or that God hath created thē after his own image, or agayne, that they be bound yet w^t a straiter bond, inasmuch as he hath adopted them by his Gospel to be members of his sonne Iesus Christ, and heires of the kingdome of heauen: men (I say) are so farre off from thinking any such thing, that they peruert the whole order of nature, p. 63with worse than beastly furie. But yet is this text sufficient to condemne men if they walk not in all mildenesse, and be not more kindhearted one to another than they be.

Now let vsus come to that which is added here in the second place: which is, That God had giuen Mount Seir in possession to Esau. True it is that when he compareth Esau and Iacob together,…. 1.2 he sayth by his prophet, Is not Esau Iacobs brother? And yet hauehave I placed him in a hillie countrie, 10in a stonie and barrein countrey: and I hauehave giuen you a fruitefull and fatte lande. Hereby the people of Israell are put in minde, that God had bestowed many mo benefites vppon them, than vppon those that went afore thē. For Esau was the elder sonne, and yet did God disherit him of the land that he had promised to his graundfather Abraham, and to his father Isaak. And why did God so? wee see none other reason, but for that hee listed to vtter his free 20goodnesse towardes Iacob and his linage. The people of Israell coulde not say, wee were the more noble and excellent: for the byrthright belonged to Esau. They could not say, wee were better. No: for we see they were a people set altogether vppon malice and vnthankefulnesse. Now then, their inheriting of the promised land befel them not for any worthines of their owne, but through Gods meere mercy. And besides this, God had also prouided for Ismael who was 30halfe a bastard. For the matching of Abraham with Agar was not a lawfull mariage. And although it was no aduowtrie: yet was not that mariage altogether allowed of God. But yet did God prouide for Ismael, in asmuch as hee sayd, I hauehave heard him. If the case stoode so with Ismael, much more reason was it that Esau shoulde hauehave some place, and that God should extend his blessing euen to those that were of his linage. And for that cause did hee 40giuegive him mount Seir. Now therefore, in this consideration the people of Israel ought not to trouble him, but to let him alone with the portion that was assigned him from heauen.

Here wee hauehave a good lesson to gather, which belongeth to vsus all. Although mention be made here precisely of the linage of Esau, which were called Edomites and Idumaeans:…. 32.8. yet notwithstanding, as we shall see hereafter in the song, God declareth that according as he made 50the partitions and stretched out his meeteline, so were the realmes and countries deuided. Let vsus not thinke that the world is ruled by fortune, and that thinges are so intangled, but that God guideth all by his prouidence and power. Hee then hath stretched out his meeteline to appoint eueryevery people their countrey to dwel in. But yet for all that, wee see how men hauehave transposed those boundes. They will not sticke to confesse that boundes are a very holy thing. And truely 60[the transgressing in that behalfe] shall be more punishable, than if a man had offended in any other deede. Lykewise mony because it is y^t thing whereby men intercōmon among themselues, is a priuiledge and (as yee would say) a sacred thing. In lyke case is it with the bounds [meeres, and buttels] of fieldes: for without them, all woulde goe to hauocke, so as men would eate vp one another. Wee will well graunt this as in respect of a field or a medowe: but wee see that the pride, Ambition, and vnsatiable couetousnesse of men hauehave so caryed away their mindes, as they hauehave not bin ashamed since to transpose the boundes that God had set. For as touchng such as hauehave enterprised warres against their neighbors, to increase themselues: hauehave they not all broken the order which ought to hauehave bin inuiolable? yes: So then wee see how men are made to spyte God through their ambition and couetousnesse. And yet this mischiefe continueth still at this day, and is inflamed more than euer it was.

But yet for all that, this rule shall holde for euer: that is to wit, that looke what landes, what kingdome, what Lordship, what principalitie, what state, or what free citie soeuer there bee: wee may assure our selues, that the distributing of them after that sorte, is done by God: and that whosoeuer wageth battell against them, doth as much as in him lyeth to breake the boundes which God hath set. I meane here such warres as are taken in hand through ambition, or couetousnesse, or pride. Otherwise, wee see here, that the children of Israell ought to make warre: for God auoweth their doing, because he had ordeyned thē to be owners of the land, and will hauehave the former inhabiters driuen out as they deserued.

But are warres made nowadayes by the authoritie of God? HaueHave men an eye to the thing that is lawfull? Yea, or doe they tary till they hauehave commandement from God? Nay, they go to it in despite of him, the diuill driues them forewarde. True it is that if a man reason of Realmes and Principalities as they bee nowadayes: it may be alledged, how hath this realme bin inuaded, and how hath that country bin conquered? Yea, but yet for all that, it is not for men to remoue boundes. Although they hauehave bin confounded: yet is it not for vsus to enterprise any thing. For our Lorde hath not giuen vsus commission so to doe: hee hath reserued that to himselfe.

But let vsus marke lykewise, that when men hauehave once altered the order that God hath set, hee must needes ouerthrowe them. And that is the cause why there happen so many changes, and it is maruell that there are not seene yet a hundred times mo. Surely if God had not a speciall regard to the preseruation of mankinde: no doubt but wee should see alterations of kingdomes eueryevery day, so that within two or three dayes, hee that is now a king should bee but as one that were drest in a players apparell, to play an enterlude vppon a stage. But yet for all that wee must marke well, that the alterations of kingdomes which happen, doe serue to punishe the chaunges that were made afore, when men remoued their boundes at the beginning, and would needes peruert the order that God had set. Neuerthelesse, howsoeuer the case stands, let vsus beare this lesson in minde, p. 64that God hath limited realmes and countries: and that wheras it is his wil that there should be principalities stablished eueryevery where, forasmuch as the same commeth of his prouidence: it behooueth vsus to holde our selues contented and not to alter any thing, vnlesse we hauehave good warrant that he openeth vsus the gate and armeth vsus. As for example, if violence be offered vntounto vsus, then is it certein that if God giuegive victorie to him that was wrongfully assayled, so as he ouercome 10his enemie and put him to flight: that is a chaunge that commeth of God. But as for to assaile [vnprouoked:] that (as I sayd afore) is not to fight against creatures, but against the liuing God.

And let vsus wey well the wordes that are set downe here: Thou shalt not prouoke them (sayth he) and they shall be afraide of thee. And hee addeth afterwarde, Thou shalt buy the bread that thou must ease, yea and euen the water that thou shalt drinke, 20so as thou must alwayes hauehave thy purse open to pay and content them. Here wee see that when God intendeth to maintaine a people in their possession, he prouoketh them not to make thē misbehaue themselues, for euen therefore did he cast that feare vppon the Edomites, to the end that the children of Israell shoulde not hauehave any occasion of warre. Wee shall see hereafter how God hardened the hart of Sehon, and inflamed the other inhabitants of the countrie,Deut. 2.24.32.Deut 2:24Deut 2:32 so as they 30armed themselues against the people of Israell, because he was minded to driue them out. And so did he shewe the children of Israell by effect, that they had iust cause of warre. But whereas he held the Edomites in awe, and inclined their hearts in such wise as they gaue passage to the children of Israell, and bought and soulde quietly with them: therein wee see (as I touched before) that when our Lorde purposeth to maintayne a people in their possession, hee will giuegive 40thē such a minde as they shall not prouoke their neighbors, nor open them any gap by stryking vp the drumme, or by sounding the trumpette first themselues. To be shorte, the warre shall not spring on their owne side. Therefore wee must conclude, that when a people doe put forth themselues, or when a prince will needes attempt foolish enterprises, and be medling here and there: wee may perceiue it is Gods doing, of purpose to ouerthrow him and to bereue him 50of the countrye that he had giuen him. So much the more then ought wee to pray God to maintaine vsus and to make vsus milde and peaseable, that we may not followe those whome we see to hauehave their heads full of vnquietnesse, so as they must needs be medling with one thing or other. Let vsus absteine from such thinges, that our Lord may mainteine vsus in peace: for that is the true meane, as I saide afore.

Herewithall also wee be taught, how men 60should behaue themselues in their warres (prouided alwayes that the warre be rightfull and holy, and such as God alloweth of:) that is to witte, in such sort as no man be vexed, and that there be no pillage, no saccage, nor no extortion committed. For it is sayd, yee shall buy the bread that ye eate, yea and ye shall pay ready mony for the water that yee drinke. If God commaund the people of Israell to buy water to drinke: howe much rather should they that make warre, pay for wine and victuals, & such other things as cost ready mony, to those that are not their enemies? For the thing that is sayd here, is spoken of the Edomites. But how is this obserued nowadayes, I pray? In deede there are Edictes and proclamations inow made: but the world sees how they be kept.

Yea and who bee most troubled with the warres, but such as beare the burthen of it? And that is euē the countrie. When a king or a prince is about to make war, it seemeth to be for the cō mon weal: & so are men made to beleeue. But in the meane while, when the poore subiectes hauehave payed a sorte of tallages, taxes, and impostes for the maintenance thereof: yet must they be still bitten to the bone, so as the enemies shall not be more vexed, thā they vnderunder whose name and title the warre is made. They can well enough make markets for men to sel their wares in, and beare them in hand they shall hauehave ready mony. But what? the thing that is woorth three shillings, shall bee esteemed at one. And most commonly they take vp vittels and pay for them as they list. And so wee in effect, that all the warres which are made nowadayes, are but robberies: and that the crueltie and vnnaturalnesse is so excessiue, as tendeth to vtter confusion: so as it should seeme that men are bent to banishe all equitie, and that warre cannot bee made without the forgetting of all vprightnesse, that there may be no more lawe, but that men may become wood beastes. Loe to what poynt the world is come.

But yet for all that, lyke as this doctrine cannot be wiped out of the holy scripture, so can it nor also be blotted out of gods booke of records, that he should not iudge the worlde according as he hath pronounced thereof already: that is to wit, that the men of warre which will needes inrich themselues with other mens goodes, are condēned at his hand, whatsoeuer they alledge for thēselues, notwithstanding that they hauehave taken it vp of custome to spoyle and rob, because they hauehave not sufficient wages, or whatsoeuer color else they can pretend. They may well appeale to kings and princes for to bee their warrant: for they shall leade the daunce, and be driuen to answere as capteines of theeues: and all their souldiers shall followe after them, as parteners of their wickednesse. Now forasmuch as wee see such disorders in the worlde, wee be warned thereby to pray vntounto God, that hee suffer vsus not to be wrapped in the same. And when we aske him our dayly bread, let vsus hauehave consideration to thinke thus: Ah good Lord, graunt vsus the grace that eueryevery of vsus may liue of his own labor, and be in peace: and that when the drum is striken vp, wee may not play the madde bedlems, nor giuegive our selues to spoyling & robbing, but holde our selues in quiet, so as we may take paynes and yelde the thankes for thy susteyning of vsus, & suffer eueryevery man to inioy his owne, p. 65without offering of violence to any man.

Besides this, if they that make warre bee expressely commaunded to pay for their bread and water: I pray you what ought wee to doe in peace? For many misorders may seeme halfe excusable when there is open warre, and it may so fall out, that they which would faine bee gentle, sometimes cannot, but are inforced to doe thinges which they be loath to doe, yea euen to their enemies. And yet for all 10that, it is apparant, that if a man take any thing without paying for it, so as the owner or partie be grieued, GOD condemneth it vtterly, and giueth sentence here against it, yea euen though thinges bee neuer so farre out of order, whereby some colour might bee giuen to iustifie their dooinges. Nowe then I praye you what will he doe in peace, when wee hauehave no cause to grieue one another, but that they which can skill of husbandrie may finde themselues thereby, 20the shoppes are open for marchauntes and handicraftes men, and there is common policie [for men to be ordered by?] Seeing that God induceth vsus [by such meanes] to withholde our selues from all outrage and extorsion: if we then goe about to robbe other men of their goods, if euerie man seeke to spoile his neighbour to inriche himselfe with his goods, if we be so spiteful as to eate vp one another without any cause: must we not bee condemned dubble? Yes certainly. 30Now then, seeing that men of warre are commaunded to passe without making spoile, & without offering any trouble or extorsion: let vsus learne that we are much more commaunded to walke vprightly & iustly, without doing any outrage or any pilling and polling, seeing that God giueth vsus greater meanes to auoide it. Thus ye see the effect of that which wee hauehave to beare in remembrance.

And nowe for a conclusion here is made a rehearsall 40what GOD had done for this people. The Lorde thy God (saieth Moses) hath led thee in the wildernesse: he hath fedde thee with Manna: thou hadst not any natural water to drinke, but God gaue it thee out of the drie rock: thou neededst not any money to buy thee clothes withall, or to paye for thy charges as thou wentest: and is it not reason now that this goodnesse and iust dealing should cause thee to deale reasonably with those by whom thou passest? For the 50people might hauehave replied. Yes marrie, but wee hauehave not wherewith, wee hauehave bene a long time in the wildernesse, there were no mines of golde or siluer there, we earned not a penny there, neither hauehave wee had any trade of marchaundise whereby to get any thing. But Moses answereth hereunto, Consider howe the Lorde thy God hath gouerned thee. As if he should say, ye hauehave none excuse at all: for ye hauehave wherewith to pay and content eueryevery man. And why? For in the 60wildernesse ye spent not any whit of the spoile that ye brought with you out of Egypt: ye were not driuen to buie bread, vittelles, apparell, or any other thing. So then, nowe that you are at the point to possesse the land that God hath promised you, ye shoulde bee too vnthankefull towardes God, and too churlish towardes men, if ye should refuse to content those by whom ye passe. And of a trueth, although yee had not wherewith, yet should it not bee lawfull for you to rob them. For our Lord chaungeth not the order that he hath set, for any pouertie that is in men. But if a man that hath no neede, doe rob or fleece his neighbour of his goods: therein appeareth so much the lewder and outrageouser naughtinesse. And therefore let vsus marke well that Gods alledging of this reason to the people, was to the end they should bee the better perswaded and disposed to do the thing that was commaunded them.

And herein wee see first of all howe God beareth with vsus: for as a father flattereth his child, and vseth great gentlenesse towardes him, & although he might cōmand him at one word, saying, doe this or that, without alledging any reason at all: yet he dealeth so gently with him as to say, my childe, marke, this is the reason why I would hauehave thee to doe such a thing, insomuch that he falleth euen to flattering of him: euen after y^e same maner doth God of his infinite goodnes beare with vsus. So much y^e more then are wee to blame on our part, if wee suffer not our selues to be ouerruled by him, seeing he sheweth himselfe so gentle and amiable towardes vsus.

And for the second point let vsus marke, that although no necessitie can excuse our sinnes: yet notwithstanding these are the more to bee condemned, which offend vnconstrained by any extremitie. As howe? If a poore man deale vnconscionably when he hath not wherewith to liue, ne knoweth where to become: yet shall he bee condemned: (and if a theefe be punishable before men, much more reason is it y^t he should be so before God:) And what shal the man bee to whom God hath giuen wherwith to maintaine himselfe, if he fall to pilling & polling, and be neuer satisfied, but is catching and snatching on all sides, and hath no regard of Gods blessing, but is alwaies theeuing, filching, & deceiuing? Such a mā is the more to be abhorred, & wee must conclude y^t a horrible vēgeance is prepared for such as hauehave offended so wilfully. Nowe then let vsus marke, y^t when God giueth vsus wherw^t to sustaine & maintaine our selues, his wil is to lead vsus therby to be the louinger to our neighbours, & to do no man any harme or wrong. And so ye see that Gods blessinges ought to be instructions to vsus, to make vsus liue vprightly, without attempting any thing against our dutie, or without troubling of any bodie. This is it that we hauehave to remember in the second place. The rest cannot bee dispatched as now, and therefore it shalbe reserued till to morrowe.

Now let vsus kneele downe in y^e presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults, praying him to make vsus so to feele them, as wee may returne to him with true repentance. And againe forasmuch as he vouchsafeth to maintein vsus nowe in peace, let vsus praye him to continue the same fauour towardes vsus, and not suffer vsus to bee assayled, least wee doe wrong or harme to any bodie, and so open a gap to such as p. 66seeke to swallowe vsus vp, by prouoking them against vsus: but rather that our mildnesse may make them to sit still though they were willing to bee dooing with vsus. And therewithall, our good God graunt vsus also the grace to fight in such wise against our spirituall enemies, as wee may get the vpper hand of them by his power. Let vsus then bee giuen wholly that way, and therwithal let vsus seeke to serue men to the vttermost of our power, seeking peace & friendship with all men, till our good God hauehave rid vsus from all battels of this world, to take vsus into y^e endlesse rest which he hath promised vsus. That it may please him to graunt this grace, not onelyonly to vsus, but also, &c.