Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 92
On Thursday the xxiiij. of October. 1555. The XCij. Sermon, which is the third vponupon the foureteenth Chapter.
24 And if the way be too long, so as thou canst not bring them, because the place which the Lord thy God shall hauehave chosen to set his name in, is too far from thee: and that the Lord thy God hauehave blessed thee:
25 Then shalt thou make it into monie, and take the monie in thy hande, and repayre to the place which the Lorde thy GOD shall hauehave chosen for himselfe.
26 And thou shalt giuegive the monie for whatsoeuer thy heart desireth; whether it be oxen or sheepe, wine, or straunge drinke, or any other thing which thy heart liketh of. And there feede thou on it in the presence of the Lord thy God, and bee merrie both thou and thy householde.
27 And thou shalt not forsake the Leuite that is within thy gates: for he hath no portion nor inheritance with thee.
28 At the three yeres end thou shalt gather together all the tythes of thine encrease of that yeare, and lay it vp within thy gates.
29 And then the Leuite which hath no part nor inheritance with thee, and likewise the straunger, the fatherlesse, and the widowe which are within thy gates, shal come and eate, and be refreshed, that the Lord thy God may blesse thee in all the workes of thy handes which thou doest.
FOrasmuch as Moses, in speaking heretofore of first fruites and offeringes,… 12.3.6 and freewill oblations; had commaunded that they should be offered in Ierusalem, or else in the place which God was then to choose: now hee addeth, that if a man dwelt too farre off from that place, hee might make mony of the thinges that were to bee giuen for an offering vntounto God, and after the sale thereof, buy the lyke thinges againe, which should be wholy dedicated to God whatsoeuer they were. Now I hauehave tolde you already, how it was not for naught that God would hauehave one certeine place, wherin to offer solemne sacrifices vntounto him and to worship him: for it serued to mainteine the vnitie of faith. Insomuch that if eueryevery trybe, or at leastwise eueryevery citie had had an Altar by themselues; it had bin enough to hauehave made hauock of all, and men could not hauehave continued in concord and brotherly louelove. Therefore it behoued the Temple to bee a meeting place for Gods people, to the intent they should altogether acknowledge themselues to be but one bodie, and vnderstand that they were bound all to one rule, which is the lawe, and all of them obey the same, without any diuersitie of opinions, or straunge maner of dealinges, or ceremonies among them. And in the same respect also were they commanded to offer in the Temple, to the end that eueryevery man shoulde not behaue himselfe after his owne deuotion as they terme it. For when men will needes serue God after their owne fancie, there will be nothing but corruption. Wee must alwayes beare this saying in minde, that obedience is better than all the sacrifices in the worlde.1. Sa. 15.22 And therefore they were forbidden to offer sacrifice in any other place than onelyonly one which was appointed for that purpose, to the intent they should not eueryevery man muse vppon foolish superstitions, but hold themselues to the order that was set down, without attempting any thing rashly and fondly vppon their owne heades as I sayd. And this is spoken expresly vntounto vsus. For although wee hauehave not the selfesame order of religion which was among the auncient fathers vnderunder the Law: yet doth this ground stand still, that God will not be worshipped after our opinion, but according to his owne will. Therefore let vsus bee well ware that we inuent not superstitions (as the Papistes hauehave done) vppon surmise that they will be accepted of God: for they will doe nothing else but prouoke his wrath, insomuch that when men turne away from Gods trueth, the more they inforce themselues foreward; the further off doe they still stray from it. Will wee then keepe the right way? Gods word must ouermaister vsus. And this thing is yet the better confirmed to vsus, by Gods reseruing of the place to himselfe wherein he woulde be serued. For he could well hauehave sayd by Moses; Choose what place you your selues lyke best, and when yee hauehave so done, God will giuegive you leaue to come eueryevery man thither, and there to doe him seruice. Al this might wel hauehave bin sayd. But God sayth, it belongeth to mee to choose, I will not giuegive the choyce to men. Herein wee see how hee reserueth the right of souereintie to himself, to the end that the faithfull shoulde the better knowe, that it is not for them to enterprise aught at aladuenture, but that it behoueth them to hauehave warrant from aboue, so as they may say, God accepteth all that euer wee doe; for we doe nothing but what he commaundeth vsus, none of vsus dealeth vppon his owne head in this behalfe. Wherefore let vsus marke well, that God hath here done vsus to vnderstand, that he wil not hauehave his seruice mingled with our inuentions, but that wee should simply followe the thinges that are conteined in his worde. And so yee see that as concerning the thinges which I hauehave sayd already, God was to bee worshipped solemnly no where else than in the Temple of Ierusalem after it was declared: and that vntill that time, it behoued the Iewes to resorte to the Arke and to the Sanctuarie. But now let vsus come backe againe to that which is set downe here in writing.
If the place (sayth Moses) bee too farre from thee, thou shalt sell the thinges which thou wart minded to offer, or the thinges which thou oughtest to offer. For it behoued them to offer the first borne of all their cattell. Nowe they that dwell in the vttermost coastes of Iewry should hauehave had much ado to driue thither their Lambs, Sheepe, Goates, and Calues. Therefore they were to be borne withall: and God being no oppresser of his people, giueth them here a remedie, to the intent they should not be greeued too much. As for those that dwell neere to Ierusalem sayth hee, let them bring thither as wel the first borne of their cattell, as also all their freewill offerings, and whatsoeuer other thinges they hauehave dedicated vntounto God. For otherwise the Citie of Ierusalem might bee famished. If all that had come thither should hauehave bought their sacrifices there: what a thing had that bin? Therefore it was Gods will that men should bring thē thither from al the countries, vnlesse the places were ouerfarre off. And in that case hee saith it should bee Lawful for them to sell the thinges that they had dedicated, namely such as were due by commaundement of the Lawe: as the first borne thinges, in remembraunce that God had smitten the firstborne of Egypt,Exod. … & 13.1. and spared the firstborne of Israell, whereof he would hauehave the memoriall to continue for euer. Thou shalt sell it (sayth he,) & put vp the mony, or folde it vp (for so doth the word signify which he vseth.) Folde vp the mony in thy hand (sayth he:) that is to say, consider with your selues that that mony is none of your owne, but that it must bee put vp alone by it selfe as a holy thing. And when thou commest to Ierusalem, thou shalt buy thine offeringes after thine owne lyking, and after that the same hath bin offered in the Temple, the Priestes shall take their dues therof, & then shall you eat and drink therof before the Lord as soone as you hauehave made your oblation therof, and you shall be merry in eating of your sacrifices, as farre as eueryevery mans portion will extend. That is the thing in effect which wee hauehave to remember in this text.
And here wee see (as I hauehave sayd afore,) that although God held his people vnderunder very strait bondage, yet notwithstanding hee layde no more vppon them than they were able to beare, but so mitigated the rigor of the Lawe, as no man could say it was vnpossible to doe the thinges that hee had inioyned. Sith wee see it is so; Let vsus assure our selues, that if our good GOD doe in these dayes lay any burthen vppon our shoulders, that may bee too heauie for vsus; hee doth also giuegive vsus abilitie to beare it, so as wee bee not borne downe by it, at leastwise if wee commit our selues to him; so as we hauehave no cause to complayn of him as though he did vtterly ouerwhelme vsus. True it is, that the righteousnesse which God requireth of vsus in his Lawe, dooth farre surmount all our abilitie, yea and we come so farre shorte of the performing of all that hee hath commaunded vsus, so as wee bee not able to stirre one finger towardes it; nay, wee cannot so much as thinke one good thought towardes it: GOD must be faine to giuegive vsus eueryevery whit. But when he assisteth vsus with his holy spirit, then wee finde his yoke sweete and easie,… specially, when hee layes it vppon our neckes by the hand of our Lord Iesus Christ. And that is the cause why Iesus Christ protesteth that his burthen is not too heauie, nor his yoke too hard. But how commeth that to passe? It is because God giueth vsus both the will to serue him, and also the abilitie to put the same in execution.… And therewithall hee addeth a second grace, which is that hee beareth with vsus when wee hauehave done amisse. For wee of our selues are ouerfraile, wee cannot throughly performe the thinges that hee commaundeth vsus, & therefore he pardoneth our infirmities & forgetteth them. But howsoeuer the case stand, yet hauehave wee good cause to serue him freely & with a francke hart, forasmuchas we see that hee on his side desireth no more but to guide vsus as the father dooth his children,Psal. 11.… as hee auoweth by his Prophet Hosheah.
But now let vsus marke, that whereas Moses sayth, Let them buy whatsoeuer they hauehave a minde vntounto: his meaning therein is not to giuegive men leaue to play the gluttons at their pleasure, as though there were no measure nor modestie to bee obserued. A certeine sect of Heretikes called the Manichees, which skorned Gods Law & the Prophets, alledged this presēt text & such other lyke, to shew that the God of the olde testament as they blasphemously termed him, was a God of disorder, and such a one as kept no good rule. For why, sayd they; hee layd the bridle vponupon his peoples necke, and bad them eate whatsoeuer they lyked, and so his meaning was to make them drunkardes and gluttons, by incoraging them to eate and drinke after that fashion. But the true God (sayd they) will hauehave folke to bee sober, whereby a man may see that the Lawe was not giuen from heauen. But we see how this text was corrupted by their malice, yea euen by their shamefull malice, in blaspheming without any colour of truth, seeing that the lustes of men were restreined afore by the same Lawe. I tolde you yesterday how it was Gods will to bridle his people, by restreining thē from the eating of all sortes of meates without exception, wherein hee meant to hauehave a tryall of their sobrietie. Sith it is so: it is a fowle shame to alledge this text as a placarde for the setting of all lustes at libertie. The worde Lyking, Longing, or Listing, ought rather to bee restreyned to the thinges that were Lawfull, and which God had giuen them leaue to deale with. As if it had bin sayd, Those that hauehave a minde to eate of any kinde of meate which is Lawfull for them to eate, let them buy it and make an offering thereof vntounto God. And when the Priestes hauehave taken their rightes thereof, let them eate the residue themselues.
So then let vsus marke that here are two things conteined. The one is, that our Lorde sheweth himselfe liberall towardes his people in that hee sayth, Go too, although I coulde withhold my blessing from you; yet notwithstanding I giuegive you leaue to make your owne choyce of your meate and drinke, howebeit with this exception, that yee take heede that you touch not any meate that is not pure and cleane to you: for it behooueth you to be exercised for a time in the indeuour of dedicating your selues vntounto mee, that yee bee not tangled in the defilementes of the infidels. Therefore let that prouiso stand for euer, so as yee alwayes take good heede to vse your libertie in such sorte, as yee may hauehave no cause to blame mee as though I helde you too streit. For I leaue you to your owne likinges, so they be well ruled. Now then let vsus vnderstande, that heere our Lorde beareth with vsus, in that hee vouchsafeth to giuegive vsus the vse of his creatures, not onelyonly for our neede without other desire to them, but also euen for our pleasure: and yet notwithstanding, that wee must alwayes take good heede, that our mirth be not excessiue, but rather well moderated. And for that cause is it sayd, Thou shalt eate there in the presence of thy God, which saying hath bin set downe already heretofore. Neuerthelesse it is not for naught that Moses repeateth it here againe. For wee see how men are wedded to their owne sensualitie, and how they forget themselues in their eating and drinking, so that it is very hard to keepe such measure as God bee not offended, yea euen ere wee thinke of it. I say that euen such as are not giuen to gluttonie and drunkennesse, and which hauehave a care not onelyonly to the health of their bodies, but also the sober vsing of the things which God giueth them for their repaste; euen they (I say) faile not to commit some fault or other. So then, let vsus beare well in minde what is sayd here, where God commaundeth men to eate and drinke in his presence, specially at their solemne feastes when they came to Ierusalem: namely how that thereby he did warne all the faithfull to hauehave an eye to him in their eating and drinking when they were at home in their owne houses.
Therefore when men sit downe to the table, they must in any wise beware that they take not their repaste without minding of God. For why? First it is a defiling of all our meates and drinkes when wee begin not at the calling vppon his name. Of whom shall we receiue our foode, if we seeke it not at Gods hand? Then must wee beginne at prayer and that is as it were a dedication, to the ende that our meates may become cleane and holy vntounto vsus,1. Tim. 4.5. as Saint Paul speaketh of them. But yet besides this, we must come againe to the thing that is sayd here; namely that we must come eate as in the presence of our God. Were it wel printed in our mindes that our God is present at the table wt vsus: surely wee would vse another maner of modestie than wee doe. And out of doubt, the putting of this lesson in vre, that God is among vsus, is a true proofe of our Christianitie. But it is a wonder to see what an insensiblenesse there is in these dayes among Christians. For it was Gods wil that euen among the Infidels there should remaine stil some confused tokens of that which is sayd here. Because the heathen were of opinion that their Gods were alwayes attendant at their meales; they termed their Tables holy. And why so? It is certeine that they vnderstoode not the reason of it: for al things were become vnholy among them, by their misusing of all thinges against their kinde. Yet notwithstanding, God to make them vnexcusable, did leaue this marke still among them, as if he should say, whensoeuer men doe eate and drinke, I am present at it, so as all things done there must needes come to account before me. Now then, if wee knowe lesse hereof than those blind wretches, what a thing is it? So much ye more therfore ought we to marke wel this lesson, where God commaundeth the people of olde time to eate and drinke in his presence, to the intent that the same might holde them in awe, and make them to consider that whensoeuer they did eate or drinke, God gouerned them and beheld their doinges. And now although we hauehave not the ceremonie that was vnderunder the law; yet let the trueth thereof hauehave his force among vsus: which is that we neuer come to the table, without considering that God is present there, and that as he voutsafeth to hauehave a care to feed vsus, so wil he also hauehave vsus to take our foode with al reuerence & honest behauiour, like as if a childe be at the table with his father, and his father sitting at the vpper end doe looke vponupon him, surely he wil not vse such boldnesse as if hee were in a corner by himselfe. For there perchaunce hee would play the wag, and throwe his trēchor vnderunder foote, and play other wanton prankes: but if hee bee at his fathers table, either hee must behaue himselfe soberly, or else be rebuked for his labor. Let eueryevery man bethinke him of this, and let it be a meane to holde vsus in such awe, as the meates which God giueth vsus may hauehave their pure and lawfull vse. That is the thing which we hauehave in effect to remember vppon this text.
And now he speaketh lykewise of mens householdefolke, shewing that if we intend to be merry before God, we must also hauehave a care to instruct those that are committed to our charge. Marke that for one point. It is not enough for a man to liue in the feare of God himselfe; but the father that hath children, and the maister that hath menseruantes and maideseruantes must leade them with him, and there must be one consent in eueryevery houshold, so as both great and smal doe serue God. For it is an vntollerable leawdnesse, when a man letteth his houshold play the beasts, so as God is not knowen among them. And what a thing is it that men should looke to be serued of their folke, & in the meane while forget God? There is none of vsus all but hee will looke to bee knowen for maister in his owne house: & in the meane while what a pride is it yt God should bee thrust out of doores? What a thing is it, that we which are but wretched earthwormes shoulde looke to hauehave our dueties yeelded to vsus, and that God should be defrauded of his? That is ye cause why it is sayd expresly, that men shoulde make merry with their housholdes before God.
Neuerthelesse, hereby God meant also to inure his people to humanitie. For we see a number of men that can finde in their hartes to cram themselues til they burst, & in the meane while passe not though others starue: & it shold seeme yt a whole world were little enough to finde one of them. But our Lordes will is that there should be courtisie among men, that whē the maisters hauehave suffised themselues with meate and drinke, they shold not be nigardly in giuing foode & sustenāce to such as take peins in their seruice, but hauehave a care of thē. That is a second thing which our lord ment in this text. But now let vsus pas on.
After yt Moses hath spoken of firstfruites and offeringes; he returneth againe to Tythes, and treateth more fully of them. Thou shalt not forget the Leuite (saith he) which is within thy gates. EueryEvery third yeere shalt thou lay aside the tenth of al thy fruits, and the Leuites shall come and gather them, and lykewise the widowes, the fatherlesse, and the straungers, that thy God may blesse thee in all the workes of thy handes. Yesterday I began to tell you that in old time ye Tythes were appointed to the Leuites, because they serued at ye altar: & that God would not hauehave thē occupied about any such labor, as might hinder them either from teaching ye law, or frō doing of sacrifice & such other like things. For inasmuch as God had reserued thē to yt purpose, his wil was yt they should giuegive themselues wholy thereunto. That was ye cause why he exempted them from tilling of ye ground, and from such other labors. Besides this, there was also an other reason, which was, yt they should hauehave had a portion in ye land which was promised to the linage of Abraham, for there was a whole tribe of them: but God had excluded them frō it, & put in two tribes in stead of yt one, so as Ephraim and Manasses the sonnes of Ioseph made two heads. And so were there twelue portions of yt Land. But yet in stead of the Leuites ye see yt Ephraim succeeded: for Manasses was ye firstborne of Ioseph, & yet was he put after his brother & set in the second place, & made inferior to him. And so were ye Leuites excluded. But yet behoued it them to hauehave their right. And therefore God recompenced them, & lyke as if a man should giuegive his childe a recompence some other way when he would not hauehave him to come to ye parting of ye inheritance wt his brethren, euen so stoode the case wt the Leuits. Those were ye two chiefe reasons for ye tythes. Neuerthelesse it was Gods wil yt the ouerplus should be deuided among ye poore & needie. For ye Leuites had not so large a portion giuen thē to make them gluttons & to inrich thē aboue other men: but to ye ende they should be as deacons to hauehave a care of Gods poore folk, and to distribute his almes to his people. Now we see what was the cause of the tithes.
But it is cleane cōtrariwise in the Popedome, where it is sayd that by Gods Lawe the tythes are due to the Priestes. Although (say I) that their Priestes were such as they ought to be, so as they were not the priests of Moloch and of other idols, but that they serued God purely: yet were it a grosse ignorance to imagin that tithing were an euerlasting order set downe for all nations to obserue. Againe it was a flat fraud, in that the Priestes being ouerruled by couetousnesse, did beare men in hand that the tythes belonged to them by Gods lawe. For the contrarie is well knowen. And their chalendging of that, was at such time as the whole world was corrupted, and men were vtterly ignorant of the meaning of the holy scripture. For since the time that Christianitie hath begunne to florish, and that there hath bin greater soundnesse of iudgement than was before, it hath neuer bin said that Tythes are due to the Shepheardes, nor to those which hauehave the spiritual gouernmēt of ye Church: but it hath bin alwayes orderly obserued, that Princes & Lords hauehave taken the Tenthes: yea & in some places and coū tries which are lesse fruitful, they hauehave taken but the Thirtithes or at leastwise but ye Twentithes: whereas in other places where the landes are more fruitfull, & where there is greater abundance thā is ordinarily in other countries, they hauehave taken the tenthes. Hereupon the priestes and Cleargymen of ye Popedome, hauehave taken occasion to finger all things, & to vsurp vppon all mē most wickedly. For they hauehave thūdered out their excōmunicatiōs against such as would not graūt thē their robberie, so as mē were driuē to them hauehave their owne willes. And then fell they together by the eares among themselues lyke a sort of curre dogges about a bone. The Monkes sayd, they bee ours: the Priestes sayd they were theirs: and to bee shorte, there was nothing but vtter disorder among them.
Yet notwithstanding, wee must returne againe to that which was touched yesterday, and which I am about to rehearse againe now presently: which is, that inasmuch as the sacrificing Priestes were found at the common charges of the people, in the time of the olde Lawe, it is good reason that the preachers of the Gospell shoulde bee mainteined lykewise at this day,1. Cor. 9.14. as Saint Paul speaketh thereof, howbeit not for his owne aduauntage sake, but to the intent there should not bee so great vnthankfulnesse among those which name thēselues Christians, as to defraud those of their bodily liuing, which preach to them the word of lyfe, & bring them the spirituall foode of their soules. The thing it selfe then remaineth still: but that it should be taken vp in this kinde or in that kinde, that is not so: it is not so sayd by Gods Lawe, and therefore what shall become of Tythes? Let the possession continue still, and let the vse of them be amended. That is to say, because mē see euidently that Tythes hauehave bin wrongfully vsurped, and that the parties which holde them in their handes hauehave wrested them by superstition: let vsus now consider the right vse of them. And to say the trueth, looke how many Priestes there are in the Popedome, so many theeues are there. I say not this according to the holy scripture, but according to their own Canons, wherby they bee all excommunicated for theeues & robbers. For their Canons commaund them to part their Church goods in such sorte, as the poore hauehave one fourth parte of them, and strangers another fourth part. To be short, the one halfe of the Church goods ought to be bestowed in almes vppon the poore and vponupon straungers. Who sayes this? Not Gods word, (for the Papists make none account of that) but their owne Canons hauehave so decreed. Ye see then how al the Byshops, Chanons, Pryors, and Abbots in the Popedome are excommunicated euerychone from the highest to the lowest, euen by their owne Canons: so as there is eueryevery where most horrible confusion among them, I meane euen according to their owne orders. But it is not enough for vsus to condemne them: wee must also hauehave an eye to our selues, and see that the right vse of the thinges which hauehave bin dedicated to God, bee set vp againe: And that where any abuse hath beene, the same bee redressed. And how may that bee? Wee see it was Gods will that the poore should bee found and mainteined by a part of the tythes, that is to say of the offeringes which were made in those dayes. After the same maner must wee come to the vse of Gods Lawe at this day: and forasmuch as Tenthes or Twentithes were left euen in old time to Princes and chiefe Lordes, and that the same order was set downe for the benefite of the Church; Let vsus consider how it may bee imployed to the benefite of the Church at this day. It is not meant that such as beare the name of Prelates and Pastors shoulde glutte themselues with them: nor that when they hauehave sotted themselues in their pleasures and delights and spent more than needeth in prodigalitie and ydle expenses, they shoulde hauehave wherewith to maintaine whoredome and other stumblingblockes, as wee see that the Churchgoods are commonly wasted in such thinges. For we knowe that such doings are against the order of nature, and therefore can in no wise be iustified by Gods word. What is to be done then? Let the possession remaine quietly, and in the meane while let men returne them to their right vse. Let thē be mainteined whome God hath commaunded to be maintayned. And let the thinges be continued which are requisite for the well ordering of the Church. Moreouer, Let the poore and needy be pityed; Let men knowe them to be the takers vp of Gods rents;Hebr. 13.16 and that it is an acceptable kinde of sacrifice vntounto him when such are releeued as ought to be succored. After that maner wee may iustly condemne the Papistes at this day, yea and take them for Churchrobbers and theeues, by reason of their wrongfull chalendging of the thinges to themselues which belong not to thē. And wee on our side shall not bee condemned for the lyke, if wee runne backe to Gods will, and dispose the Church goods in such wise, as the poore bee not defrauded of them, but that such almesdeedes be done with them, as the necessitie of those bee relieued whome God commaundeth vsus to succour, and whom he offereth vsus as in his owne stead, according to this saying of his, that looke whatsoeuer wee doe to the poore, hee taketh it as done to himselfe. Sith it is so,Matt. 6.4 & 25.40. let vsus folow that rule. For we see how this lesson is greatly for our behoof nowadayes, and how we may put the same in vre.
Let vsus marke well then, that it is not onelyonly sayd yt the Leuites shal come and gather vp their right; but also it is added yt the widowes, the fatherlesse & the strangers shalbe susteined lykewise. Yea verily: Albeit that the strangers were not some times of the body of ye Israelites, nor of their religion: yet was it Gods will yt they should be pityed. Not to nourish any silth & vncleanes thereby; (for if folke might hauehave resorted thither from all nations, and hauehave dwelled there, it had bin the next way to hauehave turned the people away vntounto wickednesse:) but it serued for trauellers, & for such as had intercourse of marchandise with them, whome Gods will was to hauehave succored when they fel into any aduersitie. Now seeing that the Israelites were to relieue those that were not so neere neighbors vntounto them: what ought wee to doe to our brethren, and to such as are all of one selfesame faith and Religion with vsus? If we shake thē off & suffer them to pine away for pouertie, how greatly shall wee bee to blame, seeing that God cōmendeth vntounto vsus ye poore strangers, yea euē which hauehave no acquaintance wt vsus in the seruing of the true God?
But howsoeuer ye case stand, let vsus remember in generall, that of the goods which were consecrated in those dayes vntounto God, part was to be imployed not onelyonly vppon the Priestes and Leuites, but also vponupon the reliefe of the poore, so as it behoued them to hauehave a part with the priestes so farre foorth as the tenthes woulde yeelde. What is to be done then nowadays? Forasmuch as the Ceremonie of bringing of our Freewill offeringes to a place chosen for that purpose is done away, if wee intend to offer such sacrifices as may bee acceptable to GOD, eueryevery of vsus must doe almesdeedes according to his abilitie, and thinke thus with himselfe: Go too, my God hath giuen mee chaunge of meates, I eate one kinde of porredge to day and another kinde to morrowe, and yet might I content my selfe all my lyfe long with bread and water. But God of his bounteousnesse giueth mee moreouer what meates soeuer I lyke of best, yea and chaunge of them also; so as if I bee weary of one meate, I may take another according to my abilitie. Seeing then that he dealeth so with me, what an vnthankfulnesse is it for mee to despise him that sheweth himselfe so liberall towardes mee?Iob. 3 5.6. Psal. 16.2. True it is that our so dooing is neither here nor there (as they say,) in respect of God: the seruice that wee doe him doth neither amend him nor appaire him: but he giueth vsus the poore among vsus, to bee succored at our handes, to the ende that none of vsus should so glutte himselfe by cramming his owne bellie, as to despise others that are in necessitie, but that wee shoulde bee well aduised to make an offering vntounto God of the thinges that he hath put into our handes, and that the same might become holy by that meanes. Not that wee should pay it as a raunsome to God: but that the acknowledgement which we make vntounto him in hauing compassion vppon our poore needy brethren, is as though our Lord should allow of our eating and drinking, saying thus: Now is all lawfull for you, I lyke well of it, I giuegive it vntounto you; and that is because yee honor mee in dooing almesdeedes to such as are in pouertie. Thus yee see what eueryevery man hath to beare in minde as in his owne peculyar and priuate behalfe.
Howbeit, for common orders sake, because there are reuenewes appointed to the Church, as I hauehave touched afore: let vsus beware that they bee not abused by beeing deuowred I wote not how, or that they be not misspent about worldly matters. For men are alwayes giuen to cantle out the poore folkes morsels as short as can be, and it seemeth to them that whatsoeuer is bestowed in hospitalitie, is lost. O (say they) we must locke vp, wee must spare, wee must play the good husbandes: but cursed bee that good husbandrie which regardeth not the welbestowing of a mans goods. Therefore let vsus hauehave an eye to the disposing of the thinges which GOD offereth vntounto vsus, and whereas there hauehave bin abuse and superstition, let vsus vnderstand that all ought to bee brought backe again to their right vse: and that although the ceremonies continue not still; yet notwithstanding GOD will not bee mocked: but that this principle must alwayes stand in force, namely, that whatsoeuer hath bin dedicated to GOD, must bee distributed accordingly. Now there was also a tything of the tythes, whereof I cannot but say some what. For after that the generall tythes were taken vp, the high priestes tooke their tenthes thereof, and afterward layd out a tenth part for the poore. Forasmuch as this third tything was not intended by God, but proceeded of the couetousnesse of the Leuites who could hauehave found in their heartes to hauehave …aked all to themselues: it was meete that they shoulde bee restreined. And after the same maner, the Popes Canons that I spake of, were made of purpose because men sawe the Church goods deuowred by the Priestes, by reason whereof it behooued them to bee bridled. The tythes therefore were parted in such sorte, as the poore might hauehave their portion, and not be defrauded of the right that was assigned vntounto them. But (as I sayd) wee neede not as now to stand sifting of these thinges by percelmeale: it is enough for vsus that wee hauehave the meaning of the Lawe▪ and that wee knowe wherein the abuse rested, to the ende wee may reteine the right vse of them still.
Now it is sayd consequently, That the Lord… thy God may blesse thee in all the workes of thy handes. In this text wee hauehave two things to marke. The one is that all our Labour would bee to no purpose, if God of his meere grace did not prosper it. Let that serue for one poynt. Another is, that if wee will hauehave God to further vsus, wee must honor him with the goods which hee giueth vsus, by vsing them in such wise as he commaundeth vsus. For if hee be defrawded of his right, hee can soone bereaue vsus of his blessing, so as wee shall bee dispurueied and stript out of all thinges; and when wee thinke our selues to hauehave abundance of all thinges at will, hee will make it to vanish away to lesse than nothing. Those bee the two thinges which wee hauehave to beare in minde. As touching the first, let vsus beare in minde that men are commaunded to trauell for their liuing,… and that such as doe take paynes shall be maintained by their labor. But yet must not men say. It is mine owne policie, it is the labor of mine owne handes that hath gotten me this or that, as wee hauehave seene in the eight chapter,… where God fed his people fortie yeeres with Manna, to make them to knowe that when they were come into ye land of Chanaan, albeit that they tilled the ground, gathered the grapes, and reaped downe the corne; yet they should not imagin that their liuing proceeded from elsewhere than from Gods meere goodnesse who blessed them.Psa. … And that is the cause why it is sayd in the psalme, that wee may well rise early and goe to bed late, and eate our bread with sorow; & yet notwithstanding al shall goe to decay, and God shall holde vsus vnderunder foot, vntill wee be sure of his blessing.
True it is that God doth oftentimes multiply the goods of the wicked, & of such as liue altogether by extortiō, deceit & theeuery: we see yt such kinde of men may well inrich themselues, and God beareth with such thinges to blinde their eyes the more with their riches, that they may bee as a poyson to them, and as a baite to choke them withall. For inasmuch as they imagine that they can inrich themselues whether God will or no: he letteth them doe so, yea and he giueth them riches as if hee shoulde say, Gather till yee burst: yet shall it not turne to your sustenance, but it shalbe as a poyson to kill you, as I said afore. For when men inrich themselues after that fashion by wicked practises, wee see what comes of it in the ende. Gods wrath lighteth vppon them, and they be tormented all their life long: and when they looke to inioy the goods that they hauehave gathered together, Gods curse doth so vtter it selfe vponupon them, that they cannot do themselues any good with them: insomuch that although they hauehave their garners & storehouses full fraught, and their bagges full of mony; yet doth God sende them diseases or such other afflictions, by which he holdeth them as it were vponupon ye torture or racke; as if he should say: What hast thou done thou wretched creature? Thou hast offended mee all the time of thy life, and yet hast thou borne thy selfe in hande that all shoulde goe well with thee if thou mightest heape vp riches ynowe. But thou must now be made to knowe, that all thy raking vp of the riches which thou canst not inioy, will stand thee in no steede. Thus yee see what reward they hauehave which will needes inrich themselues as it were in despite of God: insomuch that all their scrapings to themselues on all hands by vnlawfull meanes, are but as cordes to snare their children withall, as experience sheweth. And therefore let vsus be throughly perswaded in our selues, that if we will prosper, the onelyonly blessing of God must suffice vsus though wee hauehave not all things at wil. When we hauehave taken neuer so much paines, yet must we not trust in the strength of our owne hands, nor bee so blinded with fonde presumption as to say, I am an able man, I am politike & can take paines. But let euerie man referre himselfe to God, knowing that it is he which giueth him sustenance. And although I take neuer so much paines to get my liuing: yet must I hauehave it at his hand, and when I hauehave asked my ordinarie breade to day, I must doe the like to morrow too, and yeeld my selfe to the wil of him that giueth it mee. Thus much concerning the first point, where mentiō is made of Gods blessing of the workes of mens hands. And therewithall let vsus call to minde what hath beene declared therof more at large heretofore, where our Lorde willeth men to consider how it is onelyonly hee that beareth the sway in making our labours to prosper. Let that serue for one point.
And nowe let vsus come to the seconde point: which is, that if wee desire to bee partakers of Gods blessing, we must first yeeld him his right: for if he be defrauded of it, he wil reuenge it vponupon vsus.… 3.8. & … And that is the cause why hee saith by his Prophet, Do ye complaine that ye be afflicted? Consider the cause, saith hee. Yee hauehave defrauded mee. Whereof? Of my Tythes, Firstfruites, and all other thinges. Yee beare your selues in hande that yee increase your selues greatly by robbing of mee, and that ye gaine much by defrauding mee of my right. The people of Israel were so wirlesse, that they stole the tythes; or if they tythed, they did it but by halues: and likewise of their firstfruits, in steede of making good fulsome sheaues and bundels vntounto God, they gelded them and made them verie thinne and lanke: and yet these miserable wretches bare themselues in hande that they benefited themselues greatly by laying vp some little quantitie more than they ought to hauehave done. Contrariwise our Lorde saieth vntounto them: Goe to sirs, shoulde yee hauehave either tithes, or firstfruites, or any croppe at all, but by my blessing? And think ye that your filching away of any of ye things that belong to me, shall boote you? No no: ye must needes be wasted and dye for hunger by reason of your vnthankfulnesse. Therefore let vsus learne to yeelde God the things which he reserueth to himselfe: and then will hee blesse vsus. As howe? When we bee to be sustained, the firstfruits that God requireth of vsus, are that we should waite vponupon him, and sue to his meere gracious goodnesse for all thinges requisite to the maintenance of this flightfull life. And afterward when he hath giuen vsus whereon to liue, we must vse the same soberly, that our life being ruled after that fashion, may be as another sacrifice to him, and consequently that we giuegive our neighbours part with vsus. Let such as hauehave wherewith imparte to the poore that want: and let euerie man beware that he filch away none other mens goods, and let vsus bee contented with our competent foode and raiment as God listeth to bestowe vpō vsus: and in so doing we shalbe blessed at his hand. But what? Our distrustfulnesse, our excesse, and our vnsatiable lusts cause God to withdrawe his blessing from vsus, and that we are, as it were dried vp. Also it is seene that in steade of going forwarde we goe backeward▪ and what doe wee thereupon? Such as hauehave plentie can no skil to vse it according to Gods ordinance, and to bee thankfull to him for the abundance which hee sendeth them, but they woulde still hauehave more & more. O say they, this is not ynough for me, & though it be ynough for me, yet it is not inough for my children. And so wee fall to gathering of more & more. But to consider how we come by it, and whether it bee lawfull before God or no, we neuer hearken after it: we goe to it by hooke and by crooke, and wee neuer thinke that wee shall come to a reckening for it before God. To this point (I say) are we come nowadayes. And therefore it is no wonder though wee feele no blessing of God, but that wee bee faine to be set besides it. Againe we may see hereby how colde and faint our prayers are: for our asking of our daily breade at Gods hand is but from the teeth outwarde: and therefore it is good reason that wee shoulde receiue as skant and slender frute as appeareth that we do. Wherfore let vsus mark, that if wee intende to feele Gods blessing, and that hee should continue the same towardes vsus; wee must offer vp our selues in sacrifice, and all that euer hee giueth vsus, so as all may be wholly dedicated vntounto him. And when wee see the vse that he alloweth of, let eueryevery of vsus behaue himselfe thereafter, that God may be glorified by vsus as his intent is to be.
Nowe let vsus kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes, praying him to graunt vsus the grace to come to him with humilitie, sorie for prouoking him so many wayes as wee doe without ceasing; and to vouchsafe so to burie our offences, as wee preace into the presence of his maiestie by meanes of our Lorde Iesus Christ, to bee guided by his holy spirit, and to be confirmed more and more in this; that hee holdeth and auoweth vsus for his children. That it may please him to graunt this grace, not onelyonly to vsus but also to all people and Nations of the earth &c.