Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 93
On Fryday the xxv. of October. 1555. The XCiij. Sermon which is the first vponupon the fifteenth Chapter.
AT the terme of seuen yeares thou shalt make a yeare of Freedome.
2 And the maner of the freedome shal be after this sort. Euerie creditor shall release the debt of his hande which he hath lent vntounto his neighbour, and he shall not constreine his neighbour nor his brother: for it is called the yeare of the Lords release.
3 Thou maist compell a straunger, but as for thy brother, forgiue him.
4 In any wise let there bee no poore bodie among you: for the Lorde will blesse thee in the Lande which the Lorde thy God giueth thee for an heritage to possesse,
5 Yea if thou obey the voice of the Lord thy God in keeping and performing all his commaundements which I commaunde thee this day.
6 For the Lord thy God will blesse thee, as he hath promised, so as thou shalt lende vntounto manie folke, and not borrow of any. Thou shalt reigne ouer many Nations, and they shall not reigne ouer thee.
WE hauehave here a Lawe for the releasing of such as were indetted. Now wee knowe that GOD gouerned ye Iewes according to their owne rudenes, insomuch that he graunted them a tolleration in many thinges because they were a people harde to bee ruled. Yet notwithstanding hee ceased not by all manner of meanes to allure them to gentlenesse, to the ende that no man shoulde greeue his neighbour beyonde measure, nor vse too extreme rigour, nor deale cruelly one with another. That is the marke which the Lawe shooteth at which I hauehave read heere presently; so as yee must vnderstande that it was not Lawfull for them to presse any man with his debts in the seuenth yeare. And it hath beene thought that in this place Moses commaunded the cleere forgiuing of all debtes the seuenth yeare. But in that supposall is no reason at all. For if debtes had beene quite and cleane released: much more reason had it beene that such persons as had yeelded themselues into bondage for the discharge of their debtes, shoulde hauehave beene released: for we knowe that the freedome of mens persons is much more acceptable, than the releasing of a debte of money. Must a poore man bee helde as a slaue and make it good with his bodie because hee hath not wherewith to paye that hee oweth: and shall hee bee released which keepeth the money still in his purse, or else vseth some odde by shift, so as hee abydeth freely at home in his owne house? That were no vpright dealing. But the case stoode so among the Iewes,Le…. 25.… 39. that such as yeelded themselues into bondage for the discharge of their debtes, were not set at libertie againe till the yeare of Iubilie which was the fiftith yeare. Therefore it followeth that here is not meant the cleare release of all debtes. For that had beene the way to hauehave procured more disorder, rather than to hauehave set downe a rule of courtisie and gentlenesse. For no man woulde euer hauehave lent any mony the sixth yeare. Againe, men woulde hauehave beene the more hastie in calling for their dettes, so as their detters shoulde hauehave beene much lesse priuiledged than if there had beene no release at all. Also there are other reasons which are verie sufficient; insomuch that eueryevery man shoulde hauehave beene driuen to sell his owne house and lande. To bee short, it is not to be doubted but that Gods intent here, was to commaunde no more but that the seuenth yeare shoulde be priuiledged. And hereby it appeareth that such as hauehave interpreted the seuenth yeares compasse to be the seuenth yeares ende, hauehave beene too grosly ouerseene. For the making of this law was in respect that the seuenth yeare shoulde be a yeare of solemne rest. Like as God had reserued one day in euerie weeke to bee holy to himselfe: so also was it his will that eueryevery seuenth yeare shoulde be a high solemnitie, so as the grounde shoulde not bee tilled that yeare. The Lande of Iurie was batling ynough to hauehave borne all yeares, that is to say, men might hauehave tilled and sowed the grounde euerie yeare sauing the seuenth yeare. And that yeare was spared, not for feare least men shoulde hauehave worne away the heart of the soyle too neere: but to the ende that the people shoulde inure themselues continually to the day of rest, because it conteyned the chiefe point of the Law, that is to wit, that men ought to gather their wittes to them, to giuegive themselues wholly to the minding of Gods benefites, whereby it is shewed them that they shoulde renounce themselues, and referre themselues wholly to his holy spirite, to bee so gouerned by him, as that their affections and thoughts may no more ouermaster them. And indeede, because the Iewes did breake the day of rest, and the Prophetes coulde not winne them to yeelde to that which was commaunded them: our Lorde saith that hee woulde punish them in such sorte, that sith they woulde not, the Lande should take rest for them.Le…i…. 26.34 31. & Ier. 17.27. & Ezec. 20.13 Forasmuch as you (saieth he) will not keepe the Saboth dayes accordingly as I hauehave ordeyned in my Lawe: I will shortly finde out one that shall obserue my Lawe, and that shall be the Lande it selfe. For ye shalbe driuen out of it, and none shall be left in it to manure it; all the Sabothes that hauehave beene broken must be put into a reckening, that they may bee recompensed againe. Threescore and tenne yeares were the people banished out of it. And looke howe many commaundementes there are, so many tokens were there continually of the solemne restingtimes. What restingtimes? Not euerie seuenth day, or eueryevery seuenth yeare onelyonly: but for the space of seuentie yeares together was the Lande to take rest. Yee see then that this seuenth yeare was a confirmation of the fourth commaundement of the lawe, that is to wit, of keeping holy the seuenth day. For in that yeare (as I said) men tilled not the ground. And why? To the ende that folke shoulde hauehave the better leasure to giuegive themselues to the seruing of God, and be not so much letted by their busines, as indeed they had the more libertie to minde this lesson, and to bee well instructed in the doctrine of God. And for the same cause also was it commaunded, that the booke of the Lawe shoulde bee read openly euerie seuenth yeare at the feast of Tabernacles, as wee shall see hereafter in the one and thirtith Chapter.
Nowe that we hauehave Gods meaning, which is that his ordeining of the seuenth yeare was to the end that the people should hauehave some easement: let vsus assure our selues that the saboth day was not inioyned without cause. Not onelyonly to giuegive men to vnderstand that our Lorde had forbidden that any man should be sued for his dets that yeare (for that was likewise done euerie weeke): but also to auow the thing which we see obiected in the eight and fiftith of Esay,Esa. 58.3. against such as through hypocrisie obserued the feaste, but yet ceased not any whit the more to sue for their dettes. Verily I am much beholden to you, saith the Lorde: for yee say yee hauehave fasted, and obserued my Ceremonies. But yet is all that euer yee hauehave done, nothing worth: for the verie substance of it wanteth; whereas yee should be pitifull to your neighbours, yee do nothing else but fleece them and persecute them to the vttermost. And surely that is a goodly obseruing of the Saboth. Therfore doe I renounce you, and I disauow all your doings, saieth the Lord.
So then, we hauehave here the end of the Law that is set downe here, and also the thing which the same commaundeth. For like as God ment not that men shoulde pleade the seuenth day, to the end they might be the better drawen to obserue that feast, which was to gather men to God, and to cause them to rest in him: so ment he also cō cerning the seuenth yeare: namely that the Iewes shoulde giuegive themselues to vpright dealing: insomuch that if it were not lawfull to gather the fruites of the earth, and that the fruites which grewe without tilth were common,Leuit. 25.…. so as the poore which had no possessions were partakers of them: it was much more reason that if a man were ouerpinched, he shold not be pursued with rigour of Lawe. But in the yeare of Iubyle, which was eueryevery fiftith yeare; there was a greater freedome, and such a one as extended much further.Leui. 25.38 For if a man were in bondage, hee was then made free, vnlesse it were that hee liked so well of his master, that he bound himselfe to bee his slaue for euer as long as he liued. Afterward, all possessions returned home againe.Leuit. 25.29.30. True it is that the houses in Cities could not reuert again, vnlesse ye sellers of them redeemed them within a yeare. But as for Farmes, and other possessions in the countrie; the purchacer was to conuey them backe againe at the fiftith yeare, so as they returned home againe to their former owners. And according to the neerenes or farnesse of the yeare of Iubyle, men sold their possessions the dearer or the cheaper: insomuch that the lands so purchased were released againe within thirtie, twentie, or ten years after the purchasing of thē. And of this dealing there was one special reason; which was yt God hauing diuided ye Land of Canaan by lot, intēded to hauehave it continue in that order for euer, to the ende that mens possessions should not be intermingled together.
And hee saieth expresly, Other Nations possesse their landes in feesimple: but I holde you as my farmours.Leuit. 25.23 I will not hauehave you to be as owners, so as yee might say this is mine: neither shall yee bee as purchasers of the Lande at my hande; yee shal hauehave as it were but a soiourning place in it for a time, and yee shall bee but as a Farmer vnderunder a master. Loe heere the cause why our Lordes will was that the possessions shoulde returne to the fi…st owners againe. But as for that which is spoken heere, concerneth but the seuenth yeare, at which time euerie man ought to bee released, and no man ought to sew his detters, yet euerie man ought to reteyne his owne right neuerthelesse still. For Gods meaning was not that hee which had lent money should lose it, so as hee shoulde hauehave no meanes to recouer his dette againe: (for so shoulde one man hauehave robbed another of his substance; and the vntrustie merchant that had wasted his goods in riot and excesse at his ease without care, shoulde hauehave laughed his creditor to scorne as soone as the seuenth yeare were come, which had beene a greate disorder, and woulde hauehave caused vnthrifts to hauehave become the worse): but Gods intent was onelyonly that there shoulde a kinde of respit bee giuen, that the poorer sort might not be pinched out of measure.
But nowe let vsus returne to that which is set downe in the texte. In the seuenth yeare there shall bee a Forgiuing, that is to say, a forbearing or a giuing of further respite. Hee meaneth not that there shoulde bee a cleare acquitall or releasing for euer: but onelyonly that hee which had lent money, shoulde not chalendge his dette out of hande, nor bee so greedie and hastie as to seeke it by sute of Lawe that yeare. And hee speaketh expresly of the ende of the yeare, to shewe that this forbearing or respitting shoulde not onelyonly bee at the beginning of the yeare, but euen throughout to the seuenth yeares ende. And here God meant to bounde his Lawe according to the circumstance: that is to saye, because the seuenth yeare was a kinde of resting time as well as the seuenth day was; therefore our Lordes will was that the same shoulde bee obserued. Therefore saieth hee, at the terme: howebeit not to signifie the ende of the yeare, but to betoken the continuance of the time appointed by the Lawe. You shall giuegive a respit saieth hee, and the manner thereof shall bee thus: If any man owe thee aught, thou shalt not constraine him, at leastwise for the dette of thy hande. As if hee had saide, thou shalt not take the thing by force, but shalt rather forbeare the dette. And why so? For this forbearing commeth specially of God: that is to saye, God reserueth that yeare specially to himselfe, and hee will hauehave it openly proclaimed as it was indeede, and he will hauehave the order thereof to be kept.
Hee addeth, In any wise let there bee no poore bodie among you. This speech is somewhat darke, because the first worde that Moses vseth, signifieth Nothing, or it is not at all: and sometimes when it is ioyned with another worde, (as it is in this place,) it betokeneth except that, or sauing that. And for that cause some men vnderstande that our Lorde setteth downe an exception heere, namely so there were no poore folkes. For if the detters were riche, they might alwayes bee well contented to pay. But the poorer sort were to bee borne with, and to hauehave some easement; the vexing of whō after yt sort, was a kind of sucking of their bloud, and a drawing of the marrowe out of their bones. Againe the seuenth yeares respit was as a meane for them to gather somewhat towardes their discharge.
Moreouer there was the more cause why the poore should bee borne withal the seuenth yere, the ground was not tilled that yeare, and therefore Corne might become the dearer by reason that there was no gathering of any thing that yere. For it was not with them in those dayes as it is with vsus in these dayes, that when one peece of grounde lay fallowe, as they say, another peece was with corne, so as they might hauehave a croppe euerie yeare one after another wherewith to finde themselues. In the Lande of Iewrie they gathered not so much as one kernell of wheate, Otes, or other kinde of graine in the seuenth yeare, neither was it lawfull for them to till the grounde that yeare: by reason whereof the poorer sort had much adoe to get their liuing by their …abour and trauell. That was the cause why some hauehave taken it to bee as an exception when our Lorde saide, if peraduenture you hauehave no poore among you. Well may yee demaunde your dets of such as are welthie and well able to pay; but beware that ye pinch not your neighbours that are behinde hande. Othersome take it thus, So as there bee no poore among you; that is to say, deale in such wise as no man bee brought vnderunder foote by you, but that the poore and meaner sort may liue with the rich: and let no man bee so greedily minded as to put thinges out of order by his excesse, like the great fishes that eat vp the smaller fishes: Take heede that yee vse no such cruelnesse towardes your neighbours. Also a man might take the said word as betokening Nothing; as though our Lorde had spoken after our common manner and saide, No, no, there must bee no poore among you. But as for the meaning of the Lawe, it is certaine ynough to vsus, which thing ought to suffice vsus, and it is all that wee shoulde looke for.
Therefore let vsus vnderstand that our Lordes intent was to say here in fewe wordes, that men ought to behaue thēselues so friendly, as no man were oppressed, and that although it lie not in men to let that there should not bee both poore and rich among them: yet they should so deale as the poorer sort were not troden vnderfoote. For wee see that such as are welthie do lay their snares, and catch whatsoeuer they can come by, so as the poorer sorte dare not come neere thē: and if they get but the value of a pinne at their hands, they fleece them of it by and by againe. Therefore it was our Lordes intent to prouide a remedie for that mischiefe among his people. Nowe remaineth that wee apply this matter to our owne behoofe. True it is that this order belonged peculiarly to the Iewes: but yet doth it concerne vsus also: namely that we shoulde not vexe them out of measure, which are indetted vntounto vsus. And it may well bee among those that beare the name of Christians, that they wil not goe to lawe vppon the Sabboth day: and the reason is, that vponupon that day eueryevery man ought to hauehave leasure to withdrawe himselfe to Godwarde, to minde his workes, that wee may all of vsus be prouoked to serue and honour him. For, all our life long wee ought to giuegive our selues to praying and supplication. Neuerthelesse cōmon meetings are made that men may heare the cōmon doctrine of saluation, and it is good reason that on the Sabboth day all other cares and thoughts should be laide aside. Notwithstanding let vsus take good heede that wee keepe not the single Ceremony onelyonly, but also the intent of God therewithall, which is, that our neighbours be not so vexed by vsus, as they may hauehave occasion to despise God, and to be cast into despaire. For our Lorde will hauehave vsus giuegive such respit as the poore may not bee ouer grieued. Wee see howe he saith in other places, that wee must not take a poore mans mattres from vnderunder him:Exod. 22.26 27. As for example, when a man hath broken payment, if hee bring his bedde to lay to gage, our Lorde forbiddeth the taking thereof, and likewise the taking of a poore mans rayment which hee hath neede of to weare. For if he be a cold (saith he) and thou keepest his bed from him, although hee speake neuer a worde, yet shall his sides curse thee, because thou beest so hardhearted that thou hast no pitie of him when thou seest him afflicted in his bodie. And albeit that the poore man be patient in his aduersitie, yet doeth God in heauen consider thy crueltie, and in the ende he will reuenge it. Contrariwise he that giueth his poore neighbour his gage againe, and is so pitifull towards him that he cannot find in his heart to see him indure necessitie: although the partie so releeued do play the Churle, and regarde not the good that hath bin done vntounto him: yet shall hee hauehave his good deede to answere for him before me,…. 24.12 saith the Lord.
Yee see then that we must be kindharted both generally and particularly as time requireth. As how? If there come a yeare of dearth, many men will seeke to inrich themselues by it, and they beare themselues in hande, that it is a time euen for their owne tooth: and it is a thing too much vsed nowadayes, as it hath bin at all times heretofore: and woulde God we coulde forget it. But we shal see a number that lye in waite like skouts or spies, and if there come a deare yeare, O say they, this serues well to make me rich; when as in verie deede it is the time wherein they should open their bowels to hauehave compassion of such as are in necessitie. Wee see that poore folke hauehave much ado to maintaine themselues though they be succoured: yea and such as heretofore hauehave beene able to liue in their owne houses without being pinched ouer neere, are nowe driuen to borrow. And why is that? They hauehave their ordinarie earnings as before: but corne and wine are at such excessiue prices, that they be not able to buy them; eueryevery man shrinkes away and holdes himself short. And as for the rich man that hath wherewith to liue, his minde is vppon nothing else but howe he may inrich himselfe, O (saieth he) this is a fatte yeare for mee, for it is a leane yeare for all others. Alas, heere is a wretched regarde. So then let vsus learne that our Lordes meaning by this Lawe is not that we should forbeare to releeue such as are (as yee woulde say) windshaken already: but that if we see a man that hath much ado to maintaine himself, we should not runne vponupon him to ouerthrowe him altogether. As howe? If I see a man a little behinde hand, and I hauehave a mind to some cornegrounde or vyneyard of his; loe hee is in fitte case for my purpose: and if I take him at the vantage, hee is vndone by it, & it is vnpossible for him to scape vtter ruine. And when a man hauing that regard to selfeprofite, indeuoureth to catch away the poore mans possessions; surely although there were no Lawe of God at all: yet doeth euen naturall equitie condemne it. But heere our Lorde sheweth vsus his will, which is, that whensoeuer wee see any man distressed, wee shoulde spare him so much the more, vntill hee hauehave some meanes to recouer himselfe againe; and that wee shoulde not lye in waite to catch from him at euerie occasion that is offered to further the matter: but rather that wee shoulde vse such vprightnesse as to saye, If I beare with him hee will pay mee one time or other, I see hee is willing ynough, I see hee woulde paye mee mine owne and doe asmuch for mee if hee were not ouerpressed otherwise; and seeing I knowe him to bee such a one, shall I nowe set vppon him with rigour? That were euen as much as though I woulde cutte asunder his hamstringes that hee might bee able to goe no further. I see he is scarse able to drawe his legges after him, and therefore if I should fall to cutting of his sinewes asunder, and so fell him downe altogether; if hee bee vtterly ouerthrowen for want of lending him my helping hand at his neede, am not I the cause therof? Shal not his pouertie crie out for vengeance against mee vntounto God?
Nowe wee see howe this Lawe serued as a policie among the Iewes, and yet neuerthelesse that it sheweth vsus Gods will at this day, because it teacheth vsus to beare with the poore and needie. To be short, let vsus marke that our sparing of the poore after that fashion, is an acceptable sacrifice to God, and that after the same manner, he will accept all other seruices that we do vntounto him: where as if wee performe neuer so manie Ceremonies, and in the meane while hauehave no equitie nor vpright meaning in vsus, we do but prouoke Gods wrath according to the saying of the Prophet Esay which I hauehave alledged already. If wee resort to sermons, and shewe our selues to hauehave neuer so great zeale and good will to Gods worde; and yet for all that, euerie of vsus do practise wicked deuises to ouerthrowe our neighbours, so as we seeke to deuour one another like dogges and cattes: our Lorde shalbe much beholding to vsus for giuing eare to his sayings, when in the meane while wee make none account of the keeping of them. Nay contrariwise, let vsus consider that our comming hither is to bee induced to brotherly louelove, so as the rich may beare with the poore, and that where any pouertie is among vsus, they may be so prouided for as they may still come forwarde, and bee so comforted as they may eate the breade which God giueth them, with thanksgiuing, and not be driuen to despaire, nor the name of God bee thereby blasphemed. And wee must not tarie till the time of forbearing be proclaimed by the sounde of a trumpet: but wee must holde our selues contented with Gods lowde crying out vntounto vsus from day to day. And this worde must sounde into our hearts: By which God requireth that wee should so partake with our neighbours that they should no manner of way be grieued by vsus: Againe we must not looke for a seuenth yere, because we must hauehave at this present a continuall rest: Seeing that God hath ridde vsus from the olde bondage of the lawe; and therefore hee will hauehave vsus to rest our selues all our life long in him: let vsus therefore giuegive rest to our neighbours, so as they may bee releeued and not hauehave any occasion of heartburning against vsus for our despising and reiecting of them; but that the fatherly louelove which God sheweth towardes vsus, may be as a bande to tie vsus together in brotherly good will as members of one bodie, so as no man doe misuse his brother any more than ye hand would misuse the foote, because it woulde turne to the hurt of it selfe. And therefore let vsus hauehave the same consideration of our selues one towards another. Now let vsus proceede to that which God addeth.
He saith that his blessing shalbe vponupon the people, so as they shall all prosper, and hauehave wherwith to lend, & not be driuen to borrow: and that they shall reigne ouer many Nations, and no Nation shall reigne ouer them. The cause why our Lord addeth this promise, is to confirme the lawe. And at a word (as I hauehave said heretofore) albeit that our Lord might command after a precise manner: yet doth he apply himselfe to vsus, indeuoring to win vsus to him, that wee should obey him with a free heart, and not go to worke by compulsion and constraint. Yee see then that ye thing which he requireth of vsus, is yt wee shoulde offer him freewilofferings as they terme them.Psal. 54.8. But let vsus marke that the vpright dealing which wee hauehave treated of, serued but onelyonly for the Iewes. And therefore this promise, I will blesse you, answereth thereunto. For it was lawfull for the Iewes to pursue straungers, such as were not circumcised. After that maner ment Moses. But if any strangers receiued the lawe of Moses, they were priuiledged, as being of the bodie of the Iewish people. But as for them that worshiped not the God of Israel, & were among them but onelyonly in way of traffike or for some other affaires: they inioyed not the benefite of this law whereby the sewing of men for det was forbidden. And the reason therof was that they kept not the Sabboth for any deuotions sake. True it is that they were fain to rest themselues whether they woulde or no; it was not lawfull for them in any wise to worke; they were driuen to submit themselues to Gods ordinance: but yet in the meane while they had no desire to serue the God of Israel. And therefore they were not to be spared as in respect of common policy. But nowe that Gods grace is shed forth eueryevery where, we must not make any more difference between Iewe and Gentile. For (as saieth Sainct Paul) our Lorde Iesus Christ hath broken downe the partition wall,Eph. … to the ende that being adopted of God for his children, wee shoulde maintaine brotherly vnitie among our selues, and euerie of vsus acknowledge his neighbour to bee as his brother.
And as touching this promise, it was restreined for that time to ye people of Israel. But nowadayes, forasmuch as Gods promises are common to all men because hee hath shewed himselfe to be the father indifferently of all men: let vsus vnderstand that our Lorde declareth here in general, that if we feare him and keepe his commandements, hee will blesse vsus and make vsus to prosper: And this promise must bee referred to the circumstance of the place. For wee see howe couetousnesse prouoketh vsus to catch what wee can from our neighbours, because we be euer afraid of want. O (say we) If I may not hauehave mine owne, what a thing were it? True it is that our Lorde doeth indeede permit eueryevery man to hauehave his right: but yet must not eueryevery man bee so giuen ouer to himselfe and to his own profite, that he should hauehave no regarde to spare those whom he holdeth as his vnderlings. For whosoeuer hath no regard of him that standeth at his merciemercy; surely he can finde in his heart, not onelyonly to liue vppon the parties labour, but also euen to sucke his bloud. If I bereaue a man of the meane whereby hee should followe his little trade, so as he is brought vtterly vnderunder foote: it is all one as if I maimed him in his body, so as I made him to pine away all his life after. So then let vsus marke well, that as touching this promise, our Lord had an eye to the eagernesse which eueryevery of vsus hath to draw to himselfe. And why do wee so? Because we be afraide least we should want. And therefore our Lord saith, No, make more account of my blessing than of all that euer ye can gather. When ye hauehave vsed al the craft and force ye can deuise to fish to your selues by hooke & by crook, and when yee hauehave gathered neuer so howge a heape of goods together al that shal not boote you so much as my blessing, that I multiplie you and giuegive you so much as shall suffice to maintaine you withall. And although yee hauehave not so greate store of thinges at once, as you coulde finde in your heartes to wish: yet will I make the thinges auailable which yee hauehave in your handes. And if it bee but little, yet shall it be so inlarged, that yee shall liue at your case, Now wee see what Gods meaning is.
And therefore whensoeuer wee be tempted by vnbeliefe to catche other mens goods; Let vsus bethinke our selues thus: howenowe? Shall we become rich in despite of God? At whose hande hauehave we our liuing? HaueHave wee it not of his meere liberalitie? Nowe hee hath not promised his blessing to any other than to such as walke in integritie, and do so beare with their neighbours, that they trample them not vnderunder their feete through ouergreat rigour. But if I will needes inrich my selfe by hooke and by crooke; then doe I spite God and prouoke his wrath against mee; and what hope is there then that God will blesse mee? Nay rather his horrible curse must needes light vppon mee. Therefore let vsus thinke aduisedly vppon these thinges. And that wee may so doe, Let vsus consider howe it is he that giueth wherewith to finde and feede vsus, and that hee must bee faine to preserue the thinges that hee hath giuen vsus, and to make them auailable for our vse; or otherwise we may well doe what wee can, and trot vp and downe; but all shall bee but lost labour. God (say I) must bee faine to open his hande to giuegive vsus wherewith to liue. And when he hath once giuen it, hee must also maintaine it. For it might slippe away from vsus eueryevery minute of an houre, if hee shoulde not make vsus to inioy still the things that he hath giuen vsus. Thirdly hee must also bee faine to giuegive vsus the meane to it, and to turne the thinges to our benefite which hee hath put into our handes. For if wee put them to any other vse, wee shall woonder to see howe they shall come to naught. And why? Because Gods blessing faileth vsus. Yee see then howe the thing which we hauehave to consider when our flesh is so frowarde as to prouoke vsus to greeue our neighbours; is that wee must thinke thus with our selues; yea, but what shall I gaine in the end when God is against me? Sure I am that I ought to thinke my selfe beholden to him for al things: and though I had all the worlde vnderunder my wing: yet were it nothing worth vnlesse God blessed me. Sith it is so, I must hauehave an eye to him, and be thinke mee well howe I may obtaine his blessing by inlarging my heart towardes my neighbours after his example, who sheweth himselfe so liberall towards me.
And Saint Paul giueth the selfesame admonition, not onelyonly to cause vsus to spare those that are in our dette: but also to induce vsus to doe almesdeedes, and to succour the needie: for hee sendeth vsus to him that giueth vsus seede to sowe. Come on sirres, (saieth he):…. Cor. 9.10. thinke yee that yee hauehave lost your labour when ye hauehave compassion vppon the poore, and bestow almes vponupon them? No no: no more than the husbandman that layeth his seede into the grounde; for he looketh to reape his crop againe at Haruestime. Therefore when ye doe almesdeedes,… 6.4. ye sow: and your God auoweth that hee receiueth with his owne hande, whatsoeuer yee giuegive to the poore, yea and that hee will make it to returne euerie whit of it to your owne benefite, so as yee shall reape fruite of it, not onelyonly at that great haruest time which shalbe at the last day; but also euen in this transitorie; your God will make you to perceiue that your almesdeedes are acceptable to him, and you shalbe so much the more increased by them. And for proofe thereof (saith he) is it not hee that giueth the Corne eueryevery yeare to sowe? When the husbandman hath sowed his grounde, howe coulde hee sowe it againe the next yeare, vnlesse God gaue it a heade againe? Consider then that when God giueth you wherwith to doe Almesdeedes, it is to the intent to make it fruitful to you. It is al one as if he should giuegive you seede in your hande and say, that if yee intende to gather fruite of it, yee must first cast it into the grounde. Will the husbandman keepe his corne stil in his Garner? Wil he leaue his Lande vnsowen for feare of bestowing some quantitie of graine vppon it? Euen so when yee see an vnsowen grounde, that is to say a poore neighbour whom God offereth vntounto you, leaue him not vnsowen still, but bee freehearted towardes him, and God will not suffer the seede to be lost which ye hauehave bestowed vppon him, but will make it to yeelde yee fruite out of hande. And so yee see whereunto the promise that is set downe heere tendeth, namely Your God will multiplie you in the Lande which hee hath promised you.
Heere Moses did put the people expresly in minde that their hauing of the Land of Chanaan was of Gods gifte. As if he should say, whence come the goods that yee hauehave, but out of the earth? And is that Lande yours? No verily, not as in feesimple. Ye hauehave it but as baylyfes. Your God will be knowen continually to bee the Lorde and master of it. Seeing then that he betaketh the Lande vntounto you, may he not at leastwise require some of the fruite thereof at your handes? And that is done when you bee pitifull towards the poore. That is the thing which Moses had respect vntounto, when he saide, This lande hath beene promised you, and your God will giuegive it you in possession. True it is that at this day wee hauehave not the Land of Chanaan as the Iewes had: but yet wheresoeuer wee liue, we be harboured there as it were by the hand of God, and it is he that findeth vsus. Seeing then that we hauehave our life and all thinges else of him, let vsus know that it is good reason that we should comfort our neighbours, and that wee shoulde vse compassion towards thē in bearing with them, at leastwise if wee will hauehave God to continue his weldoing towards vsus. To bee short whensoeuer we bee not sufficiently stirred vp to referre our selues to the blessing of God; let vsus repaire to ye thinges which wee knowe by experience. Men cannot finde in their heartes to trust vntounto God, but rather are caried away and inflamed with their owne wicked lustes, deceits, and leawd practises, so as they passe not howe they come by thinges so they hauehave them. But when wee behaue our selues after that leawde fashion, and passe not for the blessing of God as we ought to doe: Let vsus come to the exhortation that Moses maketh in this place to vsus; namely, that if I hauehave nothing of myne owne, I hold all thinges of my God. And seeing it is so that hee hath fed me and maintained me vntounto this day: should I not put my selfe still into his hande? Though I had a thousand times more thā I hauehave, yet would it soone be swallowed vp: but if I hauehave very little yea and yet lesse, my God who hath not failed mee vntounto this houre, will continue his blessing still, and that ought to suffice mee. Seeing then that experience (which is the schoolemistres of fooles as they say) sheweth vsus howe strong Gods blessing is: are we not too leawd if we folow not ye thing that is tolde vsus in this text, that is to wit, if we hauehave not pitie vppon our poore brethren, seeing wee hauehave his promise, the performance whereof wee hauehave had accomplished by effect? That is the point wherein God will hauehave a triall of the louelove that we beare to him. Now he saith that merciemercy is more worth than all the sacrifices in the world:O…ee. 6.6. Matt. 7.13. & 12.7. and therefore hee will hauehave vsus to honour him ye way, that is to say by pitying of our poore brethren, by succouring them, and by bearing with them when it lyeth in our power to trouble them: assuring our selues that God accepteth the thinges that are so done to our neighbours for his sake. And he will not onelyonly shewe himselfe liberall towards vsus by making vsus to feele the fruite of our Almesdeeds; but he will also continually increase his benefits vponupon vsus, in such sort that by meanes thereof wee shall hauehave continuall cause to blesse him and to glorifie his holy name.
And now let vsus kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgment of our faults, praying him to vouchsafe to wipe thē out, so as they may not hinder vsus from being receiued at his hand: and that if he make vsus to feele his fauour euen in this corruptible life, wee may much more bee inuironed rounde about with all his spirituall benefites, that we may so grow in them more and more, as wee may not bee helde backe by the brittle thinges of this world, but rather so vse them as wee may keepe on our way still, and communicate together after such a sort, as it may be to the exercising of the faith which wee hauehave in God, and in his pure doctrine, and for the confirming of vsus in the hope which we hauehave of the heritage of heauen, so as wee may tende euer thitherwarde, as wee bee dayly called thither by the preaching of his worde. That it may please him to graunt this grace, not onelyonly to vsus but also to all people and Nations of the earth &c.