Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 101
On Saturday the ix. of Nouember. 1555. The Cj. Sermon, which is the fifth vponupon the sixeteenth Chapter.
18 Iudges and Officers shalt thou make thee in all thy Cities which the Lorde thy God giueth thee throughout all thy Tribes, to iudge the people with iust Iudgemement.
19 Thou shalt not wrest the Lawe, nor hauehave regarde of persons. Thou shalt not take any reward. For gifts blinde the eyes of the wise, and peruert the woordes of the righteous.
HAd wee continued in the same soundnesse of nature wherein God created vsus: ye order of Law (as men terme it) should not be so needefull, bicause eueryevery man should cary the law in his heart, so as no man needed to be compelled to obedience, but eueryevery man should know his rule, & wee should all with one accord followe that which is good & rightful. And therefore law is as a remedie against the corruption yt is in men. As oft as there is any talk concerning earthly gouernmēt, we must vnderstand yt therein we hauehave a mirror of our frowardnes, in yt we are faine to bee compelled to ye following of vprightnes & reason. For they that are in authoritie,Rom. 13.4. 1. Pet. 2.14. hauehave the sworde in their hand: and to what end? To represse such as burst out into excesse and outrage. And wherof commeth that, but that whereas mē ought of themselues to seeke the thing that is good and iust, they turne it vpside downe, and goe about to bring all to confusion, if they bee not letted? Surely it is a great shame,Gen. 1.26. (considering that God hath created vsus after his own image, & giuen vsus dominion & soueraigntie ouer al his creatures,) yt we should be faine to be inforced to it by reasō of our naughtines. Picke me out the most despised of all men, & yet doeth he carie in himselfe the image of God, and the saide token of soueraigntie. Yet for al that, wee bee faine to become vnderlings, and that is bicause of our sinne, as I said afore. Let vsus know therefore that God hath not stablished the order of earthly gouernment without cause: but that he had an eye to ye corruption yt is in vsus. Hereby we be well warned (as I saide afore,) to humble our selues, seeing our sinnes require such remedie. But yet ought wee to magnifie Gods goodnes, for yt he hath prouided aforehand, yt all should not go to vnrecouerable confusion among vsus, which thing woulde come to passe if we might do what we listed. For if the strongest might goe away with the goale, what would com… of it? It were much better for vsus to be in ye forestes among wolues and wilde beasts, thā to be among mē, if all things were at libertie. For no beastes are so woode, as are our own lustes. Therfore let vsus acknowledge ye wonderful goodnes of our God, in yt he hath had such care to preserue vsus, yt forasmuch as he sawe wee coulde not maintaine our selues vnlesse there were lawes to hold vsus in, & Iudges to execute y• things yt are set down in writing: he hath prouided for al. Also hereby we are put in mind to louelove the state of Iustice, forasmuch as we know it is a singular gift of God, & a meane to preserue mā kind. If we louelove the light of the Sunne bicause we cannot liue without it; and if we louelove bread and whatsoeuer else belongeth to our sustenance: let vsus also louelove ye order of Iustice. For it is to no purpose to hauehave meate & drink & all other commodities, seeing yt without lawes & Magistrates wee should bee depriued of all Gods blessings; and it were better for vsus to be dispatched out of hand, than to eate vp one another as it would come to passe. And therefore we must esteeme ye order of Iustice, to be a president of Gods grace, and wee must make account of it as it is worthy, eueryevery of vsus indeuouring al yt he can to maintaine it: For wee shewe our selues to bee deadly enemies to peace & to the cōmon weale, if we louelove not the state of Iustice. And all such as trouble it, & go about to peruert it, are as theeues, and are to bee esteemed as enemies of mans welfare. In so much that all men ought to fight against them, when wee see them goe about to bring in such horrible confusion among vsus.
Now it is not for nought faid here againe, that when the people were come into the lande which had bin promised vntounto them, they should make them Iudges and Magistrates euerywhere. This matter hath beene expounded alreadie in the first Chapter:Deut. … but yet is it not without cause that GOD repeateth it heere againe. For he intendeth to shewe that it is to no purpose to hauehave good and iust Lawes, vnlesse there be men to set them in force and to put them in execution. This hath beene told you afore; neuerthelesse it is requisite that you be put in mind therof again. For we see how God spekeath of one thing oftentimes, to the intent we should set ye more store by it, and thinke vponupon it, and not forget it. Euen so doth he now confirme the former speeche which he had concerning Magistrates. And indeede, it is not without cause yt the common prouerb termeth them the soule or life of the Lawe. For what are all the lawes and statutes of the world? They be but dead things. They be lapt vp in paper, and are nothing worth, vnlesse there be men chosen to giuegive them their force & to make them to bee obeyed. And so ye see what God meant here in saying that the people shold choose. Surely such freedome was a singular gift▪ & we see it is not graū ted to al men. Where Princes hauehave souereigntie, they appoint Iudges at their owne pleasure and liking, and ambition beares all the sway there. In so much that a Courtier which is in credite, shall not onelyonly obtaine offices for himselfe, but also cause them to bee giuen to others at his appointment. Nay there is yet greater and more shameful corruption. For offices are set to sale nowadays aswel as al other kind of marchādize. Seeing then that we behold such examples, wee must needes thinke it an inestimable gift, when God graunteth a people or Nation libertie to choose their owne Iudges and Magistrates. And verily when God gaue that priuiledge to the Iewes, it was a ratifying of his adoption, and of his choosing of them to bee his heritage, and that he meant to hauehave them to bee in better and more excellent state, than any of their neighbours, who had kings and Princes, and no such freedome at all.
Now as this thing deserueth to be had in great estimation: so ought they that hauehave obtained such benefite, to vse it with a good and pure conscience. For what is the cause that our Lord bereaueth vsus of his benefites, but that we marre them by our abusing of them? We know wel that whatsoeuer God bestoweth vponupon vsus is desirable, for we see ye commoditie therof: but yet in stead of vsing of it holily with thanksgiuing, wee will needes make it to serue our lustes. Nowe when God seeth his benefites turned so to our bane, & that we draw them cleane contrarie to his meaning: he bereaueth vsus of them. Are we distitute of them? Wee see whereof it commeth: And we thinke it straunge: but wee consider not howe God hath borne with vsus a long time, and that in the end he wil not hauehave his gifts to be scorned & reproched. Therfore whēsoeuer God hath done vsus any good, let vsus learne to maintaine ye same by our good & pure vsing therof. For ye next way to make the possession thereof to abide with vsus, is to beware that we defile not the things which God hath sanctifyed to our profite. And therefore if we hauehave libertie to choose Iudges & Magistrates: forasmuch as it is an excellent prerogatiue (as I said afore:) let it be maintayned and vsed with good conscience. When a people hath this prerogatiue, let them looke well to the setting vp of their Iudges, that thay may bee as the Lieuetenantes of God. Wherefore let no such men be put in place, as will either be brybed, or hauehave bin leaudly giuen aforetimes, or as are vnable to beare such a charge: But let such bee sought and founde out as are meete for it, as though they were marked out by God. And bicause we hauehave not sufficient discretiō to choose aright: let God bee called vponupon. For it is not ynough to seeke out such as are meete and sufficient to execute an Office; but for as much as wee may bee beguiled in that case, by reason of our owne weakenesse, and by reason of the deepe dissimulation that is in men, in so much that when neuer so narrowe search hath beene made, yet the euill will euer set it selfe foreward: let men desire GOD to ouerlooke them, and to giuegive them wisdome and discretion. Thus ye see what we hauehave to marke vppon this saying, where commandement is giuē to choose and ordaine Iudges and Magistrates.
And it is sayde expressely, In eueryevery Citie. For what a thing were it, if men shoulde bee driuen to goe farre to seeke Iustice, when disorders are committed eueriwhere? Seeing that misdemeanors are rife and touch vsus neere: if the redresse should bee delayed too long, it would not boote at all: a hundred faultes would bee committed, before one could bee prouided for. Therefore doth our Lord say, yt they should bee appointed in eueryevery Citie: as if he should say, that men hauehave alwayes neede of some bridle. And that is the thing which I touched afore, when I saide that we which are created after the image of God, and ought to raigne ouer al creatures, hauehave neede to bee held in subiection. For as wee hauehave peruerted the order of nature, so is it meete that God should cut vsus short, & shew vsus that wee bee so farre vnable to rule, that wee bee not meete to hauehave freedome, but had neede to bee helde in awe. So then let vsus learne, that wheresoeuer vice and corruption is, there ought the remedie to bee applyed out of hande. True it is that there was in deede a soueraigne Court of Iustice in Iewrie;Exod. 18.26 yea and wee hauehave seene in the first Chapter, that the hardest matters and the cases of greatest importaunce, were referred to Moses. Yet notwithstanding, it was Gods will that there shoulde bee some order euerywhere, that if any disorder were cōmitted, it might bee prouided for out of hand, & men should not neede to run farre to require Iustice For in very deede it behoueth Iudges & Magistrates to watch, & not to tarie till they be called vppon & importunately required, but punish ye euil as soone as they see it. I say as soone as they see it: for they ought to spie & keepe good watch. It is not ynough for a Magistrate to punish yt he knoweth to be wicked: but he must also make diligent inquisition, as wee hauehave seene in other places.Deut. 13.14. And if men went yt way to worke, matters should be in better order. That is ye thing which we hauehave to marke, in yt our Lord will hauehave Iudges and Magistrates in eueryevery Citie. For otherwise many euils might be committed, before any redresse could bee had, so as the remedie woulde come too late as I hauehave touched before.
Furthermore, whereas Moses addeth that they must giuegive iust iudgement, and gouerne the people after that maner: it serueth to confirme that which wee heard euen nowe, namely (first of all) that men can not gouerne themselues, except they hauehave superiours to guide them, which thing is plainely expressed concerning the Iewes, whom God had preferred before all other nations. Let vsus vnderstand then that of good right wee bee dispossessed of the freedome which God had set in mankind. For why? We turne the good into euill: and therefore is it meete that we should bee bereft of it. A man in health shall hauehave libertie to eate what he listeth, and he shall not bee dealt with so precisely: he needeth no Phisition to forbid him such a meate, or to restraine him from drinking, otherwise than in such measure or at such an houre. But if a man bee sicke, he must bee at obedience, he must keepe a dyet, he must bee helde short like a childe, and he is restrayned of all thinges that he lyketh, in so much that if he commaund his owne seruant to bring him this or that, his seruaunt must not be so bolde as to doe it. Yea and when maisters bee diseased, they are subiect to their seruantes, so as they cannot inioy their owne goods. And why? Because they be not meete to hauehave them; by reason of their disease which ouermaistreth them: and therefore are they fayne to bee as vnderlinges. Euen after the same manner standeth the case with vsus: insomuch that if wee were in deede whole and sounde, God woulde guide vsus after another fashion. But forasmuch as he knoweth vsus to be so corrupted, he is fayne to compell vsus, yea and to restraine vsus in such sort, as wee hauehave heard of. Thus much concerning the first point.
Againe for the second, Moses declareth and setteth forth that which I said cōcerning choise making: namely that in the seate which GOD hath dedicated to himself, no such persons must be put, as turne all thinges vpside downe. For if such be chosen for publike Magistrates, as leade a wicked trade, as in whom there is no feare of God, no honestie, no vprightnes, but wildnesse, wantonnesse, and disorder; or in whom there is no more wisedome than in Asses, but to be short are madbrayned or frantike: if such (I say) be set in place of publike office; it is not a dishonouring of men, but a working of high treason against God, bicause it is a defiling of his seate. So then it behoueth vsus to wey well how Moses saith he ere, that when it commeth to the chosing of Officers, men must not set vp Idols, nor iudge of them without tryall. And why? Bicause it is a dishonouring of God, to set such persons in his roome, as are not worthy to hauehave the ruling of a house. Yee shall see a man that is not able to gouerne his owne houshould, such a one as is not to bee trusted to for any thing, folke shall say of him, yonder fellowe is a foole, hee is a dizard, hee hath no reason, hee hath no stay of himselfe, hee hath neither wit nor discretion to guide himselfe or his houshould: and yet for all this, shall men goe and set him in the seate of Iustice? He is a man that cannot liue quietly with his wife: & shal he be able to keepe a whole Citie in quiet? Men preferre him to bee a counseler. And to what end? To see the peace maintained. And how can that be? Hee hath no moe but his wife and houshould to gouerne, and yet he is not able to weelde them. When he is at home, he is not able to guide his wife and his children. Now when thinges go arsiuersie after that sorte, God is openly despised. So much the more therefore doth it stand vsus in hand to marke well what Moses saith heere: namely that the choosing of Iudges & Officers is not a matter of formalitie, or a Ceremonie: but a holy thing wherein men ought to proceed with all reuerence: and that God laieth not ye bridle vponupon any peoples neck, as if he should say, Take whome yee list at aduenture without consideration: but he portrayeth out the persons, and pointeth them out with his finger. Looke to it (saith he) that ye vse discretion in choosing the persons that shall hauehave ye ruling of the people. For the word: To Iudge, importeth to gouerne. And secondly, let them iudge vprightly sayth he. Whereas he speaketh of gouerning, it is not without cause. For it is to no purpose to choose such as hauehave neede of Tutors. To prefer those to the guiding of others, which ought to be put vnderunder the direction of others, is too great a skorning of God. Again, the case here concerneth Iustice and vprightnesse. Therefore ye choosing of officers before they be wel knowen and throughly tryed, is surely a marring of all good order. And therof come so many changes & turmoyles. We wonder to see our Lord ouerthrow Common weales, and to behold how the Nations that were free, are greatly distressed & ouerwhelmed with tyranny: but wee looke not from whence all those thinges proceede. The ground thereof was the abuses which were committed, bycause there was no regarde had of the mainteining of the state which God had stablyshed, nor care to follow faithfully the order that God had inioyned. So much the more therfore doth it stand vsus in hand to beare well away the things that are tould vsus heere.
Moses hauing sayde so, addeth nowe, That men must not wrest the lawe, nor hauehave respect of persons, nor take rewardes or giftes. And he addeth the reason. For giftes (saith hee) doe blind the eyes of the wise, and peruert the wordes of the righteous. First he setteth downe heere a generall rule, that men should not wrest the Lawe. For in deede wee may liken equitie to a right lyne: and if it wrythe to the one side or to the other, by and by it is iniquitie. And therefore Moses sayeth, thou shalt not wrest the Lawe, that is to say, thou shalt hauehave thyne eye vppon the lyne of Iustice, and followe it without swaruing one way or other. And heerewithall hee sheweth howe the same may bee performed, namely by respecting no mans person, and by eschewing to take rewardes. For when we consider a deede simply in it selfe; euen nature teacheth …s what to doe. True it is that wee had neede to call vppon GOD continually: for wee see howe weake of vnderstanding and corage wee bee euen in the thinges that are most euident: oftentymes wee bee starke blinde in them. Then must not men presume vppon their owne wit, and thinke themselues wise ynough to iudge of all thinges that are set before vsus: but wee must vnderstand that it is a heauenly gifte,Eccle. 2.26. as Salomon declareth. And if wee bee combered in the smallest matters; howe shall wee doe when we come to giuegive sentence of matters of great weight? Iudges therefore must first humble themselues, and consider that if they bee not gouerned by Gods holy spirite, they shall not bee able to holde them to true Iustice; and therefore they must referre themselues to GOD and aske counsell at his mouth, that they may bee taught by his word; and they must giuegive themselues ouer to his spirit, and submit themselues thereunto.
But besides this, Moses ment to shewe heere the cheefe causes of all the impeachmentes of Iustice. For (as I sayd afore) if wee hauehave an eye alonely to the deede, without respecting the person, so as wee bee not possessed aforehande eyther with fauour or with hatred: it is certaine that wee can skill to giuegive sentence aright. And if it coulde bee brought to passe that the parties should not come in sight, that it might not be knowen who were the playntife and who the defendant; so as the Iudges might not bee allured and carryed away either with bryberie, or with flatterie, or with lyes and gloses, or with such other thinges; but that the case might bee layde before them simply and nakedly as it is: wee should not see the thing which all the world now reweth, that is to wit, that men commonly can obteine no right and Iustice. For by nature (as I sayd) we can wellynough skill to say, this is good, this is iust, this is vpright. But as soone as the parties come in our sight, that we see they be our neighbors or friendes; or the one a great man or a rich man, and the other a poore man; and there is bringing of allegations on both sides, so as one seekes to win the goale by threatninges and bragges, another by sweete woordes and presentes, and bryberie trotteth a pace to make way: all then will be turned vpside-downe, and they which sawe cleerely before, become nowe starke blinde. And therefore let vsus marke, that it had beene ynough to hauehave sayd in one word, that men must not peruert the law▪ but that men are vnable to keepe themselues from euill, if they be not told how and after what maner they may maintaine themselues in soundnesse and vprightnesse: namely by hauing no regard of the persons, and by shunning all couetousnes, for taking of rewardes.
As for the worde Person, I hauehave expounded it elsewhere:Deut. 1.17. namely that wee must not respect whether a man bee riche or poore, great or small, a straunger or a neighbour, and such other like thinges. For the woord person signifieth another thing heere, than is ment by it in our common speech, when we say, There is a person, that is to say, there is a man or one of mankind. For in this place the worde which Moses vseth in Hebrew, signifieth a face, visage, or countenaunce. Wee must not then regarde the countenance. And what is ment by that? The things that are seene, the states of men, and their outwarde showe. And the worde Showe expresseth the meaning of Moses well ynough. Then must thou not rest vppon the outwarde showe. For if I see a man poore, I despise him; if I see him riche, I honour him; if I see a man of authoritie, I stand in feare of him; if I see a wretched abiect, I make no accoūt of him, but rather holde skorne of him. See howe the outwarde showe here marreth all. I see a man that is able to pleasure mee; O, I will incline to him, that he may pleasure mee againe. I see another that can doe mee neither good nor harme; O, it skils not howe he speede. Againe, I see one by whose hurt I may aduauntage my selfe: I will doe it. And why? Bicause my minde lookes no further but to the outward showe. Nowe wee see the meaning of Moses, and I hauehave spoken of it alreadie in the first Chapter of this booke: howbeit it is not for nought that the holy Ghost maketh rehearsall of it againe here.
Wherefore let vsus learne in fewe wordes, that such as hauehave an eye to mens persons, that is to say, regarde the outwarde showe, cannot holde their owne to deale vprightly and indifferently; but that they must needes bee mooued either with feare or with fauour, to giuegive the vpper hand alwaies to the wicked person that standeth in the wrong. And why? For feare least he should be reuenged: and else for hope to be benefited againe at his hand for the fauour that he shall hauehave receiued. And therefore let vsus remember, first that God requireth a stoutnesse in them that are Iudges. If they see a riche man or a man of honour: well, let them take him as he is, and yet neuerthelesse iudge the case as it requireth. But this stoutnesse of minde is seldome to be found any where. For although the Iudges doe purpose with themselues to follow ye law, yet are they commonly seased with a kind of fearefulnes, by meanes wherof they be daunted whē it cōmeth to ye point yt they should stand to their tackling. And therefore is there good cause why such as sit in the seate of Iustice, should resort to God, & carefully pray him to strengthen thē in such wise, as they may not be like to reedes yt are shaken wt eueryevery winde, but freely follow ye course that God hath appointed them, without swaruing or bowing any maner of way. Let vsus marke then first of all, that we must hauehave this stoutnes of not being afraide at the sight of any mans greatnesse or countenaunce, that his authoritie or riches doe not any thing auaile him, but that the case may stand in firme state, without hauing our eyes dazeled to say, This is a great man, and therefore I must fauour him.
Againe on the other side, I saide also that wee must not despise such as are had in contempt to the world warde. Bicause I see a man is poore, I beare my selfe in hande that it makes no matter though I doe him wrong. For wee bee oftentymes at that poynt. If there bee a man of no reputation, we thinke our selues discharged if we can say; well, I hauehave doone wrong to a poore creature, which is not taken to bee of the common sorte: but that is nothing, for no man complaines of it. But God will hauehave right and equitie to be ministred to all persons. Therefore let such as are aduaunced to degree of honour thinke, that if they despise the meaner sorte and such as seeme to be the outcasts of all the world: they shall giuegive account for it. For if God vouchsafe to regard those kind of folke, and to hauehave a care of them;Psal. 116.6. yea and (which more is) do name himselfe their defender: wil he suffer them to be so troden vnderunder foote, and to bee borne downe withoppression and tyranny, without reuenging them? So then, Iudges must match their stoutnesse with gentlenesse, and incline themselues euen to the meanest, receiuing them into their protection, and looking to the maintenaunce of their cases when they be good and rightful. Thus ye see what we hauehave to remēber in this text.
Were this rule well held, we should not heare so many complaintes, neither should thinges be so farre out of order. But what? yee shall see a good iudgement giuen, and a fault or offence punished as it ought to be: and by and by in ye turning of an hand, ye shall see the like case goe vnpunished. And why is that? Because the persons of men doe beare al the sway. There is a case wherin a man is conuicted by the thinges which he himself was to speake: it falleth out apparant, and thereupon he is to hauehave some punishment, and he hath it in deede. And why then is not the like done in al other like cases? O because the partie is fauored. In deede men seeke many colours and disguisings: & it is so much the woorse: but yet cānot God be deceiued, whatsoeuer shifts be made to shroude our matters with all. Neuerthelesse the worlde sees howe this respecting of persons peruerteth all right, and that it is almost an ordinarie thing. Insomuch that for some one nice point, a mā is oftētimes graueled in a case, which of it selfe were plaine & manifest ynough, if the parties themselues came not into the play, that ye Iudge might giuegive sentence vprightly, without respecting the outward showes which I spake of afore. But the Iudges being preuented with the regard of the persons, doe cast great doubtes where none at all is, to say this & that. And what is the cause thereof? Alwayes the respecting of persons. And in deede, in some cases a Iudge will goe through with them, and dispatch them quickly: and in some other in all pointes like, he will hauehave so many deuises, that he can neuer determine it. Wee see then howe great the leawdenesse of men is in this behalfe. Yet for all that, our Lord wil not hauehave the instruction which he deliuereth here to his people, to be lost or vnprofitable. Therefore let vsus looke that we make our profit of it.
And let vsus marke that as Iudges and Magistrates are forbidden to hauehave any respect of persons: so is the same warning made to vsus all. For what is the cause that wee fayle so ofte in dooing our dueties, but that wee bee so preuented with this respecting of parties? Therefore let vsus hauehave such stoutnes of corage, as no greatnes, no pompe, no authoritie, no honour of this world may get the vpper hand of vsus to peruert vsus. And on the other side, let vsus hauehave such myldnesse as wee despise not the meaner sorte, but rather bee gentle to receiue them. Thus much in effect concerning the woorde Person.
Now there is a second point concerning briberie and rewardes. Thou shalt not take them, sayth the Lord. He saith not, thou shalt not sell Iustice: but he saith, thou shalt not take. And why so? he addeth the reason: For giftes (saith he) doe blinde the eyes of the wise, and peruert the wordes of the righteous. Heere is a reason well worthy to be weied. For it seemeth at the first sight, that to take some presentes is not euil nor to bee condemned, I meane in a Iugde. For he speaketh here of the presentes and gifts that are giuen in respect of some case that is to bee heard. As for example, a malefactor laboureth to scape vnpunished, and hee goeth about to win the Iudge by sending him some present. Likewise another man puts himselfe foreward, and to hauehave fauour against his aduersarie prartie, hee goes and giues the Iudge somewhat likewise. Now our Lord saith not, Beware of it: If thou receiue a present to fauour the partie that giueth it thee, it is ill done, and it is a setting of Iustice to sale. God speaketh not those precise wordes: but he saith, Beware of taking: for it is vnpossible that he which hath taken, should behaue himselfe vprightly and not swarue aside. Neuerthelesse there are a great sorte to be found which will say, As for mee, although I take, yet doth it not therefore follow, that I will swarue from myne office: For when I hauehave taken on both handes, I will giuegive him the glike which thought he had won me by his giuing. And is that so euill a thing? Why then was he so foolish to bring it me? If he bring, I take: but yet for all that, I step not aside from my duetie. Such kinde of folkes would make GOD a lyer. For we heare how it is sayd heere, that gifts doe blinde the eyes of the wise. If they thinke themselues so sharpe sighted, that the receauing of rewardes cannot dim their eyes: God sayth the contrary. And if they thinke themselues so constant, that they cannot bee bowed; God telleth them that as soone as they hauehave taken any gift, they bee vtterly mard, and there is no more soundnesse in them. Now then it is too grosse a fondnesse to say, I will take rewardes, & yet for all that, I will keepe my selfe wellynough from turning away, or from swaruing from the right. But that is vnpossible; for then should God hauehave lyed in this text. Thus ye see what we hauehave to remember in the first place, concerning the second point.
Now therfore, they that sit in ye seat of Iustice ought to thinke thus: doth he that bringes mee presentes, bring them of good will as one neighbour to another, or as one friend to another? or bringeth hee them rather for some matters sake which he hath before me? Then if a man hauehave a cause before a Iudge, & the Iudge take a presēt of him; he offēdeth god. Who so? Bicause God hath forbidden him, and he knoweth wherefore. It is not for man to say, It makes no matter, I wil take heede well enough for being bridled by it. But it is a tempting of God when we deale so, and God will hold skorne of our ouerweening, and will shewe vsus that we bee not of such abilitie as wee tooke our selues to be, and that he did not without cause tell vsus, that when wee be lymefingred to drawe presents vntounto vsus, and to hold them fast when we hauehave them: then are our eyes blinded, and then are our hartes wrested, so as wee hauehave no more wisedome nor vprightnesse in vsus. Seeing that God sayth so, it is not for vsus to reply against it. And in deede, whosoeuer they be that boast themselues to be vnable to be corrupted, or to bee made to steppe aside by taking of presentes: they neede not to bee brought before God to bee conuicted, but euen young children may iudge of them. It is too common a thing, and I could alledge examples thereof that are knowen welinough. For there are some which are growē to so great vnshamefastnesse; that they sticke not to say, As for me, I will take on all handes. This hath bin heard, and there are witnesses enow that can beare me record of the matter. And in the meane season what protested they? Tush, I wil not be corrupted for all that. No: but when little children hauehave seene that Iustice hath bin set to sale, and that a leawd man hath gotten the vpper hand in all cases, what is to bee sayd of it? As for him, so he might play his pranckes, and obteine his sutes: he had cast his cardes aforehand. And on the otherside, those to whome the presentes were brought, went lyke swine casting vp their groynes, so as there was lesse honestie and shame among them, than is euen among the heathen men and infidels. This hath bin seene: and yet notwithstanding they pretended in their talke to be holy men. O there were as godly and sweete wordes as could be: yea, but when the matter commeth to be spoken of, little boyes and idiots will giuegive their verdit of it: for the thing is too much knowen. Seeing then that our Lord telleth vsus here, that if mē receiue bribes, their eyes must needes be dazeled, and their hearts corrupted: let vsus beare wel in mind, that except we will poyson our selues wilfully, we must first of all keepe this rule, namely that Iudges must not take any thing, at leastwise of any body that hath aught to doe in Lawe before thē, but vtterly absteine from so dooing, vnlesse they intend to turne away from all good order, right, and equitie.
And herein we see how our Lord who knoweth our diseases, or deineth immediatly meete & conuenient remedies for the same. What remaineth then but that we on our side enter into examination of our selues, and eueryevery of vsus searche himselfe narrowly? For the thing that maketh vsus so bolde to tempt God, is that none of vsus entereth into himselfe, to looke neerely to his own vices and infirmities. But if we had the discretion to bethinke our selues, wee would consider thus, Alas, I neede not any thing to peruert me, I am as frayle alreadie as may bee: though there were no occasion at all to surprise mee, I would seeke occasion of my selfe. And what wil I doe then when I meete with any euil occasion, or any cause of misdealing? I shall stumble and fall flat downe. So then, if wee aduise our selues wel of our vices: it is certeine that we would seeke al the helpes that could be to preserue our selues. But seeing that God preuenteth vsus, and on the one side sheweth vsus how feeble and weake we be; and that on the other side, wheras we might fall into such mischiefe and inconuenience, he prouideth for it and saith, My friendes, true it is that ye be subiect to euill, but the way for you to bee preserued from it, is to absteine from such a thing, and to take such a remedy: seeing (I say) that God speaketh so familiarly vntounto vsus, if wee refuse him, I pray you dooth not our vnthankfulnesse deserue, that wee should be caryed away vntounto all euill, and that Satan shoulde driue vsus and beare vsus quite away, and that God should forsake vsus and suffer vsus to fall into grosse offences as all the world might abhorre vsus?
Now then, it standeth vsus so much the more in hand to marke well this sentence, where it is sayd that if men withstand not the temptations that may beguile them; of wise and discreete, they shall become blinde; and of iust they shall become vniust. God speaketh not here of such as hauehave alwayes bin naughtipackes, in whome neither reason nor vprightnes hath borne sway at any time: but of the wise and righteous. And that is such a monstrous thing as ought to make our hayre to stand vp vppon our heades. As how? That giftes and presentes shoulde hauehave such force to corrupt, as that they should blinde the eyes of those which were of good discretiō. Now it is certeine that discretion is a singular gift of God.Iames. 1.5. When wee speake of wisedome, we must not thinke that it groweth out of mens braynes, but that it is the gift of God. Ye shall see that God hath indued some mā with a good wit, by meanes whereof he behaueth himselfe in such wise, that he dooth good and commendable thinges. And yet if God let him alone, so as he giuegive himselfe to this corruption of taking rewardes: by and by the light which God had giuen him, not onelyonly becommeth dim, but also goeth quite out. Therefore let vsus learne to looke to our selues,1. Co. 10.12 and (as saith S. Paul) let such as suppose they stand beware least they fall. For our Lord vseth here a horrible threate, whē he saith that they which saw cleerely enough, shall bee blinded if they giuegive thēselues to taking of giftes: and that they which were well and holily disposed, shall be peruerted and turned away vntounto euill. When we heare this, ought we not to stand vppon our gard and to keepe good watch; least we be surprised by Satans wilines? So then, let vsus preuent such temptations a good way aforehand. And sith we see that our Lorde forewarneth vsus: let vsus stand in feare, and not run rushing against him wilfully, nor fall to stubbornnesse: but rather consider with our selues how that euen they which hauehave bin as halfe Angels, may be ouerthrowen and thrust out of the way, when they hauehave giuen themselues to it, & would needes vse too large dispensation. Wherefore let vsus al learn to reine our selues short, and to submit our selues to the gouernment of our Lorde; and then we need not doubt but that if he hauehave giuen vsus wisedome and discretion, he will strengthen vsus more and more therein, and make vsus to continue in them vntounto the end; so wee goe to worke with praying vntounto him continually to preserue vsus, as I hauehave sayd afore.
Now let vsus kneele downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes, praying him to voutsafe to touch vsus in such sorte, that we returne vntounto him with true repentance: & that such as hauehave publike charge, may behaue thēselues so dutifully, as they may be able to yeeld a faithful reckoning of ye charge that is committed to them: and that all priuate persons may in such wise suffer themselues to be gouerned by them, as God may reigne among vsus, and hauehave all souereigntie, so as both great & small may be obedient vntounto him. And for the bringing hereof to passe, it may please him to stir vp true & faithful Ministers of his word, &c.