Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Now had he left them but a little, that they might have fallen in trade of occupying, and had he taught them to have travailed honestly, then they might have had competent wherewith to find themselves. But behold, the father spinneth a halter for every of his children, by making them to trust after that fashion in their evil gotten goods, so as they must needs either go to the gallows, or come to some other unhappy end. And what is the cause of it? The wrath of God which is present with them to consume all the goods that were gotten by stealth and by polling. The house of them must needs be accursed: and God must needs show himself a just judge, both against the thieves, and against all such as dally with his divine Majesty. If a man tell them of it, they make but a jest of it, as these scoffers do, who will say, well well sir, the time is worth the money they think, all is one. And if a poor man be neither of ability nor of credit to make his part good against them: O how they welter themselves in the mean while in their wickedness! But wot ye what? When God seeth men so sotted, and that he can not bring them back to the heavenly life, in so much that they make no reckoning of being banished from the kingdom of heaven: well then go to (sayeth he:) I summon you aforehand, for I will begin to put my sentence in execution. I will show how my curse lies upon evil gotten goods, and that they which have possessed them for a time, must be dispossessed of them, and that themselves and their goods with all their whole offspring must be consumed together. Now when we see all these things: must we not needs be moved at them, if the devil have not utterly bewitched us? Yes. What remaineth then? We must hold fast the good conscience which God requireth of those that are his,¹ so as every of us travel quietly for our living, and go no• about to grieve other men, but seek by all means to pass our life without offending of God, that if we have no great revenue nor much to spend: sobriety may serve us for a double portion. After that manner must we deal.

Nowe had he left them but a little, that they might haue falne in trade of occupying, and had he taught them to haue trauailed honestly, then they might haue had competent wherewith to find thēselues. But behold, the father spinneth a halter for euery of his children, by making them to trust after that fashion in their euill gotten goods, so as they must needes eyther goe to the gallowes, or come to some other vnhappie ende. And what is the cause of it? The wrath of God which is present with them to consume all the goods that were gotten by stealth and by powling. The house of them must needes bee accursed: and God must needes shewe himselfe a iust iudge, both against the theeues, and against all such as dally with his diuine Maiestie. If a man tell them of it, they make but a iest of it, as these scoffers doe, who will say, well well sir, the tyme is worth the money they thinke, all is one. And if a poore man bee neither of abilitie nor of credite to make his part good against them: O how they welter themselues in the meane whyle in their wickednesse! But wote yee what? When God seeth men so sotted, and that hee can not bring them backe to the heauenly lyfe, in so much that they make no reckening of being banished from the kiugdome of heauen: well then goe to (saieth he:) I summon you aforehand, for I will begin to put my sentence in execution. I will shew how my curse lyes vppon euill gotten goods, and that they which haue possessed them for a time, must be dispossessed of them, and that themselues and their goods with all their whole ofspring must be consumed togither. Now when wee see all these things: must wee not needes be mooued at them, if the diuell haue not vtterly bewitched vs? Yes. What remayneth then? We must holde faste the good conscience which God requireth of those that are his,