Sermons upon Deuteronomy

It is not without cause, that Moses addeth yet further, that God taketh no rewards. If a man ask us whether God be like mortal judges that will be corrupted with bribes & money: truly there is none of us all but will say no: yea and it is such a blasphemy to say otherwise, that even the wickedst persons that are would abhor it. For they would say, what hath God to do with gold and silver? Is God corruptible? But yet for all that, we cease not to deem that thing of him which we know to be false. And how so? Because that as we see that worldly judges are corrupted, insomuch that if a man grease them in the hand, they will suffer themselves to be carried away, and whereas they had done him wrong afore, they will now do him right, & they be to be bound & changed every way: we bear our selves in hand that God will be dealt with after the same manner. We will not speak it with open mouth: but surely men would never be so bold to do evil, if they did not transfigure God, & bear themselves in hand that he is pliable, & such a one as will be won by rewards. But let us come to the ordinary custom of all ages. What is the means wherewith men think to pacify God in the Popedom, but by setting up of tapers, by burning of perfumes, & by doing such other pretty trifles? It seemeth to them that he should hold himself contented with such payments, as if a man brought a bribe to an earthly Judge to corrupt him & to win him withal. But this had not his first beginning in Popery. The Jews were deceived therewith. Also the heathen men had the same superstition, notwithstanding that some of them misliked it, I mean some of them whose books we have, insomuch that they have cried out against it, saying: what intend ye to do ye wretched folk? When ye have given your selves to deceit,¹ theft, open wrong, cruelty, extortion, & all manner of wickedness, ye come by & by to reconcile your selves unto God. And how? By bringing him some part of the booty. But forasmuch as the guise of the Popedom is best known unto us, let us see what is done there. When a man hath pilled & polled his fill, if he give some Cope to the Church, if he build some chapel, if he found some Masses, if he cause some puppets to be made, or if he do some other such gewgaw: that's a fellow alone, God is well recompensed at his hand, he needs not to doubt of the forgiveness of all his sins before God:

It is not without cause, that Moses addeth yet further, that God taketh no rewards. If a man aske vs whether God be like mortal iudges that wil be corrupted with bribes & money: truely there is none of vs all but wil say no: yea and it is such a blasphemie to say otherwise, yt euen the wickedst persons yt are would abhorre it. For they woulde say, what hath God to do with gold and siluer? Is God corruptible? But yet for all that, wee ceasse not to deeme that thing of him which we know to be false. And how so? Bicause yt as we see that worldly iudges are corrupted, insomuch that if a mā grease them in ye hand, they wil suffer themselues to be caried away, and whereas they had done him wrong afore, they will nowe doe him right, & they be to be bound & chaunged euery way: we beare our selues in hand yt God will bee dealt with after ye same maner. We will not speak it with open mouth: but surely men would neuer be so bold to doe euill, if they did not transfigure God, & beare themselues in hand yt he is plyable, & such a one as wil be won by rewards. But let vs come to the ordinarie custome of al ages. What is the meanes wherewith men thinke to pacifie God in ye Popedome, but by setting vp of tapers, by burning of perfumes, & by doing such other pretie trifles? It seemeth to them yt he shold hold himselfe contented with such payments, as if a man brought a bribe to an earthly Iudge to corrupt him & to win him wtall. But this had not his first beginning in Poperie. The Iewes were deceiued therwith. Also ye heathen men had ye same superstitiō, notwithstanding yt some of them misliked it, I meane some of thē whose bookes wee haue, insomuch yt they haue cried out against it, saying: what intend ye to do ye wretched folke? When ye haue giuen your selues to deceit,