Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Now after this, he saith concerning beasts that are strangled, and are dead in their blood; that they should give them to strangers or else sell them. It seemeth here at the first sight, that God should as well condemn those beasts for the strangers as for the Jews. For if it be not lawful for me my self to do a thing; why should I be an occasion to my neighbour to do it? Am I not guilty of sin in so doing? Here we have to consider the reason that Moses addeth: Thou art a People holy unto thy God. Here he showeth that God had schooled out the Jews from all other nations of the earth, and therefore he would not have them to defile themselves with any kind of meat. Now if it be demanded, and why then had they leave to sell or give the things to strangers, which were abominable as in respect of themselves? The reason is this: That god having named the beasts which he would have his people to eat of, did leave all beasts without difference for all other men to feed on which were not instructed in his Law. True it is that he had forbidden all mankind to eat the blood of any thing, and consequently to eat of any beast that was strangled or died alone. But the most part of the world was already gone astray, so as they knew not the law any more, & we see how that even in the life of Noah, his posterity entangled themselves in a number of superstitious & Idolatries,¹ and had forgotten god who had preserved them so wonderfully: so as there was no more but the linage of Shem, which was but a very small portion, that held themselves to any pureness in the serving of God. By reason whereof the whole world grew into such a licentious liberty, that all was marred. God therefore reserveth a people to himself, & bringeth them back to the first law, saying. Seeing I tell you that I have chosen you to be my household: I set you down a special order, that you may have my badge whereby to be known from all the unbelievers of the earth. After that manner doth god deal. But men run gadding on their own head, & follow always their own affections, & cannot find in their harts to submit themselves simply to Gods law as he requireth. Truly the thing of it self were not evil, if there had bin no law against it. And this law was given to the Jews, for the two reasons which I have alleged afore.

Now after this, he sayth concerning beasts that are strangled, and are dead in their bloud; that they shoulde giue them to straungers or else sell them. It seemeth heere at the first sight, that God should as well condemne those beastes for the straungers as for the Iewes. For if it be not lawfull for me my selfe to doe a thing; why should I bee an occasion to my neighbour to doe it? Am I not giltie of sinne in so doing? Here we haue to consider the reason that Moses addeth: Thou art a People holy vnto thy God. Heere he sheweth that God had shooled out ye Iewes from all other nations of the earth, and therefore hee would not haue them to defile themselues with any kind of meate. Now if it be demaunded, and why then had they leaue to selor giue the things to strangers, which were abhominable as in respect of themselues? The reason is this: That god hauing named the beasts which he would haue his people to eate of, did leaue all beastes without difference for all other men to feede on which were not instructed in his Law. True it is that he had forbidden al mankind to eate the bloud of any thing, and consequently to eate of any beast that was strangled or died alone. But the most part of the world was already gone astraye, so as they knew not the law any more, & we see how yt euen in the life of Noe, his posteritie intangled themselues in a nomber of superstitious & Idolatries,