Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Moreover there was the more cause why the poor should be borne withal the seventh year, the ground was not tilled that year, and therefore Corn might become the dearer by reason that there was no gathering of any thing that year. For it was not with them in those days as it is with us in these days, that when one piece of ground lay fallow, as they say, another piece was with corn, so as they might have a crop every year one after another wherewith to find themselves. In the Land of Jewry they gathered not so much as one kernel of wheat, Oats, or other kind of grain in the seventh year, neither was it lawful for them to till the ground that year: by reason whereof the poorer sort had much ado to get their living by their •abour and travel. That was the cause why some have taken it to be as an exception when our Lord said, if peradventure you have no poor among you. Well may ye demand your debts of such as are wealthy and well able to pay; but beware that ye pinch not your neighbours that are behind hand. Othersome take it thus, So as there be no poor among you; that is to say, deal in such wise as no man be brought under foot by you, but that the poor and meaner sort may live with the rich: and let no man be so greedily minded as to put things out of order by his excess, like the great fishes that eat up the smaller fishes: Take heed that ye use no such cruelness towards your neighbours. Also a man might take the said word as betokening Nothing; as though our Lord had spoken after our common manner and said, No, no, there must be no poor among you. But as for the meaning of the Law, it is certain enough to us, which thing ought to suffice us, and it is all that we should look for.

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 vs in these dayes, that when one peece of grounde lay fallowe, as they say, another peece was with corne, so as they might haue 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 haue taken it to bee as an exception when our Lorde saide, if peraduenture you haue 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 vnder 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 vs, which thing ought to suffice vs, and it is all that wee shoulde looke for.