Sermons upon Deuteronomy

And truly it is not for nought that our Lord saith here, thy poor & thy needy which are in thy Land. He could well enough have said, the poor & needy: but §10he useth another manner of phrase saying, thy pore and thy needy. As if he should say, if a man be poor, every body disdains him and turns his back to him: and why is that? Because the rich do bear themselves in hand, that the poor are not worthy to come nigh them, & they could find in their hearts to have a world alone by themselves. Were it not that they be contented to have the poor folks service, they could find in their harts never to see them. But on the contrary §20part, to pull down such pride & presumption, our Lord saith, who art thou that despisest so thy brother? He is thy poor, he is thy needy. He speaketh as to our own flesh. Therefore let us weigh well the words which the holy Ghost hath used, that no pride may hinder us to have compassion upon those that are so united unto us. And let us mark that they be our own poor folks, that is to say, that the persons which are so in need, are offered unto us of the Lord, as if he §30should say, it is my will to make such an intercourse, as the rich may be mingled with the poor, & either of them may meet with other, to the intent they should communicate together, the poor to receive & the rich to give, so as I may be honoured at the hands of them both, as well for that the rich man hath wherewith to do good, as for that the poor man acknowledgeth himself to be sustained & maintained for my names sake, & so both of them bless me. That is the cause why Moses speaketh §40of the poor & needy after such a sort, that he showeth the rich how it is they themselves whom he speaketh to, & that there ought to be a kind of intercommoning between them & the poor, not to make them fellowlyke, but to relieve the need of those whom God offereth unto them after that manner.

And truly it is not for nought yt our Lord saith here, thy poore & thy needie which are in thy Lād. He could wel inough haue said, the poore & needie: but §10he vseth another maner of phrase saying, thy pore and thy needie. As if he should say, if a man bee poore, euery body disdaynes him and turnes his backe to him: and why is that? Because the rich doe beare themselues in hand, that the poore are not worthie to come ny them, & they could finde in their heartes to haue a world alone by themselues. Were it not that they be contented to haue the poore folkes seruice, they could find in their harts neuer to see thē. But on ye contrary