Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Now there is a second point concerning bribery and rewards. Thou shalt not take them, saith the Lord. He saith not, thou shalt not sell Justice: but he saith, thou shalt not take. And why so? he addeth the reason: For gifts (saith he) do blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous. Here is a reason well worthy to be weighed. For it seemeth at the first sight, that to take some presents is not evil nor to be condemned, I mean in a Jugde. For he speaketh here of the presents and gifts that are given in respect of some case that is to be heard. As for example, a malefactor laboureth to scape unpunished, and he goeth about to win the Judge by sending him some present. Likewise another man puts himself forward, and to have favour against his adversary party, he goes and gives the Judge somewhat likewise. Now our Lord saith not, Beware of it: If thou receive a present to favour the party that giveth it thee, it is ill done, and it is a setting of Justice to sale. God speaketh not those precise words: but he saith, Beware of taking: for it is unpossible that he which hath taken, should behave himself uprightly and not swerve aside. Nevertheless there are a great sort to be found which will say, As for me, although I take, yet doth it not therefore follow, that I will swerve from mine office: For when I have taken on both hands, I will give him the glike which thought he had won me by his giving. And is that so evil a thing? Why then was he so foolish to bring it me? If he bring, I take: but yet for all that, I step not aside from my duty. Such kind of folks would make GOD a liar. For we hear how it is said here, that gifts do blind the eyes of the wise. If they think themselves so sharp sighted, that the receiving of rewards cannot dim their eyes: God saith the contrary. And if they think themselves so constant, that they cannot be bowed; God telleth them that as soon as they have taken any gift, they be utterly marred, and there is no more soundness in them. Now then it is too gross a fondness to say, I will take rewards, & yet for all that, I will keep my self well enough from turning away, or from swerving from the right. But that is unpossible; for then should God have lied in this text. Thus ye see what we have to remember in the first place, concerning the second point.

Now there is a second point concerning briberie and rewardes. Thou shalt not take them, sayth the Lord. He saith not, thou shalt not sell Iustice: but he saith, thou shalt not take. And why so? he addeth the reason: For giftes (saith he) doe blinde the eyes of the wise, and peruert the wordes of the righteous. Heere is a reason well worthy to be weied. For it seemeth at the first sight, that to take some presentes is not euil nor to bee condemned, I meane in a Iugde. For he speaketh here of the presentes and gifts that are giuen in respect of some case that is to bee heard. As for example, a malefactor laboureth to scape vnpunished, and hee goeth about to win the Iudge by sending him some present. Likewise another man puts himselfe foreward, and to haue fauour against his aduersarie prartie, hee goes and giues the Iudge somewhat likewise. Now our Lord saith not, Beware of it: If thou receiue a present to fauour the partie that giueth it thee, it is ill done, and it is a setting of Iustice to sale. God speaketh not those precise wordes: but he saith, Beware of taking: for it is vnpossible that he which hath taken, should behaue himselfe vprightly and not swarue aside. Neuerthelesse there are a great sorte to be found which will say, As for mee, although I take, yet doth it not therefore follow, that I will swarue from myne office: For when I haue taken on both handes, I will giue him the glike which thought he had won me by his giuing. And is that so euill a thing? Why then was he so foolish to bring it me? If he bring, I take: but yet for all that, I step not aside from my duetie. Such kinde of folkes would make GOD a lyer. For we heare how it is sayd heere, that gifts doe blinde the eyes of the wise. If they thinke themselues so sharpe sighted, that the receauing of rewardes cannot dim their eyes: God sayth the contrary. And if they thinke themselues so constant, that they cannot bee bowed; God telleth them that as soone as they haue taken any gift, they bee vtterly mard, and there is no more soundnesse in them. Now then it is too grosse a fondnesse to say, I will take rewardes, & yet for all that, I will keepe my selfe wellynough from turning away, or from swaruing from the right. But that is vnpossible; for then should God haue lyed in this text. Thus ye see what we haue to remember in the first place, concerning the second point.