Sermons upon Deuteronomy

if we be not members of Jesus Christ? But we be not of his body, but upon condition aforesaid. Whosoever then hurteth his neighbour, whosoever is void of lovingkindness and pity, whosoever layeth to catching and snatching on all sides: the same (as much as in him is) rendeth Jesus Christ in pieces. And therefore let us mark well, that when God allegeth kindred: we be warned to consider in what degree God hath put us, and what union he hath set among us, & every of us to discharge himself faithfully thereof, to the intent that whereas God hath set us together to maintain us in good agreement and love: we make not a confused disorder. Let that serve for one point.

if we be not members of Iesus Christ? But wee be not of his body, but vppon condition aforesayd. Whosoeuer then hurteth his neighbor, whosoeuer is voyde of louingkindenesse and pitie, whosoeuer layeth to catching and snatching on all sides: the same (as much as in him is) rendeth Iesus Christ in peeces. And therfore let vs marke well, that when God alledgeth kinred: we be warned to consider in what degree God hath put vs, and what vnion hee hath set among vs, & euery of vs to discharge himselfe faithfully thereof, to ye intent yt whereas God hath set vs together to maintaine vs in good agreement and loue: wee make not a confused disorder. Let that serue for one poynt.

But if we consider the common trade of the world, how it should seem that men have conspired to do clean contrary to Gods commandment: it is so far of from neighbours to think that Gods placing of them near together, is to the end that every man should serve his neighbours turn, and all employ themselves to the common profit, without hurting or grieving one another: that even brothers think it lawful to shift every one for himself, and there is none other life with them, but to draw still to themselves without any pity or compassion. How then shall the neighbours be brethren, which have but some acquaintance a far of: seeing that they which were borne all in one belly, and are all one mans children, bear no more friendship one to another than wild beasts, but rather much less? Truly it should seem that some will needs be brethren, even in spite of God. For if it be to do some mischief, or to play some devilish prank to the overthrow of all goodness: then they can skill to allege, we have this, and we have that, we be countrymen, we be neighbours children borne all in one town. Lo how the wicked can find themselves to be cousins and brothers. And what to do? To rise up against God, to put all things out of order, to make quarrels and frays, to maintain themselves in all looseness, and to procure all manner of stumbling blocks, that Gods name may be blasphemed and all honesty perverted. These are the brotherhoods and cousiningships of the world, as is to be seen too much. But when it cometh to the point that every man should help his neighbour, and abstain from doing him harm or annoyance: men be so far of from abstaining, or from thinking that God united them together, or that God hath created them after his own image, or again, that they be bound yet with a straiter bond, inasmuch as he hath adopted them by his Gospel to be members of his son Jesus Christ, and heirs of the kingdom of heaven: men (I say) are so far off from thinking any such thing, that they pervert the whole order of nature,