Sermons upon Deuteronomy

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, ⟨p. 63⟩with worse than beastly fury. But yet is this text sufficient to condemn men if they walk not in all mildness, and be not more kindhearted one to another than they be.

But if wee consider the common trade of the worlde, how it should seeme that men haue conspyred to doe cleane contrary to Gods commaundement: it is so farre of from neighbors to thinke that Gods placing of them neere together, is to the end that euery man shoulde serue his neighbors turne, and all imploy themselues to the common profite, without hurting or greeuing one another: that euen brothers thinke it lawfull to shift euery one for himselfe, and there is none other lyfe with them, but to drawe still to themselues without any pitie or compassion. How then shal the neighbors be brethren, which haue but some acquaintance a farre of: seeing yt they which were borne all in one belly, and are all one mans children, beare no more friendship one to another than wilde beastes, but rather much lesse? Truely it should seeme that some will needes be brethren, euen in spite of God. For if it be to doe some mischiefe, or to playe some diuelish pranke to the ouerthrowe of all goodnesse: then they can skill to alledge, wee haue this, and wee haue that, wee be countrymen, wee be neighbors children borne all in one towne. Loe how the wicked can finde themselues to be cousins and brothers. And what to doe? To rise vp against God, to put all thinges out of order, to make quarels and frayes, to maintaine themselues in all loosenesse, and to procure all manner of stumblingblockes, that Gods name may be blasphemed and all honestie peruerted. These are the brotherhoods and cousiningships of the worlde, as is to bee seene too much. But when it commeth to the poynt that euery man should helpe his neighbor, and absteine from doing him harme or anoyance: men be so farre of from absteining, or from thinking that God vnited them together, or that God hath created thē after his own image, or agayne, that they be bound yet wt a straiter bond, inasmuch as he hath adopted them by his Gospel to be members of his sonne Iesus Christ, and heires of the kingdome of heauen: men (I say) are so farre off from thinking any such thing, that they peruert the whole order of nature,