Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Now followeth immediately concerning cruelty: Cursed be he that wresteth the right of the stranger, the widow, and the fatherless. True it is that to the uttermost of our power we must maintain every mans right. Nevertheless, our Lord in this place as afore, speaketh of Widows, fatherless, and strangers, because they lie open to a great number of injuries and outrages, and no man sets himself in their defence; nay, few have any care at all of them, because they be not able to make any recompense. Look me upon a Stranger, see how he shall be fleeced, how he shall be vexed, how he shall be wronged, yea and that openly; and yet it shall be winked at. And why? For every man will be friendly to his own neighbour; and as for that man, he is not of the same country, he is not of the same City, he belongeth not unto us. Thus ye see how the poor man shall be left destitute. In like case are Widows and Fatherless Children. For as for the fatherless child, men look not that he should acknowledge what is done for him to day or to morrow. Sometimes he lies in his Cradle, and knows not who does him good and who does him evil, because he hath no discretion: he cannot requite the pleasure that is done unto him: and therefore every man Jetteth him alone. In the same case do widows stand, specially when they be poor, & are of no great countenance to the worldward: for then every man shrinks from them; and so they be left up as it were to the spoil. Now because these things come commonly to pass, God doth purposely ⟨p. 932⟩take such folk into his protection, saying that if any man do wrest or hinder the right of the stranger, the widow and the fatherless, he will be revenged thereof: insomuch that although it be not accounted of before the world, but rather the doers of such outrages be well liked of; yet will he call them before him, and show that he had a care of those whom he had taken into his safekeeping. And so under one kind, God meant to show briefly, that if we tread upon §10such as have no credit, nor mean to defend themselves, nor any stud to lean unto, as in respect of the world, he reserveth to himself the punishing thereof. That is the thing which we have to gather upon this text.

Nowe followeth immediatly concerning crueltie: Cursed bee hee that wresteth the right of the straunger, the widowe, and the fatherlesse. True it is that to the vttermost of our power wee must mayntayne euery mans right. Neuerthelesse, our Lorde in this place as afore, speaketh of Wydowes, fatherlesse, and straungers, bycause they lie open to a great number of iniuries and outrages, and no man settes himselfe in their defence; nay, feawe haue any care at all of them, bycause they be not able to make any recompence. Looke mee vppon a Straunger, see howe hee shall be fleeced, howe he shall bee vexed, howe hee shall be wronged, yea and that openly; and yet it shall be winked at. And why? For euery man will bee freendly to his owne neighbour; and as for that man, hee is not of the same country, he is not of the same Citie, he belongeth not vnto vs. Thus yee see howe the poore man shall be left destitute. In lyke case are Wydowes and Fatherlesse Children. For as for the fatherlesse childe, men looke not that hee should acknowledge what is doone for him to day or to morrowe. Sometimes he lies in his Cradle, and knowes not who dooes him good and who dooes him euill, bycause he hath no discretion: hee cannot requite the pleasure that is done vnto him: and therfore euery man Jetteth him alone. In the same case do wydowes stand, specially when they be poore, & are of no great countenaunce to the worldward: for then euery man shrinks from them; and so they bee left vp as it were to the spoile. Now bicause these things come commonly to passe, God doth purposely