Sermons upon Deuteronomy

But now remaineth to see how we may live in such sort, as God may not curse us as if we were thieves. The first point thereof is to learn to love our neighbours, as Saint Paul showeth in the thirteenth to the Romans.¹ And it is a wonder that men should make so light of the ⟨p. 232⟩taking away of other mens goods, seeing that if a man ask us whether it be so hard a matter to love our neighbours: we will answer, no. For nature hath vouchsafed to link men together in unity, and God hath created them all after his own image: and therefore it ought to be no hard nor cumbersome matter to us, to love one another. Now it is so, that if a man have love he will never be a thief, as saith Saint Paul: yea and if we did willingly consider,§10 what we owe to other men of right, and how we be bound unto them: we should not need all these warnings, Thou shalt not play the thief, Thou shalt not play the adulterer, Thou shalt not play the murderer. All this were needless, as Saint Paul showeth in the same place. But what? there are very few that think upon that. Nay contrariwise, (as I have told ye already,) when we have stolen other mens goods, we fall by and by to seeking of vain excuses: and when §20we have done any deceit, shrewd turn, or extortion, straightways we shift it off with an excuse ready at hand: But yet in so doing it appeareth that we have no love in us, and that we be as wild beasts, so as we be not worthy to be taken for men, because we break the bond of unity which GOD had set among all the children of Adam. Thus much for that one point, namely that it behoveth us to mind this lesson of charity, if we will not be counted thieves.

But now remaineth to see how we may liue in such sorte, as God may not curse vs as if wee were theeues. The first poynt thereof is to learne to loue our neighbors, as Saint Paul sheweth in the thirteenth to the Romans.¹ And it is a wonder that men should make so light of the ⟨p. 232⟩