The sermons of M. Iohn Caluin vpon the fifth booke of Moses called Deuteronomie faithfully gathered word for word as he preached them in open pulpet; together with a preface of the ministers of the Church of Geneua, and an admonishment made by the deacons there. Also there are annexed two profitable tables, the one containing the chiefe matters; the other the places of Scripture herein alledged. Translated out of French by Arthur Golding.

On Thursday the ij. of Ianuarie, 1556. The Cxxv. Sermon, which is the first vpon the two & twentith Chapter.

THou shalt not see thy brothers Oxe or his sheepe goe astray, and withdrawe thy selfe from them: but thou shalt bring them home to thy brother.

2 And if thy brother be not neere thee, or that thou knowe him not: then shalt thou take them home to thine owne house, and they shalbe with thee till thy brother require them, and then shalt thou deliuer him them againe.

3 Likewise shalt thou doe to his Asse, and likewise to his rayment, and also to all other thinges which thy brother shall haue lost and thou found: Thou shalt not hide it away from him.

4 Thou shalt not see thy brothers Asse or Oxe sinke vnder their burthen in the way, and withdrawe thy selfe from them: but thou shalt helpe him vppe with them againe.

FOr asmuch as wee re∣straine the commaun∣dement of the law too much, wher¦by theft is forbidden; therefore y^e [ 50] warning y^t is giuen vs heere is ve∣ry needeful. It seemeth to vs that if we haue not taken away another mans goods or substance, we be cleere before God, & can not bee accused of theft: But God hath a further respect, to wit, that euery man shoulde worke his brothers welfare. For we be bound therto, & he that maketh none account therof is condemned as a theefe before [ 60] God, though he can not be blamed before men. If I abstaine (say I) from doing any man harme, and keepe my handes vndefiled from robberie, and extorsiō: yet am I not discharged for al this. For if I haue seene my brothers good perishe, and suffered it to goe to destruction through my negligence: GOD condemneth mee for it.

Therfore let vs mark wel, y^t y^e law in forbidding theft hath also bound vs al to procure y^e welfare & profit one of another. And in deede it is a rule to be obserued of vs in all cases, y^t God in forbid∣ding any euill, doth therewith command vs to do the good that is contrarie therto. Thou shall not steale, sayth he. And why? For he that doeth his neighbour any hurt or harme, is abhomina∣ble before God. Then is it to be concluded, that as I would haue mine owne goods preserued, so must I be charie of other mens also, & euery mā must do the like on his owne behalfe. And ther∣of we haue an example heere: namely that if I see my neighbours Oxe or cowe or any other cattell of his straying in the fieldes, I am bounde to driue them home to his house, and to say vnto him, I haue founde thine Oxe straying, looke better to him. Yea and if I finde a be••st which I knowe not and see it straying abroade, I am bounde to keepe it till the owner thereof come, I must not hide it, to make mine owne gaine of it, but I must declare it abroade that I haue founde stray cattle, that the owner may come to require it, and I must bee readie to

deliuer it him againe. And Moses addeth that the like is to be done in all thinges that are lost, whether it be rayment, money, or any other thing, that ye list. Then if I finde any lost thing, I am bound to keepe it safe, and to restore it to the owner. And truely euen vprightnesse doth sufficiently leade vs thereunto: For if a man haue lost either money or anie other thing, and can not finde it, hee will make mone for it, and that iustly. Nowe the more wee be inclyned to [ 10] our owne profite, the more let vs looke to bee condemned, when any body hath susteined losse by our spitefulnesse or negligence. I my selfe will blame others if they restore me not mine owne when I haue lost it. And why shoulde not I be condemned in the like case? And so we see now that it is not ynough for vs to knowe the tenne commaundementes which are conteined in the Lawe: vnlesse wee haue the exposition of them also, so as we knowe what God ment and inten∣ded [ 20] by thē. For if I take this saying, Thou shalt not steale, and thinke it ynough for mee to haue absteined frō taking away of other mens goods: it is an ouer slender exposition. And if I flat∣ter my selfe and bost of my purenesse and inno∣cencie, it shall nothing boote mee. For GOD sheweth that he had yet a further meaning; name¦ly y^t euery man should haue a care of his neigh∣bor, that being knit and vnited together, we must labour to maintaine our neighbours right as wel [ 30] as our owne, and be so faithfull one towardes another, and on both sides be so vprightly min∣ded, as we might say, as I would not y^t an other man should suffer my goods to perish, but that he should preserue them for me: so must I do the like to al those with whom I am conuersant, that is to say all men, as shalbe declared more fully hereafter.

And if we be bound to sende home our neigh∣bours Oxe or Asse that is lost, let vs see whether [ 40] wee may take away an other mans goods by ex∣tortion & leaude dealing. For there are manie which think it no offence before God, to conuey to thēselues by suttle meanes the thinges y^t be∣long not to them. And wherefore is that? By∣cause they shall not bee impleaded for it at the Lawe. Yea, but who is he that acquitteth them? Thinke they to dally so with God? But as I haue declared before, the Lawe sayeth, not only that we must absteine from all robbery, but also pre∣serue [ 50] the goods of our neighbours. For if I lay waite to finger to my selfe and to inrich my selfe by impouerishing them that haue wherewith to serue my turne, seeking mine owne profit by my neighbours losse: I must not thinke y^t God li∣keth of my suttle dealings, craftines, & shifting. When we haue washed our hands neuer so clean before men, what shal it boote vs, if the heauen∣ly Iudge condemne vs? Thus yee see y^t the way for vs to put this text in vre, is to consider Gods [ 60] intent in condemning theft in his Lawe: which is, y^t he will haue vs to indeuour to benefite our neighbours to the vttermost of our power, so as euery man may peaceably inioy his owne, and ech of vs helpe other, eschewing all hurt & hin∣derance of our neighbours, and doing to all men as we would be done vnto. That is the effect of the thing which we haue to beare in minde.

We see that euen in the beastlines of Popery, some tracke of his doctrine was reteined still. True it is y^t those shauelinges being as gulfs, and spreading out their nets to drawe in the pray to thē from all sides, willed folke to make offerings of the thinges y^t they had found, bearing thē in hand y^t if the owner were not found, those things were excheated to God, meaning to their owne purse. Yet notwithstanding, this stoode euer as a rule, y^t vnder peine of theeuery it was not law∣full to conceale any thing that was found, being knowen to be lost, but that all meanes possible should be wrought to finde out the owner. Now seeing the blind wretches which were so brutish knew this: what excuse will there be for vs? Nay, we see what libertie many folke do take nowea∣dayes: insomuch that euen they which pretend to haue the Gospel, do play the theeues for eue∣ry trifle, so as there is nothing but pilling & pol∣ling w^t them. But in very deed the most nūber of thē neuer tasted what Gods truth is. But how so euer the cafe stande, this saying of God ringeth shirle heere, & our eares are continually beaten with this lesson, y^t we ought to procure the wel∣fare of other men. Yet notwithstanding, let a man go into y^e fields, & he shal finde nothing but robbing and filching. And what shall he finde in townes & cities? much worse. A man shall see snatching and catching euery where, & al mens indeuour is to fleece one an other. Wo worth vs therefore if we bethinke vs not better of y^t thing that is tolde vs heere, which is y^t God comman∣deth vs to procure the welfare of other men, and to looke to the doing of it in such sort, as no man may be hindered by our default, and not only y^t we be cleere from all euill dealing, but also from all negligence or slothfulnesse. For God inioy∣neth vs, y^t as we thinke vpon our owne profite, so we must not forget the weldoing of our neigh∣bours. But as we would haue others to looke about for vs, when we had lost any thing: so must we be likeminded towardes all such as wee can succour in their neede.

Now if it be sayde that we must bring againe our neighbours Oxe or Asse: what is to be done to his owne proper person? Or to his children and houshouldefolke? I see a housholde out of order, and the maister thereof deceiued: If I warne him not thereof, I am to blame. So then we must proceede so farre by degrees, that if wee must haue a care of beastes, much more must wee haue it of humaine creatures. If I ought to bring home a mannes Oxe when I finde him straying, for feare he shoulde bee lost: what ought I to doe to his children that are readie to perishe, and runne a straye like brute beastes? Shal I not thinke vppon them to bring them into the right way? Againe in generall, if I see my neighbour goe to decay and destru∣ction, I ought to reclaime him, accordingly as S. Iames warneth vs saying: If any of you bring backe his neighbour into the right way,* 1.1 when hee was gone astray: he hath wonne a soule to God. Now if our Lorde extend his loue euē vnto

Oxen and Asses; what ought we to do to those whome he hath created after his owne image, & which are like our selues, & to whome we be lin∣ked by a kinde of brotherhood, not onely in re∣spect of our bodies, but also in respect of our soules? Shall we see them run astray & go to de∣struction, & not reach them our hand nor do our indeuor to bring them backe againe to the way of saluation? Therefore when we see menssoules in daunger to bee lost, let vs learne to reclaime [ 10] them, & let vs apply our selues thereto asmuch as we can possibly. For if we be slacke in that be∣half, there needeth none other witnes against vs than y^e bruit beasts. For if we suffer their owners to lose them, we shalbe condemned before God. So must our inditement be made and framed a∣gainst vs by the brute beasts, when we shal haue held skorne after that fashion, to bring back the wretched creatures that are gone astray, to cause them to be reduced againe vnto God: For if we [ 20] be bound to maintain mortal men in their right: I pray you, be we not double, yea a hundredfold more bound to do it vnto God? Behold, God tel∣leth vs that we belong to him, & that we bee his heritage. Now, I see a poore man goe astray like a beast that is lost, and shal I suffer God to be be∣reft of his right, or to haue his possessions dimi∣nished? True it is, that we cannot inrich him: but yet doeth he shewe howe deerely he looueth vs, in y^t he hath purchased vs with the bloud of our [ 30] Lorde Iesus Christ. I see Gods possession go to hauocke, and make no account of it, and so is it lost from him through my defaulte: and how shall I excuse my selfe? Wherefore let vs marke well, that if wee ought to mayntaine the wel∣fare of mortall men, because God hath ordey∣ned that there shoulde be faithfulnesse among vs one towardes another: wee ought much more to indeuour and procure that God may abide vnimpeached in his state, and that those which [ 40] be of his house (that is to say of his Church) may not miscarie, but that they may all be pre∣serued vnto him. That is the thing which wee haue to remember vpon this text.

Nowe Moses addeth, that men must doe it, though it be the more to their owne paine. For although I be vnknowen to the partie that hath a beast so strayed; and he be not my neighbour: yet must not his beast be lost by my negligence, but I must bring it backe least it fall into euill [ 50] handes: and my so doing must bee of purpose to restore it to the owner. Here wee see (as I haue saide afore) that it is not enough for vs to absteyne from all misdealing, but wee must al∣so doe our neighbours seruice, as wee woulde they shoulde doe for vs. The taking of payne or care for an other mans benefite, must not make vs shrinke from the doing of our duetie. If wee alleadge. What am I bound to him? What hath he doone for me? It is not for vs to regard the [ 60] doinges of men, whether they haue done vs any pleasure or no, and there after to requite them, as who would say, I should shew a man no friend∣ship, vnlesse he had first befriended mee before. No, It must suffice mee, that God wil be acknow∣ledged in all those things. And therfore we must not haue an eye to mens persons to say we know them not: but it must suffice vs that God saith vnto vs, Although the parties bee vnknowen vnto you, yet must you doe your indeuour to saue their goods and substance: for it is my will that there shoulde be that bonde among men, and that by meane thereof they shoulde bee knit together, and euery man willingly become detter to other. Although men can not bring ye before earthly Iudges to compell you thereto, yet ought euerie man of himselfe to yeelde vn∣to it and to beare in minde that I will haue you to exercise such charitablenes amōg yourselues. Thus much concerning that point where it is said, that although the partie bee not our neigh∣bour, no nor knowen vnto vs: yet wee must not forebeate to keepe his beast for him, or any o∣ther thing that he hath lost.

There is also an other point, namely y^t if we light vpon our Neighbors Oxe or his Asse falne downe by the way by reason of some disease or tyring vnder his burthen: wee must helpe to get him vp. And this sheweth vs yet better, that all they which procure not the benefit of other mē, are esteemed as theeues. For we commit not any offence, but the same is a breaking of the Law of God. It behoueth vs to marke that. Now what is said in Gods law? Thou shalt not steale. It is but one word. But we must haue an eye to the lawe-makers meaning. And so we must conclude, that if we see our neighbor stand in neede of our suc∣cour before our eyes, and faile him: if wee per∣ceiue he is like to sustein losse, & we remedy not the matter, hauing the meane to do it▪ we be cō∣demned of felonie before God. It is a hard case, men may well dispute of it, yea & imagine y^t they shal get y^e vpper hand: but al replying must be laid downe: for asmuch as God hath spoken it, his say¦ing is an vnreuocable sentence. Therefore let it content vs y^t the law telleth vs that if we saue not our neighbors goods to y^e vttermost of our power God condemneth vs and taketh vs for theeues. Indeed if wee were to bee called before worldlie Iudges, we might alledge, he neuer bound me to do so much for him, I am not beholdē vnto him. I haue not promised him any thing, what coue∣nant is there betwixt vs? & such other like things But whē we come before God, we must shut our mouthes, & acknowledge y^t if we haue bin negli∣gent when we haue seene the losse or hinderāce of any mans goods, so as wee haue not helped to saue them, but haue shut our eyes at it, and not vouchsafed to put forth our finger to y^e succou∣ring of them: it is all one with theft or robberie, before God.

And herewithall let vs marke wel, y^t seeing it is said here y^t we ought to succor the beasts whē they be falne downe vnder their burthen: howe much more ought we to do y^e like to men? When an asse is falne down, what is y^t to vs? And yet for the loue of my neighbor, I am bound to lift him vp againe if I can. A poore man y^t hath toild him∣selfe to y^e vttermost, standeth in need of my help, and I forsake him: is this cruelty excusable be∣fore God? Behold, I am condemned for not do∣ing my dutie towards a brute beast: & what shal

then become of me if I forsake mine owne image & the image of God, so as a poore man is borne downe & I succor him not, but wring my mouth at it as if I had done no fault at all? So then let vs marke, y^t in speaking of the brute beastes, God ment to induce vs y^e rather to the discharging of our owne dueties one towardes another: Like as when S. Paul alledgeth this text,* 1.2 Thou shalt not musle the mouth of the oxe y^t laboreth for thee, thinke we (saith hee) y^t God hath no further re∣spect [ 10] than of the beasts? Nay verily, his speaking of it is for the loue of men. As who should say, If we ought not to withdraw foode from the beast that laboreth vnder our hand & for our profite: ought wee not to giue sustenance to the handi∣crafts man, or to any other person when he doth vs seruice? Indeede S. Paul speakes there of the ministers of Gods worde; but yet generally wee be led to this vprightnes of maintaining such as take paines for vs, according to reason. For why? [ 20] God hath spoken so of Oxen: And he hath spo∣ken it to doe vs the more shame, as if he shoulde say, The Oxe shall haue iust matter to condemn you. Indeed y^e Oxe hath not speech as we haue: but yet wee cannot so scape but y^t God will con∣demne vs for cruell and vnkinde foolke, if we pi∣tie not the brute beastes. It is saide in Salomons Prouerbs,* 1.3 y^t the righteous man hath in regarde, the bloud of his horses & of his beastes y^• labour for him. Sith it is so, then if the poore soules that [ 30] haue bestowed their labor & trauel, & spent their sweat & bloud for you, be not paid their wages as they ought to be, nor succored and susteyned by you as they should be: if they aske vengeance a∣gainst you at Gods hand, who shalbe your spokes man or aduocate to rid you out of his handes? Now then▪ whereas here is mention made of the releeuing of Oxen & Asses when they bee falne downe vnder their burthens: let vs learne there∣by, that it is much more reason we should releeue [ 40] our neighbors; when we see them vexed and o∣uermatched. Verily a beast cannot speake to moue vs to pitie and compassion: and therefore we must go to him of our owne good wil, though we be not moued nor requested therunto. Here∣by we be warned, that although a man crie not out at a murder, ••e make any great bewailing: Yet his verie necessitie ought to suffice to make vs to step to him aforehande, & not to suffer him to lie languishing to the last instant, that he bee [ 50] constreined to say. Alas helpe me. We must not be so slow. For why? Although a beast cannot speake a word, yet doth God commaunde vs to succour it. And therefore much more do we owe like duetie towards our neighbors.

Furthermore, if a man demaunde what those burthens are: S. Paul sheweth vs them saying, Beare yee one an others burthens: as if hee had said, y^t our infirmities are burthens, & wee haue need to be eased of them. Therfore we must ex∣ercise [ 60] our charitie after that maner. I see a neigh¦bor of mine that is weake, I meane this of al mē. For how perfect so euer men be, they haue euer some faultes in them, and they haue need to be borne with. And I for my part cannot away with it, vnles men haue pitie vpon me: I haue my bur∣thens as well as all other men. In respect hereof God saith vnto vs,* 1.4 Beare ye one an others bur∣thens: for this is Christs lawe, saith S. Paul. And yet hath this law beene for euer. For if the brute beasts were to be releeued by the law of Moses: likewise were men to be releeued, as I said afore. But S. Paul telleth vs that we haue more neede to doe it nowadayes than euer: For our Lord Ie∣sus Christ telleth vs that y^e cheefe sacrifice which he requireth of vs euen for God his father, is to haue a regarde wherein euery of vs may helpe his neighbors, & to indeuour to remedie infir∣mities where he sees thē to be. Indeed we ought not to foster vices. Neither is that S. Pauls mea∣ning when hee exhorteth vs to beare one ano∣thers burthens. His intent is not that we shoulde dissemble, or that we should foade men in their naughtines by playing the blinkards when folke haue done amisse. For y^t were rather a leauing of the wretched soules still in their straying, vntill they were tumbled downe into the pit of destru∣ction. Then is not y^t S. Paules meaning in com∣manding vs to beare one an others burthēs: but rather, y^t when we see an other man in sorrowe, we should comfort him: when we see him weake-minded, we should harten him; when we see him too much intangled in the cares of this worlde, we should labour to pul him backe, perswading him, to put his trust better in God, & not to bee so wedded to worldly thinges. When we labour after this fashion to remedy al vices: then do wee beare one anothers burthens. And to induce vs thereunto, we must vnderstande y^t there is none of vs all, but hee hath neede to bee borne with. That is the thing which we haue to gather vpon this place, where it is saide that we be bounde to helpe vp an Oxe or an Asse or any other beast y^t is falne downe abrode, and that we ought to re∣leeue it as much as may be.

But here is no mentiō made of any other thā a brother. It is said, y^t if thy brothers asse or anie other thing of his be lost: or if y^e Oxe or horse of thy brother be falne down by y^e way, thou must help him vp againe. Who be the brothers of whō God speaketh here! The word Brother is to be ex∣tended further than a number do extend it, who alwaies excusing thēselues, do pluck their heads out of y^e coller as easily as they can, whē they see Gods cōmandements to be too hard & difficult yea & vtterly vnpossible for them to do; they slip y^e coller by such fond shifts as this: I am bounde (say they) to do this for my brother, y^t is to say, for such a one as I am acquainted with, or to whō I am linked by any familiaritie, neighborhoode, or friendship: those indeed are our brothers. Yea. But what if we haue to do with the furthest strā∣gers in y^e world? should we account them for our brothers? To what purpose were y^t? Lo how y^e hy∣pocrites would dally with God, & breake y^e bond which he hath made betwixt vs, vnder pretence of this word Brother. But the exposition therof is giuen vs in y^e three & twentith of Exodus, where it is saide, If the Oxe or the Asse of thine ene∣mie be falne downe, thou shalt helpe him vp a∣gayne: thou shalt do good to him y^t hateth thee, and to him that seeketh to hurt or hinder thee.

Ye see then who are our brethren, namely euen our very enemies, such as persecute vs, & such as could find in their hearts to eat vs vp. And yet for all that, euen with them must we maintaine brotherhood. As how? Verily it seemeth a right hard case at the first sight: for haue not they al∣readie broken the bond of brotherhood? What though there were an vnion among al mankind? Yet as touching those which are so malicious & froward, and despise God by doing leawdly, are [ 10] not they worthy to be shaken off, & to be barred from the companie of other men, seeing they haue sundred themselues from them? Truth it is that if we shoulde haue respect to their persons, we might wel say, shal such a one be my brother, hauing set himself after that fashion against me? Were he a member of my bodie, would he haue cut off himselfe from me? Seeing then that hee hath forsaken me, I will haue no acquaintaunce w^t him in any maner of wise. The alliance which [ 20] I had with him was of god, God made it betwixt vs: but he hath vtterly withdrawen himself from it, & therfore may I likewise forsake him. So long as we plead against the person, such excuses may well take place: but as for before God, they wil not go for paymēt. For his planting of neigh∣borhood among vs was with condition, that al∣though a man make himselfe vnworthie thereof yet we must not faile to do him all the good we can. And so the bond of kinred ordeined by god, [ 30] cannot in any wise be defeated. Were a man be∣come the veriest naughtipacke that could be; yet ought we to intreat him as our neighbour.

Truth it is that there are cases wherefore we ought to forsake men, & to giue them vtterly o∣uer. But yet for all that, we must not cease in the meane while to procure their worldly welfare, and much more the health of their soules, yea euen of such as are excommunicated & cast out of the Church,* 1.5 as saith S. Paul. We must not seek [ 40] them, for that were y^e way to infect vs with their defilements, & to make vs their partakers. Nay, we must rather mislike them & abhorre them, as it is expresly cōmaunded vs. But yet in y^e meane season, we be bound alwaies to succour them in their need, & to forbeare to hurt or hinder thē. That is the thing which our Lorde compelleth vs vnto. And therefore let vs marke well that it was neuer lawfull vnder the law to beare enmity against any man: yea & although a man had eni∣mies: [ 50] yet was it not lawfull for him to seeke re∣uēge. And if I be bound to succor mine enemies Asse or horse: what ought I to do to his own per∣son? Shall I be exempted from himselfe, when I am bound vnto his cattell? It is well knowen no. And herein we see the beastlines that hath been & yet still is in the Popedome. For the suttle do∣ctors say, that to do good to ones enemie is not a commaundement of God, but a counsell giuen by our Lord Iesus Christ. And marke I pray you [ 60] wherupon they groūd thēselues. What say they? It is too hard a thing for vs to haue y^e heart to do good to such as hate vs & persecute vs. And ther¦fore it is to be concluded, y^t God hath not com∣manded vs to do it: for that were too great rigor. If Iesus Christ counsel vs, verily then is it a point of perfectiō: but yet are we not bound to it. And thereupon they hold opinion y^t none are bound to it but only y^e Monks, whose state is angelical, & yet notwithstanding, of al mē in y^e world they be fullest of reuenge. Neuertheles, it is for none but Monkes to haue such perfection; & as for vs that are lay people, they say that for vs to be∣come Christians it is enough to take it as a coū∣sell, and to tend y^e way, howbeit without thinking our selues guiltie of deadly sinne, though we doe it not. True it is that they can find in their harts to say, that we ought not to hate anie body; but to say that we be bound to loue our enemies, and to do good to such as seeke to hurt or hinder vs; no no, they cannot digest that worde. And why? For they be forepossessed with this diuelish opi∣nion, that God cōmandeth not any thing which is not possible for men to doe. And thereupon they make as it were a counterpeise or euen ba∣lance, of freewill & of all Gods cōmandements: insomuch that they stand scanning thus: Cannot we doe this or that? God then hath not commā∣ded it, neither ought it to be done: & if a man did it, it were more than needed. As who should say that God had forgone his right, because we bee so corrupted and vntowarde as not to be able to performe y^t which he hath ordeyned. And what a dealing were that? If a man owe me monie, & haue wasted all away by his leawd behauiour, is hee therefore cleerely quit and discharged, be∣cause he hath so mispent both his owne & mine? No surelie. Whence commeth it then that wee cannot loue our enemies, and that wee be so re∣uendgefull: but of our owne corruption & of the sinfulnesse of our nature? Yet notwithstanding, we cease not therefore to owe still vnto God the things y^t he hath inioyned vs. And therefore wee conclude that our Lord hath bewrayed y^e blind∣nesse of the Papistes, in making them to spewe out such blasphemies as these, namely, y^t to doe good to our enemies is not a commandement of the law, but a counsell of our Lord Iesus: For we see what was inioined by the law of Moses. And again on the otherside, a man may wel say there is great oddes betweene the perfection of Chri∣stians, and the conuersation of the fathers: yea verily, & the hardest part of all our life, is to loue our enemies & to doe good to such as persecute vs. But the fathers that liued vnder the law were bound to that as well as we. And therefore wee must not imagine that our Lord Iesus brought a∣ny new rule as the Papists auouch blasphemous∣ly against Gods lawe, saying that it was but an Apsie & an entrance: and that there is nowe a true holines and perfection, in the things which the Gospell sheweth vs. But we see y^e cleane cō∣trary, namely y^t euen vnder the law God did expresly forbid men to auenge themselues: & a∣gaine on the otherside cōmanded them to doe good to their enemies, & to indeuor to ouercom euill by doing good, which is the perfection of y^e gospel as S. Paul sheweth in y^e twelfth to the Ro∣manes. And it is the verie same thing that is cō∣teined in the Sermon which our lord Iesus made frō the fifth chapter of S. Matthew to y^e seuenth. Also y^e same thing is brought to our remēbrance

by the thinges which Iesus Christ saith, in the similitude of the man that was wounded in his way by theeues, as he went from Iericho to Ieru∣salem. There he taunteth the Iewes, who came of the linage of Abraham, and ceased not to vaunt themselues of that holy pedigree. And yet he saith to them, I cānot tel what kinred or bro∣therhoode there is among you. For if a man bee falne behinde hande▪ and haue neede of helpe, I see not that ye succour him: ye acknowledge [ 10] none other brotherhoode than that which is of the fleshe. And if yee see any gaine to be had by allying your selues with any man: he shalbe your brother and your great cousen. But if yee see no profite to bee had by him, farewell he, he is no more your kinseman. Hereby hee inferreth a si∣militude, how a Priest looking vpon a poore mā that was wounded and sore hurt, and in daunger of death; passed by him and tooke no heede of him: and likewise a Leuite, and also a common [ 20] Iew. Then came a Samaritane, (y^e Samaritanes were hatefull to the Iewes, as they who indeede had nothing but apes toyes and meere supersti∣tion in their Church) & yet our Lord saith there that the Samaritane had pitie vpon y^e Iew which was so sore wounded, and succored him. Was not this man the Iewes neighbor? Ye cannot denie but that he was so. Hereupō Iesus Christ conclu∣deth, that when the law speaketh of neighbors, it meaneth not those which are allied vnto vs, or [ 30] which are of our owne bloud and kinred: neither meaneth it those neighbors onely with whome we be conuersant and familiar: but generally all men, yea euen the furthest strangers vnto vs. Al∣though we may say y^• such a one belonges not to vs, yet are we his neighbors as in respect of god. For our Lord could wel haue vsed another word: but hee intended of set purpose to touch vs to y^e quick in saying, Looke how many men are in the world, so many neighbors haue we. And wheras in [ 40] this text y^e word is a Brother, indeed it had respect to the linage of Abraham. But nowadaies wee haue all one father,* 1.6 who is called vpon in al lan∣guages and in all countries. He hath not chosen the race of any one man, nor shut vp his seruice within any one certaine countrie: For the parti∣tion wal is broken downe,* 1.7 so as there is not now any difference of Iew and Gentile, accordingly as is told vs that we bee all one body in our lord Iesus Christ, and y^• seeing God is proclaimed by the Gospell to be our Sauiour & father, we must [ 50] maintaine a brotherhood among vs. And as tou∣ching the word Neighbour, the law hath vsed it of purpose to shew mē y^t they may well shrink away one frō another, but yet they be all of one knowē kinde, according to this saying of the Prophet E∣say,* 1.8 Thou shalt not despise thine owne flesh. If I can say, This man is of a far countrie, there was neuer any acquaintāce betwixt vs, one of vs can not speake a word y^t the other can vnderstande: what is all this to the purpose? Let me looke vp∣pon him & beholde him throughly, & I shal find the same nature in him that is in my selfe: I shall see that God hath made him so like me, as if we were but one fleshe. And all mankind is of such shape and fashion, that wee haue good cause to loue one another, and to know y^t we ought to be all one. Although there bee some difference as touching this present life: yet ought we to con∣sider that we spring al out of one roote, & there∣fore that we should tend all to one end, euen vn∣to God who is the father of vs all. And there∣fore it is not without cause that in steede of say∣ing, thou shalt doe so to al men, our Lorde saith, thou shalt do so to thy neighbors. And albeit we fall to disputing of the matter, and would slippe our heades out of the coler, seeking to shift off y^• matter by alledging that we bee straungers one to an other: yet can we not bring to passe that all men should not be our neighbors, because we are al of one selfe same nature, wherby God hath knit vs & linked vs all together. The thing then which we haue to mark in this part of the texte vpon y^• word Brother, is y^t whereas God speaketh after that maner to the Iewes, because hee had adopted the linage of Abraham: it sheweth vs nowadaies that we must al be as brothers, foras∣much as our Lord Iesus Christ hath proclaimed peace through the whole worlde, and God is at one agayne with all nations & all men. Seeing it is so, it behoueth vs to maintaine the brother∣hood which was procured by Christs bloudshed, & whereunto God calleth vs. And although ma∣ny spiteful persōs go about to violate it by their vnkindnes in shrinking away from the Church, and become our enemies, by guing vs occasion to do them harme: yet notwithstanding let vs striue against their naughtines, & labour to pro∣cure the saluation of their soules, and y^e welfare of their bodies so far as we can. And whē we see y^t we on our side are weak, & cānot frame our af∣fections to y^e obeying of God so wel as were to be wished▪ let vs pray our good God to strēgthen vs by his holy spirit, y^t we may outstand all assaults y^• are put vnto vs, so as we may haue y^e vpper hand of them, when hee hath once rid vs of our flesh.

Now let vs kneele downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our sins, praying him to make vs so to feele thē more & more, as y^t being cast downe in our selues, wee may be lifted vp again by his hand, & y^t being so lifted vp & vpheld by him, we may follow his ex∣ample towards our neighbors, indeuoring to cō∣tinue in good peace & concord, & bearing with y^e weaklings, so as we may al with one cōmon cō∣sent keep our way vnto him, & attaine thither by his grace. That it may please him to graunt this grace, &c.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Iam. 1.••9.
• * 1.2

  1. Cor. 9.10.
• * 1.3

  Prou. 12.10.
• * 1.4

  Gal. ••.••.
• * 1.5

  1. Cor. 5.11.
• * 1.6

  1. Tim. 2.4.
• * 1.7

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••.16.
• * 1.8

  Esa. ••8.7.