much as I ought to doe nothing neere, yet doth it please him to receiue yt which I giue him, so it be done wt a free hart. Sith we know this, albeit that we cannot make a grounded Lawe of it, to say how farre we shall go in succoring our neigh∣bors, yet let euery of vs streine himselfe, and al∣wayes be doing, with the foresayd free heart.
And it is sayd, Thou shalt not thinke with thy self, the yeere of respit is at hand, and therefore I will not lend. Hereby it is shewed vs, (as I haue touched [ 10] afore) that if a poore man require help, although he be not able to pay the thing againe out of hand which he borroweth, yet must not wee be cold for all that. For we must thinke, if I helpe this poore man at this time, he is a faithful man, and my succoring and releeuing of him shall set him halfe vp againe, but howsoeuer the worlde go, he may be able to mainteine his trade, and at length he may pay mee all that hee borroweth. But if I vtterly faile him at this time, he is quite [ 20] sunck, he is brought vnder foote for euer, and hee hath no meanes to get vp againe: and I am too blame if I see him perish so. Had we this cō∣sideratiō with vs, we should not haue the nigard∣lines that Moses mentioneth and condemneth here. And how so? Let vs knowe that where need requireth, we must not haue such respect to our owne profite, as to let the poore perish in their distresse without lending them our helping hād.
Again, Let vs wey wel this saying which Mo∣ses [ 30] setteth downe here: namely that wee must o∣pen our handes. Hee repeteth it twise or thrice: and that is to shewe vs that there is nothing but hypocrisie in vs, when we pretend to haue com∣passion, & yet our hand is alwayes shut▪ and no∣thing can be wrong out of vs. I haue told you al∣ready yt a number of folke wil not passe greatly to say; Alas, when they see poore people: but they beare themselues in hand yt it is enough to haue pretended a countenance. But here God [ 40] reproueth mens dissimulation, if they haue not their handes open: for it is a tokē that their hart is hardened, so as there is nothing but beastly churlishnesse in them, and when their handes be not opened, it must needes bee a record of it. Againe he setteth downe that the poore is to be succored according to his neede, and that a gage is to be taken of him, if there be a gage to be had: for it may also full well be vnderstood of the taking of gages. And hereby we see yet bet∣ter, [ 50] that our Lordes meaning was not to haue dettes vtterly released by the respit that was gi∣uen in the seuenth yeere: but onely to haue a time of rest giuen for the respectes and conside∣rations which I haue treated of before.
Furthermore it is tolde vs here, that we must relieue our neighbors wants: for our Lord spea∣keth heere of the lendinges that are doone of almes. And in deede, it is oftentimes a greater almesdeede to lend some cōpetēt sūme, than to [ 60] giue a very little. For it may be yt the giuing of a little will doe a man no ease at all: but the len∣ding of as much as neede requireth, releeueth him very wel, & he may in time content his cre∣ditor again. That then is the thing whereunto our Lord appointeth vs. And therefore let vs marke the thing which I haue touched already; that is to wit, that although a man cannot set downe a Lawe certeine in this behalfe; yet must euery man be a rule to himself, to doe according to his own abilitie and according to ye need that he seeth in his neighbors.
Now here is added yet further, That God will blesse such as doe so, according as hee had begun yesterday to promise his blessing to all such as were so liberally minded towardes the succoring of the poore. And this serueth still to correct the cursed vnbeleefe yt holdeth our heartes locked vp so as no man mindeth aught else than himself and his own profite. For it seemeth to vs yt if we forgo neuer so little of yt which we haue, we be in ye way to be vndone by it. That is ye cause why e∣uery man holdes fast, & neuer thinkes hee hath enough. O (say we) it is true yt we may doe so and so: but thereby I should be impayred, & I cannot tell what may befall to my selfe. We cast so many doubtes, yt we can neuer finde occasion to giue any thing. And why so? Forsooth because I might want it my selfe. But yt is a cursed distrust, & such a one as prouoketh Gods wrath. For wee ought rather to hope well at his hand, yt as he hath not failed vs heretofore, so he will continue to doe vs good stil. And yet we go to seek these doubts a far off, which we be afraid of: insomuch yt it grieueth vs euen to heare thē spoken of. If a man shoulde say to vs, such a thing may befal the if thy house should be burned, & all thy goods be cōsumed in it, & thou be driuen to sell thy landes & possessi∣ons, in what case wart thou thē? None of these songes would please vs, but we would chafe and storme at him yt should speake so. And why? For a rich man would faine sleepe in his riches, hee hopeth yt he shal stand alwayes at one stay, & he foadeth himselfe in his delights. But in ye meane while, if he be to doe any good; he by & by fore∣casteth, O such a thing might befall me; famine & warre & I wote not what else must be feared. We heape together all ye mischaunces yt can bee deuised. And to what ende? Euen to shut vp our harts & our hands; yt we might do no mā good. Now our Lord minding to correct such distrust, bringeth vs backe to his blessing, & sayth, Know ye yt it belōgeth to me to multiply you And ther∣fore ye may wel hope yt when ye seeme to be im∣paired to ye worldward, yee shall haue a greater treasure thā if ye had kept all yt euer could haue come to your handes, and had neuer done any good to your neighbors to succor thē withal. For I am rich enough to fill you againe, euen when you be vtterly destitute of al things. Seeing yt our Lord speaketh after yt maner, must we not needs be woorse than infidels if wee bee not mooued thereat to doe good? Yea and though we go not to woorke with so earnest mindes as we should doe, yet if wee be not mooued at leastwise to doe somewhat; may it not bee sayd that wee stop our eares against God and giue him no au∣dience at all, yea and that we giue no credit nor trust at all to any of his promises? Therefore let vs learne to wey better ye valew of this lesson cō∣cerning Gods blessing, & let no man rest vpon ye thinges yt he hath in his own possession, ne put such trust in thē as to say; This is my stay, this is