Justly Gotten: Of Restitution, the Second Sermon
I pip in my last Sermon, dearly beloved, declare unto you, by what means goods are rightly gotten, and how many kinds of theft there be, and sundry sorts of getting wealth unlawfully, There is yet behind another treatise for me to add, and therein to teach you what is the true use of goods rightly gotten, and how we may lawfully possess them, and justly spend and dispose them in this transitory life. [1 Imp. Constantinus A. ad Celerem vicarium Africee xvi. Pla-giarii, qui viventium filiorum miserandas infligunt parentibus orbitates, metalli pena cum ceteris ante cognitis suppliciis teneantur. Si quis tamen ejusmodi reus fuerit oblatus, posteaquam super crimine claruerit; servus quidem, vel libertate donatus, bestiis subjiciatur; ingenuus autem gladio consumatur. D. Kal. Augu. Constantino A. mir. et Licinio. Coss.—Codex Justin. Lugd. 1551, Tom. 11. p. 701, Lib. 1x, (2 ἀρ dicuntur, qui gregem ovium aut pecorum—yvel equum de tit. 20.
[grege, vel bovem de armento abducunt.—Jul. Pacii Isagog. in Instit.]
[Lib. xLviL tit. 14. p. 406, Traject. ad Rhen. 1680.]]
For justice doth not only not defraud any man, but doth, so much as it may, endeavour itself to do good to all men; neither is it enough for a godly man not to hurt any body, unless also he do good to all that he can. And in this point do many men sin, while they are persuaded that they have done all the duty that they owe, if they hurt no man, and if they possess that which they have without trouble to any man; although in the meanwhile they have no regard, whether they help or do good to any man, or no. And he sinneth as greatly in the sight of the Lord, which doth not use rightly goods justly gotten, as he that hath heaped up wealth in wickedness and naughty means. I will tell you therefore, so far as God shall give me grace, how, and in what sort, godly men may holily possess and dispose these earthly goods.
First of all, that the use of worldly wealth may be healthful to the owner, holy men have a diligent care, that nothing of another man’s remain in their possession: that is, they do carefully separate wealth rightly come by from unjust-gotten goods, and do faithfully restore whatsoever they find, in that which they have, to belong of right unto other men. For they are throughly persuaded, and do verily believe, that by this means the wealth that is left them, although by restitution it be somewhat diminished, will yet notwithstanding prosper the better, endure the longer, and be far more fruitful unto them.
Now this restitution is flatly commanded, and also very necessary to be put in practice: for the Lord in the law by sundry means, and that very carefully, give charge of it too, as is to be seen in the twenty-second of Exodus. Moreover, so often as the just and holy commandment of God was, through the covetousness and wickedness of mankind, cast off and neglected, the Lord raised up grievous and almost unspeakable evils against the contemners thereof, and abroad the unjust-gotten goods by wars, mishaps, and divers calamities, For the prophet Esay crieth, saying: Lord shall enter into judgment with the elders and of his people, and shall say unto them, It is ye that have burnt up my vineyard, the spoil of the poor is in your houses.” And Amos in the third chapter of his prophecy crieth: “They store up treasures in their palaces by violence [BULLINGER, IL] 3
and robbery, Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Miseries shall invade thee on every side of the land, and thy enemies shall bring down thy strength, or riches, from thee, and thy palaces shall be spoiled.” We read therefore in the gospel, that Zacheus, of his own accord, promised restitution four-fold double, that is, a full and absolute recompence of whatsoever he had taken wrongfully away; and it is assuredly certain, that he performed that promise: for he understood by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, that a restitution of his ill-gotten goods was especially necessary, and that he should never be happy until he had made a full amends for all his wrongful dealings. Very rightly therefore said St Augustine in his fifty-fourth epistle to Macedonius, where he writeth: “If, when thou mayest, thou dost not restore that which thou hast of another man’s goods, then is not repentance truly performed, but falsely feigned: but if repentance be truly taken, then is not sin forgiven, unless restitution be made of that which was taken away; but, as I said, when it may be restored.”
But touching the time, when restitution ought to be made, the example of Zacheus teacheth us; who, so soon as he was received unto the favour of Christ, and did understand the works of truth and equity, did immediately promise restitution, and out of hand perform the same. Wherefore we must not foad off from day to day to make restitution. No man hath need to double his offence. For thou needest not by thy morrow and over-morrow delays to augment his discommodity and hinderance any longer, from whem thou hast, by thy subtil means and wicked violence, wrested the goods that he hath; considering, that he to his loss hath lacked them long enough, and been without them too long, God ποὺ, If thou demandest, to whom thou oughtest to make restitution? I answer, to him from whom thou tookest it, if thou knowest from whom thou hast had it, and who it is whom thou hast defrauded. But by that means, sayest thou, I shall bring myself into obloquy and infamy. 1 bid thee not
[[! Si enim res aliena, propter quam peccatum est, quum reddi]
[possit, non redditur, non agitur peenitentia, sed fingitur: si autem]
[veraciter agitur, non remittetur peccatum, nisi restituatur ablatum]
[sed, ut dixi, cum restitui potest.—Aug. Opp. Par. 1531, Tom. τι.]
[fol. 48, col. 4.] Ἀ [3 This expression is the translator’s.]]
do so: but, if thou didst invent a means to take it, then find out some handsome way to restore it again, whereby thou mayest escape and not incur the note of infamy. And pray to the Lord, that he will vouchsafe to shew thee a ready way and apt for to accomplish the thing that thou mindest. If thou meanest in good sadness to make true restitution, thou shalt undoubtedly find a way to do it without reproach and obloquy. But if thou dost but dally and jest with the Lord, thou wilt not be without a thousand excuses, the best and the soundest whereof will never set thy conscience at quiet liberty. Neither is God mocked. I cannot tell, sayest thou, from whom I have taken it, and therefore I know not to whom I should restore it. If in very deed thou knowest not from whom thou hast taken it; then hast thou the poor and needy, on whom to bestow it: to those thou oughtest to deal thy unjustgotten goods, and not to superstition, or the ministers thereof. Now, let every one make restitution of so much as he hath taken away; or at the least, of so much as he is able to restore. For many have spent, and so prodigally wasted other men’s goods, that they are not able to make restitution of any thing again. Let such fellows acknowledge their fault, and repent their folly, from the bottom of their hearts. And if it happen at any time afterward that they come by goods, then let them be so much more liberal of their own, as before they were prodigal in spending other men’s. But if all the riches which thou possessest be other men’s goods, and gotten of thee by theft and robbery, so that, if thou madest a full restitution, there should no penny be left for thee, but that thou must needs go beg; then art thou verily hard bestead, and in too woeful a taking; yea, thou art mad and far beside thyself, if thou wilt not stick, but still go on k to paint thy pride, and maintain a port with other men’s pence, and satisfy thy lust in the bowels, blood, and sweat of poor men’s brows. Why dost thou not rather abase thy self to poverty, and use thy unjust-gotten goods, as needy people use their alms? For thou livest of that that should be the poor’s. Therefore lay down thy pride, and forsake thy ruffling
[2 sadness: seriousness, earnestness.) [6 ruffling: to ruffle, to put out of form or discompose; but used]
[by old writers to signify the acting in a rough, turbulent, or disorderly]
[manner.—~Toone’s Glossary. ]]
riot. Consider with thyself, who thou art, and whereupon thou livest: and still do thy endeavour to make restitution, so far as thou canst; and let it grieve thee to see thyself not able to restore the whole again. If it be not a grief to thee for a time to suffer poverty, to labour and faithfully to exercise some honest occupation, and to train up thy children, leading them as it were by the hand, to work; then thou shalt not want whereon to live, although thou restorest all, whatsoever thou hast, of other men’s goods. But there is very small and almost no faith at all in many men; whereby it cometh to pass, that very few, or none, can be persuaded to make true restitution. To this I add (before I go any further) that they ought especially to think of a restitution, which have with evil words corrupted the minds of simple souls; with privy backbiting raised slanders on other men; or with perverse counsel stirred up the mightier men against the weaker sort: for these things do pass and
have are far above all earthly riches.
Thus much have I said hitherto touching restitution, of which other men have left very ample discourses. I for my part do see, that to a godly mind this work of restitution is short and plain enough; and therefore have I spoken of it so shortly as I have. For a godly and well disposed man doth with all his heart desire and seek to obey the law of God; and therefore, by calling to God for aid, he shall easily find a way to work justice and equity. As for those whose desire is rather to seem just men than to be just indeed, and do love this world more than it becometh them to do; they, with their over many questions and innumerable perchances and putcases!, do make the treatise of restitution so tedious and intricate, that no man shall ever be able to make it so plain that they will understand it. I will not therefore answer them any more, but only warn them to examine their own conscience, and see what that doth bid them do. Now I would have that conscience of theirs to be settled in, and be mindful of, the general law, which saith: “Whatsoever thou wouldest have done to thyself, that do thou to another; and whatsoever thou wouldest not have done to thyself, that do not thou to another.”
[V put case, an elliptical expression for suppose that it may be so. Johnson. ]
After this now I will somewhat freely discourse upon the just possessing, using, or disposing of well-gotten earthly substance. First of all, no man must put any confidence in riches, which are indeed things transitory and do quickly decay: we must not settle our minds upon nor be in love with them; but by all means take heed that they drive us not to idolatry, nor hinder the course that we have to pass. Heaven is the goal whereat we run. Here again we must all give ear to the divine and heavenly words uttered by the prophet David, who said: “Put your trust in God always, pour out your hearts before him; for God is our refuge. As for the children of men, they be but vain: the children of men are deceitful upon the weights, they are altogether lighter than vanity itself. Trust not in wrong and robbery, give not yourselves to vanity: if riches increase, set not your hearts upon them?” The apostle Paul, being endued with the same spirit, biddeth us to use the world and worldly things, as though we used them not. Again, he calleth covetousness the worshipping of idols; and chargeth rich men not to put their trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who ministereth to all creatures living sufficiently enough. And therefore the Lord in the gospel forbiddeth to heap up treasures upon earth.
Now, on the other side, we are not bidden by the apostles to spend our goods prodigally, in riot and wantonness. For we may not abuse the wealth, that the Lord hath lent us, in pride and luxury, as many do, who lash out all in dicing, sumptuous building, strange clothing, excessive drinking, and over-dainty banqueting. The end and destruction of such kind of people the Lord doth very finely, though not without terror to them that hear it, set down in the parable of the rich glutton, who, after his delicate fare and costly apparel, was after this life tormented in hell with unspeakable thirst, and toasted there with unquenchable fire. Therefore these temporal goods must be rightly, holily, and moderately used, without excess.
Every man must acknowledge these terrestrial goods to be the mere and free gifts of our bountiful and heavenly Father,
[2 Ad ccelos tendimus, Lat. ]]
[p [ See Prayer-book Version.] [ 1 Cor. vii. 31. See page 31.] [6 venuste, Lat.]]
and not to be given for our deserts, or gotten by our might. ΒῸΡ we have of Gods liberality all things necessary to maintain our lives. It is the Lord which blesseth and doth prosper our labour. Finally, they are not evil, but the good gifts of God, which he giveth to the maintenance of our lives, and not to our destruction: the fault is in ourselves, that riches are a snare to bring many men to evil ends. Moreover, the Lord himself requireth, and in his word commandeth us, to be thankful unto him for his good benefits bestowed on us; to use them with thanksgiving; to praise his name for all things; and to rejoice in his fatherly goodness shewed unto us. For thus doth Moses, the servant of God, in Deutero-viii] nomy, charge the Israelites!: “When thou hast eaten therefore, and filled thyself, then thank the Lord thy God in that good land which he hath given thee. Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, that thou wouldest not keep his commandments, his laws and ordinances, which I command thee this day: yea, and when thou hast eaten, and filled thyself, and hast built goodly houses, and dwellest therein; and when thy beasts and thy sheep are waxen many, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is increased; then beware, lest thine heart rise, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, and from the house of bondage. Say not then in thine heart, My power and the might of mine own hand hath prepared me this abundance. Remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get substance, &ec.” Moreover Paul the apostle saith, that all the creatures of God are good, created to the good and preservation of us men; and biddeth us use them with the fear of God and giving of thanks. And again: “Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” And in another place: “Let your manners be far from covetousness; and be content with the things that ye have: for he hath said, 1 do not forsake, nor leave thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man can do unto me.”
[1 Dominus Deus tuus dabit tibi terram preestantissimam, in qua nulla re indigebis, Lat. omitted by the translator; The Lord thy God ga ge thee a most excellent land, wherein thou shalt not lack any ing
Let earthly goods also serve our necessity. Now necessity requireth a commodious dwelling-place, so much victuals as are sufficient, comely apparel, and honest company-keeping with our neighbours and equals. Let every man measure and esteem these circumstances, first by his own person, then by his family or household. For an householder must warily provide and foresee, that no necessary thing be wanting in his family. Of this care of the householder there are sundry testimonies of scripture extant; but specially that of St Paulin the fifth chapter of his first epistle to Timothy. And here note, that by necessity all things are meant, which the body or life of man doth necessarily require and stand in need of; and finally, whatsoever the honesty and beseeming of every man doth crave or demand. And thus far verily, and to this end or purpose, it is lawful for any man to lay somewhat up in store against years to come. The man, whose charge is much in keeping a great house, hath need of the more to maintain it withal: and he, whose family is not so big, needeth so much the less as his house is the smaller. And one state of life, and a greater port, becometh a magistrate; when another countenance, and a lower sail, beseemeth a private person. But in these cases let every man consider what necessity requireth, not what lust and rioting will egg him unto. Let him think with himself, what is seemly and unseemly for one of his degree.
And yet we do mot in this treatise make so strict a definition of necessity, as that thereby we do utterly condemn all pleasure and moderate liberty for sensuality and luxury. For I know that God hath granted and given to man, not only the use of necessity,—I mean, the use of those things which we as men cannot be without,—but also doth allow him all moderate pleasures wherewithal to delight him. Let no man therefore make scruple of conscience in the sweet and pleasant use of earthly goods, as though with that sweet pleasure which he enjoyeth he sinned against God; but let him which maketh conscience, make it rather in the just and lawful use of those terrestrial riches. For the Lord hath in no place forbidden mirth, joy, and the sweet use of wealth, so far forth that nothing be done undecently, unthankfully, or unrighteously. For the prophet Jeremy, alluding to the promises of God’s law contained in the twenty-sixth of Levi-
ticus and the twenty-eighth of Deuteronomy, saith: “They shall come and rejoice in Sion, and shall have plenteousness of goods which the Lord shall give them, namely, in wheat, wine, oil, young sheep and calves; and their soul shall be as a well watered garden; for they shall no more be sorrowful. Then shall the maid rejoice in the dance, yea, both young and old folks: for I will turn their sorrow into gladness, and will comfort them, and make them merry. I will make drunken the hearts of the priests with fat, and my people shall be filled with my goodness, saith the Lord.” Jeremy thirty-first. Moreover! in the fourth chapter of the third book of Kings we read: “And under Solomon they increased, and were many in number, as the sand of the sea, eating and drinking, and making merry.” Again, in the eighth chapter of the same book we find: “And Solomon made a solemn feast, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, which came together out from among all the people, even from the entering in of Hemath unto the river of Egypt, before the Lord seven days and seven days, that is, fourteen days in all. Afterward he sent away the people, and they thanked the king, and went unto their tents very joyfully, and with glad hearts, because of all the goodness that the Lord had done for David his servant, and for Israel his people.” Like unto this is that which we read in the eighth chapter of Nehemias, in these words: “And Esdras, with the Levites, said to all the people which was sad and sorrowful, This day is holy unto the Lord your God: be not ye sorry, and weep ye not; but go your way to eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send part unto them that have not, &c.” And the Lord, verily, doth not require us men to be without all sense and feeling of those pleasures which he of his grace hath given us to enjoy; neither would he have us to be altogether benumbed, like blocks and stocks and senseless stones: for he himself hath graffed in us all the sense and feeling of good and evil, of sweet and sour. And the same our God and Maker hath, of his eternal goodness and wisdom, ordained a certain natural excellency in his creatures, and
[1 in sacra historia, Lat. omitted; in the sacred history. ] [2 1 Kings-(commonly called, The Third Book of the Kings, Auth.]
[Ver.) iv 20.—In Juda et Israela, Lat. omitted by the translator. ] [3 universo populo, Lat.]]
hath adorned them, and made them so delectable, that we may delight in and desire them; yea, and that more is, our God hath planted in them a nourishing force and virtue to cherish us men, and to keep our bodies in fair and good liking. For David saith: “And (he maketh grow out of the earth) wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make him have a cheerful countenance, and bread to strengthen man’s heart. The trees of the Lord are full of sap, wherein the birds make their nests, and sing, &c.” Moreover, it is reported that Jacob, the patriarch, did drink to drunkenness; and of Joseph and his brethren the scripture saith: “And in “drinking with him they were made drunken with wine.” Now no man will take this drunkenness of theirs for that excessive bibbing, which the holy scripture doth every where condemn; but for a certain sweet and pleasant measure in drinking, wherewith being once satisfied they were made the merrier.. For that mad kind of drunkenness bereaves the senses, and is so far from causing men to be jocund and merry, that, clean contrariwise, it maketh them wayward, uncivil, out of order, beastly, swinelike, and filthy. A like phrase of speech useth Haggeus the prophet, where he saith: “Consider your own ways in your hearts; ye sow much, but - ye bring little in; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but not unto drunkenness:” that is, not unto sweet and pleasant sufficiency, that, being filled and jocund therewith, ye need desire no more, but for that plenty give thanks to 3 the Lord, your good benefactor, for bestowing it on you. 3 This do I somewhat more largely declare, because of the Anabaptists, and certain senseless Stoics, and other new ὃ sprung up hypocrites, the Carthusian monks who, as they go about to make men mere blocks, so do they, with most 3 tragical outcries, condemn utterly all allowable pleasure and
[[ There seems to be some oversight in the mention of Jacob.]
[Concerning Gen. xliii. 34, Ainsworth, in loc. remarks: “largely drank,]
[or drunk themselves merry: were drunken, which word is used for]
[i large drinking unto mirth, but with sobriety, Hag. i. 6; John ii. 10.]
[5 Bullinger, adv. Anabap. Lib. 1. cap. 10, Tigur. 1560.)]
[Ξ [6 The Carthusian order of Monks, so called from their first settle-]
[i ment at Chartreuse, near Grenoble in France, arose in the year 1084]
[ἡ or 1086. They were a branch of the Benedictines, and were the most]
[y austere of all the religious sects.—Mosheim, Cent. x1. Part 2. Book 3.]
[chap. 2. 27.]]
lawful delights. They, to colour and commend their odd opinion to the ears of men, abuse many places of the sacred vi.25] scriptures: “Woe (say they) to you which now are full, and do laugh now; for the time will come, when ye shall hunger and weep:” when as indeed this and such like sayings were “uttered of God against the wicked, and such as do unthankfully abuse the benefits and creatures of their good God. And therefore, for a conclusion of that which I have hitherto said, I add this; that godly men must still take careful heed, that they let not loose the reins to lust, and so exceed the golden mean!. For mean and measure in these allowed plea-~ sure also is liked and looked for, as well as in other things. must Furthermore, let goods and earthly substance serve to do do and honour, and shew curteise humanity in one man to another. For we do of duty owe honour and humanity to our kinsfolks and alliance, our friends and acquaintance, our countrymen and strangers. For we must not only do good to them that are familiar with us, but to them also whom we did never see before, in keeping hospitality for wayfaring strangers, so far as our substance will stretch to maintain it. For if otherwise thy wealth be slender, as that it will do no more but maintain thine own house and family, no parcel of God’s law doth bind or bid thee to distribute to other men the wealth which thou thyself dost need as much or more than they. It is sufficient for thee to provide that they of thine own household be not a burden to other men’s backs. So then the man, whose wealth is small, is not compelled to spend that little which he hath in doing honour or shewing courtesy to other men: it is enough for him to bear with a valiant heart his own hard hap, and to take heed that his poverty procure him not to offend against right and honesty, Let those who are indifferently stored’, and richer men who have wealth at will, be courteous and liberal to entertain strangers with frank hospitality. Let their minds be set to use liberality to their own praise and honesty, and not given to filthy greediness and unhonest sparing of every odd halfpenny. For some thou shalt find, who, though they be indifferent well stored with
[1 ne quid nimis, Lat.] [2 i. e. courteous.] [9 nulla Dei vel qua lex, Lat.; no law of God or equity. ] [ quod non habet, Lat.; that which he hath not.) [δ mediocres, Lat.]]
wealth and possessions, are yet notwithstanding so wholly given over to the gathering of more, that neither for their own honesty’s sake, nor for any shew of courtesy, they will once bestow a dodkin upon any man whatsoever, be he their own countryman, or a stranger unknown. These kind of fellows are always chambered, and keep themselves close in secret counting-houses; their bags are their pillows whereon they sleep and dream of their ruddocks”; they are not seen to stir abroad, lest peradventure occasion should be offered them to give entertainment, or to shew some civility to aliens and strangers. The scripture doth give a far better report of the most holy and famous patriarchs, our grand predecessors.
Lot sat in the gates of Sodom to wait for strangers and wayfaring men, to the end he might take them home to his house, and give them entertainment so well as he could. And if it fell out that he met with a stranger, he did not desire him home to his house for fashion’s sake only, that is, with faint or feigned words; but he used in earnest all the means he could to compel him perforce to take up his inn, and lodge with him that night. Of our father Abraham ye read in Genesis, that in the very heat of the day, as he sat in the door of his tent, he espied three men that were travellers, whom at the first sight, although he knew them not, he entertained very lovingly, and bade them welcome heartily. For he stayeth not to look when they should i come and request to refresh themselves with him; but start eth up, and meeteth them before they come to the door of his tent, where he himself preventeth them in speaking first unto them; and, when he had courteously after his country-manner with obeisance saluted them, he biddeth them very lovingly home to his house, and saith: “I beseech thee, my Lord, if I may find favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant.” Lo, here he calleth a traveller, and a stranger too, by the name of Lord (even as we Germans, in the entertaining of strangers, are wont to say: Sind mir
[Η [6 teruncium, Lat. Dodkin, a small coin, the eighth part of a]
[stiver, a little doit: used as a contemptuous term for things of the]
[3 smallest value.—Toone’s Glossary. ] [7 This is a free translation of the original Latin,—saccis in-]
[dormiunt. Ruddock, the bird called the robin red-breast: it is also]
[metaphorically used to signify gold coin.—Toone’s Glossary. ]]
Gott wol kommen, lieben herren und guten freunde.) And although he were in the land, where he dwelt, a man of high authority and very great name, yet notwithstanding he did, as it were, forget himself and say: “Pass not, I pray thee, away from thy servant.” He calleth himself a servant of strangers. He goeth on moreover, and saith: “Let a little water be fet!, and wash your feet, and refresh yourselves under the tree. And I will fet a morsel of bread to comfort your hearts; and then shall ye go on your way.” In these few words he containeth, in a manner, all the points of eivil courtesy. Neither did Abraham use these words to make a shew only of bounteous liberality: but when he had by entreaty requested them to stay, and by their grant obtained his desire, he bestirreth his stumps to accomplish in deeds the thing that he had promised; he maketh haste to Sara, which was in the tent, and saith: “Make ready at once orpecks. three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.” The scripture yet addeth further this clause: “And Abraham, running unto his beasts, caught a calf tender and good, and gave it to a young man, which hasted, and made it ready at once. And he took butter and milk, and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them, and stood himself with them;” that is, did himself serve them, as they ate under the tree. This is wonderful verily, and to be thought on deeply. Those goods were well and worthily bestowed upon 50 bountiful, liberal, and courteous a man as Abraham was, which knew how to use his wealth so honestly and with so commendable courtesy. Neither was he alone in all his house so frank and liberal; as his wife and family were readily given and very willing to put that holy exercise in ure and practice. ΑἹ] things therefore were ready with a trice. In making preparation, also, no diligence was wanting; choice was made of all things; for riffraffe and refuse-gear was not served to these strangers, but the best and likeliest of all that was found. The good man himself taketh pains like a servant. He himself bringeth in his country fare, which far doth excel all costly cates and princelike dishes; and setteth his guests to meat with butter and milk, and serveth the last course with veal, well fed, and housewife-like dressed. Neither was he content with this courtesy and entertainment,
fet: fetched.]
but humbled himself further yet, and waited at the table, while his guests were at meat. The table, lo, was served by him, which had those great and ample promises made him by God; which is the father of all the faithful, which is the root and grandsire of Christ our Lord, which was the friend of God and confederate to puissant kings, being himself the most honourable prince in all the land, as he that had in war overcome and vanquished four of the mightiest kings of all the East, and brought them back again to slavery and bondage, delivering his people whom they had taken captive.
This excellent and worthy man, I say, may well be a pattern for all wealthy men to follow, in bestowing honour, courtesy, and hospitality upon strangers and men unknown. For, lastly, beside his rare and seldom seen hospitality, he shewed moreover this point of courtesy, that, when they rose from meat, he bare them company some part of the way. Let our wealthy pinchpence, therefore, at the last be ashamed of, and leave their niggish lives and insatiable covetousness. What pleasure, I pray you, have they of their riches? to whom do they good? whom do they honour with their closekept coin? Or what honour or honesty doth their money procure or get them, while they live among men? Why do not the wiser sort of wealthy men rather leave this crew of miserable wretches, and hearken to the apostle’s words, who saith, “Remember to keep hospitality; for by that means many have lodged angels unwittingly and unawares?” And verily, he speaketh there of Lot and Abraham. Neither is it to be doubted, but that we entertain the very angels of God, and Christ himself, as often as we shew courtesy and hospitality to good and godly mortal men. J Lastly, let the goods of wealthy men serve, not to the entertainment of men of credit only, but to the relief also of poor and needy creatures. For that wholesome saying of Paul must be beaten into their heads: “Charge them that are rich that they do good, that they be rich in good works, i that they be ready to give, glad to distribute, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold upon eternal life.” With this doctrine of the apostle? doth the prophet Esay very well [3 congruit prophetica per omnia. Isaias enim &c., Lat.; the doctrine of the prophets agrees in all points. For Isaiah &e.]
8ETC, where he saith touching Tyre: Their occupying also and their wares shall be holy unto the Lord: their gains shall not be laid up nor kept in store; but it shall be theirs that dwell before the Lord, that they may eat enough, and have clothing sufficient.” Lo, here Esaias teacheth us the means to lay up treasure that ever shall endure. Moreover, in the sixth chapter of Matthew the very same is repeated that was spoken of before. Let every one also call to his memory the other wholesome sentences of the Lord his God, to stir him up to the giving of alms. In Deuteronomy Moses saith: Beware that thou harden not thine heart, nor shut to thine hand from thy needy brother: but open thine hand liberally unto him. Thou shalt give him, and let it not grieve thine heart to give unto him: because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall enrich and bless thee in all thy works, and in all thou puttest thine hand unto. The Lord! shall never be without poor; and therefore I command thee, saying, Open thine hand liberally unto thy brother that is poor and needy in the land.” In the Psalms we find: “A good man is merciful, and lendeth; and guideth his words with discretion. He disperseth abroad, and giveth to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.” Solomon also saith:
1.1 “Let mercy, or well-doing, or faithfulness never part from thee: bind them about thy neck, and write them in the tables of thine heart; so shalt thou find favour and good estimation in the sight of God and men.” Again, “” Honour the Lord with thy substance, and of the firstlings of all thine increase give to the poor: so shall thy barns be filled with plenteousness, and thy presses shall flow over with sweet wine.” And again, “Whosoever stoppeth his ear at the cry of the poor, he shall cry himself, and not be heard.” With these in all points do the sayings of the apostles and evangelists plainly agree. “Give to every one that asketh of thee.” Again: Verily, 1 say unto you, inasmuch as ye have shewed mercy to the least of these my brethren, ye have shewed it to me.” Which sentence surely is worthy to be noted, and deeply printed in the hearts of all Christians. For if the Lord Jesus reputeth that to be bestowed on himself, which thou bestowest on the poor; then undoubtedly he thinketh himself
misprint in all the editions for “the land.”’]
neglected and despised of thee, so often as thou neglectest or despisest the needy. This is undoubtedly true and most surely certain: for the Lord and Judge of all people assureth us by promise, that at the end of the world, in that last judgment, he will give sentence in this manner and order: “Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess the kingdom, &e. For I was hungry, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink:” and so forward, as is to be seen in the twenty-fifth chapter of St Matthew’s Gospel. Hereunto also belongeth the words of St John the apostle, where he saith: “Whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?” And from hence, undoubtedly, did first arise the common voice of them of old, which were wont to say: “If thou seest a needy body die with hunger, and dost not help him, while thou mayest, thou hast killed him, and given consent unto his death” Let him therefore, which hath store of earthly goods, know for a surety, and in his heart be throughly persuaded, that he is bound especially to do good to the needy.
Moreover let him that is wealthy do good to all men, 80 near as he can. For the Lord saith: “Give to every one that asketh of thee.” And Tobias giveth his son this lesson, saying: “Turn not thy face from any poor man3” But if thou canst not, through lack of ability, do good to all men, then succour them chiefly whom thou perceivest to be godly-disposed, and yet pinched with penury: for St Paul saith, “Let us do good to all men, but to them especially that are of the household of faith.” Let us therefore aid, succour, and relieve fatherless children and poor widows, old men and impotent people, those that are afflicted and persecuted for the profession of the truth, and such as are oppressed with any misery and calamity. Let us further and help forward good and holy learning, and all the worshippers and true ministers of God that live in want and scarcity, Finally, let us relieve strangers, and whomsoever else we may,
[2 See Bingham, Antiq. of Christ. Church, Book xvi. chap. 10.
[sect. 15.] [3 Tobit iv. 7. This lesson is given by Tobit to his son, Tobias,]
[according to the authorised Version; but in the Vulgate the names]
[of the father and son are alike Tobias; as also in the earlier English]
[translation of the Bible. ]]
Now our duty is to aid, and stand them in stead, with counsel, comfort, help, money, meat, drink, lodging, raiment, commendations, and with all things else wherein we perceive that they lack our helping hand: touching which I spake somewhat in the tenth sermon of the first Decade!. We must also succour them readily, with a willing heart and a cheerful 11 mind: “for God requireth a cheerful giver.” And in helpwe ing them let us do liberally: for Tobias saith, Be merciful after thy power?: If thou have much, give plenteously; if thou have little, do thy diligence gladly to give of that little. For in so doing the Lord shall bless both thee and thine.”
Thus much, my brethren, have I hitherto said touching the lawful use of earthly goods. God grant that every one of you may print these sayings in his heart, and put in practice this holy work. Let us pray to the Lord that he will vouchsafe so to direct us in his ways, that for the getting of those transitory goods we lose not the everlasting treasure of his heavenly kingdom. OF THE PATIENT BEARING AND ABIDING OF SUNDRY CALAMITIES AND MISERIES: AND ALSO OF THE
Hope and Manifold Consolation of the Faithful. The Third Sermon
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