Sermons on Deuteronomy
On Saturday, the 26th of
October 1555 The 94th Sermon, which is the second upon the fifteenth
Chapter
7. If a brother of thin become poor within any of the gates in the Land which the Lord your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your brother that is poor.
8. But you shall open your hand bountifully, and lend him sufficiently for his need wherewith he is pinched.
9. Beware that there be no point of peevishness in your heart, that you say not, the seventh year which is the year of respiring is at hand, and thereupon you have a wicked eye against your poor brother, so as you give him nothing; and then he cry against you to the Lord your God, so as it become sin to you.
10. You shall give him freely, and let not your heart repine at your giving to him: for because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your works, and in all that ever you put your hand to.
Here Moses goes on with the same matter that was ripped up yesterday, that is to know, that in the seventh year debts should be respite, to the intent that the poor should not be sued not molested.
And I told you that the meaning thereof was not that they should be quite and clean forgiven, but that the poor should be so much eased.
Now Moses adds a larger declaration, That the same ought not to hinder men from lending liberally when anybody had need. And this is added because men do always go about to defraud the Law.
Although equity be showed us never so plainly, and that the Laws be set never so well together: yet are men so subtle in naughtiness, that they find always some starting hole, to bear the world in hand that they have not offended the Law, and yet the intent of the Law maker is defrauded. This is a thing too much accustomed; and would God there were not too many examples of it in experience. But what?
When men think themselves to have set things in as good order as can be, a thousand means are devised to escape from them, and thereof comes so much brambling in Law.
For the end of good Laws is to stop the way to all prattlers, that there might be no debate or quarreling among men, but that every man might have his own right. And inasmuch as Laws do show that whomsoever offends must be punished; is it not a mean to hold every man in awe? But as I said before, the Law serves us but to devise wicked shift how to do hurt and harm until our hearts be reformed.
Nevertheless, our Lords meaning in this text, was to provide that the Law which he had set down should be kept, and that men should not take occasion there at to withhold themselves from succoring such as are in necessity. And yet notwithstanding, that which is spoken here was not only wrested to the defrauding of the Law; but also applied much worse. For such as were too much wedded to their own profit, took occasion at Gods law to do less good and to show less mercy to their neighbors than otherwise they would have done. For why? Had it been lawful for them to have sued men at all times, so as they might have required their right at all times without exception: they would have lent money in the sixth year as well as in the first, and they would have made no bones at all at it. But now that a law was set forth, that there should be a forbearing of it in the seventh year, if a poor man requires succor, every man thought thus with himself: if I lend him money now, it is laid a water, I lose a whole years occupying of it, and what a thing is that? It were better that this good fellow should go provide himself where he can: for I intend not to hazard myself in this wife: for what can I tell what will befall within a year and a half? Their needs but a little hindrance, and beside he may fall into further poverty and them am I cut short of my money. Thus you see how every man would shrink away, and under color that God had commanded men to use gentleness towards their neighbors in the seventh year; the poor were disappointed of help and relief, and their throats were cut, so as there was no way for them to ease themselves of their want. And hereby we see yet better, that men not only be subtle in devising new shifts from time to time, to cover their misdoings: but also that when they have never so good and lust laws, they turn them to the clean contrary. And this comes to pass not only in worldly government, but also even in matter concerning God: wherein we see, that horrible corruption of our nature. And this is one point well worthy to be noted. When such as are in authority over us, as Princes, Magistrates, and Judges make Laws and Statutes: if we break them, that disobedience of ours (as Saint Paul shows) touches God, and therefore is not to be excused. But when as God comes as it were in his own person, and tells us his will as it were with his own mouth: if we then dally with him, and shroud ourselves by shifts and subtleties as though he were not able to see us: is not that a devilish malapert? But there is yet a far greater and more outrageous extremity, as I said before. God goes about to rule our life aright, he sees us pitifully wandering in our own affections: he sets us down an order what to do: and his will ought to be as a definitive sentence for us to stand to, so as we ought to inquire no further: for we know that whatsoever God allows, is perfect righteousness. Now when he has been so gracious to us as to teach us, What do we? We not only fall to dissemble in his Law, but also turn all order upside down, and transgress the very Laws themselves which he gives us to direct us by: Since we see such forwardness, we have good cause to dislike of ourselves, and to condemn ourselves utterly. And therefore seeing we be of malicious and forward nature, let us learn to suspect ourselves, and to yield to Gods goodwill, that when he has given us his Law, he may also give us the grace to receive it with all singleness of heart, so as it may be to our benefit, and that we may not turn life into death, nor light into darkness.
Thus you see what we have remember in the first place.
Secondly it behooves us to mark here, that the keeping of the outward form of the Law is not all that we have to do: but that we must specially observe the substance of the Law. Will we prove our obedience towards God? The way to do it is not by ceremonies, but to seek out the certainty of his meaning, and to submit ourselves thereto. For men will take good heed to the world ward, that they offend not in such wise, as they may be punished: and if a man can find some pretty shift to excuse himself withal when he comes before the judge: he thinks all his doings to be justifiable enough. A man then will make no conscience to offend, so he have wherewith to hide himself when he is reproved, and that he can say, as for me, I understood it not so: the Law says not so. He finds out some little word that carries a show of contrariety to the true meaning of the Law, and sets a counterfeit construction upon it, and so bears himself in hand that he has well ridded his hands of the matter, and that by that means he is clear of it. And therefore let us learn that it is nothing worth to have observed the Law as in respect of the outward form of it, that is to say, in such wise as men can find no fault with us; but that the chief point is to live soundly and roundly, accordingly as we see here that it was Gods will that in the seventh year there should be a respect, that is to know that men should not sue for their debts, but suffer it to be a resting time, as I declared yesterday.
True it is that the Jews would not utterly transgress this order: but yet they thought it enough for them to discharge themselves of the ceremony, and they bare themselves in hand that God might well hold himself contented with such disguising, when in the meanwhile the chief thing was left undone. For the poor were not pitied to their relief, but rather men took occasion to leave them utterly destitute.
Insomuch that how great so ever their need was, they were never the more relieved, and all under color that men could not recover that which they had lent. We see then how men would always appeal God with ceremonies. But let us bear in mind how he says by his Prophet, that he has an eye to the soundness of the heart. Therefore let us deal faithfully with our neighbors, if we will have God to accept the service which we yield to him.
And now let us come to that which is set down here. If any of your brethren (says he) be fallen behind hand, at leastwise of such as dwell within your gates: look that you harden not your heart, nor shut your hands against him. His speaking peculiarly of the Israelites themselves, was not to give the Jews leave to devour the goods of the heathen, nor to deal cruelly with them: but his meaning was that there should be the more friendliness used among themselves, because that besides the kindred that was among them, there was also an union of faith. For God had showed out the lineage of Abraham from the rest of the world, and had knit them together into one body, whereof he himself vouchsafed to be the head: and therefore it was good reason that they should maintain one another, and be the more inclined one to succor another. But hereof the Jews took occasion to hold fast all that ever they could catch; for they construed all the promises of the holy Scripture to their own advantage, as though God had laid the bridle on their necks, and had no more care of the Gentles than of brute beasts. As for example; whereas it is said, You shall reign over many Nations: thereupon they concluded, then is it lawful for us to execute all manner of Tyranny upon the Gentiles, and to eat them up: for they be uncircumcised and unclean, and belong not to God at all: and therefore let us suck what we can possible out of them; and not spare them. Yes and they stretched the word Lend very far: for they stick not a whit to overload the strangers with unsure to the uttermost that they could bear, without any regard of uprightness. Thus you see how the Jews did always restrain the right of Gods promises, bearing themselves in hand that it behooved them to be a little friendlier to their neighbors, that is to say to those that were of their own kindred: And yet even in that behalf also they were counted as ravening Wolves, as the Prophet Jeremy unbraid them, and as shall be declared in due place.
But let us now come back again to that which is said here, to apply it to our instruction. If the Jews used this hypocrisy of covering their covetousness with a pretense that they might well pill and poll the heathen and Infidels: let us see if we ourselves do not the like at this day. True it is that our Lord commands to us the household folk of faith above all others: and yet is it not meant that he gives us leave to fleece such as have not the knowledge of his word. For he has knit us generally altogether in that he has said by his Prophet Esau, You shall not despise thin own flesh, in which saying he comprehends all men without exception. Therefore must we behave ourselves uprightly and indifferently towards all men; and likewise we must have pity and compassion upon all: For in them we behold our own nature; but yet for all that, the household folk of faith are linked to us with a much nearer bond: in respect whereof it is good reason that we should love them more specially as our brethren. Thus you see after what manner this text is to be understood, where God says If any of your brethren, that is to say of thin own countrymen. And he does it for that they were linked together in a holy band, had the true religion, and were adopted to be kind hearted and pitiful one towards another, and yet ought they not to have despised the rest of the world as they did.
And whereas it is said within your Gates: it is to show that the exercising of our charity ought to be according to our knowledge of mens necessities. For we be not able to judge of all mens needs. Rue it is that even without seeing the extremities that are everywhere, we ought to be touched with compassion. When we hear of wars, that one country has been burned, another spoiled, and all things have been turned upside down; it is not for us to go to the place to see what has been done. For if we be not too blockish, we may well think that those things cannot be done without horrible confusion.
Therefore must we pray for those whom we never saw: for they touch us, they be men as well as we, they be reasonable creatures shaped after the Image of God. And in that respect we ought to pity those that are nothing near to us. But as in respect of succoring, every man must strain himself according to the need that he sees, for I cannot judge of those that are far off from me. But if I see a body in present necessity; then must I be moved to pity, and I must consider that God provokes and calls me to the succoring of him that is in need.
Thus you see why Moses has set it down expressly, that men should have a regard of those that are within their gates. The heathen could well skill to say, that although all mankind be allied together; yet notwithstanding, the neighbors that are acquainted one with another, ought to use a special friendliness in succoring one another.
And indeed, even without any reading of the holy scripture, every man can well skill to say in his own behalf when his neighbor fails him, How now? What neighborhood is this? And who teaches them that lesson? Nature. Here therefore our Lord tells us that if we perceive any of our neighbors to be in necessity, it ought to stir us up, so as if we be not too unnatural, we must needs be touched with it without any further putting of us in mind thereof. For the thing itself speaks when we see our neighbor so distressed. Now he adds further, You shall not harden your heart, nor shut your hand. He might well have begun at this point, You hand shall not be shut, for that is the matter which he tends to in effect. But it is not for naught that he says, You shall not shut up your heart. For why, his intent is to prevent the thing that hinders our well doing and our succoring of our neighbors that are in distress: namely, the hardness of our hearts. For where pity is, that is to say if we be pitiful, we will endeavor to utter it if we have wherewith. Indeed a man shall see a number that can well skill to weep; but all that they can find in their hearts to do is but to shed a few tears: they cast forth such sights that a man would think their hearts should burst; but to spare one penny out of their purse, that is no part of their thought. Many such hypocrisies are to be seen. But let us have the true kindness in us, and let us not be hard hearted, but let us hand ever follow our heart.
And that is the cause why our Lord began at this point. That men should not harden their hearts. As if he should say, will you be good alms men? Will you be well disposed to succor such as have need of your help? Then let your hearts be softened, and not locked up to hold fast to yourselves, but to make rather with yourselves thus: Behold God offers me here a man, he is my neighbor, and although he be neither kith nor kin to me, yet is he a creature shaped after the image of God, and therefore must I open my heart towards him, and have some pity upon him. As often then as we be cold and negligent in succoring our neighbors, let us learn to enter into this consideration that is set down here, and to say to ourselves: How now? Wretched man, if you wart s he is, would you not be glad that others should succor you? Yes: and if they should let you alone, you could skill well enough to say for yourself, Alas, men make no more account of a creature fashions after the image of God, than of a dog.
You could well skill to say so; and yet for all that will you yourself harden your heart after the same fashion? Thus you see what we have in the first place to mark upon this text.
And now for the second part, let us mark how our Lords intent here, is to show us that alms deeds please him not, unless they come from a willing and free disposed heart. And therefore let us learn to order our succoring of our neighbors needs in such sort, as we do it not repining and unwillingly, so as when our hand is stretched out, there be a wicked affection in us which may hinder us from offering up to God that succor which we owe to our neighbors when we see then in necessity. And would God that this lesson were well put in use, and that every one of us did bear it better in mind than we do. For although we do form alms deeds, yet may the world see that our hearts are straightened, and that we cannot come to this doctrine of Saint Pauls, that God loves the liberal giver, and that he will not have men go to work as it were, by constraint and enforcement, but of a free goodwill. How many be there that put this lesson in use? Nor, the giver has always some heart guiding in himself, and would fine draw his head out of the collar if he could, and his doing if he could, and his doing of it is as if he were put to his task as they term it, or as though he paid some tribute. But our Lord calls Alms deeds
Sacrifices, to the end we should do them cheerfully. And I pray you, if we will offer anything to God, should it be as the paying of a tribute or of some tillage or imported in these two speeches; namely that we must not have our hearts looked up to hinder us from well doing; but that not only our hands but also our hearts must be open towards such as are distressed, to have pity upon them, and to use kindness to them. Where this is not, there must needs be all manner of cruelty, as we commonly see that such as have most to spare, do fall to repining if a body go about to wring an alms from them and they make a grudging at it like a dog when one would take away a bone out of his mouth. And if they happen to give anything, be it for shame or for any other cause, it is a death to them to part from it.
And surely it were better that such rake hells were rooted out of the world, than that they should live among men. For they be monsters against kind, they be foul churls, that could find in their hearts to devour and swallow down all the world into their maws. Or rather they be men full of unbelief, which have no more trust in God than devils, bearing themselves in hand that the earth is not able to find them. By reason whereof if it come to the point that they must give anything, it strikes them to the heart, it kills them, insomuch that the asking of an Alms at their hand, is as the drawing of a sword to cut their throats. Therefore let us look to ourselves, and when we hear our Lord speak of the not hardening of our hearts, let us begin at this point of kindness in having pity and compassion upon such as are in distress. And therewithal let our hand be at liberty afterward, in such sort as we may protest that we offer God a sacrifice with a free heart.
And now Moses adds, Beware that his wicked thought come not in your heart to say, Behold, the Seventh year is at hand, and if I lend, my money must lie dead for the time. He calls it a wicked though when we be held back by it too much to our own profit, and in the meanwhile for sake the party that is in need. For were our thoughts well ruled, surely we should not be so greatly wedded to our own profit, but that we would also think upon those whom God commands to us. It is said that love seeks not his own. True it is that it cannot be but that every man will be mindful of himself. But Saint
Pauls meaning in saying so, is that men must not be carried away with the love of their own profit, as who should say they would have no fellowship with their neighbors, nor strain themselves to do anything for them. Therefore as for those which say, I must have regard of myself, and therewithal do despise others, and pass not what they endure: those seek their own gain, and in so doing show themselves to be utterly void of charity. Contrariwise, if we be kindhearted although we be mindful of ourselves, yet are we not so carried away with it; but that we bear an even hand and proceed to the loving of our neighbors as ourselves. Whereas our nature wholly draws us to our own private profit, let us bethink ourselves thus: What? I cannot separate myself from those to whom God has knit me; for that were a wicked divorce. If I should hold myself alone, and have no regard but of mine own advantage; it were a cutting of myself off from mankind and I were worthy to be cut from the rest of the world, for it is against kind. So then, it is not without cause that Moses says, that when a man is so mindful of his own profit, and seeks it in such sort that he takes it as an occasion to refuse to help his neighbors at all: it is a wicked thought, for thereby we be done to understand, that we must not justify ourselves because that although men be not able to accuse us so as we may be condemned by mans
Law; yet does it not follow therefore that we be quit before God. If a man come to borrow money of me, and I think thus with myself, I cannot tell whether this man be able to pay me again or not, he is a poor man, and when I have tarried a long time, he may chance to grow poorer and poorer, and then is my money lost. Now then if this poor man that was to be succored abide still in distress, and in the end perish: the other that would not lend him, shall not be accused for it not brought to answer for it before men. And if men cast him in the teeth with it. Oh (will he say) It was for me to seek mine own profit, I lifted not to hazard myself after that fashion. Well this excuse may serve before men: but in the meanwhile what says the heavenly judge to it? It is a wicked thought, says he: and let men flatter themselves never so much, they shall win nothing by it.
Therefore let us mark that we must not weigh our workers in our own scales, as who should say we shall go scot free because we have some starting hole. For our Lord tells us that the thing which bears a show to be excusable of itself, is cursed in his sight; that is to wit if we succor not the party that has need, at leastwise according to our ability. And it is the self same thing that our Lord Jesus Christ puts us in mind of, where he says that we must do good to such as are not able to require us with the like, and that we must lend without looking for any gain. For neither in lending nor in giving, commonly is there any liberality among men, but every man has an eye to his own gain. If a man give, it is to the end to receive gifts again: and if a man lend, always his respect is, that such a one day do him pleasure and recompense him with the like good turn again. It is no liberality when we do good in hope to be recompensed for it again. But if we do good to a poor man, as whose hand we cannot by any means reap any profit; that is a point of free goodness, and God allows of it, for it is an acceptable sacrifice to him. And that is the cause why he says that we should not give to such as are able to requisite us, but to such as are utterly unable, and of whom we have no hope to recover the principal: for it is no alms deed, that is to say, no deed of mercy, unless there be need: and where is need, but among such as are not able to recompense? Yes and even where our money may seem to be cast into the water, insomuch that we have succored such a man as it may be said, verily this is quite lost for aught that I can see? Yes, verily, as to the world ward. But our Lord says, I receive it: you think you put your alms into a mortal mans hand, but it is I that become debtor for it. Although all things be his yet hinds be himself in the person of the poor; and should then any niggardly stay us from succoring those whom God offers to us, seeing he sets them as in his own stead, and avows all to be done to himself which is done to them?
Moreover let us mark that Moses speaks here, of such as are in need.
For God meant not to maintain wicked folk in idleness and naughtiness. The man that seeks to waste away other mens good, and to defraud his creditors, is not commended to us here of God: but he speaks directly of mercy. And that is the cause why he says, You shall not harden your heart. For if we have not that discretion: do what alms deeds we will, and yet shall none of them be acceptable.
Wherefore let us mark, that here God speaks not in favor of all men, but only sets before us such as are in need and know not what to do, and should perish in distress if they were not relieved. Those are they which are to be helped according to our ability. True it is, that to mark a Law of it, it is not possible. God has set this order among his people, that the poor should be succored. But he has not told with what sum, nor how oftentimes: he has not made a tax of it, to say that every man should bear thus much; Only we must resort to this which S. Paul says, Let every man do that which he does with a free heart, and not lay a tribute upon me as though they should pay as much as they were set at: but let every mass himself of his own good will, and think thus, although I strained myself a hundred times more, yet could I not discharge myself to my Godward. Albeit forasmuch as he shows me this favor to accept it as an offering of my hand, although I do not so much as I ought to do nothing near, yet does it please him to receive that which I give him, so it be done with a free heart. Since we know this, albeit that we cannot make a grounded Law of it, to say how far we shall go in succoring our neighbors, yet let every of us strain himself, and always be doing, with the foresaid free heart.
And it is said, You shall not think with yourself, the year of respect it at hand, and therefore I will not lend. Hereby it is showed us (as I have touched before) that if a poor man require help, although he be not able to pay the thing again out of hand which he borrows yet must not we be cold for all that. For we must think, if I help this poor man at this time, he is a faithful man, and my succoring and relieving of him shall set him half up again, but how so ever the world go, he may be able to maintain his trade, and at length he may pay me all that he borrows. But I utterly fail him at this time, he is quite sunk, he is brought under foot forever, and he has no means to get up again: and I am too blame if I see him perish so. Had we this consideration with us, we should not have the niggard lines that Moses mentions and condemns here. And how so? Let us know that where need requires, we must not have such respect to our own profit, as to let the poor perish in their distress without lending them out helping hand.
Again, let us weigh well this saying which Moses sets down here: namely that we must open our hands. He repeats it twice or thrice: and that is to show us that there is nothing but hypocrisy in us, when we pretend to have compassion, and yet our hand is always shut, and nothing can be wrong out of us. I have told you already that a number of folk will not pass greatly to say; Alas, when they see poor people: but they bear themselves in hand that it is enough to have pretended a countenance. But here God reproves mens dissimilation, if they have not their hands open: for it is a token that their heart is hardened, so as there is nothing but beastly churlishness in them, and when their hands be not opened, it must needs be a record of it.
Again he sets down that the poor is to be succored according to his need 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 understood of the taking of gages.
And hereby we see yet better, that our Lords meaning was not to have debts utterly released by the respect that was given in the seventh year: but only to have a time of rest given for the respects and considerations which I have treated off before.
Furthermore it is told us here, that we must relieve our neighbors wants: for our Lord speaks here of the lending that are done of alms.
And indeed, it is often times a greater alms deeds to lend some competent sum, than to give a very little. For it may be that the giving of a little will do a man no ease at all: but the lending of as much as need requires relieves him very well, and he may in time content his creditor again. That then is the thing where to our Lord appoints us. And therefore let us mark the thing which I have touched already; that is to know, that although a man cannot set down a law certain in this behalf; yet must every man be a rule to himself, to do according to his own ability and according to that need that he sees in his neighbors.
Now here is added yet further, that God will bless such as do so, according as he had begun yesterday to promise his blessing to all such a were so liberally minded towards the succoring of the poor.
And this serves still to correct the cursed unbelief that holds our hearts locked up so as no man minds aught else than himself and his own profit. For it seems to us that if we forgo never so little of that which we have, we be in that way to be undone by it. That is the cause why ever man holds fast, and never thinks he has enough Oh (say we) it is true that we may do so and so: but thereby I should be impaired, and I cannot tell what may befall to myself. We cast so many doubts, that we can never find occasion to give anything. Any why so? For sooth because I might want it myself. But that is a cursed distrust, and such a one as provokes Gods wrath. For we ought rather to hope well at his hand, that as he has not failed us heretofore, so he will continue to do us good still. And yet we go to seek these doubts afar off, which we be afraid of: insomuch that it grieves us even to hear then spoken of. If a man should say to us, such a thing may befall the if your house should be burned, and all the goods be consumed in it, and you be driven to sell your land and possession, in what case wart you them? None of these songs would please us, but we would chase and storm at him that should speak so.
And why? For a rich man would fine sleep in his riches, he hopes that he shall stand always at one stay, and he fade himself in his delights.
But in that meanwhile, if he be to do any good; he by and by forecasts, Oh such a thing might befall me; famine and war and I know not what else must be feared. We heap together all that mischance that can be devised. And to what end? Even to shut up our hearts and our hands; that we might do no man good. Now our Lord minding to correct such distrust, brings us back to his blessing, and says, Know you that it belongs to me to multiply you. And therefore you may well hope that when you seem to be impaired to the world ward, you shall have a greater treasure that if you had kept all that ever could have come to your hands, and had never done any good to your neighbors to succor the withal. For I am rich enough to fill you again, even when you be utterly destitute of all things. Seeing that our Lord speaks after that manner, must we not needs be worse than Infidels if we be not moved there at to do good? Yes and though we go not to work with so earnest minds as we should do, yet if we be not moved at leastwise to do somewhat; may it not be said that we stop our ears against God and give him no audience at all, yes and that we give no credit nor trust at all to any of his promises?
Therefore let us learn to weigh better that value of this lesson concerning Gods blessing, and let no man rest upon that things that he has in his own possession, nor put such trust in them as to say; This is my stay, this is the trust in them as to say; This is my stay, this is the staff that I must lean upon. Let us beware of such trust, for it is devilish. Nor rather, let us think thus; Seeing that God has given me whereon to live, I am contented with that which I have, and I hope that he will also provide for me still hereafter; and in the meantime I will so use that which I have, and I hope that he will also provide for me still hereafter; and in the meantime I will so use that which I have, and I hope that he will also provide for me still hereafter; and in the meantime I will so use that which he gives me, as I may succor those that have need. And therewithal I will put from me all things that may draw me from the obeying of my God, and from that trust which I ought to repose in his goodness. Thus you see how we ought to benefit ourselves by the promises of Gods blessing, so as they may quicken up, not only to have recourse to him, but also to use liberality towards those that have need of us, to the end that our Lord may be praised both of great and small, poor and rich, and all of us have our contentment in him alone, according to the grace that he shall bestowed upon us.
Now let us kneel down in his presence with acknowledgement of our faults, praying him to make us perceive them better, and to touch us to the quick, to the end that knowing his infallible truth, and what his will is towards us, we may be moved thereby to follow the same, and to fashion ourselves to his example, by imparting ourselves in such wise to our neighbors, and by disposing the good in such sort which he has put into your hands, as we may one day yield him a good and faithful account of them, that we have not been too much addicted to ourselves: but that when we shall have endeavored to do good according to his meaning, our whole seeking maybe to live and die in his obedience, drawing others with us to the self same faith, so as we may all call upon him as our father truly and unfriendly, because we maintain a right brotherhood with all such as are knit to us. That is may please him to grant this grace, not only to us, but also to all people and nations of the earth, et cetera.