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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	church_n	good_a	true_a	1,044	5	4.3446	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A16763	A treatise of christian beneficence, and of that like christian thankefulnese which is due to the same The which, as they are duties of singular account with God, so are they of as necessarie vse to all christians, for the keeping of faith and a good conscience, as are fire and water for common vse and comfort to the naturall life of all men.	Allen, Robert, fl. 1596-1612.	1600 (1600)	STC 367; ESTC S112321	178,520	256

them as fearefull threatnings as they themselues be For seeing God hath by his holy spirit guided his seruants as liuely and sincere interpreters of his holy iustice herein to set them downe there is no doubt but they are ratified in heauen for the perpetuall admonition and warning of all men to the end of the world whosoeuer will auoid that vengeance that is contained in them against this sinne Neither let any man flatter himselfe because all this as hath also bene obserued before is spoken against the height and extremitie of the sinne of vnthankefulnesse as though negligence or forgetfulnesse or misapplying of beneficence came not within the compasse of this curse for euen these sinnes also are with great seueritie condemned of God In the newe Testament the Apostle Iude hauing layd forth the greatnesse of their sinne who communicating in the holy beneficence and contributions of the Christian Churches and intruding themselues for guestes in the loue-feastes had no care to feede themselues in the feare of God and to liue as Christians ought to doe he sheweth first the greatnesse of this sinne in that he saith such were spottes in their holy feastes Cloudes without water carried about of the windes corrupt trees without fruite c. And then followeth the punishment which the holie Ghost threateneth and pronounceth To them is reserued the blackenesse of darkenesse for euer The like is sayd of the Apostle Paul 1. Tim. 5.12.13 concerning the young widdowes who abused the maintenance which they had by the Churches to idlenesse yea to prating and busie medling c. And now further let vs reason thus against all kind of vnprofitable consumers of Christian beneficence that in so much as euen they who giue not any thing at all to holy vses are greatly punished although they be no sacrilegious riflers and spoylers of Church goods yea euen they that giue if it be in hypocrisie and not with an vpright heart as we haue a memorable example in Ananias and Saphira his wife for they were both punished by an extraordinarie and sodaine death which caused great feare to fall on all the Church which were the beholders of it on as many also as heard of it Act. 5.1 c. 11. And seeing all that boast of greater liberalitie then they do in truth performe such as King Salomon saith doe boast of false liberalitie Prouerb chap. 25. verse 14. and so being mockers of God cannot scape vnpunished according to that of the Apostle Gal. 6. As a man soweth so shall he reape In like maner how should we thinke that he which receiueth corruptly that is contrary to the vertues required to Christian receiuing neither hath care to vse that beneficence Christianly which he hath receiued how can we thinke I say that such a one should not be subiect to the punishment For doubtlesse it is no lesse sinne to vse good things ill then not to giue them well Is it not as great a sinne to destroy a field of corne after it is sowne as Absolom burnt vp Ioabs corne 2. Sam. 14.30 as if Ioab had not caused it first to be sowne But I will not prosecute this point it being of it selfe to all reasonable men as I suppose euident plaine Wherefore I come to make some vse of it and so drawe to an end of our Treatise as one thereunto called by the importunitie of other great and weightie businesse of the Lord. To this purpose I beseech you I speake to all those that are partakers of holy and Christian beneficence let vs thinke earnestly with our selues and weigh the matter as with equall ballance in our owne consciences before hand what anie of vs should answere to the Lord if we should behaue our selues so dissolutely in the abuse and mispending thereof that the Lord should be prouoked to bring forth his seruants to witnesse before his iudgement seat against vs that although they had for his sake fed vs when we were hungry refreshed vs with drinke when we were drie and thirsty clothed vs when we were naked lodged vs when we were harbourlesse visited vs when we were sicke and in prison nay rather if they should be brought for witnesses as they might be touching some of vs that they had not onely for the Lords sake kept vs from extreme pouertie and miserie preuented our imprisonment c. but that they had fed vs deintily clothed vs costly lodged vs in soft bedding and euery way tendered vs charily for his sake if notwithstanding all this any of vs should not be found carefull to serue the Lord and so to reioyce the hearts of our nursing-fathers and nursing-mothers answerable to their so precious and rare kindnesse and bountie poured vpon vs. But much rather if we should idly profanely and wickedly waste all that holy prouision and as it were the Manna of heauen which hath bene bestowed vpon vs to the dishonour of the name of God and to the griefe and discouragement of the hearts of our godly benefactors let vs I say earnestly bethinke our selues what any of vs could answer in this case Nay rather as the truth is let vs assure our selues that whosoeuer of vs shall be found thus culpable or much lesse that out of all question we should be altogether without answere as men dumbe and vtterly speechlesse euen like to th●t vnmeete and rude guest that at the marriage feast of the Gospell in so much as he was found there without his marriage garment to the dishonour of the feast And so being speechlesse and conuict in our owne consciences of intollerable and sacrilegious wickednesse what might wee possibly looke for but as at the commandement of the King and Lord of the feast or of the Iudge sitting vppon the throne of iudgement to be taken and bound hand feete and so to be cast into vtter darkenesse where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth which was the righteous iudgement of God vpon the profane and rude guest Matt. 22.11.12.13 O therefore how much better yea how much more blessed and happie shall it be if according as God of his rich mercie do make anie of vs partakers of his more speciall grace fauor in the inlarging of the tender bowels and compassion of his good and mercifull seruants toward vs we shall through his grace awake and stirre vp our selues and inlarge our heartes yea if we shall rise early in the morning as the holy Scriptures vse to speake that we may speedily and with all diligence indeuour after the performance of euerie good dutie of true christian obedience and thankfulnes both toward God and man to euerie good beneficiall friend and to the whole Church of God For hereunto we are called yea verie honorablie inuited and as it were hyred Hereby also are we made debtours to all so far forth as God shall vouchsafe to open the doore vnto vs and to giue vs anie blessed occasion and opportunitie to perfourme anie good and right

him great giftes if he could interpret the writing that appeared vnto him Keepe thy rewards to thy selfe saith Daniel and giue thy giftes to another Neuerthelesse he read the writing and shewed the interpretation thereof to the King The Prophet Samuel beeing a Iudge in Israel may worthily be a notable example to all both magistrates in ciuill iustice and also to ministers of the word of God For he hauing the grace we speake of hath obtained this testimonie from the holy Ghost that he tooke no bribe or corrupting gift at any mans hande 1. Sam. 12.13 c. Behold here I am saith Samuel in his Apologie or in way of renderring vp an accounte of his office of Iudge-shippe beare ye record of me before the Lord and before his annointed Whose oxe haue I taken or whose asse haue I taken or whom haue I done wrong vnto or whom haue I hurt or of whose hand haue I receiued any bribe to blinde mine eyes therewith and I will restore it you Then they sayde thou hast done vs no wrong neyther hast thou hurte vs neyther hast thou taken ought of anie mans hande And he saide the Lord is witnesse against yee and his annointed is witnes this daie he speaketh of Saul whō the people had made king ouer thē that ye haue foūd nought in my hands they answered he is w●nes But why may some say is Samuel thus earnest in his owne defence verily not in desire of any prayse to himselfe but that he might cause it to be esteemed a matter of great respect that the publike Magistrate should b● 〈◊〉 himselfe 〈…〉 corruptly in the discharge of his duty before the Lord and towarde his people as also that he might let the people see their sinne in casting off him from the rule and gouernement of them without cause on his part yea contrarie to that vprightnesse and fidelitie which he had vse ●●oward them as appeareth in the fa●●● 1●●h●● q. 18. 19. And according to that which God himselfe 〈◊〉 spoken before ch 8.7 They haue not cast thee away but they haue cast me away that I should not reigne ouer them Thus therefore Samuel resigned his office of Iudge-shippe though he ●●●●seth not to be a Prophet to the people For for it followeth vpon the request which the people make that he would pray for them ch 12. verse 23. God forbid that I should sinne against the Lord and cease praying for you but I will shew you the good and right way The like protestation vseth Moses Num. ch 16.15 A Gift must be receiued reuerendlie though not so largly laied forth but somewhat more directly vnto God I haue not taken saith Moses to the Lord so much as an asse from them neither haue I hurt any of thē Hetherto of the first grace necessarie concerning the receiuing of a gift From whence easilie may it appeare that the generall exhortation of the Apostle is to great purpose Heb. 13.5.6 in that he thus writeth to all Christans Let your conuersation be without couetousnes and be ye content with those thinges which ye haue for he that is God hath said I will not leaue thee neither forsake thee So that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper neither will I feare what man can doe vnto me Of like sorte is the counsell of King Salomon Prou. 23.6 Eate thou not the bread of him that hath an euill eye And the prayer of King Dauid his father Psal 141. Let me not eate of the delicates of the wicked c. The next grace and vertue requisite to the Christan receiuing of such giftes and benefites as may lawfully expediently be receiued for necessarie reliefe and comfort it is Reuerence For they must be receiued not simple as from men but with a reuerent regard of Gods spiciall goodnes in mouing the heartes of his good seruantes and deare children by his holy spirit to haue so louing and tender a care ouer vs. Yea it is the part of all such as are succoured this way so to consider of Gods owne goodnes herein that they may humblie acknowledge themselues vnworthy of so greate a grace and fauour according to the example of Iaakob Gen. 32.10 who saith vnto God I am lesse then any of thy benefites And as King Dauid saith 2. Sam. 7.18 Who am I ô Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hetherto c. Such humility I say ought to be in those that are succoured by the honorable instrumentes of Gods bounteous goodnes and mercie It is verilie specially in times of great distresse no lesse to be esteemed then if God should cause the cloudes of heauen to raine downe Manna as he did for the reliefe of the Israelites according to that comparison which the Apostle Paul maketh in the same respect A Gift is to be receiued reuerendlie 2. Cor. 8.15 And the rather is this estimation to be made of it if such be in any singular manner beneficiall to any who were before strangers to their benefactors and had performed no dutie whereby they might be induced therunto Finally to make this point of reuerend receiuing of benefites more familiar and plaine this we say that the reuerence which is due to benefactors is such a reuerence as belongeth from dutifull children to their louing and kind parents For in so much as they doe the part of parentes to so manie as they doe relieue and cherish it is good reason that these againe should yeeld a childlike duetie and honour vnto them according to the 5. commandement of almightie God Honour thy father and thy mother c. And thus we haue a good occasion after this mention of honour to proceed to speake in the third place of thankfulnesse seeing this beeing the third grace requisite to to the Christian receiuing of giftes is also a fruite of that honourable reuerend account which ought to be made of all good and beneficiall Patrons and friends Of the which dutie it behoueth euery one whom it concerneth to be the more carefull because it is the preseruatiue or rather a certaine seed for multiplication of benefites For to such as shall be found truly thankfull and walke in good dutie the Lord will continue the beneficence of his seruantes yea he will amplifie and inlarge them so farre as he knoweth to be meete and expedient for any of his obedient children But it may be here obiected that we must on all hands giue all our thanks vnto God seeing all good things come of his bountie alone and he requireth it also as a spiciall dutie of his worship saying as we read in the 50. Psal Offer ye prayse vnto God And againe in the same Psalm He that offereth praise glorifieth me It is true no man may deny it God onely is to bee thanked and praysed with religions diuine praise A Gift must be receiued thankefully which doe indeede belong onely to him that is the author

I bene stubborne that I would not be behind in benefites I beseech ye therefore to striue stoutly and though yee bee put to the worse come againe a fresh in battell aray They are happie who get the victorie they are happie also who are ouercome What young man is more noble then he that can say to himselfe for to another he may in no wise speake it I haue vanquished my father by benefites Who is more happie then such an ancient man who hath iust cause to tell it whithersoeuer he commeth that his sonne hath beene more beneficiall or done more for him then he hath done for his sonne And what is a more blessed thing then for a man to ouercome himselfe Thus we see how the Philosopher disputeth and how he determineth the question of recompence betwixt the child and the father And he hath spoken as much and to as good purpose as anie of the Philosophers haue spoken in this point The which also I haue beene bolde thus farre forth to set downe hoping that it may be considered with some good profite by Christians though from the penne of a heathen man But because we haue a more certaine and sure rule to go by both in this particulare and generallie concerning the doctrine of recompence in all cases let vs now answere the question demanded from the most excellent and on lie perfect the wisdome of God out of holie Scriptures I answer therfore by a concession and granting of the question that a recompēce through the blessing of God may be some other waies then by benefites of the same kind aboundantlie made as for example when for earthlie blessings anie are made partakers of spiritual graces and blessings the which vnequall cōmutation or change of benefites the Lord most vsuallie worketh by the hand and ministerie of such to whom he hath committed the preaching of his word and Gospell according as the Apostle Paul saith If we haue ●owne vnto you spirituall thinges is it a great thing if we reape your carnall thinges 1. Cor. 9.11 And againe in his epistle to Philemon pleading with him for his vnfaithfull and runne-away seruant Onesimus that he would vpon his repentance receiue him againe for his sake I vvill recompence it saieth Paule albeit I do not say to thee that thou owest to me euen thine owne selfe Yea further Rom. 15.27 he treating about that great beneficence of manie Churches sent to the Christians of Ierusalem then in distresse through the dearth he is more bold to tell the Christian Gentiles that they are debtors vnto the christian Iewes euen for the inestimable benefits sake of the Gospel which came vnto the Gentiles from them according as it is written The lawe shall go forth of Sion and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem Isai 2. v. 3. And Ps 110.2 And therfore the Apostle concludeth that in so much as the Gentiles are made partakers of the spirituall treasures of the Iewes their dutie is also to minister to them in carnall thinges But this pointe hath bene more fully handled before from the beginning of the third chapter of the former part of the Treatise Let vs therefore leauing this point hast forward Verilie Praier it selfe from the faithful and feruent heart of euerie true Christian though they be priuate persons no Ministers Preachers of the word it is such an almes out of such a blessed treasurie and storehouse that it easilie counteruaileth the outward value of that externall almes which the rich man taketh out of his purse or coffer yea though he open the stringes of his purse wide and stretch out his hand verie liberallie Neuerthelesse the widest opening of the heart vnto Praier must not shut out the care of retribution no not in the same kind whereby anie stand indebted or not in the like measure if so there be need and if God giue abilitie to cause the measure to be pressed downe and to runne ouer according to that which was affirmed before Neither must it shut out the care of benefiting the posteritie of those which haue beene good vnto vs. And here also for want of a fitter place let vs consider from the example of the people of Israel that it is a dutie of thankfulnesse to honour speciall good men with speciall honour euen after their death Benefited men euen thereby stand bound to be beneficiall in their buriall for so it is written of the people of Israel to their commendation that they buried Iehoiada the high Priest in the Citie of Dauid among the Kinges because he had done good in Israell and toward God and his house 2 Chro. ch 24.16 Now finally as a helpe to this fruite of thankefulnesse by care of making recompence it is necessarie that euerie mans heart be a faithfull register of all the kindnesse and beneficence which he is made partaker of Yea and because the memorie of euery one of vs is lesse apt to remember what we owe then what we make reckening to be due vnto vs it were requisite that euerie one should haue some booke of record thereby to be holpen by the sight of white and blacke as they say to call to minde from a long repetition of the yeares and times that are past both from whō in what measure we haue bene succoured by the beneficence mercifull releife of this and that good seruant of our God Whereunto well may that serue which was obserued in the entrāce of this treatise cōcerning the similitude which the Apostle alludeth vnto Philip. 4.15 We haue bene long in this third fruit of thankefulnesse The fourth is this that for want of occasions to make recompence to benefactors or for want of necessitie on their partes or their childrens that we learne from their example and by experience of Gods mercie by them to be our selues the instruments of God to exercise as much goodnesse and mercie as we may And if we be not able from the purse yet by good counsell and holie instruction by faithfull dealing by that credit we haue with others by earnest sute for them in good and honest causes c For there shall doubtlesse neuer want occasions of beneficence one way or other to those that be beneficiallie and helpefully minded The poore saith our Sauiour Christ shal be alwaies with vs. And so long as sinne is in the world yea in the children of God though not reigning and as long as the children of this world are violent and deceitfull to oppresse and deceiue specially the true seruants and children of God and as long as the diuell their arch-enemie beareth any swaie in the world ruleth in the hearts of the wicked to push them forward to mallice and persecute the true worshippers of God of blind zeale to their owne false religion and superstition Finally so long as God himselfe seeth it meete yea good and profitable for his children to be humbled and that their faith and patience should be exercised