the halfe of my goods I doe giue to the poore and if I haue taken from any man by forged cauillation I restore him foure-fold c. But in thus beeing minded if thou findest it hard for thee to performe and art driuen to say with Paul For to will is present with mee but I finde no meanes to performe that which is good c. Goe on yet still and lay downe as before thy wants and weakenesses neuer giue ouer to confesse against thy selfe against thy best-beloued sin and pray withall and say Lord thou that hast set at libertie the feete of the lame hast commaunded the sicknesses and diseases of men and women to depart and to leaue them and hast made them by the word of thy mouth whole and sound to goe and walke about their affaires so I come to thee O Father I come to thee for my sicke sinnefull leprous blinde halt lame couetous and adulterous soule possessed with a legion of vncleane Deuills and I say to thee and beseech thee with the Centurion speake thou the word onely and I shall be healed cleansed and deliuered from the power of sinne set my soule at libertie and giue me thine holy Spirit then shall I be free For as the Apostle Paul saith Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is libertie yea perfect and full libertie indeed Then and neuer before shalt thou be able to preuaile against all thy corruptions then shall neither Idolatry nor Blasphemy nor Sabboth-breaking no Rebellion no dishonourable account of thy naturall Fathers of Magistrates or Ministers no malice no murdering affections no deceit no adultery then shall neither sinne nor Sathan preuaile ouer thee to thy destruction Acknowledge God mightie in mercy and say to him in Prayer from thy heart Lord say Lord to mee speake but the word and commaund my heart to feare thee commaund thou my soule and body to leaue off to doe euill and to doe the thing that is iust and vpright and I know I shall feare thee Yea with the Prophet Dauid say to God as he said I will yea I shall runne the way of thy Commaundements when thou shalt enlarge my heart And let thy louing kindnesse come to mee and thy saluation according to thy promise And in this thy asking make sure to thy selfe that thou mayest be able to charge God with his promise and that thou art of them to whom all Gods promises doe appertaine that so thou mayest be able to say and pray to thy Lord God with feeling as Dauid and doubtlesse thou shalt finde a comfortable change vpon this thy thus examining and further proceeding with thy selfe in forme aforesaid Now it followeth What hast thou at home Whereof as briefely as I may and so to the Answere of the Widdow and the Counsaile of the Prophet vpon this her answer Wherein as well may be gathered out of the Prophets words following her Answer this in the 3. and 4. Verses that each person that is indebted is out of that which remaines ouer and aboue his ordinary prouision for meat drinke and necessary apparell to make state of the rest to the Creditours best behoofe without further fraud couin or deceit This alwaies reserued that nothing of present vse wherein rests the continuing estate of present life as meat drinke and necessary apparrell is to be taken away or detained from him and to that purpose speakes Moses If thou lend money to my people that is to the poore with thee thou shalt not be as an Vsurer to him yee shall not oppresse him with Vsury 26. If thou take thy Neighbours rayment to pledge thou shalt restore it before the Sunne goe downe 27. For that is his couering onely and this is his garment for his skinne Wherein shall hee sleepe Therefore when he crieth vnto mee I will heare him for I am mercifull Doubtlesse the Prophet did not aske her of her estate to the end hee might fleece her to his owne behoofe as the present age of this World doth that is to lye in wait for aduantage and so long as there remaines any flesh at all vpon the bone to picke yea so long with the Crowes Cadowes Kites and Cormorants in the World to be praying vpon it But as a man of God by godly counsaile in due season taking occasion to helpe her distressed estate and out of that her small store that remained he aduises her in the feare of God and ioynes with her vnto God that as by his speciall helpe when all helpes faile hee will as the euent shewes he did so vouch-safe her deliuerance out of this her present griefe to the glory of his owne name the comfort of her and credit of her children as also to the continuance of her Husbands good report in the full satisfaction of the Creditor Hee doth not herein as the men of the World in their selfe-loue narrowly searching by themselues and their spies factors for that purpose where and whence any gaine neuer so course vile base shucking and abhominable is to be had and gotten vsually to lay hold of it He doth not enquire of that small remainder she had to buy it of her for little or naught taking occasion of her necessitie that afterwards he might make his boast of his great penniworths For this is the World happy is hee that can ouer-reach others in bargaining that can buy cheape and sell deare hauing a tongue that can change note vpon a sodaine as before he buy the thing when he sees commodity to be had to say it is naught the time serues not it will decay in your hand the longer you keepe it the lesse you will make of it the sooner you make it off the better but hauing laid wait for it by some other if his owne perswasion will not preuaile and so by cunning sleight at the last hauing got it into his hands then at an instant it is good and very good and so according to the person that enioyeth any matter of commoditie the price to be as doubtlesse it is and may well be in some cases the things with the circumstances and persons well weighed Salomon to the like purpose speakes of the craftie and deceiuable fashions of the World where hee saith It is naught it is naught saith the buyer but when he is gone apart he boasleth So doe men in these dayes sinne and iniquitie hauing got the vpper hand they sinne and that egregiously in what kind suppose it whatsoeuer as the Prophet Isay saith They declare their sinnes as Sodome and hide them not But this Prophet in his demand of the Widdow what shee had at home doth it wholly with respect of the care he had to relieue the Widdowes distresse by his counsell and by what comfortable manner he might indeed performe the same In whose example rests a good instruction for all whom in such a case it may concerne especially the very Creditor himselfe because this Scripture is
of men in his hands yea and for thy good So saith Salomon The Kings heart is in the hands of the Lord as the Riuers of waters he turneth it whithersoeuer it pleaseth him Let nothing step in thy way to discourage thee in the lawfull and seasonable vsing of these meanes for thy remedy for for thee euen for thee and for thy reliefe are all Kings Princes Iudges Magistrates Ministers appointed and by him set vp For he is the Minister of God for thy wealth But because where such popular oppressions doe grow and as by way of example one from another they doe daily increase it argues remissenesse both in the Gouernours and gouernment and some heauy iudgement of what kinde he best knowes that is the Iudge of all to hang ouer that Land for so it appeares to haue beene in the dayes of the Prophet Esay who prophecying of a desolation to fall vpon the people of Ierusalem and Iudah as is to see in these words For loe the Lord of Hosts will take away from Ierusalem and Iudah the stay and the strength c. In the fifth verse he saith to the purpose I haue in hand The people shall be oppressed one of another and euery one by his Neighbour the children shall presume against the ancient and the vile against the honourable But because when these grieuous sinnes of oppression and vndutifulnesse doe exceede it stands the Magistrates in hand first in themselues to begin to reforme and then to proceede not onely to make Lawes of reformation for the cleansing of the Church and Common-wealth of their enormities but to proceede with all seuerity and celerity vnto execution and because hereunto examples doe much prouoke let me be bold a little to lay downe before all who are in place of Magistracy vnder the supreame Magistrate the example of that worthy Gouernour Nehemiah It is yet time while then it is called to day as is said All you who would be accounted the Fathers of your Countries reade him and follow him Fathers must not be oppressors Fathers must be helpers comforters and nourishers of their Children Fathers must not suffer oppression in their Families one Childe to oppresse another so the Fathers ouer Churches and Common-wealthes must not take vpon them those places of honour and renowne for their owne credit gaine or ease but to be good ouer-seers of their people carefull punishers of oppression and not to suffer inasmuch as in them lieth one to oppresse another one to lay ouer-heauy yoakes or burdens one vpou another Nehemiah 5. 1. verse to the end of the 13. Reade it I beseech you marke it make vse of it and God assisting you doe it the words are these Now there was a great crie of the people and of their wiues against their brethren the Iewes 2. For there were that said We our Sonnes and our Daughters are many therefore we take vp Corne that we may eate and liue 3. And there were that said we must gage our Lands our Vineyards and our Houses and take vp Corne for the famine 4. There were also that said we haue borrowed money for the Kings tribute vpon our Lands and vpon our Vineyards 5. And now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren and our sonnes as their sonnes and loe saith he we bring into subiection our sonnes and daughters as seruants and there be of our daughters now in subiection and there is no power in our hands for other men haue our Lands and our Vineyards 6. Then was I very angry when I heard their cry and these words 7. And I thought in my minde and I rebuked their Princes and Rulers and said vnto them Ye lay burdens euery one vpon his brethren and I set a great Assembly against them 8. And I said vnto them We according to our ability haue redeemed our brethren the Iewes which were solde vnto the Heathen and will you sell your brethren againe or shall they be solde vnto vs Then helde they their peace and could not answere 9. I said also that which you doe is not good ought you not to walke in the feare of God for the reproach of the Heathen our enemies 10. For I euen I my brethren and seruants doe lend them money and corne I pray you let vs leaue off this burthen 11. Restore vnto them I pray you this day their Lands their Vineyards their Oliues and their houses and remit the 100. part of the siluer and of the corne of the Wine and of the Oyle that you exact of them 12. Then said they we will restore it and will not require it of them We will doe as thou hast said Then I called the Priests and caused them to sweare that they should doe according to this promise 13. So I shooke my lappe and said So let God shake out euery man that will not performe this promise from his house and from his labour euen thus let him be shaken out and emptied And all the Congregation said Amen and praysed the Lord and the people did according to this promise Oh blessed Ruler O blessed People and so much for this point Now followeth the Answer of the Prophet to the Widdow by way of conference together which is a declaration of the meanes whereby the debt is to be payed in these words Verse 2. Then Elizha said vnto her What shall I doe for thee Tell mee What hast thou at home And she said Thine hand-maid hath nothing at home saue a pitcher of Oyle Verse 3. And he said Goe borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours emptie vessels and spare not Verse 4. And when thou art come in thou shalt shut the doore vpon thee and vpon thy sonnes and powre out into all those vessels and set aside those that are full In this answer to her complaint by the Prophet there are two things to be obserued First a Question Secondly a Counsaile The question two-fold First What shall I doe for thee Secondly What hast thou at home c. The Counsaile Goe and borrow thee vessels abroad c. From the Prophets example wee are to obserue a generall poynt for our practise viz. The care that he had ouer the poore widdow which appeares in his first demaund What shall I doe for thee We ought to doe the like a question most fit for all fathers of Countries Cities and Common-wealths For all the reuerend Fathers of Churches as Bishops Pastors and Teachers yea for all whom it concernes to be as the Eares Eyes Mouth Hands Feete and what not for the poore fatherlesse the stranger the oppressed the widdow and who are no way able to helpe or speake for themselues Such a one was Iob I was saith he the Eyes to the blinde and I was the feet to the lame I was as a Father vnto the poore and when I knew not the cause I searched it out diligently I brake also the iawes of the vnrighteous man and pluckt the pray
right lest at the last shee come and make me weary And so much the more to hearten vs on let vs not forget in our prayers our Magistrates then especially when any of our iust causes are vpon trialls to the which purpose the Psalmist directeth vs in these words Giue thy iudgements to the King O God and thy righteousnesse to the Kings Sonne Then shall hee iudge the people in righteousnesse and the poore with equitie This is the way to keepe our faith vpright in God still to relie vpon him in the blessing of the meanes to vs. Last of all let vs looke backe to Gods former care ouer vs and from an experimentall feeling of that his goodnesse let vs quicken vp our dull and heauy soules â—aying confidently as from the assurance of faith with Dauid Though my Father and Mother forsake me yet the Lord will gather me vp And with the Apostle Paul to testifie of God in this sort Who hath deliuered vs from so great a death doth deliuer vs and in whom we trust that he will deliuer vs. Againe God is faithfull which will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you be able but will euen giue the issue with the tentation that you may be able to beare it Now let vs proceede to some particular obseruations further to be drawne out of the words of her Petition Thy seruant mine Husband is dead and thou knowest thy seruant did feare the Lord and the Creditor is come c. It is as cleare as the Sunne that her Husband left her indebted and not that shee fell into debt after because the words are inseparably conioyned as also from the custome of creditors who immediately vpon the death of their debtors doe seeke into their estates and with all expedition call home their owne But the thing to be obserued vpon this place in the mention making of her Husband to feare God and therein appealing to the testimony of the Prophet himselfe is this that against the practise of most women shee forgets her pouerty preuailing mightily against the male-contentednesse of her estate or rather the hard estate her Husband left her in and with the comfortable remembrance of her Husbands piety and feare of God shee doth as it were feede and satisfie her selfe The lesson that is taught women aboue others in this place is that in their chaste and sincere loue they ought inasmuch as in them lieth to couer the trespasses of their Husbands especially they failing but in matters of worldly wants or in such like whereof God depriues them for some thing best knowne to himselfe Doubtlesse worldly encombrances doe breede much discontentednesse betweene Husband and Wife where Gods feare ouer-rules not in each to which purpose the Apostle Paul speaketh as by way of comparison betweene the marryed estate and single life The marryed man saith he careth for the things of the World and how he may please his wife which in the things more indifferent of this life to doe is no disparagement to the Husband at all being done in knowledge according also to which the Wife is to walke yea so farre as behoueth her place and that for the nourishing of houshold peace yea as a teacher of honest things which lesson howsoeuer it concerne specially the elder women yet all women are being come to that holy degree of the married estate not onely to know for themselues but for their Husbands Children Seruants and Neighbours and herein the Apostle Peter doth affirme that the knowledge of the Wife how to walke in all good and due subiection to her Husband and so to doe for there be too many that know and doe not is as an excellent meanes preparatory to draw on an vntoward Husband to the profession of faith to which purpose these words tend Likewise let the Wiues be subiect to their Husbands that euen they which obey not the Word may without the Word be wonne by the conuersation of the Wiues But what if the Wife doe in some good measure of knowledge goe beyond the Husband and able perhaps to direct her Husband God willing it should be so vpon some occasions not ordinarily for the Husband is the Wiues head and Husbands should dwell with their Wiues as men of knowledge Such a Wife had Manoach the Father of Sampson as wee reade such a Wife was Abigal to Nabal that man of Belial few such Wiues but too too many such Nabals I feare this age is replenished with separating to the end Husbands may follow their strange lusts But to goe on herein let not the Wife in her knowledge vsurpe a dominion ouer her Husband nor yet in pride of heart insult ouer him for that is rather to destroy then to build and builders ought good Wiues to be as Salomon teacheth A wise woman buildeth her House This then is required further of a Wife that shee doe carry her selfe in all temperance and sobriety with a meeke and quiet spirit which is before God a thing much set by and therein as a fellow-helper comforter and counsellor so speaking to for her Husband as if he knowing all already and more then she can tel aduise him may be and so stand as his remembrancer seeking with this widdow in al she may the honor credit and estimation of her husbands good name thogh dead much more liuing not admitting thogh perhaps there be some cause any one thogh vniustly to estrange her heart from her Husband The consideration of this Doctrine may serue all good and Christian Wiues either so being or hauing beene Widdowes those especially vnto whom vpon too sudden a change of their estates oftentimes there fall out many discontentments to teach them by all meanes to auoide all vnseemely quarrellous and contentious speeches and no way distemperately to vexe grieue thwart and crosse their Husbands but in all good peace so to carry themselues towards them though perhaps irreligious and farre out of order as that they rather learne to take and so take these troubles of theirs which in want of fore-sight they haue brought vpon themselues as not onely tryals of their faith and patience sent from God but also medicinable corrections for their further amendment If this then be the duty of Wiues to Husbands who feare not God what is then to be required of those Wiues whose Husbands in a good and conscionable regard of them and theirs doe labour in their profession and according to their place to walke according to all godlinesse and piety These I say by the wiues in all mildnesse are much more in all subiection to be yeelded vnto Thus then you see this woman vpon the loue to her Husband not so soone forgotten was comforted to sollicite Elizha in her owne behalfe by an argument drawne from the feare of God that was in him well knowne to Elizha himselfe as shee saith And thou knowest that thy seruant did feare the Lord whereby
neither he that loueth not his brother All which duties of the Law also concerning God and man must be done in like manner wholly and that from a sound heart And therefore if thou shalt soothe vp thy selfe in some duties doing and shalt in the meane while faile in other know this from the Apostle Iames who saith For whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Law and yet faileth in one point is guilty in all Where then the true feare of God is there is first integrity of heart and then whole obedience that is a continuall striuing vnto the performance of all and euery duty with care of doing what wee doe for Gods cause or because of the loue that wee doe beare to God constrayning vs thereunto But because in either getting or keeping a good report whilest men dealet together in matters of this World as in borrowing and lending there be many windings and turnings so that it is hard for a man to passe away without some staine of his credit especially if hee bee one that striueth vnto godlinesse whom all the World seeketh to speake ill of it stands euery man in hand therefore so much the more truly to â—ift himselfe especially when Gods hand is vpon him in this affliction of being in debt He therefore that will not be deceiued in himselfe in looking vpon the Law of the ten Commandements as vpon a looking-glasse wherein he desires to behold the errors of his life let him cast his eye aside and with good care looke into the extreame part of that Glasse euen the tenth Commandement Thou shalt not couet c. Or as the Apostle saith Thou shalt not lust and there shall hee learne this lesson that if hee haue giuen but way to any sinne to make proffer to him and so suffer it to rest and Sathan the first mouer or suggester to sinne with any though neuer so small an entertainment of him yea if he haue but granted time vpon the motion and first suggestion thereunto to demurre and as it were to aduise whether it be best to thinke or not to thinke to doe or not to doe thereby calling the Law of God into question or doubt put the case it be vpon this point of borrowing vpon a deceiueable purpose to serue thy present neede if that party whosoeuer hath not giuen either in the point in hand as borrowing vpon deceiueable purposes or any the like motion or prompting vnto sinne as our Sauiour Christ did vnto Sathan the present auant or auoid Sathan and with Dauid Away from me all yee workers of iniquitie or rather with the same Prophet in the like words Away from me yee wicked I will keepe the Commaundements of my God let him know that hee hath sinned already against his owne soule euen in this that by demurring with Sathan as by way of counsaile-taking he hath giuen him some hope to preuaile at the last which to doe is sinne with God and therefore to this purpose speaketh the holy Apostle Paul Let not the Sunne goe downe vpon your wrath neither giue place to the Deuill For how small soeuer a sinne not to resist sinne vpon the first sight in outward seeming appeares to be because the beginnings of sinne are very deceitful it being a common saying A little is not so much Yet so great it is doubtlesse as once being entred vpon thee hardly after if euer vntill thy dying day will it be got out for the very regenerate haue their sinnes vnder the which they doe continually labour which maketh them goe heauily mourning all the day long and oftentimes to water their couch with their teares as Dauid did who complained saying I fainted in my mourning I cause my bedde euery night to swimme and water my couch with my teares and this doth the looking into this first glasse of the Law cause yea in them who truely feare God But here they must not stand There is another more cleare cristalline and comfortable glasse of the Gospel which also they must with all good speed looke into where they shall euen vpon the very first view so sodainly behold Christ Iesus that onely comforter of them that mourne in Sion and the refresher of those that goe heauily laden vnder the burthen of their sinne and seeke their refreshing where it is to be had for faith in Christ Iesus is the onely marke of that filial son-like and true feare of God without the which faith there is no true feare of God at all and when thou seest him goe to him lay hold on him make thy moane to him shew him thy soares thy wounds certifie him of the foyles thou hast had since thou entredst thy selfe a Souldier vnder his Banner challenge him for thy Captaine acknowledge thy strayings and wandring out of his Campe let him know thy seuerall and particular sinnes hide nothing from him though he know all before it shall be his greater glory and in the end thy greater comfort bewaile his so long absence from thee with the great dangers thou wast in whilest thou wast left to thy selfe Say with the Church in Salomons Song I sought him but I found him not I called vpon him and he answered me not Giue me leaue a little longer because this feare of God as is said Hoc est totum hominis it is all that God requires of man and it is that thou must haue and it is a point whereupon thou must trie and often examine thy selfe euen King Queene Prince Nobles Gouernours Ministers Husband Wife Father Children Masters Seruants I cannot therefore end I am as in a maze giue me leaue yet in a word who is it that as the Church before saith hath not called vpon God often and yet hath not preuailed and what then shall he therefore giue ouer No shall he not still pray Yes Wilt thou aske how long leaue him not vntill he haue mercy vpon thee let not the terriblenesse of thine enemy although he be as a roaring and deuouring Lyon laid downe by the Apostle Peter before thee let it not daunt thee but awaken thy spirits the more the rather and therefore to the purpose it is that the Apostle saith Watch ye stand fast in the Faith quit you like men and be strong And as in the Ephesians Hauing finished all things stand and to thy greater hope of preuailing adde as the Apostle Paul in that very place immediatly after saith thereunto Prayer And pray alwayes saith he with all manner prayer and supplication in the spirit and faint not And howsoeuer euery sinne whereof Sathan will hauing beene the first mouer of thee thereunto be thy accuser shall appeare to thy wounded conscience as a most fearefull and terrible monster greedily and with open mouth gaping wide doe seeke to swallow and deuoure thee vp euen aliue yet as thou fearest God and desirest the report thereof in the World in life in death and after death as this poore
so many then as are contented to stoope downe to the holy Word of God in the Ministery of men and to learne thereby soberly to be wise know of a surety that howsoeuer God did limit the times and seasons past wherein those persons whom he had also more specially giuen power vnto as the Prophets and Apostles to worke strangely in and about the things of this life for the confirmation of that Doctrine which they brought vnto the World whereof men being more earthly minded did also take a greater view then thereby to be ledde to the apprehension of the truth in Christ Iesus for euerlasting life yet is not the power of God in his Word any whit abated the more now but rather aduanced to a further and a more eminent working in and about the turning of mens hearts from gazing or looking vpon the things of this life vnto the longing lusting and thirsting after the righteousnesse of God in Christ Iesus to their euerlasting comfort in the Kingdome of Heauen And yet giue mee leaue his care is no lesse for vs now if we feare him then it was in former times and according to his care ouer vs so his power and will yea in prouiding for vs in our wants indeede we are blinde and see it not because wee doe not continually referre our selues in the things we haue or in the things whereby hee hath relieued vs beyond expectation in our distresses we doe not I say referre our selues to Gods prouidence for the beholding of it as we ought for truly howsoeuer he doe not encrease our Pitcher of Oyle so miraculously as we see here he did to the poore indebted Widdow and in that manner yet when he worketh mens hearts towards thee for thy reliefe yea to make thine aduersaries thy friends is it not worth the obseruation He is the same God to vs that he was in Iobs dayes who speaking of the wicked faith Though he should heape vp siluer as the dust and prepare rayment as the clay he may prepare it but the iust shall put it on and the innocent shall diuide the siluer and againe where Salomon saith The riches of the sinner is laid vp for the iust and this he hath done and doth daily performe onely our vnbeliefe our vnthankfulnesse our deadnesse of faith keepes vs from seeing it to our shames But to end this point ordinarily the worke of the Ministery of the Gospell is a greater worke then healing or curing the bodily diseases of men by speaking the word whither from Peter or from Paul or by whomsoeuer although it be indeed miraculous yea as much as the soule is beyond the body in excellency by so much is the holy worke of the Gospell of Christ conuersant wholly in the restoring of the dead soules of men from death to life more excellent for loe now the dead soules of men and women that haue long slept in sinne and haue beene dead as doubtlesse all are vntill by the power of the Word of God they haue life put into them euen the life of the Spirit whereof Paul speaketh when he saith Thus I liue yet not I now but Christ liueth in me and in that I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith in the Sonne of God who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me Of this life speakes our Sauiour himselfe Verily verily I say vnto you the houre shall come and now is when the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that heare it shall liue The Vse to be made of these last and former doctrines is this that whensoeuer the word of Faith hath entred the possession of Iesus Christ into our soules whensoeuer you thinke of him meditate vpon him seeke him in your prayers follow after him in the publike preachings of that his most glorious comfortable Gospel be sure so to think of him as of your Sauiour and deliuerer not from bodiâ—l sicknesses or other perills or dangers of this life but as he is indeed by God his father appointed to saue thee and deliuer thee from hell death and eternall condemnation as a Sauiour of thee from thy sinnes and a deliuerer of thee from those miseries whereinto thou hast ouer-plunged thy selfe in soule and body by thy sinne as Paul the Apostle teacheth thee in these words concerning Christ lesus and the working by the Gospel in all those that beleeue Who saith he hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality vnto light through the Gospell And as againe he saith Iesus Christ came into the World to saue sinners of whom I am chiefe Let the thought of his very name be comfortable to thee from the remembrance of his being first named by the Angel at his entrance into the World as is written And thou shalt call his name Iesus for hee shall saue his people from their sinnes Finally thinke and meditate vpon him as vpon an heauenly not an earthly King hee is come for thy good euery way but especially to deliuer thee so as that after the fulnesse of thy deliuerance thou mightest neuer be in danger after his deliuerance being spirituall not corporall heauenly not earthly as he is further described where it is said First vnto you meaning the Iewes hath God raised vp his Sonne Iesus and him he hath sent to blesse you in turning euery one of you from your iniquities Seeke then to him as to one in whom you are begotten againe and in him cast as in a new mould to become new creatures as the Apostle Peter saith Blessed be God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercie hath begotten vs againe vnto a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance immortall vndefiled and that fadeth not away c. For to this end is his comming into the world first to take the burthen of thy sinne lying heauie vpon thee vpon himselfe secondly to discharge thee from the guilt of sinne thirdly to take away the power and strength of sin that after once thou art a true member of that his body the Church whereof he is Head sinne may no longer haue that dominion ouer thee as before Now it followeth in the Text. 5. So shee departed from him and shut the doore vpon her two sonnes and they brought to her and she poured out 6. And when the vessels were full shee said vnto her sonne bring yet a Vessell and he said vnto her There are no more Vessels And the Oyle ceased Now we are come to the third point which is the issue of the meanes consisting vpon the words or command of the Prophet in the obedience of the Widdow This issue of the meanes beeing two-fold the increase of the Oyle and the paying of the debt from that the obedience of the Widdow in these words So she departed from him and shut the doore c. As the
out of his mouth This is to doe for the oppressed not barely to speake for and yet in some respect speaking may be doing as this very same Prophet in a care hee had for the woman of Shunem and in part of requitall of her kinde care ouer him in his trauaile He said to his man in these words Verse 13. Then he said to him that is to his man say vnto her now Behold thou hast had all this great care ouer vs What shall wee doe for thee Is there any thing to be spoken for thee to the King or to the Captaine of the Hoste Vnder which words speaking for and doing are ioyned together as of like nature and condition as also the Ministers of the Gospell men of Law in the cases of their Clients who in no wise are to spare to speake in the cause of the distressed what repulse soeuer they haue so it be according to equitie whose speaking may be being throughly and seasonable performed in a case of iustice and iudgement as a deed done for certainly words auaile not where deedes are not Deedes are the testifications of a fruitfull and liuely faith which faith if it haue no deedes is dead in it selfe So saith the Apostle Iames For if a brother or a sister be naked and destitute of daily food and one of you say to them Depart in peace warme your selues and fill your bellies notwithstanding yee giue them not those things that are needfull for the body What helpeth it Euen so the faith if it haue no workes is dead in it selfe But this speâ—ch of the Prophet doubtlesse was powerfull and fruitfull Bare words would haue done to her small comfort they were then and are now Deedes that must cheare vp the hearts of the afflâ—cted or as I may say words that carry deedes with them as these of the Prophets What shall I doe for thee But alas wordes tending to the good of the poore especially in cases of suit are growne to so high a rate as they can hardly reach But let each party that reades this vpon view-taking of the slender deedes of charitie that these dayes affoord especially where the Lawyer must be vsed in the helping of the distressed and oppressed to his right let him not weigh with himselfe what the World doth but let him see into the example of this Prophet what himselfe should doe and doe it and hauing considered what when to whom and in that kinde hee may doe good let him resolutely and speedily as occasion serueth doe it For true is the Prouerbe Qui cito dat bis dat He giueth two gifts at once who giueth one speedily and let Solomon herein be thy director who teacheth thus Say not vnto thy neighbour Goe and come againe and to morrow will I giue thee if thou now haue it Be not as the Priest and Leuite to him that fell among Theeues the one of them making daintie to giue so much as the cast of the eye the other though crossing the way to looke on him yet not sparing a word of comfort to the distressed doth of them leaning him helplesse But with the good Samaritane goe to him and doe to him as the Prophet saith What shall I doe for thee And as it followeth 34. Verse Hee came neere to him he had compassion of him he bound vp his wounds hee powred in Oyle and Wine and put him on his owne beast and brought him to an Inne and made prouision for him to the end c. Thus vpon the proffer of a poore man that wants thy helpe when God will make proofe of thy faith according to thy fruitfulnesse in mercy bethinke thee then with this Prophett and say What shall I doe for such a one for his reliefe and doe it for assure thy selfe what faire shew soeuer thou makest in the profession of the Gospel denoting thy selfe to all holy exercises of faith and holinesse without works of mercie to testifie the same woefull is thy profession for as Saint Iames saith Pure Religion and vndefiled before God euen the Father is this To visit the Fatherlesse and Widdowes in their aduersitie and to keepe himselfe vnspotted in the World Seeing then wee can no further approue our selues to God then wee finde and feele our hearts inclinable to pitty and mercy and such other fruits of the spirit and to the vnreuocably resolute execution of them because it in not enough to thinke purpose and resolue to doe good but we must do it Let euery one great and small make a holy and a good vse of this point examining our selues what we haue beene formerly what we should be and how vnapt and vnready wee haue beene and are to that which we should both be and doe and as thou feelest thine errour finding out thine vnmercifull and hard heart how vnready to doe any good to the poore and needy how strait a hand thou hast held ouer thy Tenants thy Workemen thy Seruants thy Debtors and all other thy poore Neighbours making alwaies gaine out of the dung-hill with him that said Lucri suavis odor est ex re qualibet to be thy godlinesse acknowledge thy selfe and lay downe thine owne wayes as Dauid did before the Lord in these words I haue declared my wayes and thou heardest mee for God loueth men when they can confesse against themselues their sinnes with remorse and as in touch of conscience to say as it is in Iob speaking in the person of a true Conuert I haue sinned and peruerted righteousnesse and it doth no way profit mee And hauing gone thus farre in examining thy selfe both of what thou hast beene in former time with a dislike of the wayes of sinne wherein thou before thy effectuall calling walkedst especially those thy sinnes of cruell hard rigorous and vnmercifull dealing with all men as also if thou findest in thee a desire to be ridde of all those olde and tattered ragges of worldlinesse which thou diddest weare in the dayes of thine oppression and cruelty at what time thy money thy lands thy cattle thy corne were as thy gods and doest on the other side desire to be mercifull and tender hearted putting vpon thee a new liuery euen the robe of Christs righteousnesse and the liuery garment of Christ Iesus himselfe in all tender compassion then shalt thou vpon this sodaine change of thy affections bethinke thy selfe and seeke how thou mayest from henceforth with thy wealth money lands and liuing doe good to the Church to the Common-wealth to the poore miserable and needie how thou mayest bestow thy goods to the restoring of the decayed setting at libertie the poore that are indebted out of hard bondage and imprisonment Then with Zaccheus as it is written of him so soone as Iesus hath taken vp his lodging in thy heart as hee did in Zaccheus house and heart also thou wilt not thinke it any losse for thee to say and doe as hee did Lord Behold