minde was strangely altered before he was all for getting now he is all for giving This was not the first day that he seemed rich to others but this was the first day he seemed rich to himself Riches bring contention Godlinesse brings contentation Gain hath often hurt the getters piety and Godlinesse is profitable to all men and for all things I Tim. 4. 8. Godlinesse is the most profitable thing in the world because it maketh all things else profitable And it is for want of Piety and Godlinesse that the covetous mans riches no whit profit him Godlinesse setteth such a glass before the eyes of them that possesse the same that it will make a shilling seem as great as a pound a Cottage thought as sumptuons as a Palace a Plow seem as goodly as a Scepter so that he which hath but twenty pounds shall be as merry as he who hath an hundred and he who hath an hundred shall be as â—ocond as he who hath a thousand and he who hath a thousand shall be as well contented and think himself as rich as he who hath a million Even as Daniel did thrive with water and â—ulse as well as the rest did with their wine and junkers Godliness is called by the Apostle great gain 1 Tim. 6. 6. And well it may for it gains God and with him his blessing upon all things else He saith also That bodily exercise profiteth little but godliness is profitable for all things 1 Tim. 4. 8. But shall I shew you in some Particulars how gainfull and profitable it is and how it brings the blessing of God upon all or rather all Gods blessings upon him that is godly CHAP. VII The particular Benefits and Priviledges of Grace and Godlinesse above all worldly commodities are innumerable I 'le name only Nine that you may the better remember them There is nothing wherein men usually rejoyce but the godly more than find it in Christ. First Does any man desire or glory in Knowledge In him are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Col. 2. 3. I desire to know nothing among you but Jesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. This is eternal life to know thee the only God and whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ John 17. 3. Secondly Does any man desire or glory in Honour and Nobility Believers are more Noble than any other men Act. 17. 11. The righteous is more worthy than his neigbour Prov. 12. 26. 28. 6. The best Nobility is the Nobility of Faith and the best genealogie the genealogie of good works The only true greatnesse is to be great in the sight of the Lord as John Baptist was Luk. 1. 15. Whence it is that David thought it not so happy for him to be a King in his own house as a door-keeper in Gods house That Solomon preferred the title of Ecclesiastes before the title of the King of Jerusalem That Theodosius the Emperour preferred the title of Membrum Ecclesiae before that of Caput Imperii professing that he had rather be a Saint and no King than a King and no Saint And that godly Constantine rejoyced more in being the Servant of Christ than in being Emperour of the whole world And indeed Gods servants are the only worthies of the world for Christ hath made them spiritual Kings Rev. 1. 6. So happy are they as to have this high honour and dignity given them Yea so soon as regenerate we are made Sons to a King 2 Cor. 6. 18. Brothers to a King Heb. 2. 11. Heires to a King Rom. 8 17. Even to the King of glory Joh. 17. 22. Rom. 8. 18. 2 Cor. 4. 17. Nor are we his Sons only but he accounts us his precious Jewels Mala. 3. 17. And repures us his intimate Friends Joh. 15. 14 15. Our Friend Lazarus saith Christ Joh. 11. 11. O what an high and happy condition is this for mortal men to aspire unto that the God of Heaven should not be ashamed to own them for friends that before were his cursed and mortal enemies By nature we are like Nebuchadnezer no better than beasts grazing in the forrest but when grace once comes we are like him restored to his reason and high dignities Dan. 4. 29. to the end Or like Manasses brought out of a loathsome Prison to be King of Jerusalem 2 Chroâ— 33. 11 12 13. Thirdly Does any man glory in riches Christ is an unexhaustable treasure never failing and of his fulness have all we received Joh. 1. 16. Nor are these transitory riches though these we have also when God sees them good for us For riches and treasures shall be in the house of the righteous Psal. 112. 3. but we have heavenly and spiritual riches that true Treasure that is infinitely better than silver or gold and more precious than Rubies Pearles or any the most precious stones Yea it surpasseth all pleasure and prosperity strength honour or felicity It is more sweet than the Honey and the Honey-comb yea all the things thou canst else desire are not to be compared to it Length of daies is in her right hand and in her left riches and honour Her waies are waies of pleasantnesse and all her paths are peace She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her and happy is every one that retaineth her as Job David and Solomon will insure you Job 28. 13. to 20. Psal. 19. 10 119. 103. Prov. 3. 14 to 19. 8. 10 11. Eccles. 9. 16. Yea lastly Heaven it self is made sure to every gracious soul for her Patrimony Mat. 5. 3. to 12. Now consider before we go any further how poor a clod of earth a Mannour is how poor an inch a Shire how poor a span a Kingdom how poor a pace or Acre the whole earth And yet how many have sold their bodies and souls and consciences and Heaven and eternity for a few grains of this dust Only with Believers it is otherwise they consider that commodities are but as they are commonly valued And because transitory things in the next life bare no value at all and because there is nothing firm under the firmament They hold it very good covering what they may have and cannot leave behind them And though others most loye what they must leave and think that money will buy any thing like foolish Magus Act 8. 18. Or the Devil who presumed that this bait would even catoh the Son of God Yet the wise and religious can see no reason why it should be so doted upon as it is But Fourthly Does any one desire or glory in Liberty Christ hath delivered us out of the hands of all our adversaries and enemies Luk. 1. 71 74. As namely from the Law Gal. 5. 18. Rom. 6. 44. From sinne 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. From death Joh. 8. 51. 5. 24. And from the Devil with all the powers of darknesse Heb. 2. 14. Rom. 8. 35. to the end Or Fifthly Is it safety from fear
the Lâ—â—d to provide for their childrens bodies not for their soules to shew that they begat not their soules but their bodies to leave faire estates for the worser part nothing for the estate of the better part They desire to leave their children great rather then good and are more ambitious to have their sons Lords on earth than Kings in heaven But as he that provides not for their temporall estate is worse then an Infidell 1 Tim. 5. 8. So he that provides not for their eternall estate is little better then a Devill The use which I would have you make of the premisses is this Let none refuse to give because they have many children but give the rather out of love to and for their children sakes that God who as you see hath ingaged himselfe may be their Guardian and provide and take care for them Or if not for their soules yet for thine owne For why shouldest thou love thy children better then thine owne person and in providing for them neglect thy selfe Yea why shouldst thou preferre their wealth before thine own soule and their flourishing estate in the world which is but momentany and mutable before the fruition of those joyes which are infinite and everlasting Will it nor grieve and gall thy conscience another day to thinke that for getting or saving some trifles for thy posterity on earth thou hast lost Heaven or to remember that thy children ruffle it out in worldly wealth and superfluous abundance when thou shalt be stripped of all and want a drop of cold water to cool thy scorching soul in hell CHAP. XXXV Thus I might go on and inlarge my selfe upon this and add thereunto many other reasons First in regard of God Secondly in regard of Christ. Thirdly in regard of the poore Fourthly in regard of others I should also according to the order first proposed shew what are the ends to he propounded in our giving almes and lastly the severall impediments that hinder men from giving but I finde which when I fell upon it I did not soresee matter representing it selfe like those waters in Ezekiel Chap. 47. which at the first were but anckle deep and then knee deep and then up to the loynes which afterwards did so rise and flow that they were as a River which could not be passed over Or like that little cloud which Elias his servant saw 1 Kings 18. Much hath been said of this subject but much more might be said for I could carry you a great way further and yet leave more of it before then behind But I am loth to tire my Reader or cause any to make an end before they begin as not seldome doth Addition in this case bring forth substraction and more writ cause lesse to be read Wherefore I will onely give you the sum of some few particulars briefly and leave the rest That little which I intend to deliver is First the neer communion that is between the poor and us with our head Christ. For besides the civill communion that is between all men as being of one flâ—sh the off-spring and generation of God Acts 17 28 29. The sonnes of the same Father Adam and Noah and so brethren one with another and proceeding as so many flowers from one root many Rivers from one fountain many arteries from one heaâ—t many veines from one liver and many â—ineâ—s from one braine And likewise of the same Country Common-wealth yea of the same City and Corporation yea perhaps neer Neighbours and parishiâ—ners every of which the Holy Ghost maketh a sufficient argument to move us to do these works of mercy in relieving the poor Isa. 58. 6 7. There are many spirituall respects and divine relations which make a more neer communion between Christians one with another for we are elected to the same eternall life and happinesse we are not onely Gods workmanship created in Adam according to his owne glorious image but reâ—created and restored unto the divine Image lost by Adam in Christ the second Adam we are redeemed in our soules and bodies with the same precious blood of Jesus Christ we are partakers of the same calling whereby we are chosen out of the world and gathered into the Church and communion of Saints that we may inherit eternall glory together and that out of darknesse into marvellous light and out of a desperate condition to be partakers of the same precious promises And by vertue of this Calling we serve one and the same God are of one Church and family and have one Religion one faith one baptisme are invited guests to the same Table and Supper of our Lord are all Heirs and Co-heires of the same heavenly kingdome and therein annexed also with Christ our elder brother Finally we are brethren of the same Father the onely Spouse of the same heavenly Bridegroom and members of the same mystical body whereof Jesus Christ is the head so that the neerest and strongest communion that can be imagined is between Christians one with another and all of them with their head Jesus Christ And should not all this move us to relieve them Yea more then all this If we do good to our fellow-members the benefit will redound unto our selves who are of the same body even as the hand giving nourishment to the mouth and the mouth preparing it for the stomacke do in nourishing it provide nourishment for themselves also Yea more then all this there is such a neare and strong union and communion with the poor together with us and with our head Christ our Saviour That he esteemâ—th thâ—â— as done to himselfe which is done unto them even as the head acknowledgeth the benefit done unto it which the meanest member of the body receiveth Yea in truth that is much more acceptable which we do for his poor members then if we should do it to his owne person as being a signe of greater love For it is but an ordinary kindnesse to confer benefits upon our dearest friends but to extend our bounty to the poorest and meanest that belong unto them is a signe of much greater love For if for their sakes onely we do good unto these how much more would we be ready to do it unto themselves if they had occasion to crave our help And as in this regard he much esteemeth this Christian bounty so he will richly reward it also at the day of â—udgemeâ—t For then these mercifull men who have relieved the poor for Christs sake shall with ravishing joy heare that sentence Come ye blessed of my Father because the works of mercy which they have done to the poor Christ will acknowledge as done unto himselfe And this will more rejoyce thy soale hereafter then it doth now refresh the others body when Christ shall say unto thee Come thou blessed and inherit the Kingdome Nor will it then repent thee that thou hast parted with a small part of what God hath given thee to the poor CHAP. XXXVI And
soule yea the outward estate before either soule or body These are the worlds fooles meer children that prefer an apple before their inheritance Besotted sensualists that consider not how this life of ours if it were not short yet it is miserable and if it were not miserable yet it is shoâ—t that suffer themselves to be so bewitcht with the loâ—e of their money and their hearts to be râ—veted to the earth to be so infâ—aved to coverousnesse as to make gold their God Câ—rtainly were they allowed to have but a â—ight of this Hell they would not do thâ—â— if they did but either see or foresee what they shall one day without serious and unfeigned repentance feel they would not be hired with all the worlds wealth to hazard in the least the losse of those everlasting joyes before spoken of or to purchase and plunge themselves into those ease lesse and everlasting flames of fire and brimstone in hell there to â—ry body and soule where shall be an innumerable company of Deviâ—s and damned spirits to affright and torment them but not one to comfort or pity them But O that thou who art the Sacred Monarch of this mighty frame wouldst give them hearts to believe at least that the soule of all sufferings are the sufferings of the soule that as painted fire is to materiall such is materiall to hell fire That things themselves are in the invisible world in the world visible but their shadowes onely And that whatsoever wicked men enjoy here it is but as in a dream their plenty is but like a drop of pleasure before a river of sorrow and displeasure and whatsoever the godly feel but as a drop of misery before a river of mercy and glory Then would they thinke it better to want all things then that one needfull thing whereas now they desire all other things and neglect that one thing which is so needfull They would be glad to spare something from their superfluities yea if need requâ—re even from their necessaries that they might relieve and cherish the poor distressed members of Jesus Christ. And let so much serve to have been spoken of the reasons that concern our selves in particular and how God hath promised to blesse the merciful man in his soule body name and estate I should now go on to declare that what the liberall man gives his seed shall inherit But I consider that if for the increasing of their estates for the obtaining of heaven and the avoyding of everlasting destruction of body and soule in Hell will not prevail with rich men to do some good with their goods while they live wharsoever else can be spoken will be lost labour and to no purpose I grant there are some of them such desperaâ—e doting fools that they can find in their hearts to damn their own souls and go to hell to leave their sonnes rich and therefore it will not be amisse to set down or poynt them to a few of those promises which God hath made to the mercifull or liberall mans seed and posterity after him I 'le alleadge but three places onely CHAP. XXXIV That if we bountifully relieve the poor the reward of oâ—r charity shall not onely extend to us but also to our Off-spring and Progeny the Prophet Esay witnesseth Chap. 58. where he tells us that if we will draw out our soule to the hungry and satisfie the afflicted soule the Lord will not onely satisfie our soules in drought make fat our bones but thâ—â— those also that come of us shal prosper unto many generations ver 10 11 12. And also the Psalmist Psal. 37. I have been young â—nd now aâ—â— old saith hee yes have I not seene the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging â—â—ead vers 25. then giveâ— the reason He is ever mercifull and endeth and his seed enjoyes the blessing vers 26. And so Psal. 112. His seed shall be mighty upon earth the generation of the righteous shall be blessed Vers. 2. to 6. Now what better inheritance can we leave to our Children then the blessing of God which like an ever-springing fountaine will nourish and comfort them in the time of drought when as our owne provision which we have left unto them may faile and when the heate of affliction ariseth will like standing waters be dried up Nor is this only probable but God hath set down that it shall be so For he speaks far otherwise of the unmercifull as Psal. 109. Let his children be fatherlesse and his wife a widow Let his children be continually vagabonds and beg their bread I pray mind it let them seek their bread also out of desolate places Let the extortioner catch all that he hath and let the strangers spoile all his labour Let there be none to extend mercy unto him nâ—ither let there be any to favour his fatherlesse children Let his posterity be cut off and in the generation following let their names be blotted out and the memory of them cut off from the earth Because mark the reason he remembred not to shew mercy but persecuted the poor and needy Vers. 6. to 17. all which he speaks by the spirit of prophesie Though indeed we want not examples of this in every age Was not this fulfilled in Hâ—man and is it not fulfilled daily in our experience For hence it is that riches ill got or ill kept shift masters so often But take some other instances out of the Scriptures of both kindes Jonâ—â—than is payd for his kindnesse to David in Mephibosheth Jethro for his love to Moses in the Kenites 1 Sam. 15. 6. some hundreds of years after he their Ancestor was dead The Aegyptians might not be unkindly dealt withall for their harbouring the Patriarchs though they afflicted their posterity But the Moabites and Ammonites were either to dye or not to enter into the congregation of the Lord to their tenth generation because they met not Gods Israel with bread and water in the wildernesse Deut. 23. 3 4. God caused Saul to spare all the Kenites for that they had shewed mercy to Israel who otherwise had all of them been destroyed 1 Sam. 15 6. Another example you have in Job 21. 18 19 20. all which shewes that God usually blesseth and rewardeth the children for their fathers goodnesse The loving kindnesse of the Lord saith the Psalmist endureth for ever and ever upon them that feare him and his righteousnesse upon childrens children Psal. 103. 17. And so on the other side Eternall payments God uses to require of their persoâ—s onely temporary often times of succession as we sue the Heyres and Executors of our debtors Now if this be so that what the liberall man gives his seed shall inherit then the good provision that we should make for our Children consist not so much in laying up as in lâ—ying out and more in making provision for their soules then for their bodies I confesse it is the case of niâ—e parts of the Parents throughout
conscience or to pacifie God be sure to vomit up all thy extortions by restitution For as it fared with those Marriners touching Jonas Jonah 1. 15. they tremble pray unlade strike sayles fall to oares but all in vain the Vessel was sick and had taken a surfeit when she took in the fugitive Prophet all the losse of their goods cannot expiate the cause of this tempest there is a morsell that lyes undigested in the stomach throw out Jonas and all is quiet There are a world of men that bear the Name and wear the livery but have not the soules of Christians Others must pay them or they will use all kindes of extremity but they by their good wills will not pay what is lent them in their greatest need But a debtor that can pay and will not makes himself uncapable of pardon Indeed such men think to set all on Christs score and to say Dimitte mobis debita nostra forgive us our debts is sufficient though they leave out the other part of the petition But God does not forgive spiritual debts where men have no care to pay temporal debts For he that dies before restitution dies in his sinne and he that dies in his sinne cannot be saved Nor is there a more infallible character of a wicked man in all the Book of God The wicked borroweth but payeth again Psal. 37. 21. Where is no restitution of things unjustly gotten there sin shall never be forgiven Non tollitur peccatum nisi restituatur oblatum as S t Augustin speaks and all Orthodox Divines hold in case the party have wherewithall For if a man have it not God will accept of the will for the deed Yea in this and all other cases he doth the will of God who does the best he can to do it But in ease a man do it not so â—arre as he is able well may he gull his own soul but God will think it soul scorn to be so mockt As consider Repentance without restitution is as if a thief should take away thy purse ask thee pardon say he is sorry for it but keeps it still In this case wouldst thou not say he did but mock thee The Law of God under the penalty of his curse requireth thee to restore whatsoever by injustice or oppression thou hast taken from thy neighbour or master with a fifth part for amends added to the principal Levit. 6. 5. Numb 5. 6 7 8. And we read that there is a flying roll a winged curse for him that gets riches by robbery and oppression that shall not only pursue the theef but even enter into his house and consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof Zach. 5. 3 4. Nor had Zacheus his repentance served his turn if ever he had this way been faulty or his bounty to the poor been accepted if he had not withall restored to every man his due Luk. 19. 3 8. Miâ—ah 6. 10 11. Jer. 18. 8. So that whatever blinded sensualists may think of it there is wisdome and gain in restoring for when all is done how to be saved is the best plot and better it is to cast our evil-gotten goods ever-board than make shipwrack of our souls Merchants when a tempest comes think it wisdome to cast their goods yea even their butlayne over board to save themselves And for certain thou art worse than frenzy if thou dost not the like For what shall it profit a man though he should win the whole world if he gain Hell with it and loose both Heaven and his own soul Mat. 16 26. What is it to flourish for a time and perish for ever and well does that man deserve to perish that so loves the creature as that he leaves the Creatour The â—osse of faith is a dangerous shipwrack if it be possible save your vessel save your goods save your bodies but though you loose all else save your faiths save your souls True your twenty in the hundred will not believe this but an hundred to twenty he shall feel it here or hereafter As what gained Balaam or Judas or Ahab or Achan or Ananias and â—aphira when by seeking unlawfull gain they lost both what they got and themselves too A man would think that Achan paid dear enough for his goodly Babylonish garment the two hundred shekels of silver and his wedge of gold which he coveâ—ed and took away when He his Sons and Daughters his Oxen and Asses his Sheep and Tent and all that he had were stoned with stones and burnt with fire if that was all he suffered Josh. 7. 18. to 26. But to be cast into Hell to lye for ever in a bed of quenchless flames is a far greater punishment For the soul of all sufferings are the sufferings of the soul and in reason if Dives be tormented in endless flames for not giving his own goods to them that needed Luk. 16. 21 23. Matth. 25. 41 to 43. What shall become of him that takes away other mens If that servant in the Gospel was bound to an everlasting prison that only challenged his own debt for that he had no pity on his fellow as his Master had pity on him whither shall they be cast that unjustly vex their Neighbours quarrel for that which is none of theirs and lay title to another mans propriety If he shall have judgment without mercy that shews not mercy Jam. 2. 13. What shall become of extortion and Rapine Psal. 109. 11. Oh the madnesse of men that cannot be hired to hold their finger for one minute in the weak flame of a farthing Candle knowing it so intolerable and yet for trifles will plunge themselves body and soul into those endlesse and everlasting flames of hell fire True He that maketh gain blesseth himself as the Psalâ—ist speaks Psal. 10. 3. Yea if he can I mean the cunning Machevilian whom the Devil and covetousnesse hath blinded any way advantage himself by anothers ruine and do it politickly how will he hug himself and applaud his own wisdome Hab. 1. 13. to the end But by his leave he mistakes the greatest folly for the greatest wisdome For while he cozens other men of their estates Sin and Satan cozens him of his soul. See Job 20. 15. 1 Tim. 6. 8 10. And wofull gain it is that comes with the souls losse And how can we think those men to have reasonable souls that esteem money above themselves That prefer a little base pelf before God and their own salvation Nor are there any such fools as these crafty knaves For as Austin speaks If the Holy Ghost term that rich Churl in the Gospel a fool that only laid up his own Goods Luk. 12. 18 20. find out a name for him that takes away other mens And this know that if thou dost not willingly or at least with an unwilling willingnesse do it thy self yet it shall be plucked from thee with a vengeance As what saith the Holy Ghost Job 20.
his grief But had he once tasted how good and bountifull the Lord is to those that set their delight on him 1 Pet. 2. 3. If he did grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 3. 18. If the Lord would once incline his heart unto his testimonies and not to covetousnesse Psal. 119. 36. he should soon know and find that things themselves are in the invisible world in the world visible but their shaddows only That wicked men injoy whatsoever they have viz. wealth honour wisdome pleasure c. but as it were in a dream They dream they are rich wise happy and the like as a begger may dream he is a King Or one that is ready to starve that he is richly furnished with all manner of meats and drinkes but when once he is awake he findes himself grossely mistaken All worldly happinesse hath its being only by opinion whence S t Luke calls all Agrippa's pomp but a fancy Act. 25. 23. a meer conceit or supposition The sweetnesse of sinne is but as the sweetnesse of poyson sweet only in the mouth in the belly bitter and deadly Stolen bread is sweet sweet in the obtaining bitter in the account and reckoning Yea this last dish will spoyl all the feast and make it but like a drop of pleasure before a river of sorrow and displeasure Whereas whatsoever the godly feel is but as a drop of misery before a river of mercy and glory CHAP. XI The way of Wisdome and Holinnsse is the way of Pleasure Prov. 3. 17. As O that all covetous miserly muckworms did but know what pleasure is in the peace of conscience which passeth all understanding and the joy of the Holy Ghost what a sollace it is to be the sonne of God an Inhabitant of Heaven to live by faith c. Then would they think it more worth than all the worlds wealth honour and pleasure multiplyed as many times as there be stars in the firmament that any thing that every thing were too small a price for it Their would they change these broken wormeaten and poysonfull pleasures of sinne for the pleasures of Gods House of Gods Spirit and those other pleasures at Gods right hand for evermore Psal. 16. 11. God made the world of naught because men should set it at naught as did the Apostle the better to prevail with others who after he had been wrapt up into the third Heaven reckoned of all earthly things riches honours pleasures but as drosse and dung in comparison of the knowledge of Jesus Christ and him crucified And what saith holy David a man of a most brave and divine spirit I have had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in all riches They are more to be desired than gold yea than fine gold sweeter also than the honey and the honey-comb Psal. 19. 10. And again How sweet are thy words unto my mouth Psal. 119. 103. This likewise was Jobs judgment who affirmeth That wisdome cannot be valued with the gold of Ophire the precious Onyx or the Saphire That the gold and the chrystal cannot equal it and that the exchange thereof shall not be for jewels of fine gold That no mention shall be made of corral and pearles for the price of wisdome is above Rubies that the Topaas of Aethiopia shall not equal it neither shall it be valued with pure gold Job 28. 12. to 20. Neither was this the case only of Paul and David and Job and such like Champions in grace but every Believer findes the same in some measure They can truly say unto God with the Prophet Jeremy Thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of my heart Jer. 15. 16. They meet with Christ himself in his Word and Ordinances where is also the water of Regeneration the wine both of consolation and compunction the bread of life the oyl of gladnesse the honey-comb of grace the milke of the Gospel c. But how unlike to these are natural men Natural fools indeed who esteem not at all of Heavenly treasures spiritual enjoyments or riches of the mind There is a mighty differenee between Davids or Pauls spirit and the spirit of these salvage Swine whose only delight is to root in the earth Who are only pleased and taken with the musick of their money in that they are altogether unacquainted with soul-comforts and heavenly enjoyments As acorns were thought very good untill wheat was found out and bread before Manna came But had they tryed both estaâ—es as Believers have done they would find that content the poor mans riches were far sweeter than desire the rich mans poverty and that the ones wisdome and spiritual treasure will bring them to those joyes that neither eye hath seen nor ear heard neither hath ever entred into the heart of man to conceive 1 Cor. 2. 9. while the wisdom and wealth of these stupified worldlings if they take not heed will bring them to those endlesse miseries that cannot be exprest nor conceived by any heart were it as deep as the Sea And yet these forsooth repute themselves and are reputed the wisest of men But pittifully do they erre in every thing that are not instructed by the Word and Spirit The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of Gâ—d for they are foollishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned But he that is spiritual discerneth all things 1 Cor. 2. 14 15. which is a text or lesson worthy to be learned of all that are in their natural estate O that they would but seriously ponder the words For then they would see that simple or shallow honesty will prove more profitable in the end than the profound quick-sands of craft and policy Then their neglect would not be most in that wherein their care should be the greatest But the world hath alwaies had a mean and base esteem of Christ himself and therefore no marvell if they esteem so little of his grace and Spirit The Gadarens preferred their Swine before him the Jews Barrabas Judas thirty pieces of silver whereas S t Paul wanted words to expresse how he valued him and therefore breaks off with O the depth Rom. 11. 33. Neither can Christ or indeed the meanest saving grace that he bestowes upon his be valued with ten thousand worlds But hear another reason why miserable muckworms are so transported with earthly trash which the godly so little regard A main cause is this Men of the world as they know not what the riches of the mind means so they have no hope of a better life after this This is all their Heaven and here they have all their portion they are like to have Psal. 73. 12. Deliver my soul from the wicked saith David from men of the world who have their portion in this life whose bellyes thou fillest with thy hid treasure their children have enough and leave the rest of their substance
the truth and the life John 14. 6. The resurrection and the life John 11. 25. Or more particularly thus In the first place He gave us our selves and all the creatures to be our servants yea he created us after his own Image in righteousnesse and holinesse and in perfect knowledge of the truth with a power to stand and for ever to continue in a most blessed and happy condition and this deserves all possible thankfulnesse But this was nothing in comparison For when we were in a sad condition when we had forfeited all this and our selves when by sinne we had turned that Image of God into the Image of Satan and wilfully plunged our souls and bodies into eternal torments when we were become his enemies mortally hating him and to our utmost fighting against him and taking part with his only enemies Sin and Satan not having the least thought or desire of reconcilement but a perverse and obstinate will to resist all means tending thereunto He did redeem us not only without asking but even against our wils so making of us his cursed enemies servants of servants sons of sons heirs and coheirs with Christ Gal 4. 7. Here was a fathomlesse depth a wonder beyond all wonders 2. But that we may the better consider what an alms or boon God gave us when he gave us his Son Observe that when neither Heaven Earth nor Hell could have yielded any satisfactory thing besides Christ that could have satisfied Gods justice and merited Heaven for us then O then God in his infinite wisdom and goodnesse did not only find out a way to satisfie his Justice and the Law but gave us his Sonne his only begotten Son his only beloved Son out of his bosome And his Son gave himself to die even the most shamefull painfull and cursed death of the Crosse to redeem us that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life John 3. 16. The very thought of which death before he come to it together with the weight and burthen of our sinnes put him into such an Agony in the Garden that it made him to sweat even drops of blood A mercy bestowed and a way found out that may astonish all the sonnes of men on earth and Angels in Heaven Wherefore O wonder at this you that wonder at nothing That the Lord should come with such a price to redeem our worse than lost souls and to bring salvation to us even against our wils The Lord Jesus Christ being rich for our sakes became poor that we through his poverty might be made rich 2 Cor. 8. 9. Even the eternal God would die that we might not die eternally O the deepnesse of Gods love O the unmeasurable measure of his bounty O Son of God! who can sufficiently expresse thy love Or commend thy pity Or extol thy praise It was a wonder that thou madest us for thy self more that thou madest thy self man for us but most of all that thou shouldest unmake thy self that thou shouldest die to save us 3. And which is further considerable It cost God more to redeem the world than to make it In the Creation he gave thee thy self but in the Redemption he gave thee himself The Creation of all things cost him but six daies to finish it the Redemption of man cost him three and thirty years In the Creation of the world he did but only speak the word in the Redemption of man he both spake and wept and sweat and bled and died and did many wonderfull things to do it Yea the saving of one soul single is more and greater than the making of the whole world In every new creature are a number of Miracles a blinde man is restored to sight a deaf man to hearing a man possest with many Devils dis-possest yea a dead man raised from the dead and in every one a stone turned into flesh in all which God meers with nothing but opposition which in the Creation he met not with What shall I say God of his goodnesse hath bestowed so many and so great mercies upon us that it is not possible to expresse his bounty therein for if we look inward we find our Creators mercies if we look upward his mercy reacheth unto the Heavens if downwards the earth is full of his goodnesse and so is the broad Sea if we look about us what is it that he hath not given us Air to breathe in fire to warm us water to cool and cleanse us cloathes to cover us food to nourish us fruits to refresh us yea Delicates to please us Beasts to serve us Angels to attend us Heaven to receive us And which is above all Himself and his own Son to be injoyed of us So that whethersoever we turn our eyes we cannot look besides his bounty yea we can scarce think of any thing more to pray for but that he would continue those blessings which he hath bestowed on us already Yet we covet still as though we had nothing and live as if we knew nothing of all this his beneficence God might have said before we were formed Let them be Toads Monsters Infidels Beggars Cripples Bond-slaves Idiots or Mad men so long as they live and after that Castawayes for ever and ever But he hath made us to the best likenesse and nursed us in the best Religion and placed us in the best Land and appointed us to the best and only Inheritance even to remain in blisse with him for ever yea thousands would think themselves happy if they had but a piece of our happinesse For whereas some bleed we sleep in safety others beg we abound others starve we are full fed others grope in the dark our Sun still shines we have eyes ears tongue feet hands health liberty reson others are blind deaf dumb are sick mained imprisoned distracted and the like yea God hath removed so many evils from us and conferred so many good things upon us that they are beyond thought or imagination For all those millions of mercies that we have received from before and since we were born either for soul or body even to the least bit of bread we eat or shall to eternity of which we could not well want any one Christ hath purchased of his Father for us and yet God the Father also hath of his free grace and mercy given us in giving us his Son for which read Psal. 68. 19. 145 15 16. 75 6 7 Yea God is many times working our good when we least think upon him as he was creating Adam an help meet for him when he was fast asleep And as much do we owe unto God for the dangers from which he delivereth us as for the great wealth and dignities whereunto he hath alwaies raised us CHAP. XV. But the better to illustrate and set out this Love it will be good to branch it out into some more Particulars As First Call to mind all these external inferiour earthly and temporal
indeed what can be a more forcible reason to make our hearts relent though they be never so stony and our bowels to yearn with pity and compassion towards the poor though they were of brasse and iron Then to consider that our dear Lord and Saviour in them doth crave reliefe for who is so more then bruâ—ishly ungratefull that can turne him away empty handed Who being infinitely rich in all glory and happinesse was contented for our sakes to become poore that by his povertly he might communicate unto us his heavenly riches Who would not give Christ lodging Yea even if need should require the use of his own bed if hee remember that Christ was content so far to abase himselfe for our sakes as to make a stable his chamber and a manger his lodging that we might be admitted into his heavenly and everlasting mansious Who would deny to cloath him being naked who hath cloathed our nakedness and covered our filthinesse with the precious robe of his righteousnesse in which we stand accepted before God and receive the blessing of eternall happinesse Who would not spare food out of his owne belly to relieve poore Christ who hath given unto us his blessed body to be our meat and his precious blood to be our drinke whereby our soules and bodies are nourished unto everlasting life Who would not leave all pleasure and profit to go and visit him in his sicknesse and imprisonment that left heaven and his Fathers bosome that he might come to visit and redeem us with the inestimable price of himselfe Yea if wise we will count it an honour whereof we are very unworthy As most unworthy we are of such an honour as to relieve hungry thirsty and naked Christ in his poor members whence the Macedonians counted and called it a favour that they might have their hand in so good a worke 2 Cor. 8. 1 2 3 4. And that David thanks God that of his owne he would take an offering 1 Chron. 29. 9. And this is another reason to convince men that it is most just and equall they should be liberall to the poor members of Jesus Christ. And so much touching the reasons and motives to this Christian duty Then which there cannot he either more or clearer or stronger or weightier inducements to perswade to any one thing in the world then there is to this if men have either hearts or braines CHAP. XXXVII The next to be considered is The time when we are to give and that is two-fold First when an opportunity of doing good offers it selfe do it speedily without delay readily entertain the first â—ot on with-hold not good from thy Neighbour when it is in thy power to do it Say not to him that is in present need goe and come again and to morrow I will give thee when thou hast it by thee Prov. 3. 27 28. When Lazarus is iâ— need of refreshment let him not wait or lye long at thy door Luke 16. 20. 21 22. For nothing is more tedious then to hang long in suspence and we endure with more patience to have our hopes beheaded and quickly dispatcht then to be racked and tortured with long delayes according to that Prov. 13. 12. Hope deferred maketh the heart sicke but when the desire cometh it is a tree of life For as 〈◊〉 saith Beneficentia est virtus que 〈◊〉 non patitur Beneficence is a vertue which disliketh all delayes And as Seneca telleth us 〈…〉 â—it as properat All goodnesse is quick of hand and swift of foot and hateth aswell the paralyticall â—â—â—king and staggering of those who doubt whether to give or no as the gouty lamenesse of such as after they are resolved to give make but slow hast The greater speed the greater love for love can abide no lingring Then does a benefit loose his grace when it sticks in his fingers who is about to bestow it as though it were not given but plucke from him and so the receiver praiseth not his Benefactors bounty but his owne importunity because he doth not seem to have given but to have held one weakely against his violence These delayes shew unwillingnesse Et qui moratur neganti proximus est He that delayes a benefit is the next door to him that denyeth it Even as on the other side a quick hand is an evident signe of a free heart For proximum est libenter facientis citâ— facere It is the property of him that giveth willingly to give speedily Being of Boaâ— his spirit of whom Nâ—â—â—y could say out of a common fame That he would not be in rest untill he had finished the good which was propounded to him Ruth 3. 18. And as speed in bestowing graceth the gift yea doubles it in respect of the giver so it doubleth the benefit to him that receiveth it Nam bis dat qui cito dat he gives twice that giveth quickly and the swifter that a benefit cometh the sweeter it tasteth Present relief to present want makes a bounty weightier And he cannot but esteem the benefit that unexpectedly receives help in his deepest distresse Whereas a benefit deferred loses the thanks many times proves unprofitable to him that expects it Joshuah marches all night and fights all day for the Gibeonites else he had as good have saved his labour And possibly through these delays thy almes may come too late like a good gale of winde after shipwracke When his health is lost for want of relief or state ruâ—ed for want of seasonable helpe and so thy late and untimely almes will do him little good For it fareth with men in their strength and state as with a leake in ship or a breach of waters which may be easily stopped and stayed at the first appearing but if let alone will within a while grow remedilesse There must then be no stay in these actions of beneficence but onely that which is caused through the receivers shamefastnesse But specially we must avoyd delays in giving after we have granted for there is nothing more bitter then to be forced to make a new 〈◊〉 for that which hath already heen obtained and to finde more difficulty in the delivery then in the grant CHAP. XXXVIII Another thing required in doing good works is constancy and assiduity the which is also implyed in the Metaphor of sowing seed for the Husbandman contenteth not himselfe to have sowed his seed in former years but he continueth to sow it still to the end of his life and though the Crop be sometimes so small that the feed it selfe is scarce returned yet he will not be discouraged but will again cast it into the ground in hope of better successe And this must we do in sowing the seeds of our beneficience casting them daily into the ground which we finde fitted and prepared and not thinke it enough to aâ—â—orne our selves with them as with our best apparell which we onely put on in high and Festivall dayes We must
gteat pity the State does not by him as Epaminondas did by such another who having notice of a rich man that had no care of the poor but would answer them like churlish Nabal Shall I give my meat and drink unto men whom I know not Or like Cardan Doctor of Physick in Rome who when Out-landish Schollars came to him would answer them What have I to do with Forraigners I am Cardan I care for no man except he brings me money sent a poor man to him and commanded him under great penalty to give him presently six hundred Crowns who hearing it came to Epaminondas and asked him the cause thereof Who replyed This man is poor and honest and thou who hast cruelly robbed the Commonwealth art rich and so compelled him to be liberal in spight of his teeth Howbeit if they hanged him up as Atillus a good King of this Land did all oppressors of the poor and distributed their Goods to those they had impoverished they did him no wrong But for want of this like Horse-Leeches or a sort of Vermin too homely to name that have no place for voidance of their excrements being nevertheless very insatiable they swell with sucking of blood and so burst O the wretched and sad condition of a sordid sensual self-lover of a covetous miserly muck-worm and the small hope there is of his being better The salvage creatures as Lyons Tygers Bears c. by Gods appointment and instinct came to seek the Ark men did not onely slight it but scorned and scoffed at it Nebuchadnezzar was more a Beast before he grazed in the Forrest then while he did or afterward The death of Christ darkned the Sun shoke the earth clave the Rocks opened the Graves and raised the dead all could not put faith into the Jews hearts brutish yea even senseless Creatures are more sensible then corrupted reason And of all the rest of the Jews the Scribes and Pharisees who were covetous were the least sensible because they did shut their eyes stopt their ears and barrocado their hearts against all our Saviour did or said which is just the case of these men All objects to a meditating Solomon a wise and holy Christian are like wings to reare and mâ—â—nt up his thoughts to Heaven But these sit like sots under the sound of Gods Word and are not at all sensible yea though they feel his Ax at the root of their consciences be smitten with some remorse yet they go on in sin But what became of Pharoah that would not hearken to Moses though he came with a Message from God Of the rich Glutton that made no more reckoning of Moses and the Prophets Of Lot's sons in Law that counted their Fathers fore-warnings a meer mockage The Birds of the Ayre seem to be wiser then we for when they know the Gin they will avoid it But we knowing the Devils illusions yet wilfully run into them Sin blinded Sampson so that finding Dallilah's treachery three times could not be warned although he never found her true in any thing Judg. 16. The case of all impenitent sinners but especially of the covetous as hereafter they wil acknowledge when Hell Flames hath opened their eyes which Covetousness hitherto hath blinded and made meer Atheists for they acknowledge no other God but Mammon Every covetous man is a close Atheist as thinking it weakness to believe wisdom to profess any Religion The Children of Israel would not believe Samuel before they saw a miracle 1 Sam. 12. 16. c. should the covetous man see as many miracles as Moses wrought before Pharoah he would be the same man stil and a rare miracle it wil be if ever he be saved as our Saviour shews Mar. 10 25. CHAP. LI. ANd so you have in this and the other two parts of the Poors Advocate the necessity the matter the manner the nature the kinds the quantity the subject the object the time or continuance the means the motives the ends the impediments the remedies of this most excellent Grace or Christian Duty so oft pressed patterned and commended in the Word It remains onely that I should apply them for I have more need to press the payment then prove the Debt though sure I am it is from the foulness of mens stomacks prevailing above the goodness of the food if what hath been delivered does not prove effectual Wherefore in the first place Hath God so strictly commanded it And is there such a necessity of shewing mercy to the poor members of Jesus Christ That there is no being saved without it hath God therefore given us all that we may impart some part thereof to others that want Shall God have glory by it Hath he promised to bless the merciful man in his temporal civil spiritual and eternal estate Is there no such way to grow rich as by being bountiful to the poor Is it the most certain and infallible way never to want Is sparing in this case the worst thrift Wil with-holding from the poor bring a man to poverty Shal we have the benefit of their prayers and their loins to bless us Is this the Way to obtain God's blessing upon our persons whereby we shall be kept in perpetual safety delivered from the malicious practises of all our enemies Will God hear us and send us succor in all times of need as we hear and pity the poor and even make our beds when we are sick Wil what we have this way distributed stand us in more stead at the hour of Death and Day of Judgement then all the Wealth in the World Shall the merciful be rewarded with illumination and conversion Wil these Works of Mercy bring such joy and peace confirm our hope and sweeten all our afflictions Are they evident signs of saving Graces And do they assure us of our future reward and fruition of God's presence hereafter Is it the onely way to an honourable and honest repute and report living and dead procuring all love and respect from good and bad Will God â—bless the merciful man with an happy match a godly off-spring Shall what we give be paid again unto our children and posterity with an addition of all other blessings who otherwise shall not prosper but be Vagabonds and beg their bread Is it a thing so pleasing to God that he accounts what is given to them as lent to him And so acceptable to Christ by reason of the near union that is between him the poor and us being but one mistical body whereof he is the Head that what we do to them his members he takes as done to himself and will accordingly reward it or plague the neglect thereof both upon us ours here and our bodies and souls hereafter Is it so that what we disburse in this World we shall receive again by Bill of Exchange in Heaven And that it is not so much given as laid up insomuch that we may truly say What we gave
that we have If besides all this God hath promised to reward a little mony meat clothes with an infinite Eternal Kingdom of glory have the poor as true a right to it as we have to the residue Are we no less beholding to the poor then they are to us Would we were it our case think the contrary very unequal For if we look on the sufferings of others as heavier then our own this will beget thankfulness if we look on the doings gifts and graces of others as better then our own this wil beget humility Shall they thereby be the better able to serve God in their several stations Shall they have cause to pray for and praise God for us Will it stop our enemies mouths and make them think the better of our Religion and happily win them to imbrace the truth at least seeing our good works they will glorifie our Father which is in heaven Whereas the Poore shall onely have some outward relief and comfott thereby Shall wee fare the better for it in our souls bodyes names estates and posterities with many the like which might be added for our eucouragement to this duty Then they should serve as one would think as so many effectual and strong arguments to move every Christian to the diligent and frequent doing of them Yea by this time as I hope I have made some way in the Worldlings heart to rellish the relieving of the poor at least it concerns men to urge and press these motives upon themselves until they have compell'd their unwilling wils to resolve to interest themselves into so many promises and blessings and to shun the danger of so many threats and judgements as the neglect thereof will incur As did we thus hide the Word of God in our hearts and particularly apply these things to our Consciences it would work this Grace in us all Which otherwise will prove no other then as a sweet harmony of Musick to a deaf man It is not unknown to us that Nathan wrought more upon David by a particular private admonition then all the Lectures of the Law could do for three quarters of a year together Yea let but this be done or indeed do but wel weigh what hath been said and it will be sufficient to perswade any covetous Nabal alive if he hath either heart or brain or indeed any care of or love to himself or his to become as liberal as Zacheus himself However I doubt not but some wil be so wise as to consider the premises thereupon to give as God in his Word injoins And that others will do the same if it be but meerly out of self-love for there cannot possibly be more rational or strong inducements more rare remarkable Benefits and Promises to any duty then is propounded to this particular Grace Wherefore if there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any compassion and mercy towards your selves or others think of these things accept of these blessings rush not upon so many Curses but break off your sins and former unmercifulness by righteousness and your iniquity by shewing mercy towards the poor Dan. 4. 2. Distribute to the necessities of the Saints minister unto them of your Substance like Mary Magdalen Joanna the wife of Chuza and Susanna And give your selves to Hospitality Rom. 12. 13. Luke 8. 2. 3. Suffer not the naked to lodge without garment and without covering in the cold Job 24. 7. Yea if thou dost but wel weigh what benefit it will bring to thee by being bountiful to them thou wilt be glad to meet with and invite such an object or opportunity of doing good and be thankful for it even as Zerxes the Persian Monarch said when Themistocles came to him being banished his own Countrey Let the Athenians send us more of such guests And indeed if men will not be moved nor drawn to good with the threefold cord inerrableness of Precepts innumerableness of Examples inestimableness of rewards and yet here is more then a sevenfold Cord no hope that any means should prevail with them as St. Austin speaks If Othniel be told what preferment he shall get for taking Kiriath Sephar he will undertake that difficult task Josh. 15 16 17. And if David does but hear what shall be done to the man that kills Goliah he dares accept the challenge of that terrible Champion 1 Sam. 17. If Moses hath once respect unto the recompence of the reward he will be content to suffer affliction with the People of God Heb. 6. 11. 25 26. And if the Apostles expect to receive some great thing of Christ they will soon forsake all and follow him Matth. 19. 27 28. We should therefore be forward to keep this Commandment of shewing mercy to the poor since in the keeping of it there is great reward Psal. 19. 11. CHAP. LII AGain secondly if Bounty be the best and surest way to Plenty If such Gain comes by giving If this be the onely way to have our Barns filled and our Presses to burst with abundance If by giving to the poor for Christs sake our riches shall encrease and multiply like the Widows handful of meal or those Loaves and Fishes in the Gospel and that the more wee give the more wee have That liberallity will make a man fastingly rich as having Gods Word that suchâ— shall never want If we can no way be so liberal to our selves as by giving to the poor and in them to the possessor of all things It should methinks make rich men of all others put the same in practice since they are all for gain and looking after commoditie all for treasuring up all for themselves all for riches it being their onely summum bonum For no such way to encrease their Estates or benefit themselves can ever be found out this wil do it above what they are able any other way or what they were ever yet acquainted with How then should it take with them How should it not whet them on and make them put the same in practise For should you rich men plot and break your brains to study and contrive all the dayes of your lives how you may do your selves the greatest good this is the onely way It is fabled of Midas that whatsoever he touched it was turned into Gold but it may more truly be so said of the hand of Charity for that turneth a Cup of cold Water into a never failing Mine of Gold As thus if we but sow the seed of our Beneficence we shall not onely reap an earthly crop but have also an heavenly harvest which wil never fail us it wil return unto us a double Harvest the crop of all temporal and spiritual benefits in this life and of everlasting blessedness in the life to come This is the true Philosophers Stone yea it exceeds by far all that any report of it For the Lord will repay and reward us not
folly is it saith Chrysostom there to leave thy Wealth whence thou art a departing and not to send it before thee whither thou art going To leave lose thy riches in thy Inn the place of thy Pilgrimage and not to transport it into thine own Country and Mansionâ—house where thou art ever to reside let thy Goods bee where thy Countrey is Let us imitate herein wise Travellers who being in a strange and dangerous Countrey will not carry their Riches and Treasures about them because they be then in danger by thieves and enemies to be spoiled of them hazarding also therewith the loss of their lives but deliver them rather to the Agents and Factors of sufficient Merchants dwelling in their own Countrey that so taking from them Bills of Exchange they may receive them at their coming home The best means of transporting them thither is to put thy money into the Lords Treasury to deliver it unto the poor who like trusty Porters will carry it for us whereas if we carry it our selves it will like heavy burthens hinder our journey like the Camels Bunch keepe us from entering into the straight Gate whereas if the poor whom God hath appointed for this service carry it for us we shall avoid the trouble and escape this danger Our Wealth can never do us so much good as when it helps us in our way to Heaven where there is no use of such transitory things for there the valuation of Gold ceaseth Riches are of no use there and in Hell it was a drop of water that the Churl wished for not a Bag of Gold nor a Lordship of many Acres he had too large an Inheritance of them before Wherefore ye rich men yea all men to the utmost of your ability do that good before death which may do you good after death as Austin speaks put a good part of your Goods even as much as you can wel spare from your own use and for the well furnishing of your Journey into the hands of the poor whom Christ hath appointed as his Agents and Factors and so it shall most surely be repaid with infinite encrease here if we need it however having finished our Pilgrimage and safely arrived at our heavenly home when Death hath spoiled us of all the rest we shall most richly be provided And this is the right course to make us friends of the unrighteous Mammon unto which our Saviour perswadeth us Luke 16. 9. This is to play the wise Stewards that when by Death we are thrust out of our Stewardship we having discreetly laid out our Master's Goods may be joyfully received into those everlasting Habitations Nor will it so much grieve a good man at the upshot of all that he hath been a poor Treasurer as joy him that he hath been a good Steward Yea it will be the sweetest and joyfullest saying that ever our ears did hear when Christ shall say to us as you heard before Come ye blessed of my Father and inherit the Kingdom c. This will far more rejoice thy soul then it does now refresh the others body Again Is there any place so safe as Heaven where no thief comes where no Plunderer comes where no rust comes Is there any place like that Or can you put it into a better and safer hand then into the hands of God himself If then you wil lay it where you may be sure to have it forth-coming put it into Gods hand â—ay it up in Heaven But if thou wilt not or if contrariwise thy onely care is to hoard up Riches upon the earth this does plainly shew that this World is thy native home and Countrey and that thou hast no right or inheritance in the Heavenly Canaan As how is Heaven our Countrey when as we will send none of our Wealth thither before us CHAP. LIX BUt many to save their purses will object that they are poor themselves and have nothing to spare them when they want relief And many of them speak more truly then they are aware for though they abound with earthly Riches yet are they bare and beggarly in respect of the chief riches and spiritual Treasure though they are rich in goods yet are they poor in Grace poor in Love towards God and their Neighbours poor in Faith and Obedience and poor in Pity Mercy and Compassion towards their Brethren which makes them so niggardly and close handed that they wil part with nothing for their relief They have not for the poor a few scraps to preserve them from perishing with hunger but they have enough for themselves to pamper their bellies and with the Rich Glutton to fare deliciously every day They have enough to entertain their rich friends with superfluous pomp and plenty and they they will not leave to their own appetite but press them with their importunity to eat still more when already they have eaten enough and too much but to the poore they will not allow some poor pittence to keep them from famishing They who make no spare of their most costly Wines but swallow them down themselves with great excess and provoke yea even compel others to drink of them unto drunkenness will not give a little small drink to the poor members of Jesus Christ to quench their thirst they have not for the poor some worn and cast Apparel to cover their nakedness and keep their bodies from the injuries of Wind and Weather but they have enough not onely for their own use but also for pride and ostentation their Chests full thrust with rich Clothing and their Wardrobes thorowly furnished with gorgeous Garments which serve for little other use then to keepe those from sloath and idleness that keep them from moulding and Moth-eating And whereas they have no course Clothes to cover naked Christ they have costly Ornaments of Arras and Tapastry for their walls Finally They have not a few pence to spare for the relieving of naked and hungry Christ be hee in never so extream necessity but they have many shillings and pounds to spend wastfully and riotously upon Dicing and Gaming vain Sights and obscene Stage-playes and so upon all other sinful pleasures and worldly delights which their carnal appetites can any way desire But what a fearful reckoning have these men to make at the day of Judgement when they give in their accounts unto God And with what indignation will Christ look upon them who have thus meanly and basely regarded him Then they wil have the wit or cause to wish that they had not thus occasioned Christ to deal with them as they have dealt with him and his But there is no perswading them to believe that are ordained to perish But say thou hast but a small pittance of this Worldâ—s goods and not such plenty or superfluity as is before spoken of yet oughtest thou out of that little thou hast to spare somewhat to relieve those that are in extream necessity either by selling what thou
universally profitable and withall so amiable As O the loveliness and profitableness of this Christian grace For to do good to the poore is more then a treble good it pleasures them most of all pleasures the doer for it brings blessings upon their Soules Bodies Estates Names Posterity it increaseth their reward causes the poore to pray for and praise God for us and also others to glorifie him it is an odour that smelleth sweete a sacrifice acceptable and pleasant to God who will fulfill all our necessities through his riches with glory in Jesus Christ as the Apostle delivers it Phil. 4. 16. to 20. VVhence that great praise of it 1 Cor. 13. 13. Now abides Faith Hope and Charity but the chiefest of these is Charity Whence Sozomen calls it â—a sure toaken of a most vertuous mind and Lallantius a principall vertue and Calvin the chiefest office of humanity amongst us and Aretius the most elegant ornament of a Christian life and the holy Ghost a never failing grace 1 Cor. 13 8. whence also it is so highly commended in the Saints in all ages As how is Abraham commended for his hospitality and almes-deeds And Lot Corunelius of whose almes there was in the presence of God a memorandum made Acts 10. 31. and Darcas whose good works and almes-deeds were to be seen and shown when she has selfe was not and the poore could not tell how with patience to take her death she had done so much good for them all the time of her life Acts 9. 36. 39. And those Christians Acts 11. 29 30. for the care they had of the poor in the Apostles time Acts 2. 45. Thus the Macedonians are highly commended and much honoured for their freenesse and forwardnesse in relieving of the poor brethren at Jerusalem as is seen upon record Rom. 15. 26. And again 2 Cor. 8. 1 2 c. And the like of the Philippians and many more whom I must passe over in silence CHAP. XXXII And as bounty is the most beneficiall grace and giving the greatest gaine in every respect For almes to the poore is like powring a paile of water into a dry Pump that fetcheth up much more then was put in So coutrariwise to be unmercifull to the poor and hard-hearted or to wrong them whereby to enrich our selves is alike heynons sin and the ready way to want here and to find no mercy hereafter as might most plentifully be shewâ— Prov. 22. 16. James 2. 13. It is said Prov. 11. He that with-holdeth more then is meet shall surely come to poverty ver 24. And so Ver. 25 26. He that with-draweth his corne the people shall curse him but blessings shall be upon the head of him that selleth corne And Prov. 58. He that giveth unto the poor shall not lacke but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse vers 27. And Prov. 22. 16. He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches and he that giveth to the rich shall surely come to poverty Give then that you may never want hide not your eyes that you may not inherite many a curse But of this by the way onely for I would have you specially to take notice that if we shew no mercy here if we will not heare the suits of the poor when they crave of us for reliefe neither will God give us audience when we shall sue unto him hereafter According to that Prov 21. 13. Who so stoppeth his eares at the cry of the poor he also shall cry himselfe and not be heard Yea he shall have judgement without mercy that shewes no mercy James 2. 13. For whereas to those that have sed the hungry cloathed the naked visited the sicke c. Christ shall say Come ye blessed of my Father c. Contrariwise to those that have not done these duties he shall say depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels For I was an hungred and ye gave me no meate I was thirsty and ye gave me as drinke I was a stranger and ye tooke me not in naked and ye cloathed me not sicke and in prison and ye visited me not â— For inasmuch as ye did it not to my poore members ye did it not to more So these shall go away into everlasting punishment but the other into life eternall Matth. 25. 31. to 47. Where are two things considerable They to save their purses would not be at a little cost for the poore while they lived and what have they got by it Now they are dead bâ—t first an everlasting separation from Gods blisfull presence and thâ—se unutterable joyes before mentioned and to be for ever coâ—fined in a bed of quenchlesseâ—flames For this departure is not for a day noâ— for years of dayes nor for millions of yeares but for eternity into such paynes as can neither be expressed nor conceived There shall be no end â—f plagues to the wicked and unmercifull Math. 25. 41. Mark 9. 44. Their worme shall not dye neither shall their fire be quenched Isa. 66. 24. Neither is the extremity of paine inferiour to the perpetuity of it Rev. 19 20. â—0 14. 18. 6. 2 Pet. 2. 4. Heb. 10. 2â— Jude 6. The plagues of the first death are pleasant compared with those of the second For mountaines of sand were lighter and millions of yeares shorter then a tythe of these torments Rev. 20. 10. Jude 7. The pain of the body is but the body of paine the anguish of the soule is the soule of anguish For should we first burn off one hand then another after that each arme and so all the parts of the body it would be deemed intolerable and no man would endure it for all the pleasures and profits this world can afford and yet it is nothing to that burning of body and soule in Hell Should we endure ten thousand yeares torments in Hell it were grievous but nothing to eternity should we suffer one paine it were miserable enough but if ever we come there ouâ— payns shall be for number and kinds infinitely various as our pleasures have been here Every sense and member each power and faculty both of soul and body shall have their severall objects of wretchednesse and that without intermission or end or ease or patience to endure it Luke 12. 5. 16. 24. Matth. 3. 12. Yea the paynes and sufferings of the damned are ten thousand times more than can be imagined by any heart under heaven It is a death never to be painted to the life no pen nor pensill nor art nor heart can comprehend it Mat. 18. 8 9. 25 30. 2 Pet. 2. 4. Isa. 5. 14. 30. 33. CHAP. XXXIII Now what heart would not bleed to see men yea multitudes run headlong into these tortures that are thus intolerable daâ—ce hood-wink'd iâ—to this perdition O the folly and madnesse of those thaâ— prefer earth yea hell to heaven time to eternity the body before the