with all precious and pleasant riches chap. 24.3.4 And againe chap. 21.20 In the house of the wise is a pleasant treasure and oyle but a foolish man deuoureth it Thus then we may see that beneficence by wisedome may be practised not onely without vtter impouerishmeÌ„t but also to the further inriching to the most singular benefit blessing of the wise and discreet practisers of it according to that which followeth in the verie next Prouerb He that followeth after righteousnesse and mercy shall find life righteousnesse and glorie Wisedome therefore moderateth beneficence and beneficence inricheth the wise so that through the grace of God they continuing in benefiting others proue most beneficiall to themselues in the end Now that it is the speciall grace and commendation of beneficence that it should be so considerately disposed that euerie mans beneficence should not end in one or a fewe benefites not onely the godly wise but euen the heathen wise men haue obserued And to this end they prescribe manie good cautions for the guiding and directing of liberalitie lest after that it hath broken the feruile yoke of niggardly couetousnesse wherein it was vniustly detained it should degenerate into ouer licentious prodigality or some other vnworthy and vnbridled folly These eautions I thinke it not vnworthy to set them downe as they follow First that none be any way dammaged or hindered by the vnwise and indiscreet or vniust disposing of liberalitie Secondly that no mans beneficence be aboue his abilitie Thirdly that nothing which any man is able to perform be done for ostentation and vaine glorie Finally that in the practise of liberality euery one to whose reliefe it is disposed be respected according as he is more or lesse worthy for vertue or in greater or lesser need through the present exigence as one may say of his miserie c. These and such like are the wise cautions which euen heathen men haue seene meete to bee obserued for the well ordering of liberalitie and beneficence they all holding that vnaduised beneficence is verie discommendable and that euen great giftes so bestowed are of lesse worth and reckening then small benefites wisely disposed The same cautions and directions which the only perfectly wise and sacred word of God doth most wisely and perfectly teach would to God all Christians wold be carefull to learne and practise better then euer the Heathen did Which verily by the grace of God they should easily do or at the least not more vnwisely to the shame of Christianity if they would hearken to the instructions of his word Then should not the foolish hearts of so many of vs be as closely drawne together and fast locked vp as are the strings of our purses and the liddes of our boxes and hutches when we should doe any good therein preferring earthly riches which are corruptible and transitorie before the heauenly and eternal treasures of the kingdome of heauen so setting greater store by worldly friendes then regarding by the well bestowing of our riches to prepare our selues friendes against that great day of account which God will one day call vs vnto aspiring and hunting more after the vaine glorie and pleasures of this life then after the spirituall ioyes and incorruptible crowne of the kingdome of heauen Then should not so many bee so ouerwise as to neglect all practise of beneficence lest they should as they pretend bestowe it amisse sometime as though it were not better that almes shoulde bee sometimes lost and perish then anie creature should at anie time bee lost for want of almes and as though it were sayd in vaine that some at vnawares haue receiued Angels into their houses when as they did thinke them to bee but mortall men Then should not so manie bestowe that which they account their lâ—beralitie yea their greatest and most religious bountie so corruptly and prophanely as they vse to doe in setting open their houses to Dicing and Carde-play to masking and mumming in Christmasse and to other lewde practises at other speciall times of the yeare which they account their good house-keeping Then should not the vsuall liberalitie of a number bee spilt as it were water vpon the barren and vnpofitable ground as heretofore it hath bene vppon roguish vagabonde and idle persons which nothing at all minded any honest course of life in obedience either to the lawes of God or of the lande wherein they liued yea which is a thousande times worse then shoulde it not bee in anie wise employed of anie to the maintenance of abominable idolatrie and superstition and of such as are the wicked instrumentes and ministers thereof damnable Iesuiticall and Seminarie Priestes c. For all such beneficence falsly so called is no true liberalitie but cleane contrarie to the nature of this most noble and free-borne vertue which implyeth onelye that kind of bestowing of our goods which best beseemeth a liberall and free minde indeede that is such a minde as is made free by the Spirite of God from all seruile furtherance of sinne or sinners in anie euill way and to all willing preferring and aduauncing onely of true Godlinesse and Religion by all the good and holie meanes that it can Finally if true wisedome and discretion might alwayes holde the sterne of Christian beneficence and liberalitie yea euen there where there is an honest and good minde then not so manie yea rather none at all should so soone sinke themselues and growe vtterly vnable in short time to hold out in that course which first they beginne with too full and broad a sayle though the truth is much fewer haue need of a bridle to curbe and hold theÌ„ in then the rest stand in need of the sharpe spurre to put them into that quicker pace which easily they might be able without any tyring to continue and abide in according to that saying of the holy Prophete The liberall man will deuise of liberall things and he will continue his liberalitie Isai 32.8 And thus we may perceiue in a good part what wisdom is requisite to the discreet ordering and disposing of euery mans yea euen of his owne priuate beneficence And therefore we are the lesse to maruell though the Lord requireth speciall wisedome to the bestowing of the publike beneficence and almes of the Church which ariseth of the particular contributions of manie into one summe according to that which we read in the sixth chap. of the Acts of the holy Apostles concerning those Deacons who were by the consent of al the Apostles to haue this charge Wherfore say they guided herein by the holy Ghost and that by occasion of some former failing in this behalfe brethren looke ye out among you seuen men of honest report and full of the holy Ghost and of wisedome whom we may appoint to this businesse Concerning the singular wisedome of which ordinance in regard of the institution which is from the wisedome of God himselfe and how wisely the publike beneficence of the
abominations all which blasphemous impieties and most filthie treacherous and cruell practises were found both in the chiefe citie and also in all other places where this strumpet hath borne anie sway by making the Kinges of the earth drunken with the wine of her fornication For these causes therefore saith the Spirit of God as appeareth more at large in those two chapters of the booke of the Reuelatiō of our Lord Iesus Christ which he made knowne by his Angell to his seruant Iohn this most filthie whore shall be most wofullie iudged and condemned of God God therefore I say yet once againe of his infinite mercie and most bounteous goodnes giue all that be his both among them and among our selues and in all Churches trulie professing and honouring the most gratious and glorious name of our Lord Iesus Christ that in this so great and weightie a matter of Christian giuing and receiuing of holie beneficence which so generallie and so nearelie concerneth and blindeth all to dutifull regard in either respect that we may auoide all the errors and sinnes thereinto incident the which as hath bene declared are manie and great and so escape the heauie plagues and punishmentes of God due to the same both in this world and in the world to come And that on the contrary we may be so guided by the holy Spirit of God to proceed according to the streight line and euen and equal measure of his word both in Giuing Receiuing here for a while that for euer we may be partakers of the most precious and inualuable gift of euerlasting life and happinesse in the glorious kingdome of heauen through the onelie worthinesse and merit of our Lord Iesus Christ the only begotten sonne of God to whom with the father and the holie Ghost three most glorious and distinct persons one true eternall and euerliuing God onlie wise holie righteous gratious and mercifull most bounteous Lord God the onelie author and fountaine and the onlie wise distributer and disposer of all good giftes and graces both in heauen and in earth be all praise honour and glorie maiestie and thanksgiuing ascribed and acknowledged of vs and of all creatures both visible and inuisible both nowe and for euer and euer in all thinges and namelie for his late gratious succour against the yeeres of dearth among our selues for renewing of our plentie for the suppressing of the roguish life and thereby for opening of a doore to the more orderlie and comfortable practise of true liberalitie who also vouchsafe to giue grace that on all handes it may bee dulie practised and put in holie and Christian execution Amen An Addition of choise Sentences gathered out of sundrie Writers both Christian and heathen which may to good purpose be referred to the Chapters of either part of the Treatise according to the direction hereafter specified MVlta delectant pauca vincunt Excellency of beneficence liberalite Though a fewe proofes or precepts beare the sway yet variety is delightsome and pleasant Sen. de Benef. lib. 7. cap. 1. Beneficentia ac liberalitate nihil est naturae hominis accommodatius Nothing is more beseeming mākind then beneficence and liberalitie Cicero Off. 1. And lib. 2. Summi cuiusque bonitas commune perfugium est omnibus As euery man is in more high estate so ought he to be a more common refuge for a any man to flie vnto Nihil est tantopere expetendum homini inprimis diuiti quà m vt ex animo benefaciat Nothing is so earnestly to be desired of a man specially of a rich man as that he may haue grace to be hartily beneficially Fr. Iunius annot Prou. 19 22. It is a speciall blemish to graue and learned men and of great iudgement in the Scriptures being also rich wealthy if they shall be noted to be nothing sutable in liberality but on the contrarie For such to abound in this dutie it giueth thē as great a grace in the eyes both of God man as any knowledge or speech or any other or all their gifts put together For that which is to be desired of a man is his goodnesse Prou. 19.22 Read in the verie godly and frutfull Lectures of Samuel Bird of Ypswidge vpon the 8. and 9. chap. 2. epist Cor. pag. 26. 27. 28. And againe pag. 82. Kindnesse to other giftes is as the face to other parts of the body c. I pray reade the places diligently and all other the godly instructions of that little booke vpon those two chapters For as he truly saith pag. 33. In hard times if men would knowe what regard they should haue of their poore brethrē they should consult with those chapters of the Apostle wherein the holy Ghost hath of purpose set downe his holy will and pleasure vnto vs. Sentences to be referred to the first Chap. of the first part of the Treatise Apud homines moderatissimos quosque praestabilius habetur beneficium dare quà m accipere Excellency of Giuing atque antiquior est misericordia quà m lucrum Among all sorts of men such as haue bene of most discreet iudgement it hath bene accoūted a more excellent thing to giue then to receiue a benefite more honourable to shew mercie then to seeke after lucre Greg. Nazianz. Orat. 27. de Pauperum amore And againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nihil beneficentia diuinius in hominem cadit Naz. Orat. 18. ad ciues Trep Nulla in re magis Deo similes sumus quà m beneficentia We are in nothing more like to God then when wee practise beneficence Plinie and other among the heathen Reade Calu. Harm Euang. vpon the 45. verse of the 5. ch of Matth. Generosi animi magnifici est iunare prodesse He hath a right Gentleman like and noble mind who is beneficiall helpefull Seneca Demosthenes being asked wherin man resembleth God he answered that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be beneficiall and to speake the truth Quis tam miser tam neglectus qui Dei munificentiam non senserit ad quem non aliquid ex illo benignissimo fonte manauerit Who is so miserable or forlorne that he hath no comfort of Gods bountie and to whom nothing hath issued from that most gratious founiaine Seneca de Benefic lib. 4. cap. 4. Homo nihil tam Dei habet quà m benefacere vt superius dictum est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet God in great matters man in small things either of them according to their power Dei proprium est perpetuo saluandi studio teneri nec hominum indignitate à benefaciendo absterreri Gualterus Religionis summa est imitare quem colis It is an abridgement of religion for a man to imitate God whom he worshippeth Aug. de Ciuit. Dei lib. 8. cap. 17. Magna certè beneficentiae laus quòd teste Spiritu sancto piae ac perfectae vitae summam in se continet It is verily a great praise of beneficence in so much
The Lord also by his holy Spirite raised vp the hearts of his people that they offered willingly to this worke they which were neare about the chiefe Fathers of Iudah and Beniamin strengthened their handes with vessels of siluer with gold with substance and with cattell and with precious things besides all that was willingly offered according as king Cyrus had in the gratious proclamation of their libertie moued and exhorted them The vessels which king Cyrus restored to the house of the Lord were thirtie basons of gold a thousand basons of siluer nine and twentie kniues Thirtie bowles of gold of siluer bowles of the second sort foure hundreth and ten and of other vessels a thousand All the vessels of gold and siluer which king Cyrus restored were fiue thousand and foure hundreth And in the sixth chapter of the same book of Ezra king Darius confirmeth the same fauour and bountie of Cyrus and extendeth his owne princely liberality to further the worship of God For thus he writeth to the aduersaries of the Iewes Suffer ye the worke of this house of God that the Captaine of the Iewes and the Elders of the Iewes may build this house of God in his place For I haue giuen a commandemēt what ye shall doe to the Elders of the Iewes for the building of this house of God that of the reuenues of the King which is of the tribute beyond the riuer there be incontinently expences giuen vnto these men that they cease not And that which they shal haue need of let it be giuen vnto them day by day whether it be young bullockes or rammes or lambes for the burnt offerings of the God of heauen wheate salt wine and oyle according to the appointment of the priests who are in Ierusalem that there be no fault That they may haue to offer sweete odours vnto the God of heauen and pray for the Kings life and for his sonnes c. And after this Darius we reade in the seuenth chapter how Artashasht at the sute of Ezra did the like for he gaue them his royall furtherance and ful libertie to do all things according to the will of their God with this speciall immunitie that none of his Gouernours should lay vpon the Ministerie toll tribute or custome In the fift chapter of Nehemiah that worthy Courtier hauing obtained leaue of the same K. Artashasht to come to Ierusalem to further the worke of the Lorde he breaketh off the hard courses whereby the richer sort oppressed the poore yea hee mightily prouoketh them to take a mercifull course whereof also he himselfe giueth them a right princely example In the eight chapter of the same booke both Nehemiah and Ezra with the Priests Leuites and people they praise God and the poore were relieued and feasted vers 10. And chap. 13. verses 10 11 12 13 14. Nehemiah causeth the portions of the Leuites to be giuen them and the tithes to be brought in and paid to them seeing that for want thereof the holy worship of God was neglected among his people In the book of Ester chap. 9.22 after that the Church was deliuered from the intended massacre of Haman the people of God keep their feast of thankfulnes to the Lord and one sendeth presents to another as tokens of their mutuall ioy in the Lord and gifts are bestowed vpon the poore In the booke of Iob chap. 29.11.12 When the eare hard me saith Iob a man of singular mercie and goodnesse in his time it blessed me and when the eye sawe me it gaue witnesse to me For I deliuered the poore that cryed and the fatherlesse and him that had none to helpe him The blessing of him that was ready to perish came vpon me and I caused the widdowes heart to reioyce I put on iustice and it couered me my iudgement was as a robe and a crowne I was the eyes to the blind and I was feete to the lame I was a father to the poore when I knew not the cause I sought it out diligently I brake also the chawes of the vnrighteous man and pluckt the praie out of his teeth And chap. 30.25 Did not I weepe with him that was in trouble was not my soule in heauinesse for the poore And againe ch 31.16 c. If saith Iob vehemently affirming his vprightnesse and good conscience in a constant course of exercising mercie I restrained the poore of their desire or haue caused the eyes of the widdowe to faile or haue eaten my morsels alone and the fatherlesse haue not eaten thereof For from my youth he hath growne vp with me as with a father and from my mothers womb I haue bene a guide to her that is to the fatherlesse daughter If I haue seene any perish for want of clothing or any poore without couering If his loynes haue not blessed me because he was warmed with the fleece of my sheepe If I haue lifted vp my hand against the fatherlesse when I sawe my helpe in the gate Let mine arme fall from my shoulder and let my arme be broken from the bone Thus much of Iob in that he was a mirrour of mercie euen aboue a number of right mercifull men and such a representation and patterne of this heauenly vertue as all may worthily take example by him In the 38. chap. of the Prophesie of Ieremiah from the 7. verse c. we reade how Ebed-melech the Blackamore is an instrument of the Lord to deliuer Ieremiah out of the dungeon where he was ready to starue had not this Ethiopian taken compassion of him and made sute to the king on his behalfe In the 15. chap. of Matth. vers 32. Our Sauiour Christ the peerelesse patterne of mercie he calleth his disciples vnto him and saith I haue compassion on this multitude because they haue already continued with me three dayes and haue nothing to eate and I will not let them depart fasting lest they faint in the way And for want of a sufficient quantitie of foode in ordinarie course he by his diuine power feedeth them miraculously In the seuenth chap. of Luke verse 5. The Centurion who is commended by our Sauior Christ for his great faith aboue all in Israel he hath this commendation set downe of him that he loued the people of God and that he had built a Synagogue for them And chap. 8. of the same Euangelist verse 3. Manie women and namely Mary Magdalen and Ioanna the wife of Chuza Herods steward and Susanna are praised for ministring of their substance to the maintenance of our Sauiour Christ And chap. 10.38 Marie and Martha are commended for entertaining our S. Christ his company into their house And ch 19.8 Zacheus as a liuely fruit of his faith and repentance and loue to our Sauiour Christ voweth the halfe of his goods to the poore with restitution for all his wrong dealing with any man And chap. 21.4 The poore widdowe cast her portion into the treasurie as well as the rich
to shew mercie vpon such yea euen the mercie and blessing of this presâ—nt life Furthermore Psalm 41. ver 1. c. The same holy Prophete of God pronounceth those blessed who shall iudge wisely of the poore and afflicted And yet this is in appearance lesse then to deale kindly and mercifully toward them Neuerthelesse how little so euer it may seeme to be yet it is in truth a principall grace greatly seruing to all externall exercise of mercie and compassion how secrete and hidden soeuer it be For where there is first of all a charitable iudgement conceiued of those that be humbled by any affliction there will follow comfortable counsell hartie prayer and euery other good fruite of compassion and mercie in hope that God will in due time deliuer and saue them out of all their affliction For so it followeth in the Psalme The Lord will deliuer him in time of trouble The Lord will keep him and preserue him aliue he shall be blessed vpon the earth and thou ô God wilt not deliuer him vnto the will of his enemies The Lord will strengthen him vpon the bed of sorrow thou he turneth his speech again to God as before hast turned all his bed in his sicknesse or hast put an end to his disease or sicknesse Thus as the holy Prophet giueth to vnderstand will such as iudge wisely and charitably of the afflicted bemone their estate and comfort them all they can and that with as much chearefulnesse as they can incourage their heartes vnto from such good and comfortable reasons as are mentioned in the Psalme And now in all this what doth this Prophet say or any other testimony of the holie Scripture affirme which our Sauiour Christ doth not confirme in that he saith Mat. 5.7 Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercie And ch 25.34 c. The king saith he speaking of himselfe euen the Iudge of all the world shall say to theÌ„ on his right hand at the last day Come ye blessed of my Father inherit ye the kingdome prepared for ye from the foundations of the world For I was hungrie and ye gaue me meate I thirsted and ye gaue me drinke c. and verse 40. In so much as ye haue done it to the least of these my brethren ye haue done it to me O how great and incomprehensible shall this comfort be to all those that shall attaine vnto it seeing it shall be the euerlasting sealing vp of all comfort and of most glorious happinesse vnto them And therefore also howe worthie the obtaining of this is all the care of forecasting and preparation that may be I meane that we may according to the holy aduise of our Sauiour Christ make our selues such friends by the well employing of the vncertaine râ—ches of this world that when we shall want we may be receiued into euerlasting habitations Luk. 16.9 Men vsually for the obtaining of a little vaiâ—e pleasure or earthly profite glorie will do very much And shall we refuse to do so small a thing as our Sauiour Christ requireth â—t 〈…〉 â—â—r the greatest aduantage and most durable â—râ—fi◠〈…〉 glorie that may be For thus in effect our Sauiour speaketh vnto vs Be ye mercifull a little while to the poore afflicted members of my Church for my sake and ye shal be blessed for euer Giue of your small earthly commodities and ye shall be recompenced with great spirituall heauenly riches Comfort ye them with your temporal refreshings your ioyes shall be eternall and glorious in the kingdom of heaueÌ„ To this purpose well serueth that which S. Iohn writeth Reuel 14.13 I heard a voyce from heauen saying vnto me write Blessed are the dead euen henceforth which die in the Lord. Euen so saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and that their workes may follow them Of the which works no doubt these of mercy which we speak of are a chiefe and principall part according to that of the Prophet Isaiah chap. 57.1.2 Mercifull men are takes away from the euill to come They enter into peace and rest in their graues These things being so let it be so farre from vs to thinke it too great a matter to part with a small portion of our worldly goods to the reliefe of our poore brethren that we may rather esteeme it a small thing in comparison of the kingdome of heauen which our Sauiour Christ is minded to giue vnto vs Luke 12.33.34 though we should sel all that we haue if need so required giue it out for almes For thus as our Sauiour saith in the same place we should in steed of rotten bags make vs bags which shall not waxe olde and in steed of vncertaine riches obtaine that treasure which shall neuer faile in heauen where no theefe coÌ„meth neither moth corrupteth nor canker fretteth and in steed of moyling here about earthly things our hearts shall be free to mind heauen and heauenly things as hauing already sent our treasure thither before And to the same purpose let vs willinglie hearken to that holy insruction which the same our blessed Lord and Sauiour teacheth vs in the 14. chap. of the same Gospell saying When thou makest a dinner or a supper call not thy friends nor thy brethren nor thy kinsmen nor thy rich neighbours lest they also bid thee againe and a recompence bee made thee But when thou makest a feast call the poore the maimed the lame and the blind and thou shalt be recompenced because they cannot recompence thee for thou shalt be recompenced at the resurrection of the iust Not that our Sauiour Christ doth simply condemne or forbid all ciuill inuiting and feasting of one rich friend by another in a mutuall and answerable course of kindnesse so it be soberly practised but he mindeth onely to shew in these wordes that the feasting of the poore is much to be preferred before the feasting of the rich specially of the good and godly poore in so much as this kind of feasting is both more necessarie in regard of the guests which do stand in need to be this way refreshed as also because it is lesse chargeable to the feast-maker in that a more meane diet will content the poore and finally because it is more gainefull in that the blessing of the kingdome of heauen doth belong to this kind of mercifull feasting and not to that other feasting of the rich which is continually recompenced by one to the other here in this world as our Sauiour giueth to vnderstand Nowe further if wee will vse but a little more diligence to peruse the holy Prouerbes of king Salomon we shall find in that one little booke so manie and the same so excellent sentences tending this way as may worthily confirme vs greatly in the sure hope of the blessing of God while we doe walke in this blessed way of mercie toward the poore and needie Of these excellent sentences therefore let vs here call to minde
mercie as it is sayd of the prayers of his good seruants so may it be affirmed of all their good and kinde dealings that they shall be turned vpon their own bosoms according to that we reade Psal 35. vers 12.13.14 O therefore how I beseech you should not the earnest consideration of these things mightily preuayle to moue euery one in whom there is any sparkle of grace to minde this practise of Christian beneficence and mercie toward the poore of Gods people according to euery mans abilty And euen for the same cause also as hath bene before expressed to separate and lay aside a portion before hand of that blessing which God giueth That so we may haue alwayes a purse or coffer to this spirituall vse and seruice of the Lord as well replenished as may be And to this so blessed an end that all which haue aboundance should cut off as much as may be all superfluous and vaine expences in apparell in diet in building in plate in houshold stuffe and in euerie costly and curious ornament whatsoeuer is to any in his place and calling aboue that which is sober and meete For by this wise prouident and sober course not onely the richer but also such as be of lesse wealth shall find both a more richer treasurie to defray all charges this way and also a more readie heart and hand to extende their helpe toward all good reliefe And otherwise it will come to passe that though we be ouercome to giue yet will it be yeelded so vngainely from vs as it were the small sparkle out of the hard flint or as sawe-dust grated out of the belly of the hard oake or to speake the fairest of it it will be but as a thinne and short eare of corne out of a verie barren and vnfruitfull soyle So that loosing all grace in the giuing it doth make the gift it selfe voyde of all blessing like vnto the light and waste seede which being sowne taketh no roote in the ground Verily if we could earnestly and ingeniously consider with our selues and lay together all the reasons which are to be weighed in this argument as namely for a taste that in so doing wee perfourme the dutie of good and faithfull Stewards to God in the right disposing of those his creatures which hee hath betrusted vs withall that thereby we preuent much murmuring and sin and much vniust dealing by pilferie and deceit yea infinite dangerous snares and temptations whereby the diuell spoyleth weake Christians as may easily appeare vnto vs by the prayer of holy Agur Prou. 30. chap. 7.8.9 Giue mee not pouertie prayeth wise Agur lest I be poore and steale Reasons mouing to beneficence and take the name of my God in vaine It is one of the two principal things which he earnestly craued of God that he might obtaine at his hands so long as he had to liue And further if we would duly consider that we refresh the soules of the the best stayed seruants and saints of God Epist to Phile. vers 7. By thee the bowels of the saints are comforted that we mitigate the heauie burthen of their cares and sorrowes and so make their liues more comfortable to them that hereby wee giue them occasion to poure forth many heartie praises and thankesgiuings to the honour and praise of God Moreouer if we would consider that hereby we gather much peace and assurance to our selues that we are in Gods fauour in so much as hereby as Saint Iohn saith We know that we are translated from death to life if we loue the brethren 1. Ioh. chap. 3. vers 14. Likewise that whatsoeuer wee bestowe this way is the safer and surer portion of all our riches according as one truly saith that The most liberall men are the most rich men in all the world Adde also that we mollifie the hard heartednesse of our enemies and mittigate the enuie of those that be spiteful and malignant while we doe good vnto them And yet further that we defeat the moth the canker and the thiefe and store vp our treasure in heauen as our Sauior Christ teacheth vs. In like manner that we are vnder the blessing of the prayers of the poore which is as a princely protection sealed vnto vs as it were with the broad seale of the kingdome of heauen Iob. chap. 29.13 Finally that we are therein blessed of God himselfe with all kind of blessings in this life and shall more comfortably leaue this world whensoeuer God shall call vs out of it If I say we would diligently weigh these reasons and other of like sort it could not be but they wold mightily weigh with vs to prouoke vs to a most willing and chearefull practise of so blessed an exercise Whereupon also it is cleare from this discourse that the errour and dotage of all such is very grosse palpable whosoeuer forgetting that Godlinesse is gaine do pursue and follow after gaine rather then godlinesse that euen vnder the profession of true godlinesse and pure and vndefiled religion contrarie to that of the Apostle Iames. chap. 1.27 Pure religion and vndefiled euen before God the Father is this to visite the fatherlesse and widdowes in their aduersitie and to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world And to that Matt. 9.13 I will haue mercie and not sacrifice For mercie is a great and weighty matter of the law Matth. chap. 23. verse 23. It may appeare also that they do greatly deceiue themselues and preiudice the truth and promises of God who standing aside to behold some few examples of those that in the practise of beneficence seemed to fall into decay as if their goodnesse must needes be the cause thereof and so harden their hearts against all good estimation of this excellent vertue For say some do ye not see how such and such a one haue brought themselues behind hand by their entertaining of Preachers c. We thought it could not last long Whereas rather they should blame themselues if any such decay hath bene because it came the rather to passe vpon other because they contrary to their dutie let too great a burthen lie vpon a few which would haue bene light and easie if these idle beholders wold haue set to their helping hand For want whereof they haue endangered themselues to a greater and more irrecouerable losse seeing they haue thereby purchased the displeasure of God and made themselues subiect to his seuere punishments which followe vpon the neglect of mercie as wee are now to declare in the next chapter The punishment of not giuing CHAP. IIII. Of the punishment of illiberalitie and not Giuing IN so much as the gratious acceptation wherewithall God vouchsafeth to accept and reward the beficence and liberalitie of his seruants may be the more liuely illustrated set forth from the contrarie dislike yea earnest displeasure and holy indignation which he beareth against prophane illiberall couetous mercilesse and cruell persons for all
presently no more as one wanting contentment sorrowes because his wealth increaseth no faster sorrowes for losses which are alwayes very tedious to the couetous sorrowes in beholding other men to prosper better then himselfe sorrowes euery way because he hath no more ioy of that which he hath then of that which hee hath not But that which at this time is to our speciall purpose is this which the Apostle affirmeth that couetousnesse drowneth men in perdition and destruction And as our Sauior Christ teacheth The thorny cares of this world and the deceitfulnesse of riches and voluptuous liuing so choake the word make such kind of men vnfruitfull that they can no more be saued then they who are like the high way where the good seed of the word can make no entrance Matth. 13.19.20 Luke 8. vers 12.14 wherefore also chap. 6.24 he denounceth the wo against vnmercifull rich men as hauing their consolation here according to that in the 17. Ps verse 14. They haue their portion in this life According also to the Parable of the vnmercifull and voluptuous rich man in the 16. chap. of the same Gospell by Saint Luke where in the 25. verse our Sauiour Christ describeth Abraham thus speaking to the soule of the rich man being in hell-torments and crauing onely some little mittigation thereof Sonne saith Abraham remember thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures and Lazarus paines now therefore hee is comforted and thou art tormented This is that which is said in the 69. Psalme verse 22. concerning the wicked that Their table is a snare vnto them and their prosperitie their ruine to wit because of their abuse thereof Worthily therfore doth the Prophet pray that the righteous might rather smite him then that he should feede of delicates with the wicked Psalm 141. And iustly may it admonish all to hearken to the holy admonition of the 62. Psal Trust not in oppression nor in robberie be not vaine If riches increase set not your heart thereon Yea further as Daniel counselleth Nebuchadnezzar that euerie one do speedily break off his iniquitie by shewing mercie to the poore Dan. 4. verse 24. For otherwise as the Lord earnestly affirmeth Ezek. chap. 18. verse 18. He that hath not done good among his people lo euen hee dieth that is he shall be sure to die in his iniquitie As though the Lord should say he may be as sure he shall die as if he were dead alreadie And the Apostle Iames chap. 2.13 There shall be iudgement mercilesse to such as shew no mercy But among all places testifying and confirming the euerlasting destruction of vnmercifull men there is none more piercing and mightie to waken the soule of the most hard hearted man if any admonition or rousing will waken him then that which is set downe by the Euangelist Matthew chap. 25. verses 41 42 43 c. where he recordeth how our Sauiour Christ described his last iudgement and the manner of his proceeding in the same and namely against vnmercifull men which is the common sin of all wicked men Depart from me saith he ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuell and his Angels For I was hungry and ye gaue me no meat I thirsted but ye gaue me no drinke I was a stranger and ye lodged me not I was naked and ye clothed me not sicke and in prison and ye visited me not And whereas vnmercifull men thinke that they haue a sufficient excuse because that they neuer sawe Christ himselfe hungrie or thirstie or a stranger or naked or sicke or in prison as though if they had so done they would haue ministred vnto him he professeth before hand that he will answere them and say Verily in so much as ye did it not to the least of these that is to say of poore distressed Christians whom before Christ called his brethren ye did it not to me And therefore hee concludeth against all that neglect to shew mercie whatsoeuer they can alleage for themselues that they shall go into euerlasting paine Now if any would know why our Sauiour Christ chuseth to make mention only of this sinne of vnmercifulnes seeing hee shall come in iudgement to giue sentence against all sinne and all sinners beside that which was euen now mentioned that this sinne is vsually one in euery wicked man the reason may furthermore be this euen because this sinne is a most manifest conuiction that such as lye in it are not of God but of their father the diuell and therefore that they belong to him wholly and haue no part or portion in the Lord. For in like manner as anie are more mercifull then other so do they thereby more clearly shew themselues to be the true children of their heauen lie father euen so on the contrarie as anie are more cruell or mercilesse they more apparantly declare themselues to be the very children of the diuel who as our Sauior Christ saith in the 8. chap. of Iohn was a murtherer and the father thereof from the beginning of the world And howe vnworthy and vnbeseeming a thing I pray you is this that any of the kindly children of God and liuely members of the mysticall body of Iesus Christ should preferre his siluer or his gold his house or his land before his Christian brother or sister bought with the most precious bloud of Christ in comparison whereof all siluer and gold is but refuse yea most vile drosse A righteous man as it is in the holy Prouerbe regardeth the life of his beast chap. 12.10 and therefore verie brutish are they who pity not the liues of those that be heires of heauenly grace and the elect sons and daughters of the most high God creator and gouernour of heauen and earth And thus we see how euery way in this life and for euer in the world to come the punishment of profane illiberall couetous and vnmercifull men is manifold and grieuous O therfore that all would lay the consideration of these things diligently to heart the vnmercifull illiberal man that he might come to the conscience and remorse of his sinne and take warning to learne to do well O that Christian Princes who haue chiefe power on earth to aduance the publike worship of God and all such as haue the disposing of the liuings and maintenance of the ministers of the Gospel wold duly cōsider of thē that they might prouoke themselues to be more and more carefull in the best maner and course of bestowing of them O that christian congregations would earnestlie weigh them that they might learne to put away all grudging and niggardlie dealing with their faithfull and painefull Preachers of the Gospell whether in paying of tithes by ciuill autoritie established and cōmanded The vse of the former threats and punishments or in performing other their more free gratuities and promised allowance where the publike magistrate hath not sufficiently prouided O that euery Christian would well ponder
he the creator this the creature he the glorious and almightie Lord this the poore fraile seruant c. Whereupon we may easilie perceiue how carefullie the true seruantes of God are to abhor and auoide the grosse and profane or rather the sacrilegious and blasphemous flatteries of all wicked Sycophants of the world For they are so lauish in extolling the meanes that they reserue nothing as proper and entire to the Lord. Such was that blasphemous and execrable flatterie of the people who gaue proud Herod diuine glorie Act. 12.22 they crying out with vehement acclamation and shouting so soone as he had ended his oration The voyce of God and not of man Such also was the palpaple flatterie of Tertullus the Orator in his fawning speech to Felix against the Apostle Paul Act. 24. who in the name of the Iewes ascribeth all their peace wholly in al things with al thanks to his prouideÌ„ce For what in effect could he haue sâ—â—d more if he had had a hart to professe his and their thaâ—kfâ—lnesse to God himselfe There is great cause therefore why the faithfull seruants of God should abandon this kind of heathenish and sacrilegious gratulation both from their hearts and also from their tongues For that which is ascribed to man yea euen to Caesar the chiefe among men it is so onely to bee ascribed and yeelded that in wise as was sayd a little before God be defrauded of any part and parcell of his most iust and souereigne due Excessiue thanks to men is to be auoyded But not only heathen men haue foulely faulted this way but much rather the Church of Rome which boasteth it selfe to be the onely true Christian and Catholike Church in the world hath runne it selfe as it were ouer head and eares in this most grieuous and vnchristian sinne For if we compare the heathen and them together we shall easily find that these do exceede them in most pernicious and deadly blasphemy lifting vp and aduancing creatures aboue all measure not onely in ascribing to theÌ„ the voyce of God and a prouidence concerning all earthly thinges as Tertullus to Felix but euen a commanding power for the eternall peace saluation of the soules of men in the kingdome of heauen as is euident in that which they do attribute to the virgin Marie whom they haue made the Lady and Queene of heauen And further as touching their more common or inferiour benefactors here vpon earth they would make vs beleeue that by the merit of theâ—r beneficence and good desert toward their Church together with the propitiatorie helpe of their Priestes they shall not onely escape Purgatory but go straight on to the kingdom of heauen and draw others also by the surplussage of their works together with them Yea further they neuer leaue solemnizing of their praises with an inferiour kiâ—d of religious worship at the least to the end they may the rather allure and bewitch many other to doe the like or rather if it could be more plentifullie after the manner of cunning beggers who at on dore commend the almes which they had at an other to drawe on their good dames to inlarge their good will and charitie towards them But let vs leaue them to themselues all their superstitious and idolatrous CoÌ„mendams to the iudgmeÌ„t of God As touching our owne selues according as we are taught in the holy word of God let vs wisely discreely determine our thanks vnto â—eâ— as to the gratious instrumentes of God and not otherwise so that the chiefe glorie yea the onelie praise and glory maie be whollie reserued and entierlie ascribed to his most blessed maiesty in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ alone to whom with the Father and the holie Ghost one true and euerliuing most gratious and merifull God be all honour and gorie now and for euer Amen Hitherto of the difference of thankfulnesse to God and to men in respect of the nature and definition of thankfulnesse it selfe whereinto the euill effectes or fruites of excessiue thankes haue crept and as it were stollen in before we were ware of it It followeth now that we do further search out the difference from the good fruites which arise from well ordered thankfulnesse both vnto God and also vnto men First therefore the fruite of our thankfulnesse to God in experience of his most prouident and fatherly care ouer vs is so to acknowledge him to be our God and the souereigne fountaine of our whole welfare that we do wholly put our trust in him and depend vpon him as one not onely to be honoured in the meanes which it pleaseth him to vse for our benefite but also aboue all ordinary meanes and helps yea contrarie to all aduersarie and hurtfull meanes if need so require And for the same cause also that in all our needs we runne to him by faithfull prayer and supplication as to our neuer-failing refuge and accordingly to seeke to approue our selues euen from the secretes of our soules and consciences before him according to the direction of his owne most holy and perfect commandement we neuer satisfying our selues with that measure of thankes which we shall at any time for the present attaine vnto But the fruit of our thankfulnesse to men is not so but with the reuerent acknowledgment of them to be the gratious and honourable instruments of God in all that they exhibite and reach forth vnto vs we are onely to perfourme these duties following First that so long as they liue we do continue our harty prayers to God for them Benefactors are to be praied for Secondly that wee retaining a blessed memorie of them doe also vpon all meet occasions make honorable mention of them and of their beneficence so long as wee liue our selues Thirdly that we be willing and desirous to recompence them to our power either in whole or in part to them or theirs yea euen to exceed the benefite receiued if at anie time it shall please God to make vs able and to giue vs iust occasion thereunto Finally that for want of occasions or necessity on their parts that way that we hauing receiued beneficence from the hands of other do learne from their example to bee as beneficiall to others as we may Of these duties therefore let vs henceforth treate a little for our further instruction seeing these also are to be reckened among the duties which belong to the Christian receiuing of a Gift and is our matter in hand still depending to be be further inquired of And first concerning Prayer the debt and conscience of this dutie ariseth from hence that how rich souer they may be and abounding in all worldly wealth they do neuerthelesse stand in continuall neede of the dayly blessing of God the Factor whereof as it were faithfull and feruent or laborious prayer is and that by assignement and letters of mart from God himselfe But what shall we intreat of the Lord in our prayers and