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
degree out of aduersity to prosperity but that they might glorifie his name in being a refuge and succour to the rest of their poore and distressed brethren according as Mordecai sendeth his admonitorie message to Queene Ester chap. 4.14 saying Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdome for such a time ' Who therfore seeth not that the mercifull relieuing of the needie and poore speciallie such as approue themselues to be of the houshold of faith faithfull seruantes in the familie and Church of God is a vertue of singular excellencie seeing such as do thus do herein shew themselues in speciall manner as deare children to be the most kindlie and ingenuous imitators and followers of God their heauenlie father in that which he accounteth his most singular glorie as we haue seen before In which respect also saith our Sauiour Christ to his disciples Be ye mercifull as your Father is mercifull But not onelie must the children of God be like their heauenly father in doing good to their fellow brethren but euen to their enemies also as the same our Sauiour teacheth For euen God is not onelie kind and beneficiall to the good and iust but also to the vnkind and euill causing the comfortable light and warmth of his Sunne to arise vpon them and his raine to make their fieldes and cattell fruitfull Matth. 6.44.45 and Luke 6.35.36 Finallie according to the holie Prouerbe ch 19.22 That which is to be desired of a man is his goodnesse For herein speciallie is all that comprehended for the which he is to be praised as 2. Chron. 3 2. verse 32. the whole praise of Hezekiah is noted by his goodnes And so also of king Iosiah ch 35.26 The heathen also whether by the light of nature or by the remnant of tradition of doctrine from the first fathers of whom they came after the dispersion of the nations they held this for a principle and so haue set it downe in their writings that in nothing man is more like vnto God then in beneficiall kind dealing And when Demosthenes as they write was asked what man might haue wherein he should resemble God he answered If he should deale beneficiallie and speake trulie And hence it was no doubt that euen among the same heathen people of the world the honourable title of beneficence and bountifulnesse was as it were by a law of nations principally attributed and ascribed to Princes and Rulers whom it should beseeme best as in name so in the vertue it selfe to expresse the diuine nature of God most This coustome of the heathen is pointed at by our Sauiour Christ Luke ch 22.25 where he saith thus They that beare rule ouer the Gentils are called EVERGETAI that is gratious or beneficiall and bounteous Neuerthelesse here before wee goe any one step further it is to good purpose that we doe consider that betwixt the bounteous and beneficiall Giuing of the Lord and all humane beneficence there is necessarilly a great and vnmeasurable difference to be put First because God is the onely spring and fountaine of all beneficence so that from him alone are deriued all good giftes whatsoeuer either man or Angell are partakers of or howsoeuer they are made instrumentes of anie good benifite and blessing either of them to other For as the Apostle Paul saith from the Prophete Isaiah and both of them in the name of the Lord Who hath knowne the minde of the Lord or who was his counseller Or who hath giuen to him first and he shall be recompensed For of him and through him and for him are all things to him be glorie for euer Amen Rom. 11.34.35.36 and Isaiah chap. 40.13.14 And yet more particularly touching man whether Prince or noble Peere rich or mighty learned or in authority Prophet or Apostle whosoeuer he be he cannot possibly haue any thing whether of this world or belonging to the kingdome of God to giue vnlesse he haue first receiued it of that perfect and cōplete fulnesse which is only in the Lord. So that worthily may the Apostle aske of one as wel as of the other chiefly of such as haue the most excellent gifts Who separateth thee And what hast thou which thou hast not receiued and if thou hast receiued it why doest thou boast as if thou hadst not receiued it 1. Cor. 4.7 And Iob. 1.21 The Lord giueth and the Lord taketh away blessed be the name of the Lord. Secondly God giueth such gifts and in such maner as no creature is able to giue them Thine ô Lord saith king Dauid is greatnesse and power and glorie and victory and praise for all that is in heauen earth is thine thine is the kingdom ô Lord and thou excellest as head ouer all in thine hand is power and strength and in thy hand it is to make great and to giue strength vnto all Now therefore ô our God we thanke thee and praise thy glorious name But who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer willingly after this sort For all things come of thee of thine owne hand we haue giuen thee 1. Chro. 29.11 c. And thus no one man but only God hath giuen the whole earth distributed it among all the sons of men Ps 115.16 Thus he no other hath giuen his only son our Lord Iesus Christ to and for the redemption saluation of his Church Isai 9.6 ch 49.6 Ioh. 3.16 ch 4.10 Rom. 5.15 c. where the excellency of this one gift is amplified aboue all other by the holy Apostle and ch 8.31 32. What shall we then say to these things If God be on our side who can be against vs who spared not his owne son but gaue him for vs to death how shall he not with him giue vs all things also According to this diuine munificence God hath giuen the Church to Christ Psal 2.8 Ioh. 17.6 7 8 c. to the end that though it had iustly deserued to be vtterly stripped and left wast naked it might neuertheles by him be beautified adorned with al excellent princely gifts Mat. 28.18 19 20. Eph. 4.11 c. Ier. 3.15 Isa 50.4 euen with such gifts as no money could purchase but onely the bloud of Iesus Christ which is more precious then all gold siluer Act. 8.20 1. Pet. 1.18.19 Among these most precious gifts is heauenly knowledge vnderstanding Ps 119.34 Mat. 11.25 26 27. ch 13.11 ch 16.17 Likewise faith repentāce forgiuenesse of sins are in the number of these inualuable gifts of God Act. 5.31 32. and ch 11.17 18. 2. Tim. 2.25 26. Ier. 24.7 ch 32.39.40 In this catalogue of the gifts of God is that peace of conscience which passeth all vnderstanding Philip. 4.7 that is to say such a gift the excellēcy wherof cannot throughly be discerned of vs. Finally of this magnificēt bounty of God eternal life saluatiō are the gifts of
the maintenance of the Ministers of the Gospell euen as they will answere the matter before God who will not be dallied with therein as we haue seene before he doth therewithall assure all such as shal deale Christianly herein that they shall reape a plentifull fruit from the same Whatsoeuer a man soweth saith the Apostle that shall he also reape For he that soweth to the flesh shall of the the flesh reap corruption that is he that mindeth earthly things without regard of Gods kingdome and religion and his owne saluation he shall perish with them but he that soweth to the Spirit that is he which doth liberally contribute to the maintenance and aduancement of the ministerie of the Gospell shall of the Spirit reape life euerlasting Let vs not therefore as the holie Apostle exhorteth bee vvearie of vvell-doing for in due season we shall reape if vvee faint not Answerable hereunto is that charge which the same Apostle giueth vnto Timotheus and so to all faithfull Ministers of the Gospell in the last chapter of that his first Epistle Charge those that bee rich in this world saith he that they be not high minded and that they trust not in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God who giueth vs aboundantly all things to enioy That they doe good and bee rich in good vvorkes and readie to distribute and communicate Laying vp in store for themselues a good foundation against the time to come that they may obtaine eternall life Reade also in the first chapter of the Prophete Haggai verse 8. Goe vp to the mountaine and bring wood and build this house and I will be fauourable in it and I will be glorified saith the Lord. And againe chap. 2. verses 19.20 Consider I pray you in your mindes from this day and afore from the foure and twentith day of the ninth moneth euen from the day that the foundation of the Lords temple was layd consider it in your mindes Is the seede yet in the barne As yet the vine and the figge tree and the pomegranet and oliue tree hath not brought forth from this day will I blesse you Likewise in the second chapter of the prophesie of Malachie verses 10.11.12 Bring ye all the tithes into the store-house that there may be meate in my house and proue me now herewith saith the Lord of Hostes if I will not open the windowes of heauen vnto you and poure ye out a blessing without measure And I will rebuke the deuourer for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruite of your ground neither shall your vine be barren in the field saith the Lord of Hostes And all nations shall call you blessed for ye shall be a pleasant land saith the Lord of Hosts And I pray ye let vs marke how when the Lord Ier. 32. from the 17. verse and throughout the whole 33. chapter and likewise Ezek. chap. 36.25.26 c. speaketh of restoring his people Israel from their captiuitie to their owne land that they might inioy the fruitfull blessings thereof as in former times he maketh the renewing of their hearts to his feare and worship the forerunner of the same and this blessing to be a consequent of that according to the ancient promise of blessing to those that should truly worship God Leuit. 26.3 c. and Deut. 28.1.2 c. to the 15. verse But this promise of blessing was not made onely to the people of God vnder the law vpon condition they would performe faithfull seruice and worship to God but it belongeth to all nations and people whosoeuer being at any time called to the true knowledge of God shall yeeld theÌ„selues in the faith of Christ true worshippers of him as we are sweetly taught and assured in the 67. Psalme For this being the praier which the holy Ghost teacheth the church to pray in that Psalme That all nations might knowe God and ioyfully praise and worship him the conclusion followeth with this most gratious and bounteous promise of God Then shall the earth bring forth her increase and God euen our God shall blesse vs. God shall blesse vs and all the ends of the earth shall feare him This is that which our Sauiour Christ saith Matth. 6.33 Seeke ye first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall be cast vnto you to wit as an ouerplus or income to make vp more then measure or tale as a matter of small reckening in so great an account c. It is the same also which the faithfiull Apostle of our Sauiour Christ affirmeth 1. Timoth. 4.8 Godlinesse hath the promise of the life present and of that which is to come For no man can truly and hartily seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and so be a right godly man indeed but the same must and will be to his power a willing maintainer and furtherer of the true worship of God and of his faithfull seruants the publike ministers thereof Thus much for the promise of blessing The examples doe now followe concerning the same blessing of God vpon such as haue had such a zealous care of furthering his worship as hath bene spoken of The examples which we mind to bring forth they are partly of such persons as shewe that they had a perswasion in their hearts by faith that God would in mercie recompence their seruice this way done to him and his Church partly they are such vpon whom the blessing of God actually poured downe vpon them is more expresly testified and recorded in the holy word of God Of the faith of the former sort we may take Dauid in his prayer of faith for a worthy example Psalm 86.2 Preserue my soule for I am mercifull saue thou thy seruant that trusteth in thee Be mercifull vnto me ô Lord c. Likewise godly Nehemia that zealous furtherer of Gods true worship and religioÌ„ is another most worthy example as we may porceiue by his most humble faithfull prayer chap. 13. vers 14. in these words Rememember me ô my God herein and wype not out my kindnesse that I haue shewed on the house of my God and on the offices thereof And againe in the same chapter verse 22. after that he had reformed the abuse and prophanation of the Lords Sabbath Remâ—mber me ô my God concerning this saith he and pardon me according to thy great mercy The honorable good man praieth as we see for Gods blessing as one hauing a liuely faith in his promise but he as well as Dauid shew by their prayers that they are farre rmoued from the pride of the Iusticiarie who presumeth vpon his merit and so maketh himselfe in his best workes abominable in the sight of God In like manner with Dauid and Nehemiah had king Hezekiah a comfortable perswasion that God wold shew him mercy because he had shewed kindnesse to the house of God and to his seruants the ministers therof Yea it was as a sweet refuge and sanctuarie to
patrimony and to inrich them with worldly wealth by filling their purses rather then with spirituall grace and vertue by furnishing of their souls by holy instructions by faithfull prayers to God and by Godly example of life Yea herein he committeth a double sin as well in that he taketh not the right course to leaue his children to the protection of God as in that by his practise and example he teacheth them to make more reckening of their earthly patrimony then of Christ himselfe and of his heauenly kingdome And further it is by many degrees better to be a father to manie Orphanes or fatherlesse children in feeding and cherishing them of Christian loue and pitie for the Lords cause who professeth himself to be a father vnto him then to leaue the greatest aboundance that may be to such children of a mans owne as for want of grace shewe themselues so leudly minded that they will wantonly and vnthriftily mispend all that shall be left them as experience doth not seldome shew it to fall out so Finally many though they be not Gentlemen themselues yet do they put forth so farre to make their children or at the least their eldest sonne a Gentleman that they make themselues beggers before they die and make their eldest so mightie aboue the rest that he spoileth and impouerisheth all his brethren OBIECTION 2. concerning care for children Among my children God hath giuen me some daughters beside my sonnes whom I can by no meanes preferre in mariage to any of good degree and countenance in the place where I dwell vnlesse I prouide for them some round portions And I must also bring them vp so as they must haue some Gentlewomanly qualities and they must sutably be set out in apparell something according to the fashion which as these dayes go is very chargeable all the world is giuen to so great brauery ANSWER O blind doting and aspiring folly Doest thou seeke to marrie thy daughters thus Dost thou not see that this is the way to procure husbands to thy daughters portions rather then to themselues and to wed all thy daughters to vanity before thou findest out one good meet husband for anie of them O how much better were it for Christian parents to nurture bring vp their daughters in the feare of God and true Christian modestie in holy shamefastnesse and sobrietie and in good huswiferie that they being first of all espoused to Iesus Christ their heauenly and spirituall bridegrome and so made fit for mariage might haue in his due time husbands of his most wise choise and appointment with whom they might leade not a wanton and idle but a right christian godly and comfortable life Marry thy daughter saith a wise man and so shalt thou performe a weightie matter but giue thou her to a man of vnderstanding Ecclesiasticus 7.25 Thus much for answere concerning inordinate care for children Obiections in regard of the pretended vnworthinesse of those that stand in neede to be relieued doe nowe followe OBIECTION 1. in regard of pretended vnworthinesse of those which stand in neede to be relieued I thinke in my conscience saith the couetous and vnmercifull man that I should doe verie ill to giue to so many as are readie to aske of me for I should mainetaine manie poore folke in their idlenesse and to bring vp their children also idlelie c. Which should be hurtefull to the Common-wealth ANSWER For the poore to liue idlelie in a christian common-wealth and likewise for them to bring vp their children in idlenes it is verily a great yea a double sinne and ought of conscience to be misliked and condemned of all seeing it is condemned of God himselfe He that will not worke should not eate as the Lord by his holy Apostle saith 2. Thes 3.10 And the ciuill magistrate should faile greatlie in his dutie and so sinne against God if he should not by his authoritie prouide against it Neuerthelesse it is no sinne for a mercifull man to relieue anie that be presentlie in vrgent necessitie be they idle or be they worse prouided notwithstanding that with the outwarde reliefe admonition be giuen with earnest perswasion that they will leaue their idlenesse and wickednesse and followe an orderlie and godly course of life Nay this is so farre off from the nature of sinne that he who doth so maketh practise of a double vertue and grace insomuch as at one instant as it were he giueth a double almes the one to the comfort of the hungrie bodie the other for the health of the surfetted soule The more full answere to this obiection may be giuen from the late excellent Statute made for the suppressing of idlenes and for order to be taken as well to set the poore to worke as to contribute to their reliefe so farre as they shall furthermore be found to stand in neede OBIECTION 2. Let a man giue them neuer so much they will be neuer the better for it all shall go through their throate c. ANSWER Such as be well and thriftilie minded will be the better As for the rest if they will be nothing the better yea though they should be the worse it may suffice thee vntill thou doest perceiue it to be so in deede that thou giuest with a mind to doe them as much good as thou mightest Their euill can no whit deminish thy goodnesse But if thou vpon experience perceiuest anie to be the worse as not knowing how to take the right benefite of reliefe thou maiest well make a better choise and so cast the seed as it were into a better soile OBIECTION 3. They are verie vnthankefull they will not giue a man a good word for all that is done for them ANSWER All be not so And though some be vnthankful yet God will be neuerthelesse gratious mercifull to thee Againe if thou shouldest seeke after the thanks and praise of men what a vaine thing were this For so shouldest thou loose all praise and reward with God Furthermore let it be obserued that thofe men which are thus most ready to accuse the poore of vnthankfulnesse and to be the more idle because of reliefe c. they are such as can speake least of all other vpon their owne experience Wherefore well may such Christians be rebuked and shamed by the sayings of the heathen who say Recompence followeth after him that looketh not for it Againe It is the determination of him that is an excellent good man indeed and hath his minde inlarged that way so long to beare with the vnthankefull man vntill thou hast wonne him to be thankefull But let vs proceed OBIECTION 4. There want not examples of some who make so great a shewe of godlinesse as one would thinke that he should do God good seruice in relieuing of them and yet afterward they are found to be nothing the men they seemed to be So that a man knoweth not to whom he should giue And were it not