and his Wisdom did appoint and find out all those Favourable Circumstances which have been the occasion of they Prosperity and success and it is his Providence alone which hath prevented those many Casualities which might have devested thee of all so that if it had not been for Him thou mightest long agoe been stript naked and reduced to a piece of Bread How many have gone to Bed rich and wealthy and have awakned poor and Miserable have we not seen persons turned out of their possessions and rob'd of all their Wealth and who have not been so dealt with must ascribe it to the Goodness and Care of GOD toward them Certainly what ever Wealth or Riches Honour or Advantages any man enjoyeth is still to be considered as the Gift and Gratuity of Almightie GOD as Iacob doth here For he saith not all that I have or shall have but all that thou shalt give me Acknowledging thereby that whatsoever should accrew to him by whatsoever means would be nevertheless GOD'S doings But when I say by whatsoever means it is still to be understood of lawfull means for what cometh by unlawfull wayes as by fraud and violence c. Is not from GOD but from him who promised to our Saviour All the Kingdoms of the World if he would fall down and Worship him And though a man should give all this to the Poor and in Charitable uses it would not be accepted it would be but an abomination But to return if all be owing to the Divine bountie it is just and reasonable and our bound Duty to allot and consecrate a part to his Glory We are unworthy receivers of his Benefits if we do not thanfully acknowledge his Goodness in bestowing them and without such an acknowledgement we cannot pretend to a right or sanctified use of them For the Apostle tells us every Creature of GOD is good if it be received with thanksgiving and not otherwayes which thankfull acknowledgment must be made not only verbally by Speeches and Expressions but by real works deeds viz. by devoting a certain part of what we enjoy to such pious uses as he hath appointed As Tenements own their Land-Lords by paying their yearly rent and Subjects their Soveraigne by yeelding tribute so it is no leâ—…s our Duty to Honour GOD with our substance as Solomon enjoyneth Prov. 3. 9. It was thus to honour GOD by acknowledging him to be the LORD and Giver of all that David with the Princes and Captains of Israel made these great offerings for building the Temple of the LORD and the service of the Sanctuary which we find 1. Chron. 29. for verse 11. David saith thine O LORD is the greatness and the Power and the Glory and the Victory and the Majestie for all that is in the Heaven and Earth is thine thine is the Kingdom O LORD and thou art exalted as Head above all both Riches and Honour come of thee and thou Reignest over all and in thy hand is power and might and in thy Hand it is to make great and to give strength unto all now therefore our GOD we thank thee and praise thy Glorious Name and of thine own have we given thee Now as Reason teacheth it to be just thus to honour and acknowledge GOD by consecrating a part of our Substance to his Glory and for his use so there never was a time wherein GOD did not particularly require it In the State of Innocency there was not occasion for almes or other such pious uses as now but the tree of knowledge in the midst of the Garden was reserv'd to GOD as holy in token that he was Lord of the Garden and therefore was man cast out of Paradise and had the earth cursed for his sake because he had violated the sign of his Fealtie unto the LORD of Heaven and Earth After the fall untill the Law of Moses we do not indeed find any expresse particular precept for making such offering out of our substance to GOD but yet all holy men did it Iacob you see here vowed it and Abraham gave the tenth of his Spoil to Melchisedeck the high Priest of GOD. And though reason and the meer light of nature might teach them that something was due and proper to be given yet we cannot conjecture how they could come to condescend so generally upon such a Particular Portion without learning it by Divine revelation In the law of Moses the Tithes of all things are expresly Commanded to be payed as an acknowledgment of GOD'S being the Proprietar of the whole Earth and that men hold their possessions only by his bounty and good will therefore Deut 26. As there is a Command for paying Tithes and bringing the First Fruits as an offering unto the house of the LORD so there is set down the particular confession to be made at these Offerings in which is shewed the reason for requiring them viz That even GOD ' S Tittle to the whole land might be acknowledged and that he might thereby be moved to bless the possession thereof to them seing that they thus own him to be their LORD and GOD. Now as for the Gospel this Precept is not renewed in it and the Ceremonies of Bringing up to the house of GOD the first Fruits of our encrease and what is due out of our Substance doth not much concern us But though the Ceremonial part of this Precept be not now obligatorie yet the Moral thereof is for CHRIST hath not taken away our Obligation to these moral observances which the Honour of GOD calls for think not saith he that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfil Matth. 5. 17. There is not indeed in the New Testament such frequent and particular mention of making these offerings by way of Tribute unto GOD because there we are not considered as in a Servile State by the Gospel GOD hath exalted us to the Nobler State of Friends and Children and deals with us as such which yet doth not take away our obligation from paying necessary Duties whereof the thing we are now speaking about is one And though as we have said the Devoting some portion of our Goods be not now called so by way of Tribute as from Servants or Subjects yet the thing it self is very often injoyned and inculcated viz. of Almes giving Beneficencie and Works of Charity Mercie though the phrase of giveing Almes be generally used yet it is so spoken of as to let us understand that it is a debt due unto GOD which we are unjust if we do not pay for it is usually Styled Iustice or Righteousness as Mat. 25. We must not think that GOD hath now under the Gospel quit his Right and Tittle to our Goods and Possessions or that he doth not require any acknowledgment of them from us we are much mistaken if we think so He requires this now as much as ever and therefore to this end it
GOD Gen 3. 8. And after the Fall 't is certain that there was a Particular place set apart for the Worship of GOD whither Abel and Cain brought their sacrifices Noah came no sooner forth of the Arke but he built an Altar to the LORD and in like manner we read of all the Patriarchs that where ever they sojourned they built Altars which were usually ranged about either with Trees or Stones where they and their Family Worshipped GOD and performed all their Solemn Acts of devotion their wandring course of Life would not allow them better the Tabernacle which Moses pitched in the Wilderness was the first house of GOD we read of which was covered and adorned with Art and it was followed and imitated by that magnificent Tempâ—…e which which Soloman built Where all who lived at Ierusalem and near it resorted for the Worshipping of GOD and whither all the Males even in the remotest parts of the Kingdom were oblidged to come up at least thrice a year But though 't was not lawfull to offer Sacrifice except in that one place yet there was every where besides both in Towns and Villages in the Cities and open Fields Synagogues and Oratories where people came to Pray to GOD and to joine with others in His Worship and to be instructed in His will Of Synagogues there are frequent mention in the New Testament and by severall things it may be collected that there were of them during the first Temple but of Oratories or places for Prayer we read not so often yet they be sometimes spoken of as particularly Luke 6. 12. where it is said our Saviour weâ—…t into a mountain to pray and continued all night in Prayer to GOD but the Original will rather bear in the House or Place of Prayer So likewise Acts 16. 13. 't is said of Paul and others that were with him being come to Philippi of Macedonia they went on the Sabbath day out of the city by a River side where Prayer was wont to be made or where there was an usuall Oratorâ—… Thâ—…s it is certain that 't was frequent every where and in every Nation to consecrate and sâ—…t a part Places and Houses for the Worship and Service of GOD 't is well conjectured by the Learned Mr. Mede from Iosh 22. 16. that these Lands and Countries were reputed unclean where there was no such Consecrate or Devoted Places Now whither Men had an expresse Positive Precept for the erecting houses to GOD and consecrating such places to him or if they were meerly prompted thereto by the light of Nature and the Stength of Reason it doeth not very clearly appear But however it is certain that GOD did very much approve therereof not only by allowing his most eminent Servants to continue in the use and practice of this thing but also by requiring it of them Thus GOD was so well pleased with Noahs building him an altar that 't is said he smelled a sweet savour therefrom Gen. 8. 21. and 35. 1. we have God putting Iacob in mind of the Vow which he here made and requiring him to make performance thereof in this very particular When it first came into Davids Heart to build an house unto the LORD the motion did so please GOD that he sent Nathan the Prophet to tell him that for this he would make a sure covenant with him and establish the Crown and Throne upon him and his house for ever though for reasons he would not let him build the house but deferred it to his Son Solomon 2 Sam 7. And we must not look upon Temples as a Legall Ceremonie agreeable only to the Times of the Old Testament not proper or necessary now for though GOD dwelleth not in Temples made with mens hands and that his Worship is not fixed to one particular place as 't was of old yet it 's no lesse necessary now then formerly to set a part Places and to consecrate Houses for the publick worship of GOD that hereby he may be the more solemnly acknowledg'd that his Worship may be gone about with the greater Decency Gravity and Conveniency These were the Reasons no doubt which moved Men to this Act first and their Strength and Force is as great now and as binding as ever Wherefore the Apostles and first Christians even such as was most zealous against Iudaisme did not think the use of Temples to be abolished by the Christian Law but did continue the use of them and were carefull to consecrate and set apart Churches where ever they made converts and did propagate the Gospel For though the ontward state of Christians was then but mean and though they were also lyable to many persecutions yet they wanted not Houses for that Worship and service of God which was peculiar to the Gospel This the Learned Man formerly mentioned hath made very evident and it appears clearly from 1 Cor. 11. 22. and from these salutations to particular Churches of such and such a house At first Temples and Religious Places were but mean plain and simple without any great ornament what the Patriarchs used seems to have been no other then open uncovered places set about with trees or Stones agreeable to their own way of living which was not constant or settled in any one place for they dwelt in tents only and removed from place to place There be some remainders of such kind of simple Oratories yet to be seen in many places of this Kingdome But as People became more fixt and settled and as they farther improved in art and cunning so they used to take greater pains in adorning their temples and religious houses and judg'd it to be their glory to have them Stately and magnificent David was ashamed that he himself should dwell in a house of Cedar while the Ark of the LORD was only within Curtains And GOD complained by the Prophet Haggai that the People who returned from the Captivity should have dwelt in Cieled Houses themselves while the Temple of the Lord lay wast and unrepaired The Churches of the first Christians 't is like indeed were not very fine nor could much better be expected from them if we consider the meannesse and poverty of their State and what hazards they run by offering to meet together at all They were then necessitate to content themselves with any place though it had not the conveniency and adornments which they wished but so soon as the Emperours turned Christians and that the publick exercise of the Christian Religion was allowed then Churches were every where built Stately and magnificent They did not then proceed by the scant rule of meer necessity but rendred them not only convenient for themselves but such as might speak out the greatnesse and glory of that God whom they adored And though it cannot be denyed but that there may be an excesse in adorning Churches when more is bestowed on them then on the poor which are GOD'S living Temples yet certainly to have no regard
things which are told them of the LORD Intercession makes a fourth part of Prayer this St. Paul enjoyns 1 Tim. 2. 1. and it is insinuated in the Tenor of the LORD'S Prayer for that being prescrib'd to be a Form of private Prayer and yet runing all alongs in the plural number it teacheth us that while we pray for our selves we should also be careful to hold up the concerns of others Selfishness is contrary to the temper of the Christian Religion and it tenders our Prayers ineffectual For GOD hears us and deals with us only according as we are disposed towards others with what measure we mett it shall be measured to us The Apostle requires expresly that our Prayers be without wrath 1 Tim. 2. 8. intimating thereby that where there is wrath there is no acceptance And according to the Christian Law there is Wrath where Kindness is not testified he hates who does not love he envies anothers Happiness who does not heartily wish it That therefore our Prayers may be effectual for our selves we must present Supplications for others that we may taste the goodness of GOD let us not confine it to our selves but heartily wish it extended to all the rest of the World That GOD may be glorified in others as well as in us thus it is our duty to pray for all Men whom we must specify according to their various Conditions and Necessities because we cannot name every one in particular but St. Paul bids us pray especially for Kings and those in Civil Authority in the forecited place and for our Spiritual Guides and Rulers in several of his Epistles both because they have much need to be prayed for and also in that the good of Mankind much depends upon them And as Nature teacheth us to particularize those who are near or dear to us so Religion requires us expresly to mention our Enemies and if our hearts will not suffer us to do this we need not pray at all as our Saviour plainly intimats Matth. 5. 23. 6. 14. The fifth Particular whereof Prayer should consist is Praise or Thanksgiving this must be alwayes joyned to our Prayers according to the Apostles Precept Col. 4. 2. 1 Thes. 5. 18. Very Nature teacheth us to be thankful to our Benefactors and to make an acknowledgment of their Favours so that an unthankful person has been ever esteemed among Heathens most odious what Obligations then are on us to give thanks to GOD who is the great Benefactor and who is even the Author of all the favours which others confer And we are the more oblidged to make this hearty and thankful acknowledgment because t is all the requital he seeks all we can return for what he does to us for we cannot be profitable to him again as we may be to our fellow creatures our requests the desires of our heart are intimat by thanksgiving as much as by Formal Petitioning as appears from Phil. 4. 6. and moreover hereby we in a manner lay obligations on GOD both to continue the benefite and also to grant us what else we aske whereas by our unthankfulness we provock GOD to withdraw his Blessing already bestowed and to turn away from our Prayers How unreasonable is it to desire or expect a kindness from him to whom we have shewed our selves unthankfull for what he hath already done But because GOD measureth our Thankfulness not by our Words but by the inward sentiments and affections of our hearts therefore we should consider First the number of those blessings which God bestows on us how they are almost nay altogether infinite for who can reckon up all the Publick and Private the Temporal and Spiritual Blessings they enjoy the Good they possess and the Evils which they want for as he gives the one so he withholds the other As the Psalmist speaketh Many O LORD my GOD are thy wonderful Works which thou hast done and thy thoughts which are to us-ward they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee if I would declare and speak of them they are moe then can be numbred Psal. 40. 5. 2ly The greatness of them what matter of Content and Satisfaction they afford especially such as are Spiritual for without them we should be Eternally miserable 3ly How freely they are bestowed for they are all Acts of pure love in GOD being given without either merit on our part or profite or gain to Himself 4ly How undeservedly they are continued we rebell against GOD grieve his Spirit and give him dayly manifold Provocations and yet he still loads us with his Benefits if any Parent received but the thousand part of these injuries from his only Son He would certainly abandon him By these considerations we must labour to make our selves sensible of GOD'S Goodness towards us and to estimate truly these expressions thereof we have received that our affections towards him may be enflam'd and that our Souls and all within us may be stirred up to bless and magnifie his holy Name These are the several parts of Prayer which if persons please they may rank otherwayes for 't is not material what particular method be observed but by this veiw we have given it appears that Prayer is somewhat more then a bare repetition of Words that to pray well and effectually there is more time and greater deliberation requisite then People ordinarly imagine or what I fear the most bestow If we would have our Prayers avail or take effect we must ply them seriously and allot some time for the right performance of them And here none ought to pretend that their business will not suffer this for though upon some urgent Occasion or particular emergency Men may be allowed to shift or abridge their Prayers Yet it is not lawful for any to let the Ordinary or Daily Business of their Callings so take them up as not take time to retire and pray in that manner we have shewed for this were to prefer Earth to Heaven the Body to the Soul the cares of this Life to those things above whereas our Saviour bids us seek first the kingdom of GOD and his righteousness The Servant that is most strictly kept hath time allowed to eat drink and sleep the Man of the greatest business if he be Master of himself will allow himself some leasure to talk with his Friends or Neighbours and why also should not every one seek out some proper time for Praying to GOD. 'T is true People may lift up their Hearts to GOD while at work and indeed they ought to be ever darting up Pious Ejaculations wherefore we are commanded to Pray alwayes and herein also Prayer is like to Breathing that it ought to be continual and joined to all other Exercises But these short Ejaculations or occasionall Prayers will not serve in steed of such Set and Solemn Prayer as we have been speaking of which GOD necessarly calls for which all Holy Men have taken care to perform some seven times
of this description would be but bad and far from exactness Now Heaven doth infinitlie transcend the best state in this World and is of a quite different nature so that our conceptions could not reach it unless it were revealed The Heathens who had not this true light to direct them entertained wild and extravagant fancies about the nature of that Life which is to succeed this But yet they were not so gross and absurd as Mahomet who set aside the light of the Gospel and followed his own dreams which have suggested an odd kind of Paradise and such Monstruous Pleasures there as can relish with none but beastlie and brutish Persons for others certainly cannot but despise them and be so far from counting such enjoyments of happiness that they will certainly reckon it the greatest misery to be tyed to them eternally Some of that False Prophets followers are so ashamed of this account he gives of Mens happiness in the other World that they study to put a fair construction thereupon by interpreting the same allegorically But though this should be admitted it will not excuse for such Similitudes should have been shuned which can only serve to beget in Mens minds base and low thoughts of that Blessed Life and which are so far from engaging men to purifie themselves here in order to it that they rather foster an perswasion that none are fitted and disposed for it but impure and unclean persons seeing it is represented by the exercise of impuritie and the grossest sensualities It is true the Gospel makes use of Earthly comparisons in holding forth the Ioyes and excellency of Heaven Because otherwayes it is impossible to convey to our minds any apprehension thereof for as Children must be taught in Childish terms so men cannot be instructed in things so sublime and so far above the reach of their understandings but by using expressions and Similitudes familiar to them though not so just and adequat in themselves But though the Scripture when it speaks of Heaven adapts it self to the weakness of our apprehensions yet at the same time it guards sufficiently against all low and sordid thoughts for both the Metaphors used are choise and cleanlie and the manner of handling them such as gives us to Understand that we are not to take them Literally The glory of the other Life it set forth by Growns and Scepters and Banquetings and Rivers of Pleasures But we are allo abundantly cautioned against the expectation of carnal gratifications for these cannot be look'd for there where the state of things makes them no wayes desirable but altogether unnecessarie for then men live not an Animal Life but a life Sublimely Spiritual All the circumstances and particularities of the Life to come are not revealed neither are we yet capable to know them At present our faculties are not fitted to discern the pleasures and enjoyments above even though they were laid out before us we could no more take them up then a blind Man colours or the Infant in the Womb the Chearfulness of this lightsome World or a Child the strong contents of riper Age. When St paul was caught up into Paradise he was so transported besides himself that he knew not well whither he was in the body or out of the body And what he saw and heard there he tells us is unspeakable and not possible to be uttered 2 Cor. 12. 4. Untill the temper and Disposition both of body and mind be changed and Spiritualized we can neither enjoy that Life above nor yet fully understand the Pleasures and satisfactions thereof But that all possible Felicity will both be then bestowed and there also enjoyed is not only expresly promised but this we may very well conclude from what is revealed For first that State above hath nothing troublesome or uneasie in it It is not like this World lyable to rough Weather severe Storms or excessive heats which occasion fainting nor doth there ever fall out any sad disaster or calamitie to discompose the minds of the Inhabitants There be some Mountains as Tenariff which surmount the Clouds and it is said the Air about the top of them is alwayes so calm that the smallest Sand or Dust will remain unblown away and in the same manner it was first laid down which may be no unfitt Emblem of the Tranquillitie of Heaven It is the Fate only of these Sublunarie Countreys to be infested with Fogs and Mists with Wind and Rain such is the constitution of this World that the pleasures here are marr'd and allay'd by some or other disgustfull inconvenience which always attend them but the Heavenly Regions are ever Clear and Serene there is a perpetuall Calm there and a constant Freedom from all sort of Disturbances They who are there saith St. Iohn shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the Sun light on them nor any heat For the Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto Living fountains of Waters and GOD shall wipe away all tears from their eyes And thereshall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away Rev. 7. 17. 21. 4. Secondly not only what Disquiets our present Life and holds us in continuall Vexation is for ever thrust out of Heaven but also the Beautie and Ornaments of this World are laid aside as Imperfections and Unnecessarie things and what is infinitlie more glorious take places in stead of them The Sun is the Beautie of this lower World and how disconsolat would our Condition be without the light thereof But so glorious is the State above and so excellent that the Sun it self and its Light would be but a Blemish there for St Iohn tells us that the Heavenly Ierusalem had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the Glory of GOD did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof and again there shal be no night there and they need no candel neither light of the Sun for the LORD GOD giveth them light Rev. 21. 23. and 22. 5. All Kings and Princes Study to have their Courts answerable to their Magnificence and Dignitie The Palaces of Kings are alwayes Seated in the best part of their Kingdoms and thither are brought the Chief delights which their Countreys can afford How Glorious and Magnificent then must Heaven be which is the Palace of the great King the Peculiar habitation of GOD himself if he hath so Beautified this World and Replenished it with such variety when it is only the lower apartment of beasts or at the best but a transient quarter for Man What do we think will that be and how sumptuously Enriched which he hath design'd to be his own everlasting abode and the Habitation of those peculiar ones whom he hath set his love upon and with whom he hath determined to remain for ever There certainly GOD will
and 't is very long before they can be drawn to the Performance some never think it time to bequeath any of their Goods to Pious and Charitable uses till Death that 't is impossible for them to hold them any longer This Pievish and nigardly disposition towards the Service of GOD is very far contrary to what the holy Patriarch Iacob sheweth here where we see that as he devoted himself to GOD so heartily and freely the Tenth of all that he possessed By giving this portion to GOD we are to understand the allotting and Setling a part the same for such Ends and Uses as tendeth to the Honour and Glory of GOD such as to the maintenance of his House and his service therein and to the relief of the Poor and Indigent for whatsoever is imployed this way is given unto GOD We cannot reach himself immediatly with our Presents Gifts nor stands he in any need of them but the LORD is pleased to take that as done to himself which is done for the publick good of Mankind particularly for the relief and comfort of such as are in Poverty and Distress Verily I say unto you saith our Saviour in as much as ye have done it to one of the least of these my Brethren ye have done it unto me Mat 25. 40. I doubt not but upon the first view of the title of this Book it will be apprehended that we intend to assert the Churches Right to the Tithes but as this is a Doctrine which few are disposed to hear so the entering upon this Question would but oblidge us to enlarge this Treatise beyond what we design'd it and seing a discourse of this head is fitter to be addressed to Publick States than to private particular persons for whose use only we have intended this therefore we resolve not to meddle with this Question However by the by we cannot but say that whatever may be pretended by the Law of Nature or the Written Law of GOD it is certain that our Tithes were Sacred and Consecrate things by the Donation and Charity of Men and therefore ought never to have been aliâ—…nated to any profane use 'T is true indeed they were most vilely abused by such as possessed them but their abuse of them did not neither could annul and cut off GOD'S right unto them The abuse might have been rectified without taking away the use of the things themselves and certainly the Sacrilegious robbing of GOD of what was so Solemnly and for so many Years Devoted unto him is such a stain upon our Reformation as that our Orthodox Faith and the soundness of our Judgements in other Particulars Will never attone or sufficiently wipe away these words of St. Paul seem to touch us very nearly thou that abhorests Idols dost thou commit Sacriledge Rom 2 22 The brasen Censers which Corah and his complices made use of though their use of them was not only unwarrantable but even contrary to the expresse command of GOD yet the LORD would not suffer them to be cast away or to be turned unto any other use than that of the Sanctuary but commanded to make of them Broade plates for a covering of the Altar For saith he they offered them before the Lord therefore they are hallowed Numb 16. 38. So notwithstanding the great abuse of those things which the Church possessed in the times of Poperie yet being they were once dedicaâ—… unto the Lord therefore they ought never to have been imployed to other than Sacred uses I say sacred uses and not the Ministers of the Gospel only for I confess the appropriating all that Wealth to the present small number of the Clergy and to their particular use allennarly were neither Reasonable nor Convenient But as this Kingdom would require a greater number to serve in the Ministry so it would be fit and proper to bestow a better Maintenance upon some then what they enjoy People testifie their respect to GOD when they Honour His Servants in allowing them a Liberal Maintenance and indeed as a liberal Share is first due to the Ministers of the Gospel and such as officiat about Holy Things so this might have been given out of what the Church formerly possessed and enough besides for other pious uses Out of what remained Hospitals might have been maintained for Sick and Diseased Persons and for a Refuge for such as were decayed through Age or other Infirmitie and thereby rendred unable for any Calling or Office there might have been an Allowance for Widows and Orphans and the training up Children in Lawful Trades and some Charitable Banks erected for lending Supplies to such as were broken in their Fortunes whereby they might Recruite themselves and be enabled to set up again I am confident the former Church Revenues and consecrated Lands would have been almost sufficient for these things and this use thereof will I think be acknowledged more for the publick good then what they were imployed unto And as this would have made less complaining in our Streets so it would been more for the Honour of our Reformation and would have stoped the mouthes of our Adversaries whereas now they Cry out that the Zeal for the Reformation was not Sincere but that there was more regard to the spoiles of the Church then to the taking away the corruptions thereof for which the Pious Mr. Mede and some others are very confident GOD will some time or other signifie his displeasure by some signal judgement and indeed Sacriledge seldome or never passed unpunished But enough of this What we intend at present is First to shew that every Particular Person owes to GOD a part of his Estate and Fortune and that GOD doth require and expect it from him 2ly we shal consider what Proportion or Quality every one should think themselves oblidged to give And Thirdly we shall propose some Motives for pressing home and stirring up to the Practice of this necessary but I suppose much neglected Duty As to the First that every one owes a part of his estate and fortune to be thus imployed in the exercise of Charity towards Men is a thing which will easily appear by the Laws of Justice and Gratitude for all that we have is from GOD what ever we possess comes from His Bounty and is the effects of his Goodness by whatsoever Means and Methods it hath come unto us Was thy inheritance intail'd upon the By birth thou art nevertheless oblidged to GOD allennerly for it for it was his Providence who Ordered thee to be born in Lawful Wedlock of such Rich and Wealthy Parents it was he alone that cared thus for thee before thou hadst a beeing and before thou could'st make any choice for thy self Is all the Fruit of thy Labour and industry Though it be so yet it doth not lessen they Obligation to GOD for he gave thee the Wit and the Head by which thou hast contrived and the hands by which thou hast wrought and laboured
done to God when we regard Man more then him And do we not regard man more then God when we are more desirous of applause from Men then to find favour in the Eyes of GOD And when we withdraw our selves from the eyes of Men lest they should know our evil Actions but never value God's sight and knowledge thereof He who doth thus hath not taken the Lord to be his God he doth not own and acknowledge him he bows only to Men to his own Credit or Homour and hath set up these for his GOD. Wherefore who would not be guilty of such gross Idolatry as to worship the Creature more then the Creator and and who would testifie and make it appear that they indeed adore the true GOD let them not slight or despise the Divine Presence but let them alwayes eye and consider it and be carefull to carry themselves alwayes as before so Great and Glorious a Majesty And seing that God is every where and hath his eye alway upon us let us in private and in publick at home and abroad at all times and in all places walk wisely and circumspectly let us not be guilty of such incivility towards God as to do any unworthy thing before him but let us labour so to behave our selves that he may think us worthy of that testimony which he gave unto Iob whom he said was a perfect and upright man One that feared GOD and eschewed evil Iob 1. and 1 Of Observing GOD'S Wayes and Actions In the second place Walking with GOD implies a carefull observance of whatsoever he doth For it is usuall for such as are in company together to watch and take Notice of one anothers Words and Actions and if one be more eminent for Wisdom and Ver. tue or any other excellency then such a are with him are the more oblidg'd to eyes his Motions and and Behaviour Nothing which Excellent and Worthy Persons speake or doe should fall to the Ground un-observ'd and it doth speake out some contempt of one to think that what they do or say is not worth the noticing as therefore out of respect to Great and Eminent personages we ought seriously to consider them their Speeches Actions and to count them worthy our remembrance so much more should our eyes be fixed upon God and it is much more our dutie to consider him what he hath done and what he dayly doth in the World that the consideration thereof we may return Him due praise and glory For this end GOD endued us with Rational Spirits and with understanding Faculties that we might be capable of Contemplating himself and his workes And therefore when we turn away our eyes from such Contemplations or neglect them we do in so farr swerve from the Design of our Creation and do disappoint GOD of that Tribute of Praise which is due unto him yea in steed of honouring him we do actually dishonour him by slighting the Effects and Products of his infinite Wisdom Power and Goodness All GOD'S Actings are like himself and do shew forth his Admirable Perfections there is no part even of the Material world but is stamped with some impression of his Almighty power and unsearchable wisdom and Infinite goodness And therefore what the Psalmist sayes of the Heavens Psal. 19. 1. May be said of all GOD'S other works they all declare the glory of GOD i. e. As a Curious engine or Fine Piece of Work doth hold out the Skill and Cunning of him that made it so all the Works of GOD have in them what doth set forth and proclaime how wise how great and good he is And as the External and Material World doth contain Visible Characters of the Divine greatness and Perfections so GOD hath created Rational and Intellectual Beeings viz. Angels and Men capable to discern and read them that by so doing they may sound forth his Praise The Contemplation and Admiration of God's works and Wayes is our proper and should be our constant imployment And if it had not been for this there would not have been bestowed upon us such Powers and Capacities Wise and Understanding Persons will not Expend more upon any thing then it is worth they will not reare up stately fabricks meerly to lodge Swine nor will they buy fine Silk and Carpet to Wipe shoos and Dishes and neither would GOD have endued us with understanding Souls Immortal Spirits if we had been only destin'd to the Acts of a Brutish and Sensuall life for then what Iudas said impertinently when the Box of Oyntment was powred upon our LORD might have been here put as a very pertinent question What needed all this Cost For something less then Reason and Spirit a meer Animal Sagacity might have served and been sufficient for finding out and taking care of Bodily Pleasures and Accommodations GOD and his Works therefore are the only sutable object for our thoughts to be imployed about these indeed are answerable to the capacities of our Soul and as the considerations thereof tendeth to the Honour of GOD so it clevats our selves to a proper and becoming Dignity whereas the most of other things are so far below us and so much within our reach that it is a debasing of our Natures too much to mind or to be taken up with them However it is certain all the Saints and Servants of GOD have ever thought it their Duty and a proper and necessary Testification of their Respect unto GOD to be taken up with the Contemplation of his Works both of Creation and Providence and to set a part sometime dayly for this purpose We are told that it was Isaac's custome to go out to the Field and meditate about even-tide Gen. 24 63 and no doubt his Meditations were such as we are speaking of The Book of Iob shews how much that holy Man and his Friends were accustomed to the consideration of GOD ' S Works and Wayes for all their Discourse and Reasonings are taken thence Yea when GOD himself appeared unto Iob he calls him to a particular consideration of his great and wonderful Works and does therefore largely display them before him in the 38. and following Chapters Nay what are all the Psalms but as so many devout Meditations of GOD'S Works or Pious Hymns composed in memory of them The Works of the LORD saith the Psalmist are great and they are sought out of all them that have pleasure therein His Work is honourable and Glorious and he hath ordained his wonderfull Works to be remembred Psal. 111. 2. 3. And again he saith All thy works shall praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall blesse thee That is as his works contain the matter of his Praise so the Saints shall publish and Declare it by admiring and magnifying of them they shall as he goeth on speake of the Glory of thy Kingdom and talk of thy power to make known to the Sons of Men his mighty Acts and the Glorious Majesty of his Kingdom Psal.
145. 10. c Thus it appears that the observing of GOD'S wayes and works makes a great part of his Worship and that hereby we do truely acknowledge him to be what he is not only of great Majesty but also a GOD of Infinite Wisdom and Power Because by so doing we declare that He does nothing in Vain nothing that is not infinitly Worthy of our most Serious Consideration and that our thoughts can never be better imployed them in the Contemplation of what he hath done and dayly doth in the World Let us therefore frequently betake our selves to the Contemplation of GOD ' S Works both of Nature and Providence Let us sit down and seriously and devoutly consider them and Admire and Adore that Wisdom Power and Goodnesse which appears in them It will become us to take notice how manifold the works of the LORD are and in what Wisdom he hath made them all How he hath reared up this vast fabrick of the World out of nothing and Wonderfully beautified adorned it How he hath stretched out the Heavens like a curtain and in them hath set a Tabernacle for the Sun which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber and rejoyceth as a strong man to run a race whose going forth is from the end of the Heaven and his circuit to the ends of it and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof What a wise and admirable contrivance is the Scituation and Motion of the Sun whereby all the parts of the world are equally enlightned For what any part wants at one time it hath at another those places which are longest without the Sun have him also longest with them so that his Presence alwayes equals his Absence And the dispensing his presence thus differently is much more usefull and convenient then if it had been otherwise it is visibly better that the Sun moves now betwixt the two Tropicks not in a straight or direct Line then if it had rolled regularly upon the Equator for then those under the Line or near it would have had all the Advantage and his influence upon the rest of the World would have been very faint like to that in March and September which is not sufficient to produce and ripen the various fruits of the Earth which are usefull both for our Support and Pleasure But when we have our eyes lifted up to the Heavens the Sun is not all which is worthy to be observed there we ought likewise to consider the Moon which GOD hath appointed for the Distinguishing Seasons and hath placed as a Lamp to give light in the night that those whose necessities call to travell then may be derected and see their way We ought to view the Stars also these admirable Embellishments of the Heavenly Frame which we have reason to think vastly bigg beyond their appearance else how would they be seen at such a distance And seeing Reason teacheth them to be so great in quantity and that our eyes shew them to be many in number and Art yet farr more we 〈◊〉 well conclude that the work of GODS Creation is great magnificent above the reach of our Apprehensions And therefore it may fill us with wonder and astonishment that GOD should take such notice of Man who bears so small a proportion to the rest of the Creation When I consider the Heavens saith David the work of thy Fingers the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained Lord what is man that thou art mindfull of him Or the Son of Man that thou visitest him Psalm 8. 3. 4. The Earth is to the rest of the World as a point to a great glob or a grain of sand to a high mountain and yet it affords many instances both of the Wisdom and Power of GOD. It hangs upon nothing as Iob speaks and yet as the Psalmist hath observed he hath so laid the Foundations thereof that it cannot be removed for ever the Earth is ordained a Temporary abode for Man and it is made most usefull and convenient for it affords not only Necessaries but Comforts it yelds not only Food to sustain our Life but also pleasures to affect our fenses there are proper objects to every appetite and things sutable to all the ends and purposes of our Present Condition Every place gives the necessaries of Life and what is else desireable is wisely 〈◊〉 so that they who live in the severall parts of the world may be engaged to entertain mutual Commerce together Though the State of things be not now as 't was at the beginning because sin hath altered the order and beauty of them by reason thereof every creature groaneth and travelleth with pain yet we may easily discern that GOD designed us all content and satisfaction even here below For with what variety of delights hath he replenished this world What a multitude of living Creatures of diverse kinds hath he put therein for our use and service And how wisely are they all disposed The Cattel go upon the mountains the wild beasts-lodge in Forests Fowls nest in Trees the high hills are a refuge for Goats and the rocks for the Coneys And though our sins do provock GOD to turn the earth into a barren Wilderness yet he still visits and watereth it and greatly enricheth it he Watereth the ridges thereof abundantly and setteth the furrows thereof he maketh it soft with showers blesseth the springing thereof He crowns the Year with his Goodness and his paths drop Fatness they Drop upon the Pastures of the Wilderness and the little hills rejoyce on every side the Pastures are cloathed with flocks and the valleys also are covered with Corn. He causeth grasse to grow for the Cattel and Herb for the service of Man that he may bring forth food out of the Earth and and Wine that maketh glad the heart of Man and Oyl to make his face to shine and bread which strengthneâ—…h Mans heart The earth is full of the Riches of the LORD so is the great and wide Sea wherein are things creeping innumerable both small and great Beasts who herd together in Companies as well as those upon the Land at their appointed Moneths and Seasons they ascend from the bottom of the Deep and walk upon the Surface of the Waters that they may be catcht by the Children of Men to serve for Food and other necessaries There goe the Ships there is that Leviathan whom GOD hath made to play therein By his neesings a light doth shine and his eyes are like the eye lids of the Morning out of his mouth go burning lamps and sparks of fire leap out out of his nostrils go smoke as out of a seething Pot or Cauldron He maketh the deep to boyle like a Pot and the Sea to be as a Pot of Oyntment he maketh a path to shine after him so that one would think the Deep to be hoarâ—… Upon the Earth there is not his like so that one may be cast down at