therof they are bent to warre Hetherto of the complaint of Dauid Now how the Prophet Ieremie complaineth against the same kind of most vnthankefull men we read in his prophesie chap. 18.20 And he putteth vp his complaint to God appealing from such vnequall aduersaries to the most righteous Iudge Shall euill be recompenced for good saith the Prophet For they haue digged a pitte for my soule remember that I haue stood before thee to speake good for them and to turne away thy wrath from them Where it is worthy to be marked that Praier is reckned for a singular benefit to those that are praied for euen by the iudgement of the Lords high court of heauen how lightly soeuer they through their owne wickednesse esteeme of it and frustrate the effect thereof Such is the complaint of the Prophet Ierimiah Whereby together with the former complaints of Iob and Dauid they all beeing very good and mercifull men we may perceiue what is the intollerable vnthankfulnesse of the children of this world against the children and seruants of God who doe euerie way seeke to procure the greatest and best good they can vnto them But what is all this in comparisone of that vnthankefulnesse of the Iewes to our Sauiour Christ mentioned before who notwithstāding he was infinitly aboue all other whether Dauid or Ierimiah or anie other or all both Prophets Kings and Priests most tender in all compassion and most bounteous in the exercise of all goodnesse toward them and all men they were neuerthelesse most ingratefull yea most malitious and spitefull against him to the death as we saw from the 10. chap. of the Euangelist Iohn and as the effect it selfe confirmed by experience and most diuelish practise in the end And touching experience who is it euen to speake generally that exerciseth himselfe in doing good whether to the bodies and outward state of men or to their soules and true welfare thereof specially if they make that the end of all their kindnesse to drawe them from sinne to faith and obedience to God as all right good godly men do Who hath not I say some vncomfortable experience of vnthankefulnesse yea of bad requital at the hands of those whose benefit and saluation they seeke The good vse now both of experience and of examples of vnthankefull persons must not be thereby to discourage the minds of any from dooing good that their loue should be quenched by the vnkinknesse or hatred and malice of other but according to those former good examples of well doing we looking principally to the vnweariablenesse of our Sauiour Christ in most constant continuance of dooing the greatest good though he was requited at the handes of the most part with the most bitter and worst requitall that might be we also euerie one in his measure may confirme our selues in a good and mercifull course against all offences whatsoeuer yea though they doe at any time a rise from such at whose hands we should least looke for them euen such as any haue reputed to bee most faithfully affected toward them For doubtlesse the worke of all such shal be of speciall account with the Lord who assuredly will so much the more aboundantly requite the constant goodnesse and mercie of his seruantes by how much they are worse recompenced in this wicked world But on the contrarie as touching all vnthankeful ones by how much they render the greater euill for the greater good The punishment of vnthankefulnes to men they shall be sure to haue so much the greater portion of the greatest punishment and vengeance that may be from the iust hand of God who challengeth vengeance to belong vnto him and will certainelie and fully repay Note also the sin of vnthankfulnesse is great euē in this that in dscourageth many from liberality causeth the loue of many to waxe cold as our Sauiour Christ teacheth Matt. chap. 24.12 It should not bee so but experience sheweth it to be true by reason of mans infirmity Wherefore not without cause haue euen the heathen condēned vnthankful persons as common enemies to the poore needy as he himselfe protesteth Rom. 12.19 and Heb. 10.30 and in manie other places Of this punishment of vnthankfulnesse therefore let vs now henceforth come to consider Here first of all the holie Prouerb offereth it selfe for a plaine and familiar confirmation For he that rewardeth euill for good as saith King Salomon speaking by the holie Ghost euill shall not depart from his house chap. 17. verse 13. And in that he maketh mention of the house of the vngratious or mischieuous vnthankfull man which is the highest degree of vnthankfulnes it is more then if the holie Prouerb had affirmed that euill should rest vpon his owne person alone For hereby it is plaine that in so much as vsuallie the wife and children and seruantes of the vnthankfull man are wrapped in his sinne for naturallie we are all of vs vnthankfull and will easilie be drawne into it therfore they are partakers of the punishment with the master of the familie vnles happilie they shall by the grace of God winde themselues out of the guiltinesse of his sinne like as that godlie wise Abigail and her seruantes did from partaking with Nabal her husband in his sinne and so escaped the punishment hasting toward them all by meanes of the same Wherefore to say no more of Nabal that great and rich churle saue onelie this that in so much as Dauid beeing with his foure hundreth men in the wildernes of Paran was verie good to the seruantes of Nabal so that his men tooke nothing from them but were as a wall of defence both night and day thereupon Nabals owne seruants tell their Mistresse that they feared some euill would suerlie come vpon their Master and vpon all his familie because of his churlishnesse 1. Sam. 25. verses 14.15 c. Let vs take a further view of some other examples how God hath punished this wicked vnthankfulnesse and how also he hath armed and authorised manie menaces and threatenings against the same which shall surelie in their due times and seasons take place against all offenders whether particular persons or whole people and nations Our first example to this purpose shall be the Egiptians who because they forgat that great preseruation which God gaue them by the hand of Ioseph against their seuen yeares of scarcitie dearth and famine and for that they dealt verie cruellie against the people of Israel for whose cause God vouchsafed to blesse them they were afterward destroied both they and their king by the mightie and high hande of the Lord from heauen And the rather because they despised the more gentle corrections of the Lord whereby he called them to repentance Exod. 1.8 c. and chap. 7. c. and ch 14.16 The Ammonits Moabits Edomits who were fauorably dealt withal by the people of Israel whē they came out of the land of Egypt and passed by them toward
the land of Canaan for according to the commandement of God they did in nothing molest or annoy them in so much as these people notwithstanding the fauour which Israel shewed vnto thē did afterward maliciously conspire to make bloudy and cruell warre against Israel they were for a iust reward ouerthrowne and destroyed one by the sword of another as is recorded in the holy storie of K. Iehoshaphat who at the same time was king of Iudah For the good king had prayed to God against them amplifying the wickednes of their enterprise from that former kindnes of Israel though long before shewed to their ancestors as we reade 2. Chron. 20.10.11.12 in these words Behold saith king Iehoshaphat in his prayer against them the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir by whom thou wouldest not let Isral go when they came out of the land of Egypt but they turned aside from them and destroyed them not Behold saith king Iehoshaphat they reward vs The punishment of vnthankefulnes to men in comming to cast vs out of thine inheritance which thou hast caused vs to inherite O our God wilt thou not iudge thē for there is no strength in vs to stand before this great multitude that commeth against vs neither do we know what to do but our eyes are toward thee c. Such was the prayer of the godly king the effect of it is testified in the 20. verse The Lord layd ambushments against the children of Ammon Moab and mount Seir who were come against Iudah and they slewe one another This iudgement fell vpon thē because they went about to recompence euill for good as king Iehoshaphat alleaged before the Lord in his prayer against them And in the same second booke of Chron. 24. vers 22. c. Because Ioash king of Iudah remembred not the kindnesse which Iehoiadah had done to him but in a rage slew his sonne yea and that also very vniustly euen because he had at the cōmandement of God rebuked both him the people for their sinne the Lord therefore very shortly after sent the host of Aram against him which destroyed all the princes of the people Yea though they came with a small company of men yet the Lord deliuered a very great armie of the people of Iudah into their hand because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers A manifest proofe whereof was this that they slew the Prophet of the Lord most outragiously and tumultuously for doing his dutie and that also euen in the Court of the Lords Temple yea albeit he was the sonne of such a one in remembrance of whose speciall goodnes toward them and among them they ought so much the rather to haue taken some pause and deliberation about the matter The indignitie of this action containing in it so intollerable vnthankfulnesse both to God and man and that euen in the face and presence of his diuine Maiestie it causeth our Sauiour Christ mightily to inueigh against it and other like dealing of the wicked among the people of God from time to time Matt. 23.33 O seruants ô generation of vipers saith our Sauiour Christ how should ye escape the damnation of hell wherefore behold I send ye Prophets and wise men and Scribes and of them ye will kill and crucifie and of them will ye scourge in your Sinagogues and persecute from citie to citie that vpon you may come all the righteous bloud that was shed vpon the earth from the bloud of Abel the righteous vnto the bloud of Zacharias the sonne of Barachias whom ye slewe betweene the temple and the altar Verily I say vnto ye all these things shall come vpon this generation c. Among this bloud thus vnrighteously shed and among the examples of bloudy vnthankefulnesse and the iust reuenge thereof by the Lord we may here take in the example of the Shechemites of whom we read in the 9. ch of the Iudges who because they shewed not kindnesse to the children of Gideon according to all that he had shewed vnto Israel were grieuously punished of God by mutinous robbing and spoyling one of another For God sent an euill spirite betweene Abimelech and the men of Shechem and the men of Shechem brake their promise to Abimelech that the crueltie toward the seuentie sonnes of Ierubbaal and their bloud might come and be layd vpon Abimelech their brother which had slaine them and vpon the men of Shechem who had ayded him to kill his brethren Iudg ch 8.35 and ch 9.23.24 c. This example thus added to the rest let vs now from that threatning of our Sauiour Christ Matth 23. against all requiters of goodnesse with euill proceede to take alike view of some of the fearefull threatnings of God against the same kind of wicked men as we finde them recorded in his holy word which shall as certainely take effect in time to come as any of those iudgementes which haue alreadie bene performed for the warning of all other in the times already passed Among these fearefull threatnings determined against wicked and mischieuous vnthankfull men that which was alleaged out of the Prouerbes many be here iustly called to mind againe that euill shall not depart from his house whosoeuer rewardeth euill for good Prouerb 17.13 And to like purpose may we remember the imprecation of the 109. Psalme once alleaged before Set thou the wicked ouer him c. Namely because for friendship they were aduersaries rewarding euill for good hatred for friendship c. And remembred not to shew mercie but persecuted the afflicted c. verse 4.5.6 c. As it followeth in many verses of the Psalme The which fearefull and as it seemeth to carnall minded men ouer harsh and bitter imprecation it is no other then that which Dauid wisheth euen against himselfe as well as against any other if he had rewarded euill to him that had peace with him For then saith he Let the enemie persecuted my soule and take it yea let him tread my life downe vpon the earth and lay mine honour in the dust Selah As though he should say let him lay it deepe in the dust I craue no mercie c. For he acknowlegeth that he should be worthy to loose all protection of God and to fall into the hands of his enemies so as they might haue their full desire in his vtter ouerthrowe The like imprecation to that of the 109. Psalme we read likewise in the prophesie of Ieremiah in the place before cited where he putteth vp his complaint vnto God against those which recompensed him euill for good for there his imprecation followeth in this manner Deliuer vp their children vnto famine and let them drop away by the force of the sword and let their wiues be robbed of their children and be widdowes and let their husbands be put to death and let their young men be slaine by the sword in battell c. Ier. ch 18.21 c. These fearefull imprecations containe in
God to poore miserable dānable sinners All these Gods bounty aboue mans and if there be any such like they are such gifts of God as infinitely exceede all mans donation and gift And no maruell though the gifts of God be thus inestimable because his loue toward vs from whence they proceede is passing all knowledge Ephes 3.19 So that to set out the greatnesse of Gods gifts we may iustly say vnto God with his holy Prophet What shall we render to the Lord for all his benefites toward vs. Psal 116.12 And with his holy Apostle What thanks can we recompence to God c. 1. Thes 3.9 And to admonish our selues of our duties O my soule praise thou the Lord and all that is within me praise his holy name My soule praise thou the Lord and forget not all his benefites Who forgiueth all thine iniquitie c. Psal 103.1 c. Read also Psalme 107. And to comfort our soules against all spirituall feares anguish and disquietment Returne to thy rest ô my soule for the Lord hath bene beneficiall vnto thee Because thou hast deliuered my soule from death mine eyes from teares and my feete from falling I shall walke before the Lord in the land of the liuing Psal 116.1 c. Hetherto therefore of the second difference of Gods beneficence how in measure it infinitely exceedeth all the bountifulnesse of man Thirdly God only is constant and vnweariable in continuing the bountie of his gifts vpon all such as he chooseth at the first to bestow his bountie vpon for Whom he once loueth he loueth to the end Iohn 13.1 The vnchangeable decree of God is expressed by his fatherly loue Mal. chap. 1.2 and Rom. 9.13 As it is written I haue loued Iaakob And Rom. 11.29 The gifts calling of God are without repentance and Hosh 13.14 Repentance is hid from mine eyes and againe 1. Thes 5.24 Faithfull is he which hath called you and he will do it and Isai 40.28 Knowest thou not or hast thou not heard that the euerlasting Lord the God hath created the ends of the earth He neither fainteth nor is weary there is no searching of his vnderstanding c. and vers 31. They that wait vpon the Lord shall renew their strength c. And this is the cause why king Dauid in the place before alleadged 1. Chron. 29. acknowledging the present great grace bestowed vpon himselfe and the people in offering willingly toward the house and worship of God to be his speciall gift he prayeth God to keepe the same grace for euer in the purpose and thoughts of the hearts of his people and that he would stil prepare their harts vnto himself And further that he would giue to his sonne Salomon a perfect heart to keepe his commandement c. For right well did the holy king know that man left to himself is lighter then vanity and most fickle in the purpose and care of the best things and namely in beneficence and liberality toward the Church and people of God Wherefore also well saith a godly learned man that it is proper to God to hold on in a continuall care to saue and preserue and not to be prouoked to cease from the bestowing of his benefites because men are vnworthy of them Finally he is infinitely more kind and bounteous to his enemies then any man or all men can be to theirs though all their kindnesse were layd together Matth. 5.45 Luk. 6.35.36 Rom. 2.4 And that either most gratiously to win their soules vnto him for their owne most happy saluation or els to leaue them altogether most iustly without excuse But thus the greatnesse of Gods diuine bountie and the excellencie of his giftes furpassing all gifts that anie man or Angell yea that all men or Angels can possibly giue they haue held vs somewhat longer then was at the first intended though not with lost time or labour as we trust Let vs now return to instruct our selues further touching that beneficence and giuing which ought to be in continuall practise among men after the example and president which we haue in the Lord so far as we preuented by his good grace may in our measure attaine vnto Giuing therefore wherein men in their poore measure may by the grace of God resemble that diuine bountifulnesse which is in God like as many little gutters or channels of the streame may declare how plentifull the head of the riuer or liuely spring is it is to speake something more generally a free imparting and communicating of that which is at the least in a mans owne perswasion rightly his owne Giuing what more generally to the vse or commodity and possession of another Or thus It is the alienating of a mans own right to make another the owner of that wherein he had all the property before According to this more generall definition a man might take occasion to speake more generallie of giuing by a distinction of Giftes according to the diuerse condition and estate of the giuers and according to their seueral minds purposes in giuing and so forth For there are gifts of the Subiect to the Prince as the Moabites and Aramites brought giftes to king Dauid when he had subdued them 1. Chron. 18.2.6 of the seruant to the Master of the tenant to the landlord and of the child to the father as gratulatory and dutiful presents for honours sake as Ioseph sent gifts to Iaakob his father out of Egypt into Canaan Gen. 45.23 And againe there are gifts of the Prince to the Subiect for reward or of mere clemencie and fauour according to the royall bountie of a Prince as in the 6. ch of the booke of Ester where the great king Ahashuerosh asketh Haman What shall be done to the man whom the king will honour And Dan. 2.48 king Nebuchadnezzar made Daniel a great man and gaue him manie and great giftes There are giftes of the poorer and weaker to those that be more rich and mighty to procure fauor or at the least to mitigate the rage furie of anger to which end Iaakob presented his gifts to Esau and in most submisse and humble maner desired him to accept of his present And as wise Abigail by her presents together with her gratious behauiour appeaseth the wrath of Dauid greatlie kindled against her husband Nabal Of the which kind of giftes it is said in the holie Prouerbes A gift in secret pacifieth anger and a gift in the bosome great wrath Prouerb 21.14 On the other side there are gifts of the rich and mightie to the poorer and inferiour sort Diuerse kinds of gifts because they mind to make them indebted to them that they may vse them for their greater benefite and gaine as Pharaoh preferred Ioseph and Nebuchadnezzar Daniel and those other three men of Israel Some giue gifts to helpe out good and iust causes and sutes as Iaakob sent presents to the chiefe Gouernour of Egypt little thinking that it had bene
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
things which we haue done but that we may receiue a full reward Neither is it a small vertue in the Giuer specially if he be bounteous to take in good part such poore tokens of thankfulnesse as their Alumni and foster children do at any time offer vnto them Finally thankfulnesse to God is a vertue belonging to him that is truly beneficial in so much as God hath not only made him able but which is a greater grace hath made him willing and carefull yea hath furnished him with many graces to the perfourmance of this most excellent dutie These vertues are diligently to be regarded of all Benefactors lest any should reioyce in a false and deceiueable liberality such as will affoord no sound comfort before the Lord. For as we reade in the holy Prouerb Many men will boast euery one of his owne goodnesse but who shall find a faithful man As though the wise king should say He is a rare man in comparison of the rest whosoeuer is a good man indeede Neuerthelesse to the end wee may see that God from time to time hath had his number who haue practised true beneficence and goodnesse it shall be to good purpose to gather together such examples whereby God in his holy Scriptures hath exemplified the same vnto vs that they might be patternes to all other of his good seruants to prouoke them to the imitation of them In the 18. chap. of Genesis ver 1.2 c. We haue Abraham a father of the faithfull commended vnto vs for one very notable example And chap. 19.1 c. We haue righteous Lot for another Of the which two the Apostle to the Hebrues chap. 13.2 saith that for a fruite and blessing of their hospitality they receiued Angels into their houses at vnawares in steede of men and by that reason moueth Christians that they would not be forgetful to lodge strangers Gen. chap. 20.14 15.16 Abimelech a heathen king sheweth great kindnesse to Abraham hee gaue him both seruants and cattell and siluer and libertie also to dwell to his best liking where he would in his countrey Gen. chap. 47.12 Ioseph whom God made a foster-father to many nations was also a nourisher of his owne father and brethren and his whole family in the land of Egypt in the time of the famine And Pharaoh himselfe though a heathen king gaue them a countrie to dwell in Exod. chap. 2.5.6.7.8.9 Pharaohs daughter likewise though a heathen woman taketh compassion of an Hebrue infant which was otherwise in great danger to haue perished and causeth it to bee honourably noursed and brought vp at her cost and charges And in the same chap. verses 20.21 Reuel the Prince of Midian giueth Moses though a stranger vnto him very friendly and kind entertainment whereupon also concerning further good liking he giueth the daughter of his sonne Iethro to wife vnvnto him yea though Moses was at time of no worldly wealth Exod. chap. 18. Moses for the same cause sheweth all kindnesse and good dutie to Iethro his father in law after that he was aduaunced to be the Gouernour of the people of God And Numb 10.29 Come with vs saith Moses and me will do thee good for the Lord hath promised good to Israel and vers 32. And if thou go with vs looke what good the Lord shall shew vnto vs the same will we shew vnto thee In the 19. chap. of the Iudges verses 16.17 an old man comming from his worke out of the field at euen giueth a man and a woman their seruant lodging other good entertainmēt who otherwise being benighted in a strange place should likely haue lyed abroad in the fields In the second chapter of the booke of Ruth verses 8.9 14.15.16.17 Boaz giueth leaue to Ruth a poore mayd and a stranger not only to gleane in his field next after the reapers whom he willed to leaue good gleanings for her but also he gaue her leaue to take her victuals dayly with his owne maydes among the reapers In the first book of Samuel chap. 22.3.4 Dauid maketh prouision for the comfortable entertainment and safety of his father and mother with the king of Moab yea he is mindfull and carefull to do it in the middest of his trouble when he had much ado to shift for himselfe and to escape with his owne life In 1. King chap. 18.3.4 Obadiah a chiefe officer in king Ahabs court in the time of famine when also Iezabel the Queen raged in cruell persecution against the seruants of God he tooke an hundreth of the Lords Prophets and fed them fifty in a caue In the the 4. chap. of the second booke of Kings verses 8.9.10 We reade how an honourable woman or certaine Lady of Shunem obseruing how Elisha the Lords prophet vsed to passe by her house she causeth him to come in to refresh himselfe yea and alloweth him a chamber to lodge in whensoeuer he should haue occasion to come that way And this she did because as she telleth her husband shee knew he was an holy man of God And chap. 6. verses 22.23 Elisha causeth the king of Israel not onely to abstaine from the reuenge of his enemies but also to giue them friendly entertaiment and to make them a princely feast In the first booke of Chronicles chap. 16.3 king Dauid at the bringing home of the Arke of the Lord to his city after that they had offered burnt offerings peace offerings before God and after that the king had blessed the people in the name of the Lord He dealt to euery one of Israel both man and woman to euerie one a cake of bread and a peece of flesh and a bottle of wine In the second booke of Chronicles chap. 5.6 at the placing of the same Arke of the Lord in the most holy place of the Temple vnder the wings of the Cherubines King Salomon and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled vnto him offered sheepe and bullockes which could not be told nor numbred for multitude And chap. 7.5 King Salomon offered a Sacrifice of two and twentie thousand bullockes and an hundreth and twenty thousand sheep so the King al the people dedicated the house of God And chap. 31. of the same booke verse 3.4.5 c. king Hezekiah both by his owne example and also by his royall authoritie he reuiueth the care for prouision of holy allowance due to the Priests and Leuites that they might be incouraged in the law of the Lord. In the first chap. of the booke of Ezra it is recorded that the Lord moued the heart of Cyrus king of Persia though a heathen king to deale bountifully for the restoring of the true worship of God in the citie of Ierusalem For to this end he giueth libertie to the people of God to returne out of their captiuitie he restoreth all the vessels of gold and siluer which Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of Ierusalem and had put them in the house of his God
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
the same things that their hearts might be inlarged to a more liberall contribution for the reliefe of the poore in all collections made to that purpose O that Landlords would well thinke of them that they might be moued to deale fauourably with their poore tenants and to abstaine from all hard racking and inproning of rents taking away of their commons of frustrating of their good leases by captious aduantages c. O that Officers and Gouernours in corporations and other townes where money or landes haue bene giuen for the reliefe of the poore would so mind these fearefull punishments against vnmercifull men that they may in no wise diuert the merciful gift of others from that good vse end wherfore they haue giuen it O that euerie one to whom at any time the holy legacies of the last will and testament of any beneficiall Christians deceased would so looke vpon the iudgements of God that they might therby be seriously admonished to deale well and faithfully according to that trust which is committed vnto them because otherwise their sinne must needes be double if they shall be couetous and vnmercifull in withholding another mans liberalitie beside their owne yea and because they do herein sacrilegiously conceale and frustrate the glorious worke of the holy Spirit of God which he had wrought as his last worke here in this life in the hearts and spirits of his good and faithfull children Finally would to God that all whosoeuer are by any kind of vnmercifulnesse in danger of Gods heauy plagues might by the premeditation thereof come to repentance in sure trust of his mercie and so happily preuent them yea that entering into the way and practise of mercie they may proceed and go forward therein till they may be blessed partakers of Gods euerlasting mercy Amen Who I beseech you would not thinke that it had bene happie for such rich men as our Sauiour Christ speaketh of in the Gospel Luke 12 16 c. and againe chap. 16. verse 19. c. if the one in steede of pulling downe his barnes to make them bigger and both of them in steed of delicious pampering of their bellies had made the bellies of poore Christians the bare emptie houses of widowes fatherlesse children to be the barnes and bellies of their ouerplus and superfluitie Had it not I pray you euen in euery reasonable mans iudgement bene far better for them to haue learned from the fruitfulnesse of their fieldes and all the bountifull prouision of God both for their backes and for their bellies to yeeld their owne bounden fruits of thankfulnesse to God for his sake the fruits of loue to his poore children then that they should be like barren ground to yeeld no good fruite and so to make themselues neare to cursing as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 6.8 yea euen to pull downe sodaine destruction and the fire of Gods euerlasting wrath vpon them I will pull downe my barnes faith one I will poure into my belly saith another But in the meane while they altogether neglect the right way of building their head-houses neither once consider they that the vse of aboundance consisteth rather in pouring out to the hungrie then in pouring into the full belly in relieuing and supplying the necessities of the Saints then in following a voluptuous course of life as hath bene alreadie declared That course therefore which euery man iudgeth would haue proued happinesse to them if they had in due time sought after it before extreme and endlesse miserie fell vpon them let vs while we haue time being thus forewarned by their lamentable example labour for grace that we may lay hold of it and so through the endlesse mercie of God be for euer happy and blessed men To the which end euē with full purpose of our harts let vs in the feare of God in trust of his grace harten harnesse our selues against all the lettes and hinderances Obiections answered which either our owne corrupt hearts or the suggestions of the diuell or any of his instruments shall cast in our way What the vices naturally setled in vs be the which we must auoyd we haue seene in the second chapter of this Treatise and they are briefly gathered together in the end of the chapter We are now to answer the obiections and pretended reasons which from the same euill disposition of our nature flesh and bloud vseth thereby to disswade the liberall practise of Christian beneficence Whereunto is appointed the next Chap. which is the last of the former part of this our treatise CHAP. V. Containing answers to such obiections as flesh and bloud maketh and the diuell suggesteth to the hindering of Christian beneficence THe obiections or pretended reasons whereby many would gladly excuse respite themselues from the practise of Christian beneficence they are either taken from themselues and their owne estate or from the care they haue of their children and posterity or from the vnworthinesse of those to whom they should be beneficiall or else they would excuse one charge by another that is contribution to the poore by the greatnesse of other charges to God and the Prince and charges towards the Church and Ministers of Gods word by the burthen of the poore But whatsoeuer reasons they pretend they shew in the end that it is nothing but an vnmercifull and wilfull hard heart which beareth all the sway in them as will partly appeare by the obiections and answeres following OBIECTION 1. concerning men their owne state Are not the goods which I haue mine owne saith the couetous and vnmercifull man Why then may I not keepe and dispose them to mine owne liking and for mine owne entire and only profite and pleasure ANSWER Be it that they are thine owne in as lawfull and iustifiable a title as may be yet thou must remember from whose diuine prouidence and dispensation thou hast receiued them and on what condition and to what end purpose For God who hath giuen them to thee indeede for thine owne proper vse and comfort he hath made thee also his steward to bestowe a meet and conuenient portion more or lesse according to thy abilitie for the relief benefit of such as stand in need Whereof thou must one day giue a faithfull reckening and account vnto him Moreouer seeing they are thy goods as thou sayest and they be indeed the good gifts and blessings of God thou must haue great care that good things be vsed well yea euen to the best endes that possibly may be If thou doest otherwise apply them thou mayst be sure that the worst will be thine owne in the end Thy goods will change their good nature like sower wine and proue as thornes in thy sides and snares to intangle thy soule to most bitter destruction OBIECTION 2. Though I must needes confesse that I haue those helpes to vphold my estate which many thousands do want yet I cannot tell howe all is little enough to
Ioseph his sonne Gen. 43.11 Take saith he to his sonnes of the best fruites of the land in your vessels and bring the man a present c. And contrariwise some giue gifts to corrupt true iudgement to contriue and compasse a mischiefe of whom it is sayd A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosome to wrest the wayes of iudgement Pro. 17.23 and thus Ziba presented king Dauid with a gift minding and compassing treacherie against his maister 2. Sam. 16. For a gift if it be once accepted it is of great force euery way as Prou. 17.8 It prospereth whithersoeuer it turneth Finally there are gifts of one friend and neigbour to an other and that of all degrees when they are kindly affected the one to the other for mutuall loue and friendships sake the one striuing after a sort to ouercome the other with kindnesse and benefites according to the common saying which goeth concerning such There is no loue lost betwixt them After this maner the Queene of Sheba gaue king Salomon great gifts and he againe requited her with like royoll gifts 1. King ch 10. verses 10.13 The which kind of strife hath bene alwayes honourable euen among the nations of the heathen and the more honorable because as they rightly esteemed if a man striue vnto thankfulnes there is no reproch or dishonour though he be vnwillingly ouercome They write of Taxiles a pettie king of India that he offered Alexander comming out to make warre against him this notable challenge If saith he thou be our inferiour receiue a benefite of vs but if thou be our better then do vs a good turne Alexander accepting the challenge We will striue saith he whether of vs shall be the more beneficiall Giuing what more speciall Alexander then imbracing Taxiles verie cuteously did not only abstainâ— from spoyling his countrey but also he inlarged his dominion Thus as was said there are diuerse kindes of gifts and great varietie in the diuerse maner of the bestowing and placing of them But it is not the intent of the present Treatise to followe this argument in so large a discourse but only to speake of religious and meâ—cifuâ— Giuing which wearing the crowne or garland aboue all the rest may receiue a more particular and speciall declaration thus It is a most free or frranke and liberall imparting some meete and conuenient portion of that wherewith God of his goodnesse hath blessed euery man * That this is a part of goodnes beneficenâ—e it appeareth Heb. 8.3 vnder the name of offering giftes to God yea the Lord reqâ—ireth the heart it self as of gift Hee wiâ—l aâ—cept of nothing in way of constrainâ— or extortioÌ„ Reâ—de also Matt. 5.23 If thou bring thy gift to the altar â— to the maintenance and aduauncement of Gods pure religion and worship and to the mercifull relieuing comforting and succouring of all such as we see or for want of such of those whom we do by credible report vnderstand at any time to be in any present necessitie and need in such mâ—ner as God himselfe would haue his owne worship to be vpheld and furthered and the poore among his people in all Christian Churches to be comfortably relieued and succoured Of the which religious and mercifull contributing and giuing are the words of our Sauiour Christ menâ—ioned in the beginning of this chapter to be vnderstood in that he sayd It is a blessed thing to giue rather then to receiue It is our purpose therfore to imploy our chiefe studie and diligence to the laying open of this point so farre as that portion of time and grace may afford which God of his mercy shall in the middest of the ordinarie duties of his holy ministery alot vnto the same CHAP. 2. A gift must be free What graces or vertues are requisite to the right maner of Giuing and of the contrarie vices which do either hinder or corrupt the same BEcause the examination of the definition or description of giuing will afford vs a commodious and iust occasioÌ„ to note the vertues of right Christian giuing likewise because the vertues being known the contrary vices wil the more euidently appeare it shal be worth our labour to take a more large view and examination of the same and euen to make it the ground and direction of this our second Chapter First of all therefore it commeth to be considered that Giuing as was said is a free or franke and liberall imparting or communicating c. Now that it is so that a Gift must be free and proceede of a liberall and franke mind it is euident and plaine from that which our Sauiour Christ teacheth in the sixth chapter of the Euangelist Luke verses 33 34 35. If saith he ye doe good to them which do good to you what thanke shall ye haue For euen sinners do the same And if ye lend to them of whom ye haue hope to receiue what thanke shall ye haue For euen sinners lend to sinners to receiue the like Wherefore loue ye your enemies and do good and lend looking for nothing againe c. and Prou. chap. 25.21.22 If he that hateth thee be hungry giue him bread to eate c. and Rom. 12.20 21. Ouercome euill with goodnesse Luke 10.30 c. If then Christians must be beneficiall to their enemies though nothing can be looked for in way of recompence from their hands much rather must we be helpfull to those that be Christianly minded toward vs though they shall neuer be able to requite vs. If we must ouercome euil with goodnesse which as it is the most honourable so is it the most difficult victorie that may be much rather must we ouercome our selues to do good to those who wold if they were able giue vs incouragement by their kindnesse to striue this way with them It is contrary to the nature of a gift for the Giuer to haue any desire of a recompence for it This were rather to put to vsurie or to sell or at the least to make an exchange of one thing for another not to giue a gift He that giueth a gift in truth must do it simply euen for it selfe as it were because in his owne heart he esteemeth it meete and worthy that it should be done because God hath so commanded and because he hath promised so much the rather to recompence it by how much all humane quittance is more firmly neglected To this purpose saith our Sauiour Christ When thou makest a feast bid thou the poore the maimed the lame and the blinde that cannot recompence thee againe and thou shalt be recompenced at the day of the resurrection Luke ch 14.12 13.14 That also which our Sauiour Christ commaundeth his disciples concerning the preaching of the Gopell and working of miracles which were precious gifts of God saying Freely ye haue receiued freely giue Matth. 10.8 the same also hath place by a certaine analogie and proportion in the distribution of