spare his dearest Son Yea what a bruitish and barbarous unthankfulnesse and shame were it that God should part with his Son and his Son with his own precious blood for us and we not part with our sinfull lusts and delights for him Fourthly Hath Christ done all this for us his servants so much and so many waies obliged unto him let us do what we are able for him again 1. Let us be zealous for his glory and take his part when we see or hear him dishonouted Nor can there be any love where there is no zeal saith Augustine Well-born Children are touched to the quick with the injuries of their Parents And it is a base vile and unjust ingratitude in those men that can endure the disgrace of them under whose shelter they live 2. Let us seek to draw others after us from Satan to Him 3. Do we all we can to promote his worship and service 4. Take we all good occasions to publish to others how good God is and what he hath done for us 5. Let us wholly ascribe all the good we have or do to free grace and give him the glory of his gifts imploying them to our Masters best advantage 6. Let us that we may â—â—presse our thankfulnesse to him shew kindnesse to his Children and poor members who are bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh Ephes. 5 30. 7. Abhor we our selves for our former unthankfulnesse and our wonderfull provoking of him 8. Hearken we unto Christs voice in all that he saith unto us and expresse our thankfulnesse by our obedience Yea all this let us do if we do it but for our own sakes For what should we have if we did thus serve Christ who hath done all these things for his enemies neglecting and dishonouring him CHAP. XVI But thou wilt say What can we do for God or for Christ I Answer We cannot properly benefit God nor add to his fulnesse They can add no good to him that have all their good from him The Ocean is never the fuller though all the rivers of the world flow into the same So What is God the better for our praises or performances to whom in that he is infinite nothing can be added If we be righteous our righteousnesse may profit the sonnes of men but what can we give unto him or what receiveth he at our hands Can the Sun receive light from a candle What profit does the Sunne receive by our looking upon it We are the better for its light not it for our sight or at all prejudiced by our neglect A shower of rain that waters the earth gets nothing to it self the earth fares the better for it Lord saith David our well-doing doth not at all extend unto thee but to the Saints that are on the earth and to the excellent ones in whom is all my delight Psal. 16. 2 3. Yea if we could give him our bodies and souls they should be saved by it but he were never the better for them It is for our good that he would be served and magnified of us True as the Ocean daynes to take tribute of the small brooks and accepts that in token of thankfulnesse which was its own before it being the maintainer of the rivers streams Or as Joseph accepted of his Brethrens small gifts albeit he had no need of them Gen 43 15. So does God accept of our free-will offerings and bountifully rewards them Phil 4. 18. Yea if in imploying our Talents we aim at his glory and the Churches good he doubles them Matth. 25. 21 22 23. Nor does God look for such glory or service from us as he is worthy to receive but as we are able to give Our praises and performances are not sinnes yet they are not without some touch of sin Duties and infirmities come from us together but Christ parts them forgiving the infirmities and receiving the praises and performances They are full of weaknesses yet does not he except against them for their imperfections He takes them well in worth though there be no worth in them and vouehsafes them a reward which had been sufficiently honoured with a pardon Neither can we hurt or take away any thing from him For if we be wicked our wickednesse may hurt a man like our selves but what is it to him Job 35. 7 8. Yet neverthelesse we may do many things which he accounts and rewards as done to himself of which I will give you one in special and I pray mind it Though we can do nothing for Christ himself he being now in Heaven yet we may do much for his poor members those excellent ones whom David speakes of Psalm 16. 2 3. which Christ accounts all one as if it were done to himself as appears by many expresse testimonies When I was an hungred ye fed me when I was naked ye cloathed me when sick and in prison ye visited me c. For in as much as ye did it unto one of these little ones that believe in me ye did it unto me Matth. 25. 34. to 41. He that giveth unto the poor tendeth unto the Lord Prov. 19. 17. And many the like which I have formerly cited CHAP. XVII Now do we love Christ or would we indeed expresse our thankfulnesse to him for what we have received from him Or do we desire to do something again for Christ who hath done and suffered so much for us here is a way chalked out unto us which he prefers before all burnt-offerings and sacrifices Mark 12. 33. When David could do the Father Barzillay no good by reason of his old age he loved and honoured Chimham his son 2 Sam. 19. 38. And to requite the love of Jonathan he shewed kindnesse to Mephibosheth So if thou bearest any good will to God or Christ whom it is not in thy power to pleasure thou wilt shew thy thankfulnesse to him in his Children and poor members who are bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh Ephes. 5. 30. Is our Jonathan gone yet we have many Mephibosheths and he that loves God for his own sake will love his Brother for Gods sake Especially when he hath loved us as it were on this condition that we should love one another John 15. This is my Commandement saies Christ that ye love one another as I have loved you Vers. 12. And greater love than his was cannot be Vers. 13. And untill we consider how infinitely good God hath been unto us we can never shew any goodnesse towards our Brethren We must know he hath given us all we have before we will part with any thing for his sake God in the beginning had no sooner created the Heavens and the Earth but he said Let the Earth bring forth grass the Herb yeelding seed and the fruitfull tree yeelding fruit c Gen. 1. 11 12. So when he hath by his Word and Spirit created us anew he commands us to be fruitfull in the works of Piety and Charity
Col. 1. 10. And the river of Charity does alwaies spring from the fountain of Piety Faith is as the leads and pipes to bring in and Love is as the cock of the cunduit to let out And what availeth the one without the other What avileth it my Brethren saies S t James though 〈◊〉 man saith he hath faith when he hath no works that is works of Charity can the faith save him For if a Brother or a Sister be naked and destitute of daily food and one of you say unto them Depart in peace warm your selves and sill your bellies notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needfull for the body what helpeth it Even so the faith if it have no works is dead in it self James 2. 14. to 18. A just man lives by his faith Hab. 2. 4. Heb 10. 33. and others live by his charity Pure Religion and undefiled before God even the Father is this to visit the fatherlesse and widdowes in their adversity and to keep himself unspotted of the world James 1. 27. Love is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13. 10. and Faith is the fulfilling of the Gospel Act. 13. 39. 16. 31. 1 Thes. 4. 14. 1 John 3. 23. A Christian in respect of his faith is Lord over all 1 Joh. 5. 4. 2. 14. in respect of his love he is servant unto all Gal. 5. 13. Faith is the mother grace by it we are justified Luke 7. 47 50. Gal. 3. 8. our hearts are purified Act. 15. 9. our persons are accepted and our soules saved Ephe. 2. 8 9. Luke 18. 42. Yet in many respects love is preferred before it as 1 Cor. 13. 13. Now abideth Faith Hope and Love even these three but the chiefest of these is Love So that what the diamond is among stones the Sun among Planets and gold among mettals such is Love among the graces Love will make us to have publique spirits resembling the Moon which borroweth her light from the Sun that she may convey it to all the inferiour creatures takes from the Sea that she may give to the lesser rivers It will inforce us to practice what the Apostle exhorts unto Phil. 2. Look not every man on his own things but every man also of the things of other men let the same mind be in you that was even in Christ Jesus c. Vers. 4 5 6. It will make us remember them that are bound as if we were bound with them and them that are in affliction as if we were also afflicted in the body Heb. 13 3. Which is but reason As maist not thou thy self be in affliction or want and wouldest not thou in thy need be relieved Why then shouldest not thou know it reason to do to others as thou wouldest have them do to thee We ought to love our neighbour as our selves Levit. 19. 18. but how do we so if we take not care for them as we do for our selves There is nothing that any one doth or indureth but any other may We are all lyable to the same common misery if unsustained Therefore insult not over him that is cast down but let it make thee humble thankfull and compassionate because it is a goodnesse not our own that makes the difference though pride will scarce believe it The proudest he cannot say this or that shall never befall me Who can say saies Menander I shall never do nor suffer this or that For that we go not the round of others sinnes or punishments it is neither our goodnesse desert policy or power preventing but from those lines of gracious Providence from Gods preventing and preserving mercy Doubtlesse he had been counted a prating fool that should have told Haman he should have held Mordecai's stirrup much lesse have changed preferment with him That Mordecai should be lifted up into Hamans favour at Court and Haman should be exalted to that fifty cubits eminency above ground in Mordecais room But go we on Love will cause us to open our hands unto such as are in want and lend or give them sufficient for their need as God commands Deut. 15. 8. It will make us of Jobs spirit who would not eate his morsells alone but invited the fatherlesse to eate with him Job 31. 17. It will make a man love his enemies and do good for them that do hurt to him Luke 6. 35. Yea if need so require as in a femine or common persecution it will make us sell our possessions and goods and distribute them to all as every one hath need as did the Christians in the Primitive Church Acts 2. 44 45. And lastly which is above all It will make a man to lay downe his life for the brethren 1 John 3. 16. Whereas he that hath not this Christian grace feels and is sensible of common calamities just so much as appertains to his own private estate interest and no more It is the want of compassion that takes no compassion of others wants Yea this is an argument that the love of God is not in us 1 John 3. 17. Whatsoever we thinke or say it is not at all in us John 3. 14 15. 17. CHAP. XVIII Again It 's impossible that he who hath love should be ungratefull Mary Magdalen had received much and this made her love much and loving much she thought nothing too much to bestow even upon the most remote members of Christ to expresse her thankfulnesse Luke 7. 38. And the like of Naaman when Elisha had done that great cure upon him whose hands were no lesse full of thankes then his mouth Dry and barren profession of our obligation where is power to requite are unfit for noble and ingenuous spirits And so of Jacob if saith he I come again unto my fathers house in safety then shall the Lord be my God and this stone which I have set up as a pillar shall be Gods house and of all that he shall give me I will give the tenth unto him again Gen. 28. 21 22. And Hannah who vowed a vow and said O Lord of Hosts if thou wilt looke on the trouble of thine hand-maid and remember me and not forget thine hand-maid but give unto thine hand-maid a man-Childe than I will give him unto the Lord all the dayes of his life and there shall no razor come upon his head and she did it accordingly 1 Sam. 1. 11. 27 28. An ingenuous disposition cannot receive favours without thoughts of return Behold thou hast been carefull for us sayes Elisha to the Shunâ—mite with all this care what is to be done for thee wouldest thou be spoken for to the King or to the Captain of the Host what is there to be done for thee And when he understood that a sonne was the onely thing she wanted and desired her husband being old he obtained of the Lord to fulfill her desire 2 Kings 4. 13. to 17. Both Christ and the Angels the Prophets and Apostles were wont to be very
be clean unto you ver 41. It s not spoken without a behold But CHAP. XXV Sixthly the mercifull man shall be no less blessed in his name and credit he shall be had in honour and reputation according to that Prov. 14. He that oppresseth the poore reproacheth him that made him but he honoureth him that hath mercy upon the poore ver 31. And to this accords that of the Psalmist he hath dispersed he hath given to the poore his righteousness endureth for ever his horn shall be exalted with honour Psalm 112. 9. And so Proverbs 10. His memoriall shall be blessed Verse 7. And of this I might give you sundry examples and pregâ—â—â—t As Rachab Gaius Job The Centurian Boas Cornelius and Mery as how did our Saviour value and honour Maries bounty though so slighted by him that was a thief and carried the bag into which he would have had it come when he commanded it should be spoken of to her honour wherefoever the Gospell should be preached throughout all the world Matth. 26. 13 But experience sufficiently proves that a liberal and bountiful man shall have all love and respect with men all good repute and report both living and dead Nor is this so light a blessing as many deeme it for what sayes the wise man The memoriall of the just shall be blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot Prov. 10. 7. Tea a good name is better then a sweet oyntment and to be chosen before great riches Prov. 22. 1. yea then life it self Briefly for conclusion of this point let this be the use when the poore at your gates ask their daily bread they highly honour you yea after a sort they make you Gods therefore by your bounty liberality shew your selves at least to be Christians to be men Secondly such as have by this divine vertue obtained a good report let it provoke them as much to excell others in doing good as they do excell them in hearing thereof For I hold this a sure rule He is of a bad nature to whom good report and commendations are no spur to vertue but he is of a worse disposition to whom evil report and blame is no bridle and retentive from vice which made Tully so wonder at the strange perverseness of Antony whom neither praise could allure to do well nor yet fear of infamy and reproach deter from committing evil But CHAP. XXVI Seaventhly the spiritual blessings and benefits which accompany these works of mercy and thereby accrew to the soul even in this life 's as they are inestimable so they are innumerable lie nominate so many as may satisfie and not cloy First it is the onely meanes to have the soul prosper kept safe and preserved Psal. 36. Preserve my soul saith David for I am mercifull Verse 2. The liberall soul shall be made fat and he that watereth shall also be watred himself Prov. 11. 25. The mercifull man doth good to his own soul Verse 17. Secondly it is rewarded with illumination and conversion The two Disciples that went to Emaus were rewarded with illumination for entertaining our Saviour as a stranger Luke 24. 45. Whence St. Austin observes that by the duty of Hospitality we come to the knowledge of Christ. Loe saith St. Gregory the Lord was not known while he spake and he vouchsafes to be known while he is fed And then St. Alboâ—e the first Martyre that ever in England suffered death for the name of Christ was converted from Paganism to Christienity by a certain Clark whom he had received into his house fleeing from the persecutors hands Thirdly works of mercy are infallible signes of a lively faith whereby we may prove it to our selves and approve it unto men Jam. 2. 18. which fruits if our faith beare not it is dead not a living body but a carcass that breatheth not verse 26. They are signes of a lively faith for no man easily parteth wirh his worldly goods to these uses unless by faith he be assured that he shall have in lieu of them heavenliy and everlasting treasures The merciful man is ever a faithfull man Fourthly it testifies our unfeigned repentance whereof it is that Daniel saith to Meâ—usbaâ—nezer Wherefore O King break off thy sins by repentance and thine iniquities by shewing mercy unto the poore Dan. 4 27. The which Zacheâ—s practised Luke 19. For no sooner was he converted unto God but to testifie his unfeigned repentance he giveth half his goods unto the poore Verse 8. Fifthly giving much is an infallible signe that many sins are forgiven us as our Saviour speaketh of the woman Luke 7. 47. Sixthly by it we may know our selves to be the children of God 1 John 3. 14. Yea and others may also know it John 13. 34 35. And hereby we know the unmercifull to be none of Gods children for the Father of Mercies hath no children but the mercifull Seventhly it is said that Obadia feared God greatly for when Iesabel destroied the Prophets of the Lord he took an hundred Prophets and bid them by fifty in a cave and he fed them with bread and water 1 Kings 28. 3. 4. Therefore it is a sure signe of the fear of God Eightly they are undoubted fignes of our love towards God When as we so love the poore for his sake as that we be content to spare somewhat even from our own backs and bellies that we may the more liberally communicate unto their necessities But this a wicked man will never do the onely loves the Lord 〈◊〉 Laban did Jâ—câ—b onely to 〈◊〉 riches by him Or as Soul loved Samuel to gain honour by him True they will say they love God and perhaps think so too but let them say what they will if unmercifull I will never believe against Scripture that they love God whom they have not seen that love not their brother whom they have seen if we love him we will love one another 1 John 4 20 11. If any man saies the Apostle have these worlds goods and seeth his Brother have need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him 1 John 3. 17. And us they are manifest signes of our love to God so also of our love towards our Neighbours when as we carry our selves in all Christian bounty towards them as unto Children of the same Father and members of the same body suffering with them in their wants through compassion and sellow-feeling and rejoycing with them in their fulness and prosperity Hereby we know that we love the brethren because our hearts and hands are open to them for love is bountifull For otherwise it is but an unprofitable counterfeit and hypocriticall love to make shew of kindness and compassion in word and to perform nothing in deed as Saint James plainly affirmeth James 2 15. But that this alone is the best touchstone to shew the sincerity and truth of our love many places demonstrate as 2 Cor.
the wheels one way such an oyl is upon the heart that it makes all nimble and current about it but without the heart all is mute and dumb As the tongue will not praise because the heart doth not love the ear doth not hear because the heart does not mind the hand does not give because the heart does not pitty the foot will not go because the heart hath no affection All stay upon the heart like the Captain that should give the onset Nor is any service we can do accepted without the heart and affections flowing thence Therefore Davids prayer is Create in me a new heart and renew a right spirit within me Psal. 51. 10. The Scribes and Pharisees did fast and watch and pray and hear and read and give and do all that we can do and yet Christ rewarded all their works with a wo because they wanted a good heart and true affections flowing thence They honoured God with their lips but their hearts were far away from him Whence he also calls them hypocrites Mark 7. 6. The Disciple that betrayed Christ heard as much as the Disciples that loved him CHAP. XIII But here least I should be mistaken let me joyn to what hath been said and what shall be further said by way of caution Expect not that this should be done by any power of thine own for except God give thee repentance and removes all impediments that may hinder thou canst no more turn thy self than thou couldst at first make thy self We are not sufficient of our selves to think much lesse to speak least of all to do that which is good 2 Cor. 3. 5. We are swift to all evil but to any good immoveable We can lend no more active power to our conversion than Adam did to his creation than the Child doth to his conception than the dead man to his raising from the grave It was the Lord that did open the heart of Lydia to conceive well Act. 16. 14. the ears of the Prophet to hear well Isa. 50. 4. the eyes of Elishaes servant to see well 2 Kings 6. 17. and the lips of David to speak well Bid a man by his own strength do the least good or bear the least trouble you may with as good successe stand in the street and bid a chained prisoner come out of his dungeon S t. Paul before his conversion could do as much as the best accomplished moralist of them all his words are If any man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh much more I Phil. 3. 4. Yet when he speaks of his doing or suffering he sheweth that it was because the love of God was shed abroad in his heart by the holy Ghost which was given him Rom. 5. 5. Of himself he could do nothing though he were able to do all things through Christ and by the Spirits assistance who strengthened him Phil. 4. 13. Man is like an Organ-pipe that speakes no longer then wind is blown into it Wherefore as when David came to fight with Goliah he cast away Sauls armour so let us in this case cast away all trust and confidence in our selves and only set forward in the Name of the Lord God of Israel If we trust to our own resistance we cannot stand we cannot miscarry if we trust to his Yet this is to be considered that God does not work upon us as upon blocks and stones in all and every respect passive but converts our wils to will our own conversion He that made thee without thy self will not justifie nor save thee without thy self Without thy merit indeed not without thine endeavour When those deadly waters were healed by the Prophet the outward act must be his the power Gods he cast the salt into the spring and said Thus saith the Lord I have healed these waters there shall not be from thence any more death or barrennesse Elisha was the Instrument but far was he from challenging ought to himself Wherefore be sure to use that power which Christ shall give thee and then my soul for thine he will not be wanting on his part And amongst other thine endeavour exercise Prayer Omit not to beg of God for the grace thou wantest and praise him for what thou obtainest Abhor to attribute or ascribe ought to thy doing trust only to Christs obedience in whom only what we do is accepted and for whom only it is rewarded Now you are to know that as no Sacrifice was without Incense so must no service be performed without Prayer And Prayer is like the Merchants Ship to fetch in heavenly commodities It is the Key of Heaven as S t Austin terms it and the Hand of a Christian which is able to reach from earth to Heaven and to take forth every manner of good gift out of the Lords Treasury Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name saies Christ believing he will give it you John 16. 23. Matth. 21. 22 Unto fervent Prayer God will deny nothing It is like Sauls Sâ—ord and Jonathans bow that never returned empty Like Ahimaaz that alwaies brought good tydings It is worth the obseâ—ving how Cornelius his serious exercies of this duty of Prayer brought unto him first an Angel then an Apostle and then the Holy Ghost himself Hast thou then a desire after that happinesse before spoken of seek first to have the asistance of Gods Spirit and his love shed abroad in thine heart by the Holy Ghost Wouldst thou have the love of God and the asistance of his Spirit ask it of him by Prayer who saith If any of you lack in this kind let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him James 1. 5. Wouldst thou pray that thou maist be heard Ask in faith and waver â—ot for he that wavereth is like a wave of the Sea test of the wind and carried away Vers. 6. Wouldst thou have saith be diligent to hear the Word preached which is the sword of the Spirit that killeth our corruptions and that unresistable Cannon-shot that battereth and beateth down all the strong holds of sinne and Satan Rom. 10 17. Unto him therefore that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think I commend thee CHAP. XIV Lastly For conclusion of this point Wouldst thou be a contented and Happy man then strive to be a Thankefull man and when God hath the fruit of his mercies he will not spare to sow much where he reapes much Wouldest thou become thankefull then bethink thy self what cause thou hast by calling to mind and considering what God and Christ hath done for thee As first That he is the Authour of thy natural life For in him we live and move and have our being Act. 17. 28. Secondly Of thy spiritual life Thus I live saies Paul yet not I now but Christ liveth in me Gal. 2. 20. Thirdly Of thy eternal life 1 Joh. 1. He is the way
make it our daily exercise benefacta benefactis partegentes as one saith making one good deed an introduction unto another and never leaving to do good so long as there is any power in our hands to do it And unto this the Apostle exhorreth 2 Thess. 3. 13. Brethren be not weary of well doing And 1 Thess. 5. 15. Ever follow that which is good both among your selves and to all men And in this we shall imitate our heauenly Father and approve our selves to 〈◊〉 his children who reneweth his mercies unto us every morning and â—â—â—â—iplyeth his blessings upon us every day with a now supply and so we shall be sure to receive a rich reward For it we be stedfast and 〈◊〉 alwayes abounding in these good works of the Lord we may be assured that our labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord as it is promised 1 Cor. 15. 58. Many other places there are that require us to give constantly to seven and also to eight as Solomon phraseth it even so often as the necessities of the Saints require For thâ—â—s the Apostle saith 〈…〉 is the necessities of the Saints He doth not say distribute but distributing using the participle which noteth a continued act of 〈…〉 saith St. Paul of the Philippians 〈◊〉 sentence and again to my necessity A Well-head or a Spring ruâ—â— with a constant streame and will not be dry so should mercifull deeds flow from us The liberall Man ill devise of liberall things and continue his liberality Isa. 32. 8. And such in one was Boaz of whom Naomi could say out of 〈◊〉 common 〈◊〉 Blessed be he of he Lord for he ceaseth not to do good to the living to the dead Roth. 2. 20. Again we most increase in doing good our care Must be as to grow in grace so to bring forth new 〈◊〉 of good works imitating herein the Church of Thyatirâ— whose last works excelled the first Rev. 2. 19. Seeing we cannot otherwise be sure to be constant in them For they who go not forward but stand at a stay will not long stay in their standing And in this the beneficence of a godly man differeth from that which is in worldlings who do some good works of mercy by fits but are not constant in well doing and also in that which is in Hypocrites who do some good deeds for praise or profit but yet desist when their turne is served The flame of their charity lasting no longer than the fuell doth wherewith it is nourished but these have onely a green blade of an outward profession and never come to the bearing of ripe 〈◊〉 They run well for a time but get not the garland because they do not hold out to the end of the race They are not true Christians but onely dead images of Christianity like that which 〈◊〉 saw in a Dreame which had an head of gold the middle parts of filâ—er his thighes of brasse his legs of iron and his feet part of iron and part of clay for so the head and first beginnings of their workes are golden and glorious but the last and latter ends base and of no worth Thus we ought not onely to performe this duty presently and constantly but we should increase in the doing of it CHAP. XXXIX But alass the rich worldling takes a quite contrary course for either he never does any good at all or if he do it is at his death The miserly Muckworms manner is never to be liberall till he dies never to forsake or leave his goods untill his goods leave and forsake him Being like the Muckhill that never does good till carried out or the fat hog that is good for nothing till he comes to the kâ—â—â—â— or the poor mans boxe that yeelds no money till broken up Like a tree that lets fall none of his fruit till he be forc'd by death or violently shaken by sicknesse And then perhaps he may thinke upon the poore and part with something to relieve them As sometimes after he hath in stead of feeding the bellies of the poor ground their faces by usury extorting wracking inclosing and halfe â—â—doing whole Villages he liberally relieves some sew at his death and befriends them with the plaisters of his bounty which is no other them to steale a Goose and sticke down a feather rob a thousand to relieve ten Or rather as the Jewes bought a burying place for strangers with the blood of Christ so he builde an Almes-house or Hospitall for the Children with their Fathers bones Nor is that out of conscience or love to the poore but rather he thinkes by this and a piece of Marble to raise his name and revive his credit which he had long since lost though it no whit avails him with men of judgement Again he thinkes that a little almes will make amends for a great deal of injustice But this pleaseth God like the offering of Cain or as that of Nadab and Abihiâ— when they offered strâ—â—ge five unto the Lord Levit. 10. For certainly as the Lord would not in the lâ—â— receive 〈◊〉 an offering the price of a dog or the hire of a whore so it is no going about to corrupt God with presents and call him to take part of the spoyle which he hath gotten by fraudulent meanes and extortion No he that offereth to the Lord of the goods of the poor is as he that sacrificeth the sonne in the sight of the Father Eccl. 3. 4. Yea even Plato an Heathen could say Neither the gods nor honest men will accept the offerings of a wicked man Nay a generous Roman would scorne to have his life given him by such a sordid 〈◊〉 gâ—t As when Syâ—â—a the Dictator had condemned to death all the Iahab 〈◊〉 of Peronza pardoning none but his Host he would needs dye also flying he scorned to hold his life of the murtherer of his Countrey as Appian relates And for my part I had rather endure some extremity then to be beholding to the almes of Avarice He that overvalues what he gives never thinks he hath thanks enough and I had better shift hardly then owe to an insatiable creditor Now herein is the difference between grace and corrupt nature the Christian exerciseth himselfe in the works of mercy in the whole course of his life and giveth his goods to the poor while he might enjoy them himself but the wordling is only liberal at the approach of death and then alone he is content to employ them this way when as he seeth he can keep them no longer And that not out of love towards God or the poor but out of feare of approaching judgement and that dreadfull account which he must presently make before a just and terrible Judge Or out of self-love either that he may gaine the vain-glory of the world or that he may satisfie for his sins and to escape eternall condemnation In which respect he giveth to the poor and casts his bread upon the face of
that we have If besides all this God hath promised to reward a little mony meat clothes with an infinite Eternal Kingdom of glory have the poor as true a right to it as we have to the residue Are we no less beholding to the poor then they are to us Would we were it our case think the contrary very unequal For if we look on the sufferings of others as heavier then our own this will beget thankfulness if we look on the doings gifts and graces of others as better then our own this wil beget humility Shall they thereby be the better able to serve God in their several stations Shall they have cause to pray for and praise God for us Will it stop our enemies mouths and make them think the better of our Religion and happily win them to imbrace the truth at least seeing our good works they will glorifie our Father which is in heaven Whereas the Poore shall onely have some outward relief and comfott thereby Shall wee fare the better for it in our souls bodyes names estates and posterities with many the like which might be added for our eucouragement to this duty Then they should serve as one would think as so many effectual and strong arguments to move every Christian to the diligent and frequent doing of them Yea by this time as I hope I have made some way in the Worldlings heart to rellish the relieving of the poor at least it concerns men to urge and press these motives upon themselves until they have compell'd their unwilling wils to resolve to interest themselves into so many promises and blessings and to shun the danger of so many threats and judgements as the neglect thereof will incur As did we thus hide the Word of God in our hearts and particularly apply these things to our Consciences it would work this Grace in us all Which otherwise will prove no other then as a sweet harmony of Musick to a deaf man It is not unknown to us that Nathan wrought more upon David by a particular private admonition then all the Lectures of the Law could do for three quarters of a year together Yea let but this be done or indeed do but wel weigh what hath been said and it will be sufficient to perswade any covetous Nabal alive if he hath either heart or brain or indeed any care of or love to himself or his to become as liberal as Zacheus himself However I doubt not but some wil be so wise as to consider the premises thereupon to give as God in his Word injoins And that others will do the same if it be but meerly out of self-self-love for there cannot possibly be more rational or strong inducements more rare remarkable Benefits and Promises to any duty then is propounded to this particular Grace Wherefore if there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any compassion and mercy towards your selves or others think of these things accept of these blessings rush not upon so many Curses but break off your sins and former unmercifulness by righteousness and your iniquity by shewing mercy towards the poor Dan. 4. 2. Distribute to the necessities of the Saints minister unto them of your Substance like Mary Magdalen Joanna the wife of Chuza and Susanna And give your selves to Hospitality Rom. 12. 13. Luke 8. 2. 3. Suffer not the naked to lodge without garment and without covering in the cold Job 24. 7. Yea if thou dost but wel weigh what benefit it will bring to thee by being bountiful to them thou wilt be glad to meet with and invite such an object or opportunity of doing good and be thankful for it even as Zerxes the Persian Monarch said when Themistocles came to him being banished his own Countrey Let the Athenians send us more of such guests And indeed if men will not be moved nor drawn to good with the threefold cord inerrableness of Precepts innumerableness of Examples inestimableness of rewards and yet here is more then a sevenfold Cord no hope that any means should prevail with them as St. Austin speaks If Othniel be told what preferment he shall get for taking Kiriath Sephar he will undertake that difficult task Josh. 15 16 17. And if David does but hear what shall be done to the man that kills Goliah he dares accept the challenge of that terrible Champion 1 Sam. 17. If Moses hath once respect unto the recompence of the reward he will be content to suffer affliction with the People of God Heb. 6. 11. 25 26. And if the Apostles expect to receive some great thing of Christ they will soon forsake all and follow him Matth. 19. 27 28. We should therefore be forward to keep this Commandment of shewing mercy to the poor since in the keeping of it there is great reward Psal. 19. 11. CHAP. LII AGain secondly if Bounty be the best and surest way to Plenty If such Gain comes by giving If this be the onely way to have our Barns filled and our Presses to burst with abundance If by giving to the poor for Christs sake our riches shall encrease and multiply like the Widows handful of meal or those Loaves and Fishes in the Gospel and that the more wee give the more wee have That liberallity will make a man fastingly rich as having Gods Word that suchâ— shall never want If we can no way be so liberal to our selves as by giving to the poor and in them to the possessor of all things It should methinks make rich men of all others put the same in practice since they are all for gain and looking after commoditie all for treasuring up all for themselves all for riches it being their onely summum bonum For no such way to encrease their Estates or benefit themselves can ever be found out this wil do it above what they are able any other way or what they were ever yet acquainted with How then should it take with them How should it not whet them on and make them put the same in practise For should you rich men plot and break your brains to study and contrive all the dayes of your lives how you may do your selves the greatest good this is the onely way It is fabled of Midas that whatsoever he touched it was turned into Gold but it may more truly be so said of the hand of Charity for that turneth a Cup of cold Water into a never failing Mine of Gold As thus if we but sow the seed of our Beneficence we shall not onely reap an earthly crop but have also an heavenly harvest which wil never fail us it wil return unto us a double Harvest the crop of all temporal and spiritual benefits in this life and of everlasting blessedness in the life to come This is the true Philosophers Stone yea it exceeds by far all that any report of it For the Lord will repay and reward us not
on day be the case of all covetous men Indeed at present none are wise but they for they account poor honesty but a kind of simplicity but then they wil acknowledge themselves to have been of all fools the greatest nor deserve they any pity Who pities that man's death that having the Medicine by him which can help him dyes and will not take it If ever you see a drowning man refuse help conclude him a wilful Murtherer O my Brethren â— look not for Dives nor Judas to come out of Hell to warn you since all this that I have said and much more is written for your learning and warning lest if fare with you as it did with the Greeks of Constantinople who had store of Wealth but because they would spare none to the reparation of the Walls and maintenance of the Souldiers they lost all to the Turks which afterwards no money could recover Or as it fared with Hedelburough which was lost through the Citizens Covetousness for being full of Gold and Silver they would not pay the Souldiers that should have defended them Though neither their folly nor loss was comparable to this of yours For what is the Loss of Life or Countrey to the loss of a man's Soul and the Kingdom of Heaven The covetous Jews spoken of by Josephus loved their money dearly when being besieged they did in gorge their Gold for all the night and seek it in their close Stooles the next morning But nothing so wel as these Cormorants I am speaking of who by covetousness and overmuch sparing resolve to lose Life Substance Soul Heaven Salvation and all O wretched wicked and foolish generation CHAP. LIV. FOurthly If there needs no other ground of our last and heaviest doom than Ye have not given Ye have not visited If the main point which Christ wil scan at the day of Judgement is the point of mercy If he wil accuse the Wicked at the last day not onely for taking the meat out of the poors mouths or plucking their apparel off their backs but for not feeding them and putting cloaths upon their backs as is evident by Matth. 25. and as I have made plain then are all Negative Christians in an ill taking It is strange to see how many several ways men have to deceive themselves One thinks it enough that he is of the outward visible Church born of Christian Parents hath been baptized c. Another so confidently hopes for Salvation by Faith that he little regards honesty or true dealing amongst men Another sort flatter themselves with promises of mercy as Christ suffered for all God would have all to be saved At what time soever a sinner repents he shall be forgiven and the like and with these they batten their own presumptuous confidence be their lives never so licentious Yea where is the man that wil not boast of his love to Christ though they even hate all that any way resemble him but of all others such as live harmless Lives and do no hurt think it sufficient and that it greatly matters not for doing good so they do no evil And in these conceits they go on to the end of their lives without once questioning how they shal enter in at the straight Gate Their deceitful hearts serve them as Jael did Sizera who flatteringly said to him Come in my Lord giving him Milk and covering him with a Mantle but withal nailing his head to the ground As see how the Rich Glutton flattered himself with hopes until he was in Hel-flames For notwithstanding he had denied poor Lazarus the very crumbs that fell from his Table yet he could challenge Abraham for his Father saying Father Abraham have mercy on me c. Luk. 16 But refused he was because he had not the works nor indeed the Faith of Ahraham though he might seem to profess and pretend it And the like of those Jews John 8. For they could boast to Christ that Abraham was their Father but he gave them a cutting Answer If ye were Abraham's Children ye would do the works of Abraham ver 39. Vainly do they speak of their love to Christ who yet are wanting to his members Neither can there be a truer argument of a godless person then unmercifulness If we know a man unmerciful we may boldly say He is ungodly John 3. 17. The lack of Charity is the conviction of Hypocrisie 1 Cor. 13. 1 2 c. The righteous is merciful and giveth Psal. 37. 21 22. But the Wicked are so far from this that they borrow and pay not again The Father of Mercies hath no Children but the merciful Matth. 5. 7. He that is not a feeling Member of others miseries is not of that Mystical Body whereof Christ is the Head It is not who is called a Christian or who is baptized for in that number we shall find abundance of Hereticks no fewer Hypocrites and inn imerable ungodly persons some not informed in their Judgements the rest not reformed in their lives Neither is it enough that we are civil honest men whom none can justly accuse for we are commanded 1 Pet. 3. 11. to eschue evil and to do good to eschue evil is the first lesson of Christianity but not all to do good is the second and greater half 2 Tim. 2. 19. Let every one that calls on the Name of the Lord depart from iniquity that is one step but not high enough We must also do the will of our Father John 7. 17. Every Tree that brings not forth good fruit for all it brings forth no bad shall be cut down for the Fire And the servant that doth not imploy and increase his Talent for all he returns it safe and whole to his Master shall be bound hand and foot and cast into utter darkness Matth. 25. 30. Thou hast a servant who is neither Thiefe nor Drunkard nor Swearer no none is able to tax him with any vice or unthriftiness yet because he sits all day with his hand in his bosom and does nothing thou correctest him Why what harm hath he done Thou canst not charge him with any thing but his not doing of something yet he deserves chastisement So in this case there needs no more to prove thee wicked and to make thee of the number of those Goats which shall be placed at Christ's left hand and to whom he shall say Depart ye cursed then that thou hast not done these works of mercy which are no less commanded then the wickedst actions are forbidden Good deeds are such that no man is saved for them nor without them Indeed Faith is the life of a Christian but the breath whereby he is known to live is Charity 1 Cor. 13. 3. Faith doth justifie our works do testifie that we are justified Therefore justifie thy Faith that thy Faith may justifie thee There is much Faith talked of but little faithfulness manifested abundance of love but not a spark of Charity Gal. 5. 22. But let men
when they are in prison as it is Matth. 25. 41. c. What shall become of him that takes away other mens that robs the poore turns them out of their own house and casts them into prison O remember I beseech you if that servant in the Gospel was bound to an everlasting prison that onely challenged his own debt for that he had not pity on his fellow as his Master had pity on him whither sâ—al they be cast that unjustly vex their neighbours quarrel for that which is none of theirs and lay title to another mans propriety When the Prophet that was slain by a Lyon though an holy man buies so dearly such a slight frailty of a credulous mistaking what shall become of hainous and presumptuous sinners Christians should be like Christ but how unlike to him are these men Christ made himself poor to make them rich but they make many poor to make themselves rich yea they sink others eies into their heads with leanness while their own eies start out with fatness and to fill the other bag they will pare a poor man to the very bones Again many men be unreprovable and yet rejected alas what then shall become of our gluttony drunkenness pride oppression bribery cozenages adulteries blasphemies and of our selves for them If he shall have judgment without mercy that shews not mercy what shall become of subtraction and rapine Psal. 109. 11. Do'st thou not know that with what measure thou metest to others here God will measure to thee again hereafter Mat. 7. 2. And were it not better then to prevent a mischief before then repent you did not when 't is too late O that thou wouldst but fore-think what thy Covetousness will one day cost thee As how will it one day grieve these griping Ingrossers and Oppressors when they shall receive a multiplicity of torments according to the multiplicity of their cruel and unconscionable deeds and to the number also of their abused benefits They will then wish that they had not done so ill nor fared so well upon earth that they might have fared less ill in Hell For if for one sin at the first God plagued a world of men how will he plague one man for a world of sin Consider but these things thou cruel and unmerciful rich man and thou â—anst not choose but tremble If then they be so terrible to hear what will it be everlastingly to feel them If so intollerable to be felt and endured be accordingly careful that thou mayest never feel nor endure them Thou art taking a Voyage to this Kingdom of darknesse and art near upon arriving it were happy if thou wouldst return before thou art at thy journeys end And certainly didst thou but know the place and thy entertainment when thou comest there thou wouldst be bound for heaven steer thy course thitherward and fraught thy self accordingly You know or may know what a rich and brave place Heaven is the Pavement is of Gold the Walls of Jasper garnished with all manner of precious stones the Gates of Pearl c. Revel 21. 22. chap. For I should but disparage it by seeking to describe it But CHAP. LVII EIgthly that I may not be said to set in a Cloud Is he that commanded thee this â—asie and not costly but most gainful service in the World thy Heavenly Father Maker and Preserver yea thy Saviour and Redeemer Is he thy Lord by a manifold Right And thou his Servant by all manner of obligations As First He is thy Lord by the Right of Creation thou being his Workmanship made by him Secondly By the Right of Redemption being his Purchase having bought and ransomed thee out of Hell by his precious Blood where else thou must have been frying in flames to Eternity Thirdly Of Preservation Being kept upheld and maintained by him all we have being at his cost Fourthly Thou art his by Vocation even of his Family having admitted thee a Member of his visible Church Fifthly His also if it be not thine own fault by Sanctification whereby he possesseth thee Sixtly lastly He would have thee of his Court by Glorification that he might crown thee So that thou art every way his Yea he hath removed so many evils from thee and conferred so many good things upon thee that they are beyond thought or imagination then certainly thou art of a sordid and base spirit if thou deniest him so small a matter as the surplusage of thy Estate to the relief of his poor and distressed members for were you loving children indeed though there were no Hell to fear nor Heaven to hope for no torments to dread no rewards to expect yet you would obey your good and loving Father and be the sorrowfullest creatures in the World if yee have but once displeased him onely for the meer love you bear towards him and for the unspeakble love he hath shewed towards you How much more in this case when whatsoever we give to the poor we give it not so much to them as to our selves Dan. 4. 27. Prov. 11. 17. CHAP. LVIII NInthly Is it so that what we give here to Christ's poor members we shall receive again in Heaven with ten thousand thousand fold increase of God himself What wise man then wil not disburse a good part of his Estate even as much as he can well spare this way when it will bring in such benefit Yea one would think the more covetous men are and the more they love their money the more liberal and bountiful this should make them Some love their money so well that they would if possible carry in with them when they dye If so this is the only way The onely means to have the fruit and benefit of our riches for ever is to send them before us into our Heavenly Countrey where we shall have our everlasting habitation Nor can we carry any more of our Wealth with us then what we thus lay out for these earthly things are lost by keeping and kept by bestowing Neither can they and we long continue together seeing either they will leave us in our life time or we shall leave them at the hour of death when all that we possess shall be left behind us and that onely shal be our own which we have sent before us In which respect our riches are fitly compared unto Seed which can no other ways be truly kept then when we seem utterly to lose it for if we keep it in our Garners it will either be spent in the use or in time must corrupt and perish but if we cast it into the ground where it seemeth to rot and to be lost it is the onely way to preserve and keepe it from losing perishing Give then that which you can no otherwise keep that you may receive that which you can never loose for to part with that which you cannot keepe that you may get that you cannot loose is a good bargain Again What