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
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 Lâ—â—d to provide for their childrens bodies not for their soules to shew that they begat not their soules but their bodies to leave faire estates for the worser part nothing for the estate of the better part They desire to leave their children great rather then good and are more ambitious to have their sons Lords on earth than Kings in heaven But as he that provides not for their temporall estate is worse then an Infidell 1 Tim. 5. 8. So he that provides not for their eternall estate is little better then a Devill The use which I would have you make of the premisses is this Let none refuse to give because they have many children but give the rather out of love to and for their children sakes that God who as you see hath ingaged himselfe may be their Guardian and provide and take care for them Or if not for their soules yet for thine owne For why shouldest thou love thy children better then thine owne person and in providing for them neglect thy selfe Yea why shouldst thou preferre their wealth before thine own soule and their flourishing estate in the world which is but momentany and mutable before the fruition of those joyes which are infinite and everlasting Will it nor grieve and gall thy conscience another day to thinke that for getting or saving some trifles for thy posterity on earth thou hast lost Heaven or to remember that thy children ruffle it out in worldly wealth and superfluous abundance when thou shalt be stripped of all and want a drop of cold water to cool thy scorching soul in hell CHAP. XXXV Thus I might go on and inlarge my selfe upon this and add thereunto many other reasons First in regard of God Secondly in regard of Christ. Thirdly in regard of the poore Fourthly in regard of others I should also according to the order first proposed shew what are the ends to he propounded in our giving almes and lastly the severall impediments that hinder men from giving but I finde which when I fell upon it I did not soresee matter representing it selfe like those waters in Ezekiel Chap. 47. which at the first were but anckle deep and then knee deep and then up to the loynes which afterwards did so rise and flow that they were as a River which could not be passed over Or like that little cloud which Elias his servant saw 1 Kings 18. Much hath been said of this subject but much more might be said for I could carry you a great way further and yet leave more of it before then behind But I am loth to tire my Reader or cause any to make an end before they begin as not seldome doth Addition in this case bring forth substraction and more writ cause lesse to be read Wherefore I will onely give you the sum of some few particulars briefly and leave the rest That little which I intend to deliver is First the neer communion that is between the poor and us with our head Christ. For besides the civill communion that is between all men as being of one flâ—sh the off-spring and generation of God Acts 17 28 29. The sonnes of the same Father Adam and Noah and so brethren one with another and proceeding as so many flowers from one root many Rivers from one fountain many arteries from one heaâ—t many veines from one liver and many â—ineâ—s from one braine And likewise of the same Country Common-wealth yea of the same City and Corporation yea perhaps neer Neighbours and parishiâ—ners every of which the Holy Ghost maketh a sufficient argument to move us to do these works of mercy in relieving the poor Isa. 58. 6 7. There are many spirituall respects and divine relations which make a more neer communion between Christians one with another for we are elected to the same eternall life and happinesse we are not onely Gods workmanship created in Adam according to his owne glorious image but reâ—created and restored unto the divine Image lost by Adam in Christ the second Adam we are redeemed in our soules and bodies with the same precious blood of Jesus Christ we are partakers of the same calling whereby we are chosen out of the world and gathered into the Church and communion of Saints that we may inherit eternall glory together and that out of darknesse into marvellous light and out of a desperate condition to be partakers of the same precious promises And by vertue of this Calling we serve one and the same God are of one Church and family and have one Religion one faith one baptisme are invited guests to the same Table and Supper of our Lord are all Heirs and Co-heires of the same heavenly kingdome and therein annexed also with Christ our elder brother Finally we are brethren of the same Father the onely Spouse of the same heavenly Bridegroom and members of the same mystical body whereof Jesus Christ is the head so that the neerest and strongest communion that can be imagined is between Christians one with another and all of them with their head Jesus Christ And should not all this move us to relieve them Yea more then all this If we do good to our fellow-members the benefit will redound unto our selves who are of the same body even as the hand giving nourishment to the mouth and the mouth preparing it for the stomacke do in nourishing it provide nourishment for themselves also Yea more then all this there is such a neare and strong union and communion with the poor together with us and with our head Christ our Saviour That he esteemâ—th thâ—â— as done to himselfe which is done unto them even as the head acknowledgeth the benefit done unto it which the meanest member of the body receiveth Yea in truth that is much more acceptable which we do for his poor members then if we should do it to his owne person as being a signe of greater love For it is but an ordinary kindnesse to confer benefits upon our dearest friends but to extend our bounty to the poorest and meanest that belong unto them is a signe of much greater love For if for their sakes onely we do good unto these how much more would we be ready to do it unto themselves if they had occasion to crave our help And as in this regard he much esteemeth this Christian bounty so he will richly reward it also at the day of â—udgemeâ—t For then these mercifull men who have relieved the poor for Christs sake shall with ravishing joy heare that sentence Come ye blessed of my Father because the works of mercy which they have done to the poor Christ will acknowledge as done unto himselfe And this will more rejoyce thy soale hereafter then it doth now refresh the others body when Christ shall say unto thee Come thou blessed and inherit the Kingdome Nor will it then repent thee that thou hast parted with a small part of what God hath given thee to the poor CHAP. XXXVI And
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
but having said enough to be thought too much I will mention no more only let me a little apply it We see that the shadow does not more inseparably follow the body than all blessings follow grace Bodily exercise profiteth little but godlinesse is profitable unto all things 1 Tim. 4. 8. as having the Promises of the life present and of that which is to come Men talk much of the Philosophers stone that it turneth copper into gold of Cornucopia that it had all things necessary for food in it of the Herb Panaâ—e that it is instead of all purges and cureth all diseases of the Herb Nepenthes that it procureth all delights of Vulcans Armour that it was of proof against all thrusts and blows Yea Pliny speaks of no lesse than three hundred and sixty benefits that may be made of the Palme tree if we will believe him But whether these things be so or not it much matters not this I am sure of that what they did vainly attribute to these rarities for bodily and transitory good we may with full measure and without any hyperbole justly ascribe to grace and Gods favour for spiritual So that Religion Piety and Holinesse are Mistresses worthy your service Yea all other Artes in the world are but drudges to these Fools may contemn them who cannot judge of true intellectual beauty but if they had our eyes they culd not but be ravished with admiration of the same And men truly wise have learned to contemn their contempt and to pity their injurious ignorance All which being so apparant and undeniable mens wisest and surest way were as one would think to become the Servants of God and be as industrious after grace as they have been after gold For in common reason who would eat huskes with the Prodigal when if he will but return home he shall be honourably entertained by his heavenly Father have so good cheer and banqueting hear so great melody joy and triumph Generally men are very eager and industrious to get worldly wealth yea no pains is thought too much for it but where shall we finde men thus eager after spiritual wealth which alone can make them happy CHAP. X. Objection But will some say How shall we obtain this happy condition It is not so easie a matter to become gracious and to gain the favour of God as you seem to make it I Answer Yes this may easily be helped if thou hast a mind to it For as when a man would have those things to be on his right hand which are now on his left it is but turning himself and the work is done so do but turn you affections from earthly things to things celestial and heavenly the case will be so altered that you will think your self as a blind man restored to sight a mad man to his senses a prisoner set at liberty a begger advanced to a vast estate and as one vexed with an evil spirit or troubled with a tormenting conscience to such a blessed peace as the world can neither give nor take away John 14. 27. As thus Would you quiet your clamorous conscience that will not be friends with you unlesse you be friends with God The ayer is not so cleer when the clowde is dissolved by rain as the mind is when the clowdes of our iniquities are dissolved by the rain or tears of true repentance These waters are the red sea wherein the whole Arm of our sinnes is drowned As O the calm spirit of a godly man his very dreams are divine When Ptolomy King of Aegypt had posed the Seaventy Interpreters in order and asked the nineteenth man what would make one sleep quietly in the night he told him the best way was to have divine and celestial Meditations and to use honest actions and recreations in the day time The godly man enjoyes Heaven upon earth peace of conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost 1 Thes. 1. 6. Nor is joy lesse when it is least expressed as it fares with grief but as the windowes of the Temple were narrow without but broad within so is the joy of our hearts greater than it does outwardly appear to the world Again It is as falfe a slander as common that when once a man imbraceth Religion farewell all joy and delight For virtue hath neither so crabbed a face nor so stern a look as men make her Pleasure is not gone when sinne is gone It is not Isaac that is sacrificed that is our laughter and mirth but the Ramme that is the bruitishnesse of it The soul of joy lies in the souls joy What saies holy David Be glad ye righteous and rejoyce in the Lord and be joyfull all ye that are upright in heart Psal. 32. 11. It was not the Eunuchs riches nor honours but his faith which set him on his way rejoycing Act. 8. 39. In this rejoyce noâ— saith our Saviour that the spirits are subdued unto you but rather rejoyce that your names are written in Heaven Luke 10. 20. Yea there is even joy in grief where the sorrow is for sinne Besides how can men partake of that fountain of joy and rejoyce not He is no good Christian that is not taken with the glory he shall have and rejoyce that his name is written in the Book of life The worldly man hath joy in prosperity the Child of God in adversity The believing Hebrews suffered with joy the spoyling of their goods knowing that they had in Heaven a better and more enduring substance Heb. 10. 34. Yea let the worst that can come they are still merry and joyfull as hath been observed in sundry of the Martyrs who clapt their hands for joy even in the midst of the flames And reason good when all things shall work to their good that are good and when the very draught and abridgment of Heaven is in every sanctified heart upon earth Then live religiously and thou shalt both live and die comfortably For live in grace and die in peace is a rule that never fails Only this hinders our joy our love to spiritual things is too defective of worldly things too excessive Earthly goods are earnestly and eagerly sought after Heavenly not once thought upon Much travell taken for the body little or no care used for the soul. It would be otherwise if with Paul at his conversion they had those scales taken away from their eyes by some godly Ananias some faithfull Minister of the Gospel which during their natural condition covers their eyes from seeing things spiritual It is a sad thing to see what fools men are that walk according to the flesh and how they are gulled by the God of this world and their own deceitfull hearts The covetous man is like a mad man that loves and is unmeasurably delighted with the sight and gingling of those chains wherewith he is fettered and tormented He hugs them I mean his money and adores them and even makes them his god that occasion him all
to have treated 1. Of the time when we are to give 2. Of the meanes inabling to it 3. Of the ends to be propounded in it 4. Of the impediments that hinder it 5. Of the remedies or incouragements And 6. Of the Vses But finding that it would have been as welcome to the parties concerned therein as water into a ship I will onely give you a few gleanings out of them In which also I will more respect the weight and benefit of the matter then the order of handling that so I may couch all within a little compass CHAP. XXI Touching the grounds reasons and inducements which may move men to be bountifull and beneficent to the poore with which I will begin they are so many that onely to name them all would by worldlings be thought too much Wherefore I will onely nominate such as every wise man even out of self love will allow for weighty And therein be as brief as possibly I can in running them over 1. If in some good measure we perform this duty if we deal our bread to the hungry bring the poore that are cast out into our houses and that seeing them naked we cover them as it is I say 58. 7. God hath promised and given it under his hand that it shall go well with us in our estates and that we shall be no loosers by it but he will surely pay it us again Ecc. 11. 1. Luke 6. 38. Matth. 6. 4. And lest any should be discouraged from performing these duties because he is able to give but a little he assureth us that whosoever giveth a cup of cold water unto a Disciple in the name of a Disciple he shall in no wise lose his reward Matt. 10. 42. And that because this reward is not grounded upon the excellency and merit of the work but upon Gods rightousness and truth in fulfilling his promises according to that Heb. 6. 10. For God is not unrighteous that he should forget your work and labour of love which ye have shewed toward his name in that ye have minstred to the Saints and do minister Whereby he implyeth that it is no more possible that those who in love and obedience have exercised themselves in these works of mercy should lose their reward then that God himself should lose his righteousness And the wise man telleth us that he who hath pitty on the poore lendeth unto the Lord and that which he hath given he will repay again Prov. 19. 17. Neither in reason can it be otherwise for if mercy and bounty be in God as an inexhanstible everspringing fountain and in us as a little stream that floweth from it how is it possible that our small and shallow rivulets of mercy should flow to our Neighbours and that the everlasting spring of Gods mercy and goodness should be dry unto us or how should the stream flow and the fountain and well head be dried up Yea let us assure our selves that we cannot suffer in a wise and disâ—reet manner empty our selves of these waters of Gods blessings for the satisfying and quenching of the poore mans thirst and relieving of his wants but we shall again be replenished from the fountain of all goodness and if like kind Nurses we let these deare Children of God suck the breasts of our bounty for their comfort and nourishment that which is thus spent will again be restored whereas if we churlishly refuse to impart and communicate this milk of Gods blessings it is the readiest way to have it quite dried up Neither are we to imagine that if we be carefull in feeding Christ that he will be carelesse in feeding us That he will deny us meate who hath given us his precious blood That he will suffer us to want earthly trifles who hath provided for us heavenly ricbes Let such more then heathenish diffidence be farre from us who professe our selves to be of the houshold of Faith Is it not he as Hannah speaketh that maketh poore and maketh rich that bringeth low and lifteth up Do we enjoy all things through Gods blessing And can we thinke to keep our riches by disobeying his commandment Indeed the contrary we may well expect according to that Prov. 11. There is that scattereth and is more increased but he that spareth more then is right shall surely come to poverty vers 24. And it is but just if God deny thee thy daily bread if thou denyest him the crumbs And thus it appeareth that by giving to the poor we shall be no loosers But this is not all For CHAP. XXII Secondly we shall not onely receive our own again but it shall be with great increase Yea if the Word of God be true there is not a more compendious way to thrive and grow rich then by being bountifull to the poore But that bounty is the best and surest way to pleâ—ty and that it is so far from weakning a mans estate or bringing him to want and poverty that it is the onely meanes to keep us from it and to bring plenty and abundance I have largely and plentifully proved if you remember in Chapter the 30. of The best and surest way to become rich And I heartily wish that the Reader would peruse the same For it is the most piercing and patheticall Chapter of all the parts and should methinks exceedingly wheron those that are greedy of gaine to put the same into practice and make them bountifull in doing these workes of mercy and not think themselves loosers thereby but rather to conclude as a mercifull man once did The more I give the more I have As what Husbandman does not reckon more of his seed in the ground then of that in his Barn or Garner And shall we be such Atheists as to trust the ground and not God Yea let us be so far from grudging these Almes to the poor when we have fit occasion that we do them with joy and thankfulnesse unto God that he hath given us so fit an opportunity of sowing our seed that so we may reap a fruitfull harvest For what husbandman would not readily and cheerfully hearken to one who should offer him fertile and fruitfull land ready prepared and maâ—ured to sow his seed in with a faithful promise that he should reape the whole crop for his own use and benefit But thus God dealeth with us when he giveth us opportunity of relieving the poor Yea in truth much better and more ability for he gives us even the seed also we sow with and whereas if a man should freely receive of another Land to sow his seed in yet he were not sure of a fruitfull harvest For many accidents usually happen which cut off the hopes of the most skilfull Husbandman as Frosts and Mildewes wormes and locusts tares and weeds too much wet or too much drought may destroy the corn though the seed were never so good or when it is ready for the sickle the enemy may come and reap it
and praise to my self in the other the glory of God and the salvation of souls which received blessing from above and that made the difference yea were there nothing good else in it yet this were the way to gain true honor We cannot so much honour our selves as by seeking to honour God To seek a mans own glory says Solomon is not glory Prov. 25. 25. 27. but to seek Gods glory is the greatest honour a man can do himself For as Cicero said of Julius Caesar That in extolling of dead Pompey and erecting his Statues he set up his own So who are more venerably esteemed and spoken of then such as are most tender of Gods glory and least seeke their own They are the Lord 's own words to Saul They that honour me I will honour but they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed 1 Sam. 2. 30 The way for a man to be esteemed the greatest is to esteem himself the least It is humility that makes us accepted both of God Man whereas the contrary makes us hated and abhorred of both The Centurion did many excellent things but he never did a Work so acceptable in the sight of Christ as was his disclaiming his own Works While Saul vvas little in his ovvn eyes God made him Head over the twelve Tribes of Israel and gave him his Spirit but when out of his Greatness he abused his Place and Gifts God took both from him and gave them to David whom Saul least respected of all his Subjects 1 Sam. 15. 17. 28. 16. 14. Other proofs of such as he will honor for honoring him you have Gen. 39. 21. Zeph. 3 19 20. Dan. 2. 19. to 50. as when Nebuchadnezzar sought his own honor honor departed from him and he was made like a Beast but when he sought God's honor honor came to him again and he was made a King Dan. 4. 34. to the end Before honour goeth humility Prov. 15. 33. But when pride cometh then cometh shame Prov. 11. 2. And commonly great Works undertaken for ostentation miss of their end and turn to the Author's shame nor have any less praise then they that most hunt after it It 's true the Lord sometimes gives wicked men even what in their thoughts they ask as some desire riches onely and God gives it them with a curse some honor and dignity and they have it that their fall may be the greater others fame and reputation as loving the praise of men more then the praise of God and these have many times what they aim at they are extolled to the skies and that shall be the reward of all the good that ever they do Lastly God's people make spiritual and eternal things Grace and Glory and God's favour their onely option and they have their desire yea not seldom are riches and reputation super-added though they seek them not they seek onely God's glory on Earth as for their own glory they let that alone till they come to Heaven knowing that he onely is happily famous who is known and recorded there True he lives so well that the praise of men especially good men will follow but as I said before so say I again he wil not follow it least to gain the shadow he should lose the substance as Absolom in seeking a Kingdom lost himself CHAP. XLVII IT is a sad thing to consider how many formal Christians gul themselves in thinking that Christ will reward them when they have done him no service As for example we find the Jews in the 58. of Esay urging God with their fasting as those Reprobates Luke 13. alledge unto him their preaching in Christs Name casting out Devils We have fasted say they and thou seest it not we have afflicted our selves and thou takest no notice thereof they expect some great reward but the Lord answers Have ye fasted to me No such matter and therefore sends them away empty ver 25. to 29. And so will he say unto these that perhaps do many good works for the matter of them Have ye done these and these things in love obedience and thankfulness unto me and that in Christs Name that my Name may be magnified and my People won and edified No but in love to your own credit profit and such like carnal respects and therefore look to it as you love your own souls for if in doing good and discharging our places we have served our selves and sought our selves rather then God when we come for his reward as Esau when he had brought the Venison came for the blessing making himself as sure of it as if he had had it before he kneeled for it God's answer will be Let him reward you whom you have served Thou servedst thy self reward thy self if thou wilt for I never reward any service but mine own The Pharisaical giver gives to himself not to God Dat sibi non Domino He aims at his own praise what reward can he look for let him pay himself But our Saviour Mat. 6. makes the case so plain that none can question it Take heed saith he that ye do not your almes that ye pray not that ye fast not to be seen of men otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven ver 1 and in ver 2. 5 16 speaking of the Scribes and Pharisees that did give their Alms prayed and fasted to be seen and praised of men he saith affirmatively That they had their reward And that we might the rather be warned he adds to it Verily Verily v. 5. 16 Yea in the next Chapter he gives us several instances of such as shall at the last day knock at Heaven Gates as it were and cry out Lord Lord open unto us for by thy Name we have done many good things To whom the Lords answer will be Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity I know you not whence ye are ver 22 23. And the reason of it is Civil mens good works are as a meer Carkase without the soul since Faith is wanting Nor is it any excuse before God to plead that the matter of the Work is good when the end is not so for which see Isa. 66 3 Secondly That the proud and unthankful shal lose the reward of all their performances is not all for as thankfulness and humility are the onely means to enrich us with God's Blesâ—ings so pride and unthankfulness is the onely way to make God withdraw and take from us both himself and his blessings yea instead thereof to send his curse and to cross us in all we do as may be proved plentifully When the people became murmurers it displeased the Lord and the Lord heard it therefore his wrath was kindled and the fire of the Lord burnt among them and consumed the utmost part of the Host Numb 11. 1 2 Because the King of Assyria said By the Power of mine Arm have I done it and by my wisdom for I am prudent therefore saith the
pretend what they wil he that hath Grace or the love of God in his heart wil shew it in Works of mercy to the end that God may be honored and others won and edified thereby Blessed are the pure in heart faith our Saviour for they shall see God Matth. 5. 8. They must lead vertuous lives on Earth that ever expect in Heaven to see the Lord Jesus Now the inward disposition of the heart is outwardly ingraven in the life Shew methy faith by thy works sayes James Jam. 2. 18. That is by thy active obedience which consisteth in doing God's Commandments and passive obedience in suffering his Chastisements Though Faith be alone in Justification yet not in the justified as the Eye though alone in seeing yet not in him that seeth but joined with the Ears Nose Hands and many other members of the body Faith the Queen of Graces hath her Gentleman-Usher before and her Servants following after If you see not Repentance go before Faith nor Works attending on her know that it is not she There is a zeal without knowledge and there is a knowledge without zeal there is a faith without obedience and there is an obedience without faith there is a love without fear there is a fear without love both are hypocrites We are justified by faith sayes Paul Rom. 4. 3. We are justified by works says James Jam. 2. 21 St. James dealt with them that stood too much upon Faith without Works S. Paul dealt with them that stood too much upon Works without Faith Wirked men if we mark it are all for extreams and extreams onely bear rule in this World because there is still but one virtue for two vices which cowch so close beside her that the natural man can scarce see her as for instance you shall ever see Pride on the one side Rusticity on the other side and comeliness in the midst Flattery on the one side Malice on the other side and Love in the midst Diffidence on the one side Presumption on the other side and Faith in the midst Superstition on the one side Atheism on the other side and Religion in the midst Ignorance on the one side Curiosity on the other side and knowledge in the midst Carefulness on the one side Carelesness on the other side and Diligence in the midst Covetousness on the one side Prodigallity on the other side and Frugallity in the midst But to these Virtues or to keep the mean Worldlings are always to seek as hereafter they wil be of a blessing Gods Servants are known by this they square all their actions and intentions by the Rule of the Word as knowing that if they do never so much to satisfie anothers Will or their own it avails nothing with God if it be not done for God Therefore David prayes Teach me O Lord to do thy will not my Will for we need not be taught to do our own wills every man can go to Hell without a Guide Now he that wil do Gods Will and live by the direct Rule of his Word must repent and believe the Gospel Mark 1. 15. that is joyn with his faith in God's Promises obedience to his Precepts For Faith and Obedience are as inseparable as life and motion the Sun and its light And altbeit in our Justification Christ saith Fiat tibi secundum fidem tuam be it unto thee according to the Faith Matth 9. 29. Yet in our salvation Redditur unicuique secundum opera sua Every man shall be rewarded according to his works Matth. 16. 27. Neither wil Christ say when he shal sit upon his throne Ye have believed but you have done Come ye blessed Matth. 25. 35. and in Matth. 25. 21. Well done good Servants not wel known nor wel spoken nor wel purposed but wel done This is the perfect Rule Gal. 6. 16. And as many as walk according to this Rnle peace shall be upon them and mercy and upon the Israel of God Again it is not knowing or hearing or preaching or casting out Devils in Christs Name nor praying Lord Lord c. but he that doth his will and when he hath done it accounts himself an uprofitable 〈◊〉 that shal be saved Luke 17. 10. And 〈…〉 men were not wilfully blind and did not 〈…〉 follow the deceitfulness of their own 〈…〉 then believe God's Word It were impossible they should ever hope for mercy without filial Obedience since the scripture thoroughout continually calls for practice as to ad some instances to the former If you ask God who shall dwell in his holy Mountain he faith The man which walketh uprightly Psal. 15. 2. If ye ask Christ who shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven he saith Not they which cry Lord Lord though they cry twice Lord but they which do the will of my Father Mat. 7. 22. If you ask him again How you may come to Heaven he saith Keep the Commandments Luk. 18. 20. If you ask him again Who are blessed He saith Blessed are they that hear the Word of God and do it here are none but doers If you ask an Angel who are blessed he saith Blessed are they which keep the words of this Book Revel 22. 7. Here are none but doers If you ask David Who are blessed He saith Blessed are they that keep judgement and he that doth righteousness Psal. 106. 3. 103. 18. If you ask Solomon Who are blessed He faith The man is blessed that keepeth God's Law Prov. 29. 18. Here are none but doers If you ask Esay Who are blessed He saith He which doth this is blessed Esay 56. 2. If you ask St. James Who are blessed He saith The doer of the Word is blessed in his deed James 1. 25. Here is none but doers mentioned Matth. 7 21. Rom. 2. 13. So that blessedness and doing go always together For as the works that Christ did bore witness that he was Christ Job 10. 25. So the works that we do must bear witness that we are Christians And least any man should look to be blessed without obedience as Christ calleth Love the greatest Commandment so Solomon calleth Obedience the end of all as though without obedience all were to no end Eccles. 12. 13. When God created the Trees in Paradice Gen. 1. hee commanded them to bring forth fruit So when he createth a lively faith in any one he commandeth it to bring forth Works And when our Saviour would prove himself to John to be the true Messias indeed he said to his Disciples Tell John what what things you have heard and seen not only heard but seen Matth. 11. 4. So if we will prove our selves to be Christs Disciples indeed we must do that which may be seen as wel as heard Iohn was not onely called the Voyce of a Cryer but a Burning Lamp which might be seen James doth not say Let me hear thy Faith but let me see thy Faith As the Angels put on the shape of men that Abraham