non personâ— Hieron in Eccl. 12. Duo nominasunt aliud quod homo aliud quod peccator Quod homo opusest dei quodpeccator opus est hominis da operidei noli operi hominis Hee that giveth an almes to the needy and despiseth him not for his default sheweth mercy truly For the nature is to bee respected not the person Saint Austin hath a pretty distinction in this kinde There are two names one that hee is a man another that bee is a sinner that hee is a man is the worke of God that hee is a sinner is the worke of man give to the worke of God give not to the worke of man And he interpreteth what it is to give to the worke of man to a sinner in regard of his sinne to an Hunter Stage player or Harlot in respect of their profession Aug. in Psal 102. But as for those sturdy vagrand and lazy droanes who being strong to labour will eate and not worke who have taken up Satans trade to compasse the earth who live without God without Magistrate without Minister without calling in the world wee must withdraw our selves from them if they will not worke they must not eate 2 Thes 3.6.10 if their extreame necessity be such that they must have an almes yet their impiety deserveth a rodde for their backes and it is the best almes that can be done to them to execute the lawes made against them both that they may be brought into order and also that the truly poore may receive that which these drones devoure These are the persons that wee must doe almes to and in such ranke and order as I have recited It is no being mercifull or doing of almes if wee feast our rich friends or neighbours if we give great gifts to our betters or equals either to curry favour shunne displeasure or because wee have or would recieve a like or greater benefit if wee keepe an open and dissolute house for drunkards and good fellowes the one may be civill courtesie the other uncivill prodigality Laudent tejelunantium viscera non erâ—ctantium plena convivia Hieron neither Christian charity Let the bowels of the hungry praise thee not the full bankets of the Gorbellies saith S. Ierom He that considereth the poore and needy is blessed The Lord give us understanding as in all things so in this that shewing mercy wee may finde it with the Lord in that day Now to God the Father c. THE FOVRTH SECTION Acts 10. vers 2. A devout man and one that feared God with all his house which gave much almes to the people and prayed to God alway I Come to you now this fourth time with that commendation which the spirit of truth whose testimonie wee know to be true giveth of this religious proselite Cornelius Now hee was not like the mongrell brood of those Iewes who had marryed wives of Ashdod that spake halfe in the language of the Iewes halfe in the language of Ashdod Neh. 13.23.24 Hee was not religious by halfes hee served not God in an unrighteous holinesse as many who professe to know God and to be zealous for him yet will do no good amongst their people or in an unholy righteousnesse as they who are ready to doe good and shew great kindnesse amongst their people with whom they dwell but care not for the matters of religion and Gods service what it become of them but with the love of his neighbour whom hee had seene hee joyned the love of God whom hee had not seene with charity towards men hee practised petty towards God and prayed God continually Wherein all things are 3 things as 3 things are all the action he prayed Omnia sunt tria Tria sunt omnia 2. the object God 3. the manner alwayes I begin with the action the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 properly a supplicating and suing for the averting of evill either come or comming upon him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Apostle in foure words seemeth to make foure kindes of prayers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 2.1 I exhort that supplications which are deprecations of all evills either imminent or incident 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 petitions for all necessary good things either temporall or spirituall intercessions for others that God would free them from evill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fill them with good thankesgivings either for benefits conferred upon or evills removed from us or others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be made for all men for Kings and all that are in authoritie But heere the speciall is put for the generall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee supplicated to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for hâ—e invocated and prayed with all prayer and supplication as the Apostle speaketh Eph. 6 18. Whereof if any amongst us be so ignorant as I feare too many amongst uâ— are but children in understanding as to aske mee what is this whereof thou speakest as the Philosophers at Athens did Paul of his doctrine Act. 17.19 I say it is a religious service wherein wee aske of God onely for Christs sake all Spirituall and Temporall gifts according to his Commandement and promise and also give thankes to him for gifts received Some of the Schoolemen goe too farre when they define prayer to be a petition which is directed to God Oratio est petitio quae ad deum dirigitur vel ad personas vel ad personam propter ipsum or to some persons or person for him Biell de canone Missae 61. That so the Saints may be brought in to have part in our suites but such honour have none of the Saints Oratio est mentis devetio id est coversio in deum per pium humâ—lem affectnum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saint Augustine speaketh the same language of Canaan Prayer is a devotion of the minde that is a turning it to God by a pious and humble affection and Damascene Prayer is an ascending up of the minde to God and an asking of covenient things of him Now do we looke on him do likewise Iudg. 7.17 be we followers of him that good which we see and heare in this good man let us do as he prayed with all prayer and supplication so let every one of us that will be of Gods houshold powre out our soules in prayers unto him nay what speake I of following Cornelius onely Let us take for an example of lifting up our hearts and our heads in prayer all the Elders and worthies of God that now inherite the promises who in their generations called on the name of the Lord and sought his face from time to time according to that Psal 22.5 they cryed unto him and were delivered they trusted in him and were not confounded Yea the cheife shepheard of our soules who in the dayes of his flesh offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares Heb.
it notâ—th unto us the willing cheerefulnesse the ready speedinesse that must be in our almes doing willing cheerefulnesse for thou shalt surely give and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest Deut. 15.10 Every man according as hee purposeth in his heart so let him give not grudgingly or of necessity for God loveth a cheerefull giver 2 Cor. 9.7 This is it that maketh our almes accepted if there be a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that a man hath not 2 Cor. 8.12 Chrysostome tom 4. if we give cheerefully it will be a double almes In dictum oportet haereses esse si alacriter demus duplexerit eleemosyna c. Petentem viduam expectare noluit ut non solùm ex munere sed ex celeritate muneris bonorum operum meritum augeret Greg. Mor. li. 21. cap. 11. both because wee give also because wee give cheerefully Vpon Iobs word that hee made not the the widowes eyes to waite Gregory sayth Hee would not have the asking widow to waite that not onely by the gift it selfe but also by the quicknesse of the gift be might increase the worth of his good workes And this cheerefulnesse discovereth it selfe both in countenance according to that Eccl. 35.9 In all thy gifts shew a cheerefull countenance Pro 22.9 hee that hath a bountifull eye shall be blessed for hee giveth of his bread to the poore and also in words according to the wise mans counsell let it not grieve thee to bow downe thine eare to the poore and giue him a frindly answere with meekenesse Eccle. 4.8 and 18.15 blemish not thy good deedes neither use uncomfortable words when thou givest any thing againe the readie speedinesse for we againe must not say to our neighbour go come to morrow I will give when we have it by us Pro. 3.28 The Greeke proverb saith speedy favours are sweeter and Seneca It is the property of the willing doer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proprium est libenter facienti cito facere Nay wee must be so farre from putting off in these workes of mercy that wee must not still carry till wee are sued to but must prevent our suitours like our heavenly father who preventeth the King with blessings of goodnesse Psal 21.3 This is perfect mercy that we prevent the suites of the needy Haecest perfecta misericordia Aug. homil 39. rom 10. Ingratum est beneficium quod diu inter manus dantis haefit Seneca de benef and releeve the hungry before they aske and that mercie is imperfect and needeth mercy which is extorted by importunate prayers saith S. Austin That is an unwelcome benefit saith Senca that stuck long in the hands of the giver Bis dat qui citò dat Away then with this grudging giving which God loveth not this browe-beating by sowre lookes this chiding by Nabals language this turning away our countenances this upbraiding churlishly which maketh an almes a fooles gift Eccl. 18.18 which maketh rather a satisfaction for our injury then a worke of mercy as Chrysostome saith hom 36. in Mat. 10. with this delaying which maketh us neere to denying as Seneca hee that delayeth is next to him that denyeth he that doth doe almes qui moratur neganti proximus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must doe none of these But I am briefe as I promised and come in the third place to the matter given almes it signifieth properly mercies or compassions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the cause from whence they must proceed being put for the effect mercy for almes and they are not onely so called but by a generall name both Heb. 13.16 well doing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dooing of good the denomination being made from the more excellent part and also righteousnesse Psal 112. because they are a fruite of righteousnesse 2 Cor. 9.10 a streame of that fountaine A praestantiori parts a speciall of that generall a signe of righteousnesse according to that of Prov. 12.10 a righteous man regardeth the life of his beast c. and an outward act of releeving those whom wee inwardly commiserate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iustitiam Hence it is that not onely the vulgar Bible translateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iustitiam righteousnesse Mat. 6.1 take heede that you do not your righteousnesse before men but also the Seventy Interpreters in the old Testament where it is HidaÌ„hah righteousnesse in the Hebrew turne it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deliver the poore his pledge and it shall be righteousnesse to thee before the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Deut. 24.13 And there are called mercies or compassion as also in the Hebrew Chased pitty compassion to shew and signifie that in almes giving wee must not onely open our hands but our hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the outward action must flow from out inward affection our contribution from our compassion misericordia est animi condolenti affectus cum additamento beneficti for Mercy is an affection of a pittifull heart with an addition of some benefit hence are those manner of speakings in scripture hee that hath mercy to the poore is happy Prov. 14.21 hee that hath pity on the poore lendeth unto the Lord Prov. 19.17 to love mercie Mic. 6.7 Hee that sheweth mercy Rom. 12.8 If thou draw out thy soule to the hungry Isa 58.10 and 1 Iohn 3.17 Who so hath this worlds good and seeth his brother hath need shutteth up his bowels of coÌ„passion from him bowels of mercies Col. 3.12 Thus as Iob was greived in his soule for the poore Iob. 30.25 So the Apostle requireth that wee should be kindly affectioned one towards another with brotherly love Rom. 12.8 and weepe with them that weepe verse 15. Hee giveth perfectly Ille perfectè tribule qui cumeâ— quod afflicto porrigit afflictâ— quoque animunin se sumit ut prius in se dolentis passionem traÌ„sferat tune contra dolerem illius per ministerium concurrat plus cumpati quà m dare Praebere quod est extra seipsum Aliquid de semetipso dare Affectus nomen imponit operi quum misericordiae causâ largiaris who with that which hee reacheth out to the afflicted taketh also upon himselfe the mind and affection of the afflicted so that first hee translateth upon himselfe the passion of him that is grieved and then by his ministring to him giveth supply against his griefe Greg. moral and hee saith that it is more to have compassion then to give an almes because he that is compassionate giveth somewhat from within himselfe but the almes doer giveth from without himselfe And Saint Ambrose in offic saith that the name of the affection is put upon the worke when thou givest for mercy sake That our almes then may bee the almes that God hath required let our inward affection goe with the outward action let our greiving for our brothers miserie
5.7 I neede not relate particulars they are so well knowne I cannot insist upon them they are so many in number Never was any of this family that did not aske good gifts of the father of this houshold Non viviturexemplis solùm But in this point weerely not on examples onely that which wee doe herein wee may doe upon warrant sealed unto us The King of heavens mandate is gone out to this purpose Seeke yee my face Psal 27.8 Call upon mee Psal 50.15 Seeke the Lord while hee may be found call upon him while hee is neere Isa 55.6 Aske seeke Knocke Matth. 7.7 Come unto me all that travell are heavie laden Mat. 11.28 Watch and pray Mark 13.33 Pray alwayes Luk. 21.36 Pray with all prayer and supplication in the spirit Eph. 6.18 and 1 Tim. 2.1 So writeth so chargeth Paul almost in every Epistle And to stirre up our pure minde heereunto wee have a cloud of motives I will single out some of the principall and those either in respect of our selves or in respect of God in respect of our selves our necessity to pray for stand we not still in want of temporâ—all or spirituall blessings in feare of evill falling upon us in sorrow through evills already falne upon us What have wee before wee have received it all commeth from Gods hand Wee are that man in the parable that having a friend come to him hath nothing to set before him and must fly to our heavenly father and friend for supply of our wants Luke 11.5 Oratio non est nisi indigentium Aug. in Psa 36. Prose oraâ—enecessitas cogit Chrys in Matt. Who will not supply us without asking for to that condition hee hath tyed his grants Matth. 7.7 Aske and yee shall receive c. prayer cannot proceede but from men in want saith Austin and very necessity compelleth every one to pray for himselfe saith Chrysostome Thus as Davids necessity made him flie to the bosome of his heavenly father Psal 18 4.5.6 The sorrowes of death compassed me round about and the floods of ungodly men made mee afraid The sorrowes of hell compassed mee the snares of death prevented me In my distresse I called upon the Lord and cryed unto my God so he pleadeth his misery to move God to mercy turne thee unto mee and have mercy upon mee for I am desolate and afflicted The trouble of my heart are enlarged O bring thou mee out of my distresses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 25.16.17 The very heathen Poet could bid us pray for all men have neede of God But if we had nothing but our owne neede to in courage us we might have but cold comfort For many with Lazarus make shew of neede enough to the rich Churles of the world and cannot speede many with the diseased man at the poole of Bethesda lye in distresse and none will put them into the curing poole Iohn 5. Therefore as on our side there is need so on Gods side there is good speed that wee might have strong consolation It is not with suitours that come to him as Absolom traduced his fathers government that none was deputed of the King to heare them a Sam 16. Nor as it was with Baals Priests which cryed from the morning to the evening and had no answer nor any to regard them 1 King 18 he answereth not as Philip of Macedone with an I am not at leasure Non vacat but when they cry with their voyce unto him hee heareth out of his holy mount Psal 3. His eares are open unto their prayers Psal 34. his proper stile is the God that heareth prayer Psal 65.3 therefore all flesh shall come unto him Nay hee is so forward herein that Isa 65.24 It shall come to passe that before they call hee will answer and while they are yet speaâ—ing hee will heare and his hearing and speeding goe together this is the confidence that wee have in him that if wee aske any thing according to his will hee heareth us and if we know that he heares us whatsoever wee aske wee know that wee have the petitions that wee desire of him 1 Ioh. 5.13.14 Whatsoever wee aske the father in Christs name hee will doe it Iohn 14 13. The righteous cry and the Lord heareth and delivereth them out of all their troubles Psal 34.17 Looke at the generation of old and see did ever any trust in the Lord and was confounded or did any abâ—de in his feare and was forsaken or whom dâ—d hee ever despise that called upon him Eccles 2.10 How should this kindle a zeale of prayer in us how should it set an edge upon our devotions that â—ay upon this that God had forgiven David his sinnes when hee prayed and confessed them hee inferreth for this cause shall every one that is godly pray unto the Lord in time when hee may be found surely in the flouds of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him Psal 32.6 the negligence of the asker is worthily reprehended where there is no doubt of the mercy of the giver saith Chrysostome Petentis negligentia reprehenditur ubide dantis misericordia non dubitatur Chrys Nil potentius homine orante Oratio justi est quasi clavis coeli c. Aug. ser 135 detemp Quando fidelis humilis fervens oratio suerit sine dubio caelum penetrabit unde certum est quòd van 2 redire non postir Bern. Orario oranti est subsidium deo sacrificium daemonibus flagellum Aug. Oratio est animae sanctae praesidium Angelo bono solatium diabolo supplicium gratum deo obsequium Aug. Gravis nobis est inimici tentatio sed longè graviorilli nostra oratio Bern. serm de dedic Eccl. As Sampsons strength lay in his haire so a Christians in prayer and as Chrysostome saith nothing is more powerfull then a man that prayeth The effectuall fervent prayer of the righteous availeth much Iam. 5. And like Iacob wrestling in prayer with God For hee wept and made supplication hee had power over the Angell prevailed Hos 12.3.4 will not suffer him to depart without a blessing Gen. 32. Prayer so prevailed for Sodome that Abraham ceased praying for it afore the Lord ceased granting it both opened and shut the wombe nay it both opened and shut the heaven in Eliahs time it removed the Plagues of Egypt freed the Israelites of the fiery Serpents healed the Leprosie of Miriam vanquished the Amalekites caused the sunne to stand a whole day Iâ—s 10. obtained water for Sampson in his thirst strength in his neede to be revenged on his enemies Iud. 16. Brought thunder and lightening from heaven in Samuels time fire in Eliahs time healed the sicke cast out the Divells opened the prisones for Gods servants to come forth raised the dead obtained remission of sinnes Iam. 5.14.15 and eternall life Psal 21. So true is it that the Prayer of the righteous is as the key of heaven prayer goeth up
and mercy commeth downe when our prayer shall be faithfull and humble and fervent saith Bernard out of doubt it will pierce the heavens from whence it is certaine that it cannot returne empty Hence are those Elogies of the fathers given to prayer that it is au aide to him that prayeth a sacrifice to God a scourge to the divells and that it is a safegard to an holy soule a comfort to the good Angell a torment to the Divell an acceptable service to God and Bernard saith excellently that the temptation of the adversary is grievous to us but our prayer is farre more grievous to him If then wee are the Church of God sanctified in Christ and called to be Saints let us call on the name of the Lord for these goe together 1 Cor. 1.2 and offer up these Sacrifices of the fruits of the lips prayer and prayse unto him Heb. 13.15 making our requests Phil. 4.6 manifest at his mercy seate They are no sons but bastards that aske not good gifts of their heavenly father And here I can never sufficiently enough bewaile the impiety of a generatioÌ„ of carnal Christians too generall amongst us that call not upon God Psal 14. that through the pride of their countenance will not seeke after God Psal 10.3 God is not in their thoughts nor in their mouthes at all to blesse his name but he is too frequently in their mouthes to blaspheme his holy and fearefull name most unholily and with ut feare It is with them as Gentilletus in examine Trid. conc said of the old Monkes that their fasts were very fat their prayers very leane Tantum orant utiis qui hoc de illis audiunt incredibile viceaâ—ur ita nimis hoc faciunt ut hinc judicenrur inter haereticoâ— numer-ndi Aug. c. 57 de haeres Maxime si ad praxiâ— accederet persuasio The old Heretickes the Euchites prayed so much that they were reckoned heretickes for it they pray so much that it may seeme incredible to these which heare this of them they do it so much that heereupon they are judged to be reckoned amongst heretickes saith Austin But the common sort of our Christians are in the other extreme they doe it so litle that they may be accounted heretickes if to their practise their perswasion should be added if they should both omit it and beleeve they sinne not in their omission For entring into their chamber and praying in private either alone or with their family they are like Festus they cannot get convenient time like as it was with them in the parable their buying of Farmes trying of Oxen manying of Wives matters of profit or pleasure rioting and drunkennesse chambering and wantonnesse hunting and hawking dicing and carding and a world of vanities swallow up all their time leave them none for prayer Houres daies moneths yeares ages are consumed either in doing nothing or in doing nought or that which is to no purpose Nihil agendo malè agendo aliud agendo Domine miserere mei Dominus nobiscum but minutes serve their turne for this purpose a Lord have mercy on us or the Lord be with us is enough for a day or a weeke with them their short devotion careth for no longer invocation Nay with Gallio they care for none of these spirituall matters at all as Chrysostome said of his Auditorie that they thought reading of the Scriptures did belong only to the Clergie Monkes so these abandon prayer and meditation to Ministers onely let Priests pray they must play out their time Forentring into Gods house they doe it more for fashion then affection Magis pro more quà m amore to see to be seene of men then to see God in the beauty of holinesse When they goe to the Temple to pray they do nothing lesse then pray yeelding their bodily presence but scarce a bodily gesture fit for prayer and suffering their hearts to runne after covetousnesse or any other wickednesse Ezek. 33. little considering as Chrysostome speaketh how great felicity is granted them Quanta concessi est fae licitas quanta collata gloria fabularicum Deo cum Christo miscere colloquia optare quod velis quod defideras postulare Chrys how great glory is bestowed on them to have conference with Christ to wish for what thou willest to aske for what thou defirest Sometimes teeth are set on edge with the sowre Grapes of the old Adamites and Peodicians who as Clemens Alex. stromat lib. 7. saith held prayet needlesse because God knoweth our wants is of himselfe a liberall giver and hath from the beginning determined what hee will give But wee pray not to acquaint God with our wants which hee knoweth not before but to obey his Commandement to give him the honour due to him in acknowledging him the searcher of our hearts to stirre up our faith and to seeke the blessing which he hath determined by such means as he hath appointed according to that Phil. 4.6 In every thing by prayer supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made knowne unto God and Iam. 4.2 Yee have not because yee aske not Luk. 11.13 Our heavenly father giveth the holy spirit to them of death and what not no doubt by it hee would make good the intreating of Christ by Thomas Beckets bloud Thou by the bloud of Thomas shed for thee make us a scend whither he is gone up in his new learning then though we begge grace and glory any thing every thing of the Saints in direct termes yet wee meane onely that they should begge it at Christs and Gods hands for us But what is this to make Christ onely a Mediator betweene God and the Saints and the Saints Mediators betweene him and us whereas 1 Tim. 2. There is but one Mediator betweene God and man the man Christ Iesus Augustine notably overthroweth this error li. 2. c. 8. cont Epist Parmeniani making the Bishop a Mediator betweene God and the people if any man say you have mee a mediatour with the Father and I make intercession for your sinnes what good and faithfull Christian would indure him who would not looke at him as the Disciple of Antichrist Hee is the onely and true Mediator that maketh intercession for all and none for him Paul maketh himselfe no Media our betweene God and the people For if he were a Mediatour then should all his fellow Apostles too and so there would be many mediators and that point of Paul not stand good that there is but one Mediatour 1 Tim. 2.5 and Cyrill tom in 1 Ioh. li. 11. saith upon those words aske in my name Ioh. 16. He addeth these words to shew himself the Mediatour Hae everba addit ut se mediatoâ— em ostendat that none commeth to the Father but by the Sonne by whom we have enterance through the pirit and that therefore he calleth himselfe the way the truth and the life In quantum filius