easily parteth with his worldly goods to these uses unless by faith he be assured that he shall have in lieu of them heavenlâ—y and everlasting treasures The merciful man is ever a faithfull man Fourthly it testifies our unfeigned repentance whereof it is that Daniel saith to Nebuchadnezer Wherefore O King break off thy sins by repentance and thine iniquities by shewing mercy unto the poore Dan. 4 27. The which Zacheus 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 Iohn 3.14 Yea and others may also know it Iohn 13.34 35. And hereby we know the unmercifull to be none of Gods children â—or 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 hid them by fifty in a cave and he fed them with bread and water 1 Kings 18.3.4 Therefore it is a sure signe of the fear of God Eightly they are undoubted signes 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 is 〈◊〉 did 〈◊〉 onely 〈…〉 riches by him Or as Saul 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 Iohn 4.20 21. 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 Iohn 3.17 And as 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 fellow-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 Iames plainly affirmeth Iamesâ— 15. But that this alone is the best touchstone to shew the sincerity and truth of our love many places demonstrate as 2 Cor. 8.8 24. 1 Iohn 3.18 CHAP. XXVII And as our Almesdeeds are a sign of our love to God and our Neighbourâ— so the quantity of our almes respect being had to the proportion of our estate is a signe of the quantity of our love for he loveth but little that having much giveth but a little and contrariwise his heart is inâ—lamed with fervent love who hath it inflamed with bounty towards his poore brethren the extension of our love towards them being the true touchstone of the intention of our love towards God And as a great tree with many and large branches is an undoubted sign of a root proportionable in greatness and a small shrub above the ground plainly sheweth that the root also is small wch is under it so is it with our Almesdeeds which spring from it For if we be bountiful in Almes we are plentifull in love if we be slack in giving we are cold in loving but if we be utterly defective in bringing forth these excellent fruits then it is a manifest sign that this grace of love is not rooted in us 1 Iohn 3.17 Ninthly It is an evident demonstration that we have saving knowledge and spiritual wisdom for the wisdom that is from above is full of mercy and good fruits Iames 3.17 Otherwise we are not wise our wisdom descends not from above but is earthly sensuall and devillish Verse 15. Tenthly By these works of mercy we make our calling and election sure for if we do these things we shall never fall as St. Peter speaks 2 Pet. 1.7 8 10. And St. Paul infers Col. 3. Put on as the elect of God holy and beloved the bowels of mercy and kindness Verse 12. Which makes him in another place call charity a never failing grace 1 Cor. 1.8 And a little afâ—er he useth these words Now abideth Faith Hope and Charity these three but the greatest of these is Charity Verse 13. Eleventhly This is a duty which undoubtedly must justifie the truth of our religion or else condemn us as hollow hearted and swayed by hypocrisie Iames 1. This is pure religion and undefiled before God to visit the fatherless and widow in their affliction Verse 27. O that this lesson would enter home into every one of our hearts before we go out of our houses For men may cry up this side and cry down that but of all the three the Priest the Levite and the Samaritan none but the Samaritan that shewed mercy to him that was fallen into the hands of theeves was wounded and stript of his rayment was justified and approved of by our Saviour Luke 10.36 37. And indeed God so highly prizeth and esteemeth mercy and the works wherein it is exercised towards the poore that he preferreth them before the outward acts of religious duties Hosea 6.6 I desired mercy and not sacrifice that is rather then sacrifice This is the oblation which he chiefly requireth yea if we but look Micha 6. we shall fiâ—d that God esteemeth it more or above all sacrifices and burnt offerings were it thousands of rams and ten thousand rivers of oyle Verse 6.7 He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee to do justly to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God Verse 8 Finally these works of mercy are not onely an odor of a sweet smell and a sacrifice acceptable and well pleasing to God as the Apostle speaks Phil. 4.18 But also such an oblation as if we offer unto God with a lively faith the use of all the creatures shall be clean unto us according to that of our Saviour Luke 11 4â— See more Heb. 13.16 Isa. 58.6 7 8. Iames 1.27 And this is a Twelfth benefit CHAP. XXVIII Thirteenthly another no small benefit that we have thereby is by our bounty towards the poor we have the benefit of their prayers unto God the which are very available for the obtaining of all good things for us the which
Schools of learning and good literature especially the Universities Remember in much mercy all that are afflicted whether in body or in mind of in both whether in conscience groaning under sin or for a good conscience because they will not sin and as thou makest them examples to us so teach us to take example by them and learn wisdome by thy hand upon them These and all things else which thou knowest we stand in need of we humbly crave at thy mercifull hands and that for the alone worthinesse and satisfaction of thy son and the honour of our onely Redeemer and Advocate Jesus Christ to whom with thee O Father and thy blessed Spirit be given as is most due all praise glory and dominion the residue of this day and for evermore Amen A PRAYER for the Morning O Lord prepare our hearts to Pray O Most glorious LORD GOD and in JESUS CHRIST our most merciful and loving Father in whom wee live and move and have our being in the multitude of thy mercies we desire to approach unto thee from whom all good things do proceed who knowest our necessities befoâ—e we ask and our ignorance in asking It is true O Lord if we should consider onely our own unworthiness and how we have heretofore abused thy goodnesse and long-suffering towards us wee might rather despair with Iudas and like Adam run from thee then dare to approach thy glorious presence For we confesse O Lord to the shame and confusion of our own faces that as our first Parents left us a large stock of sinne so we have improved the same beyond measure O that we could have so improved that stock of grace which wee have received from thee But whereas thou gavest us as large a portion we suddenly lost it We were created indeed by thee after thine own image in righteousness holiness in knowledg of the Truth But alas now our understandings are so darkned and dulled our judgmeÌ„ts so blinded our wils so perverted our affections so corrupted our reason so exiled our thoughts so surprised our desires so entrapped and all the faculties and sunctions of our souls so disordered that we are not sufficient of our selves to think much lesse to speak least of all to do ought that is good And yet usually like Bladders we are not more empty of grace than we are blown up with pride whereby with Laodicea we not once see our own spiritual misery and nakednesse but think we are rich and good enough as wanting nothing when as scarce any spark of grace yet appears in us Yea so far have we been from loving and serving thee that we have hated those that do it and that for their so doing And so far have we been from performing that vow which we made to Christ in our Baptism when we took his presse-mony to be his Souldiers and serve him in the field of this world against his and our enemies that we have renounced our vow made to him and fled from his standard yea fought for Satan and the World seeking to win all we could from Christ by tempting to sin and by persecuting such as were better then our selves so that all our recompence of thy love unto us hath been to do that which thou hatest and to hate those whom thou lovest Yea we cannot deny but we have persecuted thee with Paul denied thee with Peter betraied thee with Iudas and crucified thee with those cruel Jews Now Lord it being thus with us how can we expect that thou shouldest hear our praiers grant our requests yea how can wee look for other at thine hands then great and grievous yea then double damnation as most justly we have deserved Yet most most merciful Father being that thou hast given thy Son and thy Son himself for the ransome of so many as shall truly repent and unfainedly believ in him who hath for our sakes fulfilled all righteousness yea suffered on the Crosse and there made full satisfaction for the sins of all thine Elect. And likewise knowing that mercie pleaseath thee and that the sole perfection of a Christian is the imputation of Christs righteousnesse and the not-imputation of his own unrighteousnesse We are emboldened to sue unto thee our God for grace that we may be able to repent and believe Wherefore for thy promise sake for thy Sons sake and for thy great Names sake we beseech thee send down thy holy Spirit into our souls regenerate our hearts change and purifie our natures subdue our reason rectifie our judgments strengthen our wills renew our affections put a stop to our madding and straying fancies beat down in us whatsoever stands in opposition to the Scepter of Jesus Christ and enable us in some measure both to withstand that which is evil and perform that which is good and pleasing in thy sight And because every day which does not abate of our reckoning will increase it and that by procrastinating we shall but heap unto our selves wrath against the day of wrath Good Lord suffer us not we beseech thee to defer our repentance lest the custome of evill makes it altogether unalterable in us or lest we dye before we begin to live or lest thou refusest to hear us another day calling upon thee for mercy because we refuse to hear thee now calling to us for repentance Wherefore if we be not yet converted let this be the happy hour of our conversion that as our bodies are risen by thy power and providence from sleep so our soules may daily bee raised from the sleep of sin and the darknesse of this world that so we may enjoy that everlasting light which thou hast prepared for thine and purchased with the bloud of thy dear Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Give unto us we beseech thee a true lively and justifying faith whereby we may lay hold upon those gracious promises which thou hast made unto us in him and wherewith we may vanquish all our spirituall adversaries Seal up unto us the assurance of our salvation by the teâ—stimony of thy blessed Spirit Give to us thy servants that wisdome which descendeth from above that we may be wise unto our eternall salvation so shall our hearts instead of a Commentary help us to understand the Scriptures and our lives be an Exposition of the inward man Give us grace to account all things in this world even as drosse and dung that we may win Christ Jesus and Heaven and happinesse by means of him Give us single hearts and spirits without guile that wee may love goodnesse for it self and more seek the power of godlinesse then the shew of it and love the godly for thy sake and because they are godly Grant that in the whole course of our lives we may doe unto all others as we would that they should doe unto us considering that whether we do good or evill unto any one of thy members thou takest it as done unto thy self Discover unto us all our
sweat even drops of blood A mercy bestowed and a way found out that may astonish all the sons of men on earth and Angels in Heaven Wherefore ô wonder at this you that wonder at nothing That the Lord should come with such a price to redeem our worse then lost souls and to bring salvation to us even against our wils The Lord Iesâ—â— Christ being rich for our sakes became poor that we through his poverty might be made rich 2 Cor. 8.9 Even the eternal God would die that we might not die eternally ô the deepness of Gods love ô the unmeasurable measure of his bounty ô Son of God who can sufficiently express thy love Or commend thy pity Or extol thy praise It was a wonder that thou madest us for thy self more that thou madest thy self man for us but most of all that thou shouldest unmake thy self that thou shouldest die to save us § 3. And which is further considerable It cost God more to redeem the world then to make it In the Creation he gave thee thy self but in the Redemption he gave thee himself The Creation of all things cost him but six dayes to finish it the Redemption of man cost him three and thirty years In the Creation of the World he did but only speak the word in the Redemption of man he both spake and wept and sweat and bled and died and did many wonderful things to do it Yea the saving of one soul single is more and greater then the making of the whole World In every new creature are a number of miracles a blinde man is restored to fight a deaf man to hearing a man possest with many Devils dis-possest yea a dead man raised from the dead and in every one a stone turned into flesh in all which God meets with nothing but opposition which in the Creation he met not with § 4. But the better to illustrate this love consider that salvation stands in two things First in freedome and deliverance of us from Hell Secondly in the possession of Heaven and eternal life Christ by his death merits the first for us and by his obedience fulfilling the Law merits the second The parts of our Iustification are likewise two the remission of our sins and the imputation of Christs righteousnesse And to this would be added first Conversion which comprehends both Faith and Repentance Secondly Sanctification the Parts whereof are Mortification that is dying unto sin and Vivification which is living unto righteousnesse Thirdly Glorification begun and perfected which is freedome from all evil here and the perfection of all good and happiness in heaven § 5. What shall I say God of his goodnesse hath bestowed so many and 〈◊〉 great mercies upon us that it is not possible to expresse his bounty therein for if we look inward we finde our Creators mercies if we look upward his mercy reacheth unto the heavens if downwards the earth is full of his goodnesse and so is the broad Sea if we look about us what is it that he hath not given us Air to breath in Fire to warm us Water to cool and cleanse us Clothes to cover us Food to nourish us Fruits to refresh us yea Delicates to please us Beasts to serve us Angels to attend us Heaven to receive us And which is above all Himself and his own Son to be injoyed of us So that whithersoever we turn our eyes we cannot look besides his bounty yea we can scarce think of any thing more to pray for but that he would continue those blessings which he hath bestowed on us already Yet we covet still as though we had nothing and live as if we knew nothing of all this his beneficence We are bound to praise him above any Nation whatsoever for what Nation under Heaven enjoyes so much light or so many blessings as we above any creature c. God might have said before we were formed Let them be Toads Monsters Infidels Beggars Cripples Bond-slaves Idiots or Mad men so long as they live and after that Castaways for ever and ever But he hath made us to the best likenesse and nursed us in the best Religion and placed us in the best Land and appointed us to the best and only inheritance even to remain in blisse with him for ever yea thousands would think themselves happy if they had but a piece of our happinesse for whereas some bleed we sleep in safety others beg we abound others starve we are full fed others grope in the dark our Sun still shines we have eyes ears tongue feet hands health liberty reason others are blinde deaf dumb are sick maimed imprisoned distracted and the like yea God hath removed so many evils from us and conferred so many good things upon us that they are beyond thought or imagination For if the whole Heaven were turned into a Book and all the Angels deputed Writers therein they could not set down all the good which Gods love in Christ hath done us For all those millions of mercies that we have received from before and since we were born either for soul or body even to the least bit of bread we eat or shall to eternity of which we could not well want any one Christ hath purchased of his Father for us and yet God the Father also hath of his free grace mercie given us in giving us his Son for which read Psal. 68.19 and 145.15 16. and 75.6 7. Yea God is many times working our good when we least think upon him as he was creating Adam an help meet for him when he was faâ—â— asleep And as much do we owe unto God for the dangers from which he delivereth us as for the great wealth and dignities whereunto he hath alwayes raised us Now if we are so bound to blesse God for his external temporal inferiour earthly perishing benefits what praise do we owe for the lasting fruits of his eternal love and mercy and how thankful should we strive to be which shall be the next thing treated of Now what should we render unto the Lord our God so good and gracious in way of thankfulnesse for all these his mercies for favours bestowed and deliverances from danger binde to gratitude or else the more bonds of duty the more plagues for neglect The contribution of blessings require retribution of thanks or wil bring distribution of plagues Neither could we possibly be unthankful if we seriously thought upon what God gives and what he forgives For in reason hath he contrived so many wayes to save us and should not we take all occasions to glorifie him hath he done so much for us and shall we denie him any thing that he requireth of us though it were our lives yea our souls much more our lusts We have exceeding hard hearts if the blood of the Lambe cannot soften them stony bowâ—ls if so many mercies cannot melt them Was Christ crucified for our sins and should we by our sins crucifie him again
three and thirty years In the Creation of the world he did but only speak the word in the Redemption of man he both spake and wept and sweat and bled and died and did many wonderfull things to do it Yea the saving of one soul single is more and greater than the making of the whole world In every new creature are a number of Miracles a blinde man is restored to sight a deaf man to hearing a man possest with many Devils dis-possest yea a dead man raised from the dead and in every one a stone turned into flesh in all which God meets with nothing but opposition which in the Creation he met not with What shall I say God of his goodnesse hath bestowed so many and so great mercies upon us that it is not possible to expresse his bounty therein for if we look inward we find our Creators mercies if we look upward his mercy reacheth unto the Heavens if downwards the earth is full of his goodnesse and so is the broad Sea if we look about us what is it that he hath not given us Air to breathe in fire to warm us water to cool and cleanse us cloathes to cover us food to nourish us fruits to refresh us yea Delicates to please us Beasts to serve us Angels to attend us Heaven to receive us And which is above all 〈…〉 we turn our eyes we cannot look besides his bounty yea we can scarce think of any thing more to pray for but that he would continue those blessings which he hath bestowed on us already Yet we covet still as though we had nothing and live as if we knew nothing of all this his beneficence God might have said before we were formed Let them be Toads Monsters Infidels Beggars Cripples Bond-slaves Idiots or Mad men so long as they live and after that Castawayes for ever and ever But he hath made us to the best likenesse and nursed us in the best Religion and placed us in the best Land and appointed us to the best and only Inheritance even to remain in blisse with him for ever yea thousands would think themselves happy if they had but a piece of our happinesse For whereas some bleed we sleep in safety others beg we abound others starve we are full fed others grope in the dark our Sun still shines we have eyes ears tongue feet hands health liberty reason others are blind deaf dumb are sick maimed imprisoned distracted and the like yea God hath removed so many evils from us and conferred so many good things upon us that they are beyond thought or imagination For all those millions of mercies that we have received from before and since we were born either for soul or body even to the least bit of bread we eat or shall to eternity of which we could not well want any one Christ hath purchased of his Father for us and yet God the Father also hath of his free grace and mercy given us in giving us his Son for which read Psal. 68.19 145.15 16. 75.6 7 Yea God is many times working our good when we least think upon him as he was creating Adam an help meet for him when he was fast asleep And as much do we owe unto God for the dangers from which he delivereth us as for the great wealth and dignities whereunto he hath alwaies raised us CHAP. XV. But the better to illustrate and set out this Love it will be good to branch it out into some more Particulars As First Call to mind all these external inferiour earthly and temporal benefits as that your being breathing life motion reason is from God That he hath given you a more noble nature than the rest of the creatures excellent faculties of mind perfection of senses soundnesse of body competency of estate seemlyness of condition fitnesse of calling preservation from dangers rescue out of miseries kindnesse of friends carefulnesse of education honesty of reputation liberty of recreations quietnesse of life opportunity of well-doing protection of Angels Then rise higher to his Spiritual favours though here on earth and strive to raise your affections with your thoughts Blesse God that you were born in the light of the Gospel for your profession of the truth for the honour of your vocation for your incorporating into the Church for the priviledge of the Sacraments the free use of the Scriptures the Communion of Saints the benefit of their prayers the aid of their counsels foot-steps of Faith Hope Love Zeal Patience Peace Ioy conscionablenesse for any desire of more Then let your soul mount highest of all into her Heaven and acknowledge those Celestial Graces of her Election to Glory Redemption from Shame Death and Hell of the Intercession of her Saviour of the Preparation of her Place And there let her stay a while upon the meditation of her future Ioyes This or the like do and it will teach you where to beg blessings when you want them and whom to thank when you have them For as the Sea is that great Cistern to recieve the confluence of all waters as first from that large and vast pond water is derived into all parts of the earth by veines and springs those springs run into rivers and those rivers empty themselves again into the Sea so all blessings come from God and all praises must be returned to him If we have any thing that is good God is the giver of it If we do any thing well he is the Authour of it God is Alpha the fountain from which all grace springs and Omega the sea to which all glory runnes All blessings come from him like so many lines from the center to the circumference therefore we must return all praises to him like so many lines from the circumference to the center Rom. 11.36 1 Cor. 10.31 His wisdom he communicates and his justice he distributes and his holinesse he imparts and his mercy he bestowes c. 1 Cor. 1.30 31. but his glory he will not give to another Isai. 42.8 But this is not all yea what can we think of that can be thought sufficient to render unto the Lord our God so good and gracious in way of thankfulnesse for all these his mercies For in reason hath he contrived so many waies to save us and should not we take all occasions to glorifie him Hath he done so much for us and shall we deny him any thing that he requireth of us though it were our lives yea our souls much more our lusts We have exceeding hard hearts if the blood of the Lamb cannot soften them stony bowels if so many mercies cannot melt them Was Christ crucified for our sins and should we by our sins crucifie him again Now the meditation of what God and Christ hath done for thee will wonderfully inflame thee with the love of God and thy Redeemer and withall make thee abhor thy self for thy former unthankfulnesse It will make thee break out into some such
this to all our other gifts that we give the glory of them to God As what else should men propose for their end then that glory which shal have no end Yea let us with one unanimous voice say He hath given us all the Grace and Happiness we have and we wil give him all the possible thanks and honor we can let it be our main request and daily prayer Teach us O Lord to receive the benefit of thy merciful favours and to return thee the thanks and the glory and that for ever and ever And so much of the Ends which we are to propound to our selves in our beneficence the lets and impediments follow CHAP. XLIX I Might mention many great lets and impediments as Ignorance Infidelity Pride Intemperance self-love hard heartedness and other the like do much hinder mens bounty and liberality to the poor as may partly appear by what I have already delivered but nothing like Covetousness yea name but Covetousnese and that includes all the rest Covetousness is the Grave of all good it makes the heart barren of all good inclinations and it is a bad ground where no flower will grow It cannot be denyed but enough hath been said in this and the Poors Advocate to perswade any rational man not onely that there is a necessity of this duty but sufficient to enflame him with a desire of performing it according to the utmost of his ability But so it is that the Covetous Miser is so far from being prevailed withall that he will not come so near the same as to give it the hearing Or suppose such an one should be so ingenuous as to hear it there is no hope of prevailing with him As what think you when that rich man Mark 10 17. c. who ran after Christ kneeled down to him and was so inquisitive to know how he might attain eternal life yea who had from his youth squared his life according to Gods Law insomuch that Christ loved him Yet when he was admonished by our Saviour to sell all and give to the poor and he should have Treasure in Heaven he turned his back upon Christ and went away very sorrowful because he was marvellous rich He had a good mind to Heaven in reversion but for all that he would not part with his Heaven whereof he had present possession Whence our Saviour so bewails the miserable condition and difficulty of such mens being saved v. 17. to 26. And the Apostle the like Eph. 5.5 1 Cor. 6.9 10. For if he that had so good affections made conscience of all his wayes was so desirous to be saved that Christ was taken with him What hope of this Wretch that hath a blockish seared and senseless Conscience that is past feeling and never made scruple of any thing from his infancy No these solid Arguments and strong inducements from Gods Word wil be so far from prevailing with him that it is rare if he do not slight and scorn what hath been spoken The covetous man knows no other God then his belly and desires no other Heaven then his Coffers full of Angels Thirdly and lastly admit the best that can be expected viz. that he shall not only lend a listening ear to all that hath been said but that it does also convince and almost perswade him to become liberal As I dare appeal to their own consciences that have hitherto heard what hath been alledged out of God's Word whether it hath not made their hearts burn within them whether they have not been convinced and with Agrippa almost perswaded to become merciful Acts 26.28 Whether with Pharoah their spirits have not began to thaw a little Go do sacrifice to your God in this Land yea in their judgements yeilded to all that hath been demanded them and been ready to pray some Moses to pray for them And yet harden and knit again whereby all labour like Moses Message or the sweet words of Paul it utterly lost The covetous man though he be convinced in his conscience and doth resolve to be bountiful yet no hope of his doing it for his goodness is as a morning Cloud and as a morning dew it goeth away as the Lord once spake to Ephraim and Iudah Hos 6.4 Good thoughts to carnal covetous hearts are only as Passengers not Inhabitants they may make it a thorough-fare but they can never settle or remain there If at any time they melt with Pharoah they suddenly knit again Nor is there any heart made of flesh that wil not at some time or other relent Even Flint and Marble wil in some weather stand in drops It is not onely recorded of Pharoah that he did thus melt and of Agrippa that he was almost perswaded to become good but the holy Ghost further testifies that Esau wept Ahab put on Sackcloth that Iudas repented and restored that Foelix trembled that Pilate took Christs part and washt his hands in witness that he was free from the blood of that just man that Balaam wisht to dye the death of the righteous that Herod delighted in Iohns Ministry And yet we see that all came to nothing CHAP. L. GOod deeds flow from good men such as know themselves deputed Stewards not Independent Lords of their wealth as naturally as springs out of Rocks But with the covetous Cormorant it is far otherwise as good perswade a Caniball as the covetous to shew mercy To wrest any good deeds out of the Dives's of these dayes though there be millions in the case of Lazarus is far more hard then to wring Verjuice out of a Crab yea you may as wel press water out of a stone We read 1 Sam. 25. that churlish Laban Nabal I should say though the difference bee so smal that these two infamous Churls spel each other's Name backwards when distressed David askt him victuals he reviled him when he should have relieved him Nothing more cheape then good Words these he might have given and been never the poorer but his foul mouth doth not onely deny and give him nothing but that which was worse then nothing bad Language So fares it with these Churls when any David is driven to ask them Bread they give him stones instead thereof let them be moved by some one to give an Alms or do some charitable deed they cannot hear on that ear Or if this Wretch for his credit sake does speak fair all his good deeds be onely good words and he may be answered as that Beggar did the Bishop when instead of an Alms he gave him his blessing That if his blessing had been worth a penny he would not have been so bountiful So that if every house were of his profession Charities Hand would no longer hold up Poverties head Words from a dead man and deeds of Charity from a covetous man are both alike rare and hard to come by The Mountains are not more barren of fruit then he of goodness The Rocks are not so hard as his
thou seest no possibility of increasing thy wealth by giving away a great part of it unto the poor I answer And what more reason hast thou by the collection of Sence that thy seed which thou sowest should be multiplied which thou castest away and lettest to rot in the earth unless thou hast learned it by experience And is not God's Word a more infallible Teacher and surer ground for thy faith to rest on especially when thou art not without experience of the like increase springing from the sowing of the seeds of thy beneficence To conclude this point if thou doubtest of these promises of God made unto those who relieve the poor because thou seest not how or when they are performed why dost thou believe the Remission of thy sins Salvation by Christ and everlasting life when as thou seest none of these nor hast any other ground but God's promise even as thou hast for the reward of thine Alms-deeds And therefore it thou doubtest of the one thou doubtest of the other and were not the profession of thy faith concerning those spiritual things good cheap but that it should cost thee as dear as the giving of Alms thou wouldst doubtless discover and proclaim thy infidelity there as well as here and plainly shew that it was in meer formality and hypocrisie Methinks our mistrust or at least the smal confidence we have in what God speaks in his Word especially touching temporals is the greatest wonder in the world And certainly if we cannot trust him for our bodies how do we or how can we trust him with our souls which is the greater trust But beloved what I speak I speak not to all for we have perswaded our selves better things of you and such as accompany salvation though we thus speak Heb. 6.9 And so I have finished what at first I promised with an overplus in behalf of the Poor But as Iohn could onely Baptize with water so I can but teach you with Words and when God withholds his contemned Grace Paul himself cannot move a soul. If the Holy Ghost shall set it home to your hearts that you may so meditate on what hath been spoken and so practise what hath been prescribed that God in Christ may be pacified your sins by free grace pardoned and your souls eternally saved That while you are here you may enjoy the peace of God which passeth all understanding Philip. 4 7. and when you depart hence you may arrive at the Haven of all happiness in Heaven where is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore blessed and happy are yee Psal. 16.11 Which being my praier and hope I shall not onely take my work off the Loom or turn my Pinnace into the Harbor by making a conclusion of this subject as well considering that those who are most insatiable in other things will soonest be cloied with Mannah but likewise take leave of the Press and that for these Reasons First according to my scantling I have said something if not sufficient in one or other of my Six and thirty Pieces to each soul seduced or afflicted Secondly which would by the Reader be considered As he gathers that reads so he spends that writes and who so spends ere he gathers shal soon prove Bankrupt Thirdly because the Bow that is alwaies bent will soon grow weak and sluggish Fourthly I have bestowed so many years and taken so much pains in gleaning ears of corn with Ruth grinding at the Mill with Samson in binding Sheaves carrying to the Mill Barn Garner in threshing Winnowing Garbling Kneading it into Paste making it into Loaves and baking it into Bread that so I might have fine Manchet to set before you my most welcome Guests that with Martha in entertaining her Saviour I have wearied my self And the truth is no mony could have hired me to have taken the pains had not an earnest desire and hope of the common good continually spurred me to go on Onely for this cause and the great pleasure I have taken in the work or imploiment I would not for a world have been debarred from it This may seem a Paradox but it is the immediate gift of God to those that he imploies in such his service thus to counterpoise their labour with more then answerable delight Now unto the King Everlasting Immortal Invisible unto God onely Wise be Honour and glory for ever and ever Amen 1 Tim. 1.17 If you cannot remember all that I have said yet at least remember what the Holy Ghost says in these ensuing places Godliness is profitable for all things and hath the promises both of this life and of the life to come 1 Tim. 4.8 The Lyons do lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall want nothing that is good Psalm 34.9 10. Many sorrows shall be to the wicked but he that trusteth in the Lord mercy shall compass him about on every side Psalm 32.10 He that giveth to the poor shall not lack Prov. 28.27 All things shall work together for the best unto those that love God Rom. 8.28 FINIS The sad and doleful Lamentation of ORIGEN after his Fall Set up as a Sea-Mark to make others beware of doing the least Evil that good even the greatest good may come of it BEing much affected with this Example of Origen as deeming it exceeding rare remarkable forcible to make others beware I have much desired that some Stationer would print it with some other small piece for the common good and thereupon I engaged first one and after that another who were to print Spira that they would add this of Origen unto it leaving my Copy with them but neither of them kept their promise because forsooth that of Spira alone would sell for six pence and both together for no more A solid reason while a little gain shall be more stood upon then the glory of God and good of Souls Yet this is the worlds method and as common as cursed and barbarous All which considered none of them I hope can justly blaâ—â— me for filling up the void pages of this sheet with that which may pleasure thousands For I dare say there is not one Reader of fourty that have formerly met with the same in any Author IN the days of Severus lived Origen a man famous for Learning and in mental excellencies most rare and singular he was bold and fervent under the reign of Severus Maximinus and Decius in assisting comforting exhorting and cherishing the Martyrs that were imprisoned with such danger of his own life that had not God wonderfully protected him he had bin stoned to death many times of the heathen multitude for such great concourse of men and women went daily to his house to be catechised and instructed in the Christian Faith by him that Souldiers were hired of purpose to defend the place where he taught them Again such search sometimes was set for him that neither shifting of place nor Countrey could hardly serve him
A CHRISTIAN Library OR A Pleasant and Plentiful Paradise Of Practical Divinity in 37. TREATISES Of sundry and select Subjects purposely Composed to pluck Sinners out of Satans snares and allure them into the glorious Liberty of the Gospel By R. YOUNGE of Roxwel in Essex Florilegus LONDON Printed by M. I. and are to be sold onely by Iames Crumpe in Well-yard 1660. To the worthy Author and to the Ingenuous Reader SIR THe accurate Florist who makes it his delight to study flowers is not more taken with their dress their marks their varieties rich above Solomon in his royalty nor more pleased with every line in that his sweet Library then your Reader will be in his perusal of this Christian Library which here you put into his hand not great in bulk for so neither are precious stones or jewels which are rich in substance and of high esteem for their oriency Few men are Masters of so excellent an Alembick for extraction of quintessences spirits whereby you have given a Supersedâ—â—s or Writ of ease to your Reader from searching surveying the whole Garden where these flowers grow by transplanting them into one knâ—t where they are presented as a sweet nosegay I wish you such diligent Bees as may sit upon your flowers depopulate your garden he that sucks Poyson from any Rose here doth but shew himself to be a Spider by so doing READER These ten Treatises being like ten small Corn-fields now laid together as it were within one hedg have thereby put off that name wherewith while they went single malevolent spirits might be ready to asperse by calling them Pamphlets a name rather due to Books of trivial matter than small stature in them every of them the mower may fill his hand and he that gathereth sheaves his bosom with practical Divinity which hath the preheminence above Polemical and controversal as the planting and pruning of the trees of the Garden hath above the keeping of the Mound or mending of the Hedge I know a hungry appetite is better content with Barley loaves and â—oor fishes then a disdainful Palate with Quails Manna but I need make no such apologie for this Book where the meat is savoury and the cookery artificial by a rare mixture of sweet and profitable let thy walk therefore be in this Paradise from the trees whereof thou maist gather fruit for meat maintaining thy spiritual life in the whole duty of a â—hristian or for Medicine in the cure of thy Diseases Drunkenness Swearing Unthankfulness Deceitfulness of Heart or for the arming of thy self with disswasives against Scoffing and Derision or from some of them twigs to whip the Mammonist out of his Idolatry the love of money or Apples of Gold from the tree of life and under some of them thou shalt hear two Advocates pleading the cause of their two clyents the Pasteur and the Poor the one for shutting of the mouth that sends forth unsavoury eructations the other for opening the close hand that 's almost dried up And all the trees breathing forth sweet perfumes as the smell of a Field which the Lord haâ—h blessed In short If thou do but taste the fruit of one of these trees thy appetite will be prâ—voked thereby towards another and the pleasantness of the way wil make the forget the length of thy journey Thy servant in the service of Christ Richard Vines London Lawrence fury Iune 16. 1655. To the READER READER SO many and excellent are the Helps that God affordeth to this unworthy Nation for to enlighten dark souls for recovering of revolted sinners unto God that if any after all thâ—s be Blinded and Rebellious they wil be the most unexcusable and most miserable people in the World By how many voices and with what holy skilful Oratory with what earnest and incessant Importunity doth the God of Mercy call upon sinners to Repent Who is then in the obscurest Corner of England that may not hear the Word of Life or that may not read the Scriptures the excellent Writings of the Servants of Christ if they have ears to hear and eyes to see are but willing and diligent for their own good what a precious mercy is it that every Book-sellers shop every Market almost and aâ—l the quarters of the Land do so abound with wholsom and excellent Books declaring the way to everlasting Happiness What abundance of such Helps are ready at hand for the Recovery and salvation of any sinner that is but wiâ—ling to read and consider them It was not so with us in the dark times of Popery nor is it so in other Nations What pitty is it after all this that there should be so many ignorant eaâ—thly miâ—ds so many Drunkards sensnal Wretches so many ungâ—dly prayerless Familyes among us as there are Are men resolved to destroy themselves Do they love damnation Do they Hate their own souls as well as holiness the Holy God Why else do they madly shut their ears despise their Teachers go on in a worldly wicked life unthankfully refuse the Helps that are offered them Among others the Author of these ten Treatises an ancient and faithful Servant of Christ though not of the Tribe which waiteth at the Altaâ— hath enriched this Nation with many of his Labours whicâ— though he own buâ— as Collections yet may you read many Book before you find from whence they are collected I havâ— formerly with much delight read his excellent Books calleâ— The Cure of Prejudice The Victory of Patience and some others full of useful pertinent matter delivered in a style more quicâ— and smart more accurate and adorned then is ordinarily tâ— be found And finding that these do savour of the same Ingeâ—nuity and Diligence and contain such necessary and seasonaâ—ble advice I recommend them to thy careful perusal consideration What a cure is here for the Swearer Another â—oâ— the Drunkard Another for the Covetous What a Key to unâ—lock the Rich Mans Chests and enrich himself by Giving to the Poor if men will but use them What Considerationâ— are here to shame the Reproachers of Godliness to encouragâ— the weak against their reproaches The unsanctified Formalisâ— is here stript bare The Ministry is Patronized and usurpers and Intruders sharply reprehended by an Impartial pen less liable to Accusations of Self-seeking then our own in the eyes of the Contentious would have seemed Reader if thou thankfully make use of the Helps that are offered thee by this servant of Christ who willingly layeth out his time and labour and estate for thy spiritual benefit As thou wilt encourage such faithful endeavourers of thy good so wilt thou have thy self the everlasting consolation and maist see that blessed face of God and enjoy that felicity which thy sin would deprive thee of This is the desire of him that would gladly be A further of thy Salvation Rich. Baxter London Decemb. 21. 1654. The several Treatises
so doing he shall greatly increase his knowledge and lessen his vites In â— few dayes he may read it and ever after be the better for it But me thinks I am too like a carelesse Porter which keepes the guests without doors till they have lost their stomacks wherefore I will detain you no longer in the Porch but unlock the door and let you in THE BENEFIT OF AFFLICTION and how to husband it so that with blessing from above the weakest Christian may be able to support himself in his most miserable Exigents CHAP. 1. Why the Lord suffers his children to be so traduced and persecuted by his and their enemies and first That it makes for the glory of his power IN the former Treatise I have proved that there is a naturall enmity and a spirituall Antipathy between the Men of the World and the children of GOD between the seed of the Serpent and the seed of the Woman And that these two Regiments being the Subjects of two severall Kings Satan and Câ—rist are governed by Laws opposite and clean contrary each to the other whereby it comes to passe that grievous temptations and persecutions do alwayes accompany the remission of sins That all men as Austine speaks are necessitated to miseries which bend their course towards the Kingdom of Heaven For godlinesse and temptation are such inseparable attendants on the same person that a mans sins be no sooner forgiven and he rescued from Satan but that Lion fomes and roares and bestirs himselfe to recover his losse Neither can Gods love be enjoyed without Satans disturbance Yea the World and the Devil therefore hate us because God hath chosen us If a Convert comes home the Angels welcome him with Songs the Devils follow him with uproar and fury his old acquaintance with scorns and obloquie for they think it quarrel enough that we will no longer run with them to the same excess of riot 1 Pet. 4.4 That we will no longer continue miserable with them they envy to see themselves cashiered as persons infected with the plague will scoff at such of their acquaintance as refuse to consort with them as they have done formerly It is not enough for them to be bad themselves except they rail at and persecute the good He that hath no grace himself is vexed to see it in another godly men are thorns in wicked mens eyes as Iob was in the Devils because they are good or because they are deerly beloved of God If a mans person and wayes please God the world will be displeased with both If God be a mans friend that will be his enemy if they exercise their malice it is where he shews mercy and indeed he refuseth to be an Abel whom the malice of Cain doth not exercise as Gregory speaks for it is an everlasting rule of the Apostles He that is born after the flesh will persecute him that is born after the Spirit Gal. 4.29 not because he is evil but because he is so much better then himself 1 John 3.12 Because his life is not like other mens his wayes are of another fashion Wisdom 2.15 I have also shewed the Original continuance properties causes ends and what will be the issue of this enmity and therein made it plain that as for the present they suit like the Harp and the Harrow agree like two poysons in one stomack the one being ever sick of the other so to reconcile them together were to reconcile Fire and Water the Wolfe and the Lambe the Windes and the Sea together yea that once to expect it were an effect of frenzie not of hope It remains in the last place that I declare the Reasons why God permits his dearest children so to be afflicted The godly are so patient in their sufferings With other grounds of comfort and Vses and first of the first The Reasons why God suffers the same are chiefly sixteen all tending to his glory and their spiritual and everlasting good benefit and advantage for the malignity of envy if it be well answered is made the evil cause of a good effect to us God and our souls are made gainers by anothers sin The Reasons and Ends which tend to Gods glory are three 1 It makes for the glory of his Power 2 It makes for the glory of his Wisdom 3 It makes much for his glory when those graces which he hath bestowed upon his children do the more shine through employment It makes for the glory of his power Moses having declared in what manner the Lord permitted Pharaoh to oppress the children of Israel more and more still hardning his heart shews the reason of it in these words That I may multiply my miracles and wonders in the land of Egypt That I may lay my hand upon Pharaoh and bring out mine Armies even my people by great judgements that my power may be known and that I may declare my Name throughout all the World Exod. 7.3 4. 9.16 When that multitude of Ammonites and Moabites came to war against Iehosaphat and the children of Israel intending to cast them out of the Lords inheritance and utterly destroy them to the dishonour of God the Lord by delivering them from that sore affliction gained to himself such honour and glory That as the Text saith the fear of God was upon all the Kingdoms of the Earth when they heard that the Lord had fought so against the enemies of Israel 2 Chron. 20.19 The judgement was upon some the fear came upon all it was but a few mens loss but it was all mens warning 1 Cor. 10.11 When the Lord brought again the Captivity of Sion saith the Psalmist then said they among the Heathen The Lord hath done great things for them Psal. 126.1 2. God provides on purpose mighty adversaries for his Church that their humiliation may be the greator in susteining and his glory may be greater in deliverance yea though there be legions of Devils and every one stronger then many legions of men and more malicious then strong yet Christs little Flock lives and prospers And makes not this exceedingly for our Makers for our Guardians glory Gods power is best made known in our weakness 2 Cor. 12.9 And our deliverance is so much the more wondred at by how much the less it was expected Impossibilities are the best advancers of Gods glory who not seldom hangs the greatest wâ—ights upon the smallest wiers as he doth those bottles of Heaven being of infinite weight and magnitude in the soft air where no man can make a feather hang and the massie substance of the whole Earth and Sea upon nothing Job 26.7 8. Yea the whole frame of the Heavens have no other Columnes or Supporters to lean upon than his mighty and powerful Word Gen. 1.6 7 8. For what we least believe can be done we most admire being done the lesser the means and the greater the opposition the more is the glory of him who by little means doth
them drink whereas they stript him of his party-coloured-coat he gave them all change of rayment whereas they sold him for twenty pieces of money he would not sell them Corn but gave it them freely and put their money again into their sacks whereas they cast him into a pit without either bread or water he brought them into his own lodging and feasted them sumptuously with delicate fare and gave them of the best wine Thus he gave them a good measure pressed down and shaken together yea running over into their bosomes of kindnesse for unkindnesse And thus holy David 〈◊〉 in the steps of good Ioseph Psal. 38.12 to 15. 1 Sam. 26.20 For when Saul had bent his howe and made ready the arrowes within his quiver to shoot at this upright in heart and sweet singer of Israel Yea when this Fowler hunted him like a Partridge to the mountains so that his soul was â—ain to ask for the wings of a Dove that he might fly away and be at rest Yet see when his mortall foe was delivered into his hand in the Cave he would not lay hands on his enemy nor suffer his blood-thirsty followers to fall upon him but only to give him notice what he could have done cut off the lap of his garment and rendred him good for evill as Saul himself confessed 1 Sam. 24.18 Yea again when he found him asleep in the field he spared his life which was in his hand and to give him a second warning only took away his pot of water and his speaâ— â—â— Sam. 26. And lastly of Stevâ—n who when the Iews were stoning him to death kneeled down and cried with a loud voice Lord â—ay not this sinne to their charge Acts. 7.60 A true Scholer of CHRIST For first He prayed for enemies Secondly For mortall enemies that stoned him Thirdly In hot blood at the time when they wronged him most â— as being more sorry for their ryot than for his own ruin Now what is it that we suffer being compared with their sufferings Even nothing in a manner Ye have not saith St Paul to the Hebrews yet resisted unto blood we have passed saith the Prophet through fire and water not fire only as the three Children nor wâ—ter only as the Israelites but fire and water all kinde of afflictions and adversities For shame then let us passe through a little tongu-tryall without the least answering or repining In which take M â— Calvin for a pattern who said Though Luther call me a Devill yet I will honour him as a dear servant of God Now all ye scoffers behold the patience of the Saints and stand amazed That which you not for want of ignorance esteemed base sottish and unworthy ye see hath sixteen solid Reasons as so many pillars to support it and these hewen out of the Rock of Gods Word Ye see the Childe of God is above nature while he seems below himself the vilest creature knowes how to turn again but to command himself not to resist being urged is more then Heroicall Here then is matter worth your emulation worthy your imitation Again Behold the Reasons why God suffers you to deride hate and persecute his people which are likewise declared to be sixteen in number and those no lesse weighty of which three concern his own glory thirteen our spiritual and everlasting good benefit and advantage Yea reflect yet further you seed of the Serpent and see the Originall continuance properties causes ends and what will be the issue of your devillish enmity against the seed of the Woman And then you will acquit the Religious with Christ and his Apostles for well doing or confesse that you condemn Christ and his Apostles with them as Erasmus said in his own defence But if of the two you will choose to go on and perish your blood be on your own heads and not on mine I have discharged my duty CHAP. XXXII Rules to be observed touching Thoughts Words and Deeds when we are wronged I Must needs confesse may some say you have shewn sixteen solid and substantiall Reasons of Patience sufficient to perswade any reasonable creature to imbrace it at least in affection but is it therefore in all cases necessary we suffer injuries without righting of our selves or being angry No he that makes himself a Sheep shall be eaten of the Wolfe In some cases tolerations are more than unexpedient they inspire the party with boldnesse and are as it were pullies to draw on more injuries bear one wrong and invite more put up this abuse and you shall have your belly full of them Yea he that suffers a lesser wrong many times invites a greater which he shall not be long without As how doth Davids patience draw on the insolence of Shimei Evill natures grow presumptuous upon forbearance In good natures and dispositions injury unanswered growes weary of it self and dies in a voluntary remorse but in those dogged stomacks which are only capable of the restraints of fear the silent digestion of a former wrong provokes a second Neither will a Beef braind follow be subdued with words Wherefore mercy hath need to be guided with wisdome lest it prove cruell to it self Neither doth Religion call us to a week simplicity but allowes us as much of the Serpent as of the Dove It is our duty indeed to be simple as Doves in offending them but we are no lesse charged to be wise as Serpents in defendiâ—g our selves lawfull remedies have from God both liberty in the use and blessing in the successe no man is bound to tender his throat to an unjust stroak Indeed when the persecuted Christians complained against their adversaries to Iulian the Emperour desiring justice he answered them as some of our scoffers may do in the like case It is your Masters commandment that you should bear all kinde of injuries with patience But what did they answer It is true he commands us to bear all kindes of injuries patiently but not in all cases besides said they we may bear them patiently yet crave the Magistrates ayd for the repairing of our wrongs past our present rescue or for the preventing of what is like to ensue But to make a full Answer to the Question propounded There are Rules to be observed 1 touching our Thoughts 2 touching our Words 3 touching our Actions First Touching our Thoughts He that deceiveth me oft though I must forgive him yet Charity bindes me not not to censure him for untrusty and though Love doth not allow suspicion yet it doth not thrust out discretion it judgeth not rashly but it judgeth justly it is not so sharp sighted as to see a moat where none is nor so purblinde but it can discerne a beam where it is the same spirit that saith Charity beleeveth all things 1 Cor. 13.7 saith also that a fool beleeveth all things Prov. 14.15 and Charity is no fool as it is not easily suspicious so neither lightly credulous It is neither simple
and Esau for a mess of Pottage Whereas now wee are safe for to pluck us out of his hands that is Almighty requires an adversary stronger than himself Neither wants hee care hee that numbers our very hairs what account doth hee make of our souls Nor love for if hee hath bought us with his blood and given us himself will hee deny us any thing that is good for us Wherefore silence your reason and exalt your faith how pressing or peircing so ever your sufferings bee which pulls off the vizard from his face and sees a loving heart under contrary appearances Trust the mercy of God which is of infinite perfection and the merits of Christ which are of perfect satisfaction and then hope will bear up thy heavie heart as bladders do an unskilfull swimmer Otherwise if thou shalt walke by sence and not by faith 2 Cor. 5.7 fear will no less multiply evills then saith would diminish them and thou shalt resemble Bucephalus who was not afraid of his burthen the shadow onely frighted him Section 4. Objection Although Christ in the Gospel hath made many â—arge and preoibus promises yet there are none so generall which are not limited wiâ—h the condition of faith and the fruit thereof unfained Repentance and each of them are so tied and entayled that none can lay claim to them but true beleevers which repent and turn from all their sins to serve him in holiness without which no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 Isa. 59.20 But I want these qualifications without which how can I expect supportation in my sufferings or an happy deliverance out of them however it fares with beleevers whom Christ hath undertaken for yea I have such a wicked heart and my sins are so many and great that these comforts nothing concerne mee for they that plow iniquity and sow wickedness shall reap the same Joh. 4.8 Answer So our sailings bee not wilfull though they be many and great yet they cannot hinder our interest in the promises of God Admit thou art a great sinner what then art thou a greater sinner than Matthew or Zacheus who were sinâ—ull Publicans and got their livings by pilling and polling oppression and extortion than Mary Magdalen a common strumpet possest of many Devills than Paul a bloody persecutor of Christ and his Church than the Theef upon the Cross who had spent his whole life to the last hour in abominable wickedness than Manasses that out-rageous sinner and most wicked wretch that ever was an Idolater a malitious Persecutor of the truth a defiler of Gods holy Temple a sacrficer of his own children unto Idols that is Devills a notable witch and wicked sorcerer a bloody murtherer of exceeding many of the dear Saints and true Prophets of the Lord and one who did not run headlong alone into all hellish impiety but led the people also out of the way to do more wickedly than did the Heathen whom the Lord cast out and destroyed I am sure thou wilt not say thou art more wicked than hee was and yet this Manasses this wretch more like a Devill incarnate than a Saint of God repented him of his sins from the bottome of his heart was received I cannot speak it without ravishing wonder of Gods bottomless and never sufficiently admired mercy was received I say to grace and obtained the pardon of all his horrible sins and most abominable wickedness And are not these and many the like examples written for our learning and recorded by the holy ghost to the end that wee may gather unto our selvs assurance of the same pardon for the same sins upon the same repentance and beleeving Are thy sins great his mercies are infinite hadst thou committed all the sins that ever were committed yet in comparison of Gods mercy they are less than a mote in the Sun to all the world oâ— a drop of water to the whole Ocean for the Sea though great yet may bee measured but God's mercy cannot bee circumscribed and hee both can and will as easily forgive us the debt of ten thousand millions of pounds as one penny and assoon pardon the sins of a wicked Manasses as of a righteous Abraham if wee come unto him by unfaigned repentance and earnestly desire and implore his grace and mercy Rom. 5.20 The Tenure of our salvation is not by a covenant of works but by a covenant of grace founded not on our worthiness but on the free mercy and good pleasure of God and therefore the Prophet well annexeth blessedness to the remission of sins Blessed is hee whose transgression is forgiven Psal. 32.1 Yea the more miserable wretched and sinfull wee are the more 〈◊〉 objects wee are whereupon hee may exercise and shew the infinite riches of his bounty mercy virtue and all-sufficiency And this our spirituall Physitian can aswell and easily cure desperate diseases even the remediless Consumption the dead Apoplex and the filthy Leprosie of the soul as the smallest malady or least faintness Yea hee can aswell raise the dead as cure the sick and aswell of Stones as of Iews make Abrahams children Did hee not without the Sun at the Creation cause light to shine forth and without rain at the same time make the earth fruitfull why then should you give your self over where your Physitian doth not Besides what sin is there whereof wee can despair of the remission when wee hear our Saviour pray for the forgiveness of his murtherers and blasphemers And indeed despair is a sin which never knew Iesus It was a sweet saying of one at his death When mine iniquity is greater than thy mercy O God then will I fear and despair but that can never bee considering our sins bee the sins of meâ— his mercy the mercy of an infinite God Yea his mercies are so great that among the thirteen properties of God mentioned Exod. 34. almost all of them appertain to his mercy whereas one onely concerns his might and onely two his justice Again shall it ever enter into our hearts to think that God gives us rules to keep and yet break them himsef Now his rule is this Though thy brother sin against thee seven times in a day and seven times in a day turn again to thee saying it repenteth mee thou shalt forgive him The son angers his father he doth not straight dis-inherit him but Gods love to his people exceeds a fathers love to his son Matth. 7.11 and a mothers too Isa. 49.15 I hear many menaces and threats for sin but I read as many promises of mercy and all they indefinite excluding none whose impenitency and infidelity excludeth not themselvs every sin deservs damnation but no sin shall condemn but the lying and continuing in it Wherefore if our clamorous conscience like some sharp fang'd officer arrests us at Gods suit let us put in bail two subsidue virtues Faith and Repentance and so stand the triall the Law is on our side the Law of grace is with
for what displeaseth us shall never hurt us and wee shall bee esteemed of God to bee what wee love and desire and labour to bee The comfort of this doctrine is intended and belongs to troubled consciences and those that would fain do better but let no presumptuous sinners meddle with it for what hast thou to do to take I say not the childrens bread to eat Matth. 15.20 but even the least parcell of Gods Word into thy mouth seeing thou hatest to bee reformed Psal. 50.16.17 But if thou beest a weary and heavy laden sinner thou maist comfort thy self â—huâ— I do hatefull things but I hate that I do I break the Law but yet I love the Law as holy just and good Flesh is in mee but I am not in the Flesh I must not fix mine eyes onely upon mine own resistance or failings but on God's assistance and acceptance in his Son by which I shall bee able to leap over all walls and impediments Psal. 18.29 The Law is given that Grace may bee required Grace is given that the Law may bee fulfilled by us evangelically for us by Christ whose righteousnesse is ours perfectly as Saint Augustin speakes The Law is a gloss to shew us our spots the Gospell a fountain to wash them away Wherefore cast not both thine eyes upon thy sin but reserve one to behold the remedy look upon the Law to keep thee from presumption and upon the Gospel to keep thee from despair Canst thou not aggravate thine own sins but thou must extenuate and call in question Gods mercy and Christs all-sufficiency spoil him of his power and glory Though the grievousness of our sins should increase our repentance yet they should not diminish our faith and assurance of pardon and forgiveness As the plaister must not be less than the sore so the tenâ— must not bee bigger than the wound It was a sweet and even cours which Saint Paul took who when hee would comfort himself against corruption and evill actions Rom. 7.20 then not I but sin dwelling in mee when he would humble himself notwithstanding his graces then not I but the grace of God in mee 1 Cor. 15.10 Section 6. Objection But I am not worthy the least mercy I have so often abused it and so little profited by the meanes of grace Answer I think so too for if thou refusest the offeâ— of mercy until thou deservest it wo bee to thee But if thou wilt take the right course renounce the broken reed of thine own free will which hath so often deceived thee and put all thy trust in the grace of Christ The way to bee strong in the Lord is to bee weak in thy self bee weak in thy self and strong in the Lordâ— and through faith thou shalt bee more than a Conquerour Leav tugging and strugling with thy sin and fall with Iacob to wrestle with Christ â—or a blessing and though thy self go limping away yet shalt thou bee a Prince with God and bee delivered from Esau's bondage But thou standest upon thine own feet and therefore fallest so soully thou wilt like a child go alone and of thy self and therefore geâ—rest so many knocks And thou wouldest accept of a pardon too if thou mightest pay for it but Gods mercies are free and hee bids thee come and buy without silver and without price or else he says thou and thy money perish Thou wouldest go the naturall Way to work What shall I do to inherit eternall life but it is impossible to inherit it by any thing that wee can do for all our righteousnesses are as filthy ragges Isa. 64.6 Yea if our doings could have done iâ— Christ dyed in vain whereas if Christ had not died wee had perished every mothers child of us 1 Cor. 15.22 and 2 Cor. 5.14 15. Ephes. 2.1 Colos. 2.13 Ezek. 18.4 Ioh. 11.50 Rom. 5.6.8 and 14.9 1 Cor 15.3 Matth. 18.11 O â—ool dost thou not know that our sins are his sins and his righteousness our righâ—eousness Ier. 23.6 Psal. 4.1 and that God esteems of Faith above all other graces deeds or acts of thine as what did our Saviour answer when the people asked him What shall wee do that wee might work the works of God The work of God is that yee beleeve on him whom hee hath sent Ioh. 6.28 29. and yet thou talkest of thy worthiness and thou takest this for humility too but it is pride for if thou wouldest deny thy self and bee nothing in thine own eyes renounce thine own righteousness and wholly and onely rest on thy Saviour Iesus Christ for thy salvation thou wouldest not hope the more in regard of thine own worthiness nor yet doubt in respect of thine own unworthiness But thou wouldest first bee worthy and deserve of God and then accept of Christ and deserve Christ at Gods hands by thy good works and graces which pride of thine and opinion of merit is a greater sin then all thy other sins which thou complainest of and except you do abandon it and wholly rely upon the grace and free mercy of God for salvation Christ shall profit you nothing Gal. 2.16 and 5.1 to 7. Colos. 3.11 for nothing is available to salvation but faith which worketh by love Gal. 5.6 whence it is called righteousness through faith ver 5. Faith is the staâ—fe whereupon wee stay our selvs in life and death by faith wee are blessed Gal. 3.9 by faith wee rejoice in tribulation Rom. 5.2 by faith wee have access unto God Ephes. 3.12 by faith we overcome the world 1 Ioh 5.4 the flâ—sh Gal. 5.24 and this is the shield whereby wee quench the fiery darts of Satan and resist his power Ephes. 6.16 Yea whosoever seeks to bee justified by the Law they are abolished from Christ and fâ—ln from grace Gal 5.4 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and bee not tangled again with the yoke of bondage And say Lord wee are not worthy to bee servants and thou makest us sons nay heirs and co-heirs with thee of everlasting glory Objection I grant the Lord is mercifull and gracious slow to anger and abundant in goodness and truth forgiving iniquity transgression and sin but hee is just aswell as mercifull and therefore hee will not acquit the wicked Exod. 34.6.7 but reward them according to their works Revel 20.12.13 and 22 1â— Answer Hee will therefore pardon all thy sins if thou unfainedly repent and wholly rely upon Christ for thy salvation by a lively saith because hee is just for as the Lord cannot in justice let sin go unpunished for the wages of sin is death Rom. 6.23 Death in the person if not â—â— the surety and therefore hath punished the sins of all men either in his Son or will throughly punish them in the parties themselvs so the same justice will not admit that the same sins should be twice punished once in our Saviour and again in the faithful or that a debt once paid should be
thou hast added mercy to mercy For we have been no lesse rebellious unto thee then thou hast been beneficiall unto us We do daily and hourely break all thy commandements adding unto that our originall corruption which we were conceived and borne in all manner of actuall transgressions by sins of Omission sins of Commission sinnes of Ignorance sinnes of Knowledg sinnes against conscience yea sinnes of Presumption and Willfulness and that in thought word and deed We have sinned against thy Law and against thy Gospel against thy mercies and against thy judgments against the many warnings and the abundance of meanes afforded by thee to reclaime us against the spirit of grace cotinually knocking at the doors of our hearts with infinite checks and holy motions Our eares have been alwaies open to the Tempter shut unto thee we have abused our eyes to wantonnesse our mouthes to filthynesse and our feet have been swift to all evill slow to ought that is good And as wee have committed one sinne on the neck of another so we have multiplyed and many times repeated them by filling often into the same wickednesse whereby our sinnes are become for number as the sands of the Sea and as the Stars of Heaven Yet 〈…〉 Yet most most merciful Father being that thou hast given thy Son and thy Son himself for the ransome of so many as shall truly repent and unfainedly believ in him who hath for our sakes fulfilled all righteousness yea suffered on the Crosse and there made full satisfaction for the sins of all thine Elect. And seeing thou hast appointed Praier as one special means for the obtaining of thy grace unto which thou hast annexed this comfortable promise that where two or three be gathered together in thy Name thou wilt be in the midst of them and grant their requests and since our Redeemer hath assured us that whatsoever we shall ask thee in his name thou wilt give it us We are emboldened to sue unto thee our God for grace that we may be able to repent and believe Wherefore for thy promise sake for thy Sons sake and for thy great Names sake we beseech thee send down thy holy Spirit into our souls regenerate our hearts change and purifie our natures subdue our reason rectifie our judgments strengthen our wills renew our affections put a stop to our madding and straying fancies beat down in us whatsoever stands in opposition to the Scepter of Jesus Christ and enable us in some measure both to withstand that which is evil and perform that which is good and pleasing in thy sight Yea give us repentance never to be repented of and possess our souls with such a dreadfull awe of thy Majesty that we may fear as well to commit small sins as great ones considering that the least sin is mortall without our repentance thy mercy as wel fear to sin-in secret as openly since thereis nothing hid from thee as well condemne our selves for evill thoughts as evill deeds considering that the Law is spirituall binding the heart no lesse then the hands as well abstain from the occasions of sin as sin it self and consider that it is not enough to abstain from evill unlesse wee hate it also and do the contrary good And now O Lord since thou hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day we beseech the to defend and dierct us in the same and as thou hast blest us in our lying down and in our rising up so protect prosper us in our going forth in our coming home shield and deliver us from the snares of the Hunter who lieth in waite for our souls and is continually labouring our everlasting destruction And no lesse arm us against the allurements of the world wherein we shall meet with many provocations and temptations and that we may not lead our selvs nor be led into temtation give us wisdome to beware of men even of associating our selves with the vitious like Ioseph lest otherwise with David we be drawn to dissemble or with Peter to deny thee for sin is of a catching and infectious quality and our corrupt hearts are like tinder which will kindle with the least spark especially O Lord keep us from yeelding to their solicitations or following their customs of drinkâ—ing swearing slandering and making the worst construction of things of mocking and scoffing at religion or the religious let not custome and example any whit prevail with us without or against thy written Word lest we misse of the narrow way which alone leadeth unto life onely give us wisedome and grace to look upon thy Sons whole life see how he would speak and do before we speak or do anything then having thy word for our warrant and thy glory for our aime let no censures nor flowts of any discourage us Finally good Father we beseech thee inable us so to walk in thy fear that in mirth we be not vain in knowledg we be not proud in zeal we be not bitter instruct us by thy Word direct us by thy Spirit mollifie us by thy grace humble us by thy corrections win us by thy benefits reconcile our nature to thy wil teach us so to make profit of everything that we may see thee in al things al things in thee And in these our prayers wee are not mindfull of our selves alone but forasmuch as thou hast commanded us to pray one for another as being the members of one and the same mysticall body wee beseech thee to blesse thy whole Church Universall wheresoever dispersed and howsoever distressed or despised far and wide over the face of the whole earth and vouchsafe unto thy Gospell such a free and effectuall passage that it may sound throughout all Nations Yea wee humbly pray thee let it convert and reclaim the Turks Jews Infidels Indians Atheists Epicures Hereticks and Schismaticks Prevent all plots and projects against the Kingdome of thy Christ let thy Word and Spirit alone bear rule in all places Extend thy tender mercy O Lord to all Protestants beyond the Seas to all Christians under the Turks or other Infidels strengthen all such as suffer for thy cause and let thy presence with them counterpoyse whatsoever is laid upon them and inable them to continue constant in thy faith and truth to the end More particularly be good unto that part of thy Church planted here amongst us in this sinfull Land and indue us with thy grace as thou hast already with other blessings that they may not rise up hereafter in judgment against us be propitious to the Nobility Gentry and Communalty Blesse the Tribe of Levi all Ministers of thy Word and Sacraments let their lips O God preserve knolewdg and their lives righteousnesse and for ever blesse thou their labours increase the number of those that are faithfull and painfull and reform or remove such as are either scandalous or idle and for a constant and continuall supply of their mortality blesse all
may work in us some flashes of desire and purposes of better obedience but we are constant in nothing but in perpetual offending onely therein we cease not for when we are waking our flesh tempts us to wickednesse if wee are sleeping it sollicites us to filthinesse or perhaps when we have offended thee all the day at night we pray unto thee but what is the issue of our praying First we sin and then we pray thee to forgive it and then return to our sins again as if we came to thee for no other end but to crave leave to offend thee Or of thy granting our requests we even dishonor thee and blaspheme thy name while thou do'st support and relieve us run from thee while thou do'st call us and forget thee while thou art feeding us so thou sparest us we sleep and to morrow we sin again O how justly mightest thou forsake us as we forsake thee and condemne uâ— whose consciences cannot but condemne our selvs But who can measure thy goodnesse who givest all and forgivest all Though we be sinful yet thou lovest us though we be miserably ingrateful yet thou most plentifully blessest us What should we have if we did serve thee who hast done all these things for thine enemies O that thou who hast so indeared us to serve thee wouldest also give us hearts and hands to serve thee with thine own gifts Wherefore of thy goodnesse and for thy great Names sake we beseech thee take away our stony hearts and give us hearts of flesh enable us to repent what we have done and never more to do what we have once repented not fostering any one sin in our souls And because infidelitie is the bitter root of all wickednesse and a lively faith the true mother of all grace and goodnesse nor are wee Christians indeed except we imitate Christ and square our lives according to the rule of thy Word Give us that faith which manifesteth it self by a godly life which purifieth the heart worketh by love and sanctifieth the whole man throughout Yea since if our faith be true and saâ—ing it can no more be severed from unfained repentance and sanctification then life can be without motion or the sun without light give us spiritual wisdom to try and examine our selvs whether we be in the faith or not that so we may not be deluded with opinion onely as thousands are Discover unto us the emptinesse vanity and insufficiencie of the things here below to do our poor souls the least good that so we may be induced to set an higher price upon Jesus Christ who is the life of our lives and the soul of our souls considering that if we have him wee want nothing if we want him wee have nothing Finally O Lord give unto us and increase in us all spiritual graces inlighten our minds with the knowledge of thy truth and inflame our hearts with the love of whatsoever is good that we may esteem it our meat and drink to do thy blessed will Give us religious thoughts godly desires zealous affections holy endeavours assured perswasions of faith stedfast waiting through hope constancy in suffering through patience and hearty rejoicing from love regenerate our minds purifie our natures turn all our joies into the joy of the Holy Ghost and all our peace into the peace of conscience and all our fears into the fear of sin that we may love righteousnesse with as great good will as ever we loved wickednesse and go before others in thankfulnesse towards thee as far as thou goest in mercy towards us before them Give us victory in temptation patience in sicknesse contentment in poverty joy in distresse hope in troubles confidence in the hour of death give us alwaies to think and meditate of the hour of death the day of judgment the joies of heaven and the pains of hell together with the ransome which thy Son paid to redeem us from the one and to purchase for us the other so shall neither thy benefits nor thy chastisements nor thy Word return ineffectual but accomplish that for which they were sent until we be wholly renewed to the image of thy Son These things we humbly beg at thy fatherly hands and whatsoever else thou knowest in thy divine wisdome to be needful and necessary for our souls or bodies or estates or names or friends or the whole Church better then we our selvs can either ask or think and that for thy Names sake for thy promise sake for thy mercies sake for thy Sons sake who suffered for sin and sinned not and whose righteousnesse pleadeth for our unrighteousnesse in him it is that we come unto thee in him we call upon thee who is our Redeemer our Preserver and our Saviour to whom with Thee and thy blessed Spirit be ascribed as is most due all honour glory praise power might majesty dominion and hearty thanksgiving the rest of this night following and for evermore Amen A Praier to be used at any time O Almighty Eternall most Glorious and onely wise God giver to them which want comforter of them which suffer and forgiver of them that repent whom truly to know is everlasting life Wee they poor creatures acknowledge and confess unto thee who knowest the secrets and desires of all hearts that of our selvs we are not worthy to list up our eyes to heaven much less to present our selves before thy Majesty with the least confidence that thou shouldest hear our praiers or accept of our services but rather that thou shouldest take these our confessions and accordingly condemne us to the lowest place in Hell for our continually abusing thy mercy and those many means of grace which in thy long suffering thou hast affoarded for our reclaiming Wee are the cursed seed of rebellious Parents wee were conceived in sin and born the children of wrath And whereas thou mightest have executed thy fierce displeasure upon us so soon as thou gavest us being and so prevented our further dishonouring thee wee have instead of humbling our selves before thee our God and seeking reconciliation with thy Majestie done nothing from our infancy but added sin unto sin in breaking every one of thine holy Laws which thou hast given us as rules and directions to walk by and to keep us from sinning Yea there is not one of thy righteous precepts which we have not broken more times and ways then we can express so far have wee been from a privative holiness in reforming that which is evill and a positive holiness in performing that which is good which thou maist justly require of us being wee had once ability so to do if wee had not wilfully lost it for thou did'st form us righteous and holy had not wee deform'd our selves whereas now like Satan wee can do nothing else but sin and make others sin too who would not so sin but for us for we have an army of unclean desires that perpetually sight against our souls
confirmed and the other reclaimed ☞ These and all other good things which for our blindnesse we cannot ask vouchsafe to give us thine unworthy servants not for our sakes but for thy mercies sake and for thy Son our Saviour Iesus Christ sake in whom thou art well-pleased and in whom thou wast fully satisfied upon the Crosse for our sins who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth ever one God world without end Let thy mighty hand and out-stretched arm O Lord be still our defence thy mercie and loving kindnesse in Iesus Christ thy dear Son our salvation thy true and holy Word our instruction thy grace and holy Spirit our comfort consolation illumination and sanctification now and for ever Amen A Praier to be used at any time O Almighty Eternall most Glorious and onely wise God giver to them which want comforter of them which suffer and forgiver of them that repent whom truly to know is everlasting life Wee they poor creatures acknowledge and confess unto thee who knowest the secrets and desires of all hearts that we have used all our wisedom to commit the foolishness of sin our whole conversation hath been to serv Satan and fulfill the lusts of the flesh Wee even suck in iniquity like water and draw on sin as it were with cart-ropes Neither is there any part power function or faculty either of our souls or bodies which is not become a ready instrument to dishonour thee for as our heart is a root of all corruption a seed-plot of all sin so our eyes are eyes of vanitie our ears ears of folly our mouthes mouthes of deceit our hands hands of iniquity and every part doth dishonour thee which yet would be glorified of thee The understanding which was given us to learn virtue is apt now to apprehend nothing but sin the will which was given us to affect righteousness is apt now to love nothing but wickedness the memory which was given us to remember good things is apt now to keep nothing but evill things for sin like a spreading leprosie is so grown over us that from the crown of our heads to the soal of our â—eet there is nothing whole therein but wounds and swellings and sores full of corruption Yea our souls and bodies are even a very sink of sin for like the common shoar we have not refused to welcome any the most loathsome pollutions that either the world our own corruption or the Devill at any time hath offered unto us Or admit we are exempt from som evills wee may thank thee and not our selves for it for wee are ready without thy restraining grace to run out into all manner of enormities whatsoever we are swift to all evill but to 〈◊〉 good immoveable when we do evill we do it chearfully and quickly and easily but if we do any good wee do it faintly and rawly and slackly When did we talk without vanity when did we give without hypocrisie when did wee bargain without deceit when did we reprove without anger or envy when did we hear without wearysomness when did wee pray without tediousness such is our corruption as if we were made to sin in deed in word or in thought O the pride passion lust envy ignorance awkwardnesse hypocrisie infidelity vain thoughts unprofitableness and the like which cleaves to our very best actions and how full of infirmity are our primest performances for we have not done any one action legally justifyable all our dayes neither can ought we do abide the examinatirn of thy strict justice untill it he covered with thy Sons righteousness and the corruption thereof washed away in his most pretious blood Yea if thou shouldest behold these our praiers as they bee in themselves without having respect unto us in Christ Iesus they would appear no better in thy sight then a menstruous cloth Howbeit when wee call to mind thy manifold mercies shewed to Manasses Paul Mary Magdalen the Thief and the Prodigall Son with many others who were no less vile then wee and who notwithstanding found thee more ready to hear then they were to ask and to give above what they durst presume to beg wee stay our selves and receive some incouragement from the application of the meâ—ts of Christ Iesus which thou hast promised shall bee a sufficient satisfaction for all our sins and the rather for that thou caâ—est all that are weary and heavie laden with the burthen of their sins unto thee with promise that thou wilt ease them and hast promised that though our sins be as red as scarlet thou wilt make them white as snow and that thou will not the death of a sinner but that he turn from his wickedness and live and that if a sinnerâ— doth repent him of his sins from the bottom of his heart thou â—ilâ— blot out all his wickedness out of thy remembrance Anâ—â—â—st wee should yet be discouraged thou who didst no less accept th◠〈◊〉 Dâ—â—iâ— then the act of Solomon hast further promised that if were be 〈…〉 mind thou wilâ— accept of us according to that which we have and not according to that which wee â—ave not But forasmuch O Lord as thou knowest that is not in man to turn his own heart unless thou dost first give him grace to convert for thou O Lord must work in us both the will and the deed and being that it is as easie with thee to make uâ— righteous and holy as to bid us bee such O our God give us ability and willingness to do what thou commandest and then command what tâ—o wilt and thou shalt find us ready to do thy blessed will Wherefore give to us and increase in us all Christian graces that wee may know and believe and repent and amend and persevere in well doing Create in us O Lord a new â—eaâ—t and renew a right spirit within us take away from us our greedy desire of committing sin and enable us by the poweâ—full assistance of thy grace more willingly to obey thee in every of thy commandements their ever wee have the contrary Yâ—a let thy Spirit bear such rule in every one of our hearts that neither Satan that forrain enemy and roaring Lyon which seeketh to devour us may invade us nor our own concupiscence that home-bred traytor may by conspiring with the world work the ruine and overthrow of our poor souls but that all our wills which have been altogether rebellious our hearts which have been the receptacles of unclean spirits our affections which are altogether carnall may be wholâ—y framed according to thy holy heavenly will and that we may the better know how to avoyd the evill and do the good let thy Word as a light discover unto us all the sleights and snares of our spirituall adversaries yea make it unto us as the Star which led unto Christ and thy benefits like the Pillar which brought to the Land of Promise and thy Cross like the Messenger that compelled guests unto the
Banquet Give us O Lord to consider that although sin in the beginning seem never so sweet unto us yet in the end it will prove the bane and ruine both of body and soul and so assist us with thy grace that wee may willingly part with our right eyes of pleasure and our right hands of profit rather then sin against thee and wrong our own consciences considering that it would bee an hard bargain â—or us to win the whole world and lose our own souls Blesse preserve and keep us from all the temptations of Satan the world and our wicked hearts from pride that Lucifer-like sin which is the fore-runner of destruction considering that thou resistest the proud and givest grace tò the humble from covetousnesse which is the root of all evil being taught out of thy word that the love of money hath caused many to fall into diverse temptations and snares which drown them in perdition and destruction from cruelty that infernal evil of which thou hast said that there shall be judgment mercilesse to him that sheweth not mercie from hypocrisie that sin with two faces whose reward is double damnation and the rather because wickednesse doth most rankle the heart when it is kept in and dissembled and for that in all the Scriptures we read not of an hypocrites repentance from whoredom which is a sin against a man's own body and the most inexcusable considering the remedy which thou hast appointed against it for the punishment whereof the Law ordained death and the Gospel excludeth from the Kingdom of Heaven from prophanation of thy day considering thou hast said that whosoever sanctifieth it not shall bee cut off from thy people and did'st command that he should be stoned to death who only gathered a â—ew sticks on that day from swearing which is the language of hell considering that because of oaths the Land doth mourn and thou hast threatned that thy curse shall never depart from the house of the swearer from drunkenness that monster with many heads and worse than beast like sin which in thy Word hath many fearfull woes denounced against it and the rather for that it is a sin like the pit of Hell out of which there is small hope of redemption Finally O Lord give us strength to resist temptation patience to endure affliction and constancie to persevere unto the end in thy truth that so having passed our pilgrimâ—ge here according to thy will we may be at rest with thee hereafter both in the night of death when our bodies shal sleep in the grave and in the day of our resurrection when they shall awake to judgment and both bodies and souls enjoy everlasting blisse These and all other good things which for our blindnesse we cannot ask vouchsafe to give us thine unworthy servants not for our sakes but for thy mercies sake and for thy Son our Saviour Iesus Christ sake in whom thou art well-pleased and in whom thou wast fully satisfied upon the Crosse for our sins who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth ever one God world without end Let thy mighty hand and out-stretched arm O Lord be still our defence thy mercie and loving kindnesse in Iesus Christ thy dear Son our salvation thy true and holy Word our instruction thy grace and holy Spirit our comfort consolation illumination and sanctification now and for ever Amen A Thanksgiving to be brought in to any or every one of them next before the Conclusion where the hand is placed ANd as we pray unto thee so we desire also to praise thee rendring unto thy Majestie upon the bended knees of our hearts all possible laud and thanksgiving for all thy mercies and favours spiritual and corporal temporal and eternal For that thou hast freely elected us to salvation from all eternity when thou hast passed by many millions of others both Men and Angels whereas we deserved to perish no lesse then they and thou mightest justly have chosen them and left us for that thou hast created us Men and not Beasts in England not in Aethiopia or any other savage Nation in this clear and bright time of the Gospel not 〈◊〉 the darknesse of Paganisme or Popery For thine unexpressible love in redeeming us out of Hell and from those unsufferable and endlesse torments by the pretious blood of thy dear Son who spared not himself that thou mightest spare us For calling us home to thee by the Ministry of thy Word and the work of thy good Spirit For the long continuance of thy Gospel with us the best of blessings For sparing us so long and giving us so large a time of repentance For justifying and in some measure sanctifying us and giving us ground for assured hope of being glorified in thy heavenly Kingdom For preserving us from so infinite many perils and dangers which might easily have befalne us every day to the taking away of either our estates our limbs or our lives For so plentifully and graciously blessing us all our life long with many and manifold good things both for necessity and delight For peace of conscience and content of minde For our health wealth limbs senses food raiment liberty prosperity For thy great mercie in correcting us and turning thy corrections to our good For preserving us in the night past from all dangers of body and soul and for infinite more mercies of which we could not well want any one and which are all greatned by being bestowed upon us who were so unworthy and have been so ungrateful for the same O that we could answer thee in our thankfulnesse and obedient walking one for a thousand Neither are we unmindful of those national blessings which thou hast vouchsafed unto our Land in general as namely that deliverance from the Spanish Invasion in 88 and from that divelish design of the Gunpowder-Treason for preserving us from the noisome and devouring Plague and Pestâ—lence Lord grant that our great unthankfulnesse for these thy mercies may not cause thee to deliver us into the hands of our enemies and although we have justly thereby deserved the same yet we beseech thee give us not up unto their wills neither suffer Popery ever to bear rule over us nor thy blessed Word and Sacraments to be taken away from us but continue them unto us and to our posterity after us if it be thy good pleasure untill the coming of thy Christ. Babes that are inexpert in the Word of righteousnesse use milk but strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age Heb. 5.13 14. THE STATE OF A CHRISTIAN lively set forth by an Allegorie of a Ship under Sayl. MY Bodie is the Hull the Keel my Back my Neck the Stem the Sides are my Ribs the Beams my Bones my Flesh thâ— Planks Gristles and Ligaments are the Pintels and Knee-timbers Arteries Veins and Sinews the several Seams of the Ship my Blood is the Ballast my Heart the principal Hold my Stomach the Cook-room my Liver
for us but most of all that thou shouldest unmake thy selfe that thou shouldest dye to save us VVhich salvation stands in two things First in freeing and delivering us from Hell Secondly In the possession of Heaven and eternal life Christ by his death merits the first for us and by his obedience fulfilling the law merits the second The parts of our justification are likewise two the remission of our sins and the imputation of Christs righteousnesse whereby we have freedom from all evill here and the perfection of all good and happinesse in heaven Insomuch that all those Millions of mercies that we have received from before and since we were born either for soul or body even to the least bit of bread we eat or shall enjoy to eternity Christ of his free grace hath purchased for us with the price of his own precious blood For which see Psal. 68.19 and 145.15 16. and 75.6 7. Hear this all you that care to be saved God will pardon all your sins he will give you an eternall crown of glory in heaven if you unfainedly repent and wholly rely upon Christ for your salvation by a lively faith and that because he is just for although the Lord cannot in justice let sin go unpunished for the wages of sin is eternal death Rom. 6.23 death in the person if not in the surety Yet Christ hath sufficiently satisfied for all the sins of the faithful and paid their dept even to the utmost farthing as is evident by Isai. 53.4 5. 2 Cor. 5.21 Heb. 9.26 1 Pet. 2.24 Rom. 3.25 26. 1 Ioh. 1.7 9. and sundry other places As are we bound to perform perfect obedience to the Law Christ performed it for us VVetâ— we for disobedience subject to the sentence of condemnation the curse of the Law and death of body and soul He was condemned for us and bore the curse of the Law he died in our stead an ignominious 〈◊〉 Did we deserve the anger of God he endured his Fathers wrathful displeasure that so he might reconcile us to his Father and set us at liberty He that deserved no sorrow felt much that we who deserved much might feel none And by his wounds we are healed Isai. 53.5 Adam eat the apple Christ paid the price In a word whatsoever we owed Christ discharged whatsoever we deserved he suffered if not in the self-same punishments for he being God could not suffer the eternal torments of Hell yet in proportion the dignity of his Person he being God and Man giving value unto his temporary punishments and making them of more value and worth then if all the world should have suffered the eternal torments of Hell For it is more for one that is eternal to die then for others to die eternally Therefore was the Son of God made the Son of man that the Sons of men might be made the Sons of God and therefore was he both God and man lest being in every respect God he had been too great to suffer for man or being in every respect man he had been too weak to satisfie God And so much for explication of the Third Principle mentioned in the beginning Sect. XX. But now comes the hardest part of my work to be performed For admit the Natural man be convinced of the truth of these three fundamental Principles never so clearly yet he will draw such a conclusion from the premisses that he will be never the better for what hath been told him yea he will decoct all even the mercy and goodness of God into poyson For what will such a one suggest to himself the Devil helping forward Let it be granted will he say that I were every way wretched and miserable a great sinner both originally and actually and likewise liable to all the plagues of this life and of that to come yet I thank God I am well enough so long as Christ hath paid my ransom and freed me from all by a new Covenant the tenure whereof is Believe and Live whereas at first it was do this and live to which I answer In Covenants and Indentures between party and party there are alwayes articles and conditions to be performed on the one side as well as promises to be fullfilled on the other as saith Pareus Now as God hath covenanted and bound himself by his word and Seal to remit thee thy sins adopt thee his child by regeneration and give thee the Kingdome of Heaven and eveâ—lasting life by and for his sons sake so Christ hath for and on thy behalf undertaken yea thou thy self didst for thy part bind thy self by covenant promise and vow in thy baptism that thou wouldest forsake the Devil and all his works constantly believe Gods holy Word and obediently keep his Commandments the better thereby to expresse thy thankfulness towards him for so great a benefit 1 Pet. 3.21 Psal. 116.12 13 14. And we know that in Covenants and Indentures if the Conditions be not kept the Obligation is not in force VVhereby millions Magus like after the water of baptism which is a Seal of the Covenant of Grace go to the fire of Hell Yea except we repent and believe the Gospel threats and precepts aswel as promises that holy Sacrament together with the 〈…〉 to us our salvation will be an obligation under our own hand and seal against us and so prove a seal of our greater condemnation Therefore the main question is VVhether thou art a believer For although Christ in the Gospel hath made many large and precious promises there are none so general which are not limited with the condition of faith and the fruit thereof unfained repentance and each of them are so tied and entailed that none can lay claim to them but true believers which repent and turn from all their sins to serve him in holiness without which no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 Isa. 59.20 As for instance Our Saviour hath made publick Proclamation Mark 16.16 That whosoever shall believe and be baptised shall be saved but mark what withal is added he that will not believe shall be damned Again God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life John 3.15 16. And that none may deceive themselves he addeth He that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather then light John 3.19 20. And again As many as received him to them he gave power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name Joh. 1.12 Again Heb. 5.9 He is said to be the Author of eternal salvation unto all that obey him not unto them which continue in their rebellious wickedness and never submit themselves to be ruled by the scepter of
bloody to him to his and thine own soul none that have eyes in their heads and open can be so sottish But Sin is like the juice of poppie called Opium which if the quantity exceed bringeth the patient into a deep sleep that he never awaketh Sinners dream they are awake but indeed they are fast asleep yea with Sardis they are dead while they think they are alive And indeed this misprision or mistake this very opinion of being in ease good enough keeps a man out of all possibility of being bettered for what we presume to have attained we seek not after Yea this conceited righteousnesse is the onely cause of all unrighteousnesse and many a man had been good if he had not at present so thought himself Until Paul was humbled to the very ground trembling and astonished he never asked Iesus what wilt thou have me to do And the like of those Converts that were prickt in their hearts at Peters searching Sermon upon their being convinced that they were the murtherers of the Lord of Life Acts 2.36.37 38. Sect. XXVI In the last place touching their Election this is an infallible truth Whomsoever God hath appointed to salvation to them he hath appointed the means also which is holiness Indeed a man may be so bold of his Predestination as to forget his conversation so he may dream himselfe in Heaven and waken from that dream in Hell Gods purpose touching the end includes the means Though God had promised Paul that his company should not be drowned yet he told the Mariners that unless they kept in the ship they should be drowned Acts 27.22 23 31. as if their safety should not be without means Rebekah had Gods Oracle for Iacobs life yet she sent him away out of Esaus reach It was impossible for Herod to hurt the child Iesus yet he must flie into Egypt And so I have shown in the last place what are the conditions of the new Covenant and to whom the promises belong which is all that I undertook Now if men will yet goe on and perish in their impenitency their blood be on their own heads and not on mine I have discharged my duty Nevertheless least the single evidence that I bring from the Word of Truth should not prove sufficient to gain your credence to what hath been spoken And because examples give a quicker impression then arguments I have one thing more to crave of thee which is that thou wilt also hear the confession of two parties in the ensuing or second part of this Discourse that were lately in thy very condition though now by the Infinite goodness of God they have their eyes opened and their hearts changed to see and know both what it is to be in the state of nature and what to be brought into the glorious liberty of the sons of God that so by a three fold cord you may be drawn to accept of salvation upon Gods own terms whereas otherwise you can no way escape his eternal wrath The ensuing or second part which I would request you to read and minde is A happy Conference between a Formalist converted and a loose Libertine intituled An experimental Index of the Heart And so much of the first Part the second followeth FINIS Sold onely by Iames Crump in Little Bartholomews VVell-yard and by Henry Cripps in Popes-head-Alley At the same places there are also to be sold five and thirty other Pieces of Practical Divinity composed by the same Author 1660. This sheet and half with â—ower other sheets of as considerable matter are all to be had for a Penny at the Black Swan by Moorâ— gaâ—e AN Experimental INDEX of the HEART OR SELF-KNOWLEDGE In which As in a Looking-glasse the civillest of men may see what need they have of a Redeemer and that it most deeply concerns them with all speed to sue out their pardon in Christ and to rely wholly and only upon Free-grace for pardon and Salvation except they prefer an everlasting furnace of fire and brimstone in Hell before an eternal weight of superabundant glory in Heaven as all most sottishly do that by sinne and Satan are bewitched Drawn up and published for the good of all By R. Younge of Roxwell in Essex Florilegus Add this as a Third Part to the Trial of true Wisdom and those Three Fundamental Principles of Christian Religion Intituled A short and sure Way to Grace and Salvation Sect. XXVII A Loose Libertine meeting with his Friend that had lately been a Formal Christian he greets him as followeth SIR methinks I have observed in you a strange alteration since our last meeting at Middleburrough not only in your behaviour company and converse but even in your countenance What is the matter if I may be so bold Convert Truly Sir you are not at all mistaken nor am I unwilling to acquaint you with the cause if you can affoard to hear it Soon after my return into England I was carried by a Friend to hear a Sermon where the Minister so represented the very thoughts secrets and deceitfulnesse of my heart unto my conscience that I could not but say of him as the woman of Samaria once spake of our Saviour He hath told me all things that ever I did Which made me conclude with that Vnbeliever 1 Cor. 14 24 25. That God was in him of a truth nor could he ever have so done if he were not of God As the young man in the Gospel reasoned with the Pharisees touching Iesus when he had opened his eyes that had been blind from his birth Joh. 9.32 33. Whereupon I could have no peace nor râ—st untill I had further communed with him about my estate for I found my self in a lost condition touching Eternity It faring with me as it did wiâ—h those Iews Act. 2. when Peter by his searching Sermon had convinced them that Christ whom they had by wicked hands crucified and slain was the only Son of God and Lord of glory ver 36 37. And having had the happinesse to enjoy the benefit of his sage advice as I stood in need thereof God having given him the tongue of the learned to administer a word in season to them that are weary Isa 50.4 I blesse God his Word and Spirit hath wrought in me such a change and strange alteration that it hath opened mine eyes that were blind before inclined my will to obedience which before was rebellious softened my heart sanctified and quite changed my affections so that I now love that good which before I hated and hate that evil which before I loved and am delighted with those holy exercises which heretofore did most displease me and am displeased with those vain pleasures and filthy sins which in times past did most delight me Which is such a mercy that no tongue is able to expresse For till that hour I went on in the broad way and worlds road to destruction without any mistrust whereas now God hath been pleased to
desperation and this observe we are cast down in the disappointing of our hopes in the same measure as we were too much lifted up in expectation of good from them Whence these perremptory presumers if ever they repent it is commonly as Francis Spira 〈…〉 One star is much bigger than the Earth yet seems many degrees lesse It is the nature of fear to make dangers greater helps lesse then they are Christ hath promised peace and rest unto their souls that labour and are heavy laden and to those that walk according to rule Matth. 11.29 Gal. 6.16 even peace celestial in the state of grace and peace eternal in the state of glory Such therefore as never were distressed in conscience or live loosly never had true peace Peace is the Daughter of Righteousness Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God But he who makes a bridge of his own shadow will be sure to fall into the water Those Blocks that never in their life were moved with Gods threatnings never in any straight of conscience never groaned under the burden of Gods anger they have not so much as entered into the porch of this house or lift a foot over the threshold of this School of repentance Oh! that we could but so much fear the eternal paines as we do the temporary and be but so carefull to save our souls from torment as our bodies In the mean time the case of these men is so much the worse by how much there fear is the lesse It faring with the soul as with the body Those diseases which do take away all sense of pain are of all others most desperate As the dead Palsey the falling-sicknesse the sleepy lethargy c. And the Patient is most dangerously sick when he hath no feeling thereof In like manner whilst they suppose themselves to be free from judgment they are already smitten with the heaviest of Gods judgments a heart that cannot repent Rom. 2.5 In a lethargy it is needfull the Patient should be cast into a burning Fever because the senses are benammed and this will waken them and dry up the besotting humours So in our dead security before our conversion God is fain to let the Law Sin Conscience and Satan loose upon us and to kindle the very fire of Hell in our souls that so we might be roused out of our security but thousands of these blocks both live and depart with as great hopes as men go to a lottery even dreaming of Heaven untill they awake in Hell For they too often die without any remorse of conscience like blocks or as an Ox dyes in a ditch Yea thousands that live like Laban dye like Nabal which is but the same word inverted whilst others the dear Children of God dye in distresse of conscience For it is not every good mans hap to dye like Antoninus Pius whose death was after the fashion and semblance of a kindly and pleasant sleep However Austin's rule will be sure to hold He cannot dye ill that hath lived well and for the most part He that lives conscionably dyes comfortably and departeth rich And so you see how it fares with the wickedest and worst of men Wherefore if you are truly sensible of your wretchednesse it is a good sign that you are in some forwardnesse to be recovered and really to become so good as formerly you but dream'd or imagined your self to be And indeed the very first step to grace is to feel the want of grace and the next way to receive mercy is to see your self miserable Therefore our 〈◊〉 and most diligent search should be 〈…〉 Sect. XXXVII Loose Libertine But is there any hope for one so wicked as I who have turned the grace of God into wantonesse applying Christs passion as a warrant for my licenciousnesse not as a remedy and taking his death as a licence to sin his cross as a Letters pattent to do mischief As if a man should head his drum of rebellion with his pardon For I have most spitefully and maliciously taken up arms against my Maker and fought against my Redeemer all my daies Convert Do but unfeignedly repent you of your sins and forsake your former evil waies and lay hold upon Christ by a true and lively faith my soul for yours God is very ready to forgive them be they never so many and innumerable for multitude never so hainous for quality and magnitude Yea I can shew you your pardon from the great King of Heaven for all that is past the which you may read at large Isa. 55.7 Ezek. 18.21 to 29. and 33.11 Ioel 2.12 13 14. Yea read 1 Cor. 6.10 11. together with the story of Manasses Mary Magdelen the Thief and the Prodigal Son and you shall see presidents thereof Yea the very murtherers of the Son of God upon their serious and unfeigned repentance and stedfast believing in him received pardon and salvation And indeed despair is a sin which never knew Iesus True every sin deserves damnation but no sin shall condemn but the lying and continuing in it True Repentance is ever blest with forgiveness And know this that Gods mercy is greater than thy sin whatever it be you cannot be so infinite in sinning as he is infinite in pardoning if you repent yea sins upon repentance are so remitted as if they had never been committed I will put away thy transgressions as a cloud and thy sins as a mist Isa. 44.22 And what by corruption hath been done by repentance is undone As the former examples witnesse Come and let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow Isa. 1.18 Yea whiter than snow For the Prophet David laying open his blood-guiâ—â—inesse and his original impurity useth these words Purge me with hysop and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter than snow Psal. 51.7 And in reason did Christ come to call sinners to repentance and shall be not shew mercy to the penitent Or who would not cast his burthen upon him that desires to give ease As I live saith the Lord I would not the death of a sinner Ezek. 18.32 and 33.11 Only apply not this salve before the ulcer be searched to the bottom Lay not hold upon mercy untill you be throughly humbled The only way to become good is first to believe that you are evil and by accusing our selves we prevent Satan By judging our selves we prevent God Are we as sick of sorrow as we are of sin then may we hopefully go to the Physician of our souls who came into the world only to cure the sick and to give light to them only who sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death God does not pour the oyl of grace but into a broken and contrite heart Wouldst thou get out of the miserabâ—◠〈◊〉 of nature into the blessed estate of grace and of Satans bondsla 〈◊〉 me the child of God and a very
minde in their mouth his heart in their lips his Arrow shot by mans Bow He lendeth them his lyes and malice and borrowâ—th their tongues to utter them because thâ— Devill wants a tongue True they have sworn themselves Christs faithfull servants and souldiers but they will fight only for sin and Satan And least their owne sins should not damn them deep enough they do what in them lyes draw others to damnation For it is not enough for them to be â—ad themselves except they raile at and persecute the good and that against their owne consciences As for example Pilate judged Christ guiltlesse yet he put him to death and Festus acknowledged Paul without crime yet he left him in prison Onely they have some wit in their anger For how should Naboth be clenly put to death if he be not first accused of blasphemy 1 Kings 21.13 And the like of Ioseph Elias Ieremiah Paul Stephen and our Saviour Christ himself Indeed these want that power that their fellow persecutors have had and therefore can onely shew their teeth otherwise their hearts are as bloody and as full of the Serpents enmity as Doegs was In the mean time we are safe enough since their words are but like a boyes squib that flashes and cracks and stincks but is nothing And how little is that man hurt whom malice condemns on earth and God commends in heaven Onely I wish they would take notice that he is bottomlesly ill who is so farre from being good himselfe that he hates goodness in others They are desperately wicked that cannot so much as indure the sight of godlinesse that are displeased with others because they please God and murmur like the Scribes and Pharisees at the same things whereat the Angels rejoyce Such an one is upon the very threshold of Hell and none but a Cain or a Devill in condition will do so Nor coâ—ld they do it if the Devill were not in their hearts Sect. 9. Object But their usual objection is why will you be so singular are you wiser then all this is but want of discretion Answ. Suppose such do think as they speak Shall Lot leave his Righteousnesse for such an imputation of singularity Or shall he not depart Sodome because the whole City thinks it better to stay there still Shall Noah leave building the Arke and so himself and his whole houshold perish because all the world else thinks him hare-brain'd Or shall the name of Round-head dishearten us from the service of God No but after the way which to prophane men is most ridiculous let our soules desire to serve Iesus Christ Acts 24.14 It was Noah's happinesse that he followed not the Old worlds fashions It was Lots happinesse that he was singular in Sodome It was good for Nichodemus that he was singular among the Rulers Yea it was happy for Ruben that he was opposite to all his brethren Happy for Caleb and Ioshuah that they were opposite to the rest of the Spyes Happy for Luther that he was opposite to the rest of his Countrey And in case Iesus Christ and his twelve Apostles be on your side no matter if all the world be against you For better be saved with a few as Noe was in the Arke then be drowned with the world and damned for company Sect. 10. And now for conclusion Let all Scoffers take notice that as they scoffe at us so God laughes at them in Psal. 2.4 Yea judgements are prepared for these scorners and stripes for the bracks of these fools Pro. 19.29 God shall rain down fire brimstone upon such scorners of his word and blasphemers of his people as thou art said Mr. Philpâ—t the Martyr to mocking Morgan and the rest of his persecutors But on the contrary let not the taunts of an Ishmael make any Isaac out of love with his Inheritance A wise man will not be scoft out of his money nor a just man be flouted out of his Faith Yea for a man to be scoft out of his goodnesse by those that are lewd is all one as if a man that seeth should blinde-fold himself or put out his eyes because some blinde wretches revile and scoffe at him for seeing Or as if one that is sound of limbs should limp or maym himselfe to please the Criple and avoid his taunts Wherefore proceed good Sir without ever growing faint Let others serve the God of this world resolve you to serve the God of heaven Now if any swearer curser or scoffer hath the wit let him read those four Books formerly mentioned which for his and others good are all together with this to be had for a penny being an hundred and eleven pages contain as much matter as is usually to be found in a book of half a crown price The place where any one may have them is at the first door on your left hand in Bores-head Court by Criplegate Ox at the Black Swan by Moore-gate FINIS Farewel my little Benjamin go out into the world and prosper And the blessing of him that dwelt in the bush Deut. 33.16 even the God of Abraham Isaac Iacob Ex â— 6 go along with thee For otherwise Old Adam will prove too strong for Young Melancâ—â—on To such as for my great love and no little cost do hate me and for using the likeliest meanes to stop them in their way to destruction do scoff and traduce me Who so rewardeth evill for good evill shall not depart from his house Prov. 17.13 But ARe you Christians Or do you own him that made you and that hath bestowed so many millions of mercies upon you 1 Pet. 1.18 19. 2 Pet. 1.4 If so fight not for Satan against your Saviour 2 Chro. 13.12 Acts 5.39 23.9 who hath done and suffered so much for you Rom. 4.25 5 6. to 20. 6.23 8.2 Rev. 1.5 1 Pet. 2.24 For this is an unkindness next door to unpardonable Mar. 3.22 29 30. Hate me not to the death for shewing you the way to eternall life Acts 11.14 as those Libertines did Stephen Acts 7.54 and the Iewes Christ Mat. 27.27 Or if you do what shall you gain or I loose thereby when this your malice is a sure token to you of perdition but to me of salvation as the Apostle tells you Phil. 1.28 Ishmael did but flout Isaac yet for that flout he is by the Holy Ghost branded for a persecutor and shall fry in hell flames everlastingly Gal. 4.29 Those little children 2 King 2. did but mock Elisha but for that mock 42. of them were devoured of wilde Beares vers 24. C ham did but deride Noah but that alone brought his Fathers curse upon him and Gods upon that Gen. 9.25 which Prophetical curse lies so heavy upon Chams posterity the Ethiopians to this day though almost four thousand years since and they are so devoted to slavery that Parents will sell their own children to be slaves to such as trade in Negroes And yet the
most dreadful part of the curse lies upon them in spirituals there being few of Chams posterity in any age of the world that have ever been taken into the Church Wherefore take heed of mocking or scossing at Religion or the Religious For as the Serpents hissing sufficiently betrayes his malice so that viz. scoffing alone infallibly declares you to be the Serpents seed and children of the Devill Act 13.10 Gen. 3.15 Nor is it you but the Devill in and by you as you may see by Gen. 3.1 to 6. Eph. 2.2 Matth. 16.22 23. 1 King 22.22 23. Iohn 13.2 Acts 5.3 And none but a Cain or a devill in condition will envy because his owne works are evill and his brothers good 1 Iohn 3.12 1 Pet. 4.4 But they will not believe that are ordained to perish Prov. 29.1 1 Sam. 2.25 And as good admonish a bruit beast as a scorner Prov. 12.1 13.1 19 29. For scorners are upon the very Lukeâ—6 â—6 31 2 Chr. 25.16 As how dreadfully does St. Peter speak of such his words are these and the like They walke after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness they are presumptuous and self-willed they speak evill of the things which they understand not they sport themselves in their owne deceivings they are reserved uuto the day of Iudgement to be punished yea saith the Apostle as naturall bruit beasts they are made to be taken and destroyed mark that they are made to be taken and destroy'd and shall utterly perish in their own corruption and shall receive the reward of unrighteousness to whom the blacknesse of darkness is reserved for ever 2 Pet. 2.9 to the end O wofull and dolefull condition Beware then of scoffing at goodness for there cannot be a greater argument of a soul soule given up to Satan the God of this world 2 Tim. 2.26 Eph. 2.2 2 Cor. 4.4 And to prove you a Souldier belonging to that great Red Dragon that fighteth against Michael and his Angels Rev. 12. Who when his hands are bound casteth a flood of reproaches out of his mouth against the Church and the remnant of her seed which keep the Commandements of God and have the testimony of Iesus Christ ver 15 16 17. Because sentence against an evill worke is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evill Though a sinner do evill an hundred times and his dayes be prolonged yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that feare God c. Eccles. 8.11 12. LONDON Printed by T. R. for Iames Crump Preparation to Conversion Or Faith's Harbinger In a rare Epistle writ by a Person of Quality before his death to his surviving Friends Shewing That Satan prevails most by deception of our Reason That the beauty of Holiness and true Wisdom is unseen to the World That ingrateful persons are as witless as wicked Why most men hear the Gospel year after year and are never the better With wholsom instruction to prevent destruction All richly fraught with choise and pithy Sentences Similitudes Examples Metaphors Rhetorical and pointed Expressions Which being thought by many worth the Transcribing at no small charge is now committed to the Press by R. Young of Roxwel in Essex Much Respected IF you ask Why I take this pains Turn to Levit. 19.17 Heb 3.13 and you have there both my answer and warrant for I do but supply with my pen what I was bound to perform with my tongue If for a President Take that of Photian who when a Friend of his would have cast himself away suffered him not saying I was made thy Friend to this purpose And he that loves not such a Friend hates himself If why I have been silent so long These are the only reasons Want of courage fear to displease and lest you should think me to have had more Zeal then Wit and more Religion then Discretion A case too common which makes me fear that what our Saviour says Mar. 8.38 Whosoever shall be ashamed of me c. will prove a dreadful Text to a great many For who almost does not make a very Idol of Discretion and more fear the censures of men then the displeasure of God Men owe God some good will but like those Rulers Ioh. 12.42 they dare not shew it They would please him yet so as they might not displease others nor themselves Never considering that he who bears with his Friends vices makes them his own Now in case you shall with those Gentiles Rom 10.20 receive more good by it then you desire admire the providence and free grace of God who will shew mercy to whom he will shew mercy Exod. 33 19. Rom. 9.15 That little which Croesus learnt of Solon saved his life And had Pilate taken that fair warning his wife gave him it might have saved his soul. Nor am I without hope to prevail with some of you since Nathan wrought more upon David by one private particular Admonition then all the Lectures of the Law could do for three â—arters of a year together However it were happy for millions were they so plainly dealt withall Wherefore be perswaded to hearken a while unto me as you would 〈…〉 will even refer the point to your selves to determine As let me propound your case in the person of another as the disguised Prophet dealt with Ahab 1 King 20. v. 39. to 43. Or as Christ dealt with the Priests Scribes and Elders Luke 20. v. 1 to 20. The case is this 2 ¶ God in great love sent Sampson to deliver the men of Iudah from the slavish thraldom of their enemies but they in requital binde him in whom all their hope of deliverance lay and deliver him up to those enemies that kept them under to the end they might slay him and still make slaves of them Iudg. 15. Again after this God sent unto their successors the Iews his onely Son to the end he might heal their diseases feed their bodies inlighten their mindes and save their souls And they in requiral of all hate revile scourge and crucifie him though in killing him they did their utmost to split or sink the onely ship that could save them Two rare and remarkable Examples Now tell me what you think of these blockish Iews Were they more wicked or witless or ingrateful I know you will answer me You cannot tell as the Priests Scribes and Elders did our Saviour when the conscience of their own guiltiness had stopt their mouths Luke 20.1 to 8. Or if you do make a satisfying answer it shall be like David's answer to Nathan's parable wherein he pronounced sentence of death against himself 2 Sam. 12.1 to 8. For it is your very Case if you had but eyes or the wit to see it I mean all you who any way misuse or are ingrateful to your Ministers whom God out of his infinite love hath sent to be your Deliverers from the grievous slavery and thraldom you are
§ 6. Now the meditation of what God and Christ hath done for us should make us do what we are able for him again For did Christ all this for us and shall we do nothing for him for our selves like favours require like gratitude He that confers a benefit upon a grateful nature robs him of his liberty and self also and in one and the same act makes him a vassal and himself his master Wherefore if we have any ingenuity in us it will make us to direct all our thoughts speeches and actions to his glory as he hath directed our eternal salvation thereunto But to help and further you herein if you be willing so to do take these few directions First Let these things be never out of the mindes memories mouthes of those whom Christ hath done thus for O let us I say remember as we should never forget Si totum me debeo pro me facto quid jam reddam pro merefecto saith holy Bernard If I owed my whole self unto thee for giving me my selfe in my creation what have I left to pay for giving thy self for me to so cruel a death to procure my Redemption which was not so cheap as my creation Great was the benefit that thou wouldst create me of nothing but what tongue can sufficiently expresse the greatnesse of this grace that thou didst redeem me with so dear a price when I was worse then nothing We are full of thy goodnesse O let our hearts run over with thankfulnesse yea let so many of us as have either heart or brain in the next place say O Lord What is man that thou art so mindefull of hiâ— Psal. 8.4 And O man what is God that thou art so unmindful of him And then conclude with What shall I render unto thee ô Lord for all these thy benefits but love thee my Creator and Redeemeâ— and become a new creature I will serve thee ô Lord by the assistance of thy grace because thou hast given me my self but much more honour thee because thou hast given me thy Son Christ. § 7. Nor can any man in common reason meditate so unbottomed a love and not study and strive for an answerably thankful demeanure If a friend had given us but a thousand part of what God hath we should heartily love him all our lives and think no thanks sufficient What a price then should we set upon Iesus Christ who is the life of our lives and soul of our souls But thirdly this should at least make us part with our nearest dearest and sweetest darling sins to serve him in righteousness and holiness every day every hour all the dayes of our lives Even every sin for what sin should be so dear to us as Gods onely Son was to him Do we then for Gods sake not spare our dearest sin when God for our sakes did not spare his dearest Son Yea what a brutish and barbarous unthankfulness 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 sinful lusts and delights for him § 8. Fourthly Hath Christ done all this for us his servants so much and so many wayes 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 dishonoured 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 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 expresse out thankfulnesse to him shew kindnesse to his Children and poor â—embers who are bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh Ephes. 5.30.7 〈◊〉 or we ourselves for our former unthankfulnesse and our wonderful provoking of him 8 Hearken we unto Christs voice in all that he saith unto us and express our thankfulness by our obedience Yea all this 〈…〉 if we do it but for our own sakes For what should we have if 〈…〉 thus serve Christ who hath done all these things for his enemies 〈…〉 and dishonouring him True we cannot properly be said to do any thing for 〈…〉 that have all we have from him Or if we could give him our bodies and souls they should be saved by it but he were never the better for them yet we may do these and many the like things which he accounts and rewards as done to himself CHAP. V. § 1. NOw these things we ought to do thus thankful we ought to be to God for his inestimable and unspeakable benefits towards us But do we thus requite the Lord or do we what we are able for him again O that I could say we did Yâ—â— I would we were but so thankful to Christ for all his mercies the least whereof is greater then all the courtesies of men as we are to a friend for some one good turn But wo worth us a people not worthy the crumbs of Christs our Makers least mercy Yea well worthy of more plagues then either Tyre or Sydon Chorazin or Bethsaida Capernaum Sodome or Gomorrah Matth. 11.21 to 25. or any people since the Creation For as if all that Christ hath done for us were nothing to move us we are so far from being thankful from loving and serving him that did we seriously think of Christs love and our odious unthankfulness and compare Gods goodness with our ingratitude rightly weighing how we have from time to time abused his mercy and those many means of grace which he in his long-suffering hath afforded for our reclaiming it would even make us speechless like him in the Gospel as neither expecting pardon nor daring to ask it Yea ô Lord it is thine unspeakable mercy that our Land hath not long since spued us out and that we are not at this present frying in Hell For whereas God hath removed so many evils spiritual and corporal temporal and eternal from us and conferred so many good things upon us that they are beyond thought or imagination § 2. We have striven to multiply offences against him and to make them as infinite in number as his blessings We have done nothing from our infancy but added sin unto sin as he hath added mercy to mercyâ— whereby our sins are become for number as the sands in the Sea and as the Stars of heaven and answerable to their multitude is the magnitude of them as I have
we know our selves and what is good and fit for us even as the Nurse knows better then the childe and the Physician better then the Patient knows too well how apt we are to abuse these his mercies and that we cannot abound with earthly blessings but we grow proud and surfeit of them as we see Solomon himself did who was the wisest next to Adam in his innocency that ever lived and like wise how happy it is for them to be kept short And when the All-wise God does fore-see that men will serve him as the Prodigal son served his father who only prayed untill he had got his patrimony and then forsook him and spent the same in riot to the givers dishonour even as the cloud that is lifted up and advanced by the Sun obscures the Sun In this case he either denies them riches in mercy as he denied Saint Paul in his suit 2 Cor. 12.8 9. And our Saviour himself Matth. 26.39 Or grants them their riches in wrath Hosea 13 11. Psal. 106.15 of which I have largely spoken in the foregoing pages where I have declared how miserable they are who swim in wealth wanting grace and Gods blessing upon what they do possesse This is the first and main step to riches and the next is like unto it viz. â—ounty and liberality to the poor members of Iesus Christ. For CHAP. XXX SEcondly He that would be a rich man let him be a merciful man and do good with what God hath already given him be it never so little for there is not a more sure and infallible way to increase and multiply a mans outward estate then in being charitable to the poor if we will believe Gods Word As what saith our Saviour Give and it shall be given unto you good measure pressed down and shaken together and râ—â—ning over shall men give into your bosome Luke 6.38 Matth. 7.2 Mark 4.24 In which regard it may be truly said Eleemosyna non est divittarum dispendium sed ditescendi potius compendium quaestusque oâ—nium uberrimus And to this accords that place in the Proverbs There is that scattereth and is more increased but he that spareth more then is right shall surely come to poverty Proverbs 11.24 The liberal person shall have plenty and he that watereth shall also have rain Verse 25. And the like in the Psalms Wealth and riches shall be in the house of him that hath compassion of and giveth to the poor Psal. 112.3 to 10. See here how bounty is the best and surest way to plenty But notable to this purpose is that Prov. 28.27 He that giveth to the poor shall not lack A rare and incomparable priviledge never to want And yet this is a bargain of Gods own making Plenty shall furnish the table where Charity takes away and gives to the poor He hath sparsed abroad sayes the Psalmist and given to the poor his benevolence remaineth for ever Psal. 112.9 He hath alwayes to give that hath a free and bountiful heart to give sayes Saint Bernard And of this the Prophet Isaiah does assure us The liberal man sayes he deviseth liberal things and by liberality he shall stand Isaiah 32.8 A man would think he should rather fall by being so liberal bountiful but this is the right course to thrive and hold out Nor was it ever known that God suffered a merciful and bountiful man to want ordering his affairs with discretion Psal. 112.5 But you have not heard a tithe of these promises for the Scriptures no lesse abound in them then silver did in the dayes of Solomon of which only a few more for I had rather press you with weight then oppresse you with number of arguments What saith the wiseman Prov. 3. Honour the Lord with thy substance and with the first-fruits of all thine increase so shall thy barns be filled with abundance and thy presses shall burst with new wine Verse 9 10. In which regard whhat is this way expended may be likened to gold the best of metals of which experience teacheth that the third part of a grain will gild a wyre of 134 foot long Or rather to those loaves and fishes in the Gospel for as they did increase and multiply even while they were distributing so do our riches and indeed all other gifts Even out of that which the hand reacheth to the mouth it self is nourished And thus you see that if either Old or New Testament be true not getting but giving is the true and ready way to abundance That to give in this case is the way to have that parsimony is no good husbandry that we are the richer for disbursing Which makes Chrysostome say that the gainfullest Art is Almsgiving And hence it is that the Scripture compares Almsgiving to sowing of seed 2 Cor. 9.6 he that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly but he that soweth bountifully shall also reap bountifully The Apostle compares giving to sowing to note unto us the great gain and advantage that commeth thereby for who knoweth not what gain a good husbandman hath by his sowing He casteth his seed into the ground and only forbeareth it a few moneths and when the season comes he reaps a harvest of thirty fourty or an hundred for one increase And the like of lending or putting money to interest to which the Scriptures also compare it Prov. 19. Psal. 37. He who hath pitty on the poor lendeth unto the Lord and that which he hath given will he repay him again Prov. 19.17 The Lord is content to acknowledge himself the charitable mans debtor Yea by our liberality to the poor our most gracious Redeemer acknowledgeth himself gratified and ingaged as himself does most steely and fully acknowledge Matth. 25. I was an hungry and ye gave me meat c. And for as much as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me Verse 35 36 40. The poor mans hand is Christs Treasury or Bank as one fitly calls it and by putting thereinto a man becomes a Creditor to his Saviour Neither will he pay or recompence us as we do our creditors For as Augustine well notes what we receive by way of return is not ten for an hundred or an hundred for ten but an hundred for one yea a thousand thousand for one an hundred for one here in this world and in the world to come life everlasting together with a Kingdom even an immortal eternal Kingdom of glory and happinesse in heaven which is not to be valued with ten thousand worlds Ann why all this but in recompence of feeding clothing and visiting his poor brethren and members when they were destitute Where note but the incomparable and infinite difference between the receit and the return as ô the unmeasurable measure of our Saviours bounty And how happy is that man that may become a creditor to his Saviour heaven and earth shall be empty before he shall want a royal payment Wherefore
hearken to this all you self-lovers that are only for your own ends Do you indeed love your selves and your souls would you be rich indeed and that both here and hereafter then be charitable to the poor even to the utmost of your ability for this giving is not only an act of charity but also of Christian policie since we shall not only receive our own again but the same also with great increase for as it fared with the widow of Sarepta whose handfull of meal and cruse of oil with which she relieved the Prophet the more she spent the more it increased and the more she had so shall this precious oil bestowed on the poor for Christs sake be returned upon our heads ' in great measure as some that I could name can say out of admirable experience and others should finde would they but so far forth believe the Lord as to try him Which makes Saint Augustine say That the charitable man is the greatest â—surer in the world I know this is such a paradox to misers and men of the world that nothing seems to them more absurd and ridiculous what perswade them that giving away their goods is the way to increase them You must make me a fool will such an one say before I can believe it and therein he speaks truer then he is aware of for these are the very words of St. Paul He that will be wise let him become a fool that he may be wise 1 Cor. 3.18 The wisdom of God is foolishness with the world and so is the wisdom of the world foolishness with God 1 Cor. 2.14 3.19 To carnal reason it is as unlikely a thing as that which Elisha told to the King of Israel 2 Kings 7. that whereas the Famine was so great in Samaria one day that mothers act their own children yet the next day there should be such plenty that a measure of fine flower should be sold for a sheckle and two measures of barley for a sheckle As improbable as that Abraham should have a son being almost an hundred years old and Sarah past child-bearing As impossible as that Lazarus should again live after he was stark dead buried and stanke again Yet as unlikely improbable and impossible as they seemed to be yet they came to pass and God did not break his promise nor disappoint the hopes of such as had the wit and grace to confide in him no more will he in this case which is by fat the easier to be performed And what though carnall mindes like that Noble-man who was trodden to death in the gate of Samaria for his incredulity will not believe yet truth is truth as well when it is not acknowledged as when it is And I wish men would take heed of unbelief and giving God the lie for as there is nothing he so abhors as that his own houshold servants should not dare to trust him as we may see in that example of the Noble man 2 Kings 7.17 2. likewise in those Israelites Psal. 78. when they said Can God furnish a table in the Wilderness He smote the Rock that the waters gushed out and the streams overflowed but can he give bread also Can he provide flesh for his people Yes he could and did it to their small comfort that made the exception For because they believed not in God and trusted not in his salvation the fire of the Lord burnt among them and consumed them He gave them flesh even quailes in his wrath until they were choaked Psal. 78.10 to 38. and Numb 11.33 34. But admit God should not answer thy greedy desire in multiplying thy estate yet if he do that which is better for thee viz. give thee a competency together with a more contented minde then now thou hast or ever wouldst have wert thou as rich as Crassus would it be ever the worse or hadst thou any cause to complain no but greatly to rejoyce as I have shewn in the foregoing part Wherefore trust God with Abraham who above hope believed under hope Rom. 4.18 to 22. For Faith is to God as Bathsheba was to Solomon so in favour that the King will deny her nothing that good is This is the second means which God hath appointed for the improvement of our outward estates for the second step to riches and as outward prosperity viz. bounty and liberality to the poor CHAP. XXXI THe third and fourth are thankfulness and humility which are no way inferiour to the former Thankfulness and humility are the only means to enrich us with Gods blessings but pride and unthankfulness is the only way to make God withdraw and take from us both himself and his blessings Because the King of Assyria said By the power if mine arme have I done it and by my wisdom for I am prudent therefore saith the Lord I have removed the borders of the people and have spoiled their treasures and have pulled down the Inhabitants like a valiant man Isay 10.13 Aesops Crow not content with her own likenesse borrowed a feather of every bird and she became so proud that she scorned them all which the birds observing they came and pluckt each one their feather back and so left her naked even so does God deal with all proud and ingrateful persons There is nothing more pleasing to God nor profitable to us both for the procuring of the good we want or continuing the good we have then humility and thankfulness Yea to the humble and thankful soul nothing shall be wanting God will sowe there and there only plenty of his blessings where he is sure to reap plenty of thanks and service but who will sowe those barren sands where they are sure not only to be without all hope of a good harvest but are sure to lose both their seed and labour Yeâ— fools as we are we forfeit many of Gods favours for not paying that easie quit-rent of thankfulness Ingratitude forfeits mercies as Merchants do all to the King by not paying of custome Because Pharaoh saith The River is mine own therefore God saith I will dry up the River Ezek. 29.3 to 13. Isaiah 19.5 6. Deut 11.9 10. Tamberlain having overcome Bajazet he asked him whether he had ever given God thanks for making him so great an Emperour he confest ingenuously he had never thought of it to whom Tamberlain replyed that it was no marvel so ingrateful a man should be made such a spectacle of misery When the people sought themselves only and how to have their houses ceiled and sumptuous neglecting the house of God and his honour thus it fared with them Ye have sowen much and have reaped little and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes Ye looked for much and lo it came to little and when ye brought it home I did blow upon it I called for a drought upon the land and upon all that it bringeth forth and upon all the labour of the
expression as this Praised be the Lord even the God of our salvation who loadeth us daily with benefits Selah Psal. 68.19 The eyes of all wait upon thee and thou givest them their meat in due season thou openest thine hand and fillest all things living of thy good pleasure Psal. 145.15 16. To come to promotion is neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south but God is the Iudge he maketh low and he maketh high Psal. 75.6 7. And so of all other mercies and deliverances He that confers a Benefit upon a gratefull nature robs him of his liberty and self also and in one and the same act makes him a vassal will make us to direct all our thoughts speeches and actions to his glory as he hath directed our eternal salvation thereunto But to help and further you herein if you be willing so to do take these few Directions First Let these things be never out of the minds memories and mouthes of those whom Christ hath done thus for O let us I say remember as we should never forget Si totum me debeo pro me facto quid jam reddam pro me refecto saith holy Bernard If I owed my whole self unto thee for giving me my self in my creation what have I left to pay for giving thy self for me to so cruel a death to procure my Redemption which was not so cheap as my Creation Great was the benefit that thou wouldst create me of nothing but what tongue can sufficiently expresse the greatnesse of this grace that thou didst redeem me with so dear a price when I was worse than nothing We are full of thy goodnesse O let our hearts run over with thankfulnesse Yea let so many of us as have either heart or brain in the next place say O Lord What is man that thou art so mindfull of him Psal. 8.4 And O man what is God that thou art so unmindfull of him And then conclude with What shall I render unto thee O Lord for all these thy benefits but love thee my Creatour and Redeemer and become a new creature I will serve thee O Lord by the assistance of thy grace because thou hast given me my self but much more honour thee because thou hast given me thy Son Christ. Nor can any man in common reason meditate so unbottomed a love and not study and strive for an answerably thankfull demeanure If a friend had given us but a thousand part of what God hath we should heartily love him all our lives and think no thanks sufficient but to him that hath given me all things I have scarce given so much as thanks Yea I have striven to multiply offences against him and to make them as infinite in number as his blessings Thirdly The continual meditation of what God hath done for thee will make thee do what thou art able for him again For did God and Christ do all this for us and shall we do nothing for him again Like favours require like gratitude This then should at least make us part with our nearest dearest and sweetest darling sins to serve him in righteousnesse and holinesse every day every hour all the daies of our lives Even every sin for what sin should be so dear to us as Gods only Son was to him Do we then for Gods sake not spare our dearest sin when God for our sakes did not 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 dishonoured Nor can there be any love where thereâ— 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 expresse 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 Ioseph 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 impolying our Talents we aim at his glory and the Churches good he doubles them Matth. 25.21 22 23. Nor does God look
he should have held Mordecai's stirr up 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 Iobs 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 famine 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 Iohn 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 â—ull 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 Iacob 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 then 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 Shunamite with all this care what is to be done for thee wouldst 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 beneficial guests to their hostes and hostesses and ever payd a blessâ—ng for their entertainment Elias requited his hostesse with a supernatnrall provision He gave also her owne and her sons life to her for his board Yea in that wofull famine 1 King â—7 He gave her and her sonne their board for his house-room Yea it is storied of Pyrrhus an Heathen that he did exceedingly grieve for that a friend of his hapned to dye before he had required his many favours Those hearts that are truly thankâ—ull delight no lesse in the repayment of a good turn then in the receit and do as much study how to shew their fervent affections for what they have received as how to compasse favours when they want them Their debt is their burthen which when they have discharged they are at ease and not before Resembling Homer who never forgot to requite a benefit received nor could be at rest untill he had done it CHAP. XIX Nor can there be a better signe of true love and â—ound amendment then that we can be content to be loosers by our repentance Many formall penitents have yielded to part with so much of their sinne as may abate nothing of their profit It is an easie matter to say yea and think what they say to be true that they love God and Christ. There is no Dives among us but he thinks scorne to be charged with the want of love What not love God But aske his conscience the next question What good hast thou done for his sake No he can remember none of that no goodnesse no workes of mercy or charity hath come from him all his life long But know this thou wretched rich miserly muckworme that thoâ— artbound to performe these works of mercy to the poore both ouâ— of duty and thankefulnesse to him who hath given thee thy selfe and all that thou hast Yea if thou beest not a meere beast or blocke When thou beholdest them the poor I meane behold how thou art beholding to Him that suffered thee not to be like them Hath God given thee all things and dost thou then thinke it a great matter to give him back something especially seeing thou givest him but of his owne as David gladly acknowledged 1 Chr. 29.14 For shame consider of it and let thy conscience make answer to what I shall aske thee what can be more equall and just then to give a little unto him who hath given all unto us especially seeing he hath granted unto us the use onely of what we possesse reserving still the chief propriety unto himselfe and to spare something unto the poor out of our abundance at his request who hath not spared to give unto us his onely begotten and dearly beloved sonne that by a shamefull death he might free us from everlasting death and condemnation and purchase for us eternall happiness Yea in truth what madnesse is it to deny being requested to give at his appointment some small portion of our goods who by his owne right and authority may take all And what senselesse folly were it to turne away our face from him when he asketh in the behalfe of the poor some earthly and momentaâ—y trifles from whom we expect as his free gift Heavens felicity and everlasting glory CHAP. XX. But to drive home this duty to mens consciences see further what cause we have to extend our liberality to the relief of Christs poore members For here I shall take occasion to slide into a discourse which in the Title page 1 durst not once mention as well knowing how averse most men are and how desperately most rich mens hearts are hardned against the poore whereof I le onely give you an instance Some six years since having taken no small paynes
these are added Isa. 58 If thou draw out thy soul to the hungry then shall thy health spring forth speedily c. verse 7.8 But admit the mercifull man be long sick God will preserve him alive strengthen him upon the bed of languishing yea make all his bed in his sickness the Lord will stir up the feathers under him his soul shall be at ease and his body sweetly refrashed mercy shall be his cordiall or pillow of repose untill he be raised up again Psalm 41.1 to 11. CHAP. XXIV But see how God hath rewarded many particular persons for this most excellent vertue Abraham in his old age was blessed with an Isaac a godly son and heir a glorious type of the worlds Redeemer and entertained Angels by his hospitality yea the Son of God the Lord of Angels as Sinesius observes The Shunamâ—te that entertained the Prophet Elisha received above a Prophets reward namely the promise and gift of a son when she was old and the raising of him to life when he was dead and the restoring of her house and land lost in her long absence for the famine 2 Kings 4 and 8. Chapters Rebeccah got so good and great an Husband by her hospitality as Chrysostom observes Lot was honoured with the entertainment of Angels and preserved alive with his whole family from the destruction of Sodom by his hospitality The Widow of Sarepta was blessed with a miraculous increase of her meal and oyl with the preservation of her family in the time of famine with the resurrection of her son by her relieving the Prophet in his banishment 1 Kings 17. Revell or Iethro for it is the same man under two divers names as Calvin proves upon Exod. 2. for this was rewarded with such a son in law as Moses and by him better instructed in the true worship of God Publius the chief man of the Island Melitâ— by entertaining St. Paul and his companions gâ—t his father healed of a fâ—aver and of a bloody flux Acts 28.8 It is likewise storied of Stephen King of Hungary and of Oswald King of England that their right â—â—nds dâ—d never putâ—efie because so much exeâ—câ—sed in relieving the nâ—cessities of 〈…〉 Again Fifthly It bringeth the blessings of God upon all we have or do And we know that the blessing of God in effect is all and does all Thou shalt surely give to thy poore Brother and thy heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him because for this thing the Lord thy God shall blesse thee in all thy work and in all that thou puttest thine hand to Deut. 15.10 And the like Prov. 22.9 Luke 14.14 It were endless to name the particulars wherein God hath promised to bless the mercifull see onely Isa. 58. Psal. 112. Prov. 10. and 22. Chapters 2 Chron. 31.10 Deut. 14 28 29. Ezek. 44.30 Or turn to Luke 11. and there you shall see that as fasting sanctifieth the body and prayer the soul so Almes does sanctifie the substance Give almes of those things which ye have saies our Saviour and behold all things shall 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 〈◊〉 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 pregnant As Rachab Gaius Iob The Centurian Boas Cornelius and Mary 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 wheresoever 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 Yea a good name is better then a sweet oyntment and to be chosen before great riches Prov. 22.1 yea then life it self Bâ—iefly 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 as they are inestimable so they are innumerable I le 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. 86. 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. Albone the first Martyre that ever in England suffered death for the name of Christ was converted from Paganism to Christianity 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 Iam. â— 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
that it shall be so For he speaks far otherwise of the unmercifull as Psal. 109. Let his children be fatherlesse and his wife a widow Let his children be continually vagabonds and beg their bread I pray mind it let them seek their bread also out of desolate places Let the extortioner catch all that he hath and let the strangers spoile all his labour Let there be none to extend mercy unto him mither let there be any to favour his fatherlesse children Let his posterity be cut off and in the generation following let their names be blotted out and the memory of them cut off from the earth Because mark the reason he remembred not to shew mercy but persecuted the poor and needy Vers 6. to 17. all which he speaks by the spirit of prophesie Though indeed we want not examples of this in every age Was not this fulfilled in Haman and is it not fulfilled daily in our experience For hence it is that riches ill got or I 'l kept shift masters so often But take some other instances out of the Scriptures of both kindes Ionathan is payd for his kindnesse to David in Mephibosheâ—h Iethro for his love to Moses in the Kenites 1 Sam. 15.6 some hundreds of years aftet he their Ancestor was dead The Aegyptians might not be unkindly dealt withall for their harbouring the Patriarchs though they afflicted their posterity But the Moabites and Ammonites were either to dye or not to enter into the congregation of the Lord to their tenth generation because they met not Gods Israel with bread and water in the wildernesse Deut. 23.3 4. God caused Soul to spare all the Kenites for that they had shewed mercy to Israel who otherwise had all of them been destroyed 1 Sam. 15 6. Another example you have in Iob 21.18 19 20. all which shewes that God usually blesseth and rewardeth the children for their fathers goodnesse The loving kindnesse of the Lord saith the Psalmist endureth for ever and ever upon them that feare him and his righteousnesse upon childrens children Psal. 103.17 And so on the other side Eternall payments God uses to require of their persons onely temporary often times of succession as we sue the Heyres and Executors of our debtors Now if this be so that what the liberall man gives his seed shall inherit then the good provision that we should make for our Children coâ—sists not so much in laying up as in laying out and more in making provision for their soules then for their bodies I confesse it is the case of niâ—e parts of the Parâ—â—ts throughout 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 childrens 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 not 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 be 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 foresee matter representing it selfe like those waters in Ezekiel Chap. 47. which at the first were but anckle deep and then knâ—e 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 bnt 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 â—orth 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 fâ—â—sh the off-spring and generation of God Act. 1â— 28 9. The senâ—es 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 heat many veines from one liver and many sinews from one braine And likewise of the same Country Common-wealth yea of the same City and Corporation yea perhaps neer Neighbours and parishioners every of which the Holy Ghost maketh a sufficient argument to move us to do these works of mercy in relieving the poor Isa. 5.8.6 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 re 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 Iesus 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 inheriâ— eternall gloâ—y together and that out of darknesse into maâ—vellous light and out of a desperate condition to be partakers
cito facere It is the property of him that giveth willingly to give speedily Being of Boaz his spirit of whom Naomy could say out of a common fame That he would not be in rest untill he had finished the good which was propounded to him Ruth â— 18 And as speed in bestowing graceth the gift yea doubles it in respect of the giver so it doubleth the benefit to him that receiveth it Nam his dat qui cito dat he gives twice that giveth quickly and the swifter that a benefit cometh the sweeter it tasteth Present relief to present want makes a bounty weightier And he cannot but esteem the benefit that unexpectedly receives help in his deepest distresse Whereas a benefit deferred loses the thanks many times proves unprofitable to him that expects it Ioshuah marches all night and fightâ— all day for the Gibeonites else he had as good have saved his labour And possibly through these delays thy almes may â—ome too late like a good gale of winde after shipwracke When his health is lost for want of relief or state ruâ—ned for want of seasonable helpe and so thy late and untimely almes will do him little good For it fareth with men in their strength and state as with a leake in a ship or a breach of waters which may be eâ—sily stopped and stayed at the first appearing but if lâ—t alone will within a while grow remedilesse There must then be no stay in these actions of beneficence but onely that which is caused through the receivers shamefastnesse But specially we must avoyd delays in giving after we have granted for there is nothing more bitter then to be forced to make a new suite for that which hath already been obtained and to finde more difficulty in the delivery then in the grant CHAP. XXXVIII Another thing required in doing good works is constancy and assiduity the which is also implyed in the Metaphor of sowing seed for the Husbandman contenteth not himselfe to have sowed his seed in former years but he continueth to sow it still to the end of his life and though the Crop be sometimes so small that the seed it selfe is scarce returned yet he will not be discouraged but will again cast it into the ground in hope of better successe And this must we do in sowing the â—eeds of our beneficence casting them daily into the ground which we finde fitted and prepared and not thinke it enough to adorne our selves with them as with our best apparell which we onely put on in high and Festival dayes We must make it our daily exercise benefacta benefactis pertegentes 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 exhorteth 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 heavenly Father and approve our selves to be his children who reneweth his mercies unto us every morning and multiplyeth his blessings upon us every day with a new supply and so we shall be sure to receive a rich reward For if we be stedfast and unmoveable 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 thus the Apostle saith Distributing to the necessities of the Saints He doth not say distribute but distributing using the participle which noteth a continued act of distributing So saith St. Paul of the Philippians You sent once and again to my necessity A Well-head or a Spring runs with a constant streame and will not be dry so should mercifull deeds flow from us The liberall man will devise of liberall things and continue his liberality Isa. 32.8 And such an one was Boaz of whom Naomi could say out of a common same Blessed be he of he Lord for he ceaseth not to do good to the living to the dead Ruth 2.20 Again we must increase in doing good our care must be as to grow in grace so to bring forth new fruits of good works imitating herein the Church of Thyatira whose last works excelled the first Rev. â—â—9 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 standinâ— 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 aâ—e not constant in well doing and also in that which is in Hypocrites who do some good deeds for praise or profit but yet deâ—ist 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 fruits 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 Nebuchadnezar saw in a Dreame which had an head of gold the middle parts of silver his â—hiâ—â—eâ— of brasse his legs of iron and his feat 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 alaâ— 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 hoâ—â— that is good for nothing till he comes to the knife 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 parâ— with something to relieve them As sometimes after he hath instead of feeding the bellies of the poor grownd their faces by usury extorting wracking inclosing and halfe undoing whole Villages he liberally relieves some few at his death and befriends them with the plaisters of his bounty which is no other then to steale a Goose and sticke down a feather rob a thousand to relieve ten Or rather as the Iewes bought a burying place for strangers with
pounds for a falling Band five pounds for a Tulip ten twenty pounds for a yard of Lace But will Christ take this well and count them good Stewards when he shall sit upon his Throne and judge every man according to his deeds Matth. 25.31 to the end To these might be added the vast sums of mony that are lavisht out without measure in needless and unnecessary Buildings and trimming of houses as if the owners were to dwell for ever in this world So many Walks and Galleries Turrets and Pyramides such setting up pulling down transposing transplacing to make gay habittations for the memory and honour of mens Names So much yearly bestowed in costly furniture with which their houses were well stuft and filled before whereas multitudes of people by reason of the late civil wars are driven to wander about as having no certain dwelling-place yea no other house then the wide world no other bed then the hard ground and no other Canopy then the wide Heaven And so I might go on to many hundreds spent in Law-suits for the satisfying of a self-will so much spent in sports and needlesse Iourneys in Gaming and Revelling in kindnesses to Friends and Neighbours and many the like Whereas they should be sparing in other things that they might be the more bountiful in this duty They spend where they should spare and spare where God biddeth them spend Yea whereas the godly man spareth not onely from his superfluities but even from very necessaries that he may have the more to spend in bounty and beneficence These only spare in the works of mercy that they may have the more to spend upon their sinful Vanities But as the niggard that soweth not shall not reap so the prodigal Worldling that soweth onely to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption as it is Gal. 6 8. Now for conclusion of this point if Frugallity and saving be so great an help to bounty and liberality let it be our care to practice it avoiding both the extreams Prodigality on the one side and Avarice on the other for this as all other vertues is placed between two extreams as the Planet Iupiter between cold Saturn and fiery Mars Let it be used as a razor of all wicked and superfluous and as a rule of all good and necessary expences For that stock is like to last that is neither hoarded up miserably nor dealt out indiscreetly We sow not the furrow by the sack full but by the handful and the wise man knows it is better looking through a poore Lettice-window then through an Iron Grate Let it quite shave off all expenses about Surfeiting and Drunkenness Harlotry and Wantonness with other debauched courses which many amongst the Heathens have been ashamed of and therefore should not be once named among Christians Eph. 5.3 Nomina sunt ipso pene timenda sono And let it also moderate and diminish those excessive charges which too commonly men are at about things lawful and commendable because if men would so do the poor would be richly provided for As how much might be saved how many millions of money every year and how abundant might we be in works of mercy and yet be never the poorer at the years end Yea how would they praise God and pray for their bountiful Benefactors And how would God bless us in our souls bodies names estates and posterities As he hath abundantly promised in his Word CHAP. XLIV AND so much of the means enabling to this duty Now of the ends we are to propound to our selves in the doing of it wherein I wil bebrief Fourthly As our Alms or Works of mercy should flow from faith obedience charity mercy unfeigned love c. which are proper onely to true believers and such as in Christ are first accepted because as a woman that abides without an Husband all her fruit is but as an unlegitimate birth So until we be marryed to Christ all our best works are as bastards and no better then shining sins or beautiful abominations as the Apostle telleth us Heb. 11.6 Rom. 14.23 So our aim and end must be the glory of God the good of our brethren who are refreshed with our Alms the adorning of our Profession with these fruits of Piety the edification of others by our good example the stopping of the mouths of our Adversaries our own present good both in respect of temporal and spiritual benefits and the furthering and assuring of our eternal salvation all which shews that howsoever any man may give gifts out of natural pity yet onely the Christian and godly man can rightly perform this duty of Alms-deeds for it is a good work and there are none do good but those that are good neither is it possible that there should be good fruit unless it sprung from a good Tree Charity and Pride do both feed the poor the one to the praise and glory of God the other to get praise and glory amongst men in which Case God will not accept but reject a mans bounty As when one sent a Present to Alcibiades he sent it back again saying He sendeth these Gifts ambitiously and it is our ambition to refuse them The Hypocrite aimeth chiefly at his own glory and good either the obtaining of some worldly benefit or the avoiding of some temporal or everlasting punishment or finally that he may satisfie God's justice for his sins make him beholding unto him and merit at his hands everlasting happiness But the Christian doth these works of mercy with great humility remembling that whatsoever he giveth to the poor for Gods sake he hath first received it from God with all other blessings which he enjoyeth In which respect when he doth the most he acknowledgeth that he doth far less then his duty and that with much infirmity and weakness and therefore in this regard he humbly confesseth that his Almes are sufficiently rewarded if they be graciously pardoned the which as it maketh him to carry himself humbly before God so also meekly and gently towards the poore And indeed our axes saws hammers and chisels may as well and as justly rise up and boast they have built our houses and our pens receive the honor of our writings as we attribute to our selves the praise of any of our good actions And it were as ridiculous so to do as to give the Souldiers honor to his sword For of him and through him and for him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen Rom. 11.36 If we have any thing that is good God is the giver of it if we do any thing well he is the Author of it Ioh. 3.2 Rom. 11.36 1 Cor. 4.7 11.23 We have not onely received our talents but the improvement also is his meer bounty Thou hast wrought all our works in us saies the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 26. ver 12. We do good Works but so much as is good in them is not ours but God's We for these things magis Deo
debitor est qùam Deus homini are rather debtors to God then God to us We cannot so much as give him gratias thanks unless he first give us gratiam the grace of thankfulness God gives not onely grace asked but grace to ask We cannot be patient under his hand except his hand give us patience God must infuse before we can effuse The springs of our hearts must be filled from that ocean before we can derive drink to the thirsty For as the virtue attractive to draw Iron is not in the Iron but in the Adamant so all our ability is of God and nothing as our own can we challenge save our defects and infirmities Whence that of Austin Lord look not upon my Works but upon thy Works which thou hast done in me or by me which indeed he does even to the amazement and astonishment of all that are wise and truly thankful For mark it well first he gives us power to do well and then he recompenceth and crowneth that work which we do well by his grace and bounty Bernard reports of Pope Eugenius that meeting a poor but honest Bishop he secretly gave him certain jewels wherewith he might present him as the custom was for such to do So if God did not first furnish us with his graces and blessings wee should have nothing wherewith to honor him or do good to others Of thine own I give thee said Iustinian the Emperor borrowing it from the Psalmist 1 Chron. 29.14 The use whereof before we leave it would be this First hope we for but challenge not a reward for our well-doing yet not for it self but for what Christ hath done for and by us Let this be the temper of our spirits when we do any duty Do we the work give God the praise To us the use of his gifts to him the thanks and glory for ever Yea having received all we have from him and done all that we do by him what madness and folly is it not to refer the glory and praise of all to him as the Apostle argues Rom. 11.36 to which he adds as an injunction Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 O God if we do any thing that is good it is thine act and not ours Crown thine own work in us and take thou the glory of thine own mercies God bestoweth upon us many indowments to the end onely that we should imploy them to his honor and best advantage that gave them us For that he may be honored by our wisdom riches graces is the onely end for which he gives us to be wise rich gracious Matth. 25.27 30 1 Cor. 12.7 14.26 Rom. 12.6 Ephes. 4.11 12. Yea it is the onely end for which we were created Isa. 43. v. 7. therefore it hath alwaies been the aim end mark which all the Saints have ever indeavoured to hit though with several shafts as the same beams are many but the light one For whereas the ignorant ascribe the effects and events of things to Fortune the Atheist to Nature the Superstitious to their Idols the Politician to his plots the Proud-man to his own power and parts too many to second causes in all these the Servants of God look higher resolving all such effects to their first principle Digitus Dei the finger of God ascribing to Him the praise as I might abundantly shew from the Word could I stand upon it Yea even Titus the Emperor when he was praised for a victory that he had got made answer That it proceeded from God who made his hands but the instruments to serve him as Iosephus testifies The Godly as they do all by his poxer so they refer all to his glory CHAP. XLV BUt the Worldling hath neither heart nor brain so to do or once to cast an eye or have the least aim at God's glory even in their greatest undertakings or whatever they either receive or do but instead of giving glory to God they take it to themselves as Herod did Acts 12.23 ascribing the increase of their corn wine and oyl their honors successes c. either to the goodness and sharpness of their Wit and skill or to the greatness of their industry or of their power and authority saying with proud Nebuchadnezar Is not this great Babel which I have built by the might of my power c. Dan. 4.30 Have not I got all these goods victories preferments c. my self and by mine own wisdom and providence which the Prophet calls sacrificing to their own net and burning incense unto their drag Hab. 1.16 Even as it fared with the children of Dan Iudges 18. who ascribed the honor of their success to their Idols Or as it fared with Israel God gave them sheep and Oxen and they offered them up to Baal He gave them Ear-rings and Iewels for their own ornament and they turned them to an Idol Yea poor silly souls they are like Swine that feed upon Acorns without ever looking to the Oake from whence they fell Or the Horse that drinks of the Brook and never thinks of the Spring Christ rains down Mannah they gather it and eat it and scarce ever think from whence they had it at least the thought of his blessings is out of their minds as soon as the taste is out of their mouths As but one of those Ten that could lift up their voices for cure of their Leprosie return'd with thanks when they were cleansed so it is ten to one if any give glory to God Luck or wit or friend one thing or other still lies in their way and takes up Christ's glory and the thanks ere it can come at him Customary fruition hath made men scarce think themselves beholding to God But as he that having fed his body and asswaged his hunger and gives no thanks steals his meat so in all other things In visible benefits not to see the invisible giver is great infidelity and blindness and indeed if any thing infallibly proves an hypocrite it is when endsâ—are â—are the first movers of good duties Now what I have spoken of good men in this point I might shew of good Angels and glorified Saints in Heaven yea of Heathens and Idolaters yea I might add that not to be thankful nor to acknowledge what God our bountiful Benefactor bestows upon and does for us is to fall short of the very brute Beasts The Ox knows no Owner but man and him he does acknowledg and love according to his capacity Isa. 1.3 And it 's well known what strange things are recorded of Lyons Dogs Eagles yea how oft shall we see a Dog welcome home his Master with all possible expressions of love and thankfulness when perhaps his Wife entertains him with frumps and frowns And certainly had beasts the like knowledge with us of their Maker they would worship and serve him better then do their Masters but for proof of this enough Though
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 Blessings 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 Lord I have removed the borders of the people and have spoiled their treasures and have pulled down the Iuhabitants like a valiant man Esay 10 13 When Nebuchadnezzar and Herod took the praise of their greatness wit worth to themselves which was due to God you know what came of it Dan. 4. Act. 12.21 22 23. Esop's Crow not content with her own likeness went and borrowed a Feather of every Bird and then became so proud that she scorned them all which the Birds observing they came and pluckt each one their feather back and so left her naked Even so does God deal with all proud and ingrateful persons Hanani the Seer tells Asa King of Iudah Because thou hast rested upon the King of Syria and hast not rested in the Lord thy God therefore is the Host of the King of Syria escaped out of thy hand adding thereto The Ethiopians and the Lubims were they not a great Host with chariots and horsmen exceeding many yet because thou didst rest upon the Lord he delivered them into thine hand 2 Chron. 16.7 8. And again being diseased in his feet it is said That he sought not to the Lord but to the Physicians and what follows Asa slept with his Fathers and dyed his Physicians could do him no good without God the same Chapter ver 12.13 CHAP. XLVIII THankfulness for one benefit inviteth another but how worthy is he to perish in the next danger that is not thankful for escaping the former Ingratitude forfeits mercies as Merchants do all to the King by not payment of Custom Because Pharaoh saith the River is mine own therefore God saith I will dry up the River Ezek. 29.3 9. c. Isa. 19.5 6. Tamberlain having overcome Bajazet asked him whether he had ever given God thanks for making him so great an Emperor He confest ingenuously that he had never thought of it To whom Tamberlain replied That it was no mervail so ingrateful a man should be made such a spectacle of misery All which wise Solomon confirmeth Prov. 11.28 and also Iob Chap. 31. ver 24 25 28. Gods glory to him is as the Crown to the King Now there is less danger in stealing any thing from the King then his Crown for if men rob him of his Tribute or clip bis Coyn he may perhaps pardon it though that were much and he is not discreet that will run the hazard But if they go about to take his Crown from him there is no hope of obtaining pardon for that God is very bountiful in all other things his Wisdom he communicates and his Iustice he distributes and his Holiness he imparts and his Mercy he bestows and his onely Son he hath freely given as Paul sheweth 1 Cor. 1.30 31. But his Glory he will not give to another as himself speaks Isa. 42.8 And indeed this is the main fruit and return that comes unto God from all his Works This in the New Testament is as the fat of the burnt-offering was in the Old and we know all the fat was the Lords and he that did eat that was to be cut off from his people Levit 3.16 7.25 If you will see it in an example look upon Herod who in stead of giving the glory of his gifts unto God took it to himself and was cut off from his people by or after a strange and unheard of manner Acts 12. And thus we see by what hath been said that if pride covetousness hypocrisie or any the like springs shall set the wheels of our hearts a moving our Honey will prove but gall and our Wine Vinegar yea if these be the ends of our doing duties such an end will follow it as we had better be without it even such a misery at the end as will know no end of misery Let men therefore beware they rob not God of his glory which he so much stands upon least Satan by God's just permission rob them of their souls which they ought so much to stand upon Again secondly if the Grace of God be the Fountain from which all our endowments flow and that God may be honored by our gifts is the only end of our injoying them let us not so much as share with God in squinting one eye at Gods and another at our own honor Yea if God wil reward no Work nor bless it with his Grace unless it be intended to his glory Let us direct all our thoughts speeches and actions to his glory as he hath directed our Eternal Salvation thereunto Let us make God the Alpha and Omega the first and the last of all our actions and endeavours Let us add
who is baptized for in that number we shall find abundance of Hereticks no fewer Hypocrites and innâ—merable ungodly persons some not informed in their Iudgements 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 â—im 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 Iohn 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 bacause 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 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 saith 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 Iesus Now the inward disposition of the heart is outwardly ingraven in the life Shew me thy faith by thy works sayes Iames Iam. 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 Iames Iam. 2.21 St. Iames dealt with them that stood too much upon Faith without Works S. Paul dealt with them that stood too much upon Works without Faith Wicked 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 alâ—beit in our Justification Christ saith Fiat tibi secundum fidem tuam be it unto thee according to thy 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 servant that shal be saved Luke 17.10 And indeed if men were not wilfully blind and did not choose to follow the deceitfulness of their own hearts rather 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 saith 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 saith 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. Iames Who are blessed He saith The doer of the Word is blessed in his deed Iames 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 Ioh. 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 Iohn to be the true Messias indeed he said to his Disciples Tell Iohn 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 Iames 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 might see them so Faith must put on Works that the World may see it The works which I do says Christ bear witness of me And he alwayes linketh Faith and Repentance together Repent and believe the Gospel Mark 1.15 Therefore that which Christ hath joined let no man separate Mark 10.9 I know the Antinomians preach another Gospel but this is the old Orthodox common received truth They that in life wil yeild no obedience to the Law shall in death have no benefit by the Gospel And though the Law have no power to condemn us yet it hath power to command us Lex datur ut gratia quaereretur Evangelium ut Lex impleretur The Law sends us to Christ to be saved and Christ sends us back again to the law to learn obedience The former is plain The Law is our School-Master to bring us to Christ that we might be justisted by faith Gal. 3.24 The other is as manifest If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments Matth. 19.17 Let our Faith then be seen by our faithfulness and our Love by our Charity and think not to partake of what God hath promised but by doing in some measure what he hath commanded To conclude in a word God's servants are known by humility and charity the Devil 's by pride and cruelty Our Persons are justified by our Faith our Faith is justified by our Charity our Charity by Humility and the actions of a Godly Life And so much of the fourth Use. CHAP. LV. FIfthly if we be but Stewards of what we have and that our superfluities are really the Poors due then let none object when told of their unmercifulness What I have is mine own Or May I not do as I list with mine own for it is neither their own nor at their own disposing their wealth is their Makers and they must do with it as he in his Word injoins them Nor does this argument always hold good in civil matters 'T is a rule in Law No man may use his own right to the Common-wealths wrong or damage The Law provides that a man shall not burn his own corn nor his own house That he shall not drown his own Land nay a man may not bind himself from marriage or the manuring or tillage of his own Land because it is against the good of the Common-wealth Wherefore flatter thy self no longer but look to it thou hast not two souls that thou mightst hazard one of them Lose not thy soul to save thy purse but shew mercy if ever thou lookest to find any And hear the poor if ever thou wilt have God to hear thee For he hath said it that will one day Audit the poor man's complaints and thy Stewardships account that no sin but unkindness to thy Saviour in his suffering members shall bee cast into thy dish to the feeding of the never-dying worm of conscience Sixthly art thou but a Steward put in trust and art thou to give an account unto God how thou hast husbanded thy Master's Goods and wil this be the bill of particulars thou hast to give up Item so much spent in pride so much in lust so much spent upon revenge so much upon dice drunkenness drabs and the like great sums all laid out upon thy self in the pursuance of thy lust But when it comes to a work of mercy as What have you done for God What for Christ What â—or the members of Christ What for the advancement of Religion or any pious work or service Item nothing or as good as nothing Or thus Item received strength and laid out oppression Item received riches and laid out covetousness received health and laid out riot and drunkenness Item received speech and laid out swearing cursing lying received sight and laid out lusting or perhaps Item so many score pounds laid out in malice and suits of Law so many hundreds in lusts and vanities in feasting and foppery So many thousands in building great houses Item to the Poor in my Will to be paid at my death forty shillings to the Preacher for a funeral Oration to commend me ten or twenty shillings Item to beggars when they came to my door or when I walked abroad a few scraps that I knew not what else to do with and sometimes a few Farthings Item so much spent in excess and superfluitie and so little in performing the works of mercy so much laid out upon worldly vanities sinful pleasures and so little for good uses especially for relieving Christ's poore members Will this Bill pass current when God comes to cast it up When thou hast laid out all for thy self either in Apparel or in Feasting Drinking c. for thy self self-credit self-delight and content even amounting to scores hundreds thousands while for pious and charitable uses there comes in here and there onely two-pences three-pences such poor short reckonings not worthy to be summed up
to say All that is truly mine I carry with me They desire not so much to lay up treasure for themselvs upon earth but to lay up for themselvs in Heaven as their Lord and Master hath commanded them Matth. 6.19 20. What saith the Apostle Let not covetousness be once named among Saints Ephes. 5.3 As if that world which many prefer before Heaven were not worth talking of All worldly things are but lent us our houses of stone wherein our bodies dwell our houses of clay wherein our souls dwell are but lent us honours pleasures treasures money maintenance wives children friends c. but lent us we may say of them all as he said of the Ax-head when it fell into the water 2 Kings 6.5 Alasâ— they are but borrowed Only spiritual graces are given of those things there is only a true donation whereof there is a true possession worldly things are but as a Tabernacle a moveable heaven is a mansion Now put all these together and they will sufficiently shew that he is a fool or a mad man that prefers not spiritual riches which are subject to none of these casualties before temporal and transitory And so at lenght I have shewn you what it is not and what it is to be rich And I hope convinced the worldling that the richest are not alwayes the happiest Yea that they are the most miserable who swim in wealth wanting grace and Gods blessing upon what they do possesse while that man is incomparably happy to whom God in his love and favour giveth only a competency of earthly things and the blessing of contentation withall so as to be thankful for the same and desire no more I will now in discharge of my promise acquaint you how of poor melancholy and miserable you may become rich happy and cheerful CHAP. XXVIII THe which I shal do from the Word of God Nor need it seem strage that for the improving of mens outward estates I prescribe them rules and directions from thence For would we be instructed in any necessary truth whether it be Theological concerning God Ecclesiastical concerning The Church Political concerning The Common-wealth Moral concerning Our neighbours and friends Oeconomical concerning Our private families Monastical concerning Our selves Or be it touching Our Temporal estate Civil estate Spirituul estate Eternal Souls Bodies Names Estates Posterities We need but have recourse to the written Word For that alone is a magazine of all needful provision a store-house of all good instructions And let a man study Machiavel and all the Machiavilians and State-politicians that ever wrote he can add nothing or nothing of worth to what may be collected thence touching this subject Wherefore if any of poor would become rich let him use the means which tend thereunto observe and follow those Rules and Directions which God hath prescribed and appointed in his Word which are principally six For as the Throne of Solomon was mounted unto by six stairs so is this Palace of Plenty and Riches ascended unto by six steps set upon this ground already laid For I find in the Word six infallible wayes to become rich or six sorts of men whom God hath promised to bless with riches and all outward prosperity That is to say 1 The Godly 2 The Liberal 3 The Thankful 4 The Humble 5 The Industrious 6 The Frugal These of all other men in the world are sure never to want And these are the main heads unto which I will draw all I shall say upon this Partition or Division CHAP. XXIX FIrst if any of poor would become rich let him become religious for Godliness hath the promises of this life as well as of the life to come 1 Tim. 4.8 Yea all temporall blessings that can be named are promised to the godly and their seed and to them only as both the Old and New Testament does plainly and plentifully prove As for instance in Deuteronomy the 28th God hath promised that if we will hearken diligently unto his voice observe and do all his Commandements and walk in his wayes we shall be blessed in the city and blessed in the field blessed in our going forth and in our comming home blessed in the fruit of our bodies and in the fruit of our ground and in the fruit of our cattel the increase of our kine and the flocks of our sheep That he will bless us in our store-houses and in all that we set our hands unto and make us plentiful in all good things and that we shall have wherewith to lend unto many and not borrow Verse 1 to 15th and Chap. 7.11 to 19th To which may be added many the like places As Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and delighteth greatly in his commandements wealth and riches shall be in his house Psal. 112. Verse 1 to 4th Wait on the Lord and keep his way and he will exalt thee to inherit the land Psal. 37.34 The Lord will with-hold no good thing from them that walk uprightly Psal. 84.11 Delight thy self in the Lord and he shall give thee thine hearts desire c. Psal. 37. 3 to 7. Fear ye the Lord ye his Saints for nothing wanteth to them that fear him The Lions do lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall want nothing that is good Psal. 34.9 10. Whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his commandements and do those things which are pleasing in his sight 1 John 3.12 What rare and precious promises are these to which I might add very many of like nature All which David had the experience of who tels us that he greatly rejoyced in the strength and salvation of the Lord and the Lord gave him his hearts desire and did not with-hold the request of his lips Yea he prevented him with the blessings of goodness and set a crown of gold upon his head Psal. 11.1 2 3 4. And the like of Abraham and Lot and Iob and Solomon Let us first seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all other things shall be ministred unto us or come in as it were upon the bargain as our Saviour hath assured us Matth. 6.33 Talis est ille qui in Christâ— credit die qua credidit qualis ille qui universam legem implevit saith Hierom We have a livery and seisin of all the precious promises both in the Law and Gospel in the first moment of our faith Yea even an earnest and partly a possession of Heaven it self Ephes. 2.6 Neither are these promises made only to the obedient themselves but riches and all earthly blessings are entailed upon their seed also Psal. 112. His seed shall be mighty upon earth the generation of the righteous shall be blessed Verse 2 3. Nor is riches and outward prosperity promised to the godly and their seed as others usually enjoy them that is single and barely but they have a promise of them with a supply and addition of all other good
things that may make them every way happy as that their prosperity shall be durable and lasting That with riches they shall have credit honour and promotion with long life added That they shall be happy and prosper in all they have or do as having God their Protector who with mercy is said to compass them about on every side Psal. 32.10 That they shall be freed from all fears and dangers and obtein victory over all their enemies together with death hell and the devil That they shall be freed from the Law and likewise from sin and the penalty thereof That they shall have peace external internal eternal And joy even the joy of the holy Ghost which is both glorious and unspeakable That they shall not only persevere but also grow in grace and true wisdom Thâ—t all things whatsoever shall make for their good That both their persons and performances shall be good and acceptable which before were wicked and abominable That by the prayer of faith they shall obtein of God whatsoever they shall ask in Christs Name and according to his Word And in fine all other good things that can be named whether temporal spiritual or eternal are by the promise of God entailed upon them that love him and keep his commandements and upon their seed as I could plentifully and most easily prove were it pertinent to the matter in hand Nor is all this that God hath promised to those that serve him so great a matter comparatively as that we need wonder at it or once question the same For If he spared not his own Son but delivered him to death for us how shall he not with him freely give us all things also Rom. 8.31 32. It is the Apostles argument Great yea too great things are they for us to receive but not too great for the great and good God of Heaven and earth to give all the fear is on our part whether we be such to whom the promise is made For all Gods promises are conditional And though of these outward good things he hath promised abundance yet it is upon the condition of faith and obedience as appears by all the fore-mentioned places so that if we be not wanting in out duty and obedience to God God will not be wanting in any good thing to us Nor can we look that God should make good his promises if we make them void by not observing the condition as that we may do by our distrusting him If we will not dare to trust God upon his promise so confidently as we would a friend or some great man that is able and honest Besides the Lord hath promised that there shall be no want to them that fear him and that no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly Psal. 34.9 84.11 Where observe two things there shall be no want to such and such shall want no good thing so that he must be such an one to whom the promise is made and he must also be sure that it is good for him which is promised But oftentimes it is not good for a man to abound with earthly blessings as strong drinke is not good for weake brains Yea if any thing be wantiug to a good man he may be sure it is not good for him and then better that he doth want it then that he did enjoy it and what wise man will complain of the want of that which if he had would prove more hurtful then gainful to him as a sword to a mad man a knife to a childe drinke to them that have a Fever or the Dropsie No good thing will God with-hold c. and therefore not wants themselves which to many are also good yea very good things as I could reckon up many want sanctified is a notable means to bring to repentance to work in us amendment of life it stirs up to prayer it weans from the love of the world it keeps us always prepared for the spiritual combate discovers whether we be true believers or hypocrites prevents greater evils of sin and punishment to come It makes us humble conformable to Christ our head increaseth our faith our joy and thankfulnesse our spiritual wisdom and likewise our patience as I have largely shewen in The Benefit of Affliction To coonclude All good things were created for the good and therefore are they called goods because the good God created them for good men to do good withal Therefore as Jacob got the blessing so he gat the inheritance also to shew that as the faithful have the inward blessing so they have the outward blessing too when they will do them good and cause them to do good Yea in this case even as the sheaffs fell before Ruth so riches shall fall in our way as they did to Abraham and Lot and Iacob and Iob and Ioseph upon whom riches were cast they knew not how but as if God had onely said Be rich and they were rich straight But that this is the true and only way to wealth and happiness needs no more proof then that which is recorded of Solomon 1 Kings 3. 2 Chron. 1. where the Lord appearing to him in a dream said Ask what I shall give thee And he asking only an understanding heart to discern between good and evil that he might the better discharge that great place whereunto God had called him wherein Gods glory and the peoples good was his principal aime and end Heare what the Lords answer is Because this was in thine heart and thou hast not asked riches wealth or honour nor the life of thine enemies neither yet hast asked long life but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thy self that thou mightest judge my people over whom I have made thee King Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee and I will give thee riches wealth and honour such as none of the Kings have had that have been before thee neither shall there any after thâ—â— have the like c. Yea he was so surpassing rich that he gave silver in Ierusalem as stones and gave Cedars as the wilde fig-trees that grow abundantly in the plain 1. King 10.27 2 Chron. 1.7 to 13 14 15. Lo the true way to Wealth honour and happiness is to desire grace that we may glorifie God and do good for cleering whereof I 'le give you a similitude A man spies a fair apple on a tree hath a longing desire to it whereupon he falls a shaking the tree with all his might at length it not only comes down but many other come down to him together with it And so much to prove that the way to become rich is first to become godly If any shall ask why the godly are not alwayes nor oft rich notwithstanding these promises I answer that God not seldom withholds these outward blessings from his own people in great love only affording them all things that they have need of Our heavenly Father who knows us better then