conscience of humane office and dutie which he would haue preserued in the middest of them and such also as he hath vsed for his more holie and honorable instruments for the direction and instigation of his people from time to time to walke not onelie in humanitie but euen in Christian mercie compassion toward their brethren in a holie communion of Saintes before him Not for necessitie of proofe or for power of perswasion as if the holie Scriptures were not alone sufficient to euerie holie vse both of doctrine reprehension comfort and exhortation but that euery one that wil not shut his eyes may more clearely perceiue that he shall stand euery way conuict and condemned before God and in his owne conscience and before the world if he do not mind and practise the duties herein conteined And that especially in more then ordinary hard times such as of late haue continued for sundry yeares together and are like againe to renew vpon vs if we call not the more earnestly vpon God for mercie and if we shall not more vnfeinedly repent of our most grieuous sinnes which haue as it were armed his iustice and kindled his wrath against vs. And in this respect I trust such addition of sentences shall not be vngratefully accepted either of the learned who will take an honest and scholler-like delight in the elegancie of the speech wherein the Authours expresse their graue and weightie meditations of these matters or of the vnlearned for whose sake I will English at the least the more briefe and principall of them And the rather haue I this trust because they will wisely consider that there is more libertie allowable this way in a course of writing then in an vsuall order and custome of preaching and againe because in no other argument may this be to better purpose performed then in that which is presently in hand Excellency of Giuing THE FIRST PART of the Treatise CHAP. 1. What Giuing is IN so much as in this argument of Giuing Receiuing Giuing as was obserued in part before hath the first place in order it being as it were by birth and course of nature before Receiuing but much rather in so much as it is of greatest preheminence and worth in dignitie to the which also belongeth the chiefe fruite and as it were the first-bornes double portion in the blessing according to those words of our Sauiour Christ himselfe which the Apostle Paul would haue very diligently remembred of all Christians in that he sayd It is a blessed thing to giue rather then to receiue Act. 20.35 Reason therefore strongly chalengeth that we begin with Giuing as with the principall and more worthy part of that Prize which now is striuen for And how I pray you should it not be as the Apostle remembreth from the doctrine of our Sauiour Christ that Giuing is a more blessed thing than Receiuing seeing that by how much men of God are more bountifully minded and more liberally handed by so much do they more liuely both in disposition of mind also in practise of Action represent and resemble the likenesse of God himselfe who by no other thing is better manifested and made knowne either for his owne honour and glorie or to our comfort then by the bountie of his goodnesse and mercy in giuing and bestowing his benefites and blessings vpon vs his poore and vnworthy seruants This doubt the Lord himselfe giueth clearely to vnderstand in his holy Scriptures where he hath of purpose most fully reuealed himselfe in that he holdeth forth the light of his mercy to shine out most brightly among the reâ—â— of his most noble diuine vertues as we may perceiue by a few testimonies culled out of many which it shall be good for vs to alleadge before we proceed any further as it were out of so warme a Sun-shine The Prophet Moses telleth vs that at what time it pleased God at his request to proclaime the glorie of his name Exod. chap. 34. verses 6.7 that he vsed more words in number and larger in sence to expresse his mercy then any diuine property els yea then the wrath of his iustice which is there mentioned with it The words of mercy which exceed in number are these Mercifull gratious slowe to anger and aboundant in goodnesse and truth compared with not making the wicked innocent and visiting of iniquitie foure or fiue to two The words which exceed in largenesse of sence are these Reseruing mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquity transgression and sin that is infinit sinnes and all kind of great and grieuous sinnes compared with these words Visiting the inquitie of the fathers vpon the children vpon the childrens children to the third and fourth generation But mark I pray you that I do not lessen or diminish Gods iustice to inlarge his mercie for that were most impious sacrilege seeing both are infinitely perfect aboue all vnequall comparison but I speake as Moses telleth vs that the Lord himself spake coÌ„paring the displeasure or anger of his iustice with the fauor of his mercy in regard of his couenaÌ„t made in respect of Christ by whose satisfactioÌ„ this wrath of iustice is woÌ„derfully coÌ„tracted yea in respect of the elect made temporall yea is cleane diuerted and abolished For otherwise perfect that is infinite both mercy and iustice meete together in the saluation of the elect God accounting it iust to saue the vniust for Christs sake who is the Lord our righteousnesse But let vs come to some other testimonies wherein God hath in singular maner renoumed his mercie The Lord saith the holy Psalmist is gratious and mercifull slowe to anger and of great mercy The Lord is good to all and his mercies are ouer all his works Psal 145.8.9 And Psalm 136. he repeateth this foote of the song as often as there be verses in the Psalme that is 26 times one after the other For his mercie endureth for euer And he maketh this as the chiefe reason of all his workes yea euen of his most fearefull and heauy iudgements vpon the wicked in the which he propoundeth to himselfe not so much the confusion and destruction of the wicked in his iustice as the benefite of his Church and people to the glory of his grace and mercie as is easie to be seene in the reading of that Psalme According also to that Isaiah 43.4 Because thou wert pretious in my sight wert honorable I loued thee saith the Lord therefore will I giue man for thee and people for thy sake This singular care of the Lord ouer his people is euerie where repeated in the holy Scriptures Read Psalme 9.9 and Psal 10.17 and 18.27 and 34.6 and 40.17 and 113.5 and 146.7.8.9 God will be a refuge to his poore people he will heare them he will saue them he will destroy their enemies c. And for what other causes also doth God at any time aduance any of his seruants from poore estate to high
patrimony and to inrich them with worldly wealth by filling their purses rather then with spirituall grace and vertue by furnishing of their souls by holy instructions by faithfull prayers to God and by Godly example of life Yea herein he committeth a double sin as well in that he taketh not the right course to leaue his children to the protection of God as in that by his practise and example he teacheth them to make more reckening of their earthly patrimony then of Christ himselfe and of his heauenly kingdome And further it is by many degrees better to be a father to manie Orphanes or fatherlesse children in feeding and cherishing them of Christian loue and pitie for the Lords cause who professeth himself to be a father vnto him then to leaue the greatest aboundance that may be to such children of a mans owne as for want of grace shewe themselues so leudly minded that they will wantonly and vnthriftily mispend all that shall be left them as experience doth not seldome shew it to fall out so Finally many though they be not Gentlemen themselues yet do they put forth so farre to make their children or at the least their eldest sonne a Gentleman that they make themselues beggers before they die and make their eldest so mightie aboue the rest that he spoileth and impouerisheth all his brethren OBIECTION 2. concerning care for children Among my children God hath giuen me some daughters beside my sonnes whom I can by no meanes preferre in mariage to any of good degree and countenance in the place where I dwell vnlesse I prouide for them some round portions And I must also bring them vp so as they must haue some Gentlewomanly qualities and they must sutably be set out in apparell something according to the fashion which as these dayes go is very chargeable all the world is giuen to so great brauery ANSWER O blind doting and aspiring folly Doest thou seeke to marrie thy daughters thus Dost thou not see that this is the way to procure husbands to thy daughters portions rather then to themselues and to wed all thy daughters to vanity before thou findest out one good meet husband for anie of them O how much better were it for Christian parents to nurture bring vp their daughters in the feare of God and true Christian modestie in holy shamefastnesse and sobrietie and in good huswiferie that they being first of all espoused to Iesus Christ their heauenly and spirituall bridegrome and so made fit for mariage might haue in his due time husbands of his most wise choise and appointment with whom they might leade not a wanton and idle but a right christian godly and comfortable life Marry thy daughter saith a wise man and so shalt thou performe a weightie matter but giue thou her to a man of vnderstanding Ecclesiasticus 7.25 Thus much for answere concerning inordinate care for children Obiections in regard of the pretended vnworthinesse of those that stand in neede to be relieued doe nowe followe OBIECTION 1. in regard of pretended vnworthinesse of those which stand in neede to be relieued I thinke in my conscience saith the couetous and vnmercifull man that I should doe verie ill to giue to so many as are readie to aske of me for I should mainetaine manie poore folke in their idlenesse and to bring vp their children also idlelie c. Which should be hurtefull to the Common-wealth ANSWER For the poore to liue idlelie in a christian common-wealth and likewise for them to bring vp their children in idlenes it is verily a great yea a double sinne and ought of conscience to be misliked and condemned of all seeing it is condemned of God himselfe He that will not worke should not eate as the Lord by his holy Apostle saith 2. Thes 3.10 And the ciuill magistrate should faile greatlie in his dutie and so sinne against God if he should not by his authoritie prouide against it Neuerthelesse it is no sinne for a mercifull man to relieue anie that be presentlie in vrgent necessitie be they idle or be they worse prouided notwithstanding that with the outwarde reliefe admonition be giuen with earnest perswasion that they will leaue their idlenesse and wickednesse and followe an orderlie and godly course of life Nay this is so farre off from the nature of sinne that he who doth so maketh practise of a double vertue and grace insomuch as at one instant as it were he giueth a double almes the one to the comfort of the hungrie bodie the other for the health of the surfetted soule The more full answere to this obiection may be giuen from the late excellent Statute made for the suppressing of idlenes and for order to be taken as well to set the poore to worke as to contribute to their reliefe so farre as they shall furthermore be found to stand in neede OBIECTION 2. Let a man giue them neuer so much they will be neuer the better for it all shall go through their throate c. ANSWER Such as be well and thriftilie minded will be the better As for the rest if they will be nothing the better yea though they should be the worse it may suffice thee vntill thou doest perceiue it to be so in deede that thou giuest with a mind to doe them as much good as thou mightest Their euill can no whit deminish thy goodnesse But if thou vpon experience perceiuest anie to be the worse as not knowing how to take the right benefite of reliefe thou maiest well make a better choise and so cast the seed as it were into a better soile OBIECTION 3. They are verie vnthankefull they will not giue a man a good word for all that is done for them ANSWER All be not so And though some be vnthankful yet God will be neuerthelesse gratious mercifull to thee Againe if thou shouldest seeke after the thanks and praise of men what a vaine thing were this For so shouldest thou loose all praise and reward with God Furthermore let it be obserued that thofe men which are thus most ready to accuse the poore of vnthankfulnesse and to be the more idle because of reliefe c. they are such as can speake least of all other vpon their owne experience Wherefore well may such Christians be rebuked and shamed by the sayings of the heathen who say Recompence followeth after him that looketh not for it Againe It is the determination of him that is an excellent good man indeed and hath his minde inlarged that way so long to beare with the vnthankefull man vntill thou hast wonne him to be thankefull But let vs proceed OBIECTION 4. There want not examples of some who make so great a shewe of godlinesse as one would thinke that he should do God good seruice in relieuing of them and yet afterward they are found to be nothing the men they seemed to be So that a man knoweth not to whom he should giue And were it not
fauour shewed and all concealing of benefites bestowed But that vnthankfulnes passeth all saith a third which maketh the good will of him that hath deserued well the occasion of his vnthankfulnesse For as experience sheweth some are so wicked that they delight to speake the worst of those that haue deserued best of them So true is it that an other saieth It is more safe to offend some then to deserue well at their hand More safe I saie for the auoiding of their ill tongue in so much as they seek to make proofe by their hatefull dealing that they are nothing beholding to a man But leauing all other writers let vs come to the holie Scriptures themselues and from them learne what iudgement the Lord God who in all thinges iudgeth most righteous iudgement hath of this sinne and consequentlie what punishment he hath awarded against the fame And first let vs begin with vnthankefulnes to his owne most bounteous and diuine maiestie seeing vnthankfulnes to God is the roote of all vnthankfulnes to men And againe vnthankfulnes to good men redoundeth from man vpon God himselfe whose worke onelie both the worke and also all affection and disposition of the heart of man to goodnes and mercie is For seeing as our Sauiour Christ affirmeth None is good saue one which is God Matth. 19.17 it must needes followe that who soeuer hath anie sparkle of true goodnes or inclination to goodnes in him he hath receiued it as a grace from the good spirit of God Wherfore I doe willingly suppose that how soeuer it may seeme not so properly pertinent to this Treatise to speak of vnthanfulnes to God that yet I shall not perfourme altogether a thanklesse office to beginne herewithall and so proceede to that vnthankefulnesse which is in man toward man First therefore to lay forth the haynousnesse of the sinne of vnthankfulnesse to God the onely fountaine of goodnesse that one place in the first chapter of Paules Epistle to the Romanes verses 21.22.23 may aboundantly suffice The Gentiles saith the holy Apostle are left without excuse Because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankefull but became vaine in their imaginations and their foolish heart was full of darkenesse When they professed themselues to be wise they became fooles For they turned the glorie of the incorruptible God into the similitude of the image of corruptible man and of birds and of foure footed beasts and of creeping things c. Behold here what a great palpable darkenesse followeth vpon the putting out of the light of knowledge by miserable vnthankfulnesse and also what a floud of wickednesse breaketh in by the pulling vp of this sluce as it were For no doubt if the Gentiles had bene thankefull to God in any measure of truth as they ought to haue bene considering the Lord left not himself without witnes among them as the same Apostle testified Act. 14. verse 17. in that he did good and gaue them raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons filling their heartes with ioy and gladnesse they had surely preuented all that extremitie and outrage of iniquitie which for want hereof they fell into The same thing doth the same Apostle giue againe to vnderstand in his Epistle to the Ephesians chap. 5. verse 4. in that he opposeth it vnto manie sinnes that is to fornication and all vncleannesse and couetousnesse and filthines and foolish talking and iesting all which as the Apostle telleth christians are thinges not comelie in that I saie to all these vices he opposeth this one singular vertue of Thanksgiuing As though he should saie this ought to be as a strong barre against all them wheras on the contrarie if thankfulnes to God be wanting and no due consideration had of his mercies the doore is set wide open vnto them Not without great cause therefore doth the Lord by his holy Prophet Isaiah chap. 1. ver 2.3 c. so vehemently reproue his people for their vnthankfulnesse vnto him Heare ô heauens hearken ô earth saith Isaiah for the Lord hath said I haue nourished and broght vp children but they haue rebelled against me The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his maisters cribbe but Isarael hath not knowne my people hath not vnderstood Ah sinfull nation a people laden with iniquitie c. So then we may easily perceiue that this sinne must needs be a hainous sinne which traiterously letteth in so huge an hoste of enemies to trouble heauen and earth as it were What shall we therefore make lesse of vnthankefulnes to God then to be an vtter trāpling of all Gods gratious benefits blessings and mercies vnder our feet what shall we make it lesse then as a whirlepoole or bottomlesse pit to sink swallow vp consume the blessings of God to no good vse how infinitly soeuer they be Yea how can we make it lesse then to be a most contemptuous lifting vp of the heele against God himselfe after the maner of the pampered beast which very mischieuously striketh his master frō whom he hath all his prouender Deut. 32.13 c. He that should haue bene vpright when he waxed fat spurned with his heele c. Finally what can any man make lesse of it then a most rebellious arming of men euen like Giants to fight against God in heauen as it were with his owne artillerie and weapons here vpon earth The sin therefore being so hainous how thinke we can it stand with the perfect iustice of God that the punishmēt should not accordingly be very sharpe The punishment of vnthankefulnes to God yea manifold and most grieuous and heauie And verily so it was vpon all Israel as followeth in that first chapter of the prophesie of Isaiah For in respect of the sundrie great plagues which fell vpon them for the same their vnthankfulnesse to God they are compared as it were to some spittle-house man who hath no part sound in him For as the Prophet frameth his description of their pittifull estate From the soale of the foote vnto the head there was nothing whole but woundes and swelling and sores full of corruption that also without wrapping and binding vp and without mollifying with oyle c. Read also Psal 78. and Psal 106. The Apostle Paule also in that his first chapter of the epist to the Rom. alleaged before sheweth how horribly the Gentils were punished for their vnthankfulnes he writing thus of them from the 24. verse of the chapter Wherefore also saith the Apostle God gaue them vp to their hearts lustes vnto vncleannesse to defile their own bodies betweene themselues c. And ver 28. he openeth the cause of it For saith he as they regarded not to know God euen so God deliuered them vp into a reprobate mind to do those things which are not conuenient They being full of all vnrighteousnesse fornication wickednes couetousnes maliciousnes c. This verily is a most grieuous punishment when one sin of the wicked
is punished with another that is when they are giuen ouer from sin to sinne howsoeuer the burthen of this punishment which maketh way to all plague and punishment is not discerned of the wicked The Apostle therefore addeth further chap. 2. vers 4.5 They that despise the riches of Gods bountifulnesse and patience and long sufferance not knowing that is not regarding to know or consider that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth to repentance They do after the hardnesse of their harts that cannot repent heape vp vnto themselues wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God who wil reward euery one according to his works c. So likewise in the former place of the Epist to the Ephesians For such things that is for such vices as breake forth and beare swaie among the wicked for want of thankfulnesse to God as the Apostle had rehearsed in the words going before the wrath of God commeth vpon the children of disobedience Vnthankefulnesse it selfe in that it is a neglect of dutie to God is a great sinne and that which God punisheth sharply in his owne childrē like as we read of King Hezekiah that good king that wrath came vpon him from the Lord because he did not render to the Lord according to the reward bestowed vpon him 2. Chron. 32.24.25.26 Howbeit insomuch as Hezekiah beeing reproued did humble himselfe both he and the inhabitantes of Ierusalem therefore they preuented the extremitie of Gods wrath so as it fell not vpon them in the daies of Hezekiah Now therefore seeing the Lord cannot spare this sinne when it is found with neglect of dutie in his best seruants for a time how should he not punish it in the wicked in whom vnthankefulnesse is accompained with a black gard of all kind of foule vices and abominable sinnes beside May it not be iustly sayd to the shame of all such as Moses spake to the vnthankefull Israelites Deut. 32.6 Doe ye so reward the Lord ò ye foolish people and vnwise Is not he thy father that hath bought thee he hath made thee and porportioned thee c. And if for all this they that be vnthankefull will be vnthankfull still notwithstanding all the infinite mercies of God reuealed vpon vs specially now in the dayes of the Gospell both earthlie and heauenly mercies for body and soule for this life and for euer vpon our selues and all ours which ought to inflame our heartes to power forth perpetuall praises and thankes to the glorie of his most blessed name may we not iustly say further as Moses spake to the people The fire shall kindle in Gods wrath and burne to the bottome of hell and consume the earth with her increase and set on fire the foundations of the mountaines The Lord will send plagues vpon them and bestow his arrowes vpon them They shall be burnt with hunger and consumed with heate and bitter destruction And may not the Lord himselfe as it is written Psal 107. turn a fruitful land into barrenesse for the wickednes of thē that dwell therein Yea may he not iustly take away the hedge of his vineyard break downe the wall therof when in steed of sweet grapes it bringeth forth those that be sower and wild That is when there is oppression in steed of iudgmēt crying out in steed of righteousnesse Isa 5.5 c. For seeing vnthankfulnes as hath bene declared is both the breeder also the nourisher of all sin carying all sin as it were in the wombe of it like to those most il-fauoured and leane kine which did eate vp as many well liking and fat kine but when they had eaten them vp were still as leane and ill-fauoured as at the beginning of the which we read Gen. 41 19.20.21 Wel therefore may the fulnesse perfection of all wrath and punishment be cast vpon all such gurmandizing Cormorants who consuming Gods blessings yeeld no fruits of thankfulnesse vnto him but remaine continually leane barren and blasted that way The hope of the vnthankefull shall melt away as the winter yee and flow away as vnprofitable waters Wisdom 16.29 And great reason why vnthankfulnesse to God should bee so heinous in his sight and why also he should punish it so seuerely partly here but more fully after this life ended not only for the causes already alleaged but for many other as first for that God doth in vaine so oftē so earnestly put such vnthākful ones in mind of their duty herein as Ps 50.14 Offer vnto God praise And Eph. 5.20 Giue thanks alwayes for al things vnto God euen the Father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ Likewise Philip. 4.6 Col. 4.2 1. Thes 5.18 and in many other places Secondly because that which is in all equity a most due debt is most vniustly denied withheld frō him as 2. Thes 1.3 We ought to thank God alwayes as is meet c. ch 2.13 We ought to giue thanks alway to God for you brethrē c. And if for others thē also much rather for Gods loue fauour all the fruits thereof toward our selues And Ps 29.2 Giue to the Lord the glory due to his name Reasons of the punishment Thirdly because thankefulnesse is a speciall good dutie wherewith the Lord is singularlie well pleased as Psal 92.1.2 It is a good thing to prayse the Lord c. And Psal 69.30.31 I will prayse the name of God with a song and magnifie him with thankesgiuing The which shall please the Lord better then to offer a young bullocke that hath hornes and hoofes Fourthly because it is as the singular ornament of our owne profession of Gods holy worship as Psal 33.1 Reioyce in the Lord ô ye righteous for it becommeth vpright men to be thankefull And Psal 135.3 Praise ye the Lord for the Lord is good sing prayses to his name for it is a comely thing And Psal 147.1 Praise ye the Lord for it is good to sing vnto our God for it is a pleasant thing and prayse is comely Fiftly because by our thankefulnesse we make speciall profession of our faith and giue the greatest glorie we can yeeld vnto him in the acknowledgement of his prouidence and of his truth in the performance of his promises c. as Psal 66.1.2 c. Reioyce in the Lord ye inhabitantes of the earth Sing forth the glorie of his name make his prayse glorious And Psal 96.8 Giue vnto the Lord the glory of his name And Psal 50.23 He that offereth praise glorifieth me saith the Lord himselfe But on the contrarie all vnthankfull persons dishonour God they iustly displease him they disgrace themselues they shew themselues void of faith they tread vnder foote the commaundement of God c. Thus much of the sinne of vnthankefulnesse to God how hanious it is in his owne nature and in the sight of God and accordingly how greuious the punishment is which in the iustice of God belongeth
therof they are bent to warre Hetherto of the complaint of Dauid Now how the Prophet Ieremie complaineth against the same kind of most vnthankefull men we read in his prophesie chap. 18.20 And he putteth vp his complaint to God appealing from such vnequall aduersaries to the most righteous Iudge Shall euill be recompenced for good saith the Prophet For they haue digged a pitte for my soule remember that I haue stood before thee to speake good for them and to turne away thy wrath from them Where it is worthy to be marked that Praier is reckned for a singular benefit to those that are praied for euen by the iudgement of the Lords high court of heauen how lightly soeuer they through their owne wickednesse esteeme of it and frustrate the effect thereof Such is the complaint of the Prophet Ierimiah Whereby together with the former complaints of Iob and Dauid they all beeing very good and mercifull men we may perceiue what is the intollerable vnthankfulnesse of the children of this world against the children and seruants of God who doe euerie way seeke to procure the greatest and best good they can vnto them But what is all this in comparisone of that vnthankefulnesse of the Iewes to our Sauiour Christ mentioned before who notwithstāding he was infinitly aboue all other whether Dauid or Ierimiah or anie other or all both Prophets Kings and Priests most tender in all compassion and most bounteous in the exercise of all goodnesse toward them and all men they were neuerthelesse most ingratefull yea most malitious and spitefull against him to the death as we saw from the 10. chap. of the Euangelist Iohn and as the effect it selfe confirmed by experience and most diuelish practise in the end And touching experience who is it euen to speake generally that exerciseth himselfe in doing good whether to the bodies and outward state of men or to their soules and true welfare thereof specially if they make that the end of all their kindnesse to drawe them from sinne to faith and obedience to God as all right good godly men do Who hath not I say some vncomfortable experience of vnthankefulnesse yea of bad requital at the hands of those whose benefit and saluation they seeke The good vse now both of experience and of examples of vnthankefull persons must not be thereby to discourage the minds of any from dooing good that their loue should be quenched by the vnkinknesse or hatred and malice of other but according to those former good examples of well doing we looking principally to the vnweariablenesse of our Sauiour Christ in most constant continuance of dooing the greatest good though he was requited at the handes of the most part with the most bitter and worst requitall that might be we also euerie one in his measure may confirme our selues in a good and mercifull course against all offences whatsoeuer yea though they doe at any time a rise from such at whose hands we should least looke for them euen such as any haue reputed to bee most faithfully affected toward them For doubtlesse the worke of all such shal be of speciall account with the Lord who assuredly will so much the more aboundantly requite the constant goodnesse and mercie of his seruantes by how much they are worse recompenced in this wicked world But on the contrarie as touching all vnthankeful ones by how much they render the greater euill for the greater good The punishment of vnthankefulnes to men they shall be sure to haue so much the greater portion of the greatest punishment and vengeance that may be from the iust hand of God who challengeth vengeance to belong vnto him and will certainelie and fully repay Note also the sin of vnthankfulnesse is great euē in this that in dscourageth many from liberality causeth the loue of many to waxe cold as our Sauiour Christ teacheth Matt. chap. 24.12 It should not bee so but experience sheweth it to be true by reason of mans infirmity Wherefore not without cause haue euen the heathen condēned vnthankful persons as common enemies to the poore needy as he himselfe protesteth Rom. 12.19 and Heb. 10.30 and in manie other places Of this punishment of vnthankfulnesse therefore let vs now henceforth come to consider Here first of all the holie Prouerb offereth it selfe for a plaine and familiar confirmation For he that rewardeth euill for good as saith King Salomon speaking by the holie Ghost euill shall not depart from his house chap. 17. verse 13. And in that he maketh mention of the house of the vngratious or mischieuous vnthankfull man which is the highest degree of vnthankfulnes it is more then if the holie Prouerb had affirmed that euill should rest vpon his owne person alone For hereby it is plaine that in so much as vsuallie the wife and children and seruantes of the vnthankfull man are wrapped in his sinne for naturallie we are all of vs vnthankfull and will easilie be drawne into it therfore they are partakers of the punishment with the master of the familie vnles happilie they shall by the grace of God winde themselues out of the guiltinesse of his sinne like as that godlie wise Abigail and her seruantes did from partaking with Nabal her husband in his sinne and so escaped the punishment hasting toward them all by meanes of the same Wherefore to say no more of Nabal that great and rich churle saue onelie this that in so much as Dauid beeing with his foure hundreth men in the wildernes of Paran was verie good to the seruantes of Nabal so that his men tooke nothing from them but were as a wall of defence both night and day thereupon Nabals owne seruants tell their Mistresse that they feared some euill would suerlie come vpon their Master and vpon all his familie because of his churlishnesse 1. Sam. 25. verses 14.15 c. Let vs take a further view of some other examples how God hath punished this wicked vnthankfulnesse and how also he hath armed and authorised manie menaces and threatenings against the same which shall surelie in their due times and seasons take place against all offenders whether particular persons or whole people and nations Our first example to this purpose shall be the Egiptians who because they forgat that great preseruation which God gaue them by the hand of Ioseph against their seuen yeares of scarcitie dearth and famine and for that they dealt verie cruellie against the people of Israel for whose cause God vouchsafed to blesse them they were afterward destroied both they and their king by the mightie and high hande of the Lord from heauen And the rather because they despised the more gentle corrections of the Lord whereby he called them to repentance Exod. 1.8 c. and chap. 7. c. and ch 14.16 The Ammonits Moabits Edomits who were fauorably dealt withal by the people of Israel whē they came out of the land of Egypt and passed by them toward