things which we haue done but that we may receiue a full reward Neither is it a small vertue in the Giuer specially if he be bounteous to take in good part such poore tokens of thankfulnesse as their Alumni and foster children do at any time offer vnto them Finally thankfulnesse to God is a vertue belonging to him that is truly beneficial in so much as God hath not only made him able but which is a greater grace hath made him willing and carefull yea hath furnished him with many graces to the perfourmance of this most excellent dutie These vertues are diligently to be regarded of all Benefactors lest any should reioyce in a false and deceiueable liberality such as will affoord no sound comfort before the Lord. For as we reade in the holy Prouerb Many men will boast euery one of his owne goodnesse but who shall find a faithful man As though the wise king should say He is a rare man in comparison of the rest whosoeuer is a good man indeede Neuerthelesse to the end wee may see that God from time to time hath had his number who haue practised true beneficence and goodnesse it shall be to good purpose to gather together such examples whereby God in his holy Scriptures hath exemplified the same vnto vs that they might be patternes to all other of his good seruants to prouoke them to the imitation of them In the 18. chap. of Genesis ver 1.2 c. We haue Abraham a father of the faithfull commended vnto vs for one very notable example And chap. 19.1 c. We haue righteous Lot for another Of the which two the Apostle to the Hebrues chap. 13.2 saith that for a fruite and blessing of their hospitality they receiued Angels into their houses at vnawares in steede of men and by that reason moueth Christians that they would not be forgetful to lodge strangers Gen. chap. 20.14 15.16 Abimelech a heathen king sheweth great kindnesse to Abraham hee gaue him both seruants and cattell and siluer and libertie also to dwell to his best liking where he would in his countrey Gen. chap. 47.12 Ioseph whom God made a foster-father to many nations was also a nourisher of his owne father and brethren and his whole family in the land of Egypt in the time of the famine And Pharaoh himselfe though a heathen king gaue them a countrie to dwell in Exod. chap. 2.5.6.7.8.9 Pharaohs daughter likewise though a heathen woman taketh compassion of an Hebrue infant which was otherwise in great danger to haue perished and causeth it to bee honourably noursed and brought vp at her cost and charges And in the same chap. verses 20.21 Reuel the Prince of Midian giueth Moses though a stranger vnto him very friendly and kind entertainment whereupon also concerning further good liking he giueth the daughter of his sonne Iethro to wife vnvnto him yea though Moses was at time of no worldly wealth Exod. chap. 18. Moses for the same cause sheweth all kindnesse and good dutie to Iethro his father in law after that he was aduaunced to be the Gouernour of the people of God And Numb 10.29 Come with vs saith Moses and me will do thee good for the Lord hath promised good to Israel and vers 32. And if thou go with vs looke what good the Lord shall shew vnto vs the same will we shew vnto thee In the 19. chap. of the Iudges verses 16.17 an old man comming from his worke out of the field at euen giueth a man and a woman their seruant lodging other good entertainmēt who otherwise being benighted in a strange place should likely haue lyed abroad in the fields In the second chapter of the booke of Ruth verses 8.9 14.15.16.17 Boaz giueth leaue to Ruth a poore mayd and a stranger not only to gleane in his field next after the reapers whom he willed to leaue good gleanings for her but also he gaue her leaue to take her victuals dayly with his owne maydes among the reapers In the first book of Samuel chap. 22.3.4 Dauid maketh prouision for the comfortable entertainment and safety of his father and mother with the king of Moab yea he is mindfull and carefull to do it in the middest of his trouble when he had much ado to shift for himselfe and to escape with his owne life In 1. King chap. 18.3.4 Obadiah a chiefe officer in king Ahabs court in the time of famine when also Iezabel the Queen raged in cruell persecution against the seruants of God he tooke an hundreth of the Lords Prophets and fed them fifty in a caue In the the 4. chap. of the second booke of Kings verses 8.9.10 We reade how an honourable woman or certaine Lady of Shunem obseruing how Elisha the Lords prophet vsed to passe by her house she causeth him to come in to refresh himselfe yea and alloweth him a chamber to lodge in whensoeuer he should haue occasion to come that way And this she did because as she telleth her husband shee knew he was an holy man of God And chap. 6. verses 22.23 Elisha causeth the king of Israel not onely to abstaine from the reuenge of his enemies but also to giue them friendly entertaiment and to make them a princely feast In the first booke of Chronicles chap. 16.3 king Dauid at the bringing home of the Arke of the Lord to his city after that they had offered burnt offerings peace offerings before God and after that the king had blessed the people in the name of the Lord He dealt to euery one of Israel both man and woman to euerie one a cake of bread and a peece of flesh and a bottle of wine In the second booke of Chronicles chap. 5.6 at the placing of the same Arke of the Lord in the most holy place of the Temple vnder the wings of the Cherubines King Salomon and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled vnto him offered sheepe and bullockes which could not be told nor numbred for multitude And chap. 7.5 King Salomon offered a Sacrifice of two and twentie thousand bullockes and an hundreth and twenty thousand sheep so the King al the people dedicated the house of God And chap. 31. of the same booke verse 3.4.5 c. king Hezekiah both by his owne example and also by his royall authoritie he reuiueth the care for prouision of holy allowance due to the Priests and Leuites that they might be incouraged in the law of the Lord. In the first chap. of the booke of Ezra it is recorded that the Lord moued the heart of Cyrus king of Persia though a heathen king to deale bountifully for the restoring of the true worship of God in the citie of Ierusalem For to this end he giueth libertie to the people of God to returne out of their captiuitie he restoreth all the vessels of gold and siluer which Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of Ierusalem and had put them in the house of his God
bene a strāger Benefactors are to be recompensed according to the kindnes which I haue shewed thee Then Abram said I will sweare And in this respect also is King Saul commended as hauing done that which was equall and right in fauouring the Kenites who were the posteritie of Iethro the father in law of Moses because more then three hundreth yeeres before Iethro had dealt mercifullie toward the Israelites at what time they came out of Egypt Go saith Saul to them when at Gods commandement he made expedition against the Amalekites vtterlie to destroie them with the sword depart and get ye downe from the Amalekites lest I destroie ye with them for ye shewed mercie to all the children of Israel When they came vp from Egipt Vpon which friendly watchword of the king the Kenites separated themselues from the Amalekites and were preserued This was one of those fewe good thinges which K. Saul did though in truth because of his false heart he neither did this nor any good thing else very well Let vs therefore from him proceede to the more worthy example of King Dauid a king of the Lords making not so much a successor of wicked Saule as the Ancestor predecessour of all the holy kings of Iuda and Israell who did not onely many good things but also by reason that God gaue him an vpright heart he did them singularly well And first of all let vs call to mind what he did in remembrance of the kindnes of Ionathan though Ionathan was then dead The storie is reported in the second booke of Samuel chap. 9.1 c. in this wise And Dauid said is there yet any man left of the house of Saule that I may shew him mercie for Ionathans sake Now as the holy Text saith there was of the houshold of Saule a seruant whose name was Ziba and when they had called him vnto Dauid for it appeareth that the king was earnest in the matter he said to him Art thou Ziba And he said I thy seruant am hee Then the King said remaineth there yet none of the house of Saul on whom I may shewe the mercie of God that is to vse a fewe wordes of interpretation the mercie which I stand bound to shew for my othes sake made to my faithfull friend Ionathan euen singular kindnesse and mercie such as God streightlie requireth and verie gratiously esteemeth according to that he saith specially concerning such causes as this is I will haue mercie and not sacrifice Ziba then answered the King Ionathan hath yet a sonne lame of his feete Then the King sayd vnto him where is he c. Who when he came to the King he said vnto him feare not for I will surelie shew thee kindnesse for Ionathan thy fathers sake and I will restore thee all the fieldes of Saul thy father and thou shalt eate bread at my table continually And as it followeth in the 10. verse of the chapter King Dauid gaue Ziba charge that he and his sonnes and seruantes whereof Ziba had to the number of fiue and thirtie that is fifteene sonnes and twenty seruants that they should till the land to the vse and profite of Mephibosheth his Master Saules sonne I haue set this downe the more at large because it conteineth an excellent patterne of the most kind and holy recompence and retribution which King Dauid made to the sonne of the father deceased Wherein let vs note and with the annotation let vs remember as occasion may require to imitate this so memorable and worthy example of a most godly King so farre as any of vs shal be able to approch neare vnto him in these foure vertues following First in the care of seeking out the occasion when it is not brought and presented vnto vs. Secondly in cheerefulnesse when the occasion is found out Thirdly in louing and courteous dealing with the partie who is to receiue the benefit Fourthly in the bounteous performance of the liberalitie intended Yea and let vs adde to these a fift vertue that this the constancie of King Dauids kindnesse whereof we haue a further testimonie in the 12. chap. of the same 2. booke of Samuel where he excepteth and preserueth Mephibosheth from that execution which was done vpon the sonnes of Saul at the request of the Gibeonites euen as God himselfe also would haue it for a reuenge of Saules crueltie against the Gibeonites contrarie to the othe which Ioshua and the people made to them for the securitie of their liues among them For King Dauid deliuering seuen of the sonnes of Saul to be executed by the Gibeonites in way of pacification it is written that he had compassion on Mephibosheth the sonne of Ionathan the sonne Saul because of the Lordes othe which was betweene them euen betweene Dauid and Ionathan the Sonne of Saul But which is yet more King Dauid was not onely mindfull to requite kindnesse in his life time but he is carefull also that kindnesse should not die with him And therefore 2. King 2.7 he on his death bed chargeth his sonne Salomon who was to succeed in his kingdome that he should shew kindnesse to the sonnes of Barzilla◠the Gileadite and that he should let them be among such as should eate bread at his table for saith King Dauid they came to me when I fled frō Absolom thy brother As though he should say to his sonne Salomon according to Salomons owne holy Prouerbe chap. 27.10 Thine owne friend and thy fathers friend see thou forsake not c. Now that Barzillai and his sonnes came thus to Dauid we may read it testified in the holy storie 2. Sam. 19.31 c. where also it is recorded how thankefull K. Dauid was to Berzillai himselfe and would presently haue requited the kindnesse of that dutie which of bounden dutie Barzillai was to performe vnto him Neuerthelesse because it was done in kindnesse and in time of neede king Dauid was readie to haue requited it by and by as it were into his bosome Come with me saith he to Barzillai and I will feede thee with me in Heirusalem The which his offer when Barzillai refused by reason of his age alleaging that he was vnfit to liue a courtiers life K. Dauid taketh with him his sonne Chimham and dismisseth Barzillai according to his owne liking and promiseth him all princely fauour and friendship that might stand him in any steed And yet not satisfying himselfe with all this he is carefull as was sayd before to prosecute the recompence euen after his death to Barzillai his children and posteritie Great therefore was the vertue of King Dauid in this noble poynt of retributorie kindnesse and beneficence And we will yet the rather say so if we shall consider that which is furthermore recorded of him how he had not onely this kind of regard toward all his friendes of the people of God as 1. Sam. chap. 30.26.27.28.29.30.31 but euen towardes strangers also yea euen to such as in common
The Lord also by his holy Spirite raised vp the hearts of his people that they offered willingly to this worke they which were neare about the chiefe Fathers of Iudah and Beniamin strengthened their handes with vessels of siluer with gold with substance and with cattell and with precious things besides all that was willingly offered according as king Cyrus had in the gratious proclamation of their libertie moued and exhorted them The vessels which king Cyrus restored to the house of the Lord were thirtie basons of gold a thousand basons of siluer nine and twentie kniues Thirtie bowles of gold of siluer bowles of the second sort foure hundreth and ten and of other vessels a thousand All the vessels of gold and siluer which king Cyrus restored were fiue thousand and foure hundreth And in the sixth chapter of the same book of Ezra king Darius confirmeth the same fauour and bountie of Cyrus and extendeth his owne princely liberality to further the worship of God For thus he writeth to the aduersaries of the Iewes Suffer ye the worke of this house of God that the Captaine of the Iewes and the Elders of the Iewes may build this house of God in his place For I haue giuen a commandemēt what ye shall doe to the Elders of the Iewes for the building of this house of God that of the reuenues of the King which is of the tribute beyond the riuer there be incontinently expences giuen vnto these men that they cease not And that which they shal haue need of let it be giuen vnto them day by day whether it be young bullockes or rammes or lambes for the burnt offerings of the God of heauen wheate salt wine and oyle according to the appointment of the priests who are in Ierusalem that there be no fault That they may haue to offer sweete odours vnto the God of heauen and pray for the Kings life and for his sonnes c. And after this Darius we reade in the seuenth chapter how Artashasht at the sute of Ezra did the like for he gaue them his royall furtherance and ful libertie to do all things according to the will of their God with this speciall immunitie that none of his Gouernours should lay vpon the Ministerie toll tribute or custome In the fift chapter of Nehemiah that worthy Courtier hauing obtained leaue of the same K. Artashasht to come to Ierusalem to further the worke of the Lorde he breaketh off the hard courses whereby the richer sort oppressed the poore yea hee mightily prouoketh them to take a mercifull course whereof also he himselfe giueth them a right princely example In the eight chapter of the same booke both Nehemiah and Ezra with the Priests Leuites and people they praise God and the poore were relieued and feasted vers 10. And chap. 13. verses 10 11 12 13 14. Nehemiah causeth the portions of the Leuites to be giuen them and the tithes to be brought in and paid to them seeing that for want thereof the holy worship of God was neglected among his people In the book of Ester chap. 9.22 after that the Church was deliuered from the intended massacre of Haman the people of God keep their feast of thankfulnes to the Lord and one sendeth presents to another as tokens of their mutuall ioy in the Lord and gifts are bestowed vpon the poore In the booke of Iob chap. 29.11.12 When the eare hard me saith Iob a man of singular mercie and goodnesse in his time it blessed me and when the eye sawe me it gaue witnesse to me For I deliuered the poore that cryed and the fatherlesse and him that had none to helpe him The blessing of him that was ready to perish came vpon me and I caused the widdowes heart to reioyce I put on iustice and it couered me my iudgement was as a robe and a crowne I was the eyes to the blind and I was feete to the lame I was a father to the poore when I knew not the cause I sought it out diligently I brake also the chawes of the vnrighteous man and pluckt the praie out of his teeth And chap. 30.25 Did not I weepe with him that was in trouble was not my soule in heauinesse for the poore And againe ch 31.16 c. If saith Iob vehemently affirming his vprightnesse and good conscience in a constant course of exercising mercie I restrained the poore of their desire or haue caused the eyes of the widdowe to faile or haue eaten my morsels alone and the fatherlesse haue not eaten thereof For from my youth he hath growne vp with me as with a father and from my mothers womb I haue bene a guide to her that is to the fatherlesse daughter If I haue seene any perish for want of clothing or any poore without couering If his loynes haue not blessed me because he was warmed with the fleece of my sheepe If I haue lifted vp my hand against the fatherlesse when I sawe my helpe in the gate Let mine arme fall from my shoulder and let my arme be broken from the bone Thus much of Iob in that he was a mirrour of mercie euen aboue a number of right mercifull men and such a representation and patterne of this heauenly vertue as all may worthily take example by him In the 38. chap. of the Prophesie of Ieremiah from the 7. verse c. we reade how Ebed-melech the Blackamore is an instrument of the Lord to deliuer Ieremiah out of the dungeon where he was ready to starue had not this Ethiopian taken compassion of him and made sute to the king on his behalfe In the 15. chap. of Matth. vers 32. Our Sauiour Christ the peerelesse patterne of mercie he calleth his disciples vnto him and saith I haue compassion on this multitude because they haue already continued with me three dayes and haue nothing to eate and I will not let them depart fasting lest they faint in the way And for want of a sufficient quantitie of foode in ordinarie course he by his diuine power feedeth them miraculously In the seuenth chap. of Luke verse 5. The Centurion who is commended by our Sauior Christ for his great faith aboue all in Israel he hath this commendation set downe of him that he loued the people of God and that he had built a Synagogue for them And chap. 8. of the same Euangelist verse 3. Manie women and namely Mary Magdalen and Ioanna the wife of Chuza Herods steward and Susanna are praised for ministring of their substance to the maintenance of our Sauiour Christ And chap. 10.38 Marie and Martha are commended for entertaining our S. Christ his company into their house And ch 19.8 Zacheus as a liuely fruit of his faith and repentance and loue to our Sauiour Christ voweth the halfe of his goods to the poore with restitution for all his wrong dealing with any man And chap. 21.4 The poore widdowe cast her portion into the treasurie as well as the rich
to shew mercie vpon such yea euen the mercie and blessing of this presâ—nt life Furthermore Psalm 41. ver 1. c. The same holy Prophete of God pronounceth those blessed who shall iudge wisely of the poore and afflicted And yet this is in appearance lesse then to deale kindly and mercifully toward them Neuerthelesse how little so euer it may seeme to be yet it is in truth a principall grace greatly seruing to all externall exercise of mercie and compassion how secrete and hidden soeuer it be For where there is first of all a charitable iudgement conceiued of those that be humbled by any affliction there will follow comfortable counsell hartie prayer and euery other good fruite of compassion and mercie in hope that God will in due time deliuer and saue them out of all their affliction For so it followeth in the Psalme The Lord will deliuer him in time of trouble The Lord will keep him and preserue him aliue he shall be blessed vpon the earth and thou ô God wilt not deliuer him vnto the will of his enemies The Lord will strengthen him vpon the bed of sorrow thou he turneth his speech again to God as before hast turned all his bed in his sicknesse or hast put an end to his disease or sicknesse Thus as the holy Prophet giueth to vnderstand will such as iudge wisely and charitably of the afflicted bemone their estate and comfort them all they can and that with as much chearefulnesse as they can incourage their heartes vnto from such good and comfortable reasons as are mentioned in the Psalme And now in all this what doth this Prophet say or any other testimony of the holie Scripture affirme which our Sauiour Christ doth not confirme in that he saith Mat. 5.7 Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercie And ch 25.34 c. The king saith he speaking of himselfe euen the Iudge of all the world shall say to theÌ„ on his right hand at the last day Come ye blessed of my Father inherit ye the kingdome prepared for ye from the foundations of the world For I was hungrie and ye gaue me meate I thirsted and ye gaue me drinke c. and verse 40. In so much as ye haue done it to the least of these my brethren ye haue done it to me O how great and incomprehensible shall this comfort be to all those that shall attaine vnto it seeing it shall be the euerlasting sealing vp of all comfort and of most glorious happinesse vnto them And therefore also howe worthie the obtaining of this is all the care of forecasting and preparation that may be I meane that we may according to the holy aduise of our Sauiour Christ make our selues such friends by the well employing of the vncertaine râ—ches of this world that when we shall want we may be receiued into euerlasting habitations Luk. 16.9 Men vsually for the obtaining of a little vaiâ—e pleasure or earthly profite glorie will do very much And shall we refuse to do so small a thing as our Sauiour Christ requireth â—t 〈…〉 â—â—r the greatest aduantage and most durable â—râ—fi◠〈…〉 glorie that may be For thus in effect our Sauiour speaketh vnto vs Be ye mercifull a little while to the poore afflicted members of my Church for my sake and ye shal be blessed for euer Giue of your small earthly commodities and ye shall be recompenced with great spirituall heauenly riches Comfort ye them with your temporal refreshings your ioyes shall be eternall and glorious in the kingdom of heaueÌ„ To this purpose well serueth that which S. Iohn writeth Reuel 14.13 I heard a voyce from heauen saying vnto me write Blessed are the dead euen henceforth which die in the Lord. Euen so saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and that their workes may follow them Of the which works no doubt these of mercy which we speak of are a chiefe and principall part according to that of the Prophet Isaiah chap. 57.1.2 Mercifull men are takes away from the euill to come They enter into peace and rest in their graues These things being so let it be so farre from vs to thinke it too great a matter to part with a small portion of our worldly goods to the reliefe of our poore brethren that we may rather esteeme it a small thing in comparison of the kingdome of heauen which our Sauiour Christ is minded to giue vnto vs Luke 12.33.34 though we should sel all that we haue if need so required giue it out for almes For thus as our Sauiour saith in the same place we should in steed of rotten bags make vs bags which shall not waxe olde and in steed of vncertaine riches obtaine that treasure which shall neuer faile in heauen where no theefe coÌ„meth neither moth corrupteth nor canker fretteth and in steed of moyling here about earthly things our hearts shall be free to mind heauen and heauenly things as hauing already sent our treasure thither before And to the same purpose let vs willinglie hearken to that holy insruction which the same our blessed Lord and Sauiour teacheth vs in the 14. chap. of the same Gospell saying When thou makest a dinner or a supper call not thy friends nor thy brethren nor thy kinsmen nor thy rich neighbours lest they also bid thee againe and a recompence bee made thee But when thou makest a feast call the poore the maimed the lame and the blind and thou shalt be recompenced because they cannot recompence thee for thou shalt be recompenced at the resurrection of the iust Not that our Sauiour Christ doth simply condemne or forbid all ciuill inuiting and feasting of one rich friend by another in a mutuall and answerable course of kindnesse so it be soberly practised but he mindeth onely to shew in these wordes that the feasting of the poore is much to be preferred before the feasting of the rich specially of the good and godly poore in so much as this kind of feasting is both more necessarie in regard of the guests which do stand in need to be this way refreshed as also because it is lesse chargeable to the feast-maker in that a more meane diet will content the poore and finally because it is more gainefull in that the blessing of the kingdome of heauen doth belong to this kind of mercifull feasting and not to that other feasting of the rich which is continually recompenced by one to the other here in this world as our Sauiour giueth to vnderstand Nowe further if wee will vse but a little more diligence to peruse the holy Prouerbes of king Salomon we shall find in that one little booke so manie and the same so excellent sentences tending this way as may worthily confirme vs greatly in the sure hope of the blessing of God while we doe walke in this blessed way of mercie toward the poore and needie Of these excellent sentences therefore let vs here call to minde
the land of Canaan for according to the commandement of God they did in nothing molest or annoy them in so much as these people notwithstanding the fauour which Israel shewed vnto thē did afterward maliciously conspire to make bloudy and cruell warre against Israel they were for a iust reward ouerthrowne and destroyed one by the sword of another as is recorded in the holy storie of K. Iehoshaphat who at the same time was king of Iudah For the good king had prayed to God against them amplifying the wickednes of their enterprise from that former kindnes of Israel though long before shewed to their ancestors as we reade 2. Chron. 20.10.11.12 in these words Behold saith king Iehoshaphat in his prayer against them the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir by whom thou wouldest not let Isral go when they came out of the land of Egypt but they turned aside from them and destroyed them not Behold saith king Iehoshaphat they reward vs The punishment of vnthankefulnes to men in comming to cast vs out of thine inheritance which thou hast caused vs to inherite O our God wilt thou not iudge thē for there is no strength in vs to stand before this great multitude that commeth against vs neither do we know what to do but our eyes are toward thee c. Such was the prayer of the godly king the effect of it is testified in the 20. verse The Lord layd ambushments against the children of Ammon Moab and mount Seir who were come against Iudah and they slewe one another This iudgement fell vpon thē because they went about to recompence euill for good as king Iehoshaphat alleaged before the Lord in his prayer against them And in the same second booke of Chron. 24. vers 22. c. Because Ioash king of Iudah remembred not the kindnesse which Iehoiadah had done to him but in a rage slew his sonne yea and that also very vniustly euen because he had at the cōmandement of God rebuked both him the people for their sinne the Lord therefore very shortly after sent the host of Aram against him which destroyed all the princes of the people Yea though they came with a small company of men yet the Lord deliuered a very great armie of the people of Iudah into their hand because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers A manifest proofe whereof was this that they slew the Prophet of the Lord most outragiously and tumultuously for doing his dutie and that also euen in the Court of the Lords Temple yea albeit he was the sonne of such a one in remembrance of whose speciall goodnes toward them and among them they ought so much the rather to haue taken some pause and deliberation about the matter The indignitie of this action containing in it so intollerable vnthankfulnesse both to God and man and that euen in the face and presence of his diuine Maiestie it causeth our Sauiour Christ mightily to inueigh against it and other like dealing of the wicked among the people of God from time to time Matt. 23.33 O seruants ô generation of vipers saith our Sauiour Christ how should ye escape the damnation of hell wherefore behold I send ye Prophets and wise men and Scribes and of them ye will kill and crucifie and of them will ye scourge in your Sinagogues and persecute from citie to citie that vpon you may come all the righteous bloud that was shed vpon the earth from the bloud of Abel the righteous vnto the bloud of Zacharias the sonne of Barachias whom ye slewe betweene the temple and the altar Verily I say vnto ye all these things shall come vpon this generation c. Among this bloud thus vnrighteously shed and among the examples of bloudy vnthankefulnesse and the iust reuenge thereof by the Lord we may here take in the example of the Shechemites of whom we read in the 9. ch of the Iudges who because they shewed not kindnesse to the children of Gideon according to all that he had shewed vnto Israel were grieuously punished of God by mutinous robbing and spoyling one of another For God sent an euill spirite betweene Abimelech and the men of Shechem and the men of Shechem brake their promise to Abimelech that the crueltie toward the seuentie sonnes of Ierubbaal and their bloud might come and be layd vpon Abimelech their brother which had slaine them and vpon the men of Shechem who had ayded him to kill his brethren Iudg ch 8.35 and ch 9.23.24 c. This example thus added to the rest let vs now from that threatning of our Sauiour Christ Matth 23. against all requiters of goodnesse with euill proceede to take alike view of some of the fearefull threatnings of God against the same kind of wicked men as we finde them recorded in his holy word which shall as certainely take effect in time to come as any of those iudgementes which haue alreadie bene performed for the warning of all other in the times already passed Among these fearefull threatnings determined against wicked and mischieuous vnthankfull men that which was alleaged out of the Prouerbes many be here iustly called to mind againe that euill shall not depart from his house whosoeuer rewardeth euill for good Prouerb 17.13 And to like purpose may we remember the imprecation of the 109. Psalme once alleaged before Set thou the wicked ouer him c. Namely because for friendship they were aduersaries rewarding euill for good hatred for friendship c. And remembred not to shew mercie but persecuted the afflicted c. verse 4.5.6 c. As it followeth in many verses of the Psalme The which fearefull and as it seemeth to carnall minded men ouer harsh and bitter imprecation it is no other then that which Dauid wisheth euen against himselfe as well as against any other if he had rewarded euill to him that had peace with him For then saith he Let the enemie persecuted my soule and take it yea let him tread my life downe vpon the earth and lay mine honour in the dust Selah As though he should say let him lay it deepe in the dust I craue no mercie c. For he acknowlegeth that he should be worthy to loose all protection of God and to fall into the hands of his enemies so as they might haue their full desire in his vtter ouerthrowe The like imprecation to that of the 109. Psalme we read likewise in the prophesie of Ieremiah in the place before cited where he putteth vp his complaint vnto God against those which recompensed him euill for good for there his imprecation followeth in this manner Deliuer vp their children vnto famine and let them drop away by the force of the sword and let their wiues be robbed of their children and be widdowes and let their husbands be put to death and let their young men be slaine by the sword in battell c. Ier. ch 18.21 c. These fearefull imprecations containe in
abominations all which blasphemous impieties and most filthie treacherous and cruell practises were found both in the chiefe citie and also in all other places where this strumpet hath borne anie sway by making the Kinges of the earth drunken with the wine of her fornication For these causes therefore saith the Spirit of God as appeareth more at large in those two chapters of the booke of the Reuelatiō of our Lord Iesus Christ which he made knowne by his Angell to his seruant Iohn this most filthie whore shall be most wofullie iudged and condemned of God God therefore I say yet once againe of his infinite mercie and most bounteous goodnes giue all that be his both among them and among our selues and in all Churches trulie professing and honouring the most gratious and glorious name of our Lord Iesus Christ that in this so great and weightie a matter of Christian giuing and receiuing of holie beneficence which so generallie and so nearelie concerneth and blindeth all to dutifull regard in either respect that we may auoide all the errors and sinnes thereinto incident the which as hath bene declared are manie and great and so escape the heauie plagues and punishmentes of God due to the same both in this world and in the world to come And that on the contrary we may be so guided by the holy Spirit of God to proceed according to the streight line and euen and equal measure of his word both in Giuing Receiuing here for a while that for euer we may be partakers of the most precious and inualuable gift of euerlasting life and happinesse in the glorious kingdome of heauen through the onelie worthinesse and merit of our Lord Iesus Christ the only begotten sonne of God to whom with the father and the holie Ghost three most glorious and distinct persons one true eternall and euerliuing God onlie wise holie righteous gratious and mercifull most bounteous Lord God the onelie author and fountaine and the onlie wise distributer and disposer of all good giftes and graces both in heauen and in earth be all praise honour and glorie maiestie and thanksgiuing ascribed and acknowledged of vs and of all creatures both visible and inuisible both nowe and for euer and euer in all thinges and namelie for his late gratious succour against the yeeres of dearth among our selues for renewing of our plentie for the suppressing of the roguish life and thereby for opening of a doore to the more orderlie and comfortable practise of true liberalitie who also vouchsafe to giue grace that on all handes it may bee dulie practised and put in holie and Christian execution Amen An Addition of choise Sentences gathered out of sundrie Writers both Christian and heathen which may to good purpose be referred to the Chapters of either part of the Treatise according to the direction hereafter specified MVlta delectant pauca vincunt Excellency of beneficence liberalite Though a fewe proofes or precepts beare the sway yet variety is delightsome and pleasant Sen. de Benef. lib. 7. cap. 1. Beneficentia ac liberalitate nihil est naturae hominis accommodatius Nothing is more beseeming mākind then beneficence and liberalitie Cicero Off. 1. And lib. 2. Summi cuiusque bonitas commune perfugium est omnibus As euery man is in more high estate so ought he to be a more common refuge for a any man to flie vnto Nihil est tantopere expetendum homini inprimis diuiti quà m vt ex animo benefaciat Nothing is so earnestly to be desired of a man specially of a rich man as that he may haue grace to be hartily beneficially Fr. Iunius annot Prou. 19 22. It is a speciall blemish to graue and learned men and of great iudgement in the Scriptures being also rich wealthy if they shall be noted to be nothing sutable in liberality but on the contrarie For such to abound in this dutie it giueth thē as great a grace in the eyes both of God man as any knowledge or speech or any other or all their gifts put together For that which is to be desired of a man is his goodnesse Prou. 19.22 Read in the verie godly and frutfull Lectures of Samuel Bird of Ypswidge vpon the 8. and 9. chap. 2. epist Cor. pag. 26. 27. 28. And againe pag. 82. Kindnesse to other giftes is as the face to other parts of the body c. I pray reade the places diligently and all other the godly instructions of that little booke vpon those two chapters For as he truly saith pag. 33. In hard times if men would knowe what regard they should haue of their poore brethrē they should consult with those chapters of the Apostle wherein the holy Ghost hath of purpose set downe his holy will and pleasure vnto vs. Sentences to be referred to the first Chap. of the first part of the Treatise Apud homines moderatissimos quosque praestabilius habetur beneficium dare quà m accipere Excellency of Giuing atque antiquior est misericordia quà m lucrum Among all sorts of men such as haue bene of most discreet iudgement it hath bene accoūted a more excellent thing to giue then to receiue a benefite more honourable to shew mercie then to seeke after lucre Greg. Nazianz. Orat. 27. de Pauperum amore And againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nihil beneficentia diuinius in hominem cadit Naz. Orat. 18. ad ciues Trep Nulla in re magis Deo similes sumus quà m beneficentia We are in nothing more like to God then when wee practise beneficence Plinie and other among the heathen Reade Calu. Harm Euang. vpon the 45. verse of the 5. ch of Matth. Generosi animi magnifici est iunare prodesse He hath a right Gentleman like and noble mind who is beneficiall helpefull Seneca Demosthenes being asked wherin man resembleth God he answered that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be beneficiall and to speake the truth Quis tam miser tam neglectus qui Dei munificentiam non senserit ad quem non aliquid ex illo benignissimo fonte manauerit Who is so miserable or forlorne that he hath no comfort of Gods bountie and to whom nothing hath issued from that most gratious founiaine Seneca de Benefic lib. 4. cap. 4. Homo nihil tam Dei habet quà m benefacere vt superius dictum est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet God in great matters man in small things either of them according to their power Dei proprium est perpetuo saluandi studio teneri nec hominum indignitate à benefaciendo absterreri Gualterus Religionis summa est imitare quem colis It is an abridgement of religion for a man to imitate God whom he worshippeth Aug. de Ciuit. Dei lib. 8. cap. 17. Magna certè beneficentiae laus quòd teste Spiritu sancto piae ac perfectae vitae summam in se continet It is verily a great praise of beneficence in so much