of the Poor But as John 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. 47. 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 shall 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 blame me for filling up the void pages of this sheer 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 servent 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 In which laborious travels and affairs of the Church in teaching writing confuting exhorting expounding he continued about fifty two years unto the times of Decius Gallus divers and great persecutions he sustained but especially under Decius in his Body he sustained Bonds and Torments Rackings with Bars of Iron stinking and dark Dungeons besides terrible threats of Death and Burning all which he manfully and constantly suffered for Christ Yet at length like an Isickle he that could endure the rough Northern wind of Persecution wel enough melted with the heat of the Sun sweet Allurements and fair Promises of Satan and his Adherents his own flesh also proving a treacherous Solicitor For in the end being brought by the Idolatrous Infidels to an Altar of theirs he shamefully condescended to offer Incense the reupon in manner as followeth by his own Confession When faith he I sought to allure win these Idolaters by cunning means to the knowledge of the Son of God after much sifting they promimised me unhappy man that they would by crafty conveyances avoid the subtilty of Satan and be baptized But being ignorant and unskilful in their divers cunning slenghts they together with the Devil undermined my simplicity and Satan turning himself into an Angel of light reasoned with me that same night saying When thou art up in the Morning go on and perswade them and bring them unto God and in case they demand ought of thee so they will hearken and condescend unto thee do what thou shalt think necessary without staggering at all at the matter to the end many may be saved And again the Devil going before to prepare the way whetted their Wits to devise mischief against me silly Wretch and sowed in their minds hypocrisie dissimulation and deceit But I O unhappy creature skipping out of my Bed at the dawning of
conscience or to pacifie God be sure to vomit up all thy extortions by restitution For as it fared with those Marriners touching Jonas Jonah 1. 15. they tremble pray unlade strike sayles fall to oares but all in vain the Vessel was sick and had taken a surfeit when she took in the fugitive Prophet all the losse of their goods cannot expiate the cause of this tempest there is a morsell that lyes undigested in the stomach throw out Jonas and all is quiet There are a world of men that bear the Name and wear the livery but have not the soules of Christians Others must pay them or they will use all kindes of extremity but they by their good wills will not pay what is lent them in their greatest need But a debtor that can pay and will not makes himself uncapable of pardon Indeed such men think to set all on Christs score and to say Dimitte mobis debita nostra forgive us our debts is sufficient though they leave out the other part of the petition But God does not forgive spiritual debts where men have no care to pay temporal debts For he that dies before restitution dies in his sinne and he that dies in his sinne cannot be saved Nor is there a more infallible character of a wicked man in all the Book of God The wicked borroweth but payeth again Psal. 37. 21. Where is no restitution of things unjustly gotten there sin shall never be forgiven Non tollitur peccatum nisi restituatur oblatum as S t Augustin speaks and all Orthodox Divines hold in case the party have wherewithall For if a man have it not God will accept of the will for the deed Yea in this and all other cases he doth the will of God who does the best he can to do it But in ease a man do it not so â—arre as he is able well may he gull his own soul but God will think it soul scorn to be so mockt As consider Repentance without restitution is as if a thief should take away thy purse ask thee pardon say he is sorry for it but keeps it still In this case wouldst thou not say he did but mock thee The Law of God under the penalty of his curse requireth thee to restore whatsoever by injustice or oppression thou hast taken from thy neighbour or master with a fifth part for amends added to the principal Levit. 6. 5. Numb 5. 6 7 8. And we read that there is a flying roll a winged curse for him that gets riches by robbery and oppression that shall not only pursue the theef but even enter into his house and consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof Zach. 5. 3 4. Nor had Zacheus his repentance served his turn if ever he had this way been faulty or his bounty to the poor been accepted if he had not withall restored to every man his due Luk. 19. 3 8. Miâ—ah 6. 10 11. Jer. 18. 8. So that whatever blinded sensualists may think of it there is wisdome and gain in restoring for when all is done how to be saved is the best plot and better it is to cast our evil-gotten goods ever-board than make shipwrack of our souls Merchants when a tempest comes think it wisdome to cast their goods yea even their butlayne over board to save themselves And for certain thou art worse than frenzy if thou dost not the like For what shall it profit a man though he should win the whole world if he gain Hell with it and loose both Heaven and his own soul Mat. 16 26. What is it to flourish for a time and perish for ever and well does that man deserve to perish that so loves the creature as that he leaves the Creatour The â—osse of faith is a dangerous shipwrack if it be possible save your vessel save your goods save your bodies but though you loose all else save your faiths save your souls True your twenty in the hundred will not believe this but an hundred to twenty he shall feel it here or hereafter As what gained Balaam or Judas or Ahab or Achan or Ananias and â—aphira when by seeking unlawfull gain they lost both what they got and themselves too A man would think that Achan paid dear enough for his goodly Babylonish garment the two hundred shekels of silver and his wedge of gold which he coveâ—ed and took away when He his Sons and Daughters his Oxen and Asses his Sheep and Tent and all that he had were stoned with stones and burnt with fire if that was all he suffered Josh. 7. 18. to 26. But to be cast into Hell to lye for ever in a bed of quenchless flames is a far greater punishment For the soul of all sufferings are the sufferings of the soul and in reason if Dives be tormented in endless flames for not giving his own goods to them that needed Luk. 16. 21 23. Matth. 25. 41 to 43. What shall become of him that takes away other mens If that servant in the Gospel was bound to an everlasting prison that only challenged his own debt for that he had no pity on his fellow as his Master had pity on him whither shall they be cast that unjustly vex their Neighbours quarrel for that which is none of theirs and lay title to another mans propriety If he shall have judgment without mercy that shews not mercy Jam. 2. 13. What shall become of extortion and Rapine Psal. 109. 11. Oh the madnesse of men that cannot be hired to hold their finger for one minute in the weak flame of a farthing Candle knowing it so intolerable and yet for trifles will plunge themselves body and soul into those endlesse and everlasting flames of hell fire True He that maketh gain blesseth himself as the Psalâ—ist speaks Psal. 10. 3. Yea if he can I mean the cunning Machevilian whom the Devil and covetousnesse hath blinded any way advantage himself by anothers ruine and do it politickly how will he hug himself and applaud his own wisdome Hab. 1. 13. to the end But by his leave he mistakes the greatest folly for the greatest wisdome For while he cozens other men of their estates Sin and Satan cozens him of his soul. See Job 20. 15. 1 Tim. 6. 8 10. And wofull gain it is that comes with the souls losse And how can we think those men to have reasonable souls that esteem money above themselves That prefer a little base pelf before God and their own salvation Nor are there any such fools as these crafty knaves For as Austin speaks If the Holy Ghost term that rich Churl in the Gospel a fool that only laid up his own Goods Luk. 12. 18 20. find out a name for him that takes away other mens And this know that if thou dost not willingly or at least with an unwilling willingnesse do it thy self yet it shall be plucked from thee with a vengeance As what saith the Holy Ghost Job 20.
his grief But had he once tasted how good and bountifull the Lord is to those that set their delight on him 1 Pet. 2. 3. If he did grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 3. 18. If the Lord would once incline his heart unto his testimonies and not to covetousnesse Psal. 119. 36. he should soon know and find that things themselves are in the invisible world in the world visible but their shaddows only That wicked men injoy whatsoever they have viz. wealth honour wisdome pleasure c. but as it were in a dream They dream they are rich wise happy and the like as a begger may dream he is a King Or one that is ready to starve that he is richly furnished with all manner of meats and drinkes but when once he is awake he findes himself grossely mistaken All worldly happinesse hath its being only by opinion whence S t Luke calls all Agrippa's pomp but a fancy Act. 25. 23. a meer conceit or supposition The sweetnesse of sinne is but as the sweetnesse of poyson sweet only in the mouth in the belly bitter and deadly Stolen bread is sweet sweet in the obtaining bitter in the account and reckoning Yea this last dish will spoyl all the feast and make it but like a drop of pleasure before a river of sorrow and displeasure Whereas whatsoever the godly feel is but as a drop of misery before a river of mercy and glory CHAP. XI The way of Wisdome and Holinnsse is the way of Pleasure Prov. 3. 17. As O that all covetous miserly muckworms did but know what pleasure is in the peace of conscience which passeth all understanding and the joy of the Holy Ghost what a sollace it is to be the sonne of God an Inhabitant of Heaven to live by faith c. Then would they think it more worth than all the worlds wealth honour and pleasure multiplyed as many times as there be stars in the firmament that any thing that every thing were too small a price for it Their would they change these broken wormeaten and poysonfull pleasures of sinne for the pleasures of Gods House of Gods Spirit and those other pleasures at Gods right hand for evermore Psal. 16. 11. God made the world of naught because men should set it at naught as did the Apostle the better to prevail with others who after he had been wrapt up into the third Heaven reckoned of all earthly things riches honours pleasures but as drosse and dung in comparison of the knowledge of Jesus Christ and him crucified And what saith holy David a man of a most brave and divine spirit I have had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in all riches They are more to be desired than gold yea than fine gold sweeter also than the honey and the honey-comb Psal. 19. 10. And again How sweet are thy words unto my mouth Psal. 119. 103. This likewise was Jobs judgment who affirmeth That wisdome cannot be valued with the gold of Ophire the precious Onyx or the Saphire That the gold and the chrystal cannot equal it and that the exchange thereof shall not be for jewels of fine gold That no mention shall be made of corral and pearles for the price of wisdome is above Rubies that the Topaas of Aethiopia shall not equal it neither shall it be valued with pure gold Job 28. 12. to 20. Neither was this the case only of Paul and David and Job and such like Champions in grace but every Believer findes the same in some measure They can truly say unto God with the Prophet Jeremy Thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of my heart Jer. 15. 16. They meet with Christ himself in his Word and Ordinances where is also the water of Regeneration the wine both of consolation and compunction the bread of life the oyl of gladnesse the honey-comb of grace the milke of the Gospel c. But how unlike to these are natural men Natural fools indeed who esteem not at all of Heavenly treasures spiritual enjoyments or riches of the mind There is a mighty differenee between Davids or Pauls spirit and the spirit of these salvage Swine whose only delight is to root in the earth Who are only pleased and taken with the musick of their money in that they are altogether unacquainted with soul-comforts and heavenly enjoyments As acorns were thought very good untill wheat was found out and bread before Manna came But had they tryed both estaâ—es as Believers have done they would find that content the poor mans riches were far sweeter than desire the rich mans poverty and that the ones wisdome and spiritual treasure will bring them to those joyes that neither eye hath seen nor ear heard neither hath ever entred into the heart of man to conceive 1 Cor. 2. 9. while the wisdom and wealth of these stupified worldlings if they take not heed will bring them to those endlesse miseries that cannot be exprest nor conceived by any heart were it as deep as the Sea And yet these forsooth repute themselves and are reputed the wisest of men But pittifully do they erre in every thing that are not instructed by the Word and Spirit The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of Gâ—d for they are foollishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned But he that is spiritual discerneth all things 1 Cor. 2. 14 15. which is a text or lesson worthy to be learned of all that are in their natural estate O that they would but seriously ponder the words For then they would see that simple or shallow honesty will prove more profitable in the end than the profound quick-sands of craft and policy Then their neglect would not be most in that wherein their care should be the greatest But the world hath alwaies had a mean and base esteem of Christ himself and therefore no marvell if they esteem so little of his grace and Spirit The Gadarens preferred their Swine before him the Jews Barrabas Judas thirty pieces of silver whereas S t Paul wanted words to expresse how he valued him and therefore breaks off with O the depth Rom. 11. 33. Neither can Christ or indeed the meanest saving grace that he bestowes upon his be valued with ten thousand worlds But hear another reason why miserable muckworms are so transported with earthly trash which the godly so little regard A main cause is this Men of the world as they know not what the riches of the mind means so they have no hope of a better life after this This is all their Heaven and here they have all their portion they are like to have Psal. 73. 12. Deliver my soul from the wicked saith David from men of the world who have their portion in this life whose bellyes thou fillest with thy hid treasure their children have enough and leave the rest of their substance
folly is it saith Chrysostom there to leave thy Wealth whence thou art a departing and not to send it before thee whither thou art going To leave lose thy riches in thy Inn the place of thy Pilgrimage and not to transport it into thine own Country and Mansionâ—house where thou art ever to reside let thy Goods bee where thy Countrey is Let us imitate herein wise Travellers who being in a strange and dangerous Countrey will not carry their Riches and Treasures about them because they be then in danger by thieves and enemies to be spoiled of them hazarding also therewith the loss of their lives but deliver them rather to the Agents and Factors of sufficient Merchants dwelling in their own Countrey that so taking from them Bills of Exchange they may receive them at their coming home The best means of transporting them thither is to put thy money into the Lords Treasury to deliver it unto the poor who like trusty Porters will carry it for us whereas if we carry it our selves it will like heavy burthens hinder our journey like the Camels Bunch keepe us from entering into the straight Gate whereas if the poor whom God hath appointed for this service carry it for us we shall avoid the trouble and escape this danger Our Wealth can never do us so much good as when it helps us in our way to Heaven where there is no use of such transitory things for there the valuation of Gold ceaseth Riches are of no use there and in Hell it was a drop of water that the Churl wished for not a Bag of Gold nor a Lordship of many Acres he had too large an Inheritance of them before Wherefore ye rich men yea all men to the utmost of your ability do that good before death which may do you good after death as Austin speaks put a good part of your Goods even as much as you can wel spare from your own use and for the well furnishing of your Journey into the hands of the poor whom Christ hath appointed as his Agents and Factors and so it shall most surely be repaid with infinite encrease here if we need it however having finished our Pilgrimage and safely arrived at our heavenly home when Death hath spoiled us of all the rest we shall most richly be provided And this is the right course to make us friends of the unrighteous Mammon unto which our Saviour perswadeth us Luke 16. 9. This is to play the wise Stewards that when by Death we are thrust out of our Stewardship we having discreetly laid out our Master's Goods may be joyfully received into those everlasting Habitations Nor will it so much grieve a good man at the upshot of all that he hath been a poor Treasurer as joy him that he hath been a good Steward Yea it will be the sweetest and joyfullest saying that ever our ears did hear when Christ shall say to us as you heard before Come ye blessed of my Father and inherit the Kingdom c. This will far more rejoice thy soul then it does now refresh the others body Again Is there any place so safe as Heaven where no thief comes where no Plunderer comes where no rust comes Is there any place like that Or can you put it into a better and safer hand then into the hands of God himself If then you wil lay it where you may be sure to have it forth-coming put it into Gods hand â—ay it up in Heaven But if thou wilt not or if contrariwise thy onely care is to hoard up Riches upon the earth this does plainly shew that this World is thy native home and Countrey and that thou hast no right or inheritance in the Heavenly Canaan As how is Heaven our Countrey when as we will send none of our Wealth thither before us CHAP. LIX BUt many to save their purses will object that they are poor themselves and have nothing to spare them when they want relief And many of them speak more truly then they are aware for though they abound with earthly Riches yet are they bare and beggarly in respect of the chief riches and spiritual Treasure though they are rich in goods yet are they poor in Grace poor in Love towards God and their Neighbours poor in Faith and Obedience and poor in Pity Mercy and Compassion towards their Brethren which makes them so niggardly and close handed that they wil part with nothing for their relief They have not for the poor a few scraps to preserve them from perishing with hunger but they have enough for themselves to pamper their bellies and with the Rich Glutton to fare deliciously every day They have enough to entertain their rich friends with superfluous pomp and plenty and they they will not leave to their own appetite but press them with their importunity to eat still more when already they have eaten enough and too much but to the poore they will not allow some poor pittence to keep them from famishing They who make no spare of their most costly Wines but swallow them down themselves with great excess and provoke yea even compel others to drink of them unto drunkenness will not give a little small drink to the poor members of Jesus Christ to quench their thirst they have not for the poor some worn and cast Apparel to cover their nakedness and keep their bodies from the injuries of Wind and Weather but they have enough not onely for their own use but also for pride and ostentation their Chests full thrust with rich Clothing and their Wardrobes thorowly furnished with gorgeous Garments which serve for little other use then to keepe those from sloath and idleness that keep them from moulding and Moth-eating And whereas they have no course Clothes to cover naked Christ they have costly Ornaments of Arras and Tapastry for their walls Finally They have not a few pence to spare for the relieving of naked and hungry Christ be hee in never so extream necessity but they have many shillings and pounds to spend wastfully and riotously upon Dicing and Gaming vain Sights and obscene Stage-playes and so upon all other sinful pleasures and worldly delights which their carnal appetites can any way desire But what a fearful reckoning have these men to make at the day of Judgement when they give in their accounts unto God And with what indignation will Christ look upon them who have thus meanly and basely regarded him Then they wil have the wit or cause to wish that they had not thus occasioned Christ to deal with them as they have dealt with him and his But there is no perswading them to believe that are ordained to perish But say thou hast but a small pittance of this Worldâ—s goods and not such plenty or superfluity as is before spoken of yet oughtest thou out of that little thou hast to spare somewhat to relieve those that are in extream necessity either by selling what thou