God to poore miserable dānable sinners All these Gods bounty aboue mans and if there be any such like they are such gifts of God as infinitely exceede all mans donation and gift And no maruell though the gifts of God be thus inestimable because his loue toward vs from whence they proceede is passing all knowledge Ephes 3.19 So that to set out the greatnesse of Gods gifts we may iustly say vnto God with his holy Prophet What shall we render to the Lord for all his benefites toward vs. Psal 116.12 And with his holy Apostle What thanks can we recompence to God c. 1. Thes 3.9 And to admonish our selues of our duties O my soule praise thou the Lord and all that is within me praise his holy name My soule praise thou the Lord and forget not all his benefites Who forgiueth all thine iniquitie c. Psal 103.1 c. Read also Psalme 107. And to comfort our soules against all spirituall feares anguish and disquietment Returne to thy rest ô my soule for the Lord hath bene beneficiall vnto thee Because thou hast deliuered my soule from death mine eyes from teares and my feete from falling I shall walke before the Lord in the land of the liuing Psal 116.1 c. Hetherto therefore of the second difference of Gods beneficence how in measure it infinitely exceedeth all the bountifulnesse of man Thirdly God only is constant and vnweariable in continuing the bountie of his gifts vpon all such as he chooseth at the first to bestow his bountie vpon for Whom he once loueth he loueth to the end Iohn 13.1 The vnchangeable decree of God is expressed by his fatherly loue Mal. chap. 1.2 and Rom. 9.13 As it is written I haue loued Iaakob And Rom. 11.29 The gifts calling of God are without repentance and Hosh 13.14 Repentance is hid from mine eyes and againe 1. Thes 5.24 Faithfull is he which hath called you and he will do it and Isai 40.28 Knowest thou not or hast thou not heard that the euerlasting Lord the God hath created the ends of the earth He neither fainteth nor is weary there is no searching of his vnderstanding c. and vers 31. They that wait vpon the Lord shall renew their strength c. And this is the cause why king Dauid in the place before alleadged 1. Chron. 29. acknowledging the present great grace bestowed vpon himselfe and the people in offering willingly toward the house and worship of God to be his speciall gift he prayeth God to keepe the same grace for euer in the purpose and thoughts of the hearts of his people and that he would stil prepare their harts vnto himself And further that he would giue to his sonne Salomon a perfect heart to keepe his commandement c. For right well did the holy king know that man left to himself is lighter then vanity and most fickle in the purpose and care of the best things and namely in beneficence and liberality toward the Church and people of God Wherefore also well saith a godly learned man that it is proper to God to hold on in a continuall care to saue and preserue and not to be prouoked to cease from the bestowing of his benefites because men are vnworthy of them Finally he is infinitely more kind and bounteous to his enemies then any man or all men can be to theirs though all their kindnesse were layd together Matth. 5.45 Luk. 6.35.36 Rom. 2.4 And that either most gratiously to win their soules vnto him for their owne most happy saluation or els to leaue them altogether most iustly without excuse But thus the greatnesse of Gods diuine bountie and the excellencie of his giftes furpassing all gifts that anie man or Angell yea that all men or Angels can possibly giue they haue held vs somewhat longer then was at the first intended though not with lost time or labour as we trust Let vs now return to instruct our selues further touching that beneficence and giuing which ought to be in continuall practise among men after the example and president which we haue in the Lord so far as we preuented by his good grace may in our measure attaine vnto Giuing therefore wherein men in their poore measure may by the grace of God resemble that diuine bountifulnesse which is in God like as many little gutters or channels of the streame may declare how plentifull the head of the riuer or liuely spring is it is to speake something more generally a free imparting and communicating of that which is at the least in a mans owne perswasion rightly his owne Giuing what more generally to the vse or commodity and possession of another Or thus It is the alienating of a mans own right to make another the owner of that wherein he had all the property before According to this more generall definition a man might take occasion to speake more generallie of giuing by a distinction of Giftes according to the diuerse condition and estate of the giuers and according to their seueral minds purposes in giuing and so forth For there are gifts of the Subiect to the Prince as the Moabites and Aramites brought giftes to king Dauid when he had subdued them 1. Chron. 18.2.6 of the seruant to the Master of the tenant to the landlord and of the child to the father as gratulatory and dutiful presents for honours sake as Ioseph sent gifts to Iaakob his father out of Egypt into Canaan Gen. 45.23 And againe there are gifts of the Prince to the Subiect for reward or of mere clemencie and fauour according to the royall bountie of a Prince as in the 6. ch of the booke of Ester where the great king Ahashuerosh asketh Haman What shall be done to the man whom the king will honour And Dan. 2.48 king Nebuchadnezzar made Daniel a great man and gaue him manie and great giftes There are giftes of the poorer and weaker to those that be more rich and mighty to procure fauor or at the least to mitigate the rage furie of anger to which end Iaakob presented his gifts to Esau and in most submisse and humble maner desired him to accept of his present And as wise Abigail by her presents together with her gratious behauiour appeaseth the wrath of Dauid greatlie kindled against her husband Nabal Of the which kind of giftes it is said in the holie Prouerbes A gift in secret pacifieth anger and a gift in the bosome great wrath Prouerb 21.14 On the other side there are gifts of the rich and mightie to the poorer and inferiour sort Diuerse kinds of gifts because they mind to make them indebted to them that they may vse them for their greater benefite and gaine as Pharaoh preferred Ioseph and Nebuchadnezzar Daniel and those other three men of Israel Some giue gifts to helpe out good and iust causes and sutes as Iaakob sent presents to the chiefe Gouernour of Egypt little thinking that it had bene
Sauiour Christ seeing her willing and ready mind this widdow hath cast in more then they all For they haue of their superfluitie cast into the offerings of God but she of her penurie hath cast in all the liuing she had Our Sauior giueth to vnderstand that she had no more then she offered till she should earne it with her fingers ends as we vse to speake Her example therfore is notable in that she wold rather want her selfe then to be altogether wanting in the holy contribution to the treasurie of the Lords Temple The like willingnesse and cheerfulnesse of mind did vtter it selfe more plentifully in outward fruits in that excellent woman Dorcas according to her more rich and able estate who vsed to clothe the poore with coates and garments which she made at her owne costes and charges to the relieuing of many Christians as we reade Act. 9.36 c. Lydia also was so earnest that she constrained Paul and his company to come to her house and to abide there Act. 16.15 The like chearfulnesse ought to be in the heart of euerie godly woman according to that notable description of a vertuous wife in the last chapter of the Prouerbes where it is written that She stretcheth out her hands to the poore yea both of her hands to the needy Hereunto let vs adde the example of that noble Obadiah for singular mercifulnesse in venturing his owne life in hiding and fostering a hundreth of the Lords Prophets to preserue them from the rage of Iezabel 1. King 18.3.4 Surely Obadiah would neuer haue put his life in so great hazard if he had not had a franke and free heart thereunto Abraham ran to giue his guests intertainment Gen. 18.2 But not to stay in particulars any longer let vs come to the generall commendation of the people of God in their holy coÌ„tribution toward the Tabernacle of the Lord Exo. 35.20 c. Euerie one saith the text whose heart incouraged him and euery one whose spirit made him willing came and brought an offering to the Lord for the worke of the Tabernaâ—le of the Congregation and for all the vses thereof and for the holy garments Both men and women as many as were free hearted c. they brought a free offering to the Lord gold sâ—lke precious stones c. The women brought their looking glasses made of some shining mettal chap. 38.8 Yea more then enough was offered by the congregation chap. 36.5.6 Reade also 2. Chron. 29.31.36 and chap. 35.8 where the willingnes of the Princes and whole congregation is commended both in king Hezekiah and also in king Iosiah his reigne And let this I pray you be well obserued that the Lord doth not for his part willingly accept of any offering or dutie which is not performed with a willing and cheareful heart as appeareth in the fifth verse of the 36. chap. of Exodus where he admitteth only the willing heart to offer vnto him This is the thing saith Moses which the Lord commandeth saying Take from among you an offring vnto the Lord. Whosoeuer is of a willing heart let him bring such or such an offering as is there expressed It is like to the proclamation which the Lord maketh Deut. 20.8 concerning the going forth of his people to fight his battailes Whosoeuer is afraid or faint-hearted saith the Lord let him go and returne to his house least his brethrens heart faint like his heart The Lord we see refuseth the faint-hearted souldier as no souldier for him And euen so he refuseth the vnchearfull Giuer conributor or offerer either toward his worship or toward the reliefe of the poore among his people as no meete offerers or contributors to him seeing they be such as haue not yet taken any courage to fight against that prophanenesse couetousnesse and distrust in Gods prouidence with many other sinnes which of necessitie must be ouercome by a spirituall encounter against them before the Lord can take pleasure either in the giuer and offerer or in the gift and offering which is tendered before him whereof we haue for euident examples Cain in the old world and Ananias with Sapphira his wife in the latter dayes of the Gospell Wherefore not without great cause doth king Dauid as was vpon occasion touched before giue most heartie and glorious praise vnto God for giuing himselfe and his people hearts to offer willingly for the building of the Lords Temple 1. Chron. 29.14 c. And let vs obserue it well that it is indeed a speciall grace from the bounteous hand and gratious Spirit of God and the same also a singular token of his loue when any can with willing hearts as wise disposers of the manifold grace of God chearfully distribute the good gifts of God which he hath made them stewards of For doubtlesse there is naturally in euery man so great selfe-loue and couetous desire to increase still in worldly riches wealth and so little zeale of Gods word or loue to his children that our harts may be compared to the bowe-net which easily taketh in the fish but hardly letteth any go out againe and our hands are as one wold say so glewish or bird-limed that they hold fast whatsoeuer commeth into them so all is fish which commeth to not Liberalitie therefore and franknesse of heart is a gift or grace of God A very neare yea an inseparable coÌ„panion to this godly franke and free-heartednesse whereof we haue hetherto spoken is a holy ioy and delight as well in giuing to the reliefe of men as in offering to the honor and glory of God So we read concerning the notable example of the Macedonians alleaged before that their ioy abounded in their willing and chearful contribution And so likewise we sawe in the example of king Dauid his people The people saith the text reioyced when they offered willingly to the Lord with a perfect heart And Dauid the king reioyced also with great ioy Ioy is a Companion with cheerfulnesse in giuing Read also Deut. 26.10.11.14 The thank-offering must not be celebrated in the morning or vnchearfully but with great ioy gladnes of heart As for grudging and vnbeteeming it hath no place nor fellowship in this businesse let it therfore be sent packing with Iudas who by reason of this euill affection in himselfe and because of his theeuish couetousnes could take no ioy no not in another bodies cost to wit when Mary the sister of Lazarus bestowed her costly ointment as a token of that honour and loue which shee bare to our Sauior Christ Ioh. 12.3 c. It ought long since to haue bin rotted mouldred away with the carkeise of that ancient and great churle drunken Nabal 1. Sam. 25.10.13 with whom also let vs leaue the grunting of the Gaderenes Mat. 8.34 and the inhospitall Samaritans Luk. 9.52.53 And let vs on the coÌ„trary as beseemeth al good seruants of God hearken to the preceptory exhortation of the holy Apostles Paul Peter Be
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
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
better to keepe a mans money in his purse then to cast it away he cannot tell how ANSWER What though some do counterfeit religion and play the hypocrites shall we neglect good dutie because it may be there is such or such a foule sinne in this or that man which we know not of And as touching hypocrisie which is one of the most secret and hidden sinnes among the rest it belongeth vnto God who alone knoweth the heart in his due time to discouer it But as for our selues none of vs must presume to iudge any before the time So long as as any behaue theÌ„selues outwardly as beseemeth Christians it well beseemeth vs also to hope the best of them and therefore also whatsoeuer we do for such in the name of faithfull and true Christians hoping that they are such whether they be ministers of the word doctrine of God or disciples and schollers in the schoole of Christ God wil accept of it according to our good charitable meaning therin if our owne hearts be vpright and not according to their dissimulation And furthermore our Sauiour Christ to helpe vs against this all other offences and stumbling blockes saith in the Gospell Blessed is he that is not offended in me that is to say he that will not fall away from Christ nor from any good dutie of Christianitie by any discouragement whatsoeuer Sathan shall throw in his way Thus farre for answer to the objâ—ctions concerning the pretended vnworthinesse of those which stand in need to be relieued The obiections whereby couetous men would excuse one charge by another are next OBIECTION 1. whereby couetous men would excuse one charge by another I find by the count-booke of my expences that a great part of my liuing goeth out to those ordinarie ciuill charges which I stand bound vnto by the law of the Prince and in troublesome times such as these are we are at many extraordinary expences May not these be reckened for my almes or at the least may I not in these respects ease my selfe by being something more sparing that other way ANSWER Shall the same euill of sinne which hath had a strong hand to pull vpon vs all the euils of punishment which we haue bene pressed withall be any fit way or meanes to remoue them away from vs thinke we If the beginning of vnmercifulnesse haue in a great parte brought in the charges of warres and the sharpnesse of dearth and scarcitie among vs shall the continuance and hardening of our harts therin against the corrections of God remoue them awaie It can not be And as touching ordinarie charges imposed by course of lawe in ciuill respects they are plentifullie recompenced by the benefit of lawe and by the gratious protection of the Prince whose lawe it is Nowe seeing these charges as is said are so imposed by ciuill authoritie that they cannot be auoided no not of him that is vnwilling to yeeld them there is herein no praise or practise of beneficence at all Onelie willing freehearted and mercifull dealing whether by or without prescript of humane lawe such as is yeelded for the Lordes cause hath praise in the church and is trulie commendable in the sight of God OBIECTION 2. Neither can I here forget that there is euer and anone much to doo about contributions toward the Church for the maintenance of the ministery for bread and wine for the Communion for reparations of the building and of the glasse windowes and that all things may be made decent and seemelie God is a Spirit and he will be worshipped in Spirit What needeth so much to doo about outward comelinesse and decencie And if I might speake what I thinke saith the profane couetous man why should Ministers take tithes in these daies which they say are the daies of the Gospel seeing the Leuiticall Priesthood and the ceremonies thereof haue bene abolished euer since the death and passion of Christ as they themselues affirme Did not the Apostle Paul also worke with his handes to get his owne liuing Why then should not our Ministers doo so to ease the charges of the people For my owne parte also I can take as much edifiing by a reading Minister who will be content to compound for a small stipend as I can by him that preacheth euerie Sabbath day And therfore I thinke the greater charges of mainteining a Preacher may well enough be spared ANSWER It cannot be doubtlesse that these things should be forgotten of those that haue no care to store their memorie with good and wholsome instructions For want whereof wicked and vngodly thoughts and deuises are very rife in the minds of couetous and profane men howsouer shame stoppeth their mouthes that they do not at all times vtter vent them But that we may vouchsafe theÌ„ an answer What though God be a Spirit and requireth no curious nor ouer chargeable outward pompe or superstitious decking to his spirituall seruice and worship Is this any good reason why all things should not be decently ordered and disposed Or rather is it not in all equitie so much the greater reason that all things ought to be disposed in so much the more comely reuerend maner because the Lord requireth no excessiue cost to be bestowed this way It can by no colour of reason be denied This therefore is a very vnreasonable and malignaÌ„t obiection And for the same cause also it is the lesse to be maruelled at though this kind of meÌ„ grudge at the Minister of the Gospell his allowance and maintenance when they cannot willingly afford God him selfe a comely place for the exercise of his diuine worship nor themselues a small quantitie of bread and wine a fewe times in the yeare for their speciall comfort and spirituall nourishment of their soules As touching tithes by ciuill authoritie alloted for the maintenance of the Ministers of the Gospel it is a mere cauil to preiudice them vnder the name of Leuitical ceremonies For there was tithing before there was any tribe of Leui yea before Leui the father of the Leuits was borne therfore also is it writteÌ„ of Leui Heb. 7.9.10 that while he was yet in the loines of his father AbrahaÌ„ he paid tithes in AbrahaÌ„ wheÌ„ Melchi-sedec met him This was before the institutioÌ„ of the priesthood of the law But much rather may the iniquitie of this cauill appeare in so much as tithes are not not now either required or paid of any of sound iudgment in any ceremonious or figuratiue respect but as a moral dutie to the maintenance and vpholding of Gods diuine worship according to the affirmatiue part of the second commandement of the first Table and as a dutie of ciuill honour and iustice according to the fift and eight commandement of the second table of the Law So that to speake in some measure of proportion as touching the Lords Sabbath the ceremonie ceasing whatsoeuer might be so accounted in the Iewish obseruation of it and
him great giftes if he could interpret the writing that appeared vnto him Keepe thy rewards to thy selfe saith Daniel and giue thy giftes to another Neuerthelesse he read the writing and shewed the interpretation thereof to the King The Prophet Samuel beeing a Iudge in Israel may worthily be a notable example to all both magistrates in ciuill iustice and also to ministers of the word of God For he hauing the grace we speake of hath obtained this testimonie from the holy Ghost that he tooke no bribe or corrupting gift at any mans hande 1. Sam. 12.13 c. Behold here I am saith Samuel in his Apologie or in way of renderring vp an accounte of his office of Iudge-shippe beare ye record of me before the Lord and before his annointed Whose oxe haue I taken or whose asse haue I taken or whom haue I done wrong vnto or whom haue I hurt or of whose hand haue I receiued any bribe to blinde mine eyes therewith and I will restore it you Then they sayde thou hast done vs no wrong neyther hast thou hurte vs neyther hast thou taken ought of anie mans hande And he saide the Lord is witnesse against yee and his annointed is witnes this daie he speaketh of Saul whoÌ„ the people had made king ouer theÌ„ that ye haue fouÌ„d nought in my hands they answered he is wâ—nes But why may some say is Samuel thus earnest in his owne defence verily not in desire of any prayse to himselfe but that he might cause it to be esteemed a matter of great respect that the publike Magistrate should b◠〈◊〉 himselfe 〈…〉 corruptly in the discharge of his duty before the Lord and towarde his people as also that he might let the people see their sinne in casting off him from the rule and gouernement of them without cause on his part yea contrarie to that vprightnesse and fidelitie which he had vse â—â—oward them as appeareth in the faâ—â—â— 1â—â—hâ—â— q. 18. 19. And according to that which God himselfe 〈◊〉 spoken before ch 8.7 They haue not cast thee away but they haue cast me away that I should not reigne ouer them Thus therefore Samuel resigned his office of Iudge-shippe though he â—â—â—â—seth not to be a Prophet to the people For for it followeth vpon the request which the people make that he would pray for them ch 12. verse 23. God forbid that I should sinne against the Lord and cease praying for you but I will shew you the good and right way The like protestation vseth Moses Num. ch 16.15 A Gift must be receiued reuerendlie though not so largly laied forth but somewhat more directly vnto God I haue not taken saith Moses to the Lord so much as an asse from them neither haue I hurt any of theÌ„ Hetherto of the first grace necessarie concerning the receiuing of a gift From whence easilie may it appeare that the generall exhortation of the Apostle is to great purpose Heb. 13.5.6 in that he thus writeth to all Christans Let your conuersation be without couetousnes and be ye content with those thinges which ye haue for he that is God hath said I will not leaue thee neither forsake thee So that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper neither will I feare what man can doe vnto me Of like sorte is the counsell of King Salomon Prou. 23.6 Eate thou not the bread of him that hath an euill eye And the prayer of King Dauid his father Psal 141. Let me not eate of the delicates of the wicked c. The next grace and vertue requisite to the Christan receiuing of such giftes and benefites as may lawfully expediently be receiued for necessarie reliefe and comfort it is Reuerence For they must be receiued not simple as from men but with a reuerent regard of Gods spiciall goodnes in mouing the heartes of his good seruantes and deare children by his holy spirit to haue so louing and tender a care ouer vs. Yea it is the part of all such as are succoured this way so to consider of Gods owne goodnes herein that they may humblie acknowledge themselues vnworthy of so greate a grace and fauour according to the example of Iaakob Gen. 32.10 who saith vnto God I am lesse then any of thy benefites And as King Dauid saith 2. Sam. 7.18 Who am I ô Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hetherto c. Such humility I say ought to be in those that are succoured by the honorable instrumentes of Gods bounteous goodnes and mercie It is verilie specially in times of great distresse no lesse to be esteemed then if God should cause the cloudes of heauen to raine downe Manna as he did for the reliefe of the Israelites according to that comparison which the Apostle Paul maketh in the same respect A Gift is to be receiued reuerendlie 2. Cor. 8.15 And the rather is this estimation to be made of it if such be in any singular manner beneficiall to any who were before strangers to their benefactors and had performed no dutie whereby they might be induced therunto Finally to make this point of reuerend receiuing of benefites more familiar and plaine this we say that the reuerence which is due to benefactors is such a reuerence as belongeth from dutifull children to their louing and kind parents For in so much as they doe the part of parentes to so manie as they doe relieue and cherish it is good reason that these againe should yeeld a childlike duetie and honour vnto them according to the 5. commandement of almightie God Honour thy father and thy mother c. And thus we haue a good occasion after this mention of honour to proceed to speake in the third place of thankfulnesse seeing this beeing the third grace requisite to to the Christian receiuing of giftes is also a fruite of that honourable reuerend account which ought to be made of all good and beneficiall Patrons and friends Of the which dutie it behoueth euery one whom it concerneth to be the more carefull because it is the preseruatiue or rather a certaine seed for multiplication of benefites For to such as shall be found truly thankfull and walke in good dutie the Lord will continue the beneficence of his seruantes yea he will amplifie and inlarge them so farre as he knoweth to be meete and expedient for any of his obedient children But it may be here obiected that we must on all hands giue all our thanks vnto God seeing all good things come of his bountie alone and he requireth it also as a spiciall dutie of his worship saying as we read in the 50. Psal Offer ye prayse vnto God And againe in the same Psalm He that offereth praise glorifieth me It is true no man may deny it God onely is to bee thanked and praysed with religions diuine praise A Gift must be receiued thankefully which doe indeede belong onely to him that is the author
he the creator this the creature he the glorious and almightie Lord this the poore fraile seruant c. Whereupon we may easilie perceiue how carefullie the true seruantes of God are to abhor and auoide the grosse and profane or rather the sacrilegious and blasphemous flatteries of all wicked Sycophants of the world For they are so lauish in extolling the meanes that they reserue nothing as proper and entire to the Lord. Such was that blasphemous and execrable flatterie of the people who gaue proud Herod diuine glorie Act. 12.22 they crying out with vehement acclamation and shouting so soone as he had ended his oration The voyce of God and not of man Such also was the palpaple flatterie of Tertullus the Orator in his fawning speech to Felix against the Apostle Paul Act. 24. who in the name of the Iewes ascribeth all their peace wholly in al things with al thanks to his prouideÌ„ce For what in effect could he haue sâ—â—d more if he had had a hart to professe his and their thaâ—kfâ—lnesse to God himselfe There is great cause therefore why the faithfull seruants of God should abandon this kind of heathenish and sacrilegious gratulation both from their hearts and also from their tongues For that which is ascribed to man yea euen to Caesar the chiefe among men it is so onely to bee ascribed and yeelded that in wise as was sayd a little before God be defrauded of any part and parcell of his most iust and souereigne due Excessiue thanks to men is to be auoyded But not only heathen men haue foulely faulted this way but much rather the Church of Rome which boasteth it selfe to be the onely true Christian and Catholike Church in the world hath runne it selfe as it were ouer head and eares in this most grieuous and vnchristian sinne For if we compare the heathen and them together we shall easily find that these do exceede them in most pernicious and deadly blasphemy lifting vp and aduancing creatures aboue all measure not onely in ascribing to theÌ„ the voyce of God and a prouidence concerning all earthly thinges as Tertullus to Felix but euen a commanding power for the eternall peace saluation of the soules of men in the kingdome of heauen as is euident in that which they do attribute to the virgin Marie whom they haue made the Lady and Queene of heauen And further as touching their more common or inferiour benefactors here vpon earth they would make vs beleeue that by the merit of theâ—r beneficence and good desert toward their Church together with the propitiatorie helpe of their Priestes they shall not onely escape Purgatory but go straight on to the kingdom of heauen and draw others also by the surplussage of their works together with them Yea further they neuer leaue solemnizing of their praises with an inferiour kiâ—d of religious worship at the least to the end they may the rather allure and bewitch many other to doe the like or rather if it could be more plentifullie after the manner of cunning beggers who at on dore commend the almes which they had at an other to drawe on their good dames to inlarge their good will and charitie towards them But let vs leaue them to themselues all their superstitious and idolatrous CoÌ„mendams to the iudgmeÌ„t of God As touching our owne selues according as we are taught in the holy word of God let vs wisely discreely determine our thanks vnto â—eâ— as to the gratious instrumentes of God and not otherwise so that the chiefe glorie yea the onelie praise and glory maie be whollie reserued and entierlie ascribed to his most blessed maiesty in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ alone to whom with the Father and the holie Ghost one true and euerliuing most gratious and merifull God be all honour and gorie now and for euer Amen Hitherto of the difference of thankfulnesse to God and to men in respect of the nature and definition of thankfulnesse it selfe whereinto the euill effectes or fruites of excessiue thankes haue crept and as it were stollen in before we were ware of it It followeth now that we do further search out the difference from the good fruites which arise from well ordered thankfulnesse both vnto God and also vnto men First therefore the fruite of our thankfulnesse to God in experience of his most prouident and fatherly care ouer vs is so to acknowledge him to be our God and the souereigne fountaine of our whole welfare that we do wholly put our trust in him and depend vpon him as one not onely to be honoured in the meanes which it pleaseth him to vse for our benefite but also aboue all ordinary meanes and helps yea contrarie to all aduersarie and hurtfull meanes if need so require And for the same cause also that in all our needs we runne to him by faithfull prayer and supplication as to our neuer-failing refuge and accordingly to seeke to approue our selues euen from the secretes of our soules and consciences before him according to the direction of his owne most holy and perfect commandement we neuer satisfying our selues with that measure of thankes which we shall at any time for the present attaine vnto But the fruit of our thankfulnesse to men is not so but with the reuerent acknowledgment of them to be the gratious and honourable instruments of God in all that they exhibite and reach forth vnto vs we are onely to perfourme these duties following First that so long as they liue we do continue our harty prayers to God for them Benefactors are to be praied for Secondly that wee retaining a blessed memorie of them doe also vpon all meet occasions make honorable mention of them and of their beneficence so long as wee liue our selues Thirdly that we be willing and desirous to recompence them to our power either in whole or in part to them or theirs yea euen to exceed the benefite receiued if at anie time it shall please God to make vs able and to giue vs iust occasion thereunto Finally that for want of occasions or necessity on their parts that way that we hauing receiued beneficence from the hands of other do learne from their example to bee as beneficiall to others as we may Of these duties therefore let vs henceforth treate a little for our further instruction seeing these also are to be reckened among the duties which belong to the Christian receiuing of a Gift and is our matter in hand still depending to be be further inquired of And first concerning Prayer the debt and conscience of this dutie ariseth from hence that how rich souer they may be and abounding in all worldly wealth they do neuerthelesse stand in continuall neede of the dayly blessing of God the Factor whereof as it were faithfull and feruent or laborious prayer is and that by assignement and letters of mart from God himselfe But what shall we intreat of the Lord in our prayers and
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
prouide for them for that which they had partly begged and partly stollen the same day What a cloake and couert of much bastardize practised by the rogues bad-good masters mistresses dames is hereby taken away seeing they shal henceforth no more cary about the base-born to hide them in farre remoued places or to leade them about as their owne naturall children as many of them were wont to do How are not only the disordered births but also the vntimely deaths of many young infants preuented the liues whereof though the fruite of their owne bodies this mercilesse and sauage people little regarded How gratiously is the man-stealing of some proper children with the intollerable misusage and disfiguring of them hereby defeated so that their cruell and vnnaturall practises shall no more abuse the pitie of others by begging with them Who knoweth howe manie priuate persons shall bee hereby safegarded from robberies and pilferies yea and the publike peace from dangerous mutinies rebellions by such euil instruments I mean counterfeit souldiers as were entering into that rude faction In al these things how are the soules of such miserable and forlorne sinners tendered and plucked out of the diuels iawes as we may say in that the most abominable course of their life is dammed or hedged vp if happily they may at the last held by due correction in a more orderly conuersation be brought to repentance as there is hope that God wil giue many that grace To speak the sum of al in few words how happily are a most lawlesse licētious multitude whch by their wādering disorder of life eluded all law brought within the iust limits disciplin of lawe yea such a monstrous and sottish multitude as neither regarded Church nor common wealth neither God nor Prince neither word prayer sacrament nor mariage neither wife nor child nor any honest labour either touching themselues or for the education of their adulterous off-spring but liued and delighted themselues in a most barbarous and beastly confusion to the multiplying of a most vile generation And how is the whole land it selfe the sacred seat of iustice disburthened of that guiltinesse and dāger of Gods wrath which might in short space haue growne now at the last by ouer long sufferance seeing so great and foule euils would certainly haue cried to heauen with a loud and shrill voyce for vengeance if they had not thus tempestiuely by the power of lawfull authoritie and by the godly care and remorse of our Magistrates bene made as it were dumbe and speachlesse before the iudgement seat of God! And now also yet further then all this by the deniall of disordered succour or toleration to the idle and vagrant ô how cōmodiously may poore labouring housholders and vncounterfeit impotent and aged people yea many thousands both of yong and olde such as shall be found to need reliefe be by that vncomfortable and waste charge which was euen cast away in that former course of giuing now relieued and cherished in their honest lawfull trade of life to the great glory of God to the singular blessing of the whole land if happily according to the good prouisoes and liberties authorised to the same end by the worthy Statute and explanations thereof the prouision for the poore shall be with a liberall heart and with a wise and discreet hand duly collected and imployed Wherfore finallie as a kindly fruit of all former respects howe ought not all the people of the lande be the more willing both in this and also in euerie other good dutifull and comendable seruice of all iust contributions required on the behalf of her Maiestie euen for this that it hath pleased her Highnesse to take so gratious an order vpon the humble information of your Honours that her Subiects should be cased for euer of so great and noisome and euery way so vngratefull a burthen and not onlie so but to prouide also that true almes may be giuen and distributed in such a maner as euerie contributor may haue much more comfort in the bestowing of the same greater hope of a more rich blessing from God vpon euerie one that is a mercifull and chearfull giuer then they could haue before But who as was said can sufficientlie without a large discourse lay forth the worthie partes of this so noble and princelie an Act which shall stand for euer in record for a blessed memoriall of the right godlie wisedome and care of our gratious Queene Elizabeth and of all the worthies of the high court of Parliament and namelie of your Honour in this behalfe among all other worthie Acts Verily more greater good both to our selues to all posterity through the gratious blessing of our God wil grow from it then easilie can of the wisest be conceiued if the iustice herein prescribed beeing still pursued and practised as there is good hope it shal mercie also and liberality which is likewise therin intended and commanded may be ready to acompany and support iustice according to the mindes of the Law-makers That is to say if as all loitering drones and lubbers be forbidden to be fatted abroad so no diligent Bee or painefull Labourer be suffered for want of necessary reliefe toward his ouer great family charge of children specially in time of sicknesse or in old age or in times of dearth be suffered as it were in the hardnesse of winter when no flowers can be found to pine away and perish while he is closed vp as it were in his hiue at his own home This verily should be a verie vngodly and vnchristian yea an vnnaturall euill as all cannot but confesse Neuerthelesse it is no greater then there is some danger of it in many a blind and vnmercifull nooke in the land if it be not preuented by the gratious circumspection of those to whom it shall belong Yea the places of best hope will alwayes find it needfull that the poore should haue many good friends of those that be in speciall authoritie to cause the law to speake and to put the rest in mind of their duties herein lest their crie should ascend vp before God more lamentably then euer before Musculus in Matth. 12. Certè turpis est mendicitas sed tamen proximo suo quisque succurrat iubet Deus Alioqui crudele esset non dare egenti quae necessaria sunt interea prohibere ne mendicet Verily this common begging is an vnseemely thing as a learned man saith Neuerthelesse as he addeth it is the commandement of God that euerie man should succour his neighbour otherwise it should be a cruell thing not to giue vnto the poore man such things as be necessary and yet to forbid him to beg God of his infinite mercie grant therefore that all his Magistrates in all places according to that great trust and large power committed to them in this case may haue tender care to see that all things may be faithfully diligently
performed in this worthy seruice for the reliefe of the poore such as shall be found to be so indeed as the Apostle speaketh in the like cause 1. Tim. 5.3.5 And the same God grant that euerie one to his power smaller or greater may according to the mind and pleasure of our higher powers and chiefly of God himselfe not onely indeuour the preuenting of euery mischiefe not beseeming the Gospell of Christ but also by all meanes labour the furtherance aduancement of so worthy a work as is the practise of mercie to the strengthening of iustice which being well disposed and imployed together are answerable to the goodly brasen pillers of the porch of Salomons Temple Iâ—ciâ— Boaz to the establishing coÌ„firming of the Princes throne of the coÌ„mon wealth and of all lawfull callings trades traffike therein as it were froÌ„ the Sion of the Lord. So great tender care hath the Lord that the poore of his people should for his sake be mercifully liberally prouided for Now therfore for the issue of this speach may it please you right Honorable so far to fauour the present indeuour of your humble Orator that this Treatise following dedicated to your Honor intended for a gratulatory monument of the aboue named Act of ParliameÌ„t which shutting the doore against idlenes all vnthriftie wastful misplacing of almes doth open the gate to the blessed practise of true liberalitie in such sort that true thankfulnes also may therwithal be let in which before weÌ„t a roguing with those that regarded no home may by the allowance acceptation of your Honor be some furtherance to the work euen to the best that this so weake a hand could attaine vnto And thus most humblie heartilie beseeching God of his infinit goodnes mercy eueÌ„ for our Lord Iesus Christs sake to blesse preserue you long in your right honourable healthfull coÌ„fortable estate here in this present life to his own glorie to the seruice of her excellent Maiesty for the iust peaceable gouernmeÌ„t of the coÌ„mon wealth to the ioy comfort of al that do wel to the terror of the rest so long as they shal continue in their vngratious vnciuill courses And likewise beseeching God that after this life ended when you haue seâ—ued your time according to the counsell of God you may haue your part in the inheritance of his heauenly kingdome among the rest of his most honorable Saints I craue of your Honor all fauorable pardon of my boldnes in presenting and dedicating these my poore labours vnto you vnder the credit and protection of your name From Culford in Suffolke the 13 of May 1600. Your Honours in all humble and Christian dutie to command ROBERT ALLEN A GENERALL INscription of the Treatise following TO all beneficiall Christians vvho loue and practise goodnesse and mercie to the relieuing of their poore and distressed brethren and to all that do receiue the holy and Christian beneficence of their good mercifull relieuers in anie time of their need For a token of thankes to the one and for an admonition and spurre of thankefulnesse to the other with all dutifull and heartie desire that through the blessing of our bounteous good God it may be a helpefull incouragement to all for continuance and increase in all well-doing R. A. a Minister of the holie Word and Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ as one greatly indebted to all offereth this poore mite which as touching this shot and reckening is euen all which for the present he hath Crauing herewithall that seeing by the goodnes of God there is first a vvilling mind it may be accepted according to that he hath and not preiudiced for any want of that which he hath not according to the priuiledged rule of the Apostle Paule 2. Cor. 8.12 the equitie whereof as well agreeth to thankefulnesse for benefites as to beneficence it selfe Crauing furthermore no other reward then the benefite of your faithfull prayers that he together with your selues may haue all meete and conuenient sufficiencie in all things and abound in euery good worke through the rich grace of God mightily abounding toward vs all euen for our Lord Iesus Christs sake who though he was most rich yet willingly became most poore that through his pouertie all of vs might be made rich To him therefore with the Father and the holy Ghost one onely true God be all praise honour and glorie for euer and euer Amen A Treatise of Christian beneficence and of that like Christian thankfulnesse which is due to the same SEing the whole argument of this our intended Treatise is called by the Apostle Paule The matter of Giuing and Receiuing Philip. 4.15 by a similitude borrowed from the vse of books of Account wherin is diligently entred and kept in record what each party hath from time to time deliuered or receiued the one from the other till the day of reckening doe come We will therefore according to the same his holy direction speake of it vnder those plaine and familiar termes following also therein the same his order and distribution concerning the parts or branches thereof In the former part which is of giuing giftes or benefites indeuouring as great plainnesse as we can we will in the first place consider what giuing is Secondlie what sundrie vertues are required to the right manner of Giuing and therwithall on the contrarie what be the vices which do either altogether hinder or at the least corrupt the same if they be not shunned auoided Thirdlie what is the reward of right christian giuing Fourthlie what the punishment of illiberalitie and not Giuing is Last of all certaine answers shall be made to such obiections as Satan and mans owne corrupt couetous or distrustful and vnbeteeming affection do mightilie suggest to the hinderance of holie beneficence yea euen to the vtter suppressing of it if possiblie the Deuill could atchieue winne the same This shall be the order and contentes of the first part of our Treatise concerning Giuing In the latter part which is of Receiuing gifts or benefites we will likewise in as plaine an order maner as we can attaine vnto declare first what that Receiuing is whereof we speake Secondlie what graces or vertues are requisite to the right maner of Receiuing gifts and benefits and there with also which be the contrarie vices And in the third place we purpose to shew the greatnes of the sin of vnthankfulnes and accordinglie how grieuous punishment belongeth to all vnthankful irreligous Receiuers whosoeuer they be that shall vnchristianly wast consume that which is christianlie giuen bestowed vpon them Finallie we will adde a certaine Florilegie if we may so call it that is a collection of choise sentences out of the best sorte of writers both former latter christian and philosophicall such as God vsed among the heathen to cherish that light of naturall vnderstanding and