Nabal for a notorious example But beside these there are also other vices of this former sort as distrust in Gods prouidēce trust in a mans owne forecast self-loue pride voluptuousnesse and such like Secondly the vices which corrupt and peruert Christian beneficence they are in the worser sort of men hypocrisie ioyned with colourable couetousnesse vnder pretence of franke and free liberalitie like to that of Ananias Sapphira his wife Act. 5. And together with hypocrisie vaine glorie in hunting after the praise of men and proud conceit of worthinesse and merit euen before God himselfe also when beneficence if so it may be called is applyed to countenance and aduance idolatrous religion or superstitious traditions and ceremonies in the true worship of God furthermore when almes is giuen of ill gotten goods specially if they be giuen with a mind to make satisfaction to God for the fraud which hath bene done to men last of all when anie thing is giuen with a mind expecting and longing after a like or greater worldlie recompence These are then corrupting vices in the worser sort of men And in the better sort they may be these which follow first indiscreete and wastfull giuing as to counterfeit poore or to vagrant and inordinate persons with neglect of such as be poore honest inhabitants and housholders secondly a secure presumption in Gods prouidence with neglect of prayer to God for the vpholding of our estate and without due regard of vsing diligence in the labours of our callings and without thriftie employing of commodities to the best aduantages such as be honest lawfull or when any do put forth themselues aboue their abilitie finally neglect of thankfulnesse to God for former blessing and prosperity All which vices partly as open professed aduersaries and destroyers and partly as secrete vndermining conspirators they must be both mightilie and also warily resisted and preuented of all such as mind not only to enter but also hold out constant in the right Christian course of this excellent and noble vertue of godly beneficence the which God hath so gratiously commanded and commended to vs and which his seruants haue obediently tracked and troden forth before vs. Thus finishing this second chapter let vs proceede to the rest of our Treatise The reward of giuing to Gods worship CHAP. III. Of the reward of right Christian Giuing SEeing God who is of infinite mercie most rich and bountifull in all good gifts and graces commaundeth all such as haue Gods plentie as it is commonly and rightly termed that they be liberall in giuing and seeing he promiseth also that hee will of his diuine bountie reward the same it cannot be but that he will indeed plentifully recompence all such as shall obey the same his holy commandement and will beleeue that gratious promise which he hath made in this behalfe This therefore let vs now henceforth consider in this chapter to the end that hereby through the blessing of God we may both helpe forward this vertue in the heartes and hands of those that be ouer-slack negligent and also that we may comfort and incourage both heart and hand of all which by the grace of God are already prompt and diligent that they may neuer waxe faint and weary till they haue attained to the full recompence of that most gratious and free reward which from the bounteous neuer wearied heart and hand of the Lord is thereunto promised and assured In speaking of which free blessing of reward let vs hold the same order which was obserued in treating of the duty First therfore concerning those which are liberall in such manner as hath bene described to the maintenance of Gods pure religion and worship and for the same cause haue anie speciall care to incourage and further the faithfull ministers of the word of God in their holie ministerie or anie other of Gods faithfull seruantes let vs see howe the reward of such is assured vnto them first from those promises which the Lord who is a rewarder of all that seeke him hath made vnto them then from such examples in whom he hath giuen experience and testimonie to his Church in the faithfull perfourmance of the same And first of all let vs consider what our Sauiour Christ in whom and by whom all the promises of God are yea and Amen speaketh to this purpose in the tenth chap. of Matth. verses 40 41 42. He that receiueth you saith our Sauiour Christ to his disciples whom he minded to employ in the preaching of his Gospell receiueth me and he that receiueth me receiueth him that sent me He that receiueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receiue a Prophets reward and he that receiueth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receiue the reward of a righteous man And whosoeuer shall giue vnto one of these little ones to drinke a cup of cold water onely in the name of a Disciple verily I say vnto you he shall not loose his reward In the which words of our Sauiour Christ two things are principally to be obserued First what euery one is chiefly to respect in his Christian beneficence toward the speciall seruants of God yea toward any of the least of those that beare and professe his name that is that in giuing vnto them or in shewing anie other kindnesse they do not so much respect their persons as the Gospell and Christ himselfe and those goodly gifts of godlinesse wherwith he hath graced and adorned his seruants for the common benefite of his Chuch in the communion of Saints For that our Sauiour Christ meaneth by giuing to a Prophet in the name of a Prophet and to a righteous man in the name of a righteous man and to a little one in the name of a Disciple as though he should say euen for the loue that a man beareth them because they be such as they be either Prophet as in a principall place of seruice or a rigteous man as one more ancient and approued in his profession or a Disciple as it were a nouice or new conuerted and more weake Christian This is the first thing to be obserued in these words Secondly we are to obserue that according to the qualitie and degree of the dutie which any perfourmeth in that former respect the rewarde of Gods free bountie shall bee proportionable that is he will fit the crowne answerable to the worke of his owne grace and according to the excellencie of the occasions which he himselfe vouchsafeth to giue whether greater or lesser and according to the greater or lesser measure of faith and loue wherein the same duties are perfourmed and continued in yet so as the least kindnesse done in truth shall be requited with manifold aduantage In the 6. ch of the Epistle to to the Galathians from the 6. verse c. the Apostle Paule in the name of Christ giuing charge to the Christian Churches that they prouide for
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
mercie as it is sayd of the prayers of his good seruants so may it be affirmed of all their good and kinde dealings that they shall be turned vpon their own bosoms according to that we reade Psal 35. vers 12.13.14 O therefore how I beseech you should not the earnest consideration of these things mightily preuayle to moue euery one in whom there is any sparkle of grace to minde this practise of Christian beneficence and mercie toward the poore of Gods people according to euery mans abilty And euen for the same cause also as hath bene before expressed to separate and lay aside a portion before hand of that blessing which God giueth That so we may haue alwayes a purse or coffer to this spirituall vse and seruice of the Lord as well replenished as may be And to this so blessed an end that all which haue aboundance should cut off as much as may be all superfluous and vaine expences in apparell in diet in building in plate in houshold stuffe and in euerie costly and curious ornament whatsoeuer is to any in his place and calling aboue that which is sober and meete For by this wise prouident and sober course not onely the richer but also such as be of lesse wealth shall find both a more richer treasurie to defray all charges this way and also a more readie heart and hand to extende their helpe toward all good reliefe And otherwise it will come to passe that though we be ouercome to giue yet will it be yeelded so vngainely from vs as it were the small sparkle out of the hard flint or as sawe-dust grated out of the belly of the hard oake or to speake the fairest of it it will be but as a thinne and short eare of corne out of a verie barren and vnfruitfull soyle So that loosing all grace in the giuing it doth make the gift it selfe voyde of all blessing like vnto the light and waste seede which being sowne taketh no roote in the ground Verily if we could earnestly and ingeniously consider with our selues and lay together all the reasons which are to be weighed in this argument as namely for a taste that in so doing wee perfourme the dutie of good and faithfull Stewards to God in the right disposing of those his creatures which hee hath betrusted vs withall that thereby we preuent much murmuring and sin and much vniust dealing by pilferie and deceit yea infinite dangerous snares and temptations whereby the diuell spoyleth weake Christians as may easily appeare vnto vs by the prayer of holy Agur Prou. 30. chap. 7.8.9 Giue mee not pouertie prayeth wise Agur lest I be poore and steale Reasons mouing to beneficence and take the name of my God in vaine It is one of the two principal things which he earnestly craued of God that he might obtaine at his hands so long as he had to liue And further if we would duly consider that we refresh the soules of the the best stayed seruants and saints of God Epist to Phile. vers 7. By thee the bowels of the saints are comforted that we mitigate the heauie burthen of their cares and sorrowes and so make their liues more comfortable to them that hereby wee giue them occasion to poure forth many heartie praises and thankesgiuings to the honour and praise of God Moreouer if we would consider that hereby we gather much peace and assurance to our selues that we are in Gods fauour in so much as hereby as Saint Iohn saith We know that we are translated from death to life if we loue the brethren 1. Ioh. chap. 3. vers 14. Likewise that whatsoeuer wee bestowe this way is the safer and surer portion of all our riches according as one truly saith that The most liberall men are the most rich men in all the world Adde also that we mollifie the hard heartednesse of our enemies and mittigate the enuie of those that be spiteful and malignant while we doe good vnto them And yet further that we defeat the moth the canker and the thiefe and store vp our treasure in heauen as our Sauior Christ teacheth vs. In like manner that we are vnder the blessing of the prayers of the poore which is as a princely protection sealed vnto vs as it were with the broad seale of the kingdome of heauen Iob. chap. 29.13 Finally that we are therein blessed of God himselfe with all kind of blessings in this life and shall more comfortably leaue this world whensoeuer God shall call vs out of it If I say we would diligently weigh these reasons and other of like sort it could not be but they wold mightily weigh with vs to prouoke vs to a most willing and chearefull practise of so blessed an exercise Whereupon also it is cleare from this discourse that the errour and dotage of all such is very grosse palpable whosoeuer forgetting that Godlinesse is gaine do pursue and follow after gaine rather then godlinesse that euen vnder the profession of true godlinesse and pure and vndefiled religion contrarie to that of the Apostle Iames. chap. 1.27 Pure religion and vndefiled euen before God the Father is this to visite the fatherlesse and widdowes in their aduersitie and to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world And to that Matt. 9.13 I will haue mercie and not sacrifice For mercie is a great and weighty matter of the law Matth. chap. 23. verse 23. It may appeare also that they do greatly deceiue themselues and preiudice the truth and promises of God who standing aside to behold some few examples of those that in the practise of beneficence seemed to fall into decay as if their goodnesse must needes be the cause thereof and so harden their hearts against all good estimation of this excellent vertue For say some do ye not see how such and such a one haue brought themselues behind hand by their entertaining of Preachers c. We thought it could not last long Whereas rather they should blame themselues if any such decay hath bene because it came the rather to passe vpon other because they contrary to their dutie let too great a burthen lie vpon a few which would haue bene light and easie if these idle beholders wold haue set to their helping hand For want whereof they haue endangered themselues to a greater and more irrecouerable losse seeing they haue thereby purchased the displeasure of God and made themselues subiect to his seuere punishments which followe vpon the neglect of mercie as wee are now to declare in the next chapter The punishment of not giuing CHAP. IIII. Of the punishment of illiberalitie and not Giuing IN so much as the gratious acceptation wherewithall God vouchsafeth to accept and reward the beficence and liberalitie of his seruants may be the more liuely illustrated set forth from the contrarie dislike yea earnest displeasure and holy indignation which he beareth against prophane illiberall couetous mercilesse and cruell persons for all
I bene stubborne that I would not be behind in benefites I beseech ye therefore to striue stoutly and though yee bee put to the worse come againe a fresh in battell aray They are happie who get the victorie they are happie also who are ouercome What young man is more noble then he that can say to himselfe for to another he may in no wise speake it I haue vanquished my father by benefites Who is more happie then such an ancient man who hath iust cause to tell it whithersoeuer he commeth that his sonne hath beene more beneficiall or done more for him then he hath done for his sonne And what is a more blessed thing then for a man to ouercome himselfe Thus we see how the Philosopher disputeth and how he determineth the question of recompence betwixt the child and the father And he hath spoken as much and to as good purpose as anie of the Philosophers haue spoken in this point The which also I haue beene bolde thus farre forth to set downe hoping that it may be considered with some good profite by Christians though from the penne of a heathen man But because we haue a more certaine and sure rule to go by both in this particulare and generallie concerning the doctrine of recompence in all cases let vs now answere the question demanded from the most excellent and on lie perfect the wisdome of God out of holie Scriptures I answer therfore by a concession and granting of the question that a recompeÌ„ce through the blessing of God may be some other waies then by benefites of the same kind aboundantlie made as for example when for earthlie blessings anie are made partakers of spiritual graces and blessings the which vnequall coÌ„mutation or change of benefites the Lord most vsuallie worketh by the hand and ministerie of such to whom he hath committed the preaching of his word and Gospell according as the Apostle Paul saith If we haue â—owne vnto you spirituall thinges is it a great thing if we reape your carnall thinges 1. Cor. 9.11 And againe in his epistle to Philemon pleading with him for his vnfaithfull and runne-away seruant Onesimus that he would vpon his repentance receiue him againe for his sake I vvill recompence it saieth Paule albeit I do not say to thee that thou owest to me euen thine owne selfe Yea further Rom. 15.27 he treating about that great beneficence of manie Churches sent to the Christians of Ierusalem then in distresse through the dearth he is more bold to tell the Christian Gentiles that they are debtors vnto the christian Iewes euen for the inestimable benefits sake of the Gospel which came vnto the Gentiles from them according as it is written The lawe shall go forth of Sion and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem Isai 2. v. 3. And Ps 110.2 And therfore the Apostle concludeth that in so much as the Gentiles are made partakers of the spirituall treasures of the Iewes their dutie is also to minister to them in carnall thinges But this pointe hath bene more fully handled before from the beginning of the third chapter of the former part of the Treatise Let vs therefore leauing this point hast forward Verilie Praier it selfe from the faithful and feruent heart of euerie true Christian though they be priuate persons no Ministers Preachers of the word it is such an almes out of such a blessed treasurie and storehouse that it easilie counteruaileth the outward value of that externall almes which the rich man taketh out of his purse or coffer yea though he open the stringes of his purse wide and stretch out his hand verie liberallie Neuerthelesse the widest opening of the heart vnto Praier must not shut out the care of retribution no not in the same kind whereby anie stand indebted or not in the like measure if so there be need and if God giue abilitie to cause the measure to be pressed downe and to runne ouer according to that which was affirmed before Neither must it shut out the care of benefiting the posteritie of those which haue beene good vnto vs. And here also for want of a fitter place let vs consider from the example of the people of Israel that it is a dutie of thankfulnesse to honour speciall good men with speciall honour euen after their death Benefited men euen thereby stand bound to be beneficiall in their buriall for so it is written of the people of Israel to their commendation that they buried Iehoiada the high Priest in the Citie of Dauid among the Kinges because he had done good in Israell and toward God and his house 2 Chro. ch 24.16 Now finally as a helpe to this fruite of thankefulnesse by care of making recompence it is necessarie that euerie mans heart be a faithfull register of all the kindnesse and beneficence which he is made partaker of Yea and because the memorie of euery one of vs is lesse apt to remember what we owe then what we make reckening to be due vnto vs it were requisite that euerie one should haue some booke of record thereby to be holpen by the sight of white and blacke as they say to call to minde from a long repetition of the yeares and times that are past both from whoÌ„ in what measure we haue bene succoured by the beneficence mercifull releife of this and that good seruant of our God Whereunto well may that serue which was obserued in the entraÌ„ce of this treatise coÌ„cerning the similitude which the Apostle alludeth vnto Philip. 4.15 We haue bene long in this third fruit of thankefulnesse The fourth is this that for want of occasions to make recompence to benefactors or for want of necessitie on their partes or their childrens that we learne from their example and by experience of Gods mercie by them to be our selues the instruments of God to exercise as much goodnesse and mercie as we may And if we be not able from the purse yet by good counsell and holie instruction by faithfull dealing by that credit we haue with others by earnest sute for them in good and honest causes c For there shall doubtlesse neuer want occasions of beneficence one way or other to those that be beneficiallie and helpefully minded The poore saith our Sauiour Christ shal be alwaies with vs. And so long as sinne is in the world yea in the children of God though not reigning and as long as the children of this world are violent and deceitfull to oppresse and deceiue specially the true seruants and children of God and as long as the diuell their arch-enemie beareth any swaie in the world ruleth in the hearts of the wicked to push them forward to mallice and persecute the true worshippers of God of blind zeale to their owne false religion and superstition Finally so long as God himselfe seeth it meete yea good and profitable for his children to be humbled and that their faith and patience should be exercised