I will breake the barre of Damascus I the LORD will with my mightie power breake Lay wast coÌ„sume the barre barre for barres even all the munition and strength of Damascus of the chiâ—â—â—st city of Syria the country adioyning Must Damascus the strongest city of all Syria haue her barres broken Must shee be laid wast and spoiled Here fixing the eies of our minds vpon the power of the LORD learne we this lesson There is no thing nor creature able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose Nothing not gates of brasse nor barres of yron these he breaketh asunder Psal 107.16 No creature What creature more mightie then a King Yet in the day of his wrath God woundeth Kingâ— witnesse the Psalmist 110.5 Doth he wound Kings yea he slayeth mightie Kings Psal 135.10 136.18 My text avoweth the same in one of the next clauses where God threatneth to the mightie King of Syria a cutting off I will cut of him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-eden These few now alleaged instances doe sufficiently though briefly confirme my propounded doctrine There is no thing nor creature able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose The reason hereof is because God only is omnipotent and whatsoever else is in the world it is weake and vnable to resist Of Gods omnipotencie we make our daily profession in the first article of our beleefe professing him to be God the Father Almightie In which profession wee doe not exclude either the Sonne or Holy Ghost from omnipotencie For God the Father who imparteth his Godhead vnto the Sonne and to the Holy Ghost doth communicate the proprieties of his Godhead to them also And therefore our beleefe is that as the Father is Almightie so the Sonne is Almightie and the Holy Ghost is Almightie too Now God is said to be omnipotent or Almightie in two respects First because he is able to doe whatsoever he will Secondly because hee is able to doe more then he will For the first that God is able to doe whatsoever he will who but the man possessed with the spirit of Atheisme and infidelitie dares deny This truth being expresly delivered twise in the booke of Psalmes First Psal 115.3 Our God in heaven doth whatsoever hee will againe Psal 135.6 Whatsoever pleaseth the LORD that doth he in heaven in earth in the sea in all the depthes For the second that God is able to doe more then hee will doe every Christian acquainted with the Evangelicall story doth acknowledge it It is plaine by Iohn Baptists reproofe of the Pharisees and Sadducees Matth. 3.9 Thinke not to say within your selues we haue Abraham to our Father for I say vnto you that God is able of these stones to raise vp childreÌ„ vnto Abraham Able but will not So likewise when Christ was betrayed the story Matth. 26.53 is that God the Father could haue giveÌ„ him more then twelue legions of Angels to haue delivered him Hee could but would not The like may be said of many other things The Father was able to haue created another world yea a thousand worlds Was able but would not You see for Gods omnipotencie that he is able to do whatsoever he will do yea that he is able to do more then he will do God only is omnipotent whatsoever els is in the world it 's weake vnable to resist which is the very summe of my doctrine already propounded and confirmed There is no thing nor creature able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose For as Iob saith chap. 9.13 The most mighty helps do stoope vnder Gods anger This is it which Nabuchodonosor Dan. 4.34 35. coÌ„fesseth In comparison of the most high who liveth for ever whose power is an everlasting power whose kingdome is froÌ„ generatioÌ„ to generatioÌ„ all the inhabitaÌ„ts of the earth are reputed as nothing according to his will he worketh in the army of heaven and in the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand nor say vnto him what doest thou This is it whereat S. Paul aimeth in his question demanded Rom. 9.19 Who hath resisted the will of God And this is it which Iob intendeth chap. 9.4 demanding a like question who hath beene fierce against God and hath prospered I will not further amplifie this point it must stand good against all the might and strength of this world There is no thing nor creature able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose Now let vs consider some duties wherevnto we are moved by this doctrine of Gods omnipotencie 1 Is there no thing nor creature able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose Learne we froÌ„ hence crue humiliation that same Christian vertue to which S. Peter 1. ep 5.6 giues his exhortation Humble your selues vnder the mighty hand of God What are we beloved but by nature in our selues most wretched conceived and borne in sin hitherto running on in wickednes dayly rebelling against God against Almighty God against him who alone is able to do whatsoever he will able to do more then he will able to cast both body and soule into hell fire Let the consideration of this our wretched estate worke in vs the fruits of true humiliatioÌ„ This true humiliation standeth in our practise of three things 1. The sorrow of our heart wherby we are displeased with our selues and ashamed in respect of our sinnes 2. Our confession to God in which we must also doe three things 1. We must acknowledge all our maine sins originall and actuall 2. We must acknowledge our guiltinesse before God 3. We must acknowledge our iust damnation for sinne The third thing in our humiliation is our supplication to bee made to God for mercy which must be with all possible earnestnes as in a matter of life and death A patterne whereof I present vnto you Dan. 9.17 18 19. O our God heare the praiers of vs thy servants and our supplications and cause thy face to shine vpon vs. O our God encline thine eare to vs and heare vs open thine eies and behold our miseries we do not present our supplications before thee for our own righteousnesse but for thy great teÌ„der mercies O LORD heare vs O LORD forgiue vs O LORD consider and do it differ not thy mercies for thine owne sake O our God Thus beloved if wee humble our selues vnder the hand of Almighty God God will lift vs vp 2 Is there no thing nor creature able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose Learne we from hence to treÌ„ble at Gods iudgements to feare them to stand in awe of them to quake quiver at them For as God is so are his iudgements God is terrible and his iudgements are terrible God is terrible in the assembly of his Saints Psal 88.8 terrible in his workes Psal 66.3 terrible in his doings toward the sonnes of men Psal 66.5 terrible to the Kings of the earth Psalm 76.13 To passe over
sought and worshiped even in every place appointed by publike authoritie for publike assemblies Wherefore I pray you hath God given his Church a 1. Cor. 12 27. some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors some Teachers Is it not as we are taught Ephes 4.12 for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the ministerie and for the edifying of the Body of Christ See you not here a forcible argument and evident proofe for this your publike meeting There is Matth. 18.20 a speciall promise of a blessing to light vpon you as oft as you shall come to this place and thereof the author of all truth assureth you Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them O weigh and consider this If you loue would haue the societie fellowship company of your sweet Saviour Iesus Christ you must frequent this place hither must you come Knowe this you cannot be right worshippers of God in private if you refuse or neglect to frequent this publike assemblie the Sion the Ierusalem from whence God is pleased to speake vnto you Much then very much to blame you whosoever doe for none or for smal occasions absent your selues from this place this house of God at appointed times where when your publike prayers should be as it were a publike renouÌ„cing of al sects and societie with idolatrie and prophanesse an acknowledgement and confession of the true God and a publike sanctification of Gods holy Name to the glory of God The time was and I dare avouch it Act. 21.5 when all the congregation of Tyre with their wiues and children bringing St Paul out of the towne to the sea shore kneeled downe with him and prayed Shall we in these daies finde this zeale among Christians I much doubt it and am perswaded men will bee ashamed in imitation of those Tyrians to kneele downe in an open place to pray vnto God publikely I will not rub this soare I know somewhat and you knowe more then I how backward many of you haue beene froÌ„ doing God due service in this place Shall I say you haue dishonoured him some by irreverence some by much absence some by wilfull refusall to bee made partakers of the blessed Communion of the body and bloud of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ I thinke should any one of you invite your neighbour to sup with you but once he refuse it you would take some displeasure at him and shall God Almightie the mightie creatour of Heaven of Earth of all you that heare mâ— this day invite you many times to come and suppe at the table of his blessed Sonne and you refuse it Beleeue it hee cannot take it well It is no indifferent or arbitrary thing to come or not to come to the Lords table Come you must of duty though of duty you are first to examine your selues Whosoever therefore wilfully refuseth to come he sinneth very grievously as a learned b Bucanus Loc. 48. Divine well noteth 1 Because he contemneth not any humane but a divine edict the expresse commandement of the Lord of life Doe this in remembrance of me 2 Because he little esteemeth the remembrance of Christ his death by which we are redeemed 3 Because he neglecteth the communion of the body and bloud of Christ 4 Because he sheweth himselfe to be none of the number of Christs disciples I beseech you dearely beloved lay vp these things in your harts let this day be the beginning of your reformatioÌ„ resolue from hence forth to perfourme your due obedience to God in this place to poure forth your praiers before him to heare his holy word and to frequent the Lords table whereby faith in his death and passion you may receiue many a gracious blessing forgiuenes of your sinnes your reconciliation with God the death of iniquity in you and the assured pledge of eternall life I haue now by occasion of SION and IERVSALEM the place from whence God will speake vnto yâ—â— exhorted every one of you in particular to come to the Church I pray you note this to be but a part of your duty It is not enough for you to come your selues to the Church you must sollicite and exhort others to come likewise Fathers must bring their children Masters must bring their Servants For old and yong should come My warrant for what I say I take out of Ioel. 2.15 16. Calla solemne assembly gather the people sanctifie the congregation gather the elders assemble the childreÌ„ those that suck the breasts Marke I beseech you Children and such as sucke the breasts must be assembled You must haue the spirit of resolution to say with Ioshua cha 24.15 I my house will serue the LORD Your duty is yet further extended beyond your children servants to your neighbours also strangers if they come in your way This we may learne out of the prophecies of Esay Micah and Zacharie First Esay 2.3 The faithfull shall say Come and let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his waies we wil walke in his pathes for the law shall go forth of SION and the word of the Lord from IERVSALEM Againe Micah 4.2 You shall finde the very same exhortation made by the faithfull and in the same words Come and let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob c. The Prophet Zachary chap. 8.21 for summe and substance speaketh the same thing They that dwell in one towne shall go vnto another saying vp let vs go and pray before the LORD seeke the LORD of hoastes I will go also Thus farre of the place from whence the Lord speaketh expressed by two names Sion and Ierusalem THE FIFTH LECTVRE AMOS 1.2 And he said the LORD shall roare from SION and vtter his voice from IERVSALEM and the dwelling places of the shepheards shall perish and the top of CARMEL shall wither OF the speaker place from whence he speaketh I haue heretofore spokeÌ„ Now proceed we to the sequels of the speech which shall for this time bee the ground of my discourse The dwelling places of the shepheards shall perish So doe the words sound for their substance Yet after the letter in the originall Hebrew copie we are to read otherwise the fruitfull or pleasant places of the shepheards haue mourned Let vs briefly take a view of the words as they lie in order The dwelling places So is the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 englished not vnfitly For though properly it signifieth fruitfull and pleasant fields and pastures yet because shepheards did vse in the wildernesse neere vnto such fields pastures to erect themselues little cottages and cabins that they might bee at hand to defend their harmelesse sheepe from savage and ravenous beasts it may here well be englished the dwelling places
with silence many places of holy Scripture in which God is tearmed a terrible God let vs confesse with the Psalmist Psalm 76.7 Thou O God of Iacob thou art to be feared who shall stand in thy sight wheÌ„ thou art angrie Here are they worthely to be taxed and censured who are so far from fearing Gods iudgements as that they plainly scoffe and iest at them Such a one was he of Cambridge shire who o This Sermon was preached Febr. 8. 1606. some 14. yeares since in the yeare 1592. made a mocke of the Lords glorious voice the THVNDER The story is delivered by Perkins in his p Printed at Cambridg in 4o. 1596. pag. 36. exposition of the Creed in these words One beeing with his companion in a house drinking on the Lordes day when he was ready to depart thence there was great lightning and thunder wherevpon his fellow requested him to stay but the man mocking and iesting at the thunder and lightning said as report was it was nothing but a knaue cooper knocking on his tubs come what would he would go and so went on his iourney but before he came halfe a mile froÌ„ the house the same haÌ„d of the LORD which before he had mocked in a cracke of thunder strooke him about the girdlesteed that he fell downe starke dead A memorable example brought home as it were to our doores to put vs in minde of Gods heavy wrath against those which scorne his iudgements Let vs beloved be wise vpon it and at every iudgement of God tremble and feare confesse as before out of Psal 76.7 Thou O God of Iacob thou art to bee feared who shall stand in thy sight when thou art angry 3 Is there no thing nor creature able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose Here is matter enough to vphold and stablish our faith in Gods promises to the abolishing of all wavering and doubting touching our salvation Thus No thing nor creature is able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose God is able to do whatsoever he wil do he wil do whatsoever hee hath promised to do he hath promised to giue eternall life to all that beleeue in Iesus Christ How then can I who do beleeue or any other who doth beleeue in Iesus Christ doubt of mine or their salvation Vpon this rocke of Gods omnipotency Abrahams faith stood vnshaken as appeareth Rom. 4. Abraham he doubted not of the promise of God through vnbeliefe but was strengthned in the faith And how Because he was fully assured that the same God who had promised was able also to doe it This ablenes of God Abraham opposed to his owne weaknes And so aboue hope beleeued vnder hope that he should be the father of many nations according to that which was spoken to him so shall thy seed be This promise Abraham laid hold of not considering his owne bodie eveÌ„ now dead being almost a hundred years old neither the deadnesse of Sarahs womb he laid hold of the promise How By faith Which was increased and confirmed to him by the consideration of the power of God And why is all this written of Abraham S. Paul saies why ver 23. Now it is not written for him only that it was imputed to him for righteousnes but also for vs to whom it shall bee imputed for righteousnes if wee beleeue in him that raised vp Iesus our LORD from the dead who was delivered to death for our sins and is risen againe for our iustification Wherefore to all our sins infirmities and impotencies from whence may arise diffidence infidelity or vnbeliefe we must ever oppose Gods omnipotency and thereby support our faith in his promises I shut vp this point and my whole lecture with S. Austines discourse Serm. 123. de tempore Nemo dicat non potest mihi dimittere peccata Let no man say vnto me God cannot forgiue me my sinnes Quomodo non potest omnipotens How is it possible that the Almighty should not bee able to forgiue thee thy sinnes But thou wilt say I am a great sinner and I say Sed ille omnipotens est But God is Almighty Thou replyest and saiest My sinnes are such as from which I cannot be delivered and clensed and I answere Sed ille omnipotens est But God is Almightie Almightie able to doe all things greater or lesser celestiall or terrestiall immortall or mortall spirituall or corporall invisible or visible Magnus in magnis neque parvus in minimis great in great businesses and not litle in the least No thing or creature is able to withstand Gods power or to let his purpose THE TENTH LECTVRE AMOS 1.5 I will breake also the barre of Damascus and cut of the inhabitant of Bikeath-Aven and him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-Eden and the people of Aram shall goe into captivity vnto Kir NOw proceed we to the other clauses of the last part of this prophecy against the Syrians The second clause is I will cut of the inhabitant of Bikeath-Aven The third is and him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-eden the fourth is and the people of Aram c. In each of these I doe obserue as before I did three circumstances 1 The punisher the LORD either immediatly by himselfe or mediatly by his instruments 2 The punishment to be vnderstood in those phrases of cutting of and going into captivity 3 The punished the Syrians noted in these names Bikeath-Aven Beth-eden Aram. Let vs examine the words of the text as they lie in order I will cut of the inhabitant of Bikeath-Aven I the LORD IEHOVAH a See Leâ—â— 9. who remoue mountaines and they feele not wheÌ„ I overthrow them who remoue the earth out of her place and make her pillars to shake who my selfe alone spread out the heavens and walke vpon the height of the sea I the LORD IEHOVAH who doth great things and vnsearchable marvailous things and without nuÌ„ber I the LORD IEHOVAH who haue resolued to send a fire into the house of Hazael which shall devoure the palaces of Benhadad haue resolued to breake the barres of Damascus I will also cut of the inhabitant of Bikeath-Aven him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-eden c I will cut off To cut off is in sundry places of holy Scripture a Metaphore drawne ab excisione arborum from the cutting downe or rooting vp of trees and signifieth vtterly to consume to wast to dissipate to destroy to exstinguish So it 's vsed Ps 101.8 where David purposing not to be negligent or sloathfull in the execution of iustice against all malefactors in Ierusalem resolueth to cut of all the workers of iniquitie from the city of the LORD Betimes will I destroy all the wicked of the land that I may cut of all the workers of iniquitie from the city of the LORD So it s vsed Psal 109.15 where Davids prayer against the wicked is that their iniquitie and sinne be alwaies before the
Hell vnder death vnder sin vnder the eternall malediction or curse of the law propounded to every one that doth not in all points and absolutely obey the law This Captivity is a heavy yoke to all mankinde considered without Christ Every one male and female that hath no part in Christ every vnbelieving and reprobate person is in this construction even to this day a captiue And such also were we by the corruption of our nature vpon our first father Adams default but now are we by the sacrifice of the â—â—â—aculate Lambe the LORD IESVS ransomed and freed Fâ—â— do this purpose was he sent into the world as it is evident Esai 61.1 and Luk. 4.18 In both places hee professeth himselfe to bee sent into the world for this end even to publish liberty and freedome to captiues and the imprisoned which his office hee hath graciously performed By his word of grace he hath so freed our consciences formerly oppressed with and captiue vnder sin that now there is no condemnation to vs to vs I say who are in Christ do walke after the spirit as S. Paule speaketh Rom. 8.1 This is it which our Saviour foretold the Iewes Iohn 8.36 If the sonne shall make you free you shall be free indeed Be it repeated againe to our eternall comforts If the son shall make vs free we shall be free indeed But he hath made vs free for therfore was he sent to publish liberty and freedome to captiues he hath paide our ransome his iâ—â—ocent and most precious blood by it are wee throughly washed and clensed from our sins Now there is no condemnation to vs. Thus freed from our spirituall captivity bondage and slavery vnder Hell death and sinne let vs with boldnes looking vp to the throne of Grace whereon sitteth the author finisher of our faith say with the blessed Apostle 1. Cor. 15.55 O death where is thy sting O Hell where is thy victory the sting of death is sin and the strength of sinne is the law But thanks be to God who hath given vs victory through Iesus Christ our LORD The Captivity in my text is of the other kind a corporal captivity a captivity of the body which vsually is accompanied with two great miseries pointed at Psal 107.10 The first they dwell in darknes and in the shadow of death the second they are bound in anguish and yron First they dwell in darkenesse and in the shadow of death that is they are put into deepe dungeons void of light whereby they are as it were at deaths doore Secondly they are bound in anguish and yron that is day and night they are loaden with fetters gyues or shackles of yron so loaden that they finde no rest vnto their bones Thus must it be with them who by sinnefull living provoke the LORD to high displeasure Thus is my doctrine confirmed For the sin of a land God oftentimes sendeth away the inhabitants into captivity Is it true beloved Doth God oftentimes for the sin of a land send away the inhabitaÌ„ts into captivity Let vs make this ChristiaÌ„ vse of it even to powre out our selues in thankfulnes before almighty God for his wonderfull patience towards vs. The sins of such nations as haue beene punished with captivity were they more grievous in Gods eies then ours are It is not to bee imagined Our sins are as crimson-like and as scarlet-like as ever were theirs the sins of our land crying sins Atheisme Irreligion Oppression Extortion Covetousnes Vsury Adultery Fornication Vncleannesse Drunkennesse and many like abominations of the old man in vs all our works of darknes they haue made head together and haue impudently and shamelesly pressed into the presence of Almighty God to vrge him to poure forth the viols of his wrath and indignation vpon vs. Yet our God good gracious mercifull long suffering and of great kindnes withholdeth and stayeth his revengeful hand from laying vpon vs his great punishment of Captivity and suffereth vs to possesse our habitations in peace to eat the good things of the earth O let vs therefore confesse before the LORD his loving kindnesse declare before the sonnes of men the good things that he hath done for vs. Here dearely beloved let vs not presume vpon God his patience to lead our liues as we list We cannot but see that God is highly offended with vs already though yet hee be not pleased to execute his sorest iudgements vpon vs. Gods high displeasure against vs appeareth in those many visitations by which he hath come neere vnto vs within our memories I may not stand to amplifie the Spanish sword shaken over vs the great famine brought vpoÌ„ vs in our late Queenes daies Our now gracious Soveraigne 〈◊〉 noâ— lâ—â—g sâ—â—e at the sterne of this kingdome But few yeares are passed and yet those few haue afforded manifest tokens of Gods sore displeasure at vs. Haue not many thousands of our brethren happily not so grievous sinners as we beene taken away by the destroying Angel and yet the plague is not ceased Vnlesse we repent amend our liues we may likewise perish Haue not many of our brethren too many if it might haue seemed otherwise to Almighty God haue they not partly perished themselues partlie lost their cattell and substance in n An. D. 1607. this yeares waters such waters as our forefathers haue scarcely observed the like If wee will not wash out selues from our evill doings we see God is able to wash vs extraordinarily The vnseasonable weather giveÌ„ vs from heaven to the rotting of our sheep is but Gods warning to vs of a greater misery to befall vs vnlesse we will returne froÌ„ our euill waies Wherefore beloved let vs with one heart and minde resolue for hereafter to cast away all works of darknes to put on the armor of light take we no further thought for our flesh to fulfill the lusts of it Walke we from henceforth honestly as in the day Whatsoever things are true and honest and iust and pure and do pertaine to loue and are of good report if there be anie vertue or praise thinke we on these things Think we on these things to do them and we shal not need to feare any going into captivity yea the destroying Angell shall haue no power over vs the raging waters shall not hurt vs our cattell and whatsoever else we enioy shall prosper vnder vs. For God even our owne God shall giue vs his blessing THE TWELFTH LECTVRE AMOS 1.6 7 8. Thus saith the LORD For three transgressions of Azzah and for foure I will not turne to it because they carried away prisoners the whole captivitie to shut them vp in Edom. Therefore will I send a fire vpon the walls of Azzah and it shall devoure the palaces therof And I will cut of the inhabitant from Ashdod and him that holdeth the scepter from Ashkelon turne mine hand to Ekron and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish saith the LORD
Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he did violate the mothers wombe which reading may haue reference to the nativity of Iacob and Esau borne at one birth of their mother Rebekah And then the meaning is that the Edomites Esau's posterity neglecting that bond knot of brotherhood and consanguinity did exercise rigour and cruelty against the Israelites Iacobs posterity or it may haue reference to a savage and outragious cruelty as if the Edomites were here noted for ripping vp mothers wombs or women with childe in Israel That such cruelty was vsed by the Ammonites it is plaine by the 13. verse of this chapter But this text in the original doth not fasteÌ„ this blame vpon the Edomites and I loue not to force my text I wil not trouble you with other expositions The originall 〈…〉 â—â—rrupt his compassions The sense and meaning is wâ—ll â—â—ndâ—ed and delivered in our receiued English Bibles He did cast of all pitie Is Edom here condemned for corrupting his compassions for casting of all pitie The lesson hence to be commended to your Christian considerations is this Vnmercifulnesse is a sinne hatefull vnto God I could bring you many places out of holy writ for the confirmation of this doctrine But two only or three and they but touched shall serue for this present In Iob 6.14 the vnmercifull are noted to haue forsaken the feare of the Almightie In Rom. 1.31 among such as God hath giuen vp to a reprobate minde to commit things worthy of death the vnmercifull are named In Iames 2.13 a punishment is denounced to the vnmercifull There shall be iudgement mercilesse to him that sheweth no mercy These few texts of Scripture doe plentifully establish my doctrine Vnmercifulnesse is a sinne hatefull vnto God If any will aske me what is this vnmercifulnes whereof I now speake my answer shall be out of the learned Out of o Apud Aquin 22. qu. 118.8.3 Isidore that it is one of the nine daughters of covetousnesse Out of p 22. qu. 159 1. 2. 2. Aquinas that it is the withholding of a deed of charitie an q 22. qu. 118.8.3 obduration or the hardning of the heart against mercy Out of r Comment in hunc locuÌ„ Mercer that it is a breach of natures law and an abolishing of all kindnesse And so I come to make some vse of this doctrine The vse is to stirre vs vp to the exercises of humanity mercy I will not now make any long declamation against inhumanitie and vnmercifulnesse yet my text requireth that I speake somewhat to it There was a time when righteousnesse seemed to be taken vp into the clouds and the earth to be void of it It was in the daies of the Prophet Esay He then cryed out chap. 45.8 O yee heavens send the dew from aboue and let the cloudes drop downe righteousnesse The time is now when loue seemeth to be taken vp into the cloudes and the earth to bee void of it Now may we cry out O yee heavens send the dew from aboue let the cloudes drop downe Iouâ— that the 〈…〉 obâ—rlisâ—â— Nabals of this present generation may now at length knowe that they are not borne for themselues only but for their poore neighbours also Your poore neighbours who stand in need of you by very prerogatiue of mankind haue an interest in your succour and service But it may be that some are so farre from all humanitie that this prerogatiue of mankind will not moue them to doe any worke of charitie Such hard hearts let them heare what the law is Deut. 15.7 If one of thy brethren with thee be poore within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giâ—eth thee thou shalt not harden thine hearts nor shut thine hand from thy poore brother But thou shalt open thy hand vnto him shalt lend him sufficient for his need I knowe flesh and blood will obiect Shall I lend my neighbour sufficient for his need I soone exhaust my substance and liue in wâ—nâ— my selfe I reply O thou of little faith why fearest thou Looke backe vpon the blessing of God relie vpon it he through his benediction will make thee large recoÌ„pense Of this thou maist be assured if thou wilt haue recourse to the fore cited chapter Deut 15.10 There art thou infallibly promised for thy almes deeds done to the needy that the LORD thy God shall blesse thee in all thy workes and in all that thou puttest thine hand to My exhortation is no other then that of the Prophet Esai chap. 58.7 Deale thy bread to the 〈◊〉 bring the poore wanderer to thine house If thou seest him naked cover him hee is thine owne flesh hide not thy selfe from him Thy liberalitie will bring thee great advantage whereof thou wilt not doubt if thou consider the â—ext verse Thy light shal breake forth as the morning thy health shall grow speedily thy righteousnesse shall goe before thee the glorie of the LORD shall embrace thee Seest thou not an heape of blessings one vpon another Looke into the booke of Psalmes In the beginning of the 41. Psal many a sweet promise is made thee coÌ„ditionally that thou 〈…〉 LOâ—D shall deliver thee in the 〈…〉 preserue thee aliue hee shall bliâ—◠〈◊〉 â—pon 〈◊〉 earth he will not deliver thee to the will of thine 〈…〉 will strengthen thee vpon thy bad of sorrow and will 〈…〉 of thy sickâ—â—â—se I might wearie you and my selfe in the pursuit of this point Here I stop my course with recommendatioÌ„ of one only place that a very remâ—â—keable one Prov. 19.17 He that hath mercy vpon the poore â—â—deth to the LORD and the LORD will recompense 〈◊〉 â—hat which he hath giuen Behold and â—ee how gracious and good the LORD is If you show pitie and compassion vpon the poore God will recoÌ„pense you to the full yea in the largenes of his mercies he will reward you plentifully It wâ—â— grâ—â—e â—xhortation of a Å¿ Tobitto his sonne Tobias cap. 4.7 father to his sonne Giue 〈…〉 gâ—â—st almes let not thine eie 〈…〉 poore lâ—â—st that God turne his 〈…〉 according to thy substance if thou haâ—◠〈◊〉 a little 〈◊〉 not afraid to giue a little So shalt thou lay vp a good store for thy selfe against the day of necessitie Almes will 〈…〉 from death and will not suffer thee to come into the place of darknesse Almâ—s is a good gift before the most high to all them which vse it Vse it I beseech you in the bowels of our LORD and Saviour Iesus Christ Bee yee not like Edom in my text Corrupt not your compassions cast not of al pitie suffer yee one with another loue as brethren be pitifull be courâ—â—ous doe yee good to all men and faint not great shall be your reward in heaven This your service will bee acceptable vnto God God for it will giue you his blessing God will blesse you for the time of your being here and when the day of