his house And Pro. 3 9 10. Honor the Lord with thy substance and with the first fruits of all thine encrease So shall thy barnes be filled with plenty and thy presses shal burst out with new wine 2. The Lord hath promised them safety and protection in perilous and dangerous times Ps. 41. 1 2. Blessed is he that considereth the poor The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble The Lord will preserve and keep him alive and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies Again Isa. 58. 8. The glory of the Lord shall be his rereward For his safety and defence against dangers Paulinus Bishop of Nola having consumed all his estate in redeeming poor Christian Captives at length having nothing left pawned himself for a certain widdowes Son but the Barbarians moved with his goodnesse and charity returned him home and many Captives with him freely 3. The Lord will support and comfort such with Divine consolations upon their bed of sicknesse when all worldly and creature comforts fail them and when such soul-ravishing comforts are more worth then all the world Psa. 41. 3. The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness Ps. 112. 4. unto such there ariseth light in darknesse v. 7. He shall not be affraid of evil tidings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord Yea see that sweet promise Isa. 58. 9. Then shalt thou call and the Lord shall answer Thou shalt cry and he shall say here I am 4. You may hereby make God your debtor at death to send his blessed Angels to guard and transport your soules through the territories and regions of the Prince of the aier into Abrahams bosom According to the counsell of our Saviour Christ Luk. 16. 9. Make to your selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousnesse that when you fail they may receive you into everlasting habitations Hereby indeed we shall do as the blessed Apostle Paul adviseth us 1 Tim. 6. 19. Lay up in store for our selves a good foundation against the time to come that ye may lay hold on eternall life And for our further encouragement let us remember what wise Solomon tells us Eccles. 11. 1. Cast thy bread up on the waters for thou shalt find it after many daies 5. Yea such liberall-hearted persons after death leave a blessed memoriall behind them and Solomon tells us Eccles. 7. 1. that a good name is better then pretious ointment yet that will leave a sweet sent in the room when it is removed How much more shall the name of such mercifull men be continued See it in the example of good Obadiah who took the Lords Prophets and hid them by fifty in a Cave and fed them with bread and water How sweet is the memoriall of that mercifull Proselit Cornelius whose prayers and Almes as they were had in remembrance before God So are they recorded in the sacred Scriptures to his everlasting commendations The like may be said of Dorcas and many others Our own Histories likewise furnish us with plentifull examples of this kind As of Master Bradford Georg Wiseheart Giles of Bruxels Doctor Tailor Master Fox Master Hooper and of later time the young Lord Harrington Mr. Wheatley of Banhury c. 6. Lastly God is made a debtor to such to blesse their posterities after them To such saith the Lord Is. 58. 12. They that shall be of thee shall build the old wast places thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations and thou shalt be called the repairer of the breach And Psa. 112. 2. His seed shall be mighty upon Earth the generation of the upright shall be blessed Neither do we want examples of Gods faithfull performance of this promise How well did Mephibosheth fare for the mercy which his Father Jonathan shewed to David And what said David to old Barzillai who had mercifully fed him and his wearied men when he fled from Absolon 2 Sam. 19. 38. The King answered Chimham thy son shall go over with me and I wil do to him that which shall seem good unto thee and whatsoever thou shalt require of me that will I do I shall onely adde one famous example of our own Queen Ann Bullen wife to King Henry the eighth was a very charitable woman she used to carry a little purse about her for the poor thinking no day well spent wherein some had not fared the better at her hand She also kept her maids and such as were about her in working and sowing garments for the poor and see how the Lord dealt with her in her onely child our renowned Qu. Eliz. whom the Lord wonderfully delivered from death in the Reign of her Sister Qu. Mary and after advanced her to the Throne preserved her from the rage of Rome Spain and the Devill giving her a long life and glorious Reign to the comfort of her friends and terror of her enemies And thus I have shewed you how by your charity and liberality you make God your debtor though non ex merito yet ex promisso not out of merit as the Papists teach yet by vertue of his promise which we use to say is due debt Now I proceed to give you some further Motives and arguments to quicken you to this duty 3. Wee should therefore take the present opportunity of doing some publick good for our Country because we know not how little a while we may enjoy our estates We have of late seen Civill Warr and plundering times wherein many of plentifull means have been suddenly brought to poverty and sure I am that the same sins which brought down those judgements are still common Yea I fear I may truly say that instead of amendment we wax worse and worse and our provocations are greater then formerly Why may we not then expect some sweeping and desolating judgement to be impendent over our heads and should we by a generall or some particular hand of God be emptied of that fulnesse which we now enjoy we shall then be disabled to do such good works though we would But me thinks I hear some objecting and saying that because we know not how little a while we shall enjoy what we have it s therefore good to make much of it whilst we have it and to lay up against a rainy day To which I answer that the spirit of God which is much wiser then we hath made the contrary inference Eccl. 11. 2. Give a portion to seaven and also to eight for thou knowest not what evill shall be upon the Earth And the Apostle Paul Gal. 6. 10. Bids us whilst we have opportunity to doe good to all men but especially to the houshold offaith 4. It 's the readiest and surest way to obtain mercy from God in our need if we carefully and conscienciously relieve others in their needs we have Christs own testimony for this Mat. 5. 7. Blessed are the
persecution upon this ground because he is faithfull that hath promised and thereupon in this Verse of my Text hee shewes how they may be furthered therein viz. If they would consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works Wherein we have 1. The duty pointed out Let us consider one another 2. The end of the duty To provoke unto love and to good works Let us consider one another the words in the Originall are {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Observemus Let us observe one another It doth not barely signifie to look into or consider Sed magno studio mentem in rem intendere But to bend the mind with the greatest study and diligence that can be to find out a matter To provoke {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which word is taken two waies in Scripture 1. In a bad sence for a sharp contention as Act. 15. 39. where speaking of the difference which arose between Paul and Barnabas about taking John Mark along with them the Text saith The contention was so sharp between them that they departed asunder one from the other Or such a provoking as makes al the body to tremble or that sets the teeth on edge of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Acetum vineger but here secondly It 's used in a good sence for stirring up or quickning one another to a necessary duty From the context as this Verse looks back to the two and twentieth we may gather this proposition That there is no true Faith which is not accompanied with love and good works The Apostle James Chap. 2. Tells us of a twofold Faith A dead Faith and a living Faith A dead Faith is that which consists in words and profession onely without good works ver. 14. What saith he doth it profit my brethren though a man saith he hath Faith and hath not workes Can Faith save him Hee meanes such a livelesse saplesse Faith For saith he ver. 17. Faith if it hath not works is dead being alone For according to the usuall Maxim as Faith justifies our persons so works justifie our Faith And Paul writing to Titus chargeth him to teach this Doctrine to his hearers This is a faithfull saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly That they which have believed in God might be carefull to maintain good works This therefore cashieres from the number of true believers all those rough and rugged Esau's who Salamander-like love to live in the fire of contention and are never well but when they are embroiled in quarrells Or that instead of provoking to love do all that they can to make Nationall and Church divisions by distinctive names and titles seeking to divide and subdivide us till they have crumbled us all to pieces A most Diabolicall sin who is the Author of Division and among the vulgar is known by his cloven foot whereas God is the God of Peace Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace the Gospell the Gospell of Peace Christs Ministers the Ambassadors of peace and therefore all his people should cry with David I am for peace Psal. 120. 7. Secondly all such Solifidians as boast much of their Faith but are not carefull to maintain good works These are barren Figtrees that bear fair leaves of profession without any fruit at all but when Christ shall come with his basket and turn up their fair leaves and find no fruit he will set down his basket and take up his Axe as Mat. 3. 10. Now also is the axe laid unto the root of the Trees therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire Or else he will curse them for their barrennesse as he did that tree Mar. 11. 14. No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever Let us consider one another Hence observe That Christians should with much seriousnesse and diligence consider and acquaint themselves each with other Quest But what is it that they are to observe each in other Answ. 1. Their gifts graces experiences and virtues to draw them forth for their mutuall benefit 2. Their wants and weaknesse to pitty cover and heal them 3. Their dispositions and temper that we may know the better how to deal with them According to that of Jud. verse 22. 23. Of some have compassion making a difference and others save with fear pulling them out of the fire Therefore when we meet together we should not squander away our pretious time in frothy and idle discourses or in vain and fruitless impertinences but according to the Apostles counsell here we should consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works And this brings me to the principall point for which I made choise of this Text viz. That it 's the duty of all Christians to provoke one another to love and to good works which Point you see consists of two branches First that we should provoke one another to love So did Abraham speaking to Lot Gen. 13. 8. Let there be no strife I pray thee between me and thee and between my Herdsmen and thy Herdsmen for we be bretheren And Joseph speaking to his brethren Gen. 45. 24. See that yee fall not out by the way And Peter speaking to all Christians saith Love the brotherhood 1 Pet. 2. 17. Quest What is this love that we must provoke one another to Answ. It 's a Christian virtue or Grace infused into us by the Holy Ghost whereby we sincerely love God for himself and our brethren for Gods sake I call it a Christian virtue or Grace to distinguish it from the naturall affection of love which we bring into the World with us And from that morall virtue which may be acquired by our own diligence and industry whereas this is the work of Gods spirit in us and an evidence of our future salvation 1 Ioh. 3. 14. For we know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren he that loveth not his brother with this holy love abideth in death This love you see hath a two fold Objection God and man The latter I conceive is principally meant in this Text therfore I shal speak to that it is an uniting and cementing Grace that soders mens hearts one to another as Jonathans to David 1 Sam. 18. 1. The soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David and he loved him as his own soul And this is that which the Apostle exhorts us to Eph. 4. 2. 4. Forbearing one another in love endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace And Col. 2. 2. That their hearts might be comforted being knit together in love And this is that for which the Primitive Christians were so famous Act. 4. 32. The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul c. Quest What arguments may we
use to provoke one another to love Answ. 1. Propter praeceptum Because of the command of God and were there no other reason for it this should be instar omnium instead of all Because God will have it so Indeed I may say of this as David doth of Goliaths sword There is none to that We see how peremptorily our Apostle requires it here Provoke unto love and our Saviour Christ is not lesse urgent Joh. 13. 34. A new commandement I give unto you that yee love one another and this precept he backs with the best president As I have loved you that ye also love one another And that beloved Disciple that seems to be wholly composed of love doth often inculcate it 1 Ioh. 3. 16. He would have our love so ardent as to lay down our lives for the brethren and ver. 18. Let us not love in word neither in tongue onely but in deed and in truth and ver 23. This is his commandement that we love one another and Chap. 4. 7. Let us love one another for love is of God and every one that loves is born of God and knows God and verse 11. If God so loved us we ought also to love one another and ver. 12. If we love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us and in diverse other places of his Epistles But to this diverse other arguments may be added As 2. Propter unitatem Because of that unity and Onenesse that is amongst us we are all men therefore of the same kind and the Apostle tells us Act. 17. 26. that God hath made of one blood all Nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth Yea more We are all Christians and therefore should love one another Yet more We are all English men and therefore should love one another Once again We are all the same County Warwickshire men and therefore should love one another To all which unities may be added one more if we are the same in truth as we are in profession we are all members of the same mysticall body whereof Christ is the head Rom. 12. 5. We being many are one body in Christ and every one members one of another 3. Propter bonitatem pulchritudinem Because of the goodness and comlinesse of it Love is an amiable Grace as afterwards I shall shew It 's lovely in the eyes both of God man Yea they which want it themselves yet admire and love it in others Psa. 133. 1. David set's an Ecce before it Ecce quam bonum c. Behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity 4. Propter firmitatem Because it strengthens us against adversaries the old Maxim is Divide impera They are easie to be ridden by every Usurper who are first divided amongst themselves Hence it was that Micypsa lying on his death-bead called all his sons together and caused them to write this sentence in Golden letters Concordiâ parvae res crescunt Discordiâ magnae dilabuntur By concord small things are encreased and strengthned But by discord the greatest are overthrown And you know the story of Scillurus who likewise calling for his eighty sons upon his death-bed told them that whilst they continued knit together in brotherly love like a bundle of darts or sheaf of Arrows they would be altogether invincible but if once disjoyned or severed by hatred they would quickly become a prey to their adversaries 5. Propter similitudinem Because of that likenesse that is amongst us And similitudo gignit amorem Likenes breeds love We see it in all tame and profitable creatures who loving each other in regard of likenesse feed and flock together similis gaudet simili Like loves his like And truly we are more brutish then they if this moves us not to love one another Indeed it 's the property of wild beasts as of Lions Bears Tygres c. to love solitude in howling Wildernesses and to walk abroad alone and if they meet to intertear one another But though the great Tyrants of the world joyne house to house and field to field that they may dwell alone Yet seeing God hath made us sociable creatures and Religion hath made us Christians Let us provoke one another to love 6. Propter propinquitatem Because of that near alliance and kindred that is amongst us If we be reall as well as Nominall Christians we have all one Father God One Mother the Church One Redeemer Jesus Christ One Sanctifier The Holy Ghost Are nourished at the same breasts The sincere milk of Gods word Are heirs to the same Kingdom The Kingdome of Heaven and are often told by Gods word that we are all brethren Hence the Apostle Peter inferrs that we should love as brethren 1 Pet. 3. 8. 7. Because it is the best Ornament that we can put upon us Better then a chain to the neck or a Ring to the finger Yea we should cloath our selves with love as with a Garment Col. 3. 14. Above all put on charity which is the bond of perfectnesse But alas It 's now almost out of fashion Many talke indeed of love but shew no fruits of it as some boast of costly Garments in their Wardrobes or Chests but wear them not whereas God hath given us this Garment of love to wear neither need we fear wearing of it out as we may other Garments For it 's the better for using as Gold is for rubbing that shines the brighter yet as we are not born with cloths on our back nor with chaines about our neck So neither are wee borne with this Grace of love in our hearts but are by nature hateful and hating one another Tit. 3. 3. 8. The sacred Scriptures heap up many motives to stir us up to love as 1. It will prove us to be true Disciples of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ not spurious nor bastards Ioh. 13. 35. By this shall all men know that you are my Disciples if ye have love one to another 2. It will be a great ornament to our profession and will beautifie the Gospell of Jesus Christ Tertullian tells us that in his time the mutuall love amongst Christians was so eminent and remarkable that the Heathens taking notice of it could say Ecce quam invicem se diligunt Christiani Behold how loving the Christians are one to another 3. It will declare and demonstrate the truth of our Faith Gal. 5. 6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but Faith which worketh by love 4. It shewes that we are translated from death to life 1 Ioh. 3. 14. and hereby we may know that we are so Yea fifthly Love is the life of God Angells and Heaven Of God for God is love 1 John 4. 8. Of the blessed Angels for there is nothing but love and concord amongst them Of Heaven for that wil perfect our love put an end to all the
merciful for they shall obtain mercy And the same is largely held forth by the Prophet Isa. 58. from 7. to 13. as before 5. It will afford much inward peace and comfort For as light and influence accompanieth the Sun and as heat goes along with the fire and as every flower hath its peculiar sweetnesse So every good work carries meat in the mouth comfort in the performance Pro. 21. 15. It's joy to the just to doe judgement The like may bee said of works of mercy It will afford joy to them that doe them whereas cruelty and unmercifullnesse shall be a sting in the consciences and a dagger at the heart of those that are guilty thereof 6. God expects that like the Tree of Life mentioned Rev. 22. 21. we should bring forth fruit every moneth That wee should be like the Lemon tree that ever and anon sends forth young Lemons so soon as the other fal off through ripenesse Or like the Egyptian Figtree which Solinus speaks of which beareth fruit seven times in the year Or more perennis aquae Like Fountaines which continually send forth fresh streames of water But alas most Christians on the contrary are like unto the Cypresse tree that is fair and tall but altogether fruitlesse Or like that Figtree mentioned in the Parable Luk. 13. 6 7. A certain man said Christ had a Figtree planted in his Vineyard and he came and sought fruit thereon but found none Then said he to the dresser of his Vineyard mark the doom of such Behold these three years came I seeking fruit on this Figtree and find none Cut it down Why cumbreth it the ground 7. Lastly God will make honorable mention of such merciful and liberall persons at the day of judgement where your labour of love shewed to the poor members of Jesus Christ shall not be forgotten Mat. 25. 34 35. Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world For I was an hungred and yee gave me meat I was therstie and yee gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in Naked and yee clothed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in Prison and ye came unto me verse 40. In as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me Therefore it exhorts us all here present to improve this our meeting as the Apostle adviseth us here To provoke one another unto love and to good works But many think that it will be time enough for them to think of doing good works when they come to make their Wills before their death Truly I will not discourage men from this duty at any time But give me leave to tell you in the words of a Reverend Divine Good works saith he done at a mans death are like a dark-lanthome that gives light only to those that come after it but good works done in a mans life are like a torch that equally gives light both to those that go before and to those that follow after it Yea defer it not till another year as some would perswade for you know not whether ye may live till an other year Yea what saith the Apostle I am 4. 14. Ye know not what shall be on the morrow For what is your life It is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away Take therfore the present opportunity as Paul exhorts you Gal. 6. 10. Non semper estas erit Summer will not last alwaies Post est occasio calva A pretious opportunity once lost may never be recovered again Bis dat qui cito dat He that gives speedily gives twice Remember Solomons advice Pro. 3. 28. Say not to thy neighbour goe and come again and to morrow I will give when thou hast it by thee Remember how gratefull a Sacrifice it is to God Heb. 13. 16. To do good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased Hence Cyprian Qui Pauperi Eleemosynam dat Deo suavitatis odorem sacrificat He that give an Almes to the poor offers a sweet smelling sacrifice unto God and the same Father tells us that Dives sine Eleemosyna arich man without alms is one of the great absurdities in the life of man And saith Gregory Nyssen There is no excuse for hardheartednesse For where can a rich man cast his eyes but he may behold objects for his charity As the husbandman casts some of his corn into a fruitfull soil whereby in due time he reaps with advantage So do you with your worldly blessings sow them in the bowells and on the backs of your poor Country-men members of Christ and in the day of Harvest you shall find a great encrease Onely by way of caution let me give you this advice Sow not sparingly For 2 Cor. 9. 6. He which soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly And he that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully And Pro. 22. 9. He that hath a bountiful eie shal be blessed for he giveth of his bread to the poor Hence Eccl. 11. 2. Give a portion to seven and also to eight and verse 6. In the morning sow thy seed and in the evening withhold not thy hand But especially remember the words of our Saviour Christ Luk. 6. 38. Give and it shall be given unto you good measure pressed down shaken together and running over shall men give into your bosom For with the same measure you mete withall it shall be measured to you again Again Give not grudgingly Every man saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 9. 7. according as he purposeth in his heart so let him given â—ot grudgingly or ofnecessity For God loveth a cheerful giver Rom. 12. 8. He that sheweth mercy must do it with chearfulness They must be ready to distribute willing to communicate And for your further encouragement herein I am requested to give you notice that what God shall stir up your hearts to contribute at this time shall be faithfully imployed to good uses by your Stewards who will be accountable to you for the same at the next Feast Consider what hath been spoken and the Lord stirre up your hearts to provoke one another unto love and to good works Amen Errata Pag. 4. l. 34. r. Goliah's for Goliaths p. 5. l. 14. r. we are all of the same County p. 8. l. 36. r. judge for judhe FINIS Eph. 2. 10. Tit. 2. 14. Rom. 15. 13 Doct. Use Doct. Use Doct. Est ignis ab igne spiritus accensus Pros. Isa. 5. 8. Aa 2. 12. Mat. 6. 2. c. See my English Martyrologie pag. 64. Isa. 58. 10. See his life in my first part of Lives p. 97. Eodem p. 100. 2 Cor. â— 7. See my Mirrour in Charity Paulus Diaconus Ps. 112. 6. 9. 1 King 18. 13. Act. 10. 2 Act. 9. 36. See my Mirrour p. 117. c See her life in my 2d part of Lives Object Answ. Use 1 Tim. 6. 18