we should imploy them to his honor and best advantage that gave them us For that he may be honored by our wisdom riches graces is the onely end for which he gives us to be wise rich gracious Matth. 25. 27 30 1 Cor. 12. 7. 14. 26. Rom. 12. 6. Ephes. 4. 11 12. Yea it is the onely end for which we were created Isa. 43. v. 7. therefore it hath alwaies been the aim end mark which all the Saints have ever indeavoured to hit though with several shafts as the same beams are many but the light one For whereas the ignorant ascribe the effects and events of things to Fortune the Atheist to Nature the Superstitious to their Idols the Politician to his plots the Proud-man to his own power and parts too many to second causes in all these the Servants of God look higher resolving all such effects to their first principle Digitus Dei the finger of God ascribing to Him the praise as I might abundantly shew from the Word could I stand upon it Yea even Titus the Emperor when he was praised for a victory that he had got made answer That it proceeded from God who made his hands but the instruments to serve him as Josephus testifies The Godly as they do all by his power so they refer all to his glory CHAP. XLV BUt the Worldling hath neither heart nor brain so to do or once to cast an eye or have the least aim at God's glory even in their greatest undertakings or whatever they either receive or do but instead of giving glory to God they take it to themselves as Herod did Acts 12. 23. ascribing the increase of their corn wine and oyl their honors successes c. either to the goodness and sharpness of their Wit and skill or to the greatness of their industry or of their power and authority saying with proud Nebuchadnezar Is not this great Babel which I have built by the might of my power c. Dan. 4. 30. Have not I got all these goods victories preferments c. my self and by mine own wisdom and providence which the Prophet calls sacrificing to their own net and burning incense unto their drag Hab. 1. 16. Even as it fared with the children of Dan Judges 18. who ascribed the honor of their success to their Idols Or as it fared with Israel God gave them sheep and Oxen and they offered them up to Baal He gave them Ear-rings and Jewels for their own ornament and they turned them to an Idol Yea poor silly souls they are like Swine that feed upon Acorns without ever looking to the Oake from whence they fell Or the Horse that drinks of the Brook and never thinks of the Spring Christ rains down Mannah they gather it and eat it and scarce ever think from whence they had it at least the thought of his blessings is out of their minds as soon as the taste is out of their mouths As but one of those Ten that could lift up their voices for cure of their Leprosie return'd with thanks when they were cleansed so it is ten to one if any give glory to God Luck or wit or friend one thing or other still lies in their way and takes up Christ's glory and the thanks ere it can come at him Customary fruition hath made men scarce think themselves beholding to God But as he that having fed his body and asswaged his hunger and gives no thanks steals his meat so in all other things In visible benefits not to see the invisible givâ—r is great infidelity and blindness and indeed if any thing infallibly proves an hypocrite it is when base ends are the first movers of good duties Now what I have spoken of good men in this point I might shew of good Angels and glorified Saints in Heaven yea of Heathens and Idolaters yea I might add that not to be thankful nor to acknowledge what God our bountiful Benefactor bestows upon and does for us is to fall short of the very brute Beasts The Ox knows no Owner but man and him he does acknowledg and love according to his capacity Isa. 1. 3. And it 's well known what strange things are recorded of Lyons Dogs Eagles yea how oft shall we see a Dog welcome home his Master with all possible expressions of love and thankfulness when perhaps his Wife entertains him with frumps and frowns And certainly had beasts the like knowledge with us of their Maker they would worship and serve him better then do their Masters but for proof of this enough Though indeed if the very worst of men did but know and consider how they should pleasure themselves in being humble and thankful they would use all their possible endeavours to that end As most pleasant it is to God and most profitable to us both for the procuring the good we want and for the continuance of the good we have CHAP. XLVI INto the humble and thankful soul that giveth him abundance of glory his Spirit enters with abundance of Grace sowing there and there only plenty of Grace where he is assured to reap plenty of glory But who will sow those barren Sands where they are not only without all hope of a good Harvest but are sure to loose their Seed and Labour And in common Equity he that is unthankful for a little is worthy of nothing whereas thanks for one good turn is the best introduction to another Holy David was a man according to Gods own heart and therefore he continually mixeth with his Prayers Praises and being of a publike spirit he discovereth the secrets of this skill As when he saith Let the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee then shall the earth bring forth her encrease and God even our God shall give us his blessing Psal. 67. 5 6 7. When Heaven and Earth are friends then Summer and Winter Seed-time and Harvest run on their race When God was displeased what was the effect Ye have sown much and have reaped little Again when God was pleased mark the very day For from that very day I will bless you Hag. 2. 15. to 20 Whensoever glory is given to God on high peace good will shall be bestowed on men below Luk. 2. 14 Psal. 84 11 12. Noah gave a Sacrifice of Praise for his deliverance from the Flood And God being praised for that one deliverance he perpetuateth his blessing and promiseth an everlasting deliverance to the World from any more Floods Again it is the only way to procure Gods Blessing upon our endeavours It happened that Bernard one day made a curious and learned Sermon for which he expected great applause but received none The next time he made a plain wholsom Sermon and it was wonderfully affected liked and commended A friend of his noting it askt him what might be the reason Who answered In the one I preached Bernard in the other Christ in the one I sought to win glory
Though wickednesse be sweet in his mouth though he hide it under his tongue yet his meat in his bowels is turned it is the gall of Aspes within him he shall vomit them up again God shall cast them out of his belly He shall suck the poyson of Aspes and the Vipers tongue shall flay him because he hath oppressed and forsaken the poor because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not Surely he shall feel no quietness in his belly When he is about to fill his belly God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him and shall rain it upon him while he is eating He shall flee from the Iron weapon and the bow of steel shall strike him through And the like from vers 5. to the end of the Chapter And so Jeremy 17. He that getteth riches and not by right shall leave them in the midst of his daies and at his end shall be a fool vers 11. Wherefore in any case omit not to restore what thou hast unjustly gotten And that without disputing the point or making thy lust of counsel as they that desire with heed and more surely to see do shut the one eye Do like Abraham who when he was bid to offer his Sonne rose up betime and left his wife at home never making Sarah privy to it lest she should stop him Gen. 22. 6. So do it if it be possible before thy flesh hears of it like Abigal who if she had consulted with Naball whether she should have supplied David with victuals or no the Miser would never have consented so she had perished with her whole family 1 Sam. 25. Paul consulted not with flesh and blood when he went to preach among the Heathen Gal. 1. 16. the case was clear enough having a strict command from God So in this case there needs no deliberation but answer the Devil as that Martyr answered his Persecutors when they offered him both torments and rewards rewardes if he would deny Christ torments if he would not but withall time of deliberation whose answer was In re tam iusta nulla consultatio The case is so clear that I need not study about it Here I might shew you both from the Word and a world of Instances that restoring and giving rather than sinning is the way to grow rich I mean in pecuniary riches see Prov. 11. 24. 28. 27. Mark 10. 29 30. Mat. 6. 33. 2 Cor. 9. 6 9 10 11. 2 Chron. 25. 9. 27. 6. Deut. 7. 13 to 16. 28. 1. to 14 2 King 6. 25. to Chap. 7. vers 17. Psal. 34. 9 10. 37 26 28 112. 3. 37. 3 4 5. Luke 18. 29 30. Mark 4. 24. Hag 1. 2 Chapters Mal. 3. 10 11 12. But if this weary not the Muckmonger it 's well Now this being the case namely that what God gives is chiefly hereafter little at present yea that we may look to be loosers by him at present whereas Satan and the world out bid Christ in respect of outward condition and present pay thus it fals out or this is the issue The worldling cryes a bird in the hand is best hugges his money that he hath God he thinks is not so good a customer or he dares not trust him Yet will this man rather accept a reversion of some great Office or Estaâ—e though expectant on the tedious transition of seven years or on the expiration of anothers life which may prove to be sixty years or more than at present a summe of farre lesse value But what a strange folly is this rather to take the idle vaniâ—ies of this world in hand than faithfully to wait upon Gods promise for an eternal Kingdom of glory in Heaven CHAP. IV. Thirdly The rarest of all remedies is Regeneration As what saith holy David Turn my heart unto thy Law and not to covetousnesse psalm 119. 36. As if a man could not be covetous that sets his heart upon heavenly things nor have any leasure to think upon good so long as he is coverous Let them seek after the earth sayes one that have no right to Heaven let them desire the present who believe not the future As Regeneration is the best physick to purge away melancholy so likewise of covetousnesse As may be seen in Zacheus who before he met with Christ knew nothing but to scrape but so soon as Christ had changed his heart all his mind was set upon giving and restoring Luk. 19. 8. He was as liberal in almes and restitution when he was become a Convert as possibly he was unjust and unmercifull when he was an usurer And the like of all other sinnes Paul was not a more hot and fiery enemy to Christ when he was a Pharisee than he was a shining burning and zealous Preacher when he was an Apostle When any man is born anew and better never be born than not to be born again there will be new vertues arise in the room of old vices Heretofore thy soul hath been an Idolatrous Temple if the Ark of God that is his Holy Spirit once enter into it Dagon that is the works of darknesse will down and soon moulder away For both cannot stand together 1 Sam. 5. 3. especially covetousnesse will be chashâ—ired Yea God hath set Religion and covetousnesse at such variance that they cannot possibly reign in one person No man can serve God and â—ammon Luk. 16. 13. He that loveth this world the love of God dwelleth not in him I Joh. 2. 15. Wherefore as we desire to have peace in the end let piety be our race 'T was Marcus Aureliâ—â— his dying counsel to his Sonne Commodus that if he would live quietly he should live justly if he would dye peaceably he should live uprightly Now if covetousnesse be once cashiered by Regeneration have a man much or little he will not be overmuch troubled at it The godly man hath sufficient though he have no wealth even as man in innocency was warm and comely though without cloathing A small thing vnto the just man is better than great riches to the wicked and mighty Psal. 37. 16. The reason is the one hath his sight to see clearly his happinesse in having what is best for him and is content to be poor in outward things because his wealth and purchase is all inward â—he other by a just judgment of God is so blind that he cannot see when he is well but thirsts so after other mens goods that he takes no pleasure in his own His heart is glewed to the world or rather to his wealth and an object too near the eye cannot be seen yea be it but the breadth of a penny it will hide from the sight the whole half heaven at once Covetousnesse is like the Albugo or white spot in the eye that dimmes their understandings and makes fools even of Achitophels leaving them never an eye to see withall according to that of Moses A gift blindeth the eyes Exod. 23.
and danger that a man wishes for or desires Let him become one of those little ones that believe in Christ then may he trust to a guard of Angels Mat. 18. 10. and be assured of Gods protection without which a worm or fly may kill a man with it no Potentate on earth can do it As for Instance When Valens the persecuting Emperour should have subscribed an order for S t Bazils banishment such a suddain trembling took his right hand that he could write never a good letter whereupon he tore the order for anger and there was an end of the businesse Laremouth Chaplain to the Lady Anne of Cleave a Scotchman being in Prison in Queen-Maries daies it was said as he thought once twice thrice Arise and go thy waies whereupon he arising from prayer a piece of the prison wall fell down and he escaped beyond the Seas CHAP. VIII Sixthly Wouldest thou have God to prosper all that thou hast or doest then get grace to serve him so shalt thou be blessed in all places and delivered from all temporal evils as it is Deut. 28. Nor can it be other in reason For if when the Ark of the Covenant which was a sign of Gods presence was in the house of Obed Edom then the Lord blessed him and all his house how much more shall that man be blessed in whose heart even God himself by his Spirit dwels and by his grace which is a more sure and infallible sign of his presence then was the Ark. So that if thou beest wise thou wilt more esteem of grace and God blessing accompanying it than thou wouldest of Jasons Golden Fleece or the great Chams Tree-full of Pearles hanging by clusters Seventhly Wouldest thou with all these have all peace and joy than get Grace and Holinesse For as the Vnicornes horn dipped in the fountain makes the waters which before were corrupt and noysome clear and wholesome upon the suddain so whatsoever estate grace and godlinesse comes unto it saith like the Apostles Peace be to this house peace and happinesse be to this heart to this man c. That Regeneration is the only best Physick for melancholy I can sufficiently evidence out of fifty years experience I most gladly acknowledge that when I was in my natural condition without the pardon of sin and some assurance of Gods favour I seldome wakened in a morning but my heart was as heavy as lead as fearing an hell after that purgatory which since my heart was changed I have not I blesse God been acquainted with An old Disciple of Christ being asked the cause why he was ever such a merry man answered when I was a young man I studied how to live well and when I became an old man I studied how to dye well and so desiring to seek God in this his Kingdom of grace and hoping to see him in his Kingdom of glory one day to me was better than a thousand unto those who weary themselves in the waies of wickednesse and destruction Now if grace and Gods favour brings such peace and joy what fools are sinners to deprive themselves of it What mad men are Misers As how do their hearts droop with their mammon How do they weary and turmoyl themselves vex their spirits torment their consciences making themselves a very map of misery and a sinke of calamity Whereas it is nothing so with the servants of Christ. Perhaps at their first conversion they are much troubled in mind though it fares not so with all and conscience for their long and grievous offending so good a God but that sorrow is soon turned into joy and abundantly recompenced When the Angel had troubled the waters in the Pool of Bethesda then stept in those that were diseased and infirm and were healed It is Christs manner to trouble our souls first and then to come with healing in his wings Yea the very teares of repentance are sweet whereas the covetous mans heart even in laughing is sorrowfull and the end of that mirth us heaviness Prov. 14. 13. An evil life saies Seneca causeth an unquiet mind for as the least moat in the eye hinders the ease and sight of it or as the least gravell in the shooe hinders the traveller in his comfortable going on as the least bone in the throat hinders our eating and threatens to choake us So the least sinne in the soul unrepented of hinders the peace and joy and hope thereof But least which is not likely I should glut you with joy observe with me In the eighth place That there is nothing can be wanting to a man but grace and Gods savour will more than supply it When reverend Calvin was upbraided by the Papists with the want of Childâ—â—â— in marriage he could answer That is nothing for God hath insâ—â—ad of such children given me many thousand children of far more excellent kind and of nobler breed through the whole world And surely a man shall see the Noblest works and Foundations have proceeded from childlesse men which have sought to expresse the Images of their minds where those of their bodies have failed CHAP. IX Ninthly Godlinesse hath the Promises not only of this life but also of that which is to come The quintessence whereof consists in these two things freedom from all pain fruition of all pleasure which is the purchase of Christ for his followers For when he sits upon his Throne he shall say unto them and only to them Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from before the foundation of the world where are such joyes as eye hath not seen nor eat heard c. And are there any pleasures like those at the right hand of God for evermore Whereas to those that have not had the grace nor the wit to serve him he shall say Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels And is there any pain like the separation from Christ into everlasting and ever-flaming fire Mat. 25. 41. Think of this you that prefer the service of sinne and Satan before that of our Saviours Heaven you will confesse to be best of all yet for Heaven you will use labour least of all For I may boldly affirm it your covetous man takes more paines to goe to hell than do the godly to get to Heaven he riseth early and resteth late and eates the course bread of sorrow and after a great deal of tedious and odious misery goes to the Devil for his labour But look to it this will one day cost men dear For it will be the very hell of hell when they shall call to mind that they have loved their sinnes more than their Saviour or their own souls When they shall remember what love and mercy hath been almost enforced upon them and yet they would by all meanes and that of free choice perish Now I might go on to other Particulars yea I might alomost be infinite in these things
spare his dearest Son Yea what a bruitish and barbarous unthankfulnesse and shame were it that God should part with his Son and his Son with his own precious blood for us and we not part with our sinfull lusts and delights for him Fourthly Hath Christ done all this for us his servants so much and so many waies obliged unto him let us do what we are able for him again 1. Let us be zealous for his glory and take his part when we see or hear him dishonouted Nor can there be any love where there is no zeal saith Augustine Well-born Children are touched to the quick with the injuries of their Parents And it is a base vile and unjust ingratitude in those men that can endure the disgrace of them under whose shelter they live 2. Let us seek to draw others after us from Satan to Him 3. Do we all we can to promote his worship and service 4. Take we all good occasions to publish to others how good God is and what he hath done for us 5. Let us wholly ascribe all the good we have or do to free grace and give him the glory of his gifts imploying them to our Masters best advantage 6. Let us that we may â—â—presse our thankfulnesse to him shew kindnesse to his Children and poor members who are bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh Ephes. 5 30. 7. Abhor we our selves for our former unthankfulnesse and our wonderfull provoking of him 8. Hearken we unto Christs voice in all that he saith unto us and expresse our thankfulnesse by our obedience Yea all this let us do if we do it but for our own sakes For what should we have if we did thus serve Christ who hath done all these things for his enemies neglecting and dishonouring him CHAP. XVI But thou wilt say What can we do for God or for Christ I Answer We cannot properly benefit God nor add to his fulnesse They can add no good to him that have all their good from him The Ocean is never the fuller though all the rivers of the world flow into the same So What is God the better for our praises or performances to whom in that he is infinite nothing can be added If we be righteous our righteousnesse may profit the sonnes of men but what can we give unto him or what receiveth he at our hands Can the Sun receive light from a candle What profit does the Sunne receive by our looking upon it We are the better for its light not it for our sight or at all prejudiced by our neglect A shower of rain that waters the earth gets nothing to it self the earth fares the better for it Lord saith David our well-doing doth not at all extend unto thee but to the Saints that are on the earth and to the excellent ones in whom is all my delight Psal. 16. 2 3. Yea if we could give him our bodies and souls they should be saved by it but he were never the better for them It is for our good that he would be served and magnified of us True as the Ocean daynes to take tribute of the small brooks and accepts that in token of thankfulnesse which was its own before it being the maintainer of the rivers streams Or as Joseph accepted of his Brethrens small gifts albeit he had no need of them Gen 43 15. So does God accept of our free-will offerings and bountifully rewards them Phil 4. 18. Yea if in imploying our Talents we aim at his glory and the Churches good he doubles them Matth. 25. 21 22 23. Nor does God look for such glory or service from us as he is worthy to receive but as we are able to give Our praises and performances are not sinnes yet they are not without some touch of sin Duties and infirmities come from us together but Christ parts them forgiving the infirmities and receiving the praises and performances They are full of weaknesses yet does not he except against them for their imperfections He takes them well in worth though there be no worth in them and vouehsafes them a reward which had been sufficiently honoured with a pardon Neither can we hurt or take away any thing from him For if we be wicked our wickednesse may hurt a man like our selves but what is it to him Job 35. 7 8. Yet neverthelesse we may do many things which he accounts and rewards as done to himself of which I will give you one in special and I pray mind it Though we can do nothing for Christ himself he being now in Heaven yet we may do much for his poor members those excellent ones whom David speakes of Psalm 16. 2 3. which Christ accounts all one as if it were done to himself as appears by many expresse testimonies When I was an hungred ye fed me when I was naked ye cloathed me when sick and in prison ye visited me c. For in as much as ye did it unto one of these little ones that believe in me ye did it unto me Matth. 25. 34. to 41. He that giveth unto the poor tendeth unto the Lord Prov. 19. 17. And many the like which I have formerly cited CHAP. XVII Now do we love Christ or would we indeed expresse our thankfulnesse to him for what we have received from him Or do we desire to do something again for Christ who hath done and suffered so much for us here is a way chalked out unto us which he prefers before all burnt-offerings and sacrifices Mark 12. 33. When David could do the Father Barzillay no good by reason of his old age he loved and honoured Chimham his son 2 Sam. 19. 38. And to requite the love of Jonathan he shewed kindnesse to Mephibosheth So if thou bearest any good will to God or Christ whom it is not in thy power to pleasure thou wilt shew thy thankfulnesse to him in his Children and poor members who are bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh Ephes. 5. 30. Is our Jonathan gone yet we have many Mephibosheths and he that loves God for his own sake will love his Brother for Gods sake Especially when he hath loved us as it were on this condition that we should love one another John 15. This is my Commandement saies Christ that ye love one another as I have loved you Vers. 12. And greater love than his was cannot be Vers. 13. And untill we consider how infinitely good God hath been unto us we can never shew any goodnesse towards our Brethren We must know he hath given us all we have before we will part with any thing for his sake God in the beginning had no sooner created the Heavens and the Earth but he said Let the Earth bring forth grass the Herb yeelding seed and the fruitfull tree yeelding fruit c Gen. 1. 11 12. So when he hath by his Word and Spirit created us anew he commands us to be fruitfull in the works of Piety and Charity
soule yea the outward estate before either soule or body These are the worlds fooles meer children that prefer an apple before their inheritance Besotted sensualists that consider not how this life of ours if it were not short yet it is miserable and if it were not miserable yet it is shoâ—t that suffer themselves to be so bewitcht with the loâ—e of their money and their hearts to be râ—veted to the earth to be so infâ—aved to coverousnesse as to make gold their God Câ—rtainly were they allowed to have but a â—ight of this Hell they would not do thâ—â— if they did but either see or foresee what they shall one day without serious and unfeigned repentance feel they would not be hired with all the worlds wealth to hazard in the least the losse of those everlasting joyes before spoken of or to purchase and plunge themselves into those ease lesse and everlasting flames of fire and brimstone in hell there to â—ry body and soule where shall be an innumerable company of Deviâ—s and damned spirits to affright and torment them but not one to comfort or pity them But O that thou who art the Sacred Monarch of this mighty frame wouldst give them hearts to believe at least that the soule of all sufferings are the sufferings of the soule that as painted fire is to materiall such is materiall to hell fire That things themselves are in the invisible world in the world visible but their shadowes onely And that whatsoever wicked men enjoy here it is but as in a dream their plenty is but like a drop of pleasure before a river of sorrow and displeasure and whatsoever the godly feel but as a drop of misery before a river of mercy and glory Then would they thinke it better to want all things then that one needfull thing whereas now they desire all other things and neglect that one thing which is so needfull They would be glad to spare something from their superfluities yea if need requâ—re even from their necessaries that they might relieve and cherish the poor distressed members of Jesus Christ. And let so much serve to have been spoken of the reasons that concern our selves in particular and how God hath promised to blesse the merciful man in his soule body name and estate I should now go on to declare that what the liberall man gives his seed shall inherit But I consider that if for the increasing of their estates for the obtaining of heaven and the avoyding of everlasting destruction of body and soule in Hell will not prevail with rich men to do some good with their goods while they live wharsoever else can be spoken will be lost labour and to no purpose I grant there are some of them such desperaâ—e doting fools that they can find in their hearts to damn their own souls and go to hell to leave their sonnes rich and therefore it will not be amisse to set down or poynt them to a few of those promises which God hath made to the mercifull or liberall mans seed and posterity after him I 'le alleadge but three places onely CHAP. XXXIV That if we bountifully relieve the poor the reward of oâ—r charity shall not onely extend to us but also to our Off-spring and Progeny the Prophet Esay witnesseth Chap. 58. where he tells us that if we will draw out our soule to the hungry and satisfie the afflicted soule the Lord will not onely satisfie our soules in drought make fat our bones but thâ—â— those also that come of us shal prosper unto many generations ver 10 11 12. And also the Psalmist Psal. 37. I have been young â—nd now aâ—â— old saith hee yes have I not seene the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging â—â—ead vers 25. then giveâ— the reason He is ever mercifull and endeth and his seed enjoyes the blessing vers 26. And so Psal. 112. His seed shall be mighty upon earth the generation of the righteous shall be blessed Vers. 2. to 6. Now what better inheritance can we leave to our Children then the blessing of God which like an ever-springing fountaine will nourish and comfort them in the time of drought when as our owne provision which we have left unto them may faile and when the heate of affliction ariseth will like standing waters be dried up Nor is this only probable but God hath set down that it shall be so For he speaks far otherwise of the unmercifull as Psal. 109. Let his children be fatherlesse and his wife a widow Let his children be continually vagabonds and beg their bread I pray mind it let them seek their bread also out of desolate places Let the extortioner catch all that he hath and let the strangers spoile all his labour Let there be none to extend mercy unto him nâ—ither let there be any to favour his fatherlesse children Let his posterity be cut off and in the generation following let their names be blotted out and the memory of them cut off from the earth Because mark the reason he remembred not to shew mercy but persecuted the poor and needy Vers. 6. to 17. all which he speaks by the spirit of prophesie Though indeed we want not examples of this in every age Was not this fulfilled in Hâ—man and is it not fulfilled daily in our experience For hence it is that riches ill got or ill kept shift masters so often But take some other instances out of the Scriptures of both kindes Jonâ—â—than is payd for his kindnesse to David in Mephibosheth Jethro for his love to Moses in the Kenites 1 Sam. 15. 6. some hundreds of years after he their Ancestor was dead The Aegyptians might not be unkindly dealt withall for their harbouring the Patriarchs though they afflicted their posterity But the Moabites and Ammonites were either to dye or not to enter into the congregation of the Lord to their tenth generation because they met not Gods Israel with bread and water in the wildernesse Deut. 23. 3 4. God caused Saul to spare all the Kenites for that they had shewed mercy to Israel who otherwise had all of them been destroyed 1 Sam. 15 6. Another example you have in Job 21. 18 19 20. all which shewes that God usually blesseth and rewardeth the children for their fathers goodnesse The loving kindnesse of the Lord saith the Psalmist endureth for ever and ever upon them that feare him and his righteousnesse upon childrens children Psal. 103. 17. And so on the other side Eternall payments God uses to require of their persoâ—s onely temporary often times of succession as we sue the Heyres and Executors of our debtors Now if this be so that what the liberall man gives his seed shall inherit then the good provision that we should make for our Children consist not so much in laying up as in lâ—ying out and more in making provision for their soules then for their bodies I confesse it is the case of niâ—e parts of the Parents throughout
that we do not believe God's Promises nor give that credit unto him on his Word which we would give to a Turk or Infidel dwelling among us or that we do not esteem the payment of his spiritual Grace or Heavenly Glory vvhich together vvith pecuniary pay is super-added for current money or of equal value to these transitory trifles which we impart unto the poor for if a man of any credit should promise for the laying out of an hundred pounds that we should have Annuity of a hundred pounds a yeare for term of life how eagerly would we catch at such an offer though the quick approach of Death might make us loosers by the bargain But God promiseth that if we wil lay out our money on these uses wee shal have an hundred for one of these Earthly trifles together with Spiritual heavenly everlasting Treasures to boot in the Life to come So that it is undeniable if we do not obey the Precept of God herein we charge God with flat falshood For consider God saith he wil repay it thou saist He wil not He saith That to give is the onely vvay to have and to grovv rich yea never to want nor to have thy Children want Thou sayst if I give so much I shal never be rich yea I shal be a Beggar What is this but to give God the Lie and to make the excuse worse then the fault For shame then let us acknowledge the sufficiency and faithfulness of God and go away assured that he wil abundantly perform more then we can imagine according to the riches of his grace in Jesus Christ. Nor can we doubt but God is as good a Debtor as a giver for if he freely give us wherewithal to lend and grace to give he wil much more pay us what we have lent and give us because we have given that is his Bounty this his Justice As what says Saint Paul God is not unrighteous that he should forget your work and labour of love which ye shewed towards his Name in that ye have ministred unto the Saints and yet minister As if hee should say that God were unrighteous if he should do so Heb. 6. 10. Dost thou then love thy mony and wouldst thou have it increased Deliver it not into the hands of men saith Saint Austin who wil rejoice when they borrow and mourn when they repay it intreat that they may receive and calumniate when they should restore who may be bankrupt and cannot or deceitful and wil not pay or who wil put thee off with many delays and trouble thee with expecting as they have formerly troubled thee with their importunity in borrowing But if thou be a wise Usurer chuse God and Christ for thy Debtors who are owners of the whole world and all-sufficient sureties not subject to any casualties and just beyond all exceptions or comparison Nihil promittit non reddit fidelis ille factus est debitor esto tu dvarus exactor at Austin on Psalm 32. And as the payment is most assured so the gain is inestimable so that we cannot lay up our wealth in a safer or better hand we cannot have a better Debtor then our Maker nor a better Bond then the Bible Prov. 19. 17. Luk. 6. 35. CHAP. LXII BUt thou seest not this increase in thy worldly estate by giving Alms nor dost thou perceive that it brings thee any such blessedness as hath been talked of Answer This Objection makes me conclude that thou art a Miser and deservest not the name of an Alms-giver or if so let me add that if thou believest no more then thou seest why dost thou take upon thee the name of a Christian who liveth by Faith rather then by Sence For by how many secret passages can God conveigh unto thee the reward of thy Alms-deeds though he writeth no Superscription upon them to certifie thee for what it is sent it is sufficient that thou hast it and that thou knowest that he sent it As for the reasons which moved him to give these benefits unto thee he wil acquaint thee with them more particularly when he shal cal thee to make up thy recknoning Thou growest in thy stature from a Child unto a Man and thou seest not thy growing though thou perceivest that thou art grown neither knowest thou the particular time and means when or whereby thou comest to this height And thou knowest and acknowledgest that thou art nourished by thy meat though thou seest not the secret passages whereby it is carried from the stomach to the several parts nor canst tell at what time or by what food thou hast been chiefly nourished Why then hast thou not the like faith and much stronger in spiritual then thou hast in respect of natural things seeing they are much more secret and insensible and when thou hast God's promise of reward and seest it performed by his blessings multiplied upon thee why dost thou doubt or call them into question or ascribe them to thy self or other helps seeing whatsoever the means are they are of God's sending Finally if thou sayest that thou seest no possibility of increasing thy wealth by giving away a great part of it unto the poor I answer And what more reason hast thou by the collection of Sence that thy seed which thou sowest should be multiplied which thou castest away and lettest to rot in the earth unless thou hast learned it by experience And is not God's Word a more infallible Teacher and surer ground for thy faith to rest on especially when thou art not without experience of the like increase springing from the sowing of the seeds of thy beneficence To conclude this point if thou doubtest of these promises of God made unto those who relieve the poor because thou seest not how or when they are performed why dost thou believe the Remission of thy sins Salvation by Christ and everlasting life when as thou seest none of these nor hast any other ground but God's promise even as thou hast for the reward of thine Alms-deeds And therefore if thou doubtest of the one thou doubtest of the other and were not the profession of thy faith concerning those spiritual things good cheap but that it should cost thee as dear as the giving of Alms thou wouldst doubtless discover and proclaim thy infidelity there as well as here and plainly shew that it was in meer formality and hypocrise Methinks our mistrust or at least the smal confidence we have in what God speaks in his Word especially touching temporals is the greatest wonder in the world And certainly if we cannot trust him for our bodies how do we or how can we trust him with our souls which is the greater trust But beloved what I speak I speak not to all for we have perswaded our selves better things of you and such as accompany salvation though we thus speak Heb. 6. 9. And so I have finished what at first I promised with an overplus in behalf
the day could not finish my wonted Devotions neither accomplish my usual prayer But wishing that all men might be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth I folded and wrapped my self in the snares of the Devil I got me unto the wicked Assembly I required of them to perform the Covenant made the night before and coming as I thought unto the Baptism I silly soul not knowing of any thing answered but in a word and became reproachfully defamed I spake without malice yet felt I their inveterate and deadly spite for instantly the Divel raised an Assembly about me who carried me to an Altar of theirs where a foul filthy Ethopian being appointed this option or choice was offered unto me namely Whether I would sacrifice to the Idol or have my Body polluted with that foul and ugly Ethiopian In which strait I having ever kept my Chastity undefiled and much abhorring that filthy villany to be done to my body brake out into many moans lamentations and cryes against both Yet O wretched man that I am at length yeilded rather to sacrifice Whereupon the Judge putting Incense into my hand caused me to set it to the fire upon the Altar for the which impiety I was delivered both from that and Martyrdom But upon my discharge the Devil raised such an out-cry in the City in pronouncing against me that just and yet unjust sentence Origen hath sacrificed Whereupon he was excommunicated out of the Church and driven with shame and sorrow out of Alexandria and going to Jerusalem and being there among the Congregation was requested by the Priests to make some Exhortation in the Church to the people the which he refused to do for a great while but at length being constrained through importunity he rose up and turning the booke as though he would have expounded some place of the Scripture he hap'ned upon read onely the 16. verse of the 50. Psalm where he found it thus written But God said unto the sinner What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldst take my Covenant into thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my Word behind thee Which being read he shut the Book and sate down weeping and wailing the whole Congregation weeping and lamenting with him he said unto the Church Wo is me my Mother which brought me forth as an high and lofty Terret yet suddenly I am turned down to the ground as a fruitful Tree yet quickly withered as a burning Light yet forthwith darkned as a running Fountain yet by and by dried up Wo is me that ever I was decked with all gifts and graces and now seem pitifully to be deprived of all The Lord hath made and ingrafted me a fruitful Vine but instead of pleasant Clusters of Grapes I brought forth pricking Thorns Let the Well-springs of tears be stirred up and let my Cheeks be watered let them flow upon the earth and moisten it for that I am soaked in sin and bound in mine iniquity every creature sorroweth and may well pity my case for that I was wont heretofore to pour out my prayers unto God for them all but now there is no salve for me Where is he that went down from Jerusalem to Jericho who also salved and cured him that was wounded of the Thieves Whenas I went about to enlighten others I darkned my self when I endeavoured to bring others from death to life I brought my self from life to death Oh blinded heart how didst thou not remember O foolish mind how didst thou not bethink thy self O witless brain how didst thou not understand O thou Sence of Understanding Where didst thou sleep But it was the Devil which provoked thee to slumber and sleep and in the end to slay thy unhappy wretched soul He bound my power and might and wonded me I bewail sometime the fall of Sampson but now have I faln far worse my self I bewailed heretofore the fall of Solomon yet now am I faln far worse my self I have bewailed heretofore the estate of all sinners yet now am I plunged worse then them all Sampson had the hair of his head clipt off but the Crown of Glory is faln off my head Sampson lost the curnal eyes of his body but my spiritual eyes are digged out Even as he was severed from the Israelites and held captive among Idolaters so I have separated my self from the Church of God and am joined with evil spirits Alas my Church liveth yet am I a Widower Alas my Sons be alive yet am I barren Alas O Spirit which camest heretofore down upon me why hast thou forsaken me O thou Devil what hast thou done unto me O Satan how hast thou wounded me It was the wiliness of a Woman that brought Sampson to his confusion but it was my own Tongue that brought me to this sinful Fall Alas every Creature rejoiceth and I alone forsaken and sorrowful Bewaile him that is bereaved of the Holy Ghost bewail me that am thrust out of the Wedding-Chamber of Christ bewail me that am tormented with the prick of Conscience for now it behoveth me to shed infinite tears for my great sin Who knoweth whether the Lord wil have mercy upon me Whether he will pity my fall Whether he will be moved with my desolation Whether he will have respect unto my humility and incline his tender compassion towards me Now let the Elders mourn for that the staffe whereto they leaned is broken Now let they young men mourn for that their School-Master is faln Now let the Virgins mourn for that the advancer of Virginity is defiled Now let the Priests mourn for that their Patron and Defender is shamefully falne from the Faith Assist me holy Spirit and give me Grace to repent Let the fountain of tears be opened and gush out into streams to see if that peradventure I may have the grace worthily and throughly to repent Why hast thou shut my mouth by the holy Prophet David Am I the first that have sinned Or am I the first that fell Why hast thou forsaken me and banished me from among the Saints and astonied me to preach thy Laws Saint Peter the Pillar of truth after his fall wiped away that bitter passion of forswearing his Master with monrnful tears and was purged from the venom of the Serpent in a short time Restore me again to my former health of salvation O all ye which behold my wounds tremble for fear least God forsake you and you fall into the like crime O wo is me that I am fevered from among the company of the blessed Assemblies I have my death's wound I see the Clouds in the Skye shadowing the Light from me and the Sun hiding from me his bright beams O Satan What mischief hast thou wrought unto me How hast thou pierced my breast with thy poysoned Dart Thinkest thou that my ruine will avail thee any thing at all Thinkest thou to procure unto thy self ease and rest whiles that