to see how many miscarry in this Point There be many who will readily consult Flesh and Blood they will listen to the corrupt maximes of the World they will hearken to what the Devil himself doth say and suggest unto them bnt only what GOD the LORD speaketh they care not to hear nay with the deaf Adder they stop their ears and will not hearken to the voice of the Charmer though he Charm never so wisely And as Men hereby slight and dishonour GOD in that they undervalue his Counsel so they intangle themselves in a World of Trouble and Difficultys for many nay most of our Crosses and Sorrows are but the effects of this folly For when we do not ask Counsel of the LORD but will needs take our own courses then he blasts our designs by leaving us to our selves to stand by our own strength and so it comes to passe that we have no ability to conquere the difficultys we are engadg'd in but must necessarly sink under them whereas if we con sulted GOD he would not fail to concur with his Power and Providence to effectuat that which he himself had advised or approved of That therefore we may be Wise in all our Undertakings and have Comfort in them let us undertake nothing without GOD let us be carefull alwayes to ask Direction of him praying with David shew me thy wayes O LORD teach me thy paths lead me in thy truth and teach me for thou art the GOD of my Salvation on thee do I wait all the day Ps. 25. 4. And then no doubt GOD would guide us with his Counsel here and receive us into Glory hereafter If withall in the last place we Stedfastly and Faithfully observe the wayes he layeth before us and keep close to the Direction he gives which we told was the last Particular included in Walking with GOD and which comes next to be spoken to Of Following GOD. We must not Consult GOD out of curiosity to know his Mind and Judgement but out of a Sincere desire and Purpose to do his Will and Pleasure As we must first Advise with him what should be done so having understood his Mind we should next with Care and Diligence set about the doing of it We have Reason sometimes to dispute the Reasonablenesse and Equity of Mens Counsels and Advices but we must never call in Question the Justice or Fitnesse of what GOD propeseth unto us but ought cordially and freely to close with it Obedience must be the fruit of our hearing or else we Hear to no purpose and therefore Hearing and Obeying in the Scriptures are often taken for one and the same thing to hear GOD is to obey him and to consult with him is to do his will True hearing is opus animi non auris it is a work of the Mind rather then the Eare But though it reside in the Mind yet it must spread through our Affections and Actions otherwise it is vain and unacceptable As he is said to walk with one who followeth him and taketh the same way he goeth so to walk with GOD is to follow the wayes of GOD and to tread the whole paths of his commandments For the end of our walking with him must be to please him as the Septuagint still rendreth the Phrase now we cannot please him if we frequently turn aside and go out of the way which he commands us As a true Friend we must never leave him or part with him but must follow chearfully whither so ever he leads us be the way fair or foul pleasant or unpleasant They cannot be said to walk together who only have some accidental Rencounters nor can he be said to Walk with GOD who only complies with him now and then or in some particulats which sutes with his Humour or proves for his Interest They only are said to walk truely together who hold on the same Way keep still the same Pace carry on the same Design run the same dangers and who share together in every thing even so he only Walks with GOD who Devots himself entirely to God whose thoughts and Purposes Motions and Actings are all GOD'S that is such as he requires and which tend to his Glory Who doth not sometimes step aside to seek his own Ease Pleasure or Profite nor yet taketh wayes which GOD doth not allow of but he minds wholly the things of God and follows altogether the courses he approves of even though thereby he expose himself to Danger and Trouble In Walking with GOD there must be such an Union as is betwixt a Wife and her Husband whereby his Interest becomes hers which makes it her Delight and Care to Please him and which engageth her to abide with him what ever be his Lot and Condition It was a noble and generous Friendship which Ittai shewed to David when he fled from Absolom As the Lord liveth said he and as my LORD the King liveth surely in what place my Lord the King shall be whither in death or Life even there also will thy servant be 2 Sam. 15. â—…1 Ruth expressed the like towards her Mother in Law when she said Whither thou goest I will go and where thou lodgest I will lodge and the Lord do so to me and more also if ought but death part thee and me now if we would walk uprightly with GOD we must walk after the same manner for as none but Freinds use to walk together so by Walking with GOD is meant such a High and Intimate and Constant Friendship which sticks not at Difficulties nor startles at Dangers but which makes a Man chearfully set about whatever the Interest or Pleasure of his Friend calls for An Eminent Instance hereof we have in Abraham who therefore is called the friend of GOD where ever GOD called him he Chearfully followed whatever he Enjoyned he readily Obeyed he stumbled not at Difficulties or Dangers or any Inconveniences but yielded an entire obedience to the Will of GOD when ever it was intimate to him And as this is to walk with GOD so by walking thus with Him we make the most proper acknowledgement of him and pay the most acceptable Worship to him for hereby we declare a true sense of his Wisdom Goodnesse Greatnesse and Absolute Soveraignity and that we think him worthy of all Honour Love and Service GOD is not truly honoured when we make not an Oblation of the best things to him for he who is Authour of all should be served with he best or else he is badly requited And consequently he is never truely Honoured or Worshipped but when we make an oblation of our whole selves to him I beseech you therefore Brethren saith St. Paul by the mereies of GOD that ye present your Bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable to GOD which is â—…our reasonable service and be not conformed to this World but â—…e transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will
GOD was with him And indeed how can it be but well with that Person whom GOD is with what can he want who hath him to be his Friend He who hath the Divine Presence accompanying him withersoever he goeth is Richer and Happier than if he had all the treasures of the world carried about with him For God is the Author and Fountain of all Good from Him every Good and perfect Gift doth come he can easily command any desirable thing where when and to whom He pleases So that he who enjoys GOD hath enough and needs not fear or care for the want of any thing for GOD will be to him in stead of all things And in having Him he may say truly as that Philosopher said Omnia mea mecum porto that is I carrie about with me all things proper all things necessary or requisit either for my Support or Comfort for GOD is all that It was a vain and proud boast of Cesars to the Mariner who was wafting him over the Adriatick to Italy when he perceived him seized with Fear and ready to turn back Perge audacter ne timeas Caesarem vehis Caesarisque fortunam be not afraid you carrie with you Cesar and his Fortune But truly every one that hath GOD with them may with reason confidently say to himself be not afraid sad or dejected Deum habes ejusque favorem you have GOD his favour and having that what cause can there be of Fear or Dejection For He is Wisdom Power all Goodness and All-sufficiencie it self and therefore He is a True Aid and Support and a sure Rock to build on which will never fail Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him Psal. 2. 12. Though I walk saith David through the valley shaddow of death yet will I fear no evil for thou art with me thy Rod and thy Staff they comfort me Psal. 23. 4. The very hopes of this special Presence and Favour of GOD did mightily chear up the Psalmist's Spirit when he was like to be overwhelmed with trouble he chides and is in a chaff with himself for being any wayes troubled having this hope Why art thou cast down saith he O my Soul and why art thou disquieted in me Hope thou in GOD for I shall yet praise Him who is the health of my countenance and my GOD which he repeats twice Psal. 42. and once Psal. 43. Many excellent Blessings and advantages follow him whom GOD is with First he is sure of Counsel and Direction which is a very necessary and desireable thing The life of man while in this World is for the most part Dark Intricate and full of Difficulties 't is like a Labyrinth full of perplexities we cannot well discern the outgate We know not what certain course to Steer for our profit and advantage As the Prophet Ieremiah saith the way of man is not in himself it is not in him that walketh to direct his steps Ierem. 10. 23. It is not safe to follow our own Devices things ordinarly succeed worse when we do so the wittiest Men have sometimes befooled themselves by leaning too much to their own Wit No Mans Wit and Judgement can be sufficient of it self to guide him and oft-times we are not much better of others for they are short sighted too as well as our selves and may mistake things as well as we we can never therefore be sure that we are right but when we follow the Counsel and Direction of GOD when we are guided by him who cannot erre because his understanding is infinit But if he be with us his Counsel will be with us too if he hath set his Heart upon and chosen us for his Friend he will also guide and instruct us and shew us the way wherein we should walk What man is he saith David that feareth the LORD him shall he teach in the way he shall choose Psal. 25. 12. But here some may ask How doth GOD teach us And what way are we to expect Direction from Him Must we look for Revelations Dreams and Visions Indeed this was not unusual under the Old Testament GOD did then very ordinarly this way manifest himself to the Patriarchs and others his Eminent Servants but now it pleases Him to forbear it at least that so common use thereof and we are neither to ask nor to look for Advice and Counsel this extraordinary way But however if we wait on GOD we may be confident of Direction from him which he will communicat to us two manner of wayes First by the inward suggestions of his Spirit he will not only enlighten our minds and clear our understandings with wisdom knowledge so that in the general we shall be able to know what is good and right but he will also help us to discern what is fit and proper in that particular case circumstance wherein we stand will secretly incline and draw us whither his Wisdom sees it fit for his Glory our comfort This is no idle Fancy or Delusion it is no piece of Fanaticism or a Dream of Enthusiastical persons but a certain real Truth which all Good and Holy Persons have felt from their experience Though these words of the Prophet Isa. 30. 21. Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee saving this is the way walk ye in it when ye turn to the right hand and when ye turn to the left are not altogether to be restricted to an inward inspiration but also to be understood that external Voice in the Word and by the Ministry of His Servants Yet Solomon seems to hold out this when he saith in all thy wayes acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths Prov. 3. 6. This also must be the meaning of Elihu in these words There is a Spirit in Man and the Inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding Iob 32. 8. This Voice is inward and therefore not audible or perceptible by our outward Senses but however it may prove effectual enough for to move and sway us And though as one says this secret Direction of Almighty GOD is principally seen in matters relating to the good of the Soul yet it may be also found in the great and Momentous Concerns of this life which a good Man that fears GOD and begs his Direction shall very often if not at all times find I hope none will be so injurious as to think I intend to countenance or authorise those who father horrid impieties and most impertinent extravagancies upon GOD pretending they are carried thereto by a secret impulse of the Spirit I know and would have every one to assure himself that God is never the author of what is evil foolish or ridiculous whatever comes from him is worthy of him that is to say sutable to infinite Wisdom and Goodness neither doth GOD shew himself thus to any mean trivial things but in matters of serious Importance But because some have been so far out of purpose as to
upon the back of another so that he hath no Rest or Security Such an one may learn by what hath been said also where the fault lies and who is to be blamed for it 't is perhaps because he hath never sought the LORD nor studied so to order his Wayes as to Please GOD he hath trusted too much to himself His Wit and Industry his Wealth Power or Friends because of these he hath thought with himself that it should be alwayes well with him and therefore he hath not cared much for GOD and therefore GOD hath set himself to vex and trouble him For as the Eyes of the LORD are upon the Righteous and his Ears are open unto their cry so the Face of the LORD is against them that do eVil to cut off the remembrance of them from the Earth Psal. 34. 15 16. Because DaVid displeased the LORD in the matter of Uriah therefore 't is said That He raised him up many Enemies Let every Man therefore Try and Examine himself let him search his wayes and see what sin lyeth at his door and repent of it and let him turn unto the LORD and He will cause His Face to shine Favourably upon him happy shall he be and it shall be well with him Make GOD thy Friend and He shall preserVe thee from all eVil He shall preserVe thy Soul The LORD shall preserVe thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth and eVen foreVermore Psal. 121 7. 8. CHAP. IV. Jacob's third Request considered in respect of himself Though the generality of Men ask more yet all wise Heathens and Iews have preferred this Portion to all Others The confining our Desires to this is shewed by seVerall instances to be Wise and Reasonable and that therefore eVery one ought to content himself with his Competency All Mens Competency is not the same What is the Duty of him who hath got his Competency what of him who hath less and what his who hath more JAcob's third Request which he here makes is for Maintenance this is the last thing about which he conditions with GOD And in this particular he was not Immodest and Exorbitant His Desires were far from being Inordinate and unreasonable for he craves only what was simply necessary and Requisit for the Support of his Life He askes no more but that GOD would give him Bread to eat and Raiment to put on without these he could not live and having these he thought he had enough all that was Needful or Sufficient as to his Present State and Condition And that Iacob confined his Desires to this Sober Measure of Food and Raiment is the more observable seeing we find a little before GOD making him large Profer's and great Promises of the whole Land in which he was It might been thought that he would at lest taken in GOD'S own Promise unto him as one of the Conditions of his Vow and that he should have said well if thou wilt indeed give me all this which Thou hast Promised and do all these things to me which Thou hast spoken and make me so Great and so Rich a Man then Thou shalt be my GOD But he takes another Method and Proceeds after another Manner he passes by all these large Profers of Wealth and Greatness and pitches only upon a meer simple Sufficiency of Food and Raiment thinking it Improper and Unreasonable and a peece of Immodesty for him to seek more than was necessay for him If GOD gave more it was an Act of His Bounty if his Wisdom and Goodness thought fit to bestow a larger Allowance and a greater Measure of these Temporal things it might be matter of Praise and Thankful acknowledgment But it did not become him to prescribe and set down Rules to the Soveraign LORD of Heaven and Earth he knew his Happiness was not tied to these outward things and that Man's life did not consist in the abundance of these things which he possessed Food and Raiment was sufficient for the support of his Life and therefore he craved no more The generality of the World are otherwise minded their desires are not bounded with Iacob's they are not satisfied ordinarily with the portion of Food and Raiment however sufficient it be of it self they are not contented with meer necessary Supplies but greedily covet a Superabundance which is both their Folly and their Sin We have shewed how wise and understanding the Patriarch was in the two former Particulars and have proposed him as our Patern and if we will consider it we shall find him to be no less Wise in this and no less Worthy of our Imitation Wherefore let us set this holy Mans Example before us and let us moderat our Desires after the things of this Life according to this Measure and Model which he gives and sets to himself and to which all Wise Men have ever proportioned their Desires Thus Agur prayed Give me neither Poverty nor Riches feed me with food Convenient for me Prov. 30 8. And as Solomon Contemned Riches and much Wealth so far as that he would not ask them from GOD when he had it in his choice what to ask so he hath Advised us â—…o Despise them and not to seek after them Labour not saith he to be rich Cease from thine own Wisdom Prov 23 4. As if he had said thou art not wise thou understands not they self sufficiently if thou think it a fine or a good thing to be Rich and to have great abundance St. Paul judged this which Iacob here required sufficient matter of Contentment having food and raiment saith he Let us be therewith content 1. Tim 6 8 And we might instance even in many Heathens who sought no more than a meer Competency and in their Judgement preferred that to the greatest affluence of Worldly Wealth and Grandeur Horace calls this Auream mediocritatem a Golden Competency because it is the best of Conditions and elsewhere he saith Bene est mi Deus obtulit Parca quod satis est manu Thrice happy he to whom the wise indulgency of Heaven With sparing hand but just enough hath given Plutarch in his Banquet of the seven Wise Men brings in this Question Which is the happiest Family Which one of the Sages answers thus Where Necessaries are not wanting and Superfluities are not sought How much Seneca speaks in the commendation of a Moderate State and how much in the contempt of Riches is known to all who have seen any thing of his Writings and the following lines speak out his sentiments thereof Fata si liceat mihi Fingere arbitrio meo c. Tuta me media vehat Rita decurrens via If all my Wishes I could have I for Felicity No other thing would crave then Mediocrity It is a saying of Cicero in his book de Officiis Nihil est tam angusti animi tamque parvi quam amare divitias that is Nothing doth more bewray ignorance meanness of Spirit than the
I A good old innocent Plebeian dâ—…e Death is a meer surprise a very snare To him that makes it his lifes greatest care To be a publick Pageant known to all But unacquainted with himself doth fall HALES The Character of a Happy Life How happy is he born and taught That serveth not anothers will Whose Armour is his honest thought And simple truth his outmost skill Whose passions not his masters are Whose Soul is still prepar'd for death Unty d unto the World by care Of publick Fame or privat Breath Who envies none that Chance doth raise Nâ—…r Vice hath ever understood How deepest wounds are giv'n by praise Nor rules of State but rules of Good Who hath his life from rumours freed Whose conscience is his strong retreat Whose state can neither flatterers feed Nor ruine make oppressours great Who GOD doth late and early pray More of his grace then gifts to lend And entertains the harmless day With a religious book or friend This man is freed from servile bands Of hope to rise or fear to fall LORD of himself though not of lands And having nothing yet hath all The end of the first Part. JACOB'S VOW OR MAN'S FELICITY and DUTY Part Second Chapter First A short Review of the First Part. The Case proposed how far it is Lawful to eye the Reward in our Resolutions of Obedience The Resolution given in five Particulars with an Application of all to Jacob here THere are two things to be considered in every Vow viz. What is Promised and what is desired this last we have handled already as to this Particular Vow of Iacob's here we have in the former Discourse opened up the Nature of his Requests and shewed what he sought of GOD and made it appear that as he was Humble and Modest herein in respect of GOD so very Wise for himself things craved comprehending all that is Necessary and Requisite to compleat ones Happiness in this present World he who is accompanied with the Favourable Presence of GOD who is kept and protected by the Power of the Almighty and who hath Food and Raiment that is what is Competent and Sufficient for the serving his Necessities and the Maintenance of the Present State he hath all that is desirable in this World And therefore Iacob is a fit Patern to direct us how we should steer our course and what we should Aim at while in this World and wherein the Happiness of this Present Life doth consist Having thus cleared and treated of the Conditional part of this Vow It followes next that we consider and speak to the Promissory part thereof that we may see what the Patriarch binds and oblidges himself to do to GOD if so be he bestowed and granted these things to him But first We will Answer and Resolve a Question which any may readily start here and it is this whither it be lawfull to take in conditionall Clauses in our Resolutions to serve GOD or how far we may have a respect to our benefit in our Purposes of Obedience for it would seem that Iacob's service here was a little Mercenary that he made a formal Bargain with God and that he resolved only to serve him upon condition he did such and such things to him for he first asks and then he promises For answer to this we shall first consider the Case in general and then speak to what Iacob did here in particular And first you must know that we owe to GOD all possible Service and Obedience even abstracting from these External Rewards which he hath to bestow and which we have good ground to expect from him Indeed no Man doth or shall serve GOD for nought they be-lye GOD and speak falsly who say It is in vain to serve Him and what profit is there in keeping his Ordinances for he plentifully rewardeth such as seek him in sincerity and truth and is most Liberal to all those who come unto him but however there are other prior Obligations and strong tyes upon us to Obey and Please Him so that although we had no Advantage by serving the LORD yet we could neither Reasonably complain of nor decline His Service for he is the Author of our Life and Beeing we are his Creatures and the work of his hands And therefore he hath just Right and Power to command us and all the Service we are able to do is small enough requital for what he hath already done to us And he may justly call for it though he should add no farther Favours It is his own Bounty and Goodness which makes him load us with his Benefits there is no Obligation upon Him therefore our Services do not nor can they Merit any thing at GOD'S Hand though we should suppose them never so exceptable or Worthy yet GOD is alwayes aforehand with us and we can never draw him in Arrears to us for our very Life and Being is more then sufficient payment for all that we are able to do Secondly the chief Motive to the Service of GOD and the great Principal by which we should be acted in our Obedience is that of love God himself and his glory should be the chief end which we propose to our selves otherwise our Service is neither Reasonable nor Acceptable GOD is not like man that he may be profited by us our goodness as the Psalmist sayeth extendeth not to thee Psal. 16. 2. And how little will he value what is not done to him but to another Now though we be never so much taken up in the Acts of Religion and Vertue yet that cannot be counted Homage and Worship payed unto GOD unless we make him our last end But it is service only payed to that which we chiefly aim at be it our selves and Riches or Honour or Pleasure or whatever else we have the greatest regard to That for which any thing is beloved is of it self more beloved when David dealt kindly and lovingly with Mephibosheth for Ionathan his Fathers sake it is a certain Argument that he loved Ionathan more then Mephibosheth He that loves a Man for Money and for Meat loves Money and Meat more then the Man for these are the Causes and Ends wherefore he loves the Man so he that serves GOD for any other End then GOD he certainly loves that more then GOD. Now if we prefer any thing to GOD we do not love him truly nor will he regard us as upright before him He saith our Saviour who loveth Father or Mother Son or Daughter or his own life more then Me is not worthy of Me Matth. 10. 37. Luke 14. 26. CHRIST upbraided the Men of Capernaum for following him because it was for the loaves We do not reckon them our Friends nor do we think our selves oblidged unto them who wait upon us and do us service because they bring Gain and Advantage to themselves thereby these are Mercenary Persons but he is our Friend who abstracting from his own Interest or from any
away the curse upon them So it rendreth our enjoyment of them Lawful and Sweet We may freely use the Creatures may Eat our Meat with gladness and Singleness of heart when we have discharged the Debt lying thereon and payed the tribute of Gratitude we owe to GOD But without this our enjoyments can have no Delicious Relish nor afford true satisfaction They are attended with remorse and sting of Conscience as the feasting of Bankrupts or the riotous living of Tennents who have not payed their Masters rent 'T is not Lawfull to sit down to full Tables to be alwayes Eating the fat and drinking the Sweet whiles there is no regard of those who are at the point of starving 't is not Lawfull for any to ruffle it out in Silke to hang their rooms with Arras other costly hangings whiles they see any perish for want of Cloathing or any Poor without covering and will not offer to help them that their Loins may Blesse them as Iob speaks 'T is an heinous crime which will not pass unpunished to cast the Childrens Bread to Dogs and are not they guilty of it who spend much on Dogs Hawks and other idle sports but give nothing to the Supply of the Poor the Fatherless and Widow But as the Enjoyments and pleasures of uncharitable Persons are unlawful and accursed so who exerciseth Charity may lawfully indulge his desires and allow himself what Innocent Comforts and conveniences this World affords Secondly Charity is profitable for securing and preserving the Good things a Man hath Every days experience may teach us the uncertainty of Earthly things one may have much and soon come to Poverty Fire Violence Treachery and a thousand other Accidents to which all are exposed may very easily devest a man of his Wealth and Possessions and 't is impossible to prevent this by our Foresight Care and Industry our chief yea only security is in the Divine Providence which we may lean to if we testify our thankfulness by acts of Charity and Bounty to the Poor By giving to the Poor we clip the wings of Riches so that they can not flee so fast from us But if the Poor be not the better of our Wealth it wants the Divine protection and so is altogether defenceless it hath no sure hedge about it By denying the Tribute of Charity we break our Tacks forfeit our right by which we hold our Possessions And as Masters use to turn out those Tennents who pay not their Rent so GOD taketh away the good things of this World from them who do not use them to his Glory not make any acknowledgment to him for them or if he let them keep them 't is because he reserves them to a Heavier judgement Thirdly Charity is profitable because it tendeth to the encrease of our Wealth and Estate As 't is the best means to preserve our Fortune so 't is the likliest way to enlarge it The Blessing of the LORD it maketh Rich and he addeth no sorrow with it Prov 10. 22. Which Blessing is particularly entailed on the Charitable Man and therefore Moses having commanded to pay the Triennial Tithes to the Poor addeth for an encouragment That the LORD thy GOD may blesse thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest Deut 14 29 Some are ready with Iudas to count all lost which comes not into heir own bagge but what is given in Charity is so far from losse that 't is great Gain it returns with Usury He that hath pity on the Poor lendeth to the LORD and that which he hath given will he pay him again Prov 19. 17. And that more may be expected then what is laid out we learn from many Texts in Scripture The liberal Soul shall be made fat and he that wattereth shall also be wattered himself Prov. 11 25. Alms and Charitable Deeds may seem to impoverish us but really they do it no otherwise then the Husband Mans throwing his Seed upon the Ground which after some Moneths he receives with encrease There is that Scattereth saith Solomon and yet encreaseth and there is that withholdeth more then is meet but it tendeth to Poverty And because Charity contributes as much to Wealth as the ordinary way and Arts of Thriving therefore he adviseth to use it In the morning saith he sow thy seed and in the evening withhold not thine hand for thou knowest not whither shall prosper either this or that or whither they both shall be a like good Ecel 11 6. Men indeed ought not to use Charity with this Design to be Rich but neither need they be Discouraged from the Exercise thereof for fear of redacting themselves to Poverty for this is the ready way not only to prevent Poverty but to ensure Wealth if the Word of GOD may be rested on And who but Infidels will not rely on it GOD'S hand is both tâ—…e surest and most profitable Bank to put our Money in other Persons and States may and we see dayly do break and fail but he will never fail nor turn unable to repay us with Advantage he hath promised perhaps to try Mens sincerity GOD will keep up for some timeâ—… this gain of Charity but they shall receiâ—… 〈◊〉 one time or another Many instanâ—…s might be produced of these Advantagious returns of Charity but I choose rather to let every one recollect their reading and Experience in this point then to detain them farther What doest thou know they are the words of a dear Friend but those showres which did lately refresh thy corn that prosperous gale which brought home thy commodity unto the desired haven that advantagious bargain which thou hast made that plea of of Law which thou hast gain'd may have been designed as a recompence of which thou hast bestowed However I am sure that no Man shall have occasion to complain that he is a loser at GOD'S hands and that he hath been decieved by that promise that he who giveth to the Poor shall not lack Fourthly Charity is profitable in that it either prevents the days of evil or procures us solide Comfort in them Man is born to trouble as the sparks flee upward we are but of few dayes but we are lyable to many Troubles and therefore every wise Man should provide against them but the best Provision we can lay up against the evil day of affliction is to be liberal and Charitable in Prosperity When Daniel laid before Nebuchadnezar the disasters of his Dâ—…eam he advised him to take this coursâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…vent them O King said he let my counsâ—… acceptable unto thee and breake off thy sins by righteousness and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the Poor if it may be a lengthning if thy Tranquility Dan. 4. 27. But if Charity doth not altogether prevent Calamity and Affliction 't will be sure to lighten them and to give us Comfort in them even solide Comfort the Consolations of GOD. Riches proâ—… little in the dayes of evil friends may
thâ—…â—…nd 〈◊〉 or if they come near all they can do is to weep and waile true and certain comfort cometh only from above which a Charitable Man is sure of For Blessed is he that considereth the Poor the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble The LORD will preserve him kâ—…ep him alive and he shall be blessed upon the Earth and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness Psal. 41. 1. 2. 3. If saith the Prophet Isaiah thou draw out thy Soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted Soul then shall thy light rise in obscurity and thy Darkness be as noon day and the LORD shall guide thee continually and satisfy thy Soul in drought and make fat thy bones and thou shalt be like a wattered Garden and like a spring of Watters whose watters fail not Isa. 58. 10 Fifthly the profite of Charity 〈◊〉 â—…rther then Earth it reacheth to Heaven and gets us an interest there 'T is true Heaven is not merited by any deed of ours we must not entertain any such thought but certainly such good Deeds are followed with Heaven happiness of the other Life How much respect GOD will have to Acts of Charity and Mercy in bestowing Heaven we may see from Mat. 25. and therefore St. Paul would 〈◊〉 â—…he Rich to do Good to be rich in good works ready to distribut willing to communicate thereby laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on Eternal Life 1 Tim 6 18. 19. Here is the greatest advantage of Charity and here we may see that the most profitable way of expending our Wealth is to lay it out upon Works of Charity For the profit of all other Works is limited to this life the good of them as to us expires with our Breath and 't is but seldom that it lasteth so long when a man dies he carries nothing away of all that he hath done otherwayes except perhaps a troubled Conscience for being imployed so much to so little purpose But the profit of good and Charitable Works accompanieth a man to the Grave nay followeth him to the othâ—… 〈◊〉 and purchaseth Friends there Friends 〈◊〉 never die and which receive and welcome him to their everlasting Habitations And seeing it is so what senselesness is it to neglect Charity How much do they sit in their own light who give not all diligence to abound in Good Works nill we will we we must remove hence here we cannot stay alwayes sometime or other we will be forced to pack to another World and should we not then before hand secure a Habitation and Endeavour that it may be well with us there if we were to be banished this Kingdom or saw any necessity of leaving it we Would take care to Transport our goods whither we intended to take up our residence or we would make money of them and carry bills thither that we may have wherewith to sustain and comfort our selves Now what madness is it not to be as provident for our Souls as for our Bodies why do we not distribute our Goods to the use of the Poor and needy that we may have Treasures in Heaven And that when this Earthly tabernacle is dissolved we may be lodged in glorious and Eternal mansions 'T is strange to see how fond Men are upon Possessions here below they will give all they are Worth nay contract for more though it Make their Life burdensome to get an Heritage upon Earth notwithstanding they are perswaded that they cannot abide with it Now a Purchase iu Heaven may be had easilier it needs not all nor half nor the Fourth part of our goods to this a Tenth part Devotely disposed will do the businesse And is it not Wisdom then to lay out money rather upon this which may be had so easily which is best in it self which is of Eternal Advantage A Charitable Person of all others is the Wisest and Happiest for he both enjoyeth the good things of this present life and also has the better things of the Life to Come reserved for him 6ly The profite of Charity is not confined to the Persons of the Charitable Man it descendeth to his children it entails a Blessing upon his Posterity and it goeth well with them for his sake His seed shall be mighty upon Earth the generation of the upright shall be blessed Wealth and Riches shall be in his house For such as be blessed of him shall inherite the Earth and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off All Parents that are noâ—… unnaturall wish their Children well and desire they may have wherewith to live honestly in the World after themselves are gone now the best course for this is to be Charitable for Charity secures to them the Favour of GOD and the Providence of the Almighty which is the Chiefest Treasure this makes GOD their Tutor and Curator who is best abâ—…e to manage their interest and without him others can do but little How many have left great Summes behind them and much riches whose Childrâ—…n have been Vagabounds running up and down Seeking Bread The Blessing of the LORD is the best Inheritance 'T is the best Portion Parents can leave their Children and Charitable Persons may bequeath it confidently The bountiful Man needs not be troubled that he hath Little to leave among his Children for GOD will Blesse that little and make it sufficient A little that a righteous man hath is better then the riches of many wicked Psal 37. 16. That is it goeth farther doth more good and is more profitable for the Owners And though he hath no means at all to bestow yet he has no Reason to vex himself upon that account For GOD will then surely â—…e their Provisor GOD will repay to his Children what he lent to the Poor I have been young saith the Psalmist and now aâ—… Old yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken Nor his Seed begging Bread Psalm 37. 25. I shall not say no instance to the contrary can be shewed but truely I believe very few let Men look abroad the World observe themselves and ask at others and they shall find it generally true that the Children of the Good and Merciful have mett with singular Providences do not therefore excuse thy self from Charitable Deeds because thou hast a numerous Family and many Children this is but to mock GOD and deceive thy self Thou should rather take Pity on the Poor that mercy and compassion may be shewed to thine that when Father and Mother forsake thy Children the LORD may take them up What would People say or do if they were in the Widow of Zareptha's Circumstance who had not a cake but an handful of Meal in a Barrel and a little Oile in a cruse and that too in the dayes of great Famine