your selues treasures the vpon earth where the rust and moth doth corrupt and where theeues breake through and steale but lay vp for your selues treasures in heauen where neither rust nor moth doth corrupt and where theeues doe not breake through and steale Math. 7. Whatsoeuer you would that men should doe to you euen so doe you vnto them for this is the law and the Prophets Luke 12. Sell that you haue and giue alme◠make you bagges which waxe not old a treasure that neuer can faile in heauen where no theefe commeth nor moth corrupteth and according as God had commanded in his law that a mercifull respect and diligent care should bee had of the poore so holy Toby in his 8. chapter giueth this instruction to his sonne Giue almes of thy goods and turne neuer thy face from the poore and then the face of the Lord shall neuer bee turned away from thee bee mercifull after thy power if thou hast much giue plentiouslie and if thou hast little doe thy diligence gladly to giue of that little for so gatherest thou thy selfe a good reward against the day of necessitie and in the second to the Corinth the 9. chap. it is thus written He that soweth sparingly shall reape also sparingly and he that soweth liberally shal reape also liberally as euerie man wisheth in his hart so let him giue not grudgingly or of necessitie for God loueth a cheerefull giuer and in 13. to the Hebrewes the 16. verse it is said to doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is pleased Pro. 20. he that hath mercie vpon the poore lendeth vnto the Lord and the Lord will recompence him that which he hath giuen By all which places and many other in holie scripture it appeareth what loue tender care and compassion by the ordinance and commandement of God is appointed to bee had and shewed vppon such as are in miserie and want By which kinde of Communion and bond of charitie all mankinde without exception are vnited and knit together but of the first none can or may be partakers but onely the faithfull which are the elect and chosen children of God the true members of the Church ioyned to their head Iesus Christ among which company all the members are so compact vnited knit together that all make but one bodie of Christ and therefore ought thus to thinke one of another he is my brother coheire in Christ a member of the same bodie redeemed with one bloud a fellowe in the common faith called to the very same grace felicity of the life to come how can any then that is a true mēber of Christ of which body thou professest thy selfe also a member be a stranger vnto thee to whom thou art coupled with so many bonds of vnitie And as concerning the outward goods of this life the godly and true members of christ in whose harts alone this true charitie is rooted by and through the working of the holy ghost do and ought to be readie at all times to make partakers not only their frēds and such as be of the houshold of faith but euen the wicked and vnbeleeuers their enemies persecutors and slanderers distributing of the outward goods of this life vnto all men in generall as their prayers their counsell helpe and comfort their reliefe charitie almes whose prayer for the vngodly concerning the outward and temporall blessings of this worlde God hath shewed by manie examples in his word that he hath both heard and graunted as at the prayers of Moises and Aaron hee remoued the plagues from Pharao at the prayers of the Prophet of God the dried hand of Ieroboam was restored to his former strength and so will GOD still heare the prayers of his children for the vngodly so farre as it standeth with his good pleasure and aduancement of his owne glorie commanding his children not to bee like the wicked and vngodly to doe good onely in respect of reward or for some speciall bond of alliance or friendship as our Sauiour affirmeth that the Publicans vnbeleeuers doe Mat. 5. For if you loue them which loue you what reward haue you doe not the Publicans euen the same and if you be friendly to your brethren onelie what singular thing doe you do not euen the Publicans like wise but I say vnto you loue your enemies blesse them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for thē that hurt you and persecute you giue to him that asketh and from him that would borrowe of thee turne not away thy face that you may bee the children of your father which is in heauen for he maketh his sunne to shine vpon the euill and vpon the good and sendeth raine on the the iust and on the vniust yee shall therefore bee perfect as your heauenly father is perfect thus our sauiour hath shewed by this his cōmandement what the true rule of charitie is by which his children are vnited and knit togither euen in all things both bodily and ghostly to communicate participate one with another seeing from the outward bodily participation he hath not separated the wicked and vnbeleeuers but hath first lincked and tied them also to his owne children in the outward participation of the goods of this life By which doctrine all the children of God are put in minde that they must suffer nothing to let or hinder their charitie in any the outward things temporall blessings before mentioned but euen to be liberall pitifull compassionate vnto all for that they are of the same kinde and flesh with them yet neuerthelesse to haue their mindes and eies of their soules lifted vp higher to that communion and participation which they haue of all things with their brethren the true members of the holie and vndefiled bodie of Christ who is their head so that whatsoeuer is bestowed vpon any one member it redoundeth to the whole bodie and from thence vnto the head and the head of Christ is God whereof it followeth that the good which is done to any one member it is done to Christ it is done to GOD. Which liuely worke of true charitie the head who is our sauiour Iesus Christ worketh by the grace of his holie spirit in all and euerie true member of his bodie the Church the bodie and euerie part thereof drawing all their life and feeling the power and strength also of euerie good and vertuous worke and of euery godly act from the head to whom all the honour glorie and praise is due for all the good that is done or can be don either in this life or in the life to come onely let all the faithfull be quickned in their charity when they feele it to begin to wax cold and faint by this spurre that albeit to their fleshly eies and iudgement which is alwaies during this life corrupt and blinde there appeareth no kindnes goodnes vertue or any good
night for the staine of the daughter of my people Oh that I had in the wildernes a cottage of wayfaring men that I might leaue my people and go from them for they be all adulterers and an assemblie of rebels and they bend their tongues like their bowes for lies but they haue no courage for the truth vpon the earth for they proceed from euill to worse and they haue not knowne mee saith the lord Let euerie one take heede of his neighbour and trust you not in any brother for euery brother will vse deceit and euerie friend will deale deceitfully and euery one will deceiue his frend and will not speake the truth for they haue taught their tongues to speake lies and take great paines to do wickedly Thine habitation is in the midst of deceiuers because of their deceite they refuse to know me saith the lord Therefore thus saith the lorde of hostes behold I will melt them try them for what shall I else doe for the daughter of my people their tongue is an arrowe shot out and speaketh deceipt one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth but his hart he layeth waite for him Shall I not visit them for these things saith the lord or shall not my soule be auenged on such a nation as this Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Hostes the God of Israel behold I will feede this people with wormewood and giue them waters of gall to drinke for death is come vp into our windowes and is entred into our palaces to destroy the children without and the yong men in the streetes Speake thus saith the lord the carkases of men shall lie euen as the dung vpon the field and as the handfull after the mower and none shall gather them Thus saith the Lord let not the wise man glory in his wisedom nor the strong maÌ„ glory in his strength nether the rich man glory in his riches but let him that glorieth glory in this that he vnderstaÌ„deth and knoweth me for I am the Lord which shew mercie iudgement and righteousnesse in the earth for in these things I delight saith the Lord. Thus saith the Lord learne not the way of the heathen be not afraid for the signes of heauen though the heathen be afraid of such Euery man is a beast by his owne knowledge for the pastors are become beasts and haue not sought the lord therfore haue they no vnderstanding and all the flocks of their pastures are scattered O Lord I know that the way of maÌ„ is not in him selfe neither is it in man to walke and to direct his steps O Lord correct me but with iudgement not in thine anger lest thou bring me to nothing power out thy wrath vpon the heathen that know thee not and vpon the families that call not vpoÌ„ thy name let me see thy vengeance on them for vnto thee haue I opened my cause O lord if I dispute with thee thou art righteous yet let me talke with thee of thy iudgements wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper why are all they in wealth that rebelliously transgresse Thou hast planted them and they haue taken roote they grow and bring forth fruit thou art neare in their mouth farre from their reines O lord thou hast ordeined them for iudgement and O GOD thou hast established them for correction Giue glory to the lord your God before hee bring draknes and or euer your feete stumble in the darke mountains and whiles you looke for light he turneth it into the shadowe of death and make it as darkenes But if you will not heare this my soule shall weepe in secret for your pride mine eie shall weepe and drop downe teares for the crowne of your glorie shal come downe froÌ„ your heads O lord though our iniquities testifie against vs deale with vs according to thy name for our rebellions are many we haue sinned against the. O the hope of Israel the sauiour thereof in the time of trouble why art thou as a stranger in the land as one that passeth by to tarry for a night why art thou as a man astonied as a stroÌ„g man that cannot helpe yet art thou O lord in the middest of vs thy name is called vpon vs O forsake vs not Thus saith the lord vnto this people thus haue they delighted to wander they haue not refrained their feete Therfore hath the lord no delight in them but he will now remember their iniquitie and visit their sinnes when they fast I will not heare their cries I will not accept them but I will consume them by the sword and by the famine and by the pestilence Wee acknowledge O lord our wickednes and the iniquitie of our fathers for wee haue sinned against thee do not abhorre vs for thy names sake cast not downe the throne of thy glory remember and breake not thy couenant with vs. Are there any among the vanities of the gentiles that can giue raine or can the heauens giue showers is it not thou O lord our God Therefore will we waite vpon thee for thou hast made all these things Then said the lord vnto me though Moises and Samuel stoode before me yet mine affection could not be towards this people Cast them out of my sight and let them depart and if they say vnto thee whither shall wee depart then tell them thus saith the lord such as are apointed to death vnto death such as are for the sword to the sword and such as are for famine to the famine such as are for the captiuitie to the captiuitie and I will appoint ouer them foure kindes saith the Lord the sword to slay and the dogs to teare in pieces and the fowles of the heauen and the beasts of the earth to deuoure and to destroy Thou hast forsaken me saith the lord and gone backward therfore will I stretch out my hand against thee and destroy thee for I am wearie with repenting Thy substance and thy treasures will I giue to be spoiled without gaine and that for all thy sinnes euen in all thy borders Behold saith the lord I will send out many fishers and they shall fish them and after I will send out many hunters and they shall hunt them from euerie mountaine and from euery hill out of the caues of the rocks for mine eies are vppon all their waies they are not hid from my face neither is their iniquitie hid from mine eies And first I will recompence their iniquitie their sinne double because they haue defiled my land and haue filled my inheritance with their filâ—hy carrions and their abhominations Thus saith the lord cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme and withdâ—aweth his heart from the lord for he shall be like the heath in the wildernes shall not see when any good commeth but shall inhabite the parched places in the wildernes in a salt land and not inhabited Blessed is
need and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dweleth the loue of God in him beloued let vs loue one another for loue coÌ„meth of God and euery one that loueth iâ— borne of God and knoweth God heâ— that loueth not knoweth not God for God is loue In this appeareth the loue of God towards vs because God sent his onely begotten son into the world that we might liue through him herein is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs first and sent his sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes beloued if God so loued vs we ought also to loue one another no man hath seene God at any time if wee loue one another God dwelleth in vs and his loue is perfect in vs God is loue and hee that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him we loue him because hee loued vs first if any man say he loue God and hate his brother he is a lier for how can hee that loueth not his brother whom hee hath seene loue God whom he hath not seene and this coÌ„mandement haue we of him he that loueth God should loue his brother also By this instruction of the Apostle in this epistle it appeareth that it is a false lying and vaine boasting of any man to say hee loueth and beleeueth in God truly when hee shuteth vp all his compassion from the helpe of mankind which beare the image of God in the person of our Sauiour Christ which was both God and man who presenteth himselfe to vs to bee beloued in them which beare the image of his maÌ„hood For no man can truly say he hartely loueth the father but hee must also loue the sonne and although the sonne be naughtie and vnthriftie yet for his fathers sake hee must helpe to better him and euen lament and bee sorry for the sonnes wickednes euen so much the rather seing God hath appointed and by his holy ordinance commaunded that whatsoeuer any true Christian man is or whatsoeuer hee hath hee should thankfully receiue it as of the free bountie and gift of God who himselfe is the fountaine and full treasure of all good things the onely author and giuer of euery good and perfect gift giuing and distributing to euery one of the abundance of his riches treasures to this end and purpose that â—ach should communicate to other of the goods they haue receiued for the supply of each others want and necessitie For which cause euery true Christian man must loue good meÌ„ in Christ and euill men for Christes sake who so loued vs when wee were his enemies that he gaue vp of his own life for our redemption let him embrace the one because they are good the other neuerthelesse to make them good let him forgiue and pray for his enemies persecutors slanderers that God would turne their harts open their blind eies and giue them true knowledge of himselfe his word coÌ„mandements in whose nature let him see and behold as in a glasse the image of his own crookednes corruptioÌ„ for there is no maÌ„ so mad cruell furious or hard hearted but all other as of themselues are as farre wide from God as hee so that euery man which escapeth the filthinesse and corruption of the wicked and vngodly may thanke God that keepeth him by his grace from that or the like impietie as for example thou seest a man that is a theefe a whoromonger and an hereticke or idolator there thou seest euen thine owne image and picture for if God keepe thee not of his mercifull grace and goodnes out of such vices thou wouldest be euen as euill and bad as he and seeing thou art not such a one glory in God and not in thy selfe hate not nor bee not angry with those which are diseased in sinne no more than a faithfull physition hateth a sicke man but rather lament and bee sorrie for their euils be thou an enemie onely vnto sinne and vice the greater the disease is the more care will true charity haue to remoue it is he an adulterer or hath he coÌ„mitted sacriledge or is he a Iew Turke Heretike or Infidel hate the adulterie sacriledge heresie idolatrie and infidelitie of the man and seeke to remoue purge and cleanse these vices wherewith the man is defiled and wherin he is wrapped and entangled through his owne fault so that the man may bee saued which God made let euery true Christian wil well wish well and doe well vnto all men â—â—â—fainedly not hurting them which haue diserued it but doing good to them which haue not diserued it according to the instruction of the Apostle Gal 6. Ro. 12. Whilst we haue time let vs do good vnto all men especially vnto those which are of the houshould of faith Therefore if thine enemy hunger feed him if he thirst giue him drinke for in so doing thou shalt heape coles of fire vpon his head Be not ouercome of euill but ouercome euill with good For a true Christian man must bee glad and reioyce for all mens commodities as for his owne and so to take to heart and be sorrie for an other mans harmes as if they had fallen vpon himselfe and to weepe with them that weepe and to ioy in all maner good things with them that reioyce as the same Apostle also teacheth He must not thinke with himselfe after the fashion of the worldlings and wicked men what haue I to doe with this fellow he is a man vnknowne to mee hee is a stranger hee neuer did ought for mee hee hath hurt mee some times but hee neuer did me good hee must I say thinke none of these things but remember onely what Christ hath done for thee who willeth his kindnes shewed towards thee should be requited not in himselfe which thou canst not nor shalt not bee able to doe but to shew such kindnes for his sake towards all men as hee requireth of thee distributing of such bodily or ghostly goods as he hath giuen thee to the releefe of others necessities euen to the vttermost of thine abilitie For so doth the holy scripture teach euery christian man in many places of the same as Luke 3. v. 11. Let him that hath two coates parte with him that hath none and he that hath â—eate let him doe likewise by which two examples of food and rayment the faithfull are warned by a common care and indeuour and by a particular speciall care in euery one to prouide that the necessities and wants of the poore be holpen and supplied according as God shall haue delt to them a portion of abilitie to doe it for so is it commaunded in other places of the scripture as in the I. of Tim. the 6. chap. Charge them which are rich in the world that they be readie to giue and glad to distribute laying vp in store for themselues a good foundation against the time to come that they may attaine eternall life and Math. 6. Lay not vp for