Churches of Christ is to be disposed I will only set downe in this place that which an excellent learned man hath written concerning this matter he shewing therein the remedy against vagabond and roguish beggers who ought not to be suffered among Christians Like as our godly Magistrates haue wisely discerned and of late worthily prouided for the more through and full suppressing of them P. Martyr Loc. Com. Clas 2. loco 12. in praecept 8. Sect. 7. then euer heretofore blessed be the name of God therin There ought to be saith that learned man in euery Church certaine choise men who should haue the names of all the poore set downe in writing the which should cary a diligent eye to marke both the greatnesse of the pouerty wherewith any are distressed and also what worke they were able to doe and accordingly to distribute the almes giuing no maintenance to make any growe idle and withdrawing their almes from such as are vnwilling to labour To the which end also order ought to be taken that there might be in seuerall Churches a publike treasurie wherein publike contributions should be layd vp and that euery man as he is able should not only offer something euery time of the holy assembly but that three or foure times of the yeare they should prepare some more worthy gift and concerning the Gouernours of the treasurie that it should be their dutie not onely to distribute the same but also to giue the Church an account both what they haue receiued and what they haue layd out Neither is there anie reason why any should pretend that they will distribute their own goods as they themselues should thinke good in so much as it is hard for any to knowe all and the true state of things is more easily found out by men which are purposely appointed thereunto and beside it is rather to be wished that all things may be done in an orderly course then no man can tell how This is the discreete iudgement and godly aduise of that great learned man And verily howsoeuer the publike ordinance of God doth not take away and suppresse the particular disposing of mens priuate beneuolence as they shal see good vpon their owne godly priuate considerations yet it must needs be a great ease vnto euery one touching persons vnknowne to them in that they may with good coÌ„science leaue them to those who haue the charge of the publike distribution Now as touching that which remaineth concerning that wisedome and discretion which is to be vsed in distribution of beneficence we shall haue occasion to speake of it anone The last of the three former points is henceforth to be considered of vs to wit that it is euery Christians dutie according to his abilitie Euery man of any ability is bound to giue and that also with pitie and compassion ouer the needy to vâ—e his discretion in dedicating a portion of that which he getteth by his honest and iust labour or which he may spare of any his reuenues either more or lesse to the practise of beneficence and that euen as in the sight of God who by his souereigne authoritie requireth it at euery mans hands There is a very vsual common need of mercy therefore the commandement is giuen in generall to all and particularly to euery one And when mercie and goodnes hath place in all Christian vertue it hath as it were the chaire of estate in beneficence liberality and for the same cause is assigned of God to bee a certaine moderator and as it were the chiefe in commission with iustice He hath shewed thee ô man saith the Prophet Micah what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee Surely to do iustice to loue mercy ch 6.8 Zach. 7.9 Thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts saying Execute ye true iudgement shew mercy compassion euery man to his brother c. and Psal 37.21 The righteous is merciful and giueth Now that all are to make practise of this grace reade 1. Cor. 16.1 c. Concerning the gathering for the saints as I haue ordained in the Churches of Galatia so day also euery first day of the weeke that is on euery Lords day the Christian Sabbath let euery one of ye saith the Apostle put aside by himself and lay vp a God hath prospered him that then there be no gatherings when I come That is that so there be no neede to spend anie further time for that special collection And wheÌ„ I am come as the holy Apostle addeth whosoeuer ye shall allow by letters them will I send to bring your liberality to Ierusalem And if it be meete that I go also they shall go with me And 2. Cor. 9.7 As euery man wisheth in his heart And 1. Iohn 3.17 Whosoeuer hath this worlds good and seeth his brother to haue neede and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him And Ephes chap. 4.28 Let him that stole steale no more but let him rather labour and worke with his hands the thing which is good that he may haue to giue vnto him that needeth And when the people comming to Iohns baptisme asked of him Euery man is bound to giue and that also with pitie and compassion what they should do for declaration of their repentance he answered them and sayd He that hath two coates let him part with him that hath none and he that hath meate let him do likewise Luke chap. 3.11 Thus then it is plaine that all stand bound to giue And not onely so but that which is more we are further to vnderstand that euery one standeth bound according to his ability and according to all iust occasions offered of God to doe good that is mercifully to succour and relieue all and euery one which standeth in need of our helpe as the parable of our Sauiour Christ set downe in the tenth chapter of Luke to shew who is a mans neighbour doth euidently declare from the example of that mercifull Samaritan in his succouring of the distressed Iew. According also to that speech which the Lord vseth by his Prophete Isaiah chap. 58.7 Hide not thy selfe from thine owne flesh For though there were no more but this bond that one man is of the same flesh or kind with another the Lord giueth to vnderstand that it ought of it selfe to be counted sufficient reason to prouoke any man to deale mercifully with euery one that is of the nature of man And herein ought euerie one to settle his mind to continue vnwearible seeing God himselfe hath so appointed that the occasions and necessities of exercising mercie will bee continuall according to that we read Deut. 15.11 and more expesly Matt. 26.11 where our Sauiour Christ saith Ye shall haue the poore alwayes with you according also to the holy Prouerb ch 22.2 The rich and the poore meete together the Lord is the maker of them all And wherefore is he so No
his soule when he was in that deepe distresse which the bitternesse of his sicknesse had brought vpon him as we read 2. King chap. 20.2.3 I beseech thee ô Lord saith that godly King remember nowe how I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and haue done that which is good in thy sight and Hezekiah wept sore Now what this goodnesse was the remembrance whereof was so comfortable to his conscience in the time of his distresse it appeareth at large in the 29. 30. and 31. chap. of the second booke of holy Chronicles and more briefly is the same comprised in the two last verses of the 31. ch after this maner And thus did Hezekiah through out all Iadah and he did well and vprightly truly before the Lord his God And in all the workes which he began for the seruice of the house of God both in the Law in the coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts to seeke his God he did it with all his heart and prospered The like remembrance of beneficence to the Lords Prophetes gaue Obadiah a strong perswasion to plead with the Prophete Elijah that he would deale well with him not endanger his life to the wrath of his master king Ahab and Elijah dealeth with him accordingly as with one in the same respect worthy to be tendered for the Lords cause 1. King 18.13 c. Was it not told my Lord saith Obadiah what I did when Iezabel slew the Prophetes of the Lord how I hid a hundreth of the Lords Prophetes by fiftie in a caue and fed them with bread and water And now thou sayest go tell thy Lord behold Elijah is here that he may slay me For Obadiah feared lest Elijah would haue conueyed himselfe away and so king Ahab thinking himselfe mocked should be inraged against Obadiah Whereupon Elijah assureth him verse solemnly by oath that he would shewe himselfe to Ahab that day Yea further the practise of this kind of beneficence is so notable a fruite of faith that iustly doth it confirme the faith of others to expect mercie from God vpon them that exercise the same as we see how from the same incouragement the Apostle Paule prayed for Onesiphorus his most kind and constant benefactor The Lord giue mercie to the house of Onesiphorus saith Paule for he oft refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chaine But when he was at Rome he sought me vp diligently and found me The Lord grant vnto him that he my find mercie with the Lord at that day 2. Tim. 1.16.17.18 Now there is no doubt but the same Spirit which set Paule on worke to pray thus for Onesiphorus minded also to grant the same his request both for him his house The like is to be conceiued of his prayer for the Philippians vpon the same occasion he nothing doubting but that their contribution to his maintenance was an odour that smelleth sweet a sacrifice acceptable and pleasant to God chap. 4.17.18.19.20 But let vs come to open and confirme this point by a few more expresse and plaine examples such as God hath made by euident effect of his mercie vpon them famous spectacles of his bounty in respect of their kind and beneficiall dealing either toward his worship or any Ministers thereof for his sake yea though they haue not so hartily minded the same as they ought to haue done The widdow of Zarephath who gaue entertainment to the Prophet Elijah receiued this great blessing by the hand of the Lord by his meanes that the small quantitie of her oyle and meale did not diminish all the time that the dearth and scarcitie continued in Israel And beside that by meanes of the same Prophet she receiued againe he son from death to life 1. King 17.15 The honourable Shunamite also who gaue entertainment to the Prophet Elisha as was rehearsed before being barren at the prayer of Elisha God gaue her power to conceiue and afterward also at his prayer she receiued the same her sonne from death to life as the widdow of Zarephath had done by the prayer of Elijah 2. King chap. 4. vers 8. c. In the 39. chap. of Gen. we reade that the Lord blessed Potiphars house though a heatheÌ„ man for Iosephs sake eueÌ„ from the time that he preferred him to be the Gouernour of it And afterward he was also a blessing to Pharaoh and all his people by reason that he aduanced him to the chiefe honour of his kingdome next vnder himselfe For by that occasion God made Ioseph their foster-father in the seuen yeares of famine yea and the foster-father of his Church the familie of his owne father which also was Iosephs own blessing in so much as he was found faithfull to God therein Neither is there any doubt but the Lord shewed great mercie to Nebuchadnezzar because he fauoured and aduanced his holy Prophet Daniel and some other the verie faithfull seruants of God who were his captiues in Babel Publius also the chiefe man of the I le Melita of the which we read before he giuing the Apostle Paule and the Euangelist Luke curteous entertainmeÌ„t for three dayes through the goodnesse of God he receiued an Apostles reward For by Paule his father was healed of a grieuous feuer and of the bloudy fluxe yea diuers other of that place were healed of their diseases Act. 28.7 8 9. Seeing therefore the Lord blessed heathen men for their preferring of his seruants and Prophetes to honour therein they chiefly respected their owne pleasure contentment shal we not much rather assure our selues that whosoeuer among Christians shall for the loue and honour which they vnfeinedly beare to God and his pure religion deale honorably with his seruants the faithful Ministers of his word and Gospel shall much rather be blessed and prospered of him It is out of question that we may Do we not read that the Lord greatly blessed Obed Edom and all that had because he religiously receiued and kept the Arke in his house by the space of that three moneths wherin Dauid was discouraged by reason of the strange iudgement of God vpon Vzziah as the holy storie sheweth more at large 1. Chron. 13 And againe 2. Chron. 11.13.14.15.16.17 Do we not read that when Rehoboam gaue entertainment to the holy Leuites Godly minded Israelites who from among the other tribes of Israel left their suburbes and pâ—ssessions and came to Ierusalem to auoid that idolatrous and superstitious worship which Ieroboam had set vp they setting their heartes to seeke the Lord God of Israel and to offer to the Lord God of their fathers Doe we not reade I say that hereby the kingdome of Iudah was strengthened and that Rehoboam the sonne of Salomon was made mightie three yeeres long that is euen so long as they walked in the way of Dauid and Salomon as the text affirmeth An experiment also hereof we haue in the same booke chap. 31.4 c. King Hezekiah commanded the people which dwelt in
better to keepe a mans money in his purse then to cast it away he cannot tell how ANSWER What though some do counterfeit religion and play the hypocrites shall we neglect good dutie because it may be there is such or such a foule sinne in this or that man which we know not of And as touching hypocrisie which is one of the most secret and hidden sinnes among the rest it belongeth vnto God who alone knoweth the heart in his due time to discouer it But as for our selues none of vs must presume to iudge any before the time So long as as any behaue theÌ„selues outwardly as beseemeth Christians it well beseemeth vs also to hope the best of them and therefore also whatsoeuer we do for such in the name of faithfull and true Christians hoping that they are such whether they be ministers of the word doctrine of God or disciples and schollers in the schoole of Christ God wil accept of it according to our good charitable meaning therin if our owne hearts be vpright and not according to their dissimulation And furthermore our Sauiour Christ to helpe vs against this all other offences and stumbling blockes saith in the Gospell Blessed is he that is not offended in me that is to say he that will not fall away from Christ nor from any good dutie of Christianitie by any discouragement whatsoeuer Sathan shall throw in his way Thus farre for answer to the objâ—ctions concerning the pretended vnworthinesse of those which stand in need to be relieued The obiections whereby couetous men would excuse one charge by another are next OBIECTION 1. whereby couetous men would excuse one charge by another I find by the count-booke of my expences that a great part of my liuing goeth out to those ordinarie ciuill charges which I stand bound vnto by the law of the Prince and in troublesome times such as these are we are at many extraordinary expences May not these be reckened for my almes or at the least may I not in these respects ease my selfe by being something more sparing that other way ANSWER Shall the same euill of sinne which hath had a strong hand to pull vpon vs all the euils of punishment which we haue bene pressed withall be any fit way or meanes to remoue them away from vs thinke we If the beginning of vnmercifulnesse haue in a great parte brought in the charges of warres and the sharpnesse of dearth and scarcitie among vs shall the continuance and hardening of our harts therin against the corrections of God remoue them awaie It can not be And as touching ordinarie charges imposed by course of lawe in ciuill respects they are plentifullie recompenced by the benefit of lawe and by the gratious protection of the Prince whose lawe it is Nowe seeing these charges as is said are so imposed by ciuill authoritie that they cannot be auoided no not of him that is vnwilling to yeeld them there is herein no praise or practise of beneficence at all Onelie willing freehearted and mercifull dealing whether by or without prescript of humane lawe such as is yeelded for the Lordes cause hath praise in the church and is trulie commendable in the sight of God OBIECTION 2. Neither can I here forget that there is euer and anone much to doo about contributions toward the Church for the maintenance of the ministery for bread and wine for the Communion for reparations of the building and of the glasse windowes and that all things may be made decent and seemelie God is a Spirit and he will be worshipped in Spirit What needeth so much to doo about outward comelinesse and decencie And if I might speake what I thinke saith the profane couetous man why should Ministers take tithes in these daies which they say are the daies of the Gospel seeing the Leuiticall Priesthood and the ceremonies thereof haue bene abolished euer since the death and passion of Christ as they themselues affirme Did not the Apostle Paul also worke with his handes to get his owne liuing Why then should not our Ministers doo so to ease the charges of the people For my owne parte also I can take as much edifiing by a reading Minister who will be content to compound for a small stipend as I can by him that preacheth euerie Sabbath day And therfore I thinke the greater charges of mainteining a Preacher may well enough be spared ANSWER It cannot be doubtlesse that these things should be forgotten of those that haue no care to store their memorie with good and wholsome instructions For want whereof wicked and vngodly thoughts and deuises are very rife in the minds of couetous and profane men howsouer shame stoppeth their mouthes that they do not at all times vtter vent them But that we may vouchsafe theÌ„ an answer What though God be a Spirit and requireth no curious nor ouer chargeable outward pompe or superstitious decking to his spirituall seruice and worship Is this any good reason why all things should not be decently ordered and disposed Or rather is it not in all equitie so much the greater reason that all things ought to be disposed in so much the more comely reuerend maner because the Lord requireth no excessiue cost to be bestowed this way It can by no colour of reason be denied This therefore is a very vnreasonable and malignaÌ„t obiection And for the same cause also it is the lesse to be maruelled at though this kind of meÌ„ grudge at the Minister of the Gospell his allowance and maintenance when they cannot willingly afford God him selfe a comely place for the exercise of his diuine worship nor themselues a small quantitie of bread and wine a fewe times in the yeare for their speciall comfort and spirituall nourishment of their soules As touching tithes by ciuill authoritie alloted for the maintenance of the Ministers of the Gospel it is a mere cauil to preiudice them vnder the name of Leuitical ceremonies For there was tithing before there was any tribe of Leui yea before Leui the father of the Leuits was borne therfore also is it writteÌ„ of Leui Heb. 7.9.10 that while he was yet in the loines of his father AbrahaÌ„ he paid tithes in AbrahaÌ„ wheÌ„ Melchi-sedec met him This was before the institutioÌ„ of the priesthood of the law But much rather may the iniquitie of this cauill appeare in so much as tithes are not not now either required or paid of any of sound iudgment in any ceremonious or figuratiue respect but as a moral dutie to the maintenance and vpholding of Gods diuine worship according to the affirmatiue part of the second commandement of the first Table and as a dutie of ciuill honour and iustice according to the fift and eight commandement of the second table of the Law So that to speake in some measure of proportion as touching the Lords Sabbath the ceremonie ceasing whatsoeuer might be so accounted in the Iewish obseruation of it and therefore also the day being
degree out of aduersity to prosperity but that they might glorifie his name in being a refuge and succour to the rest of their poore and distressed brethren according as Mordecai sendeth his admonitorie message to Queene Ester chap. 4.14 saying Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdome for such a time ' Who therfore seeth not that the mercifull relieuing of the needie and poore speciallie such as approue themselues to be of the houshold of faith faithfull seruantes in the familie and Church of God is a vertue of singular excellencie seeing such as do thus do herein shew themselues in speciall manner as deare children to be the most kindlie and ingenuous imitators and followers of God their heauenlie father in that which he accounteth his most singular glorie as we haue seen before In which respect also saith our Sauiour Christ to his disciples Be ye mercifull as your Father is mercifull But not onelie must the children of God be like their heauenly father in doing good to their fellow brethren but euen to their enemies also as the same our Sauiour teacheth For euen God is not onelie kind and beneficiall to the good and iust but also to the vnkind and euill causing the comfortable light and warmth of his Sunne to arise vpon them and his raine to make their fieldes and cattell fruitfull Matth. 6.44.45 and Luke 6.35.36 Finallie according to the holie Prouerbe ch 19.22 That which is to be desired of a man is his goodnesse For herein speciallie is all that comprehended for the which he is to be praised as 2. Chron. 3 2. verse 32. the whole praise of Hezekiah is noted by his goodnes And so also of king Iosiah ch 35.26 The heathen also whether by the light of nature or by the remnant of tradition of doctrine from the first fathers of whom they came after the dispersion of the nations they held this for a principle and so haue set it downe in their writings that in nothing man is more like vnto God then in beneficiall kind dealing And when Demosthenes as they write was asked what man might haue wherein he should resemble God he answered If he should deale beneficiallie and speake trulie And hence it was no doubt that euen among the same heathen people of the world the honourable title of beneficence and bountifulnesse was as it were by a law of nations principally attributed and ascribed to Princes and Rulers whom it should beseeme best as in name so in the vertue it selfe to expresse the diuine nature of God most This coustome of the heathen is pointed at by our Sauiour Christ Luke ch 22.25 where he saith thus They that beare rule ouer the Gentils are called EVERGETAI that is gratious or beneficiall and bounteous Neuerthelesse here before wee goe any one step further it is to good purpose that we doe consider that betwixt the bounteous and beneficiall Giuing of the Lord and all humane beneficence there is necessarilly a great and vnmeasurable difference to be put First because God is the onely spring and fountaine of all beneficence so that from him alone are deriued all good giftes whatsoeuer either man or Angell are partakers of or howsoeuer they are made instrumentes of anie good benifite and blessing either of them to other For as the Apostle Paul saith from the Prophete Isaiah and both of them in the name of the Lord Who hath knowne the minde of the Lord or who was his counseller Or who hath giuen to him first and he shall be recompensed For of him and through him and for him are all things to him be glorie for euer Amen Rom. 11.34.35.36 and Isaiah chap. 40.13.14 And yet more particularly touching man whether Prince or noble Peere rich or mighty learned or in authority Prophet or Apostle whosoeuer he be he cannot possibly haue any thing whether of this world or belonging to the kingdome of God to giue vnlesse he haue first receiued it of that perfect and cōplete fulnesse which is only in the Lord. So that worthily may the Apostle aske of one as wel as of the other chiefly of such as haue the most excellent gifts Who separateth thee And what hast thou which thou hast not receiued and if thou hast receiued it why doest thou boast as if thou hadst not receiued it 1. Cor. 4.7 And Iob. 1.21 The Lord giueth and the Lord taketh away blessed be the name of the Lord. Secondly God giueth such gifts and in such maner as no creature is able to giue them Thine ô Lord saith king Dauid is greatnesse and power and glorie and victory and praise for all that is in heauen earth is thine thine is the kingdom ô Lord and thou excellest as head ouer all in thine hand is power and strength and in thy hand it is to make great and to giue strength vnto all Now therefore ô our God we thanke thee and praise thy glorious name But who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer willingly after this sort For all things come of thee of thine owne hand we haue giuen thee 1. Chro. 29.11 c. And thus no one man but only God hath giuen the whole earth distributed it among all the sons of men Ps 115.16 Thus he no other hath giuen his only son our Lord Iesus Christ to and for the redemption saluation of his Church Isai 9.6 ch 49.6 Ioh. 3.16 ch 4.10 Rom. 5.15 c. where the excellency of this one gift is amplified aboue all other by the holy Apostle and ch 8.31 32. What shall we then say to these things If God be on our side who can be against vs who spared not his owne son but gaue him for vs to death how shall he not with him giue vs all things also According to this diuine munificence God hath giuen the Church to Christ Psal 2.8 Ioh. 17.6 7 8 c. to the end that though it had iustly deserued to be vtterly stripped and left wast naked it might neuertheles by him be beautified adorned with al excellent princely gifts Mat. 28.18 19 20. Eph. 4.11 c. Ier. 3.15 Isa 50.4 euen with such gifts as no money could purchase but onely the bloud of Iesus Christ which is more precious then all gold siluer Act. 8.20 1. Pet. 1.18.19 Among these most precious gifts is heauenly knowledge vnderstanding Ps 119.34 Mat. 11.25 26 27. ch 13.11 ch 16.17 Likewise faith repentāce forgiuenesse of sins are in the number of these inualuable gifts of God Act. 5.31 32. and ch 11.17 18. 2. Tim. 2.25 26. Ier. 24.7 ch 32.39.40 In this catalogue of the gifts of God is that peace of conscience which passeth all vnderstanding Philip. 4.7 that is to say such a gift the excellēcy wherof cannot throughly be discerned of vs. Finally of this magnificēt bounty of God eternal life saluatiō are the gifts of
God to poore miserable dānable sinners All these Gods bounty aboue mans and if there be any such like they are such gifts of God as infinitely exceede all mans donation and gift And no maruell though the gifts of God be thus inestimable because his loue toward vs from whence they proceede is passing all knowledge Ephes 3.19 So that to set out the greatnesse of Gods gifts we may iustly say vnto God with his holy Prophet What shall we render to the Lord for all his benefites toward vs. Psal 116.12 And with his holy Apostle What thanks can we recompence to God c. 1. Thes 3.9 And to admonish our selues of our duties O my soule praise thou the Lord and all that is within me praise his holy name My soule praise thou the Lord and forget not all his benefites Who forgiueth all thine iniquitie c. Psal 103.1 c. Read also Psalme 107. And to comfort our soules against all spirituall feares anguish and disquietment Returne to thy rest ô my soule for the Lord hath bene beneficiall vnto thee Because thou hast deliuered my soule from death mine eyes from teares and my feete from falling I shall walke before the Lord in the land of the liuing Psal 116.1 c. Hetherto therefore of the second difference of Gods beneficence how in measure it infinitely exceedeth all the bountifulnesse of man Thirdly God only is constant and vnweariable in continuing the bountie of his gifts vpon all such as he chooseth at the first to bestow his bountie vpon for Whom he once loueth he loueth to the end Iohn 13.1 The vnchangeable decree of God is expressed by his fatherly loue Mal. chap. 1.2 and Rom. 9.13 As it is written I haue loued Iaakob And Rom. 11.29 The gifts calling of God are without repentance and Hosh 13.14 Repentance is hid from mine eyes and againe 1. Thes 5.24 Faithfull is he which hath called you and he will do it and Isai 40.28 Knowest thou not or hast thou not heard that the euerlasting Lord the God hath created the ends of the earth He neither fainteth nor is weary there is no searching of his vnderstanding c. and vers 31. They that wait vpon the Lord shall renew their strength c. And this is the cause why king Dauid in the place before alleadged 1. Chron. 29. acknowledging the present great grace bestowed vpon himselfe and the people in offering willingly toward the house and worship of God to be his speciall gift he prayeth God to keepe the same grace for euer in the purpose and thoughts of the hearts of his people and that he would stil prepare their harts vnto himself And further that he would giue to his sonne Salomon a perfect heart to keepe his commandement c. For right well did the holy king know that man left to himself is lighter then vanity and most fickle in the purpose and care of the best things and namely in beneficence and liberality toward the Church and people of God Wherefore also well saith a godly learned man that it is proper to God to hold on in a continuall care to saue and preserue and not to be prouoked to cease from the bestowing of his benefites because men are vnworthy of them Finally he is infinitely more kind and bounteous to his enemies then any man or all men can be to theirs though all their kindnesse were layd together Matth. 5.45 Luk. 6.35.36 Rom. 2.4 And that either most gratiously to win their soules vnto him for their owne most happy saluation or els to leaue them altogether most iustly without excuse But thus the greatnesse of Gods diuine bountie and the excellencie of his giftes furpassing all gifts that anie man or Angell yea that all men or Angels can possibly giue they haue held vs somewhat longer then was at the first intended though not with lost time or labour as we trust Let vs now return to instruct our selues further touching that beneficence and giuing which ought to be in continuall practise among men after the example and president which we haue in the Lord so far as we preuented by his good grace may in our measure attaine vnto Giuing therefore wherein men in their poore measure may by the grace of God resemble that diuine bountifulnesse which is in God like as many little gutters or channels of the streame may declare how plentifull the head of the riuer or liuely spring is it is to speake something more generally a free imparting and communicating of that which is at the least in a mans owne perswasion rightly his owne Giuing what more generally to the vse or commodity and possession of another Or thus It is the alienating of a mans own right to make another the owner of that wherein he had all the property before According to this more generall definition a man might take occasion to speake more generallie of giuing by a distinction of Giftes according to the diuerse condition and estate of the giuers and according to their seueral minds purposes in giuing and so forth For there are gifts of the Subiect to the Prince as the Moabites and Aramites brought giftes to king Dauid when he had subdued them 1. Chron. 18.2.6 of the seruant to the Master of the tenant to the landlord and of the child to the father as gratulatory and dutiful presents for honours sake as Ioseph sent gifts to Iaakob his father out of Egypt into Canaan Gen. 45.23 And againe there are gifts of the Prince to the Subiect for reward or of mere clemencie and fauour according to the royall bountie of a Prince as in the 6. ch of the booke of Ester where the great king Ahashuerosh asketh Haman What shall be done to the man whom the king will honour And Dan. 2.48 king Nebuchadnezzar made Daniel a great man and gaue him manie and great giftes There are giftes of the poorer and weaker to those that be more rich and mighty to procure fauor or at the least to mitigate the rage furie of anger to which end Iaakob presented his gifts to Esau and in most submisse and humble maner desired him to accept of his present And as wise Abigail by her presents together with her gratious behauiour appeaseth the wrath of Dauid greatlie kindled against her husband Nabal Of the which kind of giftes it is said in the holie Prouerbes A gift in secret pacifieth anger and a gift in the bosome great wrath Prouerb 21.14 On the other side there are gifts of the rich and mightie to the poorer and inferiour sort Diuerse kinds of gifts because they mind to make them indebted to them that they may vse them for their greater benefite and gaine as Pharaoh preferred Ioseph and Nebuchadnezzar Daniel and those other three men of Israel Some giue gifts to helpe out good and iust causes and sutes as Iaakob sent presents to the chiefe Gouernour of Egypt little thinking that it had bene
ye harborous one to another without grudging 1. Pet. 4.9 Philip. 2.14 Do all things without murmuring and reasonings Now to the end these euil affections of Iudas Nabal the rest may be relinquished cast froÌ„ vs as most vnworthy the seruants of God that such as giue or offer to holy vses may do that which they do with a franke and liberall mind and so haue much ioy and comfort in it it is furthermore necessarie that they haue these graces following First a delightful and precious estimation of those things whereunto they do giue and contribute whether it be to the maintenance of Gods worship or for the reliefe of his poore Saints Secondly faith Thirdly humility Of these therefore let vs consider so farre as may concerne the matter we haue in hand Touching the first of these graces let it not seeme tedious to looke yet once againe vpon king Dauid seeing God hath euery way made him a most beautifull example and mirrour herein The giuer must haue delightfull and precious estimation of that to which he giueth Because saith he I haue a delight in the house of my God I haue prepared for it with all my power golde for vessel of gold c. Yea moreouer I haue of my owne gold siluer which I haue giuen to the house of my God beside all that I haue prepared for the house of the Sanctuarie euen three thousand talents of gold of the gold of Ophir and seuen thousand talents of fined siluer to ouerlay the walles of the houses 1. Chro. 29.3 c. And Psalme 132. it is testified that he vowed to take no delight in any other thing vntill he had taken due order for the establishing of the worship of God amoÌ„g his people An euident proofe whereof may be taken from that his most ioyous dauncing before the Lord with all his might when God vouchsafed to permit him to fetch home the holy Arke to the citie where he dwelt 2. Sam. 6. And further also from that ioy which he tooke at the prosperous successe of religion as is euident Psal 122. where he professeth that he did in singular maner reioyce when the people sayd vnto him We will go into the house of the Lord. Our feete shall stand in thy gates ô Ierusalem c. And againe in that he professeth in the same Psalme vers 8.9 saying For my brethren and neighbours sakes I will wish thee now prosperity Because of the house of the Lord our God I will procure thy wealth Hetherto of Dauids delightfull and precious estimation of the house and worship of God The like is testified concerning the peoole of God of whom he speaketh thus in the 16. Psal Thou art my Lord saith he my well-doing extendeth not to thee But to the Saints that are on the earth and to the excellent all my delight is in them And thus must euerie one both smaller and greater whosoeuer in his place and according to his abilitie mindeth the true practise of beneficence goodnesse he must delight both in the worship and aâ—so in the true worshippers of God esteeming them worthy of all the good which he may possibly procure vnto them And first touching the Temple of God and his earthly Ierusalem a type of the spirituall and heauenly looke by how much God hath diminished the cost and charge of the ceremonious worship and seruice thereof such as it was in the time of the Law A gift must be giuen in faith by so much the more doth he require that his spirituall worship be spiritually furthered and that the poore among his Christian people be more honourably regarded according as in that respect he hath honoured them yea euen their bodies with the appellation name of his Temples in whom his holy Spirit hath chosen to dwel that also in more excellent maner then heretofore in the Temple of Ierusalem These though they haue oftentimes wanne thinne faces with spare and weake bodies for want of more full and daintie diet and though they goe poorelie clothed yet besides that the temples of their bodies are redeemed by the precious bloud of Christ their soules which are the principall part and as the Mannor house of that rich purchase they are richly adorned with many excellent gifts and graces of the holy Ghost And therefore in no wise may they by any who belong to the Lord be despised but rather be highly esteemed and honoured or else all beneficence toward them wil easily cease quickly weare away To this purpose we are to remember not only what the holy Prouerbe saith that he who is mercifull to the poore and freely giueth vnto him maketh the Lord his debter who will surely repay him but also that the Lord esteemeth the poore so precious vnto him namely those that do truly beleeue in him that he accounteth it done to himself whatsoeuer is done vnto them Matth. 29. as is plaine in that description of his last iudgement Thus farre of the first grace necessarie to a free and liberall mind The second grace is faith that is to say not onely a perswasion that they which practise this dutie do please God in so doing but also that he will blesse and gratiously prouide for all such as shall continue in the same course accoring to the testimony of the holy Aopostle Heb 13.16 where he giueth this charge To do good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is pleased and Philip. 4.18 Saint Paule affirmeth A gift must be giuen in humility chiefly in respect of God that they are as an odour that smelleth sweete and a sacrifice acceptable and pleasant to God according also to that excellent comfort which followeth immediately in the same place in that he writeth thus And my God will fulfil all your necessities through his riches with glorie in Iesus Christ Reade also Hosh chap. 6. vers 6. where the Lord preferreth mercie before sacrifice and therefore it cannot be but he greatly accounteth of this dutie But for the further strengthening of faith in this point reade more in the third chapter of this Treatise concerning the reward of right Christian Giuing The third grace necessarie to franke and liberall Giuing is that such as doe giue to others yea or toward the worship of God be humbled in the sight and conscience of their vnworthinesse of the least of those good blessings which they enioy from the hand of God so that they may say in truth of heart as Iaakob did I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and all the truth vvhich thou hast shewed vnto thy seruant Genes chap. 32. vers 10. Yea so necessarie is this grace to the practise of beneficence and liberalitie that the Apostle Paule minding to exhort to the practise of it doth first of all giue warning against pride which he knew would otherwise hinder the same Yea he commandeth in the name of the Lord that
necessities of the poore and reuerent decencie of the ministration of the Gospell should require And first concerning the maintenance of the ministerie of the Gospell Haue we not power to eate and to drinke to wit at the costs charges of the Church saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 9.4 c. and vers 7. c. Who goeth on warfare anie time at his owne cost who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruite thereof or who feedeth a flocke and eateth not of the milke of the flocke Say I these things according to man Saith not the lawe the same also For it is written in the law of Moses Thou shalt not nousell the mouth of the Oxe which treadeth out the corne Doth God take care for oxen Either saith he it not altogether for our sakes For our sakes no doubt it is written that he which eareth should eare in hope and that he who thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope If we haue sowne vnto you spirituall things is it a great matter if we reape your carnall things And verses 13.14 Do ye not knowe that they which minister about the holie things eate of the thinges of the Temple and they which waite at the altar are partakers with the altar So also hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospell should liue of the Gospell This point we see is exceedingly laboured and not onely confirmed by excellent weight and number of reasons and from the diuine authoritie of God himselfe but also garnished by a figuratiue course of speech sharpened as it were with often renewed questions or interrogations so as it cannot be but it must needes enter and preuaile with euerie one that hath anie sparkle of true spirituall vnderstanding and life of affection in him And therefore no maruell though the same Apostle setteth it downe for a lawe to the Churches of Galatia that he who is taught in the word should make him that hath taught him partaker of all his goods chap. 6. vers 6. Neuerthelesse he knowing the disposition of man to be ouer-bold in eluding and trisling away the commandement of God in this behalfe he admonisheth all meÌ„ to beware that they deceiue not theÌ„selues assuring theÌ„ that God will not be mocked nor dallied withal And therupon also the holy Apostle taketh further occasion to exhort earnestly to willing liberal conscionable and constaÌ„t performance of this dutie without wearinesse Neither doth he only exhort to this dutie of contribution and allowance of all kind of the good things of this life for the commodious and comfortable maintenance of the Ministerie and Ministers of the Gospell but likewise hee doth in the same place earnestly exhort all of the richer sort of Christians to be beneficiall to all that stand in neede specially to the poore Christians the houshold seruants or rather children of the same familie with them as hath bene obserued before Howbeit notwithstanding the holy Apostle doth thus linke the maintenance of the ministerie of the Gospel with the reliefe of the poore we are neuerthelesse to admit that difference betwixt one kind of prouision or allowance and the other which the Lord God himself hath put by the determination of his owne word For the reliefe of the poore is a meere almes and as one may say a grace or gratuitie of mercie as touching those that are relieued who seeing they perfourme no speciall seruice toward the Church they can challenge nothing but as of good will for the Lords sake who becommeth surety for theÌ„ But the maintenaÌ„ce of the ministery is due as a reward or wages of a worthy seruice according to that prouerbial saying which our sauior Christ applieth to this purpose The laborer is worthy of his wages Luk. 10.7 It is true indeed that no maÌ„ either minister of the word or any other can pleade worthinesse or desert at the hands of God for any seruice they are able to performe for we are all vnprofitable seruants to him infinitely failing in that wherein wee stand bound to him but in that reckening account which God alloweth betwixt Ministers of the Gospel and the people our Sauiour Christ giueth plainly to vnderstand that as euery poore labouring man when he hath done his day-worke is worthy of his wages at night for he doth not receiue his hire as an almes but as a debt and dutie belonging to him euen for the worke which he hath done so is the Minister of the word worthy of his maintenance and that in a liberall and comely maner as may well beseeme that honourable account which the people of God do make of the Gospell of their saluation And in this respect doth the Apostle Paule speaking by the spirit of our Sauiour Christ note out the maintenance of the ministery of the Gospell by the title of honour and not of almes or mercie signifying thereby with what kind of dutifull affection it ought to be yeelded vnto them euen for the honour which they beare to the Lord himselfe Yea whereas the Apostle calleth the widdowes allowance for her inferiour seruice to the Church by the name of honour it is to marked that he saith by an increase of speech that the Elders or Ministers of the word whosoeuer labour in that worke are specially worthy of double honour as 1. Tim. 5.2 Honour widdowes which are widdowes indeed But verses 17.18 The Elders which rule well are worthy of double honour specially they which labour in the word and doctrine For the Scripture saith Thou shalt not mousell the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne and the labourer is worthie of his wages Christians thus doing shall perfourme that which belongeth to them according to the precept of king Salomon Prou. chap. 3.9 Honour the Lord with thy riches and with the chiefe of all thine increase Hitherto of the ends of Giuing It followeth now that we consider of that which was made the second point of the last branch of our definition The Rule of Giuing namely what must be the rule and squire to direct the ordering and disposing of all Gifts to their right ends For as hath bene already affirmed Allour giuing both the one way and the other as well toward the religion and worship of God as for the reliefe of the poore of his people it must be in such maner as God himselfe willeth and prescribeth Now Christian beneficence and liberality is the will commaÌ„dâ—ment of God as wel touching the maner and measure as the dutie it selfe what this will of God is we must learne out of his owne most holy and sacred word And herein we are to be the more willing and teachable Schollers because if wee should giue place to our owne wils we should easily fall into such extremities on either hand as al Chr stians ought to auoyd in so worthy an action as Christian beneficence is For this we are to know that as filthy couetousnes with all vnthankfull
and vnbeteeming niggardlinesse is abominable before the Lord whose most free and franke bountie infinitely exceedeth all whatsoeuer may possibly be yeelded either to him or his so neither can he like that there should be any either prodigall or immoderate wast or any proud vaine glorious or hypocriticall ostentation pompe in the practise of Christian liberalitie yea or that there should be any indiscreete ouer-reaching aboue anie any mans condition and state In that great famine which was vnder the Emperour Claudius Caesar according as it was foretold by Agabus who prophesied thereof Act. 11.28.29 the Disciples of Antiochia where they were first called Christians Euerie man according to his ability sent succour to the brethren which dwelt in Iudea And 2. Cor. 8.13 It is not saith the Apostle Paule that other men should be eased and you grieued But that your aboundance should supply their lacke c. It is well pleasing to God as hath bene declared already that euery one should so looke to his Cisterne at home that all leake not or run out abroad We haue seene also how the Apostle requireth speciall care at the hands of euery Christian for those that do more nearely belong vnto them 1. Tim. 5.4 A worthy example whereof we haue in the Patriarch Iaakob Gen. 30. verse 30. The little saith he to Laban which thou haddest before I came is increased to a multitude and the Lord hath blessed thee by my comming but now when shall I trauell for mine owne house also And afterward ch 42.1.2 Behold saith he to his sonnes I haue heard that there is food in Egypt get ye downe thither and buy vs food thence that we may liue and not die In the 17. chap. of the first of the Kings the widdow of Zarrephath thinketh it a sufficient reason to denie Elijah the Prophet so much as a morsell of bread because her prouision for her selfe and her child was now almost euen all spent neither could Elijah haue bene further instant had not the Lord sealed him as it were a commission to assure her that that smal remnant of her meale oile which was left should not be diminished though she wold consent to minister food vnto him euen of the same her small store for the reliefe of his necessitie In the law the Lord God permitted the richer sort of his people to gather in the increase of the fruits of their owne grounds Leuit. 19 10. chap. 23.22 And more fully Deut. 24.19 c. Read also Exod. 23.10.11 to their priuate store houses and vses only he pleadeth thus farre for the poorer sort that they might for that season of the yeare gather some helpe toward their reliefe by the gleanings which should be left To the which purpose he requireth notwithstanding that the scatterings of the corne or other fruit should not be gathered by the owners ouer neere froÌ„ them But touching that speciall care which euery one is allowed to haue ouer his owne family it is not impertinent here to call to mind that our Sauiour Christ in his holy parable Luke 15.17 resembleth the Lord God himselfe to such a prouident wise housholder as had bread enough for the meanest of his seruants while the prodigall and vnthrifty son forsaking his fathers house was ready to perish by famine abroad The Apostles of our Sauiour Christ requiring of the Christian Churches the continuance of their contributions without wearinesse they do free them from the charge of idle and inordinate persons 2. Thes 3. 6.7.8.9 Finally for the direction of giuing our Sauiour Christ Matth. 6. warneth all his schollers to take heede that they giue not their almes to be seene of men c. but that they should so deale their almes that their left hand should not know what their right hand did Now likewise for our direction how to giue toward the vpholding and aduauncing of the holy worship of God howsoeuer our hearts and our hands ought to be most dutifully and readily inlarged that way yet it pleaseth God to let vs vnderstand that he neither requireth nor alloweth of any vnncessary superfluity or superstitious pompe thereunto as though it were his mind to inrich himselfe as one would say and his owne house with the pillage and impouerishing of his people It is true that the people of God are seldome found in that fault that they will exceed measure toward the worship of God but rather they delight to dwell themselues in their sieled garnished houses to heape vp much riches for their owne priuate vses yea euen to serue their owne lustes though the house of God lie wast and though all things belonging to his worship do in the meane while want their conuenient seemly allowance according to that complaint which the Prophets Haggai and Malachie made against the ingratitude of the people in the times they prophesied in Neuertheles in so much as there haue bene examples of exceeding zeale forwardnes the Lord hath thought it good to giue a testimony of his gratious moderation in commaunding a stay So we reade Exod. 36.5.6 The people as Moses testifieth brought more then enough for the vse of the worke of the Tabernacle which he had commaunded Wherefore as it is in the Text Moses gaue a commandement and they caused it to be proclaimed through the hoste that they should bring no more And whereas afterward king Dauid in his zeale toward the worship and Sanctuarie of the Lord would gladly haue hasted the time of building a glorious TeÌ„ple to the name of the Lord 1. Chro. 17.1 For Behold saith he to Nathan the Prophet I dwell in an house of Cedâ—r trees but the Ark of the Lords couenant remaineth vnder curtaines c. Yet the Lord sawe good to respite him by reason of the great charge and businesse of warre wherein he had imployed him and reserued that worke for Salomon his sonne to whom he minded to giue a peaceable reigne Now like as the Lord so tendereth his people that hee will not be ouer-burthensome to them himselfe so hath he put the like mind into his faithfull seruants As for example when he returned the captiuitie of his people out of Babylon the holy Priest and perfect Scribe of the Lord Ezra other the faithfull seruantes of God with him guided no doubt by the holy Ghost were carefull lest they might seeme to abuse or incroche vpon the bountie of those heathen Princes whose hearts God had moued to be already very good and beneficiall to them and for that cause spared them in some things wherein they had neede of their further assistance as we reade in the booke of Ezra chap. 8.22 The Apostles of our Lord Iesus Christ were likewise in special maner sparing and tender ouer the Christian Churches that they might not be ouer burthensome to them Nay rather vpon some speciall considerations they would not for the time require that ordinarie and necessary allowance toward their owne
the maintenance of the Ministers of the Gospell euen as they will answere the matter before God who will not be dallied with therein as we haue seene before he doth therewithall assure all such as shal deale Christianly herein that they shall reape a plentifull fruit from the same Whatsoeuer a man soweth saith the Apostle that shall he also reape For he that soweth to the flesh shall of the the flesh reap corruption that is he that mindeth earthly things without regard of Gods kingdome and religion and his owne saluation he shall perish with them but he that soweth to the Spirit that is he which doth liberally contribute to the maintenance and aduancement of the ministerie of the Gospell shall of the Spirit reape life euerlasting Let vs not therefore as the holie Apostle exhorteth bee vvearie of vvell-doing for in due season we shall reape if vvee faint not Answerable hereunto is that charge which the same Apostle giueth vnto Timotheus and so to all faithfull Ministers of the Gospell in the last chapter of that his first Epistle Charge those that bee rich in this world saith he that they be not high minded and that they trust not in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God who giueth vs aboundantly all things to enioy That they doe good and bee rich in good vvorkes and readie to distribute and communicate Laying vp in store for themselues a good foundation against the time to come that they may obtaine eternall life Reade also in the first chapter of the Prophete Haggai verse 8. Goe vp to the mountaine and bring wood and build this house and I will be fauourable in it and I will be glorified saith the Lord. And againe chap. 2. verses 19.20 Consider I pray you in your mindes from this day and afore from the foure and twentith day of the ninth moneth euen from the day that the foundation of the Lords temple was layd consider it in your mindes Is the seede yet in the barne As yet the vine and the figge tree and the pomegranet and oliue tree hath not brought forth from this day will I blesse you Likewise in the second chapter of the prophesie of Malachie verses 10.11.12 Bring ye all the tithes into the store-house that there may be meate in my house and proue me now herewith saith the Lord of Hostes if I will not open the windowes of heauen vnto you and poure ye out a blessing without measure And I will rebuke the deuourer for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruite of your ground neither shall your vine be barren in the field saith the Lord of Hostes And all nations shall call you blessed for ye shall be a pleasant land saith the Lord of Hosts And I pray ye let vs marke how when the Lord Ier. 32. from the 17. verse and throughout the whole 33. chapter and likewise Ezek. chap. 36.25.26 c. speaketh of restoring his people Israel from their captiuitie to their owne land that they might inioy the fruitfull blessings thereof as in former times he maketh the renewing of their hearts to his feare and worship the forerunner of the same and this blessing to be a consequent of that according to the ancient promise of blessing to those that should truly worship God Leuit. 26.3 c. and Deut. 28.1.2 c. to the 15. verse But this promise of blessing was not made onely to the people of God vnder the law vpon condition they would performe faithfull seruice and worship to God but it belongeth to all nations and people whosoeuer being at any time called to the true knowledge of God shall yeeld theÌ„selues in the faith of Christ true worshippers of him as we are sweetly taught and assured in the 67. Psalme For this being the praier which the holy Ghost teacheth the church to pray in that Psalme That all nations might knowe God and ioyfully praise and worship him the conclusion followeth with this most gratious and bounteous promise of God Then shall the earth bring forth her increase and God euen our God shall blesse vs. God shall blesse vs and all the ends of the earth shall feare him This is that which our Sauiour Christ saith Matth. 6.33 Seeke ye first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall be cast vnto you to wit as an ouerplus or income to make vp more then measure or tale as a matter of small reckening in so great an account c. It is the same also which the faithfiull Apostle of our Sauiour Christ affirmeth 1. Timoth. 4.8 Godlinesse hath the promise of the life present and of that which is to come For no man can truly and hartily seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and so be a right godly man indeed but the same must and will be to his power a willing maintainer and furtherer of the true worship of God and of his faithfull seruants the publike ministers thereof Thus much for the promise of blessing The examples doe now followe concerning the same blessing of God vpon such as haue had such a zealous care of furthering his worship as hath bene spoken of The examples which we mind to bring forth they are partly of such persons as shewe that they had a perswasion in their hearts by faith that God would in mercie recompence their seruice this way done to him and his Church partly they are such vpon whom the blessing of God actually poured downe vpon them is more expresly testified and recorded in the holy word of God Of the faith of the former sort we may take Dauid in his prayer of faith for a worthy example Psalm 86.2 Preserue my soule for I am mercifull saue thou thy seruant that trusteth in thee Be mercifull vnto me ô Lord c. Likewise godly Nehemia that zealous furtherer of Gods true worship and religioÌ„ is another most worthy example as we may porceiue by his most humble faithfull prayer chap. 13. vers 14. in these words Rememember me ô my God herein and wype not out my kindnesse that I haue shewed on the house of my God and on the offices thereof And againe in the same chapter verse 22. after that he had reformed the abuse and prophanation of the Lords Sabbath Remâ—mber me ô my God concerning this saith he and pardon me according to thy great mercy The honorable good man praieth as we see for Gods blessing as one hauing a liuely faith in his promise but he as well as Dauid shew by their prayers that they are farre rmoued from the pride of the Iusticiarie who presumeth vpon his merit and so maketh himselfe in his best workes abominable in the sight of God In like manner with Dauid and Nehemiah had king Hezekiah a comfortable perswasion that God wold shew him mercy because he had shewed kindnesse to the house of God and to his seruants the ministers therof Yea it was as a sweet refuge and sanctuarie to
vnmercifull sonne Shallum Shalt thou reigne saith the Lord by his Prophete because thou closest thy selfe in Cedar Did not thy father eate and drinke and prosper when he executed iudgement and iustice When he iudged the cause of the afflicted and poore he prospered was not this because he knew me saith the Lord And so the holy Prouerbe teacheth chapter 20.28 concerning euerie good king Mercie and truth preserue the King for his throne is established by mercie And therefore when the Lord speaketh of the most blessed king and of the most happie and stable kingdome that may be he describeth it to be such a kingdome whereof the king should be most mercifull to the poore and needy and that hee should preserue their soules c. This kingdome most happie and flourishing is onely the kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Psalme 72. verses 12.13.14 Thus we haue two examples out of the olde Tement Now one or two out of the new Testament and so will we draw to an end of this chapter In the beginning of the 10. chapter of the Actes of the holy Apostles the Euangelist Luke reporteth that the Angell of the Lord is from heauen a witnesse to Cornelius a religious and mercifull Captaine that his prayer and almes were come vp into remembrance before God and that therefore it pleased God to grant him the desire of his soule that he might be more perfectly instructed and confirmed in the Christian knowledge and faith of his saluation and the Angell telleth Cornelius further that God had for the same purpose appointed Peter who at that time lodged with one Simon a Tanner dwelling by the sea side in Ioppa that he should bee the Apostle and Minister of God to teach and instruct him and therefore willeth him to send thither for Peter All which came gratiously to passe according vnto the message of the holy Angell And it was doubtlesse a greater mercie and blessing to Cornelius and his familie and manie other of his kinsmen and speciall friendes then if hee could by any couetous pinching and sparing haue increased his worldly riches by manie thousandes yea greater then if by anie warlike valour and outward force hee could with with a few men haue conquered the whole world to himselfe Finallie that God might leaue to all posteritie a most memorable demonstration howe well pleasing to his Maiestie the sacrifice of beneficence and mercie is it hath pleased him that by the ministerie of the Apostle Peter euen now mentioned one Dorcas a Christian woman of singular mercie and liberalitie to poore Saintes should at the lamentation of manie Christians both widdowes and other who mourned for the losse of her bee miraculously raised vp from death to life Act. chap. 9. verse 36. c. God thereby giuing all to vnderstand both howe pretious his poore beleeuers and Christians are vnto him in that rather then they should be fosterlesse he will raise mercifull men and women out of the graue and also how deare they are vnto him who relieue such as hee maketh so speciall account of For they are the heires of the resurrection of the righteous to euerlasting life and happinesse in the kingdome of heauen Thus then euen by a fewe examples as by two or three witnesses which especially on the Lords behalfe may suffice for the establishing of any truth it may be euident vnto vs as the cause by the effect that the promises of God made to assure all mercifull men and women of his great fauour and blessing are not giuen forth in vaine So that as it is sayd of the vpright and righteous man Psalme 37. verse 37. Marke the vpright man and behold the iust for the end of that man is peace we may boldly affirme the same of the mercifull man For the vpright and iust man and the right mercifull man is all one as is euident in the whole tenure of the same Psalme God no doubt who moued king Dauid to remember to shewe kindenes to the sonne of Ionathan for that kindnes which Ionathan had in former times shewed vnto him For therefore did King Dauid allowe Mephibosheth the sonne of Ionathan alwayes to eate breade at his owne table as if he had bene one of the kinges owne sonnes 2. Sam. ch 9. The same God who worketh the same affection vsuallie in the heartes of all his good seruantes as we shall haue further occasion to declare in the second part of this Treatise yea that God who oftentimes turneth the heartes euen of verie wicked and cruell men to shewe kindenes to his children as the Egyptians to the Israelites and Esau to Iaakob c. He himselfe I say will much lesse forget them that be kinde to anie of his for that loue which they beare vnto him For as God is infinitelie more gratious mercifull and bounteous then man can bee so hath he by infinite degrees a more perfect remembrance to requite all kindenesses then they can possibly haue And as hee hath a most perfect remembrance infinitelie aboue man so also is hee most able aboue man to recompence all kindenesse in that hee is the Almightie and likewise most willing aboue man seeing hee is the most mercifull aboue all as was said euen now That God is thus most willing we reade 2. Cor. ch 9.10 He that findeth seed to the sower saith S. Paul wil minister likewise bread for food multiply your seed increse the fruits of your beneuolence That on all parts ye may be made rich to all liberalitie c. That God is likewise most able look back to the 8. verse of the same chap. God is able saith the same Apostle to make all grace to abound toward euery free-hearted and chearefull giuer for of such he there writeth And that God is not forgetfull we haue seene before from the 10. verse of the 6. chap. of the epistle to the Hebrewes Where it is worthy to be diligently noted of vs that God accounteth it a part of his righteousnesse to haue the worke and labour of the loue of his good beneficiall seruants in gratious remembrance For God is not vnrighteous saith the Apostle that he should forget c. Wherefore we may be euen as sure certaine that God wil not forget vs as we are sure that he neither is nor can be in any thing vniust Let vs not therefore as the same Apostle exhorteth chap. 10.35 cast away our confidence in this behalfe which vndoubtedly hath great recompence of reward Though man should forget those that haue deserued well of them Yea though as it doth not seldom fall out that man requiteth good with euill as Psal 38.20 They that reward euill for good as the holie Prophet complaineth are mine aduersaries because I follow goodnesse Yet God will at no hand deale so but though we can claime nothing by desert from him but we are to account our selues vnprofitable seruants as touching any benefite which we yeelde vnto him yet through his
vnto God rather then by beeing ouercheargable on the one hand or by withholding beneficence on the other hand if we be able to giue to discourage and scatter the flock to the decaie of the publike profession of the religion and worship of God and to the hazard of manie soules that might stumble and fall hereby Moreouer as it is said of the borrower so may we say of him that hunteth after gifts that he is a seruant yea seruily minded toward him that giueth Such a one is not his owne man as we may say much lesse is he fit to be a free seruant of the Lord. He is in the high way to grow quickly a flatterer a man pleaser to proue an hypocrit rather then a sincere true professor But let vs returne to the excellent example of the Apostle Paule who in that he writeth to the Philip. chap. 4.10 c. is likewise a notable presideÌ„t vnto vs how we ought to keepe our mindes sober and free against the inordinate and couetous desire of gifts He reioyced indeed and singularlie commended the Christians of Philippi in so much as they had a singular care in communicating with him as he there writeth in the matter of giuing and Receiuing neuertheles he reioiced not so much for the supplie of his owne wantes as to enioy the precious fruit of their faith and loue and to thinke of that most excellent fruit which was redounding to them from the Lord againe For saith he as touching himselfe I haue learned in what estate soeuer I am to be therewith content I can be abased and I can abound euery where in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry and to abound and to haue want I am able to do all things through the help of hCrist who strengtheneth me Notwithstanding as he further addeth ye haue well done that ye did communicate to mine affliction c. Not that I desire a gift but I desire the fruit which may further your reckening c. And againe 1. Cor. 9.15 though he mightily presseth the equitie and moralitie of ordinary prouision and allowance for the Ministers of the Gospel at the charge of the people yet he professeth in regard of his extraordinarie calling of Apostleship because of certaine extraordinary occasions in respect of certaine false Apostles that he vsed none of those things neither wrote that it should be so done to him Thus then if we lay all these things together we may euidently perceiue both from the example of the Apostle Paule and of other the seruants of God as also from those weighty reasons wherewith he hath instructed vs how soberly the minds specially of ministers of the Gospel as was sayd ought to bee prepared and affected touched the receiuing of a gift According to that which is expresly required in euery one that is to be accounted meete to be a minister of the word that he be not desirous of filthy lucre Nor haue his affection set vpon siluer 1. Tim. 3.3 and Tit. 1.7 Read also Ier. 5.30.31 And verily if we do not looke diligently to our hearts that they besober yea verie warie and circumspect this waie both ministers of the word and also all other are not onlie in great danger to falt in the receiuing of the holy beneficence and liberalitie of the good seruantes of God which they giue to a right and euen to incourage vs to walke on chearfullie in the waies of the Lord but we shal be in danger to offend much more grieuoslie in accepting and entertaining the giftes of such at whose handes we ought not at all to receiue them either because they giue them with a profane and corrupt minde desirous therby to binde vs to vnlawfull gratifications or else for that other weightie circumstances may make it altogether in expedient to admit of anie gift from them As for example for want of this grace Gehazi tooke giftes of Naaman the Syrian notwithstanding his Master the Prophet Elisha had vpon verie holie and iust considerations refused the same As namely to the end he might the rather leaue him to consider the free grace and mercie of God in that greate cure which was so miraculouslie wrought vpon him And also that Elisha might thereby approue himselfe to the conscience of that noble Syrian that he was a true Prophet of God seeking the glorie of the true God of Israel and not one that was led by a couetous and earthlie affection For want of this grace as also because he loued and lingered after giftes which the Apostle Peter calleth the wages of vnrighteousnes Balaam that couetous Prophet was willing as a hireling to haue serued king Balaaks malitious desire that he should curse and practise his sâ—rcerie against the people of God had not the Lord himselfe against the will of Balaams false deceitfull heart restrained him and feared him from it For the want of this garce and likewise for the loue of the same vnrighteous wages Iudas first played the thiefe yea euen of that holie beneficence which was giuen to the most holie vse that might be to wit for the maintenance of our Sauior Christ in such seemlie maner as was meet for the son of God in the daies of his humiliation Iohn 12.6 shortly after he betrayed his maister the same our Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ which was the most hainous treason that euer was wrought For want of this grace the Magistrate is easily drawne to peruert iustice Exod. 28.21 and Deut. 16 19. Finally couetousnes and desire of money whether by gift from other or by selfe inordinate practise it is the roote of all euill as the Apostle Paule teacheth 1. Tim. 6.10 But on the contrarie the Apostle Peter according to that which we haue seene before in the Apostle Paul being armed with this spirituall sobriety hauing his mind set on heauenly things when he was tempted this way he was so far from accepting the gift which Simon the magitian one of like disposition to Balaam offered vnto him that he defied it Thy money perish with thee saith Peter because thou thinkest the gift of God may be obtained with mony Act. 8.20 Abraham also sheweth a right noble mind in freedome this way Gen. 14.22.23 For when the king of Sodom would haue giuen him much substance of that which hee had recouered out of the hands of those foure kings whom he pursued and ouercame he vtterly refused saying I haue lift vp mine hand vnto the Lord the most high God possessour of heauen earth That I will not take of all that is thine so much as a thred or shoo-latchet lest thou shouldest say I haue made Abraham rich The holy Patriarch had care that God might haue his glorie in the fulfilling of that promise of blessing which he had made vnto him without any helpe from the heathen among whom he liued Likewise the Prophete Daniel chap. 5.17 answereth king Belshazzar who promised
gracious a watering from the hand of God Wherewithall wee haue likewise seene which are the contrarie vices to be auoyded in the same that is to say All hungry couetous lingring after gifts or on the other side a rude Refusall of them being freely offered of a counterfeit or ouer bashfull modestie and much more All obstinate or disdainefull refusall likewise Light esteeming of the liberality and contributions of the Saints of God Vnthankefulnesse also Furthermore Read Act. 6.1 â—ians â—ng Enuie against such as any perceiue to be more beneficially relieued then they thinke themselues to be and finally A loose and vnchristian life without speciall regard of the right vse and end of Christian beneficence The which sinnes they are so heynous in the sight of God that it cannot be but his iustice must needes take vengeance of them To the declaration whereof wee haue appointed the next Chapter as it followeth for the conclusion and shutting vp of this whole Treatise CHAP. III. The greatnes of the sinne of vnthankefulnesse Of the greatnesse of the sinnes and of the like punishments of vnthankeful and irreligious receiuing and abusing of Christian Beneficence ALthough it be very true as hath bene declared in the beginning of this Treatise that the nature of a gift requireth that it be very franke and free because otherwise it is rather a mercenarie bribe or as a secret snare to the receiuer to indebt intangle him to the care of some vniust requitall or to hinder and stay him from the doing of some good dutie which a good conscience would chalenge at his hand Neuerthelesse he that receiueth the most free gift standeth bound as hath bene shewed in the former Chapter to performe the best duty he can to the Giuer yea by so much the more streight bond of dutie doth he stand bound by how much the hart of the Giuer is more free from expecting or desiring any the least recompence againe The left hand of the Giuer must not as hath further bin shewed know what the right hand doth when he giueth his almes and sheweth mercy to anie that is it must be free from ostentation from euery other sinister affectioÌ„ but not onley the right hand but also a right heart of the Receiuer must faithfully skore vp and keep an aduised register of all whatsoeuer he receiueth It iâ— worthâ—lie reckened for a vertue in thâ—â—â—â—â—ifull man 〈…〉 forgetteth what good he hath alreadie done and laboureth still to doe more and more good acknowledging himselâ—â— as hath bene further alleaged that he is but an vnprofitable seruant accorcing to that of our Sauiour Christ Luke ch 17.10 And according to that which the the Apostle Paul professeth I forget that which is behind and indeuour my selfe to that which is before Philip. 3.13 Likewise the mercifull man in the 25. of Matth are described to say Lord when saw we thee hungrie and fed thee c. But it is to be at counted a foule vice for him that receiueth a benefite to forget it or to make lesse reckening of it then it deserueth yea if he do not vpon the sight of former vnthankefulnesse labour to be the more thankefull afterward If a man should haue onely the experience of Gods goodnesse and mercie in mouing the heartes of men to be fauourable vnto vs in a ciuell course and in externall respects onely after the manner of worldly friendâ— we could not but thinke our selues to be bound to yeeld duty and thankes both to God and to men alike as Ioseph acknowledged himselfe bound to be faithfull to his heathen master because he had shewed him great kindnesse and fauour and to the Lord God especially who mooued the heart of his master so to doe Gen. 39.8.9 But when as God vouchsafeth to moâ—e the heartes of his deare children to shew vs Christian kindnesse and to bestow giftes vpon vs for the loue which they beare vs in the Lord and for his sake insomuch as the Lord himselfe doth thereby confirme his owne loue which he beareth vs as it were by more choice and honourable witnesse this ought more mightilie to affect vs and in the sweete consideration hereof our hearts ought to be inlarged to yeeld forth the most holie and excellent duties of thankefulnesse both vnto God and to euery such one of his good seruants whom we may not doubt to be of the blessed number of his elect children For seeing that all vnthankfulnesse and neglect of dutie euen to the vnworthiest sorte of benefactors is sinfull and displeasing before God and so consequentlie verie iustlie subiect to his curse much rather then is that ingratitude and vndutifulnes which is called for by so sweete and amiable an intreatie as is that voice as it were which the holie and christian beneficence of the Saintes of God soundeth in our eares condemned of God and all good men and accordinglie shall be more seuerelie punished of God vnlesse those that thus heinouslie sinne preuent the punishment by timelie repentance Ingratitude is verie seuerelie condemned by that naturall light of reason which God hath reserued in men as maie appeare by the sayinges of the heathen All men saith Cicero hate such as be vnmindefull of the good turne which hath beene done vnto them And againe there is no euill wanting where ingratitude taketh place Wherupon also they haue iudged it worthy to be punished by death Why then hath it not bene so punished among them may some say They themselues render the reason because of the difficulties incideÌ„t to the proceeding which would fall out in course of lawe against it For the number of vnthankefull persons as they obserued is alwayes infinite so that all courtes would not suffice to heare and determine the causes and actions that might this way be commenced And further say they within what space of time should a man neglecting dutie be arrested and attached as an vnthankfull man c. Therefore saith Seneca speaking in the name of the rest wee haue condemned it as worthie hatred and we haue lefte it among those thingeâ— which we commit to the reuenge of God Onelie saith he the Macedonians made ingratiude liable to an action and to beare sute in lawe And it is obserued concerning Alexander the Macedonian King and concerning Iulius Caesar Emperour of Rome that albeit the one did exceed in the bountifulnesse of giuing the other in the clemencie and fauour of forgiuing iniuries yet neither would the one giue nor the other forgiue vnto such as had before shewed themselues vnthankfull Nowe seeing heathen men are thus seuere against this sinne it is lesse maruell though such writers as haue beene inlightened and taught from the holie word and Scriptures of God doo so vehementlie inueigh against it as we may reade that they doo Ingratitude saith one seemeth to me to be a most grieuous vice an vnworthie vice suerlie yea full of all indignitie And an other Detestable is the forgetfulnes of grace and