we apprehend all the promises of God 2 Reason and apply them to our comfort in time of need hence it is that the Apostle S. Paul or els who to the Hebrewes sayth Heb. 11.6 Without fayth it is impostible to please God For hee that commeth to God must beleeue that he is and that he is a rewarder or as our purpose is a deliuerer of them that diligently seeke him So then without faith no apprehension of God as he is without apprehension no deliuerance Faith then is the meanes and God vsually shapeth the end according to the meanes Naaman had neuer beene cleansed of his leprosie if he had not beene washed in Iordane God is not tied to meanes but men are which wee both may and must vse if we expect or desire the issue God could sauevs without the preaching of his word but he will not Hee hath ordayned no meanes so effectuall to beget fayth as this and therefore we must haue a constant dependance thereon God could raise vp children to Abraham from the stones he could of Diuels and reprobates make Saints and Angels but he will not it is one thing what hee can doe another what he will doe And therefore monstrous absurdities might be concluded if that we should dispute from his power to his will It is well taken that the father of the Prodigall would neither fetch the robe nor suffer his son to fetch it neither but commanded his seruants to bring it foorth and put it on and why If not to bring meanes into credit for which the Gospell aboundeth with examples in all those miraculous deliuerances wrought by our Sauior ascribing them still to fayth Hence when Peter began to sincke hee attributeth it to his in fidelity and distrust in that he sayd O thou of little fayth wherefore didst thou doubt As if hee had sayd if thou hadst trusted in me Mat. 14.31 thou couldst not haue miscarried And in another place it is sayd he could doe no works there because of their vnbeleefe saue that he laid his hands vpon a few sicke On the other side in many miracles we finde the truth of this point confirmed When the distressed woman of Canaan whose daughter was miserably vexed with a Diuell cried vnto him for help Mat. 15.28 saying Haue mercy on me O Lord thou sonne of Dauid c. whom for importunities sake the Disciples besought to send her away he answered I am not sent but to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel Then came the woman and worshipped saying Lord helpe me to whom hee replied It is not meete to take the childrens bread and to cast it to the dogges And she sayd truth Lord yet the dogs eate the crummes which fall from their masters table Hence the deliuerance O woman great is thy faith be it vnto thee as thou wilt and her daughter was made whole So likewise the Leper that came vnto him beseeching him and kneeling downe vnto him said If thou wilt thou canst make me whole behold his faith and see deliuerance Iesus moued with compassion put forth his hand and touched him Mark 1.40 and said I will be thou whole and hee was cleansed Againe in him which was sick of the palsie we see the same thing when they could not come nigh vnto him for the presse Mark 2.4.5 they vncouered the roofe where he was and let downe the bed where the sick of the palsie lay When Iesus saw their faith he said vnto the sick of the palsie sonne thy sinnes be forgiuen thee So the woman with the bloody issue hauing beene troubled twelue yeeres and spent all on Physitians and become much worle when she had but touched his garment for note her faith she had said if I touch but his clothes I shall be whole the fountaine of her blood was dried vp Mark 5.25 and she was healed of that plague And all this is ascribed to her faith daughter thy faith hath made thee whole goe in peace The like is to be instanced in the deliuerance vouchsafed vnto Iairus in his daughter when the people told him she was dead why troublest thou the master Mark 5.36 Iesus said vnto the Ruler of the Synagogue be not afraid onely beleeue and he raised her So in the miracle wrought vpon the mans sonne which was dumbe the deliuerance is ascribed to faith in that our Sauiour said all things are possible Mark 9. â—4 if thou canst beleeue And the father of the child cryed with teares I beleeue Lord helpe my vnbeleefe and then and thus hee cured him Plaine for this purpose is that of blind Bartimeus the sonne Timeus also who hearing that Iesus passed by cried out Iesus thou sonne of Dauid haue mercy on me What wouldest thou said Christ Mark 10.46 Lord that I might receiue my sight to whom he answered goe thy way thy faith hath made thee whole So the Leper which was cleansed goe thy way Luk. 17.14 thy faith hath made thee whole So to the woman which brake an Alabaster box of ointment and stood at his feet weeping and washing them with her teares and wiping them with her haires and kissing them and anointing them and being a sinner to whom Christ said thy sinnes which are many are forgiuen Luk. 7.50 but whence this vnspeakable mercy hence thy faith hath saued thee goe in peace Whence it not from hence also was that miraculous raising of the Centurions seruant as it were from death euen from bis faith he had built a Synagogue he said in all humility Lord trouble not thy selfe for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe neither thought I my selfe worthy to come vnto thee Luk. 7. â— onely say the word and my seruant shall be healed Whereupon our Sauiour verily I say vnto you I haue not found so great faith no not in Israel and so he cured her But why wade I so farre into the Sanctuary for testimonies to proue this when as among so many it is hard not to be infinite In a word our Sauiour most diuinely not only by example but positiuely by precept confirmeth and concluded this point When his disciples maruelled that the tree which he cursed was withered away hee said to them haue faith in God for I say vnto you whosoeuer shall say vnto this mountaine be thou remoued and bee thou cast into the sea and shall beleeue that those things which he saith shall come to passe shall haue whatsoeuer he saith Mar. 11.23.24 And whatsoeuer ye shall desire when yee pray beleeue ye shall receiue them and ye shall haue them Thus then seeing so much is attributed to faith as you haue heard it we would be deliuered we must trust in the Lord and that for this reason drawne from the profitable end which followeth namely to bee deliuered on the contray the meanes neglected no maruell if the end be not obtained Reason 3 Because this
the precept as touching our faith trust thou in the Lord. Hauing then thus farre acquainted you with the scope of the holy Ghost at large that the children of God when they see themselues in great misery and the wicked flourishing as a greene Bay tree ought not to bee amazed at this nor to fret hereat or be filled with indignation or because they are like a fat Oxe fatted for the day of slaughter whereas the children of God must bee exercised with many afflictions lest with the world they should be condemned 2 That their light afflictions which are but temporall may be crowned with glory which is eternall And for this cause to trust in the Lord whence I obserue that in all troubles and trials whatsoeuer Doctr. and at all times we ought confidently to trust in the Lord. 1. The place is a confirmation of this truth Illustr as it is vsed here by way of precept trust thou in Iehouah To this purpose is that of Dauid in God is my saluation and my glory the rock of my strength and my refuge is in God Trust in him at all times yee people poure out your hearts before him God is a refuge for vs. In which the Prophet not only biddeth and exhorteth vs to trust in him but moreouer addeth a reason drawne from the profitable effect of such confidence because he is a refuge to helpe vs and deliuer vs. To this place is that of Solomon Pro. 3.5 trust in the Lord with all thy heart and leane not to thine owne vnderstanding 2 This hath beene the practise of the children of God in all troubles and in all times as is proued from the example of that godly and faithfull King who when the Moabites and Ammonites came against him to battell after he had prayed vnto the Lord for helpe and deliuerance as the people went forth into the wildernesse of Tekoa 2 Chro. 20.20 Iehosaphat stood and said Heare me O Iudah and yee inhabitants of Ierusalem trust in the Lord your God so shall yee be established beleeue his Prophets so shall yee prosper An example we haue in good Iacob who trusting in the Lord was not afraid to returne to his owne Country notwithstanding the malice which his brother Esau had conceiued against him Gen. 31.3 because hee beleeued that God who commanded him to goe would also defend him The like might I say concerning the rest of the Patriarchs Noah Abraham Lot Isaac Ioseph Dauid Daniel together with the sacred quire of reuerend antiquity summoned by the Author to the Hebrewes who through faith subdued Kingdomes Heb. 11 3â— wrought righteousnesse obtained the promise stopped the mouth of Lions quenched the violence of the fire escaped the edge of the sword waxed valiant in battell and turned to slight the armies of Aliants By euidence whereof we see that if we trust in God and cast our care on him he is such a father of mercies and God of all comfort that he will also care for vs. For which cause our Sauiour said to his disciples let not your hearts be troubled you beleeue in God beleeue also in me Ioh. 14.1 c. A little faith then euen as small as a graine of Mustard seed is able to make vs list vp our heads in the middest of all troubles and to remoue euen Mountaines of distrusts out of our soules Therefore in the description of the spirituall armour faith is compared to a buckler or shield Ephes 6.16 which guardeth especially the head and heart that is as it may be construed the vnderstanding and will ut non turbetur intellectus Diez com 1. in fest Phil. Iacol non formidet affectus that we be not troubled in our vnderstanding nor made fearfull in our affection By faith the children of God haue beene more bold then Lions and enabled to doe euen all things When Taxaris saw his Countriman Anacharsis in Athens he said vnto him I will at once shew thee all the wonders of Greece Lucianus in Scytha visâ— Solone vidisti omnia in seeing Solon thou seest all euen Athens it selfe and all the glory of the Greeks In like manner I may tell a true Christian hast thou saith and assured trust in the Lord thou hast more then all the wonders of Greece vpon the point all the wonderfull gifts of grace for faith is a mother vertue from whence all other spring and without which our best actions are but splendida peccata shining sinnes Rom. 14.24 most necessary then that we trust in the Lord. And not without great reason 1 Because if we trust not in the Lord as touching grace we are dead 1 Reason as long as we liue we breath and labour for life euen in death faith is the life of grace the death of all sinne Hab. 2.4 hence it is said the iust man liueth by his faith and liuing hereby his soule trusteth in the Lord hee looketh cheerfully to God hauing the spirit of boldnesse insomuch that we may say of him Si fractus illabatur orbis impavidum ferient ruinae if the mountaines should be remoued and cast headlong into the Sea still hee standeth his ground yea Terra fremat regna alta crepent ruat orcus ortus Si modo firma fides nulla ruina nocet If that all the world should crack in peeces neuerthelesse he standeth fast and firme grounded on the rock fixed like the Mount Sion Psal 129. not to be remoued at any time by any meanes for he trusteth in the Lord and vnder the shadow of his wings is the righteous mans refuge till the tyrannie of Satan Psal 57. sinne death and hell be ouerpast for he hath if I may so say the life-blood of the soule true faith in the Lord and relieth on his promises and therefore cannot miscarrie Whereas on the other side a faithlesse man and distrustfull in all troubles whatsoeuer is ready not onely to sincke vnder his burden but also to giue vp the ghost It is with them as it was with Nabal a distrustfull person hath a head like Nabal a heart like Nabal when he heareth of any troubles and crosses not to be vndergone but which hee hath escaped ignorantly â— Sam. 25.37 His heart presently dieth within him and he becommeth as a stone Physitians tell vs that in mans body the arteres running along the veines do beat vpon them and stir vp the blood lest congeling it should waxe cold so in the soule of the godly true fayth beateth in time of all distresse and keepeth it aliue in the wicked as in Nabal it moueth not and therefore in necessity either they die with griefe as he did or with Achitophel hang themselues or with Saul run in distresse to the witch of Endor to hell for helpe whereas the children of God wait vpon him for deliuerance with patience and with confidence trust in the Lord. Because fayth is the only meanes wherby
l. 1. c. 13. Deus uâ—que laborat in maximis neque fastidit in minimis Amb. in Hexam lib. 5. cap. 2. Indeed the Poet sayd Non vacat exigu is rebus adesse Iovi But the Scripture otherwise that the very haires of our head are numbred Mat. 10.30 and that not so much as a sparrow which is sold for a farthing can fall on the ground without our heauenly fathers prouidence Disponit membraculicis pulicis as Augustine In Psal 148. For besides his generall prouidence which is seene in the gouernment of the whole vniuerse Calvin Instis lib. 1. c. 16. he hath a speciall also mode rating euery singular action and accident Who dwelling on high Aquin. 1. part quaest 22. art 2. Caiet ibid. Heb. 1.3 Wisd 8.1 beholdeth vs as Emmots vpon the mole hils of the earth in whom we liue and moue and haue our being For it is written he supporteth all things by his mighty word He reacheth from one end to another and ordereth all things sweetly Omnia non solum permissa à Deo sed etiam immissa as one saith Lip sius Constâ—nâ— lib. 1. Cap. 14. so that nothing falleth out by blinde humane chance but by diuine choise The Lord doeth not onely suffer and see what is done heere below but also disposeth of euery particular euent to the glory of his name and good of his children He beheld Dauid in his trouble Daniel in his dungeon Peter in his prison and ordered their short affliction to their endlesse consolation In that then though he dwelleth on high hee humbleth himselfe to behold the things below In that he keepeth Israel Psal 121.4 which doth neither slumber nor sleepe In that he graueth his children on the palmes of his hands Isay 49.16 In that he heareth the very grones of his children in their closets Psal 38.9 and maketh their beds in their sicknesse Psal 41.3 In that as Augustine sweetly hee taketh care for all his children as if all were but one Confes l. â— c. 11. and for euery particular as if one were all Because of this diuine and most blessed prouidence Trust in the Lord. Vnto these we might further adde many more forcible reasons grounded on the person in my text as namely sixthly from the power seuenthly from the mercy eightly from the loue ninthly from the wisdome tenthly from the goodnesse adde also the truth of Iehouah and looke how many meditations you may conceiue concerning God so many reasons you haue to Trust in the Lord. Whatsoeuer he is he is it to vs and for vs because hee is the Lord Iehouah our God wherefore let vs trust in the Lord. Thus farre of the Doctrine and the Illustration thereof by Scripture and by reason Proceed wee now to the vse of this Doctrine which is diuerse Vse 2 It serueth first for our information I. Iohn 14.1 we ought alwayes to trust in Iehouah Our Sauiour so enformeth and comforteth his disciples Let not your hearts be troubled yee beleeue in the father beleeue also in me in whatsoeuer dangers of soule or of body of life or of death ye may bee yet be not discouraged but trust in the Lord. Dolosum aerumnosum est cor hominis as the heart of man is aboue all things deceitfull so is it distrustfull For as S. Basill to this purpose speaketh In Psal 44. we are of one condition in prosperity but of another in aduersitie as it is most plainly exemplified vnto vs in that example of Peter in Matth. 26.33.69 Fortune saith Seneca freeth many from punishment Epist 61. 79. but none from feare many and manifold dangers like waues comming fast one on the backe of another one griefe calling on another as the clouds burst foorth with raine Many and fearfull are those dangers whereunto the life of man is liable yet if God be for vs what shall be against vs if our trust be grounded on the Lord Psal 46.2.3.4 if our confidence be sure we need not feare though the earth bee remoued and though the mountaines be cast into the middest of the Sea though the waters thereof roare and bee troubled though the mountaines shake with the swelling thereof though the world be lifted off the hinges and all things be turned vpside downe though all things goe the cleane contrary way in a word though the Sunne be turned into darknesse and the Moone into blood though the pillars of the earth and the powers of heauen be shaken yea though the frame of the world like the temple of Dagon fall ratling vpon our heads yet we will not feare for as Dauid saith Psal 18.2 The Lord is my rocke and my fortresse and my deliuerer my God my strengh in whom I will trust my buckler and the horne of my saluation and my high tower God is our Captaine therefore like Souldiers wee will rely vpon his warinesse and watchfulnesse God is our Shepheard therefore like sheepe wee shall sleepe in peace vnder his staffe God is our Pilot therefore like passengers sayling in great waters we shall be without feare vnder the protection of his care and experience God is our King therefore like subiects we will feare no inuasion of enemies no want of prouision vnder his so well-ordered gouernment God is our father therefore like to his children we will feare no ill vnder his armes O trust in the Lord for he is the Lord of hosts 1 Sam 15.45 Antigonus King of Syria as Plutarch speaketh being ready to giue battell by sea bard by the Isle Andros In Pelopida answered one of his men who told him that his enemies had more ships then he For how many men reckonest thou me indeed the dignity of the Generall is much to be esteemed when it is sorted with prowesse and experience But where is there prowesse where experience if it be not in the Lord Therefore Iob excellently saith hee is wise in heart and mighty in strength Who hath hardned himselfe against him and hath prospered Iob. 9.4 Surely saith Dauid Psal 3.8 Saluation belongeth vnto the Lord. And the Prophet Esay saith Esay 43.11 I euen I am he and besides me there is no Sauiour For as none can deliuer out of his hand so none can deliuer as he can To the righteous he is a shield Psalme 5.12 To the weake strength Psalme 22.12 To the oppressed a refuge Psalme 9.9 To the persecuted a fortresse Psalme 91.2.9 To the Sun-burnt with afflictions he is a shadow To those that are exiled for righteousnesse sake bee is a well furnished habitation To the thirsty he is a well of water as to Sampson To the pursued he is a wall of defence as to the Israelites To the hungry hee is the bread of life To the faint he is a bed of downe To the miserable he is a deliuerer neither are his deliueries palliatiue cures easing as cold water in a feuer onely for the
put their trust in chariots and some in horses but a horse is a vaine thing to saue a man Psal 33.17 neither shall he deliuer any by his great strength Mentitur tibi equus quando promittit salutem if thy horse promise safety he lieth vnto thee saith Augustine Proud Pharaoh that trusted to his horses and chariots found them lyars indeed for when in the strength of this conceit he had furnished himselfe with six hundred chariots and was accompanied with all the Nobles Captains and souldiers and so pursued the Israelites to the Red Sea there their chariots and horses failed them in which they trusted Exo. 14. as hauing done seruice enough to bring their riders into perdition What trust now may be put in a horse The horse is prepared for battell Pro. 21.31 true but the safely is of the Lord. Vaine is this trust for with August mendax equus ad salutem Woe to them that goe downe into Egypt for helpe and comfort themselues with chariots because they are many and with horsemen because they are lusty and strong Isay 31.1 but looke not to the holy One of Israel nor seeke the Lord. Some put their trust in Princes and the sonnes of men are their confidence but Dauid biddeth vs not to put our trust in Princes nor in any child of man for his breath goeth forth and he returneth againe to his earth and then all his thoughts perish Psal 146.3 See in these words the first and last highest and lowest of the sonnes of Adam they may bee honorable because Princes but borne sinfull the sonnes of men borne weake for there is no helpe in them borne mortall their breath departeth borne corruptible for they returne to earth and lastly their mortality is not onely in their flesh for their thoughts also perish The order of these words is so set that euery member is a reason or confirmation of that which went before To this purpose that of Chysostome is excellent Trust not in Princes either because they are men or because helplesse or because mortall or because corruptible in the frame of their bodies in the cogitation of their hearts or lastly Si dicendū est aliquid mirabile if a man may speake that which the world may iustly wonder at trust not in Princes euen for this cause because they are Princes and in least safety themselues Tamille timere cogitat quātimeri was Cyprians iudgement of one in gouernment he hath as great cause to feare as to be feared I read in Plutarch In Alexand. that after Alexander the great had published that he was sonne to Iupiter Hammon yet when hee saw the humour running downe from his wounds was constrained to say this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the blood of man not of God and swelling the stench of his owne filth asked his flatterers if the Gods yeeld such a sent Where is Sapor King of Persia Marcelline l. 17. that tooke to himselfe the proud title of King of Kings brother to the Sunne and Moone partaker of the Starres like the proud Turker Where is he hath his pretended brother defended him hath his pompe deliuered him from death The like might I say of Herod and of all the Potentates of the earth yea of the Pope himselfe whose Canonists tell vs that he is neyther God nor man but we all know he is a man and a man of sinne farre vnable to deliuer so many thousands out of hell and his fayned purgatory which can not deliuer himselfe from treason death and destruction Vaine fooles which leaue God and put their trust in men since the lowest are vanity the highest are vanity The lowest no lesse the highest no more Surely man saith Dauid is altogether vanity Some put their trust in Diuels as Saul when hee went to Endor as all those doe which runne in all sickenesse and in all losses to wisards buzzards sorcerers witches diuels for helpe and knowledge Cursed be all those that forsake the Lord and runne to the Diuell for helpe Some put their trust in Angels and in Saints imploring their ayde and desiring their helpe But Iob sayth To which of the Saints wilt thou turn thee meaning that none is able to helpe thee These therefore erre grieuously and are giuen ouerto strong delusions beleeuing a lie in that they relie on the creature and forsake the Creator who is blessed for euer and euer Vse 3 Thus for reproofe Lastly for obedience You haue plainely now heard that our helpe slandeth not in Angels Saints or men but onely in the name of the Lord which hath made the heauen and the earth Angels Saints Diuels Men Horses Chariots Gold Princes not one or all these nor any other externall meanes can deliuer vs from any euen the least iudgement which God shall lay vpon vs therfore let vs not trust in them let vs take heed we enquire not of them not relie vpon them In whom then shall wee trust In the Lord Iehouah and in his power alone Let vs sing that sweet strayne which the faithfull haue in the Prophet Hicurruum illi equorum nor vero nominis Dei Iehouae nostri recordabimur Psal 20.7 Let it bee the matter of our meditation in the day of trouble in all rimes of distresse let vs say in faith and sure hope Some trust in chariots and some in horses but we will remember the name of the Lord our God We will remember him and put our trust in him alone It we trust in the Lord a blessing shall attend vs. It is promised in Ieremy 17.7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is But how shall he be blessed It followeth in the Propher Hee shall bee as a tree planted by the waters that spreadeth out her roots by the riuer whom the heat cannot hurt whole leaues are alwaies greene in a word whatsoeuer he doeth shall prosper And loe thus shall the man be blessed that feareth and trusteth in the Lord. Let Alexander perswade himselfe to be the sonne of Iupiter Hamon till he see his bloud let Sapor King of Persia write himselfe King of Kings brother to the Sunne and Moone partner with the starres Let the Canonistes of Rome make a new Canon to transfigure their Pope into a new nature making him to be neyther God nor man but somewhat betweene both I thinke a monster Let Antiochus thinke to saile vpon the mountaynes Let Senacherib thinke like Xerxes host to drie vp the riuers with the plant of his foot Let Edom exalt himselfe like an Eagle and build his nest among the starres and in the clefts of the rocke and say in the pride of his heart who shall bring me downe to the ground Let the couetous say to his gold thou art my confidence let the wicked vanish away in their mortall vanity but let vs trust in the Lord Iehouah the mighty God of Israel so shall
of them both To what end hath the grace of Soluation appeared if not to this end to teach vs to liue godly in respect of our great and glorious maker and master to liue soberly in respect of our selues to liue iustly in respect of our neighbours if we haue with the ouerweening Pharisee great godlinesse in our philacteries fringes and care-seruice frequenting the Lectures of the Law not caring how wee liue we shall seeme holy without righteousnesse and if with the simple seduced Saduces we liue honestly and ciuilly but beleeue nor Angels spirits nor resurrection wee shall appeare righteous without holinesse either of these commeth short of that obedience which is required of God who will not be serued with holinesse only nor righteousnesse only but with both Againe to what end hath the Lord giuen vnto euery one a seuerall gift and talent in this present world if not for this end to employ them in Doing of good in our seuerall places to the glory of his name and good of his Church This matter then of Doing good concerning vs all is to be considered of vs all in particular Particularly the Magistrate must bee carefull to Doe good Vp and be Doing of good you Magistrates exercise your talents a great measure of well-doing is expected from you God and man call daily for it and you shall well performe it if you will rise betimes with Dauid and punish the workers of iniquity if in the zeale of Phineas you will execute iudgement in Israel if you will for the better examples sake sanctifie the Lords Sabbath your selues and command the sanctification of the same by others if you will countenance the good defend the fatherlesse take the cause of the poore into iust consideration weed out and root out from the city of the Lord all vnprofitable members inordinate walkers dissolute liuers search Ierusalem with lights for these linkers in the theeuish corners of the City which are the Deuils closets wherein he sits close studying and contriuing all villany and mischiefe and afterward put in execution take heed you winke not at these nourish them not but suppresse them let them not come in your way except it be to punish them hoc agite principatum quemgeritis ornare adorne your places with your carriage in so good a place Doe much good God hath put the sword in thy hand to doe this businesse therefore thou must doe it then goo on with cheerfulnesse and courage in thy place the Lord shall be with thee shew thy selfe a man Particularly the Minister of Gods word must be zealous of Doing good painfully labouring with wholsome doctrine threathing the thunder-claps of Gods iudgements against all impenitent workers of iniquity and pouring the balme of Gilead into the wounds of the distressed Samaritan opening the mystery of the word of life whereby many bee made wise vnto saluation and that the man of God may be perfectly furnished to euery good worke And in 〈◊〉 word euery particular degree of men high and low rich and poore publikely in the Church priuately in the family must exercise themselues in doing of good yeelding obedience to the commandements of God and labouring in their lines and conuersations to make a reall yea a royall manifestation of the fayth which they professe by Doing of some good But there is a more proper obiect of our Doing good namely to the poore wherein that wee may not any way mistake the Scripture hath set downe certaine cautions and confined vs to certaine limitations summarily cou ched in that prouerbiall verse viz. Est modus in dando quid cur cui quomedo quando Beyond which bounds wee may not passe Let vs take a running view of them Fiue rules are heere to bee obserued in our Doing good 1. What we giue 2. Why we giue 3. To whom we giue 4. How we giue 5. When we giue 1. What. We must giue that which is our owne honor the Lord with thy substance not another mans and with the first fruits of thine increase Prou. 3.9 2. Why must we giue Because God commands it loue the stranger Leu. 19.34 then loued when releeued because Christ demands it Date cleemosynam Luc. 11.41 hee that giues all requires but some a cup of cold water a crust of bread and because the spirit commends it for a sacrifice wherewith God is well pleased Heb. 13.16 The Rabbines say tithe and be rich the Lord giue and be rich he that giueth to the poore lendeth to the Lord Prou. 19.17 Qui miseretur proximo foeneratur Domino 3. To whom must we giue To all Gal. 6.10 While we haue time let vs doe good to all especially to the houshold of faith Thus God is rich in goodnesse vnto all euen his enemies in causing the sunne to rise vpon the iust and vniust Matt. 5. but especially to the faythfull which in regard of the small number are called a houshold these Dauid preferred O Lord my goodnes extendeth not to thee but to the Saints that are in the earth my delight is in them Psal 16.2.3 And as touching the poore wee must make discretion Steward of the Kitchin lest we prooue our selues guilty of foolish pity for there are of poore 1. impotent 2. labouring Seeke out these in the backe lanes if they seeke not thee and releeue them but for the idle poore and sturdy poore giue them not except it be a whip and a pasport and therin the more liberall the fewer beggars in Israel 4. How must wee giue The Apostle hath directed The Lord loueth a cheerefull giuer 2. Cor. 9.7 God loueth a willing giuer Againe abundantly hee that soweth sparingly shall reape sparingly and he that soweth plentifully shall reap plentifully To this end the oyle of our charity must be compounded rightly As Moses was commanded to put into the oyle certaine spices so God would haue euery Christian Almesgiuer to play the Druggist first our almes must be like myrrh which distils from the tree without cutting or incision so must charity without compulsion Secondly Cinamon hot in taste hot in operation so must our almes neither stone cold as Nabal nor lukewarme as Laodicea but hot as it is sayd of Iohn Baptist of Constantinople whose daily practise was to releeue the poore Thirdly Cassia as sweet as the former but low the embleme of humility so giue but not vainegloriously Fourthly Calamus an odoriferous powder but of a fragill reed So giue but acknowledge thy weakenesse thinke it not meritorious periculosa domus corum qui meritis sperant saith Bernard dangerous is that house which thinks to winne heauen by keeping house dangerous because ruinous no say you are vnprofitable seruants But lest I grow tedious Fiftly consider the time when we must giue while we haue time during our life thus was Dorcas sayd to bee full of good workes while she liued Salomon so aduifeth Prou. 3.28 Say not vnto thy neighbour goe and come againe to morrow and I will