A TREATISE OF CHRISTIAN BENEFICENCE AND OF THAT LIKE CHRISTIAN THANKEfulnesse which is due to the same The which as they are duties of singugular account with God so are they of as necessarie vse to all Christians for the keeping of faith and a good conscience as are fire and water for common vse and comfort to the naturall life of all men Honour the Lord with thy riches and with the first fruits or chiefe of all thine increase Pro. 3.9 Go ye and learne what this is I will haue mercie and not sacrifice Matth. 9.13 A man that hath friends ought to shew himselfe friendly for a friend is nearer than a brother Pro 18.24 He that rewardeth euill for good euill shall not depart from his house Pro. 17.13 Printed at London by Iohn Harison for Thomas Man 1600. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE SIR IOHN POPHAM Knight Lord chiefe Iustice of England one of her Maiesties most honourable priuie Counsell AMong the rest of the most holy and wise Prouerbes of king Salomon who both for godly policie and also for purity of Religion may worthily be esteemed the wisest of all kings all the time of his vprightnesse and sinceritie these sentences Right Honorable are expresly commeÌ„ded by the most holy Spirit of wisedome it selfe to belong to the wise yea euen to those who ought to be most wise aboue all other to wit the Princes Iudges and Rulers of the people of God It is not good saith the wise king to regard the face that is the person of any man in iudgement The reasons follow Him that saith to the wicked Thou art righteous shall the people curse yea multitudes shall abhorre him But to them that rebuke him shall be pleasure and vpon them shall come the blessing of euery goodman They that is euery good man shall kisse the lippes of him that answereth vpright words Prou. ch 24 ver 23.24.25.26 The which SenteÌ„ces do briefly very pithily giue to vnderstand these two things first how great vprightnes ought to be in all Princes Iudges and Rulers to the end they may iudge righteous iudgement secondly how great the blessing is which by the sentence of God himself doth belong to all such namely that they shall be a ioy to the people of God that the people again shal reuerence theÌ„ that God wil heare their prayers for theÌ„ They shew also herewithal that on the contrarie such as take an vniust course haue reproch and dishonour yea vengeance due vnto them So gratiously is the God of righteousnesse inclined and bent toward his righteous seruants and so wrathfully is he setled in his iudgement and decree against the rest But leauing to treate of the dutie of the Magistrate and Gouernour which is not the present purpose may it please your Honour to giue one poore Minister of the word of God in the name of manie who by the grace of God haue care of our own bounden dutie your fauorable good leaue in regarde of the premises to testifie that great ioy which we haue by you and that reuerend estimation which we haue of you with harty desire of all increase of Gods best graces and blessings vpon you the rest of our good Gouernours vnder her Highnesse because of that care of vprightnesse of iudgement wherewith God of his mercie hath honoured and graced you in the sight of vs all to the sensible and publike benefite of all seeing as it is euident from the holy sentences before rehearsed it is the will and pleasure of God that we of dutie should so do And the rather also because we perceiue that mercie is linked with iustice in your gratious and currant proceedings the which we know from the booke of God to be effectuall to helpe singularly to the establishing of the honour peace of the throne of our most gracious Queene Elizabeth whose royall souereigntie through her whole dominions we humbly beseech God of his infinite mercy euen for Iesus Christs sake long and happily to continue and aduance among vs. Amen Such right Honorable our very good Lord is the generall purpose of the present writing but yet so as the more particular intent is to testifie the late increase of our ioy reuerend estimation humble prayer with hartie thanksgiuing to God for you all other our good godly Gouernors vnder her Maiestie as also the increrase of our huÌ„ble harty thankfulnes to you and theÌ„ and to her gratious Maiestie especially euen for the late point of so great mercifull iustice which you haue established and put in execution among vs to the singular glorie of God honor of your gouernment and comfort of all well-disposed subiects in that you haue suppressed the vagabond life of a most wicked and vnprofitable yea a most dangerous and harmeful sort of people the which being of too ancient breede among vs were of late yeeres so mightily increased that by their licencious and vniust yea verie sturdy and shamelesse vagring and begging all mercie of almes-giuing was so violently catched vp and deuoured at euery rich mans gate and also at euery meane mans doore that mercie was degenerated to the cruell and wastfull feeding and fostering of such an idle and wicked rout as by the rule of the holy Apostle were altogether vnworthy of any almes in so much as they were such as vtterly refused to work And be sides in vaine confidence and proud presumption of an imagined prescription of time at the first mention of their restraint they feared not at our dores to speake contemptuously and skornfully of so holy a purpose as if it had bene an impossible thing that rogues shold haue abiding places and that beggers should liue of their labours But thankes be to God to her Maiesty and to you this excellent point of mercifull iustice was no sooner aduanced and authorised by gratious Statute wisely penned and enacted by high Court of Parliament to the same effect and purpose but it hath so prosperously and with so speedie successe preuailed that God hath to the great comfort of all that loue true iudgement mercie shewed euidently that his good hand went with the execution of it as no doubt his good Spirit was formerly president in that holy consultation and aduise which was taken about it The which one Act right Honorable how many good acts it hath wrought highly to the honour of God and her Maiestie and the whole gouernment and also how good coÌ„modious it is to the publike weale of the whole natioÌ„ a long narration would hardly suffice worthily to declare O how much filthinesse of adulterie and fornication of the vagabonds themselues is hereby cut off which was wont in more then brutish maner to be practised in all places of their confused lodging together at euery Faire and market through the land after they had filled themseâ—ues with the fattest of the rost and drunke themselues drunken with the strongest of the Beere that their Hostesse could
performed in this worthy seruice for the reliefe of the poore such as shall be found to be so indeed as the Apostle speaketh in the like cause 1. Tim. 5.3.5 And the same God grant that euerie one to his power smaller or greater may according to the mind and pleasure of our higher powers and chiefly of God himselfe not onely indeuour the preuenting of euery mischiefe not beseeming the Gospell of Christ but also by all meanes labour the furtherance aduancement of so worthy a work as is the practise of mercie to the strengthening of iustice which being well disposed and imployed together are answerable to the goodly brasen pillers of the porch of Salomons Temple Iâ—ciâ— Boaz to the establishing coÌ„firming of the Princes throne of the coÌ„mon wealth and of all lawfull callings trades traffike therein as it were froÌ„ the Sion of the Lord. So great tender care hath the Lord that the poore of his people should for his sake be mercifully liberally prouided for Now therfore for the issue of this speach may it please you right Honorable so far to fauour the present indeuour of your humble Orator that this Treatise following dedicated to your Honor intended for a gratulatory monument of the aboue named Act of ParliameÌ„t which shutting the doore against idlenes all vnthriftie wastful misplacing of almes doth open the gate to the blessed practise of true liberalitie in such sort that true thankfulnes also may therwithal be let in which before weÌ„t a roguing with those that regarded no home may by the allowance acceptation of your Honor be some furtherance to the work euen to the best that this so weake a hand could attaine vnto And thus most humblie heartilie beseeching God of his infinit goodnes mercy eueÌ„ for our Lord Iesus Christs sake to blesse preserue you long in your right honourable healthfull coÌ„fortable estate here in this present life to his own glorie to the seruice of her excellent Maiesty for the iust peaceable gouernmeÌ„t of the coÌ„mon wealth to the ioy comfort of al that do wel to the terror of the rest so long as they shal continue in their vngratious vnciuill courses And likewise beseeching God that after this life ended when you haue seâ—ued your time according to the counsell of God you may haue your part in the inheritance of his heauenly kingdome among the rest of his most honorable Saints I craue of your Honor all fauorable pardon of my boldnes in presenting and dedicating these my poore labours vnto you vnder the credit and protection of your name From Culford in Suffolke the 13 of May 1600. Your Honours in all humble and Christian dutie to command ROBERT ALLEN A GENERALL INscription of the Treatise following TO all beneficiall Christians vvho loue and practise goodnesse and mercie to the relieuing of their poore and distressed brethren and to all that do receiue the holy and Christian beneficence of their good mercifull relieuers in anie time of their need For a token of thankes to the one and for an admonition and spurre of thankefulnesse to the other with all dutifull and heartie desire that through the blessing of our bounteous good God it may be a helpefull incouragement to all for continuance and increase in all well-doing R. A. a Minister of the holie Word and Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ as one greatly indebted to all offereth this poore mite which as touching this shot and reckening is euen all which for the present he hath Crauing herewithall that seeing by the goodnes of God there is first a vvilling mind it may be accepted according to that he hath and not preiudiced for any want of that which he hath not according to the priuiledged rule of the Apostle Paule 2. Cor. 8.12 the equitie whereof as well agreeth to thankefulnesse for benefites as to beneficence it selfe Crauing furthermore no other reward then the benefite of your faithfull prayers that he together with your selues may haue all meete and conuenient sufficiencie in all things and abound in euery good worke through the rich grace of God mightily abounding toward vs all euen for our Lord Iesus Christs sake who though he was most rich yet willingly became most poore that through his pouertie all of vs might be made rich To him therefore with the Father and the holy Ghost one onely true God be all praise honour and glorie for euer and euer Amen A Treatise of Christian beneficence and of that like Christian thankfulnesse which is due to the same SEing the whole argument of this our intended Treatise is called by the Apostle Paule The matter of Giuing and Receiuing Philip. 4.15 by a similitude borrowed from the vse of books of Account wherin is diligently entred and kept in record what each party hath from time to time deliuered or receiued the one from the other till the day of reckening doe come We will therefore according to the same his holy direction speake of it vnder those plaine and familiar termes following also therein the same his order and distribution concerning the parts or branches thereof In the former part which is of giuing giftes or benefites indeuouring as great plainnesse as we can we will in the first place consider what giuing is Secondlie what sundrie vertues are required to the right manner of Giuing and therwithall on the contrarie what be the vices which do either altogether hinder or at the least corrupt the same if they be not shunned auoided Thirdlie what is the reward of right christian giuing Fourthlie what the punishment of illiberalitie and not Giuing is Last of all certaine answers shall be made to such obiections as Satan and mans owne corrupt couetous or distrustful and vnbeteeming affection do mightilie suggest to the hinderance of holie beneficence yea euen to the vtter suppressing of it if possiblie the Deuill could atchieue winne the same This shall be the order and contentes of the first part of our Treatise concerning Giuing In the latter part which is of Receiuing gifts or benefites we will likewise in as plaine an order maner as we can attaine vnto declare first what that Receiuing is whereof we speake Secondlie what graces or vertues are requisite to the right maner of Receiuing gifts and benefits and there with also which be the contrarie vices And in the third place we purpose to shew the greatnes of the sin of vnthankfulnes and accordinglie how grieuous punishment belongeth to all vnthankful irreligous Receiuers whosoeuer they be that shall vnchristianly wast consume that which is christianlie giuen bestowed vpon them Finallie we will adde a certaine Florilegie if we may so call it that is a collection of choise sentences out of the best sorte of writers both former latter christian and philosophicall such as God vsed among the heathen to cherish that light of naturall vnderstanding and
is punished with another that is when they are giuen ouer from sin to sinne howsoeuer the burthen of this punishment which maketh way to all plague and punishment is not discerned of the wicked The Apostle therefore addeth further chap. 2. vers 4.5 They that despise the riches of Gods bountifulnesse and patience and long sufferance not knowing that is not regarding to know or consider that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth to repentance They do after the hardnesse of their harts that cannot repent heape vp vnto themselues wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God who wil reward euery one according to his works c. So likewise in the former place of the Epist to the Ephesians For such things that is for such vices as breake forth and beare swaie among the wicked for want of thankfulnesse to God as the Apostle had rehearsed in the words going before the wrath of God commeth vpon the children of disobedience Vnthankefulnesse it selfe in that it is a neglect of dutie to God is a great sinne and that which God punisheth sharply in his owne childrē like as we read of King Hezekiah that good king that wrath came vpon him from the Lord because he did not render to the Lord according to the reward bestowed vpon him 2. Chron. 32.24.25.26 Howbeit insomuch as Hezekiah beeing reproued did humble himselfe both he and the inhabitantes of Ierusalem therefore they preuented the extremitie of Gods wrath so as it fell not vpon them in the daies of Hezekiah Now therefore seeing the Lord cannot spare this sinne when it is found with neglect of dutie in his best seruants for a time how should he not punish it in the wicked in whom vnthankefulnesse is accompained with a black gard of all kind of foule vices and abominable sinnes beside May it not be iustly sayd to the shame of all such as Moses spake to the vnthankefull Israelites Deut. 32.6 Doe ye so reward the Lord ò ye foolish people and vnwise Is not he thy father that hath bought thee he hath made thee and porportioned thee c. And if for all this they that be vnthankefull will be vnthankfull still notwithstanding all the infinite mercies of God reuealed vpon vs specially now in the dayes of the Gospell both earthlie and heauenly mercies for body and soule for this life and for euer vpon our selues and all ours which ought to inflame our heartes to power forth perpetuall praises and thankes to the glorie of his most blessed name may we not iustly say further as Moses spake to the people The fire shall kindle in Gods wrath and burne to the bottome of hell and consume the earth with her increase and set on fire the foundations of the mountaines The Lord will send plagues vpon them and bestow his arrowes vpon them They shall be burnt with hunger and consumed with heate and bitter destruction And may not the Lord himselfe as it is written Psal 107. turn a fruitful land into barrenesse for the wickednes of thē that dwell therein Yea may he not iustly take away the hedge of his vineyard break downe the wall therof when in steed of sweet grapes it bringeth forth those that be sower and wild That is when there is oppression in steed of iudgmēt crying out in steed of righteousnesse Isa 5.5 c. For seeing vnthankfulnes as hath bene declared is both the breeder also the nourisher of all sin carying all sin as it were in the wombe of it like to those most il-fauoured and leane kine which did eate vp as many well liking and fat kine but when they had eaten them vp were still as leane and ill-fauoured as at the beginning of the which we read Gen. 41 19.20.21 Wel therefore may the fulnesse perfection of all wrath and punishment be cast vpon all such gurmandizing Cormorants who consuming Gods blessings yeeld no fruits of thankfulnesse vnto him but remaine continually leane barren and blasted that way The hope of the vnthankefull shall melt away as the winter yee and flow away as vnprofitable waters Wisdom 16.29 And great reason why vnthankfulnesse to God should bee so heinous in his sight and why also he should punish it so seuerely partly here but more fully after this life ended not only for the causes already alleaged but for many other as first for that God doth in vaine so oftē so earnestly put such vnthākful ones in mind of their duty herein as Ps 50.14 Offer vnto God praise And Eph. 5.20 Giue thanks alwayes for al things vnto God euen the Father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ Likewise Philip. 4.6 Col. 4.2 1. Thes 5.18 and in many other places Secondly because that which is in all equity a most due debt is most vniustly denied withheld frō him as 2. Thes 1.3 We ought to thank God alwayes as is meet c. ch 2.13 We ought to giue thanks alway to God for you brethrē c. And if for others thē also much rather for Gods loue fauour all the fruits thereof toward our selues And Ps 29.2 Giue to the Lord the glory due to his name Reasons of the punishment Thirdly because thankefulnesse is a speciall good dutie wherewith the Lord is singularlie well pleased as Psal 92.1.2 It is a good thing to prayse the Lord c. And Psal 69.30.31 I will prayse the name of God with a song and magnifie him with thankesgiuing The which shall please the Lord better then to offer a young bullocke that hath hornes and hoofes Fourthly because it is as the singular ornament of our owne profession of Gods holy worship as Psal 33.1 Reioyce in the Lord ô ye righteous for it becommeth vpright men to be thankefull And Psal 135.3 Praise ye the Lord for the Lord is good sing prayses to his name for it is a comely thing And Psal 147.1 Praise ye the Lord for it is good to sing vnto our God for it is a pleasant thing and prayse is comely Fiftly because by our thankefulnesse we make speciall profession of our faith and giue the greatest glorie we can yeeld vnto him in the acknowledgement of his prouidence and of his truth in the performance of his promises c. as Psal 66.1.2 c. Reioyce in the Lord ye inhabitantes of the earth Sing forth the glorie of his name make his prayse glorious And Psal 96.8 Giue vnto the Lord the glory of his name And Psal 50.23 He that offereth praise glorifieth me saith the Lord himselfe But on the contrarie all vnthankfull persons dishonour God they iustly displease him they disgrace themselues they shew themselues void of faith they tread vnder foote the commaundement of God c. Thus much of the sinne of vnthankefulnesse to God how hanious it is in his owne nature and in the sight of God and accordingly how greuious the punishment is which in the iustice of God belongeth
with discretion Moreouer the Lord protesteth expresly that he hateth robberie yea though it be ioyned with burnt offering Isai 61.8 As though the Lord should say Such kind of people without true repentance shall find no expiation with me how plentifull soeuer they are in their vniust sacrifices For as it is in the holy Prouerb chap. 15. verse 8. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. And Deut. chap. 23. verse 18. It is abomination to the Lord thy God to bring the hyre of a vvhore or the price of a dog into his house for anie vow The sacrifices which may be pleasing to the Lord must not onely be in their owne nature and kinde such as they ought to be without blemish of the best of the flocke or heard but also they must be euery way the sacrifices of righteousnesse as touching the whole manner of the offering of them And our owne they must be by speciall right and interest and not another mans or come to vs lightly and at aduenture wee cannot tell how Right worthie is the saying of king Dauid to Ornan yea though he would for his part haue giuen his threshing flower vnto him for a place dedicatorie to the worship of God Not so saith he seeing he was himselfe to dedicate it vnto God but I will buy it for sufficient money for I vvill not take that which is thine for the Lord nor offer burnt offerings without cost 1. Chron. chap. 21. verse 24. And right worthy likewise is that protestation of Zacheus in the Gospell who disposing halfe his goods to the poore as a fruit of his faith repentance and loue vnto Christ doth promise also restitution for that wrong dealing wherewith any could iustly charge him The foundation of Christian beneficence and giuing being thus laid as it were in righteousnes the second point now followeth wherein it is required that beneficence first iustly gotten should no lesse wisely and discreetly be afterward ordered and disposed For as we might perceiue euen now king Salomon deuideth the wealth and riches of a man into that which is contained in the cistern which is as it were the stocke the which must not be suffered at anie time ouer negligently and wastfully to run out as if a man should pull out the plugge at the bottome and into the ouerflowings of the cisterne which are as the ouerplus of the reuenues and increase the which though they be employed to the benefiting of such as bee not of their owne proper family charge yet will not impaire a mans estate The cisterne therefore is by the aduise of God himselfe wisely and charily to be looked vnto Neuerthelesse in times of extraordinarie straightes the seruants of God stand bound to stretch forth their hands in more then an ordinarie and wonted measure That which our Sauior Chrâ—st saith to the rich man in the 19. chap. of Mat. Mark 10.21 Luke 18.22 If thou wilt be perâ—ect sell all that euer thou hast and giue it to the poore it is nâ—t to be taken for a common rule prescribâ—d to all but 〈◊〉 â—â—â—oueâ—â—â— oâ—â—â—e hypocâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 him thâ—t pâ—â—â—â—nded to 〈…〉 to 〈…〉 â—e baâ—◠〈…〉 Read Aâ— 5 4. Whâ—â— iâ— remained 〈◊〉 Peter to Anâ—◠〈◊〉 appertained it not vnto thee and after it was sold was it not in thine owne â—ower yea so farre fotth the vrgent necessitie of poore Christians so requiring that the richer sort must not refuse to open the bowels of their compassion so wide as willingly to sell some part of their possessions for the reliefe of their brethren who ought to be more deare and precious to them then all worldly riches after that most worthy example of the Christians of the Primitiue Church whereof we read in the fourth chapter of the Acts of the holy Apostles from the 32. verse According also as in the former times the Church of God vnder the law concerning the maintenance of Gods true worship made lawes to themselues of their owne accord for extraordinary allowance that way at what time the ordinary would not suffice Nehem. 10.32.33 and that also agreeable to the commandement of God practised by Moses Numb 31.25 c. and by king Dauid 1. Chro. chap. 26. verse 27. For of the battailes and of the spoyles they did dedicate to the maintenance of the house of the Lord. Reaâ— also 2. Chron. 31.3.4 the notable example of king Hezekiah who of his oâ—ne substance allowed a great portion and likewise commaunded the people so to do that the Priests and Leuites might be encouraged in the Lawe of the Lord. The reason why the seruats of God are in times of more then ordinarie want to make an extraordinarie supply is for that euen as in times of persecution the Lord taketh triall of the faith of those that be truly his toward himselfe for to shrinke away were notable and shamefull vnfaithfulnesse so in times of speciall scarcitie and want God taketh triall of our loue to our brethren whether we set more by our money and outward goods then by the spirituall comfort of their soules and maintenance of their liues which doubtlesse were not only singular vnkindnesse but euen grieuous vnmercifulnesse yea crueltie to bee condemned in any of the children of God Neither may this seeme strange that for the loue which we beare to the brethren we should disburse part of our outward goods for the comfort of their naturall liues and to incourage them to walke chearfully in the wayes of the Lord seeing if need should so require we must not thinke our liues too deare to poure them foorth for their preseruation and for the comfort and confirmation of their faith as 1. Iohn 3.16 We ought to lay downe our liues for the brethren And so we reade that Priscilla and Aquila indangered their owne liues and were willing to haue died rather then Paules life should haue bene destroyed Rom. 16.4 To whom therfore saith the Apostle not I only giue thanks but also all the Churches of the Gentils Neuerthelesse both in the ordinarie and also in the extraordinarie distribution of that almes and beneficence which anie Christian giueth great caution is to be vsed for the preuenting of all vnnecessarie waste lest that bee loosely and vnskilfully scattered and throwne about which ought to be very wisely as it were sowne and most husbandly disposed To this purpose is that which we reade in the fift verse of the 112. Psalme A good man is mercifull and lendeth and will measure his affaires by iudgement That is hee will order and moderate all things with so good discretion and keepe himselfe within so good a compasse that in doing good he will still continue to doe good yea and that with an increase and not by decreasing through the blessing of God For as king Salomon saith in his holy Prouerbes Through wisedome is an house builded and by vnderstanding it is established And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled
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
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
them as fearefull threatnings as they themselues be For seeing God hath by his holy spirit guided his seruants as liuely and sincere interpreters of his holy iustice herein to set them downe there is no doubt but they are ratified in heauen for the perpetuall admonition and warning of all men to the end of the world whosoeuer will auoid that vengeance that is contained in them against this sinne Neither let any man flatter himselfe because all this as hath also bene obserued before is spoken against the height and extremitie of the sinne of vnthankefulnesse as though negligence or forgetfulnesse or misapplying of beneficence came not within the compasse of this curse for euen these sinnes also are with great seueritie condemned of God In the newe Testament the Apostle Iude hauing layd forth the greatnesse of their sinne who communicating in the holy beneficence and contributions of the Christian Churches and intruding themselues for guestes in the loue-feastes had no care to feede themselues in the feare of God and to liue as Christians ought to doe he sheweth first the greatnesse of this sinne in that he saith such were spottes in their holy feastes Cloudes without water carried about of the windes corrupt trees without fruite c. And then followeth the punishment which the holie Ghost threateneth and pronounceth To them is reserued the blackenesse of darkenesse for euer The like is sayd of the Apostle Paul 1. Tim. 5.12.13 concerning the young widdowes who abused the maintenance which they had by the Churches to idlenesse yea to prating and busie medling c. And now further let vs reason thus against all kind of vnprofitable consumers of Christian beneficence that in so much as euen they who giue not any thing at all to holy vses are greatly punished although they be no sacrilegious riflers and spoylers of Church goods yea euen they that giue if it be in hypocrisie and not with an vpright heart as we haue a memorable example in Ananias and Saphira his wife for they were both punished by an extraordinarie and sodaine death which caused great feare to fall on all the Church which were the beholders of it on as many also as heard of it Act. 5.1 c. 11. And seeing all that boast of greater liberalitie then they do in truth performe such as King Salomon saith doe boast of false liberalitie Prouerb chap. 25. verse 14. and so being mockers of God cannot scape vnpunished according to that of the Apostle Gal. 6. As a man soweth so shall he reape In like maner how should we thinke that he which receiueth corruptly that is contrary to the vertues required to Christian receiuing neither hath care to vse that beneficence Christianly which he hath receiued how can we thinke I say that such a one should not be subiect to the punishment For doubtlesse it is no lesse sinne to vse good things ill then not to giue them well Is it not as great a sinne to destroy a field of corne after it is sowne as Absolom burnt vp Ioabs corne 2. Sam. 14.30 as if Ioab had not caused it first to be sowne But I will not prosecute this point it being of it selfe to all reasonable men as I suppose euident plaine Wherefore I come to make some vse of it and so drawe to an end of our Treatise as one thereunto called by the importunitie of other great and weightie businesse of the Lord. To this purpose I beseech you I speake to all those that are partakers of holy and Christian beneficence let vs thinke earnestly with our selues and weigh the matter as with equall ballance in our owne consciences before hand what anie of vs should answere to the Lord if we should behaue our selues so dissolutely in the abuse and mispending thereof that the Lord should be prouoked to bring forth his seruants to witnesse before his iudgement seat against vs that although they had for his sake fed vs when we were hungry refreshed vs with drinke when we were drie and thirsty clothed vs when we were naked lodged vs when we were harbourlesse visited vs when we were sicke and in prison nay rather if they should be brought for witnesses as they might be touching some of vs that they had not onely for the Lords sake kept vs from extreme pouertie and miserie preuented our imprisonment c. but that they had fed vs deintily clothed vs costly lodged vs in soft bedding and euery way tendered vs charily for his sake if notwithstanding all this any of vs should not be found carefull to serue the Lord and so to reioyce the hearts of our nursing-fathers and nursing-mothers answerable to their so precious and rare kindnesse and bountie poured vpon vs. But much rather if we should idly profanely and wickedly waste all that holy prouision and as it were the Manna of heauen which hath bene bestowed vpon vs to the dishonour of the name of God and to the griefe and discouragement of the hearts of our godly benefactors let vs I say earnestly bethinke our selues what any of vs could answer in this case Nay rather as the truth is let vs assure our selues that whosoeuer of vs shall be found thus culpable or much lesse that out of all question we should be altogether without answere as men dumbe and vtterly speechlesse euen like to thâ—t vnmeete and rude guest that at the marriage feast of the Gospell in so much as he was found there without his marriage garment to the dishonour of the feast And so being speechlesse and conuict in our owne consciences of intollerable and sacrilegious wickednesse what might wee possibly looke for but as at the commandement of the King and Lord of the feast or of the Iudge sitting vppon the throne of iudgement to be taken and bound hand feete and so to be cast into vtter darkenesse where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth which was the righteous iudgement of God vpon the profane and rude guest Matt. 22.11.12.13 O therefore how much better yea how much more blessed and happie shall it be if according as God of his rich mercie do make anie of vs partakers of his more speciall grace fauor in the inlarging of the tender bowels and compassion of his good and mercifull seruants toward vs we shall through his grace awake and stirre vp our selues and inlarge our heartes yea if we shall rise early in the morning as the holy Scriptures vse to speake that we may speedily and with all diligence indeuour after the performance of euerie good dutie of true christian obedience and thankfulnes both toward God and man to euerie good beneficiall friend and to the whole Church of God For hereunto we are called yea verie honorablie inuited and as it were hyred Hereby also are we made debtours to all so far forth as God shall vouchsafe to open the doore vnto vs and to giue vs anie blessed occasion and opportunitie to perfourme anie good and right
Some seeke by their hatefull dealing to make proofe that they thinke themselues nothing beholding to their friend Sen. de Ben. lib. 2. cap. 24. Sunt hi non solum Christiano nomine indigni sed ne homines quidem dicimerentur cùm monstra naturae sint quae creaturis omnibus gratitudinis sensum inseuit Agnoscit bos herum suum c. These verily are not onely vnworthy to be called by the name of Christians but the name of men is too good for them seeing they are mōsters in nature the which hath seeded a certaine sence of thankfulnesse in all creatures The oxe knoweth his Maister c. Isai 1. Gualt in 5. Mat. Vnthankfulnes to God is the roote of vnthankfulnesse to men Ab ingratitudine erga Deum manat ingratitudinis erga homines hoc est detestabilis vitij audacia Cui enim respondebit gratè Quod munus existimabit magnum aut reddendum qui summa beneficia spernit From vnthankfulnesse to God issueth the shamelesse boldnesse of vnthankefulnesse to men that is to say of a most detestable vice For to whom will such a man shew himselfe thankfull What benefite will he esteeme great or worthy to be recompēced which despiseth those that be the greatest of all other Sen de Bene. 2. cap. 30. Finally the vnthankefull man is not onely iniurious to himselfe but also a common enemie to all that stand in neede insomuch as he discourageth manie from the continuance of their liberalitie In which respect it is said as was partly alleaged before Omnes immemorem beneficij oderunt eamque iniuriam as it followeth in deterrenda liberalitate sibi etiam fieri eumque qui faciat communem hostem tenuiorum putant Off. 2. The wordes of Seneca exhorting children to recompence their Parentes yea if it may be to exceed their beneficence toward them Haec inquit Seneca non destruunt parentum venerationem nec deteriores illis liberos faciunt imò itiam meliores c. Alacrior erit pietas siad reddenda beneficia cum vincendi spe venerit c. Nisi hic ita iudicamus excusationem damus liberis illos segniores ad referendam gratiam facimus quibus stimulos adijcere debemus dicere Hoc agite optimi inuenes proposita est inter parentes liberos honesta contentio dederint maiora an receperint Non ideò viceruut quia occupauerunt Sumite modò animum qualem decet deficere nolite vt vincatis optantes Nec desunt tam pulchro certamini duces qui similia vos cohortentur ac per vestigia sua ire ad victoriam saepe iam partam ex parentibus iubeant Ca. 36. lib. 3. de Benef. Et cap. 38. Nulla vi verborum nulla ingenij facultate exprimi potest quantum opus sit quā laudabile quamque nunquā à memoria hominum exiturum posse haec dicere Parentibus meis parui cessi imperio eorum c. ad hoc vnum contumax fui ne beneficijs vincerer Certate obsecro vos fusi quoque restituite aciem Foelices qui vicerint foelices qui vincentur Quid eo adolescente praeclarius qui sibi ipsi dicere potuit neque enim fas est alteri dicere Parentem meum beneficijs vici Quid eo fortunatius sene qui omnibus vbique praedicabit à filio suo se beneficijs victum Quid autem est foelicius quà m sibi cedere A sentence concerning humane sentences their authoritie both Christian and heathen These words are englished before Like as we esteeme the speciall sayings of the learned among the heathen in such matters as by the speciall gift of God they giue testimonie to that light which he hath reserued in nature aboue the authoritie of the more rude for that more speciall light of natures sake which God hath reserued vnto them so yea much rather doe wee worthily esteeme the sentences of learned Christians whether more auncient Fathers or any of latter times whom God hath specially inlightened by the holy Ghost from his sacred Scriptures to giue testimonie to his truth so farre as we finde they do it according to the Scriptures and right interpretation thereof aboue the opinions or sayings of common Christians whosoeuer haue not as yet their wits so well exercised and acquainted with the Scriptures as by the singular blessing of God the other haue had And thus good Christiā Readers whether more or lesse learned one and other ye may all by that which hath bene remembred and layed before ye in this Treatise euidently perceiue that as was saied in the beginning the duties herein declared are euery way so plentifully testified and commended that whosoeuer will not make practise accordingly he can not be but as one left altogether most wofully conuict both from heauen vpō earth in his owne conscience which of it selfe is as a thousand witnesses and before God and all men without all shadowe of excuse by the verdit of infinit thousandes of witnesses against him But as touching you that vouchsafe to read these things with honest and godly mindes better fruite is to be expected and hoped for euen such as will through the grace of God accompany and helpe forward your euerlastting and most happy peace and saluation both here and in the kingdome of heauen The which I humbly beseech God our heauenly father to graunt vnto ye as well as to my owne soule of his infinit most bounteous mercie for his wel beloued sonne our Lord Iesus Christes sake to whom with the holy Ghost one only true God be all glory and prayse Amen FINIS The Errata to be corrected as followeth Pag. 5. lin 6. read This no doubt p. 23. l. 4. mourning 25. 27. read Mat. 25. p. 28. 21. righteous p. 48. 23. it is to be p. 57. 22. at that time I 35. lyen p. 60. l. 18. 19. read And after this the same Darius as we reade chap. 7. now called Artashasht p. 81. 7. God wil blesse such p. 88. 35. fewer examples p. 98. l. 17. read Consider your own wayes in your harts pag. 125. 5. vnto them p. 134. 8. Is the need p. 152. 1. read only diuine praise p. 159. 1. that is p. 161. 29. property p. 163. 24. goodly p. 168. of Gods name p. 172. 9. men p. 176. 25 infinit p. 180. 32. how seuerely p. 188. 36. read ô serpēts the generatiō c. p. 199. 21. but on the contrary for such p. 203. 8. read ver 10. p. 204. 1. thing l. 7. read The Apostle speaking c. l. 12. stewards l. 16. obnoxios p. 305. 34. is the worst kind of giuing p. 206. 6. read ver 20. 21. Mat. p. 208. 1. profundunt 209. l. 1. 2. Modus ideo vt l. vlt. Tardè velle p. 210. 4. reddit p. 213 32. liberally p. 221. 10. read mirum for nimirum l. penult euehit l. vlt. praeparatoria p. 223. l. pen. miseremur p. 225. 10. Lay vp in thy As touching other escapes which we trust are neither manie nor great we craue the curteous Readers fauourable aide to whom we haue yeelded the best and most helpefull diligence we could
he the creator this the creature he the glorious and almightie Lord this the poore fraile seruant c. Whereupon we may easilie perceiue how carefullie the true seruantes of God are to abhor and auoide the grosse and profane or rather the sacrilegious and blasphemous flatteries of all wicked Sycophants of the world For they are so lauish in extolling the meanes that they reserue nothing as proper and entire to the Lord. Such was that blasphemous and execrable flatterie of the people who gaue proud Herod diuine glorie Act. 12.22 they crying out with vehement acclamation and shouting so soone as he had ended his oration The voyce of God and not of man Such also was the palpaple flatterie of Tertullus the Orator in his fawning speech to Felix against the Apostle Paul Act. 24. who in the name of the Iewes ascribeth all their peace wholly in al things with al thanks to his prouideÌ„ce For what in effect could he haue sâ—â—d more if he had had a hart to professe his and their thaâ—kfâ—lnesse to God himselfe There is great cause therefore why the faithfull seruants of God should abandon this kind of heathenish and sacrilegious gratulation both from their hearts and also from their tongues For that which is ascribed to man yea euen to Caesar the chiefe among men it is so onely to bee ascribed and yeelded that in wise as was sayd a little before God be defrauded of any part and parcell of his most iust and souereigne due Excessiue thanks to men is to be auoyded But not only heathen men haue foulely faulted this way but much rather the Church of Rome which boasteth it selfe to be the onely true Christian and Catholike Church in the world hath runne it selfe as it were ouer head and eares in this most grieuous and vnchristian sinne For if we compare the heathen and them together we shall easily find that these do exceede them in most pernicious and deadly blasphemy lifting vp and aduancing creatures aboue all measure not onely in ascribing to theÌ„ the voyce of God and a prouidence concerning all earthly thinges as Tertullus to Felix but euen a commanding power for the eternall peace saluation of the soules of men in the kingdome of heauen as is euident in that which they do attribute to the virgin Marie whom they haue made the Lady and Queene of heauen And further as touching their more common or inferiour benefactors here vpon earth they would make vs beleeue that by the merit of theâ—r beneficence and good desert toward their Church together with the propitiatorie helpe of their Priestes they shall not onely escape Purgatory but go straight on to the kingdom of heauen and draw others also by the surplussage of their works together with them Yea further they neuer leaue solemnizing of their praises with an inferiour kiâ—d of religious worship at the least to the end they may the rather allure and bewitch many other to doe the like or rather if it could be more plentifullie after the manner of cunning beggers who at on dore commend the almes which they had at an other to drawe on their good dames to inlarge their good will and charitie towards them But let vs leaue them to themselues all their superstitious and idolatrous CoÌ„mendams to the iudgmeÌ„t of God As touching our owne selues according as we are taught in the holy word of God let vs wisely discreely determine our thanks vnto â—eâ— as to the gratious instrumentes of God and not otherwise so that the chiefe glorie yea the onelie praise and glory maie be whollie reserued and entierlie ascribed to his most blessed maiesty in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ alone to whom with the Father and the holie Ghost one true and euerliuing most gratious and merifull God be all honour and gorie now and for euer Amen Hitherto of the difference of thankfulnesse to God and to men in respect of the nature and definition of thankfulnesse it selfe whereinto the euill effectes or fruites of excessiue thankes haue crept and as it were stollen in before we were ware of it It followeth now that we do further search out the difference from the good fruites which arise from well ordered thankfulnesse both vnto God and also vnto men First therefore the fruite of our thankfulnesse to God in experience of his most prouident and fatherly care ouer vs is so to acknowledge him to be our God and the souereigne fountaine of our whole welfare that we do wholly put our trust in him and depend vpon him as one not onely to be honoured in the meanes which it pleaseth him to vse for our benefite but also aboue all ordinary meanes and helps yea contrarie to all aduersarie and hurtfull meanes if need so require And for the same cause also that in all our needs we runne to him by faithfull prayer and supplication as to our neuer-failing refuge and accordingly to seeke to approue our selues euen from the secretes of our soules and consciences before him according to the direction of his owne most holy and perfect commandement we neuer satisfying our selues with that measure of thankes which we shall at any time for the present attaine vnto But the fruit of our thankfulnesse to men is not so but with the reuerent acknowledgment of them to be the gratious and honourable instruments of God in all that they exhibite and reach forth vnto vs we are onely to perfourme these duties following First that so long as they liue we do continue our harty prayers to God for them Benefactors are to be praied for Secondly that wee retaining a blessed memorie of them doe also vpon all meet occasions make honorable mention of them and of their beneficence so long as wee liue our selues Thirdly that we be willing and desirous to recompence them to our power either in whole or in part to them or theirs yea euen to exceed the benefite receiued if at anie time it shall please God to make vs able and to giue vs iust occasion thereunto Finally that for want of occasions or necessity on their parts that way that we hauing receiued beneficence from the hands of other do learne from their example to bee as beneficiall to others as we may Of these duties therefore let vs henceforth treate a little for our further instruction seeing these also are to be reckened among the duties which belong to the Christian receiuing of a Gift and is our matter in hand still depending to be be further inquired of And first concerning Prayer the debt and conscience of this dutie ariseth from hence that how rich souer they may be and abounding in all worldly wealth they do neuerthelesse stand in continuall neede of the dayly blessing of God the Factor whereof as it were faithfull and feruent or laborious prayer is and that by assignement and letters of mart from God himselfe But what shall we intreat of the Lord in our prayers and
what may be the merchandize that our prayers are to procure for our benefactors verily the best commodities aboue all other namely that it may please God to increase and multiply vpon them all spirituall graces and blessings in Christ Iesus that their soules especially may fare well so long as they liue here and for euer in the life to come For thus doth the Apostle Iohn teach vs by his owne practise and example who left in holy record what prayer he made for Gaius a very beneficiall and friendly Host to all the Christians that resorted to him for succour in his time Behold saith Saint Iohn in his third Epistle I wish chiefly that thou mayest prosper and farewell as thy soule prospereth The Apostle Iohn prayeth for Gaius that he might still more and more prosper in all grace and godlinesse according to his happy beginnings and proceedings also euen to the time that he wrote vnto him Likewise Saint Paul Philip. ch 4.17 prayeth for the Christians of that Church who had bene beneficialll vnto him that their gift bestowed vpon him might further their reckening with the Lord. And 2. Tim. 1.16.17.18 he prayeth in like maner for his very good beneficial friend Onesiphorus and for his Christian familie in the Church of God at Ephesus The Lord saith Paul in that chapter giue mercie vnto the house of Onesiphorus for he oft refreshed me c. The Lord graunt vnto him that he may find mercie with the Lord at that day And if we would haue a more familiar example I meane one of the more common sort of thankfull persons we may take Naomi in the booke of Ruth ch 2.20 who blesseth Boaz for his singular kindnesse to her poore daughter in law a stranger in Israel Blessed be he of the Lord saith Naomi for he ceaseth not to doe good to the liuing and to the dead Her meaning is to note his constancie in doing good as well now as in former times to those that he hath suruiued and namely as it may be thought to her owne husband her two sonnes before they went downe into Moab where they died So then in her praier to God she bewraieth her thankfull heart to Boaz both in respect of her selfe and daughter in law now and also in remembrance of his former goodnes to her husband and her owne children deceased Neither are such as be any way succoured and relieued to pray onely for Christian benefactors but also euen for heathen and vnbeleeuing men by whom they receiue benefite according as King Darius requireth it as a gratulatorie fruite of his royall beneficence and bounty to the people of God that they would pray for the Kings life and for his sons Ezra 6.10 Yea the Iewes while they were in Babylon though they had small fauor shewed them yet because there they were suffered to liue the Lord cōmandeth them to pray for the peace of the land because in the peace thereof they themselues were to haue their peace Ier. 29.7 Much rather then ought we to pray for Christian Princes who are more tender foster-fathers nursing mothers to the Church of Christ for al other faithful Christians who do with more sanctified harts more deare loue cōmunicate their good things to their brethren And in this respect it may be accounted a very cōmendable indeuour of those Iewes of whō we read Luk. 7.4.5 in that they furthered as much as they could the suit which the Centurion of Capernaum made to our S. Christ cōcerning his sick son rhey testifying alleaging that he was a friend to their nation had built a Synagogue for the worship of God amongst thē Finally in somuch as they which giue or be the distributers of the holy beneficēce of others ought to pray that the same may be well accepted so blessed of God that it may incourage his seruants to cleaue constantly vnto him without any discouragement or fainting in their affliction or wants in so much as thereby they may perceiue that the Lord hath a tēder watch ouer their necessities for so doth the Apostle Paul pray himself yea and desireth the prayers of the Christian Romanes also that his seruice in this behalfe might be well accepted among the Christians at Ierusalem Rom. chap. 15.31 Much more therfore ought they that receiue the benefit pray for those by whom they are benefited that it would please God to giue them much ioy comfort with manifold recompence for their Christian contribution And thus prayer to God for Benefactors is the first principall fruit and duty of Christian and bounden thankfulnesse vnto them A second fruit as was sayd is that we retaining a thankfull memoriall of their beneficence do vpon all meet occasion make honourable mention of them For seeing the Lord saith Benefactors are to be well reported of that the memoriall of the iust shall be blessed Prou. 10.7 By whom shall this be perfourmed rather then by such as haue most plentifully tasted of the fruite and benefit of their righteousnesse And seeing God himselfe hath gone before vs in solemnizing the memoriall of manie iust and mercifull men in his holy Scriptures as we may remember from the former catalogue of them and so hath made the memoriall of them blessed according to that which our Sauiour Christ saith of that good woman who poured her costy ointement vpon him that wheresoeuer his Gospel should be preached throughout all the world there also should this be spoken of for a memoriall of her Matth. 26.13 We may iustly from hence informe our selues of our duty herein And the rather because in the remembrance of the beneficence of our good patrons and friends wee may the better put our selues in mind both of Gods bounteous goodnesse to vs also of our most bounden thankefulnesse to him for the same Finally this thankefull memoriall may be a meanes of stirring vp others to the practise of the same vertue which they shal perceiue to be so acceptable both to God and also to all good men Let this suffice for a Memorandum of this second fruite of thankefulnesse The third fruite is that though we be not able yet that we haue a willing setled purpose to make recompence yea and to performe it indeede with aduantage if at any time the neede of our benefactors or the neede of any of theirs shall so require and God make vs able so to doe He that hath friends saith the holy Prouerb ch 18.24 ought to shew himselfe friendly for a friend is nearer then a brother In the 21. ch of Gen. ver 22.23 c. Abraham iudgeth the request of the King of Gerar equall in this respect in that he saith God is with thee in al that thou doest Now therfore sweare vnto me here by God saith Abimelech and Phicol his chiefe captaine that thou wilt not hurt me nor my children nor my childrens children thou shalt deale with me and with the countrie where thou hast