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A32785
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A consolatory discourse for the support of distressed widows and orphans of general use to all Christians who either are or may be left in such circumstances.
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Camfield, Benjamin, 1638-1693.
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1690
(1690)
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Wing C378; ESTC R35835
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24,183
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35
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principal grievance of good and religious Persons when reduced to a low Estate is usually this that they have not wherewith to doe the works of Charity which formerly they did or others doe Whereas from hence they may gather how graciously God will accept and reward the meanest of their offerings and take the Will for the Deed from them According to the condition and circumstances he hath brought them to 3. That he recommended such Guests especially to the Feasts of Charity I touched on this occasionally before but here I will transcribe the Text for it St. Luke 14.12 13 14. When thou makest a Dinner or Supper saith he call not thy Friends nor thy Brethren neither thy Kinsmen nor thy rich Nighbours lest they also bid thee again and a recompense be made thee This is only a Traffick or Merchandise and Exchange of Courtesies and Civilities But when thou makest a Feast call the Poor the Maimed the Lame and the Blind and thou shalt be Blessed for they cannot recompense thee for thou shalt be recompensed at the Resurrection of the Just This is the genuine Hospitality which makes God himself a Debtor to his Creatures and for which he undertakes that it shall not lose it's reward 4. That he took all opportunities to inculcate and enlarge upon the precepts of Charity 1. When some had Indignation at the good Woman's cost who annointed him upon a pretence that the ointment might have been sold for much and given to the poor he so vindicates her kindness as to allow also of that Charity which they pretended to Jesus said why trouble you the Woman she hath wrought a good work on me For you have the Poor with you always and whensoever ye will ye may doe them good but me ye have not always c. compare St. Matth. 26.10 11. with St. Mark 14.6 7. Where he seems to refer to what was said in the Law Deut. 15.11 The Poor shall never cease out of the Land therefore I command thee saying thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy Brother to thy Poor and to thy needy in the Land And in another place Give to him that asketh saith he and from him that would borrow of thee turn thou not away St. Matth. 5.42 Which was also the prescription of the Law Deut. 15.8 2. He often cites and approves of the great Commandment Thou shalt love thy Nighbour as thy self and he tells a particular story or parable to shew them that every one in necessity and not a Jew only was to be looked upon as our Nighbour and having therein mention'd a compassionate and merciful Samaritan bids all to imitate him Go saith he and doe thou likewise Saint Luke 10.30 c. 3. He gives an admirable Paraphrase upon this Command and such as would be a perpetual relief to the Widow and Fatherless particularly in that golden Rule of his St. Matth. 7.12 All things whatsoever ye would that men should doe unto you doe you even so to them for this saith he is the Law and the Prophets 4. He commends secret Alms with the assurance that our Father who sees in secret shall reward them openly St. Matth. 6.4 And elsewhere he asserts that whosoever giveth to any one of his Disciples a Cup of cold water only in the name of a Disciple shall in no wise lose his Reward St. Matth. 10.42 That is he that doth the least kindness on that score to them shall be sure of a Retribution for it 5. In other places he calls upon them that are rich and able to lay up their Treasures in Heaven where neither moth nor rust corrupt nor Thieves break through and steal St. Matth. 6.20 c. as St. Luke hath it To provide themselves bags which wax not old a Treasure in the Heavens that faileth not St. Luke 12.33 And as prudent Stewards of their aboundance to make themselves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness which is truly so when with-held from Charitable uses that when they fail they may receive them into everlasting habitations St. Luke 16.9 6. And which is most of all considerable he acquaints us that in the last day when he shall come to judge the World and doom all men to their eternal and unalterable estate of Happiness or Misery he will proceed especially by their omission or practice of the Laws of Charity and interpret the doing or not doing of it to the least and most despised Christian as done or not done to himself St. Matth. 25. 7. Once more yet observe that while he was hanging upon the Cross and amidst his Torments there he was nevertheless mindfull of a comfortable Provision for his desolate Mother after his departure St. John 19.26 27. When Jesus saw his Mother and the Disciple whom he loved standing by he said unto his Mother Woman behold thy Son And to that Disciple behold thy Mother And from that hour saith the Evangelist that Disciple took her to his own Home And now in the next place for the Apostles of our Blessed Saviour it shall suffice to note that they appointed a daily Ministration for poor Widows and when the number of them increased ordained an order of men by the name of Deacons particularly to attend on that work Acts 6. And St. Paul hath left especial Rules concerning them 1 Tim. 5. As for them who had Children verse 4. or Nephews able to doe for them He requires that they learn first to shew Piety or Kindness at home and requite their Parents for that saith he is good and acceptable before God verse 3. But as for them who were Widows indeed That they should have an Honourable maintainance out of the publick stock After which I shall not mention those many Hospitals and Alms-houses and Funds of Charity which God hath excited several worthy Benefactors to erect and contribute to upon this account throughout the Christian World And will only add that the Liturgy of the Church hath in all ages been mindfull of them and recommended them by name unto God Almighty as we still retain it in our excellent Litany That it may please thee to defend and provide for the Fatherless Children and Widows and all that are desolate and oppressed We beseech thee to hear us Good Lord Now therefore so long as there is a God who with a Paternal Providence presides over and governs the World who is a very present help in Trouble Isa 25.4 and as the Prophet Isaiah speaks a strength to the poor a strength to the needy in his distress a refuge from the storm and a shadow from the heat a Father to the Fatherless as hath been shewed and an Husband to the Widow And so long as there are men of compassions or men truly and sincerely religious left a Church of God and genuine Christian upon Earth the Widows and Fatherless may rest secure of it that they shall not be utterly forsaken or destitute They have an Heavenly Father and
may abide with you for ever Verse 18. I will not leave you comfortless or Orphans as the margin reads it I will come to you If a man love me Verse 23. he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him How can they be solitary whom each of the three Persons engage thus graciously to visit and dwell with Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you Let not your heardbe troubled neither let it be affraid These things have I spoken to you that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full If the world hate you ye know that it hated me before it hated you Remember the word that I said unto you The Servant is not greater than the Lord. Ye shall be sorrowfull but your sorrow shall be turned into Joy And your joy no man taketh away from you These things I have spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace in the World ye shall have tribulation but be of good chear I have overcome the World After all which he betakes himself to Prayer Chap. 17. To teach us what we should doe also And unto this now Saint Paul directs us as the most effectuall cure of all our griefs and troubles Philip. 4 6 7. Be carefull for nothing but in every thing by Prayer and Supplication let your requests be made known to God And the Peace of God which passeth all our understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus To which I will only subjoyn St. Peter's Counsel 1. Eph. 5 6 7. Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God that may exalt you in due time casting all your care upon him for he careth for you To whom now be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen The Distressed Widows Prayer MOST Gracious God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth is named who knowest what things we stand in need of before we ask and art able to doe exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think and hast promised to hear the Prayers of thy Children and Servants in their distresses Upon this encouragement I do now prostrate my self before the Throne of thy Grace that I may obtain Mercy and find Grace for my seasonable help in this time of need I humble my Soul with all the submission I can under the sense of thy mighty Hand which hath reduced me to this afflicted condition Thou Lord hast given and thou hast taken away for ever Blessed be thy Name Good and Righteous art thou in all thy disposals and hast a Sovereign unquestionable Power to doe with thine own Creatures as it pleaseth thee Not what I would but what thou wilt not as I would but as thou wilt Not my sinfull and foolish Will but thy All-wise and Holy Will be done Yea I will bear thy indignation O Lord because I have sinned against thee It is of thy Mercies that I am not consumed Wherefore should the living complain and that for the punishment of their Sins who are always punished less than their iniquities deserve Sanctifie I beseech thee all the dealings of thy Providence towards me that it may be good for me in the Issue to have been afflicted and however grievous my loss and sufferings are unto me for the present they may bring forth the peaceable fruits of Righteousness when I shall have during thy pleasure been exercised with them In the mean while I pray thee support and strengthen me by thy Holy Spirit with all might in the inward man unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness Raise me up a supply of Friends to pity and compassionate my forlorn and destitute estate and do thou reward all their kindnesses Provide for me and mine as it shall seem best unto thee the Food which is convenient for us our daily Bread and give us Contentment with and Thankfulness for thy Allowances whatsoever they are Lord I believe help thou my unbelief and increase my Faith in thy All-sufficiency who art every where with me a Refuge unto which I may always resort a strong Tower into which I may run to be safe Protect and defend me from all evil Temptations and grant that I may doe nothing at any time to offend or displease Thee or forseit that Blessed Privilege which thou givest me in thy Holy Word of applying to and resting on thee in my present circumstances under that most comfortable Title of the Patron of Widows and Father of the Fatherless Make me a follower of Holy and Godly Matrons and those Widows indeed whom thou puttest Honour upon who trust in thee and serve thee continuing in Prayers and Supplications night and day Hear the voice of my Sighs and Tears Let my cry come unto thee O Thou that hearest Prayer and art a present help in the day of trouble and deal with thine Handmaid according to the multitude of thy tender mercies for the merit sake of thy dearly Beloved Son Jesus Christ the Righteous the Propitiation for our Sins and our Advocate at thy right Hand To whom with thee O Blessed Father and thy Holy Spirit of Grace and Comfort be all Honour and Glory World without end Amen Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God For I shall yet praise him who is the health of my contenance and my God O God my Soul is cast down within me therefore will I remember thee I will say unto God my Rock why hast thou forgotten me c. Why art thou cast down O my Soul And why art thou disquieted within me c. Psal 42.5 6 9 11. 43.5 FINIS