Churches of Christ is to be disposed I will only set downe in this place that which an excellent learned man hath written concerning this matter he shewing therein the remedy against vagabond and roguish beggers who ought not to be suffered among Christians Like as our godly Magistrates haue wisely discerned and of late worthily prouided for the more through and full suppressing of them P. Martyr Loc. Com. Clas 2. loco 12. in praecept 8. Sect. 7. then euer heretofore blessed be the name of God therin There ought to be saith that learned man in euery Church certaine choise men who should haue the names of all the poore set downe in writing the which should cary a diligent eye to marke both the greatnesse of the pouerty wherewith any are distressed and also what worke they were able to doe and accordingly to distribute the almes giuing no maintenance to make any growe idle and withdrawing their almes from such as are vnwilling to labour To the which end also order ought to be taken that there might be in seuerall Churches a publike treasurie wherein publike contributions should be layd vp and that euery man as he is able should not only offer something euery time of the holy assembly but that three or foure times of the yeare they should prepare some more worthy gift and concerning the Gouernours of the treasurie that it should be their dutie not onely to distribute the same but also to giue the Church an account both what they haue receiued and what they haue layd out Neither is there anie reason why any should pretend that they will distribute their own goods as they themselues should thinke good in so much as it is hard for any to knowe all and the true state of things is more easily found out by men which are purposely appointed thereunto and beside it is rather to be wished that all things may be done in an orderly course then no man can tell how This is the discreete iudgement and godly aduise of that great learned man And verily howsoeuer the publike ordinance of God doth not take away and suppresse the particular disposing of mens priuate beneuolence as they shal see good vpon their owne godly priuate considerations yet it must needs be a great ease vnto euery one touching persons vnknowne to them in that they may with good coÌ„science leaue them to those who haue the charge of the publike distribution Now as touching that which remaineth concerning that wisedome and discretion which is to be vsed in distribution of beneficence we shall haue occasion to speake of it anone The last of the three former points is henceforth to be considered of vs to wit that it is euery Christians dutie according to his abilitie Euery man of any ability is bound to giue and that also with pitie and compassion ouer the needy to vâ—e his discretion in dedicating a portion of that which he getteth by his honest and iust labour or which he may spare of any his reuenues either more or lesse to the practise of beneficence and that euen as in the sight of God who by his souereigne authoritie requireth it at euery mans hands There is a very vsual common need of mercy therefore the commandement is giuen in generall to all and particularly to euery one And when mercie and goodnes hath place in all Christian vertue it hath as it were the chaire of estate in beneficence liberality and for the same cause is assigned of God to bee a certaine moderator and as it were the chiefe in commission with iustice He hath shewed thee ô man saith the Prophet Micah what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee Surely to do iustice to loue mercy ch 6.8 Zach. 7.9 Thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts saying Execute ye true iudgement shew mercy compassion euery man to his brother c. and Psal 37.21 The righteous is merciful and giueth Now that all are to make practise of this grace reade 1. Cor. 16.1 c. Concerning the gathering for the saints as I haue ordained in the Churches of Galatia so day also euery first day of the weeke that is on euery Lords day the Christian Sabbath let euery one of ye saith the Apostle put aside by himself and lay vp a God hath prospered him that then there be no gatherings when I come That is that so there be no neede to spend anie further time for that special collection And wheÌ„ I am come as the holy Apostle addeth whosoeuer ye shall allow by letters them will I send to bring your liberality to Ierusalem And if it be meete that I go also they shall go with me And 2. Cor. 9.7 As euery man wisheth in his heart And 1. Iohn 3.17 Whosoeuer hath this worlds good and seeth his brother to haue neede and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him And Ephes chap. 4.28 Let him that stole steale no more but let him rather labour and worke with his hands the thing which is good that he may haue to giue vnto him that needeth And when the people comming to Iohns baptisme asked of him Euery man is bound to giue and that also with pitie and compassion what they should do for declaration of their repentance he answered them and sayd He that hath two coates let him part with him that hath none and he that hath meate let him do likewise Luke chap. 3.11 Thus then it is plaine that all stand bound to giue And not onely so but that which is more we are further to vnderstand that euery one standeth bound according to his ability and according to all iust occasions offered of God to doe good that is mercifully to succour and relieue all and euery one which standeth in need of our helpe as the parable of our Sauiour Christ set downe in the tenth chapter of Luke to shew who is a mans neighbour doth euidently declare from the example of that mercifull Samaritan in his succouring of the distressed Iew. According also to that speech which the Lord vseth by his Prophete Isaiah chap. 58.7 Hide not thy selfe from thine owne flesh For though there were no more but this bond that one man is of the same flesh or kind with another the Lord giueth to vnderstand that it ought of it selfe to be counted sufficient reason to prouoke any man to deale mercifully with euery one that is of the nature of man And herein ought euerie one to settle his mind to continue vnwearible seeing God himselfe hath so appointed that the occasions and necessities of exercising mercie will bee continuall according to that we read Deut. 15.11 and more expesly Matt. 26.11 where our Sauiour Christ saith Ye shall haue the poore alwayes with you according also to the holy Prouerb ch 22.2 The rich and the poore meete together the Lord is the maker of them all And wherefore is he so No
the maintenance of the Ministers of the Gospell euen as they will answere the matter before God who will not be dallied with therein as we haue seene before he doth therewithall assure all such as shal deale Christianly herein that they shall reape a plentifull fruit from the same Whatsoeuer a man soweth saith the Apostle that shall he also reape For he that soweth to the flesh shall of the the flesh reap corruption that is he that mindeth earthly things without regard of Gods kingdome and religion and his owne saluation he shall perish with them but he that soweth to the Spirit that is he which doth liberally contribute to the maintenance and aduancement of the ministerie of the Gospell shall of the Spirit reape life euerlasting Let vs not therefore as the holie Apostle exhorteth bee vvearie of vvell-doing for in due season we shall reape if vvee faint not Answerable hereunto is that charge which the same Apostle giueth vnto Timotheus and so to all faithfull Ministers of the Gospell in the last chapter of that his first Epistle Charge those that bee rich in this world saith he that they be not high minded and that they trust not in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God who giueth vs aboundantly all things to enioy That they doe good and bee rich in good vvorkes and readie to distribute and communicate Laying vp in store for themselues a good foundation against the time to come that they may obtaine eternall life Reade also in the first chapter of the Prophete Haggai verse 8. Goe vp to the mountaine and bring wood and build this house and I will be fauourable in it and I will be glorified saith the Lord. And againe chap. 2. verses 19.20 Consider I pray you in your mindes from this day and afore from the foure and twentith day of the ninth moneth euen from the day that the foundation of the Lords temple was layd consider it in your mindes Is the seede yet in the barne As yet the vine and the figge tree and the pomegranet and oliue tree hath not brought forth from this day will I blesse you Likewise in the second chapter of the prophesie of Malachie verses 10.11.12 Bring ye all the tithes into the store-house that there may be meate in my house and proue me now herewith saith the Lord of Hostes if I will not open the windowes of heauen vnto you and poure ye out a blessing without measure And I will rebuke the deuourer for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruite of your ground neither shall your vine be barren in the field saith the Lord of Hostes And all nations shall call you blessed for ye shall be a pleasant land saith the Lord of Hosts And I pray ye let vs marke how when the Lord Ier. 32. from the 17. verse and throughout the whole 33. chapter and likewise Ezek. chap. 36.25.26 c. speaketh of restoring his people Israel from their captiuitie to their owne land that they might inioy the fruitfull blessings thereof as in former times he maketh the renewing of their hearts to his feare and worship the forerunner of the same and this blessing to be a consequent of that according to the ancient promise of blessing to those that should truly worship God Leuit. 26.3 c. and Deut. 28.1.2 c. to the 15. verse But this promise of blessing was not made onely to the people of God vnder the law vpon condition they would performe faithfull seruice and worship to God but it belongeth to all nations and people whosoeuer being at any time called to the true knowledge of God shall yeeld theÌ„selues in the faith of Christ true worshippers of him as we are sweetly taught and assured in the 67. Psalme For this being the praier which the holy Ghost teacheth the church to pray in that Psalme That all nations might knowe God and ioyfully praise and worship him the conclusion followeth with this most gratious and bounteous promise of God Then shall the earth bring forth her increase and God euen our God shall blesse vs. God shall blesse vs and all the ends of the earth shall feare him This is that which our Sauiour Christ saith Matth. 6.33 Seeke ye first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall be cast vnto you to wit as an ouerplus or income to make vp more then measure or tale as a matter of small reckening in so great an account c. It is the same also which the faithfiull Apostle of our Sauiour Christ affirmeth 1. Timoth. 4.8 Godlinesse hath the promise of the life present and of that which is to come For no man can truly and hartily seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and so be a right godly man indeed but the same must and will be to his power a willing maintainer and furtherer of the true worship of God and of his faithfull seruants the publike ministers thereof Thus much for the promise of blessing The examples doe now followe concerning the same blessing of God vpon such as haue had such a zealous care of furthering his worship as hath bene spoken of The examples which we mind to bring forth they are partly of such persons as shewe that they had a perswasion in their hearts by faith that God would in mercie recompence their seruice this way done to him and his Church partly they are such vpon whom the blessing of God actually poured downe vpon them is more expresly testified and recorded in the holy word of God Of the faith of the former sort we may take Dauid in his prayer of faith for a worthy example Psalm 86.2 Preserue my soule for I am mercifull saue thou thy seruant that trusteth in thee Be mercifull vnto me ô Lord c. Likewise godly Nehemia that zealous furtherer of Gods true worship and religioÌ„ is another most worthy example as we may porceiue by his most humble faithfull prayer chap. 13. vers 14. in these words Rememember me ô my God herein and wype not out my kindnesse that I haue shewed on the house of my God and on the offices thereof And againe in the same chapter verse 22. after that he had reformed the abuse and prophanation of the Lords Sabbath Remâ—mber me ô my God concerning this saith he and pardon me according to thy great mercy The honorable good man praieth as we see for Gods blessing as one hauing a liuely faith in his promise but he as well as Dauid shew by their prayers that they are farre rmoued from the pride of the Iusticiarie who presumeth vpon his merit and so maketh himselfe in his best workes abominable in the sight of God In like manner with Dauid and Nehemiah had king Hezekiah a comfortable perswasion that God wold shew him mercy because he had shewed kindnesse to the house of God and to his seruants the ministers therof Yea it was as a sweet refuge and sanctuarie to
haue done wickedly in their workes No maruell therefore though the conscience of Iosephs brethren charged them so deepely for exercising crueltie against their naturall brother at such times as they thought themfelues in great danger when Ioseph their brother not knowne of them spake roughly to them in Egipt charging them to be spies c. For in remembrance of that their crueltie euen nowe manie yeares after it was committed They say one of them to another as we reade Gen. 42.21 We haue verily sinned against our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soule when he besought vs and we would not heare him therefore is this trouble come vpō vs. And moreouer Ruben said Lo his bloud is now required And verily it cannot be denied but that it was Gods exceeding great mercie that his heauy vengeance had not long before that not only terrified them but euen fallen vpon them and destroyed them as it did the posteritie of Esau for the like sinne as we reade in the Prophesie of Obadiah But not onely doth the Lord punish crueltie by the withdrawing of his assistance and mercie but also the neglect of shewing mercie and of staying the bloudy course of other mens crueltie according to that good occasion and lawfull power which God hath put into the hand of any of his seruants according to that in 24. chap. of the Prouerbes verses 10. 11. 12. If thou be faint or deale remissely saith the Lord by king Salomon that is if thou in helping and succouring others dealest so as if thou caredst not greatly whether the distressed should haue any helpe from thee or no in the day of aduersity thy strength shall be small Whereupon in the next words the Spirit of God doth mightily stirre vp and exhort euerie one to a more serious indeuour and that with a mind earnestly bent to succour indeed Deliuer them saith the Spirite of God that are drawne to death and wilt thou not preserue them that are led to be slaine hee meaneth such as are oppressed with open violence and iniustice If thou say behold we knew not of it and so go about to excuse thy selfe he that pondereth the hearts saith the wise king doth not he vndestand it and he that keepeth thy soule doth not he know it will not he also recompence euery man according to his workes c. As though he should say Let no man deceiue himselfe this matter is so weightie that if thou deale loosely for the oppressed the Lord will deale earnestly against thee if thou lettest him perish when thou mightest haue preserued him In this respect therefore are the people of Israell commended as we read 1. Sam. 14.45 because they reskued and deliuered Ionathan against the rash oth and decree of Saule Shall Ionathan die say they who hath so mightily deliuered Israel God forbid As the Lord liueth there shal not one hair of his head fal to the groūd for he hath wrought with God So the people deliuered Ionathan that he died not Fourthly the Lord doth not seldome shorten the dayes of couetous vnmercifull and cruell men and so taketh thē from their riches which they held as it were by vniust imprisonment yea in close prison so long as they liued or if they continue long in their abusiue possession of their wealth it turneth to their greater punishment and plague in the end But for the most part God shorteneth the dayes of those which make hast till they come to a certaine ripenesse of this sinne as Psalm 55.23 Bloudy and deceitfull men shall not liue half their dayes And Psal 140.11.12 Backbiters shall not be established vpon earth euill shall hunt the cruell man to destruction I know saith the holy Psalmist that the Lord will auenge the afflicted and iudge the poore Neither is the holy Prouerbe set downe in vaine that the curse of the people shall fall vpon him that withdraweth corne ch 11.26 He that hideth his eyes to wit from the poore shall haue many curses For God himselfe saith that he will take knowledge of those curses which are thus violently extorted and that he will punish those who giue the occasion of them according to that which we read Exod. 22. verses 22.23.24 Ye shall not trouble any widdowe nor fatherlesse childe If thou vexe or trouble such saith the Lord and so he call and crie vnto me I will surely heare his crie Then shall my wrath be kindled and I wil kill you with the sword and your wiues shall be widdowes your children fatherlesse And ô how heauie and fearefull an imprecation is that which the holy Ghost himselfe though he be most gratious and mercifull hath iustly indited against such to declare most manifestly that there is no mercie with God for them yea and that they make their posteritie also liable to the same curse as we read Psalme 109.6 c. where the holy Prophet guided by the holy Ghost prayeth against them in this maner Set thou the wicked ouer him c. Let his dayes be few and let another take his charge Let his children be fatherlesse and his wife a widdowe Let his children be vagabonds and beg and let them seeke bread or their beggers allowance comming out of their places destroyed Let the extortioner catch all that he hath and let strangers spoyle his labour Let there be none to extend mercy vnto him neither let there be any to shew mercie on his fatherlesse children Let his posterity be destroyed and in the generation following let their name be put out c. But why is all this It followeth Because he remembred not to shew mercy but persecuted the afflicted poore man and the sorrowfull hearted to slay him And because he wished the curse to come vnto him that is to the poore and afflicted c. Let it therefore be vnto himselfe as a garment to clothe him and for a girdle wherewith he shall alwayes girde himselfe c. There is more in the Psalme tending this way not of any bitter or vncharitable affection but as a pure interpretation of the iustice of God against this sin But vnderstand it only to be penned against such as are obstinately hardened and setled in it as it were in the highest degree they malicing the poore seruants of God euen the rather because they are his seruants But if any doe thinke the imprecation ouer harsh which none can doe without greate sinne against God let such rather learne from the horrour of the curse so to consider the haynousnesse of the sinne that they may bee as carefull to auoyd it both for their owne sake and also for the sake of their posteritie as they would be loth to sustaine the punishment The like imprecation to the former doth Nehemiah that good mercifull and bounteous noble man guided by the same holy spirit of God vse in zeale against the like obstinacie of the same sinne of vnmercifulnesse Nehe. 5.13 where he thus speaketh I shooke my
vnto God rather then by beeing ouercheargable on the one hand or by withholding beneficence on the other hand if we be able to giue to discourage and scatter the flock to the decaie of the publike profession of the religion and worship of God and to the hazard of manie soules that might stumble and fall hereby Moreouer as it is said of the borrower so may we say of him that hunteth after gifts that he is a seruant yea seruily minded toward him that giueth Such a one is not his owne man as we may say much lesse is he fit to be a free seruant of the Lord. He is in the high way to grow quickly a flatterer a man pleaser to proue an hypocrit rather then a sincere true professor But let vs returne to the excellent example of the Apostle Paule who in that he writeth to the Philip. chap. 4.10 c. is likewise a notable presideÌ„t vnto vs how we ought to keepe our mindes sober and free against the inordinate and couetous desire of gifts He reioyced indeed and singularlie commended the Christians of Philippi in so much as they had a singular care in communicating with him as he there writeth in the matter of giuing and Receiuing neuertheles he reioiced not so much for the supplie of his owne wantes as to enioy the precious fruit of their faith and loue and to thinke of that most excellent fruit which was redounding to them from the Lord againe For saith he as touching himselfe I haue learned in what estate soeuer I am to be therewith content I can be abased and I can abound euery where in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry and to abound and to haue want I am able to do all things through the help of hCrist who strengtheneth me Notwithstanding as he further addeth ye haue well done that ye did communicate to mine affliction c. Not that I desire a gift but I desire the fruit which may further your reckening c. And againe 1. Cor. 9.15 though he mightily presseth the equitie and moralitie of ordinary prouision and allowance for the Ministers of the Gospel at the charge of the people yet he professeth in regard of his extraordinarie calling of Apostleship because of certaine extraordinary occasions in respect of certaine false Apostles that he vsed none of those things neither wrote that it should be so done to him Thus then if we lay all these things together we may euidently perceiue both from the example of the Apostle Paule and of other the seruants of God as also from those weighty reasons wherewith he hath instructed vs how soberly the minds specially of ministers of the Gospel as was sayd ought to bee prepared and affected touched the receiuing of a gift According to that which is expresly required in euery one that is to be accounted meete to be a minister of the word that he be not desirous of filthy lucre Nor haue his affection set vpon siluer 1. Tim. 3.3 and Tit. 1.7 Read also Ier. 5.30.31 And verily if we do not looke diligently to our hearts that they besober yea verie warie and circumspect this waie both ministers of the word and also all other are not onlie in great danger to falt in the receiuing of the holy beneficence and liberalitie of the good seruantes of God which they giue to a right and euen to incourage vs to walke on chearfullie in the waies of the Lord but we shal be in danger to offend much more grieuoslie in accepting and entertaining the giftes of such at whose handes we ought not at all to receiue them either because they giue them with a profane and corrupt minde desirous therby to binde vs to vnlawfull gratifications or else for that other weightie circumstances may make it altogether in expedient to admit of anie gift from them As for example for want of this grace Gehazi tooke giftes of Naaman the Syrian notwithstanding his Master the Prophet Elisha had vpon verie holie and iust considerations refused the same As namely to the end he might the rather leaue him to consider the free grace and mercie of God in that greate cure which was so miraculouslie wrought vpon him And also that Elisha might thereby approue himselfe to the conscience of that noble Syrian that he was a true Prophet of God seeking the glorie of the true God of Israel and not one that was led by a couetous and earthlie affection For want of this grace as also because he loued and lingered after giftes which the Apostle Peter calleth the wages of vnrighteousnes Balaam that couetous Prophet was willing as a hireling to haue serued king Balaaks malitious desire that he should curse and practise his sâ—rcerie against the people of God had not the Lord himselfe against the will of Balaams false deceitfull heart restrained him and feared him from it For the want of this garce and likewise for the loue of the same vnrighteous wages Iudas first played the thiefe yea euen of that holie beneficence which was giuen to the most holie vse that might be to wit for the maintenance of our Sauior Christ in such seemlie maner as was meet for the son of God in the daies of his humiliation Iohn 12.6 shortly after he betrayed his maister the same our Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ which was the most hainous treason that euer was wrought For want of this grace the Magistrate is easily drawne to peruert iustice Exod. 28.21 and Deut. 16 19. Finally couetousnes and desire of money whether by gift from other or by selfe inordinate practise it is the roote of all euill as the Apostle Paule teacheth 1. Tim. 6.10 But on the contrarie the Apostle Peter according to that which we haue seene before in the Apostle Paul being armed with this spirituall sobriety hauing his mind set on heauenly things when he was tempted this way he was so far from accepting the gift which Simon the magitian one of like disposition to Balaam offered vnto him that he defied it Thy money perish with thee saith Peter because thou thinkest the gift of God may be obtained with mony Act. 8.20 Abraham also sheweth a right noble mind in freedome this way Gen. 14.22.23 For when the king of Sodom would haue giuen him much substance of that which hee had recouered out of the hands of those foure kings whom he pursued and ouercame he vtterly refused saying I haue lift vp mine hand vnto the Lord the most high God possessour of heauen earth That I will not take of all that is thine so much as a thred or shoo-latchet lest thou shouldest say I haue made Abraham rich The holy Patriarch had care that God might haue his glorie in the fulfilling of that promise of blessing which he had made vnto him without any helpe from the heathen among whom he liued Likewise the Prophete Daniel chap. 5.17 answereth king Belshazzar who promised
Sauiour Christ seeing her willing and ready mind this widdow hath cast in more then they all For they haue of their superfluitie cast into the offerings of God but she of her penurie hath cast in all the liuing she had Our Sauior giueth to vnderstand that she had no more then she offered till she should earne it with her fingers ends as we vse to speake Her example therfore is notable in that she wold rather want her selfe then to be altogether wanting in the holy contribution to the treasurie of the Lords Temple The like willingnesse and cheerfulnesse of mind did vtter it selfe more plentifully in outward fruits in that excellent woman Dorcas according to her more rich and able estate who vsed to clothe the poore with coates and garments which she made at her owne costes and charges to the relieuing of many Christians as we reade Act. 9.36 c. Lydia also was so earnest that she constrained Paul and his company to come to her house and to abide there Act. 16.15 The like chearfulnesse ought to be in the heart of euerie godly woman according to that notable description of a vertuous wife in the last chapter of the Prouerbes where it is written that She stretcheth out her hands to the poore yea both of her hands to the needy Hereunto let vs adde the example of that noble Obadiah for singular mercifulnesse in venturing his owne life in hiding and fostering a hundreth of the Lords Prophets to preserue them from the rage of Iezabel 1. King 18.3.4 Surely Obadiah would neuer haue put his life in so great hazard if he had not had a franke and free heart thereunto Abraham ran to giue his guests intertainment Gen. 18.2 But not to stay in particulars any longer let vs come to the generall commendation of the people of God in their holy coÌ„tribution toward the Tabernacle of the Lord Exo. 35.20 c. Euerie one saith the text whose heart incouraged him and euery one whose spirit made him willing came and brought an offering to the Lord for the worke of the Tabernaâ—le of the Congregation and for all the vses thereof and for the holy garments Both men and women as many as were free hearted c. they brought a free offering to the Lord gold sâ—lke precious stones c. The women brought their looking glasses made of some shining mettal chap. 38.8 Yea more then enough was offered by the congregation chap. 36.5.6 Reade also 2. Chron. 29.31.36 and chap. 35.8 where the willingnes of the Princes and whole congregation is commended both in king Hezekiah and also in king Iosiah his reigne And let this I pray you be well obserued that the Lord doth not for his part willingly accept of any offering or dutie which is not performed with a willing and cheareful heart as appeareth in the fifth verse of the 36. chap. of Exodus where he admitteth only the willing heart to offer vnto him This is the thing saith Moses which the Lord commandeth saying Take from among you an offring vnto the Lord. Whosoeuer is of a willing heart let him bring such or such an offering as is there expressed It is like to the proclamation which the Lord maketh Deut. 20.8 concerning the going forth of his people to fight his battailes Whosoeuer is afraid or faint-hearted saith the Lord let him go and returne to his house least his brethrens heart faint like his heart The Lord we see refuseth the faint-hearted souldier as no souldier for him And euen so he refuseth the vnchearfull Giuer conributor or offerer either toward his worship or toward the reliefe of the poore among his people as no meete offerers or contributors to him seeing they be such as haue not yet taken any courage to fight against that prophanenesse couetousnesse and distrust in Gods prouidence with many other sinnes which of necessitie must be ouercome by a spirituall encounter against them before the Lord can take pleasure either in the giuer and offerer or in the gift and offering which is tendered before him whereof we haue for euident examples Cain in the old world and Ananias with Sapphira his wife in the latter dayes of the Gospell Wherefore not without great cause doth king Dauid as was vpon occasion touched before giue most heartie and glorious praise vnto God for giuing himselfe and his people hearts to offer willingly for the building of the Lords Temple 1. Chron. 29.14 c. And let vs obserue it well that it is indeed a speciall grace from the bounteous hand and gratious Spirit of God and the same also a singular token of his loue when any can with willing hearts as wise disposers of the manifold grace of God chearfully distribute the good gifts of God which he hath made them stewards of For doubtlesse there is naturally in euery man so great selfe-loue and couetous desire to increase still in worldly riches wealth and so little zeale of Gods word or loue to his children that our harts may be compared to the bowe-net which easily taketh in the fish but hardly letteth any go out againe and our hands are as one wold say so glewish or bird-limed that they hold fast whatsoeuer commeth into them so all is fish which commeth to not Liberalitie therefore and franknesse of heart is a gift or grace of God A very neare yea an inseparable coÌ„panion to this godly franke and free-heartednesse whereof we haue hetherto spoken is a holy ioy and delight as well in giuing to the reliefe of men as in offering to the honor and glory of God So we read concerning the notable example of the Macedonians alleaged before that their ioy abounded in their willing and chearful contribution And so likewise we sawe in the example of king Dauid his people The people saith the text reioyced when they offered willingly to the Lord with a perfect heart And Dauid the king reioyced also with great ioy Ioy is a Companion with cheerfulnesse in giuing Read also Deut. 26.10.11.14 The thank-offering must not be celebrated in the morning or vnchearfully but with great ioy gladnes of heart As for grudging and vnbeteeming it hath no place nor fellowship in this businesse let it therfore be sent packing with Iudas who by reason of this euill affection in himselfe and because of his theeuish couetousnes could take no ioy no not in another bodies cost to wit when Mary the sister of Lazarus bestowed her costly ointment as a token of that honour and loue which shee bare to our Sauior Christ Ioh. 12.3 c. It ought long since to haue bin rotted mouldred away with the carkeise of that ancient and great churle drunken Nabal 1. Sam. 25.10.13 with whom also let vs leaue the grunting of the Gaderenes Mat. 8.34 and the inhospitall Samaritans Luk. 9.52.53 And let vs on the coÌ„trary as beseemeth al good seruants of God hearken to the preceptory exhortation of the holy Apostles Paul Peter Be
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
so manie as for the present God shall bring to hand And first that offereth it selfe which we do reade chapter 11. verse 17. He that is mercifull saith the Spirit of God by the wise king rewardeth his owne soule That is to say hee doth so gratious and acceptable a dutie before God when it is done in faith and obedience to God that God of his rich and free grace and mercie will surely reward it vnto him and in the same chapter verses 24.25.26 There is that scattereth and is more increased The liberall person shall haue plentie and he that watereth shall haue raine Hee that withdraweth corne the people will curse him but blessing shall be vpon the head of him that selleth corne That is of him that exerciseth mercie in his prising and selling of it labouring in hard times to mitigate and being downe that extreme price which vnmercifull men striue to bring it vnto For as touching deare sellers such of whom the common prouerb may be affirmed that The more they heape to wit to themselues the worse they cheape to others such cannot in truth be euer right good and liberall dealers They pull downe that with their left hand which they seeme to build with their right and so they frustrate their reward Whereupon also it followeth in the same chapter of the holy Prouerbes He that seeketh good things getteth fauour but he that seeketh euill it shall come vnto him And in the 19. chap. vers 17. thus we reade He that hath mercy vpon the poore lendeth vnto the Lord and the Lord will recompence him that which he hath giuen And who can wish or desire any more sufficient surety or better pay-maister then he Againe chap. 21. vers 21. He that followeth after righteousnesse and mercy that is he which is diligent in pursuing and taking hold of all good occasions to practise the duties of righteousnesse and mercie shall find life righteousnesse and glorie And againe chap. 22.9 He that hath a good eye that is to say a mercifull eye which will behold and therewithall tender the necessities of the poore shall be blessed for he giueth of his bread to the poore Likewise ch 28.27 He that giueth vnto the poore shall not lacke Thus much out of the holy Prouerbes In the booke of the Preacher ch 11.1 c. Cast thy bread vpon the waters saith the same most wise king a Prophet of God for after many dayes thou shalt find it Giue a portion to seuen and and also to eight c. In the which wordes king Salomon like as the Apostle Paul also hath done as we saw before compareth the actions of Christian liberalitie and benficence to a seed time after the which followeth in due season the increase of the haruest And in the same place he prosecuteth this similitude in verie excellent maner thereby to prouoke to the diligent speedie and constant following of this most husbandly plow For He that obserueth the wind saith king Salomon shal not sowe and he that regardeth the cloudes shall not reape that is he that will suffer himselfe to be hindered from doing good by casting of doubts through vnbeleefe or by any other stumbling blocke which the diuell shal cast in his way he shall misse the haruest because he hath lost the seed time To the preuenting of which so great a dammage king Salomon exhorteth as followeth In the morning sowe thy seed and in the euening let not thy hand rest for thou knowest not which shall prosper this or that or whether both shall be alike good In the 18. chap. of Ezek. vers 7.8.9 and againe verses 16.17 The Lord doth verie earnestly assure his people that whether a man be the father of a wicked sonne or the son of a wicked father such is the equitie of his gratious dealing that if he himselfe be not an oppressour but hath restored the pledge to his debtor hath spoiled none by violence but hath giuen his bread to the hungrie and hath couered the naked with a garment And hath not giuen forth vpon vsurie neither hath taken any increase but hath withdrawne his hand frō iniquitie and hath executed true iudgement betweene man and man And hath walked in my statutes and kept my iudgements to deale truly he is iust he shall surely liue saith the Lord God And yet moreouer and beside all the testimonies hetherto rehearsed we haue a notable place in the 58. chap. of Isaiah verses 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. The words are verie mightie to incourage and draw on euery good and faithful man both Iew Gentile to exercise the actions of goodnesse and mercy For after that the Lord hath by his holy Prophet rehearsed what he requireth to be done namely that euery heauie burthen be taken of that the oppressed be let go free and that euery yoke be broken That bread be dealt to the hungrie that the poore which wander he meaneth not voluntary beggers and wandering rogues but such as be inforced to leaue their place by some vrgent calamitie be brought to mens houses When a man seeth the naked to couer him and not to hide a mans self from his owne flesh After this rehearsall of the duties and that in more pressing maner then is here repeated then followeth the gratious promise of God in these words Then shall thy light breake forth a◠the morning and thy health shall growe speedily thy righteousnesse shall go before thee and the glorie of the Lord shall imbrace thee Then shalt thou call and the Lord will answer thou shalt cry and he will say Here am I if thou take away from the middest of thee that is out of thy heart the yoke or the tying wherwith the heauy burthen is as it were fastened to the backe the putting out of the finger and wicked speaking that is euery inhumanity and grieuance And then it followeth on the contrarie If thou poure out thy soule to the hungrie and refreshest the troubled soule then saith the Lord shall thy light spring out in the darkenesse and thy darkenesse shall be as the noone day and the Lord will guide thee continually and he will satisfie thy soule in drought and make fat thy bones and thou shalt be like a watered garden and like a spring of water whose waters faile not And they shall be of thee which shall build the old wast places thou shalt raise vp foundations form many generations and thou shalt be called the repairer of the breach and a restorer of the pathes to dwell in Now what man though of his owne disposition vnmercifull and illiberall as all of vs are if he shall dulie consider this manifold and bounteous promise of God and if he shall gather but one sparkle of faith to beleeue that God is faithfull and his word true can chuse but he must bee affected at the least after the manner of king Agrippa Act. chap. 26. vers 28. to confesse that almost it perswadeth him to become
these are to be ioyned together though sundry titles to note out as it were with the blacke coale one and the same kind of wicked men euen such as the holy Apostle maketh as it were the beginning and also the period of wicked ones Rom. 1.29.30 Being full of all vnrighteousnesse fornication wickednesse couetousnesse c. without naturall affection such as can neuer be appeased mercilesse And further also because the consideration of the displeasure and indignation of God against this kind of men may be both good for the comfort of those who make Christian and conscioble practise of mercie and liberality when as they shall see how great a sinne and therewithall how manifold fearfull a danger they haue by the grace of God escaped and also for that through the blessing of God it may be a profitable helpe The punishment of not giuing to Gods worship to withdrawe such as bee not already past recouery from the neglect of so blessed an exercise as the practise of goodnesse and mercie is Let vs therefore call to mind the sundry punishmentes which God in his holy Scriptures threateneth and which hee will surely inflict vpon all profane and illiberall couetous and mercilesse people whosoeuer will not repent thereof and take the contrarie course And first let vs consider how God hath punished the neglect of furthering his worship Whereunto well serueth that which we reade Hagg. chap. 1. verse 2. c. in these words Thus speaketh the Lord of Hostes saying This people say the time is not yet come that the Lords house should be builded Then came the word of the Lord by the ministerie of the Prophet Haggai saying Is it time for your selues to dwell in your sieled houses and this house he waste Now therefore thus saith the Lord of Hostes Consider your owne hearts Ye haue sowne much and bring in little ye eate but ye haue not enough yee drinke but ye are not filled you clothe your selues but ye be not warme and he that earneth wages putteth the wages into a broken bag Thus saith the Lord of Hostes Consider your owne wayes in your hearts Go ye vp to the mountaine and bring wood and build this house and I will be fauourable in it and I will be glorified in it saith the Lord. Ye looked for much but loe it came to little and vvhen yee brought it home I did blowe vpon it And why saith the Lord of Hostes Because of mine house that is waste and yee runne euerie man to his owne house Therefore the heauen ouer ye stayed it selfe from dewe and the earth stayed her fruite And I called for a drought vpon the land and vpon the mountaines and vpon the corne and vpon the wine and vpon the oyle euen vpon all that the ground bringeth forth both vpon men and vpon cattell and vpon all the labour of the hands And againe chap. 2. verse 16. c. And nowe I pray ye consider in your mindes from this day and before euen before a stone was layd vpon a stone in the Temple of the Lord Before these things were when one came to a heape of twentie measures there were but tenne when one came to the wine presse to drawe out fiftie measures out of the presse there were but twentie I smote ye with blasting and with mildewe and with haile in all the labours of your hands yet ye turned not to me saith the Lord. Worthy therefore in this respect is that admonition of the heathen king Artashasht to be well obserued and wel had it bene for the Iewes if they had attended to it who after that he had together with his princely and bountifull gifts for the furtherance of the worship of God giuen commaundement that whatsoeuer the God of heauen had commanded should be done speedily he alleageth the reason for it as we read Ezra 7.23 For why saith the king should God be wroth against the realme of the King and his children But the Lord by his Prophet Malachie dealeth yet more roundly seuerely according to the greater neglect yea contempt of his holy worship in the time that he prophesied Will a man spoyle his gods saith the Lord by his holy Prophete yet ye haue spoyled me but ye say wherein haue we spoyled thee In tithes and offerings Ye are cursed with a curse for ye haue spoyled me this whole nation And euen therefore as we may vnderstand by that which followeth The deuourer hath destroyed the fruit of their ground and their vine was barren in the field chap. 3.8.9.11 But what is this to vs Christians will some peraduenture say Verily the same in effect and substance which it was vnto the Iewes in so much as the Lord is as zealous for his worship to this day as euer he was in former times and the liuely stones also of that spirituall Temple whereof the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ is the chiefe corner stone they are euery way as greatly regarded of him yea rather much more preciously esteemed then were the dead and cold stones or whole building of the Temple of Ierusalem And therefore as well in regarde of his spirituall worshippe as of the poorest of those that do trulie worship him we are iustly to looke for the like if not greater plagues and punishments then the Iewes sustained if wee shall in like maner contemne and neglect the same And euen already no doubt because of our great errors and faylings either way it is come to passe that as in the dayes of king Dauid in Israel so in the reigne of our owne Queene God hath of late visited England though in great mercy with a dearth not onely of three yeares but almost of twise three together And must we not needs acknowledge it very equall that as we haue bene very vnfruitfull to God in his seruice and worship and exceeding slacke in the aduancement of it as also too scant and niggardly yea rather hard and heauie against our poore brethren lo many yeares together that therefore our fieldes and all other our indeuours and labours should be barren and vnfruitfull vnto vs Verily we may iustly acknowledge that it is the Lords mercie only that we haue not bene altogether consumed euen because his compassions faile not Lament 3.22 Thus we may perceiue as in a more generall view how God punisheth the profane and illiberall neglect of the furtherance and aduancement of his true religion and therewithall also the neglect of relieuing the poore of his people And there is no doubt but he will more seuerely punish this kind of people then with temporall punishments here in this world if they repent not For The wicked shall turne into hell and all nations that forget God Psalme 9.17 And Prou. 20.25 It is destruction for a man to deuour that which is sanctified and after the vowes to inquire To this purpose it is worthie to be obserued that howsoeuer the ceremony of the dedicatiō of euery mans
lap saith he to wit after that he had obteined of the richer sort who had dealt cruellie before that they promised thenceforth to deale mercifully toward their poore brethren and I said So let God shake out euery man that will not perfourme this promise from his house and from his labour that is that being thrust out of house and home he may also be vnprosperous in all his affaires euen thus saith Nehemiah let him be shaken out and emptied And all the Congregation said Amen and praised the Lord. Yea and the richer sort fearing the imprecation which was thus denounced in the name of God consented vnto of all they performe that which they had promised A blessed and sweete fruite of a heauie and bitter curse though vttered without all bitternesse in the most pure and temperate zeale of Gods holy Spirit as was obserued before And now further for our present purpose to shew that the iudgement of God watcheth ouer vnmercifull men for euill and not for good we haue ready at hand the example of Nabal that churle whom God cut off as an vnprofitable branch shortly after he had dealt so like himselfe that is like a profane and sottish miser against Dauid the good seruant of the Lord in that he not onelie denied to send him anie reliefe but also verie contemptuously reproched and reuiled him For about tenne daies after he had dealt thus the Lord smote Nabal that he dyed 1. Sam. 25.9 c. 38. wherefore when Dauid heard that Nabal was dead he sayd as one giuing glorie to God in his righteous iudgment Blessed be the Lord who hath iudged the cause of my rebuke of the hand of Nabal and hath kept his seruant from euil for the Lord hath recompenced the wickednes of Nabal vpon his owne head And in like manner Ier. 22.13 c. God doth by his Prophet threaten Shallum a wicked sonne of the good king Iosiah altogether degenerating from his fathers example and giuing himselfe to pleasure without all regard of relieuing the oppressed yea executing crueltie after the manner of wicked men Wo saith the Lord to him that buildeth his house by vnrighteousnes and his chambers without equitie hee vseth his neighbour without wages and giueth not him for his worke Hee saith I will build me a wide house with large chambers so he will make himselfe large windowes and sieling with Cedar and paint them with vermelion Shalt thou reigne saith the Lord to Shallum because thou closest thy selfe in Cedar c. No but as it followeth Thine eyes are onelie for thy couetousnesse and for to sheade innocent bloud and for oppression and for destruction euen to doo this Therefore thus saith the Lord against Iehoiakim the sonne of Iosiah king of Iudah who before was called by an other name Shallum They shall not lament him saying Alas my brother or Alas my sister neither shall they mourne for him saying Alas Lord or Alas for his glorie He shall be buried as an Asse is buried euen drawne and cast forth without the gates Ierusalem This iudgement fell vpon him in Babel The like dishonour euen for the like cause befell the King of Babel himselfe namelie Belshazzar Dan. ch 5. according to the prophesie of Isaiah against that whole cruell and bloudie monarchie ch 14. verses 3.4.5.6 In that day saith the Prophete to the faithfull among the Iewes when the Lord shall giue thee rest from thy sorrowe and from thy feare and from the sore bondage wherein thou diddest serue Then shalt thou take vp this Prouerbe against the king of Babel and say How hath the oppressour ceased and the gold-thirsty Babel rested The Lord hath broken the rod of the wicked c. And then verse 18. c. All the kings of the nations they all sleepe in glorie euery one in his owne house But thou art cast out of thy graue like an abominable branch like the rayment of those that are slaine and thrust through with a sword which go downe to the stones of the pit as a carkâ—sse troden vnder feete Thou shalt not be ioyned with them in the graue because thou hast destroyed thine owne land and slaine thy people the seede of the wicked shall not be renowmed for euer Prepare a slaughter for his children for the iniquitie of their fathers let them not rise nor possesse the land nor fill the face of the world with enemies c. And chap. 31.1 Wo to thee that spoyledst and wast not spoyled and doest wickeâ—ly but they did not wickedly against thee When thou shalt cease to spoyle thou shalt be spoyled when thou shâ—lt make an end to do wickedly they shall do wickedly against thee Whereunto also let vs ad prophesie of Habbakuk for another witnesse to the same purpose chap. 2. vers 6. c. Shall not all these saith the holy Prophet take vp a parable against him and a taunting prouerbe against him and say Ho he that increaseth that which is not his how long and he that ladeth himselfe with thicke clay or dirt for no better is ill gotten treasure then a troublesome burthen or as a myrie poole to fasten and ouerwhelme the couetous therein Shall they not rise vp sodainly that shall bite thee and awake that shall vexe thee and thou shalt be their pray or trampled on by them continually as it were clay in the streetes Because thou hast spoyled many nations all the remnant of the people shall spoyle thee because of mens bloud and for the wrong done in the land in the citie and vnto all that dwell therein Ho he that coueteth an euill couetousnesse to his house that he may set his nest on high to escape from the power of euill Thou hast consulted shame to thine owne house by destroying many people and thou hast sinned against thine own soule For the stone shall cry out of the wall and the beame or knurle of the timber shall answer it or giue witnesse to it Wo vnto him that buildeth a towne with bloud and erecteth a citie by iniquitie Behold is it not of the Lord of Hostes that the people that is such a wicked people shall labour for fire and that the nations should wearie themselues for meere vanitie Nowe according to the threatening contained in these Prophesies against the Kinges of Babel and their Monarchie the Lord hath made them that lifted themselues vp in the greatest height of pride and of couetous and mercilesse dealing the most euident spectacles to all the world of his glorious iudgement executed vpon them for the same For all this was confirmed in that ouerthrowe which God gaue them once for euer by the Medes and Persians whom hee raised vp and sent in battell against them So then let this kinde of mercilesse and cruell people be neuer so stronglie rooted let them bee growne vp neuer so high let them be maintained and vpheld neuer so stronglie euen with the power of a mightie monarchie yet shall neither they nor their
better to keepe a mans money in his purse then to cast it away he cannot tell how ANSWER What though some do counterfeit religion and play the hypocrites shall we neglect good dutie because it may be there is such or such a foule sinne in this or that man which we know not of And as touching hypocrisie which is one of the most secret and hidden sinnes among the rest it belongeth vnto God who alone knoweth the heart in his due time to discouer it But as for our selues none of vs must presume to iudge any before the time So long as as any behaue theÌ„selues outwardly as beseemeth Christians it well beseemeth vs also to hope the best of them and therefore also whatsoeuer we do for such in the name of faithfull and true Christians hoping that they are such whether they be ministers of the word doctrine of God or disciples and schollers in the schoole of Christ God wil accept of it according to our good charitable meaning therin if our owne hearts be vpright and not according to their dissimulation And furthermore our Sauiour Christ to helpe vs against this all other offences and stumbling blockes saith in the Gospell Blessed is he that is not offended in me that is to say he that will not fall away from Christ nor from any good dutie of Christianitie by any discouragement whatsoeuer Sathan shall throw in his way Thus farre for answer to the objâ—ctions concerning the pretended vnworthinesse of those which stand in need to be relieued The obiections whereby couetous men would excuse one charge by another are next OBIECTION 1. whereby couetous men would excuse one charge by another I find by the count-booke of my expences that a great part of my liuing goeth out to those ordinarie ciuill charges which I stand bound vnto by the law of the Prince and in troublesome times such as these are we are at many extraordinary expences May not these be reckened for my almes or at the least may I not in these respects ease my selfe by being something more sparing that other way ANSWER Shall the same euill of sinne which hath had a strong hand to pull vpon vs all the euils of punishment which we haue bene pressed withall be any fit way or meanes to remoue them away from vs thinke we If the beginning of vnmercifulnesse haue in a great parte brought in the charges of warres and the sharpnesse of dearth and scarcitie among vs shall the continuance and hardening of our harts therin against the corrections of God remoue them awaie It can not be And as touching ordinarie charges imposed by course of lawe in ciuill respects they are plentifullie recompenced by the benefit of lawe and by the gratious protection of the Prince whose lawe it is Nowe seeing these charges as is said are so imposed by ciuill authoritie that they cannot be auoided no not of him that is vnwilling to yeeld them there is herein no praise or practise of beneficence at all Onelie willing freehearted and mercifull dealing whether by or without prescript of humane lawe such as is yeelded for the Lordes cause hath praise in the church and is trulie commendable in the sight of God OBIECTION 2. Neither can I here forget that there is euer and anone much to doo about contributions toward the Church for the maintenance of the ministery for bread and wine for the Communion for reparations of the building and of the glasse windowes and that all things may be made decent and seemelie God is a Spirit and he will be worshipped in Spirit What needeth so much to doo about outward comelinesse and decencie And if I might speake what I thinke saith the profane couetous man why should Ministers take tithes in these daies which they say are the daies of the Gospel seeing the Leuiticall Priesthood and the ceremonies thereof haue bene abolished euer since the death and passion of Christ as they themselues affirme Did not the Apostle Paul also worke with his handes to get his owne liuing Why then should not our Ministers doo so to ease the charges of the people For my owne parte also I can take as much edifiing by a reading Minister who will be content to compound for a small stipend as I can by him that preacheth euerie Sabbath day And therfore I thinke the greater charges of mainteining a Preacher may well enough be spared ANSWER It cannot be doubtlesse that these things should be forgotten of those that haue no care to store their memorie with good and wholsome instructions For want whereof wicked and vngodly thoughts and deuises are very rife in the minds of couetous and profane men howsouer shame stoppeth their mouthes that they do not at all times vtter vent them But that we may vouchsafe theÌ„ an answer What though God be a Spirit and requireth no curious nor ouer chargeable outward pompe or superstitious decking to his spirituall seruice and worship Is this any good reason why all things should not be decently ordered and disposed Or rather is it not in all equitie so much the greater reason that all things ought to be disposed in so much the more comely reuerend maner because the Lord requireth no excessiue cost to be bestowed this way It can by no colour of reason be denied This therefore is a very vnreasonable and malignaÌ„t obiection And for the same cause also it is the lesse to be maruelled at though this kind of meÌ„ grudge at the Minister of the Gospell his allowance and maintenance when they cannot willingly afford God him selfe a comely place for the exercise of his diuine worship nor themselues a small quantitie of bread and wine a fewe times in the yeare for their speciall comfort and spirituall nourishment of their soules As touching tithes by ciuill authoritie alloted for the maintenance of the Ministers of the Gospel it is a mere cauil to preiudice them vnder the name of Leuitical ceremonies For there was tithing before there was any tribe of Leui yea before Leui the father of the Leuits was borne therfore also is it writteÌ„ of Leui Heb. 7.9.10 that while he was yet in the loines of his father AbrahaÌ„ he paid tithes in AbrahaÌ„ wheÌ„ Melchi-sedec met him This was before the institutioÌ„ of the priesthood of the law But much rather may the iniquitie of this cauill appeare in so much as tithes are not not now either required or paid of any of sound iudgment in any ceremonious or figuratiue respect but as a moral dutie to the maintenance and vpholding of Gods diuine worship according to the affirmatiue part of the second commandement of the first Table and as a dutie of ciuill honour and iustice according to the fift and eight commandement of the second table of the Law So that to speake in some measure of proportion as touching the Lords Sabbath the ceremonie ceasing whatsoeuer might be so accounted in the Iewish obseruation of it and
therefore also the day being changed as it may partly be thought yet the morall sanctification of the Lords day comming in place therof doth neuertheles remaine to all Christians from the authoritie of the fourth commandement so in like manner albeit all ceremonie in tithes and tithing is long since ceased yet in regard of the morall vse of them they may and ought without all scruple or preiudice to the Gospell be retained still as necessarie to the vpholding of the publike practise of Gods diuine worship and for the maintenance of the publike Ministers thereof from the ground warrant of the same moral Law of the most high and soueraigne Lord our God At the least vntill the souereigne Prince to whom next vnder God the care of maintaining and furthering the diuine worship of God doth by Gods owne ordinance chiefly belong shall determine as generall and commodious as equall and bounteous a course to the same most holy vse some other way The which as it is not lightly supposed of many wise men would hardly be so happily found out and so generallie agreed vpon And nowe further also howe vnreasonable a thing is it I pray ye for anie to vrge the Apostle Paules example in that he wrought with his hands for his liuing as though that should be a lawe for all Ministers of the word so to do seeing the other Apostles did not so neither doth Paul himselfe presse any after his example vnles vpon verie speciall and extraordinarie occasion like to those he met withall specially at Corinthus 2. Cor. 11.7.8.9.10.11.12 c. Naie rather he respecting an ordinarie course according to the ordinance and will of God doth in verie Christian and prudent circumspection preuent and meete with the same vnkind obiection of this kind of people as we see plainely 1. Cor. chap. 9 and. 1. Tim. 5.17.18 as hath bene rehearsed in the 2. Chap. of this our Treatise It is nothing materiall therefore what profane and corrupt minded men thinke or speake seeing they knowe not neither greatly regard what they either deny or affirme but onely as may serue their owne vngodly turne Blessed be our God that such priuate worldly and wicked speaches be rebuked and repressed by good holy and publike lawes both of God and of our Christian Princesse Neither is it finally to be wondered at though this sort of profane and couetous minded men doe thinke themselues as much edified with reading as with preaching of the word of God seeing they haue no true tast or iudgement what sounde edification in the knowlege and faith of the Gospell doth meane neither are at all edified by eyther of them both Let them therefore ignorantly both thinke and speake according to the erronious and deceiueable opinion of their owne mind Wisedome as our Sauior Christ afirmeth shall be iustified of all her children The last obiection which endeth in wilfulnes obstinacy which is a meet conclusion for so euill premises To conclude saith the couetous and vnmercifull man if all that I haue said much more which I could alledg though I will not trouble my selfe to vtter it now will not serue for excuse but I must still be called vpon on euery side to paie to paie to giue and to giue and neuer to be at an end I will surely fâ—â—our my selfe for I will breake vp house and go soiourne somewhere to auoide these vncessant charges and to liue morâ—â—t â—eartes case that I may eate and drinke and be merrie with my friendes ANSWER O vaine self-loue ô wicked conclusion I speak of those who with such a minde as hath bene nowe expressed and not vpon anie other more iust reasonable ocasions then these be do breake vp house what shalt thou gaine of all this thy sauing in the end Thou maiest peraduenture saue earthly expences but thou takest the most prodigall course that may be to loose thy soule God will iudge thee from thine owne mouth Is thy neede so vrgent manie waies and wilt thou faile both God his Church and the poore of his flocke all at once and that in time of speciall neede Nay rather if thou be not too much in decay but art in anie measure able to keepe open thy doores thou art so much the more bound to keepe house vnles happilie thou seest thou maiest be more beneficiall otherwise If thou doest not thus by how much thou increasest in vnmercifulnesse by so much shalt thou finde thy iudgement to be more mercilesse whensoeuer God shal call thee to giue account of thy Stewardship Thou professest to seeke thy ease and to eate and drinke and to bee merrie as thy couetous and vnmercifull brother did in the parable of the Gospell who suddenlie was taken away from all his riches and pleasure Luke ch 12. Wherfore maiest thou not iustly feare to haue the like portion with him As also with thy other voluptuous brother Luke ch 16. whose soule forthwith after his death was throwne downe into the endlesse easelesse and remedilesse torment of Hel Thus much for answer to these profane worldlie and malignant obiections against Christian liberalitie and mercifull beneficence For I will not loose time in standing anie longer about anie thing which might be further alleaged to so euill and vngodlie a purpose By that which hath beene answered it may sufficientlie be discerned how vaine and friuolous all other excuses or defences are Onelie this will I say that by howe much flesh and blood is more inuentiue to finde out pretensed excuses and the Deuill also more readie to prompt and helpe forward the same by so much we may vpon good ground more boldlie affirme and determine that Christian and mercifull beneficence is a speciall dutie of godlines which the Lord our God taketh singular delight in which he wil vndoubtedlie blesse to the incomparable aduantage of all that will settle their heartes to continue in the wise discreete and dutifull practise thereof Hetherto therefore of the first part of our Treatisâ— concerning Christian Giuing the second part followeth which is of the christian receiuing of that which is so Christianlie giuen What receiuing is THE SECOND PART of the Treatise CHAP. I. What Receiuing is IN so much as it the coÌ„mandement of God that such whom hee hath made better able theÌ„ others shuld giue vnto those which stand in need and to the same purpose hath incouraged them by many gratious and bountifull promises so to doe it followeth that it is likewise the good will and pleasure of God that such as stand in need should neither refuse to bewray acknowledge their want nor make any nicenesse scruple or doubt to receiue the liberalitie of the good and beneficial seruants of the Lord. Onely it is required that as the giuing must be in such Christian maner as God prescribeth in his holy word as hath already bene layd forth so the Receiuing must likewise be such a kind of Receiuing as God alloweth of the which we are
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
to giue vnto Basil Serm. 1. in diuites auaros Nihil est inquit Ethnicus tam angusti animi tamque parui quà m amare diuitias Cicero Off. 1. and on the other side he saith Nihil est honestius magnificentiusque quà m pecuniam contemnere si non haheas si habeas ad beneficentiam liberalitatemque conferre Sentences to be refered to the 3. Chapter The Lord God is very iustly called euen of the heathen They that are liberall giue as the ought shall be certainelie rewarded Optimus Maximus the best and the greatest Optimus .i. benignissimus beneficentissimus the most gratious bountiful Maximus .i. maiestate magnificeÌ„tiaque supremus that is the most high and excellent in the supremacie of person and magnificencie of all his workes Dominus vt quam plurimos ad beuenolentiam Discipulis praestandam inuitet in suas tabulas acceptum ferre non grauatur quicquid istis datum fuerit To the end the Lord might moue as many as might be to shewe good will and fauour to his desciples he thinketh not much to enter into his booke of account whatsoeuer any should giue vnto them Caluinus in Matth. 10.40 c. Lucrum est pietatis nomine facere sumptum It is gaine to to be at charges for godlinesse sake when the poore are refreshed c. Tertull. Apol. aduersus Gentes cap. 39. Deo dare accipere est To giue vnto God is as much as to receiue a gift from him Greg. Naz. Orat. de Pauperum amore Beneficia in alios collata in ipsum beneficij autorem reuertuntur Benefits bestowed vpon others doe redound to the benefit of those that doe bestow them Theodoretus in Psal 49. Si nudum vestias teipsum indâ—is iustitia c. Non mediocris est ista gratiae Corporalia seminas recipis spiritualia When thou clothest the naked thou doest apparel thy selfe with righteousnes c. This is no meane fauour Thou sowest corporal things and thou receiuest spiritual blessings Amb. Off. lib 1. cap. 11. Sementis nunc tempus Dispergamus vt congregemus Now is the seede time Let vs scatter abroad that we may gather together Chrisost in 3. cap. Ioh. Hom. 24. Ne parum metamus plurima seminemus Let vs sowe much lest we reape little Cyp. Serm. 1 de Eleemo. Foecundus est ager pauperum citò reddit dominantibus fructum The fielde of the poore is verie fruitfull it yeldeeth a quick returne of profit to the owners of it Aug. Serm. 25. de verbis Dom. Quisquis voluerit fieri diues pauper fiat vt sit diues consumat vt colligat spargat vt congreget Vide AgricolaÌ„ c. Seminemus itaque nos coelumque velut agrum colamus vt magna metamus abundatia aeternisque bonis fruamur gratia benignitate c. Whosoeuer would growe to be a rich man let him be a poore man that he may be rich let him make a holie wast that he may increase let him scatter that he may gather Behold the husbandman c. Let vs therefore sow also till the fielde of heauen as it were that we may reape very aboundantly and may enioy eternall good things euen fauour and bounty to wit from the mercifull hand of God c. Chrisost in Rom. cap. 3. in morali exhort Qui pauperibus benefaciunt nihilominus sibi consulunt ac si sua praedia irrigarent Eleemosynis enim tanquam canalibus Dei benedictionem qua locupletentur in se diriuant They that be beneficiall to the poore do no lesse benefit themselues then if they should water their farme-groundes For by their Almes-giuing they doe deriue vnto themselues the blessing of God as it were by conduit pipes which maketh them rich Caluin in cap. 9. verse 8. 2. ep ad Cor. Beneficium largientis praebenti magis permanet quam suscipienti Sicut frumentum quod seminatur in terra ad seminantis potius quà m ad suscipientis lucra redit Sit ergo tibi finis agriculturae huius initium coelestium sationum The benefit of the liberall giuer remaineth rather with the giuer then with the receiuer Like as the corne which is sowne in the ground returneth to the gaine of him that soweth it rather then of the ground that receiued it Wherefore let the end of this tillage and husbandrie be vnto thee the beginning of thy heauenlie sowing Ambros Sermone 81. Prout tibi aderunt facultates in multitudinem facito ex eis eleemosynam Sin parum tibi fuerit pro paucitate ne metuas facere Eleemosynam If thou haue great riches giue much if thou haue but little yet be not afraide to giue a little almes For so thou layest vp a good treasure for thy selfe against the day of thy necessitie Tob. ch 4.8.9 And when thou giuest of that little which thou hast doe it in this manner saith a learned Father Praie to God in these or such like wordes I haue small store as thou konwest ô Lord. Yet seeing there is great neede setting before me thy commaundement I giue my needie brother of that little which I haue Giue thou also to thy seruant ô Lord whensoeuer I shall stand in neede I haue had good experience of thy goodnesse and I haue good trust that thou wilt not long delay to helpe c. Thus doing thy seede no doubt will yeeld thee a haruest Basilius 3. Concione in dinites auares Quòd Deum precatur Paulus vt mercedem rependat Onesiphoro 2. Tim. 1.16 c. vim habet promissionis In that Paul prayeth to God that he wold reÌ„der Onesiphorus a reward it containeth the warrant of a promise Nisi promssio Dei ad benignitatem exercendam acriter nos solicitet ac stimulet plusquam stupidi sumus If the promise of God do not forcibly prouoke and pricke vs forward to the practise of liberality we are more then sencelesse Calu. in 2. Tim. 1.18 And againe vpon Matth. 25.39 Plusquam socordes esse oportet nisi ex visceribus nostris misericordiam exprimat haec sententia Christum sc vel negligi vel coli in eoruÌ„ persona qui auxilio nostro indigent Itaque quoties ad miseros iuuandos pigrescimus veniat nobis filius Dei ante oculos cui aliquid negare immane sacrilegium est We must needes be more then sottish or heartlesse vnlesse this sentence doe drawe mercie out of our bowels seeing Christ himselfe is either neglected or regarded in the persons of them that stand in need of our helpe Wherefore so often as we waxe sluggish in succouring those that bee distressed let the Sonne of God come before our eyes vnto whom whosoeuer should denie any thing he should commit horrible sacrilege Pauperis est orare diuitis erogare Dei est pro paruis magna pensare It beseemeth the poore man to speake by way of intreatie and the rich man to disburse liberally but it is the propertie of God to recompence small things with great Aug. Serm. 25.