necessities of the poore and reuerent decencie of the ministration of the Gospell should require And first concerning the maintenance of the ministerie of the Gospell Haue we not power to eate and to drinke to wit at the costs charges of the Church saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 9.4 c. and vers 7. c. Who goeth on warfare anie time at his owne cost who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruite thereof or who feedeth a flocke and eateth not of the milke of the flocke Say I these things according to man Saith not the lawe the same also For it is written in the law of Moses Thou shalt not nousell the mouth of the Oxe which treadeth out the corne Doth God take care for oxen Either saith he it not altogether for our sakes For our sakes no doubt it is written that he which eareth should eare in hope and that he who thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope If we haue sowne vnto you spirituall things is it a great matter if we reape your carnall things And verses 13.14 Do ye not knowe that they which minister about the holie things eate of the thinges of the Temple and they which waite at the altar are partakers with the altar So also hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospell should liue of the Gospell This point we see is exceedingly laboured and not onely confirmed by excellent weight and number of reasons and from the diuine authoritie of God himselfe but also garnished by a figuratiue course of speech sharpened as it were with often renewed questions or interrogations so as it cannot be but it must needes enter and preuaile with euerie one that hath anie sparkle of true spirituall vnderstanding and life of affection in him And therefore no maruell though the same Apostle setteth it downe for a lawe to the Churches of Galatia that he who is taught in the word should make him that hath taught him partaker of all his goods chap. 6. vers 6. Neuerthelesse he knowing the disposition of man to be ouer-bold in eluding and trisling away the commandement of God in this behalfe he admonisheth all meÌ„ to beware that they deceiue not theÌ„selues assuring theÌ„ that God will not be mocked nor dallied withal And therupon also the holy Apostle taketh further occasion to exhort earnestly to willing liberal conscionable and constaÌ„t performance of this dutie without wearinesse Neither doth he only exhort to this dutie of contribution and allowance of all kind of the good things of this life for the commodious and comfortable maintenance of the Ministerie and Ministers of the Gospell but likewise hee doth in the same place earnestly exhort all of the richer sort of Christians to be beneficiall to all that stand in neede specially to the poore Christians the houshold seruants or rather children of the same familie with them as hath bene obserued before Howbeit notwithstanding the holy Apostle doth thus linke the maintenance of the ministerie of the Gospel with the reliefe of the poore we are neuerthelesse to admit that difference betwixt one kind of prouision or allowance and the other which the Lord God himself hath put by the determination of his owne word For the reliefe of the poore is a meere almes and as one may say a grace or gratuitie of mercie as touching those that are relieued who seeing they perfourme no speciall seruice toward the Church they can challenge nothing but as of good will for the Lords sake who becommeth surety for theÌ„ But the maintenaÌ„ce of the ministery is due as a reward or wages of a worthy seruice according to that prouerbial saying which our sauior Christ applieth to this purpose The laborer is worthy of his wages Luk. 10.7 It is true indeed that no maÌ„ either minister of the word or any other can pleade worthinesse or desert at the hands of God for any seruice they are able to performe for we are all vnprofitable seruants to him infinitely failing in that wherein wee stand bound to him but in that reckening account which God alloweth betwixt Ministers of the Gospel and the people our Sauiour Christ giueth plainly to vnderstand that as euery poore labouring man when he hath done his day-worke is worthy of his wages at night for he doth not receiue his hire as an almes but as a debt and dutie belonging to him euen for the worke which he hath done so is the Minister of the word worthy of his maintenance and that in a liberall and comely maner as may well beseeme that honourable account which the people of God do make of the Gospell of their saluation And in this respect doth the Apostle Paule speaking by the spirit of our Sauiour Christ note out the maintenance of the ministery of the Gospell by the title of honour and not of almes or mercie signifying thereby with what kind of dutifull affection it ought to be yeelded vnto them euen for the honour which they beare to the Lord himselfe Yea whereas the Apostle calleth the widdowes allowance for her inferiour seruice to the Church by the name of honour it is to marked that he saith by an increase of speech that the Elders or Ministers of the word whosoeuer labour in that worke are specially worthy of double honour as 1. Tim. 5.2 Honour widdowes which are widdowes indeed But verses 17.18 The Elders which rule well are worthy of double honour specially they which labour in the word and doctrine For the Scripture saith Thou shalt not mousell the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne and the labourer is worthie of his wages Christians thus doing shall perfourme that which belongeth to them according to the precept of king Salomon Prou. chap. 3.9 Honour the Lord with thy riches and with the chiefe of all thine increase Hitherto of the ends of Giuing It followeth now that we consider of that which was made the second point of the last branch of our definition The Rule of Giuing namely what must be the rule and squire to direct the ordering and disposing of all Gifts to their right ends For as hath bene already affirmed Allour giuing both the one way and the other as well toward the religion and worship of God as for the reliefe of the poore of his people it must be in such maner as God himselfe willeth and prescribeth Now Christian beneficence and liberality is the will commaÌ„dâ—ment of God as wel touching the maner and measure as the dutie it selfe what this will of God is we must learne out of his owne most holy and sacred word And herein we are to be the more willing and teachable Schollers because if wee should giue place to our owne wils we should easily fall into such extremities on either hand as al Chr stians ought to auoyd in so worthy an action as Christian beneficence is For this we are to know that as filthy couetousnes with all vnthankfull
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
performed in this worthy seruice for the reliefe of the poore such as shall be found to be so indeed as the Apostle speaketh in the like cause 1. Tim. 5.3.5 And the same God grant that euerie one to his power smaller or greater may according to the mind and pleasure of our higher powers and chiefly of God himselfe not onely indeuour the preuenting of euery mischiefe not beseeming the Gospell of Christ but also by all meanes labour the furtherance aduancement of so worthy a work as is the practise of mercie to the strengthening of iustice which being well disposed and imployed together are answerable to the goodly brasen pillers of the porch of Salomons Temple Iâ—ciâ— Boaz to the establishing coÌ„firming of the Princes throne of the coÌ„mon wealth and of all lawfull callings trades traffike therein as it were froÌ„ the Sion of the Lord. So great tender care hath the Lord that the poore of his people should for his sake be mercifully liberally prouided for Now therfore for the issue of this speach may it please you right Honorable so far to fauour the present indeuour of your humble Orator that this Treatise following dedicated to your Honor intended for a gratulatory monument of the aboue named Act of ParliameÌ„t which shutting the doore against idlenes all vnthriftie wastful misplacing of almes doth open the gate to the blessed practise of true liberalitie in such sort that true thankfulnes also may therwithal be let in which before weÌ„t a roguing with those that regarded no home may by the allowance acceptation of your Honor be some furtherance to the work euen to the best that this so weake a hand could attaine vnto And thus most humblie heartilie beseeching God of his infinit goodnes mercy eueÌ„ for our Lord Iesus Christs sake to blesse preserue you long in your right honourable healthfull coÌ„fortable estate here in this present life to his own glorie to the seruice of her excellent Maiesty for the iust peaceable gouernmeÌ„t of the coÌ„mon wealth to the ioy comfort of al that do wel to the terror of the rest so long as they shal continue in their vngratious vnciuill courses And likewise beseeching God that after this life ended when you haue seâ—ued your time according to the counsell of God you may haue your part in the inheritance of his heauenly kingdome among the rest of his most honorable Saints I craue of your Honor all fauorable pardon of my boldnes in presenting and dedicating these my poore labours vnto you vnder the credit and protection of your name From Culford in Suffolke the 13 of May 1600. Your Honours in all humble and Christian dutie to command ROBERT ALLEN A GENERALL INscription of the Treatise following TO all beneficiall Christians vvho loue and practise goodnesse and mercie to the relieuing of their poore and distressed brethren and to all that do receiue the holy and Christian beneficence of their good mercifull relieuers in anie time of their need For a token of thankes to the one and for an admonition and spurre of thankefulnesse to the other with all dutifull and heartie desire that through the blessing of our bounteous good God it may be a helpefull incouragement to all for continuance and increase in all well-doing R. A. a Minister of the holie Word and Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ as one greatly indebted to all offereth this poore mite which as touching this shot and reckening is euen all which for the present he hath Crauing herewithall that seeing by the goodnes of God there is first a vvilling mind it may be accepted according to that he hath and not preiudiced for any want of that which he hath not according to the priuiledged rule of the Apostle Paule 2. Cor. 8.12 the equitie whereof as well agreeth to thankefulnesse for benefites as to beneficence it selfe Crauing furthermore no other reward then the benefite of your faithfull prayers that he together with your selues may haue all meete and conuenient sufficiencie in all things and abound in euery good worke through the rich grace of God mightily abounding toward vs all euen for our Lord Iesus Christs sake who though he was most rich yet willingly became most poore that through his pouertie all of vs might be made rich To him therefore with the Father and the holy Ghost one onely true God be all praise honour and glorie for euer and euer Amen A Treatise of Christian beneficence and of that like Christian thankfulnesse which is due to the same SEing the whole argument of this our intended Treatise is called by the Apostle Paule The matter of Giuing and Receiuing Philip. 4.15 by a similitude borrowed from the vse of books of Account wherin is diligently entred and kept in record what each party hath from time to time deliuered or receiued the one from the other till the day of reckening doe come We will therefore according to the same his holy direction speake of it vnder those plaine and familiar termes following also therein the same his order and distribution concerning the parts or branches thereof In the former part which is of giuing giftes or benefites indeuouring as great plainnesse as we can we will in the first place consider what giuing is Secondlie what sundrie vertues are required to the right manner of Giuing and therwithall on the contrarie what be the vices which do either altogether hinder or at the least corrupt the same if they be not shunned auoided Thirdlie what is the reward of right christian giuing Fourthlie what the punishment of illiberalitie and not Giuing is Last of all certaine answers shall be made to such obiections as Satan and mans owne corrupt couetous or distrustful and vnbeteeming affection do mightilie suggest to the hinderance of holie beneficence yea euen to the vtter suppressing of it if possiblie the Deuill could atchieue winne the same This shall be the order and contentes of the first part of our Treatise concerning Giuing In the latter part which is of Receiuing gifts or benefites we will likewise in as plaine an order maner as we can attaine vnto declare first what that Receiuing is whereof we speake Secondlie what graces or vertues are requisite to the right maner of Receiuing gifts and benefits and there with also which be the contrarie vices And in the third place we purpose to shew the greatnes of the sin of vnthankfulnes and accordinglie how grieuous punishment belongeth to all vnthankful irreligous Receiuers whosoeuer they be that shall vnchristianly wast consume that which is christianlie giuen bestowed vpon them Finallie we will adde a certaine Florilegie if we may so call it that is a collection of choise sentences out of the best sorte of writers both former latter christian and philosophicall such as God vsed among the heathen to cherish that light of naturall vnderstanding and
or description of Christian Giuing that all whatsoeuer is giuen The ends of giuing must tend to the maintenance and furtherance of Gods true worship and the ministerie thereof or to the reliefe of poore Christians especially and that all must be done according to Gods owne will as he hath in either respect made the same knowne in his holy word As wee haue already seene in some part and are henceforth vpon the occasion so iustlie renewed further to consider of it once againe Hence therefore two thinges followe to be more purposedly and distinctly declared of vs. First what are the ends of Christian and religious bestowing of gifts and secondly what must be the rule and squire to direct the ordering and disposing of them First therefore concerning the endes of Giuing diuerse times already touched wee must of most bounden dutie to God allow the first and chiefe place in this care and prouision for the maintenance of the pure worship of God and of the publike ministerie and faithfull ministers thereof together with Schooles of good learning as necessarily appertaining to the nurcerie and preseruation of the same For the worship of God and ministerie thereof is most directly to his honour and glorie and further without it wee could neither be sanctified our selues not anie thing which wee enioy nor haue anie poore Saintes at all to bee relieued And then what great thing were it for anie to be carefull to relieue the frayle and corruptible bodies of men if that in the meane season their most precious and immortall soules shoulde bee suffered for euermore to perish and decay First therefore touching the worship of God and holy exercises thereof we haue the commandement of God himselfe for the contribution of his people thereunto Deut. 16.16 They shall not appeare before the Lord emptie Euery man shall giue according to the gift of his hand and acding to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath giuen thee And chapter 12. verse 19. Beware that thou forsake not the Lâ—uite as long as thou liuest vpon the earth And touching the obedience of the people of God to this his commandement we haue already seene what their zeale hath bene vnder the lawe first in contributing to the Tabernacle of God and the ministerie belonging vnto it And after that likewise to the holy Temple of Ierusalem seruice thereof the charge whereof amounted to so great expence that if euerie man had not come with a full hand in free offrings moreouer beside the former ordinarie allowaÌ„ce it could neither haue bin builded nor mainteined in such maner as beseemeâ— the Maiestie of the great God of heauen and earth This practise of contribution to this speciall end and purpose remained as the ordinance of God to all posteritie as we may perceiue by that which we reade Act. 21.24 where the Disciples say to Paul Thou shalt purifie thy selfe contribute with them And as for the poore to the ende wee may see howe mercifullie louingelie and liberallie the Lord requireth and the same very earnestlie that they should be dealt withall it were good that euerie one should in his best earnest reade the 25. ch of Leuiticus and the 15. ch of Deuteronomie The which lawes albeit they are now long since expired so far forth as they were for a time fitted to the externall policie of Israel yet the equitie of them ought to be still in force and the charge which the Lord giueth touching the substance of the matter conteineth morall dutie whose date is equall wth the continuance of the world and stretcheth it selfe as far as there is anie church and people of God to the endes of the earth If saith the Lord in the 15. chap. of Deut. from the 7. verse one of thy brethren with thee be poore within any of the gates of thy land which the Lord thy God giueth thee thou shalt not harden thy heart nor shut thy hand from thy poore brother But thou shalt open thine hand vnto him shall lend him sufficient for his need which he hath Beware that there be not a wicked thought in thy heart for to say The seuenth yeare the yeare of freedome is at hand therefore it grieueth thee to looke on thy poore brother and thou giuest him nought and he crie vnto the Lord against thee so that sinne be in thee Thou shalt giue him and let it not grieue thy heart to giue vnto him for because of this the Lord thy God will blesse thee in all thy workes and in all that thou puttest thy hand vnto Because there shall euer be some poore in the land therefore I command thee saying Thou shalt open thine hand vnto thy brother to thy needy and to thy poore in thy land Reade also Eccles 11.1.2.6 Cast thy bread vpon the waters c. Giue to seuen and also to eight c. and Isai 58.6.7 The fast which the Lord hath chosen is it not to loose the bands of wickednesse to take off the heauy burthens and to let the oppressed go free and that ye breake euery yoke is it not to deale thy bread to the hungrie and that thou bring the poore that wander into thine house When thou seest the naked that thou couer him and not hide thy selfe from thine owne flesh Then shal thy light breake forth as the morning c. Thus we see the commandement of God We see also his promise of blessing of the which more afterward Now verily howsoeuer it be more to mans naturall liking to doe all the good he doth as a will-worship at his owne pleasure where and when he list to serue his owne vaine glorie and other his corrupt affections and lustes yet it is onely to the good liking of the Lord and to his glory yea and to our owne benefite also that we performe euery good thing in conscience of our bounden dutie according to the holy lawes and commaundements of God For to such kind of dutie and namely to such beneficence onely doth the promise of Gods blessing belong And furthermore seeing the Lord God had so gratious care for the poore of his people as we saw euen nowe in the time of the Law it is in no wise to be thought that he is lesse carefull for the poore of his Christian Churches now in the dayes of the Gospell nay rather we haue good reason to perswade our selues that his care is rather more fatherly and tender according to the more cleare reuelation of his own bowellike compassion and mercies by the appearance of his sonne No doubt but both the poore of the Gospel who are most tenderly loued and pretiously esteemed of the Lord and also the Gospell it selfe which is the most bright shining wisedom the most gratious power of God to the saluation of all his people both poore rich they ought more mightily to allure and draw vs all to so much the more willing and bountifull contribution so far as the
Nabal for a notorious example But beside these there are also other vices of this former sort as distrust in Gods prouidēce trust in a mans owne forecast self-loue pride voluptuousnesse and such like Secondly the vices which corrupt and peruert Christian beneficence they are in the worser sort of men hypocrisie ioyned with colourable couetousnesse vnder pretence of franke and free liberalitie like to that of Ananias Sapphira his wife Act. 5. And together with hypocrisie vaine glorie in hunting after the praise of men and proud conceit of worthinesse and merit euen before God himselfe also when beneficence if so it may be called is applyed to countenance and aduance idolatrous religion or superstitious traditions and ceremonies in the true worship of God furthermore when almes is giuen of ill gotten goods specially if they be giuen with a mind to make satisfaction to God for the fraud which hath bene done to men last of all when anie thing is giuen with a mind expecting and longing after a like or greater worldlie recompence These are then corrupting vices in the worser sort of men And in the better sort they may be these which follow first indiscreete and wastfull giuing as to counterfeit poore or to vagrant and inordinate persons with neglect of such as be poore honest inhabitants and housholders secondly a secure presumption in Gods prouidence with neglect of prayer to God for the vpholding of our estate and without due regard of vsing diligence in the labours of our callings and without thriftie employing of commodities to the best aduantages such as be honest lawfull or when any do put forth themselues aboue their abilitie finally neglect of thankfulnesse to God for former blessing and prosperity All which vices partly as open professed aduersaries and destroyers and partly as secrete vndermining conspirators they must be both mightilie and also warily resisted and preuented of all such as mind not only to enter but also hold out constant in the right Christian course of this excellent and noble vertue of godly beneficence the which God hath so gratiously commanded and commended to vs and which his seruants haue obediently tracked and troden forth before vs. Thus finishing this second chapter let vs proceede to the rest of our Treatise The reward of giuing to Gods worship CHAP. III. Of the reward of right Christian Giuing SEeing God who is of infinite mercie most rich and bountifull in all good gifts and graces commaundeth all such as haue Gods plentie as it is commonly and rightly termed that they be liberall in giuing and seeing he promiseth also that hee will of his diuine bountie reward the same it cannot be but that he will indeed plentifully recompence all such as shall obey the same his holy commandement and will beleeue that gratious promise which he hath made in this behalfe This therefore let vs now henceforth consider in this chapter to the end that hereby through the blessing of God we may both helpe forward this vertue in the heartes and hands of those that be ouer-slack negligent and also that we may comfort and incourage both heart and hand of all which by the grace of God are already prompt and diligent that they may neuer waxe faint and weary till they haue attained to the full recompence of that most gratious and free reward which from the bounteous neuer wearied heart and hand of the Lord is thereunto promised and assured In speaking of which free blessing of reward let vs hold the same order which was obserued in treating of the duty First therfore concerning those which are liberall in such manner as hath bene described to the maintenance of Gods pure religion and worship and for the same cause haue anie speciall care to incourage and further the faithfull ministers of the word of God in their holie ministerie or anie other of Gods faithfull seruantes let vs see howe the reward of such is assured vnto them first from those promises which the Lord who is a rewarder of all that seeke him hath made vnto them then from such examples in whom he hath giuen experience and testimonie to his Church in the faithfull perfourmance of the same And first of all let vs consider what our Sauiour Christ in whom and by whom all the promises of God are yea and Amen speaketh to this purpose in the tenth chap. of Matth. verses 40 41 42. He that receiueth you saith our Sauiour Christ to his disciples whom he minded to employ in the preaching of his Gospell receiueth me and he that receiueth me receiueth him that sent me He that receiueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receiue a Prophets reward and he that receiueth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receiue the reward of a righteous man And whosoeuer shall giue vnto one of these little ones to drinke a cup of cold water onely in the name of a Disciple verily I say vnto you he shall not loose his reward In the which words of our Sauiour Christ two things are principally to be obserued First what euery one is chiefly to respect in his Christian beneficence toward the speciall seruants of God yea toward any of the least of those that beare and professe his name that is that in giuing vnto them or in shewing anie other kindnesse they do not so much respect their persons as the Gospell and Christ himselfe and those goodly gifts of godlinesse wherwith he hath graced and adorned his seruants for the common benefite of his Chuch in the communion of Saints For that our Sauiour Christ meaneth by giuing to a Prophet in the name of a Prophet and to a righteous man in the name of a righteous man and to a little one in the name of a Disciple as though he should say euen for the loue that a man beareth them because they be such as they be either Prophet as in a principall place of seruice or a rigteous man as one more ancient and approued in his profession or a Disciple as it were a nouice or new conuerted and more weake Christian This is the first thing to be obserued in these words Secondly we are to obserue that according to the qualitie and degree of the dutie which any perfourmeth in that former respect the rewarde of Gods free bountie shall bee proportionable that is he will fit the crowne answerable to the worke of his owne grace and according to the excellencie of the occasions which he himselfe vouchsafeth to giue whether greater or lesser and according to the greater or lesser measure of faith and loue wherein the same duties are perfourmed and continued in yet so as the least kindnesse done in truth shall be requited with manifold aduantage In the 6. ch of the Epistle to to the Galathians from the 6. verse c. the Apostle Paule in the name of Christ giuing charge to the Christian Churches that they prouide for
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
whole increase of outward blessings by offering vp a first fruites vnto God commanded in the ceremoniall law of Moses be now ceased yet seeing the very morall commandement of God which is perpetuall requireth exactly that Gods true religion and worship be maintained and aduanced also that the poore of his people be liberally relieued by the contributions of the richer sort of his seruants as hath bene sufficiently declared before it may truly be inferred that no man can enioy his goods possessions what soeuer he hath as sanctified vnto him with approbation blessing from God vnles he do of zeale to Gods glory and loue to the brethren bestow a iust and meete portion this way For as the Lord doth in his owne right iustly challenge all to be entirely his as Psal 24 1. The earth is the Lord and all that is therein the world and they that dwell therin and againe Psalme 50.10.11.12 and 1. Chron. 29.11.12 All that is in heauen and earth is the Lords Both riches honor come of him Likewise Hag. 2.9 Siluer is mine gold is mine saith the Lord of hosts So he hath as an homage to him self from the rich interessed the poore as in his steed to the liberal almes cōtribution of the rich mens goods Wherupon the charge is streightly giuen Pro. 3.27 that none withhold his goodnesse or beneficence from the owners therof that is frō such as stand in present need therof The like charge is giuen in many other places of the holy Scripture But let vs come to see in some orderly course the more particular and distinct punishments of all prophane and illiberall couetous and mercilesse people The manifold punishments of them are comprehended vnder these two heads first those which belong to this life secondly that which appertaineth to the world to come which one containeth all and being eternall is as the sealing vp and fulnesse of all the temporall Of the former sort are these which follow First of all the profane illiberall couetous and mercilesse man neither hath neither possibly can haue in his soule any comfort frō God of all his riches how great abundance soeuer he doth enioy The which punishment consisting in the priuation or with-holding of comfort and blessing king Salomon as a holy Preacher and Prophete of God in the beginning of the sixth chap. of Ecclesiastes doth notably obserue The punishment of not giuing to the poore among many other the great vanities of this vaine and sinfull world of the which also he saith that it is much among men There is an euill saith he which I sawe vnder the sunne and it is much among men A man to whom God hath giuen riches and pleasure and honour and he wanteth nothing for his soule of all that it desireth but God giueth him not power to eate thereof but a strange man shall eate it vp this is vanitie and this is an euill sickenesse And againe chap. 5. verse 9. He that loueth siluer shall not be satisfied with siluer and hee that loueth riches shall bee vvithout the fruite thereof this also saith the holie Preacher is vanitie And how I pray you should prophane and couetous men haue any true and sound comfort from the hand and Spirit of God concerning any thing which they haue seeing God esteemeth them as vsurpers and not right owners of them They may well enough haue a ciuill title allowable among men according to the receiued course and determination of humane lawes and constitutions but they cannot hold them as a portion sanctified vnto them by the Lord vntill they shall thankefully acknowledge them to be his free gift and accordingly shall dedicate and apply them to such holy vses as he hath by his sacred word appointed them vnto This then is the first punishment euen the want of true comfort and blessing Secondly God doth manie times for this their wickednesse take away their riches and casteth miserable pouertie vpon them For so the holy Prouerb teacheth chap. 11.24 He that spareth more then is right surely commeth to pouertie This briefly is a second punishment Thirdlie God refuseth to succour the vnmercifull whē they stand in need yea he leaueth them in their miserie when they call and crie to him in their distresse because they refused to helpe and succour such of their poore brethren as craued helpe of them So we reade Prou. 13.21 He that stoppeth his eare at the crying of the poore he shall also crie and not be heard Likewise Zech. chap. 7. verse 8. c. Thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts saying Execute true iudgement and shewe mercie and compassion euerie man to his brother And oppresse not the widdowe nor the fatherlesse nor the stranger nor the poore and let none of you imagine euill against his brother in your heart But they refused to hearken saith the holie Prophet and pulled away the shoulder stopped their eares that they should not heare Yea they made their hearts as an Adamant stone lest they should heare the law and the words which the Lord of Hosts sent in his Spirit by the ministerie of the former Prophets wherein marke by the way the mightie increase and obdurate obstinacie which sinne quickely groweth vnto where it is not resisted in the beginning therefore as it followeth in the text there came a great wrath from the Lord of Hosts And againe as it followeth immediately Therefore saith the Prophet it is come to passe that as he cried and they would not heare so they cried and I would not heare saith the Lord of hosts But I scattered thē among all the nations whom they knew not thus the land was desolate after them that no man passed through nor returned for they layd the pleasant land waste The Prophete Micah also the third chap. of his Prophesie verses 1 2 3 4. Heare I pray you saith he ô heades of Iaakob and ye Princes of the house of Israell Should not ye know iudgement But they hate the good and loue the euill they plucke off their skinnes from them and their flesh from their bones And they eate also the flesh of my people and flay off their skinnes from them and they breake their bones and choppe them in pieces as for the pot and as flesh within the chaldron Thus heinous is the sinne of vnmercifulnesse and crueltie according to this so dolefull a description specially it it bee found in the bloudy hand of the Prince or in anie of chiefe place and power vnder him who should bee most tender foster-fathers ouer the people of God and chiefly ouer the poore of the flocke For neglect whereof the punishment followeth Then shall they crie vnto the Lord to wit in their miserie but he will not heare them he will euen hide his face from them at that time Read also Gods feareful wo against cruell vnmerciful mē Isai 5.8.9.10 Amos 6.1 c. ch 8.4 c. Micah 2.1 c. because they
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
henceforth to gather out of the same his most holy word Let vs therefore search out so well as God shall vouchsafe to giue vs grace what maner of Receiuing that must be Receiuing therfore in such sence as we are here to speak of it is a sober reuerend and thankefull accepting of that which is Christianly giuen with a mind to imploy it conscionably and in the feare of God to the same ends whereunto it was of the Christian and godly benefactor intended and giuen This doth generally and briefly comprehend all whatsoeuer is further to be opened concerning the particular vertues which are necessarily to concurre and meete together in the Christian heart to the right maner of receiuing a benefite Of these vertues therefore and of the contrarie vices to be auoyded in receiuing of benefites let vs now more particularly inquire by a declaration of the parts of the former description And so come we to the second Chapter of this latter part of our Treatise CHAP. II. Of the Vertues required to the right maner of Receiuing Christian Beneficence and of the contrary vices therein to be shunned So many vertues and graces being required to the right maner of giuing a Gift as we haue seene in the former part of this booke yea though the gift be giuen of the richest and most honourable to the poorest and basest of the seruantes of God it cannot be imagined by any light of reason but the gift being so to be qualified the receiuing must of dutie be answerable that is A gift is to be receiued with a sober mind accompanied with graces vertues proportionable thereunto It is as we know in a ciuill course the maner of receiuing gifts or other things that honorable persons reach forth vnto vs to kisse the hand before we take them as though we would professe thereby that we take them with no more ready hand then with a thankfull full and ready mind hartily glad of that which commeth from them as a token of that fauourable good will which they beare vs willing also to performe any good seruice vnto them Howsoeuer in receuing the giftes of Christian beneficence specially at the hands of meaner persons that Courtlike curtesie is not vsed nor looked for neuerthelesse in so much as they are the most honourable kind of giftes which can be giuen seeing they are giuen for the Lords cause and with a holy and sanctified affection it is verie meete that they who are made partakers of them should in the most holy and religious maner receiue them euen as from the most holy hand of God himselfe whose worke onely it is to frame the hearts of his seruants as it were by the finger of the holy Ghost to bestowe the same vpon them To this purpose therefore let vs I beseech you consider first of all more fully of that which standeth in the first place and as it were in the forefront of the right maner of receiuing a Christian gift namely that it must be a modest and sober receiuing Whereby euen in the first onset not onely all flatterie and counterfeiting of pouertie for the procuring of gifts is preuented but also euen the verie roote hereof which is a couetous or greedy and lingering desire after a gift is plucked vp Both which are very seruile vices vtterly vnbeseeming that holy freedome and libertie of mind which the poorest of Gods seruants and chiefly the ministers of the Gospell ought to retaine in this behalfe And hereof we haue the Apostle of our Sauior Christ and other of his seruants set forth vnto vs for most worthy patternes and examples And namely Saint Paule together with Siluanus and Timotheus as we reade 1 Thes chap. 2.5 where the Apostle thus writeth We did neuer vse flattering words as ye know nor coloured couetousnesse God is record And againe 2. Cor. 2.17 We are not as many which make merchandise of the word of God but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God speake we in Christ And more particularly concerning himself he solemnly protesteth before the Elders of the Church of Ephesus other Christians Act. 20.33.34.35 in the words following I haue coueted no mans siluer saith he nor gold nor apparell yea ye knowe that these hands haue ministred to my necessities and to them that were with me And he addeth further for the instruction of others I haue shewed you all things how that so labouring ye ought to support the weake and to remember the words of the Lord Iesus how that he sayd It is a blessed thing to giue rather then to receiue In the which words beside the example of the Apostle worthy all imitation of euery seruant of God vpon like occasion so farre as they may attaine vnto we haue furthermore two notable reasons to disswade couetousnesse and euery euill fruit thereof First because euery one standeth by generall bond of Christian dutie streightly bound to support the weake and therfore not to be aboue measure chargeable secondly because as our Sauiour Christ hath affirmed it is a more blessed thing to giue then to receiue and therefore consequently that euery Christian ought to be more desirous in his hart and accordingly more prouident and diligent in the ordering of all his affaires that he may rather be able to giue to others then to stand in need to receiue reliefe himselfe Not that any through pride and haughtinesse of mind or of any other nice or scrupulous conceit should disdaine or make ouer much deintie to take a gift in time of his need as was touched in the beginning for euen our Sauiour Christ himself receiued and accepted earthly benefites at the hands of his disciples who receiued more excellent gifts euen spirituall graces and the most rich gift of eternall life and glorie from him And besides he that is not an humble man can neither be trulie thankfull to God nor yet to man The meaning therfore of our Sauior Christ as also of his Apostle Paul guided by his Spirit was no doubt that no man through sluggishnes and desire of ease or through couetousnesse in seeking to inrich himselfe should growe ouerburthensome and so discourage weak Christians from continuing in the fellowship of the Gospell if by reason of any excessiue charge of contributions speciallie in such times wherin the Churches are impouerished by affliction and persecution Behold therefore how it is a blessed thing to giue rather then to receiue that is to say to be diligent Bees euerie one in his vocation and calling rather then idle and deuouring drones to comfort and refresh the heartes of others rather then to seeke to satisfie our owne vnsatiable desires to be rich to Godward in the good works of mercy which he requireth and will plentifullie rewarde rather then to heape vp a superfluous masse of riches to our selues to the impouerishing or rather to the vtter destruction of our soules finallie by doing good to others to gather people
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
he the creator this the creature he the glorious and almightie Lord this the poore fraile seruant c. Whereupon we may easilie perceiue how carefullie the true seruantes of God are to abhor and auoide the grosse and profane or rather the sacrilegious and blasphemous flatteries of all wicked Sycophants of the world For they are so lauish in extolling the meanes that they reserue nothing as proper and entire to the Lord. Such was that blasphemous and execrable flatterie of the people who gaue proud Herod diuine glorie Act. 12.22 they crying out with vehement acclamation and shouting so soone as he had ended his oration The voyce of God and not of man Such also was the palpaple flatterie of Tertullus the Orator in his fawning speech to Felix against the Apostle Paul Act. 24. who in the name of the Iewes ascribeth all their peace wholly in al things with al thanks to his prouideÌ„ce For what in effect could he haue sâ—â—d more if he had had a hart to professe his and their thaâ—kfâ—lnesse to God himselfe There is great cause therefore why the faithfull seruants of God should abandon this kind of heathenish and sacrilegious gratulation both from their hearts and also from their tongues For that which is ascribed to man yea euen to Caesar the chiefe among men it is so onely to bee ascribed and yeelded that in wise as was sayd a little before God be defrauded of any part and parcell of his most iust and souereigne due Excessiue thanks to men is to be auoyded But not only heathen men haue foulely faulted this way but much rather the Church of Rome which boasteth it selfe to be the onely true Christian and Catholike Church in the world hath runne it selfe as it were ouer head and eares in this most grieuous and vnchristian sinne For if we compare the heathen and them together we shall easily find that these do exceede them in most pernicious and deadly blasphemy lifting vp and aduancing creatures aboue all measure not onely in ascribing to theÌ„ the voyce of God and a prouidence concerning all earthly thinges as Tertullus to Felix but euen a commanding power for the eternall peace saluation of the soules of men in the kingdome of heauen as is euident in that which they do attribute to the virgin Marie whom they haue made the Lady and Queene of heauen And further as touching their more common or inferiour benefactors here vpon earth they would make vs beleeue that by the merit of theâ—r beneficence and good desert toward their Church together with the propitiatorie helpe of their Priestes they shall not onely escape Purgatory but go straight on to the kingdom of heauen and draw others also by the surplussage of their works together with them Yea further they neuer leaue solemnizing of their praises with an inferiour kiâ—d of religious worship at the least to the end they may the rather allure and bewitch many other to doe the like or rather if it could be more plentifullie after the manner of cunning beggers who at on dore commend the almes which they had at an other to drawe on their good dames to inlarge their good will and charitie towards them But let vs leaue them to themselues all their superstitious and idolatrous CoÌ„mendams to the iudgmeÌ„t of God As touching our owne selues according as we are taught in the holy word of God let vs wisely discreely determine our thanks vnto â—eâ— as to the gratious instrumentes of God and not otherwise so that the chiefe glorie yea the onelie praise and glory maie be whollie reserued and entierlie ascribed to his most blessed maiesty in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ alone to whom with the Father and the holie Ghost one true and euerliuing most gratious and merifull God be all honour and gorie now and for euer Amen Hitherto of the difference of thankfulnesse to God and to men in respect of the nature and definition of thankfulnesse it selfe whereinto the euill effectes or fruites of excessiue thankes haue crept and as it were stollen in before we were ware of it It followeth now that we do further search out the difference from the good fruites which arise from well ordered thankfulnesse both vnto God and also vnto men First therefore the fruite of our thankfulnesse to God in experience of his most prouident and fatherly care ouer vs is so to acknowledge him to be our God and the souereigne fountaine of our whole welfare that we do wholly put our trust in him and depend vpon him as one not onely to be honoured in the meanes which it pleaseth him to vse for our benefite but also aboue all ordinary meanes and helps yea contrarie to all aduersarie and hurtfull meanes if need so require And for the same cause also that in all our needs we runne to him by faithfull prayer and supplication as to our neuer-failing refuge and accordingly to seeke to approue our selues euen from the secretes of our soules and consciences before him according to the direction of his owne most holy and perfect commandement we neuer satisfying our selues with that measure of thankes which we shall at any time for the present attaine vnto But the fruit of our thankfulnesse to men is not so but with the reuerent acknowledgment of them to be the gratious and honourable instruments of God in all that they exhibite and reach forth vnto vs we are onely to perfourme these duties following First that so long as they liue we do continue our harty prayers to God for them Benefactors are to be praied for Secondly that wee retaining a blessed memorie of them doe also vpon all meet occasions make honorable mention of them and of their beneficence so long as wee liue our selues Thirdly that we be willing and desirous to recompence them to our power either in whole or in part to them or theirs yea euen to exceed the benefite receiued if at anie time it shall please God to make vs able and to giue vs iust occasion thereunto Finally that for want of occasions or necessity on their parts that way that we hauing receiued beneficence from the hands of other do learne from their example to bee as beneficiall to others as we may Of these duties therefore let vs henceforth treate a little for our further instruction seeing these also are to be reckened among the duties which belong to the Christian receiuing of a Gift and is our matter in hand still depending to be be further inquired of And first concerning Prayer the debt and conscience of this dutie ariseth from hence that how rich souer they may be and abounding in all worldly wealth they do neuerthelesse stand in continuall neede of the dayly blessing of God the Factor whereof as it were faithfull and feruent or laborious prayer is and that by assignement and letters of mart from God himselfe But what shall we intreat of the Lord in our prayers and
I bene stubborne that I would not be behind in benefites I beseech ye therefore to striue stoutly and though yee bee put to the worse come againe a fresh in battell aray They are happie who get the victorie they are happie also who are ouercome What young man is more noble then he that can say to himselfe for to another he may in no wise speake it I haue vanquished my father by benefites Who is more happie then such an ancient man who hath iust cause to tell it whithersoeuer he commeth that his sonne hath beene more beneficiall or done more for him then he hath done for his sonne And what is a more blessed thing then for a man to ouercome himselfe Thus we see how the Philosopher disputeth and how he determineth the question of recompence betwixt the child and the father And he hath spoken as much and to as good purpose as anie of the Philosophers haue spoken in this point The which also I haue beene bolde thus farre forth to set downe hoping that it may be considered with some good profite by Christians though from the penne of a heathen man But because we haue a more certaine and sure rule to go by both in this particulare and generallie concerning the doctrine of recompence in all cases let vs now answere the question demanded from the most excellent and on lie perfect the wisdome of God out of holie Scriptures I answer therfore by a concession and granting of the question that a recompeÌ„ce through the blessing of God may be some other waies then by benefites of the same kind aboundantlie made as for example when for earthlie blessings anie are made partakers of spiritual graces and blessings the which vnequall coÌ„mutation or change of benefites the Lord most vsuallie worketh by the hand and ministerie of such to whom he hath committed the preaching of his word and Gospell according as the Apostle Paul saith If we haue â—owne vnto you spirituall thinges is it a great thing if we reape your carnall thinges 1. Cor. 9.11 And againe in his epistle to Philemon pleading with him for his vnfaithfull and runne-away seruant Onesimus that he would vpon his repentance receiue him againe for his sake I vvill recompence it saieth Paule albeit I do not say to thee that thou owest to me euen thine owne selfe Yea further Rom. 15.27 he treating about that great beneficence of manie Churches sent to the Christians of Ierusalem then in distresse through the dearth he is more bold to tell the Christian Gentiles that they are debtors vnto the christian Iewes euen for the inestimable benefits sake of the Gospel which came vnto the Gentiles from them according as it is written The lawe shall go forth of Sion and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem Isai 2. v. 3. And Ps 110.2 And therfore the Apostle concludeth that in so much as the Gentiles are made partakers of the spirituall treasures of the Iewes their dutie is also to minister to them in carnall thinges But this pointe hath bene more fully handled before from the beginning of the third chapter of the former part of the Treatise Let vs therefore leauing this point hast forward Verilie Praier it selfe from the faithful and feruent heart of euerie true Christian though they be priuate persons no Ministers Preachers of the word it is such an almes out of such a blessed treasurie and storehouse that it easilie counteruaileth the outward value of that externall almes which the rich man taketh out of his purse or coffer yea though he open the stringes of his purse wide and stretch out his hand verie liberallie Neuerthelesse the widest opening of the heart vnto Praier must not shut out the care of retribution no not in the same kind whereby anie stand indebted or not in the like measure if so there be need and if God giue abilitie to cause the measure to be pressed downe and to runne ouer according to that which was affirmed before Neither must it shut out the care of benefiting the posteritie of those which haue beene good vnto vs. And here also for want of a fitter place let vs consider from the example of the people of Israel that it is a dutie of thankfulnesse to honour speciall good men with speciall honour euen after their death Benefited men euen thereby stand bound to be beneficiall in their buriall for so it is written of the people of Israel to their commendation that they buried Iehoiada the high Priest in the Citie of Dauid among the Kinges because he had done good in Israell and toward God and his house 2 Chro. ch 24.16 Now finally as a helpe to this fruite of thankefulnesse by care of making recompence it is necessarie that euerie mans heart be a faithfull register of all the kindnesse and beneficence which he is made partaker of Yea and because the memorie of euery one of vs is lesse apt to remember what we owe then what we make reckening to be due vnto vs it were requisite that euerie one should haue some booke of record thereby to be holpen by the sight of white and blacke as they say to call to minde from a long repetition of the yeares and times that are past both from whoÌ„ in what measure we haue bene succoured by the beneficence mercifull releife of this and that good seruant of our God Whereunto well may that serue which was obserued in the entraÌ„ce of this treatise coÌ„cerning the similitude which the Apostle alludeth vnto Philip. 4.15 We haue bene long in this third fruit of thankefulnesse The fourth is this that for want of occasions to make recompence to benefactors or for want of necessitie on their partes or their childrens that we learne from their example and by experience of Gods mercie by them to be our selues the instruments of God to exercise as much goodnesse and mercie as we may And if we be not able from the purse yet by good counsell and holie instruction by faithfull dealing by that credit we haue with others by earnest sute for them in good and honest causes c For there shall doubtlesse neuer want occasions of beneficence one way or other to those that be beneficiallie and helpefully minded The poore saith our Sauiour Christ shal be alwaies with vs. And so long as sinne is in the world yea in the children of God though not reigning and as long as the children of this world are violent and deceitfull to oppresse and deceiue specially the true seruants and children of God and as long as the diuell their arch-enemie beareth any swaie in the world ruleth in the hearts of the wicked to push them forward to mallice and persecute the true worshippers of God of blind zeale to their owne false religion and superstition Finally so long as God himselfe seeth it meete yea good and profitable for his children to be humbled and that their faith and patience should be exercised
abominations all which blasphemous impieties and most filthie treacherous and cruell practises were found both in the chiefe citie and also in all other places where this strumpet hath borne anie sway by making the Kinges of the earth drunken with the wine of her fornication For these causes therefore saith the Spirit of God as appeareth more at large in those two chapters of the booke of the Reuelatiō of our Lord Iesus Christ which he made knowne by his Angell to his seruant Iohn this most filthie whore shall be most wofullie iudged and condemned of God God therefore I say yet once againe of his infinite mercie and most bounteous goodnes giue all that be his both among them and among our selues and in all Churches trulie professing and honouring the most gratious and glorious name of our Lord Iesus Christ that in this so great and weightie a matter of Christian giuing and receiuing of holie beneficence which so generallie and so nearelie concerneth and blindeth all to dutifull regard in either respect that we may auoide all the errors and sinnes thereinto incident the which as hath bene declared are manie and great and so escape the heauie plagues and punishmentes of God due to the same both in this world and in the world to come And that on the contrary we may be so guided by the holy Spirit of God to proceed according to the streight line and euen and equal measure of his word both in Giuing Receiuing here for a while that for euer we may be partakers of the most precious and inualuable gift of euerlasting life and happinesse in the glorious kingdome of heauen through the onelie worthinesse and merit of our Lord Iesus Christ the only begotten sonne of God to whom with the father and the holie Ghost three most glorious and distinct persons one true eternall and euerliuing God onlie wise holie righteous gratious and mercifull most bounteous Lord God the onelie author and fountaine and the onlie wise distributer and disposer of all good giftes and graces both in heauen and in earth be all praise honour and glorie maiestie and thanksgiuing ascribed and acknowledged of vs and of all creatures both visible and inuisible both nowe and for euer and euer in all thinges and namelie for his late gratious succour against the yeeres of dearth among our selues for renewing of our plentie for the suppressing of the roguish life and thereby for opening of a doore to the more orderlie and comfortable practise of true liberalitie who also vouchsafe to giue grace that on all handes it may bee dulie practised and put in holie and Christian execution Amen An Addition of choise Sentences gathered out of sundrie Writers both Christian and heathen which may to good purpose be referred to the Chapters of either part of the Treatise according to the direction hereafter specified MVlta delectant pauca vincunt Excellency of beneficence liberalite Though a fewe proofes or precepts beare the sway yet variety is delightsome and pleasant Sen. de Benef. lib. 7. cap. 1. Beneficentia ac liberalitate nihil est naturae hominis accommodatius Nothing is more beseeming mākind then beneficence and liberalitie Cicero Off. 1. And lib. 2. Summi cuiusque bonitas commune perfugium est omnibus As euery man is in more high estate so ought he to be a more common refuge for a any man to flie vnto Nihil est tantopere expetendum homini inprimis diuiti quà m vt ex animo benefaciat Nothing is so earnestly to be desired of a man specially of a rich man as that he may haue grace to be hartily beneficially Fr. Iunius annot Prou. 19 22. It is a speciall blemish to graue and learned men and of great iudgement in the Scriptures being also rich wealthy if they shall be noted to be nothing sutable in liberality but on the contrarie For such to abound in this dutie it giueth thē as great a grace in the eyes both of God man as any knowledge or speech or any other or all their gifts put together For that which is to be desired of a man is his goodnesse Prou. 19.22 Read in the verie godly and frutfull Lectures of Samuel Bird of Ypswidge vpon the 8. and 9. chap. 2. epist Cor. pag. 26. 27. 28. And againe pag. 82. Kindnesse to other giftes is as the face to other parts of the body c. I pray reade the places diligently and all other the godly instructions of that little booke vpon those two chapters For as he truly saith pag. 33. In hard times if men would knowe what regard they should haue of their poore brethrē they should consult with those chapters of the Apostle wherein the holy Ghost hath of purpose set downe his holy will and pleasure vnto vs. Sentences to be referred to the first Chap. of the first part of the Treatise Apud homines moderatissimos quosque praestabilius habetur beneficium dare quà m accipere Excellency of Giuing atque antiquior est misericordia quà m lucrum Among all sorts of men such as haue bene of most discreet iudgement it hath bene accoūted a more excellent thing to giue then to receiue a benefite more honourable to shew mercie then to seeke after lucre Greg. Nazianz. Orat. 27. de Pauperum amore And againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nihil beneficentia diuinius in hominem cadit Naz. Orat. 18. ad ciues Trep Nulla in re magis Deo similes sumus quà m beneficentia We are in nothing more like to God then when wee practise beneficence Plinie and other among the heathen Reade Calu. Harm Euang. vpon the 45. verse of the 5. ch of Matth. Generosi animi magnifici est iunare prodesse He hath a right Gentleman like and noble mind who is beneficiall helpefull Seneca Demosthenes being asked wherin man resembleth God he answered that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be beneficiall and to speake the truth Quis tam miser tam neglectus qui Dei munificentiam non senserit ad quem non aliquid ex illo benignissimo fonte manauerit Who is so miserable or forlorne that he hath no comfort of Gods bountie and to whom nothing hath issued from that most gratious founiaine Seneca de Benefic lib. 4. cap. 4. Homo nihil tam Dei habet quà m benefacere vt superius dictum est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet God in great matters man in small things either of them according to their power Dei proprium est perpetuo saluandi studio teneri nec hominum indignitate à benefaciendo absterreri Gualterus Religionis summa est imitare quem colis It is an abridgement of religion for a man to imitate God whom he worshippeth Aug. de Ciuit. Dei lib. 8. cap. 17. Magna certè beneficentiae laus quòd teste Spiritu sancto piae ac perfectae vitae summam in se continet It is verily a great praise of beneficence in so much
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.