vnmercifull sonne Shallum Shalt thou reigne saith the Lord by his Prophete because thou closest thy selfe in Cedar Did not thy father eate and drinke and prosper when he executed iudgement and iustice When he iudged the cause of the afflicted and poore he prospered was not this because he knew me saith the Lord And so the holy Prouerbe teacheth chapter 20.28 concerning euerie good king Mercie and truth preserue the King for his throne is established by mercie And therefore when the Lord speaketh of the most blessed king and of the most happie and stable kingdome that may be he describeth it to be such a kingdome whereof the king should be most mercifull to the poore and needy and that hee should preserue their soules c. This kingdome most happie and flourishing is onely the kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Psalme 72. verses 12.13.14 Thus we haue two examples out of the olde Tement Now one or two out of the new Testament and so will we draw to an end of this chapter In the beginning of the 10. chapter of the Actes of the holy Apostles the Euangelist Luke reporteth that the Angell of the Lord is from heauen a witnesse to Cornelius a religious and mercifull Captaine that his prayer and almes were come vp into remembrance before God and that therefore it pleased God to grant him the desire of his soule that he might be more perfectly instructed and confirmed in the Christian knowledge and faith of his saluation and the Angell telleth Cornelius further that God had for the same purpose appointed Peter who at that time lodged with one Simon a Tanner dwelling by the sea side in Ioppa that he should bee the Apostle and Minister of God to teach and instruct him and therefore willeth him to send thither for Peter All which came gratiously to passe according vnto the message of the holy Angell And it was doubtlesse a greater mercie and blessing to Cornelius and his familie and manie other of his kinsmen and speciall friendes then if hee could by any couetous pinching and sparing haue increased his worldly riches by manie thousandes yea greater then if by anie warlike valour and outward force hee could with with a few men haue conquered the whole world to himselfe Finallie that God might leaue to all posteritie a most memorable demonstration howe well pleasing to his Maiestie the sacrifice of beneficence and mercie is it hath pleased him that by the ministerie of the Apostle Peter euen now mentioned one Dorcas a Christian woman of singular mercie and liberalitie to poore Saintes should at the lamentation of manie Christians both widdowes and other who mourned for the losse of her bee miraculously raised vp from death to life Act. chap. 9. verse 36. c. God thereby giuing all to vnderstand both howe pretious his poore beleeuers and Christians are vnto him in that rather then they should be fosterlesse he will raise mercifull men and women out of the graue and also how deare they are vnto him who relieue such as hee maketh so speciall account of For they are the heires of the resurrection of the righteous to euerlasting life and happinesse in the kingdome of heauen Thus then euen by a fewe examples as by two or three witnesses which especially on the Lords behalfe may suffice for the establishing of any truth it may be euident vnto vs as the cause by the effect that the promises of God made to assure all mercifull men and women of his great fauour and blessing are not giuen forth in vaine So that as it is sayd of the vpright and righteous man Psalme 37. verse 37. Marke the vpright man and behold the iust for the end of that man is peace we may boldly affirme the same of the mercifull man For the vpright and iust man and the right mercifull man is all one as is euident in the whole tenure of the same Psalme God no doubt who moued king Dauid to remember to shewe kindenes to the sonne of Ionathan for that kindnes which Ionathan had in former times shewed vnto him For therefore did King Dauid allowe Mephibosheth the sonne of Ionathan alwayes to eate breade at his owne table as if he had bene one of the kinges owne sonnes 2. Sam. ch 9. The same God who worketh the same affection vsuallie in the heartes of all his good seruantes as we shall haue further occasion to declare in the second part of this Treatise yea that God who oftentimes turneth the heartes euen of verie wicked and cruell men to shewe kindenes to his children as the Egyptians to the Israelites and Esau to Iaakob c. He himselfe I say will much lesse forget them that be kinde to anie of his for that loue which they beare vnto him For as God is infinitelie more gratious mercifull and bounteous then man can bee so hath he by infinite degrees a more perfect remembrance to requite all kindenesses then they can possibly haue And as hee hath a most perfect remembrance infinitelie aboue man so also is hee most able aboue man to recompence all kindenesse in that hee is the Almightie and likewise most willing aboue man seeing hee is the most mercifull aboue all as was said euen now That God is thus most willing we reade 2. Cor. ch 9.10 He that findeth seed to the sower saith S. Paul wil minister likewise bread for food multiply your seed increse the fruits of your beneuolence That on all parts ye may be made rich to all liberalitie c. That God is likewise most able look back to the 8. verse of the same chap. God is able saith the same Apostle to make all grace to abound toward euery free-hearted and chearefull giuer for of such he there writeth And that God is not forgetfull we haue seene before from the 10. verse of the 6. chap. of the epistle to the Hebrewes Where it is worthy to be diligently noted of vs that God accounteth it a part of his righteousnesse to haue the worke and labour of the loue of his good beneficiall seruants in gratious remembrance For God is not vnrighteous saith the Apostle that he should forget c. Wherefore we may be euen as sure certaine that God wil not forget vs as we are sure that he neither is nor can be in any thing vniust Let vs not therefore as the same Apostle exhorteth chap. 10.35 cast away our confidence in this behalfe which vndoubtedly hath great recompence of reward Though man should forget those that haue deserued well of them Yea though as it doth not seldom fall out that man requiteth good with euill as Psal 38.20 They that reward euill for good as the holie Prophet complaineth are mine aduersaries because I follow goodnesse Yet God will at no hand deale so but though we can claime nothing by desert from him but we are to account our selues vnprofitable seruants as touching any benefite which we yeelde vnto him yet through his
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-foster-father in the seuen yeares of famine yea and the foster-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
is punished with another that is when they are giuen ouer from sin to sinne howsoeuer the burthen of this punishment which maketh way to all plague and punishment is not discerned of the wicked The Apostle therefore addeth further chap. 2. vers 4.5 They that despise the riches of Gods bountifulnesse and patience and long sufferance not knowing that is not regarding to know or consider that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth to repentance They do after the hardnesse of their harts that cannot repent heape vp vnto themselues wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God who wil reward euery one according to his works c. So likewise in the former place of the Epist to the Ephesians For such things that is for such vices as breake forth and beare swaie among the wicked for want of thankfulnesse to God as the Apostle had rehearsed in the words going before the wrath of God commeth vpon the children of disobedience Vnthankefulnesse it selfe in that it is a neglect of dutie to God is a great sinne and that which God punisheth sharply in his owne childrē like as we read of King Hezekiah that good king that wrath came vpon him from the Lord because he did not render to the Lord according to the reward bestowed vpon him 2. Chron. 32.24.25.26 Howbeit insomuch as Hezekiah beeing reproued did humble himselfe both he and the inhabitantes of Ierusalem therefore they preuented the extremitie of Gods wrath so as it fell not vpon them in the daies of Hezekiah Now therefore seeing the Lord cannot spare this sinne when it is found with neglect of dutie in his best seruants for a time how should he not punish it in the wicked in whom vnthankefulnesse is accompained with a black gard of all kind of foule vices and abominable sinnes beside May it not be iustly sayd to the shame of all such as Moses spake to the vnthankefull Israelites Deut. 32.6 Doe ye so reward the Lord ò ye foolish people and vnwise Is not he thy father that hath bought thee he hath made thee and porportioned thee c. And if for all this they that be vnthankefull will be vnthankfull still notwithstanding all the infinite mercies of God reuealed vpon vs specially now in the dayes of the Gospell both earthlie and heauenly mercies for body and soule for this life and for euer vpon our selues and all ours which ought to inflame our heartes to power forth perpetuall praises and thankes to the glorie of his most blessed name may we not iustly say further as Moses spake to the people The fire shall kindle in Gods wrath and burne to the bottome of hell and consume the earth with her increase and set on fire the foundations of the mountaines The Lord will send plagues vpon them and bestow his arrowes vpon them They shall be burnt with hunger and consumed with heate and bitter destruction And may not the Lord himselfe as it is written Psal 107. turn a fruitful land into barrenesse for the wickednes of thē that dwell therein Yea may he not iustly take away the hedge of his vineyard break downe the wall therof when in steed of sweet grapes it bringeth forth those that be sower and wild That is when there is oppression in steed of iudgmēt crying out in steed of righteousnesse Isa 5.5 c. For seeing vnthankfulnes as hath bene declared is both the breeder also the nourisher of all sin carying all sin as it were in the wombe of it like to those most il-fauoured and leane kine which did eate vp as many well liking and fat kine but when they had eaten them vp were still as leane and ill-fauoured as at the beginning of the which we read Gen. 41 19.20.21 Wel therefore may the fulnesse perfection of all wrath and punishment be cast vpon all such gurmandizing Cormorants who consuming Gods blessings yeeld no fruits of thankfulnesse vnto him but remaine continually leane barren and blasted that way The hope of the vnthankefull shall melt away as the winter yee and flow away as vnprofitable waters Wisdom 16.29 And great reason why vnthankfulnesse to God should bee so heinous in his sight and why also he should punish it so seuerely partly here but more fully after this life ended not only for the causes already alleaged but for many other as first for that God doth in vaine so oftē so earnestly put such vnthākful ones in mind of their duty herein as Ps 50.14 Offer vnto God praise And Eph. 5.20 Giue thanks alwayes for al things vnto God euen the Father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ Likewise Philip. 4.6 Col. 4.2 1. Thes 5.18 and in many other places Secondly because that which is in all equity a most due debt is most vniustly denied withheld frō him as 2. Thes 1.3 We ought to thank God alwayes as is meet c. ch 2.13 We ought to giue thanks alway to God for you brethrē c. And if for others thē also much rather for Gods loue fauour all the fruits thereof toward our selues And Ps 29.2 Giue to the Lord the glory due to his name Reasons of the punishment Thirdly because thankefulnesse is a speciall good dutie wherewith the Lord is singularlie well pleased as Psal 92.1.2 It is a good thing to prayse the Lord c. And Psal 69.30.31 I will prayse the name of God with a song and magnifie him with thankesgiuing The which shall please the Lord better then to offer a young bullocke that hath hornes and hoofes Fourthly because it is as the singular ornament of our owne profession of Gods holy worship as Psal 33.1 Reioyce in the Lord ô ye righteous for it becommeth vpright men to be thankefull And Psal 135.3 Praise ye the Lord for the Lord is good sing prayses to his name for it is a comely thing And Psal 147.1 Praise ye the Lord for it is good to sing vnto our God for it is a pleasant thing and prayse is comely Fiftly because by our thankefulnesse we make speciall profession of our faith and giue the greatest glorie we can yeeld vnto him in the acknowledgement of his prouidence and of his truth in the performance of his promises c. as Psal 66.1.2 c. Reioyce in the Lord ye inhabitantes of the earth Sing forth the glorie of his name make his prayse glorious And Psal 96.8 Giue vnto the Lord the glory of his name And Psal 50.23 He that offereth praise glorifieth me saith the Lord himselfe But on the contrarie all vnthankfull persons dishonour God they iustly displease him they disgrace themselues they shew themselues void of faith they tread vnder foote the commaundement of God c. Thus much of the sinne of vnthankefulnesse to God how hanious it is in his owne nature and in the sight of God and accordingly how greuious the punishment is which in the iustice of God belongeth
conscience of humane office and dutie which he would haue preserued in the middest of them and such also as he hath vsed for his more holie and honorable instruments for the direction and instigation of his people from time to time to walke not onelie in humanitie but euen in Christian mercie compassion toward their brethren in a holie communion of Saintes before him Not for necessitie of proofe or for power of perswasion as if the holie Scriptures were not alone sufficient to euerie holie vse both of doctrine reprehension comfort and exhortation but that euery one that wil not shut his eyes may more clearely perceiue that he shall stand euery way conuict and condemned before God and in his owne conscience and before the world if he do not mind and practise the duties herein conteined And that especially in more then ordinary hard times such as of late haue continued for sundry yeares together and are like againe to renew vpon vs if we call not the more earnestly vpon God for mercie and if we shall not more vnfeinedly repent of our most grieuous sinnes which haue as it were armed his iustice and kindled his wrath against vs. And in this respect I trust such addition of sentences shall not be vngratefully accepted either of the learned who will take an honest and scholler-like delight in the elegancie of the speech wherein the Authours expresse their graue and weightie meditations of these matters or of the vnlearned for whose sake I will English at the least the more briefe and principall of them And the rather haue I this trust because they will wisely consider that there is more libertie allowable this way in a course of writing then in an vsuall order and custome of preaching and againe because in no other argument may this be to better purpose performed then in that which is presently in hand Excellency of Giuing THE FIRST PART of the Treatise CHAP. 1. What Giuing is IN so much as in this argument of Giuing Receiuing Giuing as was obserued in part before hath the first place in order it being as it were by birth and course of nature before Receiuing but much rather in so much as it is of greatest preheminence and worth in dignitie to the which also belongeth the chiefe fruite and as it were the first-bornes double portion in the blessing according to those words of our Sauiour Christ himselfe which the Apostle Paul would haue very diligently remembred of all Christians in that he sayd It is a blessed thing to giue rather then to receiue Act. 20.35 Reason therefore strongly chalengeth that we begin with Giuing as with the principall and more worthy part of that Prize which now is striuen for And how I pray you should it not be as the Apostle remembreth from the doctrine of our Sauiour Christ that Giuing is a more blessed thing than Receiuing seeing that by how much men of God are more bountifully minded and more liberally handed by so much do they more liuely both in disposition of mind also in practise of Action represent and resemble the likenesse of God himselfe who by no other thing is better manifested and made knowne either for his owne honour and glorie or to our comfort then by the bountie of his goodnesse and mercy in giuing and bestowing his benefites and blessings vpon vs his poore and vnworthy seruants This doubt the Lord himselfe giueth clearely to vnderstand in his holy Scriptures where he hath of purpose most fully reuealed himselfe in that he holdeth forth the light of his mercy to shine out most brightly among the reâ—â— of his most noble diuine vertues as we may perceiue by a few testimonies culled out of many which it shall be good for vs to alleadge before we proceed any further as it were out of so warme a Sun-shine The Prophet Moses telleth vs that at what time it pleased God at his request to proclaime the glorie of his name Exod. chap. 34. verses 6.7 that he vsed more words in number and larger in sence to expresse his mercy then any diuine property els yea then the wrath of his iustice which is there mentioned with it The words of mercy which exceed in number are these Mercifull gratious slowe to anger and aboundant in goodnesse and truth compared with not making the wicked innocent and visiting of iniquitie foure or fiue to two The words which exceed in largenesse of sence are these Reseruing mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquity transgression and sin that is infinit sinnes and all kind of great and grieuous sinnes compared with these words Visiting the inquitie of the fathers vpon the children vpon the childrens children to the third and fourth generation But mark I pray you that I do not lessen or diminish Gods iustice to inlarge his mercie for that were most impious sacrilege seeing both are infinitely perfect aboue all vnequall comparison but I speake as Moses telleth vs that the Lord himself spake coÌ„paring the displeasure or anger of his iustice with the fauor of his mercy in regard of his couenaÌ„t made in respect of Christ by whose satisfactioÌ„ this wrath of iustice is woÌ„derfully coÌ„tracted yea in respect of the elect made temporall yea is cleane diuerted and abolished For otherwise perfect that is infinite both mercy and iustice meete together in the saluation of the elect God accounting it iust to saue the vniust for Christs sake who is the Lord our righteousnesse But let vs come to some other testimonies wherein God hath in singular maner renoumed his mercie The Lord saith the holy Psalmist is gratious and mercifull slowe to anger and of great mercy The Lord is good to all and his mercies are ouer all his works Psal 145.8.9 And Psalm 136. he repeateth this foote of the song as often as there be verses in the Psalme that is 26 times one after the other For his mercie endureth for euer And he maketh this as the chiefe reason of all his workes yea euen of his most fearefull and heauy iudgements vpon the wicked in the which he propoundeth to himselfe not so much the confusion and destruction of the wicked in his iustice as the benefite of his Church and people to the glory of his grace and mercie as is easie to be seene in the reading of that Psalme According also to that Isaiah 43.4 Because thou wert pretious in my sight wert honorable I loued thee saith the Lord therefore will I giue man for thee and people for thy sake This singular care of the Lord ouer his people is euerie where repeated in the holy Scriptures Read Psalme 9.9 and Psal 10.17 and 18.27 and 34.6 and 40.17 and 113.5 and 146.7.8.9 God will be a refuge to his poore people he will heare them he will saue them he will destroy their enemies c. And for what other causes also doth God at any time aduance any of his seruants from poore estate to high
there be a continuall charge giuen against it both by Timothie and also by all other ministers of the Gospell to the end of the world Charge them saith hee that are rich in this vvorld that they be not high minded and that they trust not in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God who giueth vs aboundantly all thinges to enioy That they do good and be rich in good vvorks and ready to distribute and communicate Laying vp for themselues in store a good foundation against the time to come that they may obtaine eternall life 1. Timoth. chap. 6. verses 17.18.19 In the which wordes note also that together with this morall precept of humilitie toward men hee leaueth no place for opinion of merit with God which is the height of pride A Gift must be giuen in righteousnes and in truth the most strong poison and bane of all true beneficence yea that which vtterly peruerteth and destroyeth whatsoeuer good thing a man may seeme to doe Hetherto of the first branch of our Definition or description of Giuing that it is a free or franke and liberall imparting or communicating to other It followeth now that it is a communicating of some meete and conuenient portion of that wherewith God of his goodnesse hath blessed euery one aboue the rest of his people wherein these three things do offer themselues to be considered of vs. First that Christian Giuing or liberall beneficence is to bee prractised in righteousnesse and of that which is a mans owne iustly obtained and gotten Secondly that Beneficence and the actions thereof are to bee ordered wisely and according to good discretion Thirdly that it is a dutie belonging to euerie Christian whomsoeuer God hath in any measure made able to spare any thing to relieue his brother or neighbour who is more poore and needie then himselfe Of all and euerie one of these let vs consider in the same order Touching the first of these three points namely that Christian beneficence is to be perfourmed of that which is our owne iustly gotten howe can wee thinke that it should be otherwise seeing God requireth of all his seruants both high and lowe rich and poore that alwayes in all things they do exercise iustice and iudgement According to that which we reade Psalme 106.3 Blessed are they which keepe iudgement and do righteousnesse at all times In which respect also the seruantes of God are euerie where in the holy Scriptures noted by this propertie in generall that they loue righteousnesse And more particularly concerning this dutie of liberality and beneficence which we speake of the verie almes which the seruants of God are to giue and which only God alloweth it beareth euen the name of Righteousnesse and that not onely because it is a dutie of right and iustice to be perfourmed toward such as haue need but that therewithall likewise we might be giuen to vnderstand that it is iust and right that almes should be giuen of that which is righly a mans owne and not of that which is gotten by any vnrighteous dealing To this purpose tendeth that which we read Deut. 24.13 where the Lord our God speaking of right mercifull dealing to the poore saith that it shall be accounted for righteousnesse to such as duly practise the same And Dan. 4.24 the holy Prophet exhorting the vniust and cruel Tyrant to take thence forward a iust and mercifull course he counselleth him to break off his sinnes by this kind of righteousnesse and mercie toward the poore And Psal 112. vers 2. The Spirit of God speaking of the right mercifull and true almes-man indeed he alleadgeth by his holy Prophet that his righteousnesse is a ioynt companion or rather a guide of his mercie He is mercifull saith the holy Ghost and full of compassion and righteousnesse And againe He hath distributed and giuen to the poore his righteousnesse remaineth for euer The which place of Scripture the Apostle Paul citing to the same purpose 2. Cor. 9.9 he expresseth the liberalitie of the mercifull man by the same word Righteousnesse though our English translation vseth another word saying in the same sence His beneuolence endureth for euer And verse 10. God will increase the fruite of your beneuolence Prouentus iustitiae The Greeke text is in either verse DICAIOSVNE righteousnesse as it is in the Hebrue TSIDQATH Likewise in the beginning of the sixth chap. of Matth. in steed of almes which is in the Greeke the Syrian word after the maner of the Hebrue phrase as also of the Chalde as Tremelius in his note vpon the same place well obserueth is righteousnesse in so much as almes is not the least part thereof For to speake truly no man can worthilie beare the name or doo indeede the part of a liberall man vnlesse he be first a righteous and iust dealing man Liberalitie giuen of an other mans goodes is no liberalitie from the hand of an vsurper though he seemeth to be the giuer of them It is rather his theft and fraude or else his oppression and rapine it is not his liberalitie O how much better were it for such a one to make restitution rather then to beare the face or rather the visaâ—d of a liberall and mercifull man verilie almes of that which is gotten by iniquitie is abomination to the Lord. The crie of him who hath beene oppressed spoiled or defrauded will be louder in the eares of the Lord for vengeance then the praier or thankes-offering of the other for blessing and reward For what reason or equitie is there that some small portion which vnrighteous men giue of that vnmercifull yea cruell hauock and spoile wich they haue made should take away any guiltinesse of their great and grieuous sinne Wherefore let so manie as minde to make practise of true liberalitie hearken in the feare of God to the wise counsell of king Salomon Prou. ch 5.15 Drinke saith he the water of thy cisterne and of the riuers out of the middest of thine owne well Let thy fountaines flowe forth and the riuers of waters in the streets that is ioyfully enioy and vse that portion of outward blessings which God hath in mercie as a fruit of thy honest labour or otherwise as it hath pleased him to bestow vpon thee not onely for thy necessitie but euen for thy sober delight and comfort also prouided that of that which thou maist spare as it were the ouerflowings of thy full cisterne others that stand in need and are as the drie and thirsty ground may be mercifully refreshed and relicued by thee And then it followeth in the same place for a further instruction But let them be thine euen thine only and not a strangers with thee that is order the matter so that through no euill or intemperate abuse of thine God be prouoked to alienate thy goods from thy selfe to any other of the which iudgement he had spoken before in the tenth verse of the same chapter A gift must be giuen
mercie as it is sayd of the prayers of his good seruants so may it be affirmed of all their good and kinde dealings that they shall be turned vpon their own bosoms according to that we reade Psal 35. vers 12.13.14 O therefore how I beseech you should not the earnest consideration of these things mightily preuayle to moue euery one in whom there is any sparkle of grace to minde this practise of Christian beneficence and mercie toward the poore of Gods people according to euery mans abilty And euen for the same cause also as hath bene before expressed to separate and lay aside a portion before hand of that blessing which God giueth That so we may haue alwayes a purse or coffer to this spirituall vse and seruice of the Lord as well replenished as may be And to this so blessed an end that all which haue aboundance should cut off as much as may be all superfluous and vaine expences in apparell in diet in building in plate in houshold stuffe and in euerie costly and curious ornament whatsoeuer is to any in his place and calling aboue that which is sober and meete For by this wise prouident and sober course not onely the richer but also such as be of lesse wealth shall find both a more richer treasurie to defray all charges this way and also a more readie heart and hand to extende their helpe toward all good reliefe And otherwise it will come to passe that though we be ouercome to giue yet will it be yeelded so vngainely from vs as it were the small sparkle out of the hard flint or as sawe-dust grated out of the belly of the hard oake or to speake the fairest of it it will be but as a thinne and short eare of corne out of a verie barren and vnfruitfull soyle So that loosing all grace in the giuing it doth make the gift it selfe voyde of all blessing like vnto the light and waste seede which being sowne taketh no roote in the ground Verily if we could earnestly and ingeniously consider with our selues and lay together all the reasons which are to be weighed in this argument as namely for a taste that in so doing wee perfourme the dutie of good and faithfull Stewards to God in the right disposing of those his creatures which hee hath betrusted vs withall that thereby we preuent much murmuring and sin and much vniust dealing by pilferie and deceit yea infinite dangerous snares and temptations whereby the diuell spoyleth weake Christians as may easily appeare vnto vs by the prayer of holy Agur Prou. 30. chap. 7.8.9 Giue mee not pouertie prayeth wise Agur lest I be poore and steale Reasons mouing to beneficence and take the name of my God in vaine It is one of the two principal things which he earnestly craued of God that he might obtaine at his hands so long as he had to liue And further if we would duly consider that we refresh the soules of the the best stayed seruants and saints of God Epist to Phile. vers 7. By thee the bowels of the saints are comforted that we mitigate the heauie burthen of their cares and sorrowes and so make their liues more comfortable to them that hereby wee giue them occasion to poure forth many heartie praises and thankesgiuings to the honour and praise of God Moreouer if we would consider that hereby we gather much peace and assurance to our selues that we are in Gods fauour in so much as hereby as Saint Iohn saith We know that we are translated from death to life if we loue the brethren 1. Ioh. chap. 3. vers 14. Likewise that whatsoeuer wee bestowe this way is the safer and surer portion of all our riches according as one truly saith that The most liberall men are the most rich men in all the world Adde also that we mollifie the hard heartednesse of our enemies and mittigate the enuie of those that be spiteful and malignant while we doe good vnto them And yet further that we defeat the moth the canker and the thiefe and store vp our treasure in heauen as our Sauior Christ teacheth vs. In like manner that we are vnder the blessing of the prayers of the poore which is as a princely protection sealed vnto vs as it were with the broad seale of the kingdome of heauen Iob. chap. 29.13 Finally that we are therein blessed of God himselfe with all kind of blessings in this life and shall more comfortably leaue this world whensoeuer God shall call vs out of it If I say we would diligently weigh these reasons and other of like sort it could not be but they wold mightily weigh with vs to prouoke vs to a most willing and chearefull practise of so blessed an exercise Whereupon also it is cleare from this discourse that the errour and dotage of all such is very grosse palpable whosoeuer forgetting that Godlinesse is gaine do pursue and follow after gaine rather then godlinesse that euen vnder the profession of true godlinesse and pure and vndefiled religion contrarie to that of the Apostle Iames. chap. 1.27 Pure religion and vndefiled euen before God the Father is this to visite the fatherlesse and widdowes in their aduersitie and to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world And to that Matt. 9.13 I will haue mercie and not sacrifice For mercie is a great and weighty matter of the law Matth. chap. 23. verse 23. It may appeare also that they do greatly deceiue themselues and preiudice the truth and promises of God who standing aside to behold some few examples of those that in the practise of beneficence seemed to fall into decay as if their goodnesse must needes be the cause thereof and so harden their hearts against all good estimation of this excellent vertue For say some do ye not see how such and such a one haue brought themselues behind hand by their entertaining of Preachers c. We thought it could not last long Whereas rather they should blame themselues if any such decay hath bene because it came the rather to passe vpon other because they contrary to their dutie let too great a burthen lie vpon a few which would haue bene light and easie if these idle beholders wold haue set to their helping hand For want whereof they haue endangered themselues to a greater and more irrecouerable losse seeing they haue thereby purchased the displeasure of God and made themselues subiect to his seuere punishments which followe vpon the neglect of mercie as wee are now to declare in the next chapter The punishment of not giuing CHAP. IIII. Of the punishment of illiberalitie and not Giuing IN so much as the gratious acceptation wherewithall God vouchsafeth to accept and reward the beficence and liberalitie of his seruants may be the more liuely illustrated set forth from the contrarie dislike yea earnest displeasure and holy indignation which he beareth against prophane illiberall couetous mercilesse and cruell persons for all
tried all which both wil shal be so long as this world lasteth euen thus long therefore will there be manifold occasions for the mercifull who for the time are rescued and spared of God to shewe all kind of mercie and goodnesse to those that be in present affliction The which occasioÌ„s al staÌ„d bound to take knowledge of to tender and releiue all afflicted ones to their power whosoeuer will shew themselues kindly children of their heauenly father specially as was said in the beginning such as haue had speciall experience of Gods mercie in the benefiâ—ence and goodnesse of many other toward them As for those that shall not regard to doe thus they may see in the parable of him that taketh his brother by the throate for a hundreth pence notwithstanding the king had forgiuen him a thousand talents what shal be their portion in the end For the king his master hearing of the outrage by such of the fellow-seruants as were sorrowfull beholders of it he calleth him and saith to him O euill seruant I forgaue thee all that debt because thou praiedst me Oughtest not thou also to haue had pittie on thy fellow euen as I had pittie on thee So his master was wroth and deliuered him to the iaylors till he should pay all that was due to him Mat. 18.23.24 c. Such shal be the lot of all vnmercifull and vnthankfull men specially of such as hauing receiued mercie themselues do in stead of mercie exercise crueltie against others But of this more in the chapter following Hetherto therfore of the foure fruits of true thankfulnesse for benefits receiued in such order as they were at the first set downe and mentioned Benefits must be vsed as incouragements to godlinesse Now beside all the former graces it is yet further requisite and necessarie according to the last clause of the Definition of the Christian Receiuing of beneficence that euerie one whosoeuer is a partaker therof should be carefull conscionably and in the feare of God to imploy that which hath bene Christianly giuen to the same good and holy ends for the which it was giuen It hath alwayes bene accounted a sinne of infamous vnfaithfulnesse whether toward the dead or the liuing that any put in trust should break the will and appointment of either of them when according to their lawfull interest and power they haue willed and disposed of any thing well Verily it is no lesse sin for the parties themselues who are benefited to violate the godly will and purpose either of the one or the other by abusing that which hath bene bequethed or appointed vnto them either to nourish them in idlenesse or to embolden them to riotous and hurtfull enterprises when as their benefactors intended thereby only to comfort and incourage them in the wayes of godlinesse to the honor praise of his name they knowing that outward wants specially if they be great are a great hinderance of the good proceedings of those that be vertuously inclined If all that we liue by had bin gotten by the sweat of our owne browes yea though by our diligence industry we had obtained great wealth abundance yet were we bound to vse all that we enioy soberly thriftily without stripe or wast as they say But much rather are we to do so if aboue our owne care trauel we be fed and maintained either in whole or in part with so holy a prouision as is the contribution of those whom God honoreth with the name and title of his Saints All the excesse which beseemeth those that are thus prouided for it is their abounding in true hartie thankfulnes vnto God Moreouer and aboue all that thanks which belongeth vnto those by whom God sheweth so great fauour vnto them For this is the chiefe and finall end or scope of al liberalitie and of all the comfort and refreshing which it is accompanied withall euen the honour and praise The vse of Benefites is to incourage to godlinesse glorie of our most gracious and mercifull God And thus the Apostle Paule teacheth vs and all Christians very notably in the latter part of the 9. ch of his 2. epist to the Corinth from the 11. verse to the end he there making this the last and most weighty reason of his exhortation to the plentifull practise of this excellent vertue of liberalitie That saith he on all parts ye may be made rich vnto all liberalitie which causeth through vs that is by our ministerie thankesgiuing vnto God For hereunto doth the Gospel in the ministration and preaching therof effectually prouoke the hearts of the relieued Christians And then the Apostle proceedeth and addeth to the former words these which follow For the ministration of this seruice not onely supplyeth the necessities of the Saints but also is aboundant by the thankesgiuing of many vnto God Who as the Apostle further saith by the experince of this ministration praise God for your voluntarie submission to the gospell of Christ and for your liberall distribution to them and to all men And by their Praier for you desiring after you greatly for the aboundant grace of God in you Wherupon the Apostle himself rauished as it were with the beautie of this grace in the last verse of the chapter breaketh forth into most harty thanksegiuing saying Thankes therfore be vnto God for his vnspeakable gift The Apostle calleth the exercise of Christian liberality and benificence an vnspeakable gift of God because as we had occasion to obserue before it is not only in the vse exceedingly precious to stirre vp those that are partakers of the sweete fruit thereof to thanksgiuing vnto God but also because vnlesse God should by the mightie grace and power of the holy Ghost worke this grace in the hartes of his children they could not possibly get that great victorie against selfe-loue couetousnesse distrust in Gods prouidence vnmercifulnesse yea against the verie power of the diuell who laboureth with all his might to hinder this worke which he seeth to bring so great glory to the Gospell which victorie notwithstanding must needs be obtained The finall â—se of beneficence is the glorie of God before any can be truly liberall and beneficiall indeed Thankes therefore may we worthily say with the holy Apostle yea Thankes againe be vnto God for his vnspeakeable gift And God stirre vp the hearts of all relieued Christians both more more to be thankfull to his Maiestie and also to pray more earnestly for his blessing vpon all good instruments of his whomsoeuer be graceth with this so excellent a gift Amen Thus farre therefore touching the vertues necessarie to the right Christian receiuing of holy and Christian beneficence which are as we haue seene Sobrietis of mind Reuerence Thankefulnesse and as fruits thereof Prayer to God for such as be beneficiall Recompence Good report Beneficence to others and generally a Godly and sober life as a perpetuall fruit of so
Some seeke by their hatefull dealing to make proofe that they thinke themselues nothing beholding to their friend Sen. de Ben. lib. 2. cap. 24. Sunt hi non solum Christiano nomine indigni sed ne homines quidem dicimerentur cùm monstra naturae sint quae creaturis omnibus gratitudinis sensum inseuit Agnoscit bos herum suum c. These verily are not onely vnworthy to be called by the name of Christians but the name of men is too good for them seeing they are mōsters in nature the which hath seeded a certaine sence of thankfulnesse in all creatures The oxe knoweth his Maister c. Isai 1. Gualt in 5. Mat. Vnthankfulnes to God is the roote of vnthankfulnesse to men Ab ingratitudine erga Deum manat ingratitudinis erga homines hoc est detestabilis vitij audacia Cui enim respondebit gratè Quod munus existimabit magnum aut reddendum qui summa beneficia spernit From vnthankfulnesse to God issueth the shamelesse boldnesse of vnthankefulnesse to men that is to say of a most detestable vice For to whom will such a man shew himselfe thankfull What benefite will he esteeme great or worthy to be recompēced which despiseth those that be the greatest of all other Sen de Bene. 2. cap. 30. Finally the vnthankefull man is not onely iniurious to himselfe but also a common enemie to all that stand in neede insomuch as he discourageth manie from the continuance of their liberalitie In which respect it is said as was partly alleaged before Omnes immemorem beneficij oderunt eamque iniuriam as it followeth in deterrenda liberalitate sibi etiam fieri eumque qui faciat communem hostem tenuiorum putant Off. 2. The wordes of Seneca exhorting children to recompence their Parentes yea if it may be to exceed their beneficence toward them Haec inquit Seneca non destruunt parentum venerationem nec deteriores illis liberos faciunt imò itiam meliores c. Alacrior erit pietas siad reddenda beneficia cum vincendi spe venerit c. Nisi hic ita iudicamus excusationem damus liberis illos segniores ad referendam gratiam facimus quibus stimulos adijcere debemus dicere Hoc agite optimi inuenes proposita est inter parentes liberos honesta contentio dederint maiora an receperint Non ideò viceruut quia occupauerunt Sumite modò animum qualem decet deficere nolite vt vincatis optantes Nec desunt tam pulchro certamini duces qui similia vos cohortentur ac per vestigia sua ire ad victoriam saepe iam partam ex parentibus iubeant Ca. 36. lib. 3. de Benef. Et cap. 38. Nulla vi verborum nulla ingenij facultate exprimi potest quantum opus sit quā laudabile quamque nunquā à memoria hominum exiturum posse haec dicere Parentibus meis parui cessi imperio eorum c. ad hoc vnum contumax fui ne beneficijs vincerer Certate obsecro vos fusi quoque restituite aciem Foelices qui vicerint foelices qui vincentur Quid eo adolescente praeclarius qui sibi ipsi dicere potuit neque enim fas est alteri dicere Parentem meum beneficijs vici Quid eo fortunatius sene qui omnibus vbique praedicabit à filio suo se beneficijs victum Quid autem est foelicius quà m sibi cedere A sentence concerning humane sentences their authoritie both Christian and heathen These words are englished before Like as we esteeme the speciall sayings of the learned among the heathen in such matters as by the speciall gift of God they giue testimonie to that light which he hath reserued in nature aboue the authoritie of the more rude for that more speciall light of natures sake which God hath reserued vnto them so yea much rather doe wee worthily esteeme the sentences of learned Christians whether more auncient Fathers or any of latter times whom God hath specially inlightened by the holy Ghost from his sacred Scriptures to giue testimonie to his truth so farre as we finde they do it according to the Scriptures and right interpretation thereof aboue the opinions or sayings of common Christians whosoeuer haue not as yet their wits so well exercised and acquainted with the Scriptures as by the singular blessing of God the other haue had And thus good Christiā Readers whether more or lesse learned one and other ye may all by that which hath bene remembred and layed before ye in this Treatise euidently perceiue that as was saied in the beginning the duties herein declared are euery way so plentifully testified and commended that whosoeuer will not make practise accordingly he can not be but as one left altogether most wofully conuict both from heauen vpō earth in his owne conscience which of it selfe is as a thousand witnesses and before God and all men without all shadowe of excuse by the verdit of infinit thousandes of witnesses against him But as touching you that vouchsafe to read these things with honest and godly mindes better fruite is to be expected and hoped for euen such as will through the grace of God accompany and helpe forward your euerlastting and most happy peace and saluation both here and in the kingdome of heauen The which I humbly beseech God our heauenly father to graunt vnto ye as well as to my owne soule of his infinit most bounteous mercie for his wel beloued sonne our Lord Iesus Christes sake to whom with the holy Ghost one only true God be all glory and prayse Amen FINIS The Errata to be corrected as followeth Pag. 5. lin 6. read This no doubt p. 23. l. 4. mourning 25. 27. read Mat. 25. p. 28. 21. righteous p. 48. 23. it is to be p. 57. 22. at that time I 35. lyen p. 60. l. 18. 19. read And after this the same Darius as we reade chap. 7. now called Artashasht p. 81. 7. God wil blesse such p. 88. 35. fewer examples p. 98. l. 17. read Consider your own wayes in your harts pag. 125. 5. vnto them p. 134. 8. Is the need p. 152. 1. read only diuine praise p. 159. 1. that is p. 161. 29. property p. 163. 24. goodly p. 168. of Gods name p. 172. 9. men p. 176. 25 infinit p. 180. 32. how seuerely p. 188. 36. read ô serpēts the generatiō c. p. 199. 21. but on the contrary for such p. 203. 8. read ver 10. p. 204. 1. thing l. 7. read The Apostle speaking c. l. 12. stewards l. 16. obnoxios p. 305. 34. is the worst kind of giuing p. 206. 6. read ver 20. 21. Mat. p. 208. 1. profundunt 209. l. 1. 2. Modus ideo vt l. vlt. Tardè velle p. 210. 4. reddit p. 213 32. liberally p. 221. 10. read mirum for nimirum l. penult euehit l. vlt. praeparatoria p. 223. l. pen. miseremur p. 225. 10. Lay vp in thy As touching other escapes which we trust are neither manie nor great we craue the curteous Readers fauourable aide to whom we haue yeelded the best and most helpefull diligence we could