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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91945	The poore's pension: a sermon preached in Gregories Church in Sudbury in the county of Suffolke, May 12. 1643. Upon occasion of the charitable reliefe that yearly then, and there is given, towards the covering or clothing of a hundred poore people, according to the will of the donour M Martine Cole, late of the towne aforesaid deceased. By Samuel Rogers, Master in Arts, and Minister of Much-Tey in Essex. Imprimatur Ja. Cranford, Aug. 12. 1644.	Rogers, Samuel.	1644 (1644)	Wing R1828; Thomason E10_2; ESTC R15358	44,419	46

of the scraps and fragments that were given to their hounds and hawkes * Luke 16.21 yea faine would they have been refreshed with the very crummes that fell from their tables Item such a treasure wasted in needlesse and unnecessary buildings so many Walkes and Galleries Turrets and Pyramides such setting up pulling downe transposing transplacing to make gay houses which were very mock-beggers and so much yearely cast away in costly furniture with which their houses were well-stuft and fill'd whenas multitudes of poore people were driven to wander about and had no certaine dwelling place had no other house then the wide world no other bed then the hard ground and no other canopie then the open Heaven Item so many hundreds spent in law-suits for the satisfying of a selfe-will and as much more in sports and pastimes for the pleasing of a carnall minde whenas never a poore creature was one penny the better for all this what answer can such make to these things will they not then be either speechlesse or selfe-condemned if men did but beleeve this that for the want of this duty they should be called to so strict an account one would thinke they would not be so wanting therein but the cause is they account it not a dutie That doe not practise it as their duty 2 Sort. they will peradventure in words acknowledge what they ought to doe in this kind but little or nothing is done like as many especially in these dayes taking the advantage of the times by reason of the present obstruction of justice and meaning to shew more knavery then honestie being demanded of those to whom they are endebted such summes of money that have been for a long time due still confesse the debt and acknowledge it hath been a great while due and more then time it were paid but put off still with good words from time to time and indeed means not to pay at all if they can possibly shift it and except they be enforced thus deale many people with the poore to whom they owe much but will part with nothing but faire * Vox praeterea nihil words at the most * Gen. 49.21 like Naphtali they give good words as if the poore as * Hos 12.1 Ephraim could be fed with wind alas poore creatures their case is to be pittied it is fit they should be relieved the Lord help them God comfort them it is a work of charity for good people to do for them and many such like speeches which are the expressions onely of a complementall charity Luke 16.21 such like Dives his dogges all they can doe is but to licke a poore man with their tongues Matt. 17.27 or like Peters fish that had money in the mouth but not a hand to give it bare words what are they but wind and such verball charity what is it but as clouds and wind without raine it is but of an airy substance and hath not the solidity scarce of a penny weight for if all the good words well-wishings of such were worth but a two pence or three pence they would by no meanes part with them these are those exploded by the Apostle Jam. 2.15 16. If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food And one of you say unto them Depart in peace be you warmed and filled in n withstanding yee give them not those things which are needfull to the body what doth it profit Vse 2 If it be our duty how carefull how conscionable should we be in the performance of this our duty The more to move hereto consider God lookes for it to be done Motive 1. we have a word of command to oblige us to the duty as was shewed in the proofe of the point and how can we approve our selves upright in the sight of God unlesse we have * Psal 119.6 respect to all his Commandements he hath made us his Almners and therefore expects we should Give to whom he would have us viz. to the poore Deut. 15.11 As much as he would have us viz. according to that we have 2 Cor. 8.12 As often as he would have us viz. when there is need Gal. 6.10 In that manner that he would have us viz. for conscience sake in obedience to God and out of love to our poore brethren God looks upon what is done God knowes our charity Motive 2. and takes especiall notice of our giving to the poore for his sake * Rev. 2.19 I know thy works saith Christ to his Church in Thyatira and charity and service and faith and patience c. these chiefe things remarkable in her he is said to know that is in a speciall manner with the knowledge of approbation so to know as richly to reward this he makes knowne that the least thing that is given though but * Matt. 10.41 a cup of cold water for his sake shall not be forgotten and it is observable that in that place charitie that is of the right kind that doth appeare in deed and is seen in service is * And the same in 1 Thes 3.6 joyned with faith for without this there is no faith and so * Heb. 11.6 no pleasing of God forasmuch as faith is dead and no faith without works now to releeve the poore is a principall worke of faith excellent fruit that doth spring from a lively faith without which it cannot profit all which the Apostle doth make to appeare at large Jam. 2.14 c. Now forasmuch as a man may * 1 Cor. 13.1 bestow all his goods to feed the poore and yet want charity and so it may profit him nothing that we may the better discharge our duty herein let us consider how or in what manner it is to be done for that purpose th se directions will not be amisse viz. Give justly i. e. of goods rightly got otherwise thou givest not that is thine owne to give In what manner to give Almes viz. 1. and canst thou thinke to do or to get any good by stolne goods if thou scrapest together earthly goods by wicked and indirect meanes and afterwards dost give out of these to the poore if the curse doth leave them yet will it still haunt thee * Eccl. 11.1 Cast thy bread saith Salomon upon the waters let it be thine owne and not other mens for that will be no advantage but every way * Lucrum ex injus●ittà damaum losse to thee Give wisely the good man considers * Psal 41 1. vet Tra●sl wisely of the poore now wisedome herein must be seen both in respect of the giver it must be according to his ability as Act. 11.29 and of the receivers it must be according to their necessity as Act. 4.35 Give sincerely He that giveth saith the Apostle Rom. 12.8 let him doe it with simplicitie i.e. with singlenesse of heart looking for no reward at the hands of man

The Poores Pension A SERMON PREACHED IN GREGORIES Church in Sudbury in the County of Suffolke May 12. 1643. Upon occasion of the charitable reliefe that yearly then and there is given towards the covering or clothing of a hundred poore people according to the will of the Donour M Martine Cole late of the Towne aforesaid deceased By Samuel Rogers Master in Arts and Minister of Much-Tey in ESSEX PSAL. 41.1 Blessed is he that considereth the poore the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble MARK 14.7 Ye have the poore with you alwayes and whensoever you will you may doe them good Hoc est occidere hominem vitae suae ei subsidia denegare eave ne inter loculos tuos includas salutem inopum tanquam in tumulis sepelias vitam pauperum Amb. in Psal 118. Si Deorum cultores simulacra insensibilia excolunt quicquid pretiosi habent in ea conferunt quanto justius est verius viventia Dei simulacra excolere Lact. Inst lib. 6. cap. 13. Imprimatur JA. CRANFORD Aug. 12. 1644. LONDON Printed by G. M. for Edward Brewster at the Signe of the Bible on Fleet-bridge 1644. To the right worshipfull the Major and Aldermen to the reverend the Ministers and to the discreet Bailiffe and Burgesses with the rest of the well-affected people of the Town of Sudbury in the County of Suffolke The Authour devotes himselfe and his service and dedicates this little parcell of his paines Worthy Sirs and my much respected Friends THis Sermon first preached amongst you and now dedicated to you hath had occasionally it's first birth from him from whom the Author naturally hath had his being whose pains in this kind and upon this occasion had it been afforded as of right expected this worthlesse work of mine might have been well spared but it was his pleasure to put me upon the worke and therefore my * mihi jussa capessere fas ●est duty to obey him to whom I owe my selfe this and the same that was at first directed to your eares is now made visible to your eyes after it had been preached for above halfe a yeares space it came not once into my thoughts it should be printed I accounted it no other then as an untimely birth that never should see the sunne and the reason why now I brought it forth to light was not because of any high conceit that either I have or expect you should have of its worth I am conscious to my selfe of my owne imbecillity which even herein may be seen to others but in this printing age wherein are vented all things both new and old both good and had for any one that is a Penman it is expected that he should not onely set his tongue a work to speake but also his Pen to write to be altogetho silent in this kind and in these dayes may seeme a solaecisme but that was not it which drew this from me I could well enough have still shrouded my selfe under the shadow of obscuritie and would willingly have kept any thing of mine in this kind from publike view but more forceable arguments did over-power me viz. First drawne from the pressing miseries of multitudes of people in many places the objects of pitty which should set a worke charity we every where to be seen how many shiftlesse and helplesse creatures whose loud cries may he heard even afarre off doe importune us to put to our helping hands to doe for them that are able to doe little or nothing for themselves this then may serve as their Eccho to give you as it were the rebounding of their voices Secondly I considered the hard-heartednesse of most in most places these are the times wherein I thinke never greater necessity and yet I feare never lesse charitie and no wonder that in this iron age men have such hard hearts for it was foretold by our Saviour that in these last dayes * Matt. 24 1● iniquitie should abound and the love of many should waxe cold d 1 Joh. 2.18 whereby we know it is the last time for never more vanity and never lesse charity * Jam. 5.4 the cries of the distressed and oppressed that doe pierce the eares of God even in the highest Heaven cannot enter into the eares or at least the hearts of men on earth Who is not more or lesse wanting in making a supply to the wants of others in whose hearts doe the kindled coales of love appeare so violent at to breake forth into a vehement flame are not most men herein starke cold and doe not the best seeme to be but lukewarme needs there not then something to quicken us a spurre to provoke us make use then of this for that purpose at least let it be as a remembrancer to minde us of our duty which sometimes we shall be ready peradventure willingly to forget Thirdly concerning this particular occasion which first put these words into my mouth the same was the cause why I let them fall from my pen for I understood that notwithstanding you have had many Sermons two yearely upon this occasion yet not one appeares extant they were it seemes no longer lived then the breath wherein they were delivered whereupon I thought with my selfe that something in this kind were better then nothing to be kept upon record in honour and for memoriall of that great good worke of charity which the Apostle saies is a never failing grace 1 Cor. 13.8 of that kind it seemes was this for the last will of the deceased is as a lasting deed to insure your poore of their yearely reliefe for ever that this therefore was a good worke none that is good can deny for it is of good use tending to the good of many and that it was also a great good work I think it may well be so said to be in that I feare me it will not be greatly followed when and by whom amongst you will it be seconded Now good workes especially of this nature are so rare that they may well be welcommed when they doe appeare and certainly the perpetuity of that work were there no other cause deserves the continuance of this your poore's yearely Pension may well be honoured with an annuall celebration see then how one good work is seconded with another a bodily almes for the poore is recompenced with a spirituall benefit for all you have it seemes usually on this day upon this occasion a double Sermon and why may not each be of double use viz. First for Commemoration of what is done for the time past for the Lord will so grace good workes that they shall be as it were a surviving issue Saint John tels us what he heard God from heaven say Rev. 14.13 Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord both in that they rest from their labours as also in that their works doe follow them nay let me adde they are blessed in that their works doe still survive them to

for they follow after them to Heaven to be rewarded and yet they remaine still behind them on earth to be renowned Prov. 10.7 The memory of the just is blessed Secondly for Exhortation to what should be done for time to come For so as it seemes was it the mind of this Donour that each Minister of your two Parishes should be requested yearely on this day to make an Exhortation to the people and if they doe it not themselves to cause it to be done by some others and hath allowed them a recompence Now whereto serves an Exhortation but to move us unto or put us upon the practice or performance of a good work or duty and then is it of so much the greater force when as it is grounded upon the Examples of others set before us who though they are dead yet speake unto us and though not vocally yet really call upon us to doe the same good workes that so we may be repaid with the same rich recompence of reward For the Examples of good works are as patternes set before us to teach us that the same or such like should proceed from us this worke of almes to the poore you are not so much to consider as done by another but so to reflect upon your selves as hence to learne what herein should be done by you hence are you exhorted from this example of our brother deceased to be of the same minde and practice considering it is a high point of wisdome whilst we have the things of this life to make the best and the most of them which is not when we engrosse them to our selves but when in conscience and obedience to God we distribute them to others the Apostle mindes us of what our Saviour saies oh let it appeare that we beleeve it to be a truth That it is more blessed to give then to receive Act. 20.35 If any thing spoken this way be here to be found that may stirre up compassion and acuate affection that may so work upon our hearts as to set a worke our hands so to extend charity * Dan. 4.27 that we our selves may find mercy it is enough I have my desired and Two things more only by way of Preface I desire you would be pleased to take notice of viz. First concerning the matter which you shall here find Expect no newes of which every dales plenty and variety doth alwayes fill us if not sometimes times surfet us and were our newes as true and good as rise and common there would seeme to be no want newes is now growne so stale that for any thing not new to come forth may seeme to be newes indeed Nihil dictum quod non dictum prius no other newes have you here for the wise man saies * Ecc. 1.9 10. there is no new thing under the sun is there any thing whereof it may be said See this is new it hath been already of old time which was before us I should be loth to be censured by you deservedly as the Apostle was by the Athenians most unjustly to be a * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 17 18 19 20 21. babler for bringing new and strange doctrine to your eares or that you should be accounted as they were and did appeare so to be so addicted to novelty that the truths of God should seeme strange to you Here you shall find common things which are therefore never the * Omnia bona communicativa quo communiora eo meliora worse or of never the lesse use common they are indeed because they concerne all such things that you have formerly and it may be often heard and yet are now againe hereby put in mind of that so you let them not * Heb. 2.1 stip It is not amisse * 2 Pet. 1.12 to put you alwaies in remembrance of these things though ye know them that you may be established in the truth * Nunquam nimis dicitur quod nunquam satis discitur Sen. epist 27. that is never enough spoken that is never too well learned nor can be too much practised Secondly concerning the manner of delivery both at first and now it is without excellency of speech affected eloquence in preaching is not * Venerabiles verè Deo digni Apostoli Christ● cum essent in omnibus puritate vita animi virtu●ibus clarij non magni pendebont sermonis ornatum Euseb lib. 3. cap. 24. Apostolique for the Apostle Paul the * 1 Cor. 14.18 most learned as may be thought of all the rest tels us expresly that when he was sent of Christ to preach his commission ranne thus in these words * 1 Cor. 1.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and I confesse my opinion is that plaine speaking is as commendable in preaching as plaine dealing is necessary in trading as Ministers therefore presse this upon people so are they to practise that themselves choosing rather to profit people with wholesome doctrine then to please them with delightsome Phrases this that you have here at first shewed it selfe in a plaine dresse and since had I neither list nor leisure to put it into another habit had I skill to doe it who can now in these sad times apply himselfe to the studie of witty inventions or delight others with the curiosity of nice expressions Cicero saith thus of Rhetoricke Pacis est comes ottique socia jam bene constitutae reipublicae velut alumna quaedam eloquentia which if so how unseasonable is it at this time for us and what little use have we now to make thereof except to worke the more upon our affections the more pathetically to expresse our bitter lamentations our wits may well be dull'd when as our hearts cannot but be * Lam. 1.20 bemudded with our trouble Again had I had will yet could I not have time to doe herein as I would for these impolished meditations I let passe out of my hands with as much haste as they came into my minde all I could doe was but to review them I could not refine them for all the time I had to make them legible and fit for the Presse was surreptitiously taken away from my other imployments now and then a little which little being soone missed I could not then spare much or more I must needs therefore implore your kind acceptance of this my weake conception which wanting its due perfection through the want of the midwifery of time hath come to an immature and untimely birth such as it was it is and such as it is it is freely yours if you please but to take it as your owne if any thing herein be amisse I cannot but take it to my selfe Humanum est errare it is incident to mans nature to erre and whatsoever is good I dare not but ascribe it to God Omne benum supernè Every thing that good is is from above Now the God of all glory enrich