Selected quad for the lemma: world_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
world_n	day_n	lord_n	week_n	2,982	5	9.9436	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41657	The surest & safest way of thriving, or, A conviction of that grand mistake in many, that what is given to the poor, is a loss to their estate : which is so directly contrary as to the experiences of the charitable : so to the testimony of God's spirit in divers places of Scripture ... by Thomas Gouge ...	Gouge, Thomas, 1605-1681.	1673 (1673)	Wing G1377; ESTC R14065	59,429	70

my bosome with increase And hath my Saviour for my encouragement promised Luk. 6. 36. That if I give unto the poor it shall be given to me again good measure pressed down and shaken together running over Then certainly there is no such compendious way to thrive and prosper in the world as by my liberality to the poor 2. Prefer Heaven and the things thereof before this earth and earthly things Though the temporal reward which I have so much insisted on be a great encouragement yet the greatest encouragement is the spiritual and eternal reward that the Lord hath promised And that this may be the more prevailing encouragement learn to esteem and prize things spiritual and eternal above all things that are but temporal Suppose it should so fall out that you should never receive in kind what you bestow yet count those temporal things put off at the best rate which you receive in things spiritual and eternal Value grace and glory above all the treasures of the earth and count your selves to grow rich men according to your abounding in grace and your evidences for glory And esteem it an unthristy Saving and holding in where you have an opportunity to improve in your inner man by expending of your outward substance Till Heaven be valued above earth this great Argument encouraging to Acts of bounty and mercy will lose its efficacy When God says Cast thy bread upon the waters for thou shalt find it again after many dayes the Worldling will be ready to demand But how shall I find it in what way shall it be returned me Shall I have bread for bread or money for my bread or houses or Lands for my money probably thou may'st But suppose not so yet it shall be better than so thou shalt have in grace what thou partest with in bread or money thou shalt reap in Heaven what thou sowest on the waters I but the worlding will reply I do not mean to part with my bread or my money so No I know thou dost not but the reason is because thou lovest this earth more than Heaven Thou sayest Will Grace feed me Will Grace cloath me Can I keep my self and my Family Can we live and be maintained and preserved from poverty and beggery here by hopes of glory hereafter Go fool and learn better what God is and what his everlasting mercy is let the lasting treasures the durable riches be more priz'd and valued by thee and this will stop thy mouth and silence thine heart from such vain reasonings Thou wilt never again say I cannot spare my bread or my money when by spending it for God thou seest thou makest him thy debter who will pay it thee again in spiritual and eternal good things if once thou account these to be better than thy bread or thy money But till thou art come to be settled in this Judgement and belief both that the good things of God are infinitely better than the good things of this earth and that what thou sowest in the earth thou shalt certainly reap in Heaven till thou comest in good earnest to be of this mind God's poor are like to be but little the better for thee 'T is this beloved that will effectually do it will open your hearts and open your hands in bounty and liberality for God when you come to be rooted in the practical belief of this principle upon which the practice of all Religion stands and is upheld in the world That Heaven is better than Earth if this other be added to it That what is sincerely laid out for God in the Earth shall certainly be repayed in Heaven besides that return which the Lord here in this world oftentimes makes to the charitable 2. For the Means tending to help you for the better managing of it take these following 1. Either follow the Example of the Primitive Saints in setting apart something every Lords Day out of the former weeks gettings Or 2. Devote unto God a certain portion of thy yearly incomes for charitable uses That the former way of setting apart something every Lords Day for the relief of the poor was the practice of the Primitive Christians is clear from that of the Apostle to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. Now concerning the Collection for the Saints as I have given order to the Churches of Galatia even so do ye Vpon the first day of the week which is the Lords Day let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him This way and course concerns such in special who live upon their daily labours But to such Gentlemen and others who live upon their Rents and Offices and to such Merchants and Citizens who once a year cast up their accounts I would commend the latter way of devoting unto God a certain portion of their yearly income by Rent or otherwise and then separating it from the rest to account it a sacred stock for the poor not to be imployed to any other use All men naturally through the corruption that is in them are hard-hearted and close-handed very unwilling to part with any thing considerable upon sudden occasions for charitable uses But having aforehand set apart something their ears hearts and hands are open to every charitable motion and very ready and forward are they the more liberally to contribute thereunto of what is laid by rejoycing that they have met with so good an object of Charity As for the quota pars what proportion every one ought to set apart out of his yearly income for good uses I do not find it particularly set down in the Word of God and therefore dare not positively determine the same and the rather because there are so many circumstances which alter the case that no certain rule can be given but shall leave it to the discretion and ingenuity of the prudent Christian. But though the Scripture doth not determine the exact proportion to be set apart for good works yet doth it command us to give out proportionably to what God hath given unto us to open our hands wide to the necessities of the poor to be rich in good works and the like Yea the Scripture doth commend unto us the examples of very bountiful Christians as of Dorcas who is said to be full of good works and alms-deeds which she did Act. 9. 36. And of Cornelius who is said to give much alms Act. 10. 2. And of the Macedonians who are said to give to their power yea and beyond their power 2 Cor. 8. 3. It likewse commendeth unto us the example of Iacob who in testimony of his thankfulness unto God for what he should bestow upon him vowed the tenth thereof unto God for pious and charitable uses as Gen. 28. 20 22. And Jacob vowed a vow unto God saying Of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee These examples are left upon record for our imitation for as the Apostle speaketh

George in Southwork another in St. Mary Newington because in those Parishes he observed there were many blind lame distressed poor people and never an Alms-house in them He likewise built a Chapel neat one of his Alms-houses for the poor people to serve God in daily Having built his Alms-houses with the poors stock he bought Lands and Houses of Inheritance which he settled upon the Company of Drapers as for the relief and support of his Alms-people after his decease so for the performing other charitable gifts mentioned in his last Will and Testament While he lived he was wont to go himself once a month to his Alms-houses in his worst clothes that he might not be suspected to be the Founder of them and gave unto the poor people their promised allowance Doubtless that is the best Charity which Nilus like hath the several streams thereof seen but the fountain concealed Having built his Alms houses and endowed them with a good revenew then with the remainder of his poor's stock which daily encreased through God's blessing upon his pains and endeavours in his calling he relieved poor people and families with considerable summs of mony and gave much bread weekly to the poor of several Out-Parishes All this he did whilest yet living besides what he gave upon the like account at his death which was also very considerable as further appears by his Will Nothwithstanding all which he gave and left to his Wife and his two Daughters about ten thousand pounds This questionless is the surest way to have our WILLS performed to see them performed in our life-time in regard that many Executors prove Executioners of WILLS William Pennoyer Esquire Citizen and Merchant of London a person wholly composed of Mercy and goodness bounty and liberality which he expressed in the whole course of his life even from his first setting up in the world Many years before his death he turned great part of the stock wherewith he traded into Lands of Inheritance to the value of four hundred pounds per annum and being eminently charitable he lived as frugally as he could spending about two hundred pounds a year upon himself wife and family and the remaining part of his incomes he wholly bestowed on charitable uses as I have been informed by those who lived long with him and were nearly related to him To give you a clear demonstration of his Christian Charity and of God's recompencing the same unto him here in this life with temporal blessings I shall recite some of his Legacies bequeathed in his last Will and Testament to charitable uses passing by such as he gave to his rich kindred and acquaintance To poor Ministers Widdows and others in distress about 150 l. To four of his poor Tenants 20 l. Likewise 800 l. to be laid out here in Wollen Cloath or other commodities to be sent to New-England for the use of his poor kindred there He gave to certain Trustees Lands to the value of twenty pounds per annum to pay for the teaching of forty Boys at School To Bristol 54 l. per annum towards the maintenance of a School-master and Lecturer to preach a week-day Lecture there and to other charitable uses He likewise settled 20 l. per annum on Trustees for the teaching of forty poor children in or near White-Chappel And 40 s. yearly to buy Bibles for some of the children He gave 12 l. per annum for the maintaining a School at the Hay in Brecknockshire And 40 s. more yearly to buy Books for the Scholars As also 10 l. per annum for the maintenance of poor distressed people in the Hospital of Bethlehem in London And 10 l. per annum to ten of the blindest oldest and poorest Cloath-workers at the discretion of the Masters Wardens and Assistants of the said Company for the time being He gave 40 l. per annum to Christ-Church Hospital for the placing out four children yearly And 40 s. more yearly to buy each of the children a Bible Besides these he gave to his poor kindred above two thousand pounds by his Will And by a Codizel annexed thereunto he bequeathed to certain Trustees a thousand pounds to be given to honest poor people as also 300 l. for releasing poor prisoners which summs have been paid into the hands of the Trustees by Mr. Richard Loton and Michael Davison Esq who to their honour approved themselves faithful Executors to this charitable Will Thomas Arnold Citizen and Haberdasher of London At his first setting up for himself his stock was not great but being charitably disposed and ready to every good work his estate through God's blessing very much encreased His Charity in his life-time appeared not only by his forwardness to communicate to the relief of such whom he saw in want but likewise by his frequent enquiring of others after such poor people as were over-burthened with children or otherwise distressed Yea he hired men with money to make it their business to find out honest poor people on whom he might bestow his Charity and likewise did entrust others with considerable summs of money to distribute amonst the poorest sort charging them to have special respect to the honest poor such whom they conceived did truly fear God That he was no loser but a gainer by his liberality appeareth in that God so blessed him in his Calling that he attained to an Alderman's estate and was chosen to that Office Yea he gave over his Calling in the City and withdrew himself into the Country that he might the better mind God and the concernments of his soul more and the world with its concerns less Iohn Clark Doctor of Physick one of great repute for his Learning Piety and Charity Some while President of the Colledge of Physicians His custom was to lay by all his Lord's-Day fees as a sacred stock for charitable uses devoting that entirely to God which he received on his day acconting it a piece of sacriledge to appropriate it to himself or any common use whereupon the Lord was pleased so to prosper him in his Calling that though at first his practice was little and his estate not very great yet afterwards his practice so encreased and the world so flowed in upon him that he lived plentifully comfortably gave to his children liberal portions The like also was practised by Iohn Bathurst Doctor of Physick with whom I was very well acquainted His Lord's-Days fees were constantly kept as a bank for the poor and wholly devoted to and imployed for their use which was so far from lessening his incomes that by the blessing of God upon his practice they were greatly in few years augmented by it For though at his first coming to London he brought little estate with him and here had small acquaintance Yorkshire being his native Country where he had spent his former daies yet the Lord was pleased so to prosper him in his Calling that in twenty years time he purchased Lands of

charge the number of their children who must be cared for and thereupon have little to give to the poor Answ. 1. Hast thou many children thou oughtest the rather to be charitable that thereby thou mayest entail God's blessing upon them which is the best portion and surest inheritance thou canst leave them that will secure their stock and improve their store whereas unmercifulness to the poor will intail a curse instead of a blessing upon the persons and estates of thy children 2. Thou who objectest the number of thy children as a plea for thy parsimony how justly may God then lessen the number and so take away this excuse by taking thy children from thee 3. Suppose thou hast many children it may be half a score reckon God for one more give unto him a childs portion I mean bestow upon the poor for his sake as much every year as one child stands thee in give unto them a childs portion and I dare boldly say thou wilt not be the poorer but rather a great gainer For thereby wilt thou procure God's blessing upon thy self and children which in truth is all in all and without which all is like to come to nothing as wee see by daily experience which made St. Austin say Haeredi praestabis quicquid misericordiae causa de ejus portione detraxeris Aug. de Tempore Serm. 76. That which thou givest out of thine estate to charitable uses will be no loss to thy children but rather a great advantage Yea the Spirit of God in setting forth the happiness of a merciful man saith His children shall fare the better for his goodness and bounty as Psal. 37. 16. He is ever merciful and lendeth and his seed is blessed that is God will bless his children not only with spiritual but also with temporal blessings 2. Obj. Many Professors in these daies are very barren in good works Answ. Fruitless and uncharitable Christians may make a profession of Religion but questionless they are no sound Christians nor sincere Professors For most certain it is that the Elect of God do put on bowels of mercy and compassion as the Apostle speaketh Col. 3. 12. And therefore an uncharitable Christian is a meer contradiction For who is a Christian but he who conforms himself to the Law and Life of Christ The substance of whose Law is Charity and whose Life was spent in going about doing good some way or other to the soul and bodies of men and women Whosoever therefore having this worlds goods seeth his Brother in need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him and will not communicate any thing considerable towards his necessities let his profession be never so specious and glorious in the eyes of men yet certainly he is but a rotten Professor and dissembling Hypocrite in the sight of God In Matth. 25. 23. We find that liberality to the members of Christ is made the special touchstone of true Faith and Godliness For they are the charitable persons who at the great day of Judgment will appear to be the Sheep at Christs right hand and shall hear that joyful sentence of absolution Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world for I was an hungred and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in I was naked and ye cloathed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came unto me And on the other side all unmerciful men who have not relieved Christ in his members whatsoever profession of Religion they have made here in this world yet at the last day will appear to be the Goats set on Christs left hand and shall hear that dreadful sentence of condemnation Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels For I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat I was thirsty and ye gave me no drink I was a stranger and ye took me not in naked and ye cloathed me not sick and in prison and ye visited me not Hence it appeareth that as mercy and bounty to the poor members of Christ is a conspicuous evidence of true Faith and sincere godliness in a Christian and signally declare him pious so illiberality and unmercifulness to them is a clear mark of infidelity and ungodliness and signally declare him as an unbeliever so a wicked and prophane person Therefore I should much question the sincerity of their faith and piety who making a profession of Religion shew little or no charity to the poor members of Christ. For as the Apostle Iames speaketh c. 1. v. 21. Pure Religion and undefield before God and the Father is this to visit the fatherless and widdows in their affliction Implying that works of mercy and charity rightly performed are clear evidences of the truth of our Religion and of the sincerity of our Profession And if you look into the Scriptures you shall scarce read of a man truly godly but you may read also that he was merciful and charitable forward to every good work So much shall suffice for this Point of Doctrine A word or two for my Brethrens sake of the first Doctrine raised from the foregoing verse which is the principal Point there intended by our Saviour which was this 17. That all needfull succour and good entertainment ought to be afforded in special to the Ministers of the Gospel Our Saviour in commending objects to our Charity in the first place mentioneth Prophets and the Righteous ones saying He that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophet's reward and then addeth He that receiveth a Righteous man in the name of a Righteous man c. Indeed so general must be the extent and emanation of our Charity that it must not exclude any who are in want and distress For though we may and ought to put a difference between men upon whom we bestow our Charity yet ought we not to restrain it from any men who are in want but must act the grace of Charity towards them who have not the grace of Faith Yea we ought to do good unto all as the Apostle exhorteth Gal. 6. 13. But especially unto them who are of the houshold of Faith And among them chiefly to the Ministers of Christ. So as this object of Charity Prophet is not here to be taken exclusively but by way of eminency and preferment Ministers are before and above others with more readiness and chearfulness to be ministred unto The people of Israel we read were commanded once and again not to leave nor forsake their Levites especially when they were reduced into any streights and exegencies as Deut. 12. 19. and 14. 27. Then much less should the Ministers of the Gospel be left and forsaken by the people of God when they lye under any want or distress The examples of God's people that have gone before us in the