The Happiness of the Church, Biblical commentary 23
The second Sermon.
PROV. 3. 16.
Length of dayes is in her right hand: and in her left hand, riches and honour.
WE are looking into the left hand of Wisedome: and there hauehave found. 1. that Riches and Honour are GODS gifts. 2. That eueryevery mans riches and honour are not so; that the mouth of wickednes might be stopped. Therefore to satisfie our owne consciences, that they are Gods blessings to vsus, I obserued that they must be. 1. honestly gotten. 2. iustly disposed: and that by rendring sincerely that which is due. 1. to God. 2. to Man. 3. to our selues. Duties to others ended my former discourse, I must now beginne at
Our selues.
The third act of disposing our Riches well, when God hath his portion, and Man his portion; is to take the thirds to our selues. It is Gods will that with the wealth he hath giuen thee, thou shouldest refresh and consolate thy selfe. aPsal. 23. 5.Thou preparest a table before mee, thou annointest my head with oyle, my cup runneth ouer. Wherefore hath God spred a table before thee, but that thou shouldest eate? Wherfore giuen thee a cup running ouer, but that thou shouldest drinke? If thou hauehave bPsal. 104. 15.wine, make thy heart glad: if oile, let thy face shine: if bread, strengthen thy spirits. Weare thy owne wooll, and drinke the milke of thy owne flockes. It is a blessing which the Lord giues to those that feare him; cPsal. 128. 2.Thou shalt eate the labour of thine owne hands: happie shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. But a curse to the wicked; that they shall plant vineyards, and not taste the fruit thereof. The riches that God truely giues, man truely enioyes. dEccl. 5. 19.EueryEvery man to whom God hath giuen riches and wealth, and hath giuen him power to eate thereof, and to take his portion, and to reioyce in his labour: this is the gift of God. Now a man may take from himselfe this comfort in abusing his wealth; and this many wayes? especially foure:
to
Superstition,
Malice,
Ryot,
Miserie.
1. By spending them vponupon workes of Superstition, to the dishonour of God. And this is a high degree of ingratitude; When God hath giuen them a sword to defend themselues, and they turne the poynt of it vponupon his owne brest. So God gaue Israell sheepe and oxen, and they offer them vp to Baall. Many in England are beholding to God for great reuenewes, lands, and Lordships; and they therewith maintaine Iesuites and Seminaries, his professed enemies. These vse their riches as the Israelites did their eare-rings and iewels: God gaue them for their owne ornament, and they turne them to an Idoll.
2. By malice, in abusing them to vnnecessary quarrels & contentions of Law; to the hindrance of Gods peace and their neighbours welfare. When men will put out one of their owne eyes, to put out both their neighbours: Nay both their owne, for one of his. Thus what they get by the happines of forraine peace, they spend in ciuill warres. How vnnaturall is it for one hand thus to beate and wound another! Eyther of them gets a shell: You know who goes away with the meate.
3. By ryot. Quicquid dant, dant vel veneri vel ventri. They spend more vponupon the Tauerne, then vponupon the Tabernacle: at the house of playes, then at the house of prayse: more vponupon their owne hounds, then vponupon Gods poore children. Iulius Caesar seeing women carrie little Dogs vnderunder their armes, asked if they had no children. God asketh you, that giuegive your bread to dogs, if he hath no children for your charitie. But they answere all, as the wicked in the 12. Psalme. ePsal. 12. 4.Our tongues are our owne. They stop the mouth of all exhortation to frugall courses, with It is my owne: a man may spend his owne as hee list: I wast none of your goods: and what hath friend in priuate, or preacher in publicke to doe with it? But they shall find one day, that they were but Stewards, that these Riches were but intrusted to them, and they shall giuegive a strict account. Nothing is properly a mans owne, but Peccata sua, his sinnes. Thy sinnes are thine owne, thy riches Gods.
4. By miserable niggardice, in forbearing to take his owne portion; and so becometh his owne consumption. No maruell if such a miser starue others, when hee famisheth himselfe. Such a one is the worst vermine the land beares: another vermine seekes but to feed it selfe; but he hoording vp his graine feedes many thousands of them. Let him beware, least they also at last deuoure himselfe. As that Germane Bishop, that hauing great store of corne in a grieuous famine, Act. & Mon. pag. 185.refused to sell it to the poore, and suffered the Rattes to eate it. But by the …ust iudgement of God, the Mise and Rats which he fed with his graine, did also feed vponupon him; albeit he built a Tower in the middest of the riuer Rheine to auoid them; which the Germanes call still Rattes Tower. How shall they which slander heauen with pretended dearths, be admitted as friends to that place which they hauehave belyed!
You see how these riches must be gotten, how disposed; honestly gotten, iustly dispensed; now it follows also in the next place, that they must be
3. Patiently lost: When God giues riches to the good, he giues them also a heart to trust in himselfe: in himselfe I say, not in them. f1. Tim. 6. 17.Trust not in vncertaine Riches, but in the liuing God; who giueth vsus aboundantly all things to enioy. He giues abundantly, but he forbiddeth trust in that abundance. He commends riches to vsus, as a great man doth a seruant to his friend; worke him, but trust him not: put labour to him, not confidence in him. Wealth may doe vsus good seruice; but if it get the masterie of our trust, it will turne tyrant, Termagant; we condemne our selues to our owne gallies.
To the godly riches are neuer so deare, but they can be content to forgoe them. They receiue them at Gods hands with much thankfulnesse, and they loose them with much patience. When God takes ought from vsus, he does vsus no wrong. Retrahit sua, non abstrahit nostra: Greg. in Mor.he doth but take backe his owne, not take away ours. So Iob. gIob. 1. 21.The Lord hath giuen, and the Lord hath taken away. The Lord giueth, therefore hee may take away. Yea faith sayes; Lord, take all, so thou giuegive me thy selfe. hMat. 19. 27.We hauehave left all, and followed thee; sayth Peter. Nos sequamur Christum, caetera sequentur nos. Let vsus follow Christ, other thinges shall follow vsus. But if they doe not, it is gaine enough to hauehave Christ. He is too couetous whom the Lord Iesus cannot satisfie. We may loose diuitias Dei, but neuer Deum diuitiarum. We may be forsaken of these riches of God, but neuer of the God of riches. Amittamus omnia, dum habeamus habentem omnia. Let vsus loose all, so we hauehave him that hath all.
That was neuer perfectly good, that might bee lost. Of this nature are riches: they hauehave made many prouder, none better. As neuer man was better, so neuer wise man thought himselfe better for them. That wise Prophet would neuer hauehave prayed against riches, if their want had beene the want of blessednesse. The Deuill indeed sayes, All those will I giuegive thee: but the two dearest Aposties say, Siluer and gold hauehave I none. Who would not rather be in the state of those Saints, then of that Deuill? Riches are such thinges, as those that hauehave them not, want them not: those that hauehave them, want them: they are lost in a night, and a man is neuer the worse for loosing them. How many Kings (not fewer then nine in our Iland) that hauehave begun their glory in a Throne, hauehave ended it in a cell: changing their command of a Scepter, for the contemplation of a Booke! Alas silly things, that they should dare aske one dramme of our confidence. Non tanta in multis foelicitas, quanta in paucis securitas. There is not so much happines in the highest estate, as there is content and peace in the lowest. Only then God be our trust, whose merciemercy we can no more loose, then himselfe can loose his merciemercy.
Thus you see this second generall poynt amplified: if Riches be Gods good blessings, (not onelyonly in themselues, so they are alwayes good, but to vsus) then they are gotten honestly, disposed iustly, lost patiently. As much happily might be said for Honour; wherein I will briefely consider, how and when it is of God.
God indeed giues Honour and Riches; but not all Honour; as you heard before not all Riches. There are foure things in an honoured person. First his Person, wherein he pertakes of the common condition of Mankind; liues and dies a man. Euen the sonnes of Princes hauehave their breath in their nosthrilles. Secondly his Honour and dignitie; this simply considered is of God, whosoeuer he be that hath it, a Ioseph or a Haman. Thirdly, the manner of comming to his Honour: and this is no longer of God, then the meanes are good. If it bee Gods honour, God must giuegive it, not man vsurpe it. Fourthly the menaging of this Honour; and this is also of the Lord, if it be right and religious. It happeneth often that Potens, the great man is not of God. iHos. 8. 4.They hauehave set vp Kings, but not by me: they hauehave made Princes, and I knew it not. The manner of getting dignity is not alwayes of God. Richard 3. came to the Crowne of England by bloud and murther. Alexander 6. obtained the Popedome, by giuing himselfe to the Deuill: Yet the dignitie is of God. kProu. 8. 15.By me Kings raigne: by me Princes and Nobles.
It is a hard question, wherein Honour consists. It is in bloud, descending from the veines of noble auncestors? Not so, except nature could produce to Noble parents noble children. It was a monstrous tale that Nicippus his Ewe should yeane a Lyon. Though it be true among irrationall creatures, that they euer bring forth their like; Eagles hatch Eagles; and Doues Doues: yet in mans progenie there is often found not so like a proportion, as vnlike a disposition. The earthy part onelyonly followes the seed, not that whose forme and attending qualities are from aboue. Honour must therefore as well plead a Charter of successiue vertue, as of continued scutchions, or it cannot consist in bloud. The best things can neuer be traduced in propagation: thou mayest leaue thy sonne heire to thy lands in thy will, to thy Honour in his bloud; thou canst neuer bequeath duplicate page duplicate page him thy vertues. The best qualities do so cleaue to their subiects, that they disdaine communication to others.
That is then onelyonly true Honour, where dignitie and desert, bloud and vertue meete together: the greatnesse whereof is from bloud, the goodnesse from vertue. Among Fooles dignitie is enough without desert: among wise men desert without dignitie. If they must bee separated, desert is infinitely better. Greatnesse without vertue laudatur ore alieno, damnatur conscientia sua; is commended by others tongues, condemned in the owne heart. Vertue though without promotion, is more comforted in the owne content, then dishartned by others contempt. It is a happie composition when they are vnited: thinke it your honour ye great men, that you are ennobled with vertues: not that you hauehave, but that you deserue Honour. Let this that hath beene spoken teach vsus some lessons concerning Honour.
1. Take it when God sends it, but bee not ambitious of it. Indigni est arripere, non accipere honorem. It is an argument of vnworthinesse to snatch it denyed, not to accept it offered. l1. Pet. 5. 5.God resisteth the proud; opposeth himselfe in a profest warre against him; as if he held a sword against his brest, when he would rise vp in glory, to n…le him fast downe to the earth. But he giueth grace to the humble: like a great & good Prince he giues those seruants grace and honour, whom hee perceiues least ambitious of it. Such men seeke not for honour, as for a Iewell they would faine find, but onelyonly stumble at it, as Saul sought but his Fathers Asses, when he lighted on a Kingdome. Pride like smoke will surge vpward, though it vanish into aire: massie vertue like gold keeps below, & is more preciously respected.
Hee that would mount, cares not what attendance he daunces at all houres, vponupon whose staires hee sittes waiting, what enormities he soothes, what deformities he imitates, what base offices he does prostrate himselfe to, so he may rise. His carriage is alienum a se, quite another thing from himselfe: he doth glew it on indecently, that he may skrew himselfe into fauour. This man neuer vnderstood the charge that goes with honour; Which the most wise disposition of God hath coupled together. Charge without some honour would ouerlay a man. If a man could hauehave honour without some trouble, it would so transport him, that he were continually in danger of running madde. The poore man enuies the great for his honour: the great perhaps enuies the poore more for his peace: for as he liues obscurely, so securely. He that rightly knowes the many publicke, and more secret vexatitions incident to Honour, would not (as that King sayd of his Crowne) stoope to take it vp, though it lay at his feete before him.
2. Liue worthy of that Honour thou hast. Greatnesse not gooded with grace is like a Beacon vponupon a high hill: Qui conspiciunt, despiciunt: they that behold it, hate it, though perhaps they dare not censure it. The knee may be forced to reuerence, but but the mind cannot but abhorre so vnworthy a Statue. In his pride he stomackes the couerd head, or the stiffe knee of a good Mordecai, fretting that other men do not thinke him so good as he thinkes himselfe. But indeed he doth not thinke himselfe more honourable then others thinke bim base. All the poore honour that hee hath, is onelyonly kept aboue ground with his body; both corrupt, fall, and rotte together: and if it bee coniurd vp at the funerall, to present it selfe, yet it failes not to goe backe with the Heralds.
3. Forget not your originall, ye whose browes the wreathes of honour hauehave (aboue hopes) engirt. If the Lord hath mPsal. 113. 7. 8.raised you out of the dust: and lifted you vp out of the dunghill: and set you among the Princes of the people; yet forget not your Fathers house, nor the place of your beginning. Miseranda obliuio originis non meminisse. He neuer truely vnderstands what hee is, that forgets what hee hath beene. Salomons obseruation is often true; nEccle. 10. 6.Follie is set in great dignitie: Albeit this bee not the right Vbi; Follie in excellencie. Now these excellent fooles soone forget, de quo surrectio detur; From howe low estate they are risen. They consider not how glad their Carkases would once hauehave beene of a warme couering; that are now richer then Lilies, more gorgeous then May: scarce oMat. 6. 29.Salomon in all his glory was arayed like one of these. They consider not, that neede once made them trudge through the Mire, euen many tedious iourneys; that climbe by vniust Riches to that dignitie, as in their Caroches to be whirled through the popular streetes.
It was Iacobs humble acknowledgement of Gods merciemercy to him. pGen. 32. 10.With my staffe I passed ouer this Iordan, and now I am become two bands. If blind Ingratitude would suffer many proud eyes to see it, howe iustly might diuerse say: With my staffe came I hither walking, and now I ride in triumph with attendants. To these let me apply the words of the Prophet: qEsa. 51. 1.Looke vntounto, the Rocke whence ye are hewen, and to the hole of the pitte whence ye are digged. Remember your poore beginning, that you may blesse God for your aduancing. Say not onelyonly in generall, Quis homo! rPsal. 8. 4.What is man that thou O Lord art so mindfull of him? But Quis ego? s1. Sam. 9. 21.What am I, and what is my Fathers house, that GOD should thus raise me vp!
4. If thou hauehave Honour, keepe it, but trust it not. Nothing is more inconstant; for it depends vponupon inconstancie it selfe, the vulgar breath. Which is Bellua multorum capitum, a Beast of many heads, and as many tongues, which neuer keepe long in one tune As they neuer agree one with another, so seldome doe they agree long with themselues. Paul and Barnabas Act. 14.come to Lystra, and raise an impotent Creeple: Hereat the amased people would needs make them Gods, and draw Buls and garlands to the Altars for sacrifice to them. Not long after they draw Paul out of the Citie, and stone him. They suddenly turne him from a God to a malefactor; and are ready to kill him in stead of killing sacrifice to him. O the ficklenesse of that thing, which is committed to the keeping of vulgar hands. Trust not then popularitie with thy Honour, so it is mutable: but trust vertue with it, so it is durable. Nothing can make sure a good memorie, but a good life. It is a foolish dreame, to hope for immortalitie and a long-lasting name, by a monument of brasse or stone. It is not dead stones, but liuing men, that can redeeme thy good remembrance from obliuion. A Sumptuous Tombe couers thy putrified Carkase; and be thy life neuer so lewd, a commending Epitaph shadows all: but the passenger that knew thee, telles his friends; that these out-sides are hypocriticall, for thy life was as rotten as is thy corpes: and so is occasioned by thy presumed glorie, to lay open thy deserued infamie. Neither can the common people preserue thy honour whiles thou liuest, nor can these dull and senselesse Monuments keepe it when thou art dead. OnelyOnly thy noble and Christian life makes eueryevery mans heart thy Tombe, and turnes eueryevery tongue into a pen, to write thy deathlesse Epitaph.
5. Lastly, if God giues to some men Honour, it is then manifest that God allowes difference of persons. He ordaines some to rule and others to obey: some masters, others seruants; he setteth some vp on high, and placeth others in a low degree. To repine at others greatnesse and our owne meannesse, is to cauill with God; as if hee wanted wisedome and equitie in disposing these inferiour conditions. It is a sauage and popular humour, to maligne and inveigh against men in eminent places. That rhyme, When Adam delued, and Eue span, Who was then a Gentleman? seemes to bee made among Iacke Strawes followers, and to sauour of Rebellious discontent. God allowes no man to vilefie, where hee hath honoured: no scurrilous Libelles disgracing those that liue, yea disparaging the very dead; shall passe the Court of Gods Iustice vncensured. Where the Lord conferres and confirmes Honour, woe to the tongue that shall traduce it. This second poynt hath held vsus long, the breuitie of the rest shall ease it.
3. Obserue that Salomon in the donation of the left hand, couples together Riches and Honour: as if these two were for the most part inseparable companions. Eccle. 6. God giues to a man Riches and Honour. First Riches, and then Honour: for it is lightly found, Eccl. 6. 2.so much Riches, so much Honour; and reputation is measured by the Acre. I hauehave wealth enough, saith the worldling. Luke 12. I will turne Gentleman, take my ease, eate, drinke, and be merry. Riches are the staires whereby men climbe vp into the height of dignitie; the fortification that defends it: the food it liues vppon: the oyle that keeps the lampe of Honour from going out. Honour is a bare robe, if Riches doe not lace and flourish it: and Riches a dull Lumpe, till Honour giuegive a Soule to quicken it. Fiftly then Honour and Riches, Wealth and Worship doe beare one another companie.
4. Lastly obserue, that though riches and honour be Gods gifts, yet they are but the gifts of his left hand: therefore it necessarily followes, that eueryevery wise man will first seeke the blessings of the Right. aMath. 6. 33.First seeke the kingdome of God, and his righteousnes: and these things shall be added to you. Godlinesse is the best Riches, Riches the worst: let vsus striue for the former without condition: for the other if they fall in our way, let vsus stoope to take them vp: if not, let vsus neuer couet them. It is no Wisedome to refuse Gods kindnesse, that offers wealth: nor pietie to scratch for it when God withholds it. When the Lord hath set thee vp as high as Haman in the Court of Ahasuerus, or promoted thee to ride with Ioseph in the second Chariot of Egypt: were thy stocke of Cattell exceeding Iobs; bIob 1. 3.seauen thousand sheepe, three thousand Camels, fiue hundred yoke of Oxen: did thy Wardrobe put downe Salomons, and thy cup-bord of plate Belshazzars, when the vessels of Gods temple were the ornature. Yet all these are but the gifts of Wisedomes left hand; and the possessors may be vnderunder the malediction of God and goe downe to damnation. If it were true, that sanctior qui ditior, that goods could make a man good, I would not blame mens kissing the left hand, and sucking out Riches and Honour. But alas what antidote against the terrour of conscience can bee chym'd from gold? What charme is there in braue apparell to keepe off the rigour of Sathan? Quod tibi praestat opes, non tibi praestat opem. That which makes thee wealthy, cannot make thee happie.
Ionas had a Gourd that was to him an Arbour: he sate vnderunder it secure: but suddenly there was a worme that bitte it, and it dyed. Compare (secretly in your hearts) your riches to that Gourd: your pleasure to the greenesse of it: your pompe, attendance vanities to the leaues of it: your suddaine encrease of wealth, to the growing and shooting vp of it. But withall forget not the Worme and the Wind; the Worme that shall kill your roote is Death, and the Wind that shall blow vponupon you is calamitie. There is a greater defect in this wealth and worshippe then their vncertaintie. Non m…do fallacia quia dubia verùm insidiosa quia dulcia. They are not onelyonly deceitfull through their Aug.ticklenesse, but dangerous through their lusho…snesse. Men are apt to surfeit on this luxurient abundance: it is a ba…e to securitie, a baud to wantonnes.
Here is the maine difference betweene the gifts of Gods right hand and of his left. He giues reall blessings with the left, but he doth not settle them vponupon vsus: he promiseth … perpetuitie; but with the graces of his right he giues assurance of euerlastingnes. Christ calles Riches the cMath. 13. 22.riches of deceitfulnesse: but grace dLuk. 10. 42. Psal. 35. Psal. 125.the better part that shall neuer be taken away. Dauid compares the wealthy to a flourishing tree that is soone withered: but Faith stablisheth a man like Mount Sion, neuer to be remoued. He that thinkes hee sittes surest in his seate of Riches, let him take heed least he fall. When a great man boasted of his abundance, (sayth Paulus Emilius) one of his friends told him, that the anger of God could not long forbeare so great prosperitie. How many rich Marchants hauehave suddenly lost all! How many Noblemen sold all! How many wealthy heires spent all! Few Sundayes passe ouer our heads without Collections for Ship-wrackes, fires, and other casualties; Demonstratiue proofes that prosperitie is inconstant, riches casuall. And for honour, wee read that Bel…sarius an honourable Peere of the Empire, was forced in his old age to beg from dore to dore, obulum date Bel sario. Fredericke a great Emperour was so low brought, that he s…ed to be made but the Sexton of a Church.
O then let vsus not adhere to these left hand blessings, but first seeke length of dayes, eternall ioyes neuer to be lost. A man may enioy the other without fault: the sinne consisteth praeferendo vel conferendo; either in preferring Riches, or in comparing them with faith and a good conscience. Vtere caducis, fruere aeternis, Thou must necessarily vse these transient things, onelyonly enioy and rest vppon the euerlasting comforts of Iesus Christ. When God hath assured to a Christian spirit the inheritance of Heauen, he ioyfully pilgrims it through this world: if wealth and worship salute him by the way, he refuseth not their companie; but they shall not stray him out of his path, nor transport his affections: for his heart is where his hope is, his louelove is where his Lord is; euen with Iesus his Redeemer at the right hand of God. Now this mans very Riches are blessed to him; for as from the hand of God hee hath them, so from eEccl. 2. 24.the hand of God hee hath to enioy good in them. Whereas to some (sayth Salomon) fEccl. 5. 13.I hauehave seene Riches kept for the own…s thereof to their hurt: to this man gRom. 8. 28.they shall worke to the best; blessing his condition in this life, and enlarging his dition in heauen; as the wise man sweetly. hProu. 10. 22The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich: and hee addeth no sorrow with it.
Thus in particular: if we conferre the right hand with the left, we shall generally learne
1. That both Gods hands are giuing: it is enough if man giuegive with one hand; but the Lord settes both his handes a doling his Almes of merciemercy. Nemo tuarum vnam vincet vtraque manu. No man can doe so much with both handes, as GOD with one hand, with one finger. Hee hath Manum plenam, extensam, expansam; hand full, not emptie: so full that it can neuer be emptied with giuing. Innumerable are the drops in the sea yet if one be taken out, it hath (though insensibly) so much the lesse: but Gods goodnesse can suffer no diminution, for it is infinite. Men are sparing in their bountie, because the more they giuegive, the lesse they hauehave: but Gods hand is euer full, though it euer disperse: and the filling of many cisternes is no abatement to his euer running fountaine. Our prayers duplicate page duplicate page therfore are well directed thether for blessings; whence though we receiue neuer so much, wee leaue no lesse behind. Let this master of Requests in heauen hauehave all our suites: wee are sure either to receiue what wee aske, or what wee should aske.
It is extensa, a hand put forth, and stretched out. iEccl. 4. 31.Stretched out, not to receiue, but to giuegive. The Prophet speakes of Rulers that stretch out their hands for bribes and cry kHos. 4. 18.GiueGive yee: but the Lords hand is put forth to offer good things. lRom. 10. 21.All day long hauehave I stretched forth my hands to a disobedient people. Indeed God hath a hand; and woe to the man against whom it is stretched. Homer sayth that all the Gods could not ward a blow of Iupiters hand. His hands are not onelyonly foreign, hands that cannot be sufficiently preised: but foreign, hands that cannot be resisted. It is a heauy hand when it lights vponupon men in anger. It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God. When reuolting Israell fell to serue Baal and Ashtaroth mIudg. 2. 15.Whethersoeuer they went out, the hand of the Lord was against them for euill. When the men of Ashdod were smitten with Emerods, it is said n1. Sam. 5. 6.the hand of the Lord was heauie vponupon them. So Dauid in his grieuous miserie, oPsal. 38. 2.Thine arrowes sticke fast in me, & thy hand presseth mesore. It is not this hand that God here stretcheth out. pSer. …. in cantBernard sayth, God hath two hands; Fortitudo and Latitudo. A hand of strength, Qua defendit potenter: wherewith he protects his friends, and confounds his enemies. A hand of Bountie, Qua tribuit affluenter, wherby he disperseth and disposeth the larges of his gifts. This is the hand here put forth, manus regalis, and giues munus regale; a royall hand, full of reall mercies; let vsus humbly kisse it.
It is expansa, not a shut hand, but open, qPsal. 145. 16.Thou openest thy hand, and fillest all things liuing with plenteousnesse. r1. Tim. 6. 18.God giues richly, sayth Paul. Man is poore, because hee is a creature: the very nam… of creature inferres pouertie: it implies a receiuing of all. Quid habes quod non accepisti? The Creator hath the possession of all, and the disposition of all, at his own pleasure. sIam. 1. 17.EueryEvery good gift, and eueryevery perfect gift is from aboue, and commeth downe from the Father of Lights. Bread in the Lords prayer is called Ours; GiueGive vsus this day our daily bread: tAug. Epist. 143.but ne putetur a nobis, dicimus da nobis: lest we should imagine it our owne from our selues, we are taught daily to begge it of our father in heauen, whose it is. It is the Lords hand that barreth the gates of our cities, that filleth our garners with plentie, that Psal. 144. 13.sets peace about our walles, and prosperitie in our pallaces; that blesseth our goings out, and commings in; euen all the workes of our hands.
But what speake I of temporall things the gifts of his lest hand, in comparison of length of dayes, euerlasting ioyes, the treasures of his right? Repentance, humilitie, charitie, and the Lady of all graces Faith come from his hand, and are the faire gifts of God. uAug. de spiritu & liter &. cap. 34.Ipsum velle credore Deus operatur in homine. The first will to beleeue is wrought in man by God. If any aske, Cur, illi ita suadeatur, vt persuadeatur; illi autem non ita? Why doth this man beleeue, & another remaine in infidelitie? Hic digitus Dei: the hand of God hath bin here, working faith in the soule of him that beleeueth. All comes from this hand of mercy. xAug. Confes. Lib. 9. cap. 13.Quisquis tibi enumerat merita sua, quid tibi enumerat nisi muneratua? He that reckons to God his merites; what doth he reckon, but Gods mercies? Quae bo na mea, dona tua: those that are my goods, as Gods gifts.
2. Though hands be here attributed to God, yet it is but by way of metaphore; not literally and in a true proprietie of speech. To conceiue GOD to bee as man, with humane dimensions, was the heresie of the Anthro pomorphites: and hee that thus grossely thinkes of God, sayth Ierome makes an Idol of God in his heart. But herein God stoopes to the qualitie of our vnderstandings ascribing to himselfe anger and displeasure, as it were passions to the impassible: whereas Nec Deus affectu capitur, nec tangitur ir…: they are not passions, but perfections. God hath a mouth, by which he teacheth man wisedome: he hath feet, by which he walketh on the earth his footestoole: he hath hands, by which he giueth food to all flesh: he hath none of these organically, as men hauehave; but in the varietie of effects which he produceth. So Bernard; Per effectum haec habet, Serm. 4. in Cant.non per naturam.
3. Obserue that in the left hand there is a double benefite, Riches and Honour: in the right but a single one; Length of dayes: yet this one farre transcends both the other. For if we should restraine it to this world: long life is a great blessing; and more valuable then wealth and worship. But taking it as it is meant, for eternitie. (For this life is but a span long; a span then; now scarce the length of a finger) as Psal. 23. I will dwell in the house of the Lord for euer: originally to length of dayes; but fitly Psal. 23. 6.trāslated For euer: the left hand is as far exceeded by the right, as short mortalitie is by euerlastingnesse. Aged Israel to his grand-children, Ephraim & Manasseh two sonnes of Ioseph, when the father had placed the first borne Manasseh to his right hand, and Ephraim the younger to his left: hee crossing his hands, layd the right vponupon aGen. 48. 14.Ephraim, and the left vponupon Manasseh. When Ioseph would hauehave remoued his hands, he refused: I know it my sonne, I know it. Manasseh also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truely his younger brother shall be greater then he. The Lord doth blesse many Manassehs with his left hand in riches and honours: but blessed be that Ephraim to whom his right hand is commended. Lord, let others enioy the treasures of thy left hand, but lay thy right vponupon our soules.
4. I conclude. Since the Lord out of both his hands powres and showres vponupon vsus these mercies, what should we doe but be thankfull? Shall wee receiue benefites by heapes; and is the incense of our gratitude of so thinne a smoake? Et capitur minimo thuris honore Deus? All these blessings seeme to say to man; Take, and take heed: Accipe, redde, caue: Receiue, returne, beware. Take warmth from me sayth apparell, heat from me f…yth fire, strength from me sayth bread. Restore thankfullnesse to the Giuer. Or else beware lest the fire burne thee, water drowne thee, aire choake thee: lest all giuegive destruction, that should giuegive comfort. Receiue in the name of God, Returne in the Praise of God, or Beware in the feare of God. To whom for the blessings of both his hands, be glory ascribed from all lips and hearts, for euer and euer.
Amen.