The True Catholic — Francis Trigge

The True Catholic · Francis Trigge

The liues and maners of all Chriſtians in particular, briefly drawne out of the Word of God.

FIrſt, euerie Chriſtian is bound continually to meditate vponupon the word of God: for ſo God commaunded the Iewes.Deut. 6.6. And theſe wordes which I commaund thee this day, ſhall bee in thy heart, and thou ſhalt rehearſe them continually to thy children, and ſhalt talke of them when thou tarieſt in thy houſe, and as thou walkeſt by the way, and when thou lieſt downe, and when thou riſeſt vp: and thou ſhalt binde them for a ſigne vponupon thine hand; and they ſhal be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou ſhalt write them vponupon the poſts of thine houſe, and vponupon thy gates. This commaundement is generall to all, not to Prieſts only. And it was commanded the Iewes, much more vsus Chriſtians.

Deut. 11.18.And againe: Therefore ſhall yee lay vp theſe my words in your heart, and in your ſoule, and bind them for a ſigne vponupon your hand; that they may be as frontlets betweene your eyes. And yee ſhall teach them your children, ſpeaking of them when thou ſitteſt in thine houſe, and when thou walkeſt by the way, and when thou lyeſt downe, and when thou riſeſt vp.

Men ſhould talke of the word of God in their houſes, and ſhould teach their children the ſame. This is a plaine commandement, without anie trope or figure: and yet how hath Satan bewitched a great manie, that they thinke it concernes them not? that will neither know it themſelues, nor ſuffer their children to learne it.

And not onelyonly Moſes: but alſo Dauid teacheth all men the ſame leſſon. And it is his firſt leſſon that he teacheth a man to make him bleſſed.Pſal. 1.1. Bleſſed is that mā (ſaith he) that doth not walk in the counſell of the wicked, nor ſtand in the way of ſinners, not ſit in the ſeate of the ſcornefull. But his delight is in the lawe of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And as he teacheth all men this leſſon: ſo he practiſed it himſelfe, though he were a king:Pſal. 119.44. My hands alſo will I lift vp vntounto thy commandements which I hauehave loued: And I will meditate in thy ſtatutes. verſ. 9….And againe, Oh how do I louelove thy law? it is my meditation continually.

And this commandement alſo God himſelfe gaue to Ioſuah, being a Captaine, and a man of warre:Io…ua. …. Let not this booke of the law depart out of thy mouth: but meditate therein day and night, that thou maiſt obſerue and doe according to all that is written therein. For then ſhalt thou make thy waie proſperous, and then ſhalt thou hauehave good ſucceſſe.

And Dauid no doubt grounded that his great bleſſing, which eueryevery one that meditateth thus on y^e word of God ſhould reap, (that is, that whatſoeuer hee doth, it ſhall proſper) vponupon this great promiſe of God made vntounto Ioſuah. Eph. 6.11.1….For now euerie Chriſtian is the Lords Captaine againſt that ſpiritual enemy Sathan. As Saint Paul doth alſo applie that ſame other great bleſſing of God, made to Ioſuah (As I was with Moſes, Heb. 13.5. Ioſua. 1.5.ſo will I be with thee, I will not leaue thee nor forſake thee) to euerie Chriſtian ſouldier. Let your conuerſation be without couetouſneſſe (ſaith he) and be content with ſuch things as God preſently ſends (what kind ſoeuer they be) for he hath ſaid, I will not faile thee, neither forſake thee. So that we may boldly ſay; The Lord is my helper, neither will I feare what man can do vntounto me.

That ſame Eunuch of Candaces Queen of Ethiopia, Act, 8.28.no doubt moued by Gods Spirit, fulfilled that commandement of Moſes giuen to the Iewes, who as he was in his iourney, read the Prophet Eſay. If a Barbarian did this in his iourney, whie ſhould not Chriſtians do the like?Luke. 24.14. Our Sauiour alſo after his reſurrection appearing to thoſe two Diſciples that trauailed to Emaus, & talked of him, expounded to them the Scriptures. Hereby alſo no doubt, teaching euen trauailers what to talke on in their iournies.

Neither was this commandement onelie giuen to the Iewes: but alſo it is as it were,Col. 3.16. reuiued againe amongſt vsus Chriſtians. Let the word of God (ſaith S. Paul) dwell amongſt you plenteouſly, in all wiſedome, teaching and admoniſhing your owne ſelues in Pſalmes, and hymnes, and ſpirituall ſongs, ſinging with grace in your hearts vntounto the Lord. 1. Ioh. 2.14.And S. Iohn in his Epiſtle writes generally vntounto all: I write vntounto you babes, becauſe ye hauehave known the Father. I hauehave written to you Fathers, becauſe ye hauehave knowne him that is from the beginning. I hauehave written vntounto you young men, becauſe ye are ſtrong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye hauehave ouercome the wicked. Young men muſt know the word of God: and therefore old men. And this is their ſtrength againſt that ſpirituall enemie Satan. And therefore as all Chriſtians are Souldiers in this warfare againſt this enemie, Epheſ. 6.10.11as Saint Paul teacheth: ſo all muſt be endued with this ſtrength, and armed with this ſword: As our Sauiour alſo by his example hath moſt manifeſtly taught vsus, that as he did, ſo alſo muſt we fight againſt all the aſſaults of Satan with this ſword.Matt. 4.4. So that then this is the firſt dutie of all Chriſtians, to know and meditate vponupon the holie Scriptures. Kings, Captaines, old men, young men, trauailers; and to conclude, all men in generall: All the Lords faithfull ſeruants and ſouldiers doe this.

Secondly, euerie good Chriſtian muſt be altogether prayer: as Dauid wils thē, & as he witneſſeth of himſelfe that he was; For my good will (ſaith hee) they hated me, Pſal. 109.3.but I was prayer, Am te phillah, as it is in y^e Hebrew. He muſt pray without ceaſing, as S. Paul alſo commands him. He muſt pray without wearineſſe (although prayer of all ſpirituall exerciſes bee the,Luke 18.1. moſt troubleſome, as one noteth) as our Sauiour himſelfe doth alſo enioyne him. Such earneſt practiſers of this holie exerciſe hauehave all Gods ſeruants béene. Daniel, who was a Iew, and bare a type of them,Dan. 6.10. prayed thriſe euerie day, and that vponupon perill of his life. He choſe rather to venture his life, then to omit his prayers: But we that are Chriſtians, are to exceede the Iewes in our righteouſneſſe, Matt. 5.20.and in our good workes, as our Sauiour teacheth: And ſhall not we pray ſo often? Nay, Dauid alſo in the perſon of Chriſt, and of all Chriſtians, ſaith: Euening and morning, Pſal. 55.17and at noone will I pray, and that inſtantly, and thou ſhalt heare my voice. Pſal 119.164.And in another Pſalme: Seuen times a day do I giuegive thankes to thee, becauſe of thy righteous iudgements. Ge…. 5.22.That is, no doubt, verie often. So Enoch is ſaid to hauehave walked with God, That is no doubt, by the works of his hands, & by the words of his mouth eſpecially by praying. He did all things,Col. 3.17 as S. Paul teacheth vsus to doe, in the name of the Lord Ieſus: So no doubt, in the ſight and preſence of God himſelfe,Gen. 24.63. Iſaak is reported to hauehave gone into the fields eueryevery euening to pray and meditate. And Abraham praying for the Sodomites teacheth vsus, his perſeuerance in prayer for himſelfe.Gen. 32.28. Iacob when as he wreſtled with the Angel by prayer, obtained a newe name, and was called Iſrael; that is, mightie with God: They that will be Iſrael, that is, of force and great power with God, muſt be earneſt prayers. And of this force of prayer it was that God himſelfe ſpake to Moſes: Exo, 32 1…. 1. Sam. 16 1.Suffer me now that I may deſtroy them. And againe, the Lord ſaid to Samuel, How long wilt thou mourne for Saul, ſeeing I hauehave caſt him away from raigning ouer Iſrael? No doubt, this mourning was in his prayers. Such a forceable thing prayer is, that it ſéemes euen as it were, to bind God himſelfe.Ioſ. 10.13. So at Ioſuah his prayer the Sunne ſtood ſtill. And Ioſuah when as he was ouercome of his enemies by Achans ſinne,7.6. hee and the Elders of Iſrael ſought with prayer; and ſo found out the cauſe of their ouerthrow. Elias, as S. Iames reporteth, by prayer opened and ſhut heauen. Iam. 5.17.And as Eccleſiaſticall hiſtories doe teſtifie, Saint Iames was ſuch a diligent practiſer of this holy exerciſe, Euſeb. Eccleſ. hiſt. lib. 2. c. 23that his knees were with often kneeling downe to prayer, as hard as brawne.

Neither muſt Chriſtians onelyonly pray: but alſo euen watch in prayer, as S. Paul often commands them. Firſt to the Epheſians:Epheſ. 6.18. And pray alwayes in all maner of prayer and ſupplication in the Spirit, and watch thereunto with all perſeuerance. And againe to the Coloſians, Continue in prayer, Col. 4.2and watch in the ſame with thankſgiuing. And that this his watching is literally meant, no doubt that example of our bleſſed Sauiour, from which he deriued it, plainly proues:Luke 6.12. who is ſaid to hauehave continued all night in prayer. So that good king Dauid ſaith of himſelfe: At midnight will I ariſe to giuegive thankes to thee for thy righteous iudgements. And of Anna that holy widow it is ſaid,Pſal. 119.62. Luke 2.37. that ſhee ſerued God with faſtings and prayers day and night.

And here is another holy circumſtance ioyned to our prayers; that is, faſting.2. Sam. 12.1…. This alſo Dauid ioyned to his prayers for his child, as we may reade: nay euen for his verie enemies, when they were ſicke he put on ſackcloth, Pſal. 35.13.and humbled his ſoule with faſting, and his prayer returned euen to his owne boſome. And ſhall not we then ioyne faſting to the prayers we make for our friends, nay for our ſelues? So Daniel ioyned prayer and faſting together thoſe three weekes wherein no pleaſant Dan. 10.4.bread, nor fleſh came within his mouth; and therefore his prayers were heard, as that man ſent from God to him teacheth vsus:Dan. 10.12. Feare not Daniel (ſaith he) for from the firſt day that thou didſt ſet thy heart to vnderſtand, and to humble thy ſelfe before thy God, thy words were heard: & I am come for thy words. No doubt theſe words were his prayers. So in the Acts Cornelius a Heathen, Act. 10.30.and a ſouldier was praying and faſting to the ninth houre of the day; and he ſaw an Angell appeare vntounto him; and Peter was faſting and praying till the ſixt houre (that is,Verſ. 9. till noone) and he ſaw that heauenly viſion of the calling of the Gentiles: and ſhall not we followe theſe holie examples, in this cleare light of the Goſpell? Shall we neither watch in prayer, nor ioyne faſting to our prayers? Is this to profeſſe y^e Goſpell? Is this to hauehave faith?2. Tim. 3.5. This is to hauehave a ſhew of godlineſſe (as Saint Paul propheſieth that ſome ſhould hauehave) but plainely to denie the force thereof. Oh let vsus watch in prayer, and ioyne faſting to our prayers! Let not the Papiſts herein go beyond vsus. Theſe are plaine and manifeſt commandements of the Goſpell, and ſhall we not obey them? Nay, how often ſaith Dauid, Pſal. 5.3. & 143 8. Pſal. 108.2.thou ſhalt heare my prayers betimes in the morning? And early in the morning I will looke vp, and direct my prayers vntounto thee. And againe, Awake lute and harpe, I my ſelfe will awake right early. And yet we will ſcant now come to prayers at nine of the clocke. Surely the Papiſts Mattens, if they had béene done with vnderſtanding, had béene more agréeable to Gods word, then our ſlouthfull and ſluggiſh prayers are which wee now vſe. God will be ſerued earlie in the morning: And therefore it is noted as a ſpeciall mark and commēdation of Abrahams faith, that when as he was commanded to offer his ſon Iſaac, Gen. 22.3.that Abraham roſe vp in the morning very early. If Abraham roſe vp ſo early to offer ſuch a ſorrowfull ſacrifice; what ſhould we doe, which offer vp ſuch a pleaſant ſacrifice to God, as our prayers are? Hence it is that the Chriſtians in the Primitiue Church (as hereafter ſhall be noted) had their aſſemblies before day to praie to God, and to giuegive him thanks.

The Scriptures alſo teach Chriſtians to ioine another circumſtance to their prayers, and that is wéeping and ſighing. And ſo no doubt Samuel prayed for Saul, as before it hath béene alleaged. And Dauid often mentioneth theſe his teares added to his prayers: EueryEvery night will I waſh my bed, Pſal. 6.6.and water my couch with my teares. And againe, Away (ſaith he) from me ye wicked, for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping. verſ. 8.Dauids teares ſpake to God. And againe, Heare my prayer, O Lord, and hearken vntounto my crie; keep not ſtill ſilence at my teares. Pſal. 39.12.And thus it is alſo recorded of Ezechias, that when as Eſay the Prophet had denounced to him that heauie meſſage from the Lord: Put thy houſe in order, for thou ſhalt die, and not liue: 2. King 20.3that then he turned his face to the wal, and prayed to the Lord, ſaying, &c. And Ezechias wept ſore. And after Eſay was gone out of the middle of the court, The word of the Lord came to him, ſaying: Turne again & tell Ezechias the Captain of my people: verſ. 5.Thus ſaith the Lord God of Dauid thy father: I hauehave heard thy prayers, and ſeene thy teares: Behold I hauehave now healed thee. No doubt, if Chriſtians in their ſickneſſe would vſe theſe pilles, to purge their heads withall, that is, their teares (as Ezechias did) God would heale them, as he did him. Theſe teares are the beſt and ſureſt purgations in the world. And for lacke of theſe, it is likely all our other pilles and potions deuiſed of Phyſitions, do manie times ſo little good. So Marie Magdalene, ſo Peter, Luke 7.38. Matt. 26.75.in their ſinnes wept bitterly; as the Goſpell teacheth vsus. And who dare ſay that he is not as grieuous a ſinner, as either of thē? No man liuing knowes his ſecret faults. Pſal. 19.12.It is written thus of the people of Iſrael, that when as they had ſinned againſt the Lord, that Samuel commanded to gather all the people to Mizpeh, 1. Sam. 7.5and that he would pray vntounto the Lord. And they gathered tog…ther to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and faſted the ſame day, and ſaid there; We hauehave ſinned againſt the Lord. No doubt, theſe waters they drew and poured out before the Lord, were teares from their hearts. And here is that perfect patterne and forme of repentance, which Ioel teacheth:Ioel 2.12. Turne to the Lord with weeping, faſting and mourning. So theſe Iſraelits here no doubt, turned to God. And this is that iudgement which Saint Paul teacheth all Chriſtians to vſe euen againſt themſelues. Iudge your ſelues (ſaith he) that you bee not iudged of the Lord. For if we would iudge our ſelues, 1. Cor. 11.31.we ſhould not be iudged of the Lord. But now for lacke of this iudgement many are ſicke amongſt you, and many ſleepe and are dead.

Euerie Chriſtian for the ſinnes he hath committed againſt God, ſhould now be as it were a iudge againſt himſelfe, & euen as it were puniſh himſelfe by faſting, weeping, & praying for his ſins, and ſo turne to God, as Ioel counſelleth. And then as Saint Paul here teacheth, without doubt he ſhall eſcape the iudgements and plagues of God in this world, as ſickneſſe and ſuch other euils, which his ſinnes deſerue. But aboue all other examples, eſpeciallie the example of our Sauiour, ſhould moue vsus to ioyne theſe teares to our prayers; of whom wee reade thus: Which in the dayes of his fleſh, did offer vp prayers and ſupplications, Heb. 5.7.with ſtrong crying and teares, vntounto him that was able to ſaue him from death. If Chriſt for our ſakes offered vp prayers and ſupplications with ſtrong crying and teares, ſhall not we doe the like for our ſelues? Let vsus follow his example. But what ſpeak I of ſhedding teares when we pray; ſome are now growne ſo ſtiffe-necked, that they will hardlie how their knées when they praie. That is now accounted of manie ſuperſtition: they ſaie it is ſufficient to bow the knées of their hearts. But howſoeuer they ſaie it is ſuperſtition; I ſaie it is lacke of reuerence to the Maieſtie of God, and of deuotion. O come let vsus worſhip and fall downe, and kneele before the Lord our maker, Pſal. 9….6ſaith Dauid. We ſay this euerie daie at our prayers with our mouthes, & do it not with our bodies: What is this, but euen as it were to mocke God? S. Paul is ſaid to bow his knees to the father of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt; of whom is named all the families in heauen and earth. Epheſ. 3.14.Nay, Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe is ſaid to hauehave proſtrated himſelfe vponupon the earth to God his Father: Matt. 26.39.And ſhall we thinke much to bow our knées to him? Or is it, to ſtoupe a little with their heads, when they praie, as ſome vſe to do, to knéele? Is that ſuperſtition which Saint Paul, and our bleſſed Sauiour vſed?

To conclude then this ſecond dutie of a Chriſtian: Thus he is taught manifeſtlie in the word of God; to praie continuallie, thriſe a daie at leaſt. To watch in the night in his prayers: to praie earlie in the morning: and to ioyne with his prayers faſting, wéeping and knéeling. And then when he prayeth, the Lord ſhall heare him, as hee did Dauid; and endue his ſoule with much ſtrength. Pſal. 138.3.109.7.Without theſe, let him take héede his prayers be not turned into ſin.

A third dutie which concernes all Chriſtians, is to exhort one another to good workes: and to reprooue their brethren, when they ſée them to commit ſinne, and eſpeciallie of maiſters, to catechize and inſtruct their families. And this is that which Eccleſiaſticus ſaith: And hee ſaide vntounto them, Eccleſ. 17.12Beware of all vnrighteous things. Hee gaue alſo euerie man a commandement concerning his brother. EueryEvery man muſt hauehave a care of his brother, to exhort him to goodneſſe, and to keepe him from ſinne. And this is that allegorie of a bodie, which Saint Paul alſo vſeth, and teacheth vsus:Rom. 10.4. We are all members of Chriſts bodie. Now euerie member will not onelie labour for, and helpe another; but alſo if it be hurt will hauehave a care to heale it againe: The ſame care ſhould euerie Chriſtian hauehave of his brother. And hence it is that Saint Paul ſaith:Heb. 3.12. Take heed brethren leaſt at anie time there bee in anie of you an euill heart and vnbeleeuing, to depart from the liuing God. But exhort one another dayly while it is called to day, leaſt any of you bee hardened by the deceitfulneſſe of ſinne. No doubt, for lacke of this daily exhortation, ſo manie at this daie amongſt vsus are hardened with ſin. No man now adaies exhorteth his brother to do good. A man maie do what he liſt: no man will reproue him. And the ſame leſſon he repeates againe, as a leſſon worthie the learning:Heb. 10.24. Let vsus conſider one another to prouoke vntounto louelove and good workes, not forſaking the fellowſhip that we hauehave amongſt our ſelues, as the maner of ſome is: but let vsus exhort one another, and that ſo much the more, becauſe yee ſee that the day draweth neere, &c. The néerer that the day of iudgement approcheth, the more we ſtand in néed of this exhortation and prouocation one of another forward to good works. For then, as ſhould ſéeme,Reu. 12.12. Sathan ſhall labour mightily (as we find by experience) to draw all men to ſinne. And therefore all men had neede to ioyne hands together, and to labour againſt him. We fight againſt mightie enemies, Epheſ. 6.12.againſt principalities and powers, as the Apoſtle telleth vsus. And yet the iudge being now at the verie doores, Iam. 5.9.and the day no doubt béeing at hand, and this enemie béeing ſo mightie, euen now raging ſo fiercelie becauſe he knowes that hee hath but a ſhort time to raigne: Reue. 12.12.No man almoſt exhorteth his brother to good workes, as louelove and charitie; but rather vntounto pride and couetouſneſſe, by his euill example. No man reprooueth the ſinne of his brother. Men are nowe become like Caine, who ſaid,Gen. 4.9. Am I my brothers keeper? What hauehave I to doe with my brother? This is a Caines, and not a Chriſtians voice. The holy Ghoſt fell vponupon the Apoſtles in the forme of fitie tongues: Act. 2.3.To teach all Chriſtians (that are indued with the holie Ghoſt) what their duties are: they muſt be tongues, they muſt not be dumbe: they muſt exhort; they muſt teach, they muſt ſpeake: yea they muſt be firie tongues; that is, they muſt reproue alſo. But now adaies that ſaying of King Dauid is verified:Pſal. 94.16. Who will riſe vp with me againſt the wicked? Or who will take my part againſt the euil doers? Perchance one (amongſt an hundred) endued with this firie zeale of Gods Spirit, will rebuke ſinne, will ſtand vp againſt the wicked: but no man will take his part, no man will ioine with him. And ſo by that meanes, his godly zeale doth little good. One man is no man, as the prouerbe is. And without manie be ioined and coupled together, there is no ſtrength, there is no force.

Secondlie, as eueryevery man is bound to exhort his brother: ſo eſpeciallie euerie Maſter his familie, as appeareth by Gods owne ſpéech to Abraham, when as hee reuealed to him the deſtruction of Sodome.Ge. 18.17. &c. And the Lord ſaid: Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do? Seeing that Abraham ſhall be indeed a great and a mightie nation, and all the nations of the earth ſhall be bleſſed in him. For I know him that he will command his ſonnes, and his houſhold after him, that they keepe the way of the Lord, to doe righteouſneſſe and iudgement, that the Lord may bring vponupon Abraham that hee hath ſpoken vntounto him. Let vsus mark here, all that will be accounted Abrahams children, what God himſelfe pronounceth of Abraham: that hee will teach his ſonnes and his familie to feare God, do righteouſneſſe; and let vsus follow his ſteps: then ſhall all that God hath promiſed Abraham come vntounto vsus. Would we then be partakers of Gods promiſes and of his bleſſings? let vsus then inſtruct our children and families. Here is a condition or limitation preſcribed to vsus by Gods own mouth. All men condemne Herod that killed the Innocents: and yet they which catechize not their families and children are more cruell then he:Matth. 2.16. for he killed other mens children, and theſe men kill their owne. Nay, hee killed but their bodies only; and theſe kill their ſoules. O cruell Herods! Let all true Chriſtians beware of this crueltie; and be rather Abrahams true children in inſtructing their children and families, that ſo all Gods promiſes and bleſſings maie come vponupon them.

The Tyger is reported of all wild beaſts to be moſt ſwift, Solinus cap. 17ſo that they which take her whelpes from her, hauehave ſhips readie; and ſo taking ſhip, ſhe cannot purſue them, nor ouertake them; which otherwiſe could not eſcape from her. But when ſhe perceiues that one of her whelpes is ſtolne from her, and that ſhe cannot recouer it againe; it is written of her, that vponupon the ſea ſhore, for verie griefe ſhe will throw her ſelfe downe headlong into the ſea; puniſhing her owne ſlowneſſe with ſuch a voluntarie deſtruction. O the louing nature of this wild beaſt to her whelpes! And ſhall not Chriſtians ſhew the like louelove to their children? If they bee wicked, and giuen to anie ſinne; not théeues (as thoſe Tygers whelps) but the diuell hath ſtolne awaie and poſſeſſed them: and ſhal not this grieue them? eſpeciallie when they ſee it with their eies. Let all Chriſtians be more kind to their children then Tygers: Let them teach them the feare of Lord, as Dauid teacheth: Come ye children, & hearken vntounto me, Pſal. 34.11.& I will teach you the feare of the Lord. And then ſhal not that enemie ſteale thē from them. The veſſell will euer hauehave a taſt of that liquor with which it is firſt ſeaſoned: Let the firſt liquor that enters into their childrens hearts, be the feare of God: and then they will neuer forget it. So no doubt Abraham, although he had but one ſon of Sarah, yet he pampered him not (as ſhould ſéeme) but inſtructed him in the law of God. For when he went to be ſacrificed, hee could ſay, Father, here is the wood, Gen. 22 7.but where is the lambe for the burnt offering? euen being ſo young, he knew what a ſacrifice meant: no doubt his father had taught him. So ought all Chriſtians after his example to inſtruct their children in the principles of Chriſtian religion.

So likewiſe, Abraham alſo no doubt catechized and inſtructed his familie; hauing in his familie a greate number (as appeareth by that reſcue of Lot) Who brought forth 318. that were borne and brought vp in his houſe, Gen, 14.14.and with them purſued thoſe kings which had taken Lot priſoner. When as God after commaunded him to circumciſe himſelfe and all his familie that were males, it is ſaid,Gen. 17.23. that Abraham circumciſed them all the ſelfe ſame day. No doubt, they had béene well inſtructed before, both in their duties and obedience towards God, and alſo their maiſter: or els all of them ſo willinglie, and ſo readilie would not hauehave yéelded to ſuch a painefull thing, as circumciſion was. So Dauid being a king had care of his familie and ſeruants; to teach all Noblemen and Gentlemen the like care of their families. Socrates common by-word is often proued true: That moſt commonly in great mens houſes either ſome great good, Eraſ. Apoph.or ſome great euill is hatched. And firſt concerning the choiſe of his ſeruants,Pſal. 101.6 Dauid writeth thus: Mine eyes ſhall be vntounto the faithfull of the land, that they may dwell with me, and hee that walketh in a perfect way, he ſhall ſerue me. And then for the kéeping and correcting his ſeruants he writes thus: There ſhall no deceitfull perſon dwell within my houſe. He that telleth lies ſhall not tarie in my ſight. No doubt, he did reproue both deceitfull and lying ſeruants,2. King. 5.25. and which were like to Gehezi; and alſo other ſins in his ſeruants. And if they would not be reformed, he would not keepe them anie longer. I would to God all Noblemen and Gentlemen would doe the like: then we ſhould hauehave a flouriſhing Church and common wealth: then ſo much ſinne would not be committed, as is commonly. A Gentlemans or a Noblemans ſeruant will preſume to ſinne, becauſe of the authoritie of his maiſter, or becauſe his maiſter hee knowes neuer mindes what he doth: and ſometime will not ſticke to tell a lie, to féed his maiſters humour. Such preſumptuous lying, and flattering ſeruants king Dauid would not kéepe in his houſe. Such a care alſo no doubt of his familie had that good ruler, whoſe ſonne Chriſt healed. It is written of him, that after his ſonne was healed, Ioh. 4.52, 53.that he beleeued and all his houſhold. No doubt the good maiſter had a care to inſtruct all his familie in that faith and waie of ſaluation, which he beléeued himſelfe. So Cornelius alſo hath this commendation giuen him:Act. 10.2. There was a certaine man in Caeſarea called Cornelius a Captaine of the band called the Italian band, a deuout man, one that feared God with all his houſhold, which gaue much almes to the people, & prayed God continually. Here is a notable patterne ſet downe of a good houſholder, for all Chriſtians to follow. Hee feared God and all his houſhould; he gaue much almes to the people, and prayed God continually. He is not commended for the building or furniture of his houſe: but for his deuotion; for his care of his familie; for his almeſdéedes; and for his daylie prayers. O that we had manie ſuch houſekéepers! theſe vertues ſhould make them more famous,Ier. 22.14.15. then building ſtatelie towers, and high walles, and large windowes. This is to execute iudgement and to do righteouſneſſe, as Ieremie teacheth that Iehoiakim, that proud king of Iuda; & in him all other maner of men. So that good Emperour Conſtantine made his pallace as it were a Church, in catechiſing his family himſelfe, Euſeb. de vita Conſt. lib. 4.and both commanding them to pray, and alſo teaching them how to pray, as Euſebius in his life recordeth. Nay he tolde the biſhops dining at a certaine time with him: you will ſay, quoth he, that I am a Biſhop: and ſo I am indeed; but I within, and you abroad: And in his coine, to declare what account he made of prayer, he cauſed himſelf to be pictured with his eyes looking vntounto heauen, as it were euer crauing or requeſting ſomething of God. And theſe were the common monie or coine that they vſed through all the Roman Empire, during his raigne. And likewiſe, he was pictured at the entrance into his pallace, kneeling on his knees, as ſome ſuter; and his eyes lifted vp to heauen. This Euſebius reporteth of him. O noble and Chriſtian Emperour! that was thus zealous of Gods ſeruice, both himſelfe, and alſo which cauſed his family and ſubiects thus to ſerue God likewiſe. How ſince his dayes Chriſtians are degenerated, all men maie ſée. Now they are accounted preciſe, that ſo inſtruct and gouerne their families. But this in his dayes was not preciſeneſſe, but Chriſtianitie.

And that all Chriſtians ought to inſtruct their families, Chryſoſtome writes thus verie excellentlie:Chryſoſt. ho. 78. in. Matt. And ſurely if thou longeſt greatly to be with Chriſt; then do his will: and his will is eſpecially that thou ſhouldeſt ſtudie to profite thy neighbour. Wilt thou hauehave me proue this vntounto thee out of another place? O Peter doeſt thou louelove me? (ſaith he) feed my ſheepe. And when as he had asked him this thriſe, he confirmed that this was an argument of his louelove. Which thing was not ſpoken only to Prieſts; but alſo to eueryevery one of vsus, to whom a little flocke is committed: for becauſe it is a verie little flocke; therfore it muſt not be neglected: for my father hath a pleaſure in them. EueryEvery one of vsus hath a ſheep, let vsus leade it to fat paſtures. When therefore a maiſter of a familie ſhall riſe from his bed, let him care for nothing elſe, then that he may do and ſpeake thoſe things, by which he may increaſe religion in his whole family. The good wife alſo, let her hauehave a care of her houſe; but let her greateſt care be concerning thoſe things which belong to heauen; Let all the whole family do thoſe things. For if in our worldly affaires we preferre the matters of the common wealth, before our houſhold affaires; leſt for the payment of theſe common taxes and ſubſidies we being brought before the Iudge, and being puniſhed, we ſhould incurre blame & reproch: how much more in ſpirituall matters ought wee to hauehave a principall care of them firſt of all, which concerne God our creator, and that great king of all kings; leaſt that we be drawne thither, where is gnaſhing of teeth? Let vsus therfore embrace thoſe vertues, which are profitable to our own ſaluatiō, & alſo profitable to our neighbours. Thus farre Chryſoſtome. Wherefore as firſt he teacheth vsus; that that commandement of our Sauiour Chriſt to Peter, Feede my ſheepe, belongs not only to him or his ſucceſſours, as the Papiſts now teach, but to euerie Chriſtian. Euerie Chriſtian is Peter; and muſt féed his little flock, his familie that is committed vntounto him.Origen in Matt. hom. 1. in cap. 6. As alſo Origen expounded that ſaying of our Sauiour to Peter the 16. of Matth. To thee will I giuegive the keyes of the kingdome of heauen: It ſeemes to bee ſpoken (ſaith he) to all perfect Chriſtians. For they are all Peters and Rockes, and in them all is the Church builded. And if you thinke that the Church was built of that one Peter; what doe you ſay of Iames and Iohn the ſonnes of thunder, and of the other Apoſtles? Wee maie note here the conſent of Chryſoſtome and Origen in expounding theſe two places, concerning the Popes primacie, otherwiſe then y^e Papiſts do now: And yet they wold make the world beléeue, that all the Fathers were on their ſide. Secondly, Chryſoſtome teacheth, that euerie maiſter is bound to inſtruct his familie; yea more then to paie his ſubſidie to the Prince. For this is a ſubſidie that is due to the king of heauen, which hee requires at all mens hands. And that euerie Chriſtian ought to know the Scriptures, and to be able to doe this,Chryſoſt. ho. 2 in cap. 1. Matt. he writes thus in another place: Which of you, I pray you, that ſtand here, can ſay one Pſalme without booke, if ye were examined; or anie other portion of ſcripture? Surely there is none. And this is not onelyonly the miſchiefe, that you are ſlouthfull & ſlacke to learne ſpirituall things, but to learne diueliſh things ye are more hot then fire: for if any one ſhould aske you anie vaine ballads, or any ſuch like fooliſh and vnchaſt ſongs and tunes, hee ſhall find verie manie that are skilfull in thē, & that alſo will ſing them with great pleaſure and delight. But this is the common excuſe of theſe faults: I am no Monke (ſaith he) I hauehave wife and children and a familie to care for. This is that which as a common plague, marres all, becauſe you thinke that the reading of the Scriptures doth belong only to Monks; when as it is farre more neceſſarie for you, then for them. For they which are conuerſant in the worlde, and receiue dayly wound vponupon wound; doe not they ſtand more in need of the ſalues of God? &c. Let vsus note here how that Chryſoſtome would hauehave all men to reade the Scriptures; he excepteth none: they néede not ſéeke to the Ordinarie to be licenſed to reade them, as the Papiſts now teach. Naie, that this is more neceſſarie for them, then either for Prieſts or Monkes. And that this is Gods ſalue to heale their daily wounds therewith, and then they need not to feare anie harme therby as the Papiſts now do.

A fourth dutie, which belongs to all Chriſtians is, that they ought to deſpiſe the world, and all the vaine pompes and pleaſures thereof. And this we hauehave all vowed in our Baptiſmes. but alas how ſmally is this vow amongſt many, either regarded, or almoſt euer all their whole life after remembred? And this ſolemne vow & promiſe is grounded of the word of God: LoueLove not the world (ſaith S. Iohn) nor the things that are in the world. If any man louelove the world, 1. Ioh. 2.15.the louelove of the Father is not in him. And S Iames ſaith. He that is a friend to the world, is an oppoſed enemie to God. O dangerous frienſhip,Iam. 4.4. which bereaueth vsus of the fauour of God! Nay, which oppoſeth vsus as open enemies to God. And yet no man almoſt feares or cares for it. And leaſt wee ſhould bee deceiued, Saint Iohn puts downe plainly what the louelove of this world meaneth: For al that is in the world (ſaith he) as the luſt of the fleſh, the luſt of the eyes, the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. As though he ſhould ſaie, thoſe things which our fleſh deſireth, which our eyes delight in, which our life gapes after ſo gréedily, are not of the father: but are the worlds dearlings. And all theſe muſt all Gods children contemne, hate, and deſpiſe. And who is it not now that yéelds to his fleſh all that it deſireth? Who is it that feedeth not his vaine eyes? Who is it that followeth not after the pride and ſtate of this preſent life? We follow at this day that rich man, of whom our Sauiour makes mention, We followe not Chriſt himſelfe. Luke. 16.19That rich man was cloathed in purple and fine linnen, and fared delicately euerie day. And there was a poore man named Lazarus, which lay at his gate full of ſores, 1. Ioh. 2.6.&c. Here is in two words all theſe comprehended: The luſt of the fleſh, to fare daintily: the ſtate of this life, to be cloathed gorgeouſly: and the luſt of the eyes, to bee couetous and vnmercifull, not ſo much as once to looke vponupon poore Lazarus. But theſe delights and deſires (though we read not that he did anie man wrong to maintaine and fulfill them) damned him in hell. And here let all ſuch take héede by his example, that to maintaine theſe, do oppreſſe and deale hardlie with the poore mēbers of Ieſus Chriſt. Chriſt Ieſus, who is the way, the truth, and the life, Iohn 14, 6.deſpiſed all theſe, and ſo muſt all his Chriſtians.

So did Saint Paul, who writes thus of himſelfe: God forbid that I ſhould reioyce, but in the croſſe of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt; whereby the world is crucified to me, Gal. 6.14.& I vntounto the world. What worldly pompe or delight was there in the croſſe of Ieſus Chriſt? but hunger, cold, nakedneſſe, vineger, raylings, and ſuch like. In theſe S. Paul reioyced. Let the worldlings, with that rich man, delight in their braue apparell, in their daintie fare, in their ſtate and pompe: S. Paul with his Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt will deſpiſe all theſe; and reioice rather in nakednes, in hunger, in reproches, as he himſelfe witneſſeth in another place: Euen vntounto this houre we both hunger and thirſt, & are naked, 1. Cor. 4.11.& are buffetted, & hauehave no certaine dwelling place: no place to put our heads in. This is the croſſe of Chriſt, which Saint Paul reioyced in. Here is a contempt of all the pleaſures of the world. And in another place: We approue our ſelues the miniſters of God in much patience, 2. Cor. 6.4.in afflictions, in neceſſities, in diſtreſſe. Here is the proofe, that S. Paul was an Apoſtle of Ieſus Chriſt, and by the ſame arguments muſt all Chriſtians proue themſelues to be Chriſtians. For thus our Sauiour pronounceth of his Apoſtles, and in them of all Chriſtians: Bleſſed are ye poore, Luke. 6.20.for yours is the kingdome of God. Bleſſed are yee that hunger; for ye ſhall be ſatisfied. Bleſſed are ye that weepe now, for ye ſhall laugh. Bleſſed are ye when men hate you, and when they ſeparate you and reuile you; and put out your name as euill, for the Sonne of mans ſake. Reioyce you in that day and be glad: For behold your reward is great in heauen: for after this maner did their fathers to the Prophets. But woe vntounto you that are rich; for you hauehave receiued your conſolation. Wo be vntounto you that are full; for ye ſhall hunger. Wo be to you that now laugh; for ye ſhall waile and weepe. Wo be to you when all men ſpeake well of you; for ſo did their fathers to the falſe prophets, &c.

Here is plainly put downe Diues and Lazarus. Diues was rich, was full, reioyced euerie daie; was highly (no doubt) commended of all men: and Lazarus was poore, hungry, deſpiſed & contemned of all men. But mark what followes & befals to both theſe: Abraham told there Diues: Sonne, Luke 16.25.remember that thou in thy life time receiuedſt thy pleaſures, or good things: and contrariwiſe, Lazarus paines, or euill things. Now therefore hee is comforted, and thou art tormented. The ſame here our Sauiour pronounceth to all thoſe which embrace the pleaſures of this preſent world: Woe to them that now laugh; for that they hauehave receiued their conſolation. And againe, Bleſſed are they which now weepe, and that deſpiſe the pleaſures of this world; for that their conſolation is to come. And here is plainelie portrayed out vntounto vsus the croſſe of Chriſt, wherein Saint Paule gloried, hunger, wéeping, reuilings, and ſuch like, to which a bleſſing is pronounced: But a wo and curſe to the contrarie.

Let all Chriſtians therfore (hearing this leſſon at their Sauiours mouth; and ſéeing it plainly put in practiſe of Saint Paul and of all the reſt of the Apoſtles: nay perceiuing the terrible execution of the tranſgreſſion thereof verified in that rich man) learne to deſpiſe this world, and all the pleaſures and delights thereof: and only to reioyce in the croſſe of Chriſt with Saint Paul: and to remember that ſolemne vow they made in their Baptiſmes. Let them not buy repentance ſo deare. The money they beſtow vponupon theſe vaine delightes and pleaſures, maie be far better beſtowed (with Cornelius) vponupon almeſdeeds and works of merciemercy.Act. 10.1.

Such a deſpiſer of the world was Abraham: Gen. 14.22.Who told the king of Sodom, that he would not take of all that was his, ſo much as a thréed, or a ſhoo latchet; whē as he offred him all the ſpoiles. We would hauehave ſaid, who but a foole would hauehave refuſed gold, whē as it was offred him? But ſuch a foole was Abraham. We would hauehave bin ſure to hauehave taken the riches, with this flattering perſwaſion beguiling our owne ſelues, as manie doe now adaies:Iam. 1.22. that when we had poſſeſſed them, we wold hauehave beſtowed them well. But Abrahā choſe the ſafer way, not to meddle with them at all. His like contempt of the world appeares in his dealing with his brother Lot, whē their heardſmen fell out. Who though he was the elder, & had the promiſes of God made vntounto him,Gen. 13.1, 9 yet he ſaid; Let there be no ſtrife I pray thee between thee and me, neither betweene thine heardſmen and mine heardſmen, for we are brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? Depart I pray thee from me. If thou wilt take the left hand, then I wil go to the right: if thou go to the right hand, then I will take the left. If Abraham had made account of the world, he would not hauehave yéelded from his right; hee would not hauehave giuen Lot leaue to hauehave choſen.

The like we reade of Moſes; who when as he was come to age refuſed to be called the ſonne of Pharaohs daughter, Heb. 11.24.& choſe rather to ſuffer aduerſitie with the people of God. He reioiced rather in the croſſe of Chriſt with Saint Paule, then in worldlie pleaſures with Diues. Some here would hauehave ſaid, though I be in Pharaohs Court, I will ſerue God in my heart; I maie do both. But Moſes thought that Pharaohs delightes and pleaſures, and Gods louelove and fauour could not ſtand together. The prophet Zacharie writes thus of Chriſts Church,Zach. 14.16 that eueryevery one that is left of all the nations which came againſt Ieruſalem, ſhall go vp from yeare to yeare to worſhip the king the lord of hoſts, & to keepe the feaſt of Tabernacles. And they which will not come vp &c. vponupon them ſhall be no raine. A ſtrange law, and no leſſe ſtrange puniſhment, God ſéemes to renewe againe the ceremonies of the olde law, which by the comming of our Sauior are abrogated. Againe, it is very ſtrange, that omitting all the other feaſts, hee will hauehave one onlie to remaine, that is, the feaſt of Tabernacles. Here no doubt the Prophet teacheth vsus to forſake the letter: For the letter killeth. The feaſt of Taberbernacles was ordained (as appeareth in Exod. 23.) that the children of Iſrael might remember their abode in the wilderneſſe 40. yeares, without anie dwelling houſes. And this feaſt though it be aboliſhed literally, yet God will hauehave the faithfull ſtill to obſerue it ſpiritually; that as they trauailed in the wilderneſſe thoſe fortie yeares: ſo we alſo in this world ſhould be as pilgrims and ſtrangers all the courſe of our life; and that we ſhould know, that we are borne here in the world, no… that we ſhould fixe our hearts here; but that we ſhould as it w…re trauell to heauen. To this all Gods creatures do, as it were, exhort vsus: which ſhew vntounto vsus the excellencie of their Creator, that we ſhould ſeek him alone. And when as the holy Ghoſt is compared to Raine, as Dauid ſaith, propheſying thereof:Pſal. 68.9. Thou Lord ſhalt ſend a gracious Raine on thine inheritance, &c. Zacharie plainly teſtifieth, y^t vponupon thoſe that do not thus celebrate this feaſt of Tabernacles, but are carefull of theſe worldly affaires, that heauenlie raine ſhall not fall. O terrible ſentence! O barren ſoules that lacke this heauenlie and gracious raine!

The like leſſon God taught all men by the burning of Iericho, and all that was therein; which no doubt was a type of this world, and her delights and pleaſures.Ioſua. 6.24. Whereof when as Achan amongſt the ſpoyles, ſaw a goodly Babyloniſh garment, and two hundred ſhekels of ſiluer, a golden tongue (as it is in the Hebrue) and coueted them, and hid them in his tent: Hee was ſtoned to death with ſtones for his labour. And here are thoſe thrée dearlings of the world againe plainly deſcribed to vsus, which S. Iohn mentioneth, which are not of the father: a Babyloniſh garment, which maie ſignifie the pride and ſtate of this life: two hundred ſhekels of ſiluer, which may ſignifie couetouſneſſe, and the deſire and luſts of the eyes: And a golden tongue, which maie ſignifie, the luſt of the fleſh, which muſt hauehave a golden tongue, muſt bee dayly fed daintily with Diues: Luke 16.19. Zephanie 1.8. God wil viſite ſuch as are clothed in ſtrange apparell.no meane diet or fare will content it. Theſe things damned Achan. Let all true Chriſtians deſpiſe and contemne them. Let our garment not be in the faſhion, not ſtrange, not Babyloniſh, but comely, and ſuch as our owne countrie hath vſed. Let our treaſures bee not exceſſiue. Let not our tongue bee a golden tongue, but content with ſimple fare, as was our Sauiour,Iohn. 6.9. who is read to hauehave had barly bread and fiſh for his prouiſion.

Ioſuah no doubt was a figure of our Sauiour Ieſus, and that earthlie Canaan of our heauenlie inheritance.Ioſua 3.17. But how brought Ioſuah the Iſraelites into that Canaan? The firſt thing they did: they went ouer Iordan drie ſhod: And what doth that teach vsus? but that wee muſt alſo paſſe ouer the Iordan of this life drie ſhod, ſo that our féete muſt not be dipped in the delightes, pleaſures, honours, deſires, and affaires of this preſent world.1. Cor. 7.29. And hereof the Apoſtle ſaid: The time is but ſhort, henceforth let them which hauehave wiues, bee as though they had none: and they that weepe, as though they wept not, &c. And Dauid: Pſal. 66.6.They paſſed through the riuer on foote: there did wee reioyce in him. The true ſouldiers of Ieſus Chriſt paſſe ouer the floud of this life with drie féete: but there, that is, in the life to come, we ſhall reioyce in him, we ſhall be as it were drowned in that bottomleſſe ſea of pleaſures.

The like contempt of the world Ioſuah himſelfe declared, who when as he had conquered all the land of Canaan, was ſerued the laſt himſelfe:Ioſua. 19.49. When as they had made an end of deuiding the land by the coaſts thereof, then the children of Iſrael gaue an inheritance vntounto Ioſuah the ſon of Nun, amongſt them, according to the word of the Lord: they gaue him the citie which he asked, euen Tymnah-ſerah in mount Ephraim; and he built the citie, and dwelt therein. Here he was not his owne caruer; but the children of Iſrael gaue him it; and it was called Tymnah ſerah, that is, a great image: ſuch an account made he of his inheritance, but euen as of an image, & as of a type of that heauenlie inheritance. The like account made Dauid of this world,Pſal. 119.17. Pſal. 16.2.3. though a king. O Lord (ſaith he) thou art my portion. And againe: Thou art my Lord, my goods are nothing vntounto thee. To thy Saints that are in the earth (or to the excellēt) my delight is in them. All Dauids account was of God: he made no account of his riches: and then next vponupon Gods Saints, that is, vponupon his ſeruants, and vponupon the poore. He ſet more by the poore then he did by his riches. O that this mind were in vsus Chriſtians!

Matt. 9.9 Rom. 13.7. Matt. 17.27.Matthew ſitting at the receipt of cuſtome, which was a gainfull and a lawfull office (for as Saint Paul ſaith, Tribute is to be paid to whom tribute belongeth: and our Sauiour paide tribute himſelf) yet he deſpiſed this gainefull and lawfull office, and followed Ieſus Chriſt. But eſpecially that notable example of Zacheus, and that ſingular commendation that our Sauior yéeldes to him for it, ſhould teach all Chriſtians to deſpiſe the world; As ſoone as Chriſt had entred into his houſe, Luke 19.8.hee ſtood forth and ſaid vntounto the Lord: Behold Lord, the halfe of my goods I giuegive vntounto the poore, and if I hauehave taken anie thing from anie man by forged cauillation, I reſtore him foure fold. What néed he hauehave giuen halfe of his goods to the poore? but that he deſpiſed them and this world, and that his delight was now vpō Gods Saints, as Dauids was? To make reſtitution was neceſſary; but the other was voluntarie. And our Sauiour addeth: This day is ſaluation come vntounto this houſe. Here are euident ſignes of a liuelie faith. This mans faith flames through charitie: for as much as he is become the ſonne of Abraham. Gal. 5.6. Gen. 18.1.Such a faith had Abraham, which wrought through charitie: as appeared by his ſitting in his tent doore, euen in the heate of the day (which was extreme in thoſe countries) to waite that hee might entertaine ſtrangers. As ſoone as Chriſt entred into Zacheus his houſe, he ſtood forth, and ſaid thus: Behold Lord, the halfe of my goods I giuegive vntounto the poore, &c. They which lacke this faith, and this charitie, it is to be feared that Chriſt is neither yet entred into their houſes, nor into their hearts: where Chriſt is, by and by this fire flameth.

And ſurelie this his liberalitie to the poore maie ſéeme but reaſonable; that a man ſhould giuegive againe halfe to God, Pro. 19.17. 1. Cor, 4.7. 1. Sam. 12.8.who gaue him all that he hath; and reſerue but the other halfe for himſelfe and his children. And it ſéemes to be written for an example, not for vsus onlie to talke of, but for all rich men to follow. Whatſoeuer is written, is written for our learning, Rom. 15.4.ſaith Saint Paule: And nothing is put downe idlie in the Scriptures. Chriſt Ieſus will feede the fancies or pleaſures of no men, no not of kings; no not of Herod himſelfe. Luke 23.9.O that our rich men then would follow this ſo manifeſt an example! then ſhould the poore be ſufficientlie relieued; and they do but their duties, and be bleſſed for their labours. Then ſhould they be Abrahams ſonnes, whoſe ſonne whoſoeuer is not,Rom. 4.11. is Sathans ſonne, and ſhall ſurelie be damned.

But to the vtter confuſion of all worldlie minded Chriſtians, Putiphar the Egyptian maie teach them this contempt of the world.Gen. 39.8. Behold (ſaith Ioſeph) my maiſter knoweth not what he hath in the houſe with me; but hath committed all that he hath to mine hand. Surelie, if this Egyptian had made account of the world, he would hauehave beene more circumſpect about his affaires; he would hauehave knowne euerie light matter; who ate and dranke in his houſe, &c. This Egyptian ſhall condemne our ſuſpitious Chriſtians, who will truſt no bodie; and our couetous worldlings, who will look ſo narrowly to their affaires; who will not léeſe the parings of their nailes.

Poſsidon. in vita Aug.Saint Auſten neuer did weare or carie about either keie, or ring, or ſignet, but committed all the care of the Church, and of his houſhold, to ſome faithfull clergie men: who at the yeares end, made him an account. And hence ſprings two other duties of Chriſtians: They ſhould giuegive to their poore brethren; They ſhould lend to their néedy neighbours. He that deſpiſeth the world, and riches, will be liberall to the poore, and will lend to his neighbour: but he that loues, and ſets his mind on theſe, will neither giuegive, nor lend fréelie. Saint Paul willeth Timothie to command rich men, that they bee rich in good workes, 1. Tim. 6.18.foreign, and readie to giuegive, foreign, and imparting and communicating to their brethren ſome part of thoſe bleſſings God hath beſtowed on them; not keeping all to themſelues.Pro. 5.15.16. Salomon compares riches to a riuer. Drinke (ſaith hee) of the waters of thy ceſterne, and of the riuers out of the middeſt of thine owne well: Let thy fountaines flow forth, and the riuers of waters in the ſtreets. As though he ſhould ſay: O thou rich man, God hath giuen thée a pleaſant fountaine; wilt thou now kéepe it wholie to thy ſelfe? Wilt thou damme and ſtop it vp? No, but rather take ſo much thereof as will ſerue thine owne turne, & let the reſt flow into the ſtréets: let thy neighbor alſo hauehave part thereof. And do ſo likewiſe with thy riches. But Saint Paul addeth a forceable reaſon to moue all rich men to this liberalitie, and readineſſe to diſtribute theſe their riches: Laying vp in treaſure (ſaith he) for themſelues a good foundation againſt the time to come, 1. Tim. 6.19.that they may obtaine euerlaſting life. And here he yéelds two excellent commendations to theſe riches thus diſtributed: they are firſt a mans treaſure in heauē. No treaſure here on earth ſhall ſo delight thée, nor ſo comfort thée at y^e day of iudgement, as theſe their riches thus employed on the poore ſhall doe: nay, they are a foundation, that thou maiſt attaine eternall life by moſt aſſuredly:Mat. 5.7. Iude 21. for bleſſed are the mercifull; for they ſhall obtaine merciemercy. VponUpon this foundation depends all our ſaluations, euen of Gods merciemercy. And if we be mercifull, we ſhall moſt aſſuredly obtaine Gods merciemercy: if we be not mercifull, we ſhall neuer hauehave Gods merciemercy. For Saint Iames hath plainly foretold vsus,Iam. 2.18. that iudgement ſhall bee without merciemercy to him, that now ſheweth no mercy. So that our workes of merciemercy grounded vponupon theſe promiſes of God, are a moſt ſure foundation to vsus that we maie attaine euerlaſting life. They which ſhall doe no workes of merciemercy, ſhall hauehave no merciemercy at Gods hands, and therefore lack the verie foundation of their ſaluation. In our earthly buildings we will be ſure to laie the foundations of our houſes moſt firmelie: Let vsus do the ſame in the foundation of our ſaluation. Shewe merciemercy, and thou ſhalt be ſure to hauehave merciemercy: this is the onlie foundation thou muſt leane vntounto.

And this alſo our Sauiour Chriſt in the Goſpell teacheth all rich men: Make you friends of your vnrighteous Mammon, Luk. 16.9. foreignthat * when you depart hence, and ſhall faile in your accounts, they may receiue you into euerlaſting tabernacles. God calleth that laſt daie, a day of iudgement. Now in a iudgement there are guiltie perſons, and witneſſes, and pleaders, or lawyers. So in this great iudgement of God, there ſhall be guiltie perſons,Rom. 3.19. euen all men liuing: All mouthes there muſt bee ſtopped: At that day, ſaith our Sauior, make the poore your friends, O you rich men! that when you ſhall faile in your accounts, and cannot anſwere one for a thouſand; they maie plead for you, they may witneſſe your merciemercy to the Iudge,Iob. 9.1. that ſo you maie find merciemercy. Without this teſtimonie of theirs, you ſhall neuer hauehave merciemercy. In your other earthly actions and affaires you will diligentlie ſéeke for witneſſes to proue your cauſes: O doe the ſame in great matters of your ſaluation! be ſure that you hauehave good ſtore of witneſſes, which maie teſtifie your merciemercy ſhewed vponupon them, that you maie obtaine merciemercy. And this is that ſure foundation, which S. Paul counſelleth you there to lay, that you maie bee ſure to obtaine euerlaſting life.

Tremel. in 6. cap. Mat.And héereof it is alſo, as I thinke, that in the Hebrewe and Syriacke, as Tremelius noteth, our almes is called our righteouſneſſe. And whereas the Gréeke text ſaith; Do your almes; the Hebrew and Syriake text ſaith, Do your righteouſneſſe, becauſe that merciemercy is our inherent righteouſneſſe.Our righteouſnes is in pardoning, not in performing: in God his gracious pardon, not in the works wee hauehave performed. Iude 20. In Gods ſight ſhall no man liuing bee iuſtified: But the mercifull ſhall then obtaine merciemercy. MercieMercy muſt bee all our righteouſneſſe. And this is that which Saint Iude teacheth all Chriſtians, in a little bundle as it were knitting vp the ſumme of all Chriſtian religion: But you beloued, edifie your ſelues in your moſt holy faith; praying in the holy Ghoſt. And keepe your ſelues in the louelove of God, looking for the merciemercy of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt vntounto eternall life.

Héere is plainelie put downe the ſaluation of all Chriſtians, euen the merciemercy of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. This wee muſt all waite for: this wee muſt truſt in, and not in our owne workes. But nowe, who dare truſt for anie thing, or looke for anie thing at Gods hand, but by promiſe? Now the promiſe of the merciemercy of Ieſus Chriſt is annexed to our mercifull dealing with our brethren, as I hauehave noted before: Therefore they which are not mercifull nowe, maie looke for the merciemercy of Ieſus Chriſt, but they ſhall neuer obtaine it: becauſe they hauehave no promiſe; they hauehave not fulfilled this condition; they lacke merciemercy, which in the Hebrewe and Syriacke tongue is called our righteouſneſſe. This is that alſo which wee reade in the Pſalme (for the Scripture is a golden chaine; it is all linked and knit together) Hee hath diſperſed abroade (ſaith Dauid) and giuen to the poore, Pſal. 112.9.and his righteouſneſſe endureth for euer: his horne ſhall bee exalted with glorie. Here alſo moſt manifeſtlie to giuegive to the poore, (and that not ſparingly, but liberallie, euen as when men ſowe their ſéede with handfuls) is called a mans righteouſneſſe: and this righteouſneſſe ſhall endure for euer. Saint Paule alleageth this alſo to the Corinthians.2. Cor. 9.9. Chriſtians ſhould bee ſcatterers; but nowe they are gatherers. Bleſſed are they that die in the Lord, Reuel. 14.13euen ſo ſaith the Spirit: for they reſt from their labours, and their workes followe them. And héere leaſt anie one ſhould doubt of the truth hereof; euen the Spirit of God witneſſeth this vntounto vsus: Euen ſo ſaith the Spirit: And woe to all them that will not beléeue this witneſſe. And what this righteouſneſſe is that endureth for euer, and what theſe workes be that thus followe the faithfull; the Goſpell plainelie teacheth thee: I was hungrie, and you gaue me meate. Matt. 25.35.I thirſted, and you gaue me drinke, &c. Theſe workes followe euerie good and mercifull Chriſtian; and theſe ſhall exalt his home with glorie. Héere is that glorious kingdome receiued, which paſſeth all the glorie of the world.

The Scripture to perſwade all men to theſe workes of merciemercy; vſeth the moſt forcible reaſons that can be deuiſed: and yet how ſlacke are men in doing of them? Wée could not hauehave wiſhed greater promiſes annexed to them, if all the men in the world had laid their heads together, and had deuiſed to hauehave ſome great reward promiſed of God to theſe their works: for doth not Chriſt plainely ſaie: Verily I ſay vntounto you, Matt. 25.40in as much as ye hauehave done it to the leaſt of theſe my brethren, yee hauehave done it to me? O great promiſe! O moſt forcible ſpéech! Whom will not this one word moue to bee mercifull, but euen a heart of flint? If he had ſaid, Whatſoeuer you ſhall doe to anie of mine, I will thanke you for it: It had béene a great matter to receiue thankes at Gods hands: but to account it to bee done to his owne ſelfe; what could we hauehave wiſhed him to hauehave ſaid more? Manie no doubt, which are good and louing Chriſtians to Ieſus Chriſt, thinke often thus in their hearts: O that Chriſt were here againe in the world! that I might ſhewe ſome curteſie to him, and entertaine him as Martha and Zacheus did, and often thinke,Luke 10.38, & 19.5. O happie Martha and Zacheus, that entertained Ieſus into your houſes! But let ſuch thinke, that they may ſhew euen nowe kindneſſe vntounto Ieſus (if they will) as they did.Ioh. 12.8. Hee is amongſt vsus in his poore members, euen as verilie as hee was in perſon preſent among them. And he accounts all that whatſoeuer we ſhall do to anie of theſe, euen as done to his owne perſon. And left we ſhould doubt of this his word, he hath bound it with an oth: Verily (ſaith he) I ſay vntounto you. And left any mans ſimplicity or vnworthines ſhould hinder this our kindnes or liberality, he hath not ſaid; Whatſoeuer you ſhall do to anie perfect and excellent Chriſtian, to anie that for holines of life maie bée accounted a Saint: but, Whatſoeuer you ſhall do to the leaſt of theſe my brethrē, you hauehave done it to me. Let no mans ſimple eſtate hinder thy liberalitie;Luke 16.20. be he as poore and vile in open ſhewe as Lazarus was;Marke 16.14. be he as weake in faith as his Apoſtles were before his aſcenſion: yet I ſaie to thée, ſaith Ieſus Chriſt (who cannot lie,1. Pet. 2.22. and in whoſe mouth is no deceit) Whatſoeuer thou ſhalt do to the leaſt of theſe, I will account it euen done to my ſelfe. Surely we beléeue not this: if we beléeued it, we would do any thing for the poore; we would not be ſo hard hearted to them, as we are: Who would not doe anie thing that poſſiblie hee could for Ieſus Chriſt, if he were here now preſent amongſt vsus? Well, he tries vsus by the poore; leaſt we ſhould hereafter ſaie: Lord, if it had béene in our powers, if we had euer ſéene thée, we would hauehave ſhewed our louelove and kindneſſe towards thee. Theſe are but flattering ſpéeches. Hée ſhall ſaie, I hauehave beene amongſt you, and you hauehave daylie ſéene me in my poore, and yet you hauehave ſhewed no kindneſſe to me: And therefore as vnkind to ſo mercifull and louing a Sauior, as I hauehave béene vntounto you; you ſhall iuſtly be condemned.

Ser. de Eleemoſyn.Cyprian makes a challenge and compariſon betwéene the diuell and his ſeruants, and Chriſt and his, on this maner: Let euerie one (ſaith he) imagine that he ſaw the diuell with his ſeruants, that is, with the people of perdition and deſtruction, as it were to ſtep forth into the middle, and to make a challenge to all Chriſts people, when as he ſhall ſit in iudgement, ſaying on this maner: I for theſe (whom thou ſeeſt with me) was neither buffetted, nor whipped, not crucified, nor ſhed my bloud; neither did I redeeme this my family by the ranſome of my paſſion on the croſſe; neither do I promiſe them the kingdom of heauen; neither hauing reſtored to them againe immortalitie, do I cal them hence againe to paradiſe: and yet what great and precious preſents (long ſought for, and moſt ſtately prepared) do they offer mee? laying their goods to gage, or ſelling them for the preparing of this my preſent. And if it do not anſwere their expectation manie times, they are reuiled and ſcoffed at, and through the rage of the people ſtoned to death. Shew me O Chriſt of thine, ſuch preſent-bringers to thee, euen of thoſe thy rich men, The worldlings and ſeruants of the diuel ſpend al their riches in vain ſhewes to ſee, and to be ſeene. And ſurely they are like mad me…, that thus ſpēd their riches. And the people erred greatly, that commended this their vanitie.thoſe that abound in wealth: Thou thy ſelfe ruling and beholding all things in thy Church, doe theſe offer thee ſuch a preſent, gaging and ſelling their goods? yea (or changing the properties of them) tranſlating them into heauenly treaſures? In theſe earthly and vaine gifts of men (which they beſtow on me) no man is fed, no man is clothed, no man is ſuſtained with their reliefe of bread or drinke: all things are conſumed and waſted with a vaine pleaſure and delight, betweene the madneſſe of the ſhewer, and the errour of the beholder.

But there (ſaith he) in thy church, in thy poore, thou art clothed, thou art fed, and thou promiſeſt eternall life to them that do theſe things: and yet for all this, thine are ſcant to be compared to mine that periſh: which are honoured of thee with heauenly wages and celeſtiall rewards. What anſwere ſhall wee make for theſe things, my brethren (ſaith Cyprian) or how ſhall wee defend the ſoules of theſe rich men, which are ouerwhelmed as it were with a ſacrilegious barrenneſſe, and with a night of darkneſſe? What excuſe ſhall we make for them, who are inferiour to the ſeruants of the diuell; which will not requite Chriſt the price of his bloud and paſſion with our exceſſes, and thoſe things which we may well enough ſpare? which will not giuegive Chriſt for his paſſion ſo much as the parings of our nailes, as we ſay? Thus farre Cyprian. And if theſe things will not moue Chriſtians to deſpiſe the world, and to be liberall to the poore, I thinke nothing will moue them.

It is wonderfull to conſider, how liberall the heathen hauehave béene for vaine glorie; and how pinching and ſparing for Chriſts ſake Chriſtians are in zeale & charitie one to another. When Lucullus had entertained certaine Grecians many dayes very ſtately; in ſo much that they ſaid, Plutarch in Rom. Apoph.that they maruelled that he would beſtow ſo much coſt of them: He anſwered: O my gueſts, I hauehave beſtowed ſomething for your ſakes: but the greateſt part for Lucullus his ſake. And ſhall not Chriſtians beſtow much more liberally vponupon Chriſtians by Ieſus Chriſts ſake, that he maie be glorified for their works?Ma. ſer. 8. Demoſthenes being aſked what thing men had like to God? he anſwered, to ſhew liberalitie and curteſie. Wouldeſt thou be like to God, then ſhew liberalitie: Demoſthenes a pagan could teach thee this leſſon. The Turkes hauehave euer in their mouthes (for our good morrow) feed the hungrie, Iohan. Anton. Menauinus.and clothe the naked. And thus they are woont euerie one to ſalute another in the morning, when they firſt méete. I would to God this were our good morrow alſo, and not that onelie, but alſo our morning works.

And here concerning the reliefe of the poore, how bountifull it ſhould be; let vsus marke concerning this matter what the Goſpell teacheth. Is not this a plaine commandement of our Sauiour in the Goſpell? When thou makeſt a dinner, or a ſupper, Luke 14.12.call not thy friendes, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinſmen, nor thy rich neighbours: leaſt they bid thee againe, and recompence be made thee. But when thou makeſt a feaſt, cal the poore, the maimed, the lame, and the blind: and thou ſhalt be bleſſed, becauſe they cannot recompence thee. For thou ſhalt be recompenced in the reſurrection of the iuſt. Who regardes this commandement? Who is it now that in the great expences, that in our age are beſtowed vponupon feaſtes, makes a feaſt to the poore? Who will feaſt the maimed, the blind, or the lame? nay who almoſt will come néere them? So little are the commandements of Chriſt regarded amongſt vsus: we make our ſelues better then our maiſter: we thinke we maie doe his commandements at our pleaſures. But all Gods commaundements muſt be done vponupon neceſſitie: Whether he commaund to ſacrifice or to murther; Gen. 22.2. 1. Sam. 15.3. 1. King. 13.9.or to abſtaine from meate, or to feaſt: As the example of Abraham and king Saul, and of that man of God which came to Bethel, and preached againſt Ieroboams idolatrous altars, plainlie proue.

And here that ſaying of Plato is verified, that a mans table is the mother of friendſhip. Sphinx Philoſophica de conuiuiis cap. 21.And Athenaeus ſaith verie excellentlie; that wine hath force to draw men to friēdſhip. Let all Chriſtians then ioyne theſe two commaundements of our Sauiour together; that is, firſt make the poore their friendes, that when they depart hence, and ſhall faile in their accounts, they may receiue them into euerlaſting tabernacles: And this alſo, let them feaſt them, and let them drinke of their wine alſo: that ſo they maie purchaſe their friendſhip, as Plato and Athenaeus teacheth them.

And here to ſtirre vsus vp to this liberalitie in relieuing the poore ſufficiently and bountifully: let vsus but a little conſider the ſinnes of Sodome, for which the was condemned: the Prophet Ezechiel thus reckons them vp vntounto Ieruſalem. Behold, Ezech. 16.49.this was the ſinne of thy ſiſter Sodome: Pride, fulneſſe of bread, abundance of idleneſſe was in her, and in her daughters. She alſo reléeued her poore; they died not for hunger; ſhee kept life and ſoule together, as we ſaie: but ſhe ſtrengthened not their hands, ſaith the Prophet; ſhe relieued them not ſufficientlie: Shee did not to them (according to that rule in the Goſpell) as ſhe would hauehave wiſhed to hauehave beene done to her ſelfe. Matth. 7.12.And this her pinching the poore condemned her. And doe not we in manie places euen now relieue our poore ſo? We pinch them,Let vsus hauehave ſpeciall care that the poore may be ſufficiently relieued, we pine them, we do not ſtrengthen their hands: we are ſo farre from feaſting them, which our Sauiour here commands. This pinching the poore was one of the cauſes that condemned Sodome: Let vsus beware therefore of it, leaſt it likewiſe condemne vsus.

The Prophet Eſay thus writeth of Tyrus, that after her couetouſneſſe and fornication and other ſinnes, when ſhee ſhall repent,Eſay 23.18. that then her merchandizing and her gaine ſhall bee euen holineſſe it ſelfe vntounto the Lord. Neither ſhall it be laid vp as treaſure, nor hoorded vp in ſtore: but her merchandizing ſhall be to them now that dwell before the Lord, that they may eate ſufficiently and hauehave durable clothing. Here is Chriſtian Tyrus deſcribed vntounto vsus, and vnderunder her Chriſts Church. She ſhall not hoord vp in treaſure, that which ſhe gaineth by her merchandizing: but it ſhall bee diſtributed among the Saints of God, as euerie man ſtands in néede, that eueryevery one in Gods Church eſpecallie his Miniſters and poore Saints,Mal. 3.10. Gal. 6.6 1. Cor. 16.1. now maie hauehave meate ſufficient, and ſufficient apparell And the firſt Chriſtians in the Acts of the Apoſtles followed this her example: They which had lands ſold them, and layd the price of them at the Apoſtles feete, and diſtribution was made according to eueryevery mans neceſſitie, and there was none that ſtood in need amongſt them, Act. 2.45.neither of meate, nor of apparell. Such relieuers of their poore were the merchants of Tyrus, and the firſt Chriſtians: and ſuch relieuers ſhould we be now alſo. The poore are ſent home to be relieued in the places where they were borne: Let all Chriſtians remember theſe examples, and this counmandemēt of our Sauiours. Let thē relieue them ſo, that they maie eate ſufficientlie; that they maie hauehave durable clothing. The Merchants of Tyrus did this of their gaine, gotten with perill of their liues: and ſhall not we doe the like with our riches, which come more eaſilie to vsus? Let there be none amongſt vsus that want anie thing. This care and prouiſion the firſt Chriſtians had in the time of perſecution for their poore: and ſhall we not hauehave the like now in our peace, plentie and abundance? So the Macedonians in their extreme pouertie were abundantly rich in liberalitie to the poore, euen willing aboue their powers, as S. Paul witneſſeth:2. Cor. 8, 1 and ſhall not we in our great wealth be liberall to them? Let vsus not be like the men of Sodome: let vsus ſtrengthen their hands: nay let vsus bee good ſchollers of our heauenly maiſter and Sauiour. Let vsus euen feaſt them; and our expences (coſt our dinner or ſupper we ſhall make them, neuer ſo much) they ſhall not be loſt; we ſhall receiue a reward at the reſurrection of the iuſt. Luke 14.14.O happie feaſt-maker, that then ſhall be recompenced! At that day, to hauehave onelyonly the louing countenance of that great and mightie king, what a ioy or comfort ſhall it be? but to receiue a recompence at his hands, the ioie thereof ſhall be to our poore hearts then, no doubt, vnſpeakable. O let vsus not deſpiſe it: Let vsus beléeue this promiſe of our Sauiour. Let vsus make ſome ſuch feaſtes, that at that daie (when all ſuch as feaſt themſelues with Diues ſhall quake) we maie then reioyce.

Eccleſ. 11.1.This is that which Salomon alſo teacheth vsus: Caſt thy bread vponupon the face of the waters, & after manie daies thou ſhalt find it. As though he ſhould ſay, that which our Sauiour here ſaith; Caſt thy bread awaie, beſtow it on them, who are neuer likely to make ſhée any recompence. Throwe it not on y^e earth where ſome maie find it, and it maie perchance do them ſome good; and they maie thanke thee for it: but throwe it on the waters, that it maie ſéeme to be quite loſt and caſt awaie; and yet after many dayes, Luke 10.38.that is, at the reſurrection of the iuſt, thou ſhalt find it. So that here we maie ſée this doctrine of our Sauiour is no ſtrange or new doctrine, euen Salomon as it were in a ſhadowe,Gen. 18.1. and obſcurely taught the ſame. So Abraham ſate at his tent doore (as I hauehave noted before) to waite for ſtrangers, that he might feaſt them. So Martha entertained & feaſted Ieſus Chriſt. Luke 22.11.So that citizen of Ieruſalem (whatſoeuer he was) entertained Ieſus Chriſt, when as he ſhould eate his paſſeouer: He not only lent him his houſe, & the beſt roome in it, but alſo gaue him a lambe, and wine and bread, and al things that belonged therunto: condemning all thoſe that will not ſuffer Chriſt to come within their houſes. The poore muſt lie at their gates, Luke 16.…0.as Lazarus did at the gates of Diues: but they maie not put foote ouer the threſhold, either to entertaine them or releeue them. It were more Chriſtianlike, that they were euen admitted within their houſes, and euen feaſted, as Chriſt commands; and theſe good Chriſtians practiſed. This our liberalitie would cauſe the poore to ſpeake well of vsus.Pet. Gregor. de repub. lib. 22. cap. 13. When as one Smicythus told king Philip of Macedonia that Nicanor continually ſpake euill of him: Well ſaith Philip, Nicanor is not the worſt ſubiect I hauehave, and it may be the fault is in me. And when as he vnderſtood that he was a verie poore man, and that he neuer did giuegive him anie thing; hee commanded that ſomething ſhould be giuen him: which when it was done, then Smicythus told the king that Nicanor commended him highly to all men. Thou maiſt ſee, ſaith Philip, that it is in our power either to be well or euill reported of. This liberalitie ſhould make the poore not only to praiſe, but to pray for the rich: which is the greateſt and beſt thing in the world. God heareth the prayers of the poore. And one ſaith very excellently, that a Chriſtians weapons, are teares and prayers; Exod. 5.22.23.and that therefore if the poore do crie out againſt any man, they fight and preuaile more againſt him, with their prayers, then if an hoſte of armed men beſieged him.

Chriſtians ſhould not onelyonly be thus liberall in giuing and relieuing the poore, but alſo in lending:Pſal. 112.5. A good man (ſaith Dauid) is mercifull and lendeth, and will guide his words with diſcretion. And againe, I hauehave beene young, and now am olde, yet ſaw I neuer the righteous forſaken, Pſal. 37.25.nor his ſeede begging their bread. But he is euer mercifull and lendeth, and his ſeede enioyeth the bleſſing. Here are notable deſcriptions of good men: And in them both this is a principall part, that they are mercifull to the poore; which is the thing that I hauehave touched before; and are mercifull to their brethren, and will lend: which is the thing I doe now meane to handle by Gods grace. And here firſt is a great bleſſing promiſed to all lenders: Their ſeede ſhall neuer beg their bread: their ſeede ſhall neuer be forſaken. Who would not purchaſe ſuch a benefit for his children, though he gaue for it all the goods he had? Surely for the lacke of this lending and charitie to their poore brethrē, no doubt, the heires of many great purchaſers doe goe a begging, and after their fathers deaths come to great penurie. The iuſt mans ſeede is neuer forſaken; neuer goeth a begging: but his father is euer mercifull and lendeth. Wouldeſt thou not hauehave thine heires come to beggerie then? nor be forſaken of God? Be thou neuer ſo rich, it is not thy great purchaſing of lands, or heaping vp treaſures together for them, that ſhall bring this to paſſe: But rather be mercifull and lend to thy néedie neighbour, & no doubt (as God hath ſpoken it by the mouth of king Dauid) thy children ſhall neuer be forſakē, nor beg their bread. Some will put an hundreth pound in ſome mens hands, for a yearely annutie to be paid thereof to their children: but that is but a kind of cloked vſurie, and it is as much as to make their children drone Bées, and not to labour in anie vocation. But let it be lent to their brethren rather, and here is promiſed a certaine and euerlaſting annuitie for them.

And the manner how euerie Chriſtian ought to lend, our Sauiour alſo teacheth; If you lend, of whom you hope to receiue againe, Luke 6.34.what thanks hauehave you? for ſinners lend to ſinners; that they may receiue the like againe. But louelove your enemies, and doe good, and lend, looking for nothing againe: and your reward ſhall be great, and you ſhall be the ſonnes of the higheſt, for he is kind both to the vnthankefull and wicked. Our Sauiour no doubt, here commands all Chriſtians to excell the wicked infidels. But they lend to their friends onlie, and of whom they looke for like curteſie againe: But (ſaith he) Lend you euen to your enemies, M.D. Fulke in his notes vponupon the Rem. teſtam. expounds this place thus.looking for nothing againe. That is, if thy brother bee not able to pay thee; being thus reſolued in thy mind, when thou lendeſt him, that thou art content to loſe the principall for Gods cauſe, for whoſe ſake thou lendeſt. But if anie will ſay, that this is a hard doctrine: let ſuch but marke that the words import it. The wicked when they lend, looke for like curteſie againe: but thou, looke for nothing againe: ſaith our Sauiour. And againe, God maie cōmand this, who lends thee freely all that thou haſt. And wilt not thou be content at his requeſt,1. Cor. 4.7. to lend that which thou maieſt well ſpare? So that the commandement is but euen in mans reaſon iuſt & good: nay if the commandemēt were hard & againſt reaſon, yet y^e reward which is annexed to this kind of frée lending, ſhould euen force vsus to it: And your reward ſhall be great in heauen (ſaith our Sauiour) and you ſhall be the ſonnes of the moſt Higheſt. He doth not ſay onlie we ſhall be rewarded in heauen; but that our reward ſhal be great in heauen. What wiſe man will not prefer a reward in heauen, before all the vſurie and gaine in the world? much more a great reward. They which are not thus minded, in truth are plaine infidels, and do not know what heauen meaneth, whatſoeuer they ſaie with their mouthes. Naie, who would not be Gods ſonne? Surely they which lend ſo ſhall bée Gods ſonnes, as the Sonne of God himſelf here telleth them: and do we not reſpect this great dignitie? Surely they which will not lend without great vſurie, and reſpect not this great promiſe (no doubt) ſaie in their hearts,Pſal. 14.1. as that fooliſh man doth, whereof Dauid ſpeaketh: The fooliſh bodie hath ſaid in his heart that there is no God. What greater rewards could hauehave béene promiſed then theſe? To hauehave a great reward in heauen, and to be the ſonnes of the moſt Higheſt? And ſhall not theſe make vsus lend fréelie? And here let no mans vnthankfulneſſe, or wickednes hinder any man from this charitable act: God himſelfe (ſaith our Sauiour) is kind both to the vnthankfull and wicked: And ſhall not we follow his ſteps?

And here our Sauiour ſéemes to hauehave relation to that ſhadow of the law: The ſunne comforteth, but the ſhadow no leſſe delights:Matt. 5.20, The charitie and righteouſneſſe of Chriſtians towards their brethren, ſhould exceede the charitie of the Iewes towards their brethren: they were but as children vnderunder a ſchoole maſter; we are perfect men, as S. Paul teacheth.Gal. 4.1. It is a ſhame for a man not to knowe ſo much, nor to goe ſo farre forward in the waie of godlines, as a child doth.Deut. 15.1. At the end of ſeuen yeares thou ſhalt make a remiſſion or forgiuenes, faith God: and this is the word of forgiueneſſe, that eueryevery Lord or owner ſhall forgiue that his hand or abilitie hath lent. He that hath lent to his neighbor, ſhal not ask it of his companion, & of his brother, when as that yeare is called, The forgiueneſſe of the Lord. Of a ſtranger thou maiſt require it; but that which ſhall bee betweene thy brother and thee, thy hand ſhall forgiue. Luke 4.21. Col. 2.17. Phil. 3.1.What can bee plainer then this? The Iewes euerie ſeuenth yeare, were commanded to forgiue their brethren their debtes: And now to vsus Chriſtians euerie yeare is a Sabboth, and a yeare of Iubilée, and euerie man is our brother: Therefore if our brethren were not able to paie vsus, we ſhould euerie yeare forgiue them. And ſo lend as that we looked for nothing againe; as our Sauiour here teacheth. And then it followeth: The Lord ſhall bleſſe thee in the land, which the Lord thy God giueth thee for an inheritance to poſſeſſe it. So that thou hearken vntounto the voice of the Lord thy God, to obſerue and do all theſe commandements, which I command thee this day. Wée muſt not do Gods commandements at our pleaſures (as manie thinke that they maie do) and ſpeciallie this commandement of lending: but wee muſt doe all Gods commandements; and then God ſhall bleſſe vsus in our land, and in all our buſineſſes and affaires. A Prophet (ſaith Moſes) ſhall God raiſe vp vntounto you like to me, him ye ſhal heare (not in ſome principall matters of faith,Deut. 18.15. & 7.37. Act. 3.22. as the moſt men doe) but in all things, in matters of maners alſo. And euerie ſoule that will not heare that Prophet, his ſoule ſhall bee rooted out from among his people. This Propheſie is firſt deliuered by Moſes, and after repeated by Saint Peter: and ſhall we not beléeue it? It is terrible, let vsus marke it well. The ſoule that fulfils not all things that that Prophet ſhall ſpeake, ſhall bee rooted out from amongſt his people: And dare vſurers then take vſurie againſt the expreſſe commandement of their Sauiour? Doe they not heare the danger of their ſoules? To bee rooted out from among Gods people. What will all their vſuries profite them?Luke 9.25. Nay, if they ſhould gaine all the whole world, if ſo be that they ſhould loſe their ſoules.

But here I know ſome will ſaie: If the caſe ſtand ſo, they will not lend at all, vnles they might gaine ſomething by this their lending. But to ſuch I anſwere: Let them take héed, how they hide their talents, though it be neuer ſo cuningly and finely, and lap it vp in a napkin. The owner thereof will not like well of that at their hands. Gods will is, that all his talents ſhould be employed.Matt. 25.28.30 Take (ſaith he) his talent from him, and caſt therefore that vnprofitable ſeruant into vtter darkneſſe, there ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of teeth. O terrible ſentence! And here let euerie one marke that he ſaith not, Caſt that wicked, but that vnprofitable ſeruant into vtter darkneſſe. God will hauehave all his ſeruants painefull and profitable ſeruants: They muſt not onelyonly eſchew euil, but they muſt alſo doe good. Pſal. 34.14.The figge tree which brought forth no fruite, but troubled the ground, was therefore threatned to be taken away. The rich man muſt lend, if he be able: he muſt not by anie excuſe whatſoeuer, hide his talent. God is the ſearcher of hearts; much more of cheſts.Act. 1.24. & 15.8. Hee knowes what is in thy cheſt; whether thou be able to lend or no. If thou ſhalt pretend inabilitie to thy brother, when as thou art able; hee that ſeeth and knowes what is in thy cheſt, bee thou ſure he will puniſh thée for it. Beware thou be not an vnprofitable ſeruant. Marke well the puniſhment, Caſt him into vtter darkneſſe, ſaith our Sauiour, there ſhall bee weeping and gnaſhing of teeth. O vſe thy talents, whoſoeuer thou art! beware of this terrible ſentence.

The Fathers to exhort men to this liberall kind of lending, are verie plentifull:Auguſt. in Pſal. 36. If (ſaith Auguſtine) thou hadſt giuen one a little money to lone, and he to whom thou hadſt giuen this money, for thy little mony, ſhould giuegive thee a farme, which were farre better then it: how wouldeſt thou thanke him? how glad wouldeſt thou bee? But ſee what an excellent poſſeſſion, hee will giuegive thee to whom thou haſt lent: Come yee bleſſed of my father, receiue ye: What? that which you hauehave giuen? God forbid: you hauehave giuen earthly things, which if you had not giuen would hauehave putrified in the earth: For what wouldeſt thou hauehave done with it, if thou hadſt not giuen it? that which would hauehave periſhed in the earth, is preſerued in heauen. Therefore that which is preſerued we ſhall receiue. Thy deſert is preſerued: thy merit is become a treaſure. For marke what thou ſhalt receiue: Receiue ye the kingdom, that was prepared for you from the beginning of the world. On the contrarie, they, that would not lend, what ſhall they heare? Goe yee into euerlaſting fire, which is prepared for the diuell and his Angels. Thus farre Auguſtine. Where he plainly ſets downe the great bleſſing that the merifull lender ſhall obtaine at Gods hands; and the terrible puniſhment, which not the vſurer only; but he that will not lend, ſhall be ſure to hauehave.

I would to God all Chriſtians would but marke what cenſures the verie Heathens hauehave giuen concerning vſurie. Whē as one aſked Cato Cenſorius, Cic. lib. 2. Off.what were the chiefe points of good huſbandrie? He anſwered, To feed well, to cloath wel, and to till well. And to him that aſked, What is it to commit vſurie? Is not that alſo a point of good husbandrie? Cato anſwered, What is it, to kill a man? He thought that an vſurer ſinned as greatly as a murtherer. Did Cato iudge thus of vſurie by the light of nature, and ſhall Chriſtians profeſſe it; or thinke better of it in the light of the Goſpell?Panor. lib. 4. Alphonſus king of Aragon compared vſurers to greedie birds, which ſnatched & catched all things. And ſurely no doubt, verie iuſtlie. For vſurers are the cruelleſt Kites and vultures in the world. They conſume mens patrimonies, they often kill their bodies, and vndoe their heires. And this they do to their brethren, to whom they were bound to open, euen their verie hearts and bowels to do them good, 1. Ioh. 3.17.as Saint Iohn teacheth. And will not then, theſe cruell hearted men open to them their coffers or purſes? Another compares Vſurers to the diuell: for what els (ſaith he) do Vſurers, but that which the diuell perſwaded Chriſt to hauehave done? (when as hee would hauehave had him to hauehave made ſtones bread) for by their lending, Pet. Greg. de Rep. lib. 2. cap. 20.they gaine of ſtones and mettalles that which nature cannot bring forth. For naturally a peece of gold, or any other money, engendreth not money. O wicked age that we liue in! now vſurie amongſt ſome is accounted the gainfulleſt, and ſureſt trade of liuing. And wheras lending was commanded of God to profit our brethren, now the vſurer thereby (peruerting this order of God) profits himſelfe.

To conclude, that interpretation (of the two edged ſword in the Reuelation) of Victorinus an ancient Biſhop,Victor. in Apocal. is worth the marking, By the two-edged ſword gliſtering out of his mouth, is meant, that it is he, that now ſhewed to the world the glad tydings of the Goſpell: and by Moſes the knowledge of the lawe. But becauſe, by the ſame word hee ſhall iudge hereafter all mankind, that were both vnderunder the law, and vnderunder the Goſpell: therefore it is ſaid to be a two edged ſword. A ſword armes a ſouldier, kils a mans enemie, and puniſheth a reuolter or a turnecoate. And that he might ſhew his Apoſtles that he preached iudgement, he ſaith, I came not to ſend peace into the world, but a ſword. And after that, he had ended his parables, he ſaith vntounto them: HaueHave you vnderſtood all theſe things? And they ſaid, yea. Therefore euerie Scribe learned in the kingdome of God, is like to a houſholder bringing out of his treaſure new and old things: that is, the new words of the Goſpell, and the old of the law and Prophets. And that theſe come out of his mouth: He ſaid to Peter, Go to the ſea, and caſt in an angle, and the fiſh that thou ſhalt firſt take, opening his mouth, thou ſhalt find a ſtavre (that is two pence) giuegive it for me and thee. And Dauid alſo by the holy Ghoſt ſaith: God hath ſpoken once: I hauehave heard theſe two things: That God hath once determined, that in the beginning, that ſhall continue to the end. To conclude, when as he is appointed of his Father to be Iudge, he minding to ſhew that through the word, which is preached to them, men ſhould be iudged, he ſaith, Do you thinke that I will iudge you in the laſt day? But the word which I hauehave ſpoken vntounto you, that ſhall iudge you in the laſt day. And Paul againſt Antichriſt ſaith to the Theſſalonians: 2. Theſ. 2.8.Whom the Lord ſhall kill with the ſpirit of his mouth. This is therefore that two-edged ſword proceeding out of his mouth, &c. I would to God all men would marke this expoſition: By Gods word all men at the laſt daie ſhall be iudged, whether they hauehave directed their liues according to that which they hauehave heard with their eares, or no? And therefore our Sauiour ſaith ſo often:Matt. 11.15. & 13.9.43. Mark. 4.24. Hee that hath eares to heare, let him heare. And againe, Take heede what you heare: As though he ſhould ſaie; one daie ye ſhall giuegive an account of it. And here that is verified, that our Sauiour ſaith, You are cleane, for the word that dwelleth in you. Ioh. 15.3.Gods word maketh our faith and religion pure and cleane, and alſo our liues cleane. But we muſt not be like thoſe that can ſay, Lord, Lord, Mat. 7.22.and hauehave done wickedlie; which hauehave profeſſed Chriſt with their mouthes, and hauehave denied him with their works. Wee muſt not onlie embrace the promiſes of ſaluation, which the Goſpell teacheth vsus, but alſo the precepts of life. We muſt eate the whole Paſchal L…mbe, or elſe it will do vsus no good:Exod. 12.9. As well the feete as the head and purtnance. Manie at this daie, eate gréedily the head and purtnance of Chriſt, that is, his diuine promiſes, and his heauenly miracles; they are verie deſirous to eate theſe: but few eate the féete, that is, his precepts and commandements.Matt. 24.14. To ſuch the Goſpell ſhall be preached as a teſtimonie of their condemnation, at that day of iudgement, and not of their ſaluation. Let vsus beware that we be not hearers, but doers;Iam. 1.22. and not onelyonly deſirous to eate the head and purtnance, but alſo the féete of Chriſt; and let vsus as willinglie learne his precepts and commandements and do them, as we are content to beléeue his promiſes, and remaine in them.

Theſe are the waies which Gods word teacheth all Chriſtians to walke in. Theſe are plaine waies, here are no tropes or figures; & yet manie which will ſéem to profeſſe Gods word, make no account of theſe: let ſuch take héed, at y^e day of iudgement they ſtand not among thoſe to whom God ſhall ſaie, Why didſt thou preach my lawes, Pſal 50.16or take my couenant in thy mouth? Why didſt thou profeſſe my word, and wouldſt not bee reformed by it? All ſuch hypocrites ſhall then be condemned.

The True Catholic, Tract · Section 6 · Part 1

p. 542The liues and maners of all Chriſtians in particular, briefly drawne out of the Word of God.

The liues and maners of all Chriſtians in particular, briefly drawne out of the Word of God.