Ten Sermons Upon Matthew 6:1-4, Sermon 10 – Table of contents
THE X. SERMON.
MATH. 6.4.
That thine almes may be in secret, and thy father that seeth in secret, he will reward thee openly.
THat thine alme:] that is, betweene God and thy owne conscience let it be done, that thy conscience may witnesse for thee vntounto God, that thou hast sought nothing lesse then the vaine applause of men, and God (that seeth thy secret thought and intent of hart) may approue of the same, and witnesse for thee against Sathan and all the world, that thou hast vprightly in thy secret thoughts and affections serued him, and sought nothing more then his glorie. In this case we may learne of Ioseph, who caused eueryevery mans money (of his brethren) to be secretly conueied into his sackes mouth with their prouision: which when they saw by the way at their Innes, they maruelled, giuing God the glorie, who (as they confessed) had sent it vntounto thē, but by whose meanes they knew not. Some are secret inough, and too secret in giuing to the poore, for that which they giuegive is onelyonly in conceipt, that it may be in secret, and knowne to no man: and most prophanely and scoffingly abusing this place, (as they do all other holy things and the whole body of religion) they will giuegive nothing at all, lest (as they like themselues most wretchedly pretend) that their left hand should know what their right hand doth:Abusers of these words as though the purpose of our Sauiour Christ had bene to disswade men from giuing any almes at all. These men are like the Frier, that would prouide well ouer night against the next day, by carrying with him the remainder of his supper, scoffingly alleadging, or rather blasphemously abusing the wordes of Christ in this chapter: Be not carefull for to morrow: and therefore I do it saith he, because I would hauehave no care for to morrow. These persons hauehave learned this lesson of Christ to the halfes: they hauehave learned to be secret, but not to giuegive almes in secret: as the Papists hauehave learned another lesson of Christ, so hauehave these men learned this: Christ saith: Pray for your enemies, blesse them that curse you: and if thy enemy hunger, giuegive him meate: if he be thirsty, giuegive him drinke, &c. In so doing thou shalt heape coales of fire vponupon his head. This latter part they hauehave learned well, namely to heape coales of fire vponupon the heads of their enemies: yea of Gods deare Saints, and faggots too, and to burne them to ashes too: but the former part which containeth workes of louelove and charitie, is yet to learne, they can no skill of that. And if some of them be told of their hard dealing, they will not sticke to alleadge this Text, and say: why, doth not Christ say, we must heape coales of fire vponupon our enemies heades? Such gibers, and scoffers at the word of God, I couple with Iulian and Lucian their predecessours, wishing them in time to take heed, and pray vntounto God (if it be possible) that they may truly repent them of their blasphemous courses: their state is fearefull and daungerous: for that they go on plodding and scoffing at religion. Blessed is the man that commeth not into their way: for it leadeth as directly as can be, and in time will bring men vntounto the sin against the holy Ghost, which is vnpardonable.
Now for the consolation of those that do all their good workes as in the sight of God, debarring themselues from all vaineglorious applauses, and commendations in the world, and in themselues too, it is said further, that thy father which seeth thee in secret, will reward thee openly to shew, first, that we must indeuour to approue our selues vntounto God, and not vntounto the world: like an honest wife, that will so attire her selfe, and so behaue her selfe in all things, as she may please her owne husband, and not other men. And next, that the best way to weane our selues from these vaine desires of worldly praise is, to consider effectually, and to remember continually, that we are still, at all times, and in all places in the sight of our heauenly father, to whom we either stand or fall, and of whome we shall be abundantly rewarded openly (according to his gracious premise) for that which faithfully we hauehave done in secret. And lastly, to shew that those which seeke for open praise of men, or giuegive vntounto themselues any secret praise, to the impeachment of Gods glorie, cannot look for any open reward at Gods hand in the day of iudgement: but those that are perswaded of that, and moued effectually with that, do not care which way it goeth with them in the world, so that they may be approued of God their heauenly Father, and carry a good conscience vntounto their graues. Here be three things attributed vntounto God our heauenly Father: First, that he seeth those things that are done in secret. Secondly, that he will reward the good that we do in secret. Thirdly, that he will reward it openly. Fitly are these things propounded to the children of God, that they may accustome themselues to do whatsoeuer they do, as in the sight of God: and to approue themselues vntounto their heauenly Father. And as fitly are these three opposed to the vanitie of the flesh, all which men do so hunt after.
For the first: that God seerh and knoweth all things that are done in secret, the Scriptures in many places do witnesse: Whither shall I go from thy presence? (saith the Psalmist) If I go vp to heauen, thou art there, if I go downe to hel, Psal. 139.thou art there: If I go beyond the sea, thy right hand will there find me out: if I say that darkenesse shall couer me, behold darkenesse and light to thee are both alike, thou art about my bed, and spyest out all my waies, and thou knowest all my thoughts long before: meaning before they are conceiued. Againe:Psal. 94. He that made the eye, shall he not see? and he that made the eare, shall he not heare? And againe, by Ieremie the Lord saith: I the Lord search the hearts, Ier. 17.10.and trie the reines. A point this is very necessarie to be vrged. For first, the wicked either beleeue it not, or they regard it not. Many will confesse that there is a God, which yet are not ashamed to say with the wicked in the 10. Psalme: Tush the Lord seeth vsus not; or if he seeth what we do, he doth not regard: and thereupon they make themselues bold to commit all wickednesse with greedinesse: for would so many so desperately else giuegive ouer themselues, some to theft, some to whoredome, some to drunkennesse, some to practising of murther, and some to the contriuing of treason: if they were perswaded that the Lord of heauen and earth did looke vponupon them in secret: and take a note of that which they do in secret? and heape vp vengeance as they heape vp sinne? Would the foule mouthed blasphemer sweare againe, when he is reproued for his swearing, in despite of God (whose most holy and fearefull name he doth abuse) and of him that in the name of God doth reproue him: if he were perswaded that the Lord did heare him, & marke how he doth abuse his name? would so many beate their braines, and studie so hard as they do in secret, to practise all kind of wrong and oppression, and how to couer it with flatterie and deceipt, if they beleeued that God did see them or regard? In a word, would so many come to the Church, and make a shew of great deuotion, and play the hypocrits, hardening their hearts against the word of God, and imagining euill, and descanting vponupon eueryevery word at their pleasure, if they did beleeue that God did see them in secret? And what is this but plaine Atheisme? to say there is a God, and not to beleeue that this God seeth in secret? What is this but to make an idoll of the true God? If this be Atheisme (as doubtlesse it is, though not in the highest degree) then how many Atheists are there which liue so, as if God did not see them in secret? for in secret they conceiue their wickednesse, and in publike they bring foorth vngodlinesse: for why, they thinke themselues cocke sure, so long as God (as they imagine) doth not see their secret deuises, or not regard them. They thinke that because they see not the Lord, therefore the Lord seeth not them:Num. 23. like Balaam who feared not the Angell because he saw not the Angell: but it is said, that his beast feared him, and stayed so soone as he saw him: to shew, that those which know that God doth see them, and yet go on still in their wickednesse, are worse then the beast: and that asse shall condemne them. This doctrine is also to be vrged in regard of the godly themselues, who though they know and confesse it to be most true, and can alleadge many Texts of the Scripture, to proue that God hath all knowledge, and seeth all things that are done in secret: yet they hauehave not so powerfull vse of this doctrine as they should. Then is it powerfull vntounto vsus, when (by the Spirite of God) our hearts are kept in awe, and made afraid to do those things that will offend his Maiestie, as Ioseph who (knowing this point well) feared therefore to yeeld to the lewd motion of his light mistresse.
How many sinnes do of a sudden steale vponupon vsus, and slippe from vsus, when we thinke not of this, that God seeth in secret? How many againe are arrested (as it were) and taken in the manner, yea and staid from going forward, when once this meditation commeth to mind: God seeth in secret? We are alwaies conuersant in his eyesight, neither can we possibly do or conceiue any thing, be it neuer so secret, but that he seeth it.
It is a signe of great rashnesse and impudent audacitie, if a sonne without feare of his fathers displeasure dareth do a fault in the sight and presence of his father. Nay what strumpet so impudent that in her husbands sight dareth prostitute herselfe before another? yea would she not be ashamed and afraid too, if but a little child were in presence? What then shall we thinke of our selues, that dare boldly without feare, confidently without doubting, impudently without blush ing, and continually without ceassing, do those things in the sight of Almightie God our heauenly Father, which we feare and shame to doe in the presence of a mortall man, or a little child? The breath of man is in his nosthrils, but the least glimpse of Gods diuine, imperiall, and immortall Maiestie, is able to confound and crush in peeces tenne thousand worlds at once. As God doth see his children in secret, so he doth looke vponupon them as a heauenly Father, and not as a cruell enemie, or rigorous Iudge, when they do well: and being well pleased with Christ Iesus his naturall sonne, doth also take great delights in the indeuours of his adopted children which are in Christ Iesus: and therefore doth he delight in them, because they are in Christ Iesus, and else not. Therefore whatsoeuer deuotion or seruice we offer vntounto God in secret or otherwise, it must be offered in and through Christ, for whose sake alone it is acceptable, or else it (being without Christ) is vntounto God most abhominable.
Secondly, it is said that our heauenly Father will reward his childrē for that they giuegive in secret. And this is a good encouragement to the godly. For flesh and bloud (vnlesse it hath some hope of reward) thinks it altogether lost which is giuen to the poore. It is not lost saith Christ, it shall be rewarded of your heauenly Father. Therefore well saith a learned man: Eleemosina non est dispendium, sed negotiatio: Almes giuing is no losse or damage, but a kind of traffique or merchandise from heauen. For whatsoeuer we lay out here vponupon Christs poore needie members, it shall be payed againe with aduantage.Eccles. 11.1. Cast thy bread vponupon the waters (saith Salomon) for after many dayes thou shalt find it: that is, feare not to bestow thy liberalitie vponupon the poore, which can giuegive thee nothing againe, and though it seeme to be lost as that which is cast into the sea, yet after many daies, that is, when thou doest least looke for it, and thinkest that it is forgotten, and worne out with time, thou shalt find it againe, thy heauenly Father with whom a thousand yeares are but as one day will reward thee for it, if thou giuegive of faith in his sonne Christ.
Lastly: because we naturally affect popular praise, and desire to be famous, Christ saith, that our heauenly Father will not onelyonly reward vsus, but it shall also be openly. This our Sauiour Christ plainly sheweth in Luk. 14.13.14,Luk. 14.13.14. When thou makest a feast call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, nor thy acquaintance, nor thy rich neighbours, least they also bid thee againe, and a recompence be made thee: but call the poore, the lame, the maymed, and the blind, and thou shalt be blessed, because they cannot recompence thee, for thou shalt be recompenced at the resurrection of the iust: that is, if thou regardest a good reward indeed, then rather call the poore then the rich. What recompence this is that shall be giuen in behalfe of the poore Christ also sheweth in Mat. 25.34.Mat. 25.24. where he sheweth that it shall be said to them on the right hand, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world: for I was a hungred, and ye gaue me meat, &c. for in asmuch as ye hauehave done it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye hauehave done it vntounto me: that is, I take it as done vntounto my selfe, which you hauehave done vntounto these poore ones that beleeue in me, and for whom I hauehave died. What manner of reward is this?Luk. 1.29. We may well wonder at this reward: as Mary did at the Angels salutation: for the Angell did not salute her as her neighbours vsed to salute her: and God doth not reward his children in whom (for his beloued Sons sake) he taketh delight, as men reward their friends. Amongst men ye shall hauehave a dinner for a dinner, and one good turne for another: but here is a kingdom giuen for giuing a peece of bread, or cloth, or drinke, or cōfortable speeches, which they hauehave not giuē neither as owners therof, but as stewards put in trust from God. And what kingdome? No lesse then the kingdome of heauen. And how? not as a lease, or a farme, or a coppie hold for yeares: but as an inheritance of their Father for euer. And this shall be giuen them in possession with al the grace and glorie that can be, not in the presence of some few persons, of this place, or that countrey, but before all the inhabitants of the whole world, at the sight and hearing wherof, the wicked and vngodly hypocrites, who sold their good deedes for worldly praise and filthie lucre,Gen. 25.33. Heb. 12.16. as prophane Esau did his birthright for a messe of pottage, shall euen gnash with their teeth for griefe, and consume away like the smoke against the wind, through extremitie of feare, griefe, and shame: being withall at the same instant ouerwhelmed with the most dreadfull and intollerable sentence of Gods euerlasting curse, which in like manner is set downe alreadie: Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire, which is prepared for the diuell and his Angels: from which the Lord for his rich mercies sake in Christ Iesus deliuer vsus all. Now my brethrē by this time I hope you be perswaded, that there is nothing lost by that which a man doth vntounto God in secret, or vntounto any of Gods Church for the louelove of God. For God that is louelove it selfe, and infinite in louelove, cannot but infinitely reward the louelove of his children, which any way they hauehave shewed vntounto his Maiestie, especially seeing as he crowneth not our gifts to him, but his owne gifts in vsus, which we receiued first of him. And what can we desire more? Would we be seene when we do well? behold who seeth vsus, euen God our heauenly Father, who is all in all, who cannot deceiue any, nor be deceiued by any. Wouldest thou be rewarded for that thou doest? and would we not loose our labour for a toy or a trifle, as many do? then behold our heauenly Father is readie, able and willing to reward vsus with a kingdom of eternal happinesse: onelyonly let vsus be content with his reward, and tarrie his gracious leisure. Would we be openly rewarded and graced by some great person, before many, and before our enemies, that they might be ashamed, and before our friends, that they might with vsus reioyce and triumph ouer them: then behold, we hauehave our hearts desire: our heauenly Father will not onelyonly most bountifully reward vsus, but also in the open presence, view, and hearing of all the whole world will blesse vsus: where all Kings, and Emperours, and Tyrants shall appeare and stand naked: and many of them shall shake and tremble for extreame feare and horrour of their owne conscience, and Gods vengeance. Blessed be the most glorious name of our heauenly Father for euer. Amen.
As we hauehave heard what is to be shunned, and what is chiefly to be respected in giuing of almes: so now it will not be amisse to speake something (though but briefly) of almes it selfe:Of almes. and therein to see, first, what this word almes doth signifie. Secondly, to what end, or for what cause God did ordaine that almes should be giuen and taken: or why he would hauehave any occasion thereof in the world. Thirdly, how men may be moued or induced to giuegive almes. And lastly, to whom almes must be giuen. For the first: the word almes is deriued of the Greeke word foreign, which signifieth merciemercy. Therefore as that is called grace which is giuen of grace, so that is called merciemercy which is giuen of merciemercy. Almes then is some benefite that is bestowed freely vponupon the poore and needie, onelyonly of a mercifull and pitifull affection, and fellow feeling of his griefe and want. So the Samaritane is said to hauehave shewed compassion and merciemercy vponupon the wounded man, when he powred oyle into his woundes, and holpe him vp to his beast, and laid out money for him at the Inne, and gaue his word for him: this was a right almes giuer, which gaue of pitie, and was moued by merciemercy: which is nothing else but a griefe and sicknes of the mind for anothers miserie, and makes a man readie to releeue the same. And of almes some is true, and some is false; that is true almes which comes from them that giuegive of merciemercy, and compassion, or feeling of anothers miserie, who is sicke and troubled in his mind vntill his brothers miserie be releeued. That is a false almes which comes from hypocrites, who giuegive not of any merciemercy, or compassion, but of some other straunge affections, seeking either to winne fame, or to auoid shame, or because they are compelled by law to giuegive something. For otherwise, if they should see their poore brother in neuer so great need alone, and no bodie by them to see them when they giuegive, or if there were not others to giuegive before them, and to wonder at them for their hardnesse of heart, or some law to compell them, they would go by him, and come by him too often inough, and let him die too for want, before they would part with any thing to saue him. That our almes may be true almes, or mercies gift indeed, it is not so materiall how honest, or dishonest, how good or how bad he be to whō we giuegive, nor whether it be much or little that we giuegive, but with what mind we giuegive.Musc. Discriminat in hac causa non dati sed dantium diuersitas, saith a learned Writer: It is not the diuersitie of gifts, but the diuersitie of giuers that make the difference in this cause:Mar. 12.42. The rich men of their aboundance cast much into the treasurie, and the poore widow cast in two mites which makes a farthing. Now (by the iudgement of Christ) she cast in more then the rich men did, because they of their superfluitie gaue some, but she gaue all that she had. And so it is we see by daily experience, that many a meane man considering his abilitie, or rather his inabilitie, doth giuegive more when he giueth a peny, then some rich man doth when he giueth a pound. And perhaps as he giueth all that he hath in cō parison of some other, so he parteth from it with a better mind then some that giuegive more, and can better spare it then he. Diuerse do examine (in giuing of almes) whether he be a good man or no to whom they giuegive, as though it were of necessitie required to the truth of almes, that he must be a good man to whom almes is giuen, and not rather a good man that giueth it: Facile dignus est pauper, hoc ipso quod miser est & egenus, vt eleemosynam accipiat (saith Musculus:) A poore man is capable inough of an almes, in that he is in miserie and want.
Some say, they would giuegive almes if they were able; but let them giuegive of that small abilitie that they hauehave, a little, and it shall be acceptable before God, being giuē of a pitiful mind. There is the alms of the hand, & the almes of the tongue, and the almes of the eyes, & the almes of the heart. The almes of the hand is some visible thing giuen, as gold, siluer, bread, cloth, &c. The tongues almes is two fold: first, good counsell, and comfortable speeches, which oftentimes do more good then gold and siluer: such an almes did Peter bestow vponupon the creeple, when he said: Siluer and gold I hauehave none, but such as I hauehave I giuegive thee: in the name of Iesus arise and walke, Act. 2. Secondly, earnest prayer vntounto God: such an almes did the Church bestow vponupon Peter when he was in prison: and it releeued him more then mony: for it caused the prison doores to open alone, and Peter escaped. Act. 12. The eyes almes, are teares for the calamities of other, proceeding from a sorrowfull heart: such an almes did the women of Ierusalem bestow vponupon our Sauiour Christ when he went to suffer death. And Christ noted thē in gracious termes for it, saying: Weepe not for me daughters of Ierusalem: but weepe for your selues, &c. The almes of the heart is a certaine griefe and sorrow arising from the feeling of anothers miserie, and is the mother of all the rest, if abilitie serue: and of all th…se, he that cannot giuegive one may affoord another. Some giuegive, but it is grudgingly, and angerly, and some in pollicie onelyonly, to please vnruly persons, and stay a further mischiefe, for feare that else they should lose all: like those that cast bread to a dogge for feare of biting: these giuegive no good almes. No more do those that giuegive somewhat of that which they hauehave ill gotten, to the end they might keepe the rest in the better securitie. Nor they that giuegive of a vainglorious affection, to seeme to be mercifull, when they be nothing lesse. We are not to iudge any mans hart: but eueryevery man by this doctrine is to examine and iudge his owne heart.
Now we are to see why the Lord will hauehave almes to be giuen, that is: why it is his pleasure to hauehave poore men in the world, that shal stand in neede of the rich mans almes; for, it cannot be denied but that this is the Lords doing:Pro. 22.2. as Salomon saith: The rich and the poore meete together, but the Lord is the maker of all: He could hauehave made many women for one man (saith the prophet) for he had abundance of spirit, meaning he had power inough to giuegive many wiues to one husband; but he made but one wife for one husband:Mal. 2.15. and why but one? because he sought a godly seede. So he could hauehave made all rich, or those rich which he made poore, & those poore which he made rich: for he had abundance and inough for eueryevery one, if eueryevery one had bene a world: and yet he would not do so: but would hauehave some to be rich & some to be poore. And why so? Surely to giuegive thereby occasions of patience (as he doth vntounto the poore by their pouertie) and of liberalitie, and doing of good, as he doth vntounto the rich by placing of poore and needy amongst them. God could hauehave brought to passe, that sinne should neuer hauehave bene in the world, if it had so pleased him, but then how should his iustice hauehave appeared in punishing the vessels of his wrath: and the riches of his merciemercy bene manifested in pardoning his elect? Euen so, if he had made all rich and none poore, what should then the rich hauehave had to exercise their liberalitie vponupon? and wherwithall should the patience of the needy hauehave bene tried? Both rich and poore therfore hath he made for the manifesting of the singular worke of his Spirit to his own praise and glory in both. Let not therefore the rich contemne the poore: because they hauehave not their aboundance for themselues, but as stewards appointed of God to releeue therewith those which want. Neither let the poore enuie the rich, or impatiently beare their burden: because God hath prouided that their want should be supplied by the rich: but let both poore and rich glorifie God in their estate and calling, and know, that if they vse the same to that end that God hath ordained them for, they shall reape vntounto themselues the most sweete fruits of the sanctifying spirit, vntounto the sealing vp of their euerlasting election and adoption in Christ.
In the next place we are to consider, how men may be moued or induced to giuegive almes willingly and chearefully. First, because almes giuing is nothing else but a worke of merciemercy, as almes it selfe is mercies gift, it can hauehave no better inforcer to worke then merciemercy it selfe: that is, a compassion or fellow feeling of another mans miserie, which naturally should be in al mē. But because that is by natural corruption deaded in some, & turned into a sottish kind of inhumanitie in others, & weakned in all: Therefore secondly, it is needfull that we be regenerated & made new men by the Spirite of God, who by his heauenly grace and effectuall working in vsus, may restore that which is lost, and cause merciemercy to appeare in her liuely hew and beautifull colour againe. Thirdly when we are borne againe▪ it is a motiue of no small force, to consider that Christ in his members is miserable, poore, and needie, and that, whosoeuer doth succour them, is iudged to hauehave succored Christ himselfe: as appeareth by the testimonie of Christs owne mouth, in Mat. 25. verse 24. and so forward. Now if it be so that Christ is releeued whē his poore mēbers are releeued, what reason hath any hard harted Nabal to be so close fisted as many are against poore Christians? considering what Christ hath done for them, for whose sake they ought to open their hand, yea and euen to powre out their very hearts, with al the bowels of merciemercy and compassion that can be? Christ doth feede vsus with heauenly bread, namely, with his owne flesh and bloud to eternal life, and shall not we againe feed him (when he is hungrie) with earthly bread? Christ doth cloth vsus with garments of immortalitie, and shal not we cloth him when he is naked, with garments which soone weare out and come to nought? Christ will receiue vsus into his euerlasting and heauenly habitations, and shall not we receiue him (comming as a poore pilgrime amongst vsus) into our earthly mansions? Christ came downe from heauen to vsus, not onelyonly to visite vsus, but also to cure vsus; and shall not we visite him when he is sicke in his members? Christ was imprisoned to set vsus at libertie, he was wrongfully condemned, to acquite vsus, and miserably accursed to blesse vsus, and deepely impouerished to enrich vsus, and shamefully crucified to redeeme vsus, and cruelly tormented to ease vsus: and shall not we vouchsafe to visite him in prison, and endure some paine for the ease of his poore members? Yes verily, and wo, yea ten thousand woes be to them that are ashamed of his bands? All this doth eueryevery one professe that saith, I beleeue the communion of Saints. Many do speake those words, but few shew the power therof: most professe, but fewest practise the Communion of Saints: which sheweth plainely, that many moe professe the name of Christ, then do indeede belong vntounto him. For none of his members be dead and sencelesse, but are all of them fellow and feeling members, suffering one with another, like the members of a mans bodie, and helping one another as they would be helped themselues. To conclude this point, let vsus imagine there is some rich man of whom we hauehave receiued more benefits then euer we are able to recompence. He hath no need of our reward, but onelyonly commendeth vntounto vsus some poore friend of his, whom he specially loueth, & would require at our hands in token of our thankefull mind, to bestow somewhat vponupon that his poore frind: would not al the world cry shame of vsus if we should refuse it? Christ himselfe is that rich man, vntounto whom for infinite benefits we ow not only great thankfulnes, but euen our selues. And this one thing especially he requireth at our hands, that what we could find in our hearts to do vntounto him, we would for his sake do it vntounto the poore: whō by speciall charge he hath committed to our care: for which cause he said (when Iudas grudged at the ointment which Mary bestowed on him:)Mar. 14.6.7) Let her alone, why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good worke on me: to shew that those should not be hindred which are about to shew the fruits of louelove to Christ; and addeth withall (as a reason why shee should not be hindered:) For ye hauehave the poore with you alwaies, and whē you will ye may do them good: to shew, that as he was once annoynted & honoured in his owne person, so he lookes still to be annoynted and honoured in his members, which who soeuer refuseth, what louelove can he imagine that he beareth vntounto Christ? For if the louelove of Christ were in him, he would count nothing too deare to bestow vponupon Christ: nor yet too hard to suffer for Christ.Gen. 29.20. As it is said of Iacob, that he suffered twice seuen yeares for Rahel, and they seemed vntounto him but a few daies, because he loued her: to shew, that such is the nature of louelove, that it will make the most hard things become easie, and the most heauie things light for their sakes whom we louelove. Lastly, it is requisite that the poore moue the rich vntounto the workes of merciemercy by their good behauiour, shewing themselues thankefull and contented, for whatsoeuer is giuen them, and not to harden the harts of men against them, by shifting for themselues, or by pilfering and filching, nor by idle loytering, nor by impudent outfacing, nor by slaunderous backbiting, nor by busie tale-carying: nor by taking in ill part that which is giuen them, as too too many do. For, as many husbands which obey not the word, are wonne to louelove their wiues without the word, while they behold the pure conuersation of their wiues, coupled with feare. 1. Pet. 3.1.2. euen so many rich men which are not yet moued by the word to louelove the poore, may in time be wonne without the word, while they behold the honest conuersation of the poore, coupled with thankefull reuerence and faithfull diligence. Now in the last place it remaineth, onelyonly that in a word wee consider to whom almes must be giuen,To whom we must giuegive. and that is generally to eueryevery one that craueth the same, hauing need therof, according to Christs commandement: giuegive to eueryevery one that asketh of thee. Luk. 6.30.Meaning if he hath need, and thou be able to supply his want: but more especially to those that are godly, and well disposed, according to the restraint that the Apostle hath made in Gal. 6.10.Gal. 6.10. Let vsus do good vntounto al mē, but especially to those that are of the houshold of faith: but most especially vntounto those faithfull ones that are of our own houshold, stock or kinred. As Ioseph gaue messes of meate vntounto all his brethren,Gen. 45.22, 23. and change of raiment: but vntounto Beniamin whom he loued better then the rest, he gaue three hundred peeces of siluer, and fiue suits of raiment, and vntounto his father (who was dearer vntounto him then his brother Beniamin) he sent tenne hee Asses laden with the best things of Egypt, and tenne she Asses laden with wheate, and bread, and meate, for his father by the way. And they are no men but monsters, that being able, suffer their parents and kindred to perish for want of releefe. And yet it is not meant that we must giuegive to eueryevery one that shall aske of vsus without exception, for then we shall in short space go a begging our selues; yea if we had the treasures of a King. This did a certaine Emperour well consider, to whome on a time (as they say) a certaine bold faced companion came, and desired his Maiestie to bestow some reward vponupon a poore kinseman of his: I am your kinseman, quoth he, both by father and mother: for we come all of Adam and Eue. Indeede thou saiest true, quoth the Emperour: and with that drew foorth his purse and gaue him a peny. A penie (quoth the other) shall I hauehave no more but a penie? a simple reward from an Emperor. Hold thy selfe content, quoth the Emperour, if I should giuegive to eueryevery one of my kinsemen a peny, I should soone become a poore Emperour. Euen so, if we should giuegive to eueryevery one that would aske of vsus, we should soone emptie our selues, and begge too. But it is meant that we must giuegive as we are able, hauing respect to time, and place, and occasion, and as we are appointed by order of law, and ciuill pollicie, & yet still in compassion. As for counterfeits & idlepacks, they must be wisely looked vntounto, and seuerely punished when they are found out:Ios. 9. as Iosua did, who punished the Gibeonites when they counterfeited themselues to be farre trauellers, when they were his next neighbours. Some become miserable through gaming, tipling, & carrowsing, through idlenesse and bad companie keeping: to these belong a threefold almes: instruction, correction, and yet some contribution too, as is allowed vntounto malefactours in prison, vntill by order of law, and sword of iustice, a riddance may be made of them▪ if otherwise they will not be reformed: for by the rule of the word, he that will not labour, must not eate.
Now let vsus praise God.
THE ANATOMIE OF BELIAL.
SET FORTH IN TEN SERMONS vponupon the 12.13.14. and 15. verses of the 6. Chapter of the Prouerbes of Salomon.
The summe whereof is set foorth in the next Page.
Imprinted at London by Richard Field for Thomas Man. 1602.
A Table shewing the generall contents of the Sermons following.
The Anatomy of Belial hath two parts.
1. The description of a wicked man, and he is described here, two wayes.
1. By his names that are here giuen him, viz.
1. A man of Belial, that is, a lawlesse man.
2. A man of vanitie, that is, vnprofitable.
2. By his actions: and they be two fold.
1. Outward and they be two fold.
1. His speeches, and they be described by two adiuncts.
1. Of their quality, which is euill, for they be froward.
2. Of quantitie, which is great, for they are cō tinually froward
2. His gestures, al which be significāt, and tending to mischiefe, and they be of his
Eyes.
Fingers.
Feete.
2. Inward, of the hart, and they are set forth,
1. Generally. Lewd things are in his hart.
2. Particularly, by noting two vile & odious properties springing frō a lewd hart.
1. That he is giuen to imagine and surmise, whose imaginations are
1. Euil.
2. Continually euill.
2. That he raiseth vp contentions.
2. His destruction, and that is amplified by noting,
1. The maner of the comming which is fearful, in regard of
1. The speedinesse.
2. The suddennesse.
2. The continuance of it, which is long, yea euerlasting without ende, for he shall neuer recouer.