A Practical Catechism — Henry Hammond

A Practical Catechism · Henry Hammond

LIB. III.

§ 1 WHat is the firſt generall aime or deſigne of this next part of the Sermon beginning, c. 6?

The regulating of three great Chriſtian duties, Almes-giving, Prayer, and Faſting. Three ſo neceſſary conſiderable offices of a Aquinas 2. 2. qu. 85. art. 3. ad 2.Chriſtian, that learned Divines have reſolved them to be the three ſpeciall Chriſtian ſacrifices, or acts of divine worſhip; the firſt out of our eſtates; the ſecond of our ſoules; the third from our bodies; which are the three principall parts of a man, every one therefore obliged to pay its tribute of acknowledgment to the Creatour.

I ſhall then preſume them worthy of our diſtinct ſurvey, and to that purpoſe pitch upon that firſt, which I ſee firſt placed that of Almes giving, and expect what method you will propoſe to me as moſt proper to give me a cleare ſight of what Chriſt hath thought fit to repreſent to me concerning it?

I ſhall reduce it ſummarily to theſe two heads, 1. A duty ſuppoſed, 2. A caution interpoſed for the regulation of this duty.

What meane you by the duty ſppoſed?

I meane this, that the duty of almes-giving here mentioned, is not ſo much here commanded by Chriſt, as preſumed and ſuppoſed, as a duty that both the law of Nature, and of Moſes, required of all men, Heathens and Jewes before, and therefore needed not to be commanded by Chriſt, but onelyonly to be thus honourably mentioned by him as a duty that he meant not to evacuate, but confirme; ſo farre that he that would not obſerve it ſhould be unworthy the title of a Chriſtian, nay of a Jew or Heathen man; all lawes ſo ſtrictly exacting it of him.

The duty being ſo neceſſary, and yet onelyonly touch… on or named here, you may pleaſe a little to explaine to me.

I will, by telling you, 1. That it is the ſame duty, (expreſt by the ſame word) that mercifullneſſe is in the fifth Beatitude; but then 2. That it ſeemes here to be reſtreined to that one kind of mercifullneſſe which conſiſts in giving; & that peculiarly of releife corporall to them that want it, and therefore it will not be pertinent in this place to ſpeake to you of any branch of mercifullneſſe, but of that which we ordinarily call Giving of almes.

What do you thinke fit to tell mee of that?

OnelyOnly theſe two things, as moſt proper for your direction in this duty, the firſt for the ſubſtance of the duty, the ſecond for the moſt convenient manner of performing it.

What for the ſubſtance of the duty?

That I am bound by all lawes of Nature, of Moſes, of Chriſt, as God hath enabled me, to releive thoſe that are in want, the hungry, the naked, the fatherleſſe, and widow. &c. deſtitute of worldly ſuccour, the doing of which is called pure religion or worſhip, foreign.by Saint James, c. 1. 27.

What directions have you for the moſt convenient manner of performing it?

This one eſpecially (which St Paul. 1 Cor. 16. 2. hath given me occaſion to thinke on) that every rich man or thriving man, every one that either hath conſtant revenue, or profitable trade, ſhould lay by him in ſtore, as God hath proſpered him, for the uſe of the poore; dedicating yeerely, or monthly, or weekely, ſuch or ſuch a proportion for this purpoſe, and ſeperating it from the reſt of the heap, that it may be ready for ſuch uſes, as the providence of God ſhall offer to us.

How will this be beſt done?

By a yeerely valuation of my income, whether of rents, or gaines by trading, and ſetting a part a reaſonable proportion of that, and then dividing that groſſe proportion into as many parts, as there be weekes in the yeare; and then every Lords day (according to the Apoſtles direction) or otherwiſe weekely, to put into the poore mans bag, or boxe, or pocket, ſuch a juſt propottion, which from that time I am to account of as none of mine, but the poores propriety; which I cannot take from them againe but by ſtealth, that I ſay not ſacriledge. This way of ſetting a part before hand will be very uſefull both for the reſiſting of coveteous thoughts, which will be apt ſtill to intercurre, when objects of charity offer themſelves; and alſo for the having proviſion ready at hand, to give when we would be willing to give, which otherwiſe perhaps would ſometimes be wanting; and the doing this thus weekely, will make the ſumme thus parted with ſo inſenſible, that we ſhall not miſſe out of our eſtates, what is thus conſecrated.

But I pray what proportion yeerely ſhould I thus deſigne.

The exact ptoportion or quotum, I cannot preſcribe you, the Scripture having defined nothing in it; but by commending liberality, and voluntary and cheerefull giving, rather intimating that there is no ſet proportion to be defined, but to be left to every mans owne breaſt, how to proportion his free will offering: For although one place there be that ſeemes to require all to be ſet apart for this purpoſe that comes in by way of gaine from Gods proſpering hand, to wit that juſt now mentioned, 1 Cor. 16. 2. where he appoints that every one ſet apart foreign, treaſuring up whatſoever he hath gained, or thrived, or beene proſpered, (not as we render it as God hath proſpered him, for 'tis not [foreign as] but [foreign whatſoever] yet it appeares that that was in a peculiar caſe at that time, for the releiving the poore Chriſtians at Jeruſalem, who were ſo many, and ſo few to releive them then, that all that could be ſpared was little enough for the turne; & therefore that can no more make a rule for the preſent times, then the having all common then, and bringing all to the Apoſtle's feet, will be exemplary to us. I ſhall only for your better direction give you the beſt light I can, which will be by theſe gradations. 1. That the Jewes, the People of God were bound by law to ſet apart a tenth of all their encreaſe every third yeare for the uſe of the poore; Every yeare you know the tith was paid to the Preiſt, but that being done, every third yeare they were to tith againe, for the poore; which was in effect a thirtieth part yearely of their encreaſe; for that (you know) a tenth part every third yeare, being diſtributed into three parts, and each of thoſe three aſſigned to each yeare, will amount to. But then 2. other commands there were given to thoſe Jewes, concerning the poore, as of permitting them to leaſe in the field, lending them without uſe, reſtoring the pledge before night, and other the like, and all this a Jew was bound to; he ſinned againſt the law, if he did it not. This was his Righteouſneſſe, foreignDeut 24. 13. i. e. that degree of mercy which the law required of him, inſtead of which the Greeke tranſlatours uſe a word ſignifying Almes or Pity, the ſame which is in this place foreignof Chriſt's Sermon, (and it is farther obſervable, that in this place ſome very ancient Copies inſtead of this word which ſignifies Almes, have another word ſignifying Righteouſneſſe) all which ſignifies ſome degrees of almes-giving to be required foreignby the law, without performance of which a Jew cannot be accounted righteous: and ſuch were thoſe three yeares tithings, and the reſt forementioned. But then thirdly, beſide this Righteouſneſſe of the Jew, or that proportion required to his being arighteous Jew, there was another foreignhigher degree among them, called Mercy, or goodneſſe, or bounty, or charity, which, ſay foreigntheir Interpreters, is more then righteouſneſſe, exceſſe or abundance of righteouſneſſe. Thus ſhall foreignyou ſee thoſe two words many times put together, not as equivalent, but one a higher degree then the other. Dan. 4. 27. Breake off thy ſinnes foreignby Righteouſneſſe, and thine iniquities by ſhewing Mercy to the poore; the mercy ſet laſt, as being higheſt. ſo Mic. 6. 8. What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do Juſtice and love Mercy? foreign.So when the compariſon is made by the Apoſtle betweene a Righteous man and a Good man, Rom. 5. 7. the Good man, is this mercifull minded man, which farre exceedeth the other. By which you ſee that he that will be a Good, a pious, a mercifull Jew, he muſt exceed thoſe termes, which by the law, the lew was bound to, i. e. muſt allow to pious uſes much more then the thirtieth part of his encreaſe every yeare; and this law, and direction being by God himſelfe given to his owne people the Jewes, may deſerve ſo farre to be conſidered by us, as it is an evidence of Gods judgement then to that people. But then 4^thly though this be not a law now binding us, as not given to us, yet being a law of charity and mercy to my poore neighbour, which for the ſubſtance of it, is an eternall law of Nature, there will be ſmall reaſon for a Chriſtian to thinke himſelfe diſengaged from that quotum or proportion, which even the Iewes, who were conſidered as in a ſtate of imperfection, were obliged to; ſave only that this is now left to their owne freedome which was before commanded; and 'twere ſhame that a Chriſtian thus left to his owne freedome ſhould come ſhort of what a Iew was brought to by conſtraint. But 5^ly. on the contrary ſide, the more perfect law of Chriſt, and the more grace, and the more light brought into the world by him, requiring higher perfection now, then before by law was required, (ſo that except our righteouſneſſe exceed theirs, we ſhall not enter the Kingdome of Heaven) may very juſtly be deemed to require a greater proportion of us now in workes of mercy, then of them was then expected. From whence it will be conſequent, 6^ly. That as our Righteouſneſſe muſt exceed their righteouſneſſe, foreignſo our Mercy their mercy: i. e. that to be a righteous Chriſtian, (i. e. ſuch an one, as performes what the law of Chriſt requires of him for almes-giving) 'tis neceſſary to ſet a part much more then a yearely thirtieth of his revenue, or encreaſe; and to be a mercifull or benigne or pious Chriſtian, much more againe then that, is neceſſary. But then ſeventhly, the Chriſtian (as alſo the Iewiſh) law in this matter, doth not ſo conſiſt in an indiviſible point, as that any ſet proportion can be defined, lower then which would be the ſinne of parſimony, and higher then which the ſinne of prodigality; but is allowed its latitude, within which it may move higher or lower without ſinne; yet ſo that it may on one ſide be ſo low, that it will be unchriſtian love of money; and on the otherſide ſo high (if it be to the neglecting, and expoſing his owne children, and family) that it may be wretchleſſe prodigality: which two extremes being by the helpe of the former directions avoyded the rule will be, That the more liberall we are to them that want, or the more liberall in ſetting a part for them to provide them a plentifull patrimony, the more acceptable it will be in the ſight of God; and the more liberally rewarded: according to that of the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 9. 6. He that ſoweth bountifully, ſhall reape bountifully, by which I conceive is meant not only Gods aboundant retributions of Glory in another world, but even his payments of temporall plenty here, to thoſe who have beene willing to make that Chriſtian uſe of that earthly talent commited to their Stewarding.

Doe you beleive, that liberality to the poore is likely to receive any ſuch reward in this life? The reaſon of my queſtion is, becauſe if there were any ground for the affirmative, I ſhould conceive it a moſt convincing motive to all, even the worldlyminded men, to caſt their bread thus upon the waters; if it ſhould returne to them againe in this life with encreaſe. Liberality being a thing pleaſant and delightfull even to fleſh and bloud, to the moſt covetous minded man; and nothing imaginable to deterre any from the practice of ſo lovely a duty, were it not the feare of diminiſhing our ſtore or bringing our ſelves to want by that meanes. I ſhall therefore in great earneſt deſire to heare your opinion in that point?

I make no doubt of this truth, that mercifulneſſe and Chriſtian liberality is the ſureſt way to plenty and contentment in this life; ſo farre from ever being a meanes of impoveriſhing any, that it is moſt conſtantly (when exerciſed as it ought) a meanes of enriching. And that you may not thinke this a phanſy or ſpeculation, or groundleſſe confidence in me, I ſhall tell you that I conceive there is not any one thing (temporall) for which there are ſo many cleare evident promiſes in the Scripture as this. For the giving you ground of faith in this, I will name you ſome. And a foundation I ſhall lay, Deut. 26. 11. where there is by God preſcribed a forme of prayer to be uſed by him that hath made an end of tithing all the tith of his encreaſe the third yeare, i. e. that hath paid the poore their patrimony, (as appeares by the reſt of the verſe, and which till it be done, the third yeares tithing is not made an end of.) And the forme preſcribed gives the man that hath ſo done liberty and priviledge of claime and challenge to all kind of earthly bleſſings. v. 13. Then thou ſhalt ſay before the Lord thy God I have given to the ſtranger, to the fatherleſſe, &c. And thereupon, v. 15. Looke downe from heaven and bleſſe thy people Iſrael, and the land which thou haſt given us, a land flowing with milke and honey. The mention of the milke and honey, and affluence, is an interpretation what that bleſſing is which is there prayed for ſo confidently; to wit, temporall plenty here; and Gods preſcribing this forme of prayer is argument enough that God will grant it to him, that having performed this condition, doth humbly in prayer require the performance of ſuch promiſe. OnelyOnly by the way, theſe two things muſt goe together inſeparably, performance of the condition, and then prayer to God. According to that of the blind man in the Goſpell, that he that is a worſhipper of God and doth his will, him he heareth. Other places fit to be ſuperſtructed on this you have in the Pſalmes of David, Pſal. 41. 1. Bleſſed is he that conſidereth the poore and needy. And what kind of bleſſing this is, appeares by the context, The Lord will deliver him, preſerve him, keep him alive, bleſſe him on the earth, &c. And beſides others one remarkeable place that booke affords, Pſal. 37. 25. I have beene young, and now am old, yet ſaw I never the righteous forſaken, nor his ſeed begging bread. What is meant by the righteous there, will be evident, if you adviſe with v. 21. The Righteous ſheweth mercy and giveth. and v. 26. The righteous is ever (or all the day) mercifull and lendeth. His liberality ſuch and ſo continuall (all the day mercifull) that one would thinke it able to exhauſt his patrimony; to bring him, at leaſt his poſterity, to want and beggery; and yet in all Davids obſervation, he had found (ſo farre as to make an Aphoriſme of it) that none were ever brought to want by that meanes; but, as it followes for confirmation of this truth, v. 26. His ſeed is bleſſed; his poſterity as proſperous as if their father had digged through the mine into hell (where the Poets thought riches dwelt) to fetch foreign. Pluto.out treaſure for them. Where although the rule doe not neceſſarily hold ſo farre, that no other meanes can make a mercifull man poore, (for perhaps negligence, ſuretyſhip, ſome other ſinne lived in and bringing a curſe upon him, may; and mercifulneſſe not prove antidote ſufficient to ſecure him againſt all other poiſon.) Yet thus farre it doth in Davids obſervation hold, 1. That it never brings any man to want; whatever elſe may, that will not; 2. That it is an ordinary meanes to helpe to more wealth; to enrich the poſterity; to beſtow temporall bleſſings on them; a benigne favourable influence this hath upon all that belongs to him. And this which David mentions as an Aphoriſme of his owne obſervation, I beleive I might extend to all times, and challenge any Hiſtorian of paſt, or obſervator of preſent times, to give one inſtance out of his knowledge to the contrary; of any Chriſtian Almes-giver that brought himſelfe or his poſterity to want (nay that did not thrive and proſper the better) by that meanes. Some notable examples I have knowne in my time for the confirming what I now ſay, but could never yet heare of any to the contrary. To theſe I ſhall adde a few places of teſtimony alſo out of the Proverbs of Solomon, 11. 24. There is that ſcattereth and yet encreaſeth, i. e. One ſort of ſcatterers there is that encreaſeth by ſcattering; and no cauſe of doubt but that the mercifull is this kind of ſcatterer; which farther appeares by the oppoſition in the reſt of the verſe, There is that with holdeth more then is meete, and it tendeth to poverty. Aſtrange thing that ſcattering ſhould be a meanes of encreaſing; giving, of having; and withholding, of poverty; keeping, of not having; but when 'tis conſidered how all temporall plenty is of Gods diſpoſing, how by his bleſſing and opening his hand, all things are filled with plenteouſneſſe; and by his withdrawing his auſpicious influence, all things are improſperous, moulter and crumble into nothing, there will be ſmall difficulty in beleiving Gods promiſe for ſuch kind of difficulties, as theſe. Beſides, the following verſes make it cleare, that it belongs to this matter, v. 25. The liberall ſoule ſhall be made fat, and he that watereth ſhall be watered alſo himſelfe. And ſelling of corne being an act of liberality, v. 26. in oppoſition to him that withholdeth it, it followes, Bleſſing ſhall be upon his head. and v. 28. The Righteous, i. e. the liberall againe, (as oppoſite to him that truſteth in riches) ſhall flouriſh as a branch. i. e. be very proſperous. And though it follow in the laſt verſe, that the righteous ſhall be recompenced on the earth; i. e. meete with afflictions and puniſhments here; ſet is that common ſtate of good men reconcileable with temporall bleſſings here, as may appeare, Mark. 10. 30. So againe, Prov. 13. 22. A good man leaveth his inheritance to his childrens children. Where if the good man be the ſame that is meant by that phraſe, Rom. 5. 7. it will be diſtinctly pertinent to this matter, (and ſo the context would inforce, and the wealth of the ſinner is laid up for the juſt.) But if it be a more generall word, yet then alſo this of the mercifull will be conteined under it. So againe, Prov. 14. 21. He that hath mercy on the poore happy is he. So 19. 17. He that hath pity on the poore lendeth unto the Lord: the Vulgar read it [lendeth unto the Lord upon uſe] and that which he hath given will he pay him againe, and (it being lent upon uſe,) pay him with uſe, and intereſt alſo. On occaſion of which place I remember an ancient ſtory in Cedrenus (how true I know not) of a Jew, as ancient, ſaith he, as King Hezechiahs time, that having read this place and weighed it, reſolved to try whether God would be as good as his word. Gave all that he had but two peices of ſilver, to the poore, and then waited and expected to ſee it come againe; but being not preſently anſwered in that expectation, grew angry, and went up to Jeruſalem to expoſtulate with God for cheating him by this unperformed promiſe. The ſtory goes on, that he being on his way, found two men a ſtriving, engaged in an unreconcileable quarrell; about a ſtone, that both, walking together, had found in the way, and ſo had both equall right to it; but being but one and undividible, could not both enjoy; and therefore to make them freinds, he having two peices of ſilver, doth upon contract divide them betwixt the pretenders, and hath the ſtone in exchange from them; having it, he goes on his journey, and coming to Ieruſalem ſhewes it the Goldſmith, who tells him that it was a jewell of great value, being a ſtone falne and loſt out of the high Preiſts Ephod, to whom if he carried it he ſhould certainly receive a great reward; he did ſo, and accordingly it proved; the high Preiſt tooke it of him, gave him a great reward, but withall a box on the eare, bidding him truſt God the next time. The ſtory if true, is an inſtance of the matter in hand; if not, yet an embleme or picture of it. So againe, Prov. 22. 9. He that hath a bountifull eye ſhall be bleſſed, for he giveth of his bread to the poore. Where the affirmative promiſe is moſt punctuall, and the reaſon to confirme it moſt remarkeable, being but the repetition of the thing it ſelfe, (as principles are faine to be proved by themſelves) the bountifull minded man ſhall be bleſſed, why? becauſe he is bountifull, i. e. no other argument needfull to prove it but this; the promiſe, infallible promiſe belonging peculiarly to ſuch. And Prov. 28. 27. He that giveth to the poore ſhall not lacke. A moſt definitive large rule, from whence no exception is imaginable, if we had but faith to depend upon it. And leſt you ſhould thinke that this referred onelyonly to the ſtate of the Iewes under the Old Teſtament, and belonged not at all to us Chriſtians, you may firſt obſerve, that theſe Proverbs of Solomon are not truths peculiar to that ſtate, but extenſive even to us Chriſtians; and more purely ſo, then to them, many of them. 2. That in the Goſpell one place there is that repeates in ſence one part of theſe places, that of 19. 17. [He that giveth to the poore lendeth to the Lord.] to wit, Mat. 25. 43. [In as much as ye did it to one of theſe, you did it unto me.] And then why may not the latter part belong to us alſo? 3. One plaine promiſe of temporall things there is in the Goſpell alſo to thoſe that part with any of their goods for Chriſts ſake, (and ſuch ſure are the Chriſtian Almes-givers that doe it in obedience to Chriſts law, and charity to fellow Chriſtians,) Mat. 19. 29. and that in a generall unlimited ſtile, excluding all exception, Mark. 10. 30. There is no man that hath left houſe, or brethren, &c. and lands, i. e. worldly goods, but he ſhall receive an hundred ſold now foreignin this time: (this firſt lower harveſt, this ſeaſon of retributions) houſes, &c. i. e. temporall bleſſings here; and then over and above in another world, everlaſting life. OnelyOnly with a mixture of perſecutions, as Saint Marke (or Saint Peter who had asked the queſtion which occaſioned this ſpeech of Chriſts, and whoſe Amanuenſis Saint Marke was) hath it, as before I told you. Prov. 11. 31. after all thoſe temporall promiſes to the Almes-giver, it is added, He ſhall be recompenced, or receive his portion of afflictions in the earth. By all theſe teſtimonies from the word of God, both in New and Old Teſtament, I conceive this doctrine as cleare as any in the Scripture. That the promiſe of temporall plenty to the liberall is ſo diſtinct and infallible, that it can be no leſſe then groſſe ignorance of plaine Scripture not to obſerve it; and arrant infidelity not to beleive it; and ſtrange Ʋn-Chriſtian ſinne not to practice that ſo amiable a duty; that to him that beleives this, there is not the leaſt temptation imaginable againſt it, even the covetous man himſelfe being allowed to be the objector.

I cannot but acknowledge the truth of your premiſes, and reaſonableneſſe of the concluſion from them, and onelyonly mervaile what artifice the Devill hath gotten to enſnare men by, and keepe them from doing that which is ſo agreeable to their humours and dispoſitions, even as they are partakers of but ingenuous nature. God melt the heart and open the hand of the obdurate world, and teach us the due practice of it.

I ſhall preſume you have no more neceſſary to be added to the explication of the duty here ſuppoſed [and thou when thou doeſt almes] I ſhall call you from thence to the ſecond particular mentioned, The Caution interpoſed, and deſire to know what that it?

The Caution is, that we do not our almes to be ſeene of men; or uſe any meanes in the doing of them, to have glory of men; to be praiſed or commended by them. For this is an infirmity very ordinarily inſinnuating it ſelfe in our beſt actions, to blaſt and defame them in the eyes of God; every man being apt to deſire to be better thought of by man for the performance of this duty; eſpecially if he be an exceeder in it.

But were we not commanded before, that our light ſhould ſhine before men? What is that but to do our good workes ſo, that men might ſee them?

To this I ſhall anſwer 1. By telling you that the performance of duties to God may be either publicke or private; the one in the congregation, the other in the cloſet; the former ought to be as publicke as it may, that ſo they may be more exemplary, and tend more to the glorifying of God; & to that the ſhineing of our light belongs: the ſecond, as private as it may, to approve our ſelves the more to God, and to that this caution here pertaines. And though this be more illuſtriouſly obſervable in the two following duties of prayer and faſting, yet will it hold in ſome meaſure in this alſo; the Church being deſigned for giving alſo, and every Chriſtian antiently wont to bring ſome what to the Corban every time he came to Church, a remainder of which cuſtome we have ſtill in the offertory, 2. That there is great difference betwixt doing our good workes ſo, that men may ſee them, and doing them to be ſeene of men; and againe, betweene doing them ſo before men, that they may ſee, and glorifie our father in heaven, and that we may have glory of men. The former, if it have not the latter to blaſt it (and if it be truly ſo, it excludes the latter) is only a Chriſtian charitable care, that my good actions may be exemplary to others; the ſecond that they may be matter of reputation to my ſelfe: The former reſpects only God's glory, and not mine owne; the ſecond mine owne vaine aiery credit here, and not (or more then) God's. The firſt a moſt divine Chriſtian act, expreſſion of great love of God, and deſire to propagate his Kingdome; of great love of my brother, and deſire to make all others as good as my ſelfe, by ſetting them ſuch copies on purpoſe to tranſcribe; the ſecond is an evidence of great paſſion, and ſelfe-love, and impatience of having our reward put off to ſo long a date, as the reverſion in another world; and conſequently theſe two are moſt diverſely rewarded; the firſt with a great degree of glory, for the glory we have brought to God's name; the ſecond ſo odious in the ſight of God, that even our almes giving, or beſt actions, are eaten thorow and ſmitten as the gourd with the worme, and come to nothing, find no reward in another world; the little reputation gotten here and affected by us, muſt ſerve our turnes, the only reward we are to hope for; which ſhewes the unhappyneſſe and folly of this ſinne of vaine-glory, it robbes us of all the reward that our moſt eſteemeable, acceptable, free-will-offerings, our workes of mercy, can hope for from God.

Is this deſire to be ſeene, and have glory of men a ſinne, or no?

A ſinne ſurely it is, as a deflexion to the creature; and if it be the principall motive of our actions, then a waſting ſinne; unreconcileable with charity, or the favour of God, (for it ſeemes the praiſe ef men rules in us, and not the love of God, and then how can you beleeve? Jo. 5. 44.) but if the love of God be the principle or prime mover of our actions, and this other of the deſire to be ſeene of men, do only ſteale in, as a ſecondary carnall intereſt of our owne; then, though it be a ſinne ſtill, and ſuch an one, as will deprive us of all future reward of that good worke, to which it is adherent, yet through God's mercy in Chriſt and his equitable interpretation of our infirmities, it will not prevaile ſo farre as to ſeperate betweene God and us eternally, or to caſt us out of his favour; this I conceive may be concluded by analogy from that hard place of Saint Paul 1 Cor. 3. 12. or an example whereby that (being of a larger extent, and belonging firſt to matters of doctrine, then to many other things) may be illuſtrated. The foundation being once layed, i e. Jeſus Chriſt, (he being ſet the principle of all our actions, the faith in, & love of him being depeeſt grounded in our hearts) ſuperſtructures on this, are either of pure ſubſtantiall metall, which will beare the teſt, or tryall, or judgement of God (for that is meant by [the day] which word in all languages almoſt ſignifyes judgement) when done without this mixture of droſſe or hypocriſie; or elſe of a baſer allay which will not hold out the tryall, but will periſh in the fire, when they are brought to it for tryall, ſuch are theſe almes-givings, &c: of ours, which have this deſire of vaine-glory mixed with them. The former of theſe workes, as gold, &c. not conſumable by the fire, abide the tryall, and are rewarded, v. 14. the latter like wood, &c. combuſtible matter, periſh in the fire, or tryall, are burnt v. 15. come to be acounted to him for reward; and ſo all thoſe good deeds of his are loſt; come to nothing (eaten through with that cankar of vaine-glory) this mulct or puniſhment lies upon him for this fault, but yet the foundation remaining ſtill firme, the faith and love of God in foreign.his heart, he himſelfe ſhall be ſaved, or eſcape; ſhall not himſelfe be burnt, though his workes are; yet ſo, as by fire, or through, or out of fire. As foreign.one that being in the midſt of a fire, hath his very clothes burnt from his backe, and ſcapes onelyonly with his life; theſe tainted workes of his are loſt, but himſelfe eſcapes, naked and bare, to be one of the Nethinim, as it were, or doore-keepers in the Kingdome of God; meane while this favour which he finds, that is thus guilty of this blaſting ſinne, will give him but little encouragement, or comfort to indulge to it, when he knowes, that when 'tis cheife in his heart, the principle of his actions, or ſuperiour to the love of God in him, 'tis then an act of arrant infidelity, and little mercy to be expected then; and even when it comes in, but as a ſecondary, appendant to his good deeds, 'tis yet then a meanes to deprive him of all the reward or benefit of his beſt actions, his Almes-giving, prayer, and faſting; and brings him low, to a very ſad eſtate here, and comparatively meane one hereafter; all which he that will adventure for a little paultry praiſe, that meere blaſt and wind, and breath of ſinfull men, is ſure very ill adviſed.

This being ſo unhappy a ſinne, and yet ſo hardly gotten out of us, what meanes can you direct me to, to prevent it?

1. A conſideration of the price it coſts us [Ye have no reward of your Father which is in Heaven] or [they have their reward] here, and ſo none behind in another world. 2. A reſolution before hand never to make my good deed more publicke then the circumſtances neceſſarily attending the preſent occaſion, extort from me. If I doe every good deed in the ſeaſon and place that God repreſents the object to me, let him alone to provide for his owne glory, that is, to riſe from it; and therefore I ſhall not need in that reſpect to uſe any artifice to publiſh it, under pretence of making my light ſhine before men. Therefore I ſay the ſecond meanes will be a reſolution not to make my good action more publicke then it needs, as by browing a trumpet, or uſing any meanes proportionable to that, though in a lower degree, to call mens eyes towards me; or to doe what I doe (on purpoſe and by choice) in the market place or ſtreet, or places of publicke meeting and concourſe. (for ſo foreign.the word rendred Synagogues, ſignifies) But 3, rather on the other ſide, if I find that humour of vanity getting in upon me, to labour for the greateſt ſecrecy imaginable, (for that is meant by that impoſſible phraſe of [not letting the left hand know what the right hand doth]) which by the way gives alſo a very uſefull advertiſement for our direction in our diſpenſing of almes. Not to doe them ſo much to the beggar in the ſtreet, (who 1. Is here, by accident, literally forbidden, v. 2. [not in the ſtreetes] And 2. For the moſt part is a diſorderly walker, and not the fitteſt object of ſuch charity (releife of his wants without his labour being the nouriſhing his idleneſſe) And withall 3. Is the moſt proper food for our vaine glory) as to the poore labourer in ſecret, the houſe-keeper that comes not abroad, and yet needes aide and releife more truly, to ſupport the burthen of a numerous hungry family, and withall cannot be any temptation to our vaineglorious humour; at leaſt ſo probably is not, as the other. 4. The contemplation of the reward that attends my contempt of the praiſe of men, a thouſand times more, even in kinde, then that which the vaine man attaines to; to wit, being praiſed of God openly before Men and Angells (whereas a few ſpectators of ſinfull men is all that can here be compaſſed) in a full quire, all looking upon us; not onelyonly to be praiſed but rewarded alſo.

I conceive you have now gone through the firſt of the three things, and fully ſatisfied all my ſcruples, God grant my obedience and practice, and obſervation of your directions may be as perfectly compleate and univerſall. I ſhall call upon you now to the ſecond, beginning at the fifth, and extended to the 16^th verſe. In all which I expect what you will obſerve unto me.

§ 2 Of Prayer.The ſame generall parts that before. A Duty ſuppoſed, and a double Caution interpoſed. The Duty ſuppoſed is prayer; that great prime branch of the worſhip of God, required of all that acknowledge God to be God, and moſt reaſonable for all that acknowledge, 1. The world to be ruled by his providence. 2. Themſelves to have any need of his grace or pardon. Or 3. That hope for any reward from him in another world.

I ſhall deſire your direction in divers particulars concerning this duty. And 1. How many ſorts of prayer are there?

1. Prayer of the heart, when the ſoule ſighs out it's deſires unto God; and of the tongue added to that, which is then vocall prayer. 2. Either publicke or private: Publicke of two ſorts, 1. In the Church, or meeting together of all that will joine with us, called together by tolling of a bell, &c. which is very uſefull and neceſſary, 1. For the publicke teſtimony of our piety. 2. For the ſtirring up and enflaming of others. 3. For the making of thoſe common publicke requeſts, wherein all that meete are concerned; as for all men, the whole Church, the Rulers and Magiſtrates of that Community wherein we live, for pardon of ſinnes, gift of grace, preſervation from danger, and all other things that as Fellow-members of a Church or State, we may ſtand in need of. 4. For the prevailing with God, (the union of ſo many hearta being moſt likely to prevaile, and the preſence of ſome godly, to bring downe mercies on thoſe others, whoſe prayers have no promiſe to be heard; eſpecially if performed by a conſecrated perſon, whoſe office it is to draw nigh unto God, i. e. to offer up prayers, &c. to him, and to be the Embaſſadour and Meſſenger betweene God and Man; Gods Embaſſadour to the people, in Gods ſtead beſeeching them to be reconciled; and the peoples Embaſſadour to God to offer up our requeſts for grace, pardon, mercies, to him. 2. In the family, which is a leſſer Congregation, the Maſter or Father of which is to ſupply the place of the Preiſt, (and to provide this ſpirituall food for all that are under his power and charge, as well as their corporall food) and aske thoſe things which in that relation of members of the ſame family are moſt acknowledged to be needfull for all there preſent. And then private prayer of two ſorts againe, either of huſband and wife together, (who are as it were one fleſh, and have many relations comnon to one another, and yet diſtinct and peculiar from all others.) Or of eveey man or woman, ſingle and private from all others, in the cloſet, or retiredneſſe.

Having mentioned the ſorts, you will pleaſe alſo to mention the parts of prayer?

Thoſe are ſet downe by Saint Paul, 1 Tim. 2. 1. Supplications, prayers, interceſſions, giving of thankes. The firſt ſeemeth to referre to Confeſſion and acknowledgement foreign.of, and beſeeching pardon for ſinne. A neceſſary dayly duty both in publike and private, for our ſelves and others; only in private fit to be more diſtinct and particular, by way of enumeration of the kinds, and acts, and aggravating circumſtances of ſinne. The ſecond is the petitioning or requeſting of all things neceſſary foreign.for our bodies or ſoules, in all our capacities either as ſingle, or double perſons; as members of families, of Kingdomes, of Chriſtendome, of mankind it ſelfe. The third is the interceding or foreignmediating for others, offering up prayers for freinds, for enemies, for all men, eſpecially for our lawfull Governours, Kings, and all that be in authority ſpirituall or civill. The fourth is the returning our acknowledgements to God for all foreignbenefits received by us, or others; being bound by the rule of gratitude to be mindfull of what we have received; of piety, to acknowledge God's hand in beſtowing them; of charity, to be ſenſible of what ever good, any part of mankind hath beene partaker of, from that great ſpring of goodneſſe, as well as our ſelves; and by all theſe, to expreſſe all in our prayers and addreſſes to heaven.

My next inquiry muſt be, how often this duty muſt be performed?

This great duty conſiſting of theſe ſo many parts, muſt be performed frequently by all and every Chriſtian, without any ſlacking or intermitting of it; but how frequently there is no precept in this place or any other of ſcripture; which argues that though the ſubſtance of the duty be under particular precept, yet the frequency is left (after the manner of other free-will-offerings) to every mans owne conſcience, and prudence, as occaſions and circumſtances ſhall direct. Yet from the commands and examples of Scripture, ſome ſpeciall directions, we may take with us. As 1. that one day in ſeven is to be ſet apart for this purpoſe, (though not to be all ſpent in the performance of this one duty, yet) for this duty to be carefully performed both in the Church, the familie, and in private; and that with more ſolemnity then ordinary. 2. That other times taken notice of by the Church, either by way of commemoration of partticular paſſages in the ſtory of Chriſt, of his Saints, &c. or by way of commemoration of ſome notable benefits received; or on occaſion of particular urgencies, &c. be by us ſolemnely obſerved alſo, according to the rule of the Church wherein we live; in like manner as the Jewes obſerved their dayes appointed them by law. 3. that no man omit to performe this duty at leaſt morning and evening, every day; this being ſolemnely required of the people of God, directed by the law of piety to begin and cloſe all with prayer, which the very heathens could judge neceſſary, and being the leaſt, that can be meant by that precept of the Apoſtle of praying without ceaſing, or continually: which is thought by many to extend no farther then in proportion to the dayly ſacrifices among the Jewes, which were conſtantly every morning and evening; but by none interpreted, or conceived interpretable to any lower proportion. But then 4. the examples of holy men in ſcripture do adde unto this number, ſome more, ſome leſſe: David in one place ſpecifies the addition of a third, at morning, and at evening, and at noone day will I pray, and that inſtantly, i. e. in a ſet, ſolemne, intenſe, earneſt addreſſe, Pſ. 55. 17. (and ſo Daniel, c. 6. 10.) and this of noon-day is the ſame with the ſixth houre, which is a time of prayer, Act. 10. 9. uſed by Saint Peter. Others againe obſerved the ninth hour, i. e. about three of the clocke in the afternoone, as Peter and John Act. 3. 1. which is there called an houre of prayer, it ſeemes commonly obſerved; and by going up to the Temple it is likely that publicke prayers were uſed at that time, and this ſuperadded to the former is a fourth time. And there is little doubt, but that the third houre, i. e. nine in the morning, was an houre of prayer alſo, though there falls not out to be any mention of it in the new Teſtament, and then that is a fifth time: And the evening prayer being anſwerable to the morning, and ſo uſed at ſix in the evening, as the other at ſix in the morning, the cuſtome of Godly men hath beene to ſhut up the evening with a Compline or prayer at nine of the Night, and ſo that is a ſixth time. To which David ſeemes to adde a ſeaventh: Pſal. 119. 164. ſeven times a day do I prayſe thee; where prayſing being the fourth part of prayer, may be a denotation of the whole duty, although the truth is, the phraſe ſeven times may poſſibly be taken not ſtrictly to ſignifie that number, but as a phraſe or forme of ſpeech to denote frequency. Theſe directions put together, and pondered and compared with the leaſure that every man hath from the duties of his calling, and with the great unvaluable benefits of prayer, and with the power of importunity i. e. frequent comming to God in prayer, acknowledged by Chriſt, and with the con…rnance of thoſe things which we may aske and obtaine by prayer, above moſt other things which we ſpend great part of our time on, and with the reaſonableneſſe of giving God a liberall portion out of our time as well as our eſtates, who hath allowed us ſo much beſides to our owne uſes, will be very helpfull to you that you may judge diſcreetly what is to be done in this buſineſſe, and then ſtill reſolving that what is well done and well weighed for circumſtances, being for the ſubſtance a duty commanded, the more of it is performed, it will be the more acceptable to God.

From theſe Scruples ſatisfyed give me leave to proceed to another what kind of formes my prayers may, or muſt be preſented in?

In this there are two queſtions couch ed; 1. whether any ſet forme of prayer be lawfull to be uſed? 2. If it be, whether any other may be uſed? And then what directins may be had for that? To the firſt I anſwer poſitively, that ſet formes of prayer are lawfull, both as the word [ſet] ſignifies premeditate limited formes as oppoſed to extemporary, and as it ſignifies preſcribed, and for ſome occaſions and uſes commanded. That it is lawfull to uſe a ſet determinate forme of words either written or faſtened in our memory, is apparent both by the example of Chriſt, (who in Saint Luke bids us when we pray, ſay, Our Father, &c: not only pray after this patern (as the words in Saint Matthew may be interpreted) but uſe theſe very words, When you pray ſay, Our Father, &c. Luk. 11. 2.) and of John Baptiſt who taught his Diſoiples to pray in ſome forme, though we know not what it is, Luk. 11. 1. As alſo of the Preiſts that uſed ſet formes of bleſſing the people, Numb. 6. 24. and of our Saviour himſelfe, who uſed a part (if not the whole) of the 22 Pſalme upon the croſſe; My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? &c. And of the Church of the Jewes, and Chriſtian Churches through all times, who have had their Liturgies as wayes and formes of ſerving of God publickely, and as meanes to preſerve the true Religion from all corruptions in doctrine. And to theſe arguments may be added one more of common obſervation even when the Miniſter (or who ever is the mouth of the reſt) prayeth, though in a forme of his owne preſent extemporary effuſion, yet at that time all others preſent are limited to his conceptions, and pray in as ſtinted a forme, as if what the Miniſter prayes were read out of a booke, or dictated by his memory. That it is alſo lawfull to uſe a ſet (as that ſignifies a preſcribed) forme of prayer is apparent alſo, 1. By Chriſts preſcribing; which he would not ſure have done if it had not beene lawfull to have uſed it being preſcribed. And ſo alſo, 2. By the other examples mentioned, which are moſt of them preſcriptions. 3. By the non-objection againſt the uſe of them; for ſure if it be lawfull to uſe them 'tis lawfull to preſcribe them at ſome time, and for ſome uſes, (for that a thing in it ſelfe acknowledged and proved to be lawfull, ſhould by being commanded by lawfull authority become unlawfull, is very unreaſonable, unleſſe lawfull Magiſtrates be the onelyonly unlawfull things,) and at other times to uſe other liberty is not forbidden, and ſo no tyranny uſed upon our Chriſtian liberty. 4. By the great benefit that accrues to the Congregation in having diſcreet well-formed prayers, and ſo not ſubject to the temerity and impertinences of the ſuddaine effuſions; and the ſame ſtill in conſtant uſe, and ſo not ſtrange or new to them, but ſuch as they may with underſtanding goe along with the Miniſter, and by the helpe of their memory the moſt ignorant may carry them away for his private uſe; and generally thoſe that want ſuch helpes are by this meanes afforded them. And laſtly, that by meanes of preſcribed Liturgies the unity of faith and charity is much preſerved.

Well then, ſuppoſing theſe ſet-formes to be lawfull in themſelves, and lawfull to be preſcribed, another queſtion you taught me, whether any other may be uſed but ſuch?

Yes doubtleſſe, For the Church being obeyed in the obſervance of the preſcribed Liturgy in publike, gives liberty for other; ſometimes in the publicke Congregation, ſo it be done prudently and piouſly, and reverently, and to edification; and ſo alſo in the family, or in viſitation of the ſicke, if the particular condition of one or other doe require it. And in private in the cloſet, 'tis not ſuppoſed by our Church but that every one may aske his owne wants in what forme of words he ſhall thinke fit; which that he may doe fitly and reverently, 'twill not be amiſſe for him to acquaint himſelfe with the ſeverall ſorts of addreſſes to God, that the Booke of Pſalmes, and other parts of Holy Writ, and all other helpes of devotion will afford him, either to uſe as he finds them fit for the preſent purpoſe, or by thoſe patternes to direct and prepare himſelfe to doe the like.

What qualifications be required in our prayers to make them acceptable to God, or prevalent with him?

Three ſorts of qualifications: One in the perſon that prayeth; and that is, that he lift up cleane hands without wrath or doubting, 1. That he be purified from all wilfull ſinne, bring not any unmortified wickedneſſe with him for God to patronize. 2. That he have charity to his brethren, and humility; the two contraries to wrath. 3. That he come with confidence to Gods Throne, aſſuredly beleiving that if he aske what he ought, and what God hath not decreed againſt, God will grant it him either in kinde, or by giving him that which is better for him. For this a Chriſtian is bound to beleive, that God is the hearer of prayers; that they which aske ſhall have; onelyonly this with theſe limitations, unleſſe God by his all-ſeeing eye judge ſomewhat elſe better for us; or by ſome particular decree hath determined the contrary; as when the deſtruction of a nation is determined, then though Noah, Daniel, and Job intercede for it, they ſhall onelyonly ſave themſelves, but not the nation.

What other ſort of qualifications is there?

In the prayer it ſelfe. As 1. That the matter of it be juſtifiable; ſuch things as God hath promiſed to give his Children; Or when that is doubtfull whether it be ſuch or no, then with ſubmiſſion to his wiſdome, as well as his will; if he ſeeth it beſt for us, and not otherwiſe. 2. That the things that belong to our ſoules, and wherein God may moſt be honoured, and our neighbour benefited, be moſt and primarily deſired. 3. Zeale or fervencie. 4. Attention, as it is contrary to wandring idle thoughts; which (though they are very apt ſtill to interpoſe, and no hope ever to be wholly without them) yet muſt be laboured againſt, and by the uſe of all meanes probable repelled, and pardon for them asked ſolemnely of God. 5. Conſtancy, and perſeverance in asking, commended to us by the parable of the importunate widow. 6. The uſe of ſuch bodily reverence, ſuch geſtures and poſtures as may both helpe to inflame our zeale, and be a fit companion of our ſpirituall worſhip. And 7. ſometimes adding to Gen. 28. 20.our prayers vowes of voluntary oblations, after the example of Jacob If God. &c.

What is the third ſort of qualifications?

Thoſe that are to follow our prayers. 1. Obſervation of Gods returnes to our prayers; and in that of God's gracious providence in denying what would have beene leſſe fit, and granting that that is more; 2. Returning him the thankes and the glory of all his grants, and denialls. 3. Conſidering and ſetting a value on this great unparallell'd dignity and prerogative of a Chriſtian, in talking, and converſing, and prevailing with God; no difficulty of acceſſe, no doubt of acceptation. 4. Rayſing from his mercies a ſtocke and treaſure of confidence for the future, together with a love of him; and by his denyalls learning to make fitter addreſſes the next time. 5. Expreſſing our gratitude for his mercies by our acts of charity and bounty to our brethren that aske of us, or need our ayd, and in caſe of precedent vow, paying that which we have vowed.

If there be nothing elſe, which you will adde concerning the duty ſuppoſed, be pleaſed to proceed to the Cautions interpoſed in it?

The firſt of them is common with that in the matter of almes-giving, that the deſire to be ſeene, or praiſed of men for our piety, do not interpoſe in our devotions; to that purpoſe, that it be not done in foreigncommon aſſemblies (meaning thereby not the Church, or publicke aſſemblings to that purpoſe in the houſe of God, as the word Synagogues might ſeeme to import, but any place of publicke view where men uſe to be ſpectatours) nor in the corners of ſtreets i. e. places choſen on purpoſe as moſt conſpicuous (for he that is in the corner of ſtreets is ſeene by all in either ſtreet) but that our private prayers (which peculiarly are here ſpoken of) be as private as may be; in the cloſet, and the doore ſhut: as neare as we can, no eye, but that of heaven, admitted to behold us. For if, in a duty, wherein God is ſo nearely concerned by way of honour, and our ſelves both in duty, for the obtaining our needes, we can take in ſo poore an acceſſion, as the conſideration and deſire of the praiſe of men, 'tis moſt juſt that that ſhould be our reward, and no other expected from God for us.

But what is the ſecond Caution?

That we uſe not vaine repetitions.

What is meant by that phraſe?

The word in Greeke is a proverbiall word, foreign.referring to a perſon whoſe name was Battus, and a fault that he was obſerved to be guilty of; which, ſeeing 'tis now uncertaine what it was, we ſhall beſt gueſſe of, by the context here, particularly by the reaſons that are here annexed to the cautions. 1. Becauſe by this we ſhall be like the heathens, who thinke to be heard by their much ſpeaking; 2. Becauſe we ſhall be like them in thinking that our many words helpe God to underſtand our meaning, which he knowes before we begin to pray. By which it is, 1. plaine, that all repetition in prayer is not forbidden, becauſe all ſuch is not againſt either of thoſe reaſons; and withall, becauſe both David in his Pſalmes (particularly Pſal. 136.) and Chriſt in his agony uſed the ſame words in prayer many times. Secondly that the thing here forbidden is ſomewhat that the heathens were guilty of; as before the Hypocrites of the vaineglory. 3. That the thing moſt probably to be fixt on, is this, the Tumbling out of a many unſignificant words, as the heathen Tragedies expreſſe their manner, or the ſame words over and over againe, not out of fervency of minde, but to lengthen out the prayer as long as they can, counting this length of words a good quality, or that that makes it either more powerfull or more acceptable with God, which indeed was the peculiar fault of the Gentiles, the Jewes rather uſing conciſeneſſe and brevity in their prayers. From all which it followes, that the bare length of prayers, any farther then either the neceſſity of our ſeverall wants, or the fervency of our Zeale requires, or may tend to the inflameing of our Zeale, is not acceptable to God or like to prevaile with him; but rather to do the contrary, if it be affected by us, which is farther evidenced by the manner of that prayer which is here by Chriſt commended to us, as a patterne and forme of ours to be ruled and directed by. Our Father &c. a very conciſe and ſhort prayer.Of the Lords Prayer.

Being by our Saviours Speech and our progreſſe in attendance thereon fallen upon the Lords prayer, though I have formerly in the explication of our Church-Catechiſme learnt ſomewhat of the underſtanding of it, yet it being a prayer of ſuch ſpeciall weight & difficulty, I ſhall againe deſire your particular directions for the underſtanding of every part and branch of it diſtinctly. And 1. Is there anything that from the generall fabricke of the words you would obſerve to me?

Yes, this one thing, that our firſt and cheife care ought to be the glory of God, advancement of his kingdome, and obedience to his will; i. e. the ſetting up God in that excellence that belongs to him; which is the ſumme of the three firſt petitions: And then after that, the care of our ſelves and thoſe things wherein we are moſt concerned; the ſumme of the three latter. To which if we annex the Doxology [for thine is the Kingdome &c.] which is the reflecting on God's gloryagain the obſervation will be enlarged, that the glory of God &c: ought to be our firſt and laſt care; and all that is good to our ſelves taken in only as it may beſt conſiſt with that, on each ſide limited with it; Juſt as we read of the Liturgy uſed by the Jewes, that of the eighteen prayers uſed in it, the three firſt and three laſt concerned God; and the reſt, betweene themſelves and their owne wants. But the truth is, the ancienteſt Greeke copies have not thoſe words of Doxology, and there is reaſon to thinke that they came in out of the Liturgies of the Greeke Church; where (as now in many places) the cuſtome was, when the Lords prayer had beene recited by the Preſbyter, for the people to anſwer by way of Doxology (as after the reading of every Pſalme a Glory be to the Father, &c.) For thine is the Kingdome, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever Amen.

Pleaſe you then to enter on the particular ſurvey of this prayer? Where firſt occurres the title which we beſtow on God in it, which I already conceive as a meanes to raiſe up our hearts to him, and a ground of confidence that he can and will heare our prayers. But what is the particular importance of it?

1. That we looke on God as children on a father, with all reverence, and love, and gratitude; as on him who is 1. Our creatour and father of our being. 2. More peculiarly ſet out to us in that relation, then to any other ſort of creatures; as Plato ſaid, God was a aforeign.maker of other things, but a bforeign.father of men. 3. That all the acts of a father on earth are by him performed to us, but in a farre higher and more excellent degree; as farre as heaven is above earth. Such are, 1. His begetting us a new to a lively hope; i. e. his giving us his ſpirit, the principle of ſpirituall and celeſtiall life: 2. His continuance of aſſiſting grace to preſerve what he hath begotten: 3^dly. His 1 preventing 2 exciting & 3 illuminating grace, as a kinde of education to our ſuoles: fourthly, His providing an inheritance for us in another world, not by the death of the father, but by the purchaſe of the ſonne, to be enſtated on us, at our death; which is the comming out of our nonage, as it were, And beſides all this, wherein he is a Father to our ſoules and ſpirits, many, nay all kind of paternall acts to our very bodies, which we owe more to him, then to our earthly parents who begat them; as alſo the feeding, preſerving, maintaining, adorning, and at laſt crowning of them. 2. By this title, and in it that particle [Our] we 1. ſignifie our beleife of Gods free bounty, and fatherly reſpect to all our kind, and labour not to ingroſſe, or incloſe it to our ſelves. 2. We extend our prayers to them, as well as to our ſelves. 3. We expreſſe our faith, and relyance, and totall plenary dependance on him, as Ours, and without whom we can hope nothing. 3. By the adjunct of this title [which art in heaven] we celebrate his infinity, immenſity, all ſufficiency, and all the reſt of his attributes, whereby he differs from our fathers on earth, i. e. from men, and the honourableſt of creatures.

From the title you may pleaſe to deſcend to the petitions; and firſt to thoſe which concerne God; of which all together, if you would teach me any thing, I ſhall be ready to receive it.

I ſhall onelyonly trouble you with this from thence; That the forme of wiſh rather then prayer, retained in all thoſe three, different from the ſtile of the three latter, doth conteine under it a ſilent prayer to God, to take the meanes or way of performing this into his owne hands; and by his grace or providence, or however he ſhall ſee fit, to take care that by us and all mankind, His name may be hallowed, His Kingdome may come, His will be done, &c.

What is meant by the firſt petition, [hallowed be thy name?] And 1. what by Gods name?

By his name is meant himſelfe; God in his eſſence, and attributes, and all things that have peculiar relation to him: It being an ordinary Hebraiſme that thing and word, doing and foreign & foreign & foreignſpeaking, being called and being, name and eſſence, (as his name ſhall be called Wonderfull, i. e. he ſhall be a wonderfull one) ſhould be taken promiſcuouſly, the one for the other.

What is meant by hallowing?

The Hebrew word, or Syriacke dialect in which Chriſt delivered it, ſignifies to ſeperate from vulgar common uſe, to uſe in a ſeperate manner, with that reverence and reſpect that is not allowed to any thing elſe; in that notion that holy is oppoſed to common or profane. Thus is God hallowed, when he is uſed with a reverence peculiar to him above all other things; when ſuch power, majeſty, dominion, goodneſſe, &c. are attributed to him, that are compatible to nothing elſe. Thus is his Name hallowed, when it is reverently handled; His word or Scripture, when weighed with humility, received with faith, as the infallible fountaine of all ſaving truth applied to our ſoules, and the ſoules of our hearers, as the inſtrument deſigned to our endleſſe good, the power of God unto ſalvation. Thus is his Houſe conſecrated to his ſervice; his Preiſts deſigned to wait on him and officiate; the Revenues of the Church inſtated on God for the maintenance of his lot or Clergy; the firſt day of the weeke among us (as among the Jewes, the laſt) ſet a part for the worſhipping of God publickely and ſolemnely. And every of theſ… is hallowed when it is thus according to the deſigne, uſed ſeparately; when none of theſe mounds to fence each, are broken downe, but all preſerved from the inrode of ſacrilegious profaners.

Having explained the ſingle termes, what is now the meaning of the complex, or petition?

I pray to God that he will be pleaſed, by his grace, poured into my heart and the hearts of all men, and by the diſpenſation of his gracious providence to worke in all our hearts ſuch a reverence, and aw, and ſeparate reſpect unto him, his Majeſty, his attributes, his workes of grace, his name, his word, his day, his Miniſters, his conſecrated gifts the patrimony of the Church, divolved from him upon them, that the ſinnes of ſacriledge and profaneneſſe, and idolatry, and irreverence, and in devotion, &c. may be turned out of the world; and the contrary virtues of Chriſtian piety ſet up and flouriſh among us.

O bleſſed Father, Thus be thy name hallowed by me and all mankind.

Pleaſe you now to proceed to the ſecond. [Thy Kingdome come] And 1. What is meant by Gods Kingdome?

The exerciſe of Chriſts ſpirituall Regall power in the hearts of all his ſervants, and Subjects, or Diſciples, that give up their names unto him, 1. Here in this imperfect Kingdome of grace, where the mortifying of every unruly affection is erecting of a Throne for Chriſt; 2. At the famous much expected calling of the Jewes, (thoſe greateſt enemies of Chriſt) ſo often prophecyed of, when Chriſts Kingdome in the hearts of men ſhall be much more illuſtrious then now it is; more holineſſe, more obedience, more ſincere perfect ſubjection, and leſſe reſiſtance of enemies, whether Satan, or wicked men, in what manner we doe not yet know; 3. In the great finall doome of all enemies, and crownning of all Saints, which ſhall be attended with a Kingdome which ſhall have none end, Chriſt giving up the Kingdome to his Father, and all his Saints taken in to reigne with him for ever.

What doe you meane by praying that this Kingdome of God may come?

I pray that God by his grace inſpired into my heart, and the hearts of all men, and by his other bleſſed diſpoſall of all things below, will ſo begin to ſet up his Kingdome in our hearts immediately, ſo weaken the power of the adverſary, and the malice of oppoſers, that it may by degrees of flouriſhing daily encreaſe; his ancient people the Jewes be effectually called; and all other things which are in his purpoſe, orderly completed; till at laſt this mortall compounded Kingdome, which hath ſo much mixture of infirmity, and ſinne and rebellion in it, be turned into a Kingdome of perfect holineſſe, and immortality.

O come Lord Jeſus quickely into thy Kingdome of Grace here for the illuminating and preventing, for the purging and cleanſing, for the regenerating and ſanctifying of our ſoules! for the beſtowing on us that precious bleſſed grace of perſeverance; and in the Kingdom of thy glory for the perfecting and accompliſhing of us hereafter!

Proceed we to the third petition. [Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven] What is meant by Gods will?

His commands whatſoever they are, but eſpecially thoſe which are delivered to us in the Goſpell by Chriſt.

How is his will done in Heaven?

It is performed by the Angels who are his Miniſtring ſpirits, doing thoſe things in the governing of the world below, and of every of us, which he appointeth them to do. And this which they are thus appointed, they do willingly, chearefully, ſpeedily, and without neglecting any part of it.

What doe you meane by the doing it on earth?

The obedience of all men here below.

What then is the full importance of the whole petition?

We pray to God, that he will ſo inſpire his grace into all our hearts, and ſo direct by his providence, and aſſiſt to performance, that we may obey him in all his commands here on earth, willingly, readily, cheerfully, ſpeedily, impartially, or (ſincerely, without indulgeing our ſelves to any kind of ſinne in the omiſſion of any part of our duty to him) as his Angels dayly obey his commands in Heaven.

Bleſſed Lord, give us this grace to will, and aſſiſt us to performe!

From the petitions that reſpect God, we may non proceed to thoſe that reſpect our ſelves more particularly; though by your explication I perceive that in thoſe which reſpect God, weare neerely concerned alſo.

It is true in ſome kind, but not immediately and particularly, as in the latter three; of which one thing you may obſerve in generall, which yet I cannot conveniently declare to you till I have explained to you the particulars.

Be pleaſed then to do that. & firſt in the former of then [Give us this day our dayly bread] to tell me what is meant by Dayly Bread?

By bread, is foreign.meant all the neceſſaries of life. By dayly, ſomewhat which the word in Engliſh doth not diſtinctly ſignifie, yet well enough expreſſeth the ſence of. For thus it is. The word in Greeke comes from a word which ſignifies the day approaching, or the morrow, or (in the ſcripture foreignſence of the Hebrew anſwerable to it) the remainder of our lives how long or ſhort ſoever it foreignis; which becauſe it is uncertaine, men ordinarily make this an excuſe for their covetouſneſſe that they may lay up for their age, and ſo the older they are, grow the more covet ous. From hence the word rendred [dayly] denotes ſo much as ſhall be ſufficient or proportionable for the remainder of our lives; which in our prayers we beſeech God to take into his care, and to diſtribute unto us this day, i. e. (as Saint Luke interprets it) or dayly day by day. So that the prime importance foreign.of this petition is, Lord give us day by day that which ſhall be ſufficient for the remainder of our lives.

You ſaid this was the prime importance of it, which ſeemed to imply that there was another; What is that?

The moſt obvious ſence I call the prime ſenſe, becauſe the words do firſt yeild it; that is (as I told you) to the bodily neceſſaries of this life, food and rayment; but a ſecondary ſence there is, which though the word yeild but in the ſecond place, yet is a more weighty conſiderable ſence; to wit, as bread imports in a ſpirituall acception the food of the ſoule; the grace of God; without which that can as little ſuſteine it ſelfe as the body without food, and then the dayly bread is that meaſure of continuall grace which will ſuffice for the remainder of our warfare here; which we beſeech God day by day to beſtow upon us, to aſſiſt and uphold us in all our wants, and referre the care thereof unto God, who, we are confident, careth for us.

I beſeech God thus to care for us all, and give us day by day for the remainder of our lives, all things neceſſary for our ſoules and bodies!

You may now pleaſe to proceed to the next, i. e. the fifth petition. Forgive us our treſpaſſes, as we forgive them that treſpaſſe againſt us.]

There will be little difficulty found in that; to forgive, is to abſolve, pardon, free from puniſhment; and the word, treſpaſſes, ſignifies all manner of offences againſt God, the word in Greeke is debts; foreign.which is a Syriack expreſſion to ſignifie ſinnes: Thus occaſioned, every man is bound to perfect, exact, obedience to God by the condition of the firſt covenant, and that under an heavy penalty, if he faile, he then which hath ſo failed is thus God's debter to puniſhment; which if it be not forgiven him, will fetch out a writ againſt him, caſt him into priſon, and there leave him (till he hath payed the utter moſt. i. e. eternally.) We therefore pray to God to remit theſe debts of ours, the payment of which would go ſo deepe with us, and whereas we adde [as we forgive them &c:] that is only a mention of a qualification in us, made neceſſary by Chriſt, to make us capable of that remiſſion of God's; and as an argument to enforce that grant, by profeſſing our ſelves freely to pardon all thoſe, that by any injuries done to us are become our debtors, i. e. might juſtly in ſtrict law be by us proſecuted to puniſhment.

Lord, grant us all this free pardon thorow the ſatisfaction of Jeſus Chriſt, for all our ſinnes, and give us grace thus to forgive all others, that have injured us, as freely as we hope for pardon from our good God!

I ſhall lead you to the laſt petition, which ſeemes to be made up of two members. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evill. What is meant by temptation firſt? then by Gods leading into it?

By temptation is meant any allurement of pleaſure or profit; or deterrement of danger or evill, which may bring me to fall into any ſinne. To enter into ſuch temptation] (as Mat. 26. 41. the phraſe is uſed) ſignifies ſo to be involved with either of theſe, that I cannot get out. To make to enter, or to bring or leade into it, foreign.(which are all one) is to occaſion our thus entring or being involved. Which God may doe by leaving us, or by withdrawing his grace. So that the meaning of this petition is not, that God would not permit us to be tempted, (which is the lot of all, eſpecially the moſt Godly men, Ja. 1. 2, 3.) but that he will not ſo forſake, or leave us to our ſelves, ſo deſtitute, and withdraw his grace, ſo deliver us up (in time of temptation, either through proſperity or adverſity, or Satans aſſault) that we be not able to extricate our ſelves; that he will not leave us to be overcome by temptation. For ſo [to be tempted,] Gal. 6. 1. ſignifies, being of a reall-paſſive ſignification, (of which nature there be many in the New Teſtament) and noting the being overtaken alſo, enſnared to ſinne, wrought on by temptation, for the poſſibility of that onelyonly is it; the conſideration of which will move us to reſtore ſuch, as be already overtaken, which is the ſubject of that verſe.

Lord doe not thou thus leave or forſake us in time of temptation ſo farre as that we be overcome by it! But what is the importance of the other member of the petition?

The former was onelyonly negative, for not bringing us to this great hazard by forſaking or deſtituting us; the latter is poſitive for deliverance from temptation, not againe from falling into it, but from being overcome by it; which God may doe by either of theſe wayes. 1. By giving us a proportionate meaſure of ſtrength, or grace to beare it, and move under it, how heavy ſoever the preſſure be. Or 2. By tempering the temptation to our ſtrength, and not permitting the aſſault to be over heavy; and ſo, that God will doe this by which of theſe meanes he pleaſes, and deliver as from the power or hurt of temptation, (which then onelyonly becomes evill when we are overcome by it) is the ſumme of that ſecond part of the laſt petition, Deliver us from evill, or out of evill; whether by that, meaning the evill one, Satan, the artificer, and deſigner, and improver of temptation; Or the temptation it ſelfe of our owne luſt; or the world and enemies of piety.

Lord, be thou thus ſeaſonably pleaſed to reſcue and deliver us, when we ſhould otherwiſe ſurely be overcome, by the power and aſſiſtance of thy mighty grace!

I now remember you told me one thing would be obſerveable from the generallveiw of theſe threepetitions, which having now explained them, it will be ſeaſonable to afford me.

It is this, The order wherein God is wont to diſpenſe his ſpirituall gifts unto us, by the order wherein Chriſt directeth us to petition them. Thus, God firſt gives grace to ſanctify; that manna from heaven, that bread of life, without which we are not able to live to God. 2. He pardons ſinnes to them that are thus fitly qualified to receive his pardon. 3. He aſſiſteth and upholds from falling into ſinne, i. e. he 1. Sanctifieth, 2. Juſtifieth, 3. Gives grace to perſevere, and in this order we muſt deſire and pray for theſe ſeverall degrees of grace.

What now have you to adde concerning the Doxology added to theſe petitions?

This, that whether it were delivered by Chriſt, or annexed out of the Liturgies of the antient Greeke Church, it is a very fit forme of acknowledgement to God to enforce the granting of the petitions; eſpecially thoſe three which reſpect God; thus, [Thy kingdome come] for [thine is the Kingdom.] [Thy will be done] for [thine is the power.] [Hallowed be thy name] for [thine is the glory] for ever and ever. The firſt of theſe is the acknowledgement of God's dominion due to him over the world; and is not (nor can be) ſaid in earneſt by any, but thoſe that freely reſigne up their ſoules for him alone to reigne in, The ſole Prince and Monarch of their ſoules: He that retaines one rebell luſt out of his obedience, doth mock him when he repeates thoſe words. The ſecond is the acknowledgement of Gods omnipotence, and all-ſufficiency, the fountaine of all that grace and ſtrength we beg for; and he that cannot rely on him for all that is neceſſary for this life and another, doth reproach him when he faith Thine is the power. The third acknowledgeth the thanks, the honour, the glory, of all we are, or have, to be due to him from whom all is received, and he that can impute any thing to himſelfe, as his owne acquiſition, can never be thought in carneſt when he faith [Thine is the glory.] The Amen that concludes, is but a ſolemne ſtile of the Jewiſh firſt, and then Chriſtian Church. Either noting the faith of him that prayes, and conſides that what he here prayes for ſhall be granted; or only a recollection of all that is before prayed for, by the ſpeaker; by which all that are preſent, uſe to make themſelves partakers of the ſeveralls, and to expreſſe their joyning in each with him. [So be it.] Anſwerable to what is at length in our Letany [We beſeech the to heare us good Lord.]

I perceive after the recitation of this prayer, one appendage there is which cometh in as it were in a parentheſis, before our Saviour proceedes to the next matter [For if ye forgive men their treſpaſſes &c. v. 14. 15. what is the meaning of that?

It is a returning by way of reveiw, or giving a reaſon of one paſſage in the former prayer (and but one, as if that were the moſt hugely important of any) to wit why thoſe words [as we forgive them that treſpaſſe againſt us] were interpoſed. Namely becauſe in God's forgiving of us, he hath a peculiar reſpect to our free pardon & forgiving of other men; as appeares by the parable. Mat. 18. 35. where he that had his debt forgiven him by the King, yet going out and challenging his fellow ſervant and exacting payment from him, hath the former forgiven debt moſt ſadly brought upon him againe and this applyed there v. 35. particularly by Chriſt, to every of us who from our hearts forgive not our brothren their treſpaſſes. And therefore whoſoever prayeth for forgiveneſ,ſe in this prayer, doth not only oblige himſelfe to forgive all others, but even curſe and bring downe imprecations upon himſelfe, and deſire God in effect never to pardon him, if he be not thus qualified by pardoning of others. 'Twill therefore be moſt abſolutely neceſſary for every man, that takes this prayer into his mouth, firſt to put all malice, deſire of revenge or grudge out of his heart; or elſe his prayer ſhall be truned into a curſe to him.

§ 3 Of Faſting.You have paſt thorow the ſecond period of this chapter, the weighty duty of prayer, together with the cautions and directions belonging to it. Let us now by your leave advance to the third, reaching thorow the next three verſes. 16, 17, 18. Moreover when thou faſteſt &c. where firſt, I pray what is the importance of the phraſe [Moreover] becauſe that was not formerly uſed in the ſecond of the three?

It noteth 1 this duty to be not ſo ordinarily and frequently taken notice of as the former, and therefore a note of remarke is prefixt to it. 2. that this is alſo a duty neceſſary to be ſuperaeded to the practice of the other two if we will be Diſciples of his; it being a part of the worſhip of God alſo, when it cometh in conjunction with them.

Well then I ſhall preſume you will continue the ſame method of handling this, which in the former two, you have obſerved; by takeing notice of, 1. a duty ſuppoſed, 2. a caution interpoſed. I ſhall deſire to receive firſt what you will recommend unto me for the Duty which is here ſuppoſed, [thou when thou faſteſt.] What kind of faſting is here ſpoken of?

Not the ſolemne preſcribed faſts of the Jewes (for thoſe were not to be concealed or diſſembled) ſuch as the great day of expiation, called the Sabbath which God had choſen (deſcribed Iſ. 58. in thoſe expreſſions which are ordinarily thought to belong to the weekely Sabbath day:) Nor thoſe other three added to that under the time of the ſecond Temple. But daies of private faſting that every one preſcribed themſelves, as a free-will offering; ſome once, ſome twice, ſome oftener every weeke, denying themſelves their lawfull ordinary food, commonly not eating till the going downe of the ſunne, and then very moderately alſo. Which exerciſe as Chriſt diſliketh not, but rather approveth it by his mention here, ſo he deſires to free and reſcue it from the vaineglorious deſigne of Phariſaicall hypocrites in the uſing of it. But before you will be well capable of hearing, and aſſenting to your duty in this of faſting or denying your ſelfe your lawfull food, it will be neceſſary by way of preparative, for you to know your duty in reſpect of ſobriety; or what eating or drinking (abſtracted from the ſuperaddition of this duty offaſting) is lawfull for Chriſtians. For as he which is not advanced ſo farre in the ſchoole of nature as to obſerve rules of juſtice, will ſcarce be a fit auditour of the doctrine of almeſ-giving premiſed; So certainely he that hath not ſubmitted himſelfe to the rule of ſobriety will be hardly brought to heare of faſting; and beſides, the truth is that the unjuſt mans almes will availe him little, and as little the drunkards or gluttons faſts. And therefore it will not be amiſſe a while, before we proceed, to take in the conſideration of this duty of ſobriety.

I acknowledge the reaſonableneſſe of the propoſall. Of Sobriety.What then doe you meane by Sobriety?

Temperance in eating and drinking, which (whatſoever may be ſaid of it under the Old Teſtament among the Jewes, who being allured to the ſervice of God, eſpecially with the repreſentation of temporall promiſes of plenty, &c. could not ſo fitly be interdicted the liberall uſe of meates, and drinkes, but might be allowed ſomewhat in that matter which is not allowable to Chriſtians; at leaſt might be ſo farre permitted the exceeding of thoſe ſtrict termes of ſobriety, without danger of puniſhment) is now ſtrictly commanded Chriſtians in the New Teſtament; and that under threat of damnation to him, that frequently of willingly, and indulgently offendeth herein. Thus 1 Cor. 6. 10. 'tis ſaid of drunkards, that they ſhall not inherit the Kingdome of God: where the word is not to be reſtrained to thoſe who drinke to beſtiality, foreign from foreign, ſtrong or ſweete wine: all one with Vinoſi or Vinolenti.to the depriving themſelves of the uſe of their reaſon, that drinke drunke as we ſay; but belongs to all that drinke wine or ſtrong drinke intemperately, though through their ſtrenght of braine they be not at preſent diſtempered by it. So Gal. 5. 21. among the workes of the fleſh, which they that doe ſhall not inherit the Kingdome of Heaven, there is mention of Revellings or comeſſations, foreign.or exceſſe in eating. So Rom. 13. 13. both together forbidden: ſurfetting, or exceſſe in eating; foreign & foreign.and drunkenneſſes or exceſſe in drinking. And ſo, 1 Pet. 4. 3. Exceſſe of wine, revellings and drinkings. And on the other ſide is ſobriety commanded, 1 Theſ. 5. 6. 8. And Tit. 2. it is mentioned as a ſpeciall deſigne and end of the appearing of Chriſt, that we ſhould be inſtructed to walke juſtly, and piouſly, and ſoberly in this preſent world. The firſt of thoſe three referring to our duty to our neighbour; the ſecond to our duty toward God, and that of ſobriety to our duty toward our ſelves; (nothing tending more to the preſervation of our ſelves then that; and nothing more hurtfull and unagreeable with that charity which we owe to our ſelves then intemperance) and ſo in thoſe three the whole duty of man comprized.

How many ſorts of exceſſe in eating and drinking be there to which ſobriety is oppoſed?

The exceſſe is of two ſorts; one in the quantity, when we eate or drinke to the overcharging of the body; and the ſobriety contrary to that is, when we eate and drinke no more then agrees with the health and good temper of it, though we doe allow our ſelves the pleaſures and delights in choice of meates, &c: Another exceſſe there is in the quality or delicacy of meates or drinkes, and a ſtudied care and purſuit of ſuch as are thus moſt delightfull. And the ſobriety contrary to this, is when we content our ſelves with that meate and drinke which is neceſſary or uſefull to the health and ſtrength of our bodies, and neglect or deſpiſe all other delicacies.

Are both theſe kindes of exceſſe condemned, and ſobrieties commanded us Chriſtians?

Some difference there is in this matter. The former of thoſe exceſſes is ſo forbidden, that he that uſeth it is excluded from the Kingdome of God, 1 Cor. 6. 10. Gal. 5. 21. And conſequently the contrary ſobriety ſtrictly commanded under that heavy penalty. But the ſecond kind of exceſſe is not ſo forbidden, or the contrary ſobriety ſo commanded under penalty of excluſion from the Kingdome of Heaven to him that uſeth that exceſſe, onelyonly in the choice of meates that are moſt delicious. Yet becauſe two conſiderations there are which make this exceſſe in the quality or delicacy to be unagreeable to the compoſition of the Gospell-rule of life, I cannot but ſay that this kind of ſobriety is commanded alſo, and the contrary habit to it a finne.

What be thoſe two conſiderations?

1. The hope of eternall life, and endleſſe ſpirituall joies that are propoſed to us in the New Teſtament; which if they be ever ſuffered to enter into, and fill our hearts, will produce a diſ-eſteeme and meane opinion, and in time a contempt and ſcorne of all carnall delights and pleaſures; an uſing (the pleaſant part, as well as the profitable of) the world, as if we uſed it not; and, ſo we may have food convenient for us, a notcaring for any choice or ſuperfluity; an abſteining purpoſely from all ſupervacaneous pleaſure. The ſecond conſideration is the duty of charity and liberality to our poore brethren required of us, and ſo recommended to us in the Goſpell: in which he that fares deliciouſly, and takes care not onelyonly for the preſerving of the health and ſtrength, but alſo for the pleaſing and entertaining of his palate, will be leſſe able to diſcharge his duty; that ſupervacaneous pleaſure bringing a ſuperfluous expence and charge along with it. Theſe two conſiderations make it very hardly ſeperable from ſinne, for any man to allow himſelfe this 2^d kind of exceſſe; though I ſhall not pronounce damnation on him that is guilty of it; 1. Becauſe I doe not find in the New Teſtament any particular direct immediate command againſt it; 2. Becauſe the virtue of ſobriety, eſpecially in this 2^d ſort conſiſts not in any one point indiviſible, ſo that he that eateth this kind of meate ſinneth not, and he that eateth any more delicious doth ſinne. 3. Becauſe there is no rule by which to define delicious meates; that being moſt delicious to one, which is leſſe to another. 4. Becauſe indeed to a temperate healthy man the plaineſt and ordinarieſt meates are moſt delightfull and pleaſing alſo. On which and the like reaſons I ſhall not condemne or terrify any man in this matter, nor tell him the abſteining from delicacies is by any precept required of him. But onelyonly mention to him theſe ſeven things. 1. That 'tis a vile and Ʋn-Chriſtian thing to ſet the heart upon ſuch meane carnall delights. 2. That what I can conveniently ſpare from my ſelfe, I ſhould reſerve for thoſe that doe, or may want it. 3. That there is exceſſe in the quality as well as quantity of meates and drinkes. 4. That a Chriſtian may doe better to deny himſelfe lawfull pleaſures, then doe all that is not unlawfull. 5. That the end of eating and drinking is the preſervation of health and ſtrength; and not the delighting the palate. 6. That though a well-tempered healthy mans appetite ordinarily demands thoſe things that are fitteſt for him; and conſequently in that caſe the ſatisfying the appetite may not be amiſſe; Yet 1. The appetite is oft intemperate in it's demands; oft demandeth this or that which by ſome cuſtome it hath beene uſed to; and then that cuſtome being equivalent to a diſeaſe ſometimes, ſometimes the author of ſome reall diſeaſe, that diſeaſe ſhould be cured, and that appetite meane time not obeyed; 2. The appetite is tempted many times by the object, either really preſent, being ſet before us; or imaginarily, being repreſented by the phanſy, and then the motion of the appetite is no argument of the meeteneſſe of ſatisfying it. 7. That faſting, or abſtinence wholly, is alſo a Chriſtian duty to be uſed ſometimes; and by theſe rules I ſhall leave any prudent and ſincere Chriſtian to direct himſelfe in this matter, and deſire him in the feare of God to be carefull that he offend not againſt that Chriſtian neceſſary duty of ſobriety in any kind.

But may not feaſting be lawfull now among Of Feaſting.us Chriſtians, and ſo delicious fare?

Feaſting, as it is an expreſſion of thankſgiving to God, and celebration of ſome act of his mercy, as it is an act of hoſpitality for the receiving and treating of others, as well as our owne family; as it is a meanes of preſerving and encreaſing mutuall love and charity among men, is certainely now lawfull, and commendable; But all theſe ends and uſes may be provided for, without luxury and delicacy (onelyonly variety perhaps will be uſefull in ſundry reſpects) and againe without any mans overcharging himſelfe, and therefore will never be an excuſe, or apology for either. And as for honeſt mirth and cheerefullneſſe, it will not at all be provided for by immoderate or delicious eating or drinking, but rather hindered by it; raiſed tumultuouſly perhaps by that meanes for the preſent, but then apt to degenerate into ſcurrilitie &c. & withall attended with bitterneſſe in the ſtomack, with ſatiety, and drowzineſſe, which is moſt contrary to it. In breife the true Chriſtian feaſting is when the poore and rich meete at the ſame common entertainement, and they that want partake of others plenty in the ſame common meale, contrary to the [Every man his owne ſupper.] Where for one to be drunken, i. e. to eate or drinke exceſſively, foreign.is as great a ſoloeciſme, as for another to goe away hungry.

I ſhall hope to lay that doctrine of ſobriety to heart, and ſo to be in ſome meaſure qualified for that ſuperſtruction and ſuperaddition of faſting which occaſioned this diſcourſe. Which becauſe you reſolved to be a duty ſuppoſed in a Chriſtian and acceptable to God under the Goſpell I muſt firſt deſire the ground of that affirmation.

1. Becauſe it is here in the ſame manner joyned with the two former, almeſgiving and prayer, which are unqueſtionably ſuch duties. 2. Becauſe it is here promiſed a reward by Chriſt, if it be not blaſted by vaineglory. 3. Becauſe 'tis foreſeene by Chriſt to be that, that men are apt to expect praiſe for among men. 4. Becauſe Chriſt in other places approves, if not commands the uſe of it; onelyonly affirmes the reaſon for his Diſciples to faſt, to be not then ſo agreeable, becauſe the bridegroom was with them, Matt. 9. 15. but when the bridegroome ſhould be taken away i. e. after the death and departure of Chriſt, then ſhall they faſt in thoſe dayes. 5. Becauſe Chriſt bringeth in the Phariſee boaſting, that he faſts twice in the weeke, and layes no manner of cenſure on him for ſo faſting, but onelyonly for the pride in boaſting of it, and (I remember) 'tis Saint Chryſoſtomes direction, that we ſhould onelyonly avoid the Phariſees pride, but not neglect his performances; as on the other ſide, forſake the Publicans ſinnes, and retaine his humility. 6. Becauſe it was prevalent with God being joyned with prayer to the working of miracles. Matt. 17. 21. and ſo againe for the obtaining the preſence of the holy Ghoſt in a ſpeciall manner, Act. 2. and uſed by the Apoſtles before the Ordination of miniſters, 8. 3. & Act. 14. 33. 7. Becauſe the performance of this is thought by Saint Paul a ſufficient occaſion for a temporary parting of man and wife, 2 Cor. 7. 5. which otherwiſe he would not adviſe; which ſignifies this to be an imployment of weight among Chriſtians, 8. Becauſe it is mentioned by Saint Luke as a part of the worſhip of God, joyned with prayer, in Anna. Luk. 2. 37. of whom 'tis ſaid, that ſhe departed not from the Temple ſerving, or worſhiping God in prayers and faſtings, night and day; of foreign.which I conceive this is the importance; That ſhe conſtantly frequented the Temple at the houres of prayer, (not that ſhe dwelt or continued all wayes there; for v. 38. there is mention of her comming thither) and uſed conſtant obſervations of faſting; and in ſo doing, worſhipt God. 9. Becauſe Cornelius his viſion, which brought him to Chriſtianity, is mentioned to have beene at a time of his faſting and praying. 10. Becauſe of the many good ends and uſes, to which faſting is proper; and in reſpect of which, it lookes more like a Chriſtian virtue, then, conſidered as a bare abſtinence from a meale, it doth.

What be thoſe ends or uſes?

1. As an act of ſelfe denyall, which it is, when otherwiſe I would eate, but chooſe rather to abſteine to performe this act of that, which in generall Chriſt requireth of his Diſciples. 2. As an act of revenge; which foreign.you finde among the effects of Godly ſorrow, and parts of repentance. 2 Cor. 7. 11. and ſuch may faſting be, if on conſideration of, and by way of puniſhment on my former plenitude and luxury I now thinke fit thus to puniſh my ſelfe. 3. As a meanes of expreſſing my humiliation for ſinne, in time of Gods wrath lying upon a nation or any particular perſon, and for the averting of God's wrath: To which faſting hath beene allwayes counted very agreeable, and found to be very ſucceſſefull, both in the old Teſtament, and in all ſtories of the Church. 4. As a meanes to fit any man the better for the performing the duty of prayer as it ought. To which purpoſe he that doth not acknowledge its propriety of uſefullneſſe, is certainely a man of a ſtrange making; much diſtant from the beſt ſort of Chriſtians, whoſe experience will ſure commend it to him. 5. As a meanes to enable to the performing of workes of mercy, by giving that to the poore, which is ſpared from my ſelfe, which therefore ſhould be allwayes obſerved in either publicke or private faſts which we keep religiouſly, that we may never be the richer for what is thus ſpared, leſt we ſeem (or be tempted) to faſt for coveteouſneſſe, as others do for ſtrife. Iſ. 58. to which purpoſe it is that you ſee here almes, & prayer, and faſting, joyned together by Chriſt, not to be divided by us. If the meale we faſt from bring any thing to our purſes, it will not be accepted. For Iſ. 58. the faſt which God hath choſen, or that which is aceptable to him, is ſaid to be that, when we break the bread to the hungry &c. 6. As a means to abate the deſires & luxuriances of the fleſh, and make the body more tractable, and tame, and patient of receiving the dictates of reaſon; and to ſubdue in it inclinations toward uncleaneneſſe, when thoſe are likely to prove too ſtrong for us. To which purpoſe that faſting ſhould be uſefull, 'twill not be hard for any man to gueſſe, that conſidereth the cauſe of carnall deſires in the body, and that old ſaying, that without Ceres and Bacchus, the belly-deities, Venus, or incontinent deſires grow cold.

Is all kind of faſting then acceptable to God?

No certainely, To faſt out of ſorrow or mourning for the death of a freind, is not ſo, (though not ſinfull neither.) To faſt to ſave the charges of eating; to be the better able, or more at leaſure to tranſact buſineſſe of the world, is not ſo, (though againe not ſinfull) and by theſe you will gueſſe of ſome other kinds alſo. Yet you may marke ſtill, that one thing there is in all faſting, to wit ſelfe deniall, which though it is not by every one that faſteth propoſed as an end, yet if it be ſo propoſed, by ſo doing that faſt ſhall be acceptable to God.

I have yet one objection againſt all which you have ſaid in this matter, and it is this, that all this while you have not mentioned any command or precept of faſting in the new Teſtament, and therefore do I not beleive there is any ſuch; and for the old Teſtament, though there be a command for the obſervation of the great day of expiation every yeare, yet 1. That was onelyonly obligatory to the Jewes. 2. It was a publicke faſt, and not pertinent to this place, which ſpeakes of private faſts, 3. If it ſhould be thought to concerne us, yet being but once in the yeare, it would not be conſiderable; from all which it being ſuppoſed that there is no precept now particularly obligeing us Chriſtian's to faſt, it may ſeeme to follow, that faſting is not now acceptable to God.

To your whole objection I anſwer, 1. That there is no neceſſity of a precept of faſting, to aſſure us that it will be acceptable to God; there was no precept for voluntary oblations under the law (ſave only a direction when they were offer'd, that they ſhould not be offered maimed &c. as here there is, that we ſhould not blemiſh our faſting with deſire of praiſe of men,) and yet they were accepted; and many other evidences have beene produced to prove the uſe of faſting to be acceptable to God, though not commanded. 2. Though there be no explicite command of faſting in the new Teſtament, yet from the nature and conſtitution of the Goſpell, it may be collected, that there are in ſome caſes ſome tacite commands of it. As when all degrees of uncleanneſſe, all ſatisfying the deſires of the fleſh, are forbidden, ſave onelyonly in lawfull matrimonie, and no allowance of polygamy or concubines, to him that findes himſelfe unable thus to live in conjugall chaſtity, the uſing of meanes, which may helpe to it, are tacitely commanded by God; and conſequently faſting, if that be the onelyonly meanes left him; and then, as to the Diſciples, that could not caſt out that Devill, which would not goe out but by prayer and faſting, it is accounted infidelity by Chriſt, not to uſe that meanes, Mar. 9. 19. So will it be the like unchriſtian ſinne in him, that uſes not this meanes ſo neceſſary to ſo neceſſary an end. The ſame may be ſaid, in caſe the Magiſtrate under whom we live preſcribes the obſervation of it, or when ever any man ſeeth it neceſſary, or very probable, that he ſhall be hindred from the performing of ſome duty (which he owes to the glory of God or edification of his brethren) unleſſe he faſt that day. Laſtly, the caſe may be ſo ſet, that a man may diſcerne himſelfe able, without any detriment to his health, or danger of ſhortning his life, &c. to uſe frequent faſting, and withall by that meanes much advance his ſpirituall ends, have greater vacancy for holy imployments, greater ſtore for workes of mercy, &c. and then ſure in this caſe the commands of praying, and mercifullneſſe, will be alſo tacite commands of faſting. So that though there be not any particular explicite precept, obligeing every man whatſoever, under paine of ſinne to faſt ſimply, thus, or thus often; yet tacite commands there may be to them that are by any of theſe circumſtances fitted for it; and even to thoſe that for the preſent are not, it will yet be fit to be conſidered and counted of, as a duty that they may be concerned in; and that, if in no other reſpect, yet in this, that they are Chriſtians who aſpire to an angelicall life, and inviſible joyes, and ſhould therefore deny, and by that weane themſelves of thoſe ſenſuall corporeall pleaſures of eating, or drinking, ſo farre as to preſervation of life and health, and to their duty to themſelves may be agreeable.

How often then ſhould a Chriſtian faſt?

By what hath beene ſaid, you will gueſſe it unlikely, that I ſhould undertake to preſcribe ſet rules for this, the duty I ſhall leave to you as a voluntary oblation for you to offer as frequently as prudence joyned with due care of your health, and as piety, and the ſpirit of God ſhall prompt you; and onelyonly tell you theſe three things, 1. That the Phariſee faſted twice every weeke, and that never cenſured in him as a peice of Phariſaiſme, or hypocriſie, or fault of any kind; but as commendable, if he had not boaſted of it. 2. That every Chriſtian ought to have his ſolemne ſet dayes for the performing that great and weighty duty of humiliation, in calling himſelfe to account for all his wayes, and confeſſing his ſinnes to God more particularly; and thoſe dayes ſhould not be too ſlow in their returnes, leſt his ſoule be too deep in arreares, and ſo unwilling to come to accounts at all. 'Tis very reaſonable for every man or woman of leiſure to ſet apart one day in the weeke for this turn; & if the whole day or any other part of it may not thus be ſpared from the buſineſſe of his calling, yet the dinner time that day may be borrowed from eating, and thus more uſefully emploied, without any diſturbance to his other affaires. And he that uſeth not ſome ſuch conſtant courſe (which yet on ſpeciall occaſions may be altered) will be in great danger to be found, and cenſured a neglecter of the duties of a Diſciple of Chriſt. 3. That over and above this common duty of all men, ſome other wants there are or may be in this or that man, to the repairing of which faſting may be very inſtrumentall, as hath beene ſhewed; and ſo proportionably is to be more frequently uſed by them who have this need of it Of which their owne conſcience in the feare of God is left the judge. All this hath beene ſaid of private faſting, becauſe that is peculiar to this place. For publicke faſting the direction muſt be had from the lawes where we live; which ſo farre at leaſt oblige every one that he offend not againſt them, either contemptuouſly, or with ſcandall.

I ſhall now deſire Gods direction and grace to incline me to the performance of this my duty, ſo as may be acceptable to him, and to pardon me for my former omiſſions of it, which truly have hitherto beene very great.

You may pleaſe now to proceed to the caution interpoſed, wherein I ſhall preſume it ſuperfluous for you to ſay much, having twice already inſiſted on it, in order to prayer and almeſ-giving?

The caution is it ſelfe in plaine intelligible words, [When you faſt be not as the Hypocrites, of a ſad countenance, for they disfigure (or diſcolour) their faces that they may appeare to men to faſt] but (rather then ſo) doe thou when thou faſteſt anoint thy head, and waſh thy face, (for thy outward guiſe appeare in thy ordinary countenance and habit; for the Jewes were wont to anoint themſelves daily, unleſſe in time of mourning) that thou appeare not to men to men to faſt, (that no man out of thy family be witneſſe of thy private faſts) but to thy father which is in ſecret; that thou mayeſt appeare deſirous to approve thy ſelfe to him onelyonly, who onelyonly is able to reward thee.

You have now paſt through thoſe three great Chriſtian duties which by their ſo neare confederacy here, and by what you have ſaid of them, I find ſo linked together, that it is very reaſonable we ſhould ſet apart ſome time for the joint practice of them alltogether; for though it may be fit to give almes when I pray not, nor faſt not; and to pray when I neither give almes, nor faſt; yet ſure my faſts wherein the expence of a dinner is ſaved, ſhould be joined then, with almeſ-giving, to wit, giving to the poore that which is thus spared, and allwayes with prayer, God give me a heart thus to practice it!

§ 4 Having thus farre advanced you may pleaſe to proceed to that that followes, which I perceive to be a new matter. Lay not up for your ſelves treaſures upon earth, &c.] And ſo on in one continued thread to the end of the Chapter. Of all which what is the cheife ſummary importance you may breifely tell me.

There are two things to which all the enſuing ſixteene verſes belong, and the ſecond of them Of the deſire and love of wealth.appendant to the former, unto which the diſcourſe inſenſibly glides. The former is for the mortifying of all deſire and love of wealth; the latter for the moderating our worldly care or ſecular providence. The former in the ſix enſuing verſes, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24.

Why doe you referre theſe words, Lay not up, &c. to the mortifying of deſire and love of wealth?

Becauſe a treaſure is a metaphoricall word, to ſignify that which men deſire and love moſt importunately, and ſet their heart upon; and ſo the prohibition of laying up our treaſure on earth, is in effect the forbidding to love, or deſire, or ſet the neart upon any earthly riches as a poſſeſſion; but onelyonly to uſe them ſo as may moſt improve our future account, i. e. by liberall diſpenſing of them to raiſe a banke, which may enrich us for ever in another world. For the enforcing of which prohibition and exhortation, he mentions, 1. The vanity and uncertainty of worldly riches; which evidences how unfit they are for our hearts to be ſet upon. One kind of them, that which conſiſts in coſtly veſtments, the moth, a poore deſpiſeable creature, can and doth deſtroy and make uſeleſſe; another kind, our corne, and other the like fruits of the earth, (which the foole ſo applauded himſelfe that he had ſtore of for many yeares) earing, (for ſo the word rendred ruſt, doth foreign.ſignify) whether of men, or (the ordinary attendants of granaries) vermin, bringeth to nought, (or if you will retaine the word in our tranſlation, [ruſt] it will then referre to our money, and all other goods of that nature which are eaten with ruſt) and our any other kind of treaſure, never ſo cloſely and ſafely locktup, theeves can, and ordinarily doe breake thorow and ſteale from us. And 2. The infatuating power of riches, when we come once to love them, to reſolve to have them, (which Saint Paul, 1 Tim. 6. 8. calls they that will be rich) and to that purpoſe to ſerve or waite upon foreign.them, which way ſoever they leade us; Our hearts are then ſo wholly ſet upon them that we cannot ſerve God, or endeavour to approve our ſelves to him. This our Saviour proves by contrariety of the commands of theſe two Maſters, God and Mammon; for if their commands might be ſubordinate one to the other, they might both have their anſwerable obedience: God in the firſt place, and Mammon, or wordly wealth, in the ſubordination. But Gods commands being contrary to Mammons, i e. to thoſe courſes which are neceſſary to the getting of riches, he that will grow rich, that is bent in that deſigne, muſt give over all hope of being, or paſſing for, Gods ſervant.

What be the commands of God that are ſo unreconcileable with the ſervice of Mammon, or vehement deſire of wealth?

1. His command of doing juſtice, exact juſtice; as that excludes all violence, fraud, oppreſſion, &c. 2. That command of juſtice of the tongue in performing of promiſes, though to the greateſt hinderance and dammage; in not ſlaundering any for the wealth of the whole world. 3. His command of abſolute contentment in what ſtate ſoever I am ſet by him. 4. That command of ſelling and giving to the poore, i. e. if otherwiſe thou canſt not releive thy indigent brother in diſtreſſe, but by ſelling ſomewhat of thy owne; then to doe that, though it be moſt unlike proſpering, or thriving in the world. 5. That command of freedome and ingenuity of ſpirit; unconcernedneſſe in theſe worldly, inferiour, tranſitory things; ſelfe-reſignation; dependance on Gods providence for our daily bread; inſtead of all carking infidelity of the worldling. And 6. That of earneſt deſire and contending for peace. 7. That of meekeneſſe, patience, praying for enemies.

How are all thoſe ſo unreconcileable with Mammons commands?

You will diſcerne it in the particulars. 1. Mammon preſcribeth violence to every man, oppreſſing the poore righteous man, any that ſtands in our way to our eſpouſed gaine. 2. Mammon commands falſe accuſing, blaſting, defaming of any which are likely to keepe or get any preferment or poſſeſſion that we have a mind to; as in the example of Jezabell toward Naboth it appeares, when her husband had a longing after his vineyard; 3. Mammon commands a perpetuall unſatisfiedneſſe, a kind of dropſie-thirſt, infuſed ſtill at the beſtowing of our plenty; Mammon will not be thy freind, but on condition thou ſhall be more importunate in getting wealth, more paſſionate in making court to Mammon after this then thou wert before; and ſo generally you may obſerve it, the more poſſeſſions, ſtill the more covetiſe. 4. Mammon commands tenacity, a moſt ſtrict keeping of our owne; nay a perpetuall deſire of being a purchaſing, of making ſome new bargaines, enlarging the walke; and if Chriſt require to ſell and give, you ſee the rich man, Mammons ſervant, preſently leaves him, he goes away very ſad, becauſe he was very rich. 5. Mammon hath all manner of ſlaviſh tremblings; cowardly, uningenuous feares for his Subjects taske, (quite contrary to ſelfe-reſignation) a diſmall thoughtfullneſſe at every apprehenſion of danger; a perpetuall carking and hovering over his wealth, and a venturing on any the moſt unlawfull [In-Chriſtian practice, when ever that great law of ſelfe-preſervation, (as Mammon tels him) i. e. the law of Mammon, but of no other lawgive, (I am ſure not of Chriſt) ſuggeſts it to him. 6. Mammon commands warre (for enlarging of dominion, of poſſeſſions) that more glorious name of pyracy, which Saint James ſeemes to have conſidered, when he ſaith, warres come from our pleaſures, Ja. 4. 1. which foreign.are ſurely thoſe pleaſures conſequent to the delight or luſt of the eye; deſiring to have, v. 2. It being moſt clear that coveteouſneſſe puts upon all the moſt furious warres, and contentions, and quarrells in the world. 7. Mammon ſets men upon the moſt malicious acts of revenge of any thing; the covetous man hath ſtill ſo many enemies in his blacke booke, ſo many quarrels to anſwer, injuries to repay, treſpaſſes to revenge, that his whole life is a kind of hell to him; not knowing how to be quit with every of them, he is faine to treaſure up quarrels many yeares together, and ſtudy nothing but the payment of ſuch debts. Other contrarieties might be mentioned betweene the commands of God and Mammon; God commands to keepe the heart, Mammon the wealth, with all diligence, or above all keeping; God commands ſorrow for ſin, Mammon ſorrow for loſſes; God commands confeſſion of Chriſt and all Chriſtian truth, and never more then when 'tis moſt oppoſed, when like to bring moſt danger to the Confeſſor; Mammon commands prudence, warineſſe, time-ſerving, never hazarding any thing for truths ſake; the righteous is bold as a Lyon, when the Mammonist with his wealth, and heapes before him, dares not quatch without a licence from Mammon; an aſſurance that it ſhall coſt him nothing. Theſe and an hundred more contrarieties evidence the truth of our Saviours generall ſpeech, that [no man can ſerve two Maſters] brought home to this concluſion, you cannot ſerve God and Mammon; and from thence inforce the prohibition of not laying up our treaſures on earth, or ſetting our heart on worldly riches; which is the maine importance of thoſe ſix verſes. But beſide this there is a poſitive exhortation in theſe verſes to charity, and liberality, which is meant by laying up our treaſure in Heaven, i. e. ſo laying out our wealth, as that it may bring us in thoſe everlaſting returnes, as Chriſt explaines the phraſe by the like in another place; give to the poore and thou ſhalt have treaſure in Heaven, & Make you friends of the unrighteous, or tranſitory, or unſtable, Mammon, (contrary to the true durable riches) that when you faile they may receive you, i. e. (by an Hebraiſme) you may be received (as this night they ſhall require thy ſoule, is all one with, thy ſoule ſhall be required) into everlaſting habitations. And beſides other benefits of your liberality, this will be one, that when you thus lay up your wealth by giving it to God, and his poore children, your heart which duely followes that treaſure, will have no temptation to faſten on the earth, but on heaven, where our treaſure dwells, our hopes are laid up, our joy is to be expected.

I ſhall not trouble you longer with this matter, it being ſo obvious and plaine, onelyonly methinks two verſes there are in the midſt of theſe which ſound not to this matter and are ſomewhat obſcure; I beſeech your helpe to direct me to the meaning of them, they are v. 22. and 23.] The light of the body is the eye; if therefore the eye be ſingle the whole body ſhall be full of light, But if thy eye be evill, the whole body ſhall be full of darkneſſe. If therefore the light that is in thee bedarkeneſſe, how great is that darkeneſſe.]

Theſe words, as they are moſtly interpreted concerning the goodneſſe or illneſſe of iutentions, are not indeed very pertinent to the buſineſſe in hand of liberality and of love of money, you may therefore give me your patience while I give you the naturall genuine interpretation of them, and then you will diſcerne how pertinent they are to the preſent foreign.matter. To which purpoſe, I ſhall firſt tell you what is meant by a ſingle, and an evill eye, 2. By light and darkeneſſe. 3. By the ſimilitude here uſed. And then 4. how all belongs to the point in hand.

What is meant by the ſingle, and evill eye?

The word ſingle ſignifieth in the New Teſtament Liberall; the ſingle eye, liberality, bounty, diſtribution of our wealth to the poore. So Rom. 12. 8. He that giveth in ſingleneſſe, or, as our margent readeth, liberally. 2 Cor. 8. 2. the riches of your ſingleneſſe, we read, liberality. c. 9. 11. To all ſingleneſſe, we read to all bountifullneſſe, and v. 13. Singleneſſe of diſtribution, we read liberality of diſtribution, or liberall diſtribution. Ja: 1. 5. that giveth to all men ſingly, foreign.we read liberally. Contrary to this the evill eye ſignifies envie, covetouſneſſe, unſatisfiedneſſe, niggardlineſſe, and all the contraries of liberality. So Mat. 20. 15. is thy eye evill becauſe foreign.I am good? i. e. Art thou unſatisfied therefore, becauſe I have beene more liberall to another? thou haſt thy due, why art thou diſcontent, or unſatisfied? So Mat. 7. 22. Out of the heart cometh the evill eye, i. e. envie, covetouſneſſe, unſatisfiedneſſe. (For this is obſervable that envy is generally ſet as the oppoſite to all liberality, and God by the fathers called without envy, meaning moſt liberall and bountifull.) The word which foreign Da…s foreign Artſtoph. foreignis here rendred evill being aequivalent to an Hebrew word which ſignifies the greateſt degree of illiberality or uncharitableneſſe; and the word eye being added proverbially, perhaps becauſe that part hath moſt to do in covetouſneſſe, which is called the luſt of the eye, 1 Ja. 2. 16.

What is meant by light and darkeneſſe?

By light, Chriſtianity, or the ſtate of the Goſpell. We are of the light, and walke like children of light; and darkeneſſe, contrary to that, unchriſtian heat heniſh affections or actions.

What is meant by the ſimilitude here uſed?

That as in the body of a man the eye is the directer, ſhewes it what it ſhould do, and if it be as it ought, directeth it the right way, but if not, leadeth into moſt dangerous errours; ſo in the body the heart (mentioned immediately before) if it be liberally affected, having laid up its treaſure in heaven, and faſtened it ſelfe on it, it will direct the man to all manner of good Chriſtian actions; but if it be covetous, unſatisfied, worldly, hard, it brings forth all manner of unchriſtian, heatheniſh actions. And then if the light that be in thee be darkeneſſe, if the heart in thee be unchriſtian, heatheniſh, how great is that darkeneſſe? what an unchriſtian condition is this?

I ſhall not now asks you how all this belongs to the point in hand.

It is indeed plaine enough allready, that it belongs perfectly to the buſineſſe. And this is the ſumme of all 1. That liberality and charity in the heart is a ſpeciall part of Chriſtianity; hath a notable influence toward the production of all Chriſtian virtues, and a main argument and evidence it is of a Chriſtian to have this grace in him. 2. That uncharitableneſſe, worldly-mindedneſſe, unſatisfiedneſſe, uncontentedneſſe, envie, covetouſneſſe, is a ſinne of a very evill effect, and conſequence; betrayes a man to all moſt unchriſtian ſinnes; fills him full of iniquity, (according to that of Saint Paul. 1 Tim. 6. 10. for the love of money is the root of all evill. &c.) and a ſad ſymptome wherever we finde it of a great deale of ill beſides. All which comes in very pertinently on occaſion of thoſe words, where the treaſure is, there will the heart be alſo, & are a foundation for that appendant affirmation [You cannot ſerve God and Mammon.]

You have fully cleared this difficulty, and paſt thorow the firſt of the two things contained in the remainder of this chapter, that which pertaines to the mortifying all deſire and love of wealth, God make it ſucceſſefull in my heart, to worke all covetous warthy affections out of it, and plant all contrary graces of liberality, and mercifullneſſe in their ſteed!

§ 5 Of worldly care.You will pleaſe now to proceed to the other thing, the moderating of our worldly care, and providence, in the following words. Take no thought for your life, &c. and that taking its riſe from the former[ therefore, ſay unto you take no thought &c.].

I ſhall now proceed to this point. which takes up all the verſes to the end of this chapter, and in it onelyonly detaine you with two things, 1. The precept, or doctrine of worldly thoughtleſſeneſſe, 2. The enforcements of it, ſhewing how reaſonable it is to be obſerved, though it ſeeme a ſtrange doctrine.

To begin with the firſt, what care and ſollicitude is it, that is here forbidden?

It is ſet downe in theſe three ſeverall phraſes, 1. Take no thought for your life, what you ſhall eate, or what ye ſhall drinke, nor yet for your body, what you ſhall put on. v. 25. 2. Take no foreign ▪thought, ſaying what ſhall we eate &c. v. 31. and 3. Take no thought for the morrow. v. 34. From all which it appeares, that the thing here forbidden is that, whatever it is, which is the full importance of the Greeke word rendered [taking thought] which being derived by Grammarians foreign.from a phraſe which ſignifies in Engliſh to divide the minde) doth then ſignifie a dabiouſneſſe of minde, or anxiety; and that, a want or littleneſſe, a defect of faith, v. 30. a not beleeving, as we ought, that God that gives us life and bodies, will allow us meanes to ſuſteine one, and aray to ther Saint Luke calls it by a word which we render foreign.doubtfull minde, or carefull ſuſpence, but ſignifies hanging betwixt two; a not knowing how to reſolve whether God will do this for us, or no. Now that I may give you the cleare evidence of the Chriſtian doctrine in this matter. I will deliver it diſtinctly in theſe few propoſitions. 1. That this is a truth, (infallible truth) of Gods, that God will for the future provide for every ſervant of his, food and rayment, a competence of the neceſſaries of life; this truth may appeare by the promiſes to this purpoſe in the ſcripture; two there are of this nature, that the margents of our Bibles in this place referre to. Pſal: 55. 22. Caſt thy burthen on the Lord, and he ſhall ſuſteine thee. 1 Pet. 5. 7. Caſting all care on the Lord, for he careth for you. To which you may adde Chriſte promiſe, that if we aske we ſhall have, if we asks not amiſſe, ſaith Saint James; which ſure we do not, if we aske but what he taught us to aske; this day our dayly bread, i. e. (as in the explication of the Lords prayer was ſhewed) day by day thoſe things that are neceſſary for the remainder of our life. Many other promiſes you will obſerve to the ſame purpoſe, and particularly this in the place by way of expoſtulation. v. 30. ſhall he not much more cloth you, O ye of little faith? intimating ſtrongly a promiſe that he ſhall, and requiring faith or beleife of this promiſe at our hands. Secondly, That want of faith or truſt in this promiſe, not beleeving this truth, is a peice of the damning ſinne of infidelity, ſo charged here upon them that beleive it not, v. 30. Thirdly that any carking ſollicitude for the future, is an argument of this diſtruſt, this not daring to rely on God's providence, and God's promiſe; and ſo an unchriſtian ſinne.

But is not every man commanded by the Apoſtle. 1 Tim. 5. 8. to provide for his owne, eſpecially thoſe of his owne houſe or kindred? and if he doth not, defined to have denyed the faith, and to be worſe then an infidel? Sure then this want of thoughtfullneſſe and ſecular providence will rather be infidelity.

To reconcile this prohibition of Chriſts with this precept of Saint Pauls. It will be neceſſary to adde a 4^th propoſition, That for preſent ſupplies, a Chriſtian not only may, but muſt uſe thoſe lawfull and proper meanes that are ordinarily in his power to uſe to the attaining that end; and this is ſo farre from diſtruſting of God, or not depending and beleiving on him, that it is indeed a ſpeciall act of this faith; the doing of what he requires us to doe, and without our doing of which he hath not promiſed to ſupply us. His promiſes which are the object of our faith, are not abſolute, but conditionall promiſes; require and ſuppoſe a condition to be performed on our part, and then give us a right to the thing promiſed, not before. Every man therefore muſt doe ſomewhat himſelfe to provide for his owne (and not to doe ſo is infidelity in Saint Pauls ſtile; juſt as the Diſciples are called faithleſſe for not caſting out of the Devill, that would not be caſt out but by prayer and faſting. i. e. For not uſing that meanes to caſt him out, Mark. 9. 19.) to be inſtrumentall to Gods providence; not to fly to his extraordinary protection, when his ordinary is afforded us. God doth not uſe to multiply miracles unprofitably, nor at all but for the begetting or confirming of our Faith; which can, not be the caſe when we neglect thoſe meanes of making good Gods truths, which are already by him afforded us; but onelyonly when all lawfull meanes have beene tried improſperouſly, then 'twill be Gods ſeaſon to ſhew forth his extraordinary power. In the meane time it is ſufficient that he offer us meanes to bring us to that end which he promiſeth; and if we neglect thoſe meanes, and ſo faile in the condition required of us, we thereby diſcharge him of all obligation to make good the promiſe to us; which was not abſolute for him to doe without us, but conditionall for him to doe if we failed not in our parts.

But what are thoſe meanes required on our parts, as ſubſervient to Gods providence in feeding and clothing us?

I ſhall firſt name you ſome that are ſuch meanes, and then others that are miſtaken for ſuch, and are not. The true meanes you may know in generall by this marke, that all meanes perfectly lawfull, (i. e. all things that are proper to that end, and are no way prohibited by God) are ſuch, and all unlawfull are not. But then particularly, 1. Labour and diligence in ones caling foreign.is ſuch a lawfull meanes. As in ſpirituall ſo in temporall things if we labour, or worke, God will cooperate. As in the warre with Amelek, when Iſrael fights, God will fight with them. Poverty is the Amelek, our honeſt labour fighting againſt it, (and therefore the idle perſon is called 2 Theſ. 3. 6, 7, 11. a diſorderly walker. The word being military, foreign.ſignifying one out of his ranke, one that is not in file to fight againſt this enemy) and when we are thus employed, God our Captaine hath ſworne that he will have warre, will fight againſt that enemy with us for ever; and that as the 72 read in that place, with a ſecret hand, aſſiſting him that is thus buſied; proſpering him inſenſibly that is thus employed; A ſure bleſſing on the laborious, Prov. 10. 4. The hand of the diligent maketh rich. And on the other ſide, he that will not labour, ſaith the Apoſtle, let him not eate; which is there a peice of Apoſtolicall diſcipline to beſeige idleneſſe, and ſtarve it up. And that an image on earth of what is done in Heaven, (as in the other cenſures of the Church) it being the rule of Gods ordinary providence, that they that neglect the meanes ſhall not obtaine the end. This promiſe being conditionall as all others, not to the idle profane jiduciary, but to the faithfull labourer; The abſolute Stoicall depender on fate, may ſtarve for want of induſtry, dye for want of phyſicke, and be damned for want of repentance; and all this not through too much, but too little Faith; the not taking the meanes along with him which were predeſtined by God to bring him to a better end.

What other meanes is there required of us by God to this end?

Prayer to him for our daily bread; the condition without which there is no one thing which we have promiſe to receive from him. Aske and ye ſhall have, &c. but not otherwiſe. So elſewhere the worſhipping of God is joined with the doing of his will, to make us capable of Gods hearing.

What other meanes?

Honeſt thrift; the not ſpending upon our luſts, our vanities, thoſe good things of this world, that our labour and prayers have by Gods bleſſing brought in to us. For the prodigall may ſtarve as well as the ſluggard; he that drinkes out his bread, as he that doth not earne it. God hath not undertaken for any ſinne that it ſhall not ruine us. His protection is like that of the law, for them onelyonly that travaile in the day, and in the rode; not for the diſorderly walkers in any kind, that have any bypath or night-worke to exhauſt that treaſure, that his providence hath or is ready to beſtow. And the ſame that I ſay of luxury, may be ſaid alſo of other harpies and vultures, that leave men oft times as bare as the high-way robbers; that ſly ſinne of cloſe adultery, that eates out ſo many eſtates. Yea and that other of ſtrife and contention; that peſtilence as it were that walketh in darkeneſſe, and devoures the wealth as well as the ſoule, and no reparations to be expected from God for ſuch loſſes. One meanes more there is to which Gods promiſe of temporall plenty being annexed we may well adde it to the former. Exerciſe of juſtice and mercy. Bring you all the tithes, ſaith God by Malachy, into my ſtorehouſe, Mal. 3. 10. i. e. both the Preiſts and the poore mans tith, and prove me now herewith if I will not open the windowes of Heaven, and powre you out a bleſſing, &c. To which purpoſe the Jewes had a proverbiall Da Decimas in hoc utditeſcas.ſpeech. Pay tithes on purpoſe that thou mayeſt be rich. And many places of Scripture to the ſame purpoſe, which before mentioned; and threatnings on the contrary, that they that withhold more then is meete, it ſhall tend to want. To theſe may perhaps be added another meanes, having alſo the promiſes of long and proſperous life annexed to it, that of meekeneſſe and obedience; of which, ſaith the law, their daies ſhall be long in the land flowing with milke and honey; and the Goſpell, that they ſhall poſſeſſe the earth. As alſo it is affirmed of Godlineſſe in generall, that it hath the promiſes of this life, i. e. of ſo much of the proſperity of this world as ſhall be matter of contentment to them. Now theſe being by God deſigned as fit and proper meanes to the qualifying us for the performance of his promiſe of ſecular ſufficient wealth to us, and the condition required on our parts; 'twill be but the beleiving of a lye for any man to neglect theſe ſeverall meanes on his part, and yet to claime or challenge the end on Gods part: In the ſame manner and degree as it is for the impenitent ſinner to beleive and challenge the pardon of his ſinnes and ſalvation.

I cannot but conſent to this truth, and acknowledge the fitneſſe of the meanes which you have mentioned as truly ſubſervient to that end.

But you told me there were alſo ſome that were miſtaken for ſuch meanes, but are not. What are thoſe?

1. Secular wiſedome, pollicy, contrivance, (for though this ſeeme ſometimes to obtaine that end, Yet 1. There is no promiſe made to it. 2. It many times faileth of the deſigne. Nay 3. It hath oft times a moſt remarkeable curſe upon it) 2. Hoarding up all that comes; pinching the backe and belly to fill the bagge. 3. Going to law and contentiouſneſſe. 4. Tenacity; not giving or lending to thoſe that truly want; the griping illiberall hand. Give and it ſhall be given unto you, not elſe. 5. Immoderate care and ſollicitude; loving and courting of the world. 6. Deceite and injuſtice; and eſpecially Sacriledge and perjury. Each of theſe in the eſteem of the world, the faireſt way to wealth, yet in the event prove the ſtraight rode to curſe and poverty, (it is a ſnare to devoure that that is holy, ſaith Solomon, and after vowes to make enquiry, and that ſnare to the wealth, as well as the ſoule. See the flying roll, Zach. 5. 2. and the curſe that it brought with it, v. 3. and that entring into the houſe of the theife and of him that ſweareth falſely. v. 4. i. e. on his family alſo, and it ſhall remaine in the midſt of his houſe, and never leave haunting it till it conſume it with the timber and ſtones; that that a man thinkes would be beſt able to endure, the firmeſt part of an eſtate moulters and crumbles away betweene the fingers of the perjured perſon; noting this to be a conſuming ſinne, (and a conſumption an hereditary diſeaſe) an embleme of which is to be ſeene, Numb. 5. in the perjured woman, v. 27. The water that cauſeth the curſe ſhall enter into her, and become bitter, and her belly ſhall ſwell, and her thigh rot, thoſe two parts of the body that have relation to the poſterity.) 7. Diſtruſt of Gods promiſe; for ſure never any man got any thing of God by not truſting him; He that will not take his word muſt find out ſome other pay-maſter. 8. Oppreſſion, violence, ſpoiling of others, (though that ſeem a ſure preſent courſe to bring in wealth) for the threate of the Prophet, Iſa. 33. 1. belongs to ſuch. Woe unto thee that spoileſt; when thou ceaſeſt to spoile thou ſhalt be ſpoiled. Men are ſeldome ſuffered to taſt any of the fruite of thoſe ſins, leaſt they or others ſhould fall in love with them.

You have now aboundantly diſcharged your promiſe in ſetting downe the true and the pretending meanes.

Have you any more propoſitions now to adde to the foure already mentioned in this buſineſſe?

OnelyOnly theſe two. 5^ly. that he that uſeth theſe true meanes appointed by God, and diſcardes the falſe ones ſuggeſted by the world, by Satan, or by his owne ravening ſtomacke, is more ſure of not wanting for the future, is better provided for a comfortable old age, and a thriving proſperous poſterity, then all the worldlings arts can poſſibly provide him. He that gives over all anxious thought for himſelfe, enters into Gods tuition, and then ſhall ſurely be never the poorer for not caring. 6. That the uſing of unlawfull (though never ſo ſpecious or ſeemingly neceſſary) meanes to the getting or preſerving of worldly wealth, or the neceſſities of life, is the moſt direct peice of infidelity, moſt clearely forbidden in the phraſe of taking foreign.thought; this being the diſtruſting of God and his authorized meanes, and flying to the witch with Saul, or rather the Devill to helpe us to it; the dividing our minds, or hanging betwixt two; or rather indeed forſaking of one, and ſleaving to the other; diſclaiming God and his providence, and truſting to our ſelves and our owne artifices; The greateſt anxiety of mind imaginable; which thus drives us out of our reaſon, our Chriſtianity, to thoſe courſes which are moſt contrary to both.

I conceive the ſumme of your whole diſcourſe on this matter is this, that for the good things of the world God having made promiſe to give them to his ſervants, and his promiſe being conditionall, requiring at our hands the uſe of meanes to obtains the thing promiſed, our duty is to uſe thoſe meanes labour and prayer, &c. and then ſo fully to truſt God for the performing his promiſe, as never to have anxious or dubious thought about it; never to fly to any unlawfull meanes, to provide for our ſelves. And by this way of ſtating, I acknowledge our Saviours ſpeech here fully reconciled with Saint Pauls command of providence, with Chriſts praying for temporall bleſſings, &c.

I have onelyonly one ſcruple wherein I ſhall deſire your ſatisfaction, whether God doth not ſometimes leave men deſtitute of food and rayment, and how then it can be infidelity to be anxious in that point? Or how can Gods promiſe of caring for us be ſaid to be performed?

I anſwer, 1. That it is not ordinary for men to be left deſtitute of food and rayment; and though ſometime it cannot be had but by begging of it, yet God having in his providence deſigned the rich man to be his ſteward, the wealthy mans barne to be the poore mans ſtore-houſe; no man is left deſtitute that is afforded this meanes. 2. There being ſo many other meanes forenamed, required of us, to be inſtrumentall to Gods providence, it will hardly be found that any man is left thus deſtitute, who hath not firſt beene wanting to himſelfe; and ſo the whole matter imputable to his default, and not to Gods. 3. That if the utmoſt be ſuppoſed which is imaginable, that ſome one be left ſo farre deſtitute as to come to ſtarve, yet may the promiſe of God remaine true and firme; for that promiſe obligeth him not to eternize the life of any, which being ſuppoſed, that he ſhould dye by famine, is as reaſonable and reconcileable with this promiſe, (which can extend no farther then that he will ſuſteine us, as long as he ſees it fit for us to live, but no longer) as that he ſhould dye by ſword, or peſtilence; and that death as ſupportable as many other diſeaſes and deaths, of the ſtone, ſtrangury, dyſentery, &c. 4. That ſuppoſe God doe thus deſtitute us, yet our anxiety, or ſollicitude, our uſing of unlawfull meanes, can never be able to releive or ſecure us; whatſoever we can in this caſe call to our releife, God can curſe and blaſt alſo, and make it as unable to helpe us, as the reed of Aegypt; and though ſometimes God permits unlawfull meanes to offer us helpe, when lawfull faile us, to make triall of us whether we will uſe them, and diſtruſt God or no, (who ought to be truſted and relied on, though he kill us) yet is it farre more ordinary for thoſe who have fled to all manner of diſhoneſt meanes of encreaſing wealth, to come to abſolute beggery and diſtreſſe, and contumelious ends; then in any mans obſervation it will be found for the truſters in God to doe. 5. Why may it not be thought and found true upon every mans ſelfe-examination, that ſuch deſtitution, when ever it befalls a child of Gods, is a puniſhment of ſome ſinne which God in mercy ſees fit to puniſh here, and not in another world. As particularly that of littleneſſe of Faith in this matter, (as Peters ſinking, Mat. 14. 30. was a puniſhment of his feare, and doubting, and little Faith; which ſome good men foreign.are ſo ſubject to, and whereſoever it is found may expect to be puniſhed, being it ſelfe a ſinne, and conteining in it ſo many other ſinnes; 1. The ſin of diſobedience to Chriſts command here, in his [take no thought] or [you ſhall not take thought] ver. 31. Secondly, the ſinne of infidelity, not truſting, and ſo denying (in actions at leaſt) Gods veracity; the attribute wherein he cheifly glories; giving him the lie as it were, an affront and contumely to the almighty. Thirdly, the ſin of worldly-mindedneſſe, placing our care and affection on ſuch baſe inferiour objects; incurvation of the immortall ſoule to a thing ſo much below it; and robbing God of his due, that peculiar creature of his, the heart, ſo naturally his, and moreover ſo importunately beg'd for by him. Not to mention many other ſinnes which conſtantly follow this ſollicitude, (where 'tis once entertained, not as a tranſient paſſion, but a Chronicall diſeaſe) though not conſtantly the ſame, as indevotion, impatience, unmercifullneſſe, cowardice, worldly ſorrow, maligning of others, &c.

Having thus largely explained the prohibition, you may pleaſe to adde in one word what is the countrary Chriſtian duty, that is here commanded by Chriſt?

Prayſing God for our preſent wealth, and truſting him for the future.

What do you meane by the former?

Prayſing him foure wayes. 1. By acknowledging the receit. 2. Ʋſing it, and rejoycing in it. 3. Miniſtring, communicating to them that have not. and 4. If any thing ſtill remaine, keeping it as inſtrumentall to Gods providence for the future, laying up what God gives us to lay up.

What do you meane by the latter?

1. Beleeving his promiſe, 2. Obeying his directions in the uſe of his authorized meanes, and none elſe. And 3 referring the ſucceſſe cheerefully to him, and praying to him for it without doubting.

I conceive you have now done with the precept or doctrine, which now I ſee how fitly it is annexed to the former matter of not ſerving of Mammon. 1. As an anſwer to the Mammoniſts reaſon of ſerving Mammon, that he may not be deſtitute the morrow, 2. As an improvement of that exhortation to which it may be ſeaſonably ſuperadded, but would never have entered or have beene admitted without that harbenger. I beſeech God to ſinke it now unto my heart! To which end I preſume you will give me your aſſiſtance by proceeding to the ſecond thing propoſed from our ſaviours words here, the Inforcements of it, ſhewing how reaſonable it is to be a obſerved by a Chriſtian?

I ſhall proceed to that, and give you the inforcements as they lie. A firſt inforcement is the conſideration of what God hath done to us allready. 1. He hath given us life it ſelfe, which is much more, and a farre greater act of power and mercy then to give food for the continuing of that life. 2. Given us the very body we take ſuch care of, and that much more againe then the raiment that muſt cloth it, and thoſe he hath given without any aide of ours, without our uſe of direct or indirect meanes, and therefore no doubt can provide ſufficiently for the ſuſteining of both, and for his willingneſſe to do it, if we truſt and rely on him, thoſe very former mercies of his are pawnes and pledges of it. God (ſaith a father) Deus donando debet Cypr.by giving becomes our debtor. Every mercyfrom ſo good a father, comes forth twins; a gift; and a bond together; a preſent payment, and a future pawne; a ſumme payed downe, and an annuity made over, the having beſtowed favours, the greateſt obligations to continue them, when we can begin with the Pſalmiſt Pſ. 100. It is he that made us, then we may as confidently go on, we are his people and ſheep. &c. and then, O go your way into his gates with thanksgiving, not only for paſt mercies but confidence of future alſo, his mercy is everlaſting, &c. A ſecond inforcement is taken from the example of God's providence toward other creatures 1. For food, from the foules of the aire, 2. For rayment from the lillies of the field. For food, that thoſe birds without any trade of husbandry, of ſowing or reaping, &c. are by the providence of God ſufficiently ſuſteined. (Nay of many birds it is obſerved they are fatteſt ſtill in coldeſt and ſharpeſt weather.) Nay that ſort of birds, that Saint Luke mentions. Luke 12. 24. the ravens are a creature that if Job or the Pſalmiſt may be beleived Job 38. 41. Pſ. 147. 9. hath more of the providence of God illuſtrious in it then any other. Naturaliſts have obſerved of that creature, that it expoſeth the young ones foreignas ſoone as they are hatcht, leaves them meateleſſe and featherleſſe to ſtruggle with hunger, as ſoone as they are gotten into the world, and whether by dew from heaven, a kind of manna rained into their mouthes when they gape, and as the Pſalmiſt ſaith call upon God, or whether by flies flying into their mouthes, or whether by wormes bred in their neſts, as ſome thinke, or by what other meanes, God knowes, God feedeth them. Valleſius.And therefore perhaps it was, that that creature to make its returne of gratitude to God, flies preſently on its errand to feed the prophet elias in the wilderneſſe; in which this was ſurely very obſervable, that that creature which is ſo unnaturall as not to feed its owne young ones, did yet at God's command feed the prophet. As ſometimes thoſe baggs of the miſer are opened liberally to Gods children, (at their death in building hoſpitalls &c.) which had beene ſhut to their owne all their life. This example our Saviour ſhuts up with an expoſtulation, [are not you much better then they?] Man a much more conſiderable creature then thoſe birds, man the Monarch of all them, and the life of my Lord the King worth ten thouſand of theirs, and therefore ſurely a farre greater part of God's providence, then they, though no thoughtfulneſſe of his contribute to it. But then this muſt be taken with ſome caution along with it; not that we ſhould neither ſow, nor reape, becauſe the foules do neither; but that we ſhould take no anxious thought, as foreign.they neither ſow nor reape; that it is as unreaſonable for a Chriſtian to diſtruſt Gods providence, to bury his ſoule in an anxious care for earthly things, though the very neceſſaries of life, as for the raven to be ſet to husbandry. Had men acquired but as much religion, dependance, truſt, reliance on God by all the preaching of the Goſpell, by all the cultivation of ſo many hundred yeares, as nature teacheth the young ravens, as ſoone as they are hatcht, to gape toward heaven, and ſo in a plaine, downeright, naturall, inarticulate way, to call on God, the Mammoniſts idoll would ſoone be driven out of the world; and inſtead of it, a cheerefull comfortable dependance on heaven (in deſpight of all our jealous traiterous feares, that worldly hearts betray us to) an obedient ſubmiſſion to Gods direction in uſing thoſe meanes that he directeth us; and then reſigning all up into his hands to diſpoſe of, with an [If I periſh I periſh] and [I will waite upon the Lord which hideth his face, and I will looke for him] and [though he kill me yet will I truſt in him.] The other example concerning rayment from the lillies of the field lies thus. God in his forming of the world hath beſtowed a ſtrange proportion of naturall be auty and ornament upon the lillies that grow in every field or garden, though thoſe are of a very ſhort duration, and being inanimate do contribute nothing to their owne beauty, but moſt evidently the whole worke wrought by God only, and all the care and ſollicitude and temporall advantages of gold and the like artificiall bravery cannot equall or compare with that naturall beauty which God hath endued them with. Which conſideration as it may well leſſen our deſire of the gallantry of clothes, and mortifie our pride which they feed in us (the utmoſt that we can attaine to in this kinde being not comparable with that, which is in the meaneſt creatures) ſo may it give us a fiduciall relyance on God for all things of this nature; who ſure can cloth us; as well as thoſe, and will certainely provide for us ſuch rayment, as is convenient for us, by our uſe of ordinary meanes, without our anxious care and ſollicitude for the future.

What is the next inforcement of this duty?

An argument taken from our owne experience in things of ſome what a like nature v. 27. For the ſtature of ones body, or the age of ones life, (for the ſame word ſignifies both, but ſeemes in this place rather to denote the former only) every of us know foreign ▪and confeſſe, that our care and ſollicitude can do nothing to make any conſiderable addition to it. Now certainely the lengthening of the life for a few dayes or houres, is not ſo great a matter as life it ſelfe; nor the tallneſſe or ſtature of the body, as the body it ſelfe (for what matters it how tall a man is) and therefore it being ſo confeſtly the worke of God only to diſpoſe of theſe leſſe things, our ſtature &c. how much more reaſonable is it to beleive that the ſame God, without any anxious ſollicitude of ours, can and will conſerve our life and body, by giving us thoſe things, which are neceſſary to their conſervation?

What is the next inforcement?

The contrary practice of the Gentiles, v. 32. The heathen indeed, who either acknowledge no God at all, or deny his providence over particular things, do uſe this kinde of ſollicitude, ſeeking vehemently and importunately, for all theſe things, i. e. for foreign.food, and drinke, and cloathing for the remainder of their lives, or for ſuch a proportion of wealth as will be able thus to furniſh them for their lives end, and this may be allowed or pardoned them, that have no better principles to build on; but would be a ſhame for Chriſtians to have gotten no higher, by the acknowledgement of the true God, and his particular providence, and care over all creatures, but eſpecially over us men, for whoſe uſe all other creatures were created; and by the doctrine of Chriſtianity, which teacheth us faith or dependance on Chriſt for all, and deſires to mortifie all love of the gaines and pleaſures of this world in us, (by promiſing us a richer inheritance then this earthy Canaan) and to worke in us an indifference and untroubledneſſe of minde for all outward things, and many other graces in order to this, which no heathen could ever arrive to.

What is that fifth inforcement?

It is ſet downe in theſe words v. 32. [For your heavenly father knoweth that you have need of all theſe things] i. e. theſe things that are neceſſary for you (and others you need not ſeeke after) God knowes you have need of as well as you, and that God is your father, and cannot be ſo unkinde to you as not to be willing to beſtow them on you; and that father an heavenly father, and conſequently is perfectly able to beſtow them.

What is the ſixth inforcement?

This, that there is a farre more eaſie, Chriſtian, and compendious way to all theſe neceſſaries of life, then your ſollicitude or anxious care: To wit the ſetting our minds upon our higher intereſts, minding and intending of thoſe joyes in another life, and that way of Chriſtian obedience which will lead us to them; which if we do thus intend God hath promiſed to give us theſe neceſſaries of life, as an appendage or addition over and above; Piety having the promiſe of this life as well as of another.

What is the ſeventh inforcement?

Becauſe the time to come, for which we deſire to lay in before hand (and by that meanes lay a double burthen on that part of our life, which is preſent, to provide for it ſelfe, and that other alſo) will when it cometh, be able to take care and make proviſion for it ſelfe. The Manna, that came downe from heaven to the Iſraelites, fell every day, and therefore there was no need of laying up in ſtore (and if it were done, it putrified) of reſerving any part of the preſent portion; for, for the time to come they were ſure to be as plentifully provided, as for the preſent they were; and ſo the providence of God that hath brought us in a preſent ſtore, will be able and ready to do the like for the remainder of our lives, when it comes; and therefore all that we ſhall acquire by this ſollicitude before hand, is only to accumulate trouble, and diſquiet upon our ſelves; beſides that due labour, and induſtry, which we owe to God, as ſubſervient to his providence, and to our ſelves for our preſent ſubſiſtence, ſo much more as will ſecure us for the future alſo; which, what is it but to multiply toyle upon our ſelves, above the proportion that God hath deſigned to us? Whereas the trouble that belongs to every day for the maintaining of it ſelfe (i. e. the labour and ſweat that we eate our bread in) is ſufficient for that day, without our artifices to increaſe it, and requires too much (rather then takes up too little) time of divertiſement from the duties of piety to theſe ſo vile inferiour offices. The duty being thus largely enforced, and our hearts by ſo many engines and pullies raiſed from this earth of ours, to that principall care of Celeſtiall joies, it may now be thought reaſonable to hearken to Chriſt in a prohibition which was never given to men before, and ſo this hard ſaying be ſoftened, this circumciſion of the heart, amputation of all thoſe ſuperfluous burthenſome cares of the worldling or Mammoniſt, be found ſupportable to the Chriſtian. I ſhall need adde nothing to ſo plentifull a diſcourſe of this ſubject, but my prayers, That we all be in this, the true Diſciples of Chriſt, Schollers and practicers of this heavenly leſſon!

A Practical Catechism, Book 3

p. 235LIB. III.

LIB. III.