Several Sermons, Sermon 3 – Title page 4

Several Sermons · Sermon 3 – Title page 4

A SERMON TOUCHING PRAYER and MERCY.

ACTS 10. 31.

And he ſaid, Cornelius, thy Prayer is heard, and thy Alms are in remembrance before God.

WE have in this Chapter two great doubts reſolved: the one a Souldiers, the other a Preachers; both conſult God, and he reſolves both. The Souldier was one Cornelius, and his ſcruple was about our bleſſed Saviour, not touching his offices or his nature, (he knew that there was no other name under heaven whereby he could be ſaved) but the doubt was touching his perſon, whether this particular man, which the Apoſtles cryed up, and the Phariſees cryed downe, whether he were that Chriſt, that Saviour, yea or no: This was the doubt, and this doubt ſends him unto God in a way of prayer, and God ſends him unto Peter the Apoſtle for information: Peter (the ſecond perſon) is not without his ſcruple alſo; his doubt was, with what warrant he might go to the Gentiles (ſuch Cornelius was) & preach p. 2Chriſt unto them; he alſo receives ſatisfaction from the ſame gracious hand, & now theſe parties met together, for their further confirmation peruſe and read their Commiſſion. Firſt, Cornelius begins (at Peters motion) and ſhewes upon what warant he ſent for Peter, & gives a very good account of himſelf, and does very punctually relate the buſineſſe, not by way of oſtentation, to boaſt of himſelfe, but by way of ſatisfaction to give content unto Peter; he gives him to know how that he had certaine intelligence from heaven about this whole buſineſſe of ſending for him: for 1. he did uſe none but Gods meanes to be directed, that is, Fasting and Prayer; and then next, he received a direct anſwer from God, and there could not poſſibly be any place for miſtake in the ſame; he well remembers how long agoe it was that he received his inſtruction, (four dayes ſince) ſayes he, no longer. 2. Then he remembers where he was (in his houſe.) 3. he remembers what he was then doing, he was then (praying.) 4. he remembers what time of the day it was (the ninth houre of the day.) 5. he remembers the Meſſenger that was ſent, he came in the ſhape of a man, though he were an Angel, and (in bright ſhining apparell) 6. he remembers the meſſage what it was, and what the direction: 1. he calls him by name, and next he wiſhes him to go to ſuch a place (Joppa) there to enquire for one called (Simon) this Simon lay at another (Simon's houſe) that Simon was (a Tanner) he lived by the (Sea-ſide;) all theſe circumſtances were delivered to Cornelius; ſo that as certainly as Peter was Peter, and he Cornelius, ſo ſure it is that there could be no colluſion or miſtake in this buſineſſe, and thereupon he concludes, that Peter had a warrant to come, and he a warrant to ſend, and therefore now nothing hindred, but that they might fall on to their work; this is Cornelius his account of himſelfe; we will ſtay at this time in this account of his, and in this verſe which we have propounded to you, where we have theſe particulars obſervable.

Firſt, a double Act reported, he prayed, he gave Almes.

And then ſecondly, this double Act is ſet forth from a double Argument.

1. From the cauſe of this, Cornelius.

p. 32. From the conſequence of theſe, his Prayer was heard, his Almes were obſerved, both were accepted and (recorded) by God: theſe be the parts of the Text.

As for the ſimple tearmes, we ſhall not trouble you with many words, they are plaine enough, we will not ſtand here to diſcourſe of the ſeverall acceptations of the firſt word, foreign, it is taken ſometimes for the ſervice, and ſometimes for the place where the ſervice was performed;Sane. in Act. Apoſt. Grot. in Evange. alioſque paſſim. viſe Turneb. l. 1. adverſa…. c. 19. eſpecially in Eccleſiaſticall Authors, and in after times: we underſtand what is meant by Prayer in this place; this Prayer, it is called Cornelius his Prayer, (thy prayer) ſayes the Text. It is true, that all good things, and eſpecially prayer is cauſally Gods, and it is objectively Gods; it begins from him, it ends in him; but it is ſubjectively and interpretatively Cornelius'es too; it is true, it is God that gives us the grace of prayer, as the grace of faith, of repentance, of every good thing; but then the acting and the exerciſing of this, that by interpretation and acceptation is ours, whiles we doe act the ſame; ſo that God is not ſaid to beleeve, or to repent, or to pray, but man by Gods aſſiſtance, as Austen well:De grat. & lib: arb. c. 16. & alibi paſſim, &c. This is all we will ſay for the firſt word, the reſt we will ſpeak of in order as we ſhall come to them, if need ſhall ſo require: in the meane time we addreſſe our ſelves to ſome inſtructions which the words offer to us; we will not trouble you with the wild conceits of ſome men, who talk of certaine preparations to grace before grace it ſelfe[a][a]Contra Aug. de praedeſt. concil. Arauſicanum, alioſ que . inſtancing Cornelius: nor yet of others, who doe ſpeak of heathens and infidels, their acceptance with God, and their ſalvation by God, though, they have no knowledge at all[b][b]Id quod per ſomnium viderunt è veteribus, è ſcholasticis, è remonstrantibus, familistis, aliisque ſectariis non it ae pauci. of Chriſt: it is ſufficient for us to know, that Cornelius was acquainted with Chriſt, and that Cornelius did expect ſalvation onelyonly by Chriſt; the onelyonly doubt that he ſticks at was this; whether this individuall perſon, this man now in queſtion, that was lately crucified, now was raiſed up, whether this were that Chriſt, that Meſſias that he had beleeved in before: Theſe things thus premiſed, we will now proceed. And here it is not my meaning to enter into thoſe vaſt common places of Prayer, and of Almeſ-deeds; we have had occaſion even in this City to ſpeak, divers yeers ſince, in p. 4another place to theſe heads; we are now to ſpeak another way, and to conſider theſe things as they lye here in the Relation made by Cornelius, and as they carry with them Gods anſwer to the one, Gods reſpect to the other.

1. We will begin with his Prayer, next we will ſpeak of his Almes, rather of the ſucceſſe of both; and then in the third place, we will ſay ſomewh at of his perſon, when we have ſpoken of his actions, if time and ſtrength will give.

1. We beſeech you to take notice of the unſpeakable goodneſſe & gractouſneſſe of God towards poore ſuppliants in point of prayer, Dost. I.for that is the thing we muſt grow to; and for this, conſider the grounds in the Text, conſider the perſon now in queſtion, Cornelius, a poore man, was in a very great ſtreight, faine he would pleaſe God, faine he would ſave his ſoule; neither of theſe could be done without a Chriſt, and Chriſt muſt now be beleeved in, in a higher and cloſer way then before; it is not enough for him to beleeve, Christum, or in Christe, but he muſt beleeve that this is the very Chriſt, that this is the man and none elſe. Now here ſticks the doubt; the Doctors were mightily divided about this point; the Phariſees and thoſe happily that had been meanes of his converſion from heatheniſme to Judaiſme, they were altogether againſt Chriſt, and looked upon him, and reported him as a ſeducer. On the other ſide, a few unlearned men they ſtood for him, and they preached that there was no other way to ſalvation but in and through this crucified perſon; in this caſe, what ſhould poore Cornelius doe more then what he did? namely, to betake himſelfe to God in way of prayer, and to deſire direction from him in this his doubt; and thus he does, and you ſee with what ſucceſſe he does it, how graciouſly the Lord does condeſcend and anſwer him.

1. The Lord does heare him, nay, he does heare him effectually, for that is the force of the word here uſed in the compound in our Text,Heb. 5.7.Heb 5:7 foreign.

God did heare him to purpoſe, I ſay, heard him graciouſly; and not onelyonly ſo, 2. but he does ſend him word that he heard him, and ſent him word too 3. by an Angel, and gives him 4. to underſtand, how that his prayer and all his ſervices p. 5are accepted of God. Oh! what a comfort was this to a poor diſtreſſed ſoul, to have ſo punctuall, ſo direct an anſwer ſent him from heaven unto his prayer, and unto his ſcruples! but thus deales God with his Childeen, never more kind unto his, then when they come unto him begging; then when men begin to be ſhye and ſtrange, and to ſtand off, and to hold off at a diſtance, tken is God moſt free, moſt open, moſt gracious unto his people; this we ſee in this Cornelous here; goe (ſayes God) when he had prayed; goe, ſayes God unto an Angel, commend me to Cornelius, tell him from me, that he is more in my bookes then he is aware of; I take notice of his name, I take notice of his prayer, I take notice of every Almeſ deed that he does beſtow upon my people, I obſerve all theſe things, yea, I record them, and they ever live and ſtand good before me: what could be ſaid more to the encouragement of a poore ſuppliant? thus God deales with Cornelius: And thus, you know, he dealt with Daniel; the caſe is much what alike, in the 9. of Dan. 20. and ſo forward; you ſhall read Daniels ſucceſſe upon his prayer, he prayed for the people of God; and how ſpeeds he? very well: Obſerve the circumſtances in the Text, the time 1when God does anſwer him, even whilſt he was praying, ſayes the Text; nay (ſayes the holy Ghoſt there) even at the beginning, at the firſt ſetting out of his petition, the anſwer, the grant was ſealed, and his petition accepted, God did yeeld unto the ſame at the very entrance; he could no ſooner begin to ſpeak, but God reſolves of a word of comfort and grace to him. Conſider another circumſtance, and that is, the Meſſenger that God ſends to him, he diſpatches an Angel 2Gabriel, that earſt had been with him (it ſeems) upon other occaſions, he comes to him with a Meſſage, and he tels him 3that he is accepted of God; the greeting is this; O Daniel, greatly beloved; O Daniel the great favourite of heaven, underſtand that the great God takes notice of thee, and he writes thy petitions, and hath ſent me to returne his anſwer unto thy ſuite; and the anſwer is very full and very 4ſatisfying; he grants him what he did deſire, he tels him of more then Daniel did put into his petition; ſo gracious is p. 6God unto his people when they ſue unto him in this way of prayer: What ſhould I inſtance Abraham now? what ſhould I ſpeak of Jacob, of David, of Hannah, of Jonah, of other particulars in this caſe? I'le conclude with one, Paul, and I'le but touch upon it: in the Chapter before my Text at the 11. verſe, you ſhall read bow God deales with this ſame Paul; Paul (alias Saul) was ſometime very rough and boiſtrous, breathed out nothing but blood and threats; then God deals with him in a rougher way: but now Paul is on his knees, and mark what followes, preſently the Lord diſpatches one Ananias unto him; Ananias (ſayes he) goe to Paul, thou ſhalt find him in ſuch a place, thou ſhalt have him there at his prayers, goe to him, tell him from me, that he is a choyce, a precious Veſſell in my eyes, and in my eſteem, let him underſtand ſo much from me; Ananias, he begins to ſtartle; Oh Lord! (ſayes he) this man hath been a perſecutor, and he came hither for to doe miſchiefe, I am afraid to come at him: tuſh (ſayes God) be not ſo ſhye of him now; be not ſo ſhye, deliver to him from me a meſſage, and a word of grace and comfort; and why? for (ſayes God) he prayes, he prayes (ſayes God) that is the reaſon of it; now Paul is a praying Paul; the caſe is altered; it is a time of his praying, and therefore it is a time of my pittying, and of my mercy; now he prayes, I accept of him, doe thou accept of him; and ſo Ananias does, for he goes to him, and preſently ſalutes him; Brother Saul (ſayes he;) when he is Gods child, he is his Brother ſtreight, all quarrels are laid downe aſſoon as ever Saul fals to praying; he prayes (ſayes God,) that is ſuflicient. Yon ſee how graciouſly God deales with his when they fall a praying once.

Now if you would know a reaſon of this, why God ſhewes himſelfe ſo gracious to us in the time and caſe of prayer; the reaſon is not from any worth of our perſons, Reaſ 1 or of our prayers, in themſelves conſidered for alas! what are they in the ſight of God? or what need hath he of any ſervice from us at all? you know in the law the burning and broyling of ſo many beaſts, eſpecially with hides and all (as ſometime it fell out) was a thing that yeelded no ſavour of reſt at all in it ſelfe: p. 7what could come from this, but a filthy ſmoak, a filchy ſrench? but then there was added thereto wine & oyle, and incenſe of Gods appointment, and ſo it was Gods Ordinance, and then there was a ſavour of reſt in it: Think the ſame for our prayers too, as they come from us, and are onelyonly ours; there's nothing in them of worth or acceptance: But when Gods Spirit is in it, when Gods incenſe, Gods perfume is put to it, with his bleſſing upon his owne way and Ordinance, then they come to be accepted, not (I ſay) ſimply, becauſe they are ours, but becauſe they are Gods;2 Affirmation. God goes upon his owne motives, he graces and reſpects our prayers; but why? becauſe he loves prayers as his owne; and the party praying as his owne; and becauſe he delights in mercy prayed for, and for other reaſons that we ſhall give you by and by.

Firſt of all, God, he does love prayer, Pro. 15.8. They prayer of the righteous is his delight; it is Gods muſick, it is recreation; it is called incenſe, in this reſpect it is pleaſing and acceptable unto God, prayer is his delight, becauſe that it is his own appointment and Ordinance, and that Ordinance that ſets God in the Throne(if I may ſo ſpeak)I meane that repreſents him as God unto his people; for we never give unto God the glory of himſelfe untill ſuch time as we fall a praying; but prayer gives away all from the creature, it carries all to God; and ſo ſets up God, and therefore God is pleaſed with prayer, and delights in the ſame.

And then againe, God loves the party praying (we ſpeak of Gods children that doe pray) I ſay, he loves the party praying too; and when the perſon is accepted, then you know any thing, paſſes very well; let that Damoſell, in Mark. 6.22. pleaſe Herod, though in a toy, you know what Herod ſayes to her ſtraight, aske what thou wilt (ſayes he) it ſhall be given unto thee; let Esther pleaſe Ahaſuerus, and then ſhee need not wooe him, he will wooe her; ſpeak (ſayes he) O Queen Esther, what is thy petition, and what is thy requeſt? and it ſhall be granted unto thee. God delights in the perſons of his children, he loves them dearly; and becauſe they are ſo precious in his eyes, their prayers and their entreaties are very welcome to him, John 16.25.

p. 8Thirdly, God is a God that delights in merey, as the Scripture tels us; he delights in meroy, ſayes Jeremy; and,Jer. 9.24. Mieah 7.18.Jer 9:24 ſayes Micah, morcy pleaſes him: God is very well pleaſed when he hath an opportunity to ſhew his bounty, and to exerciſe his mercy, and his graciouſneſſe towards his people (and when he finds them on their knees, then they are in a capacity of mercy:) God is pleaſed with this, even to ſcatter mercy, and to ſnew himſelfe a bountifull God, he delights herein, therefore does even heap mercy upon his people when they are capable of the ſame: Hitherto, ſayes Chriſt in the 16. of John 24. hitherto you have asked nothing in my name, aske and you ſhall receive. Nothing, that is, nothing to ſpeak of, as if he would ſay, nothing that I value at any thing, I doe not ſatisfie my ſelfe in that which I have done for you hitherto, you have hitherto asked nothing to ſpeak of, aske more, I am ready to give you more; ſo large are his bowels and his favours towards his people; God ſtands diſpoſed to his when they come asking, as Naaman ſometimes did, 2 King. 5. toward Gehezi; Gehezi comes to aske one talent, and one ſuit of raiment for each Levite (that he ſuggeſts and ſues for;) but what ſayes Naaman to him? nay, take two; one is too little, take two, and the Text tels us that he did preſſe him, and heaps them upon him: So deales God with his people when they come to him for mercy and for kindneſſe; nay (ſayes God) take more, or at leaſt, I would you were capable of more, I could as willingly give it, as you are willing to receive it, if the ſtay were not on your owne part: God loves mercy, and therefore is ready to entertaine the prayers of his children when they come for mercy. As there are theſe reaſons taken from Gods gracious and bleſſed nature, ſo others may be added from other occaſions.

Fourthly, from the engagements that lye upon God, in regard of his free and gracious promiſes; promiſes very free and very large, both for the matter that we ſhall ask; ask whatſoever you will,John 14.13. Pſal. 81.10.John 14:13Ps 81:10 ask in my name (ſayes Chriſt) you ſhall receive it: as alſo for the meaſure, open thy mouth wide (ſayes God) and I will fill it: as alſo for the time when God will doe it, before you ſpeak I will heare, and while you are ſpeaking p. 9I will anſwer, in the 65. of Iſatab. I forbeare to name other places, becauſe they are familiarly knowne to you, ſo that God having engaged himſelf by promiſe to doe great things,Iſa. 30.19.Isa 30:19 and (as he ſayes in the Prophet) to be very gracious unto his people in point of prayer, therefore certainly he will be as good as his word.

And laſt of all, (which is the maine reaſon of all in truth) the reaſon is from Chriſt, and from that Covenant and tranſaction that paſſes between: breſt and his Father: Chriſt, he preſents our prayers, nay, we preſent Chriſt unto his Father; God looks upon a Chriſtian as a piece and a member of Chriſt, he looks upon his prayer, as the fruit of Chriſts inrerceſſion and Prieſtdome; our prayers (being Saints) are indited by Chriſts Spirit, and are preſented by Chriſts hand unto his Father; they are perfumed with his interceſſion, and with his incenſe,Revel. 3.4.Rev 3:4 and therefore it is certaine they be very pleaſing to God: God for Chriſts ſake will deny none that come in the name and in the Spirit of the Lord Chriſt; nay, God hath left the whole dispenſation of this buſineſſe unto the Lord Chriſt, and hath referred all to him, even to doe what he will with the Saints in the Church, as ſometimes Ahaſuerus did with Eſther, left it to her what ſhe would have done for her people and againſt her enemies; and as ſometimes Pharach ſaid to Joſeph, Joſeph (ſayes he) thy brethren are come into AEgypt unto thee, bid them welcome, take the Land at thy command, place them where thou thinkeſt good; ſo unto the ſame effect does God ſay unto the Lord Chriſt, here be friends of thine, members of thine, that are bone of thy bone, fleſh of thy fleſh, they come to me for ſome reliefe and ſuccour in thy name, here they be, receive them, take them, doe for them what thou ſeeſt good, I will ratifle it, I will make it good; this is the maine reaſon: And theſe are the reaſons which I ſhall give you of the point, why the Lord is ſo gracious unto his poore ſervants, when they come a begging and a ſuing unto him. Now give me leave in a few words to bring home this point, and to apply it, and then we will paſſe to another.

Firſt of all, this muſt inſtruct us in regard of time paſt, Ʋſe 1 p. 10For time 1. paſt.muſt be matter of humbling and of bluſhing unto us, that we have not anſwered the Lord, and returned according to the kindneſſe that we have received, we doe not give unto God they glory of his goodneſſe and of his graciouſneſſe in anſwering prayer, but come many times with a great deale of feare, appeare before him with many doubts, and returne from him with a great deale of ſadneſſe and heavineſſe: Oh! how does this offend and diſpleaſe God? The Emperour was ſorry that any man ſhould come to offer a Petition to him,Flavint. Titus, &c. as if he were to offer meat to an Elephant (as he ſaid) with a trembling hand: Another, he was ſorry to ſee any man goe ſadly out of his preſence; and can the Lord doe otherwiſe,, but take it unkindly (as it were) at his peoples hands, who are ſo deare unto him, when as they are ſo jealous, ſo doubtfull, ſo fearfull how they ſhall be accepted, and ſpeed, when they come in point of prayer to him? Well, that is a thing we are to blame our ſelves for firſt.

And then in the ſecond place,2. Preſent. this teaches us for the preſent to take notice of Gods goodneſſe this way, and to bleſſe and praiſe him for this his free grace, in hearing poore ſinners, and poore Petitions put up unto him from time to time: This David took notice of, he would love the Lord, becauſe God heard his prayer in one Pſalme:Pſal. 116.1. Pſal. 6.9.Ps 116:1Ps 6:9 In another he bleſſes God, Bleſſed be God (ſayes he) that thou haſt not rejected my prayer, nor turned thy mercy from me, Pſal. 66.3. Bleſſed be God, why? that God did not ſcorne his prayer, that God did not fling it away from him with indignation; thus David: And truly, if we did truly underſtand the infinite distance that is between God and us, and thoſe many, many flawes and defects that be in our prayers and ſervices; did we underſtand theſe things aright (his Excellency, and our owne leſſe then nothingneſſe) certainly we could not but ſtand in admiration at his goodneſſe) certainly we could not but ſtand in admiration at his goodneſſe this way: Let me expreſſe my ſelfe unto you in a compariſon, thus: Suppoſe that we muſt alwayes in all our ſuits apply our ſelves unto the King, and goe to him with our Petitions, what a buſineſſe would this be? Conſider of it I beſeech you, 1. What a long journey we muſt take; and then, how long we muſt p. 11wait: and then, how uncertaine we ſhould be of any ſucceſſe or gracious anſwer at all: Weigh theſe things with your ſelves, and then reflect upon Gods goodneſſe, and admire him for the ſame: I inlarge it a little further: A man hath a ſuit unto an earthly King or Prince, and what muſt he do? Firſt of all he muſt take a long journey to the Kings Court; and then when he is there, he muſt find out ſome Courtiers, ſome friends to ſpeak for him, and to make way for him, that he may have acceſſe; when that is done, he muſt wait the Kings leiſure, early and late he muſt be ready to wait, and ſo ſtay his leiſure, and his pleaſure: When this is done, that he hath got acceſſe once, and is brought into the Kings preſence, how then? he is not permitted to ſpeak his heart unto the King, and to ſay at large what his griefe and his affliction is; nay, he muſt not ſpeak at all, onelyonly deliver his Petition, and that he muſt have ready drawne, and fairly drawne, there muſt be no blurre in it, very briefe it muſt be, and very ſuccinct, he muſt not ſpeak any thing in the world that is impertinent, or that would be diſpleaſing, but carry it ſo, as that he may give full content: And when all this is done, and his Petition is received, he hath not preſently an anſwer, but he muſt wait and wait againe, he muſt follow the Court into this place, and that place; and when anſwer does come, it may be it is but halfe an anſwer and a grant, perhaps the anſwer is none other but a bare deniall, at leaſt a man cannot build upon it, becauſe he hath no promiſe before-hand that he ſhall be accepted, and that his petition ſhall be granted: Thus it is when we deale with an earthly Prince, when we come but upon one Petition: But now put the caſe that this Petition be granted, what is it? it is but for ſome partiall or ſome particular thing; 'tis not a grant that will make me happy, and that will doe my ſoule any good at all, I ſhall need more things; and what if I need againe, muſt I to the Court again? muſt I wait againe? muſt I run the ſame round I ran before? Oh how troubleſome, how coſtly, how tedious would this be unto me? And if this be ſo (my brethren) as you know it is, then I beſeech you doe but conſider how infinitely we ſtand bound to Almighty God for his goodneſſe and his graciouſneſſe p. 12towards us this way: Alas! we need him every houre, and when we need him we may goe to him when we will, he is alwayes at lesſure; come in the night and welcome, come in the day and welcome; and when we come, he is ready to receive us: his doors (as the doors of the Tribanes once in Rome) are never ſhut, they alwayes ſtand open for petitioners that ſhall come unto him; and thou mayeſt there ſpeak thy mind, and ſpeak they heart; all thy feares, all thy griefes, all thy wants thou mayeſt tell him at large, how the caſe ſtands with thee, and ſpeak it in thy owne language, in ſuch Engliſh and ſuch termes as thou art able for to utter and to ſpeak; and if thy Petition be not right, he will correct it and make it good for thee, he will alter it, he will mend it for thy advantage, and for thy benefit; and if it be too ſhort, he will ſupply it, and bid thee put in more; and when he hath laded thee with mercy from his preſence, as ſometimes Boaz did Ruth, then he will give in charge that thou ſhouldeſt come agame to morrow, and that thou ſhouldſt not be too long from him; he layes it as a charge upon thee, that thou ſhouldſt not be a ſtranger to him, but that thou ſhouldſt make uſe from time to time of his kindneſſe, and the oftener the better welcome ſtill: This, this is the graciouſneſſe of our God unto his poore people; we need not goe farre, but ſtep into our cloſets, there unbowell our ſelves, and unboſome our ſoules, and acquaint him with our ſorrowes and griefes, and he is ready to heare us, and willing to paſſe by infirmities, and to accept of our weak (very weak) prayers, when they are put up in truth and in humility: Oh conſider of this, and let the meditation of this now ſtirre you up unto thankfulneſſe to God; his grace, his goodneſſe is ſo great: this way, as that I am ſwallowed up in the meditation of it, and I have not words to expreſſe what his tenderneſſe and his graciouſneſſe is unto us in every one petition that we put up unto him; you doe not know what a friend you have of God, and how many, many favours and kindneſſes he ſhewes you in any one Petition that he hearkens unto, and grants to you at any time.

p. 13In the laſt place, this looks forward too,3. Future. and it teaches us a third thing, and then we have done with the firſt part: The thing is this: Sith God is ſo gracious towards his people in point of prayer, therefore we ſhould be invited now, and encouraged to make uſe of this his kindneſſe, and to goe to him upon this errand of prayer, as need ſhall require: Let us, I beſeech you, think as meanly of our ſelves, and of our ſervices as you will; but let us alwayes have high thoughts of God, and when we come to him in his owne way, then promiſe great things to our ſelves: And know, that he is able and ready to doe abundantly above that we can ſpeak or think (as the Apoſtle tels us;) thus we ſhould goe to God,Epheſ. 3.Eph 3 and of his goodneſſe herein we have a great deale of experience; if we will not beleeve the promiſes that are very gracious, yet let us beleeve our owne experience this way to truſt in him: hath not God been gracious to us in particular, hath not God been gracious to us in common, for the publike, when we have ſought unto him in this way of prayer? If ſo, then let us conclude, that God is a conſtant God, his power as great as loves prayer as well as ever he did; he loves Chriſt as well as ever he did, who is our Mediator; and he loves the perſons of the Elect as much as ever he did; he delights in mercy as much as ever; therefore let this encourage us to goe to God in all our afflictions and diſtreſſes, whether they are perſonall, or whether they are publike.

1. For our perſonall defects, and our perſonall diſtreſſes, let us goe to God as Cornelius, here does; Cornelius, he is in a ſtreight, and it was in a point of great concernment, he muſt reſolve one way or other, off or on; either be for this Chriſt, or againſt him; Cornelius knew not which way to reſolve, he prayes therefore, he deſires God that he would enlighten him, that he would direct him: Oh! let us doe the like in theſe diſtreſſed times, when there be ſuch diviſions and diſtractions in the Church of God, and amongſt the people of God, that a poore ſimple body knowes not what is right, and what is p. 14truth, and what is not; knowes not which ſide to adhere unto: Some call him this way, and ſome call him that way; and another ſayes this is right, and you muſt goe this way if ever you will be ſaved; and another ſpeaks quite to the contrary: What now ſhould a poore man doe? Doe as Cornelius did, goe unto God alone, pray, faſt, importune him, deſire him that he will teach thee, that he will reſolve thee, deſire him that he would ſend ſome Peter to thee, ſome Preacher, ſome Divine or other, that may ſettle thee and confirme thee in the way that thou ſhouldſt goe: Thus if we doe, God will be the ſame to us that he was unto Cornelius, God heard him, and God will heare us too, though he doe not ſend an Angel from Heaven as he did to him, yet he will ſend ſome Peter, he will ſend ſome direction whereby we ſhall receive ſome ſatisfaction, at leaſt for thoſe things that are ſimply neceſſary and fundamentall; he will diſcover ſo much unto us, as ſhall be accepted, and as ſhall guide us unto his Heavens: This is his promiſe, Pſal. 25. he will guide the meek in his way, and he will teach ſinners the way, and he will ſhew unto them his ſalvation; and in John 7.17. ſayes our Saviour, He that will doe the will of God, he ſhall know the doctrine whether it be of God or no: If a man in humility of ſpirit, and in ſincerity and truth of heart will goe to God for direction, as Cornelius did, reſolving with him, I and mine are here before God, and whatſoever God ſhall ſpeak unto us in his ministery, we are ready to doe it, and to follow it: If any man will doe thus, it is certaine that God will give him a reſolution and a ſettlement, and ſuch a ſettlement as ſhall be acceptable (as we ſaid before) and ſhall give ſatisfaction to his ſoule. What I ſpeak of this particular (becauſe the very caſe leads me to it, in my Text) that'we may ſay of all other things too: Carry all thy feares to God, and all thy ſorrowes to God, and all thy ſcruples to God, acquaint him with thy caſe, and beg help and ſtrength from him, he is able, he is ready to heare. Yea but will he heare (me?) Yea thee, he will heare thee. Oh! but my prayers are weak, and poore: He is a gracious God, he paſſes by infirmities, doe what thou art able to doe, and p. 15he is as ready to help thee as Cornelius. 2. What we ſay for private men, that we may ſay much more now, in the publike Caſe, when it comes to publike prayer, and to matter of a publike concernment, here we ſhould be encouraged to goe to God: Is God ſo ready to heare prayer? does he ſo graciouſly anſwer and accept of poore and weak prayer? Then, I beſeech you, why ſhould not we goe to God in reſpect of the Kingdome, in reſpect of the Church, and in reſpect of the preſent condition that we lye under now? Oh! let us all ſet a praying; pray home the King, pray downe Antichriſt, pray up the Lord Chriſt into his Throne, pray againſt the ſinnes of the Land, that they may be removed, and all thoſe obstructions that doe hinder the ſucceſſe of our prayers from day to day; for certainly there are very ſtrange and great obſtructions that lye in the way, otherwiſe it were not poſſible for our gracious God that is ſo ready to heare the Petitions of one poore man, to ſtand out ſo long againſt the ſuits and petitions of all the people in a whole Nation; the obſtructions are great, pray all theſe out of the way. Of theſe I will inſtance one or two. I will leave the reſt in regard of my haſte.

One maine thing which probably hinders our ſucceſſes in prayer is the blood that lyes upon the Land,Obstructions in prayer, and its ſucceſſe. that is a heavy thing, that lyes heavy upon the heart of the Land. 'Tis ſaid, 2 King. 24.4. that God would not pardon the blood that Manaſſes ſhed in Jeruſalem; he filled Jeruſalem and the Land from corner to corner with innocent blood; God (ſayes the Text there) would not pardon this ſinne: Nay, this ſinne lived ſome ſucceſſions, after that Manaſſes was dead. Oh! this ſinne, this ſinne threatens this Land of ours! this blood that lyes upon the Land, the blood that was ſhed heretofore in the dayes of Queen Mary, that innocent blood that hath been ſhed ſince by this unhappy difference that is amongſt us: Oh! the Sea of blood that runs through this Land; who muſt be responſall, who muſt be anſwerable for this? this is a great ſinne that obſtructs our prayers much. It behooves us, Beloved, to doe as God ordered them in Deut. 21.8. when p. 16there was innocent blood ſhed, and the murderer could not be found out, then the neighbouring Townes they muſt goe forth, they muſt ſlay a Beaſt, offer a Sacrifice, waſh their hands, pray to God; Oh Lord! be mercifull unto the Land, and unto our Cities, lay not to our charge this blood: So muſt we doe in this caſe; Oh Lord, be mercifull unto this poore Land almoſt drowned in blood, doe not charge upon us this blood, lay not to our charge this innocent blood, but accept of a Sacrifice, and an atonement: That is one thing we muſt pray againſt, as a maine obſtruction.

2And another is this, non-execution of Juſtice; let David in 2 Sam. 21. let David (I ſay) wait, and ſtay, and pray from yeer to yeer for the removall of the ſtroke that was then upon the Land, untill ſuch time as execution be done upon the bloody houſe of Saul, there will be no ceſſation of that ſtroke and of the famine that was then upon them; but aſſoone as ever that was done, and juſtice executed, preſently the face of the State was changed, and the Lord ſhewed himſelfe a reconciled God: Oh! let us pray here againe, that God would ſtirre up many a Phinehas in this age, and that he would give the ſpirit of Phinehas to thoſe that be in authority,Pſal. 106.30Ps 106:30 that they may doe execution, and ſo the plague may ceaſe: Now it is ſaid of Phinehas, he did an execution, ſo the plague ceaſed: Let us pray, that there may be found in this City, and in other parts of the Kingdome, ſuch a man as Jeremy deſcribes, chap. 5.1. A man that does judgement, a man that ſeeks for truth (he is a man) a publike man that ſtands in the gap: pray, that we may have ſuch to ſtand in the breach.

3And then thirdly; there is a third obſtruction, and that is the fearfull indiſpoſition to peace that is amongſt us, and an aptneſſe to quarrell and fall out within our ſelves; I ſpeak not onelyonly of that outward warre that is abroad, but I ſpeak of another buſineſſe within our ſelves; if God would put up his ſword, it is a queſtion whether we would put up ours, yea or no: I am afraid of a ſacred warre, if the civill warre were once ended and determined; many ſpirits are ſo imbittered one againſt another, men are ſo inchanted with their owne p. 17conceits and opinions, that they will put all into a combuſtion, rather than they will lay downe any one conceit, or any one quarrell or contention that they have engaged themſelves in; this is a fearfull thing; how can we look that God ſhould put an end to our warres, when we are ſo willing to be at warre one with another, brother againſt brother, and friend againſt friend, without any difference almoſt?

But laſt of all, there is another, and that ſummes up all; 4and that is our unworthy carriage towards God in the midſt of ſo many meanes and mercies: He hath given us his Word, we ſleight that; he hath made a Covenant with us, and we have renewed the Seale thereof, many of us (I doubt not) of late: this Covenant we falſifie, we prophane and abuſe; the Lord hath executed ſome judgements amongſt us, and what uſe doe we make of them? where is the man (almoſt) that is one whit reformed, or much the better for all theſe miſeries and calamities that have come upon the State, and upon the Land? this, this is the ſinne, the provoking ſinne, that we are tooto incorrigible this way, and tooto backward to improve thoſe meanes and thoſe judgements which are amongſt us: For this God might juſtly have a controverſie with the Land; Oh! let us pray, let us pray, that we may be of one mind, and of one judgement, that ſo there may be peace in our Land, peace in our Churches, peace in our worſhips, that we doe not fight againſt our ſelves in our prayers: And let us pray in the next place, that we may make better uſe of the Word, and of the miniſtery thereof; that we may make better uſe of former corrections, and former judgements then we have done, that ſo the Lord at length may look upon us, and when we are humbled and doe accept of his puniſhment, may then remember the Land, our diſtreſſed Land, our reeling Land, our dying Land, that God in mercy may then think upon it, and heale it: Thus we ſhould labour, even to pray unto God for the publike, that all hinderances may be removed, and all furtherances expedited, whereby our happineſſe may be recovered and reſetled: And why ſhould we not ſet upon this work now? what reaſon have we to be diſmaid? Object. Happily ſome p. 18will ſuggeſt, we ſee our prayers doe not take, and that we doe not ſucceed as we would; nay, the Lord frownes upon us,Sol. and hides his face from us. Yea, but hang upon him ſtill, pray ſtill, follow him ſtill; doe as Cornelius did, think of a Reformation; lay not all upon praying, and all upon faſting, but doe more, as he does; Cornelius prayes, but he feares God too; Cornelius prayes, but he reformes his Family too, (he had Servants, yea, Souldiers too, that feared God in his Family;) Cornelius prayes, but he hath reſpect to all Gods Commandements, to both Tables as well as unto one: Cornelius prayes, but he is faithfull in the particular place and calling wherein God had ſet him; he was a good Souldier, he was a faithfull Officer and Centurion in the place that he did ſuſtaine; and when as we are thus univerſally good, ſutable unto our ſelves, that we are good Chriſtians, and that we are good Maſters, and that we are good Commanders, and that we are good Souldiers, (good and faithfull in the particular places wherein God hath ſet us) then our prayers will paſſe, and then God will be ſo gracious to us, as he was unto Cornelius: And ſo we leave that poynt with you.

The next thing Cornelius does, is a work of mercy; he gives Almes; he was not onelyonly a juſt man, but he was a mercifull man, & was mercifull throughout; he had a mercifull hand, and he had a mercifull heart: The word here uſed foreign, with words of that forme & termination, as foreign, and the like, is very comprehenſive; it implyes and concludes both, affectum & effectum, ſo that he does exerciſe mercy with a very mercifull and a gracious heart and affection: The thing here directly ſpoken of is the fruits of his mercy, the effects thereof, as the plurall does ſhew us; and theſe are ſaid for to be before God; they are before God, as they are acted by Cornelius; he did them in ſincerity; and they are before God, as they are recorded by God too, God ſets them upon record, would keep them in memory, they are remembred of God, as the Text here tels us. I ſhall not need to tell you how that memory is too low a thing for to be properly aſcribed unto God, he is one that ſees and knowes all things at once, ſub uno codemque p. 19intuitu, ſo that he hath no uſe of memory at all, but the Lord is pleaſed to apply himſelfe to our capacity, and to condeſcend to us; and the plaine meaning is this, that God does obſerve and book (there is a condeſcention in that expreſſion too;) God obſerves, and God does book (I ſay) every act, Doct. and every work of mercy that is done by his Servants, and by his People; God takes notice of them all, and notes them, in their circumſtances, and with the particularities of the ſame; he obſerveth 1. who it is that does a work of mercy, 1Cornelius: he obſerveth 2. what's the thing that he does, he 2does (many Acts) of mercy, and that mercy properly, which hath reſpect unto mans preſent life and livelyhood, that is the mercy here ſpoken of: 3. He takes notice how much mercy 3a man ſhewes; he gave much Almes, as 'tis ſaid in this Chapter; and Dorc as made many Coates for many poore perſons:Acts 9.Acts 9 God takes notice of 4. the Time when a man ſhewes mercy; 4Obadiah in a hard time, he hid a hundred Prophets, and ſhewed them mercy then, 1 King. 18.5. God takes 5. notice how 5a man does mercy, with what heart, and with what inlargement of affection, as he does thoſe Macedoniaus, 2 Cor. 8. that they in their extreame poverty, did ſhew mercy to their power, and beyond their power: 6. Yea, God takes 6notice of the leaſt degree of mercy that is ſhewed by his Servants to any of his people, even to a little cake of bread, as he does in the Book of Kings in the Widow;1 Kin. 17.30. Matth. 10.42.1 Kgs 17:30Matt 10:42 and to one cup of cold water, as he does in the Goſpell; verily, if a man give but a cup of water; (water) that is a cheap thing; cold water, no matter either of coſt or paines; ſayes he, if he gives ſuch a cup of water to the leaſt of mine, it ſhall not be forgotten, it ſhall be rewarded: So that God, you ſee, takes particular notice, writes downe,Grot. ad locum. books downe every act and work of mercy that is done by his people. I could be large in proving of this now, but I ſhall not need to ſay more to ſuch an underſtand…ng auditory; I muſt haſten, in regard of the time and my owne ſtrength.

What may be the grounds and reaſons of this, Reaſ 1 that God does thus book and write downe every work of mercy?Negativè. The p. 20is not from the worth (as we ſaid before, of prayer:) So here, not from the worth of our works, and of thoſe Almes that we are able to give; as the Farmers of merit in another world and in another Church uſe for to ſpeak, who are very high in their expreſſions this way, touching their Mercy, their Alms, their good Deeds, for which they expect a great deale of thanks, and respect from God, but without reaſon; for certainly (as one hath well obſerved) it is very true that many of thoſe things which they called works of mercy,Carow. on the Rhèm. Teſt. were indeed the works of penance, and were but mulcts, fines & amercements, laid upon them by their Confeſſors for faults that they had committed; and certaine it is, that many of thoſe that they did ſo bragge and boaſt of, are more ours a great deale then theirs: However the Doners were tainted and ſunburnt with ſome particulars of Popery; yet in the maine, many of them were more ours, then theirs: So that they have no reaſon to bragge that way. In truth, what is a mans mercy to God? our goodneſſe reacheth not to him; what can we give him, but what is his owne already, and what he hath given us firſt? So that that cannot be the reaſon why God reſpects our mercy, for any worth or dignity that is in our Almes: But the reaſon is this; God is pleaſed in Chriſt to look upon our perſons, and then next to accept of our ſervices for Chriſts ſake;Reaſons. 2. Affirmat.and ſo in particular of our Almes: God is pleaſed to reſpect them, becauſe they are expreſſions of Chriſts Spirit, and the fruits of his owne Spirit, and becauſe they are Seales of our obedience, and of our thankfulneſſe unto him; and becauſe that they are meanes of refreſhing the bowels of his poore Servants. For theſe cauſes, and under theſe names and notions it is, that God takes notice of our Almes and Works of mercy, and daignes to regard and write them: Write them, how? not to help his owne memory (that needs not) but to help our Faith, and to help our Love, that we ſhould be encouraged in this way to doe works of mercy. I have ſpoken as briefly as I can unto the point, and yet, I think, ſufficient for ſo plaine a point as this is. All the buſineſſe here lyes in the Application and the Uſe of this.

p. 21And the Uſes (Honoured and Beloved) are theſe. Uſe 1

If this be ſo, that God takes particular notice, and writes downe every work of mercy that is done; then this ſpeakes but ſad newes unto divers ſorts of people.

The firſt are ſuch men as are meere ſtrangers unto mercy, 1and the fruits thereof; they were never guilty of ſuch a thing as Mercy and Almeſ-deeds: If you compare the Books (Gods and theirs) together, you ſhall find the Books much what alike unto ſome Almanacks, that are full of letters, both red and black & bloody on one ſide, but on the other ſide there is fair paper, a waſte empty blank, that is all that is to be found there: Even ſo it is with many a mans books, if he be a true recorder of his works of mercy: On the one ſide, you ſhall find, Item, ſo much ſpent upon Pride, and ſo much ſpent upon Luſt, and ſo much ſpent upon Revenge, and ſo much ſpent at Dice, and ſo much ſpent in Playes, and ſo much ſpent upon ſinne and Wickedneſſe; this ſide is full of what hath been laid out touching themſelves, and for themſelves in purſuſuance of their luſts: But now when it comes to a work of mercy, what have you done for God? what for Chriſt? what for the members of Chriſt? what for the advancement of Religion? or any pious work or ſervice? what ſhall you find there? Even a blank, meere cyphers, nothing elſe. Oh miſerable men! how will theſe fare when they ſhall be called to an accompt for their Stewardſhip? when they have laid out all for themſelves, and upon themſelves and their luſts, and laid out nothing at all for God, and for the love of God. This is one ſort.

But then there is another ſort worſe then theſe, and they are 2ſuch as are not onelyonly ſtrangers unto mercy, but are Oppoſites, Enemies, (as it were) to mercy; at loaſt they walk in a quite oppoſite way unto the way of mercy: Theſe, why theſe do not feed the poor, but they flay them; they do not cloath them, but they ſtrip them; they make not any proviſion for them, but caſt how utterly to ruine and to undoe them: In ſtead of healing them they wound them; in ſtead of relieving them, they oppreſſe them, and in ſtead of being to them any eaſe and p. 22comfort, they lay upon them heavy burdens, heavy preſſures: This is a black crying ſinne, and will prove ſo at the laſt day; what? if they in Matth. 25. (as Auſtin well inferres thence) if they ſhall be ſhut out of Heaven, and ſeat from the preſence of God with a curſe, who have not fed the hungry, nor cloathed the naked, nor viſited the impriſoned? &c. Oh then: where ſhall they appeare? and what ſhall become of them that are ſo farre from this, that they have done what they could to ſsuck out the very blood of the poor members of Jeſus Chriſt! This is a ſecond ſort.

3Nay, in the third place, let this be a matter of humbling to the beſt of us, for certainly we are all ſhort in this buſineſſe, and have cauſe even to bluſh and hang downe our heads, betwixt man and man when it comes to a contribution, and we ſee other men underwrite, it may be, ſo many crownes, or ſo many pounds, we are aſhamed to appeare in the ſame Roll, and to have our names liſted where farthings and half-pence are ſet upon our heads; much more ſhould we bluſh when we bring our ſelves into the preſence of God, and there conſider that God ſees all we doe, all that others have done; he writes downe every mans name, every mans worke, every mans Almes, and they are bookt, and this book will be read and produced at the laſt day: This, this ſhould put us to the bluſh, eſpecially when we conſider two things yet found upon 1us: That is, our backwardneſſe unto works of mercy; and 2our barrenneſſe in works of mercy.

1Firſt, for our backwardneſſe; how heavily doe we come off (for the moſt part) in works of this kind? Mercy is by our Saviour preferred before kindneſſe: Luke 14.13.Luke 14:13Sayes he, when thou makeſt a Feaſt, bid the poore, &c. doe not bid the rich; a man may bid his rich friends in a way of kindneſſe, but (ſayes Chriſt) preferre the other before that, mercy before kindneſſe, mercy is better then kindneſſe. But now (my Brethren) is it ſo with us? doe we ſet mercy above kindneſſe? in way of kindneſſe and neighbourhood, you know what men will doe; a friend deſires you to goe a journey with him, you will goe; you will ſay, what though it coſt me five pound? what p. 23if it be ten pound? what a matter is that betwixt friend and friend, neighbour and neighbour? When you meet together (ſometimes) in a Taverne, or at an Inne upon ſome occaſions in way of kindneſſe, to drink or feaſt together, then happy is that man that can be rid of his money firſt; I'le pay ſayes one; I'le pay ſayes the other; you ſhall not pay a penny ſayes the third, I'le beare all, &c. and now happy is the man that can be rid of his money quickly; it growes ſometimes very neer to a quarrell, becauſe we cannot be ſuffered to ſpend our money: Thus in works of kindneſſe. But now come to a work of Mercy, how is it then? is the money then upon the Table? is every man ready to throw downe then, and to lead the way unto other men in this caſe? Nay then, alas! I am in debt; then, my purſe is not about me; or elſe, when it comes to the opening of the purſe, every finger is a thumb, and it is ſuch a while before any thing will be got out, that it is very tedious and irkſome to a man to behold it: Then the queſtion is not, who ſhall be firſt? but, who ſhall be last? I'le ſee what my betters doe firſt, there are ſuch and ſuch, they are a great deale richer and better then my ſelfe, I will ſee what they doe; happy is the man here that can be hindmost: Oh! my Brethren, is not this a thing, think you, that ſhould humble us, that ſhould ſhame us? that we in way of courteſie to man ſhould be thus free, but when it comes to works of mercy for God, we ſhould be ſo bound up, that we cannot cheerfully, almoſt, part with any thing? this is one of the things we fault in our ſelves, this ſame backwardneſſe to workes of this kind.

But ſecondly, there is another thing, and that is barrenneſſe 2in works of mercy: If a man will but compare what is expended on ſelfe, and on the publike; what a vaſt difference will there appeare upon the very firſt view? If a man read his books, he ſhall find, Item ſo much beſtowed upon Apparrell, and ſo much beſtowed upon a Feast, and ſo much for my ſelfe, my ſelf credit, and my ſelf delight and content, my ſelfe I know not what, ſo much for ſelfe; there it amounts to ſcores, to hundreds, it may be, to thouſands: But then come on the other p. 24ſide; how much for Gods Houſe? how much for Gods worſhip? how much for charitable and for mercifull uſes? and then there come two-pences and three-pences, and poore ſhort reckonings, not worthy to be accounted and ſummed up almoſt: Is it not thus (I beſeech you) with many of us? are we not thus barren in works of mercy? and ſhould not this ſhame us now? I hope, my Brethren, I hope, that there are none of you but will beare me company in this work, even this night before you ſleep, betwixt God and your ſelves to confeſſe this your ſinne, your nigardize towards God, your pinching when it comes to a work of mercy and charity; whereas you can be profuſe and prodigall when it is to ſerve your ſelves, and your owne ends.

But this is not all; Uſe 2 we muſt not onelyonly be ſorry for our failing this way, but we muſt labour to reforms and amend this now, to put on to this great work of charity and mercy that is underhand: I beſeech you, conſider, that we are bound to it as well as Cornelius; Motives.and that we are as able many of us to doe it, as that poore Captaine was: Conſider, how that we have as faire promiſes as ever he had, and that we have as faire opportunities: Opportunities, ſaid I? Nay, never more opportunities then in this day in which we live; I need not tell you; you cannot be ſtrangers to the miſeries of the Land, and of this City; I am but a ſtranger here my ſelfe, yet notwithſtanding, I ſee and know ſo much, that if you would be pleaſed, you (I meane) of the richer ſort, to deſcend and to goe into the houſes of many poore men (hundreds in ſome ſeverall Pariſhes) and there ſee how they fare, and how they lodge, I am perſwaded, you would be ſorry, that your horſe, that your dog ſhould feed and lye no better then ſome of them doe: And if you would yet goe farther, and look upon many men that labour, and labour diligently, early up, and late downe, that take exceſſive paines for to get their bread, you ſhould find that they be not able to afford ſo much money as would buy a little freſh water to make their children drink; yea, that they are ſo called upon by Wife and Children within, that they cannot endure the houſe almoſt; bread ſayes one, p. 25drink, ſayes the other; Father, where ſhal's have victuals, oh! I am ready to ſinke, I am ready to faint: It is the caſe of many modeſt men, labouring men, that toyle and take a great deale of paines, and are not able to maintaine themſelves and their Families with their labours, you would find it ſo upon ſearch made.

Shall I adde a third Inſtance? there are come to the City (certainly it is the honour of this City, and God will bleſſe the City for it, and you will all ſpeed the better for your receiving of them;) there are come to the City, I ſay, a company of poore people that are driven out of the Country; they lived, ſome of them, in good faſhion in their Country, able to relieve many poor (ſome of them able men that did bear office in the place where they lived;) men that ſtand ſo diſpoſed, that they had rather halfe ſtarve, then they would be burthen-ſome to you; ſuch there are about this Towne: Touching theſe I may ſay, that unleſſe God be mercifull to them, and the times doe mend and ſettle, and ſome courſe be taken, many of them will be more then halfe ſtarved. You, my Brethren, you here ſit warme, you here live in plenty, live in abundance, but my heart bleeds and dyes within me, to think of the miſery and deſolation that I have in part ſeen in ſome parts of the Country: I muſt tell you, that if ſo be the Lord be not pleaſed to find out ſome way of reliefe for many poore people in the Country, they will be utterly ſtarved and undone; they cannot expect many more Harvests and crops of Corne: Well may they come up hither and eat up your plenty, but they will not be able to bring in any ſupplies to you, as formerly they have done: Oh! conſider, and ſay not now, men groane without a cauſe, and there is not ſuch need as men will pretend: No, certainly, certainly there is great need; for many men, they have lived as long, and ſhifted as long as they know how to live in an honeſt way; the Lord pitty them, and give you hearts to tender them to your power.

Well, but things ſo standing, what ſhall I perſwade you to? two things, my Brethren.

The firſt is this; that you would labour to make your ſelves p. 26able to doe ſomewhat: And then ſecondly, that you will travell with your ſelves, that you may be willing to doe for thoſe that be neceſſitous, in miſery and want.

For the firſt;1. Now able to doe works of mercy. ſome man will ſay, Alas, how can we help it now? how (can) we help it? trade failes us; our burthens, they are heavy, and payments, they are multiplyed upon us more and more; it is not with us as it hath been, we are not able to doe what we are willing to doe.

Well, I heare your anſwer, I beleeve it to be true in ſome part: But now I beſeech you, good my brethren, let us cast about a little, and ſee whether we may not be in ſome meaſure enabled to doe for thoſe that be in greater want then our ſelves.

11. Uſe your hands, you that are able to labour, labour and take paines,Epheſ. 4.28.Eph 4:28 as Paul would have you, Epheſ. 4. that ſo you may have ſomewhat to ſpare for thoſe that are not able to labour or to take paines.

22. And uſe your heads too, ſet your wits awork this way, caſt about and contrive as well as you can how the neceſſities of people may be ſupplied in ſome meaſure: Caſt about, I ſay; is there no way to prevent theſe idle vagrants, and theſe perſons that eat up the bread of the honeſt poore? Is there no way for to pull downe more of theſe Play-houſes, I meane, Tipling-houſes, Ale-houſes, and the like; and to ſet up Working-houſes that people may have labour, and that they may be ſet upon ſomewhat? is there no way for us to caſt and contrive how people may be kept alive? I beſeech you that are men of wiſdome and underſtanding, that you will imploy your thoughts this way.

33, And then next; doe ſomething by way of abatement, abate ſomething, and abridge your ſelves a little, that you may be helpfull to others: Abate ſomething from your backs, and ſomething from your bellies, and ſomething from your delights and recreations; be content a litile to deny your ſelves, (to deny your ſelves a little, I ſay) for the ſupply of others. I tell you, I am verely perſwaded that there would be enough ſaved and ſpared from needleſſe drinking, I meane, from Wine, and Tobacco, and Strong-waters, and the like; and from trimmings, & laces and dreſſes, and ſuch like things as are more then p. 27neceſſary; enough ſpared, I ſay, to ſupply the neceſſities of many men that doe now ſtand in great need of very neceſſaries: Oh! let your Bread be a little browner, let your Tables be a little ſhorter, let your Coats be a little plainer, a little courſe; a little condeſcend to the wants of your poore brethren, and impart ſomething unto them that are diſtreſſed and naked.

You will ſay happily, Object. that you muſt maintaine not onelyonly Nature, but you muſt maintaine the honour, the port, and the credit of your places too.

I anſwer, it is true, you muſt, Anſw. (I'le not preſſe you now with that which ſome Caſuists ſay touching this point in caſe of extremity, and of meere neceſſity, how farre forth a man muſt deny himſelfe that way; we will not ſtand upon that now) we will yeeld you that; and there will be a competency, I hope, without any ſuch extremity: We doe not preſſe you that you ſhould any way deny your ſelves any thing that is fit for nature, that is fit for your places, and for your relations: onelyonly I propound and offer this, whether when theſe are anſwered and ſatisfied competently, whether then there will not be ſome overplus? and if ſo, then I preſſe the point: Will you not deny your ſelves in a ſuperfluity? abate a little for Chriſt? a little finiſhneſſe, and a little exceſſe and ſuperfluity? What? not abate a little from a dog, from a bird, from a beast? Will you not doe thus much for Christ? Chriſt bated of Heaven (as it were) for the time, he was content to lay aſide his glorious Robes in our miſery, and in our beggery: Oh! let Chriſt be ſo much beholding to you, that you lay ſomething out of the overplus for him and for his ſake: And when you doe what you are able to doe, it is accepted; as the Apoſtle ſaith, It is accepted according to that that a man hath, and not according to what which he hath not, 2 Cor. 8.12. Thus you muſt labour to be able to doe works of mercy.

But then there is a ſecond thing; and that is,2. How willing to doe them. when you are able, you muſt be willing and ready to doe it too; you muſt be willing to it, I ſay; and here God beares us downe with a world of Arguments.

1. If we look to God, he is our friend, nay p. 281our Father; you know, for a friend you will doe ſomewhat; if a friend come to you, and ſay, here is ſuch a poore friend and Kinſman of mine in want, for my ſake doe ſomewhat, I'le doe as much for a friend of yours; will you not do it? and will you 2doe it for a friend? and will you not doe it for a God? Conſider Christ; Chriſt comes in his fleſh to you, when poore Chriſtians come to you; he preſents a pale face, a thin cheeke, he preſents a bare arme or leg (it may be) to you; will you not doe ſomewhat for to ſupport Chriſt, and to cloath Chriſt in his members, & in his ſervants? ſhall the bones of Chriſt ſtare and ſtand out? ſhall the naked fleſh and skin of Chriſt pine away for want of ſuccour?

33. Adde to this: Chriſtians themſelves that come unto you; alas! they are your fleſh, as the Prophet ſayes, Iſa. 58. they are your owne fleſh: What? ſhall the head doe nothing for the foot? and ſhall the hand and the eyes do nothing for the legs? what? not for its owne fleſh, and for thoſe that be of the ſame body?

44. But laſtly, conſider your ſelves, and have reſpect to your ſelves (if you regard none of the former,) and provide for your ſelves, labour to place your wealth ſafely, to ſecure it firſt, and then to improve it next.

For the ſecuring of it, put it into a ſure hand; you know, men in theſe doubtfull and dangerous times caſt about where they may ſafely place their Treaſure and their Goods; ſome ſend it to a Garriſon, and ſome (happily) paſſe it over the Seas into another Country. But tell me now, I beſeech you, is there any place ſo ſafe as Heaven, where no thiefe comes, where no plunderer comes, where no ruſt comes? is there any place like that? or can you put it into a better and ſafer hand then into the hand of God himſelfe? labour to lay it where you may be ſure to have it forth-comming, put it into Gods hand.

Nay, improve your eſtates this way: you are willing to doe that, I hope, ſow, that you may reap, ſo the Apoſtle cals works of mercy:2 Cor. 9.2 Cor 9 It is a ſowing; it good husbandry for a man to ſow, it payes him for his paines to ſow; what you give in works of mercy, you ſhall reap for the ſame a greater Crop, and a p. 29greater harveſt. Nay, what ſayes Solomon? Prov. 19.17. he that gives to the poore, lends to the Lord, and the Lord will repay him againe. I beſeech you, mark that place: You give to a man, but God takes it not as a gift, he takes it as a debt; 'tis your gift, 'tis Gods debt; and he becomes the debtor and the ſurety for the poore man; you give to man, but you lend it to God, and God is at leaſt debtor to himſelfe and his owne truth.

Yea, but when ſhall I have it againe? ſayes he there, God will (certainly) repay it, God will (fully and abundantly) repay it,foreign In Piel. no man ſhall loſe by God. My Brethren, take Gods word once, take him for your ſurety, and lend to him; he hath pawned his Honour and his Credit upon it, that you ſhall be repaid, firſt or laſt. Labour to improve your eſtates this way; yea, labour to ſettle ſomething upon Posterity, put it into Gods hand: We will put (ſometimes) a Portion into a friends hand for a child; truſt God with it, he never dyes, he never breaks, he ever lives; make him your Executor, God will then provide for yours: The righteous, he gives, and he diſtributes, and his ſeed enjoyes the bleſſing: Oh! lay up your eſtates with God, lend unto God, lend it upon this Publike Faith, as it were, upon Gods Faith, and God will not faile you, he will certainly repay you againe. Thus you ſhould labour to be willing unto this good work of mercy: Many reaſons more we might preſſe you withall: I'le onelyonly mind you of that of our bleſſed Saviour, in Acts 20. where it is ſaid (it was a Proverb of his) that it is a more bleſſed thing for to give, then it is to receive: Doe not you think ſo? doe not you think your caſe better to be able to relieve others, rather then to be relieved by others? is it not in your eyes better and happier for you to have ſomewhat to give, then that you ſhould be beholding to other men? ſith it is a more bleſſed thing to give then to receive, be you more forward to give then modeſt men will be to receive gifts: Give cheerfully, bleſle God that you have ability to give, and bleſſe God that you have opportunity to give, and a heart to give, and an affection to give, and make God a ſharer in your wealth, and in p. 30your plenty, and your ſelves ſharers in this bleſſedneſſe, bleſſe your ſelves, bleſſe your houſes, bleſſe your eſtates.

Yea but, Object. will ſome man ſay, a man may give indeed, give away all, if he will, that he hath; and then what ſhall become of himſelfe and his?

The holy Ghoſt anſwers this; Anſw. I referre you at your leiſure to one Scripture,Eccleſ. 11. opened, ſee in Part. Tirin. ad locum.Eccl 11 in Eceleſ. 11.1. and ſo forward; where the Wiſe man doth prevent all the Cavils and Objections that fleſh and blood is ready for to make againſt this work of mercy. 1. Whereas a man would ſay, it is but caſt away all that is given, it is loſt and drowned (as it were) I ſhall never ſee it againe. No, ſayes Solomon, though it may ſeem to be a throwing downe the ſtreame; yet (ſayes he) caſt thy bread upon the waters, and thou ſhalt find it many dayes after; firſt or laſt it will returne, it is gone but a voyage, it will come back with a great returne, thou ſhalt find it againe many dayes after: And whereas a man would ſay, Object. alas! there is no end of giving; there be ſo many poore that now want, that a man may exhauſt himſelfe ſooner then repaire and ſatisfie them: Solomon anſwers him; Anſw. give (ſayes he) to ſeven, and give a portion alſo to eight; though they be many, proportion it accordingly; give to this man a little, and to that a little, that every body may have ſomething of a little. Object. Yea, but l know not what times may come, Anſw. and what I my ſelfe may be put to: Solomon anſwers him, Give (ſayes he) for thou knoweſt not what evill may be upon the earth, therefore give while thou haſt ſomewhat to give, becauſe thou knoweſt not how long thou ſhalt have it; therefore give, becauſe thou knoweſt not what thy ſelfe mayeſt come unto: Thou mayeſt need mercy, therefore ſow mercy, Object. that in time of need thou mayeſt reap. Yea, but, will ſome man ſay; it is true, I ſhould pitty people, and ſo I doe with all my heart, I pitty them with my ſoule, but I am not able to help them, and to relieve them; I hope, the heart wlil be accepted: Solomon anſwers, If the Clouds be full of water they will drop down raine, Anſw. that is certaine; if there be abundance of raine there, the Cloud will not keep it all to it ſelfe, it will impart it to the thirſty and hungry ground: So p. 31muſt we doe: thou haſt mercy and charity in thy heart, and it pitties thy heart to ſee men in this miſery: Oh! remember, if there be water in the Clouds ſome of it will drop downe; if there be mercy in thy heart, there will be ſome in thy hand too. Yea, but will ſome men ſay yet further; Object. if I were well ſeated & accommodated, then I could ſpare ſomewhat; but alas! I live in a corner, I live out of the way, I have no great trading, and it is not with me as it is with many others, I cannot give: Anſw. Solomon anſwers you; whether the Tree (ſayes he) ſtands ſouth, or whether it ſtands north; in a more fruitfull, or in a more barren place, yet it is the Lord's Tree ſtill, cadit Domino, it fals to him, and it beares fruit to him, and ſo it will be with us too: If we be good Trees, let us live in the north or in the ſouth, in a better place, or in a worſe habitation, if ſo be we be good, ſomewhat will be comming, and we will yeeld ſome fruit; ſo Solomon tels us. Yea, this is true, Object. if ſo be a man did know how it would be accepted; I could find in my heart (indeed) to give, but I know not how it will be taken; poore men are captious, and they will not take a little; and rich men will take exceptions; ſome will ſay, I doe it out of pride and ambition, and raiſe me (it may be) higher in the Subſidic book, becauſe I am ſo forward and free of my purſe, ſo that I know not what to doe: Solomon anſwers you; Anſw. he that obſerves the wind and the raine ſhall never plow, never ſow; if a man will be ſtill objecting, he ſhall never goe on with any work or ſervice whatſoever. Yea, Object. but I know not the parties to whom I give; there are many hypocrites and diſſemblers, that pretend a great deale of want when there is no ſuch matter: if I did know the men, it were another matter: Solomon anſwers; Anſw. Neither doeſt thou know how the child growes in the womb of her that is with child, but for all that thou muſt not ſtarve the child; we muſt labour to doe that which is fit for us to doe, to follow our light, and our beſt wiſdome and diſcretion, and when we have ſo done, leave the reſt to God, Object. whoſe providence works (as it were) under the ground for us, as for the child. Yea, but I find in experience that I have been cheated and abuſed by fellowes heretofore, and that puts me p. 32off now, Anſw. and diſcourages me: Solomon anſwers thee; in the morning ſow thy ſeed (ſayes he) and in the night let not thy hand ſlack; thou knoweſt not which ſhall proſper, this or that; or whether both ſhall be alike; therefore caſt not perils, but venture it (as it were) venture it ſometimes, when thou haſt nothing to the contrary, thou knoweſt not but it may ſucceed very well; howſoever, what thou doeſt in uprightneſſe, and with thy beſt diſcretion, that God will accept, and that God will take in good part: Thus Solomon, you ſee, does wipe off thoſe Objections that fleſh, and blood, and unbeliefe is apt to make. I could (if it were needfull now) adde more which are anſwered ſufficiently by many, ſpecially by two of the Fathers, which profeſſedly writ upon this Argument; the one is Cyprian, and the other is Bafil, and I muſt referre Schollers unto them: I ſhould now adde ſome rules for your better working,Rules in giving. as touching the ground and order of your giving; you muſt 1. give your ſelves to God, as Paul ſaith; 2. for matter,2 Cor. 8.5.2 Cor 8:5 give your owne, whence Almes tearmed often righteouſneſſe by the Hebrewes and the 70.3. for time, doe it quickly whilſt you live,See their Mazkir, remembrance of ſouls, &c. and men live, and not (as later Jewes doe) give for the dead, But of theſe and other rules I have ſpoken elſewhere, and you may read every where: and therefore I here conclude this Point. And now we have done with the two Acts of Cornelius; we heare what he was in point of Prayer, we heare what he was in point of Almes too: I perceive the time hath deceived me, and therefore I will but touch upon the third point: I crave your patience ſo long.

We have ſpoken of the things ſelves; here is yet ſomething that would be ſaid of the Perſon, that is, Cornelius; he was a Gentile, and (as it ſhould ſeem) none of the beſt of the Gentiles neither, an Italian, his Name, his Band, and Hoſt ſpeak that way ſomewhat.

This Cornelius was alſo a Souldier, and amongſt Souldiers an Officer; and yet notwithſtanding, you ſee, that he was a praying man, a very godly, a very devout, a very mercifull man.

p. 33The thing that hence we had thought to have obſerved, is this: That there is no outward diſadvantages that can excuſe us from Gods ſervice, or exempt us from Gods acceptance; Doct. wo will put in both: He ſerved God, and he is accepted of God, notwithſtanding his Country and his diſadvantages; ſo that let a mans Country be what it will, let his calling be what it will, let his condition be what it will, if he ſerves God, God will accept of him, and of his ſervices. We note this the rather, becauſe that Peter gives us the note in the 34. verſe of this Chapter; I perceive indeed (ſayes he) that God is no reſpecter of perſons, but in every Nation he that feares God, and works righteouſneſſe, is accepted of God, let him be what he will: but I dare not ſtand to proſecute this point.

All that we will now ſay for the Application of it, Uſe. is thus much: Firſt, it takes off that lazy excuſe that is made by many 1men; they would ſerve God, and they would pray, and they would doe much, that they would, but they are not accommodated accordingly: there be lets and hinderances in the way; the Time ſerves not, and the Place ſerves not, and their Calling ſerves not; thus many exceptions they have againſt the ſervice and the worſhip of God. All theſe may be anſwered with one Cornelius, beſides others, if time would have given leave. We ſee that Noah and ſome others, in the worſt times, could find time to ſerve God: We ſee that ſome in Nere's houſe, and ſo in the worſt places, have found place for to ſerve God: We ſee that ſome of thoſe callings that ſeeme to be fartheſt from Heaven and God, ſome of thoſe Callings have ſerved God: Gajus, it ſeems, was an Innekeeper, yet a faithfull man; Cornelius a Souldier and a Commander, and yet a godly and a religious man: So that there is no place, no time no calling that can exempt us this way.

But then ſecondly, we had thought to have ſaid ſomething 2of thoſe that pretend they would ſerve God, but they feare it would not be accepted: and why not accepted? Oh! their perſons are ſo meane and poore, and their ſervices are ſo weake duplicate page p. 32duplicate page p. 33p. 34and ſo contemptible, and their ſinnes ſo great and ſo enormious, that ſure God will not accept of them. It is anſwered, God is no reſpecter of perſons, in every Nation he is ready to heare every poore ſoule that ſeekes unto him, and calls upon him.

3We ſhould (in the nexe place) have called upon you all, to doe what you can in your families, ſith that there is no man excluded from Gods acceptance, or Gods ſervice; therefore have reſpect to your ſervants, even to the very, Kichin-boy; have reſpect to all that are within your compaſſe, and within your ſelves, doe what you can to reclaime them from ſin, to bring them up in the knowledge and information of God: What knoweſt thou (ſayes the Apoſtle) beleeving man, but thou mayſt convert thy unbeleeving wife? So ſay I to you, what know you but that God may have pitty upon thy poore ſlave, thy poore apprentice, as well as upon thy ſelfe? Yea, what know you, but if you make a good choyce, and take a good courſe, and carry a good hand over them, but that Souldiers and thoſe that lye in Garriſons, and repaire to your Ports, may be godly men, religious men, as Cornelius was?

And for your ſelves, let me call upon every man this day, to haſten to Gods ſervice: You have all the advantages that may be; you live in a Land of uprightneſſe, in a Goſhen of light; you are under a Conſtellation (as it were) of ableſt Magiſtrates, and of ableſt Minsſters; who ſhall ſerve God, if you will not, that have all theſe helps, and theſe advantages? Therefore, art thou called to repentance? Never ſay, I cannot, I have no leiſure, and the like; thou mayſt have leiſure and grace, God is able to break the hardeſt heart, he is able to melt the frozeneſt heart, and to ſubdue the ſturdieſt ſpirit; and therefore ſay not, thou canſt not: Are you called to duty and ſervice? Say not, I would pray, and I would heare, and I would doe many duties to God, but I cannot, I have not leiſure, I have no time, my place will not beare it, my occaſions will not ſuffer it: Thou mightſt if thou hadſt a heart; other men in the ſame circumſtances, in as great difficulties, have p. 35ſerved God, and waited upon him: Daniel was a man full of State-buſineſſe, yet he finds his time for praying every day to God more then once or twice: Here is a Souldier in the Text, he can feare God, he can look after his Family, and he can reſtraine his Souldiers from pilſering, and plundering, and drinking, and ſwearing, he can doe it by Gods bleſſing upon his endeavours; and if he, why not others too? therefore doe not make any ſuch lazy plea: Much leſſe ſay, Oh, it will not be accepted! it will be accepted: Give but what thou canſt give, God will accept it; pray but as thou canſt pray, God will accept it; repent as thou art able to repent, and call in Gods help and aſſiſtance, God will accept it: What ſhall I ſay more to you? I am cut off, I am afraid to be too-to tedious to you: And therefore I conclude abruptly; onelyonly I have propounded unto you one Example and Patterne of mercy, preſented unto you many Objects of mercy, and of compaſſion; now let me preſent unto you ſome more, and theſe are knowne well to your ſelves: Here is a true report, &c.

Here, according to the custome, a Catalogue was read of ſundry Benefactors to the ſeverall Hospitals, and ſuch like Houſes for charitable uſes; and that done, the concluſion was as followes:

Thus you ſee (Beloved) here is work enough for your charity to be imployed about; here are many Objects of mercy, many Arguments of mercy; here are Objects of all ſorts: Old men and Babes, Widowes and Orphans, many poore perſons that want ſtocks to ſet them on work, that would faine be imployed if they knew how: Here are alſo divers others that cry to you, that call upon you for mercy, and for reliefe: The Arguments you have heard; Arguments from God; Arguments from Chriſt; Arguments from your ſelves; Arguments from the times; Arguments from your Brethren; Let me ſay all at once, God requires it, God cals for it, God commands it: God commanded once the Clouds, and they gave bread; God once commanded the Rocks, and they gave water; p. 36God once commanded a Raven for to carry meat to a Prophet, and the Raven did it: Oh! for Chriſts ſake, let us not ſhew our ſelves more ravenous then the Raven, more rockie then Rocks themſelves; and thus we leave our errand with you; another Theme I confeſſe would better have liked me, and perhaps more reached you; but I have anſwered your deſure in my choyce, and, I confeſſe, the Subject is not unſeaſonable; the Lord goe with it.

FINIS.

June 10.1645. Imprimatur JOSEPH CARYL.

Abners Funerall, OR, A SERMON Preached at the Funerall Of that Learned and Noble Knight, SIR THOMAS LVCIE.

By ROBERT HARRIS, B. D. and Paſtor of the Church at HANWELL, OXON.

Graves are for me. JOB 171.

Qui pronobis mortem ſemel vicit, ſemper vincit in nobis. Cyprian. Epiſt. Secundum Pamelium. 9.

LONDON, Printed for Iohn Bartlet, and are to be ſould at the ſigne of the Gilt Cup by Saint Auſtins Gate, 1641.