Englands Face in Israels Glass, Sermon 10
Heb. 13.16.
To doe good, and to communicate, forget not; for with ſuch ſacrifices God is well pleaſed.
HEre is an Exhortation, and the Reaſon to enforce it: The Exhortation is, To doe good, and to communicate. And then doe wee doe good, when we doe communicate that good that God hath given us, to the good of others.
Wee have done with the Exhortation; Wee come to the Reaſon that the Apoſtle uſeth to enforce the Exhortation withall;
For with ſuch ſacrifices God is well pleaſed.
Hee ſaith not, With ſuch workes God is well pleaſed; but with ſuch ſacrifices. There are ſpirituall ſacrifices; Prayer is one, and Thankſgiving another, and Repentance another, and Beneficence another. But the thing that is offered to God in all theſe ſpirituall ſacrifices, is the heart: A devout heart in Prayer, a broken heart in Repentance, a gratefull heart in Thankſgiving, and a tender compaſſionate heart in Beneficence. And it is the tenderneſſe, and compaſſionateneſſe, and the charitableneſſe of the heart that makes it a ſacrifice to God, and well-pleaſing to him, and accepted of him.
Againe, hee doth not ſay, This is ſuch a ſacrifice as God requires, (though hee doe require it too) but, This is ſuch a ſacrifice as God is well pleaſed with. It is motive enough to perſwade a good child to doe this or that, if it be a thing that will pleaſe his father: It is motive enough to perſwade a faithfull honeſt-hearted ſervant to doe a thing, to tell him, This will pleaſe your Maſter: It is enough to perſwade any good ſubiect to doe this or that, to aſſure him the thing will pleaſe his Soveraigne: It is motive enough to a Chriſtian heart, to perſwade him to doe good and communicate, to aſſure him, that this is a thing that God is well pleaſed with.
But yet it is not every work done, not every thing that is in it of the ſubſtance of a good work, that is pleaſing to God; there is more required then ſo, to make a ſacrifice acceptable to God.
There is ſomething required in the doer; and, There is ſomewhat required in the thing done.
There is ſomewhat required in the doer: Firſt, hee muſt be in Chriſt, that will offer a ſacrifice acceptable to God. Take theſe Rules:
Firſt, If the perſon of a man pleaſe not God, his works can never pleaſe him. God accepted Abel, and his ſacrifice: Abel firſt, and then his ſacrifice. God never accepts a mans offering, till firſt hee accept of his perſon. Now God accepts of no mans perſon, but in Chriſt; this is hee, in whom I am well pleaſed. The Apoſtle calls Chriſt, the Sonne of Gods love; and there are none that ever God loves, but hee loves them in his Sonne, the Sonne of his love, Col. 1.13. That is one ground.
Another is, Though a work be good as it comes from the Spirit of God, the Author of all goodneſſe, yet it cannot come thorow our fingers, but wee ſoyle it: All our righteouſneſſes are as menſtruous cloaths. If God ſhould bee extreme to marke what is done amiſſe, in our beſt works, who were able to obide it? Even as the offering of the children of Iſrael, it was called a holy offering; yet as holy as it was, there was ſome iniquity in that holy offering; but that was laid on Aaron; and when hee bare the iniquity of all the other, the men and their workes were accepted. So it is here, the workes of a Chriſtian man may be good workes, good in ſubſtance, becauſe they are works that God requires at his hands. Then they may be good in the fountaine, when they ſpring from the Author of all goodneſſe. And good in the end, becauſe they are done to the glory of God, and the good of our brethren. But yet as there was ſome iniquity did cleave to the holy offering of the children of Iſrael, (as holy as it was) ſo there is ſome iniquity cleaves to our good worke, how good ſoever it be: when that iniquity that cleaves to our workes is laid upon Chriſt, who in his owne body on the tree, bare the iniquity of us all, then our perſons and workes are graciouſly accepted, and all the iniquity that cleaves to our workes mercifully pardoned. This is the firſt thing; What is required in the doer, to make his beneficence acceptable to God.
But here is not all, there is ſomething required in the thing done; and that I ſhall ſhew you in the remainder of the time, by Gods grace: And I ſhall lay it down in foure Rules.
The firſt is about the end. And you muſt not wonder that I begin at the end; for howſoever the end is the thing laſt attained, yet it is the thing firſt intended; it is the firſt thing in a mans intention. And beſides, God regards not ſo much quid, as propter quid; not ſo much what wee doe, as for what we doe. A man may doe good works for ill ends, and then hee muſt not look that God ſhould accept them. It is the end that commends the action. Now there are three ill ends of doing good works.
One end that ſome propound to themſelves in doing good works, is, to make ſatisfaction to divine iuſtice, for the ſins they have committed. The Apoſtle would have us doe good works for neceſſary uſes; but God never appointed this uſe of good works. Our good works may be tokens of our ſecret predeſtination, they may be fore-tokens of our future happineſſe; but to think that by doing good wee can make recompenſe and ſatisfaction to divine iuſtice, and appeaſe the infinite wrath of God for ſinne, before the which the very Angels themſelves are not able to ſtand, it is a ſenſleſſe and graceleſſe fancie; tending much to the diſhonour of Chriſt, and that all-ſufficient ſatisfaction that hee hath made for the ſinnes of the world, when hee offered up his fleſh a ſacrifice of a ſweet ſmelling ſavour to God. That is one ill end.
Secondly, ſome propound another end, that is, to merit eternall bliſſe by it: And our Engliſh men, Rhemiſts, Romiſh, Engliſh men by birth, and Rhemiſts by education, and Romiſh by profeſſion, oft times ſtand to it, to prove that good works are truly and properly meritorious, ex condigno, even of very condignity: In ſo much, ſay they, in their Comment upon Heb. 6. Good works are ſo farre meritorious, that God were uniuſt if hee ſhould not give heaven to our good works; hee were uniuſt, if hee ſhould not yeild heaven to our good works. This is the onelyonly place wherein they can find the name of merit; onelyonly becauſe the vulgar Latine hath it; and they doe in this place ſtand to prove the Doctrine of Merit, upon that word merit.
Give mee leave a little to ſhew you, that good works cannot be meritorious: I will give you theſe reaſons.
One principall condition in a meritorious work is this, I muſt be done by a mans ſelfe: How can a man be ſaid to merit any thing by a work that himſelfe doth not, but another doth it by him, or in him? Now, you know, there is no good work that wee doe of our ſelves, God works all our good works in us. Hark how the faithfull pray in the Prophet, Lord, thou haſt wrought all our works in us, Iſai. 26.12. Our new tranſlation reads, in us, our old, for us: The word in the Originall will beare either the one or the other; take it as you will, in us, or for us, God hath wrought the work; Lord, thou haſt wrought all our works in us, and for us.
Firſt of all, it is from Gods grace that we are enabled to doe good works, what works ſoever they be, it is grace that enableth us to doe them. And then, when we are enabled, it is from grace that wee are willing to doe them; both our ability, and our willingneſſe to doe good, are from God. Look how the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 2 Cor. 8. ſaith he there, I would have you know the grace that is beſtowed on the Church of Macedonia. The grace that was beſtowed on them, what grace was that? You may ſee in the two next Verſes; nothing elſe but their willing bounty, even above their power, to doe good; For, ſaith the Apoſtle, Verſ. 3. to their power, I beare them record, yea (quoth hee) above their power: There was the grace that was beſtowed on them, they were willing to doe good.
So then, have wee ability to doe good, it is of grace: have wee willing hearts to doe good, it is of grace. Doe we then any good, wee muſt ſhout as the people, Zech. 4.2. and cry, Grace, grace, unto it. Double the word, Grace, Grace. Grace in enabling us, and grace in making us willing too: All is of God. So if a man doe a good work, hee is more indebted to God for it; God is not indebted to him, but hee to God in making him able; and he is indebted to grace, for making him willing; hee can merit nothing.
Then mark a ſecond Reaſon, how good works cannot be meritorious; Merit is Opus indebitum, it is above a mans deſert; it is a work that is not due, that a man is not bound to doe; for a man can merit nothing by doing that that hee is bound to doe already: hee ſhould tranſgreſſe, if hee did not doe it; but hee merits nothing by doing that that hee ſtands bound in many bonds to doe already. Doth the Maſter thank his ſervant for doing that that is commanded, Luke 17.9. Even ſo, (ſaith hee) When you have done all you can, ſay, We are unprofitable ſervants. If wee will merit any thing at Gods hands, wee muſt doe ſomewhat that wee are not bound to doe. I, but how farre ſhort come wee in the things we doe, of that that wee are bound to doe? we are ſo farre from doing more, that when we have done all wee can, wee are unprofitable ſervants. How much more unprofitable, ſaith Ierome, when wee come ſhort of that which God hath commanded?
Thirdly, good works cannot be meritorious; I prove it thus: There muſt be ſome proportion between the work that is done, and the reward that is given of condignity. Now, I pray, conſider but what that reward is that God hath promiſed; not according to the worthineſſe of our works, you muſt not think ſo; but of faith, of free mercy hee hath promiſed a reward: And what is it? Look in 2 Cor. 4.17. ſee what it is, the Apoſtle calls it there, a farre more exceeding, eternall weight of glory. Theſe light, momentany afflictions, ſaith hee, procure to us a farre more exceeding, eternall weight of glory. Mark; Firſt, it is glory that God hath promiſed for a reward. Secondly, it is more then ſo, it is a weight of glory. Nay yet more then ſo, it is an eternall weight of glory. Nay yet further, an exceeding, eternall weight of glory. So farre our Engliſh can carry it; but our Engliſh cannot carry it ſo farre as the Greek, for there it is, an exceeding exceeding. The Apoſtle could not tell what to make of it, it was ſo much: He made as much as he could, A glory, a weight of glory, an eternall, an exceeding eternall weight of glory, an exceeding exceeding weight of glory. Now I would ask, I pray, what proportion can be between a little poore temporall ſervice that wee doe, and ſuch an eternall, exceeding, exceeding eternall weight of glory? I will ſay no more concerning this point of merit.
Let us never talk of merits, they were all loſt in the firſt Adam, we loſt all merit in him: Let grace alone reigne in Chriſt. Let us ſay with Bernard, My merit is the Lords mercy. Let me have no merit, that will exclude grace: and, ſaith hee, there is no place for grace to enter in, when merit hath taken up all the roome before it comes. Therefore that is no right end.
Thirdly, there is a third end that ſome propound of doing good; that is, glory from men. Vaine men ſeek vain-glory. Thus did the Phariſees, they would doe a great deale of good, but they would doe it ſo that they might be ſeen of men to doe it. And indeed, it is lawfull for men to be ſeen to doe good, and our Lord would have us ſo to doe good, that wee may be ſeen of men to doe it, to let our light ſo ſhine before men, that they may ſee our good works, and glorifie our Father which is in heaven. If you be afraid of Spectators, you ſhall have no Imitators. If there be none to ſee you, there will be none to follow you. It is lawfull for a man to be ſeen to doe good, but men muſt not doe good to be ſeen; for then they ſhall have their reward of men, they ſhall have none of their Father, God.
There belong two things to every good work:
There is the Glory of the work.
There is the Reward of the work.
The reward, God is pleaſed out of his free mercy to us in Chriſt to allow us that; hee allowes us the reward, but not the glory of the work; that muſt be his owne, and hee will not give that to another, as hee ſaith. If we deprive God of the one, we muſt look that God ſhould keep us from the other: If wee keep from him the glory of the work, God will keep us from the reward of it. Theſe are ill ends of good works. We muſt not do them to ſatisfie the iuſtice of God for ſin, or with opinion of meriting eternall bliſſe, or to be ſeen of men to doe them.
What is the end then of good works?
Briefly, in one word, The end of all good works is the glory of God, in the good of our brethren.
And Gods glory is ſuch a thing, as we are born to that end, to ſet forth the glory of God. As the Grace of God is our Alpha, ſo the Glory of God muſt be our Omega. As the Grace of God is the beginning from whence all things come, ſo the Glory of God muſt be the end, to which all things muſt be referred: Of him, and through him, are all things; to him be glory for ever and ever. And we cannot bring greater glory to God, and his holy Truth and Religion that we profeſſe, then by doing good works. When men ſee our good works, and ſee how pitifull and tender-hearted we be, what bowels of compaſſion we have to our poore afflicted brethren, they cannot chuſe but glorifie God, and acknowledge and ſay, Surely this is the ſeed that God hath bleſſed, Iſai. 61.9. So much concerning the firſt Rule that I give you. Would you make your beneficence and good works that you doe toward your poore viſited brethren, pleaſing and acceptable to God? doe them to a right end, to Gods glory, and your brethrens good.
I come to a ſecond Rule; the former was about the End, the ſecond is about the Fountaine, from whence our good works muſt flow. And what is that? Compaſſion. If we will make our good works pleaſing and acceptable to God, they muſt flow out of a pitifull heart. If you inſtruct an ignorant man, which is a good work, it muſt be out of pity of his ignorance; if you feeda hungry man, it muſt be out of pity of his miſery. The diſtribution of our goods to the poore, is accounted a work of charity, and ſo it is a great work of charit; if a man ſhould doe as Zacheus made an offer, give halfe his goods to the poore, and if I have wronged any man, I will reſtore it foure-fold, you would account that a great work of charity; but ſuppoſe a man ſhould give all his goods to the poore, you would ſay that were a tranſcendent work of charity; and it is true indeed: Yet ſee, a man may do even this tranſcendent work of charity, and have no charity. For, mark the Apoſtles ſpeech, 1 Cor. 13.3. If (ſaith the Apoſtle) I ſhould give all my goods to the poore, and have no charity: See, a man may give all that ever he hath to the poore, and yet have no charity; becauſe that which hee gives comes not from a charitable, compaſſionate heart. Holy Iob doth not only tell of his works of charity, but hee tells out of what ground hee did thoſe works of charity, out of what fountaine thoſe works of charity flowed; and what was that? His compaſſion: Did not I weep for them that were in miſery? was not my ſoule grieved for the poore? Iob 30.25. The works that a man doth, if hee will make them a pleaſing and acceptable ſacrifice to God, they muſt come out of a fellow-feeling of his brethrens neceſſities.
It is ſaid of our bleſſed Saviour in the Scriptures, He went about doing good. It is true, he did; his whole life was nothing elſe but a going about, doing good. And be pleaſed to mark what you read again in the Goſpel, you ſhall find that ſome of our Lords works that hee did, were works of charity; and that he did, he did it out of compaſſion; and the Scripture notes it to us, that it was out of compaſſion he did it. Let me ſhew ſome for example.
Our bleſſed Lord cleanſed Lepers, and it was out of very compaſſion to them that hee cleanſed them, the Scripture obſerves it ſo, Ieſus had compaſsion on them, and ſaid, I will, be thou cleane, Mark. 1.41. In another place wee find, they brought many ſick to Chriſt, and our Lord laid his hands on them, and healed them all; and it was out of compaſſion that hee healed them, Hee had compaſsion on them, and healed their ſick, Mat. 14.14. In another place, you know the miracle that our Lord wrought, he fed foure thouſand men, beſides women and children, and with a few barley loaves and fiſhes; yet it was out of compaſſion, ſo hee tells his Diſciples, I have compaſsion on the multitude, they have been with me three dayes faſting, Mat. 15.32. Againe, in another place, our bleſſed Saviour touched the eyes of the two blind men, and they received their ſight, and followed him: and it was out of very compaſſion that he touched them, himſelf was touched with compaſſion, before he touched their eyes; So Ieſus had compaſsion on them, and touched their eyes, Mat. 20. ult. I will alledge no more places but one: You find that our bleſſed Saviour raiſed a young man at Naim, but was dead, and carrying to buriall; hee touched the coffin, and raiſed him again to life; and it was out of compaſſion; not to the young man, for it may be his eſtate was happy; but to his mother: the Scripture gives the reaſon, ſhee was a widow; and the name Widow, is a name of compaſſion; therefore out of compaſſion hee ſaith, Weep not: and hee touched the coffin, and reſtored her ſonne to life, Luke 7.13. I could alledge many places more, but theſe ſhall ſuffice. Mark, I pray, onelyonly a phraſe of Scripture you ſhall find Iſai. 58.10. If (ſaith the Prophet there) thou ſhalt draw out thy ſoule to the hungry; he ſaith not, If thou ſhalt draw out thy purſe, though that be ſomewhat, or draw thy meat out of thy cupboard, or thy garments out of thy preſſe, and give to a poore wretch; but, If thou ſhalt draw out thy ſoule. The ſoule muſt be drawn out firſt; and if a man can once draw out his ſoule to a poore wretch, it will make him draw out his purſe, if hee have it; he cannot but draw out his purſe, if hee have drawn out his ſoule. Therefore ſaith Iohn, 1 Ioh. 3.17. If a man (ſaith hee) hath this worlds goods, and ſhall ſhut up the bowels of compaſsion upon men; hee doth not ſay, If hee ſhut his purſe; but, if hee ſhut up the bowels of compaſſion upon them, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
And while I name the bowels of compaſsion, let me tell you, that word where it is ſaid that Chriſt was moved with compaſſion, the Greek is, foreign, wee cannot expreſſe it in Engliſh; it is a name from bowels, he was moved in his bowels: That compaſsion in Chriſt, and that that hee would have us to ſhew to our brethren, it is from the bowels. Therefore Mr. Beza tranſlates the word, (he knowes not how to expreſſe it in one word, it muſt be an inward motion) I think wee call it, the yerning of the bowels; the bowels muſt yerne in us. When wee ſee poore miſerable wretches, wee muſt not onelyonly relieve them, but this reliefe muſt be done out of pity and compaſsion, and tenderneſſe of heart to their miſery. If we would have our ſacrifice of beneficence acceptable and pleaſing to God, there are two things in beneficence, in doing good, the inward affection of the heart, and the outward act of the hand; they ſhould not be parted, they ſhould goe together: Not only the inward affection of the heart, but the outward act of the hand; nor only the outward act of the hand, but it muſt proceed from the inward affection of the heart.
But thus much, I can tell you one caſe, wherein God accepts the inward affection, without the outward act of the hand: Sometimes God enables not a man to give a gift, then hee accepts of the good affection, and a pitifull heart to our brethren. Where God doth not find an ability to performe, there he accepts of a willing, loving, tender, charitable heart to our brethren; hee accepts of the inward affection to our brethren. I can tell you, I ſay, this caſe, wherein God accepts of the inward affection, without the outward action; but I cannot tell you any caſe, wherein God ever accepts of the outward action, without the inward affection. The outward act of the hand, it may be, may be more acceptable to the man that ſtands in need, and receives; but the inward affection is that that makes it a ſacrifice pleaſing and acceptable to God. That is my ſecond Rule.
I come to the third and fourth; I will but touch them briefly. The third Rule is about the matter and ſubſtance of good works; Good works muſt be done with that which is our owne: It is a ſacrifice wee find here, and wee muſt not offer in ſacrifice to God, that which is not ours. In 1 Chron. 21.24. David comes to Araunah the Iebuſite, to buy the threſhing-floore, to make an Altar there to God, and Araunah bountifully offers him, Nay, my lord, you ſhall not buy it of me, I will give my lord this, and my bullocks for a burnt-offering, and I will give my threſhing inſtruments to burne the offering with, and I will give wheat for a meat-offering; I will give all, I will give ſaith hee. No, ſaith David, I will take nothing of gift, I will not offer to God any thing that coſt me nothing; nay, if it coſt me nothing, I will not offer it to God; but I will buy it at a price, and then I will offer it to God. We may not offer to God that that coſt us nothing, but that that coſt us labour, and induſtry, and the ſweat of our brows; that that we have gotten by hard labour and paines in our calling, let that come, and it is welcome to God, God cannot be pleaſed with a mocking ſacrifice. I pray, who would be contented to be mocked? The ſon of Syrach, Ecclus. 34.18. hee tells us, that he that offers an unrighteous ſacrifice, of unrighteous goods, hee offers a mocking ſacrifice to God: It is a mocking ſacrifice, and will God be pleaſed to be mocked? why, our ſelves would not, ſaith Gregory. Whatſoever in our ſacrifice that we offer to God is ill gotten, it is ſo farre from appeaſing the wrath of God, that it provokes him much more.
It is a thing ſomewhat obſervable, that in the Scripture our almeſ-deeds are called righteouſneſſe, our beneficence is called righteouſneſſe in many places in Scripture; The good man is mercifull and lendeth, &c. He ſcattereth abroad, and gives to the poore; his righteouſneſſe endureth for ever: that is, his almeſ-deeds. Pſal. 112.9. And the Apoſtle prayes for the Corinthians, that God would pleaſe to increaſe the fruits of their righteouſneſſe, 2 Cor. 9.10. that is, their beneficence; beneficence is called righteouſneſſe, And that which we read in Mat. 6.1. Take heed that you doe not your almes before men, the vulgar Latine reads it, Take beed that you doe not doe your righteouſneſſe before men. Maſter Beza reads it ſo too; and hee ſaith withall, that in two of the ancienteſt Greek copies that hee hath, it is ſo. The Syriack Interpreter reads it ſo too, Take heed that you doe not your righteouſneſſe before men. Nay, I ſhall tell you more, that Chriſt hee looked in on them that put or caſt money in the Treaſury: Now what was that? It was a cheſt at the doore, (as your poore mens box) in which they were wont to caſt money, as they paſſed by out of the Temple: And this the Hebrewes called, The cheſt of righteouſneſſe; not the cheſt of mercy, or of charity, but of righteouſneſſe.
Why ſhould our almoſ-deeds be called righteouſneſſe?
I could give you many reaſons, but let this ſuffice now at this time, Becauſe God would have that to be righteouſly brought in, that is charitably laid out: we muſt lay nothing charitably out, but that which is firſt righteouſly brought in: that muſt be laid out to good uſes, that is gotten by good meanes; let it be righteouſly gotten, and then it will be a ſacrifice pleaſing and acceptable to God. That is my third Rule: It muſt be our owne that we give.
The fourth and laſt Rule, that I will but name to you, is this, about the manner, that it muſt be done cheerfully. The firſt Rule was about the End, It muſt be done to a good end. The ſecond Rule was about the Fountaine whence it muſt flow, A pitifull heart. The third Rule was about the Matter or Subſtance, It muſt be our owne. The laſt Rule is about the Manner, It muſt bee done with alacrity and cheerfulneſſe.
And this cheerfulneſſe muſt appeare, firſt, in the countenance: A man muſt not give with an angry, unwilling countenance.
Then it muſt appeare in the words of a man; for a man may peradventure undoe a good work, with ill words; hee may bring a blemiſh on a good work, with ill words. Fair words are as an honey-comb, ſweetneſſe to the ſoule, and health to the bones. As there muſt be compaſſion and bowels, ſo there muſt be grace and favour in the lips. A good word ſometimes may doe more good then a good deed, to cheere and comfort a poore ſoule, and revive it.
Thirdly our cheerfulneſſe muſt be ſhevved by our ſpeedy giving; hee gives tvvice, that gives quickly; and a man blemiſheth his good vvork, that delayes it. There is ſo much taken from the vvorth of every vvork, by hovv much it ſticks longer in the fingers of him that doth it.
Novv you ſee, brethren, hovv you may make good vvorks pleaſing and acceptable to God: Your perſons muſt be firſt in Chriſt. Then, you muſt have a good End; you muſt not propound to your ſelves, to make ſatiſfaction to divine iuſtice, or to merit eternall bliſſe, or to think thereby to be ſeen of men, for vain-glory and popularity; but your end muſt be Gods glory, and your brethrens good. And then, this muſt flow out of a pitifull heart, Pro. 14.21. Hee that hath pity on the poore, bleſſed is hee. Hee ſaith not, He that gives to the poore; yet he would not have it a barren, fruitleſſe pity; but the meaning is this, Hee that pities the poore, and gives out of pity, bleſſed is he. Then again, it muſt be your owne that you give; it muſt not be a burnt-offering of goods gotten by rapine, and by ill meanes.
Then laſtly, it muſt be done with cheerfulneſſe; cheerfulneſſe ſhewed in the countenance, in words, in ſpeedineſſe and readineſſe to give. If it be thus, then it is a ſacrifice acceptable to God.
Nay, I will goe further, God will reward ſuch a ſacrifice as this; you ſhall be ſure of a reward at the hand of God: Though not for the merit of the work, (away with merit, talk not of that) yet you ſhall have a reward, through the free mercy of God in Chriſt.
That is loſt, you ſay, that is beſtowed on an unthankfull perſon; but, as Luther ſaith, if a man will not doe good unleſſe he can find a thankfull man, let him look another world to doe it in, this is not a world for him; if one of ten give thanks, it is enough: it was ſo with Chriſt, one Leper comes of ten; but yet though men prove unthankfull, they will not ſeeme to requite; though men forget, yet our good God will not forget. Hark what ſaith the Prophet, Mal. 3.10. Bring yee all the tithes into the ſtore-houſe, that there may be meat in mine houſe; meat for the reliefe of the Levites, and ſo for the poore; for there went part that way too; that there may be meat in mine houſe, and try me now herewith, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, if I will not open you the windowes of heaven, and poure you out a bleſsing from thence. Try me: Beloved brethren, you have tried many men, and you have made ventures, ſome perhaps to the furtheſt parts of the world; ſome have made ventures in this Kingdome; and you dare truſt this man and that man with your eſtates and goods, and it may be ſome have cozened you of a great deale; this may be loſt, Man is deceitfull on the weights, lighter then vanity it ſelfe; but truſt God with ſomewhat, venture ſomewhat to heaven: you venture in giving to the poore, you make it a hazard; but you never make ſo ſafe a return of any commodity in the world, as that that you give to your brethren.
Riches we call the muck of the world, I would we did account it ſo as we call it, the muck of the world. May I give you a ſimile from your ſelves; A heap of muck as it lies in the yard it doth no good, but carry it abroad into your paſture fields, and ſpread it, and you find the benefit of it: Thus it is, as long as your money and your goods lie heaped with you, it doth no good; carry it abroad and diſperſe it, as the Scripture ſaith, Hee hath diſperſed and given to the poore, Pſal. 112. it is taken from dung ſpread in the field; lay it out upon your poor brethren, and look for an increaſe; if you have it not in this life, aſſure your ſelves you ſhall have it in the life to come; if you have it not in outward bleſſings, you ſhall be enriched in grace here, and in glory hereafter. To which the Lord bring you, for his ſake that hath dearly purchaſed it for you, Ieſus Chriſt the righteous. Amen.
FINIS.