Certaine sermons preached upon severall occasions viz. The vvay to prosper. The vvay to be content. The vvay to vvell-doing. A summer sermon. A vvinter sermon. Vnknowne kindnesse. The poore mans hope. By Iohn Gore Rector of Wenden-lofts in Essex.

THE POORE Mans Hope.

PSAL. 37. 25.

J have beene young, and now am old, yet never saw the righteous forsaken, nor his seede begging their bread.

THese words are an experiment, or an observation of the Prophet David, touching the certainety and infallibi∣litie of Gods Providence and Good∣nesse to the righteous and their po∣steritie. Wherein we may take no∣tice of three generall Points. 1. The time, how long David had observed Gods dealing and dispensation in this behalfe; namely, from his youth to his age [I have beene young and now am old.] 2. The parties in whom David did observe this priviledge, that they were ne∣ver

forsaken, and they were, the righteous onely [I never saw 〈◊〉〈◊〉 righteous forsaken.] 3. The continuance and succession of Gods favour and mercy, that it doth not rest onely upon the righteous themselves, but extendeth and e••la geth it selfe to their posterity and their seed, [nor their seed begging their bread.] Of th••se in their order; and first of the time how long David had observed Gods dealing with the righteous, namely, from hi youth to his age.

••. [I have been•• young.] Here first you may take into your consideration, the holy minority of the Prophet David, that in his young time he began to enter into religious thoughts and meditations touching Gods proceedings with his servants. That time which other young folkes waste and melt away in folly and vanitie, or in the pleasures of sinne; that did he dis∣pend and employ in a more serious▪ and more sacred manner, in devotions, and divine contemplations of the manifold wise∣dome and workes of God. To be a patterne and a president to all young ••olke•• that should come after him, to begin betimes 〈◊〉〈◊〉 God and follow goodnesse. Remember thy Creatour in the dayes of thy youth (saith Salomon, Eccles. 12. 1.) before evill dayes come. Old dayes are evill dayes in respect of young dayes; ••t be the young that be the good dayes, if young folkes had but grace to make good use of them. It was Gods Ordinance, Levit. ••. 14. that in their Meate-offerings of first fruits, they should offer greene eares of corne, or corne beaten out of greene eares. To intimate unto us, that God loves wee should dedicate and con∣secrate our greene and tender yeares to his service, and not put it off (as too many doe) to the very Autumne and fall of their lives. It is witten in the Gospel, that when Christ heard a yong man say, He had kept the Commandements from his youth, th•• Text faith, He began to 〈…〉〈…〉 to shew how God loves these timely beginnings of grace and goodnes: Yea, I dare say it, that God makes more account of a little goodnesse in a young body, ••h••n of a great deale more in one that is of greater age, as you read, 1 Reg. 14. 13. When 〈◊〉〈◊〉 childe was sicke, the Pro∣phet sent him word from God, that he only of Ieroboams house 〈…〉〈…〉 goe to the grave in peace, because in him was found

some good thing toward the Lord. There could not be much goodnesse in him being but a child, and bred in Idolatry, yet be∣cause there was some goodnesse; ye see how God tooke liking to him, and shewed his acceptance by that extraordinary fa∣vour towards him. Let this be an encouragement to all young persons, that are (as the Poet speakes) Aurorae filij, sons of the morning, that have day and life before them, to learn of David and Ieroboams son, to begin betimes to set forward to heaven, and make choise of Christ to be their Guardian in their youth, so shall they be sure never to come to want nor beggery in their age. It was the honour and the happines of Andronicus and Iunia (as we read Rom. 16. 7. that they were in Christ before Paul; and it is the happiest priviledge and priority in the world to be the first in Christ, and in the Covenant of grace; for he that is the formost in Christianity upon earth, shall be sure to have preferment according to his time both in grace and glory in the heavens. Be ambitious therefore (ye young men) of this high honour and preferment, get into Christ as soone as possibly you can; for if you linger like Lot in Sodome, and stay till you have gotten an habite, and an haunt in wickednesse, you would no•• beleeve, how hard a matter you shall finde it then, to dispose your mindes, and frame your lives to goodnesse. Stampe Gar∣licke in a new morter, and it will smell of it ever after; let the devill get possession of a child, he will hardly be removed when he comes to riper yeares: as we have an example, Marke 9. 20. There was an evil spirit had gotten such hold of a yong mans bo∣dy, that the Disciples with all their power and prayers could not cast him out; whereupon our Saviour perceiving with what extremity he came forth, with what wallowing and foaming, and renting of the possessed, He demanded, how long that had happened unto him? answer was made, of a child; if Satan get but handsell in child-hood, he will plead prescription in age. Therefore let all parents take heed they doe not deale with their children, as those wicked ones did, 2 Reg. 17. who offered their children to Molock: first▪ they carried them round about the fire, and that was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 wheeling about their death and destruction: secondly, they caused their

children to passe through the fire, this was called Lustratio a purging by sacrifice: thirdly, they put them into the belly of Molock (which was an hollow Image of brasse) and burnt them quicke; this was Vivi-comburium, burning alive. Too many such graces••sse parents there are in the world, who first, initiate their children to the devill, when they correct them 〈◊〉〈◊〉 this is (as it were) to carry them about the fire of hell: secondly when by their evill example they teach them villany, as the young 〈…〉〈…〉 of the old Lyon to catch the prey, (〈◊〉〈◊〉 9) this is (as ••t were) to make them passe through the ••••••e: they not onely teach them evill by their evill example, but applaud and allow them in their wickednesse, and (as the Apostles word is, Rom. 1. 32.) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉▪ take delight and plea∣sure in their lewdnesse; that is to put them (as it were) into the armes, into the belly of the devill. This is a wofull training up of children, God forgive and amend all them that use it; and God give all such children grace, to doe as Salomon advi∣seth the young man, Prov. 2. 16. ••urto se eripere, to steale themselves ••ut of the hands and bands of sinne and Satan, and to bind themselves Apprentices to God in their youth, so shall they be sure to be potected, and preserved, and provided for in their age. I bave beene young (saith David) and now am old, &c.

[Now am old.] You have heard the beginning of Davids pie∣tie, now marke his proceeding and continuance in well-doing he was no changeling (you see▪ neither in Religion, nor in affe∣ction to God-ward, but held on in a constant, setled course of godly-mindednesse, I••a ut cano placer••t, quod Juveni complace∣••a•• (as one said) so that, that goodnesse which pleased him in his youth, pleased him no lesse in his elder yeares; yong and old he was still the same, still bent and set his heart to serve, and to observe the Lord. It was the commendation given to Mnason, Act. 21. 16. that he was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, an old disciple, and it is the greatest honour that can be given to man or woman, to be truely stiled (as he was) An old disciple; that is, to be a ••ollower of Christ from ones youth, and to continue Christs faithfull servant to ones age. Age is a crowne of glory (saith Salo∣mon)

Prov. 16 31.) When it is found in the way of righteousnesse▪ that is, when an old man is found to be a just and a righteous man, then he truely deserves reverence; but when a man hath lived to those yeares, that he comes to have Caput album, and cor nigrum, a head white with hoary haires, and the heart blacke with wicked deeds; it is the most lamentable incongruity, and disproportion in the world. It is observed out of Gen. 25. 8. that Abraham was the first in all the Scripture that is called by the name of an old man, and yet there were many before him that were much elder in yeares, and had lived a longer time in the world than he had done: why then should Abraham be called an Old man, rather than any of his elder ancestours? Philo gives this to be the reason, that it was propter canitiem virtutum, not so much for the age of his body, as for the antiquity of his vertue; though they were elder in yeares than he, yet Abra∣ham was elder in grace and vertue than they, and had beene a vertuous, a religious man, and had served and feared the Lord, a longer time than any of his predecessours: and for this cause was he written the first old man in the Register of Almightie God. And so at this day; not he that is first Christened, but he that is the first and best Christian, is the eldest man in Gods ac∣count, and comes nearest unto him who is the Ancient of dayes. Whereas he that is full of dayes and empty of grace, that hath attained bonum se••ectutem (as one saith) a good old age, but wants the maine of all which is, Bonum senectutis the goodnesse of old age; who when the harvest of his yeares is come, doth not bring forth that fruit unto God, of devotion and piety, of wisedome and gravity, of temperance and charity, that is to be found in men of fewer yeares: Most wretched and miserable is his condition, for he comes (as it were) to the borders of Ca∣naan, to the very point of time wherein Gods children make their happy transmigration into heaven▪ but by reason of his sinnes is thrust backe againe; so that when he should die and ascend to the place of eternall blessednesse, he dies and descends to the pit of utter darkenesse, where is nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth. Such is the miserable condition of that man or woman, whose body is declining to the grave, but

his spirit hath not learned to ascend to God that gave it. You therefore that are aged persons, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉▪ ready and ripe for the grave, learne to resemble the Sunne, whereof the Pro∣phet David speaketh, Psal. 104. Sol novit occasum suum, the Sun knoweth his going downe; and therefore before his setting sends forth the brighter and the clearer, and the sweeter beames: so you cannot but know that it will not be long, ere the sunne of your life goe downe, therefore before the night of death come upon you, send forth some beames of light, some good prayers to God, some good deeds to the poore, shew some token for good before your death that it may appeare that your soules are gone the way of life. And then looke how the Rivers when they come neere the sea, the tide comes forth to meete them; so when your soules come neere to heaven, your God and Sa∣viour shall meete you in the way, and receive you into those e∣ternall mansions which himselfe hath prepared for you.

So much for the Time, how long David had beene an obser∣ver and an eye-witnesse of Gods Providence, sc. from his youth to his age. I come now to the observation it selfe [Non v••di justum derelictum, I have not scene the righteous forsaken.] Wherein are two things remarkeable, 1. The persons privi∣ledged, and they are the Righteous. 2. The priviledge of those persons, and that is, they are never forsaken.

1. The persons priviledged, (to wit) the Righteous. Here the question will be where any such persons are to be found; for it is certaine that a Righteous man is Rara avis in terris, as this world goes. The Prophet once cried, O yee heavens, drop downe righteousnesse▪ When Righteousnesse (saith a learned man) was taken up into heaven, and the earth was utterly devoid of it. But we trust in God, the world is not altogether now so bad, but that (by Gods grace) there are some, though not many righ∣ous persons to be found amongst men: but who be they? that deserve to be so called, and so accounted? Ans. I will shew you some particular instances out of the Booke of God, what kind of persons went under the name of Righteous men in the dayes of old, and leave the application to your selves.

•• The first that ever went under the name of a Righteous

man, was Abel; of him you shall read, Heb. 11. 4. That he offered a more excellent sacrifice than Caine by which he obtained witnesse that he was righteous, God himselfe testifying of it. Now wherein did Abels righteousnesse consist, or what was it for which Abel was accounted righteous? the text sheweth, it was for that he offered, uberius sacrificium, a richer, a fuller, a better sacrifice than Cain; for Caine also offered a sacrifice to God, such a one as it was, but it was a pinching sacrifice, and the fruits that he offered were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the refuse of that he had; that which he cared not for himselfe, that he offered to the Lord; but A∣bel made choise of the best, and offered the most; so that his sacrifice was both more and more excellent than Caines, it was better and bigger too; and for this he obtained testimony from God that hee was a righteous man. Hence I note, that they which are voluntary and free in their offerings to God, that are willing God should have 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the best and principall part of all their substance; that hold it in scorne (as David did) that it should be said, they should worship the Lord, and be at no cost: these are they in the first place that deserve the name of righteous men. Contrariwise, they that are of a base and nig∣gardly disposition to God-ward, that thinke (as Iudas did) e∣very thing to be perditio, to be waste and lost, that goes to the maintenance of the worship, and service, and Ministers of God; they are farre from Abels disposition, and consequently, farre from being Righteous in Gods account.

2 The next Righteous man, was Abraham, of whom the Apostle speakes, Rom. 4. 3. Abraham beleeved God, and this was counted to him for righteousnesse. Now wherein did Abrahams righteousnesse consist? the text saith, in his faith, in his beleefe of God. God Almighty called him out of his owne Countrey, and made him leave all his friends and meanes behind him, onely promising him to be his exceeding great reward; now if God should have failed Abraham when hee was in a strange place, he had beene utterly undone; but Abraham gave credence to his Word, and wholy cast himselfe upon the Promise and the Providence of his God, and this was counted to him for righteousnesse. Hence I gather, hee that beares a true faith to

God, dares repose and cast and roule himselfe upon the mercy of his God, and the merits of his Saviour, for the pardon of his sinnes, the preservation of his life▪ and the salvation of his soule; he that dares trust his God in a case of exigence and extremity; when if God should faile him hee were undone by it: I dare say that man is a righteous man in Gods account.

3 The next shall be Let, of whose righteousnesse you read, •• Pet. 2. 8. That righteous man dwelling among the Sodomites vexed his righteous soule from day to day with seeing and hearing their unlawfull deeds. Now wherein did his righteousnesse con∣sist? the text saith, in vexing and grieving at the unrighteous∣nesse of others. Try thy selfe by this. Art thou vexed and grie∣ved at the heart, to see the unlawfull deeds, and the ungodly courses of the world? Dost thou mourne in secret (as Samuel did for Saul) so dost thou mourne for those, who in mens un∣derstanding are in the high way to hell and destruction; is it an Hazael to thine eyes, and a griefe to thy heart to see that men should have no more grace nor care to serve and feare the Lord, but to dishonour and provoke him every day; and dost thou wish in sincerity before God, Oh that it lay in thee to further the cause of God, and to hinder the increase and growth of Satans Kindome in the world: art thou thus minded, thus affected (as Lot was in Sodome?) then take it as an undoubted testimony to thy soule, that God who counted it to him, will count it so to thee, for righteousnesse. Whereas he that can make himselfe merry with that which makes God and his An∣gels sorry, is farre from Lots disposition, and consequently farre from being righteous in Gods account.

4 Come next to Job, who saith of himselfe, Iob 29. 14, 15▪ 16. I put on righteousnesse and i•• cloathed me; meaning, that his soule was clad with righteousnesse within, as his body was clad with cloathes without: but how did that appeare? I was eyes to the blind, feet to the lams, and a father to the poore. These be the true 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the infallible markes and badges of a righ∣teous man. 1▪ He must be eyes to the blinde, Ignorant em 〈◊〉〈◊〉 (saith Lyra) by giving counsell, direction, and advice, the 〈…〉〈…〉 can to them that are ignorant and simple, here signified

by the blind, which are not able to guide themselves without Seer. 2. Hee must be feete to the lame, Impotent••m adjuvando, by giving countenance helpe, and assistance the best he can to them that are impotent and of meane ability, here signified by the lame, for he that wants his limbs cannot stir without some helper and supporter. He must be a father to the poore, Indigen∣tem subl••vando, by giving reliefe and protection the best he can to them that are destitute of friends and meanes, like poore Orphans or Fatherlesse children that are not able to provide for themselves, nor to live without the charity and the mercy of good▪minded people. These are the objects of the care and compassion of the righteous, and these are the touchstones and trials of undissembled righteousnesse: He that lends his eyes to the blinde to direct them▪ his feete to the lame to support them; and his bread to the poore to sustaine them▪ that's a Iob-like-dis∣position, and a righteous man without doubt in the sight of God.

5 Looke next to Phineas, of whose righteousnesse you may read, Psal. 106. 31. Phineas stood up and prayed, and the plague ceased, and this (saith the text) was counted to him for Righteous∣nesse. Now what was it that made Phineas a righteous man? It was his praying or his pacifying of God, for so the Greeke word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, signifieth, and in the vulgar Latine it is, St••••••t & placavit, he stood up and pacified or appeased God, and this was counted to him for righteousnesse. Hence I gather, He that labours to pacifie God by prayer, when he is provoked and dis∣pleased by sinne▪ he that takes a speedy course to reconcile him∣selfe and others, and to make attonement with God by a sound and serious humiliation, when hee sees that wrath is gone our from the Lord; that mans name is surely recorded in heaven a∣mongst the number of the righteous in the Booke of God; Whereas he that goes on daily to provoke God, and never goes to pacifie God, is farre from Phineas disposition, and farre from being righteous in Gods account.

6 It is said of Zachary and Elizabeth, Luke 1▪ 6. They were both righteous before God. How did that appeare? the text saith, They walked in all the Commandements of God; though no doubt they had many a rub, many a slip, many a fall, yet still they

kept on their way, and walked in all the Commandements of God. But how did they walke? the text saith 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, un∣blameably, or unoffensively▪ sine querel••, non sine peccato (as a Father saith) not without sinne, but without blame; not that God could find no fault with them, but that men could not charge them with any open crime: and herein consisted their righteousnesse before God. Hence I note▪ they that make a conscience to frame their lives according to Gods Commande∣ments, to keepe themselves unspotted of the world, and to be innocent from the great offence (as David speaketh, Psal. 19.) so that though they cannot be free from sin, will endeavour to live unoffensively, and to be free from blame; these are sure∣ly righteous in Gods acceptance, though they fall short of that righteousnesse which Gods Commandements doe re∣quire.

7 Lastly (to come home to my text) if ye would know what kind of qualited man David meant by a righteous man, Hee expounds himselfe in the very next words to my Text, and saith▪ He is ever mercifull and lendeth: There be lenders enough in the world, such as they be, but they be unmercifull lenders, that lend upon usury, whose lending is as unmercifull, and for the most part, as unrighteous as a Robbery. The mercies of the wicked are cruell (saith the Scripture) Viscera impiorum (as it is in the Originall) the very bowels of the wicked, which are the tenderest parts about them; and if their bowels be so cruell, Oh how cruell are their Bills and Bonds? if there be cruelty in their mercies, Oh what cruelty is there in their malice? and if their best dealings be so bad, Oh how bad, how vile are their worst? This unmercifull kind of lending is farre from making or shewing a man to be righteous in Gods account. But then there is another sort of Lenders (which are the Righteous here spoken of) and they are mercifull lenders, that lend according to our Saviours counsell, looking for nothing againe; that is, for nothing but their owne againe, no advantage, no gaine, no use or their lending; but they lend in meere compassion and mer∣cie to releive their poore brethren in their need and necessitie. He is ever mercifull and lendeth, (and marke what followeth)

His seede is blessed. That which worldly-minded men thinke and imagine to be the onely meanes to make their children poore and miserable, I meane, liberalitie and sending to the poore, that the Holy Ghost saith is the onely meanes to make them rich and blessed; and is so farre from empoverishing and impairing their estates upon earth, that it is the onely way to draw downe Gods blessing out of heaven upon them. As the Prophet Ieremy told Iahojakin, Ier. 22. 15. So long as thy father did helpe the oppressed, and shew kindenesse to the poore and needy, did he not prosper? was it not well with him? so that (as Chrysostome saith) We may not thinke that God made rich men onely for the profit of the poore; but God made the poore as well for the profit of the rich; Make yee friends (saith our Saviour) of the unrighteous Mammon: as if rich men should one day finde, that the poore were their best friends, when they come to be received into everlasting habitations.

By these, and the like examples and instances, you may easily conceive who they be that are counted Righteous in Gods ac∣ceptation. Therefore as Elisha spread himselfe upon the Shuna∣mites child, 2 Reg. 4. 34. and applied his mouth to the childs mouth, his hands to the childs hands, and his body to the childs body, till the child began to neeze and to revive; so you shall doe well to apply your selves to these patternes and presidents, to see what correspondence and agreement there is betwixt 〈◊〉〈◊〉 lives and theirs; and if your disposition be the same with 〈…〉〈…〉 your acceptation shall be the same as theirs was; and if you be partakers of the same righteousnesse, you shall also be partakers of the same happinesse, (as it followeth in the text) you shall never be deserted nor forsaken of God; I never saw the righteous forsaken▪ &c.

As for the unrighteous and ungracious that first forsake God, no marvell if God in Iustice forsake them againe; according to that anciently received rule▪ Deus nunquam deserit hominem, nisi prius ab homine deseratur, God never forsakes any man, till that man doe first forsake his God. But for the righteous that cleave close unto the Lord, and hold them fast by God (as David spea∣keth) and will not, if they can possibly, let go their holdfast; be∣leeve

it, God will be a steadfast friend to them, and will never faile them nor forsake them, neither in life nor in death, but while they live, he will be with them; and when they day, they shall ••e with him.

1 In life, the righteous are never quite forsaken, nor left utter∣ly destitute of food & provision, and such other comforts which God in his wisedome seeth to be most expedient for them. Thus saith the Lord, Esay 65. 13. Behold my servants shall eate, but you, (that is, the wicked Idolaters, for to them he speaketh) you shall be hungry; my servants shall drinke, but you shall be thirsty, my ser∣vants shall rejoyce, but you shall be ashamed: so that what ever be tide the wicked, when the dayes of evill come, God will take order for the righteous, his servants shall be sure to be provided for. In the dayes of famine they shall have enough, Psa. 37. 19. that is, enough to content them, though not enough to enrich them; and if their own meanes chance to faile them at home, God will provide them meanes and friends abroad, as he told Elias, 1 Reg. 17. when he was in great distresse at the river Besor, and had neither meate nor drinke to sustaine him, The Word of the Lord came unto him, saying, Arise, get thee to Sareptah which is in Sidon, and tarry there, for behold I have commanded a widdow woman to sustaine thee there. Elias knew not the widdow, neither did the widdow know him, but God who knew them both had gi∣ven her a secret charge and commandement, that shee should▪ sustaine his Prophet, and so she did. Thus will God (〈…〉〈…〉 than his owne shall want) give secret charges to those we 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not aware of to sustaine and supply us at our need; as in Pauls case, Act. 17. when the ship was broken in peices which they thought should have carried them to land, the Lord cast them and conveighed them safe to shore, upon such boards and plankes, as they did not, nor durst not expect: so when those helpes faile us which wee most relied upon, God will so pro∣vide, that somewhat else shall come in and bring us helpe, which we never thought nor dreamt of. Let the consideration of this teach us to take out that Lesson of the Apostle Heb. 13. 5. Let your conversation be without covetousnesse, and be content with such things as ye have, for he hath said, I will never leave thee nor

forsake thee: If God have said it, we may sweare it, and pawne our lives and soules upon it, that if wee live according to his will, hee will never leave us nor forsake us, while there is breath and life within us.

2 As they are ever sustained in life, so they are never for∣saken in death, but in their last extremity when their life is in extremis labris, God is alwayes present with them▪ either to relieve or to receive their soules. 〈…〉〈…〉 Iust man (saith David) and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the upright, for (whatsoever 〈◊〉〈◊〉 beginning be, yet) the end of that ma•• is peace. And a∣gaine, Follow after righteousnesse, and doe the thing 〈…〉〈…〉 for that shall bring a man peace at the last.) It was promised as a blessing to good Jasiah, 2 Reg. 22. ult. that he should be gathe∣red to the grave in peace; and yet we finde in the story that Io∣siah died in warre. How then was this promise made good? I answer thus: though he died in warre outwardly, yet he died in peace inwardly; his conscience was at peace with God, and his soule was pacisied and discharged from the trouble of all his sinnes; so that whatsoever his death was, yet hee died in peace. And such is the happinesse of all the righteous, some die by fevers, some by the sword, some by the fire, yet all through Gods mercy die in peace. Therefore (saith Balaam) Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like unto his: for though it be decreed in heaven that the Righteous must die as wel as the unrighteous, yet there is as great a difference betwixt the manner of their dying, as betwixt the passage of the Egyp∣tians and the Israelites through the same red sea; which was Alijs s••pul••hrum, alijs vehiculum, a sepulcher and a grave to the one to drowne them in perdition; and a chariot to convey the other, Sicco pede without wetting their feete, to the land of Promise. This is that which the Apostle calls 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Heb. 12. 11. the quiet fruit of righteousnesse: for though the bud and blossome of Righteousnesse, I meane the first begin∣ning of Grace and Christianity, may be troubled and assaulted with difficulties, and doubts and feares; yet the fruit is alwayes quiet, and the end is alwayes peace: so that the Righteous while the live, they live to the Lord; and when they die, they

die in the Lord; so both in life and death, the Lord is theirs, and they are his; they never forsake the Lord, nor doth the Lord ever forsake them. [I never saw the Righteous forsa∣ken.]

Ob. No, may some say? Did David never see the Righteous forsaken, as when he himself cried out, Psal. 22 1. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me, and art so far from my helpe? And doth not Sion it selfe which is the Church of God, and mother of the faithfull complaine in like manner, Esay ••9. 14. The Lord hath forsaken me, and my God hath forgotten mee. And did not our blessed Saviour, who was Righteousnesse it selfe, when he was in that bi••ter passion upon the Crosse, and suffered those 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, those unknowne and unexpressible torments, did not he crie out, to the amazement of men, and horrour of Angels, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me: How then can David say, He never saw the righteous forsaken?

Ans. I answer in the words of a Father, Quosdam deserit Deus, quosdam des••rere videtur; some, God doth indeede for∣sake, as he did Saul and Iudas, and such others, because they had indeede and in earnest forsaken and cast off the Lord: other some God doth but onely seeme to forsake, as hee did David and Sion, and his owne blessed Sonne our Saviour. As when some tender mother will seeme to forsake her childe, and goe aside, and hide her selfe, onely to trie whether the childe will moane after her or no, and then hearing the childs moaning, she is wont to make the more of it, than she did before. Thus it pleaseth God many times to hide himselfe (as the Prophet speaketh, Esay 45. 15.) Thou O God hid••st thy selfe, O God, the Saviour of Israel: but it is onely to see whether we will make any moane after him, and lament after the Lord (as the Israe∣lites did) and groane and grieve for his departure.

Therefore as our Saviour, when he heard them say, He whom thou lovest is sicke, Iob. 11. 3. he answered, This sicknesse is not unto death; so when it may be said, Hee whom God loveth is forsaken; it may be answered, This forsaking is not unto death; but when they seeme in the sight of others, and in their owne sence and feeling to be most rejected, and least regarded of God, then is God nearest to their helpe and succor.

In a word, there is a twofold desertion, the one in sinne, the other in punishment; God may leave the Righteous to either or both of these, that is, hee may suffer them to fall into some grievous sinne; or he may suffer them to lie long under some grievous punishment, and yet not forsake them neither.

1. Desertion is sin, is when God withdraweth the assistance of his grace, and leaves the righteous to fall into some great of∣fence, as he did David and divers others: and of Hezekiah it is said, totidem verbis, 2 Chron. 32. 31. That God left him, to try out al that was in his heart; not but that God knew all before; but Hezekiah did not know so much by himselfe, nor would not beleeve, that he had so bad, so base an heart, till he tried it and found it by wofull experience; therefore God left him to him∣selfe, to pull downe the pride of his heart, and to make him humble and vile in his owne eyes. Thus God left Saint Peter (as you know) but wherefore did hee leave him? Our Saviour saith, it was but onely 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Luke 22. to sift, and winnow him as wheat. Looke then what winnowing is unto the wheat, a meanes to cleanse it and purge it from drosse, and dust, and chaffe; the same is temptation and sinne to the righteous, a meanes through Gods mercy and their owne repentance, to make them more cleane, more holy, more humble in the sight of God. And for this cause I suppose, that God, who if he plea∣sed could easily withhold the righteous from sinne, doth yet in his wisedome, leave them to themselves and let them fall, that by falling they may have experience of their infirmity, their in∣firmitie may draw them to humility, humility brings them home to God, and in God they have their quietus est, a free and full discharge from all their sinnes.

2. Desertion in punishment, is when God casts the righteous into tribulation and anguish, and then seemes to leave them, and neglect them, and take no notice of the burthen that lies upon them, as you read, Judg. 6. 13. the Angel of the Lord came unto Gideon and said, God is with thee, thou mighty man of valour; Gideon answered, Alas Lord, if the Lord be with us, how then is all this evill come upon us; that good man could not per∣••wade himselfe but that God had quite forsaken him, when he

saw there was so much evill come upon them; he thought that Gods goodnesse, and their evills, his mercies and their mise∣ties had beene incompatible and could not have consisted nor stood together. But Gideon was mistaken in that, and so are the Righteous many a time and oft, when they measure Gods pre∣sence by prosperity, and hi•• absence by adversitie. For God is not absent when hee punisheth▪ but onely seemes to withdraw himselfe and his favour, that the Righteous might draw nearer, and creepe closer to God, as one that shivers of an Ague drawes neerer and creepes closer to the fire.

Thus you have seene the priviledge of the Righteous, that notwithstanding their sinnes, and notwithstanding their punishments, yet they are never wholly deserted nor forsaken of the Lord.

I come now to the last part of my Text, and that is, The continuance and succession of Gods favour and mercy, that it doth not rest onely upon the Righteous themselves, but extendeth and enlargeth it selfe to their posterity, and to their seed [Nee semen ejus querens panem, nor their seed begging their bread.]

This shewes the gracious descent and propagation of Gods blessing when it alights. Like the Oyle that was powred on Aarons head, it wet not his head and his beard alone (as David speaketh, Psal. 1 33. 2.) but went downe to the skirts of his cloathing; so the mercy and loving-kindnesse of the Lord, doth not rest and re∣maine onely upon the head of the family, upon the righ∣teous parents, but descends and runnes downe to the ut∣most of their posterity, and is derived from them unto their ••eed. Here then come in two Points worthy to be resolved. First, who are meant by the seed of the Righ∣teous. Secondly, whether none of the Righteous seed ever ••ame, o•• ever shall come to beggery.

1 The Scripture speakes of a twofold seed, Genesis 3. th•• seed of the woman, and the seed of the Serpent; that

is, an holy seed, and an unholy seed; by the one are meant the Generation of the Righteous, by the other, the Ge∣neration of Vipers, (as Iohn Baptist calls such Repro∣bates, Matthew, Chapter 3. verse 7. who like Vipers, eate out the very bowels of their Parents, that is, waste their substance, grieve and gnaw their hearts, and are a meanes (as Iacob said, Gene. Chap. 44. verse 31.) to bring downe their hoary head with sorrow to the grave. Now it seemes to mee, that this S••m••n in my Text, this seed here spoken of, is principally, if not solely and onely meant, and to be understood of the Holy seed, of the Righteous generation, that is, of such children as are of the same Re∣ligion, and of the same righteousnesse that their parents were. For if you marke the Scripture, you shall finde, that wicked and ungracious children, though they be begot∣ten of righteous and religious parents, yet they are not estee∣med, nor accounted as their seed: As you see, Gen. 16. 12. that Ishmael, that ungracious younster, whose hands was a∣gainst every man, and every mans hand against him, Hee is called the seed of Hagar, not the seed of Abraham, though hee came out of his loynes, as well as out of her wombe, onely because the promise of blessing was not made to him but to Isaac; who is therefore called the child of promise: and Rom. Chapter 9. verse 7, 8. Wee have an ex∣presse place for to prove, viz. That the children of the Promise onely are counted for the seede; Others, though they come of righteous parents according to the flesh, yet in Gods account they are not reckoned for their seed. And therefore Cajetan hath a good conceit upon that pro∣mise of God to Abraham, Gene. Chap. 13. verse 15. The land which thou seest, I will give unto thee, and to thy seed for ever. It is (saith hee) as if the Lord had said, quan∣du erit semen tuum, &c. as long as they shall bee thy seed, I will give them this land; therefore when they beganne to degenerate from Abraham, both in faith and in good life, and were not his right children (as our

Saviour told the Iewes, Ioh. 8.) but rather by their wicked manners, the children of the devill; God was no longer tied to his promise, but did disinherit them of that good land which they might still have enjoyed, had they continued to be Abrahams seed, and followed the stepps of his righteousnesse. The like place we have, Psal. 132. 11, 12. The Lord swore un∣to David, of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy Throne (that is) one of thy children shall still succeed thee in thy kingdome; but marke what kinde of children God meant; onely such as should keepe his Covenant, and doe as their fa∣ther had done, If thy children will keepe my Covenant (saith God) and my Testimony as thou hast done▪ their children also shall sit upon thy Throne for ever-more: so that the promises of bles∣sing, though they seem to be made promiseuously to all the chil∣dren of the righteous, yet are they peculiarly restrained to such onely as tread in the steps of their parents vertues. Therefore in the Iewish Talmud, an ungracious sonne is called (Ben ve lo ben) filius & non filius, a sonne and no sonne; as an Eunuch is said to be a man and no man, and a Batt a bird and no bird, and a Pumise a stone and no stone; so a disobedient•• childe, is a childe and no childe; a childe according to the flesh, no childe according to the Spirit; a childe in mans account, no childe in Gods. It is storied of Augustus Cesar that hee had three untoward sonnes, whom he used to terme tres vomicas, & tria carcinomata, his three impostumes, or his three ulcerous cancers; they were such an eye-sore, and an heart-sore unto him▪ so may all ungracious children be truly termed, as being no better than ulcers and cancers to those that breed and bring them up, as Esau was to Rebeccah, Gen. 26. ult.

So that on the one side, whereas it is said, God will visite the sinnes of the fathers upon the children; it is meant onely of wicked children, such as do patrizare, and follow the tracke of their pa∣rents wickednesse, and so draw upon themselves their just-de∣served punishments; so on the contrary, whereas it is said in my text, that God will never forsake the righteous nor their ••eed; it is meant onely of good children that follow the coppy of their Parents righteousnesse, and so bring themselves with∣in

the compasse of their parents happinesse. It is indeed a great happinesse to be borne and bred of righteous parents▪ for as ma∣nie a good child smarts for his fathers wickednesse, so many a bad one fares the better for his fathers goodnesse, as Cham was saved in the Arke, not for his owne, but for his fathers sake. And I doe verily beleeve, that the more vertuous predecessours a man hath, the greater mercies he shall receive, as the blessings of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, all three together were more a∣vaileable for their posterity, than if there had beene but one sin∣gle of them: therfore Iacob saith to Joseph, Gen. 49. 26. The bles∣sings of thy Father shall be stronger than the blessings of my elders; for he had his fathers blessing, and all the rest concurring there∣with: as on the contrary, I feare, that the more evill Ance∣stours one hath, the greater punishment he shall receive, if his owne sinnes be also added to theirs. Therefore let all children that have good parents, thanke God for them, be obedient un∣to them, and take heede they doe not degenerate from them; for as it little benefits a river to come from a cleare spring, if it selfe be muddy; or as it little benefits a blinde man to say that his parents could see, or a feeble man, that his parents were strong; so its little comfort, and lesse credit to any young per∣son, that his parents were worthy and vertuous, if he himselfe be unworthy and vicious: for this blessing which is here repor∣ted of the seede of the righteous, belongs (you see) of ••ight, to none but to the righteous seed (that is) to such children as are righteous and religious as their parents have beene; for the o∣ther in Gods account a••e none of their seed.

2 The last question is, whether none of the Righteous seed e∣ver did come, or ever shall come to beggery, because David saith, He never saw their seed quaerentes panem, seeking or begging their bread. I dare not but say, that this generall Rule may admit of som exceptions; for we know that Lazarus was a Righteous man, for immediatly upon his death his soule was conveied by Angels in Abrahams bosome, and yet he lay begging at Dives gate. So was Bartimeus (no doubt) a Righteous man, for our Saviour gave testimony of him, that his faith had made him whole▪ and yet he begged by the high-way. So though it doe not seeme

to hold in singulis in all particular••, yet ut plurimum for the most part, it is a rare unusuall thing to see a righteous body come to beggery. David in all his time never saw it, and▪ I beleeve the oldest man alive cannot point out many instances. But (I take it) the Prophets meaning may be this; that hee never saw the righteous nor h••s seed forsaken of God, though they did begge their bread, that is, though they should be driven to that hard exigent as for a time to begge their bread, yet even in that extremity God would not forsake them, but be graciously pre∣sent with them▪ to sanctifie their poverty unto them, and to give them a comfortable enjoyment of that very bread and food, which the exigency of their hard condition had constrai∣ned them to begge for, I say, though they should upon some extremity be enforced to make their wants knowne, and seeke releefe, as beggers doe, yet their God whom they serve will never leave them to that scarcity, as to make a trade and pro∣fession of common beggery. As Saint Iohn saith in another case, Hee that is borne of God cannot sinne, (the word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉▪) cannot be a workeman or an Artificer of sinne, hee cannot follow his sinnes, as a workeman followes his trade; but some time or other he shall breake off his sinnes by repen∣tance, and turne to God by reformation: So hee that belongs to God, cannot, shall not begge his bread, so as to make a trade and profession of beggery, God will surely raise them up some friends or meanes to sustaine them for the present, and to put them into a better course for the time to come. For it was one of the greatest curses that David could banne the enemies of God withall, Psal. 106. Let their children be vagabonds and begge their bread, let them seeke it also out of desolate places; where no bread is to be had; now surely God will provide better for the children of the righteous, then that this should be their lot. Consider the Ostrit••h (saith Iob 39. 13. God hath taken understanding from her, and shee leaves her young ones behind her, and provides not for them, but forgetteth them as if they were not hers: how comes it then that they grow up, and that the species is not extinguished, but continues? Surely, because, God takes care for them, and nurseth them up.

So the Hinde that is in the wildernesse, as shee calveth, shee bringeth her young, and casts forth her sorrowes, and there leaveth them; who now should provide for them, but onely God? So they say of the Raven, that when her young ones are newly hatched, shee flies away and leaves them destitute of foode, and there they lie in the nest cro∣king and crying, ready to starve for want of sustenance, but that God takes pitty upon them, and createth a worme out of their excrements, which crawleth into their mouthes, and so feeds them, and keepes them alive; therefore it is said in the Psalme, God feedeth the young Ravens that call upon him. Now if God be so gracious as to feed young Ostritches, and Hindes, and Ravens, much more will hee feede young children, and babes, and infants, that call upon him. My father and my mother forsooke mee (saith David, Psa. 27.) and the Lord tooke mee up: In the Originall the word is, (Asuph) I was a foundling, like a lost childe that left by the parents and found by the parish: such was Da∣vids case (it should seeme) for a time, and the Lord tooke care of him, and brought him up: so will God provide that none of the Righteous seed shall be lost or perish for want of looking to, but hee will finde them him∣selfe, and set some good body or other to finde them out, as hee set Pharaohs daughter to finde out Moses, and to nurse him up at her owne cost: one way or other God will take order for their seed and posterity, that they shall never come to utter want and beggery.

What then is to be thought of our common beggers? are they all ungodly? are they all unrighteous? are they all the seed of Reprobates? I dare not say so; there may be some that belong to the election of grace among them, else God forbid. Wee reade in the Gospel, that some were called in out of the High-wayes, and from under Hedges to the wedding Dinner of the Lord, which is doubtlesse meant of beggers that lay lurking thereabouts; and marke that the Lord of the Feast saith to his servant••

Coge in••rare, compell them to come in; they came not in a∣lone but by compulsion; and so may our common beggers by compulsion perhaps be brought to goodnesse; as Seneca observes that such licentious persons have sometimes beene amended per disciplinam & metum, by correction and feare, nunquam spontè, never of their owne accord. But generally as they are suffered and ••et alone, they are the very filth and vermine of the Common wealth, I meane, such as have health and strength, and limbs, and are able to doe good, worke and take paines in an honest calling, yet rather chuse to wander up and downe the country, and spend their dayes in a most base ungodly course of life; they are indeed the very Sodomites of the land, children of Beliall, without God, without Magistrate, without Minister; dissolute, dis∣obedient, and reprobate to every good work. And therefore no marvell that God in his just judgement doth let such runnagates continue in scarcenesse: for if they would seeke their meat at God (as David saith the young Lyons doe) God would take such order, that they should not alwayes be to seeke for their meate, as now they are; if they did but begge their daily bread of God (as our Saviour teacheth us in his prayer) God would surely provide them bread, that they should need to begge it of none else but him: but as they restraine their prayers from God, so God restraines his blessing from them, and lets them like Runnagates con∣tinue in scarcenesse.

But now for the seed of the Righteous, they have a spe∣ciall relation to God, and God hath a special regard to them, as being the lambs of his owne flocke, the members of his own Son, and the children of his own adoption; and in that respect▪ heaven shall want power, and earth want meanes, before any of Gods owne children shall want maintenance: let the world be never so hard, corne never so deare, and their meanes never so small, that God that multiplied the widdowes oyle, will adde such a blessing to that little which they have, that like a Spring it shall continually feede them,

and keepe off beggery from ever comming on them. Here then is a comfort to all poore pious parents that have little or nothing to leave their children but onely prayers and blessings; God who is Rich in mercy to all that call upon him, will be a Father to thy children, a Guardian to thy orphans, and while thou art above with God in glory, God will be beneath with them in mercy, that they shall never feele such want nor fall to beggery. It is a blessing promised to the poore, Psal. 107. 41. That God will make them families like a flocke of sheepe; which implyes that they shall thrive with a little maintenance, even as sheepe grow fat and gather flesh and fleeces, though the plaines and leas they feed on, be but bare and short.

I know that generally all parents have a naturall desire that their children should prosper and doe well, when they themselves be dead and gone. Oh that Ishmael might live in thy sight (saith Abraham to God) Oh that thou wouldst be pleased to take him into thy favour and mercy, that he may never cast off thee, nor waste his meanes, and so come to want and beggery. Now if thou wouldst be upon a sure ground for thy childrens welfare, labour to become a righ∣teous man thy selfe, and to bring thy children to righteous∣nesse too, and then there is no feare, but all shall be as well as thy heart can wish: for it is not wealth and money, but it is honesty and piety, that must keepe a mans seed from want and beggery; it is not rents and revenewes without, but it is Righteousnesse and Religion within, that entailes Gods blessing to thy childe, and keepes the begger from the doore. This then is the onely comfort, that though parents shall not know how their children ••are when themselves are dead and gone (For Abraham our father is ignorant of us, and Israel knowes us not, Isa. 62. 16. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the father of the faith∣full above knowes not his own children, till they come into his bosome, nor how the world goes with them: and Iob 14. 24. His sons come to honor and he knowes it not, and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them) I say, though the

Righteous shall not know what becomes of their children after that themselves are gathered to their fathers in peace; yet heres the comfort and the assurance that they have in God, that if they have brought them up in the feare and nur∣ture of the Lord, and see them towardly and well-disposed to goodnesse, they may comfortably depart without feare of their miscariage, for as God hath bin a Father to them, so he will be to their children, and though they leave them be∣hind on earth they shall finde them againe in heaven. At which blessed center God of his mercy grant we may all one day meet, where we shall never be divided any more, but shall live together, and love together in eternall solace, in eternall felicity world with∣out end.

Amen.