A VERY SOVEREIGN OIL to restore DEBTORS; being rightly and seasonably used. Extracted out of that most tried and Quintessensed OIL, by the Prophet ELISHA. By virtue whereof the WIDOW indebted, (mentioned in the second Book of the KINGS) was restored out of debt, and her Children released of the bondage whereof they were in danger.  
Written by Samuel Cotesford, late Minister at Stepney: AND Now newly published by W. CRASHAWE, Minister of God's word at Whitechapel, near LONDON.  PROV. 20. 18. Establish the thoughts by Counsel. 
LONDON: Printed by T. S. for GEORGE HODGES, and are to be sold at his Shop at the Sign of the Greyhound, in Paul's Churchyard. 1622.   

TO THE HONOURABLE Knight, Sr. Edward Sackvyle, a worthy member of the COMMONS House of PARLIAMENT.  
Honourable Sir;  
AMongst the many honourable motions and worthy intentions of the present Parliament, you did great honour to yourselves in hearing the cries of so many hundred poor prisoners, whose blood, and the blood of their Children, cries I fear, for judgement merciless, against those merciless Creditors, that value not the precious life of a man, at the rate of an Ox or a Horse: But for far lesser sums, do keep many able and active men in Prison, till they either dye, or become unable to serve the Commonwealth. Heavy and bitter are the lamentations, cries, and complaints, that are daily brought to us, the Preachers of this City, by the poor wives and Children of those distressed prisoners, of whom some lie in prison for a blow giving, some for a word speaking, some for a quarters rend, some for a small remainder of an old debt, some for a debt paid already, but the Bond could never be got out of the Usurer's hand, some for a just debt, but some small matter; some for no debt of their own, but only other men's, and that for which they would be content to strip themselves of all they have, so they might but enjoy their life and liberties. But what say many of these greedy cormorants, It shall cost me more than my debt, but I will have him; I care not so much for my money, as that I may have my will of the villain: Now I have him, he shall lie by it, I will have his skin, I will make Dice of his bones? Such unmerciful and unmanly words are uttered by these cruel-hearted men. We brag that we have no Galleys, nor Galleyslaves: If it be a glory to our Nation, than woe to them that make many a poor man live so in prison, as they had rather be a slave in the Galleys. We boast we have no Wolves in England; but if it be a blessing, than pity is it we have such wolvish and wicked natured men, that like hungry Wolves devour their poor neighbours; They say, that ravenous creature will dare to set upon a man, if he be alone, and will howl and yell to call together his fellows, that they may eat him amongst them. So, if a decayed Gentleman come within their clutches, or the honest Merchant (whose estate is lost by Sea) fall within their danger, forthwith one of them gives notice to another, like Wolves, one howling for another, presently they all fall upon him, and strive who shall first have his heart out, like so many Ravens, Vultures, Kites, or Cormorants, that eat up amongst them and tear in pieces the silly dying horse, which happily a little before carried the King.  
You cannot better commend yourselves to the present, and your memories to future ages: you cannot amongst temporal things more advance the honour of the English Parliament, then by taking away one of the foul stains of this our Nation, even by taking some wise and godly order for the releasing of the poor prisoners of this kind. It is said by the wise, and I fear it is too true an observation, that all Europe hangs not up so many proper men, nor keeps in bondage so many men fit for employment, for unjust or small debts, as England doth. Deep, and foul, and large, are these stains, they be died in grain, nay alas, in the blood of many thousands. Oh happy, and to be honoured for ever, they that have skill, and will, and power together, to wipe off these unworthy stains from off the face of our State! Some rich ones have the skill, but want will, they know well enough how this might be helped, but for certain carnal and worldly respects they would not have it so. Some good honest men have the will to reform this, but want the skill; they know not how it may be done. Some learned, wise, and godly men, have both skill and will, but being private persons, they want power. You of this high and thrice-Honorably assembly of the Parliament, being so many godly men, cannot want will; being so many learned and wise, cannot want the skill; being the Council of the Kingdom, and having especially so wise and merciful a King to second you, you cannot want power; nay, the high and Sovereign power is in your hands. Put to therefore your powerful hands, for the furthering and effecting of this worthy work of God, and the Commonwealth, for saving the lives of some hundreds, and redeeming the liberties of some thousands. How to save the lives of so many executed yearly in this Land, and yet to redress the evils, I will not enter, nor venture to set down to them that know better than myself; and now I hope have taken that consideration to heart afore this day; at least I will reserve it for another, and happily a more seasonable time. That which the present Subject puts us principally in mind of, is the helping of those many poor prisoners, that consume their best years in prison, for Debts either of an ungodly nature, or of a trifling quantity; for such are they only that here are spoken for, or else such as being of moment, and just also, and yet too cruelly sought for.  
I confess there are an evil generation of such as care not to get men's goods into their hands, and then take prison, as a Sanctuary, and can pay well enough, but will not; and others worse than they, that wilfully break when they need not, or take men's monies or goods, when they have a purpose to break, and consequently a purpose not to pay: These two sorts of people are plain thieves, and many lesser before God go to Tyburn every year: Even with the same breath, I beg mercy for the former, I crave justice and revenge upon those, as being one of the worst kind of Caterpillars, that eat out the life of this City's Commonwealth: Draw the sword of justice against those, and spare not; let them be known and used like great thieves, and robbers, as they are, and much worse than many by the highway: But pity and relieve those poor men, whom God's hand, by fire or water, or the inevitable misfortunes of Sea and land, have made poor, such as would gladly pay it if they had it, and are well content to pay all they have, or can make, nay, would be glad to work, and yield the benefit of their labours to their Creditors. That such honest poor men, and some poor Gentlemen, should not in these cases be relieved, and either set at liberty, and put into employment (paying all they can presently, and more as they may hereafter) or else those made to maintain them that keep them in prison, let others consider how it stands with civil policy and good government; I am sure it is far from the rules of Christianity, and (I take it) worse than the custom and practice of other Nations.  
You of this noble Parliament, that have Power in your hands, Mercy in your hearts, Experience before your eyes, and the cries of the oppressed in your ears every day, help forward this blessed work: If they shall be so highly rewarded at the last day, that visit poor prisoners, how glorious shall those be that move a means to redeem them? If this Treatise may stir up your zealous and noble hearts, or set the least edge upon your godly affections hereunto, I shall hold it a happy hour when I found it amongst the writings of that deceased Divine, that good man that wrote it.  
You, noble Sir, have had a noble name for standing up, and opening your mouth in good causes and charitable motions, at Sessions in Parliament, and other public meetings; Go forward in the name, and with the blessing of the God of mercy; Add this to the manifold honours God hath already laid on you, and to the love that thousands bear you: Thus shall you purchase the prayers and praises of many hundred poor men, their wives and children, and hereby shall you gain one poor friend more, and ever bind me to remain  
Whitechapel Nouemb. 3. 1621. Your Servant in Christ, W. CRASHAWE.   
2 KINGS 4. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. 
1 ANd one of the Wives of the sons of the Prophets cried unto Elizha, saying: Thy servant (mine Husband) is dead, and thou knowest, that thy servant did fear the Lord: and the Creditor is come to take my two sons to be his Bond men.  
2 Then Elizha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? Tell me what hast thou at home: And she said, Thine Handmaid hath nothing at home, save a Pitcher of Oil.  
3 And he said, Go and borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours empty vessels, and spare not.  
4 And when thou art come in, thou shall shut the door upon thee, and thy sons, and power out into all those Vessels, and set aside those that are full.  
5 So she departed from him, and shut the door upon her, and upon her sons, and they brought to her, and she poured out.  
6 And when the Vessels were full, she said unto her son, bring me yet a Vessel; And he said unto her, there is no more Vessels: and the Oil ceased.  
7 Then she came and told the man of God, and he said, Go and sell the Oil, and pay them that thou art indebted unto; Live thou and thy children with the rest.  
THE Argument of this History is this, Debts must be paid. The circumstances are thele: First, The Persons: Secondly, The means whereby the Debt is to be paid: Thirdly, The issue of the means. The persons are the Widow, her two sons, the Prophet, and the Creditor: The means, by the miraculous work of God in the ministry of Elizha, out of the vessel of Oil: The issue of the means, twofold: First, the Oil is increased. Secondly, the Debt is paid. The manner of handling this is by Bill and Answer, the complaint of the Widow, and the answer of the Prophet.  
In the circumstances, the first concerning the widow, are to be examined as they are laid down in the first Verse, and they are motives of compassion, whereby she draws the Prophet to tender her indebted estate: These motives arise, first, from herself, and her two sons: secondly, from the condition and credit of her husband: thirdly, from the Creditor, in demanding of his debt by the extremity of Law then to be executed upon those who were no way able to pay, that is, in requiring her two sons to be his Bondmen.  
The first motive in these words, And one of the wives of the sons of the Prophets, wherein she lays down herself to be a sole-woman or widow; a good motive of compassion, as in the Law of Moses and throughout the whole Book of God is to be seen. 
Exod. 21. 22, 23, 24, verses.  Ye shall not trouble any Widow, nor fatherless Child: If thou vex and trouble such, and so he shall call and cry unto me, I will surely hear his cry, then shall my wrath be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword, and your Wives shall be Widows, and your Children fatherless. The other part of this motive concerning her two sons, in these words: And the Creditor is come to take my two Sons to be his Bondmen: A wonderful motive to enforce, from the naturalness of a mother; wherein she first complains that she was to be deprived of her special joys and comforts in her widowhood, viz. of her two sons, who were to her as the Images of her Husband, by whom also she found perhaps some means of help for their mutual relief, as small helps from children to the fathers and mothers seem great: Besides she complains that she should not only be deprived of them, but they should also be taken as Bondslaves, their bones and tender body's day and night to be worn and tired out with most hard and grievous labours. A very strong argument to break a stony heart that otherwise would not be moved.  
Another motive from the condition and credit of her Husband; first, a Prophet's son. Prophet's seldom have means to leave their wives and children rich: Secondly, a man also that feared God, (and therefore seldom without the cross,) whereby she binds the Prophet the more strongly to her suit. 
Gal. 6. 10.  Good is to be done indeed to all, but specially (saith the Apostle Paul) to the household of faith.  
Another motive from the person of the Creditor, who came to take her two sons to be his bondmen, whose severity (or extremity rather, because either so he must do or lose all) is not so much to be censured, as she was to be pitied who was no otherwise able to discharge the debt but by the loss of these her two sons.  
Now that I may lay down some Lessons as they arise out of the Text: The first general Lesson from the Widow to all sorts of people oppressed is this, That in any wise they fail not in their miseries and comfortless estates to use all good helps and means, both for their comfort, and the curing of their decays. In this the manifold examples in the Scripture are Precedents for our instruction, according to proportion in the like, even from the greatest persons to the least, and so relatively of all to all, 
Gen. 41. 14.  as each stands in need of other. Pharaoh and Nabuchadnezzar are not reproved for seeking the one to joseph, 
Dan. 2. 1. 16.  the other to Daniel, for the persuading of themselves in their fearful and troublesome dreams, by the interpretation of them: Yea, how often was Pharaoh enforced to use and call for the ministry of Moses, in praying to God for him, and his people, to deliver them from the plagues that justly befall them. 
Gen. 20. 7.  In the 20. of Genesis, God by a dream informeth Abimilech King of Gerar, to deal well with Abraham as concerning Sarah his wife, because (saith God) he is a Prophet, and he shall pray for thee that thou mayest live. How necessary means the Prophets are between God and his people, the very wicked are driven to confess and against their wills to seek to them: As jeroboam stretching out his hand to lay hold upon the Prophet that had denounced God's judgements against him, and his idolatrous Altars; that persecuting hand of his, that stretched out itself, being dried up, he was enforced to entreat the Prophet to pray for him as it is said, 
1. Kings 13. 6.  I beseech thee, saith he, pray unto the Lord thy God, and make intercession for me, that mine hand may be restored unto me. Likewise in the New Testament, 
Math. 8. 11 verse 5.  the Leper came to jesus for himself, 
Matth. 15. 22.  the Centusion for his servant, the Canaanitish woman for her daughter: 
Acts 3. 23.  Likewise to the Disciples of Christ came the Cripple, even to Peter and john to receive an alms.  
But some perhaps may think this lesson needless, because every one is forward enough to promote his own cause, and to seek help for himself. Whereunto I answer negatively, because what in the pride we have of ourselves, as thinking that God doth overmuch wrong us, when he doth any way take us down short, or on the other side, by an overweening of our too great abasement, under our afflictions through the corruption of our distrustful hearts, we, in the days of our peace, wealth, and welfare, not having once sought for any means to succour us in our adversities, as if it should always go well with us, do many times both shrink & sink in the necessary suits for our relief, especially in the changes of our estates from riches to poverty. To omit them who in the matters of fleshly & inordinate love, because they cannot attain to their burning and lustful desires, never using any good, lawful, holy, and commanded means, do most Heathenlike, as people without God, as by faithless despair, desperately untwist their thread of this life: To omit all them, who, because they cannot be liked, favoured, and counsels, are ready with Achitophel to cut themselves off from the world, as we read of him, etc. Now when Achitophel saw that his counsel was not followed, 
2 Sam. 17. 23.  he saddled his Ass, and arose and went home unto his City, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died. Such are the dangers that will fearfully befall them, who in not acquainting themselves with God in his holy Word, do fail in depending upon him, according to the ordinary means prescribed by himself, and to be used by all his people, in and under the burden of their griefs and calamities: The not using whereof, causes one misery to follow another, to the increase not only of miseries here, but to the procuring most commonly of endless miseries of soul and body after this life for ever.  
Indeed many are the discouragements that step in betwixt us and our afflictions, as first the base conceit that we are brought into of ourselves, as if we were the less in God's favour, because of our present punishments, which (we being of Gods chosen in Christ) is but a conceit of ours, arising from the frailty of our faith, without any just ground of the word of truth. Secondly, the slackness, (nay, the fear of the slackness) and delay of justice by our superiors; for we complain many times without a cause. Thirdly, the unmercifulness of the time. Fourthly, the disdain of our neighbours, brethren, and friends. Fiftly, the readiness of the wicked cormorants, that still seek to prey upon our miseries, (they be of many sorts) judge who they be, who never give over so long as there be any thing for them to prey upon. Sixtly, the hard account that the World maketh of us in their sinisterly judging us to be so much the more wicked, by how much the more the Lord doth humble us: All these to undergo, being sore & grievous temptations, is not in our own power, without the lawful and timely use of the Ministers of God, or of the Magistrates, or of both, whom respectively used, and in their due seasons, God hath sanctified for the comforts of our souls, as also of our bodies during this life.  
Another danger may befall us, a forerunner of these extremes before mentioned, which is a contempt of God's holy Commandment, the very path way to Anabaptism, an heresy wherein the most necessary use of the Christian Magistrate is denied, whose use and end God, by Moses, sets down to his people, in all manner of trespass, (whither it be for Oxen, for Ass, for Sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing which another challengeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges, and whom the judges condemn, (for every one may not be his own judge) he shall pay the double unto his Neighbour. 
Exod. 22. 9  Likewise the Apostle Paul sets down the cause why tribute is to them paid: 
Rom. 13. 4. & 6. verses.  For this cause ye also pay tribute, for they are Gods Ministers, applying themselves for the same thing; that is, as in the fourth verse he saith, He is the Minister of God for thy wealth. To conclude this point, doubtless as we cannot continue long in our bodies in this life without food, or such like; no more can we (considering the disordered course of our wrangling and contentious dispositions be, or hold out long without the Magistrate, or the Minister.  
The use then that we must make of this doctrine, 
Use.  is first to make trial of ourselves, (by calling our former ways to remembrance, especially how it hath fared with us in our sundry afflictions) whether we have fainted at any time under the burden: For as Solomon saith; 
Prou. 34. 10.  If thou be faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small: or whether we ever found comfort in the Cross, and thereafter to proceed with ourselves by humble and hearty prayer unto God to arm us with patience, and to teach us the best ways under our troubles, and to lead us on cheerfully to use them, whereby we may not only be comforted, but also (if God see it good for us) be restored. Herein also we must proceed with continuance, waiting the happy issue of them, (yea, and that until the Lord have mercy upon us) whereunto let the widow that importuned the unjust judge, and yet (though long first) in the end prevailed; stir us up to steady proceeding on in our suits, which judge though he neither feared God, nor reverenced man, yet because this widow saith he, troubleth me, I will do her right, lest at the last she come and make me weary: And so much the more to hearten us on, let us not forget in our prayers our Magistrates, then especially when any of our just causes are upon trials to the which purpose the Psalmist directeth us in these words; 
Psal. 72. 1. 2.  Give thy judgements to the King, O God, and thy righteousness to the King's Son: Then shall he judge the people in righteousness, and the poor with equity. This is the way to keep our faith upright in God, still to rely upon him in the blessing of the means to us. Last of all, let us look back to God's former care over us, and from an experimental feeling of that his goodness, let us quicken up our dull and heavy souls, ●aying confidently, as from the assurance of faith, 
Psal. 27. 12.  with David; Though my Father and Mother forsake me, yet the Lord will gather me up. And with the Apostle Paul, to testify of God in this sort: 
2 Cor. 1. 10.  Who hath delivered us from so great a death, doth deliver us, and in whom we trust that he will deliver us. 
1 Cor. 10. 13.  Again, God is faithful, which will not suffer you to be tempted above that you be able, but will even give the issue with the tentation, that you may be able to bear it.  
Now let us proceed to some particular observations further, to be drawn out of the words of her Petition: Thy servant mine Husband is dead, and thou knowest thy servant did fear the Lord, and the Creditor is come, etc. It is as clear as the Sun that her Husband left her indebted, and not that she fell into debt after, because the words are inseparably conjoined, as also from the custom of creditors, who immediately upon the death of their debtors do seek into their estates, and with all expedition call home their own. But the thing to be observed upon this place, in the mention making of her Husband to fear God, and therein appealing to the testimony of the Prophet himself, is this, that against the practice of most women she forgets her poverty, prevailing mightily against the male-contentednesse of her estate, or rather the hard estate her Husband left her in, and with the comfortable remembrance of her Husband's piety, and fear of God, she doth as it were feed and satisfy herself.  
The lesson that is taught women above others in this place, is, that in their chaste and sincere love they ought (inasmuch as in them lieth) to cover the trespasses of their Husbands, especially they failing but in matters of worldly wants, or in such like, whereof God deprives them for some thing best known to himself. Doubtless, worldly encumbrances do breed much discontentedness between Husband and Wife, where Gods fear overrules not in each; to which purpose, the Apostle Paul speaketh as by way of comparison between the married estate and single life; 
1 Cor. 7. verse 33.  The married man (saith he) careth for the things of the World, and how he may please his wife; which in the things more indifferent of this life to do, is no disparagement to the Husband at all, being done in knowledge: according also to which the Wife is to walk, yea, so far as behoveth her place, and that for the nourishing of household peace, yea, as a teacher of honest things; which lesson howsoever it concern; specially the elder women, yet all women are (being come to that holy degree of the married estate) not only to know for themselves, but for their Husbands, Children, Servants, and Neighbours: and herein the Apostle Peter doth affirm, 
1 Pet. 3. vers. 1.  that the knowledge of the Wife how to walk in all good and due subjection to her Husband, and so to do, (for there be too many that know and do not,) is as an excellent means preparatory to draw on an untoward Husband to the profession of faith, to which purpose these words tend: Likewise let the Wives be subject to their Husbands, that even they which obey not the Word, may without the Word be won by the conversation of the Wives. But what if the Wife do in some good measure of knowledge go beyond the Husband, and able perhaps to direct her Husband? (God willing it should be so upon some occasions) not ordinarily: 
1 Pet. 3. 7.  for the Husband is the Wife's head, and Husbands should dwell with their Wives as men of knowledge. Such a Wife had Manoach the Father of Samson, 
judge. 13. 23.  as we read; such a Wife was Abigal to Nabal, that man of Belial: few such Wives, but too too many such Nabals. I fear this age is replenished with, separating, to the end Husbands may follow their strange lusts: But to go on, herein let not the Wife in her knowledge usurp a dominion over her Husband, nor yet in pride of heart insult over him, for that is rather to destroy then to build, and builders ought, good Wives to be, as Solomon teacheth. A wise woman buildeth her House. 
Prou. 14. 1.  This then is required further of a Wife, that she do carry herself in all temperance and sobriety, with a meek and quiet spirit, which is before God a thing much set by, and therein as a fellowhelper, comforter, and counsellor, so speaking to & for her Husband, as if he knowing all already, and more than she can tell & advise him, may be, and so stand, as his remembrancer, seeking with this widow in all she may, the honour, credit, and estimation of her husband's good name, though dead, much more living; not admitting (though perhaps there be some cause) any one, though unjustly, to estrange her heart from her Husband.  
The consideration of this Doctrine may serve all good and Christian Wives, 
Doct.  either so being, or having been Widows, those especially unto whom (upon too sudden a change of their estates) oftentimes there fall out many discontentments, to teach them by all means to avoid all unseemly, quarrelous, and contentious speeches, and no way distemperately to vex, grieve, thwart, and cross their Husbands, but in all good peace so to carry themselves towards them, though perhaps irreligious and far out of order, as that they rather learn to take, and so take these troubles of theirs, which in want of foresight they have brought upon themselves, as not only trials of their faith and patience sent from God, but also medicinable corrections for their further amendment. If this than be the duty of Wives to Husbands who fear not God, what is then to be required of those Wives, whose Husbands, in a good and conscionable regard of them and theirs, do labour in their profession, and according to their place, to walk according to all godliness and piety? These I say, (by the wives in all mildness) are much more in all subjection to be yielded unto.  
Thus than you see this woman, upon the love to her Husband, not so soon forgotten, was comforted to solicit Elizha in her own behalf, by an argument drawn from the fear of God, that was in him well known to Elizha himself, as she saith; And thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord: whereby also the Prophet was so much the more willing to listen carefully to her suit. Good indeed is to be done for all, 
Gal. 6. 10.  but especially to them who are of the Household of Faith.  
Another doctrine also out of the words of the woman do issue, 
Doct.  in that she speaking to Elizha, calls her Husband his Servant, and afterward herself his Handmaid; and it is this: That the Prophets of God, as now the Ministers of the Gospel, are each to respect other with a special respect, and that between themselves, with difference, according to age, gravity, knowledge, understanding, and the differing gifts of God's grace in them; as is here somewhat to be seen: A lesson slenderly respected in these days, wherein all things go out of square, so great is the pride and disdain each of other, yea, and that among the teachers themselves. But to the purpose in hand: It appears that her said husband deceased, brought up in one of the Schools of the Prophets, whether Bethel or jericho, as an ordinary Minister of the Church, accordingly trained up, did, whether in prayer, interpretation of the Scriptures, doctrine, or exhortation, perform his duty in the Church's service, according to the ordinary calling whereunto he was, and that by ordinary labour and travail, prepared. But in that she submits her husband so low, as to term him Elizhaes' servant, she may seem too much to abase her Husband, and too highly to advance Elizha: Nothing less: She speaks of them both, according to the several gifts that were in them, wherein Elisha extraordinarily called, did thereafter shine in gifts extraordinary, worthy therefore in her account of double honour. By occasion whereof, somewhat may be said as concerning the titles of the Lord Bishops now amongst us, and that very fitly, although they can no way approve themselves equal to Elisha: neither do they seek it, in respect of that calling, and those extraordinary gifts of working miraculously being ceased. But the rather to lay it down, not as an answer to those who do despitefully in terms carry themselves towards the Church-governors, disdaining them for their titles sake (for they are such as will never be answered) and indeed are not worthy an answer: but for the further confirming of them in the truth, who are in the same already; this is the thing. It is not forbidden simply to give to the Ministers of the Church honourable titles; provided always that it be not done in flattery, or besides true knowledge: Neither are those places; Be not called Rabbi; 
Matth. 23. 8. 9 10.  Call no man Father upon earth; Be not called Doctors, any way of force to abridge the Ministers of the Gospel of their due honour: It served indeed to restrain the ambitious Pharisees ' who hunting after vain titles, desired so to be called; and would also that the people should wholly rest themselves upon whatsoever was propounded under their names, as merely authentical, and no way to be gainsaid: 
job 32. 22.  Neither that of Elihu; For I may not give titles, left my Maker should take me away suddenly. 
james 3. 1.  Neither that of james; Be not many Masters so to be taken? as if all title of honour, or reverend estimation, were taken away, or forbidden to be given to the Ministers of the Church: This is only forbidden them and thee; Them, that they do not ambitiously seek and hunt after the titles of those places and callings, for the honour and titles sake, without purpose to do the duties beseeming those places and callings; or, as if under that name or title of honour, whatsoever seemed good in their eyes, they might propound, and it not to be refused; which to do were mere Papal and antichristian: Thee, that thou also do not tie thy judgement, or faith, (concerning God and holy things) to men; for their outward respects sake: But let them be called Fathers of the Church, and so call thou them, 
1 Cor. 4. 15.  for so Paul was called, and so called he himself: For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many Fathers (saith he) for in Christ jesus I have begotten you, through the Gospel: yea, he called himself the Doctor and teacher of the Gentiles; and thus they are, and may be called, so as they do wholly and simply submit themselves to Christ, as to their only Master, sent of God; and seek also to subject and bring thee and thine, by their authority, under the obedience, sovereignty, and dominion of Christ himself, their teacher, and thy teacher; their Lord and thy Lord; their Master, and thy Master. And thus much by the way, upon that the Widow called her Husband, Elisha his Servant, and herself his Handmaid.  
There is further upon this point, that he feared God, notwithstanding he died in debt, this Doctrine to be observed, that a man may be indebted, and yet be free from the common fame of the World, that is, to be an ill Man: Which is no more true, then on the other side to say such and such are wealthy, rich, and of good credit in the World, and therefore they must needs be good, honest, and godly men, when as yet perhaps they never knew what true godliness meant. But how can this agree then with those places (will some say) where God makes a large promise to his people, upon condition that they harken to the voice of their God, to observe and do all his commandments, as by Moses is written: 
Deut. 15. 6. & 28. 12.  Then thou shalt lend to many Nations, and not borrow thyself. And again the Prophet David saith, A good man is merciful, and lendeth. 
Psalm 112. 5.  And on the other side, the Prophet David, he sets it down as a special mark of a wicked man, to borrow and not to restore. The wicked man borroweth, 
Psalm. 37. 21.  and (saith he) payeth not again? etc.  
I answer. Howsoever the promise of God's blessings to the whole body of the people of Israel, is no longer proper to them, than they shall jointly and together bind themselves sincerely and simply to keep, and in so being bound, do indeed keep God's Commandments; yet in some other respect God both may, and at his pleasure doth oftentimes temporally punish the godly with the wicked (as the Apostle Peter layeth it down in these words: 
1. Pet. 4. 17. ) For the time is come, that judgement must begin at the house of God: Yea, and amongst other punishments, with this as one, God punisheth thee, it being incident to the children of God, rather to want then to abound, and this as he doth justly inflict upon man for sin, as jeremy saith; Man suffereth for sin: 
Lament. 3. 39  Yet some other ends there may be and are with God▪ as the trial of the faith and patience of his servants under the cross, whereby, to the further glory of his name, some hidden virtues may more fully appear out of them which before were not known. A second end may be, a greater manifestation of God's care over them under present wants, 
1. Kings 17. 4. 9  as over Eliah the Prophet, for whose relief God had provided the Ravens to feed him; and by the widow of Sareptha; and his mighty protection, which never shows itself more, than when his people are in the greatest danger, as in the time when the people of Israel were in the Red-Sea; as also, whilst in the change of their condition and estates from wealth to poverty; he again, of poor makes them rich, by restoring them to their first or former estate, as he did job. 
job 42. 10.  Thirdly, for the taming or restraining of some one or other sin, God oftentimes meets with his children (after their long security and careless regard of the Word, calling them to repentance, they not repenting) by the rod of affliction: Whereupon he having, as Elihu saith, set to his seal, ordaining it as the pruining-knife, to the cutting off the superfluous branches, for the causing of them to bring forth fruit the better, he faith: Then he openeth the eyes of men, 
job 33.  even by their corrections, which he had sealed. Whereby he having (as the Proverb is) struck the nail to the head, the heart and the affections once renewed and changed, than he brings under obedience all those wand'ring lusts, which before-time went astray from God's holy Commandments: to the which purpose the Prophet David confesseth, as is 119. Psalm: Before I was afflicted, I went astray: as for that of the good man, to be merciful, and to lend, it rather describeth the true property of a good man already enriched, for the disposing of his riches to the good of others, than otherwise in any ungodly care to get or increase his wealth: which (by occasion of the next place) viz. 
Psal. 37. ●1.  (The wicked man borroweth, and payeth not again) as afore is more fitly met withal; which words of the Prophet do not concere those who ordinarily being poor and needy, are enforced to borrow directly for the supply of their present wants, being also godlily minded, upon good foresight, and hope of means in like manner to make restitution by: But it concerns all sorts and degrees both of rich and poor, who any way unjustly minded, do take into their hands the goods of other men, for their present use, without any purpose of restoring; of whom those monsters amongst men, who immediately borrowing without need, upon purpose to break, do (by the spoil of other their creditors, enforced to stand at their courtesy for present payment,) hastily become rich upon other men's goods: Some other there are, who under the name of a more strict course of godliness in the profession of the Gospel than others, having yet a mind that they live, but are dead, (being indeed ashamed to acknowledge their mother, in whose womb they had their first conception unto life) these in like manner (omitting their honest and lawful callings, being weary of well-doing) as busybodies, whilst they will become planters, and reformers of Churches, straining beyond their Last, till all crack again, having run themselves out of breath, are brought to borrow; and this also they hold they may do, not purposing ever to make restitution, accounting in their anabaptistical community, as a special point of Divinity with them, the goods of them of whom they make thus bold with, even the goods of the Church (the spoil of Babel, as they term it) as if they had by some Oracle from Heaven, with the Israelites, 
Exod. 3. 22.  received a warrant from God so to do. To omit all other needless borrowers for the cunning ingrossement of commodities of all sorts into their hands by way of Monopoly, not caring what become of the Commonwealth so they alone may live; to omit all other borrowers upon usury, to the end they may to a further and greater exacting again, upon usury, lend, All these, join them in one, are of the number of those, and may well so be reckoned, of whom David speaketh; The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again.  
Out of this which hath been spoken, every true member of the Church is to learn; first, for his settled course of conversing and making traffic with men; 
Doct.  That if he desire to have the report of one that feareth God, 
Col. 3. 22.  and that in singleness of heart; he must take heed (as the Apostle Paul teacheth) that he oppress not, 
1 Thes. 4. 6.  nor defraud his brother in any matter. And then, that he try and examine himself by the two looking-glasses of the Law, and the Gospel, the two parts of the Word of God, wherein he may find out whether he truly fear God, or no; a point very necessary to be stood upon. Doubtless in the one and first, which is the Law, he shall find out in himself nothing but sin and iniquity, and thereby that he stands in the severity of God's extreme justice, in and under the danger of eternal death and condemnation: In the other, he shall find that God according to his own goodness, will look upon him with an amiable and cheerful countenance, and discover unto him jesus Christ his Son, as the only washer, purger, and cleanser of him from his sin, not only by forgiveness, but also by his sanctifying Spirit; taking away the power of sin, that it shall not rule or reign any longer in his mortal body, 
Rom. 6. 12.  to obey it in the lusts thereof: And because there is just occasion offered to speak of this point in these words (And thou knowest thy servant did fear God) it is not from the purpose, that I set down thus much more upon it, before every one that reads it; (viz.) that according as God did work formerly in men a true care of performance of the duties, whatsoever of equity, honesty, or charity between themselves, so he measured his own love to them-ward, by an assurance of faith unto eternal life accordingly: For men are reputed no further to have profited in the sound knowledge of God, according to the rules of the first Table of the Law, than they are ready to express the same by doing the duties of the second: For by this rule did both the holy Prophets and Apostles measure out the assurance of the love of God to themselves, and the people. Micah the Prophet expostulating this point with the people of Israel in his days, who satisfied themselves, as they do now, with an outward show of serving of God, by their sacrifices; when in the mean time they were full of cruelty, and oppression, void of all mercy to their Neighbours. Will the Lord (saith he) be pleased with thousands of Rams, 
Micah 6. 6. 7. 8.  or with ten thousand Rivers of Oil? shall I give my first borne for my transgression, even the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? And thereto he answereth. 8. He hath showed thee O man what is good, and what the Lord requireth of thee; surely to do justly, and to love mercy, and to humble thyself to walk with thy God: And thus must every debtor, yea, and creditor also, try himself whether he fear God, or no; even by the Offices of borrowing and lending, according to good and pure love, laid down in the Word. For saith the Apostle john; Whosoever doth not righteousness, 
1 john 3. 10.  is not of God; neither he that loveth not his brother. All which duties of the Law also, concerning God and man, must be done in like manner wholly, and that from a sound heart: And therefore if thou shalt sooth up thyself in some duties doing, and shalt in the mean while fail in other; know this from the Apostle james, who saith: 
james 2. 10.  For whosoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet faileth in one point, is guilty in all. Where then the true fear of God is, there is first integrity of heart, and then whole obedience, that is, a continual striving unto the performance of all and every duty, with care of doing what we do for God's cause, or because of the love that we do bear to God constraining us thereunto.  
But because in either getting, or keeping a good report, whilst men dealeth together in matters of this World, as in borrowing and lending, there be many windings and turnings, so that it is hard for a man to pass away without some stain of his credit (especially if he be one that striveth unto godliness, whom all the World seeketh to speak ill of,) it stands every man in hand therefore, so much the more truly to ●ift himself, especially when Gods hand is upon him in this affliction of being in debt. He therefore that will not be deceived in himself, in looking upon the Law of the ten Commandments, as upon a lookingglass, wherein he desires to behold the errors of his life; let him cast his eye aside, and with good care look into the extreme part of that Glass, even the tenth Commandment: Thou shalt not covet, etc. Or as the Apostle saith, 
Rom. 7. 7.  Thou shalt not lust; and there shall he learn this lesson, that if he have given but way to any sin to make proffer to him, and so suffer it to rest, and Satan the first mover or suggester to sin, with any, though never so small an entertainment of him; yea, if he have but granted time, (upon the motion and first suggestion thereunto) to demur, and as it were to advise whether it be best to think, or not to think, to do, or not to do, thereby calling the Law of God into question or doubt, put the case it be upon this point of borrowing, upon a deceivable purpose to serve thy present need; if that party whosoever hath not given either in the point in hand, as borrowing upon deceivable purposes, or any the like motion or prompting unto sin, (as our Saviour Christ) did unto Satan, the present avaunt or avoid Satan, 
Matth. 4. 10.  and with David, Away from me all ye workers of iniquity; 
Psal. 6. 8.  or rather with the same Prophet, in the like words; Away from me ye wicked, 
Psal. 119. 15.  I will keep the Commandments of my God; let him know that he hath sinned already against his own soul, even in this, that by demurring with Satan, as by way of counsaile-taking, he hath given him some hope to prevail at the last; which to do is sin with God: and therefore to this purpose speaketh the holy Apostle Paul: 
Ephes. 4. ●-7.  Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath, neither give place to the Devil. For how small soever a sin (not to resist sin upon the first sight,) in outward seeming appears to be, because the beginnings of sin are very deceitful, it being a common saying, A little is not so much: Yet so great it is doubtless, as once being entered upon thee, hardly after, if ever, until thy dying day, will it be got out: for the very regenerate have their sins, under the which they do continually labour, which maketh them go heavily mourning all the day long, and oftentimes to water their couch with their tears, as David did, who complained saying; 
Psalm 6. 6.  I fainted in my mourning, I cause my bed every night to swim, and water my couch with my tears: and this doth the looking into this first glass of the Law cause, yea, in them who truly fear God. But here they must not stand: There is another more clear crystalline and comfortable glass of the Gospel, which also they must with all good speed look into, where they shall even upon the very first view, so suddenly behold Christ jesus, that only comforter of them that mourn in Zion, and the refresher of those that go heavily laden under the burden of their sin, and seek their refreshing where it is to be had: for faith in Christ jesus, is the only mark of that filial, sonlike, and true fear of God, without the which faith, there is no true fear of God at all; and when thou seest him, go to him, lay hold on him, make thy moan to him, show him thy sores, thy wounds, certify him of the foils thou hast had since thou enterdst thyself a Soldier under his Banner, challenge him for thy Captain, acknowledge thy strayings and wand'ring out of his Camp; let him know thy several and particular sins, hide nothing from him, (though he know all before) it shall be his greater glory, and in the end thy greater comfort: bewail his so long absence from thee, with the great dangers thou wast in whilst thou wast left to thyself: Say with the Church in Salomon's Song. I sought him, 
Song of Solomon, 5. 6.  but I found him not; I called upon him, and he answered me not. Give me leave a little longer, because this fear of God, 
Ecclesiastes 12. 13.  as is said; Hoc est totum hominis: it is all that God requires of man, and it is that thou must have, and it is a point whereupon thou must try, and often examine thyself; even King, Queen, Prince, Nobles, Governors, Ministers, Husband, Wife, Father, Children, Masters, Servants. I cannot therefore end, I am as in a maze; give me leave yet in a word, who is it that as the Church before saith, hath not called upon God often, and yet hath not prevailed; and what then, shall he therefore give over? No, shall he not still pray? Yes. Wilt thou ask how long, leave him not until he have mercy upon thee; let not the terribleness of thine enemy (although he be as a roaring and devouring Lion, 
1 Pet. 5. 8.  laid down by the Apostle Peter before thee, let it not daunt thee, but awaken thy spirits the more, the rather; and therefore to the purpose it is, that the Apostle saith: Watch ye, stand fast in the Faith; quit you like men, 
1 Cor. 16. 13.  and be strong. And as in the Ephesians: Having finished all things, stand, and to thy greater hope of prevailing, add (as the Apostle Paul in that very place immediately after saith, 
Verse 18.  thereunto Prayer: And pray always (saith he) with all manner prayer and supplication in the spirit, and faint not. And howsoever every sin, whereof Satan will (having been the first mover of thee thereunto) be thy accuser, shall appear to thy wounded conscience as a most fearful and terrible monster, greedily, and with open mouth gaping wide, do seek to swallow and devour thee up even alive; yet as thou fearest God, and desirest the report thereof in the World, in life, in death, and after death, as this poor Widow's Husband, have faith in God, and shrink not; behold his love to thee in Christ, and be of good cheer: although thou hast lived in the ways of the World, without regard of God and his Law heretofore, yet upon this thy faith, fruitful in repentance, be comforted with Paul; It is not thou, but sin in thee, 
Rom. 7. 17. & 15.  as is said: It is no more I, (for now thou believest, thou art another person in Christ jesus before God, thy sin is not looked upon) but saith he, It is sin that dwelleth in me: For I allow not (saith he) that which I do, for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. It is that natural corruption, which doubtless cleaveth to them who are regenerate, and although daily in conquering, yet not clean conquered. But in this trial of thyself, as concerning the true fear of God to be in thee; if thou feelest that thou hast thus far profited, go on still with the blessed Apostle, as one wearied with these miserable conflicts of Satan, and show thy faith more and more, by still going to God, as thy only helper, and cry aloud with groans and sighs; 
Verse 24.  Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? And again, to despite Satan to his teeth, as if thou hadst already gotten the victory, (for Faith, whose object is Christ, with all the graces of his Spirit, giveth to each believer things absent, as already present) be bold to outface him, 
Psal. 118. 13.  and say as David to Saul; Thou hast thrust sore at me, that I might fall; but the Lord he hath holpen me. To the end than that all just suspicions of deceitful shifts in borrowing may be taken from thee, and that thy name may be free from all just slander, 
Psal. 119. 22.  pray with David to God, and give not over; Remove from me shame and contempt: and again in the 39 
Verse 39  verse. Take away my rebuke that I fear, etc. And in thus doing, and prevailing, thou shalt reap unto thee, for thy comfort, both living and dead, this report; that thou haft feared God. Now to proceed to that which followeth, concerning the Creditor, in these words of her complaint: And the Creditor is come to take my two Sons to be his bondmen.  
The Law of bondage, as appeareth both by the Scriptures, as also by the Law of Nations hath been ancient; which also may be found to have been amongst us, as by certain Instruments of Manumission for the release of bondmen or villains; and this before the time of the Gospel may evidently appear. By the Law of Nations it appears so to have been. 
Aul. Gell. lib. 20. cap. 1.  It was decreed (saith Aulus Gellius) by the judge, that after the Debtor was demanded by the Creditor his debt, he not having to pay at the instant, that then he should have thirty days more given him, and if within that time he could not make satisfaction, than the poor man was fettered by the feet; and further, being fast bound with a cord or long line, was so delivered over to the Creditor; who leading him home as an Ox or an Ass, he put him to what servile work soever, until that by his most slavish and more perhaps then Egyptian-like bondage, he had by all toilsome labour wrought out unto his Master full satisfaction of his debt; and thus for the time of their bondage were they bought and sold from one to another, as beasts are sold in a market: For proof whereof, under the law of Moses, we read, If thou buy an Hebrew servant, 
Exod. 21. 2.  he shall serve six years, and in the seaventh he shall go out free for nothing: 
Gene. 37. 27.  Before the Law written, we read of joseph, who was twice sold; once by his brethren to the Ishmaelites, 
Gen. 39 1.  and then after by them to Potiphar, an Eunuch of King Pharaohs. In the Book of the Psalms, the Prophet David, setting down as by way of bewailing the misery of God's people, to God himself, under the hard servitude wherewith they were oppressed: 
Psal. 44. 11.  Thou sellest thy people for nought. (saith he) and thou dost not increase their price: And in the Prophecy of Esay, saith the Prophet, as in the person of God; 
Esay 50. 1.  who is the creditor to whom I sold you? Behold, for your iniquities are ye sold, etc. As if he should say; You are indeed under bondage, but yourselves have made slaves of yourselves, by your own ungodliness. Likewise, under the New Testament, where our Saviour likeneth the Kingdom of Heaven to a certain King which would take account of his servants, 
Matth. 18. 23. 24. 25.  and when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him which ought him 10000 talents, and because he had nothing to pay, he commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and his children, and all that he had, and the debt to be paid, etc.  
So that the creditor did the widow no wrong▪ she being insufficient, to take her two sons to be his Bondmen; and yet she complains to the Prophet, I will not say of the cruelty of the Creditor, the Law then so requiring it, but rather of her own distressed estate, who was in danger of the loss of so great comforts, the loss whereof how great it was, may appear by the example of a poor man, of whom Saint Basil writes, who having many children, in a heavy time of Famine, was with all of them even at the point of a famishment, ready to starve for want of food: for the relieving of whom, one of them must be sold, to buy corn and victuals withal, to save all the rest alive. The father calls his wife, and causes her to call all his children together, they advice each with other which of them they should depart from, and so, not without tears, the father beholding the eldest, the beginning of his strength, the excellency of his dignity, the first that called him father; the second, too young; the third, like the father; the fourth, the mother's darling; the fifth, the express image of the grandfather; the sixth, well made, and like to prove a soldier; the last, witty, ingenious, and very fit to make a Scholar: so tender-hearted was this kind and natural father, as that he could not find any one amongst them, from whom he might depart, choosing rather to redeem all their lives with his own peril and danger, then to suffer any one of them to depart upon so hard conditions. Blame not then this poor woman, although she complain for this her loss of the hope of her comfort in both her sons, at once; considering that the suddenness of her change upon the death of her husband, together with the hastiness of the Creditor to see his own, perhaps was such as it could not but move her greatly to labour every way for her release. But on the other side, (to this of debts to be paid by the taking of the debtor, his wife and children, to be as bondmen to the Creditors behoof, by their labours and travails, so to be employed until the debt be satisfied,) I hear some careless altogether of all good credit, and just dealing, to say and give out; Tush I fear no such bondage, the Gospel hath taken away all the straightness that was in the Law, of that slavish servitude in former ages; I will deal well enough, although I pay not any thing. I answer thee, Thou dost greatly abuse the liberty of the Gospel, which is inward, and stands most in the peace of a good conscience, by our Lord jesus Christ, whereof thou hast made ship wrack, whilst thou givest thyself liberty to live in all injustice, upon the spoil of other men's goods: Yea, know this in time whilst thou mayest know it, that thou art but a profane and an unbelieving wretch; thou dost blaspheme God, and takest the name of the Gospel in vain in thy mouth, whilst having borrowed, and out of other men's estates hast gathered unto thyself Lands and living, goods and money, which upon a false trust into other men's hands, as ill as thyself, thou hast turned over, to deceive by, and utterly refusest to pay, or at least will pay at thy pleasure what thou seest good: Know this, that howsoever it fall out with thee to escape the hands of men, and perhaps under colour of Law dost impudently cover thy deceits, yet assuredly in seeking to rid thyself from the dangers of men, thou hast sold thyself, and art become a very villain and bondslave to the Devil, whose hands thou canst not escape; under whose custody if once, (not preventing thy fearful estate in due time, by returning to God whilst thou art called to repentance) be assured of it, hell having received thy soul and body, thence, there neither is nor ever can be redemption; but as in the Parable of the Richman and Lazarus, as under the speech of Abraham to the Richman being in hell in torments, lifting up his eyes, seeing Abraham a far off, and Lazarus in his bosom: 
Luke 16. 23.  Then he cried, and said; Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame: But Abraham said; Son, remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy pleasure, but Lazarus pains; now therefore he is comforted, and thou art tormented. Besides all this, between you and us there is a great gulf set, so that they which would go from hence to you cannot, neither can they come from hence to us, etc. So that once with the Devil in hell, thy Mittimus being once under seal, & charge to the jailor given, Take him, bind him hand and foot, with that most woeful sentence of the judge: Depart thou cursed one into Hell, there to be tormented with the Devil and his Angels for ever, never after look to be released.  
But, what is laid down in the case of an unjust Debtor, is and may fitly be applied unto a hard, merciless, and unconscionable Creditor, who is like to drink of the same Cup, even the Cup of God's eternal wrath; whom to lay down I cannot better, then from the outcry of a poor, honest, and well-minded Debtor, whose pitiful moan and complaint goes in this manner: Alas, (saith he) I do indeed owe much, and have not presently to pay, but as it arises out of my trade, and honest labour; little I have, but that little I am willing to depart from unto satisfaction: Yea further, myself, my wife, and children, all of us, will join together in one▪ freely, to the uttermost by our labours and travails, to work out what is in our power for the Creditors best profit: But alas this will not serve his turn, he will have all (and all he may have in time under God's blessing, if he would but a while depend with us upon God's providence, whose blessing alone makes rich, 
Prou. 10. 22.  but he will have it presently, or else no way with him but one: all his Song is, To prison with him, I will have my pennyworths of his carkeise, I will make dice of his bones: And thus, like the unmerciful Creditor in the 18. 
Matth. 18. 28.  of S. Matthewes Gospel, 28. verse, he urges all extreme courses that may be. Besides, he hath made me spend as much in Law for the keeping of my liberty, and the freeing of my body from hard imprisonment, as would have paid a quarter of the debt: He can no way endure to hear of the mitigation of justice, letters of Commission from the supreme Magistrates, for the ordering of the debt to the equal good of both parties, by indifferent men, lawfully appointed to that business, he cannot abide: Is it true (saith he) doth Law consist upon two parts, (viz.) of extremity, and moderation? I will then do well enough with the beggarly knave: He will have what Law will give him to the uttermost, body and goods, yea all will not serve his unmerciful and bloodthirsty humour: And whereas we are in hand with the Law of bondage, (as before) wherein Husband, Wife, and Children, were by their honest labours to travail every way at the Creditors pleasure, and for his best avail: he will no way yield to have his money paid in that sort by piecemeal: He will rather (if by and under the Letter of the Law he may have it,) see him rot in prison, and wife and children starve all at home, then to accept of such beggarly payment, wherein I may compare this bloodthirsty wretch unto a certain jew, of whom we read, who having lent money to a Christian, the day being come, and the poor Christian not able to make payment, the jew was contented, so he might have a pound of the Christians flesh, to lose the nine hundred crowns, for so much was the debt that the Christian ought him. But this hard and unequal course is no way befitting the Church or people of God, in a Christian Commonwealth: Nay rather, the rich Creditor abounding in all wealth, if he will approve himself to be a good man, not before men, (because of his wealth, for that may deceive) but before God in Christ jesus, (being merciful as Christ is merciful) he must rather forgo all, and simply forgive the debt, then upon a wilful revenge to attempt to do any thing that may endanger the life of that his poor Debtor: or if not wholly to forgive, which is an extreme on his part, yet at the least to have a conscionable regard of his inability, and therein so to accept of his debt, as by day and day he may at the last (God so seeing it good for both) receive his own in part or in whole, without the hurt of any one of them both.  
Whereunto if parties cannot be drawn between themselves, rather than by their own violent and delatory courses, for the gain only of time, without the good of any one of them, they shall spoil each other, it is not amiss the judge himself upon the just notice of the cause doth do, by enforcing whithersoever of them is faulty by his power and authority, immediately to yield to what indifferent course, for both their goods he shall at the very instant assign them unto.  
For doubtless it is generally supposed, that every Law of justice, especially amongst us Christians, hath these two things in it; that is, the very extremity in plain terms, according to the letter of the Law, and the mitigation of the extremity, according to circumstances employed in it; because otherwise, Summum ius (cannot be) but Summa iniuria.  
And this seemeth the Prophet David to teach from himself, in his own person, when he saith; I will sing mercy, and judgement. But to what end is all this, will some say? Truly not beside the matter in hand, wherein my purpose is to justify the execution of both these parts of the Law (viz.) Extremity and Mitigation, each of them, according to their times, and this to do, as in other cases, so in the case of the Creditor and Debtor: first as any one of them shall be spied out to exceed in oppressing each other, that then according to the express letter of the Law, (the intent of the Law being the good of the people) they be so dealt withal, thereby to break the neck of the stubborn and contentious party, to make him to know himself, as yet the other point of mitigation closely concealed, without the which no Law intented to be, may for the joint good of either, according to equity, be duly also and seasonably by the judge executed; provided always that this moderation of Law in the extremity thereof, come not too late, when (if not at all) yet the greatest part of that worth of that which is sued for, is come already into the Lawyer's Coffers, a little perhaps remaining behind for the suing party himself, and this doubtless is the general complaint throughout the Land.  
I know again it will be said, that I go overfar in this point, meddling with the Law, beyond my limits: To this I answer, that when a mere cruel oppressor shall under colour of Law to get his own, where perhaps it is not possibly to be had, and in all extremity to wreak his wrath by it, keep that his poor debtor in prison so long until he be ready to starve, and so endanger his life, which is an entrance upon the King's freehold; yea, and this to do as under the King's name, in the abuse of the King's Writ, making the Law and the King jointly partakers of this their cruelty, to the overthrow many times of a better Subject to the King than himself is: It is time then that equity, the fountain whereof is the Word of God, and we as the buckets by whom ye all must draw forth, as out of the holy and heavenly wells, 
Isay 12. 3.  the comfortable waters of your salvation, it is high time for us to put in fact, considering that it is a doctrine which Solomon as from God's special instinct hath left us to teach; 
Prou. 14. 28.  In the multitude of a people, is the honour of a King (saith he) and for want of people, cometh the destruction of the Prince: Whence thus I reason; If Kings themselves by all equity and clemency are to increase, and not by tyranny to lessen their people, as doubtless they are, and good reason, because where this care is not, their Territories and Countries are easily subdued, and the borders of their government diminished: Much less are they to suffer the people one to eat up and devour another; yea, if so be the people will, and do generally condemn tyrannous cruelty and oppression in their Kings to them, much more were it to be condemned between themselves.  
The doctrine then hence is, that all Kings, Magistrates, and people, must by all means avoid all occasions of bloodshedding, or wilful murdering of any, because God will not suffer the life of a man to go unrevenged: as it is said; 
Gen. 9 5. 6.  At the hand of a man's brother will I require the life of man. Who so sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: For in the Image of God he made man. Whereunto let me add this, that not only murder itself is forbidden, but every track or path that leadeth to it.  
The use that we must make of this point is, always upon the troublesome and furious motions of our wrathful and revengeful affections and fiery passions, to look back to the holy Word of God, and thereby so to temper ourselves, as that we suffer not our rage in any wise to break out; because, if God, (as it is said) will put the tears of his Saints into the bottle of his remembrance, much more shall he avenge himself of the blood of any of his people. But now to return again to the Widow, so pitifully complaining to the Prophet upon the Creditor, his taking her two sons to be his bondmen, concerning whom, her sorrow being then so great upon the loss of her two sons, if thou shalt by comparing time passed with the present time, and the courses which then were used for the satisfying of debts to the Creditors, with those strait courses that now are used, and shalt find, and as it were sensibly feel, that the Creditors of these days, and the means they use towards those poor debtors of theirs, are more hard and grievous; learn thou, first, whilst thou art at liberty and thy state sound, learn betimes to avoid all occasions of falling into the hands of so unmerciful men, and no further deal with them if it be possible, than thou mayest at thine own pleasure easily escape out of their hands. If thy liberty, thy state, thy Wife, thy Children, yea, thy life be so dear unto thee, and the loss of them so sharp and grievous, let not present pleasures, nor the serving of thy turn to prodigal, or unnecessary uses, or any way besides the duties of thy calling, so soon, or so easily draw thee to buy repentance at so hard a rate.  
But doth this lesson come a little too late, art thou already caught by the heel? learn then from this Widow a second lesson; lie not thou still in thy woeful and perplexed estate, but speedily repair for remedy and comfort where it is to be had, to God first by prayer, for the remedying or reforming rather of what master-sinne soever is in thee, or for patience under this thy cross; then to the Minister, to the Magistrate, to thy Creditor, to thy Friends, as helpers and solicitors for thee, lose no time, redeem it rather, it is the Wisdom of God by Solomon; 
Prou. 6. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. verses.  Do this now my son, and deliver thyself, seeing thou art come into the hand of thy neighbour, go and humble thyself, and solicit thy friends, give no sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids, deliver thyself as a Do from the hand of the Hunter, and as a Bird from the hand of a Fowler. What thou dost herein do speedily, (Mora trahit periculum) make proof at once of the lawful means, and leave the success to God; knowing this, that he it is that hath the hearts of men in his hands, yea, and for thy good: 
Prou. 21. 1.  So saith Solomon. The King's heart is in the hands of the Lord, as the Rivers of waters he turneth it whithersoever it pleaseth him. Let nothing step in thy way to discourage thee in the lawful and seasonable using of these means for thy remedy, for, for thee, even for thee, and for thy relief are all Kings, Princes, judges, Magistrates, Ministers, appointed, and by him set up: 
Rom. 13. 4.  For he is the Minister of God for thy wealth.  
But because where such popular oppressions do grow, and as by way of example one from another they do daily increase, it argues remissness both in the Governors and government, and some heavy judgement (of what kind he best knows that is the judge of all) to hang over that Land; for so it appears to have been in the days of the Prophet Esay, who prophesying of a desolation to fall upon the people of jerusalem and judah, as is to see in these words: 
Esay 3. 1. 5.  For lo the Lord of Hosts will take away from jerusalem and judah the stay and the strength, etc. In the fifth verse he saith, to the purpose I have in hand: The people shall be oppressed one of another, and every one by his Neighbour: the children shall presume against the ancient; and the vile against the honourable. But because when these grievous sins of oppression and undutifulness do exceed, it stands the Magistrates in hand first in themselves to begin to reform, and then to proceed not only to make Laws of reformation for the cleansing of the Church and Commonwealth of their enormities, but to proceed with all severity and celerity unto execution; and because hereunto examples do much provoke, let me be bold a little to lay down before all, who are in place of Magistracy under the supreme Magistrate, the example of that worthy Governor Nehemiah: It is yet time, while then it is called to day (as is said.) All you who would be accounted the Fathers of your Countries, read him, and follow him. Father's must not be oppressors; Fathers must be helpers, comforters, and nourishers of their Children: Fathers must not suffer oppression in their Families, one Child to oppress another; so the Fathers over Churches and commonwealth, must not take upon them those places of honour and renown for their own credit, gain, or ease, but to be good overseers of their people, careful punishers of oppression; and not to suffer (inasmuch as in them lieth) one to oppress another, one to lay over-heavy yokes or burdens, one upou another. Nehemiah 5. 1. verse, to the end of the 13. Read it I beseech you, mark it, make use of it, and God assisting you, do it; the words are these.  
Now there was a great cry of the people, and of their wives against their brethren the jews. 2. For there were that said, We, our Sons and our Daughters, are many; therefore we take up Corn, that we may eat, and live. 3. And there were that said, we must gauge our Lands, our Vineyards, and our Houses, and take up Corn for the famine. 4. There were also that said, we have borrowed money for the King's tribute upon our Lands, and upon our Vineyards. 5. And now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, and our sons as their sons, and lo (saith he) we bring into subjection our sons and daughters as servants, and there be of our daughters now in subjection, and there is no power in our hands; for other men have our Lands, and our Vineyards. 6. Then was I very angry, when I heard their cry, and these words. 7. And I thought in my mind, and I rebuked their Princes and Rulers, and said unto them; Ye lay burdens every one upon his brethren, and I set a great Assembly against them. 8. And I said unto them, We (according to our ability) have redeemed our brethren the jews, which were sold unto the Heathen, and will you sell your brethren again, or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and could not answer. 9 I said also, that which you do, is not good; ought you not to walk in the fear of God, for the reproach of the Heathen our enemies? 10. For I, even I, my brethren and servants do lend them money and corn: I pray you let us leave off this burden. 11. Restore unto them, I pray you, this day their Lands, their Vineyards, their Olives, and their houses, and remit the 100 part of the silver, and of the corn, of the Wine, and of the Oil that you exact of them. 12. Then, said they, we will restore it, and will not require it of them: We will do as thou hast said. Then I called the Priests, and caused them to swear that they should do according to this promise. 13. So, I shook my lap, and said: So, let God shake out every man, that will not perform this promise, from his house, and from his labour: even thus let him be shaken out, and emptied. And all the Congregation said, Amen, and praised the Lord, and the people did according to this promise: Oh blessed Ruler, O blessed People; and so much for this point. Now followeth, the Answer of the Prophet to the Widow, by way of conference together, which is a declaration of the means whereby the debt is to be paid, in these words:  
Verse 2. Then Elizha said unto her; What shall I do for thee? Tell me, What hast thou at home? And she said, Thine handmaid hath nothing at home, save a pitcher of Oil. Verse 3. And he said; Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, empty vessels, and spare not. Verse 4. And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee, and upon thy sons, and pour out into all those vessels, and set aside those that are full.  
In this answer to her complaint by the Prophet, there are two things to be observed: First, a Question: Secondly, a Counsel. The question, twofold: First, What shall I do for thee? Secondly, What hast thou at home, etc. The Counsel, Go, and borrow thee vessels abroad, etc. From the Prophet's example, we are to observe a general point for our practice (viz.) The care that he had over the poor widow, which appears in his first demand; What shall I do for thee? We ought to do the like, a question most fit for all fathers of Countries, Cities, and Commonwealths; For all the reverend Fathers of Churches, as Bishops, Pastors, and Teachers, yea, for all whom it concerns to be as the Ears, Eyes, Mouth, Hands, Feet, and what not, for the poor fatherless, the stranger, the oppressed, the widow, and who are no way able to help or speak for themselves. Such a one was job; I was (saith he) the Eyes to the blind, and I was the feet to the lame; I was as a Father unto the poor, and when I knew not the cause, I searched it out diligently; I broke also the jaws of the unrighteous man, and plucked the pray out of his mouth: This is, to do for the oppressed, not barely to speak for; and yet in some respect, speaking may be doing, as this very same Prophet, in a care he had for the woman of Shunem, and in part of requital of her kind care over him in his travail: He said to his man in these words, Verse 13. Then he said to him (that is, to his man) say unto her now; Behold, thou hast had all this great care over us: What shall we do for thee? Is there any thing to be spoken for thee to the King, or to the Captain of the Host? Under which words, speaking for, and doing, are joined together, as of like nature and condition: as also, the Ministers of the Gospel, men of Law in the cases of their Clients, who in no wise are to spare to speak in the cause of the distressed, what repulse soever they have; so it be according to equity, whose speaking may be (being throughly and seasonable performed, in a case of justice and judgement) as a deed done; for certainly words avail not, where deeds are not: Deeds are the testifications of a fruitful and lively faith, which faith, if it have no deeds, is dead in itself. 
james 2. 15. 16. 17.  So saith the Apostle james: For if a brother, or a sister, be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say to them; Depart in peace, warm yourselves, and fill your bellies, notwithstanding ye give them not those things that are needful for the body, What helpeth it? Even so the faith, if it have no works, is dead in itself. But this spe●ch of the Prophet, doubtless, was powerful and fruitful: Bare words would have done to her small comfort; they were then, and are now, Deeds that must cheer up the hearts of the afflicted; or, (as I may say) words that carry deeds with them, as these of the Prophets: What shall I do for thee? But, alas, words tending to the good of the poor, especially in cases of suit, are grown to so high a rate, as they can hardly reach.  
But let each party that reads this, upon view-taking of the slender deeds of charity that these days afford, (especially where the Lawyer must be used in the helping of the distressed, and oppressed, to his right) let him not weigh with himself what the World doth, but let him see into the example of this Prophet, what himself should do, and do it; and having considered what, when, to whom, and in that kind he may do good, let him resolutely, and speedily, as occasion serveth, do it: For true is the Proverb, Qui cito dat, bis dat, He giveth two gifts at once, who giveth one speedily: and let Solomon herein be thy director, who teacheth thus; 
Prou. 3. 28.  Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow will I give thee, if thou now have it. 
Luke 10. 36. and the 34.  Be not as the Priest, and Levite, to him that fell among thieves; the one of them, making dainty to give so much as the cast of the eye; the other, though crossing the way to look on him, yet not sparing a word of comfort to the distressed; doth of them leaning him helpless; But with the good Samaritan, go to him, and do to him (as the Prophet saith) What shall I do for thee? And as it followeth, 34. Verse; He came near to him, he had compassion of him, he bound up his wounds, he poured in Oil, and Wine, and put him on his own beast, and brought him to an Inn, and made provision for him, to the end, etc. Thus, upon the proffer of a poor man that wants thy help, when God will make proof of thy faith, according to thy fruitfulness in mercy; bethink thee then with this Prophett, and say: What shall I do for such a one for his relief? and do it; for assure thyself, what fair show soever thou makest in the profession of the Gospel, denoting thyself to all holy exercises of faith and holiness, without works of mercy to testify the same, woeful is thy profession: for, as Saint james saith, Pure Religion, and undefiled before God, 
james 1. 27.  even the Father, is this; To visit the Fatherless, and Widows in their adversity, and to keep himself unspotted in the World.  
Seeing then we can no further approve ourselves to God, than we find and feel our hearts inclinable to pity, and mercy, and such other fruits of the spirit, and to the unrevocably, resolute execution of them; because it in not enough to think, purpose, and resolve to do good, but we must do it.  
Let every one, great and small, make a holy and a good use of this point, examining ourselves, what we have been formerly, what we should be, and how unapt and unready we have been and are to that which we should both be, and do: and as thou feelest thine error, finding out thine unmerciful and hard heart, how unready to do any good to the poor and needy, how straight a hand thou hast held over thy Tenants, thy Workmen, thy Servants, thy Debtors, and all other thy poor Neighbours; making always gain out of the dunghill (with him that said, Lucri suavis odor est ex re qualibet) to be thy godliness, acknowledge thyself, and lay down thine own ways, as David did, before the Lord in these words: 
Psal. 119. 26.  I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me; for God loveth men when they can confess against themselves their sins with remorse, and as in touch of conscience, 
job. 33. 27.  to say as it is in job, speaking in the person of a true Convert: I have sinned, and perverted righteousness, and it doth no way profit me. And having gone thus far in examining thyself, both of what thou hast been in former time, with a dislike of the ways of sin, wherein thou before thy effectual calling walkedst, especially those thy sins of cruel, hard, rigorous, and unmerciful dealing with all men; as also, if thou findest in thee a desire to be rid of all those old and tattered rags of worldliness, which thou didst wear in the days of thine oppression, and cruelty, at what time thy money, thy lands, thy cattle, thy corn, were as thy gods: and dost on the other side desire to be merciful, and tender hearted, putting upon thee a new livery, even the robe of Christ's righteousness, and the livery garment of Christ jesus himself, in all tender compassion, then shalt thou, upon this sudden change of thy affections, bethink thyself, and seek how thou mayest from henceforth with thy wealth, money, lands, and living, do good to the Church, to the Commonwealth, to the poor, miserable, and needy; how thou mayest bestow thy goods to the restoring of the decayed, setting at liberty the poor, that are indebted, out of hard bondage, and imprisonment: 
Luke 19 8.  Then with Zaccheus, (as it is written of him) so soon as jesus hath taken up his lodging in thy heart, as he did in Zaccheus house and heart, also thou wilt not think it any loss for thee to say, and do as he did: Lord, Behold, the half of my goods I do give to the poor: and if I have taken from any man by forged cavillation▪ I restore him fourfold, etc. But in thus being minded, if thou findest it hard for thee to perform, and art driven to say with Paul: 
Rom. 7. 18.  For to will is present with me, but I find no means to perform that which is good, etc. Go on yet still, and lay down, as before, thy wants, and weaknesses, never give over to confess against thyself, against thy best-beloved sin, and pray withal, and say: Lord, thou that hast set at liberty the feet of the lame, hast commanded the sicknesses and diseases of men and women to depart and to leave them, and hast made them, by the word of thy mouth, whole and sound, to go and walk about their affairs: so I come to thee, O Father, I come to thee for my sick, sinful, leprous, blind, halt, lame, covetous, and adulterous soul, possessed with a legion of unclean Devils: and I say to thee, and beseech thee, with the Centurion, 
Matth. 8. 8.  speak thou the word only, and I shall be healed, cleansed, and delivered from the power of sin: set my soul at liberty, and give me thine holy Spirit, 
2 Cor. 3. 17.  then shall I be free: For, as the Apostle Paul saith: Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, yea perfect and full liberty indeed. Then, and never before shalt thou be able to prevail against all thy corruptions, then shall neither Idolatry nor Blasphemy, nor Sabboth-breaking, no Rebellion, no dishonourable account of thy natural Fathers, of Magistrates, or Ministers, no malice, no murdering affections, no deceit, no adultery; then shall neither sin nor Satan prevail over thee, to thy destruction. Acknowledge God mighty in mercy, and say to him in Prayer from thy heart: Lord, say Lord to me, speak but the word, and command my heart to fear thee, command thou my soul and body to leave off to do evil, and to do the thing that is just and upright, and I know I shall fear thee. Yea, with the Prophet David say to God as he said; 
Psal. 119. v. 32  I will, yea I shall, run the way of thy Commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart. And let thy loving kindness come to me, and thy salvation, according to thy promise. And in this thy ask, make sure to thyself, that thou mayest be able to charge God with his promise, and that thou art of them to whom all God's promises do appertain, that so thou mayest be able to say and pray to thy Lord God with feeling, as David, and doubtless thou shalt find a comfortable change upon this thy thus examining, and further proceeding with thyself in form aforesaid.  
Now it followeth; What hast thou at home? Whereof, as briefly as I may, and so to the Answer of the Widow, and the Counsel of the Prophet upon this her answer. Wherein, as well may be gathered out of the Prophet's words following her Answer, this, in the 3. and 4. Verses, that each person that is indebted, is, out of that which remains over and above his ordinary provision for meat, drink, and necessary apparel, to make state of the rest, to the Creditors best behoof, without further fraud, covin, or deceit: This always reserved, that nothing of present use, wherein rests the continuing estate of present life, as meat, drink, and necessary apparel is to be taken away, or detained from him: and to that purpose speaks Moses: 
Exod. 22. 25. 26. 27.  If thou lend money to my people, that is, to the poor with thee, thou shalt not be as an Usurer to him, ye shall not oppress him with Usury. 26. If thou take thy Neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou shalt restore it before the Sun go down. 27. For that is his covering only, and this is his garment for his skin: Wherein shall he sleep? Therefore when he crieth unto me, I will hear him, for I am merciful. Doubtless, the Prophet did not ask her, of her estate, to the end he might fleece her to his own behoof, as the present age of this World doth, that is, to lie in wait for advantage, and so long as there remains any flesh at all upon the bone to pick, yea so long with the Crows, Cadowes, Kites, and Cormorants in the World, to be praying upon it: But, as a man of God, by godly counsel, in due season, taking occasion to help her distressed estate, and out of that her small store that remained, he advices her in the fear of God, and joins with her unto God, that as by his special help (when all helps fail) he will (as the event shows he did) so vouchsafe her deliverance, out of this her present grief, to the glory of his own name, the comfort of her, and credit of her children; as also, to the continuance of her Husbands good report, in the full satisfaction of the Creditor. He doth not herein, as the men of the World in their self-love, narrowly searching by themselves, and their spies, factors for that purpose, where and whence any gain, never so course, vile, base, shucking, and abominable, is to be had and gotten, usually to lay hold of it: He doth not inquire of that small remainder she had, to buy it of her for little or naught, taking occasion of her necessity, that afterwards he might make his boast of his great pennyworths: For this is the World; happy is he that can overreach others in bargaining, that can buy cheap, and sell dear, having a tongue that can change note upon a sudden: as before he buy the thing, when he sees commodity to be had, to say it is naught, the time serves not, it will decay in your hand; the longer you keep it the less you will make of it; the sooner you make it off, the better: but having laid wait for it by some other (if his own persuasion will not prevail) and so by cunning sleight, at the last having got it into his hands; then, at an instant, it is good, and very good, and so according to the person that enjoyeth any matter of commodity, the price to be, as doubtless it is and may well be in some cases, the things with the circumstances and persons well weighed. Solomon to the like purpose speaks of the crafty and deceivable fashions of the World, where he saith: 
Prou. 20. 14.  It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer; but when he is gone apart, he boasleth: So do men in these days, (sin and iniquity having got the upper hand,) they sin, and that egregiously, in what kind (suppose it) whatsoever, as the Prophet Isay saith; They declare their sins, as Sodom, and hide them not: But this Prophet in his demand of the Widow what she had at home, doth it wholly with respect of the care he had to relieve the Widow's distress by his counsel, and by what comfortable manner he might indeed perform the same. In whose example rests a good instruction for all whom in such a case it may concern, especially the very Creditor himself, because this Scripture is occupied wholly in the things concerning the Creditor and the Debtor, that he do not by casting his eye too much upon what his poor Debtor hath left, (having nothing left, but what must serve present necessity perhaps) to lust after it, and to seek to wind it wholly out of his hands to his own use; but he must rather forget himself, and set up all his thoughts how that which remaineth may be disposed of to the mutual good of them both, according as God may bless it in time to both their goods, choosing rather to lose all his debt, than so hardly to draw from the poor distressed man that thing, the loss whereof cannot but withal hazard his life. There be that make godliness, in the profession thereof, to be a very large cloak to gain by, but such persons are condemned as hypocrites, according as the Prophet Esay sets them down in their colours; seeking as it were to outface God, by justifying their holy Fasts against him, when indeed there was nothing but cruelty in their hearts, and unmercifulness in their deeds: 
Esay 58. 3.  Wherefore have we fasted, and thou seest it not? (say they) on the one side we have punished ourselves, and thou regardest it not: the Lord answers them as a just judge and searcher of their hearts: Behold, in the day of your fast you will seek your will (saith the Lord) and require all your debts: As if he would say; The true fast that I make reckoning of, is to fast from your own gain, and testifying it by releasing of your poor Debtors of the strait bonds you have them in: and thus much for that point. Only I add this with the Apostle Paul; 
2 Cor. 9 7.  God loveth a cheerful giver, to stir thee up, that whatsoever thou dost in any work of Christian compassion to thy Neighbour, to do it freely and cheerfully, knowing that what thou dost so, thou dost it to the Lord, who will recompense it again, as Solomon saith: 
Prou. 19 17.  He that hath mercy upon the poor, dareth to the Lord, and the Lord will recompense him that he hath given. And thus having set down that both the Debtor and the Creditor are each to respect other, according to the rule of Christian equity; I will proceed to the answer of the Widow, with the Prophet's reply, wherein he counsels her what to deo for her relief, upon that poor remainder of her Pitcher of Oil: Her answer in the end of the second verse; Thine Handmaid hath nothing at home save a Pitcher of Oil.  
It appears in the holy Scriptures that Oil was of special use, and thereafter also in great request, and according to their several uses, so the kinds were sundry, some serviceable unto the sacrifices, some to the anointing of Kings, Priests, and Prophets, some other to the cheering and refreshing of men's countenances, some more common to the service of their cakes, or bread-making, instead of other liquor, to that of sacrifices as Moses prescribeth: After, 
Levit. 2. 15.  thou shalt put Oil upon it, and lay incense thereon, for it is a meat offering. In the anointing of Kings, 
1 Sam. 10. 1.  it is said; Then Samuel took a Vial of Oil, and poured it upon Saul's head, etc. For the cheering of the heavy countenance: It is said; And wine that maketh glad the heart of man: 
Psal. 104. 15.  and also in the 92. Psalm and the 10. And I shall be anointed with fresh Oil: Oil that maketh the face to shine. And to this our Saviour opposeth sour looks, when he saith, to the beating down of hypocrisy in religious fasts; But when thou fastest, 
Mat. 6. 17.  anoint thine head, etc. to common uses, where the Widow of Sareptah said to Eliah: 
1 King. 17. 12.  As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but even a handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: Of this Oil, which appears to be of the most usual and common kind, she had but a small quantity, far unfit to pay debt withal, even one poor Pitcher of Oil.  
But thus doth God most usually deal with his dearest servants, to bring them very low, yea, to beggar's estate; wherein our Saviour himself did seem to walk, and that to special purpose: first, to teach that his Kingdom was not of this world, neither came he to abound with earthly riches, as where he affirms to the Scribe; 
Mat. 8. 19 20.  The Foxes have holes, and the Birds of the Air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head: which also he doth as to another and second end, that is, to teach his Disciples not to set up their rest in him, as under hope to obtain, as from him, either profits, promotions, or pleasures, here on the earth; but rather to look upward to Heaven, and there setting their affections where he is, to seek the endless comforts of everlasting joy, according to which purpose, the Apostle Paul speaketh. 1. If ye be risen then with Christ, seek those things which are above, 
Col. 3. 1. 2.  where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. 2. Set your affections on things which are above, and not on things which are on earth, (saith he.) Which whilst men shall seek to do unfeignedly, it cannot possibly be avoided, but that by how much they shall find out his goodness in small things, by so much the more their tongues shall be occasioned to acknowledge the greatness of his power, Majesty, and mercy towards them, and so finally to return the praise of them all to him again. Which is a special use that we must make of this point (viz.) that although we are poor, not to esteem the more meanly of ourselves, as in God's presence, considering that he hath sent his own Son our Lord and Master Christ jesus, in a base estate, to fulfil his service here upon earth, to his glory and our good, unto whom as his servants we to conform ourselves, are not to account of it as any disparagement at all. These lessons are to be laboured upon, very much: first, the corrupt judgement of the World, which doth make reckoning of men who are poor, needy, indebted, and out of credit with the World, to be no otherwise with God; beside (the fear that many men have to fall into poverty thereby) keeping them from the performing of the works of mercy and just dealing, arising from the great distrust that is in them to God-ward, because of the care over their own: These two are mightily to be withstood, upon this point, that this poor widow had no more than one poor pitcher of Oil.  
But now to proceed, to show to what end the Prophet would know what she had at home, which was doubtless to this end, that he might advise her, as also deal for her with God, how out of that little which she had remaining, some release of herself from care and grief, as also some satisfaction of the Creditor might be wrought; and indeed that is the main point that overspreadeth itself in this Treatise (viz.) Debts (in all that possibly may be) must be paid.  
To the speeding whereunto, one general point is to be observed upon the Prophets counselling of her, as in part hath been laid down before, and it doth concern principally all Ministers, and as from them all other Christians; the Ministers to stand up as in God's behalf, to minister words of divine and holy comfort to all God's afflicted people, and that in due season: To the which purpose the Prophet Esay doth in the person of Christ jesus himself the true comforter, represent them who are called to the Ministry of God's Word. The Lord God's hath given me (saith he) a tongue of the learned, 
Esay 50. 4.  that I should know to minister a word in time to him that is weary; that is, to him who is any way distressed in conscience, or oppressed by affliction and misery, and that so wearied comes to me: and of this mercy of God in Christ, the Ministers should be able, as from not only knowledge out of the Word of God, but upon experience also, to speak comfortably to the souls of the people. The Apostle Paul speaketh to that purpose, 
2 Cor. 1. 4. 5.  when he saith; Which comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them who are in any affliction, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God; for as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation aboundeth through Christ. 
Heb. 2. 18.  The like is said of Christ: For in that he suffered and was tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. What comfort also the people do reap from the Ministers, they are mutually as need requires each to comfort other, which are under any heaviness or affliction; and this is the general point to be observed upon the Prophet's counsell-giving to the Widow: Now let us see the counsel itself.  
And he said, go borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy Neighbours, empty vessels, and spare not. 4. And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee, and upon thy sons, and pour out into all those vessels, and set aside those that are full. The general observation in this counsel of the Prophet, and the putting it in practice by the Widow, is this: All persons, in all cases of extremity, are mutually to aid and assist each other, in the restoring of any decayed amongst them; as here first the Prophet in his counsel-giving, than Neighbours in their lending, the Widow in her working, together by her sons, upon the empty vessels of Oil, her sons in going up and down, fetching, carrying, pouring out of the full vessel, sorting, and setting aside the empty from the full, to their right ends: And this is taught by way of similitude, in the Epistle to the Romans, where the Apostle speaking of the Church in Christ, as of the members in one body, 
Rom. 12. 4. 5.  saith; For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not one office; so we being many, are one body in Christ, and every one another's members: and as one member in the natural body, according as it is in want and weakness, is to be respected with care by that other which is above it in power, and ability; so it ought to be much more in the mystical body of Christ jesus, who are mutually to serve one another in love, But that the members should have the same care one for another (saith the Apostle: 
1 Cor. 12. 25. 26. ) 26. Therefore if one member suffer, all suffer with it; if one member be had in honour, all the members rejoice with it: and to this purpose each person and thing, in God's providence, are ordained for the succour and relief of his Children under the Cross. Thus God wrought for David by jonathan, by Jonathan's boy, and by the arrows that jonathan shot beyond the mark, for the informing of David how Saul stood affected towards him, each person and thing working together for David's safe delivery out of the malicious hands of Saul, who sought his utter overthrow. If this were duly observed by all, that none, no, not the mightiest can stand alone by themselves without help, in case of extremity, it would make them more careful, and ready to relieve each other in their miseries.  
The use then that is to be made of this point is, upon the knowledge thereof to remember ourselves how dead spirited, and dull we have been in former times to discharge this duty, and thereupon to go to God by, and in, prayer, for the gracious assistance of his holy Spirit, thereby to quicken us up unto a further and more compassionate care in all Christian love, to and for the good of others, for the time to come.  
Now where he saith, Go, and borrow thee vessels abroad, of all thy Neighbours, empty vessels, and spare not; or not a few, but as many as thou mayest get, that there be no want of vessels to work into; The Prophet's counsel as a command from God, doth animate and encourage the Widow to use all her Neighbours, as helpers with her unto this her restoring again: Wherein give me leave by the way to set down from the Prophets counselling of the Widow, and the Widow her acceptance of his counsel, and putting it in practice, with the happy success of the same, this undoubted truth; that is, who so hears the Prophets, Apostles, and Ministers of God, teaching them the way to everlasting life, by jesus Christ alone, the only door thereunto, and that by the written Word of God, the holy Scriptures, so called, must so hear them, receive them, and believe them and their doctrine, as in full persuasion of their hearts that what they have heard, and do hear, is the very speech of God himself, as our Saviour Christ jesus assureth his Disciples, when he saith; 
Luke 10. 16.  He that heareth you, heareth me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth me; and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me. The want then of such hearers and thus hearing, is it that causes so little practice in doing the will of God; for many, if not the most, do hear, but do not: This is the cause why Papism, Athiesme, Turkisme, Heathenism, yea, satanism, the fullness of all sin, (O woe is me to say it) doth so fast and speedily creep into, and grow up in the Land, threatening from day to day, as we grow worse and worse, the removal of the glorious light of the Gospel, which God forbid, out of this our most glorious, glittering, and golden Candlestick of the Church of God, in this our happy England. Oh happy long, to his good pleasure, may it be, yea, so happy, as that the glorious light of the Gospel that maketh it to shine so gloriously, may be so far from ever being extinguished, as that it may be rather like to the light of the righteous, whereof Solomon speaketh, when he saith; 
Prou. 4. 18.  The way of the righteous shineth, as the light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day: so oh Lord, if it seem good in thine eyes, let not this light of ours, how outrageously soever the wicked enemies, both without and within the Land, do oppose themselves to it to extinguish it: let it not O Lord, be ever put out, until that perfect and everlasting Son of righteousness, Christ jesus himself do come triumphantly in the clouds to make a full end of all! for the accomplishment whereof, let every one that waits for, and loves his appearing, say with me, Come Lord jesus, come quickly, 
2. Tim. 4.  Amen; Even so be it: Lord, so be it.  
But now to return to our Widow again. Had not the Prophet's Counsel wrought in her, as the command of God himself, and that by his special instinct through faith, and animating or encouraging of her, to the using of her neighbours, she might have been dishartened at his Counsel, in willing her to go to her neighbours, and to borrow of them: Alas, she might have said to herself; No neighbour will lend me aught, they will be jealous of me, that I should make it away; and because my debt is so great already, I may perish before I get aught: Nay, this is the course of the World, they will answer negatively, and by way of prevention; they will discourage me from ask, before ever I ask: But if I do ask, they have their Answer ready: Nay truly, I cannot lend, I have sworn to the contrary, I have bound myself in bonds, I have promised all my friends, not to lend: So far are men from the true knowledge of walking in that golden means, between two extremes: Or else they will (not with the Prophet's mind, but for their own gain) ask of me, what I have, if I have a fair pawn, a pledge, or a surety, perhaps somewhat may be had: or if I have any thing to sell outright, they will then try their friend to buy it, if they may have a pennyworth, or if I will use reason: Now this reason, upon extremity, you must understand is as much as little or nothing: For it is commonly held, that those goods of the decayed, though as good as the Rich man's every way for value, and price, yet being in a ruinated, decayed, and a poor broken man's hands, is worth some fourth part or less perhaps: This is the fashion of the World, whereunto every man fashioneth himself; that is, rather to keep him down, that is down; or, if not down, but going in the way, to beat him down altogether, rather than to help to raise him up again.  
This is one discouragement, that might have stayed this Widow, (especially had she lived in this Iron or steely age of ours) from following the good Prophet's Counsel: Another stay, (arising also from the frailty of an unbelieving heart) had not God wrought faith in her, might have stopped her course of being contented to be directed by the Prophet (as thus:) Alas, might she have said, what should I do thus troubling so many of my neighbours, in borrowing so many empty vessels? Why, what good will empty vessels do me? mine own poor pitcher of Oil is not able to fill itself, how then shall it be able to fill any one other, much less so many as may amount to the price or value of my debt?  
Unfaithfulness, or distrust in God, is able to discourage flesh & blood from using means seeming unlikely to man's conceit; yea, it hath bred great doubtfulness in the very dear children of God; yea, so far it hath prevailed, as that they have expostulated the matter with God's messengers, as in a thing not possibly to be effected: 
Luke 1. 18.  as that of Zachary, about the birth of john Baptist, where he reasons with the Angel thus: Then said Zacharias to the Angel, Whereby shall I know this, for I am an old man, and my wife is of great age? Likewise the blessed Virgin Marie, upon the salutation of the Angel, 
Luke 1. 28. 31.  Verse 28 where the Angel certifies her, that she shall conceive, and bear a son; 
34. verse.  in the 34. Verse, she inquires of him about the point: How shall this be (saith she) seeing I know not man? This troubled the blessed Virgin greatly, as is set down in the 29. Verse; so as after she had heard the salvation of the Angel, as is written, she said thus: And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and thought what manner of Salutation this should be: So that we see, where faith in God is not fully settled (as in a continual groat it must be in us during life) by many turbulent distractions, unbelief will break out, and cause many times a yielding to do that which may be very ill for us, and a leaving off to do what otherwise may be and is warrantable for us to do, the doing whereof may turn to our great good; the not doing, to our greater hurt. Indeed this increase of Oil, as out of itself without further means, by the power of God in the ministry of Elizha, was miraculous, and may seem incredible, wherein if I should take occasion to speak of miracles, how they were then, and afterwards under the days of the Gospel, and to what end they tended, and unto what time they were limited; If also I should speak of the abuse of the Church of Rome, in that point of miraculous working (a mere illusion to deceive the people by,) I should not take myself up in any good time; yet thus far to say, because they only are the miracle-mongers, we seek not to take the credit of working miracles out of their hands. If counterfeited signs, and lying wonders, by the working of Satan, with all power to deceive by, (which they arrogate to themselves) and that among them that perish, spoken off by the Apostle Paul, as purposely to set forth in some of his colours their Antichrist, be miracles, I yield it to them: For we of the Gospel's profession, do not require any juggling, or apish tricks, to blear our people's eyes withal; we hold them close to the holy and only Word of truth, for the working of faith in them, and that by the preaching of the same, as the Apostle Paul saith: 
Gal. 3. 2.  Received you the Spirit, by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of Faith preached?  
A time there was, when before the whole truth of God's Word, in the holy Scriptures, was come in, and digested into those two Testaments, the Old and the New, as they now are, and so have been miraculously preserved, through the dangers of many ages, and reserved to the Churches perpetual use, as also, propounded to the view of the whole World, to the end that the preachings of the Prophets, as also, the Doctrine of our Saviour Christ himself, and of his Apostles, might be the more believed and rested upon, as the very truth of God himself, they had power to work miramircales, as this Prophet three times in this Chapter did, besides this in hand, thereby to testify to the people, that he was the true Prophet of God. Concerning the which point, the Prophet Eliah upon the trial of the true worship of God, and the idolatrous worship of Baal, between him and those four hundred and fifty false Prophets, doth ratify and confirm both himself, and his religion, and his Doctrine, to be of God, and from Heaven, by having power from that God of heaven and earth, to command the fire to descend from heaven to consume the sacrifice, 
1 Kings 18. 36. 37.  according as we find it in that his most divine and holy prayer in these words:  
36 Let it be known this day that thou art the God of Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy commandment. 37. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, and let this people know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart again at the last. By which it may appear also, that miracles were not to be done at the pleasure of man, but at the will and pleasure of God: Of which miracles, we read there are two kinds; one pure, and the other mixed, as one writeth very learnedly of them: The pure, are they which without means or creatures, God worketh alone: he calleth them mixed, where God by the ministry of any of his servants, doth work strangely, in and by creatures, as in stretching out beyond nature their vigour or strength, in causing them extraordinarily to increase, to the serving of his will at an instant, for the good of any of his people. The like did our Saviour Christ himself, in that kind of pure and simple miracles, when by his Word alone he commanded the Devils, and diseases; 
Matth. 8. 3. & 13.  the one, & the other, to come out of them, and to leave the possessed and diseased. The like did Peter to the Cripple, that was so from his mother's womb, when he said to him: In the name of jesus Christ of Nazaret, 
Acts 3. 5.  rise up, and walk.  
But in speaking upon the counsel of the Prophet given to the Widow, in these words: Go, borrow thee vessels abroad; and if it shall be further asked by what warrant the Prophet did this, to command, as in the name of God, and to assure the Widow of these unlikelihoods; first, to borrow of her Neighbours, etc. and then, how that one full vessel of Oil should hold out to fill those other empty Vessels that were borrowed. The answer is made by the Prophet himself, in the 43. Verse of this Chapter, where the Prophet's Servant, questioning with his Master about the twenty Loaves to be distributed to an hundred men, as if they were unlikely to suffice so many: The Prophet replies again upon him with a second command: Give unto the people, that they may eat: For (saith Elisha) thus saith the Lord, They shall eat, and there shall remain: So that (thus saith the Lord) is the Prophet's warrant: and that beyond God's Word he went not, the sequel of the success doth manifestly declare, he not being able any way to perform so strange a work, to the comfort of this Widow, in her sons, and the satisfying of the Creditor, had not God himself graced him with his own power, and as it were stooped down to work together with him. Mighty then is this word of God, where God himself enforceth it by his Spirit, yea, mightily it prevaileth both in that executing his judgements in justice upon the wicked contemners of his servants, as in that where Eliah called for fire upon the two captains of the fifties, 
1 King. 1. 9 10.  & thereafter it fell upon them: As also, 
Acts 5. 1. 2. 3.  in that of Peter, where Ananias and Saphirah, were strooken dead upon the word immediately spoken by the Apostle, for their sacrilegious lying and hypocrisy: As also, in the strange and wonderful means, whereby he extraordinarily worketh by his servants for the Churches good, as where Peter, by the power of the Word (God working with him) to the comfort of the Church, 
Acts 9 40.  raised up Dorcas from death to life.  
Yea, but I hear some say me thinks, Tush, the ministry of men under the Gospel, is weak enough, there is none of them all can do any such strange work, we need not fear; their big thunderbolts are but cracks: But the reason of their so blasphemous speeches, in their careless regard to fear God, is because God meeteth not with them in their present sinning, as he did with Zimri and Cozbi, even in the committing, of fornication together (by the hands of Phinehas he slew them both) in their Tents, as is written in the Book of Number, 25. 9 They presumptuously think, and say in their hearts, there is no God, no Devil, no Heaven, no Hell, they be but tales that our Preachers do tell us: But of these like persons, the Apostle Peter prophesieth, 
2 Pet. 3. 4.  and these are the days of the fulfilling of his prophecy. This first understand, that there shall come in the last days, mockers, who will walk after their lusts, and say, Where is the promise of his coming? etc. Thus the Devil is very busy to withdraw men's minds, yea let every one observe it; the more the ministry of the Gospel increaseth, the more he rageth, by causing men to seek after that that is not necessary, and to leave unsought after that which maketh most for the salvation of soul and body eternally: For Satan hath his instruments in every place, who labour to obscure in what they may, and to make inglorious the eternal Word of our immortal, invisible, and only wise God, in the holy ministry of the Gospel, which presages, and that truly, that he fears that his time is not long, but that he is near, and very near, to his utter and final casting out. Let them therefore know, and that speedily, and let them assure themselves, that the Word of God is no less effectual now, neither is his arm any whit more shortened in the powerful Gospel of his Son Christ jesus, although it appear so to be to the wicked world: Only this is the difference, the judgements of God, (for I speak now to them only that make a mock of God) do not to them appear so great and heavy, because he comes not so immediately and presently upon their several wickednesses committing to execute those his judgements; yea, he seems to them to have forgotten to be just; but let them know, that not one jot, or tittle of God's word shall fall to the ground; for whatsoever wants in the execution of these his punishments for the present, shall be doubtless doubled, and redoubled, according to the delay and putting off the same: so that when he doth or shall strike indeed, his hand shall fall so heavily, having been long in lifting of it up, and when he begins to lift it up, he will lift his rod so high, to the fetching of a greater stroke, that he will make the proudest Ruffian of them all like to a Potter's vessel, which he will so break to shivers, that there shall not be found any one sheard to carry fire in. 
Psal. 2. 9  Thou shalt crush them (saith David the Prophet) with a Sceptre of iron, and break them in pieces like a Potter's vessel.  
But what matters it to answer the profane minded, utterly answerless? Let so many then as are contented to stoop down to the holy Word of God, in the Ministry of men, and to learn thereby soberly to be wise, know of a surety, that howsoever God did limit the times and seasons past, wherein those persons whom he had also more specially given power unto, as the Prophets and Apostles, to work strangely in and about the things of this life, for the confirmation of that Doctrine which they brought unto the World, whereof men being more earthly minded, did also take a greater view, than thereby to be led to the apprehension of the truth in Christ jesus, for everlasting life; yet is not the power of God in his Word any whit abated the more now, but rather advanced to a further and a more eminent working in, and about, the turning of men's hearts from gazing or looking upon the things of this life, unto the longing, lusting, and thirsting after the righteousness of God in Christ jesus, to their everlasting comfort in the Kingdom of Heaven. And yet give me leave, his care is no less for us now, (if we fear him) than it was in former times, and according to his care over us, so his power and will, yea, in providing for us in our wants; indeed we are blind and see it not, because we do not continually refer ourselves in the things we have, or in the things whereby he hath relieved us beyond expectation in our distresses; we do not, I say, refer ourselves to God's providence, for the beholding of it as we ought: for truly howsoever he do not increase our Pitcher of Oil so miraculously as we see here he did to the poor indebted Widow, and in that manner, yet when he worketh men's hearts towards thee, for thy relief, yea, to make thine adversaries thy friends, is it not worth the observation? He is the same God to us that he was in jobs days, who speaking of the wicked, 
job 27. 16.  faith; Though he should heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay; he may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver: 
Prou. 13. 22.  and again, where Solomon saith; The riches of the sinner is laid up for the just: and this he hath done, and doth daily perform, only our unbelief, our unthankfulness, our deadness of faith, keeps us from seeing it, to our shames.  
But to end this point ordinarily, the work of the Ministry of the Gospel, is a greater work than healing, or curing the bodily diseases of men, by speaking the word, whither from Peter, or from Paul, or by whomsoever, although it be indeed miraculous; yea, as much as the soul is beyond the body in excellency, by so much is the holy work of the Gospel of Christ, conversant wholly in the restoring of the dead souls of men from death to life, more excellent; for lo, now the dead souls of men and women, that have long slept in sin, and have been dead, as doubtless all are until by the power of the Word of God, they have life put into them, even the life of the Spirit, whereof Paul speaketh, when he saith: 
Gal. 2. 20.  Thus I live, yet not I now, but Christ liveth in me; and in that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith in the Son of God, who hath loved me, and given himself for me. Of this life speaks our Saviour himself: 
john 5. 25.  Verily verily, I say unto you, the hour shall come, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear it, shall live.  
The Use to be made of these last and former doctrines, is this, that whensoever the word of Faith hath entered the possession of jesus Christ into our souls, whensoever you think of him, meditate upon him, seek him in your prayers, follow after him in the public preachings of that his most glorious & comfortable Gospel, be sure so to think of him as of your Saviour and deliverer, not from bodi●l sicknesses, or other perils or dangers of this life, but as he is indeed, by God his father, appointed to save thee, and deliver thee from hell, death, and eternal condemnation, as a Saviour of thee from thy sins, and a deliverer of thee from those miseries whereinto thou hast overplunged thyself in soul and body by thy sin: as Paul the Apostle teacheth thee in these words, concerning Christ lesus, and the working by the Gospel in all those that believe, 
2 Tim. 1. 10.  Who (saith he) hath abolished death, and hath brought life, and immortality unto light, through the Gospel. 
1 Tim. 1. 15.  And as again he saith, jesus Christ came into the World to save sinners, of whom I am chief. Let the thought of his very name be comfortable to thee, from the remembrance of his being first named by the Angel at his entrance into the World, 
Mat. 1. 12.  as is written: And thou shalt call his name jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. Finally, think and meditate upon him, as upon an heavenly, not an earthly King; he is come for thy good every way, but especially to deliver thee, so as that after the fullness of thy deliverance, thou mightest never be in danger after; his deliverance being spiritual, not corporal, heavenly not earthly, as he is further described, where it is said: First unto you (meaning the jews) hath God raised up his Son jesus, 
Acts 3.  and him he hath sent to bless you, in turning every one of you from your iniquities.  
Seek then to him, as to one in whom you are begotten again, and in him cast as in a new mould, to become new creatures, 
1 Pet. 1. 3. 4.  (as the Apostle Peter saith:) Blessed be God, the father of our Lord jesus Christ, which, according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance immortal, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, etc. For to this end is his coming into the world: first, to take the burden of thy sin, lying heavy upon thee, upon himself: secondly, to discharge thee from the guilt of sin: thirdly, to take away the power and strength of sin, that after once thou art a true member of that his body the Church, whereof he is Head, 
Rom. 6. 12.  sin may no longer have that dominion over thee, as before.  
Now it followeth in the Text. 5. So she departed from him, and shut the door upon her two sons, and they brought to her, and she poured out. 6. And when the vessels were full, she said unto her son, bring yet a Vessel; and he said unto her, There are no more Vessels: And the Oil ceased.  
Now we are come to the third point, which is, (the issue of the means, consisting upon the words or command of the Prophet, in the obedience of the Widow.) This issue of the means being twofold, the increase of the Oil, and the paying of the debt; from that the obedience of the Widow in these words: So she departed from him, and shut the door, etc. As the words lie in the Text, they all are livelily described, the mother, and her two sons, to settle themselves to their business; her sons they bring, the mother she pours o●●, no hand at all idle amongst them. Whence I gather for instruction, from the Woman's example, this; that she in finding out the readiness of her Neighbours to help her with those empty Vessels which she borrowed of them, is heartened on cheerfully to proceed in her labours, and that without delay, assuring herself that God, who had begun so favourably with her, would not give over until he had performed what he had set her about, not doubting but that the Prophet's Counsel was as the Lords own commandment, and the command of the Lord, as the deed done.  
We then, from her, being thus advised by the Prophet, and so resolutely and readily putting his Counsel in execution, we are taught in all our honest and necessary affairs to do the like, and after mature, holy, and deliberate Counsel taken, not to delay to perform what we have well advised upon, for delays often prove dangerous. Solomon in those words, 
Prou. 20. 18.  (Establish thoughts by counsel) doth teach indeed this, to be well advised upon men's thoughts first, before they be set on foot, but after once counsel is advisedly taken, then to settle, establish, and to execute, not giving over until we have attained the end of our first well-aduised purposes. Well (said he) whosoever he was, That as an unconstant, changeable, and wavering minded man, is unfit for society, because there is neither assurance of his words, nor of his purposes: so he makes himself ridiculous to the world, in enterprising that, to his overgreat loss, which he never brings to any good end: whereas the end of a thing is said to be better than the beginning. Upon the which point, our Saviour doth severely tax all those that undertake the profession of the Gospel, and give over in the midway: 
Luke 14. 28.  and this he doth under two similitudes, the one of a Builder, the other of a King, (read the places.)  
The Use that we must make of this Doctrine, arising from the Widow's resolution, is to examine ourselves, concerning the ill successes we have had in our former business, and whence they have arisen (dealing sound with ourselves,) and then if we find that either they have come from a rash, heady, and undiscreet proceeding, without counsaile-taking, or else from an unstable, wavering, and a cowardly mind, that yet durst not resolve upon good counsel had; let us then proceed with ourselves, according to the finding out of our errors, to repair to him who is able to repair in us all our decays, and will at his pleasure; (if once we can assure ourselves, and make good to our souls that we are his children, to whom all the promises of God in Christ jesus do appertain) let us then without delay, go to him, and ask a greater measure of wisdom for the going on in our business, then before time we had. The Apostle james teacheth so to do: 
james 1. 5.  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, which giveth to all men liberally, and reproacheth no man, and it shall be given him. 
1 Kings 3. 9 11. 12. 13.  So did Solomon, he asked a wise and an understanding heart, and had it granted him, with riches, and honour, beyond all that were before him. Let us also crave a stable and a settled heart for execution, after that by good advice we have attained unto resolution: let us do this with David, seeing also all that we do is evil, and cannot but be so where the heart is evil, that is, let us go to God, and say with him; 
Psal. 51. 10.  Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me: and again, establish me with a free spirit.  
There is further from the obedience of this Widow, in settling her see fe and her sons so readily and upon the instant to labour, a good lesson to be learned by all Fathers and Mothers, to bring up their Children as in all good knowledge, and nurture; so from the very Cradle to acquaint them with, and accustom them unto all good and honest labour and travel: and this to do, for the avoiding of idleness, because in doing nothing (as one saith) we learn for the most part to do evil, and to be idle is very dangerous, especially to youth. Therefore Solomon in his Proverbs giveth a good precept to all Fathers and Tutors over children & young folks: 
Prou. 22. 6.  Teach a Child in the trade of his way, and when he is old, he shall not depart from it. It is a fit lesson to be renewed in this age, and upon our people, because many walk as if they were privileged to live out of any calling at all, and so to live as no way helpful, but hurtful both to the Church and Commonwealth; they think they may do it in all licentious idleness, inordinately, without the check of the Magistrate. Against this idleness, oppose this Law of God set to Adam after his fall: In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat thy bread, 
Gen. 3. 19  till thou return to earth: Not that Adam was before idle, or wrought not at all, but that the labour he took after that he had broken God's Commandment, was not without wearisome tediousness, whereof before he was free. To live idle, and in no good, set, certain, and lawful calling; the Apostle Paul calleth it an inordinate, 
2 Thes. 3. 11.  or disordered kind of living: We hear that there are among you some (saith he) who walk inordinately, and work not at all, but are busybodies. This great sin of the Land, as it is severely to be met withal, by the continual teaching and sharp reprehension of the Ministers, so in no wise to be permitted in the Houses of our Church-governors, who by occasion of their large and spacious mansions, and their many businesses, by reason of their wide circuits, are to retain and entertain many followers, and therefore to take heed, may I be bold to speak, (Bona cum venia) that not one be towards them, whom they may not, or do not apply to some ordinary businesses in their places; not fostering this sin of idleness within their walls: and howsoever the common desire of those who will be towards them in service is, that they may live at ease, or idly; considering that the holy Apostle Paul, informing Timothy concerning a Bishop, 
1 Tim. 3. 2. 3. 4.  that he must be watchful himself in his place, as also one that loveth goodness, having faithful children, which are not slandered of riot, 
Tit. 1. 6. 7. 8.  neither are disobedient: much more is he, yea, with a more strait eye, to see that none about him, as a servant, be without his place of employment, and that to good purpose. It was one of the sins that Ezechiel reporteth to have been the great sin of Sodom, fore-running the destruction thereof; and this he doth, thereby to take up roundly the people of Israel and judah, affirming that the sins of Sodom were not greater than their sins: 
Ezech. 16. 47. 48.  Behold (saith he) this was the iniquity of thy Sister Sodom▪ pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness, was in her, and in her daughters: neither did she strengthen the hands of the poor and needy, etc. But when this sin shall grow up (notwithstanding the teaching of the Ministers, and the care of Church-governors, inasmuch as in them lieth;) The civil Magistrate is then to step in, even from him that is in the highest and most honourable place of all, unto him who is the most inferior in respect of government, according to the Laws provided in that case, for the remedying of this sin, as also for the providing relief for the poor, to see that execution without intermission of those Statutes be had; and not to spare to punish the idle and unprofitable person within his or their liberty or liberties; and beyond all, first, to provide that themselves be watchful, diligent, and careful in their own places of government, as also over those who are within their roofs, because themselves are exemplary precedents, and as high Beacons set upon the tops of the highest places of advantage, to give warning by to the Country, of any danger present, or near it is lamentable to see and hear the inordinate and more than Sodomitish behaviour of those persons and servants in Noble and great men's Houses, who for want of employment, being idle, yea, very babes new out of the shell, do exceed in all manner of impiety and abomination; such as I am ashamed once to name: Let it suffice in a word, only this as a watch word (give me leave to set down to the view of all great ones;) Consider I beseech you, consider how your Houses are receptacles of the sons and daughters of many Families in your Countries, who desire to live under your service, and that many Fathers and Mothers do make great suit that their Children may be your attendants and servants, perhaps they look no further then that they may in time get somewhat under you to live upon; but to live honestly, soberly, and religiously, perhaps they never look after; yet how careless soever they have been, in you must (and God requireth it at your hands) O ye noble persons, whose greatest honour it is, and aught to be to fear God, with your whole Families; you must see (I say) that all within your walls, without exception, even all your sons, your daughters, your manservants your maidservants, every one of them so to bestow themselves under your governements, as that according to their places above and under each other, they may be fitted to the Church or commonwealth uses, as God shall see it good for them, to the service of the Age succeeding: If otherwise there be any that will not fall to some business or other, but live of the sweat of other men's labours, then do as the profitable and most laborious Bees in their Commonwealth do; let every one as he is in place, take those idle luskes and slothful drones, within his limits, and cast them out as not meet for the society of men. For thus are the Bees said to do, Ignawm fucos pecus a praesepibus arcent; They take the drones, and jointly they hurl them out of their Hives: Much like as we use to do with our vagrant rogues, whip them out at a Cart's arse to the Town's end, and so let them go.  
But to this Widow, in her employment, let me return. She seeing her own present misery, and the miseries of her two sons, whereinto they were likely to fall, on the one side; as also that God had offered her so great hope, first, by the Prophets advising of her, and then by the success in her neighbours joining with her willingly, every one to help her by the loan of their empty cask of vessels, tending to all their goods; on the other side, she loses no time, she spares no labour, her sons in like manner as ready at hand, it being every one of their cases, they shake off idleness, and give not over their work, until they had attained the thing they laboured for.  
But because all Scripture is written for us, even for us to use, let us every one from the highest to the lowest, especially those of us who have been endangered by debt, howsoever befallen upon us, because debts must be paid; let us I say, use the example of this Widow and her two sons aright, let us do as they did, work upon the remainder of that which we have, be it but one poor full pitcher of Oil; let us go to work, and make trial what may be done; let not one hand be idle, considering there remains still a promise unto us, as to our forefathers, God will undoubtedly bless thee in using all good, holy, and commanded means. The wise man Solomon telleth thee; 
Prou. 14. 22.  In all labour there is abundance; and again in another place, he encourageth thee who hast made thyself a bond man to thy Creditor, if thou instead of being bound, wouldst be free and a commander in thine own house, and have power over thine own goods, and comfort in thy wife and children, hear his counsel, and follow his direction: 
Prou. 12. 24.  The hand of the diligent shall bear rule, but the idle shall be under tribute.  
Make then this use of it, every one that beareth the name of a Christian; for I tell thee howsoever by the Law of nature thou art tied to give suum cuique, that is, to every one his own, and to make difference between meum and tuum, yet thou art doubly bound in the Law of Christianity, and that to thy further condemnation (if thou do not perform it,) for there is afforded unto thee by the Gospel (if thou receive it) the holy Ghost, for the enabling of thee to do what by the Law of nature thou canst not have, which if thou attain not unto, it is thine own fault: Examine thyself in this point, and see into thine own first estate, how thou hast lived out of any commendable and lawful calling before time: for to be a Gentleman, which is the thing that many base livers do challenge to themselves, and no way to have been either publicly, or privately serviceable to the Church, the Prince, the Commonwealth, or any one private family for the government thereof. If thy conscience therefore accuse thee in this behalf, return betimes, repent thee of thy former ways, and take a more Christian course, and instead of walking wholly after thy delights and inordinate pleasures any longer, see into the wants of the Church and of the Commonwealth, and give thy helping hand to repair the ruins or decays either of the one, or of the other, which way soever God shall incline thy heart unto, and make thee fit for; knowing this for a surety, that idleness, is a step unto all manner of wickedness: yea, the eight Commandment, Thou shalt not steal, will take thee suspicious as a transgressor thereof: Be well advised therefore, and follow the holy Apostle Paul's counsel, who saith to thee, to me, and to every one that liveth, or hath lived, or been a nourisher of them who have lived inordinately: 
Ephe. 4. 28.  Let him that stole, steal no more; but labour the thing that is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. And thus much for that point; Now it followeth:  
And the Oil ceased, stood at a stay, or left off to increase.  
Now that the Widow hath gotten into her hands the possession of means enough, out of this Gods good, (as I may call it) this so plentiful increase for the release of herself from care, from debt, and of her sons from servitude or bondage, God stays his hand, he knows what is enough, the Oil gives over and increases no more Doubtless God is wise in the performance of the work of mercy, according to time & measure, upon whomsoever of his Children; neither is any other reason to be rendered thereof, besides his good pleasure; as also in the execution of his judgements, when he seeth meet to punish them whom he meaneth to punish: wherein for the measure and time of staying of these his judgements when he pleaseth, he is not to be questioned with. 
2 Sam. ●4. 15.  In the second Book of Samuel, it is recorded, that after the Lord had slain with the pestilence threescore and ten thousand of the people of Israel, because David had caused his whole people in the Land to be numbered, as a great pride; and the Angel of the Lord stretched out his hand upon jerusalem to destroy it; 
Verse 16.  it is said, that the Lord repented of the evil, and said to the Angel that destroyed the people; It is sufficient, hold now thy hand.  
The first thing that is to be observed upon this point is, that all Creatures are at the command of the Creator, to live or to die at his pleasure, they have their time to serve him in for the good of his Children, they have their spring time, their harvest, and their fall of leaf, their time to live and grow up in, their time to cease growing, or any way increasing; and this cometh to pass wonderfully, although ordinarily man knoweth not how: But as the Apostle speaketh of the Corn that is sown, Each Corn hath his own body after he is sown, 
1 Cor. 25. 38. 41.  even to every seed his own body, at Gods own pleasure: So that it is not the wit of man, nor his labour, with all his skill; it is not the goodness of the soil, it is not the seasonableness of the weather, but it is God himself who bringeth these mighty things to pass. It is he, even he alone, and none but he that maketh this increase.  
Observe it also in another thing: Man feeds upon bread and other food, which of themselves have no life at all, whilst they feed him; nay, every thing must change, and be changed, before it prove, or can be meet nourishment for him, it is by God that they turn as the preservative Instruments of life: 
Deut. 8. 3.  To this purpose speaketh Moses to the Children of Israel, and as from him our Saviour, to stop Satan's mouth: 
Mat. 4. 4.  Man liveth not by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. How then this Oil increaseth, and stayeth from increasing, let us not stand as at a gaze to admire, and go no further; but go on to make a holy and profitable use of it, thereby to be led to glorify God, who is, as the Lord of Heaven and Earth, so of the times and seasons, wherein his Creatures are to serve him to their several ends, or to rest from doing any service at all.  
Whereas these words (And the Oil ceased) do seem to yield small matter, let me be bold yet in the power of the Spirit, even of the Spirit of our Lord jesus, who hath taken me (unworthy though) into his service, and according to my poor measure and place, hath given me to be faithful, who also upon this Scripture hath drawn me along thus fur, whereof in the many days of my distractions, in the case which presently I do here handle, I have made some use, and received some comfortable hope of the goodness of that God, even my God (give me leave) the God of us all, the merciful God of this Widow; yet upon this very ceasing of the Oil, ariseth most worthy doctrine, tending to the teaching of every Christian man and woman contentedness of his, her, or their estates, even that wherein God hath set them.  
The doctrine than is this. That as God doth give or take away from thee, as God increaseth or abateth of thy stock or store, be thou always ready to set up the rest in God's good pleasure, and not as the World doth, in that Heathenish and Idolatrous goddess, blind and unstable Fortune, an utter enemy to Gods most certain, and undoubted providence. It is a lesson fit for this time, wherein the bottomless & unsatiable hearts of covetous men and women of all sorts, rich and poor, may be met withal, whose nature is so repining, that if the Lord do but stop the course of any earthly increase, by what means soever, forthwith they fall into such grudge, and untoward repine against God himself, as if he denied them once to be their own carvers, and did cause them to stand to his appointment, he then could not but do them great wrong. Such male contents all the sort of us do, and will prove, if God, as he do withdraw his hand from relieving us, and from the increasing of our store, he do withdraw our hearts in like manner from a settled and quiet contentment of enjoying what he sees good for us.  
But to the curing of this malady, this example of the Widow, and of the Lords hand, in staying further than her need was to relieve her, with some few other Scriptures that follow, may be, if they be used accordingly, very sovereign and medicinable remidies. Let us then with this, use also that prayer that is set down for our instruction in the Proverbs; Give me not poverty, 
Prou. 30. 8.  nor riches, feed me with food convenient for me, lest I be full and deny thee, and say, who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain. When those empty vessels, (and borrowed) of the widows, were once filled, the Oil ceased, as if God said; It is enough, use it well, and be content. The care then which we ought to have for the things of this life, is, as from the teaching of the Apostle Paul, by God himself limited: Therefore when we have food and raiment, let us therewith be contented. The holy Patriarch jacob, although conditionally as the words do import, did solemnly bind himself to God, and as by prayer entreating God to testify himself to be his God: 
Gen. ●8. 20.  In these words; If God (saith he) will be with me, and will keep me in this journey which I go, and will give me bread to eat, and clothes to put on, so that I come again unto my Father's House in safety, then shall the Lord be my God. As if he should say; I desire no Kingdoms, nor Lordships, I desire but competency, with God's favour. Let us also to the same purpose, behold Paul in himself, for us to follow: 
Phil. 11. 12.  For I have learned (saith he) in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content; I can be abased, and I can abound, every where, in all things; I am instructed both to be full, and to be hungry, and to abound, and to have want. All which lessons, how far they are off from having learned, who resolve themselves they will be rich, and do make their reckoning before hand, that they will not leave until they have attained to so many thousands, giving themselves liberty to get or gain howsoever? This is the great sin, both in Church and Commonwealth, and such there are doubtless too many. These are they of whom the holy Ghost speaks: 
1 Tim. 6. 9 10. 11.  For they that will be rich, (saith he) fall into tentations and snares, and many foolish and noisome lusts, which drown men in perdition and destruction: For the desire of money is the root of all evil, which while some have lusted after, they have erred from the Faith: And have not many amongst us done so? Have they not turned Turks, Papists, Atheists, and what not, for Lands, living, honour, and credit?) and then saith the holy Ghost, and have pierced themselves thorough with many sorrows. How far are these from this contentedness, or that before spoken of Jacob's meat, drink, and apparel, who by inordinate covetousness, and usury of all sorts, deceit and oppression, idleness, and such like, have gone out of the way of God's Commandments? let every indifferent Reader judge uprightly. But to thee I speak, to thee I write, who art desirous to return out of these ill and perverse ways, who art not wilful and obstinate, but desirest to walk with an upright heart, to the wellpleasing of God: before thee it is that I have laid down the example of this Widow and her two sons, learn then from her, for the redeeming of thyself, if thou hast endangered thy estate by debt any way▪ to labour from hence forth so as thou mayest in thy honest and just travails both live and satisfy; and as thou dost taste of God's goodness towards thee, so lift up thine heart and glorify God, being contented with whatsoever God in his providence shall prepare for thee; and when thou seest thou art at a stay, God not pleasing that thou shalt abound with wealth, but only have from hand to mouth, bread for the day; with this (and the Oil ceased) set up thy rest wholly in the Lord. Thus much for that point. Now it followeth.  
7. Then she came, and told the man of God, and he said; Go, and sell the Oil, and pay them that thou art indebted unto, and live thou and thy children of the rest, etc.  
The thing that is to be observed in the Widow in her coming the second time to the Prophet, is, that she doth not satisfy herself in requiring the Prophet as at the first which way her present need might be supplied; but her turn being served, she goes to him again, and desires advice how she may dispose of that to her best avail. Whence we are to learn in every several action to go to God for his counsel, and not to suffer any thing to be done by us without the further direction of his holy Word: Indeed to ask at God's hands we will be ready, and to take also all that he gives with a common or course acknowledgement of the giver, ask perhaps of him, what if we obtain to consume it on our lusts; 
james 4. 3.  which also is the cause, that often we ask, and go empty away, and receive not.  
But when we have gotten of him ought any way, how then to dispose of it, therein we will make stay to go to him: for every one thinks that being interessed, or possessed of aught, it is then his own, and lawful for him to dispose of it at his pleasure. Is it not the common answer of every one; May I not do with mine own what I please? I answer thee no: for thou art under the subjection of the Almighty, who hath thee and all thine under his command, to dispose of, according as he hath prescribed thee in his holy Word: Otherwise thou art an usurper, howsoever perhaps thou wilt not stick to equal thyself to Christ jesus, who to stop the mouths of the envious, murmuring, and repining labourers, 
Mat. 20. 15.  recorded in Matthewes Gospel, answers them as by right he might, being Lord of Heaven and Earth; Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? There is a difference between Christ jesus thy Sovereign Lord and Master and thee, he being out of all command, and thou altogether under him: for no otherwise canst thou challenge a property in the least of God's blessings upon thee, but as thou art in him.  
But to the further proof of the matter in hand; how that in each particular action, both for the having what we want, and the using it when we have it aright, we ought not to go without counsel. There is one example in Scripture to confirm us, in the Book of judges, 
judges 13. 4. 5.  and it is of one Manoah, whose Wife was barren, to whom the Lord sent his Angel, even to the woman to certify her, that she should conceive and bear a son; whereof when she had certified her Husband with every circumstance, as in the 3. 4. and 5. verses: Manoah not so satisfied, as in the 8. verse, prayed to the Lord that he would send the Man of God again to him, which accordingly the Lord did, and sent his Angel the second time to his Wife, as in the 9 verse: which coming of his, when his Wife had discovered unto him, he then went with her, as in the 11. verse, and in the 12. verse, Manoah said; Well, be it so, we will expect a child, as thou sayest: But as if Manoah should say further; It is not enough for one to have a child, but (saith he) how shall we order the child, and do unto him, & c? Many desire to have Husbands, Wives, Children, Lands, livings, and goods, but to advise out of the Word of God how to order or behave themselves in the rightly using of them to the glory of God and their own good, that they care not for at all; which is a principal cause that makes all go wrong in Countries, Cities, Towns, and Families. Herein the very Children of God have been overtaken by an overgreat persuasion they have had of the goodness of the matter purposed upon. 
2 Sam. 7. 4. 5.  David being purposed to build an House to God: The Prophet Nathan in like manner approving his intent, because it seemed to be a worthy thing to build God a House, they both were deceived: for as it is in the 4. and 5. verses; The same night the Word of the Lord came unto Nathan saying, 5. Go, and tell my servant David, Thus saith the Lord: shalt thou build me an House for my dwelling? As if the Lord should say; Thou shalt not. But speaking of Solomon, he saith; He shall build a House for my name. So that how good soever our matters seem to be, God will have us in them all to take his Law to be our Counsellors, yea, aswell in the manner, as in the matter; otherwise, the failing in the manner of proceeding, and that in a good cause, itself may work the overthrow of the cause.  
It followeth in the answer of the Prophet: Go, and sell the Oil, and pay to them thou art indebted unto, and live thou and thy children of the rest.  
In these words, the holy man of God counselleth her, as from God, what use she must make of the supply that God had made unto her out of her small store: The first is, Pay thy debts. The second, Live of the rest. The first use is, the shutting up of the point; that is, the main argument of this History: viz. Debts must be paid. Whereof to speak more fully, I will set down some reasons to enforce thereunto: the first is drawn from ourselves, in our own desires, who would not willingly permit any man to withdraw from us, or to encroach upon us, for any part of those our goods, which God hath given us for our necessary uses, and that against our wills. To this purpose our Saviour speaketh: 
Luke 6. 13.  As ye would that men should do to you, so do you to them. 
2. Reason,   
A second reason is from God's Commandment in things of less account than borrowed goods are, as in finding things lost of another man's, in keeping things committed to his custody. Again: In finding thine enemy's Ox or Ass going astray, 
Exod. 23. 4. 5.  thou shalt bring him to him again; or if thou seest thine enemy's Ass lying under his burden, wilt thou cease to help him up? (as if it were a most inhuman point) and then he enjoins him straightly; Thou shalt help him up again: Much more than it behoveth a man or woman of God, with care and great consideration, nay, conscience also of that which was lent to him upon love, and whereof he hath had long use perhaps, to make to the uttermost of his power honest, just, and seasonable restitution. 
3. Reason.   
A third reason may be drawn from the wrong that thou offerest thyself, or any other that stands, or shall so stand in need for the time to come; for thou causest thy merciful friend, a pitiful and compassionate lender perhaps to many in former times, now to close up his heart, and stiffly to strengthen it from respecting thee, or any other in thine, or their necessities: for doubtless a chief cause of so little lending, is evil and unjust payment.  
Fourthly, 
4. Reason.  thou hast opened a door of liberty to thine own heart, unto all fraud, subtlety, and deceit, if not to flat thievery, at one time or at other, by thy careless regard over thy living Neighbours goods, in not repaying that again which thou hadst borrowed, for no liberty at all must any man give, no, not to himself of doing the least wrong, if it be but once in his life; because custom in evil, if it do but savour of any present good to the flesh, breeds hardness of heart for the continuance in the same: yea, know for a certainty, that these kinds of wrongs are brought under the compass of the breach of the eight Commandment. Thou shalt not steal: Wherein whatsoever Lands, living, or goods, not thine own, but another man's, subtly, secretly, cunningly, and unjustly encroached upon by thee, whereinto thou hast entered possession, as from a false claim or title, and dost only enjoy it by might, against right, and that under colour of Law only, gaining time upon the innocent, not being able to match thee by the purse, or otherwise by some oversight in not timely seeking his own; know this, that howsoever the Law of man may privilege thee to hold that which thou hast unjustly gotten, yet the Law of God will not take from thee the guilt of that sin, until that faith of thine, having opened thy heart unto true remorse for that sin of thine, do wash thee thoroughly from the same, in the blood of jesus Christ, for thy full forgiveness.  
A fifth reason, 
5. Reason.  why thou art to regard the paying of debts, ariseth from the slavery or bondage a man brings himself into, by either borrowing over-greedily, or unto ill and unnecessary purposes, what bitter reproaches, taunts, checks, reproofs, slanders, dost thou make thyself subject unto, of the greatest company of lender's, those especially who in their lending respected no way love, but their own gain, if at the very day thou hast not to repay them again? These reasons might induce thee to have a better regard of thy credit, liberty, ease, and comfort of heart, then formerly thou hast had; whereof, by thy carelessness, thou hast deprived thyself. 
Prou. 22. 7.  It is a most true saying by Solomon: The rich man ruleth the poor, and the borrower is a servant to the lender; The latter part of the sentence is it that serveth this purpose, wherein the holy-Ghost doth not justify the pride, and tyranny of those unmerciful lender's; but rather sets it down as a caveat for God's Children to take heed how they enter into the hands of such unmerciful men. I do the rather press this point, and urge it upon unjust and base minded borrowers, towards them who are conscionable and neighbourly friends, who vopn mere love were willing to depart from their goods for a season, to pleasure the borrower with; because, such is the iniquity of the time, that there are that take other men's goods into their hands, howsoever in fair words, and colourably, under cloak of Religion, they carry the matter with fair promises, till their turn be served; yet, beforehand, they resolve to break time, yea, and that although they need not; some other, not ever purposing to pay: but whereunto may such deceitful debtors be compared? they are like to a fair Horse of some hope, whereupon, when the Master hath bestowed all his cost by provandar, and other keeping, to his great charge; even then, when he thinks him fit, and looks for service at his hands, he proves a very jade; and withal, suddenly turns up his heels: Even so is a dissembling debtor to an honest lender; or rather, like to a piece of ground, whereon a man setting his hope, and thereafter bestoweth his labour; first his rent, than his labour, his manure and his seed in all good Husbandry, with long expectation; even then, when he should receive the fruits of his tedious toil, he loses all, and scarce receives his seed again. Take heed then to thyself, if thou wilt not be accounted of as a stinking lade, of whose carkeise comes carrion for the Kites and Crows to pick on; or, if thou wilt not be as the ground, which is reproved, and is near unto cursing, whose end is to be burned; keep then a good conscience, that may be thy comfort when the World speaks ill of thee; know thine own from other men's, fear God, deal justly, give to every man his own, having especially received (as this Widow hath, although not in that manner) some good increase from God: let not in any wise the fear of thine own want, make thee corrupt in paying to them that thou owest. God is rich both for the one and the other: (Pay saith the Prophet) to them thou art indebted; for debts must be paid. But if thou wilt say, thou hast it not, and in so saying, speakest simply; I yet advice thee with him who said it, and that most truly: Si non effectu, affectu tamen: If thou canst not come any thing near to pay the whole debt, yet come as near as thou canst; show thy readiness out of that little that thou hast remaining, if not any thing near to a full, yet toward satisfaction: and howsoever it will not perhaps please men, yet in having a good conscience, God will be well pleased.  
One other reason may induce us to restitution, and that is, that love of God wherewith he hath loved thee, and caused thee by the power of that his love, to love him again; let this love of God infinitely showing itself to thee both for soul and body, work in thee a care of just and equal dealing with men, according as God is just, and requires it of thee, that therein thou resembling him, mayest also reap the comfortable witness foe God and thine own conscience, which never goes without her true and endless joy.  
Besides these reasons already, let me be bold to stir up all sorts and degrees of people, both Honourable, Worshipful, and others, by the example of a mean and poor labourer, to discharge this duty of equity and uprightness, in making care to pay to every man his own, neither let the meanness of the person cause thee less to esteem the truth, but rather respect it highly, under whose person soever it be brought to thee, because it is the Word of the only true, and eternal God. The thing is this: 
2 Kings 6.  A poor labourer being taken to fell timber for the building of a House for the Children of the Prophets, as is said, verse 5. As he was felling of a Tree, the iron fell from the helue into the water: Then he cried, and said to Elizha; Alas Master, it was but borrowed: as if the poor man should say; The loss of the Axe head doth not so much grieve me, as that I borrowed it, and must restore it again. The example of Paul to Philemon, brought in before, to teach all lender's mercy to their distressed prisoners, for debt, where no means is otherwise to be had for satisfaction, may also serve to this purpose of just dealing, without oppression any way of any man: Where mention being made of Philemon, 
Philemon.  having an untrusty servant, called Onesimus, who had run away with his Master's goods, being caught up in the prison where Paul was, by God's providence, being there stayed, became (as appears) Paul's convert, for whom Paul writeth to Philemon, that he would receive him agine, and that very earnestly; and lest that Philemon should grudge so to do, unless there were withal made restitution of those things that Onesimus had purloined away; the holy Apostle, who made care of every thing that he did, and person to whom to do it, without offence, in the eighteenth verse of that Epistle undertaken for Onesimus in these words; If he hath hurt thee, or oweth thee aught, that put on my accounts, I Paul have written this with mine own hands, I will recompense it: As if the Apostle should infer thus much; I should Philemon, I confess, do thee great wrong, if as I do entreat for thy servant, I should not withal either draw him to restore what he hath deceived thee of, or else assume myself to satisfy thee.  
The use that may be made of these reasons and proofs of this point, (that debts must be paid) from this Widow, is first, as of a Looking-glass for all the loof, careless, uncharitable, unnaturll, (many of them) and unconscionable Widows in all parts of our Countries to look themselves in; such Widdowes as in whom there in little fear of God appearing, nor any true love to Husband while he lived, without care or conscience of the Creditors, who without all equity or honesty, (instead of going to the Prophets, the Ministers of God, such as are men of God, who dare not but give good counsel) seek out to themselves the most subtle, cunning, and crafty-headed mates, by whom they may learn how to strip, if possibly they may the Creditors of the whole; or else by delays, when they need not, (having enough, if not some of them more then enough) to put them off from their own until they can be at leisure. This Widow, if they look well into her, will reach them another lesson; that is, as before is said, to conceal the Husband's weaknesses, to do all what may return him credit, yea, after his death, so often as occasion is offered to speak of him: this Widow, will teach them to go to God, and by their Ministers to be informed to do what is meet to be done, concerning having or leaving the things of this life, and how to use them in all good conscience, for the good of those with whom they have to deal, as also for their own both credit and comfort. And as for Widows (for such there are) this is a good lookingglass, so it may be used by all manner of persons whomsoever, to behold themselves in, thereby to discover unto them their manifold blemishes in the matter of borrow and lend, of the which kinds, there are of borrowers, if I should say one hundred for one, I might perhaps be thought to overreach far, but who sees it not, and that too plainly? and herein who sees not withal, the very lively portraiture of a declining and decaying age, enery way both in Church and Commonwealth approaching very near, and that under these happy days of prosperity and plenty, both of Preachers and preaching, blessed be God, wherein yet (might I speak freely without offence) what I fear, (Oh were it but one man's fear) I would say, not to the laying of any stumbling block before the profession of the Gospel, and the Professors, there be too many stumbling blocks already, (Oh woe is me) there be too many rocks of occasion, and stones to stumble at, there be too many lies in the way; the reports of these occasions are sounded throughout the World, Fame with her light and swift wings hath soared aloft, and cries out, and cannot be stopped, to the heartening of our adversaries, under hope of a day, which hope yet of their God destroy, as he hath hitherto done, and rather (as David desired, when he was put to the choice which of the three punishments he would rather require) for God had decreed, and punished the Land and people must be, for David's sin, in the numoring of his people, the decree was already out, and not to be called in: Hear the words of David, and let us making use of them all, even all of us say, and that with the spirit of David; I am in a wonderful strait, (saith he) Let us fall now into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy's are great, and let us not fall into the hands of men. But what is the cry in the Land? The cry is this, that Popery, and all manner of profane wickedness, covers itself under the cloak of holiness; yea, and where it enters, it prevails beyond holiness and the thruth itself: this is the cry; but to the purpose in hand. The cry is as the Prophet I say sets it down. 
Isay 24. 2.  Behold, there shall be like People, like Priest; like Servant, like Master; like Maid, like Mistress; like buyer, like seller; like lender, like borrower; like giver, like taker to usury, etc. This is the cry of the Prophet, fore-speaking the curse of God ready to light upon the people for their sins.  
But my purpose is (after this parenthetical digression) not altogether from the purpose, to be unto you (Oh ye rich and wealthy of the Land, who have huge Territories, and great possessions) an humble suitor, that yet I may be to you as the poor Israelitish Maiden, taken captive in the Host, was unto Naaman the Sarian, & a Captain, a great man, honourable, mighty, and valiant, yet a Leper: She was as an occasion of the healing of the leprosy of him her Lord and Master, by the report she made of Elisha the Prophet unto him. Let me also as by the way of passage, and walk through the Wilderness of this wretched life, the full period whereof I am almost at; let me be to some of you and yours, Oh that I might but be, as an occasion any way of your good, either for soul, or body, or for both: For doubtless there is a creeping leprosy, a spiritual and a soule-leprosie entering into your houses, if not entered, (Principijs obsta:) it is this leprosy of oppression, of this kind whereof my Treatise is, that is; Debts must be paid: Oh that I might (if not by myself) which I cannot, my physic being (although I dare assure you it is of the right balm in Gilead) not so fit for your Honours perhaps.  
Yet Oh that I might be as this poor wench was unto Naaman, an occasion, by report unto you of some one or other, such as Elisha was, as doubtless there be among you men of great worth, to whom I would breed no disparagement; yet because the malady is dangerous, and no leprosy so infectious as it is, 
Prou. 11. 14.  and as the Wise man saith; Where many Counsellors are▪ there is health: And why should I be so foolish as to require the nomination of him unto you, who might work out the cure thoroughly? Give me leave therefore, there is but one, and he alone, who can make the medicinable potions ministered unto you by your skilful Physicians effectual, unto the curing of this disease, even God himself; to whom David prayed, Psalm 119. most earnestly: 
Psal. 119. 3●.  Incline my heart unto thy Testimonies, and not to covetousness; if it be for the leprosy of voluptuousness and inordinate pleasure, for the curing whereof we your Ministers are appointed to make you medicines, and to lay them to your running sores: yet the same Prophet in the same Psalm also craveth of God, that he will cause it to work effectually, to the curing thereof, where he prayeth. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, 
Verse 37.  (and where is more vanity then in King's Courts, nay, can there be any Kings or Princes Courts without vanity?) and quicken me (saith he) in thy way. He it is that I must make report of to you, for where he works not, there is no prosperous hope of doing good by the Physicians of your souls, nor of your receiving good from them without him: Entreat him therefore earnestly, that himself will take you his Patients to cure, and doubtless you shall be cured.  
But you must not then (Oh ye Sons of Men) you must not let your greatness privilege you against your Teachers, but you must hear them, believe them, and follow them: give not ear to any Sirens charm, let not the counsel of Wife, Friend, Counsellor of Law; let no Steward, Bailiff, or Officer, nor ought else prevail with you in this point, to cause you at any hand to oppress your Tenants over-heavily, to borrow of them and not to pay again: Bear them not down with your greatness, nor let any towards you, in your names, detain from them what is due debt on your parts to them, but pay them, and they shall the better be able both to pay you, and ready to serve you in all necessary services they may. far be it from us that you, or any of the Church-Ministery, should give us cause to cry out so bitterly against you, as the Prophet Micah did against the Rulers and false Prophets of his time. 
Micah. 3. 1. 2. 3.  2. They hate the good, and love the evil; they pluck off their skins from them, and their flesh from their bones. 3. And they eat also the flesh of my people, etc. Read further at your leisures. And for the Prophets, 
Verse 5.  he saith, (But can this time of the Gospel breed any such covetous false prophets think you?) Such there were then, and such may be where God takes away his grace: Thus saith the Lord, concerning the Prophets that deceive my people, and bite them with their teeth, and cry peace; but if a man put not into their mouths, they prepare war against him. But you wealthy ones, who cannot endure bondage on any hand, keep yourselves then free, and discharge whatsoever any mean person can justly challenge of you: pay your debts to the meanest person, yea, the rather, because he is base or mean, be you the less beholding to him. A woeful Age we live in, who looks abroad, sees it, yea, he sees more than he that is shut up: Every one cries out of wrong, when in the mean while, who is it, if advantage may be had upon never so small a strain, but will be ready to offer it, and that without remorse. And so to hast to an end of this point; Would God there were not just cause to cry out with the Prophet jeremy: 
jer. 8. 10.  Every one from the least to the greatest, is given to covetousness; and from the Prophet to the Priest, every one dealeth falsely.  
That last lesson (somewhat spoken of before in this Treatise) which ariseth out of these words (and live thou and thy children of the rest) is to be renewed again upon us for our further instruction.  
First then God will have the poor comforted, with this example, that they in whom it pleaseth him to work a good conscience, and in it a care of just dealing with every man, and means that so it may be (videlicet) in this one kind, that the poor man do testify his uprightness, by living of himself by his labour, and paying where he borroweth; he shall not then, neither his, be destituted of what necessary provision is meet for him, and his to live upon during life: always this provided, that having food and raiment according to his, or their places, without excess, therewith to learn to be content.  
Another lesson as naturally issuing out of this bountifulness of God to this Widow, in providing for her maintenance, beside for her and hers, over and above that which paid the Creditor: The rich man as from God himself, is to learn a lesson of tender pity and compassion, to be extended by them unto their Debtors, when they shall come to make restitution of what they borrowed being not so able as willing to make satisfaction, without their great hurt, that the man of wealth do not so narrowly deal with him or them, as utterly to strip them of all, but rather (if not to forgive) yet to leave until a further time, what is most necessary for their present use, until by their honest and seasonable labour they have gotten somewhat more to work out in the end full contentment.  
Whereunto, that God's Spirit may work in all an honest heart, for just and upright dealing between man and man; as also in the rich, a good care of showing themselves pitiful where God requires it at their hands; let them be well pleased to hear what charge God hath given to them in that first Epist. 
1 Tim. 6. 17 18. 19  of Paul to Timothy, in these words: 17. Charge them that are rich in this World, that they be not high minded, and that they trust not in uncertain riches, but in the living God, which giveth us abundantly all things to enjoy. 18. That they do good, and be rich in good works, and be ready to distribute, and communicate. 19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come. Hear also, O ye, whose state is very low, who are oppressed with poverty, in the dangers of men indebted, and near to utter overthrow; hear O ye who are of an honest heart, and love just and upright ways, to walk in them. Hear what David teacheth you. 
Psal. 37. 3.  3. Trust in the Lord (saith he) and do good, dwell in the Land, and thou shalt be fed assuredly. 4. Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee thine hearts desire. 5. Commit thy way unto the Lord, and trust in him, and he shall bring it to pass. 7. Wait patiently upon the Lord, and hope in him: fret not thyself for him which prospereth in his way; nor for the man that bringeth his enterprises to pass: These, and such like, meditate day and night upon; let them be unto thee as special preservatives against pride, disdain, envy, grudging and repining at the rich, because they are rich, and against thy murmuring at the Lord himself, because thou art poor: for what thou art, thou art by his providence, and it is a fruit of our original and natural corruption, to envy and repine at other men's prosperity.  
And thus I end this Treatise, wherein you have heard the prosperous success of this Widow in her suit, and in the use of all good means by her, according as she was prescribed by the Prophet; and of her being made able to pay, where she was left by her Husband indebted; whom when we began with, we found very poor, and full of heaviness, having but one poor Pitcher of Oil to serve all her turns withal: Now we must leave her joyful, with many full vessels plentifully increased by the LORD, whereby all her turns more fully served, the History of her is now ended.  
Now let us pray unto our gracious and bountiful Lord, the Father of our Lord jesus Christ, that he will vouchsafe to all persons, (whether borrowers, or lender's, givers, or takers, buyers, or sellers, rich and poor,) that in all Christian moderation they may walk together to the wellpleasing of GOD, in the whole course of this life.  
The God of Peace, 
Heb. 13. 20. 21.  that brought again from the dead our Lord jesus, the great Shepherd of the Sheep, through the blood of the everlasting Covenant, make you perfect in all good works to do his will; working in you that which is pleasant in his sight, through jesus Christ: To whom be praise for ever and ever. Amen. * ⁎ *