TRUE RELIGION IN THE OLD WAY OF Piety and Charity. DELIVERED In a SERMON to the Lord Major and Court of Aldermen of this City of London, at their Anniversary Meering on Monday (commonly called Easter-monday) at the spital, 1645.  
By ROBERT HARRIS B D. Pastor of Hanwell, Oxon. and a Member of the Assembly of Divines  JAM. 1.26, 27. 
If any man among you seem to be religions, and bridleth not his Tongue,— this man's Religion is v●ine.  
Pure Religion— is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the World.  
LONDON, Printed for John Bartlet, and are to be sold at his Shop in Paul's churchyard, at the sign of the Gilt Cup under Saint Austin's Gate, 1645.   

TO THE RIGHT honourable THE LORD MAJOR and Court of Aldermen, with other Citizens of the renowned City of LONDON.  
THE account that I make of my self and service is this: For my self, the reason of my slowness in this work grew not from any undervaluing of your so honourable invitation, but from mine own distemper of body, which at the same time forced me to deprecate a greater service to a greater Assembly, and to lay aside this till it was too late to put it off. 2. For the works self, 1. in my choice, I had respect to custom and entreaty, and in the pursuance of that choice I looked upon the season and Auditory: 
Jubet qui rogat, &c. Obligant qui impetrant, &c.  You have now by your motion (that is) command, made it public, and it being your own, it is in your power to make it good: That is a good Sermon which doth good, as that's good soil which mends the ground: that good food or physic that helps the body: Some worth you have put upon it in your calling for it, and sending it ready written to my hand; if now you please to translate it into practice, the work is done. And surely there lies before you the fairest of opportunities; never was there a fitter seeds-time for Prayer and alms; in the one the poorest may concur, in the other they cannot; that's your happiness that you can give, and will be more yours if you do the thing. It was some comfort to me to hear (so soon after my service) of a design for the poor, that news was to me what Jonah's Gourd was to him; and my prayer is, that this may be more lasting than that: The poor are exceeding many, and their wants exceeding great, and it is not the least of our griefs, that many of us in the ministry can do no more; we meet them hourly, and part but sadly; they sighing because they cannot receive, and we because we cannot give; and give we cannot, till we receive better answers than we do from more then enough: We know you not, we cannot, we will not, we may not support such a— I am not (I confess) well read in your Charter, I know not your bounds; this I know, that this famous City hath been heretofore much honoured and blessed both by and for their Ministers; this I know, that magistrates by calling are Heirs of restraint, 
Judg. 18.7. Neh. 13.17. Rev. 1.20.41. Prov. 29.18. Jun. ad locum, & Shindler. Pentag. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} (sc. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, & quae sequuntu● apud Soph.  and that sin uncontrolled and unpunished by them, will be set upon their heads, and beaten upon their backs; Yea, and this I have read, that where vision (preaching) fails, the people are naked, or (say some) idle and useless; that where men grow high in sin and scorn, the City is ensnared or fired, Pro. 29.8. that where any City is divided, it cannot stand, Mat. 12.25. This I am sure of, and therefore my humble suit unto you is, that as you tender your selves, your safety, your City, your Posterity, your Religion, your Christ, your All, do your utmost to restrain all destructive ways of sin, error, faction, &c. and to establish a settled Government, and sincere Religion among you: Oh! let it not be free for any men at pleasure to proclaim their Jubilees, to assert, to preach, to print, what seems good to themselves, & under colour of Christian liberty & free grace, or I know not what new light, to cry down Magistracy, ministry, Repentance, Obedience, say I? nay Scripture itself, Christ himself in his Nature and Offices. My Lord, and worthy Senators, I'll trouble you no longer, the rest you shall read in silence; I commend your Persons, your employments, your honourable City, and all your public Concernments to the grace of our Lord Jesus, beseeching him to raise up still amongst you Magistrates of Jethro's mark, 
{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} imports all  men of might for wisdom, wealth, courage, men of truth (whether for theory or Practice) but no men for self either ends or turns: So prays  
Your humble Suppliant and obliged Servant in our common Lord, Robert Harris.   

To the Reader.  
UPon the survey of this Epistle to the Right Honourable Thomas Atkins, the now Lord Major, &c. I conceived it not amiss to add something more by way of caution; which howsoever it needed not to those that know me, yet being now cast upon strange men, and strange times, I cannot speak too plainly; be pleased then to know, that the men of whom I speak, are not such as are truly (that is, universally, charitably and peaceably) conscionable, nor such as I therefore distaste, because they be of a different opinion in some things from myself: No, the Lord keep me from quarrelling men, because their light is more or less than mine, if that be all their crime, and from judging their conscience; whilst there's no more in it but conscience, reaching after further information, these be not the men I mean, but men of another spirit, who condemn the things they do not understand, and go upon principles, and in ways that will mar all if they be not timely looked to: What their courses and tenants be, I am loath to make too public, & therefore rather intimated then expressed them before, & now do much rather desire their burial then their life; to that end, I said something to the honourable governors and godly Citizens of this place; and do further implore and beseech all others who desire the peace of the Church, the prosperity of the City, the advancement of Christ's kingdom, to bring some Buckets towards the quenching of these wild and unnatural fires amongst us; yea and above the rest, I humbly pray those of my Brethren to lend herein their hand & help, who are not (as they conceive) indulgent towards them, at least (as others think) most prevailing with them. This is all, and this I hope is enough, being added to that which already hath passed the press.  
Robert Harris.   

A SERMON TOUCHING PRAYER and MERCY.  ACTS 10.31. 
And he said, Cornelius, thy Prayer is heard, and thy Alms are in remembrance before God.  
WE have in this Chapter two great doubts resolved: the one a soldiers, the other a Preachers; both consult God, and he resolves both. The soldier was one Cornelius, and his scruple was about our blessed Saviour, not touching his offices or his nature, (he knew that there was no other name under heaven where by he could be saved) but the doubt was touching his person, whether this pariscular man, which the Apostles cried up, and the Pharisees cried down, whether he were that Christ, that Saviour, yea or no: This was the doubt, and this doubt sends him unto God in a way of prayer, and God sends him unto Peter the Apostle for information: Peter (the second person) is not without his scruple also; his doubt was, with what warrant he might go to the Gentiles (such Cornelius was) & preach Christ unto them; he also receives satisfaction from the same gracious hand; & now these parties met together, for their further confirmation peruse and read their Commission. First, Cornelius begins (at Peter's motion) and shows upon what warrant he sent for Peter, & gives a very good account of himself, and does very punctually relate the business, not by way of ostentation, to boast of himself, but by way of satisfaction to give content unto Peter; he gives him to know how that he had certain intelligence from heaven about this whole business of sending for him: for 1. he did use none but God's means to be directed, that is, Fasting and Prayer; and then next, he received a direct answer from God, and there could not possibly be any place for mistake in the same; he well remembers how long ago it was that he received his instruction, (four days since) says he, no longer. 2. Then he remembers where he was (in his house.) 3. he remembers what he was then doing, he was then (praying.) 4. he remembers what time of the day it was (the ninth hour of the day.) 5. he remembers the Messenger that was sent, he came in the shape of a man, though he were an Angel, and (in bright shining apparel) 6. he remembers the message what it was, and what the direction: 1. he calls him by name, and next he wishes him to go to such a place (Joppa) there to inquire for one called (Simon) this Simon lay at another (Simon's house) that Simon was (a Tanner) he lived by the (seaside;) all these circumstances were delivered to Cornelius, so that as certainly as Peter was Peter, and he Cornelius, so sure it is that there could be no collusion or mistake in this business, and thereupon he concludes, that Peter had a warrant to come, and he a warrant to send, and therefore now nothing hindered, but that they might fall on to their work; this is Cornelius his account of himself; we will stay at this time in this account of his, and in this verse which we have propounded to you, where we have these particulars observable.  
First, a double Act reported, he prayed, he gave alms.  
And then secondly, this double Act is set forth from a double Argument.  

1. From the cause of this, Cornelius.  
2. From the consequence of these, his Prayer was heard, his alms were observed, both were accepted and (recorded) by God: these be the parts of the Text.   
As for the simple terms, we shall not trouble you with many words, they are plain enough, we will not stand here to discourse of the several acceptations of the first word, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, it is taken sometimes for the service, and sometimes for the place where the service was performed; 
Sanc. in Act. Apost. Grot. in Evange. aliosque passim. 'vise Turneb. l. 1. adversa●. c. 19  especially in ecclesiastical Authors, and in after times: we understand what is meant by Prayer in this place; this Prayer, it is called Cornelius his Prayer, (thy prayer) says the Text. It is true, that all good things, and especially prayer is causally Gods, and it is objectively Gods; it begins from him, it ends in him, but it is subjectively and interpretatively Cornelius'es too; it is true, it is God that gives us the grace of prayer, as the grace of faith, of repentance, of every good thing; but then the acting and the exercising of this, that by interpretation and acceptation is ours, whiles we do act the same; so that God is not said to believe, or to repent, or to pray, but man by God's assistance, as Austen well: 
Degrat. & lib: arb. c. 16 & abbi passim, &c.  This is all we will say for the first word, the rest we will speak of in order as we shall come to them, if need shall so require: in the mean time we address ourselves to some instructions which the words offer to us; we will not trouble you with the wild conceits of some men, who talk of certain preparations to grace before grace itself 
(a) Contra Aug. de praedest. concil. Arausicanum, aliosq.  instancing Cornelius: nor yet of others, who do speak of heathens and infidels, their acceptance with God, and their salvation by God, though they have no knowledge at all 
(b) Id quod per somnium viderunt è veteribus, è scholasticis, è remonstrantibus, familistis, aliisque sectariis non it a pancis.  of Christ: it is sufficient for us to know, that Cornelius was acquainted with Christ, and that Cornelius did expect salvation only by Christ; the only doubt that he sticks at was this; whether this individual person, this man now in question, that was lately crucified, now was raised up, whether this were that Christ, that Messiah that he had believed in before: These things thus premised, we will now proceed. And here it is not my meaning to enter into those vast common places of Prayer, and of almsdeeds; we have had occasion even in this City to speak, divers years since, in another place to these heads; we are now to speak another way, and to consider these things as they lie here in the Relation made by Cornelius, and as they carry with them God's answer to the one, God's respect to the other.  
1. We will begin with his Prayer, next we will speak of his alms, rather of the success of both; and then in the third place, we will say somewhat of his person, when we have spoken of his actions, if time and strength will give.  
1. We beseech you to take notice of the unspeakable goodness & graciousness of God towards poor suppliants in point of prayer, 
Doct. 1.  for that is the thing we must grow to; and for this, consider the grounds in the Text, consider the person now in question, Cornelius, a poor man, was in a very great straight, fain he would please God, fain he would save his soul; neither of these could be done without a Christ, and Christ must now be believed, in a higher and closer way than before; it is not enough for him to believe, Christians, or in Christ's, but he must believe that this is the very Christ, that this is the man and none else. Now here sticks the doubt; the Doctors were mightily divided about this point; the Pharisees and those happily that had been means of his conversion from heathenism to Judaism, they were altogether against Christ, and looked upon him, and reported him as a seducer. On the other side, a few unlearned men they stood for him, and they preached that there was no other way to salvation but in and through this crucified person; in this case, what should poor Cornelius do more than what he did? namely, to betake himself to God in way of prayer, and to desire direction from him in this his doubt; and thus he does, and you see with what success he does it, how graciously the Lord does condescend and answer him.  
1. The Lord does hear him, nay, he does hear him effeetually, for that is the force of the word here used in the compound in our Text, 
Heb. 5.7.  {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}.  
God did hear him to purpose, I say, heard him graciously; and not only so, 2. but he does send him word that he heard him, and sent him word too 3. by an Angel, and gives him 4. to understand, how that his prayer and all his services are accepted of God. Oh! what a comfort was this to a poor distressed soul, to have so punctual, so direct an answer sent him from heaven unto his prayer, and unto his scruples! but thus deals God with his Children, never more kind unto his, than when they come unto him begging; then when men begin to be shy and strange, and to stand off, and to hold off at a distance, than is God most free, most open, most gracious unto his people; this we see in this Cornelius here; go (says God) when he had prayed, go, says God unto an Angel, commend me to Cornelius, tell him from me, that he is more in my books then he is aware of; I take notice of his name, I take notice of his prayer, I take notice of every almsdeed that he does bestow upon my people, I observe all these things, yea, I record them, and they ever live and stand good before me: what could be said more to the encouragement of a poor suppliant? thus God deals with Cornelius: And thus, you know, he dealt with Daniel; the case is much what alike, in the 9 of Dan. 20. and so forward; you shall read Daniels success upon his prayer; he prayed for the people of God; and how speeds he? very well: Observe the circumstances in the Text, the time when God does answer him, even whilst he was praying, says the Text; nay (Says the holy Ghost there) even at the beginning, at the first setting out of his petition, the answer, the grant was sealed, and his petition accepted, God did yield unto the same at the very entrance; he could no sooner begin to speak, but God resolves of a word of comfort and grace to him. Consider another circumstance, and that is, the Messenger that God sends to him, he dispatches an Angel Gabriel, that erst had been with him (it seems) upon other occasions, he comes to him with a Message, and he tells him that he is accepted of God; the greeting is this; O Daniel, greatly beloved; O Daniel the great favourite of heaven, understand that the great God takes notice of thee, and he writes thy petitions, and hath sent me to return his answer unto thy suit; and the answer is very full and very satisfying; he grants him what he did desire, he tells him of more than Daniel did put into his petition; so gracious is God unto his people when they sue unto him in this way of prayer: What should I instance Abraham now? what should I speak of Jacob, of David, of Hannah, of Jonah, of other particulars in this case? I'll conclude with one, Paul, and I'll but touch upon it: in the Chapter before my Text at the 11. verse, you shall read how God deals with this same Paul; Paul (alsas Saul) was sometime very rough and boisterous, breathed out nothing but blood and threats; then God deals with him in a rougher way: but now Paul is on his knees, and mark what follows, presently the Lord dispatches one Ananias unto him; Ananias (Says he) go to Paul, thou shalt find him in such a place, thou shalt have him there at his prayers, go to him, tell him from me, that he is a choice, a precious vessel in my eyes, and in my esteem, let him understand so much from me; Ananias, he begins to startle; Oh Lord! (Says he) this man hath been a persecutor, and he came hither for to do mischief, I am afraid to come at him: tush (Says God) be not so shy of him now; be not so shy, deliver to him from me a message, and a word of grace and comfort; and why? for (Says God) he prays, he prays (Says God) that is the reason of it; now Paul is a praying Paul, the case is altered; it is a time of his praying, and therefore it is a time of my pitying, and of my mercy; now he prays, I accept of him, do thou accept of him; and so Ananias does, for he goes to him, and presently salutes him; Brother Saul (Says he;) when he is God's child, he is his Brother straight, all quarrels are laid down as soon as ever Saul falls to praying; he prays (Says God,) that is sufficient. You see how graciously God deals with his when they fall a praying once.  
Now if you would know a reason of this, why God shows himself so gracious to us in the time and case of prayer; Reas. 1 the reason is not from any worth of our persons, or of our prayers, in themselves considered: for alas! what are they in the sight of God? or what need hath he of any service from us at all? you know in the law the burning and broiling of so many beasts, especially with hides and all (as sometime it fell out) was a thing that yielded no savoar of rest at all in itself: what could come from this, but a filthy smoke, a filthy stench? but then there was added thereto wine & oil, and incense of God's appointment, and so it was God's Ordinance, and then there was a savour of rest in it: Think the same for our pravers too, as they come from us, and are only ours; there's nothing in them of worth or acceptance: But when God's Spirit is in it, when God's incense, God's perfume is put to it, with his blessing upon his own way and Ordinance, than they come to be accepted, not (I say) simply, because they are ours, but because they are God's; Affirmation. 2 God goes upon his own motives, he graces and respects our prayers; but why? because he loves prayers as his own, and the party praying as his own; and because he delights in mercy prayed for, and for other reasons that we shall give you by and by.  
First of all, God, he does love prayer, Pro. 15.8. The prayer of the righteous is his delight; it is God's music, it is recreation; it is called incense, in this respect it is pleasing and acceptable unto God, prayer is his delight, because that it is his own appointment and Ordinance, and that Ordinance that sets God in the Throne (if I may so speak) I mean that represents him as God unto his people; for we never give unto God the glory of himself until such time as we fall a praying; but prayer gives away all from the creature, it carries all to God; and so sets up God, and therefore God is pleased with prayer, and delights in the same.  
And then again, God loves the party praying (we speak of God's children that do pray) I say, he loves the party praying too; and when the person is accepted, than you know any thing passes very well; let that damosel, in Mark 6.22. please Herod, though in a toy, you know what Herod says to her straight, ask what thou wilt (Says he) it shall be given unto thee; let Esther please Ahasuerus, and then she need not woo him, he will woo her; speak (Says he) O Queen Esther, what is thy petition, and what is thy request? and it shall be granted unto thee. God delights in the persons of his children, he loves them dearly; and because they are so precious in his eyes, their prayers and their entreaties are very welcome to him, John 16.26.  
Thirdly, God is a God that delights in mercy, as the Scripture tells us; 
Jer. 9.24. Micah 7.18.  he delights in mercy, says Jeremy: and, says Micah, mercy pleases him: God is very well pleased when he hath an opportunity to show his bounty, and to exercise his mercy, and his graciousness towards his people (and when he finds them on their knees, than they are in a capacity of mercy:) God is pleased with this, even to scatter mercy, and to show himself a bountiful God, he delights herein, therefore does even heap mercy upon his people when they are capable of the same: Hitherto, says Christ in the 16. of John 24. hitherto you have asked nothing in my name, ask and you shall receive. Nothing, that is, nothing to speak of, as if he would say, nothing that I value at any thing, I do not satisfy myself in that which I have done for you hitherto, you have hitherto asked nothing to speak of, ask more, I am ready to give you more; so large are his bowels and his favours towards his people; God stands disposed to his when they come asking, as Naaman sometimes did, 2 King 5. toward Gehezi; Gehezi comes to ask one talon, and one suit of raiment for each Levite (that he suggests and sues for;) but what says Naaman to him? nay, take two; one is too little, take two, and the Text tells us that he did press him, and heaps them upon him: So deals God with his people when they come to him for mercy and for kindness; nay (Says God) take more, or at least, I would you were capable of more, I could as willingly give it, as you are willing to receive it, if the stay were not on your own part: God loves mercy, and therefore is ready to entertain the prayers of his children when they come for mercy. As there are these reasons taken from God's gracious and blessed nature, so others may be added from other occasions.  
Fourthly, from the engagements that lie upon God, in regard of his free and gracious promises; promises very free and very large, both for the matter that we shall ask; ask whatsoever you will, 
John 14.13. Psal. 81.10.  ask in my name (Says Christ) you shall receive it: as also for the measure, open thy mouth wide (Says God) and I will fill it: as also for the time when God will do it, before you speak I will hear, and while you are speaking I will answer, in the 65. of Isatah. I forbear to name other places, because they are familiarly known to you, so that God having engaged himself by promise to do great things, and (as he says in the Prophet) to be very gracious unto his people in point of prayer, 
Isa. 30.19.  therefore certainly he will be as good as his word.  
And last of all, (which is the main reason of all in truth) the reason is from Christ, and from that Covenant and transaction that passes between Christ and his Father: Christ, he presents our prayers, nay, we present Christ unto his Father; God looks upon a Christian as a piece and a member of Christ, he looks upon his prayer, as the fruit of Christ's intercession and Priestdome; our prayers (being Saints) are indicted by Christ's Spirit, and are presented by Christ's hand unto his Father; they are perfumed with his intercession, and with his incense, 
Revel. 8.4.  and therefore it is certain they be very pleasing to God: God for Christ's sake will deny none that come in the name and in the Spirit of the Lord Christ; nay, God hath left the whole dispensation of this business unto the Lord Christ, and hath referred all to him, even to do what he will with the Saints in the Church, as sometimes Ahasuorus did with Esther, left it to her what she would have done for her people and against her enemies; and as sometimes Pharaoh said to Joseph, Joseph (says he) thy brethren are come into Egypt unto thee, bid them welcome, take the Land at thy command, place them where thou thinkest good; so unto the same effect does God say unto the Lord Christ, here be friends of thine, members of thine, that are bone of thy bone, flesh of thy flesh, they come to me for some relief and succour in thy name, here they be, receive them, take them, do for them what thou seest good I will ratify it, I will make it good; this is the main reason: And these are the reasons which I shall give you of the point, why the Lord is so gracious unto his poor servants, when they come a begging and a suing unto him. Now give me leave in a few words to bring home this point, and to apply it, and then we will pass to another.  
Use 1 
For time 1. past.  First of all, this must instruct us in regard of time past, it must be matter of humbling and of blushing unto us, that we have not answered the Lord, and returned according to the kindness that we have received, we do not give unto God the glory of his goodness and of his graciousness in answering prayer, but come many times with a great deal of fear, appear before him with many doubts, and return from him with a great deal of sadness and heaviness: Oh! how does this offend and displease God? The Emperor was sorry that any man should come to offer a Petition to him, 
Flavius. Titus, &c.  as if he were to offer meat to an Elephant (as he said) with a trembling hand: Another, he was sorry to see any man go sadly out of his presence; and can the Lord do otherwise,, but take it unkindly (as it were) at his people's hands, who are so dear unto him, whenas they are so jealous, so doubtful, so fearful how they shall be accepted, and speed, when they come in point of prayer to him? Well, that is a thing we are to blame ourselves for first.  

2. Present.  And then in the second place, this teaches us for the present to take notice of God's goodness this way, and to bless and praise him for this his free grace, in hearing poor sinners, and poor Petitions put up unto him from time to time: This David took notice of, he would love the Lord, because God heard his prayer in one psalm: 
Psal. 116.1. Psal. 6.9.  In another he blesses God, Blessed be God (Says he) that thou hast not rejected my prayer, nor turned thy mercy from me, Psal. 66.3. Blessed be God, why? that God did not scorn his prayer, that God did not fling it away from him with indignation; thus David: And truly, if we did truly understand the infinite distance that is between God and us, and those many, many flaws and defects that be in our prayers and services; did we understand these things aright (his Excellency, and our own less than nothingness) certainly we could not but stand in admiration at his goodness this way: Let me express myself unto you in a comparison, thus: Suppose that we must always in all our suits apply ourselves unto the King, and go to him with our Petitions, what a business would this be? Consider of it I beseech you, 1. what a long journey we must take; and then, how long we must wait; and then, how uncertain we should be of any success or gracious answer at all: Weigh these things with yourselves, and then reflect upon God's goodness, and admire him for the same: I enlarge it a little further: A man hath a suit unto an earthly King or Prince, and what must he do? First of all he must take a long journey to the King's Court; and then when he is there, he must find out some Courtiers, some friends to speak for him, and to make way for him, that he may have access; when that is done, he must wait the King's leisure, early and late he must be ready to wait, and so stay his leisure, and his pleasure: When this is done, that he hath got access once, and is brought into the King's presence, how then? he is not permitted to speak his heart unto the King, and to say at large what his grief and his affliction is; nay, he must not speak at all, only deliver his Petition, and that he must have ready drawn, and fairly drawn, there must be no blur in it, very brief it must be, and very succinct, he must not speak any thing in the world that is impertinent, or that would be displeasing, but carry it so, as that he may give full content: And when all this is done, and his Petition is received, he hath not presently an answer, but he must wait and wait again, he must follow the Court into this place, and that place; and when answer does come, it may be it is but half an answer and a grant, perhaps the answer is none other but a bare denial, at least a man cannot build upon it, because he hath no promise beforehand that he shall be accepted, and that his petition shall be granted: Thus it is when we deal with an earthly Prince, when we come but upon one Petition: But now put the case that this Petition be granted, what is it? it is but for some partial or some particular thing; 'tis not a grant that will make me happy, and that will do my soul any good at all, I shall need more things; and what if I need again, must I to the Court again? must I wait again? must I run the same round I ran before? Oh how troublesome, how costly, how tedious would this be unto me? And if this be so (my brethren) as you know it is, than I beseech you do but consider how infinitely we stand bound to Almighty God for his goodness and his graciousness towards us this way: Alas! we need him every hour, and when we need him we may go to him when we will, he is always at leisure; come in the night and welcome, come in the day and welcome; and when we come, he is ready to receive us: his doors (as the doors of the Tribunes once in Rome) are never shut, they always stand open for petitioners that shall come unto him; and thou mayest there speak thy mind, and speak thy heart; all thy fears, all thy griefs, all thy wants thou mayest tell him at large, how the case stands with thee, and speak it in thy own language, in such English and such terms as thou art able for to utter and to speak; and if thy Petition be not right, he will correct it and make it good for thee, he will alter it, he will mend it for thy advantage, and for thy benefit; and if it be too short, he will supply it, and bid thee put in more; and when he hath laded thee with mercy from his presence, as sometimes Boaz did Ruth, than he will give in charge that thou shouldest come again to morrow, and that thou shouldst not be too long from him; he lays it as a charge upon thee, that thou shouldst not be a stranger to him, but that thou shouldst make use from time to time of his kindness, and the oftener the better welcome still: This, this is the graciousness of our God unto his poor people; we need not go far, but step into our closets, there unbowell ourselves, and unbosom our souls, and acquaint him with our sorrows and griefs, and he is ready to hear us, and willing to pass by infirmities, and to accept of our weak (very weak) prayers, when they are put up in truth and in humility. Oh consider of this, and let the meditation of this now stir you up unto thankfulness to God; his grace, his goodness is so great this way, as that I am swallowed up in the meditation of it, and I have not words to express what his tenderness and his graciousness is unto us in every one petition that we put up unto him; you do not know what a friend you have of God, and how many, many favours and kindnesses he shows you in any one Petition that he hearkens unto, and grants to you at any time.  
In the last place, this looks forward too, 
3. Future.  and it teaches us a third thing, and then we have done with the first part: The thing is this: Sith God is so gracious towards his people impoint of prayer, therefore we should be invited now, and encouraged to make use of this his kindness, and to go to him upon this errand of prayer, as need shall require: Let us, I beseech you, think as meanly of ourselves, and of our services as you will; but let us always have high thoughts of God, and when we come to him in his own way, then promise great things to ourselves: And know, that he is able and ready to do abundantly above that we can speak or think (as the Apostle tells us;) thus we should go to God, 
Ephes. 3.  and of his goodness herein we have a great deal of experience; if we will not believe the promises that are very gracious, yet let us believe our own experience this way to trust in him: hath not God been gracious to us in particular, hath not God been gracious to us in common, for the public, when we have sought unto him in this way of prayer? If so, then let us conclude, that God is a constant God, his power as great as ever, his love as much as ever, his truth the same for ever; he loves prayer as well as ever he did; he loves Christ as well as ever he did, who is our Mediator; and he loves the persons of the Elect as much as ever he did; he delights in mercy as much as ever; therefore let this encourage us to go to God in all our afflictions and distresses, whether they are personal, or whether they are public.  
1. For our personal defects, and our personal distresses, let us go to God as Cornelius here does; Cornelius he is in a straight, and it was in a point of great concernment, he must resolve one way or other, off or on; either be for this Christ, or against him; Cornelius knew not which way to resolve, he prays therefore, he desires God that he would enlighten him, that he would direct him: Oh! let us do the like in these distressed times, when there be such divisions and distractions in the Church of God, and amongst the people of God, that a poor simple body knows not what is right, and what is truth, and what is not; knows not which side to adhere unto: Some call him this way, and some call him that way; and another says this is right, and you must go this way if ever you will be saved; and another speaks quite to the contrary: What now should a poor man do? Do as Cornelius did, go unto God alone, pray, fast, importune him, desire him that he will teach thee, that he will resolve thee, desire him that he would send some Peter to thee, some Preacher, some Divine or other, that may settle thee and confirm thee in the way that thou shouldst go: Thus if we do, God will be the same to us that he was unto Cornelius, God heard him, and God will hear us too, though he do not send an Angel from Heaven as he did to him, yet he will send some Peter, he will send some direction whereby we shall receive some satisfaction, at least for those things that are simply necessary and fundamental; he will discover so much unto us, as shall be accepted, and as shall guide us unto his Heavens: This is his promise, Psal. 25. he will guide the meek in his way, and he will teach sinners the way, and he will show unto them his salvation; and in John 7.17. says our Saviour, He that will do the will of God, he shall know the doctrine whether it be of God or no: If a man in humility of spirit, and in sincerity and truth of heart will go to God for direction, as Cornelius did, resolving with him, I and mine are here before God, and whatsoever God shall speak unto us in his ministry, we are ready to do it, and to follow it: If any man will do thus, it is certain that God will give him a resolution and a settlement, and such a settlement as shall be acceptable (as we said before) and shall give satisfaction to his soul. What I speak of this particular (because the very case leads me to it, in my Text) that we may say of all other things too: Carry all thy fears to God, and all thy sorrows to God, and all thy scruples to God, acquaint him with thy case, and beg help and strength from him, he is able, he is ready to hear. Yea but will he hear (i?) Yea thee, he will hear thee. Oh! but my prayers are weak, and poor: He is a gracious God, he passes by infirmities, do what thou art able to do, and he is as ready to help thee as Cornelius. 2. What we say for private men, that we may say much more now, in the public Case, when it comes to public prayer, and to matter of a public concernment, here we should be encouraged to go to God: Is God so ready to hear prayer? does he so graciously answer and accept of poor and weak prayer? Then, I beseech you, why should not we go to God in respect of the kingdom, in respect of the Church, and in respect of the present condition that we lie under now? Oh! let us all set a praying; pray home the King, pray down Antichrist, pray up the Lord Christ into his Throne, pray against the sins of the Land, that they may be removed, and all those obstructions that do hinder the success of our prayers from day to day; for certainly there are very strange and great obstructions that lie in the way, otherwise; it were not possible for our gracious God that is so ready to hear the Petitions of one poor man, to stand out so long against the suits and petitions of all the people in a whole Nation; the obstructions are great, pray all these out of the way. Of these I will instance one or two. I will leave the rest in regard of my haste.  

Obstructions in prayer, and its success.  One main thing which probably hinders our successes in prayer is the blood that lies upon the Land, that is a heavy thing, that lies heavy upon the heart of the Land. 'Tis said, 2 King. 24.4. that God would not pardon the blood that Manasses shed in Jerusalem; he filled: Jerusalem and the Land from corner to corner with innocent blood; God (Says the Text there) would not pardon this sin: Nay, this sin lived some successions, after that Manasses was dead. Oh! this sin, this sin threatens this Land of ours! this blood that lies upon the Land, the blood that was shed heretofore in the days of Queen Mary, that innocent blood that hath been shed since by this unhappy difference that is amongst us: Oh! the Sea of blood that runs through this Land; who must be responsal, who must be answerable for this? this is a great sin that obstructs our prayers much. It behooves us, Beloved, to do as God ordered them in Deut. 21.8. when there was innocent blood shed, and the murderer could not be found out, than the neighbouring towns they must go forth, they must slay a Beast, offer a Sacrifice, wash their hands, pray to God; Oh Lord! be merciful unto the Land, and unto our Cities, lay not to our charge this blood! So must we do in this case; Oh Lord, be merciful unto this poor Land almost drowned in blood, do not charge upon us this blood, lay not to our charge this innocent blood, but accept of a Sacrifice, and an atonement: That is one thing we must pray against, as a main obstruction.  
And another is this, non. execution of Justice; let David in 3 Sam. 21. let David (I say) wait, and stay, and pray from year to year for the removal of the stroke that was then upon the Land, until such time as execution be done upon the bloody house of Saul, there will be no cessation of that stroke and of the famine that was then upon them; but as soon as ever that was done, and justice executed, presently the face of the State was changed, and the Lord showed himself a reconciled God: Oh! let us pray here again, that God would stir up many a Phinehas in this age, and that he would give the spirit of Phinehas to those that be in authority, 
Psal. 106.30.  that they may do execution; and so the plague may cease: Now it is said of Phinehas, he did an execution, so the plague ceased: Let us pray, that there may be found in this City, and in other parts of the kingdom, such a man as Jeremy describes, chap. 5.1. A man that does judgement, a man that seeks for truth (he is a man) a public man that stands in the gap: pray, that we may have such to stand in the breach.  
And then thirdly; there is a third obstruction and that is the fearfill indisposition to peace that is amongst us, and an aptness to quarrel and fall out within ourselves; I speak not only of that outward war that is abroad, but I speak of another business within ourselves; if God would put up his sword, it is a question whethens we would put up ours, yea or no: I am afraid of a sacred war, if the civil war were once ended and determined; many spirits are so imbittered one against another, men are so enchanted with their own conceits and opinions, that they will put all into a combustion, rather than they will lay down any one conceit, or any one quarrel or contention that they have engaged themselves in; this is a fearful thing; how can we look that God should put an end to our wars, when we are so willing to be at war one with another, brother against brother, and friend against friend, without any difference almost?  
But last of all, there is another, and that sums up all; and that is our unworthy carriage towards God in the midst of so many means and mercies: He hath given us his Word; we slight that; he hath made a Covenant with us, and we have renewed the seal thereof, many of us (I doubt not) of late: this Covenant we falsify, we profane and abuse; the Lord hath executed some judgements amongst us, and what use do we make of them? where is the man (almost) that is one whit reformed, or much the better for all these miseries and calamities that have come upon the State, and upon the Land? this, this is the sin, the provoking sin, that we are too-to incorrigible this way, and tooto backward to improve those means and those judgements which are amongst us: For this God might justly have a controversy with the Land; Oh! let us pray, let us pray, that we may be of one mind, and of one judgement, that so there may be peace in our Land, peace in our Churches, peace in our worships, that we do not fight against ourselves in our prayers: And let us pray in the next place, that we may make better use of the Word, and of the ministry thereof; that we may make better use of former corrections, and former judgements than we have done, that so the Lord at length may look upon us, and when we are humbled and do accept of his punishment, may then. remember the Land, our distressed Land, our reeling Land, our dying Land, that God in mercy may then think upon it, and heal it: Thus we should labour, even to pray unto God for the public, that all hindrances may be removed, and all furtherances expedited, whereby our happiness may be recovered and resettled: And why should we not set upon this work now? what reason have we to be dismayed? Object. Happily some will suggest, we see our prayers do not take, and that we do not succeed as we would; nay, the Lord frowns upon us, and hides his face from us. Sol. Yea, but hang upon him still, pray still, follow him still; do as Cornelius did, think of a Reformation; lay not all upon praying, and all upon fasting, but do more, as he does; Cornelius prays, but he fears God too; Cornelius prays, but he reforms his Family too, (he had Servants, yea, soldiers too, that feared God in his Family;) Cornelius prays, but he hath respect to all God's commandments, to both Tables as well as unto one: Cornelius prays, but he is faithful in the particular place and calling wherein God had set him; he was a good soldier, he was a faithful Officer and Centurion in the place that he did sustain; and when as we are thus universally good, suitable unto ourselves, that we are good Christians, and that we are good Masters, and that we are good Commanders, and that we are good soldiers, (good and faithful in the particular places wherein God hath set us) than our prayers will pass, and then God will be so gracious to us, as he was unto Cornelius: And so we leave that point with you.  
The next thing Cornelius does, is a work of mercy; he gives alms; he was not only a just man, but he was a merciful man, & was merciful throughout; he had a merciful hand, and he had a merciful heart: The word here used {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, with words of that form & termination, as {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, and the like, is very comprehensive; it implies and concludes both, affection & affection, so that he does exercise mercy with a very merciful and a gracious heart and affection: The thing here directly spoken of is the fruits of his mercy, the effects thereof, as the plural does show us; and these are said for to be before God; they are before God, as they are acted by Cornelius; he did them in sincerity; and they are before God, as they are recorded by God too, God sets them upon record, would keep them in memory, they are remembered of God, as the Text here tells us. I shall not need to tell you how that memory is too low a thing for to be properly ascribed unto God, he is one that sees and knows all things at once, sub uno codemque intuitis, so that he hath no use of memory at all, but the Lord is pleased to apply himself to our capacity, and to condescend to us; and the plain meaning is this, Doct. that God does observe and book (there is a condescension in that expression too;) God observes, and God does book (I say) every act, and every work of mercy that is done by his Servants, and by his People; God takes notice of them all, and notes them, in their circumstances, and with the particularities of the same; he observeth 1. who it is that does a work of mercy, Cornelius: he observeth 2. what's the thing that he does, he does (many Acts) of mercy, and that mercy properly, which hath respect unto man's present life and livelihood, that is the mercy here spoken of: 3. He takes notice how much mercy a man shows; he gave much alms, as 'tis said in this Chapter; and Doras' made many coats for many poor persons: 
Act. 9  God takes notice of 4. the Time when a man shows mercy; Obadiah in a hard time, he hid a hundred Prophets, and showed them mercy then, 1 King. 18.5. God takes 5. notice how a man does mercy, with what heart, and with what enlargement of affection, as he does those Macedonians, 2 Cor. 8. that they in their extreme poverty, did show mercy to their power, and beyond their power: 6. Yea, God takes notice of the least degree of mercy that is showed by his Servants to any of his people, even to a little cake of bread, as he does in the Book of Kings in the Widow; 
1 Kin. 17.30. Marth. 10.42.  and to one cup of cold water, as he he does in the gospel; verily, if a man give but a cup of water; (water) that is a cheap thing; cold water, no matter either of cost or pains; says he, if he gives such a cup of water to the least of mine, it shall not be forgotten, it shall be rewarded: So that God, you see, takes particular notice, writes down, 
Grot. ad. locum.  books down every act and work of mercy that is done by his people. I could be large in proving of this now, but I shall not need to say more to such an understanding auditory; I must hasten, in regard of the time and my own strength.  
Reas. 1 What may be the grounds and reasons of this, that God does thus book and write down every work of mercy? 
negatiuè.  The reason is not from the worth (as we said before, of prayer:) So here, not from the worth of our works, and of those alms that we are able to give; as the Farmers of merit in another world and in another Church use for to speak, who are very high in their expressions this way, touching their Mercy, their Alms, their good Deeds, for which they expect a great deal of thanks, and respect frow God, 
Cartw. on the Rhem. Teli.  but without reason; for certainly (as one hath well observed) it is very true that many of those things which they called works of merey, were indeed the works of ponance, and were but mulcti, fines & amercements, laid upon them by their Confessors for faults that they had committed; and certain it is, that many of those that they did so brag and boast of, are more ours a great deal then theirs: However the donors were cainted and sunburnt with some particulais of Popery; yet in the main, many of them were moreours, than theirs: So that they have no reason to brag that way. In truth, what is a man's mercy to God? our goodness reacheth not to him; whac can we give him, but what is his own already, and what he hath given us first? So that that cannot be the reason why God respects our niercy, for any worth or dignity that is in our alms: But the reason is this; God is pleased in Christ to look upon our persons, and then next to accept of our sorvices for Christ's sake; 
Reasons.  Affirmat. 2 and so in particular of our alms: God is pleased to respect them, because they are expressions of Christ's Spirit, and the fruits of his own Spirit, and because they are seals of our obedience, and of our thankfulness unto him; and because that they are means of refreshing the bowels of his poor Servaints. For these causes, and under these names and notions it is, that God takes notice of our alms and Works of mercy, and daignes to regard and write them: Write them, how? not to help his own memory (that needs not) but to help our Faith, and to help our Love, that we should be encouraged in this way to do works of mercy. I have spoken as briefly as I can unto the point, and yet, I think, sufficient for so plain a point as this is. All the business here lies in the Application and the Use of this.  
Use 1 And the Uses (Honoured and Peloved) are these.  
If this be so, that God takes particular notice, and writes down every work of mercy that is done; then this speaks but sad news unto divers sorts of people.  
The first are such men as are mere strangers unto merey, and the fruits thereof; they were never guilty of such a thing as Mercy and almsdeeds: If you compare the Books (Gods and theirs) together, you shall find the Books much what alike unto some almanacs, that are full of letters, both red and black & bloody on one side, but on the other side there is fair paper, a waste empty blank, that is all that is to be found there: Even so it is with many a man's books, if he be a true recorder of his works of mercy: On the one side, you shall find, Item, so much spent upon Pride, and so much spent upon Lust, and so much spent upon Revenge, and so much spent at Dice, and so much spent in plays, and so much spent upon sin and wickedness; this side is full of what hath been laid out touching themselves, and for themselves in pursusuance of their lusts: But now when it comes to a work of mercy, what have you done for God? what for Christ? what for the members of Christ? what for the advancement of Religion? or any pious work or service? what shall you sinned there? Even a blank, mere cyphers, nothing else. Oh miserable men! how will these fare when they shall be called to an account for their Stowardship? when they have laid out all for themselves, and upon themselves and their lusts, and laid out nothing at all for God, and for the love of God. This is one sort.  
But then there is another sort worse than these, and they are such as are not only strangers unto mercy, but are Opposites, Enemies, (as it were) to mercy; at lost they walk in a quite opposite way unto the way of mercy: These, why these do not feed the poor, but they flay them; they do not clothe them, but they strip them; they make not any provision for them, but cast how utterly to ruin and to undo them: In stead of healing them they wound them; in stead of relieving them, they oppress them, and in stead of being to them any ease and comfort, they lay upon them heavy burdens, heavy pressures: This is a black crying firm, and will prove so at the last day; what? if they in Math. 25. (as Austin well infers thence) if they shall be shut out of Heaven, and sent from the presence of God with a curse, who have not fed the hungry, nor cleathed the naked, nor visited the imprisoned? &c. Oh then! where shall they appear? and what shall become of them that are so far from this, that they have done what they could to suck out the very blood of the poor members of Jesus Christ! This is a second sort.  
Nay, in the third place, let this be a matter of humbling to the best of us, for certainly we are all short in this business, and have cause even to blush and hang down our heads, betwixt man and man when it comes to a contribution, and we see other men underwrite, it may be, so many crowns, or so many pounds, we are ashamed to appear in the same Roll, and to have our names listed where farthings and halfpennies are set upon our heads; much more should we blush when we bring ourselves into the presence of God, and there consider that God sees all we do, all that others have done; he writes down every man's name, every man's work, every man's alms, and they are booked, and this book will be read and produced at the last day: This, this should put us to the blush, especially when we consider two things yet found upon us: That is, our backwardness unto works of mercy; and our barrenness in works of mercy.  
First, for our backwardness; how heavily do we come off (for the most part) in works of this kind? Mercy is by our Saviour preferred before kindness: 
Luke 14.13.  says he, when thou makest a Feast, bid the poor, &c. do not bid the rich; a man may bid his rich friends in a way of kindness, but (Says Christ) prefer the other before that, mercy before kindness; mercy is better than kindness. But now (my Brethren) is it so with us? do we set mercy above kindness? in way of kindness and neighbourhood, you know what men will do; a friend desires you to go a journey with him, you will go; you will say, what though it cost me five pound? what if it be ten pound? what a matter is that betwixt friend and friend, neighbour and neighbour? When you meet together (sometimes) in a tavern, or at an inn upon some occasions in way of kindness, to drink or feast together, then happy is that man that can be rid of his money first; I'll pay says one; I'll pay says the other; you shall not pay a penny says the third, I'll bear all, &c. and now happy is the man that can be rid of his money quickly; it grows sometimes very near to a quarrel, because we cannot be suffered to spend our money: Thus in works of kindness. But now come to a work of Mercy, how is it then? is the money then upon the Table? is every man ready to throw down then, and to lead the way unto other men in this case? Nay then, alas! I am in debt; then, my purse is not about me; or else, when it comes to the opening of the purse, every finger is a thumb, and it is such a while before any thing will be got out, that it is very tedious and irksome to a man to behold it: Then the question is not, who shall be first? but, who shall be last? I'll see what my betters do first, there are such and such, they are a great deal richer and better than myself, I will see what they do; happy is the man here that can be hindmost: Oh! my Brethren, is not this a thing, think you, that should humble us, that should shame us? that we in way of courtesy to man should be thus free, but when it comes to works of mercy for God, we should be so bound up, that we cannot cheerfully, almost, part with any thing? this is one of the things we fault in ourselves, this same backwardness to works of this kind.  
But secondly, there is another thing, and that is barrenness in works of mercy: If a man will but compare what is enpended on self, and on the public; what a vast difference will there appear upon the very first view? If a man read his books, he shall find, Item so much bestowed upon apparel, and so much bestowed upon a Feast, and so much for myself, my self-credit, and my self-delight and content, my self I know not what, so much for self; there it amounts to scores, to bundreds, it may be, to thousands: But then come on the other side; how much for God's House? how much for God's worship? how much for charitable and for merciful uses? and then there come twopences and three pences, and poor short reckonings, not worthy to be accounted and summed up almost: Is it not thus (I beseech you) with many of us? are we not thus barren in works of mercy? and should not this shame us now? I hope, my Brethren, I hope, that there are none of you but will bear me company in this work, even this night before you sleep, betwixt God and yourselves to confess this your sin, your niggardise towards God, your pinching when it comes to a work of mercy and charity; whereas you can be profuse and prodigal when it is to serve yourselves, and your own ends.  
Use 2 But this is not all; we must not only be sorry for our failing this way, but we must labour to reform and amend this now, to put on to this great work of charity and mercy that is underhand: 
Motives.  I beseech you, consider, that we are bound to it as well as Cornelius; and that we are as able many of us to do it, as that poor captain was: Consider, how that we have as fair promises as ever he had, and that we have as fair opportunities: Opportunities, said I? Nay, never more opportunities then in this day in which we live; I need not tell you; you cannot be strangers to the miseries of the Land, and of this City; I am but a stranger here myself, yet notwith standing, I see and know so much, that if you would be pleased, you (I mean) of the richer sort, to descend and to go into the houses of many poor men (hundreds in some several Parishes) and there see how they fare, and how they lodge, I am persuaded, you would be sorry, that your horse, that your dog should feed and lie no better than some of them do: And if you would yet go farther, and look upon many men that labour, and labour diligently, early up, and late down, that take excessive pains for to get their bread, you should find that they be not able to afford so much woney as would buy a little fresh water to make their children drink; yea, that they are so called upon by Wife and Children within, that they cannot endure the house almost, bread says one, ' drink, says the other; Father, where shall's have victuals,' oh! I am ready to sink, I am ready to faint: It is the case of many modest men, labouring men, that toil and take a great deal of pains, and are not able to maintain themselves and their Families with their labours, you would find it so upon search made.  
Shall I add a third Instance? there are come to the City (certainly it is the honour of this City, and God will bless the City for it, and you will all speed the better for your receiving of them;) there are come to the City, I say, a company of poor people that are driven out of the Country; they lived, some of them, in good fashion in their Country, able to relieve many poor (some of them able men that did bear office in the place where they lived;) men that stand so disposed, that they had rather half starve, than they would be burdensome to you; such there are about this town: Touching these I may say, that unless God be merciful to them, and the times do mend and settle, and some course be taken, many of them will be more then half starved. You, my Brethren, you here sit warm, you here live in plenty, live in abundance, but my heart bleeds and dies within me, to think of the misery and desolation that I have in part seen in some parts of the Country: I must tell you, that if so be the Lord be not pleased to find out some way of relief for many poor people in the Country, they will be utterly starved and undone; they cannot expect many more Harvests and crops of corn: Well may they come up hither and eat up your plenty, but they will not be able to bring in any supplies to you, as formerly they have done: Oh! consider, and say not now, men groan without a cause, and there is not such need as men will pretend: No, certainly, certainly there is great need; for many men, they have lived as long, and shifted as long as they know how to live in an honest way; the Lord pity them, and give you hearts to tender them to your power.  
Well, but things so standing, what shall I persuade you to? two things, my Brethren.  
The first is this; that you would labour to make yourselves able to do somewhat: And then secondly, that you will travel with yourselves, that you may be willing to do for those that be necessitous, in misery and want.  

1. How able to do works of merey.  For the first; some man will say, Alas, how can we help it now? how (can) we help it? trade fails us; our burdens, they are heavy, and payments, they are multiplied upon us more and more; it is not with us as it hath been, we are not able to do what we are willing to do.  
Well, I hear your answer, I believe it to be true in some part: But now I bessech you, good my brethren, let us cast about a little, and see whether we may not be in some measure enabled do for those that be in greater want than our selves. 1. Use your hands, you that are able to labour, labour and take pains, 
Ephes. 4.28.  as Paul would have you, Ephes. 4. that so you may have somewhat to spare for those that are not able to labour or to take pains. 2. And use your heads too, set your wits a-work this way, cast about and contrive as well as you can how the necessities of people may be supplied in some measure: Cast about, I say; is there no way to prevent these idle vagrants, and these persons that eat up the bread of the honest poor? Is there no way for to pull down more of these playhouses, I mean, Tipling-houses, alehouses, and the like; and to set up Working-houses, that people may have labour, and that they may be set upon somewhat? is there no way for us to cast and contrive how people may be kept alive? I beseech you that are men of wisdom and understanding, that you will employ your thoughts this way.  
3, And then next; do something by way of abatement, abate something, and abridge yourselves a little, that you may be helpful to others: Abate something from your backs, and something from your belltes and something from your delights and recreations; be content a little to deny yourselves, (to deny yourselves a latle, I say) for the supply of others. I tell you, I am verily persuaded that there would be enough saved and spared from needless drinking, I mean, from Wine, and Tobacco, and Strong-waters, and the like; and from trimings, & laces and dresses, and such like things as are more than necessary; enough spared, I say, to supply the necessities of many men that do now stand in great need of very necessaries: Oh! let your Bread be a little browner, let your Tables be a little shorter, let your Coats be a little plainer, a little course; a little condescend to the wants of your poor brethren, and impart something unto them that are distressed and naked.  
Object. You will say happily, that you must maintain not only Nature, but you must maintain the honour, the port, and the credit of your places too.  
Answ. I answer, it is true, you must, (I'll not press you now with that which some Casuists say touching this point in case of extremity, and of mere necessity, how far forth a man must deny himself that way; we will not stand upon that now) we will yield you that; and there will be a competency, I hope, without any such extremity: We do not press you that you should any way deny your selves any thing that is fit for nature, that is fit for your places, and for your relations: only I propound and offer this, whether when these are answered and satisfied competently, whether then there will not be some overplus? and if so, than I press the point: Will you not deny yourselves in a superfluity? abate a little for Christ? a little finishness, and a little excess and superfluity? What? not abate a little from a dog, from a bird, from a beast? Will you not do thus much for Christ? Christ bated of Heaven (as it were) for the time, he was content to lay aside his glorious Robes in our misery, and in our beggary: Oh! let Christ be so much beholding to you, that you lay something out of the everplus for him and for his sake: And when you do what you are able to do, it is accepted; as the Apostle saith, It is accepted according to that that a man hath, and not according to that which he hath not, 2 Cor. 8.12. Thus you must labour to be able to do works of mercy.  

2. How willing to do them.  But then there is a second thing; and that is, when you are able, you must be willing and ready to do it too; you must be willing to it, I say; and here God bears us down with a world of Arguments. 1. If we look to God, he is our friend, nay our Father; you know, for a friend you will do somewhat; if a friend come to you, and say, here is such a such a poor friend and Kinsman of mine in want, for my sake do somewhat, I'll do as much for a friend of yours; will you not do it? and will you do it for a friend? and will you not do it for a God? Consider Christ; Christ comes in his flesh to you, when poor Christians come to you; he presents a pale face, a thin cheeks, he presents a bare arm or leg (it may be) to you; will you not do somewhat for to support Christ, and to cloth Christ in his members, & in his servants? shall the bones of Christ stare and stand out? shall the naked flesh and skin of Christ pine away for want of succour? 3. Add to this: Christians themselves that come unto you; alas! they are your flesh, as the Prophet says, Isa. 58. they are your own flesh: What? shall the head do nothing for the foot? and shall the hand and the eyes do nothing for the legs? what? not for its own flesh, and for those that be of the same body? 4. But lastly, consider yourselves, and have respect to yourselves (if you regard none of the former,) and provide for yourselves, labour to place your wealth safely, to secure it first, and then to improve it next.  
For the securing of it, put it into a sure hand; you know, men in these doubtful and dangerous times cast about where they may safely place their Treasure and their Goods; some send it to a Garrison, and some (happily) pass it over the Seas into another Country. But tell me now, I beseech you, is there any place so safe as Heaven, where no thief comes, where no plunderer comes, where no rust comes? is there any place like that? or can you put it into a better and safer hand than into the hand of God himself? labour to lay it where you may be sure to have it forthcoming, put it into God's hand.  
Nay, improve your estates this way: you are willing to do that, I hope, sow, that you may reap, so the Apostle calls works of mercy: 
Cor. 9  It is a sowing; it is good husbandry for a man to sow, in pays him for his pains to sow; what you give in works of mercy, you shall reap for the same a greater Crop, and a greater harvest. Nay, what says Soloman? Prov. 19.17. he that gives to the poor, lends to the Lord, and the Lord will repay him again. I beseech you, mark that place: You give to a man, but God takes it not as a gifi, he takes it as a debt; 'tis your gist, 'tis God's debt; and he becomes the debtor and the surety for the poor man; you give to man, but you lend it to God, and God is at least debtor to himself and his own truth.  
Yea, but when shall I have it again? says he there, God will (certainly) repay it, God will (fully and abundantly) repay it, 
{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} In Piel.  no man shall lose by God. My Brethren, take God's word once, take him for your surety, and lend to him; he hath pawned his Honour and his Credit upon it, that you shall be repaid, first or last. Labour to improve your estates this way; yea, labour to settle something upon Posterity, put it into God's hand: We will put (sometimes) a Portion into a friend's hand for a child; trust God with it, he never dies, he never breaks, he ever lives; make him your Executor, God will then provide for yours: The righteous, he gives, and he distributes, and his seed enjoys the blessing: Oh! lay up your estates with God, lend unto God, lend it upon this public Faith, as it were, upon God's Faith, and God will not fail you, he will certainly repay you again. Thus you should labour to be willing unto this good work of mercy: Many reasons more we might press you withal: I'll only mind you of that of our blessed Saviour, in Acts 20. where it is said (it was a Proverb of his) that it is a more blessed thing for to give, than it is to receive: do not you think so? do not you think your case better to be able to reelieve others, rather than to be relieved by others? is it not in your eyes better and happier for you to have somewhat to give, then that you should be beholding to other men? sith it is a more blessed thing to give then to receive, be you more forward to give then modest men will be to receive gifts: Give cheerfully, bless. God that you have ability to give, and bless God that you have opportnity to give, and a heart to give, and an affection to give, and make God a sharer in your wealth, and in your plenty, and yourselves sharers in this blessedness, bless yourselves, bless your houses, bless your estates.  
Object. Yea but, will some man say, a man may give indeed, give away all, if he will, that he hath; and then what shall become of himself and his?  
Answ. The holy Ghost answers this; I refer you at your leisure to one Scripture, 
Eccles. 11. opened, see in Part. Tirin. ad locum.  in Eccles. 11.1. and so forward; where the Wise man doth prevent all the Cavils and Objections that flesh and blood is ready for to make against this work of mercy. 1. Whereas a man would say, it is but cast away all that is given, it is lost and drowned (as it were) I shall never see it again. No, says Solomon, though it may seem to be a throwing down the stream; yet (Says he) cast thy bread upon the waters, and thou shalt find it many days after; first or last it will return, it is gone but a voyage, it will come back with a great return, thou shalt find it again many days after: Object. And whereas a man would say, alas! there is no end of giving; there be so many poor that now want, that a man may exhaust himself sooner then repair and satisfy them: Answ. Solomon answers him; give (Says he) to seven, and give a portion also to eight; though they be many, proportion it accordingly; give to this man a little, and to that a little, that everybody may have something of a little. Object. Yea, but I know not what times may come, and what I myself may be put to: Solomon answers him, Answ. Give (Says he) for thou knowest not what evil may be upon the earth, therefore give while thou hast somewhat to give, because thou knowest not how long thou shalt have it; therefore give, because thou knowest not what thyself mayest come unto: Thou mayest need mercy, therefore sow mercy, that in time of need thou mayest reap. Object. Yea, but, will some man say; it is true, I should pity people, and so I do with all my heart, I pity them with my soul, but I am not able to help them, and to relieve them; I hope, the heart wlil be accepted: Answ. Solomon answers, If the Clouds be full of water they will drop down rain, that is certain; if there be abundance of rain there, the Cloud will not keep it all to itself, it will impart it to the thirsty and hungry ground: So must we do: thou hast mercy and charity in thy heart, and it pities thy heart to see men in this misery: Oh! remember, if there be water in the Clouds some of it will drop down; if there be mercy in thy heart, there will be some in thy hand too. Object. Yea, but will some men say yet further; if I were well seated & accommodated, than I could spare somewhat; but alas! I live in a corner, I live out of the way, I have no great trading, and it is not with me as it is with many others, I cannot give: Answ. Solomon answers you; whether the Tree (Says he) stands south, or whether it stands north; in a more fruitful, or in a more barren place, yet it is the Lord's Tree still, cadit Domino, it falls to him, and it bears fruit to him, and so it will be with us too: If we be good Trees, let us live in the north or in the south, in a better place, or in a worse habitation, if so be we be good, somewhat will be coming, and we will yield some fruit; so Solomon tells us. Object. Yea, this is true, if so be a man did know how it would be accepted; I could find In my heart (indeed) to give, but I know not how it will be taken; poor men are captious, and they will not take a little; and rich men will take exceptions: some will say, I do it out of pride and ambition, and raise me (it may be) higher in the subsidy book, because I am so forward and free of my purse, so that I know not what to do: Answ. Solomon answers you; he that observes the wind and the rain shall never plow, never sow; if a man will be still objecting, he shall never go on with any work or service whatsoever. Object. Yea, but I know not the parties to whom I give; there are many hypocrites and dissemblers, that pretend a great deal of want when there is no such matter: if I did know the men, it were another matter: Answ. Solomon answers; Neither dost thou know how the child grows in the womb of her that is with child, but for all that thou must not starve the child; we must labour to do that which is fit for us to do, to follow our light, and our best wisdom and discretion, and when we have so done, leave the rest to God, whose providence works (as it were) under the ground for us, as for the child. Object. Yea, but I find in experience that I have been cheated and abused by fellows heretofore, and that puts me off now, and discourages me: Answ. Solomon answers thee; in the morning sow thy feed (saves he) and in the night let not thy hand slack: thou knowest not which shall prosper, this or that; or whether both shall be alike; therefore cast not perils, but venture it (as it were) venture it sometimes, when thou hast nothing to the contrary, thou knowest not but it may succeed very well: howsoever, what thou dost in uprightness, and with thy best discretion, that God will accept, and that God will take in good part: Thus Solomon, you see, does wipe off those Objections that flesh, and blood, and unbelief is apt to make. I could (if it were needful now) add more which are answered sufficiently by many, specially by two of the Fathers, which professedly writ upon this Argument; the one is Cyprian, and the other is Basil, and I must refer scholars unto them: I should now add some rules for your better working, 
Rules in giving. 2 Cor. 8.5.  as touching the ground and order of your giving; you must 1. give your selves to God, as Paul saith; 2. for matter, give your own, whence alms termed often righteousness by the Hebrews and the 70. 3. for time, do it quickly whilst you live, 
See their Mazker, remembrance of souls, &c.  and men live, and not (as later Jew's doe) give for the dead, But of these and other rules I have spoken elsewhere, and you may read everywhere: and therefore I here conclude this Point. And now we have done with the two Acts of Cornelius; we hear what he was in point of Prayer, we hear what he was in point of alms too: I perceive the time hath deceived me, and therefore I will but touch upon the third point: I crave your patience so long.  
We have spoken of the things selves; here is yet something that would be said of the Person, that is, Cornelius; he was a Gentile, and (as it should seem) none of the best of the Gentiles neither, an Italian, his Name, his Band, and his Host speak that way somewhat.  
This Cornelius was also a soldier, and amongst soldiers an Officer; and yet notwithstanding, you see, that he was a praying man, a very godly, a very devout, a very merciful man.  
Doct. The thing that hence we had thought to have observed, is this:  
That there is no outward disadvantages that can excuse us from God's service, or exempt us from God's acceptance; we will put in both: He served God, and he is accepted of God, notwithstanding his Country and his disadvantages; so that let a man's Country be what it will, let his calling be what it will, let his condition be what it will, if he serves God, God will accept of him, and of his services. We note this the rather, because that Peter gives us the note in the 34. verse of this Chapter; I perceive indeed (Says he) that God is no respecter of persons, but in every Nation he that fears God, and works righteousness, is accepted of God, let him be what he will: but I dare not stand to prosecute this point.  
Use All that we will now say for the Application of it, is thus much:  
First, it takes off that lazy excuse that is made by many men; they would serve God, and they would pray, and they would do much, that they would, but they are not accommodated accordingly: there be lets and hindrances in the way; the Time serves not, and the Place serves not, and their Calling serves not; thus many exceptions they have against the service and the worship of God. All these may be answered with one Cornelius, besides others, if time would have given leave. We see that Noah and some others, in the worst times, could find time to serve God: We see that some in Nero's house, and so in the worst places, have found place for to serve God: We see that some of those callings that seem to be farthest from Heaven and God, some of those Callings have served God: Gajus, it seems, was an inn-keeper, yet a faithful man; Cornelius a soldier and a Commander, and yet a godly and a religious man: So that there is no place, no time, no calling that can exempt us this way.  
But than secondly, we had thought to have said something of those that pretend they would serve God, but they fear it would not be accepted: and why not accepted? Oh! their persons are so mean and poor, and their services are so weak and so contemptible, and their sins so great and so enormous, that sure God will not accept of them. It is answered, God is no respecter of persons, in every Nation he is ready to hear every poor soul that seeks unto him, and calls upon him.  
We should (in the nexe place) have called upon you all, to do what you can in your families, sith that there is no man excluded from God's acceptance, or God's service; therefore have respect to your servants, even to the very kitchen-boy; have respect to all that are within your compass, and within yourselves, do what you can to reclaim them from sin, to bring them up in the knowledge and information of God: What knowest thou (Says the Apostle) believing man, but thou mayst convert thy unbelieving wife? So say I to you, what know you but that God may have pity upon thy poor slave, thy poor apprentice, as well as upon thyself? Yea, what know you, but if you make a good choice, and take a good course, and carry a good hand over them, but that soldiers and those that lie in Garrisons, and repair to your Forts, may be godly men, religious men, as Cornelius was?  
And for yourselves, let me call upon every man this day, to hasten to God's service: You have all the advantages that may be; you live in a Land of uprightness, in a Goshen of light; you are under a Constellation (as it were) of ablest Magistrates, and of ablest Ministers; who shall serve God, if you will not, that have all these helps, and these advantages? Therefore, art thou called to repentance? Never say, I cannot, I have no leisure, and the like; thou mayst have leisure and grace, God is able to break the hardest heart, he is able to melt the frozenest heart, and to subdue the sturdiest spirit; and therefore say not, thou canst not: Are you called to duty and service? Say not, I would pray, and I would hear, and I would do many duties to God, but I cannot, I have not leisure, I have no time, my place will not bear it, my occasions will not suffer it: Thou mightst if thou hadst a heart; other men in the same circumstances, in as great difficulties, have served God, and waited upon him: Daniel was a man full of state-business, yet he finds his time for praying every day to God more than once or twice: Here is a soldier in the Text, he can fear God, he can look after his Family, and he can restrain his soldiers from pilfering, and plundering, and drinking, and swearing, he can do it by God's blessing upon his endeavours; and if he, why not others too? therefore do not make any such lazy plea: Much less say, Oh, it will not be accepted! it will be accepted: Give but what thou canst give, God will accept it; pray but as thou canst pray, God will accept it; repent as thou art able to repent, and call in God's help and assistance, God will accept it: What shall I say more to you? I am cut off, I am afraid to be too-to tedious to you: And therefore I conclude abruptly; only I have propounded unto you one Example and pattern of mercy, presented unto you many Objects of mercy, and of compassion; now let me present unto you some more, and these are known well to yourselves: Here is a true report, &c.  
Here, according to the custom, a Catalogue was read of sundry Benefactors to the several Hospitals, and such like Houses for charitable uses; and that done, the conclusion was as follows: Thus you see (Beloved) here is work enough for your charity to be employed about; here are many Objects of mercy, many Arguments of mercy; here are Objects of all sorts: Old men and Babes, widows and Orphans, many poor persons that want stocks to set them on work, that would fain be employed if they knew how: Here are also divers others that cry to you, that call upon you for mercy, and for relief: The Arguments you have heard; Arguments from God; Arguments from Christ; Arguments from yourselves; Arguments from the times; Arguments from your Brethren; Let me say all at once, God requires it, God eals for it, God commands it: God commanded once the Clouds, and they gave bread; God once commanded the Rocks, and they gave water; God once commanded a Raven for to carry meat to a Prophet, and the Raven did it: Oh! for Christ's sake, let us not show ourselves more ravenous than the Raven, more reckie than Rocks themselves; and thus we leave our errand with you; another Theme I confess would better have liked me, and perhaps more reached you, but I have answered your desire in my choice, and, I confess, the Subject is not unseasonable; the Lord go with it.  
FINIS.   

June 10. 1645. Imprimatur JOSEPH CARYL.