THE PROPHECY of Agabus, concerning a general Famine to come upon the world: Together with a benevolence for the most distressed: set out by Peter Barker Minister at Stourepaine.  Luke 15. 17. 
How many hired servants in my Father's house have bread enough, and I die for hunger.  
LONDON Printed by Thomas Creed. 1597.   

THE PROPHECY OF Agabus, concerning a general famine to come upon the world, together with a benevolence for the most distressed.  
Act 11. 27. In those days also came Prophe●● from jerusalem unto Antioch.  
28 And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the spirit, that there should be great famine throughout the world, which also came to pass under Claudius Caesar.  
29 Then the Disciples every man according to his ability, purposed to send succour unto the brethren which dwelled in judea.  
30 Which thing they also did, and sent it to the Elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.  
THe Ark of Noah, Goe 7. 9 was a figure of the church, where into jews & Gentiles, clean and unclean should one day be gathered. jerusalem is walled about, Psal. 122. 7. and there the Church of God is enclosed. But Zac. 2. 4, jerusalem shall be inhabited without walls. There it is laid common as dispersed far and nigh over the face of the earth. Two commissions are given to the Apostles, the former with limitation. Matt. 10. 5 Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into the Cities of the Samaritans enter ye not. The latter was without restraint. Mat. 28. 19 Go and teach all Nations. In the first the partition wall stands up: In the second that partition wall is broken down. Ephe. 2. 14. Mat. 22. 2. The kingdom of Heaven is like unto a certain king which married his son. The feast is made unto all people. Esay 25. 2. Therefore both jews and Gentiles are bidden to it. Mat. 22. They that dwell a far of shall come and sit do●ne. Mat. 8. 11. The poor and the rich shall eat and be satisfied. Psal. 22. 26. 29. May eat and drink cheap enough. Esay. 55. 7. But though there be no difference between the clean & unclean. For Peter in the Chapter before, Acts 10. falling into a trance, and seeing both sorts come down to him in a vessel, heareth a voice, Arise Peter kill and eat: though the stewards and commissioners of the high God, might distribute the food of the soul, and make all nations without stop partakers of it. And therefore Barnabas & Saul come unto Antiochia in the verse before, and certain Prophets also came from jerusalem unto Antiochia, though (I say) the famine of the bread of life should last no longer, the date was out, & the hand-writing canceled, yet Agabus in this place telleth and foreshoweth another famine, a great famine of material bread, which should come upon all nations, in the world. In the entreaty whereof, I will speak first of the famine itself. 2, of the effects it wrought. Concerning the famine: 1, It is foreshowed, where I observe, 1 the means by which it was revealed to the Prophet, which was the spirit. 2, The end why it was revealed, which was that he might signify it to the people 2 The famine is brought, where I observe the time in which it was brought, to wit when Claudius was Emperor of Rome▪ ●, The reason why it was brought, which is here suppressed, because Claudius himself (as it is written) was immoderately given to excess, and the rest of the world ready to surfeit in their diet.  
Concerning the effect this famine wrought: it caused the disciples in Antiochia to send succour & relief to their brethren in judea, which were more distressed than themselves, where I note, 1, their charity, 2, their discretion.  
Touching their charity, I mark, 1, their charitable mind, they purposed to send succour: 2, their charitable practice showed two ways. 1, They made a benevolence, which thing they also did: 2 they kept it not in their hands but sent it away, and sent it.  
Concerning their charitable mind, in that they purposed to give, I observe, 1, the qualities of the givers in whom there was:  
1 A readiness without delay, noted in the circumstance of the time, Assoon as the famine came, Then, etc.  
2 A willingness, without compulsion: they did not impose ● law one upon another: But every man purposed.  
3 The quantity of the gift, they which had much, gave much, they which had little, gave little, Every man according to his ability. Their discretion appeareth.  
1 In choosing trusty messengers who should carry their benevolence, as Barnabas and Saul.  
2 In appointing wise men to receive it, which might distribute to every one, as every one had need: They sent it to the Elders. By the spirit. The means by which the famine was foreshowed was the spirit of God. The prophecies in the Scripture are not of any private motion, men did not speak of their own heads, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the holy Ghost. 2. Pet. 1. 20. The prophets are called criers as john Baptist. Mat. 3. 3. and criers speak nothing but that which is first put into their mouths, therefore Esay makes a noise after the manner of criers. Esay 55. 1. and hears the voice of God saying, Cry, Esay 40. 6. And he said. What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the glory thereof as the flower of the field. The voice of the Prophets is like a Trumpet. Esay 58. 1. They must set the trumpet to their mouths Hos. 8. 1. And blow the trumpet in Zion. joel. 2. 1. But the breath of the Lord must blow it, otherwise it giveth but an uncertain sound, and false alarm. There is a door of the heart: Acts 16. 14: & a door of the lips, Ps. 141. 3: and he which hath the key of David, Revel. 3: 7. must open the door of the heart, and let the word in, before the Prophet open the door of the lips to let the word out, Ezech. 10. 11. Therefore the Lord teacheth Balaam what to say, and puts an answer in his mouth. Num. 23. 5. Therefore josua before he delivers the matter, and telleth the children of Israel what shall come after, useth this preface, Come hither and hear the words of the Lord your God, Therefore Elihu is taught by God, before he would be teacher to job: his heart did speak before his mouth. job 33. Therefore jeremy must eat the words jere. 15: 16: and Ezechiel must eat the roll wherein the prophecies are written, and then speak to the house of Israel. Ezech. 3. 1. And john must take the little book out of the angels hand, and eat it up, and then prophecy again among the people: Reu: 10: 10: and Agabus must be foretaught by God, and as it were eat the prophecy concerning famine, & then give notice to the world, how little they shall eat that God will give them cleanness of teeth in all their riches & scarcenesss of bread in all their habitations. That which the ministers are here to learn is to deliver nothing unto the people, but that which they have gathered out of God's word: Every minister must be a Moses, & speak all, Ex. 7: 2: he must be an Isaac, and speak no more but all. Gen. 27. 37. e Hmus● teach. 1. Tim. 4. 11. the good and right way. 1. San. 12. 13. If any teach otherwise let him be accursed. Gal. 1. 8. That which I have written saith Pilate, john 19 22. As if he should say, that which I have written truly, shall continue written without alteration. That which God hath spoken, he hath spoke● once or twice. Psal. 62. 11. That hi● word might be like the Med● and Persians which altereth not Dan. 6. 12. If any man shall add, God shall add unto him plagues, if any shall diminish of his word, God shall take away his part ou● of the book of life. Reu. 22. 18.  
That which the people generally are here to learn, is first in respect of the message that is brought and doctrine which is delivered, 1 To give ear unto it with diligence. That which Sarah saith, Goe 21. 10. The scripture saith. Gal. 4. 30. That which the Prophet speaketh, God speaketh by the mouth of the Prophets. Luk. 1. 70. The word of the Apostles is the preaching of God. 1. Thes. 2. 13. The good doctrine cometh from above. job 29. 22. The people have it from the minister, as it were at the second hand, they must not therefore do as Samuel did, who thought the Priest called him, and so after the first, second, and third call, go and sleep: but do as Samuel after did, and when we know it is the Lord that calleth us, in token of attention, say with Samuel, Speak Lord thy servant heareth. 1. Sam. 3. If God speaketh, let not man be a deaf Adder. If Paul preacheth, fall not with Eutichus into a dead sleep: Acts 20: 9: Gaze not about, but if Christ expound the Scripture, let the wandering eye be fastened on him: Luke 4▪ 20: Do not, as though tho● hadst with Malchus thy righ● care cut off, bring only thy left ear to the Sermon, bu● with Moses draw near to learn● Exod: 3: 3: With jacob note th● saving: Gen: 33: 11: If God offere● the food of the soul, let hung be thy sauce, and bring a stomach with thee: if he bringeth the water of life, say with Sisera, Give m● water, for I am thirsty: Iud.▪ 4: 9: ● rather with Samson, I die for thir● Iud: 15: 18: Secondly, because it ● the spirit speaketh, we must hea● with reverence, in token wher● Eglon, when E●ud tells him he hath a message from God, doth arise. Iud: 3: 20: as Bala●k must: Num: 23: 18: and Moses puts his shoes from his feet: Exod: 3: 5: and Marie sits at jesus feet, & hears his preaching Lu. 10: 39: when the law was given, there was thunder and lightning and a thick cloud upon the mount, Sivai was all on smoke, and all the mount trembled exceedingly: Ex: 19: that the people might prostrate themselves before the lord, and receive it with reverence, and ●hese two diligence & reverence ●n hearing, are the outward duties ●ee must perform, because God speaks. The inward duty we ●we is meditation: Let not the vir●in be as a broken vessel, but whē●hee hath heard Christ speak, ●eepe all these sayings in her ●eart: Luke: 2: 51: Let not Sermons be as Music, which once ended, there is no more remembrance of it: there must be virtue to retain a potion, if we will have it work within us. The clean beasts have not presently done with their meat assoon as they have eat it, but chew the cud, and bring it up again, and again, and still do find a sweetness in it. Let the servant be labouring in the field. Luk. 17. 7. and labouring in the house, ver. 8. Let M●●tha go out to meet Christ, & M●rie keep within doors. john 1● 20. Let there be the ear without and the heart within, let there b● action, let there be contemplation let there be hearing, let there be meditation, God hath joined th●● together. Mal. 2. 2: man must n● put them asunder:  
And as we must perform these duties because it is the spirit that speaketh, so because the ministers are the mouth by which he speaketh, in respect of them we must take heed that on the one side we do not persecute, revile, or think basely on them for their doctrine. If Haman abuseth David's messenger, he abuseth David, Sam. 10. They which contemn the Ambassadors, despise those that sent them: if the dog doth bite the stone, he would bite him that threw it, and he that kills the dog means no good to the master: if Satan stay jobs servant, his malice reacheth to job himself. And on the otherside we must take heed we think not better of the means then of the author of goodness. The corn is Pharaohs though joseph must deliver it. Goe 14. 55. Christ multiplieth the loaves, the disciples do but give to them that sit down, joh. 6. 11. It was Christ who raised Lazarus, other did but lose him & let him go, joh. 11. 43. To blame are those men of Lystra to sacrifice unto Paul, Acts 14. 13. and the men of Israel to gaze too much upon Peter. Act. 3. 12. Paul may plant, and Apollo water, but God giveth increase: if Peter take a multitude of fishes, he falls down at jesus feet: Luke 5: 8. Set not more by the seedleape then by the virtue of the seed, and love of him that sows it: praise not: more the condite pipe then the spring head, from whence the Water floweth.  
Lastly let the prognosticators and diviners especially here learn to keep silence: they must not enter upon God's freehold, the stars do not prognosticate a true event, what health, what wealth, what weather shall befall, it must be Eliah that tells Ahab there shall be neither dew nor rain these 3. years & 6. months 1. Reg. 17. 2. & the same Eliah that foretelleth the time of much rain 1. Reg. 18. 41. if Hezechiah be weakened and sore broken, if his health be passed away as a cloud & his soul be powered out upon him, it must be an Esay that must tell him he shall live fifteen years longer, Esay 38. 5. If there be marrow to the rich man's bones, health unto his navel, no feebleness to his flesh, none but GOD can say, This night will they fetch away thy soul from thee. Luke 12. 20. If at any time there be an extreme famine in Samaria, that the fair virgins & young men do perish for thirst, and God will not help them with the barn or with the winepress, that they eat the flesh of their sons, and the flesh of their daughters they devour: it must be an Elish● that can prophesy plenty, to morrow this time a measure of fine flower shall be sold for a shekel, that is to say, twenty pence, and two measures of barley for a shekel in the gates of Samaria, 2. Reg. 7. 1: If there be plenty in the world that God doth bless it with heavenly blessings from above, with blessings of the deep that lieth beneath, & men sit by the flesh pots and eat bread their belly full: i● God send them corn, and wine and oil, and they are satisfie● therewith, than it must be an Agabus that signifieth by the spirit, the great famine that should be throughout all the world.  
There stood up one of them named Agabus. Many prophets came from jerusalem, yet but one Agabus acquainted with this famine. The body is one, and hath many members, and every member his several office, that one may not say to another, I have no need of thee. So is it with the Church which is the body of Christ, who of every Christian is a member, and these members have their several gifts, some of doctrine, some of exhortation, some of prayer, and so forth: and God hath thus given his gifts by measure that one might have need of another. joseph hath a great gift, that can expound the kings dream assoon as he hears it, Gene. 41. 51. But God hath given Daniel twice as much knowledge, for he not only expoundeth Nebuchadnezars dream, but shows the king what the dream was which the king himself had forgotten, Dan. ●. 28.  
Our saviour Christ the foundation of foundations had the full abundance of all grace, for God gave him not the spirit by measure, john 3. 34. & in him dwelleth all the fullness of the godhead bodily, Collos. 2. 9 but to other is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Ephe. 4. 7▪ The 12. Apostles which were 12 foundations, might excel one another in gifts, as one stone might be more precious than another reve. 21. 19: Bezaleel and Aholiab shall have more skill in all workmanship than all other to make the tabernacle and the appurtenances thereof: Exo. 31. 3. He that contrives the House hath most cunning, though he that cuts the Timber may be a good carpenter: he that draws the knot hath most knowledge, though he that digs the ground may be a good gardener: the master of the work is most expert, though he which carrieth brick and mortar may be a good Mason. jethro may see more in some thing than Moses, and therefore give him counsel to judge himself in hard causes, which cannot be decided but by consulting with god, and for other matters to refer than over to the inferior officers. Exo. 18. 19 the Prophets here which cam● from jerusalem, were such as they were, which did behold as it were from an high tower, things unknown to other, Esay 21. 6. & therefore might be called Sears as they were, 1. Sam. 9, 9 yet amongst them but one Agabus seethe the famine that is to come. Let us not envy one another, but covet after the best gifts, and because in the same profession that may be hidden from one, which is known to another, let not he which is able to teach other, disdain that other should teach him. To hearken is no let, but that a man may speak: to speak is no let but that a man may hear, therefore job joineth them together Chap. 34. 34. Let a man of understanding tell me, let a wise man hearken to me, let a man of understanding tell me, there he is ready to hear: let a wise man hearken to me, there he is ready to speak: speaking and hearing cannot be prejudicial one to another. The Apostles were shepherds, and therefore had a charge of all, Mar. 16, 15. they were sheep, and therefore must be looked to.  
Paul chargeth the Elders: Act. 20. 28. with a care of themselves, therefore they must hear, and with a care of their flocks, therefore they must teach. The disciples may fall a sleep, and therefore must be awaked: Mat. 26. 40. The Cock may awake Peter, and one Cock may awake another, therefore let Eliah be Elishas head. 2. Reg. 2. 3. Let him that sat in Moses chair sometime sit at Gamaliels feet. And thus much of the means by which this famine was made known unto Agabus, and only to Agabus.  
The end followeth, which was that he might signify the same unto the people. The Prophets were as it were of God's privy counsel. Amos 3. 7. The counsel of earthly Princes must be kept secret: great affairs never have good success, when they are discovered before they take effect: therefore Alexander communicating a secret to Ephestion, took his signet from his finger, and sealed therewith Ephestions lips, showing thereby what he expected at his hands. The king, sayeth David to Ahimelech, hath commanded me a certain thing, and hath said unto me, let no man know where about I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: 1, Sam. 21: 2. But it is not thus with the counsel of God, the king of kings and Lord of Lords. The Priest shall die if his sound be not heard when he goeth into the holy place, Exod. 28. 35. As he is a husbandman, because he must dress the vinyeard of the Lord, that it might bring forth fruit. Luke 20. 9 and a builder, verse 17. because he must make the body of the people a Temple fit for God to dwell in: so is he a messenger, joel 33. 23. because he must carry tidings. Esay 52. chapped. verse 7. and he hath discharged his duty, and done his message best, that can say with Paul, I have kept nothing back, but hath shewe● you all the counsel of God. Act▪ 20, 27: Let not Aaron's oil re● upon his head, but run down on his beard, and go down to the very skirts of his clothing. L● him that is a candle tinded afterward light an house. Let Go● without means beget Paul, Act▪ 9: But let Paul be a means to wi● other, and if he be a general debtor, Rom. 1, 14: let him be ready to discharge his debt, ver: 15, and desirous to preach the Gospel, because it is the honour of the Apostle, 2, the power of God, 3, the salvation of the people. Ver. 6: Le● Stewards dispose their mastery goods to their gain, Let the servant be blamed that hides his talon: Mat: 25, 30: Let the fiery pillar go before the children of Israel to the promised land, Exod: 13, 21 Let them preach which are bid to preach, when they see that they which are suspended, and put to silence, Mat: 7, 37. Act: 5, 40, can not hold their peace.  
Moisture in spring remains not still in the place where it breeds, but hasteneth to the watering of drier soils. The running rivers fill up the empty places, as they pass by them. The Moon lends her light unto the world, which she hath borrowed of the Sun. A good stomach receiving in the meat, sendeth out nourishment with very good proportion, to every member of the body, and Agabus receiving from God more knowledge than other, imparts it to other. Thus you see the end why the Lord makes known to Agabus th● which he purposeth to bring ● pass: see also a little the end whic● Agabus hath in opening to t● people the counsel of God.  
Ministers are fishers of men. M● 4. 19 to draw them out of these of this world, wherein they ● drowned, & as the fishers are w●shing their nets, Luk. 5. 2: so shou● they cleanse their words fro● temporal gain, from vainglory and from flattery, as Paul di● 1. Thess. 2. 5, 6. concerning gain● (saith he) we never used colour's covetousness, God is record: concerning glory, we sought n● praise of men, neither of you n● of others: concerning flattery, ● speak not as they that please me● but God which trieth our hear● neither yet did we ever use flatt●●ing words: but is it thus with our fisher's? God forbidden but that there ●hould be some, whose drist is to ●atch men, as it is, Luk. 5, 10. who ●bor with Andrew, john. 1. 41. to ●raw their brethren to see the Mes●as, and to beat down the walls of ●n, like the shout which beat ●owne the walls of jericho, jos 6, ●0. but he which only levels at ●his mark, is a rare man, a very Phoenix, & flies alone, so few there ●e that seek to bear him company: but to speak more generally, ●ome fish for gain, to see if they ●an take a Parsonage, a Prebend, ● deanery, a Bishopric, and when they have caught the fish, ●r so many fishes as they can hold, ●hey lay away their net, & will fish ●o longer: which pope julius 2. observed, & therefore being requested to make one Gylos a learned Friar Cardinal, to which intent when it was alleged that, the man had learning and preached diligently. Nay quoth the Pope, that is the only reason why I cannot make him Cardinal, that he may continue preaching still, which he would not if he were Cardinal, being far from that dignity and custom of the estate. The naming of a Friar brings to my remembrance the story of a monk to bear him company, not much unlike this, always casting his eyes to the ground, at last for his great humility was made Abbot, being Abbot he looked aloft, saving he looked downward before, to see if he could find the keys of the Abbey gate, now he had found them he would look no longer, but carry his countenance according to his calling. It is not thus with Agabus, he gropeth not for gain, for he telleth them of a general want shall come upon themselves. Other hunt after praise, these use colours of vain affectation, brave their speech, & set it out with far sought words, allegorical matters, with which common use is not acquainted, prune their syllables, mince their phrases: give these men a plaudite as the people do to Herod, saying: The voice of God and not of man, Act, 12. 22. you are for their tooth: let them not have this, you shall have no more of them, they are Chameleons always gaping because they live by the air, vessels with two handles, you may carry them by the ears, whither you list. Windmills that make no meal● but according as the blast endureth: it is not thus with Agabus he tells then plainly of that which might breed in them a general dislike.  
Other use flattering words, and when they know that the people like the Prophet which will prophesy to them of wine & stron● drink. Micah. 2. 11. tell them pleasant talk and speak of their commodities, and that jeremy because he doth otherwise, shall be threatened: jer. 11. 21. & railed at, as Ie● 43. 2. When they consider this say, they follow the counsel of th● people, Psal. 30. 10. speak flattering things unto us, prophesy errors, threaten us not by the wo● of God, tell us not of iudgeme● and with the false prophts. 2. Cr● 18. 11. They declare good with one accord and a general consent, & with Balaam would feign speak that which might be pleasant to Balacke, who therefore changed his standing twice. Num. 23. Agabus doth not thus, who prophecies but twice in all the Scripture, and both times of judgements, once upon one man, he taketh Paul's girdle, and bindeth his own hands and feet, saying. So shall the Jews bind this man that oweth this girdle, Acts 21. 11. and this place telleth aforehand of a general plague that shall hereafter overrun all the Nations of the world. Thus the holy ghost acquainteth Agabus with the purpose of God, that he might acquaint the people with it, & he signifieth the same not for profit or glory or such like, but fore showeth the punishment (which other prophets also have observed, in setting down God's judgement to come) fo● these reasons hereafter following.  
First that we may know that the punishments that befall us, come not by chance or haphazard, bu● because they are foretold by God▪ they come from God as a rod fo● our offences, and a scourge for ou● sins. The Lord is the Bishop. 1. Pet. 2. 25. which goeth his visitation, sometime in mercy, and then he saith, I will come in vnt● him: Reu. 3. 20: sometime in justice, and then he saith, I will come against him. Reu. 2. 5. 19  
Secondly to teach us patience if the Dice be already thrown, and the chance given, the gamester is content to take the poyn● thed dice affordeth: if we know the misery that will befall, we must arm ourselves with patience against they fall, not so much grudging that our case is no better, as comforting ourselves it is no worse. One reason of jobs great impatience, was the sudden rushing in of afflictions, I was in wealth (saith he) job 16. 12, and by and by God turned the Wheel, and brought all my buildings of much joy, to a castle of come down: he presently set me as a mark to shoot at, his arrows compassed me about, the arrows of the almighty were in me, and the venom thereof did drink up my spirits.  
Thirdly, God will have his judgements foreshowed, to show his patience before he punish, that we might have space and time to repent: I read of a Captain, who always when he laid siege to any city, would the first day set up a white tent in token of mercy, the second day a black ten● in token of severity, the third day a red tent in token of blood, to show if the inhabitants would not yield, he would utterly destroy them: Theodosius the Emperor suffered not his men to assault any town before ten daye● were passed, causing this proclamation to be made unto them, tha● he granted these ten days to th● end they might accept the taste ● his clemency, before they had experience of his power. God is man of war, the Lord of hosts his name, he can besiege our Cities, scale our walls, sack our bu● warks, set all his creatures in battle array to charge upon us, and scatter the wings of all the battles we are able to make against him: but first he causeth a trumpet to be blown to give warning, sets up his several tents, gives many days respite, sends his heralds with words of defiance, to proclaim open war against us, and this he doth that we might follow the practice of the weaker King: Luke 14. 31. While we know he is yet a great way off, send ambassadors unto him, and desire conditions of peace.  
When jacob Gen. 33. seethe his brother Esau come against him with four thousand men, a greater power than he is able to resist, he provideth to meet him, and to appease Esau's wrath, takes a present with him and delivers it: Esau seeing the great humility of his brother, is not now the same man he was, but altered as much as the flesh of Naaman, when he had washed in jordane: 2. Reg. 5. for whereas before he did disgrace him, Gene. 27. 36. now he doth embrace him: whereas before he purposed to take him by the throat & kill him, now he falleth upon his neck and kisseth him. The Scripture wisheth us to take that course with our god as jacob doth with his brother, first to meet God, and this is Amos counsel, chap. 4. 12. for whereas he had said God had burnt them with hunger smit them with blasting and mildew, with pestilence, & so forth, thus will I do unto thee saith he O Israel: because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. And then do we prepare to meet God, when we gird ourselves, and lament, as it is, joel 1, 13: when we go to acquaint ourselves with God, as it is, job 22 21. Then do we carry a present with us, when we take unto ourselves words, and turn to the lord, as it is, Hos. 14. 3. when with the Israelites. 1. Sam: 7. 6. We draw water out of our hearts, & power it out before the Lord, when with Marry, Luke 7. 38: we stand weeping, and be desirous that our eyes which have been as windows to let sin in, should be as doors to let sin out: then do we offer it up, when we kiss the Son, as it is, Psal. 2, 12. and render unto him the fruit of the lips, as it is, Heb: 13, 15. Thus doing, when the Lord seethe our great humility, our tean which he put into his bottle, when our hearts do melt, he ceaseth with Esau from the fierceness of his wrath, and will not suffer his whole displeasure to arise: but i● we abuse his patience, and take thereby occasion to sin, we sha● know that his judgements, which have feet of wool, & come slowly, have arms of brass, and strike surely. If faults be suffered in hope of amendment, yet after, ● hope be none, how shall there be sufferance? forbearance is no quittance, though God take daye● for a time, yet he payth truly at the length, the longer the wicked ru● on the score, the harder will be the reckoning when the payment come: they long swimmer their sin, but it is to make the sinking more sorrowful: all the while God is patient, and puts up our sins, he is lifting up his blow, and a stroke or blow, the higher it is lifted the heavier it falleth, and when God hath tried us a while with mercy, seeking our good and cannot bow us, he will use severity, and break us in pieces like a Potter's vessel.  
Lastly, God will have Agabus reveal the judgements he mindeth to send upon the world, to take from the world all excuse of ignorance, as if the Lord should say, come hither Agabus, thou seest the sin whereunto the world is inclining, men begin to give themselves to all kind of riot and excess, the drunkard makes in his body a sink, the glutton a dunghill, I will deal with them as a mother doth with her child, when once he beginneth to play with his meat, she takes his meat from him. I will call a famine on the land, and break the staff of bread, men shall be hungry, and thirsty, their soul shall faint in them, the people shall cry for bread, and all plenty shall be forgotten, and because the● shall not say, had we known that thou didst mind in such grievous sort to afflict us, we would have stricken our hearts with the rod of repentance, beaten down the pleasures we delighted in, razed evil actions, corrected untamed desires, and been enemies to the disordered will of the soul, the amendment of our lives should have been as Moses, and stand in the gap to turn away the wrath from us: because, I say, they shallbe without excuse, stand up Agabus, and signify to them from me, the famine that is to come, tell them I will send not a dearth, when some men may have plenty, if they will pay dear for it, but a famine, and a great famine, like the famine of Samaria, 2. Reg. 6. when they shall not get meat for money: not in one Country alone, for then the plenty of one might supply the penury of another, but the famine shall be general in every quarter: stand up Agabus and ●ell them this: let thy words be as ● lightning and go before, and my ●udgement as a thunder clap shall follow. And Agabus stood up and ●ignified by the spirit, that there should ●e a great famine over all the world. If God in this sort open his mouth to speak, before he lift up his hand to strike, let none plead ignorance, nor yet blame God though his judgements fall vpo● them: Let not the standers b● blame the Archer, though the arrow hurt them, when he that shooteth cries, away, away, before th● arrow comes: for the careful for● warning should have made the● prevent the danger that was hand, which also came to pa● under Claudius Caesar. Man's wra● may be escaped by seeking refug● or flying from it: but if god's wra● be kindled, whither shall we fli● he will find us out in the top of ● highest, or bottom of the deeps places in the world: Psal. 139, o● whom shall we run for refuge? the woman, when the famine extreme, shall run unto the king, saying, Help me, O Lord the king, the king himself must answer, Seeing the Lord doth not secure thee, how should I help thee? 2. Reg. 27. God's threatenings therefore must not be thought as scarecrows, or bulbeggers, to fray children withal: for God is a sowler, and if he sets a snare, he will not take it up before he takes us in it. Amos ●3. 5. If a Trumpet be blown in the City, shall not the people tremble? If the Lion roar, who will not be afraid? But because a Lion roareth not in the Forest, when he hath no prey, nor a Lion's Whelp cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing, nor Agabus threaten, except there be some great occasion, nor the famine come, as it doth in the time of Claudius except it be sent for. ● us a little see, what sin especial it was, that went to call for it: ● was truly said of Claudius, whi● was untruly spoken of Christ. M● 11. 19 Behold a glutton and drinker ● wine. If jeroboam sin, he make● Israel to sin: if the squared ston● slip down, a number of little on● follow after. The life of the kin● is a white for the Court, and nobility is an aim for the people. Lo● degrees level at marks of high● perfection: whereupon I inferr● that gluttony and drunkenness reigned at this time. Gut was th● god, the paunch was a powdering tub, the belly a coupe, a Poulter coupe, or rather a Noah's ark, vi● tailed with I know not how many kind of creatures: whereupon I note that to be true, which i● ●Vis. 11. 13. Whereby a man sin●eth, by the same also he shall be punished. In jewry was God known, ● name was great in Israel, he gave ●s law unto jacob, his statutes and or●nances unto Israel. He had not dealt ● with other nations, neither had the ●athen knowledge of his law. But ●hen they despised his word, and ●f those that brought it beat one, ●illed another, stoned another, ●od threatened that the Kingdom ●f God should be taken from them, ● given to a nation which should ●ring forth the fruits thereof. ●at. 21. 43. which came to pass ●hen the word of god was remo●ed from them to the Gentiles. As ●od did deal in the old Church ●ith the jews, so in the new church with the Ephesians, upon ●hom God did shine by the light of his Gospel, and they were ● first glad, that the light did spri● up to them which before did siti● darkness and in the shadow ● death, but when they forsaken their first love, God threatened ● remove the candlestick out of hi● place, reve. 2. 5. & was as good ● his word, when he put out the● candle, which done, they fell ● sleep, falling sick of sundry heresies, died at last of the plague ● Mahomet. As God brings a famine of his word, when men are as i● were overgorged with it: so he● brings a famine of bread, when men prepare bread for laughter, Ec. 10. 19 when their satiety will not suffer them to sleep. Ecl. 5. 11. Whe● they eat the Lambs out of the flock, and calves out of the stall, Amos 6. 4. eat until it come ou● at their nostrils, and be loathsome unto them, as it is Num. 11. 20. When men which should be sober are become trencher-men, not tarrying till hunger overtake them, but preventing it by an artificial appetite, so saucing their meats, that they turn substance into accident, and nature into art: when men I say are come to this pass that their greediness knoweth no measure, and variety exceedeth all the bounds thereof, then God in token of revenge, sends a scarcity, that men shallbe glad to eat in time for strength, & not for drunkenness, as it is Ecl. 10. 17, & do what they can their mouths shall not make their flesh to sin, as it is Eccle. 5. 5: thus was it with the prodigal child, Luke 15. And thus with Claudius who was made Emperor of Rome, An. 42. and reigned 13. years and nine months: of this famine speaketh Suetonius in Claud. Oros. 7. cap. 6. Thus was it with the world at this time, but the punishment being general, I mark thy judgements O judea, more than the calamity that befalleth other nations, because as it appeareth ver. 7. you being before more blessed than other, are now more distressed than other: if thou didst sow, thou didst find the same year an hundred fold in estimation, if thou sowed▪ a little seed, but an handful of corn▪ and that on the mountains, nay, on the top of the mountains, th● fruit thereof did shake like th● trees of Libanon, thy threshing d● last unto the vintage, and the vintage to the sowing time, the ploughman did touch the mower, & the treader of grapes him that sowed the seed. When one kind of fruit was ripe another followed, and every one in course: thou didst eat thy bread in plenteousness, eat the old store, and carry out the old because of the new, & so didst laugh at death, because thy greatest want was store. But see an alteration, thy land, this thy most fruitful land is made barren, the meat is cut off before thine eyes, ten women do bake their bread at one Oven, and deliver thy bread by weight: if thou sowest the seed of an Homer, which is 100 pottles, it yields but an Epha, which is but 10. pottles, thou hast but 10. of the 100 & lose the principal, thou dost gauge out thy lands, thy vineyards, thy houses because of the famine, & dost howl for the wheat and the barley, because the harvest of the field i● perished: but let me tarry a little it our own land, & leave judea till I come to it in the verse following: God embraced our land so kindly, that we sucked the sap of wealth from branch and root. The fruit of our ground was blessed, for God crowned the year with his goodness, the Lord did hear the heavens when they desired rain for the earth, the heavens did hear the earth, the earth did hear the corn, & the corn did hear man, and that same blessing did come upon us which god promised to Israel, Thou shalt lend to other nations▪ but shalt not borrow of any. Deu. 28. 1● but of late, specially this last year▪ the ground hath not yielded unto us her strength, Bashan is wasted and Carmell and the flower of L●banon is wasted, God's creature have been deaf, because God himself hath been as one that heareth not, so the we have been constrained to borrow of other nations, but are not able to lend any. Thus God hath punished the seed of our soil for the sin of our soul, & because our folly hath been in the blossom, our fruit hath not budded out of the earth. Sodom was destroyed, but fullness of bread a sin of Sodom, still continued, men have farced their bodies & starved their souls: nature is not the Cater, frugality the pursebearer, not hunger the cook to assign the diet. There was but one Bel God but many belly gods, which have said in effect with the Epicures, Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we must die. Quaffing hath been the only grace: men have misspent their time in bibing & shaking hands over their liquor profoundly, carowsed ● hunter's hope, drowned th● souls in a gallon pot, made th● bellies quagmires, & their brea● to smell like brewer's aprons, th● have loved the wine bottles, a● is Hos. 3. 1. made themselves sic● with flagons. Hos. 7. 5. drink wi● in bowls, Amos 6. 6. & transgress by it. Hab. 2. 5. In Assuerus time the● changed vessel after vessel an● drank wine in abundance. H● 19 but they drank by an order● none might compel: but sinc● they drink without order, enforce one another, give their neighbour drink, and make him drunk also, as Hab. 2. 15. Set thy foot to mine and drink to the soul of such a body, and the health of my lord or Lady, and by drinking to healths they drink themselves out ●f health, they do carouse it, ●hich they say is a Dutch word, ●nd the English of it may be this, ● drink all the drink out of the ●ot, all the money out of his purse, ●l the wit out of the head, and all ●e honesty out of the body, and ●at is a clean carouse. These fellows if they may have the but●er, care not though (as it falleth ●ut, Gen. 40. 22.) the baker be han●ed up. Thus because men, as ●hough they had the ear-mark of ●eprobates follow the same sins with full sail, to which Claudius ●nd other in the world had bound themselves apprentices, no marvel ●hough now also the Lord doth use the like corection. Misery cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth affliction spring out of the earth. job. 5. 6. but our fruitful land is made barren for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. Ps. 10▪ 34. The earth our mother is out of heart, dead and barren as the womb of Sarah, & God hath so rotten the seed, pinched the blade, shaken the ear, that it hath not answered our expectation, neither under the flail, in the mill, in the dough, or in the oven, & that curse is come upon us, which job speaketh of cap. 31. 40: for thistles grow in stead of wheat, and cockle in stead of barley. In the ninth of Matt. ver. 37. The harvest is great, but the labourers are few, the Lord there speaketh by way of comparison, comparing the number of the elect to a plentiful harvest. But to speak simply of our time, the harvest is small, and the labourers are many: small, I say, for though the mower hath filled his arms, & he that bond up the sheaves his bosom, yet the yielding hath not been like the increase of other years. Speak by way of comparison, and pray the Lord of the harvest to send forth labourers into harvest. Matt. 9 38. but speak simply, and pray the Lord of the harvest to send forth a plentiful harvest for the labourers to bring into the barn: and if we see that our prayer goeth up, & God's mercy cometh down, that our land bring forth her wont increase, than sin no more, lest a worse thing happen unto thee. john: 5. 14 Let us hereafter use sobriety, not live to eat, but eat to live, and taking our portion fit for nourishment, content ourselves with it: since job speaketh of appointed food, job. 23. 12. and since natu● is content with little, & grace witless, let us be measurable of fe●ding, measurable in drinking, r●ther of too sparing, then of too l●berall a diet: and thus much of th● famine foreshowed to Agabus, b● means of the spirit, to the end th● he might signify the same vn● the people, & brought in the dai● of Claudius, because of excess The effects follow.  
Then the disciples, etc. We are deters, not only to God, to who● we own love and obedience, b● debtor to ourselves, debtor t● our neighbours: to ourselves w● own mortification of the corrupt affections that are in us: we a● debtor to the flesh, saith the Apostle, that we should not live a●ter it: but we are bad pay mastery either not at all discharging this debt, or else putting it of from day to day, saying of the temple of our body, as the ●ewes of their temple Hag. 1. 2. The time is not yet come to build the house of the Lord. To our neighbours, besides the love of the heart. Rom. 13, 8, the instruction of the mouth. Rom: 1. 14: we own good works, & the blessing of them which are ready to perish should come upon us, as upon job, cap: 29. 13. but men's hearts are so hard frozen, that the shining Sun of pity cannot thaw them, and every man's song is, I am nearest myself, and so they scrape and scratch and heap, & lay up for them and theirs, and being as brass & iron, turn both hand and heart clean away, when pitiful suit is made unto them for some comfort, or else they say come again another time, whereas they have now to help them: it is not thus with the Disciples in this place, but they stay them up with their liberality, which are more distressed than themselves, and being like the Macedonians. 2. Cor. 8. in great afflictions are prompt to help others. The first thing then that I note in them, is a readiness without delay, to teach us as soon as we know that extremity, to relieve the necessity of our brethren: the bird droops in the hand while the head considers whether he shall let her go, or hold her still, and the good work dieth in the birth, when we think, can I spare it or no, shall I give it away? etc. Delaying hold fasts are like a bad pay master, who knowing that he must pay the debt, yet brags with the money in his purse, a day or two before, like him that goeth to hanging, he delayeth as long as he can, and when he cometh to mounting upon the ladder, falleth to preaching at every step. Zache making his will and Testament, Luke 19 8: payeth his debts, giving fourfold restitution, where he had unjustly taken, and bequeatheth legacies the half of my goods I give to the poor: he sayeth not, I have given as a bragger, or I will give as a delayer, but I do give, as his own executer: some few will give in health, but more in sickness, almost all of ability after death, will have many Gowns, or such and such a Dole given. a gift after death is lead, in sickness is silver, in health is gold, bu● with the disciples here not to tar● but arise and meet a righteous petition in the teeth, & be entreated before we be asked, is a jewel which cannot be esteemed. When we are in adversity, we thinks men can never come time enough to secure us, let us take this measure for other. Perfect compassion is to prevent the hungry, ere th● beggar desire us. Charity is no● perfect, when craving exhorteth us.  
Benevolence is then full of grace and goodness, when it hath beside the quantity, readiness without prolonging spoken of, 2. Cor. 9 5. Secondly willingness without grudging, vers. 7. The forme● of these qualities we have seen in these Antiochians by the circumstance of the time, the better we shall perceive, if we consider that they had not a law to compel them, nor yet a precept from the higher powers, commanding them to send succour, as they would answer to the contrary at their peril, but when they knew the famine waxed very sore at jerusalem, of their own accord every man purposed to send succour. If Zache be ready to receive Christ, and therefore comes from the tree hastily, let him also be willing to receive him joyfully. Luke 19 6. When the scripture commandeth the matter of goodness, it sets out the manner of doing good, that we might not sin in the manner, as if it commandeth to hear, to read, to suffer, to pray, to give, it teacheth how to hear, Mar. 4. 24. how to read, Matth. 24. 15. how to suffer, Matth. 5. 10. how to pray, Luke 11. 1. how to give, Philemon 14. To give readily is to do good, to give willingly is to do well. A man may sin in doing good, but cannot offend in doing well: Abimelech doth ill but with a pure heart, Gen. 20. 5. Contrariwise, a man may do good but with a bad mind, and thus he that doth good against his will doth evil, let therefore a forward gift & voluntary offering meet together, let readienesse and willingness kiss each other, go hand in hand like friends, arm in arm like man and wife, be as Hercules two twins, live and die together.  
The Disciples. He that planteth a vineyard should eat of the fruit, he that feedeth a flock, should taste of the milk: there must needs be a famine of the bread of life, by starving the ox that should tread out the corn. The church of Antiochia being planted by the Church of the jews, as appeareth in this Chapter, and these Disciples as good scholars, having learned the word of God of the brethren in judea, are very willing, yea, hough Opus & usus be ready to knock at their own door, to do good and to distribute to those which had instructed them, assuring themselves they could not offer their sacrifice on a better Altar. Let all therefore generally, if they have not hardened their faces, as it is Pro. 21. 29. Fill their f●ces with shame, as it is Psal. 83. 16▪ which spoil the Lord in tithes & offerings, as it is Mal. 3. 8. especially let cormorant patrons which crop & girdle the maintenance of ministers, drink scornfulness like water, as it is job. 34▪ 7. and cover themselves wit● their confusion as with a cloak as Psal. 109. 29. It were in these days good friendly dealing, i● when a Patron lifts a clerk up t● the window, he would say, I wi● let out this benefice to the third● nay would he would but say concerning the benefice, as one harlo● doth to another concerning the child, 1. Reg. 3. 26. Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it. Bu● they will say, the Apostles were poor, Paul wrought with his hands, and these have the devotion of judas, when he spoke of the ointment, he was a thief and bare the bag. I would to God there were not as bad day thieves as night thieves, which grinding the faces of the churchmen, carry all the tithes into their own barns. There were never so many benefices without charge, as there are now charges without benefices. The foxes spoken of Can. 2. 15. have eat up sheep and shepherds both, and the merchants which have broke into the Church have done more hurt by bringing in ignorance and Atheism, than those which Christ whipped out of the temple. In the 10. of Luke vers. 30. He that went down from jerusalem fell amongst thieves, but now he that will go up to jerusalem (you know my meaning) shall fall among thieves which will rob him of all. You shall have a Patron or Chapman, who hath bought an advowson, which saith, I will give a presentation, but he will give like the devil, Mat. 4. 9 he will give with conditions as this, you may thrash the corn in the Parsonage barn, to avoid suspicion, but if you will let it be sold to my best commodity, contenting yourself with the straw, which is the greater part, and small tithes which are a privy thing, you shall have my presentation. The very name of a Parson carrieth meat in the mouth, and will get you credit wheresoever you come.  
Thus with his craft he causeth him to yield, and he goeth into a living as an ox that goeth to the slaughter, as a fool to ●he stocks for correction, or as a ●irde hasteth to the snare, not ●nowing that he is in danger, being presented, he thinks his ●arthing good silver, and therefore holds up his beak, soars in the air, speaks big, the rod of pride is in his mouth, as it is Prou. 14. 3. Examine him of his entrance, he will not St●cke to lie, but pump out one after another, he thinks truth is like a garment, and the less he use it, the longer it continues: you shall hear him use hunting oaths, and swear by no beggars he comes as freely by his living as any man in England. Thus like a landhounde he cares not how much he spends his mouth though he smell nothing, for circumstances show, that he like a simple silly ass must bear the burden, and yet be conten● with a dirty stable: but you marvel that such a Symonist is suffered to continue his living, since laws have well provided to the contrary: I tell you the juggling bartering is now so close, that neither Hook nor Crook can pull him out at the doors, that thus hath come in at the Window.  
Where shall you find an Agabus, a Patron like Abraham, that bears such an heroical mind, that he will not take so much as a thread or a shoo-latchet of Melchizedech, Gene. 14. 23? Where shall you find a David, a patron like David who will bridle his affection, and though he be overcome with thirst, yet will not drink of the water brought unto him, if it be fetched with the venture of blood? 2. Sam. 23. 16. Where shall you find a Peter, a patron like Peter, who, if Simon offer money, will be at defiance with him, and say, Thy money perish with thee. Act. 8. 20?  
Where shall you find such a patron as was Henry the fourth, who when some offered golden mountains, other great booties, out of the Abbey lands, other more service to the common wealth than was accustomed for the Abbey of Fulde, called unto him one Ruzelin, a Monk, who came to the Court about the business of his house, at the commandment of the Abbot, and never dreamt of any such thing, and putting the pastoral staff in his hands, first named him Abbot, and prayed the rest both Soldiers & Monks, to consent to his election. I condemn not all, I know there be many good men which prefer the gifts of the mind, before the gifts of the purse, which mislike the bishop that is a Balaam, the patron that is a judas, the minister that is a Magus, which quickly cast them off that come far, and bring gold with them, because the celestial shining star refuse to be their guide, & among those let the right honourable the Lord Keeper that now is, have the chiefest place, who regarding more Simon Peter's preaching, than Simon Magus bag, singles out such to bestow preferments upon them, which have of good continuance been brought up in Naioth, I mean the schools and Universities, which were first planted to be nurseries of Prophets. 1. Sam. 19: 20. If patrons would fetch their light from this Torch, and patronesses take their work out of this Sampler, then should men be given to dignities, not dignities to men, then oh, then how well would it be with our Church? There would be as little seeking after benefices as now there is greediness to get them, men would rather labour to deserve living, then be bold to procure it: but such is the iniquity of this latter time, into which we are fallen, that I am verily persuaded that spiritual promotions are as usully sold of most men, which have them to bestow, as horses in Smithfield, and sold as garments by the drum, to those which offer most money for them: There was no City (said Philip of Macedon) so surely defenced, whereunto a● Ass laden with gold might no● enter: so, sed reprimo me, and return again to these disciples which in this place take a clean contrary course, hereby showing how much they esteem the Gospel of Christ, because they send succou● to the place from whence it came.- To send succour to the brethren. Some are brethren by nature as Pharez and Zarah, borne both of Tamar, Gen. 38, 30. some by consanguinity, which are of the same family: so Laban calleth jacob his brother, Gen. 29. 15. though he were his sister's son, ver: 13. some by Nation, so Paul calleth the jews his brethren, Rom. 9 3. some by profession, so the Christians in this place call brethren: brethren not only because they are made of one God, Mal. 2. 10. came all out of the loins of one Adam, but because they are called to the same inheritance, the kingdom of heaven. Luke 12. 32. The very name of a brother or kinsman is a sufficient argument to stir up compassion. When Laban hears tell that one jacob his sister's son is come into the country, he runs to meet him, embraceth him, and kisseth him, and bringeth him to his house. Goe 29. 13. When Hester is fatherless, & motherless, Mordecai, because she came of his uncle takes her for his own daughter. Hest. 2. 7. Paul's heart melteth upon the jews his brethren, and therefore would redeem their rejection with his own damnation. R● 9 3. Israel must not detest an Ed●mit, because he is his brother. De● 23. 7. nor Edom detest an Israelites because he is his brother. Amos ● 11. if nature worketh thus in thos● which are brethren in the flesh shall not Grace rouse up pity towards our brethren in Christ▪ There is a marvelous near conjunction between the faithful because they are members one of an other. 1. Cor. 12. Do good therefore (saith the Apostle) Gal. 6. 10. to all, but especially to the household of faith: do good to all generally, for true virtue sets itself on work, in respect of none other end the● of itself. Non est magni animi beneficium dare, & perdere, sed perdere, & da●e, It argues not so valiant a mind ●o give a benefit and lose, as to ●oose a benefit, and give again. A ●an will sow his ground again ●his year in hope of good increase, ●hough the last year he had but a ●ad crop. Si non demus ut homini, ●men ut homines. If we give not to Christians, yet let us give, because ●ee are Christians: though we ●inde little kindness in other, let ●s not lose it in ourselves: but especially we must be good to ●he household of faith. joseph lo●eth all his brethren, but Benia●in with a more special love, and ●herefore he shall have a mess by himself, Gen. 43. 34. as jacob loveth ●oseph more than all his sons▪ Goe 37. 3 God maketh his sun to shine upon the good and bad. Matt. 5, 45. but such a brightness shall over shine his people, as if seven Suns did give light ● one time, Is. 30. 26. God loves a● the dwellings of jacob, but mo● the gates of Zion, Psal. 87. 2. Th● godly are vessels of gold, 2. Tim. ● 20. Therefore the Lord makes ● special account of them. Wher● God hath set his heart, there l● man set his delight: therefore David said, all his delight was vpo● the Saints in earth, and upon suc● as excelled in virtue. Psa. 16. 3. an● therefore the disciples here send● secure to the brethren. If the disciples here give a voluntary offering, and as it seemeth of the● own penury, then let them whic● have superfluity, consider of th● needy, and the rather for that i● these distressed times, a special commandment hath come fro● the higher powers, to enjoin them to it. That inequality is devilish where one surfetteth, another is hungry. 1, Cor. 11. 21. that equality is commendable where one man's plenty supplies another man's want. 2. Cor. 8. 14. If Christ became poor to make us rich, let us of our riches spare somewhat to the relief of his poverty: we think it theft to take away another man's goods, yet is it no less sin to to take from him that hath, than not to give to him that want. We cannot abide to hear that our hands should be imbrued in our brother's blood, yet he kills a man that suffers him to perish for want of food, when he may relieve him. Let mercy follow justice. Matth. 5. 7. Let justice pay debts, and then mercy give part of that which remaineth, the rich man hath Lu● 12. 17, when he saith he hath n● row me to lay his fruits: for poor● men's bellies are barns, in whic● he may put the extraordinary increase of his corn: and because the generation of the righteous ar● to God as the apple of his eye, God loveth them as jacob doth joseph above his other sons. Gen. 37. 3. let not y● prophet upbraid us with this, that we have not been sorry fo● the affliction of joseph. Amos 6. 6.  
Brethren which were in judea. Th● land O jury, was as the garden o● Eden, joel 2. 3. Blessed of the Lord● was thy land for the sweetness of heaven, for the dew, and for the depth lying beneath, and for the sweet increase of the Sun, and for the sweet increase of the moon, not only the valleys did stand so ●hicke with corn, that they did shout for joy, and sing, but the hills were compassed ●●th gladness, and the mountains did bring peace unto the people: sweet was the top of thy ancient mountains sweet were thy old hills. Flumina ●ā lactis, iam flumina nectaris ibant. Thy land did flow with milk and honey, every place was full of the riches of the Lord, but now the heaven above thee is as iron, and the earth as brass, there are no fields of offerings, the seed is rotten under the clods, the garners ●re destroyed, the corn is withered, so that when a man seethe the little increase of thy ground, he would think that thou had dealt with it▪ as Abimelech did with Sichem, sowed salt in it. Iud 9 45 let us learn here not only not to promise ourselves continual prosperity, not only not to place our chiefest felicity in any outward blessings we do enjoy, but especially this, not to make the means an Idol to tie God's power unto, or fetter his graces to it. If thou consider e●● the constitution of thy body, and see that GOD hath given the● strength to labour and take pain, and that thou risest while it is yet night, and girdest thy loins, and in the morning sowest thy seed, and in the evening sufferest not thy hand to rest, yet trust not too much in thy labour▪ for it may be thou shalt even weary thyself for very vanity, sow the wind, and reap the while wind, for thou seest many rise up early, & late take rest, & eat the bread of carefulness, yet they never thrive, for neither is he that plants any thing, nor he that watereth, but god that giveth increase 1. Cor. 3. 7. Therefore jacob though he had taken great pains, yet ascribeth nothing to his labour, but all to God's blessing. Gen. 30. 30. If thou art in health, and hast a good appetite to thy meat, and thy table furnished with all manner of cates, trust not too much in the vanity of thy dishes▪ for he that can make Daniel fat in flesh, and in good liking with pulse and water, Dan. 1. 15. can kindle his wrath against Israel, while the flesh is yet between their teeth. Num. 11. 33. or it goeth down, he can utterly break the staff of bread, give men their desire, but send leanness withal into their soul, the Floor, and the Winepress shall not feed them, they shall eat but not have enough, drink & n●● be filled: and they shallbe as 7: evil favoured kine in pharoh's dream, which were still lean though they had devoured the fat kine, & like the thin ears which were still withered, thin, and blasted with the East wind, though they had eate● up the fuller corn. Gen. 41. Therefore the Prophet affirming that a● things wait on God for meat, saith God filleth them not with bread but with blessing. Psa. 124. 28. fo● it is not the bread of itself, tha● nourisheth, but the grace of th● word infused into it: as it is not th● running water itself that helpe● the disease, but the virtue of th● herbs that are boiled in it: If Go● ha●h punished thee with sickness honour the Physician. The Iewe● were to blame who though the● would not esteem Christ as God, yet aught to make some reckoning of him, because he cured so many diseases. Luke 4. 40. but trust not too much in earthly Physicians, for the woman may spend all she hath upon physicians, & not be the better, but the worse. Mat: 5: 26. And Galienus the Emperor will give his physician Fabatus a sum of money, not for that he had cured him of the Sciatica, but because he should no more meddle with him. If thou hast friends, trust not in thy friends, let not man trust in man, and make flesh his arm, and withdraw his heart from the Lord. jer: 17: 5. let not Israel trust in Egypt, the Egyptians are men, and not God: Is: 31: 3: and as a broken reed which will run into their hand if they lean upon it: trust not in thy horses, they are flesh, and not spirit, Esay. 31. 3. a vain thing to save a man. Psal. 33. 17. Do not sacrifice to thy net, Hab. 1. 16. Stick not with the rich man: Luk. 12. 19 to thy wealth, Much goods for many years. Lean not upon thy house it shall not stand: do not hold thee fast by it, it shall not endure, but be as the house of a Spider, which is to day & to morrow swept away, job. 8. 14. Do not promise to thyself plenty, if thou hast a fat soil, for judea in this place whose very hills, & tops of mountains were very fruitful, joel, 3. 18 is made so barren, that other places must send succour to it: commonly the clay doth serve the sand, but of late years, the sand hath served the Clay, and our Dorcetshire, and other dry countries have been some stay to far more fruitful places. Our God can bless his curses, he can make Coloquintida rank poison to nourish the children of the prophets, 2. Reg. 4. 40. He can make our days to be light, and the same God can curse his blessings. Mal. 2. 2. make our meat to be poison, our table a snare, our prosperity our ruin, turn out light into darkness, our life into death: and can turn the Wilderness into pools of water, and the dry land into watersprings, can also turn the floods into a wilderness, and the springs of water into dryness, and judea a fruit full land into saltness and barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. When therefore we have all the means which might serve any way to do us good, our best way is to spread hands abroad before the Lord, as jacob doth, Gen. 43. 14. Hesiodus will have the husbandman lay his hand upon the plough tail, there he must use the means: he will have him further to make his vows to jupiter and Ceres, before he ploweth or putteth in his seed: there must he pray God to bless the means. In wars joshua must muster his men and set them in array, and stretch out the spear in his hand, Ios. 8. this is to use the means: he must further remember, the name of the Lord his God, Psa. 2. 8. that he may bless the means. When the waves threaten the ship, let the mariners cut the ropes and cast anchor, Acts 27. 30. there is the means of safety, and further with the disciples cry help Lord, Mat. 8. 25. a prayer for safety. Oil was much used in Palestina, and counted medicinable, Mar. 6. 13. Luke 10. 34. Therefore the Elders when they visited the sick must use oil, and as well prayer as oil, james 5, 14. if thou art hungerbit, know the Disciples go to buy meat, joh. 4. 8. but know again that Christ blesseth the meat, Mat. 14. 19 by the first learn to receive God's creatures as a means to refresh thy body, by the latter, to begin thy meal with prayer, and end it with thanksgiving: if thou had bad or lean ground, as it is Num. 13, 21. good it with thy pot or with thy fold, fallow it, twifallow it, bring it into heart, husband it in the best manner, make it as fat as this judea, yet for all this because it is in God to choose whether it shall yield a curse or a blessing, thistles or wheat, cockle or barley; in this and so in all other thy actions, let this be as it were the foot of thy song, Prosper thou upon us the work of our hands O Lord, prosper thou our handy work.  
Purposed to send succour, which thing they also did. Before the hand be stretched out to give, the heart must be touched with compassion, else alms is not accepted, and when we are touched with pity, then must we give also, else to say God help thee and not to give, is but a mockery, james 2. 16. The disciples therefore in this place, first pity with their hearts, and then open their hands: concerning the heart, where God likes not the giver he likes not the gift, if he hath cast off cain, he regards not his offering Gen. 4. 5. and where he liketh not the heart that moveth, he liketh not the giver that bestoweth. God accepts not the offerings of the jews, Mal. 1. not only because they are unable as the blind, and lame, and sick, Leuit. 2●. 22. but offered unlawfully, with a mind and conscience polluted. Tit. 1. 15. I have no pleasure in you, saith the lord of hosts, Mal. 1. 10. neither will I accept any offering at your hands▪ as if he would say. I have no pleasure in the fountain, I will none of the stream: the seed is infected, I will none of the crop, I mislike the root, it hath no good juice, I will none of the fruit, it hath no good taste, I will not drink of the wine is drawn out, the vessel is musty from whence it cometh: I judge not the heart by the work, but th● work by the heart. To the unclean all things are unclean: be● the water never so fair, it is defiled that passeth through a miry spring: as the jews therefore should have sifted their souls an● consciences when they sacrifice● to the Lord, so do the Disciple● here enter into themselves, t● show the their liberality cometh of a charitable mind: when they go about to sacrifice to their brethren, it is not glory stirs the● up as it doth the hypocrites, Mat. 6▪ 2. nor yet gain, Claw me and i'll cla● thee, but the mere necessity o● their brethren, when they consider their want, in charity they they purposed to relieve them▪ neither doth their determination die while it is yet Embryo, but liberty being conceived bringeth forth action, for the text saith, They did send succour, the charity of the country is I pity thee, God ●elpe you, men will not open their ●ips and their purse together, but ●et your heart as a judge sit on the ●ench and give the charge, then ●et the hand go to work, let the ●eart be in tune, then let there be ● consort of the other members: ●et the heart be a secret treasury, ●r as a larder or pantry in an ●ouse, and fetch from thence that which is wanting to others. Let the heart be as the poise of a Clock, and turn all the other members as Wheels one way, let the heart love, let there be love in word and tongue, joh. 3. 18. let there be the deed & truth of love, Luke 3. 11. let the plenty of the fruit show the planting of the tree. Psal. 1. 3. and the fairness of the blossom the goodness of the root.  
Every man according to his ability. In every thing a golden mean is ● good virtue, running past the goal for slowness, exceeding brightness dazzleth the sight, a● well as darkness obscureth th● object: if gifts be too big, than a● thou a waster, if they be too small, than art thou a niggard. When the tabernacle is made, the rich bring gold and silver, the meaner sor● brass and gifts of less value, Ec. 25, 4. When the Israelites give cities to the Levites, every Tribe must give according to his inheritance, Num. 35. 8: Rich men cast great gifts into the treasury, but the poor widow but two mites, Luk. 21. 1. In this place the disciples which have much, give much, they which have little, g●ue of that little. We say not, give as we give Mat. 6. 11. but forgive as we forgive. ver. 12. for we may and must always forgive. Give always we need not, nor cannot: and when faculty can stretch no further, good will is taken in good part, he that doth what he can, can show no greater liberality. Grand enemies of this benevolence, are covetousness and prodigality: the covetous man is like churlish Naball, who will not give a piece of bread to secure king David. 1. Sam. 25. 11. he himself wanteth as well that he hath, as that he hath not: & how can the greedy mind carry any disposition to spend upon other, since he counts that ●● which he bestoweth upon himself▪ The prodigal man on the other side, because he hath suffered superfluous expenses to surmount his revenues, is compelled by necessity to take from others, he is not as a little spring running always, but standing upon reputation, lavisheth and lasheth for a time, and is dry in the end as those brooks job. 6. 16. To avoid these extremities lay not up without measure, lavish not without mean.  
Sic uteretuo, ut alieno non indigeas, In such sort guide that which is thine own, that thou needest no● beg of another? Sin not against others by giving too little: sin not against thyself by giving too much: God giveth riches, let not covetousness hoard them up: let not prodigality cast them away, but let liberality bestow them according to every man's ability.  
And sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. What more delightful to the ear then good music? what more unpleasant than much noise, & no concord? what more acceptable before god or profitable before man them good orders, daily & duly observed: the disciples therefore though they are bountiful in giving, yet will not have every one be his own carver, catch & latch what he can, but will have the elders, the governors of the church called elders, of their age (among whom the apostles had the chiefest place) under whom the deacons were appointed for this business. Act. 6, 3. to deal as they think convenient in the distribution, to be as joseph. Goe 41. ●5. & opening the places wherein the store is, deliver it out to hunge●-sterued souls. And beside, to show that provision for the poor is a matter of no small account, they make choice of such men to carry their benevolence, as were of very good estimation: Barnab as a good man, & full of the holy ghost and faith: Act: 11: 24, and Saul a worthy servant of God, a chosen vessel to bear gods name before the Gentiles, Act: 9: 15. & those like the dove which Noah sent out of the ark. Ge: 8, 9: having fulfilled their office, returned again from jerusalem, and are now gone up to the high & heavenly jerusalem, whither he grant we may ascend which did spend his blood for us. To whom with the father, etc.  
FINIS.