The happiness of the church, or, A description of those spiritual prerogatives wherewith Christ…The happines of the church, or, A description of those spirituall prerogatiues vvherewith Christ…

Children are a great plea for Covetousness, for Oppression. Art thou covetous because thou hast children? Remember to make Christ one of thy children. If thou hast one, make him the second: if two, make him the third; if three, the fourth: how many soever thou hast, let Christ be one; let the poor have a child's part. This is the way to get a blessing to all the rest: when Christ is made a brother to thy children, and hath a legacy bequeathed him; he will bless the portions of the other; the seed of the righteous shall not beg their bread. It is a sweet ¹verse of the Psalm, worthy of observation, as it is full of comfort. The good man is ever merciful, and lendeth, and his seed is blessed. The world thinks, the more a man giveth away, the less should be left to his children: but the Lord witnesseth otherwise: let a man lend to the borrower, give to the beggar, be merciful to the distressed, and this is the way to make his Seed blessed. Charitable works do not hinder the children's wealth, but further it: what thou givest to the poor, will be a sure undecaying portion to thy posterity. Duplicatum erit filijs justi, quod justus dedit filijs Dei. GOD will double that to thy children, which thou hast given to his children. Men flatter themselves, and cozen their consciences, with a tolerableness of usury; when moneys be put out for their children's ⟨p. 336⟩stocks. Alas, saith a man, I can leave my children but a little: but by that they come to age of discretion to use it, it will be jollily increased. I may be quickly gone, & when I am dead, they have no skill to employ it; I will therefore safe-bind it for them, by good bonds with allowance of interest.

Children are a great plea for Couetousnesse, for Oppression. Art thou couetous because thou hast children? Remember to make Christ one of thy children. If thou hast one, make him the second: if two, make him the third; if three, the fourth: how many soeuer thou hast, let Christ be one; let the poore haue a childes part. This is the way to get a blessing to all the rest: when Christ is made a brother to thy children, and hath a legacy bequeathed him; hee will blesse the portions of the other; the seed of the righteous shall not begge their bread. It is a sweet ¹verse of the Psalme, worthy of obseruation, as it is full of comfort. The good man is euer mercifull, and lendeth, and his seed is blessed. The world thinkes, the more a man giueth away, the lesse should be left to his children: but the Lord witnesseth otherwise: let a man lend to the borrower, giue to the begger, be mercifull to the distressed, and this is the way to make his Seed blessed. Charitable works doe not hinder the childrens wealth, but further it: what thou giuest to the poore, will be a sure vndecaying portion to thy posterity. Duplicatum erit filijs iusti, quod iustus dedit filijs Dei. GOD will double that to thy children, which thou hast giuen to his children. Men flatter themselues, and couzen their consciences, with a tolerablenesse of vsury; when moneyes bee put out for their childrens