Concerning Giving to the Poor

But if, after all, prudence will be heard, I counsel you to do these two things. First, Be very certain that you allow yourselves in nothing superfluous. You cannot, I trust, in conscience think of laying out one penny more than is barely decent; unless you have another penny to help the poor. Then, secondly, Let your friends who are in good circumstances be plainly told, that, though you love them, prudence, and the necessary charge of a family, will not permit you to entertain them, no, not for a night. What! say you, shut my door against my friends? Yes, by all means, rather than against Christ. If the Lord Jesus was again upon earth, in a state of humiliation, and he, and the best friend you have, standing at your door, and your provision so strait that you could not receive both, which would you entertain? Now, he says of the poor, “Inasmuch as ye did it to the least of these my brethren, ye did it unto me.” Your friends have houses of their own, and money to pay at an inn, if you do not take them in; but the poor need relief. One would almost think that passage, Matthew 25:45, was not considered as a part of God’s word; at least I believe there is no one passage so generally neglected by his own people. I do not think it unlawful to entertain our friends; but if these words do not teach us, that it is in some respects our duty to give a preference to the poor, I am at a loss to understand them.

I was enabled to set out upon the plan I recommend to you, at a time when my certain income was much too scanty for my own provision, and before I had the expectation or promise of assistance from any person upon earth. Only I knew that the Lord could provide me with whatever he saw needful; and I trusted, that, if he kept me dependent upon himself, and desirous to live for his service only, he assuredly would do so. I have as yet seen no cause to repent it. I live upon his promise; for, as to any present ways or means, every thing here below is so uncertain, that I consider myself in the same situation with the birds of the air, who have neither storehouse nor barn. Today I have enough for myself, and something to impart to them that need: as to futurity, the Lord must provide; and for the most part I can believe he will. I can tell you, however, that now and then my heart is pinched: unbelief creeps in, and self would much rather choose a strong box, or what the world calls a certainty, than a life of absolute dependence upon the providence of God. However, in my composed hours I am well satisfied. Hitherto he has graciously taken care of me; therefore may my heart trust in him, and not be afraid.

John Newton-Letter 1 On Trust in the Providence of God, and Benevolence to his Poor.

Chapter V : Of Divine Providence

1. God the good Creator of all things, in his infinite power, and wisdom, doth (a) uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all Creatures, and things, from the greatest even to the (b) least, by his most wise and holy providence, to the end for the which they were Created; according unto his infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable Councel of his (c) own will; to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, infinite goodness and mercy.

a Heb. 1.3. Job 38.11. Isa. 46 10,11. Ps. 135.6.

b Mat. 10.29,30,31.

c Eph. 1.11.

2. Although in relation to the foreknowledge and Decree of God, the first cause, all things come to pass (d) immutably and infallibly; so that there is not any thing, befalls any (e) by chance, or without his Providence; yet by the same Providence he ordereth them to fall out, according to the nature of second causes, either (f) necessarily, freely, or contingently.

d Act. 2.23.

e Pro. 16.33.

f Gen. 8.22.

3. God in his ordinary Providence (g) maketh use of means; yet is free (h) to work, without, (i) above, and (k) against them at his pleasure.

g Act. 27.31.44. Isa. 55.10 11.

h Hos. 1.7

i Rom.4.19,20,21.

k Dan. 3.27.

4. The Almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God, so far manifest themselves in his Providence, that his determinate Councel (l) extendeth it self even to the first fall, and all other sinful actions both of Angels, and Men; (and that not by a bare permission) which also he most wisely and powerfully (m) boundeth, and otherwise ordereth, and governeth, in a manifold dispensation to his most holy (n) ends: yet so, as the sinfulness of their acts proceedeth only from the Creatures, and not from God; who being most holy and righteous, neither is nor can be, the author or (o) approver of sin.

l Rom.11 32,33.34. 2 Sam. 24 1. 1 Chro. 21.1.

m 2 Kings 19.28. Ps. 76.10.

n Gen. 50 20. Isa. 10 6,7.12.

o Ps. 50.21 1 Joh. 2.16.

5. The most wise, righteous, and gracious God, doth oftentimes, leave for a season his own children to manifold temptations, and the corruptions of their own heart, to chastise them for their former sins, or to discover unto them the hidden strength of corruption, and deceitfulness of their hearts, (p) that they may be humbled; and to raise them to a more close, and constant dependence for their support, upon himself; and to make them more watchful against all future occasions of sin, and for other just and holy ends. So that whatsoever befalls any of his elect is by his appointment, for his glory, (q) and their good.

p 2 Chro. 32.25,26.31. 2 Sam. 24 1. 2 Cor. 12.7,8,9.

q Rom. 8.28.

6. As for those wicked and ungodly men, whom God as a righteous judge, for former sin doth (r) blind and harden; from them he not only withholdeth his (s) Grace, whereby they might have been inlightned in their understanding, and wrought upon in their hearts: But sometimes also withdraweth (t) the gifts which they had, and exposeth them to such (u) objects as their corruptions makes occasion of sin; and withall (x) gives them over to their own lusts, the temptations of the world, and the power of Satan, whereby it comes to pass, that they (y) harden themselves, even under those means which God useth for the softning of others.

r Rom.1.24.26.28. ch. 11.7,8.

s Deut. 29.4.

t Mat. 13.12.

u Deut. 2.30. 2 King. 8.12,13.

x Psal. 81.11,12. 2 Thes. 2.10,11,12.

y Exod. 8.15.32. Is. 6.9,10. 1 Pet. 2.7,8.

7. As the Providence of God doth in general reach to all Creatures, so after a most special manner it taketh care of his (z) Church, and disposeth of all things to the good thereof.

z 1 Tim. 4.10. Amos 9.8.9. Isa. 43.3,4,5.

The 1677/89LondonBaptist Confession

Good Work is not Done Necessarily by Wise Plans

No good work is undertaken or done with wise reflection. It must all happen in a half-sleep. This is how I was forced to take up the office of teaching. If I had known what I know now, ten horses wouldn’t have driven me to it. Moses and Jeremiah also complained that they were deceived. Nor would any man take a wife if he first gave real thought [to what might happen in marriage and the household]. Here Philip said that he had diligently observed that in history great deeds had never been done by old men. “This was so,” said Luther, “when Alexander and Augustus were young; afterward men become too wise. They didn’t do great things by deliberate choice but by a sort of impulse. If you young fellows were wise, the devil couldn’t do anything to you, but since you aren’t wise, you need us who are old. Our Lord God doesn’t do great things except by violence, as they say.” –

Luther’s Tabletalk No. 406

Concerning God’s Providence

It is the great support and solace of the saints in all the distresses that befall them here, that there is a wise Spirit sitting in all the wheels of motion, and governing the most eccentric creatures and their most pernicious designs to blessed and happy issues.

John Flavel

 

Concerning Obeying the Magistrates

However these deeds of men are judged in themselves, still the Lord accomplished his work through them alike when he broke the bloody sceptres of arrogant kings and when he overturned intolerable governments. Let the princes hear and be afraid. But we must, in the meantime, be very careful not to despise or violate that authority of magistrates, full of venerable majesty, which God has established by the weightiest decrees, even though it may reside with the most unworthy men, who defile it as much as they can with their own wickedness. For, if the correction of unbridled despotism is the Lord’s to avenge, let us not at once think that it is entrusted to us, to whom no command has been given except to obey and suffer.

John Calvin, The Institutes of the Christian Religion [1559]

Comfort in Christ’s Intercession

In the worst temptations nothing can help us but faith that God’s Son has put on flesh, is bone, sits at the right hand of the Father, and prays for us. There is no mightier comfort.

Martin Luther

Concerning Obeying Magistrates

However these deeds of men are judged in themselves, still the Lord accomplished his work through them alike when he broke the bloody sceptres of arrogant kings and when he overturned intolerable governments. Let the princes hear and be afraid. But we must, in the meantime, be very careful not to despise or violate that authority of magistrates, full of venerable majesty, which God has established by the weightiest decrees, even though it may reside with the most unworthy men, who defile it as much as they can with their own wickedness. For, if the correction of unbridled despotism is the Lord’s to avenge, let us not at once think that it is entrusted to us, to whom no command has been given except to obey and suffer.

John Calvin, The Institutes of the Christian Religion [1559]

Concerning Despising Predestination

But for those who are so cautious or fearful that they desire to bury predestination in order not to disturb weak souls–with what colour will they cloak their arrogance when they accuse God indirectly of stupid thoughtlessness, as if he had not foreseen the peril that they feel they have wisely met? Whoever, then, heaps odium upon the doctrine of predestination openly reproaches God, as if he had unadvisedly let slip something hurtful to the church.

Calvin Institutes III.21.4

This Life is conforming us to what we shall be

This life therefore is not righteousness but growth in righteousness; not health but healing, not being but becoming, not rest but exercise. We are not what we shall be but we are growing toward it; the process is not yet finished but it is going on; this is not the end but it is the road. All does not yet gleam in glory but all is being purified.

Martin Luther

Affliction Betters Us

As the wicked are hurt by the best things, so the godly are bettered by the worst.

William Jenkyn