vsurer chuse God himselfe for thy debtor who is the surest pay-master Giue me of mine owne saith Christ and of a creditor make me to become thy debtor and I will repay thee eternall treasures for transitory trifles But vnderstand this soberly For wee cannot as the Debitor factus est non aliquid à nobis aâ—cipendo sed quod ei placuit promittendo Auâ— de verbis Apost serm â—9 Papists dreame make God our debtour by the merit of our works but by his owne free and gracious promise According to that of Austin He is made a debtor not by receiuing something from vs but because it hath pleased him to promise something to vs. For we after one manner say vnto man thou owest me that which I haue giuen thee and after another thou owest me because thou hast promised mee when as thou saiest thou owest me because I haue giuen thee the benefit hath proceeded from thee though it were lent and not giuen But when thou sayest thou owest me because thou hast promised thou requirest that which thou hast not giuen For his goodnesse that hath promised will mooue him to giue lest his fidelity should degenerate into maliciousnesse c. Sect. 5. That it is the end of riches to be imployed on good vses and not locked vp Againe the loue of our money should not hinder vs from doing the works of mercie but rather make vs more diligent in them for he that loueth any thing wisely desireth aboue all that it may attaine to his right and cheife end as being the best which his loue can wish vnto it now the end of our money and riches is not that they should lie rusting and rotting by vs without vse but that they should bee communicated to the glorie of God and the good of our neighbours and therefore seeing the more we loue our wealth the better wee wish vnto it and nothing is better for it then to attaine to these ends they loue it not at all or at least after a foolish manner who by inprisoning their riches and so frustrating their cheife end doe hinder them from attaining vnto their perfection Sect 6. That by giuing our riches to the poore wee long enioy them Finally if wee wisely loue our wealth let it bee our cheife care that we may long enioy it the which we cannot doe by keeping it on the earth for though wee keepe it vnder locke and key bolt and barre continuall watch and ward it may bee lost whilst wee liue but if not so yet when death commeth and for ought wee know it may come to day before to morrow it will spoile vs of all and turne vs naked out of the world as wee came naked into it But the onely meanes to haue the fruit and benefit of our riches for euer is to send them before vs into our heauenly countrey where wee shall haue our euerlasting habitation and the best meanes of transporting them thither is to deliuer them vnto the poore who like trusty porters will carrie them for vs for if wee carry them our selues they will like heauie burthens hinder our iourney and like the camels bunch keepe vs from entring into the straight gate whereas if the poore whom God hath appointed for this seruice carry them for vs we shall auoyd the trouble and escape this danger The which should be a forcible argument to moue vs with a bountifull hand to giue vnto the poore seeing whatsoeuer is so giuen is sent before vs and whatsoeuer is hourded vp in our chests is lost and left behinde vs. And what folly is this there to leaue thy wealth whence thou art departing and not to send it before thee whether thou art going to leaue and loose thy riches in thy Inne and the place of thy pilgrimage and not to transport it into thine owne Country and mansion-house where thou art euer to reside And therefore seeing the onely way to keepe our goods for euer is to part with them for a time and the meanes to preserue them for euerlasting vse is to disperse scatter them amongst the poore members of Iesus Christ and contrariwise the keeping them too carefully on earth is the direct way to loose them in heauen let vs giue that which wee can no otherwise keepe that wee may receiue that which we can neuer loose and if wee thinke that heauen is our home let vs send our wealth thither before vs that we may the more cheerefully trauell after it For hee who is eternally to dwel in those heauenly mansions doth in this life send his heart thither to take possession which that wee may do let vs lay vp our treasures there that so our hearts may bee there also Whereas contrariwise hee whose onely care is to hourd vp riches vpon the earth doth plainely shew that this world is his natiue home and Countrie and that hee hath no right or interest in the heauenly Canaan Sect. 7. That our inestimable gaine counteruaileth our temporary forbearance A second impediment which hindereth men from doing these workes of mercy is because they looke at this great returne of gaine as being many yeares and ages after to bee receiued for though they like these heauenly treasures which the Lord promiseth to those who by giuing to the poore do lend vnto him and cannot but confesse that God is the best and surest Pay-master yet they are discouraged from thus laying out their mony because he seemeth to take long daies of payment and hath appointed the place of receipt in another world whereas they both for place and time are wholy for the present and in truth desire to be paid in their own coine that is in transitory and momentary riches which are subiect to their senses But to these I answere that if they liue onely by sense and not by faith they haue indeed little cause to exchange their earthly possessions for heauenly treasures seeing they can haue no true hope of comming into that place of happinesse or of inioying those diuine riches which are prepared onely for the faithfull and therefore let such keepe their mony till it perish with them But let those who being true Christians can with the eye of faith pearce the heauens and there behold things inuisible continually exercise themselues in these workes of mercy notwithstanding this discouragement seeing they know not how soone the Lord will call them to account and make all reckoninges straight which are betweene them For howsoeuer they may conceiue hope of prolonging their liues to an hundred yeares yet it may be it will not last another moneth or day and so their payment shall be as speedie and quicke as great and inestimable But say that the line of their life should outreach the length of their longest hopes yet haue they good cause to lay out their wealth on this spirituall and heauenly bargaine First because if they will waite and expect with patience they haue such a sure Pay-master who
will not heare them as it is Pro. 21. 13. Pro. 21. 13. Sect. 7. Cheerefulnesse in our words and speeches Secondly the alacritie in the heart appeareth in the mildenesse and sweetnesse of our speeches which the Apostle would haue euer conioyned with our almesdeedes whereof it is that he calleth them εá½Î»Î¿Î³Î¯Î± 2. Cor. 9. 5. to note vnto vs that 2. Cor. 9 5. as these good workes and good words are comprehended vnder the same name so in the action they should neuer be seuered And surely these cheerefull and kinde words are very necessary to be ioyned with those workes of mercy for pouertie and want deiecteth the minde and the discouery of it affecteth the heart of those that sue and craue not onely with shame but also with feare and iealousie least they be thought of their benefactors to be too bold and troublesome in which respects there is great neede that they should not onely speake to their suites but to their hearts and by kinde and louing language apply vnto them such cordials of comfort as may preserue them from fainting in their feares And this the sonne of Syrach requireth chap. 4. v. 8. Let Eccles 4. 8. it not grieue thee to bow downe thine eare to the poore and giue him a friendly answere with meekenesse Contrary whereunto is the practise of those who ioyne with their almes proud expostulations harsh words and vpbraiding speeches feeding the poore as they feede their vntaught dogges which they would haue at command for when they offer them meate they doe withall so sneape and rebuke them that they dare scarcely take it but are ready to let it fall out of their hands and mouthes for feare of beating Of which kinde of men one speaketh fitly There are Gregorie some saith he that when their poore brethren craue necessaries of them before they will giue any thing doe cast out against them contumelious words and performing these offices of pietie at length indeede doe first spoile the grace of their bountie with opprobrious tearmes wherein they seeme not freely to doe a worke of mercie but to make satisfaction for the iniuries which they haue offered when they giue an almes after such contumelies Others there are that chide the poore for comming so often and crauing againe after they haue once or twice relieued them But of these I may with Chrysostome demaund Chrysost in 10. Math. Homil. 36 Tom. 2. Col. 328. Doe they not therefore want meate because thou hast before times relieued them why then doest thou not binde thine owne bellie to the same conditions why doest thou not say to thy stomacke when it craueth meate thou wast filled yesterday and the day before and why doest thou now againe desire more Yea contrariwise thou almost burstest thine owne bellie in filling it beyond measure but turnest away thy face from the poore crauing a little to satisfie his hunger because he asketh againe of thee on whom thou oughtest the rather for this cause take pittie because he is pinched with no small necessitie which forceth him so often to come vnto thee And secondly wee might demaund of them why by the same reason they sue often vnto God for new benefits seeing they haue already receiued many from him sauing that it is to be feared they trouble him not much with many suites and praiers and that what they haue they receiue it rather out of his meere bountie then their own earnest suite and importunitie for otherwise the experience of their owne wants and Gods infinite mercie in relieuing and supplying them would moue them to thinke of the necessitie of the poore and make them more compassionate in helping and succouring them Let vs not therefore staine our good actions with euill words neither after we haue giuen let vs vpbraide Eccle. 41. 22. wherein we shall but discouer our folly for a foole as the sonne of Syrach telleth vs when and 18. 18. he giueth a gift will vpbraid churlishly and the gift of the enuious consumeth the eyes Sect. 8. Cheerefulnesse appeareth by ready giuing Thirdly this cheerefulnesse sheweth it selfe in the manner of the action when it is performed readily and speedily For a gift or almsedeede should not be drawne from the giuer by the importunitie of the receiuer but rather the importunitie should be on his part that giueth in pressing the beneuolence vpon him with vndeniable earnestnesse when as he discerneth in him any modest bashfulnesse or backwardnesse in receiuing of it An example whereof we haue in the Church of Corinth of whom the Apostle testifieth that in communicating to the necessitie of the Saints They were to their power and beyond 2. Cor. 8. 4. their power willing of themselues praying them with much intreatie that they would receiue their gifts Sect. 9. 2. In giuing speedily And with this readinesse must be ioyned speedinesse in giuing and taking our intelligence of our neighbours wants from the report of others or else reading them in their pale visage heauie countenance or poore habit we must let our almes preuent their suite and giue them reliefe before they craue it For as one saith Haec est August Homil. 39. Tâ—m 10. perfecta misericordia c. this is the perfectioÌ„ of mercie that we preuent the suites of the needie and relieue the hungrie before they aske and that mercy is imperfect and it selfe needeth mercy which is extorted with importunate prayers And as it is maimed in it selfe so not so acceptable to the poore for ingratum est beneficium quod diu inter manus dantis Seneca haesit That benefit is vnwelcome and scarce worthy thankes which hath long stucke to the hands of the giuer And therefore herein let vs labour to be perfect as our heauenly father is perfect who oftentimes supplieth our wants before we craue and conferreth vpon vs many benefits which in particular we neuer desired Sect 10. Reasons which may moue vs to giue speedily And this speedinesse in relieuing the poore is implyed by that name διακονία which the Apostle 2. Cor. 8. 4. 9. 1 giueth vnto almesdeedes signifying such a ministration as is performed with speede and diligence being deriued from a word which signifieth to hasten and make speede and is expresly required by the Wise-man in the doing of these workes of mercie Pro. 3. 27. Say not to thy neighbour Pro. 3. 27. goe and come againe and to morrow I will giue thee when thou hast it by thee Vnto which speedy and present dispatch in giuing almes we may be moued by these reasons First because in respect of our neighbour an almes is most seasonable in the time of want and the gift doubled by his desire that receiueth it Againe what knowest thou if to morrow he will neede thy gift the Lord otherwise prouiding for him and so thou shalt loose a fit opportunitie of doing good because thou diddest refuse it when it was offered which will turne thee to
are assuredly good vnto the receiuers and in respect of the giuers thus much may be said that they do much better than those who doe neglect them altogether taking no care that any good should be done either in their liues or after death And though now they can keepe their goods no longer yet being to part with them of necessitie it is good that they make choice freely to bestow them on these good vses wherein they are much to bee preferred before those who bestow them vpon such vses as are either euill superfluous superstitious or meere worldly and carnall Neither may they iustly be taxed for doing these good workes now but their long delay is to be blamed and because they would not be perswaded to do them sooner Sect. 5. Giuing in our life time is much more commendable and acceptable Which fault that we may auoyde let vs consider that it is much better and more commendable to giue liberally to these good vses in our life time making our owne hands our executors and our eyes our ouer-seers than to leaue our goods to these vses to bee disposed of at the discretion of others According to that Eccli 18. 22. Eccli 18. 22. 25 Let nothing hinder thee to pay thy vow in due time and deferre not vntill death to be iustified When thou hast enough remember the time of hunger and when thou art rich thinke vpon pouertie and neede Secondly it is much more acceptable to God as being a more infallible signe of a stronger faith and more firme affiance in him For if in our life time we giue our goods to the poore because God requireth it we therby euidently declare that we rest vpon Gods prouidence and promises for our prouision seing we dis-furnish our selues of a good part of our meanes euen whilest we haue occasion to vse them Whereas if we keepe all to our selues till the honre of death we may be well suspected of diffidence and want of faith which is the cause why we doe not trust so much in God as in our owne prouision and store which we haue about vs. So also it is an euidence of greater loue and obedience if at Gods commandement and for his sake wee can willingly part with our goods when they are still in our power and might be conuerted to our owne vse than if we bestow them to such vses when as death approaching we can keepe them no longer For it is a small matter to giue vnto God that which though we would neuer so fayne we cannot carry with vs and it is next to neglecting to doe so late For what great thing is it if we be perswaded to put off our clothes when as we are ready to go to bed to giue away the reliques of our meate in the Inne when we are ready to take horse and to set forward our iourney into another country Yea what thanks is it if we then giue away our apparell when we haue so long worne it that it will hange on our backes no longer and then part with our meate when whether we will or no it shall be taken from vs especially when it is done in this hope that our rotten raggs shall be changed into robes of immortalitie and our perishing meate shall be supplyed with the bread of life To which purpose an ancient Father saith Alas poore wretch Basil in Diuit auaros Serm. 2. wilt thou then be liberall and kinde vnto men when as thou canst no longer liue among them shall I then only say that thou art louing to thy brethren when as I shall see thee a dead carcase Thou art no doubt worthy great praise of thy liberalitie and great honour and grace is due vnto thee when lying in thy graue and being turned vnto dust thou shalt appeare munificent and bountifull Sect. 5. Giuing in our life-time most seasonable and best fitted to occasions Thirdly It is required not only that we giue but also that we giue seasonably and that is when we see our neighbours wants and haue power and abilitie to helpe and relieue them for as in sowing our seede we doe not thinke it enough if at some times wee be ready to cast it into the ground but we haue also speciall respect to the season and seede-time so is it in sowing the seeds our almes deeds which if wee sow not before death it is as if we should deferre the sowing of our seede till the very time when we should reape our haruest Now are we sayling towards to the Holy Land and these works of mercy like a good gale of winde driue vs forward vnto the wished hauen now are we to dispatch our spirituall market wherein God offereth vnto vs for temporarie trifles euerlasting treasures now is the time of our christian warfare wherein we are to fight against the deuill the world and our owne carnall and couetous lusts and then we ouercome the world and our selues when we are wholy taken vp with the workes of mercy and can part with our earthly goods in loue towards God and compassion towards our neighbours But if we deferre them till after death and will giue nothing to the poore till all must be taken from vs it is like a faire gale of winde after ship wracke as if we should set out our wares when the market is done make great braggs of our valour when the fight is finished and we put to flight Besides the workes of mercy are best done when they are fitted to the occasions and wants of those vnto whom they are performed and not to giue vnto them when their necessitie requireth but when we can best spare our goods is as if the steward should giue foode to the familie not at meale-times or when they are most hungry but when as himselfe hath nothing else to doe or when he can keepe the foode in his store-house no longer because theeues haue digged through the wall and are now ready with violence to take it away from him Sect 6. No certaintie of doing good by legacies Fourthly It is much better that we doe our selues the workes of mercy in our life time than to leaue them to bee done by others after our deaths not onely because the seed-time being much more seasonable we may assuredly expect a much more fruitfull haruest but also because if we doe not take the time present and relieue our poore brethrē whilest it is in the power of our Pro. 3. 27. hands to doe it we can haue no certaintie that they will euer be done by vs at all For either we may be stripped of all our goods before our death and so haue nothing to bequeath to these vses or death may take vs suddenly away and giue vs no time to dispose of our goods or our sicknes may be of such a nature that it will depriue vs of the vse of our memory and vnderstanding or else if all things be left in good order by our Will yet