good Now he is a sollicitous Shepherd running after the strayed Sheep to bring him back to the Flock Then he is a Father compassionate of the misery to which debauchery had brought his Son whom he reclaims by managing the spirit of the young Man with all the tenderness in the bowels of a Father A Traveller is wounded by Thieves on the Road to Jericho and he becomes a Physician to his Wounds A Samaritan Woman is desirous to see Jesus and he charitably sets himself to instruct her thereby to gain her and that thirst he would quench by drinking the Water he demanded from her is only the figure of a greater thirst and zeal which he had for her salvation He humbles himself to appear unto Magdalen even like a Gardener and to comfort her he converses familiarly with her in so mean an outside To be short he becomes a Traveller with the Disciples going to Emaus to free them from that doubt and trouble into which their distrust had thrown them The Gospel is full of a thousand other testimonies of his bounty towards us When we flie from him he follows us He calls us when we forget him He pressingly urges us when we will not hear him When we slight him he complains kindly of us And when we return to him after having offended him he seems so sensible that he takes more pleasure to make his own joy and that of his whole coelestial Court break out at the repentance of one sinner then at the fidelity and perseverance of a great number of Just because his glory appears more in pardoning then punishing St. John thunders forth nothing but threats and terrors to his Hearers because he speaks in the spirit of Elias Jesus Christ says nothing but what is sweet and mild because he speaks according to his own Maximes and in his own Spirit which is that of the law of Grace But never did the love of God towards Man appear more then at his Passion For that very night wherein Man conspired his death this God of goodness thought of nothing but to leave him marks of his mercy and tenderness And at the same time that one of his Disciples by the blackest of Treasons betrayed him to his Enemies to be put to death he gave his most sacred Body for food for their Souls He died at last loaded with reproach and ignominy after having been dragged from Tribunal to Tribunal forsaken by his own Disciples and abandoned by all the World He died a publick and infamous Death nailed to a Cross amidst the Blasphemies of those that put him to death But he died with a silence a sweetness a tranquility a patience a peace and quiet which astonisht his very Executioners They reproacht him when he was dying that he could save others but not himself Nor was this reproach without reason because he thought no longer of himself but only of men And amidst the horrors of so cruel a Death plunged in a sea of grief and bitterness he never open'd his dying eyes nor turn'd them towards heaven but to implore the mercy of his Father even for those that put him to death saying Father forgive them for they know not what they do He shed his Bloud he died for the salvation of the Executioners that crucified him What excess of love How incomprehensible to our capacity S. Chrisostom had reason to say That the greatest testimony Christ gave of his Divinity was the extending his love even to all those who killed him for nothing less then God could love at a rate so much above the reach of Man But though the Expressions of that love which the Son of God had for Man are very observable in divers places of the Old Testament under the Figures of the Patriarchs and Prophets yet are they nowhere more strong and tender then in the New Testament where Christ himself speaks of it as of one of the most essential Points of his Doctrine So as the whole Morality of the Gospel turns on this Principle That the true Spirit of Christianity is to have charity for on 's Neighbour Every thing conspires to settle there this important Maxime which is the fundamental Point of our Religion For though the Evangelists wrote nothing by agreement and that the Gospel seems to have been publisht rather upon occasion then by design yet since 't is the Doctrine of their Master they write we find therein so great a conformity of Sentiments on this Principle of Christian Charity that it sufficiently appears by their manner of declaring it there is nothing more essential to Christianity then the love of our Neighbour The whole law says St. Matthew is comprehended in this precept 'T is the most important of all says St. Mark Jesus Christ carries it to a higher pitch of perfection in St. Luke where he obliges the faithful represented by his Apostles To love their enemies to do good for evil and to pray for their calumniators Last of all St. John who knew most of his Masters secrets and penetrated deepest into his thoughts places the essential mark of a Christian in the love of our Neighbour By this all men shall know says our Saviour by the mouth of this Apostle that you are my disciples if you love one another This is the commandment of the law of Grace whereunto is reduced all the perfection of the New Testament And the Saviour of the World recommended nothing so earnestly to his Disciples in the last moments of his life as Concord and Union Because this Union was to be the foundation of the Religion he establisht The Evangelists do not only speak all according to this Principle but 't is apparent the same Spirit makes them speak They treat their friends and enemies both alike in their History A God murthered by men and an innocent man oppressed by calumny might have afforded their zeal some reason for exaggeration yet they allow themselves nothing which has any shew of emotion or violence They relate the treason of Judas the cruelty of the Executioners the injustice and violence of the Magistrates without any touch of bitterness against their persons They speak in a way apt to make one believe they had no concern in what they say A spirit so uninterested is without example and whereof the common sort of men are uncapable 'T is only Christianity that is to say a Discipline wholly coelestial which can inspire so much moderation We see the first fruits of this Spirit in the Acts of the Apostles which is the History of the establishment of Christianity For as the Historian relates the Christians did then live in such a Union as if they had all one and the same heart and one and the same soul The propriety of Goods which ordinarily causes dissentions amongst men was no obstacle to this Union for all their Goods were in common They brought and laid at the feet of the Apostles their Revenues Rents Bonds Contracts Jewels and all
THE SPIRIT OF Christianity S.G. LONDON Printed by Henry Hills Printer to the King 's most Excellent Majesty for his Houshold and Chappel 1686. TO THE KING SIR AS welcom as the Argument of this Treatise always is to Your Majesty and as happy as the Author has been to please You with his managing it I do not Present it yet without a great deal of diffidence 'T is now I fear too coursly Drest to thrust it into the Presence I might peradventure with as good a Grace make Your Majesty a Present of wither'd Flowers or Fruit blown down and bruis'd with the Fall But Scriblers are possess'd with the Spirit of Presumption and make bold with the Names of Princes at every turn and to every Trifle with which their Goodness has had so long patience that Men offend now by Prescription And I perhaps most of all who sin knowingly and with a strong check from the perswasion I have that the importunity of officious Impertinence is not the lightest of the many Burdens which sit so heavy on Greatness But 't is mine and all Your Subjects comfort that Your Majesty can pardon greater Faults And that he is secure enough from being ill receiv'd who entertains You with Christianity though in never so plain a Fashion This comfort has flatter'd me into the boldness of gratifying my Ambition by owning to all the World how much I glory in the happiness of being Your Majesty's Most humble most faithful and most dutiful Subject Walter Kirkham Blount TABLE OF CHAPTERS CHAP. I. IN what consists the true Spirit of Christianity Page 1. CHAP. II. Of the Nature and Qualities of this Charity in which consists the Spirit of Christianity and the Idea of a Christian Pag. 25. CHAP. III. Of the true practice of Charity according to the Spirit of Christianity Pag. 38. CHAP. IV. In what Order Christian Charity ought to be practised Pag. 53. CHAP. V. Of the several Illusions to which the Practice of Charity is subject Pag. 65. CHAP. VI. Of the Means to acquire Christian Charity Pag. 101. CHAP. VII Three powerful Motives to excite a Christian to acquire the Vertue of Charity Pag. 110. CHAP. VIII The Conclusion of this Discourse by way of Exhortation to move Christians to Charity Pag. 124. ERRATA PAge 11. line 18. read blood shed p. 19. l. 8. r. coveted to p. 60. l. 6. r. one soul p. 69. l. 3. r. too much p. 70. l. 25. r. as we ought p. 87. l. 18. r. Command p. 93. l. 21. r. is it self p. 94. l. 6. r. Devotion p. 96. l. 5. r. they advance p. 97 l. 24. r. reflect on p. 100. l. 10. r. open'd to l. 20. r. Is it as much l. 26. r. the mean p. 120. l. 26. r. reign so p. 118. l. 17. r. life the. THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTIANITY CHAP. I. In what consists the true Spirit of Christianity THe Name of Christian a Name sanctified by the Lives of the Apostles who were the first Faithful and consecrated by the bloud of so many Martyrs a Name so divine that it filled the World heretofore with the fame of its glory is at present but as a glimmering light just going out and as a faint shadow of what it was in its infancy 'T is true that there never was perhaps so much talk of Christianity as in these latter Times for every place now rings with the Duties of a Profession so holy Nothing is in our mouth but the first Ages and purity of the Spirit of the Primitive Church but after all we may say very justly there were never so few true Christians as now adays The loosness the excess the corruption of manners in these Times have so disfigured in our hearts the features of this most sacred Character that there scarce remains the least sign of it Fain would we enjoy the honor belonging to this Name without knowing the price of it We attribute to our selves this glorious quality without concern for what 's to be done to deserve it And we vainly boast our selves to be without so much as knowing by what spirit we ought to be Christians Thus we lose the advantage of so elevated a dignity through the little care we take to learn its obligations 'T is then to be wisht that to remedy this evil a Christian be instructed in the nobleness of his Condition and holiness of its Duties by making him comprehend what the Spirit of Christianity is It is a Design of such importance that I should have been far enough from undertaking it of my self had not God inspired me to do it as much for my own instruction as the edification of such as shall take the pains to read this small Treatise Although one cannot be a Christian but by Faith yet one cannot live and act like a Christian but by Charity since the Spirit of Christianity consists only in Charity To understand this Truth we need only consider the Motives of the Incarnation and Passion of Jesus Christ which are the two fundamental Mysteries of Christian Religion In effect as we are only Christians by the heavenly alliance of the Son of God with our Nature and by the inestimable price of his Bloud we degenerate from that Spirit wherein we were conceived if we partake not in the holy motions of that fervent Charity which was the principle of these Mysteries For the Saviour of the World became Man meerly to save Man In his Incarnation he took on himself our infirmities only to free us from them He embraced poverty in his birth only to enrich us He suffered death in his Passion only to give us life And what is more to be admired Man was worthy of nothing but his hate when God gave him such signal testimonies of his love Before this ineffable Mystery we had some Idea of the Greatness Power and Majesty of God but we had says S. Paul no manner of knowledge of his Mercy and Goodness The excess of this love has appeared in the sequel so much above the wit of Man that all human reason as Salvian assures us has not hitherto been well able to justifie the disproportion of the price of the death of an innocent Son which God gave to redeem guilty Servants 'T is true that from the first step the Son of God made by his Incarnation towards the Salvation of Mankind the whole course of his life appears very opposite to ours He would be born in poverty and distress who might have been born in greatness and plenty to teach us that he seeks us not our wealth and treasure and that he requires nothing of us but our selves He concerns himself with nothing else He is so far from avoiding our ignominy that he made himself like us only to take it upon him and divests himself of his Greatness to cloath himself with our meanness But to give us yet greater testimonies of his love he transforms himself into all shapes that tenderness can inspire to do us
the Wealth which each one possessed This disengagement from all things united them more firmly together They had but one spirit because they had but one interest The first flames of this love broke out at the death of St. Stephen who had the glory to lay his life first down for Jesus Christ Stones flew about him from all parts The Plains eccho'd with the cries of those that encourag'd one another to kill this holy Levite His face was batter'd with blows his ribs broken his breast beaten through his breath e'en quite gone and yet he employed the little strength he had left in begging Gods pardon for those that had treated him so cruelly Lord says he as he was dying lay not this sin to their charge Thus to forget himself and employ his last words and sighs in solliciting God in behalf of a Crime committed upon himself was to tread the very steps of his Master and to be wholly possest with his spirit and to have no thoughts but these of tenderness in the very pangs of so cruel and bitter a death was to die generously like a Christian How pure and holy is the Spirit of Christianity which inspired so much mercy and of how great instruction to Christians the sacrifice of this first bloudshed for the love of Jesus We see in the progress of the same History the Apostles animated by this Spirit to run through the whole World to preach and teach the Gospel to all Nations And that neither the most scorching Sands of Aethiopia nor the Desarts of Africa nor the Frosts of Scythia nor the remotest parts of India nor Seas nor Tempests nor Rocks nor Treasons nor Calumnies nor contradiction of People nor opposition of Laws nor Magistrates nor Governors of Provinces nor all the Power of the World nor Chains nor Prisons nor Gibbets nor even the most cruel Deaths were able to withstand their zeal nor shake the constancy of their hearts Dangers encourage them difficulties animate them and their own weaknesses strengthen them Because the charity by which they are possest renders their own lives inconsiderable when the salvation of their Neighbour is in question The truth is they did miracles which struck people with admiration They commanded the Winds and Tempests Seasons obeyed them and even Nature her self in some sort became their Slave But after all the greatest of their Miracles was their Charity 'T was also this Charity which made them with pleasure sacrifice their honor and life to carry the light of the Gospel to the most remote Nations of the Earth and draw them out of the profound blindness wherein they were This holy Doctrine flew through the World whilst those that preacht it were themselves in Chains and Prisons And nothing perswaded so powerfully the embracing of the Gospel as the Charity of those that publisht it Things in themselves incredible were believed though declared by such as were persecuted by the whole World because they that told them did first practise themselves what they taught others Nor was it necessary they should Preach at all says St. Chrysostom because their life was a continual Sermon 'T is true that the Infidels were scandalized at their Persecutions their Fetters their Imprisonments and their Sufferings But the very Union in which they lived was so powerful that they who most reviled their Sufferings submitted to the Gospel St. Paul likewise inflamed with the same zeal could not behold the reprobation of the Jews a People heretofore so cherisht by God without offering up himself in quality of a Victim and wishing himself anathematized for his Brethren He who had so highly protested that neither Heaven nor Hell nor any thing created should be able to separate him from Jesus Christ now begs to be separated from him for the salvation of his People St. John that beloved Disciple of our Lord had nothing so deeply engraven in his heart as this love for his Neighbour This was the only practice of vertue he preacht to his Disciples as an abridgment of the whole Law of Grace as St. Jerome assures us Love one another says he my dear children 't is the only thing I have to tell you because 't is the only thing needful to be done He of all others speaks most clearly of this Doctrine because he had the advantage of others to sound the Sentiments of his Master by reason of the confidence Jesus Christ was pleased to honor him with above his other Apostles Throughout the whole course of Ecclesiastical History there are found such eminent tracts of this Spirit that it seems as if the Christians endeavoured only by Charity to distinguish themselves from Pagans In their lives there appeared such visible marks of that new fire which Christ came to bring into the World that Christians were known by their Union And this fire wherewith their hearts were full flam'd with such a light that it could not be darkned with Calumny nor extinguisht by Persecution It was likewise that voice of Love and Charity which in preaching of the Gospel was understood by the fiercest and most barbarous Nations and afterwards did chiefly contribute to the establishment of Faith The Heathens said speaking of the Faithful They are obliging charitable always doing good therefore they are Christians for their Belief their Morality and their Gospel is to love their Neighbour and do good to every one They believed this new Religion true because it commanded one Man to love another which is the most reasonable and just Command of all others They became Christians perceiving in how perfect an Union the Christians lived Their meekness goodness affability moderation and inclination to oblige every one more powerfully moved the Heathens to embrace the Doctrine which professed so well-doing a Vertue then all they did And the Faith advanced the faster by the good opinion people had conceived of his holiness who was author of so pure a Law according to the Prayer himself had made to his Father speaking of the Faithful to the end says he they may be united in us and that the world toucht with this Union may believe that it is you my Father who has sent me The Union wherein Christians ought to live is the chief Reason Christ uses to authorize his Mission and excite peoples Faith In effect this Union was so great in the first Ages that St. Clement a Disciple of the Apostles relates in one of his Epistles that he had known divers Christians in his time who themselves became Slaves to free their Brethren out of Slavery and that he had seen others who in a painful and laborious life fed with the labours of their Hands those that were in necessity St. Justin in the Apology he made for Religion before the Emperors to give those Princes a great Idea of Christianity mixes throughout his Discourse the holy Ordinances which Jesus Christ gave the Christians to be charitable and well-doing like their heavenly Father who pours forth his Graces on
the good and the bad Tertullian in the Defence he made of our Religion in the Reign of the Emperor Severus sets forth most admirably well the great Love and Union among Christians whereby they gain'd the esteem of the People 'T is true that in the Reign of the Emperor Vespatian the Christians did so often and liberally assist the imprison'd Martyrs with their temporal Goods that notorious Thieves counterfeited themselves Christians and cast themselves into Prison that so they might partake of their succour A while after the Disorders were so great in Africa that a Bishop of Carthage to remedy them was necessitated to forbid the Christians to give these Alms because the Heathens themselves did privately scoff at the Abuses they committed therein But in process of time these Succours becoming more needful through the great number of Martyrs which increased with the Persecution the Alms were so regulated by St. Cyprian that he took away the abuse without diminishing the abundance The same S. Cyprian did by his Discourses so inflame the Charity of the Carthaginians that he gathered a vast sum of Money and therewith redeemed a great number of Christian Captives whom the Barbarians had carried into Slavery when they entred the Confines of Numidia The Charity of the Christians was more conspicuous under the Emperor Gallienus in the heat of that Civil War which had almost ruin'd the City of Alexandria as Eusebius Bishop of Cesarea relates in his History The reciprocal assistance that Christians gave each other was the more remarkable because the City was divided by two Factions extreamly animated against each other But this spirit of Union was yet more eminent in that dismal Plague which followed the War and destroyed that City before most flourishing They saw there says Eusebius the Christians continually about the Dying and courageously exposing themselves to death in exhorting them to offer up their lives in the submission of their heart And after having received their last sighs with pleasure they saw them wash kiss and bury their Bodies Whilst among the Pagans Neighbour became jealous of Neighbour Friend distrusted Friend they that were nearest related forsook each other in extremity The Father left the Son and the tenderest Mothers caused the dead Bodies of their own Children to be cast out of the Windows In truth the Christians that died in the Duties of such fervent Charity drew so great veneration from all people that the Church of Alexandria registred them among the number of Martyrs whereof she keeps a publick Festival the last of February And Eusebius mentions this Feast in his History After all there is nothing gives so lively a character of the Charity which then flourished among Christians as what happen'd to St. Pacomius He being yet a Heathen and having Listed himself into the Troups of the Emperor Licinius after a long and troublesom Journey arrived at last at Thebes When all the Army came thither the Christians of that City brought them with great joy and forwardness all sort of Refreshments This made him enquire who those charitable People were that came thus thronging to relieve every one They answer'd him they were Christians who professed 't was their duty to do good to all the World Metaphrastus testifies that Pacomius was so toucht with this spirit of well-doing that he ardently courted to be one of those so holy men and he obtain'd his desire for shortly after this accident he obtain'd the Grace of God to become a Christian Evagrius makes an admirable description of that Union wherein the Christians lived at Thebes where the Faith was still in its primitive fervour Eusebius tells us in the Life of Constantine that the humility of Christianity had in such manner annihilated in the soul of this Prince that pride which Sovereignty inspires that when he became Master of the Empire he no longer lookt on his Subjects as his Slaves as the other Emperors had done but he regarded them as his Brothers and Fellow-servants of the same Master and same God that he adored And he made no other use of his Imperial Purple then to fortifie his Authority that he might make holy Ordinances for the ease of his People and satisfie his great inclination to do good to such as God had put under his Power The Forces of the Emperor Theodosius being arrived at Antioch to punish those that had thrown down his Statues the Hermits of the neighbouring Mountains and Desarts round about appear'd all at once issuing out of their solitary Dwellings and Caves to implore clemency of the Emperours Officers for such as had offended Our Prince cried out these holy Hermits is a Christian he will have compassion when he shall know our Complaints and we ought not to suffer you to embrue your Hands in the bloud of our Brethren These holy Men being repulsed by the Soldiers addressed themselves to the Officers and obtain'd a delay of the punishment They immediately put to Sea and being arrived at Constantinople cast themselves at the Emperours feet and offered their own Heads to save those that were guilty The whole Court admired the zeal of so fervent a Charity And St. Chrysostom assures us that the Emperour having pardon'd their Offence gain'd more honor by this act of his clemency then he ever did by the lustre of his Diadem This great Saint could not cease from praising the Law of Jesus Christ which had been so powerful to suppress the rage of so mighty a Prince and to inspire him with such a mild temper as few even private persons are capable of 'T is by the fervour of this Spirit too that so many illustrious Ladies who in the first Ages were the greatest Ornaments of Christianity the Paula's the Marcella's the Albina's the Melania's the Flaccilla's the Paulina's did more honor to Religion then by the nobleness of their Bloud and Birth or the splendour of their Fortune The stream of Ecclesiastical History is fill'd with Examples expressing this Character which then was found in Emperours and private persons in great and in little in Men and Women for in effect this was the true Spirit of Christianity which in following Ages was found more or less fervent according as Religion flourished more or less True it is that this Charity never shew'd its self in its full purity but at its birth and its brightness appear'd so much the greater at the beginning as the Grace that encourag'd it was more strong and more abundant But although it seem that Christianity is become more weak and faint as it runs on farther from its Source through the course of so many Ages yet from time to time some sparks have shew'd themselves of this divine fire of Charity which is the soul of it In these latter Times as well as in the first Ages Paulin's have been seen selling their own Liberties to deliver their Brethren from Servitude There has been found more then once a John Calabite and a John Almoner
But as the World places its Morality in not pardoning by making Revenge a Vertue and the highest pitch of Christian perfection is to love our Enemies Herein it is a Christian ought most to signalize himself Philosophy has not yet been able to reach so far and it is the greatest difficulty in Christianity to practise it But after that Jesus Christ has both by his Doctrine and Example taught us his intentions on that Point a Christian who will live like one ought to lay aside his resentments and weaknesses to pardon any injury done him 'T is confess'd the Heathens have own'd some shadow of this Vertue amidst the darkness of their Morals and there appears some rough draughts of it in their most illustrious actions but after all 't was only out of vanity that they pardoned Their clemency was only a secret pride whereby they sought after applause and reputation On the contrary Christian clemency flies nothing so much as vanity and only seeks the interest and advantage of whom she pardons Besides this there is another sort of Charity to be practised more perfect then the others in regard 't is more pure and disinteressed for it is without hope of any return since it is done for the Dead by assisting with our Prayers those holy Souls which suffer in Purgatory through those painful inquietudes and grievous impatiencies they have to see themselves separated from God These are the Creatures of all the world the most afflicted through the cruel torments they suffer and withal the most worthy to be succour'd for what are not they worthy of that are cherisht and predestinated by God What glory is it for a Christian to be Mediator between God and these holy Souls who cease not to love him though they suffer all the rigor of his Justice and to adore even his chastisements and vengeances 'T is even if we may so say to do God himself a pleasure to succour these Souls because he loves them and his Justice is better satisfied with our Prayers then their Sufferings because our Prayers are voluntary and their Sufferings not And thus the Charity of the Living eases and sweetens the Pains of the Dead But if it be so great a Charity to help the Souls that are but for some time separated from God what will it be then to be assisting to sinners who through their criminal engagements are in danger to be eternally separated from him These wretches do not consider in how deplorable a condition they are and that 't is the greatest madness and blindness to prefer a momentary pleasure before their salvation how great Charity is it to make them comprehend this But what patience sweetness prudence and great circumspection needs there to effect it 'T is a secret spiritual Directors scarce remember to intermix a Fatherly connivance and forbearance with these so necessary medicinal rigors for the cure of a sinner seduced by his ignorance and abandon'd to his weakness One must study the disposition the habitudes the inclinations of his Penitent and observe the way of entring into his heart to exercise there absolutely this charitable severity which cures the Soul But they seldom give themselves this trouble this mixture of authority and love of resolution and compliance of zeal and patience of mildness and austerity are scarce any longer used in Direction the business is precipitated either by composition or by a false principle of rigor to be reputed severe because the World relishes that best This capacity of a Doctor this prudence of a Physician these bowels of a Father and this disinteressedness of a Minister of Jesus Christ are qualities rarely found in one and the same Person to render him a perfect Director In chusing one such as authorize sin by their softness in flattering a sinner by too much compliance and those who by their severities disproportion'd to the weakness of their Penitents serve only to discourage them are alike to be avoided for they are equally dangerous I have stuck a little upon this Point for 't is in this Christian Charity may be best exercised and wherein generally 't is least practised because we are not sufficiently toucht with the deplorable condition of a sinner Although at this day there 's more pretending to Direction then ever yet we scarce see any longer those zealous Directors who are Christianly obstinate to disarm the anger of God against sinners by the austerity of their lives and who draw down the graces of God upon their Penitents by the perseverance of their Prayers and Mortifications 'T is to these charitable Directors we owe those great Conversions which God makes be seen from time to time as striking rays of his mercy These are the ordinary fruits wherewith God takes pleasure to bless the voluntary Penances and Mortifications of those vertuous innocent Souls who in the secret of their hearts deplore the sins of their Brethren which ought to be a great comfort to those Christians whose Retreat deprives them of the other occasions to exercise Charity For a Carthusian a Carmelite a Monk the most retired from commerce with Men may sometimes do as much good at the foot of his Crucifix in assisting his Neighbour by the invisible help of his Prayers as the most eloquent Preachers the most zealous Missioners and and all those whose Profession engages them to serve the Publick in the direction of Souls Besides 't is always less dangerous and often more profitable to speak of Men to God in secret Prayer then to speak of God to Men in the shew and tumult of Preaching I say nothing of that eminent Charity practised heretofore by the Apostles in the primitive Times of Grace which the Saviour of the World prefers before all other Charities because by a generous contempt of death she willingly offers up her life for the salvation of her Neighbour I believ'd I even ought not to speak of it because the exercise of this Chatity is above all Rules and besides 't is one of those extraordinary graces God only bestows on his favourites Not but that in these latter Times some sparks of that sacred fire are seen shining still in Apostolical Men who travel to the farthest parts of the World to water those barren and ingrateful Regions with their sweat and even their bloud to draw down on them the blessings of Heaven and make Christianity flourish there but every one do's not partake of these graces these are the mercies of God and these mercies are great miracles Let us adore the designs of God in those to whom he do's these favours and let us bless him for vouchsafing to cast his eyes on them to allow them the honor to die for him Happy he who in guiding of Souls merits to suffer at least some small persecution though he be not worthy at the expence of his life to serve his Neighbour Happy he who can contribute his tears and sighs to the Conversion of Heathens when he cannot his
It is by this Illusion that after publick Detractions they make Reparations of Honor more to be fear'd then the Detractions themselves and which for the most part serve but to open again the Wound they pretend to close Through this 't is Men would succour others when they are no longer in a Condition to be assisted like the rich Glutton who puts on the Charitable after his death for the salvation of his Brethren whom he would have advertis'd of their licentiousness though he had never practis'd Charity during his life It is through this perversion of Reason some give Alms and pay not their Debts visit Prisons and mind not their domestick Affairs by their Wills leave the most Christian-like Legacies in the World at their Deaths and destroy the Peace and Union of their Family refuse one truly Poor wherewith to draw him out of misery and without discretion give a Wanderer and a Vagabond wherewith to maintain them in their idleness They run about the World to Convert People without thinking to Convert themselves and sometimes lose themselves in seeking too earnestly after those that have stray'd To this Illusion may be reduced the mistaken Conduct of those Directors who by indiscreet Rigors pervert the Ways of God in driving sometimes Sinners from their Confessionary Seats whom his Grace brings thither and disheartning the weak for want of capacity and advice to manage them in their weakness I say nothing of the Indiscretion of those Women who believe themselves Charitable because they do not steal their Neighbours Goods while they rob them of their Honor by their Calumnies They care not for folks Purses but flie at the Reputation of all the World there 's no saving on 's self from their Tongues they examine not a jot all that is said to have the more right to believe every thing and there 's none talk'd of disadvantageously but they are presently perswaded all that 's said is true In fine it is this Spirit of Indiscretion that breaks all the ordinary measures of Charity and takes from it that discernment of knowledge without which this Vertue becomes it self inconsiderable For sometimes it accuses where it ought to excuse and on other occasions praises where it ought to reprehend being thus often subject to mistake through Precipitation and the lightness of Indiscretion The Ninth is the Spirit of Severity for Severity narrows the Heart and deprives it of that extent of Soul which is the chief character of Charity 'T is from this Principle some believe they ought not to indulge any because they pardon themselves nothing and think they have a right to be severe to others because they are so to themselves S. Catherine of Siena avows she was subject to this fault in her first fervors out of a false Vertue and the most vertuous can hardly guard themselves from this weakness for 't is natural for a Man to judge of his Neighbour when he finds himself more perfect then him The care one has to live irreprochably in the World gives a pretence of title to reproch every thing in others and one easily perswades himself he owes none that lenity and indulgence which he refuses to himself If he speaks 't is roughly if he gives his advice 't is severely if he reprehends 't is with impatience and rage 'T is ever a bitter zeal and morose ayre which is seldom other then the effect of a dark and melancholy humour scarce ever the spirit of Charity In which respect this Conduct is but a false Severity for Christian Severity is rigid only to its self and indulgent to others This too was the fault of the Pharisee who blam'd all the rest of Mankind because Fasting ' twice a week he believ'd himself better then them all Thus 't is that Men are severe to their Neighbour when they are so to themselves that they spare none because they favour not themselves and that they speak ill of all the World because they have a severer Morality then others And thus Severity becomes a meer Delusion if founded on any other Principle then Charity Let us place our Glory then rather in Moderation and Charity then in the austerity of our Morals For Should we live only on Ashes says S. Chrysostom if we have not indulgence and love for our Neighbour this austerity would avail us nothing And generally Pride which is the ordinary effect of this Spirit of Severity is so great an obstacle to Charity that men ought to stand so much the more on their guard as they find themselves inclinable to Severity Vertue her self ought to redouble her Distrusts amidst the Applauses she receives for she becomes a snare as soon as she ceases to be pure There is nothing so dangerous as Disorder back'd with a false Zeal as an adhesion to Error hid under the veil of an exemplar Life and as strict Morality with a licentious Belief But if Severity be opposite to Charity when not founded on Mildness Mildness is no less contrary on several occasions when not supported by Severity For it runs into a slackning of Order either by a soft Indulgence or by a timorous Conduct In effect Clemency is pernicious where there needs Rigor and Silence becomes a fault when one should Speak He prevaricates that holds his Tongue in those occasions where Counsels and Reproofs are absolutely necessary Judgment and Knowledge which ought to be the two inseparable companions of Charity will find a middle path between these two Extreams to the edification of our Neighbour the only Mark that Charity should aim at The Tenth is Hypocrisie This is the Illusion of the Pharisees in the Gospel who affect being scrupulous about Trifles and at the bottom have no principle of Sincerity or Honesty They humble their Souls before God by big-look'd Pennances and harden their Hearts to the complaints of the Afflicted and sighs of the Poor They cover their Violences and Injustice with the veil of Devotion and Piety This is the Disorder that reigns most in this Age where Disguise sits upon the very Altar Vertue is scarce any longer practis'd but to get Reputation Men only seek to impose because they mean but to dazle They renounce that Charity which is of obligation and commanded to practise that which is only councell'd They respect the mighty to insult over the weak They have shameful Condescendencies for Great-ones and nothing but Rigour and Imperiousness for the Mean They propose to themselves imaginary Designs of good Works impossible to be effected and leave those that be very easie and necessary But this Hypocrisie may be discerned better if taken a pieces This person so exteriourly moderate and who through an artificial carriage has the repute of being so reasonable is a Fury at home In publick he 's Charitable and a Backbiter in private In Company he speaks well of every one but spares none at his secret Cabals He 's affable to those he esteems but rude to those he
he fears not to have him for his Judge whom he would not acknowledge for his Brother It is a Heart perfectly hardned that being no longer touch'd with any apprehension of fear rebells under the Rod shuts his Ear against the checks of his Conscience and his Eyes against the light of his Reason and becomes insensible of the motions of Humanity 'T is the most rigorous pain wherewith God chastises the rich Man that dies in abundance and leaves vast Wealth to his often unknown Heirs without giving any share to the Poor He thinks not on 't because God gives him not the Grace He might obtain mercy by giving in Alms at least when he 's dying what Death will soon snatch from him But this is a Reflection a rich Man is not worthy of God abandons him to blindness and insensibility at his Death in punishment of his hard-heartedness during his Life to make him feel all the weight of his Justice that regarded not his Mercy which he slighted in slighting the Poor 'T is from this insolent contempt that there arise so many Disorders in Families hence comes the ruine of Houses the Losses the publick Defamations and all the shameful Faults of particular Persons The Providence of God permits to fall into these Misfortunes those who whilst they made profession of Christianity had not any sentiment of love or tenderness for their Neighbour and were Christians but had not the Spirit or Character of a Christian But if the greatness of the Threats of the Son of God is able to frighten us the greatness of his Recompences ought to have much more power over our Hearts to touch them This is the Third Motive In so short a Treatise as I propos'd to my self it would be difficult to comprehend all the Rewards God has promi'sd to Charity the Scripture is full of them 'T is to this Vertue God has promis'd an unconcern for temporal Goods firmness of Faith purity of Manners the comfort of a good Conscience tenderness of Devotion unshakable perseverance in Vertue and the infallible recompence of Salvation God engages himself to pardon every thing in consideration of Charity for it is the ordinary propitiation of Sin One Alms one action of Clemency the pardon of one Injury one work of Mercy is able to hide all the Faults that humane frailty can make us commit Nothing purifies so much the Conscience nothing cleanses more the Mind then Alms-deeds How many simple and humble Persons have render'd themselves worthy to penetrate the Mysteries of the holy Scriptures and enter into the Secrets of God by the light of their Charity It is a sure protection against the frailty of Man and against the occasions of offending God since it resists Sin as the Scripture says It is saith St. Ambrose the remedy against all Disorders Man is subject to This is of all other the most powerful Mediatour to Jesus Christ for it continually solicits this severe Judge who is inflexible to all but Alms. This poor Man whom you have Clothed this sick Man you have Visited this innocent Creature to whom you have given your protection and this afflicted Soul whom you have comforted is Jesus Christ For since Jesus Christ has told us that we do to him what we do to the least of his Servants There is no difference says St. Chrysostom between giving to the Poor and giving to Jesus Christ If then the Poor are Advocates to God if their Intercession is the most assur'd assistance the Rich can expect from their Riches in that dreadful Day of the universal Judgment place your hopes in this Treasure of Gods Mercies where neither Thieves nor Corruption can have access Nay be assur'd that 't is your Charity which will draw upon you the assistance of Heaven in your temporal Occasions and in the afflicting Tribulations whereto the misery of our Condition is so subject For if you are Charitable God will be faithful to the Promises he has made in his Prophet You shall no sooner open your mouth to call him to your aid then he will answer Here I am But what blindness is it in a Christian to have it in his power to merit Heaven by a Glass of Water or a Morsel of Bread given to a poor Man out of the motive of Christian Charity and to refuse it him With what face can he beg pardon of God daily if himself pardons not Would you have others take pity on you take pity on others Do you crave Favours do them your self Do not judge if you will not be judged for as you treat your Neighbour your self shall also be treated After all what Recompence can move a Christians Heart if Heaven cannot that comprehends in it self alone all Rewards and is only promis'd to the Charitable For the Gospel teaches us that the Saviour of the World in that terrible Day wherein he shall Judge the Universe will shew mercy only to those that have been merciful since in opening the Heavens to his Elect he will say to them these words You who have clothed and fed me in the person of the Poor come receive an eternal reward which I have prepar'd for your mercies Behold what the price is of Christian Charity it merits an eternal recompence by a piece of Bread given to a poor Man for the love of Jesus Christ it gains heavenly Goods by earthly ones and for perishable Riches receives those will never perish Behold what Vertue the Spirit of Christianity has in it to produce the solid fruits of Eternity by mean weak and slight Works For how many Christians are there that sanctifie a Life in other respects but ordinary nay sometimes imperfect by the sole exercise of Charity How many Souls have been rais'd to a sublime perfection by the only practice of this Vertue which includes in it self all the perfection of Christianity These are Motives capable to make impression on a Heart that is prevented by the light of Faith and is really touch'd with the hopes of what our Religion proposes to us But since we are in an Age wherein Christian Charity is much cool'd by the nicety of so many new Interests brought into the World which divide Mens minds let us endeavour to reinforce the heat of this Vertue by Considerations still more pressing being its practice is so necessary CHAP. VIII The Conclusion of this Discourse by way of Exhortation to move Christians to Charity IF the Spirit of Christianity be nothing else but the Spirit of Charity as it appears by this Discourse let us see if we are Charitable to judge whether we are Christians For the Law of Charity is the Law of the New Testament written in the bottom of our hearts by the Impression of the Holy Ghost So that it would be strange that Christians instructed in a School of Unity modell'd by the same Maxims redeemed with the same Blood fed with the same Bread that have the same Faith the same Hope and are one