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A26078
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A theological discourse of last vvills and testaments by William Assheton.
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Assheton, William, 1641-1711.
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1696
(1696)
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Wing A4046; ESTC R17297
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32,407
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122
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thereof as well in Matters concerning the Corporation as in electing of Officers and Management of their Revenues and impose Penalties on Offenders against the said Laws and recover the same to the use of the said Corporation And therein it is appointed that the persons thereby Constituted to be the first President Vice-President Treasurers and first Assistants should continue in their respective places until the second Thursday in November 1679. And from thenceforth until there should be a new Choice made of persons to succeed them And that on every second Thursday in November for ever or oftner if there be occasion there should be a General Assembly of the said Governors and the Major part of the Members then present might chuse a President Vice-President three Treasurers and Forty two Assistants who should continue for the Year following And that in case of the death of any of the said Officers within the Year others might be chosen at a General Assembly into their places And that such General Assembly might Elect such other person or persons to be Members and Governors of the said Corporation as they or the greater part of them shall think fit Provided That the President Vice-President and Treasurers above-named should before they enter upon their Places take their Oaths before the Lord Chancellor faithfully to execute their Respective Trusts And that all other the Members of the said Corporation before they act as Assistants and all succeeding Presidents Vice-Presidents Treasures Assistants and all other their inferior Officers should take the like Oath before the Persons by the said Charter impowr'd to administer the same And that the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Lord High-Chancellor of England Lord Archbishop of York or Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England Lord High-Treasurer Lord Bishop of London Lord Almoner and the Lord Mayor of London for the time being should be the Visitors of the said Corporation and settle all differences about the Government thereof and touching the disposition of their Revenues HAving thus publish'd this great favour of his late Majesty here are next set down the Forms of Subscriptions and also how any Legacy in Money or Houses and Land may be given by WILL to the said Corporation I _____ of _____ do promise to pay to the Governors of the Charity for Relief of poor Widows and Children of Clergy-men the Sum of _____ Sterling on or before the _____ Witness my Hand I _____ of _____ do promise to pay to the Governors of the Charity for Relief of poor Widows and Children of Clergy-men the Sum of _____ Sterling at the two usual Feast days of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Michael the Archangel by equal Portions during _____ The first payment to be made at the next of the Feast Days above mentioned that shall happen after the Date hereof Witness my Hand This may be inserted among LEGACIES in a WILL. ITem I give and bequeath unto the Governors of the Charity for Relief of poor Widows and Children of Clergymen the Sum of _____ Pounds to be paid to one of the Treasurers For devising HOVSES or LANDS ITem I give and devise unto the Governors of the Charity for Relief of poor Widows and Children of Clergymen and their Successors for ever all that my Messuage _____ and Lands Situate and being in _____ IT is thought fit and requisite to give notice That the Governors of this Charity by the assistance of many worthy persons who have bountifully contributed thereunto and whose names are Registred as Benefactors Have not only made some Purchases as a Yearly Bond but also distributed considerable Sums amongst poor Widows and Children of Clergymen And also several poor Children are Yearly placed forth Apprentices by the Direction and Encouragement of the Stewards It is therefore much hoped That considerable Subscriptions will still be made Gifts and Legacies bequeathed in all parts of this Kingdom Such a certain Method and Security being Established for the due Administration of this Charity so that nothing can be diverted to any other use All Persons who shall please to promote this Charity or have any thing to communicate concerning the same may direct Letters as occasion shall require to Mr. Thomas Tyllot the Register of the Corporation at Doctors Commons LONDON FINIS THE CONTENTS THE Design of this Treatise Page 2 That Divines may Discourse of Last Wills and Testaments and how Page 3 Directions concerning Last Wills and Testaments Ib. I. Make your Will in your Health Ib. For 1. If you defer it to your Sick-Bed you may possibly never make it at all Page 4 Or 2. It is then most commonly imperfect and Defective Page 7 3. Disturbing to the Dying Testator Page 12 II. Make a Christian Will. Page 15 III. Make a Prudent Will Page 19 Express this Prudence 1. In the form of Words and Phrases in which the Will is Drawn and Composed Ib. 2. In the Subject-matter of the Will the Distribution of an Estate whether Real or Personal 20 IV. Make a Just Will Page 24 The nature of Restitution Page 26 The Reason of it Page 30 V. Make a Charitable Will Page 33 It is the Duty of the Clergy earnestly to move Sick and Dying Persons to be liberal to the Poor Ib. Charity commanded by St. Paul Page 35 By St. James Page 40 By St. John Page 41 By our B. Saviour Page 43 And in the Law and the Prophets Page 47 Motives to Charity 1. Charity to the Poor makes us like unto God Page 51 2. It is an Act of Justice Page 53 3. 'T is the most proper expression of our Gratitude to God 4. 'T is an Act of Prudence and of great Advantage to our Selves I. With Respect to this Life 1. To Preserve 2. Increase 3. Sanctify an Estate Page 62 c. II. Charity shall be rewarded in the Life to come Pleas and Pretences to excuse the neglect of Charitable Distributions Plea I. Pressing of Charity is Popish Answ Page 78 Plea II. The Laws have provided for the Poor Answ Page 80 Plea III. My Estate is but small Answ Page 82 Plea IV. I have Wife and Children to provide for Debts to be paid Answ Page 83 Plea V. There are so many Objects of Charity I may give away all my Estate Answ Page 87 Plea VI. I will remember the Poor when I Die Answ Page 91 Plea VII Charity is often abused Gifts and Legacies are Perverted Answ Page 95 Poor Widows and Children of Clergymen most humbly recommended Page 97 An Abstract of the Charter for Relief of Poor Widows and Children of Clergy-men Ib. Catalogue of some Books printed for B. Aylmer A Conference with an Anabaptist Being a Defence of Infant-Baptism In 8 vo price 12 d. A Theological Discourse of Last Wills and Testaments In 8 vo price 12 d. A Short Exposition of the Preliminary Questions and Answers of the Church-Catechism Being an Introduction to a Defence of Infant-Baptism Price 2 d. Directions in order to the Suppressing of Debauchery and Prophaneness 2 d. A Discourse against Blasphemy Being A Conference with M. S. Concerning 1. The Rudeness of Atheistical Discourse 2. The Certainty and Eternity of Hell Torments 3. The Truth and Authority of the Holy Scriptures 2 d. A Discourse against 1. Drunkenness 2. Swearing and Cursing 2 d. These are the price of each of these small books single but for the encouragement of those that are so charitably inclined to give away some quantities of them they may have them at ten shillings a hundred At Brab Aylmer 's in Cornhill These above all Writ by the Reverend William Assheton D. D. Certain Propositions by which the Doctrine of the H. Trinity is so explained according to the Ancient Fathers as to speak it not Contradictory to Natural Reason Together with a Defence of them in Answer to the Objections of a Socinian Writer in his newly printed Considerations on the Explications of the Doctrine of the Trinity Occasioned by these Propositions among other Discourses in a Letter to that Author A Second Defence of the Propositions By which the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity is so Explained according to the Ancient Fathers as to speak it not Contradictory to Natural Reason In Answer to a Socinian Manuscript In a Letter to a Friend Together with a Third Defence of those Propositions in Answer to the Newly published Reflections contained in a Pamphlet Entituled A Letter to the Reverend Clergy of Both Universities Both by Edward Lord Bishop of Glocester Lately Printed the Holy Bible Containing the Old Testament and the New With Annotations and Parallel Scriptures To which is annexed the Harmony of the Gospels As also the Reduction of the Jewish Weights Coins and Measures to our English Standards And a Table of the Promises in Scripture By Samuel Clark Minister of the Gospel Printed in Folio of a very fair Letter and good Paper the like never before in one Volume The Four Last Things viz. Death Judgment Heaven and Hell practically Consider'd and Applied in several Discourses By William Bates D. D.
Pounds you do not ride in your Coach and Six nor eat in Plate If this be your notion of a small Estate your Estate perhaps is not only small at present but ever shall be But not to Rally your Ambition nor expose your impertinent Notion of being Rich if your Estate is but small your Charity may be small likewise For if there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not 2 Cor. 8. 12. The Widow's Mite because chearfully offered was better accepted than the Rich Mens Abundance PLEA IV. My Estate indeed is Competent but I have Wife and Children and a Family to provide for I have Debts and Encumbrances upon my Estate and till these Expectations are answered I have little left for Charity ANSWER 1. True Christian Charity doth not exclude Acts of Justice such as these now mentioned but suppose them 'T is therefore your Duty to provide for your Wife and Children 1 Tim. 5. 8. But how must these be provided for Not according to your Projecting Ambition or their extravagant Expectations but according to more sober and prudent Measures provide so for them as to encourage their Industry that they may live decently according to your present Rank and Quality and may be enabled to maintain your Character when they fill your Place and enjoy your Estate beyond this do not concern your Self for them They that will be Rich i. e. they who resolve and make it their chief design to be Rich they fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition 1 Tim. 6. 9. Be so wise therefore 2. To provide for your Self as well as your Family and do not hazard an Immortal Soul nor make your self not only a Drudge in this World but eternally miserable in the next to raise them to a Grandeur which shall only instruct them to despise your Meanness and by making Provision for the flesh the more artificially to ruin themselves What is suggested concerning Debts and Encumbrances is a very uncertain pretence since many men who are in Debt may be out of it when they please Great Purchasers and great Dealers who grasp at all are seldom out of Debt and if such men must be excused from Charity till they have paid their Debts the Poor and the Publick will be little better for them But 't is the Duty of the Clergy 3. To admonish such Men That they are obliged to be just to God as well as their Creditors They who talk so much of paying their Debts as if that might excuse them from giving to the Poor let them first take care to pay their Debts to God in Charitable Distributions which I thus prove to be their Duty When God gave them their Estates either by Descent from others or their own Industry he reserved to himself a Chief-Rent a proportionable Part of their Incomes which he commands them to give as occasion shall require to the Publick and to the Poor and will they not be just to God their great Landlord as well as to their lesser Creditors Will they not pay God his own let them know therefore if they refuse their Chief Rent of Charity they have forfeited their Estates and God may take the Seisure When and How he pleaseth PLEA V. I am inclined to give to the Poor but there are so many Objects of Charity that I know not where to begin nor when to end should I give to every one who asketh I might soon squander away my whole Estate and perhaps have little thanks for so doing for these begging People are so rude and censorious that though I may have given in former instances even beyond my Ability yet if I do not give likewise to them I shall be clamoured and railed at as if I had given nothing at all ANSWER Your Charity as all other Passages of your Life must be regular and governed by Prudence Otherwise in this as well as other Christian Duties you may offer the Sacrifice of Fools A Good man sheweth favour and lendeth he will guide his Affairs with Discretion Psal 112. 5. You must not therefore pretend to give at large to every one that asketh no nor to every one that wanteth For there is no law of God or Man that doth oblige you to impoverish your Self and Family by relieving of Others And therefore that you may neither be wanting to the Poor nor to your Self give me leave to propose this following Method Having taken a true Estimate of the Value and Circumstances of your Incomes then settle a a Charity-Fund By Separating and Dedicating some proportionable Part of your Estate to Charitable Vses This Method is plainly suggested if not commanded by St. Paul 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. Now concerning the Collection for the Saints as I have given order to the Churches of Galatia even so do ye Vpon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him What Proportion you are to separate or in the Apostle's Language lay by you in store whether a Tenth a Twentieth a Thirtieth or a Fortieth c. I must not pretend to Determine For St. Paul hath left you to your liberty with this general Caution To do as God shall prosper you Those who have large Estates and no Children to provide for that are not clog'd with Debts nor such like Encumbrances they are obliged to Dedicate the more but of those who have many Children to provide for and are pressed with Debts and other Encumbrances God will doubtless accept the less Let every man according as he purposeth in his heart and according as his Circumstances will permit so let him give not grudgingly or of necessity for God loveth a chearful giver 2 Cor. 9. 7. By this Expedient of a Fund or Poor-Man's Box which is heartily commended to you your Charity will be ready and chearful as well as Regular and Prudent And because Examples are more intelligible than Precepts and do usually make the firmer impression I shall therefore repeat this following Passage of Mr. William Whately sometime Vicar of Banbury a famous Preacher who upon occasion thus Addressed himself to his friend You know Sir some years since I was often beholding to you for the Lone of 10 l. at a time The truth is I could not bring the Year about though my Receipts were not despicable and I was not at all conscious to my Self of any vain Expences or of Improvidence At length I began to examine my Family what relief was given to the Poor and although I was assured that was not done nigardly yet I could not be so satisfied but resolved instantly to lay aside every Tenth shilling of all my Receipts for Charitable Vses And to let you see how well I have thrived this way in a short time now if you have occasion to use an 100 l. or