very noble monument you have set up I could not but observe it when I was in your Parish-Church at Tardebig and it shews an hand no more straiten'd in erecting it than the heart was to her I mean your Excellent deceased Lady for whom 't was erected But how much nobler a Monument is what you are erecting here That stands a demonstration of your just piety towards Her whose memory is and will be always sweet and 't is a very good testimony of your belief and hopes of an happy resurrection that you desire to sleep and wake together for 't is the same burying place you have made for your self in which her remains are But this will be the more lasting one and when that shall molder into dust or perish in the last great conflagration this will be then freshest and ready to accompany you into glory As through Christ's merits all other good works will and so the Apostle hath said for in due season we shall reap if Gal. 6. 9. we faint not 't is all and the best gratitude I can return in my own name or the name of those who are subjects of your great Charities to be putting up our prayers that you may not be weary in well-doing there 's nothing we can wish happier to your self nothing more for his glory to whom your Charities are thus devoted In whom I am Most honour'd Sir Yours In all faithful Duty and Humility Benj. Woodroffe 1 TIMOTHY Chap. VI. Ver. 17 18 19. Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded nor trust in uncertain riches but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy That they do good that they be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life THE Apostle as St. Chrysostom observes on this place speaking of those who are rich in this world gives us to understand that there are others who are the rich of the other world Such says He was Lazarus 't was not gold or silver or any other corruptible fading wealth in which He abounded but in those hidden Treasures which neither eye had seen nor ear heard nor had 1 Cor. 2. 9. entred into the heart of man 'T was not his lot to have the comforts and enjoyments of this world but what this world could not give the joyes and satisfactions of a good mind the Victories and Triumphs of Faith which enabled him to trample on the world the flesh and the Devil were his constant attendants He had not the purple and fine linen of Him at whose gate He was laid not his every day's sumptuous fare but what so much exceeded both the Robes of his Lord's righteousness were his daily wear the feast of a good conscience was his constant provision However as his name spoke his present condition for so 't is in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one who hath no help He was helpless and forlorn here yet at the same time was He the peculiar care of Heaven and the dear charge of Divine Providence Dispised as He lay at the rich man's yet He was not so at Heaven's gate that standing alwaies open to Him not so loathed for his sores but that which is the best health the soundness of a sincere and honest heart recommended Him to Abraham's bosom and the Angels themselves were ready to Luk. 16. 20 21 22. carry him thither But such as He are not the rich to whom the Charge is given in the text No need to bid them not to be high-minded for humility it self is not the least part of their wealth No need to bid them not trust in uncertain riches they have none such to depend on but they have a surer foundation whereon to build the Rock of Ages the living God who can never fail nor forsake those who rely on him No they are the rich in this world all whose wealth and hopes lie here whose gold is their God and as 't is v. 6. of this chapter gain their godliness to whom Timothy here is so strictly to give the charge that they be not high-minded nor trust in uncertain riches but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy c. In handling of which and the following words I have read unto you what better method can be observ'd than what the Holy Ghost himself here directs and accordingly taking them up in the order in which He hath deliver'd them I shall from the first of these verses observe I. 1. The proness there is in the rich in this world to be high-minded and trust in uncertain riches 2. The little reason they have to be so as 1. From the uncertainty of the riches they so much trust in so 2. From the certainty of much better riches to be had by trusting in the living God From the next verse I shall proceed to observe II. The positive duty here injoyn'd whereby to evidence this their trust in Him viz. to do good to be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate with III. The great encouragement to this duty in the glorious reward that attends it from the last verse as 't is laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life I begin with the first I. The proneness there is in the rich in this world to be high-minded and trust in uncertain riches so we are told Psal 73. 6. therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain Violence covereth them as a garment v. 8. they are corrupt and speak wickedly concerning oppression they speak loftily v. 9. they set their mouth against the Heavens and their tongue walketh through the Earth Behold these are the ungodly who prosper in the world they increase in riches And hard is it for a man to increase in riches and not increase in pride Go throughout the Earth call to remembrance past ages take the examples of the present and you shall find the confidence men are so apt to place in the multitude of these vain transitory perishing things still betraying them to the greatest acts of insolence and inhumanity What but this made Pharaoh say who is the Lord that I Exod. 5. 2. should obey his voice What but this made Rabshakeh and his Master Sennacherib Isai 37. 17. reproach the living God What but this made Belshazzar praise the Gods of gold and Dan. 5. 4. of silver of brass of iron of wood and stone What but this made Darius accept of divine honours as if Dan. 6. 7. 8 9. Himself had been a God What but this made the fool NABAL for so was his 1 Sam. 25. 25. v. 17. name and folly was with him such a son of Belial that no man could speak unto Him according to that of
communicate Now doing good will extend as far as there is any thing that can be the object of our Charity and that being the Body and Soul of those to whom we owe this it will reach to all the outward and inward temporal or spiritual wants of our Brother To the former will belong the feeding the hungry the cloathing the naked the taking in the stranger the visiting the sick and imprison'd the ransoming the captive the relieving the opprest c. To the later the comforting the sorrowful the assisting the weak the reforming the vitious the instructing or advising the ignorant the imparting to them the knowledge of God and his ways the teaching them the Principles of Religion praying for all men and studying the good of their immortal Souls and as far as God shall enable what of this we cannot do by our selves to do it by others by providing fit means and persons to carry on these charities that so neither the Body nor Soul of our Brother may be left naked or hungry none of his wants may be left unprovided for Now this we cannot be too intent upon this is that wealth in the pursuit whereof we cannot be too covetuous cannot too much set our heart upon it for as to the frequency of such actions the rule is we must be rich in good works as to the sincerity and constancy of our affections ingaged therein we must be ready to distribute willing to communicate And that as the best proof we can give of our trusting in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy For by this we make it appear that as we look upon Him as the fountain of all so to this fountain we desire all the stream's should again return By this we make it appear that 't is to his power his goodness his wisdom his Justice his faithfulness and truth we commit all for to be the living God is all this It being the same thing to be the fountain of life and of all other perfections whatsoever This is all I shall say as to the extent and manner of acquitting our selves in this Duty as it 1. reaches all the wants of our Brother and 2. requires the sincerity and constancy of our affections and 3. is the best proof of our trusting in the living God to which for the farther illustration of its excellency I might add 4. the perfection of the Rule we have for it which is no less than the whole Law and Gospel the summ of both being Love and Charity with 5. the perfection of the great example of this excellent Grace which is God Himself for He 1 John 4. 8. is Love all the works of Creation and Redemption are but one display of his beneficence Our Lord Jesus Christ too our great Redeemer he is all Love 't was that brought him down from Heaven that carried him through all he did and suffer'd for us here below and that now employs him as our Advocate and Intercessor at the right hand of the Majesty on high Nor is the holy Ghost any thing but the Spirit of Love Gal. 5. 22. 't is Love that he sheds abroad in our hearts and by Rom. 5. 5. what alone the highest honour certainly as well as the highest happiness of the Creature we can be made perfect even as our Math. 5. 48. Father which is in heaven is perfect But these are too large topicks to be enter'd on at present what therefore we must content our selves with is what was observ'd from the third part of the Text viz. III. The encouragement to this Duty in the certain reward that will attend it expressed in those words Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life The Foundation is the chief strength and support of every building the more firm and durable that is the more firm and durable will be whatever is superstructed on it This our Lord hath most aptly set out in his Parable of the wise man building his house upon a rock and the rain descended and the flouds Math. â— 24. 25 came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell not for it was founded on a rock Now no rock so sure as that of Charity the rains may descend the flouds come the winds blow and beat upon the house that is thus founded sickness afflictions persecutions tryals temptations death judgement are these rains these flouds these winds but it will not cannot fall It hath the word of God which must stand for ever to uphold it for so 't is written you heard it in one of the Chapters read this day * The Chapters read were Is 32. for the first lesson Math. 25. for the second the liberal deviseth liberal things and by liberal things shall he stand Is 32. 8. again blessed is he that considereth the poor the Lord will deliver him in the time of trouble the Lord will preserve him and keep him alive the Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness Psal 41. 1. 2. and Math. 10. 29. 30. There is no man that hath left house or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake and the Gospel's 't is only exalted Charity can lead us to such high degrees of self-denyal but he shall receive an hundred fold nâ—w in this time houses and brethren and sisters and mother and children and lands with persecutions and in the world to come eternal life Would we have this still more expresly take it then in that account there is given of the manner of proceedings to be at the day of judgement according as men shall have done good been rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate for so we read Math. 25. 34. 35 36. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand come ye blessed of my father inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world for I was an hungred and you gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in naked and ye cloathed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came unto me And what now will encourage to the duty if not the having whatever of Charity we do to others accepted of Christ as done to himself what so crown all as when by every the least Alms we shall do for his sake we shall be intitled to his kingdom But besides that it is written and they are the promises of him with whom is no variableness or shadow of turning so in reason it cannot be otherwise For can we if I may so speak ingage the living God for 't is to him we lend what we give to Prov. 19. 17. the poor 't is for his sake we yield up our present possession in the works
of Charity for his sake we part with the riches of this world can we trust in him to be our paymaster and is he that eternal Being whose power wisdom goodness justice and truth are all infinite and can we imagin where these are all at stake he should not recompence hereafter what is done for his name's sake now Heaven and earth may pass away these material ones will but he who governs both will be always the same and as such 't is a sure foundation we build on a sure pledge and earnest of eternal life must give them who trust in him a share in glory But one thing more is there I cannot but observe for the encouragement to this Duty from the phrase in which the reward is here promis'd viz. that they may lay hold of eternal life Laying hold is as 't were the taking seism of what we reach after the begining to enter on the possession of what we hope for a more full estate in Now that with respect to a future life charity doth It begins to enter within the veil whilst here and anticipates eternity by imploying it self in that work in which that shall be spent so Heavenly so truly divine a thing is it to be doing good to be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate that he can never miss his way to happiness above who hath so much of it in what he doth below But if this be the good foundation we must lay up in store for our selves against the time to come If the hand of charity be that which must lay hold on eternal life If it be an hand which as 't were reaches to it here and even anticipates the possession in the works which fit us for it If we may have so much of real Heaven and its happiness in the way to it When then must we begin to lay in this store When thus to lay hold on eternal life Now this to me seems to be directed by the Holy Ghost in the first words of the text for if it be charge them that are rich 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this world in this the present age and time then 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this world in this the present age and time they are to apply themselves to this duty And certainly it is so with respect to all charity as 't is the fulfilling of that Law which always requires our constant Obedience and therefore no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no moment to be supposed wherein we are excused from paying our duty to it But 't is not with reference to our ordinary charities which are the whole life of every Christian that I put the Question Those are not the occasion of this days meeting or discourse 't is with reference to those nobler and more publick charities some men are more eminently called out to such as the building of Hospitals building and endowing Schools or Colledges building Churches and setling revenues for the service of them making large provisions for the poor of Corporations for the improvement of Trades and Manufactures or whatever else may advance the civil or Religious interest of mankind 't is with reference to these and such like great and extraordinary charities for which great and extraordinary persons are rais'd and fitted by divine providence I speak this that they would not what is too often done and hath almost obtain'd so far as if that were the properest time for men to be doing these great things for the world when they are going out of it that they would not add this farther uncertainty to the riches of this world to put off their charities to that day to those difficult minutes when they shall be least able to consider what is fittest to be done No for those who are or can be ready thereunto the best time certainly to lay hold on for such works is the present season according to that of the Apostle As we have therefore opportunity Gal. 6. 10. let us do good unto all men and that for these several reasons 1. Because men must then do good be rich in good works be ready to distribute willing to communicate when they are rich in this world When death comes every man is poor The richest are then devested of their riches and are themselves to return naked into their Mother's Womb as they came out of it Job 1. 21. Then therefore cannot be the season of charity because then they are no longer the rich to whom the charge is given 2. Men must then give their Charities when men have themselves a Right and Title to what they give when 't is their own which 't is not when God calls them from their wealth when He who lent it hath taken away the propriety and given it to another that other is my Child my heir whom God and nature have transferred the Title to Not but that in some cases even such may forfeit their Title and the Parent or present proprietor is just in cutting off the entail but generally speaking 't is then theirs to whom the inheritance devolves not the expiring uncharitable man's for so it may be if he who could not in all his life time find in his heart to do the least good shall think then to retrieve a lost stake by snatching it from another Not that I would therefore damne all such charities which are then done for if it be what had been long purposed what the good man had laid aside and devoted to such uses and only wanted an opportunity to do it sooner If it be what by his own diligence and honest thrift he had been long gathering and where the Estate being intailed he had no ways wrong'd it the propriety the disposal the charity is certainly his and may be judged to be among those stores so laid up against the time to come that he may thereby lay hold on eternal life But then in the former case where all things are otherwise settled where the dying man's lease is expired and the propriety escheats to the next successor where 't is as it some times happens to cover thy malice thy envy thy injustice will God thinkest thou accept of such spoils for an holy Offering will he give thee his stores above for those depredations thou thus makest below No it must be thine when thou givest it not what thou hast been feeding thy lust or serving thy luxury with whilst thou could'st and now thou can'st no longer cherish these would'st turn thy Sacriledge what thou snatchest out of the hand of God himself for 't is he is the Lord paramount the indefeasible proprietor to whom it reverts and is again invested in he that hath recalled it he that hath extinguish't the possession and transferred it to another would'st turn thy Sacriledge into Sacrifice 3. It must be done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so in the present time before thou art on thy death-bed that it may appear that
the worst of slaves and yet in love with his bondage He 's every moment in danger of shipwrack and yet he will be putting abroad the sails which are bearing him to the sands and rocks on which he must split This therefore our first Vse to shame the rich in this world for being thus high-minded and trusting in uncertain riches Our second is USE II. For advice how he may make these certain Our Lord hath directed it Luke 12. 33. sell that ye have and give Alms provide your selves baggs which wax not old a Treasure in the Heaven that faileth not where no thief approacheth nor moth corrupteth Now this will take in both our second and third general both the duty here laid down viz. of doing good and being rich in good works being ready to distribute willing to communicate and the encouragement to it in the glorious reward that attends it as 't is laying up in store for our selves a good foundation against the time to come that we may lay hold on eternal life Thou art at last convinced of the uncertainty of thy riches pray God thou art so 't is thy interest thy eternal interest to make something sure and thou hast how to do it Intrust him out of whose hand none can snatch it Intrust the poor who are his receivers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says the good Father why seekest thou thy fellow-servants which whom do deposit it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ stands ready to receive and secure all thy stores He will not only secure but increase thy stock and add to it his own riches riches that cannot be uncertain even eternal life and glory Thou art afraid thy security is not good lend then to the Lord by having pity on the poor this is done and what thou shalt give he will pay it thee again Thou wantest a good foundation against the time to come afflictions sickness death and judgment too will be upon thee Thou would'st fain be safe against all events Thou hast it in thy own power to be so for so it is written Blessed is he Ps 41. 1. that considereth the poor the Lord will deliver him in the time of v. 2. trouble the Lord will preserve him and keep him alive the Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing Thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness so you had it in the Psalm this morning Thou art afraid thou shalt one day want Cast thy bread upon the waters 't is the best the most fortunate adventure thou canst make thou shalt find it after many days give a portion Eccles â—â— 1. to seven and also to eight for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the Earth Knowest thou not what evil shall be upon the Earth therefore says the worldling provide for the evil day and so too says the divine answer but provide by laying up in a different bank lay up those treasures in Heaven which thou canst not secure on Earth Take it in the words of Gregory Nazianzene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 give a portion to thy own Soul let that reap the benefit of thy pious bounty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 give a portion to God himself to his honour and service 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take away some-thing from thy luxurious belly consecrate it to the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 snatch it out of the fire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set aside a little from those flames which are appointed to carry away all at last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 snatch it out of the power of the Tyrant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trust it to thy Lord and Master who best knows how to improve it for thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou would'st build thee beautiful and great houses I forbid it not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but build them not on earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 build thee Tabernacles in Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tabernacles which will never be dissolved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why art thou so madly set upon things that are flitting and must stay behind thee here They are St. Chrysostom's words Ad pop Antioch Homil. 2. p. 36 37. Thou art afraid and that 's a time to come worth storing up a good Foundation for it thou art afraid what will become of thee when gone hence when thy riches and every thing else here shall have left thee when as 't is Prov. 23. 5. they shall make to themselves wings and fly away as an eagle towards heaven and what should'st thou do but fly after them let thy affections as the Apostle advises be set on things above and thou hast made the flight Colos 3. 3. imploy thy wealth on what leads thither every Alms given to the poor if given with an heart devoted to him whose the poor are is offered up there 't is the advice of him who is gone before to prepare mansions for us and best knew what would gain us a safe admission you have it Luke 16. 9. make to your selves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness that when you fail they may receive you into everlasting habitations I have but one word more and that is what the Apostle hath given us in his excellent description of charity 1 Cor. 13. 4 5 6 7 8. a description which ought to make us in love with the Duty for is it to be good is it to be happy that we are ambitious of and what can more amply set out either for to say of any person He is one who suffereth long One who is kind One who hath no envy in him One who vaunteth not himself is not puffed up hath no pride One who doth not behave himself unseemly seeketh not his own is not easily provoked thinketh no evil One who rejoyceth not in iniquity but rejoyceth in the Truth One who beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things can neither do nor think ill One who never faileth Is all this at all times i. e. is never out of humour is always contented is still doing good and can neither receive nor feel any evil and what is there you can say that is greater what more advantageous to human nature Now all this is Charity 't is the Grace that sanctifies every condition here the Grace that makes every condition happy the Grace that must because it self is not only the pledge and earnest but the full consummation of all rational pleasure turn all into Glory To which He who is all Love and Charity bring us through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom with Himself and the holy Spirit be praise honour and glory now and for ever Amen FINIS