furrowes of the field expecting afterwards a crop So the good man scatters the precious seed of his charity abroad and this seed is not lost but afterwards springs up into a crop He hath given to the poor The Hebrew word for poor in Scripture {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} seu {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} signifies one that is empty or drawn dry * It is a Metaphor taken from Ponds or Rivers that are drawn dry So the poor are exhausted of their strength beauty substance like Ponds they are dried up therefore they must be filled again with the silver streames of Charity His righteousnesse By righteousnesse as most agreeable to the Context I understand the work of inherent grace in the heart displaying and evidencing it self in works of mercy and bountifulnesse Endureth for ever Either first the comfort of his Righteousnesse endureth He hath sweet peace and satisfaction in his own minde Or Secondly the Honour of it endureth According to the Hebrew phrase {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the memorial of his goodnesse stands as a Monument of Fame not to be forgotten Or Thirdly the Reward of his Righteousnesse endureth He reapes the fruit of his Charity for ever So R. Kimchi and others interpret it The words thus opened fall into these four parts 1. The Benefactour He. viz. the man fearing God 2. His bounty he hath dispersed 3. The object The poor 4. The Trophy or Ensigne of his honour displayed His righteousnesse endureth for ever Or if you will the text consists of two things 1. The godly mans benignity He hath dispersed 2. His Benediction His righteousnesse endureth for ever The Observation from the words is this Doct. That a godly man is a liberal man The Hebrew word for godly {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} signifies merciful The more godly the more merciful a good man doth not like the Snake twist within himself his motion is direct not circular He is a {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a publick diffusive blessing in the place where he lives Psal. 37. 26. He is ever merciful and lendeth As a Noblemans servant is known by the livery he weares So is a servant of Christ known by this livery of mercifulnesse and charity There are two Channels in which the stream of Charity must runne Charity to 1. The souls of others 2. The wants of others 1. Charity to the soules of others This is spiritualis eleemosyna a spiritual almes Indeed this is the highest kind of charity The soul is the most precious thing {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} c. * T is a vessel of honour 't is a bud of eternity 't is a sparkle lighted by the breath of God 't is a rich diamond set in a wring of clay The soul hath the Image of God to beautifie it the blood of God to redeem it it being therefore of so high a descent sprung from the Ancient of dayes of so noble an extract that Charity which is shewen to the soul must needs be the greatest This is Charity to souls when we see others in their blood and we pity them if I weep saith Austin for that body from which the soul is departed how should I weep for that soul from which God is departed This is Charity to souls when we see men in the gall of bitternesse and we labour by councel admonition reproof to pull them out of their natural estate as the Angel did Lot out of Sodome Gen. 19. 6. God made a Law Exod. 23. 5. that whosoever did see his enemies asse bying under a burden he should help him on which words saith Chrysostome we will help a Beast that is fallen under a burden and shall we not extend relief to those who are fallen under a worse burden of sin To let others go on in sinne securely is not Charity but Cruelty If a mans house were on fire and another should see it and not tell him of it for fear of waking him were not this cruelty did he not deserve to be indighted when we see the souls of others sleeping the sleep of death and the fire of Gods wrath ready to burne about their ears and we are silent is not this to be accessory to their death When there is a toleration given That if men will to hell none shall stop them is this Charity to souls * Oh I beseech you if you have any bowels strengthen the weak reduce the wandring raise up them that are fallen James 5. 20. He which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death 2. Charity to the wants of others This the text properly intends and it stands in three things 1. A judicious consideration 2. A tender commiseration 3. A liberal contribution 1. A judicious consideration Psal. 41. 1. Blessed is he that considereth the poor And you must consider four things 1. It might have been your own case You might have stood in need of anothers Charity and then how welcome and refreshing would those streames have been to you 2. Consider how sad a condition poverty is Though Chrysostome calls poverty the high-way to heaven yet he that keeps this road will go weeping thither {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Consider the poor Behold their tears their sighes their dying groans Look upon the deep furrowes made in their faces and consider if there be not reason why you should scatter your seed in these furrowes Pro pallio vestem laceram pro pulvinari lapidem The poor man feeds upon sorrow he drinks tears Psal. 80. 5. Like Jacob in a windy night he hath the clouds for his Canopy and a stone for his Pillow Nay further consider that oftentimes poverty becomes not only a crosse but a snare it exposeth to much evil * Which made Agur pray Give me not poverty Prov. 3. 8. Want puts men upon indirect Courses The poor will venture their soules for money which is like throwing Diamonds at Payre-Trees If the Rich would wisely consider this they might be a means of preventing much sin 3. Consider why the Wise God hath suffered an inequality in the world it is for this very reason because he would have Charity exercised If all were Rich there were no need of Almes nor could the merciful man have been so well known If he that travailed to Iericho had not been wounded and left half dead the good Samaritane who poured wine and oile into his wounds had not been known Hectora quis nosset felix si Troja fuisset 4. Consider how quickly the ballance of providence may turne we our selves may be brought to poverty and then it will be no small comfort to us that we relieved others while we were in a capacity to do it Eccles. 11. 2. Give a portion to seven and also to eight for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth We cannot
8. It may be an hieroglyphical embleme of this truth Christians must not onely have the wings of faith to flie but hands under their wings to work the works of mercy This is a faithful saying and these things I will that you maintain constantly that they which have beleeved in God might be careful to maintain good workes Titus 1. 8. The Lampe of faith must be filled with the oile of Charity Faith alone justifies but justifying faith is not alone * You may as well separate weight from lead or heat from fire as works from faith Good workes though they are not the causes of salvation yet they are evidences * Though they are not the foundation yet they are the superstructure Faith must not be built upon works but works must be built upon faith Rom. 7. 4. Ye are married to another that ye should bring forth fruit unto God Faith is the Spouse which marries Christ and good works are the children which faith bears For the vindication of the Doctrine of our Church and in the honour of good works I shall lay down these four Aphorismes Aphor. 1 1. Works are distinct from faith 'T is vaine to imagine that works are included in faith as the Diamond is enclosed in the Ring No they are distinct as the sap in the Vine is different from the clusters that grow upon it Aphor. 2 2. Works are the touch-stoneof faith Shew me thy faith by thy works Jam. 2. 18. * Works are faiths letters of credence to shew If saith Saint Bernard thou seest a man in operibus strenuum full of good works then by the Rule of Charity thou art not to doubt of his faith We judge of the health of the body by the pulse where the blood stirres and operates O Christian judge of the health of thy faith by the pulse of Charity it is with faith as with a Deed in Law To make a Deed in Law valid there are three things requisite The Writing the Seal the Witnesses So for the Tryal and Confirmation of faith there must be these three things The Writing viz. the Word of God the Seal the Spirit of God the Witnesses good workes Bring your faith to this Scripturetouch-stone Faith doth justifie works Workes do testifie faith * Aphor. 3 3. Workes do honour faith as the fruit adornes the Tree Let the liberality of thy hand saith Clemens Alexandrinus be the Ornament of thy faith and wear it as an holy bracelet about thy wrists Job 29. 15 I was eyes to the blinde and feet was I to the lame I put on righteousness and it cloathed me my judgment was as a Robe and a Diadem While Job was pleading the cause of the poor this was the ensigne of his honour it cloathed him as a Robe and crowned him as a Diadem This is that takes off the odium and obloquy from Religion and makes others speak well of holinesse when they see good works as hand-maids waiting upon this Queen Aphor. 4 4. Good workes are in some sense more excellent than Faith In two respects 1. Because they are of a more noble diffusive nature Though faith be more needful for our selves yet works are more beneficial to others * Faith is a receptive grace it is all for self-interest it moves within its own sphere workes are for the good of others And it is a more blessed thing to give than to receive 2. Good works are more visible and conspicuous than faith Faith is a more occult grace It may lie hid in the heart and not be seen but when works are joyned with it now it shines forth in its native beautie Though a garden be never so deck'd with flowers yet they are not seen till the light come So the heart of a Christian may be enrich'd with Faith but it is like a flower in the night it is not seen till works come when this light shines before men then faith appears in its orient Colours Use 2 Vse 2. Reproofe If this be the effigies of a good man he is of a charitable disposition then it doth sharply reprove those that are far from this temper who are all for gathering but nothing for dispeirsing * They move onely within the Circle of their own interest but do not indulge the necessities of others They have a flourishing estate but like him in the Gospel they have a withered hand and cannot stretch it out to good uses They have all quoad {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} not quoad {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} These are like the churl Nabal 1 Sam. 25. 11. shall I take my bread and my water and give it unto men whom I know not whence they be 'T was said of the Emperour Pertinax he had * a large Empire but a narrow scanty heart There was a Temple at Athens which was called the Temple of mercy it was dedicated to charitable uses and it was the greatest reproach to upbraid one with this that he had never been in the Temple of mercy 'T is the greatest disgrace to a Christian to be unmercifull covetous men while they enrich themselves they debase themselves setting up a Monopoly and committing Idolatry with Mammon Thus making themselves lower than their Angels as God made them lower than his Angels In the time of Pestilence it is sad to have your houses shut up but it is worse to have your hearts shut up Covetous persons are like the Leviathan Job 41. 24. Their hearts are firm as a stone You may as well extract oyle out of a flint as the golden Oyle of Charity out of their flinty hearts The Philisopher saith that the coldnesse of the heart is a presage of death * when mens affections to works of mercy are frozen This coldnesse at heart is ominous and doth sadly portend that they are dead in sinne We read in the Law that the Shelfish was accounted unclean This might probably be one reason because the meat of it was enclosed in the shell and it was hard to come by They are to be reckoned among the unclean who enclose all their estate within the shell of their own Cabinet and will not let others be the better for it How many have lost their souls by being so saving There are some who perhaps will give the poore good words and that is all * Jam. 2. 15. If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of food and one of you say to them depart in peace be ye warmed and filled notwithstanding you give them not those things which are needfull what doth it profit Good words are but a cold kind of Charity * the poore cannot live as the Camelion upon this aire Let your words be as smooth as oyle they will not heale the wounded let them drop as the hony-comb they will not feed the hungry 1 Cor 13. 1. Though I speak with the tongue of Angels and have not charity
eodem luto they are fellow-members of the same body The members do by a Law of equity and sympathy contribute one to another the eye conveyes light to the body the heart blood the head spirits That is a dead member in the body which doth not communicate to the rest Thus it is also in the body politick let no man think it is too far below him to minde the wants and necessities of others it is pity but that hand should be cut off which disdaines to pluck a thorne out of the foot It is spoken in the honour of that Renowned Princesse the Emperesse of Theodosius the great that she did her self visit the sick and prepare relief for them with her own imperial hands Arg. 6 Argument 6. We are not Lords of an estate but Stewards and how soon may we hear that word redde rationem Give an account of thy stewardship for thou mayest be no longer Steward Luk. 16. 2. An estate is a talent to trade with 't is as dangerous to hide our talent * as to spend it Mat. 25. 25 30. If the covetous man keeps his gold too long it will begin to rust and the rust of it will witnesse against him * Arg. 7 Argument 7. The examples of others who have been famous and renown'd for acts of Charity 1. Our Lord Christ a great example of Charity He was not more full of merit than bounty Trajan the Emperour did rend off a piece of his own robe to wrap his souldiers wounds Christ did more he made a medicine of his body and blood to heale us Isaiah 53. 5. By his stripes ye are healed Here was a pattern of Charity without a parallel * 2. The Jewes are noted in this kind 'T is a rabbinical observation that those who live devoutly among the Jewes distribute a tenth part of their estate among the poor and they give so freely saith Philo the Jew as if by giving they hoped to receive some great gratuity now if the Jewes are so devoted to workes of mercy who live without Priest without Temple without Messiah shall not we much more who professe our faith in the blessed Messiah 3. Let me tell you of Heathens I have read of Titus Vespasian he was so inured to works of mercy that remembring he had given nothing that day cried out diem perdidi I have lost a day 'T is reported of some of the Turkes that they have servants whom they employ on purpose to enquire what poor they have and they send relief to them and the Turkes have a saying in their Alcoran that if men knew what a blessed thing it were to distribute Almes rather than spare they would give some of their own flesh to relieve the poor and shall not a Christians Creed be better than a Turkes Alcoran But Right Honourable and Beloved we are not left this day without witnesse I desire to speak it to the glory of God and the Renown of this City there hath been both in the dayes of our worthy Progenitors and is still to this day among many of you a spirit of sympathy and compassion Regia crede mihi res est succurrere lapsis When poor indigent creatures have been as Moses laid in the Ark of bulrushes ready to sink in the waters of affliction you have been temporal saviours to them and have drawn them out of the waters with a golden cord When they have been ready to make their own grave vou have built them Hospitals The milk of your Charity hath nursed them up and while they have sate under your vines they have eat the sweet grape we reade that they shewed Peter the garments and coates which Dorcas made Acts 9. 39. And may we not this day behold the COATS which have been made to cloath the indigent Go on still to do worthily in Ephrata and by these your acts of munificence to blazen your Coat of Armes and eternize your fame Argu. 8 I shall use but one Argument more to perswade to Charity and that is the reward which followes Almes-deeds Giving of Almes is a glorious work and let me tell you 't is no unfruitful work * They that sow mercy shall reap mercy Whatsoever is disbursed to the poor is given to Christ Mat. 25. 40. Inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me The poor mans hand is Christs Treasury and there is nothing lost which is put there * There is a reward 1. In this life The Charitable man is crown'd with a blessing He is blessed 1. In his person Psal. 41. 1. Blessed is he that considers the poor God casts a favourable aspect upon him 2. Blessed in his name So it is in the Text his horn shall be exalted with honour and Psalme 112. 6. He shall be had in everlasting lasting remembrance his name shall be gloriously enbalm'd 3. Blessed in his estate Omni rerum copia affluet Prov. 11. 25. The liberal soul shall be made fat He shall not onely have the venison but the blessing 4. Blessed in his posterity Psal. 37. 26. He is ever merciful and lendeth his seed is blessed He shall not onely leave an estate behinde but a blessing behinde to his children and God will see that the Entail shall not be cut off 5. Blessed in his negotiations Deut. 15. 10. For this thing the Lord thy God shall blesse thee in all thy works and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto The Charitable man shall be blessed in his building planting journying whatever he is about a blessing shall empty it selfe upon him Quicquid calcaverit rosa fiet He shall be a prosperous man The honey-combe of a blessing shall be still dropping upon him 6. Blessed with long life Psal. 41. 2. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive * He hath help'd to keep others alive and God will keep him alive Is there any thing then lost by Charity It spinnes out the silver thread of life Many are taken away the sooner for their unmercifulnesse because their hearts are streightned their lives are shortned 2. The great reward is in the life to come Aristotle joynes these two together {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} liberality and utility God will reward the merciful man though not for his workes yet according to his works Revel. 20. 12. I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the bookes were opened and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their workes As God hath a bottle to put your teares in so he hath a book to write your Almes in As God will put a vail over his peoples sinnes so he will set a Crown upon their workes The way to lay up is to lay out Other parts of your estate you leave behinde * but that which is