A Key Opening Mysterious Texts of Scripture, Collection of sermons 3 · Sermon 32 · Part 2
THE SECOND BORDER: OR, THE RIGHTEOUS MAMMON.
The ſecond border of gold, which the ſecond Speaker offred to the Spouſe, was wrought upon that text of Scripture, which we finde, 1 Tim. 6.17. Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded, nor truſt in uncertaine riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.
Ver. 18. That they doe good, that they be rich in good workes, ready to diſtribute,The ſecond Sermon, preached by Doctor Hall, now Lord Biſhop of Exon, abridged. willing to communicate. And thus he put it on.
Right Honourable, Right Reverend, &c.
THoſe things which are moſt neceſſary in their uſe, are moſt dangerous in their miſcarriage. And therefore nothing is more neceſſarie for a Chriſtian, than to be rectified in the managing of a proſperous eſtate, and to learne ſo to manage his happineſſe here, that hee may be happier hereafter: which this text undertakes to teach, where Timothie is ſet as it were upon the Bench to give the charge: Charge. A charge, to whom? To the rich. Of what?
1 What they muſt avoyd:
1 High-mindedneſſe; becauſe their wealth is in this world.
2 Truſt in wealth; becauſe their riches are uncertaine.
2 What they muſt endeavour and labour for:
1 Confidence in God; becauſe he is a living and liberall God.
2 Beneficence to men; becauſe by this they lay up to themſelves a ſure foundation.
Here, ſaid the Preacher, is worke enough for my diſcourſe and your practice: I feare more than enough for my rehearſing. The God of heaven, who bleſſed it in his hands, bleſſe it now in mine, who have it but at the ſecond hand.
Charge. Charge, Janus-like, hath a double aſpect; the one that lookes up to Saint Paul, the other that lookes downe to Timothie, and from him to the rich. In the firſt there is Apoſtolicall ſuperioritie, in the ſecond Epiſcopall power, and Evangelicall ſufficiencie. For the firſt, charge thou, referres to, I charge thee, ver. 13. ſo Paul chargeth Timothie to charge the rich. The firſt foundation of the Church was layd in an inequalitie, and hath ever ſince ſo continued. There can be no harmonie where all the ſtrings and voyces are of one tenour: hee that giveth the charge, if hee be not the chiefe of the Bench, yet hee is greater than the Jurie: the rich are commonly great: Nobility in the account of God is joyned with wealth. Curſe not the King in thy thought, nor the rich in thy bed chamber, ſaith Solomon. So Dives, at whoſe gates Lazarus lay, is by ſome (no meane ones) gheſſed to be Herod, or ſome other King; and ſo are Jobs friends termed by the Seventie. Yea, the rich is not onelyonly a little King among his neighbours; but dives, quaſi divus, as a pettie god to his underlings: yet Timothie hath authoritie to charge and command ſuch rich. That fooliſh ſhaveling ſoared too high a pitch, when in his imperious Bull hee commanded the Angels: but wee may ſafely ſay all powers below the Angels are liable to our ſpirituall charge, and the power of the keyes which Chriſt hath given us. But what now becommeth of them? that I may not ſay in ſome of our hands they are ſuffered to ruſt for want of uſe, in others, as the Pontificians, the wards are altered, ſo as they can neither open nor ſhut: Sure I am the power of them is loſt in the hearts of many, they have ſecret pickelockes of their owne making, preſumption and ſecuritie; whereby they can open heaven gates, though double locked by our cenſures, and ſhut the gates of hell at pleaſure, which their owne ſinnes have opened wide to receive them. What uſe then is there of us but in our chaire? and there but to be heard and ſeene? Even in this ſenſe ſpectaculo facti ſumus, we are to gaze on, and not to implie. Yet it was well noted by one, that the good father of the Prodigall, though he might himſelfe have brought forth the prime robe, or have led his ſonne into the wardrobe to take it, yet he commands his ſervants to bring it forth, becauſe hee would have his ſonne to be beholden to his ſervants for his glorie. He that can ſave you without us, will not ſave you but by us.
Hitherto the power implyed in the charge: the ſufficiencie followes. This Evangelicus muſt be Parangelicus: Like as the forerunner of Chriſt had a charge for all ſorts, ſo hath Timothie in this epiſtle a charge for wives, for husbands, for Biſhops, for Deacons, for Widowes, for Servants, and here for the rich. And I am perſwaded that no Nation under heaven ever had more ſufficient Timothies, to inſtruct all ſorts of men in the wayes of ſalvation, than this our Land: ſo that what Jerome ſpake ſometime of Britaine, is now moſt true, comparing it with Jeruſalem as it had beene; De Hieroſolymis & de Britannia equaliter patet aula coeleſtis. For the Northren parts, ſince his ſacred Majeſty in his laſt journey (as if the Sun did out of compaſsion goe beyond his tropicke line to give heat to that climate) viſited them, are better provided of Preachers, and maintenance for Preachers, and both Paſtours and people profeſſe themſelves mutually bleſſed in each other, and bleſſe God and their King for their bleſſedneſſe. And as for the Southerne, when I behold them me thinkes I ſee the Firmament in a cleere night beſpangled with goodly Starres of all magnitudes, that yeeld a pleaſant diverſity of light unto the earth; but above all, this Citie is rich in this ſpirituall proviſion. Other Cities may exceed you in the glory of outward ſtructure, in the largeneſſe of extent, in the uniforme proportion of ſtreets, or ornaments of Temples: but your pulpits are paſt theirs; and if preaching can lift up Citizens to heaven, yee are not upon earth. Heare this, O yee Citizens, and bee not proud, but thankefull unto God.
I adde alſo to your Preachers, no vice more hatefull to God and man than ingratitude, no ingratitude more abominable than to parents, no parents ought to be dearer unto you than thoſe who have begot you through the Goſpell in Chriſt.
Charge them: But whom? The rich.
The rich. Who are rich? According to Moralitie and Chriſtianity, they that have enough with content: ſo ſaith the Apoſtle, Godlineſſe is great gaine, if a man be content with that which he hath. St. Jerome ſaith, victus & veſtitus divitiae Chriſtianorum. According to the vulgar uſe of the word, they are rich who have more than is neceſſarie. Now there is a double neceſsitie, of nature, of eſtate: that is neceſſarie to nature, without which wee cannot live; that is neceſſarie to eſtate which is ſuperfluous to nature, and that which were ſuperfluous to nature, is not ſo much as neceſſary to eſtate: nature goes ſingle, and beares little breadth; estate goes ever with a traine: the neceſsity of nature admits little difference, eſpecially for quantity; the neceſsity of eſtate requires as many diverſities, as there are ſeveral degrees of humane conditions, and ſeverall circumſtances in thoſe degrees. Thus underſtanding what is meant by the word, come we now to the matter. Man that came naked out of the womb of the earth, was even then ſo rich, that all things were his: heaven was his roofe, or canopie, the earth his floore, the Sea his pond, the Sunne and Moone his torches, all creatures his vaſſals: and if he loſt the fulneſſe of this Lordſhip by being a ſlave to ſinne, yet we have ſtill dominium gratificum, as Gerſon termeth it. In this ſenſe every ſonne of Abraham is heire of the world: but to make up the true reputation of wealth (for thus we may be, as having all things and poſſeſsing nothing) another right is required beſides ſpirituall, which is a civill and humane right: wherein I doubt not but our learned Wickliffe, and Armacanus, and Gerſon, have had much wrong, whileſt they are accuſed to teach that men in theſe earthly things have no tenure but grace, no title but charitie; which queſtionleſſe they intended in foro interiori, in the conſiſtorie of God, not in the common pleas of men; in the court of conſcience, not in the courts of Law. For it is certaine that beſides this ſpirituall right there is a civill right in earthly things: and the Scripture ſpeaking ſecundum jus gentium, whereon the diviſion of theſe earthly poſſeſsions is grounded, calleth ſome poore, ſome rich. The Apoſtle ſaith not, charge men that they be not rich, but, charge the rich that they be not high minded. The rich. In this one word, and as it were with one graſpe, the Apoſtle cruſheth the heads of two hereſies, the ancient Apoſtolici, who denied the lawfulneſſe of earthly proprieties; and our late Popiſh votaries, who place holineſſe in want and povertie. Did theſe men never heare that the bleſsing of God maketh rich? that the wiſe mans wealth is his ſtrong Citie? If Lazarus was poore, yet Abraham was rich: & pium pauperem ſuſcepit ſinus divitis, in divitiis cupiditatem reprehendit, non facultatem, ſaith Auſtine. Bona eſt ſubſtantia ſi non ſit peccatum in conſcientia, ſubſtance doth well in the hand, if there be no evill in the heart. Let the rich take heed how he became ſo:Ecclus. 13.25. that God which can allow you to be rich, will not allow you all wayes to your wealth: hee hath ſet up a golden goale to which he allowes you all to runne, but you muſt keepe the beaten rode of honeſtie, juſtice, charitie and truth. If you will leave this path, and by croſsing over a ſhorter cut through by-wayes of your owne, you may be rich with a vengeance. The heathen Poet Menander could obſerve foreign, which Solomon may ſeeme to tranſlate, ſaying,Pro. 28.22. Hee that makes haſte to be rich ſhall not be innocent. It were envious and infinite to arraigne all ſorts of fraud, uſurie, and extortion, whereby many become overſoone rich: let me ſhut up all together in that fearefull ſentence of Solomon, The gathering of treaſures by a deceitfull tongue is a vanitie, Pro. 21.6.toſſed to and fro of them that ſeeke death; and the robberie of the wicked ſhall deſtroy them. Search your cheſts, ſearch your hearts, all yee that heare mee this day; and if any of you finde any of this adulterine gold among your heapes, away with it, as you love your ſelves away with it; elſe know that (as Chryſoſtome ſaith wittily) yee have locked up a theefe in your counting houſe, which will carry away all; and, if you looke not to it the ſooner, your ſoule with it. Have a care of this yee that are rich
In the world. As Saint John diſtinguiſheth betweene being in the Church, and of the Church, ſo St. Paul of rich in the world, and of the world. Thoſe are the rich of the world which are worldlings in heart as well as in eſtate; thoſe are rich in the world whoſe eſtate is below, though their hearts may be above: the rich of the world are in it, but the rich in the world are not neceſſarily of it. If Timothie or St. Paul ſhould have charged the rich of the world, he had charmed a deafe adder; yea perhaps, even with this charge, like a ruſty or ill wrought piece, they had recoyled in his face with thoſe Athenians, What will this babler ſay? To the other ſort therefore, whoſe hearts are not in their bags, Timothies charge and my ſpeech is directed. Let theſe heare, firſt, their condition; ſecondly, their duty: their condition, they are rich; but in this world. This clauſe ſerves,
1 For diſtinction. As St. Auſtine diſtinguiſheth of pauper in animo, and pauper in ſacculo, ſo may we of ſpirituall wealth, and ſecular, and worldly. This latter is valued by pieces of earth, and one mouthfull of earth maketh an end of all: that which the worldly man dotes and dreames of is but even Nebuchadnezzars Image, a compoſition of metall, and the foot of all is clay. Earthly men tread upon their felicitie, and yet have not the wit to contemne it, and to ſeeke a better, which is the ſpirituall wealth; the cabbinet whereof is the ſoule, and the treaſure in it God himſelfe. O happy reſolution of that bleſſed Father, Omnis mihi copia quae Deus meus non eſt, egeſtas eſt.
2 This ſerves for limitation. foreign as it is abſolutely taken, quaſi foreign, ſignifieth eternity, but reſtrained with a foreign it is ſcarce a time; yet this is the utmoſt extent of worldly wealth, the ſhort ſpace of humane life. All our crownes, and ſoveraines, and pieces, and halfe pieces, and duckats, and double duckats are currant but to the brimme of the grave, there they ceaſe: and wee juſtly laugh at the folly of thoſe eaſterne Pagans, who put coyne into a dead mans hand for his proviſion in another world. What ſhould we doe therefore, if we will be provident Travellers, but make over our money here, to receive it by exchange in the world to come? It is our Saviours counſell, Make you friends of unrighteous mammon, &c. And as an ancient Father ſaith ſweetly, If you will be wiſe Merchants, thriftie and happie Uſurers, part with that which you cannot keepe, that you may gaine that which you cannot loſe. Which that you may doe, hearken to the duties which God layes upon you: the firſt whereof is the remover of evill;
That you be not high minded. It is ſtrange to ſee how this earthly droſſe, which is of it ſelfe heavie, and therefore naturally ſinkes downeward, ſhould raiſe up the heart of man; yet it commonly carries a man up even to a double pitch of pride, one above others, the other above himſelfe: above others in contempt, above himſelfe in over-weening. The man with a gold ring (in Saint James) looketh to ſit higheſt. And not to caſt backe your eyes, doe we not ſee it thus in our times? If a man bee but worth a footecloth, how big he looketh on the inferiour paſſengers? and if hee hath purchaſed a little more land and title, you ſhall ſee it in his garbe: whatſover he doth he is not as he was, nor as the Phariſee ſayes, like other men: hee lookes upon vulgar men as if they were made to ſerve him, and ſhould thinke themſelves happie to be commanded by him: and if hee be croſſed a little he ſwels like the Sea in a ſtorme. Neither doth this pride raiſe a man more above others than above himſelfe; and what wonder if hee will not know his poore neighbours, who hath forgot himſelfe? As Saul was changed into another man preſently upon his annoynting; ſo is it with them upon their advancement, now it may not be taken as it hath beene. Other carriage, other faſhions are fitter for them, their attire, fare, retinue, houſes, furniture diſpleaſe them, new muſt be had, together with coaches and lackies, and all the equipage of greatneſſe. Theſe things I diſlike not ſimply, they are fit for thoſe that are fit for them: charity is not ſtrait-laced, but yeelds much latitude to the lawfull uſe of things indifferent: but it is the heart that makes all theſe things evill, when it is puffed up with theſe windie vanities, and hath learned to borrow that part of the Divels ſpeech, All theſe things are mine: and can ſay with him that was turned into a beaſt, Is not this great Babel which I have built? If there be here any of theſe empty bladders that are puffed up with the wind of conceit, give me leave to pricke them a little. And
Firſt, let me tell them that they may have much, and be never the better. The chimney overlookes all the reſt of the houſe; is it not for all that the very baſeſt piece of the building? The heathen man could obſerve, that God gives many a man wealth for the greater miſchiefe; as the Iſraelites were rich in Quailes, but their ſauce was ſuch, that famine had beene better. Haman was proud that he alone was called to the honour of Queene Heſters feaſt, this advancement raiſed him fiftie cubits higher to a ſtately gibbet. If your wealth be to any of you an occaſion of falling, if your gold be turned into fetters, it had beene better for you to have lived beggars.
Secondly, let me tell them that they are proud of that which is none of theirs. For Philo's obſervation is moſt true, That God onelyonly by a propriety is ſtiled the poſſeſſour of heaven and earth by Melchizedech in his ſpeech to Abraham: we are onelyonly tenants, and that at the will of the Lord. Wee have but jus ad rem, not dominion in rem; a right onelyonly of favour from the proprietarie and Lord in heaven, and that liable to account. Doe we not laugh at the Groome that is proud of his maſters horſe? Or ſome vaine Whifler that is proud of a borrowed chaine? So ridiculous are we to be puffed up with that whereof we muſt needs ſay with the poore man of the hatchet, Alas maſter it is but borrowed. Therefore if God have laden any of you with theſe earthly riches, be you like unto the full eare of corne, hang downe your heads in true humilitie towards the earth, from which we came.
Hitherto of the high-mindedneſſe that followes wealth: now where our pride is, there will be our confidence; which is forbidden in the next place.
And truſt not in uncertain riches. To truſt in riches is to ſet our heart on them, to place our joy and contentment in them; in a word, to make them our beſt friend, our patron, our idoll, our God. This the true and jealous God will not abide, and yet nothing is more ordinarie. The rich mans wealth is his ſtrong Citie, ſaith Solomon: and where ſhould a man thinke himſelfe ſafe but in his fort? Silver anſwereth to all, ſaith Solomon; that we grant, although we would be loath it ſhould anſwer to truth, to juſtice, to judgement: but yet mammon vants to conquer all, according to the old Greeke verſe, fight with ſilverlances, and you cannot faile of victorie: to pacifie all,foreign. (for a gift in the boſome appeaſes wrath) to procure all ſecular offices, titles and dignities, I would I might not ſay claves altaria Chriſtum. And let me tell you indeed what mammon can doe; He can unbarre the gates of hell to the unconſcionable ſoule, and helpe his followers to damnation: this he can doe: but for other things, howſoever with us men the fooliſh ſilver-ſmithes may ſhout out, Great is mammon of the worldlings; yet if wee weigh his power aright, we ſhall conclude of mammon as Paracelſus doth of the Divell, that he is a baſe and beggarly Spirit. For what I beſeech you can he doe? Can he make a man honeſt, or wiſe, or healthy? Can he give a man to live more merrily, feed more heartily, ſleepe more quietly? Can he buy off the gout, cares, death, much leſſe the paines of another world?aPro. 11.4. Riches availe not in the day of wrath: if we leane upon this reed it ſhall breake, and runne into our hands. He that truſteth in riches ſhall fall, Prov. 11.28. Take heed therefore, as you love your ſoules, how you beſtow your truſt upon riches: you may uſe them, and ſerve your ſelves of them: yea, yee may enjoy them in a Chriſtian moderation; God will allow it. That praiſe which the Jeſuits Colledge in Granado gives of their Sanchez, that though he lived where they had a very ſweet garden, yet he was never ſeene to touch a flower; and that he would rather die than eat ſalt, or pepper, or ought that might give relliſh to his meat; like to that of ſome other Monkes, that they would not ſee the Sunne, nor ſhift their clothes, nor cleanſe their teeth; carries in it more ſuperſtition and ſlaverie than wit or grace. Wherefore hath God made theſe creatures but for uſe? This niggardlineſſe is injurious to the bounty of their Maker. We may uſe them, we may not truſt in them: we may ſerve our ſelves of them, we may not ſerve them: we may enjoy them, we may not over joy in them. We muſt be ſo affected to our goods as Theodorick the good King of Aquitaine was with his play, in bonis jactibus tacet, in malis ridet, in neutris iraſcitur, in utriſque philoſophatur. But if we will be making our wealth a rivall unto God, the jealouſie of God ſhall burne like fire againſt us. Now as the diſdainefull rivall will be ſure to caſt reproaches upon his baſe competitor, ſo doth God upon riches, hee calleth them uncertaine, yea uncertaintie it ſelfe. Truſt not in
Uncertaine riches. Were our wealth tied to our life it were uncertaine enough: for what is that but a flower, a vapour, a tale, a ſhadow, a dreame of a ſhadow, a thought, a nothing? Yet our riches are more uncertaine than life it ſelfe: our life flies haſtily away, but many times our riches have longer wings, and out flie it. It was a wittie obſervation of Baſil, in Pſal. 61. foreign, &c. that wealth rowles along by a man like as a headie ſtreame glides by the bankes: time will molder away the very banke it waſheth, but the current ſtayes not for that, but ſpeeds from one elbow of earth to another: ſo doth wealth, even whileſt we ſtay it is gone. Our life is as the tree, our wealth is as the leaves or fruit; the tree ſtands ſtill when the leaves are fallen. Yea, many one is like the Pine tree, which, they ſay, if his barke be pulled off laſteth long, elſe it rots. If therefore life and wealth ſtrive together whether is more uncertaine, wealth will ſure carry it away. Job was yeſterday the richest man in the Eaſt, to day he is ſo needy, that he is gone into a Proverbe, As poore as Job. Beliſarius the great and famous Commander, to whom Rome owed her life twice at leaſt, came to date obolum Beliſario, give one halfe penny to Beliſarius. O miſerable uncertainty of this earthly pelfe, that ſtands upon ſo many hazzards, yea, that falls under them! who would truſt it? who can dote upon it? what madneſſe is it in thoſe men which (as Menot ſayes) like unto hunters, that kill an horſe of price in the purſuit of an hare worth nothing, endanger, yea caſt away their ſoules upon this worthleſſe and fickle traſh. Glaſſes are pleaſing veſſels, yet becauſe of their brittleneſſe who eſteemes them precious? nor flowers, though beautifull, becauſe they are fading? No wiſe man beſtowes much coſt in painting mud walls: what meane we (my beloved) to ſpend our lives and hearts upon theſe periſhing treaſures? It was a wiſe meditation of Nazianzen to his Aſterius, that good is to no purpoſe, if it continue not: yea, there is no pleaſant thing in the world, ſaith he, that hath ſo much joy in the welcome, as it hath ſorrow in the farewell. Looke therefore upon theſe heapes, O yee wiſe hearted Citizens, with careleſſe eyes, as thoſe things whoſe parting is certaine, whoſe ſtay is uncertaine; and ſay with the worthie Father, By all my wealth, and glory, and greatneſſe, this alone have I gained, that I had ſomething to which I might preferre my Saviour; with whoſe words I conclude this point. Lay not up for your ſelves treaſures on earth, where moth and ruſt doe corrupt, and theeves breake thorow and ſteale; but lay up for your ſelves treaſure in heaven.
But truſt in God. Man cannot be without a ſtay, and therefore the ſame breath that withdrawes one refuge from us, ſubſtitutes a better: even as a good Carpenter in ſtead of a rotten groundſill layes a ſound. The ſame truſt then muſt we give to God, which we muſt not give to riches him muſt we eſteeme above all things, looke up to him in all things, depend upon him for all things. This is to truſt in God, which the Pſalmiſt in his ſweet dittie ſaith is a good thing: good in reſpect of God; for our truſt in him is one of the beſt pieces of his glorie: (Joſeph holds Potiphars truſt a great honour.) 2. For us; for what ſafety, what unſpeakable comfort is therein truſting to God? Our Saviour in his farewell Sermon, John 16. perſwading to confidence, ſaith, foreign a word ſignifying boldneſſe: and what is there in all the world that can worke the heart to ſo comfortable and unconquerable reſolution, as our repoſall upon God? The Lord is my truſt, whom then can I feare? They that put their truſt in the Lord, are as mount Sion that cannot be moved. Oh caſt your ſelves therefore into thoſe almighty hands, ſeeke him in whom you ſhall finde true reſt and happineſſe, honour him with your ſubſtance that hath honoured you with it: truſt not in riches, but truſt in God. Riches are but for this world, the true God is Lord of the other; therefore truſt in him: riches are uncertaine, the true God is Amen, ever like himſelfe; ergo truſt in him: riches are meere paſsive, they cannot beſtow ſo much as themſelves, much leſſe ought beſides themſelves; the true God gives you all things to enjoy: riches are but a liveleſſe and ſenſeleſſe metall, God is
The living God. Life is an ancient and uſuall title of God; he for the moſt part ſweares by it. When Moſes asked his name, he deſcribed himſelfe by I am: He is, he liveth; and nothing is, and nothing lives abſolutely but he: all other things by participation from him. In all other things their life and they are two, but God is his owne life: and therefore (as Aquinas acutely diſputeth againſt the Gentiles) muſt needs be eternall, becauſe beeing cannot be ſevered from it ſelf. Howbeit, not only the life he hath in himſelfe, but the life which he giveth to his creatures, challengeth a part in this title. A glympſe whereof the heathen had when they called Jupiter foreign, from foreign Thoſe creatures which have life we eſteem beyond thoſe that have it not, how noble ſoever other waies thoſe things be. Therfore he that hath the perfecteſt life muſt needs be the beſt. God therefore who is life it ſelf, & fountain of all that life which is in the world, is moſt worthy of all: the adoration, joy, love and confidence of our hearts, and the beſt improvement of that life which he hath given us. Truſt therefore in the living God, not in riches; that is idolatrie, yea madneſſe. What greater madneſſe can there be than to beſtow that life which we have from God, upon a creature that hath no life in it ſelfe, nor price but from men? Let me then perſwade every ſoule that heares me this day as Jacob did his houſhold; Put away the ſtrange gods that are among you: or as St. Paul did his Lyſtrians; O turne away from theſe vanities to the living God, who gives us richly
All things to enjoy. Every word would require, not a ſeverall houre, but a life to meditate upon; and the tongues, not of men, but of Angels to expreſſe it. God not onelyonly hath all in himſelfe, but he gives to us; and gives us not ſomewhat, but all things; and not a little of all, but richly: and all this not to looke on, but to enjoy. (Here the Preacher ſaid it ſhould content him to top the ſheaves onelyonly, becauſe he could not ſtand to threſh them out: it ſhall content me with the Apoſtles to rub ſome few eares, becauſe I cannot ſtand to top the ſheaves) Whither can you turne your eyes to looke beſides the bounty of God? If you looke upwards, his merciemercy reacheth to the heavens; if downewards, the earth is full of his goodneſſe; and ſo is the broad ſea: if you looke about you, what is it that he hath not given us? aire to breathe in, fire to warme us, water to coole us, cloathes to cover us, food to nouriſh us, fruits to refreſh us, yea, delicates to pleaſe us, beaſts to ſerve us, Angels to attend us, heaven to receive us, and (which is above all) his ſonne to redeeme us. Laſtly, if we looke into our ſelves, hath he not given us a ſoule rarely furniſhed with the faculties of underſtanding, will, memorie and judgement? a body wonderfully accommodated to execute the charge of the ſoule? and an eſtate that yeelds due conveniencies for both? moreover, ſeaſonable times, peace, competencie, if not plentie of all commodities, good lawes, religious, wiſe, juſt Governours, happie and flouriſhing dayes, and above all the liberty of the Goſpell? More particularly, caſt up your Bookes, O yee Citizens, and ſumme up your receits; I am deceived if he that hath leaſt ſhall not confeſſe his obligation to be infinite. There are three things eſpecially wherein yee are beyond others, and muſt acknowledge your ſelves deeper in the bookes of God than the reſt of the world.
Firſt, for your deliverance from that wofull judgement ef the Peſtilence. O remember thoſe ſorrowfull times, when every monethmonth ſwept away thouſands from among you, when a man could not ſet forth his foot but into the jawes of death, when piles of carcaſſes were carried to their pits, as dung to the fields, when it was crueltie in the ſicke to admit viſitation, and love was little better than murderous.
Secondly, for your wonderfull plentie of all proviſions ſpirituall and bodily. Yee are like the Sea, all the Rivers of the land runne into you; nay, ſea and land conſpire to enrich you.
Thirdly, for the priviledge of your governement: your charters, as they are large and ſtrong, ſo your forme of adminiſtration is excellent, and the execution of juſtice exemplarie. For all theſe you have reaſon to aske with David, Quid retribuam? and to truſt in God who hath beene ſo gracious unto you. And thus from the duty we owe to God in our confidence, and his beneficence to us, we deſcend to the beneficence which we owe to men, expreſſed in the varietie of foure epithetes to one ſenſe.
To doe good, to be rich in good workes, ready to diſtribute, willing to communicate: all is but beneficence. This heape of words ſhewes the vehement intention of his deſire of good workes, and the important neceſsitie of the performance; and the manner of this expreſsion enforceth no leſſe: Charge the rich, &c. Hearken then, yee rich men of the world, it is not left arbitrarie to you, that you may doe good if you will; but it is layd upon you as your charge and dutie: the ſame neceſsity there is of truſting in God, is of doing good to men.
Let me fling this ſtone at the braſen forehead of our Romiſh Adverſaries, whom their ſhameleſſe challenges of our religion, dare tell the world, that wee are all for faith, and that wee hold workes to ſalvation as a parentheſis to a ſentence. Heaven and earth ſhall witneſſe the injuſtice of this calumniation, and your conſciences ſhall be our compurgatours this day, which ſhall teſtifie to you, both now and on your death-bed, that wee have taught you there is no leſſe neceſsitie of good workes, than if you ſhould bee ſaved by them: and that though you cannot be ſaved by them, as the meritorious cauſes of your glory, yet that you cannot be ſaved without them, as the neceſſary effects of that grace which brings glory. Indeed we doe not hover over your expiring ſoules at your death beds, as Ravens over a carkaſſe; we doe not beg for a covent, nor fright you with Purgatorie, nor chaffer with you for that inviſible treaſure of the Church, whereof there is but one key keeper at Rome: but we tell you, that the making of friends with this Mammon of unrighteouſneſſe is the way to eternall habitations. They ſay of Cyrus, that he was wont to ſay, He layd up treaſure for himſelfe when hee made his friends rich: but we ſay to you, that you lay up treaſures for your ſelves in heaven, whileſt you make the poore your friends on earth. Hee ſhall never be Gods heire in heaven, who lendeth him nothing on earth. As the wittie Poet ſayd of extreme tall men, that they were like Cypreſſe trees, foreign, ſo may I ſay of a ſtraithanded rich man: and theſe Cypreſſes are not for the Garden of Paradiſe. None ſhall be ever planted there but the fruitfull: and if the firſt Paradiſe had any trees in it onelyonly for pleaſure, I am ſure the ſecond, which is in the midſt of the new Jeruſalem, ſhall have no tree that beares not twelve fruits; yea, whoſe very leaves are not beneficiall. Doe good therefore, O yee rich, and ſhew your wealth to be (not in having, but) in doing good: and ſo doe it, that wee may thanke you (not your death-bed) for it. Late beneficence is better than none, but ſo much as early beneficence is better than late. He that gives not till he dies, ſhewes that he would not give if he could keepe it. That which you give thus, you give it by your teſtament, I can ſcarce ſay you give it by your will. The good mans praiſe is diſperſit, dedit, he diſperſes his goods, not he left them behinde him: and his diſtribution is ſeconded with the retribution of God, His righteouſneſſe endureth for ever, Pſal. 112.9. Our Saviour tells us, that our good workes are our light: Let your light ſo ſhine, that men may ſee your good workes. Which of you lets his light goe behind him, and hath it not rather carried before him, that he may ſee which way it goes, and which way himſelfe goes by it? Doe good therefore in your life, that you may have comfort in your death, and a crowne of life after death.
Here the Preacher filled up his border with the gifts of this Citie, as it were ſo many precious ſtones: in ſtead whereof, becauſe I am not appointed to rehearſe your deeds, but the Preachers Sermon, I will fill it up with the praiſes of the Speaker. His ſentences were verè lineae aureae, (according to Junius his tranſlation of my text) cum punctis argenteis; the latter whereof interlaced his whole diſcourſe. It remaineth that as I have done in the former, ſo I worke the embleme of the giver in his gift. The Image ſhall be Marcus Callidius, the Motto or words the words of Tullie, De claris Oratoribus. Orator non unus è multis, ſed inter multos ſingularis; reconditas exquiſitaſque ſententias mollis & perlucens veſtiebat oratio. Nihil tam tenerum quam illius comprehenſio verborum, quae ita pura erat, ut nihil liquidius; ita liberè fluebat, ut nuſquam adhaereſceret; nullum niſi in loco poſitum, & tanquam emblemate vermiculato verbum ſtructum videres: accedebat ordo rerum plenus artis, actio liberalis, totum que dicendi genus placidum & ſanum.