The Ready Way to Good Works, Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Of the introduction to the inſuing diſcourſe, and of the dutie of Ministers in the act of Charitie.
AS it greatly concernes all Gods truſtie Ambaſſadors and faithfull Miniſters to divide the Word of Truth aright, to provoke and ſtirre up their hearers to the conſcionable practice of every holy duetie, which ſhall be commended or commanded unto them from the ſacred writings either of Prophets or Apoſtles; So it very much behoves them with much zealous earneſtnes, and ſanctified eloquence to preſſe upon their conſciences the duties of Charitie, and to traine them up in almes-giving and good Works, thoſe much neglected and unbeaten paths of Chriſtianitie. aPſal. 37. 21, 26. & 41. 1, 2. & 112. 5, 9.David that royall and ſweet… ſinging Prophet frequently delivered and repeated the doctrine and duties of Charitie: So did bProv. 22. 9. & 19. 17. & 28. 27.Salomon his wiſe Sonne: So did the Prophet cEſai. 32. 7.Eſay chapter 58. from verſe 6. to verſe 12. Iohn Baptist exhorteth ſeriouſly hereunto. Luke 3. 11. dLuke 11. 42. & 12. 33 Matth. 19. 25. & 5. 42 1 Joh. 3. 17. Jam. 2. 13. Gal. 2. 10. 1 Cor. 16. 1, 2. 2 Cor. 8. 7. & 9. 5. Heb. 13. 16 1 Tim. 6. 17, 18.Our bleſſed Saviour often commandeth and chargeth his Diſciple to give almes, to be liberall minded, and mercifull to the poore All the Apoſtles likewiſe did harpe upon the ſame ſtring, and with their united and concurrent exhortations zealouſlie endevoured to breake in peeces the flintie hearts of men, and to thaw their frozen and congealed bowels into ſtreames of pitty and compaſſion. Saint Paule was very frequent in this ſubject, and with much vehemencie of ſpirit, he often preſſeth the practice of Charitie in moſt of his Epiſtles, putting the ſame Auditors in minde againe and againe of the ſame dutie, as being a leſſon never to be unlearned and forgotten, but worthy to be imprinted with a pen of Iron, or the point of a Diamond in the everlaſting tables of their hearts: He chargeth Timothy alſo to urge this ſo commendable and neceſſarie a doctrine upon his Hearers, that as they did abound in temporall bleſſings, and worldly wealth, they might alſo be rich in good works. In this poynt we have the practice, conſent, and unanimous approbation of learned Fathers. Saint Austin, Ierome, Prosper, and Saint Chriſostome, who in their famous bookes and renowned writings have zealouſly endevoured with their moſt ſanctified and heavenly eloquence, to perſwade and incite Chriſtians to the conſcionable and carefull practice of Workes of MercieMercy, Pittie, and Compaſſion.
Now we that are Diſpenſers of the Myſteries of the Goſpell muſt goe before others, not in precept onelyonly, but alſo in example; wee muſt confirme by practice what in Doctrine we teach: therefore wee that are Preachers of Charitie muſt bee practizers thereof our ſelves: the latter is moſt effectuall of the two to winne mens affections. Good Workes have as loud a voyce as good words. And *Ille praedicat ſolum viva voce, qui praed… cat & vita & voce.he preaches with a lively voyce, who preaches both with life and voyce. That is no true, but a painted ſtarre which gives no light, and that is no reall, but a counterfeit fire that gives a faire colour, but affords no heat: So he may bee accounted only the emptie ſhadow and meere picture of a Miniſter (for he merits nothing leſſe than the appellation of an Ambaſſadour, of an Angell, of a Starre) who doth not enlighten others in the wayes of well-doing, by the beames of his good workes, and by the light of his owne charitable practiſes, and expreſſions of liberalitie to enflame them with the ſame tender-heartedneſſe, and bowels of Compaſſion. Though the Sunne and Moone thoſe more reſplendent and admirable Creatures, by reaſon of their exceeding brightneſſe beare away the glorie the one of the day, the other of the night, yet there is never a little ſtarre in the firmament, but doth in ſome meaſure and proportion contribute to enlighten the Heavens: So likewiſe ought it to bee among the ſublunarie Starres, the Miniſters and Ambaſſadours of Chriſt; Though ſome are more eminent in grace and place than other ſome, and they may, nay they ought to be more illuſtrious and reſplendent in good works, yet there is ſome light and influence required and expected from us all. Wee muſt chiefly remember to reach forth our helping hands to the poore, and to communicate to their neceſſities according to our ſeverall abilities, and their preſent wants and exigencies. We are placed in the Church militant as the upper wheels in a Jacke, if we ſtand ſtill, and doe nothing, what progreſſe or motion can be expected from the people in any good duties. It were a wiſe courſe, if we would imitate our Saviour Chriſt, and make him our patterne in this, and all the other actions and paſſages of our life: As he taught others to be charitable, ſo he led them the way by his owne example, he kept a Bag out of which he was wont to diſtribute ſomething to the poore, Ioh. 13. 29. albeit he himſelfe in reſpect of his temporall and worldly ſtate and condition was deepely poore and penurious, he being not ſo much as owner of a poore Cottage, as man, who asMatt. 8. 20. God was the great Land-lord of the whole world, nay if we peruſe the Goſpell of Saint Luke well, we ſhal finde that he ſometimes lived of the Charitie and benevolence of holy and religious women, Luk. 8. 3. If we deſcend from the Maſter to the Scholars, we ſhall finde Barnabas an Apoſtolicall man wonderfully addicted to workes of mercy, Act. 4. 37. and Saint Paul propounding unto Timothy his owne example, life, and converſation, his gifts and ſpirituall indowments, thereby to ſtirre him up to the like vertues, and to encourage him in Well-doing, among the Catalogue of his graces, enumerates and reckons up his Charitie, as a ſweet flower in the Garland of his Goodneſſe, 2 Tim. 3. 10. nay elſe where hee is bold to affirme, that with his owne hands he ministred unto his owne neceſſities, and to thoſe that were with him, Act. 20. 34. Now it remaines that we regulate and faſhion our lives by the examples of theſe Saints, let us doe and teach as Chriſt did, preach and practiſe as the Apoſtles did, for if we doe confirme and ſtrengthen our good words by good works, and adde good doings to good ſayings, we ſhall be able to ſtop the barking mouthes of all gainſayers, prevent the fleſhly reaſonings of carnall men, utterly take away all thoſe excuſes, pretexts, and ſubterfuges, whereby the craftie worldlings are wont to privilege themſelves from the practice of this dutie. And hereby wee may bee emboldned to preſſe the exerciſe of this Grace the more boldly, and to commend our ſelves the more freely to the Conſciences of our Auditory, when they know wee are not like ſounding braſſe or tinckling Cimbals, clouds without water, ſtarres without light, or like emptie veſſels which ſound loudeſt, but that wee have open hands, as well as open mouthes, and that wee adorne our high Calling and Profeſſion with a ſutable Converſation.
Having thus made way to our words by our owne workes, we may cheriſh and entertaine the greater hope, that wee ſhall prevaile with our hearers, who in generall cannot but much applaud and highly extoll almeſdeeds, and workes of merciemercy: There are none of the ſonnes or daughters of Adam of ſo depraved natures and inhumane Conſtitutions, but will put their ſeale of verball approbation to any charitable action, and willingly confeſſe, ore tenus, that is a gratious practice, and well-pleaſing to God and man, to ſupply the defects of the needie, to refreſh the bowels of the hungry, to clothe the backes of the naked, and to commiſerate the ſeverall neceſſities of all diſtreſſed and helpeleſſe Chriſtians: therefore ſuch Miniſters as have charitable hearts, and withall charitable hands (for they be the men who get great advantage above others in the proſecution of this point) let them addreſſe themſelves, with much zeale and contention of Spirit, to ply their Auditory, with extraordinary importunitie, and upon their verbal approbation, to exhort and ſtirre them up with ſtrong Reaſons, and demonſtrative arguments to charitable workes, to drive them out of the ſtrong holds of their with-holding and ſtrait handedneſſe into reall actions, and publike and private expreſſions of their love, and tender-heartedneſſe, towards their comfortleſſe and needie brethren.
Tis well wee have their generall allowance and conſent, for thereupon may wee proceed to a more particular application, and urge the preſent execution, and perſonall performance of this dutie, which is generally neglected of moſt ſorts of men, even now in this cleare and glorious Sun-ſhine of the Goſpell. Who would imagine that theſe warme and redoubled beames of the word ſhould not be able to thaw and reſolve the icie congealed, and frozen hearts of covetous Earth-wormes, and carnall worldlings into melting affections of love, and compaſſion; but that wee know, that clay will waxe more obdurate, and the harder in the brighteſt ſunneſhine, and that the Adamants, which naturally all men beare about in their boſomes are not eaſilie turned into fleſh and bowels of mercy.
It is able to extract even teares of bloud from a ſympathizing ſoule to ſee how eſtranged mens hearts are from all pietie and pittie, how oppoſite they are to goodnes, how careleſſe and regardleſſe of the miſeries of others; and yet they falſely conceive, and unreaſonably preſume that Heaven gates ſhall preparedly be ſet open, that infinite treaſures of mercy ſhall be provided for them, that God will accept and admit them to his kingdome, though they lived never ſo brutiſhly like Canniballs here on earth, extorting from one, perſecuting another, ſlandering, reviling, and injuring others, eating up Gods people as it were bread. This is a moſt cunning device, and horrible fallacy of Satan whereby he infatuates … priſoners, which are faſt tied … bound with their owne goll… fetters, and labours, to perwade them that good wiſhes … wouldings without actuall …formances, that benevolence without beneficence will ſerve be turne to excuſe them before God, and to qualifie and prepare him for the Kingdome of Heaven. Alas, how groſly doe men bleſſe themſelves in their curſed and crooked courſes, flatter and d…ude their poore ſoules in their evill wayes: all thoſe faire hopes which they entertaine concerning their Spirituall happineſſe and eternall welfare hereafter are but meere dreames, vaine fancies, groundleſſe conjectures and preſumptuous, for that dreadfull Doome and bitter ſentence of eternall confuſion which Saint James delivereth is theirJam. 2. 15. portion, and ſhall light upon their heads one day: Hee ſhall have Judgement without mercy who ſheweth no mercy: as it may appeare by the parable of Dives and Lazarus, and is further confirmed by thoſe condemnatorie and irrevocable words of our Saviour Chriſt: cMat. 25. 41, 42, 43.Goe ye curſed into everlaſting fire, for your hard-heartedneſſe, and deficiencie in the duties of Charitie. To the meditation of which Doome I commend all uncharitable and mercileſſe perſons.