The Ready Way to Good Works, Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII. Of the manner of giving Almes.
YOu have heard before that give wee muſt, and of that onelyonly which is our owne, we muſt not rob Peter to cloath Paul; our next inquiſition ſhall bee into the right manner of giving, and of diſtributing to the poore: In all our Almes-deeds, and liberall contributions wee muſt obſerve theſe rules: Wee muſt give,
1. Compaſſionately, with bowels of merciemercy and out of a fellow-feeling Sympathie and ſenſibleneſſe of others miſeries:Luk. 10. 33. Thus was the good Samaritane affected, towards the unhappie traveller that fell among theev's: when he ſaw him hee had compaſſion Job. 30. 25.on him: Holy Job was likewiſe of the ſame tender and melting diſpoſition, & Heavenly conſtitution, hee was grieved for the poore, and wept for thoſe that were in trouble; We muſt have open bowels as well asEſai. 58. 10. open hands, and wee muſt draw out our ſoules (as the Prophet ſpeaketh) as well as our purſes to the hungrie and afflicted ſoule.
2. Heartily, according to the praevious purpoſe and reſolution2 Cor. 9. 7. Rom. 12. 8. of our ſoules, in ſinceritie and ſimplicitie of heart, not in hypocriſie, or vaine glory, thereby to merit or purchaſe Heaven (as ſome Papiſts doe) not in deceit and policie to engage others to us, and to enrich our ſelves, as ſome worldlings doe; for (ſaith Saint Jerome) This would not be Ad Nepotianum.a free giving, but rather a hunting, hawking and *Viſcatis & hamatis muneribus non ſua promunt, ſed aliena corripiunt, Plin. ep. l. h. 9.fiſhing to catch with net, hooke, and line: We muſt not give to the poore with condition or expectation of their worke and induſtrie backe againe; this were hard dealing indeed to beſtow ſomething on their bellies, and to wring it out againe at their browes, to feede the poore Chriſtians as Carriers doe their horſes, who give them a free allowance of Provender, onelyonly to make them the more able and ſtrong to labour, and fitter for their owne uſes.
3. Conſiderately: Here I mean not ſo much a worldly conſiderationPſal. 41. 1. of our owne eſtates, families, dependants, &c. Theſe carnall thoughts and conceits muſt in compariſon bee laid aſide, but a Chriſtian conſideration, and laying to heart our neighbours wants and miſeries: we muſt not diſregard or paſſe lightly over the neceſſities of our brethren, but prie into their conditions, and watch over them with much eye-fulnes and thought-fulneſſe knowing it to bee a moſt barbarous and inhumane part for any that beares the face of a man, or title of a Chriſtian, to ſuffer Chriſts members to periſh and pine away through curſed neglect and careleſſe inconſiderateneſſe.
4. Humbly, not with a loftie looke, imperious, and ſupercilious countenance, but with a lowly ſpirit, and humble deportment; when I look upon a memberleſſe Cripple, or blinde Bartimeus, or ulcerous Lazarus, I muſt not undervalue him, but eſteeme him as my brother, and conſider thus with my ſelfe; he is but a begger of mee, as I am a begger of God, the Lord hath made him poore, and a fit object for my merciemercy, and the ſame God hath made me rich, and a fit inſtrument to ſuccour his miſerie. Now if I ſhould diſdainfully and proudly ſtop my eares, and ſhut my eyes againſt this my brother in his calamitie, well and juſtly might I expect a ſudden deprivation of my temporall poſſeſſions, and ſo I might worthily become as indigent and helpeleſſe, as the pooreſt ſoule that wandereth in the ſtreets.
5. Willingly, (according to the Apoſtles exhortation) charge the rich, that they bee willing to 1 Tim. 6. 17 18. 2 Cor. 8. 12. & 9. 7. Deut. 15. 10.communicate: wee muſt give without grudging or diſcontentment, without any ſecret griefe or reluctation, for God accepteth and reſpecteth a willing minde, and hee nothing valueth that almes which is violently ſqueazed and pumpt out of us by neceſſitie, or the power of authoritie, or with much a doe wrung from us, by much clamorouſneſſe and importunitie.
6. Readily, put them in mindTit. 3. 1. Benignitas properat. Beneficia non ſunt procraſtinanda, ſed tempeſtivè danda, ut magis prodeſſe poſſint Theoph. Goli. Eth. lib. 4. cap. 1. pag. 146. (ſaith Saint Paul to Titus) to be ready to every good worke. Delayes and procraſtinations in theſe caſes are ever odious, and very dangerous. Say not (ſaith Salomon) unto thy neighbour goe, and come againe, and to morrow I will give, when thou haſt it by thee: Quod ſic defertur, pene aufertur, ſuch a putting off and deferring of doing good from time to time, either quite weares out, or elſe marres the goodneſſe of the action: for being ſo late performed, it diſgraceth thy benevolence, and almoſt fruſtrates the poore of their hopes and expectations. Qui ſic moratur, (ſaith a learned man) proximus eſt neganti: There is no great difference betweene a cauſeleſſe delay, and a flat deniall, between a tedious lingring, and a preſent repulſe. There were ſome *Quidam beneficiis ſuis ex difficultate captant commendationem, gratioreſ que accipientibus honores arbitrantur, ſi prior illos deſperatio & taedium ſimiliſque repulſae mora in not. an quandam & pudorem vertiſſet. Plin pan. ad Trajanum.Romane nobles (as Plinie reports) who hunted after an undeſerved commendation by the difficultie of their good turnes and falſely imagined that the honours would bee the more welcome to the receivers, if the Supplicants through frequent delayes and tedicuſneſſe were driven unto deſpaire of obtaining them. This was but the practiſe of ſome Heathens: Chriſtians muſt learn a better leſſon, and know, that celeritie in giving, graceth greatly the good action. Qui cito dat, bis dat, a ſpeedy giver, is a double benefactor. As God communicates to us, ſo ſhould we to others; hee prevents us with his bleſſings of goodneſſe, ſo ſhould we like the inhabitants of Tema Pſal. 21. 3.prevent the thirſtie with water, and the hungrie with bread: or as Machii Barzillai and othersEſai. 21. 14. 2 Sam. 17. 28. 29. made ſpeedie proviſion for David and his followers when they knew them in diſtreſſe: ſo ſhould wee be quicke and nimble upon all good occaſions to releeve the poore ſaints and ſervants of God in their afflictions and perplexities, for a *foreign.benefit or good turne the ſwifter it comes, the ſweeter it taſtes: conſider how any light motion or ſmall entreatie can move too many to waſte their time and moneyes in Innes, Tavernes, Alehouſes, and ſuch Seminaries of Satan, and nurceries of uncleanneſſe, in gaming, bowling, carding, dicing, tabling, and ſuch other fugitive paſtimes, you ſhall ſee them ready enough to follow ſuch forbidden courſes, and to *Gens humana ruit per vetitum nefas. Horac.ruſh very haſtily upon ſuch intolerably abuſed recreations; Oh why then ſhould not we be as propenſe and ready to releeve the poore, ſerve God, and ſave our owne ſoules. Remember that one ſentence of Salomon to facilitate thy liberalitie: Deferring and putting off maketh Prov. 13. 12 19.the heart ſicke, but the deſire accompliſhed is ſweete to the ſoule.
7. Chearefully: Let him that ſheweth merciemercy, doe it withRom. 12. 8. 2 Cor. 9. 7. chearefullneſſe and alacritie, for God loveth a chearefull giver.
8. Lovingly, and this wee muſt expreſſe, firſt, by a meeke and lowely countenance, which will ſweeten the gift, and make way for its better acceptation, whereas a ſterne and ſowre look is an evidence of a covetous and hardned heart, and as a ſcarcrow to drive away the poore out of a mans preſence. Even as the nurſes ſowre face demonſtrates that ſhee is pained in giving the childe ſucke of her breſts; ſo an auſtere and frowning face, ſufficiently argueth that the heart is pained and grieved in giving to the poore: Wherefore in our actuall diſtributions let us labor to keepe a cleare and chearefull countenance, undarkned with any clouds of ſadneſſe, and diſcontentment, that ſo the poore man may ſee goodneſſe and courteſie looke out at our eyes, and thereby bee encouraged to begge and expect ſome comfort from us. Thus Peter and John looked upon the creeple that lay at the gate of the Temple, which was called Beautifull, Act. 3. 4. 5. Secondly, we muſt teſtifie and make it knowne that wee give lovingly by our milde and gentle ſpeeches: This wasRuth. 2. Boaz his carriage towards Ruth, he ſpake to her very friendly and courteouſly, called her my daughter, bleſſed her in the Name of God, and bountifully entertained her with good cheare, and good language too. Our almes and actuall bountie2 Cor. 9. 5. is called in the originall foreign, as if it ſhould bee given ever with good words, a benediction or a bleſſing, as the word is ſometimes tranſlated, for indeed good words, very well become good workes, and are as powerfull to winne the affections, to merit and oblige the receivers, as the gifts-themſelves: wherefore let us remember to returne, if not ever a charitable almes, yet a *Ecclus. 4. 8.friendly anſwer: harſh and churliſh ſpeeches taſte like wormewood to a hungrie ſoule, and a few bad words may imbitter and diſweeten many good actions.
9. Liberally and bountifully, Prov. 11. 24 2 Cor. 9. 6. Deut. 15. 17almes-giving is compared ſometimes to ſcattering, and ſometimes to ſowing, to denote unto us, that we muſt (as the precept binds us) open our hands wide to the poore and needy in theProv. 21. 26 Act. 10. 2. land: we muſt not give pinchingly and ſparingly, as if it were a loſing, not a lending to the Lord, but with a liberall heart and as bountifull a hand. Cornelius gave not onelyonly Almes, but much Almes: The poore widdow allLuk. 21. 4. that ſhee had, Zacheus halfe his goods, Barnabas ſold all his poſſeſſions, and the Macedonians are highly commended for their2 Cor. 8. great bountie and large contributions.
10. Seaſonably, while weeGal 6. 10. have ſo many motives to mercifulneſſe, ſuch meanes, materials, objects and occaſions of charitie we muſt be ready to ſhew merciemercy: if we accept not of the good of opportunitie, wee may looſe the opportunitie of good: who knows whether he or the poore, ſhal live till to morrow, whether his wealth ſhall continue, and his mountain abide unmoveable. If God in his diſpleaſure blow upon a mans ſubſtance, it vaniſhes away in a moment, this hee hath done heretofore, and is able and readie ſtill to doe ſo againe, if thou ſhut up thy bowels of compaſſions from the poore, and hoardeſt up his bleſſings only for thy priuate profit, which hee hath lent thee to diſpoſe of for the ſupply and prevention of publike miſeries and neceſſities. The Samaritane didLuk. 10. 33. reach forth his helping hand to the wounded man, as ſoone as he ſaw him, he tooke the opportunitie to ſuccour him in his extremitie; ſo ſhould we without any demurres preſently releeve our poore neighbours, when they ſtand in need of our bountie and liberalitie.
11. Impartially, we muſt doMatth. 5. 45. Luk. 6. 35. 36. good unto all, friends or foes, neighbours, or aliens, gratefull, or ungratefull, to theſe we muſt ſhew merciemercy in caſe of true neceſſitie, but above and before all, unto the houſhold of faith, the flocke of Chriſt, the redeemed and peculiar nation, thoſe onelyonly happy ones of the earth: wee are eaſily perſwaded, to relieve thoſe whom wee love, but to love, to doe good unto, *foreign ſignificat & benedicere & benefacere: See Pet. Mart. in. Rom. 12. 14. & foreign eſt beneficentia. 2 Cor. 9. 6.to ſpeake well of our enemies that hate us, this is hard and grievous to fleſh and blood: but if we would bee holden the Children of the moſt Higheſt wee muſt be mercifull as he is mercifull, wee muſt love our enemies and relieve them too, Prov. 25. 21. Rom. 12. 20.
12. Religiouſly, this is a rule and condition which is leaſt obſerved, or taken notice of, but of all moſt requiſite, neceſſary, and gracefull to our Almes-deeds. This religious manner of giving, conſiſteth in theſe five things. Firſt, to give with reſpect to Gods commandement, as doing him ſervice, and teſtifying obedience unto his Will: this is a great fault among many, who either give not all though God doth enjoyne them, or elſe give not becauſe hee bids them, but becauſe the poore beg of them. Secondly, to give with relation unto Gods great merciemercy towards us, and hereby to teſtifie our thankefulneſſe unto him, as Zacheus did. Thirdly, in our contributionsLuk. 19. to have reſpect unto the maintenance and advancement of Chriſtian religion, which teacheth us that wee muſt viſite theJam. 1. 27. fatherleſſe, and widdowes in their affliction. Fourthly, to aime at Gods glory in theſe and all our other actions, we muſt do good workes that others may ſee theMatth. 5. 16. light of them, and ſo glorifie our Father which is in Heaven. Fifthly, to deliver our almes with a Chriſtian admonition and exhortation unto pietie, new obedience, equitie, ſobrietie, &c. to encourage thoſe whom we finde already well-diſpoſed, to ſeeke their reformation who are refractorie and perverſe in their courſes: Thus ſhall wee bee double-Charitable, ſpiritually to their ſoules, and corporally to their bodies. There bee many graceleſſe wretches, who like beaſts care onelyonly for their bellies (as if they had but ſenſitive ſoules onelyonly) and cannot endure that we ſhould do them ſo much good as to inſtruct and chatechize them. Theſe wee muſt moſt pitty, becauſe their caſe is moſt lamentable, they are in a purgatory here already, and without unfained repentance their next ſtep will be into hell. What a happy and glorious worke would it be, if by our good words and charitable workes, we could pull one ſuch helples ſoule out of his ſpirituall miſery and thraldome, this were indeed a piece of ſuperlatiue and tranſcendent charity.
13. And laſtly, we muſt remember to give conſtantly, weeGal. 6. 9. Eccl. 11. 6. muſt not pull backe our ſhoulders from the yoke, nor grow wearyof well doing: in the morning we muſt ſow our ſeed, and in the evening not pull backe our hand from the riſing of the Sun of our life, till the naturall expiration and going downe of the ſame. As long as there are poore to be relieved, and goods to be communicated, ſo long muſt we ſtill exerciſe our bounty and liberality,Mat. 26. 11. for according to Chriſts prediction, the poore wee ſhall alwayes have with us, as long as the world endureth, therefore noe hope of any intermiſſion, or ceſſation from ſhewing mercy. As God is alwayes helping us, ſo ſhould wee our helpeleſſe brethren,Job. 31. 18. Job was addicted to workes of mercy from his youthAct. 6. 1. up, he never eate his morſells alone, but divided a portion to the fatherleſſe and the widdow. Among the primitive Chriſtians there was a dayly miniſtration to the wants and neceſſities of the poore, how then can wee hope or deſire to be ever exempted from the performance of this duty? A Chriſtian muſt reſemble the Sunne in the firmament, ever ſhine, be ever ful of the light of good workes: And as the Sun if the skie be cleare, ſeemes moſt glorious and beautifull at his ſetting, ſo ſhould Gods faithfull ſonnes and ſervants be moſt reſplendent in grace and goodnes, and the workes of charity when they are old, as it were a dying and drawing apace to their long home the grave.