The Ready Way to Good Works, Chapter 15
CHAP. XV. How much to give.
ALbeit Humane lawes and conſtitutions doe ordain & command, that publike rates bee made in all pariſhes for the maintainance of the poore, and ſo hereby many are neceſſitated and inforced according to their knowne abilities to contribute ſomething, who otherwiſe through their hard-heartedneſſe would doe juſt nothing at all; And although God likewiſe in works of pietie, rated his people Iſrael,Exod. 30. 12. 15. 16. Numb. 18. 18. & 15. & 18. to bee liberall in ſome caſes, as (viz.) for the attonement of mens ſoules, for the maintainance of divine worſhip of the Levites and Prieſts, who ſerved at the Altar, yet never was there ſuch compulſive rules ſet downe by God to be obſerved in works of Charity, either under the Law, or under the Goſpell.
Tis to hard a matter, and beyond the power and wiſdome of any one man to proportionate other mens almes, to determine of the quantitie and meaſure of their bounty and to preſcribe any certaine rules in this caſe: for herein the Scripture is ſilent, and doth not particularize any. Circumſtances may ſo vary and alter, that one rule, will not hold for all; moſt mens eſtates are very different, ſo are the objects of Charity: As all are not alike rich, ſo neither are all alike poore; And againe all Charitable actions and good workes are not of like neceſſity; Therefore wee will not preſume to tye or oblige mens conſciences to ſtrict Canons in matters ſo different and undetermined. It will not be amiſſe nevertheleſſe, to commend unto your conſiderations, ſuch generall directions as theſe.
1. We ought to give as wee are able (according to the precept of our Saviour CHRIST)Luk. 11. 41. Give (ſaith he) of that which you have, that is, (according to the Marginall tranſlation) as you are able. This was the practiſe of the primitive Diſciples, they reſolved and determined to relieveAct. 11. 29. the poore Saints after their power and abilities. Some have parted with much as Cornelius, ſome have given halfe of their eſtates as Zacheus did, and one Sr Thomas Offley who gave halfe of his eſtate and two hundred pounds out of the other halfe, left unto his ſonne, to be beſtowed by his executors in charitable workes: Some have ſold all, and given all as Barnabas, the poore Widdow and many others and ſome in our moderne times have given a tenth, wee2 Cor. 9. 7. want not inſtances hereof, no not in theſe our preſent dayes: every one is to give, as God ſhall move him, and according as he purpoſeth in his heart.1 Cor. 16. 2.
2. We muſt give as God hath proſpered us. As hee goeth before us, ſo muſt we follow after; our benevolence to others muſt be according to his benediction to our ſelves, wee muſt obſerve his hand towards us, and ſo proceede in our Charity towards our neighbours: our meaſure to others muſt be as he metes unto us, of his little wee muſt give aAct. 10. 2. Mark. 12. 41. little, of his abundance, a great deale: where much is given, much is expected and required againe: Here is no exaction at all to repay back a little pittance out of that great portion which was freely and undeſervedly collated on us by Gods bountifull hand, there cannot be a more reaſonable requeſt, or a more eaſie way of retribution than this, to give according as God hath proſpered us.
3. Wee muſt give in ſuch a meaſure as our poore brethrens preſent neceſſities ſhall require, and wee our ſelves would in their caſes expect from the hands of thoſe that ſhould bee of our owne now flouriſhingMatth. 7. 12. ranke and ſtation: doe we muſt unto others, as we would others ſhould doe unto us: as therefore we would (were we in Lazarus his caſe) begge and require ſome crummes of comfort from Dives his Table, ſo let us remember in our dayes of wealth and plenty to give the poore a taſte of our dainties, a ſhare of our abundance.
4. Wee muſt (without all controverſie) give ſo much unto hungry and naked Chriſtians, as we are well able, and willingly content to expend profuſely in Gaming, Dicing, upon Hawkes, Horſes and Hounds, or any other poſting pleaſures, and fugitive paſtimes. Let no man call this aſſertion into queſtion, for it is a principle ſo cleare and unqueſtionable, that no man of underſtanding and maſter of his owne wits, except hee be notoriouſly ſhameleſſe, can have the face to deny it; For is it not a thing altogether very incongruous and unreaſonable, that a company of filthy Ravens, and tamed Eagles ſhould devour Gods portion, and ſtarve the poore? Or that a naſty kennell of ſtinking Curres ſhould bee preferred before the Bleſſed members of Jeſus Chriſt? I could wiſh, that theſe great Maſters of pleaſures would remember the right honorable practice of a truly Noble man, who when a friend of his comming to him, and after other complements betwixt them, deſired to ſee his Hounds, after dinner carrying him into aDr Mayer exp. on Jar. pa. 367. roome, where were many poore people relieved, telling him that theſe were the hounds wherewith he did hunt after the kingdome of heaven.
5. Wee muſt ever give ſoe much as may evidence and demonſtrate,Pro. 3. 9. firſt, the power of religion, and our conſcionable care to honour God with that ſubſtance which wee have received from him. 2. The inviſible pittie, and melting compaſſion of our hearts towards the needy. 3. Our love and gratitude to God for the plentifull effuſion and collation of his earthly bleſſings upon us. 4. Our truſtineſſe and fidelity in the uſing, managing, and imployment of thoſe temporall talents which he lent us, to his glory and our neighbours good. 5. Our faith and ſtedfaſt relyance upon his promiſes, which hee hath faithfully made unto all compaſſionate and charitably minded perſons. 6. Our contempt and deteſtation of the world and the periſhing pelfe thereof, that our hearts are not nailed and inſeparably glued to earth and earthly things. 7. Our propenſitie and willingneſſe to contribute according to our abilities,2 Cor. 8. 3. and our hope and expectation of that unvaluable reward and recompence which is prepared for, and ſhall one day crowne the heads of all thoſe that by their mercifulneſſe and brotherly kindneſſe, have laid up a good foundation againſt 1 Tim. 6. 19. Job. 31. Pſal. 41. 1. 3. Deut. 15. 10 Pſal. 37. 26. & 41. 13.the life to come, that they may hold on eternall life. Laſtly, wee muſt be ſo liberall in giving, that thence we may ſucke ſome joy and comfort unto our ſoules, which (if we be truely bountifull) wee ſhall moſt certainely reape at Gods hand, comfort in afflictions, comfort in ſicknes, comfort in the works and operations of our hands, comfort in the hope of Gods bleſſing upon our children and poſterity, comfort againſt enemies, comfort againſt death, when wee ſhall reſt from our labours, and our good workes will follow us,Rev. 14. 13. Jam. 2. 13. Mat. 25. laſtly, unutterable comfort, and conſolation againſt, and in the day of judgement,