The Ready Way to Good Works, Chapter 5
CHAP. V. That Widdowes are to doe good Workes.
LEaſt the former diſcourſe ſhould bee miſapplyed, and that which hath beene delivered, ſhould ſeeme to be ſpoken onelyonly of Men, Fathers, and Maſters of Families, &c. I thought it fit and pertinent to let you underſtand, that women are not to bee excepted or exempted from a ſeaſonable miniſtring unto the corporall neceſſities of the needy, but they ought alſo to put on bowells of compaſſion as well as other graces, and as well as men. And in the firſt place of Widdowes, that they are to bee mercifull and charitable to the poore ſhall bee made manifeſt and cleare, both by the light of Reaſon, and multiplicity of examples very pregnant to this purpoſe in the holy Scriptures. You have before heard of the renouned bounty and liberalitie of thoſe two Widdowes mentioned in Marke, 12. 44. & 1 King. 17. 11. 15. whoſe names are celebrated, and eternized in the Heavens, and ſhall laſt and continue here on earth as long as the Sunne and Moone endureth. They have more fellowes and followers recorded in the Booke of life. In the Acts of the Apoſtles wee finde one Tabitha, by interpretation, Dorcas, a memorable bAct. 9. 36.woman, who was full of good workes and Almeſ-deedes which ſhe did; This bleſſed Matron, when ſhee was dead, was reſtored to life againe, by the Prayers and Miniſtery of Saintverſ. 40. Peter, ſhee being the firſt, that after Chriſts aſcenſion was honoured with ſuch a miraculous reſurrection: Thus gratiouſly dealt the Lord with this mercifull widdow, that by her rare example ſhe might breath freſh life, encouragement, and alacritie into the breſts of the reſt of her Sexe and Condition, in ages to come, to follow her in the way of well doing, in good workes and Almeſ-deeds. To theſe may be added cLuk. 10. 40. Joh. 12. 3.Martha, who with ſo much care and reſpect entertained Chriſt, dLuk. 8. 2. 3.Mary Magdalen and Suſanna, who were widdowes, or unmarried Maides, for there is no mention made of any husbands they ever had: and further, tis ſaid that they miniſtred to Chriſt of their ſubſtance, and in this Garland of gratious and mercifull widdowes will wee knit up thoſe other ſweet ſmelling flowers, Phebe, who was a cRom. 16. 1. 2. verſ. 6.ſuccourer of the Saints, and Marie nominated by the Apoſtle in Rom 16. 6. and that honourable f2 John 1.Ladie to whom Saint John wrote. In antient times there were many charitable widdowes, as wee may read frequently in Saint Jeroms Epiſtles: and theſe times wherein we live, have beene very fruitfull in the like examples of religious and vertuous Matrons, and women of all degrees, who have teſtified the truth of their love unto, and the infallibilitie and ſoundneſſe of their faith in Chriſt, by obedience unto his Will, and expreſſion of pittie and compaſſion unto his naked and needy members: we have our Tabithaes, Phebees, and elect Ladies, who have lodged ſtrangers, releeved the afflicted, diligently followed every good worke, widdowes indeed, and well reported of for good workes, as Saint g1 Tim. 2. 10.Paul would have them to be. And good reaſon is there, why they ſhould addreſſe themſelves to a conſtant diſcharge of this noble dutie of Charitie, and ſeriouſly ſtudie to honour and glorifie God by their bountie and liberalitie: for the Lord in a high meaſure honours them by vouchſafing to be their husband to cheriſh and hJer. 49. 11preſerve their fatherleſſe children, their Protectour, refuge and Aſylum on whom to truſt and depend in their deſolate and mournefull condition; by bearing a watchfull eye over them, and providing iDeut. 10. 18. Exod. 22. 22.Lawes for the protecting, comforting, and ſuſtaining of them. Secondly, let them ponder and meditate on the forenamed examples: mee thinkes when they heare or read of the high commendation and wonderfull acceptation of the poore widdowes two mites in the Goſpell,Luk. 21. 3. how others have beene infinitely remunerated for thoſe ſmall crum's of Comfort which they have beſtowed willingly and chearefully unto the Saints of God, they ſhould not chuſe if there were any ſparke of zeale in their boſomes, but bee preſently inflamed to the ſerious and joyfull obedience of the ſame precept, and to the practice of the ſame dutie. The Lord doubtleſſe might have ſent the Prophet Eliah, to men in Iſrael, who could have ſuſtained him, in his extremitie with leſſe loſſe to themſelves, and more abundant nutriment, but hee made ſpeciall choice of the widdow of Sareptha, for his Hoſteſſe and bleſſed ſuccourer, that hereby he might let us know, that hee expecteth merciemercy and good workes from poore widdowes, and that by this excellent patterne and example, others of the ſame ranke and ſexe might be animated and encouraged to liberalitie and charitableneſſe. It well becommeth (ſaith the Apoſtle) k1 Tim. 2. 9. 10.women profeſſing godlineſſe to put on modeſt apparrell, ſhamefaſtneſſe, and ſobrietie, and to adorn themſelves not with gold or pearles, or coſtly attire, or broidered haire and curled lockes, but with the pretious and royall garment of good workes. Charitie is a Jewell which they ought to hang up in the eares of their ſoules, as well as men, they profeſſe the ſame faith, and why ſhould they not produce the ſame fruits? They looke for the ſame price, and why ſhould they not runne the ſame race? they expect the ſame Kingdome, and Crowne of immortalitie and why ſhould they not fight the ſame good fight, finiſh the ſame courſe, and conforme to the ſame precepts? They preſume and are confident that they have the ſame Saviour, that they are of the number of his choſen flocke, of his redeemed, purified, ſanctified peculiar people, why then ſhould they not be lTit. 2. 14.zealous of good works, The widdowes pittifull heart? and bountiful hands are mHeb. 13. 16.Sacrifices with which God is well pleaſed (for that place is to be applied to ſuch weake and infirme veſſels, as well as to others of the ſtronger ſexe) how then can they hope to be priviledged from the practice of this grace, or what can bee by them with coulour and countenance pretended to excuſe them for the omiſſion and neglect of this dutie? They are ſubject to no husbands as formerly they have beene, but free from all conjugall ties and obligations: They are their owne Maſters, and not other mens wives; what they enjoy is their owne, and they may freely diſpoſe thereof as they pleaſe: and therefore thoſe precepts concerning liberalitie and mercifulneſſe to the poore, which in generall are commanded unto men, doe as deeply oblige and binde them alſo, and lie upon them with an heavie neceſſitie. As therefore they hope to bee nPet 3. 7.Heires with men of the ſame grace, of life, and to partake of thoſe promiſes in the Goſpell made unto Charitable and mercifull Chriſtians, let them by their o1 Tim. 6. 18. verſ. 19.readineſſe to diſtribute, and willingneſſe to communicate to others wants, lay up in ſtore for themſelves a good foundation againſt the time to come, that they may lay hold on Eternall life.