The Ready Way to Good Works, Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. What is to be learned of them who doe good Workes, and how they are to bee qualified.
IT is a generall miſtake and common error among men, they thinke any voluntarie contribution, every ſiniſter refreſhing of the needy to bee an unqueſtionable Almesdeed, that all ſorts of givers are ipſo facto mercifull and charitable perſons, and that their heartleſſe doles and offerings are accepted of God, though they themſelves walke on in their owne curſed and crooked courſes, and live according to the faſhion of this evill world, meere ſtrangers to the power and practice of true pietie and godlineſſe. Therefore it will not bee amiſſe for mee to teach, and others to learne how to doe a good worke. Now it may bee learned two manner of wayes, by the Goſpell, and by the Law: Firſt by the Goſpell which teacheth us
1. To have an eye and toMatt. 3. 17. looke unto Chriſt in whom only God is pacified and wel pleaſed, and by whom all things that by reaſon of ſinne were at ods, are againe reconciled betweene the guiltie creature and the angrie Judge.
2. To reflect backe upon our owne perſons, and ſeriouſly to conſider what intereſt wee have in Chriſt Jeſus, and his meritorious purchaſe, that ſo wee may be aſſured that our ſacrifices will ſend up a ſweet ſmell, and pleaſant ſavour into the noſtrils of the Almightie.
3. To looke there bee grace in us, as our faith (without which it is impoſſible to pleaſe God) unfainedHeb. 11. 6. love, brotherly kindneſſe, humilitie, patience, and other ſpirituall abilities and qualifications. For you muſt know that the Goſpell by the Synergie and cooperation of the Spirit doth inlighten the underſtanding, refine the nature, change the conditions, batter into peeces the ſtonie heart, plant ſaving graces, and ſow the ſeed of immortalitie in the ſoule, and then when it is thus well pruned, harrowed, tempered, and ſanctified by the Word, it brings forth plentifully the fruits of good works. So then you ſee wee muſt firſt view the faces of our ſoules in the pure glaſſe of the Goſpell, whether they beare any conformitie with the Image of Chriſt, whether they bee adorned and beautified with the Graces of the Holy Ghoſt, before we can aſſure our ſelves that our works are truely good, and ſaving acceptable to the Lord.
4. To looke unto our lives and converſations: Charitie, a pure heart, and a good conſcience, are ever neere neighbours,1 Tim. 1. 5. and lodge cloſe together, and no man can dole charitably to the poore, that doth not deale conſcionably with his neighbour. The ſame tree cannot naturally bring forth ſweete and bitter, ſound and rotten fruits together: So likewiſe the ſame man cannot bee a liberall giver to the poore, and an unconſtionable couzner of his brother. There muſt bee a Spirituall harmonie and uniformitie betweene all our actions, a conformitie in them with the pure precepts of God, and then we may boldly conclude the infallibilitie of a good work. None I am ſure are in the Scriptures commended for their mercifulneſſe and almes-deeds, but ſuch as are otherwiſe deſcribed by other ſaving and eminent graces and good parts. Revolve and conſider with your ſelves the manifold bJob. 1. 1. Act. 10. 1. Phil. 5. 7. Act. 4. & 11. 24.examples which are obvious to your obſervation, both in the old and new Teſtament, and you ſhall finde this truth as cleere and evident as the noone-day.
5. The Goſpell teacheth usNehem. 13 22. to looke ever to Gods mercy in Chriſt, and not to our owne merit in any worke we doe: for do what we can, wee can doe but our dutie, ſtill we are but unprofitable ſervants: One little dead fly will ſpoile a whole boxe of pretious oyntment, ſo one dram of merit will marre the beſt action, and greateſt good worke. Thus learne wee a good worke from the Goſpell.
2. From the Law which teacheth us. Firſt, that we muſt doe a good worke from the love of God, 1 John 3. 17. this the Law inſtructeth us in the firſt place, and ſo our Saviour Chriſt enformeth us, and thereforeMatth. 22. 38. whenſoever wee intend a good worke, our chiefeſt care muſt be to ſee that it may conſiſt with true holineſſe, and that it is not contrarie and repugnant unto the honour, glorie, and worſhip of the living and eternall God. If any pretended good worke tend to the erection of idolatrie, to the maintenance and ſupportation of falſe worſhips and religions, or bee any way derogatorie to the Name of the Lord, that worke is directly condemned by the Law as full of ſinne and obliquitie.
2. That we muſt do a good worke from the love of our ſelves unto our neighbours,Matth. 19. 19. whom wee are commanded to love as our owne ſelves: and here ſpeciall heed muſt be taken; that the good worke ſtand with the preſervation of our owne and our neighbours dignitie, innocencie, chaſtitie, equitie, and veritie, according as the rules of the ſecond table binde and direct us. For our Saviour Chriſt ſharpely reproves the Jewes for there Corban, becauſe a gift withMatt. 15. 6. contempt or neglect of ones dutie to his parents and ſuperiours is no way tolerable or allowable. *Hee laid the ſpatious and famous foundation of Christs-Church in Oxford, which king Henrie the eigth enriched with many goodly revenues.Cardinall Woolſey laid a faire foundation for a good worke, but his ego & rex meus mar'd all the building. It was a point of prodigious pride, and intolerable arrogancie for the ſubject to enthrone himſelfe above the king, and to raiſe his owne honor and reputation upon the ruine of his Soveraignes dignitie.
Laſtly, the goodneſſe and acceptance of a worke is loſt and quite mar'd, if it be incompatible with innocency, equitie, or veritie, any way injurious or offenſive1 Cor. 13. to any, for Charitie is a friend to innocencie and right, an utter enemy to deceit, untruth, and fraudulent dealing. It never wrongs any, but rather ſuffers, covers and palliates multitudes of undeſerved and diſhonourable injuries. From all this that hath beene ſpoken may wee learne eaſily to confute the erroneous and ſelfe-deceiving conceits of thoſe men who imagine.
1. That the very act of givingThe firſt errour confuted. is a truly charitable worke, as if God more reſpected the hand than the heart: this is prodigious folly and a ſtrong deluſion of Sathan. Doth not the Apoſtle in plaine words tell us, that a man may give his body to be burned, and all his goods to the 1 Cor. 13. 3.poore, and yet have not a ſparkeNon paſſio ſed cauſa facit martyrem. of true charitie. 'Tis not the paſſion, but the good cauſe that makes a martyr: So 'tis not the action, but the good heart that makes a charitable man. TheAriſlo. li. 2. Eth. cap. 4. Philoſopher doth put ſome difference betweene the externall act, and internall habite, betweene justa agere & justè agere, gramaticum proferre, & gramatice loqui: An unjuſt man may doe juſt things, and yet not juſtly from the habite of Juſtice: and* foreign ibid. an arrant dunce may pronounce a good grammaticall ſpeech, and eloquent oration by chance, or by the helpe of another man, and yet not ſpeake grammatically, out of the true knowledge of that Art and ſcience: So many a churle and covetous niggard may performe many externall good actions, and ſeeming charitable workes, and yet not doe them charitably, from the habite and internall inherent grace of Charitie. This is a flower that growes not ordinarily in every Garden: It is a ſupernaturall and infuſed, not acquired habite, and never comes into the heart till it be planted there by the immediate finger of the Holy Ghoſt. Now doe not many by giving a pece of bread at their doors, or a pennie now and then out of their purſes, conceive that they are really charitable Chriſtians? though they were never acquainted with the habite of charitie, a d1 Tim. 1. 5.pure heart, good conſcience and faith unfained, yes certainly, and theſe be the men, who as I conceive moſt groſſely deceive themſelves. For wee are to know that the outward opus operatum the externall worke wrought may ariſe and proceed from ſomewhat elſe than Charitie, As
1. From the poore mans importunitie and inceſſant obſ…c…ations which ſometimes will extort a gift and extract ſome naturall compaſſion from the moſt flintie-hearted wretch bLuk. 18. 4. 5.who neither feareth God, nor regardeth man.
2. From a ſpice of vaine-glorieMatth. 6. 3. and ſelfe-love to purchaſe the praiſe and popular applauſe of the world, as Hypocrites doe.
3. From feare of publike ſhame and diſreputation, leſt he be cenſured of his neighbors for a very churliſh mercileſſe man, one of great lands, revenewes, and poſſeſſions, but a covetous earth-worme, and a ſtarver or murtherer of the poore, by his unconſcionable, cruell, and uncharitable dealings.
4. From an humane and naturall pittie and compaſſion upon ſome remarkable ſpectacle of woe and miſery, which cannot but worke ſometimes upon the moſt obdurate heart.
5. From a ſiniſter reſpect unto the perſon of the poore: As when a man ſingles out the objects of his mercy, this kinſ-man or that worke-man, becauſe theſe will be the trumpetters of his liberalitie, blaze abroad his Almes-deeds, and procure him ſome reſpect, glorie, and reputation in the world.
6. From a groundleſſe conceit of meriting Heaven, this is the poyſon that invenomes and infecteth ſome of the good actions of the Papiſts, and makes them to bee odious and abominable in the ſight of the Almightie. Thus you ſee there be many falſe grounds on which moſt men build their good workes: They are but ſandie foundations and therefore the ſuperſtructions cannot be laſting.
Now the true ſaving grace of Charitie, which is a ray of the Divine Majeſtie, a pure beame of the Sunne of righteouſneſſe, is firmly grounded on the deare love of God revealed in the face of Jeſus Chriſt to every truly humble and broken-hearted ſinner, it warmes the Chriſtians heart with a Heavenly and holy heate of impartiall affection towards all the naked and needy members of Chriſt: It teacheth him to hate father and mother in caſe they bee Remoraes and pull-backes from Heaven, to cleave cloſe unto the flocke of Gods faithfull Saints and Servants to relieve them, love them, live and dye with them. This is Charity indeed.
2. That all kindes of giversThe ſecond errour confuted. are Charitable perſons, this is as full of abſurdity as the former: for a truly Charitable man muſt be a good man, a gracious man, a righteous man, as the Plalmiſt intitleth him: hee muſt bee holy Pſal. 112. Col. 1. 12. Matth. 25. 34.and beloved, and one of the bleſſed of the Father, as Chriſt calleth all the mercifull at the laſt day. Therefore thoſe mens externall workes of MercieMercy and Almeſ-deeds can never finde acceptance with God, who
1. Either lye wittingly and wilfully in thoſe reigning iniquities which are cleane contrary and repugnant to true Charitie as envie, pride, malice, unquenchable deſire of reveng, implacable hatred, contention, &c. Charitie can never take up her lodging in the heart till theſe devils bee diſpoſſeſſed, theſe captaine and domineering abominations bee dethroned, captivated, and caſt out of doores.
2. Or wallow and perſevere in ſuch helliſh courſes and curſed practiſes as are quite oppoſite to the life of Charity, as uſury, extortion, briberie, unconſcionable and cruell dealing, ſecret undermining, circumvention, and politicke over-reaching of the ſimple and unſuſpicious brethren, or in other groſſe and notorious ſinfulneſſe, drunkenneſſe, adultery, gluttonie, or the like: Charity that Lady and royall Queen of Graces ſcornes the company of ſuch feinds of hell, and is ever waited on with theſe undefiled and heavenly hand-maids, with meekeneſſe, humility, brotherly kindneſſe, patience, ſobriety, and the like traine of ſweet and amiable creatures of the holy Ghoſt. Shee rejoyceth not (ſaith the Apoſtle) in iniquity, but onelyonly 1 Cor. 13. 6.in the truth: Shee ſuffers not a man to make a ſport of ſinne, to boaſt, glory, and impudently to triumph in the contrivances and publike executions of foule enormities, and execrable villanies, but rather puts a bridle upon corrupt and rebellious nature, moderates the paſſions, qualifies the Affections, confines and rules the thoughts and cogitations, and worketh a gratious cheerefulneſſe and delectation in the inner man to walke in the paths of pietie, and narrow wayes of Gods Commandements. The Patrons of ryot and exceſſe, the great maintainers of hoſpitality and ſtrong ſupporters of intemperance, and the conventicles of goodfellowſhip, may perchance relieve a multitude of lawleſſe vagabonds, lazie beggars and idle droanes at their doores, yet for all this, theſe their publike demonſtrations of bountifulneſſe, are but vaniſhing flaſhes, and falſe fires, not the reall expreſſions of a Charitable heart.
And here thirdly, let me diſcoverThe third errour diſcover'd and confuted. a fearefull deceit, whereby not onelyonly living but dying men groſely delude themſelves, and the leſſe judicious and weaker Chriſtians. There be many who all their lives long play the devils in uſurious practices, oppreſſions and unconſcionable griping, and raiſe up huge Babells of honour, and vaſt mountaines of wealth, by moſt ungodly and unjuſtifiable courſes, and when pale *Pallida mors aequo pulſat pede pauperum tabernas regumque turres. Horace: lib. 1. od: 4.death knockes at the doors of their ſtately Pallaces, and ſummons them to take their laſt farewell of the world, and to hold up their hands at the bar of Gods Juſtice, then they begin to put on ſome charitable thoughts and late reſolution, to give ſome ſmall legacie to the poore at their death, which they moſt baſely ſtole from them all their life long. This is not the beſt charitie to give a thing when a man can keepe it no longer, and like a fatted ſwine to feede thoſe being dead, which in his life time he grunted at, reviled, ſcorned, and contemned. Many never feed the poore with their bread, till they feede the wormes with their carcaſes, they are almoſt alike charitable both to the one, and to the other: for had it been in their power to have kept their bodies from the grave, certainly they would yet longer have deceived the wormes, and could they yet longer have enjoied and lockt up faſt their earthly droſſe in their coffers, they would ſtill (it is to be feared) have coozend and ſtarved their poore Chriſtian brethren.
Let the men of this world then, ſlaves of luſt, maſters of ſinnefull paſtimes and pleaſures idolizers of durt and clay, carnall, covetous, irreligious earthwormes and the reſt, which may be reduced to this predicament, take theſe things into their conſideration.
1. That being in the fleſh, and nothing but a meere body of ſinne or chaos of filth and corruption, they cannot performe any one dutie in a right mannerVide Roger in Art. 13. that may be ſavingly acceptable to the Lord: All their beſt actions, even their faſtings, almesdeeds, ſacrificing unto God, &c. have the nature of ſin, and ſome intrinſecall pravitie in them (according to the generall confeſſion of our Church of England) and therefore they ſtinke in the noſtrils of the Almightie, and are very odious and loathſome unto him.
2. They are naked and deſtitute of the Spirit of Sanctification, and the grace of unfained and juſtifing faith, which ſhould mortifie the deeds of the fleſh, purifie the heart, incorporateRom. 8. 11. Act. 15. 9. Rom. 8. 9. them into Chriſt, and carry them through this preſent world with ſpirituall wiſedome, and an unblameable converſation. Now Heb. 11. 6.having not the Spirit of God, they are none of Chriſts flocke, they cannot challenge any of his promiſes, nor lay any claime to his Kingdome, and Inheritance, and wanting the grace of ſaving faith, they can never do any thing which God will accept or reward: for without faith, it is impoſſible to pleaſe him.
3. That as long as they continue ſuch fPſal. 5. 5.workers of vanitie, and artificers of ſinne, God doth deteſt, gPro. 13. 5.loath, nay hate them; hee cannot endure that they ſhould take his Word into their mouthes, that they ſhould hEſai. 1. 12. 13.tread his Courts, or intrude into his Aſſemblies and Congregations: Their prayers and iProv. 15. 8. 21. & 10. 3.ſacrifices are ſo farre from acceptation, that they are an abomination unto him. Hee nothing values but diſregardeth and rejects all their good workes and Almes-deedes as the fruitleſſe leaves of barren figge trees, forMatth. 7. 18 & 12. 33 'tis not poſſible that good fruits ſhould grow in ſuch rotten and corrupt trees.
Therefore let not men of ſuch defiled conſciences, crooked courſes, and heathniſh converſations falſely ſuppoſe that they can ſo eaſily make God amends for all former abuſes and tranſgreſſions, and that they can ſo ſoon cover and palliate their fore paſſed licentiouſneſſe and lewdneſſe with a few rotten ragges of heartleſſe almes-deeds. For the hypocriticall Scribes and Phariſes could give almes as liberally as any, and yet they were the cruelleſt packe of blood-thirſtie Hell-hounds that with open mouth, and implacable rage did hunt and purſue the bleſſed Meſſiah and Saviour of the world. A bloody Joab, a proud Abner, 1 Cron. 26 28.an envious, malitious, and perſecuting Saul could dedicate ſome thing to God and holy uſes, and yet were all confounded and cut off in the end. The ſayings of ſome famous writers are ſo pertinent and pregnant for this purpoſe, that I cannot omit them, kNullus in alium miſericors eſſe poteſt, qui pravè vivendo in ſe non eſt miſericors. &c. Iſidor. lib. 3. de Summo bono.one ſaith, no man can bee mercifull to another, who by a wicked life is mercileſſe to himſelfe. Charitie begins at home firſt, and therefore how can hee bee good to another that is an enemy to himſelfe, or love his neighbor, that cannot love himſelfe: And further the ſame Author goes on and aſſures us, that if any willingly wallow and continue in his ſinnes, none of his evill deeds can be pardoned and expiated by his Almes.
Another ſaith, they verily who Sane qui ſceleratiſſimè vivunt nec curant talem vitam moreſque corrigere, &c. Aug. Euch. ad Laurentium.live lewdly and licentiouſly, not caring to reforme ſuch their life and conditions, although they ceaſenot to give many alms while they live thus wickedly, they do but vainly flatter themſelv's. He that will give almes in due order muſt beginne at home, and firſt ſerve himſelfe, for ſaith the ſame Father, whoſoever thou art that leadeſt a lewd life, returne and go home into thy conſcience, and there thou ſhalt finde a poore hunger ſtarven ſoule, give it ſome bread, beſtow an almes upon that: if thou neglect to doe that, give as much as thou wilt otherwiſe, the tenth of thy eſtate, the halfe, yea, nine parts and reſerve but one unto thy ſelfe, it is nothing profitable, becauſe thou art poore and releeveſt not thy ſelfe.
Therefore if thou wouldeſt reape true comfort to thy ſoule from thy bountie and liberalitie, labour earneſtly to reforme thy waies, to mortifie the earthly members, to ſtrangle thy corruptions, to abound in the worke of the Lord, and to furniſh thy ſelfe with the rich confluence of all ſupernaturall and ſaving graces of the Holy Ghoſt, be mercifull with Job, but a juſt man alſo, a fearer of God, and an eſchewer of evill: Bee full of compaſſion with Barnabas the ſonne of conſolation, and bee alſo as full of pietie and devotion: with bleſſed Zacheus be charitable to the poore, but withall proove thy ſelfe to be a true childe of Abraham, and if any way injurious, be likewiſe with him a maker of reſtitution. l1 Phil 7.Refreſh with Philemon the bowels of the Saints, but withall thou muſt be a m beleever in Chriſt, and a lover of the Saints, elſe tis but in vaine to glory in thy liberalitie.
Therefore ſuch as wilfully perſiſt and contumaciouſly run on in the wayes of their owne hearts, and ſecurely nuzzell themſelves in their uncleanneſſe, and filt hie abominations, are in a moſt deplored and miſerableJam. 2. 13 Matth. 25. 41. ſtate and condition. If they give no Almes at all, nor here ſhew any merciemercy, then they are ſure to finde no merciemercy hereafter, but to periſh everlaſtingly: And if they do never ſo many outward good works, yet they ſhall not be accepted; what then is to bee done will you ſay, or what courſe may be taken for the prevention of this miſerie. I know no better adviſe than that of S. Peter, Repent and bee converted, Act. 3. 19.that thy ſinnes may bablotted out. Leave off bearing armes any longer againſt the Majeſty of Heaven: caſt downe thy ſelfe humbly at Chriſts feete, conſecrate and reſigne thy ſelfe, ſoule and body wholly to his merciemercy, and to the obedience of his Will, reſolve hereafter to walke in his narrow wayes and unbeaten paths, follow the directions of his Word, and willingly ſubmit unto his Spirituall governement, and then Give in the Name of Chriſt, and looke for a bleſſed acceptance.