Circumspect Walking, Chapter 17 – Chapter 18
CHAP. XVII.
Rules to carry workes of mercy wisely.
IF our actions concerne others,Rules for workes of merciemercy. then they bee works either of mercy, or of iustice:
For workes of mercy much wisedome is required,1. Mercy must proceed from faith and l…ue. and that is shewed in these particulars: 1. See thy charity come from a good ground, namely, from a heart qualified with two graces: 1. Faith: for whatsoeuer is not of faith, is sinne, Rom. 14. 23. Thou must first giuegive thy selfe to the Lord, and then to his Saints, 2 Cor. 8. 5. Thy merciemercy must issue from the sense of Gods merciemercy in Christ to thine owne soule, apprehended by faith in Iesus Christ. Bring forth fruit in this vine. Ioh. 15. 1.2. It must proceed from louelove. Works of mercy must come from the fountaine of a mercifull heart, Rom. 12. 8. He that distributeth, let him doe it of simplicity, that is, out of meere compassion, not out of any by and sinister respects. For if I feed the poore with all my goods, and want louelove, it profiteth me nothing, 1 Cor. 13. The reason is, because the Lord lookes more at the affection than the action. Whence many, not giuing out of a tender heart, sympathizing and fellow-feeling their brethrens misery, lose both their gift and reward. What comfort or helpe is in that worke of mercy, which is wrung out by importunity, or by strength of law, or for shame lest a man should be noted, or by terrour of conscience, when a man would heale the gripes of a galling aud accusing conscience, by giuing away at his death a little ill-gotten goods to the poore, which were none of his to giuegive but to the right owners: or when out of desire of praise, or out of superfluity, when a man knowes not else what to doe with his wealth, but some must hauehave it? if out of any of these respects, all is lost.
2. Concerning the right subiect of workes of mercy: 2. The subiect of mercy. 1. In generall, all.Doe good vntounto all, but especially to the houshold of faith, Gal. 6. 10. To all, viz. the poore that are not able to recompence vsus; not looking for recompence of man,Eccl 11. 1. but casting our bread vponupon the waters, where there is no likelihood of euer reaping it againe. And to all, euen our enemies who stand in need of vsus, and such as vsually doe and will recompence our good with euill, Rom. 12. 14. Mat. 5. 44. And good reason: For foure reasons.for first, all hauehave our flesh, Isa. 58. 7. from which wee must not hide our face. 2. A…l hauehave Gods image on them, which wee must not refuse. 3. Hereby wee shall be likest to God, who doth good to al…, and to vsus being enemies: and attaine the most difficult practice of the law. 4. Wee shall hereby master the corruption of our owne heart, which lusteth after reuenge, and perhaps ouermaster the malice of our aduersaries, at least make them inexcusable.
But especially to the houshold of faith: 2. In speciall the faithfull.because here is Gods image renewed, here is one of the bloud and kindred of Christ: and if the good Samaritan was commended for mercy shewed to a stranger, how much more will the Lord Iesus accept that which is done to one of those little ones that beleeue in him, Mat. 25. 45.as done to himselfe?
3. Concerning the matter of mercy:3. The matter o… merciemercy. The greatest mercy we can shew to any,1. To the soule. is toward their soules, which stands in instructing the ignorant, in counselling the weak, in forgiuing offenders, in admonishing or correcting him that erreth, comforting distressed consciences, and confirming them that are in good wayes. This therfore must be obserued, in all corporall mercy to ioyne spirituall, labouring in all the other the good of this: and especially to pray for such mercies from God for them, as neither we nor other men can minister vntounto them. And though that be to be done, yet the other also must not bee left vndone,2. To the body. but wee must bee mercifull to the outward man of our brother, in giuing, lending freely, clothing, feeding, visiting, protecting from violence, &c. For this is mercy actuall and acceptable, fitted to that rule, 1 Ioh. 3. 18. that wee shew mercy not in word and tongue, but in deed, and in truth. This age aboundeth with mouthmercy, which is good cheap, but a little hand-full were better than a great many such mouth-f…ls.
4. Concerning the measure of our mercy:4. The measure of it, to our a…ility. Wee must bee mercifull in the highest degree that we can get our hearts vntounto, and be as like our heauenly Father in mercifulnesse as may be. This rule is, 1 Cor. 16. 2. that eueryevery man lay vp and distribute as God hath prospered him, that is, according to his ability: for he that sowes sparingly, Gal. 6. 7,shall reape sparingly. Doubtlesse men would not bee so niggardly and sparing, if they knew, that what is mercifully bestowed is safest kept:Manus pau…ris, Christi gazophy▪ lacium. the bosomes, bellies, and mouthes of the poore, is the best treasury to lay our goods in: and if we expected to reape after the measure of mercy at the last day, wee would more liberally sowe, Hos. 10. 12. Yea, a poore man may be bountifull in a little, which was the commendation of the poore widdow for her two mites, Luk. 20.
5.5. The manner of shewing mercy. Concerning the manner of shewing mercy: First, it must be done seasonably and speedily when need is:1. Seasonably. Prou. 3▪ 28. Say not vntounto thy neighbour, Goe, and come to morrow, if now thou hauehave it with thee: for thou maist be cut off from the opportunity, or that from thee; besides that thou omittest a present duty which is enioyned, Gal. 6. 10. While wee hauehave time, let vsus doe good. And life is very vncertaine. Secondly, 2. Cheerefully.it must bee done cheerefully:2 Cor. 9. 7. God loues a cheerefull giuer: not groningly, or grudgingly, as if eueryevery penny were too much, as many pinch▪ pennies, who hauehave pounds enough for any lust or pleasure, doe part with pence to the poore Saints as from their ioynts or eyes.3. Wisely. Thirdly, it must be done wisely: true mercy is dispensed by iudgement. It spares not where God will punish, as as Sauls cruell mercy: A glasse for Magistrates, whose remisnesse can swallow any thing, and punish nothing, neither drunkennesse, nor prophanation of the Sabbath, nor swearing, nor inordinate walking. It is no mercy (out of extreme necessity) to releeue strong rogues, wandring beggers, and able idle persons, but rather to punish and redresse them: nor to keepe hospitality for drunkards, gamesters, and riotous persons, but a good man is mercifull, and measures his affaires by iudgement, Psal. 112. 5. Fourthly, mercy must bee shewed constantly,4. Constantly. according to the precept,Gal. 6. 9. Be not weary of well doing: let not the springs of our compassion be euer dried vp: as wee would neuer hauehave God weary of doing vsus good. Fifthly, 5. Humbly.we must not rest or reioyce in any worke of merciemercy as meritorious, but in the acceptance and couering of it, saying when we hauehave done all wee can, Wee are vnprofitable seruants.
CHAP. XVIII.
Rules for workes and actions of iustice: in 1. the ground: 2. moderation.
IN all our ciuill conuersation with men,Rules for workes of iustice. see that our externall righteousnes flowe from inward piety.1. Concerning the ground. God in the morall Law hath coupled the two tables as the vpholders one of another, Thou shalt louelove the Lord thy God, and thy neighbour as thy selfe. Wee must louelove man in God, and for God. Christ aimed at both in the worke of our redemption, that wee should serue him in righteousnesse as well as in holinesse all our dayes, Luk. 1. 75. Ciuill righteousnesse, abstracted from piety, is Pharisaic…ll and vnfruitfull. GiueGive to Caesar Caesars, and to God Gods.
Concerning moderation of iustice:2. Concerning moderation of iustice. Neuer stand so vponupon strict iustice, but that sometimes for peace wee must depart from our right, according to the precept, Phil. 4. ver. 5. Let your equall minde bee knowne vntounto all men: and the practice of our Sauior Christ, Matth. 17. 27. who needed not, nor could hauehave beene compelled to pay toll; but to cut off occasion of offence and contention, hee departs from his right, and payes it: hee might hauehave said, It is my right and I will stand vponupon it, and will not lose my freedome; and men thinke they say well, if they demand but their right: But our Lord, for our example, departed from his right, and accounted the preseruation of peace better than his owne right. This rule is grounded vponupon the common law of nature, which seeks the common good, and is as carefull of the neighbours good as his owne. Contrary whereunto is that deuillish and carnall speech, EueryEvery man for himselfe, and God for vsus all: and yet it is come into common practice, against all rules of nature and Scripture.