The Art of Giving, Chapter 23 – Chapter 24
CHAP. XXIII.
A second enemy to Charity is excesse in Diet: eyther by
1 GLuttony, or
2 Drunkennesse: Whereby
1 Selfe-louelove being nourished, And
2 The flesh pampered, And
3 Sinne growing insatiable.
4 And so others drawne into the same excesse.
5 And our estate wasted, &c. Hereby
1 The louelove of our brother groweth cold.
2 Their bellies are pinched.
3 And all being thought too little for our selues, eueryevery thing is thought too much for others.
4 And that which wee impart to others, as the intent is to draw them into fellowship of sinne; so hereby not onelyonly they become thieues to their families, but draw downe the iudgements of God vponupon them, as famine, &c.
6 Yea, in that hereby our estates are wasted and consumed: are not great ones hereby driuen to the spoyle? and who more likely to be spoyled, then those that hauehave beene instruments in sinne?
7 Carnall louelove doth most vsually end in extreame hatred. 2 Sam. 14. And so the weakest goeth to the wall.
8 And how can we but be cruell vntounto others, when we are not mercifull to our owne soules.
And therefore
1 In vaine doe Epicures boast of false liberality.
2 And extreame cruelty is the best fellowship of drunkards.
3 Little comfort in that speech, that a belly-god is no mans foe but his owne, seeing he is an enemy to God, to his neighbour, to the creatures, and his owne soule and body.
4 Lesse warrant therein, that they spend but of their owne, seeing their spending is abuse, and abuse makes it not their owne.
5 And for the cloake of hospitalitie, what shall it auaile, seeing the poore are more pinched: and fat hogs are onelyonly fed vp to the slaughter.
Learne we in the second place to remedie this euill: And that
1 By enforming the iudgement aright, concerning our liberty in these things.
Here first know we that what liberty and Lordship we had ouer these things, was vtterly lost in Adam, so that by nature the best are slaues to the creatures: being so farre off from any right ouer them, or ability to vse them well, as that our best right in them is, that they are executioners of the diuine vengeance against vsus, and our best vse is by abusing them to prouoke them to a more speedy and sharpe execution thereof.
2 Consider we hence that it is not because we hauehave most of them cast vponupon vsus, therefore we deserue them, and so hauehave power to vse them well, seeing vsually they are the wickeds portion in this life, to fatten them vp to the day of slaughter. Psal. 17. 14. Ierem. 12. 3.
3 Neyther if we are scanted of them, ought we to flatter our selues, that wee are beloued of God, in that he diets vsus of these things: seeing it is a punishment of sinne to be stripped of these comforts. Deut. 28. Ioel. 1. Psal. 107.
And therefore,
That we may vse them aright, wee are to seek for the recouery of our right in Iesus Christ, who being giuen vsus of the Father, doth giuegive vsus with him all good things else: so that in Iesus Christ we are restored againe both to our Lordship ouer the Creature, and holy liberty also to vse them aright for Gods glory, and our eternall saluation.
Now being restored to an holy Liberty in these things, we are to know in the second place, that this liberty is bounded within these limits.
1 We must in all these things ayme at Gods glory. 1 Cor. 10. 30. and therefore so to vse our liberty in Diet, as first, may especially further the sanctifying of the Sabbath: Secondly, and fit vsus to all holy duties: Thirdly, may empty vsus of carnall louelove to, and confidence in, the creature: fourthly, may keepe still our power and liberty ouer the same.
2 In the vse of these outward things, we must hauehave respect to the saluation of the soule.
And therefore,
We must first sanctifie them vntounto vsus, that the soule may hauehave aright in them, and grace to vse them holily. 1 Tim. 4. 4.
2 Wee must discerne that in the vse thereof, the soule be especially furthered.
1 As discerning insufficiency in them to satisfie the soule, and therefore being weaned from the louelove of them, euen by the vse thereof.
2 And yet discerning in the least of them, a pledge of Gods louelove, & so being contented with our owne, and returning the strength vntounto our God in more conscionable obedience.
3 Still being prouoked by experience of Gods prouidence in these things, to hunger after the best graces.
4 And communicating, euen of our …ittle, to the good of others. Iob 31.
5 Abstayning from our liberty herein, that wee may be fitter for heauenly duties.
6 Seeking rather to satisfie necessity then the eye or palate.
7 And still when the body is satisfied, discerning the soules want. And
8 Redeeming wisely the one with the losse of the other.
3 We must in the vse of these things, respect a common good: And therefore,
1 To be ordered herein for the quality of our diet, by the authority of the Magistrate, As also,
2 As occasions shall serue for the measure thereof.
3 Vsing that which our owne country best affords, and most cheape. And lastly being lawes vntounto our selues, where otherwise we may exceed, not considering what our purse can doe, or our callings will allow, but wherein we may best be examples of frugality to others, and best able to maintaine the common charge; especially may be a meane to stand in the gappe to keepe out the common scourge.
CHAP. XXIIII.
A third enemy to Bounty is, Pride, and excesse of Apparrell.
AS not onelyonly exceeding herein our callings.
But also stretching beyond our abilities, Putting euen whole Lordships not so much vponupon our backes, as vponupon our shoes, yea sometimes our very garters and shoes-strings.
And so hence follow racking and turning out of Tenants. Eating out of Hospitality.
Running deepe into the Tradesmens bookes, yea, vndoing of them. Maintenance of all riot and excesse in sinne, &c. In fine, the Prison, and beggery.
The Remedy is partly, as before in Diet, concerning the generall: VntoUnto which we may adde these following in particular.
First that we vse such apparell as may best serue to expresse and adorne our Christian callings, furthering to mortification and abasing of the flesh.
And secondly such as may serue to maintaine humaine society, by keeping the common fashion of the Country, and such as beseemes our seuerall places, in the common-wealth. Esay 3. Zeph. 1. Wisely admitting such ciuil distinctions, as by the wisedome of state are deuised, both for ornament, and difference of callings.
Auoyding, as on the one side slouenly and brutish attire, so on the other, curiosity and precisenesse.
And reiecting all diuices, to adulterate nature; making vsus faire; straighter, &c. as painting, &c.
And so endeauouring to expresse all modesty and grauity therein.