The Whole Duty of Man, Part 17 – To the reader
PARTITION XVII. Of Charity, Alms giving, &c. Of Charity in respect of our Neighbours Credit, &c. Of Peace-making. Of going to Law: Of Charity to our Enemies, &c. Christian Duties both possible and pleasant.
§ 1: THE third way of expressing this Charity is towards the goods or estate of our neighbour; we are to endeavour his thriving and prosperity in these outward Charity in respect of the Goods.good things; and to that end, be willing to assist and farther him in all honest wayes of improveing or preserving them, by any neighbourly and friendly office. Opportunities of this do many times fall out: A man may sometimes by his power or perswasion deliver his neighbours goods out of the hands of a thief, or oppressor; sometimes again by his advice and counsel, he may set him in a way of thriving, or turn him from some ruinous course; and many other occasions there may be of Towards the rich.doing good turns to another, without any loss or damage to our selves, and then we are to do them, even to our rich neighbours, those that are as wealthy (perhaps much more so) as our selves; for though Charity do not bind us to give to those that want it lesse then our selves, yet whenever we can further their profit, without less'ning our own store, it requires it of us: Nay, if the damage be but light to us in comparison of the advantage to him, it will become us rather to hazard that light damage, then lose him that greater advantage.
2. But towards our poor brother, Charity tyes us to much more; we are there only to consider the supplying of his wants, and not Towards the Poor.to stick at parting with what is our own, to relieve him, but as far as we are able give freely what is necessary to him. This duty of Almsgiving is perfectly necessary for the approving our love not only to men, but even to God himself, as St. John tels us, 1 Jo. 3. 17. Whoso hath this worlds goods, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 'Tis vain for him to pretend to love either God or man, who loves his mony so much better, that he will see his poor brother (who is a man, and bears the image of God) suffer all extremities, rather then part with any thing to relieve him: On the other side, the performance of this duty is highly acceptable with God, as well as with men.
3. 'Tis called, Heb. 13. 16. A sacrifice wherewith God is well pleased; and again, Phil. 4. 18. St. Paul calls their almes to him, a Sacrifice acceptable, wel-pleasing to God, and the Church hath alwayes look't on it as such; and therefore joyned it with the soleumest part of worship, the holy Sacrament. But because even sacrifices themselves under the Law, were often made unacceptable by being maimed and blemished, it will here be necessary to enquire what are the due qualifications of this Sacrifice.
4. Of these there are some that respect the Motives of Alms giving.motive, some the manner of our giving. The motive may be threefold, respecting God, our neighbour and our selves. That which respects God is obedience and thankfulnesse to him: he has commanded we should give alms, and therefore one speciall end of our doing so, must be the obeying that precept of his. And it is from his bounty alone that we receive all our plenty, and this is the properest way of expressing our thankfullness for it; for as the Psalmist saith, our goods extend not unto God, Psal. 16. 2. That tribute which we desire to pay out of our estates, we cannot pay to his person. 'Tis the poor, that are as it were his Proxey and receivers, and therefore what ever we should by way of thankfullness give back again unto God, our alms is the way of doing it: Secondly, in respect of our neighbour, the motive must be a true love and compassion to him, a tender fellow-feeling of his wants, and desire of his comfort and relief: Thirdly, in respect of our selves, the motive is to be the hope of that eternall reward promised to this performance. This Christ points out to us, when he bids us lay up our treasure in heaven, Mat. 6. 20. And to make us friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness, that they may receive us into everlasting habitations, Luk. 16. 9. That is by a charitable dispencing of our temporall goods to the poor, to lay up a stock in heaven to gain a title to those endlesse felicities, which God hath promised to the charitable. That is the harvest we must expect of what we sowe in these works of mercy, which will be so rich as would abundantly recompence us, though we should as the Apostle speaks, 1 Cor. 13. 3. Bestow all our goods to feed the poor: But then we must be sure we make this our sole aim, and not instead of this propose to our selves the praise of men, as the motive of our charity, for that will rob us of the other; this is expresly told us by Christ, Mat. 6. They that set their hearts on the credit, they shall gain with men, must take that as their portion, ver. 3. verily I say unto you, they have their reward; they chose, it seems, rather to have men their Pay-masters, then God, and to them they are turn'd off, that little airy praise they get from them, is all the reward they must expect: Ye have no reward of my Father which is in heaven, ver. 1. we have therefore need to watch our hearts narrowly, that this desire of vain glory steal not in, and befool us into that miserable exchange of a vain blast of mens breath for those substantial and eternal joyes of heaven.
5. In the second place we must take care of our alms-giving, in respect of the manner; and in that, first, we must give cheerfully; men usually value a smal thing, that is given cheerfully, Manner of Alms-giving.and with a good heart, more then a much greater, that is wrung from a man with grudging and unwillingness; and God is of the same mind, he loves a cheerfull giver, 2 Cor. 9. 7. Which the Apostle makes the reason of Cheerfully.the foregoing exhortation, of not giving grudgingly, or as of necessity, ver. 6. And sure 'tis no unreasonable thing, that is herein required of us, there being no duty that has to humane nature, more of pleasure and delight, unlesse it be where coveteousness or cruelty have quite work't out the man, & put a ravenous beast in his stead. Is it not a most ravishing pleasure to him that hath any bowels, to see the joy that a seasonable alms brings to a poor wretch? how it revives and puts new spirits in him, that was even sinking? certainly the most sensuall creature alive knows not how to bestow his mony on any thing, that shal bring him in so great a delight, and therefore me thinks it should be no hard matter to give not only without grudging, but even with a great deal of alacrity and cheerfulness, it being the fetching in of pleasure to our selves.The fear of …mpoverish …ng our …lves by it …ain and …pious.
6. There is but one objection can be made against this, and that is, that the danger of impoverishing ones self by what one gives, may take off that pleasure, and make men either not give at all, or not so cheerfully. To this I answer: That first were this hazard never so apparent, yet it being the command of God, that we shall thus give, we are yet to obey cheerfully, and be as well content to part with our good; in pursuance of this duty, as we are many times called to do upon some other. In which case Christ tels us, he that forsakes not all that he hath, cannot be his Disciple.
7. But secondly, this is sure a vain supposition: God having particularly promised, the contrary to the Charicable, that it shall bring blessings on them, even in these outward things. The liberal soul shall be made fat, and he that watereth shall be watered also himself, Prov. 11. 25. He that giveth to the poor shall not lack, Prov. 28. 27. And many the like texts there are, so that one may truely say, this objection is grounded in direct unbelief. The short of it is, we dare not trust God for this: giving to the poor is directly the puting our wealth into his hands. He that giveeth to the poor lendeth unto the Lord, Prov. 19. 17. And that too on solemn promise of repayment, as it follows in that verse, that which he hath given will he pay him again. It is amongst men thought a great disparagment, when we refuse to trust them; it shews we either think them not sufficient, or not honest: How vile an affront is it then to God thus to distrust him? nay indeed how horrid blasphemy, to doubt the security of that, for which he has thus expresly past his word, who is Lord of all, and therefore cannot be insufficient, and who is the God of truth, and therefore will not fail to make good his Promise? Let not then that infidel fear of future want, contract and shut up thy bowels from thy poor brother; for though he be never likely to pay thee, yet God becomes his Surety, and enters bond with him, and will most assuredly pay thee with encrease. Therefore it is so far from being damage to thee, thus to give, that it is thy great advantage: Any man would rather choose to put his money in some sure hand, where he may both improve, and be certain of it at his need, then to let it lie unprofitably by him, especially if he be in danger of thieves, or other accidents, by which he may probably loose it: Now alas! all that we possess is in minutely danger of losing; innumerable accidents there are, which may in an instant bring a rich man to beggery; he that doubts this, let him but read the story of Job, and he will there finde an example of it: And therefore what so prudent course can we take for our wealth, as to put it out of the reach of those accidents, by thus lending it to God, where we may be sure to finde it ready at our greatest need and that too with improvement and encrease; in which respect it is that the Apostle compares Alms to Seed, 2 Cor. 9. 10. We know it is the nature of Seed that is sown, to multiply and encrease, and so does all our acts of mercy, they return nor single and naked to us, but bring in their sheaves with them, a most plenteous & bountiful harvest. God deals not with our alms, as we too often do with his graces, wrap them up in a napkin, so that they shall never bring in any advantage to us, but makes us most rich returns: and therefore we have all reason most cheerfully, yea, joyfully to set to this duty, which we have such invitations to, as well in respect of our own interests, as our neighbours needs.
8. Secondly, We must give seasonably: it is Give seasonably.true indeed there are some so poor, that an Alms can never come unseasonably, because they alwayes want, yet even to them there may be some special seasons of doing it, to their greater advantage; for sometimes an Alms may not only deliver a poor man from some present extremity, but by the right timeing of it, may set him in some way of a more comfortable subsistence afterward. And for the most, I presume it is a good Rule, to dispence what we intend to any, as soon as may be, for delays are hurtfull oftentimes both to them & ourselves; first, as to them, it is sure, the longer we delay, the longer they groan under the present want, & after we have designed them a relief, it is in some degree a cruelty to defer bestowing of it, for so long we prolong their sufferings; you wil think him a hard hearted Physician, that having a certain cure for a man in pain, should when he might presently apply it make unnecessary delays, & so keep the poor man still in torture: and the same it is here; we want of the due compassion, if we can be content our poor brother should have one hour of unnecessary suffering, when we have present opportunity of relieving him, or if he be not in such an extremity of want, yet whatever we intend him for his greater comfort, he loses so much of it, as the time of the delay amounts to: Secondly, in respect of our selves; tis ill to defer, for thereby we give advantage to the temptations either of Satan or our own covetous humour, to disswade us from it. Thus it fares too often with many Christian duties; for want of a speedy execution, our purposes cool, and never come to act; so many resolve they will repent, but because they set not immediatly upon it, one delay succeeds another, and keeps them from ever doing it at all; and so 'tis very apt to fall out in this case, especially with men, who are of a covetous temper, and therefore they of all others should not trust themselves thus to delay.
9. Thirdly, We should take care to give prudently, that is to give most, where it is most Prudently.needed, and in such a manner, as may do the receiver most good: Charities do often miscarry for want of this care, for if we give at all adventures to all that seem to want, we may somtimes give more to those, whose sloth and lewdness is the cause of their want then to those who best deserve it, and so both encourage the one in their idlenesse, and disable our selves from giving to the other. Yet I doubt not such may be the present wants even of the most unworthy, that we are to relieve them, but where no such pressing need is, we shall do best to chuse out the fitter objects of charity, such are those who either are not able to labour, or else have a greater charge then their labour can maintain, and to those our alms should be given also in such manner as may be most likely to do them good the manner of which may differ according to the circumstances of their condition; it may to some be best perhaps, to give them by little and little, to others the giving it all at once may tend more to their benefit; and sometimes a seasonable loan may do as well as a gift, and that may be in the power sometimes of those who are able to give but little: But when we thus lend on charity, we must lend freely without Use, and also with a purpose, that if he should prove unable to pay, we will forgive so much of the principal as his needs require, and our abilities will permit. They want much of this charity, who clap up poor debtors in prison, when they know they have nothing to answer the debt, which is a great cruelty to make another miserable, when nothing is gained to our selves by it.
10. Fourthly, We should give liberally, we must not be strait handed in our alms, and give by such pitiful scantlings, as will bring almost no relief to the receiver, for that is a kind of mockery; 'tis as if one should pretend to feed one that is almost famisht by giving him a crumb of bread, such Doles as that would be most ridiculous, yet I fear 'tis too neer the proportion of some mens alms; such men are below those Disciples we read of, who knew only the Baptism of John, for 'tis to be observed, that John Baptist, who was but the fore-runner of Christ, makes it a special part of his Doctrine, that he that hath two coats should impart to him that hath none, Lu…. 3. 11. He sayes not, he that hath some great Wardrobe, but even he that hath but two coats must part with one of them; from whence we may gather that whatsoever is above (not our vanity but) our need should thus be disposed of, when our brethrens necessity requires it. But if we look into the first time of the Gospel, we shall find Christianity far exceeded this proportion of Johns, the converts assigned not a part only, but frankly gave all to the use of the Brethren, Acts 4. and though that being upon an extraordinary occasion, will be no measure for our constant practise yet it may shew us how prime and fundamental a part of Christianity, this of Charity is, that at the very first founding of the Church, such vast degrees of it were practised; and if we farther consider what precepts of love are given us in the Gospel, even to the laying down our lives for the brethren, 1 Jo. 3. 16. We cannot imagine our goods are in Gods account so much more precious then our lives, that he would command us to be prodigal of the one, and yet allow us to be sparing of the other.
11. A multitude of Arguments might be brought to recommend this bounty to all that profess Christ; I shall mention onelyonly two, which I find used by St. Paul to the Corinthians on this occasion. The first is the example of Christ, 2 Cor. 8. 9. For ye know the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. Christ emptyed himself of all that glory and greatness, he enjoyed in Heaven with his Father, and submitted himself to a life of much meaness and poverty, only to enrich us. And therefore for shame, let us not grudge to empty our Coffers, to lessen somewhat of our heaps, to relieve his poor members. The second is the expectation of reward, which will be more or less, according to the degrees of our Alms, 2 Cor. 9. 6. He that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly, and he that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully. We think him a very improvident husband-man, that to save a little seed at present, sowes so thin, as to spoil his crop; and the same folly 'twill be in us, if by the sparingness of our Alms, we make our selves a lank harvest hereafter, lose either all, or a great part of those rewards which God hath provided for the liberal Alms-Giver. What is the proportion which may be called a liberal giving, I shall not undertake to set down, there being degrees even in liberality, one may give liberally, & yet another give more liberally then he; besides, liberality is to be measured, not so much by what is given as by the ability of the giver; A man of a mean estate may give less then one of a great, and yet be the more liberall person, because that little may be more out of his, then the greater is out of the others. Thus we see Christ pronounces the poor widow to have given more to the Treasury, then all the rich men, Luke. 21. 3. not that her two mites were more then their rich gifts, but that it was more for her, she having left nothing behind, whereas they gave out of their abundance what they might easily spare. Every man must herein judg for himself; we see the Apostle, though he earnestly press the Corinthians to bounty, yet prescr…bes not to them how much they shall give, but leaves that to their own brests, 2 Cor. 9. 7. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give. But let us still remember, that the more we give (provided we do not thereby fail in the support of those, that most immediately depend on us) the more acceptable it will be to God, and the more rewardable by him. And to secure the performance of the duty of Alms-giving (what ever the proportion be) we may do very well to follow the advice St. Paul gives the Corinthians in this matter, 1 Cor. 16. 2. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him; If men would do thus, lay by somewhat weekly in store for this work of Charity, it were the surest way not to be unprovided of somewhat to give, when an occasion offered it self, and by giving so by little and little, the expence would become less sensible, and so be a means to prevent those grudgings, and repinings, which are apt to attend men in greater disbursements; And sure this were in other respects also a very proper course, for when a trades-man casts up his weekly account, and sees what his gains have been, 'tis of all others the most seasonable time to offer this tribute to God out of what he hath by his blessing gained; If any will say they cannot so well weekly reckon their gains, as by longer spaces of time, I shall not contend with them for that precise time, let it be done monthly, or quarterly, so it be done: But that somewhat should still be laid by in bank for these uses rather then left loose to our sudden Charities is sure very expedient, and I doubt not, whoever will make tryal of it, will upon experience acknowledge it to be so.
12. The fourth exercise of our Charity is towards the credit of our neighbour: and of Charity in respect of the Credit.this we may have many occasions; sometimes towards the innocent, and sometimes also towards the guilty. If one whom we know to be an innocent person, be slandered, and traduced, Charity bindes us to do what we may for the declaring his innocency, and delivering him from that false imputation, and that not only by witnessing when we are called to it, but by a voluntary offering our testimony on his behalf, or if the accusation be not before a Court of Justice, and so there be no place for that our more solemn testimony, but that it be only a slander tost from one to another, yet even there we are to do what we can to clear him, by taking all occasions publickly to declare what we know of his innocency. But even to the guilty there is some Charity of this kind to be performed, sometimes by concealing the fault, if it be such that no other part of Charity to others make it necessary to discover, or be it not so notorious, as that it will be sure to betray it self: The wounds of Reputation are of all others the most incurable, and therefore it may well become Christian Charity to prevent them, even where they have been deserved; and perhaps such a tenderness in hiding the fault may sooner bring the offender to Repentance, if it be seconded (as it ought to be) with all earnestness of private admonition: But if the fault be such, that it be not to be concealed, yet still there may be place for this Charity, in extenuating, and lessening it, as far as the circumstances will bear; As if it were done suddenly, and rashly, Charity will allow some abatement of the Censure, which would belong to a designed, and deliberate act; and so proportionably in other circumstances. But the most frequent exercises of this Charity happen towards those, of whose either innocency or guilt we have no knowledge, but are by some doubtful actions brought under suspition: And here we must remember, that it is the property of love, not to think evil, to judge the best; and therefore we are both to abstain from uncharitable conclusions of them our selves, and as much as lyes in us, to keep others from them also, and so endeavour to preserve the credit of our neighbor, which is oftentimes as much shaken by unjust suspitions, as it would be by the truest accusation. To these cases, I suppose belongs that precept of Christ, Mat. 7. 1. Judge not; and when we consider, how that is backt in the following words, That ye be not judged, we shall have cause to believe it no such light matter, as the world seems to account it; Our merciful judging of others will be paid home to us, in the strict, and severe Judgement of God.
13. I have now gone through this Active Charity, as it relates to the four several capacities of our brethren, many of the particulars The acts of Charity in some respects acts of Justice also.whereof were before briefly mentioned, when we spake of Justice. If any think it improper, that the same acts should be made part of Justice, and Charity too, I shall desire them to consider, that Charity being by Christs command become a debt to our brethren, all the parts of it may in that respect be ranked under the head of Justice, since 'tis sure paying of debts is a part of that: Yet because in our common use we do distinguish between the offices of Justice and Charity, I have chose to enlarge on them in particular referenc to Charity. But I desire it may still be remembred, that whatsoever is under precept, is so much a due from us, that we sin not only against Charity, but Justice too, if we neglect it; Which deserves to be considered, the more to stir up our care to the performance, and the rather, because there seems to be a common errour in this point; Men look upon their acts of mercy, as things purely voluntary, that they have no obligation to; and the effect of it is this, that they are apt to think very highly of themselves, when they have performed any, though never so mean, but never blame themselves, though they omit all: which is a very dangerous, but withall a very natural fruit of the former perswasion. If there be any Charities wherein Justice is not concerned, they are those which for the height and degrees of them are not made matter of strict duty, that is, are not in those degrees commanded by God, and even after these 'twill be very reasonable for us to labour; but that cannot be done without taking the lower and necessary degrees in our way; and therefore let our first care be for them.
14. To help us wherein there will be no better means, then to keep before our eyes The great rule of Charity.that grand rule of Loving our Neighbours as our selves; This the Apostle makes the summe of our Whole duty to our Neighbours, Rom. 13. 9. let this therefore be the standard, whereby to measure all thy actions, which relate to others; When ever any necessity of thy Neighbours presents it self to thee, ask thy self, whether if thou wert in the like case, thy love to thy self would not make thee industrious for relief, and then resolve thy love to thy Neighbour must have the same effect for him. This is that Royal Law, as St. James calls it, Jam. 2. 8. which all that profess themselves subjects to Christ, must be ruled by; and whosoever is so will not fail of performing all Charities to others, because 'tis sure he would upon the like occasions have all such performed to himself. There is none, but wishes to have his good name defended, his poverty relieved, his bodily sufferings succoured; Only it may be said, that in the spiritual wants, there are some so careless of themselves, that they wish no supply, they desire no reproofs, no instructions, nay, are angry when they are given them; it may therefore seem that such men are not by vertue of this rule tied to those sorts of Charities. To this I answer, that the love of our selves, which is here set as the measure of that to our Neighbour, is to be understood to be that reasonable love, which men ought to have, and therefore though a man fail of that due love he owes himself, yet his Neighbour hath not thereby forfeited his right, he has still a claim to such a degree of our love, as is answerable to that, which in right we should bear to our selves, and such I am sure is this care of our spiritual estate, and therefore 'tis not our despising our own Souls, that will absolve us from Charity to other mens, yet I shall not much press this duty in such men, it being neither likely that they will be perswaded to it, or do any good by it, their ill example will overwhelm all their good exhortations, and make them unfruitfull.
15. There is yet one act of Charity behind, which does not properly fall under any one Peace making.of the former heads, & yet may relate to them all, and that is, the Making peace, and amity among others; By doing whereof we may much benefit both the Souls, Bodies, Goods, and Credit of our brethren; for all these are in danger by strife and contention. The reconciling of enemies is a most blessed work, and brings a blessing on the actors: We have Christs word for it, Blessed are the Peace-makers, Mat. 5. 9. and therefore we may be incouraged diligently to lay hold of all opportunities of doing this office of Charity, to use all our Art, and endeavour to take up all grudges and quarrels we discern among others; Neither must we onelyonly labour to restore peace where it is lost, but to preserve it where it is: First, generally, by striving to beget in the heart of all we converse with a true value of that most pretious Jewel, Peace; Secondly, particularly, by a timely prevention of those jarres, and unkindnesses, we see likely to fall out. It may many times be in the power of a discreet friend or neighbour, to cure those mistakes, and misapprehensions, which are the first beginnings of quarrels and contentions; and it will be both more easy and more profitable, thus to prevent, then pacify strifes. 'Tis sure 'tis more easy, for when a quarrel is once broken out, 'tis like a violent flame, which cannot so soon be quencht, as it might have been, whilst it was but a smothering fire. And then 'tis also more profitable, for it prevents many sins, which in the progress of an open contention, are almost sure to be committed. Solomon sayes, In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin, Prov. 10. 19. which cannot more truly be said of any sorts of words, then those that pass in anger, and then though the quarrel be afterwards composed, yet those sins will still remain on their account; and therefore it is a great Charity to prevent them.
16. But to fit a man for this so excellent an Office of Peace Making, 'Tis necessary that he be first remarkably peaceable himself; for He that undertake it must be peaceable himself.with what face canst thou perswade others to that which thou wilt not perform thy self? or how canst thou expect thy perswasions should work? 'twill be a ready reply in every mans mouth, Thou Hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, Matth. 7. 5. and therefore be sure thou qualify thy self for the work. There is one point of Peaceableness which seems to be little regarded among men, and that is in the case of Legal trespasses; Men think it nothing to go to Law about Of going to Law.every petty trifle, and as long as they have but Law on their side, never think they are to blame: but sure had we that true Peaceableness of spirit which we ought, we should be unwilling for such slight matters to trouble and disquiet our Neighbours. Not that all going to Law is utterly unchristian, but such kind of suits especially, as are upon contentiousness, and stoutness of humour, to defend such an inconsiderable right, as the parting with will do us little or no harm, or which is yet worse, to avenge such a trespass. And even in greater matters, he that shall part with somewhat of his Right for love of Peace, does surely the most Christianly, & most agreeably to the advice of the Apostle, Cor. 6. 7. rather to take wrong, and suffer our selves to be defrauded. But if the damage be so unsupportable, that it is necessary for us to go to Law, yet even then we must take care of preserving Peace; first, by carrying still a friendly, and Christian temper towards the party, not suffering our hearts to be at all estranged from him; secondly, by being willing to yield to any reasonable terms of agreement, whenever they shall be offered; and truly if we carry not this temper of mind in our suits, I see not how they can be reconcileable with that peaceableness so strictly required of all Christians. Let those consider this who make it their pleasure themselves to disquiet their Neighbour, or their trade to stir up others to do it. This tender regard of Peace both in ourselves, and others, is absolutely necessary to be entertained of all those, who own themselves to be the servants of him, whose title it is to be the Prince of Peace, Isai. 9. 6.
17. All that remains to be toucht on concerning This charity of the actions must reach to enemies.this Charity of the Actions, is the extent of it, which must be as large as the former of the affections, even to the taking in not only strangers, and those of no relation to us, but even of our bitterest enemies. I have already spoken so much of the Obligation we are under to forgive them, that I shall not hear say any thing of that, but that being supposed a duty, 'twill sure then appear no unreasonable thing to proceed one step further, by doing them good turns; for when we have once forgiven them, we can then no longer account them enemies, and so 'twill be no hard matter even to flesh and blood to do all kinde things to them. And indeed this is the way, by which we must trye the sincerity of our forgiveness: 'Tis easy to say, I forgive such a man, but if when an opportunity of doing him good is offered, thou declinest it, 'tis apparent there yet lurks the old malice in thy heart; Where there is a thorough forgiveness, there will be as great a readiness to benefit an enemy as a friend: nay perhaps in some respects a greater, a true charitable person looking upon it as an especial prize, when he has an opportunity of evidencing the truth of his reconciliation, and obeying the precept of his Saviour, by doing good to them that hate him, Matth. 5. 44. Let us therefore resolve that all actions of kindness are to be performed to our enemies, for which we have not only the command, but also the example of Christ, who had not only some inward relentings towards us his obstinate, and most provoking enemies, but shewed it in acts, and those no cheap, or easy ones, but such as cost him his dearest bloud. And surely we can never pretend to be either obeyers of his command, or followers of his example, if we grudge to testifie our loves to our enemies by those so much cheaper wayes of feeding them in hunger, and the like, recommended to us by the Apostle, Rom. 12. 20. But if we could perform these acts of kindness to enemies in such manner as might draw them from their enmitie, and win them to Peace, the Charity would be doubled: And this we should aim at, for that we see the Apostle sets as the end of the forementioned acts of feeding, &c. that we may heap coals of fire on their heads, not coals to burn, but to melt them into all love and tenderness towards us; and this were indeed the most compleat way of imitating Christs example, who in all he did and suffered for us, designed the reconciling of us to himself.
18. I have now shewed you the several parts of our duty to our Neighbour, towards Self-love an hindrance to this Charity.the performance whereof I know nothing more necessary, then the turning out of our hearts that self love which so often possesses them, and that so wholly, that it leaves no room for Charity, nay, nor justice neither to our Neighbour. By this self-love I mean not that true love of our selves, which is the love and care of our Souls (for that would certainly help, not hinder us in this duty) but I mean that immoderate love of our own worldly interests, and advantages, which is apparently the root of all, both injustice and uncharitableness towards others. We finde this sin of self-love set by the Apostle in the head of a whole troop of sins, 2 Tim. 3. 2. as if it were some principal officer in Satans camp, and certainly, not without reason, for it never goes without an accursed train of many other sins, which like the Dragons tail Rev. 12. 4. sweeps away all care of duty to others. We are by it made so vehement, and intent upon the pleasing our selves, that we have no regard to any body else, contrary to the direction of S. Paul, Rom. 15. 2. Which is not to please our selves, but every man to please his Neighbour for his good to edification; which he backs with the example of Christ, vers 3. For even Christ pleased not himself: If therefore we have any sincere desire to have this vertue of charity rooted in our hearts, we must be careful to weed out this sin of self-love, for 'tis impossible they can prosper together.
19. But when we have removed this hindrance, we must remember that this, as al other Prayer … means to procure itgraces proceeds not from our selves, it is the gift of God, and therefore we must earnestly pray to him to work it in us, to send his holy Spirit, which once appeared in the form of a dove, a meek and gall-less creature, to frame our hearts to the same temper, and enable us rightly to perform this duty.
20. I have now past through those several branches I at first proposed, and shewed you what is our duty to God, our selves, and our Christian duties both possible and pleasant.neighbour: Of which I may say as it is, Luk. 10. 28. This do and thou shalt live. And surely it is no impossible task to perform this in such a measure, as God will graciously accept, that is in Sincerity, though not in perfection, for God is not that austere master, Luk 19. 20. That reaps where he has not sowed, he requires nothing of us, which he is not ready by his grace to enable us to perform; if we be not wanting to our selves, either in asking it by prayer, or in using it by diligence. And as it is not impossible, so neither is it such a sad melancholly task, as men are apt to think it. 'Tis a special pollicy of Satans, to do as the spies did, Num. 23. 28. bring up an ill report upon this good land, this state of Christian life, thereby to discourage us from entering into it, to fright us, with I know not what Gyants we shall meet with; but let us not thus be cheated, let us but take the courage to try, and we shall indeed finde it a Canaan, a land flowing with milk and honey: God is not in this respect to his people a wilderness, a land of darkness, Jer. 2. 31. His service does not bereave men of any true joy, but helps thou to … great deal: Christs yoke is an easy, nay a pleasant yoke, his burden a light, yea a gracious burden. There is in the practise of Christian duties a great deal of present pleasure, and if we feel it not, it is because of the resistance our vitious and sinful customs make, which by the contention raises an uneasiness. But then first that is to be charged only to our selves, for having got those ill customs, and thereby made that hard to us, which in it self is most pleasant, the duties are not to be accused for it. And then secondly, even there the pleasure of subduing those ill habits, overcoming those corrupt customs is such, as hugely outweigheth all the trouble of the combate.
21. But it will perhaps be said, that some parts of piety are of such a nature, as will be Even when they expose us to outward sufferings.very apt to expose us to persecutions, and sufferings in the world, and that those are not joyous, but grievous; I answer, that even in those there is matter of joy: we see the Apostles thought it so, they rejoyced that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christs name, Acts 4. 41. and S. Peter tells us, that if any suffer as a Christian, he is to glorifie God for it, 1 Pet. 4. 16. There is such a force and vertue in the testimony of a good Conscience, as is able to change the greatest suffering into the greatest triumph, and that testimony we can never have more clear, and lively, then when we suffer for righteousnes sake; so that you see Christianity is very amiable even in its saddest dress, the inward comforts of it do far surpass all the outward tribulations that attend it, and that even in the instant, while we are in the state of warfare upon earth. But then if we look forward to the crown of our victories, those eternal rewards in heaven, we can never think those tasks sad, though we had nothing at present to sweeten them, that have such recompences await them at the end, were our labours never so heavy, we could have no cause to faint under them: Let us therefore when ever we meet with any discouragements in our course, fix our eye on this rich prize, and then run with patience the race which is set before us, Heb. 12. 2. Follow the Captain of our salvation through the greatest sufferings, yea even through the same red sea of blood which he hath waded, whenever our obedience to him shall require it; for though our fidelity to him should bring us to death it self, we are sure to be no losers by it, for to such he hath promised a Crown of life, the very expectation whereof is able to keep a Christian more cheerful in his fetters and dungeon, then a worldling can be in the midst of his greatest prosperities.
22. All that remains for me farther to add, is earnestly to entreat and beseech the Reader, that without delay, he puts himself The danger of delaying our turning to God.into this so pleasant and gainful a course, by setting sincerely to the practise of all those things, which either by this Book, or by any other means he discerns to be his duty, and the further he hath formerly gone out of his way, the more haste it concerns him to make to get into it, and to use the more diligence in walking in it. He that hath a long journey to go, and finds he hath lost a great part of his day in a wrong way, will not need much intreaty, either to turn into the right, or to quicken his pace in it. And this is the case of all those that have lived in any course of sin, they are in a wrong road, which will never bring them to the place they aim at; Nay, which will certainly bring them to the place they most fear and abhor; much of their day is spent, how much will be left to finish their journey in, none knowes, perhaps the next hour, the next minute the night of death may overtake them; what a madness is it then for them to defer one moment to turn out of that path which leads to certain destruction, and to put themselves in that, which will bring them to bliss and glory? Yet so are men bewitched, and enchanted with the deceitfulness of sin, that no entreaty, no perswasion can prevail with them, to make this so reasonable so necessary a change, not but that they acknowledge it needful to be done, but they are unwilling to do it yet, they would enjoy all the pleasures of sin as long as they live, & then they hope at their death, or some little time before it, to do all the business of their Souls; But, alass! Heaven is too high to be thus jumpt into, the way to it is a long and leasurely ascent, which requires time to walk. The hazards of such deferring are more largely spoken of, in the Discourse of Repentance, I shall not here repeat them, but desire the Reader seriously to lay them to heart, and then surely he will think it seasonable counsel that is given by the wise man, Eccles. 5. 7. Make no tarrying to turn to the Lord, and put not off from day to day.
FINIS.
PRIVATE DEVOTIONS For several OCCASIONS. ORDINARY and EXTRAORDINARY.
LONDON, Printed for T. Garthwait, at the little North Door of S. Pauls Church, 1660.
CHRISTIAN READER,
I Have, for the help of thy Devotions, set down some FORMS of PRIVATE PRAYER, upon several occasions: If it be thought an om…ssion that there are none for Families, I must answer for my self, that it was not from any opinion that God is not as well to be worship'd in the Family as the Closet; but because the Providence of God and the Church hath already furnish'd thee for that purpose, infinitely beyond what my utmost care could do. I mean the PUBLICK LITURGY, or COMMON PRAYER, which for all publick addresses to God (and such are Family prayers) are so excellent & useful, that we may say of it as David did of Goliah's sword, 1 Sam. 21. 9. There is none like it.