A Mirror both for Saints and Sinners, Treatise · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII. Examples of Liberality, Bounty, Munificence.
COmmanded, Deut. 15. 14.
Commended, Cor. 16. 3. 2 Cor. 8. 2. Prov. 11. 25. Isa. 32. 8. 2 Cor. 9. 13.
Scriptural Examples. King of Sodom, Gen. 14. 21. Rebecca, Gen. 24. 18, 19. Jacob, Gen. 33. 10. Israelites, Exod. 36. 5. David, 1 Sam. 30. 26. 2 Sam. 9. 27. 28. Solomon, 1 King. 10. 13. Barzillai, 2 Sam. 17. 27. 28. Queen of Sheba, 1 King. 10. 10. Princes of Ephraim, 2 Chron. 12. 1…. Cyrus, Ezr. 1. 7. and 6. 3, &c.
Chief Fathers: Ezr. 2. 68. Artaxerxes, Ezr. 6. 8, 9. Nehemiah, Neh. 5. 10. and 7. 70. Job, Ch. 29. 15, 16. and 31. 17, 18. Zacheus, Luke 19. 6, 8.
Other Examples: Themistocles being banished Athens, was forced to flie to his mortal enemy Artaxerxes King of Persia, who yet received him favourably, knowing his great worth; and within a few dayes after his coming, bestowed two hundred talents upon him, saying, I formerly promised two hundred talents to any one that would bring me Themistocles either alive or dead, and now because thou hast brought him to me thy selfe, it is but equal that thou shouldest receive the promised reward. Plut.
Artaxerxes Mnemon King of Persia going his progresse, the people used to present him with several gifts in the way, and amongst the rest a country man having nothing else to present him with, ran to the river, and taking up his hands full of water, presented him with that: Artaxerxes was so taken herewith, that he gave the fellow a golden platter, and a thousand pieces of gold besides. Plut.
Alexander M. was of such a bountiful disposition, that it was a greater trouble to him not to be asked then to give. He wrote to Phocion that he would make use of his friendship no more, is he refused his gifts: Serapion a young man that used to play at ball with him, received nothing, because he asked nothing; whereupon the next time he threw the ball to all but Alexander: the King marvelling at it asked him, why he threw not the ball to him? Forsooth, saith Serapion, because you asked it not: Alexander laughing at the jest, sent him a liberal gift. His mother Olympias often reproved him, because he gave away such great riches amongst his friends: Q. Curtius.
When Alexander M was a boy, he took both his handfulls of perfumes, and cast them into the fire when he was offering sacrifice, whereupon Leonidas his Schoolmaster said to him, O Alexander when thou hast conquered those countreys where these Odours grow, then thou mayest be so liberal; but in the mean time be more sparing: Afterwards when he had conquered Arabia Foelix, he sent to Leonidas an hundred Talents of Myrrhe, and five hundred of Frankincense, bidding him hereafter to be more liberall in his service to the gods. Q. Cur.
Alexander M. having overcome Darius, he marched to Persepolis, and when he came neer to it, there met him a miserable company of neere four thousand captive Greeks, wofully mangled by the Persians, some having their legs cut off, some their hands, some their eares, and all branded with some letters: they seemed rather carcases then men, so that this wofull object drew teares from all his Army, and from Alexander himself; but to comfort them in their misery, he gave to each of them three thousand pence, or three hundred crownes, ten change of garments, with corn, cattel, and land to build, and plant upon. Q. Cur.
Alexander M. going to conquer a Kingdome in India, Taxilis King thereof came and met him, saying, O Alexander, what need we fight, if thou comest not to take away our food, and water, for which it's only fit for wise men to fight? If thou comest for riches, if I have more then thou, I will give thee part of mine; if thou hast more then I, I will not refuse to receive part of thine. Alexander being much taken with this speech, said to him, Go to, I will contend with thee in bounty, and so they mutually gave and received many gifts; at last Alexander gave him a thousand Talents, which grieved his friends, and pleased the Barbarians very much. Plut.
One craving a small courtesie of Alexander the Great, he gave him an whole City, and when the poor man said that it was too much for him to receive, Yea (said Alexander) but not for me to give: So God gives liberally like himself.
He that sowes sparingly, shall reap sparingly, and he that sowes bountifully shall reap bountifully,
2 Cor. 9. 6.