Londons Resurrection, Discourse 42
DISCOURSE XLII.
That the due exerciſe of mercy and charity would promote the building of the City.
AS cruelty is a deſolating ſin, Mat. 23.37. Your houſe is left unto you deſolate, ſaid Chriſt to Jeruſalem: upon that account, ſo mercy on the other hand, is a building grace. It was an act of mercy in the Egyptian midwives, and that contrary to a command (but a cruel one) with reſpect to which we read that God built them houſes, viz. For ſaving thoſe poor infants whom Pharoah had appointed them to drown. One of the beſt ways to prevail with God for whatſoever mercy we deſire for our ſelves (whereof the building of London at this day is one) is to ſhew mercy to others. With the merciful thou wilt ſhew thy ſelf merciful, ſaith the Pſalmiſt ſpeaking of God, Pſ. 18.25. We find a bundle of promiſes, Pſ. 41.1, 2, 3. Made to him that confidereth the poor, and amongſt the reſt theſe two, viz. That God will deliver him in the time of trouble, and that we ſhall be bleſſed upon the earth, and that God will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. It is yet a time of trouble with London, it lieth ſtill as upon …e bed of ſickneſs, or languiſhing the will of its …emies doubtleſs is that it ſhould never be rebuilt: Let it therefore be merciful to it ſelf, in being …erciful to others, that God may deliver it in the time of trouble, ſtrengthen it upon the bed of languiſhing, and not deliver it into the will of his enemies. It is one of Solomons proverbs, That the merciful …an doeth good to his own ſoul, Prov. 1.17. meaning himſelf. In being charitable to others, we are moſt of all ſo to our ſelves. One of the Pſalmiſts characters of a good man is, He is ever merciful and …ndeth, Pſ. 37.26. his counſel is, Depart from evil …nd do good, (that is be merciful) v. 27. the in…ouragement followeth, and dwell for evermore: Chriſt his counſel is, Make to your ſelves friends of the Mammon of unrighteouſneſs, that when ye fail they may …ceive you into everlaſting habitations, Luk. 16.9. and …hall they want temporal habitations, who make to …emſelves friends of that Mammon?
But where is mercy and charity to be found? may we not cry out with the Pſalmiſt, Pſ. 12.1. Help Lord for the merciful man ceaſeth; (for ſo the word chaſid tranſlated godly, doth ſignifie:) May we not ſay as the Prophet of old? The Lord hath a con…overſy with the land, becauſe there is no mercy in the …and, Hoſeah. 4.1. that is, there is none in compa…iſon of that which ought to be. There is but a litle of that which looks like mercy, and charity; and part of …at which looks like ſuch is not mercy, but parti…lity pride, and ſelf love, as I ſhall ſhew hereafter.
He that is flattered into the relief of thoſe whom …e doth relieve; and will relieve none but thoſe that flatter him, that is, who will in all things ſay as he ſayeth, and do as he doth, and ſeem to think as he thinks, and not ſwerve from him to the right hand, or to the left, which muſt needs be flattery (for it can ſcarce be, that two men ſhould not be ſometimes of two minds) he that hath no kindneſs for any perſon (though an honeſt Jonathan) the arrows of whoſe opinions, or practiſes, either fly beyond him, or fall ſhort of him: he I ſay is no merciful man, for he ſeeketh his own things, and not the things of others, he regardeth his own likeneſs in other men, but not their wants, and neceſſities, he doth not good to all that are of the houſhold of faith, much leſs to all men whatſoever, as he hath opportunity, whereto the Apoſtle …xhorteth. Solomon tells us that the borrower is ſervant to the lender, and ſome-think it but reaſon they ſhould be their ſlaves, to whom they not only lend but give, and will give to none but them that will be their Slaves, or their Apes rather, like vain perſons that are in love with Paraſites, and none but ſuch or like children that kiſs the glaſs in which they ſee their own faces. But I like the ſpaniel better that loves his maſter for beating him (when he deſerves it) than that maſters humour who loves his ſpaniel for fawning upon him, and ſlabbering him. We are commanded not to have the faith of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, with reſpect of perſons, James 2.1. But too many have the love of Jeſus Chriſt with that reſpect. One ſaid, he did love Chriſt dwelling in Auguſtin, but ſuch men love themſelves dwelling in others, but not Jeſus Chriſt, and his image. They relieve not a Diſciple in the name of a Diſciple, or a Prophet in the name of a Prophet, to which the reward is promiſed, but in the name of a fellow Diſciple of theirs, not under Chriſt, but under Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas.
Go thou partial lover to the good Samaritan, and …earn his ways, who finding a naked and wounded …an in his way, as he was journeying, never ſtood … ask him what opinion he was of, but when he ſaw … had compaſſion on him and went to him and bound up …s wounds powring in Oile and Wine, &c. Luke 10.33. … Paul tells us Acts 28.2. The Barbarous people ſhew… us no little kindneſs, and yet Paul and his compa…ions were meer ſtrangers to them, only becauſe … the rain, and the cold, they received them.
Serve your own bodies in that faſhion, as you ſerve the myſtical body of Chriſt: Cloath your …acks, but ſtarve your bellies, be kind to one part …d unkind to another, and ſee how it will pro…er with you. Is charity an evil ſpirit, that you …us confine it to a circle, and that a very narrow …ne, and fear to let it come out? nay, God himſelf …love: whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot cir…mſcribe. Give not the world to think that mer… and charity is become nothing elſe, but oyl pow…ed in to feed the Lamp of a party, and to keep …at bright and burning, but let your compaſſion be …ffuſed like ſo much blood, throughout all the …eines of Chriſt his myſtical, and ſuffering body, …d aſſure your ſelves he loves no Saint (as ſuch) …ho loves not every Saint, and relieves no man …th true compaſſion, who is not ready in proportion, and to his power, to relieve every man, that …ands in need thereof.
But as there is little kindly, and genuine mercy, … charity, in this part of the world, ſo indeed …ere is but little of any kind; as there is little reall ſo there is not much in appearance, unleſs it be …ere and there. Men lend to God (for ſo they are …aid to do, who give to the poor) as if they looked for nothing again, as men uſe to lend to thoſe who they think never can, nor never will repay them, viz. no more than they need not care, if they throw away, or never ſee again.
Charity (ſo called) is uſually but the paring of rich mens nails, or the crums that fall from their tables: and children have no more from them than dogs may lay claim to, (I mean the children of their heavenly Father, than wicked people (if indigent) might expect. Many may be aſhamed to ſound a trumpet when they give their alms, or ſo much as to let their left hand know, what their right hand hath done.
Should I ſerve up this indictment againſt all Engliſhmen, or Londoners, I might well reflect upon my ſelf; as David did upon himſelf, Pſ. 73.15. If I ſay I will ſpeak thus, behold I ſhould …ffend againſt the generation of thy children. For of ſome I could ſay as S. Paul of the Churches of Macedonia, 2 Cor. 8.3. To their power (I bear record) yea and beyond, they are willing of themſelves. There are that are ready to every good work. But alas how few are they in compariſon of them that are otherwiſe! As Solomon ſaith, Prov. 30.13. There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes, and their eye-lids lifted up? ſo may I of ſome others, there is a generation, O how low and ſordid are their ſpirits? how much harder are their bearts than is the neather milſtone? Too many can ſay to a brother or ſiſter that is naked and deſtitute of daily food, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled, notwithſtanding he giveth them not thoſe things which are needful to the body. Men that have more than heart can wiſh, of this worlds goods; how often do they ſhake their heads, and ſay, alas ſuch a man, or woman hath a great charge, and little or nothing to maintain it with; here their bowels ſeem to open, but they preſently ſhut again: and when they have given them their bleſſing, which is a ſhort ejaculation, that God would provide for them, and theirs; they ſeem to think it is enough, as if their bleſſing, like as is ſaid of the bleſſing of the Lord could make men rich, or ſupply all their wants!
How vaſt is the diſproportion betwixt the good which ſome men are able, and that which they do? they give in forma pauperis, as ſome are ſaid to ſue, and as if they had more need to receive than to give, as if they were poor Widows they come with their mites. They ſeem to expect a reward for a cup of cold water (or what is next to that) and ſhould not fail of it, if they had nothing better to give; but as the caſe ſtands with them, Chriſt will never return them wine for that water, and they will find as cold comfort in giving, as others in receiving it. Go offer it to thy Governour, ſaid God by Malachy to thoſe that brought the blind, and the ſame for ſacrifice, for I am a great King, ſo to them who bring to this great King ſuch deſpicable loans (for to him it is lent) we may ſay go offer it to ſome perſon of quality, and ſee if he will accept it.
Some have thought that a tenth part of a mans annual revenue (that was able to ſpare it) was a good proportion to be ſet apart for pious, and charitable uſes; and I have heard of a worthy Miniſter of London, who did impoſe it upon himſelf to give away ſo much yearly and found thoſe words made good, there is that ſcattereth, and yet increaſeth. But how far are many from decimating themſelves upon any ſuch account. Poſſibly not the hundreth part of their yearly revenue, not the tithe of their tenth, is put to any charitable uſe, though they read of holy Jacob, who made this voluntary vow to God, Of all that thou ſhalt give me I will give the tenth to thee, Gen. 28.22. Of many it may be ſaid, freely they have received, but how unfreely do they give? The rule is, He that giveth with ſimplicity, he that ſheweth mercy with chearfulneſs, Rom. 12.8. But how many give as if they gave with an ill will, as if it were rather to ſave their credit, or to ſtop the mouth of their conſciences, than to relieve their needy brethren? nor can they handſomly wiſh that may do them much good, which is of it ſelf ſo little. If I might coin an odd expreſſion, or two, for an odd thing, I would ſay the world were full of ſcrapkindneſs, and fragmentall charity, a few gleanings, but nothing of the ſheaves, a few heat-drops as it were, that never ſoak to the root. Here and there is a Dives, a rich man that hath never a child, or but one or two, &c. who if he had ten could have made a liberal proviſion for every one of them, yet ſcarce any body is the better for him, worth the ſpeaking; nor would he grudg to ſpend upon every one of his children (if he had twenty) annually more, than now he yearly expendeth upon all that which he calleth his charity.
Compare the bounty of many to their meer luſts, and humours, conſider how much they ſpend yearly, only to pleaſe their phantaſies, in their moſt wanton and unaccountable deſires, ſo much for ſuch a picture, ſo much for ſuch a flower, ſo much extraordinary for a horſe of ſuch a ſhape, and colour: (and money ſo laid out they never grudg to part with though it might as well have been ſpared) I ſay compare their bounty to their childiſh inſatiable fantaſies (always prompting them to ſuperfluities and coſtly vanities) with their liberality to good uſes, and you wil find the former hath a Benjamins portion in compariſon of the latter, double at leaſt, that coſt, and charg, beſtowed upon it, and with more chearfulneſs.
If rich men are but ſtewards, and not Lords of the eſtates which they poſſeſs, having enough amongſt them for the relief of thoſe that are their fellow ſervants, made poor by the providence of God, partly on purpoſe to try and exerciſe their faithfulneſs and compaſſion (who bear the purſe as well for others, as for themſelves) I wonder what account they either will or expect to give of that their flewardſhip!
Some think to avoid that charg at the great day Mat. 25. Ye ſaw me hungry and fed me not, maked and cloathed me not (meaning by Chriſt the members of Chriſt) who will not avoid it, for that they fed Chriſt but with ſcraps, and cloathed him but with rags.
Other nations (as they ſay) do far ſurpaſſe and quite ſhame us in point of charity. In Holland (they ſay none are ſuffered to begg, and yet none are ſuffered to want, all their poor are provided for, but in this part of the world, poor people muſt beg or want, yea may beg and want too.
It is a rule which admits of ſome exceptions, but is too generally true, that they who have moſt, are willing to part with leaſt, thoſe that have many children, and but midling eſtates, do more good many times than they who have great eſt…es, and few, or no Children: They that have but two talents, are generally more bountiful then thoſe that have five, as veſſels that are not ſo full have better vent than others have, that are as full as they can hold. Good uſes muſt needs be ill ſupplied, whilſt all the burthen, or the greateſt part of it, lieth upon weaker ſhoulders; as water muſt needs be ſcarce, whilſt fountains are ſtopt, though ciſterns run; and it muſt needs be night in the hemiſphere, when the ſun is withdrawn, though the ſtars be kind, and hang out all their …ghts.
Now underſtand what I have ſaid, as a plea for charity not ſo much from Londoners, or the generality of them, (who have been greatly exhauſted, and are rather objects of charity, than fit to be the ſubjects of it) but for, and towards them, or ſo many of them as are brought into a low condition, whoſe neceſſities cry aloud to all rich men, eſpecially of the ſame body, as that man of Macedonia did to Paul, Acts 16.9. Come over and help us. As the Apoſtle ſaith in another caſe, They that are ſtrong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to pleaſe themſelves, ſo ſay I in this, the ſtrong in purſe ſhould help the weak, and not pleaſe themſelves, with thinking that they have a redundancy, whilſt others want a ſufficiency: but as the Apoſtle ſaith, that now at this time your abundance may be a ſupply for their want, 2 Cor. 8.14. You may need them another time, as the Apoſtle addeth, That their abundance alſo, may be a ſupply for their want, that there may be equality.
There could not want money to build this ruinated City, if all men of conſiderable eſtates would concern themſelves in it, and do as the Jews did by the wall of Jeruſalem, every one that was able taking his part, Eliaſhib the High Prieſt with his brethren the Prieſts, built the ſheep gate, and next unto them builded the men of Joricho, and next to them builded Zaccur the ſon of Imri, Nehem. 3.1, 2. &c. Say there were fourteen, or fifteen thouſand houſes burnt in London: are there not as many thouſand rich men in City and country, ſome of which were able to build many houſes, and do themſelves no hurt, and all were able to build ſome? which being ſo; methinks it were a ſtark ſhame that London ſhould lie in the duſt, or hang long in hand, as if all England could not ſpare money wherewithal to rebuild it.
Methinks it is not handſome, it is not kind, (I had almoſt ſaid it is unnatural) for a rich Engliſhman, a rich Londoner eſpecially, to dye and bequeath nothing to London (in the caſe it now is) in his laſt will and teſtament. Where can you find a better friend, or one that more needs it to receive part of your laſt kindneſs, and of that eſtate which you cannot carry out of the world with you, than is your dear mother the City of London, who now fits as a widow, who now cries out to them that go by pity me, pity me all ye that paſs by, is there any ſorrow like to mine? Is it nothing to you all ye that paſs by? behold and ſee if there be any ſorrow like unto my ſorrow which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fiery anger? Lam. 1.12.
A ſacrifice well pleaſing to God, might do much for the poor deſolate City, and what is ſuch the author of the Epiſtle to the Hebrews tells us, Heb. 13.16. To do good, and to communicate, forget not, for with ſuch ſacrifices God is well-pleaſed.