Londons Resurrection, Discourse 14
DISCOURSE XIV.
That the Proteſtant Religion, and the principles thereof, may contribute as much towards the building of Churches and Hoſpitals, &c. as ever Popery hath formerly done.
HOw many places are demoliſhed by the Fire, ſuch (as Churches and Hoſpitals) which muſt be rebuilt (if ever) upon the accompt of Piety, and Charity? But where is that Piety and Charity to be found? Methinks I hear the Papiſts vaunting themſelves againſt Proteſtants, extolling their Superſtition above our true Religion, and their Doctrine of Lies above the truth of ours, telling us, that they built moſt of thoſe Churches and Hoſpitals which are now burnt down, and muſt do it again, if ever it be done; as Peninnah (when time was) did upbraid Hannah, Sam. 1.1. with her barrenneſſe, ſo do they the principles of the Proteſtant Religion, as if they could bring forth no good works.
As for their building thoſe houſes again, there may be more reaſon for that than I ſhall preſume to give, but that (if it muſt be our work) our Religion will not as ſtrongly invite us to do it as theirs would, (if they might build them for themſelves) that I utterly deny.
True it is, if God ſtood in need that men ſhould lie for him, none were fitter to do him ſervice than they, whoſe Religion is full of lies and Legends, but that he doth not; but of ſuch as ſay (or report the Apoſtles of Chriſt to ſay) Let us do evil that good may come of it, the Scripture ſaith, their damnation is juſt, Rom. 3.8.
We know full well their great Incentives to Charity, and what falſhoods they are telling the people, that they muſt be ſaved by their good works, (that is) by the merit of them; that Chriſt hath merited to make their works meritorious, talking much of opera tincta, works died in the bloud of Chriſt, how meritorious they are: (whereas theirs are rather died in the bloud of Chriſtians, and of holy Martyrs) how men by their good deeds may ſatisfie the Juſtice of God for their evil ones, and expiate their ſins; how by eminent acts of Charity they may hereafter deliver themſelves and others out of Purgatory, with many more ſuch cunningly deviſed fables, wherewith they pick mens pockets.
We know there is truth enough in the world, or rather in the Word of God, to make men as charitable and free (in that ſenſe) as it is fit they ſhould be. We diſtruſt not the efficacy of Divine Truths, as they do, nor think them Nouns Adjective that cannot ſtand without our lies, as if they were ſo many Subſtantives added to them: We therefore tell men (as the truth is) that by the works of the Law no fleſh ſhall be juſtified, Gal. 2.16. but withall we tell them, that good works (are cauſa ſine quâ non) or things without which there is no ſalvation, for faith without works is dead, as a body without a ſoul, and that there can be no love to God, where there is no charity towards men, 1 John 3.17. Who ſo hath this worlds good, and ſeeth his Brother have need, and ſhutteth up his bowels from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? He that loveth not his brother whom he hath ſeen, how ſhould he love God whom he hath not ſeen? 1 John 4.20. Therefore ſuch as have wherewithall to ſhew mercy, and to do good, cannot be ſaved, ſay we; and this principle well conſidered, were enough to make men charitable if we could add no more.
But then we ſay further, that no one good work or deed of charity (that is truly ſuch) ſhall go without a reward, quoting and urging Mat. 10.42. (with other Texts of like import) Whoſoever ſhall give a cup of cold water only to one in the name of a Diſciple, verily he ſhall not looſe his reward.
Nay more than ſo, we tell men that the reward of charity, and of good works, (truly ſo called) is no leſſe than Eternal Life, (though not of merit, but of grace.) We charge them that are rich in this world, (as Paul bid Timothy to do) that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to diſtribute, willing to communicate, laying up in ſtore for themſelves a good foundation againſt the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life, 1 Tim. 6.18, 19. We mind men of our Saviours words, Luk. 12.33. Give almes, provide your ſelves bags that wax not old, a treaſure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, nor moth corrupteth. We ſay unto men as Chriſt ſaid, Luke 16.9. Make to your ſelves friends of the Mammon of unrighteouſneſs, that when ye fail, they may receive you into everlaſting habitations. We promiſe Heaven (in Gods Name) to thoſe that are truly charitable, and is it not worth accepting, unleſſe God will own it, or we our ſelves can think it, to be of debt, and not of grace?
We deny that the infinite Juſtice of God, will or can receive ſatisfaction, or reparation, for the evil deeds which men have done, by the good deeds they may or ſhall do afterwards, (as by their works of charity, for former acts of injuſtice) for that ſatisfaction can be made only by the undertaking of our Saviour, who bore our ſins in his body upon the Croſſe, and who is held forth to be a propitiation for us through faith in his bloud, Rom. 3. But withall we ſay, that Zacheus having been an oppreſſing Publican, did well (and ſet others a good example) when he gave half his goods to the poor, Luke 19. (which furely he did upon that conſideration) and that it was good counſel which Daniel gave to Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 4.27. Break off thy ſins by righteouſneſs, and thine iniquities by ſhewing mercy to the poor; the meaning whereof may be, that he ſhould ceaſe from unrighteouſneſſe and cruelty, for time to come, and practiſe the contrary with all his might, viz. Juſtice and Mercy; yea, we ſtick not to quote that paſſage of Solomon, Prov. 16.6. By mercy and truth iniquity is purged; which may be conſtrued thus, where mercy is, iniquity is purged, that is, it is a ſign of the remiſſion of ſins (as was Mary's love to Chriſt) or that God of his free mercy (not of their merit) pardoneth thoſe who abound with mercy; as he hath ſaid, that with the merciful he will ſhew himſelf merciful; and with the garment of his undeſerved grace, God covereth a multitude of their infirmities who are ſuch, 1 Pet. 4.8. We ſay, that more of bounty and charity towards men, than would otherwiſe have been required of us, is neceſſary, and a duty, in caſe we have been injurious or uncharitable to others formerly; for if ſo, we are in arrears both of Juſtice and Mercy, which, as to men, (if we be able to pay) can no otherwiſe be ſatisfied, nor can remiſſion be obtained without ſuch a reſtitution.
As for the fire of Purgatory, wherewith Popiſh Prieſts do melt down the gold and ſilver of ignorant people into their own Coffers, we know it is but a device to keep their own Kitchins warm; nor can any man give a reaſon why the charity of men ſhould be leſs inflamed by this real fire of Hell, made to flaſh in the faces of all that do, and ſhall remain unmerciful and uncharitable, than by the feigned fire of Purgatory: Why ſhould not, yea, will not men part with as much to keep themſelves out of Hell (when made ſenſible how damning a ſin covetouſneſs is) as to get themſelves out of Purgatory, ſooner than otherwiſe they would expect?
To him that conſiders theſe things, it will be plain and evident, that thoſe Principles which all good Proteſtants do own, and inſiſt upon, have as great an aptneſs and powerfulneſs in their own nature to awaken and excite man to works of charity, as any that Papiſts do, or can inſiſt upon: Neither ought it to be forgotten, that all the fore-mentioned Principles of Proteſtants are real and Scriptural, and being ſuch, muſt needs be of greater force, and authority, than thoſe groſſe Falſhoods, vain Dreams, and Bugbears, wherewith Popiſh Impoſtors delude their people.
But here it may be a Papiſt would reply to us: How comes it to paſs if the Principles wherewith you Proteſtants indeavour to excite men to works of Charity, be in themſelves as forcible as thoſe we go upon, that we, in that caſe do prevail more than you? That by our inſtigations people are ready to give all their goods to the poor, and to ſay to their very Parents, It is Corban, or a Gift (to the Church) by whatſoever thou mayeſt be profited, whereas you Proteſtants have much ado many times to extort even from dying people (though rich) ſome few pounds or ſhillings to any good uſes?
I wiſh I could ſay that the matter of fact herein objected were true pudet haec, &c. but too true it is, and the reaſons of it (or ſome-of them) are as follow:
Firſt, Some Proteſtant Miniſters whilſt they are zealous in Preaching the Doctrine of Juſtification by Faith (ſo much oppoſed by Papiſts) are, and have been too remiſs in preſſing good works, according to the tenor of their own Principles: And thus whilſt the Papiſts bend themſelves againſt our Faith, they make us neglect good works: Such Miniſters ſhould be put in mind of what St. Paul writeth to Titus, chap. 3.8. Theſe things I will that you affirm conſtantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works: theſe things are good and profitable to men.
Secondly, Proteſtant Preachers (if I miſtake not) do generally harp leſs upon the duty of bounty and charity, in particular (towards the Church eſpecially) than Popiſh Prieſts do, who do ſome of them it may be, preach little elſe, at leaſtwiſe, that is the moſt they preſſe, becauſe the moſt profitable of all ſubjects (though not to their hearers) (upon whom other duties are ſometimes as neceſſary to be preſſed) yet to themſelves. Now Proteſtant Miniſters being too much afraid of being ſo much as ſuſpected of ſeeking themſelves, do, I fear, under-do, as to preſſing works of charity, whilſt Popiſh Prieſts are guilty of over-doing, being like the Horſeleech or Grave, which are never ſatisfied, but ſtill do cry, Give, give.
Again, Papiſts will venture to Promiſe more upon the bare opus operatum or meere act of giving, to ſuch and ſuch good uſes (to be bound as it were body, for body, and ſoul, for ſoul, that they that give ſo much to good uſes ſhall be ſaved) I mean (to warrant and enſure their Salvation) than Proteſtant Miniſters dare to do, who knew that the end of the Commandement (the fulfilling of which end is required in a ſaving charity) is charity out of a pure heart, and a good conſcience, and faith unfeigned; and that a man may give all his goods to the poor, and yet want that true charity without which (the Apoſtle ſaith) be is but as ſounding Braſſe, or tinkling Cymball.
Moreover the Popes of Rome, ſucceſſively, uſe to diſpenſe pardons for the greateſt ſins, and ſuch as were never repented of, for ſo much money, as a late Book called the Proteſtant Almanack (one that will never be out of date) makes out by multitudes of Inſtances. This practice of theirs is one of the names of Blaſphemy written in their foreheads, and by ſuch means as theſe they go beyond us.
But the mony which is given upon the two laſt accounts, is certainly the reſult and product not of real bounty, but of woful blindneſs and ignorance. That which is ſuch a kind of cheat in the receivers, can hardly be called charity in the givers.
Then may we draw to this concluſion, Papiſts have waies to cheat men of their mony which Proteſtants have not (yet ſcorn to uſe) but Papiſts have no Arguments, truely deduced, either from Scripture, or ſound reaſon, wherewith to invite men to works of charity, that Proteſtants have not, and they alone well uſed and mannaged are and will be ſufficient.
If Papiſts will take upon them to be wiſer than God, and to teach him (who is only wiſe) how to furniſh the World with better motives to charity, and good works, than ever yet he hath done, ſo will not Proteſtants: It were better London ſhould continue in aſhes, than have its foundation laid in ſuch Blaſphemous Impoſtures: but that it need not do neither, for want of Scriptural Arguments, mighty (through God) to pull down the ſtrong holds of mens unmercifulneſs, and to bring into captivity every thought which exalteth it ſelf againſt obedience thereunto.
We that are Proteſtants can tell men, according to our Principles, that the leaſt work of true charity ſhall have a great reward, that the reward of perſons truely charitable, ſhall be no leſs than eternal life, that every ſuch work ſhall follow good men when they dye, and add to the weight of their Crown of Glory: We can tell rich men, that if they will not make to themſelves friends of the unrighteous Mammon, they ſhall not be received into everlaſting habitations (of glory) that if they ſhut up their bowels againſt poor Lazaruſes, they ſhall fare no better than Dives did, who denied his crumbs of bread, and was himſelf denied a drop of water: We can freely tell every man that it is as poſſible for him to get to Heaven without faith, as without charity; and as impoſſible for him to be ſaved without charity, as without faith. Then I appeal to every mans reaſon, whether it be not an act of charity, and piety, to help up with this poor City, and particularly with the Hoſpitals and Churches thereto belonging. Though our Religion be by Papiſts reproached, as Hannah was by Peninnah with barrenneſs, namely in reference to good works, it may hereafter come (and I hope it will) to ſing as Hannah did, in 1 Sam. 2.5. The barren hath born ſeven, and ſhe that hath many Children is waxed feeble.