Works Volume 4, Sermon – Table of contents 3

Works Volume 4 · Sermon – Table of contents 3

p. 548A SERMON, Preached in St. Paul's Church before the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London, on the 12. of April, A.D. 1640.

DEUT. XXVI.12, 13.

When thou haſt made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine encreaſe the third year— Then thou ſhalt ſay before the Lord thy God—

THAT the firſt ſound of this text may not poſſeſs you with an expectation of a Vicars plea, a diſcourſe of tithes, and querulous invective againſt ſacriledge; and conſequently, by this prejudice, your ears and hearts be fortified impenetrable and impregnable againſt the ſpeaker, and the Sermon; that I may reconcile the choice of this text with the imploring and hoping for your patience, I ſhall immediately deliver you from your fears, by aſſuring you, that the main of this text is (and the total of my diſcourſe ſhall be) bent quite toward another coaſt, that which in the ſincerity of my heart, I conceive may beſt comply with your deſigns, either as Chriſtians, or as men, moſt tend to your ſerving of Chriſt, and enriching of your ſelves, with the increaſe of your wealth here, and glory hereafter. And when I have told you this, I cannot chuſe but ſay, that I am your friend, and for that may claim not as an act of favour, but juſtice, the payment of this debt, the return of your patience in receiving, and care in practiſing what ſhall be delivered.

There was a double tithing among the Jews, the every years tithing, and the third years tithing; the every years tithing you know whoſe patrimony, it was; but a…ter that was ſet apart (and preſented unto the owners) every third year there was another to be raiſed, over and above, for the ſtranger, the fatherleſs, and the widow, as you may ſee it enacted, c. 14. v. 29. this was called by the Rabbines the ſecond tithing, and in another reſpect the third by ſome of them, (the tithe for feaſts, Deut. 14.23. going for the ſecond, and the tithe of the tithes, which the Levites paid the High-prieſt, going for the fourth, in that account) but moſt ſignificantly foreign the tithe for the poor, foreign, in Joſephus, the poor mans tithing, or in the words of the text, the compleveris decimare anno tertio, the making an end of tithing the third year; Till this were done, there wanted a compleveris, what ever other dues were paid, the work was incomplete, and upon the performance of that, here is a ſtock of confidence toward God, for him that hath done it, a right inveſted on him to all the abundance of Canaan, v. 15. a juſtifiable pretenſion to all temporal bleſſings, which he may depend on, and challenge at Gods hand; 'twere but a cold expreſſion to ſay, he might expect by petition, I will add, he may require by claim, and produce his patent for it here in my text, Cùm compleveris, &c. When thou haſt made an end, &c.

This text I have upon advice reſolved not to divide into parts, but my diſcourſe upon it I ſhall, by ſetting it theſe bounds and limits; 1. That it preſents unto you the duty of alms-giving, by occaſion of theſe words, Cùm compleveris decimare anno tertio, when thou haſt made an end of tithing— the third year. 2. The benefit ariſing from the performance of this duty, from the reſt, Dicas coram Domino, then thou ſhalt or mayeſt ſay, i. e. haſt right and power to ſay, before the Lord thy God. In our progreſs through the firſt of theſe, we ſhall obſerve theſe geſſes; 1. We ſhall begin with the foreign, conſider alms-giving ſimply, deducing the practice of the Jews down to us Chriſtians, and ſo in a manner give you the hiſtory of alms-giving. 2. We ſhall look into the foreign, what portion ought to iſſue out of every mans revenues, taking our riſe from the practice of the Jews, a tithe of all increaſe every third year. 3. We ſhall proceed to the foreign, conſider it as a duty; and then we ſhall have done with the firſt general.

In the ſecond general we ſhall ſhew you, 1. In theſi, that confidence or claiming any thing at Gods hands, muſt take its riſe from duty in performance, Then thou mayeſt ſay; then, but not before. 2. In hypotheſi, ſhew you the connexion between this confidence and this performance, claiming of temporal plenty, upon giving of alms. Theſe are the ſeveral poſts and ſtages of my future diſcourſe, the Monogramm drawn in cole, as it were, wherein you may diſcern the lines and lineaments of the whole body; I muſt now deſcend to the filling them up, and giving you them a little more to the life, taking them in the order propoſed, very looſely, and very plainly, making proviſion for your hearts, not your ears, for your future gain and not your preſent ſenſuality, and begin with the firſt general, and in that the foreign, or alms-giving ſimply conſidered, deducing the practice of the Jews down to us Chriſtians, and ſo give you in a manner the hiſtory of alms-giving.

Though we aſſert not an equality of worldly riches from any decree either of God or nature, find not any ſtatute of foreign, any law of community, in any but Plato's inſtitutions, and thoſe never reduced to practice in any one city in the world (attempted once by Plotinus, In V…. Plotin.through his favour with Gallienus, who promiſed to reſide in his Platenopolis, but ſoon altered his purpoſe again, as Porphyrie tells us) yet I may ſuppoſe it for a granted maxime, that the extreme inequality, that is now ſo illuſtriouſly viſible in the world, is not any act of Natures primary intention, or Gods firſt and general providence; Ariſtotle may tell us of ſome foreign, ſome that Nature hath bored through the ear, to be ſlaves for p. 549ever, and we may believe him, if we can find any ground for it, but of any foreign colonies of men, ſent into the world without any claim or right to any part of the worlds goods, he hath not left us any thing upon record. Nor hath the book of Creation in the Scripture, the Bereſith, or natural Philoſophy of the Bible given us any hint for ſuch a reſolution, that ſome ſhould be born to riot, and others to famiſh, ſome to be glutted, and others to ſtarve, that mankind ſhould be thus dichotomized into ſuch extreme diſtant fates, ſome to reign in Paradiſe for ever, others to be thrown over the wall, as out of the Adamites ſtove, to pine and freeze among thorns and briars. This were an abſolute decree of election and reprobation, improved farther than Predeſtinarians have ordinarily extended it. As we are wont to ſay of ſin, that 'tis not to be found in Gods Hexameron, no fruit of his Six days labour, but a production of a later date, ingendred betwixt the ſerpent and the woman, that Incubus and Succuba, the devil and the lower ſoul; ſo may we ſay of extreme want and poverty, that its nativity is of the land of Canaan, its father an Amorite, and its mother an Hittite: Satan and covetouſneſs brought it into the world, and then God finding it there (whoſe glorious attribute it is to extract good out of evil) as he did once a foreign out of an foreign, redemption of mankind out of the fall of Adam, and ſo made the Devil an inſtrument of bringing the Meſſias into the world; ſo hath he in like manner by his particular providence ordered and continued this effect of ſome mens covetouſneſs, to become matter of others bounty, exerciſe of that one piece of mans divinity, as Pythagoras called liberality, and ſo ex his lapidibus, out of theſe ſtones, out of the extreme want, and neceſſity of our brethren, to raiſe trophies and monuments of virtue to us, of charity, liberality, and magnificence, of mercy, and bowels of compaſſion, that moſt beautiful compoſition of graces, that moſt heroical renowned habit of the ſoul. So that now we may define it an act of Gods infinite goodneſs to permit, though before we could ſcarce allow it reconcileable with his infinite juſtice, to decree the extreme inequality of earthly portions, the poor man gaſping for food, that the rich may have a ſtore-houſe or magazine, where to lay up his treaſures; the careful labourer, full of children, ſuffered to wreſtle with two extremities at once, hunger on the one ſide, and natural compaſſion to the helpleſs creatures he hath begotten, on the other; that thou by thy wealth mayeſt be that Elijah ſent from heaven to the famiſhing for lorn widow, that Godlike man drop'd out of the clouds to his relief, and by the omnipotent reviving power of thy charity, uſurp that attribute of Gods given him by the Pſalmist, that feeds the young ravens, expoſed by the old ones, ſuſtain that deſtitute ſort of creatures, that call upon thee. Admirable therefore was that contrivance of Gods mercy and wiſdom, mentioned to the Jews, not as a threatning but a promiſe of grace, one of the privileges and bleſſings of Canaan, the poor ſhall never ceaſe out of the land, Deut. 15.11. that thou mayeſt always have ſomewhat to do with thy wealth, ſome ſluce to exhauſt thy plenty, ſome hungry leech, to open a vein, and prevent the acceſs of thy feaver, and withal, that thy wealth may enoble thee, as Xenocrates told his benefactors children, that he had abundantly requited their father, for all men ſpake well of him for his liberality to Xenocrates, or as benefactors among the heathen were adored and deified, that thus thy faithleſs, fading, falſehearted riches (which the Evangeliſt therefore ſtyles Mammon of unrighteouſneſs, only as foreign is oppoſed to foreign, to true durable wealth) may yield thee more profit by the profuſion, than by the poſſeſſion (as ſilver doth by melting, than by continuing in the wedge or bullion, according to that of **Paedag. l. 3. c. 6.Clemens, foreign, the rich is he that diſtributes, not he which hath and poſſeſſeth; and **L. de juſt. cap. de offic. viri juſti.Lactantius, Divites ſunt, non qui divitias habent, ſed qui utuntur illis ad opera juſtitiae, the rich are they, not which have riches, but uſe them to works of righteouſneſs) purchaſe thee by being thus providently laid out, a revenue of renown here, and glory hereafter. You ſee then the pedigree and genealogy of alms-giving, how it came into the world; Covetouſneſs and oppreſſion and rapine, brought in emptineſs, and beggery, and want; then Gods providence and goodneſs, finding it in the world, reſolves to continue it there, to imploy the treaſures, and exerciſe the charity of others.

Now for the practice of the world in this great affair, we cannot begin our ſurvey more properly, than from the text, there to behold Gods judgment, in this point, by the rules he hath given to be obſerved in this city of God, his own people of the Jews, whilſt they were managed by God himſelf. The prieſthood was the peculiar lot of God, and therefore may well be allowed the foreign, feeding firſt at Gods feaſt; And the poor next after them, were taken care of by God himſelf, Lazarus, as it were, in Aarons, as once in Abrahams boſom, next to the prieſt in the temple, as to the Patriarch in heaven; a tithing for the prieſt, and when this was done, every third year, a tithing for the poor: The withholding of the former was ſacrilege, and of the latter, furtum interpretativum, ſay the Schools, interpretative theft, and the Caſuiſts to the ſame purpoſe, that though our goods be our own, jure proprietatis, by right of propriety, yet they are other mens, jure charitatis, by right of charity; the rich mans barn is the poor mans granary, nay murther too, as we may conclude from the words of the wiſe man, the poor mans bread is his life (and that is ſometimes thy dole, on which his life depends) and then, as there it follows, he that deprives him of it (ſo doth the unmerciful, as well as the thief) is a murtherer. Nay farther, that murther one of the deepeſt dye, a fratricidium, like Cains of Abel his brother, and therefore as that is a clamans de terra, crying for judment from the ground, ſo hath this a clamet ad Deum contra te, cry to God againſt thee, Deut. 15.9. I will add, at leaſt ſo long as the ſtate of the Jews laſted, it was ſacrilege too. Shall we proceed then, and ask, when the ſtate of the Jews expired, did alms-giving expire with it? was charity abrogated with ſacrifice? turned out of the world for an antiquated, aboliſh'd rite, for a piece of Judaiſm? The practice of ſome Chriſtians would perſwade men ſo, that the ſword that Chriſt brought into the world, had wounded charity to the heart, that he had left no ſuch cuſtom behind him to the Churches of God, that Chriſtianity had clutch'd mens hands, and frozen their hearts into an foreign, as Arrian calls it, inverted that miracle of Chriſts, returned the children of Abraham into ſtones. Phyſicians tell us of a diſeaſe converting the womb into a firm ſtone, and the ſtory in Crollius of a foreign, a child of a perfect ſtony ſubſtance, is aſſerted by many others. Now the unhappineſs of it is; that the Hebrew foreign that ſignifies a womb, by a little varying of the punctation, ſignifies mercy alſo, and bowels of compaſſion, whereupon Hoſ. 1.11. the Sept. inſtead of foreign have put foreign, inſtead of mercy, a womb; and alas, the ſame diſeaſe hath fallen upon the foreign in that other ſenſe, the bowels of mercy in many Chriſtians are petrified, tranſubſtantiate into ſtones, pure mine and quarry, and ſo we Miniſters, damnati ad metalla (that old Roman puniſhment) condemned to digg in thoſe mines, and by all the daily pains of preaching and exhortation, able to bring forth nothing but ſuch foreign, ſtones inſtead of bread.

p. 550But I hope, my brethren, the practice of thoſe ſome, ſhall not be accepted as authentick evidence againſt Chriſt, to defame and dishonour our moſt glorious profeſſion, whoſe very ſtyle is [Brethren] whoſe livery [Charity] and Character that they love one another. I know not how unmerciful and hard-hearted the Chriſtian world is now grown in its declination, as covetouſneſs is generally the vice of old age, I am ſure, 'twas open-handed enough, in its youth, witneſs that moſt antient primitive Apostolical institution of the Offertory in the Sacrament, that which was ſo conſiderable a part of that holy rite, that it gave denomination to the whole, the Eucharist ſtyled foreign communion, diſtinctly, from this cuſtom of bringing every man out of his store, and communicating to the neceſſities of the Saints, as it is 2 Cor. 8.4. foreign, the communion, or fellowſhip as we render it, more fully the communicativeneſs, or liberality of administring to the Saints, and is therefore by us rendred liberality, 1 Cor. 16.3. Many excellent obſervations might be preſented to you on this occaſion, neceſſary for the underſtanding many places in S. Paul, eſpecially of c. 11. of 1 Cor. but you will eaſily forgive me the ſparing this pains, in this place; Let it ſuffice that we find in that chap. that at thoſe holy meetings there was always a table furniſh'd out of the bounty of communicants, for a common feaſt unto all the faithful; the rich might have leave to bring more than his poorer brother, but not to take place by that bounty, not to pretend any propriety to what he had brought, which is the meaning of the foreign every man his own ſupper, and the foreign, taking precedence of others in eating, the rich to eat all, and the poor none, one to be hungry, and the other drunken, the fault which he there found with the Corinthians; Nor did the cuſtom of liberality, annex'd to the Sacrament in thoſe days, expire or vaniſh with the Apoſtles; The practice rather increaſed, than abated among their ſucceſſors; Witneſs that foreign, or oblation, firſt of all the fruits of the ſeaſon, as an offering of firſt-fruits; afterwards only foreign, of bread and wine mingled with water, which the brethren or faithful, i. e. in the antient ſtyle, the Communicants are ſaid to bring, and preſent at the altar or table of the Lord, for the furniſhing of the table with part, and refreſhing the poor with what was left. Theſe are the foreign oblations in the **L. 2. c. 55.Conſtitutions, at leaſt one ſort of them, one being for the Prieſt, the other for the poor, and again, foreign, the doing good to them that want, the very word in S. Paul, foreign, to do good and communicate, Heb. 13.16. and ‖‖C. 25.foreign, voluntary oblations for the poor; Theſe are contained under his general head of foreign, bringing of fruits, of which he hath a **L. 7. c. 30.Chapter and ‖‖Ib. c. 29.foreign, the Lords Offerings, and **C. 7.foreign, alms and other where foreign, voluntary… gifts diſtributed to the poor; And obſervable it is from thoſe, and other ancient conſtitutions, that 'twas a puniſhment for ſome men, uſed in the Church, not to receive them to the Offertory, who yet were not ſo great malefactors, as to be kept from ſome other privileges of Chriſtians; This was call'd, foreign, communicating without the Offertory, frequently in the Ancyrane and Nicene Councils; and therefore Epiphanius having mentioned the faults, for which offenders were excommunicated, as foreign, fornication, adultery, &c. he adds foreign, the Church receives not offerings from the injurious, &c. but from juſt livers, noting that all but the foreign, thoſe that live juſtly, were interdicted the priviledge of offering or giving to the Corban. Thus in Clemens was not the oblation received from the unjuſt publican, who exacted foreign, above what was appointed; and ſo for executioners, whoſe oblation being the price of bloud, was not ſuffered to come into the Corban, no more than the thirty pieces of ſilver, that Judas took to betray Chriſt, Mat. 27.6. An excellent conſideration for us to meditate on, that the being excluded from the Offertory, being denied the priviledge of giving alms or being bountiful to the poor, went for a very great puniſhment; and ſo ſure, the duty, a ſpecial part of piety and publick ſervice of God. And therefore the cuſtom being either neglected, or intermitted at Conſtantinople, S. Chryſoſtome took care for the reſtoring it again, and thereupon made that excellent oration upon that ſubject, where from antiquity he proves the uſe of the Offertory on the Lords day, and mentions the Corban, or treaſury where 'twas wont to be put.

I have been the more large on this particular, becauſe it hath in all ages been accounted a prime piece of Chriſtianity, (a ſpecial part of divine worſhip ſaith Aquinas) the obſervation of which is yet, thanks be to God, alive among us, eſpecially if that be true, which Pamelius cites out of Honorius, that inſtead of the antient oblation of bread and wine, the offering of money was by conſent received into the Church, in memory of the pence in Judas ſale. Only 'twere well, if we were a little more alacrious, and exact in the performance of the duty, and more care taken in the diſtribution; eſpecially, that that notorious abuſe of this moſt Chriſtian cuſtome, which they ſay (I hope unjuſtly) ſome part of this city is guilty of, in converting this inheritance of the poor, into a feaſt of entertainment for the Officers of the Church, may be branded, and baniſh'd out of kenn. It is yet but a ſin, which like ſome in Ariſtotle, hath never a name, had never yet the honour to be forbidden; if it ſhould chance to live to that age, thrive and prove fit for an foreign the impoſition of a name, let me have the favour to Chriſten it, A new-found ſacriledge, a moſt inhumane at once, and unchriſtian profanation; And if you want an embleme for it, that antient piece of Nathans deſigning will ſerve the turn, the rich man feaſting on the poor mans ewe lamb, his luxury maintained by the others bloud. 'Twere an admirable work of Eccleſiaſtick diſcipline, ſome way or other to bring the Corban in ſuch favour with us, that it might prove a bank or ſtorehouſe in every pariſh, able to ſupply the wants of all; but much better, if we would fall in love with it our ſelves, as a way of binding up both the tables of the Law into one volume, of miniſtring both to God and man, by this one mixt act of charity and piety, of mercy, and of ſacrifice, and ſo, in the wiſe mans phraſe, to lay up our riches in Gods ſtorehouſe, without a metaphor. But if it pleaſe you not, that any body (though in the reſolution it be Chriſt himſelf) ſhould have the diſpoſal of your alms, as charity now adaies is a pettiſh weariſh thing, ready to ſtartle, and pick a quarrel with any thing that comes to meddle with it, then ſhall I not purſue this deſign any farther. So thou art really, and ſincerely affected to the ſetting out of the third years tithing, thou ſhalt have my leave to be thine own Almoner, have the choice of the particular way of diſpoſing, and ordering it thy ſelf. And yet three things there are, that I cannot chooſe but be ſo pragmatical, as to interpoſe in this buſineſs; 1. For the quando, when, this tithe ſhould be ſet out; Let it not be deferred, till the Will be a making, till death forces it out of our hands, and makes it a non dat ſed projicit, only a caſting over the lading, when the ſhip is ready to ſink; nor yet till our coffers be p. 551ready to run over, till a full, abundant proviſion be made for all that belong to us, for that is to feed the poor like the dogs, only with the orts of the childrens table; but as other tithes are paid, juſt as the increaſe comes in, preſently after the whole field is reap'd, ſo muſt the poor mans tithing alſo; ſet out, I ſay, then, dedicated to that uſe, that we may have it by us at hand, told out ready, when the owner calls for it. 'Twas a thing that Antoninus recounts as matter of ſpecial joy, & that which he numbers amongſt the felicities, for which he was beholden to the Gods, that he was never ask'd of any, that he thought fit to give to, that he was anſwered by his Almoner, foreign, that there was not ſtore at hand to perform his will. A moſt joyous, comfortable thing, in that heathen Emperors opinion, and yet that, that will hardly be attained to, unleſs we take ſome ſuch courſe as this mentioned in terminis by S. Paul, 1 Cor. 16.2. Ʋpon the firſt day of the week let every one of you lay by him in ſtore as God hath proſpered him, that there be no gathering when I come; a weekly proviſion laid in, and ready in numerato for this purpoſe, that you be never ſurprized on a ſudden, and ſo diſabled to perform this duty. 2. For the quibus, I would anſwer, To all, whom Chriſt hath made our neighbours and brethren; and I know not any, that are excluded from this title. But you would then think I were ſet to ſollicite againſt the laws of this realm, and plead the cauſe of the idle wandering beggar, that moſt ſavage, barbarous unchriſtian trade among us, ſet, a man would think, in the ſtreets by the devil, on purpoſe to poſe, and tire, and non-plus mens charity, to diſhearten and weary them out of this Chriſtian duty. No, we have a countermand from the Apoſtle againſt theſe foreign, diſorderly walkers, 2 Theſ. 3.7. that if any would not labour, neither ſhould he eat, v. 10. the beſt alms for them, the ſeaſonableſt proviſion and charity to ſuch, is the careful execution of laws upon them, to ſet them every one ſingle in an orb to move in, by that means perhaps to teach them the skill in time to be alms-givers themſelves, at leaſt to become fit to be receivers; For ſuch, of all others, is the fixt, ſtationary, diligent labouring poor man, whoſe motion is like that of the trembling ſphere, not able to advance any conſiderable matter in a whole age, be they never ſo reſtleſs, whoſe hands, with all their diligence, cannot give content to the mouth, or yield any thing but ſtones many times, to the poor child that calls for bread. All that I ſhall interpoſe for the quibus, ſhall be this; that ſeeing a do good to all, is now ſent into the world by Chriſt, and that but little reſtrained in any Chriſtian Kingdom, by an eſpecially to the houſhold of Saints, (all Chriſtians being ſuch) and ſeeing again, no man hath hands, or ſtore to feed every mouth that gapes in a kingdom, or particularly in this populous city, we may do well to take that courſe that we uſe in compoſing other difficulties, referatur ad ſortem, let the lot decide the main of the controverſie, and reſerving ſomewhat for the publick, ſomewhat for the ſtranger, ſomewhat for common calamities, ſomewhat as 'twere for the univerſal motion of the whole body, ſomewhat for excentricks, let the place, whereon our lot hath caſt us, be the principal orb for our charity to move in, the ſpecial dioceſs for our Viſitation. And when that is done, and yet, as 'tis in the parable, there be ſtill room, ſtore left for others alſo, then to inlarge, as far as we can, round about us, as motion beginning at the centre diffuſes it ſelf uniformly, ſends out his influence and ſhakes every part to the circumference; and happy that man, who hath the longeſt arm, whoſe charity can thus reach fartheſt. The third thing is that my text obliges me to, the how much out of every mans revenues may go for the poor mans due, which brings me to the ſecond particular, the foreign here mentioned in theſe words [tithing all the tithes of thy increaſe the third year.]

That there was a foreign defin'd by God to the Jews Charity, a proportion for every man, not which they might not exceed (for there were other ways of vent for their charity mentioned, beſide this) but which no man was to go under, is manifeſt by the text, and c. 14. of this book; the proportion you ſee, a tithe, or tenth part of all the increaſe, not yearly, but only every third year, to raiſe a bank, as it were, for the maintenance of the poor, till that year came about again. This if we would diſſolve into a yearly rate, and ſo diſcern the Jewiſh foreign more perfectly, it is equivalent to a thirtieth part every year; the Jew whoſe yearly revenue amounted to thirty ſhekels, was every third year to pay three of them to the uſe of the poor, that is in effect, one for every year, the triennial tenth being all one with an annual thirtieth: The account is clear, and no man but hath Arithmetick enough to conclude, that a thirtieth part is the third part of a tenth, and ſo a tenth every third year, is all one with a thirtieth every year. I ſhall inſiſt on this no farther, than to tell you that Gods judgment in this affair is worth obſerving, that alms-giving or mercifulneſs being a dictate of nature, but that like other ſuch Laws, given only in general terms, for the foreign, but not ſo as to deſcend to particular caſes; it pleaſed God to his people the …ews, to expreſs his judgment at that time, in that ſtate, for the foreign, how much was by Law to be laid aſide for that uſe out of every ones increaſe.

Now if I ſhould preſs this practice of the Jews as matter of obligation, or preſcription to Chriſtians, that you are not in conſcience to do leſs, than the Jews were bound to do, every man to ſet apart a thirtieth of his yearly revenue, or increaſe, for the uſe of the poor brethren, I know not how you would take it; many would ſtartle at the news of the doctrine, many more when they came to the practice of it, many quarrels you would have againſt it; He that were merciful already, would think his gift would become a debt, his bounty duty, and ſo be wrongd and robb'd of the renown of his charity, by this doctrine; and the covetous, that were not inclined to giving at all, would complain that this were a new kind of ghoſtly ſtealth, a way of robbing him out of the pulpit, of burthening his conſcience, and lightning his bags, and both joyn in the indictment of it for a Judaical antiquated doctrine, that hath nothing to do with Chriſtians. And therefore to do no more, than I ſhall juſtifie from the principles of the Goſpel; I ſhall confeſs unto you, that this precept, as it was given to the Jews, is not obliging unto Chriſtians, and therefore I have not told you it was, but only gave you to conſider, what Gods judgment was for the foreign to his own people. Only by way of application to our ſelves, give me leave to add theſe four things which I deliver in as many propoſitions; 1. That mercifulneſs, or charity or giving alms is no part of the Ceremonial Law, which is properly Judaiſm, but of the eternal law of reaſon and nature, part of the oath or Sacrament, that is given us, when the fiat homo is firſt pronounced to us, a ray of Gods mercifulneſs infuſed into us, with our humane nature; in a word, that mercifulneſs is all one with humanity, a precept of the nature, the God, the ſoul we carry about with us. 2. That being ſo, it comes within the compaſs of thoſe Laws, that Chriſt came foreign, not to deſtroy but to fulfil, i. e. as the Fathers before S. Auguſtin, generally interpreted it, to improve it, ſet it higher than it was before, require p. 552more of Chriſtians than ever was exacted of the Jews or heathens by the Law of Moſes or of Nature. Thus **L. 4. c. 37.Irenaeus, mentioning Chriſts improvement of the Law, pro eo quod eſt, Non moechaberis, nec concupiſcere praecepit, for, Thou ſhalt not commit adultery, thou ſhalt not look to luſt, he adds, pro eo quod eſt decumare, omnia quae ſunt pauperibus dividere, inſtead of tithing (this third years tithing) thou ſhalt divide all thou haſt to the poor, give them ſome plentiful part of it. And this, ſaith he, an act of Chriſt, non ſolventis, ſed adimplentis, extendentis, dilatantis legem, not looſing, but filling up, extending, dilating the Law. And **Tom. 8. p. 226. A.S. Hierome, on 2 Cor. 8.20. avoiding this that no man ſhould blame us— explains it thus, leſt any ſhould ſay, how did Chriſt fill up or fulfil the Law, cùm videamus Chriſtianos non tantam eleemoſynam facere, quantam fieri in lege praeceptum eſt, when we ſee Chriſtians not give ſo much alms, as was by the Law of Moſes preſcribed to be given. 3. That there were among the Jews two ſorts of mercifulneſs, the firſt called literally righteouſneſs, and by the Septuagint, when it belongs to works of mercy, is rendred ſometimes foreign righteouſneſs, ſometimes foreign mercy; and this is that mercifulneſs that Moſes's Law required of the Jews, and ſo was part of their righteouſneſs, he was a breaker of the Law, that did neglect it, and ſo opera juſtitiae in Lactantius, the works of righteouſneſs, meaning works of charity, by that phraſe, The ſecond was mercy, i. e. an higher degree of charity, rather benignity, mercifulneſs, being full of good works, and this was more than their Law exacted, and therefore was ſtyled goodneſs, as that was more than righteouſneſs. 4. That by force of the ſecond propoſition, and by the tenure of Evangelical perfection, that Chriſt commended to his diſciples, this higheſt degree of mercifulneſs among the Jews is now the Chriſtians task, and that, to him that will be perfect, yet in an higher degree, not only that degree, which the Law required of the Jew, a little raiſed, and improved by us, for that will be but the Chriſtians righteouſneſs, but even the benignity of the Jews, abundance of mercy, improved and inlarged by us alſo. And from theſe premiſes if I may in the name of God take boldneſs to infer my concluſion, it can be no other than this; That the proportion to be obſerved by the Chriſtian alms-giver, to ſpeak at the leaſt, muſt be more in any reaſon than the thirtieth part of his revenue or increaſe; The thirtieth is but equivalent to the third years tithing of the Jews, which was the righteouſneſs, that which they were bound to do by the Law, the Phariſee, did as much, and Chriſt tells us, that except our righteouſneſs, foreign, the very word that ſignifies the legal alms-giving many times in the Bible, and who knows but it may do ſo here? of this there is no doubt, but it belongs to charity, or duty toward men in its latitude, of which alms giving is one moſt ſpecial part, and except our righteouſneſs exceed the righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees, we ſhall in no wiſe enter into the kingdom of heaven, the text, on which that heavenly Goſpel-Sermon was preach'd upon the Mount. If we have any deſign toward Evangelical perfection, toward the Chriſtian pitch, the abundance of goodneſs and mercifulneſs, as that is improved by Chriſtianity, then this third years tithing will prove but a beggarly, thin proportion, that, that a Jew, if he were a religious one, would have been aſhamed of. But be our aims never ſo moderate, if a door-keepers place will ſerve our turn, to be one of the Nethinim, of the meaneſt rank in the kingdom of heaven, yet ſtill we muſt exceed that proportion of the Jews righteouſneſs, their third years tithe, that they were bound to, or elſe we are ſtrangely miſtaken in Chriſtianity. I am unwilling to deſcend to the arraigning or indicting, or ſo much as examining any man here, for the omiſſions of his former life in this kind; my humble lowlieſt requeſt is, that you will do it your ſelves, and if either through ignorance you have not reckoned of it as a duty, or through deſire to thrive in the world, you have omitted to practiſe it heretofore, you will now at laſt at this inſtance, take it into your conſideration, and remember that there is ſuch a thing, as charity, (a pale, wan, deſpiſed creature) commended to Chriſtians by Chriſt, not to ſuffer it any longer to go for one of thoſe Magicians Serpents, which faith, like Moſes's rod, is appointed to devour; if it do, know this, that that rod is the verier ſerpent of the two; and for the quickning that reſolution in you, I ſhall proceed unto the third particular, the foreign, to conſider it as a duty, and ſo to make an end of my firſt general.

In this ſlothful, but confident age of the world, 'twere admirably worth ones pains to inſtruct men, what duty is, now under the Goſpel; what the very word ſignifies in a Chriſtian Nomenclature. There are ſo many deſcants of fantaſtical brains on that plain ſong of the Apoſtles, We are not under the law, but under grace] that 'tis ſcarce agreed on among Chriſtians, what 'tis to be a Chriſtian, nothing more unreſolved, than what 'tis, that's now required under the ſecond Covenant, as neceſſary to ſalvation. One thinks that the believing all fundamentals, is the foreign, the only qualification for a Chriſtian; and what hath duty to do with that? Another makes the Goſpel conſiſt all of promiſes of what ſhall be wrought in us, and on us by Chriſt; and ſo gives an abſolute ſuperſedeas for duty, a… a legal out-dated thing, that is utterly antiquated by grace. Another contents himſelf with purpoſes and reſolutions, thin, airy inclinations to duty, and is utterly indifferent for any performance, doubts not but to paſs for a Chriſtian, as regenerate as S. Paul, when he wrote, c. 7. to the Romans, though he never do the good that he reſolves, live and die carnal and captived and ſold under ſin. A fourth diſſolves all to a new-found faith; A full perſwaſion, an abſolute aſſurance, that he is one of Gods elect, is abundantly ſufficient to eſtate himſelf in that number, a piece of magick, or conjuring, that will help any man to heaven, that will but phanſie it, enrol their names in the book of life, in thoſe ſacred eternal diptycks, by dreaming only that they are there already. Others there are, that ſeem kinder unto duty, are content to allow Chriſt ſome return of performances for all his ſufferings, yet you ſee in the Goſpel, 'tis in one but the patience of hearing him preach, A [Lord thou haſt taught in our ſtreets] we have heard ſo many Sermons, paſſes for a ſufficient pretenſion to heaven; in another, the communicating at his table; [We have eat and drank in thy preſence] a ſufficient viaticum for that long journey, a charm, or amulet againſt fear or danger; in a third, the diligence of a bended knee, or ſolemn look of formal-outſide-worſhip, muſt be taken in commutation for all other duty; and all this while religion is brought up in the Gentlemans trade, good clothes and idleneſs, or of the Lillies of the field, veſtiri & non laborare, to be clothed and not labour; Duty is too mechanical a thing, the ſhop or the plough, the work of faith, or labour of love, are things too vile, too ſordid for them to ſtoop to; heaven will be had without ſuch ſollicitors. Shall I inſtance in one particular more? That Satan may be ſure that duty ſhall never reſcue any prey out of his hands, one thing you may obſerve, that moſt men never come to treat with it, to look after, to conſider any ſuch thing, till indeed the time comes that no man worketh, till the tokens be out upon them, till the cry comes, that the bridegroom is ready to enter, that judgment is at the door, and then there is ſuch p. 553running about for oil, as it 'twere for extreme Ʋnction, and that a Sacrament to confer all grace ex opere operato on him, that hath ſcarce life enough to diſcern that he received it; the ſoul ſleeps in it's tenement, as long as its leaſe laſteth, and when 'tis expired, then it rouſeth, and makes as if 'twould get to work, the Chriſtian thinks not of action, of duty, of good works, of any thing, whilſt life and health laſteth, but then the ſummons of death wake him, and the prayers which he can repeat, while his cloaths are putting off, ſhall charm him, like opium, for a quiet ſleep. Thus doth a death-bed repentance, a death-bed charity, a parting with ſins and wealth, when we can hold them no longer, look as big in the Calenders of Saints; ſtand as ſolemnly and demurely in our diptycks, as judgment and mercy and faith, that have born the heat, and burthen of the day; Our hearts are hardned, while it is to day, againſt all the invaſion of Law or Goſpel, judgments or mercies, threats or promiſes, all Chriſts methods and ſtratagems of grace, and juſt at the cloſe of the evening, the ſhutting in of night, we give out that the thunderbolt hath converted us, the feaver came with its fiery chariot, and hurried us up to heaven; Surdus & mutus teſtamentum facit, quite againſt Juſtinians rule; he that hath ſent out moſt of his ſenſes before him, and retains but the laſt glimmering of life, is allowed to make his Will and reverſe all former acts by that one final. Satan hath all the man hath to give, under hand and ſeal, all his life time, the ſpring eſpecially and verdure of his age, the children paſs through the fire to Moloch, and juſt as he is a dropping out of the world, he makes ſigns of cancelling that will, and by a dumb act of revocation, bequeaths his ſoul to God, and his Executor muſt ſee it paid among other Legacies, and all this paſſes for legal in the Court, and none of the Canons againſt the ancient Clinici, can be heard againſt them; The greateſt wound to duty, that ever yet it met with among Chriſtians. Thus do our vain phanſies, and vainer hopes joyn to ſupplant duty and good works, and diſmiſs them out of the Church: and if all or any of this be Orthodox Divinity; then ſure the duty of alms-giving will prove a ſuſpected phraſe, haeretici characteris, of an heretical ſtamp, and then I am fallen on a thankleſs argument, which yet I muſt not retract, or repent of, but in the name of God, and S. Paul, in this way that theſe men call hereſie, beſeech and conjure you to worſhip the God of your Fathers. For this purpoſe ſhall I make my addreſs to you in Daniels words, Dan. 4.27. Break off your ſins by righteouſneſs and your iniquities by ſhewing mercy to the poor; righteouſneſs and mercy, the two degrees of alms-giving, that I told you; I hope that will not be ſuſpected, when he ſpeaks it. Shall I tell you what duty is, what is now required of a Chriſtian, and that in the Prophet Micah's phraſe, Mic. 6.8. And now what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to do juſtice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? juſtice and mercy, the two degrees of alms-giving again, that I told you of, and I hope it will not prove offenſive, when he ſpeaks it. Shall I tell you of a new religion, and yet that a pure one, and the ſame an old religion, and yet that an undefiled (for ſo the beloved diſciple calls this duty of charity a new Commandment, and an old Commandment, 1 Joh. 2.) it ſhall be in S. James his words, Jam. 1.27. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to viſit the fatherleſs and widow in their affliction, and to keep himſelf unſpotted from the world. Shall I tell you in one word, that though heaven be given us freely, yet alms-giving is the conſideration mentioned in the conveyance, that men are acknowledged the bleſſed of God, and called to heaven, upon the performance of this duty; that although it pretend not to any merit either ex congruo or condigno, yet 'tis a du…y moſt acceptable in the ſight of God; that alms-giving is mentioned, when aſſurance is left out, charity crown'd, when confidence is rejected? I love not to be either magiſterial or quarrelſom, but to ſpeak the words of truth and ſobriety, to learn, and if it be poſſible to have peace with all men; only give me leave to read you a few words, that S. Matthew tranſcribed from the mouth of Chriſt, Mat. 25.35. Then ſhall the King ſay to him on his right hand (who ſhould the King be, but Chriſt himſelf?) Come ye bleſſed of my Father, receive the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was an hungred and ye gave me meat. Tell me in the name of truth and peace, who now were they, for whom the Kingdom was prepared from the foundation of the world, who were there the objects of that great dooms-day election, his Venite benedicti? If Chriſt do not tell you, neither do I, the Text is of age, let it ſpeak for it ſelf; For I was an hungred and ye gave me meat. If all this will juſtifie the doctrine, and make this Text Chriſtian, perſwade your judgments, that charity may be the Queen of heaven (maxima autem harum charitas, the greateſt of theſe is charity) without affront, or injury done to any other grace; I hope it will be ſeaſonable for your practice alſo, as it hath been for your meditation, become your hands as well as it doth now your ears.

And to infuſe ſome life, ſome alacriouſneſs into you, for that purpoſe, I ſhall deſcend to the more ſenſitive, quickning, enlivening part of this Text, the benefit ariſing from the performance of this duty, Dicas coram Domino, then thou ſhalt, or mayeſt ſay before the Lord thy God. And in that I promiſed you two things; 1. To ſhew you in theſi, that confidence or claiming any thing at Gods hands, muſt take its riſe from duty in performance. 2. In hypotheſi, to give you the connexion betwixt this confidence, and this performance, claiming of temporal plenty upon giving of alms.

1. In theſi; That confidence, or claiming any thing at Gods hands muſt take its riſe from duty in performance.

If there be any doubt of the truth of this, I ſhall give you but one ground of proof, which I think will be demonſtrative, and 'tis that, that will eaſily be underſtood, I am ſure; I hope, as eaſily conſented to; that all the promiſes of God, even of Chriſt in the Goſpel, are conditional promiſes, not perſonal, for the Law deſcends not to particular perſons (and in this the Goſpel is a Law too, foreign the Law of faith) nor abſolute, as that ſignifies irreſpective or excluſive of qualifications or demeanure, for that is all one with perſonal, and if either of thoſe were true, then ſhould Chriſt be what he renounces, a foreign an accepter of perſons and individual Entities, and ſo the mercies of heaven, belong to Saul the Perſecutor, as truly as Paul the Apoſtle, Saul the injurious, as Paul the abundant labourer, Saul the blaſphemer, as Paul the Martyr: It remains then, that they be conditional promiſes, and ſo they are explicitly, for the moſt part the condition, named, and ſpecified, 2 Cor. 6.17. Come out and be you ſeparate, and touch not the unholy thing; a the condition you ſee ſet foremoſt in the Indenture, and then, I will receive you— and therefore moſt logically infers the Apoſtle, in the next words the beginning of c. 7. Having therefore theſe promiſes, let us cleanſe our ſelves from all filthineſs of fleſh and ſpirit, perfecting holineſs in the fear of God. Had the Promiſes been of any other ſort, but the foreign, theſe, p. 554i. e. conditional Promiſes, the Apoſtles illation of ſo much duty cleanſing and perfecting, had been utterly unconcluſive, if not impertinent. So Rom. 8.28. All things work together for good; to whom? to them that love God, foreign, to them that are called according to purpoſe, the word [called] a noun in that place, not a participle, noting a real, not only intentional paſſion, thoſe that are wrought upon by Gods call, and are now in the catalogue of the foreign, the lovers of God, and that is the condition in the ſubject; and then, to them that are thus qualified, belongs that chain of mercies, predeſtination, vocation to a conformity with Chriſt, juſtification, glorification, immediately enſuing. You ſee the proof of my ground by a taſte or two. Now what condition this is, that is thus prefix'd to Goſpel-promiſes, that is not obſcure neither; Not abſolute exact, never ſinning, perfect obedience, that was the condition of the firſt covenant, made in paradiſe, when there was ability to perform it; but a condition proportioned to our ſtate, ſincerity in lieu of perfection, repentance in exchange for innocence, evangelical inſtead of legal righteouſneſs, believing in the heart, i. e. cordial obedience to the whole Law of Chriſt, impartial without hypocriſie or indulgence in any known ſin, perſevering and conſtant without Apoſtaſie, or final defection, and at laſt, humble without boaſting. If you will come yet nearer to a full ſight of it, ſometimes regeneration or new life is ſaid to be the condition, Except you be born again you can in no wiſe enter. Neither circumciſion nor uncircumciſion, but a new creature. Sometimes holineſs, without which nemo Deum, no man ſhall ſee the Lord: Sometimes repentance in groſs, nay but except you repent; ſometimes in retail, repentance divided into its parts, he that confeſſeth and for ſaketh ſhall have mercy; ſometimes repentance alone, but now commands all men every where to repent, as if all duty were contained in that; ſometimes in conjunction with faith, repent you and believe the Goſpel, ſometimes faith, ſometimes love, ſometimes ſelf-denial, ſometimes mercifulneſs, ſometimes hope, but that an foreign, a this hope] that ſets us a purifying; every one of theſe, when you meet them ſingle, goes for the only neceſſary, the adequate condition of the Goſpel, to teach you to take them up all, as you find them, leave never an one neglected, or deſpiſed, leſt that be the betraying of all the reſt, but make up one jewel of theſe ſo many leſſer gems, one body of theſe ſo many limbs, one recipe compounded of ſo many ingredients, which you may ſuperſcribe foreign, Catholicon, or the whole duty of man. From this general propoſition, without the aid of any aſſumption, we may conclude demonſtratively enough, promiſes of the Goſpel are conditional promiſes, therefore all confidence muſt take riſe from duty. Duty is the performance of that condition, and to be confident without that, is to conclude without promiſes, and conſequently to claim juſtification, or pardon of ſins, before ſanctification be begun in the heart, to challenge right to heaven, before repentance be rooted on earth, to make faith the firſt grace, and yet define that, aſſurance of ſalvation, to apply the merits of Chriſt to our ſelves the firſt thing we do, and reckon of charity, good works, duty, as fruits and effects, to be produced at leiſure, when that faith comes to virility and ſtrength of fructifying; what is all or any of this, but to charge God of perjury, to tell him that impenitents have right to heaven, which he ſwears have not, or to forge a new leaſe of heaven, and put it upon Chriſt? the calmeſt ſtyle I can ſpeak in, is, that it is the believing of a lie, and ſo not faith, but folly, an eaſie cheatableneſs of heart, and not confidence but preſumption. Hope a man may, without actual performance of duty, becauſe he may amend hereafter, though he do not now, and ſo that poſſibility and that futurity may be ground of hope; but then this hope muſt ſet us preſently upon performance, He that hath this hope, purifies himſelf, or elſe it is not that grace of hope, but an foreign, a youthful daringneſs of ſoul, a tumour, a diſeaſe, a tympany of hope, and if it ſwell farther than it purge, if it put on confidence before holineſs, this hope may be interpreted deſperation, an hope that maketh aſhamed, an utter deſtitution of that hope which muſt beſtead a Chriſtian. O let us be ſure then, our confidence, our claims to heaven, improve not above their proportion, that we preſerve this ſymmetry of the parts of grace; that our hope be but commenſurate to our ſincerity, our daringneſs to our duty. A double confidence there is, pro ſtatu, and Abſolute; pro ſtatu, when upon ſurvey of my preſent conſtitution of ſoul, I claim right in Chriſts promiſes for the preſent, and doubt not but I ſhall be bleſs'd, if I be found ſo doing: Abſolute, when at the end of life, and ſhutting in of the day, I am able to make up my reckonings with S. Paul, I have fought a good fight, I have finiſhed my courſe, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteouſneſs, a crown of felicity. I have done what I had to do, and now foreign, there is nothing behind but to receive my pay.

I have been too long upon the general conſideration of the connexion between confidence and duty; if it were an extravagance, I hope 'twas a pardonable one; I deſcend with ſpeed to the hypotheſis, the connexion betwixt this confidence and this performance, claiming of temporal plenty upon giving of alms, my laſt particular. And that I ſhall give you clearly in this one propoſition; That alms-giving or mercifulneſs was never the waſting or leſſening of any mans eſtate to himſelf or his poſterity, but rather the increaſing of it. If I have delivered a new doctrine, that will not preſently be believed, an unuſquiſ que non poteſt capere, ſuch as every auditor will not conſent to, I doubt not but there be plain texts of Scripture, more than one, which will aſſure any Chriſtian of the truth of it. Conſider them at your leiſure, Pſal. 41.1, 2. Pſ. 112. all to this purpoſe, Pro. 11.25. & 12.9. & 19.17. and 28.27. Add to theſe the words of Chriſt, Mar. 10.30. which though more generally delivered of any kind of parting with poſſeſſions for Chriſts ſake,Tom. p. 88. are applied by S. Hier. to the words of Solomon, Pro. 11.24. There is that ſcattereth and yet increaſeth, quia centuplum accipient in hoc tempore, becauſe, ſaith he, they receive an hundred fold in this world. And that no man may have any ſcruple to interpoſe, 'tis ſet in as large, and comprehenſive a ſtyle, as the art, or covetous, ſcrupulous wit of man could contrive for his own ſecurity. There is no man who ſhall not—

All which being put together, muſt (to my underſtanding) make it as clear to any that acknowledges theſe for Scripture, as if the foreign daughter of voice were come back into the world again, and God ſhould call to a man out of heaven by name, bid him relieve that poor man, and he ſhould never be the poorer for it. 'Tis not now to be expected of me in conſcience, having produced this kind of proof, the expreſs texts of Scripture, to add any ſecond to it. I might elſe farther evidence it from examples, not ſuch as Moſcus's foreign will furniſh you with, for I know not of what authority they are; nor yet from S. Hieroms obſervation, who is ſaid to have turned over hiſtories on purpoſe, and never found any p. 555merciful man, which met not with ſome ſignal bleſſing in this world, as the reward of that vertue; but even by appealing to your ſelves, and challenging any man here preſent, to bring but one inſtance of a prudent alms-giver, that hath yearly or weekly conſecrated ſome conſiderable part of his revenue or increaſe to that uſe, and can ſay that ever he found any real miſs of that, any more than of the blood let out in a pleuriſie; nay▪ if he have done it conſtantly, and ſincerely from the one true principle, compliance with the command and example of God, let him ſpeak his conſcience, if he do not think, that all the reſt hath thrived the better for that, as Phlebotomy hath ſaved many mens lives, letting out ſome ounces of blood, been the ſecuring of the whole maſs, that it hath had a ſecret, bleſſing influence, a vital, anſpicious infection upon the remainder, by this art of conſecrating our eſtates, intitling God to the fence, and ſafeguard of them, as of his temples, and altars, that thieves, and oppreſſors, and devils, conceive a reverence due to them, and a kind of ſacriledge to approach, or purloin from them, as they that put the crown into their intail, do thereby ſecure it to the right heir, that it can never be out off. The poor widow of Sarepta, what a ſtrange trial made ſhe of this truth? When the laſt of her ſtore was fetch'd out to make the funeral feaſt for her ſelf and family, that they might eat and dy, that very laſt cake, that all that was left, ſhe gives to Elijah in his diſtreſs, and this is ſo far from ruining her, that it brought a bleſſing on her barrel and her cruſe, that ſhe and all hers were not able to exhauſt; I might add the poor widow in the Goſpel, that, if we ſhall disbelieve Chriſt himſelf, caſt in all that ſhe had into the Corban, even her whole ſubſtance; the Chriſtians, that ſold all and laid it at the Apoſtles feet, and yet we never read of any of theſe, that brought himſelf to diſtreſs by this means. But theſe are ex abundanti, more than is required for the vouching of my preſent propoſition, and of a higher ſtrain, than what I deſign for your imitation.

'Tis time that I begin to retire, and wind up with ſome application, which you cannot imagine ſhould be any other, after all this preparation, but a Go and do thou likewiſe. And if you can but believe this one thing, that I have brought many witneſſes from heaven to reſtifie, that your goodneſs ſhall not impair your plenty, that your ſtore ſhall never be leſſened by ſo giving, I doubt not but you will be as forward to go, as any man to have you. The only holdback is the affection and paſſionate love, that we bear to our wealth, that luſt, or ſenſuality of the eye, as the Apoſtle calls it. 'Tis ordinarily obſerved of young men and diſſolute, that they have many times a great aptneſs and ingeniouſneſs, and withal patience to any ſpeculative knowledge, the Mathematicks, or any ſuch the abſtruſeſt ſtudies, but for moral precepts, rules of good life, they will not be digeſted; And, my brethren, give me leave to tell you in the ſpirit of meekneſs, that the like, in another reſpect, is obſerved of this auditory, any thing wherein their wealth is not concerned, is moſt readily entertained, none more attentive, ingenious auditors: but when their profit is intrench'd on, their beloved golden Idol (of which I may ſay with Moſes, O this people have committed a great ſin, made them Gods of gold) when this, I ſay, begins to be in danger, as the ſilver ſhrines at S. Pauls preaching, Acts 19. then, as it follows in that place, the whole city is filled with confuſion: like that young man in the Goſpel, that would do any thing that Chriſt would require, Good Maſter, what ſhall I do to inherit eternal life! So far as that Jeſus loved him, when he beheld him; yet when Chriſt proceeds to the foreign, one thing is wanting to thee, go ſell, give to the poor, then follows the foreign, and foreign, he went away ſad and ſorrowful, ſighing and groaning, as if he had been to part with blood and bowels; And this is the ground of Chriſts moſt conſiderable obſervation, foreign, how hard (and foreign, how impoſſible) is it for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of heaven, for a worldly-minded man to be a Chriſtian? Could you but reduce into order this one mighty exorbitant humour, purge out this foreign, as S. Peter calls it, this over-flowing of the gall, this choler and bitterneſs, that lies cak'd upon the ſoul, that foreign, as he goes on, in the aggravating of covetouſneſs, we Engliſh it band of iniquity, but it ſignifies a complication of wickedneſs bound up all in one volume, mingled into one hypoſtaſis, this legion of earthly devils, that come out of the tombes to enter into thee, and there continue crying and cutting thee with ſtones; I ſhould then proceed with ſome heart and ſpirit; and tell you that, that every man knows but ſuch demoniacks, that alms-giving is in it ſelf a thing, that any man living, if he have but the reliques of unregenerate nature, and the notion of a Deity about him, would take pleaſure in it, were he but ſatisfied of this one ſcruple, that 'twould not hinder his thriving in this world. 'Tis more bleſſed to give than to receive, is the Apophthegme of S. Paul quoted from Chriſt, though it be not rehearſed in the Goſpel, and **Ped. l. 3. c. 6.Clemens hath turned it into a maxim, foreign, 'tis giving, not poſſeſſing that ſignifies a man to be happy; and this happineſs the higheſt, & moſt divine ſort of happineſs, 'tis a bleſſed thing to give. And of the ſame inclination in the worſt of you, I will no more doubt, than I do of your being men, of your having humane ſouls about you, could you be but fortified againſt this one terror, were but this one trembling ſpirit exorciſed, and caſt out, this apprehenſion of impairing your eſtates by that means: Now of this, an ordinary Jew makes ſo little doubt, meerly upon authority of the places of the Old Teſt. which I cited, that he may read thee a lecture of faith in this particular. Paulus Fagius aſſures me of the modern Jews, who have not been obſerved to be over-liberal; that they ſtill obſerve the payment of the poor mans tithe, meerly out of deſign to inrich themſelves by that means, and tells us of a Proverb of **Perk. Avo…. c. 3. p. 56.Rabbi Akiba, foreign tithes are the hedges to our riches, and on the contrary, **Ib c. 5.that there be ſeven kinds of judgments that come upon the world for ſeven prevarications, and the firſt is famine upon not tithing, and the ſecond again, another kind of famine upon another not tithing, and that ſecond plainly belongs to the poor mans tithing, when (as it **P. 105.follows) ſome are full, and others are famiſh'd, and the third is a plague upon not obeying the Law concerning the fruits of the Sabbatical year, which you know, were to be left to the poor. And again, that there are four ſeaſons, wherein the plague was wont to rage eſpecially, in the fourth year upon the non-payment of the poor mans tithe the third year, on the ſeventh, upon the like default in the ſixth, in the end of the ſeventh, upon default concerning the ſeventh years fruits, that were to be free and common, and the laſt yearly, in the cloſe of the feaſt of tabernacles, upon the robbing of the poor of thoſe gifts that at that time were left unto them, the **P. 109, 110.gleanings of the harveſt, and vintage, the corners of the field, the fallings, &c. Add to this, one place more of Rabbi **In Deut. 20.Deut 20Bechai, Though, ſaith he, it be unlawful to prove or tempt the Lord, for man muſt not ſay, I will perform ſuch a commandment, to the end I may proſper in riches, yet Mal. 3.10. and Prov. 3.10. there is an exception for payment of tithes and works of mercy, intimating that on the performance of this duty, we may expect even miracles to make us rich, and ſet to that performance, on contemplation and p. 556confidence of that promiſe. And 'tis ſtrange, that we Chriſtians, ſhould find more difficulty in believing this, than the griping reprobated Jews; ſtrange, that all thoſe books of Scripture ſhould be grown Apocryphal, juſt ſince the minute, that I cited thoſe teſtimonies out of them. This I am reſolved on, 'tis wan… of belief, and nothing elſe, that keeps men from the practice of this duty, whatſoever 'tis in other ſins, we may believe aright, and yet do contrary (our underſtanding hath not ſuch a controuling power over the Will as ſome imagine) yet in this particular, this cannot be pretended; Could this one mountain be removed, the leſſening of our wealth, that alms-giving is accuſed of, could this one ſcandal to fleſh and blood be kick'd out of the way, there is no other devil would take the unmerciful mans part, no other temptation moleſt the alms-giver. And how unjuſt a thing this is, how quite contrary to the practice at all other Sermons, I appeal to your ſelves. At other times, the doctrine raiſed from any Scripture is eaſily digeſted, but all the demurr is about the practical inference; but here, when all is done, the truth of the doctrine ſtill [that we ſhall not be the poorer for alms-giving] is that, that can never go down with us, lyes ſtill crude unconcocted in our ſtomachs; A ſtrange prepoſſeſſion of worldly hearts, a petitio principii, that no artiſt would indure from us. I muſt not be ſo unchriſtian, whatſoever you mean to be, as to think there is need of any farther demonſtration of it, after ſo many plain places of Scripture have been produced; Let me only tell you, that you have no more evidence for the truth of Chriſts coming into the world, for all the fundamentals of your faith, on which you are content your ſalvation ſhould depend, than ſuch as I have given you for your ſecurity in this point. Do not now make a mockery at this doctrine, and either with the Jew in Cedrenus, or the Chriſtian in Palladius, throw away all you have, at one largeſs, to ſee whether God will gather it up for you again; but ſet ſoberly, and ſolemnly about the duty, in the fear of God, and compliance with his will, and in bowels of compaſſion to thy poor brethren, that ſtand in need of thy comfort, thoſe Emeralds and Jacinths, that **Pallad. Hiſt. Lauſ. c. 5.Macarius perſwaded the rich virgin to lay out her wealth upon; and this out of no other inſidious or vain-glorious, but the one, pure, Chriſtian forementioned deſign, and put it to the venture, if God, ever ſuffer thee to want, what thou haſt thus beſtowed. **Bib. Pa. Grae. vol. 2. p. 837. E.Dorotheus hath excellently ſtated this, foreign. There are, ſaith he, that give alms, foreign, that their farms may proſper, foreign, and God bleſſeth and proſpers their farms; There be that do it for the good ſucceſs of their voyage, and God proſpers their voyage; ſome for their children, and God preſerves their children; yea, and ſome to get praiſe, and God affords them that; and fruſtrates none in the merchandiſe he deſign'd to traffick for, but gives every one that which he aimed at in this liberality. But then, all theſe traffickers muſt not be ſo unconſcionable, as to look for any arrear of farther reward, when they are thus paid at preſent, they muſt remember foreign, they have no depoſitum behind laid up with God for them, and therefore it is neceſſary for a Chriſtian to propoſe to himſelf more ingenuous deſigns to do what he doth in obedience to, and out of a pure love of God, and then there is more than all theſe, even a kingdom prepared for him, Matt. 25.

I muſt draw to a concluſion, and I cannot do it more ſeaſonably, more to recapitulate, and inforce all that hath been ſaid, than in the words of Malachy, c. 3.10. Bring you all the tithes into the ſtorehouſe, (no doubt but this comprehends the duty in the text, the compleveris anno tertio, the poor mans tithing▪) that there may be meat in my houſe, and prove me now herewith, ſaith the Lord of hoſts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a bleſſing, that there ſhall not be room enough to receive it. If this will not open the miſers hand, unſhrivel the worldlings heart, I cannot invent an engine cunning, or ſtrong enough to do it. Thou that haſt tired and haraſs'd out thy ſpirits, in an improſperous, ſucceſſeſs purſuit of riches, digged and drudged in the mines, thy ſoul as well as thou, and all the production of thy patience, and induſtry crumbled and mouldered away betwixt thy fingers; thou that wouldeſt fain be rich, and canſt not get Plutus to be ſo kind to thee, art willing to give Satan his own asking, thy proſtraveris, for his totum hoc, to go down to hell for that merchandiſe, and yet art not able to compaſs it; let me direct thee to a more probable courſe of obtaining thy deſigns, to a more thriving trade, a more ſucceſsful voyage; not all the devotions thou daily numbreſt to the Devil, or good fortune, not all the inventions, and engines, and ſtratagems of covetouſneſs managed by the moſt practiſed worldling, can ever tend ſo much to the ſecuring thee of abundance in this life, as this one compleveris of the text, the payment of the poor mans tithing. And then, ſuffer thy ſelf for once to be diſabuſed; give over the worldlings way, with a hâc non ſucceſſit, reform this error of good husbandry, this miſtake of frugality, this hereſie of the worldling and come to this new Enſurers office, erected by God himſelf, prove and try if God do not open thee the windows of heaven— Shall I add for the concluſion of all, the mention of that poor, unconſidered merchandiſe, the treaſures of heaven, after all this wealth is at an end, the riches of the coeleſtial paradiſe, which like that other of Eden is the poſing of Geographers, pars globi incognita, undiſcovered yet to the worldlings heart. Methinks there ſhould be no hurt in that, if ſuch friends may be made of this Mammon of unrighteouſneſs, this falſehearted, unfaithful wealth of yours, that when you fail, they may receive you into everlaſting habitations, ſure this may be allowed to joyn with other motives to the performance of a well-taſted, wholſom duty. In a word, if earth and heaven combined together, be worth conſidering, the poſſeſſion of the one, and reverſion of the other, abundance and affluence here, the yearly wages of alms-giving, and joys and eternity hereafter, the final reward of alms-giving, a preſent coronet, and a future crown, a Canaan below, and a Jeruſalem above, if the conjunction of theſe two may have ſo much influence on your hearts, as in contemplation of them to ſet you about the motion, that nature it ſelf inclines you to, and neither world nor fleſh have any manner of quarrel to feign againſt it; then may I hope that I have not preach'd in vain, that what I have now only, as a precentor, begun to you, the whole chorus will anſwer in the counterpart, what hath been now proclaimed to your ears, be echoed back again by your hearts, and lives, and the veryeſt ſtone in the temple take up its part, the hardeſt, impenetrableſt, unmercifulleſt heart joyn in the foreign.

And this ſhall be the ſumm not only of my exhortation, but my prayer, That that God of mercies will open your eyes firſt, and then your hearts to the acknowledgement, and practice of this duty, direct your hands in the husbanding that treaſure intruſted to them, that mercy being added to your zeal, Charity to your devotion, your goodneſs may ſhine as well as burn, that men may ſee, and taſte your good works, glorifie God for you here, and you receive your crown of glory from God hereafter.

THE END.

XIX SERMONS PREACHED On Several Occaſions

BY THE REVEREND and LEARNED Henry Hammond, D. D.

How ſhall they hear, without a Preacher? And how ſhall they Preach, except they be ſent?

Rom. x.14, 15.

Go ye into all the World, and preach the Goſpel to every creature.

St. Mark xvi.15.

LONDON, Printed for RICHARD ROYSTON, Bookſeller to the KING'S moſt Sacred MAjESTY; and Richard Davis, Bookſeller in OXFORD. MDCLXXXIV.

A TABLE OF THE XIX SERMONS.

A Sermon on Ezek. 16.30. The work of an imperious Whoriſh Woman.

Page 561.

A Sermon on Philip. 4.13. I can do all things through Chriſt that ſtrengthens me.

p. 569.

A Sermon on Prov. 1.22. How long ye ſimple ones will ye love ſimplicity?

p. 575.

A Sermon on Matth. 1.23. Immanuel, which is by interpretation, God with us.

p. 582.

A Sermon on Luke 9.55. You know not what manner of ſpirit ye are of.

p. 588.

A Sermon on Ezek. 18.31. For why will you die?

p. 595.

A Sermon on Jer. 5.2. Though they ſay, The Lord liveth, ſurely they ſwear falſly.

p. 601.

A Sermon on Luke 18.11. God I thank thee, that I am not as other men, &c.

p. 607.

A Sermon on Matth. 3.3. Prepare ye the way of the Lord.

p. 618.

A Sermon on John 7.48. Have any of the Phariſees believed on him?

p. 625.

A Sermon on Matth. 10.15. It ſhall be more tolerable for the Land of Sodom and Gomorrha, &c.

p. 633.

Two Sermons on Acts 17.30. And the times of this Ignorance God winked at, &c.

p. 639, & p. 646.

A Sermon on Rom. 1.26. For this cauſe God gave them up unto vile affections.

p. 653.

A Sermon on Gal. 6.15. But a new Creature.

p. 663.

Two Sermons on 2 Peter 3.3. Scoffers, walking after their own luſts.

p. 670, & 676.

Two Sermons on 1 Tim. 1.15. Of whom I am chief.

p. 681, and p. 687.