A Christian Family Built by God, Section 26
SECT. 26.
THus you have had the furniſhing of Gods building by getting; now ſecondly, you ſhall have it by giving goods.
Queſt. You will ask, Whether a man can furniſh an houſe by parting with what he hath?
Anſw. I anſwer yes; let God be true, and every man a lier.
Solomon ſaith, Caſt thy bread upon the waters, Eccleſ. 11.that is, the poore, in reſpect of multitude, and moyſture by crying for bread; and after many dayes thou ſhalt finde it. Paul ſaith, Gal. 6. 7.What a man ſoweth he ſhall reape; and he that ſoweth bountifully, ſhall reap bountifully; 2 Cor. 9. 6.and Solomon again, what a man gives to the Prov. 19. 17poore God will pay him.
Therefore, for giving, remember that ſpeech; It is a bleſſed thing to give, rather then Acts 20. 35.to recieve.
From hence I ſhall render two Rules about giving.
1. There is a giver, as well as a receiver.
2. To be a giver is bleſſed, rather then to be a receiver,
1. There is a giver certainly; For the Prov. 22. 2. Matth. 5. 42rich and poore meet together, and God is the maker of them both. He hath charged the one ſort to give; he taketh order for the 1 Tim. 6. 7. Eſ. 58. 7. Luke 12. 13.other ſort by moving for relief; Break thy bread to the hungrie; call the poore; and by ordering relievers to the beſt advantage of the poore, He gives alſo Patterns of both, and Acts 6. 1. 2, 3.that amongſt his own people. He tells you of Abraham the purchaſer, Jacob that had enough, Solomon that had gold like ſtones; others who have either been alwaies poore, as Paul who ſaith, Ʋnto this houre we hunger; and Lazarus; or been made poore, as they 1 Cor. 4 11 Heb. 10. 34 & 11. 37.that ſuffered the ſpoiling of their goods, and wandred in ſheep skinnes, and goat skinnes. All which God doth order for the exerciſe of the grace of liberalitie, and mercy in ſome; and of faith, patience, and contentment in others. Therefore be you thankfull in both; be you content: and holy in either becauſe of God.
2. To be a giver is bleſſed rather then to be a receiver. Let me open this unto you and ſhew,
1. What it is to be a giver?
2. What it is to be a receiver?
3. What it is to be bleſſed?
4. Why it is thus bleſſed to be a giver?
1. To be a giver here is not to be a giver Quod meum eſt tuum efficere nullo iure cogente.out of juſtice, but out of bountie, and merciemercy. To give is to make what is mine thine, no outward Law forcing me. A giver is he that freely makes that which is his to become, another mans.
2. To be a receiver is he, that accepts as his own, what is given from a right owner; either out of bountie, as when Solomon received from the Queen of Sheba, or out of mercy, and when the poore receive from the rich.
3. To be bleſſed, is to be in good caſe or happie ſtate in this preſent world.
Object. This you will ſay may diſcourage the receiver?
Sol. Not ſo, for it is not our welfare before God, but in the courſe of this life; as when the Pſalmiſt ſaith, Bleſſed is every one that feareth the Lord, and walketh in his wayes. How Pſal. 128. 1. 2, 3.bleſſed? He ſhall eat the labour of his hands, happie ſhall he be, and it ſhall be well with him: his wife ſhall be as a fruitfull Vine. In which words you ſee, though he that fears God be bleſſed before God, yet here he ſpeaks of a bleſſedneſſe in this world, that is, an eſtate that is more commodious, and comfortable, as Chriſt ſaith, Bleſſed are the barren in the dayes of perſecution, and baniſhment.
4. The reaſons why it is thus bleſſed to be a giver, are; 1. Becauſe he that gives feels not the poore receivers troubles, and temptations. He need not ſay, What ſhall I eat, what ſhall I drink? 2. He moſt reſembleth God, and Matth. 6. 31Heaven, and Ieruſalem which is above, which are ſpent, and ſpend, by perpetual bleſſings, and influences. 3: He is in this an Actor and doer in the providence of God, whereas the receiver is a ſufferer; and the more active we are, …he more like to God are we, who is a pure act.
Hence I would perſwade every giver to ſee the excellencie of this eſtate, and to uſe it well. If you ask how this may be done? I anſwer; 1. Acknowledge it a dutie to give. The whole courſe of nature receiveth to give. The comfortable ſentence in the laſt judgement is Matth. 25. Si non paniſti occid… ſti. Dan. 4. 27.to givers. If we give not as we can, we may may be guiltie of murther, therefore Daniel ſaid to that great king, Let my counſel be acceptable to thee, break off thy ſins by righteouſnes, and thine iniquitie by mercy to the poore. Obiect. The covetous man ſaith, May I not do with my own what I will? God may, but not you. You muſt ſay, as Joſeph, am not I under God? Sol. In his own right God took from Laban, and gave it unto Jacob, God tooke from the Egyptians and Luke 19.gave it to Iſrael; but you are Gods ſtewards, and may not ſay as Nabal, ſhal I take my meat and my drink, which I have provided for my ſervans and gave it unto ſtrangers? No, no; you know what became of him, know then for certain, as preaching, hearing, prayers are duties, ſo alſo is the giving.
2. Labour to give as you ſhould, weigh with me foure things.
1. Who muſt give?
2. To whom wy must give?
3. The order to be obſerved in giving?
4. The manner of giving.
1. They muſt give, firſt that own things by Quod meum eſt dare. 1 Tim. 6. 1 Io. 3. 17.proper or delegated right. It muſt be of what, by ſome right is our own. Theſe givers are of two ſorts; either they that have abundance of this worlds goods; or they that have from hand to mouth. Theſe muſt give in ſome caſes as we ſee in that poore widdow, who caſt in her Luke 21. 2 Eph. 4. 28.mites; and the labourer who muſt work that he may give to others. But hence are excluded children, ſervants, and all that have not a right in what is to be given. 2. They that can judge of what they doe, to doe it as a dutie. For it muſt be done with underſtanding, and conſcience. Hence therefore are excluded mad men who cannot do what they do from well ſetled conſcience; and prodigal fools and children who are under the tuition, and government of others.
2. We muſt give to thoſe that are Gods receivers, whether they are friends, or foes. Queſt. If you ask who theſe are? Anſw. 1. They are ſuch as Chriſt deſcribes; and are diſtributed into Matth. 25. 35, 36. Levit. 25. 35. Gal. 6.Brothers, Believers, and Enemies, if thy enemy hunger, feed him. 2. Such as we are not forbidden to give unto by the Law of reaſon and conſcience. Now there are 4 ſorts of perſons that ask. 1. Travellers in their way, like Rom. 12. 20the wounded man betwixt Jeruſalem and Jericho, or the ſtragling Egyptian in the field; to 1 Sam. 30. 11, 12.whom David gave bread and water. Though theſe may be knaves, yet becauſe we know not their perſons, and their neceſſities, and they may be better then they ſhew for, therefore it is good to give to them, for it is better that ten knaves be relieved, then that one of Gods ſervants go emptie away.
2. Aged and Impotent perſons, as that Acts 4. Deut. 15. 4. 11. 1 Tim. 5. 4. 16.Creeple at the beautiful gate of the Temple, blind Bartimeus, and the like. For ſuch God provides comfortably in both Teſtaments. Theſe are Gods receivers, ſometimes for Chriſts ſake dwelling in them: ſometimes for Gods ſake who created them, and will Eſ. 58.not have us to forſake the work of his hands: ſometimes for our owne ſake, whoſe fleſh they are.
3. Bedlams and diſtracted people, who though I fear that ſome of them are counterfeits, and there be a fault that they wander about, yet becauſe we know nothing certain, and we find how hard it is for diſtracted perſons to work and ſettle; therefore though the man bc overlookt, yet muſt we relieve the humanitie in him from that golden rule, Do as ye would be done unto.
4. Travellers never out of their way, who wilfully have no abiding place. Theſe ſurely are non of Gods receivers while they are ſuch; and though by importunitie ſometimes they get ſomething from us, and by the negligence of Officers they hunt from us the fat of the true poore; yet their courſe is deteſtable, and not willingly to be maintained, both becauſe they live without God, irreligiouſly, and without govermnnt, inordinately.1 Tim. 5. 8.
5. The order to be obſerved in giving three texts ſhall direct firſt, ſaith Paul, If any man provide not for his own, he hath denied the faith, Gal. 6. 10.and is worſe then an Infidel in that. Here then is the giver firſt to look, to his own. Next ſaith Deut. 15. 7.Paul: Do good unto al, but eſpecially to the houſhold of faith. Here the giver muſt next looke, to the faithful.
Laſtly, ſaith God, If there be a poore man among you of one of your brethren, thou ſhalt not harden thy heart, nor ſhut thy hand from thy poore brother. Here the giver muſt in the next place look to the poore brother, yet with this exception, that greater preſent neceſſitie calls for it, firſt to thoſe that are furtheſt off from us either in the fleſh, or in the ſpirit.
Now, laſtly, we are come to the manner of giving, which moſtly is ſet down by Paul to the Corinthians. You muſt give as Chriſts 2 Cor. 8. 1. 8. 2 Cor. 8. 2. 3.almners; therefore liberalitie is called The Grace of God. Ye muſt give richly in affection, and action, according to neceſſitie. Ye muſt give your ſelves firſt to Chriſt, and afterwards to others uſes by the will of God. Ye muſt 2 Cor. 8. 5.give freely; for if there be a willing mind, it is 2 Cor. 8. 12accepted of God. Ye muſt give ſo, as other men be not eaſed, and you burthened, and grieved: for 2 Cor. 8. 15thus you may be thieves, and murtherers to your ſelves in doing good to others. Ye muſt give in charity, for otherwiſe all your giving, 1 Cor. 13.is as a ſounding braſs, and tinkling cymbal. Ye muſt give in faith, believing the promiſe that God will give it back again, in kind, or in a Gal. 6. 9 Prov. 11. 18greater bleſſing. He that ſoweth righteouſneſſe, ſhall receive a ſure reward. And that ye may be encouraged, look upon our bleſſed Saviour, who though he were rich, yet for your ſake he became 2 Cor. 8 9.poore, that ye through his povertie might be rich.
And thus I have plainly pencilled out unto you the Lords building of a Chriſtian Family. I have aſcended from the ſquare, to the timber; from the timber, to the framing; from the framing, to the laying of the foundation; from the foundation, to the upper building; from the upper building, to the finiſhing; from the finiſhing, to the furniſhing; that God may dwel in it and have glory, and▪ you may have comfort and ſay,
Grace, Grace, unto it.
FINIS.
The Author … Treatiſe hath publiſhed four other Books, viz.
1 Mil It for Babes, or a Mothers Catechiſm, wherein …hief ſaving Principles of Chriſtian Religion through the Body of it are firſt briefly propounded, then fully expounded, Laſtly uſefully applied, whereunto is annexed 3 Sermons: 1 Secret ſins diſcovered, on Pſalm 19. 12. Who can underſtand his error. 2 On Matth. 13. 45, 46. A Merchant ſeeking Pearls having found a Pearl of great pri…e, ſold all that he had and bought it. 3 On Pſalm 31. 5. Into thy hand I commit my Spirit, &c.
2 The yong mans warning piece, a Sermon at the buriall of M. Rogers with a Hiſtorie of his ſinfull life, and woful death, with a diſcourſe of the uſe of ſuch examples.
3 Foure Sermons: 1 On Iudges 11. 27. The Lord the Iudge be Iudge betwixt the Children of Iſrael and Ammon, 2 On Matthe… 7. 12, Whatſoever you would men ſhould do to you, do ye even ſo to them, 3 and 4 On 1 Tim. 1. 19. Holding Faith and a good Conſcience.
4 A triall of Church forſake…s, proving the Church of England to … a true Church, hath a true Miniſtrie and true worſhip. On Heb. 10. 2…. Not forſaking the aſſembling of our ſelves together as the manner of ſo… is.
All which Books are to be ſold by Philemon Stephens, … the gilded Lion in Pauls Church-yard.
End of the text · Robert Abbot, A Christian Family Built by God (1653)