Sayings of Wise and Learned Men, Part 3
About CHARITY.
THe Emblem of Charity is a naked Child giving Honey to a Bee without wings. Naked becauſe excuſeleſs and ſimple; a Child, becauſe tender and growing: Giving Honey, becauſe Honey is pleaſant and Comfortable: To a Bee, becauſe a Bee is Painful and deſerving: Without wings, becauſe helpleſs and wanting. If thou denieſt unto ſuch thou killeſt a Bee: If thou giveſt to other than ſuch, thou preſerveſt a Drone.
Not to give to the Poor is to take from him: Not to feed the Hungry, if thou haſt it, is to the utmoſt of thy Power to kill him. That therefore thou may'ſt avoid both Sacriledg and Murther, be Charitable.
Be not too cautious in diſcerning the fit Objects of thy Charity, leſt a Perſon periſh through thy diſcretion. What thou giveſt to miſtaken want, ſhall return a Bleſſing to thy deceived Heart. 'Tis better in relieving idleneſs to commit an accidental Evil, than in neglecting miſery to omit an Eſſential good. Better two Drones be preſerved, than one Bee periſh.
God takes particular notice; and books down every Act and work of Mercy that is done to his People, even to a little Cake of Bread, 1 Kin. 17. 30. And to a Cup of cold Water, Mat. 10. 42. Water that is a cheap thing. Cold water; no matter either of coſt or Pains. Even this ſhall be rewarded.
Chriſt comes in his Fleſh to you, when Poor Chriſtians come to you: He preſents a pale Face, a thin Cheek: He preſents a bare Arm or Leg to you. Will you not do ſomething to ſupport Chriſt? And to cloth Chriſt in his Members? Shall the Bones of Chriſt ſtare, and ſtand out? Shall the naked Fleſh, and skin of Chriſt pine away for want of ſuccour?
Chriſtians that come to you are your own Fleſh, Iſa. 58. 7. And ſhall the Head do nothing for the Foot? And ſhall the Hand and Eyes do nothing for the Leg? What! Not for it's own Fleſh? And for thoſe that be of the ſame Body?
Give cheerfully, and bleſs God that you have an Eſtate to give; and bleſs God that you have an opportunity to give, and an Heart to give: and that hereby you make God a ſharer in your Wealth and Plenty, and your ſelves ſharers in his Bleſſedneſs. Therefore bleſs your ſelf; bleſs your Houſes; bleſs your Eſtates: For it's a Bleſſeder thing to give than to receive, Act. 20. 35.
As Husband-men caſt ſome of their Corn back into a fruitful Soil, whereby (in due time) they reap with advantage: So ſhould we do with our Worldly bleſſings: Sow them in the Bowels, and upon the Backs of the poor Members of Chriſt, and in the day of Harveſt we ſhall find a great encreaſe.
Alms in Greek comes from a word that ſignifies to Pitty, becauſe they ſhould proceed from a merciful and pittiful Heart. And in the Hebrew and Syriack, it's called Righteouſneſs, as being by right due to the Poor.
In works of Charity, our ſcattering is an encreaſing: No ſpending but a lending: No laying out but a laying up, Prov. 11. 24. There is that ſcattereth, and yet encreaſeth, &c. and Chap 19. 17. He that hath Pitty on the Poor, lendeth unto the Lord: And that which he hath given will he repay him again.
Bounty is the moſt compendious way to Plenty: Neither is getting, but giving the beſt Thrift. The poor mans Hand is Chriſt's Treaſury, and he that puts therein Foeneratur Domino, lends to the Lord upon Uſury; and the Lord binds himſelf and gives it under his hand, that he will repay him fully and abundantly; moſtly in this World; but infallibly in the World to come.
'Thou know'ſt not (ſaith Solomon, Eccleſ. 11. 2.) what Evil ſhall be upon the Earth: Therefore lay up Luſtily, or rather lay out Liberally, and ſo lay up for a Rainy-day. Thou may'ſt ſoon be ſtript of thy Goods, and as much need other mens Mercy, as they now need thine. Sow therefore whilſt thou haſt it, that thou may'ſt reap again in due ſeaſon. Water, that thou may'ſt be Watered again, Prov. 11: 25. Lay up for thy ſelf a good Foundation againſt the time to come, 1 Tim. 6. 18. Part freely with that which thou art not fure to keep, that thou may'ſt gain that which thou art ſure never to loſe, Prov. 28, 27. He that giveth to the Poor ſhall not lack.
As the Sun draws up Vapours into the Air, not to retain them there, but to return them to the Earth, for the Comfort of the Creatures: So thoſe that have attracted to themſelves much Riches, ſhould pour them out plentifully for the relief of the Poor, Eccle. 11. 3.
Rich mens Houſes ſhould be God's Store-houſes. The righteous Rich man know's it, and therefore he diſperſeth abroad, Pſal. 112. 9. His righteouſneſs (and his Riches too) endureth for ever. Whereas the wicked Rich man retaineth his Riches to Rot with him. He feeds upon Earth like the Serpent; and ſtrives (with the Toad) to dye with his mouth full of Earth. The rottenneſs of his Riches, the Canker of his Caſh, the Moth in his Garments ſhall be a Witneſs againſt him (Jam. 5. 1. &c.) He ſhall ſurely be arraigned as an arrant Thief: As a curſed Couſener, who having a better thing by him, brings a worſe, Mal. 1. 14.
Some there be that make themſelves Poor leſt they ſhould help the Poor: As Pope Alexander ſaid of himſelf, That when he was a B B. he was Rich, when a Cardinal, Poor, and when he was a Pope a plain Beggar.
As the Bee is abroad ſo ſoon as ever the Sun breaks forth: So ſhould we be always ready to every good work, Eccleſ. 11. 6. Sow mercy in the Morning: Sow likewiſe in the Evening, as the bountiful Macedonians did, 2 Cor. 8. 3. Who to their Power, yea, and beyond their Power were willing. Sow much, and ſow oft of this Fruitful ſeed, and you ſhall be ſure to reap at your greateſt need. God is not unrighteous to forget your Labour of Love, &c. Heb. 6. 10. tho men ſhould prove ungrateful. Haply, you may not Sow and reap on the ſame Day, as the Widdow of Sarepta did: The ſeed may lye ſome while under ground, and not be quickned except it dye; But have patience a while; Nothing is more certain than a crop of Comfort to the merciful.
What a ſhame is it for Chriſtians that there is no Proportion between their receits from God, and their layings out for God? That thoſe which are Rich in this World ſhould not be Rich in good works? That they lay not by for Pious, and Charitable uſes, according as God hath bleſſed them; as they are exhorted, 1 Cor. 16. 2. But that they ſhould be the richer the harder: Like Children that have their Mouths full, and both their Hands-full, and yet will part with none, but ſpill it rather. 'Tis obſerved of men that grow Fat, that they have ſo much the leſs Blood; and ſo the Fatter that men are in their Eſtates, the leſs Blood, Life, and Spirits they have for God.
Mercy ſhould flow from men as Water doth from a Fountain; or Light from the Sun, Freely. It ſhould not be wrung from them as Verjuice is from Crabs: Or as diſtilled Water that is forced out by the heat of the Fire. The love of Chriſt ſhould conſtrain us to look out for ſome of his Receivers (as David did the Poſterity of Jonathan) to whom we may ſhew Mercy for his ſake.
In Caſe of Extraordinary neceſſity, and exigency, the Poor widdow muſt part with her little All. The Sareptan muſt be no niggard of her Oyl tho it be at the bottom. The deep Poverty of the Macedonians muſt abound to the Riches of their Liberality, who to their Power, and beyond it too, were willing thereunto, 2 Cor. 8. 2. 3. The Day-labourer muſt give ſomething out of his gets. The Servant out of his Wages, Ephe. 4. 28. The ruler muſt not exact his right, Nehem. 5. 10. Nor the landed man ſpare to ſell that he hath, to give Alms thereof, Luk. 12. 33. As they did, Act. 4. 37.
God lays his ſolemn Charge upon us to be Rich in good Works. Now if God ſhould charge the Rocks, they would ſend forth Water: If the ſtones, they would become Bread: If the Ravens, they would feed Elias: If the Quails, they would victual the Camp: If the Clouds, they would Rain down food for his poor People. And ſhall we be more Rocky than Rocks? More ſtony than Stones? More ravenous than Ravens? More ſenſleſs than Birds? And more empty than the Clouds?
Provide you Bags that wax not old, ſaith our bleſſed Saviour, Luk. 12. 21. That are never the worſe for wearing: Treaſure in Heaven that faileth not; but the more you take from it, the more you add to it. It will grow in your Hands, as the Loaves did in our Saviour's: As the Oyl did in the Widdows Cruſe. As the water doth in a living Spring.
Riches are a meer uncertainty, an obſcurity, a fallacy. One while they appear; another while they diſappear, as Meteors in the Air; As Dive-dappers in the Water: As a Flock of Birds in a Man's field, which he cannot call his own becauſe they ſit there; For they betake them to their Wings and fly away. Therefore we ſhould take care; Firſt, To keep them ſo long as we can: Secondly: To uſe them ſo well as we can: But neither can we aſſure Riches, nor uſe them better, than by beſtowing them on the Poor.
Many miſerly Muck-worms are like to the Muck-hill, that never doth good till it be carried out. Like the fat Hog that is good for nothing till he comes to the Knife. Like the poor mans Box, that yields no Money till it be broken. Like to Trees that let fall none of their Fruit till they be violently ſhaken.
'Tis fabled of Midas, that whatſoever he touched was turned into Gold: Sure it is that whatſoever the hand of Charity touches, tho it be but a Cup of cold Water, it turneth it, not into Gold, but into Heaven.
But Charity is now ſo fled, that Elias wants his Hoſteſs of Sarepta: Eliſha the Sunamite: St. Paul cannot find the Purpuriſs: Nor Peter the Tanner. Job we have not: And Obadiah we find not. Captain Cornelius is a black Swan: And good Oneſiphorus is not to be heard of, moſt men have ſhut up their Bowels, and buried them afore-hand. Their Hearts are hardened, and their Hands are withered.
Of Mouth▪mercy indeed there is good ſtore, as there was in St. Jame's his days: Go and be warmed fed, Clothed: But with what? A fire, a Feaſt, a Suit of words: But a little hand-full were far better than many of theſe Mouth-fulls. Were their bleſſing worth an Half-penny (as the Beggar told the Cardinal they would be adviſed how they parted with it.
Look how it is with the Moon, the fuller ſhe is of Light the farther ſhe is from the Sun: And as the Sun moveth ſloweſt when he is higheſt in the Zodiack: So are they uſually ſloweſt to give who are higheſt in their Eſtates.
1. Charity by the Antients was pictured like a Child, becauſe the Charitable muſt be humble, and Courteous like a Child. She was pictured naked, becauſe She ſeeketh not her own. She looked merrily, God loves a Cheerful giver: Charity was covered with a Cloud: Alms muſt be given privately. Charity held a bloody Heart in her right Hand: A good man is merciful; he firſt pittieth, and then relieveth. Charity offered Honey to a Bee without Wings: that is, Helps ſuch as would, but cannot help themſelves.
Unworthy we are doubtleſs of ſuch an Honour, as to relieve hungry, thirſty, naked Chriſt in his poor Members. The Macedonians called and counted it a Favour that they might have their Hand in ſo good a Work, 2 Cor. 8. 1. David thanked God that of his own he would receive an Offering, 1 Chron. 29. 9.
Men Sow cheerfully upon good ground, and account their Seed better in the Ground than in the Garner. And is not Mercy as ſure a Grain as Vanity? Sow therefore plentifully; Sow cheerfully, Mich. 6. 8. Love Mercy. God likes not that our Alms ſhould come from us as drops of Blood from our Heart; but like life Honey from the Comb: That we be glad of an opportunity of ſhewing Mercy, and rather ſeek than want an Object for it.
The Liberal Soul ſhall be made Fat, and he that Watereth ſhall be Watered himſelf: His Soul ſhall-be like a watered Garden, &c. Iſa. 58. 8, 9. Of Stephen, King of Hungary; and of Oſwald, one of our Saxon Kings, it is ſtoried, that their right Hands after Death never putrified, becauſe they had been much imployed in relieving the Poor and afflicted. Sure it is that their Souls that do it in a right manner, decay not, dye not, wither not, See Prov. 11. 17. Luke 16. 11, 12. &c.
And for the Bodies of ſuch, ſee the Promiſe: If thou draw out thy Soul to the Hungry, then ſhall thy Health ſpring out ſpeedily, Iſa. 58. 8. And if the merciful man be ſick, God will make his Bed in all his ſicknſs: God will ſtir up the feathers under him: Mercy ſhall be his Cordial, and his Pillow of ſweet repoſe.
For the good names of ſuch: The Liberal ſhall have love, and reſpect with men: A good repute and report both alive and Dead; And this is better than precious Oyntments, Eccleſ. 7. 1. And than Riches, Prov. 22. 1. Whereas the Vile ſhall not be called Liberal, nor Nabal be called Nadib: The Churl bountiful in Chriſt's Kingdom, Iſa. 32. 5.
For their Eſtates: The Liberal man deviſeth Liberal things, and by Liberal things he ſhall ſtand: A man would think, he ſhould fall rather by being ſo bountiful: But on the contrary, he takes a right Courſe to thrive: For getting is not the way to abundance, but giving: The gainfuleſt Art is Alms-giving, ſaith St. Chryſoſtom. Whatſoever we ſcatter to the Poor, we gather for ourſelves; ſaith another. Riches thus laid out, are laid up: Non pereunt ſed parturiunt; ſaid a third. By our Liberality Chriſt accounts himſelf both gratified and engaged, Prov. 19. 17. God will bleſs his Stock, and his Store, Deut. 15. 10. His righteouſneſs (and his Riches too) ſhall endure for ever, Prov. 28. 27. He that gives to the Poor ſhall not lack.
Laſtly: For his Poſterity: The righteous is merciful and lendeth, and his Seed is bleſſed, Pſal. 37. 26. Jonathan was paid for his kindneſs to David in his Son Mephiboſheth: Jethro, for his love to Moſes in the Kenites, 1 Sam. 15. 6. whereas the Children of unmerciful men are threatened, Pſal. 109. 12. 16. Eccleſ 5. 14. For either he leaves it to a Prodigal, that Rides to Hell with Golden Spurs; and Forks it abroad, as faſt as the Miſer, his Father raked it together: Or if he be a good Husband, yet uſually he thrives not, but it melts away as Snow before the Sun.
And for the Life to come: Such lay hold upon Eternal Life, which is aſſured to them whilſt they live here, Prov. 14. 21. and 11. 17. Mat. 5. 7. Jam. 2. 13. And enjoyed by them hereafter, Luk. 16. 19. 1. Pet. 1. 7. Mat. 25. 34. &c.
He that denies to give God the intereſt of his gifts, by Charity, forfeits the Principal: And he that takes in his worldly Commodities without paying to God his Cuſtom, ſhall loſe the whole.
Of Judg Manwood it is recorded, that his Salary was not more fixed than his Charity. He and the Poor had one Revenue; one Quarter-day: Inſtead of hiding his Face from the Poor, it was his Practice to ſeek for them, laying out, by Truſtees for Penſioners, either hopeful, or indigent; whereof he had a Catalogue, which made the beſt Comment upon that Text, The Liberal man deviſeth Liberal things. This is the beſt Conveyance that ever Lawyer made; To have and to hold to him and his Heirs for ever.
When thou ſeeſt Miſery in thy Brother's Face, let him ſee mercy in thine Eye. The more the Oyl of mercy is poured on him by thy Pitty, the more the Oyl in thy Cruſe ſhall be encreaſed by thy Piety.
Proportion thy Charity to the ſtrength of thine Eſtate, leſt God proportion thine Eſtate to the weakneſs of thy Charity. Let the Lips of the Poor be the Trumpets of thy Gifts, leſt in ſeeking applauſe thou loſeſt thy reward. Nothing is more pleaſing unto God than an open Hand, and a cloſe Mouth.
Thoſe reprobates ſpoken of, Mat. 25. 42. robbed not the Saints, but relieved them not. Moab and Amon were Baſterdized and baniſhed the Sanctuary to the tenth Generation for a meer omiſſion, becauſe they met not God's Iſrael with Bread and Water in the Wilderneſs: And Edom is ſore threat'ned for not harbouring them, in the Prophecy of Obadiah.
The Spirits of Wealth diſtilled in good works, do much Comfort a Man's Conſcience.
The Liberal are renowned in the Earth: As Abraham, that free-Hearted Houſe-keeper: Obadiah: Zacheus: Cornelius: Gaius: Oneſiphorus: Dorcas, &c.
Artaxerxes Longimanus was wont to ſay, That he had therefore one Hand longer than another, that he might be readier to give than to receive.
Of Cyrus it's ſaid, that he took more delight and content in giving, than in receiving,
It was a greater trouble to Severus the Emperor to be asked nothing than to give much. When any of his Courtiers had not made bold with him in that kind, he would call him, and ſay, Quid eſt cur nihil petes? What meaneſt thou that thou askeſt me nothing? He is worthily miſerable that will not make himſelf happy by asking.
They who are Divites opibus, muſt be Divites operibus too. Their Fruit muſt be plentiful as well as their Eſtates. There may be a narrow Heart and a ſtarved Charity, where there is a large Eſtate, as in Nabal: And there may be a large and bountiful Heart, where there is but a poor and narrow Eſtate, as in the Poor Widdow, Mat. 12. 43. And in the Corinthians, 2 Cor. 8. 2.
God's mercy to us ſhould be a ſtrong Argument to provoke us to ſhew mercy to our Brethren. His was to Enemies, ours is to Brethren: His to Debtors, ours to Fellow-Servants: His of Free-grace to me, mine a juſt Debt to a Brother, Rom. 13. 8. His for ever to me, mine but for a moment to my Brother: His in Talents to me, mine but in Pence to my Brother: His in Blood to me, mine but in Bread to my Brother: His mercy enriches me, mine leaves my Brother poor ſtill. If I then live by the mercy that I do enjoy, and muſt be ſaved by the mercy that I do expect, ſhall ſo much mercy ſhine on me, and none reflect from me upon my poor Brother? Shall all the Waters of Life run from Chriſt unto me, as thoſe of Jordan into a dead Sea, to be loſt and buried there? Wherefore doth the Sun ſhine, and the Rain fall upon the Earth, but that it may be Fruitful? Chriſt is the Fountain, Rich men the Conduit, and Poor men the Veſſels, which are there and thence ſupplied.
God gives us all things Richly: The Earth empties into our Coffers her Silver and her Gold: The Paſtures ſend us in Cattel: The Fields Corn: The Sea Fiſh: The Air Fowl: One Country ſends us in Wine: Another Spices: One Silk, and another Furs: One Delicates, and another Ornaments. God gives us the light of the Sun; the influences of the Stars; The protection of Angels; The righteouſneſs of his Son; The Graces of his Spirit, and the hope of his Glory; Yea, himſelf and the Allſufficiency of his power for our Portion, and ſhall not all this move us to imitate his Example, in being Rich in good Works? If we do not give, we ſhall not live. If we do not do good, we ſhall not receive good. If we do not lay out, we ſhall not lay up. If we keep our Money, we ſhall periſh with our Money. If we return it unto Heaven, we ſhall be gainers by it.
Wares laid up in a low moiſt Room, will Rot and corrupt: but thoſe that be laid up in high Lofts will be kept ſound and ſafe: So if we lay up our Treaſures only in this World, they will periſh and come to nothing; but thoſe which (by Charity) we Treaſure up in Heaven, will be ever ſure and ſafe, Mat. 6. 20.
William Warham, A. B. of Canterbury, was ſo bountiful to the Poor in his Life time, that at his Death he had in all his Treaſury but thirty Pieces of Gold, which when he heard of, it pleaſed him ſo well, that he ſaid: It is well; I always deſired to die no Richer.
Philip Melancthon was ſo bountiful, even in a mean Eſtate, that every hour ſomething was given to the Poor at his Door.
The Motto of the good Emperor Tiberius Conſtantius was, Stips Pauperum the-ſaurus Divitum; The rich man's Treaſure is the Poor man's Stock.
Baſil the Great in a time of Famine did not only liberally relieve the Poor himſelf: But earneſtly exhorted all others, eſpecially the Rich to open their Barns and do the like.