Gods Mercy for Mans Mercy, Text
Gods Mercy for Mans Mercy.
Opened In a SERMON at the Spittle, March 31. 1657.
Matth. 5.7.
Bleſſed are the Merciful, for they ſhall obtain Mercy.
ALthough the Sun in the Firmament is alwayes very glorious, yet 'tis obſerved, that this excellent creature, is moſt glorious in the Morning when it riſes, and in the Evening when it ſets. The Application of this to Jeſus Chriſt in his Miniſtery will hold true in a very great meaſure; for though all his Sermons were highly ſpiritual and of tranſcendent worth, yet above all, the Firſt and the Laſt ſeem to have the preheminence; (if we may in this without boldneſſe make any compariſon.)
The Firſt you have laid down here by this Evangeliſt, in this and in the two following Chapters; which is ſo full and comprehenſive, that it contains Perfectum vitae Chriſtianae modum (as Auguſtine ſpeaks) 'Tis a Summary of all practical Religion,Auguſt. do Serm. Dom. in Monte. John 13. &c. a perfect Model and Plat-form of all Chriſtianity; that as in the Laſt Sermon you have the ſum of the Saints priviledges, ſo in this you have the ſum of the Saints duties. In hoc quintum caput irruerunt immundi porci M Luther, f. 7. in Praeſat. ad Enar. in c. 5. ad Matth.Duties, I ſay; for what is here handled, is not in a way of Counſel only, to ſome, that do aſpire to perfection, and would ſupererogate (as the Papiſts would teach us in their Duodecim conſilia Evangelica) but in a way of precept or command as reaching to all Chriſtians.
This Sermon begins with that, which all men dedeſire to end with, and that is Bleſſedneſſe. And our Saviour doth therefore begin with this, that he might the better inſinuate himſelf and his doctrine into the hearts of his hearers,Enar. in c. 5. ad Matth. foreign. Chryſ. To. 1. in N.T. Hom. 15. in c. 5. ad Matth. he making it hereby more amiable and leſſe grievous to them, (as Chryſoſtome obſerves. Bleſſedneſs is that which all deſire, but few know, and fewer purſue after in a right way. The old Philoſophers like the blinde men in Sodom groped for this door but could not finde it; they did beat their brains to come to the knowledge of true happineſſe, but with all their digging could never ſpring the Mine where this treaſure lay.De Civit. Dei l. 19. c. 1. Auguſtine out of Varro tells us, there were no leſſe then 288 Sects amongſt them about it: Jeſus Chriſt hath told us in a few words, what it is, and where it lies. That what the learned Mirandula ſaies of Truth, may here be applyed to Bleſſedneſſe. Philoſophia quaerit, Theologia invenit, religio poſſidetThe Philoſopher ſeeks it, the Divine findes it, the true Chriſtian enjoyes it: or, (as we proverbially expreſſe it,) They beat the Buſh, and we under the Goſpel get the Bird.
And yet if we look into particulars, we ſhall finde nothing here in this diſcourſe of our Saviour but Paradoxes; Quis unquam vel cogitare potuit, quod in paupertate ſita eſſet faelicitas, V. Avendan. in Matth.for he calls that Bleſſedneſſe, which the World calls Miſery; and Chriſts Benjamin is the Worlds Benoni. Bleſſed are the poor in ſpirit; Bleſſed are they that mourn, Bleſſed are they which hunger and thirſt, &c. Bleſſed are they which are perſecuted. This is ſtrange doctrine! How can theſe things be? Are theſe your bleſſed men? Is this your bleſſedneſſe? then ſay carnal men, take it to your ſelves, the Lord deliver us from it. Oh, what an incompetent Judge is Carnal Reaſon in the things of God! If that might here paſſe judgement, all this of Chriſt would be blotted out, and inſtead thereof ſuch as this put in: Bleſſed are the rich; Bleſſed are they that laugh, that feed delitiouſly, and ſwim in the ſtreams of pleaſure, &c. The Lord rebuke this Satan of Carnal Reaſon!
This Ladder of happineſſe (the foot whereof is on Earth,Gen. 28.12. but the top reaches to Heaven) is made up of Eight Rounds, which are like the Eight Steps to the going up of Ezekiels Temple.Ezek. 40.31. The Naturaliſts, when they would ſpeak a quality very intenſe, they call it Calor ad Octo, or Frigus ad Octo. Without levity I hope I may allude to it in this caſe: Would you ſpeak a man very happy, bleſſed in the higheſt degree of bleſſedneſſe, ſay he is Beatus ad octo, or one that hath an intereſt in theſe Eight Beatitudes.
I have ſingled out one of theſe to be the ſubject of my Diſcourſe this day, at this ſolemn Anniverſary Meeting. And I hope my Sermon will be ſeaſonable, a word fitly ſpoken, Verbum ſuper rotas, Prov. 25.11.(as the Hebrew carries it.) This day is Dies Pauperum, this Text is Scriptura Pauperum. The poor mans Day, and the poor mans Text will ſuit very well. Bleſſed are the merciful, &c.
The Text is made up of Mercy, 'tis filled with it: It Begins with Mercy, it Ends with mercy: Bleſſed are the merciful, there 'tis mercy in a way of Debt; they ſhall obtain mercy, there 'tis mercy in a way of Grace. In the former 'tis mans mercy to Man; in the ſecond 'tis Gods mercy to man.
In the words,Vid. Pureum in locum. ſay the Popiſh Writers, there is, Meritum viae & praemium Patriae (for thus they divide all the Beatitudes,) but here the foundation is written. Plainly thus, you have in them.
1. A Propoſition.
2. The Proof or Confirmation of this Propoſition.
A Propoſition, Bleſſed are the merciful.
The confirmation of this, For they ſhall obtain mercy. foreign; the word is very full, I know not well how to expreſſe it; they ſhall be made mercy, mercy all over: 1. Tim. 1.13.As Paul ſpeaks of himſelf, I was a Blaſphemer, &c. But I obtained mercy; foreign; that is, from top to toe I was nothing but mercy, I was a very maſs of mercy. So here.
Further, Sub-diviſions would be but vain, and further, Explication unneceſſary: paſſing by therefore all that is Praeliminary, I come to the point, which ſhall-take in the Summe of the Text. 'Tis this.
The merciful man is a bleſſed man, Doctr.and therefore bleſſed, becauſe he ſhall obtain mercy.
In the proſecuting of which, I will
Firſt ſpeak to the Subject, The merciful man. And then Secondly to the praedicate and confirmation of the propoſition, this man is bleſſed; and therefore bleſſed, becauſe he ſhall obtain mercy.
I begin with the Firſt. Miſericordia. eſt aliena miſeriae in corde noſtro compaſſio. Aug. de Civ. Dei, l. 9. c. 1.The merciful man may be thus deſcribed, He is one, Who hath a tender compaſſion towards others in miſery, and doth endeavour to his utmoſt by all wayes and means to be helpful to them, for the bringing of them out of their miſery.
I infer four things out of this deſcription.
Firſt, Mercy is a Relative act; an act, or that which relates to others. God hath his works ad intra and ad extra; Quia miſericordia est compaſsio miſeriae alterius, proprie miſericordia est ad alterum non autem ad ſeipſum niſi per ſtmilitudmem. Aquin. 2a 2ae. q 30. art. 1.ſome are terminated in himſelf and go no further, but ſome are Relative and tranſient, which reach to the Creature: So it is with us; we have ſome acts which are proper to our ſelves, being bounded and terminated in our own perſons; there are others which relate to our Brethren, and fellow-creatures; of this nature is Mercy.
Secondly, Miſery is the proper object of Mercy: and indeed if there was no miſery, there could be no mercy, for miſery is the foundation and the object of mercy. As we ſay concerning God: Had there been no miſery in the Creature, there might have been Grace, but not properly mercy, becauſe that neceſſarily preſuppoſes miſery. Had Adam ſtood in the ſtate of innocency, there would have been room for grace but not for mercy in a ſtrict ſenſe. 'Tis grace onelyonly to the ſtanding Angels: if God ſhould take a fal…en Angel out of Hell, there would be mercy alſo as well as grace, becauſe they are in a ſtate of miſery. And ſo it is in the caſe I am upon; If our Brethren were under no ſufferings, under the enduring of nothing that is evil, under the wanting of nothing that is good, here might be love, but not mercy properly, becauſe this doth connote and involve or imply a ſtate of miſery.
Thirdly, the proper vital act of mercy is compaſsion; every grace hath its eſſential main act by which 'tis diſtinguiſhed from other graces, Adherence the eſſential act of faith, ſubmiſsion the eſſential act of patience, &c. And ſo in mercy, Miſericors dicitur aliquis quoſi habens miſerum cor, quia ſcilicet affiicitur ex miſeriâ alteriper triſtitiam ac ſi eſſet ejus propria miſeria. Aquin. 1. p. Q. 21. A. 30. Homo ſum, humani à me nihil alienum puto. Terent. Rom. 12.15. Exod 2.6. Luke 10.33. Matth. 9.36. Et paſſim. Pſal. 112.4.that hath its proper act, and that is compaſsion: The merciful man is the compaſsionate man; he reſents the miſeries of others, as if they were his own, his heart doth yern over his Brethrens calamities, his very bowels are ſtirred within him for thoſe that are afflicted, he mourns with them that mourn, and ſympathizes with them that are in diſtreſſe. This mercifulneſſe was in Pharaohs Daughter, when ſhe ſaw the childe in the Ark of Bulruſhes (a very ſad Cradle) and that the Babe wept, the Text ſaies, She had compaſsion on it. And ſo in the good Samaritan when he paſſed by the poor man, who had fallen amongst theeves, and ſaw him ſtripped of all and wounded, this merciful Samaritan had compaſsion on him. And very much of this pitty was in our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, as the Goſpel holds it forth in ſeveral places. I ſay this is the very ſoul of mercifulneſſe, an inward ſenſe and a deep compaſsion of the troubles of others; and therefore David puts them together, He is gracious (that is, merciful) and full of compaſsion.
Fourthly, the fruit and reſult of this compaſsion is this, the merciful man ſets himſelf to do good to thoſe, whoſe caſe he doth thus commiſerate. Jam. 2.16.Mercy is an active and a communicative thing. He that is truly merciful doth not take up with a few good words, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled, this kinde of charity is very cheap and very common) nor with a few ſighes; True indeed, ſuch a mans condition is very ſad, I pitty him with all my heart: the merciful man goes further, what is there to be done for this poor man, can I do nothing for him? If I can, Head, and Heart, and Hand, and Purſe, all ſhall be laid out for his good.Luke 10.34. The Samaritan had compaſsion on him whom he ſaw in a ſad condition, and how did that work? He bound up his wounds, putting in oyl and wine, and ſet him on his own beaſt, and brought him to an Inne, and took care of him, &c. This in General for the merciful man, and for the nature of mercifulneſſe.
That I may open this more particularly, I muſt diſtinguiſh of mercy. There is Miſericordia ſpiritualis, and Miſericordia temporalis; mercy to the Soul, and mercy to the Body. Spirituall mercy which ſtreams out in ſpiritual things to the ſoul; and Temporal mercy, which runs out in temporal things to the body. The Text takes in both of theſe branches, or mercy in the utmoſt latitude and higheſt elevation of it.
The firſt of theſe is far the higheſt, even mercy to the ſoul; As the Soul is infinitely more precious then the body, (for what is the Cabinet to the Pearl, what is the peece of Clay to the Spark of eternity?) So that mercy which reaches to the ſoul is infinitely higher then that which reaches to the body. Humanity will draw out the Latter, but tis Grace onelyonly will draw out the former. Morality will pitty the Beggar, 'tis grace onelyonly, will pitty the ſinner.
Firſt, there is Miſericordia Spiritualis; The ſpirituall mercifull man doth lay out his compaſſion in ſuch acts as theſe. If he ſees any in a Naturall unregenerate eſtate, without God, and Chriſt, his ſoul bleeds over ſuch,Hebr. 3 2. and his hearts deſire is that they may be converted. If he meets with any that are ignorant, as 'tis ſaid of Chriſt, He hath Compaſſion on ſuch, and he will inſtruct them in the myſteries of the Goſpell. Do any erre from the truth,Gal. 6.1. Vera juſt…t a non habet dedignationem ſed compaſſionem. Greg…r. he will not Separate from them, and caſt them off, but rather he will labour to bring them back again by ſober and milde arguing. If any be overtaken with ſin, he will reprove with all meekneſs; not being cenſorious and rigid and harſh, foreign Matth. 28.26.but covering and reprooving infirmities with a ſpirit of Love. If injuries be done to him, he readily paſſes them, by, forgiving that he may be forgiven, and forgiving pence becauſe God hath forgiven thouſands, millions to himſelf. If he ſees any that are ſad and dejected, he will endeavour to comfort them, eſpecially thoſe that lye under a wounded Spirit, as knowing that of all afflictions this is the moſt intolerable. Prov. 18.14.The ſpirit of a man may ſuſtain his infirmities, but a wounded ſpirit who can bear? Oh, the mercifull man pitties theſe indeed, goes and ſits with them, confers with them, prayes with them, ſpreads the promiſes before them, to ſupport ſaith and Hope. This is the ſpirituall mercifull man. The Schooles expreſs all the branches of this mercy in one Verſe.
Conſule, Caſtiga, Solare, remitte, Fer, Ora.
Secondly, there is Miſericordia Temporalis, mercy that flowes out upon the outward man in the things of this life; and this is the mercy which this Day leads me to ſpeake of. This lyes in our viſiting the ſick, in our feeding the hungry bellies, in our clothing the naked backs, in our communicating out of our fullneſs to them that are in want. They that thus do, are the foreign in the Text. Such an one was Job. take but one place. Job 31.16, &c.If I have withheld the poore from their deſire, or have cauſed the eyes of the widdow to fayl, or have eaten my morſell my ſelfe alone, and the fatherleſs hath not eaten thereof; If I have ſeen any periſh for want of clothing, or any poore without covering; If his loynes have not bleſſed me, &c. Then let mine arme fall from my ſhoulder-blade, and mine arme be broken from the bone. Lukd 19.8.Such an one was Zaccheus, a man low in ſtature but high in grace, Luke 19.8.He gave the halfe of his goods to the poore. I would ſome amongſt us would give but the twentith part; but 'tis ſo far from half, that 'tis juſt nothing. I might give ſeveral inſtances of this, both out of the Scripture and alſo out of common Authours, but I haſten to that which I moſt aim at.
I have done with the firſt thing propounded; I come to the ſecond. The mercifull man is bleſſed. I mean, the charitable, compaſſionate man to the poor (for I will limit my ſelf onelyonly to that branch of mercifullneſſe) he is bleſſed: So ſayes the Text, and you may beleeve it, for Chriſt ſpoke it. And the Scripture elſe-where ſpeakes the ſame, Bleſſed is he (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) that conſidereth the poor. He that hath mercy on the poor, Pſal. 41.1. Prov. 14.21. Prov. 22.9.(ſaith Salomon) happy is he. And again, He that hath a bountifull eye ſhall be bleſſed, for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
Not to cite more places, I will a little inlarge upon the Argument in the Text, the mercifull are bleſſed, How doth that appear? Such, ſhall obtain mercy. Charity to men is alwayes crowned with mercy from God; They that open their hands of bounty, to them God will open his hands of mercy; and that in abundance too, they ſhall have the Sea for the drop, Quoniam ſuper ipſos erunt miſericordiae. Tremel.the Sea of Gods mercy for the drop of their mercy; Plenty of mercy ſhall be given out unto them, as the Syriack renders the words. Let me open this in a few particulars.
Firſt, Mercifull men ſhall obtaine this mercy, They ſhall be under a ſpeciall providence for their protection; And this reaches both to their perſons, and to their eſtates. For their perſons; In the midſt of all dangers and troubles, God will keepe mercifull men even as the Apple of his own eye. Pſal. 41.1, 2. Qui apud menſam moratur, & paupert cibat, illi vita prorogatur. In Talmude Buxt. Synag. Jud. c. …0. foreign Chryſ. Hoſ. 5.12, 14.Bleſſed is he that conſidereth the poor; Bleſſed, wherein? The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble; The Lord will preſerve him and keepe him alive; And he ſhall be bleſſed upon the earth; and thou wilt not deliver him into the hands of his enemies. They may rage and plot againſt ſuch a one, but God will hide him in the hollow of his hand, and he ſhall be ſafe. And there is a ſpeciall providence over his eſtate too; His houſe ſhall not he conſumed with fire, his wealth ſhall not diminiſh in his hands; what he hath he ſhall keepe; the little he gives ſecures and ſanctifies the whole lumpe; God will not be to the charitable man either as the Lion, or as the Moth: (that is) he will neither ſuddainly take away his riches from him, nor yet cauſe them to conſume and ruſt no man knows how.Pror. 28.27. He that giveth unto the poor ſhall not lacke, but he that hideth his eyes ſhall have many a curſe; God will ſooner or later blaſt this mans eſtate, becauſe he doth ſo little good with it; Nay, ſeeing ſaith God you grudge me a little in the relieving of the poor, Ile ſerve my ſelfe, and take all from you.
Secondly, Mercifull mens prayers ſhall be anſwered. He that heares the needy mans prayers God will certainely heare his. Thy prayers and thy Almes are come up for a memoriall before God; Acts 10.4.Said the Angell to Cornelius. Prayers that are mingled with acts of mercy do certainely mount up to Heaven.Iſai 58.7.9. Then ſhalt thou call, and the Lord ſhall anſwer, thou ſhalt cry, and he ſhall ſay, Here I am. Then, when? If thou deale thy bread to the hungry, and bring the poor that are caſt out to thy houſe; if thou ſeeſt the naked and cover him, Non impetrabit de divind pietate aliquid qui ad precem pauper is non fuit humanus. Cypr. de Op. & Eleem. Prov. 21.13.and hide not thy ſelfe from thy owne fleſh. The uncharitable hard-hearted man, let him pray never ſo much, all his prayers are loſt, God regards them not. Who ſo ſtoppeth his eares at the cry of the poor, he alſo ſhall cry himſelfe, and ſhall not be heard.
Thirdly, God will returne to the mercifull man what he gives to the poor; he will reward him in kinde; that looke what ever it is that he beſtowes, it ſhall be in the very kinde made up to him again, many have found this to be very true;foreign. Chryſost. Prov. 11.24. in the morning they have given may be five ſhillings, and before night God hath brought them in unexpectedly twenty for it. The beſt way for a man to increaſe his eſtate is charity; mony here like the widdowes oyle, the more 'tis powred out, the more it doth increaſe. There is that ſcattereth and yet increaſeth, and there is that withholdeth more then is meet, and that tendeth unto poverty. There is a ſecret bleſſing upon the merciful, that they ſhall wonderfully proſper even in the things of this life. Thou ſhalt ſurely give him, Deut. 15.10.and thine heart ſhall not be grieved when thou giveſt unto him; becauſe that for this thing the Lord thy God ſhall bleſs thee in all thy workes, and in all that thou putteſt thine hand unto. If God do not returne your mercy in the very kind, he will do it ſome other way; The charitable man makes God to be his creditor, and he will ſurely pay what is lent to him. A gift to the poor is a loan to God, and he is a faithfull pay-maſter. Prov. 19.17.He that hath pitty on the poor lendeth unto the Lord, and that which he hath given will he pay him again. And therefore ſayes the wiſeman, Caſt thy bread upon the waters, Eccleſ. 11.1.for thou ſhalt find it after many dayes.
Fourthly, God will deal with him, as he deals with others; for that of our Saviour holds true in all caſes, With what meaſure ye mete, Matth. 7.2. Prov. 11.25. 1 ſal. 18.25.it ſhall be meaſured to you again. The liberal ſoul ſhall be made fat, and he that watereth, ſhall be watered alſo himſelf. With the merciful, thou wilt ſhew thy ſelf merciful. He that ſhuts up his bowels to his brother, God will ſhut up his bowels unto him; but he that is pittiful and compaſſionate, ſhall finde the ſame at the hands of God.
Fifthly, merciful men ſhall have mercy for their poſterity; their children ſhall be bleſſed for it, when they are dead and gone. Mercy is entailed upon the charitable mans children. What is given to the poor, is a childes portion put into the Lords hands to be kept for him.Pſal. 37.26. He is ever merciful and lendeth; and ſee what followes, And his ſeed is bleſſed. When David had received kindneſſe from Jonathan, ſee how he deſires to vent his love upon his poſterity; Is there not any yet of the houſe of Saul, 2 Sam. 9.3.that I may ſhew the kindneſſe of God unto him? God will make enquiry after the children of merciful men, and they ſhall be bleſſed for their parents ſake; he will not ſave them for the Fathers grace,Rom. 1.17. no, (The juſt ſhall live by his faith) but he will give them many outward bleſsings here for the Fathers charity. The Widdow of Sarepta relieves the Prophet, and God by the Prophet raiſes up her childe for her.1 Kings 17.20.
Sixthly and laſtly, merciful men ſhall have mercy, at the great day of judgement, a ſentence of life ſhall be paſſed upon them, and a crown of glory given them for their reward; at the great Aſſize of the World the proceſſe ſhall be by acts of mercy, Come ye bleſſed of my Father, &c. Why ſo? For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat, Matth 25.34, &c.I was thirſty and ye gave me drink, naked, and ye clothed me, &c. The merciful mans reward is ſure, He ſhall in no wiſe loſe his reward. Vid. Chryſoſt. Ho. 23. Eclog. de Eleemeſ. Matth. 10.42.And as 'tis ſure, ſo 'tis great, for 'tis eternal life.
Theſe things I paſſe over as briefly as I can, becauſe I haſten to the Application—you have the ſecond thing diſpatched, and that is the Bleſſedneſſe of merciful men, with the proof and confirmation of it, ſuch ſhall obtain mercy.
For the preventing of miſtakes, and for the further ſtating of the point, I will lay down two Propoſitions.
The Firſt is this; 'tis not mercy Ex merito, but Ex pacto, or 'tis not mercy Ex debito, but Ex gratiâ. Nullo modo noſtra miſericordia, &c. Ʋſ que adeo tamen-ut pro uno teruntio centies mille aureos, proque uno hauſtu aquae frigida, regnum coelorum polliceri non dubitet. Luther. Quiſquis tibi enumerat merita ſua, quid tibi enumerat niſi munera tna. Aug. Conf. l. 9 c. 13. Eleemoſina ſecuritatis noſtrae ſalubre praeſidium, medela peccati, &c. Cypr. very high de Op. & Eleemoſ. Via Pamel in lo.The merciful man ſhall have mercy, not becauſe he hath deſerved it, but becauſe God hath promiſed it. Merit? away with it. Alas, when we have been drawn out in charity to the utmoſt, ſhould we give all our goods to the poor, yet there is nothing merited at the hands of God. Do we not give of his own? What do we give for him, but what firſt we have received from him? The ſervant that followes his Maſter, at his Maſters command gives the Beggar an alms of mercy; doth this ſervant merit any thing, who gives nothing but what is his Maſters? And ſo 'tis here. Let Grace be never ſo high, Obedience be never ſo high, and Mercy to the poor never ſo high, yet the reward is reckoned not of debt, but of grace. I confeſſe the Fathers before the Controverſie of Merit was ſtarted, ſpake very high in this point, but they are to be underſtood in a found ſenſe, and Cum grano ſalis.
The Second Propoſition is this: Every merciful man man ſhall have mercy,2 Ep. John 3. but not all the ſame mercy. There is a full reward. There is the mercy of Earth and the mercy of Heaven, the bleſſings of the Throne, and the bleſsings of the Foot-ſtool; Bowel-mercies, and Bounty-mercies. A meer moral man may be a merciful man, this man ſhall have mercy for it, but 'tis nether-ſpring mercy onelyonly, God will bleſſe him in his eſtate,Matth. 6.2. name, relations, and this is all. There are others now in the Covenant, united to Chriſt, acted from a ſaving principle, aiming at high and ſpiritual ends; theſe now ſhall have mercy in the higheſt degree, Heaven and Glory, the Kingdom prepared from all eternity, (yet, not immediately upon the accompt of their mercifulneſs, but as this is the fruit or evidence of the truth of Faith, for that indeed is the grace which hath this immediate influence upon future bleſſedneſs.)
Having thus run over the Doctrinal part, I now come to make ſome practical improvement of it.
Ʋſe 1 And firſt by way of Inference: If the merciful be bleſſed, what are then the unmerciful and uncharitable? Qui proximo miſericordiam oſtendere recuſat, praeter iram & perpetuam indignationem nihil conſequetur. Luthers Propheſie.They are curſed. Such as have no compaſsion to the poor, let them ſtarve and periſh, 'Its all one to theſe hard-hearted wretches; let ſuch know there si a curſe hanging over them, and God hath no mercy for them. I fear the terror of this may reach to very many in this City, in this Nation; whom God hath bleſſed with plentiful eſtates, and they have abundance, but wherein are the poor the better for them? Either as covetous Miſers they lock up all in their Coffers, or they prodigally caſt their eſtates away in ſuperfluities, in gaming, building, feaſting, apparel, thouſands go out upon back and belly, not a Farthing to a poor member of Chriſt. Nay,Pr…v. 17.5. Iſai 3.15. there are ſome ſo far from helping the needy, that they mock at them, or they grinde the faces of the poor, and make them the objects of their pride and cruelty, rather then of their pity and mercy. I denounce this day a woe againſt ſuch, which they ſhall never eſcape. I would have them ſeriouſly to conſider but three places of Scripture. That of our Saviour,Matth. 25.41 &c. Depart from me ye curſed into everlaſting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels: Why is this dreadful ſentence pronounced? For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat, I was thirſty, and ye gave me no drink; naked, and ye clothed me not, &c. That of James, Jam. 2.13.He ſhall have judgement without mercy, that hath ſhewen no mercy. Judgement without mercy: in plain Engliſh, that is, Hell and condemnation without remedy. That parable of Dives and Lazarus. Luke 16.The rich man lived in pleaſure and fared deliciouſly every day, poor Lazarus laies under the Table and he is not minded; well, ſee what comes on't; Father Abraham have mercy upon me, and ſend Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and coole my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame. The rich man is now the beggar, and what doth he begge for? But a very ſmall thing, but a drop of water, and yet that is deny'd him. He had ſtopp'd his eares to the cries and teares and groanes of poor Lazarus, and now in his torments the eares of God are ſtopp'd to his roarings.*foreign. Vid Plura in Chryſ. T. 6. Hom. 63. foreign. Baſil. Had Lazarus had more of Dives his mercy, Dives had had more of Gods mercy. Oh! that unmercifull men would tremble at theſe things, what will the hoording up of their mony be, to the loſſe of Gods Love, the forfeiting of mercy, the barring up of the door of grace, and the undoing of their ſoules to all eternity.
Ʋſe 2 The main Vſe ſhall be for exhortation, and here let me preſſe this Mercy upon you. 'Twas ſaid of Chryſoſtome that he was, A Preacher of Almes, the poor mans Preacher, (and indeed how many Homilies hath he wrote upon this ſubject, and how doth he inforce and urge charity in all his writings.) I deſire this day according to my ſlender abilitys to be ſo too. Never had we more need to preſſe men to acts of Charity, then in this Iron age upon which we are caſt;Matth. 24.12. wherein love is grown ſo cold; we live in hard times and generally we have hard harts; The times are hard, trading is low, loſſes are great, burdens are high, many familes ruined by the late wars, and mens harts are hard too; Mercy to the poor runs very low. Our Fore-fathers that lived before us, how bountifull and charitable were they; we have ſtanding monuments of it in Colledges, in Hoſpitalls, &c. And we have cauſe to bleſſe God for them, for though they are dead and gone we reap the benefit of their good workes; Many bellies that otherwiſe would Starve are filled by them, many backs that otherwiſe would be naked are clothed by them, many children that otherwiſe would be loſt are comfortably educated upon that proviſion which they have left; But now we may complaine with the Prophet;Iſai. 57.1. Merciful men are taken away. In our times we are ſo farre from erecting ſuch monuments of mercy, that we are rather for the pulling down of theſe, as being Popiſh, unneceſſary, and I know not what. And they that do not go ſo far in this horrid inhumanity to take away what is given, yet they will out of their fullneſſe adde nothing for the further promoting of the works of charity. I might very much inlarge in the bewailing of the decay of mercy, and the cloſe-fistedneſs of men in theſe times when we gather for the poor, are not our Baſons empty? Have we not many members in our Congregations very low, and the rich regard them not. Are there not many godly families that want bread and have no ſupplies from our plenty? Do we relieve the diſtreſſed widdowes, and fatherleſſe? Oh that I might prevail with you this day, to be more merciful, to broach the veſſel as it were, that charity to the poor might have a vent. To many of you I may ſay as Paul doth in the like caſe,2 Cor. 9.2. Touching miniſtring to the Saints, it is ſuperfluous for me to write to you, for I know the forwardneſs of your mindes; but ſuch are very rare.
I will divide my diſcourſe into three Heads.
1. I will ſpeak to them that are rich.
2. To you the Right Honorable Magiſtrates of this City.
3. To you the worthy Governours of the Hoſpitals.
Firſt, I begin with you that are Rich. I believe I ſpeak to many ſuch, and I wiſh I ſpoke to more, that al the rich Men of the City were preſent to hear what I ſhall ſay. God hath bleſſed you with much in this world, be ye merciful to the poor. The Jewes have a Proverb, That mercy is ſuch an excellent duty,Si etiam gladius acut us appoſitus eſſet collo hominis non tamen dabet ceſſare à miſerico, dia. Buxtorf. Florileg. Hebraicum. p. 193. that if a ſword ſhoud be ſet to the throat of a man, that muſt not deter him from mercy. This is the duty that I am to charge upon you; I ſay charge upon you; do not miſtake me; I do not come to deſire this of you as a courteſie, I do not beg this of you as a favor, but in the name and authority of Chriſt I command and charge you to be good and bountiful to the poor. So the Apoſtle bids us,1 Tim. 5.17, 18. Charge them that are rich in this world. Charge them? What or wherein? That they do good, that they he rich in good works, ready to diſtribute, willing to communicate. 'Its a notable place for rich men,Prov. 5.15, 16. that of Salomon, Drink waters out of thine own Ciſtern, and running waters out of thine own Chanel. Let thy Fountains be diſperſed abroad, and rivers of waters in thy ſtreets. Two things here are ſet before you. Drink waters out of thine own Ciſtern, (that is; enjoy the comforts wherewith God hath bleſſed you; there are ſome that are Inopes in copiâ, ſome as the Poet ſpeaks, — Quêis non conceditur uti: In all their fulneſs they are in ſtraights, Job 20.22.not enjoying what they have, grudging to themſelves every thing; they will want any thing rather then part with a penny for it, hide-bound miſerable men, who are not only unmerciful to others, but even to themſelves; theſe do not ſo much poſſeſſe their wealth, as their wealth poſſeſſes them: here is Money without a Man, Ego malo virum qui pecuniâ ege at, quam pecuniam quae viro. Themiſt. in Tully l. 2. de …ffio. Eccl 5.18, 19.(as the Oratour expreſſes it:) There is often a Man without Money, and ſometimes Money without a Man, that is, there is wealth enough but there is no heart to take the comfort of it. Now ſaies the Wiſeman, Drink waters out of your own Ciſterns, take the ſweetneſs of what you have; for it is good and comely for a man to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the Sun all the dayes of his life, which God giveth him; for it is his portion, Every man alſo to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoyce in his labour; this is the gift of God.
But then he goes on; Let thy Fountains be diſperſed abroad, &c. Injoy what you have, but do not engroſs all to your ſelves; make the beſt of your comforts, but then communicate of them unto others.Deut. 15.11. The poor ſhall never ceaſe out of the Land, therefore I command thee, ſaying, Thou ſhalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor and to thy needy in the Land.
I will endeavour to ſet this home by ſeveral Conſiderations.
As firſt, All is nothing without mercy: you may pretend to grace, grace is nothing without mercy. Knowledge without charity,Rom. 2.20. James 3.17. 'tis but foreign, a form of knowledge; That wiſdom which is from above, is firſt pure, &c. full of mercy and good fruits: True ſaving heavenly knowledge doth alwayes work purity towards God, & charity towards Man. Without mercy your love is nothing.1 John 3.17. Whoſo hath this worlds good, and ſeeth his brother have need, and ſhutteth up his bowels of compaſsion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? That's a ſtrange contradiction indeed for a man to ſay he loves God, and yet doth not relieve and pitty his poor diſtreſſed brother. Faith without mercy is nothing, where there is not giving and forgiving (which two things comprehend in them all mercy) there is no faith unfeined and ſaving. What doth it profit, my brethen, 1 Tim. 1.5. Jam. 2 14, &c. Mors fidei eſt ſeparatio charitatis. Bernard.though a man ſay he hath faith, and have not works? can faith ſave him? If a Brother or Siſter be naked and deſtitute of daily food, and one of you ſay, Depart in peace, &c. what doth it profit? Even ſo faith if it hath not works is dead being alone. A wordy charity doth no good to others, and a barren mercileſſe faith doth no good to our ſelves. The Papiſts ſay we are Solifidians, they may as well ſay we are Nullifidians; for Solifidians are Nullifidians. I know not what your practices are, but I am ſure our principles are not for this Solifidian way, which is ſo reproachfully and falſely caſt upon us. All your duties are nothing without mercy;Vid. Chryſoſt. Tom. 6. Hom. foreign. Iſa. 58.7, 8. foreign &c. Baſil. l. 1. Ho. foreign. prayer, hearing, nay faſting, all is vain without this. Is not this the Faſt that I have choſen? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry? and that thou bring the poor that are caſt out to thy houſe? when thou ſeeſt the naked, that thou cover him? and that thou hide not thy ſelf from thy own fleſh. Baſil ſpeaks of ſome with their foreign unchargeable or uncharitable religion; they faſted, they praid, but no mercy to the poor, what were they the better for all their duties? By the way; I do not wonder we have ſo much of this foreign, becauſe we are now for foreign;1 Cor. 9.18, they that will give nothing to a Miniſter, to whom 'tis an act of juſtice, will certainly give but little to a poor Chriſtian to whom 'tis an act of mercy. But to return: In a word, All your Religion is nothing without charity:foreign Juſtin. Mart. in Coho…t; ad Graecos. for Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father; is this to viſit the Fatherleſs and the Widows in their affliction: Religion hath its upward duties, towards God; its inward duties, towards a mans ſelf; its downward duties, towards our brethren: if we come not up to theſe, all our religion is but an empty profeſſion, which will come to nothing.
Again, Be mercifull, Mercy is one of the great dutyes of the Goſpell; Matth. 23.23.'Tis amongſt the foreign, the weighty matters of the Law, as Chriſt tells us. Do not ſay this is a low duty, a morall duty, we may diſpenſe with it. He hath ſhewed thee O man what is good, and what doth the Lord require of the, but to do juſtly and to love mercy, and to walke humbly with thy God? When the Phariſees were troubling themſelves about ſhadowes, our Saviour brings them to this as a Subſtantiall duty,Luke 11.41. But rather give Almes of ſuch things as you have, and behold all things are clean unto you. What one duty is there that is more frequently commanded, then this of mercy; and what duty is urg'd with ſweeter promiſes, with more terrible threatnings then this is?
Mercy is very pleaſing to God. To do good and to communicate forget not, Heb. 13.16. Phil. 4.18.for with ſuch Sacrifices God is well pleaſed. Paul tells you, 'tis an odour of aſweete ſmell, a Sacrifice acceptable, well pleaſing to God. But this hed was ſo fully and excellently amplifyed yeſterday by my reverend Brother, that I cannot, Ineede not adde any thing more upon it.
Further therefore, conſider nothing makes religion more lovely to the world then acts of mercy; this puts a fair gloſſe upon your profeſſion, and renders it very amiable and acceptable unto all. If you pray, may be carnall men will jeer you; If you be holy, the world will hate you (but be holy for all that, Gods love is better then the worlds hatred.) But if you be mercifull and charitable, all men will honour you, and ſpeak well of you, He hath diſperſed, Pſal. 112.9.he hath given to the poor, His horn ſhall be exalted with honour. I fear profeſſors are very wanting in this duty, they do not hereby make the wayes of God lovely as they ſhould do: What do men ſay their's one indeed heares much, profeſſes much, prayes in his family, but hee'l wrack his poor tennants as much as others, and is as uncharitable as others. This is a Scandall to the Goſpell.
Fifthly. Mercy is a debt; and therefore be mercifull; You are angry with thoſe that will not pay their debts, pray do you pay yours. Mercy 'tis a debt I ſay; a debt to God, a debt to man. Are you full, give to them that want, 'tis not ſimply a gift 'tis but what you owe. Prov. 3.27.Withhold not good from them from whom 'tis due, (Saith Salomon) what is neceſſary is your own, what is Superfluous is not. You are with all your plenty but Gods Almoners; the Almoner is not faithfull if he do not relieve the poor, he is bound to it, for what he hath from the King, is not for himſelf but to be laid out upon them. Why doth God give ſo much to you, not that you ſhould hoard it up, and let it lie moulding in your Cheeſts;foreign. Chryſ. not that you ſhould lay out all upon your ſelves, much leſſe prodigally waſt it in the gratifying of your Luſts, No, God gives you ſo much that you may give out to others that want; The Jewes were wont to write upon the poor mans box, The Box of righteouſneſſe…; not onelyonly becauſe of Gods righteouſneſſe to repay what is given to the poor, but in reference to our ſelves, 'tis but righteous that we who have, ſhould communicate to them that have not. Are we not intruſted with all for this very end? Are not the poor, our brethren, our fellow creatures, have we not all the ſame fleſh, Eandem cutem though not Eandem veſtem, ſhall we hide our ſelves from our own fleſh; did not he that made them make us? Is not all the difference made by God?Iſai. 58 8. Job 31.15. 1 Cor. 4.7. Indignum credens ab homine peti quod Dii dediſſent. Plin. in Paneg, ad Traj. In temporalls as well as in Spiritualls that is true, Who maketh thee to differ from another? And what haſt thou that thou didſt not receive? And if ſo, 'tis but righteous that we ſhould ſupply them in their neceſſities. Pliny relates of Trajane the Emperour, that he thought it an unworthy thing, that any ſhould ſo much as ask him that which the Gods had ſo freely given him. Oh let not us be baſe and niggardly to our brethren, when all is ſo freely given us by God.
Sixthly, Be mercifull and the poor will requite you: How? Silver and Gold they have none, Acts 3.6.but Such as they have they will give you, they will pray for you, and that is better then any other requitall whatever. If you Miniſter to them in your Temporalls, they will miniſter to you in their Spiritualls; I ſpeake here of thoſe, that are Godly. There are many poor chriſtians that never go to God, but they ſay, Lord bleſſe ſuch a man, ſuch a woman, bleſſe them and theirs for they are very good to me.2 Tim. 1.16. The Lord give mercy unto the houſe of Oneſiphorus, for he oft refreſhed me. The Churliſh Nabal, Deutr. 15.9.the prayers of the poor are againſt ſuch a one; and that's a ſad thing. Beware leſt thin eye be evill againſt thy poor brother, and thou giveſt him not, and he cry unto the Lord againſt thee. How can that man proſper, that hath the people of God praying againſt him; how can that man do otherwiſe then well, who hath the people of God praying for him. Noli deſpicers inopem qui cum ſibi pauper ſit, facere te divitem potest. Caſar.Of all Enemyes a praying Enemy is the worſt Enemy, and of all friends a praying friend is the beſt friend. Do not (ſaith an Antient Father) deſpiſe him, who though he be poor, himſelf yet can by his prayers make thee rich.
Again, What you do to the poor you do to Chriſt. If Chriſt was on earth again, would you not ſhew love to him? Saith Chriſt,foreign. Ch…ſ. foreign. Matth. 26.11. Matth. 25 4…. The poor you have always with you; and what you do to them you do to me, I take all that, and put it upon my ſcore, 'tis all done to my ſelf. Verily I ſay unto you, in as much as yee have done it, unto one of the leaſt of theſe my brethren, you have done it unto me.
I might adde many conſiderations more, to quicken you to the duty.Exod, 34.6, 7. Et paſſim. Luke 6.36. As the Nature and example of God? He is mercifull, rich in mercy, full of compaſſion, abundant in goodneſſe. Be yee therefore mercifull, as your Father alſo is mercifull. Doth not this mercy of God runne out upon you in broad ſtreames? Doth he clothe you, can you ſee a poor creature naked, and do nothing for him? Hath he elected you to life, given you the pardon of ſin, will you grudge to give a peece of bread, your meane and ſcant mercy who are made partakers of ſo high and glorious mercy? Put on (ſaith the Apoſtle) as the Elect of God, Col. 3.12.bowells of mercy, what ever others are, the elect of God muſt be mercifull; Gods love is a ſtrong incentive to ours; Bid God pitty us in our blood, we muſt certainely pitty our brother in his Teares?
Charity to the poor 'tis your bill of exchange; pay down your mony here, and you ſhall receive it again in glory,Fac tibi poſſeſſionum terreſtrium Ghristum participem, ut ille te ſibi faciat regnorum caeleſtiū cohaeredem. Cypr. Luke 6.38. not in kinde but in that which is farre better. 'Tis the beſt expreſſion of your Thankefullneſſe to God for his bleſſings to you. What neede I ſpeake more? The text is full, Be mercifull, and you ſhall obtain mercy; Mercy for your ſelves, for your children, mercy in this life mercy in the life to come; Give and it ſhall be given to you, good meaſure preſſed down, and ſhaken to gether, and running over, &c.
I hope theſe Arguments will prevaile with you. For Gods ſake, for Chriſts ſake, for the Goſpells ſake, for your own ſake, as well as for your brethrens ſake, be tender and compaſſionate and charitable to them that are in diſtreſſe, you have many objects of mercy, many opportunities of doing good: Oh that you had but hearts to do good. If what I have ſpoken, do not work upon you, this Sermon ſhall riſe up in judgement againſt you; and then you ſhall know God hath no mercy for you, if now you have no mercy for your Brethren.
Before I paſſe off from this Ʋſe, I muſt anſwer a few Objections that are in the hearts and mouthes of many againſt this duty. To reckon up all would be endleſſe; I will only pick out ſome of thoſe that are moſt common.
Object. 1 Firſt, ſay ſome, we live in uncertain times, foreign, &c. Baſil l. 1. Ho. foreign.and all that we can get is little enough to lay up to ſecure our ſelves againſt dayes of trouble. Wars may come again, and trading may ceaſe; what will become of us then, if we have not a good ſtock before?
I confeſſe God hath caſt us upon dayes of diſtraction, and what time may produce we know not: But I ſay, the rather be charitable. Give a portion to ſeven, Eccleſ. 12.2.and alſo to eight, for thou knoweſt not what evil ſhall be upon the earth. Would you be wiſe to provide for a time of tryal? in your proſperity remember the poor; come what will come, do thus, God will ſee you ſhall not want.Luke 16.9. This is to make friends of the Mammon of unrighteouſneſs; thus you make God to be your friend, and can you fear ſo long as God is your friend?
Object. 2 But (alas!) We are not able: None more willing then we, but we are not able.
Anſw. Not able: Indeed you are to be pitied! ſimplexne furor ſeſtertia centū Perdere et horrenti tunicam non reddere ſervo?—Juven. Sat. l. 1.not for the ſcantneſs of your eſtates, but the coldneſs of your charity. Not able: Take heed of ſaying ſo, leſt God make you ſo indeed. Not able: What, ſo many hundreds, it not thouſands, per annum? ſuch ſtocks, ſuch trading, ſuch purchaſing, and yet not able? You can finde a thouſand pound for a purchaſe;Non habet in foelix Numitor, quod mittat amicos. Quintillae quod donet habet— Juven. Sat. 6. Vid. Bafil. Ho. foreign Very elegantly. Neceſſitates infi…atae ſunt, tribu…a ſunt gravia, fiſcalia explicare non poſſumus, &c. Ambroſ. 'Ov foreign. Chryſoſt. Habet ſemper unde det qui plenum pectus habet charitatis. Aug. and if we come for Twenty Shillings for a poor Chriſtian, then, not able? Ye can throw away a great deal prodigally upon a Feaſt, a Suit, a Houſe, a Hawk, may be upon a Whore; but when it comes to a buſineſſe of charity, then you can pretend inability. Ambroſe ſpeaks to this; Come to ſome men, Pray give ſomething to the poor; Alas we cannot, Taxes are high, and Cuſtomes are high, we have many occaſions for our money. Theſe do not conſider ſaith he, that The ſalvation of the ſoul is to be preferred before all. Away with all theſe excuſes, there's money enough in the Coffer, if there was but more charity in the heart: but the ſhort and the long on't is this, you are covetous and ſordid-ſpirited men.
Object. 3 But we have a great charge, and many children to provide for, and we ſhould wrong them by this bounty.
Anſw. No, Vid. Cyprian de Op. & Eſeem. fully to this Object.not ſo; God will bleſſe your children for your mercy, they ſhall have the more for it. Would you ſecure and improve their Portions? put ſomething into Gods hands for them; what ever becomes of the reſt, that ſhall be ſafe.
Object. 4 But this is the way to waſte and diminiſh our eſtates.
Anſw. That's falſe, Eſto intrepidus, eſto ſecurus, finir… non poteſt, unde in uſus Chriſti impenditur, unde opus caeleſte celebiatur. Cypr. de Op. &c.as I have ſhewn you already: No man ſhal be the poorer at the yeers end for what he laies out upon the poor; you ſhall have your money again, and improvement for it too. I have read of Tiberius the ſecond, Partner with Juſtinus in the Empire: this man was very famous for his bounty to the poor; inſomuch that his Wife was wont to blame him for it: and ſpeaking to him once how he waſted his treaſure this way; he told her,Cluver. Epit. P. 405. Non defuturam dixit fiſco pecuniam, quoad ipſe ſecutus Chriſti praecepta, in coelo theſauros colligeret, egenorum fovendo defectus. Fertur de Rege quodam Anglo, &c. Bonav. in 6. Luc. Fullers Eccl. Hiſt. He Should never want money, ſo long as in obedience to Chriſts command he did ſupply the neceſsities of the poor. And preſently ſee how Providence ordered it; immediately after he had given much in this way, VnderUnder a Marble Table which was taken up, there he found a great treaſure, and newes was brought him too of the death of one Narſes, a very rich man, who had given all unto him. Shall I tell you a fine Popiſh ſtory, which Bonaventure relates more generally, but you have it particularly and fully ſet down in a late Writer of our own. King Oſwald ſitting in his Palace on Eaſter day, and being at dinner, with a Biſhop with him, he was told, that there were many poor waiting at his Palace-Gates: Upon this he commands all his meat from his Table to be carried to them, and a great ſilver Charger to be broken in pieces, and given to them. The Biſhop laying hold on the Kings hand, ſaies thus, May this hand never be conſumed: And, ſay the Papiſts (believe them if you will) ſo it fell out; for the Corpſe of this King being long after taken up, when all his other parts were conſumed,foreign, &c. foreign Chryſoſt. his hand was as found as ever. I judge this to be one of their Fables: but my Application is true; Sure I am, that eſtate ſhall never wither that is improved in wayes of charity to the poor. But, I refer you to what was laid down in the Doctrinal part.
Object. 5 The laſt ſhift is this. We will do thus and thus when we dye: then wee'l build Hoſpitals, and then wee'l give ſuch Legacies to the poor. But pray let us alone till then.
Anſ. Then dye as ſoon as you will, and the ſooner the better; if you'l do no good in your life-time we have then more reaſon to pray for your death, foreign Baſil.then for your life. But is it not better to be like the Tree, that ſtands and yet yeelds fruit; Is it not better to be like the Sheep that do good whilſt they live, rather then like the Swine, that are good for nothing till they dye? Is it not better fot you now to beſtow your charity, when you your ſelves may ſee it running in the right channell, then to ſtay till you be dead, when perhaps the Executors may be nothing but the Executioners of your wills. But the Truth is, we look but for little from you; Pliny ſpeakes of a Tree, the Leaf whereof was as big as a Target, but the fruit no bigger then a Bean. And ſuch a buſineſſe is death-bed-charity, They that will do great things then, it often falls out, they do nothing at all, (or as good as nothing at all.)
And ſo much for the objections alſo.
I hope you are now brought to ask me this queſtion, wherein would you have us to expreſſe this mercy, or what object will you direct us to for our charity? If ſo, let me tell you, here are famous objects before you this day, the famous Hoſpitalls of this Citty, the Corporation for the poor. Here your charity is needed, here it will be readily received, and here it will be faithfully improved. Here you ſee the high charity of them that lived before you; Here you have foundations not to be parrallel'd in the whole world,Vid. Aquin. 1a. 2ae. Cajetanes Mons pietatis is but a Mol-hill to what you have here; For ſhame, when your Fore-Fathers have done ſo much, do not you hold in your hands and do nothing at all, Theſe great lamps call for a great deale of oyle; our miſery is. The Lamp grows greater, and the oyle doth not increaſe with it. We need go no farther then to theſe Foundations to prove the decay of charity.Dr. Hackwels Apolog. for Provid. A learned man writes a book to prove there is no decay in Nature, but who can deny but that there is a decay in Charity? Men before us had enough of it to build, and we have ſcarce charity enough to ſupport that with a little coſt, which they erected with vaſt treaſures.
One tells us it was the uſe of the Roman Cenſors once a yeer to call the Cittyzens before them,M. Rogers good Sama…it. p. 80. to take an acount how the lawes were obſerved in all their Provinces. A meſſenger being commanded to call the Good-men before them, he goes to the Tombes of thoſe who in their Life time was moſt renowned; and calls them by their names, ſummoning them to appeare before the Cenſors; Being reproved for ſo doing, he anſwered, ſickeneſſe and age had worn out all the Good-men of the Citty, and there was none left that was worthy of that name. The Application is too obvious; ſhould I be commanded to call in ſome charitable men before you, I muſt go to the Graves of our old Benefactors, for truly in our dayes there are very few ſuch to be found amongſt us. I ſpeak this to your ſhame; and therefore you rich Cittyzens and others, go home and open your purſes, and ſend in ſomething to theſe Mercifull plantations, of which you ſee there is ſo much fruit reaped.
I have pitched upon this becauſe of the day; I might inſtance in other objects, but I muſt contract. I have ſpoken to you as rich men: Be mercifull;Munetarius pauperum, & egentium candidatus ſic festinet ad coe…ū, Hieron. In the practice of this duty go on towards glory, you ſhall not be the worſe on earth, you ſhall be infinitely the better in Heaven, for what you do to the poor.2 Cor. 9.8, 10, 11. Ile conclude this head with that of the Apoſtle, where he is treating upon the ſame Argument; And God is able to make all grace abound towards you, that yee allwayes having all ſufficiency in all things, may abound to every good worke. (As it is written he hath diſperſed abroad, he hath given to the poor, his righteouſneſſe remaineth for ever. Now he that miniſtreth ſeed to the ſower, both miniſter bread for your food, and multiply your ſeed ſown, and increaſe the fruit of your righteouſneſſe.) Being inriched in every thing to all bountifullneſs, which cauſeth thorough us thankeſgiving to God. And take that other place too,1 Tim. 6.17, 18, 19. in another Epiſtle, Charge them that are rich in this world, &c. That they do good, that they be rich in good workes, ready to diſtribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in ſtore for themſelves a good foundation againſt the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternall life.
Branch of the Uſe.I ſhall now addreſs my ſelf to you, the Right Honourable Magiſtrates of this famous Citty. And give me leave to preſſe the duty in hand upon you, Be yee mercifull and very mercifull. I beg mercy of you not onelyonly as you are rich men, but as you are Magiſtrates; you muſt not onelyonly open the purſe, but alſo improve your power in a way of mercy. Do not miſtake me, I do not deſire mercy of you for the guilty, but for the needy. I would not have you to blunt the ſword of juſtice, or to abate your ſeverity, in the punniſhment of ſin and offenders, for here 'tis*Auguſt. Veniam preſtare illicitis, non eſt miſericordiam praeſtare, ſed justitiam miſericordia non tenere. Hilar. Miſericordia puniens & crudelitas parcens. Ther's abundance of ſin amongſt us, which certainely the Magiſtrate is to punniſh, Theft, Drunkenneſſe, Adultery, prophanation of the Lords day; Go on I beſeech you, and let thoſe who are guilty of theſe abominations finde no mercy from you:Omnes hominines qui de rebus magnis acturi ſunt, ab ira & miſericordiâ oporiet eſſe va foreign. Cato in Salluſt. Job 29.15. Pſal. 82.3, 4. Iob 29.12. And when you are upon the Bench in capital matters, and notorious ſins know no mercy, but only to puniſh. All that here I ask of you is, that you would be merciful to the poor; that you would be eyes to the blinde, and feet to the lame; that you would judge the cauſe of the needy, & defend the poor and the fatherleſs, and ſtand up in the gate for them that have none to help them. Take heed of oppreſsing the poor, and of diſcountenancing the poor mans cauſe, when ever it comes before you. Many Widows and Orphans depend upon you; to be faithful to your truſt in reference to them, will be a high act of mercifulneſſe.Exod. 22.22, 23, 24. Ye ſhall not afflict any Widow or fatherleſs childe. If thou afflict them in any wiſe, and they cry at all unto me, I will ſurely hear their cry; and my wrath ſhall wax hot and I will kill you with the ſword, and your wives ſhall be widdowes, and your children Fatherleſſe. God doth in a ſpeciall manner intereſt himſelfe in the concernements of the widdows and Fatherleſſe, and they that wrong them, he will certainely meet with, in ſome remarkeable judgement, either upon themſelves or upon their poſterity. But as for you, I bleſſe God, and rejoyce in it, I may herein ſpeak to your commendation for your great care and fidelity in this buſineſſe; yet I hope you will pardon me for hinting this to you as an eminent peece of Mercy. I could lay before you other excellent Channells for your mercy to run in, but I will not be either too bold, or too tedious.
3 Branch of the Uſe.But a word to you the Worſhipfull Governours of the ſeverall Hoſpitalls, and the Truſtees in theſe Corporations of Charity, and I have done with this Vſe. As you are to improve and to receive the mercy of others, ſo you are to put forth your own mercy. Shall I exhort you to be honeſt and faithfull in your truſt? I need not, your integrity is abundantly known herein. To rob the Hoſpitall is an unpardonable theft, the ſtones in the walls ſhall cry out againſt ſuch; but who is there that knowes you, and doth not alſo know that you deteſt a thing ſo baſe as this is.
There are but two things that I ſhall ſay to you.
Firſt, Grudge not your pains in acts of mercy. I ſuppoſe attendance upon your truſt may coſt you much time, and much paines, and take you off from your own occaſions, and be to your own private prejudice, but go on and be diligent in ſo good a work; the bleſsing of the poor will be upon you,Job 29.13. the bleſsing of the God of the poor will be upon you; your pains are full of mercy, and your mercy ſhall be full of profit. How can you be imployed better, then about the lives and livelihoods of thouſands that do wholly depend upon you?
And Secondly, let me ſay this to you, that others may be encouraged to theſe noble acts of charity; Be careful in all things to keep punctually to the wils of thoſe who are Donors and Benefactors. What a barbarous thing is it to infringe the wills of them that are dead? And beſides that, how hath the charity of ſome men been damm'd up in theſe times, upon this very cauſe, that we are ſo bold in ſtreining, and perverting, and flatly contradicting the wills of the deceaſed? I could give you inſtances, but I forbear.
I have been very long you ſee in this Vſe of Exhortation: there are one or two more yet behinde, which I will diſpach very briefly, and ſo conclude.
The third Uſe is for direction: And here I will give you ſome ſhort Rules, for the guiding of you in the practice of this duty of mercy.
The firſt Rule is this, Give that to the poor, which is honeſtly gotten: Do not bring to God Holocauſtum exrapinâ. Quaerit Deus dona non ſpolia (ſaies Ambroſe.) 'Twas a notable ſpeech of Selimus to one of his Baſſa's, Dr. Harris upon the Beat. p. 179.who exhorting him to do ſomething in a way of charity, to erect Hoſpitals out of the eſtates of the Perſian Merchants, wrongfully taken from them: Selymus anſwers thus;foreign, &c Chryſoſt. Wouldſt thou that I ſhould beſtow other mens goods wrongfully taken from them, upon works of charity and devotion? aſſuredly I will never do it, nay rather ſee they be again reſtored to the right owners. This Turk is a ſhame to many Chriſtians; they will get eſtates Per fas & nefas, they care not how; and then they quiet their conſciences with this, They will ſet up ſome Monument of their charity, out of their unjuſt and oppreſsive gaines. This may be for the good of others, but themſelves ſhall never be the better for it. Zaccheus gives half of his goods to the poor, Luke 19.8.and if he had wrong'd any he makes reſtitution. This is an excellent pattern for your imitation; be merciful to them that want, but then be juſt to them that you have wrong'd; Non reminitur peccatum, niſi… reſtituatur ablatum. Aug.remembring alwayes that of Auſtine, No reſtitution, no remiſsion. Bring not a gift to God, the foundation of which was laid in thy brothers tears: Give that which is your own; firſt be honeſt, and then bountiful.
Secondly,2 Rule. Pſal. 112.5. Let your charity be ordered with conſcience and diſcretion. A good man ſheweth favour, and lendeth, he will guide his affairs with diſcretion. This wiſdom and conſcience lies chiefly in the right objecting of your mercy. Take the pooreſt, take the beſt, and make them the objects of your pitty. I ſay, the pooreſt, thoſe that are in the greateſt neceſſity, in the firſt place relieve them.Donant iis qui maximè donare poſſunt, hi viſcatis hamatiſ que muneribus non ſua pronunt, ſed aliena corripiunt. Plin. Ep. l. 9. Some will give that they may receive, this is complementing: ſome will give to thoſe that can make a good ſhift in the world, and neglect thoſe that are ready to ſtarve, this is indiſcretion. And then I ſay give to the beſt; ſome are very unblameable in their converſation, painful in their callings, modeſt in their behaviour, ſuch as are aſhamed to make known their wants, and yet God keeps them very low: oh be merciful to ſuch; but eſpecially do you ſee any that fear God, be ſure you ſhew mercy to them.Gal. 6.10. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good to all men; eſpecially unto them, who are of the houſhold of Faith. Here your charity will be moſt acceptable to God, and moſt profitable to your ſelves; for ſuch will requite you with their prayers, not only with a common outward God bleſs you, but their very ſouls will go out to God for you.
Thirdly,3 Rule. Do not limit your ſelves too much in Mercy. Let it be full and large and vaſt, if your abilityes will permit. Limit not your ſelves in the proportion of your mercy. You that have much, muſt give much. Your charity muſt be ſuitable to your Ability; A rich man may give much, and yet be counted by God an unmercifull man, becauſe he gives not according to what he may, and ought. Remember that of the Apoſtle, 2 Cor 9.6.He which ſoweth ſparingly ſhall reap ſparingly; and he which ſoweth bountifully ſhall reap bountifully.
Limit not you ſelves as to the continuance of Mercy; be conſtant in it, perſevere and hold on: As the poor will never ceaſe, Eccl. 11.2. Gal. 6.9. 3. Theſſ 3.13.ſo your pitty muſt never ceaſe. Give a portion to ſeven and alſo to eight. Be not weary in well doing, ye ſhall reape if you faint not.
Limit not your ſelves, as to the Acts of mercy; abound in all the fruits of mercy. There's mercy in giving, come up to that. There's mercy in lending, come up to that. Lend to the poor and look for no improvement; Loane ex pacto, or ex faenore to the poor, certainly that is Vſura mordax, condemned by all. There's mercy in buying of and ſelling to the poor.Amos 8.4, 5. Many in this Citty make the Ephah ſmall, an the Shekell great, they will buy of the poor very cheap, taking the advantage of their neceſſity, but they will ſell to them deer enough; this is ſinfull. But theſe things I do but touch upon.
Limit not your ſelves as to the Object of your mercy. Such a man is my enemy, ſhall I do good to him?Prov. 25.21, 22. Nec ita clauden i est res familiaris, ut eam benignitas aperire non poſſit, nec ita reſeranda ut pateat omnibus; modus adhibeatur, iſ que referatur ad facultates. Cicer. Humanitati dandum non ipſi homini. Ariſt. Tanquam homines, non tanquam homini. A. Gel. p. 236. 4. Rule. Yes, If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he be thirſty, give him water to drink; for thou ſhalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord ſhall reward thee. But ſuch an one is an idle fellow, a common Beggar; ſhall I relieve him? The Ancients were ſo much for mercy, that they are very high in this point. I will not inlarge upon it: Ile only ſay this, Here do only what neceſsity requires and no more; and what you give to ſuch, give as to the Nature not as to the man, or give as to the man, not as to the perſon. 'Tis eaſie to preſſe the duty of mercy, but to determine what muſt be done either as to the meaſure, or as to the object, that is difficult, and every man muſt here make the deciſion himſelf according to his own judgement and conſcience.
Fourthly and laſtly: In all your mercy let there be ſincerity, cheerfulneſs, thankfulneſs.
Firſt, be ſincere in what you do; All your mercy if it be not upon a right end, is nothing; 'Tis very hard to keep mercy unſtained by Hypocriſy; many are ſeeking their own applauſe, when they ſeeme to act for their brothers good. Therefore ſaith the Apoſtle, He that giveth let him do it with ſimplicity. Rom. 12.8.Our Saviour in this Sermon obviates the pride and hypocriſy of men in their acts of mery.Mat. 6.1, &c. Take heede that ye do not your Almes before men to be ſeene of them; otherwiſe ye have no reward of your Father which is in Heaven. Some are like the Hen, that cannot lay an Egge but ſhe falls a cackeling; they cannot do ſomething charitably, but all the Pariſh, muſt know it; But thou when thou doeſt Almes, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth, That thine Almes my be in ſecret; and thy Father which ſeeth in ſecret, he ſhall reward thee openly.
Secondly, what you do, do it willingly and cherefully; Let not your mony come from you like fire out of a flint, as though it was forced from you, but let it flow out like water out of the fountain. 2 Cor. 9.7.Every man according as he purpoſeth in his Heart, ſo let him give; not grudgingly or of neceſſity, for God loveth a cheerefull giver. God commands not onelyonly the matter, but alſo the manner of the duty;Deut. 15.10. Thou ſhalt ſurely give him, and thine heart ſhall not be grieved when thou giveſt unto him.
Thirdly let thankefullneſſe run thorough all your mercy; Bleſſe God, you are not the begger; that you are not the needy man, that you have ſo much plenty when others are in ſo much want; I ſay be very thankefull, that you are the giver and not the receiver, Acts 20.35.For 'Tis a more bleſſed thing to give then to receive; And that providence which ſets your brother low for the drawing out of his patience, ſets you thus High for the drawing out of your thankefullneſſe. Be not wanton, be not diſdainfull under your fullneſſe, but rather be very humble and thankfull. Pride and unthankfullneſſe will ſoon make you as poor as others are.
Vſe 4 The fourth Vſe ſhall be for comfort to mercifull men. Is not the promiſe in the Text ſweet,Hoſ. 10.12. that is yours. Ye ſow in mercy and you ſhall reap in mercy; your bowells are inlarged to men, the bowells of God are inlarged towards you. I ſpeake to ſome I know, who do ſincerely and conſcientiouſly lay out of their plenty to the poor; if they ſee a diſtreſſed creature, eſpecially if they ſee a diſtreſſed Saint, they cannot hold their hands from mercy; Go on thus doing, and know, You ſhall obtain mercy; Mal. 3.16.God keepes a book of remembrance for all your disburſements to the poor.Heb. 6.10. He is not unrighteous to forget your labour of Love. How ſweet will that ſentence be at the great day, Come ye bleſſed of my Father, Matth. 25 34.inherit the kingdom prepared for you. How many hearts do you rejoyce now, and how will God fill you brim full with joy in the day of your Accompt. Say not 'tis but little you can do. The Widows mite was accepted. Mark 12.43. Matth. 10.42. Non quanto ſed ex quantū Cypr. foreign. Chryſest. 2 Cor. 8.12.A cup of cold water ſhall be rewarded. 'Tis not how much, but out of how much, that God looks at: 'tis not the quantity, but the ſincerity that pleaſes God. If there be firſt a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, & not according to that he hath not. You are of all men moſt ready to give, and moſt backward to take the comfort of your giving. Oh, that I might prevail with Muckworms to be more bountiful; and oh that I might prevail with them that are merciful, to be more cheerful: Do not you deſpiſe that mercy, which pleaſes God, and refreſhes ſo many poor creatures: Forget all in a way of merit, but yet take the comfort of what you do in a way of duty. There's a time coming, when you ſhall ſtand in more need of mercy from God, then any poor creature here can ſtand in need of mercy from you; then you ſhall have it: Is not your condition good? Mercy from God is the ſum of all your deſires, you ſhall finde it in great abundance for your mercy to your Brethren. And yet let me tell you, you are come up to that which is higher then all this; To give your mony to the poor is much, 2 Cor. 8.5.but you have given your ſelves to the Lord, that's a great deal more. What have you left your ſelves? your goods are given to the poor, your ſelves are given to God; what have you more to give? Be of good comfort, you give your All to God, and he will give his All to you.
Vſe 5 In the laſt place, to ſhut up all; Having ſpoke ſo much for the poor, let me now ſpeak a word to the poor. The Sermon that I have preached will pleaſe you very well, for you love to heare of the Duty of the Rich, but you care not to heare of your own. Rich men muſt be mercifull, that you like well, you hope to be the better for it in outward things; But doth the word ſpeake nothing to you? Yes; you muſt be painefull and diligent in a calling;2 Theſſ. 3.10. He that will not wot work let him not eat, was the Apoſtles command: Idleneſſe and Lazineſſe is the ſin of many that are in want; if they would but work they might eate their own bread, 8… 12.and not be chargeable to any. Whence is it that we have ſo many Vagrants and Beggars amongſt us?Epheſ. 4.28. Whence? 'Tis from Idleneſs; They go from houſe to houſe, and are ſupply'd by the mercy of others, and this ſlothfull life pleaſes them very well: There are others will take a little paines, but when they have got a little mony, preſently they go to an Alehouſe and there drink it away, and ſo their wives and children may ſtarve, if they be not relieved. Theſe are baſe wretches, and I beg no mercy for ſuch, but what (as I ſaid before) abſolute neceſſity doth require. Severity to theſe, either to make them to take paines,Benefacta malè locata, malefacta arbitror. Ennii dictum. Commended by Tully, l 2. de Offic. Severity to theſe, either to make them to take paines, or to let them be pinched under their neceſſities, is the beſt mercy for them. God never injoyned mercy to incourage idleneſſe, but to ſupport weakneſſe. And therefore this is the firſt thing; you that are poor, if you have no Calling put your ſelves into one, if you have a Calling, walk in it with all diligence and honeſty, & then ſee if God doth not raiſe up friends to help you.
Again. the rich muſt be merciful to you, then you muſt carry your ſelves humbly, and civilly, and reſpectfully to the rich. To be poor and ſawcy too is a very unlovely thing. Mercy is a debt to you, honour and due reſpect is a debt from you; which is held out not only by the light of Scripture, but by the very light of Nature.
You may expect mercy from them that are full, but do it in a right manner, and upon right principles. Do not go and tell the rich, there ought to be a parity, and why ſhould they have ſo much, and you ſo little? for God hath made a difference in the perſons of the world, in the things of the world, and to level perſons and poſſeſsions is directly contrary to the order and inſtitution of God. Do not go to ſet up a community, upon the miſtaking of that in the Apoſtles dayes, when all things were common; Acts 2.44.for the breaking up of the incloſure of property is ſinful, and tends to all confuſion and cruelty. Do not go to the rich, and impudently demand relief from them;Prov. 18.23. 'tis your due, but yet the poor muſt uſe intreaties. Importunity is tolerable, but impudence is loathſome.
Are the rich merciful to you, be ye merciful to them. There's mercy lying upon the poor as well as upon the rich. Do they open their hands to you, do you go to God in prayer and open your hearts for them; Charity they give to you, you muſt return prayer to them; Lord ſuch a man is good to me, be thou good to him, and requite him all his love ſeven-fold into his own boſom. This is the beſt expreſſion of your thankefullneſſe, and the beſt way to have their mercy yet to run out more freely upon you.
Do the rich deny you mercy, do not curſe and ſweare and fret at them, (as two many profanely do) but quietly waite tell God incline their hearts to ſhew favour to you.
And laſtly, whileſt you would have others to be mercifull to your bodies, be not ye unmercifull to your own ſoules. Though you be very low, do not ſin; put not forth your hands to ſteale, Prov. 30.9.do not go to helpe your ſelves by any indirect wayes, (which is the Devills temptation to the poor;) do not fret and murmare at the providence of God; Do not neglect your eternall ſalvation; This is to be unmercifull to your own ſoules. Whatever others do for the body, do you minde the ſoul. Mat. 5.3.Are you poor in eſtate, be alſo poor in ſpirit? Are you poor in this world, be rich in faith and heires of the kingdom? James 2.5.So be, and ſo live, that whatever becomes of you for the mercy of men here you may inherit the mercy of God hereafter unto all eternity.
FINIS.
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End of the text · Thomas Jacombe, Gods Mercy for Mans Mercy (1657)