16. Job xxx. 25. SERM. this the confcience of Job did folace itself, as in a folid XXXI. affurance of his integrity: I delivered the poor that cried, Job xxix. and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. 12, 13, 15, The bleffing of him that was ready to perifh came upon me, and I caufed the widow's heart to fing. I was eyes to the blind, and feet I was to the lame; I was a father to the poor. Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? Was not my foul grieved for the poor? Hence alfo did the good Publican recommend himself to the favour and approbaLuke xix. tion of our Saviour, saying, Behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor: hence did falvation come to his houfe hence he is proclaimed, a fon of Abraham. Of Dorcas, that good woman, who was fo gracious and precious among the Disciples, this is the commendation and Acts ix. 36. character; She was full of good works and alms-deeds, 8, 9. which he did; fuch practice made her capable of that favour, fo great and extraordinary, the being restored to life; at least in St. Chryfoftom's judgment: The force of her alms, faith he, did conquer the tyranny of deathf, Cornelius alfo, that excellent perfon, who was, though a Gentile, fo acceptable to God, and had fo extraordinary Acts x. 2. graces conferred on him, is thus represented; He was a devout man, and one that feared God, with all his houfe; who gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God 1Tim. iii. 2. alway. We may add, that to be hofpitable (one branch of these duties, and inferring the rest) is reckoned a qualification of those who are to be the guides and patterns of goodness unto others. And particularly, And particularly, one fit to be promoted to a widow's office in the church is thus de1 Tim. v. fcribed; Well reported of for good works; if he have brought up children; if he have lodged ftrangers; if she have washed the faints' feet; if fhe have relieved the afflicted; if she have diligently followed every good work. Tit. i. 8. 10. 6. So near to the heart of piety doth the holy ScripGal. v. 14. ture lay the practice of thefe duties: and no wonder; Rom. xiii. for it often expressly declares charity to be the fulfilling 9, 10. f Ἡ τῆς ἐλεημοσύνης δύναμις ἐνίκησε θανάτου τὴν τυραννίδα. Orat. 55. Chryf. in Gen. XXXI. 12. of God's law, as the best expreffion of all our duty toward SERM. God, of faith in him, love and reverence of him, and as either formally containing, or naturally producing all our 1 Tim. i. 5. duty toward our neighbour. And of charity, works of Matt. vii. bounty and mercy are both the chief inftances, and the plaineft figns: for whereas all charity doth confift either in mental defire, or in verbal fignification, or in effectual performance of good to our neighbour; this laft is the end, the completion, and the affurance of the reft. Goodwill is indeed the root of charity; but that lies under 'Eiras ground, and out of fight; nor can we conclude its being. Greg. ἀγάπης ὁ or life without vifible fruits of beneficence. Good words Ny in Matt. v. 7. are at beft but fair leaves thereof, fuch as may, and too often do, proceed from a weak and barren difpofition of mind. But thefe good works are real fruits, (fo St. Paul Tit. iii. 14. calls them; Let ours alfo, faith he, learn to maintain good Rom. xv. works for neceffary uses, that they be not unfruitful,) Phil. iv. 17. which declare a true life, and a good ftrength of charity 28. 8. in the bearer of them: by them to yvýσiov Ts ȧyámns, the 2 Cor. viii. fincerity (or genuinenefs) of our charity is proved. For as no man ever doth impress a false stamp on the finest metal; fo coftly charity is feldom counterfeit. It is to decline fpending their goods or their pains, that men forge and feign; pretending to make up in wifhing well, the defect of doing fo, and paying words inftead of things: but he that freely imparts what he hath, or can do for his neighbour's good, needs no other argument to evince that he loves in good earnest, nor can indeed well use any other for words, if actions are wanting, feem abufive; and if actions are prefent, they are fuperfluous. Wherefore St. John thus advifes; My little children, let us not 1 John iii. love in word, or in tongue, (å^x' (pyw,) but in work and in truth. To love in work, and to love in truth, he fignifies to be the fame thing; and to pretend love in fpeech, without practising it in deed, he implies not allowable. And St. James in way of comparison says, that as faith without works is dead, fo love without beneficence is ufelefs. For, If a brother or fifter be naked, and deftitute James ii. of daily food, and one of you fay unto him, Depart in peace, 18. 15, 16, 17. SERM. be you warmed and filled, notwithstanding ye give them not XXXI. those things which are needful to the body, what doth it profit? Even fo faith without works is dead. Cold wishes of good, working no real benefit to our neighbour, and a faint affent unto truth, producing no conftant obedience to God, are things near of kin, and of like value; both of little worth or use. Charity then being the main point of religion, mercy and bounty being the chief parts of charity, well may these duties be placed in fo high a rank, according to the divine heraldry of Scripture. 7. To enforce which obfervations, and that we may be farther certified about the weight and worth of thefe duties, we may confider, that to the obfervance of them. most ample and excellent rewards are affigned; that, in return for what we bestow on our poor brethren, God hath promised all forts of the beft mercies and bleffings Pf. lxiii. 3. to us. The best of all good things, (that which in Da vid's opinion was better than life itself,) the fountain of all bleffings, (God's love and favour, or mercy,) is pro2 Cor. ix. 7. cured thereby, or is annexed to it. For, God loveth a Matt. v. 7. cheerful giver, faith St. Paul; and, The merciful shall obJames ii.13. tain mercy, faith our Saviour: and, Mercy rejoiceth against Matt. vi. Ecclus. iii. veftias, te judgment, (or boasteth, and triumpheth over it; ¤λsos nalaxavxãται xpiσews that is, it appeaseth God's wrath, and prevents our condemnation and punishment,) faith St. James; God will not continue displeased with him, nor will withhold his mercy from him, who is kind and merciful to his neighbour. It is true, if rightly understood, what the Hebrew Wife Man faith, Water will quench a flaming fire, and alms maketh an atonement for fins. For ipfum in- this practice hath the nature and name of a facrifice, and duis juftitiam Ambr, is declared as fuch both in excellency and efficacy to furOffic. i. 11. pafs all other facrifices; to be most acceptable to God, Pfalm. most available for expiation of guilt, most effectual in obcxxxiii. taining mercy and favour. Other facrifices performed in Chryf. tom. v. Orat. 55. obedience to God's appointment (on virtue of our Lord's perfect obedience, and with regard to his pure facrifice of himself) did in their way propitiate God, and atone fin: but this hath an intrinfic worth, and a natural aptitude to Hier. in Micah vi. 7. 16. thofe purposes. Other obligations did fignify a willing- SERM. ness to render a due homage to God: this really and im- XXXI. mediately performs it. They were fhadows or images well resembling that duty, (parting with any thing we have for the fake of God, and for purchasing his favour,) whereof this is the body and substance. This is therefore preferred as in itself excelling the reft, and more estimable in God's fight; fo that in comparison or competition. therewith, the other feem to be flighted and rejected. I will, faith God, have mercy, and not facrifice: and, Will Hof. vi. 6. the Lord be pleafed with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Will he? that is, he will not be pleased with fuch facrifices, if they be abftracted from the more delightful facrifices of bounty and mercy. God never made an exception against these, or derogated from them in any cafe: they abfolutely and perpetually are, as St. Paul speaketh, odours of a sweet smell, facrifices ac- Phil. iv. 18. ceptable and well-pleafing to God. And the Apostle to the Hebrews feconds him: To do good, faith he, and to Heb. xiii. communicate, forget not; for with fuch facrifices God is well pleafed. By thefe, all other works and all enjoyments are fanctified: for, Give alms, faith our Lord, of Luke xi.41. what ye have; and, behold, all things are pure unto you. Such charitable perfons are therefore frequently pronounced bleffed, that is, in effect inftated in a confluence of all good things. Blessed is he that confidereth the poor, Pfal. xli. 1. fays the Pfalmift; and, He that hath a bountiful eye is Prov. xxii. bleffed, faith Solomon; and, He that hath mercy on the 9. xiv. 21. poor, happy is he, faith the Wife Man again; and, Blessed Matt. v. 7. are the merciful, faith our Lord himfelf. So in grofs and generally. Particularly alfo and in retail, the greatest bleffings are expressly allotted to this practice; prosperity in all our affairs is promised thereto. Thou, faith Mofes, Deut. xv. fhalt furely give thy poor brother, and thine heart shall not be grieved that thou giveft unto him; because that for this thing the Lord thy God fhall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou putteft thine hand unto. Stability in a good condition is ordinarily confequent thereon: fo the prophet Daniel implies, when, advifing king Nebuchad 10. SERM. nezzar to thefe works, he adds, If it may be a lengthening XXXI. of thy tranquillity. Deliverance from evil incumbent, Dan. iv. 27. protection in imminent danger, and fupport in afflictions, 2, 3. are the fure rewards thereof: fo the Pfalmift affures us: Pfal. xli. 1, Bleffed, faith he, is he that confidereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preferve him and keep him alive, and he shall be blessed upon earth; and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing; thou wilt make all his bed in his fickness. Security from all want is likewise a recompence proper thereto : for, Prov.xxviii. He that giveth to the poor shall not lack, faith the Wise Ifa. lviii. Man. If thou draw out thy foul to the hungry, and fatisfy. 10, 11, 12. the afflicted foul, then shall thy light arife in obfcurity, &c. Thriving in wealth and estate is another special reward: Prov.xi. 25. for, The liberal foul shall be made fat; the fame author 07. 29. Luke xiv. 14. gives us his word for it. Even of the good things here below, to those who for his fake in this or any other way Matt. xix. do let go houfes or lands, our Lord promifeth the return of a hundredfold, either in kind, or in value. So great encouragements are annexed to this practice even in relation to the concernments of this tranfitory life: but to them befide God hath deftinated rewards incomparably more confiderable and precious, fpiritual and eternal rewards, treasures of heavenly wealth, crowns of endlessglory, the perfection of joy and blifs to be dispensed at. the refurrection of the juft. He that for my fake hath left houfes or lands, fhall receive a hundredfold now at this, time, (or in this prefent life,) and in the world to come 'fhall inherit everlasting life; fo infallible truth hath affured us. They who perform thefe duties are faid to Luke xii. make themfelves bags which wax not old, a treafure that 33. xvi. 9. faileth not in the heavens; to make themselves friends of the unrighteous mammon, who, when they fail, (when they depart, and leave their earthly wealth,) will receive them 1 Tim. vi. into everlasting habitations; to lay up in store for themfelves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. Such rewards are promised to the obfervers. Matt. xix. 29. Mark x. 29, 30. 19. |