OUr Saviour Christ doth reduce the ten Commandements un­to two, the love of God, the love of our neighbour, Luke 10.28. Saint Paul includes all in one word love, as you may finde it in the 14. verse of the precedent Chapter. All the law is fulfilled [Page 2]in one word, even in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe. But then this love must bee active, and working, not lazie and idle, but practicall, shewing it selfe in actions of charity without wearinesse: And the Apostle gives a good reason for it in the verse that goes before my Text, Let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap if wee faint not.

As we have therefore opportunity, let us doe good unto all men, especially to them who are of the houshold of Faith.

In which words I observe these parts: First, an act, Let us doe: Secondly, the qua­lity of it, Good: Thirdly, the object in ge­nerall tearmes, Vnto all men; In speciall tearmes, The houshold of Faith. Fourthly, the time when, Whilest we have opportunity: Fifthly, the motive, or reason perswading us thereunto, intimated in the illative par­ticle of my Text, Therefore; which referres us backe to take a view of what hath been sayd before: and there we shall finde a reason given in the verse immediatly pre­ceding [Page 3]my Text; because wee in due season shall reap. As if hee should have said, If we sow our good workes with a charitable hand upon all men, especially upon the houshold of Faith, we shall in the time of gathering at harvest, when the Wheat shall bee gathered into the Garner, and the Chaffe burnt with unquenchable fire, reap a plentifull crop, a full, ample, and gracious reward of our Charity, In due season we shall reap if we faint not. So as for the sprinkling and scattering of a small portion of our goods in a convenient seed­time for workes of charity, wee shall have a large returne of the principall, with interest, in the season of harvest at the last day.

As we have therefore opportunity, let us doe good unto all men, especially to them who are of the houshold of faith.

I begin with the first parts, the act, and the quality of it: Let us doe good.

Above all things, saith the Apostle, put on Charity, which is the bond of perfection, Co­loss. [Page 4]3.14. Now abideth Faith, Hope and Charity; but the greatest of these is Charitie, 1 Cor. 13. ult.

David calls that man happy, whose sins are covered: Beatus vir cujus tecta sunt pec­cata: Blessed is hee whose unrighteousnesse is forgiven, and whose sinne is covered, Psal. 32.12.

And Salomon sayes, That love covers all sinnes, Prov. 10.12. And St. Peter sayes, that Love covers a multitude of sinnes. Mul­titudinem peccatorum operit charitas; above all things have fervent Charity: for charity covers a multitude of sinnes, 1 Pet. 4.8.

Though I speake with the tongues of Men and Angels, and have not Charity, saith the Apo­stle, I am but as sounding Brasse, and a tinck­ling Cymball. And though I have the gift of Prophesie, and the understanding all myste­ries, and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so as I could remove mountaines, and have not Charity, I am nothing.

Therefore whilest wee have opportunity, let us doe good unto all men; especially to those of [Page 5]the houshold of faith.

Hee that shall say I have quieted my thoughts through the merits of Christ Je­sus, and my faith in him, and that I am re­conciled, and have made my peace with God, and therefore from henceforth I may say, with Saint Paul, 2 Tim. 4.8. that J know a crown of righteousnesse is laid up for me, and hath not charity, deceives himselfe, and the truth is not in him.

It was most excellent counsell which the Prophet Daniel gave King Nebuchadnez­zar, Breake off thy sinnes by righteousnesse, Dan. 4.17. and thy iniquity by shewing mercy to the poore.

The man that stood before Cornelius in bright cloathing told him, Act. 10.30. that his praiers were heard, and that his almes deeds were had in remembrance in the sight of God.

Therefore while we have opportunity, &c.

To doe good, and communicate forget not, Heb. 13 16. for with such sacrifice the Lord is well plea­sed.

Esurivi, saies our Saviour Christ, I was an hungery, and yee gave me meate, I was [Page 6]thirstie, and yee gave me drinke, I was a stran­ger and yee took me in, naked and yee cloathed me, Matt. 25.35 I was sick and yee visited me, I was in prison, and yee came to me, therefore venite benedicti patris mei, come yee blessed of my father, possi­dete regnum, take possession of an eternall king­dome: the declarative reason is, Quia esurivi, J was an hungred and yee gave me meat.

Therefore whilst we have opportunitie, let us doe good unto all men, &c.

And so I come unto the object, ‘All men.’

What unto our enimies? that is a hard matter, that goes against the haire; a taske that will startle flesh and blood to under­take, but this is a law which our Saviour Christ doth impose upon us; But I say unto you, Mat. 5.44. love your enemies.

Antiently lex talionis was in use with the Jewes, and the Gentiles, as may be gathe­red out of the 38. of the same chap. And this to many seemed a naturall and a iust law, as we find in Arist. A. Gellius, Alex. ab Alexan. and others.

Plutarch reporteth that the first of the house of the Cornelii that was burned after his death was Sylla, fearing the same pu­nishment, lege talionis, should bee inflicted on him which his enemy Marius had suffe­red, whom he pluckt out of his grave.

But our Saviour crossing this law, saith, Mat 5.38. this was a law of old, an eie for an eie, and a tooth for a tooth; But I say unto you, doe good to those that hurt you, blesse them that curse you, pray for your persecutors, as in the same Chap. verse 44.

I confesse that this is the greatest temp­tation, and the hardest encounter that flesh and blood is put to. Saint August. making a repetition of all the commandements, sayes, that there is none harder to be kept, then that of loving our enemies, and re­straining the appetite from revenge against them that shall defame, and persecute us.

Quis cum invenerit inimicum, dimittet eum in via bona, saith Saul, who when he hath taken his enemy at an advantage, will let him goe in safetie.

What a hard matter will it bee then ac­cording to the command of the Apostle, heer in my text, to doe him good?

Redime me a calumniis bominum ut custodi­am mandata tua, keep me from the slanders of men that I may runne the way of thy commandements; whereby it seemes that David having set before him all the commandements of God, the slander of his enemes did so cow his resolution, that he did, as it were, say, oh Lord! if thou dost not redeeme me from this temptation, I shall hardly bee able to serve thee, as I would. Psal. 92. Paulò minus, saith David, againe upon the same occasion, habitasset in in­ferno anima mea, a little more, and my soule had dwelt in hell, the motions of revenge put me into such speed, that if the hand of the Lord had not forcibly held me back, I had run in my fury headlong to hell.

But that which to man seemes impossi­ble, God makes easie; and therefore our Sa­viour, Matt. 11. saies, jugum meum suarve, & onus leve, My yoake is easie and my burthen light. He that [Page 9]gives the commandement, will give us a­bility to performe it in some measure.

Nolentem per venit ut vellet, volentem sub­sequitur, ne frustra vellet. Aug.

He will give us his preventing, and his subsequent grace to make us both willing and able to obey his command, in doing good unto all men, even our enemies.

Iudicium sine misericordiâ qui non faciunt misericordiam, Let him, saith Saint Iames, Jam. 2.13. looke for no mercy in the world to come, that shewes no mercy in this life.

One of the reasons why Hamon, King Assuerus great favorite, found no pitty in Queen Hesters, nor the Kings brest, though he begged it on his knees with teares in his eies, was, for that he had plotted such a mer­cilesse villanie, as to destroy all the Iewes, Hest. 1.3. both men, women, children, at one blow, and therefore hee was thought to deserve no favor.

Nathan propounding unto David that parable of him, that having many sheepe of his owne, had robbed his neighbour of [Page 10]his onely sheep, having no more besides in all the world, was so incensed against this so great an injurie, that he held him for the present unworthy of pardon. 2. Sam. 12. As the Lord liveth he shall die.

The word of God cannot faile. Heaven and earth shall passe away, Matt. 24.35. but my words, saith our Saviour, shall not passe away.

And the Prophet Amos threatneth cruell persons with most severe punishment. Am. cap. 4. & cap. 6.

And Salomon saies that the hard heart shall have many a shrewd pang when hee lies upon his death bed. But our Saviour bestowes a bles­sing upon those that are ready to do good, and to shew mercy unto others. Mat. 5.7. Blessed are the mercifull, for they shall obtaine mercy.

As we have therefore opportunity let us doe good to all men, especially to them, who are of the household of faith.

And so I come to the particular object, the houshold of faith, especially to them who are of the houshold of faith.

It was the custome of the primitive Church to have their goods in common [Page 11]that the necessities of every man might be supplied. As many as were possessors of lands and houses, sold them, Act. 4.34.35. and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the Apostles feet, and distribution was made un­to every man, according as he had need.

But now men are so farre from doing so, that distribution might be made accor­ding to the wants of other men, that they doe not only rob them, but the Apostles also, nay God himselfe. Will a man robbe God, sayes the Prophet in the Lords name, Yet ye have robbed me: Mal. 3.8. but ye say wherin have we robbed thee? in tythes and offerings. Mark what followes; Ye are cursed with a curse, for yee have robbed me. I make no application of what I have said, if any man here present be guilty of this sinne, let him take heed that he partake not of the curse. The words are Gods, Yee are cursed with a curse, the reason is, Mal. 3.8.9. because yee have robbed the Lord, and it is plainly set downe wherein yee have robbed him, ye have robbed him in tythes and offerings.

Saint Paul sayes, that they which minister about holy things, live of the sacrifice, and they which wait on the Altar, are partakers of the Altar: even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel. 1 Cor. 9.13.14 And here in my text hee doth en­joyne us, to doe good unto all men, especially to those who are of the houshold of faith, & preach the Gospel and faith in Jesus Christ.

All are to be relieved, especially the faith­full. It is a cruell hard-heartednesse to see a Christian in want, and not to relieve him. If I should see a true professor of faith in Christ Jesus beg his bread, or walke un­clothed, and should not feed him, and with mine owne garment cover his nakednesse, I were worthy to eate the bread of afflicti­on, and drinke the water of bitternesse, and to want a worse garment then Adam had to cover his nakednesse. But alasse! charity now adayes is cold.

Where are the Hospitals, and the goods bestowed in pios usus, which were fre­quent heretofore? Where is hee that cryes out with Zacheus, Behold, Luke 19.8. if J have done any man wrong, I am ready to returne him satisfa­ction, and halfe my goods I give unto the poore. What followes hereupon, but the blessing of all blessings, salvation. Verse 9. And Iesus said un­to him, this day is salvation come into thy house.

Therefore while we have opportunity, let us doe good unto all men, especially to those that are of the houshold of faith.

Why not to day? To day if you will heare his voice, harden not your hearts. This is the day wherein you may exercise your chari­ty, and shew your love to the Gospell, doe not neglect it, for perhaps you may never have the like. We are not sure to live ano­ther day. Luke 1 [...].20. Remember how the foole in the Gospell was deceived in his expectation. And therefore I exhort you to do it to day, while it is yet called to day, lest yee dye before to morrow.

And truly I never knew greater reason for it. Res ipsa loquitur, if I should bee si­lent, the knowne wants of our poore bre­thren in Ireland were motive sufficient to put heat and life into a cold and dead pitty, into a frozen, benummed, and soulelesse charity.

Now is a time to shew your love to the Gospell, you that in shew are the great professors of it, now you have an oppor­tunity to manifest your love to Christ Jesus, and your zeale to his flocke, to the people of his pasture, and the sheepe of his hands, who have not onely lost their greene pastures, and waters of comfort, but their wooll, skin, and flesh, by the pawes and teeth of the papisticall, Jesuiticall Irish Wolves. I feare we are not all so valiant, as with our swords, with David, to endeavour to rescue and deliver these harmlesse Lambes out of the mouths of these Romish Beares and Lions, 1. Sam. 17.35. to take them by the beards, and smite them, as he did: yet let us labour by supplies & maintenance, & by our benevolence to [Page 15]preserve those from the sword, and hun­ger, and cold, that have escaped their fury.

I have read many sad stories of the mi­series of Christians, but never the like to this of our brethren in Ireland. Whole fa­milies, nay whole parishes, nay whole townes, nay whole Counties, and in them (besides thousands of the Plebeians, and poorer sort) many of the Gentry, and some of the Nobilitie, and best ranke, have been robbed, and tortured, and murthered, nay worse then this, for there is a cruelty be­yond death, their naked bodies have beene throwne out into the open ayre, no man being suffered to bury them, and left a prey for Swine, Wolves, Dogs, Vultures, and Crowes, and other beasts and birds of ra­ven and prey. Nay I can tell you greater cruelties yet, for there may be more cruelty shewed to the living, then to those that are murthered in a usuall way, either at their death, or after their death. When they have spoiled the professors of the Gospell of all their goods, (who were worth thousands [Page 16]a little before) they have stript, and ravisht, and whipt them, and sent them away na­ked, not sparing women with childe, and giving sucke, though of the best ranke, mer­cilesly exposing them to hunger and cold in the midst of winter, sometimes in raine, sometimes in stormes, and sometimes in snow, whereby some hundreds, may I not say thousands? have beene starved, or frozen to death. Neither hath the house of God beene safe from their fury.

So as we may say with David, Psal. 79.1, 2, 3. O God, the Heathen are come into thine inheritance, thy holy Temple have they defiled, and made Ierusa­lem a heape of stones, the dead bodies of thy ser­vants have they given to be meat to the fowles of the aire, and the flesh of thy Saints unto the beasts of the land; their blood have they shed like water on every side of Ierusalem, and there was no man to bury them. Wherefore it is time [Page 17]for us to pray with him, Verse 9. Helpe us oh God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name. For they have not onely slaine thy people, and thy Priests, but have blasphemed thy name, torne thy sacred word, trod it under foote, rolled it up and downe in durty and mi­rie places, and then cast it into the faces of thy Saints with disdaine, and scorne.

And shall not we that are Christians en­deavor to our utmost to preserve the house of God, the people, the Priests, the word, the name, the glory of God from such wickednesse, prophanation, and blasphe­mie?

You that are the best Christians shew your selves most forward in this worke, by your bountie shew your zeale to Chri­stian religion, to Christs deere servants, to the Gospell of Jesus Christ, to the name, and glory of God almighty.

Give me leave to alter Saint Pauls words alittle, and to say, Non quaero vos, sed vestra. 2 Cor. 12.14. I desire you not to venter the spilling of your bloods, or the losse of your lives, but [Page 18]your charity, your benevolence for the re­leife of your bretheren, your poore distres­sed brethren in Ireland, and this I begg for the Gospell sake, for Jesus Christ his sake, for Gods sake.

Now shew your faith by your works, you that bost so much of your faith, other­wise we may suspect the life of it, for faith without workes, Jam. 2. is but a dead faith.

Not circumcision, Gal. 5.6. nor uncircumcision, sayth Saint Paul, but faith that worketh by love. Faith that workes not by love, can no more save your soules, then a dead man can protect your bodies: shew then your faith by your love, and your love by your bounty, to cloath, and feede the distressed servants of Iesus Christ. Besides what I have alleadged already for this purpose, there is a motive sufficient in the latter part of the precedent verse, We shall reape if we faint not. Let us not bee weary of well doing, for in due season wee shall reape, if wee faint not. And that is the last part of my Text, a mo­tive [Page 19]to excite and stir us up to a timely and season able benevolence. We shall reap if we faint not.

So you see I desire nothing but what tends to your owne good.

He that is mercifull rewardeth his own soule, Prov. 11.17. saith the Wiseman. Hee doth himselfe a curtesie, he placeth his estate there, where the hand of the worst fortune, or enemy, cannot reach it. He that hath money, goods, house, or land, ‘Quantum non milvus oberret,’ may in a short time bee as much necessita­ted as ever Iob was. Riches have wings, and flie from us: if the element of fire or water prove our enemie, and set upon us, in an instant it may make us poor enough, but the sword is the roughest gamester of all, and that commonly sweepes away the whole stake at once, without leaving us any thing whereby we may set up againe. ‘Quas autem dederis semper habebis opes.’ [Page 20]So as we are sure of nothing, but what we give away. Math. 19.20. Lay not up therefore for your selves treasure upon-earth, where the rust and moth doe corrupt, and where theeves breake through and steale: but lay up for your selves treasures in heaven, where neither rust nor moth doth cor­rupt, and where theeves doe not breake through and steale.

Hee that pittieth the poore, Prov. 19.17. lendeth to the Lord, and looke what he layeth out, it shall be paid him againe.

Let therefore the light of your charity and bounty shine before men, that others by your example may bee stirred up to workes of pietie, that so your Father which is in heaven may be glorified, and your poore brethren in Christ Jesus re­lieved.

Remember what the Prophet David sayes, Psal. 41.2. Blessed is the man that provideth for the sicke and needy, for the Lord shall deliver him in the time of trouble.

And the greater provision you make for them, the greater shall be your deliverance [Page 21]in your necessitie. For Saint Paul sayes, that he that soweth little, shall reape little, and he that soweth plenteously shall reape plenteously. But yet let every man doe according as he is disposed in his heart, not grudging, or of necessity, for God loveth a cheerfull giver. 2 Cor. 6.7.

Be ready then and forward to give almes of thy goods, and turne not thy face from these poore soules, and then the face of the Lord shall not be turned away from thee.

As therefore you love your brethren in Christ, as you love the Gospel of Christ, as you love the name and glorie of Christ Jesus, as you love your owne soules, [...] a li­berall manner extend your compassionate charitie for the reliefe of your poor distres­sed brethren in Ireland, so you shall gather to your selves a good reward in the day of necessity, and in due season reape the fruit of it by the mercy of our heavenly Father: to whom, with the Sonne and the Holy Ghost, be ascribed all power, might, and majestie, both now and for ever. Amen.