Right Honourable, Worthy and Dearly beloved Christians and Country-men, hear the Word of God, as you will find it written in the

THe Words, I have now read unto you, as they are very necessary and suita­ble to the general purposes of Christianity, so are they no less seasonable and fit for the [Page 2] particular occasion and business of our pre­sent Meeting.

First, Here is Godliness in a more especial manner to be practised by us at the Church, where we are now met, in our attendance upon the service of God and hearing his Word. Then, Brotherly Kindness to be shewn, when we meet at the Table at our En­tertainment, by renewing our interrupted Acquaintances, and expressing the mutual Offices of Love. And lastly, Charity at our Departure thence, to be exhibited to those of our absent Brethren, whether here or in the Country, who may any way stand in need of our Assistance.

We begin this days work with Godliness, we are to continue it in Brotherly Kindness and I hope to God shall make an end of it in Charity.

This Godliness to be exercised together with those our fellow- Christians, who come to joyn with us in the religious solemnity of the Day. This Brotherly Kindness amongst Our selves, according to the Appointment of our particular Meeting. And this Charity to be handed to those of our Brethren, whose [Page 3] wants are to be supplied, that though they are not Guests, yet they may be Partakers of our Love-feast; that so leaving a Blessing be­hind us, we may all of us carry away a Bles­sing with us to our several homes and habi­tations.

Now that this our Meeting may not be for the worse, as St. Paul complains of his Corin­thians, 1 Cor. 11.17. but for the better; let us Pray unto Al­mighty God, that he would prevent us in all our doings with his most gracious favour, and further us with his continual help, that in all our works of Piety, Kindness, and Charity, begun, continued, and ended in him, we may glorifie his holy Name, and finally by his mercy obtain everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

In whose Name let us further pray for all our Brethren and Sisters throughout the world, all the sons and daughters of Adam, that God, whose mercy is over all his works, would have mercy upon all men.

More especially for all of the houshold of Faith, for all our fellow-Citizens of the new Jerusalem, for the whole Catholick Church.

Particularly for that part of it here planted [Page 4] among us; that he would be favourable to our Sion, that all that love her and her ways, may prosper, and that all counsels and all weapons formed against her, may ever miscarry and come to nought, as hitherto (praised be his Goodness) they have done; that neither Popery nor Schism may ever prevail over Her.

And herein in a most especial manner, for his most excellent Majesty CHARLES, &c. that he would with the choicest of his gifts and gra­ces crown his Royal Head and Heart, that he would preserve his Person, establish his Govern­ment, direct his Counsels, and prosper his Vnder­takings; and that after a long long and happy Reign over us, he would make his Glory great in his Salvation; that he would bless him in his Royal Consort Queen KATHERINE, in his Illustrious Brother JAMES D. of York, &c.

Let us continue our prayers and enforce our requests for the whole Land and Nation to which we belong, that he would pardon our Sins and heal our Breaches, that neither our Vngodly pro­vocations on the one hand, nor our Vncharitable divisions on the other, may ever forfeit or be­tray that Peace which we do at present enjoy.

[Page 5] Lastly, let us beg a blessing upon our selves here assembled, that he would grant us his grace so to order our lives with that Piety to God, that Brotherly Kindness to one another, and that Charity to the poor of our Brethren, according to the ability he hath bestowed upon every one of us; and that he would at this time so assist us, both Me the unworthy dispen­ser of his Word, and You his beloved People, that both I may so speak, &c.

These and all other our Desires and Acknow­ledgements, let us again recommend unto our merciful Father in the Name and Words of his well-beloved Son, saying, as himself hath taught us to pray, Our Father, &c.

And to Godliness [add] Brotherly Kind­ness; and to Brotherly Kindness, Charity.

The Apostle having told his Brethren and Country-men, the Convert- Iews, (for those were they he writes to, as being the Apostle of the Circumcision) that through the know­ledge of Christ, v. 3. they had all things given unto them that pertain unto life and godliness, and that by those exceeding great and precious pro­mises, v. 4. [Page 6] which were made out to them by him, they might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust; he puts them in mind what they are more to do in order to this end, what further progress they are to make in their Christian profession, v. 5. that besides this they would give all diligence, and add to their faith, vertue; and to vertue, knowledge; and to knowledge, v. 6. temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity. And then tells them in the two following verses, that if these things be in them and abound, they will make them that they shall not be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ; that is, that they should not be idle, empty, formal Professors of the Gospel, but true Christians indeed, who evidence and justifie their pro­fession by their conversation: and on the o­ther hand, that he that lacketh these things, hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins; that is, his Christianity, notwithstanding his having been baptized, and his having re­ceived the Gospel, does him no good, stands [Page 7] him in no stead, nor so much as serves to distinguish him from other common men, from ordinary Heathens; but leaves him, as it found him, still in his sins: and then v. 10. presses the practice of these things, as the onely way to make their calling and election sure.

Before I go to treat particularly of these three several Vertues or Graces here recom­mended to us, give me leave to give you some account of them first in the General, partly from the Context, as they are reckon'd up with other graces; and partly from the Text it self, as they depend upon and cohere with one another.

In the whole Context the Apostle hath set down, as you have heard, no less than eight distinct characters or qualifications requisite to constitute and denominate a man a sincere Christian, one truly Religious; to wit, Faith, Vertue, Knowledge, Temperance, Patience, God­liness, Brotherly Kindness, and Charity, as the Complement and Consummation of all.

From whence I draw this Corollary,That true Religion is in its nature an Accumulative and Comprehensive thing, that doth not consist [Page 8] in any one single Act, or simple Habit, but re­quires a Complex of Vertues, a Constellation of Graces.

In the Text it self we find three of these Vertues or Graces in a more indearing manner joyn'd together, Godliness, Brotherly Kindness, and Charity.

Hence I gather this Remark, That Godli­ness, that is, Piety towards God, is not a mo­rose, ill-natured, and humorous principle, as too many peradventure have taken it to be, but that which requires to be accompanied with acts of Kindness and works of Charity to our Brethren and fellow-members, espe­cially those who stand in some nearer rela­tion to us, to whom therefore we have more particular obligations.

I. First for the Context, that Religion is a thing of an Accumulative and Comprehen­sive nature, appears by the Apostles reckon­ing up several Ingredients and Integral parts for the making up the Body of it. I shall not dare to say, that it was S. Peter's designe in this place to make an exact and compleat Enumeration of those Vertues, which are to [Page 9] make up the truth of Religion: as may be made out by those other Lists and Catalogues, which his Brother S. Paul has given us, Gal. V. 22, 23. and elsewhere; in which we shall find some of these here named by him omit­ted, and others mentioned by him, here not taken notice of. It was enough for the ones and the others purpose, to lay down some of the principal, wherein the main of Religion lies.

However, this is evident, and plainly ap­pears from them both, that there is cumulus virtutum, an accumulation of Virtues, an ag­gregation of good things, requisite to intitle a man to the truth of Religion, to make him deserve the name of one truly Religious.

And thus is it in common Morality, where they tell us that all the virtues are so insepara­bly linked together, that where any one is wan­ting, there is really no one of them. Nay, even in the performance of any single act of any one vertue, there is that complex consi­deration of all the circumstances, according to the Philosophers definition of them, that it be done [...], in that man­ner, and at such time, and according to such [Page 10] proportions as it ought to be done, to make it a vertuous act. This also founded upon a general Maxim or Rule, among the Moralists, that Bonum ex integrâ causâ, Malum ex quovis defectu; that any Good action must proceed from an intire cause, and that the defect of any one circumstance spoils the action, and makes it to become Evil.

If it be so in meer Moral practices, much more is it so in Religious concerns, since Re­ligion is the Improvement and Perfection of Morality, as Faith is the Directer and Ac­complisher of Reason. It is not then any one simple Habit, any one single Act can in­title any one to the truth of Religion any more than to Morality, which are either of them to be made up of a complex of Vir­tues, that are, as the Poets fancied of the Graces, to go hand in hand, and to keep their orderly rounds, and to give their mu­tual assistances in the conduct and manage­ment of Humane or Christian life.

It is true, he who hath Faith, who be­lieves Gospel-mysteries, and professes this be­lief, has upon that bare account a title to [Page 11] Christianity as to the external priviledge of it; but that is not enough to denominate him a true Christian, unless he go on, and add to his faith, vertue. And he who is Vertuous, who orders his conversation vertuously, may in some sense be called an honest Good man; but then he must add to his vertue, knowledge. And he who is a knowing man, and has gotten a competent Theory of the Credenda and A­genda, things to be believed and things to be done, of the mysteries and duties of Religion, may be said to be a Wise understanding man; but then he must add to his knowledge, tem­perance; or else his knowledge will be no more than what the Gnosticks boasted of, a sort of Hereticks who though so named from their pretended knowledge, yet lived in all kind of impurities. Again, he who is Tempe­rate, and restrains his natural desires, may so far be looked upon as a Sober person; but then he must add to his temperance, patience, for the indurance of afflictions, as well as the forbearance of pleasures. And he who is Patient, and humbly submits to the divine will in his chastisements or trials, may be ve­ry well taken to be a Meek man, which is one [Page 12] of the chief marks of a right Christian spirit; but then he must add to his patience, godli­ness. Now he that is Godly, that fears God, and often comes before him in his private and publick addresses, frequents his Church and Ordinances, and orderly performs the duties of family and closet, he surely has made a fair advance in Religion, and may and must be thought a Pious man; but then to his godliness he must add brotherly kindness. And he that has a love for the Brotherhood, is cour­teous, and gentle, and mild in his converse, and well-meaning to all of the same Society, may not improperly be term'd a Good-natured man, a thing which is so far from being a dis­advantage or disparagement, that it is a great ornament to Religion; but then he must to brotherly kindness add charity. And now we are come to the very topstone of this spi­ritual edifice, to the very pitch of perfection; Charity being the fulfilling of the Law, both Moral and Christian.

Here you find that to Faith is to be added Vertue, to Vertue Knowledge, and so on; which rationally infers, that not any one or more of these will serve turn without the other. So [Page 13] then it is not enough to be a Believer, to be Virtuous, to be Knowing, to be Temperate, to be Patient, to be Godly, to be Brotherly kind, to be Charitable; I say it is not sufficient for a man to be any one of these, but he must be all these, if he will be a good Christian, and mean to deserve the name of one truly Religious.

Thus much of the first general head; the second is that which more nearly and imme­diately concerns us, which is gathered out of the Text it self, that

2. Inasmuch as the Apostle here requires Brotherly Kindness and Charity to be super­added to Godliness; that Godliness is not a morose, humorous, ill-natured, much less a cruel, mischievous and bloudy principle; but must, to make it a true genuine godliness, be attended with acts of Kindness and works of Charity. So S. Peter himself, in his 1 Ep. ch. 2. v. 17. Love the Brotherhood. Fear God, and then Honour the King as Gods Vicegerent and Lord of the Community. As if there could be no right fear of God without love of the brotherhood, and neither one nor other without a due honour to the King, the Head of the brotherhood.

[Page 14]In like manner S. Paul resolves all Religion into Faith and Love; Philem. 5. faith toward the Lord Jesus, and love toward the Saints, which make up his mystical body, whereof we are all fellow-members; for in this sense we pro­fess to believe the communion of Saints.

And so the beloved Disciple tells us, that this is Gods commandment, 1 Joh. 3.23. that we should be­lieve in the Lord Iesus, and love one another.

Thus Christ himself hath stated the busi­ness of his Religion, Joh. 8.31. If ye continue in my Word, that is, keep my commandments, then are ye my disciples indeed. And how's that? in another place he says it over in these words, By this shall all men know, Joh. 13.35 that ye are my dis­ciples, if ye love one another. It seems then, that our loving one another is the same thing as continuing in his Word, as keeping his Commandments: and hereupon it is said that love is the fulfilling of the law. Rom. 13.10 This was that new commandment, Christ brought into the world, Joh. 13.34 that we should love one another. This the great [...] and tryal of our love to God, of our godliness it self, that we love the brethren, 1 Joh. 4.20. as he tells us; For, saies he, he who loves not his brother whom he hath seen, [Page 15] how can he pretend to love God, whom he hath not seen?

Nor is this so a new commandment, as himself acknowledges, 2 Joh. 5. but that it was an old one too. For our Saviour's Ancestor Da­vid in his short Catechism, Psal. 15. has given much-what the same account of Religion. Lord, saies he, who shall abide in thy taberna­cle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? i. e. who has a right to the priviledges of the Church militant? who has assurance of an everlasting possession in the Church trium­phant? He answers this question in the four following verses. He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour; and so on. Which are all or most part of them expresses of brotherly kindness and charity: and then in the close he tells us, that He which doth these things shall never fall.

So then we are to love God with all our heart and strength; that's Godliness: Luk. 10.17 and our neighbour as our selves; that's Brotherly kindness and Charity: as Christ himself hath summ'd up the duties of the Law.

[Page 16]And many other such passages there are in Scripture to evince this truth, had I time to insist on them.

If this be so, what shall we say to those who take up Godliness on other terms, as if their strictness and zeal to God's service, to his worship, right or wrong, excused them from all offices of love to their fellow-men, their fellow-christians; nay, obliged them to be Vnkind, to be Vncharitable, and to persecute even to death those, who, not out of any evil meaning to them, will not, but out of conscience to God dare not comply with sinful conditions of communion with them.

This was foretold by our blessed Lord should be the lot of his followers, that some such zealots there would be, Joh. 16.2. who would turn them out of the Synagogue, excommunicate them for Hereticks, and then kill them, and yet by their so doing would think they did God good service.

Blessed Iesu! where have these men, who take thy holy Name in vain, these Fellows of thine, (for so they stile themselves,) learnt [Page 17] of thee such principles, such practices as these, that it is lawful so cruelly and treacherously to deal with men who live quietly by them? with S. Paul's Sword to destroy them from off the face of the earth, and with S. Peter's Keys to lock the gates of Heaven against them? to murder them in this world, and to damn them in the next? This Evangelium armatum, this Sanguinary doctrine, was no Gospel of thy making, no doctrine of thy tea­ching. Thy doctrine was sealed with no bloud but that of thy own, who wast the tea­cher of it, and that of thy Apostles and Mar­tyrs, who were the propagators of it; and though thou saidst thou camest not to send peace but a sword, Mat. 10.34 yet that sword was not de­sign'd to fight with, but to suffer by; it was a sword of a passive not of an active perse­cution as to thy Disciples, by which they were to fall victims themselves, and not to sacrifice the lives of others.

How contrary to thine and their meek in­nocent methods of converting souls, are the traiterous contrivances and hellish conspira­cies of those who for the advantage of Holy Church, plot the murder of Kings, the slaughter [Page 18] of Subjects, and the ruine of States, and (rare Masters of Christianity, as they are) think it glorious to Proselyte whole Nations by baptizing them in their bloud. May God ever preserve his gracious Majesty and Us the sinful people of this Land from such villa­nous Attempts of his and our Enemies.

I know the like Bigotries and Outrages are charged upon our Sectaries even at this time, and that with great vehemence. I am hear­tily sorry, that any, who delight to wear the name of Protestants, as I think most of those people do, should give a just occasion for such a charge. But if it be so, if there shall be any danger hereafter on that side, as there hath been lately on the other, may God in good time discover it as he hath done the other, and avert and defeat them both. For as I have been speaking my utmost abhor­rence of Iesuitical principles, so I am very far from pleading the cause of any party of men, be they of what denomination soever, who act by such principles.

No; nor would I, nor can I without in­jury, be so understood, that in the scope and drift of this discourse I intended a shelter and [Page 19] defence for Schism; as if the sober execution of penal laws upon offenders in Church as well as State, were the same thing with that irregular, Vnchristian, Inhumane persecution, I have been declaring against; the case being quite different betwixt the wicked efforts of an Usurped pretended power without us, and the prudential proceedings of a lawful autho­rity over us.

Though truly after all it cannot be denied, (with grief I speak it) and so far at least this Charge must be owned, that since we have run our selves into these divisions, wherein we now stand, the pretence of God­liness has almost banished all brotherly kind­ness and charity from among us.

II. I have done with the General part. I come now to treat of these vertues severally; Godliness, Brotherly kindness, and Charity.

Godliness in reference to God, Brotherly kindness to one another, and Charity to all men, especially to our Poor.

1. GODLINESS in the first place, that our Brotherly kindness may be inoffen­sive, and our Charity acceptable.

[Page 20]Now there are as several sorts of Godli­ness, in vulgar acception of the word, as there are of Religions in the world. At this rate there are godly Pagans, godly Turks, godly Papists, godly Hereticks , and godly Schismaticks. Nay, upon this account per­chance the Devils themselves in some sense are not to be quite exempted from some no­tion of godliness; Jam. 2.19. for they believe and trem­ble, they have a kind of Religion amongst them too, and though they do not love God, they believe and fear him.

I make no doubt to believe what our S. Peter hath affirm'd, and to say it after him, that Now know I of a truth, Act. 10.35. saies he, that God is no respecter of persons, and that in every na­tion he that fears God and works righteousness, (whatever his way of worship be, if he does not know or has not the means to know any better) is accepted of him: This is but the judgment of charity. But to think or say that an Infidel as an Infidel, a Mahometan as a Ma­hometan, and so of the rest, that a Papist, a Heretick, or a Schismatick, as such, is in a salvable condition, is such a fondness of cha­rity, that it can be little better it self than [Page 21] an heretical, a damnable opinion. I am sure it is not the judgment of discretion, as being no where warranted by the Word of God, and having been anathematized by our Church in her Articles.

Godliness then doth not consist in a form, in the mode or dress of worship. That's but external and ceremonious: yet a form is ne­cessary; and it is impossible to serve God o­therwise, that is, without some form or o­ther. However, as necessary as a Form is to Godliness, 'tis not essential; for which reason it may be supposed our Saviour himself did not think fit to appoint any form, but lest it to the prudence of his Apostles in their se­veral districts and provinces, and consequent­ly to particular Churches, pro hic & nunc, to determine. And herein, as I take it, lies the na­ture of Schism, for men wilfully to depart from that publick form of worship, which the au­thority of that Church they belong to hath prescribed, and so to dismember themselves from their own body.

And upon this ground we of the Church of England may acquit our selves, and justifie our separation from the Church of Rome, as the bold [Page 22] British Bishops did, when they gave a mee­ting to Austin the Popes Missionary at a place in our County, thence called Austins Oke, which Cambden owns, but confesses he knows not where to fix; where they did with e­qual truth and bravery disdain the Popes ju­risdiction over the British Churches: I say, we may answer the Romanists, when they charge us with Heresie and Schism, in S. Paul's words, [as having no dependance upon the Pope, unless we will foolishly inslave our selves] that according to that way which they call Heresie, Act. 24.14. we worship the God of our fa­thers.

'Tis true, some forms are in themselves faulty; but the best of forms is not of it self saving, sufficient to salvation: since the A­postle tells us, 2 Tim. 3.5. that some having the form of godliness, deny the power thereof.

If then Godliness doth not consist in a form, much less doth it in cant and gibbrish, in affected tones and uncouth phrases. No, Godliness lies in the heart and the life of a Christian; there's the power and the truth of it.

When the Heart is possest with a reve­rential [Page 23] aw of the divine power, and majesty, and justice, and with the love of his mercy and goodness, and all the affections are exer­cised upon his adorable perfections: And yet still these possessions of heart, our good intentions and pious directions of mind are not enough, but must be set forth to the life in our lives, if we will be truely godly. For 'tis a godly life, that is, the life of godliness. The Apostle tells us of some that live with­out God in the world. Those are in the strictest sense the ungodly ones: and he warns us to deny ungodly lusts. Tit. 2.12. That's right Godli­ness.

But then more particularly Godliness is made out in the publick worship of God. So 'tis said of Enos his time, Gen. 4.25. that then began men to call upon the name of the Lord, that is, to worship him in solemn assemblies, and in publick devotions. And this godliness, when we can once agree in Gods publick worship, will beget and confirm brotherly kindness, which is the next vertue to be spoken to.

2. BROTHERLY KINDNESS. Brother in Scripture-use is not always taken in that [Page 24] narrow sense of relation & kindred, but many times comprehends all mankind, as we are all descended of Adam. Especially it denotes those of the houshold of faith; this being the neerest tye and strictest obligation of brother­hood. And O that we, who own our selves Christians, Psal. 133.1. Protestants, might as brethren dwell together in unity, that we might go to the house of God in company, Psal. 55.14. & take sweet coun­sel together. But alas! as we stand divided, how can we call our selves brethren? Such bre­thren we may be as Esau and Iacob, Isaac and Ishmael, Cain and Abel were, to hate, and per­secute, and ruine one another, if occasion were offered. Surely, surely, those who have deserted our Establishments, we may and must call them English brethren; but how to call them Protestant brethren I do not well know; for of them I may say, what S. Iohn saies of some in his time, 1 Joh. 2.19 that if they had been of us, they would not have departed from us. However, we must have a love and kindness for them too, and this Kindness to our brethren is to be exprest in thought, word, and action.

That we think the best of them, put the [Page 25] best interpretation upon their actions, that we wish them well, rejoyce in their well-doing, and condole their ills: and this is that which by the Schools is called amor benevolen­tiae, the love of good will.

That we speak the best of them according to the judgment of charity, and that we judg not, for fear of being judged. Mat. 7.1.

That we do them all manner of good; for this is the royal law, to do as we would be done by. And thus our blessed Lord, who as he was our elder brother, the first-born of the creation, so was the author of our Re­ligion; he went about doing good, Act. 10.38. and see­king opportunities of doing it.

Where this brotherly kindness is, there will be no grudg and hatred, no envy or malice at the heart, no calumny and detraction, no slander and reproach in the tongue, no quarrel and strife, no mischief or injury in action.

But then this kindness must not proceed so far as to degenerate into a sinful compliance with our brothers sins. This would make us brethren in iniquity. This the Apostle taxes, Rom. 1. the last verse; speaking of those who have pleasure in them that do evil [Page 26] things, [...], that consent with them; as the Psalmist says, Psal. 50.18 Thou sawest a thief, and con­sentedst with him. To be drunk with the drunken, to fit with patience and hear my brother blaspheme God and damn his own soul, to see him run down a precipice, blun­der into a pit, and take the ready way for hell, and not lay hold of him and pull him back, this is such brotherly kindness as the De­vil himself has for any man in the world. What saies the rule in Leviticus? Lev. 19.17 Thou shalt love thy brother, and not suffer sin upon him; That's the truest of loves. Hence, Correptio fraterna, brotherly reproof in such cases is reckon'd to be one of the chief acts of Charity.

O my dear Brethren, let it not be said of us, that we meet for excess and riot, for noise and quarrel; but rather let it be seen by our car­riage, that we come together upon a religious, a brotherly, and a charitable account.

And that's the thing we are all to conclude with; where let me beg your patience as well as charity, that you will not think me tedious, whilst I inlarge my self upon this blessed sub­ject of charity.

[Page 27]3. CHARITY! where art thou? in what airy Mansion art thou lodg'd? what invisible Palace dost thou inhabit? Where may we find thee, that we may make our du­tiful addresses to thee? S. Paul indeed has given a fair description of thee, in 1 Cor. 13. but by those characters there laid down, 'tis very difficult finding thee out in any earthly abode; and sure he himself was wrapt up into the third heaven, when he took the copy of thy celestial countenance, and drew those amiable lines and features of thy Sera­phick beauty.

Thou wast she, who from eternity wast that cement, by which the three Persons of the glorious Trinity were united in the Uni­ty of the Godhead, and were satisfied in their mutual injoyments, when as yet there was nothing without them, nothing besides them.

Thou she, who afterward by thy charms of love didst joyn the Upper and the Lower world; who broughtest down the Son of God, and madest him descend upon earth, and who wilt bring us up to heaven after him, whither he is ascended.

[Page 28] Thou art the very foundation and perfe­ction of Christian Religion, who with an in­finite activity fulfillest all God's command­ments, Rom. 13.10. Prov. 10.12. and with as infinite a goodness coverest all our sins.

Thou createst and keepest up a good un­derstanding betwixt a Prince and his People, and betwixt the people among themselves; making men of one wind in a house, in a city, in a Kingdom.

Thou art the very band and ligament of Peace, who preservest and securest all the In­terests of mankind, their lives and liberties, their plenty and prosperity in their several societies and stations.

He that abideth in thee, abideth in God, and God in him; 1 Joh. 4.16 for thou and God are all one.

1 Cor. 13.7. Thou with an omnipotence equal to Gods, bearest all things, indurest all things, belie­vest and hopest all things.

And at last, after thou hast wrought thy mighty and glorious acts of kindness here be­low, thou shalt ascend in triumph through the spangled vault, and shalt enter into heaven with a train of thy good works following [Page 29] thee, leaving thy two sister-graces behind thee at heaven-gate; for in that blessed state of Vision and Fruition there will be no need of either Faith or Hope, where thou a­lone, O Charity, together with the Three-One God, shalt be all in all.

But hold! what mean I in this transport to lose thee by inquiring after thee? What did I say? lose thee? I have found thee. I see thee. Thou art (blessed be God) come into the Congregation, and with thy gracious presence hast fill'd the Church. I see thy holy flame sitting on each pious breast, and inlivening and inlarging every devout heart with its heavenly warmth. Let me now therefore look out for objects upon which thou mayst bestow thy blessed self.

Charity is of that diffusive nature, that it extends it self to all mankind, as being the e­manation of divine goodness, which is as in­finite as God himself is; and more especially reacheth its kindly effects over the whole Catholick Church, to all of the houshold of faith; it being that which unites and ties to­gether all the members of that mystical body. [Page 30] But I am not now to speak of it in that lar­ger sense, but in an importance appropriate to the Poor of our Brethren, whom God hath appointed his Receivers, as he hath made the Rich his Trustees.

That, to wit, that the Poor are his Re­ceivers, appears by the account Christ, who himself is to be the Judge, gives us of the last judgment, Matth. 25. that what we do to any of our poor Brethren, he takes it as done to himself; and upon this score it is said, Prov. 19.17. He that giveth to the poor, lendeth to the Lord.

This, to wit, that the Rich are but his Tru­stees, is made good by the parable of the Ta­lents, which the only way of improving, is to lay them out; and by that charge the Apostle gives, Charge them that are rich in this world that they do good, 1 Tim. 6.17. that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communi­cate. &c. Why charge them to do so, if it be not their duty so to do?

This kind of charity is exprest in feeding the hungry, in cloathing the naked, in visiting the sick, in relieving the widow and father­less, and generally in supplying the wants of [Page 31] all those, especially in the circle of our own society and brotherhood, who any way want our assistance. And this charity it is, that as in this world it sanctifies, improves, and se­cures estates to men and their posterities after them; so in the next world will be that, by which eternal rewards will be adjusted to men, as you find in that fore-cited place, Mat. 25.

Let me conclude this argument for charity with a blessed Promise, Mat. 5.7. that the merciful shall obtain mercy; and a severe Threat, that those who have shewn no mercy, are to expect in their greatest distress at the day of judgment, justice without mercy from a righteous God.

Onely let me add, that those (for there is such a sort of well-minded persons in the world) that put off their doing good works till they die, besides that they may by some sudden unexpected accident be cut off from putting their good intentions into execution, ought to consider that their charity is not so thankworthy, that they give then, when they can hold no longer: The surest rule is, to be continually doing good, as occasions shall offer themselves.

[Page 32]Now as to the objects of our charity, I am perswaded we have enow of them within our own sphere, I mean of our native Country. It is the opinion of some, that the object presented doth lay a necessity upon the ele­ction of the Will. I wish it were so in the business of charity. Shall I lay some instan­ces before you?

There are poor Livings, poor Schools, where the Ministers and Masters are so far from having an honorable allowance, that they have scarce a bare subsistance. But these things of a publick concern are such, as I fear our annual contributions will hardly reach to: Though I have a prospect, what hereafter may be done, if we ever come to get such a bank, a stock, as may be called a Mount of Piety.

There are Ministers poor Widows and Or­phans, poor aged persons to be taken care of, having no ability to help themselves; and poor Children to be educated and bred up to Callings; of which kind of charity an Eminent Country-man of ours hath shewn a great and lasting Example, and by that means rais'd a [Page 33] Monument to his own Name amongst us, and I doubt not intail'd a great Blessing upon his whole Family.

Well; but what do I? do I take upon me to direct? No: but I am set here to give aim. It must be left to the prudence of those worthy persons (with submission to whose better judgment I speak in this case) I say 'tis left to their discretion, who are in­trusted with the disposal of our Charities, to make application of them, as they shall think fit. Only let me be bold to name to you two sorts of Poor, and press in their behalf, who may most properly challenge a share in them.

The Clothworking trade has been one of the glories of Worcester-shire, and has main­tain'd when time was many families, who are now I fear most of them impoverished through want either of Employment or Encourage­ment. The reason of it possibly may be this, that our Staple is betrai'd into forrein hands; and that strangers, what by their thrift and other crafts, under-sell us in the manufacture of our own commodity. It will be a thing very well becoming you, Worthy Country-men, [Page 34] and no less agreeable to the place where you are to meet, Drapers Hall, to take this into your consideration.

Another sort which I must heartily recom­mend to you, is the Royal Sufferers, I mean the old Cavaliers; I pray God there may ne­ver be any occasion for new ones; those who have spent their bloud, and exhausted their estates in the service of their King and Coun­try. I cannot forbear, though it be to pub­lick shame, but speak it with grief, that that sort of men have since the Kings happy Re­stauration been too too much neglected: when brave persons with their scars, the marks of their Loyalty upon them, have been forced to beg their bread, with that great unfortu­nate General, Date obolum Belisario, I, and have perished for want of it. And though that were so long ago, as by this time to put former merits out of mind, and many if not most perhaps of those Sufferers have been eaten up with their wants, and gone in dis­content to their long homes, and so preven­ted our Charity; yet some no question of that number have survived their hard fate, and have been by some extraordinary Provi­dence kept alive; who knows but for the comfort of this day?

[Page 35]Come, Gentlemen, our City and County has been famous for its Loyalty and Sufferings, having been one of the first Stages of the Ci­vil War, to fight for gasping Monarchy; and at last the Scene of that fatal Defeat, when the God of our Dread Soveraign, Deut. 33.16. who dwelt in the Bush, Psal. 140.7. covered his head in the day of Battle, and secured his escape amidst the ar­med throngs of his enemies that had beset him. I leave it with you; onely remem­bring you, that we are met here this day for the honour of our Country, and we cannot do her a greater Honour, than by owning di­stressed Loyalty, and relieving those who have been Sufferers upon that honorable account.

Briefly to recapitulate all that I have been say­ing, the Apostle has sum'd up all Religion in three words, That we live godly, righteously, and soberly; Tit. 2.12. which is much what the same with my Text. God­ly, in the fear and service of God. Righteously, by doing by others as we would be done by our selves; which includes Charity, when out of compassion we make the poors condition our own. And Soberly, without riot or debosh, without quarrel and strife; which is the truest and best Brotherly Kindness.

And these three things are those by which the three great Interests of mankind are provided for [Page 36] and secured; Soul, Body, and Estate. For what o­ther way of saving our souls, but by serving of God, by Godliness? What better Rule of Health can there be than Temperance or Sobriety? and what so likely a method of improving and securing Wealth as Charity, which lays up our treasure in heaven, Mat. 6.20. where neither corruption can attaint it, nor violence invade it? So the Poet himself, ‘Extra fortunam est quicquid donatur.’

Whatsoever a man bestows to charitable uses, he puts it out of the power, and beyond the reach of fortune.

Now as you have with patience and cheerfulness attended the duties of the Church, which is one part of Godliness; so may your brotherly kindness be ex­ercised together without excess or tumult, and may your charity now, as it ought after so many years in­termission, be liberal and exemplary.

Thus if you do, you will assuredly, as I said at first, by leaving a Blessing behind you, carry one home along with you; and I also (which is the last part of what I have to do) may in a just confidence dismiss you with a Blessing.