WHen Iulian the Apostate designed (if possible) to retrieve the honour of the Heathen Religion, Sozom. l. 5. c. 15. he easily discern'd that it was not enough for him to restore the Priest­hood, to open the Temples, Hist. Trip. l. 6. c. 29. to appoint the Sacrifices to be offer'd upon the Altars; but he found it necessary for them to imitate the Christians in the strictness of their Lives, in the solemnity of their Devotions, in the exact­ness of their Discipline, and especially in the erecting Hospitals, and taking care of the Poor. For he that would not believe the Christian Religion to be from God, thought himself bound to give some probable account, how a Religion so contrary to the Interests and De­signs of this World, should be able to prevail against all the arts and power of its many and potent Enemies; and upon the deepest search which could be made by himself, or the grea­test [Page 2] Wits of the Heathens then about him, they concluded the flourishing and propagation of it to be chiefly owing to those things which he so much commended to the Heathens imita­tion. And from hence they inferred, that if the same things could be brought into Practice among the Gentiles, they should be able to supplant Christianity by its own methods, and restore Paganism by the same Weapons by which it was overthrown. This was thought so subtle and artificial a device by him whose great design was to extirpate our Religion in a soft and gentle manner, without the blood and cruelty of former times, that he writes an Epistle on purpose to Arsacius the chief Priest of Galatia, requiring punctual observance of these Commands; and as to the chargeable and expensive part, he offer'd large provisions out of his own Revenue to defray it.

But Saint Paul had been beforehand with him in Galatia, having planted Churches with great success there; and Christianity, by his means, took so deep root in mens hearts, that neither the rage and fury of former Persecu­tions, nor the plausible arts and insinuations of Iulian were able to root it out. It is true, that these Churches, soon after their planting, were in great danger of being overrun by the pernicious Errours of some Seducers of that [Page 3] time; (the apprehension whereof put Saint Paul into that astonishment which he expres­seth in the beginning of this Epistle, Gal. 1. 6. I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the Grace of Christ unto another Go­spel, &c.) yet by the early notice and care which he took to prevent the spreading of these corruptions among them, the Galatian Churches recover'd the soundness of their Faith, and have preserved a name among the Eastern Churches, though under great variety of con­ditions, to this day. Some take notice, that this is one of the sharpest Epistles written by Saint Paul. He appears indeed, by the begin­ning of it, to have been much surprised and moved at the news of a great and sudden al­teration among them; which he was sure was not for the better. And by this plain dealing with them, he knew, till they consider'd bet­ter, they would be offended with him; but withall he tells them this did best become a Servant of Christ, who, like a good Physician, hath more regard to the Disease than to the Palate of his Patient; For if I yet pleased Men, 1. 10. I should not be the Servant of Christ. But ha­ving vindicated his own honour, Ch. 1, 2. which the evil reports of the false Apostles made neces­sary; and argued with great strength and con­viction against the imposers of the Law; Ch. 3, 4. part of 5. he [Page 4] betakes himself to the inforcing the practice of the general and necessary Duties of Christi­anity upon these Galatians. If they had such a mind to keep the Law, Gal. 5. 14. All the Law, saith he, is fulfilled in one word, even in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self. It was a vain and foolish thing for them to contend about kee­ping the Law, who did overthrow the main design of it, by their heats and animosities against each other; which, instead of preserving the honour of the Law, was the certain way to destroy one another. 15. But if ye bite and de­vour one another, take heed that ye be not consu­med one of another. From hence he shews, that hatred, 20. variance, emulations, wrath, strife, sedi­tions, heresies, are as much the lusts of the flesh as adultery, 21. fornication, murther, drunkenness, revellings and such like; and as destructive to mens Salvation; of the which, saith he, I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which doe such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. And they that are true Christians must crucifie the flesh with all these affections and lusts thereof; 24. such as vain-glory, love of contention, envying the reputation of others. 26. Let us not be desirous of vain-glory, pro­voking one another, envying one another. But the Apostle did not think the design of the Law, or the obligation of Christianity was sa­tisfied [Page 5] with abstaining from doing injuries to others; therefore he proceeds to tell them what exercise of tenderness, compassion and readiness to doe good to others were expected from them by the Law of Christ.

(1.) If a man, through the frailty of hu­mane Nature, or the sudden surprise of a Temptation, be overtaken in a fault, do not, saith he, trample upon him, nor insult over him; but endeavour with the spirit of meekness to recover him from his fall; considering that we carry about us the same load of flesh, and are exposed to continual Temptations our salves. Gal. 6. 1.

(2.) If we see others groaning under the heavy burthen of their own infirmities, or the pressures and calamities of the world, do not add more weight to their afflictions; but put your own shoulders under to bear a part with them, to make their burthen more easie to them; for herein lies a great deal of that du­ty which Christ hath laid on all his Disciples. Bear ye one anothers burthens and so fulfill the Law of Christ. 6. 2.

(3.) If it be impossible for men to attend the service of your Souls and the affairs of this World together, never grudge nor repine at the exercise of your kindness and liberality towards your spiritual Teachers, v. 6. Let him [Page 6] that is taught in the word communicate to him that teacheth in all good things. Which instan­ces being mention'd, the Apostle subjoins two things:

1. A general Proposition, viz. That every man shall receive in another World according to the good that he doth in this. Gal. 6. 7. Be not decei­ved God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap. 8. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of his flesh reap corruption, but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting. i. e. He that looks onely after his present advantage in this world and dares not venture to doe any thing out of hopes of recompence for it in another life, he is said to sow to his flesh; but he that is good and cha­ritable and kind to others without hopes of any other advantage than what God will give him for it, is said to sow to the spirit; the Flesh and Spirit being opposed as the two Centres of the different worlds: the great thing to which all things tend in this world being something carnal or that relates to the Flesh; and the great principle of another world being wholly spiritual. And these two Flesh and Spirit are placed as two Loadstones drawing our hearts several ways, the one is much stronger, but at a greater distance; the other hath less force in it self but is much nearer to us, by which [Page 7] means it draws more powerfully the hearts that are already touched with a strong incli­nation to it. But the Apostle useth the simili­tude of two Fields, wherein the product of the Seed answers to the nature of the Soil; so he that sowes to the flesh, i. e. that minds onely his present interest in this world, his harvest shall be proportionable to his seed, he may reap advantages to himself in this world su­table to his pains and industry; but the ut­most this world can yield is but of a short continuance, being of a temporary, transient, corruptible nature, he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption: but he that soweth to the spirit, i. e. hath so great a regard to the rewards of another life, that he is wil­ling to let go a present enjoyment and bury it under ground, casting it in as seed into the earth in hopes of a future resurrection, how­ever he may be condemned as a weak and improvident man by the men of this world, yet as certain as there is a life everlasting to come, so certainly shall all his good deeds yield an abundant increase and meet with a glorious recompence then, if there be no corrupt mixture in the sowing which may spoil the virtue of the seed, for he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting. And let not men deceive themselves; if they [Page 8] look onely at themselves and the things of this world, let their pretences be never so spiritual, if they dare not doe acts of Charity so as to trust God for a reward, they do but sow to the flesh; and though the world may be chea­ted, and men may sometimes deceive them­selves, yet God cannot be mocked; he knows the hearts, and intentions, and secret designs of men, and according to them their reward shall be; for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he reap. This I take to be the natural and ge­nuine meaning of the Apostle in those words.

2. A particular Exhortation, not to be dis­couraged in well doing, which is the same with sowing to the spirit before, and with doing good in the following verse, both which are to be understood of the Works of Charity; and therefore we ought to take it in that sense here. These are especially called good Works in the New Testament; Dorcas is said to be a Woman full of good Works and Alms-deeds which she did. Act. 9. 36. The Widow that was to be taken in­to Office in the Church, must be well reported of for good Works; 1 Tim. 5. 10. and these presently follow, the bringing up children, the lodging strangers, washing the Saints feet and relieving the afflicted; In the Epistle to Titus, Saint Paul gives him a strict charge, Tit. 3. 8. that he deliver it with great assu­rance ( [...]) that they which believe in [Page 9] God might be carefull to maintain good Works; these things are good and profitable unto men; Tit. 3. 14. Where the same word is used in the Greek, that is in the words of the Text. And to the same purpose other words of a like significa­tion are used, Heb. 13. 16. as [...], To doe good and to com­municate forget not; ' [...], Charge them that are rich in this world—that they doe good, 1 Tim. 6. 18. that they be rich in good works, ready to distri­bute, willing to communicate. That ye may abound to every good Work, saith Saint Paul; which he after explains, 2 Cor. 9. 8. 11. by being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness. So that although well doing in the general may extend to every good acti­on, yet by the particular sense of that phrase in the New Testament, and especially from the coherence of these words with the forego­ing and following verses, it appears that the well doing here spoken of, is to be understood of Works of Charity. Which the Apostle, as they were Christians, did suppose them to practise, but being apprehensive lest the dis­couragements they met with in the world, should make them grow cold and remiss in this great duty, he therefore exhorts them not to faint or grow weary of doing it; and to that end he lays down the most powerfull Motive and Consideration; for in due season ye shall reap if ye faint not: i. e. ye shall not miss of a reward from God.

[Page 10] So that from the words we may take notice of these two things which deserve our consi­sideration.

1. The many discouragements men meet with in the World which are apt to make them grow weary in well doing.

2. The mighty incouragement which God gives to our continuance and perseverance in it; for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.

I. The many discouragements men meet with in the World, which are apt to make them grow weary in well doing.

The Precepts of Charity deliver'd by our Saviour and his Apostles are so plain, so full, so many, so easie to be understood; and those Precepts inforced by so just, and reasonable, and pious considerations, with respect to God, to the World, to fellow Christians, to the ho­nour of our Religion, and lastly to our selves, from the comfort that is in well doing, and the reward that follows it; that a man must have great impudence, to profess himself a Christian, and yet to think himself not obli­ged to doe acts of Charity. But notwithstan­ding all this, and much more which might be said to this purpose, there are too many still who are ready to find out some plausible pretences to excuse them from well doing; [Page 11] which being the greatest discouragements to men from continuing in it; I shall make it my present business to examin them, and to shew how little weight there is in them, espe­cially being compared with the Authority of him who hath made this our duty, and the reward we may justly expect for performing it. And here I shall pass over the more com­mon and trivial Objections, which every one can easily answer that makes them; and ra­ther argue an unwilling mind to perform their duty, than one unsatisfied about the rea­sonableness of it; and I shall therefore insist on those that carry a greater appearance of strength in them; which are chiefly these two,

1. From the different state of our Times from those when these Commands of Charity were given.

2. From the sad prospect of our own Af­fairs, which seem rather to call for a Care of our selves than Charity to others.

1. The first pretence is from the difference of Times; ‘There was then, say such men, great reason for Charity which will not hold now; those were times of persecution for Religion, and many were driven to great streights and necessities on that account who deserved to be relieved, and the Christians [Page 12] had been worse than Infidels not to doe good to men that were brought to want meerly for Christ's and the Gospel's sake; the Laws then could take no care of these poor and indigent persons; for the Laws made them so, being then opposite to Chri­stianity: but now our Religion is settled by the Laws; and we have many Laws made for a competent provision for the poor, which will be sufficient if they be put in ex­ecution, and if they be not, what Charity is this to relieve an idle and disorderly sort of People who live upon Alms, when it is grea­ter Charity to such to make them work and to provide for their own subsistence?’

This is the force of the Objection which seems to have a great deal of strength and weight in it; but before I give an Answer to it I must acknowledge the truth of some things contained therein.

(1.) That there is a great difference in the case of Charity, where our Religion is settled by Law, and where it is persecuted by it. For a larger measure and degree of Charity is just­ly required in a time of Persecution, in as much as those are the truest Objects of Cha­rity who prefer the keeping Faith and a good Conscience before the good things of this Life. And we ought to look upon it as an unvalu­able [Page 13] blessing, that we have the Christian, yea the Reformed Christian Religion settled by our Laws. And God grant it may ever so conti­nue!

(2.) It cannot be denied that we have very good Laws for the maintenance of the Poor, and that they might be sufficient for their common necessities, if they were duly execu­ted. And it is a very just and reasonable di­stinction which our Laws make between the involuntary Poor, who are made so by the hand of Heaven, either by Sickness, or Lame­ness, or Age, or Children, or Fire, &c. and the voluntary Poor, who may help themselves but will not, being idle, dissolute and slothfull persons. These deserve rather the hand of Justice to punish them than that of Charity to relieve them: For Saint Paul himself is so far from thinking this to be true Charity, that he hardly thinks it so to keep such from starving if we take that Proverbial saying in its strict and literal sense, 2 Thess. 3. 10. If any would not work, neither should he eat.

(3.) I grant that it is greater Charity to put persons upon providing for themselves than to relieve their present necessities. For that is the greatest Charity which doth a man the most good. And he that reduceth a dis­solute and wandring Beggar to the taking [Page 14] pains for himself and Family cures an ill ha­bit of his Mind; puts him into the way of Vertue and Sobriety; gives him a lasting stock for himself and Family (for diligence and in­dustry is so) keeps him out of the danger of the worst sort of Company; gains him more Friends, who will be far more ready to help a person industrious in his Poverty than the most clamorous and importunate Beggar. And therefore our Laws have wisely deter­min'd, that Work-houses are the best Hospi­tals for the Poor, who are able to help them­selves. But after these concessions, I am far from thinking the command of Charity to be swallowed up in our Laws for the relief of the Poor. For,

(1.) If our Laws were the best in the World for this purpose, yet, if they be not duly executed, they leave as much room for Charity as if there were none. What if a Law were made that there should be no Poor at all among us; but that immediate care should be taken, upon any man's falling into decay, that his Stock should be supplied out of the superfluities of the Rich? If this Law were not executed, men would be altogether as miserable in their Poverty, and as great Objects of Charity as if there were no such Law in being. For the making of a Law for their [Page 15] supply without putting it in execution, is but like the Person in Saint Iames, Jam. 2. 16. who said to those who were naked and destitute of daily food, be ye warmed and filled; but notwithstanding gave them nothing needfull for the Body; what doth this pro­fit? What advantage or satisfaction is it to a Man to starve with the Law on his side? Or can men be better fed or cloathed with the Words of a Law than of any particular Per­son? If not, then if care be not taken for the relief and maintenance of the Poor according to the Laws, there is as great need of Charity as if there were none at all.

(2.) If we suppose the Laws for relief of the Poor to be duly executed, yet there are many particular cases of Charity which often happen which the Laws cannot be supposed to pro­vide for. The Law takes care onely of gene­ral, and notorious, and common cases; but there are continual Instances of singular and extraordinary cases where relief is as much wanted, but is rarely challenged. How often is some mens Reputation a snare to themselves and Families; who had rather sink silently in­to the gulf of Misery, than have their wants made known to their insulting neighbours, among whom they have lived in as good fa­shion as themselves? How many have been tempted rather to put an end to a miserable [Page 16] Life than to be despised and contemned for their Poverty in their old Age! How many are unwilling to make known their condition for fear of a repulse and being thought Liars, or impudent and common Beggars! How hardly will some pinch themselves and Fami­lies, before they will make known their neces­sities! and some have been known to have brought themselves so low, that when their sad condition hath been discovered, they have been past all possibility of recovery. I hope such Instances are not frequent among us. And yet we are lately told in Print by a Mem­ber of this City, Proposals for Im­ployment of the Poor, p. 29. 1681. That he hath reason to believe many hundreds have perished through want of late years. If this be true, and their case was known; what a shame and dishonour is it, in the midst of so much plenty and luxury, to suffer such a reproach to Christianity to be among us? But if their case were not known in time; the stain is not quite wiped off, be­cause there ought to be in so great, so rich, so well-governed a City, a due care taken to find out as well as to relieve the truly necessi­tous.

(3.) The obligations of Charity reach much farther than the force of our Laws doth. For how small a matter within this City doth answer the letter of the Law, where Persons [Page 17] enjoy very great and plentifull Estates? And is that all which their thankfulness to God, their love to their Brethren, and the regard to our Saviour's Commands will draw from them? Luk. 6. 36. Is this being mercifull as our heavenly Father is mercifull? Matt. 6. 4. Is this giving our Alms in secret, that thy Father which seeth in secret may reward thee openly? Luk. 16. 9. 22. 21. Is this making to our selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness? Is this being rich towards God; 2 Tim. 6. 18. being rich in good works, being ready to distribute, willing to com­municate? Gal. 6. 10. Is this doing good to all men as we have opportunity? Matt. 25. 35, 36. Is this feeding the hungry, cloathing the naked, visiting the sick and impri­son'd? Can we imagine that will be a good answer at the great day, that we have paid our Rates to the Poor? If the Christian Cha­rity had extended no farther, Iulian needed not have been so solicitous to have the Hea­thens equal them?

The true Charity of Christians is a free and voluntary thing, not what men are forced to doe by the Laws; It is a largeness of mind, that disposeth men to doe good to others, and em­braceth every opportunity for that purpose; It is the flowing of a Fountain which runs freely, easily and constantly; and not like the pouring water out of a narrow mouthed Vessel, where but little comes, and with a great deal of noise. [Page 18] Charity spreads it self like the beams of the Sun, and warms and enlivens the colder parts of the Earth; it pierceth into the bowels of it, and makes it self a passage to those secret and hid­den objects which are out of the view of the World. True Christian Charity hath arms so large to comprehend the whole World within them; but it is the Life and Spirit of that Body whereof Christ is the Head; it pas­seth from one member to another, emptying it self from the larger vessels into the less, and so by a constant motion and course through the Body it keeps heat and union in all the Parts. To doe good because one cannot help it, is to obey the Law of Necessity and not of Charity. He that resolves to go no farther in Charity than the Law requires him, de­clares he would not have gone so far unless the Law had forced him; which is in effect to tell the World, he hath not so much as an in­clination to Charity.

(4.) Our Laws give great encouragement to the best, Stat. de 39 Eliz. c. 5. & 21 Jac. c. 1. 14 Car. 2. c. 9. Co. 2. In­stit. 723. the noblest, the most lasting Works of Charity; such as erecting Work-houses for the Poor that are able to work, endowing Hospitals and Alms-houses for the impotent, distemper'd and aged Poor; setting up Free-Schools for the Education of Youth. And I never yet met with any Objection against these [Page 19] that will not hold against the best designs in the World. For it is possible they may be abused, and may accidentally prove an occa­sion of Idleness to some Persons, and they may exceed the due proportion of Persons fit for them, (Although we yet see no great dan­ger of that.) Yet what design can the wit of Man pitch upon in a captious and suspicious Age, that will not meet with Objections from those that have a mind to cavil? The best Religion in the World, the best Church, the best Government, the best Laws, the best Men cannot escape the censures of ill-minded Men; and why should we think the best designs of Charity should? But some men whose minds are set upon one particular way of Charity, are apt to disparage all other ways to advance their own: which is the common Errour of Mankind, to think sufficient Right is not done to the thing they admire, unless they under­value all other things in comparison with it. But it is a part of Charity to allow, approve and incourage all true ways of Charity; not to set up bodily Labour against the improve­ment of the Mind; nor the learning of Arts and Sciences to the disparagement of breeding men up for Trade and Business; nor to cry down Hospitals and Infirmaries for the Lame and Sick and Aged in comparison of Work­houses [Page 20] for the Young and Strong and Health­full. For all these are excellent and most commendable ways of Charity, and have no­thing of contradiction or inconsistency with one another, if they do answer the ends of their Institution. I do not go about to lessen the esteem of casual and occasional Acts of Charity done to particular Persons in present Want; when our Blessed Saviour in the midst of all his Poverty took care of the Poor, for when he spake to Iudas at the Table, the Dis­ciples supposed it was that he should give some­thing to the Poor. John 13. 29. What admirable Charity was this, when he had not whereon to lay his head, and was at the expence of a Miracle to give an entertainment to the People, yet he had an Officer, one of his own Apostles, to take care of the Poor! And when he pro­nounceth such Blessedness to those who doe acts of Charity to them, and accounts them as done unto himself; Matt. 25. 34. 40. which is the highest expres­sion of his gracious acceptance of such Acts from us, and of the great obligation that lies upon us to doe them; since we ought not to think much of any thing we doe for the ho­nour of our Lord and Saviour, who did and suffer'd so much for our sakes: Yet when we compare these with the publick Works of Charity before mention'd, being done for the [Page 21] same end; we shall find these to exceed the other in some material circumstances, which add much to the excellency of them.

(1.) In the Largeness and Extensiveness of their design. Other Charities are for the pre­sent relief of some poor and indigent persons, whose bowels are refreshed, and backs are clo­thed, and hearts are eased, by the kindness of others to them; but these are soon gone, and mens Charity cannot follow them beyond the Grave. But publick endowments of Charity are to last for ever, and doe good to the Poor of many Generations. The Ages to come will rise up and bless their Memory who took care to doe good to those whom they never saw; and to provide for such, yea very many such, whom it was impossible for them to know. When a man sees a great object of Charity, as the Widow and Fatherless under extreme necessities, the Mother weeping and bemoaning her Children not having bread to put into their Mouths, and the poor Chil­dren looking ghastly and frightfully crying for want of bread, but not knowing where to get it, the very uneasiness of a man's own mind at the sense of so much misery in others, will extort some present relief to still their cries, and to put such an unpleasing Idea out of his Fancy. But if the Object it [Page 22] self do not move, yet importunity may: if that doth not, yet custom, reputation, natu­ral humanity, recommendation of Friends may prevail on men to be sometimes liberal to per­sons whom they see under present Wants. But how much doth all this fall short of a fixed, certain, perpetual provision for the ne­cessities of those, whom none of those Argu­ments could excite men to shew kindness to? The other is a more sensible, natural, private Charity; this is a more rational, generous Christian Charity; being built upon more free, and noble, and lasting considerations, most agreeable to the design and honour of the Christian Religion, which puts men upon doing the best things and which tend to the greatest benefit and advantage of mankind. And in the comparison of things that are good, the largest, the most publick, the most lasting ought to have the preeminence.

(2.) In their Consequence and Usefulness; which ought to be especially regarded in Acts of Charity. For true Charity must be ac­companied with Wisedom and Discretion. It is not a man's profuse liberality to every one that asks; nor making himself poor to make others rich; it is not squandering away an Estate among idle and indigent Persons, that makes him a charitable man; but it is a [Page 23] wise dispensing the Gifts God hath bestowed upon him for the benefit and advantage of others. And the greater the Good is that is received the greater is the Charity in bestow­ing it. The Schoolmen reckon up seven sorts of Corporal Alms, and as many of Spiritual; to visit the sick, Visito, poto, cibo, redimo, tego, colligo, condo. to feed the hungry, to satisfie the thirsty, to cloath the naked, to redeem the cap­tive, Consule, casti­ga, solare, remitte, fer, ora. to entertain the stranger, to bury the dead; are the former: to teach the ignorant, to advise the doubtfull, 2. 2. Q. 32. art. 2. to comfort the sorrowfull, to correct the wicked, to forgive the injurious, to bear the troublesome, to pray for all; are the Instances of spiritual Charity. But this is rather a distri­bution of the different sorts of Charity, than any just Rule and Measure of our obligation to the Acts of it. For although in the gene­ral, spiritual Acts of Charity to mens Souls, are to be preferred before what refers onely to their Bodies; yet in particular cases a man may be more obliged to relieve their outward necessities than to give them good counsel for their Souls; i. e. when those necessities are urgent and pressing, and by a present sup­ply they may have longer time and be in better disposition to receive spiritual Advice. Some dispute if a bad man be in greater want and a good man in less want, which of these two is to be preferred? And the Casuists say, [Page 24] The Work of Mercy is greater in the former Case; but the Work of Charity in the latter. For Mercy onely relates to another's misery; Cajet. in 2. 2. Q. 32. art. 4. but Charity takes in other Considerations. So I say, when the competition lies between the present supply of some in great want, and making a lasting provision for more persons in less want, there may be more Mercy in the former case, but there may be greater Charity in the latter: because the more publick, the more common, the more usefull the Good is, the greater the Charity is in doing of it. I will not dispute, whether the breeding up of youth to Learning, or Labour, be among us the greater Charity? I know no reason why two such excellent ways of Charity should be set at variance with each other. But certainly we are not to judge of mens usefulness to the publick meerly by the strength of their limbs, or the hardness of their hands, or the nimble­ness of their fingers. Is it not possible that by the charitable education of Children in the ways of Learning and Knowledge some may arrive at a greater capacity of serving God and their Country, than if they had been grin­ding in a Mill, or tugging at an Oar all that while? It is not onely keeping People to hard labour, or to continual working, which is the design of Charity; but the most excellent way [Page 25] of Charity is, to improve all Persons accor­ding to their several Capacities, so as to make them more usefull and serviceable to the Pub­lick. This is not onely doing Good to the par­ticular persons, but to the whole Nation; and Charity is not barely to be measured by the quality of its Acts, but by the largeness of the circumference it fills. The breeding up some few great and usefull Persons to a Nation is a Work of Charity the publick Good is more concerned in, than in the ma­nual labours of many industrious Artificers: who do serve the Publick too in their way; but there is a difference between those lesser Stars in the Firmament, that wanted a Tele­scope to discover them, and those great and splendid Bodies which influence the Earth, and direct mens passage in the deep Waters. That is therefore the greatest and most usefull Charity, which tends to the improving man­kind according to their different Capacities; some for Labour, others for Trade, others to be usefull to the rest of mankind with a re­spect either to their Country or to their Estates, their Bodies or their Souls: And which takes all possible care to prevent the unspeakable and innumerable mischiefs which idleness and debauchery do bring upon mankind.

(3.) In the Honour they bring to Religion. [Page 26] There are some cases, wherein our Charity must be so secret, Matt. 6. 3. that our left hand must not know what our right hand doth, i. e. when there is danger of vanity and ostentation in the do­ing of our Alms; but when the honour of God and Religion is concerned, Matt. 5. 16. then Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good Works, and glorifie your Father which is in heaven. But how can men see those Acts of Charity which are done in secret, and are in­dustriously concealed from the knowledge of men? And if that were to be taken as a strict command in all cases, then all the publick Works of Charity, which are most conside­rable for the Honour of God and Religion would be forbidden by the Gospel. But where men do excellent and praise worthy things for great and good ends, without Pha­risaical Hypocrisie, it is the general concern­ment of Religion and the glory of God not to have such things kept from the knowledge of the World. John 15. 8. For herein, saith our Saviour, is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit, so shall ye be my Disciples. So shall ye appear to be my Disciples, for Christ had owned them for his Disciples before, but this would manifest their being so to the World; which would bring the greatest honour to God and to the Christian Religion. And it is certain [Page 27] nothing did more advance the reputation of it in the World, than their singular and ex­traordinary care of the Poor. For they not onely relieved in the first place those that were Christians, according to the Apostle's Rule in the next Verse; especially to those of the House­hold of Faith; but their Charity extended to the very Heathens: which Iulian takes notice of with great Indignation: Jul. Ep. ad Arsac. Is it not a shame for us not to relieve our own poor, when the Christians not onely take care of their own but of ours too? And by the case of Lucian's Peregrinus, it ap­pears, that some pretended to be Christians on purpose that they might be partakers of the great bounty and kindness which the Christi­ans shewed to their Brethren. But such In­stances as these did not make them weary in well-doing; but still as the Church increased in Riches by the free and large oblations of the People; so greater care was taken for the erecting Hospitals for the reception of the Poor, who could provide no habitation for themselves; and this was then always looked on as a particular concernment of Religion, and not as a meer political Constitution.

Thus the matters of Charity stood in the Christian Church, till men came to be per­swaded that by the Priest's saying so many Prayers for the dead, their Souls might be re­moved [Page 28] out of Purgatory and translated to Heaven. And when this notorious Cheat pre­vailed, the stream of mens Charity was diver­ted from the Poor, to the making good bar­gains for their Souls. And who could blame men who had spent all their days in Wicked­ness, or raised an Estate by Fraud and Oppres­sion, if at their death they took care to leave enough to have so many Masses said for their Souls, as might by a reasonable computation serve for their Redemption out of Purgatory at a marketable Price. When the laying open these Cheats to the World, gave the first oc­casion to the Reformation, a mighty out-cry was every where made, that the Foundation of all good Works was destroyed, and if the Reformation prevailed there would be no want of Faith, when every one might choose what he pleased, but nothing like Charity was to be expected. To remove the former Calumny, our Reformers published the Ar­ticles of our Religion; and to take away the latter, they put that admirable Prince Edward the Sixth upon the new founding the famous Hospitals of this City, (for although there were some Hospitals before, such as Saint Mary Beth­lehem, Elsying Spittal, Saint Bartholomew's, yet they were inconsiderable in comparison of what they have been since) For by the care [Page 29] and Charity of the Governours and other Members of the City, they have yielded a won­derfull support to a mighty number of poor Children, and wounded and diseased Persons both in Body and Mind; which being joyned with another Foundation of one single Person, this City may justly vye with any other in the Christian World as to so many and so great Foundations, for the best kind of Christian Charity, in the Education of Youth and the Care of the Impotent and Diseased.

Our Religion teacheth us better, than to have so vain and fond an opinion of our good Works as to think we merit Heaven by them; but surely our Charity is so much the greater, if we doe these things out of a sense of Gratitude to God, than if we think to drive a bargain with him, and put our imperfect Works in the Ballance with an infinite and eternal Reward. Those of the Church of Rome may think they carry on a better Trade with Heaven than we doe; and that they have a mighty advantage in the overballance of what they hope for in exchange for what they part with; but they had best look well to the sta­ting their Accounts, the due value of their Works, and the reason of expecting such a disproportionable return; lest at last they de­ceive themselves, and totally fail of their ex­pectations: [Page 30] For in the great day of Account, all things will be most exactly weighed; and although the greatest Benefactours rejoyce in the highest Acts of Kindness, yet when any thing is challenged in a way of Iustice, men do not love to be imposed upon or over-rea­ched in a Bargain. What madness then is it, for any sinfull Creatures to hope that any Acts of theirs, being weighed by Divine Ju­stice, can bear any proportion in a way of Merit, with no less than the Kingdom of Heaven? This we utterly disclaim, and owe all our hopes of Heaven meerly to the infinite Goodness and Mercy of God through his Son Christ Jesus: and yet we think our selves never the less bound to be fruitfull in good Works; be­cause we hereby testifie our obedience to the Laws of Christ; our sincere love to God and our Brethren; our readiness to doe good to others by the mercies which God hath bestow­ed upon us; our sense of the obligation we have to one another, as partaking of the same nature, and liable to the same infirmities, and exposed to the same calamities; our expecta­tion of a blessed reward, though not due to the merit of our Works, but to the infinite Grace and Mercy of God. And I do not see, but where men have a due regard to God and Religion, such considerations as these do more [Page 31] effectually stir men up to true Acts of Chari­ty, than those mercenary and corrupt Doc­trines in the Roman Church; which look ra­ther like cunning devices to pick the Peoples Pockets than any real Arguments for Charity. And upon a carefull examination, it hath been found, that our Protestant Doctrine was so far from stopping up the Channel that ran so freely before, that within sixty years after the Reformation more great and noble Works of Charity were done in founding of Schools and Hospitals, than for some hundreds of years before; and some say from the Conquest till that time of the Reformation. But this I have formerly insisted more upon, on the like Oc­casion.

The summe of what I have said is this, that we have no reason to be weary in well-doing; on the account of our Laws for the common relief of the Poor; because those Laws can­not provide for all cases of Charity; and be­cause they do suppose the greatest Works of Charity to depend upon the largeness and freeness of those mens minds to whom God gives a heart to doe great and worthy things with the Estates he hath given to them.

2. But there is another plausible pretence yet behind, viz. from the consideration of our own Times. ‘Were the times calm and [Page 32] fixed; had we a fair prospect of things be­fore us, that were a great encouragement to Charity; but we live in perplexed and doubt­full times, and know not what may become of us all; mens minds are strangely discom­posed and full of Fears; and therefore this is a very unseasonable Time to perswade them to Charity, when they ought rather to lay up and secure something against an evil day.’

To which I answer,

1. What times were those the Primitive Christians lived in, who so much abounded in Charity? 1 Cor. 4. 11, 12, 13. Saint Paul tells us of himself and his Brethren, they were hungry and thirsty, naked and buffetted, having no certain dwelling-place; labouring, working with their own hands, reviled, persecuted, defamed; and yet nothing rela­ting to this World was so much their care and concernment as providing for the Poor. For when he went up to Ierusalem, and there conferred with Iames, 2 Gal. 9. 10. Cephas and Iohn, at his departure they had nothing to desire of him and Barnabas, but to remember the Poor, the same which I also was forward to doe; as Saint Paul relates it. And you may see how earnest he was in it, 2 Cor. 8, 9. ch. by his dealing with the Corinthi­ans, when he perswades them to a liberal con­tribution to the poor Christians in Iudea, [Page 33] who then suffer'd much either through Fa­mine or Persecution or both. Saint Paul had undertaken for the Churches of Achaia, (of which Corinth, being a populous and trading City, was the chief) but the Collection not being yet made among them, he sends some on purpose to Corinth to make all ready against his coming to them, and perswades them to great liberality in their giving: for which end he makes use of the most powerfull and pre­vailing arguments and great arts of insinua­tion. (1.) He sets before them the Example of the Churches of Macedonia; 2 Cor. 8. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. which is truly a very extraordinary instance of Christian Cha­rity. They were under great trouble and deep poverty at that time themselves, yet under­standing by Saint Paul this occasion of more than ordinary Charity, they not onely strai­ned themselves even beyond their abilities, but did it with that cheerfulness and satisfaction of mind, that they intreated the Apostle to ac­cept of what they had given, and to under­take the managing of so good a Work. And Saint Paul seems to speak of it with a kind of transport, Moreover, Brethren, we do you to wit of the Grace of God bestowed on the Churches of Macedonia; how that in a great trial of afflicti­on, the abundance of their joy and their deep po­verty abounded to the riches of their liberality; [Page 34] for to their power I bear record, yea and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; pray­ing us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministring to the Saints. Nothing can be ad­ded to the weight of these words and the Em­phasis wherewith they are penned. (2.) He lets them know what a shame and reproach it would be to so famous a Church for other Divine Gifts to come behind others in Charity. Therefore as ye abound in every thing, 2 Cor. 8. 7. in faith, in utterance, in knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, (what artificial insinua­tions are these!) see that ye abound in this Grace also. (3.) But lest he should seem to press too hard upon them, v. 8. he draws off again; I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the for­wardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. (4.) Yet he hath no sooner said this, but he comes on again with the most prevai­ling Argument taken from the Example of our Blessed Saviour: v. 9. For ye know the Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor that ye through his poverty might be rich. Can any thing be more moving to Christians than this? (5.) His design was not to lay a burthen upon them, but to excite mutual compassion in Christians to one another. v. 13, 14. (6.) This would be a demon­stration [Page 35] to the World of their kindness to him, and that he had not spoken great things of them without cause. 2 Cor. 8. 24. (7.) They might justly expect a retribution sutable to their Bounty; But this I say, 9. 6. He which soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly; but he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. (8.) This would be the occasion of many thanksgivings and pray­ers to God for them. v. 12. For the administration of this service, not onely supplieth the want of the Saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgi­vings unto God. 13. ( Whilst by the experiment of this ministration they glorifie God for your profes­sed subjection unto the Gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men.) 14. And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding Grace of God in you. Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. 15. Wherein he supposes the thing as already done, as believing it impossible for them to resist the force of so many Arguments. And yet all this while Saint Paul supposes their condition to be such as in a little time they might stand in need of relief from others; which he thought was so far from being an Argument against present Charity, that he useth it the other way; that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, 8. 14. that their abundance may also be a supply for your want. i. e. Do not con­sider [Page 36] what times may come upon your selves so as to hinder doing Good while it is in your power to doe it; leave those things to the wise Providence of God; if he think fit to re­duce you to want, he that now excites your hearts to doe good to them, will stir up others to make up the same measure to you. So that while the Christians were either under great persecutions, or in expectation of them, through the Power of the Magistrates, or the Rage of the People; yet the Apostles pressed them, and that with great success, to a free, cheerfull, liberal contribution to relieve those who labour under greater wants than others.

2. This very consideration is used as an Ar­gument in Scripture to perswade men to Cha­rity, viz. That we do not know what times may come upon us. Eccles. 11. 2. Give thy portion to seven and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. This seems to the men of this World a strange way of reasoning, and it may be they suspect from hence that Solomon was not so wise a man as they took him to be. ‘What! give away what one hath because one knows not what times may come. No certainly, say they, we ought to get what we can, and to save what we have, for that reason.’ The difference of reasoning in this case proceeds upon the [Page 37] different Principles on both sides. Solomon believed a Divine Providence and they do not. And he thought that would be particularly concerned for the good of those, whom no sad prospect of Affairs could discourage from well-doing according to their Ability and Op­portunity.

II. And so I come to the Incouragement here given to patient continuance in well-doing; for, in due season we shall reap if we faint not. Wherein are three things considerable.

1. The certainty of a future recompence for well-doing. We shall reap.

2. The time of receiving it, not immedi­ately, but in due season.

3. The condition supposed on our parts, which is continuance in well-doing. If we faint not. Some understand it as relating to the reward, that we shall receive it without fainting; reaping and harvest being a time of labour and sickness; but the more natural meaning of [...], seems to be the ta­king the participle, as implying the condition on our parts.

1. The certainty of a future recompence for well-doing. Heb. 6. 10. God is not unrighteous, saith the Apostle, to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed towards his name; in that [Page 38] ye have ministred to the Saints and do minister. Though it be a work and labour, though it may seem uneasie and troublesome for a while; yet being a work and labour of love; it is but the work and labour of sowing, which a man goes through the more cheerfully be­cause he expects a plentifull increase. He doth not reap presently the very same which he sowed, but a wonderfull improvement of it, when the seed being cast into a fruitfull soil brings forth some thirty, some sixty, some an hundred fold. And this Harvest doth not de­pend upon the uncertainty of the Weather; here are no fears of blasting and mildew, or locust to prevent the joyfull expectation of it; no danger of the seed rotting in the ground, or being pickt up by the fowls of the air; but he that ministreth seed to the sower, 2 Cor. 9. 10. will mul­tiply the seed sown, and increase the fruits of their righteousness. His Word is engaged that they which sow shall reap a plentifull increase; and therefore God will not be unrighteous in not performing his Promise. This men may as certainly depend upon as that Night and Day shall follow each other; for Heaven and Earth may pass away, but the Word of God endureth for ever.

2. The time of this retribution, in due sea­son. Most men are unwilling to trust God [Page 39] too long upon his bare Word; they would have something in hand, and the remainder hereafter. And God by the course of his wise Providence, doth very often order things so in this World that the most charitable men, although they may not abound with the grea­test riches, yet generally meet with the fewest difficulties; and in their straights find more unexpected assistance than other men. David made it the observation of his own time, that in all his days though he was then grown old, he never saw the righteous, Psal. 37. 25. i. e. the charitable man, forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. And they have far more reason than other men to hope, that if they do fall into trouble and sickness, God will have a particular regard to them; 41. 1, 3. and besides this, they have the natu­ral or rather spiritual contentment that fol­lows doing Good; and they have more satis­faction and ease in it, than others have in hoarding up Wealth for they know not whom. But none of all these are the reaping here mention'd; Ruth 2. 16. They are like Ruth's gleaning of handfulls in the field of Boaz, which shewed a more than ordinary kindness; notwithstan­ding which he said, v. 12. The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust. So it is here, they may have better [Page 40] gleanings and fuller handfulls sometimes in the common Field of Providence, but this is not the full recompence which the God of Mercy will give to those that trust in his Word. That is onely to be expected at the great Day when the Lord the righteous Judge shall say, Come ye blessed of my Father, Matt. 25. 34, 35, 36. inherit the King­dom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World. For I was an hungred and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger and ye took me in; naked and ye clo­thed me; I was sick and ye visited me; I was in prison and ye came unto me: v. 40. For inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of these my Bre­thren ye have done it unto me. O the infinite Goodness and unexpressible Kindness of our Blessed Saviour, who in the day of Judgment will interpret all Acts of Charity so much to the advantage of those that doe them! Who would deny any thing to a Servant of that Lord who takes all kindnesses to them as done to himself, and rewards them accordingly? What other apprehensions will covetous and hard-hearted Wretches then have of their sor­did penuriousness in heaping up riches, with­out any tenderness or compassion to the ne­cessities of their Brethren and Christ's Repre­sentatives? How will they wish ten thousand times, when it will be to no purpose to wish, [Page 41] that they had rather laid out their money in doing good, than laid it up for those, who may go to Hell the faster for the great Temptati­ons they leave behind them. Neither let the prodigal Fools think they shall escape better, for being so contrary to the griping and stin­gy humour of the Covetous; for it is not the vain and careless squandring an Estate away in riotous courses will make a man's con­dition more tolerable at that day; but it is the provident, seasonable, carefull distribu­tion of our Charity for wise and good ends, which shall meet with so glorious a reward.

3. Especially, in the last place, if we faint not, and do not repent of what good we have done, but continue so doing to the end of our Lives. For this reason I presume it is that many reserve their greatest Acts of Charity to their Deaths; but it is dangerous putting off their Repenting and doing Good till they come to die, for fear their hearts, or those whom they trust deceive them. But if men begin to doe well in their health and strength, let them not faint when they come to die; but conti­nue charitable as well as faithfull unto death, and God will give them a crown of life.

And now my business is to make particu­lar Application to this great Assembly not to be [Page 42] weary in well-doing; and therefore I shall re­peat to You, A true Report, &c.

You perceive by this Relation, how much Good hath been already done in the care of the Education of poor Children, and in the cure of and provision for the Maimed and Distracted, all which are very commendable ways of well-doing, and it is a great advantage to me this Day, that I am onely to perswade you not to be weary in this well-doing, for in due season You shall reap if ye faint not. You have already broke through many discouragements, and since the sad calamities of Plague and Fire, which made such desolations among us, You have done even as to these charitable Foun­dations, what hath been to the Admiration and Astonishment of beholders. Which of us all who saw the City in its Ruines, with so many Churches and Halls and Hospitals bu­ried in its rubbish, could ever hope to have lived to see them rise again with a much grea­ter Glory; and our new-built Hospitals to appear with that Magnificence, that strangers may easily mistake them for Palaces? We have lived in an Age that hath beheld strange Revolutions, astonishing Judgments, and won­derfull Deliverances; what all the Fermenta­tions that are still among us may end in, God alone knows; our unanswerable returns to [Page 43] God for his great Mercies may justly make us fear, that he hath greater scourges provided for us; the best thing we can doe for our selves, is to amend our ways, and to bring forth fruits worthy of amendment of life; not barely to own and profess the Protestant Reli­gion, but to adorn it, by holy and exemplary lives, and doing all the Good we can while we have opportunity. And to that end I shall offer these Considerations, and so conclude.

1. The more Good ye doe, the more Com­fort you will find in the doing it. Therefore be not weary in well-doing. There is a certain secret pleasure and inward satisfaction that follows doing Good; which increases by exer­cise and continuance. This is so far above the pleasure of the Covetous and Voluptuous in pursuit of their ends, that it approaches nearest of any thing we can conceive, to the satisfaction of the Almighty, who delighteth in doing Good. It was a remarkable saying of our Saviour, which Saint Paul preserved, It is more blessed to give than to receive. Act. 20. 35. How happy do the Poor think themselves, when those who are Rich are bountifull to them! But the advantage is on your side; they are the receivers but you are the gainers. What you bestow on them you lay up in store for your selves: which will yield far greater [Page 44] comfort when you come to die than having raised a vast Estate: for that is onely carrying a greater account into another World; but this is a great help to discharge it.

2. Doing Good is really one of the best parts of our Religion. Jam. 1. 27. True Religion and un­defiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the Widow and Fatherless in their Affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the World. It is not giving a cold formal visit to the Wi­dow and Fatherless that makes any part of Religion, but doing all the good we can to them, by advice and counsel, by supplying their wants and taking care of their affairs. No Duty takes in so much of the substance of Religion as true Charity. Gal. 5. 14. It is the fulfilling of the Law; Tim. 1. 5. the end of the Commandment, i. e. of the Gospel; Coloss. 3. 14. the bond of perfectness. That, with­out which, all other pretence to Religion is but flattering of God and meer hypocrisie. For all our Prayers and Praises are but verbal acknowledgments; that which he hath put the trial of our love to himself upon, is our love to our Brethren. 1 John 4. 20. For he that loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

3. Doing Good to others is taking the best care of our selves. We all seem very appre­hensive of dangerous times, and very fearfull [Page 45] what may become of us; the best course eve­ry wise and good man can take in difficult and uncertain times, is to doe his own duty and to leave events to God. And there is no duty more unquestionable, more safe, more advantagious, to himself as well as to others, than to doe good: i. e. to be kind and obliging to all, to forgive injuries, to reconcile ene­mies, to redeem captives, to visit the distres­sed, and according to our abilities and op­portunities to relieve those that are in wants and necessities. This is the way to dwell safely, and to be quiet from the fear of evil; for as long as God governs the World he will take care of those who commit themselves to him by patient continuance in well-doing.

4. Doing Good doth the most answer the obligations God hath laid upon you by the Mercies he hath vouchsafed to you.

And now give me leave to plead with you the Cause of the Poor and Fatherless Children, the Cause of the Wounded and Maimed, who cannot help themselves, the Cause of those who deserve so much more pity because they can­not pity themselves, being deprived of the use of their Understandings. If God hath provided well for you and for your Children, wherein can you better express your thankfulness for such a mercy than by your kindness and cha­rity [Page 46] to those who are destitute of the means to make them Men. If you have reason to bless God for your good Education, shew it by taking care of theirs who may hereafter bless God for your kindness to them. If God hath blessed you with Riches and a plentifull Estate in this City, and raised you beyond your hopes and expectations, what can you doe more becoming the Members of this City than to be kind to the Children of those who have been such and reduced to Poverty? Remem­ber from what God hath raised you; do not think much to consider what you have been, as well as what you are. You can never take the just height of God's Mercies to you un­less you begin at the bottom; and let others measure your height now, as some have done that of the Pyramid's, by the length of your sha­dow, by the refreshments they find under you. Think what God hath brought you to, and for what end; Was it for your own sakes, that you might be full, while others are emp­ty; that you might swim in abundance, while others are pinched with necessities? Was it not rather to make you his Conduit-Pipes to convey blessing and comforts to others through your means? When you are in health and at ease, then think of the mise­rable condition of those who lie in Hospitals [Page 47] under aches and pains and sores, having no­thing to comfort them, but the Charity of good People to them. They cannot represent their own condition to you, being unable to come abroad to do it. Be you good Sama­ritans to the wounded and hurt, bind up their wounds with your kindness, and help to de­fray the charges of their cures. This is loving our neighbour as our selves, and that is fulfilling the Law, and the great design of the Gospel. Lastly, when you think what a blessing it is that you do enjoy the use of your Reason and Vnderstanding, pity the poor Creatures whom God hath deprived of it. How easily, how justly, how suddenly may God cast you into their Condition? Shew the esteem that you have of this Mercy of God to your selves, by the freeness of your Charity to those that want it. Therefore, I conclude in the Words of the Text, Let us not be weary in any of these ways of well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.