may bring forth 3. Let the Alms giver take care that what he gives be the Effect of Divine Charity and Kindness This Rule shall not need seem strange For we may give as the Apostles words suppose all our Goods to feed the Poor and our Bodies to be burnt and yet be void of Charity 1 Cor. 13.3 VVhatever we do of this Nature must proceed from the love of God and be accompanied with a most hearty Love to our Brother who is his Image There may be many Considerations may incline us to give t is our Love that makes it Rewardable And then a Cup of Cold VVater given to a Disciple of Christ in the Name of a Disciple shall not lose a Reward Mat. 10.42 VVe must not onely Help but we must Pity our Brother Our Religion teaches us Mercy and Compassion and we are Obliged by it to Pity as well as to Aid our Brother It Commands us to put on Bowels of Mercâ—â— Col. 3.12 The Doctrine of the Stoicks allowed the good man to help but forbad him to Pity and Compassionate the Needy But we learn to do both from the Example and the Precepts of our Lord. Senec. de Clement l. 2. c. 5. Our to do both from the Example and the Precepts of our Lord. Our Alms must be the Off-spring of our Charity and Kindness and if we were allowed to be void of Pity and Compassion 't is to be feared our Relief would be but small He is most likely to help his Neighbour that hath a great sense of his Misery And Christianity hath provided better for the Poor than the Philosophy of the Stoicks Our Gift without Kindness is like our Prayer without Devotion It is not like to be great or lasting or proportionate to our Brothers Needs and the Obligations we are under to relieve him If we love greatly we shall give largely But if we be void of bowels no wonder that we abound not in good works 4. He that gives Alms must have a great care of Pride and Ostentation He must watch against it very severely and diligently 'T is our Saviours Rule Take heed that you do not your Alms before men to be seen of them otherwise ye have no Reward of your Father which is in Heaven Therefore when thou dost thine Alms do not sound a Trumpet before thee as the Hypocrites do in the Synagogues and in the Streets that they may have Glory of Men Verily I say unto you they have their Reward But when thou doest Alms let not thy Left hand know what thy Right hand doeth That thine Alms may be in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall Reward thee openly Mat. 6.1 Let him chase away every proud thought that would arise in his mind and remember that when he hath done all he can he is an unprofitable Servant Otherwise he gives to himself and not to the Poor He hath an ill aim and he does lose his Reward I am far from thinking that we may not give openly and in the view of others we may do this and it is sometimes needful and at other times convenient We are not strictly Obliged to give all our Alms privately But we are indispensably Obliged to avoid Ostentation and vain-glory And because we shall be most liable to this Temptation when we give publickly therefore it is safest that we do it in secret He that gives must have no other aim but to do good and to approve himself to God 5. He that gives must do it without any hopes of Amends or Restitution He must look for nothing back again 'T is our Saviours Rule Do good and lend hoping for nothing again and your Reward shall be great c. Luke 6.35 We may Lawfully have respect to the recompence of a future reward But we must have a great care that we expect not this from them whom we relieve 6. Let him give to all Let us do good to all Men Gal. 6.10 Give to him that asketh thee and from him that would borrow of thee turn thou not away Mat. 5.42 If thine Enemy hunger feed him if he thirst give him Drink Rom. 12.20 .. 'T is enough that our Brother wants this makes him a fit Object of our Mercy Though he be a wicked man and unthankful yet we must relieve him Though he be of another Opinion of a different Religion a Stranger and an Alien yet he is a Man and we must help him Where the Necessity is equal let him first relieve the good man But where it is not he must give to him that needs most And provided we give not what will minister to the Lust of an Evil man we must give to him And the farther our Charity extends the more like it is to the Love of God For though we say it begins at home and I wish it did not with many of us end there too yet it must go farther off to our greatest Enemies and the worst of men if it be genuine and of the right stamp 7. He must do it with great Cherfulness and Alacrity not grudgingly or of Neoessity for God loveth a chearful giver 2 Cor. 9.7 'T was the advice of Siracides In all thy Gifts shew a chearful Countenance Ecclus 35.9 Let us not need Graning and Skrewing up to so Blessed a work He is an ill Souldier that follows his Leader with Sighs God is not pleased with the Sacrifice that we bring unwillingly In Complyance with this Rule let us give as we would receive Let us do it before we are asked Let us seek after Objects of our Compassion Let us prevent with kinkness and be before hand with our Brother Let us prevent with appear that we are as willing to give as the Needy to receive There are some Cases in which we must do thus Some men have nothing left but great Needs and great Modesty Here we must seek out and Enquire I shall not need to say after all this that he that gives Alms must give what is his own That is to be supposed He must first be Just and pay his Debts and make his Restitutionâ— else he does but Rob one to give to another and must never 〈◊〉 that such Alms will attone for his injustice And thus Sir I have shewn how we may give to our own Advantage We may now Adventure upon a safe Bottom I am â—ot able to tell you where any Trading or Wealthy man can put out his Silver to so safe a bank There 's no man that Trafficks but runs an hazard onely the good and prudent Alms-giver runs none at all It would have been happy for many men that they had put out more of their Wealth this way This would have turned to a great Account when the course they took turned to none at all I do not know but they might by this course have preserved these Estates which have for want of this seasoning Perished and Coâ—â—â—nâ—ed For certainly if there be a God and a
temporals for eternals It does our brother good and it pleaseth God It blesses our store and keeps the rest of the lump from Corrupting It brings down many blessings on our selves and estates and on our children If we shew no mercy now 't is because we dare not Trust God or we do not Love him VVe doubt his Truth or we question his Power And if we do are egregious hypocrites when we pretend to any faith in God or love to our neighbour Such a faith we may have as will save our Estates but will never save our Souls And in vain we pretend to love God when we refuse to relieve our brother I Shall conclude with the words of the Apostle Whoso hath this worlds goods and seeth his brother have need and shutteth 〈◊〉 his bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God iâ— him My little Children let us not love in Word neither in Tongue but in Deed and in Truth 1 John 3.17 18. Having premised these things and in that also complyed with your Request I shall now return to those severals which I propounded to speak to in the beginning of this Paper First I shall shew how a Man may so give Alms as they may turn to his own Account That is I shall lay before the good Man some Rules of giving Alms that may secure the Duty and make him certain of the Blessing And they are these that follow 1. He must do it deliberately and in cold Blood That is he must take care that it be his own Act as much as may be Hence it is that we many times lose our Reward because the good we do was not premeditated and designed it was not the Issue and Result of our purpose We are fermented into a Charitable paroxism or heat by the Example of another upon some sudden surprize to gratifie a present humour or some prevailing Passion Perhaps the Poor man surprises us and he does it in Company and then we think our Reputation concern'd and we give something or else he follows us with great Importunity Multi sunt quos liberales facit frontis infirmitas Sen. and we give to be rid of his Noise and purchase our Quiet with our Alms. And in these cases we give but did not intend we bestow but did not choose And though we may do good in the Event yet we Designed it not And whatever good we do to another we take not a course to do a kindness to our selves And Men sometimes do a kindness and Repent when they have done it But that God accepts which we do deliberately and of Choice ' That 's our Act which we design and purpose before hand For as that cannot be called Malice how mischevous soever which was not fore thought and intended no more can that be called Charity how profitable soever otherwise which was not Designed God looks at our purpose and accepts of that which we choose to do To this purpose are the Apostles words to be understood Donne ce qu'il aura resolu en luy même de donner vide French Traâ—â—â—atioâ— Printed at Mons. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every Man according as he purposeth in his heart so let him give 2 Cor. 9.7 As he purposeth in his heart i. e. as he resolved in himself before so let him give as a late Translation hath it And surely 't is a great Commendation of their Charity of whom the Apoâ—â—le affirms that they had begun before not onely to do but also to be forward a year before 2 Cor. 8.10 To be forward we render it but the Greek signifies to be willing That is They had of themselves formed the Design the Year past even before they were spoken to To which sence the same Translation turns those words And that it is the Readiness of Will and purpose that God regards is evident from what follows v. 11 12. And the Apostle would have the good man lay by him in store what he intends to bestow in Alms 1 Cor. 16.2 And the very Heathen have Observed that many Men do bestow their Benefits rashly and without Judgment Quae beneficia aquè magna non sunt habenda atque ea quae judicio consideratè constanterque delata sunt Cicero de Offic l. 1. being hurried by an impetuous mind as by a strong Wind and he well Observes that those kindnesses and Benefits come short of those which are done with Judgment Consideration and Constancy So that 't is very advisable that we should before hand set apart so much for the Poor and then 't is ours no longer and we may bestow it to no other Use than that to which we have Designed it and after this it must be our care to bestow it as we see most needful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophyl in locum 2. The next Rule I would give is that he give speedily As we have Opportunity or whiles we have time let us do good Gal. 6.10 That is let us do it in our Life time and because our Life is short and uncertain also let us do it speedily Let us make our Eyes our Overseers and our Hands our Executors Tâ—â—â— good when we lye a dying is neither so Praise-worthy nor yet so safe Besides that he that was long before he did it was a great while before he was willing 'T is small Charity to bestow that which we can keep no longer and we run a peradventure in leaving that to others which we might see done our selves He takes the wisest course that takes the present time and he that does not give presently perhaps will never give at all Indeed our intention is rewardable but 't is so onely when it is sincere and the best Evidence of its sincerity is to do good to our Brother when 't is in the power of our hand And thus Solomon does Advise us to do Prov. 3.27 28. when we do what we can our good will is Accepted If we do not this we have cause to fear we use a subter-refuge The Apostle hath Ruled this case If there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not 2 Cor. 8.12 Our Intention is then accepted when we can go no further But he that can do it presently and yet delays does not do what he can and according to what he hath Our Time and with it our Opportunities of doing good is flying hastily from us and there is no wisdom or Operation in the Grave It hath been thought good Advice that the Jew gave his Scholar when he bid him Repent one day before he dyed and that because he did thereby require him to Repent presently because he could not tell but he might dye the next day What good we do let us do it quickly or else perhaps it will be too late How many men have we known prevented in their Charitable intentions We know not what a day
attendance upon the worship of God In a word let us so give that the Poor Man may perceive we have higher and more generous designs upon him than what concerns this present Life That he may Learn to set some price upon his Soul which he finds us to value and prize at an high rate 3. 'T is Advisable that the Alms-giver bestow his Charity with his own hands That he do both inquire out for the Needy Hieronym Epitaph Fabiolae Ad Oceanum and afterwards Relieve them himself Let him go to Prisons to the Houses of the poorest examine their store and pry into their Necessities Let him visit Sick and Wounded poor People and dress their Wounds with his own Hands if he can or at least see them Dressed 'T is a kindness to help the Poor with our Purse but 't is a greater to visit them our selves and to bestow our Charity with our own Hands The good Mans Presence adds a new Kindness to his Alms. The Sick and the Poor are Refreshed with the Company and Conversation as well as the Alms of the good Man The Presence of the Charitable Man revives them They are joyed to think that they are not altogether Neglected Besides the good Man by this means will be sure the Work which he intended is done He cannot fear a miscarriage now and he hath a fair Occasion of Commending Vertue and Religion to the poor he visits and his Counsel is most likely to prevail Besides by this means he will better Learn to pity the Afflicted and to Bless God for what he himself enjoys 'T were well we would now and then go to Prisons and Hospitals and the poorest Houses and Families This course would be much for our own Interest and the Poors also 'T is a most Christian Office to do this And would well become Persons of the greatest Quality and the fairest Circumstances But this may not be expected there will be but few that will take this care upon them And perhaps some cannot bear it and others cannot find time through the urgency and multiplicity of their other Affairs Such as these however ought to help with their Estates and whoever doth so doth well But then 't is Advisable in the next place 4. That he make use of Men of great Integrity to bestow his Charity for him Thanks be to God there are those that spend a great part of their time in finding out and helping the Poor There are those that carry on Charitable Designs and Labour greatly in it And I know some such whom Malice it self can hardly fasten an Accusation upon Men who do design and by the assistance of others Effect great things such works of Charity and Compassion that no Man can doubt but he hath sufficient grounds both to trust the Men and encourage their work And indeed it is very needful there should be some such Men as these especially about this great City The Apostles when the Number of Disciples was multiplyed thought fit to constitute certain Officers on purpose to take care of the Poor Acts 6. And there had need be always a number of Men attending upon this great Affair And they had need be men very Exemplary for Piety men of Leisure and Estates of great Prudence and Humility of a merciful temper and an inflexible Justice Men that are great Lovers of Piety and true goodness where ever they meet it Not Devoted fondly to one Sect or party of Men nor yet Admirers of Theories and Speculations of Nice and Curious Opinions And besides all this if they had the favour and allowance of publick Authority and enabled with power also they might be greatly Serviceable to the Community 'T is true every Parish hath by Law certain Men appointed to be Over-seers of the Poor And though this provision which the Law hath made be good yet it is still a Question whether it be sufficient or not We know that these Men are Chosen in Course and Order according to the Houses or by their standing and continuance in their several Parishes And then it may be supposed it may sometime happen that those may be chosen that are not fit for that Employment either because they are men that cannot afford to attend upon that work or for want of some other qualification which that Office does require Besides they are limited in their Office and receive their Laws as well as their Supplies from the Neighbourhood that chose them And though they are Obliged to keep men from starving if Complaint be made yet they are frequently over-charged with the Numbers of the Poor they take the care of And there are other works of Mercy that we ought to be concerned for besides the bare preserving the Poor from starving Besides all that hath been said the Modest man that Complains not is all this while unprovided for When the seven Deacons were Chosen to dispense the Charity of the Church 't is said that the Number of the Disciples was Multiplied And those words perhaps may intimate to us the Occasion of choosing these Officers What the Number of the Disciples was then we are not indeed certain but yet we do not Read before that of any determinate Number above that of Five Thousand in all Acts 4.4 And how many of them were poor and stood in Need of Relief we know not but yet supposing the poor among them many there were seven Deacons to provide for them And very probable it is that some of our Parishes may have as many poor as were amongst them though not so many Devout and Pious men to take care for their Relief I am sure that the Relief of the poor is the Common Interest and I see not but there might well be appointed some Common Patrons and Fathers of the Poor who might make it a Common Care When the Deacons were Chosen and set apart by the Apostles 't is said immediately thereupon That the Word of God Increased and the Number of the Disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly and a great Company of the Priests were Obedient to the Faith Acts 6.7 That was the Consequent of that Blessed work And certain I am that 't is much for the Interest and Advancement of Religion that all its poor Proselytes be well provided for And 't is a work truly pious to contrive a mean how this may be done and contribute what we can towards it 5. He that would do most good with his Alms will do well so to bestow them that the receiver may be kept from Idleness as well as starving He that keeps men at work does a double kindness He provides them with bread and employment too I shall not need to represent how many are the sad consequents and temptations of a poor and an idle life It is sometimes greater charity to lend than to give He that lends a trading man encourages his diligence and the borrower takes pains that he may repay It would be a great charity to