it cannot be denied but the Apostle doth preach up the preheminence of this duty above all that went before Psal 133. And truly when I consider that holy David hath spent a whole Psalm 1 Cor. 13. and St. Paul a whole Chapter upon no other subject then the excellency of this duty of Charity I cannot thinke my selfe able to perform the same work in any Competent measure in a small part of a Sermon yet since it is fallen in our way according to my time and talent I shall shew you the preheminence of this duty above all others in these Foure particulars In the perfection of its acts In the sweetness of its nature In the Vniversality of its Influence and lastly in the Duration of its Being First it is above all in the perfection of its acts 1 Cor. 13.13 Now abideth Faith Hope and Charity these three but the greatest of these is Charity The advancement of this grace will prove a very easie worke if we can set it above Faith it selfe and since the holy Ghost hath said it we must make it good and that in two particulars First Charity is greater then Faith in respect to the Efficacy of their acts For Charity gives life at least it gives activity to Faith and therefore is greater read this assertion at large verified by St. Iames Chap. 2. from the 14. to the 23. Faith without works is dead if a brother be naked or want Food and ye say be be warmed and filled but give him nothing what doth this profit Faith is dead if it be alone for the Devils beleeve and tremble and v. 22. he saith that Abrahams faith wrought by works and by works faith is perfect And St. Paul makes up St. Iames's argument by the specification of those works which actuate faith Faith worketh by Love Gal. 5.6 It is love then which actuates yea which in St. Iames his phrase perfects faith thus Charity is greater then Faith first in the efficacy of their acts it actuates it perfects faith Secondly it is greater then faith in the Absoluteness of its acts Faith qua talis in its own nature implyeth imperfection not only in matter of degrees for so Charity also is imperfect in this life but even in its own kinde the most perfect act of Faith if it be but Faith hath this imperfection in it to wit the Absence of the object For saith the Apostle It is of things not seen whereas charity is the grace of union Heb. 11.1 and it is the caressing of the heart in the actual Fruition of the object and therefore is perfect in its own kinde For which reason it abideth and Faileth not with Faith hope and other imperfect graces which by reason of their imperfections are unfit for Heaven without a charge as also are all those that imply misery in others such as pitty and compassion c. which in the very natures of their acts forespeak themselves unfit for that state where there is Fulness of joy for ever more whereas this grace of Charity abideth the same in Heaven as on Earth in its kinde though in degrees it is more perfect and for no other reason but because the acts and operations of Charity even as they are performed here on Earth do not imply any Essential inherent imperfections which as you see are to be found in all other graces Therefore Charity is Above all others First in the Perfection of its Acts. Secondly In the sweetness of its Nature There is no duty of Religion that comes so neer to the delight of nature as the duty of Brotherly love as man is naturally a sociable creature so consequently must he be as naturally a loving and affectionate creature Love being the congregating and uniting passion of the soule whereby the object is drawn close to the affection so that Love simply in its own nature is the most consonant to our natural inclination even above all other duties of Religion whatsoever which the Psalmist plainly intimates when he cryes out Psal 133.1 Behold how pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity Faith repentance self-denial taking up the Cross and all duties of mortification instead of pleasure hold in their very acts rather a displeasure and contrariety to nature but how pleasant is unity among Brethren wherefore above all other Secondly in the sweetness of its nature Thirdly in the Vniversality of its influence Charity transfuseth an universal vertue through the whole body of Gods worship and service in all the duties of the same if they are performed as they ought to be whereas other duties are particularly stated within their own limits Meditation is a distinct duty from hearing of the word preached and Hearing is a distinct duty from prayer and Receiving the Sacraments distinct from both but the duties of Love and Charity must have an universal influence in all Charity being among the Graces much as Iustice among the vertues 1 Cor. 16.14 The Apostle particularly exhorts the Corinthians to Watchfulness to magnanimity to Constancy in their particular and distinct natures but v. 14. he enjoyns Charity as an Vniversal requisite to the performance of these and all other particular duties whatsoever Watch ye Stand fast in the Faith quit you like men be strong here are the particular duties and in the next verse Let all things be done with Charity like as it was under the law an abundance of sacrifices there were of proper and distinct kindes some of Sheep some of Bullocks some of Lambs some for peace some for praise some for sin But all were kindled by the same holy fire that was kept alwayes alive upon the holy Altar for these several services And even thus is it with the grace of Charity it is that holy Fire which is ever kept alive in the Altar of the good mans heart whereby he enkindles all his evangelical sacrifices which he offereth unto God and therefore he that cometh with his gift to the altar before he be reconciled to his Brother in effect expects to offer a burnt offering without Fire let him leave his gift First Fetch this Fire then let him kindle his Sacrifice and perform the whole state and series of the duties of Religion quickned with this common Catholick grace which is to the other inferior duties of Gods worship as the Sun is to the lesser Stars though they have a native beauty and light of their own yet do they all borrow the chiefest part of their lustre from this great ruling light of Charity I need no better evidence of the universal influence of this grace then the resemblance the holy Psalmist gives us Psal 133.2 where he tells us that the love of Brethren is that precious ointment of Aaron which was poured upon his head and ran down to his beard and descended even to the skirts of his garments and so gave a pleasant tincture to every part of Aaron from head to foot
the end is at hand ye are not in the beginning of your journey and therefore you must not rest onely in Ceasing from sin for the end is at hand therefore you must do good and holy duties of Sobriety and Piety verse 7. Be sober and watch unto prayer of Love ver 8. Ahove all things have love or charity of Hospitality verse 9. Be harborours one to another of ministring mutual Consolation and Instruction verse 10. As every man hath received the gift so let him minister as good Stewards of the manifold grace of God and verse 11. If any speak let him speak as the Oracles of God that God in all things may be glorified of Constancy under persecutions from verse 12. to the end of the Chapter Think it not strange concerning the fiery tryal verse 16. If any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed verse 17. Judgement must begin at the house of God c. And lastly of the ultimate resignation even of their soules in suffering for Gods cause verse the last Let them that suffer according to the will of God commit their soules to him in well doing as unto a faithful Creator And thus you have seen how this Chapter containes an exact platform of a Christians race in which my Text points at one of those good duties which the Apostle requires of them that are not onely to cease from sin but to work righteousness and that not of the least account neither for after duties of sobriety and piety it comes in with a But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But above all things have fervent charity among your selves Which if we may make Divisions in a Text of Love may be divided into Four Parts 1. Here is the Duty it self enjoyned and that is Love or Charity Have Charity 2. Here is the Importance of that Duty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Above all things have charity 3. Here is the Qualification or Complexion of that Duty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated Fervent Charity 4. Here is the Reciprocation of that Duty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Among your selves But above all things have fervent charity among your selves First the Duty it self enjoyned is Love or Charity Have Charity which is not in this place 1. That Cardinal Grace as I may so call it so highly extold by S. Paul 1 Cor. 13. which abideth in Heaven even after Tongues and Prophesies and Knowledge shall fail and which is preferr'd before Hope and Faith it self which in that place is a comprehensive name including in it the perfection of all Graces and Duties both towards God and towards our Neighbour in which respect it is said Ro. 13.10 That Love is the fulfilling of the law Neither Secondly is this Love onely and meerly a Moral Love arising from a complacency in a present good found in Heathens and Unbelievers and meer Natural Men mentioned by our Saviour Matth. 5.46 If ye love them that love you what reward have you do not even the Publicans the same which is a Natural affection and not a Christian grace a Humane passion and not a Religious duty Neither Thirdly is this Charity a bare Eleemosynary Charity of Almes and Good deeds which in a strict sense is usually called Charity by attributing the inward affection of the minde to the outward action of the hand mentioned 3 John 6. But this Charity in my Text is a Divine grace and a Religious duty whereby we are to extend our bowels of love and Christian compassion one towards another not under the narrow relations of Kindred Friends or Benefactors but unto all in the common capacity of Religion and that not upon any humane or natural designes which love is meerly a moral passion but onely for Pious and Christian ends and considerations which turns Nature into Grace and a Humane Passion into a Christian Affection Which being thus described unto us from the Original the Object and the End by treating briefly of each of them apart you will know sufficient of the whole duty it self And First for the Original of Christian love It is the grace of Gods holy Spirit Indeed Love 1. As it is a passion of the Soul ariseth meerly from Nature which is an affection placed originally in Man by the great Creator whereby he takes complacency and content in the good things of the Creature which God hath made for him without which all the blessings of this life were but in vain created and were no more delicious to Man then to a Stock or Stone That the pleasant acceptation therefore of all Gods good things might not be lost did he indue Man with this natural affection of Love But Love as it 2. is an inordinate passion ariseth not from Nature Qua talis but as corrupted and depraved by Sin whereby the soul is Praeter institutum naturae carried beyond the mediocrity of natural appetite towards the creature and created blessings While Man only loved the Creature according to the Law of Nature and God according to the Law of God then he loved it in a mean and in a moderate subordination to the love of God who was to be loved with all our Might Heart and Strength But when as by sinne Mans heart forsook his God then that earnest and zealous love Ad ultimum posse before bestowed upon the Almighty was irregularly added to that mean and moderate Fountain of love of the Creature according to the Law of Nature which great addition coming to the force of natural love makes the soules of all corrupt unregenerate men run over their old banks towards the Creature in a most inordinate measure and a most irregular manner loving the Creature from two violent inforcements one from Nature the other from Lust Wherefore to endeavour to reform this violent passion only by Precepts of Morality or Rules of Depraved Reason or the like Philosophick aides will prove as great a folly as to set obstacles in the midst of a strong torrent to prevent Inundation they may perhaps give a check for a time and make lust suspend a while the actual exercise of her inordinacy but in the mean while she gathers strength and will as soon as ever those violent restraints be remitted which cannot be perpetual overflow our soules with the greater flood of concupiscence and carry our hearts without possibility of resistance down the stream from God towards the World So that there is no means left to weaken this torrent and to keep it within its due limits but by dealing with the Fountain the Heart must be changed and renewed and the inclinations and desires of our soules must be altered which thing is neither in the power of Nature nor Reason but only of the grace of Gods Spirit to effect which is able to re-inkindle that religious love in our hearts with which Man at first loved both God and his Brother which was the ground of S. Johns exhortation 1 Ep. 4.7 8. Let us love one another for
hate father and mother c. we cannot be his Disciples There are but three sorts of inferior indeerments imaginable Either the natural endearments of Blood Moral of Friendship or Politick endearments of neighbourhood and commerce and as if the Holy Ghost had designed to shew at once the supremacy of this spiritual endearment of God and Religion above them all I finde all these Three expresly superseded in one verse for the Interest of Religion and Honour of God Exod. 32.27 When the people sinned in the matter of the Golden Calf Moses from God required the sons of Levi to gird every Man his sword to his side and Slay every man his Brother every man his Companion and every man his Neighbour Every Man his Brother there 's the natural endeerment of Blood every Man his Companion there 's the moral endeerment of Friendship and every Man his Neighbour there 's the polâ—tick endeerment of Neighbourhood or Commerce and all to be superseded for the interest of God and Religion Neither yet is our profession composed of such severe Precepts to be called either Cruel or Vnnatural Because this Supreme and Divine Relation doth not cancel and destroy those that are inferiour but only suspends their vertue and influence like the Star in the presence of the Sun they are though they appear not and so soon as ever this Ruling light of Religion is withdrawn and the Interest of Gods glory is not concerned to the contrary then have these lesser inducements their proper and allowable light and influence upon our affections which is the reason why that Rigid passage in S. Luke Cha. 14. v. 26 Cha. 10. v. 37. which seems to require an utter stifling of natural affection in S. Matthew pleads only for a qualifying and subjecting it to Religion and whilest Christ saith in the one Evangelist that Unlesse we Hate Father and mother c. we cannot be his Disciples he saith in the other Evangelist He that loveth father and mother more then me is not worthy of me pleading for no more but a due preference of Religion before Nature Like holy Abrahams love to his son which whether it was the love of Nature or Religion he knew not so well as he did when God put that severe command upon him of offering his dear son and by that ready submission his heart yielded to the will of God he knew assuredly he loved his childe not so much with the fondnesse of nature as with the true affection of Religion and in subordination to God and his Honour And if God at any time in mercy denies us these costly trials and will not shew us what is our love of our Children Brethren or Friends by the losse of them there is yet a lesse chargeable way to try the truth of our love and that is by our anger Doest thou conceive a Religious displeasure against thy Brother when thou seest him run into sin and dishonour God and break his Lawes even then when all other considerations hold out as amiable as ever then if thy Anger be religious it s a great signe such is thy Love also But on the contrary Art thou not more angry with him for denying thee a reasonable courtesie at thy need or for doing thee some conceived injury or revealing some intrusted secret or the like then for being drunk or profaning Gods Sabbath or blaspheming Gods Name or for violating Gods Ordinances if so it s an evident signe that this Love is but Carnal and not that heavenly and divine affection which ownes no end or consideration above that supreme end and interest of God and Religion which is the last Branch of the description of this Duty to wit the End of our Charity not for our own sakes nor for our Brothers but for Gods sake So that to reunite that description we have thus dismembred that we may see the full nature of this duty in one Prospect we learn from what hath been spoken First for the Original That true Christian Love is a stream derived not from the lower springs of Nature nor lowest of Lust but from the upper springs of Gods grace Secondly For its Object That this stream must not only water the pleasant Medows and fruitful Valleys but must also glide upon hard Rocks and barren and unsavoury Bogs For we must love our Enemies and do good to them that hate us and pray for them that despightfully use us And Thirdly for it its End we learn first That as this current of Divine Love of our Brother must have no Back Stream no Mercenary Reflections upon our own interest for this is basely Carnal And as Secondly it must not pour it self solely and finally into our Brothers bosome for his own sake for this is a Cistern of our own hewing and will hold no water when God accounts with us it being at best but moral So Thirdly we learn That as Water In tantum ascendit in quantum prius descendit it riseth exactly as high in the Conduit as it fell from the Fountain even so true Christian love as it is a stream derived from Gods grace so it must end in Gods glory and for Gods sake which is the full nature of Christian Love the Duty it self enjoyned in this Text Above all things have charity But Secondly it is not more lovely and heavenly in its Nature then considerable in its Importance for so saith the Text Above all things have charity Whether we consider it in its Precedence or Preheminence both evidently intimated from the difference between the Latine and English in the translation of the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ante omnia saith the Latine Before all things have charity There 's the Precedent of the Duty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Above all things saith the English there 's the Preheminence both speak the importance of it First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Before all things have charity The love of our Brethren is a precedent and preparatory Grace that puts the Heart into a fit temper to receive all other graces and instilments of Gods Spirit and also to perform all other Duties and offices of Religion Tria sunt omnia these All things here of a Christians duty are either such as relate to our selves or such as relate to our God or such as relate to our Neighbour there cannot be named a Fourth comprehended under the three titles of Sobriety Piety and Charity Titus 2.12 The Apostle exhorts to the practice of the two first Duties in the 7. verse Be sober watch unto prayer but by a religious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if he had forgot himself he seems to correct his mistake with a But as in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But before sobriety and Piety that is Before all things have charity First Before Sobriety We cannot perform our duties to our own selves as we ought nor acquire nor preserve that Christian calme temperature and due consistence of our own
that loveth another man any Man It is not private interest party nor faction that can impound Christian charity within any particular state or condition of Men but it loves all in the capacity of God and Religion swallowing up into its immensity all the lesser and limited chanels of love arising from the narrow endeerments of nature or conversation such as are Kindred Friends or Benefactors c. But Thirdly if you would see both Doctrine and Practice in one instance you may finde them in Matth. 12. where when it was told Christ that his Mother and Brethen after the flesh stood without to speak with him he answered vers 48. Who is my mother and who are my brethren alas you speak after the manner of Men and make an enclosure of that affection within the limits of Nature which I intend should be a Campaigne and a Common Field even for the benefit of the whole world through the universality of grace and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Text yes and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also he stretched forth both his Hand and his Heart towards his Disciples saith S. Matthew towards the whole multitude saith S. Mark and said even of this multitude Behold my mother and brethren why and how so Whosoever doth the will of my Father the same is my Brother Sister and Mother there is little question but in that croud there were some of very different and remote conditions and perhaps of different climates seldom a croud in Christs time but was such by reason of the mixture of other nations with the Jewes under the Regency of the Romans yet whether they were Barbarian or Scythian Bond or Free Jew or Gentile Christ is all to and in all Col. 3.11 That spiritual relation in which they stand to his heavenly Father by an upright life and due obedience to his will adopts Christians of the most remote conditions to be his Mother and Brethren There being very little question but Christs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place is of the same latitude as S. Pauls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore if we will either obey the command of Christ or imitate the practice of Christ our charity must be universal and extended according to his who hath required us to love one another even as he hath loved us We read of somewhat a strange argument which the Apostle useth to the Hebr. 13.2 to perswade them to a common hospitality of strangers For thereby he saith some have entertained Angels unawares If we consider our neighbour in that condition he stands towards God even so all Men are strangers unto us and unlesse we had the perusal of the Book of Life we know not who will make a vessel of Honour or who of Dishonour Let me therefore exhort you in the Apostles phrase to entertain into your affections all those that are so much strangers to you lest you chance to shut out of your charity one of Gods Angels one that hath the secret signature of election upon him and then Christ come at last to you and say as to those unkinde and uncharitable wretches in the Gospel Matth. 25.45 In as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me Therefore let your charity be in the first place an extended charity Secondly if it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it must be a deep intense and fervent charity such as proceeds from the very bottom of the Heart and the integrity of our Souls which being the main part of the duty and withal the expresse language of the Text it will be necessary that we insist longer upon this construction then upon either of the other two I confesse I finde this word not often used in this sence elsewhere in holy Writ But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is an Adverb of the same Verb is frequent in Greek Authors signifying Impensè vehementer totis viribus to do a thing Earnestly Vehemently and with utmost Industry which is in effect the same with Fervently in the Text expressing that true zeal and sincerity of affection which one Man ought to have to another True Christian charity is neither a cold neighbourhood nor a formal courtship nor a vainglorious beneficence but it is the intire and zealous affection of the very soul Expressed by S. Paul Rom. 12.10 in a phrase beyond the reach of our English tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where he requires that one Man should love another with the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the same natural tendernesse as a Mother loves the childe of her own bowels which in our translation we call a kinde affection Be kindly affectioned one towards another with brotherly love which though it fall far short of the Original yet speaks enough to tell us that the Heart is the principal Requisite in charity and that that Philosophers compassion was no better then Stoical hypocrisie who whilest he allowed his friend to contribute sad lookes and language to the distressed and miserable restrains him with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epicter Be sure take heed lest thou suffer any inward compassion for him turning this most tender affection of the heart into a formal counterfeit compliance of the outward behaviour clear contrary to the nature of Christianity which is of such a pure and spiritual extraction that although we read of rewards upon the performance of no duties more then for works of Charity such as relieving the oppressed feeding the hungry clothing the naked bewailing and comforting the miserable and other the external acts of charity yet is neither this nor any other duties of Religion accepted or rewarded by God for their own sakes but only according to the inward affection of the soul from whence they proceed Indeed a man might think that if there were any outward acts of obedience accepted for themselves they should be the outward offices of Charity towards our Brethren and the plausible reason might be Because how ever they may proceed from a wrong Ayme yet they do unfallibly hit the right marke and fulfil the immediate and indeed the principal end of those acts and that is the relief of our needy Brother For doubtless the Bread and Wine and Sheep c. would have yielded David and his men as wholsome refreshment had they come from the hand of Churlish Nabal 1 Sam. 25.18 as they did coming as the present of a chearful and generous Abigail So that operative Charity consisting in that order it beares to our Brothers good if our needy brother be benefited by the outward act it is accidental as to the End of Charity whether that act proceed from an inward principle of Grace Nature or Lust wherefore I say if any outward acts of obedience were of themselves acceptable one might think they should be those of Charity towards our Brother For as for those of piety and worship towards God such as Watching Fasting
Praying Hearing Communicating and the like external acts of Religion the intire order that these hold in the state of our obedience is only to spiritual ends and purposes and therefore although we are required to worship and glorifie God in our Bodies and in our Spirits which are Gods 1 Cor. 6.20 Yet God himself being a most pure spirit unto which all these outward acts of piety and worship tend and in whom they fully End it is therefore very improper to the nature of them that they should be accepted in and for themselves but only as they derive a devout influence from and have an original dependance upon the sincerity and zeal of the Inner man and the spirit from whence they proceed For doubtless that argument of our Saviour drawen from the nature of that God we serve Joh. 4. 24. is unanswerable when he saith That God is a Spirit and therefore must be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth Wherefore to return to our purpose although Relief and Brotherly supply is the whole End of operative Charity consisting in the outward offices of Love which is sufficiently satisfied if those offices are performed yet if we take the duty of Christian charity in the whole state of the duty and not by parcel-meals we shall finde that operative charity is not the half part of that required in this precept of Love for this as all duties of the Second Table hath a double respiciency in it the immediate respect is towards our Neighbour the ultimate respect is towards God which is a consideration that makes the duties of love to become offices of piety to God as well as of charity to our Brother Now looking upon this duty in its immediate respect to our Neighbour I confesse if Gods Law were to be considered no otherwise then the Statute Lawes of the Land which for the substance of the precepts forbid the very same particulars as are expressed in the Second Table as Rebellion Murder Theft Adultery False witnesse c. and enjoynes also the same duties of Justice and Charity to our Brethren Now I say if Gods Law reached no further then Mans operative charity would fulfil the whole duty Mans Law looking no farther then to the restraining or enjoyning the outward act But seeing Gods Law ought to be considered as the first Law written in our hearts and the Law of Nature as well as of God in this consideration the inward principle of those offices of love from whom they proceed must be considered as well as the external acts themselves for as much as God at the first did so absolutely and to all purposes instruct and furnish our natures that look whatever outward duty he required at our hands he placed an answerable principle in our hearts to incline and carry us through the performance of that work required of us as conceiving it to be too severe a usage of man above all other works of the creation besides to require him to do that duty unto which God had not first imprinted a propension in his nature as to command him the outward offices of Society and Hospitality without giving him the inward principle of love or the duties of succouring the distressed or relieving the needy without the inward principle of pitty and commiseration and so in all the rest And truly though I deny not but many a good almes hath been given for vainglory to be seen of Men many through the importunity of our needy Brother and many through custome yet these are not natural but equivocal productions of charity much like the generations of Frogs and Flies and other Insects which are often ingendred of putrefaction and not from their own kindes which we call Imperfect Generations in Philosophy Even such unkindly productions are such sorts of good works in the Law of Charity that come besides the common order of Nature God therefore originally not only enjoyning the Act but administring the proper and univocal principle of that act in the spirit of Man By the Law of Nature rectified we are required to take both into consideration and not onely to be hospitable to our Brethren but also to love them not onely to help the miserable but also to pity and compassionate them so that the inward fervency of the spirit in works of charity is necessary in the first place Necâ—ssitate principii as Natures proper principle for such acts But Secondly if we look upon charity as reflecting upon God we shall finde yet more cause why this fervency of the heart is requisite in this duty Because in this capacity it is a duty of piety as all other duties of Religion and worship are which have their outward acts as I have said purely in order to inward and spiritual purposes and grateful onely as they proceed from sincere and spiritual principles Now that charity bears such a reflection upon God and therefore becomes as it were a duty of the First Table is intimated by the Wiseman Prov. 14.31 where it is said That he that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker not only by his act of disobedience against the positive Law of God who by adding to this duty his divine sanction made that moral which was at first natural whereby you see the Heart is likewise necessary in this duty Secondly Necessiâ—ate praecepti but also reproacheth his Maker in respect to that order and relation in which they stand towards God having a supreme interest in all men but especially in the poor and needy and of these chiefly in them who together with their outward indigencies are poor in spirit also of whom Christ saith Matth. 25.40 In as much as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me Now if offices of love and charity to our Brethren be performed to God and to Christ himself we knowing whom we serve know likewise our charity must be affectionate and fervent as well as operative and that as you see Thirdly Necessitate medii as a proper means of service answerable to that God we serve Vse 1 Away then 1. With Negative Friendships and Cold Neighbourhoods the universal practice of this uncharitable Age wherein Men think they discharge their duties sufficiently in this Law of Love if they do no wrong and offer no violence and are not professed Enemies alas this is too cold a disposition for this hot climate of Love true charity is a grace that puts the heart of a Christian into a fermentation and a fervent working of the bowels upon our Brethren for Love leavens the soul as well as Malice and there is a heat in both only the one is by a fire from Hell and the other from Heaven But this cold indifferency hangs between these two fires like the middle Region between Heaven and Earth in a perpetual frost having neither celestial grace enough to inkindle the kindly warmth of love nor infernal malice nor mischief enough or at least not courage
be fervent Away with the extended charity of the Hand the charity of Scribes and Pharisees that give onely to be seen of men who although many a poor soul may have been refreshed by their Almes clothed in their Liveries and recovered by their Physick yet at the last account they will find they had as good never have given at all as have given at the sound of a Trumpet for vain-glory and applause without any true sincere charity in their soules â—ar be it from me to speak against the poor mans interest God knowes he lives in hunger and rags notwithstanding all â—e incomes of charity yea though we take in those also which â—portunity or custome which pride or vain-glory or any other â—arisaical motives of beneficence may bring into the poor mans Store-house I onely tell the rich the best way to husband their charity and that they may at the same rate purchase to their own hearts and consciences the true satisfaction of Christian and religious benefactours as they now give to buy onely the ayre of a good name and the vain reputation of munificence It is but onely altering the disposition of the Heart the Hand hath already learn'd its duty And unlesse the heart be changed you may call it vanity and ostentation but you exceedingly wrong this sweet and spiritual grace of Christianity to call it charity And if this seems a mystery and a soloecisme against the common dialect of the World to deny almes-deeds to be charity go and learn the meaning of S. Pauls Paradox 1 Cor. 13.3 That a man may give all his goods to feed the poor and yet have no charity Judges 4. Or what think you of Jaels kindnesse to Sisera who brings her Milk and Butter in a Lordly Dâ—sh to the faint and the weary Captain and gives him house and harbour entertainment and lodging if we did not see the Nail and the Hammer we should be ready enough to call this pure compassion but when we read of the fatal effect of this kindnesse how should we wrong the integrity and simplicity of this lovely grace to give to such usages the name of charity And when I consider how many Jaels favours are bestowed in the World only upon a designe to work in Men the greater confidence of their fidelity that so they might destroy with the greater assurance and advantage I cannot but think it high time to preach up the charity of the heart and to tell you that the liberality of the hand alone is nothing but the price of hypocrisie nay perhaps it may be the very pretexts of treachery a piece of charity which the Devil practised who had good nature enough to offer Christ the glories of the world when he suffered hunger and solitude in the waste wildernesse and the same foul spirit that once thought to make Job curse God by Taking Iob 1.11 Chap. 2.5 now tryes whether he can make our Saviour blesse the Devil by Giving And even such and no other are the deceitful charities of the Hand where the Heart is not sincere and upright and thus much for reprehension Vse 2 Now in one word of Exhortation if Charity must bee fervent Bee yee then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kindly affectioned one towards another with brotherly love Rom. 12. rest not in the cold formalities of vulgar freindship nor in the outward complements or uncertain offices of Love but let your hearts erne over your brothers necessities and fellow-feele in all their miseries doutless Religion makes Charity a very secret and mentall grace when it 's call'd in Scripture by the name of Bowels Col 3.12 Put on therefore as the elect of God holy and beloved Bowels of mercy and in another place to shew us whence every outward act of Charity should proceed the denyall of assistance to the poor and needy is called a shutting up of our Bowels 1 Joh. 3.17 Whoso hath this worlds good and seeth his brother hath need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him the holy Ghost in this place takes no notice of any of those equivocal productions of Charity which may proceed either from custome importunity or vain-glory accounting no ourward office of Love worth naming but what proceeds from open bowels that is from a Christian tender compassion of our Brethrens needs If yee wil but change the name and call Charity Love you will soon see the necessity of the heart in this duty love being an affection ever naturally fixed and seated there and it is as improper for men to love with their hands or to love with their tongues as it is to see with their ears or hear with their eyes Which secret and sacred seat of this divine grace the holy Apostle evidently discovers 1 Tim. 1.5 Where hee calls it Charity out of a pure heart a good Conscience and faith unfained Outward offices of love where they are found alone are but Charity 's out of uncleane hands but the true Apostolical Christian Love is Charity out of a prue heart Excellently expressed by God Isa 58.10 where he calls it a drawing out of the soul to the hungry it is not so much a drawing out of our treasures our cruise and our Barrel but wee must set our souls on broach and draw out even the secret compassions and ernings of our own bowells over the necessities of our needy brethren and by this means how slender and narrow soever thy share is of the good things of this World thou shalt discover a rich fountain of Love sufficient to answer all the necessities of thy brethren for whereas treasures may bee exhausted and the cruise may fail and the barrell cease but the overflowing Fountain of Christian pitty and compassion in the good mans heart shall never bee drawn dry for so saith the Text v. 11. If thou draw out thy soul to the hungry then thou shalt bee as a spring of waters whose waters fayl not which leads us to the last construction of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 protended or lasting Charity Which is the third dimension of this grace to wit the length of it True Christian Charity to our brother doth not live and die with our own ends and interests it doth not last till our turnes are served nor cease upon any personal indignities or disobligements but it is in the Philosophers phrase pertinax bonitas Senec. a grace which as no worldly inducements wrought in us so no worldly discouragement can blast but it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lasting and perpetual Charity which construction of the word I need not crave aide of profane Authors to justifie though Suidas and others frequently use it for jugis and assiduus but I can give you express Scripture for it Act. 12.5 Peter was kept in Prison and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. it is not translated fervent prayer But Prayer without ceasing was made by the Church to God for