THE ART OF Giuing Describing the true Nature and right vse of Liberality And prouing That these dayes of the Gospell haue farre exceeded the former times of Superstition in true Charitie and Magnificence BY THOMAS COOPER LONDON Printed for T. Pauter and are to be sold in Iuy Lane 1615. TO THE RIGHT VVorshipfull Sir Iohn Rotheram and Sir Gilbert Wakering Knights and their vertuous Ladies especiall Patrons of my studies T. C. wisheth all encrease of the blessings of Heauen and Earth Right Worshipfull THe occasions that hath moued mee to treate of this subiect of true Beneficence in these latter dayes are First to propose it as a liuely Touchstone for the triall of our holy entertainment of the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ Secondly to confound hereby the vaine confidence of this deceitfull generation which seeme to be somewhat herein when indeed they are nothing deceiuing themselues euen as clouds without water in their false liberality And so to conuince the Atheist that saith where is the promise of his comming seeing this very decay of true loue is among other one of those pregnant signes that the day of the Lord Iesus is neere at hand that so the wise in heart may see the plague and hide himselfe And seeing he that is comming will come quickly with his reward with him to giue vnto euery one according to his work yea will come sodainly in an houre that no man knowes of ought we not alwaies to haue Oyle ready in our Lamps that so we may enter in vnto our masters ioy Surely were there nothing else to moue vs hereunto but the commandement of our heauenly Master this should prouoke vs to loue one another this should adiure vs to abound in Charity that so we might auoid eternall vengeance seeing all the commandements are fulfilled in this that we loue each other to faile in one duty is guilty of the breach of all But behold what loue the Father hath shewed vs that what was impossible to the commandement in regard of the transgression whereby sin reuiued became 〈◊〉 of measure sinfull and so the hatred increasing we had no hope but were as water spilt vpon the ground that we could not be gathered vp againe Our God which is rich in mercy through his great loue wherewith he loued vs supplied by a most gracious and wonderfull remedy namely the pretious bloud of his deere sonne as of a Lambe vndefiled without spot This is that bloud that hath spoken better things for vs then the bloud of Abel not only stopping that loud crie of Vengeance which our sinnes called for but opening vnto vs the gates of righteousnesse and enabling vs to walke in the similitude of the death and resurrection of Iesus Christ that so we might be partakers with him of eternall glory And this is that blessed Lord Iesus who hath not beene a stranger vnto vs or soiournour with vs for a season but hath beene liuely described in our sight and euen crucified among vs in the glorious and constant publishing of the Gospell of Peace And could greater loue be shewed to vs by any then that the sonne of God should lay downe his life for his And if the Lord so loued vs ought we not to loue one another Is not this our euidence that we loue God whom we haue not seene in that we loue our brethren whom we see daily Is not this our warrant that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren Behold then our triall of the right entertainment of the Gospell And haue wee brought forth this fruit to repentance and amendment of life Surely we must needs acknowledge that our glorious God can truly iustifie him against vs What could he haue done vnto vs which he hath not done Enquire we in the name of God of the dayes that are past which were before vs since the day that God created man vpon the earth and aske from one end of heauen to the other if there came to passe such a great thing as this or whither any such like thing hath beene heard What nation is so great vnto whom the Gods come so neere as the Lord our God is neere vnto vs in all that we call vnto him for Had euer nation the Gospell of Iesus Christ so long continued with such constant outward peace and prosperity for the better entertainment thereof Was euer nation deliuered out of so horrible a pit as was the Gunpowder treason Thus may the Lord iustifie himselfe against vs but how haue we iustified our God in a conscionable embracing of so great saluation bringing forth fruit answerable thereunto That we haue a name to be aliue who may deny vs Is not yet the Gospell preached in our streets Doe we not draw forth with ioy out of these fountaines of saluation How is it then that we bring forth wilde grapes are we not for all this euen now dead and pluckt vp by the rootes Yea if we may be beleeued our selues we say that we are rich and encreased with goods and haue neede of nothing But is not this because wee know not that we are poore and lame and blinde and miserable Are we not willingly ignoraÌ„t of the truth of our estates iudging of the same by false rules as Opinion Custome Estimation Multitude and such like and so are deceiued in our imagination esteeming our selues to be somewhat when we are nothing at leastwise nothing to what we should be Haue we brought forth fruit answerable to the time of our visitation Surely if there were nothing else to conuince our barrennesse vnprofitablenes in the entertainment of so great saluation the very bleating of the Sheep and lowing of the Oxen the cries and complaints of the poore ringing daily and piercing the heauens for their contempt and desâ—lations the diuisions of Ruben should cause great sorrow of heart this might iustly challenge a great decay of vnfained loue Is not Ephraim against Manasses and Manasses against Ephraim and both against Iuda Hath not the abundance of self-selfe-loue eaten out all hearty and true affection to each other while euery one seekes his owne and not that which may concerne the common good nay with the generall wracke of the publike weale And if wee thus bite and teare one another shall we not be deuoured of each other Learne we hence in the name of God to see the plague and hide our selues Is it not already begunne shall I say in the vttermost part of the hoast or not rather in the hoast and eyes thereof And is not the Kite ready to seaze vpon both The Lord giue vs vnderstanding in all things Is not this the day of Iacobs trauaile Doth not the Iudge stand at the doore Will not the Master come in an houre which that seruant dreameth not of and giue him his portion with Hypocrites where shall be weeping and wayling and gnashing of teeth Surely were it not that the Lord had reserued a
law 3 We must giue with assurance that though man doe forget yet God will recompence and aboundantly repay both in this life and the life to come 4 To this end we are to ioyne prayer with our liberality And this condemneth The infidelity of beleeuers that doubt of this As also the prophanes of the world that expects it not Another note of faith in giuing is that we giue looking for no recompence againe from man yea there cast our bread where there is no likelihood euen vpon the waters Eccles. 5. This we shall performe If we giue 1 To the poore c. that are not able to recompence vs. Math. 5. 2 To our enemies and such as insteed of good vsually recompence euill vnto vs. Math. 5. Rom. 12. Pro. 25. c. And that because 1 Herein we come neerest vnto God who loued vs when we were his enemies Rom. 5. 6. Math. 5. 45. 2 We obtayne a most glorious conquest ouer our owne corrupt nature mastering heereby the pride of ouâ— hearts whose fruit is anger and effecâ— reuenge Rom. 12. 3 We attaine not onely the spirituaâ— meaning but the most difficult practisâ— of the law of God and so hasten to perfection 4 Heereby also we may winne them or make them inexcusable or bridlâ— them at the least Pro. 25. Pro. 16. Now the loue that we ought to shew to our enemie Is 1 In heart louingly and heartily to affect him so far forth as that we desirâ— euen the saluation of his soule and sâ— consequently of his body c. 2 Secondly in speech Math. 5. 21 Blesse them that curse you 1 Sam. 24. 7. 3 In action c. Doe good to them 1 Iohn 3. 18. Exod. 23. 4. Prou. 25. 21 2 Reg. 6. 14. 19. 21. 4 Yea in that action which may mosâ— benefit their soules namely Prayer Luke 23. 34. Act. 7. 60. Exception 1 We must put a difference betweene the cause and the person the person we must loue but hate the cause Psal. 139. 21. 22. 2 Some enemies are publisht and profest against God and his truth Others priuate to our selues and secret these we must loue the other we may hate 1 Cor. 16. 22. 3 Publike enemies are either curable such as will receiue instruction c. these we must pray for c. or incurable such as scorne instruction and prosecute the meanes these to be prayed against and so Dauid Peter c. prayed against Gods enemies as hauing a speciall insight into their finall estates by extraordinary illumination and spirit of prophecy which because wee haue not therefore we are 1. not to pray peremptorily against them as if we did iudge them finally 2. but conditionally onely respecting their present estate where in they do desperately oppose the truth 3. yea rather praying that by some temporall iudgement the LORD would crosse their purposes and bring them to repentance then that they might be left to finall vengeance So these places are to be expounded 1 Ioh. 5. 16. Deut. 7. 2. And this reproueth 1 The Popish loue which hold that we are bound not to hate but not alwaies to loue our enemies saue in two cases 1. When he is in necessity 2. In the case of scandall we giue offence to others in not relieuing him 2 The practise of the world which rendreth what euill it may and pretendeth cause 3 Though it forgiue yet it will not forget 4 We must not professe enmity against any 5 Nor speake euill of them c. CHAP. IX A fift point in Beneficence is that it be done in loue That is THat my bounty proceede from a tender heart in true compassion of my neighbours estate and hearty desire to giue him sound comfort hereby This shall appeare 1 If I principally respect his soule and in all my bounty labour the good thereof 2 When together with my outward reliefe I ioyne louing speech and sweete behauiour and make my selfe equall with him of low degree Esay 58. 7. Hide not thy selfe c. 3 When together with my well-doing I preuent such euils as are inward by reproofe exhortation c. 4 And doe it also to that end that God may enlarge his bounty ouer him not to hinder him from further comforts eyther from God or man 5 And be not weary hereof but rather prouoke to aske then denie being asked 6 To this end ioyne we prayer to our bounty that God may blesse it else it may proue a curse to our selues and to the receiuer Pro. 12. 10. 7 And be wee not driuen off from well-doing eyther by the malice of the world or vnthankfulnesse of receiuers or hardnesse of the times or example of oppressors but know we that true loue respects none of these 8 And to testifie our loue herein we are bound not onely to giue when it is demanded but euen priuately to enquire and seeke out the poore among vs because the most honest poore will hardly discouer their wants and so accordingly minister vnto them 9 To this end it is not amisse euen with our owne hands to distribute what God hath enlarged vs to to the greater comfort of the poore and better securitie of our Almes not to reserue it to the end of our liues when wee must part with it whether we will or no c. 10 Yea hitherto appertayneth that we receiue such small tokens as the poore offer vs to testifie their thankfulnesse c. 11 Then also doe I giue in loue when I so prouide that my charity may doe good To this purpose is required 1 That I giue not niggardly to linger them in misery but plentifully that so I may recouer them out of the estate of pinching famine and so enable them to strength and labouring for themselues 2 As I relieue them thus farre so here I must not cease least health not imployed make way for idlenesse and so for all manner of sinne And therefore now I must prouide that idlenesse be preuented by seeing them imployed in some handie-craft or such like wherevnto they are fittest and if they will not labour not to relieue them 3 I am bound to testifie this loue by reprouing them for their idlenesse and furthering them by the helpe of the Magistrate to punishment if neede be for the same yea I am to supply them with some stocke as their trustinesse shall be and to watch ouer them brotherly that they may follow their callings taking some account of them and withall aduising them as occasion shall serue CHAP. X. A sixt Circumstance in Beneficence is that it be constant and vnchangeable As Pro. 5. 15. HErein best resembling the mercy of God which is continuall 2 Best trying our faith And 3 Seruiug most for the comfort and occasions of the poore who if they shall be alwaies with vs then we must not omit to relieue them This is seene 1 In relieuing him so often as his occasion shall require if wee
of our enimes shal be so great that no gold shal be ble to redeeme vs out of their hands Esay 13. 12. 13. Pro. 11. 8. CHAP. XXVI A fift Policie whereby Sathan keepes men from charity and true bounty is a foolish feare that they may be esteemed Papists and therefore they will doe no good workes because the Papists glory therein because this is a marke as they say of their Religion Yea are they not hereby condemned as merit-mongers c. Are not their goodly monuments cast downe and demolished Are we not taught iustification by Faith so that good workes may seeme to be thrust out of doores The Remedy hereof is 1 TO consider that the Lord hath commanded vs to abound in good workes and therefore wee should not casting these feares be obedient to his will 2 Wee teach iustification by Faith which worketh by loue so that howsoeuer by faith in Iesus Christ we iustifie Gods righteousnesse in pardoning our sinnes through Christ his merit in whom wee apprehend the acceptance and iustification of our persons as standing righteous through him in the sight of God So by the vertue of Christ his righteousnes wee are inuested with a true inherent righteous whereby first in thankefulnes vnto our God we abound in good workes secondly to declare that wee are iustified both to our owne consciences thirdly and also vnto men Iames 2. fourthly to approue our conformitie vnto our head Christ as liuing members fiftly to be made meet for that glorious inheritance with the Saints in light And therefore Wee condemne the Papists and haue demolished their glorious Sepulchers that their rotten and stinking bones being discouered their faces may be couered with shame that they might seeke the face of God in Christ Iesus whom they did daily crusifie by their abhominable Masses Hori Murthers of infants Thefts Rapines which were discouered in the demolishing of those abhominable sinkes and cages of all vncleannesse And though we haue conuerted some few of those houses to be places of Gods worship purging them of the idolatrous vse and end by which they were abused Yet haue wee wisely defaced the multitude of them as being altogether vnnecessary to cut off the hope of nurcing Popery againe To restore to the Common-wealth what hath vniustly beene extorted from thence by the couetousnesse and fayned deuotions of those Abbey-lubbers To roote out idlenesse and such other mischiefes as were nourished in those abhominable Stewes To restore the people to their liberty who were very fearefully enthralled not onely in their soules but euen in their bodies by those towers of Babell Specially to make free way to the execution of Iustice which was defeated by such sinfull Sanctuaries And to restore the Tithes for the maintenance of a learned Ministery which we wish may as in part it hath bin begun be further conuerted to that end And haue we not since the time of the gospel restored exceeded them notwithstanding in true bounty Yea surely Blessed be God in Iesus Christ that hath confounded the false charity of the Papists by discouering the rotten foundation and cruell ends thereof Blessed be the name of his Maiesty for euer that hath confuted their slaunderous imputations against the glorious Gospell of his Sonne Iesus as if it abolished good workes had banished all true loue and charity Hath not the glorious Lord aduanced and iustified the power of the Gospell in kindling the hearts of the true professors thereof to performe such renowned and glorious workes as cannot be matched in any age of Popery Hath not these times of the Gospell yeelded the supply of foure new stately and magnificent Colledges in the Vniuersities very richly endowed for the maintenance of true religion and learning to all posterity Haue they not furnished the honourable Citie of London with a most ample and worthy Colledge endowed with constant and sufficient mayntenance both for a Reader of Diuinity as also with seuerall Readers of the seauen liberal Sciences to prepare the better for the Vniuersities and so to ease such of that iourney which will receiue their seasoning heere And are not the foundations laid of another famous Colledge by the pious and magnificent authority of our Soueraigne Lord King Iames the most constant enemy of Antichrist and defender of the true Christian ancient and Apostolike faith for the maintenance of such worthies of our Church to employ their studies in refuting the aduersary and iustifying the truth of Iesus Christ Is not a good part of that Colledge alreadie erected Is it not still furthered and vndertaken by the Soueraigne Maiesty who for the glory of GOD will finish that glorious worke What should wee speake of those hundreds of free-Schooles that haue beene erected since the dayes of glorious Queene Elizabeth of happy memory for the rooting out of ignorance the very nurse of Popery and trayning vp of youth in Learning and Religion Shall we not euer remember not only how many sinkes of Antichrist were conuerted to Hospitals for the cure of the diseased and nourishing of Orphanes in the Citie of London and elsewhere and haue not their reuenewes beene much encreased by worthy Citizens from time to time Haue there not beene scores of new Hospitals erected and endowed in each part of the land for the reliefe of decayed and decrepet persons Shall not the memory of Sutton be glorious to posterity for that his magnificent Colledge so stately for the House so bountifull for the Reuenue of at lest sixe thousand pound by the yeere for the sustentation of decayed Souldiers Scholers Citizens c. to continue for euer And hath not the streame of this bounty yet flowed more boundantly to our Vniuersities Is there any Colledge almost in the Vniuersities which hath not receiued euen new glory from thesâ— times of the Gospell not onely by enlarging of the buildings and beautifying thereof but by addition of large maintenance for the encrease of their Fellowship and Scholers-places to continue for euer It not that glorious Library exceeding the Vatican or any now extant in the World furnished with all sorts of bookes and constant mayntenance for a Keeper therof and continuall supply for the same a very true and blessed monument of the bounty of these times a very liuely fruit of the true Religion of Iesus Christ Shall not the memory of deuout Bodley be blessed for euer And can wee forget what is now by Gods mercy euen finished that magnificent building of the Vniuersitie Schooles so stately for the structure so sufficient for mayntenance begunne euen from the foundation and finished by the procurement and charge especially of those most worthy instruments The Right Reuerend Father in God the Lord Bishop of London a true Kingly and Hieroicall Spirit and that illustrious Sir Iohn Bennet both liuing members of the Church of Christ Iesus both sometimes brought vp in that magnificent Colledge of Christ Church Surely if we shall adde vnto these the multitude of new Bridges erected