A sermon preached before the University of Cambridge in Kings-College Chapel, on the 25th of March, 1689, being the anniversary for commemoration of King Henry VI, the founder by William Fleetwood ...

A sermon preached before the University of Cambridge in Kings-College Chapel, on the 25th of March, 1689, being the anniversary for commemoration of King Henry VI, the founder by William Fleetwood ...

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II. Corinth. Ch. 9. V. 12.‘For the Administration of this Service not only supplieth the Want of the Saints, but is abundant also by many Thanksgivings unto God.’

AFTER St. Paul had been exhorting the Corinthians to a Liberal and speedy Contribution to the poor Saints at Jerusalem, from abundance of Topicks general and particular; such as the Excellence of the Nature of the Work it self, the Example of the Macedonians, and the Expectation that Church had; the Reasonableness of this that as they had abounded in every thing, so they should also abound in this Grace; from the Forwardness of others, from the Example of Christ, who for their sakes became Poor, that they through his Poverty might be made Rich, from the expediency and profitableness of Perfecting a Good Work they had already begun, and from their own Forwardness which had made it in a manner superfluous for him to write to them, which take up the 8 and 9th [Page] Ch. of this Ep. he enforces it by this at last, that this their Charity would cause Thanksgivings to God, Verse 11th. and in the Text with an Addition—for the Administration of, &c.

By the Administration of this Service we must understand, the Distribution of Alms, the Liberality of Communicating, the Exercising Acts of Charity; Alms being a part of the Spiritual Service under the Gospel, and call'd in Ritual and Pontific terms, an Odour of a sweet smell, a Sacrifice acceptable well-pleasing to God, Philipp. 4. 18. and so in Heb. 13. 16. To do good, and to communicate forget not, for with such Sacrifices God is well pleased; and its Commendation here is, that it not only supplies the Want of the Saints, but it is an Obligation and Incitement to theirs and others Gratitude to God; it occasions Prayers and Thanksgivings, and the Name of God is thereby glorified. As therefore the Text will not justly allow, so I think the Occasion of this Assembling will require no more at my Hands, than the Treating of these two Heads in the first place, and of applying them to our present purpose in the second.

To supply the Necessities of such as are in want, is a Work of such acknowledg'd Excellence in its own Nature, carries such Sweetness and Complacence with it in its Practice; is so agreeable to all Mankind, and of such Pleasing odour before God, that 'twere a kind of Injury to any here, to suppose them so entirely lost to all the Principles of good Nature, of improv'd Reason, and reveal'd Religion, as to think they wanted Conviction, or indeed Persuasion in this Case. It is to be just to the Text, that I insist a little on these Heads.

[Page] First then, It is a Work of great Excellence in its own Nature, it is perfecting Human Nature, and advancing it as far as it can go; in nothing do we more resemble and draw near the Godhead than in that largeness of Heart, and Generous disposition of Soul, from whence the works of Charity proceed: and what is exprest in St. Luke by—Be ye therefore mercifull, as your Father also is mercifull; is in St. Matthew—Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect. Tis honouring our Maker. Tis, in a manner, and by his Permission, Mending the Works of God, and Bettering the Creation: For He in his all wise Disposal of Affairs, has ordered Matters so, that there should seem to be a great many Defects in Nature, a great deal of Partiality in the Distribution of the things of this World, and inequality in the Gifts of Fortune; and hath submitted all the World to the dominion of what we call Chance and Accidents. And this not through any impotence of Power, defect of Foresight or goodwill to Man; but most especially for the Exercise of the wisdom and the vertue of his Creatures. And therefore he that best repairs these Breaches, supplies these Defects, makes up these Inequalities, and best provides against these evil and unhappy Accidents; improves the Human Nature most, and best deserves of it, does the most excellent and beneficial Work, acts the most reasonably, and most conformably to the Divine Will, he best accomplishes the Works of God and the Designs of Providence. It is hard to conceive an attempt more Noble, or a work more Excellent than what the Heathens call'd the Conquering Fortune, and giving to Man a New Fate, but we must say than the Rescuing Human Nature from that Contempt and Misery, [Page] into which our Sins first threw it, and under which they keep it still in bondage; which is done (and never better done than) by the Exercise of Charity. 'Twas Sin that first debas'd our Kind, and first subjected it to Pains and Sicknesses, Infirmities and Wants, and all the Sorrows and Distresses, under which we see and feel it labours, and to whatever makes us the Objects of one anothers Pity and Compassion. And God by his usual methods (full of astonishing Love and Kindness) hath dealt so graciously both for and with us, that we may (like Himself) work good from evil; and by a rare Reverse of Providence, hath both enjoyned and enabled us, to make these sad effects of Sin, occasions of new Righteousness, and of Destroying sin it self; and in our own, and one anothers Miseries, hath given us, as it were, so many Opportunities of exercising greater Graces, of practising more Virtues, of raising the Soul to a Nobler pirch, and aspiring to a better Immortality, than otherwise, for any thing we know, we could or should have had. He therefore that is practising Beneficence, feeding the Hungry, cloathing the Naked, visiting the Sick and in Prison, relieving the Distressed, and doing Good, is at the same time Rising as it were from Adams Fall, vindicating Human Nature, asserting his Original, exalting and ennobling of his Soul, and in a manner Triumphing, already, over Sin, and Death, and Hell.

Yet after all, this Work of Love, is not more excellent in its Nature, than (to our Comfort) it is Secondly, both sweet and pleasant in its Practice: And in good Truth, 'tis very Happy for us that it is so, considering 'tis so frequently, so earnestly, so inexcusably injoyn'd and made our constant Duty. Our Souls are so united [Page] to our Bodies, so closely tack'd and fastned to their Matter, and clogg'd with their Corruption, that tho they can make shift to discern the reasonableness and necessity of performing their duty, yet they are difficultly mov'd to practice, unless some sensible impression of delight, accompanying the duty, be made appear, and they be not only fed with future hopes and expectations. Proportionable therefore to this Necessity and strict injunction of this Duty, hath God in his goodness made the pleasure and delight that constantly attends it. There is that sweetness and complacency in doing good to those that want, that even the bare desires and wishes of it, when it is beyond our power to do it, give us a good degree of peace and quiet and content within; and we can satisfie our scruples with the sincerity of our designs and purposes: but if we bring those purposes to good effect, there is then such a spring of joy and contentation rising in the soul, the spirits overflow so pleasingly, and the heart swells with such sweet gayety and pride, that it is hard to find a name for the delightfull passion, and we can sooner feel than can express what 'tis we mean. And though these extasies abate in time, and languish by degrees, yet the delights of doing good, pursue a man as long as the remembrance of it lasts. It is impossible to call to mind a mans good deeds, or view the objects of his charity, without abundance of content and solid satisfaction. I make no doubt, but the devout and humble soul returns God frequent thanks for his exciting and assisting grace, but I doubt very much whether 'tis possible in humane Nature, not to reflect Honour and Pleasure on ones self withall; they do so naturally flow, so unavoidably result from the remembrance [Page] of those Acts of Charity and kind Beneficence. And Seneca had never more reason, then when describing this Virtue, he said it was Actio benevola tribuens gaudium, capiénsque tribuendo.

Thirdly, 'Tis agreeable to all Mankind—We are frequently forc'd when we would recommend a Virtue to our audience, to tell them, 'tis approv'd and practic'd by all the Wise, and Good, and sober Persons of the World, which thô it is not so, yet it may look like begging of the question, because we are already prepossess'd in favour of that Virtue, and consequently may be thought to call and judge those Persons Wise, and Good, and Sober, barely from the practice of it. But when a man can safely say that all the World approves a thing, that high and low, rich and poor, young and old, good and bad agree to it, and have been always of the Opinion; when they who cannot practice it, still wish they could, and they who do not, are asham'd, and make what shew they can, as if they did; when no mans confidence or wit hath ever carried him so far, as to dispute its Excellence, or praise its Opposite, a man must be forsaken quite of sense, and reason, and good manners, he must do strange violence to all the powers of his Soul, whom the reverence that is due to the so general judgement of the world, cannot impress upon, or move to the belief and practice of this Noble Duty upon all occasions.

Fourthly, 'Tis acceptable in the sight of God; it must needs be so, he would not otherwise have charged it on us with such earnestness, commanded it so positively, and call'd upon us for performance so incessantly, [Page] and threatned its neglect so terribly, throughout the Scriptures. It must needs be acceptable, because we are thereby kind to Him himself, in relieving his Friends; for such is his goodness, that he hath made the cause of those that want, his Own, and reckons up the good we do to them, done to himself, and will accordingly reward it. It must needs be acceptable, because we thereby exercise an act of faith and confidence in his truth and goodness, we give him something sure and in possession, for the reversion of rewards, we know at present little of; we give because He bids, and trust because He says that He is faithfull. And the Scriptures place a great deal of the merit of Abrahams faith, in obeying when he was called to leave his Country and his Fathers house, and going out althô he knew not whither he went; that is in ready confidence and in implicit faith: it must needs be acceptable because we thereby honour him in obeying his commands, are just in owning him the Lord and true Proprietor of all we have, and paying this acknowledgement, and by shewing our selves gratefull, and in some measure worthy of his mercies. And to conclude, in a great many other ways, not needfull to recount at present.

But if the works of Charity are thus excellent and sweet, thus acceptable both to God and man, when exercis'd on those that only want, they are yet more excellent and sweet, and more agreeable, when exercis'd on those that want, and that deserve them at the same time. It is a great improvement of the Argument, when the administration of this service supplieth the want of the Saints. Not but that to stand in need of Charity, is strictly speaking, to deserve it, and is the [Page] first and most immediate cause and motive both of Giving and Receiving: so that he that asks and receives upon presumption of his Want, and yet wants not, is at the best but a Deceiver and a Cheat; and he that gives without Presumption of that Want, may be munificent or liberal, good natured, vain, or whatever else he pleases, but not Charitable. But when both Want and Merit meet, the Practice of this Grace is much more satisfactory to ones Self, and more agreeable to God and Man. It is a Complicated act of Goodness then, it is approving and rewarding Virtue, encouraging Religion, Industry and Honesty, and whatever else may be the merits of the Receiver, as well as pitying and relieving his Distress. Let us try (said One of old with admirable reason) how to make our Benefits most lasting and most serviceable, and such as may never turn to Evil, and that will be by carefully and wisely choosing where to place them most deservedly; I will never give Mony to a Man qui adulterae numerabit, I wont be so far accessary to his lewd acts or purposes, I will if I can reclaim him, but if not, I don't intend to encourage or promote his Wickedness; with a great deal more to good purpose, and agreeable to the voice of right Reason, which advise us to associate Prudence with Beneficence, and whilst we are succouring Human Nature, to discountenance Vice and Immorality withall, to encourage Virtue and Religion, and serve the Interests of the Commonwealth. And to tie this Duty closer, it is now become an Obligation of Reveal'd as well as Natural Religion, and we must, as we have opportunity do good to all Men, but especially to those that are of the houshold of Faith. And amongst other Duties summ'd up in Rom. 12. one is Distributing to the Necessities[Page]of the Saints; and St. Paul makes a journey on purpose to Jerusalem, to minister to the Saints, and raises the Character of the Màcedonians, from their making Contributions to, and that of the House of Stephanas, from addicting themselves to the Ministery of the Saints. And thô in all those places, by the Saints we are to understand Believers, Christians in general, false as well as true, yet we must understand withal, that they were honour'd with that Name, from the Sanctity of their Profession, their holy Doctrine, and their presumed holy Practice, as well as in Contradistinction, to the unbelieving Jews, and the prophane unhallowed Gentiles. So that as a Man must take all due care in the Choice of fit and proper Objects of his Charity, and see that they be good and truly Saints if possible, yet he must not abstain from doing Good, purely upon the account of his Uncertainty, whether his Works will be bestowed deservedly or no. A Man must not frequently make the Suspense of his Mind, a ground for withholding his Hand: The Pretence will always last, and without great Care, will prove a Snare to Virtue; 'twill put him upon little Tricks and disingenuous Shifts of pleading causelesly against mens Merits: 'twill make him argue nicely and ill-naturedly, and subtilly distinguish the Poor out of Relief, and himself out of Charity, and engage him by degrees into Hardness of Heart, and an inhuman Temper. Let every One but do his Best, and guide himself by the most probable Appearances and outward Shews (of which he only can be judge) and leave the Issue and Event to God—To God, who has made it a Duty to be Charitable, but has not withall given us a Spirit of Discernment, to sever Hypocrites from the sincere and [Page] honest Christians; and ther fore cannot reasonably be thought to require this great Exactness at our Hands; and is much too just and kind, not to reward our good Intentions for the sake of anothers undiscoverable Malignity. It is therefore good and necessary, it shews our Hope and Confidence, our Faith and our Obedience, that we sow our Seed at peradventure, but it is better that it fall on Good ground; it is good that we intend it well, but it is better those Intentions find their good Effects. It is a great Commendation of Charity, that it supplies the Necessities of such as want, but 'tis a greater yet, when it supplies the Necessities of Saints, and truly Good Christians.

But Secondly, It is abundant also by many Thanksgivings towards God. Whiles by the Experiment of this Administration (as St. Paul says in the following Vers.) they glorifie God—First, for their profess'd Subjection to the Gospel of Christ. Secondly, for their liberal Distribution to them and to all Men. And Thirdly, by their Prayers for you.

If there wanted Arguments to advance the Praise and Honour of this most excellent and usefull Grace of Charity, one might, without being too minute, and forcing things unreasonably, deduce a very certain, and well grounded one from hence, that the works of Charity are here made the Marks of our profess'd Subjection to the Gospel of Christ: That thô there are other ways of appearing Christians, such as being baptiz'd into the Churches Faith, frequenting its Assemblies, Partaking of its Sacraments, and Submitting to its Discipline; yet that the clearest Tokens, the certainest Indications, the openest and most avowed Profession of our Christianity, is the Practice of Good [Page] Works, in Pursuance of its Holy Doctrine and Commands.

But since there is no great need of this, I have only to observe at present, First, that their Charity administred occasion of Glorifying God, and Honourring the Christian Religion; Secondly, that they who were, and were to be, Relieved, were Gratefull to God by Returning him Thanks for the Liberality of their Benefactors; and Thirdly, Gratefull to their Benefactors by Praying to God for them.

First, It occasion'd the Glorifying God and Honouring Christianity. For as it is in Human Intercourses where when one Man by Counsel or Persuasion of another performs some brave and generous Action, part of the Praise and Glory where 'tis known, will both deservedly and unavoidably result upon the Encourager and Setter on; so is it in the case of Charity 'twixt God and Men. It must needs be that with Considering People, the Merit and the Glory of those Benefits, must fall especially on God, who first inspir'd those Principles into the Souls of Men, from whence those gracious Acts proceeded.

But farther their Works of Charity were Occasions of Honouring Christianity, of preferring that particular Oeconomy to both the Gentile and the Jewish Dispensation. Let Men contend never so long, so warmly, and so wisely about the Preference of the several Theologies, about the Excellency of their Doctrines, and the Properness of their Natures, to exalt the Understandings, to refine the Powers and Faculties of the Mind, and raise the Souls of Men to a Nobler pitch, and closer Union with the Godhead: Yet after all, that Doctrine that is fitted best for the general Wellfare [Page] of Mankind, and best consults its publick Benefit and Interest in this World (not excluding that of another) will certainly prevail and carry it above the rest, when once 'tis truly scann'd and understood. So that had the Christian Dogmata been as sutable to the Wisdom of the World, and as agreeable to its way of reasoning as its practic Precepts were to the Convenience and Benefit of Human Life, it had not stood in need of Miracles, it had obtain'd that by its own Reasonableness and natural Force, which it did by Supernatural and Divine Assistance; it was so calculated for the general Good, consulted so the Weal and Comfort of the World. Nay it dispos'd the Minds of Men so sweetly to the Practice of Humanity, Compassion, Charity, Beneficence, and in a Word to all Good Nature, that even where Miracles were wanting, both obstinate and sullen Jews, and vicious hardned Gentiles, were by them often charmed into Conversion, and always into Admiration of those generous Doctrines: And even in spight of all the indigestible Difficulties of the Christian Creed, they could not choose but love the Christian Practice, So that Doing good and multiplying Acts of Charity, was the most natural and ready way of heaping Honours on their Institution, of Conciliating the Esteem and Favour of the World, of Winning Proselytes, and Gaining upon those that were without, and of Securing and Confirming those that were already in.

Secondly, Those that were relieved were gratefull to God, by returning Him Thanks for the Liberality of their Benefactors. They glorifie God, says St. Paul, for your liberal Distributions to them and to all Men.

[Page] However 'tis, that God impresses on the Minds of Men, and moves them to good Works of Charity, whether by stirring and impregnating those Seeds of natural Pity he hath sown in all our Hearts, or moving us by Hopes or Fears, by Promises or Threats, Rewards or Punishments, or by some special Act of quickning and exciting Grace, some sudden sweet Illapses from above, or some illuminating Vision and Divine Monition, or whether Men are mov'd themselves, by the Vanity of their own Hearts, by the Decency and Comeliness of those Works, by the Ambition of Fame, and the Reputation of being called Benefactors, by the delights of Praise whilst Living, and the Desires of Glory when they are Dead, or from what other Motive certain or unknown, those who receive the Benefits are most undoubtedly oblig'd to make their due Acknowledgments to God, by their Returns of Praise and Thanksgiving. For let the Cause and Motives, and the Instruments be what they will, yet the kind Fruits and good Effects will certainly require, and certainly deserve it at their Hands. The Goods are equally the Gifts of God, and the Dispensers of them equally his Stewards (with respect to the Receivers) as if they had had immediate charge there to bestow them. And God must not lose his Praise, though the Givers do; thô they too should be Loosers onely in the day of Recompence. We must not do as some Men do, who see no farther than the Hand that reaches, and only mind the next immediate Cause that ministers to their Relief, like some (but few) absurd Idolaters of old, that Deified the visible and flowing Streams, but never thought upon the hidden Springs from whence they came; they entertain with joy and thankfulness [Page] to Men, the Pleasures and the Benefits that they receive, but never think of looking up to God, the Fountain and Original of all their Happiness. But 'twas not so with those of whom St. Paul treats, they made the kind Benevolence of their Benefactors an occasion of Praising God, and Honouring his most Holy Name, and by seeing and by feeling Mens good Works, they learnt (as all of us should do) to glorifie their Father in Heaven.

Thirdly and lastly, They were gratefull to their Benefactors by praying to God for them. It cannot fairly be denied, but that there is a strong propension in us all, to self-sufficiency and independence one upon another. No man can say, but he had rather want no help, than be oblig'd to others for it; but since this cannot be, the next thing we have to do, is to contrive, how to be even and on the square again with our Obligers, and the nearer we come to it, the freer we think our selves, and certainly are more contented and at ease: but since the state of affairs in this life, will not admit of equal gratitude in kind, or indeed in any tollerable proportion, God in his goodness hath prepar'd for the poor, the comfort and relief of Prayer, and hath annex'd such promises to the due performance of that work, as may quickly equal the most considerable advantages they can receive from any of their Benefactors; and hath made it their Religious duty as well as their Natural desite, to pay their debts and obligations, and hath commanded them to sollicit him by earnest Prayers and by incessant Cries to shower down favours on their Benefactors heads; and as there is an unaccountable venom in their bitter cries and curses, so have their Prayers a marvellously penetrating power [Page] and force. And of this the World hath been in every age, so well assur'd, that there have not wanted men of all conditions and degrees, Sons of Peace, and Conquering Heroes, high and mighty Princes, Clergy, Laity, learn'd and ignorant, that have exchang'd their Gold and Silver, Lands, Jewels, rich Donations, ample Settlements, stately Structures, Colleges and Hospitals, for the bare purchase of these Prayers, and thought it no ill bargain: That have look'd upon their following Victories and Triumphs, the prosperous and successfull Issues of their undertakings, as so many returns and answers of these Prayers, so many Blessings forc'd from Heaven, by the sweet violence of their importunate addresses to the throne of grace. So that praying for Benefactors hath not been more esteem'd a duty on the Receivers side, than it hath prov'd a motive and encouragement to Giving. And it may be it is better to stop here, than proceed to tell the extravagancies to which the excessive confidence that men repos'd in these kind of Prayers and Services, transported many a good, but indiscreetly zealous Soul. And since there is now no danger from the examples, let us rather choose to cover, than excuse or condemn, the faults (shall I say) or rather the mistakes of our Forefathers.

And now, having done what right I could be well allowed to do the Text, I am come in the second place to apply what I can to our present purpose.

And first, if St. Paul so earnestly exhorts to, and commends a Piece of private, casual, temporary, transient Charity; how much is due, what might be said of such a publick, so deliberately design'd, and such a [Page] Lasting one (an Everlasting one I hope) as I stand here the Gratefull Subject of? A private Man may cast his Bread upon the Waters in hopes to find it after many days, and give a Portion to seven and also to eight, because he knoweth not what Evil shall be upon the Earth. And if notwithstanding this Design, and these self-interested Principles, the Work is excellent and acceptable both to God and Man; it must needs be infinitely more so, when a Prince becomes the Donor, under whose Consideration, none of those Hopes or Fears can reasonably be thought to fall. And if the Relieving private and some few Persons, want not its Praise and Glory, they must both of them rise as the Merit does, where the Publick is oblig'd, and all may put in equal Claim and Title to the Benefaction, that will be content with his way of Education. The Story is well known to Ʋs be sure, but he that would record the Virtuous Qualities and Fair Endowments of our Glorious Founder, to those that are without, or to Posterity, could not by any means forget that most Remarkable and Noble Instance of his large and comprehensive Soul, in generously Rejecting one of our first Governours, for his too partial Fondness to his Native Countrey, and endeavouring to appropriate all the Royal Bounty to it only; considering with Himself, that though a Private Man might do the same with Reason enough and Justice too, yet that a Prince should both in this and every thing besides, approve Himself a Father of the Publick.

Secondly, A form'd premeditated and deliberate work of Charity has certainly the advantage of a casual accidental One; this may be wrested only by the importunity of some that want, compliance with the custome [Page] of the place, forc'd by the example of the company, and shame of being singular, or exprest from men by the lamentable moans and presence of some piteous object: and men are often seen upon removal of those objects, and the going down of those mechanick springs of tenderness to harden and return again to their ill-natur'd tempers, and frequently repent them of the good they did, wishing themselves again possessors of their riches. But he that acts deliberately, that forms his designs beforehand, without any present artificial motives, and certainly intends them for a lasting benefit to all posterity, must be presum'd in reason and in justice to build upon the best and surest grounds, to proceed upon the noblest and most perfect Principles. It can't indeed be said, that this Foundation was the Design of many Years before, for the King Himself was then but Twenty three at the most, an Age most commonly of little Thinking with Great Men, or at best, of little else, than how to pass away that Spring of Life in Gaiety and Pleasure. But yet it was his Earliest Undertaking and Design, and had for some considerable time been the whole Employment of his Thoughts, and his Heart was so intent upon the Matter, that he had little Rest, till he had brought it to a hopefull Prospect, and to some Degrees of its Perfection. It was no sudden accidental Thing that mov'd HIm; it was not the Effect of his Relenting Thoughts, after the shedding some Innocent Blood, by the Rage of his own Hands, or by the hasty Execution of some furious Order; for he was Meek and Mercifull, Sparing of Blood, and tender to his Ruine: of such a Gentle and Forgiving Disposition, that when a rude and impious Souldier struck him knowingly in prison, He afterwards upon the Throne, rebuk'd him [Page] only with a piece of Scripture, told him, he should not strike the Lords Anointed. Nor was it an Effect of his Repentance upon the Cooling of his Youthfull Blood, nor of the Injunction of his Confessor, for some Extravagances common to that Age. For what was said of virtuous Gratian, may be said of Him with equal Truth, not Vesta's Altar, Pontifex his Bed, nor Flamen's Pillow was more pure and holy than his Chamber. No Honourable Wife, no Noble Virgin, Private Maid, or Consecrated Spouse of Christ call'd at his Hands for Satisfaction to their injur'd Honour. He was of such white Innocence, and such unsullied Sanctity in that behalf, that He could not bear those Liberties and Freedoms, that since make up the very Innocence and Modesty of Courts.

This Virtue was in Truth so much his own, and so peculiarly engross'd up by Him, that He seems to have carried her to Heaven along with Him; and not to have left Succeeding Kings the very Virtue of Hypocrisie, no not so much as the Grace to dissemble any kind of liking to that Purity. Nor was it an Attonement for some loud Oppression, Violence, Injustice, or some Sacrilege. It is (said One of old) the last Defence of Wicked Kings to take away from Some, to give to Others, and deprecate the Envy and the Odium of their present Rapines by some large Works of Bounty to Posterity. But 'twas not so with Him; for thô his Reign were long and troublesome, and its Years might have been nam'd and numbred from some remarkable Calamity befalling His Person or His Government, His Affairs perpetually embroil'd by the prevailing Faction of his powerfull Rival and Competitor for Soveraignty, and by the Passions of his own Imperious and Intriguing Queen, by the Rude works of War abroad, and by the Miseries of a worse at Home, [Page] and consequently a great deal of Injustice must be done, yet no Man ever had the hardiness to charge the King with any Evil; and that not for Good manners or Respect, but for the Truth and Justice sake. And 'tis so little likely He would cement our Buildings with the Blood or Tears of the Oppressed, that when He was in want of Money to expedite his Intentions, and was shown the way, by Seizing to that use the Estates of some that had forfeited them by Treason, He generously rejected their Advice, and could not bear the Thoughts, that any One in after Times should curse our Walls, and call with bitterness and anguish of their Souls for their Forefathers Patrimony.

It is not without Design (I own) that I have chosen to recommend Our Founder and Foundation from these Topicks. For they who are conversant in the Histories both of our own, and other Nations (and I am sensible where I am) know very well, that Blood, and Lust, and Violence, have laid the Bottoms of more Abbies, Monasteries, Nunneries, more Chantries, Priories, more Hospitals and other Charitable Houses, than any other three much better Principles, And thô the good Effects may have atton'd for their bad Causes, the goodly Children answer'd for the ungracious Parents; yet no one (sure) can be so partial to the Fruits, as not to wish they had sprung from a more Creditable Stock. And I cannot but think We have some Advantage in having so Mercifull, so Chaste and Righteous a King our Founder, and mov'd by no other Principles than those of Honouring God, and Benefiting Mankind.

Thirdly, The Excellence and Merit of the Bounty we are Sharers of, rise yet much higher, than that commended by St. Paul, by its Advantage of Duration and [Page] Continuance. That was a temporary transient Act, but This has all the Eternity that human Things admit of. That call'd for new Supplies within a while, This only wants, that Men would have the Fear of God before their Eyes, and would withhold their hands from Sacrilege and Robbery. Farther, That but supplied the bare Necessities, This both the Ease and the Conveniences of Life. That made Life tolerable, This might make it eligible; it were not for the Honour of these kind of Works to say they went much farther: to say they furnish'd us with a luxurious Table, an overflowing Bowl, or ministred to our Excess in any kind. 'Tis enough that they indulge to somewhat more than is required by parsimonious uncorrupted Nature, by sober well considering Reason, and by the Austerities of Christian Discipline.

The last and greatest Advantage, that arises to Us from this sort of Bounty, is, that it supplies the Necessities of the Mind and Soul, it gives us opportunities of Improving the powers and faculties of the One, and consulting the true and everlasting Interest of the Other. We are here at perfect Ease aud Liberty, free from all other Cares and Troubles than what we seek, or draw upon, or plunge into, our Selves: entirely vacant to the pursuits of Wisdom, and the Practice of Religion: have all the Helps, and all the Encouragements that We can want or wish for. Here We consult with dead Authorities, and living ones; may understand the rules of Wisdom by the Examples, and learn the Precepts from the apparent Practice of every Grace and Virtue. Here We have Opportunities of Frequent Sacraments, and more than Daily Prayers; a kind of Force and most agreeable Necessity of being Good, or of appearing so, or being [Page] singular in Evil, of proof against the Injunctions of our Governors, the force of Custom, and the influence of good Examples, and consequently Sin without Excuse. In a Word, if we would measure our Felicities by the Judgment and Opinion of the World without, by our own Longings and Desires after this state of Life, before we have attain'd it, or by the Torments and Vexations that attend the Remembrance of having left a while, or lost, or ill improv'd it, we must conclude that we have Opportunities of being Learned, Honest, Sober, Good and Happy Persons; and that it is in our power, by co-operating with the good Grace of God, to fulfill the Words of the Text in their most Literal sense, and shew that the Administration of this Service supplies the Necessities of the Saints, such as are truly so.

It remains in the second place, that it be abundant also in many Thanksgivings unto God, and that in the former Method. First, by Ordering matters so, that the Distributions of our Benefactors may be an Occasion of glorifying God and our Religion. Secondly, that We thank God for our Benefactors, and Thirdly and lastly, that We pray for them.

First, We must order matters so, that by the Distributions of our Founders, the Name of God and Christ be glorified. We live not indeed amidst the Jews or Gentiles now, and consequently cannot either profit them by our Good, or scandalize them by our Bad examples, or glorifie God by their Conversion. But it may be we live amidst as Sullen and Perverse, and as Ill-natur'd a Generation, as either of the former. For notwithstanding what I said of the Judgment and Opinion of the World in general about our Happiness, yet there want not Some, that are weak and apt to be offended [Page] at, Others rejoycing in, our Failings, and watching curiously for our Miscarriages; some causelesly complaining of our Way of Education, some of our want of Zeal and True Devotion, (one may guess what they mean;) some of our sheltering Ignorance and harbouring Idleness, some of our Uselessness and Insignificancy to the Commonwealth; most of them meaning all the while we are too Rich and Happy, and calling for a Reformation to the Pristine Purity, because they think 'twill bring the Pristine Poverty along with it. So that we have need to walk with all the Care and Circumspection in the World; redeeming the Time (for indeed the Days are evil) losing no Opportunities, but improving our Talents to all Advantages on all Occasions; both fearing God, and regarding Man, approving our Selves to our Selves, and providing things Honest in the sight of Others. Letting our Light shine before Men, adorning our Profession, and Living up to the Rules of our Institution; and by these Means, when Men shall see us thus Industrious in our Way, thus happily employed in Praising and in Practising the Rules of Wisdom, Virtue and Religion our Selves, in countenancing and teaching Others, in cultivating, watering and improving all those Generous and Noble Plants they send us hither, and returning them Fair and Flourishing in all that is Good and Excellent, when they shall find the benefit and comfort of those sweet Living Streams that overflow from this Immortal Spring, they will be tempted sure to change their Minds, discharge their Hearts of their Malignity, glorifie God and Christ, and bless the Bounty and the Hand that ministred to so much Good.

Secondly, We must be Thankfull to God for our Benefactors. For thô the glorifying God, both in our [Page] Bodies and Spirits which are Gods, and reflecting Honour on his Holy Name, by a Religious Sober Usage of their Benefits, be both the Best and Truest way of Thanking him; yet 'tis not of it self sufficient, We must express our Gratitude in ways befitting reasonable and honourable Creatures, agreeable to God and usefull to the World; such as Rejoycing, Praising and Thanksgiving, such as may also edifie the Hearers and the Standers by, and may excite them to the Imitation of those Vertues and Excellencies they hear and see extoll'd in Others. And thô I did, in reckoning up the Benefits we receive, lay down so many Grounds of our Thanksgiving, and have already mentioned some peculiar Virtues of our Royal Patron, yet I should scarce acquit my self of what I owe to my Society, unless I offer in its Name, peculiar Thanks and Praise, Honour and Glory to the Eternal Inexhausted Spring of Bounty, for all the Advantages we in particular receive: and sure I should but ill become This Place, answer but ill the Purpose of this Day, if I should suffer Works of such Magnificence to lie in common Heaps of Charity, and be content with General Commendations, passing the Good King Henry over together with the Crowd and Multitude of Founders. His Honors should no more be common, undistinguish'd ones, than were his Merits; his Praises should at least equal his Private Virtues, if they may not rise up to his Royal State and his Magnificence. And thô each of them singly were a Task, and when conspir'd and met in one, might rather cause one to despair of being Just, than fear the falling into servile Adulation or Extravagance; yet not to pay down something were intolerable, and to imitate the Iniquity of bad Debtors [Page] that choose to be unjust to all their Creditors, for fear of being so to some. And as for Fame, I count a Parsimony of it here were next to Sin; it can be never better spent, it never can be better lost, and no Good Man but will say as Mamertinus did to Julian—Mallem eloquentiae Laudem, quam Pietatem officiúmque meum desiderari.

In compliance therefore with the Text, I thank the Immortal God for that Munificence, by which Two Royal Great Societies were Founded and Endowed: which notwithstanding all the Depredations they have undergone, do yet subsist in Pair and Honourable manner, and are, if not the Envy, yet at least Part of the Praise and Glory of their Neighbours; for making a King, a Young and Mighty King, the Instrument of so much Good; for Inspiring into his Soul such Christian and such Generous Purposes; instead of all those vain, ambitious towring Imaginations, those wicked, wanton and luxurious Thoughts, that fill the Heads and Hearts of Common Princes; for giving us a Founder, whose Bounty makes Us not more happy Men, than his Example would, if followed, happy Christians: for the Advantage of all those excellent Graces, and illustrious Virtues that adorn'd his Life, and shone so eminently in Him: for his early Zeal and Piety, his ardent and unparallel'd Devotion towards God: for his innocent and uncorrupted Youth; for his Sanctity, Sobriety, and Temperance in every kind; for his great Love to Learning, and greater yet to good Morality, and true Religion: for the firm and steady Virtues of his Manhood: for his Care of all his Life; and that incredible Watchfulness over all his Thoughts, and Words and Works; insomuch that in Twelve Years time, his Confessor found no occasion to [Page] injoyn Him any Sort of Pennance: For his ready Resignation to the Will of God in all Conditions; for his admirable Patience under all the Sorrows and Distresses, the Dangers and the Difficulties, the Exiles, and Imprisonments, with which his Life was exercis'd for One and Fifty years: and lastly for his Holy End and Sufferings, being found at his Devotions,R. 3d. by that Inhumane Prince that stabb'd him to the Heart, and lost expiring out his Soul amidst his Prayers.

These are the Virtues I can thank God for, without a Blush or secret Check, for fluttering or enlarging. Rare, and unseen in Kings, and read by private Men with wonder and confusion: so that I doubt if most of us were left to judge of them by the faint Pursuits and feeble Imitations we have made, there would be great temptations to conclude against their Truth and Possibility. These are the Virtues, better far befit the Fame and Memory of Christian Kings, than those of Glorious Heroes, and Triumphant Conquerors, Enlargers of their Empires, and Terrors of their Generations. For the true English of those Pompous Titles is, that they have been the Plagues of the Earth, and mighty Murderers of Mankind, that they have made Millions of wretched Widows, Orphans and Relations; have turned fair Kingdoms into fields of Blood and Horror, and overrun the World with barbarous Wast and Desolation. And thô these Bears and Tigers, Wolves and Foxes, are in some manner Necessary and Usefull in the World, and make a glorious Bustle whilst they live, and we are pleas'd with the Relations of their Acts when dead; (better when dead:) Yet no Man in his wits, that can consider, and might choose his State himself, but would prefer the Palms of innocent and suffering Kings, to all the Lawrels and ensanguin'd [Page] Wreaths of those Renowned Nimrods. These are the Virtues we can thank God for, because they are so usefull, and so edifying to the World; so safe to recommend to all Mankind, but especially so proper for our private Imitation; so suited to our way of Living, that one would think the Godly King had liv'd on purpose for our Use and Service, and that our Statutes had been copied from his Practice, with some design to shame us into Duty, or make us inexcusable, if we could otherwise abuse such Bounty, neglect such Virtue, and refuse to write after so fair and goodly an Original.

And this is all the Incense I will offer to our Glorious Founder. For thô I should extract the Quintessence of all the flattering Acclamations of the slavish Senate down from Augustus to Augustulus; the noblest Flights, and most exalted Strains of the Panegyrists from Pliny to this Day; the Dedications, the Devices, Mottoes, and Inscriptions of our neighbouring Kingdom to their vainglorious Monarch, or from the servile and degenerate Spirit of Address at home; and could refine upon them all, and raise Him up a Monument of Praise, as Fair and Beautifull, and Just withall, as This I praise Him in, yet [...], if there be any sense or understanding of our Mortal State; if they Above, receive Accession of Beatitude from any thing we say or do below—I know his Innocent and Righteous Soul, will take more joy, be better pleas'd, if what I have said, can either move my self, or any here, to the Improvement of one Grace, the Exercise of one Virtue, or to the Amendment of one evil Practice.

Lastly, We must pray to God for our Benefactors. I know very well whither the Application of this Part of the Text, would have naturally led me, if I had liv'd, [Page] when this great Anniversary was first design'd, or a hundred Years after it. It was their way to share the time allotted to these Exercises, betwixt the venting trifling and insipid Praises of their Subjects; and they were forc'd most commonly, for want of Truth, to feign their Virtues first, like those of Heroes in Romances, and then praise them: and betwixt the offering Prayers for rest and quiet of the Souls of the Departed, and other such Expressions, as ignorant good Nature, vext and tormented with uncertainties, and hopes and fears, and tender scruples, first suggested, and afterwards improv'd to dangerous and dreadfull Superstition: And the Choice of this most Solemn Dedication Day, was to have directed me, to whom in Heaven I was to have made my most particular Address. But God be thank'd, that Task is spar'd, those Days are gone, and now past prospect of Return; the Text means no such thing as Praying for the Dead. The Good King Henry is, if any one, at Rest, and wants no Prayers. The ever Glorious, ever Blessed Virgin, wants nor requires no Service of that nature at our Hands. 'Tis God alone that asks, and that deserves that Noble Sacrifice, and to Him only let us offer it, as is most due, with all humility of Soul; and beg of Him, that We, according to the Example of this Righteous Prince, may pass our Lives here in his Faith and Fear, and may with Him and all Good Souls, be made Partakers of a Glorious Resurrection in the Life to come, through the Merits and Intercession of our ador'd Redeemer Jesus Christ, To whom with the Holy Ghost be ascrib'd all Honour, Praise, and Glory, now and for evermore. Amen.

FINIS.

§

§

[Page]

Imprimatur,

Joh. Covel, Procanc.

Joh. Copleston.

Joh. Spencer.

Humf. Gower.

March 27. 1689.

§

§

[Page]

A SERMON Preached before the UNIVERSITY of CAMBRIDGE, IN Kings-College Chapel; On the 25th of March, 1689. Being the Anniversary for Commemoration of KING HENRY VI. The FOUNDER.

By WILLIAM FLEETWOOD, M. A. Fellow of Kings-College.

CAMBRIDGE, Printed by John Hayes Printer to the Ʋniversity; for William Graves Bookseller there. 1689.

Information about this book

Title statement

A sermon preached before the University of Cambridge in Kings-College Chapel, on the 25th of March, 1689, being the anniversary for commemoration of King Henry VI, the founder by William Fleetwood ...

Fleetwood, William, 1656-1723.

Edition statement

1689

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Text Creation Partnership,

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Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2007-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A39740

ID [STC]

Wing F1251

ID [STC]

ESTC R15934

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

13031572

ID [OCLC]

ocm 13031572

ID [VID]

96754

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A39740)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 96754)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 738:31)

Source

— A sermon preached before the University of Cambridge in Kings-College Chapel, on the 25th of March, 1689, being the anniversary for commemoration of King Henry VI, the founder by William Fleetwood ..., Fleetwood, William, 1656-1723..

Extent

[4], 27 p.

Printed by John Hayes ..., for William Graves ...,. Cambridge [Cambridgeshire] :: 1689.. (Reproduction of original in Duke University Library.)

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