The RICH MAN's Bounty, the True Measure of His Wisdom.

A SERMON Preached before the LORD MAYOR, AND Court of Aldermen, AND CITIZENS of LONDON: AT St. Brides Church, Easter-Wednesday, March, 27. 1695.

By Iohn Mapletoft, D.D. Vicar of St. Lawrence-Jury.

[...],

Demophil.

He is a Wise Man, and Dear to God, who takes as much Care for his Soul, as others do for their Bodies.

LONDON, Printed for Brabazon Aylmer at the Three Pigeons against the Royal Exchange in Cornhil, 1695.

LUKE, Xii. Ver. 21. So is he that layeth up Treasure for him­self, and is not Rich towards God.

THese Words are the Result, and Conclusion of a Parable spoken by our Blessed Lord: The Occasion of which was this. One of his Hearers had Interrupted him, whilest he was discoursing about some of the great Duties and Rewards of our H. Religion, with a Request, that he would de­cide a difference between him and his Brother, about an Estate fallen to them in common: This our Lord refuseth to do. Man, saith he, ver. 14. Who made me a Judge or a Divider over you? For, coming upon bu­siness of a much greater importance, he would not en­gage himself in these lesser matters. But from hence he takes occasion to Caution his Followers, against set­ting their Hearts too much upon transitory things; and he said unto them, Take heed and beware of Covetous­ness, [...] i. e. of having and desire­ing more than you need, or more than you ought to have: For by Covetousness, Christ here plainly de­signs, and forbids such an over-eager desire of, and ap­plication to the getting, or keeping Wealth as is incon­sistent with Justice or Charity; that care we ought to take of our poor Brethren out of Love to God a­bove [Page 2]all things, and a settled Resolution to please him in disposal of our Riches. The Nature, Folly, and Danger of which Crying Sin, our Lord sets forth and represents for our Instruction, in this following Pa­rable. A Rich Man in a very Plentiful Year, being at a loss where to bestow all his Increase, resolves to pull down his Barns, and to build much Larger. And when all his Goods were safely layd up, he means to spend the rest of his Life in Ease and Pleasure; to enjoy all he hath himself alone, without any regard to the needs of others, and without making any Reflection, whence that Plenty came, for what end it was send him, or what account he was to make for it. Soul, saith he ver. 19. Thou hast much Goods layd up for many Tears, take thine Ease, Eat, Drink and be merry, or Feast. We have here the Uncharitable Rich Mans Character: He is laying up Treasure for himself only, without any consideration either of God or Man. His Estate is all his own, and he, or his will enjoy it all themselves. He knows no happiness, nor desires any other, save only what his Wealth can procure him: And as for the Poor, God can provide for them without his help. Now in the next words, the Folly and Disappoint­ment, the Misery and Ruine of this poor Inconsiderate Sensual Wretch, are exposed by our Saviour for a warn­ing to others. But God said unto him, Thou Fool, this night thy Soul shall be required of thee; then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? Those many Years he promised himself, are at an end in one night; the goods he reckons upon are no longer his; and he is called to give an account of the abuse of his Trust; and must expect the sad doom of an Unjust Steward, who had either Riotously wasted, or Covetously hoar­ded up for himself, what his Lord put into his hands [Page 3]for the Maintenance and Relief of his Fellow-Servants. So is he, saith our Lord, that layeth up Treasure for him­self, and is not Rich towards God. Such is he in de­sign and practise, and such is the issue of his ill-natu­red folly; so very Foolish, so wholly Disappointed, and Miserable is that Man, who is more concern'd about getting or keeping an Estate, than about employing a good part of it in Works of Mercy.

Having thus set this Text in its true light, and shewn its coherence with, and relation to, the foregoing Pre­cept and Parable of our Lord; and that it is the Ex­plication of the one, and the Moral of the other. I shall use this Method in my discourse thereon.

  • 1. I shall a little more fully explain and enlarge up­on its true sense and meaning.
  • 2. I shall propound to your view and consideration that General Doctrine which seems to be the main Scope and Design of the whole, and make good the truth of it by proper Arguments.
  • 3. I shall make some Reflections pertinent to this matter.

First, Then as to the meaning of the phrases here used, Laying up treasure for a mans self, evidently im­ports his getting, or keeping, or using superfluous wealth; what is over and above either the necessities, or true natural, (not fantastical imaginary) cove­niences of life, only for himself, or his own nearest Relations; or to gratify any inordinate appetites, such as are the too great love of mony, or of sensual plea­sures, or vain-glorious pride; and this without taking notice of, and relieving the wants of other men. And, on the contrary, to be rich towards God, implys our having a due regard to his will and Laws in the get­ting, and managing our wealth, and behaving our [Page 4]selves as STEWARDS, not as LORDS, and absolute Proprietors of those gifts we receive from GOD. So that, if we joyn both these expres­sions together, to Lay up Treasure for our selves, and not to be RICH towards GOD, will signify, both from the force of the words, and the whole Scope of the Parable, so to get, or keep, or use wealth, as not to have due respect to Almighty God, as to the Supream giver of disposer of it; and to that end for which it was lent us, and the use we ought to put some good part of that to, of which we have no true need our selves; or to place our chief Happiness in our Riches, Soul, take thine ease; or in those bodily, bare­ly-Animal Pleasures to which they chiefly Minister; or those empty Titles, Preference, or other Worldly ad­vantages they usually procure, so as not to employ what we have to spare, at least, a very considerable part of a large Income, in supplying the wants of the Ho­nest and Industrious Poor. All this is apparently imply'd in that preposterous care, and perverse mis-manage­ment of riches here condemned by our Lord under the name of laying up Treasure for our selves, and not be­ing rich towards God. And the word So, [...], con­necting this verse to the preceding parable, and ap­plying it to the whole Scheme by way of Accomoda­tion and Resemblance, gives us this general sense, as the drift and purport of our Lords discourse on this Sub­ject: Consider how gross the folly, how unreasonable the procedure, and how certain, and withal, how ter­rible the defeat of such a Rich Man's hope must soon be, who had no consideration for other mens needs, no end, no God but himself, when he is surpriz'd by death; and then, Take heed and beware of such Co­vetousness, and irregular self-love as is here Exempli­fy'd: [Page 5]Of hoarding up for your selves what God entrust­ed you with for the support, and comfort of his Chil­dren. So is he, i. e. such a short-sighted unthinking fool, as this here in the Parable: So unmindful of God his great Master and Benefactor; So inhuman and re­gardless of his poor BRETHREN, who perish for want of those provisions which his barns could not hold, and might have saved him the labour of build­ing new ones; and So miserably disappointed at the last; and So lost and So undone for ever is that wretched man, who spends all his time, and care, and strength in increasing, or preserving his wealth; or abuses it to Luxury, or to pride and vanity, without taking care To be Rich towards God, or to lay out a good propor­tion of his abundance in those works of mercy which God doth require of him in this, and will reward him for in the next life. So much for the Explication and Meaning of the Words.

Secondly, The general Doctrine deducible from this Parable, as the main drift and design of it seems to be this; That, as it is too much the Custom, so it is both the mighty folly, and error, the disappointment and the ruin of too many Rich men, that they are more intent upon adding to their heap, and keeping it together; or in lavishing out their store unduly upon themselves; or on too carefully laying it up for their posterity, than upon managing their great affluence so as may turn to their best account in the next life; and may most comply with that end, for which this Talent was put into their hands. Or, that he is extreamly foolish who sets his heart more upon leaving a great Estate at his death, than upon doing a great deal of good with it in his life time. And on the other side, the rich man's diligent study and practise of Beneficence and [Page 6]Charity, is the true measure of his Wisdom, as well as the proper duty of his place and station.

Now the truth of this Doctrin will manifestly appear from these four following considerations. They are extreamly foolish, and like to him her mentioned, who Lay up Treasure for themselves, and are not Rich towards God.

1. Because all those who thirst after wealth immo­derately, or use great portions of it in the service of any vice, mistake the nature and end of Riches.

2. Because they understand not the true use and mighty advantage which may be made of them, when they are employ'd so as they ought to be.

3. Because by neglecting, or coming short in their works of mercy, they deprive themselves of the chief, or only Remedy against the certain danger and usual mischief of Worldly prosperity, and so make it hard for themselves to be saved.

4. Because as their Riches make it hard, so their ill, or no use of them, and total want of Charity make it impossible for them to be saved, if they die in that state.

1. They who are wholly taken up with the care and thoughts of mony, and over joy'd with great poses­sions, are very unwise, because they are much mistaken in the nature and value, & power, and end of that which they make their Capital, their chief Affair. For they false­ly suppose that a great deal of wealth will furnish all that is needful to make them truly Happy. But now the con­trary Assertion to this too Fatal Error, is laid down by our Blessed Lord as the very reason why we ought to take heed and beware of Covetousness, or a desire of having too much, all we can get any way; for, saith he, A Mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the [Page 7]things which he possesseth, i. e. No Mans life can be ei­ther prolonged one moment, or made more truly hap­py by such a surplusage of riches as neither the ne­cessities, nor true Conveniences of life demand.

All happiness pretended to beyond this Compe­tency, either in the bare possessing, or in Luxuriously and vainly expending much wealth, is but a diseased fancy and illusion of brain-sick men. And 'tis well known that all such false Appetites and Ill-grounded desires are as unsatiable, as they are unnatural, and unreasonable. Neither the wealthiest Prince that e­ver was, nor the greatest Conqueror, had every Gold, or Empire enough to make him easy and contented, as long as there was still any more in the world.

And no man can be happy who is not pleased with his present condition.

But besides this, Riches can neither make a man Wise nor Good: which is the proper felicity of rati­onal, intelligent beings. They rise no higher than to provide for, and gratify the body which is the husk and shell only, or the prison, as some call it, of that immortal spirit, which distinguishes us from the brute Beasts; and so must raise us to another kind, and pitch of Happiness than what we can have in Common with them.

And this made Socrates suspend his judgment con­cerning the happiness of the great King, or Persian Mo­narch, till he was better inform'd, how much Wisdom and Vertue he had. And for the same reason, he refused to say, that another newly made a mighty rich man was happy, until he saw what use he would make of his Estate. For by these he rightly measured the fe­licity of every man; and affirm'd, that all other things which mis-judging vulgar minds dote on, Riches, and [Page 8]Honours, and Kingdoms, &c. had no great matter in them, were of no Consequence at all in order to make men happy. And a very Knowing Man of our Na­tion (Lord Verulam) assures us, as well from his own, as from the Universal experience of Mankind, That Great Persons must borrow other Mens opinions to think themselves Happy: For if they judge by what they feel only, they cannot find any such thing.

Thus are these fond Admirers of Riches altogether ignorant of the true Nature and Power, or indeed, Im­potency, Inability of Wealth, to procure and to esta­blish any happiness to Man; and consequently they are miserably fool d and abus'd in a False expectation of what it can never perform. Since no Solid Rational satisfaction of the mind of Man ever was, or can be ever found, either in those low despicable Pleasures of Sense, in which the Bruits, or rival, or perhaps excel Man; or in all the Pageantry of Secular Greatness, the empty Smoke, Dust and Noise of Worldly Pomps and Vanities; to which only, abundance always can, and commonly doth exalt, and then abuse and puss up those weak untaught minds who know no better things.

Nor do these Men much reflect upon the fleeting fa­ding Nature of these Transitory things; the great un­certainty there is of their possessing them one Day; Thou Fool, may God say to every one of them, this night thy Soul shall be required of thee: Nor upon the as great certainty that they can not long enjoy, what is the only Good they care to have.

But now, he who understands the true nature of these things, and is too discerning to be brought by such thin appearances of Happiness into the common Paradise of Fools, looks upon a mighty Revenue, ra­ther as a great Burthen and Incumbrance, a thought­ful [Page 9]careful Province, and a Busy Steward-ship.

And all that can make it, I say not desirable or va­luable, but tolerable to such a man, is the hopes he hath by his wise management of his ten Tallents to bring Honour to his Great Master, and obtain the Re­ward promised to the good and faithful Servant. His being a Large Dispencer, and Instrument of the Di­vine Bounty to the Family of God, is both the joy and support of his Spirit, and the only true advantage of his having more then he needs, or would otherwise have the trouble of, if it were to be mispent in the too generally received methods of the World.

Second, The Folly of those who are more intent up­on laying up Treasures on Earth than in Heaven, or up­on having a great Estate, than making a due and good use of what they have, is seen in this; that they do not consider enough, nor understand what the best and true use of Wealth is, and how it may be most improved. It were easie for God so to order things here below, that no Man should need to be Poor; but the Poor and Rich have from this variety and difference of their outward circumstances, opportunity of exercising several Gra­ces and Virtues which could not otherwise subsist and have place amongst Men. The Pious and Industrious Poor, have hereby occasion to exercise their Patience and Submission to the Will of God, and their depen­dence on, and trust in him for a supply to their wants. And the Rich have manifold invitations and oppor­tunities to shew the sincerity of their love to God, and to their Brethren, by their Liberality; as also to ex­press their thankfulness to God for these outward Bles­sings, and that he has put them into that more happy station of being Givers rather than Receivers; and hereby to own that as all they have is from God, so it [Page 10]ought to be managed with regard to his will and plea­sure, and for his greater Glory.

Beneficence also gives us a peculiar Title to the Fa­vour and Blessing, and Protection of God here in this Life; nay, even to more Wealth, if God sees it to be best for us.

St. Hierom affirms, that he did not remember to have read, that any Person ever had died an ill Death, who had been a great Alms-giver in his Life time. And we read, Prov. 11.24, 25. There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to Poverty. The Liberal Soul shall be made fat, and he that watereth, shall be water­ed also himself.

But as a large diffusive Charity, and imparting to others in a good proportion to what Abundance God hath blessed us with, is the proper use of a great In­come, so is it the best improvement we can possibly make of it; this is here styled, Being Rich towards God, and by our Lord, Laying up for our selves Treasure in Heaven, Mat. 6.20. or having Treasure in Heaven. 'Tis putting so much stock into the Hands of God to be there Secured and Improv'd for us and ours, upon the best assurance, even his own Word, of having so much of it repaid to us again, or to ours in this World, as God knows to be best for us or them. Prov. 19.17. He that hath pity upon the Poor, lendeth unto the Lord, and that which he hath given will he repay him again.

But above all, this is the certain, and perhaps the only way, for Rich Men both to secure to themselves a Crown of Righteousness thro' the Mercy of God in Christ, and to increase the Weight and Glory of that Crown in Gods Kingdom. Our Blessed Lord promises a Reward to him, who shall give a Cup of cold Wa­ter [Page 11]only, to any of his in the Name of a Disciple, i. e. because they belong to him, Mat. 10.24. And in that description of the Day of Judgment, Mat. 25. he is pleased to assign no other cause of his putting the Blessed of his Father into possession of that Kingdom prepared for them from the Foundation of the World, but only their having Fed and Cloathed him when he Hungry and Naked, and taken him in when he was a Stranger, and visited him when he was Sick and in Prison; i. e. their having relieved and taken care of his Brethren in their Needs and Distresses, which he therefore interprets as if done to himself, and accor­dingly rewards with everlasting Happiness.

Thirdly, Very Rich men, if they are not given to Charity, and that in a good proportion to their Super­fluous Riches, are very foolish, because by their failing in this duty, they neglect and deprive themselves of the most efficacious, if not the only sure remedy, a­gainst the danger and mischief of worldly prosperi­ty; And that great difficulty our Saviour has told us there is for them to enter into the Kingdom of God.

'Tis either the too great love, and over value men have for Riches; their setting their heart upon them, pla­cing their confidence in them; or their abuse of them, to the support, and gratification of their Ambition and Pride, or their Sensuality; and their forgetfulness of God, which make it harder for a Rich Man, as Christ positively affirms, Mat. 19.24. To enter into the Kingdom of God, than it is for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle. And the only way that God takes, as far as we can know, to work this Miracle, for those Rich Men who do enter into his Kingdom, or become true sincere Christians, is by infusing this Grace of Charity into their Souls; whereby he makes [Page 12]them Willing and Desirous to part with so much of their Wealth to the Poor, that they may have good Store of Treasure laid up for them in Heaven; and by this means their hearts are loosed and dis-entangled from these perishing things, and centred upon God as their last end, and Supream Felicity.

It was the want of this Spiritual Wisdom, and dis­position to beneficence, which made that young man who gave occasion to that hard and amazing saying, forsake Christ. He went away with a sorrow propor­tionable to the greatness of his wealth. He was very sorrowful, Luk. 18.23. For he was very Rich. And he fondly chose rather to part with all hopes of that Eternal Life he had been so earnestly enquiring af­ter, than with the great possessions he was master of.

Certainly did Rich Men consider well the hor­rible danger they are in, of being lost forever upon account of their Riches, (if they will believe our LORD and MASTER,) they would never have St. Paul's charge out of their mind, which he enjoyns Timothy to give them, 1 Tim. 6.17, 18. They would neither be high-minded, insolent, or despisers of o­thers, only for having less mony than they have; nor trust in their uncertain Riches, but in the living God; from whom they receive them, and whose Stewards they are. They would then make it their chief bu­siness, their Trade or Calling, and look upon it as their greatest concern, and true interest to do good to those who need them, to be Rich in good Works; They would esteem these the best and most valuable part of their wealth, because they will be of use to them in the next life, and consequently would be rea­dy to distribute and willing to communicate.

The Apostle backs his Exhortation with this irre­sistible Argument to all who believe another world, viz. That Rich Men do hereby lay up in Store for them­selves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on Eternal Life. Since then a studyed well-Proportioned bounty to the Poor, is the most sure preservative against those destructive poysons of Mens Souls, viz. Covetousness, Pride, Lux­ury, Intemperance of all sorts; which are so often the successful Temptations of Wealth, that only the wisest and best Men (which are not always the greatest number among the Rich,) are able to resist them, it must needs be the worst Husbandry, and the greatest folly in the world not to lay out our mony upon so great advantage; and not starve our own excesses, and irregular courses, by making a plentiful provision for our necessitous brethren.

Fourthly, The undoing folly and misery of all Un­charitable Rich Men, is palpably manifest in this, viz. That by such unfaithfulness to their trust, and inhu­manity towards their brethren, they destroy all hopes of being Happy in the next State. Wealth, and that power, and interest which it usually makes way for, and procures, are those particular Talents which God hath committed to their management; and are there­fore to be carefully, and diligently improv'd by them, to his Honour, and their own Personal good, and ad­vantage in the other world, by their feeding and cloathing, and relieving and assisting all the distressed afflicted members of their Common Saviour. But now, if instead of giving their Lord's Houshold meat in due season, they shall be arrogant and injurious up­on the strength of their Riches; and shall Eat and Drink with the Drunken, if they shall spend in the En­tertainment [Page 14]of their own Vices what they receiv'd for the benefit and use of their Fellow Servants, their Lord shall come in a day when they look not for him, Mat. 24.50. All shall cut them asunder; (which was the punishment of false Knaves and Cheating Villains) and shall appoint them their Portion with the Hypo­crites, where there shall be weeping and Gnashing of Teeth, i. e. in the endless Torments of Hell Fire. Thus now have I made good, I hope, that Proposi­tion which I advanced as the general Scope of this Parable, viz. That 'tis a mighty folly, and will prove a terrible disappointment at the last to all those in­considerate men who are more concern'd to heap up Riches for themselves, or their Children; or more for­ward to mispend their wealth in any unjustifyable way of Sin or Vanity; than to employ their over­plus in such works of Piety and Charity, as make for the Honour of God, and the succour and relief of his Children, and Servants. Or, that he is the very Fool, here called so by God himself, who makes it more his aim and business to be a great, than a Good Man; and to be Rich and High in this World, than to be for ever happy in that which is to come.

For, So is he; So is every one of these narrow Souls, these self-seeking Rich Men; 1. So mistaken in the nature of Wealth, and so abused in his Expectati­on of Happiness; 2. So ignorant of its true and best use, and of the great advantage may be made by em­ploying it so as it ought to be; 3. So negligent, and unwary in obviating, and preventing the danger which all Rich Men are in, and the harm and mischief which most receive from too great Abundance; 4. So for ever ruin'd by the mis-use of his Talent, is that man, who lays up Treasure for himself, and is not [Page 15]Rich towards God. So Unwise, so Dis-appointed, and so Finally Undone is that Miserable Man, who having not made himself Friends of the Mammon of unrighte­ousness, (if not unjustly gotten, at least too often unjust­ly detained, or unjustly used, as well as) Fading, Un­stable, Perishing Wealth, can have no just or good hopes that he shall ever be received into Everlasting habitati­ons, Gods Eternal Kingdom of Glory.

Now if want of Beneficence, and of due proportions of Works of Mercy be the apparent Folly, and Sin, and Ruine of those Rich Men who have no regard to Gods Laws, and the wants of others, in disposing of their Estates; it hence follows, That a due care about, and a Consciencious discharge of the obligation they have thereto, is the wisdom and happiness, of those who use their Wealth to the glory of God, and the good of Men; or, that a Rich Man's well-proportioned Charity, is the best mark of his Prudence and Discretion.

For some of the chief Properties and Rules of wisdom are, I think, generally agreed to be these:

Making a right Judgment of the Nature, and Intrin­sick Worth and Value of those things we are concern­ed to understand.

Looking to the most distant issues and consequents of them. A wise Man sees as far before him as he can.

Knowing how to make the true use and best im­provement, or advantage of them to our selves.

Being aware of, and avoiding all inconvenience or harm, we might otherwise come to suffer by, or from them.

Propounding to our selves in general the Best and Noblest End, i. e. the Highest degree of Happiness we are made capable of by our Nature, or the Favour of God.

And then steadily pursuing this end by all requi­site, most fit and proper ways, and means.

Now he who makes it his main design, the affair and business of his Life, to be Rich towards God; to have his chief Treasure in Heaven, and his Heart there also, even whilst he is in this Earthly Tabernacle; he understands the nature & properties of Wealth, and what he may, or may not expect from it. He knows how little will serve the needs of the Body, and furnish all those conveniences which a wise and good Man can think worth having: And that whatever is over and above this, hath no other good in it, save what ari­ses from our using it to the good of others. He rec­kons so much only of his Estate to be properly his, as he either uses himself, in complyance with the mo­dest demands of Nature, and the dictates of sober rea­son; or as he remits and sends before him into that Heavenly Country and House of his Father, towards which he is advancing every day, and where his Trea­sure will be of the greatest benefit to him; That only is mine which I either make use of my self,Quello e mio che io godo, & dono per Dio.or give for Gods sake.

He prudently considers the few Moments he is to spend here as a point, as nothing, in comparison with that eter­nal duration for which he is design'dand made; and that single thought destroys and annihilates all those false ap­pearances of happiness which either the gross pleasures of Sense, or the thin air of Applause, or the noise of secu­lar State and Grandeur, which are usually founded in & supported by store of Money, can any way pretend to.

He judges of all these things as God doth (whose Judgment is the Rule and Standard of Truth) and who values Men by their true Wisdom and Virtue, their Piety and Charity, their Meekness and Humility; not [Page 17]by their Birth, or Titles, or Riches, or any Quality which the weakest and worst of Men may share equal­ly with the Best and the Wisest.

He knows that the only true use of very great Af­fluence, is doing a very great deal of good to very ma­ny, to the Honour of God, and out of obedience to his Commands; that this is the highest improvement of perishable goods, and the only way to change their nature, and make them durable for ever; since he will find the Rewards of his Charity, in an Endless state of Felicity.

His neither valuing himself upon his Riches, nor trusting in them; his Poverty of Spirit, his Humility and Contempt of the World, when he hath most of it; and parting with what others wast in Pride and Lux­ry, to Feed his poor Brother, secure him from the dan­ger of Wealth; He hath never any thing to spare for a­ny Vice; and thus doth his Wealth make his way to Heaven more Easie and more Pleasant too: Nor is Po­verty it self so safe a Road thither, as Riches are to such a Mastering Mind.

He proposes to himself the Best and Noblest end, E­verlasting Life, or the enjoyment of that Supreme Good, from whence he came, (and for, as well as by whom, he was made) to Eternal Ages. This he knows is the only true and proper, peculiar Happiness of Immortal Spirits. He therefore values all things here below in proportion to their capacity, and tendency to serve him in order to his Great, his only Aim and Concern, to live with God for ever. To this end therefore, he will chiefly use his Wealth, and whatever Power or Interest that can give him.

And whereas Riches too commonly make Men for­get both God and themselves, they make this Wise Man [Page 18]more mindful of both; since he is always contriving how he may discharge his Trust to his Lord, and how he may avoid those Temptations and Snares into which they fall who will be Rich, 1 Tim. 6.9. who set their hearts upon getting Money, or place their Happiness in it; who love the World, and the things of this World to that degree, as to stifle the Love of God in their Souls, and that regard they ought to have to his Law and Will.

I shall conclude with a Reflection or two arising from, or pertinent to this matter.

1 If we desire rather to be RICH towards GOD, than to lay up Treasure for our selves, i. e. to exercise the Grace of Charity vigorously, in due measure, from right Principles, and most to our own advantage; we must endeavour to have our minds throughly possessed with, & influenced by a sincere hearty love to God. For on this our love to God above all things, we must found all that unfeigned affection, and good will we bear to Men, which will be a constant spur, and restless incen­tive to all good offices they can need, and we perform.

Our Blessed Lord having answered that Question, Which is the great Commandment of the Law? Mat. 22. in these terms, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, and with all thy Soul, and with all thy Mind, adds of his own accord, and as a certain consequent of the former, And the 2d. is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self. Now our Lord thus connect­ing these together, and making them joyntly the sum of the Law and the Prophets; that in which they all conspire, or the Abridgment, the whole of our duty; doth hereby evidently instruct us; That as the love and kindness we have for our Brethren is Inseparable from that sincere love we bear to God, so it must be ever [Page 19]grounded thereon. We must therefore love, be kind and helpful to all Men, because we love that God whose Image they bear in common with our selves; whose Children they also are as well as we; who hath com­manded us to love them as we do our selves, & as he lo­ved us, when he sent his Son to be the Propitiation for our Sins, 1 John 4.10, 11. and to reconcile us again to himself by his death on the Cross. And if we do thus love our Brethren, we shall gladly take all occa­sions to assist and relieve them, we shall be as forward to help them, as we desire they should be to help us, were we in the like distress.

'Tis this, this inward affection, and hearty love to others, out of that Love and Duty we owe to God, which is both a Never-failing Spring, and the very Life and Soul of all External acts of Charity. And if this be wanting, tho' we should bestow all our goods to feed the Poor, 1 Cor. 13.3. if we were never so Boun­tiful out of Vain-glory, or from any other Carnal Worldly consideration, it would profit us nothing; it would be no discharge of our obligation, it would be of no account in the sight of God.

2. Since Works of Mercy are so much every Man's concern in his Station, and so much every Rich Mans, especial, proper Duty, and mighty, indeed only ad­vantage, they must be a good part of every Rich Man's business too, of his thought, contrivance, and especi­al care. It were therefore very good and adviseable, (if not necessary) that all Men, and particularly all Rich Men, should seriously and attentively weigh and consider with themselves, what proportion of their E­states it were fit for them to Allot and Consecrate eve­ry Year to Pious uses, and to lay by such a part as they resolve on, out of every Sum they receive; which would [Page 20]have this good effect, among many others, that they would generally be ready for, and glad of all good oc­casions of distributing to the necessities of the Poor. And tho God hath given us no set Rule whereby to esti­mate this proportion, yet we may doubtless make one for our selves; in which our main care ought to be, that our Rule be not too narrow, that we do not too little. A defect here may prove our final undoing, whereas an Excess, if such a thing can be imagined, would besure to encrease our reward in the next life. A Learned and Ex­emplary Divine of our Church (Dr. Hammond) in a Sermon Preach't upon this very occasion before the then Lord Mayor and Aldermen of this City; observes, that every Jew (not the Rich only) was obliged (besides several other ways of relieving the Poor mentioned in the Law of Moses) to pay a Tenth part of all his In­crease or Income every Third Year, which is aequi­valent to one Thirtieth part every Year, to the use, and maintenance of the Poor, Deut. 14.28, 29. And this was Styled their Righteousness, their necessary O­bedience to the Law, and the lowest degree of Chari­ty among them: But the Good and Merciful Men, even of the Jews, were such as did much out do what this Law exacted. Our Lord declares, That except our Righteousness shall exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, (who practised such external du­ties doubtless at an higher rate than the common Jews) we shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. From all these premises, that Learned Man infers, be­yond all colour of contradiction, that the proportion of the Christian Alms-giver, to speak at the least, must be more than the Thirtieth part of his Yearly Revenue, or Increase. Now altho' it be true, that this Law gi­ven to the Jews, doth not oblige us Christians in the [Page 21]Letter of it, yet (as he well remarks) Gods Judgment to his People at that time, and in that State is worth our observing. But then we are here to remember, that every Jew, who had any Income or Increase, was ty'd to pay this Thirtieth part towards the maintenance of the Poor, even those who had least to spare; so that if Christians in moderate circumstances, who have a­ny thing to spare, are to exceed this Proportion, as hath been shewed; those who are Rich, who have a great deal more than they need, must be worse than Jews, if they make so low and scanty a Rule for their practise; for none who was accounted a Good or Merciful Man among them, contented himself with doing so little. Some considerate Persons being in that mediocrity, or competency of these outward good things, that neither Poverty nor Riches, which was the Wise Man's choice, (and would be the choice of all Wise Men, if our Lords Judgment were throughly weighed and believed by them; since the Richer they are, the more hard still it is for them to be saved) some of these sober and serious Christians, I say, have thought one Tenth part of their Yearly Revenue, or Annual Profits arising any other way, a Proportion low enough for them to bestow in Works of Mercy. But Rich Men, and especially those who are very Rich, if they were very Wise too, will scarce stint themselves, it is to be hoped, (in many circumstances at least) to a rate so dis-proportionable to their abilitys. Zac­cheus's Example, who besides restoring four sold, if it should appear that he had wronged any Man, gave half his goods to the Poor, is a much fitter Precedent for some of those who have very great Estates, i. e. who have much more than they can spend every Year in such ways as they will be able to answer for [Page 22]to God at the last day, that great day of Accounts. Cer­tainly every Rich Man will do himself great right, in of­ten and seriously reflecting upon that Parable delivered by our Lord, Luk. 16.19. &c. for his particular Cauti­on and instruction. That Rich man there, hath nei­ther impiety, nor rapine, or injustice, nor any other flagrant Crime laid to his Charge: All we are told of him is, that he was Clothed in purple and fine linnen and fared sumptuously every day; and that he did not feed the poor beggar with the crumbs which fell from his table, i. e. He lived very great, maintain'd his port, and quality in the world, indulg'd himself in the exces­ses of Luxury and Vanity, whilst the poor starv'd for want of that which his haughty Pride and Ryot made him think he needed for his own self. And the next thing we hear of him, is, that he is dead and buried, and in Torments in Hell Fire.

The learned Grotius asks this question from the place, which I fear it will be hard for many Rich and Great Men satisfactorily to answer; Quomodo igitur poenam hanc diviti inflictam evadet pars magna Christianorum? How, will so many Christians, as imitate this Rich man's Example, be able to escape those Torments in Hell to which he is doom'd? For tho' all the Alms in the world can never purchase Heaven (for Eternal Life is the gift of God thro' Jesus Christ our Lord, Rom. 6.23.) yet want of a competent, proportionable Cha­rity, alone, and without any other sin? may prove, as sure a way to lose Heaven, as all the Atheism and Irre­ligion, all the Lewdness and Wickedness any Man was ever guilty of.

And since Christ gives no other reason of mens Condemnation at the day of judgment, but this only, (tho' others doubtless there will be) we cannot but [Page 23]conclude, that want of due Charity will be then, tho' not the only, yet to be sure a very principal and ge­neral Article against those forever unhappy men. And seeing that a narrow, slender, contracted Charity, al­together disproportionable to the Rich mans Abilities, will in all reason, be esteemed by God as no Charity at all; All Rich men are as nearly concern'd to Study this point well, and to practise this duty with care and diligence, as they are not to perish with their mo­ny, and not to come into that place of Torments. And they ought therefore frequently to have in their thoughts that saying of our Lord, Luk. 12.48. which is equally applicable to all Talents, as well of Riches as any other; For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required; and to whom men have Committed much, of him they will ask the more.

3. It would be a great, and worthy effect of a no­ble and Universal Beneficence or Charity, in those who have wealth, and power, and credit among us, to use all the interest they can make in procuring a publick National Establishment of a truly Honourable Soci­ety of men, who should make it their business, out of love to God, and Compassion towards their Brethren, to know among them all, the number and condition in all particulars, of all the poor in this Kingdom, and especially in and about this great City: That so all those who are able, might be forced to maintain them­selves by their own labour; and both those whose la­bour is not able to provide enough for their great charge, and those who are unfit for any work at all, (which will be but few,) may be sufficiently and de­cently provided for, and maintain'd as Sons of the same Father, and Brethren of our common Lord and Savi­our Christ. If it were seriously considered and laid to [Page 24]heart how many are starv'd every year in their own houses, and some too in the streets, with hunger, or cold, or want of necessaries in one kind or other, (which amount to some hundreds in and about this City some years, as I have heard from those who have reason to know) we should look upon this as such a Disgrace and Contradiction to our Religion, which is the Law of Love, and the highest obligati­on thereto on so many accounts; and withal so great a guilt upon all who had, or might have power to reme­dy it, (if not on the whole Nation) that every Man would do his best to promote such a brave design; without which 'tis very hard, if at all possible, that so Crying a Sin, and so Culpable a Neglect, which must lay some where, should be wholly and effectually pre­vented.

Now that such wise and good men among us as have Estates, and Souls large enough to extend their Charitable Provision for the Poor to all after Ages, and desire to do good with their wealth as long as the world shall last, may have encouragement from the successful, as well as Pious Examples of their Prede­cessours, I shall read to you (as the Custom is) the following account of the upright and prudent Ma­nagement of all those publick foundations which are under the care and Government of the Lord Mayor, Commonalty, and Citizens of this Great and Ancient City for the year last past.

A True Report of the great Num­ber of Poor Children, &c.

FRom which Report I shall observe these Two Things only.

  • First, That Christ's Hospital was not in conditi­on to receive any one Child this last year into their House; partly, by reason of those great Debts they still labour under; and partly, by reason of their having taken in so many the year before that.
  • Secondly, That the Governours of St. Thomas Ho­spital, notwithstanding their present necessary, and ve­ry chargeable Expence in Building, have not one bed less in that house, than were before; nor have deny'd any one Person who came for Cure, when there was a Vacancy; And that the Number of those who have been there Cured this year last past exceeds that of any former year whatever.

So that Generous and well-disposed minds, have here also, as well as among those great numbers of Poor, who stand in need of present relief, fit objects for a Magnificent and Over flowing Bounty.

To Conclude all; Let every one of us in the fear of God, and as we tender the welfare of our own Im­mortal Souls, take due care to be rightly informed of the necessity of this Great and Fundamental Duty, and the indispensable obligation we have thereto, in our measure and capacity. Let us frequently reflect upon our own Conduct, and consider how we shall be able to Answer our Judge when he shall proceed to give Sentence upon us, according to our demeanour in [Page 26]relation to his distressed Members: And in order here­to, let us deeply fix, and often revolve in our minds these Avowed Maximes of Right Reason, and our Holy Religion, as so many irresistible motives to do good, and to Communicate.

That the time we have to spend in this World is but a Moment, an indivisible Point, and next to No­thing, in proportion to that Eternity we are all made for, and are hastning to apace. That consequently here­to, 'tis the first, and most pernicious Error, ( [...]) that which leads to all the mistakes and sins Men commit here, viz.

That they look upon this short span of Frail Mor­tal Life, (which is but their first step and entrance in­to being) as their All, that for which they were whol­ly made, and so their Great and Only Concern, Affair, and Business; and do live, and govern themselves, by this most false and most destructive Principle.

Whereas the Main thing Christ teaches us, is to ma­nage this present Life only in order to the next; and to esteem nothing to be of any great consequence to us, but what may secure and promote our Happiness in that endless State which is before us; and to look upon all things, as mean, low, and scarce worth our Considera­tion, which have no tendency to this our Master-design, viz. To be for ever Happy in the presence and enjoy­ment of that Sovereign Good, for which we were made. That every Man is truly Valuable, only as God Values him. Tantus est quis (que) quantus apud Deum. That he only is Great indeed, who is Great in the sight of the Lord, Luk 1.15. who is Holy and Pious, Just and Merciful, who Loves and Honours God above all things, and makes his Will and Law the Rule of his Life and Actions.

That nothing is more Reasonable in it self, nothing more agreeable to Humane Nature, (whence Humani­ty, which imports all obliging kindness, hath its Name) than that we should assist and relieve others, made in the same Image, and after the same Likeness of God, our common Father; and who are of his Family and Houshold, and his Children, as well as we are, with that overplus which God bestows upon us for this very end.

That if we do not this in a good proportion to our A­bilities, we are unfaithful Stewards of our Lords Estate; and it will fare accordingly with us at that great and universal Audit.

That this Duty of Brotherly Love and Beneficence, is more earnestly commanded, and more frequently insisted upon in the H. Scriptures than any other.

That it is the most natural and irrefragable Proof of our Love to God, and our Gratitude to our Lord and Saviour Christ; and a peculiar Mark of our Electi­on to Eternal Life, and of our being Gods Children indeed, Col. 3.12.

That want of Bowels of Compassion to our needy Brother, is a demonstration, That the love of God dwells not in us, 1 John 3.17. And consequently, that all pretence to Religion and Piety, is Vain, False and Hy­pocritical, without a competent Love to, and Practise of this Grace and Virtue, Jam. 1.27.

That doing a great deal of good to others, is the nea­rest approach which we can make to the Divine Nature, and Gods imitable perfections; whom we do herein chiefly resemble.

That it is only such an outragious, criminal love of the World, as is wholly incompetible with the love of [Page 28]God, which makes Rich Men such slaves to their Mo­ney; or to such fancy'd necessities of maintaining their Port, and outward State and Quality at such an height, and so much to the prejudice of the Poor, that they are able to return to God, by his Receivers, so little of what he hath entrusted them with: But our Lord gives us no reason to believe, that such vain ill founded Pleas will avail men any thing at his just Tribunal.

They are only those inordinate desires, and undue gratifications of the senses of the Body, or vices of the Mind, viz. Pride, Ambition, Covetousness, which exhaust that Treasure that should be lay'd up in Hea­ven, i. e. layd out in Works of Piety, and Mercy. So that in Conclusion, nothing but Brutish stupidity, or sensuality; or the improvident thoughtfulness of a Child, or of an Ideot; or the Pride or Malignity of an Apostate Spirit, can wholly extinguish the care, and destroy the practice of Beneficence and Charity. For the poor Covetous wretch is a proud of his large scope of Ground, or his great Heap of Gold, as the Haugh­ty, Insolent, Ambitious Man is of his Place or Title, (which perhaps his Wealth purchased him, or his Ance­stor) or the Prodigal is, of his intemperate Luxurious Feasts; or the Vain, Empty and Gay Man is, of the Fine Shew & Figure he thinks he makes in Dress or Equipage. 'Tis only, I say, that Spirit and Air of the World which Christianity obliges us to Mortify; that World, to which we ought to be Crucified, or Dead to, which drowns its Children in foolish and hurtful Lusts, in forgetful­ness of God, of themselves, and of their Necessitous Brethren; and afterwards, through gross neglect of this Duty, in final perdition and destruction.

That Alms-giving, is Trading with Heaven; that 'tis the highest improvement, and best advantage Rich [Page 29]Men can possibly make of their Wealth; and withal a sure way never to lose any part of it. This is the nature of Riches, saith St. Basil, that if you give it liberally to the indigent, you have it still; 'tis your own for ever: If you keep it all to your self, you have it not; to be sure you cannot have it long, and you will for every repent that you had it at all. Charity alone can turn this Fading, Perishing Wealth into the true Riches; it will entitle us to all those Favours and Gra­ces God here bestows upon his dearest Children, and to that Everlasting Happiness which he reserves for their Portion in the next World. Since Christ owns what is done to his poor Brethren, as done to Himself, and will accordingly Reward it in His Heavenly King­dom.

And that Christ will at the last day (of which we cannot be too often reminded) have such an especial particular regard to this most important Duty; and will proceed upon it as one, if not the Main Arti­cle, of his enquiry into our Lives; and that our Final Doom, our Happy or Miserable Estate to all Eternity, will in so very great measure depend, and turn upon the account we shall be able to give of our selves with relation hereto.

In a word, Let us consider seriously and often, that Beneficence and Charity, is the most Natural and Rea­sonable; The most Commanded; The most Indispensa­ble; The most Noble; The most Delightful; The most Advantageous; The most Christian: Nay, the most Divine and God like Grace and Virtue.

And let us all from the Cogency of so many Rea­sons, out of Love to our Good God, and our Lord, and Saviour Christ; to our Neighbours, and to our own Immortal Souls, so make it our Care and Study, and [Page 30]Business, to Assist and Comfort, and Relieve our Blessed Lord in those Poor Needy Persons, who are both his, and our Brethren; that we also may with them be made Heirs of that Kingdom God hath prepared for all His Children, for all truly Pious, all truly Charitable and Merciful Men.

To which, God of his Mercy bring us all, thro' Jesus Christ our Lord; To whom, &c.

FINIS.

BOOKS Printed for B. Aylmer.

Forty Two Sermons and Discourses upon several occasi­ons, most at Court; in Four Volumes, 8 vo.

The Rule of Faith: Or an Answer to the Treatise of Mr. J. Sergeant, 8 vo.

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A Demonstration of the Messias, in which the Truth of the Christian Religion is proved, especially against the Jews.

A Charge of Richard Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells, to the Clergy of his Diocess.

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