ST. PAUL, who had the care of many Churches, be­ing higher in Power, and greater in Spiritual Gifts, and more advanced in years and experience than Timothy, who had also, from his youth, been by his Mo­ther commended to his oversight and instru­ction; does, in this Chapter, give him advice in matters appertaining to the Church of God.

[Page 2]He teacheth him how to behave himself towards Elders, such as were so, either by Age,Vers. 1, 2. or by Function: especially towards Elders by Office, who fulfilled both senses of the word [...],Vers. 17. which signifies both to feed, and to rule; who were laborious in Doctrine, as well as in Government: He surther shews him his duty towards Wi­dows who received Alms from the Church,Vers. 3, &c. for their attendance on some inferior Of­fices in it; towards those who were repre­sented and accused as Offenders, in order to Judicial Censure; lastly, towards such as were either to be ordained Ministers, Vers. 22. or, as Penitents, to be absolved.

For his direction in these Matters, he lays before him two Rules; Not to be hasty, Not to be biassed, in his Proceedings.

First, To act without preferring one before another; [...], without prejudice; without such a criminal haste as precipi­tates the Judgment before both sides are attentively heard; and then, in the words of the Text, which make up his second Canon, to Do nothing by partiality.

[Page 3] Three Heads of Discourse will contain un­der them, that which (by Gods Assistance) I purpose to say upon this Text, and this Occasion.

First, In General, Nothing is to be done by partiality.

Secondly, In Special, No Charity is to be par­tially administred.

Thirdly, In Particular, The Charity of this Corporation is not to be disposed otherwise, than, God be thanked (so far as I understand) it useth to be; that is, without Partiality, or Respect of Persons.

First, In General, nothing is to be done by Partiality; concerning which I shall con­sider.

• 1. What the Nature of it is.
• 2. How prone Mankind is to suffer it to put a bias upon its Actions.
• 3. Why Impartiality should be the Rule of all our doings.

[Page 4] First, For the Nature of Partiality, it is a vicious Principle, which inclineth Men to act, not according to the merit of the Per­son or Cause, but out of private and sinister Ends.

It is here, by the Apostle, and by Clement al­so in his first Epistle †Clem. Ep▪ 1. ad Cor. Ed. Colom. p. 56, 110. to the Church of Corinth, called [...], which is as much as to say, Si­ding, accepting of Persons, or Declining from the reason of the Case, through the influence of by-respects.

In Persons acting by themselves, we call it Partiality; when they act in Confederacy with others, it hath the Name of Sedition in a State, of Schism and Division in a Church; of Faction in both Id ibid. p. 8. [...]. And it sometimes takes place even where the Constitution is good; for the best of Causes may be factiously espous'd, and partially manag'd, whilst evil-minded Men adhere to a Church or State, not as such, but as a Party, and in order to the strengthning and defending themselves against the Side they hate, and with which they can no more live than Fire with Water. Such Partialists were the Pharisees, who took very great pains to make Proselites, con­verting [Page 5] them to their way, rather than to the Jewish Religion, to the end that Num­ber might support them, when Reason was wanting.

2. Now, Secondly, This Partiality in act­ing, either by our Selves, or in Conjunction with a Party, is that by which Mankind is very apt to be leaven'd.

If St. Paul had not discern'd, that even Timothy himself had had the Seeds of this Corruption in his Nature, he would not have given him Caution against it in so ve­ry solemn a manner as he did, charging him ‘as in the presence of God, and his blessed Son, and his Elect Angels (those ministring Spirits whom God approves of) to do nothing out of this Principle.’

The same Apostle found it breaking out in his time in the Church of Corinth, See Clem. Epist. 1. ad Cor. p. 110. 1 Cor. 1, 12. c. 3. 4. where all pretended to love the Gospel, but one had a partiality for Paul, another for Apollos, and another for Cephas or Peter, or (perhaps) for some other Teachers, whose Names the Apostle thought fit to spare, transferring their Parts to himself and his Brethren. This [Page 6] went not then so far as the dividing them into distinct Communions; C. 3. 3 but, however, it rais'd a strife amongst them about the preheminence of their Pastors, whilst they affected them severally, not as Christian Ministers, but up­on Personal Accounts, and did this with Exasperation of Mind, and with open Ani­mosity.

And if Christians were so partial and con­tentious, as if Christ himself was divided in that Primitive State, when the Blood of Christ was yet almost warm upon the Cross, when he was just risen from the Dead, and ascended into the Heavens, when Miracles (like that constant one of the Sun) were daily before Mens eyes; when Christianity seem'd to be taken up in good earnest, being pro­fess'd with peril of Life; certainly it can be no surprize to us to find Partiality in the Men of this Generation, in which, too ma­ny of the external Members of Christ's Church (like those of the Natural Body that lye remotest from the heart) are chill and cold, as living at such distance from the first Fountain of Evangelical Tradition; and many find a way to their worldly Profit [Page 7] through the breaches of Unity. It is in the few that Reason and Grace rule; and what Equity can be expected where the Passions of Men give the Law? Daily experience shews how narrow-minded, how unjust, how biassed Men are, how they judge by their Affections; and that instead of doing no­thing by Partiality, they scarce do any thing otherwise; in such sort that where there are many Competitors for any Place, every one of them finds his Friend, and perhaps the most unqualifi'd Person does at length pre­vail.

3. But, Thirdly, every Christian should walk by a straighter Rule: considering

• 1st. What is the corrupt Original: And
• 2dly, What are the sad effects of siding and partiality.

1st. For the Cause of it, It has its Original in the brutal Part of Man, which ought not to give Law, but to be mortifi'd and sub­du'd. St. Paul Gal. 5. 19, 20. numbers fierce Zeal and Se­ditions amongst the works of the Flesh, and ex­postulates with those who rais'd the foremen­tion'd [Page 8] difference about the Persons and Gifts of Paul, Apollos, and Cephas, saying, Are ye not carnal, and walk as Men? Do ye not proceed after the common fashion of the Men of this World, who have scarce a grain of the Salt of Wisdom in their Bodies, whose Imaginations are false Glasses, distorting the Images of Truth and Goodness, whose Eyes are the Windows of Vanity; and whose Ears let in delusive Re­port, and are charm'd with Flattery; whose Anger is a short madness; whose Lusts are blind and impetuous, whose very Stomach is such an Enemy, and yet such a God, to the rest of the Members, and whose Heart is full of haughty Thoughts and earthly Desires.

Of these evils Partiality is made up, but e­specially of the latter, Pride and Covetousness.

Partial men resolve all into their own private Humour and Inclination. They move about their own Center, and wind in all they can, as if they were a World by themselves; so that in all they design, and in all they do, they have an eye to that recompence of Reward which may accrue to themselves, in the gra­tifying of some peculiar Fancy, Appetite, or Passion.

[Page 9]2. The Effects of Partiality answer the Cause of it.

And 1st, Hereby Men are alienated from God, who governs the World by the Rules of Equity, who is no respecter of Persons, who accepts of no Man whose Cause is Evil; who punishes and rewards every Man according to his works, who gives this Command in Exod. 23. 2. ‘Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil,LXX.— [...]. neither shalt thou speak in a Cause to decline, after many to wrest Judgment [or to pass Sentence merely upon a popular motive.]’ See v. 6. and v. 20. Thou satest, &c. The same Just God in Psal. 50. 16, 17, 18. reproves those wicked and par­tial men, who would take upon them to de­clare his Statutes judicially, and to do it in favour of Offenders. ‘When thou sawest a Thief, thou consentedst with him [didst judge in fa­vour of him]Comp. 1 Tim. 5. 22. and hast been partaker with Adulterers [or become guilty of their Crime by not punishing of it.]’ Nor did he out of Arbi­trary will, accept of Abel, and reject Cain, but had regard to the Principles of their Hearts, and according to them their Sacrifices were pleasing or displeasing to him.

[Page 10]This is the Spirit of that God that made us, whom we ought to imitate; but it dwells not in the heart of the selfish, who are go­vern'd by Favour and Affection; by Sides and partial Friendships, and yet presume often­times to entitle the Righteous Lord to their own interested Declensions from the merit of Persons and Causes. So the Congregation of the Children of Israel, Numb. 16. 41. call'd those, who were in a wicked Confederacy with Corah, The People of the Lord. And Persons of like Temper fall into the like presumptuous Expressions; and when they kill others out of Revenge, they pretend they do God good service, or offer a Sa­crifice which needs not Frankincense to make it grateful to him. Tho every offering that is good in it self, is to him an Abomination, when it comes from an unsound and blemish­ed Heart.

And 2dly, as Partialists are not followers, but dishonourers of God, so are they injurious to the World.

• 1. To the Justice. And
• 2. To that which is the consequence of Ju­stice, the Peace and Order of it.

[Page 11]1. They are Enemies to common Justice, passing Sentence, and proceeding according to the Affection that is predominant in them.

What Antinomians ascribe rashly to God, is true of Partialists in their Actings. They can see no Sin in their own People [though one would think, the dearer the Child were, the more offensive would be the disobedience.] But Partiality blinds them, and with such, to be among them is merit.

From the Injustice of this Principle it was, that S. Austin, was so ill treated by the fol­lowers of Donatus: They made the Division, and then charg'd him with it, and revil'd him (saith Posidonius) as a Wolf who ought to be kill'd in defence of the Flock: Posid. de vitâ S. Aug. c. 9. p. 830. In the mean time, he was a holy and humble Man, and stood on the just defensive part; but they were fierce and factious, and would not allow a Man to be a Christian, if he said, I am baptiz'd, I embrace the Catholick Faith, unless he added, I am of the Party of Donatus.

[Page 12]The Partial likewise, construe the Sufferings of others, as perversly as they do their Lives. They would perswade themselves, or at least the World, that Heaven it self testifies against the Persons whom they affect not, by every misfortune which befalls them. If Men of another way live piously, and fall into some great affliction, or die a sudden death, they rashly call this a Judgment. If some of their own way live immorally, and either suffer in the World, or in a moment are taken out of it, they will say, God by chastening them, dealeth with them as the Children of his Love and his Bosom; or, that as Righteous, they are taken away from the evil to come. God hath forsaken him, said the Enemies of David, when he had but afflicted him for a Season. The Heathens imputed all the Plagues which befel the Empire, to the guilt of the Chri­stians as Innovators; not calling to mind the provocation of their own real Superstition and Idolatry. And the Christians, who were a­gainst Theodorit, Ibas, and Theodorus, See Baron. Annal. Tom. 7. An. 566. N. 21. impu­ted all the Wars, Famines, and Pestilences in Italy, to the favour shew'd to them in the Fifth Synod. And the Miseries, under which [Page 13] the Greek Church groaneth to this day, are, by the Friends of the Papacy, ascrib'd to the di­stance it has kept from their Usurpation.

Good God! That Partial Men should per­vert God's Judgments, as well as their own, and thereby oppose the Justice; And,

2. That which would otherwise have been the Fruit of it, the Peace and Order of the World.

None are oftner complaining of the times than Partial Men, and none occasion greater evil in them than they. They are, therefore, not unfitly compar'd to the foolishPignor. Tab. Isiac. p. 36. Demer­sum serio ipsi ridendi luge­bant. Aegyptians, who first drown'd their Idol Apis, and then made solemn lamentation for him.

That which preserves the order of Societies, is the equal administration of Justice, in pri­vate Dealing and publick Judgment. But it is from the swerving of Men of corrupt Minds, who prefer the private before the pub­lick Good, that Churches, States, Families, and other Bodies, come to desolation.

[Page 14]For (I beseech you) from whence come Hatred, Variance, Emulation, Envyings, Strife, Divisions and Disorders? Come they not hence? from the doing of so many things with Partiality. That Temper gives the pre­heminence to such, who can take the Profit, without doing the Duty of their Places: It re­spects Persons in Judgment, minding the Ring and the Apparel, which S. James speaks of,S. Jam. 2. 1, 2, 3, 4, 9. more than the Cause: It puts the bribe into the Balance, and turns it by the overweight of it: It takes the small Offenders in its Net, and lets great and powerful Malefactors escape: It preferreth an ignorant, wicked, and slothful Relation, before one who is knowing, pious and diligent, but a stranger to our Blood: It feedeth the slow Bellies that fawn, and starveth those who know how to be dutiful, but not to flatter: It indulgeth, with unrea­sonable fondness, some one of the least deser­ving among the Children, to the discourage­ment of the rest of the Family: It regardeth Nepotism, and overlooks the Interest of the Church. This is it which makes a ferment in Societies; by this means the Publick suf­fers through Power too often put into im­proper, [Page 15] unskilful, and unfaithful Hands; this disobliges Persons of merit, and sowres them into discontent, and enrages those who have relation to them. Reason therefore have we for advancing the General Proposi­tion, That nothing is to be done with Partiality.

The Second Observation is more Special, No Charities are to be partially administred. Clem. Ep. 1. ad Cor. p. 56.—

[...].

Charities must be done. For seeing the God of Order has not set all Men upon the same Level, because he would not put them into a state of Competition and War; and that the Poor shall be always with us, there is a ne­cessity of supplying them; and seeing they have not an Estate, which might enable them to do it; and Age and Accidents prevent labour in many of them; therefore Charity must keep them from perishing: And for the Publick Supplies, as they are manag'd, they seem not to be sufficient for these things: At least they extend not to many of Con­dition, who are brought low, and can neither [Page 16] dig nor beg, nor decently receive from the common Rates.

But though Charity must be done, and a Man who is tied by the Laws of the Land, to Measures of Justice, is by them left free in his Charity, and may do what he will with his own; yet he is obliged to set himself Rules by Chri­stian Prudence, and to remember that he is God's Steward, and must not suffer Partiali­ty to warp him in the dispensing of his Goods.

It is true, where the Needs and Merits of two Persons are equal, and there is but one Place or Office, or enough only for the Relief of one, it is not Partiality to prefer a Re­lation or a Friend, who is often nearer than a Brother.

Again, to do good to all Men as we have oppor­tunity, but especially to those who are of the Houshold of Faith; to deny small transient Alms to many (unless they are perishing), to make up a Fund which may do a considerable good, as the Apprentizing of helpless Orphans, or the in­creasing the Stock of a charitable Foundation, or the giving to the Publick such a Building as may be both a Prison and a Work-house, [Page 17] as certainly most Prisons ought to be; all this is not Partiality, but Wisdom; in such Cases there are Circumstances which turn the Scale on the right-side.

But, to support with Alms one that can la­bour, and to deny another that cannot; to let no Manna fall in the Wilderness, but all in Ca­naan; to fatten the Rich, and to do nothing for the Poor; to supply a vicious poor Man, and to starve a vertuous one; to give to a bold Vagrant, and to turn away the face from an honest or laborious Neighbour; to uphold Pride, and to depress Humility; to misapply the Revenues of Charity allotted for good Uses, to those which are either not good, or not designed; to burthen others to whom we are equal in all respects, and to ease our selves in Contributions to the Poor; to have no more consideration of the Aged than of the Young; of the Sick than the Healthful; of those who have spent their Days in Diligence, than those who have consumed both Time and Substance in Sloth; of those who have been persecuted for Righteousness-sake, than of those who have failed with all Winds, and been safe; of the Children of Enemies, than those of Benefa­ctors; [Page 18] of those who have numerous Families, than those who are single; of those who are fit by their Genius to be educated for Publick Ser­vice of Church and State, than of such who are fit only for low and servile Works: This is to act by an inequality, which a Man cannot answer to the Reason of his own Mind.

And as this is true, in special, of Charity, so do's it hold,

3. In the Third place, in particular, of the Charity of this Corporation, which would never have flourished, if Partiality had been at the Root of it.

There are two Reasons, among others, which should prevail with the Members of this Society, for the excluding of sinister Re­spects.

1. First, The Persons administring are supposed to be such, who have been by their Parents con­secrated to God, who have been shewn good Examples from the beginning; who have im­bib'd early the Principles of Religious Wisdom. Better and more equal Measures, are in pro­bability therefore, from them to be expected, in distributions of Charity, than from such [Page 19] who have not had those advantages in their Youth.

2ly, The Persons receiving, are Objects re­lating to such who have ministred in Holy Offices; and Religion it self suffers in the World, by the meanness and necessity of those who more immediately attend on the publick Service of it, or nearly belong to them; for the World judges according to ap­pearance, and by the despised estate of the Religious, is tempted, if not to scorn, yet the less to reverence, God and his Worship; so that for Religion sake (which ought to be to us the greatest of Motives) the Objects of this Corporation, ought to be treated with such impartial Charity, that in every one (so far as there is a sufficiency for the doing of it,) some becomingness of Figure may, for the honour of the Holy Function, be pre­served.

Now, for the Conclusion of this Discourse, (that it may be suitable to the method of the Body of it) it shall consist of a threefold Ex­hortation.

First, I address my self to all, of what Re­lation or Condition soever, beseeching them [Page 20] in all their Capacities, and in all Causes, to proceed with a Righteous indifference: To render to all their Dues, and not to suffer Affe­ction to supplant Equity.

The Discourse which Pythagoras us'd in all Places and Companies, and by which He is said to have promoted Peace in Italy and Sicily, is this.Jambl. de vi­tâ Pythag. c. 7. p. 47. ‘By all means, and with all diligence, Disease is to be removed from the Body, Ignorance from the Mind, Luxury from the Belly, Sedition from a City, Faction from a Family, and from all, [...], study of Parts or Sidings.’

This is one of the hardest of Lessons to Flesh and Blood; and as it is impossible, for Men to part with the individualness of their Persons; so it is most difficult, for them to strip themselves of all their Partialities whilst they are on Earth. Nay, if a Man would take his Faith from certain Romish Guides, he would believe they carried some of them into Heaven it self; for (for Example sake) the Carmelite, Paul of Saint Ubald, P. of S. V­bald's Souls delight, part 1. p. 112. directs the Dying, to crave the assistance of the Saint of their Name; as if, for Names-sake, aid would be given them.

[Page 21]But the more difficult the Duty is, the more earnest application must be used, see­ing it must be done in some competent degree; for no Man who refuseth to deny himself, can be Christ's Disciple. Study therefore, with all diligence, to move uprightly in all your ways, and particularly in the Duty in which you are now engag'd, that of hearing the Word of God. Have not Mens Persons in such admi­ration, as to break the Unity of the Church, for the sake of their private Gifts. They are ill hearers, and too much of the Corinthian humour, who being curious, are, contenti­ously, of them who can surprize with novelty of Conceit, though they do not edifie with useful Truth. Who, being morose, are of them who make severe Reflections upon the Times, though they attempt no Reformation at home: Who, being warm in fancy, and af­fecting gayness more than solidity, are only of them, who take more care about a fine Sentence, than a good Argument.

Always follow the measures of the Prince of Peace, ‘S. Matt. 22. 16. S. Mark 12. 14.who was true, and taught the way of God in truth, and cared not for any man, nor regarded the Person of men.’ He [Page 22] cared for all Men so far as to die for their Good; but he cared not so for any Mans Person, as to accept it against the Rule of Equity. He had a particular regard to St. John, his beloved Disciple; but his Care was foun­ded on some especial Reason; probably a de­gree of Divine Charity in his Temper, in which he might exceed the rest.

And be the rather mov'd to this impartiali­ty, by the Consideration of the Time; the Time of Advent; which sets before us the Judgment of the great Day, on which all Men shall receive, not according to what they have been in their Fortunes, and what they may vainly pre­tend to; but according to what they have done in the Flesh, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

2. I apply my self both to those whom God hath prosper'd, and who dispense Alms with their own Hands, and to those who are in­trusted by others of large Hearts and For­tunes, in the Administration of Charity.

What you do, do with Integrity, that the Ends of Charity may be attain'd to. Be not sway'd by the mere importunity of indigent Persons, or by the mere recommendation of [Page 23] those, who, for the avoiding the giving an Alms, are free of their Hands and Testimonials, which are of little labour or charge to them.

Discourage not the Living by the misappli­cations of the Charity of the Dead; which are such and so many, that every Commission for Charitable Uses, is ready to put a damp upon the Benevolence of the Executors of it.

And after all your Care and Proceeding, in Number, Weight and Measure, expect Ap­probation not from Men, but from the Righteous Judge of the World. For the necessitous will have their Eye evil,St. Matt. 20. 15.because yours is good; they will, out of their own partiality, raise clamour against all Dispensers of Cha­rity, as doing unequal things. For they con­sider only their own Cases, and cry out, That there was never Poverty, never Grief like theirs; that they are the greatest Objects of pity; and that others, whose Needs and Merits are not so great, are preferr'd before them, though in truth they are much grea­ter. But it should not move us to any degree of Resentment, to be cited before Mans Judgment; to our great Master we shall stand or fall.

[Page 24]3. Last of all, For you my Brethren of this Society, whilst I am exhorting you to Im­partiality in Acting, I have reason to praise you for being influenc'd already by so excel­lent a Principle.

Go on in the Name of the Righteous God, in the straight way, in which you have made so many laudable Steps; Go on and Pro­sper.

Observe particularly, the Words of the A­postle in the, 3d, 5th, and 10th Verses of this Chapter. ‘(3.) Honour Widows that are Widows indeed. (5.) Such as being desolate [or alone and unencumbred] trust in God, and continue in Supplications and Prayers night and Day. (10.) Such as are well reported for good Works; such as have brought up Children, and lodged Strangers, and reliev'd the Afflicted [when they had ability] and diligently followed every good Work.’

If we walk after such Rules, that Seed of Charity, which was but so lately sown in this Constitution, and has already attain'd to some considerable growth, will shoot up further till it become a Tree, under the Shadow of [Page 25] which the Poor and Miserable may sit down with great refreshment.

If Equity and Charity meet together, Peace will come down from Heaven, as the present Reward of Righteousness.

And in the End, when we shall appear before God the Father, and our impartial Mediator Jesus Christ, and the innumerable Company of Elect Angels, we shall receive that Blessing which the Son of Man shall then pronounce to all the Just and Charitable, saying, Come ye blessed of my Father, I was naked and ye cloathed me, hungry and ye fed me, thirsty and ye gave me drink, a stranger and ye took me in; Well done good and faithful Servants, enter ye into the joy of your Lord.

To that Supreme Lord and Benefactor of Mankind, who came not to destroy, but to save; Together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be ascribed Glory and Dominion, and Praise, this day and for Ever. Amen.