DORCAS: OR, A PERFECT PATTERN OF A TRUE DISCIPLE.  
A Sermon Preached by Bartholomew Parsons B. of Divinity and Rector of Ludgershall in the County of Wilts.  joh. 15.8. 
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit, so shall ye be my Disciples.  Prov. 31.20. 
She stretcheth out her hand to the poor, yea she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.  
OXFORD, Printed by William Turner Printer to the famous University. 1631.   

TO THE HONOURED, MY LOVING FRIEND St FRANCIS PILE BARONET.  
WORTHY SIR,  
HOly job being about to utter a divine meditation concerning the future resurrection, cryeth out, Oh that my words were written now, Oh that they were printed in a Book. job. 19.23. And you of late being the Principal Auditor, where according to the gift given to me, I uttered this following Meditation, conceived upon an excellent pattern in my Text, both of good works in general, and of Almsdeeds in special, the best of works, which shall be remembered and rewarded at the last resurrection afore and above all other works, walked in the same Spirit with that righteous man, in desiring that these same words might be written unto you, and not vanish away in the hour and air wherein they were uttered: I have therefore transcribed this copy, and do willingly and deservedly Dedicate to yourself this piece of my labours. And so much the rather I present it to you, because as face answereth to face in water, Prov. 27.19. so both yourself & your worthy Lady answer fully to this face of charity and almes-doing represented here to you in this Disciple Dorcas, in the sowing plentifully and solemnly at the set times weekly, the seed of your alms at your gates to the poor round about yvo: which I writ not out of any flattery: (from which both by nature and conscience I am averse,) but as Paul said of the Macedonians in alike case 2. Cor. 8.1.3. to bear witness of the grace of God bestowed on you both, who are met together in another Cornelius and Dorcas abounding in this work of the Lord. As you have therefore worthily begun; so happily go on in sowing the seed of your alms plenteously, that you may reap plenteously in the day of the Lord. For though you seem to the world to cast your bread upon the waters, where it is lost, yet after many days you shall find it again, even in the great day of the lord The poor may say unto thee, that I in receiving of Alms give no less unto thee, than thou in bestowing them givest unto me. For if there were not some to receive thine Alms, thou couldst not give earth and receive heaven, as St Austin saith. And in the mean season, God that is rich to all, will so bless your basket and your store, that always having sufficiency in all things, you may still abound in this work. For as St Chrysostome saith, Almes-doing maketh not any man poor, but enricheth him, for it is promised, give, and it shall be given you: and again, that thou may'st be rich, give thy goods liberally: that thou may'st gather, scatter: follow the sour, sow in blessings, that thou may'st reap in blessings: in his 53. and 68 Homily to the people of Antioch.  
Now the God of Heaven bless You, and your worthy Lady, not only with the blessings of Heaven above, and Earth beneath, but also with all Spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus; that when you have finished your course happily in this world you may reign eternally in the World to come; So wisheth  
Your Servant in our Master Christ jesus BARTHOL. PARSONS. From my house at Collingborne April 1. 1631.   
Acts 9.36. 
Now there was at joppa a certain Disciple, named Tabytha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: This woman was full of good works, and almsdeeds which she did.  
TO that question of King Lemuel, [Solomon] in that Prophecy taught him by a woman [his mother] who can find a virtuous woman, Prov. 31.10. arguing and intimating die rarity of good women; we may return here an inventa est, and cry out with that passionate exclamation of Archimedes, a famous Mathematician, when he had found out a Mathematical experiment, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; I have found; I have found; ecce hîc, behold here is one; and so much the sooner have we found, with jaacob, because the Lord our God hath brought one to our hands, Gen. 27.10. beautified and beatified with all graces accompanying salvation in woman, Faith, and Charity, and Holiness with sobriety. 1. Tim. 2.15. For that we might not count her an alien, but one of the household of faith, she is a Disciple; (& Disciples and Christians are termini convertibiles, of equivalent signification Act. 11.26) one that was not ashamed of Christ and his words, Luke 9.26. that we may be assured that she professed not to know Christ, & deny him in her works, Tit. 1.16. She is a good tree; bringing forth good fruits, Mat. 7. joining virtue with her faith, 2. Pet. 1.5. and showing her faith by her good works, or that only some good was found in her, as in jeroboams' son, 1 Kings 14.13. some gleaning grapes as the shaking of an Olive tree, Isa 17.6. She is full of good works, defective and behind in no gift, 1. Cor. 1.7. or that she served God only in holiness in the works of piety, and not in righteousness in the works of charity, (as too many put asunder those things which God hath joined together) she distributeth to the necessities of the Saints, doth almsdeeds; and as she aboundeth in every thing, so in this gift also, 2. Cor. 8.7. soweth the seed of her alms plenteously, is full of almsdeeds which she did. But that by my ordering of things here, I may further your remembering of them, (as ordo est matter memoriae, order is the mother of memory) observe I pray you in this narration a twofold description of this virtuous woman; 1. by her civil condition, There was at joppa a certain Disciple named Tabytha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas, 2. by her religious disposition, this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did. In her civil state and condition we have 1. her place of habitation, joppa, 2 her name, either propounded, named Tabytha, or expounded, which by interpretation is called Dorcas. In her religious disposition, we have 1. her profession a Disciple, 2. her expression of it, either generally in good works, amplified by the measure and extent, full of good works; or specially in almsdeeds, being of the same size full of almsdeeds which she did.  
Concerning her civil state and condition, her habitation and denomination, being but the outward skin and rind of the Text, in respect of the pith within: I will not according to the proverb haerere in cortice, stick in the bark. Only in transitu, in our passage hear and bear a word or two of the propounding and expounding of her name, for if we strike this rock the waters will gush out, Exod. 17.6 she was named Tabytha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas. Names in Scriptures are imposed either upon some special accident, or intent and purpose. Upon some special accident, as isaack's name of laughter, because Sarah laughed at the promised of him, Gen. 18.13. jacobs' of supplanting; because he took his brother by the heel in the birth of them, Gen. 25 26. and Pharez his name signifying breach, or division; because he made a breach in the birth, coming forth before his brother that offered first, Gen. 38.29. Upon some special intent, either for memorial of benefits received, as Ishmaell the hearing of God, because God heard Abraham's prayer for a son, Gen. 16.15. as Solomon, jedidiah loved of the Lord, because God loved him, 2. Sam. 12.24. Or of some duties to be done, as judah hath his name of praises, because the Lord was to be praised for him, Gen. 29.35. as james and john called by Christ Boanerges sons of thunder, because they should thunder in their doctrine, and lighten in their lives, Mark 3.17. and that name above all names jesus a Saviour, because he should save his people from their sins, Matt. 1.25. And here happily the name Tabytha in Syriac, and in the Hebrew Tsibjah, or as some will have it Thabia, (Bullinger in locum) arising of root nabat signifying to see, (as in the interpretation of it in the Greek Dorcas is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of seeing) was given her accidentally of the sharpness of her sight, wherein the Roebuck excelleth, (as Pliny saith) and of which St Hierome hath a saying, oculos caprearum talpa contemnit, the blind mole despiseth the eyes of the Roebuck. Sure I am that she was sharp sighted in looking on things eternal, 2. Cor. 4.18, that the eyes of the mind were enlightened to know what was the hope of her calling, and what the riches of the glory of God's inheritance in the Saints, Ephes. 1.18. that with Simeon the eyes of her inward man saw the Lords Christ, Luke 2.16 & that they were happy in seeing his day, Luke 10.  
Now in that Spirit speaking here to the Churches, would interpret this Hebrew or Syriac name in the Greek tongue, wherein it writeth; Tabytha by Dorcas or Roebuck: our learning herein is, that all things in the Church must be done to edification, 1. Cor 14.26. and that whatsoever is spoken in a strange tongue must be interpreted that the Church may receive edifying 1. Cor. 14.5. and this is the way of God in the sanctuary. Emanuel a strange word in the greek tongue, is interpreted God with us, Matt. 1. So Rabbi is interpreted Master; Messiah, the Christ; Cephas, a stone; all one chapter job. 1. so Boanerges, the sons of thunder, Mar. 3.17. Barnabas, the son of consolation, Acts 4. Abba, Father, Rom. 8.15. Now if the wisdom of the spirit would interpret names to us whereof we may be ignorant, without forfeiting the freehold of eternal life, much more would it have the whole Scriptures (which were written for our learning, Rom. 15.4. and are able to make us wise unto salvation. 2. Tim. 3.16.) interpreted and expounded unto us in a known tongue, for edification, exhortation, and comfort. Qui in modico fidelis, & in majori fidelis. He that is faithful in a little matter, will be faithful in a greater, Luke 16.10. If a name must be spoken to us in our own tongue, much more must the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Act. 2.11. the great mysteries of godliness, in a language that we understand. And of that I dare be bold to say, that from the beginning it was so. The doctrine of S. john did not so vanish away, as the Philosophers did: (saith Chrysostome in 1. Homily on john) but the Syrians, Egyptians, Indians, Persians, Aethiopians, and innumerable other nations translating them into their language, of barbarous men, learned the heavenly Philosophy. So Augustine in his 2. book of Christian doctrine, chap. 5. saith, that the divine Scripture proceeding from one language, being spread abroad fare and wide by the divers tongues of Interpreters, was made known to the Gentiles for their salvation. And Theodoret most plainly in his first book of curing the maladies of the Grecians, The Hebrew books were not only turned into the Greek language, but also into the Roman, Egyptian, Persian, Indian, Armenian, Scythian, and even the Gothicke language; and that I may speak once for all, into all the languages which the Gentiles use unto this day. Can we praise the Papists then in condemning and abhorring as impossible and unprofitable the turning of the divine oracles into our mother tongue, (which was their old Tenent) or if they be interpreted and translated, either in their forbidding that in the public and common use of the Church they should be read or sung in the vulgar tongues: (so doth the Counsel of Trent in the 22. Session chapped 8. and the 9 Canon:) or else in affecting such obscurity, and filling their translation with so many words borrowed from the Hebrew, Syriac, Greek, & Latin, that it may be said of their translation as the Philosopher said of his books, that they were edita & non edita, published and not published. Of this kind are their Archisynagogue, azimes, depositum, dydrachme, dominical, evangelise, holocausts, hosts, Neophyte, paraclete, parasceve, prepuce, repropitiate, resuscitate, sabbatisme, and such like, whereof an English man may cry out, how can I understand unless I had the gift of tongues? If I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh Barbarian, and he shall be a Barbarian to me, 1. Cor. 14 11. But here is not my rest, I pass therefore from her civil state and condition to her religious disposition first in her profession being a Disciple.  
A certain Disciple, The original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 feminine according to her sex, a Disciplesse, a she Disciple, as Anna is called a Prophetess, Luke 2.36. Excellent and honourable are the styles and titles given in holy writ to the professors of religion, importing the dignity and duty of their calling. They are named the Church, the elect of God, of their calling & chooing out of the world: Saints, of their sanctification, sons of God, of their adoption; vessels of mercy, and honour, of their present forgiveness of their sins and future glory: believers, faithful men of their faith and profession: brethren, household of faith, of their union and society amongst themselves: devout men, of their religion, Disciples of Christ jesus the author and finisher of our faith, Heb. 12.2. But the name Disciple, is the most ancient, the most frequent in the new Testament given to all the faithful, the Apostles not excepted, who are called the twelve Disciples, Matt. 10.2. Now the Scripture in the Evangelist doth not only call those twelve his Disciples, but all those that believing in him, were by his teaching instructed to the kingdom of heaven, saith Augustine in his 2. book of the consent of the Evangelists, Chap. 17. To be a Disciple then, is to hear & learn of God by the ministry of the Gospel, the way of peace, the mysteries of Godliness. And Tabytha hath this name here, because with Mary she sat at jesus feet and heard his words, Luke 10.39. with Lydia she attended to those things which were spoken of God's Ministers, Act. 16.14, I commend then the imitation hereof, not only to her sex, but to all the Saints, all that will call on the name of the Lord, to learn of her to be scholars in Christ's school, to sit at the beautiful feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things, Rom. 10.15. For all must learn of them that prophecy, 1. Cor. 14.31. of such Epaphrasses as are faithful Ministers of God for them, Col. 1.7. all must obey 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be persuaded & taught of them that have the oversight of them, and suffer the word of exhortation, Heb. 13.17.22. all must receive the word ingraffed with meekness, jam. 1.21. hear the Prophets that are raised up unto them. Deut. 18.15. hear and receive them as an Angel of God, yea as Christ jesus himself, Luke 10.16. Gal. 4.14. Let us so hear the Gospel (Austin in his 30 tract upon john) as we would hear the Lord himself if he were present now, for that precious thing which sounded out of the Lords mouth was both written for us, and is reserved for us, & is rehearsed to us: and again, that which is to be learned by a man, let a Christian learn without any pride, let us not tempt him in whom we have believed, least being deceived by such subtleties and frowardness of our common enemy, we should refuse to go into the Church to hear and learn the Gospel, or to read a book, or to hear a man read and preach. And in his book of Catechising the rude, chapt. 12. he would have men such cheerful hearers, that if our preaching at any time be colder than usually it is, it might be quickened and kindled by their unusual hearing and attending. But in these late and worse days, if we survey this weak sex, we may every where find silly women ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, 2. Tim. 3. never worthy of the name of Disciples, or else so fare in the other extreme, that in stead of Disciples, they will be Doctors, presume to teach, 1. Tim. 2. according to that of Hierome in an epistle to Paulinus, the babbling old woman will teach the scripture before she hath learned it, or else so fare from all holy learning in Christ's school, that with the Scribes and Pharisees they will neither enter into the kingdom of heaven, nor suffer others, Matt. 23.13. but with their grandmother Eve are tempters of others to ill, Gen. 3. with jesabel are stirrers of others to work wickedness, 1. Kings 21.25. with jobs wife are persuaders to profaneness, job. 2. with Solomon's wives are inticers to idolatry, 1. Kings. 11.4. with Herodias movers to murder, Matt. 14. with the harlot allures to lust, Prov. 7.18. with Michall despisers of religious zeal in others, 2. Sam. 6. and with those complained of by Paul, 1. Tim. 5.13. such as learn to be idle, wand'ring about from house to house, and not only idle, but tatlers also, and busiebodies speaking things which they ought not. But scarcely any where can we find those women that learn in silence, 1. Tim. 2. that with the honourable Dames of Berea receive the word with all readiness of mind, and search the Scriptures whether those things are so, Act. 17.11.12. and with Damaris there, verse 34 cleave unto Paul's preaching: that with the women, and Mary the mother of jesus continue with the Apostles in the exercise of religion, act. 1.14. and with Mary Magdalen, joanna, and Susanna, are with Christ, whilst he is preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of heaven, Luke. 8.1.2. Nay if we run too and fro, through the streets of our jerusalem, and see, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, jer. 5.1. where can we find any Disciples unless such as Paul found at Ephesus, that have Learned nothing, so ignorant that they cannot tell whether there be an holy Ghost or no, Act. 19.2.3 any such tractable scholars as Cornelius, with his words in their mouths, to Christ's ministers, we are here as in the presence of God, to hear the things that are commanded you of God, Act. 10.33. any that press upon them to hear the word of God, as those did, Luke 5.1. Diogenes coming into Antisthenes' school, & being often rejected by him, yet stuck there still, and when on a time Antisthenes offered to strike him with his staff, he bowed his head and said, Beat me if thou wilt, but thou shalt find no staff so hard wherewith thou shalt drive me away, so long as thou speakest any thing. According to which effect, Augustine on john saith, If thou canst teach me that I know not, I ought not only to endure thee patiently in words, but also beating me with stripes But now though we speak the hidden wisdom of God, in a mystery able to make man wise unto salvation, and not the perishing wisdom of this world (as the old Philosophers did) we have need of rods and staffs to drive men to us, to compel them to come in, that God's house may be full of Disciples. Every where we may find Despisers sooner than Disciples, prophainers rather than professors, good companions rather than good Christians, brethren in evil rather then holy brethren, children of the Devil rather than sons of God; and the Synagogues of Satan rather than the household of Faith: yea the very names of Disciple, brother, believer, professor, Saint, faithful, (which should be our crown and our joy) are laughed to scorn by miscreants which yet would be good Christians. But let them be assured that if they be ashamed to be Christ's Disciples here, to learn and know him, that he will be ashamed of them hereafter Luke 9.26. that he will not then know them for any of his.  
We see that this woman hath begun to run well, to witness a good confession, let her ride on prosperously as the Psalmist speaketh, Psaml. 45.4. for she lacketh yet one thing comprehending in it many things to make her a complete Christian, she must not only profess well, but also express it, not only have her ears opened to learn Christ's will, mine ears hast thou opened, but her heart and hand ready to do it, I delight to do thy will, thy law is within my heart Psal. 40.6.8. for Christianum facit vita & professio, as Austin saith, life and profession together make a Christian. Let us mark then how these meet and kiss each other in her, for her profession she is a Disciple, for her profit, she is generally fruitful in good works. Now concerning good works here mentioned, Pilate in the spirit of scoffing or curiosity asked our Saviour, what is the truth? john 18.38. but we in the spirit of meekness may well ask here, what good works are? Good works then (as I have learned at the feet of a Gamaliel of ours, Zanchy on the 1. chap. of the Philip. verse 11.) are works and actions aswell inward as outward: whether they be thoughts in the mind, and elections in the will, or words uttered by the tongue, or deeds which may be done by a righteous man as he is righteous, in any part of his soul or body. For as an actual sin is any thing said, or done, or thought against the law of God, so a good work, (and as St john calleth it in his 1. epist. cap. 3.) righteousness is any thing spoken, or thought, or done according to the Law of God. The holy Ghost for our better direction and for distinction, doth sometimes tripartite good works into 1. sobriety in the use of outward things, as meat, drink, apparel and the like: 2. righteousness in our dealings with men: 3. Godliness in our duties to God; that we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, Tit. 2.12. sometimes he doth more briefly bipartite them into holiness, in the duties of the first table that concern God's worship; and righteousness, in the duties of the second Table, that respect our neighbours good, that we might serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life, Luke 2.75. And so doth our Saviour into the first and great commandment which is, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind; and the second is like to it, which is, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Matt. 22.37.38.39.40. Now this being written for our learning, we must learn of this Disciple, this learner in in Christ's school, to join with our profession practice, with our hearing doing, with our faith virtue 2. Pet. 1.5. with our show of godliness the power of it in our lives. 2. Tim. 3.5. with our knowledge of God the service of him. 1. Chr. 28 9 with our professing to know God a manifesting of it in our works 2. Tim. 3.5. with our calling of Abraham father a doing of the works of Abraham, john 8.39. The professors of the Gospel must have their conversation as becometh the Gospel of Christ, Phil. 1.27. Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they are called; Ephes. 4.1. & worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, Col. 1.10. & adorn themselves with good works, 1. Tim. 2.10. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God, might be careful to maintain good works, Tit. 3.8. Men learn the trades of this world to practise them, and the mysteries of godliness are taught us that we may turn words into works, as Bernard saith in his tract of ordering our lives. It profiteth not to have learned what we should do, and not to do it, (saith Hierome in an epistle) it is better not to know a thing, then to learn it with danger: and Augustine and in his 2. homily on the revelation: As it booteth not for a great tree to be green, and yield no fruit, so it profiteth not to be called a Christian, and not to have Christian works: and the same father in his book of 83 questions, and 76 question saith, that the words of the Apostle, I suppose that a man is justified by faith without the works of the law, are not so to be understood, that when a man hath received faith, we should call him just, though he live ill. But in this point we that glory in God Rom. 2.17. and are called Christians, are so bad scholars that if my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, I could not sufficiently bewail our wants of fruits answerable to our profession; we make our boast of God's law amongst us, but through our breaking of it, we dishonour God, and cause his name to be blaspheemed, Rom. 2.23.24. with the jews jer. 7. we cry templum Domini, the Temple of the Lord, God is amongst us, and we are his temple, but we amend not our ways: we come and stand before God in his house, as a nation that would do righteously, but when we are gone, we do all abominations, steal, murder, commit adultery, swear rashly and falsely, drink till we are drunk, give others drink till they are drunk also, and run to all excess of riot. We are indeed baptised unto Moses, God's Ministers whom he hath sent to baptise, and eat the same spiritual meat, and drink the same spiritual drink, but please not God in our lives and conversations, 1. Cor. 10.2.3.4.5. with Simon Magus we have a kind of temporary belief, but our hearts are not right in the sight of God, but we are in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity, Act. 8.13.21.23. we have jacobs' voice, smooth and blessed words, but Esau's hands, rough and cursed deeds; with the fig three we have the leaves of an outward profession, but want the fruits of an holy conversation; with judas we are numbered amongst Christ's Disciples, sit at table with him, but betray him as soon as we are gone out; we hear but we do not, with out mouths and bodily presence we show much love, but our hearts run after covetousness, Ezec. 33.31. and all kind of wickedness. In a word, we have much knowledge, no charity, a dead faith, a faith of Devils, but no works; Christ's greatest friends and they of his own household are his greatest enemies, being as Bernard complains in his time, all friends, and all enemies; all necessaries, and all adversaries; all near, and yet all such as seek their own. Videtur bone jesu (as Hugo complaineth in his time) O good jesus the whole company of Christians seemeth to have conspired against thee, and they which are first in thy Church, are first in persecuting of thee. Woe, woe unto us for our ill lives, shall our outward profession, our dead and devilish faith save us without good works? Mark we that faithful saying of St Austin in his book of faith to Peter the Deacon, cap. 40. Believe it for a truth and doubt not of it, that not all which are baptised within the Catholic Church shall receive eternal life, but they who after baptism received live well: for as infidels, heretics, and schismatics shall not have the kingdom of heaven, so vicious Catholics shall not possess it. Next we have her good works amplified by the extent,  
Full of good work] she was filled with the fruits of righteousness, Phil. 1.11. like those water pots at the wedding, that were full to the brim joh. 2. and she gave to God and man good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over Luke 8.36. what we hear then and see in her we must do, we must be ready to every good work, Tit. 3. fruitful in every good work, Col. 1.10. walking with Zachary and Elizabeth in all the commandments of God without reproof, Luke 1. and abounding always in the work of the Lord, 1. Cor. 15.58. what the young man boasted of vainegloriously, we must strive after sincerely, all these have I kept from my youth upwardly. Mar. 10.20.  
For God loveth a fullness of all things, an abounding in every good gift, 2. Cor. 8. a fullness of knowledge, Col. 1.9. a fullness of obedience, Phil. 1.11. a fullness of faith, and for that purpose giveth to his a fullness of the holy Ghost, Stephen full of faith, and of the holy Ghost, Act. 6.5. Away then with those depths of Satan, when men think that they may borrow a point of God, and with that young man, Mark 10. fail in one thing or other, and with Herod, Mar. 6. keep their minion Herodias, some darling sin or other, so long as they do many good things. Let not then the usurer flatter himself with an opinion that God will be merciful unto him in his usury (as Naaman prayed that God would be merciful unto him in the point of bowing in the idols temple 2. Kings. 5.) nor the adulterer in his adultery, nor the blaspemer in his swearing, nor the drunkard in his swilling, nor the slanderer in his evil speaking, nor the lover of pleasures in his immoderate and unlawful pastimes, nor any man in his taking liberty to commit & continue in any known sin. Our obedience to God must be universal, like to that which the Reubenites, Gadites, and half tribe of Manasseh profess and promise to joshuah, all that thou commandest us will we do, whithersoever thou sendest us, will we go, in all things as we obeyed Moses, so will we obey thee, los. 1.16.17. We must then with the Apostle pray that the God of peace would make us perfect in every good work to do his will, Heb. 13.20.21.  
And Almsdeeds which she did: But the holy Ghost here transit à thesi ad hypothesin, passeth from the general to the special, from her fullness in good works in general, to her fullness in one good work specially, and that is in almsdeeds. It may be said, what need this waist of words? if she were full of all good works, then consequently of almsdeeds, if she abounded in every grace, then in this also, for Genus est inseparabile à suis speciebus, the general and the special cannot be separated one from another; It is true, the one cannot be without the other, but very frequently in scripture, where we find religion & good works mentioned, we shall see giving of alms attend upon them as an elder daughter upon the mother. Cornelius being commended for a devout man, & one that feared God, this point is presently added, he gave muchalmes to the people, Act. 10.2. the Apostle requiring in a widow to be choose for the service of the Church, that she should be well reported of for good works, presently hitteth upon this special, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the Saints feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, 1. Tim. 5.10. and calling upon the Hebrews that they should not forget to do good, in the next place he addeth and to communicate, Heb. 13.16. either joining the special to the general, communicating to doing of good, or by both words signifying one thing, because distributing to the necessities of our brethren is magna pars bonorum operum, a great and principal part of good works; it is (as Demosthenes said pronunciation was in Rhetoric) primum, secundum, & tertium in benefaciendo; the first, second and third point in doing of good. Yea consider how great a good work alms doing is, seeing it shall be mentioned when all our other works shall be omitted: Come ye blessed of my Father etc. for I was hungry, and ye fed me, I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink Matt. 25.34.35. tacet Deus etc. God concealeth all the other good deeds of the righteous, and only vouchsafeth to remember their alms, he concealeth also all the evil deeds of  men, and only thinketh meet to rebuke their barrenness in alms. Augustine in his 28. Homily. and Peter Chrysologus in his 14. Sermon, In the kingdom of heaven before all, in the assembly of them that rise, God mentioneth not that Abel suffered, that Noah preserved the world, that Abraham kept the faith, that Moses gave the law, that Peter ascended up to the cross of jesus with his heels upwards, but only speaketh of that which the poor eateth: and seeing our riches so lost (as the world thinketh) shall be found, when all the treasures that we lay up closely shall be lost, for as Gregory saith, by keeping earthly things we lose them, but by giving of them we preserve them: and as Peter Chrysologus, whatsoever thou givest to the poor, thou shalt have it, whatsoever thou givest not to the poor, another shall have it. The point to be pressed to us hence, is as plain as Abacuckes vision, Hab. 2.2. he may run that readeth and observeth it. It is that every Disciple of the household of faith must pro suo modulo, according to his measure, abound in this grace of distributing, the rich must be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, 1. Tim. 6.17. They must cast great gifts into Christ's treasury, the meaner sort must not be wanting in their mites, Mar. 12. and every one according to his ability must relieve his brethren, for so they proportion it at Antioch, Act. 11.29. yea and in case of necessity sometimes beyond his ability, 2. Cor. 8.3. But who is such a stranger in our Israel, that he knoweth not these things? I may say of this point as Luther said of that verse of the 15. Ps: he that hath not given his money upon usury. Iste versus non indiget expositione, sed impletione, this verse needs no expounding but fulfilling. Instruction in this righteousness we need not but rather correction for our being behind in this work of the Lord. Amongst us that are called Christians, there are many professors, few practisers, and those few that seem ready to other good works, are backward enough to this. I will not say with the Apostle 1. Cor. 15. I speak it to our shame, that little of this fruit groweth upon many of those trees, that seem not only to have been long planted, but also much to flourish in the Courts of God's house, that this sure mark of sound religion is almost worn out amongst many, who yet primos se volunt esse in religione would be ringleaders in religion, but I will take up those words of Naaman, 2. Kings 5. God be merciful unto us in this point, and double them with him, God be merciful unto us in this point, for want of showing our pure and undefiled religion before God by the works of mercy towards our brethren, for failing in this fruit of our faith, and proof of our being true worshippers of God, caeteris rebus pietatem colimus, in other matters we show ourselves very godly, we can go up to God's temple, stand before him in his house, make many prayers unto him, show much love with our mouths, but when it cometh to this hand-love, than our hearts go after covetousness, Ezek. 33.31, we love that the bread of life should dwell plenteously amongst us, but very sparingly deal our bread to the hungry, we can continue in breaking of bread at God's table, but care not for breaking our bread to his people, we can sing lustily with a good courage, but not give cheerfully, which God loveth, we can perhaps fast, and afflict our souls, (but that is not in much use with us) but we cannot refresh the bowels of Gods poor people, we rather make them fast, and afflict their souls; in a word, we are forwarder to show our religion and love to God's name any way then this way. The old people of the jews were very strict in all other fruits of their religion, they sought God daily, and delighted to know his ways, as a nation that did righteously, and forsook not the ordinances of their God, they asked of God the ordinances of justice, they took delight in approaching to God, they fasted, they afflicted their souls: and thought these such high points of piety that they quarrelled with God for not regarding of them. Wherhfore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? but all this religion and devotion was in vain without the works of Charity. Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to lose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thine house, when thou seest the naked that thou cover him, and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Isa 58.2.3.5.6.7. That of St Basile in an Homily against the unmerciful rich men of his time, is very appliable to ours; I have known them that have fasted, that have prayed, that have sighed and groaned, and in a word have exercised and practised all the works of piety that would cost them nothing, but would not bestow one halfpenny on the poor, what profit had they of all their other virtue? It was excellently said of Leo in his sermon de apparit. the virtue of mercy is so great, that without it, the rest though they be present cannot profit: for although a man be faithful, and chaste, and sober, and adorned with other excellent gifts, yet if he be not merciful, he shall not obtain mercy. But on every side we may find judasses that care not for the poor, nay care not so much as for a show of caring for the poor, which was in him, this ointment might have been sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor, john 12.5.6. Churlish Nabals, that being moved to a work of mercy can roar out, shall I take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men whom I know not whence they be? 1. Sam. 25.11. Their hearts even in this respect are stony, insensible of others miseries, the bowels of compassion are shut up in them as strately as the gates of jericho were Ios. 7.1. their eyes are evil and cannot endure to see another eat of their morsels, their hands are withered like the man's in the Gospel, Luke 6. so that they cannot open and stretch them out to their poor brother. Let Lazarus lie, and cry, and dye at their gates, they will pity him less than their dogs; with Cain they will be no keepers of their brethren, Gen. 4. Let God's ministers serve at the Altar, and cry with the children of the Prophets mors est in olla death is in the pot, 2. Kings 4.40. for their poor maintenance, they will not receive them, nor give them a cup of cold water in the name of a Prophet. The Lord hath need of them, Matt. 21.3. is no plea with them to make them part with an Ass, or the foal of an Ass, or the hoof of an Ass for God's service. Let them have enough in store for themselves, lie upon their beds of Ivory, stretch themselves upon their coaches, eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall, drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with chief ointment, and they will not grieve for the affliction of joseph, Am. 6.4.5.6. they will have no compassion on the multitude that have nothing to eat, Mar. 8.2. Lord lay not this sin of unmercifulness to the charge of this age of ours, and stir us up in our places, and according to our powers, to show mercy here, that we may find it in the great day of the Lord JESUS. Amen.  
FINIS.