THE POOR MAN'S ADVOCATE, OR, A Treatise of Liberality to the needy.  
Delivered in SERMONS By WILLIAM WHATELY Minister of Banbury.  PROV. 19.17. 
He that hath pity upon the poor, dareth to the Lord; and that which he hath given, will he pay him again.  
LONDON, Printed by G. M for George Edward's, and are to be sold at his house in Greene-Arbour, at the sign of the Angel 1637.   

To all the Faithful Servants of God that are rich in this world, the Author wisheth treasure in Heaven, and therefore dedicates this ensuing Treatise.  
TO you, wellbeloved in our Lord Jesus Christ, doth this small Treatise offer itself, and hath shrunk itself into this little quantity, that hiding itself in a narrow room, it may accompany your purses in your pockets, and so warn you to pull them forth more frequently and more willingly for merciful deeds, than perhaps you have heretofore accustomed. Neither doth this little book barely request at your hands your constant practice of liberality towards your needy brethren, but doth even require it at your hands, as a thing absolutely necessary to your salvation. It cities you before the tribunal of your own consciences, and making evident proof that your Lord and Master, whose Lord and Master, whose stewards you are, hath commanded you to be plentiful in those kind of expenses, doth as an advocate, demand and request of the judge of that court, (even the conscience of every one of you) to make and register a firm order and decree (if it will show itself a just and righteous judge) that from henceforth you shall be large and abundant and forward and ready to this good work so often as occasion shall offer itself, yea that you shall studiously seek after all occasions to do it as often as may be. No man can be saved without good works, more than without faith, because that faith is not lively which produceth not good works, and chiefly those good works that do specially pertain to every man's state of life, as this doth to the state of wealthy Christians. He that resolveth not to obey God in doing every good thing required at his hand, is no more upright, than he that resolveth not to obey, in leaving every wicked thing prohibited. Many think themselves sound, if they purpose to cast off every know evil deed, though they settle not in themselves, a like firm determination to perform every know duty. But herein they beguile themselves. He casts not from him all his transgressions, nor hath respect to all God's commandments, that casts not from him faults of omission, and endeavoureth not to put in practice affirmative precepts. God's authority must be no less submitted unto, when he requireth a thing, then when he prohibiteth, when he saith this do, then when he saith, this do not. So hollowness appears as much, in not doing the one, as in doing the other. Yea carelessness & unwillingness to know good duties argues guile of heart, as well as carelessness or unwillingness to do what we have known. That you may therefore approve the sincerity of your souls in the working of mercy & bounty, as well as other virtues, I have here declared unto you the necessity thereof; And so beseeching you to read what followeth, with a will to be convinced and to practise, & beseeching the Lord, to teach and persuade your souls, in this matter, I commend you to his favourable guidance, 
April 27. 1637.  and shall rest ever  
Studious of your spiritual welfare. WILLIAM WHATELY.   

To the merciful Christians inhabiting in or about Banbury.  
Alms in Greek comes from a word that signifieth to pity, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence the Latin Eleemosyna French Aulmosne. English Alms ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 misereer.  because all our alms should proceed from a merciful and pitiful heart, in the Hebrew 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  and Syriack tongue it is called righteousness, as if it were by right due to the poor. 
Pro. 3.27.  Withhold not they good from the owners thereof, so the orginal runs. 
Pro. 11.18.  To him that soweth righteousness, shall be a sure reward. Therefore hath the Author of this ensuing Treatise by demonstrative arguments proved the necessity of this duty, and fully answered the sophisms and seeming objections which the wrangling wit of man will be ready to invent and urge against its performance. He hath laid down likewise certain rules to direct men how rightly to give, prescribed means to enable them, and added motives also to quicken them to this laudable work. And as he most frequently and earnestly presseth this duty upon the consciences of his hearers, so he shows himself to them in this (as in all things,) a pattern of good works, Tit. 2.7. His holy life is a true counterpane of his doctrine, he hath a purse for the poor as he adviseth others to have, and giveth the tenth as he exhorts others to give. Well knowing, that it is the duty of a Minister that would be found faithful both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 2.15. & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 2.14. to teach and to tread the way to Heaven. 
Phil. 4.9.  Those things (saith the Apostle) which ye have both learned and received, and heard and seen in me, do. More might I say without either falsehood or flattery, but this will be thought too much by him who thinks so meaneby of himself, that this very Work was almost extorted from him with importunate solicitations. The poor he pleadeth for, are not such as are strong and able to labour for their living, but such as are weak, impotent, 
Esay 5 d. 7 ●●at. 26. 〈◊〉 5, 36.  and unable to take pains, and there are three degrees of such needy persons. 1. Some are utterly destitute of all the means of preservation of life, these we are bound (saith a Learned Divine) to relieve out of things necessary to our state, since the life of our neighbour is more to be esteemed then our outward state. Others are in great need having but little to maintain themselves or theirs, we are bound to relieve these out of those things which are necessary to the decency of our state. A third sort have something, 
Occurere est succurrere.  but yet not that which is sufficient or competent, we are bound to relieve them out of those things which are superfluous to the decency of our state. For order of relieving, coeteris paribus, other things being equal, we must relieve such as are in greater necessity. Secondly, n the like necessity those are to be preferred to which we own most love, as those that are near to us in blood before those that are farther of, Mat. 15.5, 6. the poor of our own family, 
Deut 15.7  town and country before strangers, 1 Tim. 5.8. the household of faith before the ungodly, Gal. 6.10. This scattering Prov. 11.24. is increasing, this is no spending but a lending, Pro. 19.17. no laying out, but a laying up. 
Luke 12.33.  It is a blessed thing thus to give, 
Plus pauper tibi cansert quam á te accipit. Ambr.  Acts 20.35. the gift will prove more beneficial to the giver then to the receiver, if thou givest a penny, the poor man gives thee a good prayer and blesseth thee in the name of God, of which job made great reckoning, job 20.13. & 31.20. 
Pro. 22.9  And for this thing God will bless thee in all thy works, and in that thou putst thine hand unto, Deut. 15.10. and bless thy posterity, Psal. 37.26. 
Act. 10.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pro. 11.25. Eccles. 11 1. Mat. 5.7. Heb. 13.16. 2 Cor. 9.6.  Our charitable actions ascend up to be a memorial before God, or a standing monument and remembrance, as the word signifieth, we shall hear of them at the resurrection, Luke 14.14. God hath made many ample sweet and precious promises to the merciful, to reward them abundantly, Pro. 11.25. Mat. 10.41, 42. Luke 6.38. Heb. 6.10. He hath promised Temporal blessings they shall not lack, Prov. 28.27. They shall have comfort in sickness, and be delivered in time of trouble, Psal. 41.1, 2, 3. Spiritual, Breaking off of sins and pardon, Dan. 4.27. Perpetuity of righteousness, Psal. 112.9. Eternal, A certain treasure in heaven, Luke 13.33. Receiving into everlasting tabernacles, Luke 16.9. Possession of eternal life, Mat. 25.34. Oh let us therefore do good, be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, 1 Tim. 6.17. Beneficence to men is there expressed in the variety of four Epithets, both to show the vehement intention of Saint Paul's desire of good works, and the important necessity of their performance, this if we do, 
Ver. 8.  we may lay hold on eternal life, as he there adds, may be as sure of it as if we had it. Let us give then that which we cannot keep, that we may gain that which we cannot lose. 
Luke 16.9  Let us make to ourselves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness, that when we fail, they may receive us into everlasting habitations.  
Your true Christian friend, E. L.   

Perlegi hunc tractatum in quo nihil reperio quó minús cum utilitate imprimatur.  
THO: WEEKS. R. P. Episc. Lond. Cap. Domest.   

THE POOR MAN'S ADVOCATE, OR A Treatise of Liberality to the needy.  PROV. 28.27. 
He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack, but he that hideth his eyes, shall have many a curse.  
THis sentence is left in GOD'S Book to quicken men unto a much neglected duty, for that end it delivers a promise and a threat; showing in the former, what good shall come to them that are careful of the duty, in the latter what evil shall befall the promise note a duty standing in an action, that is, Giving, and the object of the action, to the poor. Every man knows what it is to give. as giving is strictly taken, viz. a bestowing of a thing upon another of my own free will, which he cannot challenge of right otherwise. Now this giving is a thing much in use, but not to the right object here named, which are the poor. Much is given away to the Rich and those that need it not, as it were the pouring of water into the Sea, but into the empty vessel nothing is poured; but the duty which God would commend, is that which hath for its object a poor needy distressed man, who is destitute of things necessary and knows not by what means to relieve himself.  
A poor man is one that wants things needful for him. But you must conceive, that here is not meant a scant, backward, niggardly giving, but a constant, cheerful, discreet, and upright giving, and this is the duty commended, now follows the reward, No want, he shall be secured from necessity and penury. God will take order that those men shall not be brought to penury themselves, which are so charitable and liberal, that they be ready to supply the wants of others. This duty shall be rewarded with freedom from want, but you must consider that the Holy Ghost useth a figure here, where less is spoken and more is understood, for he meaneth he shall have abundance, God will increase his store, as it is said elsewhere, 
Pro. 11.15.  He that watereth shall be watered also himself. You see first the promise, next the threat, in which note also the fault and the punishment.  
The fault is, hiding the eyes, which intimateth a not giving, by the cause of it, not caring to take notice of the poor man's want and of ones duty to supply the same, but using fond shifts and excuses to withhold a man's self from the duty. He hides his eyes from doing a good work that refuseth to know the necessity of it, and to take notice of the fit occasions to do it, either not confessing that the thing generally considered is needful, or when particular opportunities of doing it shall offer themselves, findeth out some shift or other to cause himself to believe, that then he need not do it. This is the fault, omitting acts of merciful bounty out of carelessness to know or acknowledge the occasion, yea wilful ignorance and denying the same? What is the punishment of it? much of curses, as it is word for word, one that shall be plentiful in curses. A curse is a speech tending to pronounce or wish not any small but some great evil or mischief upon man, that is man's curse. But God's curse is both a pronouncing of evil and that in wrath and indignation, to show his detestation of the person, and also an executing of the evil pronounced upon the offender to his ruin and destruction. A curse noteth the denouncing & bringing upon a man some great evil as a forerunner of eternal destruction, and such as shall certainly bring that after it. So you have the meaning of the words.  
Here are four several points which for brevity sake I will confirm and prove severally, and apply jointly and all at once. The first point is,  
Doct. 1 Giving to the poor is a necessary duty, I draw this point out of the Text in this manner, what is commended to men with a gracious pracious promise, and whose contrary is threatened with a curse, must be a duty sure as all will yield; now so is this work of giving to the poor as you see with your eyes, wherefore it must be undeniably concluded a duty, that is, a thing not which we may do if we will, and if we will not we may choose, but whereto our consciences are tied by the authority of God the sole Commander of the conscience, and which if we omit, it shall be reputed a transgression. Now that it is a duty, you shall perceive by the many Texts of Scripture which do most expressly require it. Deut. 15.9. If thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought, and it be sin unto thee, and verse the 10. Then shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved, when thou givest unto him, and verse the 11. Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy in the land. Not giving is entitled a sin, giving, and that without grief, and that with a wide hand is enjoined, Eccles. 11.1, 2. Cast thy bread upon the waters. Give a portion to seven and to eight, that is, to many still and still. Lo giving, and a constant giving to many is required. Luke 11.41. our Saviour saith, Give alms of the things you have, and behold all things are clean unto you, It is a duty that gives unto ourselves the lawful use of all God's creatures if we impart them to the poor, for alms is a gift bestowed on a needy person, and 12.33. Sell all that you have and give alms: if a man want money, yet if he have money worth that he may spare, he must sell and give, you see, and in some cases must sell much to bestow in alms, yea and in some cases all, as they did in the beginning of the Gospel. 
Act. 4 34 35.  And Luke 3.11. when the people (meaning the common people) came about john Baptist, ask him what they should do, you know what his answer was, Let him that hath two coats give to him that hath none, and he that bath meat do likewise, whereby you may conceive that this giving is not a duty confined unto men of wealth that have great abundance and a large overplus of things, but it lies on the consciences of those that be themselves but mean, if they meet with those that are meaner than themselves, in case they have any thing to spare, and another be utterly destitute. And you know well what Saint Paul saith, 
2 Cor. 8.7  See that you abound in this grace also.  
I have alleged store enough of proofs, you shall hear reason also.  
Reas. 1 This is such a duty as every man that is poor doth desire and crave of another, and hopeth and wisheth another should perform to him, and cannot but blame him as hardhearted and unmerciful, that refuseth to perform it, as all that are poor and necessitous will readily affirm, and those that are in wealth cannot but acknowledge if they will consult with their own hearts, for ask thyself if God should take away thy goods before night and leave thee nothing at all, or very little, wouldst thou not think it a duty of some good person or other to furnish thee with things needful; He must tell a rank manifest lie to his own heart that will return any other than an affirmative answer to this question: Therefore it is a manifest duty necessarily arising from that great & plain maxim. Do as you would be done to.  
Reas. 2 It is a duty because it tends to the refreshing of our brethren's bowels and supplying their wants, and keeping them from undergoing much hardness, yea and from perishing, and so deserveth to be called a good deed, a good work, as being truly beneficial and comfortable to them to whom we ought to wish and do well. For it pleaseth God to provide so in ordering the world, that some shall have need and others shall have abundance, that He may try the dispositions of the latter by the former. 
joh. 12.8.  The poor ye shall have always with you, and seeing the poor cannot be succoured but by giving to them, and that succoured they must be, seeing God doth own them for his children and servants as well as the rich, therefore it must be a duty to give unto them.  
Reas. 3 Thirdly, this opening hearts and hands to the needy doth abound, saith Saint Paul, by many thanksgivings unto God, 
2 Cor. 9.12, 13.  whilst by the experience of this ministration they praise God for your professed subjection to the Gospel of Christ, and your liberal contribution towards them; this good work is such as maketh heaven resound with thankes and praises. If the tongues of any Receivers be silent through unthankfulness, yet their very loins do bless God in their kind, but those that are not quite destitute of grace will open their mouths to bless God the giver of all, when they find others to open their hands and give them that which helpeth to comfort and cheer them. How can we be so careless of God's honour, as not to know ourselves bound to do that, that maketh for his honour so much as this good work doth, that is so fruitful of thankes unto him.  
The fourth reason (which I shall press most upon you) is this. Reas. 4 That is undoubtedly a duty which must justify the truth of our Religion, or else condemn us as hollowhearted and guileful and swayed by hypocrisy, for it behoveth every man to have firm and evident proofs of his being a true and not a false Christian, seeing upon that point, doth all his comfort in death and after death, and his hopes of remission of sins and eternal happiness depend; for not every one that appeareth to others and believes himself to be a true Christian shall inherit eternal life, but he that is so indeed and truth. Now bounty to the poor is a reciprocal note of soundness in Religion, and convertible, so that whosoever professeth Religion and is merciful to the poor, He is such an one indeed as in appearance he seemeth, but contrarily, whosoever professeth Religion and is hard, miserable, niggardly, and cannot find in his heart to give to the poor according to his means, that man look he never so fair to the world's eye and to his own, pray he never so often, hear he never so many Sermons, fast he never so frequently, frequent he the Sacrament never so constantly, read he the Scriptures never so daily, be he never so earnest a condemner of other men's faults, and public abuses and disorders, and let him in all other things that make the greatest show of Religion be never so abundant, I say the man that giveth not to the poor, (all these things notwithstanding) is but an hypocrite, a dissembler, a false hearted man, one in whose services the Lord taketh no delight, and whose devotions he will not regard: which I shall prove to you by clear and manifest Texts of Scripture, and effectual reasons taken out of the Scripture and grounded on it. Look in Isay 58.7. Is not this the fast that I have chosen to deal thy bread to the hungry, to bring the poor that are cast out to thy house, and when thou seest the naked that thou cover him, and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh. The Lord's intention is not to confound the duties of the two tables, but this he meaneth, that that is true fasting which makes a man truly merciful and bountiful to his afflicted brethren. You lose your labour in fasting if by your fasting you be not enabled to bountifulness towards the poor. So Saint james saith. 1. last. True Religion and undefiled before God the Father, is this, to visit the fatherless and widow in their distress, and to keep one's self. etc. Here also the Holy Ghost meaneth that that habit or virtue of Religion or worshipping God is in itself sincere and upright, and to God acceptable, and in his esteem spotless and without blemish which produceth such mercifulness in the performer, that it makes him voluntarily and of his own accord helpful to the distressed Saints. Look into the story of the rich man, Luke 18.18. & 24. He was desirous to inherit eternal life, He came to Christ to learn the way to life, he knew the commandments. He had diligently kept them in respect of outward carriage even from his youth, being such a one as Paul in his Pharisaisme, in respect of the Law unrebukeable, yet lacked he one things, as our Saviour tells him, that is, to sell all and give to the poor and follow Christ, and because he went away sorrowful and would not buy heaven at that rate, our Saviour saith, it is as possible for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle as for a rich man (He must needs mean such a rich man as this was that would not sell all and give to the poor at Christ's special command) to enter into Heaven. Now Brethren he that will not at Christ's ordinary commandment give away a little, would not at his special commandment sell all and give it away, therefore he cannot get into heaven, and therefore if he profess Religion he doth but dally with it and play the hypocrite too in professing it. Yet another proof, Mat. 25.41. to the end. Those that called Christ Lord and so made a show of Christian Religion are in this name bidden to take their portion with the devil and his angels in those eternal prepared flames, for that they had not ministered to Christ in his necessities, not meaning it of his personal necessities which they never lived to see, but of his necessities in his members, and those whom he will cast from him at the last day were undoubtedly but hypocrites if they professed Religion, and so shall they be then entertained that are not liberal to the poor, wherefore they be but dissemblers how godly soever they seem. 
Jam. 2.13.  judgement without mercy shall be to the merciless. and he to whom unmerciful judgement belongeth, is but an hypocrite. 
Pro. 21.13  He that turneth away his ear from the cry of the poor he shall cry and not be heard, and he that shall not have his cry heard, is but an hypocrite, and Saint john saith, let us love in deed and truth, showing it by not shutting our bowels of compassion against our needy brethren when we have this world's goods, and then saith, hereby know we that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him. 1 john 3.17, 18, 19 Whosoever professeth to believe in Christ and hath an open heart and hand to his penurious Brother, and shows himself to love by his deeds of mercy, may by this know that he is of the truth, that is, a true believer. He that hath no true charity, no true faith, no true obedience, no true wisdom, seem he never so religious is yet destitute of the power of Religion, because these graces cannot be separated from true devotion to God, and the right worshipping of Him, must needs beget and increase the same; Now there is no faith without works of mercy, 
jam. 2.14  For what will it avail to say I have faith and have no works (he meaneth specially of these works of mercy though not only) will that faith save. There is no love without works of mercy and bounty to the poor, For he that hath this world's goods and seethe his brother have need, 
1 joh. 3.17.  and shuts up his bowels of compassion against him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? There is no true obedience without works of mercy, for obedience is a walking in all the ways of God and doing all that he requireth, of which this giving to the poor is one as plainly required as any other, and more often then very many other. There is no true wisdom without these works of mercy, for the wisdom that comes from above is pure, and full of mercy and of good fruits. So now it is more than undeniable, that all shows of piety are counterfeit where giving to the poor is wanting as a companion of them. And yet one more reason shall confirm it and I have done with this point.  
Reas. 5 Whosoever seemeth religious and is under the power of covetousness is surely but a dissembler, for it is a thorny ground that is choked with the deceifullnesse of the riches of this world. Now he that giveth not to the poor is possessed and overcome of covetousness, because the love of money keeps him from following the directions of God's word in the using of it, and so he loveth money more than God, more than his poor brother, more than the rewards of God, and more than heaven itself, and therefore he is but thorny ground, an arrant hypocrite, and so will Christ account him and censure him at last. Wherefore my Brethren, you cannot but acknowledge the necessity of this good work, without it all your religion is in vain, as you have heard it proved undeniably. So have I done with the first point, the next is,  
Doct. 2 Bounty is the best means of proventing poverty, I say to the poor, this particular kind of bounty is the certainest way to escape penury, nothing can more effectually deliver a man from need then to be liberal to them that are in need. In due order and manner I shall strive to make this Paradox good, for nothing seems to the miser more absurd than this, that his giving away his goods will cause him to lack nothing. But look what our Saviour saith, Luke 12.33. where commanding to sell and give alms, he bids make bags that waxes not old, If any thing will secure from need it is to have full bags safely laid up, and you see that this almes-giving is providing a man full bags, for it were in vain to bid make bags, if his meaning were not that they shall be filled, He that soweth liberally shall reap liberally. 
1 Cor. 9.6  Do you not see that giving is nothing else but sowing! and there is never an husbandman amongst you but knows that sowing is the way to be rich, and to keep away necessity. He that hath much and good land to sow, and seed to sow it, and doth sow it, he, if any man, hopeth to escape wants; if therefore Saint Paul may be believed, giving liberally will make a man rich, 
Eecles. 11.2.  therefore Solomon having bidden give to seven and to eight, adds the reason, for thou knowest not what evil shall be on the earth, as if he had said, that this is the best way to be secured against all hard chances that may befall, There is that scattereth and yet increaseth. 
Prov. 11.24, 25.  Lo this scattering brings no loss but gain, to the scatterer, the liberal soul shall be made fat, and he that watereth shall be watered again. By being watered and made fat, is meant being stored with good things, and to have store, is the best prevention of want. Let us show you reasons too, why this must needs be so.  
First, Reas. 1 
This is to be a good Steward.  we all confess that God is the Great Lord and Master of this Family of Heaven and Earth, and that riches do not come to men either by fortune or chance, or by their own industry, or the love of their friends, or any like secondary means as the highest cause, but all is from the dispensation and appointment of God, who is the Ruler of all things, making rich and making poor, and setting up one and pulling down another. Wherefore all men be but his servants and stewards to whom he pleaseth to commit more or less as himself sees fit; and hence it follows, that it must needs avail much to the continuation and increase of any man's wealth, that he be found a good Steward of the things committed to him by his Master, for whom will a man rather intrust with his estate, than those whom long experience hath approved to be faithful. Now to communicate our substance to the poor with a large and enlarged heart and hand, this is to do the office of a good and faithful Steward, as Saint Peter teacheth in so many words, 1 Pet. 4.9, 10. Use Hospitality one to another, that is one act of bounty to be practised, specially towards the poor, and then he adds this reason, as every man hath received the gift, so minister the same one unto another as good Stewards of the manifold graces of God. Do you not perceive that the due discharge of our Stewardship stands in ministering unto another the gifts that God hath given us, wherefore he in whom the Lord doth find this fidelity shall never be put out of his office, but rather the Lord will deal with him as in the Parable, the King did with his good & faithful servant, to whom, he gave this praise saying, Well done, & added this reward, thou hast been faithful in little, be ruler over much. faithfulness in using what we have, you see to be the best means of being entrusted with more, & consequently of being freed from wants. Now liberal distribution to the poor is a being faithful in what we have, this therefore if any thing will cause the Lord to give us more and more, and never to wax weary of giving to us, if we will give unto others for his sake and according to his commandment.  
Reas. 2 Secondly, 
Pro. 10.22.  Solomon hath told us, 
It procures God's blessing which makes rich  that the blessing of God maketh rich and addeth no sorrow therewith, that is, gives a comfortable and delightful increase of our estate even such as is worth having and is truly beneficial, for to have a great estate as a great burden upon our shoulders, and to be but a horse to carry a great load of gold and silver through the world, this is not to be a master but a slave of riches, now such comfortable wealth doth not spring from man's wit or pains, but from the blessing of God, if you give credit to Solomon, for if he vouchsafe not his blessing, as the Watchman watcheth and the builder buildeth in vain, so doth the Husbandman plough and the merchant traffic and the labourer labour in vain, either no increase will come or none but a vexing and cumbersome increase, now the Lord hath expressly promised his blessing unto those that will open their hands to their poor brethren, saying in the forealleged place of Deut. 15.10. Because that for this thing the Lord will bless thee in all thy works and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto. Do you not all seem covetous of God's blessing, do you not beg it for yourselves and for your children and friends, hereby making a show as if you counted it the most desirable of all things, the most assured cause of all prosperity, if you be any other than hypocrites in begging God's blessing, you must do that for which he saith he will bless you, and in what, in all your works and affairs, yea and all you put your hands unto. Certainly God will never be found a promise-breaker, what he saith with his hand, as Solomon professeth in his prayer, that his own experience had taught him. So we conclude our reason evidently and ungainesayably, unless a man will deny God's power and truth, the efficacy of his blessing, what will surely procure God's blessing upon a man's affairs and estate, that will save him from wants, so will giving to the poor do, seeing he hath bound it by promise to the liberal giver to the needy, therefore this is the best way to be freed from wants.  
A third reason I will add, Reas. 3 
It is a lending to God. Pro. 19.17  to lend unto Almighty God will surely procure abundance, for he will never prove bankrupt, he will never borrow without a purpose and resolution to repay, and without actual repayment, and that in the fittest time and manner. The necessity of many great personages causeth that they are driven to borrow and cannot make satisfaction back again in due time. The covetousness of others causeth that though they have much lying by them, yet they cannot bring their hearts to part with any portion to pay their debts, as we see in experience, so that the sums that are owing from such will never secure a man from want, but must be reckoned amongst the number almost of desperate debts. But I hope no heart amongst you will entertain so base and wretched a conceit of Almighty God, wherefore to have him in our debt is a sure means of having enough to preserve us from need. Now you know the place well enough where he hath given his bill to you for the repayment of what you give to the poor, saying, Prov. 19.17. He that giveth to the poor dareth to the Lord, and that which he hath given he will pay him again. Lo brethren, the bill of God's hand as I may call it, in which he hath both acknowledged the debt and promised payment. Be it known unto all men by this present promise, that I the Lord God of Heaven and Earth, do own and acknowledge myself to be indebted to every merciful liberal man, all those sums of money which he hath bestowed, or shall bestow in relieving the distressed, to be paid back unto him whensoever he shall demand it; for a bond or bill that names no day, binds to payment at demand, and to this payment well and truly to be paid, I bind myself firmly by this present promise, sent, sealed, and delivered by Solomon my known Secretary or Scribe. Brethren unless you will proclaim the Lord an insufficient or a dishonest debtor or paymaster, you see that giving to the poor is the best way of saving yourselves from wants, for lo the Lords bill for your security, you shall have it again every farthing token as you use to speak, and that fare surer than chequer, which yet the proverb hath chronicled for greatest assurance.  
Reas. 4 Let me add a fourth reason, 
It will cause prayers, and God will hear crying against, therefore for Exod. 22.27.  that you may believe a point to natural reason so unbeleeveable, what will cause many prayers and supplications to God for you, that must sure cause Him to give you all good things in abundance, and so deliver you from penury and necessity, you will yield this to be a truth, if you account prayers worth any thing, as Saint Paul certainly did, and for this cause so often required them, saying, Brethren pray for us, and again, I beseech you in the name of our Lord jesus Christ, and for the love of the Spirit, that you strive in prayer to God for me. The prayers made to God by his servants upon due ground and warrant cannot be in vain, if God have not in vain taken to himself the name of a God that heareth prayers, now you know the poor will surely pay back to you their prayers to God for you, 2 Cor. 9.14. or if any should be so unthankful as not to do it, yet the household of God will, to whom you ought most to abound in bounty.  
The Lord saith, that a poor man wronged will cry and God will hear his cry for he is merciful, 
Exod. 22.23.  and will it not follow on the contrary, a poor man refreshed will pray to God for you, and God will hear him, because he is merciful. If his mercy will move him to punish the oppressor of the poor, the said mercy must needs move him to reward the succourer. And if he be carnal that God will not hear his prayers for himself, yet his prayer for his benefactor he will hear, as well as his cries against his wrongdoer. Wherefore this giving is an undoubted course to procure all abundance of all good things, and to chase away wants and necessity. I know not how a point should be accounted proved and confirmed, sufficiently, if you will not count this point so, and believe it accordingly. I come to the third point, Hiding once eyes, that is, hindering himself from knowing or resolving to do this duty by putting any shifts and pretences before his mind, this is to hide the eyes. I conceive, and I think none of you will object against the so interpreting the phrase. The point is  
Doct. 3 It is a sin to hinder one's self from knowing and resolving to do his duty with idle shifts and pretences, with excuses and allegations of this or that. There is a double ignorance of a duty, one of a duty in general considered as a duty univerfally, as not to know it is a duty to pray, to relieve the poor, which is a kind of denying the proposition of a Syllogism, that the understanding must make. There is an ignorance of a duty in particular, to wit, that this work now at this time, with these circumstances, is a duty, and this is a denying of the assumption, and each of them will hinder the conclusion of the conscience, therefore one must do this. Now to make one's self ignorant of a duty either of these ways by seeming reasons and objections is a sin, and the not doing of a duty which we have made ourselves so ignorant of, will make us subject to curses you see, as well as if a man plainly refuse to do it without any such pretences, for he that hideth his eyes shall have store of curses. This is that which the Scripture calleth winking with one's eyes, 
Mat. 13.15.  and detaining the truth in unrighteousness. 
Rom. 1.18.   
This is that Saint Peter calleth a not knowing willingly, 
2 Pet. 5.3.  as the men of the old world knew nothing of Noah's going into the Ark, which had been taught to them sixscore years together, because with carnal objections they had blinded themselves. This is a kind of refusing to know judgement. That this is a great fault, I shall prove to you by two reasons.  
Reas. 1 First, it is a mere fruit of hypocrisy, that is, of that vice by which a man desireth to seem good and not to be so; for because he would not seem to offend, he invents devices and shifts: if the answer should be downright, I know it is a duty, but I will not do it, Such a flat opposition to conscience will make a man to be condemned of himself, but because he would maintain in himself an opinion of himself that he is good, and yet is not willing to be good in truth (and show it by doing the thing commanded, though his corruption stand never so averse to it) therefore he seeks about for reasons to hide his eyes, to make him believe it is no duty, that he may at once both serve sin, and not be known to himself to serve it. As did the proud men to whom God sent jeremy with a commandment that they should not go down into Egypt but tarry in the land, 
Jer. 43.2, 3  they would not seem so rebellious as to say, though God bid us tarry here yet we will not, but they hide their eyes by making themselves believe that jeremy was enticed by Baruch to prophesy this against them, that he might deliver them into the hands of the Babylonians.  
Open rebellion faith, I will not do it though it be a duty, hypocrisy will deal more finely, and say I would do it if it were a duty, but it is not, though it have none but frivolous allegations to disprove it: hence cometh this hiding of the eye, therefore it is a great offence.  
Reas. 2 This hiding of the eyes causeth the Lord at last to make men blind, even to strike them with a spirit of blindness, that they shall be so hood-winked & muffled as the lightest and brightest truth that is, shall never sink into their minds, and so they will be hardened in sin against all reproofs and exhonation and admonitions, that nothing will work them to amendment, and so by utter impenitency and hardness they tumble themselves headlong to the pit of perdition, as you see in the Prophet Isay, God saith, Make the eyes of this people blind and their heart fat, that is, as much as if he had said, all thy labour with them shall profit nothing, they shall grow harder and harder, blinder and blinder, the more they be taught and instructed. Why? What is the reason that God will sell them over to their own hardness and blindness? That place alleged also, Mat. 13.14, 15. leads us to the reason, Their eyes have they closed, least at any time they should see and convert and be healed. A refusing to know by closing once eyes against light with fond excuses, that is the true sin which God punisheth even with giving them up to utter impenitency and blindness, so this that is a fruit of guile and procurer of utter hardness is a fearful sin. Now of the last point. He shall have curses enough.  
Doct. 4 The omitting of good duties will bring many curses, sins of omission bring men under the curse, as Christ doth declare in bidding men depart from him cursed, because they had not visited him, and the Law that saith, Cursed is he that doth not establish the Law, and the omitter of an enjoined duty doth not establish the Law, therefore he is cursed.  
Reas. 1 There is a double reason of the point according as there is a double curse, 
A wrong to God & man.  They wrong God and man too, and therefore God and man both curse him that is guilty: He that refuseth to do that which God enjoineth him to perform to any man for his benefit, is injurious to God that commands the doing of that good, and to man that should enjoy the benefit of it. The Steward which is wished by his Master to give so much to such a Servant, and keepeth it himself, is a thief both to his Master, and also to the person whom he hath defrauded of his Master's allowance; Hence it is, that men in anger many times will (though they should not) wreak themselves upon them with curses and imprecations, and God always will punish their unfaithfulness to himward with execution of the curses denounced against them. Thus have I made good these several points.  
I will do the best I am able to make them Useful to you, and that in way of reproof, instruction, and comfort.  
First, for reproof, 
Uses. 1 For Reproof.  I beseech you brethren be willing to receive reproof, for the reproofs of wisdom are wholesome reproofs, and tend to life, & give me leave, yea give your own consciences leave, to reprehend and chide you throughly, for your great back wardness & unwillingness to this work, whereto the God of Heaven hath made so plain and merciful a promise, and for your frequent falling into that sin, against which you read and hear so fearful and hideous, and grievous a threat of many curses. What a naughtiness is it in a man! that hath the will of God evidently revealed unto him in the Scriptures, and that is not ignorant of those Texts that command duty and forbidden sin, yet to fall still into the sin forbidden, and still to be found careless of the duties required, yea so to fall into the faults and fore-slacke the duties, that he scarce ever taketh notice of his offending either ways, to find fault with himself for it, or to acknowledge his evil carriage therein. Whence can this contrariety of our lives to the sacred Scriptures arise, but from not believing the Scriptures, that is, our making God the author of them a Liar. Beloved in our Lord, come and lay your lives to this Text, here God you see hath undertaken to save from want all those that by the exercise of bounty have been careful to supply the wants of the poor. Say then, how comes it to pass that you have been so backward to those costs, so negligent of this service, so unwilling to lay out your money to this good work. Whence is it I say that you stand so averse to this service? you may ascribe it to other causes, if you lust to deceive yourselves with your vain reasonings, and be not willing to see your own badness, but the true cause and that that doth indeed render you so slack to such expenses is nothing but that cursed bitter root of unbelief. You give no sound credit to the promises of God in his Word made to the bountiful, nor to the threats denounced against those that hide their eyes; I say you do not throughly and in your hearts assent to them. It is a most easy thing to brag of faith and to affirm with our mouths, that we believe the Scriptures, but to believe them indeed is not easy, and this is the clearest distinction between a sound faith and a bare boasting and bragging of faith, the one is effectual and worketh by obedience, and the other is powerlesse and cannot sway the heart to obey. You are therefore now to take notice of your unbelief, to ascribe your niggardliness to that, and abhor that evil root that bringeth forth such bad fruit that grows on that root, and to abhor yourselves that you have not yet so fare prevailed with your own hearts as to make you believe the holy Scriptures seriously and throughly. For let us a little reason with you about this matter, do you not find a great difference betwixt your disposition to other costs and those of giving to the poor! you are ready to the other, to this marvellous backward; in the other you are free, in this sparing; in the other you are constant, in this seldom; the other you part with as if you saw some reason for them, these you part with as if there were no cause at all that you should part with them. This could not be if you did throughly believe this present Text of Scripture, other costs you extenuate both before and after the bestowing, pish, 'tis but a matter of six pence, let it go, these you aggravate and make great, why, I pay six pence by the week or a shilling, and for pounds, your bounty (of the most) is never wont to such high sums. To works of kindness some are pretty forward, to superfluous expenses about their bodies, houses, and children, to trim and set them forth, very forward: to works of riot and luxury many be over forward, but to works of pity and to bestowing on the poor, oh how quite contrarily affected. I pray where hath God promised to preserve you from need if you lay out your money in rich and fair clothes, in plenteous banquets, in visit, in feasting, in courtesies or the like, no where that I can remember. But if you lay out for mercy to the needy, lo here and in many places beside, you have a promise that you shall not want, did you believe this and those promises, by how much such giving is more acceptable to God, and should be more profitable to yourselves, by so much you would be more forward and plentiful therein; oh therefore see, confess, bewail this niggardly disposition with the very fountain of it, infidelity, not believing that the Scriptures be from God and so most undoubtedly true, and shall most certainly be fulfiled in every promise and every threat.  
Furthermore consider, how glad you are to fight against wants by such means as natural reason doth prescribe, and what pains you take to keep out penury. The worldly ways of not being pinched with penury are carefully followed. What makes the venturous Merchant to live within a few inches of death upon the floating waves, and to commit himself to the danger of Pirates, shipwreck, diseases, and to undergo the trouble of being imprisoned in his ship for many months together, and the labour of a tedious journey! why, this is the means to save him from want and to make his state plentiful. Why doth the Tradesman lay out his stock, frequent markets and fairs, toil and take pains in getting together commodities and selling them again? why, else he could not maintain his charge, nor hold up his credit, nor escape want. What makes every man so thrifty, so painful, so careful of his estate, he might sure spend all else and come to want. Lo when reason prescribes to prevent wants, you do not stand on points of hazard, labour, or anything. Surely if you gave credit to Gods promise as well as to the counsel of natural reason, you would try his way as well as the ways of the world. It is undeniable, every man would save himself and his from need, and if you were persuaded, that giving to the poor would do it, you would as certainly, willingly, and abundantly give, as you are careful to save and get, and use all good husbandry in all other things. And a little more to aggravate this great fault of niggardliness in giving to the poor; Let us suppose that some mighty and rich Monarch should send his Son or Servant unto you, requiring you to furnish him with things necessary for such an occasion, and withal promise of his honour, that you should never want any thing, if he found you for his sake liberal to such persons, would not you be at much cost for them, would you not even strain yourselves to the utmost for them. Lo now beloved, a King might win you to lay out half your estate, yea all and more than all, even so as to run fare in debt, if he would say to you, thou shalt never lack if thou wilt do this kindness for me. But the promise that God hath here made, works upon you no more than if you had never heard a word of it, and yet it is one of the sentences that is to be read, and I think is read often in your ears. Surely I conclude against you, whatsoever your tongues say, yet your hearts do not verily believe the Scriptures, and therefore the Word you hear profits not, because it is not mixed with faith in you that hear it. Will you not find out your infidelity to condemn it in yourselves by improoving your unwillingness to give to the poor as a just proof of it! if you do not observe the root upon which sins do grow, you shall never mend them because you shall never see their hatefulness and dangerousness, but if you inform yourselves aright of the close and secret vices which produce neglects of good duties in you, those omissions would so much humble you as to procure a reformation.  
I have reproved you enough, 
Use 2. Of Exhortation.  I proceed to exhort and provoke you to this duty and to deter you from this sin. Here is a duty giving to the poor, here is a sin hiding the eyes, what say you? will you perform this duty hereafter? will you take heed of this sin? It is certain, that hearing without resolution to obey is mere hypocrisy, and a loath some abuse of God's ordinance; you stand all here before the Lord as if you were his people and would obey him. Now show yourselves to be either true or false, true by consenting to the Word and settling your hearts in a purpose of obeying, or false by the contrary. Make this conclusion with yourselves, hath the living God my Master not alone enjoined me to give unto the poor, but also undertaken to provide for me and mine, that no want shall befall us, if for his sake we will put upon us a liberal resolution, and hath he made me know that store of curses shall pursue me if I fore-slacke this duty upon any pretexts or excuses; well then, I do even covenant with myself through his help to be more abundant in this duty, than ever I have been. Lord thy commandment should bind me though no promise were annexed, out of a mind willing to subject itself to thee, I should perform that which thou requirest though thou didst not threaten. A good servant will address himself to his master's work upon a bare bidding, though his master threaten him not for negligence, but if his master be so urgent as to quicken him by promises and threats, because it is a proof that his master is earnestly desirous to have that work well looked unto, he will be so much more careful and diligent. Therefore now, I will no longer hide mine eyes, I will no more send my wits about to find out shifts & evasions, whereby I may wind myself out of the hands of mine own conscience, but I will through God's help, I will give liberally to the poor, and if I find my heart backward, and my hand bound up with the cords of niggardliness, if I find a kind of rising and grumbling against the duty, I will break through that backwardness either by fair means or by foul, I will help myself by the remembrance and consideration of this promise, or threat, or both. I will demand of myself, and say what meanest thou to be averse from a duty that shall be so profitable unto thyself, by giving to this man, thou shalt not advantage him so much as thyself, thou shalt a little supply his need for the present, but thou shalt save thyself from need for ever; I, I myself shall be the gainer, I shall interest myself into that express and evident promise of God, which I hear, He that giveth shall not want. I shall assure myself upon the truth of the most faithful God, not to be delivered over unto penury. But contrarily, If I yield to mine own pinching humour, and stop mine eyes, and hold my hand, and do not give when God calls for it in the necessities of his people, I shall hinder myself, endamage my estate more than ten times so much money can hinder, for the loss of half or of all mine estate, were not so great a misery, as to lie open to curses, yea to many curses. O I will never save a few pence, shillings, or pounds, so foolishly I set by them to make myself obnoxious to a multitude of curses. Brethren I pray you stir up your resolutions to this duty by the consideration of this threat and promise, if when you be in hearing, you would cause yourselves to be persuaded, and set down this conclusion. I see this is a duty, I see God hath promised abundant reward, I see he hath threatened heavy punishment, therefore I will resolve to obey, so obedient hearing would bring forth fruit, those resolutions would at length take place in your lives. God's Spirit would incline you to obey if you would thus strive to incline yourselves to obey. But when you hear with an evil and stiff heart, and will not so much as labour to work your wills to a firm purpose of practising, it cannot possibly fall out, that you should put a duty in practice after hearing, upon which you did not setledly resolve in hearing.  
But that I may not exhort in vain, I will speak in order of four things. First, I will show you Rules for the due performance of this work. Secondly, I will prescribe you means that will enable you to it. Thirdly, I will take away such excuses as may else keep you from it. Lastly, I will subjoin motives that will induce you to it.  
First, 
Rules for right giving.  than you must have direction for the due and orderly performance of this work. Our bounty to the poor must be regular and orderly, for not all giving but a due and prudent giving pleaseth God, and procures this blessing, & not all refusing to give, but hiding the eyes, that is, refusing to give when one should give, doth procure this curse, therefore in the 112. Psalm where he commends this duty very largely, he saith, A good man is merciful and dareth and ordereth his ways by judgement, that is, with prudence and discretion, now these directions about giving show 

1. Who must give.  
2. To whom it must be given.  
3. The gift to be given.  
4. The manner of giving, which being declared, the duty of giving is plainly set out to us.    
1. Who must give, To this I answer, all must give if occasion serve, but chief the wealthy. Not only those that have abundance, but those also that have a small portion and are themselves none of the richest, must give to the poor, even to such as are poorer than themselves, and pressed with greater need, you shall see this answer confirmed in both parts. When the common people came to john Baptist demanding what they should do, his answer is recorded, Luke 3.11. He that hath two coats lt him impart to him that hath none, and he that hath meat let him do likewise, you perceive, that God doth not bind only men that have great store of goods to communicate, but those also that themselves are but slenderly provided for, yet having something to spare are to impart that they can spare, unto such as are in greater need than themselves: he doth not say that he which hath but one coat, must leave himself naked and give it to him that had none before, but he that hath two, not alone he that hath 5. or 6. or half a score, but he that hath one more than his own need requireth. I pray you that are men of meaner rank, not to post of this work from yourselves to your more able neighbours, if you will believe john Baptist, he that hath a little must impart of that little to him that hath less, doth not the Apostle Paul give us a most worthy example in the Thessalonians, of whom he witnesseth, 
2 Cor. 8.2  that their deep bounty abounded to the riches of their liberality, though they were a very poor people, (partly because they had suffered great persecutions for the Gospel, as Saint Paul witnesseth in his Epistle to them) yet they made a shift to gather a great sum of money, to send unto the brethren at judea, which it may seem did then suffer greater hardness than themselves by famine, here is a true praise to have a heart richer than a purse, and a fare larger quantity of mercy then moeny, so now lower persons must not exempt themselves, or suppose that God dispenceth with them from giving to the poor. But this work especially belongeth to the wealthier son, who being as it were a full Cistern, may best let go the cock of bounty to the relieving of the thirsty, therefore it is charged upon them in special, saying to the rich, 
1 Tim. 6.17.  Give in charge that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, apt to communicate. As seeing is the work of the eye as an eye, going the work of the foot as a foot, so is giving even a plentiful and constant giving, the work of a rich man as a rich man, and as a candle is of no worth if it give no light, nor salt if it have no savour, so neither a rich man farther than he hath bounty, it is the special service of his special place, so all must be givers, the rich most of all; but now the second question must be answered.  
2. To whom must we give?  
The Text answers the question, to the poor. A poor man, is he that either wanteth necessities altogether, or hath them in scant measure, these be the principal objects of bounty. It is not unlawful to give to a wealthy man, but merciful giving, for which God will account himself as it were beholding, must seek for its object a needy person, one that wants the necessaries which should make his life comfortable in a fit measure, I was hungry and you fed me, and job caused the loins of the poor to bless him, but you must be informed, that there are two sons of poor men, some upon whom idleness and slothfulness & a resolution not to work and take pains, doth bring poverty, according to that of Solomon, The idle person shall be clothed with rags, and the sluggards poverty cometh as an armed man, now of these that is true which Saint Paul saith, He that walketh inordinately and will not work, let him not eat. The sluggard that will not labour in sujmmer, Solomon saith, shall beg in winter and have nothing, you see that these men that be able to work, and out of sluggishness will not, are exempted from the number of those to whom the Lord would have our hands open to give. To feed them is to sat vermin, as it were, to feed mice, rats, and polecats, yea it is to feed vice itself to whom they make themselves servants, this is a very ill employment of mercy, indeed if sickness lie upon them or the like misery, that they cannot work for the present, they must not be suffered to perish for want of help, but else they must be compelled to cast off idleness by being put to it, either to starve or to earn something for their own bellies, and therefore most wisely and equally do our laws punish with a mulct those that do relieve such vagrants, but some poor there be through God's hand crossing them: weakness, sickness, blindness, lameness, and a great charge, want of work, or the like things (which no labour of theirs could prevent) have made penurious and filled them with necessity, as it were with emptiness, these be the proper objects of mercy and bounty, the fittest persons in the world to whom a gift may be given, as it is expressed in the Law, Deut. 15.7. If there be among you a poor man within any of thy gates in thy land, thou shalt not harden thy heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother, but shalt open thine hand wide unto him, so Levit. 25.35. If thy brother be eaxen poor, and fallen into decay with thee, thou fhalt relieve him, but of poor men some be such as show forth holiness, these chiefly must be relieved, for Saint Paul saith, Distributing to the necessities of the Saints, 
Rom. 12.13.  and Christ saith, 
Mat. 25, 40.  In that you have done it to any one of these, you have done it to me, yet so that we must remember the commandment of Saint Paul, that wisheth to do good to all, and he treateth particularly of doing this kind of good. All whom God, not their idleness makes poor, must be relieved, but chiefly the godly poor, so you have two rules.  
3. A third concerns the gift itself, in respect of the quantity and quality of it. First, for the quality of it, it must be our own, every man must sit under his own vine and figtree, and therefore must give away no figs nor grapes but his own, justice must be joined with bounty, justice must gather together, and mercy must spread abroad, the Prophet bids, do justice and love mercy, but to give away another man's goods is to commit theft, which no bestowing of the thing stolen can possibly excuse, he that hopeth to make amends for his wrongful getting by bestowing, suppoe it were the whole (much less some part of the whole) is abominable to God, for he goes about (as I may say) to bribe God, and to make him a partner in the spoil, therefore Saint Paul wisheth a man not to steal but to work with ones hands the thing that is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth, we must resolve to be rightly interessed into that which we communicate to others you see, for giving is transferring the giver's right to the receiver of free will, now how is it possible that he should pass any right from himself to another which never had it in himself! wherefore an unjust man makes himself utterly uncapable of giving alms, till he have purged his goods, and separated that which was his own from that that is not his own, by a due & just practice of the work of restitution. Now for quantity, Saint Paul determines it, saying that the same may be as a matter of bounty, 
2 Cor. 9.5  and in the same Chapter, but this know, 
Ver. 6.  that he that soweth liberally shall reap liberally, and that it may be liberal it must be fitted to two things; first, the necessity of the receiver, secondly, the ability of the giver, so the Lord commandeth in the law, as before, Thou shalt give him sufficient for his need in that he wanteth, and S. Paul saith, That your abundance may be a supply for their want, and their abundance for your want, that there may be an equality, and after, the ministration of this service supplieth the necessity of the Saints, 
Ver. 12.  this is one thing that must limit the gift, the other is the ability of the giver, as Saint Peter saith, Let him that ministereth do it as of the ability which God hath given, and the Disciples purposed as they were able to send relief to the brethren in judea, only we must take heed that we do not straighten ourselves in our own conceits, and make ourselves believe our ability is less than it is, this is to give sparingly, but we must follow the Thessalonians who were forward according to their ability, and rather beyond it; though one man cannot supply the wants of all, yet each must open his hand so that all together may bring things to such an equality, that he that gathered little may have no lack, as Saint Paul saith, yea if the time be hard, and great need lie upon the brethren, than we must practise our Lord's advice, 
Luke 12.33.  and sell and give alms, as we read that the believers did in the beginning of the Gospel at jerusalem, 
Acts 2.45. & 4.34.  who sold their possessions and laid the money at the Apostles feet, and distribution was made, as every one had need, and so it came to pass that none of them wanted. The praise of giving in this kind is that it be a liberal gift, as S. Paul calleth it, with blessings and not sparingly, an abundant gift is with blessings, with blessings to God from the receiver, and blessings from God to the giver, therefore covetousness must not measure out the gift, but it must be riches of liberality. A more particular rule for the quantity of giving I cannot name, and if our hearts be upright this is sufficient, and the Lord in not appointing for every man a more particular quantity, doth but try the naturalness of our love as Saint Paul speaketh.  
Now for the manner of giving, it must be given cheerfully, freely, willingly, and of a ready mind, as Saint Paul tells us, 
2 Cor. 9.7  That God loves a cheerful giver, and saith, if there be first a willing mind a man is accepted, which have begun not to do alone, 
2 Cor. 8. 10, 11, 12.  but to be forward or willing.  
A forwardness, willingness and promptness of the mind is required by the Apostle, as waters come out of the fountain, as light cometh from the Sun, what good things are done out of an habit of virtue, must be and will be done gladly, the soul contents itself in them, and doth them with delight and alacrity, this willingness is a proof that we count it no loss so to give but a gain, that we do it as a man that soweth Corn, which rejoiceth to have the opportunity of sowing, because he knoweth the end shall be advantage, the work will recompense itself, then is it the naturalness of love, for what things operate according to their own nature, they do it freely, as a stone goes easily downward, but upward it goes by force and compulsion, what is wrested out by importunity and earnestness, as a thing compelled can scarce be called a gift, and this is the first rule for the manner of giving.  
2. The second is, you must give constantly, to seven and also to eight, as Solomon saith, even so often as the necessities of the Saints require, for the Apostle saith, distributing to the necessities of the Saints, he doth not say distribute but distributing, using the participle, which noteth a continued act of distribution, so saith Saint Paul of the Philippians, 
Phil, 4.16  You sent once and again, to my necessity, a well head, or a spring runs with a constant stream and will not be dry, so should merciful deeds flow from us, how else do we abound in this grace! he that gives but seldom, abounds not in giving, no more than he that seldom prays and hears, abounds in praying or hearing, 
2 Cor. 9.11.  being enriched in all things to all bounty, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God, and that you having always all-sufficiency in all things, 
Ver. 8.  may abound in every good work, this abundance cannot be without a constant stream in giving. Saint Paul treateth chief of works of mercy, when he bids us not to be weary of well-doing. We must not wax weary of giving no more than men do of sowing, so long as seed time lasteth, so long will there be casting in seed, every day is our seeds time, (blessed be God we have so long a seeds time) our seeds time lasteth so long as life lasteth, we have good ground, so long as one poor man or woman liveth, that fears God at least, so long as we have the poor with us (as we shall have always) so long we must be doing good unto them, if our mercy must imitate Gods, sure it must be constant, for so is his to us-ward, indeed if we give not constantly, we give not out of a true habit of mercy, for those acts that do flow from habits will offer themselves upon every occasion, and so you have the second rule for manner of giving.  
3. The last is, we must give in an upright and sincere manner, that is to say, not induced to it by sinister and corrupt motives and ends, but by due and just motives and ends. For the truth and sincerity of every action, is taken from the inducement that leadeth unto it, and the end at which the agent aimeth in it, now the right and due motives to bounty, must be love to God, and man for God's sake, as Saint Paul telleth us, that Charity is bountiful, as also obedience to God's commandments, and faith in God's promises, these are the three most solid and powerful motives to every good work, by which we ought to be swayed in the course of our lives, and so to this good work in particular, obedience, faith, love, for so the Apostle tells you, You know the grace of our Lord jesus Christ, 
2 Cor. 8.9  how that he being rich, was made poor for us that we, etc. and saith john, 
1 John 4.11.  if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another, 
1 John 3.16.  and hereby perceive we the love of God to us that he laid down his life for us, therefore we ought to lay down our lives (much more to give a part of our goods) for the brethren. But there be certain corrupt and evil motives and ends, (for those two terms note but the same thing in different respects) which we should carefully remove from us.  
The first is vainglory, to be seen of men, for then our Lord tells us we have received our reward, this is hypocritical, pharisaical, guileful, a man serves sin in it, not God, nor man, though it may profit the receiver, the giver's soul shall be no whit advantaged by it, these thoughts of gaining the praise and esteem of men, are to be thrust out of our minds, that they may not pollute our merciful deeds.  
Another end and motive there is worse than this, and that is a conceit of satisfying for sin, or deserving life eternal, this is to make our deeds stand in steed of Christ's obedience, of his sufferings and righteousness, this is to offer strange incense to God, a thing deserving cutting off in the old law, this is to over-value our deeds, and undervalue God's justice and kingdom; A sudden oath or taunting term or the like called venial sins, were not such offences to the divine Majesty, if the giving of a groat or shilling to a poor man might propitiate for them, heaven were an easy purchase and too cheap a pennyworth, if a man might buy it by giving alms, these fancies do so putrify works of mercy, that they become odious unto God, because he that doth them puts confidence in the flesh, as Saint Paul calls it, and therefore causeth his alms to be but a work of the flesh, which kind of work cannot please God: I have done with rules of mercy, I go to the next point and will give you some means of helping you to be merciful.  
That a man may give, 
Means to enable men to works of mercy.  he must have money to give, and he must have an heart, he must have a will, and he must have a gift too, for he that hath nothing cannot give though he would, he that wants a heart cannot give, because he will not, both therefore are requisite, and I will show you what must be done for the getting of both, and because the heart is the more needful of the twain as I suppose, I will begin there, harken my beloved Brethren, I will show you how you must work your hearts to a merciful liberality, to that end you must do these three things.  
1. You must seriously consider of those commandments, promises, and threats, which are found in God's Book cooncerning this duty, pressing them upon yourselves, get into thy closet, search the Bible, turn to the precepts to this duty, and say, is not mercy plainly, often, earnestly required? and shall I dare to disobey so many evident and urgent precepts? Why do I come to Church, if for fashion sake, than I am an hypocrite, if because God bids me, doth not he that said hear the Word, say give to the poor? and if conscience bind me to the one, doth it not bind me to the other? say to thyself, shall I dare to live in the manifest breach of so many clear commandments, as do enjoin giving to the poor, I must not, I will not, I dare not, if I do I shall give the devil so great advantage in the day of conflict, that I shall never be able to escape grievous terrors, for he that keeps all the commandments and breaks one will be found a transgressor of all, and little will it avail me to have seemed religious if I be not merciful, so the like in regard of promises and threats, urge them and press them upon yourselves, till you have even compelled your unwilling will, to resolve to interest yourselves into so many promises, and to shun the danger of so many threats, if we would thus hide the Word of God in our hearts it would work, I mean God by it would work (for it is his Ordinance) even every grace in our hearts.  
2. But to meditation you must add prayer, beseeching God to give you this so worthy a grace by which you shall be made so like unto himself, that you may know yourselves to be his children, hereby saith our Saviour, You shall be known to be my Disciples, 
John 13.34.  if ye love one another, and hereby shall we be known to love if we pity and relieve, Hereby we know we are translated from death to life, 
1 john 3.14.  because we love the brethren, and hereby we know that we love the brethren, because our hearts and hands are open to them, for love is bountiful; O Lord, say, implant mercy in my heart, O make me liberal of my money, as thou wast of thy blood. O let me have an heart to give out of my purse to those for whom thou gavest thyself a ransom, enlarge my heart with Christian charity and compassion, that I may be ready to give, willing to communicate; Thou that tellest me, thy self art pleased with such sacrifices; O work in me that that is well pleasing in thy fight, and let me be pleased to offer such sacrifices as thou art pleased to accept; Thou gavest this grace to the Thessalonians, give it also to me, and cause this grace to abound in me; The spirit of God will hearken to our supplications and work these virtues in us if we seek them from heaven, and then indeed be these graces worthy the name of graces, when a man hath gotten them by calling on God for them as the fruit of his Spirit.  
But yet another thing must be added to meditation and prayer, and that is practise.  
3. A man must begin to give, that he may get an habit of giving and press himself to be much in doing a good work, till he have made it easy and delightful to himself, you know what great perfection practice doth bring to them that were but very bunglers at the first, the most niggardly spirited man or woman in the world, if they will set themselves to cross their base minds and churlish thoughts, and say well I will be no longer a niggard, I will lay up something for Christ's members and good works, and so open his hand the next occasion that comes, to bounty, and so again and again, shall at length find as great a promptness to it, as he found a backwardness before, you must offer violence to your uncharitable hearts, and exercise yourselves in giving, and that will at last make you free in giving. I have showed you how to get an heart; Now I will tell you how you must get something to give, and that must be done by three other things.  
1. You must use diligence. 2. Thrift. And 3. You must lay up something in store for mercy.  
First then, he that would be merciful to the poor, must be diligent in his calling and in the labours thereof, the diligent hand will make rich, and so provide matter for bounty, Saint Paul wisheth, Ephes. 4.20. To labour with the hands the thing that is good that they may have to give, this is one end that we must propound to ourselves in the work of our vocation that God may so bless us, not alone that we may have enough for ourselves, but get some overplus too, for the relief of others, but a sluggard can never give, he will be like an empty pitcher or barrel, he that cannot put his hand to his own mouth, how should he put it to another's mouth! Be you therefore painful that God may prosper you and may replenish you with good things, that you may communicate them to others.  
Secondly, thrift must be as it were the purveyor for liberality.  
Thrift is due saving from sinful and needless expenses. Oh how much might our ability be for mercy, if we would carefully cut off superfluities, the vessel that runneth our unduly will be empty when men come to draw out of it, so will the state be if we let it leak as it were a cracked or broken vessel.  
You will ask me from what must I save?  
I answer, from riot, luxury, drunkenness, gaming and such sinful expenses, by which men serve the devil and the flesh, from needless journeys and contentious suits in law from excess in works of kindness, from excess in attire, feasting, householdstuff and the like, and why my Brethren should you not be willing a little to take off from your own superfluities to help others wants, and deny yourselves of that which is much more then enough, to administer to them that have less then enough, sure the Lord did not give you riches to play the Diveses' and pamper yourselves, but to act the part of good jobs, and make the poor man's back and belly to bless you, I confess the Lord allows you to enjoy the liberal portion he gives you, and you may lawfully do it, but he commands you to give to the needy, and why should you not do that also, either you have enough for both or not, if you have, why do you not perform both, if not, why do you not cut off the less worthy expenses for the more worthy? Therefore let your care be to look that nothing be wasted or misspent, that there may be enough for so profitable a service, how much might be saved from idle courtesies, from over fine fare and garments, and how abundant might we be then in works of mercy and yet be never a whit the poorer at the year's end, but the last thing to make a man able to deeds of mercy is,  
3. He must lay in store for mercy, he must have a poor man's box in his house; when David minded to build an house for God, he provided all things before hand in abundance, so must we lay up materials for the building of mercy, that we may not be to seek at the time of using, this course Saint Paul prescribeth to the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 16.1. and said that he had taken the like order with the Church of the Galatians, Let every one lay in store by himself as God hath prospered him, that there may be no gathering when I come. He that hath something lying by him which he did sequester formercy, will give with a free heart, but it will come hardly if nothing be provided for it, if you ask me how much you must lay aside, I answer, Be sure you do it in convenient abundance, rather with the more than the less. And I suppose it is a quantity that may well be spared of most men, the tenth of their come in for pious uses, so shall one be sure he is rich in good works, and that he hath done as much this way, as in ordinary times God requireth of him, for the jews had the poor man's tithes as well as the Levites, But try this way first, cast aside thy tenth penny, and if thou findest God's blessing so liberal that thou canst well spare it, give it still, if not according as thou art prospered. Beloved, now I have showed you how you may fit your hearts and your hands for this much commended service of mercy, let me go on to remove those excuses by which men are wont to hinder themselves from mercy, and as it is in my Text, to hide their eyes. 
Objections against giving answered.  Those are taken from four heads: first, from others, secondly, from themselves, thirdly, from the poor, fourthly, from the effects they think will follow of such giving.  
First, from others, 
1. Objection from others.  they allege they give as much as others do of their estate, and perhaps more, well, let us see how this reason runs: I must do as my neighbours do, now they give not so much, therefore need not I Brethren, Answ. for the proportion, who taught you to make men's example the rules of your lives, the Scripture never wisheth you to live by example but by rule, you swarve from the right rule when you look abroad what others do, God bids thee give after thine ability, not after thy neighbour's niggardliness, most men are backward and sparing this way, but the nigardise of one is no excuse for that of another. And again, how knowest thou that thou givest as much as others of thy means, dost thou know all that they give: do they acquaint thee with their whole bounty: They may give much that thou hearest not of, be not so uncharitable as to count them vainglorious, that will give nothing but in public, a man may easily deceive himself with this reasoning: 
2. Objections from a man's self  but other excuses are taken from a man's self, and these are principally five.  
Ob. 1 First, I do not know, that they be so poor and in such need, To this I answer.  
Sol. First, many a man must tell a flat untruth in so saying, for he doth know if he would heed the necessity of his neighbours, it is evident unto him if he would not forget, therefore to such men I must apply that of Solomon in another case, If thou sayest I know it not, doth not God ponder the hearts, doth not he know it? Pro. 24.12. Can you mock God with pretending ignorance.  
Secondly, if you know it not, is it not for want of enquiring, and seeking to know, how comes it you are so inquisitive of other things that nothing can escape you, and here you be so careless of enquiring, that you know nothing: So it is often your fault not to know, and one fault cannot excuse another. A second excuse is,  
Ob. 2 I have little enough for myself and mine, let us see also how this reason is framed, he that hath little enough for himself must not give to others, so have I; To answer it, Sol. he that hath but two coats may think he hath little enough for himself, yet God bids him part with one to those that have none, you see that this will not serve for a good excuse. Secondly, how comes it that thou thinkest so much but little enough for thyself, is not this a vice of self-love, that will not know what is enough, if thy great abundance be little enough for thee, canst thou think so short a pittance as thy brother hath much enough for him; thou hast variety of food, diverse pounds or hundreds by the year, he hath scarce any thing, and must you allege, I have little enough, he that is all for himself counts all little enough, if we had charity we would think if so much be but sufficient for us, O how far is so little from sufficing him, this objection savours too strongly of being lovers of our own selves, to be accepted with God. But now another objection.  
Ob. 3 I must provide for my own family, and maintain my children, so thou reasonest thus, he that must provide for and maintain his own, must not give, but so must I, Sol. therefore if the proposition be true, than none must give; for all are bound to such provision; But certainly the same God that bids thee provide for thine and maintain thine, bids thee give too, therefore thou must do both; and thou must provide for both, and not strive to do the one in so over large a measure as to omit the other altogether, save from vanity and thou shalt have sufficient for both uses, provide moderately for thine own, and thoushalt have sufficient for the poor also. Another objection.  
Ob. 4 I have not wherewithal to be still giving, I cannot spare it: so the reason goes, he that hath not to give is not bound to give, but I have it not. To this I answer, Sol. the proposition is true, but the assumption in most is most false, and I will prove it so too, for have you for fine clothes, fine fare and all other things, and have you it not for mercy, suppose by mischance thy hat should be lost, hadst thou not to buy another? Yes. Why then, how canst thou say thou hat it not to relieve a poor man? some may say, but if I should lose again and again, I should have nothing at length to supply my self. I answer, It may be so, but thou mayst give so moderately, as still to have some to give, so this excuse is frivolous. The last excuse is,  
Ob. 5 I do give enough according to mine estate, and why should you press me to more. I answer, Sol. if this were true, it were a good answer, but in most I will convince it to be false. How may we know whether we have given enough? compare thine expenses for mercy, with those of superfluities in kindnesses, in clothes, etc. they are fare inferior, those of mercy are nothing in comparison of the other, certainly this ought not to be, for God bids feast the poor, not the rich, that is, rather than the rich, wherefore in doing so much less for mercy, than courtesy, thou makest it evident that thou dost not enough for mercy, yea, but my place requires so much, I answer, and doth not thy place require riches in mercy as well as in clothes and other things, know therefore, that until thou art as abundant in deeds of mercy, as other things less necesssary, God will not think thee to have done enough, and what will it avail thee then, if thou make thyself believe thou hast done enough. 
3 Objections from the poor.  Now objections come from the poor.  
Ob. 1 They be unthankful.  
I answer, 
Sol.  all are not so, give to them therefore that be thankful.  
Secondly, one man's fault must not dispense with another man's duty, thou art unthankful to God yet he gives, so must thou.  
And lastly, take heed thou dost not causelessly accuse them of unthankfulness which thou canst not prove.  
Ob. 2 Yea but they be idle, and bring poverty upon themselves by their idleness and wastfullnesse.  
I answer, Sol. hast thou before admonished them of it? if not here is a fault, unseasonably to mention their evils to excuse thyself from doing thy duty, and not to speak of it fitly, to do them good. Again, if thou canst not prove this, than thou art a slanderer as well as a niggard, and here be two faults in one.  
Ob. 3 Yea but they be such as have wronged me.  
I answer, Sol. to choose give tosuch, for so shalt thou show more charity, and have a greater reward, for we are commanded to feed a hungry enemy & have a blessing promised for it in special; and this is to imitate god, who loved us when we were his enemies: 
4 Objections from the effects of giving.  now the last objecitons are from the effects of so giving.  
Ob. 1 If I be still giving I shall give all away.  
I answer, Sol. what a folly is it to be thus dashing upon extremes, what canst thou not give nlesse thou give all away, if thou wouldst use thy understanding for giving as well as for other things, thou mayst give liberally, and yet keep enough behind too, thou canst give to the rich, and not give all away, why not then to the poor, thou canst spend in other things, and not spend all away, why hast thou not so much discretion for this expense, here we bewray mere wilfulness in taking up fond and false objections. A man may be very bountiful and yet reserve sufficient for all other good uses too, as Saint Paul saith, 
2 Cor. 9.8  That having all sufficiency in all things, you may abound in every good work, for God is able to make all grace to abound to you.  
Lastly, 
Ob.  if I give so much away, I shall never be rich.  
I answer, 
Sol.  here is an excuse worse than the fault, for here is a charging God with flat falsehood, he saith, give and thou shalt not want, thou sayest I shall want if I give, he saith, he that giveth shall be blessed, thou sayest, he shall not, he saith, he that watereth shall be made fat, thou sayest, he shall be made lean, he saith, he will repay it, thou sayest he will nor repay it. Is not this an horrible presumption to impute falsehood to God? and then this objection ariseth from a principle most abominable, viz. this, what I cannot be rich if I do, that I will not do, Why? must not Gods commandments be obeyed if they will keep thee from riches, doth he not say, labour not to be rich, and doth not he say, he is not worthy of me that will not lose all for my sake, so thou must be ready to do what God bids, though it would keep thee from riches, for what if we be not rich, what hurt is that? we may be saved though we be not rich, but if we will not do our duty we cannot be saved. Besides, if thou be'st not rich in the world, thou shalt be rich in good works and that is the best riches. I cannot bethink myself of other objections, but that they mnay all be resolved into these: O now hide not your eyes with these frivolous excuses: but for all this the niggardly heart will grumble out, Ob. Why should I give my goods that I have gotten with hard labour to another? I answer thee, Sol. not thy labour but God's blessing hath given thee this abundance, and because he that blessed thee bids thee give, therefore thou shouldest give, but to make thee see why thou shouldst give, I will set thee down Motives enough to giving. 
Motives to give.   
First, doth not God give to all richly to enjoy? why shouldst not thou imitate thy Father & be bountiful like him?  
Secondly, from thyself, art not thou a steward? and why shouldst not thou bestow thy Master's wealth after his commandment? mayest not thou thyself need, and wouldst thou not in thy need be relieve? why shouldst not thou know it reason, to do to oaths as thou wouldst have them do to thee: why shouldst not thou sow such a crop as thou wouldst reap?  
Thirdly, from them to whom thou shouldst give, are they not brethren to thee, sons and daughters to God, hath not he tied them to thee by many bonds, the same God made & preserveth them, the same Saviour redeemed them, they have the same faith, the same spirit, the same baptism, head, and wilt not thou see reason to give to them that are so near thee?  
And fourthly, from thy wealth, is it not uncertain and fickle? why than shouldst thou not do good with it whilst thou hast it, for when it is gone, nothing will comfort thee but the remembrance of the good thou hast employed it in, as we see in jobs case.  
But lastly, consider the fruit of this giving, and it cannot but win thee to giving, for it is of all the things in which we may bestow our goods the most advantageous, it doth the greatest good, extending to the most & greatest things, and in the largest measure. It doth good to the soul for the present, in ministering a assure argument of uprightness and so of unspeakable comfort, chief in the day of temptation, this giving assures the conscience before God as Saint john saith, so can no other expending. It doth good to the name, procuring more honour to ones self, and more honour to ones Religion, than all the fine clothes in the world, and all the gay buildings, those do not prove a man good, merciful, charitable, this doth; it doth the greatest good to the state, for it is a sowing that will bring in harvest, it will secure from wants, which no riches can do. It doth the greatest good to the seed, for they shall enjoy the blessing, yea it doth all these things too, in the greatest quantity, for to no other giving are half so many promises made, and our good shall be according to God's promises. It doth good for longest continuance, for it doth good after death. The money so bostowed shall follow one, yea it shall follow him at the resurrection, for than shall these expenses be remembered, praised, rewarded. It doth good with most case, for here needs no toiling, no great labouring, sweeting as in other things, for God will bring the fruit to our hands by a secret blessing (as he maketh the corn to grow when it is sowed) whilst men sleep & do other things, not thinking of it, yea it doth all this with most assurance, one cannot lose this gain for God is the assurer, & if we will live by faith, here is no hazard at all, he that hath God's word cannot lose his reward. Lo now store of reasons, and those clear, & those weighty, to persuade you. O Brethren be persuaded, be persuaded, get this blessing, get security against wants, rush not upon many curses, what shall I say more? the Lord bade Moses speak to the rock, and it gave water, will you be harder than rocks? he commanded the clouds to send down Manna, will you be ebellious above the senseless clouds? yea he bade the ravens bring bread and flesh to Eliah, will you be worse than these ravenous fowls? O now pow redound showers of bounty upon your needy brethren, and God will pow redound showers of blessings upon you. Bethrens be not forgetful hearers but doers of the work that you may be blessed in your deeds. Give that you may never want, hide not your eyes that you may not inherit many curses, I require you to be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.  
And this if any amongst you heretofore have done, 
3. Use of comfort.  or hereafter will do, to them we must speak a word of encouragement, assuring them that they shall find God true, they shall not want. Their seeds-time shall bring in h arvest, God will bless their seed sown, he will enrich them to all bounty; God will perform his promise to them and to their seed. Whosoever will give liberally to the poor, that is, bestow as much in merciful expenses as in works of superfluity, and kindness, here he hath God's word, he shall not want, let him acknowledge the sufficiency and faithfulness of God, and go away assured, that the Lord will abundantly supply all his needs according to the riches of his grace in Christ.  
FINIS.