I.

2 Tim. 3.

SERM. to the tree that Pliny speaketh of, the leaves of it as broad as any target, but the fruit is no bigger than a bean-to talk targets and to do beans. It were better reversed, if we were, as St. Paul saith, "perfect in all good works," than perfect in certain curious and quaint terms and set phrases, wherein a great part of many men's religions do now-a-days consist; plain speech and sound dealing, plain speech and good works,

17.

[Lu. 12. is.]

best.

And "rich" in them. The rich man in the Gospel, would, as he said, build his barns bigger to put in them πávra ayalà, "all his goods" he had; no good out of his barn. Yes, yes, some "in good works" too. St. Paul hath here within the compass of this text two rich men; his desire is they may both meet together in every rich man. “Rich,” ἐν τῷ νῦν alcov, "in the world that now is ;" so ye are: rich in the world that shall be after this; be that too. Rich in coffer; so ye are : rich in conscience; be so too. Your consciences you shall carry with you, your coffers you shall not. Thus you are valued in the Queen's books; what are you in God's books? So much worth in this land of the dying; how much worth in the land of the living? St. Paul's advice is, that you strive for both; which you shall be, if ye be "rich in good works." Ephes. 1. The true riches are the riches of "His glorious inheritance.' They be the true riches, which except a man can assure himself of after the lease of his life is out, he shall be in a marvellous Lu. 16. 24. poor case, as was the rich man; and beg of Lazarus there, that begged of him here. Those riches must be thought of, marry then you must be "rich in good works." Not to give something to somebody at some time. Why? who doth not [2 Cor. 9. so? That is not to be "rich." To give perdoμévws, “sparingly,” a piece of bread or a draught of drink, and that only, that belongeth to him whom God hath sparingly blessed, to the brother of low estate; it is not your work.

18.

Exod. 35. 23, 27.

99

In the law, to the building of the Tabernacle the poor gave goats' hair and badgers' skins; that was for them, and that was accepted: the rich, they gave purple, gold, and jewels, to the Tabernacle, they were "rich in good works." And in the Gospel, Lu. 12. 48. "To whom much is given, of him" proportionably "much shall be required." That is, in a word, As you are sessed in the Queen's books so are you in God's books, each one according

to his ability. And God will look, that according to that sessment they should be done; that you should πepioσeûσai, 2 Cor. 9. §. "abound" in good works as you do in wealth, that you should Tроioτаodaι, "go before" and sit highest and have a precedence [Tit. 3. 8. ] in works as you have in your places. And in a word, that you should be lords, knights, aldermen, masters, wardens, and of the livery in good works, as you be in your several wards and companics. And indeed to say the truth, to commit so many sins as no auditor can number them, and to afford so few good works as a child may tell them; to receive such profits as great count-books will not hold them; and to yield so small store of good works as a little paper not so broad as my hand may contain them; to lash out at a banquet you know what, and to cast to a captive's redemption all the world knows what; to cast your pride with pounds and your good works with pence, what coherence is there in these? This is not to be "rich." But that is a part of the charge too. I pray you remember it, remember to be "rich;" not only to do good, but to be "rich" in doing good. That will make you in case well to die, as now, God be thanked, you are well to live.

distri

And with the quantity take the quality too, I pray you: 3. The for the quantity, richly; for the quality, readily. 'E ȧváyins, quality: ready to "with compulsion," not willingly; and è λúπŋs, “with grudg- bute." ing," not cheerfully, these are the faults contrary to this virtue. [2 Cor. 9. 7.] God must have it done with a facility, with a readiness, easily. And good reason easily, for easily you may. We that want, cannot without difficulty; we would, and we cannot; we have a heart without a hand; though we be willing, nothing is done. Why? we are not able. You are able, God be thanked; you be well willing, there is no more to do, it is done. This readiness is a necessary virtue in our days, where ere a benefit come, nay many times ere a debt, so much ingenuity is spent, so many rogos, such a Vade et redi, "go and Prov. 3.28. come" such a time; such a dancing on the threshold, such a failing of the eyes ere it can be seen, such a cleaving to the fingers ere it will come off, such instillation by now a drop and then a drop, as to a liberal nature when it cometh it is like to bread full of gravel; for hunger a man must needs have it, and but for needs must a man had as lief be without it.

if

У

I.

SERM. O beloved, mar not all you do before God and man for want of this one thing. You love a fair sced-time, all of you: Hilaris dutio, serena satio, ‘cheerful giving is like a fair seedtime.' As you for your seed, to bury it wish a seasonable time, so and no less God desireth for Iis, that His seed may not be sown with an overcast mind, but with the gladness of heart and cheerfulness of countenance. Even as He doth Himself, Who what He bestoweth, bestoweth so as He taketh as much yca more delight in giving than we of receiving. So do, and then this charge is at an end: "Be ready to communicate."

There is of this word some difference among writers, but such as you may easily reconcile. Some think the Apostle would have rich men to be evπpooódovs, 'easy to be spoken with,' and to be spoken to. Some, that he would not only have them give readily, but lend freely, and not practise the devil's alchemistry, as they do, by multiplication in lending. Some, that they should not think their beneficence to be a taking from them without receiving back, inasmuch as there is an intercourse of the giver's grace, and the receiver's prayer. Some, that his mind is, that they should not do good to some few, but even to a multitude. All are good and godly, and agreeable to the analogy of faith; and you by doing all may verify and agree all, and make of a discord in opi[Vid Com. nions a harmony in practice. St. Hierome, methinketh, saith best, that Communicare est communitati dare, aut ad aliquid commune, 'to be beneficial to a society, or to bestow to some common use.'

a Lap. in

loc.]

2 Cor. 4. 15.

This is the perfection or pitch of well-doing, "that most plenteous grace, by the thanksgiving of many, may redound to the glory of God." The Apostle therefore is a further suitor to you that be rich, and will not end his charge till he hath laid this on you too, to do good to societies and foundations, either necessary to be erected, or more than necessary to be maintained, lest through our evil-doing our fathers' well-doing perish. It is not for every man to reach unto them, there is no hope to have them upholden but by you; that you would therefore have them in remembrance, and to think upon them to do them good.

But alas, what hope is there to hear that good will be this

way done, since it is thought that many may be indicted for seeking to cat up companies, and to convert that which was the good and making of many into their own singulare commodo, by out-buying and out-bidding all besides themselves, that they alone may appropriate civil livings, turn common into private, the whole body's nourishment into one foregrown member, and in the end "dwell alone" upon the earth.

That the world is toward an end, other men may be persuaded by other reasons; none more effectual to persuade me than this one, that every man doeth what in him lieth to discommon communities, and to bring all to the first privation. For the world being itself a main society, these men by dismembering under-societies seek and do what they can to dissolve the whole. So that God must needs come to make an end of the world, or else if this hold on we should shortly make an end of it ourselves.

Jer. 49. 31.

It is further complained, that whereas there hath been and is given charitably to the poor and their maintenance, that the poor themselves want, and they that have the receiving of the profits do yet increase mightily. Had not these things need to be put in the charge? Are they not in the ears of the Lord? Is it not a sin crying to Heaven? Shall He not visit for these things? for this discredit of His Gospel, for this unexcusable, unfaithful dealing, in the ears of Jew and Gentile, of Turk and Christian, of God and man? I beseech you still, "suffer the words of exhortation;" it is good for [Heb. 13. you to know what things are said abroad. For my part, in God's presence I protest, I know none; and if there be none, present none. It is that I desire; the charge is now given, may be given in vain.

22.]

Church.

Now if you enquire to whom your doing good should 1. To the stretch itself, St. Paul himself will tell you. To them that instruct you they are to "communicate" with you in all your Gal. 6. 6. "goods," that is, the Church; and "to the necessity of the Rom. 12. Saints," or to the Saints that be in necessity, that is, to the 13.

poor.

14.

The Church first: for this end came Esther "to the king- Esther 4. dom," and Nehemiah to his great favour with the prince, even Neh. 1.11. to do good to the Church; and for this end hath Tyrus, that rich city, that abundance bestowed on her, even to be "a covering Ezek. 29.

I.

SERM. cherub" to the Church of God, and to stretch out her wings over it. The Prophet's meaning was, that rich men must be a shadow of maintenance and defence to the ark, to divinity; their riches must serve them as wings to that end, they must be covering cherubs on earth to the Church militant, if ever they will be singing cherubs in Heaven with the Church triumphant.

nifies both

and also a

pistol.]

And much good might be done, and is not, in this behalf; and that many ways. I will name but one, that is, that with their wings stretched out they would keep the filth and pollution of the sin of sins whereof you heard so bitter complaint both these days, of simony and sacrilege, from falling on the ark, and corrupting and putrifying it, which it hath almost already done. That seeing the Pope do that he doth-howsoever some have alleged the Papists' great detestation of this sin, and of us for this sin, for a motive, it is all but dissembling, their hand is as deep in this sin as any man's-I say, seeing the Pope doth as he doth: that is, as he hath dispensed with the oath and duty of subjects to their Prince against the fifth commandment; with the murder, both ['Dag sig- violent with dags', and secret with poison, of the sacred a dagger, persons of Princes, against the sixth; with the uncleanness of the stews, and with incestuous marriages, against the seventh; so now of late, with the abomination of simony against the eighth; having lately-as it is known by the voluntary confession of their own Priests-by special and express warrant of the See Apostolic sent hither into this land his licence dispensative to all patrons of his mark to set up simony, and to mart and make sale of all spiritual livings which they have or can get to the uttermost penny, even if it were possible by the sound of the drum; and that with a very clear conscience, so that some portion thereof be sent over to the relief of his seminaries, which by such honest means as this come to be now maintained; seeing thus do the Papists, and we loath to be behind them in this gain of blood make such merchandise with this sin, of the poor Church and her patrimony, as all the world crieth shame of it; to redeem the orderly disposing them to the Church's good, were a special way for you rich men to do good in these days. Neither, as these times are, do I know a better service, nor which I am per