Oldalképek
PDF
ePub

1

municating, as it was used in the Beginning of Chriftianity. St. Luke in Acts 2. having told us, that the firft Chriftians continued in the Apoftles Doctrine, and in communicating, prefently explains what he meant by that Communion. All (faith he, v.44.) that believed, were together, and had all Things common, and fold their Poffeffions and Goods, and parted them to all Men, as every Man had need.

God be thanked, the Church of Chrift is not now in fuch Circumstances, that it is either needful or reafonable, precifely, to observe the Practice of thofe Times as to this Matter. We are not only not obliged to part with the Propriety of our Eftate, and to live in common, as the firft perfecuted Chriftians did, but we fhould be highly indifcreet, not to fay injurious, both to ourselves and the Publick, if we did. But this, notwithstanding, their Practice, and the Charge here laid upon us, to be communicative, will thus far oblige us, viz. that we Chriftians fhould always retain that publick generous Spirit that they in the firft Times were acted with. We fhould fit fo loose from the World, and fo unconcerned in the Distinction of meum and tuum, that we should make it our Business to do Good with what we have, thinking our Wealth best employed, when it is put to that Ufe. And when the Caufe of God, and the common Intereft of our Chriftian Brethren doth require it, we should then as freely part with all we have, as our Predeceffors in Chritianity did; following herein the Precept of VOL. I. I

Our

[ocr errors]

our Lord, to the Young Man, who came to enquire of him, what he should do, that he might inherit Eternal Life; and who was thus answered by our Saviour, That though he had kept the Commandments, yet he wanted one Thing to make him perfect, (that is, to make him a true Chriftian), and that was, To fell all that he had, and give to the Poor, and come and follow him; and then he should have Treafure in Heaven, Mat. 19. 21.

Thus have I given you a brief Account of each Particular of the Rich Man's Duty, as it is fumm'd up in the Text; and fome perhaps will think it is fevere enough; whether it be fo or no, I now difpute not, but I am fure it is feverely required of them. This we may gather from St. Paul's way of urging it, Charge them (faith he) that are Rich in this World, that they be not high-minded, &c. He doth not fay, Recommend this to them, as a Thing that is very reasonable in itfelf, and will highly become them; he doth not fay, Put them in Mind of it, as a Thing by which they may gain a great deal of Honour and Reputation to their Religion; he doth not fay, Exhort and perfwade them to it, as a Thing that will at laft conduce to their own Advantage: But he faith, Charge it upon them, intimating, that there was a Neceffity they fhould thus practife, it was a Duty indif penfably incumbent upon all of them; and this is the Second General Point I am to infift on.

And certainly this Order of St. Paul to Timothy is a ftanding Warrant, a perpetual Com

million

[ocr errors]

miffion to all Minifters of the Gospel, to charge the fame Thing upon all rich Men in all Pla ces and Times. But in the preffing and enforcing this Charge, I fhall not so much have regard to the Three former Duties, as to the laft, which concerns the doing Good with our Wealth, the exercifing Acts of Bounty and Charity as we have opportunity. Charge them that are rich in this World, that they do Good, that they be rich in good Works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate.

Now in Four Refpects especially, rich Men are thus to be charged, and a Neceffity lies upon them to practise accordingly, viz.

[blocks in formation]

If all thefe put together do not make the Obligation indifpenfable, I know not what will. I will speak briefly of each Particular.

First, If rich Men do not thus employ their Wealth, they are guilty of great Ingratitude. That is the leaft evil Imputation they fall under,

and

yet to any ingenious Man it is heavy enough; for to call a Man Unthankful, is as great a Reproach as you can caft upon him.

Whoever acknowledgeth the Being of God, sand owns his Providence in the World, muft neceffarily believe, that all that Portion of good Things which he enjoys in this Life, doth proceed from that God as the Author

I 2

and

Infinite Goodness, gives to all that fear him, even to the Poor as well as the Rich, all Things to enjoy; and though to the one more plentifully, yet to the other, perhaps, with as much Content, though not in fo great Abundance.

The Fourth and laft Part of the Rich Man's Duty here mentioned, concerns the right Ufe of that Wealth that God hath given him. Now the right Ufe of Riches according to the Text, doth confift in thefe Things: That those that have them do Good with them, that they be rich in good Works, that they be ready to diftribute, willing to communicate.

If we suppose every one of these distinct Phrases in the Text, to denote a diftin& Thing, then we are to give this Account of the Paffage, That St. Paul, here useth a Gradation in his Speech, begins with the lowest and most general Expreffion of Charity, and fo goes on to higher Degrees of it; in each following Phrafe intending to fay fomething more great or particular than what he had faid in the former, which is a most usual and elegant Scheme of Rhetorick. According to this Account (as the Words are very capable of it) there are Four Things here prescribed to the Rich Man, in the Ufe of his Riches.

1. That he do Good with them, that is the most general Point: that is, That he employ them fome way or other for the Benefit of others. He must not live to himself alone, he muft defign greater Things than the get

S

ting an Eftate, or the raifing a Family; if others be not advantaged by him, he is rich to no purpose. And therefore it will concern him to do Kindneffes and good Offices where he can, to be liberal and hofpitable, to oblige his Friends and Relations all ways poffible, to affift all about him with his Counfel, to encourage them by his Example; in a Word, to make use of that Intereft and Reputation that his Fortune hath given him a0 bove others, to do Kindneffes to them.

t

2. He must not think it fufficient to do this Good now and then, upon particular and more rare Occafions; but he must abound in Acts of Goodness: That is the Meaning of the Apostle's fecond Expreffion of being rich in good Works. He muft fo ftudy and improve in the Art of doing Good, that his good Deeds do equal his Riches; nay, the Words import, that his true Riches are only placed in, and to be measured by his good Deeds. He is not to think himself farther rich than he is rich in good Works. The more plentifully God hath bleffed him with worldly Wealth, the more diligent, and industrious, and folicitous he must be to do Good with it; otherwise he is poorer than thofe that perhaps he now and then out of Charity relieves. And,

3. Left this doing Good, and being rich in good Works, fhould only be interpreted of doing such Kindneffes and good Deeds that cost us nothing but the Expence of our Time, or the Employment of our Pains, or the Use of our Intereft with others; the Apofile adds this

farther

« ElőzőTovább »