Coni>5.0fthe hgnöur due to thofe that excel'i Sri fts, c.Cháp.9. are tokeep amean inour liberality, to do well to day, that we may do well tomor- röw alfo,: his reafon is, Deus non vult ftmuleffundi apes,fed difpenfari ; God would not have us pour out our Efate at once, but ( like goodRewards ) diftribute them as need [hall require. Difcretion is a neceRäry quality in a giver ; Therefore we mutt take heed that our liberality exceed not our means, for unjuft at`kions always follow fuchbounty. r: The reciprocal Duties of the receiver are thefe. Firft,he that receiveth abene- fit oweth a recognition or acknowledgment of it. Seneca (out of whom the Fathers have moll ofthat they writeupon this Subjeét, and certainlybut for Cowie Stoical tenets his Books de beneficiis are excellent and worth the reading, ) faith ; b.ec be- neficii inter duos lexelf: alter oblivifci (fatim debet dati, alter accepté nungaam; qui de- dit beneficium, taceat, narret qui accepit : the lawofBenefit Rands thus between the giver and the receiver: the fira fhould prefently forget what he gives , the other never what he receives; he that gives fhould hold his peace, but he that receives fhould not be tongue-tied. Therefore the receiver is to acknowledg that fuch a one was Gods inftrument toconvey fuch a Bleffing to him. He mutt eandembilarita- tem ì,abere accepti beneficii, quafaitpetiti, have the fame cheerfulnefs after the recei- vingofa benefit, which was at the askingof it ; becaufe gratia doth fo loon f nef- cere, agood turn doth fo loonwaxold,therefore a mans value and effimation (hould . be fill the fame. 2. There mull not only be an inward acknowledgment , but alto effufie af- feElus, the pouring out of theaffeé}ion by an outward ackowledgment in words, for this is Teftimonium excellentié, an outward teftimony of the excellency of fuch a one whom God hash exalted to be a Benefaáor, and fo a performin g f of this duty of Honourto him. If he remember it, I need not ; for exprobatio eft fatisfafiio pro beneficia, he is fatisfied by upbraiding me. If he forget it, I mutt not, but tell it, and not extenuate it, but be beniguus interpres, a candid inter- preter of his affee`tion that bellowed it : as that it was a great benefit, or at leapt that it was great to me ; or lay, that his affefion wasgreat to me. And by fo doing he than not lofe, but benefit himfelf; for invitas admagna, qui gr.uanter fu- Jcipit modica, he invites a Benefat$or to give great things, that gratefully entertains (mall ones. 3. The fall is to exprefs thy thankfulnefs really when occafion (hall be offered, that he than have the likeneed of thee, as thounow haft of him ( which thou mutt not defire or with) and in the mean time to acknowledge that thou cant's not re- compence him. I mean this gratitude mull be for real Benefits, for there are force fo accounted that deferve not the name : men now-a-days call finem injuria bens.. ficium, they think they do a benefit, when theygive overdoingof injury ; and it is a policy with force, mergere aliquot ut extrahantur, to throw men into the water that they may pull them out, and when they have pulled them out, theythink they are beholding to them ; fuch are not worthy the name of benefits, nor are we tied togratitude for fuch, but for other benefits, ifthe Benefia&or Rand in need, I mutt help him, ifI be able, ifnot, yet my diligence about him, and thebell counfel I can give, hemutt not want ; I mutt always with him well and acknowledge that I am never.able torecompence him : otherwife I am unthankful, and unthankfulnefs is a great vice , beneficiorumperditio, flacons fontem pietatic, the bane of liberality, and a upof the fountainofgoodnefs. Therefore if wecan,we mutt rependere majora, requite them with greater ; if not that, yet par pori, do like for like ; ifnot that nei- ther, then we mutt sransferread Deum, commend them over to Godby our Prayers, and deliirehim to requite them. Yet ( by the way ) we are to take notice, that there are Come cafes, where- in a man is not faid to be thankful , though the Benefaâor fo account him. s. As firf,ifa Superiour bellow aBenefit uponan Inferiour, expecting, that he (hall like what the other loveth,and miflike as he mifliketh, and fo to beat his com- mand, or elfe he will repute him as anunthankful perfon. But unthankfulnefs is res gratia, non ofcii ; a matter ofgrace, not ofduty,and therefore 'tis no unthankfulnefs not to follow him in his humour. 2. Secondly, If he require any thingofme by wayof juftice or duty, it is no uit-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=