Annesley - Houston-Packer Collection BX9327 .M6 1664

Serm. I I. that they may be Acceptable unto Cod ? tioned uncertainty of Riches. So as by a chearful difiribution of this worlds wealth, they do indeed but exchange uncertainties, for certain- ties, and fo no fear of lofing by fuch bargains. Yea, they thereby obtains eternal life. Qyelt. Are thengeod works the carafe of eternal life ? .Anfw. Surely No, only they are the means and way of attaining thereto, and in this fenfe, is this phrafe here ufed ; That they may lay hold oneternal if : Having thus (hewed you the occafion of the words ; the logical Refoltttion of them, their finfe andmeaning, I fhould now according tomy accutio:ned method, come to fuch pointsof Dc&rine, which the words do naturally affordunto us ; But I mutt wave them, and fall upon that Q tf ion; or .bee'of confcience,which was given me to handle ; vit. ,eft . Hots, or after what manner, roll wegive Alms, that they may be acceptable, and pleafsng onto God ? In the refólving whereof, I Ihall endeavour to anfwer molt of the cafes of confcìence about alms- giving. Anfw. i. It muli bewithjttfz<ice, giving onlyof our own, whereunto we have a jut right and title, fo much our Saviour implieth in that precept of his, where he faith, Give alm s of fisch ahings às yon have, Luke whereby is not meant, fuch things as aman hath by him ( for one may have another mans things by him) but fuch things as are his own, whereunto he hath a juli title,and undoubted right, whereof he is the lawful proprietor, hath thepower of difpolng chofe things, and thofe only he may lawfully and jut ly give away. This Caveat is very neceffary for many Reafons. r. Becaufe otherwife we full fever mercy from juffice, which fhould alvvaiesgohand in hand, God bath put them together ; Prey. 21.2i. Dan.4.27. and we muli not put them afunder; indeed theyare two links of one and the fame chain, of whichother verrues andgraces are alfoother links ; Somany verrues, fo many links ; Now if one link of a Chainfall off,the whole chain is broken,and down falls that which isdrawn or held up by it : fo we that are held out of the pic of dettru- &ion by the Chains of graces, are in danger to fall into it, ifone grace be violated, and fevered from therea. 2. Bygiving that which is not our own, the excellency and gloryof Charity is loll, of fuch Charity it may be Paid Ichabod, where is the i Sa i.4.11; glory? The glory of Charity confifts in this, that we arewilling to part withour own, and therein to damnifie our felves,for the relief and fuc- cour of others. 245 Ii:. 3. By'

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