Ver; 3 5, 3 6. xxvth Chapter of St. MA TT FI E w. 177 thing, and puts us to no Charges. Alms is an expenfrve Duty ; here is fomething parted with, and that upon Reafons of Faith : Ecclef ie. I. Gag thy Bread upon the Waters ; for thou /halt find it after many Dayes. Prov. 19. 1 7. He that bath pity up- -on the Poor, lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he givetb them, will he pay it again. (5.) Chrilt would hereby reprefent the Excellency of Charity, and commend it co. the Covetous, niggardly World. 'Tis the Duty, wherein we do very much refem- ble God and Chrelt : And all his Followers should be like him. Thefe are all Works of God: To Feed the Hungry, Cloath the Naked, Vifrt the Sick;. we imitate him 'in this ; are Inftruments of his Providence. Mercy is a very lovely.thing, an imi- tation of the Divine Nature. Our Lord told us, Alf. 20. 35. 'tis amore blefed thing to give, than to receive. It conseth neareft the Nature of God: So Chrift himfelf went about doing Good, and healing all that were oxpreffed. And by Helpfulnefs -to others, we do very much refemble Chrift. I cannot exclude this', fence Mercy, is mentioned only. I V. A Fourth Doubt is this, That all cannot exprefs their Love and Self-denyal this way ; fome are fo very, poor and miferable. I Anfwer, r. All muff have that Faith, which will work by Love : Gal. 5. 6. For in 7efus Chrilt neither Circumcifon availeth any thing, nor'`Uncircumcifion ; but Faith, which work - erh by Love : And Self-denyal, which fome way or other muff be expreffed ; Matth. 16. 24. Then Paid Jefus unto his D fciples, If any Man will come after me, let him de- ny himfelf, and take up his Cy-Ifs, and follow me: By denying the Eafe of the Flefh,. -if not the Interef 'rs of it to be ferviceable in' their Place, whatfoever it be. 2. Though fome be fò needy themfelves, that they cannot death the Naked, or feed the Hungry ; yet they may vift theSick, refort to fuch as are in Prifon. Every one, in fome kind or other, may be the Obje& of his Neighbours Charity ; fo may every one be either the Inftrument, or Agent in the doing of it : The Rich may Rand in need of the Help, or Prayers of the Poor ; and the Poor of the Boun- ty of the Rich. If we have an Heart to part with all for Chrilt, we have that Faith which will carry away the Price of Gofpel - Priviledges. All muft have fuch a Value for ChM Ft, fee fuch an Excellency in the World to come, that they have an Heart and Difpofition to part with all, rather than quit the Profeffion of the Gofpel, or- negleft the Duties thereof, Math. r 3. 44, 45 Thefe things premifed ; I come now to obferve thefe Points : Firft, That at the General yudgment. all Men ¡hall receive their Doom, or fudgment ¡hall be pronounced according to their Works. For Chrift produceth Works both -in the Sentence of Abfolution and Condem- nation. Secondly, That Chrf bath fo ordered his Providence about his Members, that fome of them are expo/ed to Neceties and Wants ; others in a Capacity to relieve them. Thirdly, That Works of Charity done out of Faith, ant( Love to Christ, are of greater weight and confequence, than the World ufual) taketh them to be. Other Points may be raifed, but to thefe Three all the reft may be reduced. I. That at the general yudgment, all Men ¡hall receive their Doom, or judgment ¡ball be pronounced according to their Works. Of the Wicked there is no doubt, but that they (hall receive according to their Works ; they. Rand on their own Bottom ; their Works deferve Punifhment ; their Doom and Sentence is juf£ified by their Works. But for the Godly, 'tis alfo true, that Life Everlafting (hall be awarded, Secundam opera, non propter Opera. Not that this Kingdom is by Right due to us for our Works ; but the Righteoufnefs of the A a Sentence
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