A sanctuary for the tempted: being a discourse on Christ's friendly admonition to Peter Wherein the fall and rising of Peter, is at large considered: the craft, potency, and malice of Satan (that arch-enemy of our salvation) discovered: his various wiles. stratagems and machinations invalidated: several choice and excellent Gospel-truths handled, and cleared (from the calumnies and objections of gainsayers.) ... Delivered in sundry sermons, at first; and now, published for the benefit of God's church in general. To which is added, four sermons, preach'd upon sacramental occasions. By Thomas Powel, preacher of the Gospel, and one, whom Satan hath winnowed.

SECT. III.

Thirdly, Do much for others, in Succouring and Relieving them, both with Respect to Body and Soul. Here are Poor Saints: Some want Food; some Cloathing; some Lodging; some Money. You now that are Able, should follow Iob's Exam∣ple.

I have not with-held the Poor from their Desire, nor caused the Eyes of the * 1.1 Widow to fail; nor Eaten my Morsel alone, but the Fatherless hath Eaten of it also. Neither have I seen any to Perish for want of Cloathing, or any Poor without Covering. But his Loins

have Blessed me, and he was warmed with the Fleece of my Sheep. The Stranger did not Lodge in the Street; but I opened my Door to the Travel∣ler.

Let us therefore Feed the Hungry, * 1.2 give Drink to the Thirsty, Lodge the Harbourless, Cloath the Naked, Vi∣sit the Sick and Imprisoned. Let us imitate Tabitha, to make Coats and Garments for Widows. There is no∣thing lost by doing our Duty: An Estate may be ‖ 1.3 Imparted, yet not Im∣pared. Has God let the Candle of Prosperity to Shine upon thee? Light then thy Neighbour that is in the Dark, and thou shalt not by it have the less Light thy self. What-ever is Disbursed to Pious Uses, God doth bring it in some other way; as the Loaves in breaking Multiplied, or as the ** 1.4 Window's Oyl Increased by pour∣ing out.

Let us put on Bowels of Mercy, and be ready to Indulge the Miseries and Necessities of others:

Be ye Merciful, as your Father also is Merciful. * 1.5

Our Fingers should drop with the Myrrhe of Liberality. Augustine sayes excellently; * 1.6 Give those Things to the Poor which you cannot keep, that you may Receive those Things which you cannot lose.

St. Ambrose calls Charity the Sum of Christianity; and the Apostle makes it the very Definition of Religion. Iam 1. ult.

Pure Religion, and Undefiled before God, and the Father, is this, To Visit the Fatherless, and the Widows in their Affliction.

Without doubt, such that are † 1.7 Cruel to the Poor, do Unchristian themselves. Unmercifulness is the Badge of Heathenism; but Merciful∣ness is the Badge of ‖ 1.8 Christianity.

To abound in Works of Mercy, is to be Diffusively Good; and to be Diffusively Good, is the great End of

our Creation. Eph. 2. 10.

Created in Christ Jesus to Good Works.

He that doth not answer his End in Respect of Usefulness, shall not enjoy his End in Respect of Happi∣ness. Every Creature answers the End of its Creation; The Star Shines, the Bird Sings, and the Plant Bears: Besides, we our selves Live upon Charity. We go a Begging to the Creation: One Creature gives us Wool, another Oyl, and another Silk. Nay, shall I tell you, concerning this Duty of Charity, or ‖ 1.9 Alms-Giving, you may take notice of these Things: 1. No Duty more Commanded, than this of Charity. 2. No Duty more Commended and Extolled, than this. 3. No Duty hath more Choice and Precious † 1.10 Promises annexed to it, than this. 4. No Duty tends more to the proselyting and making others

to Embrace our Religion, than this. 5. No one Duty hath greater Re∣wards attending it, than this.

I have met with a Notable Story to this Purpose, which I shall here Relate; wishing, that it might have the same Effect, as upon some it hath had: The Story is this.

Synesius, a Good Bishop of Cyrene, laboured much, and a long Time with one Evagrius, an Heathen Philoso∣pher, to Convert him to the Christi∣an Faith, but all in vain: The Phi∣losopher still objecting, That the Chri∣stian Religion Taught many strange and improbable Things: Among others;

That he that hath Pity on the Poor, Lendeth to the Lord; and, He that Giveth to the Poor and Needy, shall have Treasure in * 1.11 Heaven, and shall Receive an Hundred Fold from Christ; toge∣ther * 1.12 with Eternal Life.

Things (saith he) to be Derided, rather, than Believed. The good Bi∣shop

notwithstanding ceased not to Travel with him: Assuring him by ma∣ny Arguments, That these Things were True; and at last prevailed: So that * 1.13 the Philosopher, and all his Children were Baptized. A while after he com∣eth to Synesius, and bringeth with him Three Hundred Pounds of Gold for the Poor: Bids him take the same; but would have a Bill under his Hand, that Christ should Repay it him in another World. Synesius took the Money for the Poor, and gave him such a Bill under his Hand, as he desired. After∣wards, the Philosopher being near his Death, commanded his Sons; That when they Buried him, they should put Synesius Bill into his Hand in the Grave, * 1.14 which they did. The Third Day after he was Buried, the Philosopher seemed to appear to Synesius in the Night; and said to him: [

Come to my Sepulchre, where I lye, and take thy Bill; for I have Received the Debt, and am satisfied: which for thy As∣surance, I have Subscribed it with mine own Hand.

] The Bishop not well knowing the Meaning hereof, sent to

his Sons; who told him all. Where∣upon taking them, and the Chief Men of the City with him, he went to the Grave, and found the Paper in the Hand of the Corps, thus Subscribed: [Ego Evagrius Philosophus, tibi San∣ctissimo Domino Synesio Episcopo salutem: Accepi debitum in his li∣teris manu tua conscriptum, ‖ 1.15 satis∣factumque mihi est; & nullum con∣tra te habeo jus propter aurum quod dedi tibi, & per te Christo, Deo & Salvatori nostro.] That is;

I E∣vagrius the Philosopher, to the most Holy Sir, Bishop Synesius, greeting: I have Received the Debt, which in * 1.16 this Paper is written with thy Hand; and I am satisfyed: and I have no Action against thee for the Gold which I gave thee, and by thee to Christ, our God and Saviour.

Whence plainly it appears, That the Seeds of our Liberality shall have an Harvest of Happiness. Eccles. 11. 1, 2.

Cast thy Bread upon the Face of the

† 1.17 Waters; for thou shalt find it after many Dayes.

I have dwelt the longer here, be∣cause the Love of many has waxed Cold.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Job 31. 16.—21.
• * 1.2

  Mercy even to the Bruit Creatures shall prolong, our Dayes; much more then Mercy unto Men.
• ‖ 1.3

  Prov. 11. 25. The Liberal Soul shall be made Fat.
• * 1.4

  † 1 Kings 17. 16.
• * 1.5

  Luk. 6. 36.
• * 1.6

  Da quod non potes retinere, ut accipias quod non potes amit∣tere.
• † 1.7

  Dives de∣nyed Laza∣rus a Crumb of Bread, & Dives was denyed a Drop of Water.
• ‖ 1.8

  O that it might not be said of Christi∣ans now a-dayes, as it was of an Emperor, that had a Large Empire, but a narrow, scamy Heart! Augustum imperium, angustum animum.
• ‖ 1.9

  There are Two sorts of Sacrifices; Expiatory, the Sacrifice of Christ's Blood; and Gratulato∣ry, the Sa∣crifice of Alms.
• † 1.10

  Eleemosy∣na non est di∣vitiarum dis∣pendium, sed ditescendi potius compendium, quaestus{que} omnium uberrimus. Giving Alms is not the way to Waste our Wealth, but the Art of Thriving; & the most Compendious Course to come unto Riches.
• * 1.11

  Terrena servando a∣mittimus, largiendo servamus. Isidor.
• * 1.12

  Our Earth∣ly Goods are lost by keep∣ing, and kept by giving a∣way.
• * 1.13

  It is report∣ed of Cy∣rus, that he should say; That by do∣ing Good, he hoarded up Riches for himself.
• * 1.14

  Blessed Mr. Bradford counted that Time lost, wherein he did not some Good by his Tongue, Pen or Purse.
• ‖ 1.15

  Our Alms-Deeds shall be Rewarded with Perma∣nent Bles∣sings.
• * 1.16

  Quae stulti∣tia est illic relinquere, unde exitu∣rus es: & il∣luc non prae∣mittere quo iturus es? Chrysost. in Matth. 6.
• † 1.17

  One of our Translations have Waters for Wet Fa∣ces; signify∣ing, that Poor Men do oft-times Weep.