CHAP. XLIV. (Book 44)
AND so much of the means enabling to this duty: Now of the ends we are to propound to our selves in the doing of it, wherein I wil be brief.
Fourthly, As our Alms or Works of mercy, should flow from faith, obedience, charity, mercy, unfeigned love; &c. which are proper onely to true belie∣vers, and such as in Christ are first accepted; (be∣cause as a woman that abides without an Husband, all her fruit is but as an unlegitimate birth; So until we be marryed to Christ, all our best works are as bastards; and no better then shining sins, or beautiful abomina∣tions, as the Apostle telleth us, Heb. 11. 6. Rom. 14, 23.) So our aim and end must be, the glory of God, the good of our brethren, who are refreshed with our Alms, the adorning of our Profession with these fruits of Piety, the edification of others by our good ex∣ample, the stopping of the mouths of our Adversaries,