Catholique divinity: or, The most solid and sententious expressions of the primitive doctors of the Church. With other ecclesiastical, and civil authors: dilated upon, and fitted to the explication of the most doctrinal texts of Scripture, in a choice way both for the matter, and the language; and very useful for the pulpit, and these times. / By Dr. Stuart, dean of St. Pauls, afterwards dean of Westminster, and clerk of the closet to the late K. Charles.

Nemo mala morte unquam moriebatur, qui libenter opera charitatis exer∣cuit.

St. Hieron.

THis the Father with all his read∣ing, and experience verifies. I do not remember to have read that any charitable person ever dyed an evill death; and although a long ex∣perience hath observed Gods mer∣cies to descend upon charitable peo∣ple, like the dew upon Gideons fleece, when all the world was dry; yet for this also wee have a promise which is not onely an argument of a certain number of years, but a security for eternal ages, Luke 16. 9. Make yee friends of, &c. When faith fails, and chastity is useless, and temperance shall bee no more, then charity shall bear you upon wings of Cherubims to the eternal Mountain of the Lord. I have been a lover of mankinde, and a friend, and merciful, and now I expect to communicate in that great kindness, which hee shews that is the great God, and Father of men and mercies, said Cyrus the Persian on

his death-bed. Now I do not mean this should onely bee a death-bed charity, any more than a death-bed repentance, but it ought to bee the charity of our life and healthfull years, a parting of a portion of our goods, then when wee can keep them, when wee cannot then kindle our lights, when wee are to descend into our houses of darkness, or bring a gla∣ring torch suddenly to a dark room that will amaze the eye, and not de∣light it, or instruct the body; but if our rapers have in their constant course descended into their grave, crowned all the way with light, then l••t the death-bed charity be doubled, and the light burn brightest when it is to deck our Herse.