A practical discourse upon charity in its several branches and of the reasonableness and useful nature of this great Christian virtue / by Edward Pelling ...

XI.

11. The Eleventh Character of Charity is, that it Rejoyceth not in Iniquity: Which may admit of a Twofold Interpretation, and each very consistent with the other. The one is, That Charitable Men are far from taking Pleasure in the

Sins and Impieties which a Neigh∣bour committeth. The next is, That they are far too from being delighted in the Calamities which a Neighbour suffers by another's Iniquity. Whether St. Paul in∣tended both these Things here, I cannot tell; perhaps he might mean both in a few Words: How∣ever, because both are great Pro∣perties of Charity, and the latter is not distinctly mentioned else∣where in this Chapter, I shall here take occasion to speak something of both in their Order.

1. The first and most received Interpretation is, That Charity teacheth us, to be far from being Pleased and Delighted with the Sins and Iniquities we see other Men commit. There are some of that Base and Inhumane Dispo∣sition,

that what to all Pious Souls is a Torment, and a kind of Hell, is to them a Paradise; to hear ill Things of other Men, especially of those they have no Kindness for; that they may have a colourable Pretence to Defame and Depress them, to bring them into Dan∣gers, and to use them Contume∣liously; and that they may ren∣der themselves the better Men (as they think) in the Esteem of the World. Such were those Jews, Jer. 20. 10, I heard, saith the Pro∣phet, the Defaming of many; fear on every side: Report, say they, and we will report it: All my fami∣liars watched for my halting, saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him; and we shall take our Revenge on him. Meaning, that they wish'd and sought for ways how to dis∣cover

some Miscarriages or other in him, that they might proceed against him, and punish him in the Sanhedrim. People of such a Temper are most highly Unchari∣table, and resemble the very De∣vil, who makes it his business to tempt Men to Sin, and delights to bring the greatest Evil upon us, the Hurt and Ruine of our Souls; nay, to have God himself Disho∣noured by us.

A Spirit of Charity teacheth us to Grieve and Mourn at anothers Sins, though he be an Enemy; because every Soul God hath made, is Precious; and the more Precious, because it is Immortal; and its Case is thereby the sadder when it drops into the Pit, where the Worm dieth not, nor is the Fire to be quenched. This we should consider, and lay seriously

to Heart, when we see or hear of any of those Iniquities; Fornica∣tion, Adultery, Theft, Covetous∣ness, Drunkenness, Revellings, Strife, Sedition, Heresies, Envyings, Mur∣ders, and the like; of which St. Paul expresly tells us, That they who do such Things, shall not inherit the Kingdom of God, Gal. 5. 21. None are so to be pitied as such Workers of Iniquity, how pro∣sperous and flourishing soever their Condition may seem to be here; even for that too they are to be pitied, because God setteth them in flippery Places; and when they fall, they fall into Per∣dition, without God's immediate Help; which yet he hath no where promised without their Re∣pentance. And when Men are just going, Repentance is com∣monly too late, because it hath

no time to be fruitful, and is sel∣dom true. Considering therefore that our own Charity to such will then be too late also, we should shew it them in time; do them Good while we have an Oppor∣tunity; while it is called to Day; while it is yet our Hour, and the Day of Salvation. Our Bowels should yern upon a Brother, as Joseph's did upon his Brother Ben∣jamin, Gen. 43. and we should re∣tire, as he did, into our Cham∣ber, and weep there: Weep and Mourn for the Sin now acted, and earnestly Pray for the Pardon of it; and with the United Assistance of an Holy Example, Kind Re∣proofs, and Charitable Counsels, we should endeavour to recover the Miserable Wretch out of the Snares of the Devil; if peradven∣ture God will be pleased to give

him Repentance in time. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I burn not? Said that great Lover of Souls, St. Paul, 2 Cor. 11. 29. This is fervent Charity indeed, to be Passionately Afflicted, to be on a Fire, for the Crimes and Offences of others; 'tis like the Charity of the Ten∣der-hearted Jesus, that melted him into Tears, when he beheld that perverse and bloody City; O Je∣rusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the Prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy Children toge∣ther, as an Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings, and ye would not, Luke 13. 34.

2. But (as I said) there is ano∣ther Interpretation yet of these Words, Rejoyceth not in Iniquity:

It is St. Chrysostom's; and I like it the rather, because it is his; viz. That Charitable Men are far from Rejoycing at the Calamity of those that Suffer, especially that wrong∣fully Suffer by means of another's Iniquity. To Triumph and Dance upon a Ruined Neighbour, to Laugh at his Adversity, to ex∣press Delight, as those Men did at David's Misfortunes, There, there, so would we have it: This is a sore Evil, a very horrible Viola∣tion of Charity, which obligeth us to Rejoyce with them that Re∣joyce, and to Weep with them that Weep, Rom. 12. 15. That is, to Sympathize with our Brethren in every State and Condition.

This carrieth its own Light with it. Now, for our Practice of this Matter, we must be careful to do two Things.

First, We must construe the Dispensations of Providence after a fair and kind manner. This is not a Place or Time for Rewards; those are laid up for us in Hea∣ven: The present Life is for Trials and Discipline, to Train us up, and to Prepare us for a Blessed Eternity, by such ways as God seeth best, and fittest for us. Many times Good Men fare Ill in this World, as well as the Bad, and sometimes worse; because in some cases they can do themselves and others much more Good by their Hardships, than it is possible for them to do by any other means. Therefore we should not look upon the ill Usages Men meet with here as Arguments, either of Displeasure in God, or of Wicked∣ness in his poor Suffering Crea∣tures;

But as so many Dispensa∣tions of God's Wisdom and Good∣ness, who acteth after his own way, which is always for the best. Consequently, to trample upon one in Distress, and to exult over him, as if he were out of the Divine Favour, because his Case is hard; is both Uncharitableness towards the Man, and Irreligion towards God too; whose Pro∣ceedings are always Wise and Good, though many times Myste∣rious, till the Event opens the Meaning of them. God doth nothing in vain. As he is Good, and never grieves the Children of Men, but for good Purposes; so he is Just and Righteous too, and never spares the Workers of Ini∣quity but for good Purposes also: For their Repentance, if they will be led to it; if not, for the full

manifestation of their Sins, and for his own Honour and Glory in the end, by making them Exam∣ples to the World. Therefore, saith our Apostle, judge nothing before the time, till the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hid∣den things of Darkness, and will make manifest the Counsels of the Hearts; and then shall every Man have Praise of God, 1 Cor. 4. 5.

The Second Thing we are to be careful of is, To help those who want the Assistance of Cha∣ritable Hands; those that Suffer by the Hand of Iniquity; those that are Oppressed with Wrong. When the Apostle saith, Charity rejoyceth not in Iniquity, or in Men's Sufferings by Iniquity, there is much more intended, than what is Literally express'd. Charitable

Men must shew their Grief for those Sufferings, by Relieving and Aiding the Sufferers. Prosperity hath Friends enough; if we may call them Friends, who Congra∣tulate and Caress us, while we are able to Reward them, or to do them Service. But if Job be cast upon the Dunghil, or Christ be brought near the Cross; the one is forsaken of his Acquain∣tance, and the other of his very Disciples. 'Tis Adversity that shews the real, the fast Friend; and then is our Time to express our Charity, when another wants it, whether Friend, or Enemy; by endeavouring to Relieve him that Suffers by Iniquity: For if we use not our Endeavours for his Deliverance, it is to be sup∣posed, that we are well enough pleased with his Condition; well

enough satisfied, though he con∣tinue in it. And is this Charity? That Active, Generous, Restless Virtue, that knows no Bounds, but Impossibilities? That Chri∣stian Grace, which is ready to offer up Life it self? That God∣like Spirit, which is made up of Goodness, Mercy, and Love? No, no: Charity Befriendeth all, doeth Good to all, extendeth Re∣lief and Compassion to all; to him that Suffers, and even to those that do the Wrong; to those that seek Counsel against the Just, and gnash upon him with their Teeth, Psal. 37. 12. Their Case is to be Pitied indeed, because their Day is coming; the Day, when God will render to every Man according to his VVorks: To them who by pa∣tient continuance in well doing, seek for Glory, and Honour, and Immor∣tality,

God will give Eternal Life. But to those who are Contentious, and do not obey the Truth, but obey Ʋnrighteousness, he will render In∣dignation and VVrath, Tribulation and Anguish, upon every Soul of Man that doeth Evil, Rom. 2. 6, 7, 8, 9.