The excellent Nature of Liberality. Rules to be observed in the practice of it. Regard to our Servants, Relations, Friends and Neighbours must be had in our Liberality, as well as to the Poor and Needy. How our external acts of Charity ought to be improved for the benefit of mens Souls. Liberality maketh Religion real and substantial.

LIBERALITY, in the common use and acceptation of the Word, differs from Magnificence, as Modesty from Magnanimity. There is much of liberty and freedom in its Nature. For Avarice is a strict and sour Vice, and they that are guilty of it are called Misers; but a Bountiful man hath a good eye and is as free from Anxiety, as he is free in disbursing. His Communicative humor is much his enlargement: he knows little of Confinement, Care or Bondage.

THERE are two Vertues that endanger a Mans welfare in this World; and they have all the Temporal Promises. Meekness seems to encourage our Enemies to trample us under feet, because it promiseth Impunity: And it is directly said The Meek shall inherit the Earth: nay be so far from having Enemies, that the Meek shall inherit the abundance of Peace. And concerning Liberality which makes a man a Beggar, at least threatens to make him so, by wasting his Estate, the Scripture saith, The Liberal Soul shall be made fat. The Liberal Soul shall be made fat. The Liberal Heart desviseth liberal things, and by liberal things shall he stand.

MEN are almost in all things contrary to GOD. For since they tumbled out of Eden, they have lost their wits, and their heads are downwards: They think it wisdom to keep their Mony against a rainy day: and to lay it up for fear of Poverty. But Solomon adviseth them to the direct contrary, and maketh it an Argument why they should be Liberal, Becaus they know not what evil may come upon the Earth. We cannot put our Treasures into safer hands, than into GOD Almighty’s: Nor can we make any use of Gold and Silver, comparable to that of Charitable uses. By this it is that we lay up a good foundation against the time to come; and oblige others to receive us into Mansions here, into everlasting habitations hereafter.