The Art of Giving, Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII.
Of Tentations concerning care of our Posteritie.Sect. 1.
I But (saith Satan) thou must prouide for thy posterity.Tent. 1 Tim. 5. to leaue them portions, they are neerest thee, &c.
1 Thou shalt best prouide for them by sanctifying thine estate,Conquest. and laying vp for them in the Treasurie of the poore.
2 As also by leauing the care of them to God, in the obedience to his commandement: who eyther will so blesse thy beneficence that thou shalt be able to leaue them sufficient: or if necessary occasion require thy further employing, or the Lord hereby hauehave a purpose to try thy faith: know thou, that the posterity of the faithfull are the Lords portion, and he will see them prouided for abundantly.
3 No Scripture enioyneth vsus to leaue a set portion to our children: that which is implyed thereby is, that wee be not guiltie of neglect and carelesnesse herein.
4 The best patrimony Parents can leaue their children is true Godlinesse. Psal. 37. 26. Psal. 112. 2.
5 And therefore so to prouide for our children, as that wee neglect this principall duety of charity, is to betray our children, and expose them to all misery. Psal. 109.
6 Yea, hereby Parents commit a double sinne. First in not taking a right course for the prouision of his children. Secondly, hereby also he prouoketh his children to esteeme more their earthly, then their heauenly Patrimony, and so with the Cadarens, to preferre their Swine before Iesus Christ.
7 Because the children of rich men are vsually gracelesse, &c. therefore it is farre better to be a father to many Orphanes, or fatherlesse children, in feeding and cherishing them, of Christian louelove and pitie, for the Lords sake, who professeth himselfe a father vntounto them, then to leaue the greatest abundance that may be to such children of a mans owne, as for want of grace shew themselues so lewdly minded, that they will wantonly and vnthriftily spend all that shall be left vntounto them. And therefore it hath beene the practise of many godly Christians to supply for the present, where there hath beene neede in Gods Church. As for their children, they hauehave rather in their life time put them to honest trades, whereby they might be able to liue of themselues, then to leaue them any great portion after their deaths.
8 The summe is, that we know the commandements of God are not contrary to each other: as if because the Lord bids vsus prouide for our families, this did contrary that other commaundement, to distribute to the poore▪ But rather that the one is a meanes to the performance of the other. They both implying frugality, and conscionable cariage in our ciuill callings:Note. by which wee shall be inabled to both these duties, and each of them furthering the other: namely, that in pitying the poore, wee shall prouide for our family, because there is an extraordinary promise of God to such beneficence, and in carefull prouiding for our family, we shall also be moued to relieue the poore: because they are our flesh also, Esay. 58. So that in trueth he doth not prouide truely for his children that respects not the poore: Neyther doth he wisely respect the poore, that is not moued to begin at home, because he cannot continue herein.
But yet Satan replyes further.Sect. 2.
Thou hast Daughters as well as Sonnes:Tent. these will not be preferred without portions, their bringing vp will becostly, &c.
My Daughters vertue and godlinesse shall be her best portion,Resist. which that she may be furnished withall. Her education shall be such, as may humble her, and subdue the corruption of nature: little cost will serue this turne. As for a portion of goods, hee that will hauehave my Daughter shall giuegive mee somewhat for her. So was it among the Iewes, so it was among the Saints. If her vertue will not marry her, a portion will rather marre her marriage: for so long as it lasts, so long shall my daughter be beloued, and it is not my daughter, but her portion that shall be maried.
And seeing my purpose is that my daughter shall hauehave the blessing of mannage, therefore I will rather make choice of a man who will take my daughter for louelove, and if there be louelove, there will be no lacke: and what neede then my portion? Notwithstanding I will respect my daughter in her place. My God shall first be honoured with my substance, and next his poore Saints, my daughter if she stand more in neede then they, shall not want necessary comfort; otherwise she shall depend on the prouidence of God, as I hauehave done, and what is her portion she shall hauehave it in her place.