A Christian Library, Chapter 29
CHAP. XXIX.
That the merciful man, who distributeth liberally to the poore on Earth, (in conscience and obedience to Gods Word) shall be rewarded with the unvaluable gain, and matchless profit of everlasting salvation, is assured us here, and shall be injoyed of us hereafter. First, at the Hour of Death Secondly, at the day of Iudgement, is fully declared Luke 14.13, 14, 16, 9. Prov. 11.17. 1 Tim. 6.18, 19. Math 5.7. and 6.4: and 19.29. But take these two places for all: Sell that ye have and give almes, (at no hand let the poore want, what shift soever ye make, rather sell then want to give) provide your selves baggs which wax not old, a treasure in the Heavens which faileth not: where no thief approacheth, neither m…h corrupteth, Luke 12.33, 34. this is the first, the second is more full then that. When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy Angells with him: then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory, and before him shall be gathered all Nations, and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats, and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on the left; Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat, I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink, I was a stranger, and ye took me in, naked, and ye cloathed me, I was sick, and ye visited me, I was in prison, and ye came unto me. And in as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me Ma…th. 25.31. to 41.
See here the incomparableness, and infinite difference between the work and the wages! ye admire the love and bounty of God, and bless his name: who for the performance of so small a work, hath proposed so great a reward; and for the obtaining of such an happy estate, hath imposed such an easie task. Here is a Kingdom, even the Kingdom of Heaven, Which cannot be valued with many millions of worlds, in recompence of a little meat, drink, and apparell, who then (that is in his right senses) would not turn all his scraping into giving ▪ yea what can we think too much, what not too little to give to attain eternity? for this incorruptible Crown of glory, 1 Pet. 5.4. & for this Kingdom where are such joyes, as eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entred into the heart of man to conceive, 1 Cor. 2.9. A place where shall no evill be present, nor good absent, Matth. 6.20. In comparison whereof, all the Thrones and Kingdomes upon Earth, are less then the drop of a bucket, I say …0.15. and 66.1. Yea how little, how nothing, are the poore and Temporary Injoyments of this life, to those we shall injoy in the next? 1 Cor. 2.9.
Dost thou desire Beauty, Riches, Honour, Pleasure, Long Life, or what ever else can be named: no place so glorious by creation, so beautifull with delectation, so rich in possession, so comfortable for habitation, nor so durable for lasting, Rom. 8.18. Heb. 12.22. 1 Pet. 1.4. 2 Cor. 4, 17 There, O There, one day is better then a thousand, there is rest from our labours, peace from our Enemies, freedom from our sins, there is no Death nor Dearth, no pining nor repining, no fraud, sorrow, nor sadness, neither tears nor fears, defect nor loathing, Revel. 7.16.17. and 14.13. and 21.4. Iob 3.17. But of this I have spoken at large, in The whole duty of a Christian. Now all this is propounded as a recompence for such as give what they have, have they but a very cup of cold water, Matth. 10.42. Yea we cannot give so little to a disciple in the name of a disciple, but it assures us of our right and title unto this eternall inheritance. Heb. 6.10. Prov. 14.21. Col. 3.12, 14. 2 Pet. 1.7, 8, 10.11. Phil: 4.18. Matth. 5.7. Christ hath promised to make thee a great one in Heaven, if thou but relieve one of his little ones on earth.
Almes is a seed which we cast into the earth as it were, b…t we gather the crop in Heaven. Whence the Apostle would have Timothy to charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the Lord: who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. And that they do good, that they be rich in good workes, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying up in store for themselves (mark his reason) a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternall life, 1 Tim. 6.17, 18, 19. And hereupon it is, that he telleth the Phil…ppians, he was glad that they had sent him a supply: not so much for his own benefit, as for their gain, which should be great in the day of account, Phil. 4.14.17, 18. And this makes Solomon say, that he who is mercifull doth good to his own soul, Prov. 11.17.
So that to distribute to the poore on earth, is before hand to provide a rich treasure in Heaven. And who then that believes this, would not think himself happy in such an exchange? Is not this the best Chimistry to turn Earth into Heaven? is not this a good bargaine to part with vaine and uncertain things, to partake of real and durable riches? Believe it, this is the best improvement, and the most that can be made of these things: Whereupon St. Austin thus exhorts, Si vis esse mercator optimus, faener…tor egregius, da quod non potes retinere, ut recipias quod non poteris amittere; da modicum, ut recipias centuplum, da temporalem possessionem, ut consequaris hereditatem aternam: Wouldest thou be a good Merchant? a great Vsurer? give that thou canst not keep, that thou maist receive that which cannot be lost: Give though but a little, that thou maist receive a thousand sold, give thy earthly goods, that thou maist obtain eternall life, though indeed this giving is rather a receiving then a giving, a receiving of treasure for trash, and for things that cannot be kept, a treasure that cannot be lost, as another hath it: Nor do the poore so much gain by what we give them, as we do, The deeds of the charitable, do far more profit the giver then the receiver, and he who gives an almes doth himself a greater almes. Neither is it so much given as laid up, for we may truly say, what I gave that I have, what I kept that I lost, as one caused it to be set upon his gravestone. What the charitable man gives her…, is but lent, for he shall receive is again by Bill of Exchange in Heaven, and that with unspeakable increase. Yea it shall be a notable advantage to us at the hour of death: for when all other riches shall fail, what we have bestowed this way, shall let us in to heavē: God freely cronwing his own grace in us. Make your selves friends of the Mām… of unrighteousness, that when ye faile, they may receive you into everlasting habitations, Luke 16.9▪ The poore, saith Gregory Nice…, are appointed Porters, to let their rich Benefactors into Heaven. So that to give much, is to keep much; and that what would otherwise be lost by keeping, the charitable man keeps by loosing, And so proves richer under ground, then even he was above it, which makes one say;
He is not wise, who knowing he must hence;
In worldly building, maketh great expence:
But he that buildeth for the world to come,
Is wise, expend he never so great a summe.
And another, he shall depart a beggar out of this world, who sends not a portion of his estate before him, unto eternall b…isse. Nay it manifestly proves, that heaven is none of our Countrey, if we will send none of our wealth thither before us. Or rather, that we thinke Heaven nothing worth, when we will not give a little base pelfe to compasse it.