A Christian Library, Chapter 39
CHAP. XXXIX.
But ala… the rich worldling takes a quite contrary course: for either he never does any good at all, or if he do, it is at his death. The miserly Muckworms manner is, never to be liberall till he dies, never to forsake, or leave his goods, untill his goods leave and forsake him. Being like the Muckhill, that never does good till carried out: or the fat ho… that is good for nothing till he comes to the knife: or the poor mans boxe, that yeelds no money till broken up. Like a tree that lets fall none of his fruit, till he be forc'd by death, or violently shaken by sicknesse: And then perhaps he may thinke upon the poore, and par… with something to relieve them. As sometimes, after he hath instead of feeding the bellies of the poor, grownd their faces by usury, extorting, wracking, inclosing, and halfe undoing whole Villages; he liberally relieves some few at his death, and befriends them with the plaisters of his bounty, which is no other then to steale a Goose, and sticke down a feather; rob a thousand to relieve ten. Or rather as the Iewes bought a burying place for strangers with the blood of Christ: so he build… an Almes…house, or Hospitall for the Children, with their Fathers bones.
Nor is that out of conscience, or love to the poore, but rather he thinkes by this, and a piece of Marble, to raise his name, and revive his credit, which h… had long since lost, though it no whit avails him with men of judgement.
Again, he thinkes that a little almes will make amends for a great deal of injustice. But this pleaseth God, like the offering of Cain, or as that of Nadab and Abihu, when they offered strange fire unto the Lord, Levit. 10. For certainly, as the Lord would not in the law receive as an offering the price of a dog, or the hire of a whore, so it is no going about to corrupt God with presents, and call him to take part of the spoyle, which he hath gotten by fraudulent meanes, and extortion. No, he that offereth to the Lord of the goods of the poor, is as he that sacrificeth the sonne in the sight of the Father, Eccl. 3.4.
Yea …ven Plato an Heathen could say, Neither the gods nor honest men will accept the offerings of a wicked man. Nay, a generous Ro…an would scorne to have his life given him by such a sordid Pinch gut. As when Sylla the Dictator had condemned to death all the Inhabitants of Per…za, pardoning none but his Host, he would needs dye also, saying, he scorned to hold his life of the murtherer of his Countrey, as Appian relates. And for my part, I had rather endure some extremity, then to be beholding to the almes of Avarice. He that overvalues what he gives, never thinks he hath thanks enough; and I had better shift hardly, then owe to an insatiable creditor.
Now herein is the difference between grace, and corrupt nature: the Christian exerciseth himselfe in the works of mercy, in the whole course of his life, and giveth his goods to the poor, while he might enjoy them himself: but the wordling is only liberal at the approach of death, and then alone he is content to employ them this way, when as he seeth he can keep them no longer. And that not out of love towards God, or the poor, but out of feare of approaching judgement▪ and that dreadfull account which he must presently make before a just and terrible Judge: Or out of self-love, either that he may gaine the vain glory of the world, or that he may satisfie for his sins, and so escape eternall condemnation. In which respect he giveth to the poor, and casts his bread upon the face of the waters, as the Merchant casts his goods into the sea in time of a storme, to preserve the ship from sinking, and himselfe from drowning. For were he not in danger to make shipwrack of his soul, and of sincking into the gulfe of hell, and condemnation, he would be no more liberall at his death, then he hath always been in the whole course of his life.
But what do I speak of his being liberall a… the approach of Death? for not one of a thousand of these ever entertain such a thought. Yea, they love all the world so little, that if it were possible, they would with Hermocrates, make themselves their owne Executors, and bequeath their goods to none else. As he that gives not till he dies, shewes that he would not give if he could help it; and so it appears by their not parting with it, till they be plucked from it: For to give when they dye, and when they can keep it no longer, is not worth thanks, it is not in some sense their own to bestow, but rather to be liberall of that which is indeed none of their own, but other mens. Neither will God then accept of it, or hereafter reward it; which proves the covetous man no less foolish, then wicked; for as one light carried before us, does us more good then many that are brought after: so does a ltitle given in a mans lifetime, more benefit him, then thousands at the hour of death. Because what the charitable man gives while he is alive and in health he shall carry with him being dead; whereas the uncharitable man shall leave his gold behind him, but carry the guilt with him into everlasting fire. So that Misers may fitly be likened to the Mules of Princes, that go all day laden with treasure, and covered with gay cloaths; and at night, after a tedious and wearisome journey, their treasure is taken from them, and they shaken off into a sorry stable, much galled and bruised wit… the carriage of those treasures, their galled backs on…ly left unto themselves: For after all these mens toyle and slavery, what they have shall be taken from them, and they turned off with their wounded consciences, to that loathsome and irksome stable of hell and damnation. Wherefore, he that hath either grace or wit, will make … owne hands his Executors, and his eyes his Overseers. Nor are we … of Christs fold (but goats and swine) if we do not benefit others more in our lives, then by our deaths.