A Christian Library, Chapter 52
CHAP. LII.
AGain secondly, if Bounty be the best and surest way to Plenty; If such Gain comes by giving; If this be the onelyonly way to have our Barns filled, and our Presses to burst with abundance; If by giving to the poor for Christs sake, our riches shall encrease and multiply, like the Widows handful of meal, or those Loaves and Fishes in the Gospel, and that the more wee give, the more wee have: That liberallity will make a man lastingly rich, as having Gods Word that such shall never want: If we can no way be so liberal to our selves, as by giving to the poor, and in them to the possessor of all things; It should methinks make rich men of all others, put the same in practice, since they are all for gain, and looking after commoditie; all for treasuring up, all for themselves, all for riches, it being their onelyonly summum bonum; For no such way to encrease their Estates, or benefit themselves, can ever be found out; this wil do it above what they are able any other way, or what they were ever yet acquainted with: How then should it take with them? How should it not whet them on, and make them put the same in practise? For should you rich men plot and break your brains to study and contrive all the dayes of your lives how you may do your selves the greatest good, this is the onelyonly way.
It is fabled of Midas, that whatsoever he touched, it was turned into Gold; but it may more truly be so said of the hand of Charity; for that turneth a Cup of cold Water into a never failing Mine of Gold: As thus; if we but sow the seed of our Beneficence, we shall not onelyonly reap an earthly crop, but have also an heavenly harvest, which wil never fail us; it wil return unto us a double Harvest, the crop of all temporal and spiritual benefits in this life, and of everlasting blessedness in the life to come. This is the true Philosophers Stone, yea it exceeds by far, all that any report of it. For the Lord will repay and reward us, not onelyonly with the true Treasure of spiritual graces, and eternal glory; but stooping to our infirmity, even multiply and pay us with our own mony also, even with the coyn of worldly blessings, which is so currant among us. And what greater gain can be imagined, then to change Earth for Heaven, transitory trifles for eternal treasures, the bread of men for the bread of Angels, rotten rags for glorious robes, and a little drink, yea a cup of cold water (if the Well or River be our best Celler) for the Water of Life, which will infinitely delight and satisfie us, without glutting or satiety. Then is our Saviours words, Luke 12.33. worth harkening to of all rich men, where he saith; Give alms, provide your selves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. And indeed it being so, a man would think there needed no pressing, or perswading any to this duty, that have either grace or wit; for who does not wish well to himself and his? and yet no duty more neglected; insomuch that I can never enough admire! the little Charity of most rich men in these daies, or pity their simplicity. For the want of Charity is the strongest conviction of folly that can be. Nor were it possible they should be so close-fisted, if they were not as barren of Wit, as they abound in wealth▪ As observe but the depth of such an one, he buies a Lease of seven years, with an Inheritance that is everlasting.
There can be nothing more strange in my judgment, then that covetous men, who are all for themselves, and for gain, should so neglect the greatest gain and interest, (with infallible security) that ever was heard of! But Solomon gives the reason, Prov. 17.16. for what he speaks there of a Fool, is more true of a Covetous & Uncharitable Rich man; He hath a price put into his hand, but he wants an heart to make use thereof. As O the brave opportunities such have! to be happy, and to make their seed happy here, and much more hereafter, if they were wise, and did but truly love themselves, and their precious souls. Whereas now like fools and mad men, they will needs be more miserable then thousands that want those blessings, wherein they abound: yet so foolish and mad are most rich men, as common experience does too wel teach us: As, wil they not lend a man on his Bond for six in the hundred? sooner then accept God's hundred for one, ensured on a Word so firm, that one Iota of it shal not perish in the general fire of heaven and earth; and how could this be? were not these words of Christ, Matth. 25.41. to the end ▪ and the great day, together with the signs of God's love manifested on the Cross, a meer tale that is told, and of no concernment to us. But