v9fter what manner muff we giveAlms, Serm. Y 1. in Alms-giving, to be bountiful in contributing to the relief to he poor. For it is a moll certain truth, that giving to thepoor, is the fairest and fe+ef way of getting. For though Hilsband-men may fom, times tote the benefit of their feed fown, through mill-dews,or unfeáfon--b1e wea- ther ; and fuch as pur their money co ufe may come ihorc of their prin- cipal : yet he who with an honefl, and sincere heart giveth to the poor, (hall in no wife lofe his reward. For as the Wife-man fr.eaketh, There is that fcattereth, and yet encreafeth, Prov.i 1.z4. intimatingunto us, that this iCattering is thebell way of encreafing. And indeed fo is is, for path not our Saviour promifed, That if wegive, it (hall begiven 4suto ass, gsod rr, e fare prefect down, andfhaken together? HereGod gives us as it were, a bill of his hand, and enters into bond, and becomes Surety with the poor, that what we give llzall be repayed with advan- tage. This is a Paradox to worldlymen, that giving fhould Ee thefurefl andfafefl way of getting and encreafing, yer nothing more clearly laid down in the Scripture, and found to be true by the experienceof Gods People. 4. Thefourth Motive and Inducement is the damage robich may eu< frsesspon the negleil of Alms-giving. Though it argue a kind of fervile difpoficion to be moved with fear of lofs or gain, to a duty ; yet of that difpofition are many ; and in that refpea this may be added as an In- ducement to the Duty. The damage char may arife upon thene iea of Charity, when ir ought to be tlaewed, is in the kind thereof as large, as the fore-men- tioned benefits of pe;forming the duty, in the kind of ir. For neglea of the Duty cloth nor only caufe a forfeiture of all the fore mentionedbenefits arifing from theperformance thereof, butalfo pulled) upon the negIeaers head, many evils. Where the Wife-man faith, The merciful man, clothgoodto his ownfoul; he addeth, bait he that is crated, troubleth his own fefh. Soul and Flefh are the two efl'ential parts of a man ; both the one and the other are Synechdochically put for the whole man ; even for theperfon. By a cruel man, is meant an unmer- ciful, or hard- hearted man ; for he is oppofed to a merciful man. The meaning then of this Proverb is this; Asa merciful man loth good, nor only CO his poor brother, to whom he íheweth mercy, but allo to himfelf : So an hard-hearted man dochnot only grieve his difirefled neighbour in affording himno fuccour, but alto brings much damage to himfelf. For he that with-holdeth more than is cruet, cometh to poverty. With-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=