SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 351. How easy were it with them to refresh men's bodies, and to do very much for the saving souls; to relieve the poor; to set their children to.trades ; to ease the oppressed!, How easy to maintain two or three poor scholars at the universities, for the service of the church ! But I hear but a few that do ever the more in it, except three or four of my friends in these parts. Let me further tell you, Goddoth not leave it to them as an indifferent thing; Matt. xxv. They must feed Christ in the poor, or else starve in hell themselves; they must clothe naked Christ in the poor, or be laid naked in his fiery. indignation forever. How much more dili- gently, then, must they help men's souls, and the church of Christ, as the need is greater, and the work better ! O, the blinding power of riches ! O, the easiness of man's heart to be deluded !. Do rich men never think to lie rotting in the dust? Do they never think that theymust beaccountable for all their riches, and for all their time, andpower, and interests ? Do they not know that it will comfort them at death and judgment, to hear in their reckoning, Item, so much given to such and such poor; so much to promote the gos- pel ; so much to maintain poor scholars, while they study to pre- pare themselves for the ministry? &c. than to hear, So much in such a feast; to entertainsuch gallants ; toplease such noblefriends ; so much at dice, at cards, at horse-races, at cock-fights ; so much in excessof apparel; and the rest to leave my posterity in the like pomp ? Do theynot know that it will comfort them more to hear, then, of their time spent in reading Scripture, secret and open prayer; instructing and examining their children and servants; going to their poor neighbors' houses to see what theywant, and to per- suade them to godliness ; and in being examples of eminent holi- ness to all ; and in suppressing vice, and doing justice, than to hear of so much time spent in vain recreations, visits, luxuries, and idle- ness? O, deep unbelief and hardness of heart, that makes gen- tlemen that they tremble not to think ofthis reckoning ! Well, let me tell both them and all men, that if they knewbut either their indis- pensable duty of doing good, that lieth on them, or how necessary and sure,a way (in subordination to Christ) this act of doing good is for the soul's peace and consolation, they would study it better, and practice it more faithfully than now they do: they would then be gladof an opportunity to do good, for their own gain, as well as for God's honor, and for the love of good itself. They would know, that lending to the Lord is the only thriving usury ; and that no part of all their time, riches, interest in men, power, or honors, will be then comfortable to them, but that which was laid out for God; and they will one day find, that Godwill not take up with the scraps of their time and riches, which their flesh can
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