190 SERMONS upon the SERM.XXIII. keeping the Corn by him : a Cor. 9. 6. He which foweth fparingly, ¡hall reap fÿaringly ;- and he which foweth bountifully, ¡hall reap bountifully. Deut. r ç. so. When thou give/t to thy poor Brother, the Lord thy God ¡hall biefs thee in all thy- works, and in all that thou putteft thy hand unto: All yctr works of Mercy and. Liberality (hall be abun- dandy repay'd ; Luk. 6. 36. Give, and it ¡hall be given to you, good meafure, !relied down, fhaken together and running over. But above all, Prov. x9. t 7. He that giveth to the Poor, , lendeth to the Lord ; that which he hash given, he ¡hall pay him again.' If you would put out your Money to the beft advantage, lend it to the Lord ; the Intereft íhá11 be infinitely greater than the Principal : What better Security than God's ? He is a Pure Pay - Matter, and he will pay them to the full, great Increafe for all that heborroweth ; an hundred for one, which is an Ufury not yet heard of in the World. You, can expert nothing from the poor fort; they have nothing to give you ; but God is their Surety, he that is the great Poffeffor of Heaven and Earth, that never broke his word : Nay, we have his Hand and Seal to Phew for it ; his Bond is the Scriptures, his Seal the Sacraments ; therefore he will pay you. But you will fay, Thefe are Words : Venture a little,- and try ; Mal. 3. 1 o. Prove Me now herewith, faith the Lord. Give, and it ¡hall be given to you Whereas, on the contrary, if you forbear to give; God will forbear to biefs ; as the Widows OyI, the more it run, the more it increafed ; and the Loaves were multiplied by the Diftribution. And then, 3. It cleanfethyoar EJlare ; you will enjoy the Remainder more comfortably : Wells are the fweeter for draining ; fo are Riches, when ufed as the Fuel of Charity. There are terrible Paffages againft rich Men : How hard is it for a rich Man toenter into the Kingdom of Heaven ? There is no way to free our felves from the Snare, but to be liberal and open- handed upon all occafions, Luk. r t. 41. Give Alms, and all things ¡hall be clean to you. 4. You may poffefs an Elate with a good Confciencc : 'Twill not eafily prove a Snare. Nay, you than have Comfort of it; for ever you (hall have Treafure in Heaven: Luk. 12. 13. Sell that you have, and give Alms; provide your felves bags which mix not old, a Treafure in the Heavens that faileth not. Whatever fhift you make, rather,fell, than want to give out Disburfements in this Life, and your Pay- ment (hall be in the next. V SE is REPROOF, Becaufe there are fo few true Chriftians in the World. Many Men have great Eftates ; but they have not an Heart to be helpful to their poor Brethren, and Neighbours : Are very backward and full of Repinings, when they give any thing. They are liberal to their Lufts, Gaming; Drinking, Rioting, Luxury, in Law- fuits, and coftly Apparel. Do thefe Men believe there is an Heaven, and Hell, and á Day of Judgment? ' For MOTIVES. a. Motive. Thou (halt have Treafure in Heaven. Thou fhalt not part with thy Goods,, fo much as change them for thofe that are incomparably better. There is a Reward for the Liberal and open - handed. What is given to the Poor, is not cart away, but well beftowéd. Now is the Seed -time, the Harveft is hereafter. The Poor cannot requite thee; therefore God will. Luk. 12. 14. A Cup of cold Water,given in Charity, ¡half not want its Reward : Meth. io. a. This Reward is propounded tó encourage as. Chrift cloth not only inftruEt us by Commands, but allure us by Promifes. There is a Difpute, whether we may look to the-Reward ? Ì fay, We not only may, butmuft. Did we pftner think of Trea- fure in Heaven, we would more eafily forego prefent things. 3. The Reward which we ¡hall receive, not only anfwereth the Reward, but far exceeds it. 'Tis called a Treafure : The Riches of Glory, Ephef s. 18. and fo are far better, than thefe tranfrtory Riches which we cannot long keep. Thou Malt have Eternal Riches, which lhall never be loft : Our Treafure in Heaven is more precious, and more certain ; Match. 6. 19, 20. 4, This Reward is not in this Life, but in the Life to come : Treafure in Heaven. What
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=