An infallible vvay to farewell in our bodies, names, estates, precious souls, posterities : together with, mens great losse of happinesse, for not paying, the small quitrent of thankfulness : whereunto is added remaines of the P.A., a subject also of great concernment for such as would enjoy the blessed promises of this life, and of that ot come / by R. Younge ...

CHAP. LXI. (Book 61)

BUt admit wee were assured, that the goods which we spare from the relief of the poor, and leave to our children, should prosper with them, and make them great on the earth; yet

were there no reason, why for this we should neg∣lect these works of mercy: For why shouldst thou love thy children better then thine own person, and in providing for them, neglect thy self? Yea, why shouldst thou prefer their Wealth before thine own soul? and their flourishing Estate in the World, which is but momentary and muta∣ble, before the fruition of those joys which are in∣finite and everlasting? What comfort wil it be un∣to thee, if for getting some trifles for thy posterity on Earth, thou hast lost Heaven? or to remember that thy children ruffle it out in worldly wealth, and superfluous abundance, when thou shalt be stripped of all, and want a drop of cold water to cool thy scorching heat.

But this is the case, (with which I will con∣clude:) First, the gain of giving is inestima∣ble: God and Christ, who are owners of the whole World, hath promised we shall be repaid with the increase of an hundred fold here, and ten thou∣sand, thousand fold in Heaven, and that our chil∣dren and posterity shall reap the fruits of our be∣nevolence. And

Secondly, The security is beyond all excepti∣ons; for we have God's Word and Hand-writing for it, even express Testimonies, Precepts, and Promi∣ses out of both Testaments; who is so true of his word, that he never failed a tittle in the perfor∣mance thereof, and also all-sufficient to perform: Nihil promittit, & non reddit; fidelis ille factus est debi∣tor, esto tu avarus exactor, as Austin on Psal. 32. Only herein lyes the defect, in this Atheistical age, most men believe not that there is a God; or if so, they wil not, or dare not trust him so far as they would

do a man whom they take to be able and honest. This must of necessity be the main and only rea∣son why men are no more liberal to the poor: As for instance, If a man of Worship or Credit should, speak or write to one of us, and wish us to dis∣burse such, or such a sum of money to the poore about us, and he would take it as his own Debt, and not onely pay it us again, but take it as a great favour; We would willingly do it without a∣ny reluctancy, yea rather then fail, we would borrow it, though we had our selves many chil∣dren; yea, there is no man when he sows his ground, thinks that it is lost and cast away, or so buryed in the Earth, that he shal never see it more: No, he lookes that that should bring him in a great deal more, and pay him with overplus, for all his cost; and this hope makes him prodigal of his Seed, so that it shal have as much by his good wil, as the ground can bear or bring forth: And does not this plainly prove, that we wil give cre∣dit to a man's Word or Bond; yea, that we wil trust the very ground itself, rather then take God's or Christ's Bond, or the Bible-Security? You know the place wel enough, where God hath given his Bill to you, for the re-payment of what you give to the poor, Prov. 19. 17. He that giveth to the poor, lendeth to the Lord; and that which he hath given, he will repay him again, Lo brethren, the bil of Gods own hand (as I may call it) in which he hath both acknowledged the Debt, and promised pay∣ment. Be it known unto all men by this present promise, That I the Lord God of Heaven & Earth, do won and acknowledge my self to be indebted to every merciful or liberal man, all those sums of

money which he hath bestowed, or shal bestow in relieving the distressed, to be paid back unto him whensoever he shal demand it, (for a Bond or Bill that names no day of payment, binds to pay it at demand) and to this payment wel and truly to be paid, I bind my self firmly by this present promise, sent, sealed and delivered by Solomon my known Secretary or Scribe. So that not to give rea∣dily upon this consideration, is to proclaim the Lord an insufficient or a dishonest Pay-Master; ei∣ther that we do not believe God's Promises, nor give that credit unto him on his Word, which we would give to a Turk or Infidel dwelling among us; or that we do not esteem the payment of his spiritual Grace, or Heavenly Glory (vvhich toge∣ther vvith pecuniary pay, is super-added) for current money, or of equal value to these tran∣sitory trifles, which we impart unto the poor; for if a man of any credit should promise for the laying out of an hundred pounds, that we should have Annuity of a hundred pounds a yeare, for term of life; how eagerly would we catch at such an offer, though the quick approach of Death might make us loosers by the bargain? But God promiseth, that if we wil lay out our money on these uses, wee shal have an hundred for one of these Earthly trifles, together with Spiritual, hea∣venly, & everlasting Treasures to boot, in the Life to come. So that it is undeniable, if we do not obey the Precept of God herein, we charge God with flat falshood: For consider, God saith he wil repay it; thou saist, He wil not. He saith, That to give, is the onely vvay to have, and to grovv rich; yea, never to want, nor to have thy Children

want: Thou sayst, if I give so much, I shal never be rich, yea I shal be a Beggar. What is this, but to give God the Lie, and to make the excuse worse then the fault.

For shame then, let us acknowledge the suffici∣ency, and faithfulness of God: and go away assu∣red, that he wil abundantly perform more then we can imagine, according to the riches of his grace, in Jesus Christ. Nor can we doubt, but God is as good a Debtor, as a giver; for if he freely give us wherewithal to lend, and grace to give, he wil much more pay us what we have lent, and give us because we have given: that is his Bounty, this his Justice. As what says Saint Paul? God is not un∣righteous, that he should forget your work and labour of love, which ye shewed towards his Name; in that ye have ministred unto the Saints, and yet minister. As if hee should say, that God were unrighteous, if he should do so, Heb. 6. 10. Dost thou then love thy mony? and wouldst thou have it increased? Deliver it not into the hands of men (saith Saint Austin) who wil rejoice when they borrow, and mourn when they repay it: intreat, that they may re∣ceive; and calumniate when they should restore: who may be bankrupt and cannot, or deceitful and wil not pay; or who wil put thee off with many delays, and trouble thee with expecting, as they have formerly troubled thee with their im∣portunity in borrowing. But if thou be a wise U∣surer, chuse God and Christ for thy Debtors; who are owners of the whole world, and all-sufficient sureties (not subject to any casualties) and just beyond all exceptions, or comparison. Nihil pro∣mittit & non reddit, fidelis ille factus est debitor, esto tu

dvarus exactor, at Austin on Psalm 32. And as the payment is most assured, so the gain is inestima∣ble; so that we cannot lay up our wealth in a safer, or better hand: we cannot have a better Debtor then our Maker; nor a better Bond then the Bible, Prov. 19. 17. Luk. 6. 35.