[3.] Consider the profit of it. It seems to be a loss, but it" is the most gainful trade in the world. Alas ! to distribute to the poor, to scatter our substance, it is like scattering our bread upon the waters : Eccles. xi. 1, ' Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days.' There is so much profit in it, that it is the best way to keep what we have, to increase what we have, and to make it com- fortable.
(1.) To keep what you have. Your goods are best secured when deposited in God's hands ; you provide bags that wax not old. Many an estate in the world is blasted for want of charity, and given to the fury, depredation, and spoil of men : James v, 2, 3, ' Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten ; your silver and gold is cankered, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire,'
(2.) To increase it. It is compared to seed : 2 Cor. ix. 6, ' He which soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly, and he which soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully.' The husbandman gets nothing by keeping his seed-corn by him. When thou givest to thy poor brother, it is said, ' The Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thy hand to,' Deut. xv. 10, All your works of liberality and mercy shall be abundantly repaid : Luke vi. 38, ' Give and it shall be given to you, good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give unto you.' See how it is expressed in many words, the more to strike upon our senses, to awaken our stupid heart. But above all, Pro v. xix. 17, 'He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth to the Lord, and that which he hath given will he pay him again.' Saith Austin, Si vis esse mercator optimus,fenerator egregius, dtc. — Would you put out your money to the best advantage, and be true usurers indeed, lend it to the Lord ; the interest shall be infinitely
VeK. 21.] SERMONS UPON MARK X. 17-27. 479
greater than the principal. Never was there such usury heard of ; and what better security than God's ? God is a sure paymaster, and will pay you to the full, a hundred for one, which is an usury not yet heard of in the world. You can expect nothing from the poor, for they have nothing to give you ; hut God is their surety, he who is the great possessor of heaven and earth, that never broke his word. You have his hand and seal to show for it, his bond in the scripture, and his seal in the sacraments. You will say these are but words, but venture a little and try : Mai. iii. 10, ' Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open to you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.' The widow's oil, the more it ran the more it increased, and the loaves multiplied by distributing ; whereas, on the contrary, if you forbear to give, God will forbear to bless.
(3.) You will enjoy the remainder more comfortably. Wells are the sweeter for draining, so the oftener you are distributing and dis- persing to the necessities of others, the more sweetness and the more comfort you will have in your estates. There are terrible passages in scripture against rich men, how hard it is for a rich man to be saved. It is a difficult thing for a man of an estate to get to heaven, and there is no way to free ourselves from the snare but to give alms : Luke xi. 41, ' Eather give alms of such things as you have, and behold all things are clean to you.' Then you may possess an estate with a good con- science, otherwise it will certainly prove a snare. Nay, this is the way to have the comfort of it for ever : ' Thou shalt have treasure in heaven ;' whatever shift you make, be not backward in this, rather sell than not have to give. Your riches in the world leave you on this side the grave ; however all your gold and silver, how much soever you have, the use of it will cease when you are laid in the grave ; but here is treasure that we may have in heaven. What is that ? The comfort of those estates we have charitably spent in this world : Luke xvi. 9, ' Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, that when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations ; ' 1 Tim. vi. 18, 19, ' That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to dis- tribute, willing to communicate, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold of eternal life.'
[4.] The necessity of it in order to your account. It is not an arbi- trary thing, whether you will do this or no. God will reckon with us ; one day he will ask you, What have you done with your estates ? whether you ' have sowed to the flesh or to the Spirit ? ' Gal. vi. 8. All the world will be divided into these two ranks. Alas ! what sorry accounts will they make, when so much is spent in pomp, so much in pleasure, in vain fashions, in bravery of apparel, so much in feasting, in riotous banquets and luxury, so much in plays, in cockpits, in sports, and other such kind of things, and so little or nothing on the poor ! Many will spend liberally on their lusts, but hardly a penny for the relief of others ; they will feed their dogs, and starve their children. Conscience will call you to an account now, much more when you shall appear before the great God at the last day. When a man is to be tried and exa-