(2d) Trust. Love looketh to what is to come. Surely he that joveth God trusts him, for the graces are connected. Now none trust God that count their estates safer in their own hands than God's, that will venture nothing on his promises : Prov. xix. 17, ' He that hath pity on the poor lendeth to the Lord, and that which he hath given will he pay him back again.' God will be our paymaster : Eccles. xi. 1, 'Cast thy bread upon the waters, and after many days thou shalt receive it ; ' Ps. xxxvii. 26, ' He is merciful and lendeth, and his seed is blessed.' God Avill return it to us or ours, in this life or the next. We have a friendly confidence and good opinion of God ; we dare take his word, being persuaded that he is able and willing to requite us ; but they that shut up their bowels show they have little value for God's word, and do suspect his goodness and truth, which is not con- sistent with love. You will adventure nothing in his hands, and then can you say you love him ?
Use 1. Information.
1. That if we would get readiness of mind to help and relieve others in their necessities, we should increase our love to God ; for the shutting up of our bowels is made not so much a defect or want of love to our neighbour, as want of love to God. If you did love God more, you would love the poorest of God's children, and the meanest of your brethren for his sake ; and love will easily persuade you to do them good. If there were less of the love of the world, and more of the love of God, then it were no great matter to part with this world's goods for another's benefit and relief. We have lessening thoughts of God, and too high thoughts of the world, when we shut up our bowels from the necessities of our poor brethren.
2. That we should not reckon our love to God by deceitful evidences, not by bare outward profession of the true religion : James i. 27, ' Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father, is to visit the father- less and widow in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.' All other religion hath an evil that is in it, a spot of the
152 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SeR. XXIIL
world on it ; but Clirist's religion is purity and charity, not by gifts and utterance : 2 Cor. viii. 7, ' Therefore as ye abound in everything, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.' Again, you must not only mind acts of piety, but charity : Mat. ix. 13, ' Go learn what that mean- eth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice.' To sacrifice is to serve God, but to show mercy is to be like God. Now conformity to God is more .than any particular act of external obedience to him ; as mercy is pre- ferred before sacrifice, so before the external observation of the sab- bath. Yea, mercy not only to the souls, but bodies of men ; yea, not to men only, but to beasts, as to help a beast out of the pit : Mat. xii. 11, 12, ' What man shall there be among you that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath-day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out ? How much then is a man better than a sheep ? wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath-day.' It is more than gospel ex- ternals of worship, as hearing the word and prayer, comparing external acts with external acts : Luke xiii. 26, ' We have eaten and drank in thy presence, and have been taught in our streets ; but he shall say unto you, I know you not.' More excellent than gifts of the gospel ; the gifts of tongues and healing were glorious things : 1 Cor. xii. 28-31, ' After that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all prophets ? are all workers? have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues ? do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts ; but I show you a more excellent way.' I cannot say it is above the graces of the gospel, faith, and hope, and love to God, yet these are but pretended without it : 1 John iv. 20, ' If any man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar ; for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen ? ' 1 Tim. v. 8, ' If any man provide not for his own, especially those of his own house, he hath denied the faith,'
3. It showeth us the compassionate nature of God, since he so strictly enforceth compassion in others. We know God's nature by his laws as well as his works. Now when he that placed so much weight on this, that he will not own any love in them to himself without it, surely our God will not shut up his bowels in our destitute and low condition. It is one of his names, 2 Cor. vii. 6, ' God that comforteth those that are cast down,'