2. Men do not seriously believe God's promises; that he will recompense them in this life (with better things) an hundred-fold, and in the world to come with life eternal!" Matt. xix. 29. And that "by receiving a prophet, or righteous man, they may have a prophet's or righteous man's reward," Matt. x. 41. And that "a cup of cold water (when you have no better) given to one of Christ's little ones in the name of a disciple, shall not be unrewarded," Matt. x. 42. They believe not that heaven will pay for all, and that there is a life to come in which God will see that they be no losers. They think there is nothing certain but what they have in hand, and therefore they lay up a treasure upon earth, and rather trust to their estates than God; whereas if they verily believed that there is another life, and that judgment will pass on them on the terms described, Matt. xxv. they would more industriously lay up a treasure in heaven, Matt. vi. 20, and "make themselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness," and study how to be rich in good works, and send their wealth to heaven before them, and "lay up a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold upon eternal life," and then they would be "ready to distribute, and willing to communicate," 1 Tim. vi. 17-19; Luke xvi. 9. They would then know how much they are beholden to God, that will not only honour them to be his stewards, but reward them for distributing his maintenance to his children, as if they had given so much of their own; they would then see that it is they that are the receivers, and that giving is the surest way to be rich, when for transitory things (sincerely given) they may receive the everlasting riches. Then they would see that he that saveth his riches loseth them, and he that loseth them for Christ doth save them, and lay them up in heaven; and that it is more blessed to give than to receive; and that we should ourselves be laborious that we may have wherewith to support the weak, and to give unto the needy. Read Acts xx. 35; Eph. iv. 28; Prov. xxxi. 20, &c. Then they would not be weary of well-doing, if they believed that, "in due season, they shall reap if they faint not; but as they have opportunity, would do good to all men; but especially to them that are of the household of faith," Gal. vi. 9, 10. They would not "forget to do good, and communicate, as knowing that with such sacrifices God is well pleased, Heb. xiii. 16. A true belief of the reward, would make men strive who should do most.
3. Another great hinderance is the want of love to God and our neighbours, to Christ and his disciples. If men loved Christ, they would not deal so niggardly with his disciples, when he has told them that he taketh all that they do to the least of them, (whom he calleth his brethren,) as done to himself, Matt. xxv.; x. 39, 40.
If men loved their neighbours as themselves, I leave you to judge in what proportion and manner they would relieve them! Whether they would find money to lay out on dice and cards, and gluttonous feastings, on plays, and games, and pomp, and pride, while so many round about them are in pinching want.
The destruction of charity or christian love is the cause that works of charity are destroyed. Who can look that the seed of the serpent, that hath an enmity against the holy seed, should liberally relieve them? or that the fleshly mind, which is enmity against God, should be ready to do good to the spiritual and holy servants of God? Gen. xv.; Rom. viii. 6-8; or that a selfish man should much care for any body but himself and his own? When love is turned into the hatred of each other, upon the account of our partial interests and opinions; and when we are like men in war, that think he is the bravest, most deserving man that hath killed most; when men have bitter, hateful thoughts of one another, and set themselves to make each other odious, and to ruin them, that they may stand the faster, and think that destroying them is good service to God; who can look for the fruits of love from damnable uncharitableness and hatred; or that the devil's tree should bring forth holy fruit to God?