_Direct._ VIII. Delay not any good work which you have present ability and opportunity to perform. Delay signifieth unwillingness or negligence. Love and zeal are active and expeditious; and delay doth frequently frustrate good intentions. The persons may die that you intend to do good to; or you may die, or your ability and opportunities may cease; that may be done to-day which cannot be done to-morrow. The devil is not ignorant of your good intentions, and he will do all that possibly he can to make them of no effect; and the more time you give him, the more you enable him to hinder you. You little foresee what abundance of impediments he may cast before you; and so make that impossible which once you might have done with ease. Prov. iii. 28, "Say not to thy neighbour, Go and come again, and to-morrow I will give, when thou hast it by thee." Prov. xxvii. 1, "Boast not thyself of to-morrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth."
_Direct._ IX. Distrust not God's providence for thy own provision. An unbelieving man will needs be a God to himself, and trust himself only for his provisions, because indeed he cannot trust God. But you will find that your labour and care are vain, or worse than vain, without God's blessing. Say not distrustfully, What shall I have myself when I am old? Though I am not persuading you to make no provision, or to give away all; yet I must tell you, that it is exceeding folly to put off any present duty, upon distrust of God, or expectation of living to be old. He that over-night said, "I have enough laid up for many years," did quickly hear, "Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee; and whose then shall the things be which thou hast provided?" Luke xii. 20. Rather obey that, Eccles. ix. 10, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might: for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest." Do you think there is not a hundred thousand whose estates are now consumed in the flames of London, who could wish that all that had been given to pious or charitable uses? Do but believe from the bottom of your hearts, that "he that hath pity on the poor, lendeth to the Lord, and that which he layeth out he will pay him again," Prov. xix. 17. And that, Matt. x. 40-42, "He that receiveth you, receiveth me, and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me: he that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man, in the name of a righteous man, shall receive a righteous man's reward: and whosoever shall give to drink to one of these little ones, a cup of cold water only (i. e. when he hath no better) in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward." I say, believe this, and you will make haste to give while you may, lest your opportunity should overslip you.
_Direct._ X. What you cannot do yourselves, provoke others to do who are more able: "Provoke one another to love and to good works." Modesty doth not so much forbid you to beg for others as for yourselves. Some want but information to draw them to good works: and some that are unwilling, may be urged to it, to avoid the shame of uncharitableness: and though such giving do little good to themselves, it may do good to others. Thus you may have the reward when the cost is another's as long as the charity is yours.
_Direct._ XI. Hearken to no doctrine which is an enemy to charity or good works; nor yet which teacheth you to trust in them for more than their proper part. He that ascribeth to any of his own works, that which is proper to Christ, doth turn them into heinous sin. And he that ascribeth not to them all that which Christ ascribeth to them, is a sinner also. And whatever ignorant men may prate, the time is coming, when neither Christ without our charity, nor our charity without Christ, (but in subordination to him,) will either comfort or save our souls.
[173] See the Preface to my book, called, "The Crucifying of the World."