hundred fold, and in the world to come with life eternal!" And that "by receiving a prophet, or righteous man, may have a prophet's or righteous man's reward." 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"." 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, 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"." 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"." They would not " forget to do good, and communicate, as knowing that with such sacrifices God is well Matt. xix. 29. u Matt. x. 42. y 1 Tim. vi. 17-19. Luke xvi. 9. x Matt. vi. 20. z Gal. vi. 9, 10. pleased." A true belief of the reward, would make men strive who should do most. 3. Another great hindrance 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". 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? 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? 4. And then (when love is well spoken of by all, even its deadly enemies) lest men should see their wickedness and misery, (and is it not admirable that they see it not?) the devil hath taught them to play the hypocrite, and make themselves a religion which costs them nothing, without true Christian love and good works, that they may have something to quiet and cheat their consciences with. One man drops now and then an inconsiderable gift, and another opb Matt. xxv. x. 39, 40, a Heb. xiii. 16. Rom. viii. 6-8.. presseth, and hateth, and destroyeth, (and slandereth and censureth, that he may not be thought to hate and ruin without cause ;) and when they have done, they wipe their mouths with a few hypocritical prayers or good words, and think they are good Christians, and God will not be avenged on them. One thinks that God will save him because he is of this church, and another because he is of another church. One thinks to be saved because he is of this opinion and party in religion, and another because he is of that. One thinks he is religious because he saith his prayers this way, and another because he prayeth another way. And thus dead hypocrites, whose hearts were never quickened with the powerful love of God, to love his servants, their neighbours, and enemies, do persuade themselves that God will save them for mocking and flattering him with the service of their de ceitful lips; while they want the love of God, which is the root of all good, and are possessed with the love of money which is the root of all evil, and are " lovers of pleasure more than of God." They will join themselves forwardly to the cheap and outside actions of religion: but when they hear much less than "One thing thou yet wantest: sell all that thou hast and distribute to the poor, and thou shalt have a treasure in heaven-they are very sorrowful, because they are very rich." Such a fruitless love as they had to others, such a fruitless religion they have as to themselves. For " pure religion and undefiled before God, is to visit the fatherless and widows in their adversity, and to keep yourselves unspotted from the world." "Whoso hath this world's goods, and seeth his brother hath need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?" There are three texts that describe the case of sensual, uncharitable gentlemen. 1. Luke xvi. "A rich man clothed in purple and silk, (for so, as Dr. Hammond noteth, it should rather be translated,) and fared sumptuously every day," you know the end of him. bread, and abundance of idleness, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy." 3. James v. 1-7. "Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for the miseries that shall come upon you.- -Ye have lived in pleasure on earth, and been wanton: ye have nourished your hearts, as in (or for) the day of slaughter.-Ye have condemned and killed the just and he doth not resist you." And remember Prov. xxi. 13. "Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself and shall not be heard." And James ii. 13. "He shall have judgment without mercy that shewed no mercy, and mercy rejoiceth against judgment." Yea, in this life it is oft observable that "There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth, and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty i." Tit. 2. Directions for Works of Charity. Direct. I. Love God, and be renewed to his image;' and then it will be natural to you to do good; and his love will be in you a fountain of good works. Direct. 11. Love your neighbours,' and it will be easy to you to do them all the good you can: as it is to do good to yourselves, or children, or dearest friends. Direct. 111. Learn self-denial,' that selfishness may not cause you to be all for yourselves, and be satan's law of nature in you, forbidding you to do good to others. Direct. iv. Mortify the flesh, and the vices of sensuality' Pride and curiosity, gluttony and drunkenness, are insatiable gulfs, and will devour all, and leave but little for the poor: though there be never so many poor families which want bread and clothing, the proud person must first have the other silk gown, or the other ornaments which may set them out with the forwardest in the mode and fashion : and this house must first be more handsomely built, and these rooms must first be more neatly furnished; and these children must first have finer clothes: let Lazarus lie never so miserable at the door, the sensualist must be clothed in purple and silk, and fare deliciously and sumptuously daily. The glutton must have the dish and cup which pleaseth his i Prov, xi. 24. appetite, and must keep a full table for the entertainment of his companions that have no need. These insatiable vices are like swine and dogs, that devour all the children's bread. Even vain recreations and gaming shall have more bestowed on them, than church or poor (as to any voluntary gift). Kill your greedy vices once, and then a little will serve your turns, and you may have wherewith to relieve the needy, and do that which will be better to you at your reckoning day. Direct. v. Let not selfishness make your children the inordinate objects of your charity and provision, to take up that which should be otherwise employed.' Carnal and worldly persons would perpetuate their vice, and when they can live no longer themselves, they seem to be half alive in their posterity, and what they can no longer keep themselves, they think is best laid up for their children, to feed them as full, and make them as sensual and unhappy as themselves. So that just and moderate provisions will not satisfy them; but their children's portions must be as much as they can get, and almost all their estates are 'sibi et suis,' 'for themselves and theirs :' and this pernicious vice is as destructive to good works, as almost any in the world. That God who hath said that he is worse than an infidel who provideth not for his own family, will judge many thousands to be worse than Christians, and than any that will be saved must be, who make their families the devourers of all which should be expended upon other works of charity. "If we Direct. VI. Take it as the chiefest extrinsical part of your religion to do good; and make it the trade or business of your lives, and not as a matter to be done on the by.' "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” are created for good works1:"" and redeemed and purified to be zealous of good works ":" and must be judged according to such works": then certainly it should be our chiefest daily care and diligence, to do them with all our hearts and abilities. And as we keep a daily account of our own and our servant's business in our particular callings, so k James i. 27. m Ephes. ii. 10. " Matt. xxv. |