BY that which hath been said, it appeareth, that by giving alms we shall be no losers, seeing God will repay what is thus laid out. Now let this consideration further induce us to the performance of this duty, that we shall not only receive our own again, but with great increase, according to that Luk. 6. 38. Give and it shall be given 1unto you, good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over shall men give into your bosom. And the Wiseman telleth us, that if we will thus honour the Lord with our substance, our barns shall be filled with plenty, and our presses shall burst out with new wine. Pro. 3. 9. 10. And if we thus scatter the seeds of our beneficence, they shall 2be the more increased; whereas if contrariwise we with-hold more than is meet, it is the ready way to bring us to poverty, as it is, Pro: 11. 24. 3And hereof it is that alms-giving is compared to sowing of seed: so in my Text the Psalmist saith, that the blessed man hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; and the Apostle saith, that he 4which soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully; to note unto us, that there is no loss in giving to the poor, but great gain and advantage, even a fruitful harvest, yielding 30, 40 or an 100 fold ⟨p. 200⟩increase. In which regard it may be truly said, that Eleemosyna non est divitiarum dispendium, sed ditescendi potius compendium, quaestusque omnium uberrimus. Giving alms, is not the way to waste our wealth, but the Art of thriving, and the most compendious course to come unto riches. The which consideration should make us bountiful in doing these works of mercy, seeing we have much more benefit by the alms we give, than our poor brethren who do receive them. For they are the ground into which these seeds are cast, and we the husbandmen who disperse and scatter them; now as seed is chiefly for his benefit who soweth it, and not for the benefit of the ground into which it is cast; so the poor have but the present use and possession of this seed of alms-deeds, but the benefit of the happy and heavenly harvest belongeth to those good husbandmen, who sow in these grounds the feeds of their beneficence.
BY that which hath beene said, it appeareth, that by giuing almes we shall be no loosers, seeing God will repay what is thus laid out. Now let this consideration further induce vs to the performance of this dutie, that we shall not only receiue our owne againe, but with great increase, according to that Luk. 6. 38. Giue and it shall be giuen 1vnto you, good measure, pressed downe, and shaken together, and running ouer shall men giue into your bosome. And the Wiseman telleth vs, that if we will thus honour the Lord with our substance, our barnes shall be filled with plenty, and our presses shall burst out with new wine. Pro. 3. 9. 10. And if wee thus scatter the seeds of our beneficence, they shal 2be the more increased; whereas if contrariwise we with-hold more than is meete, it is the ready way to bring vs to pouertie, as it is, Pro: 11. 24. 3And hereof it is that almes-giuing is compared to sowing of seede: so in my Text the Psalmist saith, that the blessed man hath dispersed, he hath giuen to the poore; and the Apostle saith, that he 4which soweth bountifully shall reape bountifully; to note vnto vs, that there is no losse in giuing to the poore, but great gaine and aduantage, euen a fruitfull haruest, yeelding 30, 40 or an 100 fold ⟨p. 200⟩increase. In which regard it may be truly said, that Eleemosyna non est diuitiarum dispendium, sed ditescendi potius compendiū, quaestusque omnium vberrimus. Giuing almes, is not the way to waste our wealth, but the Art of thriuing, and the most compendious course to come vnto riches. The which consideration should make vs bountifull in doing these workes of mercie, seeing we haue much more benefit by the almes we giue, than our poore brethren who doe receiue them. For they are the ground into which these seeds are cast, and we the husbandmen who disperse and scatter them; now as seede is chiefly for his benefit who soweth it, and not for the benefit of the ground into which it is cast; so the poore haue but the present vse and possession of this seede of almes-deeds, but the benefit of the happy and heauenly haruest belongeth to those good husbandmen, who sowe in these grounds the feedes of their beneficence.
- 1Luc. 6. 38.
- 2Pro. 3. 9. 10.
- 3Pro. 11. 24.
- 42 Cor. 9. 6. Lucrū e•t ••etati• n•mine f••er• sumptū. T•rtull.2 Cor. 9. 6. Lucrū e•t ••etati• n•mine f••er• sumptū. T•rtull.
