The plea of the poor. Or A treatise of beneficence and alms-deeds teaching how…The plea of the poore. Or A treatise of benificence and almes-deeds teaching how…

Sect. 4. That God is the surest paymaster.

And as the gain is inestimable, so the payment most assured; for we have Gods word and hand-writing for it, who never failed of his promise; for as he is true of his word, so he is all-sufficient to performe. Nihil promittit & non reddit: fidelis ille factus est debitor, esto tu avarus exactor. He ¹payeth whatsoever he promiseth; he is a true debtor, be thou a covetous exactor. Fear not to be an usurer, so thou lendest unto God; put out to him thy money, and expect great increase: for thou hast God for thy debtor, and his payment (like himself) is infinite. Give to him who hath given all to thee, for thou canst never exceed him in bounty, though thou shouldest give him all thou hast and thy self to boot; neither can thy liberality bring any loss, seeing the more thou givest the more thou shalt receive. Doest thou love thy money, and wouldest thou have it increased. Deliver it not into the hands of men, who ²(as Austin saith) will rejoice when they borrow, and mourn when they repay it; Entreat that they may receive, and calumniate when they should restore; who may be bankrupt and cannot, or deceitful and will not pay: Or who will put thee off with many delays, and trouble thee with expecting, as they have formerly troubled thee with their importunity in borrowing. But if thou be a wise usurer, choose God himself for thy debtor, who is the surest pay-master. Give me of mine own (saith Christ) and of a creditor make me to become thy debtor; and I will repay ⟨p. 206⟩thee eternal treasures for transitory trifles. But understand this soberly. For we cannot (as the ³