Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament

^3. A good then there is which makes good, and a good there is whereby you may do good. The Good which makes good is God. For none can make man good, save He who is Good eternally. Therefore that you may be good, call upon God. But there is another good whereby you may do good, and that is, whatever you may possess. There is gold, there is silver; they are good, not such as can make you good, but whereby you may do good. You have gold and silver, and you desire more gold and silver. Thou both hast, and desirest to have; you are at once full, and thirsty. This is a disease, not opulence. When men are in the dropsy, they are full of water, and yet are always thirsty. They are full of water, and yet they thirst for water. How then can you take pleasure in opulence, who hast thereby this dropsical desire? Gold then you have, it is good; yet you have not whereby you can be made good, but whereby you can do good. Do you ask, What good can I do with gold? Have you not heard in the Psalm, “He has dispersed abroad, he has given to the poor, his righteousness remains for ever.” This is good, this is the good whereby you are made good; righteousness. If you have the good whereby you are made good, do good with that good which cannot make you good. You have money, deal it out freely. By dealing it out freely, you increase righteousness. “For he has dispersed abroad, has distributed, has given to the poor; his righteousness remains for ever.” See what is diminished and what increased. Your money is diminished, your righteousness increased. That is diminished which you must soon have lost, that diminished which you must soon have left behind you; that increased which you shall possess for ever.