PRosperity and Adversity are the great Thea­tres of Humane life; the two famous Tests to prove what Spirit and temper Men are of, for it is an Error of the Vulgar only, that all is well, when their Gold and Silver, Flocks and Herds, Corn and Wine increase and grow upon them; Wiser Men find it as hard a task, (at least) to command and ma­nage a head-strong, flowing fortune, as to keep them­selves from sinking, and being desperate, when they are reduced to their lowest Ebb, last Shifts, and Wits end. It is an old Question amongst the learned Moralists, which of the two Estates is most entangled with dan­gers and difficulties? the great cry is out upon Pro­sperity, who by her killing Smiles, treacherous En­chantments, and stealing Flatteries, Effeminates, and Robbs the Spirit of its due force and vigour; She basely betrays the Fort by letting the Enemy in at a Postern, and easily conquers those daring Heroes who never turned their backs of visible danger: Whom no Adverse affair, not Death it self, in all its frigthful change of shapes, could ever daunt, or dash out of Countenance.

And indeed 'tis a Truth which the Oracles of GOD have vouched to us by no mean Instances to put it be­yond all dispute. For whilest Gideon was a private [Page 2]man, the least in his Fathers house, and threshed Wheat by the Wine-press, he was a very Good man, and a great Favourite in the Court of Heaven; the Text says, that the Angel of the LORD visited and com­muned freely with him, as a Man does with his Friend; but then, when once He grew Great, and was fleshed with a miraculous victory over the mighty Kings of Midian, the same man was not the same; for he abu­sed his prosperous fortune, and made him an Ephod of the Ear-rings taken in spoil, and put it in His City Ophrah, and all Israel went a whoring after it, which thing became a snare to Gideon and his house. Thus one bewitching Dalilah subdued the invincible Samp­son, when all other Arts and Arms of Palestine could neither withstand, no, nor find out his strength. Be­fore I was troubled I went wrong, saith King David: And — It is good for me that I was afflicted; that set him right. But then again when He sat still at Jerusalem in a profound Peace, and had nothing else to do, He fell into those two grievous Sins which cut him out work for Repentance all the days of his Life. His son Solomon, the wisest Prince that ever swayed That, or any other Scepter under the Sun, yet stands charged with very great folly towards the end of his peaceable Reign; for living in all ease and pleasure, and having no manner of Enemies, but those most deadly ones of his own house, his False Friends, he un­advisedly suffer'd them in his Old declining Age to tempt him to Idolatry. To add no more, Israel in ge­neral who found the land of Egypt, that house of Bon­dage and hardship, a wholesome School of Vertue, made the blessed Land of Canaan a Nourse of all Vices, a mere Land of forgetfulness; which Moses the Man of GOD here having a clear prospect of, he lays in early caution against it in these words, — When thou [Page 3]shalt have eaten, and be full, then beware lest thou forget the LORD.

For our due handling of these words I shall endeavour,

1. To state the genuine sense and full importance of the caution.

2. To back and enforce it with some proper Con­siderations.

3. And Lastly, To tender some short directive Rules how we may best reduce it to Practice.

I begin with the First; And

1. To forget the LORD, imports in general, to contemn the power of Religion, and with that old Fool, to say in ones heart, there is no GOD, no Judge, or Judgment to come; at least to deny Him that Ho­nour and Worship due to His Holy and Reverend Name, and give it to Another; to put ones trust and confi­dence in Creatures or Idols, the works of God's, or of Mens hands, more then the Creator, and cast his Commandments behind ones back, as if he owed no duty either to God or Man: It implies a stupid ha­bitual neglect of Gods Service, which is the great bu­siness, and chief end of our Creation; when a Man immerseth himself so deep in the fruitless cares, the frothy Vanities of this World, and the sinful Lusts of the Flesh, that GOD is not in all his ferious thoughts, that is, not in one of them All; but he lives and dies an Atheist, Epicure, Idolater, or ungodly Infidel, and so plungeth himself, headlong into that dreadful Doom in the Psalm, The wicked shall be turned into Hell, and all the Nations that forget GOD.

2. To forget the LORD signifies here more espe­cially, not to recount and value, not to be duly sen­sible of, and truly thankful for his past or present Mer­cies, and Deliverances; not to lay them to heart, and call them to mind: not to suffer them to have their [Page 4]proper effect upon us, when his own beloved and of late distressed People forget GOD their SAVIOUR, who brought them out of Aegypt with a high Hand, and stretched out Arm; who led them through the Wilderness, and fought all their battels for them, drowning some of their Enemies in the depth of the Sea, and routing all others at Land, and planted them in a good Land, in another Paradice; even the Land of Promise; a Land of Corn, Wine, and Oyl, a Land flowing with Rivers of Milk and Brooks of Honey. For them to Rebel and lift up their heel against Him merely out of wantonness, and too much Peace and Plenty, were beyond all Parallel, if not all Pardon also; for, as the Royal Prophet observes, the merciful and gracious LORD, hath so done his marvellous works, that they ought to be had in Remembrance. And there­fore,

3. And Lastly, To discover the full strength and force of the Caution, we must fly to that usual figure in Rhetorick, whereby much more is implied then is expressed, like that of the Prophet, Can a Woman for­get her sucking Child, and not have compassion on the Son of her Womb? It is impossible in Nature: That of St. Paul, I am not ashamed of, that is, I glory in the Gospel and Cross of CHRIST, albeit the wise Greeks account it Foolishness; or that of the holy Psalmist;— If I forget thee ô Jerusalem, let my right hand for­get her cunning; if I do not remember thee, then let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; the sweet singer of Israel wisheth his curious right hand useless, and his graceful Tongue disabled from chanting any more Hallelujahs to his Harp, if (instead of forgetting) He doth not prefer Jerusalem's distress above his own chiefest Delight and Joy. Then beware lest thou for­get the LORD: That is, be sure that thou remem­ber [Page 5]to love and honour him in the day of thy Prosperity for then thou hast all the reason in the world, and the; strongest obligations imaginable, to praise and glorifie his holy Name, and that not in Word and Tongue only, saying GOD be thanked, the LORD be praised; (though that sounds well) but indeed and in Truth also, as that dying Roman said to his Friend, Quae voluerit meminisse, quae mandaverit exequi. —To remember his Will and Pleasure, and do all his Commands. For to be truly thankful to GOD is certainly to love him: and if ye love me, keep my Commandments, saith the LORD.

And yet after all, that Jeshurun waxing fat in her fresh Pasture, grew sturdy and restiff, and Kick­ed against her Feeder, and most shamefully forgot the Lord her Redemer, appears by the Writings of the Prophets, as a Cloud of Witnesses, as also by those stu­pendious Showers of Judgments which fell upon them, according to the Predictions of those Prophets; and lastly by their utter Extirpation, and Destruction, their be­ing Blotted out of the List of Nations for Crucifying the Lord of Life, and Killing their only Lord and Saviour. For to this day they are under a Curse, they are Vaga­bonds over all the Earth, they are no People, they have no Laws or Government, no King in Israel, nei­ther God nor Man.

Which things happened unto them for Ensamples (says St. Paul) and are written, that is, left upon Record Chiefly, for our Admonition upon whom the Ends of the World are come.

And therefore lest we should tread in their Ungra­cious Steps, and forget the Lord when we are full fed with his Manifold Mercies; lest we should tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and be Destroyed of the Destroyer; lest our Iniquity also should be our Ruine; I proceed,

[Page 6]2ly. To back and Inforce this seasonable Caution with some proper Arguments or Confiderations, that it may make the deeper Impression upon all our Spi­rits. And,

1. Consider we that by forgetting GOD and grow­ing careless of his Laws in the midst of our temporal Felicities, we provoke the best Friend we have to be­come our professed Enemy. For they draw not GODS Attributes to the Life and Truth, who allow him on­ly Mercy for a Penitent, and no Justice at all for a Presumptuous Sinner. They are more False Prophets then Balaam himself, who would stretch the Words of his Parable to signifie, that GOD doth not behold, but Connive at all manner of Iniquity in the beloved Jacob, because he saw none there at that time, that cried loud enough for Speedy and Publick Vengeance, which is the undoubted meaning of that Place. No; GOD is not so fond of any of his Servants, as to be in love with their Follies: The dearest Child he hath must tast of the Rod if he deserve it. David was in­deed a Man after GODS own heart in other things, but yet his Murder and Adultery were Damnable Sins for all that, as he had found by woful Experience, if he had not carefully washed them away with his own Penitent Tears, more Richly Influenced with his Re­deemers Blood. St. Peter was a Man of Undaunted Courage, and most forward Faith at other times, but yet there is no excuse to be made for his denying his Lord and Master, and that with an Oath, saying, I know not the Man. Israel was once GODS Elect peculiar People of all others, Engraven upon the Palms of his Hands, and kept as the Apple of his Eye, (so tender he was of them) but all this while their Sins were written with a Pen of Iron, and the point of a Dia­mond, saith the Prophet, to shew that the Memory of [Page 7]them was lasting, and they so far from being winked at, that they were more surely and speedily punished, then if they had been Aliens. Witness the many Woes and Threats, Judgments and Curses discharged upon them at divers times; such as Pestilence and Famine, Blasting and Mildew, the Sword, the Fiery Serpents, the Heavens sometimes as Iron, the Earth as Brass. Because my People hath forgotten me, I will scatter them as with an East-Wind before the Enemy; I will shew them the Back, and not the Face in the day of their Ca­lamity, Jerem. 18. And again, I will be unto them as a Lyon, or a Leopard, as a Bear bereaved of her Whelps: I will Rent the Cawl of their hearts, and Devour them like a Lyon, saith the LORD, Hos. 13. All this to that Beloved People. So that however Vain Men may fancy, that their being of the Number of GODS Elect, and in a State of Grace, is a sufficient Patent or Priviledge to excuse their Sins, yet the Case is clear that they deceive themselves herein, although they be (if 'twere possible) of the very Elect. For be he Jew or Christian, be he Saint or Angel, that Forgets his GOD, he thereby Forfeits his Favour and Friend­ship, and Incurrs his utmost Enmity and Wrath; he loseth the Light of his Countenance, and makes the Sun of Righteousness appear to him in no other, then that Terrible shape of a Consuming Fire.

This Argument alone, methinks, should be strong enough to drive the Nail home; beware lest thou for­get the LORD, for thereby thou wilt make him thine Enemy; and a Potent Enemy he is, worthy of all thy fear: For he can Torment thee with a thousand Plagues here, and then Cast both Body and Soul into the Ne­thermost Hell hereafter.

2. Consider that to forget GOD when we are Daily Loaden with his Blessings, would argue us ex­treamly [Page 8]disingenuous, and basely Ingrateful, the most detestable Name of all others; call me that, and call me worse if you can. A Name that Nature it self ab­hors: For, not to mention the Stork (that Famous Symbol of Piety,) very Lyons and Wolves, Tygers, and Bears are Civil and Grateful to their own Parents and Relatives. Only the Noble and Rational Creature that calls himself Man, in this exceeds the very Beasts that Perish: That he is sometimes Ingrateful to his own Kind, oftner to his King, but most of all to his most Gracious GOD. Insomuch that the Almighty doth, as it were, Challenge the whole Creation to Match or Vie with his Unworthyness, Isa. 1. Hear O, Heavens, and give ear O Earth! for the LORD hath spoken; I have nourished and brought up Children, and they have Rebelled against me. The Complaint is of Israel still, the peculiar People, and may it be pecu­liar to them alone; but let it not be told in Gath, nor published in the Streets of Askelon, that we should e­ver deserve that unnatural Brand and most odieus Name of Ingrateful Christians.

3. Consider the Ʋncertainty of our present happiness and Halcyon Days of Peace and Plenty. For GOD lets no Leases for Lives in dispensing his Temporal Blessings: We are all but Tenants at will, and may be turn'd out of all, and Beggar'd at his Pleasure. There is, ye know, a natural Vicissitude of things: The whole World is ever turning Round, Day and Night, Summer and Winter have their mutual Courses. The most Glorious Day is shut up with a pitchy Night, a dull, uncouth Winter usually follows the most Spright­ly Summer; nay, the Sun is oft sequester'd of his Noon day Glory by a little Cloud appearing first like a Mans hand, but afterwards shewing it self to be more like the Hand of him who sometimes makes Darkness [Page 9]his Pavilion, though he ever dwells in in accessible Light. A very lively Emblem of the Instability of all humane affairs, which admit of as much change of Weather, as Nature it self. For there is seldom one Sun-shine day of Peace, but a Cloud rises in the midst on't, from whence the Thunder and Lightning of Fatal Wars breaks out of a sudden; however Night is drawing on, and will at length overtake us, and then all our Joys and Comforts will suffer a more continued Interrupti­on, perhaps be totally Eclipsed by Trouble and Mise­ry. Nulla sors longa &, dolor est voluptas invicem ce­dunt, brevior voluptas, says the excellent Tragedian; no condition of Life here, not the best is fixed and im­mutable: Sorrow and Joy take their turns, (there go­ing commonly a whole day of Trouble to one hour of Joy) and the Stars in their Courses fight either for, or against us according as we demean our selves.

Beloved, our Memories are treacherous indeed, if we have quite forgotten the severe Discipline GOD hath of late Years exercised upon this City, and this Sinful Nation, Chiefly by the devouring Sword, the Raging Pestilence, and the Consuming Fire; for all which we ought to lay our hands upon our Mouths, and acknowledg them as just Judgments upon us for our forgetting GOD in the midst of our Jollity. Those Storms (through Mercy) are at present over, and we in a very great Calm; we enjoy more Temporal Fe­licities (if we would see it) then even heart could wish, as the Psalmist speaks; though we hear of nothing but Wars, and Rumours of Wars abroad, yet we are not trou­bled at home, (bating our own groundless Jealousies, and Superstitious Fears) farther then to sit down quietly under our own Vines and Fig-trees, and Reap the Fruit of GODS Blessing upon our own Labours. GOD hath marveluosly turned our great Captivity long ago, [Page 10] as the Rivers in the South: He hath ever since given us Beauty for Ashes, The Oyl of Joy for Sorrow, and the Garment of Praise for the Spirit of Heaviness. All the danger is, lest we also grow sick of Israels Dis­ease: Lest we become proud and presumptuous, wax wanton, and careless of paying him due Returns, and so make our own Tables a Snare, our very Blessings a Curse. GOD doth not intend to kill us with his Kindnesses; but, if we know not when we are well; if we can't wield and manage a full and prosperous E­state; if nothing but a Furnace will melt us into Tears, and purge away our Dross and Follies, (wretch­ed Dust as we are!) into the Furnace we must go again even until seven times: The Scene will certain­ly alter in a Moment, the Wheel of things turn quite round, and the end of our sorrows, be far worse then the beginning. Then let not the Pride of thine Heart de­ceive thee, O Man, and say not thou, who shall disturb me when I am at rest in my Possessions, or Transgressions; for though thou exalt thy self as an Eagle, and set thy Nest among the Stars, yet thence will I bring thee down saith the LORD Obad. v. 4.

4. Consider the many solemn Vows and Promises we offered up to GOD in our distress, to make our Pray­ers for deliverance effectual and succesful; for they will all be required at our hands, as so many further Obligations we freely laid upon our selves, not to for­get the LORD in the day of our Rejoycing.

It is the Natural effect of Adversity to make Men consider, and grow Wiser: To come to themselves, to their right Wits, like the Prodigal reduced to his last husk. No Lectures of Morality make such Impression, as those that are back'd with the Rod of Affliction; no Law compels and forces its own Execution, like that of Necessity, which makes us say proverbially, that hath no [Page 11]Law against it. I remember Lactantius observes well that the very Pagans themselves when Scourged with depopulating Wars, Contagious Diseases, unusual droughts, great Rains, Inundations, Storms, Hurri­cans, or any other grievous publick Calamity, fall down on their knees presently to the GOD of Heaven, and invoke him earnestly and unanimously, with Pray­ers and Tears to divert and remove his Judgment from them. To which he adds, if any of them be reduced to extream Poverty, and forced to beg his Bread from Door to Door, he makes use of the Name of GOD, as the most powerful Argument of his Petition, be­seeching Men for GODS sake to have pitty and Com­passion on Him. But then (as he goes on) postquàm metus deser uit &c. So soon as ever they are well rid of that danger, Fear, or Misery, they return in whole Shoals to the CONƲENTICLES of their Idol Gods, and Sacrifice all the time of their Prosperity to them; Lact. Lib. 2. Divin. Instit.

These were professed Heathen, but what shall we say, if some pretended Christians are not ashamed to Act the same part, or something very like it.

I might bring in the Merchant in a Storm, who will offer freely even to half, nay all his Estate to Cha­ritable uses (rather then fail) provided he may have his Life for a prey: Skin for Skin will he venture for that; but when that danger is once over and he got safe a Shore, he forfeits his Vow, and cheats his GOD, by making some three-penny Largess or pitiful Alms to serve the turn.

Or I might tell you at large of the Woman in Tra­vail, who goes for a pure Saint, a Seraphick Votress, whilst the pangs of Death are upon her, but soon after her more formal then hearty Acknowledgments, she ut­terly forgets that great, though common Deliverance.

But I shall only instance in the Man thrown into a Malignant Feaver by his own intemperance, when the Disease grows upon him, and begins to prey upon his Vitals, insomuch that his ablest Physicians halt between two opinions, whether he will Live, or Die, and him­self finds small hopes of Recovery from within; Oh! what Sighs and Groans are fetcht from the very bottom of his Heart! what earnest Prayers, what loud indefatigable Expostulations proceed out of his Mouth! what an importunate Suit doth he present before the Throne of Grace, that he may be spared a little, little while, and have space to Repent before he go hence, and be no more seen! what Golden Promises doth he freely pass, what warm Protestations doth he make of his speedy Conversion! Oh that I could but escape this one approaching Fiery Fit! I would most certainly become a New Man; I would Correct the dangerous Errors of my Ways, Contemn the little Lusts and Vani­ties of the World, and serve my GOD with all my Heart, with all my Soul, and all my Strength. Sweet JESUS grant me but this one Request, try me once more; and if I be not henceforth a Reformed Man, I ask no more Mercy; then let me die the Death!

Truly the Man speaks well, and who would not be­lieve that he is in Earnest? considering they are (for ought he knows) the last words he is to say. Well! the Almighty hears, and is overcome by his importu­nity: He restores his Health and Strength beyond all humane expectation, and renews the Lease of his Life for many, very many Years.—Now is it possible for this Man to be worse then his word? I am afraid—No; I am ashamed to tell you, but rather refer it to your own daily and sad Experience. Yet thus much I must needs say, that if after all this, he Relapse into his former wicked Life, he is Ʋnjust, as well as Ingrateful [Page 13]to his GOD, and the last Estate of that Man must needs be far worse then the first. Which that it may never be Verified of any of us, I befeech you let us call to mind the time past, and seriously reflect upon the Sacred Re­solutions we took, and Solemn Promises we made to GOD in our extreme distress, and be careful with DAVID to pay all our Vows unto the most High.

5. Lastly, Consider we the true Reasons that mo­ved GOD to turn our Captivity, pluck down Ene­mies and Oppressors, and Redeem us from a more than Egyptian Bondage; to renew our former Peace and Happiness, Restore our lost Religion, and Ancient Go­vernment, and give us Princes as at the first, and Judges as at the Beginning. For that Success must needs infer a good Cause, is a Turkish fallacy, which yet of late, hath much imposed upon the Christian World. Indeed it is an old mistake, a Branch of Na­tural Pride in Men, to attribute Victory and Delive­rance to their own Sword, their own Merit, Prowess, and Gallantry, whereas they belong to a far different Cause. But Moses hath long since determined against them in the Case of Israel: Deut, 9.4.5. Speak not thou in thy heart, after that the Lord thy GOD hath cast thine Enemies out before thee, saying, for my Righte­ousness hath the LORD brought me in to possess this Land, but for the Wickedness of these Nations the Lord doth drive them out; — Not for thy Righteousness, or for the Ʋprightness of thine heart, (as he goes on) for thou art a stiff-necked and gain-saying People. Thus we ought not to impute our many and great Blessings, and particularly the late Wonderful Deliverance of Our Gracious KING, His only Royal Brother, and all His Most Loyal Subjects, out of the hands of those Blood­thirsty Men, to our own Righteousness, but to their Ma­licions Wickedness; to GODS mere Mercy to us, and [Page 14]Exemplary Justice upon them, for their studied Mar­ders, Solemn Perjuries, Notorious Sacriledg, formed Conspiracies, unwearied fowlest Treasons, and (which is the Spring of all their Motions) their damnable Hy­pocrisy in making a mock of all Religion.

So many and such weighty reasons we have to re­member HIM in the day of Peace and Triumph (who remembred us when we were in trouble: and saved us so lately when we were upon the very brink of Ruin) and then especially to beware lest we forget the LORD.

To close up this Second general, 'tis a thousand pities that fair weather should do any harm; that when the Sun is most prodigal of his wealthy beams, and spends his richeft influence to maintain Natures Glory, he should most tan her Beauty, and scorch her Hair; yet that it is so sometimes every drought can witness; but it is not to be attributed to any blemish in the Sun, that bright Eye of the World, whose Rays are ever the same, apt to cherish and preserve Life, but rather to the indisposition of the matter before him, and thus it is no fault in the Sun of Righteousness, that his heal­ing beams do ruin and destroy us; that's the great imperfection of Men, who make their own Happiness their Misery, and turn their very Mercies into Sins, such Fools and Brutes they are, that they will be soon­er affrighted into a sense of Religion by the Sword of GODS Judgments, and the black Rod of his Fury, then woed and courted to his service by those winning Arguments, his Golden Scepter of Love, and Staff of Comfort. Wherefore that we fall not afleep in secu­rity when the World smiles upon us, and all our en­deavours are crowned with success, I come

[Page 15]3. In the Third and Last place, to [...]ender you some [...] Directions, how we should manage a full and prosperous Estate, how we may best reduce this use­ful caution to practice. And

1. When thou thy self art happy, don't trample upon, or insult over them that are in misery, but pitty them in some degree at least, and if they suffer unjustly, do thy ut­most to relieve, and help them out; the Disciples thought they asked our LORD a very subtile Questi­on,— Did this man sin, or his Parents, that he was lorn blind? but he tells them, neither, as they meant; he was not born Blind because he or his Parents were greater sinners than other men; but for this reason, that they (and others) if they were not blind, might [...] the glory of GOD in our Saviours working his cure, in the opening of his Eyes, and men are general­ly apt to make false constructions of GODS private Judgments in this Life: where they see them fall heavy they presently cry, there dwells a more then ordinary [...]er, as if there were no after-reckoning, no Judg­ment to come; from whence they think themselves obliged to help GOD to torment him, and fancy they [...] Him service, when they hate, scorn, kick, or bu [...] ­ [...]et him, and heap more coals of fire upon his wretch­ed Head; such fools are they, and ignorant of the mysterious Tracts, and hidden methods of the Di­ [...]ine Providence, whose ways are all unsearchable, and [...] Paths past our finding out. How were his Wise [...]nd Rational Friends mistaken in the case of poor [...]ob? They concluded from his many and great suffer­ings, that he was the most wicked wretch, and noto­ [...]ous Hypocrite under the cope of Heaven, when by GODS own Testimony, he was the most perfect, up­ [...]ght man in all the Earth, and it stands upon ever­ [...]asting record, that in all this (whether temptation [Page 16]or trouble brought upon him by Men or Devils) in all this Job sinned not, nor charged GOD foolishly; where­fore let no Man judg before the time, considering there is another World, that will set all things right and straight, which; his Folly thinks go somewhat oddly and awry in this, as we would that men should do unto us, so let us do unto them, in their straits, and pres­sures, their difficulties, and distresses, for if thou shouldst despise or oppress thy poor Brother, when thou art rich, and full, it may be thou wouldst op­press a JOB, a man of most admirable vertues, and highest Integrity; and thy weights and ballances are both false, if thou measurest his sins by his sufferings. Suppose he be a very Judas, and known convicted Traytor; yet what is that to thee? Who made thee a Judge? It is enough that the Law takes publick Justice of him; all this while the Gospel requires thee not to exclude him out of thy private Charity; besides (ye know) it is very foul play to strike a man when he is down, and basest Cowardise to trample upon either a Living Dog, or a Dead Lyon. That's the First,

2. When thou prosperest in the World, and livest according to thy Hearts desire, then be sure to let, Adversity be the frequent object of thy retired thoughts and meditations. All things indeed go well with thee to day, but boast not thy self (says Solomon) of to morrow, for thou knowest not what a Day may bring forth, Quamobrem omnes cùm res secundae sunt maxi­mè, tum maximè meditari secum oportet, quo pacte advorsam aerumnam ferant, pericla, damna, exilia, &c. saith the comedian; willing us not to be secure in our prosperity, but then learn to expect and bear any evil tidings, or adverse fortune. Holy Job (now in his Wealth and Grandeur) took an excellent course for this, and well worthy all our imitation, when his [Page 17] Children had been long Feasting together by turns from house to house, the good old Man went and Offered burnt Offerings according to the Number of them all; For it may be (said he) my Sons have Sinned, and Cursed GOD in their Hearts. Though he knew of nothing but a Lawful Recreation, yet, it may be, for fear of the worst, he went to his Devotions, and offered Sacrifice; as knowing there would be no hurt in that however, but that it might prevent some unseen Mischief. And in­deed common Prudence may instruct us all to look for Mischances, and expect Troubles before they come, that when they do come, we may be upon our Guard to receive them. After Wit is for none but Fools to brag of; a Wiser Man takes his Measures by looking [...], as well before, as behind him, and so is able in time to take out the Sting of an Evil before it can reach him. Then, think of Losses, when you thrive the most, of Wars in Peace, of VVant in Plenty, of Grief in Joy, of Sickness in Health, and of Death it self in the midst of Life, and then no Change of things can surprize or harm you, but (as St. Paul observes) all things shall work together for good to them that love GOD.

3. Use thine abundance with all Moderation, abuse it not to gratifie thy craving Lusts, and Insatiable Af­fections. for they are absurd and unreasonable men, who think they do not truly rejoyce in GODS Blessings, runless they may Sacrifice them by whole-sale to their greedy Appetites; who madly fancy they cannot be happy, if their desires be held to any Stint or Bounds. hence comes all their excess in Eating and Drinking, and other Lawful Pleasures: They think to take their fill of Enjoyment, and glut themselves with the Marrow and Quintessence of all Good things, and so mistake the Quantity for the Quality; whereas [Page 18]in truth, all Earthly Pleasure Commends it self in no­thing more, than as it is more seldom-used. Therefore, if GOD hath given thee Increase of Corn and Wine, use them with all Caution, and Sobriety. Ear not too greedily of the Corn: For a full Belly is most unfit for Devotion and Contemplation; besides that it breeds ill Humours, and endangers Health. And drink not too freely of the Wine; for though it be good and Gene­rous, and move it self aright, yet too much thereof will Intoxicate; it will drown thy Reason and Parts, enervate all thy Faculties, and Powers, and make thee forget, or deny the Lord thy GOD, or take his Holy Name in Vain. And for all other lawful Diversions take that one Counsel of the Wise, experienced King, Prov. 25. Hast thou found Honey? Eat so much thereof as is sufficient for thee (and no more) lest thou be filled therewith, and womit it up again. There's no other way but that, to prevent a Surfeit, whether in Body or Mind. But you'l say perhaps, what must I them do with mine Abundance? For after this rate of Dieting my self, I shall never live to spend it. Why, yes; there is another, a more excellent way to be rid of the overplus to better advantage; and that shall be my

4. Direction. Be Hospitable, Charitable, and free to Communicate what thou canst well spare, to Relieve the Wants and Supply the Necessities of others. For GOD hath made thee Rich on purpose to be their Stew­ard and Almoner, and (as little as some Men heed it) will one day expect a good Accompt of that Steward­ship. It is the Misers great mistake to think at his Choice and Liberty, and purely in his own Power, whether he will expend his Superfluities in good works, or no; for the Law of Justice requires, it of him, although, from the mannor, end, and some other circumstances, we commonly call it Charity. That Fool in the Gos­pel [Page 19]needed not to have put himself to so much trouble and Charge in building his Barus bigger, to lodg his plentiful Crop; there was Barn-room enough in the World, if he would have seen it; for, as St. Austine observes, the Bellies of the Poor are GODS Granary.

If therefore thou hast any Bread to spare, cast it up­on the Waters (as Solomon adviseth that is, venture it among the Multitude, rather then fail) though ne­ver so troublesome and unworthy, and thou shalt find it again after many days; for however Men may be in­grateful, yet GOD is not unrighteous to forget any work or labour of Love. St. Paul bids us Charge them that are Rich in this World, that they be Rich in good Works, ready to distribute, willing to Communicate. And again, that, as they have Ability, and Opportunity, they do good unto all Men, especially to them who are of the Household of Faith; he means chiefly those, that Minister at the Altar, and daily watch over your Souls. For this is pure Religion, and undefiled before GOD, whereby a Man shall not only preserve himself Inno­cent and impregnable to all the Temptations of a full and prosperous Estate, but also make himself Friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness, who when he faileth here, may receive him into those everlasting Habitati­ons of GOD and his Son JESUS CHRIST, and all his Holy Saints and Elect Angels.

5ly. and lastly, For yet thou lackest one thing, with­out which all other directions will prove Vain and Useless; and that is this: Resolve, with Penitent Da­vid, to give thy self unto Prayer; To implore the Grace and Assistance of GODS Holy Spirit day by day, whose proper Work and Office it is to Sanctifie all Conditions of Life to us: As well to keep us down when we begin to be Elevated into Pride, as to buoy our Spirits up, and be our Comforter in extream Di­stress.

Prayer is that powerful Engine whereby the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth Violence, and the Violent take it by Force: whereby Mortal Men wrestle with the Im­mortal GOD, and will not let him go till he hath blessed them. That Sedulous Importunity which once extorted Justice from an Ʋnjust Judge, must needs be ever pre­valent for Mercy with the Righteous Judge of all the Earth.

I had almost said that (under GOD) the KING ows his late never-to-be-forgotten Preservation, in a great Measure, to the Prayers of the Church offered up daily on his behalf; that GOD would save him from all his undeserved Enemies, whose tender Mercies are Cruel, and their very Prayers and Preachments are of Cursing and Lies, as the Psalmist speaks.

I'm sure his Martyr'd Father, of ever Blessed Memory (whose Innocent blood perhaps GOD is making espe­cial Inquisition for at this time) hath left us an useful Note to this purpose, amongst other his Sacred Re­liques, which I shall crave leave to Read you in his own Royal Words.

One of the Greatest Faults some Men found with the Common-Prayer-Book, I believe, (faith that Great, Good and Just Man) was this: That it taught them to Pray so oft for me; to which Petitions they had not Loyalty enough to say AMEN, nor yet Charity enough to forbear Reproaches, and even Cursings of me, in their own Forms, instead of Praying for me. [...]. ch. 16.

The Text is so very plain that it needs no comment, (were I worthy to make it) and therefore so I shall leave it. Mean while (to return to may own Argument, from this Digression, I could not fairly avoid) Who art thou O Man, who upon any score, canst trust to thine own strength? It will betray, and fail thee; it is no better then a broken Reed, for though the Spirit may be sometimes willing: though thy Judgment be convinced, and thy Will also made a Proselyte to re­solve upon this, or that good work, yet it is often left undone, in regard the Flesh is always weak.

Deteriora sequor— is the natural Mans true Motto; it is all he can justly pretend to, to commend Vertue in the notion, but condemn it still in his own Practice; and I must observe it to you for a great Truth (however some may seem to Preach quite the contrary Doctrine, or at least, not to press this so often, nor so earnestly as they should) That, Mens trusting to their own natural Powers, and not regarding, nor du­ly asking GODS special Grace and help, (as if they meant to bid despite to his Holy Spirit) is one main, if not the only reason of their persisting in their old im­pieties, and particularly, of their abusing and forfeiting their temporal blessings, and hazarding their hopes also of Eternal Life. For thus saith the Lord GOD, Jer. 17.5. Cursed be the Man that putteth his trust in Man, or maketh Flesh his Arm! Be it the Man himself, or any other mere Man, all's a case; he is still accursed.

Wherefore let no Man living boast of his infirmities, nor Glory in his shame; let us not presume upon our own Strength (or Weakness rather) nor magnifie the pow­ers of Nature in derogation to the Grace of GOD, by which alone we must be saved; but rather let us with Holy David (as in utmost duty bound) Make [Page 22]the LORD our only confidence, the most High GOD the Rock of our Salvation.

And forasmuch as the Eternal Son of GOD our Saviour hath solemnly, and freely promised us, that whatsoever we shall ask the Father in HIS NAME, He will give it us: and particularly this inestimable and necessary Gift of his Holy SPIRIT, recorded for our great and endless comfort, St. Luke 11.13. and St. John 15.16. (which by the way, is the true reason that all our Publick Prayers run in that Name and Style, and are shut up, and bidden GOD speed for the sake and merits of JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.)

Let us humbly, heartily, and incessantly mention the Holy Name of JESUS before the Throne of the Eternal TRINITY; that GOD would vouch­safe his Holy SPIRIT to dwell in all our Hearts, to help our Infirmities, and lead us into all Truth, to subdue our natural Pride, and sanctifie all our Mercies Spiritual and Temporal; that we may use this World, and not abuse it, and ever be careful, lest in the midst of the many and great Blessings we now enjoy, we should forget the LORD, the Author of them all; that so he may not be provoked to forget, but may in much mercy remember us, in that day when he maketh up his Jewels, and may bind up our Souls in the bun­dle of Life; which GOD grant for the same JESUS sake, our only Redeemer, to whom with the FA­THER and the Holy GHOST, Three Persons, and One GOD, be all the Power and Glory, Praise and Thanksgiving, now and for ever more, AMEN.