IT was a true but a sad Report, which a Prophet once gave, concerning the Times, wh [...]n the Concerns of Religion were w [...]fully disregarded, in 2 Chron. 15.5, 6 In those Times, there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in; for God vexed them with a [...]l Adver­versity. And m [...]thinks, to Repeat those words would be at the same Time, exactly to Report the Characters of the Black Times that are come upon our selves. There is indeed, a dreadful variety of Adversity, every Year [Page 2] vexing of us; but among all our Vexations there is a special Remark to be put upon those Losses which attend us in our Estates; and those Losses are principally occasioned by the want of Peace to them that are Going out, or Coming in. An Infallible Expedient for the Preventing, or the Reparing of these Losses, would infallibly be welcome to us all; and I now pretend, unto more than one such Expedient. The great Use of Guard Ships and Convoyes: and the yet greater use of Ensurance-Offices, Established upon good Foundations for this purpose, with Methods to stop Fires, or cure B [...]asts, hitherto unpra­ctised, I do somewhat know; but I am now to show unto you, A more Excellent Way.

There were sore Losses that befel the Peo­ple of God, who having obtained from the King, a Good Charter, with a Good Gover­nour, Empowring them to Settle a Good Order both in Church and State, among themselves, too soon laid aside the Holy De­signs which they had begun upon. The Losses which thus Creepled the Body of this People as well by Land, as by Sea, in the Infancy of their Plantation, must needs be very Exercising. Their Condition is in these words Expressed unto them, Ye looked for much, and lo it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. It seems they met with such Losses in their Wayes of Living, whether by Tillage, or by Traffick, that they cou [...]d not Thrive in any of their Undertakings. But the God of Heaven, ve­ry [Page 3] graciously sent one of His Ministers, to debate with the people about their Losses, & Exhort them and Invite them to Repent of the Sins, which had been the Moral Causes of those Disasters.

Our Haggai was one of those Ministers; and, as 'tis noted by one of the Ancients, because this Haggai was but a Young Man, Lest any should therefore Despise his Y [...]uth, he came with a very Divine Authority; he demands Attention, with a doubled, Thus saith the Lord of Hosts; and, if the Message come from, The Lord of H [...]sts, who dare do any other than Attend unto it? The Er­rand upon which our Prophet here comes unto this People, is, briefly, to direct them unto a way, how they might both find out the Cause, and obtain the End, of all the C [...]lami [...]ous Losses, which had overtaken them. And that i [...] my Errand unto Y [...]u this Day; in the Discharge whereof the Text now Read will be very Serviceable.

The CASE before me is,

How should we Approve our selves under the Losses wherewith Almighty God visits us, in our Estates; and how may we Improve those Losses unto Spiritual and Eternal Gains.

In Answer to a Case, which I suppose, few or none, can count unseasonable, there are these things to be offered.

[Page 4]I. The first Counsil proper for them that have met with Losses, is that which we have, Repeated in our Context here. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, Consider your Wayes. Consideration under our Losses, is as needful as ready a way, to the San­ctification of those Losses. And there are especially two things to be there­upon Considered.

First, When we have met with Los­ses, we are to Consider the Hand from whence those Losses come upon us. Briefly, VVe are to Consider the Hand of God in all our Losses. It was well Considered and Confessed, by the Ho­ly Job, when be had Lost a fair E­state, and there were Sabaeans & Chaldae­ans as well as more Natural Accidents, among the Authors of his Losses, in Job 1.21. It is the Lord that has taken away. VVe shall be very Fretful under our Losses, if we are not very Thoughtful under them. Yea, but our Thoughts will only increase our Frets, if they should only be Employed upon Second Causes. This is the First Rule for us under our Los­ses; Let us acknowledge a VVise, and a Just God as the First Cause of all. It has been sometimes the Good Speech of a Good Man, I can take any thing [Page 5] well at the Hand of God. As for our Losses, they will all Prove well if we can Take them well; but now, behold how That is to be attained. Let us consider, what we are told, in Deut. 8.18. Thou shalt Remember the Lord thy God, for 'tis he that gives thee power to get Wealth. And then, Let us Consider, That when we Loose Wealth, we must Remember the Lord our God; for 'tis he who denies us the power of keeping our Wealth. Perhaps our Losses may rise from the Fraud or Force of our Enemies; but let us Cons [...]der, It was our God that let Loose those Devourers upon us. 'Tis possible, Unhappy Casualties have pro [...]cured us our Losses; but let us Consi­der, 'Twas by the Disposal of our God, that such Inconveniencies came to pass. It may be partly for this Reason, that our Prophet here once and again men­tions unto the People, The Lord of Hosts, as concerned about their Losses; They were the Hosts of the Lord, that were the more immediate and visible Effici­ents of their Losses; yea, but those Ef­ficients were but Instruments; and says the Prophet, It is the Lord of Hosts him­self that commanded this Armies to Fall up­on your Estates. VVhatever may be our Losses, and from what Quarter soever [Page 6] they spring, I beseech you speak not a word of any Bad Fortune, in the Busi­ness. 'Tis only for Pagans to ascribe their Losses unto such a Blind Original. Consider every Loss as ordered, not by Chance, but by God; even by that God who has Numbred all our Hairs; that, God, without whom not a Sparrow falls; that God who does the Evil that is done in the City. There was a pious VVidow once, that met with sore Losses in her Concerns; but you shall now hear her Opinion about the true Original of all those Losses; in Ruth 1.21. I went out fall, and the Lord hath brought me home again Empty; the Lord hath Testifi­ed against me, and the Almighty hath Afflicted me. VVell-Thought on! 'Tis the Lord Almighty that Empties us, by all the Losses that come upon us. Mark what I say; A man will never be a Looser by any of his Losses, except he be Impatient under them. Now, the best Antidote against Impatience is, to Con­sider, 'Tis the Will of God, that I should meet with such Losses as I do.

Secondly, VVhen we have met with Losses, we are to Consider the Ground for which those Losses com [...]. The God of Heaven sent one VVasting Plague▪ [Page 7] after another upon the poor Jews, till at last they Lost all they had in the VVorld; but then said He, in Ezek. 14.23. Ye shall know that I have not without a Cause, done all that I have done in it, saith the Lord. Our Losses are u­sually the fruit and sign of Gods Quar­rels. Ordinarily our God is managing of some Controversy with us when He causes us to Loose those things that were Comfortable to us. [VVe may allude unto Ezra 7.26.] It would be a Pro­fitable thing for us to Loose what is Comfortable, if we might be brought thereby to Mourn for, and to Turn from our Sins, and to Humble our selves before God, with a deep Repen­tance. It becomes us then under our Losses, to Consider, What is the Cause of such Dispensations, and to Supplicate, as in Job. 10.2. Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me. In our Text, the Lord makes a, Why? upon the Losses of the People. Truly, it becomes us al­so to use a, Why? upon our Losses. Put the Question, Why am I thus? Why will not God permit me to Enjoy what he has bestow'd [...]pon me? We are here inform­ed, That our Wayes are to be conside­red, when our Losses come in upon us; it seems, that in the sinfulness of our [Page 8] own Wayes, we are to Look for the Reasons of our Losses. Particularly, To begin with what lies before us;

First, Under our Losses we may do well to Consider, Whether it be not Be­cause of mine House that is wast, saith the Lord of Hosts; and ye run every man unto his own House. The Neglect of the Ordinances Administred in the House of God, is here a [...]signed as the Rile of those Losses which befel the Jews of old. God would not fill Their Houses, because they would not Replenish His. They would not Build Gods House, & therefore God would not have Theirs to flourish. They reckoned every thing too Much for the House of God, and so God said every thing was too Good for theirs. There is then a twotold miscarriage, after which we should by our Losses be made Inquisitive. We should Consider, whether we have duely Attended the Ordinances in the House of God. It was Engaged, in Exod. 23.24. Thrice a year, shall all your M [...]n Children appear before the Lord God; Th [...]n shall no men desire thy Land. [...] we Loose the Profits of our Land, pray, [...]et us then Enquire, Do we go up so much as once a Year, to the Gospel-Festivals of our Lord Jesus Christ? The first Planters of this [Page 9] Countrey, had a glorious Experiment of it; That as long as men were mostly Concerned about a Room in the House of God, and about Preparing for, and Approaching to the Ordinances of that House, they prospered wonderfully in their Undertakings; but since that Church-Work has been so shamefully cast off by, A Generation of sinful men Risen up in our Fathers stead; and since that instead of Desiring this one thing, to dwell in the House of the Lord the chief Cry has been after Worldly Accommodations; Men do but Loose on all hands, and miserably go down the wind almost all the Country over. It has been said by our Lord, Seek first the Kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you. You then that find All these things Ta­ken f [...]om you, may do well to Consi­der, Have I duely sought the Kingdom of God, by joyning my self in a Sacred Fellow­ship, with the People of that Kingdom? God makes us to Loose the Things that were to furnish our Tables; why? Because the Dainties Exhibited upon His TA­BLE are despised with us. Again, we should Consider, whether we have duely Supported the Ordinances in the House of God. VVhat notable Assurances did [Page 10] the Lord give, in Mal 3.9, 10, 11. Ye are Cursed with a Curse, for ye have Rob­bed me. Bring ye all the Tithes into the Store house, and pr [...]ve me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not Open you the Windows of Heaven, and pour you o [...]t a blessing, that there shall not be Room enough to Receive it; And I will Rebuke the Devourer for your s [...]kes. Do many Devourers cause us to Loose our Stores: It may make us Enquire, whether we have not pinch'd in what Concerns the Stores that are necessary to keep the House of God f [...]om Sinking. 'Tis im­possible that the Ordinances belonging to the House of God should be carried on without Charges; and every man to whom God has given any of His Ta­lents, does owe something proportionable, for the maintaining of these Charges. The Opened Windows of Heaven use to let fall a pour of Blessings on those that are most Open handed in such a Piety. VVhereas, I can tell of a Count [...]ey in the world, where the Unavoidale Charges of the Gos­p [...]l, have been accounted the heaviest of [...]urdens, by very many of the Inhabitants; and at length, God gave them to see, that by his browns only upon One Expedition, He could in a few Weeks make them Loose more than would [Page 11] have honourably Defray'd all the Eccle­siastical Expences in the Land for several Years together. There needs not much of Geography to find such a Countrey; plainly, 'tis, My Own. It is among the Oracles of VVisdom, There is that with­holds more than is meet, and it tendeth to Poverty. To withold from the Service of God, and of His Truths, & VVays, those Quitrents which are Challenged by Him, who does give us All that we have; This is to withold more than is meet. Let us then Consider, Is not my Sacriledge the cause of my Poverty? We Loose what we have, when we go to Keep what we should not. But,

Secondly, Under our Losses, we may do well to Consider, Whether we never made Idols of those things, whereof we now undergo the Losses. VVhen the Jews were guilty of nefandous Idolatries, this was the Judgment of God upon them for those Idolatries, in Ezek. 16 27. Behold, I have stretched out my Hand over thee, and I have diminished thine Or­dinary Food. As for us, 'tis chiefly one sort of Idolatry which we are most prone unto; even that whereof the Apostle speaks, Coveteousness, which is Idolatry. When our Hearts come to be Inordi­nately [Page 12] set upon things here below, then 'tis that by one Loss after another, those things are Diminished unto us. To Love any of these things extreamly, is the way to Loose that thing certainly and speedily. Let any Guord, be overvalued, and it won't be long before that Guord shall be withered. A miserable Indian at Mexico once very solemnly held up a piece of Gold, saying, Behold, this is the Spaniards God! Even so it may be said about the Cash, or Shop, or House, or Ship, or Field of many a man; There [...] the God of that man. The man does more depend upon those things, for a Subsistence, than upon the Almighty God Himself; The man will forget God, and all the Works and Laws of Religion, rather than abate of his ra­ging pursuit after these things. This 'tis to make Idols of them▪ Well then, says the Blessed God, Since this man will make Idols of these things, they shall be Idols in­deed! Now an Idol you know is No­thing at all. So, we Loose all, till all come to Nothing. It was said in Prov. 23.5. Wilt thou set thine Eyes upon that which is not? For Riches certainly make themselves Wings. Riches are a Fine, Gay, Speckled Bird; but it is a Bird in the Bush, not a Bird in the Hand; [Page 13] and it is our setting our Eyes too much upon it, that causes its Flight from us, that is, our Loss of it.

Thirdly, Under our Losses we may do well to Consider, Whether our Un­thankfulness and Unfruitfulness under our Enjoyments, have not given much of Reasonableness unto our Losses. All that we have, is but a Loan from the Great God unto us. Now, if we be so Un­thankful, that we will not particularly and affectionately Recognize the Kind­ness of God unto us in such a Loan, it is not very Reasonable that we should come to have a Loss instead of a Loan? Is it famous Threatning of God, in Deut. 28.47, 48. Because thou servest not the Lord thy God, with Joyfulness, and Gladness of Heart, for the Abundance of all things; therefore thou shalt Serve thine Enemies in Hunger and in Thirst, and in Nakedness, and in the want of all things. It seems, we come to the Want, and the Loss of our Former A­bundance; Why? Because we do not Serve God with a due Thankfulness of Heart, in and for that Abundance. Let me put this unto the Consciences of my Loosing Neighbours! When the Em­perour Bajazet had in one Day Lost [Page 14] no less than a mighty Empire & Glo­ry, Tamerlane, who took him Captive, seriously ask'd him, Syr, Did you ever yet give Thanks to Almighty God, for putting so great a part of His World into your Hands; whereto the Turk answered, No, in Truth I never thought of that. And the Tartar then reply'd, Ungrateful Wretch! then wonder not, that thou hast Lost it all! Truly so, Let many of us, that have Lost much of the VVorld, be asked seriously, Did you ever give Express, Hearty, Frequent Thanks to God, for His bestowing these things upon you? 'Tis to be doubted, that we should be found lamentably defective in this In­genuity; and so you see, the Cost of this Ingratitude. Moreover, All that we have, is the Means of Cultivation Em­ploy'd by the Great God upon us. We are Trees in the Vineyard of God; our Delights are part of the Husbandry, or the Means wherewith He Labours, to fetch some of His Praises out of us; and if we are Unfruitful after all, 'tis but Reasonable that we should be deprived of those Means. It was threat­ [...] in Hos. 2.8, 9. She did not know, th [...] I gave her Corn, and Wine, and Oyl, and multiply'd her Silver and Gold; Therefore will I Return, and I will take [Page 15] them away. Don't we know that as what we have, is the Gift of God, so it must be all used for the Praise of God? Know we not, that our Corn, and Wine, and Oyl, and Silver, and Gold, is to be Laid out only so as may be for the Glory of God? If we don't know this, we shall know that He will Take it, and we must Loose it all. They that are Unprofitable Servants, do quickly hear their Doom, Take the Talent from him, saith the Lord! The Unfaithful Ste­wards are quickly call'd upon, Surrender what is in your Hands! Have we Lost considerably? Let us then think with our selves, How we have us'd what we have Lost. It may be that what should have Nourished our Devotion, and our Charity, has been made but a Fuel for our Lust. It may be that our Plenty has been Abused unto Gluttony, Drun­kenness, Pride, and the Superfluity of Naughtiness. No wonder then, if the Jealous God, should say upon it, I'le trust them no longer with my Goods! When Da­vid could say of Nabal, In vain have I kept all that this Fellow has, he was pre­sently for making him Loose all he had; thus, if our God must say, In vain have I let that Fellow have so much of the World, what is like to follow, [Page 16] but a quick Ejection out of all?

Fourthly, Under our Losses, we may do well to Consider, How we Got what we have Lost. It is a most memorable passage, in Jer. 17.11. As a Patridge sitteth on Eggs, and hatcheth them not, so he that getteth Riches, and not by Right, shall Leave them in the midst of his Dayes, and at his End shalt be a Fool. Many a man has been such a Fool, as to augment his Riches in some ways of Dishonesty; he has either by Fraud or Force made himself a Master of Gold, whereto he had no Right, by that Gol­den Rule, Do as thou wouldest be done unto. And what comes of it? The Eggs prove Addle. Or to speak more thoroughly; The Stollen Eggs carry Bur­ning Coals with them, and Consume the Nest with all that belongs unto it. Well said the Psalmist, A Little that a Righteous man hath, is Better than the Riches of many Wicked. VVhy, a Righ­teous man misses many an Advantage, that is taken by them, that Make haste to be Rich. But then, the Little Money which he gets, has no Rust upon it; it will wear and last like any Steel. Whereas, let a Wicked man, in the ways of Wickedness grow never so Rich, and [Page 17] worth many Thousands, 'tis a Thousand to One, but one Loss upon the back of another, will at last bring all to be, as the Riches of Pyrates use to be. Fa­ther Latymer spoke once of a [...]ugh that would come upon such as could swallow Dishonest Gains. Why, Losses do Ensue upon such Gains, like so many Coughs, and men Cough till they Vomit up all they have got. It is a Righte­ous Thing with God, That One Loss after another should snatch away from us, those Riches, whereat we have snatched more Greedily than Honestly. Any Remarkable Injustice, used either by Us, or by our Fathers before us, in scraping together much of this VVorld, will but make one great Snow-ball of it all. One Loss will probably haunt it after another, till it be melted all away: at least, vix gaudet tertius haeres. Yea, There is many a Godly man, who through Ignorance, or Carelessness, never made a possible Restitution of Things un­lawfully Obtained, if not by himself, yet by those that Left him what he has; and so a long Series of Losses is Entail'd upon him. Thus also, such as have once Broken, by their own Extra­vagancies, rather than by the Unavoid­able Frowns of God upon them; and [Page 18] have after all, had more Fraudulence, than Fair-dealing, in their Compositions with their Creditors, do ordinarily so plunge themselves into further Losses, that (as we say) no Butter will ever stick [...] their Bread afterwards. Yea, If any Thing have been Gotten by any Trade, offensive unto God; such a Trade, suppose, as that wherein by Strong Drink Sold unto our Indians, the Salvages have been hastened unto Hell before their Time; 'tis well if it been't Last, all in as little a while as it was G [...]t; and it may be, that some Good men have made the Unwary and Un­happy Trial of it. I would only add thus much, VVhen we see a Corrosion upon what we have, Let us look whe­ther there be no Moth [...]odged in it; and remember, that a Moth may be (if not in a Garment yet) in an E­state, for Twenty, Thirty, Forty Years together.

God forbid, that every one, who meets with Losses in his Est [...]e, should be Remarkably Chargeable with all or any of these Iniquities. Nevertheless, Loosers, Consider your Wayes.

II. VVhatever may be our Losses, Let [Page 19] us not be too much Discouraged by those Losses, nor Loose our Spirits un­der them. Though your Daily Bread seem to be Failing of you, do not now Eat the Bread of Sorrows, but Sleep as quietly and as pleasantly as ever; for you may be still, The Beloved of God. O do not give way to sinking Dejec­tions, or Despondings, and Overwhelm­ing Melancholly; do not say, I now fear, I shall come to want before I Dye! Alas, That comes with a Fear. But hear the Voice of the Gracious God unto you;, which is, Fear not, I am with thee; and I will never Leave thee nor Forsake thee. 'Tis One Consolation for you, That God is Able to Retrieve all your Losses. VVhen Amazaah once at one Clap, Lost unto the value of Thirty Seven Thousand Five Hundred Pound Sterling, in ready Money, he was very much concern'd about his Loss. But it was then said unto him, in 2 Chron. 25.9. The Lord is Able to give thee much more than this. I pray, who first Gave all that you have now Lost? It was God; that God, whose is the Earth, and the Fulness thereof: And cannot that Omnipotent God, again, Give thee much more than this? Although Job had Lost All; yet after all it came to that, in Job 42.10. [Page 20] The Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. It may be Thus with you, though your Losses bring you to be, As poor as Job: I am sure, your Conten­tation would be a good Bottom for such an Expectation. 'Tis indeed often seen, that no persons are so unable to bear Losses, as those that once had nothing at all to Loose. They that start up from nothing to be Rich on the sudden, are usually most affrighted, and most repi­ning, when petite Losses create in them a suspicion of Loosing more. But it would rather become them to argue so, The God that brought me to something out of nothing, may make me of Nothing, to become Something again, if it pleases Him. However, I have one more Consolation for you: 'Tis, That I hope God is not among your Losses. VVhen David had Lost at once, all that he had been getting together for many years, 'tis said in 1 Sam. 30.6. He Encouraged Himself in the Lord his God. A blessed Cordial, to keep us from Fainting un­der our Losses! This is Lost, you say, and That is Lost: but in Gods Name, Is God Lost? H [...]e not you a God still to go unto, and live upon? There are some, who so read that place in Job 22.25. The Almighty shall be thy Gold. [Page 21] Christians, You have still Gold enough, so long as you have not Lost the Al­mighty God: Unless you will say, that Gold was your God; and then I did a­miss to call you Christians. Indeed, when Micah had Lost something, he cry'd out, Ye have taken away my Gods, and what have I more? Yea, but in the midst of all your Losses, dare you utter or mutter such a word as that, Ye have ta­ken away my Gods? Then truly might you say, I have Lost all, I have no more. VVhereas, you have a God, an Alsuffi­cient God, an Everlasting God, still to Friend: and so you may sing the Song of the Prophet over all, Tho' the Fields shall yield no meat, and the Flock shall be cut off from the Fold, yet I will Rejoyce in the Lord, and will Joy in the God of my Salvation. VVhen that Excellent Person, Galeacius Caracciolus, had Lost a brave Living, he said unto some that Visited him, That mans Money may perish with him, who counts all the Riches in the World, worth one Dayes Communion with God in Christ. VVhy, though you have Lost never so much, yet sure, you have not Lost your Communion with God, or at least, your Liberty for that Communion. So, your Losses are but like the spilling of a Cup of VVater, to him that has [Page 22] a Living and a Running Fountain at his Door. I say then, Be chearful; Al may be well yet; yea, All is well, for all this.

III. Let our Losses help to wean us from such things as those whereof we are Bereaved in our Losses; and let us not over prize what we daily LOOSE. VVhat is the Language of all our Los­ses? but that in Psal. 39.6. Men are disquieted in vain; he heaps up Riches, and knows not who shall gather them. So then, Let us no more be so vain, as to seek for our Happiness, in such Things a [...] will not stand by us when we have them. The first Sin of man, was our Addressing of Creatures as our Chief Good; and the Commission of that Sin, Impregnated our very Natures with a Disposition to make such Addresses. But our Losses do Engrave that Motto upon the Fore heads of all Creatures, These are Lying Vanities; and the Losses work well, when they take off our Hearts from those Vanities? The Apostle writes, in 2 Cor. 4.18. We Look not at the Things, which are seen; for the Things which are seen, are Temporal. Our Losses do pro­claim, that these things are no more than Temporal; and so they should not have [Page 23] so much of our Looks, nor of our Loves, as heretofore. What are all our Losses, but the Wormwood, wherewith our God would Embitter those Breasts of Crea­tures, which we too much fancy to hang upon? 'Tis most suitably pressed upon us, in 1 Cor. 7.29, 30. The Time is short; It remains that they who purchase, be as though they possessed not. Even so, Since our Losses tell us, that the Time of any Creatures Continuance with us, is but very short, Let us not be too fond of any Creature whatsoever. Let us not Lean upon these things for the supply of our Necessities: inasmuch as our Los­ses have told us, They are but Broken Reeds. Do not any more imagine, that these things will be sufficient Reliefs a­gainst our manifold Sorrows; our Losses tell us, They are but Miserable Comforters. Do not imagine, that these things will be Remedies for all the Maladies whereto we are Exposed; Our Losses tell us, They are but Physicians of no value. It is observable, That when Riches do with­out any Interruption flow in upon us, we grow but the more Hungry and Craving alter them; Crescit Amor Num­mi. 'Tis well therefore that our God, Orders now and then a Loss for us: 'tis to make us think, Certainly here is not [Page 24] my Rest! Wo to me, if God put me off with a Portion in such wretched Perishables! Possibly, if we knew when we had Enough of these things, our Heavenly Father would not send so many Losses, to be as it were the Voiders of our Tables. There are some Considerable Dealers in the VVorld, who are such Mortify'd Men, that they Stint their Estates, at a Moderate and Competent Elevation; they Resolve, that they will never be Richer than just so far; all that they get over and above, they'l generously give away to Pious Uses; and as they Resolve, that they will never be Richer, so the Smiles of God upon them seem to Resolve, that they shall never be Poorer all their Dayes. Excellent is the Rule that I have seen sometimes given, Be more Thoughtful how to use what you have, unto the Glo­ry of God, than how to gain more. Where­as, if we are like the Horsleech, alwayes at, Give! Give! Our God often Orders that we Loose accordingly. A Grasp af­ter too much, is the Loss of all. VVhat shall I say? If our Losses did speak no­thing more Diminutive about the things of this World, than only thus much, That they are Momentary Things; yet [...]hat were enough to Disgrace them [Page 25] for ever with us. We Read concern­ing a Rich Fool, in Luk. 12.19. VVho said unto himself, Thou hast Goods Laid up for many years; but yet that very Night he Lost all. And a Fool indeed he was! Truly, after our Losses, we shall be most Exemplary Fools, if we count any of our Goods, Laid up for many years.

IV. Let our Losses provoke us to make sure of those things which are beyond the reach of Losses; and let us get an Interest in such things as ne­ver can be Lost. Could we hear the voice of all our Losses, we should find our selves bespoken in such Emphatical Terms as those, in Luk. 10.41, 42. Thou art Careful and Troubled about ma­ny things, But One Thing is Needful; that Good Part, that shall not be taken away. Have we Lost Many Things? It is not worth while to be Careful and Troubled, about such Things any Long­er. Let us now be more sollicitous than ever, about The Good Part, which cannot be taken away. And what is that Good Part? In short, It is a Part in the New Covenant. Let us Look to it, that God be ours; For, He is from Everlasting to Everlasting. Let us Look [Page 26] to it, that Christ be ours: For, He is Yesterday, to Day, and for ever the same. Look to it, that we have Grace in our Souls; for we may say of Divine Grace, as 'tis said of Divine Joy, Nothing shall be able to take it from you. Let us make sure, that Heaven be ours. VVhat said the Apostle, in Heb. 10.34. Ye took Joyfully the Spoiling of your Goods, know­ing within your selves, that you have in Heaven, a Better and an Enduring Sub­stance. Thus, we may, Take Joyfully the Loss of our Goods, if we are sure of Heaven for our Portion: and if we have true Grace in us, there will be that within our selves, from whence we may Know that Heaven does belong un­to us; we shall have an Inchoation of Heaven there. A Reverend and Re­nowned Minister, among the Ancients, having suddenly Lost all that he had in the VVorld, presently Lifted up his Eyes to Heaven, and said, Lord, Why should I be Concerned about the Loss of Silver and Gold; Thou knowest my All was not here; my All is in Heaven, & blessed be God, I have not Lost Heaven yet! Bravely Spoken! Let us have our Claim to Heaven sure; and our Title to all the Promises good; Then whatev­er Loss comes, we may still with Tri­umphant [Page 27] Souls rejoyce, My All is yet safe, as long as my God, my Christ, my Heaven is yet Left. It would seem strange, if I should say, A man may grow Rich upon his Losses; but I do as­sert it, and I can Evince it. A man that is Owner of infinitely more than all that this VVorld can afford unto him, is undoubtedly a Rich man. But a man may be so Awakened by his Losses, that he shall thereby come to be more Acquainted with God, more Con­formed to Christ, more Established in Grace, more Experienced at his Christi­an Warfare, and more Prepared for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light, than ever he was before. Now, here are Blessednesses infinitely beyond all that this VVorld can Enrich a man withal. Let us Learn more Godliness, and more Contentment, and we are sure of, Great Gain▪ Mallem bonum conscientiam, quam plenum marsupium, said he of old. It was the Advice of our Lord, in Matt. 6.19, 20. Lay not up for your selves, Treasures upon Earth, where Moth and Rust doth Corrupt, and where Thieves break through and Steal. But Lay up for your selves Treasures in Heaven. Let our Losses by Moth, and Rust, and Thief, make us more sedulous than ever we [Page 28] were, in securing of that Heavenly Trea­sure, which never can be prey'd upon. Since we cannot be sure of these things, Let us come to this issue, I'le give all Diligence to make my Calling and Election sure! It will be a sad symptom upon us, if we should Serve our Maker, one jot the less, for any of our Losses: it would help the Devil to a Truth, in that Accusation against us, which he brought with a Lye against Job of old; The man is mercenary in his Obedience; Do but put forth thine Hand, and Touch all that he has; and he will have soon have done serving of thee. No, No; Let us be more prayerful, more watchful, more Abounding in all the works of the Lord, because of our Losses; and so we shall be vast Gainers by the Losses. We shall be Wise Merchants, if by Loosing of all, we have a faster hold on, The Pearl of Great Price. Yea, And who can tell, whether we shall not shelter our selves against all sorts of Losses, by our giving to the Great Things of Eternity, the First and Chief Regards? This I can tell; that the Lord said unto Solomon, in 1 Chron. 1.11. Because thou hast not asked Riches, Wealth, and Honour; but hast asked Wisdom and Knowledge; Wis­dom and Knowledge is granted unto thee, [Page 29] and I will give thee Riches, and Wealth and Honour too.

V. The very Occasions of our Losses, may administer unto us, those Reflecti­ons which may Occasion our Gaining by our Losses. It was a Riddle once propounded, in Judg. 14.14. Out of the Eater came forth Meat. Now that Rid­dle may be expounded in the Occasions of those Losses, that sometimes do trouble us. Our Losses are monstrous Eaters, they eat away huge morsels of what we have. But we may fetch Meat for our Souls, out of those Eaters, by De­vout Reflections thereupon. As now; Have our Losses been by Burnings? Then we may Reflect, Lord, Let not my Soul perish in Everlasting Burnings? Reflect; Lord, Let not thy Anger burn against this poor Soul of mine! Again, Have our Losses been by Shipwracks? Then we may Reflect, Lord, Let me never make Shipwrack of the Faith, and of a Good Conscience! Reflect; Lord, keep my SOUL from the Lusts which may drown it in Perdition! Once more, Have our Losses been by Robbers? Then Reflect, Lord, who gave my Substance to the Spoiler, & the Robber, but thou, the Lord, against whom I have sinned? O let me make my [Page 30] Peace with my Offended God! Or, Have we been Cheated? Reflect then, Lord, Let me not be one that shall deceive my own SOUL; neither let the Tempter de­ceive me! Moreover, Have our Losses been by Carelessness, or Imprudence? Then Reflect, Lord, Let me use more Earnest Heed, in the Things of my Everlasting Peace! Finally, Have our Losses been, by Droughts, by Rains, by Unfruitful Seasons? Reflect upon it, Lord, Let me bring forth Fruits meet for thee, by whom I am dressed; and let me glorifie thee, by bringing forth of much Fruit! Any one such Reflection having its due Impres­sion upon our minds, would Largely make amends for any of the Losses that might occasion it.

VI. Let every Loss quicken our zea­lous and fervent cares to avoid the worst Loss, that can befal us; and that is, The Loss of our own SOULS. The Dutch have a saying well worthy of a Remembrance with us all; He that hath Lost his Money, hath Lost nothing; He that hath Lost his Credit, hath Lost half; but he that hath Lost his SOUL, There's a man that hath Lost all. We all of us naturally have a Lost SOUL, within us; a SOUL fallen into the [Page 31] Hands of Internal Enemies, and Eter­nal Miseries. Unless this Undone Soul be recovered out of those Hands, by the Saving Influences of the Lord Je­sus Christ, it is Lost for ever, without any Remedy or Escaping. A Dead Soul, That's a Dead Loss indeed! And oh that the awful words of the Son of God, were continually sounding in our Ears, from Mat. 16.26. What is a man profited, if he gain the whole World, and Loose his own Soul? There is many an Ungodly Man, that meets with few or no Losses for many a year to [...]gether; this is that, Prosperity of the Wicked, whereat the Saints have some­times been so Foolish as to be Envious. But in the mean time, what becomes of the Precious and Immortal Souls, which they carry about them? Alass, There is, A Leanness sent into their Souls; and their Souls are so Estranged from God, so Enslaved unto the Devil, and so Entangled in the Snares of Hell, [...] I do most Heartily Pray, Lord, Let me rather Loose till I beg my Bread, than gain the whole world, with a Soul in such doteful Circumstances. It may be that some of these may be so absurd, as to expect the Salvation of their Souls for ever, be­cause God makes them to meet with no [Page 32] more Losses here; A silly Story! Thus the Heathen Historians write of one Polycrates, who strangely succeeded in all his Affairs; in so much that once when he threw a costly Ring into the Sea, that very Ring was brought him again, in the Belly of a Fish: but yet, that man came to a most miserable End at the last. O be warned of it; Though a man should never meet with any o­ther Loss, yet if he do not make sure of a Saved Soul, he will be a very dreadful sort of a Looser after all. That Lost Soul will go down into the Pit, and then you have Lost all; God, and Hope, and Life, and Happiness is Lost for evermore. But how much more ought they that instead of Gaining the whole World, are Loosing of it every day, to be solicitous, that they don't Loose WORLD and SOUL and ALL together! Be assured, if thy Soul should be Lost at last, all thy Griefs for what thou hast Lost in this World, are but▪ The beginnings of Sorrows. 'Tis a Pain of Loss, that is the Hell of Hell it self, & the Intollerable, and the Interminable Anguish of the Damned. When the Terrible God is now stripping thee of thy Pleasant Things, 'tis but a Terrible Emblem and Earnest of the black Night, [Page 33] wherein thou shalt suffer the Loss of all that is Desirable, and be left, Wretch­ed and Miserable and Poor and Blind and Naked, and not have so much as a Drop of Water to Cool thy Tongue; but Ly, Hardly bestead, and Hungry, and Fret­ting, and Cursing of God, and Looking up­ward. O think of these things; and see to it, that, A Lost Soul, be not one Article in the Bill of thy Losses; but let thy Losses Excite thee to be found among them, who Believe unto the Sav­ing of the Soul.

BEhold, a Duty of our Christian Conversation, which according to the Divine Heraldry of the Scrip­ture, has a very High Place in Christianity belonging to it; a Duty than which there are not many, more Acceptable to God, more Profitable to Us, more Honourable to our Profession, or more Neglected and Omitted by multitudes, that will yet wear the Name which was begun [Page 2] [...] Antioch. And it is Remarkable to se [...] what a broad Contradiction is herein given to the Dictates of that Common and Car­nal Reason, which mankind is generally mis­guided by The Ordinary Notion of the World is, If I have Bread, my own Cupboard is the fittest place to keep it in. But the Holy Spirit of God will teach us otherwise, Cast thy Bread upon the Waters. The Custo­mary Dialect of the World is, [...] keep what I have, because I know not what Evil I may Live to see, I may Live to want it all. But we are otherwise Advised by the Holy Spi­rit of God; Give a Portion, because thou knowest not what Evil may be upon the Earth. 'Tis the God of Heaven, to whom we are beholden, for our Estates; our Possessions and Enjoyments, by which we are furnished against the Natural Inconveniencies of Hu­mane Life, are all bestow'd upon us, by that God, whose Providence disposeth of all our Affayrs; and as we have it, in Deut. 8 17, 18. Thou shalt not say in thine Heart, my power has gotten me this Wealth; but thou shalt Remember, the Lord thy God; for it is He that gives thee power to get Wealth. 'Tis neither Ski [...]l nor Chance, that brings our E­states into our Hands; but it is God, of whom we are told, That He is the Maker both of the Rich and of the Poor. Nothing in the World can then be more Agreeable, than for us to Remember this God, in all our Wealth; and to Remember Him with it, is the best Remembrance of Him in it. The [...] Covenant in which we are to make a [Page 3] Surrender of our Spirits and our Bodies un­to God, must by a parity of Reason also Devote our Estates unto Him; and All that we Have, as well as All that we Are, must come under a Dedication to the Lord. Most absurd was the Language of Nabal the Churl; Shall I take my Bread, and my Water, and my Flesh, and give it? Thine, O Senseless Man, How camest Thou by it? It is God that gives us all that we have▪ and by giving it unto us, He has not parted with His own Right in it all. No, He still is the Lord Proprietor of all; and we own it in that Covenant wherein we Choose Him for our Lord. It is therefore most highly Rea­sonable, That we should be at the Directi­on of the Eternal God, as to what we do with our Estates; esteeming our selves but Stewards of those Things, whereof our Neigh­bours call us the Owners, and preparing our selves for the Account which we must give of our Stewardship unto Him that is, The Lord of All Now the Orders which our Lord has given us, about our Estates, are principally Two. The First, is in 1 Tim. 5.8 If any provide not for his own, especially those of his own House, he hath Denied the Faith. Our Estates are in the first place, to Feed and Cloath and Cherish our own Fami­lies; and we may even Lay up for our Chil­dren a part thereof, if that may be done without the Defrauding of such other Ob­jects as God has required us, as long as we Live, to be helpful unto. But then there is Another part of our Estates, that must be [Page 4] Consecrated unto more Pious Ʋses; and a­bout that we have the Command in the Text now before us.

In the Context, you may read a Wise Monarch Reflecting upon the Vanities and Miseries which the Dead Flies, (and perhaps the Maggots) of Great Men, do oftentimes Plunge a Poor People into. 'Tis often seen, that a Poor People, by the Influence of Un­happy States-men, are brought into inextrica­ble Troubles and Ruines; and our Text, is a Counsil given to such a People. The Coun­sel is, That Men should be Liberal of their Estates, to Pious Ʋses; especially at such a Time, as there is like to be▪ Evil on the Earth, or, when much Confusion is like to happen in the Land. The Doctrine to which I Demand your Attention, is only This,

DOCTRINE,

That men ought with a Gracious Libe­rality to Devote a good Proportion of their Estates to Pious Uses.

My Text Contains almost all, That need be said for the Explication and the Confirmation of this Charitable Truth, and I have Three Questions before me, to Dis­course upon: WHAT? and, HOW? and WHY?

[Page 5]The first Question before us, is,

What are those Pious Uses, that a Pro­portion of our Estates must be Devoted unto? And under these Four Heads may they be Enumerated, Paying, Lend­ing, Giving, and Forgiving.

First, then, The Paying of our Duties, to the Publick Charges of the Place in which we Live, is one of those Pious Uses, which our Estates are to be put unto. Something must be paid by us, for the Support of the Government, and of the Ministry, which God has blessed us withal; the Publick Servants of the Place, must by our Estates be made Ca­pable to Discharge what. Obligations we have Laid upon them; and tho' these be Pious Uses, yet we may not place them under the Head of Alms-Deeds ▪ they are Debts which Honesty rather than Charity binds us to the Payment of.

There are Civil Payments, which may be Enumerated under the Pious Uses ▪ of our Estates. Thus 'tis said in Rom. 13.6. Right. Magi [...]trates are the Ministers of God; Rend [...]r therefore to all their Due, Tri [...]te unto whom Tribute is Due. The [Page 6] Rulers of a Country, must keep up the Administration of Justice, and they ought also to see that School-masters and Souldiers, & other such Officers, do not want their Salaries. The Chearful Payments of the Taxes needful in order hereunto, are some of the Pious Uses, in which our Estates must be Employ'd. There are also Sacred Payments which may be An­numerated unto the Pious Uses of our Estates. Thus 'tis said in Gal. 5.6, 7. Let him that is taught in the Word, Com­municate unto him that teacheth, in all Good Things; Be not deceived, God is not mock­ed. Laborious and Religious Ministers, that spend their Time in Cares for the Souls of those whom God has made them Over seers unto, must be so hand­somely provided for, that they may be­come neither Discouraged nor Contempti­ble in their Work; to pretend that we Love them and Prize them, and Get Good by them; and yet think much of their Having All the Good Things that we can help them to; the Apostle in­timates, That this is a Mocking of the Almighty God Himself; and they that Reproach them as Hirelings for Expect­ing of it, are persons that have no more value for the Bible, than for the Alcoran; and seem to have Read both [Page 7] alike. It was observable, That when God stated the St [...]p [...]ds of His Mini­sters, it was at such a rate as this: The Levites were not a fortieth part of the People, yet had they about thre [...] Times the Revenue of any one among the Twelve Tribes of Israel But, it seems, to many, that in the New Test­ament God has Left His Ministers whol­ly unprovided for! However we are as Loth to speak as any body else can be to bear of such things. Only it now Lies in my way to say, The Maintain­ing of Worthy Preachers, is another of the Pious Uses appointed for our Estates.

But, Secondly, The Ready Lending of what may Assist those that want Means and Helps for their Trades, is likewise one of the Pious Uses which our Estates are to be placed in. It is mentioned as the Property of a Good Man, in Psal. 37.26. He is ever merciful & Len­deth; and in Psal. 112.5. He shows Fa­vour and Lendeth. Indeed, A Lending to Idle Vagrants and [...], or those whom we may suppose to borrow with the mind of the Wicked man, which the Scripture tells us, is, Never to Pay again; this is not among the Pious Uses, but the Indiscreet Abuses of our [...]; our [Page 8] Lending should be to such, as are likely thereby to come into a way of what they may call their own; and in that case we have that Precept, in Deut 15.7, 8. Thou shalt open thy Hand wide un [...]o thy poor Brother; and shalt surely Lend him s [...]fficient for his Need.

And Thirdly, The Giving of what may supply the Necessities, and Relieve the Calamities of the Indigent, is among the Pious Uses of our Estates. It was the Speech of the Apostle, in 1 John 3.17. Whos [...] has this Worlds Goods, and see his Brother has Need, and shutteth up his Bowels of Compassion from him, how dwelleth the Love of God in him? We must Give of our Goods to our Brethren, when they have a manifest Need there­of.

There is a more Spiritual Beneficence, which our Giving is to be sometimes un­to. Contributions for the Propagation of the Gospel, are most Pious Uses; and such are Subscriptions towards the Educa­tion of Poor, but Good Scholars in the University, or elsewhere; and the same is to be said concerning the Dispersion of Bibles, and Catechism [...]s, and other Devout and Use [...]ul Books to such as will else be without them. Who knows, [Page 9] but with a Shilling a man may so Save a Soul for ever? There is also a more Temporal Beneficence, which our Giving may sometimes be Exercised in. 'Tis among Pious Uses, for us to bestow up­on the Distressed, That we may make their Circumstances more easy to them; To Comfort the Sick, to Nourish Wi­dows and Orphans, to Redeem Captives, and Prisoners, and make mourning Hearts to Sing.

And unto this File belongs that Hos­pitality, in which Christians must be Ex­emplary. 'Tis the Apostolical Injuncti­on in Rom. 12.13. Be given to Hospi­tality; and in Heb. 13.2. Be not For­getful to Entertain Strangers. We should be as Ready to Treat a Traveller with what Conveniencies we can afford him, as if, Like Abraham and Lot, we should have unknown Angels to drop into our Houses.

But, Fourthly, 'Tis among the Pious Uses of our Estates for us, to Forgive a Debt, when the Hand of God has made the Borrower unable to Discharge it. This is that which the Word of God recommends unto us, in Ezek. 18.7. and elsewhere, under that Expression of Restoring the Pledge. To Restore the Pledge, [Page 10] is, To Remit the Debt. I confess, 'tis a just Thing, that they who by Bad Courses, render themselves Insolvent, should undergo whatever Lash the Law will help their Creditors to inflict up­on them; for they are a sort of Cheats and Thieves, the punishment of whom is a thing very Soveraign and Whole­some for the whole Body Politick which they belong'd unto. But when the pure Frowns of God, have brought a Debtor Low, it is a commendable thing to say like those Creditors, in Neh. 5.12. We will Require Nothing of them. And you know where to find a Terrible Parable delivered by our Lord Jesus, for the pressing of it. Hence 'tis the Charge of our Lord, in Luk. 6.35. Lend, Hoping for Nothing again. To take that Simply, were to be Simple indeed; it would be to alter the very Nature of Lending. But the meaning is, Lend, with a Disposition to call for Nothing again, in case the Hand of God should Impoverish the Borrower. The Greek word here signifies, to Despair; when we Lend, we should suppose that the Debt may become Desperate; and be ready to Release Principal as well as Interest, if Divine Providence make it so.

[Page 11]Here are Pious Uses for our Estates. Perhaps you may think I have pro­pounded Enow of them; VVherefore I hasten to the Second Question. Which is,

How are we we to Devote a Propor­tion of our Estates to such PIOUS USES.

My Text, shall give the whole An­swer to this Enquiry.

First, We are to do it Readily. That is implied in the word, Cast. When any Pious Uses call for our Estates, we must not have them as though they stuck in our Fingers; No, we are to Cast them out of our Hands, as freely as we do that which we Throw away.

This is the Thing Enjoyned in 2 Cor. 9.7. Let a man Give, not Grudg­ingly, or of Necessity, for God Loves a Chearful Giver. We must Resign our Estates, with a most Hearty and Live­ly Cast, when we are called thereunto; the Pious Uses must not wrest & wring [Page 12] them, no, but we our selves must Cast them out of our Hands. This is im­plied in Deut. 15.10, 11. Thou shalt freely give, thy Heart shall not be griev­ed, when thou givest; thou shalt open thy Hand wide. We are thus to Imitate the Bounty of our Heavenly Father; & it avails not, as the Apostle says, To bestow all our Goods to Feed the Poor, if we have not this Charity in our doing of it.

Secondly, VVe are to do it Helpful­ly. That which we are to Cast, is, Bread; it must not be a Scrap, much less must it be a Stone. It is argued, in Mat. 7.9. Wh [...] man, if his Son ask Bread, will he give him a Stone? Even so, VVe must afford nothing less than Bread, unto those whom we are to do Good unto. Indeed, Goats Hair and Ram Skins, and Looking-Glasses may go to Pious Uses; but it is only when there are Uses for them. VVhen 'tis said, in Mat. 6.11. Give us this Day our Daily Bread; it is but a Translation of Prov. 30.8. Feed me with Food convenient for me. Thus, we are to afford our Bread; that is, to afford what may be Convenient for the Designs which our Estates are to be Subservient unto.

[Page 13]Thirdly, VVe are to do it Righteous­ly. VVhat is to be Cast, must be TH [...] Bread: it must be Thy own, and not Another mans. For the Almighty says, in Isa. 61.8. I hate Robbery for Burnt Offering; nor will He allow of it, in any other Offering. And hence is that word of our Saviour, in Luk. 11.41. Give Alms of such Things as ye Have. Otherwise indeed all our Expences this way, must have an Ichabod VVritten on them; Where is their Glory? VVe must be Lawful Proprietors of those things which we go to Serve Pious Uses with. And hence the Jews call their Alms box, A Chest of Justice. VVe may not Filch and Steal for this End; I have Read of Pious Frauds indeed, but no where, of Pious Robberies. Hence also, They that are under Authority, as Children and Servants, may not give away what belongs to their Parents and Masters, without their Approbation; and what­ever the Wife may do this way With­out the Consent of her Husband, she should beware of going directly Against i [...], in such things as these. Hence like­wise, They that are joyned in Partner­ship may not this Way diminish a Com­mon Stock, without the Concurrence of their Partners; and they that alrea­dy [Page 14] Owe more than they are Worth, have not so much to do this way as others have. And Lastly, 'tis not for [...] to Raise an Estate by Unjust [...], and think to make up All by giving Part unto the Poor; for 'tis a certain Rule, Bonus usus non Justificat injuste Quaesita.

Fourthly, VVe are to do it Sincerely. Our Bread is to be Cast upon the VVATERS; and there are two Notes of Sincerity couched in that Clause. Our Estates must be Cast upon the Water [...]; that is, without Hope of Re­turn. By Watery places here, some un­derstand Watery Faces; that is, those whose Cheeks are by Affliction fill'd with Tears; and indeed a special Re­gard is to be had unto such in the Pious Uses of our Estates. But the mea­ning rather is this; What is Cast upon the Waters, will either Sink away, or Swim away; 'tis a Proverb for a thing that we never Look to see again, It is Projectum in Mare. Thus, when we are bountiful with our Estates, it should be without any proposal of Requital, from those whom we do Good unto; they should not be Cast upon Tiding Waters, [...]ut upon Current Waters; and we must [Page 15] not Imagine with our selves, I shall [...] have as Good [...] Turn done to me, [...] the man, whom I am now kind unto. [...] are to single out such Objects therefore, as our Lord pointeth at, in Luk. 14. [...]. Thou shalt be Blessed, for they cannot [...] ­compence thee. Again, Our Estates must be Cast upon the Waters ▪ that is, with­out Aim at Honour. That which is Cast upon the Waters, does not stay to be seen of men. If we Do what good we do, to be Seen of men, as the Phari­sees did of old, we Cast it not upon the Waters, but we Nail it, or Paste it, upon Pillars. We must put into Waters, not into Trumpets, the Pious Uses of our Estates. Indeed, our being Seen of men therein, should not always hinder us from doing what is to be Done. The Bounty whsch our God will not accept, is not that, Quae fit et videtur, but that, Quae fit ut videatur. And it is a Cau­tion, in Mat. 6.3. Let not thy Right-Hand know, what thy Left-Hand does; that is, as much as may be, Conceal thy Alms, not only from them that are most Related to thee at all; but e­ven from those that are most Assistent to thee in the Scattering of them.

Fifthly, We are to do it Frequently. We [Page 16] must give to Seven and also to Eight; that is, to as many as we can; we may not Look upon Two or Three as [...]now to Receive what we have to Give. Hence 'tis assigned as one Qua­lity of a Vertuous man, in Psal. 112.9. He hath Dispersed, he hath Given to the Poor. We should therefore slip no Season, of doing what is to be done for Pious Uses. 'Tis the Speech of the Apostle, in Gal. 6.10. As we have Op­portunity, Let us Do Good; but when have we an Opportunity?

Truly, We have an Opportunity, when­ever we see an Indigency, that we are in a Capacity to do something for. Whom soever we see Lying under any Wounds, we must like the Compassionate Sama­ritan, Dispense our Oyl and our Wine unto. Say not, I have done Good unto Seven Miserable People already; No, think not that Number perfect, but let there be Eight Instances of your Bounty, if you can make so many. But there are some Seasons for this which have a more certain Revolution with us; and tho' there should be Seven or Eight, yet we should never count that we see too many, of them. As now, Does God make any Addition to our Estates at [Page 17] any Time? Hath any Adventure, or any Husbandry of ours been smill'd up­on? or has any Legacy been bequeath'd unto us? Now is a Season for us to Let Pious Uses have something of our Increase. Have we Got Wealth? Says Moses now in Deut. 8.18. Now Re­member the Lord thy God. Have we Gain'd a Seventh, or an Eighth more than we had? Let Seven then, yea, let Eight be the better for it. Again, Every Lords Day is a Season for this Bounty of ours. Thus we find the Apostle saying, in 1 Cor. 16.1, 2. Con­cerning the Contribution, Upon the First Day of the Week, Let EVERY ONE OF YOU, Lay by him in store, as God has prospered him. But then, I know a Place in the World, where many Hun­dreds do very little consult their own Prosperity! Moreover, A Day of Humi­liation is another fit Season for it. Hence is that of the Prophet, in Isa. 58.6, 7. Is not this the Fast that I have Cho­sen? To Deal thy Bread unto the Hun­gry? Their Feeding upon our Kindness, is one of the best Articles in our Fas­ting before the Lord. When we Fast out of Piety, we must see that others do not Fast out of Poverty. Once more, A Day of Thanksgiving is ano­ther [Page 18] fit Season for it. On such a Day, it was Commanded, in Neh. 6.10. Go your way, Eat the Fat, and Drink the Sweet, and Send Portions unto them, for whom Nothing is prepared. VVhen we are Praising of our God, we should then be Blessing of our Neighbours; & we should Engage them to Rejoyce with us in the Goodness of the Lord; [...]t is, A Day of Sending Portions one to another, and Gifts to the Poor. Though these Occasions come oftner than Seven or Eight times in a year, yet let our Portions be given on them all.

Sixthly, VVe are to do it Prudently. You may place a large Remark upon the divers C [...]uses here. First, VVe must not Give All away. 'Tis a Part that we are to part withal. Something must be kept for our selves; and as we say, Charity must begin at Home. Again, We must not Give All to Some, and none to Others. VVhen we have been helpful to Seven, we must also see to it, that Eight, may have a Room in our Helpfulness unto them. Further­more; 'Tis not a Pittance, but a Portion that we are to Give. It must be some­thing that may be a Portion, or a Ben [...]fit unto him, whom it is [...]. [Page 19] This is that which the Psalmist would have to be minded, in Psal. 112.5. A Good man showes Favour, and Lends; [...]e will Guide his Affayrs with Discretion. And there is especially a double Discretion with which the Pious Uses of our Estates are to be adjusted.

First, We are to Give Speedily; and avoid all Needless Delayes in the Doing of it. Sais the Wise man, in Prov. 3.27. Say not unto thy Neighbour, Go, and Come Again, and To morrow I will give thee, When thou hast it by thee. We know, Bis dat qui c [...]o dat; but our De­ferring Looks too like a Denying of our Bounty. It is particularly, an Unwise Thing, for a man to put off what Good he may Do, till he shall himself be Dead and Gone. One says well, That often­times they that By their Last Will Be­queath something to the [...]oor, do it Against their Will; they that in their Lives did no Good, may then do it, be­cause they can't any longer Keep what they Had. Wherea [...], It would be a no­ble Discretion in us, for us to be our own Administrat [...]; making our own Hands; our Executors, and our own Eyes, our Overseers. 'Tis done To the Life, when 'tis done [...].

[Page 20]And then, Secondly, We are to Give Suitably. And this not only for the Measure in which, but also for the Sub­ject to which, we Give. One says very truly, Turpissimum Genus perdendi est Inconsulta Donatio. And our Saviour in­forms us, about our Giving, in Luke 18.12. It must be, with a Distribution. We must give in the first place to our Needy Kindred: and as for others, we must have Respect first unto the Houshold of Faith, though we must also Do good unto All. As for your Common Beggars, 'tis usually an Injury and a Dishonour unto the Country, for them to be Countenanced; as for those that Indulge themselves in Idleness, the Ex­press Command of God unto us, is, That we should Let them Starve; and as for those that when they Get, will melt and wast our Money in Drunken­ness, 'tis a Sin to supply those Monsters with what may be Fuel for such a Beastly Vice. Let never any thing but a Nought, stand for them, in the Books of Accounts.

'Tis after this manner that we are to Do Good with our Estates. But this brings us to the Third Question; VVhich is,

[Page 21] Why are we thus to Devote a Pro­portion of our Estates to PIOUS USES.

My Text will give you a double Reason for it.

The First Reason is, Thou shalt find it after many days. There will a Glo­rious, yea, an Eternal Recompence be made unto us, for all our Liberality. Some think, that here is an Allusion to Ventures at Sea; Our Liberality sends Ventures forth, upon the Waters, and there are very Great and Rich Returns made thereof. But Let us a Little de­scant upon this Recompence.

The words may be Rendred, Thou shall find it in Multitude of Dayes. This is indeed one Recompence of Liberality; there is a Multitude of Dayes, or a Long Life, which the God of Heaven often favours a Liberal man withal. It was a Speech once used unto a cruel Churl, in Dan. 4.27. Shew mercy to the Poor, and it may be a Lengthening out of thy Tranquillity. Behold, a Receipt, pro pro­longanda vita; Let us be Liberal, as our Father Abraham was; and that's the way for us, Like Abraham to Live, [Page 22] till a Good Old Age, till we are Old men, and full of years. It has been often observed, that very Liberal men, use to be Long Lived men. 'Tis the full and firm word of our God, in Psal. 41.1, 2. Blessed is he that Considers the Poor; the Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive. Thus we shall find our Bread after many Dayes; we shall have many Dayes; this Bread will keep us Alive, till many Dayes have passed over us. But I dismiss that Sense of the words; and only Lay down this Conclusion.

That Liberality is wonderfully Advan­tageous to them that use it, and this, for a Long while afterwards.

Our Lord assures us, in Mat. 10.42. Whosoever gives but a Cup of Water, shall [...] no wise Loose his Reward; and yet that is the least piece of Liberality, that can be thought of. VVe have the word of Him that cannot Ly, to assure us, that we shall not be Loosers by our Liberality; that our Estates thus Laid out, Non pereunt sed parturiunt; that tho' our Bread be Cast on, yet it shall not be Lost in, the VVaters. I will not here dispute about the Lawfulness of Usury; but I will tell you of an Usury [Page 23] that I am sure is Lawful; and yet it is an Usury so far exceeding that of Six in the Hundred, as that it is an Hundred for Six, yea, 'tis far more than an Hundred for One. Let a man be Liberal upon Pious Uses, and upon the word of a God, Let him know, that as in Mark 10.30. He shall Receive an Hundred fold now in this Time; and in the World to come, Eternal Life. He [...], there are two Metaphors, with which our Good God Condescends to give us this Assurance. One Metaphor is that of, Sowing. Thus 'tis said, in 2 Cor. 9.6. He that Soweth bountifully shall Reap bountifully. Let a man be Liberal with what he has, and he shall be sure of a Good Crop; the Bread Cast on the Waters, will prove but a Seed cast into an Earth more fertile than that of which we read that Isaac, did Receive an hun­dred fold. Another Metaphor is that of Lending. Thus 'tis said, in Prov. 19.17 He that hath pitty on the Poor, Lendeth to the Lord; and then we may take for granted what follows, That which he hath given, will He pay him again. Let a man be Liberal, and he shall have the Counterbond of the most High [...]o save him harmless. As for the Bread Cast into the Waters, our God under [Page 24] His own Hand acknowledges the Receipt of it, and stoops to Charge himself a Debtor on the Score.

First then, There is a Recompence in This Life, which the Liberal man, is made partaker of. And this every way; for, to be particular; Even his Inward man, shall have the Comfort of his Liberality. Thus 'tis said in Prov. 11.25. The Liberal Soul shall be made Fat. God will give a Thriving, Flou­rishing, Comfortable Soul unto him; and fill him with the Peace, which pas­seth Understanding. His Liberality shall also pr [...]cure good Circumstances to his Outward man. Not only will that word be fulfill'd unto him, He that giveth to the Poor shall not Lack; but also, God will bless him with an Increase of his Enjoyments. Thus 'tis said in Prov. 3.9, 10. Honour the Lord with thy Sub­stance; and so shall thy Barns be filled with plenty I could mind you of poor little Trades-men that have come to Live upon their Rents, by the secret Blessing of God upon their Callings, when they have Conscientiously Laid aside a certain part of their Income, for the Lord. And God will bless him with a Success of his Businesses. Thus 'tis said [Page 25] in Deut. 15.10 Thou shalt surely give to the Poor, because that for this Thing, the Lord thy God will bless thee in all thy Works. I have known a Ship-master, who upon going to Sea, would still car­ry a considerable Purse of Money unto a Faithful Minister, to be by him Laid out for God; and a strange Blessing did Accompany him! Yea, The Children of such a man, do rejoyce in the Fruits of his Liberality. Many Gripple Hold­fasts in the World, object against Libe­rality, That they must Lay up for their Children. But say I, Lay out, and that's the way to Lay up. Let your Bread be Cast on the Waters, and it will be safely Reposited in Gods Bags for your Children after you: Do you give a Portion to Seven, and also to Eight, and then though you have Seven or Eight Children, you have made sure of a Portion for every one of them. Your Widows, will have Meal and Oyl very like to he [...]s of old. Be like Jonathan, and your poor Mephibosheths will have the Harvest of it. You shall see, I speak nothing without Book, and therefore you shall have a Scripture for this too; 'tis that in Psal. 37.26. The man that is ever merciful, and Lends, his Seed is Blessed after him. But

[Page 26]Secondly, There is also a Recompence in the Life to Come, which the Libe­ral man is made partaker of. 'Tis testi­fy'd unto us, in 1 Tim. 6.18, 19. That they who be Ready to Distribute, Willing to Communicate, therein, Lay up in store for themselves a Good Foundation against the Time to Come, and Lay hold on Eternal Life. As for all the Riches that we keep with our selves, they have no Foundation for them; any Lit­tle Storm will carry them away. But the Treasures which a true Liberality shall put out of our Hands, have such a Foundation, that we may thereupon Build our Hopes of Life Eternal; Not that any Good Works of ours do Merit Life Eternal, but they are a Blessed Evidence and Argument of our Claim unto it; so that a Liberal Man, when he comes to Dy, may say, Lord, Thou knowest that my Heart was never Set upon this World; and I take that for a sign, that thou hast another and a better World for me to be happy in for ever. Our Lord says about the Liberal man, in Luke 16.9. When he fails, they w [...]ll Receive him into Everlasting Habitations. All the Riches in the World won't keep us from Failing and Breaking at [Page 27] the last. But then, the Saints whom we have Succoured, and the Angels whom we have Imitated here, will bid us Welcome to an House Eternal in the Heavens. Our Lord also says unto the Liberal man, in Luke 14.14. Thou shalt be Recompenced at the Resurrection of the Just. It is impossible to tell, what Satisfactions, the New Jerusalem will bring to such a man, at the Resur­rection of the Just. But indeed, after the Stupendous Transactions of the GREAT DAY, throughout the Days of Eternity still all our present Acts of Liberality, will be Lying by us, like so many Good Bills of Exchange, which our mer­ciful God, for the sake of Christ Jesus, will be for ever Owning and Paying of. Then shall a Liberal Onesiphorus be sufficiently Retaliated by the Lord. This, This will be after many Dayes indeed! yea, after more than many millions of Ages, we shall make a greater Gain of the Poor, than Joseph did of a Famine in the Days of old. How runs the Final Sen [...]ence of the Righteous, but so? Come, ye Blessed, Inherit the Kingdom; [...]nasmuch as you were Liberal to my Af­flicted Members in the former World. (Mark) He says not, For you have bin Orthodox in your Opinions, or, You have [Page 28] been Eminent in your Professions, or, You have been Abundant in your Devotions; No, But you have been Liberal to the Miserable. But then,

The Second Reason is, Thou knowest not what Evil shall [...] upon the Earth. 'Tis a Troublesome World, and that should perswade us to a Liberal Heart. We may be called to Wade through a Sea of Troubles, but if our Bread be Cast into the Waters, that will make them Easy to us. Would we be Delivered in Six Troubles, as Eliphaz Expresses it, and in Seven would we have no Evil Touch us ▪ Then Let us give a Portion to Seven, and also to Eight.

But Let us a little penetrate into the Force of this perswasive.

First then, Since, Thou knowest not what Evil shall be upon the Earth, hence thou knowest not how long thou shalt Enjoy thine Estate, and it is Wisdome to Husband it well, before it be Too Late. There may quickly come such Evil upon us, that either our Estates may be taken from us, or we from our Estates. Let us therefore be Libe­ral, in doing what Good we can, whilst [Page 29] as it is said in Prov. 3.27. Thou hast it by thee. Since the Times are like to be Dangerous, 'tis best for us, to put as much of our Estates into those Hands, where no Violence can spoil us of them; now such are the Hands of God, and of His People; Manus pau­perum est Christi Gazophylacium.

Secondly, Since, Thou knowest not what Evil shall be upon the Earth, it were well for thee to do what may Compose & Settle thy Heart in the anxious pros­pect of all that Evil. Now this will be done by being truly Liberal of those Estates, which are the things that so much make us afraid of Evil Times. Look into Psal. 112.7, 9. where 'tis said, He shall not be Afraid of Evil Ti­dings; Why not? It is added, He hath dispersed, he hath given to the Poor. You see the Liberal man, has a Cordial a­gainst the Fears of Evil Dayes. For, The Great God has promised, either to Preserve him from that Evil that shall be upon the Earth; as in Psal. 41.1. Blessed is he that Considers the Poor, the Lord will deliver him in Time of Trouble: Or else, to Supp [...]rt him in that Evil; as in Isa. 58.10. Draw out thy Soul to the Hungry, then shall thy Light Rise in [Page 30] Obscurity. In short, since thou knowest not what Evil shall be upon the Earth, hence thou knowest not but thou thy self must come into such a Condition as may want the Liberality of other men; What is Their Case to day, may be Thine to morrow. If thou wouldest then fall among Liberal Persons, be Now such an one thy self. 'Tis the promise, in Mat. 5.7. The Merciful shall obtain Mercy.

All this Practical Discourse has been Milk'd, and not Squeez'd out of the Text before us. Little can remain to be said in the

APPLICATION.

They that Fear God will find them­selves mov'd by these things, to a most Exemplary Liberality, in Devoting a fit proportion of their Estates to Pious Uses. I do not now take upon me, to de­termine the Quota pars, or what Pro­portion of our Estates ought thus to be improved. Only, I will tell you, what our Father Jacob counted a due Pro­po [...]; we read in Gen. 28.20. He Vowed a Vow unto God, saying, of All [Page 31] that thou shalt give me, I will surely give the Tenth unto thee. And if Abraham judged a Tenth due unto Melchisedeck, why should we judge any less to be the Dues of his Antitype, our Blessed Saviour? I think a Tenth too Little for some men, at some Times; however, if they that are never so Poor, would make a Trial for so much, I am con­fident, they would never have any Temptation to Leave it off. Shall I tell you? I have known those, who in their Childhood, while they were not yet Owners of near Ten Shillings, have begun the Trial of it, and God hath so Smiled upon them ever since, that they never had any Temptation or Oc­casion to do otherwise. But that which is rather to be pressed is, That we mind the Call and Voice of Providence in this matter; and then let a Self-denying, and a Well-mortifyed Heart be our Director in it. Let us not be unmindful, That the Honour of our Profession much depends upon our Liberality for Pious Uses. It may shame us to see, that these who are under the Influence of none but a False Re­ligion, can have it said of them, in Isa. 46.6. They Lavish Gold out of the Bag. And what? Shall we be p [...]i­monious, [Page 32] that have Christianity to Raise our Inclinations unto all that is Ho [...]y, and Just and Good! I was indeed very glad, when I read in Dr. Willet, That since the Reformation, in one threescore years there was in only Three Cities of England, no less than a million of Money openly and visibly Expended in Pious Uses, besides what was done more secretly among them. So far has the Liberality of Popery been Exceeded by the Protestants. But we that pre­tend to be the best Metal'd, and most Re­fined Protestants, ought certainly to Ex­ceed all others, in the Sacrifices which God is well pleased with. To have done.

First, I have only this one Counsil to Subjoyn unto all the Premises; 'Tis this,

Let us not imagine that the Pious U­ses of our Estates, Deserve any Good at the Hands of the Holy God; but Let us Depend upo [...] the Lord Jesus Christ alone for Our and Their Acceptance with Him. When some told the Dying Herbert of his many Good Works, he re­ply'd, Yea, These are Good Works, if Sprink­led with the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. VVhen we have done our best, Let us be sensible of that in Luke 17.10. We [Page 33] are Unprofitable Servants. One of the most Liberal men that ever was in the VVorld, would say, I have often Turned over my Accounts, but I could never find the Great God Charg'd a Debtor there. So Let us think, and place the whole Re­pose and Solace of our Souls, in the Me­rits of the Lord Jesus Christ.

But is there not Secondly, sad cause of Reproof to too too many in the midst of us?

Many there are, That squander away a vast deal of their Estates, in Profane, Wicked, VVretched Uses; and in the plea­sing of some Lust or other; but as to Pious Uses they do Little or Nothing at all; No, they make an hideous grum­bling at all that should go that way, and feel as much Heart blood as Money, going from them. Yea, I have heard this Assertion Demonstrated, That what is needlesly Expended at the Taverns, in many Towns, would abundantly Defray all the Publick Charges of Church and School, and Common-wealth too, which the Towns would be happier, if they were honester, in the payment of. Here, surely are persons that Forget that Proverb, in Prov. 11.24. He that witholdeth more than is meet, cometh to [Page 34] Poverty And they Despise that Threat­ning, in Jam 2.13. He shall have Judgment without Mercy, that shewed no Mercy. How Unlike are these to the VVidow, whose Two Mites, went into the Holy Treasury? Or to the Mar­tyrs, VViseheart and Rogers, who would forbear One Meal in Three, for the Relieving of such as wanted Food? Or to that Noble and VVorthy En­glish General, of whom 'tis noted, He never thought he had any thing, but what he Gave away.

But I break off. I pray God, that none of you, who are called, Christians, being thus Ad [...]re [...]ed may imitate those Hearers of the Lord Jesus Christ; of whom 'tis reported, in Luke 16.14. They who were Coveteous, heard all these Things, and they Derided Him!