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1. It is sure to obtain pardon for what failings and miscarriages proceed from human infirmity: the Lord sparing his children, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him; (Mal. iii. 17) and Christ bearing the iniquity of our holy things.

2. It is sure to obtain spiritual rewards for those holy and sincere performances, which proceed from the grace and assistance of the spirit of Christ; the Lord being pleased, first, by his grace to work all our works for us; (Isa. xxvi. 12) and then, by a second grace, to reward them, and to crown his own mercies in us: For " verily there is a reward for the righteous." (Psal. lviii. 11. Mat. x. 41) And thus we receive grace for grace; the grace of remuneration, for the grace of obedience; the grace of God enabling us to work, and the grace of God rewarding us for working. For though it be the work which is revealed, yet the reward is not of man's work, but of God's grace. (Rom. iv. 4, and xi. 6) Both these graces did this holy Nehemiah beg, in the confidence. of his interest in God as his God. "Remember me, O my

God, concerning this also; and spare me, according to the greatness of thy mercy ;" (Nehem. xiii. 22) remember me, to spare me for my sinful infirmities; remember me, to reward me for my sincere performances; and both these, only upon the account of thy great mercy.-Nothing but great mercy passeth by many sins; nothing but great mercy rewardeth weak services.

I have done with the words, and have, from all, but a word more to say unto you. What the nature of that great undertaking is, which God hath thus graciously moved your hearts to begin at the doors of his sanctuary, and to consecrate yourselves unto, by enquiring of him, and seeking of him a right way, is much better known to you than to me, who have little inspection into such things: but being a very weighty business, and possibly full of variety and difficulty, and all men being subject to errors and mistakes, to impotency and infirmity, to sinful failings and defects, to difference of judgements, and divided affections, and all human actions being obnoxious to misconstructions and various miscarriages;—and God having reserved events and successes in his proper power,-it is therefore your duty, in all your addresses unto action, to make your first applications unto God,

that he would lead you by his spirit, and cause you to make his word your counsellor; that he would work all your works for you, and shine upon your counsels and undertakings, by his special blessing; that he would preserve you from all mistakes and misunderstandings, and pour out upon you a spirit of unity and agreement; that he would forgive all your failings, and teach you to approve your hearts and consciences unto him in well-doing; that your labours may so be conversant about treasures here below, as that your hearts and affections may be upon things above; and you may, with such sincerity, courage, zeal, and holy affections, go through the duties of your places and callings here, as that you may be able to look backward with comfort upon a fruitful life, and forward with faith and hope upon a glorious reward; and conclude your lives and your labours, as Nehemiah doth his book, with a "remember me, O my God, for good." And we should all learn so to lead our lives, with such an eye to God's word and rule, to his glory and honour, to the service of his church, and our generation; to be so diligent, careful, prudent, sincere, trusty, faithful, in every service which lieth upon us,-as that when we come to die, and give up our accompts to him, we may be able to say, "Lord, I have been faithful in that little service wherein thou hast employed me ; let me now enter into my master's joy: I have remembered thy name, to glorify thee: I have remembered thy people, to serve them: I have remembered thy house, and the offices thereof: I have remembered the widow, the fatherless, the poor and helpless, to provide for them: I have remembered every trust imposed upon me ; and have not, by any wilful indiligence, imprudence, or unfaithfulness, betrayed it, but have laboured to adorn my general calling, by sincerity and fidelity in my particular calling. And now, be thou graciously pleased to remember me for good, and to spare me according to the multitude of thy mercies."

THE

RICH MAN'S CHARGE:

Delivered in a SERMON at the Spittle, upon Monday in Easter Week, April 12th, 1658; before the Lord Mayor, &c.

1 TIM. VI. 17, 18, 19.

Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy: That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

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The Wise man telleth us, that "a word, fitly spoken, is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." (Prov. xxv. 11) And our Lord in the prophet telleth us, that he had “ the tongue of the learned, to speak a word in season." (Isa. l. 4) Paul at Athens disproved the superstition of that learned city, out of the inscription of their own altar, and the testimony of their own poets; (Acts xvii. 23, 28) and before Felix, a corrupt and intemperate judge, he preached of righteousness and temperance. (Acts 24, 25) In solemn and public meetings, the most needful doctrines to be pressed, are those which are most suitable to the auditory. When Timothy is to preach before rich men, the apostle here furnisheth him with the materials of his sermon, to warn them against the sins incident to that condition, and of the duties incumbent upon it and because hard duties are both to be urged with

• Cuncta malefacta sibi impune ratus. Tacit. Annal. 1. 12. Per omnem sævitiam et libidinem jus regium servili ingenio exercuit: Hist. 1. 5.-Sueton. in Claudio. cap. 28.

cogent arguments, and sweetened with special comforts, here are motives of both kinds used, that by the necessity and the utility, they may be persuaded unto the duty:-so that my text is a very fit present for an assembly of rich citizens, a present of gold and silver; apples of gold in tables of silver, a present of treasures, stable and abiding treasures, a good foundation, an everlasting life, and all to be had, not v T vv, in this present now; iv Osp vτ, in that living God, who is yesterday and to day the same, and for ever; and who never faileth or forsaketh those that trust in him.

The apostle, having before shewed the great mischief of covetousness, that godly contentment is true gain; that resolutions to be rich, do cast men upon desperate and frequent temptations; that worldly love is a seminary of unbelief, apostasy, and all mischief; and having warned Timothy in his own conversation, to avoid such dangerous lusts,doth further direct him in his ministerial function, to lay the same charge upon worldly rich men, in the words which I have read unto you.

Wherein we have; First, Timothy's duty; wapayliλλew, 'charge.' Secondly, The subject of that charge, rich men.' Thirdly, The limitation of that subject, @λovcíois iv tập vũv aiāvi, 'rich men in this world.' Fourthly, The particulars and materials of the charge, set down negatively and affirmatively, and both two-fold.

The negative; not to be high-minded, not to trust or hope in riches;' with a reason which reacheth unto both, because of the uncertainty' of them.

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The affirmative; 1. To trust in God;' with a double reason of that; his life,' he is the living God;' his 'bounty,' he gives, gives 'richly,' gives all things; and, with the things, gives a heart to enjoy them.

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2. To imitate God in his divine work of bounty and liberality; expressed,

First, By the matter of it, 'Ayaboegyeiv, 'To do good.'

Secondly, by the manner of doing it; viz. 1. To do it copiously, to be rich in good works,' wλoureiv v pyois xadoïs. 2. To do it' cheerfully, readily, easily,' with an aptitude and propension thereunto, superadorous elvas. 3. To do it dif fusively, extensively,' unto community; or to do it modestly, humanely, lovingly, gently, without morosity or exproba

tion; to be xowvwvixoì tüv övtwv, as Lucian's expression is, That others may be partakers of our good things with us.

And this duty is expressed by a very elegant reason, in a way of ȧvideos, and as a prolepsis or prevention of what might be objected." If I be so diffusive and communicative to others, I shall leave nothing for myself, or those of mine own household:"-This the apostle preventeth, telling us,

First, That thus to lay out, is to lay up,' and that as in 'a treasure,' άobnσauρize. It is like scattering of seed, ἀποθησαυρίζειν. in order to an increase and harvest".

Secondly, That thus to lay out upon others, is to lay up for themselves, ἀποθησαυρίζοντας ἑαυτοῖς.

Thirdly, That hereby the uncertainty and instability of riches is corrected and fixed, ἀδηλότης turned into θεμέλιος καλός.

Fourthly, Whereas worldly riches are only ἐν τῷ νῦν αἰῶνι, for the present time, they will not descend after a man, when he dies; being put into good works, they are deμéos Eis To μéλλov, returnable into another country; a man's works will follow him; he shall find them again after many days. And whereas they, being of a muddy and slimy original, are slippery, and cannot be held; either we shall go from them, or they from us; they have wings, and will fly away; that which is thus laid up by them, may be held, Iva éxiλábærтαι, that they may lay hold.'

Fifthly, Whereas a man's riches cannot lengthen his life one night beyond the period which God hath fixed;-being thus laid out, and laid up, to comfort the lives of others, they are graciously by God rewarded with eternal life. A house, thus founded, shall continue for ever.

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1. Timothy's duty; "Charge those that are rich." He doth not say, Flatter them, nor please them, nor humour them, nor fawn upon them, or crouch to them;' nay, he doth not say what he used to do himself; Beseech them, entreat them, persuade them;' but he giveth Timothy the same power towards them, as he used towards him, ver. 13. waραγδέλλω σοι, παράγ[ελλε τοῖς πλουσίοις. And, 1 Tim. iv. 11,

a Prov. xi, 24. xi. 1.

b Psalm xlix. 17.

e Prov. xxiii. 5.

c Rev. xiv. 13. f Luke xii. 20.

d Eccles.

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