Serm.ix.: that they may be Acceptable onto God ? zî9 cowing that of our Saviour, Sell that ye have and give Alms. Luk.xz 33 Qiaet}. Inwhat cafes masfl rich menfell their eflates, or any part of them fir the reliefof others ? . Anfiv.I.When they are extraordinarily calledthereunto,as he that asked Chris}, what he fhou1d do to inherit eternal life ? Chris Paid unto him, Sell whatfoever thou haft, andgive to thepoor. That which theApofiles Mark 10.17,z, did in leaving their Callings to follow Chrif,was equivalent to fellingtheir Mari 9Z'. Foífeffions. 2. when they have defrauded andoppreffedothers, end are rebuked for that fin, or otherwife brought torepentance for the fame, they ought to teßifie.the truth of their repentance, by a full rethtution, though it be by parting with their poffeffion. Thus did the Yews after their Neh,s,ix,t,, Captivity reflore to their peor Brethren, whom theyhad oppreffed withufu- ry, their lands and their hstsfes, &c. The intiance of Zachesee tende:h Luke /9.8. alfo tot his purpofe, who promifed togive the half of his goods to the poor. 3. when there are fucha multitude of indigent perfuns in theChurch, as the fisperfluity of fuck as are rich, is notfafcient to relieve them. In this cafe, Chriflians vs the primitive Church that were poffeforsof lands,or hou- Afts 4.343 t. (es,fold them, andbrought the prices of the things thatrrere fold, and laid them downat the Apofllesfeet, and diftribsstion was made unto every mane according as he had need. Thefe particular cafes, being all of them fomewhat extraordinary,do not patronize the Platonical and familiaical conceit of Commnrnityof Goods. Which fond mit}ake of theirs,thefe arguments among(} others,may fuflîciently confute, and evince propriety in -lands andpoffellìons tobe lawful now in the times of the Gofpel. z. In chofe very times wherein Chriflians for ufe, had all things co.mmon,Sr.Peter exprefly faith toAnanias concerning the Lands which he fold,xvhifft it remained, was it not thine own? and after it wasfold, was it As 5.4. not in thine ownpower ? Hereby it is manifet}, that men then had a pro- priety in Goods and Lands. 2. Theduties prefcribed toRich. men in the words of my Text, to do good, to be ready to di flribute, and willing tocommunicate, prove as much. 3. The many admonitions to pay Debts, to give tribute, and perforai other likeDuties of Juaice, do imply a propriety of Goods. 4. Exhortations alfo to Lend, and toSell, prove asmuch. For men Luk.6.35. may not lend, nor fell that wherein they have not a propriety. Cha.i ß.4x. L I s.Inhibitions
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