'Dirc8iom what part of our }3jt11ti:s tve jiJoula de')Joteto c/,aiitdbl~ tifes: ---- In ~ne word, an bonrfl charitable heart, being prcfuppofed as the_ r~ot or ·fo".n~.ai1z,, aq.d prudmce being the d1fcerner of our duty, the Apofilcs .f!,tH-Cr~l ~ule may much [atJsjle.. a C~r1l\1~n for the ·proportion, 1 Cor. t6. 2· [Let evtry oneof you l~y by bJm •nflore, as God bath pro[pmd him• J And 2 Cor. 8. 12 • Accordi;:g to that a mau bath; though there be many inrimarions, tnar urdin:~rity a 1'entb p:~rt .::t trajt is requifitt. J ' 11 I. Having thus rcfolved the qucfiion of 'the quotO p.1r1., or prbporli-m ro be,givcn, I lhall fiy a.Iict1e to the quefiion, Whether a manjh.ottld give mojf i1z hi1 life time, or at hiJ Death? - An[w. r. It is certain that the beft nnrk._, is that which is _ li~e to do mlljl good. ' ' · , 2.But to make it btjfto ut,it is neccffJ.ry that we do it wit~ the moHfoifde11Ji'f{g~holy,ch:~ritaklf m~mA 3• That c.eterit ptiribut, aU things elfe being tq:tal, the prefi~t 1 doing of a good work, is better.·th;m to defer it. ., , · ' .. 4• That to do good oury when you ~ye, bccaufe then you can keep your Wcal'th no .fonier_, ~nd be.: caufe then it cofieth you nothing_to part with it, and becaufc: then you hope that d~fs Ch~ll i(rv~ injlcad oftrue Repentance and Godlinefs; this is ,but to deceive your fclves, and will do nothing w (aye your fouls, though it do never fo much good ro others. .· l ~ ·' , 5· Thar he that finfully ncglecteth in his life time to do goqd, if he do ir'at ~)is' death, fro\ll true repentance and Convedion, it ii then accepted of God ; though the fin of his dday mufi be Ja... mented. . . ~. r • ! 6. That he that dc!aycth it till Doath, not out of any felfiO,riefs, backwara,nefs, or unwiVingnefs 1 but that the work may be the better, and do more good, doth better than if he hallcnrd·a leff~r good. As if a man have a. detire to fct up a Free Schoolfor perpetuity, andJhe money which he hath is not fufficient ; if he llay till his Death, that fo the improvement of the money !Jl,:lf in~reafe it; and ,make it enough for his intended work ; this is to do a gteatcr good with greater fdf-denial: For:-\ 1. He receiveth none of the increafe of the money for hi"rnfclf. .... 2. And hereceivcth in his life time none of the praife or·thanks of the work : So alfo, if a man· that hathno Children, have fo much Land only as will maintain him, and defireth to give it all to charitable ufes when he dyeth, this delay is not at all to be blamed, becaufe he co~ld not foo.ner give it; and if it be not in vain·glory, but in love to God and togpod works \hat h,c lcaveth ir, it is truly acceptable at hfi. So that all g09d works that are done at death, are not therefore to ,be ,underv•lyed, 1,10r are they rejected of God; but fometimes it faUeth out' th<it they are fo much thegreater and bcctcr works, though he that can do the fame in ~i~ ..Iife time, .? ... ug~t to do it. 1V. But though I have fpent all thefe \Yards in anfwering \hefe Qecfiions, I am'fu.lly fatisfied that it is very few that are kepr from doing good, by any fuch doubt or di!liculty, in the cafe which fialls their judgements ; hue by the power of fin, and want of gra'ce,,which Jc:aveth an unwillingncfs, and backwardnefs on their hcaru. Could we tell how to remove the impediments in mens wiU1, it would do more, than the clcarcfl: rcfolving all thC cafes of Con'fcience, which their judgcmcats fecm to be unfatisticd in. Plc tell you what arc the impediments in your way, that are harder to be rcinoved than all thcfc difficulties, and yet muft be overcome beforeyou can bring men to be like rme Chriftians, tichi,tgo9dwor'<f. , 197 I· MoHmenarefo[en[u.Jland fo filfifh, that their own fle{h is an iofatiablc gulf that dcvourcth all, and they have little or nothing to fpate from it to good ufes. It is betrcr cheap maintaining a family of temperate, fobcr pc:rfons, than one flefhly pcrfon that hath a whole litter of vices and Iuils to be / ;– maintained : So much a year feemeth ncceff.uy to tnaintain their pridt, in needlcfs curiality and bravc.ry, and fo much a year to maintain their fin{u_al fportJ and plcafurcs ; ·and fo much to pleafe . their tbr,ats or appetites, and to lay in provifion for Feavers, and Dropfies, and Coughs, and. Con– fumptioilS, and an hundred fuch difeafes, which are the natural prOgeny of gluttony, drunkenndSf' a 11 d cxccfs ; and fo much a year to maintain their Idlentfl ; and fo of many other vices. But ifone. of rhdi! pcrfons have the Pride, and Idlmcji, and Gluttony, and Sportfubufs, of JJTift, and Cbiidre,: ~ and Family aHO to maintain, as well as their own, many thoufand pounds a year perhaps may be, too little: Many aconquering Army hath been maintained at as cheap a rate, as fuch an Army of Lulls ( or GarrJfon at Jcali ) as keep pofi'~ffion of fame fuch families, when all their Luxury goeth for the hq– iwur of their family, and they glory in weariAg the livery of the Devil, the 1Yorld and. the Flejh, (which they once renounced and pretended to Glory in nothing but the Cro[s of Chrifi ) ; and when they take care in the education of their Children, thatthis entailed honour be not cut offfrom their Fa– milies, no wonder ifGod's part be little from thcfe men, when the Fltjh mufi have fo much; and when. God mull: {land ro the courtdie ofhis enemies, and have but their lcavings. I hope the Nobility and GentrY of Engiand that are innocent herein, will not be offe~ded with me if I, tell them rhat arc guilty, r. that when l forcf!!e their reckoning, I think them to be the miferablcO: perfons upon earth, that rob God, ,..; ond rob the King of th.r which {hould defray the charges of Government, and rob the Church, ami rob the poor, and rob their fouls ofall the benefits ofgood .works, and all to pbfe the devouring fle01: h 's a dreadful thing to forefee with what horrour they Will gtve up thetr accounts, when mficad of[o m:tcb in jecdi1tg, and cloatb;ng the poor, and promoting tht Gr{ptl, llnd the [aving of mrn1 [ou.ls, there will be fOund upon their reckoning, fo much invaiu curiojiticJ andp:idt, and fom"eh in cofliy ffioriJ andplea~ Jitrcs, and [o much i 1: firfh,-pltafing L"xury and ExctJi. The tnck that ~hey ha~e got of late, to free themfelvt:s from rht: fc:ars'of this accoum, by believing that there will be no fuch day, .w~ll. prove a lliolt and lamentable relnedy : and when that day !hallcome upon !hemunawa.cs, their unbelief and C' « « « pleajim~
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