i `Ihe Stewards Sulnrnoll, . jer. e. 6. the Lòrd looks for , that a man fhould fay , What have 1 done ! Doth God finite -theewith force afflictions? if with lofles, reckon with thy felf how thou haft gain- ed thy wealth : If with difgraces , reckonwith thy felf about thy ipride, and am= bition, and :vanity of thyheart. If God finite thy body with ficknefs reckon with_th r fell about the imployiment ofthy health, and the well ufage'of the times. art'feafons of grace. Every evening call thy felt to an account ; What have I 'done this day ? where have I been ? In what company ? how have I'carried 'my felf there ? what goodhave I done ? what good have I received ? blithe matters of thy calling, reckon with thy Pelf, with what heart thou haft fnflowed ir, with what care to conform thy Pelf to Gods Word, the rule of righteoufnefs. If thou . ¡ haft been in pleafures, whether they were lawful, and if they were, whether they were lawfully ufed. Thus mutt every man reckon with his own heart ; as the Lam. 3. V. k44Church in Lament. ;. jy. wherefore is the living man forrowful? Man fufferetb I for his fins , let us parchour wales ? andturn aóain to theLord. There are many that think to out-face God, and men, in their 'fans : but know this who-ever thou art, that if thou forbear to reckon with thyown heart, Godwill affuredlyreckon with thee;thou muffreckon here,or hereafterwith thy felf,or with God : therefore' Pfal, 4. faith David Pfal.4. Communewith your own heart uponyour beds ; that is, bePure rorake tirne fromyour {Jeep, rather than to negleEt this bufinefs ofreckoning with yduc own hearts, z. Reckon Secondly,Reckon with others too. Let that man that is in authority,a Magiftrate, with others. Ij fo: carry himfelf in his imployments, that he mayreckon with thepeople,and give an a sam. r z. ; account to them if need be, as. Samuel did, whole oxehave I taken? or whofe aJfe' have 1 taken? or whomhave 1defrauded ? whom have 1oppreJd ? or ofwhole band hve ¡ received anybribe toblindmine eyes therewith F theLord (faith he) is amitnefi thatye havenotfoundany thing inmy hand. Andnot only fo, but thatthey may be able to witnefs, that they have been great inftruments ofGods glory, and of the goodof others. Let.Minifters reckon with the people committed to their charge, as Paul did, when he took his leave of the Ephefians, and was to go up to ferufalem; Itake ACìs 2.o, z6, to record this day (faith he) that 1am pure from the blood ofall men, for 1 have not Jhunned to declare toyouthe whole counfel ofGod , and 1 have kept backnothing that was profitable unto you , but have(hewed you , and taught you publickty and from haute to hatufe.' And becaufe I know that after my departure, there willfame- what remain to be done , for Grievous wolves will enter in, not .Baring theflock ; therefore I will be careful that there be a fitcceflion of faithful Miniftersafter me, and therefore I give charge to the refs that follow, that they take heed to themfelves . and to theffockover which the holy Ghofl hash made them overfeers, tofeedthe Church of.God, which he bath purchafed with his own blood. Let Mailers, reckon with their Familics,their fervants and children,whether they have donc their duty as faithful Matters, not only in furthering the fcrvice ofGod, but alfo in furtheringof them by initru&ion, and example to all good. Let thofe that are in a way of traf&ck, learn to reckon with thole that they deal withal. If thou haft wronged any by unjuft gain, thou mutt reckon with him by reflittttion : there is nothing that thou haft gotten unjuftly , for which thou do& Iames s. 3. not reckon now, but ( as Saint fames faith) at that day(hall eat thyfiefh as it were fire. Therefore Zacheus, when falvation was brought to his bottle, If I have dons unjuflly, and wrongedany, 1 ref/ore it. Doubticfs' there are many men that cloath themfelves in Sattin andVelvet, andabound in all variety and bravery, that would now be houfelefs, and moneylefs, and apparellefs, it may be, if they fhouldmake reflitution of their unjuft gain. Well, do it, as ye love your own fouls : you (hall reckon as you are Gods Stewards with him, howyou have come by every pen- ny that you have intheworld, and therefore go about it now. Reckon with others alto for works ofmercy, what thou haft been wanting in to thy brethren : thou haft lived thus long in a plentiful eftate, what haft thou done with thy eftate ? 7ofepbus reckonsup three feveral tenths that were expeéted andexaltedof the jemt.Wouldeft thoube leis liberal now inthe timeof the Golpet, thaù
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