448' `lbo,Platformo fCharit, or, redeemingof the time ofyourlife, to receivèyou into etterlafling.babitations. 'In the zy verfe of the16. Luke, it is the challengeofAbraham to Dives ; Son remem- ber that thou in thy life-time baddefl tb goods, ( for fo the word fignifieth ) thou haddeft thyopportunities oflife,andofgoodstoo,butnow thou haftsìeither lifenor goods left thee,to do good with ; and therefore he W bleffed, and thou art tormented. Mat. z;ao. It was the follyof thofe five Virgins, they took nottheopportunityof life (for that is the thing meant there ) but they portedover all to the ía4, and hoped that all might be effe&ed in a trice orminute oftheir life,which would have held them em- ployment enough all the dayes of their lives t And therefore they came short of .heaven ; thegates were,hut against them, as you fee, when the Bridegroom came. Obj&. Ifany man imagine, becaufe it is laid, Bleffed are they thatdie in the Lord,fór they rejlfrom their labours, andtheirworks follow them; That therefore it matters not, fo longas a man doth good at his death, thoughhe have negleeted the wayesofgood- nefsall his life. Anfw. Let them know that byWorksthere,is not meantthe ai-tiansof men,but the fruits oftheir aftions, Their worksfollow them ; not the works they have deferred until death,but the fruitsof thofe works theydid while they were living, and received not the benefit of themuntil death. Theirworks follow them, that is the fruits of their works. It is mote good andpleafant by far, to havé the aêtions go before, and the fruits, andcomfortable effe&s to fucceed, andfollow after. ObjeCi. But if any man yet fuppole that he may make that up in his Will, which he huh negle&ed, all his lifelong : and though he have livedmiferably, covetoufly, andun- profitably, all the days ofhis life ; yet his thoughts may tell him, that by the Chari- table Reguifirofhis loft Teflament; as bequeathing largely to the Church and Corn- mon-wealth, and to all forts ofpeople,he may at the lait make fit compenfationand fatisfa&ion, for negleft offormer duties. t4nfw. Let noman deceivehimfelf with fuch abad refolution, for firft it argues a fignof infidelity, that a man will not truft God, for fear he fhould want in his life-time; what is the reafonelfe thathedefers the doing good inheahh,unlefs it be for fear of wanting himfelf ? fuchdifttd4he bath in the providence ofGod. Befides,the fame Godwhich bidsthee do good when thou haft opportunity; and while thou enjoyeft the advantageof life,he experts it now. And it maybe trulyfaid ofmany that neg- le& thole times ofdoing good while they lived, and have now fupplied that defeft in their death, by the largebenevolence of theirWills ; Their will isgood, but their deed is naught. Z. Of outward Somuch for thefirft point,Iproceed unto the fecond ; thatis,thou mull not only castes. take the time of thy life, but alto the opportunity of thy means, and thy eftate'; while there is yet aprice in thine hand : while thouhaft opportunity, andenjoy eft wealth to do good with: redeetn the advantages and opportunities by employing them in that way,for which thoudidft receive them. The timemaycome wherein youmaydelire to do good,but cannot; wantingan eftate,and opportunities where- Prov. a ; r. by to do it. Mark what Solomon faith, Wilt thou trufl in a thsngof nothing/. for Riches have wings as an Eagle , and fly away toward heaven: It is the vanity of men, that they frill forbear, andfray, while their eftates increafe; pretending that then they (hall bebetter able todo good, and extend themfelvesmore largely :, or that they may keep their wealth, and wait for a better opportunity, But why wilt thou trnjl ina thing of nothing? Thou feeft a fowl in her flight, and now (itmay be) thou perceiveft it, but inftantly it vanifhethout of thy light. Why riches have wings ( faith Solomon.) Thou haft them now in thy pof effion, and retaiueft them faft in hold, but prefently they aredeparted ; they fly as an.Eagle out of thy fight. Ecdef. u. 8. And the fame wife man when he exhorteth. men to call their breadupon the waters ;. He gives them this reafon r Thou knowefl not what evils; thou knoweft not what jrdgementsand calamities God intends to bring upon that Nationwhere thou liveft, upon the City, upon the Family where thou dwelle4; upon thy perfonor cfhate: sTim. 6.ir. Thou (noweft not what evils, Godwillbringupon the earth. And fo likew ife, charge rich men in this world, that ley be not high-minded ; and that they :runnot in sin- certain riches, but in the livin God; that theybe ready todifhibute, and to commu- nicate
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