Dú 84 SERMONS upon the S E R M. XI. things that God hath given us, are God's hill : Now you Ihould give unto God the things that are Gods. You are Robbers if you lay not out all that you have according to his will, and for his Glory : But, Firß qve your felves to the Lord, 2 Cor. 8. ç. and then other things will come in the moat ea ily. You are his already ; you cannot add to Gods Right ; yet it may add to the Obligation, bind you more ftrongly to fubjeüion and obedience. Oh then in the firft place become his Servants and Val: fals, avouch God to be your God, Deut. 26.17. Thou hall avouched this day the Lord to be thy God. Wicked men give up themfelves to the Lord, but'ris by conftraint ; All that th, Lord hail; fpoken ire will do : But, Oh that they had an Heart, Dent. S. z8, zy. Secondly, Having given your [hives to the Lord, give other things to him A Chriltian layes himfelf, and all his Interefts and Capacities at Jefus Chrifis feet, that he m.y m lee an advantage of every thing for God :.march.04.20. In that day three ¡v q1 be uv;r ' b:Ils of the horfes, Holtnefs unto the Lord. Tea every Pot in :lervfi'rn on (ball be Holinefs unto the Lord. We have received nothing from our felve, ,ud ;herefore we fhould improve all we are and have fur God. Thirdly, The reality of our dedication will be known by our ufe, if hard at work for Cod, aod i; be the bufinels of our lives : Phil. I. 21.. To me to live is Chrift. 'Tis not eno ìgh negatively that our Gifts be not employed againít Chrift, as wea- pons of uurigltreo.dìiefs, but pofitively for God, that he gets fomething by every Relation and Acr1oaintance ; A'eh. I. I I. Profper I pray thee thy Servant this day, and give him mercy en th- fight of this man; for I was the Kongo Cup - bearer. He impro- ved his place for God when he was in it. God bath mademany great and rich, but what Both the Lord gee by them ? are they more ufcful ? Some have wit, but do not confecrare it to Jefus Chrift; have power, intereft, and great place, but they do not honour God thereby : Though they profeh co give up themfelves to God, yet in the Me of themfelves there appeareth no itch matter : They de their Tongues as their own, Hearts as their own, VVcalth, Strength, andlnterefts as their own. Therefore you fhould'keep a confiant reckoning how you lay out your felves felves for God : Undertake nothing but what will bear this Infcription upon it, He- linefs to the Lord. Put this Qieftion to your felves, Can I dedicate this to the Lord ? "Eccl. z. 2. What doth it ? Secondly, In the Parable, this man, the Owner, is reprefented as travelling into a far Countrey, and undertakes there to receive a Kingdom, and difpofing of all his Interefis tiff his return. This noteth Chrilts Afcenfion into Heaven ; and the Point will be DoEt. II. That Chrift at his departure appointed every' man his Work; and at his Af- cenfion gave Gifts unto men, to to employed for his Glory till he' come again. There are two Things offered in the Parable, and in the Point. r . His Appointing every man his Work ; as the man difpoféd of all his matters till his return. Chrift hath given order how every man according to his Ability and Calling fhould employ himfelf till he come again. We read, AEt. 1. 3. how Chrift before his Alcenlion infiruard his Difciples in all things pertaining to the Kingdom of Heaven; that is, in all the Duties of. Rulers and Ruled, Teachers and Taught ; the Ordinances, Laws, and Infiitutions of his Kingdom, the Duties and Priviled- ges of,the SubjeRs' thereof ; what Immunities they enjoy, what Obedience, they muff perform : This was his laft charge before his departure ; now we are to keep his Charge as we will answer it to him at his Coming : I Tim. 6. 13, 14. I charge thee in thefight of God who quickeneth all things, and before Chrift "Pfaff, who be- fore Pontius Pilate witneffed a good Confefän; that thou keep this Commandment with- out fpot, unrebukeable, until the appearance of our Lord fefus Chrift. 'Twas 'needful that Chrift fhould go from us for a while ; for he would not govern the World by Senfe, but by Faith : Now he will make tryal of our faithfulnefs and diligence during his abfence ; and therefore having appointed us our work, he withdraweth : He will come again to take notice not only of the malice of his. Enemies againfi his People and Intereft, but alfo of the coldnefs and negligence of his own Servants and Domefticks ; 2 Thef. I. 8. He (hall come in flaming fire, .rendring vengeance upon them that herd not God, and obey not the Gofpel ; nay if not flatly difobedient, yet if evil floathful Servants. a. His giving Gifts. Gifts were given at Chrifis Afcenfion ; when he took jsis Jour-
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