rupts should deal with

their consciences.

God, "The wicked borrow eth, and payeth not again;" yea, worse, he borrows though at the very same time he knows that he cannot pay again. He doth also craftily take away what is his neighbours. That is therefore the first thing that I would propound to such, let him not run any farther into his creditors debt.

Secondly, After this, let him consider how and by what means he was brought into such a condition that he could not pay his just debts; to wit whether it was by his own remissness in his calling, by living too high in diet or apparel, by lending too lavishly that which was none of his own, to his loss; or whether by the immediate hand and judgment of God.

If by searching he finds that this is come upon him through remissness in his calling, extravagancies in his family, or the like, let him labour for a sense of his sin and wickedness, for he has sinned against the Lord; first, in his being slothful in business, and in not providing, to wit, of his own, by the sweat of his brows, or other honest ways, for those of his own house. And, secondly, in being lavishing in diet and apparel in the family, or in lending to others that which was none of his own. This cannot be done with good conscience; it is both against reason and nature, and therefore must be a sin against God. I say therefore, if thus this debtor hath done,

if ever he would live quietly in conscience, and comfortably in his condition for the future, let him humble himself before God, and repent of this his wickedness; for "he that is slothful in his work, is brother to him that is a great waster." To be slothful and a waster too, is to be as it were a double sinner.

But again, as this man should inquire into these things, so he should also into this. How came I into this way of dealing in which I have now miscarried? Is it a way that my parents brought me up in, put me apprentice to, or that by providence I was first thrust into? or is it a way into which I have twisted myself, as not being contented with my first lot, that by God and my parents I was cast into? This ought duly to be considered: And if upon search a man shall find that he is out of the place and calling into which he was put by his parents, or the providence of God, and has miscarried in a new way, that through pride and dislike of his first state he has chose rather to embrace; his miscarriage is his sin, the fruit of his pride, and a token of the judgment of God upon him for his leaving of his first state. And for this he ought, as for the former, to be humble and penitent before the Lord.

But if by search he finds, that his poverty came by none of these; if by honest search he finds it so, and can say with good conscience, I went not out of my place and state in which God by his providence had put me, but

have abode with God in the calling wherein I was called, and have wrought hard, and fared meanly, been civilly apparelled, and have not, directly nor indirectly, made away with my creditor's goods; then had his fall come upon him by the immediate hand of God, whether by visible or invisible ways. For sometimes it comes by visible ways, to wit, by fire, by thieves, by loss of cattle, or the wickedness of sinful dealers, &c. and sometimes by means invisible, and then no man knows how; we only see things are going, but cannot see by what way they go. Well, now suppose that a man, by an immediate hand of God, is brought to a morsel of bread, what must he do now?

I answer, His surest way is still to think, that this is the fruit of some sin, though possibly not sin in the management of his calling, yet of some other sin: "God casteth away the substance of the wicked." Therefore let him still humble himself before his God, because his hand is upon him, and say, What sin is this for which the hand of God is upon me? And let him be diligent to find it out, for some sin is the cause of this judgment: for God "doth not willingly afflict nor grieve the children of men." Either the heart is too much set upon the world, or religion is too much neglected in thy family, or some thing. There is a snake in the grass, a worm in the gourd; some sin in thy bosom, for the sake of which God doth thus deal with thee.

Thirdly, This thus done, let that man again consider thus with himself: Perhaps God is now changing of my condition and state in the world; he has let me live in fashion, in fulness, and abundance of worldly glory: and I did not to his glory improve as I should that his good dispensation to me. But when

I lived in full and fat pasture, I did there lift up the heel. Therefore he will now turn me into hard commons, that with leanness, and hunger, and meanness, and want, I may spend the rest of my days. But let him do this without murmuring and repining; let him do it in a godly manner, submitting himself to the judgment of God. "Let the rich re

joice in that he is made low."

This is duty, and it may be privilege to those that are under this hand of God. And for thy encouragement to this hard work. (for this is a hard work), consider of these four things.

1. This is right lying down under God's hand, and the way to be exalted in God's time: When God would have Job embrace the dunghill, he embraces it, and says, "The Lord giveth, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord."

2. Consider, That there are blessings also that attend a low condition, more than all the world are aware of. A poor condition has preventing mercy attending of it. The poor, because they are poor, are not capable of sinning against God as the rich man does.

3. The poor can more clearly see himself preserved by the providence of God than the rich, for he trusteth in the abundance of his riches.

4. It may be God has made thee poor, because he would make thee rich: "Hearken, my beloved brethren, hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of a kingdom which God hath promised to them that love him ?"

I am persuaded, if men upon whom this hand of God is, would thus quietly lie down and humble themselves under it, they would find more peace, yea more blessing of God attending them in it, than the most of men are aware of. But this is an hard chapter, and therefore I do not expect that many should either read it with pleasure, or desire to take my counsel.

Having thus spoken to the broken man, with reference to his own self, I will now speak to him as he stands related to his creditors.

creditors.

In the next place, therefore, let him fall upon the most honest way of Honest dealing with his creditors, and dealing with that I think must be this: First, Let him timely make them acquainted with his condition, and also do to them these three things. 1. Let him heartily and unfeignedly ask them forgiveness for the wrong that he has done them,