in his mind, to part with them, rather than he will do an unrighteous thing.

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2. When he is resolved to use all that he hath for worthy purposes, i. e. for purposes wherein the glory of God is concerned; wherein the common good of mankind is concerned; which is a facred thing; or otherwise for his own conveniency with God's allowance, and as God gives leave.

3. When he does hold all that he hath under the grand proprietor, acknowledging God's title more than his own. When he holds of God, and therefore is ready to make all that he hath instrumental to virtue; and in respect of God, accounts himself but fteward, and God proprietor and abfolute owner and Lord of what he hath. And,

4. When he useth all as accountable to God, both for keeping, and spending it. Now upon this асcount, I do not think that any of us, though legally poffeft, that we are so far owners of what we have, as to have power to lavish out our estate, or spend it like a fool. I do not think that any man hath any more warrant for this, than a felon hath to come into another man's house, and take away what he hath. A man hath not fuch a right to his eftate, that he may spend it as he lift, either as riotous finners do, or as gamefters. I do not think that God gives any man fuch power over his eftate; though human laws may let this man alone. Neither on the other hand do I think it accountable to God, for any man to be fo worldly-minded, as to mind nothing but heaping up riches, and think to do no good at all. For tho' human laws do not at all interpofe

terpofe and meddle; yet herein men cannot approve themselves to God. And this is one of my rules; we must hold of God, and be accountable for the use and extent of all to him, in refpect of him, as ftewards, as those that are intrufted; though in refpect of our fellow-creatures, we are abfolute owners, and well fettled in what we have by the law of the country in which we live.

And thus much for explication. For whom I have fuffered the loss of all things. In these days, though they be no times of perfecution, we may fay after the apostle, for whom I have fuffered the loss of all things; in a diminutive, and comparative fenfe ; when we lefs love our estates, than our intereft in God, and his favour; and lefs value the accommodations of this state, than the future; and fubordinate all to the honour of God, and to the publick good; and in respect of God we account ourselves but stewards, though in respect of others, owners and proprietors. And this is ingenuous and worthy on our part, and good for us, that we thus hold and understand ourselves.

1. It is ingenuous, or worthy on our part. It makes fome fhew of willingness on our part, to make fome return. It expreffeth that we have fome fenfe in us, of what Chrift hath done in regard of us. Confider but these scriptures together, the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him: in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, Col. ii. 3. 9. He is reprefented highly valuable in respect of the excellency of his perfon but then confider, who being in the form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God ;

bus

but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a fervant, Phil. ii. 6, 7. though he was rich, yet for our fakes he became poor, 2 Cor. viii. 9. and emptied himself. Now if he parted with so much and did so far deny himself for our gratification, relief, and supply; is it not virtuous, noble, and ingenuous, and a piece of thankful return, that we in refolution intention, and purpofe of mind and will, fubmit all our concerns to the honour of God, defence of truth and purposes of righteousness? And if the will of God be declared, it fhall be fulfilled accordingly. And we should rejoice to meet with an opportunity, wherein we might express our thankfulness and respect to him, that hath so much benefited us; to have an opportunity, by the expence of what we have, of doing fome noble and generous action, by which we may exprefs our acknowledgment, and thankful refentment of his favours. For Plutarch could fay of riches, the best of riches is an abundance of inftruments to do good with. So that if a wealthy man have but a generous spirit, he hath abundance of tools to work withal, because he hath fo many inftruments. What good may he not do, wherein the will of God is declared, the honour of God concerned, or the common good of mankind may be promoted ? 'Tis not so much what we lose, and how much we are impoverished; for God is never the better, if we be lofers; nor is our Saviour profited by what we lose : but it is fhewing of our fenfe, and refentment of his favours, and the return of goodwill, in that we part with, in refpect to him, that we might otherwife have kept. But this is highly valuable;

valuable; that herein we have opportunity to fhew a truly noble and virtuous foul; a great mind, a christian temper; and that the will of God is the law of our minds; and if that be declared, we are ready to fulfil it. And this is truly noble, and gerous, and the greatest improvement, that any man can make of an overture. For otherwife what we part with is more God's, than our own; in refpect of God, what is in our hands, is but upon trust In refpect of God; they are for his use; in respect of him, we are accountable.

2. 'Tis for our good. And if we should hold them upon other terms, it would be for our harm, For then we should set them in the place of God ; and be men of this world, that have their portion in this life, Pfal. xvii. 14. and then should we have no greater expectation hereafter; nor then would there be any exercise of virtue in the state of probation. We have had them fo long: if it were neceflary for our happiness, God would not take them from us. And he can recompence us as he did Abraham, after that he had in the purpose and refolution of his foul, parted with his fon, God restored him again, as 'tis said, in a figure. And whereas before he was but a fon in common, now he was to Abraham, a type of the Meffiah, Gen. xxii. For as Isaac fhould have been facrificed; fo Christ Jesus was really intended to die as a facrifice. And thus Ifaac was the reprefentative of the Meffiah; and by his appointment to be facrificed, it was declared that Chrift Jefus was to be facrificed: and whereas Ifaac was fpared, and the ram facrificed for the prefent ;

here

here was an intimation that there must be types of Christ, and facrifices for a while. But that the time of the real facrifice of Chrift, was expected; and till then there fhould be other facrifices, that fhould in fome respects, reprefent the great facrifice of the Meffiah.

DISCOURSE XXXVI. Our Converfation is in HEAVEN.

PHIL. iii. 20.

For our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jefus Christ.

T

HE words are very fignificant : fome read

them thus. Cives coeleftes nos gerimus. We

behave ourselves as citizens of heaven. Noftra vivendi ratio in cœlis exiftit. The whole law of our lives and actions, is the law of heaven. Mente & affectu in cælis verfamur. Though we are bodily present here below, yet in the sense of our fouls, and the motions of our minds, we are in heaven. In the common nation, the word fignifies the purpose and rule of life, that action or diligence that we are to use in the adminiftring of any affairs whatfoever. In strictness, it is the administration

*

* Actio, folertia in re adminiftranda. Adminiftratio reipub. Civitatis regimen, vitæ inftitutum & ratio.

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