Durable riches. Two brief discourses, occasioned by the impoverishing blast of heaven, which the…

Behold, a Duty of our Christian Conversation, which according to the Divine Heraldry of the Scripture, has a very High Place in Christianity belonging to it; a Duty than which there are not many, more Acceptable to God, more Profitable to Us, more Honourable to our Profession, or more Neglected and Omitted by multitudes, that will yet wear the Name which was begun ⟨p. 2⟩[…] Antioch. And it is Remarkable to se• what a broad Contradiction is herein given to the Dictates of that Common and Carnal Reason, which mankind is generally misguided by The Ordinary Notion of the World is, If I have Bread, my own Cupboard is the fittest place to keep it in. But the Holy Spirit of God will teach us otherwise, Cast thy Bread upon the Waters. The Customary Dialect of the World is, […] keep what I have, because I know not what Evil I may Live to see, I may Live to want it all. But we are otherwise Advised by the Holy Spirit of God; Give a Portion, because thou knowest not what Evil may be upon the Earth. 'Tis the God of Heaven, to whom we are beholden, for our Estates; our Possessions and Enjoyments, by which we are furnished against the Natural Inconveniences of Humane Life, are all bestowed upon us, by that God, whose Providence disposeth of all our Affairs; and as we have it, in Deut. 8 17, 18. Thou shalt not say in thine Heart, my power has gotten me this Wealth; but thou shalt Remember, the Lord thy God; for it is He that gives thee power to get Wealth. 'Tis neither Skill nor Chance, that brings our Estates into our Hands; but it is God, of whom we are told, That He is the Maker both of the Rich and of the Poor. Nothing in the World can then be more Agreeable, than for us to Remember this God, in all our Wealth; and to Remember Him with it, is the best Remembrance of Him in it. The […] Covenant in which we are to make a ⟨p. 3⟩Surrender of our Spirits and our Bodies unto God, must by a parity of Reason also Devote our Estates unto Him; and All that we Have, as well as All that we Are, must come under a Dedication to the Lord. Most absurd was the Language of Nabal the Churl; Shall I take my Bread, and my Water, and my Flesh, and give it? Thine, O Senseless Man, How camest Thou by it? It is God that gives us all that we have▪ and by giving it unto us, He has not parted with His own Right in it all. No, He still is the Lord Proprietor of all;