Parentator. Memoirs of remarkables in the life and the death of the ever-memorable Dr.…

§. 2. Unto a Good Man there once came that Message from Heaven; Thy Prayers and thy Alms are come up for a Memorial before GOD. This Good Mans did so! His Devotions towards GOD, were accompanied with his Benignities towards Men; And these Two, filled his Life with Sacrifices; and assured him a share in the Royal Priesthood. It was the Doctors Persuasion, That though our GOD is to have our All used for Him, there was a Special Portion of his Revenues, which was more Immediately and more Explicitly to be Devoted unto Pious Uses: A Special Portion to be so set apart for GOD, and be so the Lords, that it would be a Sacrilege to Spend ⟨p. 183⟩it in any other than those which may be called, Pious Uses. Concerning this Portion of GOD it was his Persuasion, That a Tenth Part of his Revenues, was the least, that could go for the Portion. He thought, That since there is a Part which is the Lords, it is but proper, that the Determination of what part it shall be, should be left unto the Lord. It was his Opinion, That our own Carnal Heart, is no Competent Judge, to Determine What and When the Revenues which our GOD has given us, are to do for Him. Now, if GOD ever did fix any part, it was plain to him, that nothing lower than a Tenth was ever fixed by Him. As with out Time, it was not left unto our Arbitrary Fancy, to take our own Time for the Worship of our GOD, but He Himself Determined, I will have a Seventh Part of your Time Entirely mine; So tis with our Wealth: It is not left unto our own Humour, to say, How much He shall have. He has Determined, A Tenth Part of the Wealth flowing in upon you shall be mine. It seems, the Good GOD, who with a Seventh Day will be owned as the Creator, will with a Tenth Part be owned as the Possessor, of all things. He was aware, That even the Light of Nature taught the Ancient Pagans to Decimate for Pious Uses. He could levy a whole Army of Authors, to carry this cause; Decima quaeque Veteres Diis Suis Offerebant. And he thought it strange for Christians to do less for our GOD, than Pagans did for theirs. They built upon This; A Tenth is the least part in any Division of Numbers: The lowest is that of Unites; and less than a Tenth is less than ⟨p. 184⟩what all Nations make the least. And he thought, shall not our GOD have so much as the Least of the Revenues, whereof we owe so much unto Him?

§. 2. Unto a Good Man there once came that Message from Heaven; Thy Prayers and thy Alms are come up for a Memorial before GOD. This Good Mans did so! His Devotions towards GOD, were accompanied with his Benignities towards Men; And these Two, filled his Life with Sacrifices; and assured him a share in the Royal Preisthood. It was the Doctors Perswasion, That though our GOD is to have our All used for Him, there was a Special Portion of his Revenues, which was more Immediately and more Explicitly to be Devoted unto Pious Uses: A Special Portion to be so set apart for GOD, and be so the Lords, that it would be a Sacriledge to Spend