in this Vale of Mifery thus bountiful, comfortable and delightful, how much more fhall we enjoy the Abundance of his Loving-kindness, and the Riches of his Goodness, when we have arrived at those joyful Manfions of Eternity prepared for us in the highest Heavens? Thefe Thoughts will teach us the true Ufe of the good Things of this Life, Thankfulness in receiving, and Modesty in ufing them, and will particularly ferve to excite that fecond Temper of Mind which I fhall choose to infift upon, namely Charity.

THE Almighty, who is fo liberal a Difpofer of the good Things of this Life, certainly never intended to confine the abundant Encrease of vaft Poffeffions to the fole Enjoyment of one Perfon, and exclude feveral others from the comfortable Supports of Nature. His Bleffings are in common, and a free Communication of them is entirely expected from us. The Division of the World into Rich and Poor is highly providential, and feveral Gofpel-Duties are grafted upon the Relation of them to one

another,

another, but none is fo much infifted upon as that of Charity: The Products of the Fruit of the Earth arife yearly,✔ wherefore then fhould the rich Mammonist busy himself in laying up Fruits for many Years; is not this a Diftruft of God's Providence to ourselves, and an unjuft Encroachment upon what is our Neighbour's? Whatever exceeds the Measure of our own comfortable Subfiftence, and the neceffary Provision for our Families, becomes due to the Poor, who are deftitute of the Bleffings which we fo largely enjoy; for the Riches of God's Goodness are not to be hoarded up, but we ought to imitate the Almighty Benefactor, in freely and liberally difpenfing the Overflowings of God's Bleffings among our neceffitous Brethren, and imparting those Comforts to others, which we abound in the Poffeffion of; and this Enlargement of our Souls will be a much greater Security to us for the Countenance of thofe Bleffings, than the Enlargement of our Barns: He that trufts in the Multitude of his Riches, depends upon a Treasure where Rust and Moth

G 4

Moth do corrupt, and where Thieves break through and feal; but to do good and to communicate are those well-pleafing Sacrifices, which derive a Bleffing upon our Substance, and make it like the Loaves and Fishes in the Hands of our Saviour, even grow under Diftribution, and enrich us with a more plentiful Remainder; they will at leaft lay up for us an incorruptible Treasure in the highest Heavens, whither it fhall be as impoffible for a rich Man, or one that trusteth in Riches, to enter, as for a Camel to pass through the Eye of a Needle. It pleases the Almighty frequently to difappoint in the Course of his Providence, the Endeavours of the Covetous and Uncharitable, in growing exceeding Rich; but at the beft their Souls will be shortly required of them, and what will the Multitude of their Wealth avail, when the Riches of their Mercy, not of their Poffeffions, will be enquired into? It will then be indifferent whether one or a thoufand Acres yielded us thefr Fruits of Encreafe; for he who now enjoys the most abundant Plenty, will then have nothing

over, and he who has at present the lefs Subfiftance, will then have no Lack. Let us therefore be always willing to diftribute, glad to communicate: The Earth, through God's Bleffing, will thereupon bring forth abundantly; and after the Poor hath eaten of our Subftance, and been fatisfied, there will ever remain enough, more than enough, for us, and for all our Pofterity.

3dly and lastly, SINCE we entirely depend upon the Almighty for the Supply of good things, we ought with all Humility, all Proftrations of Worship, to beg of Him the Continuance of all temporal Bleffings; at this time particularly, when the Earth is now covered with all Variety of Fruits, all the Plenty of Provifion, we ought with the Sincerity and Earneftness of Prayer to implore his gracious Influences upon the enfuing Seasons. Plenty and Famine, Health and Sickness, are entirely in the Hands of Him, from whom proceed the Iffues of Life and Death; Fire and Hail, Snow and Vapour, Wind and Storm, fulfil his Commands, who with the Word of his Power can fcorch up with a burning Heat, or

nip up with a sudden Froft, can parch through the Drinefs of the Seafon, or drown in the Floods of Rain, can blast with the Contagion, or pierce with the Sharpness of the Air, all the blooming Hopes of a whole Year's Encrease. It has pleased the Almighty fometimes in the Power of his Wrath, to make a fruitful Land barren for the Wickedness of them that dwell therein; how generally our Sins call aloud for Vengeance, is an Obfervation too obvious, too momentous to be difregarded; let us therefore endeavour by a general Repentance to ward off the Punishment due to fo general a Corruption, and with hearty Prayers, as the Church more particularly at this Seafon of Recollection and Abstinence requires, entreat the Almighty, that it may pleafe Him to give to our Ufe the kindly Fruits of the Earth, fo that in due time we may enjoy them; more especially let us pray for the Encrease of his Grace as well as the Encrease of his Bounty, that we may use the fame to his Glory, the Relief of thofe that are needy, and our own Comfort, through Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen.

SERMON