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as to need no other proof. For do not many Men take far more pains in the Service of Mammon, than others do in the Service of God? How fagacious and fubtle are they in feeking and finding out a good Bargain, and how diligent and follicitous in the pursuit of it; and at the fame time very cold and careless in matters of far greater moment? How quick-fcented are they in fmelling out Gain at a great diftance, as a Vultur does the Carcafe, when they have no Scent or Relish at all of fpiritual good things? How cheerful and conftant are they in keeping the Market, when they can scarce move over the Threshold to go to Church?

But to keep to the Inftance here in the Parable: how provident and forecafting was this unjuft Steward, to take care for his future Subfiftence, when he found his Office dropping from him, and his Service like to fail? How careful was he for a moment, and how neglectful are others of Eternity? And when he fpar'd no Pains, nor ftuck at any means to compafs a fmall and fhort Maintenance here in this World, are not too many, who would be thought better and wifer, unmindful of making any Provifion for a future and eternal State? Muft not his provident Care and Diligence fhame and reproach all fuch Remiffness and Negligence, and plainly fhew that the Children of this World, or the Sons of Darkness, are, in their Generation, wifer than fuch who would be accounted Children of Light Now from this Parable we are taught to be as wife for the next World, as worldly Men are for this; and to be as careful for the Welfare of our Souls, as they are of their Bodies; that as they rife early and fit up late, and eat the Bread of Carefulness, fo we fhould be at the fame or like pains to work out our own Salvation. Solomon fends the Sluggard to the Ant, the Bee, and the Pifmire, to learn Industry, and a provident Care for the time to come; and a greater than Solomon fends us here to the unjuft Steward, to learn the Wisdom of fo managing our prefent perishing Poffeffions, as to fecure to us an eternal Subfiftence, when that Truft fhall be at an end: That as he made Friends enough by his Mafter's Goods, to take him into their Houses in time of Extremity, fo we may make to our felves Friends out of the Subftance intrufted with us, to be receiv'd into eyerlasting Habitations. So our Saviour infers from this Parable, I fay unto you, make to your felves Friends of the Mammon of Unrighteousness, that when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting Habitations:

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where

where the Wealth and Riches of this World are call'd by an untoward Name, The Mammon of Unrighteousness; and that juftly too, because they are many times unrighteously gotten, unjustly poffefs'd, un faithfully us'd, and ungodlily fpent.

By making Friends of this Mammon of Unrighteousness, is fo to difpofe of our Wealth or worldly Subftance, as may turn to the best Account here, and befriend us in the World

to come.

1

By receiving us into everlasting Habitations, is, after this fhort Life is ended, to be admitted into Heaven, and there feated for ever in the Celeftial Manfions. The Senfe then of these words is, that as this Steward in the Parable fo manag'd Matters by his Mafter's Subftance, that when he was difmifs'd of the Stewardship, he had thereby made Friends enough to take him into their Houses; fo fhould we order and difpofe of our worldly Goods in fuch a manner, that when we fail, we may have Intereft enough by them to be receiv'd into Heaven. Here then is fuppos'd,

1. That we all mult and fhall furely fail.

2. That there are everlafting Habitations prepar'd and referv'd for us against that time.

3. That our well-ufing and difpenfing of this World's Goods, will intitle us to, and inftate us in those heavenly Habitations.

1. There is not a more known and certain Truth, than that we all muft and fhall furely fail; The Living know that they fall furely die, faith Solomon. Our Abode here is both fhort and uncertain, no Man's Riches can bribe Death, or fecure him from the Grave; yea, they rather fink Men the fooner into it, than fave them from it. David faid in his Profperity, that his Mountain was made fo ftrong, that he could never fail; God did but hide his Face from him, and his Spirits prefently fail'd, and funk him into great Sorrow and Trouble. The rich Man in the Gofpel thought, that neither he or his Substance should ever fail, and therefore fung a Requiem to his Soul, Soul, take thine Eafe, thou haft Goods laid up for many years, eat, drink, and be merry but he too fail'd before the next morning, for that very night his Soul was requir'd of him. Fail then we all mult, and a time is coming when we must bid adieu to this World, and all things in it, imply'd in thole words, When ye fail.

2. Here

2. Here are fuppos'd future and everlafting Habitations, when all these things fail and forfake us. So St. Paul af fures us, 2 Cor. 5. 1. We know (faith he) when the earthly Houfe of this Tabernacle shall be diffolv'd, we have a Building of God, an Houfe not made with Hands, eternal in the Heavens. And elsewhere, that a Crown of Righteousness is laid up for us, when the Mammon of Unrighteoufnefs fails. And St. Peter tells us, that an Inheritance incorruptible, undefil'd, and that fadeth not away, is referv'd in Hea ven for us: 1 Pet. 1. 4. But how may this be fecur'd to us? Why, that we are told is by ufing and difpenfing our worldly Goods aright; which is here call'd, the making Friends of the Mammon of Unrighteoufnefs. Solomon tells us, that Wealth maketh many Friends, Prov. 19.4. they that abound in Wealth and Power fhall be fure to have Friends enough to partake of their Plenty, and to rejoice in their Profperity.

But these are not the Friends that our Saviour here would have us to make with our Substance; for these commonly forfake us here in time of need, much lefs will they follow or ftand us in any ftead hereafter, for the Friendship of this World is Enmity with God.

But the Friends we are here advis'd to make, relate chiefly to another Life, at least the Returns of their Friendfhip are to be look'd for in the other World: And therefore we fhould not be defirous to be fully paid here in this Life, or carry our Recompence with us to the Grave; for then we can expect nothing after, but rather leave it to be paid in exchange in another Country, and to have our Reward referv'd for us in Heaven.

But how may we thus make Friends of the Mammon of Unrighteousness, or transfer our earthly Subftance into the other World? Why, that is done by laying it out in Works of Piety and Mercy; by both which we make God our Debtor, who will repay more than a thousand fold.

(1.) I fay, To make Friends of the Mammon of Unrighteoufnefs, is to make God our Debtor by Works of Piety; that is, by laying out fome part of our Subftance in pious Ufes, fuch as the building, beautifying, and endowing of Churches, the advancing or fupporting the Service of the Altar, and the like: what is thus laid out, is given unto God, and will be repaid in the other World with abundant Intereft. This Solomon calls the honouring the Lord with our Subftance; and what is thus done for God's

Glory

Glory, will in the end furely redound to our own. God efteems himself honour'd by this means, and thofe that ho nour him, he will honour. 'Tis recorded, to the Glory of Solomon, that Solomon built him a Temple, and that fo glorious and magnificent a one too, that both that and himself became the Praife of the whole Earth.

(2.) We make Friends of the unrighteous Mammon, by Works of Mercy and Charity; fuch as helping, counselling and relieving the Poor. By this too we make God our Debtor, for he that giveth to the Poor, lendeth to the Lord; who will, in his due time, return it with unspeakable Advantage. The Friends we are here advis'd to make, are not fuch as are able to repay what they receive from us, for that is but Traffick or Merchandize: Give not to the Rich (faith our Saviour) left he repay thee again. If ye do good to them that do good to you, what Reward have ye? Do not the Publicans and Sinners do the fame? This is but quid pro quo, one thing for another, and carries no Obligation or Reward with it. But the Friends we are bid to make, are fuch as cannot repay us again; for by fo doing we make God our Friend, who is the Patron and Preferver of the Poor the Kindness fhew'd to them is reckon'd as done to God; and because they cannot recompenfe thee, thou shalt be recompens'd at the Refurrection of the Juft. But how are they faid to receive us into everlafting Habitations? Why, this may be by their Prayers and Interceflions to God for us; for God heareth the Prayers of the Poor, and fheweth Favour to those that fhew Kindness to them. Their Prayers and their Alms (like thofe of Cornelius) afcend up to Heaven, and come there as a Memorial before God, who, for receiving the Poor into their Houfes, will reward them, with receiving them into his heavenly Habitations.

This is the Senfe and Scope of this Day's Gofpel, which I fhall close up, firft with a Caution against making Enemies of the Mammon of Unrighteoufnefs, and next an Exhortation to make our felves Friends of it.

1. I fay, Let us learn from hence to beware of making Enemies of the Mammon of Unrighteoufnefs; and that may be done either by the ill-getting or the ill-ufing of this World's Goods, or both, Ill-gotten Goods, inftead of befriending, will appear as an Enemy and Witness against the Poffeffors. Their Silver is cankered (faith St. James) and the Ruft of it will rife up in judgment against them; and

having heap'd up Treasures by Oppreffion and Wrong, they only heap up to themselves Wrath against the Day of Wrath, and Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God. And fo do all they that mifufe and pervert the Bleffings of God to bad purposes, mifpending their Subftance in Riot and Luxury, making it the Fuel of their Lufts, or the Inftruments of their Pride and Vanity: All fuch, instead of making Friends of the unrighteous Mammon, to receive them into everlasting Habitations, only make Enemies of it to receive them into everlafting Damnation. Wherefore,

Laftly, Let us labour fo to get, and fo to ufe the good things of this Life, that they may befriend us at laft, and bring us to the true Riches of Heaven; and that must be by using them aright to the Glory of God, and to the Benefit and Comfort both of our felves and others. By thus difpenfing them in Acts of Piety, Charity, and Mercy, they will speak for us, and procure for us the Favour and Friendship both of God and Man. In a word, they will tend to our present Comfort and Welfare here, and promote our eternal Joy and Happiness hereafter: Which God grant, &c.

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