THE ENCOURAGEMENT AND REWARD OF CHRISTIAN CHARITY Set forth in a SERMON Preached in the Chapel at the ROLLS: October 9th. 1659. By RAPHAEL THROCKMORTON, Late Archdeacon of Lincoln. Custos es tuarum, non Dominus, facultatum. S. Ambros. cap. 14. lib. de Naboth. LONDON, Printed for T. Garthwait, and are to be sold near the Little North-Door of S. Paul's Church. 1659. The 16th. Chapter according to the Evangelist S. Luke, the 9th. verse. Make to yourselves Friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness, that when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting Habitation. UNder each one of those three similitudes of the lost Sheep, the lost Groat, and the Prodigal child, concentred all together in the former Chapter, is a tacit Implication of God's mercy towards man; and here in this Parable of the Unjust Steward, especially in the epilogue, is a downright Explication of what shall be, in fine, the blessed effect of Man's Charity towards God, in his distressed members. But not to beguile time, and your attention with quaintness either of Preamble, or Division, this Text is, as 'twere, a Bill of Exchange, sent from one Country to another, the return whereof is Treasure for Trash, Celestial Manna for the Meat that perisheth, for temporal Riches, Eternal Friends; One only whereof will be better to you, at a dead lift, than all your Pelf, and Mammon of unrighteousness. That then this Paraenesis of the Master to his Disciples may prove prophylacticall unto you, even a Sovereign Receipt, of wholesome remedy for the saving of your souls, I say unto you therefore, Make to yourselves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness, that when ye fail, They may receive you into everlasting habitations. In which words, without violence, I may observe, three general parts. A Prescription of the matter, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; What: Make to yourselves friends. A Description of the manner, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, How? Of the Mammon of unrighteousness. A Conscription of the end, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; why? That when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. Which reward, if you mark it, is notably advanced by three remarkable Circumstances. The first whereof is taken from the tempestivity, or seasonableness of the time of its collating, and that's when Ye shall fail. The second from the Dignity of the persons thus requiting, They, to wit, the Angels of God, by his appointment, nay, upon your Beadsmens' prayers, even God himself shall receive you. The third from the excellency of the places of your reception, which are also set forth in a sequel of three. By their Property, Habitations. Plurality, not one, but many. Perpetuity, Everlasting. This is the Order by which I shall proceed, and these be the parts, through all which I shall now pass, and that with as much shortness, and plainness, as the weight, and number of them shall admit: Only the same hand vouchsafe the success, which doth the opportunity. And that I may punctually go on, I will touch first, where. I first should, with the prescription of the Matter, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Gener. Make to yourselves friends. Make to yourselves friends; And that's good Policy, for we have many enemies, but especially three, which are ever in combination either to infest, or undermine our Nationall, Personal, and eternal Peace. The World Flesh Devil with Infection Defection Interfection Tria Cerberus extulit ora. Maro Those accursed Chameleons turn themselves into all shapes, that they may insinuate under some; and as the Polypus, to compass his prey, carries a resemblance of that rock, near which he lies, so that triple-headed- Cerberus, those old malignant enemies of mankind prepare, and apply there melled baits to all your humours, tempers, inclinations. Look about Ye then, and make you friends; A point verily of so great importance, as that our Saviour here presseth it in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first Aorist among the Greeks, a Tense which signifies the Time perfectly passed, to show 'tis high time we had begun, and already set ourselves about the performance of this Duty, to make ourselves friends. There is, indeed saith that Divine Heathen, Seneca. ad amicitiam ferens quaedam naturalis irritatio, a certain kind of natural proclivity in every individual man, and woman to make themselves friends; but is the Suadae of sound experience, whilst we may communicate our joys without envy, our secrets without discovery, into the bosom of our friend; and there also disburden our complaints, in these sad and heavy times, not without some helpful, and compassionate sympathy. And so ye may read, Act. 12.20. that, for the nourishment of their Country the Tyrians, and Sidonians had a care, the Court being then in fashion, to make Blastus, King Herod's Chamberlain, there friend. But friends, now adays, are like hot water, which when cold-weather comes doth soon freeze. Terence. Like Cuckoos all summer, they may sing a scurvy note, pulchre, bene, recte, but gone they are, sure enough, before Autumn, or the Fall. Ovid. Accipiet nullas sordida turris aves. Nay, as Vermine do an house on fire, so will some friends leave thee in thy greatest need, though ranked among even thy chiefest, and choicest companions; inter primas, vel secundas admissiones, as the Philosopher phraseth it. But against such familiars, and trencher-friends, King David passionately, and pathetically complains, saying, It was not an open enemy, that dishonoured me, and reproached me, Psal. 55.12, 13, 14. and magnified himself against me, but it was thou, who didst eat of my bread, thou my guide, thou my companion, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and even thou mine own familiar friend. Caesar to Brutus. Make ye therefore such friends, as the Lord Jesus here insinuates, who will never be wanting to you in their presence, nor scanting in their consolations. And lest ye should mistake in the manner thereof, my next Generality describeth how, 2 Gener. Of the Mammon of unrighteousness. The word Mammon properly is a Syrian word, and good Syriack for the God of Riches; and Christ first of all brought it in among the Greeks, and passeth it here in the Doric Idiom, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for what wealth, or goods soever we possess. Luc. 16.11. As concerning the Adjunct of unrighteousness, in that there is a most ordinary Hebraisme; for otherwise, it were much more congruous to say the unrighteous Mammon, than the Mammon of unrighteousness. But to take the words together, as they lie before us, the Mammon of unrighteousness in plain English sounds no more, than the vain inconstant, transitory, false and deceitful riches, which we here enjoy. And yet, for all those epithets of derogation, Riches, doubtless in themselves are not evil, but the blessing of God, as Solomon affirms, Pro. 10.22. Ne quidem putentur summa bona, dantur & malis, Aug. 70. Epist. ad bonifacium. Luc. 16.19. sed ne putentur omnino mala, dantur & bonis. Riches indeed that they may not be misinterpreted to be the chief good, are given to the bad, as to the purpled Epicure; but lest they should be taken absolutely for bad, they are given to the good, as to faithful Abraham, Gen. 13.2. who was very rich in cattles, and in silver, and in gold; and to holy Job, who for his many Camels, and oxen, Job. 1.3. and sheep, was the only substantial Grandee of the East. Bona est pecunia in crumena, si non sit peccatum in conscientia; and we should no more find fault with Riches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simply, and abstractively considered, than we do with pure, and insophisticated wine, before it be put into a fusty vessel; but yet, to keep close to the words of my Text, Riches may be called the Mammon of unrighteousness, in a respect. As namely because they may be 1. Unrighteously gotten. 2. Unrighteously kept. 3. Unrighteously spent. 4. Unrighteously trusted to. 5. Because they deal unrighteously with us in every point; as, by God's blessing, ye shall hear anon. For the first; Riches may be unrighteously gotten, 1 Sam. 2.13.16. Hab. 1.15. either by our Predecessors, or ourselves; and that either by Hop●nies hook, that is by force, or by Habbakucks' net, that is by fraud; in both which cases, whether thou be'st an unrighteous heir, Hos. 12.2.7. or an heir of the unrighteous, thou shall consume as the fat of lambs; for the Lord hath a controversy with thee, and will blast the Mammon of so much unrighteously. Secondly, Riches may be unrighteously kept, by their Owners, Eccles. 5.13. to their harm, and this is one of those evils, which the Preacher said he saw under the sun. Ber. in red. mor. Datur enim Mammon ad necessitatis fratrum impendia, vos vero pauperibus tenaces admodum non impertitis. The Lord hath furnished many of ye with full Tables, and overflowing-cups, that ye may let fall some crumbs of comfort for poor Lazarus, and leave behind ye a little meat, and drink-offering, for such as mourn in Zion; but the pure Mammonist will not untwist his Cable, Luc. 16.21, but his very Dogs take leave to be more merciful, than he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 visui, Sr. Fra. Bacon. and usui both; and he was a fine Courtier, who said, Money is like Muck, not good, unless't be spread; but where the sculptura is the Scriptura, the Bills the Bible, the Penny the Pater noster, the coin the Creed, such unrighteously hold fast all, and administer nothing to the necessities of the Saints, either of fectu, by subvention, or affectu, by compassion. They may perhaps afford a little Benevolence, but no Beneficence, Scripture enough against begging, yet no bread against famishing; bid a hungry and naked brother, or sister, Jam. 2.15, 16. Go, and be filled, and be warmed, and yet suffer them to starve for want either of food, or fire, like St. James his Zelots, Jam. 2.15, 16. But the Preacher again hath set a fatal mark upon such a man, Eccles. 5.14. and his Mammon both, saying, such Riches shall peish by evil travail, and the man begetteth a son, and there nothing in his hand, nothing, but perhaps a pitch-fork, instead of the Father's rake. But thirdly, Riches may be unrighteously spent, to the drowning of our souls in many noisome lusts, and their tempting of us daily to so much unrighteousness. Vitiis and Divitiis sound alike in Latin, and in English, ye know, wealth and wickedness are near of kine. Nimia bonorum copia ingens malorum occasio; Plenty of goods doth many time's occasion plenty of evils. Goodness may last till good come, but dition of state doth commonly alter the condition of the person. Tiberius was a good subject, but a very bad Emperor. Tacitus. How many had been good, had they not been great? Ask the Elder Brother, and He will tell thee; Luk. 15.12, 13. as for the Younger, the Scripture solveth that question, where so soon as ever that Youngster had received his portion, he turned Prodigal. Divitiae veniunt, Relligioque fugit. Fourthly, Psal. 49.6. Joh. 31.24. Riches may be called the Mammon of unrighteousness, because we unrighteously put our trust in them, saying to the Gold thou art my hope, and to the fine wedge, thou art my confidence. A liveless piece of earth is our Master, yea our God, which we shrine in our coffers, and to which we sacrifice our hearts like that moth-eaten Miser in the Poet, kneeling down before the shrine of his glistering Deity, Indormis inhiatque & tanquam parcere sacris Cogitur, & pictis tanquam gaudere tabellis. Horace. But Mammon is a base, and beggarly spirit, and so was fitly placed at the Apostles feet; nimirum sic oportuit, Acts 4. and the last. Royard. 1 Tim. 6.17. Pro. 11.28. nam calcandae sunt divitiae, saith a Postiller. He is to be rather trampled on with our heels, then attended with our hearts, and no handsome Rival to stand in competition for our confidence with the Living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy; and he that trusteth in uncertain Riches shall fall. Fifthly and lastly, Riches deal unrighteously with us in in every point; for they requite our labour in their purchase with fear in their possession, and with grief in their loss. Crescentem sequitur cura pecuniam, Majorumque fames. Horace. There is indeed a sort of inestimable Riches, wherein there is no unrighteousness at all, I mean the riches of Grace and Glory, Luc. 16.11. and they are styled by Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only true Riches: but all riches else, for the four considerable grounds, on which I have now insisted, may be called The Mammon of unrighteousness. Whereof to make yourselves friends is to make provision for yourselves by so using the fading wealth, wherewith ye are entrusted in this world, that when those transitory comforts forsake you, ye may be received into Heaven. Ga. 2.10 Job. 29.15. Now then, to enucleate somewhat hence for yourselves, by way of application; Remember the poor; be eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame. And because, in some cases, God Almighty doth accept a mite for a million, do thy best to satisfy the afflicted soul, Nehem. 8.10. and send portions to them, for whom nothing is prepared. But remember all this while, that the streams of thy Charity must be derived from a pure fountain; these friends in my Text will nor be made thine by ill gotten goods, by Hophnies' hook, or Habbakucks net, by force or fraud, by shark or legerdemain, by nick and froth, by five and a reach, by false weights and balances, by scant measures, whether of capacity or application, Mica. 6.10. which are abominable before God. Buxtorf. de Abbreu. The alms box among the Jews, in the Temples outer Court, was called in the Hebrew tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kupha Schel Tsedaka, that is the Chest of Justice, and that one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Tsadaka, signifies Alms and Justice both, to intimate, no doubt, that the matter of our Alms must be goods which are justly gotten. If then thou canst say ex animo, with gray-headed Samuel, 1 Sam. 12.3. I have wronged no man, I have oppressed no man, I have defrauded no man, I have received no bribes; I have taken no man's Ox, no man's Ass, no man's horse; but here am I, O Lord, with a blessing in my hand, of that which is justly mine, of that which thou hast blessed upon the sweeting of my brow, or the working of my brain; and now, Lord, in all humility, and thankfulness I return it unto thee; by these poor, and blind creatures of thine own substitution, whom thou hast appointed to be ever in the world, for the exercise of my Charity. And if thus ye fail not to remember them now, remember how God will remember you for it, in your latter end; which if ye should forget, and remember no longer, then whilst ye are sermon-warme, the next part of my Text will remember you of it. The Conscription of the end, by way of Remuneration, 3 Gener. or Reward, When ye fail, ye shall not fail of friends to receive ye into everlasting habitations. In which Epiphonema or close of all, the recompense of your charity is highly extolled by three remarkable circumstances, as was laid out in the division of my Text. The first whereof is taken from the tempestivity, or seasonableness of the time of its collating, which is, When ye shall fail. Wealth is like a Wild-Foul, 1 Circ. Prov. 23.5. and riches have Wings; yet do they not so quickly fail the Stewards, as the Stewards, fail themselves. Divesue prisco natus ab Inacho, Quid interest? An infirma de gente! Moreris, Victima nil misecantis Orci. Wert thou Mammon's son, sole heir to all the Usurers in the World, yet death will not fail to strike thy Vessel, because it hath silken sails, and is balanced with refined Aure; even the Mitted, and the crowned, and the Turbaned head must one day fail, as well as he, who may not put on his hat, or hath not a hat to put on at all. It was an ancient custom among the Romans, that a Mason should salute the Emperor, Livy. on the very day of his Coronation, with his lap full of Stones, and bid Caesar choose what sort of them he pleased should be prepared, and polished for his Sepulchre. It fares with us mortals as with flowers, and some flies, which grow up and seed and die. By virtue of that unrepealable statute, Heb. 9.27. come a time there must for our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when we shall be in the Eclipse, and fail out of this present life; fail of health, and fail of strength, and fail of light, and fail of breath, and fail of honours, and fail of lands, Psal. 88.18. and goods, and wives, and children, and friends, and neighbours, and all our acquaintance stand afar off. But notwithstanding all those failings your charity fails you not, that's a grace indeed, as of the loveliest countenance, so of the longest continuance, and will bear you company, as the shadow doth the body, and never be beaten off, but follow you, Apoc. 14.13. saith a voice from heaven, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, for their works follow them. And then, as for Bajazet to change his Seraglio for a Cage was a kind of strappado to his humane Soul; as for Valerian to become a footstool to his proud foe, might challenge the tribute of a bleeding eye, so then, I say, for the merciful minded man to meet with majesty in misery, with consolation in desolation, with high erection in deep dejection, with such a confection, and receipt as this, in time of his defection, is an exuberant guerdon, an unparallelled retribution and should therefore dispose our ways to the attainment of everlasting salvation, by making ourselves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness, that is, by works of mercy, against the time when we shall fail. And farther I carry not this first compensation of your beneficence, deduced plainly from the Tempestivity, or seasonableness of the time of its collating, that is, when ye shall fail. I hasten now to the second circumstance, which magnifies the reward of your Christian Charity, from the dignity of the persons thus requiting. They may receive you; and who they are, 2 Circ. I shall expound with all convenient brevity, and go on. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is impersonally set without a nominative case, and denotes them not, tells us not what manner of persons these receivers are, whether God, good Angels, or good works. So that, after the manner of Scripture-speaking, they may receive you, is no more, than ye maybe received, that is, your works of charity, through God's acceptance, and promise to reward them, may prepare as 'twere for you a resting place in heaven. But because the passive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is actively translated in all our English Testaments, please ye hear how the Father's descant on the words, and what Paraphrase they make upon this pronoun They. Ambrose in Lucam. And first they are the holy Angels, of whom thus sweetly sang that Nightingaile of France, I mean our Josuah Sylvester in his Duke Bartas. The sacred Tutors of the Saints, the Guard Of Gods elect, the Pursuivants prepared To execute the counsels of the Highest. Saint Paul states the matter by way of question, Are not the Angel's ministering Spirits, sent forth for their good, who shall be heirs of salvation? Heb. 1.14. Psal. 91.10, 11, 12. The Prophet David positively thus, there shall no evil befall thee, nor any plague come nigh thy dwelling, for God shall give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways; nay, to bear the up. Luc. 15.10. That feathered Hierarchy, which clap their wings at the conversion of a sinner, doth carefully attend us from our very cradles to our graves, and thence take and carry the Bleemesmarie man into Abraham's bosom, Luk. 16.22, 23, 25. but leave the unmerciful to be tormented in the flames of Hell. That then the King of Heaven employs here on earth his Pages of Honour, and Princes of his Court, disposeth his Angels, those glorious Heralds, that when ye fail, they may receive you, the Dignity of the persons doth hugely improve the recompense of the reward. To wave the opinion Bonaventure in this point, Saint Augustine in the next place conjectures these Receivers are not the poor in spirit, but the poor in purse, and that they, who have been your clients in this, shall be your patrons in a better world. But that interpretation must be figuratively understood, because to receive you at your last gasp is in the power of jesus Christ alone; and therefore your alms men cannot be called the Receivers properly, but by his allowance and concession; and so an Alms being asked of you by them in the name, and bestowed by you upon them for the sake of Christ, he is pleased by a Figure called Metalepsis to attribute that to such as take it, which is only his own peculiar prerogative. The original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is indeed no more, then to propose and praise one, saith Demosthenes, that he may be required by a better man, which is the very case that lies before us; and so the poor man's prayers for his Benefactors, being the intercession of Gods own Spirit, Rom. 8.26. must needs become powerful with the God of spirits, who, the good ye do to others, will take as done to him, and for that himself receive you, Matt. 25 34. and bid you take possession of his Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world. And thus much for the smoothing of this knotty circumstance. 3 Circ. The last thing which amplifies this exceeding great reward is drawn from the excellency of the places of your reception, deciphred by their property, plurality, and perpetuity, wherein your patience will shorten my way, as my care shall shorten a way to your patience. And first for their property. Habitations. Gen 19.2. Not Diversories; for Pilgrims, and strangers, and wayfaring men are wont to turn in thither, for a snap, or nap, and be gone; or for a night at most, and then pack away. Again, not Tabernacles, for they are only for a short pitch in Rephidim, and removable at pleasure. Exo. 17.1. Once more, not houses, for they will scarce outlast a lease of three lives, or 21 Years; but Habitations, that is Mansions, standing Houses, places for settled residence; not for progress, but abode, not for motion, but for rest; Apocae. 14.13. we are here in a kind of restless Euripus, but there we shall rest from all our labours. The Prophet Isaiah calls them sure dwellings of quiet rest. Isai. 32.18. And surely if the unjust steward shall have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is Houses to receive him, as he cunningly made his bargain, we may without Logic, or any Sophistry, by an Enthememe infer, Luk. 16.4. that the merciful Steward shall enjoy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here, these habitations in my Text to comfort him. That Greek word indeed doth not signify Habitations, with bare walls only, Zen. and nothing else, but durabilities of ministrelsie, and joy; nay, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a banquet, as Zenephon useth it, and whether this receiving be the glory of the soul alone, before the Resurrection, (for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I utterly deny) or the soul and body both together glorified after the Resurrection, (which I steadfastly believe) under both those notions we may truly say with the sweet singer of Israel, David. In thy presence, Lord, is the fullness of joy, Ps. 16. and the last. Some of you have already seen, more or less, the magnificence of earthly Princes, in their buildings, furnitures, and Feasts; Open now awhile the eyes of your contemplation, and look a little further into these habitations. The platform is ready, and drawn to the life, Apoca. 21. from the tenth verse, to the end of that chapter; for there is one greater than Apelles himself. There ye may see a foursquare city, the walls of Jasper, the foundation garnished with all manner of precious stones; twelve gates of twelve pearls, the Houses, and streets of pure gold; a Crystal river runs through the midst of it, and upon the banks of it grows the Tree of life, ever green, ever fruitful, and the very leaves conduce to the healing of the Nations. And this for the eye; the ear shall be filled with the melody of Angels, the taste satisfied with the food of Angels. Nobile perpetuâ caput amplexante coronâ. And so much for the property of these Habitations. As concerning the plurality, which is my next part, not one but many, Joh. 14.2. habitations in the plural number; In my Father's House, saith Christ; are many mansions, and consequently room enough to receive out of every kindred, Apo. 5.9.11. and people, and tongue, and nation, thousands of thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. I have seen the Portraiture of the Macedonian Monarch, Alexander. upon the terrestrial Globe, peering to the Antipodes, with this discontented Motto over his head, Uni non sufficit orbis. One world is not enough for one man; but no scanting, and so complaining will there be in Heaven, as in this narrow Orb, for want of elbow-room. Omnipotens Dominus, omnipatensque Domus. As one star differeth from another in glory, so I am sure, shall be the Resurrection of the Dead, and yet every Saint shall there enjoy a full measure of heavenly bliss, 1 Cor. 15 41, 42. from the beatifical vision, which filleth all in all. And therefore, I beseech you, take no thought, Mat. 20.20, 21. with those ambitious sons of Zebedee, who shall sit highest in God's Kingdom, trouble not yourselves now, about the manner of your entertainment then; Put on only as the Elect of God, bowels of mercy, make yourselves these fast friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness, who when you fail, will not fail you, but wait for the time, till your change shall come, and then receive, and conduct you into some one, or other of these Many Habitations. Where once, ye shall not be, as in these tumultuous times, thrust out of your Houses ever and anon, but after that possession there will be session, Virg. — Vestra inquam munera vobis certa manent, there once, I say, ye shall never be removed, for they are everlasting, there perpetuity, and my last particular. Habitations Everlasting. 2 Cor. 5.1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is a word of sempiternity, and shrin's a durance throughout all generations; and if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith St. Paul, an house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens. Lucullus the Roman had his change of sumptuous, and stately Piles, and if Plutarch say true, his aestival rooms, and receipts for delight, excuded out of rocks in the vast Ocean; but such was their crasiness, that both those, and these held him to repairs, and put him to building ever and anon. Jenojakin King of Judah had coenacula, ventosa, & perflabilia, Jer. 22.15. Amos. 3. and the last. his Summer Parlours, and cooling Galleries, seeled with Cedar, and painted with vermilion; But I will smite the Winter House, with the Summer House, saith the Lord, and the Houses of Ivory shall perish, and the great houses have an end. We have verily, nothing here below, but corrupts, takes soil, and fades away; one man's inheritance is presently gone by another man's purchase; but if it last awhile, it may be confiscate for some offences, or escheated for want of Heirs, or sequestered for delinquency, or quite brought to nothing by unthriftiness, or by the immediate judgement of Heaven upon the children of disobedience. 1 Pet. 7.4. But these habitations mentioned in my Text are in no danger of any the least either alteration, or decay, but uncorrupt, and shall hold the Being, undefiled, and shall hold the Assay, never fade, but continue in their prime, for they are everlasting. Nec reticeri, nec recitari, nec supprimi, nec exprimi possunt; No tongue can tell, no heart conceive the bound, and end, for there is neither bound nor end of these habitations everlasting. Deu. 15.7, 8, 10. Now then, that your flesh may come to such honour, as to be received at length into Habitations everlasting, obey that hypothetical motion of the Spirit, if there be among you a poor man within any of your gates, wherein the Lord your God hath blessed you, ye shall not harden your hearts, nor shut your hands, but open them wide, and lend, nay give what is sufficient for his need. Berco. in red. mor. Duplicatum erit filiis justi, quod justus dedit filiis Dei; and therefore let us ardere charitatis zelo, that we may splendere sanctitatis velo, and gaudere Deitatis coelo in sempiterno saeculorum saeclo. I conclude all with that one short Apostrophe to the rich Steward, and charge him from God, 1 Tim. 6.18. that he become Rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; wherein he cannot deliberate long for objects, unless it be more for multitude then want; Lazarus lies at every door. And let no Steward else, though bankrupt for estate, think himself unconcerned in his portion of Scripture, for every present soul, in one capacity or other, is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Steward of some goods of God; Magistrates are his Stewards of the Commonwealth, Ministers are his Stewards of the Church, Masters of their private Families, and each one is a Steward of the privy closet of his Conscience. And therefore let us all in our several places, lay sure hold upon well doing, that we may have comfort in well dying, and when we fail, be crowned with the reward of these habitations everlasting, through thy great mercy, O most blessed Lord God, who dost live, and govern all things, world without end. Amen. FINIS.