5-24-54 L.S. The CONTENTS. Hebr. II. 16, and part of the 17 verle. For verily He took not on Him the Nature of Angels; but He took on Him the Seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behov'd him to be made like unto his Brethren. 1 Theff. IV. 11. And that Ye study to be Quiet, and Hebr. III. 12. Take heed, Brethren, left there be in any of You an Evil Heart of Unbelief. Luke XXIV. 34. The Lord is Rifen indeed. Rom. VI. 21. What Fruit had ye then in thofe Things, Acts XIX. 2,3. He faid unto them, have ye receiv'd the Holy Ghost fince ye believ'd? and they said unto him, we have not fo much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghoft. And be faid unto Them, unto what then were ye Ephef. II. 8, 9, 10. For by Grace are ye Sav'd, through Faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of Works, left any Man fhould boaft: For we are his Workmanship, created in Chrift Jefus unto good works, which God hath before ordain'd that we fhould Walk in Ephef. II. 8, 9, 10. For by Grace are ye Sav'd, through Faith, and that not of your felves: it is the Gift of God: Not of Works, left any Man fhould boaft: For we are Rom. X. 15. How shall They Preach except they be Sent? Prov. X. 9. He that walketh Uprightly, walketh Surely. Prov. X. 24. The Fear of the Wicked, it shall come upon bim: but the Defire of the Righteous fhall be granted. 1 John II. 4, 5. He that faith, I know Him, and keepeth not His Commandments, is a Lyar, and the Truth is not [1] SERMON I. · Ecclefiaftes XI. 1. Cast thy Bread upon the Waters, for Thou shalt find it after many days. N these Words we have an Exhortation from the Royal Preacher to a generous, a diffufive, and difinterefted Charity. And for an Encouragement to the performance of fo noble and withall fo indispensable a Duty, there is a Promise annex'd to it of a Certain, tho' not always a fpeedy Reward, an Affurance that That Bread which in the wretched Worldling's Eye feem'd to be lavishly fquander'd away, and quite loft, and which the frank bestower himfelf gave without the leaft profpect or hopes of Return, yet fhall certainly tho' A after after many days be found again, fhall furely at last come back into his own bofome with Intereft and Encrease either in this World or a better. In the Text therefore there are plainly these two things to be confider'd, ift. The Duty Enjoyn'd. 1. The Duty, in Thefe Words, Caft thy Bread upon the Waters, which Expreffion being Figurative and very Comprehensive, has afforded room to the feveral Commentators upon the place to give feveral Expofitions of it, yet all of 'em very agrèeable to the Truth, and very confiftent with each Other. Which I fhall therefore briefly offer, because from them we may form a right Understanding of the Nature and Qualifications of this Duty, and the manner in which it ought to be perform'd. And their feveral Interpretations put together amount to this, that thefe Words import a Command that our Charity should be, ift. Plentifull and Liberal. 2dly. Willing and Chearfull. 3dly. Univerfal and without Exception. 4hly. Without Defign or Hopes of Requital. ift. Plenti |