contributions, not one eased, and another burthened. Some have affirmed, since they read this little book of mine, that we have no warrant to pray for temporal things; but blessed be God, he has given us the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come; yea, the promise of all things pertaining to life and godliness; and whatever God has promised we may warrantably pray for. Those that came to the Saviour in the days of his flesh prayed chiefly for temporal mercies: the blind prayed for sight; the lepers for a cure; the lame for the use of their limbs; and the deaf for the use of their ears. And surely, had they prayed unwarrantably, their prayers would not have been so miraculously answered. Elijah prayed for a temporal mercy when he prayed for rain; and it is clear that God answered him. Elisha works a miracle to produce a temporal mercy when he healed the barren plains of Jericho. God hath said that he "will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth, and the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel," Hos. ii. 21, 22. If some professors are favoured with an abundant stock in hand, it is not given them that they should requite the bounties of Providence with contempt. If they have got houses to eat in, they are not to shame them that have not; and, if they have bottled up a store of the goat's milk, they are not to cut off the breast from the poor that have none, Prov. xxvii. 23, 24, 27. Is my reader a poor Christian? Take it pati

ently. God maketh the poor as well as the rich. Envy not the rich. Riches are often seen to be a canker-worm at the root of a good man's comfort, a snare in his life, and an iron pillar at the back of his pride. Agur prayed to be fed with food convenient for him; and you may pray for the same; and what God gives you in answer to your prayers you will be thankful for. That state is surely best which keeps you dependant on God and thankful to him; and so you shall find it in the end. Go on, poor Christian, trusting in the providence of God. God promised a preceding blessing on the Israelites who were to keep the year of jubilee; and, though they were neither to plow, sow, nor reap, on this year of release, yet they had the promise of old store for food for the following year, Lev. xxv. 20, 21. God's blessing on the sixth year was to produce food for three years. And shall not God provide for Israelites indeed, who are released by the gospel trumpet from spiritual bondage, and made free by the Holy Ghost! Surely such shall eat of the old store; yea, in a twofold sense, for every scribe instructed in the kingdom is like an old householder who bringeth things out of his treasures new and old; and all this to feed the Israelites indeed, in whom there is no guile.

In Egypt we find that God's blessing on the seven years of plenty was sufficient to serve Egypt, and numbers more, through the seven years of famine which followed. Surely these wonders of the Lord of hosts shall never be blotted out of the

Bible by a few independent gentlemen, though preachers; nor shall Zion's blessings be chased from the poor of her family by a few worldly professors, who trust in uncertain riches, and sneer at the daily provision that God makes for the poor of his household. Reader, trust thou in the Father of all mercies, and the God of all comfort, for every supply. Independent Adam, and the independent prodigal, came both to bankruptcy and beggary; therefore trade thou with the stock of God, and thou shalt never fail.

Use no unlawful means either to avoid having, or the care of, a numerous family. This is the root of God-dishonouring and damning unbelief; and the effect is Onanism; which God views as an act of infidelity and distrust cast on his providence, an injury done to a fruitful womb, and the sin of murder committed on unsinning innocence, which he hath twice visited with immediate death in the very action, Gen. xxxviii. 7-10.

I have been married upwards of twenty years, have had thirteen children; just Jacob's number, thirteen to the dozen; and, instead of being a beggar, am as rich as ever I was: and do believe that, was I to die this day, if all matters were properly settled, I should be clear of the world. And I am sure that faith is satisfied with an honourable discharge through this world; but, if we aim to supply the wants of infidelity, all the world is not sufficient to satisfy her demands.

I have been acquainted with several professors of considerable property; but, as God liveth, after a strict observation of their conduct, I never envied their happiness, nor wished to exchange situations: for I found some, who were warmly attached to the form of prayer, and to the walls of the established church, would give a thousand pounds to support the forms and walls of the church of England, before they would give five shillings to support those who enforced the Spirit's work on the souls of men. And others, who were filled with head notions from commentators rather than the grace of God in their hearts, expected every preacher that partook of their liberality to say as they did, and offer both conscience and affections, which are due to God only, to their purse; which compliance being denied, has caused great offence, and the honest servants of Christ have received many wounds both in their reputation and labours; which have made the cross of poverty the more heavy, stirred up the corruptions of the honest suffering saint to be more rebellious against God, and made his mind recoil with indignation against the aspiring rival of Christ.

To be short, among all the rich professors that I have known, upon a proper reflection, I have found that they expended the greatest part of the bounties of Providence in support of their own humours, their bigotry, their prejudices, and their own personal honour; being most liberal where their liberality was received by

those of dignity, and where it was to appear in print.

Such as these have their reward as they proceed, but can have no reward of their Father which is in heaven. I believe it will appear, in the great day, that the greatest part of the liberality of rich. professors has been expended more in their own cause than in the support of the spiritual reign of the Son of God. This has been made evident by the many apostates who have been long held up by the spirit of bigotry and the purse of wealth; whom, notwithstanding, God hath cast down, in defiance of all their sanction, patronage, and liberality.

I am much deceived if the purse of worldly professors is not a snare in our days to many a servant of Christ. The liberal purse, and the besetting sin of the 'squire, have muzzled the mouth of many a poor labourer in the vineyard; while the preacher has died in his ministry, the flock in their souls, and the formidable 'squire, who appeared as a column, was ripened for damnation, under a muzzled gospel preacher. For my part I have never yet seen any thing in a rich professor that could in the least draw me to envy his happiness; but, contrariwise, to pity him, as being a trap to others and an ensnared person himself. The common industrious persons are, in general, the happy recipients of grace, and such are the chief supporters of the gospel; and such I have found my friends rather than my traps.