objection against the time prefent, for put= ting this duty in execution, but only that it is prefent; which will always be the cafe, whenever we fhall come to difgorge our unjust gains; till at last we shall die in our impenitence, and fhall confequently perih in our iniquity.

Let us haften with the fame zeal to reftore that part of our poffeffions, if any fuch there be, which hath not been fairly come by, as we would to get fo much when a seasonable opportunity offers, and then we shall need no other incitement. The opportunity of restoring is always at hand : Let us not pass it over from day to day, and from year to year; whilft at the fame time we catch at every shadow of advantage for acquiring.

My fecond motive is drawn from the principles of our common humanity, or love to our neighbour; whom we are commanded to love even as ourfelves. If we are moved with any tolerable degree of this affection, we shall not endure to behold him deprived of his right, or kept out of

his poffeffions, by other men's fraud or violence, without a fellow-feeling of his calamities, and a yearning of our bowels towards him; much less fhall we ourselves be authors of fuch injustice to him. He is framed of the fame materials with us; and in a few generations backwards is defcended of the fame ftock. He hath as much a defire to live well and happy, as we have; and hath as much an averfion, if he could could prevent it, to be oppreffed by force or ftratagem. He wifheth, as much as ourselves, to enjoy his own, and hath as much right to it; at least, hath a much better right to keep it, than we have to take or with-hold it from him. And let us not measure unto him that usage, which we would think hard to receive from him in the like circumstances.

A THIRD motive may be urged from the principle of Self-love; from a regard to ourselves, and our own peace of mind. As a clear confcience is the greatest happinefs, which we are capable of here below; fo a foul confcience is the most infufferable

fufferable torment. And nothing can be more deplorable, fave only the condition of that man who is hardened to an infenfibility, and hath filenced the rebukes of his own mind for his mifdoings. But though he hath caft his confcience into a deep fleep for a time, yet may no man hope that it will not awake one day, and recoil terribly upon him.

man wish that it

Yea, let not the unjust may always flumber;

for then he is deprived of his most faithful, though it be a fevere friend and counsellor.

So that the unjuft man intangleth himfelf in this fatal fnare; either that he shall endure intolerable anguish of mind, or elfe that he fhall feel no remorfe and be undone. But fuch is God's infinite mercy, that the unjust man feldom escapeth out of this world, without the horrors and alarms of his own confcience for his iniquities. The hour of affliction, or of fickness, is the time when it begins to be uneafy; and happy is it for him, if it can force him to discharge his unjust acquifitions. Especially at the approach of death, a man's confcience is bufy and reft

lefs;

lefs; and the less time there is remaining wherein to make reftitution, so much the more is it preffing and importunate, and is not quelled but by the ftroke of death.

As therefore we love ourselves, let us remove the occafion of these troubles and forrows; and create no occafion for the future.

My next motive fhall be drawn from the principal of natural affection, or love to our children and pofterity. If we think it hard for ourselves to make reftitution, let us not think it will be eafier for thofe that come after us; fince we find by experience, that the longer a thing is deferred, the more difficult it becomes. If we can be content to be for ever miferable ourfelves, yet let us not contribute all that is in our power to render them fo likewife. The gofpel reprefents even the damned in hell, to be folicitous for the welfare of those to whom they are allied by blood or affection.

Let us not entail mifery upon those, on whom we have already entailed, a being. C c

VOL. IV.

Let

Let them have no fins to anfwer unto God for, but those of their own proper contracting. Let us not, by our neglect of performing this hard duty ourselves, bring upon them fo dangerous a temptation and a fnare; which will in as much probability prevail over them, as it hath prevailed already over us, and will confequently bring them at length into the same place of torment: And fo will the plague, which began with us, defcend and diffufe itself, from generation to generation.

ANOTHER motive to quicken the prac sice of this duty, may be this; Perhaps it has been long deferred. Poffibly this may feem, at first, an argument rather to the contrary; that fince it hath not been done for fo long a time, it may as well now be let alone, and the injury by length of time will be forgotten. And if God could forget it, this might be fome plea. But a little reflection will fatisfy us, that the longer reftitution is deferred, the greater is the fin. And although human laws, to prevent diforder and confufion,

do