den flood carried all away, and his rich Landlord
would bate him no rent; and that unless he had half abated, he and
seven children were utterly undone. It may be noted, that in this age
there are a sort of people so unlike the God of Mercy, so void of the
bowels of pity, that they love only themselves and children: love them
so, as not to be concerned, whether the rest of mankind waste their
days in sorrow or shame; people that are cursed with riches, and a
mistake that nothing but riches can make them and their's happy. But
it was not so with Dr. Sanderson; for he was concerned, and spoke
comfortably to the poor dejected man; bade him go home and pray, and
not load himself with sorrow, for he would go to his Landlord next
morning; and if his Landlord would not abate what he desired, he and a
friend would pay it for him.

[Sidenote: The rich landlord]

[Sidenote: A successful mediator]

To the Landlord he went the next day, and, in a conference, the
Doctor presented to him the sad condition of his poor dejected Tenant;
telling him how much God is pleased when men compassionate the poor:
and told him, that though God loves sacrifice, yet he loves mercy so
much better, that he is pleased when called the God of Mercy. And
told him, the riches he was possessed of were given him by that God of
Mercy, who would not be pleased, if he, that had so much given,
yea, and forgiven him too, should prove like the rich steward in the
Gospel, "that took his fellow servant by the throat to make him pay
the utmost farthing." This he told him: and told him, that the law of
this nation--by which law he claims his rent--does not undertake to
make men honest or merciful; but does what it can to restrain men from
being dishonest or unmerciful, and yet was defective in both: and that
taking any rent from his poor Tenant, for what God suffered him not to
enjoy, though the law allowed him to do so, yet if he did so, he was
too like that rich Steward which he had mentioned to him; and told him
that riches so gotten, and added to his great estate, would, as Job
says, "prove like gravel in his teeth:" would in time so corrode his
conscience, or become so nauseous when he lay upon his deathbed, that
he would then labour to vomit it up, and not be able: and therefore
advised him, being very rich, to make friends of his unrighteous
Mammon, before that evil day come upon him: but however, neither
for his own sake, nor for God's sake, to take any re