is the Health of my Countenance and my God Psal 43. 5. Thou makest us a Reproach to our Neighbors a Scorn and a Derision to them that are round about us Thou makest us a By-word among the Heathen a shaking of the Head among the People All this is come upon us yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsly in thy Covenant Our Heart is not turned back neither have our Steps declined from thy Ways Psal 44. 13 17. I am Poor and Sorrowful let thy Salvation O God set me upon High For the Lord heareth the Poor and despiseth not his Prisoners Psal 69. 29 33. He shall judge thy People with Righteousness and thy Poor with Judgment He shall judge the Poor of the People he shall save the Children of the Needy and shall break in pieces the Oppressor He shall deliver the Needy when he crieth the Poor also and him that hath no Helper He shall spare the Poor and Needy and shall save the Souls of the Needy He shall redeem their Soul from Deceit and Violence and precious shall their Blood be in his Sight Psal 72. 2 12. Who is like unto the Lord our God who dwelleth on High He raiseth up the Poor out of the Dust and lifteth the Needy out of the Dunghil That he may set him with Princes even with the Princes of his People Psal 113. 5 7. I know that the Lord will maintain the Cause of the Afflicted and the Right of the Poor Psal 140. 12. Better is a Little with the Fear of the Lord than great Treasure and Trouble therewith Prov. 15. 16. Better is a Little with Righteousness than great Revenues without Right Prov. 16. 8. Better is a dry Morsel and Quietness therewith than a Housefull of Sacrifices with Strife Prov. 17. 1. Better is the Poor that walketh in his Integrity than he that is perverse in his Lips and is a Fool Prov. 19. 1. Thou hast been a Strength to the Poor a Strength to the Needy in his Distress a Refuge from the Storm a Shadow from the Heat when the Blast of the terrible Ones is as a Storm against the Wall Isa 25. 4. Yea in the Way of thy Judgments O Lord have we waited for thee the desire of our Soul is to thy Name and to the Remembrance of thee With my Soul have I desir'd thee in the Night yea with my Spirit within me will I seek thee early For when thy Judgments are in the Earth the Inhabitants of the World will learn Righteousness Lord in Trouble have they visited thee they poured out a Prayer when thy chastening was upon them Isa 26. 8. It is of the Lord's Mercies that we are not consumed because his Compassions fail not They are New every Morning great is thy Faithfulness The Lord is my Portion saith my Soul therefore will I hope in him The Lord is good unto them that wait for him to the Soul that seeketh him It is good that a Man should both hope and quietly wait for the Salvation of the Lord. It is good for a Man that he bear the Yoke in his Youth He sitteth alone and keepeth silence because he hath born it upon him He putteth his Mouth in the Dust if so be there may be Hope For the Lord will not cast off for ever But tho' he cause Grief yet will he have Compassion according to the Multitude of his Mercies For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the Children of Men. Wherefore doth a living Man complain a Man for the Punishment of his Sins Let us search and try our Ways and turn again to the Lord. Let us lift up our Heart with our Hands unto God in the Heavens Lam. 3. 22. Thus do's the Spirit of God speak in the Case of the Poor and Distressed evidently discovering that however by this World they are esteem'd unhappy yet that God has a particular Regard to them undertakes their Protection and makes so many Promises to them that it cannot be question'd but as to the next World they have much the Advantage above those who enjoy themselves in plenty But then they must observe the Conditions which God proposes to them of accepting the Inconveniencies of their State as from the Hand of God of being content with what they have of casting their Care upon God of waiting upon the Lord with Patience of retaining a firm Confidence in his Promises of living in the Fear of God and banishing with their best Endeavors all Inclinations to Impatience Murmuring and Distrust If in this Spirit they live I think they have more solid Grounds for true Comfort than the Enjoyment of all worldly Possessions can afford and may have a great Assurance of God's Promises to be accomplish'd in them in the Blessings of a happy Eternity CHAP. XXXV Of those who have the Care of the Flock Q. WHAT Directions do's the Gospel give to Persons of this Character A. It speaks very particularly to them and is very full both in the Instructions and Charge it gives them Ye are the Salt of the Earth but if the Salt have lost his Savour wherewith shall it be Salted It is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and to be trodden under Foot of Men. Ye are the Light of the World A City that is set on a Hill cannot be hid Neither do Men light a Candle and put it under a Bushel but on a Candlestick and it giveth Light to all that are in the House Let your Light so shine before Men that they may see your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Mat. 5. 13. They are to be Exemplar If a Man have an hundred Sheep and one of them be gone astray doth he not leave the ninety and nine and goeth into the Mountains and seeketh that which is gone astray Mat. 18. 12. They are to be solicitous in seeking the lost Sheep There was also a Strife among them which of them should be accounted the greatest And he said unto them The Kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them and they that exercise Authority upon them are called Benefactors But ye shall not be so But he that is greatest among you let him be as the Younger and he that is Chief as he that doth serve For whether is greater he that sitteth at Meat or he that serveth Is not he that sitteth at Meat But I am among you as he that serveth Luk. 22. 24. They are to be Humble in Preferment Verily verily I say unto you He that entreth not by the Door into the Sheepfold but climbeth up some other Way the same is a Thief and a Robber But he that entreth in by the Door is the Shepherd of the Sheep To him the Porter openeth and the Sheep hear his Voice And he calleth his own Sheep by Name and leadeth them out And when he putteth forth his own Sheep he goeth before them and the Sheep follow him for they know his
For he that soweth to his Flesh shall of the Flesh reap Corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap Life Everlasting And let us not be weary in well-doing for in due Season we shall reap if we faint not Gal. 6. 7. Brethren be not weary in well-doing 2 Thess 3. 13. God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of Love which ye have shewed toward his name in that ye have minister'd to the Saints and do minister And we desire that every one of you do shew the same Diligence to the full Assurance of Hope unto the end That ye be not Slothful but Followers of them who thro' Faith and Patience inherit the Promises Heb. 6. 10. Work out your own Salvation with Fear and Trembling Phil. 2. 12. Know ye not that they which run in a Race run all but one receiveth the Prize So run that ye may obtain And every Man that striveth for the Mastery is temperate in all things Now they do it to obtain a corruptible Crown but we an incorruptible I therefore so run not as uncertainly So fight I not as one that beateth the Air But I keep under my Body and bring it into Subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should be a Cast-away 1 Cor. 9. 24 c. Many are called but few are chosen Mat. 22. 14. Wherefore the rather Brethren give Diligence to make your Calling and Election sure 2 Pet. 1. 19. See that ye walk circumspectly not as Fools but as Wise redeeming the time because the Days are Evil Eph. 5. 15. She that liveth in Pleasure or delicately is dead while she liveth 1 Tim. 5. 6. The time past of our Life may suffice us to have wrought the Will of the Gentiles when we walked in Laciviousness Lusts Excess of Wine Revellings Banquetings and abominable Idolatries Wherein they think it strange that you run not with them to the same Excess of Riot speaking evil of you 1 Pet. 4. 3. They shall receive the Reward of Vnrighteousness as they that count it Pleasure to riot in the Day-time Spots they are and blemishes sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you 2 Pet. 13. How much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much Torment and Sorrow give her Rev. 18. 7. Thus speaks the Rule and so Positive and Large it is in pressing all to be Watchful and to take Pains in working out their Salvation that there must be own'd a Necessity of a Christian Life being an Industrious and Laborious Life Let but these Heads be duly reflected on First The Life of Christ and the Example he has given us both in what he did and what he suffer'd 2dly The Great Perfection of those Vertues which God demands of us 3dly The Corruption of our Nature which renders us averse to all these and strongly inclines us to Evil. 4thly The Variety of Temptations which draw us out of the way 5thly The great Encouragement to Evil from Authority and Custom 6thly The industrious Subtilty of the Devil 7thly The Uncertainty of the time granted us for doing this great Work 8thly The irrecoverable Ruin attending a Miscarriage Lastly The variety of Delusions to which we are expos'd thro' the Violence and Contrivance of our Passions Let but these Heads I say be duly reflected on and it must be confess'd that Salvation is a Work of Difficulty such as requires a constant Watchfulness persevering Endeavors and the best of our Care and that as for those who live on as if they had nothing to do but to contrive how to drink sleep and play away their Time and leave Salvation to the Chance follow not the Directions so often press'd to them in the Gospel and therefore whatever their suppos'd Innocence may be are not in a way of of doing the Work of the Gospel What hopes then can they have from hence where they see unprofitable Servants not rewarded but condemn'd Where they see great Crimes charg'd upon them and eternal Wo's prepar'd in Punishment of their reputed Innocence It must then be remember'd that the Gospel of Jesus Christ requires of all his Followers a Watchful Life and that Idleness Sloth and a constant Dissipation of Mind are contrary to it and therefore to be avoided CHAP. XVII Of Immodesty Q. WHAT Directions does the Gospel give as to this point A. It shews it to be very displeasing to God and strictly cautions all against it Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time Thou shalt not commit Adultery But I say unto you that whosoever looketh on a Woman to lust after her hath committed Adultery with her already in his Heart And if thy right Eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee for it is profitable for thee that one of thy Members should perish and not thy whole Body should be cast into Hell Mat. 5. 27. Let not Sin therefore Reign in your mortal Body that ye should obey it in the Lusts thereof Rom. 6. 12. When they knew God they glorified him not as God wherefore God also gave them up to Vncleanness thro' the Lusts of their own Hearts to dishonor their own Bodies For this Cause God gave them up unto vile Affections Rom. 1. 21 24 26. I beseech you Brethren by the Mercies of God that ye present your Bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable Service and be not conformed to this World Rom. 12. 1. To be carnally minded is Death because the carnal Man is Enmity against God We are Debters not to the Flesh to live after the Flesh for if ye live after the Flesh ye shall die But if ye thro' the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the Body ye shall live Rom. 8. 6 7 c. They that are Christ's have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts Gal. 5. 24. This I say therefore and testifie in the Lord that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk in the Vanity of their Mind having the Vnderstanding darkned being alienated from the Life of God who being past feeling have given themselves over unto Lasciviousness to work all Vncleanness with greediness But ye have not so learned Christ if so be that ye have heard him that ye put off concerning the former Conversation the Old Man which is Corrupt according to the deceitful Lusts Let no corrupt Communication proceed out of your Mouth Eph. 4. 17 c. But Fornication and all Vncleanness or Covetousness let it not be once named amongst you as becometh Saints neither Filthiness nor foolish Talking nor Jesting which are not convenient but rather giving of Thanks For this ye know that no Whoremonger nor unclean Person nor Covetous Man who is an Idolater hath any Inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God Have no Fellowship with the unfruitful Works of Darkness but rather reprove them for it is a shame
in the midst of Wolves But beware of Men for they will deliver you up to the Counsels and they will Scourge you in their Synagogues and ye shall be brought before Governors and Kings for my sake And the Brother shall deliver up the Brother to Death and the Father the Child And the Children shall rise up against their Parents and cause them to be put to Death And ye shall be hated of all Men for my names sake But he that endureth to the end shall be saved The Disciple is not above his Master nor the Servant above his Lord. It is enough for the Disciple that be be as his Master and the Servant as his Lord If they have called the Master of the House Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his Houshold Mat. 10. 16. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted and shall kill you and ye shall be hated of all Nations for my names sake Mat. 24. 9. They shall put you out of the Synagogues yea the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God Service Verily verily I say unto you that ye shall Weep and Lament but the World shall rejoice and ye shall be sorrowful but your Sorrow shall be turned into Joy And ye now therefore have Sorrow but I will see you again and your Heart shall rejoice and your Joy no Man taketh from you Jo. 16. 2 20. If the World hate you ye know that it hated me before it hated you Jo. 15. 18. Every Branch that beareth Fruit he my Father purgeth it that it may bring forth more Fruit Jo. 15. 2. Master who did sin this Man or his Parents that he was born Blind Jesus answered neither hath this Man sinned nor his Parents But that the Works of God should be made manifest in him Jo. 9. 2. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his Glory Luk. 24. 26. And when they had called the Apostles and beaten them they commanded that they should not speak in the Name of Jesus and let them go And they departed from the presence of the Counsel rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer Shame for his Name Act. 5. 40. We rejoice in Hope of the Glory of God and not only so but we Glory in Tribulations also knowing that Tribulation worketh Patience Rom. 5. 2. Heirs God and Joint-heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together For I reckon that the Sufferings of this present Time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory which shall be revealed in us Rom. 8. 17. For we know that the whole Creation groaneth and travelleth in Pain together until now What shall we then say to these things If God be for us who can be against us Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ Shall Tribulation or Distress or Persecution or Famine or Nakedness or Peril or Sword As it is written for thy sake we are killed all the day long we are accounted as Sheep for the Slaughter Nay in all these things we are more than Conquerors thro' him that loved us For I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor Height nor Depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8. 22 31 35. I think that God hath set forth us the Apostles last as it were appointed to Death For we are made a Spectacle unto the World and to Angels and to Men. We are Fools for Christ's sake but ye are wise in Christ We are weak but ye are strong Ye are honorable but we are despised Even unto this present Hour we both Hunger and Thirst and are Naked and are Buffeted and have no certain Dwelling-place and labour working with our own Hands Being reviled we bless being persecuted we suffer it Being defamed we intreat We are made as the Filth of the World and are the off-scouring of all things unto this Day 1 Cor. 4. 9. Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Mercies and the God of all Comfort who comforteth us in all our Tribulations for as the Sufferings of Christ abound in us so our Consolation also aboundeth by Christ For we would not Brethren have you ignorant of our Trouble which came to us in Asia that we were pressed out of Measure above Strength insomuch that we despaired even of Life But we had the Sentence of Death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the Dead who delivered us from so great a Death and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us 2 Cor. 1. 3 8. And our Hope of you is stedfast knowing that as you are Partakers of the Sufferings so shall ye be also of the Consolation Ib. v. 7. We have this Treasure in earthen Vessels that the Excellency of the Power may be of God and not of us We are troubled on every side yet not distressed we are perplexed but not in despair persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed always bearing about in the Body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the Life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our Body For we which live are always delivered unto Death for Jesus sake that the Life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal Flesh So then Death worketh in us but Life in you For which cause we faint not but tho' our outward Man perish yet the inward Man is renewed day by day For our light Affliction which is but for a Moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal Weight of Glory while we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are Temporal but the things which are not seen are Eternal 2 Cor. 4. 7 16. I am filled with Comfort I am exceeding joyful in all our Tribulation For when we were come into Macedonia our Flesh had no rest but we were troubled on every side without were Fightings within were Fears Nevertheless God that comforteth those that are cast down comforted us by the coming of Titus 2 Cor. 7. 4. Ye suffer if a Man bring you into Bondage if a Man devour you if a Man take of you if a Man exalt himself if a Man simite you on the Face Are they Ministers of Christ I am more In Labours more abundant in Stripes above measure in Prisons more frequent in Deaths oft Of the Jews five times received I forty Stripes save one Thrice was I beaten with Rods once was I Stoned thrice I suffered Shipwrack a Night and a Day I have been in the Deep In Journeying often in Perils of Waters in Perils of Robbers in Perils by my own Countrymen in Perils by the Heathen
compliance with them Then cried they all again saying not this Man but Barabbas Now Barabbas was a Robber Jo. 18. 40. The Multitude blinded with Passion Their Affection or Judgment is no direction for doing Justice Jesus answered thou couldest have no Power at all against me except it were given thee from above Jo. 19. 11. The Power of Judges is from God From thenceforth Pilate sought to release him But the Jews cried out saying if thou let this Man go thou art not Cesar's Friend Whosoever maketh himself a King speaketh against Cesar When Pilate therefore heard that Saying he brought Jesus forth Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified Jo. 19. 12. To condemn the Innocent for fear of displeasing the Prince is not Just but a Weakness There was in a City a Judge which feared not God neither regarded Men. And there was a Widow in that City and she came unto him saying Avenge me of mine Adversary and he would not for a while Luk. 18. 2. To neglect the Cause of the Widow is part of his Character who fear'd not God nor regarded Man One of the Company said unto him Master speak to my Brother that he divide the Inheritance with me And he said unto him Man who made me a Judge or a Divider over you Luk. 12. 13. The Commission or Power is not to be exceeded Paul said unto him the High-priest God shall smite thee thou whited Wall For sittest thou to judge me after the Law and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the Law And they that stood by said revilest thou God's High-priest Then said Paul I wist not Brethren that he was the High-priest For it is written thou shalt not speak evil of the Ruler of thy People Acts 23. 3. Magistrates not to be revil'd even when they act contrary to Justice No Punishment just before Sentence We have found this Man a pestilent Fellow and a mover of Sedition among all the Jews throughout the World and a ring-leader of the Sect of the Nazarenes Who also hath gone about to profane the Temple Whom we took and would have judged according to Law And the Jews also assented saying that these things were so Then Paul after that the Governor had beckened unto him to speak answered Acts 24. 5. A severe Charge is drawn up against Innocence when Malice or false Zeal influence the Informers But a just Judge is not made a Party but hears with Patience and judges according to Equity Felix trembled and answered Go thy Way for this time when I have a convenient Season I will call for thee He hoped also that Money should have been given him of Paul that he might loose him Wherefore he sent for him the oftner and communed with him But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix room And Felix willing to shew the Jews a pleasure left Paul bound Acts 24. 25. To prolong a Cause for Interest is not just to wait for Money where Innocence pleads for a Discharge is not just To gratifie a People by the Oppression of Innocence is not just When Felix heard these things the Plea made by the Apostle having more perfect Knowledge of that Way he deferred them Acts 24. 22. The Clamor and Violence of Accusers prevail nothing with a Judge who has a true Knowledge of the Cause He will not let an ill Name be enough for punishing the Innocent Judge not according to the appearance but judge righteous Judgment Jo. 7. 24. Do ye not know that the Saints shall judge the World And if the World shall be judged by you are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters 1 Cor. 6. 2. Holiness an excellent Preparation for judging according to Justice When Gallio was Deputy of Achaia the Jews made Insurrection with one accord against Paul and brought him to the Judgment-seat saying This Fellow perswadeth Men to worship God contrary to the Law And when Paul was now about to open his Mouth Gallio said unto the Jews If it were a matter of Wrong or wicked Lewdness O ye Jews reason would that I should bear with you But if it be a question of Words and Names and of your Law look ye to it for I will be no Judge of such Matters And he drove them from the Judgment-seat Acts 18. 12. Violence brings some to the Barr who are no Criminals the Justice of the Bench is to distinguish Against Law is in some Cases to be in the right The Bench judges not of Causes which belong to another Court Something may be here inserted out of the Old Testament When Moses Father in-law saw all that he did to the People he said what is this thing that thou doest to the People Why sittest thou thy self alone and all the People stand by thee from Morning unto Even Exod. 18. 14. To make the People wait one Day is here reproved what would have been the Censure of Causes delay'd with endless Expence Thou shalt provide out of all the People able Men such as fear God Men of Truth hating Covetousness and place such over them Exod. 18. 21. Good Directions for the Choice of Magistrates Thou shalt not raise or receive a false Report Put not thine Hand with the Wicked to be an unrighteous Witness Thou shalt not follow a Multitude to do Evil Neither shalt thou speak in a Cause to incline after many to wrest Judgment Neither shalt thou countenance a poor Man in his Cause Thou shalt not wrest the Judgment of thy Poor in his Cause Keep thee far from a false Matter and the Innocent and Righteous slay thou not For I will not justifie the Wicked And thou shalt take no Gift for the Gift blindeth the Wise and perverteth the Words of the Righteous Also thou shalt not oppress a Stranger Exod. 23. 1 6. Ye shall do no unrighteousness in Judgment thou shalt not respect the Person of the Poor nor honor the Person of the Mighty But in Righteousness shalt thou judge thy Neighbor Levit. 19. 15. I charged your Judges at that time saying hear the Causes between your Brethren and judge righteously between every Man and his Brother and the Stranger that is with him Ye shall not respect Persons in Judgment but you shall hear the Small as well as the Great you shall not be affraid of the Face of Man for the Judgment is God's Deut. 1. 16. Judges and Officers shalt thou make thee in all thy Gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee throughout the Tribes and they shall judge the People with just Judgment Thou shalt not wrest Judgment thou shalt respect Persons neither take a Gift For a Gift doth blind the Eyes of the Wise and pervert the Words of the Righteous That which is altogether Just shalt thou follow that thou mayest live and inherit the Land Deut. 16. 18. One VVitness shall not rise up against a Man for any Iniquity or for any Sin in any Sin that he sinneth At the mouth
not been faithful in the unrighteous Mammon who will commit to your Trust the true Riches Luk. 16. 9. Zacheus stood and said unto the Lord Behold Lord the half of my Goods I give to the Poor and if I have taken any thing from any Man by false Accusation I restore him four-fold And Jesus said unto him This Day is Salvation come to this House Luke 19. 8. There was a certain Man in Cesarea called Cornelius a Centurion of the Band called the Italian Band a devout Man and one that feared God with all his House which gave much Alms to the People and prayed to God alway He saw in a Vision an Angel of God and he said unto him Thy Prayers and thine Alms are come up for a memorial before God And now send Men to Joppa and call for one Simon whose Sirname is Peter He shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do Act. 10. 1. There was at Joppa a certain Disciple named Tabitha which by Interpretation is called Dorcas This Woman was full of good Works and Almsdeeds which she did And it came to pass in those Days that she was sick and died Then Peter arose and went with them When he was come they brought him unto the upper Chamber and all the Widows stood by him weeping and shewing the Coats and Garments which Dorcas made while she was with them But Peter put them all forth and kneeled down and prayed and turning him to the Body said Tabitha arise And she opened her Eyes and when she saw Peter she sat up Act. 9. 36. Neither was there any among them that lacked for as many as were Possessors of Lands or Houses sold them and brought the Prices of the things that were sold and laid them down at the Apostle's Feet and distribution was made unto every Man according as he had need Act. 4. 34. Now concerning the Collection for the Saints as I have given order to the Churches of Galatia even so do ye Vpon the first Day of the Week let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him that there be no gatherings when I come 1 Cor. 16. 1. To their power I bear record yea and beyond their power they were willing of themselves praying us with much Entreaty that we would receive the Gift and take upon us the Fellowship of the ministring to the Saints Therefore as ye abound in every thing see that ye abound in this Grace also I speak not by Commandment but by the Occasion of the Forwardness of others and to prove the Sincerity of your Love 2 Cor. 8. 3. I thought it necessary to exhort the Brethren that they would go before unto you and make up before-hand your bounty and not as of Covetousness But this I say he which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully Every Man according as he purposeth in his Heart so let him give not grudgingly or of necessity For God loveth a cheerful Giver 2 Cor. 9. 5. Charge them that are rich in this World that they be not High-minded nor trust in uncertain Riches but in the Living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy That they do good that they be rich in good Works ready to distribute willing to communicate laying up in Scorn for themselves a good Foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal Life 1 Tim. 6. 17. To do good and to communicate forget not for with such Sacrifices God is well-pleased Heb. 13. 16. Let the Brother of low Degree rejoice in that he is exalted but the rich in that he is made low Because as the Flower of the Grass he shall pass away For the Sun is no sooner risen with a burning Heat but it withereth the Grass and the Flower thereof falleth and the Grace of the fashion of it perisheth So also shall the rich Man fade away in his Ways Jam. 1. 9. Whoso hath this World's good and seeth his Brother have need and shutteth up his Bowels of Compassion from him how dwelleth the Love of God in him My little Children let us not love in Word neither in Tongue but in Deed and in Truth And hereby we know that we are of the Truth 1 Jo. 3. 17. Tho' nothing can be said more fully yet it cannot be amiss to insert something out of the Old Testament that the Will of God may be yet more manifest in this point which is subject to so many Abuses When ye reap the Harvest of your Land thou shalt not wholly reap the Corners of thy Field neither shalt thou gather the Gleanings of thy Harvest And thou shalt not glean thy Vineyard neither shalt thou gather every Grape of thy Vineyard thou shalt leave them for the Poor and Stranger I am the Lord your God Levit. 19. 9. If thy Brother be waxen poor and fallen in decay with thee then thou shalt relieve him yea tho' he be a Stranger or a Sojourner that he may live with thee Take thou no Vsury of him or Encrease but fear thy God that thy Brother may live with thee Thou shalt not give him thy Money upon Vsury nor lend him thy Victuals for Encrease Lev. 25. 35. If there be among you a poor Man of one of thy Brethren within any of thy Gates in thy Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee thou shalt not harden thy Heart nor shut thine Hand from thy poor Brother But thou shalt open thine Hand wide unto him and shalt surely lend him Sufficient for his Need in that which he wanteth Thou shalt surely give him and thine Heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him Because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy Works and in all that thou puttest thine Hand unto For the Poor shall never cease out of the Land Therefore I command thee saying thou shalt open thine Hand wide unto thy Brother to thy Poor and to thy Needy in thy Land Deut. 15. 7. When thou cuttest down thine Harvest in thy Field and hast forgot a Sheaf in the Field thou shalt not go again to fetch it it shall be for the Stranger for the Fatherless and for the Widow that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the Work of thine Hands Deut. 24. 19. When the Ear heard me then it blessed me and when the Eye saw me it gave witness to me Because I delivered the Poor that cried and the Fatherless and him that had none to help him The Blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me and I caused the Widow's Heart to sing for Joy I was Eyes to the Blind and Feet was I to the Lame I was a Father to the Poor and the Cause which I knew not I searched out Job 29. 11. If I have withheld the Poor from their desire or have caused the Eyes of the Widow to fail or have eaten my Morsel my self
alone and the Fatherless hath not eaten thereof If I have seen any perish for want of Cloathing or any Poor without Covering If his Loins have not blessed me and if he were not warmed with the Fleece of my Sheep If I have lift up my Hand against the Fatherless when I saw my help in the Gate Then let mine Arm fall from my Shoulder-blade and mine Arm be broken from the Bone Job 31. 16. Blessed is he that considereth the Poor the Lord will deliver him in the time of Trouble The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive and he shall be blessed upon the Earth and thou wilt not deliver him unto the Will of his Enemies The Lord will strengthen him upon the Bed of Languishing thou wilt make all his Bed in his Sickness Psal 41. 1. Is not this the Fast that I have chosen To loose the Bonds of Wickedness to undo the heavy Burthens and to let the Oppressed go free and that ye break every Yoke Is it not to deal thy Bread to the Hungry and that thou bring the Poor that are cast out to thy House When thou seest the Naked that thou cover him and that thou hide not thy self from thine own Flesh Then shall thy Light break forth as the Morning and thine Health shall spring forth speedily and thy Righteousness shall go before thee the Glory of the Lord shall be thy Reward Then shalt thou call and the Lord shall answer thou shalt cry and he shall say here I am If thou take away from the midst of thee the Yoke the putting forth of the Finger and speaking Vanity And if thou draw out thy Soul to the Hungry and satisfie the afflicted Soul then shall thy Light rise in Obscurity and thy Darkness be as the Noon-day And the Lord shall guide thee continually and satisfie thy Soul in drought and make fat thy Bones And thou shalt be like a watered Garden and like a Spring of Water whose Waters fail not Isa 58. 6. God having spoke so at large to those who possess the Riches of this World having made so many Promises to them of everlasting Blessings if they let the Plenty he has given them be the Relief of the Poor It must be here acknowledg'd that such as have Wealth have in this a great Opportunity put into their Hands of engaging God to them by making that good use of it as he has directed 2dly That such as instead of this good Use Hoard up their Money either for the Love of it or for the unreasonable Apprehensions of Want are more Solicitous for this World than the next and chuse to take their Chance for Hell rather then venture the Imaginary Dangers suggested by their immoderate Love of the Earth and themselves 3dly That such as turn their Plenty to the Service of Vanity Self-love and seeking human Greatness abuse the Gifts of God and give Demonstration of their Concern being more for this World than the next and that Salvation is not the thing they seek Lastly That such as prostitute their Plenty to vicious Extravagancies have in Fact renounc'd their Faith since they have no regard either to the Promises of God's Mercy or to the Threats of his Justice and hence have too much Reason to apprehend the Lot of being cast out with Unbelievers Riches in the right Use of them are a certain Blessing but abus'd are a Curse CHAP. XXXIV Of the Poor Q. DO's the Gospel take notice of these A. It do's and instructs them for their Comfort Blessed are the Poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 5. 3. Take no Thought saying what shall we eat Or what shall we drink Or wherewithal shall we be cloathed For after all these things do the Gentiles seek for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you Mat. 6. 31. Jesus answered and said unto them go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see The Blind receive their Sight and the Lame Walk the Lepers are Cleansed and the Deaf Hear the Dead are raised up and the Poor have the Gospel preached to them Mat. 11. 4. A certain Scribe came and said unto him Master I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest And Jesus saith unto him the Foxes have Holes and the Birds of the Air have Nests But the Son of Man hath not where to lay his Head Mat. 8. 19. Peter began to say unto him lo we have left all and have followed thee And Jesus answered and said verily I say unto you there is no Man that hath left House or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my sake and the Gospel's but he shall receive an hundred-fold now in this time and in the World to come eternal Life But many that are first shall be last And and the last first Mar. 10. 28. And there came a certain poor Widow and she threw in two Mites which make a Farthing And he called unto him his Disciples and saith unto them Verily I say unto you that this poor Widow hath cast more in than all they which have cast into the Treasury For all they did cast in of their abundance but she of her want did cast in all that she had even all her Living Mar. 12. 42. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the Poor he hath sent me to heal the Broken-hearted to preach Deliverance to the Captives and recovering of Sight to the Blind to set at Liberty them that are bruised to preach the acceptable Year of the Lord. And he began to say unto them this Day is this Scripture fulfilled in your Ears Luk. 4. 18 21. He lifted up his Eyes on his Disciples and said Blessed be ye Poor for yours is the Kingdom of God Blessed are ye that hunger now for ye shall be filled Blessed are ye that weep now for ye shall laugh Luk. 6. 20. Then the Master of the House being Angry said to his Servant Go out quickly into the Streets and Lanes of the City and bring in hither the Poor and the Maimed and the Halt and the Blind And the Servant said Lord it is done as thou hast commanded and yet there is room And the Lord said unto the Servant Go out into the High-ways and Hedges and compel them to come in that my House may be filled For I say unto you that none of those Men which were bidden shall taste of my Supper Luk. 14. 21. There was a certain Beggar named Lazarus which was laid at his Gate full of Sores and desiring to be fed with the Crumbs which fell from the rich Man's Table moreover the Dogs came and licked his Sores And it came to pass that the Beggar died and was carried by the Angels into Abraham's Bosom