who now rejoice in my Sufferings for you and fill up that which is behind of the Afflictions of Christ in my Flesh for his Body's sake which is the Church Col. 1. 23. To suffer for the Truth ought to be the Joy and Comfort of him that has undertaken to be the Minister of Truth How much then do they forget their Vocation who upon meeting with Discouragements lose all Comfort and repent of their Labor Whom we preach warning every Man and teaching every Man in all Wisdom that we may present every Man perfect in Christ Jesus Col. 1. 28. The only design of an Apostolic Teacher is to form Jesus in every one of his Flock and to make all perfect in him Say to Archippus take heed to the Ministry which thou hast received in the Lord that thou fulfil it Col. 4. 17. They who consider not well the Duties of their Charge will soon neglect them Fulfil the Duties of the Ministry of Jesus Christ What Pastor do's not tremble at this Word Your selves Brethren know our Entrance in unto you that it was not in vain But even after that we had suffered before and were shamefully entreated as ye know at Philippi we were bold in our God to speak unto you the Gospel of God with much Contention For our Exhortation was not of Deceit nor of Vncleanness nor in Guile But as we were allowed of God to be put in Trust with the Gospel even so we speak not as pleasing Men but God which trieth our Hearts For neither at any time used we flattering Words as ye know nor a Cloak of Covetousness God is Witness Nor of Men sought we Glory neither of you nor yet of others when we might have been burdensome as the Apostles of Christ But we were Gentle among you even as a Nurse cherisheth her Children So being affectionately desirous of you we were willing to have imparted unto you not the Gospel of God only but also our own Souls because ye were dear unto us For ye remember Brethren our Labor and Travel For laboring Night and Day because we would not be chargeable unto any of you we preached unto you the Gospel of God Ye are Witnesses and God also how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved our selves among you that believe as you know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you as a Father doth his Children that ye would walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his Kingdom and Glory 1 Thess 2. 1. Every Word a Lesson to Preachers What a Mercy to the World if they would study and follow this Spirit Be not thou therefore ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord nor of me his Prisoner but be thou Partaker of the Afflictions of the Gospel according to the Power of God 2 Tim. 1. 8. Great Courage is necessary for standing by the Truth and the Ministers of it Hold fast the form of sound Words which thou hast heard of me in Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us 2 Tim. 1. 13. Great Fidelity requir'd of the Pastors of God's Church The Holy Ghost promis'd to them for this end Thou therefore endure Hardness as a good Soldier of Jesus Christ No Man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this Life 2 Tim. 2. 3. I suffer trouble as an evil Doer even unto Bonds but the Word of God is not bound Therefore I endure all things for the Elects sake v. 9. To suffer with Courage all Difficulties is the Obligation of a Pastor And if he suffer as a Criminal as this is most humbling so it brings him nearer to the Resemblance of Jesus Christ They are of the World therefore speak they of the World and the World heareth them 1 Jo. 4. 5. Unhappy Teachers whose Character this is CHAP. XXXVI Of the Flock Q. WHat Directions do's the Gospel give to the Flock in Regard of those whom God has put over them A. It speaks very particularly to them but that I may end this last Chapter with such Instructions as the Gospel gives I will first set down some Injunctions of God in the Old Law which as it was a Figure of the New so it may lead us to such Duties as God expects from the Flock in this better Constitution which is the Church of Christ And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian Woman whom he had married And they said hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses Hath he not spoken also by us And the Lord heard it Wherefore then were not ye afraid to speak against my Servant Moses And the Anger of the Lord was kindled against them and he departed Num. 12. 1 8. God shews his displeasure against those who murmur at such as he has set over them And all the Children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron And the Lord said unto Moses How long will this People provoke me Surely they shall not see the Land which I sware unto their Fathers neither shall any of them that provoked me see it Num. 14. 2 11 23. Great are the Judgments of God upon those who murmur against such as are over them Now Korah and Dathan and Abiram took men and they rose up before Moses with certain of the Children of Israel two hundred and fifty Princes of the assembly famous in the Congregation Men of renown And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said unto them Ye take too much upon you seeing all the Congregation are holy every one of them and the Lord is among them Wherefore then lift you up your selves above the Congregation of the Lord And when Moses heard it he fell upon his Face And he spake unto the Congregation saying Depart I pray you from tbe Tents of these wicked Men and touch nothing of theirs lest ye be consumed in all their Sins And the Earth opened her Mouth and swallowed them up and their Houses and all the Men that appertained unto Korah and all their goods And there came out a fire from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty Men that offered Incense Num. 16. 1 26 32 35. The Congregation being holy Exempts them not from their Obedience enjoin'd The Authority of Princes of the Congregation Men Famous and of Renown is not enough for questioning the Authority of Moses and Aaron whom God had commanded all to hear and obey Their offering Incense to God is not accepted while divided from Moses and Aaron they are under the guilt of Disobedience Thou shalt come unto the Priests the Levites and unto the Judge that shall be in those days and enquire and they shall shew thee the Sentence of Judgment And thou shalt do according to the Sentence which they of that place which the Lord shall chuse shall shew thee and thou shalt observe to do according to all that
the Husband hath not Power of his own Body but the Wife Defraud you not one the other except it be with consent for a Time that ye may give your selves to Fasting and Prayer and come together again that Satan tempt you not for your Incontinency But I speak this by Permission and not of Commandment 1 Cor. 7. 3. 4thly That they may and ought to live holily There was in the Days of Herod the King of Judea a certain Priest named Zacharias of the Course of Abia And his Wife was of the Daughters of Aaron and her Name was Elizabeth And they were both righteous before God walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless and they had no Child because that Elizabeth was barren and they both were now well stricken in years Luk. 1. 5. This I say Brethren the time is short It remaineth that both they that have Wives be as tho' they had none and they that weep as tho' they wept not and they that rejoice as tho' they rejoiced not and they that buy as tho' they possessed not and they that use this World as not abusing it For the fashion of this World passeth away 1 Cor. 7. 29. We beseech you Brethren and exhort you by the Lord Jesus that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God so ye would abound more and more For ye know what Commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus For this is the Will of God even your Sanctification that ye should abstain from Fornication That every one of you should know how to possess his Vessel in Sanctification and Honor not in the Lust of Concupiscence even as the Gentiles which know not God 1 Thess 4. 1. Marriage is honorable in all and the Bed undefiled But Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge Let your Conversation be without Covetousness and be content with such things as ye have For he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 4. 5thly That there are great Duties of mutual Love and Support belonging to them and that Order is to be observ'd which God has appointed between them I would have you know that the Head of every Man is Christ and the Head of the Woman is the Man and the Head of Christ is God A Man indeed ought not to cover his Head praying for as much as he is the Image and Glory of God But the Woman is the Glory of the Man For the Man is not of the Woman but the Woman of the Man Neither was the Man created for the Woman but the Woman for the Man For this Cause ought the Woman to have Power on her Head because of the Angels Nevertheless neither is the Man without the Woman neither the Woman without the Man in the Lord. For as the Woman is of the Man even so is the Man also by the Woman but all things of God 1 Cor. 11. 3 7. Submitting your selves one to another in the Fear of God Wives submit your selves unto your own Husbands as unto the Lord. For the Husband is the Head of the Wife even as Christ is Head of the Church And he is the Saviour of the Body Therefore as the Church is subject unto Christ so let the Wives be to their own Husbands in every thing Husbands love your Wives even as Christ loved the Church and also gave himself for it That he might sanctifie and cleanse it So ought Men to love their Wives as their own Bodies He that loveth his Wife loveth himself For no Man ever yet hated his own Flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it even as the Lord the Church For we are Members of his Body of his Flesh and of his Bones For this Cause shall a Man leave his Father and Mother and shall be joined unto his Wife and they two shall be one Flesh This is a great Mystery But I speak concerning Christ and the Church Nevertheless Let every one of you in particular so love his Wife even as himself and the Wife see that she reverence her Husband Eph. 5. 21 28. Wives submit your selves unto your own Husbands as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands love your Wives and be not bitter against them Col. 3. 18. Ye Wives be in Subjection to your own Husbands that if any obey not the word they also may without the word be won by the Conversation of the Wives while they behold your chaste Conversation coupled with Fear Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the Hair and of wearing of Gold or of putting on of Apparel but let it be the hidden Man of the Heart in that which is not corruptible even the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit which is in the Sight of God of great Price For after this manner in the Old Time the holy Women also who trusted in God adorned themselves being in Subjection unto their own Husbands even as Sara obeyed Abraham calling him Lord Whose Daughters ye are as long as ye do well and are not affraid with any Amazement 1 Pet. 3. 1. Likewise ye Husbands dwell with them according to Knowledge giving Honor unto the Wife as unto the weaker Vessel and as being Heirs together of the Grace of Life that your Prayers be not hinder'd 1 Pet. 3. 7. Teach the young Women to be sober to love their Husbands to love their Children to be Discreet Chaste keepers at Home good obedient to their own Husbands that the Word of God be not blasphemed Tit. 2. 4. Young Men likewise exhort to be Sober-minded Tit. 2. 6. That the aged Men be Sober Grave Temperate Sound in Faith in Charity in Patience Tit. 2. 2. The aged Women likewise that they be in Behavior as becometh Holiness not false Accusers not given to much Wine Teachers of good things Tit. 2. 3. I will that Men pray every where lifting up holy Hands without Wrath and Doubting 1 Tim. 2. 8. In like manner also that Women adorn themselves in modest Apparel with Shamefacedness and Sobriety Not broider'd Hair or Gold or Pearls or costly Array but which becometh Women professing Godliness with good Works Let the Women learn in silence with all Subjection But I suffer not a Woman to teach nor to usurp Authority over the Man but to be in silence For Adam was first formed then Eve And Adam was not deceived but the Woman being deceived was in the Transgression Notwithstanding she shall be saved in Child-bearing if they continue in Faith and Charity and Holiness with Sobriety 1 Tim. 2. 9. Let your Women keep silence in the Churches For it is not permitted unto them to speak but they are commanded to be under Obedience as also saith the Law And if they will learn any thing let them ask their Husbands at Home For it is a Shame for Women to speak in the Church 1 Cor. 14. 34. Thus speaks the Rule and so particularly that there can be no
of two VVitnesses or at the mouth of three VVitnesses shall the matter be established Deut. 19. 15. If there be a Controversie between Men and they come unto Judgment that the Judges may judge them then they shall justifie the Righteous and condemn the VVicked Deut. 25. 1. Cursed be he that perverteth the Judgment of the Stranger Fatherless and VVidow And all the People shall say Amen Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent Person Deut. 27. 19 25. And it came to pass when Samuel was Old that he made his Sons Judges over Israel And his Sons walked not in his VVays but turned aside after Lucre and took Bribes and perswaded Judgment 1 Sam. 8. 1 3. And Samuel said unto all Israel Behold here I am VVitness against me before the Lord and before his Anointed VVhose Ox have I taken Or whose Ass have I taken Or whom have I defrauded VVhom have I oppressed Or of whose Hand have I received any Bribe to blind mine Eyes therewith And I will restore it And they said thou hast not defrauded us nor oppressed us neither hast thou taken ought of any Man's Hand 1 Sam. 12. 1 3. And he Jehoshaphat set Judges in the Land throughout all the fenced Cities of Judah City by City and he said to the Judges take heed what ye do for ye judge not for Man but for the Lord who is with you in the Judgment VVherefore now let the Fear of the Lord be upon you take heed and do it For there is no Iniquity with the Lord our God nor respect of Persons nor taking of Gifts And he charged them saying thus shall ye do in the fear of the Lord faithfully and with a perfect Heart Deal courageously and the Lord shall be with the Good 2 Chron. 19. 5 9 11. VVhoso rewardeth Evil for Good Evil shall not depart from his House Prov. 17. 13. He that justifieth the Wicked and he that condemneth the Just even they both are Abomination to the Lord v. 15. A wicked Man taketh a Gift out of the Bosom to pervert the Ways of Judgment v. 23. Rob not the poor because he is poor Neither oppress the afflicted in the Gate For the Lord will plead their Cause and spoil the Soul of those that spoiled them Prov. 22. 22. To have respect of Persons is not good For for a piece of Bread that Man will transgress Prov. 28. 21. Learn to do Well seek Judgment relieve the Oppressed judge the Fatherless plead for the Widow Isa 1. 17. How is the faithful City become an Harlot It was full of Judgment Righteousness lodged in it but now Murtherers Thy Princes are Rebellious and Companions of Thieves Every one loveth Gifts and followeth after Rewards They judge not the Fatherless neither doth the Cause of the Widow come unto them Therefore saith the Lord I will turn my Hand upon thee Isa 1. 21. Wo unto them that call evil good and good evil VVhich justifie the VVicked for Reward and take away the Righteousness of the Righteous from him Because they have cast away the Law of the Lord of Hosts therefore is the Anger of the Lord kindled against his People Isa 5. 20 23. VVo unto them that decree unrighteous Decrees and that write Grievousness which they have prescribed To turn aside the Needy from Judgment and to take away the Right from the Poor of my People that Widows may be their prey and that they may rob the Fatherless And what will you do in the Day of Visitation and in the Desolation which shall come Isa 10. 1. I know your manifold Transgressions and your mighty Sins They afflict the Just they take a Bribe and they turn aside tbe Poor in the Gate from their Right Hate the Evil and love the Good and establish Judgment in the Gate It may be that the Lord of Hosts will be gracious unto the Remnant of Joseph Amos 5. 12. The Good Man is perished out of the Earth And there is none Vpright among Men They all lye in wait for Blood They hunt every Man his Brother with a Net That they may do Evil with both Hands earnestly the Prince asketh and the Judge asketh for a Reward And the great Man he uttereth his mischievous Desire Mic. 7. 2. Why dost thou shew me Iniquity and cause me to behold Grievance For Spoiling and Violence are before me and there are that raise up Strife and Contention Therefore the Law is slacked and Judgment doth never go forth For the Wicked doth compass about the Righteous Therefore wrong Judgment proceedeth Behold ye among the Heathen and regard and wonder marvelously for I will work a Work in your Days which ye will not believe tho' it be told you Hab. 1. 3. These are the things that ye shall do speak ye every Man the Truth to his Neighbor Execute the Judgment of Truth and Peace in your Gates And let none of you imagin evil in your Hearts against his Neighbor and love no false Oath for all these are things that I hate saith the Lord Zech. 8. 16. CHAP. XXXI Of Subjects Q. WHAT Directions do's the Gospel give to Persons in this Station A. It expresly mentions several Duties belonging to them and gives the Charge with great Strictness When they were come to Capernaum they that received Tribute-money came to Peter and said doth not your Master pay Tribute He saith Yes Mat. 17. 24. Render therefore unto Cesar the things which are Cesar's and unto God the things that are God's Mat. 22. 21. And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the Name of Jesus But Peter and John answered and said unto them whether it be right in the Sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God judge ye Acts 4. 18. 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. 4. Let every Soul be subject unto the higher Powers for there is no Power but of God The Powers that be are ordained of God Whosoever therefore resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God And they that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation For Rulers are not a Terror to good Works but to the Evil. Wilt thou then not he affraid of the Power Do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same For he is the Minister of God to thee for good But if thou do that which is evil be affraid for he beareth not the Sword in vain for he is the Minister of God a Revenger to execute Wrath upon him that doeth Evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject not only for Wrath but also for Conscience sake For for this Cause pay you Tribute also For they are God's Ministers attending continually upon this very thing Render therefore to all their Dues Tribute to whom Tribute is due Custom
to whom Custom Fear to whom Fear Honor to whom Honor Rom. 13. 1. I exhort therefore that first of all Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of Thanks be made for all Men For Kings and for all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable Life in all Godliness and Honesty for this is good and acceptable in the Sight of God our Saviour 1 Tim. 2. 1. Put them in mind to be subject to Principalities and Powers to obey Magistrates to be ready to every good Work to speak evil of no Man to be no Brawlers but Gentle shewing all Meekness unto all Men Tit. 3. 1. Submit your selves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake Whether it be to the King as Supreme or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well For so is the Will of God that with well-doing ye may put to silence the Ignorance of Foolish Men As free and not using your Liberty for a Cloak of Maliciousness but as the Servants of God Honor all Men. Love the Brotherhood Fear God Honor the King 1 Pet. 2. 13. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of Temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the Day of Judgment to be punished But chiefly them that walk after the Flesh in the Lust of Vncleanness and despise Government Presumptuous are they self-willed they are not affraid to speak Evil of Dignities whereas Angels which are greater in Power and Might bring not railing Accusation against them before the Lord 2 Pet. 2. 9. Likewise also these filthy Dreamers defile the Flesh despise Dominion and speak evil of Dignities Jude 8. Something may be here not unseasonably added out of the Old Testament They answered Joshua saying All that thou commandest us we will do and whithersoever thou sendest us we will go According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things so will we hearken unto thee Only the Lord thy God be with thee as he was with Moses Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy Commandment and will not hearken unto thy Words in all that thou commandest him he shall be put to Death Josh 1. 16. Then Samuel told the People the manner of the Kingdom and wrote it in a Book and laid it up before the Lord And Samuel sent all the People away every Man to his House And Saul also went Home to Gibeah and there went with him a Band of Men whose Hearts God had touched But the Children of Belial said how shall this Man save us And they despised him and brought him no Presents But he held his peace 1 Sam. 10. 25. The Men of David said unto him behold the Day of which the Lord said unto thee Behold I will deliver thine Enemy into thine Hand that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee And he said unto his Men the Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my Master the Lord 's Anointed to stretch forth mine Hand against him seeing he is the Anointed of the Lord. So David stayed his Servants with these Words and suffered them not to rise against Saul 1 Sam. 24. 4 6. Then said Abishai to David God hath delivered thine Enemy into thine Hand this Day Now therefore let me smite him I pray thee with the Spear even to the Earth at once and David said to Abishai destroy him not For who can stretch forth his Hand against the Lord 's Anointed and be guiltless David said furthermore as the Lord liveth the Lord shall smite him or his Day shall come to Die or he shall descend into Battle and perish The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth mine Hand against the Lord 's Anointed 1 Sam. 26. 8. David said unto him the Amalekite How wast thou not affraid to stretch forth thine Hand to destroy the Lord 's Anointed And David called one of the young Men and said go near and fall upon him And he smote him that he died 2 Sam. 1. 14. In those Days while Mordecai sat in the King's Gate two of the King's Chamberlains Bigthan and Teresh of those which kept the Door were wroth and sought to lay Hand on the King Ahasuerus And the thing was known to Mordecai who told it unto Esther the Queen and Esther certified the King thereof in Mordecai's Name Esth 2. 21. The fear of a King is as the roaring of a Lion whoso provoketh him to Anger sinneth against his own Soul Prov. 20. 2. My Son fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change For their Calamity shall rise suddenly and who knoweth the Ruin of them both Prov. 24. 21. Curse not the King no not in thy Thought Eccl. 10. 20. The Nation and Kingdom which will not serve the same Nebechadnezzar the King of Babylon and that will not put their Neck under the Yoke of the King of Babylon that Nation will I punish saith the Lord with the Sword and with the Famine and with the Pestilence until I have consumed them by his Hand Therefore hearken not ye to your Prophets nor to your Diviners nor to your Dreamers nor to your Enchanters nor to your Sorcerers which speak unto you saying ye shall not serve the King of Babylon For they prophesie a Lie unto you to remove you far from your Land and that I should drive you out and ye should perish I spake also to Zedekiah King of Judah according to all these Words saying bring your Necks under the Yoke of the King of Babylon and serve him and his People and live why will ye die thou and thy People by the Sword by the Famine and by the Pestilence as the Lord hath spoken against the Nation that will not serve the King of Babylon Jer. 27. 8 12. The Duty of Subjects is publish'd by the Spirit of God First That they are to acknowledge the Power that is over them to be of God 2dly That they who are vested with Soveraign Power acting by the Authority of God and being therefore his Ministers Honor Obedience and Tribute is due to them 3dly That there may be an Exception in the Obedience that is when they enjoin what is contrary to the known Will of God since it cannot be reasonable to obey in such things when they command contrary to his Orders whose Ministers they are 4thly That as the Orders of those in Power are to be receiv'd with Obedience so their Punishment with a peaceable Submission And this so far that whether they prosecute justly or unjustly yet no Resistance can be made against them all that Subjects can do in this case is either to suffer with patience or peaceably to withdraw but as for lifting up hand against Power it is resisting the Ordinance of God and the fruit of this as the Apostle has declar'd is Damnation CHAP. XXXII Of Persons of Quality Q. ARE there any
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