Chap. 22. An Expo/ition upon the Booke of J'ö . Vert 6 55 fcribesth,ofe hypocriticall falls among the Jewes ( 1;ßa. 58.6.) knot this tl'efa!' that Ihave chofen, to 'cote the. bands of wicked nefe, to undue the heavy burdens, and to let the oppreffcdgee free, and that ye breake everyyoake; To fait and not ro refo::me, is to melee God rather then to humble our (elves. Here are the true fruits of faftigg. And they all run into the poynt in kind, the avoyd;ng and turning from all injurious and vexatious dealings with our brethren. Firft, the bands of a.. ickedreffe, that is, of oppreffingLaws or pinching contracts. Secondly, heavy bur- dens, either of fervices or taxes ; From thefe the oppreffed fhould be freed, and every yoake impofed, úy there or any o- ther way ofgrievance, broken fromoff the neckes of our bre... thren. There is yet one word more, very contiderable in the Text, for thehightning of this finne. Thou hafttaken apledge of thy brotherfor nought : or without caufe; This word was opened ( Chap. a 9.) where Satan fug- gefts againft lobe fincerity, doth ?ob¡erve God fir nought. And againe. ( `'bap. 2. 3. ) where the Lord afferts and vindicates the fincerity of fob againtt Satans calumniations; Thou movedft rae again!' bim to deflroy himwithout cattle ; That is, thou hadft no caufe to move me fo againf him ; he is no fuch mercenary fer- vans as thouhaft malicioufly pretended. Thus here; Thou haft taken a `Pledge ofthy brother for nought, cr without caufe: that is, without any necefrarycaufe, there was no reafon thou fhould eft take a pledge from thy brother when thou tookeft it thou' mighteft have [ruffed him, but thou wouldeff riot ,any further. then thouhadil full fecurity put into thy hand, or rather then thou didit take it into thy hand, whether he would or no. As if hehad laid ;, Thou wouldedit not releive thy brothers poverty,, upon the promifes which God makes.to thole who charitably re- lieve the poore thouwouldeft neither take Gods word, nor truft thy brother in any cafe, further then thou didit fee him ;, unleffe he wouldput into thy hand, thouwouldeti not put into his. True charityMuff and will make fome ventures; Cal" thy bread upon the waters ( faith Solomon Eccl. r e a.) A good man is a Merchantand will truft his bread where he bath no more af- furance ofa fate returne, thenthe Merchant bath ofhis Ship and Lading from the winds and waters.. Thom
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