Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v7

P.. 70 Chap. 22,. An Expofation upon the Book! of J o B. Verf.7, that it is their duty to give, but that they ought to give chearfol- ly and readily, not uton rorflrairt (z Cr. 9.7. ) that they ought togive l,beral'y and bountifully, not with rellraint, and that they ought co give fincerely, not thinking thereby either to merit at the hand of God, or toget the praife of men. Secondly, From the matter of this charge, Tle. is haft 'den breadfrom the hungry, we may obferve, That Not to doegood, or the omifo, ofdoinggood to thepure, renders cos culpable as well as the doing or Commiton of that which n evil! or injuriosns to them. Not to relieve the poor is a fin as well as to injury or oppreffe thepoor, yea not to relieve- bath injuryand oppr ffìon in ir. The reafon of it is cleare from the former poynt, becaufe the poore have a right to fo much ofa rich mans efface as is a reliefeof their preffing nectlfities, to preferve them from perifhing. And every man mutt acknowledge that to deny any man his right (bywhat title foever that right arifeth ) is to oppreffe him, Nor is it e- nough to give them good words ( which yet is more then force will give) unieffe we doe them good. ( ?am. 2. r S, t6.) If a Brother or a Sifter be leaked, and áeftitate ofdaily food, and one of youfay unto themdepart in peace, be warmedandfilled yet notwith- flandingyegive them not Chofe things which are needful to the body, what dotlo it profir ?Though N ou give them good words, yet ifyou give them no fupply,'what doth it profit? We may underffand it two wages. Firff, What doth it profit the poor? Can they feed upon your good words? or will your good words cloath them ? what Both it profit them if ye fay be fed and be cloathed, if you give them neither food nor rayment. Secondly, What profit is it to you who fay fo ? will God take it well at your hands, that you have fpoken kindly to the poore , when you did them no kindneffe? therefore with-hold not thy hand, &c. And it it be fo great a fin to with hold our bread from the hungry, what is it ro take their bread from them? . Eliphat having thus taxed 706 with negteet of the poore, he proceeds in the next verle to taxe him with an undue and partial! refpc t to the rich. As he was rigid to them who had

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