®fifeRich md'$13d :6y: 33 tobe niercifull,And t'caerefore S. lames fpeakethofvifLing the íeatherletTe and Widdowes in their aduerutie, lam. z. 27. not onely ofrelietiing them when they come; but of fceing them, and feting to them, when they cannot come : tor he knew, and would haue vs toknow, that to fee the pore and fickein their pitti1ull houfes atad neede, will moreLlirre a man in hisbowells of mercy , then bare hearing can. And indeede it mud needes bemore profi. table, and more worke vpon vs, when wea fee our owne wretched condition in their cham e : that is , that which God might have layde vponvs , and hath tranflated to them , then if it were but reported to vs : for wee may doubt ofthe report; but neede not whenwee haue fecne: also, they may fpeake of leffe.;hut weshall know all when we fee it our felues. And, that we are boundin the chaine of a commaundetnent , thus to vifite thepooreand ficke, that is, with our ownedes todoe it,8c not in aborrowed fight, with others eyes, may further be proued. The Reafons. For, (firLI) it is madebySaint lames a I eciallpropertieof true Rekien, lam. i . 27. and, ifa fpe- ciall propertieof Religion, then they thatdoe otherwaies, are (improperly) religious. Secondly, 'wee are naturally vnmercifull, and except we fee, wee will not beleeue : thereforefor this cure of our hard hearts , it is needfull to goe home to the poore, bound with fetters of ficknetfe to theirbeddes or houfes that we mayfee with our owne eyes, and not darkly, as through. Speacles, by thofe whomwe fend. Thirdly, this dude vnperformed, they may dye for want, as Lazarus at therich mans gate : and if theydoe, their bloud will berequiredat the Parishhands,which,for not looking better to them, haue flied it. I tell you, the King will be anfwered for a Subiec`l : and God will not lofe a Chriflian. Fourthly, without this,weare (hangersteour brothers loue : and if we be.; and fo, or by beicgfo, shut vp, to yvit, inanvncharitablehardmire; our companions from him, F
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