62 An Expojitlon, with Notes · fray part ofth~ charge, which, the Apofil~ fait~, is adefjijing the Church, that ts, thofe that are Members of Chnfl: and the Church, See spanhemi- as well a~ themfelves; ~for he cloth no~ oppo~e &n,x,A.IIO"t~ to ctM~, ~ Zf;5 in hiS dubi.l aS apubhck place tO apnvat{') but apublttk acl:Jon [0 a pnvate ac\:t. Evange!ica, on; as if he had faid thus, In your houfes you have a liberty to in. ~ pm.du? 77 vite whom you pleafe, but when you meet in a publick Affembly, larff~ely dh~~~ you mull: not exclude fuch a conGderable part of the Church as the CU tng t IS ' matte~. poor are. · ob(ervat. 3 • 3· Again, from that [Z'he b~other of a !6'w degree] not a man of low degree, but aBrother.Tt,rnot poverty,but poor Chriflianity that occajioneth joy and comfort. Many pleafe themfelves, becau[e they fuffer affiichons in this world; and therefore think,they fhould be free in the world to come, as many ungodly poor mm think, death wil'l make an end of their troubles; as if they could not have two hells:oh conGder,'cis not meer mea;me[s that is a comfort, the b~othcr only can rejoice in his mifery and low efiate; you lhall ((e 'cis faid, Exod.23-3- Thou fha!t ;tot countenance apoor man in hu caufe · a man would have thought it lhould have been rather faid,the rich; but there is a foolilh piety in man, and we are apt to fay, he u a poor man,and fo omit jufl:ice: Well then,God that con• demneth it in man, will not pitty you for your meer poverty, Mat. 5. 3. Ble{fed are the pr;or inJPirit; mark that ?rV€Op.d..1t, in [pirit, not in purfe. Many mens futfering here, are but the pledges and prefaces of future mifery, the beginning of farrows, Manh. 24.8. · For.the prefmt your families are fuU ofwants,your perfons oppref. fed with mifery and reproach, but ~11 this is but a foadow of Hell that commeth after; Every Laz::.arm is'not carried into Abrahams • bofome, you may be miferable here, and hereafter too ; God will not pitty you, becau[e ofyour fuffering, but puni(h you rather,for thefe give you warning : OhconGder then , Is it not fad to you, whe·n you fee the naked walls,the ragged cloathes and hear the cries of the hungry bellies within your families, you your felves much bitten and pinched with want, and become the fcorn and contempt ofthofethatdwell aboutyou? J, but 'twill bemorefadtocon– fider, that theje are the beginnings offarrows ; you cry for a bit now, and then you may howle for adrop tfJ cooleyour tMgue;now · you are the fcorn of men, then the fcorn of God, men and Angels. · Oh be wife, now you may have Chrifi as well as others, as the poor and rioh were to pay the fame ranfom, to make an attonemenf' for
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