Sean.' I. that they may be Acceptable unto C d i? 261 amongst the godly, fuch are efpecially toLe relieved, and to be prefer- red in our charity, who are imprifoned, or otherwife futter for Chria, and the Gofpels fake ; For Chri f} in a fpecial manner is relieved in the pe;Cons of fuch, as himfelf will acknowledge at the D :y of Ju gment, when he will pronounce that bleffed fentenceof abfolution to fuck 4> merciful men ; Come ye bleffed ofmy Father, inherit the Kingdom preps Matz 5.34> redfor you ; Fer I was an huxgredandyegaveme meat, Iwas thir/ly,andye gave me drinks, 1 was aj1 ranger, andye tookme sn ; 1 was in prifon,and ye came into me, &c. 5. They whom wa difcern to Eland in need of prefenc fuccour, though they be meer firangers, whom we never faw or knew before. Hereof we have a worthy pattern fee before us in the good Sama- Luk.Io.33i rc Titan. 6. Theywho are inPrifon, or lick, or any othervvaies reflrainedfrom making their wants knownunto others. Matz 5.36. 7. They of whole piety, poverty, and nece(firy, credible teflimany is brought untousthough we fee them not our felves. Thus many of the ChriftianGentiles, fens relief to the Churches at jerufalem upon the Altsz4.í7. Apof1les making known their wants. Ram.154, 5,26 In thefe and other like cafes we ought to extend our Charity accord- ing to the neceffìty of thofe whomwe relieve, and our own ability. And not think is enough to give a few fcraps of bread and mear, or forne half-pennies or pence, to common beggars at our doors, or in the ftreets. This kind of Alms favoureth more of vain outward Oftenta- tion, thanof true inward Compaffion : And it more beCeems proud Pharifees, than humble Chriaians. A charitable Chriflian ordinarily gi vet h more to one whole diftrefïed cafe he knows, or is credibly made knownunto him, than thefe Pharifees do to many beggars at many times. But you'l fay, do ye then utterly condemnallgiving to common beggars, os unlawful ? Anfw. For anfwerto this Cbleflion, we muff diflingui1h of common beggars ; fome are tirong and lu(fy,able to work,and yet are fo lazy,thac they will not work, but would live by the fweat of other mens brows. Others again are weak and impotent, unable to work through age, 1ck- nefs,lamenefs, blindnefs, or the like. There latter are fit objets of charity,and therefore ought CO be relie- ved. But the former fort of Beggars, namely, the firong and luffy,who are able to work, but will not through lazinefs, are no fir objects of ,charity, and therefore it is no work of charity to relieve fuch; For L 12 z.Their
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