lnftruElions for the Poor. ye foe y ur c~SUing, Brethren, how that not m:JHy wife men afttr the fltjh, not many mighty nor bJ arc cJ.Ikd. Believe tbis, and it will prevent many dangerous millakc:s. ' many 110 t DirelJ. 6. §. 6. DireCt: 6. Henc.e :,ou may P_ercr:ive, ~hat.though ntJ man muft pray abfoluttly either for Riclut or Poverty, yet of tht trl'o tt t1 more ratzo?al ortitnanly to pray againft R.icbu tbt~n for them, and to bt r•t.Jher trou.blul, whm GodmoJi{_tlb UJ Ra~h, than when ht mal(_tth ltl poor. ( I mean it, in refpect to our fclvu, as ctthcr of rhem fec:meth to condoce to our own good or hurt: thuua.h to do good 1 h' Riches .are more ddirab.Jc. ) This ca.nnot be.denycd by any man tlut btliev~ch thrift: 't'o/n~'wr(fe mln Will long for thehmderancc of h1s falvaoon. or pray to God to make it as hard a thing for him robe f.wed, as for a Camd to go through a needles eye ~ when fa{vation is a matter of fuch un– fpeaka_ble,moment, and our fhength is fo fmall, and the difficultie~ fo many and great already. · . ObJ,Cl:. But Chrijt tl/Jth not dm_y ~ut the di~cultieJ t~ t~e po(}t' r:zay be as gre,Jt. An[rr. To fome plr– tlcub.r p::rfons upon .'"'~her accounts a may be lo: But 1t IS dear 111 the Texf, that Chrifi fpeaJ.leth com– pu.anvdy of fuch d:ffi:ultits as the Ri~·IJ had more than rhe poor. Slith ~.iflipObjlct. ~ltt then how art wt obliged to be thankful to God f ur giving Uf Richu, or blrffing our la– ~~:Q:~~Jt· ?ours l 4Jtjt'.;. I. You mull be tJJun~fit! f?r Jhtm, bccaufc: in their uwn n"turt they are good~ and it [Jp;emi::t r e- JS by ac~J~tm, through your o~n corruption, that they become: fo domgerous. 2· Becaufe you may b:tm :~dii ~- do got'd wuh them to others, 1f you h~ve he~rts to ufe th~m. w~11. 3• BC'caufe God in giving them cr.:uem? nunc lo you_ rather than to othns, doth figntfie ( tf you are hts chtldrcn) that they are fitter tOr YL'U ~e~~;~aa~~e than to.r 01htrs. ln ?cd!am and among fooli!h children, it is a kindnefs to keep fire, and fwordr, v~n;. 'Laeit. in ar.d l{nw~s ou~ ?f thctr way =. But yet they are ufeful to people that have the ufe of reafon. But Aripip. our folly. m. fptrttual matters ts fa great, thac ~e have little caufe to be too eager (or that which we are mclmed fo dangeroufly to abufe, and whtch proves the bane of moll that have ir. DirefJ-1• ~- 7• Dire& 7· Set th"t yo11r prJVtrty be not the fruit of your idlenefi, gluttony, drunk_tnnt[J,pride 1 Cor. 1 • Jf· or any otbtr flejh-pleafing jh1. For if you bring it thus upon your felvts, you can never look rhac it lhould bt fanClititd to your good, till found Repentance have turned you from the fin: Nor are you objects worthy of much pity from man, ( except as you are mif..:rablc finners ). He that rather choofeth to have his eafe and plrafure, though with want, than to have plenty, and ·to w.1m his .-fi and pl<afure, it is pity that he 010uld have any better than he choofeth. ~· 8. r. Sl,tll[uln<ji and idleneji is a fin that naturally tende<h to want ; and God harh curfed it to be puni!hcd with poveny: as you may fee,Prov.!2·24, 27· & 18.9• & 21·25· & 24·34• & 26·14,1 5· & 6. 1 I· & 20. 13. Yea, he comrnar:~deth, that if any (that is able) will not worl{) neither jheuld bl eat, 2 TIHJJ. 3· 10. In the fweat of their face mufl they eat their bread, Gen. 3· 19· And fix daytt mufl they l~o~bvur, and do all that they have to do. To maintain your iJ/enefs is a tin in others. If you will pleaft your fltjh with eafi, it mull be difpleafed with want; and you mull fulfer what you choofc. ~· 9• •· Gluttony and drunk,.enncji are fuch beafily devourers of mercy, and abufers of mankind, that Jh<.tmt ·and poverty are their punijhment and curt: Prov. 23. :20, 2 I· Be not among wine-bibbers, amongft riotous t::ttrs of flejh: for tfJe drunl(.ard and tbt glutton fhaU come to poverty, and Jrotr-fint[l jhaU cloath a ma• with r.gt. It is not lawful for any man to feed the greedy app<~ites of fuch : If they choofe a jhort .excefs before a longer competency, let them have: thc:jr choice:. 9· zo, 3· Pride alfo is a moll: confuming wafieful fin: It facrificeth Gods mercies to the Devi), in ICrving him by them, in his firjl-born fin. Proud pcrfons muf\ lay it out in pomp and gawdinefs, ro fer forth thernfclvcs to the tyes of others : In building, and enteJtainments, and fine clothes,· 2nd curiolities: And Poverty is alfo both rhe proper punifomtnl and cure of this fin: And it is cruelty for any to f•ve them from it, and refill God that by abating them, takes .the way to do them good, Pm·. ll· 2· & 29. '3· & r6. r8. §. ll· 4· Faljhocd alfo and dce~it, and tmju~ getting tend to poverty : For God doth often even in this prcfcnt life, thus enter into judgement with the unjufi: Ill-got ten we:.~.lth is like tire in the thatch, and bringeth oft·times a fccrct <Urfe and deflruction upon all the ref\. · The fame may be faid of unmercifulnefs to the poor; which is oft curfed with poverty, whe• the liberal are blell with plen– ty, Prov. II· 24, 25· Ifa. 32. 8. Pfal. 73• 21, 22, 25, z6, 34· 35· Direel. g. 9 12· DireCt. 8. Be acquainted rvith the fpecial temptations uj the poor, that yo• nuy bt furnijhcd to refill them. Every condition hath its own temptations, which perfons in that condition muH fpecially be forti tied and watch againll : And this is much of the wifdom and fafcty of • Chrif\ian. -tempt• 1o ~· t3· 1empt I· One Temptation of Poverty will be to draw you to think,. higblier of Richrt and Honottrt than you ought: To make you think that the Rich are much happier than they are: For the worltt is like all other deceivers; it is moft efteemed where it is ltaft k,.nown: They that never tryed a life of wealtb, and plenty, and pro!perit),, are apt to admire it, and think it braver and bcuer than it is. And fa you may be drawn as much to over-love the world by want, as orher men by plenty. Againfl rhis remember, that it is f oGy to admire that which you never tryed and knew: and mark wherher all men do not vilille it, that have tryed it to the lafi: Dying men call it no bttrer than vanity and deceit. And it is rebellious pride in you fo far to contradict the wifdom of God, as. to think mof\ highly of that condi<ion, which he bath judged n'orj! for you; and to fall in Love with thar which he denycth you. 1tmpt. 2• 9· 14· Ttmpt. 2. The Poor will alfo be tempted to ovtr·mucb care about their wants and worldi.Y luke 1c. 41. ffi<lttcrs : Th~y will rhink that Neceffity rcquirerh it in them, and will cxcufe t~crn : So much care IS yottr Jury as 1S needful to rhe right-doing of your wor/t: Take care how to d1icharge your own du– lits; but be not too careful about the event, which belongs ro God. If you will cart what you fhould . h /
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