Ch. z. Mercy and Ja 5. Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chofen the poorof this world, rich in faith, and heirsof the Kingdom, which he hath promifed to them that love him ? s. Confider how God himfclf con£utethyour overvaluingRich Men, and villifyiugthe Poor: Is it not mbftly ofthe Poor that your Churches confift ? Is it not them that God hath chofen, Poor in the World, but Rich in Faith, to be here made Heirs, and hereafter Polleflors of that KingdomofGlory, which he hath promi- fed to them that truly love him. 6, 7. But ye have defpifedthe poor. Do not rich men opprefs you, and draw you before the judgment feats ? Do not they blafpheme that worthy name, by the which ye are called ? 6, 7. Yet youdefpife the poor, whom God himfelf chufeth and honouterh : And loth not your own experienceand Offering condemn bou.? Who is it bitt Rich Men that opprefs you y Tyranny, and drat'ir you, like Malefaetors, before their Courts of Judicature? On they not blafpheme the name of Chrift, and reproach your Religion? 8. Ifye fulfil the royal law, accor- ding tothe fcripture : Thou fhait love thy neighbour as thy felf, yedo well. S. I p rfwade younot to hate Men for their Riches, but notto think that there allow you fo partial a differencing : If you obey God's great Command, as the Scripture teacheth you, to love all forts ofyour Neighboursas your felves, according to thevarious degrees of their trueR amiablenefs (be they Rich or Poor) You then do well. 9. But if ye have refpefi toperfons, ye commit fin, and are convinced of the law as tranfgreffors. 9. But if you thus inordinately refpeR Men differently for their Wealth, not only the Go- fpel ofLove, but the LawofMafiaconvinceth you as Sinners; Exce, 23. 3. Lev. to. Is. Doe. r. 16, 17. Io. For whofoever (hail keep the whole law, and yet Offend in onepoint, he is guilty of all. I r. For he that Paid, Do not commit adultery; faid ilfo, Do not kill. Now, if thou com- mit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a tranfgreffonr 6f the law. ra, it. And that Law condemneth all that continuehot in all things therein written, to do them; and we are bound by God's Law ín85 ood Works. Ch. Z. in force to UniVerfal Obedience. Ifyott keep all other Commands, and prefumptuoufly break one, you are contemners of the Law, and fò interpretatively break all. s 2. So fpeak ye, and fo do, as they that (hall be judged by the law of li- berty. 12. And though you are debuted ffom Mofea's Law, and the Covenant of Works, re- member that Chrift is your King and Law- giver, and you are not lawlefs ; therefore fb fpealc, and fo do, as they that are under his Law of Liberty and Grace, and Thal! he judged by it, by Juftification or Condemna- tion. 13. For he (hall have judgment without4nercy, that hath (hewed no mercy; and mercy rejoyceth againft judgment. t 3. For though this be a Law ofMercy, it will condemn the unmerciful without mer- cy: it hath its conditions of Life or Death, though none but what confift with Grace: but the merciful (hall find mercy at judgment : And God's mercy in Chrift as the eaufe, and their merry to Men for his fake, as thecon- dition, will prevail againft condemning judg- ment. 14. What cloth itprofit, my bre- thren, thougha man fay he hath faith, and have not works = can faith fave him ? 04. Is not ameet wordy Profeflron an un- profitable thing to your (elves, as well as to otters? Will pro£efiing Chriftianity, and fay= ing you believe, profit you to Salvation, ifyou obey not Clint, and live not according to the Gofpel ? 15, 16. If a brother or filler be naked, and deflitute of daily food, And one of you fay unto them, De- part in peace, he you warmed and fil- led : notwithftanding ye give them not thofe things which are needful to the body: what cloth it profit? t s, t6. Will good Words cloath the Naked, or feed the Hungry ? Is it not like a mocking of them ? 17. Even fo faith, if it bath not works, is dead being alone. 17. Even fo your notional knowledgeand belief, and the bare profeflion of Faith, if it produce not the fruits ofObedience Love and Mercy, is bur an uneffePrual dead thing in it fell, fhewing a dead Soul, and is dead as so your yufie ation and Salvarlos, 18. Yea,
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