TO EXCITE OTHERS, &C. 169 Master's work. Why bath he given you a tongue, bút to speak in his service? And how can you serve him more eminently than in saving souls ? He that will pronounce you blessed at the last day, and invite you to the kingdom prepared for you, because you fed him, and clothed him, and visited him, in his poor members, will surely pronounce you blessed for so great a work as bringing souls to his kingdom. He that saith, The poor you have always with you, bath left the ungodly always with you, that you might still have matter to exercise your charity upon. If you have the hearts of Christians or of men, let them yearn toward your ignorant ungodly neigh- bours. Say, as the lepers. of Samaria, We do not well : this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace. Hath God had so much mercy on you, and will you have no mercy on your poor neighbours ? But as this duty belongs to all Christians, so especially to some, according as God bath called them to it, or qualified them for it. To them therefore I will more particularly address the exhortation.. § 14. God especially expects this duty at your hands, to whom he bath given more learning and knowledge, and endued with better utterance, than your neighbours. The strong are made to help the weak ; and those that see must direct the blind. God looketh for this faithful improvement of your parts and gifts, which, if you neglect, it were better you had never received them ; for they will but aggravate your condemnation, and be as useless to your own salvation as they were to others. § 15. All those that are peculiarly acquainted with some ungodly men, and that have peculiar in- terest in them, God looks for this duty at your hands. Christ himself did eat and drink with publicans and sinners ; but it was only to be their physician, and not their companion. Who knows but God gave you interest in them to this end, that you might be the means of their recovery ? They that will ..not regard the words of a stranger, may regard a bro- 6 Y
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