556 Dog. Wemulk give aimesonely of what is ho- neRly gotten. Prov3.9. Deur.a318. Luke 39.8. Some things not awfully gotten may ju- lllybe kept. nay23.18. Yfe . 7)ao7. The needy are to berelieved. Pfal.r t 2.9. e lohn 3.r7. Efay 58.7. Mat.zy. Who there nee- dy arc. zThe11. /.1o. Ephefzans, Chap.+. V s R. z8. but labourand get rightfully, and fo give. Obf. then, That we molt give aimes ofthat which isour owne lawfullygotten, or at leafsfanc`lified untous; Honour the Lord, but with thy fubftance,with that which is thy owne; and we fee that Godwill not have the price ofa doe., nor the hire ofa whorebrought intohis houfe, and offered to him;and that is tobe marked inZacaheus, Hegave balfeofthat whichwas his own: for togive that which is not ours, were no deed of mercy, but manifeff injuftice,to take from oneto whoma thing is due,and bellow it where it is not due: God will have mercy and juftice coupled together, Mic. 6.8. He bathfbewedthee oman what isgood. And what cloth the Lordre- quireofthee, but todoe juflly and to love mercy, &c. We cannot give that which is not ours: for a man can never difpofe ofthat which isnot his owneacceptably, but by reftitution: Nothing butavomit willheal the Confcience done that holdeth that which is not his owne, nei- ther may he give aimes of it,but where reflitution is to be made by wayofaimes: now it is not of like neceffity that we fhould lawfully get that we have; for if the owners of this or that have willingly palledthe titleofany thing to us,though the confederation was naught, yet our repentance doth fanétify fuch things as we havejuft title to, though the meanes were not good : As put cafeDemetrius fhould have been converted, who grewa rich man bymaking fhrines, which was as bad a trade , as if one fhould make Crucifixes and images ofour Lady, to fell to devout Catholiques, yet feing they blinded, did for thefe commodities willinglygive him that he received, there- fore repentance comming, the finne which defiled his fubftance in re- gardoftl,e trade, is tooke away, and the poffeffion fandifyed :See what is fpoken ofTyruswhen itfhould be converted,Her merchandize, andher hire flail be holineffeu the Lord4-c. This being fo, we mutt not think roover-reach and hold back the rightofothers, and think to make all whole withdealing fomething in wayofalmes, or to force good ufe. Aimes are like waters, pure ones make all cieane, but he that wafheth in foule water, is further de- filed. Laftly, it is to be marked,Who aretobe relieved,fuch as are trulynee- dy: thefe the Scripture everywherebringeth in: Difiribute totheneedy. He that fbutteth,up hisbowelsfrom him that bathneed. Break thy bread to the hungry. I wasficke, naked, inPrìfon, &c. You are to knowwhoare needy, according as the Scripturedetermineth , that they might by alines take anordinary reliefe:for men extraordinarily impoverifhed, as by Piracies, inundations, fi re theevès,tii there wefpeak not of. Ordinary poore perfons are, r. Such as have no poffe (lions no, fubitance. 2. Such as have no friends ableto relieve them. 3. Such as are not able to labour for theirreliefe: If they be a- ble to werk and will not, let them not eat, faith the Apoftle. And there are wholly to be maintained by the devotion of others. There
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