632 Chap. 34. An E.rpafition upon the, Book ofJ o B. Verf,I$, God chofen the poore of this world rich in faith, and heirer of the kingdome. Now, it is molt certaine, that God regardeth the rich in rpiricuafls,more then the poore in tpiricualls, he highly regard- eth chore that arepoore in fpirit ; and pronounceth them blefed ( Math: 5.g . ) for theirs is thekJngdome of heaven ; But he re- gardech not thofe who are poore in fpiricualls ; not them 'efpecial- ly who boafl of their fpirituall riches when they have none( they =hat have them are thankful! for them,they do not boafl of them) as the Churchof Laodicea did, of whomChrift fayd,(Rev: 3.16, a7,)lwillfpew thee ont ofmy meuth,becAufethou fayeftIam riche° entreated in good', and knoweft not that thou artpcore.Thus you fee, thereare a fort of rich men,whom Chrift regardeth more then the. poore of that fort.But as poore and rich are diflinguithed meere lÿ by aboundance and wanr,by the fmallnefs mad greatnefs of their portioninrhe things of this world, as Dives and Lazartu in the parable were, fo he regardeth not the rich more then the poore. When apoor man is gracious as wel aspoore,God regardeth him more then any rich man who hath no grace; And when either both have grace alike , or both are alikewithout grace , he regardeth them both alike. When rich and poore have grace, they are both greatly regarded,andwhenneither of them have grace, neither of them are atall regarded by the God of all grace. Thus'ris plaine,.. :God regardeth the rich nomore then thepoore, nor thepoore any whit lefe then the rich. WC eft dives The word rendred rich, fignifieth alto bountiful) (Ifa: 3 2.5 ) oerplentm; qui-'Tis alto rendred , The helpfull,thcPaving man ; for though rich damvolunt de" men are not alwayes helpful! with their riches, nor ready to fave duftum cktnt . others in difireffe ; yet rich men may doe both:they have alwayes jervandoquad in their.hand power andufually opportunity to be het full to the ;rnultósfer:are p Y pl Y p er juvar=.pgllk, poore, and to fave the diflreffed. And furely, as theLordregard- -vela U.Vd cia-, eh not the richmore then the poore ; fo he regardeth thofe rich men mando quod o- leaf} of all, who have no regard to helpe and fave the poore. Once 'dents fibers- audaci ús et ús more, Some derive theword which we tranflate rich,froma roote '3águantar. which fignifieth to clamour, or to fpeake out and boldly, which complyes wel with that fentence of Solomon (Pro: I S. 2. 3.) The poore ufeth entreaties (that is, he. fpeaketh humbly or by way of fupplicatadn.) bsst the rich anfwereth roughly. And asGod regard-. . eth not the richmore then the poore, fo he regardeth thofe rich nmen.leafl, who fpeake loudly and roughly to the poore. Having thus
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