554 Chap. 29. An Expofition upon the Bookof J o E. Verf;.32' be lieth in wait to catch the poor : He doth catch the poor when be kayoed, him into bis net : He croucheth and humbleth him(elf, that the poor may fall by his flrong ones, or, into his flrong parts. What for the power, and what for the policy of chete Lions, the poor can hardly efcape their clutches ; and when the poor are caught, what can they doe but cry ,. either to God in Heaven, or to lithe Gods on earth for help. To be lure, when they cry to the God of Heaven, he both can and will help them in his own time and Pocifevatiolau- way ; as is faid (Pfal. 34 6.) This poor man cryed, and the Lore 'b nun tam heardhim, and Paved him out of all hie troubles. Andwhen the vo, efl,gtiam s y cry calamitous. to the Gods on earth, Magiffrates and Judges, they fhould hear them and fave them out of all their troubles, and they who (as yob) are faithful, will doe it with all their might and power. I delivered the poor that cryed. This cry of the poor is twofold, either formal or vertual ; fometime it is forma', or an explicite cry , fometime it is only a vertual, that is, The poor mans cafe cryeth, his condition cryetha, though he-fay nothìne v as it is faid of the blood of Abel, it cry- ed (Gen. 4. io. ) Hit blood did not cry with a formal or for- med voice, but equivalently and vertually his blood did cry and cry aloud to God. The poor mans cafe cryeth alwayes,and be of- ten cryes out for the fadnefs of his cale. It is ill when the poor cry, but worfe when they are not delivered ; Idelivered the poor that cried. The Lord warnes his ancient people (Dear. r q, g,) Beware that therebe not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, the . feventh year, the year of relcafe is at hand , and thy eye be evil againfl thy poor Brother, and thou giveff born nought, and be cry, unto the Lord againfl thee, and it be fn (that is, judgement) unto. thee. When the poor cry, becaufe they are not releived in charity, the rich may fmart for it ; howmuch more when they cry becaufe they are not releived inJufi:ice. There are three degrees of dan- ger from the cry of the poor : Firif, to chofe who doe not releive . them;Secondly, to chofe who doe oppreffe them ; Thirdly, to thole who doe not deliver them, when they cry from their oppreffors. Delivered the poor that (rya-, And the fatberlefi The condition of the fatherleffe wasopened (Chap; 22. 9,) therefore ,I will not flay upon it here.
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