Culp. 2g. an Expo] ;tion upon the Book of Jo a. Verf. 1 3. what manner man blefheth man, here we fee it is no vain thing for man CO blefs man. fob had, firnt, thegood word of the peo.. ple, they all fpake well of him, and of his government. He had fecondly, the good wifhes of the people, they all prayed for him ; and he was fenfible of the benefit of both , a blefling cam: upon him. Hence obferve They who for goodcaufer art Nerd by mese,receivealfo a bier- fing from god. As the curie caufeleffe ¡bald not come (Prov. 26. a, ) fo where there is caufe for a bleffing, it (hall come. When men cur fe mall. cìowfly (as Shimei cwrfed David, (2 Sam. 16. <j.) the Lord 'tea vitas goodfor their curing, as David hoped that day (v. a2.) Sbrme; (faith the text) came curling ; but the Lord was fo far from laying to thecurfe, come, that he commanded a blefling to come. How much more will the Lord fay to the ble(ïing come, when menare defervedly blaredby men. A good word from a good man, upon good'grounds, may prove no final! good to us. The Law of Mofei (Deus. 4. I 3.) gave command to the lender, concerning the borrower; Thou¡halt in any cafe deliver him the pledge again when the Sun is down, that he may fleep in hit own rayment, andbleb thee. As if it had been laid, thebleffing of the poor man may prove greater gaine to thee then his pledge could. If thou wilt but give him cawfe to blefte thee, thou (halt find the cffetaof his biefsing. Secondly, ©bferve ; It it a Nebel and ableingprocuringwork, to help rhofe that are in a pers¡hing condition. By how much the worfer and more miferable any mans condi- tion is, by fomuch the better and more merciful is their work who give him releif, andby fo much the more finful it is not to give him releif. (Prey. 24. 11: 12.) 1f thou forbear to deliver them thatare drawn untodeath, and thofe that are ready to be fain, if then fayeOE, behold, we knew it not : Doti, not be that ponderech the beart,confader it ? and be that keepetb thy foul, loth net be know it ? and ¡ball not be resider to every man according to his works ? The Proverb is at once a reproof of,and a threatning againfi all thofe X x x that Ser
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