Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v9

20 Chap. 3o. Expoltion upon the Booke of J o a. Verft dained them not becaufe poore infate , but becaufe wicked in life. 'Tis finfull to revile any that beare the Image ofGod, to call them dogs, or to fet themwith their dogs ; yet in many, fo littleof the linage ofGod appeares, and fo muchof the image of the Devil!, that to call them dogs, yea to call them Devills, is to give them their due. Man that it in honour andunderfand- eth not, is like the beafts that peri/h ( Pfal. 49. zo.) What then are they like, who have neither honour nor understanding ? Hence note Firft Oleos of a lore and vile condition, are often lower and viler in their Conditions. Some poore in this work!, are rich in faith, as the Apoile lames fpeakes (Chap. 2. ÿ.) Thefe are ble(fed poore ; Chrift faith to the Church of Smyrna (Rev. a,.9.) I know thine af- flitlion, and thy poverty, but thou are rick ; thou art in a poore ftate, as to the world, thou haft fcarce bread to put into thy belly, or cloathes to put on thy back, but thou art rich in grace, and cloathed with the righteoufneffe óf Jefus Chrift`; others are poore in faith,aswell as poore inpurfe,they are poore in purfe, and poorer in grace; Thefe are miferable and wretched, Poore.. Note , Secondly ; Some are fo vile and bale in their qualities and conditions, that they are not fit for the meaneit office , not fo much as to keep fhcep; no nor to keep dogs. O confider how fin hath degraded man l O how low are we fallen by fin ! every man hath fomething of adivine light by nature.( reafon is a divine light) yet by fin man as not only below grace, but reafon, and renders himfelfe unfit to be au- fled with the keeping ofheath. God bath furnifhed forre men with light and grace, with gifts and parts, with wifdome and underftanding, to adminifler and marnage all forts of affaires, both in Civills and fpiritualls; But fin bath rendred others un- fit for.any, the meaneft fervice, even to keep (beep; What are beaftly, fwinifb, anddog-like, conditions good for ? And bow fad

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