450 Chap. 3 r. An Expofition upon the Books of Jos. Vedaó; ons, which is their dttre after food (Dan. 6. az. ) My G,d ( faith Daniel) bath!hut the ',soothes ofthe Lyons. How did he that them ? not by muzzling their mouthes, but by abating the edge of their aaturall appetite or hunger. God commanded the children ofI/raelto appeare before him thrice in the S care ; and left they fhould fay, what will become ofour houses and lands when we leave them empty and are gone up to the folemne feafts ? will not our enemies take that advantage to invade our landand fpoyle our goods) feare not that faith the Lord (Exod, 34. ) for .1will cal out the nationsbefore thee, andenlarge thy border,, neither f all any man defire thy land , when thou fhaltgee up to appearébefore the Lord thy Gee thrice in the pare.. Their land was apleafant land, a land flowing with milke and honey, that is abounding with all good things, and therefore a veryde- fierable land, yet the Lord when he pleafed could withhold the delires ofall men from it; This the Lord candoe, he can with- hold the defire of man, but mancannot with.hold bis owne dc; fire,muchllefle the defire of anyother man,Now,though noman can flop another from defiering any thing , yet many men can andoften have flopt them from the having or enjoying of the thing which they delire, and that is ?obs meaninghere : the Att or the faculty is put for the obje&, defire for the thing defined. As faith is put for the Do&rine or truth beleeved, and hope for the thing hoped-for, fo de fire for the thing defired. But what is the delire of the poore ? Surely the defire,of the poore is reliefe,, and this reliefe is three - fold ; or 'cis given three wayes. Firfl., By the purfe ; this relieves the poore againft penury. Secondly, Bypower; this relieves them again opprefi'ion; the authority of a Magiftratedelivers the poore out of. the hand oftheir opprefiors. Thirdly , Reliefe is given the poore by counfel , that relieves their ignorance ; counfel what todoe is as valuable as money, and in many cafes a more defierable charity. Wee may fuppofe ?obscharity extended to the poore , ingiving them their defire in any of in all thefewages, he neyther denyed them his purfe, nor his power, nor his counfel, when defired. IfDupe with-held the poorefrom their deftre. Sob fpeakes in a very great latitude, as though he had not flop- pe4ehem in any oftheir-delres :Heputs no expreffe limmit to his
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