Chap. 3i. An Expofation upon the Book of J o B. Vert. 16. 451 his charity, yet we may conceave a limmir. He was a wifer and a better man then to fatisfie the poore , eyther fief} in their unrea- fonable deliresof Great things ; or fecondly, in their vaine and wantondelires of the leaff things ; or thirdly , in their delres of NO orrnibue a 'apply to pretended wants and feigned n:.cefli ties : wee fhould gordé debemus carefully dltinguifh between the delires of the poore and their nnl rtcordiam, clamors between their need and their luit or humor. As there le't are many-who fei ne piety , to there are fame who can feigne f ar°e c& qua- , g P Y. L runt et fi,-g,nr poverty, and whole very diftrreffea are but artifices. When 7rb arur n<tm; tdeo profeffeth againtt with holding the poore from their dJire , he :.bi caufarnaní- intends it of real) delires arifing from their wants, nor ofartifici- Ía`lo'es perfor.a crgnnfci;u tens- all or made delires proceeding from wantonnes or defigne. IfI cri wgzr,targi- have with-held the poorefrom their defre. i<; fe debet prc. fendere rmJe. Hence obferve, FUEL «cordia. etr<. It to aduty to relieve thepoore, or togrant them their di f re. p or o Ot- To doe aas of charity is a duty as wel as to do ac4c of julice; fie. c. 30. yea charity is allo an a& offiullice ; And co with-hold :he poore from their defite, (as their delire bath been Dated and circum- ftantiated) is towith-hold their right from them. Sc.loman calls for this duty in the exprefle word ofthe text (Pro. 3. 27.) With. heldnet geedfrom him to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine band to doe it. Good is fo due to thofe ofwhom we have borrowed it, that we cannot with-hold it at all without fin when 'cis inour power to repay it. Good is fodue to fome who would borrow, that we cannot with. hold it without fin when it is in our power to lend it. And good is fodue to many poore who crave it, that we cannot withhold it without fin, when it is in our power.to give or bellow it. And doubtleffe it is as muchour duty to give fomewbat to thole poorewho aske, and to lend fomewhat to thofe poore who would borrow, as it is to pay all that we owe to thofe ofwhom we have borrowed.Thus theLord charged his ancient people ( `Dent. 15.7, i a.) Ifthere be among y-u a poore man, of one ofthy brethren, within any of thygates, in thy landwhich the Lord thy Godgiveth thee , ¡boofhalt not harden thy heart, nor ¡hut thine handfrom thy poore brother. Where to en- gage their charity, Firi, The Lords calls the poore their Bre- thren; Secondly, He tells them the land wherein they dwelt was given them ; Theydid not deferve or carne it, they did not 1v1 m m a get
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