Chap. 31. An Expejftion upon the Eooke of J o a. Veil. 16 453 that they are Wanting as to nature or natural principles, how much more are th :y wanting to Grace and fpirituall principles ? The Apoftle 7òhn (t Ep: 3. 17..)` AdmonifhethSaints to fill up their piofeffionwith the ready dings ofthis love and tells theist the negh ft of that duty would prove ths,c they had litti: loreto God; Who fo loath thief world,. go di, and feeth hip brother path need, and ¡huttetb up hie bswells ofcompafon from him, how dwel- leek the love ofGod in him ? And as fuch thew little love to God,. foSolomon affures them they (hall find little love fromGod For. God doth not barely propofe this duty, but preffeth us with the conlideration of our owne danger ifwe negle6 it (Pro21. r 3.) Whofoffpptth his ezres at the cry ofthe poore, he alfo fba& cry hint- felfeandnot be heard. There is nothing wo-fe to be feared, or which produceth worfe effects to befelt by man, then not to be heard by God. Therefore as Chrift exhorts (Math. 5.42. ) give to him that a.tkerb thee : andfrom ksm that would borrow of thee, turnenot thonaway. And is it not a reproach to Chriflians, not to give to thole who aske when fome heathens have been. much troubled when nothing hath been asked of them.? Againe,. lob fpeakes of the delire of the poore, and the Hebrewes havea .,Z4,1 ep ? col word, for a poore man, which in the rotate lignifies todelire, im. nib,/ petís ?' plying that poore men who havelittle in poff (lion, are much in Lamp' id. '6e defiring to have more. Severo Lrr;rc. eae: Hence note: They whoarefullof wants, are altofullofdefres. Asfome who have no wants have many decires ;they are never. fatisfied howmuch foever they are filled. So they who are Lander reali and fenfible wants, cannot but have many defires,and thole fo firong and flirting fometimes, that'ris rn_t eafie to withhold them from their delire; firong delires will hardly takea denyall ;. poverty puts on to importunity, yea fotte under great wants, are fo preffed withdelre, that they take lìnfuli wayes to have their delires fullfilled. Agur feared this when heprayed,Give me not ps- verty,lrfi Ipurforth my handand f Bale (Isro.3o,9 )Thedeli res of many are rooll:rong for their confciences, andthenthey quickly breake the bounds ofrighteoufneffe and common honeftÿ rather thenthey will be with-held from theirdcfire.They that are under &fence oftheir want in fpirituafls,,of their want ofgrace, and of the
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