Chap.3 i. flu Expofition upon the Book of J © a, Verf.t9. on his right hand in th t Great day, Iwas a f ranger and ye Cooke one in, I was naked andye'clotbed me: and (v. 43.) he will fay to the pates on his left hand, I was aJtranger and ye Cooke me not in, naked andye clothed me not. When Dhrcas dyed the widdows flamed the Coats and garments which the had made while the was with them ( Ads 9.39. ) What Coats were theft ? and for whom ? They were Coats for the poore and needy ; Shee did not fpend her time and eftate in making rich apparel for her felfe, but convenient coates for the poore ; And it feemes (hee hada ftore of them ready made as the needs of the poore appeared. That good woman was full ofcharicie, and as charity will cover a mulritudc cffins (i Pet. 4.8. ) that is, it will not ftrít}ly take notice of, but in filerce paffe by the faults and faylinga of many when they are againft cur felves efpecially (as charity,I fay, thus covers a multitude offns, which are the fpirituall nakedneffeof others) fo it will cover the bodyly nakednes ofas many as it can ; and provokes us rather to have but few cloathes our !elves, then that the poore fhould have none. When the people ( Luke 3. a a, c 1.) Paid to ?obn Baptii, what /ball we doe ? he anfwered and Paid unto them, Hee that loath two coats let him impart to him that bath none, and he that bath meat doe the like. How unbecoming is it that any fhould have not only food and rayment, but full ta- bles and wardropes, variety of meares and many changes of ap- parel, and yet fee the poore ftarve and goe naked I yet Tome let their old clothes lie by them till they are moth- eaten, while o- thers are naked, & fuffèr time to weare them out rather then the poore. The Apoille lames faith (ChaP.5. t,z.) Goe to now ye rich men, weepe and howlefor the miferies that fha/Icome upon you, your riches are corrupt, andyour garments moth-eaten ; you make fo many for your felves, that you cannot weare themout, only the mottles eate them our and yet you make none for the poore, nor will you let the poore have any of therm which you have made, the mot reslha/1 have them f rff. The fameApoftle (Chap.2. 15,16. ) (heroes us with what cold garments tome cloath the na- ked, and cover the poore,even with a few good words &wifhes, that'sthinne clothing indeed, and very cheape ; yet they who cloath the poore onlywith complements, with breath and ayre, will find it very coftly to them,when Chrift (hall fay,! w.,s naked and ye cleatbed me net , depart from me. Let them who will not give
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