Ctiap.3I. An Expóftion apex the Look of foe, VerL2o, 70b did not cloth the poore with theepskins when he had taken the fleece off from them, but he cloathed them with the fl.ece.God began the Clothingof man with matter ofthe lowell rate ( glen. 3.21. ) withCoats ofskins; but God taught 70b ro make the poore Coats, not with the skins of the fheepe but with the fleece. The people of God are defcribed in their perecuted flare ( Heb. z t. 37.) wandering in Sheep-skins andGoat. skins. Thofe Worthy es in the faith had much adoe to fave their owne skins, or ( as fob fpeakes ) to escape with the skin of their teeth from the rage of cruel tyrants, and therefore glad of the bare skins of heads to cover or difguife their owne. Our charity is a kind ofperfecution,ifit puts thepoor into no better a habit,then per fecutiou did thofe blefï'ed MartyrsI know good clothing may be made ofskins wet wrought without the fleece;yet 7 6s charity giving the fleece not the bare skin to the poore foc cloathing, teacheth us to be fomewhat liberal when we are charitable ; and to give the, needy though not the belt yet not the worft for their reliefe. Secondly, In that he faith, with the fleece of my fheepe note. Wee malt before that what the give to the poore,whether infood or rayment, be ofour owne. lob gave them ofhis owne morfel to Bate(v. 17.) andhereof the fleece of his owne fheepe to weare (mro.3.9 ) Honour the Lord with thy jubilance. We cannot honour the Lord in giving that, which we have gotten by difhonouring the Lord., that is,by tranfgrefìing the Commandement of the Lord. Due you thinke you can fulfill the law of love or Charity, bybreaking the law of 'dice or righteoufneffe I Nathún fpake a Parable of this import to David, when he would Convince himof and reprove him for his fin (2 Sam. 12. ) He tells himof two men in one City, the one rich and the other poor; &c. and there came a traveller to the rich man, to whom indeed he gave,'tis like,free welcome and entertainment ; but at whole colt? he had floreof his own ; But ( faith Nathan, v.4.) he /pared to takeofhit owne flock, and ofhis owne bard todreffefor the wayfaring man that was come intohim, hot teoke the poore mans Lambe and drefed it for him that was come to him, He was hofpitable at his neighbours charge. Davidwes fo
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