456 James t. I king 4. r. ßotH. 11.16. Luke to. 7,eaJS I. a Cor. s. 9. Mat. ë. to: r Pet, a, u. Real. 3. Luke 9. 33. A,eA.f: 4. James I. The2latförm, ofcharity; òr, naked. And folikewife, Godbath chofen thepoor ofthii worldrich itsfaith. They be rich in faith, and fo of Gods houfliold of faith, and yet neverthelefs poor in this world. You (hall fee an example of this. AWiddow comes to Elafha the Prophet, and tells him ; Thyfervant, my husband, etas amanfearing God : andyet notwith- 'handing the creditor is comingUpon me, andwillhavemyfans to be bondlaves; The man feared God, and yet neverthelefs the poor Widdowwanted means, and her fons'muli be expofed to extremity ofbondage for difcharge ofhis fathers ingage- ments. A hard cafe, and yet the cafe of a man fearing God. You fee there are thofe ofcalacedonia, that fend help to the poor Saints ofrí1_ chaia ; they were Saints, and yet poor ; 'receiving helpfrom a company ofpoor people atJ3facedenia, being fo poor, that theApòUebears witnefs ofth'em, they gaveabove theirability. We fee a poor man, and yet an heir of heaven, Tying full of fores,and in want, at the gate of Dives, that was after thrown into hell d An heir ofheaven, andyet on earth aBeggar. You fee then ( beloved ) the point is true : now We will 'de&end, and fee how it appears to be fo, and for what refpefit cornea to pats, by Gods provi- dence. Firth it becotnesfo, thagthere may bea conformity between the head and the members ; for Cbrift thatvat rich,for ourfakes became póor,faiththe Scripture, even Chrift that was rich.and Lord overall,became poor, and in theformofafervant unto all, for our fakes ; fo poor that wefee, the foxes hadholes, and obefowiroofelse air badnefis but our Redeemer had no fhelter,no not fo much room,as torifthishead. Now Mere mull be a conformity betweenChrift, and his members : if the head be . po necelìitymakes theothermembers partake of the fame Cup. Againfecondly, ifyou obferve, and look on the conditionofGods Saints, oftbe hoúJheldoffaith on earth here,you (hall find fmall occafion tomarvel at their limpie eftates, confîdering they are a companyof travellers and Pilgrims, in this world; I befeech you, as Pilgrims andffrangers, &c. They are nos only ftrangers, which may have riches conveyed unto them, afterfome certain flay in a place. But they are Pilgrims, and time will not permit theirabode in one place, upon anycondition of advantage ; for their profeffion còmpels them from one place to another On whom onr Proverb may truly be verified ; that a roiling ftone gathers nothing. They are Pilgrims, and Pilgrims d'elires to extend no further (.in thislife ) than a ftaff and a fcrip This is the broodof travellers ( faith David) that fetk thy face. Thirdly, there follows another reafon, and that proceeds from the oppofition they find in the world againft their courfe ; the world labours to make them poor, and havingprevailed (like an imperious Jaylor, to a diftreffedprifoner) endeavours to keep them under. And it comes fo to pals, in regard of the natural enmity, and divifion that is in the world, in oppofitionof the wayes ofGod. You (hall find that our Saviour intendingto goto /eruJalem, made his way throughSamaria, and difpatched fome before to provide him lodging. But the Samaritans under- finding, or fufpeding that he was minded togo thither, refuted to entertainhim. They wouldnot receive him, faith theText.; Why? Becaufe he tdas going unto ferufalem.Beloved,thes deals the world with the members ofChrifl: if they would rely on the world,andmake that theirend, asthey do, then riches fhould flow in in abundance,and their eftatesmight arrive tobe as eminent and mighty as others. But ifrtheir minds be refolved forfernfalem, and their eyes reflc& that way ; Let them feektheir own entertainment; for they hall receive nobenefit, noreiaoy any con. tenement, by theirpermilïión. Laftly, Goddifpofeth it to be foby his wondrous providence, that his glory may be fomuch the moreconfpicuousandopen ; in providing that they ofthe boulholdof faith fhouldendure the fcourgeofpovertyon earth, that fo the workof his grace may appear the more in them, by the meansof their poverty ; for when doth grace make is felf more manifeft in the heart,then in the middeft offuch extremities ?'"The ftarsmake the brigbtet refleétion, in the obfcureft night : and grace appears moll glorious, chiefly indiftrefs; You have heard ofthe patience ofyobs hadnot job en- dured
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