TheLiberal-Mans guide. 45 7 duredmuch forrow,andbeen exercifed in many affli&ions,the world hadbeen ignö ! rant ofhis vertçies: he was firfl deprived ofhis fubftance,and fuffered the torments ofhis body, before heexpreffed his patience. You have heard of thefaithof thole people, which wandred in fheepskini, andgoats-skins. But how could you have Heb. been acquainted with their faith, if you had not heard of their clothing ? you fee them infheepsskins, and goatskins, enduring contempt ofthe world, to prefcrvc faith and a good confcience ; and fo you became acquainted with their faith alfo. Is k fo then,that Gods fervants are thus,then let the world wonder their fill at it, VI?. x and let not us account it afirange thing, ( faith Saint fames) for it befalls others of the Saints. So fay I, when we fee of the hoee /holdoffaithhi poverty, account it net ftrangematter,that God bellows not riches in this world, to one that is rich ingrace. You fee a multitude of believers flript ofall they had, and yet they were holy and Heb. so: religious. Vfe z. Secondly, condemn not their wayes, for the entertainmentthey meet within the world. Like not the worfe of the wayesof God,becaufeheands his fervants ; you fhould thenjudge evil of thegenerationof the juff.?ou knowJob was a manbeloved ofGod : from heaven he witneffeth his goodnefs ; He was an upright, and a juif man, one thatfearedGlod,and efcbewedevil. Notwithffanding youfeehow hewas lob r. environed with troubles, andmade deftitute ofmeans, andthe focietyofhisfriends ; infomuch,that his three familiar acquaintance did conclude,that thereforehe was an hypocrite,and that God had found him out in force fin. But the enfuingdifpleafure ofGodtowards theftmen (though it tookno effe& becaufe of the righteous invo- cation ofhisfervant fob)) will tell us there belongs,aJudgment to thole that cenfure theChildren of Godby their affli&ions,weighing their finsand their fufferings both Moue kale together. But bewareof incurring Gods difpleafure,by accufrng the ge- nerationof the jull,inrefpe&of their unprofperousevents in this World. Thou feeft one man difgraced, inmuch trouble, it may be in extream neceffityfor want of tbefe öutward bleflings : prefently thouconcludeft fomething is amifsin his life. Thou perceiveftanother grows rich,havingriches,and honour,and applaufein the World, riotwith[tanditig he goes on in a prophane courfe; yet thou concludeft certainly God loves this man : thefe are dangerous conclufions : Cain and Efau were be- loved ofGod,if this be afigs of love, nowGodhim himfelf faid,thatHe hatedEfau. Crass whomGod hated, had twelve Dukes to hisSons, enjoying abundance and fu- perfluity ofall things : and therefore forbear to reprove the jolt inan,or call his in- tegrity into queftion, becaufe ofhis outwardpoverty. Thirdly, take heed you defpife not the Hou/holdof Faith for outward poverty ; vfe 3. think notmeanly ofthem, nor the worfe of Giace, becaufe oftheir limple outride for this is to have the Faith of God in reffieii ofmens perfons : whenaman comes in lames a. gay cloathing, you fay ft here in agoodly place; but a man in meaner apparel, (land thou there, &c. The meaning is this ; the Apoftle ftandsnot fo much upon the pla- cing of men, but rather inveighs againft the unfeemly difpofitionofmens hearts, that flighted -Grace in the poor members of the body, becaufe they werenot adorned with thofe outward ornaments that beautifie the body. This thing the Lord calls a defpif;ng of the poor; yebave defßifed the poor;fo that they didnot walk as believers, nor honour Godin frnceriry,becaufe infteadof honouringGod by a familiar fociety with thefaithful, theydefpifed him incontemning his Graces for their outward po- verty,untowhom hehadbeftowed them; not unlike to a phantafticaloffender,whofe pardonbeing feal'd and rent him by an unworthy perfon, chofe rather to die for his offence, than accept ofhis pardonfrom thehands of aninferior perfon. Secondly, the fail Point is this,that TheftfervantsofGod, of the Houfholdof Faith Deafr, z. being poor, (bould e fjreciallybe look't unto by thofe ofthefame boule that are rich: The bouiholdl above all otherperfons they are to refpe& thofe of theHoufhold of Faith. So Da- of faith efpeci- vid, , `/ß'áj goodnefs extendeth not to thee, but to the Saintson earth. The Apoftle ally to be te_ witneffeth ofPhilemon That he hadrefrefhrd thebowels oftheSaints and had done gatded. > > Pfal. r5. r: good to them, taking molt efpefialnotice ofhim, becaufeofhis goodnefs extended Phil. 1. towardsthem. This is the duty. Nona And
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