182 SERMONS upon the SERM.XXIII. if God had not devolved his right upon our Brethren ; r yoh. 3. 17. But whofo bath this worlds good, and feeth his Brother have need, and fhutteth up his bowels of Coi- paffion from him, how dwelleth the Love of God in him ? If Chrift were fick in a Bed, we would vifit him, if is want, we would relieve him ; Chrift is fò nearly con - joyned with his Servants, that in their Aflti&ions he is ali &ed, in their Com- forts he is comforted, he looks upon it as done to him : The Godly of old time thought themfelves much Honoured, if they could get a Prophet or ah Apoftle to their Houfes ; .Pleb. t 3. r. Be not forgetful to entertain firangers, for thereby fore have entertained Angels unawares : Here's Chrift himfelf, will you refufe him who is Heir of all things r 3. 'Tis the great .Quefiion Interrogated by him at the great day of Accounts : 'Tis not, Have you Heard ? have you Prophefyed ? have you Eat and Drank in my Prefence ? But have you Fed ? have you Cloathed ? have you Vifited ? We are one day to come to this Account, and what forry Accounts fhall we make ? So much for Pleafure, för Riot, for Luxury, for Bravery in Apparel, and Pomp in Living, and little or nothing for God and his People : As if a Steward fhould bring in his Bill, So much fpent in Feafts, in Rioting, in merry Company,, when his Mafters Houfe lyeth to ruine, the Children ftarved, and the Servants negle&ed : We are very liberal to our Lufts, but fparing to 'God : A man that expe ð to be po- fed, is preparing himfelf, and would fain know the Qeftions aforehand ; Chrift hath told us our Queftion. SERMON XXIII. MATT H. XXV. V. 37, 38, 39, 40. Then Pall the Righteous anfn,er, and fay, Lord, When fan, we thee an Hungred, and fed thee ? and Thirfly, and gave thee Drink? When fan, we thee a Stranger, and took thee in ? and Naked, and Cloathed thee ? Or when fan, we thee Sick and in PriJn, and came unto thee? And the King fhall anfn,er and fay unto them, Verily I fay unto you, In fo much as.you have done it unto one of the leafl of thefe- my Brethren, ye have done it unto me. E have handled the Sentence and the Reafon : The Reafan is ampli- fied in fore Parabolical paffages, which contain a Dialogue or in- terchangeable Difcourfe between Chrift the King, and his Eleft Servants. In which you may obferve, Firfl, Their Q efi'ion, verfes 37, 38, 39. Secondly, Chrift's Reply and Anfwer, verfe 40. Not that fuch formal words fhall pats too and fro at the day of Judgment, be- tween the judge and the Judged ; but only. to reprefent the matter more fenfibly, and in a more lively and impreffive way to our minds. Firfl,
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