Vert. 2. the E etvtbe R O W ariss and to encourage the weaker text to la- bour ingodlineffe feting, theirlove and goodneffe is not forgotten, but had and kept in remenbrance. Fourthly, here is an example to fetch of both forts as be noble and wealthy,to be full òf good workes,as Dorcas , 36. as SuJanna, and Joanna, and many others, Luke ó.2,3. and as tisis Phebe.The wives have not fo much liberty as wi- dowes,yetthey may be bountifull and give much to good ufes,where husbands do makegood allowanee,inabling them wherewith to expreffe their charity,and when the -caufe isfuch as was the café of Abigail, -t Sam. 25. t 8. ,Laftly,here is a reproofunto rich men which fiuffer women to excell them in bounty and piety- Many good women who have teflified the fìncerity of their faith by their liberality, for mainte- nance of religion, and learning, and comfort of the poor, !hail go to heaven tobe in glory,when rich churlifh Nabals and Epicurifh gluttons,as he in Luke 14. -fhall be adjudged to bear Chame in hell for evermore. Ta it. Tell in now what our Apoffle had refpe¿l unte, in his falutations from verfe 3. unto ver fe IV Interpret fuck prrafes as need } the light of expofrtion, and ob ferveJome profi- table ial!rueliens with heft expedition ye can. Far Ilong to fee us Jafeon (bore. S r L. To [ falute] is with hear - tieft defire to pray for the welfare and health of others ; fuch a duty would not be done curforily, perfun &oriily. 1' mils heart and pen accorded in one, whole refpe& and purpofe in thefe his falueations,is to manifeft moreunto the brethren at Rome, his intire good will and fincere love towards them and their falvation. Secondly, to countenance thefe perfons here (Muted, that by their authority and gifts were moll inabled to Read and help the re Rin their courfe ofgodlineffe. Thirdly ,to provoke o- thers to emulation, and Rudy of imita- ting chefe fo commended. And lally, by thefe praifes (as by a fpurre in their fide) to excite thefe fo faluted, to pro- ceed and profit more in all graces. We willingly embrace and follow feschgood things one of the Saints of them which were -Saints by calling. See before, ,Chap. t 5. verf. 26. T e MZTotvyehave opened the erordspuck fame inftruJtions and fo haften forwards. S t L. In the cxanople ot this woman thus commended and defcribed ( as in a Looking glaffe) we may behold theft things for our edification. -Firft, thecu- {tome and duty of helping and pleafu- ring good Chriftians, with our com- mending them to fuch as begood,is both good and ancient, warranted by the pra&ife ofan holy Apofile. The reafon hereof is, becaufe it ferves both for the commendeds fake, to exercife charity toward them, procuring them fuccour byour credite,and 2.for their fakes unto whom they be commended, that they mayy have occafion to fhew their love, and may know towards whom, to de- clare it worthily. In our commëdations, this caution is to be obferved: that they whom we praife,or either fpeak or write for, be good or praifeworthy, and known fo to us, left we wrong them to whomwefend Commendatory letters, by leading them into an error, and our Oyes by bearing falfe witnefs againft the ninth Commandement;for to commend the unworthy, is a deceite and a falle teftimony. If men thought on this, they would not difpleafe God, to plealure a man. Secondly, we learn that in receiving the godly, we mull both confider their dignity,that they are Saints and holy ones which will draw honour towards them, and that in loving and helping them,we give proofofour reverence and love to Chrift their Lord, which will make us cheerfull in thefe duties, when we beleeve that we do for the Lórds fake, to be gratefully accepted,as it were done to theLo rd himfelt. Thirdly,here is a comfort for gracious women, that they do belong to the kingdome of heaven; for with God neither male nor female, all one in Chrift : holy Scripture hash i-egiftred in perpetuall record the faith and famous a&s of fundry of both fexes, to Phew himfelffree from acception of perlons, 62 1<
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