Alts xvii. 23. As I passed by, and beheld your Devotions, I found an Altar with this Infcription, Το THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly WORSHIP, him declare I unto you.

24. God that made the WORLD, and all THINGS therein, seeing that he is Lord of Heaven and Earth, dwelleth not in Temples made with Hands:

25. Neither is WORSHIPPED with Mens HANDS, as though he needed any thing, feeing he giveth to all LIFE, and BREATH, and all Things. Phil. ni. 3. We are the CIRCUMCISION, which WORSHIP GODIN the SPIRIT, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no Confidence in the

FLESH.

Heb. i. 6. And again, when he bringeth in the First-begotten into the World, he faith, And let all the ANGELS of Gon worship him.

Chap. xii. 28. Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have GRACE, whereby we may serve God acceptably, with Reverence and GODLY Fear,

29. For our GOD is a CONSUMING FIRE.

1 Pet. iii. 15. SANCTIFY the LORD Gon in your Hearts: and be ready always to give an Answer to every Man that asketh you a Reason of the HOPE that is in you, with MEEKNESS and FEAR.

to GOD

Chap. ii. 5. Ye also as lively Stones, are built up a spiritual House, an holy Priefthood, to offer up spiritual SACRIFICES, acceptable by Jesus Christ.

Rev. xiv. 7. Saying with a loud Voice, Fear Gon, and give Glory to him, for the Hour of his JUDGMENT is come: and WORSHIP him that made Heaven and Earth, and the Sea, and the Fountains of Waters.

Chap. xv. 4. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy Name? for thou only art holy: for all Nations shall come and wORSHIP before thee; for thy Judgments are made manifest.

Chap. iv. 8. And the four Beasts had each of them fix Wings about him, and they were full of Eyes within; and they rest not Day and Night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

The Nature of true Charity.

:

185

The Nature of true Charity, represented in the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

a cer

Luke AND behold,
Χ.25. tain Lawyer stood
up, and tempted him, fay-
ing, Master, what shall I do
to inherit Eternal Life ?

26. He said unto him, What is written in the Law? how readest thou?

27. And he answering, faid, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, and with all thy Soul, and with all thy Strength, and with all thy Mind; and thy NEIGHBOUR as thy felf.

Jesus,

28. And he faid unto him, Thou hast answered right : This DO, and thou shalt LIVE. 29. But he willing to justify himself, faid unto And who is my Neighbour? 30. And Jefus answering, faid, A certain Man went down from Jerufalem to fericho, and fell among Thieves, which stripped him of his Raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

31. And by chance there came down a certain PRIEST that way; and when he saw him, he paffed by on the

other fide.

32. And likewise a Le VITE, when he was at the Place, came and looked on him,

Exod F thou meet thine ENEI XXII. 4. MY's Ox or his Ass going aftray, thou shalt furely bring it back to him again.

Deut. xxii. 1. Thou shalt not sce thy Brother's Ox or his Sheep go aftray, and hide thy felf from them: thou shalt in any cafe bring them again unto thy Brother.

2. And if thy Brother be notnigh unto thee, or if thou know him not, then thou shalt bring it unto thine own House, and it shall be after it, and thou shalt restore it to with thee until thy Brother seek him again.

3. In like manner shalt thou do with his Raiment, and with all his and so shalt thou do loft thing of thy Brother's, which he hath loft, and thou haft found, shalt thou do likewife.

ther be waxen poor, and fallen in DECAY with thee, then thoushalt relieve him: yea, though he be a Stranger, or a Sojourner; that he may live with thee.

Levit. XXV. 35. And if thy Bro

Pfalm xviii. 25. With the MERCIFUL thou wilt shew thy felt thou wilt shew thy felf upright. merciful; with an UPRIGHT MAN

Ps. xli. 1. Bleffed is he that confidereth the Poor, the Lord will deliver him in time of Trouble. and keep him alive, and he shall 2 The Lord will preserve him, be blesled upon the Earth; and thou

wilt not deliver him into the Will

of his Enemies.

3. The Lord will strengthen him upon the Bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his Bed in his Sick.

nefs.

1

186

The Nature of true Charity.

him, and paffed by on the
other fide.

33. But a certain Samari-
tan, as he journey'd, came
where he was: and when he
faw him, he had COMPAS-
SION on him.

34. And went to him, and bound up his Wounds, pouring in Oil and Wine, and set him on his own Beast, and brought him to an Inn, and took care of him.

35. And on the Morrow, when he departed, he took out two Pence, and gave them to the Host, and faid unto him, Take Care of him; and whatsoever thou spendeft more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

36. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was NEIGHBOUR unto him that fell among the Thieves?

and if he be thirsty, give him Wa

ter to drink:

22. For thou shalt heap Coals of Fire upon his Head, and the Lord shall reward thec.

Rom, xii. 19. Dearly beloved, avenge not your selves, but rather give Place unto Wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will

repay, faith the Lord.

20. Therefore if thine Enemy hunger, feed him, if he thirit, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap Coals of Fire on his

Head.

29. Be not overcome of EVIL, but overcome Evil with GOOD.

Gal. vi. 9. Let us not be weary in WELL-DOING: for in due Sea

fon we shall reap, if we faint not.

10. As we have therefore Opportunity, let us do Goon unto all Men, especially unto them who are of the Houshold of Faith.

Col. iii. 12. Put on therefore (as the Elect of God, holy and beloved) BOWELS OF MERCIES, Kindness, Humbleness of Mind, Meekness, Long-fuffering;

14. And above all things put on CHARITY, which is the Bond of

PerfeAnefs.

1 Cor. xiii. 1. Though I speak with the Tongues of Men and of Angels, and have not CHARITY, I am become as founding Brass, or a tinkling Cymbal.

37. And he said, He that shewed MERCY on him. Then faid Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewife. 2. And though I have the Gift of Prophecy, and understand all Myfteries, and all Knowledge; and though I have all Faith, so that I could remove Mountains, and have no CHARITY, I am nothing. And though though I bestow all my Goods to feed the Poor, and though I give my Body to be burned, and have not CHARITY, it profiteth me nothing.

3.

Christ's Difcourse against the Scribes,&c. 187

CHRIST'S Discourse to the Scribes and Pharifees, wherein he severely releverely proves them for their Pride, Hypocrisy, Covetoufness, and Oppression; and denounceth fevere Judgments against them.

CHRIST disputes with the Pharifees about the Traditions of the Elders, and represents the great Wickedness and Deceit that is in the Hearts of Men.

[Mr.] HEN came together unto [M.] Jesus, [Mr.] the Pharifees, and certain of the Scribes which came from Jerufalem. And when they faw fome of his Difciples eat Bread with defiled (that is to fay, with unwashen) Hands, they found fault. For the Pharifees, and all the Jews, except they wash their Hands oft, eat not; holding the Tradition of the Elders. And when they come from the Market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other Things there be, which they have received to hold; as the washing of Cups and Pots, brafen Veffels, and of Tables. Then the Pharifees and Scribes asked him, Why walk not thy Disciples according to the Tradition of the Elders, but eat Bread with unwashen Hands? (M.) But he answered and faid unto them, Why do you also TRANSGRESS the COMMANDMENT of God by your TRADITION? [Mr.] Well hath Efaias prophefied of you HYPOCRITES, as it is * written, This People

-People HONOURETH me with
their Lirs, (a) but their (a) Pfalm xxviii. 3. Draw me
HEART is far from me.
Howbeit, in VAIN do they
WORSHIP me, teaching for

DOCTRINESthe COMMANDMENTS of MEN. For laying afide the Commandment et of God, ye hold the Tradition of Men, as the washing of Pots and Cups: and many other fuch like Things ye do. And he faid unto them, Full well ye reject the Commandment of God, that ye may keep your own Tradition; [M.] for God commanded, faying, Honour thy Father and thy Mother: and whoso curseth Father or Mo, ther, let him die the Death. But ye say, if a Man shall fay to his Father or Mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a Gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me, he Thall be free: and ye fuffer him no more to do ought for his Father or his Mother, [M.] and honour not his Father or his Mother. Thus have ye made the Commandment of God of none Effect by your Tradition, [Mr.] which ye have delivered; and many fuch like Things do ye. And when he had cafel all the People unto him. be faid unto them, Horseh unto me every one of you. and understand: Not that which gonto the Mouth defileth n; out that which cometh

ctn

not away with the WICKED, and with the Workers of INIQUITY: which speak Peace to their Neighbours, but MISCHIEF is in their

Prov. xxx. 12. There is a Generation, that is PURE in their own Eyes, and yet is not WASHED from their Filthiness.

Ifai. lxv.2. I have spread out my
Hands all the Day unto a rebellious
People, which WALKETHIN A Way
THOUGHTS:
that was not good, after their own

3. A People that provoketh me to Anger continually to my Face: come not near to me, for I am но5. Which say, Stand by thy felf, LIER than thou: These are a Smoke in my Nofe, a Fire that burneth all the Day.

Jer. vii. 3. Thus faith the Lord of Hofts, the God of Ifrael, Amend your WAYS and your Doings, and Place. I will cause you to dwell in this

4. TRUST ye not in lying Words, faying, The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, are thefe.

Ezek. xxxiii. 30. Also thou Son of Man, the Children of thy People still are taiking against thee by the Walls, and the Doors of the Houses, and speak one to another, every one to his Brother, faying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the WORD that cometh forth from the Lord.

31. And they come unto thee as the People cometh, and they fit before thee as my People, and they HEAR thy Words, but they will not no them: for with their Mouth they shew much Love, but their Heart goeth after their COVETOυς

NESS.

Col. ii. 8. Beware left any Man spoil you through Philofophy and vain Deccit, after the TRADITION of Men, after the RUDIMENTS OF the World, and not after Chr.jt.

Heb. xiii. 9. Be not carried about with divers and strange Doctrines: for it is a good thing that the Heart be established with GRACE, not

W.