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when they said, he eateth with Publicans and Sinners) 1718. they do fo, i. e. love thofe that love them.

And as to friendly and hearty Salutations, that may be neceffary or needful, we fhould not only manifeft them to our Brethren, but as Occafion requires to all, it being a fhining Virtue in Chriftians to be kind to Strangers, and to fhew forth a generous and loving Temper and Deportment to fuch as may not be of us though not by a flattering, modifh, or complimental Way, yet hearty and refpectful, according to the. Plainnefs of Chrift, and the Simplicity of his Gofpel, without Respect of Perfons, Refpect being generally, or too generally, fhown to high, more than to them of low Degree. As we are not to refuse our friendly SaJutations to the Great, or the Rich, fo we are not to neglect the Poor, for the Publicans do fo."

Verfe 48. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect.

Christ would have us to be perfect in the Practice of his Doctrine, and to live up to it in perfect Obedience, according to the best of our Judgments, and Underftandings, and not to do his Work by Halves, but honestly, and perfectly, according to the Measure of Grace received, fome having received twice, fome thrice fo much as fome others, as the Parable of the Talents plainly fheweth: So that what Difcoveries or Manifeftations of Grace, Light or Truth, we have recived, we ought to walk up to them perfectly; Even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect. As the Almighty is perfect in his Love, Juftice, Mercy, Grace, and Truth, unto poor Mortals, in Chrift Jefus, his only Begotten, and in all his Works; fo ought we to be perfect in our known Duty: As it is written, Ye shall be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy. So Levit, 19: muft we be according to our Degree of Grace received. 2. 'Tis fuppofed, no Body will imagine that any Mortal can come up in Degree with the Almighty, but according to our Measure, Gift, and Degree of Grace re

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Some OBSERVATIONS on

1718. ceived, we are to be holy and perfect, as God, our. heavenly Father, and Chrift, our dear Lord, is fo in Fulness.

James I.

27..

Prov. 19:

17.

CHAP. 6. Verse 1. Take heed that ye do not your Alms before Men, to be feen of them, otherwife ye have no Reward of your Father which is in Heaven.

Verse 2. Therefore when thou doft thine Alms, do not found a Trumpet before thee, as the Hypocrites do, in the Synagogues, and in the Streets, that they may have Glory of Men: Verily I say unto you, they have their Reward.

Verse 3. But when thou do Alms, let not thy Leftband know what thy Right-hand doth :

Verfe 4. That thine Alms may be in Secret, and thy Father which feeth in Secret, himself fhall reward thee openly.

The Chriftian Religion, in its Purity, according to the Doctrine of the Founder of it, is a compaffionate Religion, and full of Pity, as well as Piety; it is a holy Compofition of Charity, and Goodness. The Apostle thus defcribes it: The pure Religion, and that which is undefiled before God and the Father, is this, To vifit the Fatherless, and Widows, in their Affliction; and to kept himself unspotted from the World. This is pure Religion, and this is the Chriftian Religion; happy are thefe who walk up to it, and live according to the Precepts of him who dictated them; then the Widows, and the Fatherlefs, would not be neglected; the Poor would be very generously taken care of, and our Garments kept clean, and all done as fecretly as may be ; for when we proclaim our Alms-deeds, and Charity, we lose our Reward from our heavenly Father; alfo when Alms is given, it ought to be done in the Spirit of Love, and Meeknefs, and fo recived; elfe the Receiver lofes a fecond Benefit, and the Giver his heavenly Reward. To give to the Poor, is to lend to him that made us, and we fhall have good and greater Measure returned us again. If we hope to have the Gates of

Chrift's

ye

42.

Chrift's Kingdom opened to us at laft, our Hearts must 1718. also be opened to the Poor and Need, when in Distress; remembering the Words of Chrift, where he fays to fome who were waiting for, and wanting an Entrance into the Kingdom, faying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; he tells them, I was hungry, and ye gave me no Meat; I was naked, and cloathed me not; I was fick, and in Prison, and ye vifited me Mar. 25. not. They answered, Lord, when faw we thee hungry, naked, fick, or in Prison, and did not feed thee, cloath thee, and vifit thee? He answers. In as much as ye did it not to one of thefe which believe in my Name,ye did it not He fimpathizeth with his pooreft and meaneft Members, whatever others do, and takes that done. to them as done to himself, whether it be Good or Bad. We fhould be good to All, but efpecially to Christ's Members, or the Houthold of the faithful Keepers of his Commandments; and Alms-deeds have the Approbation of Goodness from the univerfal Teftimony of all Men, in a general Way. Our Alins being thus diftributed according to our Ability, and the Neceffities of the Object, without Oftentation, in Secret, our munificent Father, who fees in Secret, will openly reward us.

to me.

How many rich Men are there in the World, who have made great and coftly Entertainments for their rich Friends, Neighbours, and Relations (and if their Subftance be fo great, that it is not felt by them) they had the more Need to remember the Poor : When they never so much as fpare the Tithe of it to them, though the Poor have ten times the Need of it, and though Chrift fays, When thou makeft a Feast, invite Luke 14. not thy rich Friends, for they will invite thee again; but call the Poor, the Lame, and the Blind, &c.

Verfe 5. And when thou prayeft, thou halt not be as the Hypocrites are, for they love to pray tanding in the Synagogues, and in the Corners of the Streets, that

H 2

they

12.

1718. they may be feen of Men; verily I fay unto you, they have their Reward.

Verse 6. But thou, when bou prayeft, enter into thy Clofet, and when thou haft but thy Door, pray to thy Father which is in Secret, and thy Father which feeth in Secret, fhall reward thee openly.

Verse 7. But when ye pray, ufe not vain Repititions, as the Heathen do: For they think they shall be heard for their much Speaking.

Verfe 8. Be not ye therefore like unto them: For your Father knoweth what Things ye bave need of, before you afk bim.

Prayer is abfolutely needful for the Being and Wellbeing of an inward reformed Chriftian: an outfide formal Chriftian may use the Form, though unreformed; but it availeth but little without Reformation. And private Prayer, according to Chrift's Rule, is effectual and rewardable, agreeable to his Doctrine. He alfo fpeaks against Hypocrify,and loving to be feen of Men, with a Command not to be like unto them. But theu, when thou prayeft, enter into thy Closet. When we feel, and are fenfible of a Divine Call, this must of course be the right and beft time (for Chrift has not fet us a diftinct Hour) then we are to enter into the Clofet of an humble Heart or Mind, or fome fecret Place in private. This is Chrift's Order for particular Perfons in a general Way; but is not intended to prevent fuch who are rightly concern'd to pray in the publick Affemblies, or Gathering of the Church; for we have Chrift for our Example, who prayed openly and publickly with his Difciples.

But when ye pray, ufe not vain Repititions, as the Heathens do; for they think to be heard for their much Speaking. Formal Repetitions of Prayer, repeated Day by Day, when they are not according (but contrary) to the States of thofe to whom they are read or repeated, muft needs be vain, and People may vain

ly

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Rom. 8.

ly make use of the Lord's own Form in that Cafe 1718. (though it is the beft in the World) and to think to be heard for their much Speaking, is to run into an Error of the Heathen. Be not ye (fays Chrift) therefore like unto them; for your Father knoweth what Things ye bave need of, before ye afk him. Prayer is a Gift from God, and from Chrift, and as we wait on God in Christ's Name and Power, he will give us that Gift, when he fees we ftand in need of it, or it will be for our Edification: For he has promised to pour out the Spirit of Prayer, and of Supplication, upon his People. And our great Apostle said, if he prayed, he would pray 1 Cor. 14with the Spirit. In another place he fays, We know 15. not what we should pray for, as we ought; but the Spirit 26 itself maketh Interceffion for us with Groanings that cannot be uttered. Likewife the fame Apoftle fays, The Spirit also helpeth our Infirmities. Thofe had not found out the Way of reading Prayers unto the People in common, neither of making of them; though it will be acknowledged that they had as much of the Mind of Chrift, as any of our modern Prayer-makers or Sayers; and fince there is no Form like that of Chrift's, it is here fet down, that People might take diligent Care to learn it, and to teach it to their Children. But if they learn it rightly, they must also learn to live in it: That is, live according to it; otherwise they will mock, instead of serving him, that made both it and them for his own Honour, and the Glory of his Name.

Verfe 9. After this Manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in Heaven, hallowed be thy Name.

Verse 10. Thy Kingdom come: Thy Will be done in Earth, as it is Heaven.

Verse 11. Give us this Day our Daily Bread.

Verfe 12. And forgive us our Debts, as we forgive

our Debtors.

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