Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

1 If thy Brother fhall trefpafs against thee, go and tell him his Fault between thee and him alone; if he fhall hear thee thou haft gained thy Brother: But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the Mouth of two or three Witneffes every Word may be established; and if he fhall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the Church, but if he neglect to hear the Church, let him be unto thee as an heathen Man and a Publican.

m If ye forgive Men their Trefpaffes, your hea venly Father will alfo forgive you. But if ye forgive not Men their Trefpaffes, neither will your Father forgive your Trefpaffes..

MERCY and COMPASSION.

Thus fpeaketh the Lord of Hofts, faying, Shew Mercy and Compassion every Man to his Brother.

• Be ye all of one Mind, having Compaffion

one of another; love as Brethren; be pitiful; be

courteous.

[ocr errors]

▸ Be ye merciful, as your Father alfo is merciful. Bear ye one another's Burdens, and fo fulfil the Law of Chrift.

Comfort the feeble-minded, fupport the, Weak, be patient towards all Men, with Longfuffering, forbearing one another in Love.

• We that are ftrong ought to bear the Infirmities of the Weak, and not to please ourselves.

1 Mat. 18. 15, 16, 17. 7.9. • 1 Pet. 3. 8. Theff. 5. 14. Eph. 4. 2.

Mat. 6. 14, 15:

P Luke 6. 36.

• Rom. 15. 1.

Zech.

9 Gal. 6. 2.

Pure

Pure Religion is this, to vifit the Fatherlefs and Widows in their Affliction.

"Remember them that are in Bonds, as bound with them; and them which fuffer Adversity, as being yourselves alfo in the Body.

Deliver the Spoiled out of the Hand of the Oppreffor.

If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto Death, and those that are ready to be flain; if thou fayeft, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the Heart confider it? And fhall not he render to every Man according to his Works?

y Thou shalt not vex a Stranger; nor afflict any Widow or fatherless Child.

[ocr errors]

Thou shalt not curfe the Deaf, nor put a Stumbling-block before the Blind.

a Bleffed are the Merciful, for they shall obtain Mercy: But he shall have Judgment without Mercy, that hath fhewed no Mercy.

'The merciful Man doth Good unto his own Soul; but he that is cruel, troubleth his own Flesh; and he that is glad at Calamities, fhall not be unpunished.

Particularly

• Wo unto them that are at Eafe in Sion, and are not grieved for the Affliction of Jofeph. If there be among you a poor Man of one of thy Brethren, thou shalt not harden thy Heart, nor fhnt thine Hand from thy poor Brother: But thou shalt open thine

[blocks in formation]

to the Pour.

w Jer. 22. 3. 2 Lev. 19. 14. Prov, 17. 5.

Hand

Hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him fufficient for his Need, in that which he wanteth. Thou shalt furely give him, and thine Heart fhall not be grieved when thou giveft unto him; because that for this Thing the Lord thy God fhall blefs thee in all thy Works, and in all that thou puttest thine Hand unto.

Deal thy Bread to the Hungry, and bring the Poor that are caft out to thy Houfe; when thou feeft the Naked, cover him and hide not thyfelf from thine own Fleth. Then fhall thy Light break forth as the Morning, and thine Health fhall fpring forth speedily.

Charge them that are rich in this World, that they do Good, that they be rich in good Works; ready to diftribute, willing to communicate; laying up in ftore for themselves a good Foundation against the Time to come.

* Give Alms of fuch Things as ye have; and behold all Things are clean unto you.

Make to yourselves Friends of the Mammon of Unrighteoufnefs; that when ye fail, they may receive you into everlafting Habitations.

i When thou makeft a Feaft, call the Poor, the Maimed, the Lame, and the Blind; for they. cannot recompenfe thee: But thou shalt be recompenfed at the Refurrection of the Just.

Thou shalt not glean thy Field, nor thy Vineyard; thou fhalt leave them to the Poor and Stranger.

[blocks in formation]

Let every one of you lay by him in ftore, as God hath profpered him; remembering the Words of the Lord Jefus, how he faid, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

*

m The Righteous confidereth the Caufe of the Poor, but the Wicked regardeth not to know it. "The Brethren of the Poor do hate him, his Friends go far from him; he purfueth them with Words, yet they are wanting to him: But the Righteous fheweth Mercy, and giveth; he is ever merciful, and lendeth. He withholdeth not the Poor from their Defire, nor caufeth the Eyes of the Widow to fail: He eateth not his Morfel alone, but the Fatherless eateth thereof; neither will he fee any perish for want of Clothing, or ahy Poor without Covering. For he faith, Did not he that made me in the Womb, make him Did not oné fashion us in the Womb?

If a Brother or Sifter be naked, and deftitute of daily Food; and one of you fay unto them, Depart in Peace, be ye warmed and filled: Notwithstanding ye give them not thofe Things which are needful to the Body, what doth it profit?

P. He that giveth, let him do it with Simplicity: He that fheweth Mercy, with Chearfulnefs; diftributing to the Neceflity of Saints.

[ocr errors]

He which foweth fparingly, fhall reap alfo fparingly; and he which foweth bountifully, fhall reap alfo bountifully. Every Man, according as

[blocks in formation]

he purposeth in his Heart, fo let him give, not grudgingly, or of Neceffity; for God loveth a chearful Giver.

Take heed that ye do not your Alms before Men, to be feen of them, that ye may have Glory of Men: But when thou doft thine Alms, let not thy left Hand know what thy right Hand doeth ; that thine Alms may be in fecret, and thy Father which feeth in fecret himself fhall reward thee openly.

Bleffed is he that confidereth the Poor; the Lord will deliver him in Time of Trouble. But whofo ftoppeth his Ears at the Cry of the Poor, he alfo fhall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

He that hath Pity upon the Poor, lendeth unto the Lord, and that which he hath given, will he pay him again.

God is not unrighteous to forget your Work and Labour of Love, which ye have fhewed towards his Name, in that ye have miniftered to the Saints, and do minifter.

W

Whofoever fhall fee any of the Difciples of Chrift an hungred, or athirft, or a Stranger, or naked, or fick, or in Prifon, and full minifter unto him; when the Son of Man fhall come in his Glory, he fhall fay unto them, Inafmuch as ye have done thus unto one of the leaft of thefe my Brethren, ye have done it unto me, and they shall go into Life eternal.

* He that giveth unto the Poor fhall not lack; but he that hideth his Eyes fhall have many a Curfe.

[blocks in formation]
« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »