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Paul confesseth, that beyond mea sure he persecuted the church of God, and wasted it, &c.—Gal. i. 13. 1 Tim. i. 12, 13.

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.-James v. 16.

If any man see his brother sin a sin, not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them which sin not unto death.--1 John v. 16.

SECT. VIII. To be of one mind. BEHOLD, how good, and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! like the precious ointment upon the head, &c.-Ps. cxxxiii. 1, 2,

Christ prays that they might be kept; that they may be one as we are, &c.-John xvii. 11. 22.

And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart, and of one soul.-Acts iv. 32.

We, being many, are one body in Christ and every one members one of another. Be of the same mind one towards another.-Rom. xii. 5. 16.

Now the God, &c. grant you to be like-minded one toward another, according to Christ Jesus; that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father.-Rom.xv. 5,6. I beseech you, brethren, &c. that ye all speak the same thing: and that there be no divisions; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment.1 Cor. i. 10.

Whereas there is among you, &c. divisions: are ye not carnal? &c. One saith, I am of Paul, &c.-1 Cor. iii. 3, 4.

When ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you.-1 Cor. xi. 18.

Finally, brethren, &c. be of one mind.-2 Cor. xiii. 11.

Endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one spirit. Eph. iv. 3-5.

That ye stand fast in one spirit,

with one mind striving together for the faith.-Phil. i. 27.

If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, &c. fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, &c. being of one accord, and of one mind: let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, &c.-Phil. ii. 1—3.

Whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.-Phil. iii. 16.

I beseech Euodias, &c. that they be of the same mind in the Lord.Phil. iv. 2.

Finally, be ye all of one mind.1 Pet. iii. 8.

SECT. IX. To walk wisely and charitably one towards another; and in things indifferent to have respect to the Meek; to avoid Offences.

Ir we had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.-Matt. xii. 7. Hosea vi. 6.

The Pharisees accused the disciples for plucking corn, and Christ for healing a withered hand, on the sabbath day: till he said unto them, Which of you having one sheep, &c. fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will not lay hold on it, and lift it out? &c. It is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.-Matt. xii. 1-4. 1012. Luke vi. 1, &c. Matt. xv. 2.

Whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better that a mill-stone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

Woe unto the world because of offences for it must needs be that offences come, but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh.-Matt. xviii. 6, 7. Luke xvii. 1, 2.

His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry; but he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given: for there are some eunuchs which were so born, &c. and there are

some eunuchs which have made themselves, &c. He that is able to receive it, let him.-Matt. xix. 10—12.

Judge not, and ye shall not be judged; condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned.-Luke vi. 37. Jesus said, I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now: howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you.-John xvi. 12, 13.

Why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples? which, &c. Acts xv. 10. Gal. v. 12, 13.

bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves: let every one of us please his neighbour, for his good to edification.-Rom. xv. 1, 2.

I have fed you with milk and not with meat; for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able to bear it.-1 Cor. iii. 2.

All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient (or profitable); all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.-1 Cor. vi. 12. x. 23.

I would that all men were even as I myself; but every man hath his proper gift of God; one after this manner, &c. Is any man called, being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised; and is any called in uncircumcision? let him not become Circumcision is nocircumcised. thing, &c.-1 Cor. vii. 7. 18, 19.

Him that is weak in the faith receive you, but not to doubtful disputations (or not to judge his doubtful thoughts): for one believeth that he may eat all things; another who is weak eateth herbs: let not him that eateth, despise him that eateth not; and let not him that eateth not, judge him that eateth: for God hath re- We know that an idol is nothing ceived him, &c. One man esteemeth in the world, &c. howbeit there is one day above another: another es- not in every man that knowledge: teemeth every day alike: let every for some, with conscience of the idol man be fully persuaded in his own unto this hour, eat it as a thing offermind; he that regardeth a day, re- ed unto an idol, and their conscience gardeth it to the Lord, &c. Why being weak is defiled. But meat dost thou judge thy brother? or why commendeth us not to God, &c. dost thou set at nought thy brother? Take heed lest by any means this liLet us not therefore judge one another berty of yours become a stumblingany more; but judge this rather, block to them that are weak; for if any that no man put a stumblingblock, man see thee, who hast knowledge, or an occasion to fall in his brother's sit at meat in the idol's temple, way. I know, &c. that there is no- shall not the conscience of him who thing unclean of itself; but to him is weak be emboldened to eat those that esteemeth any thing to be un- things which are offered to idols; elean, to him it is unclean. But if thy and through thy knowledge shall thy brother be grieved with thy meat, weak brother perish, for whom Christ now walkest thou not charitably, &c. died? but when ye sin so against the Let us therefore now follow after the brethren, and wound their weak conthings which make for peace, &c. science, ye sin against Christ: whereAll things indeed are pure, but it is fore if meat make my brother to offend, evil for that man who eateth with I will eat no flesh while the world offence; it is good neither to eat standeth, lest I make my brother to flesh, &c. whereby thy brother stum- offend.-1 Cor. viii. 4. 7—13. bleth, or is offended, or is made weak, &c. He that doubteth is damned if he eat, &c. for whatsoever is not of faith, is sin.-Rom. xiv. 1-3. 5, 6. 10. 13-15. 19-21. 23.

We then that are strong, ought to

For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself a servant unto all, that I might gain the more: and unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews, &c. To the weak became I as weak, &c. I am

made all things to all men, that I
might by all means save some, &c.
1 Cor. ix. 19-22.

All things are lawful for me, but
all things are not expedient, &c. all
things edify not; let no man seek
his own, but every man another's
wealth: whatsoever is sold in the
shambles, that eat, asking no ques-
tion for conscience sake, for the earth
is the Lord's, &c. If any of them
that believe not, bid you to a feast,
and ye be disposed to go; what-
soever is set before you, eat, asking
no question for conscience sake. But
if any man say unto you, This is
offered in sacrifice unto idols; eat
not, for his sake that shewed it, and
for conscience sake, &c. Conscience,
I say, not thine own, but of the
other, &c. Give none offence, neither
to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor
to the church of God; even as I
please all men in all things, not seek-
ing my own profit, but the profit of
many, that they may be saved.
1 Cor. x. 23-29. 31-33. xi. 1.
Charity seeketh not her own.-
1 Cor. xiii. 4, 5.

Let all your things be done with charity.-1 Cor. xvi. 14.

Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others: let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. -Phil. ii. 4, 5.

Let us, therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereunto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Phil. iii. 15, 16.

Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink (or in eating, or in drinking), or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days, which are a shadow of things to come: but the body is of Christ.—Col. ii. 16, 17.

We exhort you, brethren, &c. comfort the feeble-minded, support the

weak, be patient toward all men.1 Thess. v. 14.

Neither give heed to fables, &c. which minister questions, rather than godly edifying, which is in faith: now the end of the commandment is charity, &c.-1 Tim. i. 4, 5.

Some shall depart from the faith, &c. forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God had created to be received, &c.— 1 Tim. iv. 1. 3.

Unto the pure all things are pure. —Titus i. 15.

When Paul was writing many things concerning Christ, he said, Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing, &c. ye are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat, &c. strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age.-Heb. v. 11, 12. 14.

It is a good thing that the heart be established with grace, not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.Heb. xiii. 9.

Charity shall cover the multitude of sins.-1 Pet. iv. 8.

I will put upon you none other burden: but that which ye have already, hold fast, till I come.-Rev. ii. 24, 25.

SECT. X. To distribute, and communi-
cate to one another's Necessities; give
to the Poor.

Ir thou lend money
to any
of my
people that is poor by thee, thou shalt
not be to him as a usurer; neither
shalt thou lay upon him usury, &c.—
Exod. xxii. 25.

When ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, &c. Thou shalt leave them for the poor and the stranger: I am the Lord your God.-Levit. xix. 9, 10. xxv. 1, &c.

If thy brother be waxen poor, &c.

then thou shalt relieve him, &c. that shall be made fat: and he that waterhe may live.-Levit. xxiv. 35. eth shall be watered also himself.Prov. xi. 24, 25.

If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren, within any of thy gates, &c. thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother; but thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth. Beware that there be not a thought (or word) in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought, and he cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be sin unto thee: thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, &c. for the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, &c.-Deut.xv.7-11. If I have withheld the poor from their desire, &c. or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof, &c. If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering: if his loins have not blessed me, &c. The stranger did not lodge in the street; but I opened my doors to the traveller.-Job xxxi. 16-20. 32.

The righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth, &c. He is ever merciful, and lendeth.-Ps. xxxvii. 21. 26.

Blessed is he that considereth the poor (or weak): the Lord will deliver him.-Ps. xli. 1.

A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth, &c. He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor, &c.-Ps. cxii. 5.9.

Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of thine increase, &c. Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to-morrow I will give, when thou hast it by thee.-Prov. iii. 9. 28.

There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth, &c. The liberal soul

He that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he, &c. He that oppresseth the poor, reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him, hath mercy on the poor.-Prov. xiv. 21. 31.

He that hath pity upon the poor, lendeth unto the Lord: and that which he hath given, will he pay him again.-Prov. xix. 17.

Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.Prov. xxi. 13.

He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed: for he giveth of his bread to the poor.-Prov. xxii. 9.

He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack.-Prov. xxviii. 27.

Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, and also to eight, &c.-Eccles. xi. 1, 2,

Is not this the fast that I have chosen? &c. Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, &c. And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul, then shall thy light rise in obscurity, &c.Isa. lviii. 6-8. 10.

I desired mercy, and not sacrifice. -Hosea vi. 6.

Give to him that asketh thee; and from him that would borrow of thee, turn not thou away.-Matt. v. 42.

Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them, &c. when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do, &c, that they may have glory of men, &c. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth.— Matt. vi. 1-3.

Ask, and it shall be given you. Matt. vii. 7.

I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give, than to receive.

Whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only, in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no Acts xx, 35. wise lose his reward.-Matt. x. 42. Mark ix. 41.

He that giveth, let him do it with simplicity (or liberality): he that Christ shall say, I was an hungered, sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness, &c. and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, distributing to the necessity of the and ye gave me drink: I was a saints: given to hospitality, &c.— stranger, and ye took me in naked, Rom. xii. 8. 13, xvi. 1, 2. and ye clothed me, &c. When saw It hath pleased them of Macedonia, we thee an hungered? &c. Inasmuch &c. to make a certain contribution as ye have done it unto one of the for the poor saints which are at least of these my brethren, ye have Jerusalem.-Rom. xv. 26. done it unto me, &c.-Matt. xxv. 35, &c.

The poor widow threw in two mites, &c. Jesus said, This poor widow hath cast more in, than all they, &c. For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had. Mark xii. 42-44. Luke xxi. 1-4. He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none, &c. so of meat.-Luke iii. 11.

When thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: and thou shalt be blessed, for they cannot recompense thee: thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.-Luke xiv. 13, 14.

Sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven.-Luke

xviii. 22.

The multitude of them that believed were of one heart, &c. neither said any of them, that aught of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things common. Acts iv. 32.

Cornelius, a devout man, &c. which gave much alms to the people, &c. Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.Acts x. 1, 2. 4.

Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judea.-Acts xi. 29.

Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, 1 Cor. xvi. 2.

As ye abound in every thing, &c. see that ye abound in this grace also: I speak, &c. to prove the sincerity of your love: for ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich, &c. As there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also, out of that which you have: for if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.-2 Cor. viii. 7-9. 11, 12.

He which soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly: and he which soweth bountifully, shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give: not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.-2 Cor. ix. 6-9.

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men; especially unto them who are of the household of faith.-Gal. vi. 10. 3 John 5, 6.

Rather let him labour, working

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