1Put on therefore (as the elect of God, holy and beloved) bowels of mercies, kindness, &c. As you see the weakness of a brother, do what you can to support him. If he be weary, and cannot stand so long as he should, let him have something to sit thereon, as Aaron and Hur here did to Moses. And in other cases, (as Job was to the unspeakable comfort of his soul when Satan by himself and others did what he could to shake his faith, and to deprive him of all comfort in his God) be 2eyes to the blind, feet to the lame, a father to the poor, &c. Thus, as ye do that which is acceptable to God, and profitable to your brother, so also that which may be very available to your selves. 3For, with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. On these and such like grounds saith the Lord, 4Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Men will be ready on all occasions to show mercy to such. Thus Ruth who was as a staff to her old mother in law, found Boaz to be as a staff to her: and he renders this reason of the kindness he showed to her, 5It hath fully been showed me all that thou hast done to thy mother in law since the death of thine husband. But, if men should forget, or not respect the kindness and goodness that is showed to such as are in need, God will assuredly recompense it: as he recompensed the kindness which Joseph showed to Pharaohs Butler, 6and which David showed to Nabal, 7though the one was forgotten, and the other not respected. With the merciful God will show himself merciful.8
1Put on therefore (as the elect of God, holy and beloved) bowels of mercies, kindnesse, &c. As you see the weaknesse of a brother, do what you can to support him. If he be weary, and cannot stand so long as he should, let him have somthing to sit thereon, as Aaron and Hur here did to Moses. And in other cases, (as Iob was to the unspeakable comfort of his soule when Satan by himselfe and others did what he could to shake his faith, and to deprive him of all comfort in his God) be 2eyes to the blind, feet to the lame, a father to the poore, &c. Thus, as ye do that which is acceptable to God, and profitable to your brother, so also that which may be very available to your selves. 3For, with what measure ye mete, it shalbe measured to you againe. On these and such like grounds saith the Lord, 4Blessed are the mercifull, for they shall obtaine mercy. Men will be ready on all occasions to shew mercy to such. Thus Ruth who was as a staffe to her old mother in law, found Boaz to be as a staffe to her: and he renders this reason of the kindnesse he shewed to her, 5It hath fully beene shewed me all that thou hast done to thy mother in law since the death of thine husband. But, if men should forget, or not respect the kindnesse and goodnesse that is shewed to such as are in need, God will assuredly recompence it: as he recompenced the kindnesse which Ioseph shewed to Pharoahs Butler, 6and which David shewed to Nabal, 7though the one was forgotten, and the other not respected. With the mercifull God will shew himselfe mercifull.8
- 1Exhortation to succour the weak. Col. 3. 12.Exhortation to succour the weake. Col. 3. 12.
- 2Job 29. 15, 16.Iob 29. 15, 16.
- 3Mat. 7. 2.
- 4Mat. 5. 7.
- 5Rut. 2. 11.
- 6Gen. 40. 23.
- 71 Sam. 25. 10.
- 8Psal. 18. 25.
