For I was hungry, &c.] O the goodness of Christ, who takes notice of all the good works of his Children to reward them! How great is his love to poor Christians, who takes every work of mercy done to them for his sake, as if it had been done to himself: Come ye to me, in whom ye have believed, before the saw me, 1and whom ye have loved and sought for with so much devotion, and through so many tribulations: Come now, from labour to rest, from disgrace to glory, from the jaws of Death, to the joys of eternal Life; ⟨p. 82⟩For my sake ye have been railed upon,2 reviled and cursed. But now it shall appear to all those cursed Esau's, that you are the •rue Jacobs, that shall receive your heavenly Father's blessing; and blessed shall you be. Your fathers, mothers, and nearest kindred forsook and cast you off,3 for my truth's sake, 4which you maintained; but now my Father will be unto you a Father, 5and you shall be his Sons and Daughters for ever.6 You were cast out of your lands and livings, and forsook all for my sake and the gospels; but that it may appear that you have no• lost your gain, but gained by your loss, instead of an earthly inheritance and possession, you shall possess with me the inheritance of my heavenly kingdom; where you shall be for love, sons; for birth-right, heirs; for dignity, kings; for holiness, priests; and you may be bold to enter into the possession thereof now, because my Father prepared and kept it for you ever since the first foundation of the World was laid.
For I was hungry, &c.] O the goodness of Christ, who takes notice of all the good works of his Children to reward them! How great is his love to poor Christians, who takes every work of mercy done to them for his sake, as if it had been done to himself: Come ye to me, in whom ye have believed, before ye saw me, 1and whom ye have loved and sought for with so much devotion, and through so many tribulations: Come now, from labour to rest, from disgrace to glory, from the jaws of Death, to the joys of eternal Life; ⟨p. 82⟩For my sake ye have been railed upon,2 reviled and cursed. But now it shall appear to all those cursed Esau's, that you are the •rue Jacobs, that shall receive your heavenly Father's blessing; and blessed shall you be. Your fathers, mothers, and nearest kindred forsook and cast you off,3 for my truth's sake, 4which you maintained; but now my Father will be unto you a Father, 5and you shall be his Sons and Daughters for ever.6 You were cast out of your lands and livings, and forsook all for my sake and the gospels; but that it may appear that you have no• lost your gain, but gained by your loss, instead of an earthly inheritance and possession, you shall poss•ss with me the i•heritance of my heavenly kingdom; where you shall be for love, sons; for birth-right, heirs; for dignity, kings; for holiness, priests; and you may be bold to enter into the possession thereof now, because my Father prepared and kept it for you ever since the first foundation of the World was laid.
- 1J•h. 20. 29. 1 Pet. 1. 8.
- 2Mat. 5. 11.
- 3Psal. 27. 10.
- 4Mat. 19. 29.
- 5Joh. 20. 17.
- 62 Cor. 6. 18.
