majesty, your excellency, &c. because these titles are no part of that obedience, which is due to magistrates or superiors; neither doth the giving of them add to or diminish from that subjection we owe to them, which consists in obeying their just and lawful commands, not in titles and designations.

POOR.

PRACTICAL charity is supported by liberality where liberality ceaseth, charity waxeth cold, yea so far ceaseth; where there is no contribution, there is no distribution; where one is sparing the other is also; therefore let every one nourish charity in the root, that is, keep a liberal mind, a heart that looks upon the substance that is given him, as much bestowed upon him for the support of charity, as for the support of his own body. Those that are of this mind, will be careful that they do not keep back any of

God's part; for in all ages he hath in a most singular manner espoused the cause of the poor, the widow and fatherless, and hath often signified by his prophets and ministers, a special charge to rich men that had this world's goods, that they should look to it, that they were faithful stewards of what they possessed, and that they be found in good works, and not suffer their hearts so to cleave to uncertain riches, as to neglect the service God had given them the things of this life for, either to give them up when called for, in a testimony for his worthy name, or to communicate of them to those that were in necessity.

Those who by sickness, lameness, age or other impotency, are brought into poverty, are your peculiar care, and objects pointed out to you to bestow your charity upon, for by them the Lord calls

for it; for as the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness of it, he hath by his sovereign power commanded in every dispensation, that a part of what we enjoy from him should be thus employed. The Israelites were to leave a part of their produce for the poor; and in the time of the gospel, they were to lay by a part of what God had blessed them with, for the relief of those that were in necessity, which was not confined to their own meetings only, but upon extraordinary occasions they had a regard to the whole church of Christ and all that keep in the guidance of the same universal spirit, will make it their business to be found in the same practice of charity and good works; they that forget not this christian duty, will find out the poor's part in the corners and gleanings of the profits of their trades and merchandizings, as well as the Isra

elite of old did in the corners and gleanings of his field; and in the distribution of it will have a regard to comfort the bowels of such, who by the divine providence of God, are put out of a capacity of enjoying those outward comforts of health, strength and plenty which others enjoy for while they are partakers of the same faith, and walk in the way of righteousness with you, submitting themselves patiently to the dispensation of God's providence towards them; they are of your household and under your care, both to visit and relieve as members of one body, of which Christ Jesus is head and he that giveth to such poor, lendeth to the Lord, and he will repay

it.

But there is another sort of poor, who make themselves poor through their sloth and carelessness, and sometimes by

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